Lily: Nénuphar de Vie

The next morning Lily, for some reason, was not at all happy. She didn't know why. She just felt pained. She watched the weather outside of the window for an hour, her emotions not changing one bit. She started to cry, then crawled under her covers. It was weekend; she could die if she wanted to.

Rain was pouring steadily. The ground was covered in mud and leaves, leftover from fall. Every time a rain drop fell to the muddy ground, it began filling a small pond. After a while, it became a pond.

Someone was lurking near. Perhaps a murderer, or possibly a spy.

Lily awoke. Oh God, she thought. My dreams, do they really mean nothing? For the rain seemed so real...

"Lily," Amelia's voice said. "Get the hell up."

"What?" Lily asked apprehensively. Amelia didn't tend to curse very often.

"What's this I hear about you and Bat-Boy-Severus dating?"

Lily gasped. "I'm not!" she exclaimed.

"I always thought you'd fancied James," Amelia said, ignoring Lily's denial statement.

Lily didn't believe in ironicalness, but she'd just been thinking about James. "I did--" Lily said. "But Mia," she whimpered. "I'm not dating Severus! Where'd you hear--?"

Amelia looked to her left and right. "Not heard, Lily," she whispered. "I saw you two together last night."

"What?"

"I saw you two under the tree, it seemed you were having a merry ol' time," Amelia said. "I haven't told anyone," she paused. "And I won't."

Lily made the happiest smile she could conjure. "Thanks, 'Melia."

"But what were you doing even talking to him?"

"When I went for a walk last night, I ran into him."

"Lily," Amelia whined. "You must stay away from him. He's bad news."

Lily thought for a moment. "How? Why?"

"He's in touch with dark wizards. He hates muggle-borns, too."

"Doesn't he know I'm muggle-born?"

"I don't know!" Amelia said. "Just promise me one thing?"

"Anything."

"Never date Severus Snape. Never. Promise?"

"I promise."

During potions Lily memorized the correct way to brew an invisibility potion.

"Mia?" Lily asked.

"Yeah?" Amelia answered.

"I'm going to the hospital wing, I've a terrible headache. Could you bring me back the homework?"

"Sure," Amelia answered. "See you later."

But as Lily left the potions classroom, she had no intention what-so-ever of going to the hospital wing. She took three small gulps of her invisibility potion and she, along with her hair, clothes, bag, and accessories turned invisible. She wished to be invisible, and her wish came true.

Lily left the school and sat on the edge of the lake. She decided she'd done enough daydreaming for a lifetime and started her homework. As she sat, writing an essay for Transfiguration, she couldn't help but think about the things Amelia had told her about Snape. It made sense, Snape sometimes jumped out of nowhere and jinxed students, who, now that Lily thought about it, were all muggle-born. Does he know I'm muggle-born? Lily thought. Then she remembered something. James and Snape often fought. Sometimes Lupin and Sirius, who were James's best friends, joined in bullying Snape. They're so mean to Snape. Lily thought. Then, how and why do I still feel something for James? Lily stopped thinking and concentrated on her essay.

After a few hours, her invisibility potion started to give way, and her bag became visible. She cursed and put a re-coloring charm on herself.

"Hello, Lily," said a voice. Lily turned and saw James sitting next to her. Him, too, staring across the lake. "How're you?"

Lily smiled. "I'm alright," she said.

"And your boyfriend, how's he?" James asked.

Lily paused. "Boyfriend? I don't have a boyfriend."

"Ah, c'mon! I know you're dating him!"

"Dating whom?"

"Severus Snape," James said plainly.

"Severus? I'm not dating Severus. Where'd you get that idea?"

"Ah, Evans," he said. "I've heard things. I heard you and him met under the oak tree right over there last night," he said, pointing to the tree.

"I simply ran into him while I was on a night's stroll," Lily said truthfully. "I've no desire to date him."

"So," he said slowly. "You are not dating?"

"Not at all."

"You were only chatting?"

"Only chatting," Lily repeated.

"Then, thanks for clearing that up for me. Good day," he said, standing. He hoisted his bag over his shoulder and left.

Just when Lily thought her day couldn't get any more dramatic, Remus, Peter, and Sirius strolled over and sat only feet away from where Lily was. "Hey, Lily!" Sirius said. "How've you been?"

"Good," Lily replied. "And you all?"

They all replied "great." Then Remus said, "Have you seen James around anywhere lately?"

"Why, yes," Lily said. "He was here only moments ago."

Remus and Sirius exchanged awkward glances while Peter skipped stones in the pond, ignoring everything around him. "Er--thanks," Remus said. Sirius grabbed Peter and they left.

Lily lingered at the lake for only moments. She then realized she should find her friends. But it seemed they had found her.

"Lily," Dessin said, Amelia and Renee chatting behind her. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah," Lily said. "Did anything dramatic happen in class?"

Amelia and Renee stopped talking. "Um..." they said in unison.

"Well, Remus and James had a fight. I mean, they argued," Amelia said.

"Oh," Lily said. "Really? What about?"

Dessin, Renee, and Amelia all exchanged peculiar glances.

"We don't exactly know," Renee said.

"But, we heard--," Amelia began to say.

"We heard them bring up their friend Sirius a lot," Renee cut in.

"Wh--why?" it then seemed as if dawn had approached the horizon in Amelia's mind. "Oh, that's right."

They chatted away, and minutes passed. But Lily couldn't shake off the feeling that her friends were hiding something from her.

Later that night Lily decided to take a stroll. Amelia followed.

"It seemed like you and the others were hiding something from me today," Lily said.

Amelia frowned. "I forgot to tell you," she said. "Dessin and Renee didn't want you to know for some reason."

"Oh," Lily said. "What is it, though?"

Amelia sighed; it was a sigh one would take if about to tell a long and deep story. "A while after you'd left James and Remus began to argue. You know how they're such good friends; it's hard to see that, even if you don't care for either of them."

"Go on," Lily said once she'd comprehended it.

"I, and so did everyone else, I assume, inquired why such good friends would have such a deep roe. And I, while finishing my potion, heard large bits of the conversation.

"Lily," Amelia said with the tone of droning. "They were arguing over you."

Lily had been lying on her bed, the scarlet curtains closed so no one would disturb her. She had been thinking; thinking about James and Remus and Severus. She'd come to terms with herself: the only reason she even respected Severus Snape was because he had fancied her. Now that she knew Remus and James liked her, too, well, it was too much to bear for her.

In the middle of thought someone whispered "Lily?" lightly.

The curtains to Lily's four-post bed were drawn open. Standing in front of the light was Amelia.

"Amelia," Lily said back, lightly, too, and in a mocking whisper.

"How've you been holding out?" Amelia asked.

"All right, I suppose," Lily answered.

"Can you handle some gossip?"

"I'd rather not," Lily said blankly.

Amelia sighed and turned to leave. "I'm going to dinner," she said. "Would you like anything?"

"No," said Lily.

Amelia closed her curtain. "Nice thoughts, then."

Lily finally decided it was best she got out and descended down the stairs to the common room. She heard voices.

"Moony," wailed the voice of Sirius Black. "You've fancied many girls during your life, as have I."

Lily tried to not listen, but her ears would not close.

"James has fancied--no, loved," Sirius Black continued, "Lily since he first met her. You only have an infatuation for her. But James loves her. For all we know she hates James. For all we know she hates you. Why can't you give him the benefit of the doubt?"

"James seems to have no trouble with me fancying these women, not until yesterday when he asked me who the latest was. How was I to know that he fancied her? He never tells us anything, really."

"Not just that!" continued Sirius Black. "You STOLE his invi--"

Lily backed away, slowly going back up the stairs to her dormitory. But the voices continued.

"Wormtail, don't you have anything to say?" Sirius rambled on. "WHY ARE YOU SHAKING YOUR HEAD LIKE THAT?"

Lily listened for when they left; she was restless and wander around for a bit. The time never came.

She decided to just walk downstairs in the middle of their conversation. It was worth a try, anyways. So she did. She grabbed a quill, a bottle of ink, and her diary, and then she took out the black earrings that she adored. She slipped them into her ears and once again descended down the stairs and into the common room.

They must have heard her walking this time, for they began to speak at a normal tone and they were talking about Quidditch.

"Hey, Lily," Sirius said, waving his hand at her. He saw the grave expression buried in her eyes. "Have a nice dinner," he said uncertainly.

Once Lily was through the painting she could hear them start up arguing again. "Would you stop it, already," Sirius's voice said. "Drop it. Leave her alone; she looked miserable enough without yours and James's controversy to add on."

Finally Peter said something logical. "Listen to Sirius on this. He's right."

Lily had decided to go to her secret hiding place. It was inside the room behind the painting of the large fireplace without a fire in it. When she reached the painting she looked left and right to make sure no one saw her. She then opened the painting, it creaked slightly, but it still opened wide enough for three people to enter at once. She closed it, making sure no one saw. She conjured up a LazyBoy armchair and sat. "Licht," she said, pointing her wand at the ceiling. Several ceiling-lamps turned on, the fire within them burning brightly.

She then wrote in her diary descriptions of the weird dreams she'd been having. Once she was done she shut her diary and vanished her chair. She then did the age-old trick of removing the eyes of a painting, the thing the eyes removed from screaming that they are blind, and then adding eyes that connect to her brain so that she could spy on people in the view of the painting as long as she was still in the secret room.

But no one was there. No one to spy on. She banished the eyes she had made and conjured the old ones and replaced them. Then a creaking sound filled her ears; someone was entering.

In walked this new figure, and at once it recognized Lily. "How did you find this place?" James asked.

"I found it while searching for Merlin's Gold," Lily said.

James laughed, and Lily saw his eyes were shimmering, as were Lily's.

James flicked his wand a couple times at the stone wall. "What are you doing?" Lily asked him. He replied, "I'm only searching for Merlin's Gold."

Lily had gone to the lake after her encounter with James. She sat at the edge, watching the giant squid's tentacles come up from the water and then sinking back down.

Then came the person she wished to see least: Severus.

"Hello, Lily," he said mildly, not stopping to talk to her.

"You don't know, do you?" Lily asked.

"Know what?" he replied, stopping.

"That I'm muggle-born. You didn't know, otherwise you wouldn't even talk to me."

"You're a bloody mudblood?" he asked, horror on his face.

"Yes, I am," Lily replied. Her eyebrows rose.

Severus snorted and continued his walk as if it hadn't made him realize that he loved Lily, and she now despised him. Worst of all, that she was muggle-born.

Then Lily's day became even worse. Remus Lupin strolled by. When his gaze caught Lily he slowed down to a halt. "Lily," he greeted with a casual nod.

"Remus," she said politely. "How are you?"

"I'm not so well, truthfully," he said. Lily then knew the worst was coming. "I wish to talk with you."

"Concerning what?" Lily replied politely; this was now all she could offer.

Remus sighed, and Lily looked down so he could get it over with. "I really, really like you," he finally said. "I know you most likely don't like me the way I like you, I understand." He paused. "And I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Lily said. "For what?"

"I suppose I should explain to you and James at the same time," he sighed. "Now I must leave to find James," he said in a new manner. "He and I have things to sort out before I can explain and apologize clearly."

He stood and walked away. Lily did what she had to do. Of course she didn't like Remus the way he liked her. She liked James. At least, she thought, the worst is over with.

Lily walked the trail Remus had taken, following his footsteps. The footsteps led Lily into the castle; students buzzing around to the library, likely to be doing last-minute homework. There were no longer footprints, so she returned to Gryffindor Tower.

When she entered she saw James and Remus talking; no one else was there.

"Lily," Remus said. "Would you kindly sit so I can now explain to you both?"

Lily nodded and took a seat next to James on the scarlet-red sofa. She and James exchanged confused glances.

Remus went deep into explaining everything he'd done. Some of which Lily didn't know about.

"Is that all you wish to tell us?" James asked.

"No," said Remus quite guiltily. He paused, and then sighed deeply. "There's something you both need to know," he hesitated. "You've almost certainly heard of Lord Voldemort?" Lily and James both nodded. "And how he's taken reign over Britain?" They nodded again. "He's after you--you both." He stood. "I should have told you both sooner," and he left.

Lily and James sat in the common room, silence ringing through their ears. Finally the silence was broken. "Why would he be after you?" James asked Lily incredulously.

"I have no idea," she answered candidly. "And you?"

James shook his head. "I am not certain--" he hesitated, "but there is one possible reason..."

Lily stared at the floor, wondering if Remus had been telling the truth, for she saw no lies within his eyes, but it seemed too sinister for Lord Voldemort to want her to die. She looked at James and he looked the same way.

"And what might it be?" she asked, not necessarily looking for an answer.

James shook his head. "It may be something I am unable to tell--anyone."

Lily didn't bother to shake her head. She understood. She wasn't really in the present, anymore. She was daydreaming--but, not. Only then did she realize that she was having déjà vu.

Later that night Lily sat, leaning against a post in her four-poster bed, reading a muggle-written book. She had never really liked them until she discovered that she was a witch, and she now took a liking to them. She was awake for she was not at all able to sleep. Finally giving in to her non-prestigious mind, Lily threw a black cloak over her body and went outside for fresh air.

Something was bothering her, yes, but nothing in particular. She shuddered for the night was cold and breathless, as she exhaled steam arose from the air she had just let out. The sky wableak. Though, it was not the cold that was bothering her, oh no, it was something else. It was the most eerie night imaginable. There were no crickets to be heard chirping, no animals to be heard stomping over the freshly fallen leaves. The only sound was that of the wind.

And then there came the sound of footsteps, footsteps and talking. Lily turned to the direction it was coming from. It was too foggy to see. She took a few steps toward the noise and saw Sirius and Amelia walking, hand-in-hand. Lily grinned and stepped away.

Amelia Black will be an excellent name for her, thought Lily. She strode away for a couple of minutes, walking towards the cold.

She stopped dead. She sensed something, something unwanted behind her. She turned. Nothing. Lily kept walking, occasionally looking around.

Behind her Lily heard a crunching noise of someone walking in the leaves very stealthily. Lily spun around, and, to her utter horror, she saw a tall figure draped in a black cloak. She saw his cat-like red eyes staring at her. "Lily Evans," said the cloaked figure, "how pleasant it is to finally meet you." He flicked his wand and sparks floated into Lily's throat from her neck. It felt as if hot ashes were burning inside her. Lily screamed. But no sound came from her mouth. He advanced on her. "I daresay you know who I am?" he asked.

Lily spit on his foot and grabbed her wand. She, too, flicked it and dust arose from the ground, but overall nothing happened. She tried again. She centered her power from within and summoned on it to stall this man without her voice. She mouthed the words of a spell, and magic flooded out of her wand, making a glowing tint-of-green shield about seven feet tall and nine feet wide between her and Lord Voldemort.

Lily gasped and pointed her wand to her throat. She summoned her voice back. Sparks of green and red went into her throat. "Of course I know who you are!" spat Lily. "Alohamora Douleur." Nothing happened. "LAISSER! LAISSER!" She cried desperately. Nothing. She looked to see that the only thing that happened when she cast spells--sparks flew to the shield between her and Voldemort, forming a stronger shield.

Voldemort looked nerved. He clenched his teeth and yelled "ASSEZ!" The wall broke and the sparks flooded back into Lily's body. Her knees collapsed from the sudden jolt of magic returning to her. She tried to stand, but she saw a twisted smile on Voldemort's face. "CRUCIO!" he bellowed.

The spell hit her face, she screamed in pain for what seemed like forever. More pain was not what she needed. She stood up, the pain still flooding to her from Voldemort's wand. He gasped. Lily took a step closer to Voldemort, her wand out, pointing straight at Voldemort. "NO!" he cried. "YOU CAN'T HAVE!" The magic from his wand seized. The pain in every inch of Lily's skin died down. She felt numb. Oh, so numb. She collapsed onto the ground. Trying to regain strength would now be hopeless. All she had was her magic. She pushed it all together and thrust it at Voldemort, it hit him and he roared in pain. Lily stood once again, escape would be futile, so she backed away as fast as she could, still throwing magic at Voldemort. Once she was a good ten yards away from him, she ran to the castle as fast as she could with so little strength left.

She was almost there; through the fog she could see the stone walls of the castle only a few yards away. But, again she heard Voldemort approaching faster than her. She spun around and thrust more magic at him. This time he recoiled from the pain. She could hear him mutter furiously "ce brûlers!" He was still approaching her. She felt him closing in on her. She saw sparks fly out of his wand and capture her. He gagged her, as well.

ldquo;If anyone would like to see Miss Lily Evans again," he said with a normal tone, but with victory in his voice, "you should step forward now." He laughed and used a force of magic that pushed Lily's already-limp body to the ground. "I daresay you would like to see nymphaeaceae flowers before you die? A token, I give to all whom I kill."

Lily tried to kick him, but he was too far away. He thrust her under a tree. "This is it, this is it!" he called excitedly. "Disapparate and I shall kill you."

Lily shook her head vigorously.

"Here is it possible to disapparate, Salazar Slytherin, my ancestor, did this." Voldemort continued. "I'd think there are water lilies, nymphaeaceaes, nénuphars, whatever you wish to call them, on the other side of the Dark Forest." He grabbed Lily's wrist and disapparated with her to the other side of the Dark Forest.