The Love of Patronus | JILY

Evans

          Lily Evans awoke on the morning of September the 1st with a start. It was 7:00 in the morning, much too early, but she could not help but smile groggily as she stretched and yawned her way out of bed. In four hours, she would be on her way to her seventh and final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and she was not just a student, she was Head Girl. As her eyes focused on her surroundings, she saw that her Hogwarts uniform was folded neatly at the foot of her bed with her Head Girl badge polished and freshly ironed on. She felt a rush of affection for her mother who after all these years still could not fully comprehend the idea of magically altering items. 

     "I simply cannot understand how this works, Lils." Lily's mother was watching a ten-year-old Lily Evans make a flower bloom and un-bloom. "You really are a gift of nature, darling."

          Lily smiled fondly at the first memory of magic that she shared with her mother. How she had loved to play with flowers back then, despite Petunia's objection.

          And then she sighed sadly. Petunia was never one to accept the abnormalities of Lily compared to the normal, muggle world. But as Lily changed into her fresh smelling Hogwarts robes, she refused to let anything take away her excitement at returning to Hogwarts this year.

--

          Three hours and forty-five minutes later, Lily Evans stood on the crowded platform 9 3/4, standing quietly and confidently in the doorway of one of the entrances on the train. Every time a frightened first year shyly approached the entry way, Lily was there with smiles and encouragement to welcome them aboard. 

           That is... until she heard an excited shriek from behind her, and barely turning around in time to catch a flying body who wrapped tightly around her. Emmeline Vance had practically attacked Lily in the excitement of seeing her for the first time all summer.

          "Lily! Ugh, just look at that badge! I've been dying to see you! Alice and Marlene are in a compartment already and we've been waiting... I thought I should come and find you... but oh! You look incredible!" Emmeline gushed.

          Lily gave an airy laugh as Emmeline finally regained composure. "Tell them I will be there as soon as I can. I have to walk the corridors for a few minutes and organize a few things with the Head Boy... wherever and whoever he is." She suddenly looked around as if she could spot the badge through the bustling crowd on the platform.

          "Oh, I've heard who he is." Emmeline's voice suddenly turned flirtatious and laced with sarcasm. "James Potter."

          Lily laughed, "Em, be serious, I'm so excited and he is probably the only thing that could ruin my mood."

          "But Lils, I'm not kidding." Lily felt her chest contract just a little bit at the thought. Hundreds of protests flew through her brain as she considered the possibility of James Potter being Head Boy.

          But just then the train whistle blew, and Lily was forced to see for herself. As she finally reached the Prefect's carriage, she saw the unmistakable messy brown hair of James Potter although he was taller than last year. 

          "Oh good, Lily!" The newest generation of Gryffindor Prefect smiled up at her. "That means we can start, yeah?"

          At the sound of her name, James Potter turned around rather quickly. His right hand rushed to ruffle his hair and he gave her a smooth smile.

          "Evans." He spoke her name slowly as though savoring it, and watched her silently for a moment. "Ready to be responsible?" He winked, but Lily did not sigh, laugh, bat her eyelashes, or respond in any fashion that nearly any other Hogwarts girl would - except to clench her teeth, nod, and turn to direct her voice to the prefects.

---

          "Lily! Is it true? Is James Potter the new Head Boy with you?" She had just entered her friends' compartment after doing a few rounds with the prefects. She nodded and rolled her eyes.

          "But Lils, this means you two share a dorm!" It was Marlene McKinnon who spoke this time, an unmistakably flirtatious smile forming on her mouth. Lily felt her chest tense again for she had not even thought about that. An entire year living with the playboy, quidditch, arrogant snob that was James Potter? Pass.

          Lily spent the rest of the train ride stoically avoiding any talk regarding her duties as well as anything else that could lead to Potter, and eventually after what seemed like a lifetime they arrived.

          She could not avoid him forever though, it seemed, seeing as she and James had to wait until all of the first years were safely in the boats before proceeding to the carriages. Making sure everything was cleared up meant that they were the last two on the platform and therefore shared a carriage up to the school.

          "How was your summer, Evans?" James had pulled out his favorite snitch from his pocket and was letting it flutter arrogantly beside him.

          "It was fine. Yours?" She kept her answer short and polite, emphasizing the fact that they were nowhere near friends.

          James Potter shrugged noncommittally. "Was what it was. Do anything special?" 

          Lily narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What's it to you, Potter?"

          A small smile twitched across his mouth. "You're hot when your irritated, Evans." He hadn't changed a bit.

          She shook her head frustratedly and directed her attention at the slowly growing castle in the window.

          "Come on, I wouldn't be me if I didn't flirt with you would I?" He tilted his head in order to get back in her line of sight. "Besides, we'll be living together now so I suppose you ought to warm up to me, yeah?"

          She looked at him skeptically for a moment before saying, "I hate to break your spell, Potter, but if you haven't noticed in the six years of knowing me, I am not going to join the club of weak minded snobs who you shag and ditch." She hadn't meant to sound so venomous, but she was not going to take his crap this year. She had her studies to worry about.

          However, she did feel a small twinge of regret when she noticed him flinch slightly at her words. They rode in silence the rest of the way to the castle and only made eye contact when he held open the carriage door for her on her way out.