Chapter 5:

Disclaimer… I do not own Harry Potter or any related characters; they belong to J. K. Rowling and Warner Brothers

Ginny repeated her statement.  "This is it?  We paid ten pounds for a rubbish dump?"
James said, "I don't think it's a rubbish dump. I think it's a dead rubbish dump."

"It only looks likes a rubbish dump because it's slushy and overgrown," Lily pointed out sensibly.

They stared at it for a bit, and then James and Harry took out their wands.

"NO!" Lily hissed.  "Don't you think that these Puritan Muggles will find it a bit odd that a house pops up out of nowhere?"

"Oh come on, Lily, you could charm it so that it would look unfinished.  Please?"

She sighed. "All right.  Just don't expect me to make the stupid house.  That's your job James Potter."  As she said this, she was accusingly pointing at James and looking exactly like Mrs. Weasley.

Harry looked on with interest.  He finally got to see for himself what his parents were like alone.  "Are you two always like this?" he asked.

"There are a few times when Lily has been cordial to me, but overall, I have to say yes.  Although I must admit, she was a good actress back there."

"Ah."
Everyone got to work setting the house up.  James was really good with the transfiguration.  Lily's charm worked without a hitch, and soon the four were able to relax in their luxurious home.  Although it was the essence of modern in Lily and James' eyes, it was a bit out of date to Harry and Ginny.

Something that Lily and Ginny worked on together was a library.  They were conjuring up books and giving each other advice about what novels to read.  Harry and James couldn't be bothered by their girly nonsense, so they shared tales of their adventures, each slightly exaggerated, ending when James could not top Harry's story of his brilliant defeat of the dragon in the first task of the Triwizard Tournament as an underage champion.

When Sunday came about, all four dressed their smartest and went to Meeting.  The Reverend was preaching a sermon about how they must resist being demonic or something of the sort, and it was all Lily could do to keep Harry and James awake in the cold, boring room.

After Meeting, they met most of the inhabitants of the town, with Lily and Ginny quietly pointing out who did what.  They introduction they were most looking forward to, and also most dreading, was of Ann Putnam and her mother.  In Meeting, their eyes clearly showed that they were not paying attention, and now the younger Ann's eyes were glittering with malice.  She flirtatiously smiled at James and Harry, who each in turn wrapped his arms protectively about his 'wife.'

"Why, hello.  Last time we bumped into each other I don't think we were properly introduced.  I'm Ann Putnam."

"I'm James Potter, and this is my wife, Lily."  James put special emphasis on 'my wife' as the casual how-do-you's went on. 

"I'm Harry Potter, and this is my wife, Ginny."  A flicker of emotion went on in James' face, and Harry felt like whacking himself. Oh no, now James at least will put two and two together and never leave me alone until he finds out, he thought.

Ann's smile went down a few notches at this new information, but now she was making new plans.  "How long do you plan on staying in our little town?"

"Oh, we'll be out be summer," Ginny answered. 

"Is our town very different from where you came from?"

"Loads, back home we went to school in a humongous castle with- oh," James stopped as Lily jabbed him in the ribs.  "We out to be going now.  Bye."

They met a few more people, and then headed back to their house.

"Hey, Harry, why'd you say your name was Potter?  Is it really?"  James pried.

Harry's answer was too vague for James' liking.  "To make people think we're brothers.  We look like it."

Everyone was quiet the rest of the way home.  They had a peaceful evening, and then quietly went to bed, trying to get to sleep as fast as they could.  Although Harry was in the next room over, James would have sworn that he heard Harry tossing and turning and murmuring "No, Sirius, come back!" which did not help him sleep any easier, since it was probably the same Sirius that he knew.

A/N:  Merry Christmas all! This was written on the plane and typed on my dad's laptop in my grandparents' den, so pardon any mistakes.  This laptop is so stinking STUPID!!!  It also has no floppy drive, so even though Chapter 4 will most definitely be posted before long, just letting you know that this was typed first.  ARGH!!  There is nothing to do in a ski town if you do not ski!!  My next note will be nicer though.