Chapter 18: Diagon Alley
I own nothing, as usual :(
"You're a freak, Lily." Petunia whispered as she followed Lily, her arms folded across her chest defensively. "Who else stands at a brick wall and say's they're going shopping for school supplies?"
Lily sighed and looked up at her mom who nodded and silently told her to ignore Petunia through her eyes. "Petunia honey please be quiet. Lily knows what she's doing." Her mother looked down and beamed at Lily. "Go ahead Lily."
Lily smiled and tapped her wand gently on the brick wall. As soon as it made contact with her wand the bricks started moving until there was a large enough space for Petunia and her mom to see.
"Oh." Amanda Evans breathed as the bricks finished parting. She looked at Lily for approval before stepping into the dingy alley. Lily smiled at the familiar darkness of the alley, the small dingy street cart that was there even the summer before, the smell of fried oil and cinnamon. Petunia laughed looking at the dead place. "This is where you get your school supplies? Fit for a freak indeed."
"It's right through here mum." Lily explained patiently pointing out The Leaky Cauldron. She remembered the exact day when Professor McGonagall had taken her on the tour. She had been so fascinated that day that she hadn't properly taken a look at everything-like how right next to the Leaky Cauldron was a small tea shop, and a small newspaper stand for The Daily Prophet. Lily made sure to pick one up as she stepped in.
"Hi Tom." She greeted the innkeeper warmly as he passed by carrying a levitated tray of tea and scones. She heard a small gasp escape from Petunia. "This is my mom and sister."
"Nice to meet you." Tom bowed at them, the tea and scones bowing with him. "Welcome. Alley's that way m'dear."
"Thank you." Lily grinned and skipped to the door that he had pointed out. With a heavy heave of the bulky oak doors she stepped out into Diagon Alley. Amanda Evans smiled as she marveled and took in Diagon Alley. Lily smiled at her mum who wore a reminiscent expression that Lily herself had wore the day McGonagall had brought her to Diagon Alley. The crooked cobbled Diagon Alley path was lit with wonderful colors of wizards in an assortment of brightly colored wizard robes and odd combinatins of muggle clothes. Peddlers on the side sold odd items like amulets that glowed, things that popped and jumped out while others carried a scent so strong it made Lily want to drop everything and just smell it all day. Here and there Hogwarts school children were running around after their toads or carrying stacks of books that bit back at them. It was odd- but a odd that put Lily at ease. She was a witch and this odd place was where she belonged. She snuck a look back at Petunia hiding behind her mum looking intrigued, but she quickly pretended to look bored as she caught Lily staring.
"Thats the shop where I'll get my books," Lily pointed out the Florish and Botts shop where Madam Curvy was sweeping the front steps while her assistant handed out colorful flyers to those who passed by. "And theres the place where I get my quills- I know it looks a bit weird but it's so cool to write with quills when you get used to it-"
"Ew mummy it's a slug!" Petunia shrieked jumping back, the peddler that had stopped next to her was frantically pulling back a slug looking creature on a leash that had crawled near Petunia's leg.
"Mummy I wan't to go. I can't stay in this freak place anymore!" Petunia pouted looking extremely nervous. Lily almost felt a prick of sadness for her sister.
"Lily-" Her mom started looking crestfallen.
"Lily!"
Lily knew that voice. It had been a while since she heard it but her face broke into a grin as she looked into the familiar face of Dorcas Meadows. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a braid and her brown eyes twinkled as she waved to Lily. Lily waved her over excitedly glad to bump into a friend who she could shop with.
"Mum, this is my friend, Dorcas Meadowes." Dorcas smiled revealing blood red teeth much to everyone's surprise. Lily's eyes widened with curiosity which burst the second Petunia gasped. She pointed a thin finger at Dorcas who looked bewildered.
"Are you a vampire? Lily you're friends a vampire! Mummy can we please go?" Petunia tugged on her Amanda Evan's shirt more insistently. "I'm scared."
"Sorry!" Dorcas explained covering her mouth immediately. "It's this new ice cream flavor at Floreans! I didn't know it would stay this long! I'm really not a vampire!"
Amanda Evan's grinned. "That's nice dear. Nice to meet you. Lily will you be alright here with your friend? I'm going to go out with Petunia, I think we passed a nice little tea shop on our way here."
Lily sighed. "Sure mum. I'll meet you by the bricks at 3."
"Sounds good." Amanda Evans kissed Lily's forehead. "See you later, sweetie."
"Is that her?" Dorcas asked quickly looking back towards Petunia as they left-Petunia glued to her moms side. "She doesn't look mean."
Lily sighed and smiled at her friend. "If you say so. How are you, Dorcas?"
"I'm well." Dorcas smiled and covered her mouth again. "My mom and dad are still at Gringotts if you can believe." Dorcas pulled her over to Florean Fortescue's ice cream shop. "Do you want one? The Blood desire is pretty good- it's all the rage right now."
Lily eyed the flavors board and shook her head. She smiled at Florean who smiled at Dorcas and asked Lily what she wanted. "I'll take a strawberry sundae please."
"Traditionalist." Dorcas nodded in approval as Mr. Florean Fortescue handed Lily her cone. She smiled at him. He was a jolly man with a rather large nose but a kind smile that he gave to everyone. With her cone in her hand, she and Dorcas took a seat under a shady red and white striped umbrella.
"I didn't see your dad." Dorcas said licking her second cone of Blood Desire, having gotten over the fact that her teeth were red. "Is he at Gringotts too?"
Lily shook her head. "My dad's at work so he couldn't come. It's sucks."
"Work sucks." Dorcas agreed. "My dad works at a bank- you know he couldn't stop staring at the Goblins when we walked into Gringotts. Even the Goblins looked nervous when we walked by. I've never seen a goblin up so close. Have you?"
Lily shook her head. "Nope. Have you gotten your stuff yet? Theres so many new books this year we've got to get. And then theres the part about things we need for certain clubs too..."
"Not yet. I was waiting for Marlene and Mary to meet me here." Dorcas said pulling out her list and peering at it intently. "Oh you're right. I'm going to need a couple of new things too. I didn't think I had to get things other than the second year books."
"They're here?" Lily asked looking around wildly at the mention of her friens. She hadn't heard from Mary since her last letter-and that was at the beginning of July.
"They should be. We were at Marlene's last week- but Mary left early. Something about her cousins wedding." Dorcas frowned scratching her nose and noting down something on her list.
"Oh. All of you were at Marlene's then." Lily muttered quietly trying not to show her disappointment . "How was it?"
Dorcas paused and looked up, eyes wide with realization. "Oh Lily I would have invited you but you and Marlene don't really get along..."
"It's okay." Lily stood up and pulled her friend up determined not to ruin her trip. "Come on let's go exploring. I only have until 3!"
"Let's go!" Dorcas agreed. She slurped her cone and grinned. "There's this shop I've wanted to go in since I got here but there's been the longest line there all morning..."
Dorcas pulled Lily towards a large shop at the end of street between Madam Malkins and Wiseacres Wizarding Equipment,(Lily suddenly remembered that she needed a set of new quills and a set of parchment while she was there) where there was a long line like Dorcas had described.
Dorcas pointed at the long line that was coming out of the store. "See what I mean? We'll never be able to get in."
Lily grinned an idea coming to her. A crazy idea. "Maybe we can." She didn't know what it was but Lily was going to do something absolutely crazy right now. Feeling quite excited and rebellious at once she grabbed Dorcas's hand and made a beeline for the line.
"Excuse me! Coming though!" Lily said pushing past the people in line and squeezing her way between people. She finally pushed past enough people and practically shoved herself and Dorcas through the tiny door before anyone could stop them.
"Oh my god!" Dorcas hugged Lily once they were in. "What was that Lily? Oh never mind- we're in!"
Lily shrugged and looked around the large shop, that looked bigger than it was inside that out, which was crowded with wizards of all ages. The walls were a deep red save for the entire back wall that was covered with several moving posters of the same boy carrying a guitar. The lighting in the shop was a glowing ember and Lily's heart suddenly ceased to race, beating loudly much like the music that was blaring in the shop.
"What is this place?" Dorcas wondered marveling around the room. Lily moved closer to look at the posters plastered all over the back wall. Looking closer she realized the boy was relatively young and handsome. He looked about 14 with dark hair and dark eyes that made Lily want to melt where she was standing. He held a guitar and was posing with it slung across his shoulder. Lily thought he would have fit perfectly in with the models and poplar kids back at home-that Petunia hung out with.
"Who is he?" Dorcas asked spinning around. Lily had to steady her before she fell. "He's everywhere."
"Who is Myriad?" A girl next to Lily asked. She looked about ten but the oversized Guns N' Roses T-shirt made her look much younger. "Are you kidding me?"
"I'm sorry but who are you?" Lily asked politely stepping back from the girl who looked like she was going to punch Dorcas.
"Oh my bad. I'm Annie." She smiled sweetly, her threatening demeanor gone in an instant. "Now back to why I was talking in the first place- you don't know who Myriad is?"
"No sorry." Lily smiled nervously. "Should we?"
"Yes, yes you should." Annie pointed to the poster. "He's only the best singer in the world. Please tell me you've heard his latest album at least? It's so rad right now."
Lily wrinkled her nose. "Is that what's playing?"
Dorcas grinned nervously and gave the girl a shy smile. "I kind of like it. Does he play guitar or base?"
Annie grinned. "I'll show you!"
Lily sighed as Annie dragged Dorcas away and she was left alone once more. She took a seat on the orange couches around the store and closed her eyes laying back. The music was loud but catchy and Lily wasn't really a music person. She only listened to the few songs she did because of Petunia who had developed quite a obsession over The Beatles at the moment. It was all she done over the summer- that and berating Lily over Hogwarts, the 'freak' school she called it.
And Mary! She hadn't mentioned she was at Marlene's in any of her letters. Lily hadn't been invited and why should she? She and Marlene weren't the best of friends but Lily felt like the odd one out now. Mary was her best friend but she had still been the one to hang out with Dorcas and Marlene all summer. It wasn't Mary's fault that she was bubbly and naturally excelled at life. And Lily well she was just Lily.
Cuz I've got an itch for a pretty little witch yeahhhhh!
Lily looked towards the CD's laying on a table and rolled her eyes. On second thought, she knew Petunia would get a kick out of the song at least.