Lily J. Potter

Lily Potter (née Evans) (January 30, 1960 – October 31, 1981) was a muggle-born witch, the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Evans and the younger sister of Petunia. She learned that she was a witch as a child, after a boy who lived nearby, Severus Snape, told her of the existence of the magic. She attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1971 to 1978 and was sorted into Gryffindor house. A talented student, Lily was a member of the Slug Club and Head Girl in her seventh year. After Hogwarts, Lily married James Potter and they together had a son, Harry. She, James and their friends (Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew) all joined the Order of the Phoenix during the First Wizarding War; she and her husband defying Lord Voldemort himself three times. However, Lily and James were forced to go into hiding after a prophecy was made concerning Lord Voldemort and their infant son. James and Lily were betrayed by Peter Pettigrew to Voldemort. Lily was murdered by Voldemort in 1981, along with her husband, while they were trying to protect their son. Lily briefly appeared again through the Resurrection Stone, along with James, Sirius and Remus in 1998. After the Second Wizarding War, Lily had three grandchildren through her son, Harry Potter; James Sirius Potter, Albus Severus Potter and Lily Luna Potter, who was named after Lily Evans.

Early life


Lily was born to the Muggle Evans family; she has an older sister named Petunia. The family lived in a Muggle village called Spinner's End. At an early age, Lily became friends with Severus Snape, a boy who lived nearby and who fell in love with her. Snape told Lily that she was a Muggle born witch and although she first took this as an insult, the two later discussed the wizarding world often, eagerly awaiting when they could attend Hogwarts together. Lily's parents were proud of her magical abilities, but her sister, jealous, considered her to be a freak. Their relationship fell apart shortly afterwards.

Her wand was 10¼" willow, "swishy", and good for Charms work.

Hogwarts years
At the age of eleven, she attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where she was Sorted into Gryffindor house. She became quite skilled at Potions and perhaps Charms, attracting the attention of Professor Horace Slughorn who made her a member of his Slug Club. In her seventh year, she became Head Girl. In her fifth year, Lily stood up for her then best friend — Severus Snape — when he was being bullied by James Potter, whom she considered to be an arrogant bully. She had addressed James by his surname---James himself having called Lily by hers---and attempted to stop his bullying, until Snape lashed out at her in his humiliation, calling her a "Mudblood". This subsequently led to a falling out and parting of ways between Lily and Snape, as the former had already become dismayed by Snape's friendship with aspiring Death Eaters like Mulciber and Avery and his fascination with the Dark Arts. Harry would later witness this scene twice via a pensieve, as well as other scenes depicting his mother's long friendship with Snape.

Also during their fifth year, James tried to ask her out, but she refused, considering him an "arrogant toerag". James's best friend, Sirius Black, later commented that James could not resist showing off and making a fool of himself whenever she was around. She did not, however, hate James; they had just got off on the wrong foot.

Eventually, in their seventh year, James outgrew many of his negative qualities and showed Lily that he really was a good person. This led to her finally agreeing to start going out with him.

First Wizarding War


Sometime after graduating from Hogwarts in 1978, Lily and James married. They also became members of the Order of the Phoenix, an organisation dedicated to fighting Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, along with their friends Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. During the war, they defied Voldemort on at least three different occasions. This made their son, Harry James Potter, born on July 31 in 1980, the possible subject of a prophecy made about the one with the power to defeat Voldemort.



Sybill Trelawney made the prophecy in front of Albus Dumbledore, but part of it was overheard by Lily's former friend, Snape, who had since become a Death Eater. He was horrified when Voldemort came to believe that Lily's son was the subject of the prophecy, and warned Dumbledore of the Dark Lord's plans, offering to do anything to keep the woman he still loved safe.

Hiding and death
The Potter family went into hiding with their infant son and kept in touch with their friends with letters. In one letter to Sirius, who was named Harry's godfather, Lily mentioned that the family had a pet cat and relayed a story about Harry flying on a toy broomstick, which was a present from Sirius. The Fidelius Charm was placed on their home in Godric's Hollow. However, their Secret-Keeper, Peter Pettigrew, one of James' best friends at Hogwarts, betrayed them by telling Voldemort of their whereabouts. "The Boy Who Lived. How lies have fed your legend, Harry. Shall I reveal what really happened that night 13 years ago? Shall I divulge how I truly lost my powers? Yes, shall I? It was love. You see, when dear sweet Lily Potter gave her life for her only son...she provided the ultimate protection. I could not touch him. It was old magic. Something I should have foreseen. But no matter, no matter. Things have changed. I can touch you...now!"

- Voldemort reflecting on his first defeat

On October 31 in 1981, Voldemort entered their home. James told Lily to take Harry and leave while he held him off. However, James was killed before Lily and Harry could escape the house. Trapping mother and son in Harry's nursery, Voldemort, honouring Snape's request, offered Lily a chance to step aside. She steadfastly refused to stop shielding her son, though, and Voldemort killed her. However, because of Lily's sacrifice, Harry was marked with the protection of her love, and Voldemort's Killing Curse rebounded off the toddler, destroying the Dark Lord's body and temporarily defeating him.

Post-mortem
However, that would not be the last Harry would see of his mother. During his first year at Hogwarts, he stumbled upon the Mirror of Erised and saw his parents beside him, and at the end of the year, Hagrid gave him a photo album filled with pictures of his family. In his third year, whenever he encountered a Dementor, he was forced to relive his parents' deaths.

In Harry's fourth year while dueling with Voldemort in the Little Hangleton Graveyard, they experienced Priori Incantatem and shades of his mother and father (as well as others Voldemort’s wand had killed) came out of Voldemort's wand to help Harry in his escape.

In Harry's fifth year, he entered Severus Snape's memory of being bullied by James and Sirius via the use of Pensieve and saw his mother standing up for Snape. In 1998, he relived that same memory of Snape's, as well as many others containing his mother. Finally, during the final battle when Harry believed himself to be walking to his own death, he used the Resurrection Stone to bring back an image of Lily, as well as James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin. Lily's only granddaughter was named after her.

Physical description
"Lily. Lovely Lily. She was exceedingly bright... your mother. Even more impressive when one considers she was Muggle-born."

- Horace Slughorn told to Harry Potter

Lily was, according to her son, Harry, a very pretty woman with long, dark red hair and almond-shaped green eyes that her son and grandson Albus inherited. Apparently, her bright green eyes were extremely distinctive, because every person who knew Lily would always see them in Harry, and would comment on them to Harry, to his eventual slight annoyance.

Personality and traits
Lily was known for being a very kind and gifted witch. She was an excellent student, becoming Head Girl in her final year at Hogwarts. She was a favourite of Professor Horace Slughorn, who noted that she was witty and charming. She had a habit of seeing the best in others even when they could not see it themselves, often sticking up for those others criticised, such as Severus Snape. However, when Lily could no longer tolerate Snape's increasing involvement in the Dark Arts, she ended the friendship, sticking to her principles. She and her husband were also brave and self-sacrificing, defying Voldemort three times as members of the Order of the Phoenix and dying to protect their son.

Magical abilities and skills
Lily Potter was an extremely skilled witch. Her skills were such that, Lord Voldemort was willing to overlook her background (Muggle-born) and ask that she and her husband join him.
 * Control of underage magic: Before attending Hogwarts, Lily was revealed to already have a level of control over her magic, which was a rare skill. She was able to slow her descent through the air after jumping off a swing, and control the petals of a flower.
 * Potioneer: According to Horace Slughorn, Lily was a very skilled potioneer.
 * Charms: Her wand was said to have been good for Charms Work.
 * Patronus: Lily could conjure a Patronus in the shape of a doe, which is the female counterpart to her husband's Patronus and Animagus form as well as her son's Patronus.
 * Duelling skill: Lily, along with her husband, James, was able to defy and escape Lord Voldemort three times. On the fourth encounter, however, she was killed.
 * Transfiguration: Lily also had at least some skill in Transfiguration. During her youth, she performed some Transfiguration spells in front of her sister Petunia during the holidays, doing illegal underage magic. She gave Horace Slughorn a present, a lily petal floating in a bowl, and as he witnessed the petal fall towards the bottom of the bowl, it was transformed into a fish that he kept as a pet, until it disappeared on the day she was killed by Voldemort.

Family


Lily had a close relationship with her mother and father and, initially, with her older sister, Petunia. The two girls played together, and when Lily began demonstrating magical ability, Petunia was "torn between curiosity and disapproval." She strongly disapproved when Lily struck up a friendship with Severus Snape, a young wizard who lived nearby and who disdained Petunia because she was a Muggle and took to spying on them. When Lily was invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Petunia wrote to the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, requesting that she be permitted the same. Although his refusal was kind, Petunia became very bitter, and jealously deemed her sister a "freak." Their relationship seems to have deteriorated greatly afterward, and even as an adult, Petunia resented that her parents were proud of Lily's magical abilities and took out her enmity on Lily's son, Harry. Although Petunia was angry with Lily for being a witch, she took in Harry after Lily's death.

Severus Snape


Severus Snape lived near the Evans family when he was a child, and soon began spying on Lily after he noticed that she was a witch. The two became friends when he started telling her about the wizarding world, and were best friends until their fifth year at Hogwarts. Lily became increasingly dismayed by Snape's friendships with people such as Avery and Mulciber, who practiced the Dark Arts and disdained Muggle-borns. When Snape accidentally called Lily a "Mudblood" when lashing out against James Potter and Sirius Black, it was the last straw for Lily, who rightly accused Snape of aspiring to become a Death Eater and severed all ties with him, in spite of his begging for forgiveness. Despite this, Snape continued to love Lily, and defected from Lord Voldemort immediately when the Dark Lord set his sights on the Potters during the First Wizarding War. He told Albus Dumbledore he would do anything to keep Lily safe, wished he were dead when she was killed, and committed himself to protecting her orphaned son, despite disliking him greatly.

Snape held a deep, unrequited love for Lily for almost all of his life. Lily loved Snape as a friend, and, tragically for him, might have returned his romantic love if he had not been consumed by the Dark Arts. Snape's feelings for Lily also influenced his Patronus, which took the form of a silver doe, the same as hers. Lily's grandson, Albus, has both Lily's eyes and the middle name Severus.

James Potter


Lily's relationship with James Potter was initially a volatile one. They first met on the train on their way for their first year at Hogwarts, where Lily was angered by James and Sirius Black's mockery of her close friend Severus Snape. Although James was a popular student and Quidditch player, well-liked by most, Lily considered him an arrogant bully and treated him with contempt. This was likely motivated in part by James' hostile relationship with Snape. By his fifth year, James started to have romantic feelings for Lily, and would show off to try to impress her, without success. She refused to accept his many invitations to go out with him until their seventh year, when James was Head Boy and Lily was Head Girl. It seems that, by that time, James had "deflated his head a bit" and stopped hexing people "for the fun of it". The two joined the Order of the Phoenix after graduating as well as married, and had one child, Harry James Potter.

The Marauders
The Marauders was a group of Gryffindor boys at Lily's year at Hogwarts. Besides James Potter, there were also Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew.

Lily met Sirius at Hogwarts Express, at the same time she met James, too. She disliked them both, because they teased her and Severus Snape, who was her best friend at the time. When Lily and Sirius were both sorted into Gryffindor house, Lily remembered him from the train, and turned her back on him. However, during their late school years, they became good friends, and Lily eventually married Sirius's best friend, James. Sirius, Lily and the Marauders became members of the Order of the Phoenix during the First Wizarding War and fought in several battles against Lord Voldemort. When James and Lily went into hiding, they originally intended to make Sirius their Secret Keeper, since they knew him to be completely, utterly trustworthy. However, Sirius proposed that Peter be the Secret Keeper instead, thinking that Voldemort would not think that a "weak, talentless thing" like Peter was actually the crucial, important Secret Keeper. This turned out to be a deadly mistake, as Peter turned out to be a traitor, a spy for Voldemort, and he betrayed James and Lily to Voldemort, leading to them being tragically killed. Sirius was extremely devastated; he attacked Peter and attemped to kill him.



Lily was also a good friend of Remus Lupin, not minding or caring at all about his status as a werewolf. Unlike his friends, Remus never took part in their bullying against other students they disliked, including Severus Snape. When Snape told Lily that there was something strange about Remus, Lily answered that she didn't care about what the Marauders did; most likely, she had realised that Remus was a werewolf, but didn't want the other students to learn that. After graduating from Hogwarts, they became members of the Order of the Phoenix. Remus also helped James and Lily hide, and would die for his friends, instead of saving his own skin. When James and Lily died, Remus was devastated.

Lily didn't seem to like Peter Pettigrew during their early years, because he bullied other students, along with James and Sirius. However, Peter was actually very cowardly, and he bullied Snape and the other students because he knew James, Sirius, and Remus would protect him and fight for him. In their later years at Hogwarts, he and Lily became more friendly; they became members of the Order of the Phoenix. When James and Lily went into hiding from Lord Voldemort, Sirius suggested they make Pettigrew their Secret Keeper. By then, however, Peter had already become a spy for Voldemort, and betrayed his dearest friends out of fear, to save his own skin. The last time Peter saw Lily and James, Lily noted that he seemed down. After Voldemort killed Lily and James, it is possible that Pettigrew felt some regret for his treacherous, heartless betrayal; in 1998, Pettigrew saved Harry from Lord Voldemort, who was trying to kill the boy through Pettigrew's silver hand. His hand eventually killed Pettigrew, because of the mercy he showed.

Harry Potter


James and Lily loved their son very much; sacrificing themselves in order to save him when he was but one year old. Harry barely knew them, but nevertheless regarded them with great reverence and grew angry if anyone spoke ill of them. In 1995, he punched Draco Malfoy for insulting his mother, and he frequently became furious with Professor Snape, who taunted Harry that James was not the great man others made him out to be. Snape was, to Harry's horror, proven right in the spring of 1996, when Harry accidentally witnessed James bullying Snape in one of Snape's own memories during Harry's Occlumency lessons. While he was upset that Snape had been right about his father, he was glad that his mother was a fair person. Remus and Sirius later assured Harry that his father was no longer the bully he once was, having matured and changed his ways, or he would not have become Head Boy, and his mother would never have agreed to go out with him, let alone fall in love with him. Also, Dumbledore always told Harry that his love for his parents was his greatest power.

The few times he ever saw his parents were through pictures given to him by Rubeus Hagrid, a vision within the Mirror of Erised, spectral forms which came out of Voldemort's wand during Priori Incantatem, stored memories within the Pensieve, and again as spectral forms when he "recalled" them during the Battle of Hogwarts, by using the Resurrection Stone. Her spirit was described as "Lily's smile was widest of all. She pushed her long hair back as she drew closer to him, and her green eyes, so like his, searched his face hungrily, as though she would never be able to look at him enough". Both James and Lily told Harry that they were tremendously proud of him, for being so brave and strong despite all the pain and suffering he had endured, and gave him the support he needed to sacrifice himself to Voldemort.

Harry eventually named two of his children after his late parents, James Sirius and Lily Luna.

Horace Slughorn


During her time at Hogwarts, Lily was a brilliant student at Potions, and became one of Professor Horace Slughorn's "all-time favourites" and a member of his Slug Club. Slughorn considered her to be one of the brightest students she had ever taught, and knew her to be a vivacious, charming, talented, if sometimes cheeky, girl; he even stated that "I don't imagine anyone who met her wouldn't have like her...very brave...very funny...", though he was surprised by her Muggle lineage. Lily also gave Slughorn a present, probably as a token of her respect and love for him as her teacher: a bowl of water, on which a petal from a lily floated, and as the petal sank, it transformed into a fish, just before it reached the bottom. He described it as "beautiful magic, wonderous to behold", and named the fish Francis. When Francis suddenly disappeared one day, Slughorn realized that Lily had died, and was very upset about it. In fact, her death continued to haunt him for many years. Harry Potter used Slughorn's sympathy and grief for his mother to his advantage while under the effects of Felix Felicis, persuading Slughorn to give him the true memory of Tom Riddle's inquiry about Horcruxes, by encouraging him to be as brave as his mother was, and claiming that it would undo whatever great wrong he had done.

Albus Dumbledore


Albus Dumbledore was Lily's headmaster when she was a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When Dumbledore gave Lily a letter that explained she was a witch, Lily's sister Petunia became jealous, and sent a letter to Dumbledore, requesting to be enrolled in Hogwarts as well. Dumbledore answered Petunia that she could not, by a way Lily found "very kind". During Lily's years at Hogwarts, Dumbledore became very fond of Lily, seeing her to be an extremely talented witch with a kind, good heart. After Lily and her friends graduated from Hogwarts, they became members of the Order of the Phoenix, an organisation Dumbledore found and led. Dumbledore wanted to protect James and Lily from Lord Voldemort, and even offered to be their Secret Keeper, but the role went to Peter instead, under Sirius' suggestion, and it turned out to be James and Lily's death sentence: Peter betrayed them to Voldemort, who found them and killed them. Dumbledore was very upset by their death, and dedicated his life to keeping James' and Lily's son safe. He eventually became Harry's mentor, often telling Harry of the love and goodness of his parents, and firmly believed that Harry's love for his parents was his greatest power - the power the Dark Lord knows not.

Minerva McGonagall
Minerva McGonagall appeared to have a close relationship with Lily during the First Wizarding War. McGonagall was the Transfiguration professor and also the Head of Gryffindor House when Lily attended Hogwarts. During Lily's years at Hogwarts, she presumably became a favourite of McGonagall, as she was an extremely talented witch with a kind, good heart, and would neither participate in nor tolerate bullying. After Lily left Hogwarts, both she and McGonagall became members of the first Order of the Phoenix and fought against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. After Voldemort found and killed Lily, McGonagall was devastated by learning of her death and that of her husband, James, and she actually broke down in tears. Professor McGonagall eventually became fond of Lily's son, and protected him as best as she could.

Order of the Phoenix members
During the First Wizarding War, Lily was a member of the Order of the Phoenix. She appeared to be friendly with some members, such as Elphias Doge and the McKinnons; she also appeared to be very upset when she learned about the McKinnon's death, crying all night. Lily fought in many battles of the war, along with other members of the order.

Etymology
The given name Lily comes from the name of the flower, which is a symbol of purity. Specifically, the lily is often associated with the Virgin Mary; one type of the flower is known as the Madonna lily. Greek mythology also links lilies to the Muses and to the goddess Hera, and the flowers continue to be representative of purity and love in Europe. In China, lily means "forever in love", and the flowers were thought to be capable of averting evil.

Lily's maiden name was Evans. Evans is a Welsh or English surname derived from the given name Evan. As a Welsh name, Evan means "young warrior"; it can also be considered a form of the name John, meaning "God is gracious".

Lily's married surname is Potter. Potter is a very common surname of English origin. It traditionally refers to the occupation of making pottery. Beatrix Potter was a well-known English children's author. Potter's Field is the name for a burial ground for the unknown or unclaimed dead, particularly soldiers and orphans; the Potter family had many members that fit that description. The Potter Box is a model for making ethical decisions developed at Harvard University. J. K. Rowling has also commented that she has liked the name since childhood, due to a relationship with two friends called Ian and Vikki Potter.

Behind the scenes

 * In the films, Geraldine Somerville plays Lily as an adult, and Susie Shinner plays her as a teenager. J.K. Rowling was asked to play Lily in the Mirror of Erised scene of the film version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, but she refused the part because she said that she was "not cut out to be an actress because she'd mess-up somehow."
 * In the Harry Potter novels, Lily is mentioned to have died aged 21, yet in the films she appears much older. This could be that she is seen with Harry in the mirror at the age she would be at the time, had she been alive (31)
 * In the film version of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Remus Lupin mentions that Lily had been there for him at a time when no one else was. This statement may or may not be canon, as the books never imply that Lily knew Lupin well until after she started dating James. However, considering her high academic standing prior to her appointment as Head Girl, it seems likely that Lily and Remus would have served as Gryffindor prefects together.
 * Susie Shinner did not appear as Lily in the film version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, although a promotional image showed her in costume. The rumor, however, is that an extended cut of the film will be released, restoring Lily's scene.
 * In the film version of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Voldemort taunts Harry by calling Lily "your filthy Muggle mother" rather than "Mudblood", even though she's a Muggle-born witch. Note that in the film version of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the Tom Riddle coming out of his diary uses the term Mudblood. Although, it should be noted that Voldemort, believing in total blood purity, wouldn't care for technicalities and likely considered muggle-borns as "bad" as muggles themselves
 * In European folklore and the infamous treatise on witchcraft, Malleus Maleficarum, the combination of red hair and green eyes was considered the mark of a witch, thus it is notable that Lily Evans possesses this exact colouring.
 * In the film version of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, there is an additional sequence after Aragog's funeral where Horace Slughorn describes a gift given to him by Harry's mother, Lily. One day, he'd found a bowl in his office with a small amount of water in it, upon which floated a single petal from a lily. As he watched, the petal sank into the water, and just before it reached the bottom, it transformed into a fish. Slughorn was delighted by what he considered a beautiful piece of magic, and kept the fish for many years, naming it Francis. On the night of October 31, 1981, the night Lily Potter died, Francis disappeared from his bowl, and Slughorn knew right then and there what had happened to Lily.
 * Lily's youngest grandson and her son are the only Potter members to inherit Lily's eyes. It is very clear they are Lily's eyes, most people comment that Harry has her eyes, and looks very much like James. Harry, when looking into Albus' eyes, comments they were Lily's eyes.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ,
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ,
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (film) ,

Notes and references
Lily Potter I Lily Potter