Smiles Away
She heard a little knock on the bedroom door. Lily got up from her bed and went to the door to open it. The huge ivory door opened with a creak and gave way to Lily's parents.
"Are you okay, darling? We heard some noises," said Hillary in an urgent voice.
"Yeah, are you fine, my child?" asked Julius.
She ran to her mother and gave her a huge hug.
"I've a news to break," she uttered.
"Tell us," said Julius wrapping both of them in his arms.
Lily freed herself from her parents' embrace and went to her chesnut side-desk to get the letter. She took it out and read the letter to her parents. As soon as the letter ended, the tears of joy welling inside Hillary's eyes let loose and trickled down her face. There were no tears in Julius' eyes, but his happiness was no less than Hillary's.
"Oh! Heavens. I'm so glad, Lily. You've done us proud, so proud. I'll rush to tell this news to everyone I can," grinned the happy mother; the urgency in her voice was now due to the impending anxiety of the fireworks about to explode. She left a moist imprint of her lips on Lily's cheeks and rushed out of the room.
Julius went over to Lily and pulled her in a deep hug, his hand stroking her head, slowly. A tear trickled down her face and found its place on the cherry coloured bed-sheet.
"I think, now there is no need for that one," spoke Julius calmly, pointing to the note that she had stuck on the door.
Another tear went down, then again and again. Her father sat her down on the bed and placed himself next to her, his hands protectively wrapped around her shoulders.
"I've been so lonely, dad. Ever since I joined Hogwarts. I have friends but my sister is not mine anymore. Sev, my best friend, has turned away, off on a track different from mine. I feel so lonely," she sobbed.
"It is destiny, Lily. Nobody has a picture perfect life. If you gat something, then you lose something else," said Julius trying to pacify the turbulence inside his daughter's heart.
"Meaning," questioned Lily, looking at her father from behind the misty eyes.
"Meaning to say, you have a chance to achieve what you always wanted to. So prove your worth. Not to me, darling. I know your value, but to the world. And do not let anyone deter you or your will-power," explained Julius.
He said further, " Not everyone gets fair opportunities, Lily. I just want you to go out and yourself while fulfilling your duties also."
He wiped her tears away and hugged her.
"Congratulations, sweetheart,"
………………………………………
"Hurry, Lily. Get your clothes ironed soon. Your train leaves at eight thirty tomorrow morning. So we will have no time to do it tomorrow," hurried Hillary, baking cakes for her daughter. The almond-chocolate version was Lily's particular favourite.
"That leaves us with just twelve hours with you," grumbled Julius.
Lily's lips curved into a smile. She was sitting next to the fireplace with Petunia filing her nails on the couch. The last page of the book flipped and Lily got up to put it back on her father's wooden shelf. Then she took the pile of her clothes from the couch and went the ironing board kept next to the kitchen counter.
" Let me," offered the doting father.
"Thanks dad," said Lily and left the pile with her father. She went upstairs to get some rest. She had much work to do the next morning.
She sat on her bed, the last time that year and Cleo followed her. It snuggled inside her blueberry duvet and settled next to Lily. Lily's hands stroked her pet and her eyes closed, her mind wandering into the territory of school-time memories.
She recalled what all she was supposed to do in the coming year and remembered the gone one. It hadn't been much dramatic. The only thing worth mentioning was her newfound friendship with James Potter. Though she still considered him an 'incorrigible freak' as he would never give up asking her out, she had seen his other aspects too.
Initially, she had decided that the friendship would not yield to anything else. But, slowly, through the year she found out that her heart had started deceiving her. It had even skipped a beat when she had seen James in the lake, competing with Sirius Black on who would reach the other shore first. His eyes, full of mischievous glint, were very expressive. It was easy to guess what was going on inside his head because his eyes gave away the blueprints too easily. Her infatuation could have ended there but did not because it was reinforced by the constant poking of Sydney into the fact.
She opened her eyes and took out the letters, James had sent her during the holidays.
"Dearest Lil,
Dreamt of you last night. Nothing unusual. Missing You.
Your friend only,
James""Dearest Lil,
Happy Birthday To You!!!
Cannot wait to see you. Wishing you tons of happiness and love.
Your friend only,
James"
"Dearest Lil,
Your 'thank you' made my day.
Hoping to meet you soon.
Your friend only,
James"
As she was going through the letters, an owl flew towards the window of her room and perched on the pane. It was James' owl, Gryff. It had dark brown fur with whit spots and a snowy white beak. She untangled the letter and opened it.
"Dearest Lil,
Heartiest Congratulations. You must be happy but somewhere inside I felt that you were not well, probably feeling lonely. If you need something, I'm just a smile away.
Your friend only,
James"
"Dear James,
Thank you for you best wishes and more for your concern.
Lily"
She tied the note on Gryff's claws and it flew away.
………………………………………..
The whistle blew and the train started chugging. The students started waving to their teary eyed parents, some just stared out of the windows, others, who were on the platform, jumped in and the train left King's Cross and entered the scenic terrain.
Lily was sitting with Sydney, alone in the compartment, having an animated chat over the usual train-time topic – holidays.
"It ended too soon," grumbled Sydney.
"It ended too late," corrected Lily, feeling a low suddenly.
Before Sydney could ask her anything, the door of the compartment slid open and four boys entered.
"Knocking – the virtue of the mannered," smirked Sydney.
"Mocking – the virtue of the mannered," snapped in Sirius Black and the whole bunch of friends started guffawing.
James and Peter sat next to Sydney, enquiring about her holidays, while Remus and Sirius adjusted next to Lily on the opposite seat.
"Congratulations, Lily," exclaimed Remus, his happiness evident in his tone.
"Yup, congratulations," followed Peter.
Before Lily could utter word, Sirius cut in, " Yeah! Congratulations," he imitated Peter. He carried on, " Learn some tactics, Wormy. See."
He then got up from his seat and bent down in front of Lily, his head hung low, his left hand on his back and the right on his heart.
"Dearest Lily, I exclaim, with my hand crossing my heart and all my mind feeling all the exuberance in the world, that I am no less happy than you were on hearing the breathtaking news. Be kind, and accept the sincere wishes from a devoted lover. Yours forever, James," proclaimed Sirius.
With this the whole compartment burst out laughing. Lily's cheeks acquired a certain tinge of pink and James pinched him on his back.
"Well, I accept your sincere best wishes. Now if you may, we have to meet professor Mary Hopkins, Mr. Head boy," stammered Lily, not being able to think of anything else more sporting.
"Oh! The hops. Okay guys, wish my well-being. Tally ho!" chanted Sirius.
"Go, and don't embarrass papa more, padfoot," echoed James patting his back and stealing a glance at Lily……………….who was looking back.
She instantly turned away, a secret smile emerging on her face and a carbon copy on James'.
…………………………………….
"Ms. Evans and Mr. Black, you two are now the head girl and head boy of our school and therefore we expect you to be crisply alert and disciplined. As far as the train journey goes, you will be required to make the passwords for all the houses and write them on this parchment with the quill which I am giving you. Next, you will tell the house prefects their passwords, privately from other house prefects, and assign them duties for duties for the next week. On reaching the school, you two will ensure a safe departure of all the students and then follow me. Followed?" drawled the professor in a monotonous voice. Except her five words, her speech had remained same sine the past eight centuries or so, Sirius told Lily later.
"Ma'am, why just this parchment and quill ?" quizzed an inquisitive Lily.
"Because this parchment is summoned by professor Dumbledore himself and ensures a non-leakage system,"
"Non leakage?"
"The passwords have to remain passwords. Secret, you know, only for the house to know theirs," said the professor peering from over her spectacles, seeming impressed with the question.
"So get going. I'll send the other prefects in an hour's time," she ended and left them in complete silence.
"Okay, let us set the password first," voiced Lily excitedly.
"Yup! For gryffindor it should be 'bludger beats all'," suggested Sirius.
"Absolutely not!"
"Why?"
"Nothing quidditchy, Black,"
"Then maybe something potionish, Evans?"
"There is no need to get so affronted,"
"And there is no need for you too to get so rude,"
Half an hour passed and the two were still squabbling.
"Fine." Screamed Lily.
"Great," Sirius rejoiced at his victory.
………………………………………….
The prefects came in and the new school captains gave them the parchments containing their duties.
"And now, one by one, I shall call out the names of the houses. The prefects of that house will remain and others will wait outside while we give them their passwords," Sirius said calmly, suddenly appearing responsible.
"Gryffindor,"
Remus Lupin stepped in front and others went outside, sliding the door closed.
"Your password is ' Bludger Potions' ," uttered Lily irritatedly.
"Okay," replied Remus, quite imagining the brainstorming of geniuses behind it.
"Slytherin,"
……………………………
ps. Sorry for the last chapter. It was very short. This one is a consolation for that.
