It Started With Cupid's Arrow

First Year—Mad archery skills

It was Valentine’s Day in England, in the year 1972. Eleven year old Lily Evans woke up excited. Today was the first Valentine’s Day she was going to spend in the Wizarding world. Being Muggle-born, she loved learning about the differences in Wizarding and Muggle traditions. And there were a lot.

For example, back at her home in the Muggle world she and her friends would give each other the chalky conversation hearts that no one ever seemed to eat. Or they would hand-make a different card for everyone. Sometimes two or three friends would pair up and make cookies or brownies, with the help of an older sibling or someone’s parent.

But now Lily was going to celebrate it the Wizarding way. Her new friends who she shared a dorm with, had all come from magical families and had never heard of conversation hearts. A common thing to do in the Wizarding world, on Valentine’s Day was to write a note without signing your name on it, telling that person all the good things about them.

Also, most Wizarding schools held an annual Valentine’s Day Dance, though at Hogwarts it was only third years and up, so Lily wouldn’t be able to go for two years. Even though she wasn’t able to go, Lily was still excitedly anticipating the new traditions she was going to take part in. She had already written the notes to her friends, and she was expecting to get ones from them in return. It hadn’t been hard for her to think of positive things about her friends, since they were truly lovely people.

Already up and dressed, Lily was waiting impatiently for her friends to get ready. They were used to these traditions, and for that, they were not as excited as Lily. As soon as they were done, Lily, who was close to wetting her pants she was so excited, grabbed both of her dorm mates, linking arms, and basically pulled them down the stairs and to the Great Hall. Her other friends, a Hufflepuff boy and a Slytherin girl, joined them at the Gryffindor table.

Staring at the owls just beginning to swoop down into the Great Hall, Lily waited for the ones bearing notes for her to arrive. She was anxious to start off the Valentine’s Day festivities. A school owl with glossy, dark brown feathers striped with a lighter shade of brown landed in front of her. Carefully taking the letter off the bird’s outstretched leg, she plucked up a bit of toast to give the creature.

Opening the letter slowly, she hadn’t even read a word on it when a loud bang and an explosion of smoke escaped from the envelope. Coughing, Lily waved at the smoke, trying to get it to clear faster with little result. When the smoke finally cleared she saw her friend’s mouths open in shock, but they were soon covered with hands, trying to muffle giggles.

“What’s so funny?” Lily asked, annoyed by this sudden turn of events. One of her friends managed to choke out the phrase “You’re outfit,” but then he burst out laughing. Looking down, the girl felt rage bubbling inside her. The uniform and robes she had donned this morning were replaced with a red leotard and pink tights, both dotted with hearts. A large white sash hung around her shoulders, and in bright, bold, red lettering said “CUPID.” With her peripheral vision, Lily saw the white, feathery wings. Slung over her should was a container filled with hard rubber pink and red arrows with heart tips. In her right hand was a large bow.

Scanning the room that was filled with laughter, Lily found the ones responsible for this. About halfway down the table sat four boys who she knew were responsible. James Potter, by the look on his face, was the mastermind behind this. Taking one of the tacky arrows out of the container, she cast a charm on it that would make Potter regret the day he planned this. Loading the arrow on the bow, she raised her arms, bringing the string back so it reached the corner of her mouth while keeping her elbow as even as she took careful aim.

Releasing the string, the arrow zoomed over to James, hitting him square in the forehead. The occupants of the Great Hall were momentarily blinded by a second burst of smoke, and when it cleared, James Potter could be seen pressing his hand to his forehead, in obvious pain while cursing under his breath. They could also see that his uniform had been replaced with a giant white diaper and a sash identical to the one that was first seen this day on Lily.

Looking down at the change in his attire, James screamed in shock, taken by surprise by the sudden turn in events. Looking at the red head he had pranked with new found admiration, she laughed a deviously happy laugh. “I guess you didn’t know I’ve been doing archery since I was seven. And you’re not the only one who’s looked ahead in our text books.”

With a casual flip of her hair over her shoulder, she walked out of the Great Hall, heading up to her dorm to get changed.