bittersweet history

Chapter Four - Lily

   Sixth year was going to be great. Lily figured that after suffering the whole last term, juggling nine classes, quidditch, and O.W.L.s, she deserved an easy year. After all, she only had four N.E.W.T. level classes. By her logic, that should give her more free time.

    Yeah, so Lily was already drowning under homework, and it was week two. She absolutely did not have more free time, with homework and Prefect rounds, tutoring, and- well, no quidditch yet. Great. One more thing to add to the pile.

    It had been a rough summer. The end of last term had been O.W.L.s, sure, but it had also been the complete end of her friendship with Severus. Severus, who she'd known since before Hogwarts. Severus, who had said that they would always be friends. Severus, who'd said he didn't need help from a Mudblood.

    Well, fine.

    Lily couldn't say that her friends hadn't warned her. They had. Repeatedly. She'd had a row with Marlene after what Severus's friends had done to Mary in the fourth year. They'd never really talked about it, both too stubborn to, just melding back together to support Mary when she was released from the hospital wing.

    It had been a rough summer despite Petunia not being around as much. Because Petunia hadn't been around as much. Lily knew that her parents blamed her just a bit for driving Petunia out of the house every time she came home. And now that Petunia had a boyfriend- Vernon, a horrible lump of a man- she could stay away for longer. That was fine by Lily. Though she loved her sister, she wasn't going to let Petunia's fits keep her from seeing her parents. Petunia had them all year. Lily just wanted June, July, and August. So even though it was lonely sometimes, Lily spent June, July, and August with her parents.

    Their parents wished they would get along. Lily knew that that was impossible. Petunia only got worse as time wore on.

    So, it had been a rough summer. And Lily was truly glad to be back at Hogwarts, even though she was drowning a bit. At least she was drowning with friends.

    Marlene was facedown in her Divination textbook, and Mary was diligently writing an Arithmancy essay. Dorcas had given up and was doodling in the margins of her Ancient Runes textbook. Lily was working on an essay for Slughorn, but she wasn't getting very far. Prefect rounds started in... one hour. Fantastic. Lily rolled up her essay and pulled out her Charms textbook again to review.

    The next time she resurfaced, Dorcas and Mary were playing tic-tac-toe on Marlene's arm. There were four other completed games, two wins for Dorcas and two for Mary. But- yes, with this game, Mary pulled ahead. She pumped her fist in the air silently so as not to wake Marlene. Dorcas pouted for a moment before drawing another game and claiming the center box.

    "Seven out of six," she insisted.

    Mary rolled her eyes, but her lips curled upwards. She leaned forward to take her turn, and Marlene's arm twitched.

    "Hurry," Lily hissed. "She's waking up."

    They finished the game quickly with no time for strategy, a draw.

    "Damnit," Dorcas said as Marlene peeled her cheek off the page. She blinked at them all sleepily.

    "What's going on?" She mumbled, then looked down at her arm. "Oh hell," she sighed, "Again?"

    "You did say you wanted tattoos," Mary said, straight-faced.

    "Not of Dorcas's utter defeat, something cool."

    "Hey," Dorcas frowned. "Mean. How did you know I lost?"

    "You always pick 'o's," Marlene informed her.