Um, yes, well, it's me, Dragonlady, here to actually attempt an L/J MWPP fic. Now, before you run screaming (wait until I've finished talking!) please give me some credit for not writing the traditional love/hate fic. If all goes to plan, it shouldn't actually *be* a love fic until after they finish school. But then, I can't write mushy, so why am I even bothering with this? Well, I don't actually know. I just am.

OK, that pep talk over and done with, it's time to get down to the technicalities! (did I spell that correctly? It looks a little, um, weird.)

Disclaimer: I am not J K Rowling, I do not work for Warner Bros, nor do I have anything to do with the writing of the books, the creation of the characters (except mine) or the creating of the movie. So, therefore, I own nothing here except the plot and my characters (the people you don't recognize are probably mine). They all belong to J K Rowling and Warner Bros. Alundra peoples own the first three lines of the reviewing thingy.

Claimer: I own the last line of the reviewing thingy, and I also own whatever characters I create, and the plot. Um, some of these characters include:
-Summer
-Tracey
-Katie
-Stan
-Mitchell

etc etc. OK? There are more characters (don't worry, it shouldn't be confusing...I hope.)

Also, if I get some details wrong, PLEASE don't hurt me, I'm dreadfully sorry! I also don't know what the weather is like over there (apart from cold), so some of THOSE details will probably be wrong.



****CHAPTER ONE: Of Birthdays, Letters and Strange Fireplace People.****


The fourteenth of July. Not a particularly special day for many of us. But to ten year old Lily Evans, it was a *great* day! I mean, who doesn't like their birthday?

'Petunia, Petunia!' Lily shouted as she raced into her older sister's room. Petunia, at that early hour, was fast asleep, of course. Lily grinned evilly. She would soon fix that. 'Petunia, if you don't wake up right now I'll poor boiling hot water over your head!' Still no response. So Lily decided to wake Petunia up properly. She took a running jump onto Petunia's bed. 'You've got to get up in the morning! You've got to get up in the morning!'

'What the...Lily Rose Evans, I *was* asleep!' A very disgruntled Petunia rolled over, and Lily toppled off the bed.

'Was is right. You're nice and awake now!' Lily giggled, ducking as Petunia threw a pillow at her head.

'Just you wait, Lily,' Petunia warned. 'One day I'll get my...my...' She yawned widely.

'Your what, Petunia?' Lily asked sweetly.

'My revenge,' Petunia told her mysteriously. 'What time is it?'

'Um...seven thirty?' Lily offered timidly, then ran from the room as a barrage of cushions was aimed her way. Lily ran back into her room and collapsed on her bed, sighing happily. Her eleventh birthday was starting out great. She frowned and sat up suddenly. She just hoped that Jeremy from down the road wouldn't ring her, or even worse, drop by. He had had a horrible 'puppy love crush' for Lily, and Lily hated it. He was her age, but acted like a juvenile five year old around her. It sure didn't impress Lily. Oh, well. Lily, knowing her parents wouldn't be awake and up for another hour, sat on her bed, staring out the window for any signs of life.

***

Lily took the stairs three at a time, and landed with a thump at the bottom. It was quarter to nine, and her parents and sister were already at the table.

'Good morning, Lily!' her mother greeted her. 'Happy birthday, sweetheart.'

'Thanks, Mum!' Lily grinned and kissed her mother's cheek. 'Morning, Dad.'

'Morning, Lils,' her father, a very jovial man, replied. 'Happy birthday.'

'Happy birthday, Lily,' Petunia said. 'Oh, and thank you for waking me up so early this morning. I want you to know that I really appreciate it.' Lily grinned mischievously and sat down. Her mother had made Lily a breakfast treat: pancakes and syrup.

'There are some waffles coming, too,' Sara Evans told her daughters. 'Since I know how much you both love waffles.'

'Who's this present from?' Lily asked, picking up a small present with a frown and interrupting Petunia's small 'thank you' speech to their mother for cooking waffles.

'That was in the letterbox. There was a card with it too.' Lily looked over and saw a floral 'Happy Birthday' card sitting on the table. She reached over and opened it. She skimmed the printed birthday poem, and read the hand-written message.

"Dear Lily, I hope you have a fantastic eleventh birthday. Hope you like you present. Love, Jeremy."

'Great,' Lily muttered. 'Just what I didn't want.'

'Who's it from?' her father asked. David Evans didn't seem pleased that his youngest daughter was receiving floral cards in the mail.

'Jeremy,' Lily told him, making a face. 'That annoying pest down the road.'

'Lily!' her mother admonished.

'What?' Lily demanded. 'He is, isn't he Petunia?'

'Very muchly,' Petunia said solemnly.

'Muchly?'

'Mother, don't be so politically correct,' Petunia told her, sighing. 'I just happen to like that word, okay?'

'I'm not being politically correct, Petunia.' Sara took a sip of coffee and eyed her eldest daughter over the rim of the mug. 'And you know that.'

'Oh,' Petunia said, looking uncomfortable. Lily grinned, flipping her curly red ponytail back over her shoulder.

'So,' David said, coughing. 'Girls, Lily especially, I have some good news for you.'

'Yes?' Lily asked expectantly.

'David, I don't think it will thrill Lily to bits,' Sara commented wryly.

'I'm just saying that she might like...'

'Just tell me, Dad!' Lily cried. 'Honestly, stop circling like a buzzard and tell me the good news!'

'The good news is that you've been accepted to the private school we were looking at,' her father told her. 'We weren't sure you'd be able to get in.'

'Petunia's school!' Lily cried in delight. Then she frowned. 'Why did we find out so late?'

'Originally, there wasn't a spot for you, but one of the other girls dropped out,' Sara explained. 'So you're now able to go!'

'Excellent! Petunia, you'll have to look out for me,' Lily told her sister.

'Sure I will.'

'I don't like that tone, young lady,' Lily said in her best authorative voice. She unwrapped the present from her parents. 'A magic kit! And tarot cards! Look, Petunia, I'll be able to tell your future!'

'It's all rubbish,' Petunia told her little sister dismissively. 'As if that stuff really works. Magic doesn't even exist. You know that.'

'Well, duh, of course it doesn't,' Lily replied patiently. 'But I still think that this stuff is cool. And a book on reading tea leaves and palm reading! Ooh, Petunia, let me tell your future, can I?'

'Yeah, sure,' Petunia said finally, taking a bite of pancake. 'But it's all crap, Lily.'

'Why are you so against magic?' Lily asked, frowning.

'I don't see how you can get so hyped up about something that isn't even real,' Petunia answered, frowning as well. 'Magic can't be a good thing. Look at Gypsy down the road. She went around boasting how she was a witch. And look where it got her? Boarding school for delinquents.'

'Petunia!'

'Mum, she goes to a weirdo boarding school. Her brother told me it's for delinquents and wackos. Where they encourage witchcraft and magic.' Petunia was warming to her subject. 'I mean, she came around here, waving a rotten piece of paper, declaring she was a witch and was off to learn witchcraft. I told her magic doesn't exist, and she swore to come back and curse me. She said that 'all magical people curse non-magical people. Magic isn't always good.''

'But magic *can* be good,' Lily argued. 'I always thought Gypsy was a bit strange, anyway. Last holidays she came up to me and 'cursed' me. So I muttered nonsense at her, and she laughed at me. I told her that I was condemning her to a horrible life, and she told me I was a poor, stupid 'nuggle', or something like that.' Lily grinned.
'Wouldn't it be great if we could actually cast spells, though?'

'No,' Petunia answered shortly. 'It would be horrible. I hate all that kind of stuff. It gives me the creeps.'

'I'm not going to argue with you all morning, Petunia,' Lily told her, determined to not spoil her birthday. 'All I want to do is read your future. Using the tarot cards.'

'Yeah, fine, whatever.' Petunia laughed. 'Just don't come up to me waving a rotten piece of paper, declaring that you're a witch. If you do that, I'll hate you forever.' Lily grinned.

'You couldn't hate me, big sister. I'm too lovable!' She put on a puppy dog face.

'Yeah, true.' But Lily didn't quite like her sister's tone.

***

Lily was upstairs trying on her new skirt when there was a knock at the door. She let someone else answer it while she studied her reflection. She felt very grown up in the mini-skirt Petunia had bought her.

'Li-ily! Someone to seeeee you!' Petunia shouted from downstairs. Sighing, Lily got changed back into her denim shorts. There was a knock at the door.

'Who is it?' she asked.

'Jeremy.' Groaning to herself, Lily opened the door. Jeremy, a short, brown haired boy stood there. 'Did you get my present?' he asked, face lighting up when he saw Lily. *I hate boys that are shorter than me,* Lily thought to herself.

'Um, yes, thank you.' To tell the truth, she hadn't even opened it.

'I thought the flower on the necklace looked like a lily, so I thought it suited you,' Jeremy told her shyly. 'I'm glad you like it. The daisy was prettier, but that's not your name!' He laughed as if he'd made a joke, while Lily gave him a forced smile.

'Um, thanks Jeremy. I'm going out for a while, so you'll have to go. Sorry,' Lily fibbed. She wasn't going anywhere
until that afternoon.

'Where are you going?' Jeremy asked curiously. 'I've got free passes to minigolf if you wanted to go.' Minigolf? Oh, please.

'Um, no thanks. Maybe some other time?' Lily asked, making a mental note to not go *near* the minigolf. She ushered him out of her room. 'I've got to get ready, Petunia will show you to the door.' She escaped back to her room and closed the door before he could say anything else.

'Bye Lily! Have fun, whatever you're doing!' she heard Jeremy say, before he thumped his way down the stairs. Lily made a face at her reflection in the mirror. What an annoying little brat that Jeremy was. Unfortunately, he was also starting at the private school Lily was going to. Sighing, Lily started to re-arrange her dresser, which was shockingly messy. She was so busy, she didn't even hear when there was a knock at her door.

'Lily? It's Petunia. Jeremy's gone. Can I come in?'

'Yeah!' The door opened, and Petunia walked in and collapsed on the bed.

'What an annoying little twerp.'

'Thanks.'

'Not you, stupid!' Petunia made an annoyed sound. 'That stupid twerp Jeremy from down the road. He would not leave until I told him that, yes, you are busy this afternoon and no, he can't go!'

'Definitely an annoying little twerp,' Lily agreed.

'Exactly! He's obsessed with you. What did he give you? You never did open it.' Petunia saw it on the floor, and pounced on it. 'Can I open it?'

'Be my guest.' Petunia ripped the dark blue tissue paper off to reveal a small jeweller's box. Upon opening it, she snorted with laughter.

'I-it's a l-l-lily...'

'T-t-t-today, junior!' Lily giggled.

'It's a lily on a necklace! It's the ugliest thing I've ever seen!' And with that Petunia fell over laughing. Literally. She fell of the bed with a 'thump'. Lily ran over and grabbed the necklace, holding it up. It was a plastic, and very ugly, lily on a plastic gold chain.

'Wow, he spent money on this, didn't he?' Lily commented dryly. 'What a piece of junk. You can keep it, I don't want it.'

'I don't want it either,' Petunia told her, getting back on the bed. 'It's yours.'

'Just throw it out,' Lily ordered, collapsing on her bed. 'I need to save my energy. I'm going to the movies tonight with Nicole, Lisa, Phoebe and Toni. I really don't want to fall asleep in the middle of the movie.'

'What are you seeing?' Petunia asked curiously. Then she shivered. 'That reminded me. This ugly guy asked me to go out with him the other day.'

'Who?' Lily asked with interest, sitting up.

'Oh, some guy from school called Vaughn. Or something like that, anyway. Ugly as sin, he is.' Petunia shivered again. 'I said no, naturally. Not only is he ugly, but he's boring as all hell.'

'Sounds like you,' Lily giggled, and Petunia made a face.

'Shut up, Lily. You *know* I'm sensitive about my looks, and you also know I'm not boring.'

'I was only joking,' Lily told her stubbornly. Petunia's face didn't soften. Lily was immediately contrite. 'Look, I'm sorry, Petunia. You're not ugly, and you're not boring.' Lily's face lit up. 'Want me to tell your future? I've been learning how to use the tarot cards all morning. It's easy.'

'I'm not so sure,' Petunia said warily. 'I don't believe in any of it.'

'It's just a bit of fun,' Lily told her airily. 'Come on, Petty, don't be so chicken.'

'Don't call me Petty...and I'm not a chicken!'

'Brrk, brrk, brrk!' Lily clucked.

'Fine!' Petunia cried. 'Read my future. Hey, we can make a play out of it!' Petunia loved acting, as did Lily.

'What kind of play?' Lily asked dubiously. She always ended up playing the bad person. Which she loved, but for once she didn't feel like having pretend sword fights and dying.

'I don't know, we'll improvise.' Petunia made her way to the door. 'Backyard, ten minutes?'

'Yep,' Lily told her, picking up the tarot cards. 'I'll be there in a minute. Hey, I know!'

'What?' Petunia asked, stopping.

'We could, or I could, pretend to be witches!' Lily told her sister, eyes shining. 'I could be a witch that tells fortunes using tarot cards. But no one knows she's a witch, she keeps it a secret so that she can use her magic discreetly, casting spells that no one has any idea how to undo!' Petunia rolled her eyes.

'Lily, you still going on about witches?'

'Come on, Petunia, we both know it's not real. So let's pretend.' Lily looked at her sister with pleading eyes. 'Please, Petunia, it would be so much fun!'

'I suppose,' Petunia agreed, sighing. 'You can be a witch. And I'll be 'ye olde teenager' that wants her tarot cards read.' Petunia left Lily's room, laughing. 'Ten minutes, old witch. Be there, or ye shall be burnt at the stake!' Lily giggled. Petunia could be funny sometimes. As she got up, Lily cried out in frustration as the tarot cards went everywhere. Annoyed, she picked them up quickly, determined to give Petunia a rather, er, interesting future.

Lily clattered down the stairs, humming to herself. Her eleventh birthday was certainly turning into a very good day. Apart from Jeremy's visit, of course, but that couldn't be helped.

'Lily, honey?'

'Mum?' Lily followed the voice, and saw her mother in the kitchen.

'There's a letter for you, sweetie,' Sara told Lily, pointing to the table. 'I think it's from Phoebe. She'd be the kind of girl to send something like that.'

'Oh, okay.' Lily grinned to herself. Phoebe was a certified trouble maker, whose tricks included prank phone calls, fake letters, and pretending to be insane. Lily could remember the time when she, Phoebe, Lisa and Nicole had walked around the shopping centre, Phoebe going up to people saying she couldn't remember her name, and could they please tell her?

On the table was a quite large letter, in strange, yellowed paper. 'Phoebe, you must have used up all your mother's coffee to make *this* letter,' Lily muttered to herself. 'You *did* go to a lot of trouble.' Lily picked it up. It was addressed to her, of course, but it was written in writing Lily didn't recognize. It certainly wasn't Phoebe's. Phoebe had many talents, but Lily could always pick up on her writing, only because she had helped with so many of the letters.

'Who's it from, Lily?' her mother asked. Lily shrugged, and opened it.

"Congratulations, Miss Evans, you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Lily giggled. This was creative.

'It's from Phoebe, I think. It's another prank letter,' Lily told her mother, giggling. 'A very different one. Or maybe it's from Gypsy, you know, the weirdo girl down the road?'

'Lily, that's not very nice,' her mother admonished.

'What?' Lily shrugged and read on.

"Enclosed is a list of all the books and equipment you will require. The train to Hogwarts departs Platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross Station on September the first at eleven o'clock in the morning. We look forward to seeing you." It was from a 'Professor Minerva McGonagall', who was appparently a deputy headmistress of 'Hogwarts'. Enclosed was another yellowed piece of heavy paper with a list of books and equipment.

'It's a letter telling me I've been accepted to a magical school,' Lily giggled. 'It's very detailed. It even has a list of books and equipment that I will apparently be needing.' Sara smiled.

'Gypsy got a similar letter. Her mother showed it to me.'

'Really?' Lily got a mischievous idea. She picked up the letter and ran outside, waving it. 'Petunia, look! I'm a witch, I'm a witch!' Petunia, who had been reading by the pool, wasn't impressed.

'Lily, that's not funny,' she told her younger sister. 'Are you making fun of Gypsy?'

'No, of course not.' Lily held out the letter. 'I just got this in the mail.' Petunia looked at it.

'It's a prank letter.'

'Duh,' Lily said impatiently. 'From Phoebe, no doubt.'

'What's from me?' a voice asked. Lily turned, and saw Phoebe standing there.

'This letter.'

'What letter?' Lily was surprised. Phoebe always admitted her jokes.

'This letter, saying I'm a witch.' Phoebe snorted.

'Very funny, Lily.'

'No, look!' Phoebe went forward and took the letter out of her friend's hands, skimming through it.

'I didn't send this,' she informed Lily. 'Wish I had, though. It's brilliant.' Phoebe's blonde hair shone in the sun, and her blue eyes sparkled. 'I should send this to Toni, she'd love it...'

'So who's it from?' Lily asked, puzzled. 'If it's not from you...'

'Is it real?' Phoebe asked. Petunia snorted.

'Magic. It doesn't even exist, Phoebs.'

'You never know,' Phoebe argued. 'Gypsy *did* get a letter similar to this, she showed it to me.'

'What?!' Lily gasped. 'She got a letter like this too?'

'Yep,' Phoebe confirmed. 'Hey, if you're magical, can you get rid of my excess weight?' Phoebe gestured to her middle. Lily grinned. Phoebe was, basically, a cute, plump blonde.

'Phoebe, you wouldn't be you if we couldn't describe you as plump,' Lily teased. Phoebe opened her mouth to retort when they heard a scream. 'What was that for?' Lily asked.

'It wasn't me, duh,' Phoebe told her. 'It came from in your house!' The three girls raced inside.

'Mum!' Lily shouted. She raced through the door joining the kitchen and the living room. Soot was everywhere. A coughing Petunia followed.

'Mum!' she called. 'What's going on?'

'Petunia! Lily, where are you two?' Finally, the soot cleared. The windows had been open, and a summer breeze blew through, the curtains waving merrily. Sitting on one of the couches was a short, jolly asian man, and next to him was an asian girl, presumably his daughter. Sara was standing by the window, white with shock.

'I-I was just dusting, and they suddenly appeared!' Petunia coughed in disbelief. Lily stared at them.

'Who are you?' she asked finally.

'My name is Michael Chen,' the man told her. 'And this is my daughter, Summer. I'm in charge of making sure all the Muggle-born witches and wizards know what's going on.'

'The what?' Lily and Petunia asked at the same time. Phoebe came up behind them.

'You mean...the letter was real?' she asked incredulously. 'No way. Oh, well, at least that proves I didn't write it.'
Phoebe seemed very anxious to get her name cleared. Mr Chen ran a hand through his dark hair.

'If the letter in question is from Hogwarts, then yes, it's real,' he told Lily. 'I'm presuming that you are Lily Evans?'

'No,' Sara told the man quickly. 'You've got the wrong house, sorry.'

'Mum!' Lily cried. Sara shot her a warning look.

'Don't be silly, Andrea,' she said to Lily, who glared at her. Mr Chen looked down at the paper.

'I have a description of Lily Evans: curly red hair, green eyes, tall-ish.' He looked at Lily. 'Lives at this address,' he concluded.' The man laughed. 'Oh, don't worry, I've been doing this all day, it's quite exhausting. Many people don't believe me.'

'It's true,' Summer told Lily. 'It's all true, trust me. I'll be starting my first year at Hogwarts this September. And you are, too.'

'My daughter is not going to Hogwash,' Sara informed them haughtily. 'She is going to a fine private school near here, where her older sister attends.'

'Hogwarts,' Mr Chen corrected her. 'And I don't think it's fair to send her to a Muggle school when her name is down for the finest magical school in the country.'

'A what school?' Lily asked, not believing what was happening.

'A Muggle school. A Muggle is what we call non-magical people,' Summer explained. 'You, Lily, are not a Muggle.' She grinned at her. 'Far from it.'

'I will have to speak to my husband about this,' Sara told them. 'Come back later. And use the front door.' Lily stifled a giggle.

'Certainly.' Mr Chen stood up and bowed to them, followed by Summer, who grinned at Lily.

'See you later,' she told her, before throwing a pinch of dust in the fireplace and stepping into it. Her father tipped his hat and followed. Once they had disappeared, there was total silence in the Evans household. Sara was completely white as she stared at her daughters, Lily in particular. As Lily watched the fire, it went out.

'I'll just go up to my room...think for a bit, go play,' she told the three girls absently, before walking out like a robot and going up the stairs. Lily turned to Petunia, who didn't meet her gaze.

'I'm going out,' she said quietly, before following her mother up the stairs. That left Lily and Phoebe in the living room.

'Well,' Phoebe said brightly. 'That doesn't happen every day, for sure. Still up for the movies, Lils?'

'I'll have to ask Mum,' Lily replied, away in thought. 'If those people are coming back, she'll want me here. Even thought it's for my birthday, go anyway. Even if I don't.'

'Ever known me to miss a party?' Phoebe asked with a giggle. 'Feeling okay?'

'A little shook up, yeah. But otherwise, okay,' Lily told her. 'Go on, I'm going up to my room to think.' Phoebe hugged her good-bye, then left, assuring Lily she'd call her later. Lily then headed up the stairs to her room, detouring and knocked on Petunia's door. She could hear her in there. 'Petunia?'

'What do you want?' Petunia asked.

'Petunia, don't be so stupid,' Lily snapped. 'I'm not going to curse you, god. Don't be so stubborn, Petunia.' Lily sighed, then changed tack. 'Want me to tell your future with the tarot cards?' There was silence.

'Whatever.'

'Petunia, come on.' Lily was getting impatient. 'I promise I'll be nice. I won't set you up with Vaughn in the future or anything.' Lily was rewarded, she got a giggle.

'Yeah, okay,' Petunia replied. 'And for the record, his name's Vernon, not Vaughn.'

'Oh.' Lily smiled to herself. 'Well, anyway, I'm just going to have a short sleep.'

'Good night.' Petunia didn't sound as friendly as usual, but Lily was sure she'd get over it. Retreating to her bedroom, Lily lay down on her bed, and was asleep in ten minutes.

***

Lily was awoken hours later to a scream. She sat straight up in bed, the events of the day coming back to her. It was her mother that had screamed.

'I TOLD YOU TO USE THE FRONT DOOR!' Lily grinned to herself. Mr Chen and his daughter were back. And they had obviously used the fireplace again. *Strange,* Lily thought. *They didn't get burnt when they stepped into the fireplace. Even stranger that it was lit in the first place.* Lily shook her head, brushed her hair quickly, then made her way downstairs.

It was a comical situation. Her father was home from his job, and was staring open-mouthed at the visitors, who were telling him all about Hogwarts, how to get there, and what Lily would need there.

'And here she is now!' Mr Chen announced when Lily came in. He smiled jovially at her. Summer gave her a friendly smile. Lily noted that Petunia was not there.

'What time is it?' she asked.

'Six o'clock,' Sara answered. 'David, what do you think, honey?'

'I don't know. I wouldn't believe it, except I just saw two people arrive in our fireplace. Why is it lit?' Lily had been wondering the same thing. 'It's hot enough without the fireplace lit.'

'It needs to be lit for us to be able to use it,' Summer told him. 'You can light them long distance now. We'll put it out after we leave.'

'Put it out now,' David ordered. Mr Chen nodded at his daughter, who took out a long stick and muttered a few words. The fire immediately went out. Lily realized with a jolt that that must have been a wand. Her stomach went all fluttery. She could own one of those!

'Now, we don't have much time until September,' Mr Chen told them.

'It's over a month away!' Sara exclaimed.

'Yes, but most students have done at least *some* of their shopping by now. Lily is quite behind. She's the last person on my list, anyway. It's not alphabetical.' Mr Chen seemed to jump from one subject to the next. It confused Lily. 'Now, Lily, you'll do most of your shopping, if not all, at Diagon Alley.'

'Who said she was going?' David demanded. 'I just walked in the door!'

'David, you've heard all about it,' Sara told him. 'If you think about it, this could be a huge opportunity for Lily. I certainly believe it. After seeing them arrive in my fireplace twice.'

'But, Sara, how do we know?' David persisted.

'Dad, you've seen the letter, right?' Lily asked. 'It's on the line. Please, you have to let me go to the school!'

'I don't *have* to do anything,' David said firmly. 'I wish to see this Alley. I've never heard of Dragon Alley.'

'Diagon Alley,' Lily corrected him. Summer grinned at her, and made a face. Lily grinned back.

'Whatever,' her father snapped.

'You wouldn't have heard of it, because it's magical,' Mr Chen explained. 'We can all go there tomorrow, if you like.
How does nine o'clock suit you? I promise we'll use the front door.'

'Well, David, it wouldn't hurt to have a look,' Sara suggested timidly. Lily's father seemed very deep in thought.

'I guess not,' he admitted finally. He took a deep breath. 'Would you and your daughter like to stay for dinner?' he asked Mr Chen, who accepted the offer gracefully.

'Lily, why don't you and Summer go up to your room and talk until dinner is ready,' Sara said to Lily. 'You can introduce her to Petunia. Oh, and Phoebe rang. I told her you weren't able to make it to the movies. You were out to the world.' Lily nodded, the motioned for Summer to follow her. Summer got up and followed Lily to the door.

'So, you're called Summer?' Lily asked as they headed up the stairs.

'Yep. And you're Lily. How old are you?'

'I'm eleven,' Lily told her. 'Actually, I'm eleven today.'

'Oh, happy birthday!' Summer smiled. 'I love your house, it's cool. I live in this weird house. I love it, but it's strange.'

'Is it magical?' Lily asked.

'Yep. As I told you, it's strange.' She grimaced. 'Every fortnight I have to go out and de-gnome the garden. With the help of my older brothers, of course.'

'De-gnome the garden?' Lily stopped in front of the door to her bedroom. 'What?' Summer giggled.

'I forgot you wouldn't know. Gnomes are annoying little pests that ruin the gardens. So every fortnight, my older brothers and I go out there and get rid of them.'

'How?' Lily asked, curious.

'You pick 'em up and throw them a long long way.' Summer grinned. 'It's good for stress management. Works wonders. But we have huge grounds. By the time we're finished, our arms and backs are aching.'

'Sounds like, er, fun,' Lily said, raising her eyebrows. She let Summer enter her room, then followed.

'Wow, I love your room!' Summer exclaimed. Lily did, too. It had a bookcase in one corner, with the bed positioned under the window. Her dresser was next to the bed. It had a sea theme, and little coloured star fish (from the nearest craft store) lined the room. The walls were light blue, and the curtains were a light purple with wooden blinds behind them. Summer sat down on Lily's bed, while Lily sat in her desk chair.

'So...you're going to Hogwarts, too?' Lily asked.

'Yep. I'll be starting my first year. My older brothers, Jason, Manuel and George have already started at Hogwarts.
Jason's a Prefect this year. He's in his fifth year. George is in the fourth year this year, while Manuel's starting his second year. I'm just a lowly first year. My younger sister, April, starts in two years, so I won't be the youngest forever.'

'Are your parents magical?' Lily asked. 'I mean, your father obviously is, but is your mother?' Summer nodded. Then she grinned mischievously.

'I *have* to tell you this. When you get to the station, look around for a tall-ish guy with dark hair, okay?'

'Why?' Lily asked curiously. Summer merely smiled. 'Is he cute or something?'

'Very.'

'Name?' Summer grinned again.

'That's what you're going to find out.' Lily shook her head and held her hands up.

'You have to be joking. You want to know, you find out yourself.'

'Please? It'll be worth your while, he's cute,' Summer wheedled. 'All you have to do is introduce yourself.'

'Take your own advice.'

'Lily, please?' Summer begged. 'He'll recognize me.'

'You *know* him?' Lily exclaimed. 'Why didn't you ask his name?'

'Because...I only saw him for a couple of seconds...Lily, I'm begging you.'

'What do I get?' Lily asked her.

'The pleasure of knowing his name?' Summer replied questioningly. 'I don't know. I'm not about to *pay* you, god.
Geez, who do you think I am?'

'Lily! Summer! Dinner!' Sara called.

'We'll continue this later,' Summer promised, hopping off the bed. Lily rolled her eyes and got up from the chair.

***

'So, Lily, we've been talking to Mr Chen about this, er, school,' David said once they were all seated. 'And, although I'm a little worried, you may go.' Lily gazed at her father in delight.

'Are you serious?' she shrieked. 'Oh, my God, you can't be serious!' Summer giggled.

'Petunia, are you okay sweetie?' Sara asked her eldest daughter in concern. Petunia hardly even looked up.

'Yeah.' Lily bit her lip.

'Petunia?'

'What?' Lily was stung by the tone in her sister's voice.

'Can we talk later?' she asked hesitantly.

'Whatever.' Sara and David seemed embarrassed by Petunia's behaviour, so got to talking to Mr Chen. Lily sighed, only picking at her food. Nothing had any taste.

Finally, Mr Chen decided it was time he and Summer left. It was then Lily realized she had never asked how they did the fireplace thing. Summer gave Lily a quick hug.

'We'll see you tomorrow, when we'll take you to Diagon Alley with us,' she promised. 'My dad and your parents arranged it. Bye.'

'Bye,' Lily said, before Summer threw the powder in the fire Mr Chen had lit and jumped in. Mr Chen bowed to Sara and David, winked at Lily, then followed his daughter. Ten seconds later, the fire disappeared, and the hearth didn't give away any hint that a fire had been there. Lily sighed. She had been extremely excited before, but now she was coming back down to earth. She remembered what Petunia had said. "Just don't come up to me, waving a rotten piece of paper and declaring you're a witch. If you do that, I'll hate you forever."

'Why don't you go up and talk to Petunia?' Sara suggested, still looking shaken up. Lily nodded, then left the living room, climbing the stairs.

Once outside Petunia's room, Lily wasn't sure what to say. She knocked.

'Petunia? Can I come in?'

'Whatever.' Lily took that as a yes, and opened the door to go in.


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Well, that turned out differently to how I expected. *shrugs* Anyways, I'll love you forever if you review. I'm hoping this fic turns out okay. Sorry, I've got a head-ache and a tummy-ache, so I'm not really 'with' it, if you know what I mean.

I'd just like to thank (hehehe) Ashley, as it was after he annoyed me (again) that I got the idea for this story. And thanks for not kicking me off the patio swing when I was writing quick little character description thingys. Thanks to Aimme for the 'You've got to get up in the morning!' thing, if you hadn't told me about that, I'd have been stuck there. Don't kill each other, please. And...well, that's it.

Reviews are welcomed, flames are laughed at.

I NEED A NAME FOR THIS!!! I have absolutely no idea what to call it, HEELLPP MEEEE! Seriously, can you please help me with a name for this, 'cause I'm having a mental blank when it comes to that. Thanks.

As you are now, so once was I.

As I am now, so you will be.

So be prepared,

To follow me.

P.S If the editing is off, I'm reeeeally sorry, I'm getting very confused lately.


~Dragonlady~ :)