In the Summer of 79
It was the summer of 79 when Lily's world turned upside down and a friendship blossomed and turned into love after years of hatred and pranks. Sorry not very good with summaries.
Chapter 1 – Happy to be home
It was a warm sunny morning in July and sitting in the shade of a large oak tree was a petit Lily Evans. Lily was sitting with her emerald green eyes looking at the pages of a book and twirling a lock of her bright red hair with her left hand. For Lily sitting outdoors and left to her own thoughts was how she liked to be, even more so when she started at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, five years ago. Since finding out that she was a witch Lily and her elder sister Petunia did nothing but argue and bicker over the smallest things. It had been only that very morning that an argument broke out between Lily and Petunia over the last of the cornflakes.
"You've eaten all the cornflakes you freak!" Screamed Petunia standing over Lily while, she sat at the table reading the newspaper.
"Well there is other cereal you can eat you know!" Lily replied lazily not bothering to look up from the newspaper and turning the page.
"If YOU were still at that freak of a school I wouldn't have to have another cereal." Petunia muttered walking over to the cupboard to pour herself some cereal. Lily rolled her eyes getting up from the kitchen table and picking up a book from the table by the door and walked out into the back garden to her favourite spot under the oak tree.
Lily had been sitting half reading her book and half day dreaming about meeting that perfect someone to fall in love with, when she was interrupted by her mother Rose.
"Lily Darlin me and your dad have got to pop into London to meet a couple of friends for lunch. Did you want to go to that shop place behind the wall? What's it called again?" Rose asked looking down at her daughter.
"Diagon Alley mum." Lily smiled back.
"That's the one so did you want to go?"
"Sure, I could do with a new book." Lily got up from the grass brushing off her cameral coloured shorts and pulled down her white vest top following her mum back into the house.
An hour later Lily could see the Leaky Cauldron, looking as uninviting as ever coming into site from the car window.
"Right we'll pick you up in 2 hours ok sweetie?" Lily's dad Sam told lily putting his hand through his light brown hair and looking over his shoulder at his daughter.
"Yes dad." Lily kissed both parents on the cheek before getting out of the car and walking into the pub.
The Leaky Cauldron was full of customers chatting cheerfully and Tom the toothless bar man was cleaning glasses while talking to someone with a green travelling cloak on, drinking what looked like fire whiskey to Lily. Walking through the bar into the little courtyard Lily got out her wand and tapped a set of bricks in the wall, which then opened up to form an archway in the wall. Walking through the archway Lily entered Diagon Alley. Looking down the street at the rows of shops Lily smiled she really enjoyed shopping in the wizarding world it was more fun she found then in the muggle world.
Lily walked into Flourish and Blotts walking around the shopping looking at the rows upon rows of books. Lily wasn't sure what sort of book she wanted or if she actually wanted another one anymore. But after fifteen minutes of searching through the stacks of shelf's Lily found the perfect book to read 'True Love is it meant to be?' by Amanda Hoold. Instantly Lily picked up the book, and after also finding some books on hexes and jinks Lily found herself walking back down the street and towards Quality Quidditch Supply's.
In the window the new QuickSilver480 was displayed with pictures of famous Quidditch players gold picture frames. Lily was standing there watching the players zooming around the picture and occasionally giving a wave or a sly wink in her direction, which made Lily laugh. Lily had always wanted to learn how to fly, but after her first lesson where she fell off the broom Lily was a little weary to go back onto a broomstick again, but looking at this broom Lily was wishing that she were up in the air looking down at the lake while the sun was setting in the distance. Turning away from the window Lily went to make her way back up the street when all of a sudden someone ran into her making her fall to the ground and drop her shopping all over the street.
Looking up Lily could see a mess of brown hair and instantly knew it was James Potter. James and Lily had never got on from the moment they met James and the maunderous had been pulling tricks and pranking her at any opportunity they got, usually in lessons or while she was eating in the great hall. Lily could remember the first time that the boys pranked her in her first year while she was sitting in the great hall eating a slice of chocolate cake, when all of a sudden her bowl came flying up from the table and landed on her head covering her with chocolate cake. Lily never forgot the laughter of everyone in the hall as she ran out of the hall and up into the dormitory. From that moment on the pranks kept on flowing, lily's hair had been turned green, pink and blue, her bag spilt as she walked down the corridor and messages magically put on her back.
"Coz you couldn't see me there Potter." Lily exclaimed looking up at James from the ground.
"I'm sorry I should have been looking where I was going, here." James held out his hand to help up a shocked Lily, who had been expecting a witty or rude remark in return.
"I don't need help getting up thanks." Lily said this as she got up from the grownd and went to pick up her packages, when all of a sudden she saw James got one step ahead of her picking them all up for her.
"What are you doing?" Lily asked uncertainly. The only motive Lily was thinking of James helping her was to either ask her out for the 100th time or to prank whatever he was picking up.
"Umm helping to pick up you packages that I made go flying." James answered as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Still uncertain Lily stood there looking quizzically at a helpful James something that was totally unheard off, well unheard of for James to help her.
"Um thanks." Lily said unsurely to James as he passed her books to her. Still standing there Lily was looking at James as if waiting for something to happen or his other three group members to show up.
"You sure your o.k? I mean it looks like you've cut your elbow." James pointed to Lily's right elbow, which was true to James's word bleeding slightly. Lily looked down at her elbow noticing for the first time the little cut.
"Oh didn't even notice, but it will be fine." Lily said still looking down at her elbow.
"Didn't know that you like Quidditch? To be honest I've never seen you anywhere near a broom." James said looking at the window display to Lily.
"Yeah well there is a lot you don't know about me, and I haven't been on a broom since first year. Why are you being nice to me?" Lily asked her thoughts getting the better of her. When James was being his usual egotistic self she knew how to respond but when he was being nice Lily was too startled to know what to say. James looked at Lily obviously not expecting a question like that.
"Would you rather I was… what's it you used to call me oh yeah an egotistic jerk?" James asked feeling a little put out.
"Well yes I mean no I mean… but if this is some plan to ask me out again you can stop it right now!" Lily exclaimed.
"No Lily I just thought we could be friends." James replied shifting from one foot to the other.
"You have got to be joking haven't you? You think I'm going to forget all those pranks and torment just like that? Well your wrong because of you no guy will dare ask me out, and no one other then Isabel wants to be my friend. It's going to take more then sorry!" Lily turned and hurried back up the street, her head full of what had just happened, not noticing the fact that the eyes of James Potter were still on her back, Until his friends Sirius Black and Remus Lupin came flying round the corner.
"Hey Prongsie…. have you seen it you must have seen it" Sirius was saying while jumping around on the spot. James was looking a bit bewildered.
"Umm seen what exactly Padfoot?" Sirius's face automatically turned into a shocked expression.
"How can you not know?" Sirius was making wide hand gestures and pretending to faint, landing on the stone floor with a thud.
"Ow." James was still standing there trying not to laugh at his best friends antics but getting more confused by the moment.
"I think he means the new QuickSilver480" Remus clued James in while looking down at Sirius who was now starting to get up off the floor rubbing his bottom.
"Oh yeah I saw that, it looks amazing. I mean look at the tail and the handle looks so… so smooth and glossy. I'm hoping my parents will get it for me for my birthday!" James was smiling with enthusiasm Quidditch was his favourite sport of all time and had been on the team for Gryffindor house for the past five years.
"If you did that would make it certain that we will get the Quidditch cup this year. " Remus smiled.
"Hey with me on the team were always certain to win the cup!" Padfood exclaimed, while James and Remus just stood there laughing.
"Any way putting Quidditch aside, was that Lily we saw you with? What was going on there then?" Remus asked with a sparkle in his eye.
"Um nothing, I just ran into her and helped her to pick up her things." James replied as though it was nothing out of the normal.
"Hold on…there's one thing wrong with that sentence you helped Lily… I mean u didn't ask her out?" Sirius asked shocked.
"Yeah I didn't ask her out, but I did ask her to be friends." James said casually.
"Don't tell me she said get lost." Sirius said in a girly high-pitched voice.
"Well yeah." James shrugged
" Come on lets get some ice cream I'm starving." Sirius knew that this was not the time to pressure James on the subject. So the three boys walked off to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream.
Lily meanwhile had just reached the far end of Diagon alley and started to make her way back through the Leaky Cauldron to meet her parents, who were sitting in the car waiting for her.
"Hello Sweetie. Have a good time?" Her dad asked good naturally before starting up the engine and started to drive them home.
"Now Lily Petunia is bringing Vernon round for dinner tonight. Don't pull that face. So I want you to be nice." Rose said looking over her shoulder towards Lily who was now wishing that she were back at her "freak" school. Compared to James and Sirius the only other person Lily really detested was Vernon. Vernon could not be more opposite to Petunia if he tried being a bit on the large side and when they were both together all they cared about was what people thought about them. And every time that Vernon did come round for dinner meant that Petunia would give Lily the 'talk' about watching what she said when he was round, and today was no different.
As soon as the car pulled up into the driveway the front door of the house burst open and Petunia came rushing out.
"Vernon is here already now Lily I don't want you to say anything about that freak school you go to, or anything really to do with your… your freakiness." Petunia was saying as her and Lily walked up the drive way and into the house.
Walking into the front room Lily could see Vernon sitting in the armchair close to the window wearing a grey tailored suit and drinking tea.
"Hello Vernon glad to see you." Lily said this with a force smile and trying to keep all the sarcasm out of her voice. But Vernon looked passed Lily and got up to greet her parents instead.
"Ah Hello Sam, Rose lovely to meet you again. Dinners round yours are always an enjoyable event." Vernon said standing to talk to them.
"Suckup." Coughed Lily as she went to take a seat the furthest away from Vernon and Petunia. This alone earned her a glare from Petunia and a look of amusement from her father.
After an hour of to Lily complete boredom listening to the details of the latest development at his work, the jokes which were just not funny and Vernon's latest promotion dinner was finally ready.
They all sat round the table eating quietly, Lily however was picking up on the glances Petunia was giving Vernon and when all of the strawberry trifle had been eaten the real reason for the meal came to light.
"Mum, dad Vernon and I are getting married." Petunia burst out waving around a ring. Lily's mouth however hanged open while their parents congratulated the couple.
"That's wonderful love." Sam said smiling at his daughter.
"And I'm moving in with Vernon, tonight!" Petunia added sounding happier then Lily had ever heard, but still too in shock to say anything.
The next morning Lily was getting dressed into a pair of jean shorts and a green t-shirt and thinking about what to do for the day, when all of a sudden there was a knock on her bedroom door and her dad walked in.
"Were off to see your Nan, did you want to come along she hasn't seen you since Christmas." Sam smiled at his daughter.
"Yeah, I love Nan's home made éclairs."
"See you in the car in five minutes then" Sam kissed the top of her head before heading out of the door. Brushing her hair and putting it in a messy bun then grabbing a pair of green flip-flops Lily was running down the stairs out of the front door and getting into the car with her parents.
"Oh there you are. Was about to send out the search party." Sam laughed as Lily put on her seat belt.
"It's hard work finding a pair of shoes to go with this outfit." Lily replied with laughter in her voice.
"That's my girl." Rose laughed, while Sam rolled his eyes.
Half an hour later and they were all sitting in the garden at Lily Nan's Pat drinking cold lemonade and eating the delicious homemade chocolate éclairs.
"How's school then kiddo? And that Potter fellow still giving you trouble?"
"Schools good Nan, and yeah that Potter is still being his usual egotistic self…but can u believe he asked me to be his friend today after everything his done." Lily exclaimed to her Nan
"I know your not going to want to hear this but maybe you should give him a chance kiddo, you never know he may not be a bad person." Pat said taking a sip of her lemonade. Lily was shocked thinking her own Nan was on his side.
"I hate to say it but your Nan's right sweetheart." Sam said looking at his daughter as he leant over to help himself to another éclair.
"Fine I'll give him another chance…but that's it one more." Lily said stubbornly arms folded.
"So other then that have you learnt any spells yet that can help me with my gardening yet?" Pat asked her granddaughter. Lily laughed.
"No I'm still working on that spell, maybe you should just get a goat to eat the grass for you in the mean time."
"Yes I'd do that if you come and clean up its droppings." Pat reasoned with Lily.
"Second thoughts I'll look up a nice spell." They all laughed as Lily pulled a face at the idea of cleaning up goat's droppings.
All too soon it was time for them to leave and Lily was kissing her Nan goodbye on the cheek before getting back into the car and fastening her seatbelt.
On the way home they were all talking about the days James and second chances before debating over what takeaway to get for dinner when all of a sudden a gold car came flying around the corner in front of Sam's car and did not stop until it was too late. The next thing Lily knew she was waking up in a hospital bed with a throbbing headache and her arm in a sling.
Lily sat bolt up right wincing at the pain in the left shoulder when she remembered what had happened.
"Lily sweetie lay back down." Lily's Nan was sitting in the chair next to her bed looking exhausted.
"Where's mummy and daddy?" Lily asked not laying back down.
"Lily. Your dad didn't make it, and your mum's in intensive care. I'm sorry, you're too young for this." Lily sat there stunned not moving an inch.
"Daddy's gone?" Lily whispered before the door burst open and in walked Petunia.
"I see YOUR fine, I bet it's your fault daddy's dead I bet it was something to do with your freakiness!" Petunia screamed at a stunned Lily. Tears started to form in Lily's eyes when Petunia said this what if it was her fault, what if she could have stopped it from happening.
"Petunia there's no need for that. It was not Lily's fault and you know it now if you can't be nice then get out." Pat scorned Petunia as she turned quickly on her heals and marched out. Lily just sat there as her Nan put her arms around her shoulder and Lily started to cry into her shoulder uncontrollably while her Nan rubbed her back and made soothing noised until she calmed down.
"Can I, Can I see my mum and dad?" Lily asked her Nan once she could speak again. Her Nan was looking grave but decided that it might help her to calm down so took her over to where her mum lay.
Walking through the door Lily saw her mums red hair laying around her shoulder and her eyes were shut. There was a drip in her left hand, and lily could see cuts over her perfect cream face. On the other side of the room lily could see her dad lying down in the same lifeless position, but with his short brown hair looking extremely messy, and a large cut down his right check.
"Mummy, daddy I'm sorry." Lily took hold of her mum's free hand and held it in hers while looking up at her face and tears where trickling down her face. Lily sat like that for over an hour before her Nan came back in and took her away.
"Come on your coming back to mine for a little bit. You can come see them again tomorrow." Pat walked her out of the hospital and to her car. Lily was scared to get in case something happened again but after a bit of reassurance they were on their way 'home'.