I'll Take it Shaken, Not Stirred

Chapter 1: Somewhere Between Fairytales (a.k.a. The Boy in the Fire)

The seventh Hogwarts letter Lily had ever received was lying on the dressing table, the seal broken, and a smooth golden badge glistening in the reflections of one of the lava lamps and the sun, which shined faintly through the beaded curtains. On the badge were the two words: "Head Girl."

A nonsensical, yet incredibly catchy Simon and Garfunkel song played in the background on Lily's dated record player, and the young witch quietly sang along. Her voice wasn't bad either, but she was hardly Linda Ronstadt. Also playing in the background was the sound of Mr. Evans's typewriter, for his office was the room next door to Lily's, and he was always up early writing. When Lily paused and listened, she could here from down the hallway her mother frying bacon for Lily's going away breakfast. It was so like Mrs. Evans to get up early and make a large breakfast.

As she finished folding her favorite sweater, Lily automatically swept a lock of wavy ginger hair out of her face, and glanced over at the shiny badge on the bed stand. She couldn't help but smile proudly. She was Head Girl! In the flurry of excitement that surrounded the end of Lily's sixth year at Hogwarts, she had entirely forgotten that over the summer holidays Professor Dumbledore (headmaster of Hogwarts) would be selecting a Head Boy and Girl. She hadn't remembered, in fact, until the Hogwarts letter had arrived two weeks before, including a supply list, a letter of congratulations, and a badge.

If, as she looked over clothes in her closet, Lily wondered who the Head Boy would be, she was not particularly worried. She had great faith in Albus Dumbledore and the Hogwarts Staff. For the most part. Adelaide Grossman, the Herbology teacher, was an obvious exception. She was the bane of half of Hogwarts' existence: Lily included.

Lily glanced over a brown leather belt, debating with herself for a moment as to whether or not to bring it along. She decided not to bring it, because she doubted there would be use for it, and the phrase "better safe than sorry" was (as far as Lily was concerned) clichéd and not entirely true. Whether she was right on this account or not can't be determined.

The Simon and Garfunkel record ended, and Lily regretfully took it off the player and put it in its case. At Hogwarts, devices like record players or televisions didn't really work, and muggle (non-magical) music was one of the things Lily really missed from her home. Still, Lily got most of her daily music fix at Hogwarts with the music her friends had grown up listening to. "Artemus's Arrow" and "Snitch Snatch" were Lily's favorite wizard bands.

Throwing the last articles of clothing she needed (or wanted) into the trunk, and packing the school robes she would change into later into a carry-on bag, Lily collapsed on the unoccupied part of her bed. She had been more thoughtful the past summer than Lily had ever remembered being- and that included the time in third year that she had to chose her classes for the first time. Tomorrow she would be starting classes for her final year at Hogwarts. After that, she would be on her own.

Technically, "on her own" was not entirely accurate. She would have her friends, and she would have the man who had put the turquoise ring on her right middle finger. Lily smiled as she glanced at it. It was a beautiful, perfect ring and it represented a beautiful, perfect relationship. Elijah Trent was the closest thing to perfect that Lily ever remembered meeting, with the possible exclusion of her mother. But that was different.

Yet even the support of Elijah Trent could only go so far. He would not be at Hogwarts this year, for he was a year older than Lily and had graduated the year before. At the moment, he was working for the Ministry of Magic, and this made Lily even more apprehensive. Elijah was so successful already. He was only eighteen and had only started work a few months before, but his career looked like it was going to go far. This left more pressure on Lily. She had good grades, admittedly, and Professor McGonagall- during career advice two years previously- had said her grades would allow almost any career she desired. But what if...?