Our Complicated Lives

~~~Hey everyone! While I am most certainly not new to writing fanfiction, this is my first HP fic, so please support me in this trial and error story! It’s going to be a JP/LE romance, and I will be changing a few things around from the average fic, so be warned!~~~

~~~I have given this a PG-13 rating so that more people will read it, but it will most likely be a darker fic that deserves a higher rating. My own rating for this fic is R. ~~~

Chapter One: Like Every Other Girl

*As the heavens above lit with blinding flashes of white jagged light and the surrounding sky rumbled in fury; large, pelting drops of icy water hit the dusty ground. The wind picked up and swirled the stagnant air around, blowing over small debris in the huge gusts.

The downpour of water crashed into the sea by the cliffs, and the waves broke violently on the rocky shore as they washed up. The storm surge was higher than usual, and the foam sprayed high, mingling the salty seawater with the cold fresh water of the storm in midair.

“Mother!” Was the scream that echoed so loudly that it cut through the air like a knife, even droning out the rumbling of the thunder. The parents of the child who had screamed sat bolt up right in their bed, too tired and sleepy to know what had awoken them.

“Who was that dear?” The husband asked his wife groggily.

“Sounded like Petunia.” The wife answered. Just then, Petunia flung open her parents door.

“What is it Petunia sweetheart?” The father asked.

“There’s a horrible storm going on outside!”

“Yes dear. Has the thunder frightened you?”

“Yes!” The girl whimpered.

“Poor baby! Come here and climb into bed with us.” The mother cooed, trying to make her eccentric child calm down. Petunia smiled at this, and dove head first into her parent’s warm bed. Just as she snuggled down deep and got comfortable, her mother spoke again.

“Where is your sister? Perhaps Lily is frightened of the thunder and lightening as well?”

“No, I don’t think so Mother.”

“Oh? Why do you say that? Is she still sound asleep in her bed?”

“Lily?” Petunia snorted. “Lily’s outside Mother. I doubt she’s scared.”

“Lily’s what?” for the second time that night the two parents sat straight up in bed.

“I’ll get the lantern!” The father said, throwing on his robe and slippers.

“I’ll find a flashlight!” The mother responded, following in suit. And as the two parents rushed out of the house, Petunia sat in their now cold bed, alone and frightened. Stupid Lilly. Why couldn’t that freak be like every other girl and be scared of the storm? And now here she sat, all alone, while her parents looked for that delinquent.

The storm rattled on as the two parents climbed the hills and cliffs in search of their youngest daughter.

“Lily!”

“Lily!” They cried out together. As they walked on, their light made out a dim shadow of a figure standing on the edge of the cliffs in a heavy dark blanket.

“Lily!” They cried in relief. The figure turned and stared at them for a moment.

“What are you doing all the way out here in this storm Lily Elizabeth!” Yelled her father.

“Just standing.”

“Lily!” They sighed in exasperation. Then they took their unwilling daughter by the hands and steered her back inside the house. Once they entered the warm, dry safety of their home, the yelling began.

“Just what did you think you were doing out there miss?”

“Standing.” Lilly answered blankly.

“Standing? Standing? In a storm like this? You could have been struck by lightening! Or swept away by the storm surge! Or the cliff below you could have given way and fallen!”

“It did.” Lily interrupted quietly.

“What?” Her parents stopped. Petunia had come down the staircase just as the room became silent. She wanted to see her weird sister get punished, but the silence was not what she had expected.

“I said the cliff did give way.” Lily repeated.

“Then why aren’t you in the ocean being dragged away?” Petunia smart mouthed her sister.

“Because I wished I was back atop the cliff, and I was.”

“Nonsense! It’s not possible! Are you saying that you’re here because of magic? There’s no such thing!”

“Petunia, be quiet this instant!” Her mother clipped. “Lily’s had enough excitement for one day. Go on up to bed, the both of you. Lily, we will discuss punishment in the morning.”

“I agree. Bed time for the two of you.” There was no room for argument in their father’s voice. As the two girls tucked themselves back into bed and turned out the light, Petunia spoke softly to her sister.

“There’s no such thing as magic you freak. And even if there were, you wouldn’t be able to do it- you’re too weird. No, never mind. It’s always the weirdoes that do creepy things like that anyway; you’d fit right in. Night- freak.” And Petunia was out like a light. Lily lay in bed with her eyes open for a little while longer.

“I did fall, and I was saved. By what, I don’t know. But whatever it was, I wish it hadn’t bothered.” Then she too closed her eyes and fell asleep.

>>>)(<<<

“Lily! Why can’t you be like every other girl in our grade? You’re such a creepy wacko!” Lily sighed inwardly. Petunia was at it again. Oh well, she would have to put up with her sister’s mouth until they reached home. Then she could go to the attic and lock her out.

“Lily, are you even listening to me? I said you’re weird! Has that thought even crossed your mind? Look at you, you can’t even dress normal, let alone act human!” Lily took the time to look down at her clothes. She liked them the way they were.

Her black top was a little too small, but it still fit snuggly around her developing curves. Her short black skirt and fishnet stockings drew attention to her long thin legs, and her black combat boots were the most comfortable pair of shoes she owned. Yes, she liked her attire. She loved it all; down to the heavy black makeup she wore around her emerald green eyes and the nose ring in her right nostril. The only thing she left untouched was her long fire red hair. The black streaks had been enough, and leaving it down was tradition.

In the years that followed Lily’s brush with death on the cliffs, she had matured more than quickly. Her ability to learn had astounded everyone, parents and teachers alike, and she had skipped third grade. But with the maturity her entire attitude had changed as well. She understood why her sister thought of her the way she did- because it was true.

So long had Petunia told her that she was a freak that Lily had begun to believe it as well. She no longer knew what was normal or abnormal, she just allowed her sister to teach her that no matter what she did, she would never be fully human, that she would only be a monstrous freak. And it was always fun to creep Petunia out anyway.

So now here they were on the first day of school walking home, Petunia going on and on about how odd she was, and Lily just walked on, taking it all in and accepting it. Not that Lily cared. Her sister had always been the same, and Lily wouldn’t want her to change, it would be far too weird. Fortunately the walk wasn’t long, and they soon reached their home on the sea cliffs.

“Lily! Petunia! How was your first day of school girls?”

“Great Mother!” Petunia chattered on, while Lily simply sat quietly as always, glaring at her sister and allowing her to fill in the details and highlights of the day.

“Well, it sounds like you two have had a busy day. Before I forget Lily, a letter came for you. And it was the most unusual thing I’d ever seen too! An owl! And owl dropped the letter off on the breakfast table just after you two left for school. I put the letter on the kitchen table if you’d like to read it dear.” Lily nodded, and sulked towards the letter that was placed on the table. As she opened it, her eyes widened.

“I’m a witch!” She gasped under her breath.

“We already knew that!” Petunia sneered. Lily hadn’t been quiet enough apparently. “What’s the letter say freak?”

“That I’m a witch!” Lily repeated rudely.

“What’s this Lily?” Her mother frowned and took the letter to read. Yes, her youngest daughter was a little eccentric, but a witch? No one had the right to call her that! But as Mrs. Evans gasped when she finished the letter. “My baby’s a witch.”

“Mother?” Petunia asked.

“I’m fine, just in a bit of shock is all. Well Lily dear. It seems you really are a witch.”

“Mother? Am I going to go to the school then? Hogwarts?”” Lily asked.

“What do you want to do Lily?” Her mother asked. Lily froze. Being a witch was quite a talent. But did she really want to leave home? Leave her mother and father? She loved them dearly, even though she never truly expressed it. Petunia wouldn’t be there… she would be all on her own. Sounded like fun. But…

Lily thought back, and for some strange reason she remembered her night on the cliffs. So magic had saved her after all. But when she thought of why she had been there on the cliffs in the first place, it frightened her. She had wanted to be out in the storm, to be as close to it as possible because she thought that perhaps it would kidnap her and take her away from all of the teasing and tormenting her sister and the other kids at school gave her. But now that she realized she was a freak just as they had always told her, she was thankful to the magic for saving her life. But sometimes the getup she wore was too much of a burden- Lily was tired of conforming to her ‘freakish’ nature. And if she got away from Petunia…

“I want to go.” And her life change forever the moment she spoke those faithful words.

>>>)(<<<

“Oh isn’t it wonderful? My little boy is finally going to Hogwarts! Oh James, you’ll make us so proud!”

“Son, you’re a wizard today. Not just a boy whose comes from a wizarding family, but a true wizard.” The boy before the two parents ran his hand through his wild and messy dark hair and peered out at the world from a pair of thin wire glasses.

“Yeah, sure Mum, Dad.” The boy blushed, he wasn’t accustomed to his mother and father fawning over him this much. “Can I go out and meet Sirius and Remus now?”

“Of course dear!” His mother squealed as she watched her son go out the door. “He’ll be a powerful wizard Harold.” The woman told her husband.

“And an even larger troublemaker.” The father sighed.

“But Hogwarts will suit him.”

“Winifred, Hogwarts will not only suit him, it will keep him safe. You know with Voldemort out there as bloodthirsty as he is at the moment, the school is the safest place to keep James.”

“I know dear. Speaking of which, how was work?”

“I don’t know.” The man sighed and sat. “An auror never has a dull day, I’ll give you that.”

“But dear, you do a wonderful job.”

“I hope so. For yours and James’ sake, I hope so.”

But James didn’t care much at the moment about Hogwarts- that was still a whole summer away for him. He was much more interested in arguing which Quidditch team was better with his two best friends.

“No way! Cannons are ten times better!” He yelled.

“I’m with him!” Remus added.

“I agree!” Sirius screamed.

“So why are we arguing?” James yelled at the top of his lungs.

“I don’t know!” Sirius boomed. Then they all broke out into laughter. “Say James, this old bloom of your mother’s any good?”

“Yeah, but I think the handle’s weak, near ready to fall off I’d guess.”

“Really? One way to test it!” And Sirius swung the broom around by the bristles, trying to shake the handle loose. Just as James had foretold, the handle flung off. Only one draw back, it hit James square in the head. Sirius and Remus watched as their friend collapsed before them.

“Oops?” Remus just laughed and tried to wake James.

“James? James? James, wake up, this isn’t funny you dolt!” But James never stirred.

“Shoot. We are going to be in deep if we can’t get this idiot to get up!” Sirius paced back and forth in front of James and Remus.

“Tell me about it. Come on James you fool, get up!” Remus shook James harder. James finally snapped his eyes open.

“James you old idiot! What gives you the right to take a nap without telling us?” Sirius slapped James on the back.

“Did you have to hit me so hard? Now I have a headache the size of England because of you two dolts. But I had the craziest dream while I was out of it. I saw this girl in a blanket standing out in the middle of a storm on a cliff.”

“A girl? James, you’re such a pervert!” Sirius gasped laughing.

“Sirius, shut up! It wasn’t just some girl. The cliff below her gave way, and just as she was about to hit the water below, she was back atop the cliffs, a safe distance from the edge. Now what do you think about that?”

“She used magic then?” Remus asked.

“I didn’t see a wand. In fact, she just closed her eyes, she didn’t even scream. Very creepy if you ask me.”

“No kidding. Well, I’m sure that your ‘dream girl’ will visit you again.” Sirius grinned wolfishly, and James blushed. Then he knocked Sirius upside the head.

“Dolt. Come on then, let’s go. I’m betting dinner’s nearly ready.”

“Food!” Sirius and Remus yelled together. And the three boys wandered off, not giving another thought to the dream, but instead thinking of their empty bellies. *

~~~So I fixed Lily’s name- the spell check had made it Lilly instead of Lily. And I changed their year from fifth to sixth. I don’t think I corrected any grammar or spelling though. Sorry guys! But anyway… review! Much love -Vixen~~~