Disclaimer: JKR is not mine

Disclaimer: JKR is not mine !!

A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update. I'm not too sure about this chapter, so see how it goes!

Chapter 3: Diagon Alley

Lily woke weakly to the warm sunshine pouring in through the window, immersing her hair in a just-washed-and-dried glow and making her subtle freckles dance. Before getting out of bed, she remembered getting truly angered at James, for the truth he spoke.

I should say sorry to him. Lily got up and reached for her wand to put in her nightclothes' pocket. It wasn't there. Lily groped for her wand again, and finally, not finding it, Lily shakily got out of bed, feeling her naturally flat abs tighten under the pressure of collapsing again. She spotted her wand next to another wand, taller than hers.

Keen to avoid disturbing James from his deep slumber, Lily watched him carefully. His glasses were askew, and his hair was messy, splaying all over the bed. His rosy lips were open a crack, and his arm was thrust across the bed.

Grabbing her wand suddenly, Lily felt emotions barreling through her from the night before ...

James replied slower. "You know, that's not a lot ... How do you know what he does all the other times?"

Eyes blazing, hair whipping around her, freckles motionless, Lily ran at James with her wand at thrust at his throat.

For a moment, Lily's eyes flashed before her wand hand relaxed and her wand fell limply out of her hand. She fell backwards, towards the hard floor before James came out of his shocked state and caught her just before she hit the floor. He carried her with ease and put her on her bed.

Lily moaned, her eyes closed. Forgetting James was sitting beside her, she thought that it was her dad before the Voldemort days.

"Daddy, first year it was everyday. Then second year it half the time. What will it be this year, Daddy? I don't know what to do, Daddy? Please, Daddy, help me! Help me!"

James blanched as a second shock surged through his body. He softly covered her eyes and began to lull her to sleep. After about five long minutes, Lily's face had a small smile on her face. "Thank you, Daddy. Goodnight."

From just remembering the collapse, Lily shivered, shaking her head as if to clear the fogginess. Stepping on creaky wooden board, she cringed, hoping James wouldn't wake up.

Almost as if reading her thoughts, James' strong hands clasped her on both of her bony shoulders. Lily felt a strong sense of warmth surge through her body, and she stuck her head back, closing her eyes as she felt the rays of weak sunshine and James mix.

"You're already awake?" Lily asked while still keeping her eyes calmly shut.

"I don't wake up before eight in the morning ..." James said, not moving his hands from her shoulders.

Hearing the word 'morning' made Lily feel the word 'hazel'. Another surge of warmth started from her toes to the tip of her head, making her stretch her back.Lily felt his hazel eyes on her, and felt another surge of warmth start from her toes to the tip of her head.

Reluctantly, Lily opened her eyes and shook herself out of James' grasp. "Can we go down for breakfast now?"

"Not before you answer some questions." James determinedly grabbed the slim wrist trying to make its way past him. "What-"

"No!" Lily tried to struggle her way out of James' strong hold on her wrist, but with no avail. She struggled harder, remembering her swim coach's advice. Whenever you are in trouble, just think of your swim team and all the good memories it gave you. Then think of the training you put into it, and how your teammates helped you. she could hear Coach Fallon's voice in her head.

James kept a steady grip on her wrist, trying to not to hurt her nor let her get her way. "Keep still!"

Lily kept struggling against his firm grip, trying to summon all the strength she could. Glancing up at James, Lily gasped. She saw the same thing as she saw with him.

Not another Harry! Don't fall again! At this thought, Lily gave one last burst of strength to pull away from him, desperate to get away. She kicked him in the shin before he could react and quickly made her way to the door.

James felt Lily's hand slip out of his grasp and sighed, shocked. Not only was she able to get out of his grasp, but he needed to gain her trust before doing anything. "Enough is enough, Lily. I want to-"

At first, smiling with glee at escaping his grasp, Lily's smile quickly subsided. "What?"

"How did you collapse at the mention of Snape?" James tried to ask without falling in the same dilemma as last night.

"I-I-I don't know." Lily lied. Then she smirked mentally, knowing that she could act as if she was a completely different person. "Maybe I was tired from the day's activities."

--

Lily and James took off to the kitchen, feeling the hungry rumble in their stomachs.

"Oh, good morning Lily. Had a restful night, James?" Amelia sweetly asked, smiling motherly at each of them.

"Oh. Er-yes, I did, thank you." James glanced at Lily and back again at her mother.

"Ready for Diagon Alley today? I say we'd be back by 2 in the afternoon." Harold's voice rumbled across the breakfast table. "We can stop by Franchoise Restaurant for lunch, if you would like."

"Sure!" James smiled warmly at his father.

"Breakfast is served, you lot!" Amelia came into the kitchen carrying six plates in one hand, and pancakes in the other.

Seeing the pancakes on her plate, Annabel took a cautious bite and immediately dug in, basking in the syrupy taste. James and Harold, however, started digging in without a second though.

Viewing this much family-like scene, Lily felt out of the picture though she was in her own home. Her parents were lovable enough, but weren't so ... happy and cheerful. Breakfast for them, nowadays, was a quick toast before getting on with the days activities. Nevertheless, Lily tried to push these impeding thoughts to the back of her head and turn her thoughts to the waiting syruped pancakes.

--

"Ready, then?" Annabel asked James and Lily.

Money in her pocket, Lily nodded, and went out the door, ready to go by Side-Along Apparition to Diagon Alley. Truth be told, she was a bit excited and nervous at the same time. Though she wouldn't tell anyone this, of course.

"Bye, Amelia!" Harold called. "We'll be back soon, hopefully."

Annabel smiled warmly at Lily. Almost wishing Lily was her own, she said, "Grab onto my arm now, won't you Lily? We can go be Side-Along Apparition, and Harold and James will come too, though separately."

Lily obeyed Annabel's orders, closely observing her. She seemed so kind and like a second mother type of person. What she wouldn't give ...

"I'm ready." Lily suddenly said, latching herself lightly on Annabel's arm.

"Alright, here we go ...!" Annabel turned on her left foot, immediately feeling the regular compressed feeling.

Lily felt as she were being squeezed through small rubber tube. Her lungs were becoming desperate to burst, although she had been taught to hold her breath for long amounts of time in the water. Closing her eyes, shades of gray flashed through her eyes. Everything was black, and she couldn't find her way out.

And suddenly, everything was still.

"Welcome once again to Diagon Alley!" Annabel announced like a child brandishing her arms out as if she was in a dramatic play.

"Thanks for bringing me here." Lily politely said, embarrassed but all the same happy. People were moving by the shops a bit quicker than they had the years before, and kept their heads down. The children with them were squished in between the parents, eying everybody warily.

"No problem!" Annabel smiled lopsidedly. "I love having girls around. Harold and James should be here any moment now ..."

"We're here!" Harold shouted behind Annabel, making her jump in fright.

"Er-right. Let's get your materials, hmm?" Without waiting for an answer, Annabel started to walk straight ahead. "James needs new robes, do you Lily?"

"Yes, I do need new robes." Lily answered, walking in line with James. She held up her moderate-sized money bag. "But I have all my money here."

All four of them walking into Madame Malkin's, they were quickly ushered into the store, ready to be taped and measured.

"You both must be third years, am I correct?" A slightly plump grandmother-type woman smiled eye-level at James and Lily.

"Yes." James answered confidently at her, flashing her a wink.

"Aah ... Hogsmeade year! I suppose you would be taking her, yes?" Madame Malkin nodded towards Lily, her smile never wavering while sizing Lily up and measuring her.

At this, Lily blushed a furious shade of red, and started to fidget. "Erm-"

"Go to the counter dear, your new robes will be there." Madame Malkin patted Lily's shoulder, and immediately turned to measure James.

Going to the counter, Lily found her new robes with no trouble. Paying her seven Sickles, she went back to the front door, waiting for the rest of the Potter's.

"...Good luck, dear!" Madame Malkin called to James as the Potters and Lily began to walk out of the door.

"Can I have your supplies list, Lily? If you and James have the same classes, I can just get the textbooks and come back." Annabel asked, and Lily nodded mutely, handing the list over.

"...Ah yes, you just need Unfogging the Future and The Monster Book of Monsters. I'll get them now." Annabel sped away, leaving Harold and James with Lily.

"Do you need anything else, Lily?" Harold asked, craning his neck around.

"No, I'll be using the same cauldrons as last year." Lily responded, smiling back.

"Let's go to Qualilty Quidditch Supplies!" James shouted, causing other shoppers to look at him.

Lily paled a bit, fighting the urge to go with James and to stay rooted to the spot, not allowing herself the pleasure.

James noticed this and smirked. "Oh come on, don't be so hard on yourself! It's fine if you have a bit of fun!"

"Alright, then." Lily replied hotly, while Harold looked from James and Lily in amusement.

"Let's go!" James ran to Quality Quidditch Supplies, with Lily walking to the store, rolling her eyes and smiling in astonishment.

He really is - Lily didn't complete her thought, hurriedly trying to push the impeding thought away as she watched James run into the store like a child.

Lily opened the door, and rolled her eyes again at the sight. There was a new broom out, the Nimbus 500. She saw a couple of boys hovering over it, marveling at the broom's fine handiwork. Looking more into the room, she saw sets of Quidditch balls along with new Beater bats and old brooms. Then, finally at the register, there was a single book, Quidditch Through The Ages. Next to that book, of course, had piles of posters with famous Quidditch stars pictured on them. Walking up closer and rifling through the posters, Lily could see Ludo Bagman's face up close, smiling and waving up at her.

Suddenly Lily felt a finger poke her in the sides and screamed, reflexively taking out her wand.

"Relax, relax. It was only a joke." James cockily grinned, and Lily slowly put her wand back in her robes, wanting to wipe that smile off his face. "We have to go back now to eat lunch and head home."

"Okay." Lily began to walk back towards the front door, trying to ignore the murmurs and whispers beside her.

"-could have been You-Know-Who for all we knew!" An adult shook his head, furtively glancing at the passing redhead.

Lily kept her head up high, and continued walking.

"-needn't have screamed,-"

Blushing, Lily continued walking, pretending she hadn't heard a word.

"A Muggleborn, for Merlin's sake!"

Lily walked out the door, and waited for James.

"Ready?" She asked, pretending not to care about all the things people had said.

"I'm hungry. Let's go." James motioned towards an expensive looking restaurant ahead of them, where Harold and Annabel were waving.

Not waiting for James, Lily began walking towards the happy couple. She blinked and saw her parents, stern and unsmiling. Frantically blinking again, Lily saw Harold and Annabel, smiling happily with their arms around each other.

Shaking her head slightly, Lily realized that she had reached the joyous couple along with James.

"Are you hungry?" Harold asked, rubbing his belly. "Let's eat!"

The group of merry people went into the restaurant in a certain formation, while smiling about and staying merry. Harold went in the restaurant looking around, while James and Lily were in the middle side by side. Annabel rounded the group up by being at the back. Before entering the restaurant, however, Annabel looked around behind her.

Strange. Lily thought to herself as she watched Harold and Annabel take precautionary measures.

"Erm, yes. Welcome to the Franchoise Restaurant." A small, yet beefy man looked up at the group of four, holding a pile of menu's. Realizing his French was not perfect, he rushed to make it sound right. "'ow many?"

"Table for four people." Harold said clearly.

"Follow me, pleez." The man motioned towards a table outlined with gold trimming. The table itself was a soft gold-yellow, with four chairs around it. As Lily looked around the room, she saw that the room had been painted a dark shade of red.

Wow! This is beautiful! Lily thought in amazement, oddly thinking of green. She blinked, and the room color had changed to the exact shade of green she had thought of. Looking at the tables, they had also changed to complimentary colors. Amazing. Absolutely bloody amazing.

"Like it?" Annabel smiled, showing a row of beautiful pearly white teeth. "It's an Everlasting Color-Changing Charm, which lets you choose the colors and changes according to your mood. I made it a Greek white setting."

"It's ... brilliant." Lily breathed, sitting down.

The waiter cleared his throat, and looked at the four in sour amusement. "Vood you like to order now?"

"Yes." Harold answered, thumbing through the menu. "I would like the Patee Brisee Pastry Dough and water please."

At once, the man snapped and smiled devilishly, leaving gold dust between his fingers. The decorative pastry dough instantly appeared on his plate, after the same golden dust swirled around the plate.

"I would like a dish of Raclette." Annabel winked at Harold openly. "One can never eat too much cheese."

Again, the waiter snapped again, and glittering gold dust swirled to Annabel's plate, transfiguring (or so Lily thought) into cubes of melting cheese surrounded by peeled potatoes.

"And I would like the Boudin Noir." James grinned again, and ran a hand through his mussed hair.

The same procedure for Harold and Annabel happened again, only with four sausages in the center of the plate, onions creatively placed around the table, and sixteen slices of juicy-looking apple placed in the onion rings.

Lily's mouth was hanging open, and only after James discreetly nudged her did she snap to reality and close her jaw. This is my third year in Diagon Alley, and yet magic amazes me every time!

"Mademoiselle?" The waiter asked, peering through his bifocals at Lily. "Et pour vous?"

"Lily?" Annabel put a hand on Lily's pale arm, shaking her slightly. Taking all of this in, James nudged Lily again, sending a warm, tingling feeling up the right side of her hip.

"Oh! Er-yes. Sorry about that." Lily foolishly blushed, and scanned the menu before picking a random item from her menu. "Please bring me the Mont d'Or."

The man hesitated slightly before snapping his fingers and having a dish full of Mont d'Or cheese, potatoes, sausages, pickles, and cloves of garlic appear in golden dust on Lily's plate.

"Well, dig in!" Harold brightly said, gesturing towards his food.

Remembering her manners that had been pounded into her head so long ago, Lily daintily picked up her green napkin and placed it on her lap. Then, with quick nimble fingers, she picked up her fork and knife - the two utensils she could never use. Eating the cheese cubes first, Lily ate quickly while making sure she had chewed thoroughly.

"Do you like it, Lily?" Annabel asked, pointing her fork at Lily's plate in between bites.

"Of course! It's quite tasty." Lily quickly replied, making sure she had a smile on her face.

Starting then on the potatoes and sausages, Lily sloppily cut them into pieces, and ate quickly, trying to make sure she wasn't the last to finish. Harold had already finished, and Annabel and James were close to finishing. Swallowing quietly, Lily ate the pickles without making sour faces, not wanting to make the wrong appearance.

"You know, Lily." James cockily spoke loudly. "You can eat as sloppily as you want here."

"Yeah, it's true!" Annabel exclaimed, smiling devilishly. "No one will laugh at you."

At this, Lily slightly looked up, but looked down again and picked up another clove.

"Oh, come of it Lily!" James smirked. "Just eat."

"Please?" Annabel asked, smiling.

"Please?"

"Please?"

"Please?"

Without answering, Lily pretended to pick a garlic clove and eat it, tasting the bitterness without complaining.

Suddenly, James picked up a garlic clove from her plate and put it in front of her face, waggling it as he went along. Lily rolled her eyes, but ignored him. Seeing that Lily wasn't going to be easily broken, he licked the clove all over, making loud slurping noises. Then, he threw it up into the air and caught it with his mouth. Chewing loudly, James swallowed and smirked again at Lily.

Lily rolled her eyes again, amid the chuckles of the rest of the table.

"It's-okay-if-you-eat-that-way." Annabel breathed between laughs.

Taking this as a challenge, Lily picked up the last clove left on her plate and slurped her tongue around the clove dramatically, taking in the salty bitter taste of the garlic.

James and Annabel only laughed harder, clutching their sides. After a moment, Harold joined in, laughing gaily.

Not quitting, Lily put the clove in her mouth and brought it out again with two fingers. She repeated the process twice more while the Potters' were watching and laughing with amusement.

"Mmm." Lily dramatically emphasized loudly, widening her eyes and ignoring the glares of other tables. "This is just so good! I can't get enough of it!"

All of the Potters', including Lily laughed hysterically, wheezing and clutching their sides.

"A-hem." The same waiter came up to the table, tapping his foot impatiently. Lily looked up and wiped her tearing eyes, trying to control her laughter.

"How-much?" Harold wheezed at the waiter, clutching his belly.

"Four Galleons and 7 Sickles." The waiter continued tapping his foot, holding out the palm of his hand.

Immediately, Lily straightened up and reached into her money bag. There wasn't much left. Peeking into it, Lily saw with dismay that she only had one Galleon and a couple of Knuts left. Feeling quite foolish and poor for the moment, she emptied the contents and gave it to Harold.

"Here's one Galleon and 8 Knuts. Sorry I don't have more." Lily grimaced inwardly, wishing she had asked her mother for more. On the outside, she bit her lower lip and put on an apologetic face.

Lily could feel James glance momentarily at his parents and quickly away, while Harold and Annabel exchanged knowing looks.

"Nonsense!" Annabel exclaimed, not noticing the casual hand thrown by Harold around her slim waist. "Think of it as our treat. Please."

"We've had so much fun today with you." Harold added, pushing away the pale hand. "So don't worry."

Reluctantly, Lily put the money slowly back in her money bag. "Thank you. I've had a wonderful time here."

By this time, the waiter had disappeared with the money Harold handed him, and the four stood from their seats, making their way out the (in Lily's eyes) golden-trimmed French doors.

Once again, Harold discreetly took out his wand, training it outside the restaurant. Before letting James and Lily through, he looked both ways. Finally, as James and Lily went out into the slightly harried streets of Diagon Alley, Annabel rounded the group up checking in front and behind her for reasons unknown to the children.

James couldn't believe his luck, eating lunch and spending the day with Lily. So naturally, he didn't notice the crowd's loud, urgent whispers.

Lily's ears were trained on the crowd, feeling strangely of the way everyone was walking. faster than before ...

"Run!" A high-pitched woman screams, but no one notices because of the loud talk. "They're here!"

And suddenly, chaos.

Reviews are welcome!