Chapter 7 - Wizards, Witches and the Evans

"I'll tell you later, he doesn't want people to know. Well, I have to go now, its three-thirty in the afternoon and I promised Sebastian, my boyfriend, that I'd meet him in Leaky Cauldron. Bye Lily, I'll see you soon!" She waved and walked out the door with her friends.

Lily looked around and spotted James and walked towards him, her mind filled with questions about Sophie, but she didn't dare to ask him.

"What you doing?" Lily asked cheerfully.

"Oh nothing, just picking things up for Sirius and the others, you? Sounds like you enjoyed talking to Jenny so I left you, you know, talk… 'Girl Talk',"

Lily laughed a bit and said, "Yes, as a matter of fact I did. I like Jenny. She's better than her sister."

James, who had stopped looking at the things on the shelf, looked quickly at Lily nervously. "D-did Jenny tell you something about Sophie or something?"

"No, she didn't. She was going to tell me, but she remembered her boyfriend so yeah, why? What's it to you?" said Lily, now looking curious at James.   

"N-nothing," answered James, trying to look convincing. "Well, got your stuff right here, let's go now, I promised Sirius I'd take you back safely," he grinned and walked up to the counter.

"That'll be 7 Sickles and 4 Knuts," said the man at the counter.

James gave the man seven silver and four bronze took the brown paper bag and gave it to Lily.

"What's this for?" said Lily bewildered.

"For you…and your family"

"No, you shouldn't have," Lily trying to give back the brown bag to James, who just pushed it back to her. After a few seconds of pushing the brown bag, Lily gave up.

"Fine, but thank you anyway. I owe you. Please let me pay you back, okay? I really feel guilty right now and I won't take no for an answer,"     

"Nope."

"I said I don't take no for an answer."

"Yeah, I know. You said you won't take no for an answer," James started to laugh.

"Ha-ha very funny," she said sarcastically. "But please, James, or I'll tell Sirius I didn't have fun."

"He won't do anything, I'm his best friend! His friend! His mate!"

Lily gave up. 'He's as stubborn as me,' thought Lily. "Fine, let's go then," she said in an upset tone. She started to walk fast out of Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop. She was a couple of more steps to Leaky Cauldron when someone grabbed her arm.

"Lily! Please wait," said James panting.

"Why should I?"

"B...Because…"

Lily, who wasn't listening, shook James' hands off her arm and started to walk again. This time James grabbed her by the waist.

"Let go of me now!" cried Lily. She wasn't mad, but she was very ticklish.

"But, please. Don't go. Not until you hear what I have to say," said James, who started panting fast.

"Okay fine, just as long as you stop panting."

"I wouldn't be panting if you didn't walk so fast, make a bet you ran." He saw Lily's face that told him to get on with it. "Look, I didn't mean it. You can pay me back, happy? Sheesh Lily, you can really be stubborn and red headed. Oops sorry you already are," once again he saw Lily's face. "No, no, I meant that as a compliment. Really…"

Lily started to chuckle and began to rhyme, "Oh James Potter, you think you're hotter. I'm not angry, but thanks for letting me pay you!" she grinned and started to walk slower.

"So that was a trick? Nice one Evans, but you have to do better than that and what do you mean by 'who thinks he's hotter?' I do not think that. Here, let me help you." James took the bag off Lily and started to walk in front of her. She smiled broadly and started to catch up with James.

They were at the front of Leaky Cauldron when James stopped.

"Have you forgotten how to get in or something James?"

"No. I just wanted to ask you something."

"Shoot," Lily was trying to sound normal.

"Well, I…err, well I just… Just… Umm, wondering do you, I mean-" James is stuttering badly. "Are you-"

"Sirius!" said Lily startled.

James, who looked disappointed but hid it straight away, gave a smile to Sirius and said, "Here. Happy, safe and alive," he handed Sirius the bag.

Lily didn't understand what he meant, but before she could thank James, Sirius had led them in Leaky Cauldron.

"Sorry I couldn't come Lily, parents problem," said Sirius beaming.

"No, that's all right, James was quite a gentleman." Lily had hoped James heard this, but he didn't. He started to walk to the table where Remus and Peter were sitting.

"That's good, so what did you buy?"

Lily explained to Sirius that James bought the things and she forgot her money. After few minutes, Lily suggested to Sirius if they could sit with his friends, because she felt she was taking him away from his friends and so they joined them. James, Remus and Peter were in another whispering conversation and again stopped when Lily joined them. Lily was curious but didn't dare to ask what they were talking about. After a few hours of getting to know the group, Lily's parents have arrived.

"Hi mum, hello dad. These are my new friends. James, Sirius, Remus and Peter," she gestured from her left.

"Hullo, I'm Hal Evans and this is my wife Lynn," he shook the boys hands. "Well Lily what would you like for dinner? I hear Tom is an exquisite cook, boys, would you like to join us?"

They didn't want to be rude so they said, "Sure."

"Would you mind Mr and Mrs Evans if our family could join?"

"Of course not. The more the merrier," he smiled and walked away "I'll see you boys and girl later," he yelled as he was climbing the stairs.

"Sorry about that, that's just my dad, he's just excited all about the Wizarding world."

"No, no, don't worry about it. I bet our parents would do that too," said Sirius.

The group started talking again, but this time Lily talked the most. It was six o'clock at night when the group of families walked downstairs to dine together. The Evans became acquainted with the Potters, the Blacks, the Lupins and the Pettigrews, they spent all of the night talking about their differences and how interesting the Muggle world and the Wizarding world. It was until Lily fell asleep that they all decided to sleep as well.