Disclaimer: Characters and settings are property of J.K. Rowling. What you don't recognize is mine.

Author's Note: This is not, I repeat, not, the sequel to 'A Marauder's Girl.' Yes, this is set in the Marauder time frame, but it's an entirely different story. The character names might seem familiar, but I've changed quite a few personalities from that story, and this should not be taken as related in any way to that universe. You've been warned.

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Time of Our Lives Chapter 5 – Home At Last

September 1976

Lily sighed peacefully as she entered the Great Hall amidst the chatter of the students around her. She spotted Janine settled in with their dorm-mates, two girls with whom Lily was friendly, if not extremely close. It was Alyssa Comforts, the blonde, who spotted her first and waved her over.

Bidding the second-years she had taken under her wing goodbye, Lily quickly skirted the crowds and seized one of the few available spaces left. Jennifer King smiled at her. "Helping along the little ones?" She glanced at the group of second-years, all of whom were watching them with curious expression. "Blimey, no way was I ever that small."

"Smaller, actually," said Janine with a tiny smirk. She and Jen, both purebloods, had known each other for a long time, while Alyssa had moved in what Lily had come to understand as the high society circle. Although the societal circles had never been fully explained to her, Lily understood that both Janine and Jen had come from families who were called "new blood" or "new money," as both had fathers whose families had only recently amassed the great deal of wealth that put them on the same level as – say, the Malfoys, at least in financial terms. Alyssa, meanwhile, had always moved in the "old blood" circles, but was nevertheless quite nice.

"Was I?" asked Jen in bemusement.

"Oh, yes. You always did look rather peaky, too – at least until the third year, anyway, when you filled out." She gave Jen a pointed look, and it was no secret that she was referring to Jen's abundant curviness. "Wish I could have, too," she admitted grouchily.

"And then you might have toppled off your broomstick from the unbalanced weight," said Jen with a smirk. "But I understand, darling – we aren't all blessed like I am."

"Stuff if, you," said Janine good-naturedly. The ritual bantering having passed, the girls settled into one of their favorite start-of-term topics – summer activities. "Have a good one, then?"

"The very best," said Alyssa with a blush warming her cheeks. "I'll have to tell you about Sven later."

"Sven?" asked Lily at once.

"Oh, he's the most darling Swedish boy – Muggle, I'm afraid, but of course I didn't tell my parents so, they'd have fits if they knew – he used to take me on little strolls around the village, you know, and I don't think he ever realized how many witches and wizards lived there – anyway, I have so many stories, but…" She lowered her voice conspiratorially. "…I can't really say them all here, if you catch my meaning."

"Did you do the deed, then?" asked Janine casually. Alyssa looked properly horrified and was blushing full-steam now.

"I refused to say anything that can be incriminating evidence later," she said quite firmly, and then flushed again. "But Mother would be furious if she ever discovered, and you know mothers do have a way of finding these sorts of things out…"

"Not mine," said Janine comfortably. "Well, that's not quite true. Mother's really very intelligent, in a bookish, researcher sort of way. I'm certain she has an inkling as to what I get up to in school, but she probably likes to delude herself that I'll wait for it, do it on my wedding night, and then never again… well, at least until I'm ready for children." She shuddered at the thought. "Could you imagine me, a mother?"

"No," said Jen vehemently. "I'd feel sorry for your child. Feeling a bit left out, aren't you, Lily?" Lily stared at Jen in surprise; the other girl was remarkably perceptive, and although left out was perhaps not the correct word, she had realized that there were subtle undertones to this conversation that she didn't quite understand. "Pureblood girls are supposed to remain virgins until the day they die," she said with an amused sort of look on her face.

"Or at least until they're married," interjected Alyssa, and then added with a sigh, "although no one ever does, you know. We all find ways around it."

"What happens if – well, if you're caught?"

"Nothing, usually, though your mother might be mortified and might consider you a full disgrace to the family," said Janine sweetly. "Your father, of course, is likely to take his wand to whatever poor bloke was the lucky – or unlucky, I suppose, in some cases – one to do it. But most mothers – even if they realize it, until they had evidence, they'll try to pretend they don't know. Like mine, for example. Speaking of her, did I tell you what she did this summer?"

Lily had known for a long time that Janine's mother worked with a foundation to help raised money for the war effort in whatever way was possible, although that money often went to rather misguided usages. One, for example – "They built a fountain in the Ministry atrium," explained Janine, and she rolled her eyes.

"Oh, I saw pictures of it in the Prophet," said Lily, and her eyebrows rose. "Not what I expected, I must say."

"It's supposed to symbolize unity and all that rot," said Janine, rolling her eyes once more. "And whenever people visit, they're – er – encouraged to make a donation to the fountain. All proceeds to St. Mungo's, of course."

"Of course," agreed Jen. "A worthy cause, although, wasting so much money on a silly fountain…"

"To raise morale and hope," said Alyssa at once. "My father told me; he works at the Ministry. And anyway, the fountain is quite lovely, isn't it?"

"If you're into that sort of thing, I suppose," Janine answered, shrugging. "What did you think, Lily?"

"I'll tell you what I thought," said Lily with brutal honesty. "The wizard looked a bit stupid, and the witch was rather insipid, and I've never met a goblin or a centaur that would ever look at a wizard that way. The house-elf was convincing," she admitted, "but then, I suppose servitude can't be that hard to depict on an elf, as they never look any other way."

"True. I told Mother that they ought to have made the witch taller. My idea was a witch and wizard – facing one another, as if to duel, but holding wands aloft and crossed, perhaps emitting sparks – or water, I suppose, because it's a fountain, isn't it? – and without the adoring looks on the witch's part. Perhaps a look of – I don't know, confidence. That would give me hope. It wouldn't just demonstrate any particular sort of hope or anything, it would show equality between the sexes, which, if you ask me, is really what this world needs."

"Ridiculous," said Jen loftily. "When have you known wizards to treat witches equally?"

"Never," answered Lily before Janine could, "and I think that's exactly her point. They should be." She sighed. "It's disappointing, but then I always did think that so much of wizardkind is still stuck in the Dark Ages…"

"Maybe you ought to do something about it, then," answered Jen with a smirk.

Lily smirked back. "Perhaps I will," she allowed at last, and then Professor McGonagall stepped forward and briskly set the Sorting Hat and its stool at the front.

Lily never listened to the Sorting Hat's song anymore, mostly because it was a load of rubbish about getting along in the face of evil. A nice thought, to be sure, and it certainly would have been a fantastic idea if not for the fact that three-fourths of school despised the other fourth, and vice versa. In other words, "getting along" was utterly impossible, and Lily harbored no illusions that the Sorting Hat would ever be able to make such a difference.

Besides, thought Lily with a smirk, when have teenagers ever listened to sound advice?

As it finished, the school burst into immediate applause (even Lily, who clapped politely), and the Sorting began. Although Lily rather thought she ought to have been paying attention, she was distracted by the mere fact that Sirius Black kept shooting her delighted glances down the table, before breaking into sniggers behind his hand. She turned to the other girls, who didn't appear to notice.

"Jen, have I got something on my face?" she asked.

Jen screwed up her eyes. "Well, you have got a pair of eyes, and lips – ooh, and a nose, too." Lily glowered at her. "Well, what did you expect me to say?"

"Sirius Black keeps laughing at me."

"Sirius Black laughs at everything," said Alyssa at once. "You would do better to ignore that silly boy." Pausing for a moment, she then added, "Besides, he's laughing because he's telling James exactly what sort of things he should get up to the Heads' study. Can't you see James' face turning purple? That's why."

"How d'you know that?"

"Because he's been making fun of it since we got up to the castle," she said simply. "Like I said. You would do better to ignore the silly git."

"He's not silly," defended Janine. "Just a bit – rambunctious, that's all." She smiled down the table at Sirius, who, still sniggering, waved madly at her. "Oh, all right, I suppose he really is a bit silly."

"A bit?" asked Alyssa with a smile.

A Ravenclaw from the next table leaned over and shushed them with a fierce look. Lily gave him a quelling look, and saw his eyes go down to the badge on her robes. He went a greenish color and quickly turned around.

"Ah, power," said Janine with a dreamy smile, observing this interaction. "The ultimate motivation for pretending to follow the rules."

"Only motivation, you mean," corrected Jen. "Still, it's useful, innit? Lily can help us out of trouble!"

"Of course I will," said Lily briskly, "because you aren't going to get into any."

"Not on your watch," muttered Janine, and Jen had to giggle. Alyssa smiled at the pair of them, rather like an indulgent older sister, but McGonagall chose that moment to pause in her reading of the names and give them sharp looks. They quickly quieted, only to begin chatting again the moment their professor's attention left them.

"What about you, Jennie, how was your summer?"

"Boring," she pronounced at once. "My father made me get a job."

Janine pretended to make a face and spoke in an impressively snooty voice. "How positively bourgeois. Imagine! A proper girl like yourself, at a job. Where did you work?"

"In Hogsmeade," admitted Jen with a tiny smile. "Working in the Three Broomsticks isn't so bad, you know, because even the good-looking ones go to flirt with Rosmerta, and if she ignores them, they come onto me. Wasn't so bad, really, but it did get dreadfully uninteresting after a time. You've seen one good-looking drunk man, and you've seen them all. What about you, Lily?"

"Not much, really," she confessed. "I spent a good deal of time in Diagon Alley, actually, and it was really very nice, although it's a pity that nobody ever wants to say and chat. I did go into Flourish and Blotts quite often, of course, and I did find some awfully interesting old books, but I thought the Hogwarts Library would have them, and didn't bother to buy them."

"Did you get the new Billywig Stings album while you were there?" asked Jen at once. Janine and Lily exchanged looks; Lily's resigned, Janine's delighted at another chance to relate the story.

"Well, see, Potter sent Lily a gift just as he always does for her birthday…"

By the time she'd finished, both Jen and Alyssa were staring at her incredulously. "I wasn't about to accept it," she said defensively. "What if he'd wanted – I dunno, a date in return?"

"It's a present, Lily, he can't ask for something in return," said Alyssa quite kindly, as if speaking to a fairly simple person. "And the Billywig Stings! Really, a date might have been worth it."

"It most certainly was not," insisted Lily. "Besides, had I accepted it – which I've never done before, by the way – he might have taken it as – I don't know, a sign of something? I'll get it on my own when the rush had died down for it."

"There's a rumor going around that Dumbledore is somehow related to the lead guitarist," whispered Jen. "D'you suppose he could convince him to do a show in Hogsmeade, or something? Could you ask? You are Head Girl, after all."

"I doubt it's true, but I can ask," said Lily, and didn't get a chance to say more, as the Sorting had finished and Dumbledore had stood up to address them all. She pointedly turned her attention to him, as did her friends.

"Welcome!" he shouted, raising his arms. "Welcome to Hogwarts, to our hallowed halls of learning, where, hopefully, we will be able to stuff some knowledge into your brains if you are new, and to add more through your ears if you are old," he said, and a few people sniggered. Lily had to smile at the mad old Headmaster, whom she respected immensely despite certain decisions.

"No doubt you are all starving, and so I will leave my several very important notices until after. And now," and again, he lifted his arms, "we feast!"

At once, food filled the golden platters, and the noise level drastically increased as everyone reached forward with a clatter to fill their plates and chat with one another. Lily heaped steak-and-kidney pie onto her plate, saying, "You know, I've got a lot of wonderful ideas for this year. I want to help integrate the Muggle world into some of our activities, force wizards to accept it…" She trailed off, seeing the incredulous looks all around.

"Er – it's a worthy idea, Lil," said Janine hesitantly, "but no old pureblood wizard – like a Black, or a Malfoy, or an Avery – is going to accept anything remotely Muggle. You might have a mutiny on your hands."

"Besides," added Alyssa softly, "you're trying to force change. The Wizarding World hasn't changed in years, and you'll be turning us all upside down if you try to turn us Muggle."

"I'm not turning you Muggle," said Lily hotly. "Though you're already halfway there, aren't you? Or did you think that jeans were a wizarding thing?"

"All right, clothes is one thing, but next you'll be wanting to introduce Muggle music—"

"Which is far better than most wizarding music, the Billywig Stings excepted," declared Lily.

"—Or Muggle classes, or Muggle drinks, and well – it's a wonderful idea, Lily, to help bring the two worlds together in whatever ways are possible, but it isn't feasible. No pureblood will accept it."

"Some of them will," corrected Janine. "The ones from the old families won't, though." She propped her chin up in her hand, frowning thoughtfully. "Of course, what with the war, I doubt anyone will be able to think any ideas you have through."

"For heaven's sake, I'm not trying to turn you all into Muggles. I just want to introduce some Muggle aspects of life, that's all. Show people that Muggles aren't quite so awful as everyone imagines they are, that they're really very talented."

"Lily, I think—"

"—It's a good idea," said Jen firmly, cutting off Janine, startling them all. They all stared at her. "Really, the world needs to be more accepting. All this nonsense about pureblood supremacy – well, it's just that. Nonsense, really."

"It's not nonsense," said Alyssa quietly. "I could tell you right now my parents believe in it. I doubt they even have realized that I'm friends with a Muggleborn witch."

There was another stunned silence all around, as Janine at last said defensively, "Yes, a Muggleborn witch who's a rather better witch than all the rest of us."

"I'm not going to deny that," Alyssa protested at once. "Lily's my friend too, you know? It's just, my parents – well, we're not one of the old-old set, the really elitist ones like the Malfoys or the Blacks – but, well, they buy into all that pureblood supremacy, too, and I'm just saying that introducing Muggle ideas won't work."

Jen turned to Lily, lifting her chin slightly. "You should do it," she said adamantly. "It's a fantastic idea, and it's about time we forced some of these bigots to open their eyes – they aren't the only ones that inhabit this world."

Thankful for one vote of confidence, Lily looked to Janine expectantly. The brunette shrugged. "If you want to, go ahead. Personally, I think it's not a half-bad thing, showing people this stuff. I've been to the Muggle cinema with you, and I've gone shopping and heard the music and – well, I think it's fun, all that Muggle stuff you have. I'm just saying that plenty of others won't. Still, it's not a bad idea. It's actually quite a good one."

"Making a difference," said Jen softly, "starting right here at Hogwarts."

As if on cue, all three girls turned to Alyssa, who was shifting a bit uncomfortably. "Lil, I really think—"

Sirius Black suddenly squeezed in between Lily and Janine, to both girls' disgruntlement. He cast a wary eye at Lily, before drinking from her glass. "So. Ladies. Up for a fun night?"

"We have class tomorrow, Black," pointed out Lily flatly. "So don't expect any of us to be doing anything 'fun' tonight, unless you count sleeping."

"Sleeping can be fun," interrupted James, who had squeezed in on Lily's other side. To her horror, she felt a warm hand on her knee, a finger gently tracing circles on it. "…You know, if you're not doing much sleeping…"

She slapped his hand away, her eyes flashing. "Lay a hand on me, Potter, and I'll make sure you never have children."

"All right, all right," he said amicably, holding up his hands in surrender. "But you know, it would be fun. Last night of freedom and all that, right?"

"Except we have a meeting with Dumbledore tonight," retorted Lily scathingly. Sirius – and to her annoyance, her friends, too – visibly drooped at this. "So unless you'd like to invite our Headmaster along…"

Jen pursed her lips. "Well, you never know. He might be fun while he's drunk."

"Which we are never going to find out," said Lily firmly, although a smile was playing across her lips as she spoke. She then poked James in the shoulder. "And you should be setting a better example. We've not even been at school a full day, and you already want to go off partying!"

"You need to lighten up," James replied, ignoring her admonishment. He grinned again. "I can help with that, if you'd like."

"But I don't like," replied Lily hotly. "Would you remove yourself from my presence? Your big head is crowding this bench."

He sighed. "Lily, Lily, Lily. Why don't you like me?"

"James, James, James," she replied in the same tone, although her eyes were more mocking. "Why can't you take a hint?" She became abruptly aware that Jen and Sirius were conversing in low voices as Janine leaned over to the Ravenclaw table, whispering to Dorcas. Alyssa was toying with her food, carefully avoiding looking at Lily. Ignoring the blonde, Lily frowned at the rest. "What are you all up to?"

"Nothing," replied Sirius in a thoroughly unconvincing tone. "Come along, James, the lady doesn't want our company. See you later," he added with a wink to the other three girls. Then he nodded curtly at Lily. "Evans."

"Black," she replied just as shortly, before glowering at Janine. "Have you listened to anything I've said?"

"Darling, when do I ever listen to anything you say?" answered Janine, batting her eyelashes outrageously at Lily. "Seriously, Lily, James has a point. Lighten up a bit, would you?"

"Listen, it's our seventh year," persisted Lily. "The most important one. We can't afford to be cavalier, or we'll never get jobs, or anything."

"Lily, I'm going to go into Quidditch," answered Janine. "N.E.W.T.'s aren't for Quidditch players."

"Janie…"

"What? It's not like it isn't true. So." Janine leaned forward, placing her arms on the table. She tilted her head so that her hair hung in front of her, effectively shielding her face from any would-be lip-readers. "The boys' dormitory; twelve tonight. Reckon you can make it there after your little Heads' meeting?"

Lily bit her lip anxiously. Part of her realized that to do so would undermine her authority with the boys of her house, particularly if she were caught. Few were the people who knew about the more interesting side of Lily, and she rather preferred it that way. On the other hand, she could desperately use that last night of freedom. "Dorcas wouldn't be able to make it, nor would Samantha or Bonnie. Not if it's in the Tower."

"We'll sneak Dorcas in using a broomstick and the boys' window," she said impatiently, "and Bonnie isn't coming, she says she's still got a bit of her last essay to finish up, and you know Sam, it's difficult on the best of days to get her to party, and it's the night before classes begin. Now stop trying to invent excuses in your head—" Which, of course, was precisely what Lily was doing, "—And tell me if you're planning on coming, or not."

Lily looked at her expectant face, and realized she'd already lost the battle, because Janine knew quite well that Lily would eventually agree at any rate. "I'll think about it," she answered at last, and Janine sat back, satisfied.

The rest of the dinner passed rather uneventfully, until Dumbledore stood up at the end of the speech to make his announcements. "Now that we are all comfortable and sleepy and undoubtedly not paying attention – allow me to introduce your new Defense professor, Professor Jonathan Thatcher!"

Sirius shot Lily a very smug look down the table, which she studiously ignored. Besides, it was far more satisfying to ogle the new professor – who was, she had to admit, remarkably fit. Alyssa and Jen were staring avidly at him, while Janine merely harrumphed and proclaimed him, "decent enough," although Lily distinctly detected a sheen in the other girl's eyes, and had to laugh when Janine patted her hair and attempted to catch the man's eye.

"Decent enough, eh?"

"Decent enough," she reiterated, her eyes following Thatcher. The man seemed completely unaware that he was currently being carefully watched by every female member of the school – including quite a few teachers, and quite frankly, Lily never wanted to see that look on Professor Vector's face again. Instead, he sat down composedly after giving an aloof smile around the Great Hall.

"A few reminders to some of our returning students, as they always seem to forget the never-changing rules of Hogwarts… for example, the Forbidden Forest is, ah, forbidden. Do not enter that place unless you wish to die painfully."

"There's nothing painful in there," muttered Janine superiorly to a nearby third-year, who looked frankly terrified at the mere thought of going near the Forest.

"Never run into the werewolves running around, then, have you?" asked Sirius with a feral grin. This earned him a very reproachful look from his friends, and to Lily's surprise, he actually flushed brightly. Now that's interesting, she thought. Certainly something to ponder on a rainy day…

As Dumbledore finished his start-of-term speech – which was more or less the same as it had been every year, the usual drivel concerning Filch's restricted items, which nobody every listened to, as well as the general precautions for anyone wandering around by themselves, whether in the castle or not. Lily had heard it six times or so; she often thought of standing up and giving the speech for Dumbledore, just to see what he'd say. The only thing that varied every year was the announcement of the Defense professor, as that position seemed to change hands quite frequently. "Cursed," said Janine with a smirk. "Doesn't pay well enough," corrected Dorcas with an even wider smirk.

Lily stood up and addressed her table, ordering the first years (and the second years who'd forgotten) to follow her as she showed them the way to the Tower. When she was at last assured that they'd all found their correct dormitories and were on their way to bed, she bid a good night to her friends (knowing that she'd likely see them shortly thereafter) and left for Professor Dumbledore's office.

Even after six years of attending Hogwarts, it still took her an inordinate amount of time to find the Headmaster's office. By the time she reached it, she found James Potter waiting for her in front of the gargoyle with a grin that threatened to overtake his face.

"Hullo, Head Girl," he greeted her pleasantly. "Ready to take on Dumbledore?"

Lily ignored him and went up to the gargoyle. "Licorice Wands," she said clearly, and the stone gargoyle moved aside, revealing a staircase. Without waiting to see if he was following, she headed up, and once she reached the door, she rapped smartly on it. "Enter," said a voice within.

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Albus smiled benignly as Lily Evans entered imperiously ahead of James Potter, who shuffled behind her with his hands stuffed into his pockets, a half-grin on his face. "Hello, Lily, James," he greeted them both. "I assume the Heads' compartment was comfortable as usual?"

"Very, Professor," said Lily briskly, smoothening her skirt. "If you wouldn't mind, would it be all right if we set to discussing the year immediately? I'm very tired-" She faked a yawn, "-and I'm sure you are, too."

Albus' blue eyes twinkled merrily behind his half-moon glasses. "Of course, I completely understand." Albus didn't fool himself to believing that he knew all of his students' secrets – and Miss Evans was one of the most secretive, without a doubt – but his hearing was excellent, and even from his place at the teachers' table, he had seen Sirius Black whisper to some of the other members of his house, and he had no doubt in his mind that Lily was very anxious to get to whatever he was planning.

After last year's fiasco concerning Remus Lupin and Severus Snape, Albus was rather disinclined to trust Black's judgment, but the knowledge that Lily, at least, might be along to keep an eye on the rash young man was a comfort. Children would be children, after all, and Albus was not one to deny them that last right, especially in such dark times as they were.

"Now, as you both know, being the Head Boy and Girl is a very weighty job. If either of you would like to take the last moment to opt out, now would be the chance." He noticed that James shifted rather uncomfortably, but said nothing. Lily's chin rose slightly, almost defiantly, her eyes full of confidence. "Excellent. I have absolute faith in both of you.

"You have both received a list of duties, which I am certain you have perused at your leisure, and I will leave you to it. I do, however, have to discuss a few certain matters with the pair of you. First of all, safety and security are our highest priorities this year. There is a war going on outside our walls, as you've undoubtedly noticed by now-" His eyes twinkled slightly at this, for the war had been going on for eleven years or so, "and it is my highest goal to keep as many students safe as is possible."

Albus noticed that Lily flinched ever so slightly at this. It had affected her personally, he knew. He remembered a very pretty girl, quite young, only twelve at the time, who'd had the straightest black hair he knew and the most vivid purple eyes he'd ever seen. He also remembered the shock and sadness that registered on four girls' faces, including this girl's face, as they returned from the holidays to find that their roommate and friend was no longer among them. He knew that she had noticed that he had not said all students.

"As Head Boy and Head Girl, I trust that the both of you will prevent our student population from doing anything too foolish this term.

"The hour is late, and I am certain you are anxious to get to your beds—" His eyes twinkled merrily at this, too, "—and so I would only request a mere moment more of your time. Before you make any concrete plans with the prefects concerning the Ministry visit, the internships, and the Retreat, I would have you discuss your ideas and your security measures with me, so as to ensure that all of you remain safe." He nodded gravely. "I think we shall leave it at that for tonight."

"Thank you, Professor." Lily rose first and shook his hand, business-like. Albus could not help but notice that Lily's handshake was very firm, very professional. James', while no less firm, was noticeably more relaxed and had an easier grace about it, less formal, more friendly. In that moment, Albus truly believed that he'd found the two perfect people for the positions he'd given them. "And a good night to you, as well."

"Night," muttered James, and he shoved his hands into his pockets and shuffled out as Lily swept rather imperiously from Albus' office. He watched them go, and as the door shut behind them, Fawkes alighted onto his shoulder. Albus stroked the phoenix's cheek, listening to him coo, and chuckled to himself. Those two would make for a very interesting year indeed.

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A/N: Please see my profile for full explanations. If you don't, you won't know what's going on, and I don't really have the energy to explain it all over again. And just as an FYI: you may want to wait until after you have read what's in my profile before reviewing. Just a word to the wise, that's all.

--Peaches

P.S. Seriously. Go read my profile. I'm really pleading here. It's the only way I can explain and I don't want to do it again. And thanks, as always, for reading (and reviewing, if you do).