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Author: girlyswot Story: Time's Winged Chariot Rating: Teens Setting: Pre-OotP Status: Completed Reviews: 7 Words: 14,262
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his world all belong to J.K.Rowling. I’m just grateful she lets me play in it from time to time. They’d been working so hard, Lily had hardly noticed the term passing. The last Quidditch match - Hufflepuff against Ravenclaw, so she hadn’t bothered to go. The last Hogsmeade trip - she had gone with James but only for a couple of hours. Then the last week of lessons before exams began. Steadily crossing off days and hours on her meticulously planned revision schedule, Lily almost forgot to wish James luck on the morning of his last exam. ‘James, I’m so sorry. It’s Muggle Studies today.’ James’s eyes softened as they rested on her flushed cheeks and panting mouth when she caught up with him outside the Great Hall. ‘You’ll be great, I know you will. Shall I come and meet you when you get out?’ He grinned. ‘You can spare the time?’ He’d been teasing her about her strict work regime for weeks. Lily laughed and nodded. ‘A few minutes, anyway.’ The Marauders were conspicuous by their absence from the Gryffindor common room that night. Lily noticed the comparative quietness and calmness and was grateful to be able to study without interruption. Only the smallest part of her mind was wondering what they were up to and hoping they weren’t getting into too much trouble. She went to bed early, tired from all her hard work over the term and planning one last early morning. She was surprised to find that she wasn’t alone in the common room at six o’clock the next morning. James was there already, with the tea tray as usual. ‘You didn’t have to…’ she began. ‘I wanted to,’ he silenced her. ‘I thought you might feel lonely or something. I won’t disturb you, I promise.’ He handed her a cup of tea, not too strong, just half a spoon of sugar, the way she really liked it. ‘Did you have fun last night?’ she enquired, making herself comfortable next to him on the sofa. He grinned, remembering just how much fun they’d had and wondering what exactly he could safely tell Lily. ‘It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me all the gory details.’ James winked at her. ‘You know me too well, sweetheart.’ Lily took another sip of her tea. ‘That seems a long time ago.’ ‘What does?’ ‘The first time you called me sweetheart.’ ‘And you told me you weren’t and never would be. I remember it well.’ He made a mock grimace. ‘I can’t imagine why I didn’t realise sooner.’ James shrugged. ‘Naturally stupid, I suppose. That’s what everyone’s always said about you.’ She kicked him. ‘Not planning on doing any work this morning?’ James asked lazily, after several pleasant minutes. Lily considered for a moment then shook her head. ‘Not really. If I don’t know it now, I never will.’ ‘Sure about that? Don’t want me to test you? Run through half a dozen pages of notes? Colour code some spells?’ ‘Ha ha. No, really. It’s almost as though I don’t care any more. I just want it to be over.’ ‘Come lunchtime and it will be.’ ‘Yes.’ She regarded him with an indulgent smile. ‘James?’ ‘Lily?’ ‘What are you doing this afternoon?’ She began to fiddle with his Head Boy badge. ‘Well, now, let me see.’ He pretended to think. ‘This afternoon… No, I can’t… Oh yes! Cleaning the Quidditch shed.’ He looked at her triumphantly. ‘You idiot. Could we go down to the lake, do you think?’ ‘Can’t clean the Quidditch shed if I’m on the lake,’ he pointed out. ‘Be like that, then.’ Lily got up. ‘I think I will just read through these, after all.’ James watched her cross the room and open her file. Her red hair tumbled over her shoulders and he could see the tip of her tongue emerge as she began to concentrate on her work. An impatient hand went up to push her hair behind her ear and she reached for a Self-Inking Quill. James folded his arms and settled back to enjoy the view. ### Twenty-four hours later, they met again. ‘I thought we’d agreed to have a lie in?’ Lily smiled at James who, like her, wore pyjamas with a jumper over the top. ‘Woke up anyway. You too?’ She nodded, laughing. ‘I hoped you’d be here. We might not have much chance to talk today and I wanted to say…’ She laid both her hands flat on James’s chest and looked right into his warm hazel eyes. ‘I love you.’ His lips curved into a smile. ‘I love you too, sweetheart.’ Much later, sitting comfortably next to each other on the sofa, Lily remembered what she’d actually been meaning to say to James. ‘I had a letter from Petunia.’ ‘Really?’ He sounded amazed. ‘What did she say? Does she want to keep in touch? Meet up?’ Lily shook her head, sadly. ‘No. Nothing like that. Dad’s been ill, apparently. Since Mum… since Mum died. His heart’s always been a bit weak and he’s had to go into hospital twice. Petunia’s getting married. She doesn’t want her fiancé to meet me. Ever.’ ‘I’m sorry.’ Lily brushed it away. ‘It’s okay. I never expected much. Just that she wrote at all. That she still thinks of me as a sister. It’s a start.’ James held her close to him. ‘I wish I knew what to say to make it better.’ ‘You don’t have to say anything. You make it better just by being here.’ She turned and hid her face in his shoulder. ‘Petunia said something else, too. Apparently Mum’s accident was nothing to do with magic. It was a car crash.’ James drew a sharp breath. ‘Your father lied?’ Lily looked up into his own honest eyes. ‘I don’t think it was quite like that. He’s always been a bit paranoid about magic. Because of Mum. So I think he just assumed that was behind it.’ James frowned. ‘So he still doesn’t want to see you?’ Lily shook her head. ‘It’s amazing.’ James sounded bewildered. ‘All this prejudice about the Muggle-borns from the wizards and all the same prejudice from the Muggles.’ ‘Perhaps we should introduce Voldemort to my Dad?’ Lily raised a quizzical eyebrow. ‘So they can see how much they’ve got in common? Terrifying thought.’ James dropped a kiss on her forehead. ‘You don’t ever regret… this?’ Lily pulled away anxiously. ‘What do you think, sweetheart?’ James stroked her cheek. ‘No, I’m serious. So many people hate me because of what I am. And they’ll hate you too, for being with me.’ James took both her hands in his. ‘We’ve been through this before, darling. They’re wrong, and the only way we can fight them is by doing what’s right. And what’s right is for me,’ he leant forward, ‘to love you.’ He kissed her again and again and again until she forgot to feel angry or afraid or sad any more. ### The Great Hall was festooned with banners in Gryffindor red and gold, celebrating their success in the House Competition. The long oak tables were laden with every kind of party food and lit with strings of candles suspended above head height. The Hogwarts staff were seated around the High Table, enjoying themselves as if they were looking forward to the holidays almost as much as their pupils. At the Gryffindor table, the seventh years were in a raucous mood. Lily knew she’d only had half a Butterbeer and nothing else stronger than pumpkin juice, but she definitely felt light-headed. Everything anyone said made her laugh. Sirius was showing Mary and Angela how to blow bubbles that looked like Nearly Headless Nick with ghostly gum. Lily inched further along the bench to squeeze closer to James. ‘Having a good time, sweetheart?’ He smiled down at her and offered her a chocolate heart. ‘Mmm. James?’ He’d never heard Lily wheedle before, but that ‘James’ was unmistakeably cajoling. ‘What?’ he replied cautiously. ‘What is going to happen?’ He laughed. ‘Can’t help you there, sweetheart. I gave up Divination years ago.’ She pinched his arm. ‘No. I mean tonight… What have you been planning?’ James dropped a kiss on her forehead but shook his head. ‘Not a chance, darling.’ After the food was cleared away, Dumbledore rose to give his traditional Leaving Feast speech. He mentioned several notable achievements of the year, spoke with pride about the way the school had responded to his warnings in January and assured them of his confidence that they would all continue to do their part in fighting the Dark witches and wizards. ‘And now, I believe, there is, er, some entertainment awaiting us.’ Dumbledore sat down and the Great Hall was suddenly cast into darkness. Instinctively, Lily looked up and was reassured to see that the stars of the night sky continued to twinkle on the ceiling. Then a loud voice came from behind her. ‘Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are proud to present…,’ a drum roll sounded, ‘Hogwarts: An Alternative History.’ A ripple of laughter went around the room but was quickly silenced when a spotlight appeared, through which Nearly Headless Nick was floating. He began to speak, telling of Hogwarts’ earliest beginnings, ‘in the twelfth century when a certain Professor Albus Dumbledore, already one of the wizarding world’s oldest and most respected wizards began to grow the beard which would be required of all Headmasters worthy of the name.’ An image of Dumbledore, looking much younger and sporting a bushy beard, lit up above the Ravenclaw table. Lily couldn’t help laughing, but she looked nervously up at the staff table, wondering how they were reacting. ‘Over the centuries, Dumbledore gathered about him the great…’ Hagrid appeared, twice his usual size and roaring loudly. ‘… the good…’ That was Professor McGonagall, dressed in an unlikely pale pink cardigan, stroking a kitten. ‘… the not-so-great…’ A tiny version of Professor Flitwick jumped up and down at Hagrid’s feet. ‘… and the not-so-good…’ Professor Slughorn, distorted so as to make him more closely resemble his namesake, crawled up the wall by the Slytherin table. Nick went on to catalogue various exploits of the staff over the years in which McGonagall found herself in more and more compromising situations with every male teacher in turn. It was very, very funny. Lily didn’t dare look to see the expression on the real McGonagall’s face. Surely someone was going to put a stop to this soon? ‘And now…’ intoned Nick, ‘what of the future of our illustrious school?’ The spotlight went out, the illusory staff disappeared and everyone was holding their breath. A small popping sound came from over their heads. ‘Fireworks,’ breathed Lily. At least this would be uncontroversial. The bangs grew louder and then lights appeared. At first these glowing stars seemed to hang randomly in the air. But as the number of bangs grew and the lights filled the space, letters began to appear. Eventually, two words were spelled out in red and gold on a blue background: ‘Mischief managed.’ Lily smiled. For half a second, it seemed as though that was it. Then, with a squeal, one of the lights dropped out of its place and corkscrewed through the air, landing on the Hufflepuff table. A girl screeched but a seventh year muttered a water charm and quickly put it out. A moment later, another light headed towards some Ravenclaw first years. Then another. And another, until the whole room was full of flying lights, whizzing through robes, catching people’s hair, setting fire to whatever was in their path. Girls were screaming, knocking over chairs in their hurry to get to the door. Prefects were doing their best to control the situation, but as fast as one light was extinguished, three more took its place. ‘The banners!’ someone yelled and Lily looked up to see the Gryffindor colours blazing with real flames. A firm Scottish voice rang out across the room and suddenly the lights were stilled. Everyone turned to look at Professor McGonagall. ‘Students will return to their common rooms quietly and sensibly. Prefects will take charge of any further repairs required to robes or hair. Any more serious injuries should, of course, be reported to Madam Feverfew. Those responsible for this…’ she paused, and Lily held her breath, ‘…chaos should report to my office immediately.’ Leaving Professor Flitwick to deal with the Charms and the prefects to order the chaos, she swept grandly out of the room after Professor Dumbledore. Half an hour later, Lily was still checking students leaving the Great Hall. ‘Yes, fine. Turn round, let me check your robes. Okay, off you go. Here,’ she caught a Hufflepuff second year. ‘Wait while I put you out. There now, go back to your common room and DON’T RUN.’ Exhausted, she turned to view the carnage remaining. McGonagall had safely extinguished the remaining lights and conjured candles for the prefects to clear up by. ### In the Gryffindor common room, the end of term party was in full swing. Someone had smuggled in a Wireless and tuned it to a music station. A loudly disputed game of Exploding Snap was going on in the corner by the fireplace. Empty bottles of Butterbeer were scattered all over the room and several half-full ones were perched precariously on mantelpieces and arm-rests. Pupils of all ages were sitting in friendly groups, reminiscing over the past year and making plans for the holidays. Only Lily sat on her own, anxiously watching the portrait hole, refusing all invitations to sit with the girls, or to join in silly games or to take a drink. Occasionally she looked down at her watch, frowned, and then let her gaze return to watch for the missing four. She started up from her chair as soon as the boys entered. ‘What happened? What did McGonagall say?’ James shrugged, looking down at the floor. None of the others said anything. ‘I don’t believe it. You haven’t been expelled?’ She looked as though she might be about to faint and Remus made as if to take her arm but James signalled to him to stay back. He shrugged again, waiting for Lily to continue. ‘On your last day at school. Your last day! How could you be such an idiot, James Potter? I thought you’d changed, I really did. You really frightened some of those first years, you know? And I’ve spent half my evening dealing with people’s hair that needed growing back. And as for what you said about Dumbledore. And McGonagall. And Flitwick. No wonder they’ve expelled you. As far as I’m concerned you should have been expelled years ago.’ Her green eyes flashed with anger as she confronted them with her hands on her hips. ‘Better than any Howler I’ve ever heard,’ Sirius muttered. ‘Well, I’ve had enough of you and your juvenile pranks as well. I’m going to bed and you can jolly well take responsibility for anything else that goes wrong tonight.’ Lily turned on her heel and marched across to the girls’ staircase. The others watched in some amusement as James followed her. ‘Evans?’ he called, before she’d climbed more than two or three steps. ‘What?’ she answered, sharply. He leaned forward, his hazel eyes dancing with fun. ‘Gotcher.’ Lily’s eyes narrowed. ‘Say that again.’ He grinned. ‘Gotcher good and proper, Evans.’ ‘You… you little…’ She whipped out her wand and began to shoot hexes at him. James laughed and dodged easily around them before he managed to grasp her wand hand and pull her into his arms. ‘Couldn’t resist, sweetheart. You really do look magnificent when you’re angry like that.’ ‘Careful. I’ll start hexing you again.’ She tried to sound stern, but the relief and amusement was evident in her voice. ‘And the rest of you are no better,’ she called across to the other boys. ‘Don’t think you’re forgiven just because…’ But she never got to finish that sentence. Some time later, they were dancing slowly in a quiet corner of the room. Lily took a deep breath then looked closely at James, as if checking he really was the person she had thought he was. She nodded to herself and leaned forward to be heard over the music. ‘Have you broken every school rule there is, Potter?’ He smiled, pretending to consider. ‘Yes, I think so. Most of them, anyway.’ She looked sceptical. ‘I don’t think you’ve tried hard enough.’ His eyebrows went up. ‘Lily Evans, Head Girl extraordinaire, am I hearing you right? Are you actually encouraging me to break a school rule?’ ‘Maybe.’ She laughed, suddenly sure of herself. She pulled him away from the dance floor and led him to a window seat where they couldn’t be overheard. ‘Well?’ He looked intrigued. She bent her head to whisper in his ear. A moment later, James pulled away, looking stunned. ‘But how?’ Lily blushed. ‘Well, we’d have to wait for everyone else to go upstairs. Then if you came back with your Invisibility Cloak, I could take you.’ ‘What about the stairs? They’re Charmed, aren’t they?’ She smiled. ‘I’ve been practising. I’m fairly sure I can break it. Just long enough for you to get past.’ He looked at her in amazement. ‘If… if you wanted to?’ James reached out for both Lily’s hands. ‘Oh, I want to, darling. I just can’t quite believe…’ He shot her an incredulous look. ‘You’ve been practising?’ Lily nodded, blushing even more. ‘Have you been planning this?’ She shrugged. ‘Kind of. Well, yes. It was when you said the other day about how we’d remember Hogwarts. And I thought I’d like to do one last thing to remember it by. And then I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to do more, ever. So I thought, maybe… if… if you…’ ‘Hey.’ He leaned forward and kissed her. ‘I definitely, definitely do.’ He scanned the room. ‘How quickly do you think we can get this lot to go up to bed?’
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