"You have both been marked as victims of Voldemort because of people you lost. One of you, according to very good sources, will die a premature death, never living to see your family. One of you will just be looked upon as social outcast, the worst outlaw of them all, never having time to see your family. This ultimately will give you the worst nightmares, but, this summer will teach you to trust each other completely. Somebody needs to have that trust in this world. I need you to follow your first instincts, and by the end of the summer, you will be able to read one another's instincts and keep yourselves alive a little longer." Dumbledore's speech rang in Lily's head over and over again as she and Sirius walked back in uncomfortable silence.
"Sirius, you know what would be a good way to spend quality time together, really break the ice?" She asked suddenly as they reached the portrait hole. The password for the entire summer was 'Sirius and Lily's place'.
"What would that be?" Sirius asked with a sly smirk. A smirk that hadn't played on his lips for quite a while.
"Sirius, would you like to help me decorate my room?"
"Mahvelous! Dahlings! New bait!" Cried the flamboyant man in the interior design shop. He hurried over in his flowing silk tunic and wide pants, both loud shades of pink and orange.
His high-pitched voice had Sirius hiding behind Lily, and there wasn't much to hide behind either, she was pretty small.
"So, what exactly is it you need?" Piped a familiar voice behind them.
Sitting at the desk was Munguldus Fletcher, making sketches in his portfolio, and closing it with a loud bang.
"What's with psycho-man?" Sirius whispered in fear. Munguldus muffled his laughter in a pile of crumpled-up sketching paper.
"He just loves customers. With an owner like him, this shop doesn't get too many." Munguldus whispered. "Let me repeat my question.." He said in a louder tone, because his boss was getting suspicious. "What exactly do you need?"
"Oh, dahling! The girl needs a spring set and the boy needs an autumn! Can't you tell? Move over!" The flamboyant man said, scooting Munguldus clear out of his seat. "Hello, dahling, my name is Bartholomew!"
"Lily, charmed, I'm sure.. My friend isn't buying anything. He's just living in my apartment, or rather, I'm living in his. The room he gave me was totally autumn, and the minute his sister moved out, I was screaming 'I AM A SPRING!' He's helping me make decisions." Lily lied very quickly, and Sirius exchanged a glance with Munguldus. These two were clearly going to be friends.
"I like it." Sirius said. "Very virginal."
"Shut up." Lily said. "I like it."
Lily's room was white, smooth, plain white. The canopy had grand ruffles trimmed in tiny lace ruffles, and the carpet was a pretty white as well. The cushions on the chairs were shiny light blue, like the ribbons trimming the canopy. The walls were white-washed, and Lily's pillows were white with cotton and lace ruffles, and blue ribbons interlaced. The curtains on the bed were light, but when closed gave privacy. The shiny light blue ribbons hung from the posts on her bed (newly painted white), dangling in the daintiest fashion. On the walls were prints of Georgia O'Keefe, with plain white frames. There was Lily's new trunk at the foot of the bed, Charmed to look white with a light-blue-colored silk cushion on top, just in the dormitory. The vanity had been painted white, the chairs and the stool had been painted white, and so had the wardrobe and the entrance to the walk-in closet. Holding the curtains back from the windows were these grand bows, with the same shiny light blue ribbon that trimmed Lily's bedclothes. She had three white shelves for her books, and a few hooks on the back of the door, and a dowel to hang her cauldron on. There was a little dowel next to it, supposedly useless.
"It's nice, it really is." Sirius said. "Can I test the mattress?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Lily asked with a smirk.
Ten minutes later, the canopy laid on the floor and Lily and Sirius were jumping up and down on the mattress. Lily started panting and begged to stop. By the time the mattress had stopped bouncing, the bed was remade and the canopy was in its proper place. Lily's stuffed animals sat on the hidden shelf on the wall behind one of the bed curtains.
"Has it sunk in yet?" She asked, flopping down on the bed horizontally.
"Not really." Sirius replied, laying down next to her. Lily's dormitory was at the top of the stairs, and the ceiling (flat, unfortunately) had been painted like the stars on a clear early April night, but with a tug on the supposedly useless dowel, a spiral staircase appeared out of nowhere, everything moving so that it was accessible. The staircase had soft white carpet and no rail.
"You want to go up to the top of the tower? I got some old sofas up there and blankets and cocoa.." Lily sort of drawled, sleepy.
"Sure."
"What do you think the others are doing?" Lily asked as she pulled her blanket closer. It was amazingly cold for a June night, and the sky was clear. Lily had her feet up on the old futon couch.
"Arabella is probably doing her required summer reading for Le Fay, Helen is vacationing in Mexico and applying for jobs, Ronan is at Quidditch camp. James is probably at some boring party for the Ministry- His stepfather is an official there. And Munguldus is still sketching near the crazy dude." Sirius said. "Wonder how they do it."
"What?" Lily sputtered. "Wonder how they do it? At least they've got a family. All I've got is Claire and Petunia."
"I meant the stars. How do they burn so bright night after night?"
"Well- it's actually quite simple-" Lily began, but Sirius interrupted.
"Not like that.. The same thing day in day out.. Wouldn't it get boring?"
Lily smiled. He wasn't completely back, but there was something of Sirius's personality trickling slowly into his brain.
The summer was going to be easier than she thought. As Sirius fell asleep and she pulled the thermos cup to her lips, Lily smiled.