Blue eyes.
Chapter FiveThe Leaky Cauldron, Alleys and Marauders Oh My
The Evans family looked at the building in front of them in utter disbelief. To say it was shabby would be a compliment of the highest kind. The building its self seemed to teeter and totter, no doubt from the bricks that were missing in its structure, how it even managed to remain up right was beyond normal thought patterns. Lily only new that this was the place from the rickety old sign that said The Leaky Cauldron, which was hanging just above the door. Shrugging her shoulders Lily took a step towards the door, when out of nowhere a hand reached out and stopped her. Turning she was left staring into the cold blue eyes of Petunia.
"What? I have to go inside to meet a Mr. Hagrid, and I can't do that with a hand holding my arm."
Lily said with annoyance, their parents had just entered the building, and she didn't want them to wait for her to join them. Petunia's eyes seemed to soften as she looked back to the door just before them. Lily sighed, Petunia had been quiet and sullen for three weeks now, and Lily had been happy because of it, but now of all the days she decides to ruin a day of fun and excitement. Petunia looked back at her little sister with worry in her eyes, even though she tried to hide it.
"I don't think this is a good idea Lily."
She whispered frantically. Lily looked at her sceptically.
"Why do you care Petunia? Remember I should have never been born."
The words were said flippantly as though she didn't care one way or the other, what her big sister thought of her, which of course was the furthest thing from the truth.
"I don't care, I just have a bad feeling about this. I don't think you should go to this school Lily, its not too late, I'd go in and tell mum and dad you've changed your mind. Then we can all go home, and we could spend some time together, and maybe even learn to love each other or something."
Petunia rushed, as her eyes kept darting over to the door.
"But I do love you Petunia, I've always loved you, its just you that doesn't love me. I'm doing this, and you can't stop me. I'm sorry."
Lily whispered desperately trying to make Petunia see that she wanted this like nothing she'd ever wanted before.
"If you go whatever could have been between us will be dead, you wont be my sister anymore. Do you hear me Lily? Do you understand what I'm saying, you'll be dead to me always."
Lily's eyes filled with tears, as her sister wiped at her checks to dry the two tears that had fallen during her talk.
"I'm sorry Petunia, but I'm going. Why don't you come with us that way you can see that I wont be in any danger? We can even do sister type things, like laugh and giggle, eye cute boys walking on the street, you know that sort of thing."
Lily's voice came off desperate causing Petunia to inwardly cringe; Lily really did love her even though she was a bitch all the time. Looking at Lily she let her mask of coldness slip on to her face, after all it would be easier this way. She wouldn't be jealous of the little twit any longer; she'd just pretend she didn't exist at all.
"I don't think so Lily, I'm going to meet Vernon today, don't forget to tell mum and dad that I'll be home in time for dinner."
With that said, Petunia turned and began making her way down the street. Lily watched in shock as her sister walked away for the last time, because Lily knew that Petunia's threat was a promise she would keep until the day one of them died. Wiping at her face with shaking hands, a sob escaped her throat. If only she could have been anyone but Lily Evans at this moment, maybe her life would seem a little brighter, even the thought of shopping for her new school things wasn't enough to cheer her up.
A large shadow fell over Lily, as she stood there on the Muggle Street of London, watching her sister disappear in the distance. She was so preoccupied that she didn't realize the sun had disappeared for a few minutes. Her eyes went wide at the size of the shadow she found her self, staring at on the sidewalk. The person had to be a giant to make a shadow that big. Turning around she looked up and up, until she found two big black kind looking eyes in a mass of hair. The man had a tangle of messy black hair on his head that hung past his shoulders, along with his grizzly black beard. Lily's mouth hit the pavement as she gapped at this huge kindly looking man.
"OY 'ere' you must be Lily Evans."
Said the large man in a heavy accent.
"ER…umm yes, but who are you and how do you know me?"
Lily asked timidly.
"Right, me names Hagrid! Rubeus Hagrid keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts."
"Your mister Hagrid! You look nothing like I had imagined you to look like."
"I get that a lot. Now Lily your mam sent me to fetch you. We have a long day a head of us, so if you follow me, 'ere' off to Diagon Alley."
Lily nodded, and than followed Hagrid into the Leaky Cauldron, she was extremely bewildered as to how he managed to fit through the small front door, but quickly stilled her bewilderment when realization hit.
"It must be magic"
She thought to herself.
"Lily yer Mam and Da are over there talking with Tom, he owns the Cauldron. Go on and get them, I'll meet you three in back, then we'll be on 'ere' way."
"Ok Hagrid, we'll be there in a minute."
Lily's voice was full of excitement now; she was going to get her first glimpse of the Wizarding world in a few minutes. Running up to her parents, with bright sparkling emerald green eyes, she grabbed her dad's sleeve and begun to tug on it fiercely.
"Daddy, daddy we've got to go. Hagrid's waiting for us out back. Come on daddy lets go, I want to see the alley."
Lily said hurriedly.
"Sweetheart, you know better then to interrupt when your father is talking."
Mrs. Evans chided her daughter, for rude behaviour.
"Its quite alright Mr. and Mrs. Evans, she has a point. If Hagrid is out back waiting for you then you best be on your way."
Tom said with mirth. Lily Evans was the cutest little thing he had seen in a long while come through his doors, and to think she had been muggle born. Smiling at Lily kindly, and then shaking hands with Mr. and Mrs. Evans Tom turned back towards the kitchen; after all he had a business to run. He couldn't help but think of one thing as he left the three people behind him, Lily Evans was going to be great in everything she did, it had been there in her emerald green eyes, and Tom couldn't wait to hear what she would one day do with her gift.
***********************************************
James Potter, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin all sat outside of Florean Fortescue's Ice-cream Parlour eating their favourite flavour of ice cream, while they waited for the fourth person who made up their little group. Peter Pettigrew had been gone all of the month of July visiting relatives in America, he'd missed all their hard work and planning on becoming legends at Hogwarts, with their pranks, and mischief making.
"Where is he? It's been over an hour since the time he was to meet us."
Sirius whined to the two boys beside him.
"I don't know Si, perhaps he and his family were detained for some reason. I wouldn't worry, he'll be here."
Remus the ever-logical one of the group replied.
"Remus is right as always Sirius. Peter will be here."
"I know it's just that he's missed so much, and what if we're not as close to each other as before. A month is along time for us to be separated, what if he's different, and the mischief's just left him completely. What will we do then?"
"Sirius don't be silly, Peter would never change the way he is for anything in the world, after all we have our packed don't we?"
James said seriously, while Remus nodded his head in agreement. Many things Peter may be, but they knew he would never turn traitor to their plans of fame and mischief.
"Oh I guess you have a point, after all Peter is more cowardly then he is traitorous, and… OY, who are those people Hagrid's with? I've never seen them before." Remus and James cast their eyes in the direction Sirius was pointing in, and sure enough, there was Hagrid. Mind you, he was easy to pick out, even in such a crowded area, all because of his size. There was a woman, a man and a young girl with him. The woman and man were obviously married, and the girl had to be their daughter, although she looked nothing like them, James thought to him self.
"The girl must be muggle-born cause they're defiantly not a Wizarding family. If they were we would know them."
Remus stated the obvious, with the only way he knew how. He used plain simple logic that left no room for argument.
"The girls extremely pretty for eleven!"
Sirius said aloud, more to him self then the others.
"How do you know she's eleven?"
James asked while never letting his eyes stray from the petite red head, standing no more then fifteen feet away. Remus looked at James with a knowing smile, but he kept his thoughts to him self. Sirius on the other hand had no problem voicing his thoughts and opinions to any willing to listen.
"Well let's see James! She's holding a piece of parchment, and she has bags full of school supplies not to mention books as well, and Oh look, their heading towards Olivanders: Makers of fine wands since 382 BC. Do the math James, do the math, and you'll see it all adds up to her being eleven and starting her first year with us Marauders."
Remus snickered, as James decided to ignore him completely. Standing up James started towards Hagrid, who was standing outside, waiting for his charges to finish inside the little shop. Rumus stood to follow, but Sirius grabbed his arm.
"Where are you going? We have to wait for Peter remember."
"Sirius, we have to follow James, this is going to be interesting and besides we still need to get OUR wands. Might as well do it now, instead of later."
Remus said, just before shaking Sirius's hand off of his arm, and then making his way to the small little shop where James now stood in front of Hagrid. Sighing in defeat, he grumbled to him self, as he made his way towards his friends making sure to drag his feet.
"OY, James, Remus! How's the summer been treating you?"
Hagrid asked the two boys who appeared before him. Said boys just stared at him with bright twinkling eyes that held mischief and amusement. Hagrid gave a hearty laugh, as he shook his head.
"S'uppose all I herd ore the ministry was true then. Now you boys should know better than to go getting Mrs. Flute all unsettled, its bad for ones health. Trust me I found out the hard way long ago, that woman could hex you into the next century with out breaking a sweat."
Hagrid finished the last of his little lecture with contempt dripping from his voice. James and Remus picked up on the obvious ill feelings towards one Mrs. Flute, and had to hold back their laughter at Hagrid's warning. Unfortunately Sirius had just made his way over to them in time to hear Hagrid's warning as well, and being one to act first, and think later, he roared with laughter. Hagrid turned a deep shade of red, at Sirius's obvious amusement at the situation that haunted him.
"SIRIUS!"
James, and Remus yelled at the same time, both were trying to defuse the situation before it had a chance to really do some long-term damage. Unfortunately their friend paid their shout no attention what so ever, he turned to Hagrid and tried to talk between his fits of laughter, with each word he uttered, his laughter became louder, and more insane sounding.
"Mrs. Flute…Hex…US!!!! NO…ones…dumb…enough………to………..get………..caught………besides…
NO…ONE…CAN………CATCH………..A………..MARAUDER………THAT'S…………WHY……….WE'LL…
BE…………FAMOUS………….AT……….HOGWARTS…………"
Sirius had finally spit out his words, and James along with Remus were looking at Hagrid with worry on their faces. Hagrid had finally dropped the shade of red he had turned, in exchange for the purple looking colour he now was.
"Don't listen to him Hagrid, he's a dolt when ever he opens his mouth."
James whispered mortified, with the fact that Sirius could be so thoughtless. It was times like this that James wished the earth would open up beneath his feet, and swallow him whole. Remus didn't look much better, with the way he kept darting uncertain looks towards Hagrid. Sirius finally noticed the silence around him, and he looked to James for an answer as to why. James just shook his head sadly at his best friend, before waving bye to Hagrid, and running into the shop.
"WHAT DID I SAY?"
Sirius shouted in exasperation. Remus sighed in disbelief, at the total lack of brains in Sirius's head at the moment. For someone who could come up with the crafty pranks they had pulled, he sure didn't know when to keep his mouth shut, one of these days his thoughtlessness would get him into serious trouble.
"Let go Sirius, you're obviously to daft to realize what you just said anyways. Bye Hagrid, see ya at Hogwarts in a few weeks."
Remus's said, before following James's hasty exit. Sirius just shrugged in disinterest, and gave a small wave to Hagrid while following Remus's into Olivanders.
*******************
A small bell chimed as the Evans walked into the very small and dusty shop. Looking around in awe they noticed that each wall was completely filled with different sized boxes, you could not see the actual walls in the store at all. Unsure of what they had to do, they made their way to the cluttered counter to see if the owner was in. Lily cleared her throat loudly, than waited for any sound coming from the back of the shop. Lily turned her head to look at her parents with confusion before trying a different tactic.
"UMMM…. excuse me, but…. is there anybody here?"
Lily asked in a slightly raised voice.
A crash sounded from the back making Lily jump right along with her parents. Looking in the direction of the noise they waited for who ever was back there. The man that appeared before them as though he had just popped up from thin air stared at her intently, as though he knew what lay within her very soul.
"AH Miss Evans! I thought I might be seeing you today, but before we find you your wand; tell me how is James Potter doing. I haven't seen that lad in ages."
The old grey haired man asked. Lily was in such shock, that he knew who she was, when she had no idea who he was that she answered with the only thing she could grasp in the situation.
"Who?"
She squeaked. As the word left her mouth the door chimed again, singling the entrance of another customer.
"Ah Mr. Potter! We were just talking about you."
The man said pleasantly. Lily turned to look at the boy who stood frozen in the doorway, and she noticed that he was staring right back. His eyes were so blue, just like the sky and Lily felt as though she were falling into their endless depths. Quickly she pulled her eyes away from his and looked at the shop owner once more.
"I'm sorry sir, but I don't know who James Potter is. I think you've made a mistake."
Lily said uncertainly.
"Oh I've gone and said something I shouldn't have, how horrible of me…. Well never mind that. You two will know each other soon enough seeing as how your both starting first year this September. Now why don't you come over here James, and I can measure you both, so we can find the perfect wand for each of you.
James made his way over to Mr. Olivander, and the little green-eyed pixie that seemed to have the power to make his heart race. There was something familiar about her, and it was driving him crazy. He came to a stop right beside her, and smiled to him self, being discreet was defiantly not one of her strong suites, if her open mouthed staring was any indication. Just then the door chimed once more, along with the all to familiar sound of Sirius in a ranting fit.
"Remus tell me what I said! I don't remember doing anything wrong. I only stated a fact, and you can't say that it isn't true."
Sirius whined to the back of Remus's head. Remus just shook his head, and ignored his whining while he rushed over to James and the pretty little red head.
"Ah Mr. Lupin, and Mr. Black! So good to see you again, and might I ass a congratulations on Mrs. Flutes garden, heard it was quite a sight."
Mr. Olivander said merrily with a twinkle in his eye. Sirius beamed with the prise before replying.
"Well thank you sir, but before you go congratulating Remi and I, you must know that Jamesie boy was in on it too."
"Of course Mr. Black, I wouldn't have thought other wise. Now as nice as all this chitchat is, I must ask the two of you to come back in awhile for your wands. Oh and be sure to bring Mr. Pettigrew with you."
"But sir we want to get our wands with James!"
"I'm afraid Mr. Lupin that finding wands for two people is most difficult, unfortunately with four it would be impossible. There's too much potential in the air. You see it isn't the wizard that chooses a wand; it's the wand that chooses the witch or wizard. So I ask you not to make my job more difficult and to come back to be fitted for your wands later."
"Hey you just said that two was difficult and four impossible. So how is three going to be any easier, when you think about it."
Sirius said in annoyance, after all he really wanted to get his wand now, so he could pull some hexes he had learned from his father's books.
"Your friend Mr. Pettigrew already had his wand Mr. Black, went and got it in a foreign land, much to my disagreement, when his parents asked me about it. So you see it'll only be two not three."
Mr. Olivander said matter of fact. The fight seemed to drain out of Sirius with that statement and he nodded his head in defeat.
"OY James, good luck with the wand hunt, we'll meet up at four in the leaky cauldron for some food alright?"
Sirius said sullenly before turning to go, with out waiting for a reply. Remus looked at his friends retreating back until he was out of the shop. Turning back to James he shrugged then gave a small friendly smile to the girl who had seemed to capture James's attention from the moment he had seen her. Yes Hogwarts was going to be interesting and what lay in store for the next seven years was going to be incredible if those two got together, Remus thought as he left them to find their first wands.
Lily couldn't help her self; she was staring at the boy next to her in amazement. He was a wizard like the rest of his family, all these people knew him, and he knew all about this world that was so new and exciting to her. Maybe he'd tell me the things that I want to know, like everything. Lily thought to her self. Mr. Olivander cleared his throat loudly bring Lily back to her self. Lily blushed when she realized that the boy named James was staring at her intently as well. Turning her head quickly she gave her full attention to Mr. Olivander, trying hard to ignore the fact that James was still watching her.
"Mr. Potter! Are you still with us?"
Mr. Olivander asked James with amusement. He also noticed the bright red blush that passed over Lily's face at his notice of an uncomfortable situation. James reluctantly dragged his eyes away from the pixie beside him. What the hell was wrong with him, after all she was a girl, and he never liked girls, even if they were green-eyed pixies. He thought. James nodded at Mr. Olivander than smiled coyly.
"I'm still with you. So what do we have to do for the wand to choose us?"
He asked hurriedly. The faster he found his wand the sooner he could leave to find his friends and just maybe forget about the girl beside him. It was unnerving him to feel something for this girl, who could make him into a good and proper young man, at least that's what all girls seemed to want to do with him, and James Potter would have nothing to do with good and proper. Pranks and mischief were his deal and that's what he would continue to stand by for the rest of his life. No girl would change him, even one Lily Evans who seemed to pull him towards her with out even trying. What was with this girl and her strange power over him? James needed time to think about just what all this meant, and he knew with out a doubt that it had nothing to do with growing up. No there was something else involved, and he would find out what the something else was. James had been so deep in thought that he hadn't even noticed that they had already been measured for their wands until Mr. Olivander picked up a box behind him and handed the wand to him. James took it and stared at it blankly, no registering that this was the wand he was to try.
"Well go on Mr. Potter give it a wave, as I just said it's a strong wand, good for those with the sight."
"What?"
James asked as he realized he'd gone off to his own little land of thought once again. He heard the sound of tinkling bell like laughter from Lily and his heart did a little flip at the sound. He would make sure to hear that sound again. Even if he had to prank the whole school every day just to hear her laugh.
"Mr. Olivander, maybe I should go first since Mr. Potter seems occupied with his own thoughts at the moment."
Lily laughed. If James had been in his right mind he would have been offended, but she had said it in that sweet melody filled voice of hers, and his protests died on his lips.
"Quite right Lily. I'm sorry my dear, but May I call you Lily?"
"Of course you can, it is my name after all."
Lily laughed. The wand in James hand was plucked from him and placed in it box once more, then put with the thousands of others along the walls.
"Now Mr. Potter pay attention, so when it's your turn you'll know what to do."
Mr. Olivander said with over exaggerated sternness. He turned and wandered around the walls looking at box after box, only pulling a few from their places to set on the counter top. Lily watched him with wide eyes as the pile grew from three wands to fifteen. Making his way back over to them slowly, he placed on last box on the counter.
"I have to try sixteen wands to find the one for me?"
Lily asked in shock. Surely it wouldn't take all sixteen of them. Would it?
"Ah my dear, it could take more than sixteen, but then again it could be less. As I said before it's the wand that chooses the witch my dear."
Lily looked at him in shock, as he took the first wand out of its box and held it out to her.
"Now this wand is nine and a half inches made from oak, with the heart strings of a dragon."
Lily reached out for the wand while paying close attention to what Mr. Olivander said about the wand. Her small little fingers closed around the smooth yet firm wood. She could feel the power radiating within the core of the wand. A feeling of evil slithered up her spine as she held the wand. Images of a small family flashed before her eyes, along with the eerie green light. Lily dropped the wand with a gasp as if the wood had burned her. Taking five steps back she looked at the offensive object on the floor.
"Miss. Evans, are you alright?"
Mr. Olivander asked with concern. The child had paled considerably upon contact with the wand.
"LILY DEAR! WHAT IS IT, WHAT'S WRONG?"
Mr. and Mrs. Evans shouted in unison.
"Nothing, nothings wrong at all. I just don't think that wand is for me. Perhaps we should try another one Mr. Olivander."
Lily said in a quivering voice. James looked at her strangely, he could tell she was lying, but what he didn't understand was why. Being the kind of person who needed to know about every thing that was going on he bent over and snatched the wand from the ground. As soon as his hand closed around it, the world spun. He could barely make out Lily's cry of fright before he found him self not in the shop but in the moon lit clearing once more. Only this time it was different, it was no longer Sirius who stood before him. Now it was a little green-eyed pixie, with flaming red hair, to match the spirit that lay within her.
"James"
The likeness of Lily said in a breezy whisper.
"Lily? What's going on! I picked up the wand in the shop, and now I find my self here with you."
"Have you found it yet James? Have you found the light?"
"Light? What is all this talk of light, I've found nothing yet, and I don't even know what I'm to look for, or even were to begin. What I really do want to know is how I got here now, when I was standing in Mr. Olivanders shop but moments ago."
"I thought that would have been obvious James. You touched that which is evil."
"The wand? How is a wand evil. It's the wizard that would be evil, not the wand."
"NO JAMES! Do you not remember it's the wand that chooses the wizard, there for the wand would be evil, and it would choose that which is evil as well? Evil begets evil, just as good begets good. But now is not the time for such trivial matters. You must find the light James before it's to late. Lives depend upon it."
The likeness of Lily said with conviction. James watched the girl before him, as tears began to form in her eyes, she looked so sad, and it was because of him, that she was now crying.
"Please don't cry Lily, I'll do what I can. I'll look for this light, even though I don't understand why this light is so important."
"But you will understand James, you'll understand all to soon."
James felt him self being ripped from the scene before him, as the world began to spin once more. Clutching his head he cried out in fright at the sensation of being torn took him over. He could her Lily yelling but he couldn't make out her words, they seemed so very far away. His body was beginning to feel like rubber, and his legs could not carry his full weight any more, boneless he fell to the floor, as his surrounds took shape once more. He was staring at the ceiling of the shop, and Lily was kneeling over him, along with other people he didn't know.
"James, are you alright? Why did you do that?"
Lily asked in fright. It was that wand, and she knew it. It was evil through and through.
"Lily? Is this real?"
"Of course this is real, are you daft or something. Oh no, did you hit your head?"
"No, it's just that I wasn't here a moment ago."
"But you were here James, and you were talking to…to…me, but when I asked you a question you didn't answer me. You just kept talking to someone else, who you referred to by my name."
"Its nothing, I'm fine. Why are all these people here?"
"Well Mr. Potter, that's because of you. It was quite a scene you made when you started screaming."
Mr. Olivander said with concern.
"Oh, well I'm sorry if I frightened everyone, but as you can see I'm alright."
James said this with certainty, even though he did not feel it. Sitting up, he looked around the crowded shop until his eyes fell on the wand lying on the floor. Pointing at it he said.
"You should put that away Mr. Olivander. There's something not right with that wand."
"Alright everyone, you can all see that young Mr. Potter is fine, so if you could all leave, I can help these children find their wands."
Mr. Olivander said, while picking up the wand that had made each of the children react badly to its power. Slowly everyone filed out of the small shop to continue his or her own errands for the day. Once the shop was empty, Mr. Olivander turned towards James and Lily who were whispering to each other from their spots on the floor.
"Come! We still need to find your wands, and after that's done would you both be willing to tell me what happened when you each held this wand."
He asked while holding up said wand in front of him.
"NO!"
James and Lily shouted at once. Neither of them was willing to say what they had seen when they touched that wand, and it would be safer for everyone if they kept it that way.
"I didn't think so."
Mr. Olivander sighed, as he made his way back towards the pile of wands waiting to be tried.
Mr. Olivander watched as Lily and James walked out of the shop side by side. Those two where going to be powerful. The wands that had chosen them were strong, but that wasn't going to make them powerful, their power already lay within them. Closing his eyes he said a small prayer for the destiny that awaited the two of them. It was times like these that he truly wished that he didn't have the gift of sight. For Lily and James had a long road a head of them, a very long dark road. He could only hope that it didn't end the way he saw it. Just maybe, there could be some light at the end of their tunnel, after the darkness falls over them. He continued to watch them until they vanished from sight, and even after that he stared at the spot they last stood before disappearing. They were so young to have this destiny placed before them, but he knew as long has they stayed together, they would remain strong. After all their destinies were intertwined from now until their dying breath.