From Beginning to End

Chapter 20: You're American!

Lily Evans was walking back from Herbology. She was alone due to discussing the specifics of mandrakes and their uses with Madam Pomfrey in further detail after class. She found the healing properties that these plants possessed to be fascinating. Even more so when the same plant could also be lethal to unprotected ears.

It was these thoughts that prevented the young redhead from noticing the group that was approaching her.

      "Oi Mudblood!"

Lily was startled and looked up to see who was calling. She had no doubt that the insult was directed towards her.

Gavin Avery led his group of cronies who laughed with him at her expense. Lily tried to walk past, head down, books pressed to her chest but she was shoved backwards, her escape blocked.

"Where do you think you're going eh?" Juliette Wilkes questioned.

"Think we're gonna let you go that easy?" Dorian Mulcibur closed in.

Lily shook her head. "No. I'm not trying to cause any trouble. I just need to get to class."

"Aw, that's cute. You think we care."

"What did I ever do to you?" Lily asked, somehow finding a surge of confidence.

"Stole our magic," Juliette Wilkes answered quickly.

"Mudbloods don't belong here."

"You'll never be a real witch," Avery concluded.

Trying not to provoke anything further Lily looked up at them, hoping desperately that they couldn't see the budding tears that were already burning her irises.

"Leave her alone," Severus spoke up.

Lily hadn't even noticed him among the group. Despite him standing up for her, Lily wished he was not mingling with this group of awful boys.

"I didn't steal your magic," she stated calmly, "and I didn't choose to come here. I am here solely to get an education. Now if you don't mind, I need to get to Charms."

The boys chortled to themselves. "Well a'ight princess," they gestured mockingly, "have it your way."

Lily didn't stay around to watch them mock and belittle her further. All she wanted was to get to class and get to class she would.

      The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws looked up from their Charms lesson when Lily, known for being perfect, Evans, swung open the door ten minutes late.

Lily mumbled an embarrassed apology to Professor Flitwick, who simply waved her off and ushered her to take her seat, insisting that they had only just begun.

Marlene didn't hesitate to ask where she had been. Lily, being too mortified of the humiliation she'd just endured, managed to devise a quick story about the staircases moving and taking her to the opposite side of the castle. Marlene bought it of course. The stairs were known to move and change of their own will. This occurrence was far from uncommon.

      Meanwhile, James was complaining to his friends about how Evans had managed to get off so easily when if he had done the same, he'd have gotten detention for a week. Sirius, being James' best friend, agreed wholeheartedly.

"Well you also would have done something to warrant such a punishment," Remus spoke with a smirk, "Wasn't it only last week that you two placed dungbombs under the Slytherin table in the Great Hall?"

James' sputtered slightly before regaining his demeanor. "Well, yeah, but we weren't late to class because of it!"

Remus grinned and rolled his eyes. "Sometimes I wonder why Peter and I ever decided to become friends with you two idiots. Right Pete?"