Disclaimer: I own no one and nothing from the Harry Potter universe because that all belongs to the fantastic JK Rowling!
I would like to personally thank MorganEmma29, Nizuna Fujieda, belleslvtr1867, boblovespotter, TWHATT18, c0urtshipdating, and Stephanie for their wonderful reviews and messages! Also to Zoexclaire for giving me a new idea for a bit of the storyline! It all really means a lot to me, so thank you very, very much! And to those who have picked my story or added it to their favorites, thank you for that as well, I really appreciate it!
Please excuse any grammatical errors here, I kind of edited it in a rush!
So, here's another chapter and I hope you enjoy it!
-Yani :)
Chapter Ten
My first month and a half with Lily and her family flew, and I had to admit, living with Lily was actually very fun. We spent most of our nights talking nonsense and eating all the sweets Mrs. Evans baked for us. I even had the wonderful pleasure of meeting Vernon, Petunia's boyfriend, and boy, what an experience that was. He was slightly taller than average but by no means skyrocketing in any case, and he was rather plump and round. He was round just about everywhere, actually. And Lily's mum had been right, he was quite foul, but Petunia was positively smitten with him.
Lily and I joked that they looked like a celery stick and minced meat pie next to one another.
I had spoken to Sirius a few times after receiving my newest charm, and on July eleventh, my birthday, he sent me another one. This time it was a paw-print. The Evans family took me out to dinner for my birthday and even bought me some wonderful gifts. I found that invariably kind of them.
The rest of the Marauder's had sent me the usual sweets from the wizarding world and Charlie had sent me a book on animagi that I was eager to read, while Kendra sent me a wand cleaning kit. It was funny but I had always wanted to make my wand look cleaner than everyone else's.
So that was it. I was finally sixteen years old. In another year I would be seventeen and considered and tried as an adult in the magical world. To me that was absolutely terrifying.
A few weeks after my birthday, I had received an owl telling me that I had to go to the ministry to clean out my father's office, and although a trip to the ministry was the absolute last thing on my mind, four weeks before the new term, it seemed like it was something I just had to get over with. They had made provisions for me to go with a portkey in the mid-morning of August the third. Lily and I decided that we would go to the ministry in the morning and meet up with Charlie and Kendra that afternoon in Diagon Alley for a brief lunch and then for our back to school shopping.
That morning, I woke up to Lily jumping on my bed and sitting on top of me.
"Ugh, Lilypop! Go back to sleep!" I growled at her, trying to pull the covers back over my head, but it was no use, due to her sitting on them they wouldn't budge.
She was smiling widely. "Oh get your lazy bum up! Mum is already making breakfast and Vernon and Petunia said they had an announcement to make, they were going to but Mum and Dad told her no because you weren't down there yet! So get dressed so we can hear their news!"
I couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, alright. Get off me!"
She stood up and when I sat up, she pushed me back down and bounded out my door and down the stairs, laughing maniacally.
"Stupid arse," I grumbled, getting out of my bed.
I picked out clothes to wear to Diagon Alley and went through my morning ritual. I gave Antigone a few treats and then let her out. "You can be out all day girl, okay? I'm going to be in Diagon Alley all afternoon, so have fun today! We've got less than a month till school starts, then it's back to the owlery."
She hooted and nipped my ear, and as soon as I opened the window, she was out exceptionally quickly.
I skipped my way downstairs because I was in a fairly cheery mood and took my seat at the table next to Lily. "Where's the happy couple?"
Mr. Evans answered for Lily. "Vernon and Petunia are outside discussing something. They should be back in a few minutes."
Mrs. Evans was slaving over breakfast, making sure it was perfect like always and like every other wonderful meal in her house, and Mr. Evans looked a right mess. Actually, they both looked incredibly frazzled. Mrs. Evans' usually neat hair was pulled away from her face in a messy bun and she looked jittery while trying to make sure nothing overcooked. Mr. Evans had a massive frown line in his forehead and he tapped his fingers on the dining room table erratically.
Had I missed something this morning? I didn't even wake up late.
I looked at Lily and raised an eyebrow.
She gave a small shrug then leaned over to whisper in my ear, "they're acting very strange. I think it has to do with Petunia and Vernon, but I'm not sure."
I nodded. I suppose any parent would have had an odd reaction if their daughter said that she and her boyfriend had an announcement for them. An announcement? Holy Merlin. An announcement! I knew why the Evans' were so panicked! They were thinking that Petunia and Vernon were going to be engaged!
I clapped my hand over my mouth and looked at Lily.
It seemed as if she had come to the same realization because when my eyes met hers they widened dramatically. She clapped her hand over her mouth like I had and then both of us burst into a enormous fit of giggles.
Petunia Evans, the foulest, ugliest, rudest of the Evans family was engaged? And to Vernon Dursley, a round, sad man, the size of a Hippogriff!
Life was just too good sometimes.
"Quiet, you two! I think they're coming," Mrs. Evans whisper-yelled at us, but even she had cracked a smile while Lily and I were dying laughing.
Sure enough, Petunia and Vernon walked into where we were, hand in hand might I add, and sat down across from Lily and I.
Petunia was actually smiling, from ear to ear nonetheless! "Mummy, Daddy, we have an announcement to make." She looked at Vernon for support but he merely grunted at her.
I snorted into my juice. Way to be supportive, hubby.
Petunia scowled at me. "Anyways, Vernon and I wanted to tell you...that we're engaged!"
Lily and I burst out laughing once more and this time I just couldn't control it. I began to laugh so hard that my stomach began to hurt and I couldn't breathe. Then, my eyes started to water and that was it. I was laughing so hard that I had fallen out of my chair, which further caused me to laugh even harder. Lily was also in hysterics and she rolled on the floor next to me, clutching her stomach which was probably in as much pain as mine.
We were finally able to control ourselves and sat back up at the table, wiped our eyes, and folded our hands as if nothing happened.
"Congratulations, Tuney," Lily told her sister.
Petunia was staring at us with pure hatred in her eyes. "Thanks."
Mr. Evans was shaking his head. "Petunia, you're much too young."
She glared at her father. "Daddy, I'm eighteen! Mummy was married at nineteen, besides we'll be engaged for a year if that helps!"
"Petunia-" Mrs. Evans began but Petunia cut her off immediately.
"Mummy, please! I love him! I want this. Lily always gets what she wants, well how about you let me get what I want just this once, please," Petunia begged her mother, taking hold of her hand and her eyes fixed upon her eyes.
Mrs. Evans looked at her daughter and I don't know if it was the intense pleading look in Petunia's eyes, or the little speech she had just given, but Mrs. Evans looked at her daughter and they both nodded solemnly. "Okay."
Petunia shrieked and kissed the top of Vernon's head-who grunted like an animal once more-and then hugged her mother and father. She even hugged Lily. I just gave her a thumbs up. She then took Vernon by the hand and dragged him back outside.
Lily and I sat there, fighting our giggles, and looked at each of her parents.
"Mum, Dad, I think she does love him," Lily whispered to her parents.
I attempted to back her up. "Yes, I think so too! They're perfect for each other." I literally had to bite my tongue so that I couldn't laugh.
Mr. Evans sighed. "Elaine, I hope your right. Personally, I find the boy to be a bit-er-stout. Both physically and mentally."
Lily and I looked around at her parents again and then all four of us burst out laughing.
This was wonderful.
When it was time for Lily and I to leave for the Ministry, I was actually worried that I would miss anything entirely too exciting in the Petunia and Vernon drama. Mr. and Mrs. Evans continued to make jokes about Petunia's husband to be and I just couldn't help but laugh at how hilarious the situation was. When the portkey arrived for the Ministry, I realized that my sides were in pain from the laughter.
It was most definitely worth it though.
We arrived just outside the Ministry at just around noon. Lily and I walked in and went to the front desk where I handed in the letter I had received. I was told by the clerk there that the head of my father's department, Lysander Pipps, would be escorting me to my father's office.
Lysander Pipps was an older wizard with a very kind smile. His hair was on the long side and a very dark gray. His eyes were a warm brown and he had laugh lines permanently etched into his face. He seemed like a very charming person to be around.
"Elaine Prescott! How very nice to meet you, indeed! How are you?" He greeted me happily.
I smiled. "I'm well, sir, thank you. This is my friend Lily Evans," I replied, introducing him to Lily who was standing close by my side.
He said hello to Lily and then began to walk us towards my father's office. "Your father was a very kind man, Elaine. He spoke so very well of you. You look just like him, you know?"
I nodded. "What was he like at work, Mr. Pipps? He seemed to like it."
Mr. Pipps smiled. "Yes, your father did enjoy work very much. And everyone here adored your father. He was always happy and smiling, always in a good mood. I daresay he was the life of the party near Christmas!"
Lily and I laughed. I felt a nostalgic pang in my heart. Mr. Pipps was right, my father was always in a good mood. I think I had only ever seen him truly mad twice: once because I had purposely turned my hair blue before going to Hogwarts-a phase I have since grown out of-and the second time because I had collected near twenty detentions in fourth years, most because of Sirius might I add.
We arrived at my father's department and Mr. Pipps pointed Lily and I to my Dad's office. He said he'd be waiting in his office at the front where he would then escort us out. I stepped inside my father's office and smiled. It was exactly how I pictured it. There were moving pictures all over the place, just like my bedroom. He had a few autographs from famous Quidditch players and even a couple from former Triwizard Tournament champions. At his desk he had framed photos of me and my mother and one of all three of us.
A tear fell from the corner of my eye.
Lily hugged me from behind. "You okay?"
"I'm alright. I just-I expected it to look this, it's just so...my Dad. I love it. Too bad it will be someone else's office sometime soon," I answered her. I grabbed my bag which had an undetectable extension charm to it and began filling it with all of my father's trinkets. I packed up all of his pictures, I couldn't imagine him wanting those left behind, and then I went through the things in his desk. I couldn't help but laugh at his Chocolate Frog card collection in one of his drawers. I packed that as well.
In another one of his drawers I found a wand. I assumed it must have been a spare wand or something but I wasn't too sure. I packed it anyways. I figured if we were going to Diagon Alley I could stop by Ollivander's to ask him about it. And, I also found a photo of young woman who was waving excitedly at the camera and she was quite beautiful. I wondered who she was for a moment and figured she must have had something to do with my Dad so I packed her photo as well.
"Well," I said, looking around the now bare room. "I think that's everything."
Lily nodded and she and I said a final goodbye to my Dad's office. We found Mr. Pipps waiting outside of his office and he escorted us to the exit of the Ministry. I was relieved that he didn't attempt small talk with Lily and I because I really just wanted to have some quiet after what I had just done. I think they both understood that.
We said farewell to Mr. Pipps and began our trek to Diagon Alley, well, we were going to the Leaky Cauldron and entering Diagon Alley through the bricked wall. Lily remained quiet on our walk and I was okay with that. I knew that she was itching to ask me how I was feeling or if I was okay but she knew that I hated being asked those questions more than anything.
Lily and I arrived at the Leaky Cauldron with wide smiles on our faces. We were excited to be somewhere that was actually a fully wizarding community. Sure, the Ministry was full of witches and wizards, but nothing was like Diagon Alley before the start of the school year, filled with students of all years and their frustrated parents who wanted nothing more than for the term to start. Lily tapped on the bricks outside the inn, and it slowly turned into an archway for us to walk through. Lily grabbed my hand and we ran into Diagon Alley like some silly first years.
We first went to a small little cafe where Charlie and Kendra were already seated waiting for us. I saw Kendra first while Charlie's back was to us. I put a finger to my lips, silently asking her to not give us away, and she smiled and turned her attention back to Charlie.
I skipped over to where they were and put the handle end to the back of her head. With my best authoritative voice, I said, "Madam, you'll have to come with us. We know what you did and the dementors are waiting for you."
Charlie whipped her head around. "What in bloody-Elaine! You are a bloody cow! I was about to hex you into oblivion!" I laughed as did Lily and Kendra and hugged Charlie. We all exchanged hellos and sat down around on another. It was time for some serious catching up.
The girls and I talked about our holidays and what we had done. Charlie had traveled to the United States with her parents and said it was quite the experience, she had even kissed an American boy! Kendra, on the other hand, assured us that she had had a horrible holiday because her older brother had just moved back in with their parents after traveling for a year. Apparently he spent his entire time bothering her and turning hair a wretched color of pink.
It was awfully nice to see Charlie and Kendra, and for the four of us to be together again was even better. Although I had had a wonderful holiday at the Evans', I was more than ready to go back to Hogwarts.
After lunch, we went on to do our school supply shopping. We first stopped at Flourish and Blott's to get our books which ended up being quite the hassle due to all of the first years running around as if they had lost their heads. When one of the workers there found us, he actually thanked us. We were sixteen and had done this plenty of times, not to mention when we spoke we weren't screaming. They nearly blew my eardrums out those eleven year old's did.
Our next stop was Madam Malkin's for some new school uniforms. I had been using the same ones since my third year and they were getting quite old. Of course, now that they were old they were comfortable.
"I need a few new sweaters and long-sleeve oxfords. I have plenty of short-sleeve ones, and I have skirts, considering I loathe the pleated pants. Oh! I also need some black stockings," I said aloud to myself because none of my friends were listening because they were too wrapped up in what they needed.
I rolled my eyes and went to the back of the store where I knew I could find what I needed. What I didn't expect to find there, near one of the fitting rooms, was Sirius snogging some random girl, and he was really kissing her back furiously, arms forcefully on her, I wanted to die. I couldn't move. I was frozen completely in my place.
"Elaine! Wait up! I need a sweater too!" Lily shouted at me.
I looked over at where Sirius and the girl were and it looked like he was about to tear her head off. Then he saw me and all the color disappeared from his face.
Lily put two and two together rather quickly. "Oh no. Elaine, go, I'll get everything you need. I heard you back there. Leave me your bag. I'll meet you at Ollivander's in twenty minutes."
I turned my heel quickly and sprinted out of Madam Malkin's, whilst yelling, "you disgust me!"
"Elaine! Elaine, wait!" I heard Sirius yelling in the mixture of people outside in the street.
I couldn't look at him. If I looked at him I was going to forgive him. But where was I going to go? I couldn't just go anywhere. It was Diagon Alley, it was filled with stores and people but why did I suddenly feel very small and really lost. I was a first year all over again.
Sirius was kissing another girl. He was kissing her! I could feel tears beginning to brim my eyes as I walked around aimlessly, still not knowing where to go. I felt like such an idiot! There I was thinking maybe there was something there with Sirius, that maybe all of Lily's theories were actually right after a Summer full of letters and the fact that he had confided in me about him being an animagus. I was so stupid. He was Sirius Black. How could he like me?
In my confusion, I bumped into someone very hard. It felt like I had hit a wall. I bumped into them with such a force that I had fallen right on my bum. "Ow!" When I looked up to complain to whoever had knocked me down, I saw that I hadn't just bumped into anyone. It was Sirius.
"Elaine, are you alright? I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to fall. I just wanted to get you to stop so I could talk to you," he explained in one breath.
I said nothing for I feared that my voice would betray me.
He offered me his hand to stand up but I didn't take it. "Elaine, I know what you saw back there and it wasn't what it looked like, I swear."
I shrugged. "It doesn't matter, forget it," I managed to mumble. I brushed myself off, not looking at him because one look in his gorgeous eyes and I was a goner.
He stepped forward. "Elaine, come on. Let me explain."
I shook my head. "There's nothing to explain."
He grabbed my hand in his and held it tightly. "Look at me, please."
I bit my lip and shook my head again.
"Look at me, Elaine," he said more urgently.
I bit my lip and looked up at him through my eyelashes. He was just as beautiful as I remembered. His hair had fallen around his face, and his eyes were wider than normal, as if he was scared. His skin was flushed from having chased me around Diagon Alley and his mouth was set in a hard line.
"Thank you. Now, will you sit with me over there?" He asked, pointing over towards a bench beneath a large tree at the end of the alley.
I gulped. "Okay."
He held firmly on to my hand and walked me over to the bench. We sat down and he didn't let go. He noticed my charm bracelet and began to turn it around my wrist, finally stopping at the three charms and inspecting each one of them. "So, are you going to let me talk?"
I sighed. "There's nothing to say, Black. You were snogging that girl that's it. You've got yourself a new girlfriend like always so that's that."
He waited patiently for me to finish. "Don't call me Black. You only use that when we're either fighting or flirting of some sort. Don't go using it to be defensive, alright?"
Did he just say we flirted? "Fine, Sirius."
He rolled his eyes. "Anyways, what you walked in on wasn't what it looked like at all. Elaine, that's one of the girls from school that's obsessed with me. Her name is Selena something or other, I don't know. She saw me buying my school clothes and cornered me. She then put a silencing spell on me, not a very good one might I add considering I'm talking right now, and she attacked me! I was pushing her off when you came in. I don't have a new girlfriend."
She was kissing him? He didn't like her? That wasn't his new girlfriend? The wave of relief that over came me was extremely calming. I could feel myself relaxing all over and then I couldn't help but laugh. I was so ridiculous.
Sirius groaned. "You're impossible!"
I fought off the last fit of laughter and smiled at him. "I'm sorry I was so quick to judge you."
He shrugged. "It's fine. I was worried that you weren't going to let me explain."
I chewed on the inside of my cheek. "I wasn't going to let you, but then you rammed into me."
He smirked. "Are you in pain? Should I be worried about a possible wizarding law suit?"
I grinned. "Lets just say I'd watch my back if I were you, Black."
"You're insane. May I say though, Prescott, Summer was very kind to you like always. You're filling out in wonderful places," he said and winked.
I blushed. "Arse."
"Yours is lovely."
I rolled my eyes.
"The charm bracelet is coming along nicely," he pointed out, playing with the charms.
"Yes it is, but Sirius, you have got to stop spending money on me," I told him.
He waved a hand at me. "Don't be such a worry-wart."
I grabbed his other hand and relished in the warmth of them. His hands were large and rough and they easily engulfed mine. I brought one to my eyes and examined it. His nails were trimmed short and very clean for a boy. I saw that he had dark freckle on his pinky and another in the crease between his thumb and his pointer finger.
He put his other hand to my cheek and smiled when I closed my eyes. "Can I ask you something?"
"Anything."
"Why were you upset that I was kissing someone else?" His voice was barely a whisper and very soft, it made me shiver.
I was so scared to give him the answer, but nevertheless, here was my opportunity. "Sirius, the truth is-"
"Elaine! There you are! I was worried. You were supposed to meet us at Ollivander's," Lily shouted at me and came running over to where Sirius and I were.
We dropped each other's hands and I stood.
She looked at Sirius sheepishly. "Hello, Sirius."
"Evans, nice to see you. I'm sure James will be happy to know you're here. He's looking at brooms currently," Sirius told her.
She gagged.
I laughed and looked at Sirius. "I'll see you on the first, alright?"
He nodded and pulled me in for a quick hug. "I'll see you then. And I still want that answer. I'll just spring it on you when you're least expecting it."
I rolled my eyes. "Puh-lease!"
Lily pulled me alongside her as I waved goodbye to Sirius. Leave it to Lily to interrupt me telling him how I really felt.
"What happened?" She asked as soon as we were out of sight of him.
I explained to her, and to Charlie and Kendra who had joined us, what Sirius told me and what he had said about us flirting. I also told them that I was about to confess myself to him when Lily had come running over.
She blushed. "Why is it always me that interrupts you two?"
I laughed and hugged her.
Ollivander's was packed but I was lucky enough to be recognized by him. "Ms. Prescott, how are you? I heard about your parents, a pity indeed." Mr. Ollivander was ancient, with unruly white hair, and bright blue eyes.
I gave a polite smile. "I'm fine, sir. I wanted to ask you about this, though." I gave him my Dad's spare wand and he put it to his ear.
"Thirteen and three quarter inches. Holly. Dragon heartstring. Very powerful. This was your father's spare wand, Ms. Prescott. It was a replica of his own that he had me create. Very good for defensive spells," Mr. Ollivander told me.
I nodded. "Is it safe for me to use, sir? To keep as my own spare?"
He put it to his ear once more. "Yes, I believe it's loyalty now lies with you."
I thanked him and ran off to Lily and Charlie and Kendra. Charlie and Kendra walked us back to the Leaky Cauldron entrance and said their goodbyes to us with promises to be seeing each other very soon on Platform Nine and Three Quarters.
Lily and I had arranged for another portkey to take us back to the Evans' at exactly five in the afternoon, and we were lucky to have met it just in time in the Leaky Cauldron's yard. We arrived at the Evans' and I felt exhausted. We had had quite the day.
We said quick hellos to Mr. and Mrs. Evans and then ran upstairs to shower and relax. I couldn't help but think of Sirius. He was the only thing on my mind.
"Hey, Lilypop?" I called from my room.
She skipped over and sat down on my bed. "Yes?"
"Do you really think Sirius likes me?"
She rolled her eyes. "Yes, I do, Elaine. If he's not bloody in love with you than Vernon Dursely is actually a prince. Besides, he was snogging that girl and when he saw you he freaked out! And then went to explain to you what happened. You should have seen Selena! Poor girl was sobbing hysterically."
I laughed. "That doesn't really bother me in the slightest. I really like him, Lily."
She smiled. "I know you do. This is your year, Elaine, make it happen."
I frowned at her. "Well I did try today."
She hit me with one of her pillows. "I apologized!"
I hit her back. "It's okay, it was a joke!"
She rolled her eyes and left to go back to her room, but before leaving completely, she turned around to look at me and said, "you and him are actually quite perfect for each other, really. No one could put up with either of you two!"
I tossed the pillow at her and she went off to her room, laughing. In a way, I hoped she was right. I didn't want anyone else and I certainly didn't want to see him with anyone other than me.