Disclaimer: All characters you recognize and the world owned by J.K. Rowling. No copyright infringement intended, of course. All kudos to Master Rowling.

Unrivaled

By The Kat

"Love…ah, love, that magical spark between two people that you hope won't start a fire and burn them both to death."

-Onizuka (GTO by Tohru Fujisawa)

Chapter One: A Force to be Reckoned With

It was rather chilled outside for an early autumn afternoon. The wind nipped at the sparse branches and filtered through the cracks in the windowpane with a faint whistle. Outside the sky was a bit dim and gray, putting a damper on the week's much appreciated sun.

However, inside it remained bright and warm, and a tall, thin girl sat curled beside the window, reading a book. She flipped the pages faster, for it had just gotten exciting. Her eyes skimmed the words, desperate to see what was yet to come for the troubled heroine-

Tap tap.

The girl peered up at the window at the sound. But there was nothing. She shrugged and went back to her novel.

Tap tap.

Irritated at the interruption, she tossed the book onto her bed and went to the window. Oh. The latch was loose and the wind was-

But her thoughts were suddenly disrupted by the shock of a large brown object hurtling straight toward her head. Larger and larger it became until-

"AAAAIIIEEEEEE!"

SPLAT! The giant brown ball of fluff bounced off the windowpane and fluttered around dazedly, swirling about in the wind. It hooted and puffed up its feathers.

The girl clutched the stitch of her chest and her blood began to boil. "Bloody hell! Lily! LI-LY!" she shrieked. "You're stupid demon bird is outside my window! I told you to make it stop! Muuuuuum!" She stomped out of the room furiously.

The befuddled owl nudged at the unlatched window and squeezed his plump form inside. From there he buzzed through the door which the girl had just exited and zipped into the room next-door. There he plopped down comfortably on a desk beside a petite redhead. She peered up from her work and rolled her eyes at the screaming tantrum that could be heard downstairs. She patted the owl on the head. "Don't mind Petunia, Rue. She's got something wedged up her bum, I tell you."

Rue hooted playfully and stuck out his right leg to which some envelopes were attached. Gladly she untied the twine and shuffled through the letters. The first she recognized immediately. In swirling green letters it read:

Miss Lily M. Evans

It was clearly from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She unfolded the parchment inside and read what she expected.

Dear Miss. Evans,

This year, as I'm sure you are aware, you shall once again hold the title of prefect for Gryffindor house, I am pleased to say. Also, this year will entail more in your prefect duties. There will be a meeting on Friday of the first week to discuss this year's events. Enclosed is a list of books and supplies you will need. I look forward to seeing you in the halls.

Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Lily smiled to herself and tucked the letter into a slot on her desk and looked excitedly at the other letters. It was quite rare that she ever received more than one letter which was, yes, pathetic, and she knew it. To get right to the point, Lily didn't exactly have very many friends. Or any for that matter. It wasn't that she was a mean or horrible person…just not very popular. It didn't bother her too much, not having more than acquaintances. She did just fine on her own studying and focusing on her duties. In fact, she preferred being alone. Yes. She accomplished more this way. No distractions, as she would put it.

Tearing open the second letter, smiling despite her best efforts, she pulled out the parchment within and unfolded it. Her face fell.

Dear Subscriber,

Your payment for Witch Weekly is overdue. Penalty charges will be administered at 4 galleons and add three sickles for each additional late day. Thank you for your patronage.

Best Regards,

Erma Hix

Office of Funds Management and Payment

But it was times like these when loneliness took its toll. Lily sighed, crinkled up the parchment and tossed it onto the floor. To boot, she had an overdue fee! She was never overdue! Alright, well, onto the second letter addressed to Miss Evans. She ripped it open hopefully.

Dear Tallulah Evans,

On behalf of your staff and friends here at the Ministry, we wish you a happy retirement! We'll miss you dearly, old girl! Don't party too much in Majorca! Don't forget your going away party this Tuesday, and bring your family!

Fondest regards,

Your workmates

Lily blanched. Who the hell was Tallulah?

"Rue!" she glared at the ball of fluff perched upon her desk lamp. "Wrong Evans!"

Rue hooted dismissively and buzzed out of the room.

Was she so obsolete to the world that people mistook her for a retired Ministry employee? Even her own owl? Sigh. This was going to be a long year, she could tell.

Downstairs the kitchen was producing delicious smells which wafted up the stairs. Lily took a break from her dismal mail endeavors and bounded down to the little kitchen. A red-haired beauty stood at the counter mixing a bowl of batter.

"Mmmm…Mum, that smells so good!" Lily said dreamily to her mother, taking an exaggerated whiff.

Her mother turned, her eyes twinkling. "This one is for your father. The rest are for…well, your father. He's having a dinner party for his clients tomorrow evening."

"Oh," she feigned a bit of interest. Lily wasn't too fond of her father or his mundane job for that matter. She loved him, of course, but he was just so…so…

"Hellooo everyone!" A deep voice burst from the doorway. "Mmmm, smells spectacular, Annabelle, darling. Oh, dear, my papers…wait…oh blast…there goes all of it." A disheveled-looking man had entered the kitchen, his briefcase hanging open and all its contents were littering floor. His hideous brown and yellow striped tie was twisted and hanging from his crinkled shirt at an odd angle. Normally a hard-working man looked like that when he got home after a long day at the office. Lily's father happened to look just like that when he left each morning.

"Hi sweetheart," he gave Lily a sloppy kiss on the cheek as she bent over to help him. She smiled weakly and set the papers safely on the table. "Oh," her father jumped at the sudden appearance of Rue who was now buzzing excitedly around his head. "Oh…my…er- hello." He patted the owl awkwardly as it landed on his shoulder. "Lily, I thought I told you to keep him in his cage. He can't have free reign over this house, you know."

"Sorry," Lily mumbled, waving her hand at the owl. Rue hooted and fluttered back into the living room. Her father dusted off his shoulder and searched for owl droppings.

Lily settled into a chair at the counter and watched her parents side by side. It was as if they were from two different planets, really. Her mother was absolutely stunning and so well put together. Even amongst the baking mess, she was sparkling clean, her red hair sleek and shining, cascading to her shoulders and framing her delicate face. Everyone said she and Lily looked alike, but Lily didn't think so. Sure, their hair color…but she had her dad's green eyes and also, inconveniently, had inherited his limp hair and his clumsiness. She wished so hard sometimes that she could be just like her mother…beautiful and graceful.

She did, however, inherit her determination and organized nature. Her mother was a spitfire when she wanted to be, and somewhere, deep down, despite her meek tendencies, so was Lily. Especially when provoked. She was very straight-laced like her mother as well. Very no-nonsense. It was a wonder her mother could ever be attracted to such a goof as her father. Her father had his high points though. He was incredibly intelligent: a genius most would say. And very clever. Lily hoped that she had at least inherited that good trait.

Watching the two of them interact like husband and wife had become a hobby of Lily's, especially this summer. So confounded was she that these two could ever have made a match…but, as the saying goes, opposites attract.

"Annabelle!" Her mother had wiped a bit of flour on her father's nose and they began giggling. In a whirl, he picked her up and spun her around.

"Henry!" She pounded his chest flirtatiously. Like teenagers! Really…she didn't even giggle like that. They were grown men and women for goodness sake. It was so illogical the way her mother broke out of her calm, collected character when with her father.

She shook her head and headed back upstairs to collect a few things. The new term at Hogwarts would be starting soon and she had to hit Diagon Alley to pick up her new supplies.

"Blah," a tall dark haired young man said, holding back his long shaggy hair with a free hand. The wind was whipping at his face and the overcast sky made him shiver. "Ow! God damn it!" he clutched his face suddenly. "I think a leaf just hit me in the eye!"

"Oh stop complaining, Padfoot," the boy beside him said jauntily. "Doesn't it just feel good to be out?" He stretched his arms up high in the air, disregarding the wind which whipped about his already disheveled black locks. He was just a fraction taller than his companion and the two were strolling the street of Diagon Alley despite the terrible weather.

"Speak for yourself. Your corneas aren't permanently damaged." He rubbed his eyes wincing. "James I'm tired. Can we at least go inside somewhere?"

"Stuff it Sirius, we're almost there," James said. "When did you become a five year old girl?"

Sirius looked as if he might sock James, but he was quickly distracted by the appearance of a female.

The wind swirled about Lily, whipping her robes around, so she pulled her cloak tighter and clutched her purse to her chest. Diagon Alley wasn't too crowded, most likely due to the weather. Plus her shopping spree was far earlier than any other students preferred. Lily liked to be on top of things. It was in her nature.

She was walking with her head buried in the Hogwarts list when her foot caught on a jutting cobblestone and she toppled to her knees.

"Ow! Ruddy cobblestones," she said muttered, and remained frozen to the spot as she absorbed the shock of the pain to her knees for a moment.

Sirius nudged James who simply rolled his eyes. "Fine, don't be a gentleman," Sirius said stuffily and headed over to help the cloaked girl up.

James stood there annoyed. It was just a girl, not like they didn't already throw themselves on the two of them at Hogwarts, he thought arrogantly.

He sighed and watched Sirius reach out his hand to the girl, but in a sudden gust of wind, her hood was ripped from her head and in a splash of color a banner of red hair whipped about in the air.

"Oh!" Lily tried to brushed the unruly strands from her eyes and the parchment too was torn away from her by the wind. "No!" she cried.

James was dazed for a moment at the sight, the girl's hair sweeping her porcelain skin, groping in the air for the parchment that she'd just lost to the wind. Sirius made a dive for the papers, but missed, and it wasn't until James realized they were floating straight toward him that he broke out of his tizzy. He caught the parchment with a deft hand and unwrinkled them. His face fell.

Dear Ms. Lily Evans:

The following is your list of required materials for your sixth year at Hogwarts…

But all he needed to see was the first line. Evans. She was a brown nosing know-it-all with prudish tendencies that made it all the more fun to tease, anger and pull pranks on her. She got what she deserved. He sauntered over to where Lily was being pulled up by Sirius who'd also noticed her identity. Yet he didn't seem too phased.

James held out the list.

"Thank you, I-" but she broke off when she locked eyes with James. "Oh." And she ripped the parchment from his hand and shoved it into her bag.

"Nice to see you, Lilykins," James smirked. He hadn't recognized her at first, he'd admit, but she'd changed over the summer. She seemed…he couldn't quite place a finger on it…she was growing up, he knew that. Sirius was clearly checking out her curvature, but that's not what James was referring to. It was something else. "Nice hair."

She flushed and began to smooth it down, then realizing what she was doing ripped her hand away and locked her arms at her sides. "I wouldn't be the one to talk, Potter."

He responded with a glare and gave Sirius an annoyed glance.

Sirius nodded and shrugged as if to say "she has a point."

James remained indifferent and began flipping a small stone in the air with his right hand. "Nice to know you're as friendly as ever, Evans."

"You know, it's rather childish of you to be stuck on the fact that I've gotten you in trouble," She said haughtily. "You know I can't take advantage of my position as prefect for your amusement."

"Oh, I didn't know you couldn't, I knew you wouldn't." James tossed the rock over his head and caught it in his other hand, bouncing it about and smiling mockingly now.

"As long as you continue to break the rules, I will pull points and issue detentions."

Sirius piped, "Really, I must thank you for that. I've broken the school record, Lily."

James laughed and Lily glared.

"If you don't mind," Lily began to walk away, "I have errands to run."

But James quickly blocked her way. "Oh, don't tell me you can't make time for your dear old friends?" he was tossing the rock unnervingly close to her face now, and she was getting irritated.

"Get out of my way."

James shrugged. "Don't really feel like it." And he took a step closer, forcing Lily a step back.

"Then perhaps you could adjust your distance," she said, her face heating up.

"Oh," James stepped even closer. "Sorry. I wasn't aware you wanted-"

Lily jumped back again but this time hit the wall of Madame Malkin's robe shop. "Potter!"

"Geez, Evans," he tossed the rock in front of her face and it nearly grazed her nose. James bent over tauntingly and pressed his face in so close it was nearly touching hers. "I'm just trying to have a friendly conversation." With the flick of his wrist, he tossed the rock up from behind his back and caught it with his thumb and forefinger right between their noses. He kissed the rock and leapt back laughing, Lily's cheeks now flushed a vibrant red.

He and Sirius were cracking up as they sauntered off down the alley leaving Lily embarrassed and angry against the wall of Madame Malkin's. She groaned furiously. "Stupid, stupid Potter!" She growled to herself. She took a long deep breath and calmed herself. Don't let him get to you, she thought, gritting her teeth., he's not worth it… "Breathe…just…breathe," she muttered, recalling chapter four of Detoxify, De-stress, and Don't Explode- Literally- for the Modern Witch.

Of course, that's what she'd been telling herself for the past five years. Each of which was plagued by the existence of James Potter and his friends. Potter was captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, the best Chaser in fifty years, and subsequently, had an ego swollen to the size of the moon.

Lily remembered bitterly the snippets of conversations she would overhear while passing in the halls:

"There's no way we'll lose tonight's game."

"Of course not. With James on our team?"

"Too true. James Potter never loses anything. He's unrivaled."

Dusting herself off and straightening up she regained her dignity and headed off in the opposite direction. Potter and his little friends had better watch out this year. From now on, she was a force to be reckoned with.