The Fateful Year

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize form the movies or the books. The ones you don't recognize, however, are all mine and they don't enjoy being left out. I am not JK Rowling so I am not rich nor am I a very famous author. I wish I was though.

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A young woman groaned, light shining through the velvet maroon colored curtains of her four poster bed and into her emerald green eyes. She pulled the covers over her head as she hoped desperately for a few more minutes of sleep; she knew it wasn't going to happen with her three roommates, especially Alice. She rolled over, her head still under the maroon and gold quilt as she thought hard about what day it was. Saturday, first Hogsmeade trip of the school year. She smiled to herself as she daydreamed about being with her friends and the fresh, crisp fall air. She let her mind wander until…

“Lily! Get up! You're going to be late for Hogsmeade, or worse,” A tall brunette girl said dramatically, tugging the curtains to the sides of the four posters. “Breakfast.” Lily rolled back over, opening her eyes and realizing she had been an inch from falling off the bed and that she really shouldn't have opened her eyes so quickly; she was blinded by the early morning sun.

“Alice, what is so wrong with missing either? I really don't feel like crawling out of my nice, comfy warm bed just to be annoyed by Potter and his friends,” Lily groaned as she sat up, shielding her eyes and stretching. She let the covers fall in a heap beside her as she stood. She glanced at the perky girl and caught her blue eyes with her own emerald. “I would rather lie in bed with a good book, wearing my comfortable pajamas then go out and face Potter.” She crossed her arms stubbornly.

“Who says we have to talk to them? They're probably still in bed. Merlin knows they don't get up until lunch,” Alice half joked as she helped Lily up, almost tripping over one of their roommates overly large textbooks. The books had been left lying around a few nights before when all of them, besides Lily, had either been cramming for a potions test the next day or had been finishing up a transfiguration essay. Lily, on the other hand, had been a month's ahead in both subjects and didn't need the extra cramming. She had had the luxury of going to bed at a decent time that night. Alice yelped as she caught herself on one of the four poster beds.

“We really need to clean this place, or somebody might mistake it for the boys' dormitory rather than the girls,” Alice added as Lily shook her head, laughing silently.

“Alice, do you ever stop tripping over anything and everything that is in your path?” Lily joked, standing as she passed her friend, going for the wardrobe. “You'd trip over a blade of grass,” she added as she pulled out her cloak and her favorite boot cut jeans and a long sleeved maroon turtleneck. She watched as Alice carefully made her way over to the oak wardrobe herself, reaching into her side the massive piece of furniture, rummaging for anything that was decent. She let out a sound of triumph as she pulled her hand out of the wardrobe, holding a blue t-shirt, a pair of flare jeans and her cloak. Lily rolled her eyes, already dressed, and pinning her head girl badge to her cloaks.

“Honestly Alice,” she reprimanded. “Do you ever clean out your side or do you just let things fall and pile up?” Lily looked at her best friend of seven years expectantly as she combed through her shoulder length auburn hair, trying desperately to get the frizz and knots out. She never really practiced her hair spells, due to an incident where she had turned her hair bubble gum pink back in first year. She had been the talk of the school for weeks on end but to make it worse, the Slytherins tried to make it last. She shivered at the thought and continued to comb her hair as Alice came up beside her, trying to tame her own unruly brown hair. It had gone from elbow length to afro like overnight.

Lily gave up, ignoring the hair frizz in the back. She really couldn't care less if her hair was messy; it was only going to get messy once she walked outside anyways. She didn't understand why people did their hair when they knew it was only going to get messy again. She shook her head in disapproval as she made her way out of the bathroom and into the main room again, staring at the five empty beds.

Only one was made and that was Sandra's, her other best friend who had been dating Sirius for almost a week. Lily made a mental note to ask Sandra where she had been all night, even though Lily knew she would get a lie unless she slipped something into Sandra's morning pumpkin juice. Lily grabbed her wand and waved it. She smiled as her bed made itself while she cleaned up the floor around her bed. At least she wouldn't get called a slob if Professor McGonagall decided to stay behind and check rooms. As she thought about it, it really wasn't that far off of what she would normally do when almost the entire school went to Hogsmeade for a day of fun and goofing around.

Lily pursed her lips, nobody was goofing off anymore, and they were all solemn and upset over losing a family member or friend to Voldemort and the war he was creating. She looked up to find Alice trying to clean her side of the room but failing miserably.

“Alice, if you don't hurry up, we won't be at breakfast in time to eat anymore than a bite,” Lily said as she went over to help her friend clean the opposite side of the room. Alice raised an eyebrow.

“You don't have to help you know. I'd be fine if you left me up here to clean,” Alice said as she finally got the books put away on the selves. Upon closer inspection, one might notice some of them upside down or not quite laying right. Lily remained silent as she continued to clean.

Once they were both done cleaning up the mess, the two girls made their way down to the loud, but very good smelling, Great Hall. It smelled of cinnamon rolls, the parchment of the daily newspaper, and a slight undertone of burnt bread from the first years testing out the toasting spell on their own. Lily smiled fondly as she recalled her days of being the only first year to not burn their toast right off the bat, although she had burnt it plenty of other times when she had been paying more attention to her friends, or when she was telling Potter off.

Alice and Lily hurriedly found two seats in the middle of the Gryffindor table. They piled their plates high with cinnamon rolls, toast, bacon, and eggs with a mug of coffee for Alice, as if she needed it and a regular glass of pumpkin juice for Lily. They devoured it down quickly and then went back for seconds. Lily gulped down a third glass of pumpkin juice before looking at Alice, who already looked like she was going to bounce out of her eat at any moment from the five cups of mocha flavored coffee she had downed. Lily had to remember to never let Alice have coffee the day of a test.

“Alice are you al-” Lily jumped, startled for having felt a breath on the back of her neck. She turned around quickly to seek its source and found herself staring straight into the hazel eyes of a boy with messy, raven colored hair, a lopsided grin and wire-rimmed glasses. She shrieked; her face was about two inches away from his face, James Potter's face, and it irritated her that he had snuck up on her. She slapped him quickly, hoping to have left a hand print.

Lily heard a bark of light laughter from a few steps away as she glared at James who took the seat across from her. Sandra and Sirius, both nauseatingly happy in their couple hood, came to sit on either side of James. Sirius had barely sat down; a huge smirk on his face, his grey eyes twinkling as he threw back his head and laughed. His black shoulder length, messy hair fell away from his shoulders as his laughter brought the attention of others at their table; it sounded oddly like a dog's bark.

Sandra had chosen the side of James where Lily had slapped him, an already nasty looking hand print gracing his cheek. Sandra burst out laughing.

“James what the bloody hell did you do to Lily to deserve this one?” she asked referring to all of the other times Lily had actually slapped James and left a hand print. She thought for a moment, which would equal almost all of the past times Lily had slapped him.

James opened his mouth but Lily beat him to it.

“He tried to kiss me, that is what he did,” Lily accused, looking at the now bright red hand print on James' left cheek. “And he deserved it too! He snuck up on me and when I turned around, he was two inches from my face!” She whinedd to her friend, watching as Sandra and Sirius shared a look that clearly stated: `Aren't they so in love?'

Sandra gave James a look of disbelief and amusement, taking a double chocolate chip muffin from the stack along with a mug of coffee.

“James, how many times does she have to slap you before you learn not to sneak up on her?” Sandra sighed as she tore off a piece of muffin, tossing it into her mouth. Sirius let out a barking laugh.

“That's about the five hundred and fifty-seventh time she's done that in the last two years mate,” Sirius joked as he grabbed a handful of bacon and three rather large spoonfuls of eggs.

James raised an eyebrow at his best mate, his hazel eyes staring at Sirius. “And how do you keep count that long? You're only concerns are food and pranks,” he laughed and pushed Sirius playfully.

Lily looked around, noticing the absence of her best sandy-haired male friend, Remus Lupin. Though he was part of the Marauders, he was the intelligent one who was the mastermind behind all of their schemes. He was, interestingly enough, the one who kept them out of worst trouble. But most importantly, he was the one she had crushed on for her first three or so years at Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry. She had long since let the crush go, seeing him as nothing but a friend now. She actually did like Walter Abbott, the really nice guy she had talked to in Charms the other day. Then again, she also enjoyed talking to Amos Diggory, the Hufflepuffs star quidditch player and who rivaled James' popularity and skill.

“Hey, where's Remus?” Lily blurted out, not really caring if she had interrupted any certain conversation.

“Oh…err, He's out. His great aunt Trellissa just died.” James stated quickly, forgetting about talking over new prank ideas with Sirius for the moment. Sharing a look with Sirius, he took a long sip of his morning pumpkin juice. “So Lily, how about you and I go to Hogsmeade together later today?” Lily raised her eyebrows at him as she sipped the remnants of her fourth glass of pumpkin juice.

“If I just slapped you for trying to kiss me, then what makes you think I would want to go to Hogsmeade with you today or any other time you've asked me or will ask me?” she asked, appalled that this boy didn't get it. She frowned as she looked back up at him. “Is your skull a mile thick or what? Merlin,” She muttered the last bit, looking to her friends “I'll be down at Hogsmeade if anybody needs me.” She left the great hall, her cloak billowing behind her as she exited through the two large oak doors.

Lily walked around the castle for an hour or so and busted a few first years with fizzing wizbies. She had given them detention for the next Monday night, right after dinner. She made her way back to the entry of the castle, a large group already there. She could pick out her other roommate, Tiffany Lock, in the throng of waiting people but Lily was really just looking for Alice and Sandra. Or at least, Alice. She really didn't want to be around one half of the Marauder brain because the other half was usually not far away. She shook her head one last time before going through the crowd.

Lily found Alice soon after, talking to Amanda and Sandra. Thankfully, Black and Potter were nowhere to be seen. Lily scoffed under her breath as she reminded herself not to jinx her good luck and to stay as far away from the Marauders today as possible.

“So Lily… What do you think of going out with James? I mean, my cousin isn't that bad is he?” Amanda asked as her raven colored curls bouncing as the wind blew past them. Her brown eyes were dazzling, accentuated by her orange sweater and brown jeans. Lily smiled at her friend; it was a smile that clearly stated: `Are you seriously thinking that?'

“I don't think very much about dating that prat, James Potter, thank you very much. How am I supposed to like how he is when he is always annoying me! It's bad enough we have to share a common room when I'm not sleeping in my old dorm,” Lily explained with exasperation as she looked over at Amanda. “Besides, he's a prick whose ego needs to be deflated along with his overly large head.”

Amanda was shaking with silent laughter, clutching her sides.

“Honestly Lily. He is infatuated with you! All of our family is subjected to him talking about you all the time. Every conversation is `Lily this and Lily that',” Amanda said as she perfectly mimicked James. “Lily is the smartest girl, oh she's so beautiful Mum, I wish she would go out with me.”

“Oi! I do not sound like that,” called a very red-in-the-face James Potter as he approached. He stared at his cousin. “You don't know what you're talking about.” His face now matched the bright red of the hand print and he looked flustered. Lily raised an eyebrow at him and then looked at Amanda.

“I'm going to venture a guess and say he is the liar in all of this?” Lily said and glanced back at the blushing boy. James didn't look her in the eye; instead, he was suddenly very interested with the hem of his robes. Amanda nodded.

“Yes, and he is just too embarrassed to admit to it, isn't that right Jamsie poo?” Amanda smirked sweetly, skipping ahead of the group. Amanda began to follow the already far off group full of students, ranging from squealing third years to chattering fifth years. The professors were already groaning and rubbing their temples, thankful for the break from the students.

Lily followed her friend around, looking in the windows of the clothing stores, buying a few sweets from Honeydukes, and getting a few butter beers from Madame Rosmerta's. Lily smiled gratefully at the woman. Rosmerta had been a seventh year last year and a Ravenclaw prefect. She had helped Lily when she was a first year, despite the house differences.

“So, have you guys noticed? Henry Wood has been watching me since this morning, I wonder if he's going to ask me out,” Tiffany gossiped quietly, eyeing her three friends with a grin. Her hazel eyes were shining in the lighting of the room. Her honey colored hair falling over her shoulders as she leaned towards them. Alice squealed while Amanda gasped.

Lily was sitting there in her own little world, trying to think through her own problems. She liked two guys, and had one boy that was obsessed with her. Although, the one that was obsessed with her was not either of the boys she fancied so she really needn't count James in her list of problems, thankfully. She sighed as she sipped on her fourth butter beer. Lily stared down into it, still contemplating her boy troubles. Merlin knew she had only been with one other bloke. She shuddered at the thought, not wanting to go back to Xeno Lovegood.

“Earth to Lily! Merlin girl, snap out of it,” Alice as saying, snapping her fingers in front of Lily's face. Lily shook her head, looking at her expectant friends faces.

“Oh, erm…What did you say?” she asked meekly as she looked from Tiffany to Amanda to Alice.

“We asked what you were staring at,” Amanda repeated herself, propping herself up, elbows on table and hands under chin as she lazily sipped her butter beer through a white bendable straw. She stared at Lily impatiently, “Did you see a cute guy?”

Lily shook her head in response, and ordered herself ordering another butter beer.

“Actually, I was thinking about how your cousin is a prick and is also an insufferable git,” she yawned as she saw Alice cracking up over something. “Oi, Alice, Did you snort a pixie stick or something?” Lily tilted her head questioningly at her friend who immediately stopped laughing.

“A WHAT?” The other three asked, looking at Lily with a confused look on all of their faces. Amanda was the first to speak.

“Is it made out of cornish pixies?” she asked skeptically, doubting her friends' sanity.

Lily shook her head, laughing this time. She had to remember that she was the only muggleborn in the group. It, in all honesty, didn't bother her since she always got a laugh out of it.

“No, Merlin you guys need to come to a muggle candy shop with me sometime,” Lily laughed. “They are flavored sugar that comes in tubes,”

A collective `oh,' came from the group. Amanda looked at Lily.

“So they aren't made from Cornish pixies, then?” Amanda clarified. Lily giggled and shook her head hard, trying to shake away the fit of laughter that threatened to consume her into one of those giggling girls she sometimes despised.

“Nope, they're a muggle candy and I don't think muggles know what Cornish pixies are,” she explained to Amanda as she finished off her butter beer. A look of enlightenment graced Amanda's face and Lily knew that the other girl understood. Lily grinned as she paid for her drinks and the others did the same.

“Let's get going before head girl over there decides to give us detention for being out after curfew,” Tiffany joked as they exited the warm pub and went out into the cool, fall evening.

“Hello, Lily. Leaving so soon?” James Potter smirked as he stood up straight, following her for a few steps. “Would you be so kind and go out with me?” He walked in front of her walking backwards so to face her.

“And why would I go out with you?” she asked as she continued forward, not really intentionally towards him but he was in the way of the directions she was heading. Her friends eyed each other cautiously watching for any signs of Lily-invoked danger. They knew she was prone to blow up on James.

“Because I love you,” he replied, running a hand through his raven hair. He smiled lopsided at her and looked deeply into her emerald eyes. The other three girls gasped as they watched James walking right toward a rock.

“James!” Amanda shouted. “Look out!” But it was too late; he had already fallen forward and knocked Lily over. They landed with a thud on the ground, their lips meeting.

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Thank you for reading, I appreciate you a lot. If you review though, I'll appreciate you even more. I love reviews of any type. It only takes a few minutes, so why not make a girl happy and tell me what you think? I'd like to thank my beta, Konflickted, for helping me with a lot of things. She really does deserve a round of applause for putting up with me. Why not go check out her stories? They're really good.

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