Chapter Text
If anyone were to ask her, Lily would strongly state that nothing good comes from alcohol. No matter what anyone says she would never change her mind, considering this whole mess started due to at least three empty bottles of fire whiskey discarded in the boy's dormitory.
It started out great, all her friends in one place, plus the new additions of the Slytherins thanks to Marlene and Dorcas finally becoming official. They were all sitting around in a circle playing a juvenile game of truth or dare with the added twist of veritisrum that Peter had somehow gotten a hold of, when she felt like her whole world collapsed. Even with the complete uncertainty of life, she felt as though she could rely on one thing, James Fleamont Potter. Even on the cloudiest of days, he would still be there, loud, obnoxious and yet, oddly charming. James had decided at the young age of eleven that he would be madly in love with Lily Evans for the rest of his life, and whilst as a young girl this annoyed her to no end, as both of them grew she started to grow keen of the idea, that maybe she could even love him back. Until she did, it wasn’t a crazy life-shattering realisation, it was slow and built till she realised she didn’t roll her eyes at him anytime he spoke and instead found herself smiling fondly. They grew as people and more importantly as friends. And whilst Lily was falling for James, he had started looking at someone else. That, is what led her to her current problem.
The group had already had several rounds, starting with simple truths like the worst thing you’ve ever been caught doing or dares like eating a jelly bean Mary found at the bottom of her bag. So everyone was excited to see the questions and dares get ramped up to the next level.
‘’All right Potter, your turn. Truth or Dare?’’ You could just tell Marlene had something juicy planned by how she kept glancing over to Mary and smirking.
‘’Truth.’’ James said smiling wildly and picking up the newly poured shot glass ‘’Give me your worst McKinnon.’’
‘’Mmmh, alright. Who was the last person you kissed? And why?’’ With each word her smirk grew wider, evidently, she knew something the rest of us didn’t, and considering the way Dorcas slapped her on the arm and glared with intense irritation, she obviously did.
‘’Regulus’’ As soon as the words came out, he slammed his hand over his mouth but not before saying ‘’We’ve been together for a few months’’ Panically James looked between each of the black brothers desperately trying to take the words he just said back. In the mists of everyone’s shock and Sirius rising fury and shouting, Lily just felt dread. Her one certainty. The one thing in her life that never changed. Shattered.
Whilst everyone was attempting to prevent the elder Black brother from committing himself to a lifelong Azkaban sentence, Lily got up and slipped out of the room in an attempt to gather herself. She walked without a destination in mind until she was in a corner of the castle far away from any noise or ruckus.
‘’Oh for the love of- get yourself together Lily. You’re fine, it’s fine. Just calm down. You’re over reacting, you’ve handled worse, this is fine’’
‘’For a girl who spent years rejecting Potter, you seem awfully distraught right now’’
The sudden voice made her jump as she whipped around with her wand pointed directly at the unknown persons face.
‘’Crouch.’’ Even after identifying him, Lily didn’t lower her wand, having every intention of hexing him if he taunted her. ‘’What do you want? Out of all people, I would expect you to be eagerly watching Sirius attempt murder.’’
Barty just gave her a look as he lifted his hand and pushed her wand away from his face ‘’Whilst normally I would agree with you Evans, I couldn’t help but notice you slipping away. And just when it was getting good too. So,I felt like this, well this would be much more worth my time’’
Lily couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up into her throat ‘’ And why would that be Crouch? What? Want to hit a girl whilst she’s down? Honestly don’t know why I expected anything less’’ Lily started to turn away, not wanting someone, especially Barty Crouch Jr, to rub salt into a wound so fresh.
‘’Actually, I have a proposition for you, something that may help us both out.’’ Lily stopped in her tracks and turned back round to face him again. Not wanting to give him more of her time than necessary but still too curious to completely ignore him, she motioned for him to continue.
‘’Well you like Potter, and he’s obviously with Regulus.’’ He stated it with such ease, as if he’d known this fact for years. ‘’And I like Evan. Both of which apparently haven’t realised we’re options. Potter thinks you’re not interested in a relationship, so now he’s with Reggie. Evan thinks I couldn’t keep a relationship if I tried-’’
‘’Okay? And how is you pointing out the fact neither of us are with the people we want helping?’’ Lily butt in, not seeing how this conversation was leading anywhere and instead was getting increasingly upset, as she was once again reminded of what she’s lost.
‘’Well maybe if you didn’t interrupt me, I could get to that’’ Barty glared at her before continuing ‘’We make them realise we are options, that we're capable of something they don’t expect. If Potter thinks you’re not interested in a relationship then all you need to do is get into a relationship.’’
Barty looked at her like it was obvious. ‘’And all I need to do is make Evan realise I can keep a relationship. That, my dear Evans, is how we can help each other.’’
Lily was baffled, she still couldn’t understand what realisation he had come to and had yet to pick up on what he was suggesting. Barty just sighed, tilting his head to the side as he looked at her with complete exasperation.
‘’Oh for the love of Merlin. Do I need to spell it out for you Red? If neither of them can imagine us in a relationship, we just have to make it impossible for them to ignore it. And what better way than with someone they would never expect?’’ As much as she wants to deny it, Lily could almost see his point.
‘’All we would need to do is get into a fake relationship, parade around a bit, be all lovey-dovey then after a bit, stage a dramatic breakup and voila. Both Potter and Rosie can see us in the light we need them too. It’s not like Potter fancying you is a secret anyway, so your job after is easy enough’’
‘’I think you’ve officially lost your mind Crouch’’ She couldn’t believe what she was hearing, it was insane, it would never work, James was happy with Regulus and she couldn’t come between them. Unless…
What if she didn’t have to? James has always had an insanely big heart, who’s to say he couldn’t love more than one person?
‘’You don’t have to listen to me Evans, just think about it, id like to think I’m smarter than you give me credit for’’
With that Barty started to walk off back to whatever mess they left back in the Gryffindor dorms, but not before winking at her as he said ‘’you know where to find me if you change your mind’’
Then he turned the corner and left Lily with the deranged idea he planted in her head. She would never do something so crazy just to get the attention of a boy, surely?
———————————————
It took three days of constantly debating the idea before Lily caved. Even with the insanity of it, she was starting to see some benefits. She was nearly 17 and had never been in a relationship. The only person she had ever kissed was her best friend Remus, and that led to him realising he was gay and also madly in love with his now boyfriend, Sirius Black. So it’s safe to say, it wasn’t exactly a romantic experience. Could anyone really blame her for wanting some experience for in the future so she wasn’t completely clueless? Though, the thought of doing anything of the sort with Barty Crouch Jr was unsettling.
However, she still set out to find him. Like he had said, Lily knew exactly where he’d be and walked out towards the black lake. Even in the freezing January weather, there was something so beautiful and calming about the Hogwarts ground. The way the sun seemed to reflect on the frost covering the grass in a wafer thin layer, crunching with ever step she took towards her objective. The occasional splash of water from the Giant Squids tentacles coming up to the surface briefly echoed over the silence that enveloped the rest of the field.
The boy she was trying to find was, as predicted, sat with his friends under the shelter of an old sycamore tree a few feet away from the lakes shore. Lily hated how he seemed so effortlessly at ease no matter what situation she was to find him in. Barty was leaning against the rough bark, eyes closed and mouth moving as he made comments about whatever topic Pandora was discussing animatedly. It honestly felt like a crime to disturb them, as if she was treading on forbidden land, breaking an unspoken rule. The younger of the Black brothers was sat off slightly to the side, yet still obviously included, writing passionately into a clearly loved notebook. Only ever tearing his eyes away for a few seconds to add a word or two into the conversation but never long enough to break his concentration from the task at hand. Meanwhile, Rosier and Meadows, we’re looking at the long haired Rosier twin with a look of affection that Lily often found herself looking at her own friends with. Dorcas seemed to be asking questions to keep Pandora filling the silence, whilst Evan was just laid smiling across the blanket laughing hysterically at whatever his twin sister had just come out with.
‘’Crouch, do you have a minute?’’ Barty opened his eyes as a grin split onto his face, like he knew she would cave. The rest of the group seems surprised by her appearance, maybe if she was asking to talk to Dorcas or Pandora it would be less of a shock, but she was a girl on a mission.
‘’Sure Evans’’ he stood up, not bothering to turn back to face his friends and grabbed Lilys hand as he started to walk away, calling back ‘’I’ll catch you guys later, save me some brownies, yeah? Don’t let Reggie eat them all!’’ and with that he turned the corner and dragged the girl out of sight from anyone else. Once they had gotten far enough away, where no one could hear them, Barty finally broke the silence.
‘’So, what’s the verdict? Still think I’m clinically insane?’’
‘’Oh without a doubt’’ Lily laughed, before her expression sobered and she continued ‘’except, maybe I am too, for even entertaining such a stupid idea’’ As she was speaking Barty’s face lit up, shocked that the great Lily Evans was giving any of his ideas the time of day.
‘’But you are entertaining it?’’ He questioned with an awfully smug look on his face, as if she had agreed already.
‘’I just think, perhaps there could be some befits to an arrangement like this after all’’
‘’Told you’’ The shit-eating grin on his face grew tremendously as he spoke ‘’I am smarter than you give me credit for, I’m not one of the top students in my year for nothing. I’ll have you know, I’m even predicted to get twelve O.W.L’s’’
‘’If I am to agree to this’’ Lily cut him off before his boasting could get anymore insufferable and she had to watch his ego grow before her own eyes ‘’then I expect you to actually put in some effort. No one will believe you managed to win me over without at least some work’’
‘’What? My good looks don’t suffice?’’ Barty clenched his chest dramatically ‘’You wound me Evans’’
She rolled her eyes at his antics ‘’And that’s another thing. You can’t call me Evans, none of the girls will take this seriously if my own boyfriend only uses my last name’’
For once, a look of confusion takes over Barty’s face
‘’wait- you aren’t planning to tell your friends that it’s fake?’’
‘’Of course not! Tell them what? I got into a pretend relationship to make James Potter jealous? That’s would make me seem absolutely pathetic!’’
‘’I mean, it is a tad pathetic. But hey, I suggested the idea, so what can I say?’’
‘’That mean…no one else can know about this but us. We have to make everyone else believe that we’re actually togther’’ As she said the words a look of distaste took over her face.
‘’Oh yeah, look absolutely disgusted when you say that! Really selling it’’ Lily schooled her face before looking him directly in the eyes.
‘’It’s not like you’re the one who’s lowering your standards’’ she bit back.
‘’But you’re lowering yours?’’
‘’Considerably’’ Lily wanted to deny it, yet she didn’t despise talking to Barty, he was easy to wind up after all.
‘’And yet I’m the batshit crazy one. Well alright then, let’s set this plan in motion. Lily- whatever your middle name is- Evans’’
‘’Josephine’’
‘’Jo- Josephine..’’ She scoffed at the look of revulsion on his face.
‘’Like you can talk Mr. Bartemius Crouch Jr.’’
He chucked softly at that ‘’Toche. Lily Josephine Evans, will you do me the honour of accompanying me to Hogsmeade this weekend’’ bowing dramatically as he spoke.
Lily bit back a grin as she answered ‘’Yes, I suppose I will.’’
‘’Meet me at the front by nine, don’t be late’’ he then made the act of tipping an imaginary hat as he turned around and walked back towards his group of friends. Lily couldn’t help but wonder what she had gotten herself into, but was intrigued to find out.
——————————————————
When Saturday finally arrived, Lily found herself pacing in front of the schools main entrance a good few minutes before 9am waiting anxiously for her ‘date’. It had been surprisingly difficult to escape her roommate’s questions that morning. Both Marlene and Mary had been informed prior of the fact that Lily had a date that weekend, yet she withheld any other information. They needed to have some form of plan before they started telling people, less their stories clash. After ten minutes of waiting, she became increasingly grateful that she was a witch. She had chosen to not wear a coat today, instead opting for a simple black sleeved dress that fell just below her knees and her favourite hat, gloves and scarf. How she ever survived without warming charms, she would never know.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Barty rounded the corner in his usual nonchalant attitude. He instantly locked eyes with her, a lazy grin taking over his face as he took the last few steps forward to meet her. He adorned a simple dark green shirt paired with a worn leather jacket and loose pair of muggle jeans.
‘’You said get here at nine’’ She chastised, glancing over his head at the clock that was hung above the door ‘’What happened to not being late?’’
‘’I’ll think you’ll find, I told you not to be late. I never claimed that I would be on time’’
‘’You’re insufferable.’’ She grumbled, already walking towards the door, eager to get this mess over with. They made the journey in silence for the most part, Barty adding the occasional comment. In all honesty though, Lily could barely hear him over the ringing doubt plaguing her mind.
‘’Don’t you agree?’’ Barty asked her, prompting her out of her daze.
‘’Huh? Oh yeah, a hundred percent.’’ Barty paused, stopping in place, looking at her in disapproval.
‘’Why are you freaking out over there? I can basically hear your thoughts’’
Lily sighed, she couldn’t quite place it, where all her anxious energy was coming from. She agreed to this ridiculous plan in the first place but knowing in a few hours she would have to lie to all of her friends faces was starting to get to her. ‘’I’m fine, let’s just get where we’re going. That way we can actually form some kind of story to go with this. We don’t want to be blindsided and fuck this up before it even starts.’’
So they continued walking to Hogsmead, and found a secluded table at the back of The Hogshead to begin planning.