She Says
Chapter One: Cold Winter on the Shore
Author: ItsLily2u (call me Meg)
Sweet is the side
Of her room
Window open by candlelight
How would you know
Cold winter on the shore
Chills a dress she wore
It's on the floor
It feels so warm today
--She Says, by Howie Day
Holding her hand out timidly to catch a snowflake on her fingertip, seventeen-year-old Lily Evans smiled, silently observing the scene before her. It was the most beautiful day--snow blanketed the ground evenly, the sun shone cheerfully from its high perch, laughter rang out in gleeful rounds from some far corner of the grounds.
"Lily!"
The witch jumped, turning to her friends, who were close to the lake. They'd obviously just noticed the loss of one in their numbers.
"Aren't you coming?"
Lily laughed; it was a loud, beautiful, clear laugh, and ran off the steps of the castle to meet them. "'Course!" She giggled as her best friend slipped--however gracefully--on a patch of ice.
"What were you doing up there, anyway?" Fanny asked, reaching out for Lily's arm, looping her own through it carelessly.
"Knowing our Lily, she was admiring something, probably writing a pretty little poem in her pretty little head. Naturally."
Fanny and Lily rolled their eyes at this, both knowing how terrible Lily could be with words. Lily glanced at her other best friend, Tyler Hill, and reached out for his arm as well. He came to her, offering it gladly.
They walked this way in silence for a few moments, until Tyler's group of Ravenclas friends turned back to see where he had disappeared to. "Oi! You three! What's taking so long?"
When they realized they weren't receiving an immediate response from Lily, Fanny, or Tyler, they turned back to the steely-gray lake, their wands drawn. Lily could only imagine they were tormenting the squid… which she knew from experience to be nice enough, if you didn't bother it. But the moment you messed with the lake-dweller, it would never forget it. She would never personally get on its bad side.
"Ravenclaws are so--"
Tyler cleared his throat, interrupting Lily with an amused smile on his face. He brushed imaginary dust from his shiny Ravenclaw Prefect badge. Fanny giggled.
"Oh. Right." Those two were always teasing each other.
Lily broke away from her friends and knelt down to the nearest bank of snow, a wicked glint in her eyes. Her shoulders shook as she chuckled to herself.
"What're you…" Tyler quirked his eyebrows.
"Revenge, of course."
"Ah. Upon a certain blue-eyed, brown-haired, very naughty Ravenclaw, I'd imagine." Fanny grinned. She encouraged Lily in whatever way she could, though a snowball fight did seem like weak revenge on an ex-boyfriend. Though, if Lily was up for it, who was she to disagree? She loved the fiery red-head like a sister.
She and Tyler quickly caught on, neither willing to disagree with a mischievous Lily, both eager to participate--and before the four lake-side Ravenclaw boys (one offending bloke and three innocent friends) knew what hit them, they were being attacked by wild giggles, fierce war calls (on Tyler's part), and cold snow from behind.
*
"Let's go to the kitchens," Fanny whispered playfully. She had a roguish glint to her pale blue eyes as she and Lily made their way back to the castle.
Lily kicked at the snow for a moment, then pulled off her hat. "You know how to get there? Since when?! You've been holding out on me! That's a break of the code of honor!" She tugged on Fanny's arm lightly, looking sulky and childish, though very prettily.
"Oh, please. You know me better than that. I followed that wimpy Peter Pettigrew down there last night. It's so easy! I was just disappointed the Marauders have been going there for years, and we've never managed to trip in there. Come on. I want to go." she pouted, trying to look innocent, which rarely worked for her. With Lily, anyway.
"Oh, all right," Lily rolled her eyes, smiling as she shook her long red hair from her face. "But only because hot cocoa does sound very good. Mmm." She laughed, looping her arm through Fanny's once again, as they often did.
"Hot cocoa? Now where would you get hot cocoa at an hour like this?"
The two turned suspiciously to look at Tyler, who was grinning sweetly as he plowed through the snow to be level with them.
"Well. It's almost time for tea," Lily scoffed. "But we're going on an adventure."
"To…?"
"The kitchens." Fanny looked nonchalant, like she did those sort of things everyday. Which she did.
Tyler chuckled, taking in the girls' proud smirks. "You little imps!" He congratulated them. "Well, I couldn't possibly let you go on this adventure alone. You need someone to protect you. Like me, your brave… knight in shining armor. Or something like it." He glanced down at his sweater with a grin.
"Ty. We're witches… Who're we to be afraid of? A first year Hufflepuff? Not to mention, we're the brave ones. Remember?"
"Yup, Gryffindors are great for that. You just supply the brains when ole' Lillykins can't."
He shook his head. "That's for me to decide. Now, come on. We're going to the kitchens for hot cocoa. Only I want pumpkin juice and pie."
"You can get that every Sunday at tea." Fanny raised one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows.
"And this is Sunday." Lily rolled her pretty eyes dramatically.
"What, you two are wanting to skive off an adventure? Thought you were more fun than that."
"Like hell, Mr. Brave Ravenclaw Man." Fanny turned around and started back for the castle, flicking her beach-blonde hair over her shoulder as she went. For effect, because it was Fanny doing it.
Lily grinned after her for a moment, then at Tyler. She shrugged, then followed, running to catch up.
Like hell, indeed.
*
Tyler smiled as he walked beside Lily, his best friend since second year… They'd not even known each other in first, let alone heard the other's name… What with being in different houses and all.
He hadn't stayed at Hogwarts for the Christmas hols in first year, but after hearing what fun it had been from his mates, Tyler decided he had no choice for his second year.
But by the second day, he found himself in the library, alone. Everyone from his sodding house had gone home, unlike last year. He was miserable, being the only Ravenclaw left, and had no idea what he was supposed to do for all of two weeks on his own in a castle. So there he was, trying to get his homework out of the way, so that he might not have to do it the night before classes came again. At least there was a bright spot.
He'd already finished two essays--his writing slow, neat, and deliberate; he threw down his quill, looking around the library. The place was huge! Of course there were books there to help him with essays; more books on these subjects than he could ask for. Merlin, why was he even in Ravenclaw?
Laughing to himself, he left his things at the table (he'd not seen another student in the library all day, he had no fear of his books being taken) and went to wander between the shelves. He was just rounding the corner to "D-F" when he ran into someone, knocking both the beautiful girl and himself onto their bums.
He grinned over at her, wincing slightly, then jumped to his feet. He offered the girl a hand, trying to place her name. She was certainly familiar. Maybe he had a class with her… Yes. That was it.. She was in his Herbology class. A Gryffindor.
She smiled and took his offered hand. The two looked at each other curiously for a moment.
She had straight, dark red--maybe burgundy--hair pulled back into a ponytail, with side swept bangs-- very fashionable for a girl, and the prettiest, most green eyes he'd ever seen. Her lips were pink, her teeth both a dazzling white and a desirable straight; altogether, her smile was every definition of perfect. She was clad in all simple muggle clothing-- blue jeans, a white t-shirt, a navy zip-up sweater over all. Tyler thought she was adorable.
Tyler, being the talkative second-year he was, found himself at a loss for words as he stared at this… vision.
The girl recovered herself first, taking a large, leather-bound book from the floor. "Merlin! I'm so sorry!" She laughed, and he thought that was perfect, too. "I don't do that often, I swear." She turned around, her eyes roving the ground. "Ah." She disappeared behind a bookshelf, and Tyler nearly ran after her, but there she was again, a maroon bag over her shoulder. She smiled curiously, one hand on the yellow shoulder strap of her bag, the other playing with the pocket of her jeans. "I'm Lily Evans. Gryffindor. Dunno if you know me."
Tyler grinned. "Tyler Hill. Ravenclaw."
"Second year?"
"Mm."
"Me too."
He grinned.
"I think we have Herbology together then, right?"
He nodded; she smiled. That was all it took.
He liked her right away.
-
"Lily!"
The red-head smiled, amused, as the Ravenclaw nearly fell out of his seat upon seeing her. "Hey, Tyler!" She brushed her bangs from her eyes.
"Saved you a seat. The only other people here are Slytherins!" he whispered, with a laugh. Both looked around conspicuously.
Lily laughed back. "I don't imagine those ones like McGlover like to spend much time with their mummies at home, then."
"Speaking of which… Why didn't you? Go home, that is," Tyler hadn't spoken with Lily much; they'd parted not long after meeting in the library, with promises of seeing each other soon. But he already liked talking to her. She wasn't like other Gryffindors; all the ones he knew were stuffy. But not Lily.
"My sister." she replied simply, turning a bit in her seat, pouring two glasses of pumpkin juice, one for each of them.
"Oh."
-
"Favorite Weird Sisters' song?" Lily giggled as they climbed up the marble staircase.
"Marble Canyon!" he smiled. It was an… interesting song. Rather stupid. Almost funny.
"Ooh! That's the best!"
"Okay… Favorite class?"
"Bad question! Potions. So easy." Lily shrugged loftily.
But Tyler cringed. "Ick! Definitely Herbology! Astronomy! Anything outside. I can't wait for Care of Magical Creatures."
"Mmkay…Professor that's the wildest partier?" Tyler laughed.
"Oh. McGonagall, obviously. Look at her hair." Lily's head of house.
"What? No, it's Slughorn." And his.
"Ha!" Lily snickered. "If you had to do one thing for a day, what would you fear doing the most?"
"Wearing girls' knickers." he guffawed.
"They aren't so bad, honestly. Okay. Mine's being stuck in the muggle world."
"If you could-- what?" Tyler cocked his head to the side, distracted from his question.
"Really." Lily shrugged. "I like being a witch, I never want to go back! Actually, I could think of a million answers to that question. Like swimming--big fear, since I was, I dunno, three or so. Or maybe even being finding out that some huge monster lives in the castle. Wouldn't that just be the most lovely of things?" Lily cleared her throat with a strange laugh.
"Erm… alright. Least favorite Slytherin?"
Lily slowed her pace to look sideways at the Ravenclaw. "They're not all bad, you know." She was silent a moment to let this statement sink in, a sad look in her eyes. "But I don't like that Mulciber bloke much. He's odd."
"You're friends with a Slytherin? Lily! I always heard Gryffindors were brave… Anyway. I pick Snape. He needs to get on the next train--"
"He's the one I meant."
Tyler looked at the redhead in amazement. "Not all bad…" he muttered. "All right. I believe you."
There was a moment of silence. "Who's your best mate?" Lily asked, genuinely curious. She watched him through her green eyes.
"Brandon," Tyler said matter-of-factly.
Lily smiled and gave him an odd look. "Mine is Sev. And Fanny, too."
The two walked on in silence for a few moments, enjoying the company, but each sighed as they neared the next corridor; he would have to go left, she right… It was almost time for curfew and neither wanted to chance being out at night, considering the only other students who were in the castle were older Slytherins (and a few Hufflepuffs, probably hidden in their common room).
The glanced at each other and smiled shyly.
"And you, too, I think." Lily added. "My best friend, that is."
"I was thinking the same thing," Tyler beamed.
And with that, the two parted, each smiling at having found a new best- friend..
*
"Hey, Lils?" Tyler asked, as they neared the snow-covered steps that led to the castle.
"Hmm?" She looked up as they made their way up the steps, but was distracted as the oak doors creaked open. The four seventh-year Gryffindor boys spilled out; they saw Lily and Fanny, their fellow housemates and held the doors open politely. They even smiled, which the girls received kindly.
Tyler, however, frowned. The Marauders--as the four called themselves--were not polite. He watched as the "leader" of the group, James Potter, who was also Head Boy--Merlin only knows how he managed it--smiled and waved at Lily, who worked alongside the prat as Head Girl.
She nodded back, though he had never really been her favorite person.
"Favorite class of the week?" Tyler pulled the attention of the Gryffindor girls back onto himself, not caring if the others could hear him.
"Mmm.. Tues--No, Wednesday, knowing the week is half over."
Tyler chuckled. "Sunday. For tea."
Fanny smirked; she'd never been invited on Lily and Tyler's game, in fact, it was rather amusing just to listen, though she thought she'd heard some of these questions a hundred times.
"Favorite season?" Lily quipped.
"Winter."
"Hmph." She scrunched her nose in response. "Spring, by far."
He grinned. "All right, who's your best mate?" The question he'd wanted to ask, anyway.
Lily's eyes grew bright in remembrance. "Fanny." She smiled, looking over at him, though it might have been a sad one. There was one less name to her response since the last time Tyler had asked.
Fanny looked proud at having been named first.
"And you, too, I think." Lily continued, a sparkle in her eyes.
"I was thinking the same thing."