Lily Evans knew something was wrong the moment she set foot on the Hogwarts Express. She had wanted to get away from James, whose persistence was driving her insane and Severus was not happy with her at the moment with a comment she had made on how he should try to be more nice to people. Lily Evans soon found herself looking for a seat on the Hogwarts Express alone. Every compartment seemed to be full. She finally came to the last two. One was obviously full, from the amount of noise that was coming out of it. She passed the noisy compartment quickly and found the next one to be nearly empty, except for a few first years she had never seen before.
Lily had asked if she could come in and none of the first years really seemed to care. So she took a seat in one of the last compartments with complete strangers and opened up her Charm’s book. At first, the anonymity was relaxing, but she soon learned that the first years were Slytherins and were relatives of much older Slytherins in the noisy compartment she had passed earlier. Luckily for her, the first years didn’t know anything about her except that she was a very pretty second year who would rather read her book. One of the boys looked very familiar, his casual black hair falling effortlessly around the beginnings of a handsome face. It was his gray eyes that looked so familiar, but Lily said nothing to him about the strange feeling that she had seen him before and kept on reading her book.
She would have made it all the way to London in peace if Lucius Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins from the noisy compartment hadn’t stopped in. At first, they hadn’t realized she was there. Lucius had strolled in with Narcissa Black draped on his arm like a bright jewel that was hallow inside. Narcissa never spoke to anyone except in disdain. She only ever did whatever Lucius told her, which irritated Lily for some reason. Behind Lucius strode Bellatrix, the polar opposite of Narcissa. Her air and manner of talking was demanding and perceptive. Lily and many other people tended to stay far away from Bellatrix Black. Behind Bellatrix was Rosier, Goyle, Crabbe and the Lestrange brothers, who could care less on what was going on in the first year compartment. They were talking about Quidditch.
Lily Evans felt her stomach twist in knots and she suddenly wished she was anywhere than where she was. For once, she wished she had any other color hair than her vibrant red curls. It made her one of the more recognizable girls in the school.
She just hoped they would not realize who she was or what her parentage was. Lily tried to remain calm behind her book. And at first, the trick seemed to work. Several times, Lucius’ wandering eyes had landed on her for a moment and then passed over her. Narcissa didn’t bother to look at the people in the compartment and the others didn’t care who was there. Only Bellatrix had an active interest in the members of the compartment, in particular the first year whose eyes had looked so familiar to Lily earlier.
“Regulus, I hope you are doing well in your studies since your brother has been such a disappointment to the family ever since he was sorted into Gryffindor and took up a friendship with that Potter boy,” Bellatrix spat the last of the sentence out venomously.
Lily suddenly knew why the boy had looked so familiar earlier and tried to duck down lower in her book. She hoped it was enough to cover most of her curls. Regulus had surely heard about her from his brother. Who didn’t know that James Potter had taken up a fascination with Lily Evans? Regulus probably had heard her name mentioned. She just hoped he had never seen her before.
“Yes, my brother always had a flair for flouting the rules, especially with concerns of our family. To answer your question, Bellatrix, yes I have been doing well and will do our family proud,” Regulus answered.
Lily was stunned at how elegant his answer had been. She had expected Regulus to be either like his brother, who was rash and bold, or like his cousin Bellatrix, who was mercilessly demanding. Lily listened despite her book she held in front of her.
“Did you hear the new gossip about that Potter boy?” Bellatrix threw out there. She turned her eyes over to Narcissa, who had a penchant for knowing everything that happened at Hogwarts.
Narcissa shook her head, her eyes bright with curiosity. Lucius could care less about the news, his wolfish eyes wandering more and more often over to Lily.
“It seems that James Potter has taken a fancy to some Mudblood named Lily Evans. Do you know who she is, Regulus?” Bellatrix asked fiercely, turning once again back to her cousin.
Lily felt the knots in her stomach tightened. She noticed that Regulus’ eyes flitted over to her and that he did indeed know who she was. Her heart hammered in her chest, knowing at any moment her identity would be revealed and she would have to face the wrath of much older Slytherins. This was all Potter’s fault! If he could just keep his mouth shut and leave her alone, she wouldn’t be in this situation! More than ever, Lily wished that her friend Severus was at her side as he normally was.
“No, I don’t know her,” Regulus answered smoothly.
Lily jolted in her seat and nearly dropped her book. She had never expected a Slytherin who knew who she was to have covered for her. Her curiosity burned to see the look on Regulus’ face, but her instincts cautioned her against it. She once again felt Lucius’ eyes on her and the coiling snake of irritation began to rise in her. She hated when boys blatantly stared at her.
“Pity. We could have taught that Mudblood and James a lesson. I also hear that your little friend Severus Snape”” Bellatrix responded.
“Snape isn’t really my friend”” Regulus started, but was promptly cut off by his cousin again as if he had never spoken.
“”has the same fascination with that Mudblood. This really is ridiculous.” Bellatrix ended her speech and then looked about the room. Her eyes landed on Lily and lingered on her.
“Who’s this?” she asked, referring to Lily.
Before anybody could answer, a loud bang could be heard down the train. The older Slytherins looked at each other and rushed out. Lily Evans could breathe again. She had no idea what that noise had been, probably something James Potter and his friends had cooked up, but she was thankful for it. Lily Evans looked over the top of her book at Regulus and was surprised to see that he was looking back at her, his eyes enigmatic and unreadable. She wasn’t sure why he had protected her when he had obviously known who she was and she still wasn’t sure if he wouldn’t tell his fellow Slytherins later. Besides Severus, there were no Slytherins she trusted.
But soon enough Lily Evans felt the train begin to slow and she knew she was almost home. Regulus had not said a word to her the rest of the way to Platform 9 ¾, though several times she tried to find a way to thank him. It was difficult to do without telling the other first years who she was. So she had to be content with the knowledge that she may never be able to say thank you. This sort of contentment was a bitter pill to Lily. She grabbed her trunk and moved out of the compartment when the train had stopped, but her mind screamed to say something to Regulus. The gray eyed boy said nothing to her in return, instead his eyes shrouded with deep thoughts and secrets. Lily found herself flustered as she got off the train.
As she walked past the older Slytherins compartment, she just so happened to look in and saw one of the Lestrange brothers nudge Lucius and point at her. She quickly ducked her head and hurried down the corridor. She was soon off the train. At least, she had escaped notice.
The Platform was busy as it normally was. Near the door, a large family waited for their child. Further away, Lily saw her friend Alice run over to her parents and hug them. As Lily walked away from the train, she searched for Severus. She wanted to see her friend more than ever. As her eyes scoured the crowd, they landed on a funny little man with oddly dirty and battered angel wings on his back. He was tottering back and forth, his blond curls lank around his round face. A shadow of grizzle covered his face and he carried a scarred up and mended bow, with a weathered leather bag strapped to his back, which only had a few arrows.
Lily stopped and looked back to where she had seen the man. She was not often surprised by what she saw in the magical world, but she really did believe that she had just seen Cupid. Why he would be stumbling around Platform 9 ¾ was beyond her.
“I see the Mudblood now!” called an all too familiar voice.
Lily turned and saw Bellatrix, Lucius, Narcissa and Regulus looking at her, with Bellatrix pointing at her. Lily turned and quickly melded into the crowd. She no longer could wait to find Severus, knowing she would see him over the summer anyway. Lily ran and got into the line that passed through the barrier onto the Muggle platform. When she was through with her trunk, she sighed in relief and began looking for her family. She had to get out of here as soon as possible.
Lily searched the crowd, knowing the Slytherins were not that far behind her. When she finally found her family, she had another surprise waiting for her. Her eldest sister, Petunia, waited with her parents. Lily came towards her family and knew the Slytherins wouldn’t dare do anything to her now.
Mr. and Mrs. Evans were ecstatic to see their younger daughter home after a year. They hugged her close and asked all about what she had learned. Petunia, on the other hand, was not as warm towards her sister. Her fifteen-year-old sister barely said a word to her and didn’t bother to help her with her things. She was also dressed a little more fashionably than normal, which was something Lily tried to compliment her on.
“Yes, I am having tea with the Dursley family. Their son, Vernon, has taken an interest in me. Mother and father are going to drop me off once we leave here. That is the only reason why I am here!” Petunia answered snootily. Her arrogance was soon replaced with dread on her face.
Lily turned and saw Bellatrix glaring over at Petunia and Lily. Lucius and Narcissa were cuddly each other and Regulus had his eyes fixed on Lily again, the same unreadable look he had on his face earlier. Before anything could be said, several strange things happened at once.
First, Lily saw the little battered angel come stumbling toward them, two arrows fitted in his bow. Lily knew trouble was aimed at them and it seems she wasn‘t the only one who knew this fact. Regulus stared at the little angel slack jawed and wide eyed. Befpre Lily and Regulus could say anything, it was too late. The arrows were already sent their way.
One quivering arrow had hit Lucius Malfoy in his wand arm. He hissed in anger and pain, grabbing his wand arm and jumping out of Narcissa’s embrace. The other arrow shot had swerved around Lily and had hit her sister, Petunia, in the forehead, stunning her. The arrows were both gone before anybody could really see what had happened. Only Lily and Regulus had seen the little angel and his bow.
“What is it, Lucius?” Narcissa asked, flowing over to him and trying to drape her arms over him as she had before.
He snarled and pushed her away.
“Why would I want such a ugly creature as yourself when my true love is right in front of my eyes. She is my goddess!” Lucius said dreamily as he walked over to Petunia and took her hands into his own.
Silence fell quick and hard. Not a sound was uttered; the shock was too deep. Bellatrix looked furious, her body shaking in rage. Narcissa looked hurt and embarrassed. Never had she, Narcissa Black, ever been rejected before and to be rejected for someone like Petunia was unheard of. And yet it had happened.
Mr. and Mrs. Evans looked at Lily nervously, knowing something strange and probably magic related had happened. They tried to pry their daughter Petunia out of Lucius Malfoy’s firm grasp, but the two love struck teenagers clung to each other desperately.
“Lucius Malfoy! You are giving your family name a bad reputation and you're embarrassing my sister!” Bellatrix snapped.
Mr. and Mrs. Evans looked offended by the comment and were about to respond to it. At that moment, several Gryffindors including James and Sirius, and a few other Slytherins like the Lestrange brothers had joined the crowd that was growing around Lily and her family. Lily rushed over to hush her parents, helping them pry Petunia away, who was blowing air kisses to Lucius. Lucius in turn was catching them in his hands and smiling ridiculously when he pressed his hand to his mouth. Regulus, Rosier and the Lestrange brothers were working on pulling Lucius back to their group.
“I will find you my love,” Lucius yelled out.
Petunia turned around and whinnied back her answer, “I will wait for you!”
Every person shuddered in the crowd by the excessive proclamation of love. A few disgusted groans could be heard, but Lucius and Petunia heard none of it. They could only see each other and no one else. Slowly the pair were separated. Lily, holding one of her sister’s arms, turned one last time before she left the train station and saw that Regulus was looking back at her. He had a sneaky smile on his face, as if he had found all of this to be quite amusing. Maybe sometime in the future, Lily would look back and laugh at this, but right now she knew they had a serious problem.
The rest of the day just got worse. Petunia had canceled her tea date with the Dursleys quite abruptly. She then hid herself in her room and began to compose bad love poetry, which she hunted Lily down and forced her to listen to. Lily had taken to hiding from her sister, wandering around outside as she looked for Severus in their usual meeting place. She had yet been able to see her friend and it was very odd. She hoped he was alright, but then she remembered that he was probably better off than she was.
Her parents were not happy with the change of events either, especially when Lily had told them what she had seen.
“Is there a way we can cure her of this new obsession?” Mrs. Evans asked a day after Lily had arrived home. Mrs. Evans was cleaning up the scattered petals of all her daisies Petunia had ripped out of her garden. Petunia had decided to play a game of “he loves me, he loves me not”, except she had substituted “he” with “my pooh bear”.
“I can’t find anything in any of my books for a cure. Everything else would be too advance for me to attempt!”
Her mother sighed despondently as she swept up the last of her daisy petals. Lily helped her mother, feeling guilty for something she knew she had had no control over. And Lily really had done everything she could think of to find a cure. She had read every book she owned and had even Owled Dumbledore. Her books had not revealed a secret potion for one of Cupid’s wayward arrows and Dumbledore had yet to respond to her letter.
And the longer Petunia was without Lucius, the more her obsession grew. Four days after the incident at the train station, Petunia had stopped eating, saying that she was not hungry for food, but for “her prince”. Ever few words she uttered out of her mouth was Lucius’ name or some pet name she had given him.
“Lucius would love these curtains if we get married. My pookie and I will be so happy. Oh, how envious Margo will be when she sees him. I will have to beat her off my Lucius.”
This speech had made her mother and father sigh in impatience and had made Lily nauseous, not that Petunia was aware of how her family was slowly being driven insane by her constant prattling.
On Friday, Lily had finally gotten a letter back from Dumbledore. After she read it, she was more confused than when she had sent the letter. It had told her that no there was no cure and that the spell would wear off when Cupid’s true pair had come together. Lily screamed out in frustration because she had no idea what to make of the cryptic message. She was alone in her secret place she came to see Severus. Stuffing her letter from the Headmaster in her pocket, she pulled out a second letter.
She had received a letter from Severus telling her that his parents had forced him to come with him to see his grandparents. He said he was sorry that he couldn’t be with her and that he had heard odd news that Lucius and Petunia were now a couple, but that he seriously doubted the mental stability of his source. Lily had laughed when she had read this, glad that someone else had thought this situation was ludicrous as well. She had wrote back to him telling him the full details and asking if he knew of any cure for Cupid’s arrows and what Dumbledore had meant by his letter. Now Lily had to wait, but with not much hope. She knew that, though Severus was gifted with Potions, he would not know of a cure.
After reading her friend’s letter again, seeing no answer in its depths, she got up and started home. When Lily had gotten home later that afternoon, she was shocked to see a house elf in a poorly mended clothe sack opening the door for her. Lily walked in in obvious confusion. Sitting in the living room couch with Petunia nearly on his lap was the infamous Lucius Malfoy. Lily walked into the living room, her irritation rising. Lucius hardly saw she was there, instead snapping his long fingers. The house elf was immediately at his side.
“Dobby, my blossom would like more bonbons and wine!”
“Wine!” Lily gasped in horror, “Petunia, you’re only fifteen! You can’t drink wine!”
Petunia turned her already slightly glazed eyes over on her sister. She hiccupped loudly, which Lucius called adorable.
“We’re celebrating the joyous news. Lucius has asked for my hand in marriage. I will soon be a woman and a wife, so I can drink however much wine I want!” Petunia responded, flashing a huge and obviously expensive diamond in Lily’s face.
“That is how a future wife of mine answers!” Lucius responded. By then, Dobby had returned with a tray of glasses of wine and a plate of bonbons.
Petunia clumsily grabbed the glass and began to drink it as Lucius delicately picked up the bonbon and began to feed her. Lily had had enough of this. She stormed into the room and snatched the cup from her sister’s hand.
“What will our parent’s say when they see you drinking wine? And do they even know your engaged? You did just see Lucius Malfoy for the first time a week ago!”
“Mother and father will be overjoyed that I have made such a smart match,” Petunia stated imperiously, gently tickling Lucius under the chin and running her hands through his sleek, blond hair. “When they get back from the market, they will meet my fiancé and they will be ecstatic. For once, Lily, could you just be happy for me? You’re jealousy is really an ugly color on you!” Petunia finished, snatching the wine glass out of Lily’s hand.
Lily stumbled backwards in confusion and anger. She watched in growing horror as Lucius and her sister began to nuzzle noses.
“It’s useless you know,” came a voice behind her. Lily jumped and turned to see a familiar set of grey eyes. Regulus Black sat silently in her father’s recliner, watching the pair with obvious disgust.
“What are you doing here? And what’s useless?” Lily demanded. Her nerves were stretched thin. She didn’t like having one Slytherin in her personal residence, but to have two was beyond comprehension. Yet Regulus didn’t frighten her. She didn’t know what to think of Regulus Black yet.
Regulus looked up at her, his gray eyes brilliant in the afternoon light that slanted through the front windows. He looked slightly irritated, whether at her or at the situation, she wasn’t sure.
“I’m here to make sure that Lucius doesn’t do anything stupid. I couldn’t stop him from breaking off his engagement with my cousin Narcissa and making one with your sister. I can however make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid with your sister. His family and the Black family are furious, despite the fact that I told them of Cupid’s arrows. While their searching for an antidote, I’m here on guard duty, but as I said before it’s useless. Lucius nor your sister will listen to reason right now.”
Giggling erupted from the couch between Lucius and Petunia. Petunia was now in Lucius’ lap.
“No, I love you more,” Petunia said.
“I don’t think so, my sweet blossom. I love you more!”
Regulus sighed and rolled his eyes again. Lily stood starkly still, her eye twitching and her hands clasping and unclasping at her side.
“I need to speak with you outside,” Lily said tensely.
Regulus’ eyes widened, but he nodded. He got up and followed her out. Lily stopped at the back door and looked in on her sister.
“Do you think they’ll be alright and won’t do anything ‘stupid’ while we’re gone?” Lily asked.
“They shouldn’t get into too much trouble. Not like a second year or a first year could really do anything about it anyway,” Regulus astutely answered.
“True,” Lily answered. She then led Regulus to their back garden.
Lily Evans’ mother had taken judicious care with her flower beds. It was one of the many things Lily loved to see every time she looked out her bedroom window. The garden was rich with life and color, from a dash of lavender to a swath of red roses. Green shards of grass edged the flower beds. Excepting a small patch of dirt where Petunia had tore out the daisies, the flower bed was perfect. It was a beautiful summer day. Humming birds were out sucking the nectar from the flowers and the leaves rustled in the nearby trees. In a day like this Lily should have been at peace and she almost was. For a moment, the extraordinary beauty around her almost made her forget the situation in the living room.
But she felt nervous around Regulus and his piercing eyes. She walked up to the rose bushes and smelled the sweet interiors of the roses, not wanting to look into those gray eyes.
“So what do we do now?” Regulus asked bluntly.
Lily turned around and saw that Regulus was standing very near her, closer than she had ever expected him to get. For once, Lily had to admit that he was handsome in the sunlight and wondered if some of Petunia’s excessive emotion hadn’t rubbed off on her.
“I don’t know. I sent a letter to Dumbledore. He gave me such a strange reply,” Lily said and pulled out her letter she had received. Regulus read it over her shoulder and a look of puzzlement shrouded his face.
“What does he mean by saying that we have to wait until Cupid’s true pair comes together as one?”
Lily shrugged. She was at a loss for words on their situation. Why had Cupid chosen her sister and Lucius Malfoy of all people to shoot his arrows at.
“So did your mother name you after a flower because of this garden?” Regulus casually asked.
Lily was surprised by the change of direction the conversation had taken. She hadn’t expected him to be, well, to be so nice.
“She loves flowers. So she named us after her favorites,” Lily answered quietly.
“How odd!” he responded, a small mischievous smile returning to his lips.
“Like being named after a constellation isn’t odd!” Lily retorted.
Regulus smiled at this.
“True,” he responded.
Lily felt her nerves grow in her, unsure what else to do. Never before had she ever been nervous around a boy. She blamed it on Cupid’s wayward arrows. Never would she had met and talked with Regulus Black otherwise.
“So, how did Narcissa and the rest of the your family take the news of Lucius’ new engagement?” Lily asked, slowly walking towards the flower bed. Regulus followed her.
“Well, my brother laughed so hard he was crying. Narcissa was just crying. Bellatrix was storming all over the house, looking through all the books we had for an antidote since she had exhausted her books at her own house. Did you know that Narcissa had bewitched our family portraits to tell her that she was the most beautiful woman alive? My mother was furious with her about that.”
Lily almost laughed aloud by the story about Narcissa Black, but caught herself in time, remembering that she was talking to Narcissa’s cousin. Lily blushed and when she looked back up, she hoped Regulus hadn’t heard her half laugh. But Regulus was focused on the flower bed. His face became stern and he jumped into the flower bed.
“Regulus, what are you doing to my mother’s flowers?” Lily asked in shock.
Regulus sat up, a wiggling Cupid in his arms. The little man’s face was now covered in a shaggy, blond mat of hair. His blond curls were dirty and his wings were missing most of his feathers. He was also wearing a Mexican poncho for some odd reason. Lily pounced on the writhing little angel man in Regulus’ arms, who had almost escaped Regulus’ grip. With her help, they managed to pin Cupid down in the flower bed.
“You need to fix what you’ve done!” Regulus spat out.
“Change everything back to normal,” Lily said at the same time.
“Alright! But I can’t do that if I’m pinned to the ground!” Cupid answered grumpily.
Lily and Regulus let the little battered angel up, their eyes watching his every move. Cupid sat up and then very gingerly stood. Regulus stood as well, his steel colored eyes fixed on Cupid. Cupid began to move towards the back door of the house. Lily scrambled to get up, until she saw Regulus offering her his hand. At first, she hesitated, but then Lily Evans took the hand of Regulus Black. His fingers were warm amongst hers and for a moment, everything seemed like it would be alright. Regulus fixed his eyes on Lily, those unforgettable grays, and a faint blush tinged his cheeks.
Cupid had stopped and had turned to look at them. A small smile covered his face. When Lily and Regulus looked back at Cupid, his smile grew.
“I want you to know that love can cure all of the scars in this world, if people are receptive to it,” Cupid said.
Lily and Regulus looked at each other and then back at Cupid.
“Ummm….okay. What about Lucius and Petunia?” Regulus asked.
“The spell has already been lifted,” Cupid answered and then disappeared.
That was when the screaming began and it wasn’t Petunia who was reaching such high octaves. Lily and Regulus dropped their hands and ran into the house.
The Snake Amongst the Flowers by eternalangel
Chapter Endnotes: Thank you for reading this story. Feedback is always appreciated!