Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing...
AN: I just had STAR testing (only one more week to go!!) and Writer's Block so my deep apologies for the late update!! I don't know how this chapter is going to turn out... let's hope it'll be ok. And remember- REVIEW! I love people who review!!! *HUG*
potterchick1: You are probably my most faithful reader/ reviewer... thank you!! :-)
By the way- a little mild language in this chapter-
And just one more thing- does anyone know whether Petunia or Lily is the older sister? I'm guessing Petunia is older but if you know otherwise, please correct me...
*_______________________________________*
For about ten seconds, which seemed much longer to them, they gathered around to look at Sirius' wand.
Sasha blushed crimson, all the way to her blonde hair roots.
Sirius was still only looking at it. He looked at Sasha, who was looking increasingly more uncomfortable. He opened his mouth and closed it again, not unlike a fish. Then, he suddenly smacked his forehead against his palm. "Oh, that's right!" he said as if he had just realized something. "I left it at Honeydukes' yesterday, didn't I? Remember, James?"
James shot him a puzzled look. "We didn't g-"
Lily, not as slow on the uptake as James, jabbed him in the ribs. "Wha-?" She shot him a look. He finally caught the hint.
"Oh, yeah.... I remember now..." he said lamely.
"Yeah," Lily added, " I think Vanessa and I found it when we went to Hogsmeade later on that day, Remember?" Lily looked at Vanessa who nodded her head hesitantly.
"I guess I must have accidentally packed it in my trunk," Sasha said, secretly breathing a sigh of relief. How embarrassing it would have been if Sirius had found out that she had actually found it at the Gryffindor table in the common room and packed it in her trunk. Why had she done that? Well, thank goodness for friends like Lily who were very observant...
"Thanks... I thought I'd lost it," Sirius took the wand gratefully from Sasha.
"Well, glad you found it," Remus said with genuine interest. "Let's go." and he and Vanessa, cards in hand, left the compartment and closed it behind them.
An awkward silence began to fill the air. And Lily started to stare out the window again.
"So... ehr.. are you excited about summer?" James asked Lily.
"Since when is that any of your business?" Lily said- and as she judged later- a little too sharply. Why had she suddenly blurted that out? James, however, was amused.
"Is this how you treat all the people you're friends with?"
"A truce and a true friendship, Potter, are two completely different things."
James opened his mouth, in mock appall. "You JUST made a truce with me that said we were friends...." He pretended to look upset. "L-l-li-li-ly's being m-m-meaaaan!" Sasha and Sirius noticed his fake wailing and they began to laugh.
He DID look rather funny there, feigning tears. Lily began to speculate. Her first reaction, of course, would have been to either slap him or give him one of her green-eyed dirty looks. She wanted to laugh. But if she did, he'd think he'd finally gotten to her, which he had most DEFINITELY not! If she didn't laugh, everyone else would all think she was cold-hearted. This was James Potter she was talking about. Nope, she wouldn't laugh....
Despite herself, Lily did begin to laugh. It wasn't even that funny but she began to laugh harder. Sirius and Sasha had stopped laughing and were now looking at Lily, whose expression was turning florid as she continued to giggle.
"You didn't put a giggle charm on her, did you, mate?" asked Sirius, glancing at her amused.
"Ehr... no," said James, studying Lily. She started to slouch in her seat as she struggled to suppress the fits of giggles.
"You okay, Lily?" Sasha leaned forward, looking at Lily curiously.
It took a minute or two for Lily to answer through her peals of laughter. She then quickly sat up again in her seat. Her face was still red when she said, "I'm fine... sorry guys. I don't know why I laughed so much just now..."
The rest of the ride was painfully quiet. No one needed to change since they had all changed into their regular clothes before they had left for the train. Sirius, James, and Sasha were all dressed in light, airy robes in various colors especially made for summer. Underneath her robes, Sasha wore a pair of denim shorts and a t-shirt with a princess neck the hue of a ripe peach.
Sirius' and James' robes did not open in front the way Sasha's did and the only thing peaking out were the collars of their polo shirts.
_______________________________________
"Argh...." Lily threw herself on her bed. I can't believe I acted like SUCH a fool, she thought to herself. What in the world had she been laughing about anyway? She had acted like a COMPLETE ass. As she buried her face in her pillow, she sighed heavily. Why had she agreed to go into a compartment with James Potter? Lily pictured herself in her room- a large picture of James Potter on her wall and throwing darts at the picture. She had to laugh to herself at the silly thought.
"Lil!" she heard a voice calling from the bottom of the stairs.
She did not move for a moment. Then she sat up and called back, "Coming!"
She didn't need to change since she had been dressed in Muggle clothes the whole time already and so she simply dusted herself off and hurriedly went downstairs.
"What is it, Mom?" Lily asked the red-headed woman at the base of the stairs. She was in a knee-length black skirt and a crisp, smart, white blouse. Over her outfit, she had tied an apron Lily had made for her. It instantly repelled dirt and stains.
"Well, we're having some guests over for dinner and I'd like to have your things out of the way downstairs beforehand."
Lily groaned. "Not AGAIN, Mom! I can't keep Zephyr in my room all the time.. plus, he'll be too conspicuous here-"
Her mother shook her red curls lightly. "I've already thought of that, Lil. D'you think I'd forgotten about last year? Anyway, my plan is to keep him in the basement during dinner. I've cleared aside all the old boxes. I think he'll be just fine. I think we may have mice down there, anyway."
"Won't it be dark?"
Her mother laughed," Oh Lily... " She stroked the top of her daughter's head. "I know how much you love him. He'll be fine. Owls can see in the dark, remember?" She gave Lily a quick hug. "Now go put your trunk upstairs and put Zephyr downstairs in the basement. Call Petunia to help," and with that she scurried back into the kitchen. "Oh- and one more thing," she stopped mid-walk and turned around. "Change into a nice dress before they get here."
"Ok, Mom..." Lily grudgingly walked to the front door, where she had dropped her school things and Zephyr in his cage. Lily saw her heavy trunk sitting on the marble entryway and she sighed. No magic outside of school.... There was no way she would ask Petunia for help. She was certainly not going to ask for anyone's help- she was definitely OLD enough to take care of her own things by now. She'd be sixteen by August. One-and-a-half years younger than Petunia, but by Lily's standards, she felt equal, if not better than her sister in every way.
Eventually, the trunk and ZephyrÕs cage to her mind off of Petunia. She picked up his cage and walked down the steps to the basement. ÒShould I let him loose?Ó she called from the stairs.
She heard something faintly from her mother in the kitchen that sounded remotely like a ÒnoÓ.
ÒIÕm sorry baby... Ò she stroked his wing. He was smaller, sleek and elegant speckled tawny owl. He was extremely fast, speedy and a very graceful hunter. Lily loved him ever since she had gotten him second year. She loved to see him fly, and he was extremely magnificent- she thought he was not unlike a sweeping wind. Therefore, she named him after the god of the West wind.
ÒShe said you have to stay in your cage.... but IÕve thought of something...Ó Lily muttered to it. However, she knew he was smart. ÒPromise not to make any noise while the people are here?Ó she asked as if she was expecting an answer. Lily opened the door partially. ÒBe good, okay?Ó she kissed her index finger and pressed it to its wing.
Upstairs again, she grabbed her trunk and started to drag it to the staircase. To her disappointment, Lily found she still could not drag her trunk any more easily than the year before. ÒUgh... whoever made up this Ôno-magicÕ rule?Ó Lily muttered to herself. How was she going to get her trunk upstairs if she could barely pull it across the floor? After weighing her decisions she finally decided to do the way she had done it every other year before. She unlocked her trunk and carried everything upstairs separately. Lily managed it in seven trips- two less than last year. Then she finally dragged her empty trunk up the stairs, which was now much lighter without the heavy textbooks, all the parchment, ink, supplies, clothes, and school robes.
She had thrown everything on her wrought-iron frame bed, and she started to put everything away. She hung all her robes in her closet. She folded the clothes and put them neatly away in her rosewood dresser drawers. Her wand, parchment, homework, and quills she put in her desk drawers. Then she went for a quick shower and changed into a classy black velvet-like dress. It was simple and the hem ended at her knees.
"Lily!" she heard someone call from downstairs. She recognized the voice to be her father's which meant he had probably come home from work while she had been in the shower. It already smelled incredibly good downstairs. While she was on the landing, she heard the doorbell ring. The guests- whoever they were, were here. She took a breath, prepared to meet whoever was there.
_______________________________________
"So guess who else is coming over for Summer Holidays?" Eulalie Potter was peeling potatoes with her wand and letting them fly into the pot.
James, who was setting the table (using his wand as well) looked at his mother inquisitively. "Who?"
"Your grandparents, of course!" She had now finished peeling the potatoes and was busy boiling them in a pot.
"Are they coming for dinner?"
"Uh, huh. Put out two more place settings, please. And then would you be kind enough to clean up your room a little?"
James just muttered something incomprehensible at his mother's question and pointed his wand at one of the drawers in the kitchen. Immediately two pairs of forks, knives, and spoons flew out and landed gently on the table- all neatly where they should be. Then he pointed his fourteen inch rosewood- and unicorn tail-wand at the china cabinet and the dinner and salad plates and soup dish flew through the air and landed on the table.
"Now go clean up your room, please."
James groaned, "Why did it have to be everyone's day off EXACTLY the day I come home for holidays?"
"You spoiled child, stop complaining!" she scolded him playfully.
"Argh..." James was just on his way upstairs when he heard some whooshing noise from the fireplace and out stepped Byrtwold Potter in his ministry work robes. His hair was not unlike James' except that it was brown and he had slicked it back for a clean-cut and respectable businessman-look.
"Hi, Dad," James said quickly as he made his way up the stairs, two at a time.
Byrtwold Potter quickly pecked Eulalie Potter on the cheek as she was chopping vegetables to add in with the potato soup.
"Is it Helga's day off today?" he asked his wife as he sunk into a chair and poured himself a small glass of Beseth Berawyn's Best Brandy.
"Obviously... since I'm cooking- today is everyone's day off for the month so we're all alone today. So I thought it'd be a good idea to invite your parents for dinner."
"Oh, alright." There was a short pause as Mr. Potter took another sip from his glass. "Eulalie, I'm worried about James." She raise her eyebrows questioningly at her husband. "Well, specifically, I'm worried about a situation that was being discussed in the ministry today."
"Oh, no..." she put down her wand immediately. "It's not about Lord Voldemort again, is it?"
"I'm afraid it is, Eulalie."
She gasped. "James! He's not in danger, is he?"
"-No, no... We- Godric's Hollow, is completely protected. Everyone is safe as long as we're either here or James is at Hogwarts."
"Thank goodness...." She picked her wand up again and put a casserole in the oven. "You should definitely tell James not to wander out of Godric's Hollow at ALL over the summer..."
"No... that would only make him want to go out. The best thing is if he invited Sirius Black over. They wouldn't wander away, I'm sure. They'd do a lot of mischief, but they'd be safe together."
"Are you sure...? I have heard some rumors about certain families mixed in with those eater-people..."
"Death-eaters, Eulalie. There's not too many of them right now that we need to be scared, but there are a few dangerous ones. Yes, the Blacks are said to be associated with them, but just because his family are in league with Voldemort, doesn't make him one. I don't doubt that Sirius Black is not of their kind."
"What do you think will happen to them?"
"The minister himself told me that they're building some kind of a defense force of special aurors... but he also said that at the moment everyone should keep calm and NO ONE should go around spreading fear. He suspects that they sound worse than they really are."
"I'm just so worried for James..." Mrs. Potter took his glass and sipped deeply.
Mr. Potter hugged her, comfortingly. "Don't worry... Voldemort, and no death-eater will ever touch James Potter."
*_______________________________________*
Was that an ironic closing, or what? The continuation of Lily will come in the next chappie, btw. I'll try to get that up ASAP...!!
Tell me what you thought about it! Make my day (or week!) and click that button!! ^.^
AN: I just had STAR testing (only one more week to go!!) and Writer's Block so my deep apologies for the late update!! I don't know how this chapter is going to turn out... let's hope it'll be ok. And remember- REVIEW! I love people who review!!! *HUG*
potterchick1: You are probably my most faithful reader/ reviewer... thank you!! :-)
By the way- a little mild language in this chapter-
And just one more thing- does anyone know whether Petunia or Lily is the older sister? I'm guessing Petunia is older but if you know otherwise, please correct me...
*_______________________________________*
For about ten seconds, which seemed much longer to them, they gathered around to look at Sirius' wand.
Sasha blushed crimson, all the way to her blonde hair roots.
Sirius was still only looking at it. He looked at Sasha, who was looking increasingly more uncomfortable. He opened his mouth and closed it again, not unlike a fish. Then, he suddenly smacked his forehead against his palm. "Oh, that's right!" he said as if he had just realized something. "I left it at Honeydukes' yesterday, didn't I? Remember, James?"
James shot him a puzzled look. "We didn't g-"
Lily, not as slow on the uptake as James, jabbed him in the ribs. "Wha-?" She shot him a look. He finally caught the hint.
"Oh, yeah.... I remember now..." he said lamely.
"Yeah," Lily added, " I think Vanessa and I found it when we went to Hogsmeade later on that day, Remember?" Lily looked at Vanessa who nodded her head hesitantly.
"I guess I must have accidentally packed it in my trunk," Sasha said, secretly breathing a sigh of relief. How embarrassing it would have been if Sirius had found out that she had actually found it at the Gryffindor table in the common room and packed it in her trunk. Why had she done that? Well, thank goodness for friends like Lily who were very observant...
"Thanks... I thought I'd lost it," Sirius took the wand gratefully from Sasha.
"Well, glad you found it," Remus said with genuine interest. "Let's go." and he and Vanessa, cards in hand, left the compartment and closed it behind them.
An awkward silence began to fill the air. And Lily started to stare out the window again.
"So... ehr.. are you excited about summer?" James asked Lily.
"Since when is that any of your business?" Lily said- and as she judged later- a little too sharply. Why had she suddenly blurted that out? James, however, was amused.
"Is this how you treat all the people you're friends with?"
"A truce and a true friendship, Potter, are two completely different things."
James opened his mouth, in mock appall. "You JUST made a truce with me that said we were friends...." He pretended to look upset. "L-l-li-li-ly's being m-m-meaaaan!" Sasha and Sirius noticed his fake wailing and they began to laugh.
He DID look rather funny there, feigning tears. Lily began to speculate. Her first reaction, of course, would have been to either slap him or give him one of her green-eyed dirty looks. She wanted to laugh. But if she did, he'd think he'd finally gotten to her, which he had most DEFINITELY not! If she didn't laugh, everyone else would all think she was cold-hearted. This was James Potter she was talking about. Nope, she wouldn't laugh....
Despite herself, Lily did begin to laugh. It wasn't even that funny but she began to laugh harder. Sirius and Sasha had stopped laughing and were now looking at Lily, whose expression was turning florid as she continued to giggle.
"You didn't put a giggle charm on her, did you, mate?" asked Sirius, glancing at her amused.
"Ehr... no," said James, studying Lily. She started to slouch in her seat as she struggled to suppress the fits of giggles.
"You okay, Lily?" Sasha leaned forward, looking at Lily curiously.
It took a minute or two for Lily to answer through her peals of laughter. She then quickly sat up again in her seat. Her face was still red when she said, "I'm fine... sorry guys. I don't know why I laughed so much just now..."
The rest of the ride was painfully quiet. No one needed to change since they had all changed into their regular clothes before they had left for the train. Sirius, James, and Sasha were all dressed in light, airy robes in various colors especially made for summer. Underneath her robes, Sasha wore a pair of denim shorts and a t-shirt with a princess neck the hue of a ripe peach.
Sirius' and James' robes did not open in front the way Sasha's did and the only thing peaking out were the collars of their polo shirts.
_______________________________________
"Argh...." Lily threw herself on her bed. I can't believe I acted like SUCH a fool, she thought to herself. What in the world had she been laughing about anyway? She had acted like a COMPLETE ass. As she buried her face in her pillow, she sighed heavily. Why had she agreed to go into a compartment with James Potter? Lily pictured herself in her room- a large picture of James Potter on her wall and throwing darts at the picture. She had to laugh to herself at the silly thought.
"Lil!" she heard a voice calling from the bottom of the stairs.
She did not move for a moment. Then she sat up and called back, "Coming!"
She didn't need to change since she had been dressed in Muggle clothes the whole time already and so she simply dusted herself off and hurriedly went downstairs.
"What is it, Mom?" Lily asked the red-headed woman at the base of the stairs. She was in a knee-length black skirt and a crisp, smart, white blouse. Over her outfit, she had tied an apron Lily had made for her. It instantly repelled dirt and stains.
"Well, we're having some guests over for dinner and I'd like to have your things out of the way downstairs beforehand."
Lily groaned. "Not AGAIN, Mom! I can't keep Zephyr in my room all the time.. plus, he'll be too conspicuous here-"
Her mother shook her red curls lightly. "I've already thought of that, Lil. D'you think I'd forgotten about last year? Anyway, my plan is to keep him in the basement during dinner. I've cleared aside all the old boxes. I think he'll be just fine. I think we may have mice down there, anyway."
"Won't it be dark?"
Her mother laughed," Oh Lily... " She stroked the top of her daughter's head. "I know how much you love him. He'll be fine. Owls can see in the dark, remember?" She gave Lily a quick hug. "Now go put your trunk upstairs and put Zephyr downstairs in the basement. Call Petunia to help," and with that she scurried back into the kitchen. "Oh- and one more thing," she stopped mid-walk and turned around. "Change into a nice dress before they get here."
"Ok, Mom..." Lily grudgingly walked to the front door, where she had dropped her school things and Zephyr in his cage. Lily saw her heavy trunk sitting on the marble entryway and she sighed. No magic outside of school.... There was no way she would ask Petunia for help. She was certainly not going to ask for anyone's help- she was definitely OLD enough to take care of her own things by now. She'd be sixteen by August. One-and-a-half years younger than Petunia, but by Lily's standards, she felt equal, if not better than her sister in every way.
Eventually, the trunk and ZephyrÕs cage to her mind off of Petunia. She picked up his cage and walked down the steps to the basement. ÒShould I let him loose?Ó she called from the stairs.
She heard something faintly from her mother in the kitchen that sounded remotely like a ÒnoÓ.
ÒIÕm sorry baby... Ò she stroked his wing. He was smaller, sleek and elegant speckled tawny owl. He was extremely fast, speedy and a very graceful hunter. Lily loved him ever since she had gotten him second year. She loved to see him fly, and he was extremely magnificent- she thought he was not unlike a sweeping wind. Therefore, she named him after the god of the West wind.
ÒShe said you have to stay in your cage.... but IÕve thought of something...Ó Lily muttered to it. However, she knew he was smart. ÒPromise not to make any noise while the people are here?Ó she asked as if she was expecting an answer. Lily opened the door partially. ÒBe good, okay?Ó she kissed her index finger and pressed it to its wing.
Upstairs again, she grabbed her trunk and started to drag it to the staircase. To her disappointment, Lily found she still could not drag her trunk any more easily than the year before. ÒUgh... whoever made up this Ôno-magicÕ rule?Ó Lily muttered to herself. How was she going to get her trunk upstairs if she could barely pull it across the floor? After weighing her decisions she finally decided to do the way she had done it every other year before. She unlocked her trunk and carried everything upstairs separately. Lily managed it in seven trips- two less than last year. Then she finally dragged her empty trunk up the stairs, which was now much lighter without the heavy textbooks, all the parchment, ink, supplies, clothes, and school robes.
She had thrown everything on her wrought-iron frame bed, and she started to put everything away. She hung all her robes in her closet. She folded the clothes and put them neatly away in her rosewood dresser drawers. Her wand, parchment, homework, and quills she put in her desk drawers. Then she went for a quick shower and changed into a classy black velvet-like dress. It was simple and the hem ended at her knees.
"Lily!" she heard someone call from downstairs. She recognized the voice to be her father's which meant he had probably come home from work while she had been in the shower. It already smelled incredibly good downstairs. While she was on the landing, she heard the doorbell ring. The guests- whoever they were, were here. She took a breath, prepared to meet whoever was there.
_______________________________________
"So guess who else is coming over for Summer Holidays?" Eulalie Potter was peeling potatoes with her wand and letting them fly into the pot.
James, who was setting the table (using his wand as well) looked at his mother inquisitively. "Who?"
"Your grandparents, of course!" She had now finished peeling the potatoes and was busy boiling them in a pot.
"Are they coming for dinner?"
"Uh, huh. Put out two more place settings, please. And then would you be kind enough to clean up your room a little?"
James just muttered something incomprehensible at his mother's question and pointed his wand at one of the drawers in the kitchen. Immediately two pairs of forks, knives, and spoons flew out and landed gently on the table- all neatly where they should be. Then he pointed his fourteen inch rosewood- and unicorn tail-wand at the china cabinet and the dinner and salad plates and soup dish flew through the air and landed on the table.
"Now go clean up your room, please."
James groaned, "Why did it have to be everyone's day off EXACTLY the day I come home for holidays?"
"You spoiled child, stop complaining!" she scolded him playfully.
"Argh..." James was just on his way upstairs when he heard some whooshing noise from the fireplace and out stepped Byrtwold Potter in his ministry work robes. His hair was not unlike James' except that it was brown and he had slicked it back for a clean-cut and respectable businessman-look.
"Hi, Dad," James said quickly as he made his way up the stairs, two at a time.
Byrtwold Potter quickly pecked Eulalie Potter on the cheek as she was chopping vegetables to add in with the potato soup.
"Is it Helga's day off today?" he asked his wife as he sunk into a chair and poured himself a small glass of Beseth Berawyn's Best Brandy.
"Obviously... since I'm cooking- today is everyone's day off for the month so we're all alone today. So I thought it'd be a good idea to invite your parents for dinner."
"Oh, alright." There was a short pause as Mr. Potter took another sip from his glass. "Eulalie, I'm worried about James." She raise her eyebrows questioningly at her husband. "Well, specifically, I'm worried about a situation that was being discussed in the ministry today."
"Oh, no..." she put down her wand immediately. "It's not about Lord Voldemort again, is it?"
"I'm afraid it is, Eulalie."
She gasped. "James! He's not in danger, is he?"
"-No, no... We- Godric's Hollow, is completely protected. Everyone is safe as long as we're either here or James is at Hogwarts."
"Thank goodness...." She picked her wand up again and put a casserole in the oven. "You should definitely tell James not to wander out of Godric's Hollow at ALL over the summer..."
"No... that would only make him want to go out. The best thing is if he invited Sirius Black over. They wouldn't wander away, I'm sure. They'd do a lot of mischief, but they'd be safe together."
"Are you sure...? I have heard some rumors about certain families mixed in with those eater-people..."
"Death-eaters, Eulalie. There's not too many of them right now that we need to be scared, but there are a few dangerous ones. Yes, the Blacks are said to be associated with them, but just because his family are in league with Voldemort, doesn't make him one. I don't doubt that Sirius Black is not of their kind."
"What do you think will happen to them?"
"The minister himself told me that they're building some kind of a defense force of special aurors... but he also said that at the moment everyone should keep calm and NO ONE should go around spreading fear. He suspects that they sound worse than they really are."
"I'm just so worried for James..." Mrs. Potter took his glass and sipped deeply.
Mr. Potter hugged her, comfortingly. "Don't worry... Voldemort, and no death-eater will ever touch James Potter."
*_______________________________________*
Was that an ironic closing, or what? The continuation of Lily will come in the next chappie, btw. I'll try to get that up ASAP...!!
Tell me what you thought about it! Make my day (or week!) and click that button!! ^.^