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Uncovered Memories
CHAPTER 2
Present Time
"Your dad tricked your mom into going out with him!" Ron whooped. Ginny was giggling slightly, and even Hermione seemed to find it amusing.
"Yeah, well, she really seems to hate him," Harry said, looking over the last page Ginny had read.
Hermione looked at him sympathetically. "Yeah but that doesn't mean anything, Harry. Guys tend to go a little crazy and overboard when they are around a girl they really like. For example, my mom once told me that my father would bully her mercilessly. She once went home crying because my dad was so mean to her. And now they've been married for over twenty years."
"Yeah, and Mom once told me that Dad behaved exactly like the twins when she was around, back when they were in school," Ginny put in. "He would always pull pranks on her, and she really hated it. But they both got over themselves and got together."
"I never knew that," Ron said. Ginny shrugged. "Women talk." she replied.
"All right, enough of that," Ron took the book from Harry and began to read. "'August 5th, 1976. It's the end of the world as I know it…'"
Flashback (Lily's POV)
I got back from my date with James about half an hour ago, and I'm still in shock. I actually had a lot of fun tonight, the most fun since Christmas! It was incredible…
The day actually started out really shitty. Brad came into my room at three in the morning to say good bye. He'll be gone for a week, and I'll really miss him, even though I'm still angry with him for bringing me to Manderley.
So I've been up since three. I couldn't get back to sleep because my stomach was aching and I felt very nauseous. A part of me hoped that I would puke my insides out, maybe then I could get out of the date with Potter. But no such luck. When I went down for breakfast and I mentioned I felt sick, Mrs. Potter began to fuss over me and forced me to drink a combination of foul tasting potions. By noon, I was feeling like my old self again.
Potter asked me to be ready to leave at 4, so at around 3 o'clock I went upstairs and took a quick shower. I figured since it was Potter, there was no point in dressing up. I threw on a pair of jeans and a green tank top and tied a sweater around my waist. I still had fifteen minutes, so I tidied up my room. At four on the dot, Potter knocked on my door.
"Ready?" he asked, a huge grin plastered to his face.
"I don't know exactly what it is you have in mind, Potter," I replied. "But if you even think about trying anything, I swear…"
"I'll be a perfect gentleman," he promised. "So are you ready?"
"Yes," I said. "Where are we going?"
He pulled out an envelope from his pocket. "Grab on," he instructed me.
"What is that?"
"A portkey," he answered. "So grab on, it'll activate in less than a minute."
I took hold of the end of the envelope. "How did you get this? Portkey use is restricted to adults, and it takes forever to pass it through the Ministry."
"Ok, so it's not legal," Potter shrugged. "But no one needs to know." I was about to protest, but the portkey activated at that moment.
We landed in a small alley in front of a small cottage. "Where are we?" I asked.
"We are in Salem, Massachusetts, USA," Potter replied, smiling.
My jaw dropped. "Do you mean to tell me that we just crossed the Atlantic Ocean with an illegal portkey? Where in the world did you get that portkey anyway?" I was so angry I was shaking. The nerve of him!
"I made the portkey," he said.
"You made the portkey?" I was impressed. I had tried learning the spell last year (under McGonagall's supervision, of course), but I still couldn't do it.
"Yeah," he shrugged. "It's no big deal."
"And what makes you so confident that we won't get caught?" I asked, changing the subject.
"Because my father is the Head of the Department of Magical Transport. He'll get us off the hook if we get in trouble."
I was absolutely enraged by his answer. "You can't go around doing illegal things and then expect people to get you out of trouble, Potter! Things aren't handed to you on a silver platter in the real world. Not only that, but people with criminal records can't work for Magical Law Enforcement, and I thought you wanted to be an Auror."
"Aww, Lily, I knew you cared," James said teasingly. I slapped him so hard he actually stumbled back a few steps. "Ow, that hurt," he complained, rubbing his cheek, where a red imprint of my hand shone proudly. I smiled, satisfied with my work.
Potter sighed. "All right, I deserve that. But it's technically not an illegal portkey, per say. I ran the whole thing by my dad and he said it was okay. And I don't expect to be handed to me, Lily. I know that I have to work for what I want. You've actually shown me that. I've wanted to go out with since the day I met you, and it's been a lot of work convincing you."
I scowled. "Well, fine. Since we're here already, let's just get this over and done with." Potter led me out of the small alleyway onto a cobblestone street. There were many people walking around, and a trolley drove through the street.
"Well, what shall we do first?" James asked me. "We can go around the muggle stores, see a movie, go into the witch museums, or go to a haunted house."
I rolled my eyes. "I don't have any muggle money, much less any American money; I don't know which movies are showing, and you do realize that muggle 'haunted houses' aren't really haunted houses. They're just a whole lot of machinery jumping out at you from all directions."
"Yeah, those things aren't really all that fun," he answered. "As for the money thing, don't worry. The whole day is on me. Shop to your heart's desire."
I closed my eyes in frustration. "I don't want to owe you anything."
"You won't. Consider everything a gift."
"All right, but I have to warn you: I'm a shopaholic." I do have to admit that a day of shopping didn't really sound that bad. I had heard about the Witch shops of Salem from Brad and his girlfriend Kate, as they had visited during Christmas, and from Alice and Delilah, my friends and roommates at Hogwarts.
"Look, I know you dislike me," Potter began. "But I like you. A lot. More than I've liked anyone ever. And I'm not really asking you for much. Just for to give me a chance to prove to you that I'm not the arrogant jerk you think I am. I promise I'll behave myself today."
I stared at him, not knowing exactly what to say. So I didn't say anything, but nodded instead. He smiled and grab my hand and led me into one of the stores.
We entered a shop named Renaissance House first. It was a clothing store, but it felt like I had walked into Madam Malkin's robe shop. "Well, now we know where Dumbledore shops for his clothes," James whispered, eyeing the robes on display, which had stars, planets, and moons all over. I giggled slightly, before turning to the dresses. They really looked more like dress robes that muggle dresses, only much more casual.
We then went to a few metaphysical stores. We walked up and down Essex St., stopping for ice cream near the tiny mall across from the Goddess Treasure Chest, a very impressive shop. And James did keep his word. He behaved himself quite excellently. In fact, he acted completely normal. It was kind of hard for me to be mad at him or even to hate him when he was being so nice to me. Other than the fight we had had at the beginning of our date, he hadn't acted the slightest bit like the arrogant, spoiled brat he had been before.
We went to a small restaurant called Polaris for dinner, then we walked to Pickering Wharf, and just sat by the water.
"You've been really nice today," I said to him, looking out to the water. "I'm not even sure it's you. Are you sure that you're not Remus under Polyjuice Potion?"
"I'm offended, Evans," James answered.
"So what brought about the sudden change?" I asked.
"Well, I'm sure you remember that row we had in the common room before coming home," he said. It was kinda hard to forget really. I had been yelling at him because he had completely tortured and humiliated Severus Snape after our O.W.L.S by the lake. I had snapped and told him, in some very offensive words, that he was a horrible person, and suggested that he should just jump into the lake and save the world a lot of trouble. I'm not proud of my behavior that day, and I'm thoroughly ashamed of some of the things I said, all of which I didn't mean.
"Well," he continued. "I really thought about what you said. And I don't want be hated and despised, especially by you. I realized that maybe there are a few areas of my personality that can use a little change."
I smiled slightly. For reason I know he was telling the truth. "Good for you, James."
He smiled back at me, then looked down at his watch. "Well, the portkey to take us back home should be activating in a minute or two." He pulled out a small, broken chain from his pocket, and handed one end of it to me. The portkey activated almost immediately, and we landed in front of my room at Manderley.
"Well, I have no clue how you're going to outdo yourself for a second date," I said, opening the door to my room and placing my bags inside.
"A second date? Dare I dream of that moment?" James asked, looking completely but pleasingly surprised.
"We'll see," I grinned. "Goodnight, James." I went inside and closed the door, still in shock at the amazing date I had just had.
August 10th, 1976;
Brad came back to Manderley this morning. He bumped into Petunia in London with that Dursley guy, and he brought her all the way up here. Of course, she screamed and fought the whole way. Still is, as far as I know. I don't usually agree with Petunia, but I think Brad is being overly protective. Just last year, he beat up Mark Hill for asking me out. I didn't even get to say yes! His behavior is completely unacceptable. Also, I don't want Petunia here. Things have actually been very good between me and James. He's been keeping his word, and the change in him is incredible. We haven't had a single fight these past five days.
Anyway, Brad had to literally drag Petunia into the house. It was so embarrassing. Mrs. Potter tried to talk to her, to calm her down. But Petunia wouldn't hear any of it. I wished the earth would open up and swallow her whole.
Sirius, James, Peter and I were sitting on the stairs in the second floor, watching the entire scene with awe.
"That's your sister?" Peter squeaked.
"Yea, that's my big sister," I answered.
"Tough luck, Lils," James grimaced. "Thank God I'm an only child."
Sirius growled, but said nothing. I knew that he and his brother hated each other; Remus told me so a while back.
"I don't get it," I complained. "Brad should have left her to rot in London, not bring her here!"
"Lily!" James exclaimed. "So spiteful. I never would have expected it from you, little Miss Perfect." I snorted and slapped his arm.
"Why is she so upset at being here?" Peter asked.
"I'M NOT STAYING IN A HOUSE WITH A BUNCH OF FREAKS!" Petunia's shrill scream made me jump slightly. "TAKE ME BACK TO LONDON RIGHT NOW, BRADLEY!"
"She hates wizards," I responded. "She's like the opposite of those radical wizards who hate muggles and think that blood should be completely 'pure'."
"But you and Brad are-"
"Exactly," I said. "She feels completely shamed and disgraced at being related to two wizards. She's taken it as a personal insult to her, like me and Brad did it on purpose."
Sirius smirked slowly. "I say we give Lily's sister a very special welcome…"
"I don't like the sound of that, Sirius," said Peter, his voice a bit fearful. "Every time you get that look, we always end up getting in trouble."
"No, we don't," he replied.
"Anyways, Padfoot, it's up to Lily is we do anything to her sister or not," James put in.
"I give you my full consent. Do anything you want, as long as it doesn't hurt her too much," I said. "I really don't want Brad angry with me."
"Great," Sirius smiled. "Remus should be back from his parents' tomorrow, and we'll put our master plan into action."
" 'We?'" Peter yelped. "No, Sirius, this is all you. There's no 'we' involved."
"Where's your sense of adventure, Wormtail?"
"He left it back at McGonagall's office in June when she gave us detention for that little strip tease at the Three Broomsticks back in June," James whispered in my ear. I laughed silently. On our last Hogsmeade visit, Remus had slipped a mind controlling potion into Pete's butterbeer, and then proceeded to make him strip for Madam Rosmerta. It really was a disturbing, yet hilarious, sight.
"No honor among thieves, eh, Potter?" I murmured.
"If there was, then we wouldn't be outlaws, now, would we?" he countered, smiling.
August 13th, 1976;
I swear to God that I will never ever, EVER say anything bad about Sirius Black ever again. The man is a fucking genius! I really have no clue why ever thought differently!
Petunia has, of course, made life very difficult for everyone since her arrival. Brad has tried everything he could think of doing, and I've apologized to the Potters for the way she's acting so many times I've lost count. Thankfully, they are understanding people, and have been very patient.
This morning was no different. Last night, Petunia met one of the house elves that live here at Manderley and she went psycho. Now she's refusing to eat or drink anything made by the 'midget freaks.' (Not very creative, my sister.)
So we're sitting outside, enjoying a nice day and having breakfast. Brad had come down alone, saying that Petunia wouldn't answer him when he went to wake her up.
"I just don't know what to do," he said, his frustration very visible. "She's much too young to be living on her own, much less with some guy she's only known for a few weeks."
"She is," Mr. Potter agreed. "But perhaps, it's better if you don't push her so hard. She'll adjust, eventually. And someday she'll realize that what you're doing is because you want the best for her."
"Maybe I made the wrong decision in leaving home," Brad replied gloomily. "I just- I know my parents. The way they were arguing- I wanted to get the girls out of there before things got violent, or one of them decided to take out their anger on one of us. And I left Petunia at her friend's house because I didn't want to force her to-"
Brad was interrupted by a piercing scream coming in the direction of the lake on the Manderley grounds. Something about that yell sounded oddly familiar to me.
"That's Petunia!" Brad ran from the table, Mr. And Mrs. Potter hot on his heels. Remus, Sirius, and James all flashed me a smile, while Peter looked absolutely petrified. I followed them to the lake, afraid of what I might see.
My jaw dropped when we got there. Petunia's bed was in the middle of the lake, with her still in it! She was screaming hysterically. The boys tried to fight back laughter and I turned to Sirius, still in shock. "Did you do this?" He just shrugged and laughed when Petunia fell into the lake. I let a small giggle, and soon the boys and I were rolling with laughter. Petunia's attempts to make it to shore were completely unsuccessful. Even Mrs. Potter joined us, laughing at my sister.
When Brad and Mr. Potter had gotten Petunia out of the lake and into the house, I had a chance to speak to the guys. "I love you, guys!" I said, hugging them.
Sirius laughed. "And this is only the beginning, darling."
A/N: I know this chapter took a while, and that it's not as long as the first, but I was busy and many of you were asking for the next chapter. So here it is. I promise to make the next one longer, and to try to update faster. I hope this one was worth the wait.
Also, I'm looking for a Beta reader for this story. If any of you are interested, please let me know!
Remember to R/R;
Love
Amalia