Disclaimer:
Mostly anything familiar to you is property of J.K. Rowling. I'm only
temporarily borrowing them and bending them to my every command!!!
MUAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! Phoenix, Francis, Eastre and Gabriel Evans belong to me.
And also creatures belonging to Lily and Phoenix belong to me!
Author's Note: Hi! This story is about Lily and her best friends Phoenix and
Calliope and… erm… their… erm… life? They're fifth-years btw. Pls REVIEW!!!!!!!
I live on reviews. They're my second ecstasy… the first is Campbell soup!!!!
Love soup! I'm a bit nuts but anyway on with me story!!! ~Lady Lanya Artemisan~
The Problem with Teenagers
Lily awoke that morning in a bright cheery mood. Sunlight pouring into her light blue painted room. A cage sat on her study table. Swift, her golden eagle owl, was still sleeping contently in his cage with his head under his wing. Montana, a golden retriever, and Landon, a Labrador retriever, were both sleeping next to her school trunk. Her trunk filled with books about magic. Lily Evans wasn't an ordinary fifteen-year-old girl. Not since she was eleven. She was a witch going to start her fifth year at Hogwarts.
Lily stretched and yawned while getting up to wash up. The two dogs perked up when they heard the unmistakable sound of running water. Swift brought his head out from under his wing and gave a croon when Lily came out from the bathroom.
'Morning sleepy head,' she replied back to the bleary-eyed owl.
'Lily! Honey, it's time for breakfast!' shouted her mother, Eastre Evans, from the kitchen.
'I'll be right down,' Lily shouted back.
Lily picked up her brush and ran it through her long cardinal red hair (a bright red colour), her emerald green eyes shining. It fell past her shoulders but didn't reach her waist. Lily then took a red ribbon with gold edges and tied her hair back into a ponytail. Then she took her pencil and checked off the day off her calendar.
'Lily! Come down to the kitchen. You've got err… mail,' her father, Gabriel Evans finished uncertainly.
Lily's heart jumped for joy. Whenever her father said she had mail that uncertainly, that meant she had owl-post. Lily pulled off her pyjamas and put on a fresh clean shirt and a pair of denim jeans. She practically jumped down the staircase with Montana and Landon at her heels and into the kitchen and sure enough, there were six different coloured owls sitting on the table, each with letters and five with parcels on them. Her father was looking critically at them while trying to drink his coffee and read his newspaper. Eastre shook her head at her husband's childish behaviour.
'Morning mum,' Lily said as she walked over and kissed her mother on the cheek.
'Morning honey,' said her mother in reply
'Morning dad,' Lily said as she kissed her father on the cheek.
'Morning sweetheart,' said her father.
Lily turned her attention to the owls. The only owl without a parcel, Lily recognized, was a tawny Hogwarts owl. She took the letter and, to Lily's surprise, didn't immediately fly off. It was waiting for a reply. Obviously it was told to wait for a reply. Lily turned her attention to her letter, which was heavier then it was supposed to be. Her heart leaped again as she hesitantly opened the letter.
Dear Miss Evans,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been elected a Gryffindor prefect. We hope you do an admirable job and don't prove our decision wrong. Enclosed are your prefect badge and your booklist. We also invite you to come to Hogwarts earlier, which would be the thirty-first of July, for a meeting to inform you of your duties. If you do not intend to come, you are to come aboard the Hogwarts Express as usual. If you intend to come, kindly send a reply with the conditions your parents or yourself might want to add.
Yours sincerely,
Florence Nightingale
Deputy Headmistress
'YES!!!!!!!!' Lily exclaimed jumping for joy, Montana and Landon barking excitedly.
'What is it honey?' asked Mrs. Evans surprised at her daughter's sudden happiness.
'I'M A PREFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' Lily exclaimed again.
'That's wonderful sweetheart,' said Mr. Evans, attention turned to his overjoyed daughter.
'What's the commotion? Did Lily turn her hair florescent pink?' said Lily's brother, Francis as he walked into the kitchen and helping himself to some cereal, oblivious of the owls. Francis was the kind of boy whom every girl would swoon over. He had titian auburn hair (a colour blending red and gold) and green eyes like Lily. He was tall and quite muscular (You ought to get the picture by now J)
'I'M A PREFECT!!!!!!!!!' Lily exclaimed again as she grabbed her brother's shoulders and violently shaking them.
'All right, all right already. You're a prefect. I'm happy for you. Now can I eat my breakfast?' said Francis.
'Yes!' said Lily as she let go of his shoulders.
'Mum? Dad? Can I go to Hogwarts on the thirty-first?' Lily asked.
'Sure, honey. If that's what you want,' her mother replied.
'If it's fine by your mother, then it's fine by me,' said her father as he turned the page of the newspaper he was reading.
'Great,' said Lily, as she started to head for the living room.
'Lily, the owls,' said her mother pointedly.
'The owls, right,' said Lily.
She took the letters and parcels from the owls, which flew off after been relieved off their jobs. Only the tawny Hogwarts owl that Lily called Phoebus was left. Montana and Landon whisked upstairs and came back down with parchment, a quill and ink. Lily wrote a short reply to Hogwarts and gave it to Phoebus, who flew off after receiving the reply. Lily then picked up the parcels and letters and headed for the living room with Montana and Landon. On the table in the living room was three beautifully wrapped presents. Lily gaped at the presents. Her parents and brother was standing at the doorway as Lily set down the parcels and letters to see the presents. Lily then turned to face her family members with shining eyes filled with tears.
'They're for me?' she said slowly.
'Happy Birthday sis,' said Francis as he hugged his sister.
'Happy Birthday honey,' said her mother as she hugged and kissed Lily's cheeks.
'Happy Birthday sweetheart,' said her father as he too hugged her.
'The parcels are presents from your friends,' said her mother knowingly.
'I-I d-don't know what to say,' stuttered Lily.
'Thank you would be nice,' said Francis as he gave her his famous sarcastic smile.
'Thank you,' said Lily as she hugged them.
'Now are you going to open your presents or shall I?' said Francis.
'Wait, where's Petunia?' said Mrs. Evans, suddenly noticing the absence of her other daughter.
'I think she's in the kitchen, dear,' said Mr. Evans.
'I'll go check,' said Francis.
He left the room and went back into the kitchen. There he saw Petunia sulkily eating cereal at the table by herself.
'Aren't you going to wish Lily "Happy Birthday"?' Francis asked.
'No,' she replied sulkily.
'Why not?' said Francis as he sat down at the table with Petunia.
Petunia turned to him and gave him an angry look.
'Why not? Why not? Why should I? Ever since Lily went to that Hogwarts place, Lily's the only thing that matters. It's always "Lily this" and "Lily that" and "Petunia, why can't you be more like Lily?" and "Lily is such a good daughter" and "Lily is such a great sister!" Petunia scowled.
'You know that's not true,' said Francis.
'Oh yeah. There's also "Francis is such a good son" and "Francis is so intelligent" and "Francis and Lily get along so well" and "Lily and Francis are such great children". Oh and I almost forgot. There's also "Petunia is so useless" and "Why can't Petunia be like Lily" and "Don't you wish Lily and Francis were our only children"!' Petunia scowled again.
'I'm sure mum and dad never said those things,' said Francis emotionless.
'I only wish. Then I could go on with my life not wondering when they're going to abandon me. I hate you. I hate you all.'
With that, Petunia ran past Francis, up the staircase and into her room, which she slammed closed and locked from the inside. Francis sighed. He got up and walked back to the living room where Lily was opening his present. The present his mother got her, a whole set of Advanced Subjects, was beside her, the wrapping paper still in one piece but with little tears here and there. The present his father got her was hidden under all the newspaper he used to wrap the present itself. The present from her friends lay placed around her.
Lily squealed as she opened a box of beautifully stitched handmade stuffed animal dolls. There was a griffin, a unicorn, a dragon, a phoenix, a white wolf, and a winged horse that moved and made sounds as if they were real.
'Francis, they're beautiful. Thank you,' said Lily as she kissed her brother on his cheek.
'Did I forget to mention that I got full marks for my sewing in living skills?' said Francis.
'Yes,' said Lily and their parents.
Francis shrugged.
'I flipped through one of your Charms books for advanced learners and saw an animation charm. I asked Phoenix's mother to help cast the charm on the dolls,' said Francis again as he sat down on the couch next to Lily.
'Francis, where's Petunia?' said Mrs. Evans.
'I hear some angry remarks or some sort. So I assume Petunia was there. Unless you were cursing yourself,' said Mr. Evans, looking over his spectacles and glancing at his only son. Mr. and Mrs. Evans never approve of their children speaking foul language.
'Petunia was there. She seemed upset. And I mean, very upset. She said some things I don't wish to repeat,' said Francis.
'Not that she said any foul language or anything,' he added hastily when he saw the look on his parents' faces.
Mr. Evans then stood up.
'All right then, if she's there then I'll go-'
'Was there, dad.'
'Was? Francis?'
'She went to her room and locked the door.'
'Oh.'
'Lil! Lil, you home?' called someone from the porch
'I'm in the living room, Phoenix,' Lily called back.
Phoenix was Lily's best and closest friend. She knew Lily since they were born. Just like Lily, Phoenix is also going to start her fifth year at Hogwarts. Phoenix had long chestnut brown hair (a reddish-brown), which fell past her shoulder blades but also not reaching her waist. Her eyes were light violet and she was of average height. But unlike Lily is a Muggle born, Phoenix is a pureblood.
'Hey Lil! Happy Birthday girl!' said Phoenix as she came into the living room.
'Phoenix, since when did you start calling me Lil?' said Lily critically.
'Hey, it's your birthday. And I know you don't like being called Lily. What can I do?' shrugged Phoenix.
'You done unwrapping and your dramatic thank you speeches yet?' said Phoenix.
'Yeah,' said Lily.
'Then pack up me lovely, we're going to Hogwarts,' said Phoenix.
'Huh?' said Lily quizzically.
'Hello? Are you dim as well as blur?' said Phoenix.
'What?' said Lily puzzled.
'When is you birthday?' said Phoenix.
'Today,' replied Lily.
'In date.'
'The thirty-first of…oh.'
'Blur case.'
'I heard that,' said Lily from the doorway.
'It's meant to be heard,' replied Phoenix as she walked up the staircase behind Lily with Montana.
The two girls went up to Lily's room and started packing.
'How are we going to Hogwarts and why are you coming anyway?' asked Lily.
'That's a surprise and my mum wants to see me,' said Phoenix matter-of –factly.
'Oh,' was Lily's only reply.
'Why'd you need to go so early?' said Phoenix, standing up to look at Lily from the table. 'It's not like your mother is a teacher. You can see your mother practically 24-7 during the summer holidays.'
'I've got something to do,' said Lily.
'You're a prefect,' said Phoenix, as she turned back to packing Lily's stationary.
'What? How'd you know?' said Lily.
'I have my ways,' said Phoenix.
'Can you stop answering me with that? How in the world do you know?' said Lily angrily.
'I have my own ways of knowing. And for Hephaestus' sake, will you drop the subject?' said Phoenix frustrated.
'And why do you always say, "For Hephas- what's his name's sake"?' said Lily.
'For one thing, it's Hephaestus. If you don't know how to say it don't, and everyone has secrets, this is mine,' said Phoenix, her light violet eyes darkening.
'But I'm your best friend. Best friends don't keep secrets from each other,' said Lily.
'If I don't tell you, you'd just ignore me for the rest of my life. But if I tell you, I'd most probably drop dead. Be ignored. Die. Be ignored. Die. I'd pick being ignored,' said Phoenix turning back to her usual timid self.
'But-,' started Lily but she was cut off by Phoenix.
'No buts. Just drop the subject,' said Phoenix.
'Fine,' said Lily.
The two packed in silence, tension dropping between the two. Eventually, they forgave each other and went down to the living room with Lily's trunk.
'So what's the so-called surprise, Phoenix,' said Lily.
'You'll see,' said Phoenix mysteriously.
'I don't like this. It gives me the feeling you're up to mischief,' said Lily suspiciously.
'I assure you, you'll love this,' said Phoenix with a smile.
'I hope you're right,' said Lily.
The two brought the trunk into the living room where they plopped down on the couch. Francis came in with a book, and seeing the two girls, snapped the book shut, startling the girls, and plopped down on the couch between them.
'And to what honour do I have two extravagantly beautiful and charming young ladies to accompany me?' said Francis with his sarcastic smile.
'Ha ha very funny Francis,' said Lily, clearly annoyed.
'Why my dear enchanting sister, I didn't think I was actually trying to be funny but I am deeply honoured that you think that I am funny,' said Francis, standing up and giving the two girls a mock bow.
'Cut the crap Francis,' said Phoenix.
Francis blushed a deep scarlet at Phoenix's words. It didn't take Einstein to help Lily, for her to figure out that her brother, even though older then them by two years, likes Phoenix.
'But if you are deeply honoured as you say you are, you may assist us in helping us carry my trunk outside or a certain somebody will know a certain secret,' said Lily in a sing-song voice.
'Yes, of course,' said Francis, as he hurriedly picked up the trunk and carried it outside.
'Now, what was that about?' asked Phoenix, temporarily confused.
'Nothing,' said Lily grinning away as she skipped toward the door.
Phoenix raised her eyebrow and followed Lily outside. Outside, Lily gaped at her surprise and now Phoenix was the one grinning.
'Surprise,' said Phoenix.
'You know. You're right. I love this,' said Lily as she hugged Phoenix.
'Told you,' Phoenix said.
'Sorry Francis. I'm riding Diamond and Lily's riding Crystal,' said Phoenix when she saw the look on Francis' face.
'It's not fair,' he pouted.
'Life's not fair,' was Phoenix's only reply as she let Swift, awake by now, out of his cage to fly by them when they took off.
'Darn it,' said Francis.
'Besides, we're going to Hogwarts and you, as a Muggle, cannot by right go there,' said Phoenix again.
'But you can assist us by lifting Lily's trunk on Diamond,' added Phoenix.
Francis did so and shot a pleading look at Phoenix.
'Bye,' said Lily mockingly.
Francis turned to her with a playful scowl and Lily stuck out her tongue at him in reply.
'Come on. I'm not going to wait half an hour for you to saddle Crystal, so saddle her right now,' said Phoenix impatiently.
'All right, all right. Don't have to get all puffy at me,' said Lily defensively.
When the two winged horses, Diamond and Crystal, were saddled properly (they have to saddle them above their wing joints), the two girls hoisted themselves up and the winged horses took flight. Phoenix and her mother bred and trained horses and unicorns of all kinds. Phoenix's father divorced her mother a long time ago so the unicorns are quite at home.
The two soared through the air, barely steering having winged horses, which flew to Hogwarts multiple times, and talked. After a while, they landed on the Hogwarts grounds. Phoenix patted them on the nose and the winged horses took flight once more.
The two girls walked up to the castle with the trunk in tow.
'Gods Lily, how much things do you have to pack?' Phoenix moaned.
'Stop your complaining already,' said Lily.
'Okay, I don't care any more. I'm not a house-elf. I train phoenixes not carry trunks the weight of elephants,' said Phoenix as she dropped her end of the trunk.
She took out her wand and cast "Wingardium Leviosa" on the trunk.
'Phoenix! You're not supposed to do magic!' Lily cried.
'I only didn't do it because I'm not in the mood for explanations,' said Phoenix as she guided the trunk up the stairs with Lily grudgingly following behind her. Professor Dumbledore was there to welcome the two girls.
'Miss Evans. Miss Nightingale. Glad you're both here. I am to lead you to Gryffindor Tower, not that you don't know where it is but it's so you get to settle in faster,' said Professor Dumbledore cheerily.
'Thank you professor,' said the two.
'Miss Nightingale, your mother is waiting for you in her office. She requests for you to see her immediately,' said Professor Dumbledore.
'Thank you professor,' said Phoenix as ended the spell and dashed to the staircase that leads to the dungeons.
'That leaves me to help you, doesn't it Miss Evans?' said Professor Dumbledore with a smile as he levitated the trunk again.
Lily followed him as he guided the trunk to the Gryffindor Tower.
Author's Notes: Well? What'd ya think?! Tell me!!!!!! REVIEW!!!!!!!!!! Please??? I'd like to hear any comment you'd like to say? Praise me, criticize me, flame me? Whatever!!!!!! Just review!!! See you!!!!! ~Lady Lanya Artemisan~