A/N: Well, the last chapter has been disappointing, I know. *sigh* Well, I hope this chapter makes it all up. =)
Disclaimer: Well, all the characters you recognize from the Harry Potter series are not mine, obviously, since I am not the author of the series, and therefore, I am not J.K. Rowling. However Celastrina and some other characters are mine. =)
Last Chapter: Lily remembers the time she first met James Potter and Sirius Black...
My One and Only by Marauder by Moonlight
Chapter Two: New Faces and Places
James Potter paced around his chamber, muttering comforts to himself. Sirius Black, his best friend and best man, sat in a chair near the door yawning widely.
"Why is it taking so long?" James asked himself for the thousandth time. "Did she change her mind? Did she forget something? Is she sick?"
"Calm down, mate," Sirius grinned. "Don't sweat through the tuxedo. It's a rental."
"How can I calm down, Sirius?" James waved his arms around to emphasize his point. "How can I, when my bride to be is not ready and we're already running 5 minutes late!"
Sirius held his palms up in defense. "All I'm saying is that you're probably working yourself up over a lost earring."
James sighed and collapsed in another chair.
Sirius got up from his seat and went to his friend. "Don't worry, Prongs. Knowing the way Lily reacted to your proposal, I don't think she'd have any regrets."
James smiled weakly up at his friend and muttered, "Thanks Padfoot. You're a real friend."
Sirius snorted and went back to his seat. "Don't go all ga-ga over me, Prongs. Save that for later, if you know what I mean," Sirius winked.
James shook his head and stared at a nearby mirror. Just a decade ago, he had hated the girl he was going to marry. He still remembered his first reaction to the name Lily Evans...
**************
The two boys stared after the retreating backs of the two girls. Sirius said, "There goes a girl who seems to know exactly what she's doing." He turned to his friend and asked, "What's the matter with you?"
James just stared angrily at the back of the retreating red head and touched the now welting red mark on his cheek.
James stomped angrily into the Leaky Cauldron. No one, in his entire life, had dared insult him. Well, not including Sirius at least. But that... that... red head decided to walk up to him and say it in his face and then slap him! How dare she!
Sirius looked at his friend's scowling face and let out a laugh. "Boy she really got you that time, eh?" He fell silent immediately after the death glare his friend sent him. He sighed sadly.
"What's the matter with you?" James asked Sirius.
"I was just thinking how nice it would've been if that girl had been a witch. She would've done quite well here in the wizarding world."
James' scowl returned. "No, you're wrong, Sirius. If that... that... thing was a witch, she would have to go to Hogwarts. And if she went to Hogwarts, I would have to put up with her for seven years!"
Sirius laughed. "Too bad we didn't ask for her name."
James shook his head. "No, she wouldn't have given to us anyway."
Sirius seemed deep in thought, as if trying to remember something.
James laughed inwardly to himself, noticing how scrunched up Sirius' face was. "What is it?"
Sirius' face brightened instantly. "Lily!"
A look of confusion fell on James' face. "Excuse me?"
"Her name's Lily!"
"How do you know that?"
"That's what her friend called her," Sirius answered impatiently.
"So?"
"So we know her name!" Sirius beamed happily.
"There's no point. We're never going to see her again, good riddance."
"Oh yeah." Sirius' happy face dropped to the floor.
"Well come on. I heard they had a new model of the Nimbus in stock. Hurry!" James urged his friend.
Immediately, Sirius' grin returned.
*************************
"There," Trin declared, setting the headdress on top of Lily's hair. "You're ready."
Lily smiled at Trin's reflection. "Thank you, Trin. I don't know what I would've done without you."
Trin snorted in an unladylike way. "Don't give me that flattery crap. You know I don't like it."
Lily chuckled softly as she pulled the veil over her face. She sighed and examined herself once more. "Here we go," she whispered.
Trin put a comforting hand on Lily's arm. "Don't worry, Lils. You'll do just fine. You look ravishing. Come now," she ushered Lily toward the door. "The wedding is about to begin. Oy, Angel!" she called to the little bridesmaid, her cousin, who fell asleep in a chair nearby. "Come now, quickly! Take Lily's train there."
The little 10 year old scampered over and dutifully picked up Lily's 5 foot train. Trin turned back to Lily and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "There now. All ready? Good." Trin led them to the room right outside the main hall. She opened the door a crack and gave a signal to the organist. Immediately, the slow wedding march began to play.
The two doorsmen opened the double doors for the young bride. Trin walked in ahead of Lily to set the tempo. Lily's emerald eyes lit up as floating candles danced over the crowd waiting to watch her. She looked down at the gold carpet that led the way up to the alter.
And there... Standing at the alter was the frantic James Potter, whose worried frown quickly turned into a stunned stare when Lily appeared at the door.
Lily, seeing her husband-to-be there at the alter, waiting for her, almost ran down the aisle. But, as her aunt had instructed her, she held her head up high and smiled. She kept her eyes locked with James' chocolate brown ones as she began her long walk down the aisle at the slow and steady pace Aunt Violet had told her to do.
As she walked, she noticed that wherever she stepped, flowers sprung up as if welcoming her. She smiled at this magic charmed placed on the carpet and remembered the first day this magic had entered her life...
***************
Lily grumbled to herself while walking back into the heart of the city, occasionally asking Beth for her opinion on the situation. Beth, however, kept her mouth shut. This seemed to help Lily more and by the end of the day, the two girls were laughing and joking as if the whole incident never happened.
"So, which secondary school will you be going to?" Lily asked between swallows of her ice cream.
Beth seemed to pale even more than usual before recovering herself. "Oh, um... Malvern," she replied smoothly.
"Aww... Beth! You know, that's not fair! I'm going to Moira. We'll never be able to see each other!" Lily complained loudly, receiving stares from the people around them.
"Oh, it won't be that bad. I'll still come and see you on the winter holidays. And we will definitely spend time together during the summer," Beth said, smiling sadly.
Lily put on a hurt face. "Yes, well, it won't be the same."
Beth looked at Lily sympathetically. "Well, time does change some things." She glanced at her watch. "I think it's time to go back. Your mum's probably already waiting for us."
Lily nodded glumly. "I suppose so."
The two walked back silently, each one thinking their own thoughts of the upcoming year.
********************
Rose noticed the sad silence that had come between the two usually talkative girls. "So, did you two have fun today?" she asked, trying to make conversation.
"Yes," the two of them answered at the same time, neither sounding too enthusiastic.
"Ah, that's nice," Rose said doubtfully.
After Lily and Rose dropped Beth off at her home, Lily immediately started spilling her troubles out to her mum.
"It's not fair! We've been friends ever since we were toddlers and now we have to go to different schools! How come I can't transfer there or she can't transfer here! It's not fair!" Lily complained in a child-like voice.
Rose smiled softly. "So that's what's been bothering the two of you," she nodded understandingly. She looked at Lily's distressed face and comforted, "Don't worry Lily. You're a fun loving girl. You'll make so many new friends. Besides, you'll still see her on holidays, I reckon."
"That's what Beth said," Lily huffed. "And it won't be the same."
"Oh sweet. Of course it won't be the same."
All Lily could do was sigh.
When Lily got home, Petunia was already waiting outside, looking very nervous.
"What's the matter, Petty?" Lily asked as she climbed out of the car. "You look as if you just saw a ghost."
Petunia just stared at Lily. Lily looked back at her, puzzled.
"Petunia? What's the matter, sweet?" Rose asked concerned at her older daughter's behavior.
Petunia just shook her head and motioned for them to follow her into the house.
As soon as the door opened, a barn owl flew right up to them and landed on Lily's arm. Petunia shrieked in surprise and Rose gasped. Lily however, just stared at the barn owl's big eyes.
"Petty! Is this your idea of a joke? Are you keeping it as a pet?" Rose asked incredulously.
"No Mum! Of course not! Right after you left, this owl started pecking the window. I ignored it, of course, and it seemed to go away. But then, that... that... thing flew in from the chimney!" Petunia explained through gasps.
Rose didn't know what to do. How can she believe such a far-fetched tale from Petunia? Yet, Petunia had never lied to her before. Just then, something caught her eye. "What's that?" she asked aloud, pointing at an envelope at Lily's feet.
"I don't know," Lily replied bending down to retrieve it. What was written on it made her gasp out loud. Her emerald eyes snapped up to meet her mother's blue eyes as she whispered barely audibly, "Mum, it's for me..."
Petunia and Rose quickly appeared behind Lily to read the envelope over her shoulder while the owl hooted contently.
"Miss L. Evans
The Lily Room
51 Majestic Lane
London"
Lily immediately began tearing the envelope open. Her mother and sister read along with her, their eyes bulging after every sentence (A/N: If you don't want to read the following or the list of supplies, you don't have to. It's from the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone).
"HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc.,Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
"Dear Miss Evans,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. The Hogwarts Express leaves King's Cross at 11:00 am sharp at Platform 9 ¾ .
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress"
The three of them gaped at the piece of parchment with surprise.
"A witch?" Lily whispered to herself.
Lily's eyes snapped up and turned to her mother and sister. "But there is no such thing as witches, is there?" she asked incredulously. "They only exist in our fairy tales..." she said halfheartedly, trying to convince herself that it was all just a lie: a wonderful lie, but a lie nonetheless.
Petunia sniffed and her eyes hardened. "Of course they don't exist, Lily," she snapped. "I told you to stop believing in those fairy tales."
Rose kept staring at Lily, dazed. At last, she spoke. "There's got to be a logical explanation for this."
Petunia was still raving. "And look at this! 'Platform 9 3/4'? There is no such thing. Honestly, Lily, what type of people do you go to school with?!"
Rose looked sharply at Petunia and Petunia instantly fell silent. Rose turned her gaze on her youngest daughter, who was still wide-eyed with shock.
"Mum?" Lily spoke timidly. "Is it true? Am I truly a witch?"
Rose shook her head. "That I cannot say definitely. Perhaps we should do a bit of searching. To see if there are... others," Rose chose her words carefully.
Lily nodded but Petunia, at these words, exploded in an anger never seen before by Lily or her mother. "What?! What researching?! You can't just walk up to someone and ask, 'Do you know anything about a witch school?' You can't just sit down to tea with your friends and remark casually, 'Did you get a letter from this witch school? Mine came with an owl!' They'll put you in the nut house for sure!"
"Petunia!" Rose said sharply. Immediately, Petunia shut her mouth. Rose turned back to Lily, who gaped at her sister in surprise. "Never mind that. Could this be a joke? Lily?"
Lily, still looking shaken, shook her head slowly. "I don't think anyone would do something like this." She turned back to the envelope. She took out three other things: one, a ticket, and two other pieces of parchment. "Look. Here is the train ticket. And here," she held up one of the pieces of parchment "seems to be instructions to some place." She read the parchment out loud for the benefit of her family.
"Dear Miss Evans,
It has come to our notice that you have been deprived of the wizarding world. It is probable that you think this to be a lie. I assure you that it is as serious as it can be, for nothing is better for a growing witch than to develop your powers. This is where Hogwarts comes in.
Your school supply list can only be found in one place in Europe: Diagon Alley. To reach Diagon Alley, please head north of London to a pub called the Leaky Cauldron. Speak to the manager there and mention Diagon Alley. He will show you what to do.
Once you have reached Diagon Alley, your first destination is Gringotts. Please, if you can, put a small fortune into the bank for further use. The goblins will help with the money transfer. Then, you will have the money to spend on your school supplies.
We hope you see it fit to come attend Hogwarts this school year and hope to see you at the welcoming feast.
Yours sincerely,
The Hogwarts Staff"
"Powers?" Rose asked after Lily finished.
"Goblins?" Petunia repeated meekly.
"Well, there's all the proof we need," Lily sniffed. She had overcome her shock and now was almost trembling with excitement. "I'm a witch."
Petunia gasped sharply and snapped, "Do not say such things. What if someone hears you?" She glanced frantically around, as if waiting for a mob to come crashing through their doorway.
Lily looked ridiculously at Petunia. "I thought you of all people would be happy. I know I would be happy, and proud, to have a sister who's a witch."
Petunia grimaced at the word but kept her tongue.
Rose sighed. "Well, let's see your school supply list."
Lily handed the other parchment to her mother who read:
"Uniform: First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.
Course books: All students should have a copy of each of the following:
"The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)" by Miranda Goshawk
"A History of Magic" by Bathilda Bagshot
"Magical Theory" by Adadlbert Waffling
"A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration" by Emeric Switch
"One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi" by Phyllida Spore
"Magical Drafts and Potions" by Arsenius Jigger
"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by Newt Scamander
"The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection" by Quentin Trimble
Other Equipment:
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
Parents are reminded that first years are not allowed their own broomsticks."
Lily's eyes were wide with surprise. "I'm a witch..." she whispered to herself. Then, louder, "I'm a witch!" She started jumping up and down chanting, "I'm a witch!"
Rose smiled. Lily bounded up to her and gave her an enveloping hug. She started toward Petunia but Petunia moved quickly away. Lily stopped her antics and tilted her head to one side, confused.
"Stay away from me," Petunia whispered. She edged toward the stairs, as if afraid of a contagious disease. When she reached the foot of the stairs, she ran up as quickly as her skinny legs could take her.
Lily shrugged her shoulders, though she was hurt on the inside. She spent the rest of the day outside in her yard, reading the letters over and over again.
**************************
Two days before the term started, Rose and David took their youngest daughter to the Leaky Cauldron. At least, they tried to.
Lily bounced up and down on her seat in the car as her parents drove to the part of town where she and Beth had just done their exploring.
"Look, there it is!" Lily exclaimed pointing to a little run down building.
"Where?" Rose asked, looking around.
"There! Right in front! The sign says 'The Leaky Cauldron'!"
Rose turned to her husband. "Do you see it?"
David shook his head, confused. "Nope. None of these buildings have signs."
"It must be a magical charm or something," Lily said, even more excited.
"Oh. Well, I guess we'll just have to drop you off here. You take care of yourself, okay? Call us if you need anything or when you're ready to go home," David replied.
Rose shook her head. "No, she needs one of us to go with her."
David sighed. "If the wizards don't want us to see it, then that means they don't want us to go in either. Honey, Lily'll be fine, won't you?"
Lily nodded her head vigorously. "Don't worry Mum."
Rose nodded her head reluctantly. "I suppose. But remember, no talking to strangers, no inappropriate behavior, no-"
"Mum!"
"Honey, she'll be fine," laughed David.
So finally, Lily was able to climb out of the backseat and watch her mom and dad drive off. She turned back to the run-down building, took a deep breath, and opened the door.
As soon as Lily walked in, she wanted to go back out. This place scared her; it was so dark and shabby. There are several old women sitting at the bar, ordering drinks. Some rough-looking men were playing cards at another table. One of them looked up at her.
"Hey Tom! Another one!" he yelled.
Lily froze. Had she walked into a trap? Just as she was about to turn and run, an old, smiling man greeted her.
"Hello, young miss! Are you here for Hogwarts supplies? Best hurry, miss. Term will start soon!" he grinned at her, showing yellowing teeth.
Lily smiled weakly back. "Um... how do I get to Diagon Alley?" she asked Tom.
"Ah! Follow me, miss."
Lily walked cautiously behind Tom, trying to ignore the strange-looking people that were staring at her. Tom led her through the bar and into a small courtyard behind the building, where a few trash cans stood. Tom took out a thin stick and tapped a certain brick three times.
Lily gasped as the entire brick wall parted, making an arch leading onto a cobbled, busy street.
Tom smiled at Lily's wide-eyed expression. "Must be muggle-born, eh?" Tom asked. "Well, off you go. Might want to head toward Gringotts, you should."
Lily willed her jelly-like legs to start moving through the crowd. Soon, she was busy discovering everything around her. She watched as children her age went to a small boutique to pick out robes. She watched as little children petted the pets at the pet store. She watched as adults scrambled into bookshops to buy textbooks. But most of all, she watched as a big crowd stood admiring a regular-looking broomstick in a shop window. She decided to check it out.
"New model, this is."
"Me mum promised she'll buy me one for Christmas."
"You're lucky, mate."
Lily arched her eyebrows. "What's so good about a broomstick?" she asked herself.
A girl nearby heard her and turned to look at her in surprise. "You're muggle-born, aren't you? Obviously you are, seeing as how you don't know what that is." She pointed to the broomstick in the display window. "That is the newest and best model of the Nimbus. It's the Nimbus 1000. Said to be able to go faster than the wind. Has great control too, that one."
"Oh," was all Lily could say.
The girl seemed to feel that Lily was beginning to feel uncomfortable. "I'm Celastrina. Celastrina Illyia but you can call me Trin. I'm 11 years old and weigh about 31.75 kilograms. I have dark blue eyes and light brown hair. I'm about 1.4 meters tall and I have two little sisters, named Anthene and Eupharedria. My mother named us after butterflies. What about you?" the girl asked as if describing herself was normal.
"Um... I'm Lily Evans. I'm 11 years old and have no clue how tall I am. But I'm about the same height as you, I think. I think I weigh 32 kilograms and I have green eyes and dark red hair. I have an older sister named Petunia. My mother named us after flowers," Lily replied uncertainly.
Trin nodded her head understandably. "So are you going to Hogwarts this year?"
"Yeah, I am!" Lily answered, happy that she wasn't the only one who knew what Hogwarts was. "Are you going too?"
Trin nodded again, this time her eyes sparkled. Then she asked, "Are you buying your school supplies?"
Lily nodded her head. "I haven't bought them yet and I'm having a bit of trouble. Have you gotten yours?"
Trin replied, "Yeah, my mum got them for me last week. I'll help you with yours; I've got plenty of time."
Lily smiled, happy that she had made a new friend. "Thanks."
"No problem. The first place we need to go is Gringotts. Here, follow me," Trin said and started walking away. Lily followed.
After walking about a minute, Trin pointed to a big white building. "There it is. Gringotts." The two girls walked into the building.
Half an hour later, Lily's money bag was full of coins instead of the English notes.
"This is a Knut," Trin was saying to Lily, holding up a little bronze coin. "This is a Sickle. Twenty-nine of those Knuts equal to one Sickle," Trin continued, holding up a slightly larger silver coin. "Seventeen Sickles equal to one of these: Galleons." She held up the last type of coin, a large gold one. Lily nodded.
"Now, let's start our shopping." Trin looked around. "Let's start at Ollivanders'. They sell wands." Trin led Lily toward a small shabby shop nearby.
Half an hour later, the girls emerged from the shop, with Lily holding an oak wand with a dragon scale.
"Now, for Madam Malkin's Robe for All Occasions. We'll buy your school uniform there." Trin pointed at a small boutique nearby.
As soon as the girls walked in, Madam Malkin greeted them. "Why, Celastrina! Again? Weren't you here last week?" she asked Trin.
Trin laughed. "No, I'm showing my friend here around. This is Lily Evans," she replied, introducing the girl next to her.
Madam Malkin smiled at Lily. "Hogwarts too, dear?" she asked.
Lily nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
Madam Malkin beamed and said, "Follow me, Lily. I've got a young man being fitted now as well."
Madam Malkin started toward a door that led to the back of the shop. Lily looked at Trin questioningly, but Trin just shooed Lily after Madam Malkin.
Lily walked into a small room where another boy was standing on a stool where an assistant was measuring him. The boy was a bit stout and had blond hair. When he looked up, his face reminded Lily of a mouse. She smiled a bit at him and he smiled timidly back.
Madam Malkin brought another stool in and motioned for Lily to stand on it as well. Lily hopped on as Madam Malkin, with a wave of her wand, summoned measuring tape to start measuring Lily. She stared wide-eyed as the tape moved by itself. She looked back at Madam Malkin who was busy looking for the right size for the mousy looking boy.
The boy took to staring at Lily. He thought it was strange for a witch to look at the tape as if she's never seen anything like it. Without thinking, he spoke. "Your eyes are almost popping out." Then he clapped both hands to his mouth, his eyes looking horrified.
The assistant, who almost stabbed herself with the pin when Peter jumped suddenly, cried out, "Peter! Stop moving!"
Lily turned to look at the boy, who seemed to be waiting for Lily to blow her anger on him. Lily found the fright on the boy's face amusing. Instead, she asked him, "Your name is Peter, is it?"
Peter lowered his hands slowly and nodded his head. "Peter Pettigrew is my name," he answered.
Lily smiled at him. "My name is Lily Evans. I'll be a first year at Hogwarts this year. What about you?"
"Me too." Peter's eyes brightened considerably, seeing that he had made a friend rather than an enemy.
Madam Malkin walked to Peter's side carrying his set of robes and proclaimed, "Here are your robes, Peter. And try not to soil them again. Your mum wouldn't like bringing you here every other week to exchange robes, now would she?"
Peter's face flushed a bright red as he dismounted the stool and muttered his thanks to Madam Malkin. As he walked by Lily, who's arms were spread at her side, he said, "Well, I suppose I'll be seeing you at King's Cross soon. Good day!" and left.
After 10 more minutes, Lily and Trin walked away from the little boutique carrying two bags with Lily's uniform.
"Hmm… I suppose now we should go look for your textbooks," Trin said matter-of-factly. "It's right across the street."
The gathering of the textbooks went by without any incident and soon, the girls found themselves outside Florean Forescue's Ice Cream Parlor deciding which flavor ice cream they should get.
As the two girls sat down at one of the tables outside, Trin told Lily all she knew about Hogwarts.
"My mum and dad went to Hogwarts. They said it was the finest school in all of Europe, possibly even the world. They had a different headmaster than the one we would have. I think the headmaster's name is Albus Dumbledore. There are four houses: Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. My mum was in Ravenclaw and my dad was in Gryffindor. Ravenclaw is for the smart ones. Gryffindor is for the brave ones. Slytherin is for the sly ones. But I'm not sure what the Hufflepuff do." She shrugged her shoulders. "All I know is that I don't want to be in Slytherin." She shuddered. "Almost all the wizards and witches that were turned out of Slytherin turned to be dark wizards and witches."
Lily furrowed her eyebrows. "What do you mean by dark wizards and witches?"
Trin leaned forward, as if afraid a passerby may hear. "There's a dark wizard emerging. He's powerful and feared. So feared that no one speaks of his name anymore. We just call him 'He-who-must-not-be-named' and 'You-know-who'. He's been gathering followers. Dark followers who kill and torture. He's been killing off Aurors, the wizards and witches who fight against dark wizards."
Lily shivered slightly. "What is his name?"
Trin frowned. "I'm not saying it out loud."
Lily rolled her eyes slightly. "It's just a name, Trin. It's not like he'll pop up whenever you speak it."
Trin shook her head emphatically. "I'm not saying it."
"At least spell it."
Trin scowled at Lily and finally replied, "Oh all right." She took a deep breath and prayed silently to herself. "V-O-L-D-E-M-O-R-T," she spelled very slowly and quietly.
"Voldemort?" Lily asked out loud without thinking.
The witches and wizards that surrounded them emitted a loud gasp in unison, as if they all had the same voice. One of the younger witches stood up abruptly and several others looked around frantically. One of the older wizards who was walking to the washroom fell down in a crumpled heap. When they realized who had said his name, they glared at Lily. One old witch said, "For shame!"
Lily just rolled her eyes. Trin herself looked at Lily with hardened eyes, the sparkle gone from her eyes. "Lily! Do not speak of his name!" she hissed.
Lily sighed and apologized to her friend and everyone else. Florean Forescue himself came out and kindly, but firmly, asked the girls to leave his shop. "We can't have you giving everyone here a heart attack, you know," he explained as he waved a hand to the quite shaken elderly witches and wizards behind him. Lily and Trin resignedly left the ice cream shop.
"Well, how much do you have left over?" Trin asked Lily.
"Um..." Lily weighed the bag in her hand. "A few Galleons left. Why?"
"Let's go buy you an owl!" Trin exclaimed, her sparkle returning. "We can buy the prettiest one there!
"I don't think that's a good idea. My sister, she's a Muggle, is still uneasy around me. I don't think bringing home a pet would make her feel any better." It was true. The last two weeks had gone by with an uneasy silence between the normally close sisters. Whenever Lily tried to start a conversation with her older sister, Petunia would answer coldly and simply before turning in the other direction. Rose had talked to Petunia about supporting her younger sister but Petunia would throw a tantrum. It was hopeless.
"Oh, she's being silly. Come on, please?"
Lily smiled at her new friend. "Oh all right."
After half an hour of searching the pet shop, the two girls found the perfect owl. Lily carried her tawny owl, Blizzard, in a cage proudly out of the pet shop. Some younger children ran to her to coo and sigh over her new pet.
"Oh, she is perfect!" cried Trin. "You have to promise to let me use her sometimes!"
Lily laughed. "Of course I will. You helped me pick her out. If it wasn't for your excessive whining, I would've picked that black kitten!"
"True," said Trin smugly.
It was late in the afternoon when the girls finally left each other. Lily went to a pay phone a few meters away from The Leaky Cauldron and called her mother.
In half an hour, Lily found herself chatting endlessly with her mother, father, and a reluctant Petunia about her day. Petunia, who had been dragged out by her parents, shrieked at the top of her lungs when she learned she would share the back seat with not only a witch but an owl. However, her parents happily accepted Blizzard into their family.
********************
Late at night, Lily still found herself replaying the entire day over in her mind. She smiled as she looked up at her decorated ceiling. The last thing she thought before she drifted to sleep was 'This will be the best year of my life.'
********************
Whew, an exceptionally long chapter! =) Well, the first chapter, to me, is always boring, no matter in what story. So, the few reviewers I actually got for the first chapter deserve a round of applause.
MWPP lover : Thank you so much, my very first reviewer! I'm glad you like the flashbacks. I followed your advice and posted one week after my first chapter =) Hope you liked this chapter!
J.E.A.R.Potter: Thank you for your review! I'm glad that you also like the flashbacks. I hope it's not too confusing though.
LilyEvansPotter4ever : I'm glad you like it so far! Hope you review some more! =)
Loraliant Angelisa Snape: Thank you so much for your help! Now it's working! The older characters, meaning the characters at the wedding, are probably approximately 21 years old. But the characters for the flashback are 11 since they're going to Hogwarts.
Legolas' Girl: Thank you for your review, Lara! And thank you for getting me interested in J/L fanfics in the first place! =)
Rinpin: Well, the flashbacks are confusing and unnecessary, but I think that it would be easier for me to skip a few days/ months in the story, since I have to start at first year and then continue all the way to seventh year. If it doesn't work out for you and some other readers, then I'll post this exact same story without the flashbacks and hope it works out. =)
Thank you so much, my reviewers! The next chapter will probably come out Saturday or Sunday, again. Please review. I hope these six reviewers were not the only ones who read this story!