Of Poetry and Tricks

Of Poetry and Tricks

Chapter 1: Memories and Mischief

Lily Evans wasn't your average girl. For one thing, she had beautiful, long red hair that that curled into perfect locks at the end. The hair that more than half the girls in Oxford died to have. On top of that, she had a figure that drove nearly every boy in Oxford mad. And on top of that, she was a witch. Her Muggle parents and sister explained her long absences over the ten months of school by saying that she went to a private middle and high school in Edinburgh, Scotland. Her older and only sister, Petunia, bragged to her friends, that she too had been accepted when she was eleven, but couldn't bear to leave her hometown Lily remembered the day clearly. It was the day of Petunia's thirteenth birthday, when an owl appeared in Lily's bedroom window. Naturally curious, Lily took the envelope from the owl's foot, mildly interested in the H seal on the envelope, and opened it as the owl soared off...

"MOTHER!!! DADDY!!!" Lily screamed.

Her mother and father, who were setting up for the party they were giving Petunia that afternoon, dropped the crepe paper they were streaming all over the room and dashed up the stairs.

"Lily! What's wrong, honey?" Mr. Evans asked soothingly. Lily was trembling at the foot of her bed, her face the same color as the parchment in her hand, green eyes filled with fear. Gasping for air, Lily rested her head on her father's strong shoulder and allowed her suddenly ice-cold hand to be encircled by her mother's warm ones. Mr. Evans was just about to read the letter, when Petunia burst in, still in her nightclothes with curlers in her hair.

"What the devil is going on?"

Mrs. Evans motioned for Petunia to sit down at Lily's desk.

"Go on, Charlie. Read it," Mrs. Evans urged. Mr. Evans took a deep breath, and began to read.

"Dear Miss Evans,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"What does it mean, Daddy?" Lily whispered. Charlie Evans gulped as a nervous smile crept to his lips.

"It means that there is such a thing as wizards."

Petunia giggled. "You mean like Merlin? Or Gandalf?"

The very thought of some of their favorite fictional characters actually being real sent the two girls into fits of laughter.

"Lily will have to find out for us," Mrs. Evans said.

"You mean I'm going?" Lily was astonished.

"Term starts in two weeks. That means we must get your school supplies very quickly, Lily dear. But we'll worry about that tomorrow. Come now! We have a party to prepare for!"

But her birthday wasn't on Petunia Evans's mind. My sister is a freak, she thought. I always thought so, now I have proof. Then why are my parents so proud?

But that was it. Somehow, Lily managed to get her supplies, and on September the first disappeared through the barrier between Platforms Nine and Ten after a pretty girl with wavy brown hair who seemed to know exactly what she was doing. And that was how Lily met the first of her new best friends, Emily Stratton. Lily and Emily were the only British ones in their foursome, however. Two other girls joined their compartment just as Emily finished reassuring Lily that she would be fine at Hogwarts. These two girls were American witches. Eleanor Johnson was from New York, and Samantha Bloom was from California. According to Lily, the four girls were as different as night and day. But they were the best of friends. All of their classes were together, all were proud Gryffindor lionesses, top girls in their grade, and all hated the Potions teacher, Professor Cunningham.

I can't wait to get back to Hogwarts, Lily thought as she awoke early on the morning she was due back for her fifth year of magical schooling. Lily was grateful to get away. Not from her parents, whom she loved dearly, but rather from her sister, most particularly. Seventeen-year-old Petunia had brought home her boyfriend, Vernon Dursley, for dinner many times. (Not like he needs it, Lily thought, recalling Vernon's rather large stature.) Lily had a feeling Petunia did this on purpose, just so Lily wouldn't be able to talk about the magical world. Ever since Lily began to attend Hogwarts, the sisterly love she had for Petunia simply faded. Petunia was rather annoyed of Lily's "witch talk" that her parents adored.

Waiting for her parents to wake up, Lily double-checked to make sure that she had everything she needed for her fifth year at school, including her new Prefects' badge and her trusty owl, Eowyn (taken from her favorite female character from the Lord of the Rings trilogy).

"BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!"

The annoyingly loud sound of parents' alarm startled Lily, the time being 7:30. I what seemed like no time at al, Lily was on Platform 9 ¾, searching for a flash of Samanta's California blonde hair, and listening for Eleanor's heavy New York accent.

"Lily! Lil! Over here!" Lily shrieked and ran over to hug her three best friends. The four girls found an empty compartment, and settled down for a long trip.

"So," Eleanor began once the train picked up speed. "Has anyone heard of that new Muggle group, the Beatles? As all the Muggles on my block say, they are 'totally groovy'!"

"Yeah!" Emily said. "Aren't they cute?"

"Not the one with the big nose," Samantha said.

"You mean Ringo?" Lily offered.

"Yeah."

"I've been listening to Wizarding Wireless Network (WWN) all throughout holiday," Emily said. "Have you heard of the newest female group, the Butterflies? I think they are really good!"

"Definitely!" Eleanor cried, as she began to sing "I Want to Hold Your Wand", the hit single by the Butterflies.

As the girls talked and laughed and caught up with each other's lives, the English countryside whipped past them. About a half an hour before they were due at Hogsmeade Station, they changed into their robes. Lily and Emily traded special smiles, as their Prefect badges shone brightly on their robes. All of a sudden, there was a loud yell from the compartment next door. A tall, burly boy with unruly ebony hair and round glasses burst into their compartment, greeted by four screaming girls.

"Pardon me, ladies. This will only take a moment." The green eyes under his glasses sparkled with boyish mischief.

"Get lost, Potter!" Lily cried. "I'm a Prefect! You think I want to report someone in my own House, before term even started?!"

"Oh, sod off, Evans! I'm not a child!"

"You're certainly acting like one!"

The boy grabbed Lily, and put one strong hand over her mouth. "Shut up, Evans! They'll hear you!"

The four girls and one boy went silent for a moment as they heard footsteps thundering down the corridor. Quick as a flash, Lily darted out of the muscular grip and stuck her head out of the compartment.

"Hey! Lupin! Black! I think I've got who you're looking for!"

"Shut up, Evans!"

"Oh, make me, Potter!"

Three more boys abruptly squeezed into the now very packed compartment and grabbed their prey. He shot Lily a look of disgust as he was dragged off. After slamming the door shut, Lily slumped in her seat.

"That James Potter makes me so mad I could just-! Who the bloody hell does he think he is, bursting in on us like that?!?"

"Lily!" Samantha cried. "Calm down!"

"Yeah. Besides, I think he's cute!" Emily giggled.

"Cute?!?" Lily exclaimed. "You really think that aggravating, immature thing is cute?!? And I thought you had taste!"

Fuming and cursing softly, Lily stared out the window, giving her best friends a chance to steal a secretive smile, reading each other's minds.