Lily Evans: A History

The rain lasted all the way to Hogwarts and continued to pound
the grounds, as well as the students, as they made their way to the
castle. Lily and Kassie shoved their way through the crowd of second
years and above to get to the carriages that would carry them to the
school. Once they entered and pulled the cloaks off their heads, both
of them looked around.
	The entryway looked as magnificent as it always did. Bright
torches lit the stone floor and ghosts flitted in through the walls,
welcoming everyone back. Students piled in, tracking in mud and water
with them. The caretaker, Mr. Adams, was mopping up the water, but
making little leeway. There were too many feet and not enough mops.
Lily noticed another man with him, slightly younger, helping. She
nudged Kassie with her elbow.
	"Who's that?"
	Kassie stood on tiptoe to see above the heads of the students
around them for a better look. Once she caught sight of the man, she
shrugged, looking unconcerned. "Don't know."
	Before they could discuss it further the two large oak doors to
the Great Hall opened and they were pulled and pushed along with the
rest of the students until they found their table and sat down. The
golden plates shined in the candlelight and the occasional streak of
lightening lit up the enchanted ceiling. Lily took her cloak off,
rubbing her arms vigorously to ease the chill bumps that had sprang up.
The noise level increased as more and more students filed in, some
yelling to friends in other houses and most talking excitedly about
their summer.
	After everyone had taken a seat Professor McGonagall raised her
wand, making a deafening bang! that made more than a few
students jump. "If I can have your attention, please! We are about to
bring the first years in, please do settle down!"
	Satisfied that most everyone was quiet, the new Deputy
Headmistress walked purposely out a side door behind the staff table
and returned a few moments later through the double doors at the other
end of the hall, escorting a line of first years.
	It was traditional for the first year students to ride in boats
to the castle, across the large lake that was home to a giant squid.
Lily was glad, however, that she wasn't a first year and had rode in
the dry carriages. The newest students looked soaked to the bone, most
were shivering, and that, added with their fear and awe of the school
made for an interesting scene.
	They gathered around the front of the room as Professor
McGonagall set a three legged stool down and an old frayed wizard hat
atop it. For a moment there was silence, then the brim of the hat
opened and it broke into song.
	
"Welcome, welcome, one and all
To the first feast of the year in the Great Hall.
For a thousand or more years we've gathered here,
To learn and grow and even shed some tears.

But as we cry and smile within
there are houses to be put in
each one you'll see, if you'll just wait
has been known for special traits.

Slytherin, quite cunning ones,
where talent can be placed
whose ambition will not be matched
and competitiveness not put to waste.

And Hufflepuff! just dears to see
loyalty with no end
who will do what is right
and always help a friend.

Ravenclaw, full of wit
and wisdom beyond ages
who's thirst for knowledge never can
be trapped within closed cages.

And lastly we have Gryffindor,
the house that heroes favor
who never doubt what is right
and are always a tad braver.

Though separated when we sleep
a unity we all must keep,
for when the evil has undone
we stand together and fight as one!

So Slytherin, Hufflepuff
Ravenclaw and Gryffindor
work together and you'll see
As one we'll win this war!"

	There was thunderous applause through the Great Hall, joined by
the Marauders standing in their seats and whistling loudly. Even after
everyone else had stopped clapping, the four of them continued to cry
"ENCORE!" until Professor McGonagall gave them one of her patented
'looks' and they sat, even if not quietly.
	Lily's stomach growled and she gazed longingly at her plate as
Professor McGonagall began calling first years forward to be sorted.
	"Adams, Adrian!"
	"RAVENCLAW!"
	A short boy with dark hair hurried over to the Ravenclaw table
where they were applauding him. Professor McGonagall passed through the
rest of the A's and continued onto the B's rather quickly.
	"Not a lot of first years, are there?" Lily said to Kassie,
noticing for the first time that there didn't seem to be as many
students this year as their was when she started two years prior.
	"Wouldn't be, would there?" Kassie replied, her eyes downcast.
"Most parents probably want their children at home with them. I
wouldn't, though."
	"Why?"
	Kassie clapped as "Butler, Iden" became the first Gryffindor
sorted this evening before answering. "Hogwarts is a lot safer than out
there," Kassie replied, jerking her head towards the windows. "Where
you can be killed walking down the street."
	Lily said nothing, but not because she didn't want to. Words
simply failed her. She bit her lip, barely noticing as "Cantes,
Abigail," was sorted into Gryffindor.
	The Sorting continued and the small line of first years made
their way to their respective houses. Lily remembered her own Sorting,
wondering idly how she could have been sorted into Gryffindor. She
certainly didn't feel very brave lately.
	"Longmire, Allana!"
	Lily's ears perked up at the name. She watched as the bubbly
blonde walked calmly up to the hat, picked it up, sat on the stool and
placed the hat on her head where it promptly fell over her face. She
swung her legs for a moment, then suddenly the brim opened and shouted:
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
	Lily let out the breath she had been holding in. She had somehow
thought maybe Allana would be in Slytherin after the way she had
retaliated against James on the train. But thankfully her non-existent
fear of turmoil was also a Hufflepuff value. Lily applauded slightly
louder than she probably should have.
	Professor McGonagall continued down the list as Lily grew
hungrier and hungrier. Finally, "Winthrop, Willow!" became a Hufflepuff
and the parchment was rolled up. "Finally," Lily muttered, fighting off
the urge to pick up her fork.
	Professor Dumbledore stood up, beaming at the students around the
Great Hall like Lily had seen him do for two years now. A warm
sensation settled over her as she watched him, looking so proud and
happy to be here again. He really was a great wizard, she thought. To
have such great power, but more importantly, a huge heart.
	"Welcome!" he said, his voice carrying over the silence in the
hall. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I trust you have all had a
relaxing summer to empty your heads so we can once again fill them. I
have a few short announcements, but I'm sure you would all agree you'd
rather eat than listen to the ramblings of an old man. So, tuck in!"
	The words had no more left his mouth than food filled all four
house tables. "WOOHOO!" Sirius and James exclaimed, both grabbing
drumsticks off a plate in front of them. "Sweet, sweet feast bliss, how
I love thee," Sirius sighed, cramming chicken in his mouth.
	Lily couldn't have agreed more. She filled her plate with every
food within her reach and began eating. Neither her or Kassie did much
in the way of talking as the feast continued into dessert. Both were
much too occupied with eating. Finally, when Lily felt it would take a
crane to lift her from her seat, she leaned back, sighing happily. "Now
for sleep," she mumbled just loud enough that those closest to her
could hear.
	"Agreed," Alexis mumbled, blinking around at them all with
sluggish eyes. "I hope they get on with it already."
	The words had barely left her lips when the dessert dishes
disappeared and the golden plates returned to their former shiny state.
Most eyes swung to the front of the hall as the Headmaster got to his
feet, once more smiling at them all.
	"First years: Please note that the Dark Forest at the edge of our
property is forbidden. If there is any confusion about what this means,
please feel free to ask your head of house. That goes for some of our
older students, as well." Lily distinct fully heard the Marauders clear
their throats, but decided to ignore it. "Please note there is to be no
magic in the corridors between classes, lest someone get hurt, or
worse.
	"I would also like to introduce a new face you'll be seeing about
the halls: Argus Filch. He is our current Caretaker, Mr. Adams's,
nephew and will be taking over the position next year."
	There was extremely scattered applause that ended quickly as a
man that looked to be in his mid-thirties stood up, nodded his head
towards Dumbledore, and sat. Kassie's mouth fell open, but before she
could speak, Sirius had beat her to the punch line. "Ugly fellow, isn't
he?"
	"Looks like he could use a good laugh," James quipped, studying
the new caretaker with interest. "We could help him out there."
	Remus glanced down and caught Lily's stare and rolled his eyes.
She nodded in return as the two best friends continued to think up ways
to torture the newest staff member.
	"Also, we have another new addition to our staff," Dumbledore
extended his hand towards the far end of the staff table to a woman who
Lily hadn't noticed until then. This wisp of a woman was tiny, looking
no taller than Lily herself, and very skinny. She wore black work
robes, no make up and a pointed hat sat upon her head. As she stood
Lily noted her long hair was pulled back into a braid, it's color a
deep red that was almost black. "Professor McClure will be our new
Potions Master."
	There was more applause for her than for Argus Filch, but not by
much. The new Potions Master didn't seem to mind, though. She cast a
wane smile towards the students and then sat down. Only Lily couldn't
help but feel a chill run down her spine at that smile. It seemed more
like an evil smirk than an genuine smile.
	"And now, off to bed with you!" Dumbledore said, clapping his
hands before him. The noise level increased as students from all four
houses stood and began migrating towards the double oak doors.
	Lily and Kassie silently followed their Prefects up to Gryffindor
tower, learned the new password ("Hinkypunk!") and climbed the
staircase to the girls' dorms. They inspected their third year rooms,
found them to be much the same as the previous two years, and promptly
went to bed.
	Tucked in her four poster bed, behind the red hanging curtains,
Lily Evans cleared her mind of everything but her full stomach, their
new classes and getting a good night's sleep. And feeling safe and more
at home than she had in weeks, fell straight to sleep.
	
					*				 *

	There were two things that every returning student at Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry knew: one was being late for
Transfiguration was asking for detention and the second was that
excuses, no matter how well thought out, never worked on said
Transfiguration teacher.
	So it was with relief that Lily ran in to the room a mere two
seconds before the bell rang, only causing her teacher and Head of
House to glance up from behind her square spectacles as she sat. Of
course, just because every returning student knew these rules, didn't
necessarily mean they listened to them.
	An example of this was James Potter and Sirius Black running into
the room approximately five minutes after Lily, both red faced and out
of breath.
	"Ah, Potter, Black, so nice of you to join us," Professor
McGonagall said pleasantly as she closed the book she had open and
stood up. She gave a pointed look to the clock and then back at her two
more troublesome students. "Get lost, did you?"
	Sirius looked to be considering this when James placed on his
most charming smile. "No, Professor, we were merely getting this
welcome back gift for you." And before her very eyes, Lily saw James
conjure a white daisy from thin air.
	Even Professor McGonagall looked shocked. It seemed the only time
Lily seen her face caught in such surprise is when it had something to
do with one of the Marauders. Today would be no exception.
	James, seemingly not noticing the astonished look upon his fellow
students, and teacher's, face, handed McGonagall the flower and grinned
sheepishly.
	The Transfiguration teacher finally found her voice. "You know,
of course, that conjuring isn't until seventh year, correct?"
	"So is ani--ooof!" Sirius stopped mid-sentence as James suddenly
elbowed him hard in the stomach. Sirius caught himself, glared angrily
at James and also conjured a flower for their teacher. "We're sorry?"
he attempted, smiling.
	McGonagall studied the two boys while the rest of the class
watched silently. Finally she reached forward, plucked the flowers from
their out stretched hands and smiled slightly. "Thank you."
	"You're most welco--"
	"I'll see you tonight after dinner?" she added and both boys'
faces fell.
	"It's a date," Sirius suddenly replied, smiling and raising his
eyebrows at their teacher as he and James took their seats. Lily caught
Remus shaking his head in disbelief and Peter snickering into his hand.
	"Now," Professor McGonagall began, picking up a book from her
desk. "If you will all turn to page four-twenty, we can begin..."

				*				 *

	Lily yawned as she walked beside Kassie to their first ever Care
of Magical Creatures lesson. The class was held outside, in a clearing
just south of the Dark Forest. It was a beautiful fall day, but try as
she might, Lily couldn't stop yawning. Suspiciously enough, every time
she yawned in front of one of the Marauders, they would snicker.
	Somehow she had a feeling she had been jinxed.
	That feeling only intensified as she yawned again, and heard
James snort behind her. When she turned there was a patented
'innocent' look upon his face that only meant one thing: "James Potter,
undo whatever you're done to me so that I can stay awake during the
rest of my classes!"
	"Me?" James repeated, looking hurt at the accusation. "My dear
Lily, I wouldn't dream of pranking you."
	"I did it," Sirius piped up and James burst into laughter. "I
never get the credit I deserve," he muttered as an after thought,
bringing his wand up. Lily glanced at Peter and Remus, but both of them
said nothing, though barely concealing their laughter.
	After Sirius had undone whatever charm he had cast upon her, Lily
returned to Kassie's side just as a man came limping up towards them.
He had graying hair that mixed in with his dark hair, giving him the
look of having snow flakes laying on his head. He looked relatively
young, but not in the best of shape. He was missing two fingers on his
left hand, and walked with a limp that suggested he might have broken
his leg one too many times.
	"Good afternoon third years," he greeted, inclining his head
towards the Gryffindor and Ravenclaws. "I am Professor Kettleburn,
welcome to Care of Magical Creatures.
	"Today I would like to start out by getting to know you, and find
out how much you know about basic magical creatures. We'll go from
there."
	"Great, a test first class," Kassie muttered.
	"And if you have something to say, you should say it for the
entire class, Miss...?"
	Kassie's face reddened as the class snickered. "Phillips," she
supplied, also cracking a grin. "Kassie Phillips."
	Professor Kettleburn checked a piece of parchment in his right
hand, nodded and then looked up. "And who would your friend be?"
	"Lily Evans," Lily replied.
	Professor Kettleburn again checked the parchment. "Perhaps we
should do a role call first, make sure everyone is here. Mark Johnson?"
	"Here," a boy in the back answered.
	"Peter Pettigrew?"
	"Here!" piped up James, who was standing between Sirius and
Remus. Lily raised an eyebrow, but tried to hide her surprise, and not
laugh. Professor Kettleburn nodded, not missing a beat.
	"Crystal Adams?"
	"Here!"
	"Gabrielle Watkins?"
	"Here!" Gabrielle replied. Lily hadn't even noticed her standing
just to their left. Remarkably, it seemed her twin sister, Kathleen,
hadn't taken this class.
	"James Potter?"
	"Here!" Sirius replied. Again Lily forced her face to remain
neutral.
	"Remus Lupin?"
	"Here!" Peter said calmly.
	"Olivia Mann?"
	"Here!" replied a Ravenclaw girl next to Crystal.
	"Sirius Black?"
	"Here!" Remus answered. Kassie and Gabrielle, having caught on,
rolled their eyes.
	"Davy Gudgeon?"
	"Here!"
	Professor Kettleburn let the parchment in his hand spring back
into a roll and he put it away in his robes. He beckoned the class over
to a table and everyone gathered around. Laying on the table top was
various pictures of different magical creatures. Some were obvious,
like the unicorn, others Lily had never seen before.
	"I'm going to point to different pictures, if you know what the
creature is, please raise your hand."
	His wand wondered over the parchment, as if to consider which to
pick first. Finally he stopped at one. Each student studied the picture
and a few hands rose into the air. "Ah, yes, Mr. Gudgeon, I believe?"
	"Yes sir," Davy replied. "That is a gnome."
	"Very good, five points to Ravenclaw." Professor Kettleburn's
wand wondered over to another picture and this time Lily raised her
hand, as well as all the other students. "Miss Evans?"
	"That's a unicorn," she replied.
	"Correct, five points to Gryffindor."
	Lily idly wondered if he barely knew their names how he knew
their houses, but didn't dwell. His wand had landed on another picture
and again several hands shot into the air. "Mr. Potter."
	"That is an firecrab, sir. They look harmless, but can shoot fire
out their behinds faster than you can blink," Sirius replied. Lily
could have sworn she saw the slightest hint of something cross their
new teacher's face, but it was gone as quickly as it came.
	Expecting praise, Sirius's face suddenly turned confused as
Kettleburn's wand pointed towards him, inches from his nose. "Can
anyone tell me what this is?" he asked as Sirius' eyes crossed to look
at the wand.
	No one moved. Lily, just as confused as everyone else, waited
with her breath held as Kettleburn's wand grazed Sirius's nose. "No?
Then, I'll tell you. This is the first volunteer in this class to feed
a firecrab. Also known as Sirius Black. Anyone else want to claim to be
him?"
	Remus gave a perplexed look. James and Peter sniggered.
	The silence stretched on for what seemed much longer than it
could have possibly been. And then, to everyone's surprise, Professor
Kettleburn chuckled appreciably. "Boys, I wasn't born last night. You
don't toy with me, and I won't be forced to get you back, understood?"
	All four Marauders nodded, each looking in slight awe. "And five
points to Gryffindor," he added and the four boys grinned. Lily
suddenly had an idea that this may become the Marauders' favorite
class.
	Outside of Transfiguration, that is.
	
				*			 *

	"He was tipped off," Sirius announced suddenly to the small group
surrounding him in the common room that night. News of Professor
Kettleburn's wand directed at Sirius had traveled like wild fire
through the third year students. As a result, people Sirius didn't even
know were approaching him in the corridors and asking him if he had to
feed the firecrab yet. At first it seemed to amuse him, he would reply
with a fanatical story about narrowly missing a flaming ball of fire.
By the time the evening wore on, it was annoying him.
	By now he was ready to retaliate.
	"I think we've been had by all the teachers," James replied,
crumbling up a piece of parchment and throwing it into the fire. "They
probably sit in the staff room and discuss what we've done, comparing
notes."
	"Have quite a large ego, don't you?" Remus asked, not even
looking up from his Defense Against the Dark Arts assignment. Only
Professor Kittle had been so nice as to give them homework on their
first day back. Lily was trying to do hers at the next table, but
failed miserably as she half listened to the conversation the boys were
having.
	Instead of replying with something equally as sarcastic, James'
head snapped up and he and Sirius shared a look that was nothing less
than sinister. Remus sighed. "If I've told you once, I've told you a
thousand times, we can't do anything to the staff room..."
	"Why not?" Sirius whined, having caught onto James' idea without
speaking a word. "I know the password!"
	"You know the password from last year, they've probably changed
it. And with good reason," Remus added, smiling slightly.
	"Come on, Moony old man," Sirius clapped his hand on Remus' back
and the latter blanched.
	"Moony?"
	Sirius had the grace to look offended. "And what's so wrong with
that?"
	Lily barely hid her own snicker. James grinned widely. "I like
it."
	"Me, too," Peter added, waving his quill towards the werewolf.
	"Oh, all right then," Remus muttered, dipping his quill into a
bottle of ink. "But you wait, I'm sure to think of something to call
you that is less than flattering."
	"Less than flattering?" Sirius replied, looking shocked and hurt.
"That is very flattering! And you can think up nicknames for us when
we--ooof!"
	"That is the second time today, Sirius," James hissed at
him, looking around. Lily quickly hid her face and looked to be writing
on her parchment, keeping an ear towards the Marauders. Whatever it was
they were up to, Sirius had nearly spilled the beans twice today. She
was beginning to wonder if it was illegal.
	"Listening in?" Kassie asked, sitting her books down on the table
next to Lily and causing the redhead to jump. Kassie slid into a chair
and leaned her head towards Lily. "I've been catching pieces of
conversations, too. I think they are up to something. Want to find out
what?"
	"No, I do not," Lily replied, red in the face, because just
moments before she had been listening, and thinking the same
thing. "It's none of our business."
	"So?" Kassie shrugged, flipping her text book open and peering
over at Lily's parchment. She frowned. "You've been sitting here all
this time and haven't done anything but put your name on the
parchment?"
	Lily let her parchment spring into a roll and threw a pointed
glare to Kassie. "Honestly, I'm not much in the mood for homework.
Isn't it dinner time?"
	"Nearly," Kassie agreed, looking longingly at Lily's parchment.
"Are you going to do your assignment?"
	"Yes, and so are you," Lily replied, her meaning clear.
	"Oh," Kassie muttered, shutting her own book and placing it back
in her bag. "Right, then."
	
				*				 *

	It turned out that every teacher Lily had followed Professor
Kittle's example and gave out homework, so that by the time the weekend
rolled around, Lily felt for sure she was buried. The new Potions
teacher, by far, gave the most, topping even Professor McGonagall. But
it was nice, for once, to have a good teacher who also happened to be
fair. Definitely not a Slytherin trait. Lily could remember the
Slytherin's fuming over this after their first class.
	They were finishing the last steps of a Youth Potion just minutes
before the bell rang on that Tuesday. "Mr. Rosier, is there a reason
you are trying to ruin Miss Phillips' potion?" Professor McClure
remarked suddenly. Kassie had been trying to glare the Slytherin away,
but he persisted in attempting to throw a beaker of water in her
cauldron. Neither her, Lily or Evan Rosier had noticed McClure nearby.
Professor Walsh had usually made an attempt to ignore everything the
Slytherins did.
	"I wasn't," Rosier replied silkily. "I just wanted to check it's
color against my own."
	"Ten points from Slytherin," Professor McClure snapped, turning
on her heel and going towards the front of the room. Lily and Kassie
grinned widely.
	"But--!"
	"And twenty points for every word I hear from your mouth the rest
of my class!" the short woman snapped, turning on her heel and causing
her black robes to fly in the air behind her. "Lies will not be
tolerated in this dungeon, among other things. Understood?"
	Rosier, possibly afraid of loosing more points, only nodded.
Professor McClure wasn't nice, by far, but at least she wasn't biased:
she didn't like anyone. Lily had a respect for her if only for that
reason alone.
	By Thursday when they had Potions class again, it was obvious
that the Slytherins wanted the House Cup more than they wanted to cause
havoc on Gryffindors. Lily enjoyed Potions for the first time since
beginning school.
	But homework was plentiful. Eight feet, to be exact, on Ministry
for Magic regulations on Truth Serum. Due Monday, no excuses or you
failed that term. That, on top of her other homework, left Lily feeling
like her hand would fall off before she was finished.
	She and Kassie had spent the entire Saturday sitting outside
under the shade of a tree doing their homework. So come Sunday morning
when everyone else was just starting, they were both free.
	At breakfast the discussion revolved around what they wanted to
do with their day when the post arrived. As post came everyday in the
wizarding world, it was nothing unusual. Lily hadn't expected anything,
but wasn't too terribly surprised to see Morgana flying towards her.
She suppose she was only here for a bite of breakfast.
	"She's carrying something," Kassie remarked, watching as the gray
owl drew closer. "Probably from your Mum."
	As Morgana grew closer, Lily noted that she looked slightly put
out. All out mad, was more like it. By the time she landed in front of
Lily, she stuck her leg out indignantly and then snatched it back as
Lily took the paper. Confused, Lily unfolded the paper while Morgana
helped herself to some of Kassie's bacon.
	"How odd," Lily mumbled, unfolding the paper. It looked very
hastily folded and the writing definitely wasn't her Mum's.
	"Hey Morgana," a voice cooed behind them. James leaned between
the two girls, rubbing the owl's head. "I heard Horace gave you some
trouble over the summer."
	Paying little attention to him, Lily had finally opened the paper
and was reading, her mind going numb as she did so.
	
Lily,

You need to come home now. Mum and Dad were in a car accident. It's
bad. I'm scared. Get here as soon as possible.
	
Petunia
	
	"Lily? Lily! Are you ok?"
	Lily heard the voice, and knew it belonged to James. But she
couldn't answer. Her mum and dad, in a car accident. It was bad enough
that Petunia was writing her at school, using an owl that she despised.
And she was scared. Everything seemed to spin. Lily gasped for air, but
it didn't help so she gasped again. And again. The voices around here
were growing frantic, someone called for Professor McGonagall.
	"Lily, talk to me!" It was James; he looked so worried. He had
his hands on both sides of her face, forcing her to look him in the
eye. She gasped again and felt Kassie's hand on her back, rubbing in a
circular motion. The letter was still clutched tight in her hand.
	"Talk to me," James insisted, staring at her long and hard in the
eye. She couldn't blink, only stare back at him. "Talk to me," he
repeated in a soothing voice.
	"My--mum and dad--" she gasped out, tears starting to fill her
eyes. "Car accident.... oh no...." And suddenly she could breathe. Air
filled her lungs and tears filled her eyes at the same time. "I have to
get home," she cried, wiping at the tears in vain. "Now."
	"Come on." It was Kassie this time, supporting her as she stood
up. Professor McGonagall came rushing towards them, Sirius on her
heels.

				*				 *

	Oddly enough it was James that accompanied Lily to Professor
Dumbledore's office, and not Kassie. She stood just before the stone
gargoyle with a bag in one hand biting the nails of her other hand.
James pulled her fingers from her mouth. "Don't."
	"I'm sorry. I--"
	"It's ok," he said before she could speak. "If you need
anything..."
	"Thank you," she whispered. James said the password and the
gargoyle jumped to the side. Something came over Lily as she looked at
James, standing next to her with such a worried look on his face. She
wrapped her free arm around James briefly, mumbled "Thank you" again
and fled up the stairs to the Headmaster's office.
	James watched her disappear, a ghost of a smile on his lips that
he banished quickly and walked back to Gryffindor tower.