A/n; WOOOOOOOOOOORD! 100 FLIPPING REVIEWS! * does a happy dance * WORD WORD WORD WORD WORD WORD! Woo I'm really happy right now. This almost beats my happy attack when I saw Elijah on the TV! Almost… :-D I'm just kidding I love all of my reviewers and sooner or later I'm going to put this huge list of reviewers to thank. But I'm too lazy now so just enjoy chapter 16. TOOTLES! * dances off *
And they are mature for eleven-year-olds, aren't they? That can be changed…
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Stalking around the train fuming, Lily and Arabella settled down into seats halfway back to King's Cross Station.
"What an idiot," Arabella said angrily, kicking the seat in front of her.
"What a complete – insensitive jerk!" Lily exclaimed passionately, throwing her hands up.
"So what do we do now?" Arabella asked and rather calmly smacked her chewing gum.
"We've got to go somewhere because there's no way that I'm going back to my house!" Lily said pointedly.
Arabella nodded offhandedly. "Right, right. Not back there."
Lily nodded as well, stretching out on the seat to work out the cramps in her back. "I hate James so much now, but I guess we have to go back sooner or later!"
Arabella sighed and started to get up. "Just don't talk to him or anything."
"Gee Arabella, that's a grand idea," Lily said. Arabella beamed, missing the sarcasm in Lily's voice. " - except we have to spend the entire summer with him!"
Arabella appeared crestfallen. "Oh right. Yeah, I knew that!"
Lily rolled her eyes. "For someone so smart, you sure can't think of a solution to anything."
"Quiet Lily!" Arabella shot back.
"I was just kidding! Now, come on, we've got to go straighten this whole thing out!" Lily said and dragged Arabella through the crowds of eager students waiting to go home back to the compartment.
Lily shoved Arabella into the compartment and Lily heard her shuffling around. Eventually, though, her ears met the sound of a disgruntled 'Hello James' from Arabella. Lily slowly opened the compartment door and slid it shut. Turning around to face everyone in the compartment, she found the back of her robes to be caught in the door. She blinked a few times and tried to turn around but it proved to be useless as her hands were stuck behind her back as well.
"I'm quite stuck here, you cretins! A little help?" she shouted at them. Remus jumped up to help a struggling Lily from her bonds. She flashed a grateful smile to him and sat down next to Arabella. Sirius and James sat nonchalantly flicking Exploding Snap cards at each other in the front of the compartment. A card exploded near Sirius's feet and the carpet got singed.
"So, Evans, you decided to come back?" James asked lazily from the front seat.
Lily opened her mouth indignantly. "Since when, Potter, have been on last name calling terms?"
"Since now because I feel like it," James retorted.
Lily sighed loudly. "That's ridiculous! I had to come back here: all of my things are here and I've got friends in this compartment, so don't flatter yourself by thinking I came back to see you!"
"I won't waste my time because I know I don't want to see you!" James shot back resentfully.
"Guys, guys! Er… ladies – people! Let's all discuss this in a calm, rational – "
But before Sirius could finish what was likely the only sane statement he'd ever make in his life, Lily had stood up and slowly maneuvered her way into standing in the aisle with her hands on her hips. James saw her stand up and moved to where he could see her with his wand in his hand.
"Potter – I swear, you aggravate me so much!" Lily said angrily.
James narrowed his eyes, staring straight at her. "I'd watch what you say to me Evans, I've got a wand!"
Lily pulled her wand out from the pocket of her robes. "Wow! Good job Potter! So do I."
Sirius cackled. "James, I think she's got you there!"
"Would you like to eat your shoe?" James snarled at Sirius.
"Depends on what flavor it is!" Sirius remarked with a smirk, trying James's patience.
"Asphalt flavored with a touch of Sirius's brain," James said with an evil smile as he pointed his wand at him.
Sirius gulped and scooted backwards. "No need to get touchy Jamsie! I know it's that time of the month."
James scowled as Lily took the perfect opportunity to stride up to James and socked him in the jaw. The entire compartment went dead silent except for James's vehement exclamation and Sirius's rather loud string of swears.
"Holy shit Evans! Where in the world did you learn to hit like that?" James asked in awe, massaging his jaw.
"You pick up a few things when you have to deal with ignorant people like you," Lily hissed in a seething voice.
"You are going to pay for that so badly," James said in a deadly voice, "just wait until you're not protected by Hogwarts authority!"
"Yeah Lily, he's going to get you aloooooooooooooooooone!" Remus piped up in a mocking voice.
"Oh, shut up!" Lily said aggravated, her cheeks turning pink.
"Is your jaw broken, James?" Arabella asked in a simpering manner.
James suddenly winced as he touched the side of it. "I think it'll have a bruise, but I'm ok." He put on a tragically heroic face.
"Oh for the love of – Potter, you're such a faker!" Lily shouted angrily. James smirked at her.
"Here, lets go find something cold to put on your poor jaw," Arabella said sympathetically. Lily's jaw dropped about three feet as Arabella took James's hand and they walked out of the compartment together.
"What… what just happened here?" Lily asked dumbfounded.
Sirius whistled and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Maybe she's being hospitable!"
Lily snorted and put her wand away. "And maybe I'm the Queen of the moon!"
"Maybe you are," Sirius said cocking an eyebrow in mock suspicion.
Lily laughed and swatted his arm playfully. "Maybe I am. But you'll never know!"
Sirius gave a loud evil-sounding cackle. "Oh, won't I?"
"Nope. Never, not on your life!" Lily replied.
"Care for a game of Exploding Snap against the master?" Sirius asked, bowing majestically.
Lily found it appropriate to kick him in the shin but refrained from doing so since it would've been hogging his glory moment. "Why would I refuse to play against the master?"
"Let Remus play too, he's pretty good… but not as good as me," Sirius said pretending to think it over.
"Mmhmm, we should let Remus play. I should enjoy a good laugh if he defeats you," Lily said smiling.
Sirius scoffed. "You don't have anything to worry about, nobody's every beaten me!"
"Certainly is a confident bugger isn't he?" Remus asked coming over to join them. Lily gave him a patronizing look.
Sirius grinned wolfishly and stacked the first card.
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Several explosions later and Sirius's eyebrows singed off, the Hogwarts Express stopped at Platform 9 ¾. Arabella and James never showed up so Lily guessed they were either expressing their newfound love in ways she didn't want to explain or they'd found something better to do than hang with them.
"They're still not here!" Remus whined, looking everywhere for James and Arabella. Lily's arm was getting tired as she shifted her duffel bag for the third time. Sirius let his black owl Vampire's cage clatter to the floor. Vampire screeched loudly as she rolled away.
Several people looked at Sirius in shock and anger as he let Vampire roll around the train station.
"Siri, maybe you should pick up Vampire! She doesn't look too happy," Lily suggested.
Sirius scowled and picked Vampire's cage up. She beat her wings at him and nearly knocked him to the floor. Vampire was not quite your average owl, or even bird: her wingspan was that of an eagle's and she had nasty glowing eyes that scared Lily to death. Lily often wondered where in the world Sirius got that vicious beast, but she never mentioned this to him because he loved that bird more than anything.
"Shh, Vampire! It's ok no one's going to hurt you," Sirius cooed to the squawking owl.
Remus and Lily groaned in unison. "Sirius, the bird can't talk back!"
"Who said? She's Vampire! Vampire hears all," Sirius replied in an offended tone.
"Well its not like we've offended the stupid owl or anything!" Lily said dryly.
Sirius inhaled a
sharp breath and reached his hands inside the golden cage bars to cover
Vampire's ears. "She'll hear you! And you don't want her to peck your eyes out
during the middle of the night, do you? Because you've got lovely eyes, Lily!"
"The stupid bird doesn't care, Sirius you prat!" Remus said crossly.
"If you so even think about letting that – that thing out of its cage I'll open every window in the house!" Lily threatened, her eyes flashing.
Sirius dropped the topic briefly after that as the three friends stood amongst a surging crowd of eager Hogwarts students on their ways home.
"Good God, where is he?" Remus said irritated.
"Could they have already left?" Sirius asked looking worried.
"That's impossible! Why would James leave without you guys?" Lily asked.
"I… don't know!" Sirius replied brightly.
"He'd certainly leave without me," Lily said bitterly, "and I wouldn't mind the slightest."
"Wait! WAIT! What about Troy and Greg? Maybe they're trying to pry Greg and Pretty Boy from all of their loyal fans," Sirius said excitedly.
Remus groaned. "Please don't remind me of how my summer is going to be completely flushed down the drain!"
"Hey! I think Troy is," Lily glanced at Sirius and Remus, "um… nice!"
"Sure Lily! You think he's nice. As in, nice looking!" Sirius snickered. Lily was about to bop him over the head with the book in her bag when Arabella and James jumped into their nice little circle they'd formed.
"Aha! My assailant is here!" James said mockingly and pinched Lily's cheek like a grandmother would. She gave him a deadly look and picked up her stuff.
"You bet your sweet cakes little Jamsie," Lily said just as sarcastically.
"Oh boy! We're going to have some fun this summer!" Arabella said sensing more bad vibes.
"Straight up sister!" Sirius said jovially.
"Don't call me sister," Arabella replied instantly.
"Where are Greg and Pretty Boy?" Remus asked adopting Sirius's nickname for Troy.
"They're getting their stuff, they'll be here in a few minutes," Arabella replied shortly and businesslike.
"Gee, it sure isn't nice to keep everyone waiting is it?" Lily asked acidly.
"Too bad tootsie," James shot back.
"Tootsie? Don't call me tootsie or you'll wind up with a black eye to go with that broken jaw!" Lily threatened.
"All right, toots," James improvised with a sneer.
Lily let out a loud aggravated sigh. "I refuse to play name games with an utter imbecile."
"Good then, we're even!" James said, amused at her anger.
"James, isn't that your dad?" Sirius asked, pointing to an old beat up green 1950's Cadillac.
James groaned. "Oh man! Why did my dad have to bring that old piece of junk?"
"I think it's great! I want one of those cars when I get older!" Lily said excitedly. All of them looked at her.
"When you get older? Why not just Apparate?" Sirius asked curiously.
"Because one of the privileges as a Muggle adult to be able to drive! And I want a car!" Lily said matter-of-factly.
"You are so strange, Lily! Apparation is way faster," Arabella said.
Lily shrugged as Mr. Potter got out of the car. He was tall, but not gangly so and had a bit of confidence in his stride. James had obviously inherited his messy hair, as well as his self-confidence and charm.
Arabella's jaw dropped open as Mr. Potter walked up to them. Needless to say, in Lily's words, Mr. Potter was an absolute babe. He had a lean, muscular frame and his eyes sparkled mischievously. If that were how James was going to look when he was his dad's age, Lily would marry him in a heartbeat.
"Hey dad!" James said and ran up to give him a hug. Lily and Arabella hung back slightly, gaping at one another.
"D – did you know James's dad was that attractive?" Arabella stammered.
"James certainly didn't seem to inherit all of his father's good looks," Lily sneered.
"Oh Lils, give him time to reach puberty why don't you?" Arabella said hotly.
"He's always going to be gangly and unattractive to me!" Lily shot back as she gathered her bad and trunk.
"So, are you guys ready for a hot summer and lots of Quidditch?" Mr. Potter asked jovially. All of the boys cheered but all of the girls groaned.
"Come on Lily, you can always just hang around the pool and smooch around with Troy!" James joked.
Lily swung her bag at him in anger. "No thank you, I'd rather bake in the hot sun playing Quidditch."
"Where are Troy and Greg anyway? Weren't they supposed to be with you guys?" Mr. Potter asked surveying the crowd.
"Erm… they'll be coming in a second, dad," James said smoothly.
"All right, but we should get back soon. I don't know when Quidditch practice is," Mr. Potter replied looking anxious.
"Mr. Potter plays Quidditch?" Lily hissed to Arabella. Arabella looked as dumbfounded as Lily did.
"I didn't know that!" Arabella insisted.
"We need to discuss this in a more friendly manner with James when we have time," Lily vowed. Arabella nodded.
Sirius tapped his foot impatiently as a silence settled around the group.
Tap, tap, tap. Tap, tap, tap. Sirius's shoe hit the pavement in an annoying rhythm.
"Sirius could you please stop tapping your shoe on the ground before you do wind up eating it?" Lily snapped, stepping on Sirius's foot.
Sirius yelped and immediately stopped. "Ouch Lils!"
Lily pretended she hadn't heard him and spotted Troy and Greg heading casually towards them. "Hey! They're finally here!"
"Where'd you guys go?" James called.
"Sorry, we were playing a really heated game of chess," Troy said smiling apologetically. Lily had to hand it to James; he certainly picked charming boys to hang around with.
"Yeah, and I was winning until the train stopped!" Greg said unhappily.
"That's ok, we've got lots to do at my house!" James said cheerfully.
"Alright James, is everyone you invited here?" Mr. Potter asked.
"Mr. Potter? As in, Charles Potter of the Chudley Cannons?" Troy asked in an awestruck voice.
Mr. Potter grinned. "It sounds so formal when you use my entire title, I'm just Mr. Potter this summer."
"I admire your work so much sir!" Greg said enthusiastically shaking Mr. Potter's hand.
James and Sirius laughed. "Come on you guys, it's not that big of a deal!"
"Oh, so this explains all that orange stuff you have in your dorm!" Lily said flabbergasted.
"You've been in his dorm?!" Arabella shouted in confusion at Lily.
"Only to get my Remembrall," Lily said sheepishly.
"Wow this is so cool! We get to spend the summer with Charles Potter!" Troy exclaimed excitedly. Lily wasn't so thrilled: not only would James not be around to talk to them but Troy would be busy worshipping Mr. Potter. What was the big deal anyway?
"It should be an awesome summer! Lets get going, your mother wants to see you James," Mr. Potter said ruffling his son's hair so it stuck up more than usual. Lily cracked up at his static hair.
James scowled and tried to flatten his hair as they all walked to the car. Lily was astounded to find that there was a lot more room than it looked on the outside. There were two rows of seats: three in the front and two in the back, that were all made out of expensive-looking leather. The trunk opened up and miraculously fit six trunks, two duffel bags, three owl cages with owls still in them, and three broomsticks.
"All right, lets have-" Mr. Potter started assigning seats but Troy immediately ran to the door of the passenger seat and got in. They all stared at Troy.
"What?" Troy asked innocently.
"Er – nothing," Mr. Potter said uncertainly, "Anyway, why don't we have Greg, Arabella and Sirius in the front three seats and James and Lily in the back two?"
Lily scowled. "Must I sit with Pot – I mean, James?"
"It's fine, you guys! It doesn't matter where you sit!" Troy said impatiently.
James stuck his tongue out at Lily and climbed in before her and sat in the seat closest to the door.
"I am not crawling over you! Move your butt!" Lily said irately.
James grinned at her and crossed his arms over his chest. "Nah. I don't feel like it!"
Lily groaned and stepped into the chilly car. "Darn you and your long legs, you idiot!" She said as she tried to step over him but all it did was cause embarrassment and color to rise in her cheeks. Eventually she just ended flopping over him and banging her elbow on the window.
James cackled at her. She bit her lip to refrain from saying anything as she rubbed her hurt elbow.
"Lily, you are such a boor!" James said rolling his eyes.
"That word's too big for your vocabulary, you uneducated Neanderthal!" Lily shot back.
"People, people! Lets not make this car ride unpleasant!" Mr. Potter called from the front seat. He revved the engine, which took a few tries since it was so old. Almost instantly after it'd been started, the old car started vibrating and bouncing.
Lily crossly tried to stay in her seat without saying a word and crossed her arms over her chest. Mr. Potter started to pull out of his parking space as the car bounced some more and sputtered.
"Oh, this sure is a joyride!" Lily spat at James.
"Don't blame me! It's the stupid car!" James said huffily.
"You're an absolute idiot, you know that?" Lily shouted over the noise of the engine.
"Thanks for the positive self-confidence boost!" James said sarcastically flashing her a thumbs up.
"You're welcome!" Lily replied venomously and turned her back to him.
For a while, the entire car was silent as they slowly made their way onto the main road towards the Potter's house. Lily herself became fascinated with what was outside; she'd never been to this part of the country before. James had borrowed some chewing gum from Arabella and was popping it loudly, much to Lily's irritation. And yet, they could all hear Troy's awestruck voice talking to Mr. Potter.
"So, Lily, what do you want to do when we get to James's?" Arabella asked turning around so she could face them.
"Get away from James?" Lily suggested dryly.
"Sounds a lot like my plan!" James said sarcastically.
"Wow! Great minds think alike, don't they?" Sirius asked trying to lighten to mood.
"I'm an individual, Potter follows the crowd," Lily said cocking her head in James's direction.
James snorted. "I believe it's the other way around, Evans."
Lily stuck her tongue out at him again.
"That's really immature," James told her, irritated.
"Thanks for informing me. Now, go tell it to someone who cares, ok?" Lily said, grinning sweetly.
Suddenly a huge red van appeared in view, speeding at a very fast velocity and coming straight for the left-hand side of the car. Lily shrieked as Mr. Potter hit the gas and sped away seconds before collision. The car flew along the road, causing several other vehicles to screech to a stop to avoid any accidents. Mr. Potter quickly swerved at the turn coming up and hit the curb, causing the car to nearly flip over. Everyone screamed and Lily found herself flung onto James as Mr. Potter slammed his foot down on the brake. The car came to an immediate stop and settled in a nice ditch. Exhaling a long, shaky breath, Lily slowly rose up. James's arms were protectively entwined around her waist, but she paid no notice to it; she chalked it up to the fact they were nearly involved in a car accident. Scowling and brushing herself off, she scooted as far away from him as possible and remained that way until the end of the ride.
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Wow! That took really long for me to write that chapter! I had major writers block but now I know what to do with this story! Thanks for all of your reviews, they mean a lot to me, keep doing that! :)