All Right, Evans? by anglophile
Lily woke with a start. She had been having a dream about her first day at Hogwarts, four long years before. It seemed like just yesterday, and forever ago at the same time. She remembered how mesmerized she was about everything, from the moment she saw the Hogwarts Express to the moment she closed her eyes in her new dormitory that night. She was so different from that little girl that had entered the magical world knowing absolutely nothing and feeling like an outsider. Now, in her fourth year, Lily was so used to magic that it had become second nature. As she rose to the top of her class, she found it hard to remember back to the time when she had no idea what a Muggle or Floo Powder was. In those short four years, she had changed entirely.
Not only had she changed on the inside, but on the outside as well. Lily had grown a fair few inches, so that she didn't feel so much smaller than everyone else, especially Ophelia. Her once thick and unmanageable hair fell into a silky scarlet mass that shone in the light. Of course, she did have a little help from Miss Merryweather's Magic Hair Potion, but no one need know that. For the first time in her life, she actually felt pretty. Overall, Lily Evans was becoming a confident young woman.
“You up, Lil?” Lily heard Alice call from the four- poster across from her.
“Yeah,” Lily replied.
Lily jumped as her bed curtains drew themselves open and a face popped out in front of her. It was Ophelia, wearing her ‘The Gobstones’ band t-shirt and a manic grin.
“Ophelia, it’s way too early for you to have so much energy,” Lily moaned, rubbing the sleep out of her glinting green eyes.
“But it’s such a beautiful day!” Ophelia said, practically skipping to her wardrobe to change her clothes. “Besides, it’s my favorite class this morning!”
“Ugh, Defense Against the Dark Arts,” Lily groaned. “I loathe that class.”
“You do, do you?” Alice smirked, petting Sam who had just jumped up into her lap.
“Yes,” Lily continued, naive to the fact that she was being mocked. “It’s just so pointless.”
“You just don’t like it because you’re not the star, like you are in every other class,” Ophelia said as she tied her shoes.
Lily frowned. “That’s not true.”
“Then it wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain... James Potter, now, would it?” Alice asked innocently.
Lily frowned again, this time her cheeks turning slightly pink. “I haven't the slightest idea what you are talking about.”
Yes, Lily had changed quite a bit since her first year... James Potter, on the other hand, had not changed at all.
****************
James walked out of his dormitory. He was sure that he was going to be late for Defense Against the Dark Arts, but he didn't mind. He had Professor Westmoore in the palm of his hand. He knew that he was her favorite student; how couldn’t he be? He was the best in his year. Sirius was with him; good boys Remus and Peter had gotten there early.
As they walked, a couple of girls in their year giggled and winked at them. Sirius smiled and James messed up his hair. They took their sweet time getting to class; they were simply too cool to rush.
“Mr. Potter and Mr. Black,” smirked Professor Westmoore as they approached the classroom. She was a very stern, middle-aged witch with short blonde hair. “This is the second time this week that the pair of you have been late. Under most circumstances, this would constitute a detention, would it not?”
James winked at Sirius before turning around to face Professor Westmoore. His expression was full of phony remorse. “Professor.. I’m so sorry," he exclaimed in a deeply regretful tone. "It’s just... I didn’t want to come to class before I read up on Monday’s lesson. I was having a hard time understanding the part about the Grindylow’s natural habitat... I wanted to make sure I got it for today, so I skipped breakfast, and Sirius here was kind enough to help me...”
Professor Westmoore's eyebrows furrowed. “Mr. Potter, if you needed help you should have come to me after last lesson! But nonetheless, that was a tricky chapter...” she seemed to be having some sort of internal struggle until she said with a small smile, “All right. Sit down, gentlemen, and try to be more punctual next time.”
Lily Evans snorted into the air. James shot her an unrequited smile and couldn't help but mouth 'All right, Evans?' before taking his seat between Sirius and Peter, who both gave him disbelieving grins.
“Anyway, let’s get started,” Professor Westmoore began. “I’d like to continue to study the Grindylow today by taking a look at its distinctive physical features...”
James immediately became bored and tuned out the lesson. He turned and looked over at Sirius. He was scribbling a note to him.
‘What are your plans for after dinner?’
James scribbled back.
Quidditch practice. Why, what have you got in mind?
‘I thought I heard Snivellus telling some Slytherins that he’s going to be studying until late in the library. Thought after practice, we might get out that invisibility cloak of yours, eh?’
James glanced over at Lily, who was copying notes- word for word, likely.
‘Excellent.’
“Now, I hope you’ve understood that, because we’re having a pop quiz!” Professor Westmoore said a good half-hour later. The class groaned.
"Were you paying attention?” Remus whispered as he passed James the parchment.
James smiled. “Nope. Not a word.” He began to scribble.
Fifteen minutes later, Professor Westmoore collected the parchments with a flick of her wand. The class sat patiently as she silently looked over the quizzes with occasional looks of surprise or disappointment. A few minutes later, she spoke.
“Now, now, not at all what I expected. None of you got a perfect score. You have to pay more attention, class!” she said sternly. Then she turned on James. “Mr. Potter, however, outshone the rest of his classmates with a commendable score of ninety-three percent! Well done, Mr. Potter!” She smiled sweetly and gave a small applause.
James leaned back and messed up his hair again, a look of smug satisfaction plastered on his face. From the row ahead of him he heard Lily whisper fiercely to Alice Nichols, “But he wasn’t even paying attention!”
He couldn’t resist. He leaned forward and said to her ear, “You know, Evans, some of us are just born with pure talent.”
She laughed sarcastically. “If you mean talent for being a cocky git, you’re absolutely right, Potter.”
He pulled away grinning. One of these days she’d warm up to him. He was sure of it.
***************************
“Alice, what was the date of that goblin convention again?” Lily asked, looking up from her History of Magic assignment.
“1237,” Alice repeated almost instinctively. Besides Herbology, History of Magic was her best subject.
The fire in the common room crackled merrily as Lily, Alice and Ophelia caught up on some homework. It was a rainy Saturday, and everyone was inside. Everyone except, of course, the Marauders. They never let a little bit of rain stop their fun.
“I’m bored,” Ophelia declared, shutting her book and sighing rather dramatically.
Lily smirked. “Yeah, well, just tell that to Professor Binns when he asks why you don’t have your essay done.”
“Lily, the man doesn’t even know that he’s dead, I doubt he’ll notice my missing homework,” she replied, causing Alice and several students around her to laugh. Ophelia smiled with a smug look of satisfaction on her face.
Alice shut her book as well. “Let’s take a break, then.”
Alice and Ophelia both made puppy eyes at Lily, who couldn’t help but smile at her two ridiculous friends. “All right, I suppose a little rest won’t hurt much,” she said, reluctantly putting down her quill.
Ophelia jumped up happily. “Let’s go down to the Great Hall, lunch should be starting in a few minutes and we can start up again after.”
Alice and Lily agreed and began walking towards the door.
“Whoops,” Lily said as her scarf slipped out in front of her, landing on the floor. But before she could pick it up, the door ahead of her swung open fiercely and a giant, muddy foot stepped right on it.
“Oh, sorry Evans,” James Potter said brightly as he removed his soggy shoe from Lily’s scarf, that was now completely soiled in wet filth. She looked up to frown at him (he was quite tall) and noticed that he was completely soaked from his head to his toes. His robes, weighed down by the water, hung from his body heavily and his face was smeared with bits of mud. His hazel eyes, however, sparkled as they always did from behind his rain- splattered glasses.
“What, gone swimming in a mud puddle, Potter?” Lily said sarcastically as she hesitantly picked up her filthy scarf with the tips of her fingers, not letting it touch her robes.
“Very charming,” James replied, whipping out his wand and pointing it at the scarf. “Scourgify,” he said clearly, and the scarf became clean and dry once again. Lily wrapped it around her neck with a ‘hmmpf’.
“Actually, we were just playing a bit of Quidditch,” he explained, pointing to his equally wet and dirty friends behind him.
“Quidditch? In this weather?” Ophelia said disbelievingly, looking at the heavy rain and wind that was pounding on the window.
Remus looked down at his soggy feet as Sirius slapped him on the back and sniggered.
“Come on, a bit of water would do you good, Ophelia!” Sirius said wryly, muddy water trailing off his robes.
“I suppose you’re right,” she replied sarcastically. “Look what good it’s done you.”
James interrupted the banter cheerfully. “Anyway, the season’s almost beginning! And you know what that means!”
He stomped off past the girls, leaving a trail of muddy footprints, and posted a flyer on the bulletin board.
QUIDDITCH TRYOUTS THIS THURSDAY
If you’re interested in joining the best Quidditch team that Hogwarts has seen in years, grab your broom and come down to the Quidditch field at 5 o’clock, Thursday. Tryouts will be held by the amazingly talented James Potter, Captain.
James turned around and smirked proudly. Lily snorted.
“Not pompous sounding at all, Potter,” she said sarcastically.
“I try, I try,” James responded. “Will I see you there, Evans? Got a bit of Quidditch talent stored up there behind that brain of yours?”
Lily gave a high laugh. “I don’t think so.”
“Alice? Ophelia?” James questioned her friends.
"I'm afraid I can't tell a Quaffle from a Bludger," Alice said with a small smile.
Ophelia briefly glanced at Sirius. “You know what, Potter...” she said suddenly in a pensive voice. “I think I just might show up.”
Lily turned around and gaped at her friend.
“Excellent!” James said happily.
“You, play Quidditch?” Lily stammered out, completely ignoring James.
“Well... yeah,” Ophelia said firmly. “I mean, I’ve got a broom... why not?”
“Well, I'm looking forward to it,” James said, giggling like a school girl at the look on Lily’s face. “Evans, Alice, Ophelia- catch you ladies later. I’ve got to get out of these wet clothes.” He walked into the boys’ dormitories, closely followed by Sirius, Peter and Remus, whom all dripped a trail of mud.
A/N- SO SO SO sorry for the delay in this chapter!! I wrote it like three months ago, but I was having posting problems... whatever, let's just hope it doesn't happen again! Enjoy! I skipped a few years to try and keep it interesting... there's some excitement to come soon. I like this chapter, there's a good bit of foreshadowing in there if anyone spotted it... anyway, please read and review as always!)