-Chapter One: Only A Summer
-By Natali
Eighteen-year-old Lily Evans drove down the one-sided road that would lead to her new life-or rather, the end of it.
She took a deep breath, clutching the steering wheel even tighter than she already was. It would all be ok. It wasn't so bad, right? She prayed fervently she hadn't been overly cruel to her new housemates at Hogwarts.
After a couple hundred people, you tend to forget who you've hurt.
The wind blew through her gorgeous wine-red locks of hair as she turned into the driveway. Stepping out of the car, she watched the scene unfolding before her. Were these the people she would live with?
"I will kill Dumbledore," she muttered, shutting the door to her precious red convertible. She left her suitcases behind in the car and she headed towards the back yard, where four people were laughing and playing with each other.
Jenny Morgan was twirling about, screaming her head off as she laughed. Remus Lupin was at the other end of her arms, twirling with her. Lily bit her lip. These were the people she would spend the rest of her life with.
Jenny Morgan's curly light brown hair was down, blown to the right of her. She and Lupin were dating, Lily knew. It'd been a long time coming, and they were supposedly crazy for each other. And if you had any doubt of it, the countless snogs they had in the Gryffindor common room would prove it to you. Lily had never seen then doing anything else…
They were nearly complete opposites, but seemed to fit each other exactly, from what Lily could tell. Jenny was hyper, Remus was less so and tended to hold himself back. She had a short attention span, whereas Remus could concentrate like the very devil and get just about everything done without a hitch. At least, that's what Lily had managed to remember from their classes together.
Next, Lily's eyes lit upon Sirius Black, who was drinking a bottle of beer, which happened to be coming out of his nose at the very moment. Lily wrinkled her nose, as Melanie Perez laughed with Sirius, most likely over something completely trivial. According to the Elite, Melanie was funny and quick-witted, but not at all pretty by normal standards. She was very "normal" looking: dark, black, chin length hair and pretty blue eyes-a deep, ocean blue that was rarer than an honest politician. But she was as bright as the noon day sun, Head Girl at Hogwarts and all.
And then came James Potter. Tall-six foot one at least-with broad, strong shoulders. A scheming mind if there ever was one. Jet black hair and penetrating hazel eyes that would soon be able to see straight into her soul.
Lily's eyes strayed back to Jenny, trying to take it all in. She was wistful for a moment, jealous of how all these people could be friends and not have to worry about making a fool of themselves or committing some terrible faux pas.
Is that what it's like not to have to worry about what you look like, or what people are thinking? Is it that free, and is she really loved for just being herself? she thought.
The Elite were a group of people who were judged and judged themselves. Lily couldn't remember a time when she hadn't guarded her actions, making sure to please all her "friends" instead of doing what was right or what was good for her. Yet here she was, unhappy but still "popular". Jenny and Melanie were happy, and not so much the other. Was it worth it?
Summer's ending, Lily thought sadly. It's ending-and way too soon. Why did Dumbledore send me here? He knows that I have to do something! And because it was an order, I have to follow it…
She sighed, eyes blind to James, who had noticed her and was walking toward her.
"Lily Evans…" he smiled. "Welcome. Can I get your bags for you?"
Mute, she nodded to the backseat of her car. The bright red color of his shirt was shocking. What was he thinking when he bought it?
He wasn't. He liked it, he bought it, he doesn't care what They think.
Melanie noticed she was staring wide-eyed at his shirt and shouted, "Oi, Potter!" Melanie laughed. "Look at that! She's shocked at your shirt! Told you you'd blind someone." All of them, James included, broke into laughter. Lily stood there, waiting for his cheeks to turn redder than his shirt with embarrassment.
Only… he didn't. He gave Melanie a rude gesture-in a playful manner-and continued to get Lily's baggage in the best of spirits.
They would have murdered him. Must be nice not to care what They think, Lily told herself. School's over, and still I worry about Their thoughts.
"Aren't you going to speak, Princess Lily?" Jenny said, coming to her and hugging her. Lily was caught off guard, never having been hug by a near stranger.
When Jenny caught the speechless look on Lily's face, she laughed, loud and long. "No, didn't see that coming, did you? Come on. Here you're just one of us, like it or not. Welcome to what we like to call home."
Lily stared at the three story white farmhouse. Home. What was it like to really have one? She looked at the four people standing around her.
"Don't worry, Lily," Melanie said. "We're not gonna bite. Just relax and stop looking like a deer caught in the headlights."
"James will take you to your room. You must be tired," Remus said.
"Don't know why you drove. It would have been faster to apparate," Sirius interjected.
"She wanted her car, dim wit," Melanie replied.
"Oh."
Meanwhile, Lily followed James as he took her into the white house, up three flights of stairs (they needed an elevator in her opinion), and to a room on the left. Inside was red maple wood furniture: a bed, night stand, armoire, vanity, desk, and chair. She walked in, still without a word.
James set down the surprisingly small amount of luggage down by the bed and watched her for a moment before saying, "I know you aren't exactly ecstatic about being here, but I promise it won't be so bad. It's nice out here, no one to bother you, no one to tell you you're doing something wrong. Just relaxing.
"Hmm," was all she said in reply, staring at herself in a mirror. Her hair was slightly messed up from the wind, and she looked paler than she would've liked.
He nodded, crossing his arms. "It seems you're sort of in culture shock."
"I've lived in London for the past nine years. Haven't been to the country besides Hogwarts in six years," she laughed, somewhat bitterly. "I am in deep culture shock."
He hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "This isn't Hogwarts, you know. Don't act as if you're better than everyone, Evans. I never thought you were as much of a bitch as some of your other friends. Don't change that, please. You have to live here for the remainder of the summer-a month and a week to be exact."
She bit her lip, and James was sorry he'd been so blunt with her. He began to apologize when she whispered, "I know. I'll get over it. Could you leave me so I can nap? I've been driving since dawn."
"Sure." He took one look at her before he shut the door, and something flashed in his eyes. Was it pity? No, James Potter had no right to pity her. Understanding? She told herself it would be impossible for him to understand anything about her life, and if he did, he'd be an arrogant prat. What could it have been? If she'd known better, she'd say affection of some sort.
As soon as he left, Lily fell to the floor in tears. Her eyes once more caught sight of the mirror that held her too-skinny image, huddled on the floor with tear stained cheeks. Fighting down a sob, she closed her eyes, remembering what she was leaving behind to come here: false, back-stabbing friends; late nights without any sleep; unhappiness with no end in sight; a long, lonely road to nowhere; feeling alone, just so totally, completely alone.
She gave one last sniff and pulled herself onto the bed, falling asleep out of pure exhaustion. Her last thought before drifting off into a troubled sleep was: Only a summer to live, and I have to live it here.
*~*
(-Later, Outside…-)
"She's too skinny," Jenny told Mel in a whisper. "Did you see her? Skin and bones! What's happened to her? I must not have seen her close up at school, because she looks bloody awful."
Mel shrugged as she flipped the steaks on the outdoor grill. "Designer clothes, designer looks, designer makeup, designer girl. She's the same as the rest of them."
"I don't think so though," Jenny insisted, swinging her legs from atop the counter. "I mean, hasn't she ever had a hug? She looked so shocked."
"If we have to live with her for the next month, I suppose we should at least make her healthy," Mel sighed.
"Don't sound so excited, Mel. Make her something fattening for dinner-though I doubt she'll come down to join us." Jenny looked at the three boys laughing and roughhousing with each other on the lawn. "You see James?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
Mel smiled, stabbing a stubborn steak that refused to cooperate. "Yeah. Interesting, don't you think?"
"He was… well, uncomfortable! Of all people, James Potter was awkward around a girl that's never fazed him before. Or any girl for that matter."
"For being skinny, she was showing a lot of leg in those shorts. Up her arse a bit, eh?"
"Not too surprised, frankly. With the people she calls friends…"
"Shh!" Mel hissed, spotting Lily coming down the stairs. "She's up!"
Lily, in sweat pants and a loose T-shirt now, stepped onto the back patio and headed toward them, shy and apprehensive, though somewhat better rested. "Hi."
"Hello," they chorused, smiling.
"Have a nice nap?"
Lily nodded. "The bed was so soft, it was delicious."
"Goose down," Mel explained. "My mum always liked it, so she had it put in here."
"It's your parents' place?"
She nodded. "Summer home, and we come up for Christmas, but they gave it to me to live in after Hogwarts."
"That's nice," Lily said, glancing at the barn. "I was wondering… Could I go to those stables over there?" She pointed to them. "I saw them from my window and I feel like exploring."
"Sure. And you don't have to ask our permission. Remember, it's your house too," Jenny smiled. "We'll send one of the boys over to help you if you need anything."
"Want a steak for dinner?" Mel asked as Lily started to walk away.
"I'm not hungry, thank you."
"Let me rephrase that. How would you like your steak cooked?"
Lily smiled, but still shyly. "Medium, please."
Mel grinned. "Thank you."
Lily nodded and headed off in the direction of the stables. It was about 50 meters away, and all she could see in all directions was grass-and the house. A few paths wound their way around the property, and the main road, of course.
She finally reached the stables, inhaling the scent of horses and cows.
"Mel said you to come over and see if you needed help."
She whirled around to find James leaning against the door frame.
"How'd you get here so fast?"
"I apparated," he smiled. "It's what most wizards do."
"I forget sometimes, that I can do that," she shrugged, walking to one of the pens. "What's"-she checked underneath the horse-"his name?"
"Cocoon."
"Why?"
"I don't know. Doesn't he look like a Cocoon to you?"
She cocked her head to the side. "Nope, sorry."
"Well, he's Cocoon." He looked at her. "Want to ride him?"
"Won't it be dark soon?" she asked. "I've never ridden at night."
"Maybe next time, then." He thought about the dream that Aphrodite had given to him, as she looked at the beautiful Arabian. This would be different from Hogwarts. Here she could learn to relax a little, and let herself come out. Here she could do what Dumbledore had ordered her to do. Here, she was Lily, not Evans, not some stranger.
And the best part of all was that here, she could be his.
The dreams are getting to your head, James, he thought. Dreams are nothing. They are what your mind thinks up while you're sleeping. Don't let them rule your life. They're not real.
He repeated this to himself as she walked over to him. "Is there anything else to see here?" she asked.
"There is," he nodded. "A duck pond and an old swing set a bit away. Would you like to see them?"
"Sure."
He opened the stable doors for her, and followed her out. He was worried about her. She was too pale, too skinny, and unhappy. You could tell those three things just from looking at her.
James wanted to make her feel better. He would make her feel better. He smiled to himself. Dumbledore wouldn't have sent her if he hadn't believed that one-hundred percent.
He glanced at her, garbed in ugly sweat pants, with her hair tied simply in a ponytail, her face blank of makeup, and he felt a little stir of desire deep within him.
Hormones suck. Even at the ripe old age of eighteen…
*~*
(-A few minutes later…-)
"Usually we get pretty bored here on the weekends. We go from town to town, and we visit my parents a lot," he explained to her. "Sunday morning breakfast is devoted to them."
"Do any of you work?"
"We will. We begin studies for our careers come September. We're all moving into London then. But for now, we're enjoying the laid back country life."
Lily hummed a response.
"What are you going to study?" James asked.
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Please don't make me get into it. I'm angry, I'm frustrated, and I'm lost about it," Lily snapped, shutting her eyes for a moment.
"Sorry. Well, I guess we all get like that every once in awhile," James shrugged.
"I don't feel like it. I feel like I'm the only one with this problem." After a bitter laugh that made him frown, she added, "I am the only one with this problem."
He respected her privacy by not prying (no matter how much he really wanted to) and switched the topic. "Do you like horseback riding?"
Lily nodded. "I haven't ridden a horse in years though. But I used to take lessons and everything."
"Why'd you stop? Did you get bored of it?"
Lily bit her lip and looked away from him. "My dad died and my mum couldn't afford it anymore."
"I'm sorry."
"It's all right."
He tried to think of a casual way to ask about Lily's boyfriend. Or at least, the one she'd been dating at Hogwarts. Handsomest Wizard to her Prettiest Witch of their graduating class, they'd been the power couple for the last half of their Seventh Year. What did he think of her moving over here?
In the end, there was no tactful way to ask Lily that question, and he'd probably find out soon anyway. Whether because her boyfriend came stomping through the house one day to visit her, or because she'd tell them.
You tended to get quite close to people when you live under the same roof with them.
"We should head home," James said. "Mel hates it when people are late for dinner. She takes a lot of pride in her cooking."
"Should she?"
"Yes, it's bloody awesome. It's probably why Sirius was attracted to her in the first place." He grinned at her. "He likes to eat, as you'll discover. Come on, you can see the pond another day."
She followed him back to the house (or what she supposed was in the direction of the house, as she couldn't actually see it), keeping her eyes on her feet.
"Lily?" he said as they rounded the corner of the house.
"Yeah?"
"We're here, if you ever have a problem. Don't think you're an outsider," he said, tapping her chin playfully. "It's your home, too."
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