A Flower: The Lily Evans Story
Part One: Change
Chapter Two: Diagon Alley

Chapter Summary: Lily spends a week wondering what is in store until finally Emily Croucher comes and gives her the first taste of her new life. Shopping in Diagon Alley.

A/N: Thanks to the reviewers and readers who read chapter one when it was still in a big block with no paragraphs. That is supposed to be fixed soon and hopefully it will not happen in this chapter.

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For the next week Lily sat around in various states of anxious waiting and avid daydreaming. Question upon question piled in her mind until she would have to busy herself with something else. It was a pity for whoever would be taking her shopping because it seemed Lily was prepared for a not-stop interview over the magical word.

Today was the day she was to go shopping, but that hardly gave her any relief. If anything it made her more jumpy and excitable than ever. She was ready for her chance to live the new and forget the old. Lily had taken to watching the clock obsessively. Just about every five minutes she would look up and be disappointed to find it hadn't been an hour, as it had seemed to be. At 11:30 it was lunchtime and she practically skipped to the kitchen, ready for the distraction.

"Hey mom," she said, smiling cheerfully.

"What are you on?" asked her pessimistic sister. Petunia had an expression as if an alien had just walked in.

"I, unlike you, am able to feel emotions other than hatred and jealousy." Lily flashed a fake polite smile at her.

Petunia smiled back rudely and opened her mouth to retort, but their mother expertly interrupted. "What are you girls planning to do today?" It was a Saturday and usually Lily would be going to meet Lindsey or Josh at the mall, but they were still fighting. The fact that school had ended 4 weeks earlier had helped Lily avoid any contact with either of them. Without passing in the hallways and having classes together she did not have to deal with them or their relationship.

"Going out with Vernon." Petunia seemed unwilling to say anymore as she ate a few meager cheese crackers.

"Where?" her mother asked with extra effort to be nice.

"Out," was the reply. Their parent had pretty much given up on controlling Petunia and had started to take an "it's her life stance." When they used to try and make her obey she would scream and yell and make all of the neighbors stare. At community meetings her mother and father received odd looks and whispers so finally they stopped trying.

"What about you?"

"I'm going shopping for my school, remember?"

"Oh that's right," her mother realized.

"What a freak show," Petunia muttered.

Lily and her mother instinctively ignored her comment. "Do you want me to come with you? I mean, the man was...well odd to say the least."

"Mum!" Lily cried exasperatedly.

"Yeah, Lil' Lily needs a chaperone. She might get huwrt," Petunia said in a baby voice.

"Shut you're mouth. If mother knew what you and Vernon got up to she would give you a chaperone." Petunia glared at her sister.

"You wouldn't."

"Oh just watch me." Petunia just stopped talking and ate her crackers more quickly.

Their mother waited until the waters were calmer to speak. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, weren't you the one who said not to judge by outside appearance?"

"You're friends certainly don't," Petunia shot.

At the mention of her friends Lily flushed. "I can tell you don't either. Look at Vernon. No one would pick that pig-faced idiot for his looks. Not that anyone with half a brain would pick him for his personality either."

"Girls, girls stop it! Right now." Lily looked subdued and Petunia kept throwing glares in her direction. Lily just went to the refrigerator to get out the sandwich things and made herself lunch. She plopped down across from Petunia and ate her sandwich.

She checked the clock again. 12:30. She hurried up the stairs to get ready. A comfortable shirt and worn in jeans were the outfit of choice. It was typical. She dressed for comfort rather than style and it didn't help her seem any better in the eyes of her classmates. In the mirror a mop of stringy dark red hair that hid the pretty elements of her face greeted her. Her appearance was something she thought she should change. She wanted to fit in and this was her chance to do it.

Lily grabbed a pair of red and gold stripped socks and rushed down the stairs. She believed in wearing silly socks, especially when wearing long pants and no body could see. It was just a fun little thing. Lindsey used to do it with her, but now that they were fighting Lily guessed she had stopped. After putting on her clothes, brushing her hair, putting on her socks, and putting on her shoes, it was still only 12:45. The last fifteen minutes of waiting were always the longest. Each one seemed more like an hour as she sat trying to occupy herself with something other than thoughts of Hogwarts and magic and wands.

"Soon I'll be away from home. I'll be learning magic and I'm not even worried. It's like some kind of story you would read in a book. Nothing interesting ever happens to me, yet here I am waiting for some one to take me to get a cauldron, books of witchcraft, and a wand. After just an hour of talking to a strange man I was ready to leave my life behind and start over. It sounds crazy when I think it through, but it doesn't feel that way. Some how I know this is what I was supposed to do. Be magic."

Ding-dong! Lily raced to the door and ripped it opened. This time the visitor was hardly as strange as the last. A woman in her 20's stood wearing a pinstripe skirt and a white button up blouse. Her fashion sense was much more on target then Mr. Wheaterby's. She was smiling and everything about her seemed friendly. Lily liked her immediately. "You must be the lucky witch," she said with her brown ponytail bobbing.

"Yeah. That's me," Lily beamed.

"Shall we be off then? Got the money?"

Lily grabbed a white envelope that was sitting on a nearby table. "Yup. I'm going mom!" she called.

A distance cry of "Have fun," came from the kitchen as they steeped out the door.

"Alright then," said the women. She led Lily to a small sports car that was sitting in the drive and they both got in. "I'm Emily Croucher. You can call me Emily or Em. Take your pick," she said as she started the car. Lily nodded. "I bet you have tons of questions for me."

"You couldn't imagine," Lily chuckled. She planned to ask so many.

"I bet I could. I was muggle born myself." Emily saw the questioning look Lily gave her. "Sorry, it's easy to forget you don't know. A muggle is a non magical person. People also say "muggle TV" and things of that sort."

"Oh." Suddenly Lily didn't worry about asking her questions. She knew that by the end of the day most would be answered without trouble. The ride lasted only about 15 minutes and Lily recognized exactly where they were. "I've been here before. I don't think this is the right place to get anything magical. It's really...muggle here."

Emily chuckled at her awkwardness with using the new word. "Of course there's a place. Why else would we be here? We're going to Diagon Alley." Before Lily could ask where that was Emily started again. "That reminds me, did you bring your supply list?" Lily shook her head apologetically. "Oh that's ok. I have one somewhere." She dug around until she found a wrinkled parchment. "Alright let's go," she said as she opened the door and Lily scrambled to do the same.

"So where to first?" Lily asked eagerly.

"Right there," Emily pointed to a dank and deserted looking building that looked smashed between the shops on either side as if it had been an after thought. A broken sign hanging above it read, "The Leaky Cauldron." It certainly did look Leaky enough for the title.

"Where?" At first she hadn't seen it. "Oh! I've never noticed that before." It was hard not to miss and from the way the people's eyes were flicking between the shops on either side they were missing it completely.

"Weren't looking properly, were you then?" she said with a twinkle in her eye. She led Lily through the crowd and into the dim pub. Dusty float across the room in swirling patterns and costumers wearing robes and cloaks sat at tables conversing quietly. No one seemed to notice them come in.

"Where-" started Lily.

"You'll see." She led Lily to one of the brick walls in the back and pulled out her wand. She seemed to be counting the bricks until finally she stuck her wand out and tapped one.

Suddenly the bricks began folding back. When they stopped moving a wide archway had opened and a sign above them said "Diagon Alley." The rest of the pub seemed unphased, but Lily was gapping at the street of shops that had been revealed. She stepped in and walked to a nearby shop. A moving model of the galaxy caught her eye and she examined it. After putting it down she looked at Emily, who nodded in approval. There was a basket if medallions on one of the shelves. A sign saying "Mood medals. Change with emotion," hung above them and Lily held one in her palm. The design changed into three interlinked triangles. She turned it over and on the back it said, "You're excited and nervous. Don't worry, school will be fine." Lily smiled and put it down.

"We should get started. Lots to pick up," Emily reminded her while reviewing the list. "Clothes and small things first and then books and cauldron. Where is that money again?" She pulled a black pouch out of practically nowhere.

"300 pounds right here," Lily held out the envelope and Emily took it.

"Alrighty. Here is your wizarding money." She gave Lily the pouch. Inside was an assortment of little bronze coins, medium silver coins, and large gold coins. "The bronze are knuts, the silver are sickles, and the gold are galleons. Now let's get off to Madam Malkins before they only have wool robes left."

They came to a large shop with a decorated window in front. "Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Weddings, balls, and school uniforms all in one place!" Someone about Lily's age stood on a stool inside wearing robes that fell much past her arms and legs. A bell jingled somewhere in the distance as they opened the fancy gold handled door and a plump women bustled over to them. "Hello!" she boomed. "Hogwarts , I suppose?" She didn't wait for a reply, but instead she directed Lily onto a stool next to the girl she had seen from outside.

"Hogwarts too?" Lily nodded as she was being measured and then draped with several different robes.

"Yes. I am so excited."

"Aren't we all? It's been 11 years of waiting and now we finally get to make something of it." The girl had assumed Lily wasn't muggle born and Lily just let her believe it by nodding silently. "What's your name? I'm Gabrielle."

"I'm Lily. Lily Evans. Pleased to meet you." Just then the women shooed Gabrielle away and took a few more measurements on Lily.

"You know, robes look quite nice on you." After a few more measurements she was allowed to step down. Emily immediately led her away, pointing at another rack of clothes.

"Time to get your uniform clothes." The rack was full of white button up shirts, gray vests and skirts, and black and gray pants. Lily took two pleated skirts, one straight skirt, two pairs of gray pants, and two pairs of black into dressing room. When she emerged she grabbed some vests and shirts.

"Is this enough clothes?" she asked Emily.

"Looks like it to me. If you need anymore we can order them later." Lily wondered if that meant she would be seeing Emily again. She hoped so. They picked up her robes and put everything up on the counter and paid.

"Time for the potions shop," she said with a hint of distaste.

The shop front looked dark and gloomy. Their was an eerie air around the building itself and Lily wasn't looking forward to going inside. She could already she the various jars of sticking looking substances, moldy looking powders, and animal limbs. They stepped inside quietly and Emily seemed not to notice the pair of eyes in one of the jars turning to stare at them. Instead she just strode to the counter with utmost confidence.

"One pair of fine dragon hide gloves and one basic potions set." A dusty looking man behind the counter turned to go retrieve the items. "And make sure there is no poison involved this time." He nodded and Lily wouldn't have been surprised if his head had fallen off.

Emily let out a heavy sigh of relief after they finally got out of the creepy shop. The ancient man had taken at least 20 minutes to get back to the counter. They suspected he had stopped to rest. "I hate that place. The man hates me as well."

"I can see why."

"What? Am I just that annoying?"

"Huh? Oh! No way. I meant why you hate place...I am horribly sorry," she apologized desperately.

"Whoa. Calm down I was joking. You need to have a little fun sometime." She looked at her watch. "Unfortunately not right now."

They had to hurry away to buy her telescope and then her wand. The wand was the item of most wonder. It was going to the source of her magic. The most desirable item on the list for today. Every child had at least once played as if a stick was a wand and she was no exception.

"Ollivander's," Lily whispered aloud when the arrived in front of the shop. The window was dark and smudged as if children had pressed their faces on the glass to look it. It seemed like the shop was empty. With a nudge from Emily she stepped inside. The room was lined with long thin boxes, stacked 30 high and 3 wide. A stool sat in the center of the room. The only other thing in view was a door, which suddenly burst open. An older man stepped out. His glasses made his eyes look very large in comparison to his small frame.

"Hello," he stretched the word. "Wand, I suppose." He grabbed a small tape measure from a pocket and pushed Lily towards the middle of the room. "Sit." Lily obeyed. He measured her arms. "Wand arm?"

"This one I suppose." She raised her right arm slightly.

"Good." He walked away and Lily felt something tickle her fingers. The measure was going by itself. Her dropped a little and she supposed she better get used to little surprises like this.

The crouching man came back with around 15 of the small boxes. "Try this," he handed her one of the boxes. "8 inches. Unicorn tail, cherry wood." Lily picked it up and flicked it a bit. "No." he snatched it away and Lily looked a bit worried. Emily put a hand on her shoulder for assurance. "This one," she tried it and nothing happened. "Here." She took the wand and waved it around. "No, not oak wood," he muttered.

Her arm began to hurt as she tried almost all of the wands. She wondered if she was the problem. Maybe she wasn't a witch after all. "Willow. 10 and ¼ inches. Holly with a hint of lions fur."

She took the wand and the man watched her more carefully this thime. Something electric ran up her arm as she grasped the wand. She flicked it and gray smoke curled out of the tip of the wand. It took the shape of a flower, a lily to be more specific. She reached out to touch it but suddenly she felt a tug on her hair. She yelped and found the measure wrapped around a lock of her hair. She glared at it as the man grabbed in and put it back it his pocket with a scowl. She looked back to the smoky figure, but it was gone.

"You are going to be an extraordinary witch. Lions fur. Never put that in any other wand. I was afraid this one would never sell, but look at that. No doubt as to what house you'll be in." Lily looked at her new wand in silence. "7 galleons," he said in a more business like and less amazed voice.

When they got out of the shop Lily couldn't resist asking one question. "What is a house?"

"Students at Hogwarts are sorted into different houses by characteristics. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw. Each one has a different trait." Lily nodded seemingly satisfied. She was quiet as they bought her books and cauldron.

"Now for the telescope." They walked back to the first shop that Lily had explored. A few different models stood in the window, one black and silver, another was ivory and gold, and the last was a scary shade of lime green. She chose the gold and ivory and got her name engraved on it in curly writing.

"You may want a pet. You can get an owl, cat, or toad. I don't really like cats, toads are just slimy, but an owl is useful. Carries your mail, you know."

Lily remembered her promise to write her mother. "An owl sounds lovely." Soon they were leaving the pet shop with food, water, and a cage containing a pure black owl with blue eyes.

Now they were both weighed down with numerous parcels and tired from the days shopping. They piled everything into the back seat of the tiny car with difficulty.

The ride home seemed even shorter than the first ride had been to Lily, who was reluctant to return to her familiar and quite boring world. When they pulled up Mr. Evans came out and helped bring in all of her new things. It took them two trips.

"Lily," Emily gestured her over. "You're train leaves from Kings Cross at 11:00 am September 1st. Platform 9 and ¾. To get on just step through the barrier. Don't be afraid." She handed Lily a small parcel. "This is your tickets. I must run. Good bye." She got in her car and drove off.

"Bye," Lily waved as she drove away. "Hopefully I'll see you again." Emily, along with the rest of the magical world, had left quite an impression on her.