Author's Notes- I own nothing, just to let you know. Most of this stuff belongs to J.K. Rowling and the fabulous Harry Potter people. Ok, summary time! Lily goes home, meets her new neighbors, and writes a bunch of letters, and goes camping (it's much better than just that). Read and enjoy, but don't forget to review.
Lily's Lake
Chapter 3
"Lily! You're hair! It's so short!" Mum cried after I hugged her.
"Do you hate it? I do. Anya cut it, just above the burns," I said, hugging Dad.
"No, it's fine. Just perfect for Summer. Come on, let's get to the car. Violet's waiting in the car," Mum said.
I pushed my cart to the car, stuffed my things in the trunk, and joined Violet in the backseat.
"Guess what, Lily! We are getting new neighbors tomorrow!" Violet cried, hugging me.
"Really, that's nice. I can't wait to get home. Where's Petunia?" I asked.
"At home, she didn't want to come. Do you have lots of homework?" Dad asked.
"Yeah, but I also have all summer to do it. Can my friends come over sometime? Please, they really want to?" I asked.
"I guess, but not for a little while, until you settle in," Dad answered.
After a while we pulled down our street. I looked across the rode from our house. There was a nice house, about the size as ours, waiting for it's owners.
"Come on, Lily. You should unpack, and get settled in," Mum said.
I nodded, and Dad helped me pull my trunk up the stairs. When we reached the landing, we met Petunia, who stood in her doorway.
"Back from Hogsores, School for the Strange?" she asked.
"As you might call it, yes. Oh, Petunia, I have this really neat curse I want to try out. Can I use you?" I asked.
Petunia screamed, and ran into her room. I laughed, and went into mine.
"That wasn't very nice, Lily," Dad said.
"It wasn't very nice to call my school a place for the strange, either," I answered, opening my trunk and taking out my pictures.
"Is this you, at the school?" Dad asked.
"Yeah, and those are my friends, Anya, Andrea, and Netta," I said, pointing at them in the picture.
Dad was a little shocked that the pictures moved, and excused himself to go and talk to Petunia about calling my school names.
I fell down on my bed, and looked around. Home sweet home, that's where I was. I hung my pictures up, and went downstairs.
I grinned at Petunia, who was sitting in the living room. She turned her head, and I went into the kitchen.
Violet sat at the table.
"Want to see my pictures of the school?" I asked her.
She nodded, and followed me upstairs. We looked at the pictures the rest of the day, laughing over funny ones, and telling her stories about each.
"Lily! Wake up! The neighbors are here!" Mum yelled, opening my door.
At the word "neighbors" I jumped out of bed and grabbed my clothes and closed the door. I hurriedly changed and jumped down the stairs, putting my socks on. My family stood in the kitchen, with a couple.
"Lily, this is Mr. And Mrs. Potter. They just moved in across the street," Mum said.
"Potter?" I choked.
"Your parents told me all about you. Did you know you're the same age as our son, James?" Mrs. Potter said, shaking my hand.
"James Potter? He doesn't by chance go to a school called Hogwarts, does he?" I asked.
The Potters looked confused. A boy came up to the door, and looked in.
"Mum, Dad, somethings wrong with one of the trunks, it won't fit through the door," the boy said.
It was James. I whimpered, making my head fall backward.
"James, have you met this girl?" Mrs. Potter said.
James looked at me, and gasped.
"Lily?" he asked.
"Oh, so you have met. Well, that's good. Are you friends or anything?" Mr. Potter said.
"You could say that," James said.
"I'm going to my room," I said, and ran back upstairs, tearing a page out of a notebook and writing a letter to Anya.
Help! James Potter lives across the street from me! He just moved in! Help! I wrote.
After I wrote three letters like that I sent them off with Mandy. She flew away, and I went back downstairs.
The Potters were gone. I silently thanked god, and got a snack from the cupboard.
"Lily, you didn't tell me you knew the Potters!" Mum said, coming into the room.
"I only know James, and we're not very friendly with each other," I said, biting into my snack.
"No snacks before dinner, young lady," Mum said.
I groaned, and through the snack bar into the trash, and went back upstairs. What a great day this was.
The next day I woke up to Violet bouncing on my bed.
"Get off me, Violet!" I cried, making a noise like I had no air to breath.
"Will you take me outside so I can tricycle? Please please! Mum won't, and Dad is working," Violet pleaded.
"Ok, ok, get off me and I'll meet you downstairs," I said.
Violet grinned, and ran downstairs.
Ten minutes later I sat on the front steps with some toast. Violet was on her tricycle in front of me, in the driveway, and acasionally in the street (no one ever came down here).
Petunia was doing the Petunia thing (locking herself up in her room, and telling the downs of life to whomever walked by).
"Look, Lily! Look!" Violet cried, and began to peddle really fast.
"Mum won't like that Violet," I cried.
Two figures came down the street. As they got closer I could see the unmistakable red hair of Jesse, and the dark dark blonde hair of Ellie.
"Oh no," I whispered under my breath.
"Lily! You're back! It's so good to see you again!" Ellie yelled, coming up to me and hugging me.
"Hi, girls. What brought you down here?" I asked.
"You're homecoming, silly. We thought we'd give you time with your family, and then come by. But enough family time! How was that school?" Jesse said.
"Fine," I answered.
"Meet any boys?" Ellie asked.
"No," I answered.
"She didn't need to meet any here. The cutest one lives right across the street!" Jesse cried, and pointed.
I nearly groaned when she pointed to James. He was leaving his house, going into the side yard.
"You mean James? He just moved in with his family across the street," I told them.
But they didn't hear me. They were argueing over who would get James.
"Look, I gotta go. I'll call you later," I said, and let my head fall back.
Mandy was coming across they sky. Another owl followed her, and then another.
"Ok, see you later, Lily," Ellie and Jesse said in a chorus.
I told Violet she had to stop so I could do something, so we both went in. I ran up to my room, and took the letters.
Lily,
Hahaha! You get landed with Potter! You get landed with Potter! Don't worry, though, we can take him down. Just invite us over.
Anya
Lily,
Well, bad luck to you. Here's what you do (I do it to my cousin all the time). Take a camera, and take a picture of him sleeping or doing something embarassing, then threaten to show it to everyone in his school (also ours).
Netta
Lily,
Guess you have the worst summer, and we have the best. Invite us over soon, so we can take down the Potter boys. Try and find a time when Potter has all his friends over, then invite us so you won't have to face it by yourself.
Andrea
I went backdownstairs and outside, a camera in my hand. I snuck across the yard, since there was no one outside, and up to a window. Nothing. There was nothing I could get.
I started back home, but then heard someone say, "Yeah, I'm having Sirius and Remus over on Friday for a sleepover."
I grinned, and ran to find Mum. I found her in the Living Room, dusting the mantle.
"Mum, can I have some friends over Friday?" I asked.
"That's what I meant to tell you. Mrs. Potter and I decided to get all you kids together for a camping trip!" Mum cried. "Isn't that lovely?"
"Yeah, sure. I'll go write them," I said, and went back upstairs.
On Friday I spent the last minutes with my friends alone before we went to the Potter's so Mr. Potter could lead us to the campsite.
"Well, just our luck," Andrea moaned.
"At least it's only a weekend, and we have a whole week. Anya, you brought the joke makers, right?" I asked.
"As if I could forget them," Anya droned.
I nodded, and then made sure all my stuff was packed.
"Girls, it's time for you to get over to the Potter's. They are waiting for you," Mum said.
We got our stuff and went over to the Potters. They were all waiting outside. Sirius had a huge grin on his face.
"Hello, girls. Are you ready to get hiking? It's a little bit of a walk," Mr. Potter said.
"We are ready," we said.
We started through the woods, carrying our things. We trudged through mud, which made me glad I had worn boots, and on roots.
The woods wasn't very welcome. About fifteen minutes later we arrived in a small clearing. We put our stuff down, and helped put up tents in a little triangle.
"Girls, you are in here. Boys, in there. And I will be in this tent here," Mr. Potter said.
We set up our sleeping bags, then went out and sat around the small fire Mr. Potter had made for us. We didn't really need it, it was 87 degrees out, but we did need something to cook our stuff over.
"Kids, go see if you can find some firewood. We need lots. And stay together, none of you split up," Mr. Potter said.
His last words made us groan. The eight of us (James had also invited a squat kid named Peter Pettigrew) started into the woods, picking up sticks as we went.
"This stinks. I have to spend a whole weekend with those girls!" James complained.
"Your landed with me for a while, Potter. I'm your neighbor," I answered, grabbing a stick from a tree.
"That's still alive!" James cried.
"So, it's dead now," I answered.
"That's not nice to the poor tree. It's still alive. How would you like it if someone pulled your finger off?" James asked.
"I don't know. They can't anyway, not without me knowing at least. Tree's don't have feelings anyway," I said.
"Speak for yourself," James said, and began to stroke the tree as if it was a baby. "Poor tree. Mean little Lilian didn't mean to hurt your feelings," he murmered.
"My name is NOT LILIAN! It's Lily! And, why don't you see if dirt has feelings?" I said, and threw a bunch of mud in his face.
He picked up a handful, and threw it at me. I threw some more, but missed and hit Sirius. And so started our mud battle.
Peter ducked out of the way, and hid behind a tree. None of us bothered to go after him. We were to busy throwing mud.
Fifteen minutes later...
"Kids! Come back and eat!" Mr. Potter yelled.
We stopped and started to walk back, laughing and choking on the mud in our mouth.
"That was fun," James said, coming up behind me.
I wasn't aware that he was pouring mud in my hair at the same time. But when I did notice he just threw the rest of it in, and ran ahead. I tried to shake it out.
"What happened to you kids?" Mr. Potter asked when we arrived.
We were all a specticle. Our faces were covered in mud, and so were our clothes.
"We just got a little muddy?" James said, unsure.
"Well, go change and wash up in the stream. Then get over here for some food," he said.
We went and changed, and then washed up in the stream that ran aside the clearing. And then we all went to eat the food.
"Next time I think I'll get the firewood. You didn't do a good enough job," Mr. Potter said as we ate our sandwhiches and soda.
"Good, I didn't like it out there," I said.
"Of course. Lilian was scared the whole time," James said in a baby voice, holding back giggles.
"My name is Lily!" I cried.
"Yeah, whatever, Lilian," James whispered.
That night, our stomaches full of smores, we lay in our sleeping bags, to tired to talk. I lay with my eyes open, looking through the little screen at the top. Mr. Potter prefered muggle camping. He said wizard camping was really just a home away from home.
"Lily, go to sleep," Anya moaned next to me.
"I'm just looking at the stars," I said.
"Yeah, well I'm closing the screen if you don't close your eyes," Anya said, rolling over.
I took one last look, and lay down to go to sleep.
The next day we sat around the fire, while Mr. Potter went home for a shower.
"Let's play a game, anything so we just don't sit here," Sirius said, taking the poking stick out of the fire.
"I know, hide and seek. That's a fun game, and we can play in the woods," Andrea said.
"Ok, Dad won't be back for a while. He's going to take a nap, take a shower, and have a real meal. I know him," James said.
"No hiding in the tents. Andrea is it for suggesting it," Remus said, and jumped up.
I ran toward the woods, making sure Andrea wasn't looking. I followed the trail we had taken to get the wood. When I heard footsteps I hid behind a tree, and waited.
I waited for a while, I didn't know how long. Soon I began to dig a hole with my foot, waiting. No one came. I sat for a little while more, then got up to find the camp.
The problem was, I didn't know where I was.
"Great, just great. I'm lost, alone, and I don't have my wand," I mummbled, fumbling through me pockets.
"Lily! Lily! Where are you?" a voice cried.
"I'm right here!" I called.
James came through the brush, and saw me. He sighed, and ran over, nearly tripping over a branch.
"There you are! Where have you been? Everyone is looking for you. The game ended an hour ago," James said.
"What? We've got to get back. Where's the path you followed?" I asked.
"Path? I didn't follow a path, I just came here," James said.
"Well, you know the way back, right?" I asked.
"Not exactly..."
"Great, now I'm stranded here, with you, and we have no idea where we are," I moaned, and began to turn around in circles.
"What is it with you and getting lost?" James asked.
"What is it with you getting on my nerves?" I cried, and sat down against the tree.
"What would you need a wand for anyway? We can't do magic," James said.
"We can light the wand," I said.
"Really, cool," James said, and took out his wand.
In a second there was a little light on top of it. He climbed a tree and yelled for them.
"Well, the game was ruined but everyone is back at camp," Mr. Potter said.
I finished the rest of my dinner, my head down. Yeah, I was back, but I had to walk back with James (Ugh!).
"Get to bed, kids. No staying up late," Mr. Potter said.
I was glad to go to bed.
The next morning Mr. Potter went out to get us enough firewood so that our fire would stay burning through lunch (our last meal at our campsite). We were in charge of cooking the beans.
Peter sat aside, as he always did, watching our antics. We were fighting over were to put the can of beans.
"No! There!"
"No! Here!"
"No! There!"
Everyone had a hold on the can, and was pulling on it. I was surprised it just didn't fall apart right then.
Instead it dropped into the fire.
"Great, get the poker so we can get it out," James said.
We began to poke it, trying to get it out. But we never did. We just got it deeper into the fire, blaming each other.
Boom! The can exploded. Beans flew in every direction, throughly soaking us. We screamed, and back away from the can.
Mr. Potter came into the clearing, saw us, and sighed.
"What happened now?" he asked.
"The beans dropped into the fire, and exploded. Doesn't Lily look more like a angry tiger than a lily?" James asked.
I was angry, very angry, at the boys.
It was decided that we should leave camp early, so we could go home and eat. When everything was packed up we started back, this time silent. I looked strange, but had gotten all the beans off my face and hands. My hair still had beans in it though, and I looked more brown then red.
The end of summer came rushing upon me. The day before I returned to Hogwarts, I packed, and when I was sure I had everything, went downstairs and sat on the couch.
"Can I come with you?" Violet asked.
"No, Vi. I gotta go alone, but maybe you'll be a witch too. You never know," I said.
She shrugged. What cute 6 year olds are, I said to myself.
"Lily, are you all packed? Do you have your things? Are you sure you have enough stationery?" Mum asked, entering the room.
"The little brat will be fine. Actually, I could care the less if she falls down a well," Petunia called from the kitchen.
We all looked toward the door to the kitchen, and giggled. Petunia would never forgive me for being "abnormal". I had to listen to her speech every night at dinner. Maybe I could send her something for Christmas just to spite her.
"Bye, Lily!" Violet cried as I walked toward the barrier that didn't exist for me.
"Bye, Mum! Bye, Dad! Bye, Violet! Write lots!" I called, and walked toward the barrier.
As always, my family covered up my disappearing, and I stood on Platform 9 3/4.
"Lily! Come on! Hurry!" I heard Netta yell.
I looked up and saw her, Andrea, and Anya in a window above me. I waved and ran to the enterance to the train. Anya was waiting to help me with my trunk. Together we hauled it into the compartment, along with Mandy.
"I saw a group of first years earlier, they look lost," Andrea said when we settled in.
"I'm glad we're not new anymore. But I still can't wait until we are 7th years, can you?" Anya asked.
"No, it will be great. But until then we got to stay the way we are," I answered.
Netta got us in for a picture, showing off her new camera with a timer, and we waited until the fimilar flash. It didn't lessen, if anything the flash on the new camera was greater.
"I'll never get used to that, I swear," I said, rubbing my eyes like everyone else.
"Yes you will, Lil'. Or should we call you Lilian?" Anya said.
I hit her in the ribs and said, "If you ever call me that I will kill you. It's bad enough I have to hear it from Potter."
"Speaking of Potter..." Netta whispered.
James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter stood in the doorway, looking in.
"Have any of you seen Snape? Sirius here has the urge to hang his socks from the smoke stack," James said.
"That's not nice. Oh, wait, Snape? As in Severus Snape? I think he's in the first compartment, do what you want to do to him," I said.
Everyone hated Severus Snape, except the Slytherins. He was their role model. Severus Snape hated everyone but the Slytherins.
"Thanks, girls. Maybe you'll get to see," Sirius said, and they left.
We exchanged looks, and ran down the hall after the boys.
"Can we help? Can we? Pretty pretty please?" we begged, clasping our hands in their faces.
"Sure," James answered.
We followed them down the train to Snape's compartment. We found an empty one two down from him.
"Who's going to distract him while Sirius grabs his socks?" I asked curiously, my brows rising.
"You. It's obvious, you're the only Gryffindor Snape would even like. Didn't you hear?" James asked.
Before I could protest I was pushed into his compartment, with Sirius hiding behind me.
"What do you want, Evans?" Snape asked cooly.
"Un, what was the Potions homework? One of my friends forgot hers, and needs to do it again. And since you're an expert, she wanted me to ask you," I said quickly.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Sirius grin, and hold up instead of socks, underpants.
"Why?" Snape asked.
"Never mind, I just remembered, bye!" I called, and followed Sirius out of the compartment, breaking down in giggles.
Everyone patted our backs, and we went to the window.
"My brother taught me this," Sirius said, and raised his wand.
He whispered something, and the underpants appeared on the smokestack, 3 times their normal size. The words Severus Snape were emblazed across them. I could help but laugh histerically.
Soon, the whole train new about Snape's underpants, and Snape was hiding away.
"What a great way to start the year," I said.
Lily's Lake
Chapter 3
"Lily! You're hair! It's so short!" Mum cried after I hugged her.
"Do you hate it? I do. Anya cut it, just above the burns," I said, hugging Dad.
"No, it's fine. Just perfect for Summer. Come on, let's get to the car. Violet's waiting in the car," Mum said.
I pushed my cart to the car, stuffed my things in the trunk, and joined Violet in the backseat.
"Guess what, Lily! We are getting new neighbors tomorrow!" Violet cried, hugging me.
"Really, that's nice. I can't wait to get home. Where's Petunia?" I asked.
"At home, she didn't want to come. Do you have lots of homework?" Dad asked.
"Yeah, but I also have all summer to do it. Can my friends come over sometime? Please, they really want to?" I asked.
"I guess, but not for a little while, until you settle in," Dad answered.
After a while we pulled down our street. I looked across the rode from our house. There was a nice house, about the size as ours, waiting for it's owners.
"Come on, Lily. You should unpack, and get settled in," Mum said.
I nodded, and Dad helped me pull my trunk up the stairs. When we reached the landing, we met Petunia, who stood in her doorway.
"Back from Hogsores, School for the Strange?" she asked.
"As you might call it, yes. Oh, Petunia, I have this really neat curse I want to try out. Can I use you?" I asked.
Petunia screamed, and ran into her room. I laughed, and went into mine.
"That wasn't very nice, Lily," Dad said.
"It wasn't very nice to call my school a place for the strange, either," I answered, opening my trunk and taking out my pictures.
"Is this you, at the school?" Dad asked.
"Yeah, and those are my friends, Anya, Andrea, and Netta," I said, pointing at them in the picture.
Dad was a little shocked that the pictures moved, and excused himself to go and talk to Petunia about calling my school names.
I fell down on my bed, and looked around. Home sweet home, that's where I was. I hung my pictures up, and went downstairs.
I grinned at Petunia, who was sitting in the living room. She turned her head, and I went into the kitchen.
Violet sat at the table.
"Want to see my pictures of the school?" I asked her.
She nodded, and followed me upstairs. We looked at the pictures the rest of the day, laughing over funny ones, and telling her stories about each.
"Lily! Wake up! The neighbors are here!" Mum yelled, opening my door.
At the word "neighbors" I jumped out of bed and grabbed my clothes and closed the door. I hurriedly changed and jumped down the stairs, putting my socks on. My family stood in the kitchen, with a couple.
"Lily, this is Mr. And Mrs. Potter. They just moved in across the street," Mum said.
"Potter?" I choked.
"Your parents told me all about you. Did you know you're the same age as our son, James?" Mrs. Potter said, shaking my hand.
"James Potter? He doesn't by chance go to a school called Hogwarts, does he?" I asked.
The Potters looked confused. A boy came up to the door, and looked in.
"Mum, Dad, somethings wrong with one of the trunks, it won't fit through the door," the boy said.
It was James. I whimpered, making my head fall backward.
"James, have you met this girl?" Mrs. Potter said.
James looked at me, and gasped.
"Lily?" he asked.
"Oh, so you have met. Well, that's good. Are you friends or anything?" Mr. Potter said.
"You could say that," James said.
"I'm going to my room," I said, and ran back upstairs, tearing a page out of a notebook and writing a letter to Anya.
Help! James Potter lives across the street from me! He just moved in! Help! I wrote.
After I wrote three letters like that I sent them off with Mandy. She flew away, and I went back downstairs.
The Potters were gone. I silently thanked god, and got a snack from the cupboard.
"Lily, you didn't tell me you knew the Potters!" Mum said, coming into the room.
"I only know James, and we're not very friendly with each other," I said, biting into my snack.
"No snacks before dinner, young lady," Mum said.
I groaned, and through the snack bar into the trash, and went back upstairs. What a great day this was.
The next day I woke up to Violet bouncing on my bed.
"Get off me, Violet!" I cried, making a noise like I had no air to breath.
"Will you take me outside so I can tricycle? Please please! Mum won't, and Dad is working," Violet pleaded.
"Ok, ok, get off me and I'll meet you downstairs," I said.
Violet grinned, and ran downstairs.
Ten minutes later I sat on the front steps with some toast. Violet was on her tricycle in front of me, in the driveway, and acasionally in the street (no one ever came down here).
Petunia was doing the Petunia thing (locking herself up in her room, and telling the downs of life to whomever walked by).
"Look, Lily! Look!" Violet cried, and began to peddle really fast.
"Mum won't like that Violet," I cried.
Two figures came down the street. As they got closer I could see the unmistakable red hair of Jesse, and the dark dark blonde hair of Ellie.
"Oh no," I whispered under my breath.
"Lily! You're back! It's so good to see you again!" Ellie yelled, coming up to me and hugging me.
"Hi, girls. What brought you down here?" I asked.
"You're homecoming, silly. We thought we'd give you time with your family, and then come by. But enough family time! How was that school?" Jesse said.
"Fine," I answered.
"Meet any boys?" Ellie asked.
"No," I answered.
"She didn't need to meet any here. The cutest one lives right across the street!" Jesse cried, and pointed.
I nearly groaned when she pointed to James. He was leaving his house, going into the side yard.
"You mean James? He just moved in with his family across the street," I told them.
But they didn't hear me. They were argueing over who would get James.
"Look, I gotta go. I'll call you later," I said, and let my head fall back.
Mandy was coming across they sky. Another owl followed her, and then another.
"Ok, see you later, Lily," Ellie and Jesse said in a chorus.
I told Violet she had to stop so I could do something, so we both went in. I ran up to my room, and took the letters.
Lily,
Hahaha! You get landed with Potter! You get landed with Potter! Don't worry, though, we can take him down. Just invite us over.
Anya
Lily,
Well, bad luck to you. Here's what you do (I do it to my cousin all the time). Take a camera, and take a picture of him sleeping or doing something embarassing, then threaten to show it to everyone in his school (also ours).
Netta
Lily,
Guess you have the worst summer, and we have the best. Invite us over soon, so we can take down the Potter boys. Try and find a time when Potter has all his friends over, then invite us so you won't have to face it by yourself.
Andrea
I went backdownstairs and outside, a camera in my hand. I snuck across the yard, since there was no one outside, and up to a window. Nothing. There was nothing I could get.
I started back home, but then heard someone say, "Yeah, I'm having Sirius and Remus over on Friday for a sleepover."
I grinned, and ran to find Mum. I found her in the Living Room, dusting the mantle.
"Mum, can I have some friends over Friday?" I asked.
"That's what I meant to tell you. Mrs. Potter and I decided to get all you kids together for a camping trip!" Mum cried. "Isn't that lovely?"
"Yeah, sure. I'll go write them," I said, and went back upstairs.
On Friday I spent the last minutes with my friends alone before we went to the Potter's so Mr. Potter could lead us to the campsite.
"Well, just our luck," Andrea moaned.
"At least it's only a weekend, and we have a whole week. Anya, you brought the joke makers, right?" I asked.
"As if I could forget them," Anya droned.
I nodded, and then made sure all my stuff was packed.
"Girls, it's time for you to get over to the Potter's. They are waiting for you," Mum said.
We got our stuff and went over to the Potters. They were all waiting outside. Sirius had a huge grin on his face.
"Hello, girls. Are you ready to get hiking? It's a little bit of a walk," Mr. Potter said.
"We are ready," we said.
We started through the woods, carrying our things. We trudged through mud, which made me glad I had worn boots, and on roots.
The woods wasn't very welcome. About fifteen minutes later we arrived in a small clearing. We put our stuff down, and helped put up tents in a little triangle.
"Girls, you are in here. Boys, in there. And I will be in this tent here," Mr. Potter said.
We set up our sleeping bags, then went out and sat around the small fire Mr. Potter had made for us. We didn't really need it, it was 87 degrees out, but we did need something to cook our stuff over.
"Kids, go see if you can find some firewood. We need lots. And stay together, none of you split up," Mr. Potter said.
His last words made us groan. The eight of us (James had also invited a squat kid named Peter Pettigrew) started into the woods, picking up sticks as we went.
"This stinks. I have to spend a whole weekend with those girls!" James complained.
"Your landed with me for a while, Potter. I'm your neighbor," I answered, grabbing a stick from a tree.
"That's still alive!" James cried.
"So, it's dead now," I answered.
"That's not nice to the poor tree. It's still alive. How would you like it if someone pulled your finger off?" James asked.
"I don't know. They can't anyway, not without me knowing at least. Tree's don't have feelings anyway," I said.
"Speak for yourself," James said, and began to stroke the tree as if it was a baby. "Poor tree. Mean little Lilian didn't mean to hurt your feelings," he murmered.
"My name is NOT LILIAN! It's Lily! And, why don't you see if dirt has feelings?" I said, and threw a bunch of mud in his face.
He picked up a handful, and threw it at me. I threw some more, but missed and hit Sirius. And so started our mud battle.
Peter ducked out of the way, and hid behind a tree. None of us bothered to go after him. We were to busy throwing mud.
Fifteen minutes later...
"Kids! Come back and eat!" Mr. Potter yelled.
We stopped and started to walk back, laughing and choking on the mud in our mouth.
"That was fun," James said, coming up behind me.
I wasn't aware that he was pouring mud in my hair at the same time. But when I did notice he just threw the rest of it in, and ran ahead. I tried to shake it out.
"What happened to you kids?" Mr. Potter asked when we arrived.
We were all a specticle. Our faces were covered in mud, and so were our clothes.
"We just got a little muddy?" James said, unsure.
"Well, go change and wash up in the stream. Then get over here for some food," he said.
We went and changed, and then washed up in the stream that ran aside the clearing. And then we all went to eat the food.
"Next time I think I'll get the firewood. You didn't do a good enough job," Mr. Potter said as we ate our sandwhiches and soda.
"Good, I didn't like it out there," I said.
"Of course. Lilian was scared the whole time," James said in a baby voice, holding back giggles.
"My name is Lily!" I cried.
"Yeah, whatever, Lilian," James whispered.
That night, our stomaches full of smores, we lay in our sleeping bags, to tired to talk. I lay with my eyes open, looking through the little screen at the top. Mr. Potter prefered muggle camping. He said wizard camping was really just a home away from home.
"Lily, go to sleep," Anya moaned next to me.
"I'm just looking at the stars," I said.
"Yeah, well I'm closing the screen if you don't close your eyes," Anya said, rolling over.
I took one last look, and lay down to go to sleep.
The next day we sat around the fire, while Mr. Potter went home for a shower.
"Let's play a game, anything so we just don't sit here," Sirius said, taking the poking stick out of the fire.
"I know, hide and seek. That's a fun game, and we can play in the woods," Andrea said.
"Ok, Dad won't be back for a while. He's going to take a nap, take a shower, and have a real meal. I know him," James said.
"No hiding in the tents. Andrea is it for suggesting it," Remus said, and jumped up.
I ran toward the woods, making sure Andrea wasn't looking. I followed the trail we had taken to get the wood. When I heard footsteps I hid behind a tree, and waited.
I waited for a while, I didn't know how long. Soon I began to dig a hole with my foot, waiting. No one came. I sat for a little while more, then got up to find the camp.
The problem was, I didn't know where I was.
"Great, just great. I'm lost, alone, and I don't have my wand," I mummbled, fumbling through me pockets.
"Lily! Lily! Where are you?" a voice cried.
"I'm right here!" I called.
James came through the brush, and saw me. He sighed, and ran over, nearly tripping over a branch.
"There you are! Where have you been? Everyone is looking for you. The game ended an hour ago," James said.
"What? We've got to get back. Where's the path you followed?" I asked.
"Path? I didn't follow a path, I just came here," James said.
"Well, you know the way back, right?" I asked.
"Not exactly..."
"Great, now I'm stranded here, with you, and we have no idea where we are," I moaned, and began to turn around in circles.
"What is it with you and getting lost?" James asked.
"What is it with you getting on my nerves?" I cried, and sat down against the tree.
"What would you need a wand for anyway? We can't do magic," James said.
"We can light the wand," I said.
"Really, cool," James said, and took out his wand.
In a second there was a little light on top of it. He climbed a tree and yelled for them.
"Well, the game was ruined but everyone is back at camp," Mr. Potter said.
I finished the rest of my dinner, my head down. Yeah, I was back, but I had to walk back with James (Ugh!).
"Get to bed, kids. No staying up late," Mr. Potter said.
I was glad to go to bed.
The next morning Mr. Potter went out to get us enough firewood so that our fire would stay burning through lunch (our last meal at our campsite). We were in charge of cooking the beans.
Peter sat aside, as he always did, watching our antics. We were fighting over were to put the can of beans.
"No! There!"
"No! Here!"
"No! There!"
Everyone had a hold on the can, and was pulling on it. I was surprised it just didn't fall apart right then.
Instead it dropped into the fire.
"Great, get the poker so we can get it out," James said.
We began to poke it, trying to get it out. But we never did. We just got it deeper into the fire, blaming each other.
Boom! The can exploded. Beans flew in every direction, throughly soaking us. We screamed, and back away from the can.
Mr. Potter came into the clearing, saw us, and sighed.
"What happened now?" he asked.
"The beans dropped into the fire, and exploded. Doesn't Lily look more like a angry tiger than a lily?" James asked.
I was angry, very angry, at the boys.
It was decided that we should leave camp early, so we could go home and eat. When everything was packed up we started back, this time silent. I looked strange, but had gotten all the beans off my face and hands. My hair still had beans in it though, and I looked more brown then red.
The end of summer came rushing upon me. The day before I returned to Hogwarts, I packed, and when I was sure I had everything, went downstairs and sat on the couch.
"Can I come with you?" Violet asked.
"No, Vi. I gotta go alone, but maybe you'll be a witch too. You never know," I said.
She shrugged. What cute 6 year olds are, I said to myself.
"Lily, are you all packed? Do you have your things? Are you sure you have enough stationery?" Mum asked, entering the room.
"The little brat will be fine. Actually, I could care the less if she falls down a well," Petunia called from the kitchen.
We all looked toward the door to the kitchen, and giggled. Petunia would never forgive me for being "abnormal". I had to listen to her speech every night at dinner. Maybe I could send her something for Christmas just to spite her.
"Bye, Lily!" Violet cried as I walked toward the barrier that didn't exist for me.
"Bye, Mum! Bye, Dad! Bye, Violet! Write lots!" I called, and walked toward the barrier.
As always, my family covered up my disappearing, and I stood on Platform 9 3/4.
"Lily! Come on! Hurry!" I heard Netta yell.
I looked up and saw her, Andrea, and Anya in a window above me. I waved and ran to the enterance to the train. Anya was waiting to help me with my trunk. Together we hauled it into the compartment, along with Mandy.
"I saw a group of first years earlier, they look lost," Andrea said when we settled in.
"I'm glad we're not new anymore. But I still can't wait until we are 7th years, can you?" Anya asked.
"No, it will be great. But until then we got to stay the way we are," I answered.
Netta got us in for a picture, showing off her new camera with a timer, and we waited until the fimilar flash. It didn't lessen, if anything the flash on the new camera was greater.
"I'll never get used to that, I swear," I said, rubbing my eyes like everyone else.
"Yes you will, Lil'. Or should we call you Lilian?" Anya said.
I hit her in the ribs and said, "If you ever call me that I will kill you. It's bad enough I have to hear it from Potter."
"Speaking of Potter..." Netta whispered.
James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter stood in the doorway, looking in.
"Have any of you seen Snape? Sirius here has the urge to hang his socks from the smoke stack," James said.
"That's not nice. Oh, wait, Snape? As in Severus Snape? I think he's in the first compartment, do what you want to do to him," I said.
Everyone hated Severus Snape, except the Slytherins. He was their role model. Severus Snape hated everyone but the Slytherins.
"Thanks, girls. Maybe you'll get to see," Sirius said, and they left.
We exchanged looks, and ran down the hall after the boys.
"Can we help? Can we? Pretty pretty please?" we begged, clasping our hands in their faces.
"Sure," James answered.
We followed them down the train to Snape's compartment. We found an empty one two down from him.
"Who's going to distract him while Sirius grabs his socks?" I asked curiously, my brows rising.
"You. It's obvious, you're the only Gryffindor Snape would even like. Didn't you hear?" James asked.
Before I could protest I was pushed into his compartment, with Sirius hiding behind me.
"What do you want, Evans?" Snape asked cooly.
"Un, what was the Potions homework? One of my friends forgot hers, and needs to do it again. And since you're an expert, she wanted me to ask you," I said quickly.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Sirius grin, and hold up instead of socks, underpants.
"Why?" Snape asked.
"Never mind, I just remembered, bye!" I called, and followed Sirius out of the compartment, breaking down in giggles.
Everyone patted our backs, and we went to the window.
"My brother taught me this," Sirius said, and raised his wand.
He whispered something, and the underpants appeared on the smokestack, 3 times their normal size. The words Severus Snape were emblazed across them. I could help but laugh histerically.
Soon, the whole train new about Snape's underpants, and Snape was hiding away.
"What a great way to start the year," I said.