Lord Potter Jr returns from the WWI and a huge celebration is planned, the household needs all the help it needs, but Lord Potter Jr is not amused with the head cook and housekeeper sends a spy to see if he can lose the two girls who won't give themselves to him their jobs...

September 22 1919

It was one of those rare sunny days in the English countryside, and the serving girls of the Potter mansion were taking the day to hang the households washing outside on one of the sprawling green lawns.

Their were not many serving girls at the Potter Mansion, even though the Potter fortune had not suffered during the war, but during that time there had only been two people residing in the mansion, Mr. and Mrs. Potter, who did not see the point in keeping masses of staff, though the remaining staff had to keep the mansion in the exact same condition that it was when it was fully staffed.

Two of the serving girls were walking to the river that ran through the Potter property, they were both carrying huge bundles of sheets.

Lily smiled at Shamrock as they plopped the laundry down and sat next to it, Shamrock laughed and grabbed one of the sheets "so the war is done, and Lord Potter's son is to return within the week" Shamrock said ,she had a heavy Irish accent, sparkling grass-green eyes, and waist length hair that was copper. Lily laughed "so that would be why we have to clean the whole house, the womanizing Lord is returning" Lily also had a heavy Irish accent and waist length hair but her hair was ruby red and when the sun hit it, she looked like she was surrounded by a halo of fire, her eyes were a piercing emerald green and they danced with joy when Lily smiled.

Shamrock sighed as she grabbed another of the sheets from her pile, as she did she looked up the river she saw the old oak tree "oh Lily look one of the youngsters is climbing the tree" she squinted at the tree and the she dropped the sheets her face becoming deadly serious "oh no!" Lily looked at her "what is it?" she asked but Shamrock was already running up the river to the old oak, Lily dropped her sheets and ran after her.

Shamrock ran towards the old oak, the uniform skirt she had to wear was ankle length and it caused her to stumble as she pushed through the bracken. And arrived at the old oak. She screamed as the young girl that had been sitting in the branch slipped of it and fell "Emerald!" Lily pushed threw the bracken and grabbed onto Shamrock as she tried to jump after the girl, "Shamrock, don't! Ye know as well as I, the current will have taken her we must hurry to the bank" Lily said as she pulled Shamrock back threw the bracken, Shamrock looked at Lily "Emerald, does not know how to swim!" she said and took of towards the bank.

They ran pass the place where they had been washing, the sheets lay on the grass forgotten. As they ran past the other girls, they were questioned why they were running, "Emerald fell in the river" Lily yelled, this was enough to cause the other girls, who knew that Emerald could not swim, to drop what they were holding and run after Lily and Shamrock. Many of the other servants were attracted by the large group of serving girls running towards the river and joined.

The bank was the only part of the river that was semi-shallow and did not have a current, so on hot days you were able to wade in it. When the group reached the bank, they saw two young men longing on the side of the river, but Shamrock eyes did not linger long on the young men as soon floating down the river, came Shamrock's little sister Emerald. Shamrock's eyes widened as she saw that the little girl was struggling to stay afloat, "Emerald!" she yelled, running to the edge of the river. Emerald upon seeing her sister tried to swim towards the side but her skirts were tangled around her legs and pulling her under. Shamrock's eyes widened and she began to get into the water but suddenly she felt herself being pulled back by one of the young men, while the other young man waded into the river and pulled Emerald from the bottom and carried her to the side.

When Emerald was put on the side of the river, Shamrock and Lily felt for a pulse, upon not finding one Shamrock opened Emerald mouth and plugged her nose as Lily leaned down and breathed into her mouth. After five minuets of this Lily lifted her head and looked at Shamrock, tears in her eyes, Shamrock just kept looking at Emerald not noticing the tears that were pouring down her face. Lily reached over and hugged Shamrock, who was begging to shake, "why? First Patrick and now Emerald, has my family not suffered enough?" Shamrock asked Lily who hugged her tighter.

"Excuse me!" said a voice from behind the two weeping girls, Shamrock and Lily turned and saw the young man who had pulled Emerald out of the river, Shamrock smiled weekly at him "thank ye for retrieving my sister from a watery grave" the young man nodded "could you and your posse please leave, you have quite ruined my friend and mine first afternoon home" he said his voice dripping with ice. Shamrock's eyes narrowed to chips of ice, as she observed that the young man had messy black hair and chocolate eyes covered with glasses , "I apologies for disturbing you, please forgive me… Lord Potter" she said her head bowed, Lily gasped and quickly turned her head and becked two boys from the group that had followed them "John, Phil can you please carry" her voice cracked "Emerald back to the servants quarters" she then stood up and pulled Shamrock after her.

That was Shamrock and Lily's first encounter with the returned Lord James Potter.

Five Months Later

Shamrock laughed, it taken some time but the joy had almost all returned to her face, Lily grinned at her, Shamrock had a white apron over her light-blue dress, the sleeves were rolled up over her elbows, and her hair was tucked up into a cap. Now that the mansion was clean enough for Mrs. Potter's standards Shamrock had returned to her job as the senior cook and Lily to her job as housekeeper. They at this point of time were the eldest female workers in the entire household, and they were 18, not that old at all.

Shamrock dusted the flour off her hands and walked to the icebox she then pulled out a bowl. Lily handed her a serving spoon, Shamrock thanked her and started spooning the contence of the bowl onto the pastry circles she had just rolled out, "so" she said "whats happening up above?" Lily laughed "Lord Potter Junior has slept with almost all of the female staff as has his friend Lord Black" Shamrock snorted "ye think war would change them for the better, oh no they just get hornier" Shamrock continued spooning the mixture onto the pastry circles. Lily looked at her "what are ye making?" Shamrock grinned "our lunch and the Potter's dinner" Lily laughed "yeah okay what is it?" Shamrock's grin widened "Cornish Pasties" Lily clapped her hands "I love you, I haven't had one of those forever" Shamrock grinned "off ye go and I'll have your lunch on the table when it's ready" Lily grinned back at her and scooted out of the kitchen. Shamrock laughed and shook her head still scooping the mixture out onto the pastry circles.

Author Note: I know, James was incredibly unfeeling duckes tomatoes does anyone want me to continue this story?? please tell me...