Lily Potter

Harry Potter: "I forgot. You liked her, didn’t you?"


 * Horace Slughorn: "Liked her? I don’t imagine anyone who met her wouldn’t have liked her... Very brave...Very funny... It was the most horrible thing..."
 * — Horace Slughorn and Harry Potter discussing Lily

Lily J. Potter (30 January, 1960–31 October, 1981) was an English Muggle-born witch, the younger daughter of Mr and Mrs Evans, and the younger sister of Petunia Evans. Her family lived in Cokeworth, England. At the age of nine, she learned of her magical nature as a child, after Severus Snape recognised her as a witch and told her of the existence of magic and he went on to teach Lily a great deal about the wizarding world while the two eagerly awaited the time when they could attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry together. Lily's magical abilities and friendship with Severus caused problems between the Evans sisters. Envying her sister's abilities, Petunia wrote to Dumbledore, asking if she could attend Hogwarts with Lily. However, the headmaster kindly refused her petition. The letter was later found by Lily and Severus.

At the age of eleven, Lily bought her wand from Ollivanders in Diagon Alley. The wand was 10¼ inches, willow, "swishy", and according to Garrick Ollivander, good for charm work. Shortly before her depart to Hogwarts, Lily and Petunia argued about magic again. Her sister called her a "freak" for possess that power and said it was better that she went to that school so "normal people" would be safe.

At the age of eleven, Lily started attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where she was Sorted into Gryffindor house. She became quite skilled at Potions, attracting the attention of Professor Horace Slughorn, who made her a member of his Slug Club for the students that he considered talented and possibly succesful in the future. In her fifth year, Lily stood up for her then best friend, Severus Snape, when he was being bullied by James Potter. Lily attempted to stop his bullying, addressing James only by his surname and vice versa in this moment. It is implied that such bullying had happened more than once. However, Snape lashed out at her in his humiliation, calling her a "filthy Mudblood." He then begged for Lily's forgiveness, but she asked him if he still intended to join the Death Eaters. When he didn't deny this, Lily realised that Snape did not understand what was wrong with the Death Eaters. This led to a parting of ways between Lily and Snape, as the former had already become dismayed by Snape's fascination with the Dark Arts and friendship with his Slytherin house-mates Mulciber and Avery, both of whom were aspiring Death Eaters.

By Lily's fifth year, James had developed a crush on her, but she didn't reciprocate, calling him an "arrogant toerag" because he bullied other students, particularly her former best friend. James's best friend, Sirius Black, later commented that James couldn't resist showing off and making a fool of himself whenever she was around. While she didn't approve of his bullying, she did admire how James stood up for his friends and other people who were cruelly treated by aspiring-Death Eater. During their seventh year, James matured somewhat, proving himself to be responsible and brave. However, it is implied that he still had the desire to bully Snape, but was willing to stop actually doing it for Lily's sake. This led to her agreeing to go out with him; gaining genuine affection for him in the process. Due to their academic achievement, skill, and responsibility, the young couple eventually were chosen to be Head Boy and Head Girl.

In late 1977, Lily and James had a disastrous first meeting with Petunia and her then-fiancé, Vernon Dursley, which presumably took place over Christmas break, as they were both still at Hogwarts. When Vernon tried to impress James with his car, the wizard in turn boasted of his own material wealth, and a row ensued. The evening ended with both Vernon and Petunia storming out of the restaurant and Lily bursting into tears, with an ashamed James promising he'd apologise and make it up (which, due to his and Lily's untimely deaths, never happened). Petunia was married by the end of 1977. Though Lily and James were invited to the wedding, her sister refused to have Lily as a bridesmaid, upsetting her deeply. At the reception, Vernon wouldn't talk to James, but described him as "some magician" within his earshot.

After Hogwarts, Lily married James. Along with their friends Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew, the couple joined the Order of the Phoenix during the First Wizarding War. She and her husband defied Lord Voldemort himself three times. Shortly afterwards, Lily and James had a son, Harry James Potter, of whom they made Sirius the godfather. However, the family was forced to go into hiding after a prophecy was made concerning Lord Voldemort and their infant son. She and James were betrayed by Pettigrew and thus both were murdered by Voldemort on Halloween night in 1981, while trying to protect their son.

Lily briefly appeared again through the Resurrection Stone to encourage Harry in his own sacrifice during the Battle of Hogwarts in May 1998. She appeared along with James, Sirius, and Remus. After the end of the Second Wizarding War, Lily had three grandchildren through her son: James Sirius Potter, Albus Severus Potter, and Lily Luna Potter, the last of whom was named in memory of her.