The Rise of Terror

Chapter 1: Beginnings

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9:00 AM

Evans Household

Lillian Evans rose with rays of sunlight leaving rainbow-like patterns on her wall. She felt surprisingly energetic despite the fact that she had spent the majority of the last five days competing in the National Junior Football Championships. She knew she should get more rest, but couldn't convince herself to go back to sleep. She was too excited about her upcoming finals game later that afternoon. She sat up and stretched while she looked around her room.

It was relatively large for a normal girl her age, practically the size of a normal master bedroom in a normal house. But this wasn't a normal house, and she wasn't a normal girl. She was born into a very wealthy family. Her father was the co-founder and now sole owner of one of the largest breweries in the world. Yet, contrary to his profession, he rarely drank except on Christmas and New Year's.

Her white door was in the front right hand corner of her room. All her furniture was white. Her wardrobe was located diagonally across the room and reached the ceiling and contained all the clothes she owned. It was so large you could fit five of her side by side in it and still have room to spare. Her bed was against the window and filled the rest of the space between the wardrobe and the wall and had a light purple comforter. Her desk and enormous bookshelf was located on the other wall. Her floor was covered in a thick, soft white carpet.

She stared intently at her light yellow daisy wall-papered walls for a moment before thinking to herself, "I believe they're beginning to peel. After the tournament, I have to get Dad to strip and repaper them."

Then she wandered into the bathroom that she shared with her sister, Petunia, thinking she may as well get ready seeing as she's not going to be getting any more sleep. The bathroom was very large, with a glass shower stall, a silver bathtub big enough for three people and a white marble counter that spanned the whole length of the wall with a silver sink. The walls were painted sea foam green and the floor was of a white marble tile.

She turned on the shower head and jumped in quickly, taking a short cold shower. Wrapped in a towel, she stood in front of the enormous mirror and observed herself critically while viciously brushing her hair. To anyone who saw her, she was the prettiest thing they ever saw with her beautiful long dark red hair, sparkling green eyes and slender body. To her own eyes, she was incredibly flawed: her hair was too red, her eyes too green, her body too skinny, and countless other imperfections.

"Well, I guess that's as good as its going to get, Lily, my friend," she said to herself as she finished putting her hair into two French plaits and looking at her profile.

She skipped into her bedroom and changed into her football uniform. She loved her uniform, simply because the dark green jersey matched her eyes. After dressing, she grabbed her football boots, ran out her room, slid down the banister, and hopped into the kitchen to make breakfast.

Not surprisingly, her father was already at the table with his customary newspaper and cup of coffee.

"Good morning, Daddy," Lily practically chirped as she set her boots on the floor by her chair and made her way around to kitchen to gather ingredients for pancakes.

"Well, good morning, Princess," her father, William, replied, looking up briefly from his paper. "I didn't expect to see you this early, especially since you were up till 11 last night celebrating your win with Elizabeth."

"Yes, I know, but I just couldn't sleep, not with the prospect of actually winning the trophy this year!" she conceded.

"I won't tell your mother if you make me some of your famous pancakes," her father said conspiratorially, watching her pour the batter into a pan on the stove.

"You know I would anyways, Daddy. You know how much I love cooking. Since Mum and Petunia aren't up yet, should I make some for them to eat when they wake up?" Lily asked.

"Sure, if you'd like, but since we aren't leaving for a couple of hours, they should be up by the time we leave to wish you good luck."

**********

10:00 AM

Potter Household

"JAMES HAROLD POTTER! GET YOUR BEHIND DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT OR ELSE!" Patricia Potter screamed up the stairs at her son.

"Or else what?" James asked sweetly as he stepped out of his bathroom, his hair still wet.

When James made his way downstairs into the kitchen, his mother replied sharply, "Or else something you don't want to know about. And when you're done, make sure you have your stuff packed for your overnight at Sirius's."

"Yes Mum," James responded, while enthusiastically digging into a plate of eggs and sausages large enough to feed a whole Quidditch team.

"Dear Lord, I feel sorry for the poor woman who has to marry this monster," she sighed as James scooped up a sausage from the tile kitchen floor yelling gleefully, "Five second rule!" while Julianne, James's twin sister stared on with disgust.

"James, how could you possibly act more like a pig?" Julianne questioned with revulsion as she looked back and forth between her own plate and James's plate. Hers was only a fraction of the size of James's.

"Don't worry hun, the famous Potter eating genes will kick in soon enough," laughed their father, Harold Potter, as he strode into the kitchen with the Daily Prophet in one hand and a coffee cup in the other.

"Gee thanks, Dad, but I think I'll pass," Julianne said while cutting her sausages into bite sized pieces.

"Don't encourage him," scolded his wife. He responded by kissing her.

"Eww," both Potter children said with identical expressions of distaste on their faces as they tried to look away.

"You almost made me lose my appetite," James said before shoveling another overflowing spoonful of eggs into his mouth while the rest of his family stared. Looking at their shocked expressions, he replied, "Hey! Don't look at me like that. I said almost."

"I can't wait until he goes to Hogwarts, then I won't have to cook enough food to feed an army every night," Patricia confided to her husband.

"I resent that statement," James countered, capering out of the kitchen after picking up his plate. "I'll be in my room packing."

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10:00 AM

Black Household

"Master Black! Master Black! You must hurry if you wish to be awake in time to leave for the Manchester house so that when Master Potter arrives you won't be late for Master Ricker's game!" Kreacher practically screamed into Sirius Black's ear.

"God Kreacher, I hear you, I hear you, you don't have to make me deaf," Sirius whined while rolling over and covering his face with a pillow.

"Kreacher did not want to do this, but Mrs. Black said I must if it is necessary," Kreacher said to himself nervously before commencing to repeatedly jump up and down on Sirius.

In an attempt to escape the hurtful house-elf, Sirius rolled over and fell on the floor. Needless to say, he was in a lot of pain and very angry.

"KREACHER!" Sirius roared while trying to attack the house-elf. Since Sirius was still half asleep and Kreacher was smaller, Kreacher quickly got away. Grumbling all the way, Sirius made his way towards his bathroom to take a shower, hoping to emerge awakened and less angry.

After a twenty minute cold shower, he ran down two floors to the kitchen in 12 Grimmauld Place. The house in London had been in his family, the Blacks, one of the most prominent pure-blood Wizarding families, for centuries. It was Unplottable and hidden away, between two shabby London Muggle houses. It was really a magnificent place, with six floors and countless rooms and hiding places.

Sirius arrived in the kitchen to receive a disapproving glare from his mother, Serapia Black. His younger brother, Regulus, was already seated at the table and was eating with perfect manners.

"Sirius, why can't you be more refined and on time...like your brother. Isn't that right, Regulus?" Her voice changed abruptly from a sharp bark to a coo. Just because of little perfect Regulus, thought Sirius bitterly. "Your father would be disappointed at your turnout."

"What would I be disappointed at?" Roald Black questioned as he entered the kitchen with the Daily Prophet in one hand and his reading glasses in the other.

"Your son," Serapia spat. "He prefers to fraternize with the goody Muggle-loving Potters instead of associating with a worthy family such as the Lestranges or the Malfoys."

"Well dear, we can only hope that he will eventually see the light, and then we can use the information he has gathered to our advantage," his father replied calmly.

"Fine," Serapia sniffed, pouting indignantly. "Eat quickly and go finish packing because we are leaving for Manchester in half an hour."

**********

11:00 AM

Evans Household

"MUM! Do you have the video camera?" Petunia screamed up the stairs. "We don't want to get to the field to find out we can't record Lily's game because you forgot the camera again!"

"Petunia, dear, do try not to yell so loud. Of course I remembered the camera. And I've only forgotten once, and it was entirely your father's fault," Clara Evans said, walking gracefully down the stairs while putting in her other earring.

"Sure Mum, always blame it on the men," Lily said, rolling her eyes at the same time as Petunia.

"Of course, who else's fault is it? If your father put his laundry away properly, he wouldn't have had to complain about not being able to find his other sock, we wouldn't have had to spend ten minutes looking for it, thereby leaving the camera on the kitchen table," Clara said.

William responded by planting a smacking kiss on his wife's lips, whilst the two girls couldn't run out of the room fast enough.

"Anyways...." Lily started. "Let's get into the van and on our way before we get stuck in traffic."

"Right as always darling," Clara said with a sigh. "Go and get Elizabeth because she is riding with us today."

"Yes mum," Lily said, running into the kitchen to call Elizabeth, who lived next door.

After about fifteen minutes, with a minimum amount of delays and disasters, the Evans plus Elizabeth piled into the red minivan for the half-hour journey to Manchester Park, where the Football Championship was being held.

**********

James arrived at the Black's Manchester house a few minutes after Sirius and his family.

"Where's Jules?" Sirius questioned.

"She and mum are staying home for a fun-filled day of shopping," James replied with sarcasm. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you had a crush on her based on how often you ask after her," James taunted.

"I do not have a crush of Julianne!" Sirius defended with a scowl.

"Sure, if you say so," James said with raised eyebrows.

"Boys, you better hurry if you want to make it to the game on time," Mr. Black said, looking around the edge of the wall into the bedroom.

"Yes Sir!" they both replied, mock saluting, even though Mr. Black was already gone.

"What game?" James asked.

"You remember Anthony Ricker? The guy from Hogsmeade elementary whose parents were accused of owning illegal Muggle artifacts? Well, he lives next door and he invited us to go watch his football game this afternoon," Sirius answered.

"Why do we want to go watch a Muggle game?" James asked.

"Well, apparently it's the Muggle equivalent of Quidditch, so I guess it can't be that boring," Sirius contemplated.

"They have brooms?" James questioned excitedly.

"No, dufus, they're Muggles, you know, people without magic," Sirius said rolling his eyes. "Gosh, you are so hopelessly obsessed with Quidditch it's not even funny anymore."

"How come you're friends with Anthony now? We always kinda played pranks on him because he was fat and it was funny. Like that one time we switched his chocolate pudding for Magger's Molding Mud? It took hours for his face to stop changing shape like clay whenever he or anyone else touched it! It was especially funny when people would try and make his face look like animals when he was asleep," James said with a sigh, a small smile of remembrance for the past prank on his face.

"I guess it's just that his parents are friends with my parents, and they just want us to get along and be friends," Sirius answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "At least that's what I think they want," he added thoughtfully, but James didn't hear. He was already on his way down the stairs to scavenge some scraps from the icebox to sustain him until they were able to buy food at the game with Muggle money.

**********

Clara Evans turned around in the front seat with the camera in her hands, attempting to film the three girls in the seat behind her.

"Well, girls are you excited? Are we going to have fun and win?" she asked.

"YES!" they all screamed, and then started giggling uncontrollably as Elizabeth pointed out a picture of a male model in one of her American magazines. He was young, about seventeen, very good looking, and extremely buff. The only problem was that he was wearing a typical American cheerleader outfit, along with a few other guys, trying to execute a difficult pyramid.

"Why can't some of the guys on the team be like that? Maybe then we'll have a little more fun," Lily complained.

"Well," Petunia said matter-of-factly, "because you shouldn't be subjected to that kind of torture. Come on, guys in a skirt. What could be more horrifying? It's only slightly considerable if they have waxed their legs beforehand."

Lily and Elizabeth were in fits of helpless, unending laughter. Mrs. Evans having caught this exchange on film, she shifted the magazine to a angle where the camera could preserve the picture of men in skirts forever.

"You know, the tradition dress for men in Scotland is a kilt, which is a type of skirt," Mr. Evans said, but that was obviously the wrong thing to say because it only resulted with the girls in more fits of laughter.

"Well, I tried," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"And you did a very admirable job," his wife said, shutting off the camera as the girls started throwing food at each other.

"Now girls, I'd like to warn you of the possibility of a few reporters. Just act polite and answer their questions," William informed the girls.

"Don't worry, we are perfectly capable of being good little angels," Lily reassured her dad, but her impression was ruined when Petunia threw a jellybean at Elizabeth over Lily's head.

"Just make sure you behave and remain on you best behavior," Clara warned.

"Yes ma'am," they chorused before erupting into laughter again.

**********

"James, this is Anthony Ricker. Anthony, this is James Potter," Sirius said, amazingly acting polite.

"Pleased to meet you," both James and Anthony responded, shaking hands.

"Now, enough of these formalities...Hey! I used a big word! Did you hear that? Anyways, I say we leave now so I can eat!" Sirius crowed gleefully.

"Sirius, didn't you eat right before you left?" James asked with exasperation.

"Well, yeah, but I have a rumbly in my tummy," Sirius said while rubbing his stomach.

"I think I'm getting kinda hungry, too," James said thoughtfully.

"Ok....Why don't we go now, that way you can get some food before the crowd pours in for the games," Anthony told them.

"I have one question. How do you use this paper the Muggles call money?" James asked, pulling a large wad of five pound notes out of his pocket.

**********

"Hello! You must be Lillian Evans. Is it alright if I call you Lily? That's great. Now can you answer a few questions for me? Thanks ever so much! Oh, and by the way, my name is Linda Lewis," a short, blond reporter, who looked every bit the ditzy, dull model spewed out in one long string without even taking a breath.

"Um, sure," Lily stammered at the sudden onslaught of questions, while trying to comprehend what exactly had been asked. This was definitely not expected. When her dad said there might be a few reporters, she expected some old men or women, not....this.

"Fabulous! So Lily, what's it like being one of only two girls on your team, and one of the best players too? Especially since your team is the favorite for this final match," Linda asked loudly in an attempt to be heard over the clamoring of both football teams' supporters whilst shoving a microphone into Lily's face.

Gosh! Can't that woman shut up for a minute to let me think? Lily thought to herself, taking a few deep breaths to try and calm herself so that she would be able to respond politely before answering Linda. "I wouldn't say I'm one of the best, although I do try my best. And yes, it can be hard being one of only two girls because the guys do like to give Elizabeth and me a pretty hard time because we're girls. But we know its all just fun."

"Wise words from a 10 year old, folks. One of the best players on her team, and very modest to boot! Well, that concludes this reporter's story. This is Linda Lewis for BBC3 news on Wednesday, July 20 and have a good night," Linda said into a news camera. When she was sure it was off, she ran off to her assistants, demanding how she was expected to work in these conditions, especially when there was a good chance her makeup would run and her hair would droop.

"Come on Elizabeth, Petunia, let's go get some good seats for my parents," Lily said, practically dragging them away from Linda before she decided that she needed to ask a few more questions.

**********

"Ooh! What's that?" James asked almost every second as he saw something new.

"James, please stop asking. I really don't feel like explaining everything to you. Let's just get you and Sirius a ton of hotdogs, hamburgers, and sweets. Then, we can find you a seat where you must stay until I come get you when the game is over," Anthony said, stepping into a line for hotdogs and sweets.

"Why can't we go anywhere?" Sirius whined.

"Because you don't know anything about Muggles and you'll get in trouble and I don't feel like having to explain you to people," Anthony responded simply before paying for ten hotdogs and an armful of sweets for James and Sirius each.

"Now let's go find you a seat," Anthony said, leading James and Sirius like children.

Anthony brought James and Sirius up to a row as near to the benches as possible, and decided to sit with them for a little while until he had to warm up with his team. James and Sirius started digging into the hotdogs and sweets and wolfing it down. Suddenly James looked up and stared at some of the sweets.

"What's wrong?" Anthony asked.

"It's defective," James said with amazement and a little bit of disappointment. "It's not doing anything." He looked almost ready to cry.

"James, it's Muggle candy. It's obviously not going to do anything," Anthony said with exasperation.

"Oh, right," James said, slightly embarrassed.

Suddenly a redhead and blonde in the team uniform ran up to Anthony. "Anthony, Smith said that if you want to play, you better come now. He's looks like he's about to explode," the redhead told him.

"Ok. I'll be there in a second," Anthony responded. The two girls jogged away and Anthony turned to James and Sirius. "You two better behave yourself until I come back," he warned, before he too jogged off.

**********

Watching the two girls leave with Anthony not far behind, James suddenly said thoughtfully, "I like redheads."

"James, you're stupid, everyone knows that blondes are better," Sirius retorted.

"Nuh-uh," James replied like a child.

They proceeded to bicker about it like a couple of two-year-olds. Finally they decided to stop so that they could continue eating. Suddenly, James said, "I still think that redhead at least was very pretty."

"Yeah, I guess she was. But I still think the blonde was prettier," Sirius replied before promptly stuffing half a hotdog in his mouth.

**********

"Now ladies and gentlemen, it's what you've all been waiting for! The final match for the Championship is between the Manchester Lions and the Bristol Knights. And here come the players now!" the announcer shouted to the enormous crowd in the stands through a microphone.

The players on each team come on at opposite corners and ran a lap around the field while waving at their supporters.

"The Manchester Lions: John Ackland, Ralph Emerson, Lily Evans, Mark Falkland, Elizabeth Halifax, John Landon, Greg Morgan, Ted Morgan, Anthony Ricker, Scott Schellden, Michael Trevelyan, and Fred Walter. The Bristol Knights: Paul Amherst, Ben Baker, Brian Browne, Matthew Burr, Richard Cleaver, William Craig, Charles Dunstan, Arthur Eaton, Frederick Fulke, Pablo Gifford, Christopher Paddock, and James Roberts."

They stopped at their original corners before running back out to the middle of the field to shake hands with their competitors. Both teams then ran off to their benches for a quick pep talk.

"Alright team, I know you got in you to beat them somewhere, so all I'm going to tell is, you better find it before you get in the field. I want Lily and Elizabeth as forwards, Anthony as goalie, Ralph and Mark as mid-fielders, Ted and Greg as defense, and John as sweeper. Ok, now. Let's go!" Smith concluded his pep talk and shooed his team away as Harrison shoved the Knights onto the field with an angry yell.

"Lily Evans and Richard Cleaver are going to start. The referee blows the whistle and the game is on!" yelled the announcer.

Lily immediately gained possession of the ball and nimbly maneuvered between the larger male players toward the opposing goal. Matthew Burr ran towards her in an attempt to regain the ball, but at the last possible second, Lily passed the ball to Elizabeth and threw herself to the ground and away from Matthew's foot. She rolled away and jumped back up right as Elizabeth passed the ball back to her and she kicked the ball as hard as she could toward the goal. The ball soared straight to Frederick Fulke's head with so much speed and force that he could feel his hair move and just barely moved his head in time before the ball slammed into the net behind him.

"It's not even two minutes into the game and Lily Evans has already scored a point for the Manchester Lions. What's this? The Bristol Knights' Coach has just called a time out," commented the announcer.

The Bristol Knights appeared to be getting quite a verbal beating at allowing a ball into the goal at such an early point in the game. On the other hand, the Manchester Lions were receiving praise and congratulatory cheers from their supporters.

After a minute, the referee blew his whistle and the teams returned to the field and resumed the game.

**********

"The coaches have called a time-out with two minutes left in the game. The Manchester Lions and the Bristol Knights are tied 3-3. It's a very close game, but only one team can emerge the victor," the announcer informed the crowd.

Smith was busy encouraging his team, "You've really done a great job. No one can expect a better game. If you lose, it doesn't matter, because you did your best and played your hardest and made it this far. If you win, that's even better. But just remember, you don't need to win the game, because you're all winners at heart. Now go out and beat those Knights!"

"Is it just me, or was that an extremely corny speech?" Elizabeth whispered to Lily while they were drinking water.

"Yup, but that was one of his better ones," Lily replied.

Meanwhile...

"You idiots! Our score should be far ahead of theirs! Fulke! What's wrong with your eyes? Can't you catch a ball anymore? All of you, back in the game now! And you better win or else you will suffer tomorrow after I make you do so many drills you will wish you played better today!" Harrison shouted. "Get out of my sight," he said with disgust.

"Yes, Coach," the team replied in unison, fearfully.

The teams reunited on the field and waited.

"You're going down," James Roberts snarled at Lily.

"In your dreams, meat head,' Lily quipped.

"We'll see about that."

All talking stopped as the referee walked up and blew his whistle.

Lily immediately leaped for the ball, and would have got it, if it weren't for the sheer size difference between her and James Roberts that allowed him to attack the ball first and pass it to Richard Cleaver. Richard ran with the ball until he was halfway to the goal and passed it to James. Lily intercepted the ball and passed it to Elizabeth. They began passing back and forth in a weaving pattern, with the rest of the team running around them, preventing any of the Knights from penetrating the defenses to recapture the ball.

Lily and Elizabeth continued their path up the field. At thirty seconds until the buzzer, Lily pulled her leg back and kicked the ball as hard as humanly possibly toward the goal. The ball hurtled through the air at an impossible speed toward Fulke. The threats of his coach still fresh in his mind, he resolved to stop this ball. He stood there watching the ball. An expression of shock barely registered on his face before the ball smashed into his face and rolled into the goal.

The stands that held the Lions' supporters erupted into deafening cheers. Lily stood in shock as her team lifted her on shoulders as they congratulated her.

All the parents came and offered their congratulations, while reporters shouted questions and photographers took pictures.

Anthony yelled above the din, "Everybody! Party at my house in an hour!"