"Mum!" Lily pulled open her bedroom door and yelled down the hall. She turned back to her closet and started rummaging through a pile of shoes. "Mum!" She yelled again.
Hearing footsteps, Lily turned back to the door, but the blonde she met wasn't the one she expected. "Mum's not back from book club, for pity's sake, please stop your hollering." Petunia snapped. "And clean your room." She continued, eyeing the disarray that seemed to have emanated from the closet.
"Oh, right. I forgot about book club. Sorry." Lily apologized. As her sister turned to leave, she continued. "Maybe…maybe you could help me? Just for a minute?"
Sighing, Petunia paused in the doorway. "What do you need?"
"Well, it's just, I have that dinner tonight, and I couldn't decide, um, well. Which of these robes says 'I'm an intelligent and talented witch and you should really think about hiring me just as soon as I graduate'?" She pulled her two selections off the bed and held them up in front of her.
Petunia rolled her eyes. "How should I know, I don't speak witch."
"But Tuney, you speak clothes, and isn't that the universal language?" Lily wheedled. "You're the best at knowing what other people will think. Which outfit will help me impress all of these important old people?"
Warily, Petunia picked her way through the clutter on the floor to stand in front of Lily and examine the robes. "I suppose a nice skirt set isn't an option?"
"I wish." Lily sighed. "I'd wear that one with the thing." Petunia nodded. "Not with this crowd, unfortunately. It's just lucky Em and I are the same size and she could lend me these."
Pursing her lips, Petunia made a decision. "Wear the blue one, with your white pumps, put your hair back in a twist, and ask Mum if you can borrow her pearl set, you know, the ones with the-" she waved her hands at her ears and Lily nodded.
Discarding the other option, Lily held up the pale blue robes as she turned to the mirror, pushing her hair back to picture Petunia's suggestions. "Tuney, I think you're exactly right. Thanks." Lily smiled.
"You're welcome." Petunia shrugged it off. "Now will you move your freak supplies out of the bathroom? Some of us have dates tonight with blokes instead of professors and would like to be able to get ready without being stared at by jars of newt eyes." She sniffed.
"I think they're actually Salamander." Lily replied offhandedly. "Sorry, I forgot I left them out. I'll come in a minute."
"Seriously, so gross." Petunia complained.
"You're telling me. There are some parts of being a witch I don't think I'll ever get used to."
"Professor!" Lily greeted Slughorn at the Leaky Cauldron.
"Ah, Miss Evans, lovely to see you, as always." He stood to greet her, and Lily introduced her parents. " I can't thank you enough for letting me borrow Miss Evans tonight, I know she'll appreciate the subject matter. While many of my other students seem to have a passion for experimental brewing, it generally tends to be accidental."
The Evanses laughed. "Well, Lily is sure excited." Mr. Evans commented. "She's been going on all week about how Rupert Damocles is going to revolutionize the field with his new beetle wing treatment."
"Quite right, he is." Professor Slughorn agreed. "One of my old students, you know. I can't wait to hear his latest findings. Speaking of, we'd better be off Miss Evans."
After making arrangements to meet her parents again later, Lily and Slughorn took the floo to the Society of Experimental Medical Potioneers' Annual Banquet.
When Lily stepped out of the fireplace a house elf immediately pulled her aside to make sure she was soot-free. As Slughorn appeared behind her and got the same treatment, Lily took in the large hall with wonder. It wasn't often that she got to meet adult witches and wizards, other than professors, and here were hundreds of them.
Slughorn checked them in and guided Lily into the fray. She met at least thirty of his former students, several healers from St. Mungos, and an apothecary or two. Her head was starting to spin with names and faces when Slughorn led her to a large armchair near the middle of the floor.
"Horace." The elderly woman in the chair extended her hand to him, and he bowed to press his lips to it chivalrously.
"Lady Cavendish, it's been too long. You're looking positively radiant tonight, and, may I say, this is quite the affair you've put together."
Lady Cavendish smiled, pleased. "You always were a flatterer, Horace. Have you been enjoying your summer, away from my boys and their incorrigible antics? I've come to miss your weekly owls."
"Ah, my lady, you know I appreciate all of my students, no matter how many times I have them in cleaning cauldrons." He winked cheekily. "And speaking of students, I have one here. May I present Miss Evans, one of Hogwarts' brightest stars, a talented potioneer, and, if I may be so bold to say," he stage whispered conspiratorially, "a shoo in for this year's Head Girl. Miss Evans, I'd like to present our hostess, Lady Cavendish."
Lily blushed at Slughorn's lavished praises, but accepted the hand her ladyship offered and returned a greeting, studying the woman carefully. Lady Cavendish was in her eighties or nineties (It's hard to tell with witches), and though her seated position seemed to be a concession to her age, she held herself with great dignity. Her silver hair was styled impeccably, and her hazel eyes were clear and bright. Eyes, Lily realized, that were studying her intently.
"Miss Lily Evans?" Lady Cavendish questioned, quirking an eye at Slughorn.
"The very same, my Lady." Slughorn chuckled in amusement.