Disclaimer: Ok, I don't own any characters here, except the parents and
Phoebe I guess. -Sigh- I want Lily and James! =P
Author's Note: Sigh feeling down lately I guess. I failed my DELF (some kind of French exam). Hmm thanks Fireangel, drunkenfairy, Arrora, Clar (unicorn), Laven and Ti! Je vous aime! Haha~ You guys rocked my world!
Actually, I was planning to skip the 2nd year after this chapter, since the plot will more or less begin only in the third year. If I put in the 2nd year, it will just be something like a touch and go kind of thing anyway. So pls review and tell me (in the review) if you'd rather I write the 2nd year as well or just skip to the 3rd year! Thanks!
Chapter Six
That night, after an extremely silent dinner with Petunia (who had finally come out of her room. Lily thought she was hibernating inside) fidgeting and Sam casting dark looks at Serena, Lily approached her sister with curiosity.
"Petunia, what happened?" She asked, catching up with her when she was walking back to her room.
"Mum..and dad, they having been quarrelling for the past few weeks, though I don't know what it was about," Petunia replied, with a tinge of sadness in her voice and unusually, without any traces of sacasm.
"Over what? Why? How did it happen?" Lily bombarded her with questions, hoping to understand the situation better. It was unlike her parents to quarrel for that long.
"I told you, I don't know! I would tell you if I could!" Petunia snapped at her with irritation evident in her eyes.
"I..I'm sorry. I just thought..well maybe you might know," Lily mumbled, hurt.
However, much to her surprise (and maybe Petunia herself), Petunia reached out and gave Lily a tight hug.
"Don't worry. Mum and dad..they will get over it eventually," She comforted both Lily and herself.
Lily smiled a sad smile. "I hope so. Hey I'm going to get some stuff from kitchen to munch for the tv show later. You coming?"
Petunia smiled. It had been a long time since she has smiled at me, Lily suddenly realized.
"Nah, it's alright. I'm going up to my room. Have a fun time watching tv."
"Sure." With that, Lily turned back into the direction of the kitchen. However, as she passed her parents' bedroom, she heard some muffled voices. As curiosity got the better of her, she pressed her eyes next to the door, trying to grasp what they were talking. (A/N: Yeah I know this is similar to Harry eavesdropping on Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's conversation in the third book! Like mother, like son. =P)
"Sam, I'm sure we can talk it over. Why do you have to insist on it?"
"Rena, that's beside the point. Why did you keep it from me in the first place?"
"What good will it do for you to know?"
"At least I would know my wife did not hide any secrets from me! I would know that my wife trusts me!"
"I trust you, but would you still love me as much if you know I am who I am? Would you?"
"Damn it Serena Evans! Of course I will! Do you doubt me so much as to let me live under the elusion that my wife is a normal person for the rest of my life when she isn't?"
"What do you mean, normal? I am as normal as it could be!"
"Then why did you choose to hide it from me all these years! Damn it! And here I was, thinking that Lily being a witch was just coincidence, when it's because she inherited your bloodline! You and the rest of your family are all freaking witches and wizards, and you chose to tell me only after 15 years of marriage!"
"I'm sorry Sam. I didn't mean to hide it from you so long. But surely we can talk it over about Lily's education?"
"We already have, Serena. It's all for the best. I just want our family to lead a normal life without ANY interference from the wizarding world!"
At here, Lily stood outside the door, stunned. Her mother, a witch? And her father wanted her to quit studying in Hogwarts? How did all these happened? And judging by what her father said, her maternal relatives were all magical? Why didn't she know it before?
Then why did her mother prevent her from entering the barrier at platform 9 ¾? Was she trying to act as muggle as possible?
Shaking her head in disbelief, she returned to her room, all tidbits forgotten. As she flopped down on her bed, she glanced at the ceiling in her room.
The moon and stars painted there had been a joint effort between her parents for her. Would there come a time when things like that come to an end? Lily closed her eyes tightly.
"No," she tried to convince herself, "It will never, never!"
Just at that moment, there came a knock on the door. "Come in," Lily said dully, her eyes still on the ceiling.
It was her mother.
"Darling, we have to talk," she told Lily gently as she sat down on one corner of Lily's bed.
"What do you want to talk about? I don't want to talk!" Lily pulled her comforter up over her head, trying to escape reality.
Serene sighed. Her daughter could really be difficult at times.
"Lily, I have something to tell you. Something really important. For both me and you."
"You want to tell me you are a witch," Lily's muffled voice came under the comforter. It was a statement, not a question.
Serena was surprised. "How did you know?" She asked.
Lily's glum face appeared out of the comforter.
"I heard everything between you and dad," She replied in a flat tone.
"Darling, just answer me. Do you want to go to Hogwarts still?" Serena asked, her eyes looking directly at Lily.
Lily's eyebrows furrowed together into a frown. When her mother asked, her first instinct was to shout 'yes!', but the image of Potter tricking her came into her mind, and she hesitated. It would be a blessing never to see him again.
After a few seconds, Lily answered, "I suppose so. Hogwarts is fun."
"Would you want to be moved to a normal school, like your sister?" Serena asked again, waiting for Lily's answer.
"God, no! I'll hate those schools..they aren't the same as Hogwarts!" Lily replied quickly. Serena gave a small and weary smile, as she stroked Lily's long red hair.
"You are just like me..red hair, the temper..and the wizarding blood. My daughter," She smiled gently at Lily's upturned face, whose face still wore a worried look.
"Mum, if my school is the problem is the problem between you and dad, I don't mind going to a normal school. I mean it," Lily returned her smile with a crooked one.
"No, darling, I won't allow it. My daughter must finish her education at Hogwarts," Serena replied firmly, then added, "Actually, my purpose in talking to you was to reveal all that to you, but since you have already heard our conversation, I guess there's not much need to anymore. Have a good night, darling."
However, before she went out, Lily called out, "Mum!"
"Yes Lil'?"
"Why was it you didn't know about the barrier to platform 9 ¾? I mean, you being a witch and all..and the screaming when you saw the owl."
It was then Lily's mother smiled a true smile. "I was shocked by the sudden appearance from the owl, not because I haven't seen one, and I was from Beauxbatons."
~*~
For the next few days, the atmosphere in the Evans family still remained tense, and even though Lily knew what was going on, she didn't know her parents' decision yet.
Petunia, on the other hand, was ignorant of everything except for the fact that her parents were not on talking terms. No matter how she badgered Lily, lily wouldn't tell her, for Lily knew she was touchy about the topic on wizardry.
However, on one particular morning, an owl came to deliver Lily a piece of mail. The moment it fluttered onto their breakfast table, Sam's face darkened as Lily took the letter uncertainly from the owl. Serena nodded at Lily, signaling it was alright for her to open the letter. She did.
Hey Lily! Phoebe here! Do you want to come over to my house for a week during this holidays? I have also invited Remus along, since I know you get along well with him. If you don't mind, I will invite Sirius, Peter...and urm, James along too. Do reply soon!
Love, Phoebe
Lily looked up from her letter, to see her father's eyes on her.
"What did that letter say?"
"My- my friend just asked me if I could go over to her house for a week during these holidays.." Lily replied, her eyes begging her mum to agree to it.
Serena on the other hand, was uncertain about it. Should she?
Should I continue? Maybe I should, I'm really tempted to skip the 2nd year, sigh. Guess I will continue..
In the end, Lily was not allowed to go to Phoebe's house, no matter how she begged. Her father was adamant about it.
"No Lily, you know we have a family problem right now. We need to sort it out, and the last thing we need is having you out of the house unnecessarily," he had answered Lily in a final sort of voice when she begged him.
"Then why can't we sort it out now?" She would whine, hoping against hope that her parents would allow her out of the house. She couldn't stand another minute in the house with her mother and father quarrelling every night, sometimes in their room and sometimes in the living room.
But her father would always decide against talking to them at that moment.
"Your mother and I have not even sorted it between ourselves yet. Give us some more time."
Thus, for the rest of the week, Lily sulked, thinking of all the fun she was missing out at Phoebe's house. She missed all of them immensely, and even James, and that's saying a lot.
~*~
Finally, one evening, just after dinner, the Sam had the whole family sit down together and talk. Petunia had a worried look on her face, as if she could sense that something bad was going to happen.
Lily, however, bit her lip nervously, since she knew this talk would decide whether she could return to Hogwarts.
"Now girls, I- I have something to tell you," Serena clasped her hands together nervously, "I am a..witch."
"WHAT? Mum you got to be joking!" Petunia shouted in disbelief. Her mother? How absurd could it get?
"No Petunia dear I'm not," Serena replied in a soft tone, "Lily inherited my wizarding abilities."
"Then why didn't I? Why was it Lily?"
"You followed your father I guess," as Serena said that, her eyes arrowed onto Lily.
"Lil', are you alright? You seemed..zoned out."
Lily looked at her mother's concerned face. "What am I supposed to say? Wow?" She replied dully.
Just then, Sam cleared his throat and the attention was returned to him.
"Girls, you mum and I have been having a discussion on..Lily's education and Your mum. In the end, we..we..we still couldn't come up with a compromise, and so.." At here, he trailed off, then resumed his talking, "We have decided to separate for a while. Just to cool things off.."
Lily couldn't believe her ears. Was this her parents they were talking about? A couple with so much love between them would actually separate because of..their children?
Petunia glared at Lily. "It's all your fault, you..you..freak! You caused our whole family to break up! Why don't you just go to a normal school like mine, instead of that freak school! I hate you!"
With that, Petunia ran all the way up to her room and slammed the door, leaving Lily standing there motionless. Slowly, she grasped the situation.
"Mum and dad quarreled because of me..it's all my fault. Mum and dad quarreled because of me..it's all my fault. Mum and dad-" She mumbled to herself over and over again, hugging her knees to herself.
Serena looked at Sam, both with worry all over their faces.
"No, darling, it's not your fault! We argued because we couldn't see eye to eye about some topics!" Serena tried to convince Lily, but it was of no use. Lily had completely zoned out, oblivious to what others were talking about.
Urm ok I guess that's it. So should the next chapter be about the 2nd year or 3rd year? Please review quickly! =)
Author's Note: Sigh feeling down lately I guess. I failed my DELF (some kind of French exam). Hmm thanks Fireangel, drunkenfairy, Arrora, Clar (unicorn), Laven and Ti! Je vous aime! Haha~ You guys rocked my world!
Actually, I was planning to skip the 2nd year after this chapter, since the plot will more or less begin only in the third year. If I put in the 2nd year, it will just be something like a touch and go kind of thing anyway. So pls review and tell me (in the review) if you'd rather I write the 2nd year as well or just skip to the 3rd year! Thanks!
Chapter Six
That night, after an extremely silent dinner with Petunia (who had finally come out of her room. Lily thought she was hibernating inside) fidgeting and Sam casting dark looks at Serena, Lily approached her sister with curiosity.
"Petunia, what happened?" She asked, catching up with her when she was walking back to her room.
"Mum..and dad, they having been quarrelling for the past few weeks, though I don't know what it was about," Petunia replied, with a tinge of sadness in her voice and unusually, without any traces of sacasm.
"Over what? Why? How did it happen?" Lily bombarded her with questions, hoping to understand the situation better. It was unlike her parents to quarrel for that long.
"I told you, I don't know! I would tell you if I could!" Petunia snapped at her with irritation evident in her eyes.
"I..I'm sorry. I just thought..well maybe you might know," Lily mumbled, hurt.
However, much to her surprise (and maybe Petunia herself), Petunia reached out and gave Lily a tight hug.
"Don't worry. Mum and dad..they will get over it eventually," She comforted both Lily and herself.
Lily smiled a sad smile. "I hope so. Hey I'm going to get some stuff from kitchen to munch for the tv show later. You coming?"
Petunia smiled. It had been a long time since she has smiled at me, Lily suddenly realized.
"Nah, it's alright. I'm going up to my room. Have a fun time watching tv."
"Sure." With that, Lily turned back into the direction of the kitchen. However, as she passed her parents' bedroom, she heard some muffled voices. As curiosity got the better of her, she pressed her eyes next to the door, trying to grasp what they were talking. (A/N: Yeah I know this is similar to Harry eavesdropping on Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's conversation in the third book! Like mother, like son. =P)
"Sam, I'm sure we can talk it over. Why do you have to insist on it?"
"Rena, that's beside the point. Why did you keep it from me in the first place?"
"What good will it do for you to know?"
"At least I would know my wife did not hide any secrets from me! I would know that my wife trusts me!"
"I trust you, but would you still love me as much if you know I am who I am? Would you?"
"Damn it Serena Evans! Of course I will! Do you doubt me so much as to let me live under the elusion that my wife is a normal person for the rest of my life when she isn't?"
"What do you mean, normal? I am as normal as it could be!"
"Then why did you choose to hide it from me all these years! Damn it! And here I was, thinking that Lily being a witch was just coincidence, when it's because she inherited your bloodline! You and the rest of your family are all freaking witches and wizards, and you chose to tell me only after 15 years of marriage!"
"I'm sorry Sam. I didn't mean to hide it from you so long. But surely we can talk it over about Lily's education?"
"We already have, Serena. It's all for the best. I just want our family to lead a normal life without ANY interference from the wizarding world!"
At here, Lily stood outside the door, stunned. Her mother, a witch? And her father wanted her to quit studying in Hogwarts? How did all these happened? And judging by what her father said, her maternal relatives were all magical? Why didn't she know it before?
Then why did her mother prevent her from entering the barrier at platform 9 ¾? Was she trying to act as muggle as possible?
Shaking her head in disbelief, she returned to her room, all tidbits forgotten. As she flopped down on her bed, she glanced at the ceiling in her room.
The moon and stars painted there had been a joint effort between her parents for her. Would there come a time when things like that come to an end? Lily closed her eyes tightly.
"No," she tried to convince herself, "It will never, never!"
Just at that moment, there came a knock on the door. "Come in," Lily said dully, her eyes still on the ceiling.
It was her mother.
"Darling, we have to talk," she told Lily gently as she sat down on one corner of Lily's bed.
"What do you want to talk about? I don't want to talk!" Lily pulled her comforter up over her head, trying to escape reality.
Serene sighed. Her daughter could really be difficult at times.
"Lily, I have something to tell you. Something really important. For both me and you."
"You want to tell me you are a witch," Lily's muffled voice came under the comforter. It was a statement, not a question.
Serena was surprised. "How did you know?" She asked.
Lily's glum face appeared out of the comforter.
"I heard everything between you and dad," She replied in a flat tone.
"Darling, just answer me. Do you want to go to Hogwarts still?" Serena asked, her eyes looking directly at Lily.
Lily's eyebrows furrowed together into a frown. When her mother asked, her first instinct was to shout 'yes!', but the image of Potter tricking her came into her mind, and she hesitated. It would be a blessing never to see him again.
After a few seconds, Lily answered, "I suppose so. Hogwarts is fun."
"Would you want to be moved to a normal school, like your sister?" Serena asked again, waiting for Lily's answer.
"God, no! I'll hate those schools..they aren't the same as Hogwarts!" Lily replied quickly. Serena gave a small and weary smile, as she stroked Lily's long red hair.
"You are just like me..red hair, the temper..and the wizarding blood. My daughter," She smiled gently at Lily's upturned face, whose face still wore a worried look.
"Mum, if my school is the problem is the problem between you and dad, I don't mind going to a normal school. I mean it," Lily returned her smile with a crooked one.
"No, darling, I won't allow it. My daughter must finish her education at Hogwarts," Serena replied firmly, then added, "Actually, my purpose in talking to you was to reveal all that to you, but since you have already heard our conversation, I guess there's not much need to anymore. Have a good night, darling."
However, before she went out, Lily called out, "Mum!"
"Yes Lil'?"
"Why was it you didn't know about the barrier to platform 9 ¾? I mean, you being a witch and all..and the screaming when you saw the owl."
It was then Lily's mother smiled a true smile. "I was shocked by the sudden appearance from the owl, not because I haven't seen one, and I was from Beauxbatons."
~*~
For the next few days, the atmosphere in the Evans family still remained tense, and even though Lily knew what was going on, she didn't know her parents' decision yet.
Petunia, on the other hand, was ignorant of everything except for the fact that her parents were not on talking terms. No matter how she badgered Lily, lily wouldn't tell her, for Lily knew she was touchy about the topic on wizardry.
However, on one particular morning, an owl came to deliver Lily a piece of mail. The moment it fluttered onto their breakfast table, Sam's face darkened as Lily took the letter uncertainly from the owl. Serena nodded at Lily, signaling it was alright for her to open the letter. She did.
Hey Lily! Phoebe here! Do you want to come over to my house for a week during this holidays? I have also invited Remus along, since I know you get along well with him. If you don't mind, I will invite Sirius, Peter...and urm, James along too. Do reply soon!
Love, Phoebe
Lily looked up from her letter, to see her father's eyes on her.
"What did that letter say?"
"My- my friend just asked me if I could go over to her house for a week during these holidays.." Lily replied, her eyes begging her mum to agree to it.
Serena on the other hand, was uncertain about it. Should she?
Should I continue? Maybe I should, I'm really tempted to skip the 2nd year, sigh. Guess I will continue..
In the end, Lily was not allowed to go to Phoebe's house, no matter how she begged. Her father was adamant about it.
"No Lily, you know we have a family problem right now. We need to sort it out, and the last thing we need is having you out of the house unnecessarily," he had answered Lily in a final sort of voice when she begged him.
"Then why can't we sort it out now?" She would whine, hoping against hope that her parents would allow her out of the house. She couldn't stand another minute in the house with her mother and father quarrelling every night, sometimes in their room and sometimes in the living room.
But her father would always decide against talking to them at that moment.
"Your mother and I have not even sorted it between ourselves yet. Give us some more time."
Thus, for the rest of the week, Lily sulked, thinking of all the fun she was missing out at Phoebe's house. She missed all of them immensely, and even James, and that's saying a lot.
~*~
Finally, one evening, just after dinner, the Sam had the whole family sit down together and talk. Petunia had a worried look on her face, as if she could sense that something bad was going to happen.
Lily, however, bit her lip nervously, since she knew this talk would decide whether she could return to Hogwarts.
"Now girls, I- I have something to tell you," Serena clasped her hands together nervously, "I am a..witch."
"WHAT? Mum you got to be joking!" Petunia shouted in disbelief. Her mother? How absurd could it get?
"No Petunia dear I'm not," Serena replied in a soft tone, "Lily inherited my wizarding abilities."
"Then why didn't I? Why was it Lily?"
"You followed your father I guess," as Serena said that, her eyes arrowed onto Lily.
"Lil', are you alright? You seemed..zoned out."
Lily looked at her mother's concerned face. "What am I supposed to say? Wow?" She replied dully.
Just then, Sam cleared his throat and the attention was returned to him.
"Girls, you mum and I have been having a discussion on..Lily's education and Your mum. In the end, we..we..we still couldn't come up with a compromise, and so.." At here, he trailed off, then resumed his talking, "We have decided to separate for a while. Just to cool things off.."
Lily couldn't believe her ears. Was this her parents they were talking about? A couple with so much love between them would actually separate because of..their children?
Petunia glared at Lily. "It's all your fault, you..you..freak! You caused our whole family to break up! Why don't you just go to a normal school like mine, instead of that freak school! I hate you!"
With that, Petunia ran all the way up to her room and slammed the door, leaving Lily standing there motionless. Slowly, she grasped the situation.
"Mum and dad quarreled because of me..it's all my fault. Mum and dad quarreled because of me..it's all my fault. Mum and dad-" She mumbled to herself over and over again, hugging her knees to herself.
Serena looked at Sam, both with worry all over their faces.
"No, darling, it's not your fault! We argued because we couldn't see eye to eye about some topics!" Serena tried to convince Lily, but it was of no use. Lily had completely zoned out, oblivious to what others were talking about.
Urm ok I guess that's it. So should the next chapter be about the 2nd year or 3rd year? Please review quickly! =)