Chapter One: Demented Lilies

Lily was hanging out of the compartment window, waving enthusiastically to her family. The Hogwarts Express was pulling out of the station and Lily was in danger of being knocked out, but still she waved. Her poor parents looked decidedly awkward amongst the other wizarding families, happy and proud, but awkward nonetheless. And really, being entirely Muggle and unused to the magical bustle that was the Wizarding World, it was perfectly normal for them to look awkward.

"We love you dear!" Mrs. Evans called, barely audible over the hiss of white steam and bustling crowd and very nearly being crushed by one witch levitating a student's trunk to him. "We'll write!"

"Of course you will!" Lily called back, waving and laughing. Write indeed! The old family joke never got old, for the likelihood of Lily's mother writing was like Petunia eloping, incredulous to impossible.

Oh Petunia.

There she was. Lily smile faded somewhat and she looked hopefully at her sister, waiting for the response she knew wouldn't come. Petunia, of the little Muggle family, was the one who was by far the most awkward. Her disapproving scowl conveyed volumes to Lily and she had crossed her arms to glare at passerby. Lily waved once more, happiness dampened.

"Oh Lily, do sit back down!" Alice Hatter pleaded from inside the compartment, leaning against Frank Longbottom and looking very worried. Lily obeyed, but lingered for the slightest of seconds to watch her family disappear as the Hogwarts Express chugged away from Platform Nine and Three Quarters and from the Muggle world..

The train compartment was comfortably stuffed, the air full of hooting from Lily's owl, Scruffy, and laughter and talk from the people inside. Emmeline Vance, a good friend of Lily's, was immersed in dislodging her pack of Exploding Snap cards from beneath her luggage and failing magnificently.

"Everything all right, Lils?" she panted, glancing up at Lily's disappointed face. Lily started.

"Oh fine," she said quickly, flashing a completely fake smile. Tuney was just being Tuney, and it wasn't as if Lily hadn't been expecting it. It was the same every year. But she had hoped, that maybe this year...

"Well, did you have a good summer?" Frank asked, startling Lily again. Emmy finally dislodged her pack of cards and was now looking expectantly at Lily.

"What can be good about a summer when your sister has decided that she hates magic—and witches—and seems to be under the delusion that the best way to ignore is to pretend it doesn't exist at all?" she laughed, hiding the wave of unhappiness that she suffered every time Tuney was mentioned.

"Oh Lily," Alice said sympathetically, seeing right through Lily's guise. Alice, of all Lily's friends, was the most keen when it came to feelings. Lily shrugged, still with her fake smile pasted on. She looked out the window, letting Emmy start her chattering about whatever had happened over the summer to her.

XXX

The boy poked the slightly shorter and hesitant boy forward, grinning. The train lurched them around, but rather than hinder the prank, it heightened the fun.

"Go on then, Peter. Get out there and make those first years jump!"

James Potter watched his friend and fellow Marauder shuffle forward, looking as though he'd rather be back in the compartment, but Sirius and James were having none of it. Remus Lupin, however, crossed his arms and glared in his prefect way at them all.

"You know this is entirely immature?" he asked disapprovingly. Sirius burst out laughing, wicked delight infused even in his voice. James just punched Remus' arm, beaming.

"Immature? No, really?" he asked, smirking. Remus frowned, but his lips were twitching. Poor Remus. Forced to uphold the law, and whatnot. James was very glad that he didn't have to deal with such technicalities as proper behavior. Well, not yet at least. But he wouldn't worry about that until he had to.

"And that, if caught, you're going to get at least a week of detentions," Remus went on tiredly in a manner that suggested that he knew already that he'd lost the battle. Sirius snickered and James couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"Aw Moony, you know we don't care about that stuff until Quidditch season starts," James said smoothly. "Besides, we won't get caught. It's as simple as that." Remus opened his mouth as though to say something, but then closed it, shaking his head.

"As you wish," he said indifferently, and he promptly started off down the corridor. "I'll be with the sane people." James immediately perked up, tuning out Sirius handing Peter the dungbombs he'd be chucking.

"Sane people including Evans?" he asked, trying to make this seem a completely casual question. Remus turned around and walked backwards so he could face James.

"Yes, James, sane people including Lily," he said, a smug sort of smile beginning on his face. "Any message to pass on?" James pretended to think about it, screwing up his face in mock consideration.

"Ah, no," he said finally, shrugging. "Much rather ask her in person." Remus laughed at that.

"Either way, you'll get the same answer," he called over his shoulder as he turned back around, "No!" James scowled. It wasn't his fault Lily Evans was the one girl who was resistant to his charms. Honestly, he could have had any woman - as Sirius was constantly reminding him - and he had to go and get himself tangled up with the likes of the most shrewish, uptight, stubborn, and absolutely intoxicating Lily.

"Stop day dreaming, lover boy," Sirius said exasperatedly, smacking the back of James' head. "Get over here and watch the show." James sighed audibly, running a hand through his ever messy black hair. Adusting his glasses in a holier-than-thou manner, he leaned against the wall to watch Peter's progress.

Peter was sneaking about overdramatically, his eyes flicking from side to side as he clutched at the bag of dungbombs like a lifeline. Sirius was shaking from suppressed laughter and tears were literally leaking out from the corners of his eyes.

"Oh, bless him, he's trying to play spy," he mouthed, unable to speak due to the hilarity James failed to see. Noticing James' lack of enthusiasm, he motioned for him to watch, saying, "Bloody hell, even mentioning the harpy sucks all the fun out of you." James bristled at Sirius calling Lily a harpy, but at that moment Peter, eyes upraised in a silent prayer, threw open a random compartment door, tossed the bag of dungbombs into a surprised girl's lap, and ran like the dickens.

Now James saw the humor, as he, Peter, and Sirius ran away from what they knew was going to be a very explosive surge of smell.

XXX

Lily could not, for the life of her, tear her eyes away from the window.

The hills and dipping lakes were obscured by a thin white fog, unusual for this time of year. Lily allowed the fake happy mask to drop, and she tilted her head as they passed the huge lake, little mist tendrils half obscuring it as well.

"Hello," came a voice from the door, one that Lily knew well. She turned, this time a real smile on her face as her eyes found the boy and girl standing in the doorway.

"Remus! Mary!" squealed Emmy, beaming. Alice and Frank scooted over to make room and Remus Lupin and Mary McDonald, having met up in the corridor, both sat down, looking tired but pleased.

"Just got away from James and Sirius," Remus explained, while Mary made herself comfortable. "They've goaded Peter into planting dungbombs around the corridors and I decided to leave before it got ugly." Everyone laughed except Lily, who was scowling from the mention of James Potter, who she had sworn to loathe for all eternity. Mary rolled her eyes, crossing her legs.

"Oh come on Lily, give it a rest!" she scolded good naturedly, recognizing the familiar (and frequent) expression that was mandatory for whenever Lily decided to go on a rant of the evil of all things Potter. "Most likely Peter chickened out, like he always does. So no harm done."

"All I know is, that stunt with the Howler last year - " Lily started angrily, but the group was saved from her venting by a large muffled explosion from outside. There were several screams, followed by bark like laughter and the distinctive roar of amusement from James. Emmy, Mary, Frank, and Alice burst into laughter again as Remus gave a weary little smile that clearly said, Well, there it goes.

"Wait a minute!" Frank cried, smacking his forehead and jumping to his feet. "Prefect duty," he said pointedly to Lily and Remus, who got up to follow him as he bounded into the hallway.

Passing several first years in hysterics over the dungbombs, a compartment no doubt filled with the trouble makers themselves, and a little rat scuttling around on the floor, the three made their way to the prefects' compartment.

"Wait," Lily said suddenly, remembering the little envelope she'd gotten over the summer with a little twinge of delight. "I forgot. I'm Head Girl!" Remus did a double take and must have inhaled some dust, for he began to choke and cough violently. After Lily had pounded his back several times he looked at her with mixed guilt and horror.

"I didn't tell you who was Head Boy, did I?" Remus asked with an expression appropriate to delivering that your Great Auntie Harriet had died. Lily shook her head, curious, and Remus seemed to grow even more somber. "Well, it's...it's..." He opened and closed his mouth at least three times before sighing heavily.

"Who?" Lily asked, a slight crease forming between her eyebrows. Remus shuffled his feet and made a point of staring at the floor as though it was the most interesting floor he had ever had the good fortune to step on.

"It's James," he muttered abruptly, still looking fixedly at the floor. "James is Head Boy." Lily stopped walking abruptly, letting Frank and Remus go on. Potter. Potter was Head Boy. James Potter. She blinked herself back to reality and caught up with Remus, who seemed to be in deep melancholy.

"I hate seventh year," she said in a pained voice, grimacing. Remus looked at her with a mildly indignant expression as Frank left, recognizing the signs of a Potter rant.

"You hate seventh year?" he asked in an annoyed voice. "Imagine what it's going to be like for the rest of us! You'll go to the meeting every month and by the end of the first term the entire castle will be destroyed and James will have suffered severe head injuries. You'll both be at each other's throats and we'll have to watch on in horror as one of you finally snaps and murders the other with a quill."

"Not a bad idea," Lily said thoughtfully, thinking of her quill back in her bag. If she ran and got it fast...

"Oh Lily, he's really not that bad," Remus said tiredly, interrupting her rather gory thoughts of impaling Potter on her quill. Lily pursed her lips.

"Ha," she said testily, "'really not that bad' James, hmm?" Remus groaned, but if Lily was allowed to get past the first word, it was impossible to stop her. "I'm assuming you've conveniently forgotten sixth year and the infamous Howler of Love - "

"Hello, Evans," an infuriatingly cocky voice interrupted. Remus looked horrified.

"Potter," Lily replied coolly. There was a prolonged awkward silence.

"Well, really must be going James," Remus said tentatively, tugging at Lily's sleeve and starting to pull her away. It seemed that this time that there would be no real conflict...a first for the tumultuous pair...

"Y'know,' he said smoothly, "as it's a new year - "

"Save your breath," Lily cut in, scowling, continuing on her way. "You ought to be better behaved now, seeing as you're Head Boy."

"What, and have a self-righteous pine cone stuck up my arse like you?" Lily stopped in her tracks, heat rushing to her cheeks.

And she whipped around and slapped him, right across the face.

Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew stuck their heads outside their compartment door as James, with a look of total surprise, put one hand to the red handprint that was starting to form on his cheek. The bark-like roar of Sirius' laughter mingled with Peter's nasally sniggers and Remus grabbed her shirt and yanked her the remaining ten feet to the compartment and shoved her in.

"What was that?" he demanded furiously, slamming the compartment door shut with more vehemence than was needed.

"You have no - NO IDEA - " Lily managed, practically incoherent with fury. "Tuney said just - and who does he think he is, anyway - pine cone, PINE CONE - really original, little jerkface. He deserved to be slapped!"

"Wait, what?" Frank said from where he sat, looking from Lily to Remus for clarification. Lily still looked dangerous.

"Well? Do you have an explanation?" he snapped, glaring at her. "Did your sister finally unhinge your mind? Did you suddenly sustain severe brain damage over the summer?"

"I don't care!" Lily cried. "I'm always nice - ALWAYS - always the good-two-shoes, always 'oh, let's be patient - '"

"You'll have to jog my memory as to when you've ever said that," Remus muttered under his breath.

" - and you know what?" Lily asked loudly, ignoring Remus. "I'm tired of it. The next time Potter opens his mouth and decides to be a git, he will be slapped like a git."

"That's...not advisable..." Frank started lamely, visibly shrinking into the seat as Lily turned on him.

"Advisable, my foot - "

BANG!

The sound of the compartment door slamming open jarred the tension out of the air. There in the doorway was a very frazzled, very stressed Amelia Bones

"Somebody's set off a load of dungbombs!" she yelled in frustration. Frank hastily turned his snort into a cough. "Well, what are you waiting for?" Amelia shouted, obviously strung out to the point of snapping. "Get a mo - "

But the rest of her sentence was lost as the train gave an almighty jerk and stopped. Lights flickered out, several people screamed, and Lily found herself on the floor half crushed under her fellow classmates. With exasperation, she realized Remus' foot was shoved inside her mouth.

"Mmhmmgrrmm," she said in a muffled voice. The foot was pulled out and she shuddered. "Use foot powder Remus," she commented thickly as she staggered to her feet.

"I will, thank you," came his grumbled reply from somewhere under Frank and Amelia, who had turned red with frustration. The cries of frightened first years came from the back of the train. Lily sighed.

"I've got it," she called over her shoulder as she managed to get into the hallway. Confused faces were popping out from their compartments, some scared, some still in shock. "Everybody sit down!" Lily snapped, pushing past the bolder few who had ventured into the unlit hall. Lily walked on, avoiding a little rat skittering around.

"What's going on?" Alice asked as Lily passed, her head sticking out of the compartment door.

"Yeah, Emmy's freaking out. Sybil's been wandering around, panicking about doom and gloom," Mary put in exasperatedly. There was an indignant huff from Emmy behind Alice's shoulder, but to Mary's credit, it did sound a bit shaky. More screams from the first years came, and Lily was forced to keep on walking.

"I dunno what the problem is," she replied back over her shoulder. "We'll sort it out, just stay inside, all right? I'm off to calm down the prats down there who are panicking." Several other friends and acquaintances peered out of their compartments, bewildered and nervous, but Lily had no choice but to continue on her way to take care of the first years.

It took several minutes to finally get to where the source of the screaming was coming, but finally Lily made it.

"What is it?" came the voice of a frightened girl.

"It's going to kill us all!" bawled another, utterly hysterical.

"OY!" Lily shouted, seeing a bluish light up ahead and breaking into a run. "What are you lot doing down there?" She clambered over a broken crate with growing alarm. What was going on? A terrified shriek peirced the air.

"NO!"

"Leave her alone!"

The voices were getting closer. Surely Lily was nearing them?

And then there they were.

XXX

James' stomach growled, not from hunger, but from fear. He would never admit it, but a cold, sinking feeling was spreading throughout him.

Dementors.

That's what had boarded the train. Dementors. He hated dementors. They sucked your soul out, for heaven's sake. And James liked his soul exactly where it was, thank you very much.

He was walking around, having left the others, occasionally rubbing the slap mark courtesy of Evans. God, it hurt. She had an arm on her, she did. Should've tried out for Chaser. If nothing else, she'd scare the hell out of the other team just by walking onto the field. You didn't mess with Evans, that's what would've been written on the boy's bathroom stalls if the stalls didn't magically clean themselves every time you tried. You didn't mess with Evans. And he'd messed with Evans. And now his cheek really, really hurt.

"Oy! Potter!"

James whipped around, looking for the source of the voice. It was Emma. No, Esme. Er...Emmeline? Yes, yes, that was it. It was Emmeline Vance, one of - James' heart skipped a beat - Lily's friends.

"You've got to - you've got to warn Lily," Emmeline gasped, completely out of breath. She was doubled over, still managing to glare at him. "Must you wander? I had to run through five cars to get to you!" James rolled his eyes.

"Shut up, I can wander all I want," he said impatiently. "What's this about Evans?"

"Dementors," Emmy said breathlessly, clutching at her side. "She doesn't know."

She didn't know. About the dementors. Oh, brilliant. He nodded once to Emmy and jogged off, getting his wand out as he did. Now he needed to get to Evans. He pulled out the Marauder's Map, the reason Remus must've said he could help. The train was an added feature, thank God. He scanned it quickly, finally finding what he was looking for: the little dot reading, Lily Evans. Right. Now to get to where she was.

And maybe she wouldn't slap him this time...

XXX

The first years were huddled in a group, their faces lit by the eerie blue light from one's wand. They were panicking, scrabbling backwards. Something was reaching for them, a long dead, scabby hand.

Lily's breath was now coming as puffs of fog and the room's warmth was draining away as quickly as her happiness.

"Expecto Patronum!" Lily cried, pointing her wand at the dementor. A silvery doe bloomed from her wand, charging the evil creature. But another scabbed, rotting hand closed its skeletal fingers on her arm from behind her. Lily jerked it out of the other dementor's grip, stumbling backwards in mortal terror. The first years were screaming without pause, each wail like a living siren.

Her doe flickered out, leaving the dementor free to join its comrade in surrounding Lily. She whipped around, swinging her wand to each dementor, trying to fight the despair that was threatening to engulf her.

"Expecto Patro-n-num," she gasped, dropping to her knees. She knew the spell, she knew it, but when she needed it most, it deserted her. Nothing was happy in her life, how in this miserable earth was she going to think of something even mildly carefree?

Her eyes closed against the sight of the rotting hands reaching for her, but she couldn't block out the feel of them caressing her cheeks, raising her chin up to face them.

The first years' cries and her own ragged breathing echoing in her mind, Lily fainted, but not before she saw a silver stag drive away her death in one fell swoop...