Disclaimer: see previous chapters. Again, sorry for the wait. I had shit
to do. I have compensated by giving you an extra long chapter, but it is
only a part one. Enjoy and review!
~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Hurry up, Diana, wake the fuck up." Lily said, shaking her best friend into consciousness.
"No need for the language, you bitch." Diana grumbled, falling out of her own bed. Lily laughed like a hyena at her. "Shut up."
"We're going to miss the train. Now you are packed right?" Lily asked, looking at her watch.
"Yeah." She sighed.
"Oh, I'm so excited." Lily said.
"Really? I can't tell all that well." Diana yawned as she watched Lily prance about their dorm in a daze. "What the bloody hell are you so chipper about? Hey...where were you last night? I was terribly lonesome all by myself."
"I was with Potter is all." Lily said, trying to cover up her smile.
"Is that so? Hmm...slut." Diana coughed.
"Oh we didn't have sex dear." Lily said, casually, counting her suitcases and Diana's. There were three total. "We just slept together."
"You slept together without having sex?" Diana asked, as if it were unbelievable.
"It's possible." Lily said. "Now take your shit. We've missed breakfast."
"So where's the boyfriend now?" Diana asked, contemptuously. "Picking daisies?"
"Don't be jealous." Lily said.
"I'm not. At least I'm...oh never mind it's too early in the morning." Diana said.
"I know what you are going to say, and yes, it is." Lily answered, combing her hair back. "Did you see him last night?"
"Who? Oh..no. I wasn't in the mood." Diana said, grabbing her robe out of her closet. She draped it loosely over her shoulders. "You know, he asked me to stay with him over break."
"I did not!" Lily said. "When? Why?"
"To, and I quote, 'Get better acquainted with his family.' He said," Diana cleared her throat to mock him, "Darling..." Lily started to laugh. "I'm not done." She cleared her throat again. "Darling...We need to spend more time together. I want you to get to know me outside of this petty little school. You'd love it where I live, and I would treat you like a queen. Once you stay with me, you'd never want to leave."
"Damn. It's like he wants you to join a cult." Lily said, continuing to laugh. "Dead on by the way. Well done."
"Please...I was going to though, but I wanted to spend more time with you. I'm always with him, you know. I'll probably see him one of these days, maybe two. That is, if he can wait that long." Diana said, stretching upwards.
"Unbelievable. Men are so funny aren't they? Last night, James thought I was going to dump him. Can you believe it? I told him no, but his paranoia was so obvious. It was hilarious. I thought he was going to wet himself." Lily said.
Diana laughed. "Ah, the power a woman has over a man." She flipped her hair back to express her drama.
"What would that be exactly?" came a voice from behind. Diana immediately closed her robe while Lily let out a very startled Jesus Christ! "Sorry ladies. Coffee, to go."
"God damn it, Black." Diana said, slapping him hard on the shoulder. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that."
"We've got to go. The train's leaving soon and breakfast is over. Someone overslept so I brought up coffee." Sirius said.
"Aww, how sweet." Lily said. "Where's James?"
"Downstairs already." Sirius said. "Get dressed."
As they brought their bags out onto the train and in their own compartments, the girls felt even more excited than before. Even though they would separate later, Remus, Nicole, Peter and Katrina were also in their compartments.
"Good morning, Potter." Lily said, sensually, exuding her power simply for sport.
"Morning." He said, after kissing her on the mouth. "Isn't this nice. I saw you an hour ago."
"I know. I was trying to be cute." She said, smiling.
"What are you going to do when you get there?" Nicole asked, as the train started to move.
"We don't have an itinerary." James answered. "Food most likely, will be first."
"Yeah." Diana yawned. "Food would be great."
"Did you sleep last night Renton?" Sirius asked. "How was your walk?"
"Uneventful, thanks." She responded, and she would say no more. She looked at him throughout the entire train ride, studying him slightly. By the time it came to an end she convinced herself, as practically as possible, that he did not, by any means, look attractive to her in any way, shape or form. No, she thought. Black's just fun sometimes, to be with that is. She would never take it further than the occasional flirt, just to keep it comfortable.
"Moony." Sirius said, as the train halted.
"Yeah." Remus answered.
"Come by tonight."
"Yeah." James seconded. "Wormtail, you too. Bring Kat is you like."
"Thanks Potter, but I've seen it." Katrina answered. "Or maybe I will. You always did have good peanut butter and jelly sandwiches."
As the teenagers got out of the train, James searched for his mother amongst the other eager parents. After only a few moments he saw her searching too, and they found each other. She beamed at the site of her son, and waved him and his friends over. Her scarlet robes swished in the wind.
"Hi Mum." James said as she embraced him.
Even at 5'10'' James' mother looked at him as though he was a child. He did not tower over her. In fact, since she had on heels, they were the exact same height. She kissed his cheek and put her hand on his face affectionately. Angelica Potter, as she was known, was never stingy with her affection for her son.
"Hi dear." She said. "My...they take you away from us for a measly eight months and this is how you've grown. I missed you."
"Where's dad?" he asked.
"Oh, he couldn't be here James. He's working from the house today. He's so sorry." She said, and finally noticed the others before her. "Hello everyone. Well, well.." She started to chuckle. "When you said your girlfriend and her friend were coming, I didn't know you were talking about the redhead and the brunette. So I guess the war is over. Care to introduce me?"
"Oh, sorry. Mum, this here's Lily Evans and her friend Diana Renton." James said.
"I knew your Mum." Mrs. Potter said to Diana. "We both got knocked up at the same time." She joked, trying to lighten the mood. "And she was funny as hell."
"Yea, she was." Diana said. "She spoke of you sometimes. Angie right?" Diana felt weird. She did not like talking about her mother. It would upset her.
"Yep. I'm surprised she said anything. You look so much like her-"
"Thank you." Diana said, cutting her off, and putting on the sunglasses that were in her pocket. Mrs. Potter realized this.
"Well, Lily, it's lovely to meet you." She said, shaking her hand. "My son speaks fondly of you in his letters."
"You've written letters about me?" Lily asked, actually touched.
"Oops, sorry. Didn't mean to blow the cover, honey." Mrs. Potter said. "What do you say we go to the car? This way." She said, and began walking. When they got to it, a black town car, she opened each of their doors with a touch of a button. "These muggles, I'll tell you, they certainly have it right." She said, opening her car door.
She noticed Sirius open the door for the girls on the left side, letting Diana in. Mrs. Potter saw Diana smile at him, he returned it, and then shook his head.
"Mr. Black." Mrs. Potter said. Sirius looked up at her with a questioning look. "Come here." She said and beckoned him with her finger. When he stood in front of her she shook her head and crossed her arms. Then, with a smile she hugged him too, and he hugged her back. "There. Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" She put her hands on her hips.
"I've forgotten my manners. I apologize." Sirius said, sincerely.
"I expect both of my sons to treat me with respect, you hear? You are no different. Now get in the car, Black, before I run you over." The girls and James laughed from the back seat.
"Jesus Christ, you guys are from the same womb." Diana joked, as Sirius entered the back seat.
They drove for what seemed like an hour, through London and into the outskirts. The neighbourhood they finally entered was brilliant and high class. It was obvious only the rich lived there. The sites alone were like a tour, and Lily and Diana kept leaning over the boys to get a better look. This made Mrs. Potter laugh. Not so much their eagerness, but the awkwardness of the boys next to them.
"Oh my.." Lily whispered, as the Potter town car approached the even more extravagant estate. James' mother chuckled slightly at her reaction.
"It's a bit much dear, isn't it?" she said, pulling into the driveway. "Don't worry. You'll get used to it, once my son here gets you properly situated."
Lily looked over at James to find him blushing and trying to hide it. She smiled at his cuteness. Then she looked at Diana, who was jammed in the middle with her. Diana smiled back, and pushed her sunglasses up higher on her face after giving Lily a wink.
"Well now, don't just sit here children. Get out of the car." Mrs. Potter said, taking the keys out of the ignition. "It's almost lunchtime." She went into the house as if sticking around meant a very big delay in her schedule. Once home she felt more at ease, quickening her step and becoming more of the homemaker she was. This house was a village in itself, one she proudly governed.
"What does that matter?" Diana asked Sirius in a whisper. She figured asking James would have been too forward, and the poor boy looked as if he would die of embarrassment if anything else were mentioned.
"Oh nothing." He answered, opening the door. As she peered her head out she found his hand ready in a gentlemanly fashion, standing by to help her out. She took it. "It's always some sort of time in the Potter household: lunchtime, tea time, dinner time, supper time, snack time, bed time, and my personal favourite, dessert time, not necessarily in that order. There's always some kind of buffet or Venetian hour around here. It's like a goddamn hotel."
"Shut up." James said, slamming his own car door, after Lily had gotten out.
"I'm sure it's lovely James." Lily said. "I bet he's just jealous." She said, squinting at Sirius, who wasn't making James' trip home any less stressful. She knew he was nervous about bringing them home, and she wanted Sirius to shut his mouth for once.
"Oh yea, I'm jealous." Sirius said.
"Children." Diana said, taking her sunglasses off and arching her neck to get a clearer glimpse of the house. She also let go of Sirius' hand. "Wow. It goes all the way down the block. You actually live here?"
"Sometimes." James said, ascending the front steps. "Hardly."
"I live here more than he does." Sirius said.
"That's not true." James said back. "When he's here, I'm here. He likes to live here because back at home nobody loves him." Despite how true that was, the way it was spoken suggested he was jesting. Sirius would have said a meaner comment to rival it, but he was too relieved that it was vacation to care. He hated his parents as much as they hated him.
"Is that true?" Lily asked.
"Oh Lily, don't be naïve." Diana said. "I'm sure he just wants to break free like the rest of us. You know, start his life or whatever."
"I moved out last June." Sirius said, as they all treaded the stairs, panting by the time they got to the front. "I'm looking at flats in London. James is letting me stay with him and his family until I get a place of my own."
"Really? That is so wicked." Diana said. "I wish I could do that. I wish I had the guts to do that."
"Do what?" James asked, opening his front door.
"Leave." Lily answered for her. "So where's this lunch your Mum was talking about?"
"It's in the backyard." James said.
"It's a beautiful day for breakfast outside." Lily said, taking his hand for support. He smiled at her before it was interrupted by an annoyed screech.
"James!" they all heard. James winced at its booming tone.
"Coming!" he called back, and shoved his hands in his pockets.
"Is that your dad?" Lily asked.
"Yea." He answered, hoping they wouldn't follow him into the room.
"Shouldn't we go and say hello?" she insinuated.
"I don't think so." Diana said, remembering his lack of compassion and less than subtle news breaking of her parents' deaths.
Instead, Mr. Harold Potter stepped out of his office with an impatient look on his face because of his son's lack of promptness at his beckoning. He leaned against the large cherry wood doorframe with his arms folded, in the cocky way James frequently did. He pulled out his pocket watch with his left hand, for his right was holding a lit cigar.
"Hi Dad." James said, shifting his weight. Mr. Potter just nodded.
"Who are these people?" he asked, snapping the watch closed and shoving it back in his pocket. "Friends of yours?" Through the cloud of smoke he almost looked menacing.
"We're beggar children from the slums of downtown London." Diana exclaimed harshly. "We're looking for food, if you could spare some."
"Oh I remember this one. Hello Miss Renton." Mr. Potter said, chuckling. He walked over to them and extended his hand. She raised an eyebrow at him and shook it. In reality, Mr. Potter wasn't intimidating at all. He just liked to seem that way on first impressions. He got quite the kick out of it.
"Mr. Potter." She said, with a nod.
"And hello Miss Evans." He said, shifting his attention to the redhead arm- in-arm with his son. "My wife says that you and my son seem to be quite the item at school. You are certainly as pretty as she says. I understand you all used to be in a five year long argument, yes? Funny really. That's how the Mrs. and I knew each other for the first years of our lives at Hogwarts. Then this one came along out of nowhere. James, how could you have not noticed her sooner? She's delightful." He said, shaking her hand as well.
"Dad." He said, uneasily. "Please."
"Sorry son. Didn't mean to embarrass you. But I'm sure Sirius will make up for all the ridicule I had planned over lunch. Why so quiet Black?"
"Hey Mr. P. Hungry is all. No bother." Sirius said with a shrug. "Sleep would be nice too." Needless to say, Sirius was extremely comfortable in the Potter household.
"Ah. Well why don't you show your friends to their rooms James, hmm? Then we can all go eat. Fin has already spread out the appetizers so be quick about it. Lovely seeing you all again." Mr. Potter said, before casually walking down the hall into the little patio behind their house. The door was through the kitchen.
Lily looked at James with confusion. "Who's Fin?"
"The house elf." James answered, sighing.
"That's what your dad is really like then, huh?" she asked him.
"What does that mean?" he asked, pointing them all in the direction of the stairs.
"Your dad was an asshole the last time we saw him." Diana said. "Uncompassionate prick."
"That's just his way. He's very set in his ways. Don't ask questions. He's a royal pain in the ass." James said. "Stairs." He said, ascending them.
"Sounds a bit familiar, no?" She laughed and James snorted at her insinuation. "It's fine, just weird that's all, that he's Minister of Magic and we're staying in his house, like guests." Lily commented.
"Well that's what I feel every time I come home." James said.
"Be quiet. You love it here." Sirius said. "You couldn't live any other way. You'd miss this too much, regardless of how much you say you hate it."
When they reached the second floor they were even more astounded. The ceilings were higher and the hallways longer with majestic artwork embellished with red and gold tapestries. Family portraits covered the walls, including one of Mr. and Mrs. Potter on their wedding day, smiling while rose petals were being thrown in the air. Lily smiled at it, hoping one day she would be that happy.
"Holy shit." Diana whispered, bringing Lily back.
"That's your wing over there." James pointed to the right of the stairs. "And there's ours." He pointed to the left.
Diana and Lily exchanged overwhelmed glances. "We have our own wing?" Lily asked.
"Complete with sitting room, kitchenette and full size bathroom for two." Sirius said, mocking a tone like that of a tour guide.
"That's amazing." Diana said, rushing to the outsized marble door that was the entrance to their section of the house. "What's that over there?" she pointed to the centre of the hallway, where the two wings separated.
"That's the library." James said.
"A library." Lily repeated enthusiastically. "Oh, how wonderful." She clapped her hands together childishly and grabbed James' arm again in joyful anticipation.
"Wait. What about our bags?" Diana asked.
"They'll be brought up after lunch. Let's go. You two can explore after we get something in our stomachs." James answered, and they all followed him back down the stairs. There was a long hallway that led to the kitchen where James mother was.
The kitchen was located in the back of the house and illuminated with sunshine through the bay windows. Mrs. Potter sat at the table and seemed to be skimming various documents that were actually newspapers. She was looking at them as if she held something confidential, jotting little notes and crumpling and throwing away unnecessary advertisements and junk mail. She also happened to be giving out sporadic orders to Fin, the little house elf who was arranging the last bits of lunch on a tray too big for his tiny frame to carry. He struggled and swayed as he opened the back door with his free hand.
"Estella. Help him." Mrs. Potter said, not looking up from her bundle of periodicals, while snapping her fingers impatiently. "Oh, hello children." She said with a smile as the four teenagers staggered inside, forming a line after James. Then, out of nowhere another little house elf emerged from what looked like a dog door, scurrying and twittering about, grabbing the door after the other house elf.
Mrs. Potter then got up, moving the papers into a neat little pile and putting them into a cream coloured manila folder. As she stood up, her tall frame seemed to elongate further, and as she straitened, gave her a look of aristocratic elegance. Her hair, pulled back with loose strands falling freely, accentuated her heart shaped face with ebony luminescence.
"Why are you all standing there like statues? Are you going to eat or not?" she asked, opening the door. "We've got a lovely spread today, given Sirius doesn't eat it all within the next five minutes."
"Now Angie, how you underestimate me." Sirius said. "Two..at least."
"Watch it mister. As long as you are under this roof I am Mrs. Potter, understand?" She said, pointing a finger at him with her free hand. "Did you girls see your rooms?" She said, immediately averting her attention.
"No, not yet." Lily said. "Beautiful wing though."
"Yes. It's the guest wing, then my son's room. We added an extra bed in there though because of this one." She said, pointing to Sirius. She walked through the door and let the screen close behind her. Mr. Potter was already outside, munching away on a sandwich of some sort. When Lily looked out he saw Mr. Potter grab his wife, letting her fall on his lap. She giggled and kissed him on the forehead before getting up.
"Yuck. Get a room, please." Sirius said, walking outside.
"Quiet Black." Said Mr. Potter. "So, how do you ladies like the house?"
"Beautiful Mr. Potter, just gorgeous." Lily said eagerly.
"Why thank you. Now help yourself. There is plenty to go around." He said, waving his hand in front of the spread.
They each helped themselves to sandwiches and drinks of homemade butterbeer and pumpkin juice, while the two house elves cleaned up where they could; their little hands speedily sweeping and arranging so that everything was just as perfect as it should be.
"Oh no Miss, please let us do it," shouted Fin, while Estella squeaked and muttered undetectable comments of apologies and service.
When lunch was finished James' parents went their separate ways, he to work and she to household business, while the four teenagers took an afternoon walk around the gardens. There were four of them, each with its own unique theme decorated by the well cared for landscaping. The girls went off on their own to explore them, because the boys were quite bored having grown up with this around them for as long as they could remember.
The first garden had an undersea motif. The bushes and flowers were carved and sculpted to look like coral and fish, with oversized orchids, magically enhanced to look like they were being moved by the waves of the invisible ocean that surrounded them. Yellows and pinks meshed with the subtle blues and whites to give the seclusion of the place an even more private feel. The gate looked like ruins from the lost city of Atlantis, creating the feeling of abandonment and isolation that was the essence of the ocean. The girls stared about in awe, touching and speed walking to every corner.
The next one, right next to it and through the portal, was one completely the opposite of the other. It was snowing, in fact, but not wintry. They were actually startled at first, but pleasantly surprised nonetheless. Without feeling the slightest chill they made snow angels and threw snowballs at each other, tumbling and falling about in their own childish play, reliving past Christmas', at least for a few minutes, before Lily ran into the third garden.
The sun was bright in this one, and the lustre of the flowers in it only added to it. Every colour in the rainbow was there, and every exotic flower from India to Louisiana was shaped like elegant women in seventeenth century attire. Their skirts made of roses in the colours of pink and red, some blue, others a brilliant cornucopia of matching turquoise and alabaster. Their hair was red and white, made out of every type of lily. The flower women waved and blew kisses at the new guests, who stood staring in awe of such an incredible marvel.
"This one is my favourite." Lily said, caressing the skirt of one of them. The flower woman's face turned to a shade of light crimson before she resumes her statuesque position.
"This place is unreal." Diana added, when she saw the door to the next garden. She shrieked with happiness when she saw what lie before her. She could see into the next garden, and its contents from where she was standing, and she was through the portal quicker than Lily noticed. "Lily!" she cried and Lily ran in after her.
Lily put her hand over her mouth when she entered the last garden. She felt as if she were on a roof, high up, even though they had not ascended stairs or travelled more than five feet or so. There were large spider plants hanging. They were filled with ivy, some embellished in little white flowers. Roses were on the ground, in bushes, with thick thorns and blood red petals. There was a bench in the centre, designed in roman architecture, and a table to the right next to an ivy wall.
When Lily looked up she saw the sky, in sync with the one outside of it. There was a balcony, where Diana was, and the view Lily saw made her tear up at its beauty. Diana was already crying. Her torso was far over, trying to reach something, as if it wasn't real. It wasn't, only a simulation, but she still felt enriched with pleasure at the site of it.
"Lily." she cried, groping for her hand. "Look at it."
"I see. This is magic I have never seen. How did they capture it?" she said, reaching forward herself.
"La tour (the tower)." Diana whispered.
"Paris." Lily said. "It just looks so real."
"This one is my favourite." Diana said.
Lily looked at her friend, and noticed how at home she looked in this place. She hadn't seen her that happy in months. For Diana, at that moment, none of it mattered. Nothing, not Malfoy, Hogwarts or her parents' deaths. Lily figured she wasn't so nonchalant about Paris after all. It was the only place she felt at home.
They left the gardens with a sort of dreamy longing. The boys were nowhere to be found and it took a little while for Lily and Diana to find their wing without getting lost. They eventually did find it, however, and when they opened their doors for the first time their luggage had already been brought up. Lily explored the room a bit while Diana went strait to the balcony overlooking a little lake on the side of the house.
"Oh Lily..I don't ever want to go back to school." Diana whined.
"Why?" Lily asked, from the interior.
"I don't know." She sighed. "Oh, I just want to leave. I want to go away, anywhere but here. There's too much here."
"Are you talking about Malfoy?"
"I'm talking about everything. I love Lucius. At least I think I do. Things are just so fucked. He...he.." she stuttered.
"What? C'mon, you can talk to me." Lily said, walking closer to her.
"He frightens me. It's strange really. I'm feeling so many things and I can't express them. It's driving me mad. I just need something to happen, anything really. Good, bad, it doesn't matter. I don't like being me anymore. Lily, don't you see that I'm just pretending? You know it too. I know you do."
Lily sighed. "Yea I know. You are acting a bit skitzo. It's understandable. I see parts of you though, like when your with me...or with Black-"
"Fuck Black. He's just as fishy as the rest of them. He's hiding something. I know it. All men are the same Lily. They all screw us over and leave us to the dogs."
"Don't say that. All men are not like that." Lily said.
Diana started laughing, but it was a painful, menacing laugh, for she was offended by the comment. "Please tell me that was a joke. Lily, you shouldn't talk. The guy your dating has slept with more girls then even he can remember. You know what they say, once a player, always a player. After all this time, you think you would remember that."
Lily acknowledged her point. In fact, it was one of the reasons she was nervous about coming there. She said nothing. She let her be. Let her rant, she thought. Lily walked back inside and continued unpacking, closing the door to the balcony behind her. After smoking a cigarette and thinking about nothing particularly important, Diana began to pace back and forth, from one end to the other. She was in an unexplainable daze.
She caught herself singing after a few minutes, but continued on anyway. She tried to remember the last time she felt happy, and suddenly Sirius Black's face popped into her mind. She didn't know why, and questioned it, but figured it was a fluke. He was unusually quiet today, she thought. That must be it. She couldn't get this song out of her head.
"Les escaliers de Montmartre sont durs aux miséreux. Les ailes du Moulin protégent les amoureux." (The stairways up to Montmarte are hardest on the poor. The sails of the mill, like wings, shelter the lovers.) Diana laughed, hearing her great grandmother's voice in her head, until she was interrupted by a large bird perching itself on the ledge. It startled her so much that she jumped back.
It was an eagle, and one she had seen before. It was carrying a letter, presumably for her. She walked up to it slowly, because it was an intimidating bird. It held out its leg pointedly and she quickly grabbed the letter in its talons. Then, without so much as a screech, it flew off.
She sighed before opening it. She read it quickly, and then folded it back neatly, with a crooked smile upon her face. She suddenly became restless, and bit her lip to clarify.
Lily on the other hand, became restless too. Annoyed and unfulfilled, she stopped her unpacking and left her quarters.
James and Sirius were outside taking a nap, or at least trying to. Fin kept coming around and taking drink orders and dusting around them, asking them if they needed anything and kept bowing out whenever he left.
"So where do you think our girls ran off to?" James asked, adjusting his position on the lounge chair.
"You mean your girl and her friend? No idea. Exploring I guess." Sirius said. "Maybe they got lost."
"They didn't get lost. It's a house." He said. "Besides, they haven't gone long. I bet their stuck in one of the gardens or something."
"When's dinner?" Sirius asked.
"Seven." James answered.
"What time is it now?"
"Not seven is all I know, or we would have gotten twelve thousand reminders." James groaned, referring to his intolerable house elf.
"You know what I noticed?" Sirius said.
"What?"
"You've been acting all weird today."
"I've been acting weird? Listen to yourself mate, or actually you cant because you haven't said a peep nearly all day." James said, taking a sip of what looked like some sort of tropical daiquiri.
"I'm tired, damn. But you, jeese. 'I hardly ever live here. I don't like being rich. I don't have great parents. I'm just a poor sensitive boy who has the burden of having more money than the gods.'" Sirius mocked.
"I did not say that." James said, straitening up. "Cigarette."
Sirius handed him one, and lit one for himself. "You insinuated it, acting like your misunderstood or something and it is a chore to live here. Stop trying to impress Lily, mate. You don't have to. She doesn't care and I bet she would die to live in a place like this. And she loves your parents. I can tell."
"They embarrass me, with all their lovey-doveyness. I did miss my Mum though. And also, what do you expect? I can't parade around my house like I own it. I don't want Lily to think I'm conceited." James said, before Sirius coughing, and then laughing cut him off.
"Prongs mate. You must be living up your ass if you think Lily doesn't know how conceited you are. Don't worry about it. I'm the same way. Nothing wrong with it." Sirius said.
"I'm not conceited. I am vain. There is a big difference." James clarified.
"No, there isn't." Sirius said, reaching over to the floor to grab his drink.
"Oh yes there is. Being conceited is thinking you are the best looking in the world. Vain is just caring how you present yourself in front of others. Both deal with appearances, but one is more full of pride then the other."
"They both deal with pride. Conceit is just having a high opinion of one's self. Vanity is pride in one's self. They are the same, exact, thing, you loser." Sirius said. "Now be quiet so I can get a nap in before we eat again."
"I'm not tired anymore. I'm too confused. I need to think." James said.
"Don't hurt yourself." Sirius yawned, and in no time he drifted off into his brief slumber, while Fin carefully carried his drink back into the kitchen.
The sun was setting and as James looked up at the sky he suddenly saw a shapely figure block it. Her arms were folded but she did not look cross. He put up his hand to block the shadow so he could see her better.
"Hey." He said, trying to hide the fact that he was happy to see her.
"Hello there." Lily said. "Scoot."
James moved over on his chair to make room for her. She sat down comfortably, but there really wasn't any room for them to move. She shrugged at him while smiling. He nodded his head, and she then moved onto his lap.
"How long has sleeping beauty here been asleep?" Lily asked, cocking her head towards Sirius.
"Couldn't tell you." James said, propping up his glasses. "Have you got the time?"
"Almost six." She said.
"Have fun exploring?" he asked, putting his hand subtly on her back.
"Oh yes." She said, smoothing his hair, absentmindedly. "So beautiful. And that last one-"
"Paris? My Mum's idea. That's her project. You know, that is the actual view of it. It is our own window. Everything that is happening in that section of the city we can see right here. My Mum goes there sometimes, just to look. My Dad proposed to her there."
"That's adorable." Lily said. "They seem very happy."
"They rarely see each other. This is a rarity, my dear." James said. "Before today it's probably been months."
"Well I like that. It shows they still keep their love alive, in a sense." She said. "Did you just call me your dear?"
James blushed. "I was hoping you didn't catch that."
"I caught it....honey." At that they both laughed, before he kissed her on the cheek. "God, I hope you're not like this with the rest of them."
"Rest of who, Lily?" James said, touching her long, scarlet hair. "There is just you."
"No, I know. I meant, in the past. If this is all part of your game, well, you are brilliant at it." She said.
"Lily, you have to know something. If this were part of my game, you would know. And if I were trying to make it with you, physically, I would have done it already." He said. It came out with more attitude then he had intended.
"What?" she asked, not really understanding his point. "So you're saying that if you wanted to have sex with me, that it would have already been accomplished? You think you're that good? You think it's that simple?" She felt a bit irritated.
"That's not really what I meant-" he tried to save himself.
"Not what you meant? Do you think I'm that stupid, that easy? Ugh, I can't believe you. Unlike you, I take sex very seriously. I'm not just going to drop my pants for anyone, you know." She jumped off his lap. "And another thing. Am I really that undesirable that you haven't wanted to sleep with me yet?"
"I know. Lily, hold on and let me finish. What I meant was," he sighed, "That I do, yes, in fact, want to sleep with you...someday. I really, really like you. I think, aside from this unpredictable temper thing you've got going, that you are a great girl, uh, woman. I respect you, which is why I haven't tried anything since we've been going out."
"Yes you have." Lily corrected. "Hogsmeade. You said we could rent a room for the afternoon, and you were very touchy-feely that day."
"I thought you liked it when I showed affection." He said.
"I do, but we don't have to snog in front of the whole school. We're not trying to prove anything."
"I know. And just so we're clear about some things, I didn't ask you to come here so that we can sleep together. I just didn't want to be away from you for a whole week." He said, getting up as well, and folding the chair up. "That's the truth."
Lily was deeply touched, but the feeling was interrupted by Fin coming out of the backdoor again.
"Master James, Master James." He panted.
"Yes?" James answered, and Lily thought he sounded cutely dignified indeed.
"You mother-she would like a word sir. She wants to know if Miss would like to help her, sir." Fin said, in between breaths. "She is starting dinner now."
"Oh, right." James said. "You can call her Lily, by the way, Fin. She doesn't mind, do you Lil?"
"Of course not." She said, and held out her hand. "Pleasure, Fin."
"Oh, the pleasure is all mine Miss Lily, all mine. Master is very lucky, indeed, very lucky." He said, and when he caught himself, he blushed and ran inside.
"Yes, lucky indeed." James whispered, as Lily followed the elf inside.
"Lily, would you like to help me cook?" Mrs. Potter asked, as she reached under the sink to grab some pots and pans.
"You cook?" Lily asked, rather presumptuously.
Mrs. Potter laughed. "Yes, dear, I cook." She said. "Estella and Fin just set up lunch. I love cooking. It gives me something to do."
"Of course I will." Lily said.
"Would your friend like to help too?" Mrs. Potter asked.
"Oh, she's busy unpacking. Best not to bother her when she's like this."
"Like what?" she asked, while turning on the stove with her wand and setting a pot of water on top of it.
"Oh nothing." Lily said, catching herself. "She's just a little odd, that's all."
"Are she and Sirius an item?" Mrs. Potter asked, while looking through her pantry for the appropriate pasta.
"Oh no." Lily laughed.
"They should be." She said, grabbing a jar full of angel hair. "Can you hand me the vegetables? They're on the counter there."
"No, no." Lily said, as she took a handful of asparagus. "They're horrible to one another. But.." She started, while Mrs. Potter made eye contact with her.
"What? Oh, is there gossip? I've been out of the loop for so long as far as the world is concerned. Chop those up please, Lily. There's a knife in the cupboard behind you."
"Well.. I don't know if I should say anything. He's very secretive about it." Lily said. She felt oddly comfortable talking with James' mother in such a way. But she was so easy to talk to.
"Ah, Sirius? I knew it. I knew something was up." She said, excitedly. She walked up to Lily and grabbed a towel from the rack on the oven. "Oh do tell, Lily. Oh, and the tomatoes too, dear." She said.
Lily began slicing the tomatoes first, since it was easier. She laughed at Mrs. Potter's girlishness. "I don't know. He'd be horribly embarrassed if you knew. He's very concerned with his reputation."
"He's in love with her, isn't he?" Mrs. Potter said. Lily bit her lip, but nodded just the same. "I knew it." Mrs. Potter said, shaking her head at her own intuition. "Sweet boy."
"You must promise not to let on though." Lily said.
"Oh, no. I won't breathe a word. Does she know?"
"Oblivious." Lily chuckled. "Either that or she doesn't want to believe it. She's too preoccupied with-oh, um, other things." Lily said, tossing the pile of slices tomatoes to the side. She started on the asparagus.
"There's someone else. I can tell that too. Ugh, she so reminds me of myself. She is like her mother, yes, but she is very mysterious. She has her demons, and her secrets. Then again, don't we all." She said, lower than usual. "Who is he?"
"A horrible man. I hate him." Lily said. "He is terrible for her, and has caused her such misery. You have no idea."
"What is his family? Pureblood or muggle? If he's a pureblood it's likely I know him." She said, grabbing a bag full of potatoes. She started washing them in the sink.
"He's a Malfoy." Lily spit out, before she could prevent it. Mrs. Potter turned and widened her eyes at Lily, who blushed at her incapability of keeping a secret. She should have never told that to her boyfriend's mother, she thought. It was a big mistake.
"Oh no." Mrs. Potter said, putting her hand over her heart. "That is-" she said, turning around, "Very bad." She sighed. "Very bad, indeed."
There was silence for a few minutes while Mrs. Potter put the potatoes in the oven to cook, and Lily diced the asparagus. Mrs. Potter put her hair up high in a bun to keep it out of her face, and strapped on an apron to protect her robes.
"So, um."Lily tried to break the uncomfortable silence. "James tells me Mr. Potter proposed to you in Paris, hence the garden?"
"Oh yes." Mrs. Potter laughed. "That was a long time ago, after graduation. My sister, um, friend and I were there too. She was already married and had her child. We were the tag alongs, and he just popped the question in front of the Eiffel Tower."
"That's so sweet. You said you had a sister?" Lily asked, catching Mrs. Potter's little correction.
"Two, yes. One of them is much older than the other. I have an older sister, but not by much. I am the baby."
"Was she with you at the time, or the other?" Lily asked.
"No it was she. Our children were playing at the time. They were quite close."
"Hold on. Your children? Does James have an older brother?"
Mrs. Potter caught her own error, and knew she couldn't fix it now. "No. James..he was born, um, before we were married..about two years in fact."
"What?!" Lily couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You're joking."
"No." she said. "My sister was twenty and I was eighteen."
Lily stopped chopping for a second and stared at Mrs. Potter, who seemed to be perspiring. "You mean..you had James when you were...still at Hogwarts?"
"Hush." She said, forcefully. "James would be very embarrassed if you knew. It was a mistake, no, it was an accident, a very pleasant accident."
"Oh my God." Lily said, blown away. "So that would make you-"
"32." She answered.
"That's insane. That would mean your niece is the same age as us. Who is she? Does she go to Hogwarts? What is your sister's name?"
"Ali. Our parents named us all A names. It runs in the family I suppose. Angie, Ali, and Ara. That's who we were. Now get back to work, Lily, please. The potatoes are almost ready and I need the tomatoes to put in the sauce." She said, in a uniform fashion, knowing Lily knew too much, and knowing she couldn't have prevented it. Lily was too shocked to carry the conversation any further.
Dinner was prepared, and the table was set. It was such a beautiful night that they decided to eat outside again. Sirius woke up to find it dark outside, but he felt rested. Diana came down, shoving the letter in her back jean pocket. James put the chairs away and added extras to the table so everyone could fit. Fin and Estella laid out the food with swift elegance, while everyone sat down. They also put out a bottle of red wine and a pitcher of hot butterbeer. Mr. And Mrs. Potter sat at the head and foot of the table. James and Lily sat on the left of Mr. Potter, while Diana and Sirius sat to the right.
"May I ask a question, Mrs. Potter?" Diana asked, taking a sip from her glass.
"You may call me Angie, Diana." She answered. "And yes, you may?"
"Are we allowed to leave, I mean, to visit while we are here?"
"I do not run a prison, honey. Of course you can leave." Then Mrs. Potter remembered Malfoy. "Who is it, exactly, you want to visit?" she said, as calmly as possible.
"Just a friend of mine." Diana said, quickly. "He would pick me up. You wouldn't have to haul me anywhere, I promise you."
"Um.."Mrs. Potter glanced at Lily, then at her husband, who had no clue what was going on. She sighed. "No one here can stop you. Of course you may." She said, forcing a smile.
"Thank you." Diana said, more excited than before. "This is delicious, by the way."
"Thank you. Lily and I did it." Mrs. Potter answered.
"You cooked?" Sirius asked, taking the words out of Diana's mouth.
"Yes I cooked." Lily answered, offended at the insinuation.
"Blimey." Diana laughed. "I'll help clean up." She said, as she grabbed her plate and pulled out her chair.
"That won't be necessary." Mr. Potter said. "Fin and Estella do the cleaning. But dear, you have barely touched your food."
"Oh, I'm not all that hungry, Mr. Potter, but thank you." She said, pulling open the door and setting her dish neatly on the counter. "Hey, Potter?" she called.
"Yes?" James answered.
"Does your wing look like ours?" she asked, out of a purely conversational attitude. She sat back down at her place, enjoying the outdoors.
"Pretty much." He answered, buttering his potato.
"Perhaps, Sirius?" Mrs. Potter said.
"Yes?" he answered swallowing loudly the clump of food he had just been chewing.
"I wonder if you would like to show Miss Renton the upstairs wing where you two are sleeping. The view from there is much nicer, especially this time of night." Mrs. Potter said. Sirius looked at her strangely, and so did James.
"Uh, sure." He answered, out of pure amazement. "Shall we? Now?" he asked, turning to Diana for approval.
"Sounds good." She said, shrugging. "I do have to leave soon though. Is that all right? My ride is supposed to come at around nine."
"Of course, Diana." Mrs. Potter answered.
Diana and Sirius got up in unison and went inside the house. They marched upstairs without a word, but turned to the left at the top of the stairs.
"Who are you going to see?" Sirius asked.
"Lucius. He wants me to come over." She said, without enthusiasm.
"Already? It's only the first day." Sirius answered, opening the door to their wing.
"I know." She said, with a chuckle. "He wants me to meet the parents. I'm so nervous-Oh my God." Diana said, looking at the large wing for the first time. "It's so much bigger than ours."
"Well you have the guest one, that's why." Sirius said. "There's the kitchenette there." He pointed to the far right. There stood a stove and an oven, with a counter top. There were stools under it. Everything was carved out of marble, and there was a small refrigerator next to the oven.
"Oh, how fabulous. And there are your rooms there?" she said, running over to where another large door was. This one was opened.
"Yep. Seating area here, then my room on the right, James' on the left." He said.
"Look at this window. It's huge. Draw the curtains so I can see out." She ordered.
"You have to help." He said, grabbing a large, wire-like string from the side of the window. "The other side."
They pulled together and the curtains gave way. There were two, large oak trees framing the window, with the moonlight shining brightly in. The stars were clear and bright in this room. It was like a painting.
"It's like Starry Starry Night in here." She said, in awe. He looked at her with a confused expression. "Van Gough." She said. "One of my favourites. I had it in my room in my old house--" She stopped, and took a breath.
"If you like this, then you should see the balcony." He said.
"Where, through there?" she asked, pointing to the bedrooms.
"Yes." He said, extending his hand. She took it without thinking and followed him. The balcony door was already open and she ran to it.
"Wow." She said. "The moon is huge out here. Look at it. It's almost full."
"Shit." Sirius said, knowing that in a couple of days they would have to make the trip to Remus'. He had completely forgotten about it. "I mean, yea."
"You can see a bunch of constellations from here." She said.
"Can you?"
"Yes. Look there. Oh what is that? I think Professor Sinistra taught us about it. Um..." then she laughed. "That's you." She said.
"Huh?"
"That's the dog star. Can't you make it out? Here." She said. "Give me your hand and I'll show you." She took his hand and outlined the constellation for him. All the while he was looking at her hair blowing in the mild wind, and her eyes. The moonlight made them sparkle.
"Oh yea." He said. "And look at the one next to it. That's a female right there." He said.
"Where? A female dog?"
"A bitch." He said.
She started laughing. "So I guess that's me then?" she said. "Makes sense. She doesn't look pleased."
"Do you like it here?" he asked, altering the conversation.
"I love it. And the gardens, have you seen them?" she asked, taking her hand away again. "Breathtaking."
"Oh yea. I like the one with the view though."
"Me too. I loved it. Reminded me of my grandmother. I have to pay her a visit soon." She said, thinking out loud. "Oh and my Aunt too."
"An aunt?"
"Yea. My aunt Ara moved up there years ago. She lives close to my grandmother. She gave me my middle name. She's a squib though. No magic in her. Sad really."
"Why haven't you mentioned her before?" Sirius asked, leaning on the railing.
"Some things, Black, are better left unsaid." She said, more seriously. "And I don't completely trust you."
"Are you joking? You don't have to worry. Men don't gossip." He chuckled.
"They do too. I bet you both talk about us when we're not around. Plotting your little games and exchanging manly stories to boost your egos. It's human nature. People hate uncomfortable silences. You have to fill the air with something."
"Yeah. Why is that?" Sirius said. "We do, do that. It's like, why do we have the need to yap about bullshit in order to be comfortable?"
"Exactly. I think you've really found someone special when you can share one long and comfortable silence, and just.be. Lily and I have that. I'm sure you and Potter do too. I've never had that with a guy though, well, except my dad." Her smile faded, and she looked down at her feet.
"It still upsets you, doesn't it?" Sirius asked, inching close to her.
"What do you mean?" she asked, not looking up.
"Your parents. You loved them very much, didn't you?"
"Of course I did. What kind of a question is that?" she said, with an attitude.
"You can grieve, you know. It's ok to feel sad. It was a real tragedy what happened to you and Lily. I understand-"
"Don't even pretend like you do, because you don't." she spat. "Its my fault Lily is an orphan. She did nothing. They had no reason to die. There was no reason. And when I think about it, it gets me so angry. My dad, my poor dad. He knew nothing of what he was getting himself into, marrying a Figg woman. He was the only one, the only one who ever understood me. He was also the only one I ever listened to. He...he.." she could feel her eyes growing misty, and found it strange she was being so open.
Sirius didn't really know how to react, so he put his hand on her shoulder, and pulled her in an embrace. She felt warm in his arms, and surprisingly good. She didn't cry hard, but a few tears streamed through. She hugged him back.
"This is weird." She said, sniffing. He pulled away first.
"Yea." He said. "Sorry I was just trying to help. I didn't have words or anything." He stuttered.
"No it was good. Thank you. God, you're so different, Black." She said. "I like it. You really are very sweet when you want to be. I never would have known."
"So are you." He said. "And you're pretty as hell when you want to be too."
"You really think I'm pretty?" she said, astonished. "Really?" she sniffed again. "Look at me. I'm a mess right now." She said, rubbing her eyes.
"I'm looking at you, and your beautiful." He said, with absolute seriousness.
Diana couldn't believe it but she was blushing feverishly and smiling like a little girl who had never been paid such a compliment. She went to kiss him on the cheek but he misread her. Instead he went right for her lips and she was startled but didn't pull away. He put his hands on her back and pulled her closer. She opened her mouth for him. This was the tastiest kiss she had felt in a while, and her stomach was tuning. She didn't know if it was from hunger or him. When she realized what was actually happening she threw herself from him and covered her mouth.
"Fuck." She said, feeling she had just committed a sin. She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I-I have to leave. I'm late." She was trying to stop her hands from shaking as she ran from him. He stood there not able to comprehend what had just happened.
"Oh shit." he said, feeling like he had ruined everything.
Diana stopped right before the kitchen in the hallway. He's going to kill me, she thought, and shuddered. He'll know, she figured. Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice. Someone was singing, and it sounded vaguely familiar to her. She tried to listen a bit closer, and she did have to leave, but not yet.
"Think of me. Think of me fondly, when we said goodbye. Remember me, once and a while. Please promise me, you'll try-Harry, stop it." It was Mrs. Potter. Of course, Diana thought. Who else would it be? She heard her lightly slap Mr. Potter and then giggle.
"Don't stop singing, my angel." He said. She chuckled again.
"We never said, our love was evergreen, or as urgently as the sea. There will never be a day when I don't think of you." She sang, before kissing her husband.
"I love you so much, my Angel." He said.
"Me too dear. Now go. You have work to do." She said, sounding more professional ordering him around playfully. He grunted and whined but he went to his office anyway.
"Goodnight love." He said.
"Night. I'll bring you some tea in a moment." She said. Diana was apprehensive in entering the room casually, but before she could decide, it was decided for her. "Come in, Miss Renton." Mrs. Potter said.
Diana whined inwardly but walked in as though she hadn't heard a thing. "My ride will be here in a minute. I just thought I'd come down now. I hope I didn't interrupt anything."
"Oh no. It's just me now. Did Sirius give you a nice tour of the room?" she asked.
"Yea. It was, good, surprisingly." Diana said, clearing her throat. "Perfect, actually."
"Good." Mrs. Potter said, while staring at her. "You know, you look so much like your mother it's frightening." Diana was made uncomfortable once again by the comparison. "That's a good thing Diana. Same hair, and face even. But I can tell something of you dear. You are your father's daughter. That's what she always used to say."
"You think so?" Diana asked.
"I know it. I knew your mother better than anyone, aside from Mark, your father. They were always very proud of you, despite how you were in your blossoming years."
"You've spoken to them recently? She never mentioned a word about you, ever. Well, she did, but only as Mrs. Potter. My Mum referred to you as Angie maybe once. I've also never seen you." Diana said, not meaning it to sound cruel.
"No, she wouldn't have. We wrote letters up until last year. She was very devoted to you. They both were. Her letters consisted mainly of you, things about you. I new when I'd meet you eventually you would be how I pictured. And you are, you really are. That is the highest compliment I can give you, child." Mrs. Potter said.
"I really have to run." Diana said, thinking she would cry again if she stayed in that house another second. "I'll wait outside."
"Whatever you wish, my dear." Mrs. Potter said. "When will you be home?"
"Um.. Tomorrow morning probably. Is that alright?"
"If it is fine with you, then it is fine with me." She answered. Diana nodded and let herself out. When she got outside she felt like she needed to breathe. She took out a cigarette and lit it, waiting. She saw the car come from around the corner, and it stopped in front of the Potter residence, like she knew it would. The back door opened magically and she let herself inside.
"Hi." Lucius said, as the door slammed behind her. He kissed her and pulled her harshly to him. "Miss me?"
All of a sudden Diana forgot everything. She only saw him and his world when she entered that car.
"Dreadfully." She said, and inched closer. Her soul had become two people. It was obvious who she was at that moment.
"How's your stay?" he asked, putting an arm around her shoulder.
"Ugh, incredibly boring. Everyone in my business. Awful." She said, taking out a mirror from her bag and applying the makeup he liked to see her wear.
"I'm sorry, my love. But you're mine for this evening. We shall do whatever you want. We don't even have to go to my house if you don't want to. What do you want?"
"You." She said, crossing her leg over his. He chuckled at her calmly.
"Whatever the lady wants." He said.
"I am no lady." She said, rubbing his thigh, higher and higher, laughing in a tone not her own.
"No. That you are not." He said, and kissed her again. "That's what I love about you."
(I know, very long and lots of set up for not much. Happy Labour Day, thanks for the reviews! Next chapter 2 very important things will happen for our leading ladies. One will be delightful and the other, horrifying. And, just out of curiosity, what novel did I get the 2 names of the house elves from? Depending on how many right answers I get determines how fast I update. I just want to see how many literary scholars there are out there :) oh, and the author too. Have a lovely week!)
~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Hurry up, Diana, wake the fuck up." Lily said, shaking her best friend into consciousness.
"No need for the language, you bitch." Diana grumbled, falling out of her own bed. Lily laughed like a hyena at her. "Shut up."
"We're going to miss the train. Now you are packed right?" Lily asked, looking at her watch.
"Yeah." She sighed.
"Oh, I'm so excited." Lily said.
"Really? I can't tell all that well." Diana yawned as she watched Lily prance about their dorm in a daze. "What the bloody hell are you so chipper about? Hey...where were you last night? I was terribly lonesome all by myself."
"I was with Potter is all." Lily said, trying to cover up her smile.
"Is that so? Hmm...slut." Diana coughed.
"Oh we didn't have sex dear." Lily said, casually, counting her suitcases and Diana's. There were three total. "We just slept together."
"You slept together without having sex?" Diana asked, as if it were unbelievable.
"It's possible." Lily said. "Now take your shit. We've missed breakfast."
"So where's the boyfriend now?" Diana asked, contemptuously. "Picking daisies?"
"Don't be jealous." Lily said.
"I'm not. At least I'm...oh never mind it's too early in the morning." Diana said.
"I know what you are going to say, and yes, it is." Lily answered, combing her hair back. "Did you see him last night?"
"Who? Oh..no. I wasn't in the mood." Diana said, grabbing her robe out of her closet. She draped it loosely over her shoulders. "You know, he asked me to stay with him over break."
"I did not!" Lily said. "When? Why?"
"To, and I quote, 'Get better acquainted with his family.' He said," Diana cleared her throat to mock him, "Darling..." Lily started to laugh. "I'm not done." She cleared her throat again. "Darling...We need to spend more time together. I want you to get to know me outside of this petty little school. You'd love it where I live, and I would treat you like a queen. Once you stay with me, you'd never want to leave."
"Damn. It's like he wants you to join a cult." Lily said, continuing to laugh. "Dead on by the way. Well done."
"Please...I was going to though, but I wanted to spend more time with you. I'm always with him, you know. I'll probably see him one of these days, maybe two. That is, if he can wait that long." Diana said, stretching upwards.
"Unbelievable. Men are so funny aren't they? Last night, James thought I was going to dump him. Can you believe it? I told him no, but his paranoia was so obvious. It was hilarious. I thought he was going to wet himself." Lily said.
Diana laughed. "Ah, the power a woman has over a man." She flipped her hair back to express her drama.
"What would that be exactly?" came a voice from behind. Diana immediately closed her robe while Lily let out a very startled Jesus Christ! "Sorry ladies. Coffee, to go."
"God damn it, Black." Diana said, slapping him hard on the shoulder. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that."
"We've got to go. The train's leaving soon and breakfast is over. Someone overslept so I brought up coffee." Sirius said.
"Aww, how sweet." Lily said. "Where's James?"
"Downstairs already." Sirius said. "Get dressed."
As they brought their bags out onto the train and in their own compartments, the girls felt even more excited than before. Even though they would separate later, Remus, Nicole, Peter and Katrina were also in their compartments.
"Good morning, Potter." Lily said, sensually, exuding her power simply for sport.
"Morning." He said, after kissing her on the mouth. "Isn't this nice. I saw you an hour ago."
"I know. I was trying to be cute." She said, smiling.
"What are you going to do when you get there?" Nicole asked, as the train started to move.
"We don't have an itinerary." James answered. "Food most likely, will be first."
"Yeah." Diana yawned. "Food would be great."
"Did you sleep last night Renton?" Sirius asked. "How was your walk?"
"Uneventful, thanks." She responded, and she would say no more. She looked at him throughout the entire train ride, studying him slightly. By the time it came to an end she convinced herself, as practically as possible, that he did not, by any means, look attractive to her in any way, shape or form. No, she thought. Black's just fun sometimes, to be with that is. She would never take it further than the occasional flirt, just to keep it comfortable.
"Moony." Sirius said, as the train halted.
"Yeah." Remus answered.
"Come by tonight."
"Yeah." James seconded. "Wormtail, you too. Bring Kat is you like."
"Thanks Potter, but I've seen it." Katrina answered. "Or maybe I will. You always did have good peanut butter and jelly sandwiches."
As the teenagers got out of the train, James searched for his mother amongst the other eager parents. After only a few moments he saw her searching too, and they found each other. She beamed at the site of her son, and waved him and his friends over. Her scarlet robes swished in the wind.
"Hi Mum." James said as she embraced him.
Even at 5'10'' James' mother looked at him as though he was a child. He did not tower over her. In fact, since she had on heels, they were the exact same height. She kissed his cheek and put her hand on his face affectionately. Angelica Potter, as she was known, was never stingy with her affection for her son.
"Hi dear." She said. "My...they take you away from us for a measly eight months and this is how you've grown. I missed you."
"Where's dad?" he asked.
"Oh, he couldn't be here James. He's working from the house today. He's so sorry." She said, and finally noticed the others before her. "Hello everyone. Well, well.." She started to chuckle. "When you said your girlfriend and her friend were coming, I didn't know you were talking about the redhead and the brunette. So I guess the war is over. Care to introduce me?"
"Oh, sorry. Mum, this here's Lily Evans and her friend Diana Renton." James said.
"I knew your Mum." Mrs. Potter said to Diana. "We both got knocked up at the same time." She joked, trying to lighten the mood. "And she was funny as hell."
"Yea, she was." Diana said. "She spoke of you sometimes. Angie right?" Diana felt weird. She did not like talking about her mother. It would upset her.
"Yep. I'm surprised she said anything. You look so much like her-"
"Thank you." Diana said, cutting her off, and putting on the sunglasses that were in her pocket. Mrs. Potter realized this.
"Well, Lily, it's lovely to meet you." She said, shaking her hand. "My son speaks fondly of you in his letters."
"You've written letters about me?" Lily asked, actually touched.
"Oops, sorry. Didn't mean to blow the cover, honey." Mrs. Potter said. "What do you say we go to the car? This way." She said, and began walking. When they got to it, a black town car, she opened each of their doors with a touch of a button. "These muggles, I'll tell you, they certainly have it right." She said, opening her car door.
She noticed Sirius open the door for the girls on the left side, letting Diana in. Mrs. Potter saw Diana smile at him, he returned it, and then shook his head.
"Mr. Black." Mrs. Potter said. Sirius looked up at her with a questioning look. "Come here." She said and beckoned him with her finger. When he stood in front of her she shook her head and crossed her arms. Then, with a smile she hugged him too, and he hugged her back. "There. Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" She put her hands on her hips.
"I've forgotten my manners. I apologize." Sirius said, sincerely.
"I expect both of my sons to treat me with respect, you hear? You are no different. Now get in the car, Black, before I run you over." The girls and James laughed from the back seat.
"Jesus Christ, you guys are from the same womb." Diana joked, as Sirius entered the back seat.
They drove for what seemed like an hour, through London and into the outskirts. The neighbourhood they finally entered was brilliant and high class. It was obvious only the rich lived there. The sites alone were like a tour, and Lily and Diana kept leaning over the boys to get a better look. This made Mrs. Potter laugh. Not so much their eagerness, but the awkwardness of the boys next to them.
"Oh my.." Lily whispered, as the Potter town car approached the even more extravagant estate. James' mother chuckled slightly at her reaction.
"It's a bit much dear, isn't it?" she said, pulling into the driveway. "Don't worry. You'll get used to it, once my son here gets you properly situated."
Lily looked over at James to find him blushing and trying to hide it. She smiled at his cuteness. Then she looked at Diana, who was jammed in the middle with her. Diana smiled back, and pushed her sunglasses up higher on her face after giving Lily a wink.
"Well now, don't just sit here children. Get out of the car." Mrs. Potter said, taking the keys out of the ignition. "It's almost lunchtime." She went into the house as if sticking around meant a very big delay in her schedule. Once home she felt more at ease, quickening her step and becoming more of the homemaker she was. This house was a village in itself, one she proudly governed.
"What does that matter?" Diana asked Sirius in a whisper. She figured asking James would have been too forward, and the poor boy looked as if he would die of embarrassment if anything else were mentioned.
"Oh nothing." He answered, opening the door. As she peered her head out she found his hand ready in a gentlemanly fashion, standing by to help her out. She took it. "It's always some sort of time in the Potter household: lunchtime, tea time, dinner time, supper time, snack time, bed time, and my personal favourite, dessert time, not necessarily in that order. There's always some kind of buffet or Venetian hour around here. It's like a goddamn hotel."
"Shut up." James said, slamming his own car door, after Lily had gotten out.
"I'm sure it's lovely James." Lily said. "I bet he's just jealous." She said, squinting at Sirius, who wasn't making James' trip home any less stressful. She knew he was nervous about bringing them home, and she wanted Sirius to shut his mouth for once.
"Oh yea, I'm jealous." Sirius said.
"Children." Diana said, taking her sunglasses off and arching her neck to get a clearer glimpse of the house. She also let go of Sirius' hand. "Wow. It goes all the way down the block. You actually live here?"
"Sometimes." James said, ascending the front steps. "Hardly."
"I live here more than he does." Sirius said.
"That's not true." James said back. "When he's here, I'm here. He likes to live here because back at home nobody loves him." Despite how true that was, the way it was spoken suggested he was jesting. Sirius would have said a meaner comment to rival it, but he was too relieved that it was vacation to care. He hated his parents as much as they hated him.
"Is that true?" Lily asked.
"Oh Lily, don't be naïve." Diana said. "I'm sure he just wants to break free like the rest of us. You know, start his life or whatever."
"I moved out last June." Sirius said, as they all treaded the stairs, panting by the time they got to the front. "I'm looking at flats in London. James is letting me stay with him and his family until I get a place of my own."
"Really? That is so wicked." Diana said. "I wish I could do that. I wish I had the guts to do that."
"Do what?" James asked, opening his front door.
"Leave." Lily answered for her. "So where's this lunch your Mum was talking about?"
"It's in the backyard." James said.
"It's a beautiful day for breakfast outside." Lily said, taking his hand for support. He smiled at her before it was interrupted by an annoyed screech.
"James!" they all heard. James winced at its booming tone.
"Coming!" he called back, and shoved his hands in his pockets.
"Is that your dad?" Lily asked.
"Yea." He answered, hoping they wouldn't follow him into the room.
"Shouldn't we go and say hello?" she insinuated.
"I don't think so." Diana said, remembering his lack of compassion and less than subtle news breaking of her parents' deaths.
Instead, Mr. Harold Potter stepped out of his office with an impatient look on his face because of his son's lack of promptness at his beckoning. He leaned against the large cherry wood doorframe with his arms folded, in the cocky way James frequently did. He pulled out his pocket watch with his left hand, for his right was holding a lit cigar.
"Hi Dad." James said, shifting his weight. Mr. Potter just nodded.
"Who are these people?" he asked, snapping the watch closed and shoving it back in his pocket. "Friends of yours?" Through the cloud of smoke he almost looked menacing.
"We're beggar children from the slums of downtown London." Diana exclaimed harshly. "We're looking for food, if you could spare some."
"Oh I remember this one. Hello Miss Renton." Mr. Potter said, chuckling. He walked over to them and extended his hand. She raised an eyebrow at him and shook it. In reality, Mr. Potter wasn't intimidating at all. He just liked to seem that way on first impressions. He got quite the kick out of it.
"Mr. Potter." She said, with a nod.
"And hello Miss Evans." He said, shifting his attention to the redhead arm- in-arm with his son. "My wife says that you and my son seem to be quite the item at school. You are certainly as pretty as she says. I understand you all used to be in a five year long argument, yes? Funny really. That's how the Mrs. and I knew each other for the first years of our lives at Hogwarts. Then this one came along out of nowhere. James, how could you have not noticed her sooner? She's delightful." He said, shaking her hand as well.
"Dad." He said, uneasily. "Please."
"Sorry son. Didn't mean to embarrass you. But I'm sure Sirius will make up for all the ridicule I had planned over lunch. Why so quiet Black?"
"Hey Mr. P. Hungry is all. No bother." Sirius said with a shrug. "Sleep would be nice too." Needless to say, Sirius was extremely comfortable in the Potter household.
"Ah. Well why don't you show your friends to their rooms James, hmm? Then we can all go eat. Fin has already spread out the appetizers so be quick about it. Lovely seeing you all again." Mr. Potter said, before casually walking down the hall into the little patio behind their house. The door was through the kitchen.
Lily looked at James with confusion. "Who's Fin?"
"The house elf." James answered, sighing.
"That's what your dad is really like then, huh?" she asked him.
"What does that mean?" he asked, pointing them all in the direction of the stairs.
"Your dad was an asshole the last time we saw him." Diana said. "Uncompassionate prick."
"That's just his way. He's very set in his ways. Don't ask questions. He's a royal pain in the ass." James said. "Stairs." He said, ascending them.
"Sounds a bit familiar, no?" She laughed and James snorted at her insinuation. "It's fine, just weird that's all, that he's Minister of Magic and we're staying in his house, like guests." Lily commented.
"Well that's what I feel every time I come home." James said.
"Be quiet. You love it here." Sirius said. "You couldn't live any other way. You'd miss this too much, regardless of how much you say you hate it."
When they reached the second floor they were even more astounded. The ceilings were higher and the hallways longer with majestic artwork embellished with red and gold tapestries. Family portraits covered the walls, including one of Mr. and Mrs. Potter on their wedding day, smiling while rose petals were being thrown in the air. Lily smiled at it, hoping one day she would be that happy.
"Holy shit." Diana whispered, bringing Lily back.
"That's your wing over there." James pointed to the right of the stairs. "And there's ours." He pointed to the left.
Diana and Lily exchanged overwhelmed glances. "We have our own wing?" Lily asked.
"Complete with sitting room, kitchenette and full size bathroom for two." Sirius said, mocking a tone like that of a tour guide.
"That's amazing." Diana said, rushing to the outsized marble door that was the entrance to their section of the house. "What's that over there?" she pointed to the centre of the hallway, where the two wings separated.
"That's the library." James said.
"A library." Lily repeated enthusiastically. "Oh, how wonderful." She clapped her hands together childishly and grabbed James' arm again in joyful anticipation.
"Wait. What about our bags?" Diana asked.
"They'll be brought up after lunch. Let's go. You two can explore after we get something in our stomachs." James answered, and they all followed him back down the stairs. There was a long hallway that led to the kitchen where James mother was.
The kitchen was located in the back of the house and illuminated with sunshine through the bay windows. Mrs. Potter sat at the table and seemed to be skimming various documents that were actually newspapers. She was looking at them as if she held something confidential, jotting little notes and crumpling and throwing away unnecessary advertisements and junk mail. She also happened to be giving out sporadic orders to Fin, the little house elf who was arranging the last bits of lunch on a tray too big for his tiny frame to carry. He struggled and swayed as he opened the back door with his free hand.
"Estella. Help him." Mrs. Potter said, not looking up from her bundle of periodicals, while snapping her fingers impatiently. "Oh, hello children." She said with a smile as the four teenagers staggered inside, forming a line after James. Then, out of nowhere another little house elf emerged from what looked like a dog door, scurrying and twittering about, grabbing the door after the other house elf.
Mrs. Potter then got up, moving the papers into a neat little pile and putting them into a cream coloured manila folder. As she stood up, her tall frame seemed to elongate further, and as she straitened, gave her a look of aristocratic elegance. Her hair, pulled back with loose strands falling freely, accentuated her heart shaped face with ebony luminescence.
"Why are you all standing there like statues? Are you going to eat or not?" she asked, opening the door. "We've got a lovely spread today, given Sirius doesn't eat it all within the next five minutes."
"Now Angie, how you underestimate me." Sirius said. "Two..at least."
"Watch it mister. As long as you are under this roof I am Mrs. Potter, understand?" She said, pointing a finger at him with her free hand. "Did you girls see your rooms?" She said, immediately averting her attention.
"No, not yet." Lily said. "Beautiful wing though."
"Yes. It's the guest wing, then my son's room. We added an extra bed in there though because of this one." She said, pointing to Sirius. She walked through the door and let the screen close behind her. Mr. Potter was already outside, munching away on a sandwich of some sort. When Lily looked out he saw Mr. Potter grab his wife, letting her fall on his lap. She giggled and kissed him on the forehead before getting up.
"Yuck. Get a room, please." Sirius said, walking outside.
"Quiet Black." Said Mr. Potter. "So, how do you ladies like the house?"
"Beautiful Mr. Potter, just gorgeous." Lily said eagerly.
"Why thank you. Now help yourself. There is plenty to go around." He said, waving his hand in front of the spread.
They each helped themselves to sandwiches and drinks of homemade butterbeer and pumpkin juice, while the two house elves cleaned up where they could; their little hands speedily sweeping and arranging so that everything was just as perfect as it should be.
"Oh no Miss, please let us do it," shouted Fin, while Estella squeaked and muttered undetectable comments of apologies and service.
When lunch was finished James' parents went their separate ways, he to work and she to household business, while the four teenagers took an afternoon walk around the gardens. There were four of them, each with its own unique theme decorated by the well cared for landscaping. The girls went off on their own to explore them, because the boys were quite bored having grown up with this around them for as long as they could remember.
The first garden had an undersea motif. The bushes and flowers were carved and sculpted to look like coral and fish, with oversized orchids, magically enhanced to look like they were being moved by the waves of the invisible ocean that surrounded them. Yellows and pinks meshed with the subtle blues and whites to give the seclusion of the place an even more private feel. The gate looked like ruins from the lost city of Atlantis, creating the feeling of abandonment and isolation that was the essence of the ocean. The girls stared about in awe, touching and speed walking to every corner.
The next one, right next to it and through the portal, was one completely the opposite of the other. It was snowing, in fact, but not wintry. They were actually startled at first, but pleasantly surprised nonetheless. Without feeling the slightest chill they made snow angels and threw snowballs at each other, tumbling and falling about in their own childish play, reliving past Christmas', at least for a few minutes, before Lily ran into the third garden.
The sun was bright in this one, and the lustre of the flowers in it only added to it. Every colour in the rainbow was there, and every exotic flower from India to Louisiana was shaped like elegant women in seventeenth century attire. Their skirts made of roses in the colours of pink and red, some blue, others a brilliant cornucopia of matching turquoise and alabaster. Their hair was red and white, made out of every type of lily. The flower women waved and blew kisses at the new guests, who stood staring in awe of such an incredible marvel.
"This one is my favourite." Lily said, caressing the skirt of one of them. The flower woman's face turned to a shade of light crimson before she resumes her statuesque position.
"This place is unreal." Diana added, when she saw the door to the next garden. She shrieked with happiness when she saw what lie before her. She could see into the next garden, and its contents from where she was standing, and she was through the portal quicker than Lily noticed. "Lily!" she cried and Lily ran in after her.
Lily put her hand over her mouth when she entered the last garden. She felt as if she were on a roof, high up, even though they had not ascended stairs or travelled more than five feet or so. There were large spider plants hanging. They were filled with ivy, some embellished in little white flowers. Roses were on the ground, in bushes, with thick thorns and blood red petals. There was a bench in the centre, designed in roman architecture, and a table to the right next to an ivy wall.
When Lily looked up she saw the sky, in sync with the one outside of it. There was a balcony, where Diana was, and the view Lily saw made her tear up at its beauty. Diana was already crying. Her torso was far over, trying to reach something, as if it wasn't real. It wasn't, only a simulation, but she still felt enriched with pleasure at the site of it.
"Lily." she cried, groping for her hand. "Look at it."
"I see. This is magic I have never seen. How did they capture it?" she said, reaching forward herself.
"La tour (the tower)." Diana whispered.
"Paris." Lily said. "It just looks so real."
"This one is my favourite." Diana said.
Lily looked at her friend, and noticed how at home she looked in this place. She hadn't seen her that happy in months. For Diana, at that moment, none of it mattered. Nothing, not Malfoy, Hogwarts or her parents' deaths. Lily figured she wasn't so nonchalant about Paris after all. It was the only place she felt at home.
They left the gardens with a sort of dreamy longing. The boys were nowhere to be found and it took a little while for Lily and Diana to find their wing without getting lost. They eventually did find it, however, and when they opened their doors for the first time their luggage had already been brought up. Lily explored the room a bit while Diana went strait to the balcony overlooking a little lake on the side of the house.
"Oh Lily..I don't ever want to go back to school." Diana whined.
"Why?" Lily asked, from the interior.
"I don't know." She sighed. "Oh, I just want to leave. I want to go away, anywhere but here. There's too much here."
"Are you talking about Malfoy?"
"I'm talking about everything. I love Lucius. At least I think I do. Things are just so fucked. He...he.." she stuttered.
"What? C'mon, you can talk to me." Lily said, walking closer to her.
"He frightens me. It's strange really. I'm feeling so many things and I can't express them. It's driving me mad. I just need something to happen, anything really. Good, bad, it doesn't matter. I don't like being me anymore. Lily, don't you see that I'm just pretending? You know it too. I know you do."
Lily sighed. "Yea I know. You are acting a bit skitzo. It's understandable. I see parts of you though, like when your with me...or with Black-"
"Fuck Black. He's just as fishy as the rest of them. He's hiding something. I know it. All men are the same Lily. They all screw us over and leave us to the dogs."
"Don't say that. All men are not like that." Lily said.
Diana started laughing, but it was a painful, menacing laugh, for she was offended by the comment. "Please tell me that was a joke. Lily, you shouldn't talk. The guy your dating has slept with more girls then even he can remember. You know what they say, once a player, always a player. After all this time, you think you would remember that."
Lily acknowledged her point. In fact, it was one of the reasons she was nervous about coming there. She said nothing. She let her be. Let her rant, she thought. Lily walked back inside and continued unpacking, closing the door to the balcony behind her. After smoking a cigarette and thinking about nothing particularly important, Diana began to pace back and forth, from one end to the other. She was in an unexplainable daze.
She caught herself singing after a few minutes, but continued on anyway. She tried to remember the last time she felt happy, and suddenly Sirius Black's face popped into her mind. She didn't know why, and questioned it, but figured it was a fluke. He was unusually quiet today, she thought. That must be it. She couldn't get this song out of her head.
"Les escaliers de Montmartre sont durs aux miséreux. Les ailes du Moulin protégent les amoureux." (The stairways up to Montmarte are hardest on the poor. The sails of the mill, like wings, shelter the lovers.) Diana laughed, hearing her great grandmother's voice in her head, until she was interrupted by a large bird perching itself on the ledge. It startled her so much that she jumped back.
It was an eagle, and one she had seen before. It was carrying a letter, presumably for her. She walked up to it slowly, because it was an intimidating bird. It held out its leg pointedly and she quickly grabbed the letter in its talons. Then, without so much as a screech, it flew off.
She sighed before opening it. She read it quickly, and then folded it back neatly, with a crooked smile upon her face. She suddenly became restless, and bit her lip to clarify.
Lily on the other hand, became restless too. Annoyed and unfulfilled, she stopped her unpacking and left her quarters.
James and Sirius were outside taking a nap, or at least trying to. Fin kept coming around and taking drink orders and dusting around them, asking them if they needed anything and kept bowing out whenever he left.
"So where do you think our girls ran off to?" James asked, adjusting his position on the lounge chair.
"You mean your girl and her friend? No idea. Exploring I guess." Sirius said. "Maybe they got lost."
"They didn't get lost. It's a house." He said. "Besides, they haven't gone long. I bet their stuck in one of the gardens or something."
"When's dinner?" Sirius asked.
"Seven." James answered.
"What time is it now?"
"Not seven is all I know, or we would have gotten twelve thousand reminders." James groaned, referring to his intolerable house elf.
"You know what I noticed?" Sirius said.
"What?"
"You've been acting all weird today."
"I've been acting weird? Listen to yourself mate, or actually you cant because you haven't said a peep nearly all day." James said, taking a sip of what looked like some sort of tropical daiquiri.
"I'm tired, damn. But you, jeese. 'I hardly ever live here. I don't like being rich. I don't have great parents. I'm just a poor sensitive boy who has the burden of having more money than the gods.'" Sirius mocked.
"I did not say that." James said, straitening up. "Cigarette."
Sirius handed him one, and lit one for himself. "You insinuated it, acting like your misunderstood or something and it is a chore to live here. Stop trying to impress Lily, mate. You don't have to. She doesn't care and I bet she would die to live in a place like this. And she loves your parents. I can tell."
"They embarrass me, with all their lovey-doveyness. I did miss my Mum though. And also, what do you expect? I can't parade around my house like I own it. I don't want Lily to think I'm conceited." James said, before Sirius coughing, and then laughing cut him off.
"Prongs mate. You must be living up your ass if you think Lily doesn't know how conceited you are. Don't worry about it. I'm the same way. Nothing wrong with it." Sirius said.
"I'm not conceited. I am vain. There is a big difference." James clarified.
"No, there isn't." Sirius said, reaching over to the floor to grab his drink.
"Oh yes there is. Being conceited is thinking you are the best looking in the world. Vain is just caring how you present yourself in front of others. Both deal with appearances, but one is more full of pride then the other."
"They both deal with pride. Conceit is just having a high opinion of one's self. Vanity is pride in one's self. They are the same, exact, thing, you loser." Sirius said. "Now be quiet so I can get a nap in before we eat again."
"I'm not tired anymore. I'm too confused. I need to think." James said.
"Don't hurt yourself." Sirius yawned, and in no time he drifted off into his brief slumber, while Fin carefully carried his drink back into the kitchen.
The sun was setting and as James looked up at the sky he suddenly saw a shapely figure block it. Her arms were folded but she did not look cross. He put up his hand to block the shadow so he could see her better.
"Hey." He said, trying to hide the fact that he was happy to see her.
"Hello there." Lily said. "Scoot."
James moved over on his chair to make room for her. She sat down comfortably, but there really wasn't any room for them to move. She shrugged at him while smiling. He nodded his head, and she then moved onto his lap.
"How long has sleeping beauty here been asleep?" Lily asked, cocking her head towards Sirius.
"Couldn't tell you." James said, propping up his glasses. "Have you got the time?"
"Almost six." She said.
"Have fun exploring?" he asked, putting his hand subtly on her back.
"Oh yes." She said, smoothing his hair, absentmindedly. "So beautiful. And that last one-"
"Paris? My Mum's idea. That's her project. You know, that is the actual view of it. It is our own window. Everything that is happening in that section of the city we can see right here. My Mum goes there sometimes, just to look. My Dad proposed to her there."
"That's adorable." Lily said. "They seem very happy."
"They rarely see each other. This is a rarity, my dear." James said. "Before today it's probably been months."
"Well I like that. It shows they still keep their love alive, in a sense." She said. "Did you just call me your dear?"
James blushed. "I was hoping you didn't catch that."
"I caught it....honey." At that they both laughed, before he kissed her on the cheek. "God, I hope you're not like this with the rest of them."
"Rest of who, Lily?" James said, touching her long, scarlet hair. "There is just you."
"No, I know. I meant, in the past. If this is all part of your game, well, you are brilliant at it." She said.
"Lily, you have to know something. If this were part of my game, you would know. And if I were trying to make it with you, physically, I would have done it already." He said. It came out with more attitude then he had intended.
"What?" she asked, not really understanding his point. "So you're saying that if you wanted to have sex with me, that it would have already been accomplished? You think you're that good? You think it's that simple?" She felt a bit irritated.
"That's not really what I meant-" he tried to save himself.
"Not what you meant? Do you think I'm that stupid, that easy? Ugh, I can't believe you. Unlike you, I take sex very seriously. I'm not just going to drop my pants for anyone, you know." She jumped off his lap. "And another thing. Am I really that undesirable that you haven't wanted to sleep with me yet?"
"I know. Lily, hold on and let me finish. What I meant was," he sighed, "That I do, yes, in fact, want to sleep with you...someday. I really, really like you. I think, aside from this unpredictable temper thing you've got going, that you are a great girl, uh, woman. I respect you, which is why I haven't tried anything since we've been going out."
"Yes you have." Lily corrected. "Hogsmeade. You said we could rent a room for the afternoon, and you were very touchy-feely that day."
"I thought you liked it when I showed affection." He said.
"I do, but we don't have to snog in front of the whole school. We're not trying to prove anything."
"I know. And just so we're clear about some things, I didn't ask you to come here so that we can sleep together. I just didn't want to be away from you for a whole week." He said, getting up as well, and folding the chair up. "That's the truth."
Lily was deeply touched, but the feeling was interrupted by Fin coming out of the backdoor again.
"Master James, Master James." He panted.
"Yes?" James answered, and Lily thought he sounded cutely dignified indeed.
"You mother-she would like a word sir. She wants to know if Miss would like to help her, sir." Fin said, in between breaths. "She is starting dinner now."
"Oh, right." James said. "You can call her Lily, by the way, Fin. She doesn't mind, do you Lil?"
"Of course not." She said, and held out her hand. "Pleasure, Fin."
"Oh, the pleasure is all mine Miss Lily, all mine. Master is very lucky, indeed, very lucky." He said, and when he caught himself, he blushed and ran inside.
"Yes, lucky indeed." James whispered, as Lily followed the elf inside.
"Lily, would you like to help me cook?" Mrs. Potter asked, as she reached under the sink to grab some pots and pans.
"You cook?" Lily asked, rather presumptuously.
Mrs. Potter laughed. "Yes, dear, I cook." She said. "Estella and Fin just set up lunch. I love cooking. It gives me something to do."
"Of course I will." Lily said.
"Would your friend like to help too?" Mrs. Potter asked.
"Oh, she's busy unpacking. Best not to bother her when she's like this."
"Like what?" she asked, while turning on the stove with her wand and setting a pot of water on top of it.
"Oh nothing." Lily said, catching herself. "She's just a little odd, that's all."
"Are she and Sirius an item?" Mrs. Potter asked, while looking through her pantry for the appropriate pasta.
"Oh no." Lily laughed.
"They should be." She said, grabbing a jar full of angel hair. "Can you hand me the vegetables? They're on the counter there."
"No, no." Lily said, as she took a handful of asparagus. "They're horrible to one another. But.." She started, while Mrs. Potter made eye contact with her.
"What? Oh, is there gossip? I've been out of the loop for so long as far as the world is concerned. Chop those up please, Lily. There's a knife in the cupboard behind you."
"Well.. I don't know if I should say anything. He's very secretive about it." Lily said. She felt oddly comfortable talking with James' mother in such a way. But she was so easy to talk to.
"Ah, Sirius? I knew it. I knew something was up." She said, excitedly. She walked up to Lily and grabbed a towel from the rack on the oven. "Oh do tell, Lily. Oh, and the tomatoes too, dear." She said.
Lily began slicing the tomatoes first, since it was easier. She laughed at Mrs. Potter's girlishness. "I don't know. He'd be horribly embarrassed if you knew. He's very concerned with his reputation."
"He's in love with her, isn't he?" Mrs. Potter said. Lily bit her lip, but nodded just the same. "I knew it." Mrs. Potter said, shaking her head at her own intuition. "Sweet boy."
"You must promise not to let on though." Lily said.
"Oh, no. I won't breathe a word. Does she know?"
"Oblivious." Lily chuckled. "Either that or she doesn't want to believe it. She's too preoccupied with-oh, um, other things." Lily said, tossing the pile of slices tomatoes to the side. She started on the asparagus.
"There's someone else. I can tell that too. Ugh, she so reminds me of myself. She is like her mother, yes, but she is very mysterious. She has her demons, and her secrets. Then again, don't we all." She said, lower than usual. "Who is he?"
"A horrible man. I hate him." Lily said. "He is terrible for her, and has caused her such misery. You have no idea."
"What is his family? Pureblood or muggle? If he's a pureblood it's likely I know him." She said, grabbing a bag full of potatoes. She started washing them in the sink.
"He's a Malfoy." Lily spit out, before she could prevent it. Mrs. Potter turned and widened her eyes at Lily, who blushed at her incapability of keeping a secret. She should have never told that to her boyfriend's mother, she thought. It was a big mistake.
"Oh no." Mrs. Potter said, putting her hand over her heart. "That is-" she said, turning around, "Very bad." She sighed. "Very bad, indeed."
There was silence for a few minutes while Mrs. Potter put the potatoes in the oven to cook, and Lily diced the asparagus. Mrs. Potter put her hair up high in a bun to keep it out of her face, and strapped on an apron to protect her robes.
"So, um."Lily tried to break the uncomfortable silence. "James tells me Mr. Potter proposed to you in Paris, hence the garden?"
"Oh yes." Mrs. Potter laughed. "That was a long time ago, after graduation. My sister, um, friend and I were there too. She was already married and had her child. We were the tag alongs, and he just popped the question in front of the Eiffel Tower."
"That's so sweet. You said you had a sister?" Lily asked, catching Mrs. Potter's little correction.
"Two, yes. One of them is much older than the other. I have an older sister, but not by much. I am the baby."
"Was she with you at the time, or the other?" Lily asked.
"No it was she. Our children were playing at the time. They were quite close."
"Hold on. Your children? Does James have an older brother?"
Mrs. Potter caught her own error, and knew she couldn't fix it now. "No. James..he was born, um, before we were married..about two years in fact."
"What?!" Lily couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You're joking."
"No." she said. "My sister was twenty and I was eighteen."
Lily stopped chopping for a second and stared at Mrs. Potter, who seemed to be perspiring. "You mean..you had James when you were...still at Hogwarts?"
"Hush." She said, forcefully. "James would be very embarrassed if you knew. It was a mistake, no, it was an accident, a very pleasant accident."
"Oh my God." Lily said, blown away. "So that would make you-"
"32." She answered.
"That's insane. That would mean your niece is the same age as us. Who is she? Does she go to Hogwarts? What is your sister's name?"
"Ali. Our parents named us all A names. It runs in the family I suppose. Angie, Ali, and Ara. That's who we were. Now get back to work, Lily, please. The potatoes are almost ready and I need the tomatoes to put in the sauce." She said, in a uniform fashion, knowing Lily knew too much, and knowing she couldn't have prevented it. Lily was too shocked to carry the conversation any further.
Dinner was prepared, and the table was set. It was such a beautiful night that they decided to eat outside again. Sirius woke up to find it dark outside, but he felt rested. Diana came down, shoving the letter in her back jean pocket. James put the chairs away and added extras to the table so everyone could fit. Fin and Estella laid out the food with swift elegance, while everyone sat down. They also put out a bottle of red wine and a pitcher of hot butterbeer. Mr. And Mrs. Potter sat at the head and foot of the table. James and Lily sat on the left of Mr. Potter, while Diana and Sirius sat to the right.
"May I ask a question, Mrs. Potter?" Diana asked, taking a sip from her glass.
"You may call me Angie, Diana." She answered. "And yes, you may?"
"Are we allowed to leave, I mean, to visit while we are here?"
"I do not run a prison, honey. Of course you can leave." Then Mrs. Potter remembered Malfoy. "Who is it, exactly, you want to visit?" she said, as calmly as possible.
"Just a friend of mine." Diana said, quickly. "He would pick me up. You wouldn't have to haul me anywhere, I promise you."
"Um.."Mrs. Potter glanced at Lily, then at her husband, who had no clue what was going on. She sighed. "No one here can stop you. Of course you may." She said, forcing a smile.
"Thank you." Diana said, more excited than before. "This is delicious, by the way."
"Thank you. Lily and I did it." Mrs. Potter answered.
"You cooked?" Sirius asked, taking the words out of Diana's mouth.
"Yes I cooked." Lily answered, offended at the insinuation.
"Blimey." Diana laughed. "I'll help clean up." She said, as she grabbed her plate and pulled out her chair.
"That won't be necessary." Mr. Potter said. "Fin and Estella do the cleaning. But dear, you have barely touched your food."
"Oh, I'm not all that hungry, Mr. Potter, but thank you." She said, pulling open the door and setting her dish neatly on the counter. "Hey, Potter?" she called.
"Yes?" James answered.
"Does your wing look like ours?" she asked, out of a purely conversational attitude. She sat back down at her place, enjoying the outdoors.
"Pretty much." He answered, buttering his potato.
"Perhaps, Sirius?" Mrs. Potter said.
"Yes?" he answered swallowing loudly the clump of food he had just been chewing.
"I wonder if you would like to show Miss Renton the upstairs wing where you two are sleeping. The view from there is much nicer, especially this time of night." Mrs. Potter said. Sirius looked at her strangely, and so did James.
"Uh, sure." He answered, out of pure amazement. "Shall we? Now?" he asked, turning to Diana for approval.
"Sounds good." She said, shrugging. "I do have to leave soon though. Is that all right? My ride is supposed to come at around nine."
"Of course, Diana." Mrs. Potter answered.
Diana and Sirius got up in unison and went inside the house. They marched upstairs without a word, but turned to the left at the top of the stairs.
"Who are you going to see?" Sirius asked.
"Lucius. He wants me to come over." She said, without enthusiasm.
"Already? It's only the first day." Sirius answered, opening the door to their wing.
"I know." She said, with a chuckle. "He wants me to meet the parents. I'm so nervous-Oh my God." Diana said, looking at the large wing for the first time. "It's so much bigger than ours."
"Well you have the guest one, that's why." Sirius said. "There's the kitchenette there." He pointed to the far right. There stood a stove and an oven, with a counter top. There were stools under it. Everything was carved out of marble, and there was a small refrigerator next to the oven.
"Oh, how fabulous. And there are your rooms there?" she said, running over to where another large door was. This one was opened.
"Yep. Seating area here, then my room on the right, James' on the left." He said.
"Look at this window. It's huge. Draw the curtains so I can see out." She ordered.
"You have to help." He said, grabbing a large, wire-like string from the side of the window. "The other side."
They pulled together and the curtains gave way. There were two, large oak trees framing the window, with the moonlight shining brightly in. The stars were clear and bright in this room. It was like a painting.
"It's like Starry Starry Night in here." She said, in awe. He looked at her with a confused expression. "Van Gough." She said. "One of my favourites. I had it in my room in my old house--" She stopped, and took a breath.
"If you like this, then you should see the balcony." He said.
"Where, through there?" she asked, pointing to the bedrooms.
"Yes." He said, extending his hand. She took it without thinking and followed him. The balcony door was already open and she ran to it.
"Wow." She said. "The moon is huge out here. Look at it. It's almost full."
"Shit." Sirius said, knowing that in a couple of days they would have to make the trip to Remus'. He had completely forgotten about it. "I mean, yea."
"You can see a bunch of constellations from here." She said.
"Can you?"
"Yes. Look there. Oh what is that? I think Professor Sinistra taught us about it. Um..." then she laughed. "That's you." She said.
"Huh?"
"That's the dog star. Can't you make it out? Here." She said. "Give me your hand and I'll show you." She took his hand and outlined the constellation for him. All the while he was looking at her hair blowing in the mild wind, and her eyes. The moonlight made them sparkle.
"Oh yea." He said. "And look at the one next to it. That's a female right there." He said.
"Where? A female dog?"
"A bitch." He said.
She started laughing. "So I guess that's me then?" she said. "Makes sense. She doesn't look pleased."
"Do you like it here?" he asked, altering the conversation.
"I love it. And the gardens, have you seen them?" she asked, taking her hand away again. "Breathtaking."
"Oh yea. I like the one with the view though."
"Me too. I loved it. Reminded me of my grandmother. I have to pay her a visit soon." She said, thinking out loud. "Oh and my Aunt too."
"An aunt?"
"Yea. My aunt Ara moved up there years ago. She lives close to my grandmother. She gave me my middle name. She's a squib though. No magic in her. Sad really."
"Why haven't you mentioned her before?" Sirius asked, leaning on the railing.
"Some things, Black, are better left unsaid." She said, more seriously. "And I don't completely trust you."
"Are you joking? You don't have to worry. Men don't gossip." He chuckled.
"They do too. I bet you both talk about us when we're not around. Plotting your little games and exchanging manly stories to boost your egos. It's human nature. People hate uncomfortable silences. You have to fill the air with something."
"Yeah. Why is that?" Sirius said. "We do, do that. It's like, why do we have the need to yap about bullshit in order to be comfortable?"
"Exactly. I think you've really found someone special when you can share one long and comfortable silence, and just.be. Lily and I have that. I'm sure you and Potter do too. I've never had that with a guy though, well, except my dad." Her smile faded, and she looked down at her feet.
"It still upsets you, doesn't it?" Sirius asked, inching close to her.
"What do you mean?" she asked, not looking up.
"Your parents. You loved them very much, didn't you?"
"Of course I did. What kind of a question is that?" she said, with an attitude.
"You can grieve, you know. It's ok to feel sad. It was a real tragedy what happened to you and Lily. I understand-"
"Don't even pretend like you do, because you don't." she spat. "Its my fault Lily is an orphan. She did nothing. They had no reason to die. There was no reason. And when I think about it, it gets me so angry. My dad, my poor dad. He knew nothing of what he was getting himself into, marrying a Figg woman. He was the only one, the only one who ever understood me. He was also the only one I ever listened to. He...he.." she could feel her eyes growing misty, and found it strange she was being so open.
Sirius didn't really know how to react, so he put his hand on her shoulder, and pulled her in an embrace. She felt warm in his arms, and surprisingly good. She didn't cry hard, but a few tears streamed through. She hugged him back.
"This is weird." She said, sniffing. He pulled away first.
"Yea." He said. "Sorry I was just trying to help. I didn't have words or anything." He stuttered.
"No it was good. Thank you. God, you're so different, Black." She said. "I like it. You really are very sweet when you want to be. I never would have known."
"So are you." He said. "And you're pretty as hell when you want to be too."
"You really think I'm pretty?" she said, astonished. "Really?" she sniffed again. "Look at me. I'm a mess right now." She said, rubbing her eyes.
"I'm looking at you, and your beautiful." He said, with absolute seriousness.
Diana couldn't believe it but she was blushing feverishly and smiling like a little girl who had never been paid such a compliment. She went to kiss him on the cheek but he misread her. Instead he went right for her lips and she was startled but didn't pull away. He put his hands on her back and pulled her closer. She opened her mouth for him. This was the tastiest kiss she had felt in a while, and her stomach was tuning. She didn't know if it was from hunger or him. When she realized what was actually happening she threw herself from him and covered her mouth.
"Fuck." She said, feeling she had just committed a sin. She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I-I have to leave. I'm late." She was trying to stop her hands from shaking as she ran from him. He stood there not able to comprehend what had just happened.
"Oh shit." he said, feeling like he had ruined everything.
Diana stopped right before the kitchen in the hallway. He's going to kill me, she thought, and shuddered. He'll know, she figured. Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice. Someone was singing, and it sounded vaguely familiar to her. She tried to listen a bit closer, and she did have to leave, but not yet.
"Think of me. Think of me fondly, when we said goodbye. Remember me, once and a while. Please promise me, you'll try-Harry, stop it." It was Mrs. Potter. Of course, Diana thought. Who else would it be? She heard her lightly slap Mr. Potter and then giggle.
"Don't stop singing, my angel." He said. She chuckled again.
"We never said, our love was evergreen, or as urgently as the sea. There will never be a day when I don't think of you." She sang, before kissing her husband.
"I love you so much, my Angel." He said.
"Me too dear. Now go. You have work to do." She said, sounding more professional ordering him around playfully. He grunted and whined but he went to his office anyway.
"Goodnight love." He said.
"Night. I'll bring you some tea in a moment." She said. Diana was apprehensive in entering the room casually, but before she could decide, it was decided for her. "Come in, Miss Renton." Mrs. Potter said.
Diana whined inwardly but walked in as though she hadn't heard a thing. "My ride will be here in a minute. I just thought I'd come down now. I hope I didn't interrupt anything."
"Oh no. It's just me now. Did Sirius give you a nice tour of the room?" she asked.
"Yea. It was, good, surprisingly." Diana said, clearing her throat. "Perfect, actually."
"Good." Mrs. Potter said, while staring at her. "You know, you look so much like your mother it's frightening." Diana was made uncomfortable once again by the comparison. "That's a good thing Diana. Same hair, and face even. But I can tell something of you dear. You are your father's daughter. That's what she always used to say."
"You think so?" Diana asked.
"I know it. I knew your mother better than anyone, aside from Mark, your father. They were always very proud of you, despite how you were in your blossoming years."
"You've spoken to them recently? She never mentioned a word about you, ever. Well, she did, but only as Mrs. Potter. My Mum referred to you as Angie maybe once. I've also never seen you." Diana said, not meaning it to sound cruel.
"No, she wouldn't have. We wrote letters up until last year. She was very devoted to you. They both were. Her letters consisted mainly of you, things about you. I new when I'd meet you eventually you would be how I pictured. And you are, you really are. That is the highest compliment I can give you, child." Mrs. Potter said.
"I really have to run." Diana said, thinking she would cry again if she stayed in that house another second. "I'll wait outside."
"Whatever you wish, my dear." Mrs. Potter said. "When will you be home?"
"Um.. Tomorrow morning probably. Is that alright?"
"If it is fine with you, then it is fine with me." She answered. Diana nodded and let herself out. When she got outside she felt like she needed to breathe. She took out a cigarette and lit it, waiting. She saw the car come from around the corner, and it stopped in front of the Potter residence, like she knew it would. The back door opened magically and she let herself inside.
"Hi." Lucius said, as the door slammed behind her. He kissed her and pulled her harshly to him. "Miss me?"
All of a sudden Diana forgot everything. She only saw him and his world when she entered that car.
"Dreadfully." She said, and inched closer. Her soul had become two people. It was obvious who she was at that moment.
"How's your stay?" he asked, putting an arm around her shoulder.
"Ugh, incredibly boring. Everyone in my business. Awful." She said, taking out a mirror from her bag and applying the makeup he liked to see her wear.
"I'm sorry, my love. But you're mine for this evening. We shall do whatever you want. We don't even have to go to my house if you don't want to. What do you want?"
"You." She said, crossing her leg over his. He chuckled at her calmly.
"Whatever the lady wants." He said.
"I am no lady." She said, rubbing his thigh, higher and higher, laughing in a tone not her own.
"No. That you are not." He said, and kissed her again. "That's what I love about you."
(I know, very long and lots of set up for not much. Happy Labour Day, thanks for the reviews! Next chapter 2 very important things will happen for our leading ladies. One will be delightful and the other, horrifying. And, just out of curiosity, what novel did I get the 2 names of the house elves from? Depending on how many right answers I get determines how fast I update. I just want to see how many literary scholars there are out there :) oh, and the author too. Have a lovely week!)