there are so many things lily evans misses about the muggle world–actual english classes, living with her parents, practical writing utensils–but perhaps what she longs for most is science. chemistry classes spent carefully titrating a solution drop by drop, cheering as colors change; biology classes sketching out the human anatomy, from bones to muscles to glands; physics classes calculating velocity and acceleration and position. she misses the precision, the methodical procedures, the flushed feeling of victory after an experiment well done.
and so, as lily steps through the hallowed hogwarts halls, she turns to potions, this class so different and yet so similar to her beloved science studies. she learns the function of a bezoar and the outcome of chopped ashwood dropped into a cheering solution, spends long nights poring over thought experiments and dreaming up creative concoctions. she falls into this shadow of home wholeheartedly, greedily embracing its painful yet nostalgic quality, remembering maths with tuney and sketching with severus.
she becomes damn good at it too, whipping up the potions on slughorn’s board in record time, becoming horace’s favored star pupil and prized slug club member. marlene and molly receive weekly potions help, and james flunks his assignments many a time while watching lily’s efficiency and concentration in awe. for she is beautiful, beautiful in her passion and devotedness to her art, her innovation and ingenuity and knowledge.
by the time lily is a seventh year, she finds flyers for potions assistants, plans internships in germany and ingredient foraging trips in sweden. she tutors younger students in remedial potions, chairs the Advanced Potions club, and runs the society to help fellow muggleborns adjust to this fantastical magical life. she has made her home in this corner of this castle, a home filled with giggles and knowledge, awestruck firsties and doting professors. it is the home she never had, brimming with encouragement and collaboration, creativity and precision.
there are so many things lily evans misses about the muggle world. she misses her family, and her friends, and her school. but perhaps, if from the muggle world she lost a science, in the wizarding world she found an art.