Disclaimer: written by @just another cliche
Lily Evans was scared.
She was not scared because of the impending war invading every breath, every cell of every body. She was not scared of Voldemort (Voldemort, Voldemort, Voldemort - he who had a name, so why the heck should she not use it?) nor because she had seen glimpses of the Dark Mark on some of her classmates (a slip of the robe, trembling hands, painfully clutching their left forearm). She was not scared because, as a Muggle-born (a highly visible one as Head Girl), she was one of the main targets of attacks, and each night was a night spent wondering whether her family was alive and being unable to mail them everyday due to worries of interception and death, whilst each day was spent dodging hexes.
No, none of this frightened Lily Evans. What frightened her was the realisation that Hogwarts had lost its ability to charm and protect, that people here just didn't seem to remember how to or what a smile was.
It did not start suddenly. No, in the beginning of her seventh year there were undeniably a few faces missing, but people had still smiled, had held hands, had joked with one another. Gryffindors had still guffawed at the nonsensical hijinks of the Marauders and their victory at Quidditch games, Ravenclaws had still tittered behind their hands and had roamed around the halls with the power of knowledge, Hufflepuff had still chuckled to themselves in delight and savoured the days basked in the sun. Slytherins had still smiled when something went right in their favour and had shone with their ambition to out-do the others.
But slowly, the oppressive air of the war waging outside crept into the air of Hogwarts, claiming each victim slowly, wrapping itself carefully around them so not one cell in their body could escape. It had been both silent and lethal.
It started with the Muggle-borns, tired from being targets of attacks, of never knowing when they would be called up to the headmasters office to be informed of their loved ones being brutally tortured or murdered ('We're terribly sorry, we were too late, it was an unexpected attack...'). Tired of a Ministry that made empty promises of supporting and protecting them in these dire times. Tired of being told that it was best to keep their heads down, to take the abuse thrown at them by their own classmates, to not be noticed lest retribution come in the form of the mangled bodies of their parents, their siblings, their friends. Some of them left, never returning to Hogwarts, opting to immerse themselves into the Muggle world completely and pretending to never have heard of the Wizarding world. Some never came back because all that was left of them were ashes and broken memories and so much pain in the hearts of those who had survived.
Those with affiliations with the dark side were no better, and soon their victorious and predatory smiles soon faded into unfathomable fear and lethargy, where they roamed the halls with one hand tightly clasping their wands and the other curled up in a fist. They jumped at every sound and their eyes spoke of horrors they had had to witness, of the part of them that they had lost in joining this vicious cause. They cursed to survive, not for joy. Frightened that anyone could be their enemy at any turn, even those who were supposed allies to their cause, frightened of the pressures and expectations that were too heavy for even adults to carry placed on their still-developing shoulders.
There were those who chose to stay neutral and avoided those with firm allegiances ('I'm so sorry Lily, but my mother said - you understand don't you?', 'Avery, I don't think I can do this any longer...let's break up...') and every breath was painful, every step was cautious and every glance was weary. Somewhere in between protecting themselves and their families and losing their friends and their loves, they lost their smiles.
Those whose alliance stood firmly with the light, walked through the halls with the air of the elderly who had lived through many wars, not what should have been school-children brimming with excitement of the knowledge to be gained. Where there used to be smiles were now worried frowns or careful apathy, and like those who had turned to the dark, they roamed the halls with one hand tightly clutching their wands, and the other curled up in a fist. Their bleary eyes rested heavily on the seats where their friends used to sit, those who had disappeared, those who had passed away.
And slowly, the air crept to the staff table, where once McGonagall looked fierce, she now looked cautious but firm ('They're only children Albus, only children! Can't we hide them from him for a while more...they're innocent...'), Flitwick had his hand on his wand at all times and Slughorn hadn't bumbled along his way nor had a Slug Club meeting for months. Most noticeably, Dumbledore was often missing, having being called by the Ministry ('Have you heard? He's the only man You-Know-Who's afraid of!'), the stress of once again being looked upon as the saviour taking visible toll on him, and when he was away on a mission, tremors of fear ran through the student body, regardless of their alliances and where their affiliations lay.
Everyone had forgotten that they were in school, that their biggest worry should have been exams, not whether they or their loved ones would survive another day (because there were worse things than dying, and they were all too aware of it).
To Lily, what made it so much worse was that none of the Marauders smiled any more as well. Just when Hogwarts could have used some good-natured pranks and jovial commentary, all four boys had become morose, silent and ever vigilant. Peter looked like Death was at his tail, and scurried about quickly, as though he was running for his life. Remus had become pale, all bones and skin, his eyes haunted with a deeper and darker fear, and he never let any of his friends out of his sight, not even Lily. Sirius who once had the loudest and most obnoxious laugh in the whole of Hogwarts, had not laughed for so long Lily had forgotten what it even sounded like. If anyone even dared to mention his surname to him ('Heard about your family, Black, they're You-Know-Who's dogs it seems...'), they were not able to leave the Hospital Wing for a month.
And James. Oh, James. In the beginning she had been so happy that he had changed from the boy she once knew, that he was more mature and responsible, and doing Head duty had made her appreciate him for the man he was becoming. But even he had succumbed to the despair that invaded everyone's senses. He ordered that no one walk around the campus without a buddy, Prefects were to do their rounds in groups of three at the very least, if anything were to happen students were to report to Lily and him immediately, regardless of what time or where they were.
He had not asked her out for a long time now. It may have sounded so frivolous in light of the events taking place, but in the beginning, when they had just started to do rounds together as Heads, it always ended with a 'Want to go out with me now, Lily? No? Ah, thou dost break this fragile gentleman's heart. Good-night anyhow fair lady. But do not be fooled into thinking I shall not try once more.'. Now, he just seemed to keep everything within him and just watch her, absorb every sight of her, take in her every gesture, follow her wherever she went (except, thankfully, to the loo and her dormitory), as if by taking his eyes off her she would suddenly disappear. And even then, he was too irate if she were a few minutes late ('There's a war out there Lily, do you even understand?' 'I'm only late by five minutes James' 'Avada Kedavra doesn't even take half a minute!') or if she had to be somewhere out of his reach ('Mary, I'm just asking you to keep an eye on her okay? That's all. I can't bloody well sleep with her in the girls dormitory now can I?').
More than anything, now, Lily would take his arrogant smirk and swagger ('How about it love? You, me, Hogsmeade, Saturday?') to his gritted teeth and clenched fist ('Lily, just stay within sight, don't pick fights and listen to me for once!').
So, Lily Evans knew what she had to do. She knew that there was only one way to show everyone that now was not the time to give up on their lives, that they were still young, they were still allowed to live like the children they were, not the children they once had been.
At dinner, when darkness had befallen the whole campus, and the mood was more sombre than at any other time, she got up from her seat in between Alice and Mary and walked towards James. Everyone in the Great Hall froze, their breaths stuck to their throats, their eyes widening in panic as the Head Girl made her way to the Head Boy, because to them it was a sure sign that disaster was imminent, that there was only one thing that Lily Evans and James Potter had on their minds lately, and if she looked as resolute as she did now, perhaps it was not a good thing.
James got up quickly, wand in his hand and a questioning frown. He appeared strong and ready, but Lily did not miss the slight tremble of his hands. When she reached him, she just smiled.
"James," she said, "Would you like to go out with me?"
There was pin-drop silence in the Great Hall, as Lily Evans, THE Lily Evans who never gave James Potter a second glance, who for all intents and purposes only worked along-side him due to obligation as Head Girl, asked out the boy who had been chasing after her since fifth year.
"Pardon?" James asked, sure he had heard wrong, hands still gripping tightly on his wand.
Lily laughed pleasantly and took a playful swipe at him, "You heard me the first time Mr. Potter! You, me, Hogsmeade, Saturday?"
She mimicked the wink he had done when he first had asked her this.
And slowly, a smile cracked through James face as comprehension took place. The grin spread wildly and seemed to beam at her. He nodded fiercely and swept her into his arms, his face blushing as furiously as her hair.
Sirius' obnoxious laugh broke the silence of the hall, "Finally, mate! If I had to hear 'Why doesn't she like me, Sirius?' one more time I would have offed myself! Good on you Lily, you saved a life!"
Remus and Peter joined in, grinning at their friends good fortune, and gave sarcastic applauses.
Chatter spread like fire through the Great Hall.
"Did that just happen? Lily asked James?"
"I thought she hated him..."
"Oh they make such a cute couple!"
"Jolene told me, that Emma told her, that Subash told her that Lily's been eyeing James for a while now..."
"I heard they snogged during their rounds last Friday..."
"There's a legend that in Hogwarts the Heads always date, didncha' know? My brother said..."
And as she gave the still stunned James a small peck on his cheek, gossip spread through the hall, and people laughed good-naturedly ('Well, if James Potter can get Lily Evans to like him, then defeating You-Know-Who should be a piece of cake!' 'So miracles do happen, eh James?' 'Don't pinch yourself Potter! You wouldn't want to wake yourself up from this dream!') and though the students affiliated with the dark side growled or rolled their eyes, even they relaxed a bit, because this unexpected event, which no one would have even thought to occur (except perhaps in James fantasies), was the first normal thing to happen in a while.
She saw Severus, Severus who still knew her the best despite everything that had happened, giving her a knowing look, and for the briefest of seconds, a smile. Because he understood.
McGonagall herself was unable to hide a smile and Slughorn shouted a loud 'Hurrah' from the staff table. Flitwick relaxed and allowed himself to chortle at the sight of young love, and Dumbledore looked at her with fondness and admiration, as if he knew what all this was truly about.
James hands still trembled as they held her delicately, but for a completely different reason now.
That was how Lily Evans first defeated the Dark Lord, in the arms of the boy she liked.