The Party
Chapter 1: The wall of Boredom
"Lily, I'm bored!" Whined Alice King from the other side of my room, where she just so happened to be spinning in circles on my desk chair.
It is the hottest day recorded in England since 1950. My best friend Alice and I just came up from standing in front of the freezer with the door open; our fruitless attempt to stay cool.
"Well, what did you want to do?" I drop the book in my hands and look at her. I'm upside down on my bed with another empty water bottle perched teasingly on the floor in front of my face.
"How about we go swimming?" She rolls the chair over to me.
"Sure, we ca-"
"What if we invite a few friends?!" Alice exclaims. "it could be like a little pool party!"
"I am humored at the light use of the term 'little'." I comment.
"Oh come on Lil, it would be so much fun! School just got out last week and no one will have plans yet!"
I sigh. "Alice, you know my parents aren't home, it took every ounce of persuasiveness I had to get them to let me have you over. As soon as they find out I'm planning a party without their permission, they'll come straight home. I wouldn't want to ruin their anniversary trip, they haven't go-" I stop short; she was shaking her head in pity.
"Lily, Lily, Lily. Dear, sweet, naïve Lily."
I sit up straight and face her.
"Whoa, no need to three Lily me! I'm simply concerned for my well-being; you know full well that I would be skinned alive."
"What your parents don't know won't hurt them." She taps her chin knowingly. "Just a couple girls. We could have the party tomorrow… after lunch or something. Your mum and dad aren't coming home 'til Monday and we can easily have everything cleaned up by then." She insists, adding her puppy-dog face as a cherry atop the ice cream. I sit quietly, pondering for a moment. Then, eyeing the girl's playfully sad face, I narrow my eyes.
"Yeah… right. A couple girls my ass. If we're going to get skinned alive, might as well make it worth it." I have no idea what I am getting myself into but hey! I'm a seventh year now. I am well aware that this could all possibly go down at an ninety degree angle at two hundred miles per hour, however, I'm sixteen and responsible. Enough.
"That, my friend is positive spirit!" Alice jumps up, linking her arm in mine. "C'mon, let's make a list of what we need, who to invite things we can do..."
I let her babble on and not let my mind wander to the worse- case scenario…My parents or Petunia will not find out. At all. I should maybe get some cleaning supplies just in case… and a few garbage bags. Maybe some barf bags- wait no, no alcohol. Unless we invite-
"THE MARAUDERS!" Alice shouted; her hands flying above her head and an accomplished look on her face. I plop my elbow on the desk and drop my head in my hand.
"What about them?" I grumble moodily. Alice gives me a look.
"We can invite them, duh. Or if you'd prefer just James Potter, then I guess we can make arrangements…"
I reply with an intelligent sound strangled between a gag and a hiss.
"Lily, I know you fancy him. I mean every girl goes through the Marauder stage at some point in her life." She says
I lift an eyebrow. "Every girl?"
"Every single one, well I shouldn't say that. Remember that Hufflepuff had been in a relationship with Amos Diggory for, like, three months and then she found out Remus Lupin wasn't going to Hogsmead with anyone so, she err…"
For Remus's sake, I shudder "Right." Then throw in casually as I write a few more words down on the parchment. "So, which is the blessed Marauder of your dreams?"
Alice grins, dimples and all. "That train already hit, I was twelve and found myself caught under the charming impression of Sirius Black."
I frown. "Still, I don't ever think I will fall for one of those pig headed gits."
"Don't keep that attitude Lil, that's when they'll jump out from behind you and Cupid will stab you in the back with one of those damned arrows of his." She warns.
"I suppose Remus isn't that bad, at least he's tolerable and has proper ambitions." I shrug. Alice sighs in what sounds like defeat.
So by about four o'clock, we have all the invitations mailed and most of my spare babysitting money worth of party supplies.
I fall down on my bed, a mischievous grin creeping across my face. Alice lies beside me after dropping her share of shopping bags on the floor. I can't believe I am doing something my parents would kill me for. I let out a girlish squeal.
"What?" She grins.
Before I get any time to respond, we hear a sharp tap at the window. Three owls are perched on the sill so I rush over and slide it open, eager to see if they're responses to the party invites. The birds soar in and line up neatly on my desk, each of their right legs stuck out.
Alice and I look at each other momentarily before clumsily detaching the parchment from the owls and letting them fly out the window. I glance down at the wax-sealed envelope addressed to and in a sort of lazily neat scrawl. Tearing open the letter and reading the short reply, I find a tiny smile etched on my lips.
"This one is from Remus Lupin, so we can check his name off- what so funny?" She asks suspiciously snatching the letter from my fingers and clearing her throat.
"My Dearest Lily-Flower,
I'll admit I was a bit in shock after hearing you were throwing a party and had to double-check whom it was from. You can definitely count us in; we can't wait.
Truly yours,
James Potter
P.S Pete can't come; he's on vacation with his parents all summer."
Alice raises her thin eyebrows and purses her lips understandingly.
"Don't. Even. Go there." I say flatly.
"Go where?" My best friend asks innocently.
