(( I'm really happy to know that people were unnerved by Alex Gunner's "nice" attitude towards Lilia ;) It's good to know my readers realize he's obviously got something up his sleeve :P And nit something nice either _ shame shame… ANYWHOOOO I'm also really glad you all appreciate the balance of happiness Dawn's family brings into Lilia's troubled and melancholy life *nod nod* J I'm really glad you all like it, AND I'm SOOOO happy to know I've already had two people sit down and read my story in one go cause they thought it was so good! I don't think I can possibly get a better review :D I was so thrilled to know that! Haha :D Anywho :P Here is chapter 26! I hope you enjoy it ^^

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the related works L If I did, I wouldn't be sobbing everyday over how I do not own Severus Snape TT_TT How disappointing to wake up to the fact every morning… LOL jk :P My imagination couldn't come up with such a spectacular character on its own xD ))

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"Cimbeline wrote!" Declan called out into the household that following morning.

In a moment, a flash of crimson waves darted through the kitchen and danced around the table. "A letter!" Dawn cried out and grinned.

"Ew, did you brush your teeth this morning?" Felix asked, waving his hand in front of his nose with a sour expression.

Dawn rolled her eyes. "I so did," she said.

"Well your breath smells terrible," Felix smirked.

Dawn pranced over and breathed heartily into Felix's face, making him laugh.

Lilia stepped into the kitchen a few moments after, having walked instead of run like Dawn did down the stairs for breakfast.

It had been a day only, and already Lilia felt she had enough views on a real family to last her a lifetime. She felt so incredibly… good, with the Pyrites.

"I think Dawn should cook breakfast for us all this morning," Felix said, leaning back in his chair and smirked at his little sister.

She batted her eyelashes back at him with a charming smile. "Really? Are you sure about that? You aren't concerned I'll drop some poison into your breakfast?" she said sweetly.

Felix grinned. "Yea, alright. I think someone else should cook. I don't trust Dawn with my food," he laughed.

Lilia smiled faintly and sat down at one of the empty seats at the table while Dawn slid into the chair next to her, reading the letter.

"Ohhhh, it seems out dear Cimby has gotten herself a boyfriend where she lives too," Dawn grinned. "Honestly, I would have thought I would get one before any of you," she laughed turning to Lilia with a smirk.

"Merlin's beard. I pity the poor chap who's going to get stuck with you, Dawn," Felix smirked, standing up from his seat to get something to eat.

Tamora came into the kitchen in a silky black house robe, her fine mousy brown hair tied up into a loose bun that morning. "Be nice, Felix. I was surprised someone like Mary-Emma could even put up with you," she giggled.

Felix brought a hand to his chest and sighed. "You hurt me mum, really," he chuckled, giving her a kiss on the cheek and picked up an apple. "You ready for work yet, dad?" he asked, looking at Declan expectantly.

Declan nodded, just finishing his breakfast up and then stood.

Tamora shook her head and smiled, waving her wand to bring his dirty dishes to the sink so they could wash themselves. "Have a good day at work, dear," she said, kissing Declan quickly on the lips while he pulled on a light jacket, going into the living room.

Lilia raised a brow and looked over at the two as they went to the fireplace. She watched as Felix grabbed some powder, stepped into the fireplace and disappeared. Soon after, Declan did the same thing, disappearing in a similar green burst of flame.

"Uh… Dawn? What just happened?" she asked, tugging on her friends arm, pointing as her father disappeared in another green burst of flame.

Dawn looked at the fire mantle, then at Lilia. "You've never heard of Floo powder?" she asked, looking at Lilia with a slight frown.

Lilia looked at Dawn in confusion. "Floo powder? What the devil is Floo powder?" she asked, looking at the already dying little fire in the mantle.

Dawn stared blankly at Lilia and then laughed, turning into the kitchen. "Mum! Lilia's never used Floo powder before. Can I take her through the fireplace later and show her?" she asked.

"Not on your own. You're still only fourteen," she reprimanded.

"Only for another few days," she clarified.

Lilia looked up at Dawn. "Your birthday is in a few days?" she asked.

Dawn grinned and nodded. "Yea. I turn fifteen. Only two more years then I can use magic whenever I want to," she grinned, clearly eager for this opportunity.

Lilia nodded. "Oh," she said.

Tamora brought two plates of breakfast to the table and sat down on the other side, looking at Lilia. "Something wrong, dear?" she asked.

"I don't have any money to buy Dawn and birthday present," she said, unsure of what Dawn would even like for her birthday.

"I know what you can give me for my birthday," Dawn grinned mischievously.

Lilia raised a brow. "What?" she asked.

"A name. Specifically, the name of this secret boyfriend you refuse to tell me anything about," she laughed.

Lilia rolled her eyes. "Okay, anything BUT that," she said.

Tamora chuckled at her daughters disappointed expression.

"Oh, right," Dawn said and turned to lok at Lilia as she ate her breakfast. "Floo powder. It's what a lot of wizards use to travel," she explained. "Rather than use a slow car or ride on a broomstick for so long it gets stuck up our ass," she said, interrupted by someone clearing their throat and a look from her mother to watch her language, "It's more convenient and way faster," she said with a grin. "Dad and Felix always use it to get to work on time, and sometimes me and mum use it to go other places during the summer or when I come home for the Christmas holidays," she said.

Lilia nodded. "So… it doesn't burn you, does it?" she asked.

Tamora giggled and shook her head. 'No, dear. It's perfectly harmless if you enunciate properly," she assured her.

Lilia looked at her and blinked. "And what happens if I don't?" she asked.

"You die," Dawn said flatly.

Lilia looked at Dawn with slight shock in her widened eyes.

Tamora looked at Dawn and frowned.

"Joking!" she laughed, grinning at Lilia. "You don't get hurt by it. You just might get lost in the Floo Network itself. In other words, you may end up somewhere else if you don't clearly say where you want to go," she shrugged. "But don't worry. Usually you don't go too far anyways if you stray off the original path," she chuckled.

Lilia frowned. "So, I just have to speak clearly and the flames do the rest of the work?" she asked.

Tamora nodded. "Essentially, yes," she said. "Don't worry though, this afternoon how about we all go out for lunch, then spend the day showing you around the wizarding community?" she suggested.

Dawn nodded. "She needs to see how us wizards live," she agreed.

Lilia shrugged and then nodded. "I suppose that sounds nice. I would love to come along," she said.

Tamora beamed. 'Then it's settled then. A luncheon out and then some shopping. Just us women," she grinned.

Dawn laughed, shaking her head at her mother's eager attitude.

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"So, how was it?" Dawn asked as she, Lilia and her mother, Tamora stepped out of the fire place and out of the small shop into the main square of Godric's Hollow.

"Uh… weird. Definitely weird," she nodded, glancing at Dawn as they walked down the streets amongst muggles and wizards. "So where are we going first?" she asked.

Dawn beamed. "We're going to the pub just a little ways from here to get something to eat, and then we'll start shopping in the little stores here. As much as I hate Gryffindors and the fact that this place is named after Godric, the stores here have some of the cutest clothes I could ever dream of," she admitted reluctantly.

Tamora chuckled. "Hush, just enjoy the trip," she said, walking with them into a quaint little pub, asking for something to eat, then taking their little bits of food out to the street, walking and eating at the same time.

"So, what sort of clothes do you plan on wearing for the summer?" Dawn asked Lilia, looking at her as she finished off her food quickly.

Lilia thought about it and shrugged. "I… I never really paid attention to what I like. I just wore whatever was there," she said honestly.

Dawn frowned. "Well, that would explain your dreadful sense of style," she admitted.

Tamora frowned, whacking Dawn upside the head. "Dawn! Manners," she said.

Dawn rubbed the back of her head and grinned. "Sorry, I don't think before I speak obviously," she said.

Lilia shook her head. "It's fine. Now that I think about it, I suppose the clothes I wear ARE dreadful," she nodded.

"Aha! See!" Dawn said, pointing at Lilia. "She agrees," she told her mother.

"You still need to mind your manners young lady," Tamora said.

Dawn sighed and shrugged, giving in and agreeing to that too.

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"It looks good," Lilia nodded, looking up at Dawn on the stepping stool as she posed in her new summer dress which was fashioned from the finest white silk with fine black lace detailing. "It really suits you," she said.

Dawn spun around in it and looked in the mirror. "You think so?" she asked.

Lilia nodded.

Tamora nodded as well, walking over and inspecting it for any fraying edges or messed up stitching. "It seems to be in very good shape as well," she said, looking at the price tag which made Lilia's jaw drop the first time she saw it, leading to her deciding to sit this store out. "You want it?" she asked.

Dawn nodded. "Yes. I love it," she said, hopping down and then grinned at Lilia. "Now your turn," she said.

Lilia looked up at her wide eyed and then shook her head. "Oh no. I couldn't possibly afford any of these dresses," she said, raising her hand to finish before Dawn cut in. "Even if you pay for it now I don't know if I could ever pay you back anytime soon," she said honestly.

Dawn huffed and crossed her arms. "Let me buy one for you then," she said. "I want you to get some new clothes and trust me, I have enough money to buy you a few nice pieces," she insisted.

Lilia sighed. "But…"

"No buts," she said and walked over, tugging Lilia's gently, making her stand and brought her to a rack of nice dresses. "Pick something and DON'T look at the price tags for the cheapest one," she said.

Lilia looked at Dawn wearily and then sighed, looking at the rack and began looking, Dawn smiling from ear to ear as Lilia did so.

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"You have to get it," Dawn said, looking at the adorable little dress Lilia had picked out. It was a soft fabric in a deep blue, almost black, with thin straps over the shoulders, straight cut top and then tiny sweet buttons all the way down the front, ending just above Lilia's knees along with the dress. "It suits you so well!" she said, "Please let me buy it for you," she insisted.

Lilia looked in the mirror and sighed, feeling like this was some bizarre dream to actually be getting a new dress especially to wear when she wanted to. "Are you sure?" she asked uncertainly.

Tamora smiled. "You should," she nodded. "Besides, this boy you're going out with, I'm sure he would love to see you in a dress," she nodded.

"I think you would have a hard time keeping him off you if you wore that in front of him," Dawn commented.

Tamora rolled her eyes at her daughters sexual thoughts.

Lilia almost smiled at Dawn's comment, wondering how Snape would react if he ever saw her in a sweet little summer dress. The thought sent goose bumps up her arms and she rubbed them away, then looked over at Dawn and Tamora. "I really do like it," she admitted and smiled a little.

Dawn smirked. "It's settled then, I'm buying you this dress," she said.

Tamora shook her head. "Then I want to buy you something too," she told Lilia. "It wouldn't be fair to buy you just this dress and nothing else," she admitted.

Lilia felt a little overwhelmed as she was taken out of the dress, put into her clothes and searched for more clothing in the store as well as others, forgetting for that day or at least those few hours about how horrid it would be to have to go back home.

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Dawn and Lilia stumbled out of the fireplace back into the house, Dawn laughing in delight as she twirled, her multiple bags in hand, while Lilia had to smile at her friend.

"Did you have fun?" Dawn asked Lilia, setting her bags down by the chair.

Lilia smiled a little more and nodded. "Thank you for the things you and your mom bought for me," she said. She looked down at her three bags, not filled with much, but with such nice new pieces Lilia felt like the richest girl in the world for the time being. She couldn't wait to wear the clothing she'd gotten that day.

Tamora stepped through the fireplace a moment later and smiled, putting out the fire. "Anyone hungry?" she asked.

Lilia nodded along with Dawn.

She smiled and nodded, headed into the kitchen to prepare dinner, when Lilia gasped and stopped her. "Let me do it," she said.

Tamora looked surprised at this.

"I mean, it's really the least I can do for you all letting me stay here a while and buying me so much today," she nodded, feeling really awkward doing something willingly for someone else' but she felt she had to. The Pyrites were such incredible people in her opinion, and they'd given her so much already in the last two days that literally cooking dinner for the family really was the least Lilia could do for them.

Tamora smiled then, seeing what Lilia meant by it and patted her head, the small motherly gesture nearly bringing tears to Lilia's eyes. "Alright, dear," she said and smiled. "After all, I am curious how muggle food does taste, prepared by someone who know how to do it properly," she sighed, Dawn giggling at that.

When Tamora smiled and stepped away, Dawn came up and stood beside Lilia, watching her mother go up the stairs to change into more comfortable clothes. She then smiled in a relaxed way and looked at Lilia. "You know, you're more than welcome to come here again if you want to," she said.

Lilia looked at Dawn quietly and then smiled back weakly. "If I ever can, I look forward to it," she nodded.

Dawn grinned and hugged Lilia tightly then, laughing when she pulled away and saw the uncertain look on Lilia's face. "Goodness, you can relax when someone hugs you," she assured her and laughed, taking her hand. "Come on, I want to watch how you make a muggle dinner," she said, brining Lilia to the pantry for food to pick from.

Lilia rolled her eyes but smiled a little as she was dragged into the store room by her friend, rather enjoying the day so far.

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(( Yay! ^^ Such an oddly happy and normal day for Lilia nee? J I wanted Lilia to experience for once that normalcy of just going out with a friend and shopping :D I thought it would be cute, to show how Unaccustomed she is to that sort of thing so I hope I got that feeling across well enough xD Anywho! Review and comment please :D I love hearing from you all! ^w^ ))