Bring it On

Title: So it Begins

Lily pushed her hair back into a tight ponytail with a white scrunchie, trying to give a confident smile to the mirror in the bathroom of the Hogwart's Express. She scrunched her face up as she examined how she looked. She had already put on her school robes over her Muggle clothes, her head Girl badge gleamed on her chest, her hair was tied back firmly except for a few loose tendrils that had escaped. She grabbed the mini vanity set that Andrea had given her last Christmas (despite her insistence that she never used make-up.) and tried to add some color to her porcelain complexion. The only thing I like about my skin is that I'm not an acne island, she thought, now applying some lip gloss rather clumsily, and that I'm not as freckled as the other redheads.

She stared at her reflection and gazed at the girl who stared back. She saw a scared looking, thin 17 year old girl with too red hair and too pale skin. The only thing she liked about her appearance were her large, almond shaped eyes, for some reason, they could change their color slightly according to her mood. Taylor had once said that when they darkened, they really did darken to a deep foresty green hue.

Lily finally tore herself away from the mirror, not liking her scrawny reflection with pasty skin and luminous eyes. As she walked out, several people greeted her since she was fairly well known and liked. Instead of grinning warmly and waving back as she always did, she walked stiffly and tried to greet the cordially, hoping that she was acting Head Girlish enough.

"Hey Lily!" squealed a newly minted Gryffindor fifth year Prefect, Elizabeth Jordan, normally known as Liz. She had curly, long white blonde hair, dark eyes and a complexion like Andrea's, she was, after all, her cousin.

"Hello, Elizabeth," she replied, turning her head and nodding slightly.

"Whoa! Lily, are you feeling okay?" she asked, frowning and touching Lily's forehead, "Not even my parents call me that! And are you having your period or something? You're walking all funny!"

Lily sighed, and gave a real smile while trying to relax her stance, "I'm trying to hard, aren't I Liz?" she asked, waving happily at a few classmates.

Well... yeah," she replied, laughing, "Just now, you looked like one of those silver things from the Bar Wars m-moovee crossed with an ostrich!"

"You mean the Clones? From the Star Wars movie?" Lily chuckled, pure-blood wizards like Liz rarely got Muggle-terms right. "I resent that," she paused and pushed a few strands of hair away, looking more worried, "I guess that I'm kinda nervous. I mean, I'm Head Girl! And... a-and I'm a Muggle-born!"

"Lih-lee! Please don't tell me that you even give a fraction of your time listening to what those slimy Slytherins say!" cried Liz exasperatedly, "You're one of the smartest witches in Hogwarts! You'll be a great Head Girl!"

"Thanks, Liz, that kinda means a lot to me," replied Lily, some of her nervousness fading, "But I bet you anything that that idiot Potter and his stupid friends are gonna ruin everything!" her timid attitude was suddenly replaced with fury and determination. "That new Head Boy and I'll have to work to shut them up!"

"Well... actually... Lily..." Liz began to look afraid, "I - I mean, you know... right?"

"Know what?" asked Lily, curious at the usually confident and bouncy Liz's change in demeanor.

"Well... actually... never mind. I'll just stand way, way over here!" called Liz as she ran halfway down the hall that they were walking through. She most certainly wasn't going to be the bringer of bad news, Lily Evans's infamous ability in Charms and hexes were nothing to be trifled with.

"You're coming with me to Madam Pomfrey later," she said, seriously thinking that she was ill.

She opened the door, but before she even touched the doorknob, it had already swung inwards. There, in her direct line of vision stood a handsome, familiar and hated figure wearing a Head Boy badge and a smirk the size of England.

"YOU!!"

***

"You want how much?!" squawked the old grandmotherly food trolley lady.

"All the chocolate frogs you have, twenty sickles worth of Honeydukes's Best Chocolate, a galleon in the Choco Almond Fudge and three pounds of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans! I'll throw in an extra galleon if you only give me the chocolate ones!" gasped Taylor frantically, thrusting out a handful of galleons and leaning on the side of the cart after having sprinted all the way there.

"You youngins..." muttered the lady reprovingly, "One day... when you're older... it'll all go to your hips! ... If you don't get overloaded with sugar first..."

"Ooh!" squealed Andrea suddenly, still clutching the stitch in her side, "D'you have any of those Whirl Lollies? I love those! And the bubblegum flavoured Beans?"

"Andy. Those are for first years."

"So? I like them!" whined Andrea, suddenly, she glanced back and said. "Hurry! I can already here Lily's sweet tones floating across right now."

Sure enough they could hear the faint sound of spluttering and shrieking.

"Oh Lord! Hurry! Hurry!" yelled Taylor, urging the lady on.

"Are you girls talking about Lily Evans?" she asked abruptly, looking scared and worried.

"D'you know her?" asked Andrea in surprise.

"Who could forget a girl who almost blew up half the Hogwart's Express, nearly destroyed my food cart and frightened the kids to death last year?!" she demanded grouchily, yet with a hint of admiration. "But I gotta say, that girl's got more sand than I've seen in a good 50 years!"

"Well... now that you put it like that, I guess that she is kinda hard to forget..." agreed Andrea thoughtfully, "But you're right! Did you see how she charmed those spoons?"

"Goodness! Of course!" exclaimed the woman, "I've never seen any student that good in Charms! Do you know how long it took us to stop the spoons from attacking those two boys?"

"Pardon me!" interrupted Taylor impatiently. "But, why are we all standing here remembering past times when the Warlock War is starting again?! It'll be worse with Lily Evans in the lead, cursing James Potter into oblivion!"

"I guess..." replied Andrea vaguely, sounding as though they were merely discussing the good points of chicken and beef. "I want that Whirl Lolly. The blue one."

"That boy? The messy black-haired one?" gasped the witch, ignoring Andrea. "Did he get that bruise off? I thought that the spoon really had him back then! He's got the best reflexes I've ever seen, he's got the makings of a Quidditch player, that one!"

"That one! Yes! That one!" shouted Taylor. "Chocolate! Now!"

"And I want that purple one too," added Andrea, still oblivious.

"Goodness, girl! Why didn't you say so?! Take the lot! It's free!" she shrieked, pushing the huge bag into Taylor's arms. "I'm not risking my trolley!"

Taylor nodded gratefully and sprinted away, the heavy bag in one hand and the other locked onto Andrea's forearm.

"Wait!" yelled Andrea. "What about my sweets?!"

Her companion just rolled her eyes and bonked her on the head with a Frog.

***

"Me," agreed James calmly, opening the door wider and gesturing her inside in gentlemanly manner.

"What the heck are you doing here, Potter?!" she yelled in a high-pitched voice, composure and air of dignity completely forgotten.

James let out a serried of loud, false coughs, polishing his badge absent-mindedly.

"Wait... oh no... nonononoo.." choked Lily, staring at the gleaming crest, shaking her head in disbelief. "Liz! Come here!"

"Err... yeah, Lily?" she replied timidly, not used to seeing Lily's bossy side.

Without uttering another word, she pinched her on the arm.

"OW! Why did you do that for?!" she yelled, rubbing the sore spot.

"Did it hurt?"

"Well, yeah! Duh!"

"Then this can't be a horrible nightmare! ARGH! NO! NO!"

"Evans, in case you didn't know. You're supposed to pinch yourself." Said James, grinning at the effect he had on her. "And my dear lily flower, it is a dream, (he took her hands and smiled, the prefects watching letting out catcalls, most of the girls hissing angrily.) a dream come true for you to be with me like this."

"NO!" she yelled, pushing him away and storming into the roomful of Prefects who were now quivering with fear and anticipation, "That badge is fake! Dumbledore can't possibly have made someone like you Head Boy!"

"Actually, Lily," said Remus quietly, being the only one brave enough to talk to her when she was in this mood. Partly because he was the best student in Defence Against the Dark Arts in their year and could easily repel whatever hex she put on him, "I'm afraid that he is Head Boy."

"Remus!" wailed Lily, willing herself not to blush while looking imploringly at him, "Of all people! I know that you're his friend! But why do you have to keep up with his insane delusions?"

"I'll admit that he is insane," he said calmly, ("Hey!" protested James") "But this isn't fake. You'll just have to accept it."

"He CAN'T be Head Boy! He just CAN'T! I mean! Look at his hair for goodness sake!"

"What's wrong with my hair?!"

"Yeah, I like it!" giggled a plump, ditzy 6th year prefect. She swooned as James shot her an appreciative grin.

"You stay out of this!" snapped Lily, making the girl shrink back into her seat. "Fine! So Dumbledore has gone senile! The world is crazy! Just give the stupid orders to the Prefects!"

"Are you sure you don't want to give it to them, my flower?" cooed James, glad that she had finally calmed down slightly. "You've already made such an impression."

Unfortunately, that caused her to flare up again, "I AM NOT YOU'RE FRIGGIN' FLOWER!" she screamed, but inside she realized that he was right. She had made an impression on the Prefects that would make 'em all think that she was insane. Well at least they won't disobey me, she thought grumpily.

"Now, now, Flower," said James disapprovingly, "Head Girls should be better behaved."

Lily breathed heavily, her chest heaving and her hand gripping the wand in her pocket. Already, she had the curse that she wanted to use in mind. Then, she stopped herself, forcing her hand to release the death grip it was in with her wand.. She chanted silently in her head, I will not completely blow up on my first day as Head Girl. I will not turn Potter into a piece of fungus. At least not until the bloody Prefects are gone!

"Alright..." she said finally, trying to calm herself, "As some of you already know, you have to patrol the corridors from time to time and punish trouble makers. You're allowed to give detentions although you have non power to deduct points. Even so, you still have to run the detention slips by either me and this prat or a teacher. When the term begins, I'll post up a schedule about your duties," she paused, making sure that everyone understood. "Got it?"

No one answered, mostly afraid that even a single movement might trigger her explosive temper again.

"If there are no further questions, you may go." said Lily.

"Oh, and if there's anyone who wants to get out of detention or get points back, they can always come to me!" called out James to the crowds retreating backs. They cheered but shut up the moment they saw Lily's glare.

"You are not allowed to abuse your position like that!" she hissed, her wand already out and gripped tightly in her hand, emitting dangerous red sparks. At the sight of that, the remaining students ran for their lives.

"Evans, put that wand away and lighten up!" said James calmly, now rummaging through the mini snack bar in a corner of the fancy carriage. "Hey! There're complimentary snacks! Sugar Quill, Moony?"

"I'm serious, Potter!" she yelled at James and Remus, whose backs were now facing her as they crammed sweets into their mouths. "You aren't gonna help trouble-makers get off easy just because they're your friends!"

"What 'cha gonna dyjoo, Evansh?" said James, trying to form words despite the fact that there wasn't any space left in his mouth. He swallowed and said more clearly, "Hex me? You could get detention."

"Puh-lease, Potter," snorted Lily, elbowing them out of the way and grabbing a bottle of Butterbeer, "I haven't gotten a single detention since I came here. I'm not going to get one now."

Just then, the door burst open and Taylor and Andrea rushed in, sweaty and holding what seemed to be a large heavy sack.

"You're still alive!" exclaimed Andrea to James in surprise, circling him and poking at him to make sure that Lily hadn't hurt him.

"Yeah!" agreed Taylor, staring at him, who was currently looking very annoyed at being prodded by a curios girl. "And still in one piece! Lily! I'm so proud of you! You actually held your temper! I would've thought that you'd have already turned him into something unrecognizable by now!"

"Don't tempt me," growled Lily through gritted teeth. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, "Ooh! Chocolate! For me?" Without waiting for a reply, she grabbed a large piece of fudge from the bag.

James sighed at her friends' antics. Then, what she said registered in his mind. "You mean you've seriously never been to detention before? Not once?" he asked incredulously.

"No," she answered shortly, "You gotta problem with that?"

"Are these complimentary snacks?" squealed Andrea happily, pouncing on the baskets, "Look! They have Whirl Lollies!"

The doors swung open again, and in burst Sirius and Peter. "James! Mate!" yelled Sirius, pushing his hair out of his eyes, "You're alive!"

"So we've heard," commented Remus dryly.

"Why does everyone expect me to be hurt?" asked James exasperatedly.

"You're always hurt when you're around Evans. Remember how long it took us to rearrange your face?" pointed out Sirius, ignoring Peter who was sniffing interestedly at the hoard of candy that Lily and her friends had abandoned in order to explore the mini-bar. "Might I say that you're arse looks exceptionally lovely in that dress, my dear Andrea?" he added, already trying to flirt even though he had a girlfriend, and ignoring the fact that he and Andrea weren't even on good terms ever since he had ripped her favourite robes in the 4th year, she in turn had sent him to the hospital by kneeing him in the groin.

"Sod off, Black," she snapped, "I know what you're after, and just you wait till Le' Fay here's about this."

"It's not like you look that good anyway," he mumbled, which he knew deep down, well, actually, not even that deep, was a total lie. She had a figure to die for, looking especially enticing in a white, floaty and short halter-neck summer dress with a light blue unbuttoned blouse over it, tied into a knot at the waist. She might not be a Muggle-born, but she took great care to know all the latest trends. "Are those Whirl Lollies? Move over, Rose!"

"Hah!" yelled Andrea triumphantly, "See? I'm not the only one who likes 'em! OY! Give those back, Black!"

"Make me!"

Lily rubbed her temples and groaned, "C'mon you two, let's get outta hear before we go loony like them."

Unfortunately, no one paid the slightest bit of attention to her. James and Remus were having a "Who Can Guzzle Down the Most Butterbeer and Get Drunk First Wins Competition", the former stealing glances at her every now and then. Sirius and Andrea were wrestling over one of the goodie baskets while Taylor searched for sherry.

Suddenly, choking sounds distracted them all. When they turned to stare, Peter was on all fours on the ground, one hand clutching his throat and his face turning a brilliant shade of magenta. Near him was a half-eaten bar of Honeydukes's Best Chocolate.

"Oh," said Taylor casually, munching on a Peppermint Toad, while the other three boys ran to him, starting to whack him on the back, "We made those toxic to those who should try to eat it without our permission."

"We'll be off now!" called Andrea, struggling to lift all the stuff that she had emptied out of the mini-bar, "Tell us what colour his spots are! Toodles!"

"You're not getting away with that load, Rose!" yelled Sirius, preparing to run after her.

"Change him back now!" snarled James threateningly while Remus tried to reverse the effect. Instead, he sprouted purple feathers out of the green spots that he had acquired.

"What're you gonna do?" countered Lily, stepping in front of Taylor defensively, "Make us?"

"You got that right!"

The room exploded into a haze of colours and smoke.

When Remus finally opened his eyes, the girls had disappeared, James was lying face down on the floor, Peter was curled up in a corner and Sirius was walking towards the bar.

"Are you lot alright?" Remus asked, coughing slightly at all the dust that was kicked up..

James and Peter only groaned, but Sirius was far more literate.

"I bloody hell am not!" he yelled angrily, gesturing towards the empty cupboards, "Rose took all the food!"

***

"Curse that Potter! Curse him!!" shouted Lily, flopping down on a seat.

"I think you already did, Lily," said Andrea, stuffing a Whirl-Lolly into her mouth, "That was the best Furnunculus curse I've ever seen."

"Stay still Lily, or I can't get rid of the green skin," said Taylor warningly, waving her wand around, "You didn't have to stand in front of me you know... but thanks anyway."

"No problem, the git was aiming for me anyway," sulked Lily, holding up her hand to examine the skin, "I'm not going to let that bullying prick get away with threatening me friends!"

"It kind of matches your eyes," observed Andrea absently, her mouth full of treacle fudge.

Suddenly, the door slid open and Liz's face appeared. "Hi! The trolley lady told me that you guys took most of the chocolate!" she closed the door behind her and continued talking, not having spotted Lily yet. "I found the Head carriage almost blown apart and James looking like something out of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, I knew, and I mean I knew who's handiwork that was!" she paused to take a breath, "My God! What the heck happened to you, Lily?!"

"Better not rub it in, motor- mouth," warned Andrea, throwing her a Chocolate Frog.

"Andrea, you know that you're far worse! And if anything, I get it from you!"

"Oh yeah? Well I don't talk nonstop!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Well this is mature," mumbled Taylor, prodding her patient with her wand. Both girls ignored her.

"A gazillion times do too!"

"A jillion times do not! Hah! So there, I win!"

"Do not!"

"Will both of you give it up?!" yelled Lily. "Besides, there's no such thing as a gazillion or a jillion."

"Alright, I think that I finally got it," said Taylor, tapping her on the head.

Lily's skin turned orange.

"Now it kinda matches your hair," commented Andrea, unheeding the poisonous glare that Lily shot her.

"Oh, give it here," said Liz, pulling the fuming girl towards her, she waved it anti-clockwise and said, "Restoro," successfully turning her back to normal.

"Thanks, Liz," sighed Lily in relief, grabbing a few sweets, "I'm glad that you're into Healing."

"Sure," she replied, waving it off, "Why d'you hate James so much anyway? He's really into you."

The room fell deadly silent as Andrea and Taylor held their breaths, watching Lily's face darken.

"He did something to me when I first came here, and I've never forgiven him since," answered Lily quietly after a few minutes of tense silence, "And that's all I'm going to tell you, because that's more that anyone but the three of us knows."

Liz opened her mouth, but closed it quickly. Even she knew when to shut up, so she changed the subject, "You know, I think that Sirius Black has gotta be the hottest guy in school!"

Andrea choked on her Butterbeer and began coughing violently, after hacking her left lung out, she looked at Liz and said, "You are not my cousin!"

"Huh?"

"Ignore her," consoled Taylor, "It was just a set of robes."

"Just a set of robes?!" screeched Andrea. ""DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THEY COST?!"

"Anyway, I think that James could put up a pretty good fight...with that strong chin and straight nose..." sighed Taylor, "I know that I'm supposed to be over him," she added quickly, when she saw Lily's death glare, "But, hey, can't I admire him without it being something? And Remus is pretty good looking... there's just something about him..."

"You lot are insane," grouched Lily, but she lowered her head a little at the mention of Remus's name. The truth was, she had always had a secret, tiny infatuation for him ever since he saved her from Potter in the first year. But if he wasn't gonna do anything, then she sure wasn't about to embarrass herself.

Andrea joined in the conversation, "Why do they even let Peter tag along? He is so unMarauderish! They're all so tall and cute... Yes.. even Black," she muttered at Liz's questioning gaze. "Just look at James's eyes!"

"They're the most penetrating shade of hazel!" cooed Liz, "Butt I'm in it for Sirius! I love the way his gorgeous hair falls over his face! And the way he looks at you in that sad pathetic way! Making his deep brown eyes all puppy-ish!"

"That's the look he gives girls when he wants to get 'em into bed," pointed out Andrea sulkily.

"Well... yeah," admitted Taylor, ignoring Andrea, "It does fall in a really cool way. Why don't you just go out with James, Lily? He might really like you!"

"Don't make me laugh, Tay," snorted Lily, "Firstly, I don't date arrogant bastards. And secondly, you know that the only reason he wants to go out with me is 'cuz I'm the only girl in the 6th and 7th year who hasn't gone out with him."

"You two submitted?" gasped Liz.

"Kind of..." mumbled Andrea sheepishly, "She went out with him in the fourth year. But when I was with him, I was young and stupid! I didn't know any better!"

"That was five months ago."

"Exactly!"

"Alright!" yelled Lily, covering her ears, "This discussion is officially over! Mention his name once more and I'll explode!"

"You're just trying to forget the fact that you went out with Sirius Black in the fifth year," pointed out Taylor.

***

"I'm done with Peter," said Remus, wiping his hands on his robes, "He can breath freely and is now spot free! But I think that the girls put something on the candy to stop him from tasting anything..." (Peter sniffled and whined, 'The feast tonight is always the best!) "Ah well... you can't get everything. How ya doing, Padfoot?"

"Wish I could say the same, Moony," sighed Sirius in frustration, turning James around to face them, causing Remus to have to stuff his hand in his mouth to muffle his laughter and Peter to cringe, "But I think that Evans added a little something to that curse. The usual cures aren't working."

"Damn her," growled James, touching his disfigured face and wincing, "Just wait till she goes out with me... then I'll show her!"

"Well, that sure made sense," said Sirius.

"Why do you even want to go out with her?" asked Peter shrilly, "That girl and her friends are dangerous!"

"Matter of conquest, my dear Wormtail," replied James as though it were the most obvious thing, "She's the only decent-looking girl who hasn't fallen for me yet. After her, I'll rule Hogwarts."

"Like you could ever beat me," shot back Sirius, but they all rolled their eyes. They knew that James really did have a thing for Lily, even if her refused to admit it or believe it.

"And if you don't like her, as we all believe you have since the 4th year, why were you so jealous when we started dating?" countered Sirius triumphantly. "You wouldn't even talk to me for weeks until we broke up!"

James flushed slightly, but said, "My mood then had nothing to do with her, Padfoot! As if I'd ever be jealous of you! I was... angry because my... cat died."

"The excuse would be believable if we didn't know that you didn't have a cat."

"Never mind," interrupted Remus, taking pity on James. "Tell me, why do you insist on pranking her if you want to 'conquer' (adding a loud fake cough that sounded suspiciously like 'crush') so much?"

"Dunno..." said James thoughtfully, running a hand through his hair, "I can't help it! She just looks so cute when she's annoyed... And there's just something about her that makes it so fun... Who cares anyway? The question is, why does she hate me so much?"

"You mean you don't know?!" hollered Remus, stunned.

"Should he?" asked Sirius and Peter blankly.

"Err... no," answered James, then he looked suspicious, "You mean you do?"

"If you can't even remember, then I'm not going to tell you," replied Remus coldly, turning his back to him.

James opened his mouth to pressure him, the shut it and shrugged. He certainly didn't remember doing anything, so Moony must've just been making this up. "Whatever. It's not like I care this much... she is just a conquest after all," he said grouchily, suddenly, his eyes lit up, "Evans told me that she's never been in detention before..."

"Which is why she'd never fit in with you," added Sirius, "And you're coming up with something aren't you? That I've-Got-a-Great-Plan look on your face completely gives you away! And I am not stealing Snivelly's boxers again."

"Don't even say what you're thinking," warned Moony.

"Yeah, she didn't even get in trouble that time she gave you antlers!" said Peter admiringly, "I swear that it's the eyes."

"I still need to get back at her for giving me this face..." mumbled James, ignorant and unaware of the glares shot at him by Remus, "I'll just get her into detention with me! I can show her my good side!"

"You have one?"

"If this doesn't do her harm or hurt her, then I'm in," said Remus, still looking slightly suspicious, "But if it does, count me out. Lily happens to be a friend."

"Don't blame me if you end up with your head backwards again," grumbled Sirius.

"Shut up and listen, you lot," said James, his eyes shining, "I've got a plan."