Hey! Thank you so much everyone for the reviews! Sorry it took longer than
usual to put this chapter up. I've been busy. Well, here it is! And once
again, Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter characters except for ones
that I make up, like Susan.
* * *
James dreamt of her every night. Well, except that one night where he was being attacked by a killer birthday cake. Some of the dreams were nice-but some were also bad. He saw her crying in a corner, he saw fear in her green eyes, and he saw a body-
James awoke with a start. That was the second strange dream this year. Was he having a premonition? He hoped not. He didn't want to see Lily hurt. After a few restless hours, James was able to subside into sleep.
* * *
The next morning James woke up to the sound of a thump in his backyard. He put his glasses on and peeked outside his window. He saw a cloaked figure landing in his backyard on a broomstick.
After that unnerving dream the night before, James whipped out his wand, and carefully set outside. He found the cloaked figure fumbling with his wand when James stuck his wand on the stranger's neck.
"Don't move. Now talk! Who are you? If you give me a bad answer, I swear I'll jinx you!" James commanded.
"Relax, Prongs, it's me!" said the voice.
James looked puzzled. "Sirius?"
James removed his wand and Sirius pulled his hood down. "What are you doing here Padfoot?"
"I ran away. You should have heard what my dear old mum and dad were discussing! I refuse to live with them anymore! Sorry to just drop in on you like that-terribly rude of me. Well, I was wondering James, do you think your folks would mind terribly if I stayed here for a while-you know, until I can get a place of my own."
"Sure! Anything for my best mate. I'm sure mum and dad won't mind. They like you a lot, and we have a guestroom that nobody ever uses."
"Ok, thanks a lot James, you're a great friend."
* * *
"Oy, James, Hogwarts letters are here!" Sirius announced as he tossed James's letter to him lazily.
James ripped opened his and said, "Well then, we'd better get to shopping, looks like we'll have to buy a whole lot of new supplies."
James's sister, Susan, came downstairs yawning and stretching her arms out. "Oh, you've got your letters then? Well, hurry up, Mum told me to take you two today."
"Today?" Sirius pouted.
"Yes, today, now get going you two. I get a day off from the Ministry today and we're going to use it to go SHOPPING!" she added gleefully. She went back upstairs to get changed.
"Women and their shopping addiction," James sighed, shaking his head. "My hair isn't getting too neat, is it?" Sirius shook his head, no, but James ruffled it back anyway.
"Why is your sister still living here?" Sirius asked.
"Oh, she just graduated from Hogwarts two years ago, and is looking for another place to live right now, and she's found the perfect place. But she's still saving the money because of 'SHOPPING!' But she says she can't wait to move out because then she wouldn't have to live with an immature, insensitive, stupid prat like me." James drawled.
Sirius shook his head. "James, you are just unlucky with any girl, aren't you? Haven't you noticed that ALL girls hate you?"
James whined in despair. "They do not!"
"Says who?"
"Says me!"
"Well, you're not exactly a girl, so how would you know?" Sirius pointed out.
"Neither are you!"
"Oh yeah? SUSAN!"
Susan came running down, wand out. "Where's the fire?"
"Do all girls hate James?"
James shook his head behind Sirius's back and made the cutting throat motion with his finger.
Susan looked thoughtfully and said, "Yeah, I think they do."
James slapped himself on the head and accidentally fell over.
"Well, I guess Prongs won't have to worry about his hair getting too neat now." Sirius said.
* * *
Lily was dressed in Muggle clothes, but she was going to go to Diagon Alley with her parents. They had been there twice before, and her Muggle parents had always been amazed at the "lively characters" there and all the magic supplies and her mother loved window shopping. Or at least looking. Petunia refused to go, claiming that there was a soap opera on, and it was an important episode and she refused to miss it.
"Suit yourself." Lily shrugged. She had had to put up with this all summer, but she wasn't going to let it bother her today. She had already been feeling a bit uneasy and afraid lately anyway, with Lord Voldemort's actions getting more and more by the day. More and more people were getting killed-wizards, even muggles-and Petunia just went on with her day, being mean to Lily and so.
* * *
Petunia watched her perfect sister leave with her blind parents. Don't they see what a freak she is? She is a witch! A witch! Women were hanged in America for accusations of being a witch in the Salem Witch Trials! (A/N I'm an American so that's the only reason I know about it, so I dunno if most British know about it. But Shh! In this fic they do!) It should be a shame that such a corrupted, evil being would be in their family, not a reason to be happy about! Not to mention that her sister is beautiful, smart, and has a great personality and a (Petunia got this from the blush Lily has whenever she mentioned him) cute boy practically bowing at her feet while Petunia mealy has VERNON, who is fat, terribly unpopular, and a jerk with a hot temper. The only thing that the two have in common is that they are desperate.
Petunia sighed as she looked jealously at Lily's smiling picture on the wall. She had an urge to throw a dart at it.
* * *
Lily strolled along Diagon Alley, meeting a couple of friends here and there, but also looking in suspicion at anybody with a concealed face. Anybody could be Voldemort or a Death Eater. She certainly didn't want to die-she had her whole life ahead of her! Lily will be glad when she gets back to Hogwarts-she wouldn't have to worry about Voldemort coming there. With Dumbledore as Headmaster, she had nothing to worry about. Although she does worry about an attack on her parents.
As she was daydreaming, she became a klutz again by bumping into, yet, another person.
"Sorry." Lily murmured while picking herself up. Much to her luck, she slipped again on the wet tiles she was sitting in.
"Great!" Lily complained, "Now my butt is wet!"
"Need a hand?" A familiar voice asked. A hand went down to Lily's range of sight, and she took it. The hand was sweaty, but it was strangely comforting and Lily felt some calluses.
When she got up she was looking into the eyes of James Potter. Again.
"For Heaven Sake's of all the people-just my luck!" Lily thought.
"Hey Evans, having a nice summer?" James asked, nervously ruffling his hair.
"It was fine, thank you. At least, until I saw you." She lied. But then she saw the hurt look on his face and reconsidered it. "It was a joke! No, my summer WAS fine, and it was nice to see you." She fixed stiffly.
James raised one eyebrow and gave her a funny look.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Lily demanded, getting slightly nervous.
"Lily, honey, who's your friend?" Lily groaned inwardly. It was her mum. Not good.
"Mum, this is James Potter. A boy from school. He's in Gryffindor house too."
"Oh, OH!" Lily's mum looked at her with an expression asking, "Not the boy who chases you, is it?"
James shook her hand, looking quite uncomfortable. He was meeting Lily's parents. That was not planned. He hadn't even meant to run into Lily. He was looking for Sirius, who had run off to flirt with a girl from Hogwarts.
"Ni-Nice to meet you." James said politely. Always make a good impression.
"What a nice boy!" She called Lily's dad over. "Come meet James Potter!"
"Mum, no." Lily was shaking her head, and her face was burnt red with embarrassment. "Don't bring Dad into this."
"No, it's really all right dear!" Lily's mum replied happily.
James smiled uncertainly. This was really strange.
After James met Lily's dad, they separated, and Lily shrieked at her mum and dad once James was out of earshot.
Or so she thought. James was still nearby enough to hear what she was yelling about, and he smiled at making Lily uncomfortable.
"Hmm. Maybe there's hope for me, after all!" James said to himself happily as he continued to search for Sirius.
* * *
James dreamt of her every night. Well, except that one night where he was being attacked by a killer birthday cake. Some of the dreams were nice-but some were also bad. He saw her crying in a corner, he saw fear in her green eyes, and he saw a body-
James awoke with a start. That was the second strange dream this year. Was he having a premonition? He hoped not. He didn't want to see Lily hurt. After a few restless hours, James was able to subside into sleep.
* * *
The next morning James woke up to the sound of a thump in his backyard. He put his glasses on and peeked outside his window. He saw a cloaked figure landing in his backyard on a broomstick.
After that unnerving dream the night before, James whipped out his wand, and carefully set outside. He found the cloaked figure fumbling with his wand when James stuck his wand on the stranger's neck.
"Don't move. Now talk! Who are you? If you give me a bad answer, I swear I'll jinx you!" James commanded.
"Relax, Prongs, it's me!" said the voice.
James looked puzzled. "Sirius?"
James removed his wand and Sirius pulled his hood down. "What are you doing here Padfoot?"
"I ran away. You should have heard what my dear old mum and dad were discussing! I refuse to live with them anymore! Sorry to just drop in on you like that-terribly rude of me. Well, I was wondering James, do you think your folks would mind terribly if I stayed here for a while-you know, until I can get a place of my own."
"Sure! Anything for my best mate. I'm sure mum and dad won't mind. They like you a lot, and we have a guestroom that nobody ever uses."
"Ok, thanks a lot James, you're a great friend."
* * *
"Oy, James, Hogwarts letters are here!" Sirius announced as he tossed James's letter to him lazily.
James ripped opened his and said, "Well then, we'd better get to shopping, looks like we'll have to buy a whole lot of new supplies."
James's sister, Susan, came downstairs yawning and stretching her arms out. "Oh, you've got your letters then? Well, hurry up, Mum told me to take you two today."
"Today?" Sirius pouted.
"Yes, today, now get going you two. I get a day off from the Ministry today and we're going to use it to go SHOPPING!" she added gleefully. She went back upstairs to get changed.
"Women and their shopping addiction," James sighed, shaking his head. "My hair isn't getting too neat, is it?" Sirius shook his head, no, but James ruffled it back anyway.
"Why is your sister still living here?" Sirius asked.
"Oh, she just graduated from Hogwarts two years ago, and is looking for another place to live right now, and she's found the perfect place. But she's still saving the money because of 'SHOPPING!' But she says she can't wait to move out because then she wouldn't have to live with an immature, insensitive, stupid prat like me." James drawled.
Sirius shook his head. "James, you are just unlucky with any girl, aren't you? Haven't you noticed that ALL girls hate you?"
James whined in despair. "They do not!"
"Says who?"
"Says me!"
"Well, you're not exactly a girl, so how would you know?" Sirius pointed out.
"Neither are you!"
"Oh yeah? SUSAN!"
Susan came running down, wand out. "Where's the fire?"
"Do all girls hate James?"
James shook his head behind Sirius's back and made the cutting throat motion with his finger.
Susan looked thoughtfully and said, "Yeah, I think they do."
James slapped himself on the head and accidentally fell over.
"Well, I guess Prongs won't have to worry about his hair getting too neat now." Sirius said.
* * *
Lily was dressed in Muggle clothes, but she was going to go to Diagon Alley with her parents. They had been there twice before, and her Muggle parents had always been amazed at the "lively characters" there and all the magic supplies and her mother loved window shopping. Or at least looking. Petunia refused to go, claiming that there was a soap opera on, and it was an important episode and she refused to miss it.
"Suit yourself." Lily shrugged. She had had to put up with this all summer, but she wasn't going to let it bother her today. She had already been feeling a bit uneasy and afraid lately anyway, with Lord Voldemort's actions getting more and more by the day. More and more people were getting killed-wizards, even muggles-and Petunia just went on with her day, being mean to Lily and so.
* * *
Petunia watched her perfect sister leave with her blind parents. Don't they see what a freak she is? She is a witch! A witch! Women were hanged in America for accusations of being a witch in the Salem Witch Trials! (A/N I'm an American so that's the only reason I know about it, so I dunno if most British know about it. But Shh! In this fic they do!) It should be a shame that such a corrupted, evil being would be in their family, not a reason to be happy about! Not to mention that her sister is beautiful, smart, and has a great personality and a (Petunia got this from the blush Lily has whenever she mentioned him) cute boy practically bowing at her feet while Petunia mealy has VERNON, who is fat, terribly unpopular, and a jerk with a hot temper. The only thing that the two have in common is that they are desperate.
Petunia sighed as she looked jealously at Lily's smiling picture on the wall. She had an urge to throw a dart at it.
* * *
Lily strolled along Diagon Alley, meeting a couple of friends here and there, but also looking in suspicion at anybody with a concealed face. Anybody could be Voldemort or a Death Eater. She certainly didn't want to die-she had her whole life ahead of her! Lily will be glad when she gets back to Hogwarts-she wouldn't have to worry about Voldemort coming there. With Dumbledore as Headmaster, she had nothing to worry about. Although she does worry about an attack on her parents.
As she was daydreaming, she became a klutz again by bumping into, yet, another person.
"Sorry." Lily murmured while picking herself up. Much to her luck, she slipped again on the wet tiles she was sitting in.
"Great!" Lily complained, "Now my butt is wet!"
"Need a hand?" A familiar voice asked. A hand went down to Lily's range of sight, and she took it. The hand was sweaty, but it was strangely comforting and Lily felt some calluses.
When she got up she was looking into the eyes of James Potter. Again.
"For Heaven Sake's of all the people-just my luck!" Lily thought.
"Hey Evans, having a nice summer?" James asked, nervously ruffling his hair.
"It was fine, thank you. At least, until I saw you." She lied. But then she saw the hurt look on his face and reconsidered it. "It was a joke! No, my summer WAS fine, and it was nice to see you." She fixed stiffly.
James raised one eyebrow and gave her a funny look.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Lily demanded, getting slightly nervous.
"Lily, honey, who's your friend?" Lily groaned inwardly. It was her mum. Not good.
"Mum, this is James Potter. A boy from school. He's in Gryffindor house too."
"Oh, OH!" Lily's mum looked at her with an expression asking, "Not the boy who chases you, is it?"
James shook her hand, looking quite uncomfortable. He was meeting Lily's parents. That was not planned. He hadn't even meant to run into Lily. He was looking for Sirius, who had run off to flirt with a girl from Hogwarts.
"Ni-Nice to meet you." James said politely. Always make a good impression.
"What a nice boy!" She called Lily's dad over. "Come meet James Potter!"
"Mum, no." Lily was shaking her head, and her face was burnt red with embarrassment. "Don't bring Dad into this."
"No, it's really all right dear!" Lily's mum replied happily.
James smiled uncertainly. This was really strange.
After James met Lily's dad, they separated, and Lily shrieked at her mum and dad once James was out of earshot.
Or so she thought. James was still nearby enough to hear what she was yelling about, and he smiled at making Lily uncomfortable.
"Hmm. Maybe there's hope for me, after all!" James said to himself happily as he continued to search for Sirius.