Roosting Point Café
Entry for QLFC Season 4, Finals Round 1.
Team: Appleby Arrows
Position: Beater 1
Prompts: (Object) advent calendar, (word) forgive, (setting) Muggle café
Task: A metaphor and an example of foreshadowing.
Pairing: Jily.
WC: 1146
Lily Evans sighed with relief as she hurried into the Roosting Point Café. Snow was falling heavily like flour being shaken through a sieve, and it was showing no sign of slowing down anytime soon. She gladly embraced the warmth that wrapped around her as soon as she walked through the door.
"Hi, Lily. Would you like your usual?"
"Hello, Carmen. Yes, please." Lily answered.
"Get yourself sat down, and I'll bring it over to you."
"Thanks."
The Muggle café wasn't far from where Lily lived, and she was a regular during the summer and Christmas holidays. It also served as a good meeting point for Lily and her best friend, Marlene McKinnon. Today, they would be exchanging Christmas presents. Lily was certain that Marlene would adore the charm bracelet she'd bought her; especially since the charms were all magical creatures that she loved.
Lily turned to look at the door when she heard the tinkling of a bell. When she noticed that Marlene was there, Lily beamed and waved. Marlene returned the smile and waved back as she made her way over to Lily.
"Hi, Marlene."
"Hi, sorry I'm late."
"You're not late, I'm early."
"Nothing new there then," Marlene teased.
"Hey! I tried to leave it as late as I could, but Mum told me to go because I was making her nervous."
"What in Merlin's name were you doing to make your mum nervous?"
"Clock watching and pacing the room. They practically pushed me out of the house in the end."
"I can't say that I blame them," Marlene told her with a grin.
Carmen came over with Lily's latte. "One cinnamon latte, and what can I get you?" she asked Marlene.
"That looks nice. I'll have the same, please."
"Coming right up," Carmen answered, walking away.
"Anyway, presents," Marlene said cheerily, reaching for her bag and pulling out Lily's gift.
"Someone's in a hurry today. We don't usually give presents until we've finished our drinks."
It didn't escape Lily's notice that Marlene avoided her gaze. "Well, I thought we could start a new tradition."
Lily raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Are there any other surprises that come with this new tradition?"
"Perhaps."
"Perhaps? Am I going to like these surprises?"
"I hope so."
"That sounds ominous."
"Have you talked to James?" Marlene asked, out of the blue.
"What does James Potter have to do with anything?"
"Just answer the question, Lily."
"No, and I have no wish to."
An uncomfortable silence descended on their table, which was something that never happened to the two friends; they usually always had something to say to each other. Both were relieved when Carmen returned with Marlene's coffee.
A few minutes passed before Lily broke the ice. "Are we opening the presents now, like we usually do?"
"Now's fine."
"I'm glad that some things are staying the same."
The two handed over the presents and started to unwrap them at the same time, just as they always did. "Oh! A charm bracelet! I love it! Thank you."
"You're welcome," Lily answered with a smile.
Her own gift was equally lovely. It was a beautiful white snow globe containing a golden-coloured owl figure.
"Thank you, Marlene. It's gorgeous."
"Glad you like it."
Lily opened her mouth to speak again, but was stopped by the tinkling of the bell. As they weren't meeting anyone else, Lily thought nothing of it and didn't bother to look over. She got quite the shock when she saw a pair of familiar brown shoes.
"This cannot be happening," she muttered while glaring angrily at Marlene. "You told him we'd be here, didn't you?"
"Well, look at the time! I've got to go, Lil, but it was great seeing you. Thanks for the present."
She smiled reassuringly at James and hurried out before Lily could stop her. To her annoyance, the boy sat down in the now empty seat across from her. Oh, when she got her hands on Marlene McKinnon, she'd be a dead woman.
"What do you want?" she snapped.
"Nice to see you too, Lily. I've got you something."
Lily shrugged disinterestedly, and James pulled out an advent calendar. Surprised, she looked at him.
"An advent calendar? It's the 23rd of December."
"It's better this way because now you can eat twenty-three chocolates in one go," James told her with a grin that she didn't return. His smile faltered. "I tried to give it to you at Hogwarts, but you wouldn't speak to me."
"Well, thank you. I'm still angry, though."
"Are you really holding a grudge about something that happened last month? I thought it would make you laugh."
"Oh yes, James, I always find it hilarious when someone decides to chuck water balloons at me, especially when I'm only wearing a white shirt."
"You pranked us, so we got you back. We thought you'd see the funny side and prank us again."
"Do you know how cold I was? It was bloody November! It was humiliating, having to stand there in a soaked shirt while everyone laughed."
James remained silent, and Lily soon realised why. "My eyes are up here, Potter!" she snapped.
"Sorry," he told her, his ashamed eyes quickly looking at her enraged ones.
"So you should be. I think it's time to go."
"Won't you stay for a drink?"
"No, I want to leave."
"Okay. I'll walk out with you, then."
"You don't have to."
"I only came here to talk to you, Lily."
She blushed, despite herself. "Thank you for the advent calendar. You didn't have to."
"I wanted to."
She put on her coat and gloves and gathered her bags. Once they were both ready, they headed out of the door.
"Goodbye, Lily. I'll see you back at … "
A snowball flying at lightning speed ended his sentence by colliding with his face. The shock of it sent him flying backwards, but luckily the heavy snow provided him with a soft landing. Before she could stop it, a giggle slipped out of Lily's mouth as she stared at his confused expression; the giggle became a guffaw, and tears of mirth rolled down her cheeks. Her laughter abruptly stopped when James jumped up and threw a snowball at her.
"It's war, Potter."
"Bring it on, Evans."
They aimed and dodged the snowballs, laughing as they went, blissfully unaware of the people watching them from the Roosting Point Café. Lily was the one to call time first.
"I forgive you."
"Really? So you'll be talking to me when we go back to Hogwarts?"
"If you don't do anything to upset me before then."
James walked over to her with his hand behind his back. "I probably shouldn't do this, then."
"What?"
She glared at him as the icy coldness of the snowball hit her neck, making her shiver.
"James!"
And the snowball fight began again.