"Darling...c'mon, Lils, you know I love you..."
"Whatever, mother. Don't expect me for Christmas. I'll see you next year." And Lily left. Grabbing her bags and her owl's cage, she walked out the door without a backward glance. Standing on the street corner of her old muggle street, she promptly set down her things and pulled her wand out, holding it erectly in front of her. At once, there was an enormous snap, and a triple decker purple bus was suddenly in front of her.
"Where to, miss?" A stout man in a lurid purple suit was offering her a hand. Lily took his help up the bus's stairs, and replied,
"The Leaky Cauldron, sir."
"Aye, the Leaky Cauldron be it? A respectable place, worth its worth, I suppose." This man made Lily giggle.
"Yes, I do suppose. And what's a respectable man of yourself doing on a bus like this anyhow?" Lily shot him a smile, and he himself let out a chuckle.
"The name's Ernie, mamn, and I do believe that a beaut like yurrrself thur deserves a free cup o' hot chocolate, eh?" Lily blushed, and smiled again.
"You sure know how to cheer a lass up on a tough night, don't you?"
"Get it all the time, mamn." And he smiled again as he led her to her seat. "It'll be a bumpy ride, no doubt, but I'll have you there in a half-hours time. Just don't tell the old hag a few rows behind you," He whispered now, "Because she's been waiting three hours for her stop." Ernie winked as he made his way back to the front, and Lily absent mindedly looked out the window, twirling her hair.
"It's your stop, miss." Ernie appeared so suddenly, he caused Lily to jump.
"O-oh," she stuttered. "Thank you sir." Lily went to pick up her bags again, but he stopped her.
"That's my job, mamn, let me take them." Lily nodded, and he smiled. "Can't take away a man's job, now can you?" Lily laughed a little. For some reason, this man just had something pleasant about him. Something that just made her feel like she could trust him with her life, if the need be. Pushing thoughts aside, Lily pushed open the creaky door and heard a bell tinkle as she and Ernie walked in.
"Eyyyyy, Ernie! C'meeer, gotsa slosh...c'mon, Ern"
"Not now, Murphy." Ernie replied to him, chuckling at the drunken fool.
"You can leave my bags here, sir." Lily told him, as they reached the front of the bar. "I know how to get a room by now, I daresay." Ernie looked uncertain about leaving a sixteen year old lady in a bar by herself at such an hour. "Really." She protested, and he nodded.
"Alright, mamn, but now don't go getting yourself in any trouble! I'll have guilt hanging over my head for many a night, as it will." Lily gave the kindly man a smile.
"Look, here comes the bartender now, I'm fine, honestly." Ernie set down her things beside her, and gave her a kiss on the cheek - Lily blushed a little - and then he stood up, tipped his hat, and was gone.
"Mmmm, see you're making friends with the busdriver, eh there?"
"Of course, sir," Lily told the man curty, "I'm not out looking for anymore enemies."
"Well now, doll, who is looking for enemies these days?" Lily sighed.
"Not many, I daresay, not many indeed. Not happy times...but say you, can I get a room? Just until the first of September?"
"The first of September? I believe that is possible indeed...that's twelve sickles a night for you, miss, and eleven nights, so thats 132 sickles...which is 7 galleons, and 13 sickles, correct?"
"You're a sharp one."Lily said, after she took a moment to figure it out. She was shocked that a barman could figure that out in less that a second or two. "How should I pay?" After all of the tedious details of booking a room were sorted ot, Lily was led up to her room. As the barman opened the door for her, she couldn't help but gasp. The room was nothing of the sort that Lily would have expected to see in a rundown pub. As he closed the door, and bid her goodnight, she sunk down on to the middle of the bed with a sigh. Running her hand over the smooth surface of the leaf-green comforter, she couldn't have been more at home. Letting her eyes wander over the pale yellow walls, and to the light green curtains, she allowed herself to emit one more sigh before drifitng off to sleep.
Lily awoke with a start. She thought she heard a noise. As she opened her eyes, she realized the sun was shining through the drapes and warming up her room. Tap tap. Ok, she heard it again, there was a noise. She quickly got up and walked to her door, where the tapping was coming from, and opening it up, she was suddenly engulphed by another witch.
"Michelle!" She squeeled, and pulled away to look at her. "I knew I recognized that deathly hug! What on earth are you doing here!" Lily was shocked out of her mind, but so insanely happy to see her best friend.
"Surprised?"
"Yes! Now spill, why are you here?" But instead of answering, Michelle just giggled and jumped onto Lily's bed.
"This room is suited for a princess! A queen! The barman must fancy you - the room he gave me isn't half as nice."
"You got a room? Michelle! Tell me now what's going on!" Lily tried to look stern, but failed miserably as she laughed out loud at the thought of being free, with her best friend, for over a week.
"Well, you know..." Michelle started, and Lily urged her on with some rapid head-shaking. "You know you shouldn't run off! Your mother hates that." Lily sighed. "It's a good thing," Michelle continued, "that your mother talks to my parents! She called right after you left, and asked if I would mind keeping you company. She even offered to pay. Like, hello! Would I ever not like to spend ten days with my favourite Lily in a huge wizarding community! This is insane!" Lily couldn't keep the grin off of her face as they engaged in an old-fashioned pillow fight.
So, of course, the two ladies spent the day exploring Diagon Alley to the fullest extent, although moreso for Michelle's sake, as Lily had been around quite a bit - almost everytime she had run off. But, alas, stores never ceased to close and have new stores open. As they were sitting at the icecream shoppe enjoying a nice batwing sundae, someone poked Lily on the shoulder. As she looked back, there was no one, but Michelle's giggling told her she ahd been fooled, and the prosecuter was on the other side of her. She looked the other way to see a flash of black hair try to slip away, but Lily caught him.
"James." She said sternly, and the raven locks stopped moving. Slowly he spun his head around and shot her a grin and a flash of his bark-brown eyes. "What the hell do you want? Fuck, can't you see we're busy?" She wasn't pleased at all. How dare such a twat bug her.
"Lily!" Michelle cried out. "That's no way to talk to the poor thing, he prolly just wanted to say hello." Lily glared at her, and looked back to James who was nodding his head up and down, vigerously. "Sit down." Michelle told him, in a kinder voice. James obliged and took a seat at the side of the table, between the two girls. "So, James, how has your summer been? She asked him.
"Well, it's been alright I guess." He said, a little uncertainly. "My parents are being really dumb, though. And Sirius is staying with me now, his folks were kicked out, so that much is good at least."
"Mmmm, where is Sirius then, eh?" Lily said, a little to forcefully. Michelle raised her brow line a bit.
"He's getting icevcream!" James pointed a finger inside the shop, and the girls giggled.
"Of course." Michelle said, "We should have figured. Anything for his sugar fix. Why are you in Diagon Alley, anyhow?"
"Well, got my letter a couple days ago, getting me stuff. And also, we're meeting up with some friends." They chit chatted a little more about the summer while wating for Sirius to bring James his icecream, although after a cuple minutes things got pretty tense between James and Lily. Michelle was feeling so lost, not being able to choose a side. Luckily, Sirius came out just in time.
"Hey, James, I got your icecream!" James spun around and greedily began eating his cone.
"Mmmm..." He moaned, licking a drip running down the side. "My house elves couldn't make icecream this good if the whole crew was working together!" Sirius just rolled his eyes.
"Whatever you say, Mr. Rich. Did you invite them yet?" Lily and Michelle shot each other looks of inquiry.
"Invite us?" Lily asked. And glared at James.
"Well, i was going to, Sirius! Until Lily started being so mean..." James trialed off like a little baby.
"My goodness James, suck it up, she desn't like you, man." He turned to the girls, "We, as in James and I, are hosting a party to celebrate the end of the summer. A dismal occasion, yes indeed, but there will be losts of fun as the parentals are out. What say you, dolls? Fancy to come? Would you be allowed?" Lily laughed.
"Allowed?" She asked. "I'm staying here by myself for the rest of the summer, that's how much my parents care. And Michelle is staying in a room aswell, I think we can come...if, you know, the right crowd is there. We do have reps, you know. Just give us the time, and the date, and we'll eb rocking." James stared at her in disbelief for a moment, but gave her the time of the party. As they were getting up to leave, James turned back.
"And don't worry, princess, I'm sure you won't have any problems with the crowd. Everyone and their brother has been invited." With that, the two of them stocked off, and once out of earshot, the two girls burst out giggling.
"Do you actually want to go?" Michelle asked.
"Why not?" Lily told her. "Not like we have anything else to do. Besides, if everyone has been invited, then that cutie in seventh year should be there."
"Ooooh, who? Trevor Bass?" Lily giggled, but nodded her head. Michelle laughed along, and they got up.
"Well," she said with a yawn, "Shall we go clothes shopping now? I daresay we'll need something nice." She winked, and the two friends set off down the lane.