Chapter 1. An Invitation
It was a Tuesday like any other summer Tuesday. I got up, did nothing for the day and then read by the fire in the evening. It was my favourite place to sit and delve into my next summer read. Sometimes books proved more interesting than real life.
I flicked through the pages as Luke complained from some general left direction. I tuned him out. It's one of my gifts actually, tuning out family members. Ever heard the phrase better seen not heard? That's my family. Not that I hate them. Much. She promised that as soon as I was twelve I could go and live with Father, no questions asked. And yet where am I living to this day? In her claustrophobic mansion, hundreds of miles away from my friends, my father and my school. Let's just say that I haven't forgiven that yet.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not a know it all who yearns for school, in fact I am a regular detention attendee on any given Saturday morning. But I love school because my school is in a world of it's own. Literally. Mother doesn't want to hear about school. Her muggle ideals do not stretch to accepting half-blood witches as daughters.
But it was Tuesday. Mum was watching Elsa cook dinner, Luke was hunting for his left football boot that he'd thrown near my head the night before and was now sitting behind the high-backed leather sofa. I read chapter three before becoming distracted by the flames. I've never understood why I loved the fire so much but I've always been drawn to it.
Suddenly there was a soft pop from the fireplace and to my absolute amazement a head appeared right in the centre of the golden flames. Luke jumped back in horror but I leaned closer and laughed.
"Hi Sirius!" I smiled and glanced slightly guiltily over at Luke, whose nine year old frame was glued in fright to the opposite wall. "You couldn't work the telephone then?"
"Nope!" Sirius' head laughed. "I even found that funny little box but there was a voice who kept shouting at me from a little plastic handle. Needless to say I gave up. She didn't seem to appreciate being shouted at back….."
I chuckled again. Sirius had never been the best at working out the muggle world. We'd met on the school train in our first year and even though he was sitting with his own group of friends he'd asked me to sit down. We'd been best friends ever since. Mother however had made it plain that long haired, male friends were almost as bad as having a daughter like me.
"So to what do I owe this pleasure Mister Black?" I asked him, fully aware that Mother was listening to every word from the kitchen. She was always a stickler for good manners. Sirius seemed to realise what I was doing and changed his tone immediately.
"Well Miss Spencer, I come on a matter of most importance. A certain Mr. Potter is planning a birthday party and it is my painful duty to invite you!"
I swear he's lucky I can't hit him through the fire.
"Did I hear a party mentioned Emika?" my mothers voice called from the kitchen.
I sighed inwardly. She loves parties. Ever since I've come home she's wanted to have a birthday party for me. I told her that I'd rather walk across hot coals, be locked in a chest in a straightjacket and then thrown into the sea than have one of her parties but she still hadn't fully given up on the idea.
"Yes mother!" I called back, "But it's rude to eavesdrop!"
Sirius laughed silently. I heard my Mother happily planning my outfit with Elsa.
"It's alright," I said, "She's properly distracted. Why am I invited? Doesn't James hate the very ground I walk on? Or did you transplant his brain while I was stuck here?"
"Not exactly, I mean Lily suggested that you come…" Sirius trailed off, looking slightly shameful.
"Sirius Black!" I exclaimed. "Does James even know I'm coming to his party?"
"Mrs. Potter does! I take it that means your coming then?" he asked, looking hopeful.
I thought about it. Get away from the family, spend time with my friends and get on James Potter's nerves where he can't get away from me. What did I have to loose?
"Moony will be there," he teased. I frowned at him. That guy really does know how to get me to do things.
"Fine," I shrugged, acting like I was coming all along, Remus or no Remus.
"Good. When will I come and get you?" Sirius asked.
"A.S.A.P. Padfoot. You know what Mother's like. I'm in serious need of an escape!"
"Yup!" he grimaced. As well as having his own set of crazy parents Sirius had had the unlucky experience of my mother last June at Kings Cross. Suffice it to say that she didn't seem very impressed with my lack of "suitable" friends. I was careful not to mention the Marauders since I'd arrived home.
"Why don't I come by Thursday evening? It'll give you some time to mentally prepare yourself for the party." I stuck out my tongue at him. "You can stay at mine until we head over to Prongs' house. Then I'll have an excuse to stay away from those monsters I call parents" he suggested.
"Perfect! But-" I hesitated. Even though my father was a wizard, and a great one at that, Mother was the worst Muggle ever to be born. Sirius' family would not be willing to have a half blood like me in their house. Sirius however seemed to have read my mind. His eyes darkened.
"Don't worry about them," he told me with a horrible look on his face. "As long as you only talk about your father you'll be fine."
Easy enough, I thought, denying my Mother's existence.
"Not a problem. See you soon!" I called, already dashing towards the stairs.
"Bye Spence!"
I dashed upstairs, taking the steps two at a time and flung my bedroom door open. It was a big room, almost too big. Mother had decorated it to her own tastes just like every other room only I believed I had suffered greatest. While I certainly didn't object to the four-poster bed mother had given me the décor was verging on revoltingly girly. Pink and fluffy were the first words that came to mind quickly followed by smothering and garish. Thankfully Mother hadn't objected to the posters now adorning the walls so the fact that the walls were in fact pink was quite difficult to make out.
I made my way to the obnoxiously sized wardrobe and moved immediately past the rails of ball gowns and silk cocktail dresses to the more meagre rail towards the left that actually held the clothes I wore. I quickly tore them down, stuffing them into the trunk that stood under the rail with fervour. Realising that I was in fact going to a party I sighed inwardly and grabbed two dresses from the "frilly section" and tucked them under the piles of ordinary clothes. I thanked Merlin that Dad had thought to get me a travelling trunk for my fourteenth birthday. It could fit up to three suitcases worth of clothes as well as my school books and equipment.
I heard shuffling from outside my bedroom door. Thinking that Mother was about to make an entrance, I slammed the trunk shut and dashed across the room before opening the door, only to find Luke standing behind it. Surprised, I stared at him nonplussed for about twenty seconds before he mumbled "You're going away again, aren't you?"
I couldn't look at him. I knew that once I left that he would be on his own against Mother but what could I do? At least Mother liked him. She wouldn't be as bad with him. Still, facing the rest of the summer alone with her was not an appealing prospect for anyone.
"I'm sorry Luke," I said softly. "But it's not like I was staying for the whole summer anyway."
"Why do you always go off places? Why can't you stay and play with me?" He whined. Another boy who knew how to play me, great.
I sighed. "Luke we've been over this. I go away for school and seeing as Mother wouldn't let me move to Dad's I have to go away to see my friends." I gave him a sly look. "I could always bring my friends here…"
"No!" Luke interrupted quickly. Mother seemed to have programmed him well enough that he believed that all wizards and witches were going to eat him for breakfast. Unfortunately this didn't apply to me, being his sister, so he still followed me everywhere.
I turned back to my wardrobe smiling and started hunting for my favourite pair of shoes which I was fairly sure had been hidden under a pile of jumpers in the back corner. Luke made his way cautiously through the sea of clothes I had strewn on the ground before sitting down next to me. He seemed to be on the verge of a question but I felt best not to push it. I was proven right as he finally broke the silence.
"Do you think I'll have to go away too? When I'm eleven?" His voice was quiet but the real worry in his voice made me halt my search and turn to my little brother.
"What makes you think that Luke?" I asked, settling myself on the ground beside him. "Has Mother been hassling you again?"
"Not exactly," he mumbled. "It's just… I'm not sure I want to be… like you. I'm not sure I'm able to be." He looked up apologetically and I knew there was no malice behind his statement.
"Listen to me Luke," I looked him dead in the eye. "Eleven is a whole two years away. You don't need to be worrying about that just yet. And as for being able, if you did turn out to be a wizard, I know you'll be the best one of the lot. I mean just look at who you have for a sister." He cracked a smile at that one. I was relieved.
Honestly, it had never even crossed my mind that Luke could one day join the magical world. I resolved to keeping an eye on him for any possible hints of magic and silently berated myself for not looking sooner. Clearly I was slipping up in the big sister department.
"We're not all scary people with black cats and cauldrons you know," I reminded him. "I mean I'm pretty normal, right?"
Luke grinned mischievously. "Well, I don't know about normal. You've always been a bit of a weirdo to me." He ducked quickly as I tossed a nearby sweatshirt at his head.
Just as we were about to launch into a fully fledged clothes war, I heard a sharp rapping at my window. We both turned to see a medium-sized tawny owl perched precariously on my window ledge. I made my way across clothes mountain and opened the window, careful not to knock the owl off the ledge as I did so. It hopped gracefully inside the room before holding out its leg importantly for me to remove the parchment someone had attached there.
Luke stared in awe at the creature. "How do you make it do that?" he whispered. I chuckled slightly, remembering the almost identical response I had had to my first owl post in Hogwarts.
"It's trained," I explained to him. "We use owls to send letters instead of posting them like you do. It's much faster." The owl hooted softly reminding me that I had yet to read the letter it had dutifully delivered. I untied the parchment from its leg and turned to my brother. "Luke, run down to the kitchen and ask Elsa for a dish of water, will you?" Luke nodded, his gaze never leaving the owl before dashing out of the room.
I turned my attention to the letter now, my curiosity beginning to bloom. Who did I know apart from Sirius who would send me a letter by owl post? My questions were quickly answered as I began to read.
Dear Emika,
Sorry if the owl gets you into trouble. Mum and Dad just got Gilly for me as a reward for finishing my exams! Isn't she gorgeous? And now I can finally keep track of everyone while we're on holidays. Petunia is furious of course but I've given up at this point. Mum says she'll come around eventually.
Anyway, the reason I'm writing to you is that I've just been talking to Sirius. He's invited me to James' but I told him there was no way in hell I'd go. Then he promised me that you and Mary were invited too so I changed my mind. I really hope you'll be there. I haven't seen you in a whole month and to be honest I'm not sure I can manage those Marauders on my own. Really James is getting unbearable. You know he introduced himself to my parents on the platform? When will that boy take a hint?
Apparently we're welcome to stay at the Potter's until school starts again. Sirius told me there'll be plenty of room. I can only imagine how disgustingly huge his house must be. Still I'd rather anywhere over here. I'm not sure how much more of Petunia's glares I can take.
Write back and let me know you'll be there. I can't wait to see you again!
Lily
x
Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed reading the first chapter! All reviews are much appreciated! xxx