[On Hiatus] It Was Meant to Be (A James and Lily Story)

Chapter 1

Note: This is the REWRITTEN version of Chapter 1 (published 11/21/21). If you would like to read the original chapter, please don't hesitate to message me.

Lily Evans hopped around her room on one foot, trying to force her other foot through a sock. It was a losing battle, but with a grunt (and a precarious balance), she shoved her foot through.

With a sigh, she collapsed onto her bed, some of the anxiety she had tried her best to keep at bay creeping in.

Lily Evans was Head Girl.

She had dreamed of this day for ages, ever since Martha Walsh, the Head Girl six years ago, had personally guided all the new muggle-borns through their first year. Martha was kind and patient, and that had sealed the deal for Lily.

So she had worked hard. Harder than anyone else. And it showed.

She received one of the best marks in all her classes, her professors singing her praises. The day Professor McGonagall told her that she had done a wonderful job on her essay was probably one of her highlights.

And while she understood the emphasis on academics, she always made it a point to be kind. Whenever she could, she would stop to help third-years master simple charms or brew a quick potion that Madam Pomfrey needed.

But with the Wizarding world coming closer and closer to war—over Lily's very own heritage—Head Girl seemed out of reach. It would be too controversial, too dividing. At a time when Hogwarts needed to be strengthened, a muggle-born Head Girl would be viewed as too weak.

Nevertheless, she shouldn't have underestimated Professor Dumbledore. When she got the letter over the past summer, she had shrieked so loudly that her mother thought she'd seen a roach.

Dear Ms Lily Evans,

We are proud to offer you the position of Head Girl...

She hadn't even read the rest of the letter, fishing through the envelope to find the shiny gold badge with the letters HG across the top.

She still couldn't believe it—and she'd had the whole summer to cope with the news.

An insistent tapping on the window caused her to lift her head. An owl was at her window. She walked towards her window and unlatched it. The owl flew in, hopping onto her desk. It extended its leg, and Lily untied the small scroll. Fishing around her drawer, Lily produced some owl treats before opening up the scroll.

Evans—

Hope you had a wonderful summer. I may have a minor surprise for you if I see you on the train.

JP

Ahh... those two initials.

Before, they had ignited a fire so intense in her that she could barely breathe. But now? Now, they had found some rocky ground to stand on. Not quite friends, but not quite adversaries, either.

Because James Potter had matured. Or something like that. She wasn't exactly sure how to conceptualize his change in attitude. It seemed as if Lily wanted to rip out his throat one day, and the next, she was perfectly fine with leaving his throat alone.

A shout came up the stairs. "Lily! We're getting late! Are you ready?"

"Coming, Mum!"

She crumpled the parchment and threw it into the nearest dustbin. A surprise? She didn't have time to think what his bizarre note had even meant.

Grabbing the handle on her trunk, she lugged it towards the stairs. "Dad! Some help, please?"

"I got it, love," her dad said, running up the stairs.