"You two stick together. That's the only way I'm letting you out in Diagon Alley on your own. I'll buy your books and you can pay me back when we get to Hogwarts again." Professor McGonagall said, handing them their backpacks. "Go have fun."
"Sirius.. That dream.. Don't you think it was a teensy bit weird?" Lily asked as she slid on her sunglasses, looking both ways before pushing the door of the train station open.
"Yes, Lily.." He whispered. "Very weird. Just owl Arabella and get this over with.. I feel very frightened of this place."
The two friends had every reason to feel darkness surrounding them. Someone was watching them. Someone that shouldn't have been there.
Dear Bells-
Guess who's
back in town? Sirius and me! Pack lightly for the adventure of a lifetime and
meet us at Florean's... Wear something light and durable.. Remember deodorant
and toothpaste- The whole she-bang, including your bike.
L.I.E
I'm good at that, aren't I?
P.S. Bring money.
Munguldus-
Hurry up with
work and Floo over to Florean's in London. Meet Lily and me over there.. Pack
lightly for a Marauder adventure and meet us for an ice cream.. You'll be gone
for a while, so bring toothpaste and stuff.. Wear something like what we wore
to the camp-out in the Forbidden Forest two years ago.
S.A.B.
P.S. Bring money.
"Why exactly are we changing at Florean's? Why didn't we do this at Hogwarts?" Sirius asked as they walked toward the ice cream shop.
"Because McGonagall would notice the difference between durable camping clothes and a Lily Evans shopping ensemble." Lily snapped. "Plus, I like this shirt and I haven't had a chance to wear it yet."
"Whatever." Sirius said quickly as they both darted into two different bathrooms.
Sirius emerged in a pair of khakis and a light gray t-shirt. He pulled his backpack closer to him and laced up his boots. This plan better work.
Lily came out in a black muscle tank and a pair of khaki shorts, with light socks and boots. She slid her sunglasses on and she and Sirius ordered.
"Charge it to Mister Snape's account." Lily said quickly when the bill came.
"And you would be?" The snooty waiter asked, his eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"His fiancée." Lily said with a smile, flashing the diamond engagement ring.
"Sorry.. So sorry.." The waiter said quickly, taking a bit of a bow. As soon as he left, Sirius smirked at her in amazement.
"Can't believe you still have that." Sirius said, shaking his head. "Bella better hurry up, her ice cream's going to melt."
"Speaking of the devil." Lily said as Arabella came rushing through in a purple t-shirt and black camping shorts.
"Munguldus is on his way. He owled me about some adventure.. Is this a Marauder reunion?" She asked as her backpack was thrust onto the concrete next to her bike, taking a sip of her milkshake.
"Yep." Sirius said quickly.
"Ever heard of G.I.s?" Lily asked as Arabella finished her shake in one big gulp. Arabella nodded.
"Well, we're the G.E.s. The Gilded Elite." Sirius said simply. "If Munguldus doesn't show up in ten minutes, I'm eating his sundae."
Munguldus popped up. "What's this I here about a camp-out?"
"Guys, finish your desserts. We're going to the alley between Tom's pub and the record shop." Lily announced. Munguldus popped a top on the plastic dish of his sundae and they were ready to leave.
"Shh..." Lily whispered. "This is where my dad, my mom and I used to park our bikes before our family broke up. I'm the same size I was then.. Second year Christmas we biked down to Diagon Alley to pick up cool presents and that's where my dad announced it. My mom rushed home, my dad took a limo, and I've kept the bikes here all this time."
"Sirius.. This is your size. It was my dad's." She said, handing him one with a little extra seat for a small friend and a basket in the front. "Munguldus.. You're my mom's size."
Munguldus got a bike with an extra roomy basket in the front and a basket in the back where the additional seat on Sirius's bike had been.
"And this beaut was mine." Lily said as she pulled the cover off of a shiny green bike with a basket in back and a radio attached to the handlebars. "Let's find a jewelry shop to sell this baby."
They thought she was referring to the bike, but she flashed the engagement ring. "Perhaps one in Diagon Alley."
"Three thousand Galleons?" Sirius sputtered as they left the jewelry shop. The bag rested in Munguldus's basket.
When they got to a secluded spot in Diagon Alley, Lily split the money into two piles. "One's going to my vault. The other one will be divided up into six little bundles. For six Gilded Elite members."
They caught on quickly. "Two hundred fifty Galleons each." They whispered in unison.
"And we'll be back in Hogwarts a week before my birthday, isn't that great?" Lily squealed. "We'll have to chip in for a Portkey, because we can't conjure one right now, it's summer, but, hey- It's only four Galleons!"
After dropping off the money at Lily's vault, the four biked over to the Ministry of Magic's office. Lily parked her bike.
"Hold on, I'll be right out." Lily said, taking off her helmet. "Hand it over, Sirius."
Munguldus and Arabella had already given their share, but Sirius was very protective. Eventually they managed to pry the Galleon out of his hand.
Twenty minutes later, Lily came out with the four Galleons looking depressed.
"What happened?" Arabella asked as Lily mounted her bike.
"They don't sell Portkeys to minors." Lily pouted as she began to bike again.
"Wait!" Sirius shouted after her. "Who says we're not adults?"
"Our birth certificates." Arabella said.
"Who weighs the least?" Munguldus asked, catching on.
"I do." Arabella said quickly with a confused look on her face. She and Lily had memorized the Quidditch team stats long ago.
"And who's the shortest?" Sirius asked.
"Hello?" Lily shouted sarcastically. "Duh!"
"And how much make-up do you have between you?" Munguldus asked, cocking up an eyebrow.
"Eww! The James Eyebrow!" Lily shouted in mock fear, but listened to the plan anyway.
"Are you sure this is going to work?" Arabella asked as Munguldus did her hair the way he had seen McGonagall do hers.
"Has a plan of Sirius's ever failed?" Munguldus asked in a mocking voice.
As Lily wiped another layer of powder on Arabella's face, she thought about it. "YES!"
"Well, this one isn't. It's fool-proof. Avery's working the Portkey section in five minutes." Munguldus said as he stuck a pin in Arabella's bun.
"Well, then it is fool-proof, as soon as we get a really long-" Lily said, but stopped in mid-sentence. Sirius came around the corner from 'Gargantuan Giants'.
"Hagrid told me about the place. Here, your robe." Sirius said as Arabella climbed on Lily's shoulders, crouching just a bit. Munguldus and Sirius struggled to put the robe over Arabella's head, but they were fine- The robes reached Lily's ankles.
"Now then, we need a Portkey to Godric's Hollow, now." Sirius commanded. "We'll watch your bikes."
"Okay, let's get this gunk off me." Arabella said as she jumped off of Lily's shoulders triumphantly. "Voila! The Portkey. Activates in fifteen minutes. Enough time to get this gunk off my face."
"Remember, sit on your bikes and touch the Portkey. A finger will do." Lily commanded when Arabella returned. They did so, and soon they were at the gazebo that Lily and James had posed at over six months before.
"That was a bumpy ride." Munguldus muttered as he wiped himself off. "What are we going to do with size XXXXXXL robes?"
"Make it into a tent, I guess.. What exactly are we going to do when all of us are together?" Arabella pondered aloud.
"First, let's head to the owl office." Lily said. "I'll explain on the way to James's house."
Remus- Full
moon just past and I know you're not really up to too much right now, but I
need you to Floo on over to my house with your bike and some stuff for a
camp-out.. Pack lightly.
James.
P.S. Bring money.
"Why did you put James's name?" Sirius asked as Lily attached the note to a really cheap owl, the fastest one.
"Hit two birds with one stone. Remus will be here in minutes, and that's all the time we need. And the reason why we're here is because we need to do this whole bonding thing- I'll completely explain at James's house." Lily said. "Let's go."
The owl flew out the window and the four had a half-hour bike trip across town ahead of them.
James was playing wall ball, again. His mom would yell at him soon for being so loud, or playing ball in the house.. Jennifer would come in (she had really grown up) yelling she wouldn't be able to get into some magic prep school if he didn't quit the racket. She was Ravenclaw-bound for sure. Or maybe Tara would come in and yell at him for no apparent reason. Probably had a date with that minister's son and needed complete concentration on her make-up.
There was yelling in the yard. Stupid little kids playing again, probably. That thought threw him off, and he missed the wall. He rushed over to his window to open it and yell at the kids when an explosion of green dust came out the door.
He poked his head out and saw four teensy but familiar figures on bikes below. To add to his confusion, Jennifer yelled up the stairs: "James! Remus is in our FIREPLACE with a bike and a backpack!"
He poked his head back out the window and smiled. There was going to be fun ahead. Another look at what they were wearing and James caught on. In five minutes he was packed and he sailed down the stairs to get his bike.
The Gilded Elite had formed.