Sirius pulled them along into Flourish and Blotts, where they each got all
of the supplies they needed. Lily and James' included a highly advanced
Anatomy book; Lily was excited when she pulled it off of the shelf, and
even more so when she flipped through it. This was to be her book for the
next three years; fifth, sixth, and seventh, and her eyes widened
appreciatively when she saw, in the back, a full diagram of the systems of
both the elf-nymph and the pentacorn, which hardly differed from the
unicorn. The Transfiguration book was the usual; hardly demanding, as was
the new Defense Against the Dark Arts one. They were supposed to be getting
a new one, which was good, depending on the quality of the teacher. They
stepped out of Flourish and Blotts, and the first place they went to was a
joke shop. Lily had to be dragged in there against her will, for she didn't
put it past either of the boys to drop a firecracker down the back of her
shirt. However, although she didn't stand with her back to the wall all the
time, she still managed to get out of the shop without having sparks fly up
and down her shirt.By the time they had finished their shopping, it was
time for James to get to work. Sirius and Lily accompanied him inside,
affectedly oohing over his white apron with "Florean Fortescue's" on it in
red Old English letters. He left them sitting behind the counter for a
while, then came back with large cones for each of them. Sirius dug right
into his cone, but Lily reached into her money-bag, pulling out a few
Sickles. "Here."
James waved that away. "You've got too many good manners. I'm not making you pay; you're my friend, for Pete's sake!"
Lily tried offering it again, but he fastened her hand around it. "Stop being all noble. It's yours; you don't have to pay for it. The whole gift idea."
Lily shrugged. "I don't mind. Thanks."
During the course of the day, Lily became so bored (James wouldn't give up the Floo powder and she was too lazy to go anywhere) that she offered to help out behind the counter. The offer was gratefully accepted by Mr. Fortescue and his son, Florean. Jr., and within seconds, Lily was outfitted with Mrs. Fortescue's blindingly white apron, serving people iced drinks and frozen cakes. The boys had declined this job.
She could see why, too, after a bit. People who didn't feel inclined to go to the counter and complain about melting ice could very well do that from their seats. And they did, too. Frequently. Lily had to restrain herself from giving a bald lady with a drool-filled mouth a sock in the jaw when that old lady mumbled about how scandalous it was, having barley-dressed minors waitressing. This was a lie. Lily was wearing long jeans and a shirt that covered her elbows, and she had only undone the top two buttons. It was untucked, true, but if a shirt comes down past your belt loops, Lily figured, it was quite all right.She was listening patiently to a gripe having to do with uncomfortable seats and how inappropriate tight pants were on waitresses (they were a size too big for her) when the door opened, letting out the cold air coming from the freezers. Lily sighed with relief—it was Severus and Lucius. She dropped a quick curtsy to the old git sitting half in and half out of the chair, took up her tray, and swept over to the new arrivals, smiling exhaustedly as she wiped a wet strand of hair out of her face.
"Hallo. Can I get you anything?"
Severus frowned. "Lily—you look really tired—and mad. What's up?"
"And why are you working here," Lucius added.
Lily shrugged. "Not working—more volunteering out of boredom. Can I get you anything," she repeated.
Lucius shrugged. "Double iced frappucino."
Lily nodded. "Coming right up. Severus?"
He caught her eye but looked away nervously. "Oh—anything'll be fine. Chocolate maybe?"
"Sure." Lily pulled out her writing pad. "Double, triple, over?"
He sank into a seat. "Double's fine."
"All right." Balancing the tray she was carrying, she made her way over to the counter, where Florean, Jr. was slicing a frozen cake. "Here." She ripped off the piece of paper, handed it to him. He glanced at it quickly. "We'll need some more chocolate. It's disappearing fast."
"Mmm." Lily was handing a couple a sprinkle shaker. "It's hot in here."
"Stick your head in the ice cream, then it gets better."
Lily laughed. "I would, if my hair would stop shedding. Is that the frappucino?" He had just placed a dark brown something on the counter that had pieces of ice in it.
"Yeah. And here's the chocolate. Say, Lily—" he added almost irreverently as she balanced both orders on the tray.
"Hm?"
"Say, would you like to have some ice cream together sometime?"
Lily froze. She didn't really know how to respond to that. "Um—hang on. I'll be back." She wound herself through the tables till she reached her friends. "Here you go."
Severus was searching Lily's face. "What's up? You don't look so happy."
Lily frowned. "Florean just asked me to have some ice cream with him sometime, and I don't really know what to say."
"Oh." Lucius nodded. "Do you want to, or not?"
Wrinkling her nose, Lily pulled out the bill. "I know some girl—well, most, actually—think he's nice-looking, but he's a frightful git. He thinks too much of himself."
"I take it that's a no?"
"It is."
Severus jumped in. "Say you're already busy that day."
"Doing what?"
"Well—" Severus stopped, floundered for words, but Lucius caught on.
"Say you're spending that day with Severus. He wouldn't mind!"
Lily chose to ignore the last sentence. "All right—I'll try that. Thanks, guys! And—that'll be six Sickles, twenty-four Knuts…"
She didn't use that excuse with Florean, however; she just told him "No, but thank you." very firmly. There was one good thing about that episode however—when she related it to her friends, it effectively prevented her from ever having to waitress again. James especially didn't want her working there again—he seemed to have something particular against Florean. Lily didn't mind; it would keep her fist away from the jaws of old ladies. The next day, an owl came from Hogwarts; sort of bulky, and a bit hard. It gave off a metallic clang, anyhow, when it was dropped on the table. Lily slit it open.
What fell out was something she really hadn't expected but that put a large grin on her face. A large, shiny star, with 'Prefect' engraved on it. She picked up the letter that went with it
Dear Miss Evans,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected as a Gryffindor fifth year prefect. This is a great honor, chosen by observation of your study habits, grades, and overall behavior. This is an added responsibility that will prepare you for positions of authority, therefore, we will be requiring you to monitor the years below you and to keep order as best you can. You will be permitted to remove points from Houses for substantial reasons, and when you arrive at Hogwarts, we shall give you the password for Professor Dumbledore's office.
Sincerely,
Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster, and Minerva McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House
Lily's father was so proud of her, he almost crushed her to pieces when he hugged her.
"We're so proud of our girl! A prefect! Oh, you don't know how much this means to us!"
Lily grinned hard herself, suppressing her grin in her father's shirt. "Daddy, really?"
"Of course! Oh, you just can't tell how proud I am…"
All too soon, it was the morning of September first, and they were scheduled to leave in thirty minutes. Lily was a bit frustrated; she couldn't find her Charms book. She'd checked everywhere; her trunk, under her bed, under the sofa in the living room and between the cushions, inside the kitchen cabinets...It annoyed her to think that she'd have to order a new one, and when ten-thirty rolled around, Lily was snapping at everyone in the house, including the neighborhood cat that wandered over for breakfast.
Petunia wasn't all too happy with her mood. "Well, for gosh sakes, Lily, it's only a stupid book!"
"Yeah, and I don't want to order another one. Now come on!"
"Come on what?"
"We've got to now now. Dad!"
He rushed down from the attic. "Coming, dear. I'll get the car started." He dragged her trunk outside, with lots of groaning about the weight of it. Preoccupied and trying to remember where she'd left it last, Lily walked out the front door, running into a form outside it.
"Ouch!"
"Ow!"
Lily stepped back, holding her forehead. "You have a really hard shoulder, you know that?"
"And you a really hard head. What's wrong?"
"Can't find my Charms book and we're late already. What're you here for?"
James smiled sheepishly. "Well, first off, to return this—" he pulled her book out from behind his back—"and secondly, to ask for a ride. My folks can't take me."
"And I suppose you thought we'd be glad to take you?" Lily snatched the volume from him, though she couldn't suppress a smile.
"Well, that's about the gist of it." He was a bit unnerved now.
Lily took his arm. 'You were right. "Come on—we'd better go. Dad's already hassled enough, and if we miss the train, it'll be worse."
As it turned out, they didn't miss the train, though they came awfully close to doing so. The clock over the barrier between platforms nine and ten showed three minutes to eleven when they pushed their trolley through the barrier, and there were thirty seconds left by the time that they got their trunks stowed in a compartment and sank into seats, panting.
"I do wish my mother hadn't bought such a heavy trunk!"
"You're telling me! I had to carry one end of it. How much does it weigh—empty?"
"I think somewhere around a hundred pounds…well, that's what it feels like, anyhow. Remus!"
This last was to a form in the doorway. Remus Lupin had just pushed open the compartment door.
"Hi, all. We were wondering where you were. Thought you might have missed the train."
Just then, a large toot rang in their ears as the train pulled out of the station. Lily rolled her eyes. "We came awfully close to it, didn't we?"
"Yeah. Thanks to Lily here."
"Hey! If I hadn't been so late, you wouldn't have gotten a ride!"
"True." James looked at the seats next to him. "Moony, have a seat, why don't you?"
Lily frowned. "Moony?"
Remus waved that aside. "It doesn't mean anything. It's just a stupid nickname, that's all."
"Hmph." James frowned. "Remus, she knows about your unnatural habits. Anyway, she likes fanged, furry creatures. Don't you, Lil?"
In answer, Lily hit James in the stomach, hard, and had fun laughing at him when he keeled onto the floor of the compartment, wheezing.
"Remus, do you mind if they call you that?"
Remus shrugged. "Why should I? I am a werewolf; why should I bother facing it?"
"Good answer." Lily slid onto the floor of the compartment. "Exploding Snap, anyone?"
Meanwhile, Sirius, Peter, Eva, and Amanda had joined them and they were in the middle of their third game when the compartment door slid open and Severus stood at the door. The four boys stood up, clenching their fists.
"What do you want, Snape?" Sirius spat out the word 'Snape' as if it were poisonous.
Severus shrugged. "I just want to talk to Lily, that's all."
James grasped Lily's wrist firmly. "Don't you dare. He's probably jinx you as soon as you're out of the compartment.
This was too much. Lily pinched his hand, hard.
"Ow! What was that for!" "Don't try to restrain me. I'll do as I please. Severus, don't mind these donkeys. I'll be right out." She ignored dumbfounded stares from the boys, rolled her eyes in response to suppressed laughter on the girls' side, and stepped out of the compartment, shutting the door.
"What? You looked as if it was something serious."
He winced. "Sort of. Remember what you told me, at that Christmas party?"
Lily squared her shoulders. "I thought you asked me to forget about it."
"Well, yeah. But, still—you said that you didn't throw me over because of Potter."
"I didn't."
"Well, but you came into the Leaky Cauldron—er—holding hands with him, and then you're volunteering at the place where he works—"
Lily had cut him off sharply by placing a hand over his mouth. "I was not holding Potter's hand. He grabbed mine so as not to waste Floo powder. He only had a bit."
"Oh." Severus looked a bit relieved.
"And the only reason I was volunteering there was because I was bored out of my mind."
"Oh." Severus looked quite a bit happier now. "I was just wondering…"
Lily smiled. "It's all right. Do you still need me or will I have to return to the controlling maniacs?"
"You mean Potter and Black and them?"
"Yeah."
"That was all I wanted to ask. Thanks."
"No problem. See you at Hogwarts!"
"Yeah, see you," he echoed as she quietly pulled the compartment door open to face accusing faces from the boys.
"Lily, how could you do that? That's betrayal!"
"He's our greatest enemy! You know that!"
"And you could have been killed out there! You know he knows more curses than anyone else does! He knew more when he came here than many seventh years!"
"And you heard us tell you not to go!"
"Lil. why'd you do that? He could have done anything!"
Lily knew how to shut the boys up, and she did so as soon as she could get a word in edgewise.
"I didn't know you cared."
As soon as they had quieted down a bit, she launched into them.
"In case you were wondering, Severus is your enemy, not mine. He's a very good friend, he's sweet, he's someone I can trust—more than I can say for any of you boys. I like him, all right, and you're not going to mess up our friendship by your stupid bickering. I'm not your property! You've got no right to tell me what to and what not to do. You don't own me!"
With that, she turned on her heel, slid open the compartment door, and banged it loudly as she stormed down the corridor.
She found Severus down the hall. As soon as he heard her footsteps, he turned. "You look mad. What happened?"
"It turns out I'm their slave, and they can tell me who and how to talk to."
"Ah." Severus nodded. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Where's your compartment?"
"In here." He gestured to a door to his left. "I'm just warning you; it's a mess."
"I don't care." Lily followed him inside. "It won't kill me."
"I wouldn't be too sure of that."
"I would."
As it turned out, the Tarantallegra that was put on her the moment she entered didn't kill her; it just made her legs start to jerk in a sort of quickstep. However, she spent quite a nice two hours in there before Eva and Amanda dragged her back into their compartment. "It's not as fun when you're not around."
While back in her first compartment, she asked James something that had been bugging her for some time.
"James?"
"Hum?"
Didn't you say something about the Quidditch World Cup last year?"
"You don't know? What's wrong with you--oh." He nodded. "I forgot; you don't get the Daily Prophet. It's Italy against Japan, next week."
"Why not over the summer? Isn't that usually when the World Cup's held?"
"It's being held in Egypt. They've got a large sandstorm going on there, and we're not allowed to interfere with magic. We can't stop thunderstorms or anything like that, so the logical (or illogical) thought process is that we can't interfere with a sandstorm."
"Oh." Lily sat back on her heels. "Is that so?"
"Yeah…but students have permission to go see it on weekends. So we're going then; it starts next Friday night. By the way—" he turned to Remus—"remind me that Nigel owes me five Galleons."
The rest of the talk excitedly turned to Quidditch; Lily had a feeling that they had been bursting to talk about it all day, but knew that she and Amanda would either fall asleep or leave.
James waved that away. "You've got too many good manners. I'm not making you pay; you're my friend, for Pete's sake!"
Lily tried offering it again, but he fastened her hand around it. "Stop being all noble. It's yours; you don't have to pay for it. The whole gift idea."
Lily shrugged. "I don't mind. Thanks."
During the course of the day, Lily became so bored (James wouldn't give up the Floo powder and she was too lazy to go anywhere) that she offered to help out behind the counter. The offer was gratefully accepted by Mr. Fortescue and his son, Florean. Jr., and within seconds, Lily was outfitted with Mrs. Fortescue's blindingly white apron, serving people iced drinks and frozen cakes. The boys had declined this job.
She could see why, too, after a bit. People who didn't feel inclined to go to the counter and complain about melting ice could very well do that from their seats. And they did, too. Frequently. Lily had to restrain herself from giving a bald lady with a drool-filled mouth a sock in the jaw when that old lady mumbled about how scandalous it was, having barley-dressed minors waitressing. This was a lie. Lily was wearing long jeans and a shirt that covered her elbows, and she had only undone the top two buttons. It was untucked, true, but if a shirt comes down past your belt loops, Lily figured, it was quite all right.She was listening patiently to a gripe having to do with uncomfortable seats and how inappropriate tight pants were on waitresses (they were a size too big for her) when the door opened, letting out the cold air coming from the freezers. Lily sighed with relief—it was Severus and Lucius. She dropped a quick curtsy to the old git sitting half in and half out of the chair, took up her tray, and swept over to the new arrivals, smiling exhaustedly as she wiped a wet strand of hair out of her face.
"Hallo. Can I get you anything?"
Severus frowned. "Lily—you look really tired—and mad. What's up?"
"And why are you working here," Lucius added.
Lily shrugged. "Not working—more volunteering out of boredom. Can I get you anything," she repeated.
Lucius shrugged. "Double iced frappucino."
Lily nodded. "Coming right up. Severus?"
He caught her eye but looked away nervously. "Oh—anything'll be fine. Chocolate maybe?"
"Sure." Lily pulled out her writing pad. "Double, triple, over?"
He sank into a seat. "Double's fine."
"All right." Balancing the tray she was carrying, she made her way over to the counter, where Florean, Jr. was slicing a frozen cake. "Here." She ripped off the piece of paper, handed it to him. He glanced at it quickly. "We'll need some more chocolate. It's disappearing fast."
"Mmm." Lily was handing a couple a sprinkle shaker. "It's hot in here."
"Stick your head in the ice cream, then it gets better."
Lily laughed. "I would, if my hair would stop shedding. Is that the frappucino?" He had just placed a dark brown something on the counter that had pieces of ice in it.
"Yeah. And here's the chocolate. Say, Lily—" he added almost irreverently as she balanced both orders on the tray.
"Hm?"
"Say, would you like to have some ice cream together sometime?"
Lily froze. She didn't really know how to respond to that. "Um—hang on. I'll be back." She wound herself through the tables till she reached her friends. "Here you go."
Severus was searching Lily's face. "What's up? You don't look so happy."
Lily frowned. "Florean just asked me to have some ice cream with him sometime, and I don't really know what to say."
"Oh." Lucius nodded. "Do you want to, or not?"
Wrinkling her nose, Lily pulled out the bill. "I know some girl—well, most, actually—think he's nice-looking, but he's a frightful git. He thinks too much of himself."
"I take it that's a no?"
"It is."
Severus jumped in. "Say you're already busy that day."
"Doing what?"
"Well—" Severus stopped, floundered for words, but Lucius caught on.
"Say you're spending that day with Severus. He wouldn't mind!"
Lily chose to ignore the last sentence. "All right—I'll try that. Thanks, guys! And—that'll be six Sickles, twenty-four Knuts…"
She didn't use that excuse with Florean, however; she just told him "No, but thank you." very firmly. There was one good thing about that episode however—when she related it to her friends, it effectively prevented her from ever having to waitress again. James especially didn't want her working there again—he seemed to have something particular against Florean. Lily didn't mind; it would keep her fist away from the jaws of old ladies. The next day, an owl came from Hogwarts; sort of bulky, and a bit hard. It gave off a metallic clang, anyhow, when it was dropped on the table. Lily slit it open.
What fell out was something she really hadn't expected but that put a large grin on her face. A large, shiny star, with 'Prefect' engraved on it. She picked up the letter that went with it
Dear Miss Evans,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected as a Gryffindor fifth year prefect. This is a great honor, chosen by observation of your study habits, grades, and overall behavior. This is an added responsibility that will prepare you for positions of authority, therefore, we will be requiring you to monitor the years below you and to keep order as best you can. You will be permitted to remove points from Houses for substantial reasons, and when you arrive at Hogwarts, we shall give you the password for Professor Dumbledore's office.
Sincerely,
Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster, and Minerva McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House
Lily's father was so proud of her, he almost crushed her to pieces when he hugged her.
"We're so proud of our girl! A prefect! Oh, you don't know how much this means to us!"
Lily grinned hard herself, suppressing her grin in her father's shirt. "Daddy, really?"
"Of course! Oh, you just can't tell how proud I am…"
All too soon, it was the morning of September first, and they were scheduled to leave in thirty minutes. Lily was a bit frustrated; she couldn't find her Charms book. She'd checked everywhere; her trunk, under her bed, under the sofa in the living room and between the cushions, inside the kitchen cabinets...It annoyed her to think that she'd have to order a new one, and when ten-thirty rolled around, Lily was snapping at everyone in the house, including the neighborhood cat that wandered over for breakfast.
Petunia wasn't all too happy with her mood. "Well, for gosh sakes, Lily, it's only a stupid book!"
"Yeah, and I don't want to order another one. Now come on!"
"Come on what?"
"We've got to now now. Dad!"
He rushed down from the attic. "Coming, dear. I'll get the car started." He dragged her trunk outside, with lots of groaning about the weight of it. Preoccupied and trying to remember where she'd left it last, Lily walked out the front door, running into a form outside it.
"Ouch!"
"Ow!"
Lily stepped back, holding her forehead. "You have a really hard shoulder, you know that?"
"And you a really hard head. What's wrong?"
"Can't find my Charms book and we're late already. What're you here for?"
James smiled sheepishly. "Well, first off, to return this—" he pulled her book out from behind his back—"and secondly, to ask for a ride. My folks can't take me."
"And I suppose you thought we'd be glad to take you?" Lily snatched the volume from him, though she couldn't suppress a smile.
"Well, that's about the gist of it." He was a bit unnerved now.
Lily took his arm. 'You were right. "Come on—we'd better go. Dad's already hassled enough, and if we miss the train, it'll be worse."
As it turned out, they didn't miss the train, though they came awfully close to doing so. The clock over the barrier between platforms nine and ten showed three minutes to eleven when they pushed their trolley through the barrier, and there were thirty seconds left by the time that they got their trunks stowed in a compartment and sank into seats, panting.
"I do wish my mother hadn't bought such a heavy trunk!"
"You're telling me! I had to carry one end of it. How much does it weigh—empty?"
"I think somewhere around a hundred pounds…well, that's what it feels like, anyhow. Remus!"
This last was to a form in the doorway. Remus Lupin had just pushed open the compartment door.
"Hi, all. We were wondering where you were. Thought you might have missed the train."
Just then, a large toot rang in their ears as the train pulled out of the station. Lily rolled her eyes. "We came awfully close to it, didn't we?"
"Yeah. Thanks to Lily here."
"Hey! If I hadn't been so late, you wouldn't have gotten a ride!"
"True." James looked at the seats next to him. "Moony, have a seat, why don't you?"
Lily frowned. "Moony?"
Remus waved that aside. "It doesn't mean anything. It's just a stupid nickname, that's all."
"Hmph." James frowned. "Remus, she knows about your unnatural habits. Anyway, she likes fanged, furry creatures. Don't you, Lil?"
In answer, Lily hit James in the stomach, hard, and had fun laughing at him when he keeled onto the floor of the compartment, wheezing.
"Remus, do you mind if they call you that?"
Remus shrugged. "Why should I? I am a werewolf; why should I bother facing it?"
"Good answer." Lily slid onto the floor of the compartment. "Exploding Snap, anyone?"
Meanwhile, Sirius, Peter, Eva, and Amanda had joined them and they were in the middle of their third game when the compartment door slid open and Severus stood at the door. The four boys stood up, clenching their fists.
"What do you want, Snape?" Sirius spat out the word 'Snape' as if it were poisonous.
Severus shrugged. "I just want to talk to Lily, that's all."
James grasped Lily's wrist firmly. "Don't you dare. He's probably jinx you as soon as you're out of the compartment.
This was too much. Lily pinched his hand, hard.
"Ow! What was that for!" "Don't try to restrain me. I'll do as I please. Severus, don't mind these donkeys. I'll be right out." She ignored dumbfounded stares from the boys, rolled her eyes in response to suppressed laughter on the girls' side, and stepped out of the compartment, shutting the door.
"What? You looked as if it was something serious."
He winced. "Sort of. Remember what you told me, at that Christmas party?"
Lily squared her shoulders. "I thought you asked me to forget about it."
"Well, yeah. But, still—you said that you didn't throw me over because of Potter."
"I didn't."
"Well, but you came into the Leaky Cauldron—er—holding hands with him, and then you're volunteering at the place where he works—"
Lily had cut him off sharply by placing a hand over his mouth. "I was not holding Potter's hand. He grabbed mine so as not to waste Floo powder. He only had a bit."
"Oh." Severus looked a bit relieved.
"And the only reason I was volunteering there was because I was bored out of my mind."
"Oh." Severus looked quite a bit happier now. "I was just wondering…"
Lily smiled. "It's all right. Do you still need me or will I have to return to the controlling maniacs?"
"You mean Potter and Black and them?"
"Yeah."
"That was all I wanted to ask. Thanks."
"No problem. See you at Hogwarts!"
"Yeah, see you," he echoed as she quietly pulled the compartment door open to face accusing faces from the boys.
"Lily, how could you do that? That's betrayal!"
"He's our greatest enemy! You know that!"
"And you could have been killed out there! You know he knows more curses than anyone else does! He knew more when he came here than many seventh years!"
"And you heard us tell you not to go!"
"Lil. why'd you do that? He could have done anything!"
Lily knew how to shut the boys up, and she did so as soon as she could get a word in edgewise.
"I didn't know you cared."
As soon as they had quieted down a bit, she launched into them.
"In case you were wondering, Severus is your enemy, not mine. He's a very good friend, he's sweet, he's someone I can trust—more than I can say for any of you boys. I like him, all right, and you're not going to mess up our friendship by your stupid bickering. I'm not your property! You've got no right to tell me what to and what not to do. You don't own me!"
With that, she turned on her heel, slid open the compartment door, and banged it loudly as she stormed down the corridor.
She found Severus down the hall. As soon as he heard her footsteps, he turned. "You look mad. What happened?"
"It turns out I'm their slave, and they can tell me who and how to talk to."
"Ah." Severus nodded. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Where's your compartment?"
"In here." He gestured to a door to his left. "I'm just warning you; it's a mess."
"I don't care." Lily followed him inside. "It won't kill me."
"I wouldn't be too sure of that."
"I would."
As it turned out, the Tarantallegra that was put on her the moment she entered didn't kill her; it just made her legs start to jerk in a sort of quickstep. However, she spent quite a nice two hours in there before Eva and Amanda dragged her back into their compartment. "It's not as fun when you're not around."
While back in her first compartment, she asked James something that had been bugging her for some time.
"James?"
"Hum?"
Didn't you say something about the Quidditch World Cup last year?"
"You don't know? What's wrong with you--oh." He nodded. "I forgot; you don't get the Daily Prophet. It's Italy against Japan, next week."
"Why not over the summer? Isn't that usually when the World Cup's held?"
"It's being held in Egypt. They've got a large sandstorm going on there, and we're not allowed to interfere with magic. We can't stop thunderstorms or anything like that, so the logical (or illogical) thought process is that we can't interfere with a sandstorm."
"Oh." Lily sat back on her heels. "Is that so?"
"Yeah…but students have permission to go see it on weekends. So we're going then; it starts next Friday night. By the way—" he turned to Remus—"remind me that Nigel owes me five Galleons."
The rest of the talk excitedly turned to Quidditch; Lily had a feeling that they had been bursting to talk about it all day, but knew that she and Amanda would either fall asleep or leave.