Work Text:
“Vote Lily Evans for student council president,” Lily said with a wide smile to the group of kids she and Marlene walked past; they looked at her awkwardly but took the promotional flyer she’d handed to them.
“The election’s not for another three weeks, Lils,” Marlene groaned while lugging her duffel bag from field hockey practice over her shoulder.
“Better start as soon as possible. You know how good this will be-”
“-For college applications. I know, Lily.”
Lily knew it annoyed Marlene how much she talked about her future, but it was the most important thing to her. She vowed to go to a good college and make her mother proud. Since she was little, she watched her mother, Daisy, work as hard as possible to raise her and her sister, Petunia. Lily Evans never knew her father, and never wanted to. All she truly knew about him was that he left when her mother was pregnant with her. Their whole life, Petunia blamed her for him leaving, and sometimes, she blamed herself. Two years ago, against all reasoning, Petunia ran off with her long-time boyfriend after Daisy refused to support their marriage. Both Lily and Daisy believed that Vernon was a foul man that was using Petunia but Petunia refused to believe them. They hadn’t seen her since. One month after Petunia’s stunt, Lily saw a Facebook post of her and Vernon. They had gotten married. Lily always thought she’d be at her sister’s wedding, but that was never the reality. Lily had sent text after text, almost resorting to writing letters, but Petunia didn’t care to reply.
“Lily,” Marlene waved her hand in front of Lily’s face.
“I’m fine.”
“You zoned out again,” Marlene said as they neared her locker.
Marlene and Lily were an unconventional but everlasting friendship. They had met in the first grade and been utterly inseparable since then. One minute, they were arguing over who could use the glue. Next, Marlene had made a lion mask out of construction paper and Lily had laughed so hard that she fell on the floor.
“What the hell, Mary?” Lily exclaimed when the dark-skinned, big-haired girl had shoved a paper in her face.
“The musical! They finally announced it!” Mary said excitedly.
Mary Macdonald was a flamboyant girl. She was adored by everyone. It was almost impossible not to like her. Lily couldn’t deny it either. With a smile that was brighter than stars and the most ‘bad bitch attitude’ as Lily called it, she was always asked out at least thirty times for the Winter Dance every year. She had bouncy black curls and a great fashion sense. She could also do perfectly identical winged eyeliner, which Lily thought was impossible. Mary was raised by hippies, so her feel-good, open-minded attitude made total sense. She and Marlene were total opposites but were complimentary, like peanut butter and jelly, which was ironic because of Marlene’s deathly peanut allergy.
“And guess what?”
“What Mary?” Lily leaned against the locker next to Marlene’s, which happened to be Mary’s. Because of the alphabetical system, Marlene and Mary always got to be together. She felt the chill of the metal raise goosebumps on her arm through her long-sleeve shirt.
“Alice convinced McGonagall to let her direct! Something about how students should have more responsibility and that it would help her get into film school.”
“Hmm,” Lily hummed.
“Oh no,” Marlene whispered. “The gears are turning.”
“Musicals do look good on applications. Don’t they?” Lily said, taking a closer look at the flyer that Mary was showing her.
“Oh my god. Is Lily interested in the musical? Am I dreaming?” Mary said dramatically.
“I’ll slap you to find out,” Marlene suggested.
“Fuck off,” Mary elbowed Marlene in the arm.
Lily read through the flyer.
THE LITTLE MERMAID
ALL ROLES AND STAGE CREW AVAILABLE
AUDITIONS NOVEMBER 10TH
BRING YOUR OWN MUSIC
Lily was slightly intrigued. She’d watched the Little Mermaid at least a hundred times; it was like her comfort movie. She could hold a tune fairly well after being in the school choir since the sixth grade. She wasn’t the best on her feet, but that would be a problem for Future Lily.
“I guess I’m auditioning for the musical,” Lily shrugged and watched a bright grin grow on Mary’s face.
——
“So I’ve got detention again,” Sirius groaned.
“Well, that’s what happens when you do something stupid,” Remus replied.
“How long will we wait for, Prongs?” Peter said impatiently.
“I’m here,” James was slightly out of breath and his hair was still wet from the showers. “And will you stop with that? I was scared by a deer once .”
“And you’re nightmares?” Sirius laughed.
“You said you wouldn’t say anything!”
“Nightmares about deers?” Now Remus was laughing too.
“Their eyes are menacing,” James crossed his arms.
“Really, Prongs?” Peter chuckled.
“You’re one to talk, Wormtail ,” James responded.
“I made bad decisions in elementary school!”
“A ponytail like that takes commitment, Pete,” Sirius had slid an arm around Remus’s shoulder as they laughed at each other. It wasn’t an unusual occurrence. Sirius was always affectionate. James always thought it was because his family was so cold and inexpressive that Sirius grew to be the opposite, but James didn’t say anything. He’d really become closer with his friend over the last summer. His heart had broken when he saw Sirius turn up at his doorstep covered in blood, barely able to open his right eyes which had been swollen shut. James was never one to bring up Sirius’s family situation, but one thing was explicitly clear; Sirius hated his family. But everything spiraled out of control when Sirius had decided to come out last year. James had truly been oblivious. Sirius had bounced from girl to girl throughout the years that James never would’ve expected him to be gay. Nonetheless, James supported him unconditionally, just as he did when Peter came out as Asexual and Remus plucked up the courage to tell them that he was transgender. James loved his friends, no matter their sexuality. Last year, after Sirius had stopped by James’s house, looking absolutely pummeled, Euphemia and Fleamont Potter had decided to take action. They’d taken Sirius in as their own, and James couldn’t be more grateful for the parents he had.
James had a picture-perfect life. He was a football star already offered a secure future, his family was more than comfortably wealthy, and his parents loved him with their whole hearts.
If you asked him what his biggest struggle was, it was the fact that the girl of his dreams would not stop rejecting.
Lily Evans was a dandelion in the middle of a dried field; the sunshine that pierced through your curtains, forcing you to see the sky’s beauty. Her hair was a lovely auburn red, contrasted by her glittering green eyes. Her smile was that of a goddess and no, he was not exaggerating.
Lily was the love of his life, even if she didn’t know it yet.