Chapter Text
"Oh my God, will you please stop doing that?” Lily snapped, exasperation sharpening her voice as she tried, and failed, to get the Slytherin boys to quiet down. "Or what, Evans?"Regulus sneered, "we're very sorry" Barty said smirking.
Lily just ignored them,"James! Over here!" She was waving at James to come over. Regulus looked up,"Hey guys, oh" James said, whispering to Lily, "you didn't tell me regulus was a prefect." Lily raised an eyebrow, "well considering you only told me you were a prefect-head boy actually-today, I didn't have time since you left to find Sirius." James looked apologetic.
"Crouch, I need to have a talk with you." Lily sounded tired, "alright!" Barty excitedly yelled, Lily gave him a questioning look, a faint flush of colour creeped up his neck.
"Okay, so last year you and Regulus were mucking around a lot and not doing your job. Correct?" Lily asked, "yes" Barty answered. “Right. This year, you two can’t do that. If you do, I’ll give you detentions, deduct house points, and kick you off the prefect team. Got it?” "Okay" Barty didn't look focused, "Are you even listening to me?" Lily snapped, "it's hard to focus when you're this beautiful." Lily blushed, "go away Crouch", "anything for you Lily Evans" Barty said while walking out.
"Oh. My. God." Lily is questioning her entire existence right now, "ugh, I can't, but he's so..." Lily didn't dare finish that sentence, "alright just... I'll just go find Remus" Lily started wandering down the walkway of the packed train, as she thought 'thank the Lord James decided to do patrol with Regulus.'
When she found Remus, he was in a conversation about... Lily didn't even know, "Hey Remus? I need to talk to you about something... Privately." Remus looked over at her and raised an eyebrow, then he turned to Sirius, "I'm sorry, I have to go" Sirius pouted, but let him go.
"What's up?" Remus asked, "okay so how do you know if you like someone?" Lily rambled, "your asking me? Well I don't know, you just kind of feel it? Fuck, I don't know. Wait do you like someone, who?" Lily didnt even know, "I think... Don't judge, but I'm pretty sure I like Barty." Lily said in one breath, "I'm sorry what? Crouch... junior?" Lily nodded.
Remus was rambling now, Lily tuned him out, but it didn't help whatsoever. Instead of Remus filling her mind, Barty fucking Crouch was invading her private thoughts. "Ugh, why do I have a crush on the most annoying guy?" Lily groaned, Remus laughed, "well Lils you can't always control your feelings, I hated how loud and obnoxious Sirius was... And now we're dating." Lily sighed inwardly, "you know what I mean, he's a blood purist and I'm..." Lily didn't need to finish that sentence.
Everyone knew Barty and his gang were aspiring dark wizards, but something about him feels different, maybe it was his father, maybe he didn't want to be a dark wizard, maybe it was his mother. Lily didn't know much about Barty's mother, no one did. Everyone knew about Barty's father though, famous Bartemius Crouch Sr, future minister for magic, sinister, smart, but there was something odd about him too. Lily hoped she'd find out what was wrong with the two Crouch men.
Lily came back to her senses when the train came to a halt, "I need to find Mary and Marlene, I promised I'd sit next to them at dinner." Remus laughed once more and waved her away. When she found them, Mary was covered in slimy, hair gel, Marlene was laughing her ass off, and Dorcas was doubled over laughing.
"It's not funny!" Mary whined "What happened?" Lily asked, "Regulus and his mates threw gel at me!" Mary said, "damn that's rough." Lily muttered, Mary started crying and squealing. Something in Lily's head was playing over and over again.
"Regulus and his mates."
"Regulus and his mates."
"Regulus and his mates."
That meant Bartemius fucking Crouch jr.
The man she was crushing on.
The man who made her question her existence.
"I have to go to the bathroom."
Lily was breathing unevenly, she was crying, "why him?" She kept saying, "WHY HIM?" she yelled. Someone knocked on the door to the bathroom, Lily tensed up, "hello? Lily?" A glassy voice came through, "Hi Pandora" she answered, "are you okay?", "yep, I'm fine!" She said with fake enthusiasm. Pandora raised an eyebrow but didn't ask anymore, which Lily was grateful for.