The last day of the holidays came around slowly. After my meeting with the Potters I had been isolated to my house with only my family to keep me company for weeks. Going back to Hogwarts was a prosperous thought and it was the only thing that made me happy about getting out of bed.
I was actually enjoying homework and the task of becoming acquainted with my new books. It was the only thing that was keeping me connected to the wizarding world.
That, letters and the Daily Prophet. The headlines were getting more and more terrifying as the days went on. More and more attacks from Voldemort's group, who had labeled themselves with the morbid name Death Eaters, and the count of injured and dead were escalating. The Ministry had even began to send out warnings and means of protecting your family from attack.
This worries me.
My family have no protection against these attacks, but muggles are highly involved. Voldemort's followers are known to despise Muggles and with my Muggleborn blood, I make the odds of an attack higher.
On the last day of the holidays I made this aware to my parents and sister.
We were eating a roast dinner, my parents discussing their work, and Petunia trying her best to avoid my eye contact. My heart throbbed every time she did this. Ever since I had gone to Hogwarts we had grown apart, her hatred for my magic was the wall between us. We were inseparable once, I followed her like a lost puppy, but now it was like I disgusted her.
"Mum, Dad," I said worriedly, after they had finished their conversation. "There is something I have been worrying about and I figured I should tell you now before I leave for Hogwarts."
My parents looked at me with concern, but my sister just sneered when I mentioned my school.
"There is a group of my kind who are going around and," I paused, wondering how I could best put this. "Well, they're killing muggles- I mean, non-magic people, like you. They hate your kind and anyone involved with them, like me, and well, I was hoping you'd let me put some protective spells around the house."
The effect was immediate. Petunia glared at my parents in outrage and began to express her complete hate for the idea. "Mum! You can't let her! I'm not having my home turned into some kind of freak show! What will the neighbours think?"
I frowned. "They wouldn't know. The spells would be invisible to them. I just want to put up some protection to make it harder for this house to be found and safer. Nothing major."
My mother rubber her forehead. "I don't know, honey. Is it really necessary?"
How could I make people who had not seen what I knew understand this?
"Yes, Mum, it's getting serious. They're saying this could be the beginning of war!" I softened my voice. "I just want to make sure your safe while I'm not here. Please."
My Father and Mother exchanged a look of worry but then seemed to come to a silent agreement. "Okay, Lily, but do it in the back garden were you can't be seen."
Petunia pushed her chair back and I squeaked on the wood, storming up the stairs.
"Thanks, Mum."
***
The Hogwarts Express glistened before me and I could feel the magic pulsing off it. I already felt more at home, with the people of my kind.
Kids jostled about me, hauling their trunks onto the train and calling out to their friends. Parents stood in groups as they conversed. It was funny to hear them.
Some parents talked about the football game that had been on last night. Others about the up coming war.
I turned to my smiling parents to bid then farewell.
My mum came forward first and gave me a kiss on my head. "Work hard, honey. You'll be a great Head Girl, I'm so proud of you."
She stood back to let my Dad come forward. "Don't worry about us, bud, we'll look after ourselves. You focus on yourself and if you have any trouble you do that Star Trek teleportation thing you do and get right back to us, okay?" I nodded silently. "We love you."
I smiled and said goodbye, grabbing my trunk and lifted it into the train. I had told Mel that I would see her on my patrols of the train, but right now I had to get to the Prefect carriage. When I arrived I was surprised to see Potter was already there.
"Hey, Evans," he called out, smirking. I sat down opposite him. "How you doing?"
"I'm fine," I mumbled and then pulled myself into business mode. "Let's get this done with. Okay, we need to discuss the patrolling pairs."
Potter leaned back in his chair. "Well, of course, you'll be paired with me. Head Boy and Head Girl have to be together. So that's that sorted," he smirked.
I sighed, wanting to argue, but realising that it was the most logical option. "Okay, what about the others. We could just pair them in Houses?"
"Yeah, that's probably a good idea. No one wants to have to put up with those slimy Slytherins, do they?"
I knew he wasn't talking general. Severus was a Prefect, so lucky me has to put up with both of them.
"Whatever, Potter."
I sat in silence, staring out of the window, but I could feel his gaze on me. It was a blessing when we were also joined by the first Prefect: Remus.
"Moony!" Potter exclaimed, when he sat down next to him. "I see that you have reported to you boss."
Remus rolled his eyes and ignored him, turning to me instead. "Congratulations on getting Head Girl. Although, I'm sorry you have to put up with this airhead."
I laughed. "Thanks, Remus. I have to admit, I was surprised when I found out that it was Potter here that was my partner and not you."
James yelled out in offence.
"Well," Remus said, all seriousness. "Dumbledore and I had discussed it, but we decided that I was best not to, for certain..." He paused, considering his words, "circumstances came in the way."
I wondered what he meant by that, but didn't ask as I was certain that he did not want to talk about it.
The cart filled up pretty quickly after that and all of them were extremely surprised to see that James was Head Boy, but not that I was his partner. So much for being unpredictable.
However, it was when Severus came in that there was the most shock. He actually stopped, stock still, his eyes going between me and Potter, who I was now sitting next to to give our announcements. He had an expression of dismay, then horror and then an actual look of disgust.
I shuffled in my seat uncomfortably. "Well, erm," I wasn't very good at making speeches. "Welcome back. Me and Potter have decided that it would be best if you all patrolled with your partner from your house. So," I looked around. "Remus and Caroline, Charlie and Esme, Ben and Hope and Severus and Olga. Is everyone happy?"
Severus looked far from happy. His lips were in a thin line and his face pale. "What about you?"
I blinked. "Well, I'm going with James of course."
He sneered. "James, is it? Well, I don't that's a good idea."
James leant forward, looking angry. "Yeah, well, get used to it Snape. You're not Head Boy."
Severus seemed like he was going complain. I got there first. "This is what we have decided, Snape, we're not changing it for you. Is everyone else happy?"
The others nodded and left the cart quite quickly, followed by a fuming Severus. Leaving just Remus, James and I.
"Well, that was interesting..." Remus said, slowly.
"You called me James," Potter said.
I turned to see his expression: he looked almost amazed. I raised an eyebrow.
"You called me James and him Snape."
I froze. He was right. I had. I would never had expected such a thing to happen before. How the tables have turned.
But they haven't, I thought, Potter is still the insolent boy he has always been. Nothing is different.
Remus laughed. "I'm going to take James to our car. He doesn't look like he could get there on his own."
I smiled slightly, as they left. A battle still raging in my head.
Nothing has changed, has it?
Thank you so much for reading, I hope this Chapter is okay. But I want to know some things:
1. How do you think the story is going so far? Is it worth me to keep writing or do you think it's going nowhere?
2. What do you think of the way I am portraying the characters?
And finally, 3. Where would you like this story to go?
Please help me out here, guys!
weliveandbreathw0rds