Chapter 3: Diagon Alley with the Enemy

Hey so I updated lol. Hahaha I love writing this and I have it all planned out and there's a lot more later on that I want to get to and it's just hard because I hardly have time to begin with. Argh. Sorry. And I apologize in advance if the editing sucks or something, it's honestly an outrageous hour right now. And sleep is calling to me.

DISCLAIMER: not Rowling sorry.

James Potter

Oi, mate. Instead of Diagon Alley with just us guys this year, the Marauderettes are coming. And we,

unfortunately, are in no position to disagree. Remember, that Quidditch game we lost? So did they. And

they've got footage. Let's call it blackmail. As of right now (as I am writing this) Prewett is standing over

my shoulder watching me, suspicious bird she is. So we will come by your house last, mainly because it's

closer to the Alley. Oh and I attached a picture of Evans and I goofing around. Show it to your parents. I

want to know their reaction to moving pictures. And tell them that Evans is my girlfriend. Just to make it

interesting. We will be at your house tomorrow, noonish.

Your only awesome friend.

The Sirius Black

I rolled my eyes at the letter. As I threw it on my dresser top and took a look at the picture of Evans and

him. They were smiling and twirling and looking like they were having fun. My stomach flopped and I

winced at it. I'm fine, it's all good. They are just faking it.

Tell them that Evans is my girlfriend...

It's all good. Sirius must have a better taste. It's just a joke.

I smiled a bit and ran downstairs.

"Mum, Sirius sent me a letter with a picture of him and his girlfriend!" I called out as I jogged into the kitchen.

"Oh! Let me see the poor girl! What did he do? Bribe her?" My mum asked snatching the picture from my hands. "And it moves too! Oh this is just brilliant! She is so pretty! It's no wonder Sirius fancies her!"

I forced a smile and nodded. It's just a joke. I don't even care. Why would I? I hate her. I don't talk to her.

"Is she like you guys?" Mum looked at me.

"Yes, she's a witch."

"What's her name?"

"Ev - Lily."

"Why does her name sound familiar? Have you boys mentioned her before?"

"No Mum." Not Lily. We've only talked about Evans. How self-centred, rude, inconsiderate, and annoying

she can be. Not a sweet, pretty, poor girl that must have been bribed to go out with Sirius. "And tomorrow

I'm going to Diagon Alley with my mates and some... girls." I couldn't really call them Marauderettes. Not

now. Mum knows about Evans.

"Oh? Which girls? Are you dating any of them?" My mum raised an eyebrow.

"No. It's Lily, Marlene, Mary and Alice." She wouldn't have any idea who they really are because I stick to

last names when complaining.

"Do you fancy any of them?"

"No, mum." I hate one, and sometimes tolerate the other three.

"Shame."

"Yes, a real big problem. What's for dinner?"

11:56. I sat in my living room watching the clock and the fireplace. Sirius had some serious explaining to

do. I wasn't actually excited. I didn't know what I was supposed to wear, if I should wear some robes like I

was sure Evans and McKinnon would or if I should wear muggle clothes like I normally do.

I wore jeans. Better to look like a muggle than Evans. Why would he even invite them anyway? It's August

31! My last day of freedom until I'm stuck in the same blasted Commons room with them for another 10

months.

I rolled my Head Boy badge around in my hand. Glancing at the clock again: 11:58. There's a chance they

will forget. Go without me. That might be better.

Mum sat down beside me. "It's your last year."

I looked at her. "Yeah."

"Will you ever come back? Or just move on? Find a pretty, sweet little witch?" She whispered.

"Mum. Course I will come back!" I need to protect you from dark magic.

"I just wasn't sure, since Sirius seems to be settling down." She seemed to be on the verge of tears. "I

feel bad wanting him to leave! He's not coming back now that he has that pretty red-head!"

"Mum! It's fine he's coming today! Any minute now!" I turned back to the clock. 12:01.

Come on Sirius!

Whoosh. "Blimey, that hurt." I looked down to see Sirius groaning.

"See, look Mum!" I pointed at him. "I told you he'd come."

"What did I do?" Sirius' looked between Mum and I as she got up to give him a hug and say something

probably apologizing or something.

"Ever since I told her that you got a girlfriend, she's been fretting." I glared.

"Oh." He smiled. Wait, why did he smile? Shouldn't he be telling her that it's just a joke?

Whoosh. Remus and then Peter were on the floor shaking themselves off.

"Good afternoon Mrs. Potter!" Remus announced giving her a hug. Peter grinned.

Whoosh. Marlene, then Alice, then Mary and then Lily all appeared and dusted themselves off introducing

themselves.

"Lily! Darling I've heard all about you!" Mum gushed and Evans winced. Did she think it was all the bad

stuff? "You being Sirius' girlfriend and all and you are much prettier than you looked in that picture! You

make sure he treats you well!" Lily nodded.

Marlene, Mary and Peter looked confused. I guess they weren't in on the prank. I waited for Evans to tell

my Mum that it was indeed a prank... It never came.

"We will make. Sure to bring James home at a decent hour, Mrs. Potter." Lily said sugary sweetly and

flashed a smile, that made me wince a bit. She was a good actress.

"Darling, I trust you and long as you're there keeping the boys in line." Mum smiled back. Evans had my

Mum wrapped around her finger... This isn't good.

"We better go," I rushed, "we don't want to run out of shopping time."

"Are you sure you are going dressed like that?" Mum interrupted.

"Yeah, Mum." I glanced at my friends and for the first time noticed that they were all wearing fancy,

expensive clothing. I frowned slightly. I don't need nice fancy clothes. A t-shirt and pair of jeans are all I

need. Evans was extraordinarily overdressed. She wore completely designer clothing, mainly black and

leather with a frilled top. She did look pretty decent. I ushered them back to the fireplace and one by one

we began to Floo to Diagon Alley.

Diagon Alley is one of my favourite magic places. The shops sold just about anything a muggleborn wizard

could dream of. From broomsticks to owls to wands and robes. The first time I visited I had wished I had

eight more pairs of eyes. It still doesn't cease to blow my mind. Of course it is hidden from Muggles. Lily

and Marlene walked past Flourish and Blotts without a second glance. I hesitated because it was one of my

personal favourites store wise. "Sirius where are we going?" I called to my mate.

"Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour," he turned his head back to me, "we are going to figure out how to

best split up." I nodded, it made sense. I have no need to go to a Quidditch equipment store and Lily

probably can't read... so it would make no sense if we spent twice the amount of time shopping instead of

pretending to like each other seeing as we are somehow friends. According to Mum at least, I still can't

stand Evans.

When we reached Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour my jaw dropped there were witches and wizards

everywhere, it was a popular place on a warm August afternoon.

"Now what?" Remus asked, "there's no way there will be room for eight of us."

"Unless we want to wait around for fifteen bajillion hours." Peter said sighing.

"Well..." Mary looked over to Lily and Marlene and Sirius.

"No." Evans said glaring. "That's not fair."

"What?" I whispered at Alice.

"She wants Sharp-ears to use her family name to butt us in front of the line and get us a table." She

whispered back.

"Well that's a brilliant idea! I'm dying for ice cream!" I whisper shouted.

"Not for Lily, she believes it's abusing her family name."

"She does it enough already, it won't kill her to do it a bit more." I argued.

"She said no." Alice replied with finality. I shrugged. I guess it was one thing to flaunt in front of

classmates and another to flaunt in front of the whole wizarding world.

"Marlene? Please?" Mary looked over and grabbed Peter's hand (which he turned beet red at), "look, Peter

is going to fade away if you don't get him his ice cream fix." She called out dramatically waving Peter's

arm with hers.

"Yes! Oh, oh! The light is fading! James, mate, remember to enjoy that ice cream if I don't make it! Do it

for me!" Peter cried out slowly dropping to his knees.

Evans didn't look impressed, which meant I had to play along, "Merlin, anything for you! But seeing as the

line hasn't moved in forever, we might have to rely on Remus to enjoy his ice cream for the both of us!"

"Fine! I'll cheat. But you owe me." Marlene snapped, "blast, shut up before I hex you into smithereens!"

Peter jumped back up and gave a whoop. As she held her wand up and started pushing through the crowd

yelling, "Make way, watch your step! Mckinnion coming through! Daughter of the successful and rich Auror

Mckinnion!" She cleared a path to the front counter and got us a table and our ice cream. She grumbled

and sat down glaring at us, "I expect a ton of decent presents for my birthday."

Alice grinned and continue licking her ice cream winking at Marlene. "Patches you have done well."

Remus laughed and did the same. "Now who's shopping where?" He asked with a mouthful of ice cream.

His was mint flavoured.

"I need to go to Quality Quidditch Supplies and Gambol and Japes." Lily stated.

"Blimey, Lil I'm definitely going with you if you come to Sugarplum's and Broomstix also!" Sirius chirped

clapping his hands when Lily nodded.

"I'm going back to Flourish and Blott's." Alice announced looking at me.

"I'm coming with you." Was the automatic reply.

"Make that three." Remus spoke up. "Should we just buy everyone's textbooks while we are there?"

"Yes, please!" Mary said looking relieved and she handed over a handful of galleons. Peter did as well.

"Pete and I are going to Malkin's we both need new robes."

"Well that leaves me..." Marlene looked around. "I'll go with Sharp-ears. I could use a new broom." I

shook my head. She already has a Nimbus 150. I don't think they get much better... Unless the Nimbus

160 is already out. That could be a possibility.

We separated ways as we left the parlour. I couldn't help but look back at Lily and Sirius laughing away

with one another. My gut twisted and suddenly eating all that ice cream didn't seem like a good idea. I

shook my head and turned back to Remus and Alice who were discussing which book (if in the hands of

Muggles) would be turned into a movie.

"I think the Tales of Beetle and Bard would be good. It would be like another one of those American

Disney movies. But better." Remus said.

"No. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is more likely." Alice replied.

"Why?" Remus questioned.

"Because it is informative, interesting and could easily be considered as a work of fiction where the Tales

of Beetle and Bard everyone would be like what is this? It's like that storybook that no one read to me

while growing up. It's not nearly as practical."

"I have to agree with Alice, mate." I said.

Remus growled, "James!"

"Sorry, mate. Being Muggleborn myself I totally understand what Alice is saying." I shrugged.

"Whatever. One of these days a muggle will get ahold of both of them and then we will see that I was right

all along."

"Keep telling yourself that. I'm going to go get the Charms and Potion textbooks." Alice said turning into a

isle of the the bookstore. "Remember only Pointedtooth, Peter, and us three need textbooks." Because

everyone else had special edition copies. Courtesy of their parents.

"I'll get Transfiguration and Defence Against the Dark Arts textbooks," I headed down the isle.

"That leaves me with Herbology and History of Magic," Remus made a face and kept walking.

My eyes gazed upon the titles, furiously scanning the shelves. Wizarding books have always been my

favourite. The Monster Book of Monsters were in an iron cage, and one snapped at me as I passed. The

shelves are tall as the eye could see, and every shape and size too. Death omens, trickery, jinxes, flying,

invisibility. You name if Flourish and Blotts have it.

"You coming?" A voice spoke up from behind me.

I turned to see Alice grinning at me, "Do I have to?"

"Unfortunately yes, it's almost time for us to meet up with everyone."

"Merlin, fine." I stood up and grabbed the textbooks I was supposed to find. And followed Alice to the

front.

We paid for the books and joined Remus outside to walk to the Leaky Cauldron. I wasn't paying much

attention. The sky was blue and the sun was bright, I didn't want to go back to school, not just yet. I

spotted Evans and Mckinnion right away, as they were hovering above everyone by about three feet. On

new shiny brooms. Which was completely normal.

"Ho! Howler! Look what we got!" Marlene cried out and waved frantically.

Alice's eyes had widened, "but that's not possible! Those don't come out for another two months!"

My eyes narrowed and I adjusted my glasses to read the fine print. Nimbus 160. Who guessed it? "I know

right! Isn't it just brilliant?" Sirius whooped running over to us. "The manager recognized Lily and he gave

them his prototypes. They were supposed to be for promoting, but I guess he realized that the two best

flyers of Hogwarts would promote them much better than he would and gave the for half price!" Sirius

practically squealed like a little girl.

"I thought you needed a broom?" I asked Sirius.

"I do, Lily bought me the one she's riding." He nodded watching them to loop-de-loops and barrel-rolls in the air.

"What?" Why would she do that?

"Yeah, the manager would only give them to us if Lily bought them so she did and said she would give it to

me if she could have the first spin." Sirius explained.

"No bloody way! Is she stupid?"

"No, she just has her favourite broom that she would never give up, hell I think she sleeps with it."

"But she would just give you a freaking broom that, even at half price, would cost three times as much as

my freaking house (Sirius winced at that) because she has one that she coddles with at night?" I shook

my head in disbelief.

"Well, blimey, yeah. Why can't you get it through your thick skull that she does have a soul?" Sirius looked

at me.

I had no answer for that. In my mind, Evans has always been this enemy that I must prove is no match

for me. She's this bully who doesn't know when to stop and she certainly doesn't care that the rest of us

aren't nearly as well prepared for as she is, not all of us get waited on all the freaking time.

"Sirius!" Evans called out doing one last spin and then landing gracefully into a light jog to catch us. "Help

us win the Cup one last time." She winked. "It's a pretty fine broom, if I do say so myself."

"Not quite like yours," Sirius winked back (I shuddered).

"Nothing can quite compare to my brilliant piece of wood." Her hand flew to her hair and she ran it

through the red mess.

"Of course not."

"Drinks are on me," she said and walked into Leaky Cauldron with Marlene and Mary.

Sirius turned back to me, "I really don't see your problem. Yeah she makes fun of everyone, but I do to

and you don't royally hate my guts."

"She just drives me crazy!" I snapped, "Although, free drinks are my cup of tea."

"More like, Butterbeer or Firewhiskey."

"Let's go with Butterbeer."

Love it, hate it, think its OOC, (it should be a bit considering I flipped their lives upside down but..) so I continue? Or give up on it? Leave a review or pm me I might get back to you within six months ;)

until next time,

the oblivious nerd