Favours

jess131346

Rating: R
Genres: Angst, Drama
Relationships: Lily & James
Book: Lily & James, Books 1 - 4
Published: 21/06/2004
Last Updated: 21/06/2004
Status: in_progress

Rated for attempted suicide... Lily Evans is a careful student who hides behind the books she studies in a hope of detaching herself from the rest of the student body. When her cousins ask a favour, Lily finds herself attending a ball she would have avoided and showing her true self. Unfortunately all goes wrong. One-shot.

Chapters

1. Favours

1. Favours

Lily Evans looked at herself in the mirror, frowning. She found nothing wrong with her appearance but doubted the majority of the school would agree with her.

She sighed, and read through the letter once again.

Dear Cuz,

We know it came to as a shock that we are witches too, and you may never forgive us, `may' being the key word, instead of in Petunia's case that we will NEVER be forgiven. We're sorry we couldn't have told you earlier but as you know, we are a bit older than you and had to wait until either you or Petty got drafted into our lil' world. We should've told you years ago but we've had a lot going on in our band.

We just wanted to ask you a favour. On no account are you to miss the Yule Ball at Hogwarts this year. If we find out you are in your common room then run. We have a lil' surprise for you and would be pleased, or to say ecstatic, if you would oblige us and erm…turn up? We're sure your friends would drag you along anyway, and you're bound to have a date, seeing as how stunning our ickle Lilykins is.

Lurve Obsidian, Topaz and Onyx Weird

She groaned. What had she got herself into? She was going to the Yule Ball. The Yule Ball. As in townie centre.

She had been able to miss all the others in her years at Hogwarts, a couple of detentions here and there. But now she had to go.

Her cousins were there, her only part of her family still alive, well who would actually acknowledge her existence. Her cousins had several things wrong though. One- she didn't have any friends to drag her along to this sad, sad event. And two- she didn't have a date, hadn't even been asked.

Not surprising though, since she had been invisible from day one, except for the odd taunt about being a teacher's pet and the shouting matches with the Marauders.

If it weren't for the fact that an increasingly powerful wizard had murdered her parents and her aunt and uncle, she felt she wouldn't still be at school. She would have dropped out earlier.

As it was she was only staying so as to become an Auror and get revenge. Her cousins, didn't seem to have the same idea, all they cared about was their band and how many records were sold in a week.

Sighing, she reached over to her bed, ignoring the whispers of her roommates in the bathroom and picked up her favourite cloak.

She put it on, making sure she was completely covered except for where the slashes in the material show through to her skin. She only had two things left to do. One was to straighten her fiery hair, and to paint her nails black.

With a flick of her wand, she accomplished that which her dim roommates were attempting the muggle way in the bathroom.

She caught sight of her reflection in the stained glass window above her bed as she glided out the door and decided a little more makeup was needed. There.

Walking like an ethereal being, she made her way down the would be girls stairs which were for the time being a slide, and made it halfway across the common room before being caught.

`Exactly what in hell are you doing?' came the incredulous voice, cutting through her thoughts. Feeling that it had been too good to be true, she turned slowly, attaching a vague look onto her face.

`Walking?' she rolled her eyes.

`Where are you going? All the other girls won't be ready for another hour knowing them, and the dance doesn't start for and hour and a half' asked Remus politely, glaring at James.

`Well….' She began.

`…What the FUCK is on your face, if I didn't know you were a prissy study girl I'd think you swayed my way.' Came the horrified voice of a Mr. Sirius Black.

`Firstly I'm going to the dance, prefects have to you know,' they all turned to look at Remus.

`What??? I've put in my hours.'

`Secondly, to be fair, knowing that the majority of our female house members share one brain cell between them, they don't seem to know what being a witch means, they are all doing everything the muggle way. And…and the crap on my face is called kohl, it's part of what being a Goth is about.'

James, Sirius and Remus just gaped at her.

`What? You didn't think you were the only Goths in Gryffindor? You have been mislead. And Mr. Black?' Sirius looked confused, `I think pink is more your colour eh? Sirius Pink?'

She laughed, enjoying the scream that reverberated out of the portrait, and took pleasure in her relief at being able to act like her real self.

* * * *

Lily sat in the shadows, observing as each couple entered the Great Hall. She groaned as each Hufflepuff bimbo walked in with an even dumber guy, wearing matching pink taffeta and yellow gowns.

Soon Albus Dumbledore had shut the doors and motioned for quiet from his throne at the Professors table.

`Without further delay, and no more ado I give you the Weird Sisters', he sat down, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth, thoroughly amused at the reaction of the hyper crowd.

The 3 band members walked out to tumultuous applause. The eldest, the lead singer picked up her guitar, and moved another to the front of the stage. She stepped up to the mike whilst her other sisters picked up their bass and drum sticks respectively.

She spoke, quieting the crowd who were eager for her words of wisdom. They were slightly mollified however.

`Hey is our cuz out there? Where are you Lilykins?'

Whispers cut through the hall. James voice rose louder however, `Lilykins? As in Evans?'

The singer nodded.

`Oh God we're doomed, whined Sirius, whilst his date drooled.

Lily found herself walking to the stage, her green eyes flashing dangerously.

`The name is Lily.' Every word dripped venom.

`Yeah, I know, I was just trying to get you over here. Two favours. One our lead guitarist is like sick. We need ya.'

`Obsidian…' She sighed. `As long as we can have a big chat afterwards.'

`Yay!!!!' Lily turned to look at her favourite of the three, Onyx who was only 2 years older than her.

`You…are weird.' She stated.

`Duh…that's my surname.'

The crowd were watching with interest at the bantering. Lily sighed and jumped onto the stage and picked up the black, lightning streaked guitar. She struck a chord hesitantly.

`And one more thing.' Topaz spoke, grinning, looking up from her bass. `You need to get rid of that cloak, nice as it is.'

Lily groaned as the cloak fell away, leaving her in her dress. It wasn't as good as it could have been if she'd had more time and she liked to think she looked good in it, seeing as many of the guys were drooling.

But before she could kill her cousins, they launched into their most well known song, one Lily had helped write, and seeing as it was a poem they had found in her diary.

Take this pink ribbon off my eyes
I'm exposed
And it's no big surprise

James stood staring, with Remus and Sirius as the opening lyrics rang out.

Don't you think I know
Exactly where I stand?

This world is forcing me

To hold your hand

Evans had on a revealing err… dress. It consisted of a black corset ending at her breastbone. Silver chains connected a dog collar round her neck, to it.

She had on a low slung, skirt that was ripped and slashed and various ragged lengths. It too was black, but there were flames the colour of her hair along the hem.

She also had on gloves. They came above her elbow, and tapered off into a shimmering sleeve.

'Cause I'm just a girl, little 'ol me
Don't let me out of your sight
I'm just a girl, all pretty and petite
So don't let me have any rights

Most of the students were now dancing, but the Marauders, minus Peter whose Grandma was ill, and the Professors were just watching the band fascinated. This was a side of the studious and invisible rebel that was Lily.

Oh...I've had it up to here!
The moment that I step outside
So many reasons
For me to run and hide
I can't do the little things I hold so dear
'Cause it's all those little things
That I fear

Sure she had been top of all her classes, and was now Head Girl, and had always looked after everyone else before herself, even defending the Slytherins on many unforgettable events.

'Cause I'm just a girl I'd rather not be
'Cause they won't let me drive
Late at night I'm just a girl,
Guess I'm some kind of freak
'Cause they all sit and stare
With their eyes

But you had to remember that she didn't look the part. She had flaming red hair to match her temper. Bright green orbs, that seemed to know your deepest darkest secrets.

Then there were her additions so to speak. She had always ignored taunts about certain different piercings and there had always been rumours of tattoos.

I'm just a girl,
Take a good look at me
Just your typical prototype

Actually even Dumbledore could remember the first feast of the year. Severus Snape had been bouncing off the walls, in the shape of a oozing brown toad, helped along by James and Sirius.

Lily had intervened, glaring furiously at Remus, who had been sitting reading a book, his Head Boy badge absent for a change. Of course Snape hadn't been pleased. He had in fact made the usual `mudblood' taunt.

Minutes later, the argument had turned, to the halls interest, to the way Lily looked.

Flashback

`Exactly how many disgusting muggle torture pieces (piercings to you and I) do you currently have in residence in your filthy mudblood skin?;

Lily's brow furrowed.

`We're waiting' goaded Snape, tapping his foot impatiently.

`I think the total is 11 piercings. I also have 4 tattoos if you're interested. They are not torture by the way, of course I can always tattoo `Lucious Malfoy's Toy boy' on your forehead if you like.'

The whole hall had burst out laughing at that and Lily had sat down to eat what remained off her breakfast (due to Sirius Black's bottomless stomach.)

End Flashback

James sat down in a chair heavily watching Evans, no Lily, give a twirl, showing more tattoos and singing along to the lyrics. Who knew she could play so well?

Oh...I've had it up to here!
Oh...am I making myself clear?
I'm just a girl
I'm just a girl in the world...
That's all that you'll let me be!
I'm just a girl, living in captivity
Your rule of thumb
Makes me worry some

I'm just a girl, what's my destiny?
What I've succumbed to Is making me numb
I'm just a girl, my apologies
What I've become is so burdensome
I'm just a girl, lucky me
Twiddle-dum there's no comparison

Oh...I've had it up to!
Oh...I've had it up to!!
Oh...I've had it up to here!

The hall burst into applause as the song ended and waited for the next song.

It didn't come. Instead Obsidian waited for silence before speaking.

`Lily darling,' she simpered.

`Oh God, now what, you always use that voice when you want something,' Lily rolled her eyes exasperatedly.

`Time for favour number two. A song. From you. Your pick. NO getting out of it.' This time Onyx spoke, reverting to simple short sentences when she saw Lily's eyes start to narrow. She flinched, bringing up her drumsticks as if expecting a blow, a few people laughed.

Lily was seen to take a deep breath before swapping places with Obsidian.

`Okay, the song is `No-one But You' by a muggle band called Queen, I think it's pretty appropriate.' She struck the sad minor opening chords. `I think that it is also right if this is dedicated to my parents, my aunt, my uncle and any other victims of V-Voldemort.' She sniffed, a few tears making trails down her pale cheeks.

A shudder ran through the students. Dumbledore nodded to Lily as she looked over at him, and pride shone through his eyes. Professor McGonagall beside him blew her nose on a handkerchief

A hand above the water

An angel reaching for the sky

Is it raining in heaven -

Do you want us to cry?

And everywhere the broken-hearted

On every lonely avenue

No-one could reach them

No-one but you

Couples were on the dance floor, those unaffected by the wrath of Voldemort that is. Needless to say all the Slytherins were swaying to the song, manic grins and smirks all around.

Those affected by Voldemort were sitting round the edge of the dance floor, tears streaming down their faces and tissues coating the floor.

One by one

Only the Good die young

They're only flying too close to the sun

And life goes on -

Without you...

Lily sang her heart out. Her rich contralto tones filled the room. She was aware of her cousins egging her on, to make her finish the song, the guitars chords cutting through, the beat softened.

The ceiling was enchanted with swirling grey clouds and the light pitter-patter of rain.

Another Tricky Situation

I get to drowin' in the Blues

And I find myself thinkin'

Well - what would you do?

Yes! - it was such an operation

Forever paying every due

Hell, you made a sensation

You found a way through - and

Lily finally found herself thinking of her sister, all alone at home, blaming the deaths of their parents on herself when really it was all Lily's fault.

One by one

Only the Good die young

They're only flyin' too close to the sun

We'll remember -

Forever...

Dumbledore found himself thinking of the future and what lay in store.

And now the party must be over

I guess we'll never understand

The sense of your leaving

Was it the way it was planned?

Severus Snape was thinking if he could betray the one house that meant so much to him.

Lucious Malfoy was thinking of his new tattoo and all the mudbloods he would be killing, starting with that Lily Evans.

And so we grace another table

And raise our glasses one more time

There's a face at the window

And I ain't never, never sayin' goodbye...

And Sirius was looking at the adoring expression on James face thinking dear God, I've lost him…Remus was also looking at James but wondering how Lily would accept who they were.

One by one

Only the Good die young

They're only flyin' too close to the sun

Cryin' for nothing

Cryin' for no-one

No-one but you

Lily let the last note drag out into silence. She looked around the room and said `Thank you,' before stepping back waiting for the next Weird Sister hit.

If anyone had noticed how quiet the Marauders were (minus Peter) no-one mentioned it, their dates had long since gone to a private room with Amos Diggory and friends.

The dance went on afterwards uneventful, leaving the Professors with a lot of thinking to do. Lily had a long talk afterwards with her cousins and promised to keep in touch by owl and hoped to join them once she graduated.

* * * *

As Lily stepped into the room, her guitar in hand, she became aware that everyone (4th year up) was waiting for someone. They were all sitting down conversing in low tones and fell silent when she entered.

Finally the girls seemed to have agreed on a spokeswoman, with the guys watching on awkwardly.

Priya Patel was a bimbo, she wasn't blonde, but she was a bimbo nonetheless. She scrutinised Lily haughtily and finally gave her opinion at which the other females nodded to agreeing like minions.

`No sense of style, appalling colours, disgusting design. Bad model. But I'm willing to help you remedy that.' She turned, smiled and sat down as if she had done Lily a favour.

Lily flinched. `Thanks for your helpful opinion.' She began, venom dipped words spilling out of her mouth. `But you see, I don't care what you think. You see it is my thoughts that count not those of a suck up.'

She turned to start up the girl's stairs when yet again she was halted.

`Nice tattoos Evans. How many have you now?'

`I thought that I answered that the last time you asked?'

`You did but you seem to have had some additions,' the voice said from a shadowy corner. Lily peered to see who they were but the person or persons shrank further into the darkness.

`Lets see…still 11 piercings. 7 on my ears, a tongue stud, lip ring, my belly and you're just gonna have to guess the other 1.' She said, to admiring hoots from the guys.

`I have 29 tattoos.'

`Fucking hell,' came the voice from the alcove. `Would you mind showing us all 29?'

Lily had long ago realised they were trying to suck up to her a bit because of her connections with the hottest Wiccan band in Europe. She sighed.

`You can obviously see the ring of fire on my belly can you not? If not, you are blind. As are you if you cannot see the wolf on my shoulder, the dragon on my lower back, the lily on my ankle and the 25 ancient runes of power (some which are hidden) along my spine. Can I go now?'

Instead of heading up the staircase as she had been planning to, she ran out of the common room, tears making a second appearance.

She had just realised that however hard you try, however much you oblige people in things, even if you are Head girl, you will never be accepted into modern day civilisation.

She had thought that she was free from this kind of prejudice and scapegoat industry but she found even the wizarding world lacking in moral issues.

The fact that she was crying didn't escape the bodiless voice in the corner. Nor did it escape the voices friends.

Silently whilst Priya was involved in a `is orange the new pink' issue, they slipped out, to make sure Lily was alright as they had watched her run across the grounds towards the Forbidden Forest.

* * * *

Lily lay at the base of the still Whomping Willow, tears training down her shining cheeks, the wind whistling throughout the trusting tree, which hung still for such a creature as she.

She tucked her head to her arms and closed her eyes, feeling the sluggish beat of her slowing heart as her life fled her. She was breathing heavily and at last lay still in a deep sleep.

* * * *

James heard the mournful cry of Sirius whose form had disappeared of in the direction of Lily, Remus shook, shivering in the cool night air, and urged James on, on whose back he rode due to the half moon hanging in the sky.

James galloped faster, Remus' hands holding onto his antlers. They came upon Sirius, howling to the cool night sky. Beside him was a log, bright `blood' red blood splattered upon it, the end of it crushed under what looked like hooves.

`The Thestrals couldn't have attacked her could they?' Remus asked fearfully.

James shook his head, a bit too forcefully and Remus was thrown off, into a pothole. He lifted his head and attempted to brush off the mud on him when he saw something that made him frown.

James and Sirius had long since joined Remus when they saw that he wasn't moving. They had spotted the same unusual site as him and walked cautiously over to the Whomping Willow, which was still for longer than the normal 10 seconds.

As they circled the tree cautiously, Remus gasped and Sirius whimpered as they came upon a hurt Unicorn at the base of the tree. Her blood coated most of her still-like sides and her eyes were closed.

For a second James could've sworn the Unicorn was already dead as he bowed his head but on a closer inspection saw she was still alive.

He transformed smoothly, and felt Sirius do the same.

Sirius was puzzled, he may be intellectually challenged compared to James and Remus, but he knew his Magical Creatures, and this wasn't a Unicorn.

For one thing, Remus thought as he studied the puzzle in front of him, there was the fact that although she was pure white, as the adults should be, she had a ring of flickering flame round each perfect hoof, and the ends of her now tangled mane and tail were tipped with the same flame, yet it wasn't burning anything and didn't seem to give off any heat.

Just then, Sirius came up with a strange item, dripping with blood, Remus took it from him, wiped it on James' back (`thanks mate') and studied it closely.

`Oh God. Lily, why did you do this. You are so stupid sometimes.'

James looked at him strangely, whilst Sirius seemed to be staring at a dark spot in the nearby forest.

`Err…James, I think the Thestrals are coming.'

`Mind explaining Moony?' quipped James.

`This is Lily's razor; she sorta has a problem with things and takes them off on herself. I thought she had stopped. If Lily's razor is here, and Lily ran in this direction and now isn't here and now there's a Unicorn lying dying beneath a docile Whomping Willow I think there is only one explanation…'

`That we are having jam donuts for breakfast because it's the Thestrals birthday?'

James looked at Sirius thinking `you prat.' What he actually said was, `Is there any brain cells left in that hole you call a head, or have they all died out?'

He turned back to Remus and could tell they were thinking the same thing. He distinctly heard Sirius mutter `I have 3 left,' before they knelt down next to the raggedly breathing Unicorn a.k.a Lily Evans, Head Girl.

Remus lifted the Unicorns head slowly, minding her horn as he didn't know what happened when a human was an immortal animagi, it certainly seemed like Lily was the only one because he had studies animagi in 3rd year and all the listed people were cats and frogs and stuff, normal, not immortal yet Professor Dumbledore had said, referring to animagi, that the animal achieved as a second state reflects the soul of the one inside.

He opened an eye, to see whether her pupils were dilated and gasped, motioning James and Sirius over. He had found yet another weird addition, black eyes with no pupil.

The Unicorn stirred, opening bleary eyes. She shimmered for a minute, flickering between the form of a Unicorn and a young girl. Remus realised that unlike the Marauders she could not transform her robes and was in fact lying on them, letting the blood soak into the fabric.

Seeing this they all undid their cloaks in case they were faced with an embarrassingly naked Lily.

She lifted her head, touching the horn to the bark of the Willow and suddenly the four students were encased in a cage of willow. Trying to decipher the reasoning for this, Sirius transformed and stuck his head through 2 branches and ducked in again when he saw that the whole of the Slytherin house were making for the Willow, closely followed by the Professors and the Infirmary nurse.

Next she touched her horn to Remus, whose arms were extended for he knew not what to do but that he should help her. He fell to his knees winded suddenly and looked on in wonder as Lily got the energy to transform.

James made sure the cloaks were covering Lily before he lifted her arms to examine them. Muttering a handy spell the Marauders found useful, he flicked his wand at Lily and the slashes on her arms healed, leaving only very fine white scars up and down her forearms.

He then slipped down into the Shrieking shack to the handy medicinal cabinet the last Nurse had installed before she left. He collected a sleeping draught and helped the semi-conscious girl to drink it.

By now, Dumbledore had convinced the Whomping Willow to let him pass and admired the work the Marauders had done.

The Slytherins at once started throwing illicit curses and catcalls. Dumbledore silenced them with one look and the stretchered Lily was helped along to the Hospital Wing.

* * * *

Lily woke up to clean sheets and wondered why they weren't red as they should have been.

The young nurse Madame Pomfrey bustled over trailing three youths who didn't know quite what to do.

Lily, knowing vaguely what had happened the week before (she had been unconscious for little under a week) promptly thanked them. She gave no explanation and saw in their eyes that they wouldn't accept one.

`So erm…can we owl you?' James spoke first, disturbed by the uncomfortable silence.

`What?..You aren't going home for the holidays are you?' asked Lily who had hoped to know those whom she had once detested.

`Well… Err…no but I don't suspect you get many owls do you?'

Lily beamed and the boys took it as an invitation to start snacking on her enormous pile of sweet. She glared and they stopped.

`Only if you keep your mouths shut when you're eating and don't eat and speak at the same time. If no one else can wean you off that habit I'll get Madame Pomfrey to whip you up a special `potion.'

And then began the start of a beautiful friendship.

* * * *

Stats:-

Pages 14

Words 4,386

Characters 23,814

Paragraphs 212

Lines 615

Thanx.

This was a one-shot that is dedicated to Deborah who helped with pointers and major details and Nabeelah my beta reader.

Jess

Ps. the songs are

I'm Just A Girl by No Doubt and

No one But You (Only the Good Die Young) by Queen - the only post Freddie Mercury song released by the band. Vocals by Brian May and Roger Taylor.

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