I'm just continuing from here so that you have quick updates. Sorry that you might think the relationship with tom is too fast but honestly, I can't write any slower. Please REVIEW!

Chapter 3 Reading About the Past

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" the worried voice of Mr. Paisley asked again, breaking through the excited thoughts of Lily's about Diagon Ally.

"Yes, dad," she said, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice. After all, it wouldn't do to have a fight with Mr. Paisley only a day after he was newly christened as her father.

Mr. Paisley beamed slightly at the word but most of his face was still set in worry, making his worry lines more prominent and altogether making him look years older. "Did you bring the hundred pounds I gave you?"

Rather hesitantly, Lily brought out the bundle of notes from her pocket.

"You know," she said, scowling lightly as she eyed the bundle with an expression akin to disgust," you didn't have to give me so much money; you could've just given me ten and be done with it. Besides, what could I possibly buy with this much?"

Smiling amusedly at the irritated face his daughter was unknowingly making, as he knew she didn't like charity, he said," You might not know," in a mysterious way which was only ruined by his smile.

Lily sighed before shaking her head in feigned disappointment.

"Once a charity case, always a charity case," she said playfully before ducking out of the incoming smack that was aimed for her head.

"Hey!" he said in mock hurt," Verbally abusing your sponsor won't get more funds you know!"

She smiled in that innocent way of hers that made boys melt.

"I know," she said cheerily before skipping in the direction of a seemingly empty space which was in fact the entrance to the Wizarding World.

Warm brown eyes followed her until she disappeared from sight. Sighing, Mr. Paisley started the car up again.

"Woah," Lily breathed as she took in her surroundings with barely concealed awe. The inside of the bar was decorated in an olden style with wooden tables, worn tablecloths and even a torch at the back. It wasn't much but it held a certain endearment in her eyes. Strange, she thought with a wry smile, Mr. Paisley's tastes may be growing on me. There weren't many people at the moment, only a few customers.

"First time here, miss?"

Suppressing a surprised gasp and spinning around in a flash, Lily let out a relieved chuckle when she realized it was only the bartender, smiling kindly from behind the counter. He looked expectant and she realized that he was expecting her answer.

"Yes, sir. I'm here to get my Hogwarts supplies."

The bartender smiled kindly, his eyes twinkling with good humor while his hands ran up and down on the glass he was cleaning.

"Then I hope you like your trip to Diagon Ally, my name is Tom by the way."

Lily smiled, her eyes twinkling beautifully, and held out her hand.

"Lily Potter."

Tom's cheerful face suddenly went slack and his glass fell from his hand. Moving out of reflex, she grabbed it just before it hit the floor and cautiously placed it back on the table before turning her worried gaze to the bartender who still hadn't gained speech yet.

"Mister? Tom? Are you alright?"" she asked worriedly, squirming uncomfortably under the suddenly intense stare of Tom.

Slowly shaking out of his trance, Tom picked the glass up again with half glazed eyes, his hands moving at the speed of lightning over the surface.

"That was some good reflexes," he murmured still looking at awe at something. .

She nervously nodded her head. She didn't tell him that she had fast reflexes just so that she could dodge fast enough not to get hit by Dudley's fists or that she was so fast because she spent at least half a day running away from his gang.

"Um," Lily said hesitantly," Are you really alright?"

Tom gave her a small smile, the look leaving his eyes to be replaced by his usual cheerfulness and an underlying curiousity.

"Yes," he said earnestly," But are you really Lily Potter?"

She nodded but looked confused.

"Yes, why?"

A twinkle entered Tom's eyes as he gestured out back.

"Follow me and I'll explain."

Still feeling confused but trusting Tom for some inexplicable reason, she made up her mind and followed Tom's quickly disappearing back. Just as she closed the door to the room she and Tom were in, she caught the eyes of three boys sitting at one table nearby. All had hungry gleams in their eyes. Lily shivered then banged the door close as she retreated inside.

Inside, she found Tom standing at the bookshelves, murmuring to himself and fingering some titles, seemingly looking for one specifically. When she caught his eye, he gestured towards the bed warmly.

"Make yourself at home," he smiled before pulling out one or two from the bookshelves.

"here," he said.

Taking the books from him, she stared at him confused.

"Turn to page one hundred and thirty seven," he encouraged.

Lily saw nothing wrong with doing what he said and followed his instructions.

When she turned to the right page, she gasped, because there, on the page was the house from her memory's. It was labeled 'Godric's Hollow 1981'. She ran her hands over the picture, suddenly enraptured and started muttering to herself, ignoring Tom's words from above her.

"It was Halloween's night," she murmured under her breath, stuck in a trance from the past," 1981. Mom and Dad were downstairs preparing for when Sirius and Remus arrived for the feast at the house. I was at the table sitting in the high chair. Then the alarms started ringing and Dad told mum to take me and run and that he would stay and ward them off. Once upstairs, she placed me in my crib and began rummaging through the drawers. She was just about to reach me, holding a stag, wolf, dog and rat charm necklace, when the door exploded and Peter walked in with a tall man in a dark hood. He pointed a stick at mum and a green light hit her. She hit the floor. When he pointed it at me and shot the green light, a shield suddenly formed and it caused the spell to backfire and hit the castor. When he collapsed too, peter squeaked and ran away."

Almost immediately after she finished the last word, her scar suddenly exploded in pain and she doubled over, her palm clapped on her hand. She was vaguely aware of the worried voice of Tom in the background asking if she was alright and what was wrong but most of her attention was focused on the pain. She bit her lip to stop herself from crying out in pain. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the pain faded into a dull throb and she sighed tiredly in relief.

She was immediately aware that she was huddled in Tom's arms, curled up in a fetal position with his arms around her, muttering comfortingly. Gathering what strength she had, she quirked her lips up into a small smile and straightened up a little.

"Thank goodness," Tom muttered when he noticed Lily was no longer writhing and in pain. His eyes looked worried. " What happened to you?"

As he helped her up, she answered in a small voice.

"I'm not sure exactly, one minute I was recalling some memories about my parents when I was at Godric's Hollow last, the next moment I felt incredible pain from my scar. How long did it last, by the way?"

"Around five minutes. I was so scared for you when you suddenly collapsed while I was telling you about your past. I thought I had to haul you to St. Mungo's," he said curtly though he said the end with a slightly joking tone.

Lily turned red suddenly.

"Oh!" she squeaked, her face burning," I didn't know you were talking. I'm so sorry, I was daydreaming and didn't mean to ignore you!"

Tom chuckled, looking at her fondly.

"Look at you," he laughed," you've just spent the past five minutes in pain and you're apologizing for not listening! You're incredible, you know that?"

Blushing wildly, she averted her gaze to the rug, though she too felt amused with herself.

"So I was told… several times."

This time, Tom couldn't control his laughter and he let himself relax and all-out laugh. lily huffed, and crossed her arms cutely though you could see her lips tugging up. I may grow to like this guy, she thought as she watched Tom rolling on the floor.

Ten minutes later, once Tom regained an bit of self control, he grinned at her and put his arms around her again, in a fatherly way.

"Well," he said, slightly out of breath, his eyes still dancing with mirth," I was talking about how on Halloween day Voldemort came looking for the Potters with the goal to kill you." At this point, his arms around her grew tighter and he became more somber," He failed somehow when the killing curse, avada kedavra, rebounded on you, back to him. Not having enough time to dodge , it hit him on his chest and he died. That's why you're so famous in the Wizarding world, for vanquishing him and for being the Girl-Who-Lived."

Lily looked like she was in deep thought.

"but the house was hidden right?" she asked after a few minutes of silence," it would've been foolish for them to go into hiding without any semblance of protection."

Nodding, Tom brought out the other book from the one currently open (Lily noted that it was a high level spell book) and flipped to a page called the 'Fidelius Charm'. He turned it so that it faced Lily.

"This is the charm used to hide your family. It was announced by Albus Dumbledore soon after your parent's deaths. (Lily flinched here). This charm is very high leveled and only powerful witches and wizards can cast it. It also requires a secret keeper, someone who knows the exact location of the place that is hidden. It's usually a very close friend or family member."

"Then what happened?" she asked sharply, she could feel her anger rise up at the thought that someone could betray her family but she quickly kept it under a blank mask. Tom, however, looked visibly angry.

"The secret keeper for James and Lily switched sides and betrayed them by telling the information of where they were to Voldemort. That night, he attacked. And that was the night they died."

Sniffling, Lily moved closer to tom.

"What happened to the secret keeper?" she asked in a voice barely audible but was practically dripping with malice.

"He got caught," said Tom coolly," and sentenced to life sentence in Azkaban."

She stared up at him curiously.

"Azkaban?"

He looked grim as he explained," It's a place where all the prisoners go to when they're found guilty of the illegal things they've done. It's guarded by these things called Dementors that suck the happiness out of people and make them horribly depressed."

Though Lily winced at the thought, she felt a grim satisfaction knowing that he was taken care of and wouldn't be able to bother her again.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while… That is until Lily caught sight of the clock on a nearby table.

"Oh!" she gasped in surprise, seeing the time," It's late, I should go do my shopping now, I promised Mr. Paisley that I'd be outside the Leaky cauldron by five, it's now two."

Looking slightly amused at how fast time could fly, his face slightly darkened at the name 'Mr. Paisley'.

"Who is this, Mr. Paisley?" Tom asked, standing up to follow Lily who was now exiting the room.

"He's my 'adoptive' father, you could say," she said, skipping happily as she fell into step with Tom. But then she saw his slightly put out face.

"But you can be a friend if you'd like," she added.

Immediately, his face brightened.

"I'd like that," he smiled, Lily returning it sweetly.

She's so beautiful, thought Tom suddenly, but I don't have any feelings for her, either than protectiveness. Maybe this could work out after all. I've always wanted a daughter…

Snapping out of his thoughts, he gestured to Lily.

"Come on, I'll show you the entrance to Diagon Ally."

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