I'll Take it Shaken, Not Stirred

Chapter 2: Somewhere Between Nine and Ten

"The more things change, the more they remain... insane." -Anonymous

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Lily stared blankly out the station wagon window.

At long last, she was on her way to Kings Cross Station- to Hogwarts. Her trunk was loaded next to her in the back seat of the car, her parents were in the front (Mr. Evans driving), her beaded carry-on was on her lap, and she felt positively miserable. The fact that she was returning to Hogwarts after two months was kept from her mind by the annoying voices in her head that kept reminding her of the less pleasant subject matter. Petunia had called.

Fifteen minutes before they left for the station, she had called. Apparently, Vernon had been planning to ask (this morning) Mr. and Mrs.Evans' permission to marry Petunia. Just for formality sake. Vernon and petunia loved formalities. Yet Lily felt miserable about it even still. She was everything Petunia always said she was at the moment. She'd screwed it all up. Once again.

Mrs. Evans glanced apprehensively back at her daughter from the front seat of the car. When she spoke, it was among the first things said since they'd left home. "What did she say?" the mother asked, speaking, of course, about petunia's call.

"Stuff," said Lily dully.

"That bad?"

"Mhm."

Lily wouldn't dream of repeating most of the things Petunia had said in her call, but among the less profane things mentioned was Vernon's intended proposal. Lily hadn't told this to her parents either; she supposed Petuniawould tell them in her own time.

"We'll be there soon," said Mr. Evans, who had been the only one calm enough to drive the car.

Lily continued to stare out the window. She would be there soon. Soon.Really, really soon. Too soon? Even if the ordeal with the Eddie Bones in the fireplace hadn't occurred, Lily would be nervous right now. And she was.

Her eyes flitted about the car, landing on her pale hands that rested on her lap. She fidgeted, trying to distract herself from the possibilities of this year, which glared her in the face. Lily could handle returning to her old enemies at Hogwarts. Girls like Collista Black or Olivia Malfoy, who had been Lily's adversaries for most of her Hogwarts career, weren't the problem. Lily was ready to face them; they would mock her "dirty blood" and "bad heritage," but that was nothing new.

A cloud passed over the sun, and Lily wondered whether it would rain. What was new about this year was the pressure that had never existed as much as it did now- not on Lily, but on many witches and wizards around her. Towards the end of Lily's previous year at Hogwarts, several students, with whom Lily had formerly been fairly friendly, began to notice the newspaper articles more and more. Their attitude towards Lily had changed for the worse as well. Not only muggle-borns were in danger now; almost anyone who was openly friendly towards muggle-borns, or muggles themselves, was "tainted by association."

Lily was half afraid that even her best friends- the "pureblood" ones- would begin avoiding her too. An old friend from Ravenclaw house had skipped an exam study session with her the year before; how would Lily's closest friends react?

But something inside Lily wouldn't allow her to believe that Alice Prewettagirl with as pure a family history as possible- would desert her. For starts, Alice was the absolute sweetest person on the planet. Hardly any harsh word or reprimand ever escaped her mouth, unless she was telling Lily off for swearing, or if it was very well deserved. And what about Remus?

No. The thought was laughable. If Lily's and Remus's relationship had survived some of the things it had already survived, a little thing like LordVoldemort couldn't ruin it now.