Disclaimer: All characters and things recognized belong to J.K Rowling and the books she has authored.
Characters:
Lily Evans - main character
Charlie Baits - Lily's best friend
Riley Kit - Lily's best friend
James Potter - Gryffindor Co-Captain
Sirius Black - Fellow sixth year Gryffindor
Remus Lupin - Prefect
Peter Pettigrew - Fellow sixth year Gryffindor
Setbacks and Inspirations
Chapter One - All Was Great
Lily was sitting patiently on a city bus, slowed by traffic, in downtown London. After an eventful day of shopping with her closest friends from Hogwarts, she was grateful for a quiet and peaceful ride home. She was surrounded with shopping bags occupying more than four seats; though it didn't really matter for the bus was practically empty.
Such a long, quiet ride home gave Lily time to reflect. She was to become a sixth year Gryffindor student, prefect and Quidditch co-captain.
In her five previous years at the Wizarding School, she had worked her hardest and had sacrificed plenty to excel in all of the ways she did. By her third year, Lily had decided she would become an auror once she graduated and would earn herself an impressive position in "The Order" alongside Charlie's parents. There she would undoubtedly take part in Voldemort's downfall.
If this plan somehow fell through, she would become a professional Quidditch player, because she was a stunning keeper.
Lily let out a satisfied sigh as she thought of what it would be like to be an auror.
I would be saving lives and arresting maniacs while receiving impressive paychecks. Not too shabby, she marvelled as the bus slowly made its way through London's busy streets.
Just two more years and I'll be rid of Petunia, homework, and silly rules.
***************************************************************
Lily opened her magazine skimming through its contents, waiting tolerantly for home to grow near.
Tonight, she mused, I'll write to Riley and Charlie, to confirm of course, when we'll gather at the barrier of the Hogwarts Express.
She laughed quietly at the thought of her friends.
She quite accurately predicted their reactions to her new wardrobe. Once they saw all of her purchases, Charlie would give lectures for spending so much on clothing, while Riley would want to try everything on.
Riley and Charlie; Charlie more formally known as Charlotte; were Lily's best friends, and despite their highly obvious differences, they were supportive and cared greatly for one another.
Charlie - the wallflower - was the forgettable type. Always quiet, an endless dreamer, she seemed to connect with Lily from the beginning. Charlie's innocent vulnerability was what had appealed to Lily, and Lily's strength to Charlie. At just five feet, she was neither short nor tall. She had unremarkable brown hair and eyes to match. There was innocence and hidden loyalty within Charlie that most didn't see. It was rather endearing. She had few friends (three maybe), but the friends that she did have were the ones who knew she was a sweet, innocent, loyal girl. The friends that she had were the kind that lasted a lifetime.
Riley was the opposite of both Lily and Charlie. She was completely unpredictable and appallingly blunt. You could never be certain whether she was content or angry most of the time. Even Lily and Charlie- who had both known her for over five years- hadn't completely solved Riley Baits, the puzzle. Things they had discovered after all of these years however were that she was compassionate, always honest (even at the worst of times) and extremely charming. Riley like Lily and unlike Charlie tended to stand out in crowds. With purple eyes and raven hair she could nearly sit on, who wouldn't?
Lily Evans was what you could call "cool calm and collected". Despite those ridiculous old wives tales of redheads and their "fiery" tempers, Lily rarely lost hers. She was always considered reasonable and one who usually solved problems with a composed demeanour. Lily wasn't what you could call popular. Though she mostly kept to herself, she was generally liked all around for her easygoing and very tolerant attitude. Lily got her attention through her auburn red hair, bright green eyes and porcelain features.
***************************************************************
Eventually Lily's stop came into view, so she got up to stretch and to retrieve her many bags.
She thanked the bus driver as she got onto the road and viewed the familiar surroundings.
She was more or less five minutes from home and it was rather dark out. As she got closer to home, she started to get a nauseous feeling in the pit of her stomach. The kind of feeling you get when you know bad things have happened or are about to. With each step she took the feeling got worse, nevertheless she forced herself to walk faster and faster until she was almost jogging.
She was about to turn the last bend when without warning she was forced to stop dead in her tracks. She stood there unable to move her feet. In a panic, she strained and strained with all her might to release herself but it was no use.
She looked ahead into the street and saw that she was able to see her house from there, which gave her a sense of relief. It looked just as it had when she had left it, which probably meant that her parents were all right.
Just as she thought this thought she felt, sensed rather, someone behind her, which just about gave her a heart attack. Almost too afraid to look she slowly turned. There behind her stood a nightmare. The infamous Lord Voldemort was but a few paces away, smiling maliciously.
Only a few feet away and walking toward her with that evil, knowing smile on his face, he only stopped when they were practically nose-to-nose.
She was frightened now though she'd never admit, as he smiled at Lily, his unsettling red eyes boring into hers.
"So, Lily," he said in a rather laid-back tone for a murderer, "I've wanted to talk to you for quite some time now. I must say, you're very hard to get a hold of for a sixteen-year-old girl. You know…"
"C-c-cut the nonsense Voldemort," Lily interrupted trying to sound bold, "just tell me what you want, please."
"Now, now have patience dear, I was getting to that you know," he said with a chuckle that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I have a proposition for you Lily, one that you will find very hard to refuse. It has been …"
As he talked, Lily racked her brain for something, anything that might help her get out of this dire situation. As she searched, suddenly a memory appeared in her mind. A memory from a few years back, in second year probably, in the Great Hall with Dumbledore and her peers.
***************************************************************
"You all know of the terrible Dark Lord and his followers now, and how he has been terrorizing many families both Muggles and magical. He has been attacking more recently than ever and there are few things that I can do to guide you. If you wish, before you leave for the summer, a spell cast on you and your family can be arranged. It will keep you hidden from the eyes of those who wish to harm you. Other than that, I don't really know what else to recommend other than a simple spell that you should use if you are ever in danger. If you ever feel threatened, all you must do is cast "Auxilium", and help will be on the way. I hope…"
***************************************************************
That's it! thought Lily, Shit, where's my wand?
Lily then tuned in again to what Voldemort was saying.
"…and that is why you must join us, for you would be the most unlikely to spy, and I've been informed Dumbledore trusts you which makes the idea even better."
"And what if I say no?" she asked trying to buy time as she attempted to look for her wand unnoticed.
"We already went through this Lily, do try to keep up," he replied, evidently annoyed. "As I've already made quite clear, I'll kill your family and your friends and then finally yourself after you've watched everyone you've ever loved suffer."
Thank Merlin! thought Lily as her hand found her wand.
"So, what do you say kiddo, a safe employment under my wing, or an unbearable death for the loved ones?"
"Hmm, you know I think it'd be best if I EXPELLIARMUS!" she yelled to the Dark Lord's surprise. She shouted it with all the strength she could muster as she pointed her wand at his distraught face.
He stumbled back, the unmistakable fury tainting his features. "You shouldn't have done that Lily," he said, his voice dangerously low. "CLAUDUS!"
Lily instantly felt an agonizing pain in her legs as she fell to the ground hard. He was walking toward her again and she knew what she had to do. She pointed her wand skyward and yelled, "AUXILIUM!"'
It was panic tainting his features this time as Voldemort swore loudly, kicked Lily hard and then apparated.
After that, for Lily, all was black.
-->