121 reviews! Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Wow . . . I still can't
figure out why people like this story . . . big hugs to everyone who
reviewed! Yup, I finally updated. Now Lily and James have to go through
Auror training . . . watch and see. Review please!
Oh, should I bump the rating up to PG 13????
And a question to all British readers (if there are any): What does "mickey" mean over in Britain? I was re-reading Order of the Phoenix and I came across that word and was totally confused. Thanks!
* * *
*~ Lily was a trainee Auror and was in a practice duel with a guy who had been in Hufflepuff, Stanly. She had the advantage for a while until Stanly shouted, "Ludicrous Hornus!"
Lily was flung backwards violently, and she landed pretty hard. When she got up, she was surprised to see other in-training Aurors laughing at her! Stanly put a hand to his mouth and said, "Sorry!" She glared at her boyfriend, James Potter. He was pointing at her head, laughing, and said, "I told you so, Lily, remember what I said at graduation about crazy Aurors who give each other horns?"
"What the heck are you saying?!" Lily demanded, and then found a window to look into.
Lily screamed and stared at the long horns that stuck out of her head. ~*
Lily screamed as she woke up in her bed, cold sweat running down her face.
Petunia banged on Lily's door. When no one got up to open it, she just thrust it open herself. "What was all the screaming about?" Petunia demanded. "Besides, aren't you supposed to get a lot of sleep before going to that freak training camp thing?"
Glaring at her sister, Lily said, "I'm just fine, thank you. And it's not a freak training camp, it's my CAREER."
Petunia rolled her gray eyes. "Whatever. Well, at least I have an actual high school diploma, unlike you, who gets one in MAGIC and . . . oh wait, I forgot, you get a hat too!"
"Why are you being so bitter about this?!" Lily demanded.
Petunia sniffed. "I'm not bitter; I'm just disgusted at mother and father for WANTING a freak in the family!"
Those words hit home and made Lily's heart sting. Her own sister . . . what had changed her so much?
"If you think I'm a freak," Lily said slowly, trying to restrain her anger, "then get out of my room, you might catch the freakiness."
"Fine." And with that, her sister stormed out of the room.
Lily sighed and grabbed her pillow. She stuffed her face into it and screamed.
* * *
James knew he wouldn't see his family for a while. At least, not in the daytime. The Auror training would be near enough to his home, but he guessed that by the time he got home he'd be too exhausted to do anything but fall asleep on the couch.
Today was a pretty big step for Sirius. He is a legalized adult now in the wizarding world, and cannot depend on James's parents. So he and James went out looking for an apartment for him, since he just turned seventeen. It was nearing the end of summer, and they would have to brave the big bad world of adulthood.
They found the perfect apartment for Sirius, right smack in London, and it was close to James's house, so he could drop by anytime he wanted. James sort of wanted to be Sirius's roommate, but his parents wouldn't hear of it.
"We love Sirius, you know we do, but can Sirius cook?" Mrs. Potter had asked him.
"No, his food's terrible," James answered after some thought.
"Can he do laundry when you're too tired to?"
"He could do his own, but he'd be too lazy to do mine."
"Knowing Sirius, he'll start dating again. What if he brought his girlfriend over? What if you brought Lily over?"
"No, come on, we're close. So close that he probably won't mind making out with her when I'm in the room," James said cheerfully.
"James . . ." Mr. Potter sighed.
"What? He probably won't," James defended himself.
"What we're trying to say is that we don't think it's a good idea to move in with Sirius right now, maybe after you're Auror training." Mrs. Potter concluded.
"All right, fine." James gave in. For some reason he could never win an argument with his mother.
"That's a good boy!" Mrs. Potter remarked, smiling. Then she ruffled James's hair (now you know where he got that habit from?) and James wiggled out of her grasp.
"Mum!" He protested.
"Sorry, dear."
After that, with a sudden CRACK! Sirius appeared, landing on James's head.
"Ow!" James's muffled voice came from underneath Sirius.
"Sorry, James." Sirius apologized, but there was a sly smile on his face.
"I thought the whole point of passing the apparition test was to be able to apparate without landing on a poor bloke's head." James complained, rubbing his head tenderly.
"Sorry, James, just having a bit of fun. Hello Mr. and Mrs. Potter," Sirius added politely.
"Hello Sirius. Will you be joining us for supper?" Mr. Potter asked.
"Yeah, sure. Thanks."
"So . . ." Sirius asked James after James's parents had left to set up dinner, "are you rooming with me or not?"
"Not, I think my parents have separation anxiety." James said with a smile.
"Ah, well you can bet my old hag of a mum wouldn't." Sirius noted as if it was casual conversation.
"That is too bad about your parents . . ." James began, but Sirius cut him off.
"James don't start with that again, okay? I am happier on my own with little galleons in my pocket than I was sheltered by them and their rich money." Sirius said firmly, showing that this was the end of this conversation. Then he let out a rich bark-like laugh.
"I can't wait to see you and Lily after Auror training!" Sirius barked, "You're both going to be dropping dead!"
"Shut up Sirius!" James retorted, "What about you and the Daily Prophet interview? If you make it in, your hand's going to drop off by the end of the week; they've never worked that hard in their life."
"Naw . . . Hogwarts homework prepared my hands." Sirius said with a smile.
"Oh, Sirius, you're going to join the Daily Prophet? I didn't know you liked to write!" James's mum said from the doorway as she was about to call them for dinner.
"It's more of where I'm gonna go as a journalist than the actual writing," Sirius clarified, "I'm hoping I get to use magic to interrogate people . . . just kidding!" Sirius added hastily at the look on Mrs. Potter's face.
"All right, come join us for dinner. By the way, Sirius, you're always welcome to come back for Sunday lunch with us, you know." Mrs. Potter added.
"Thanks, I will." Sirius said with a smile, and then glanced at his best friend mischievously when James's mum had turned around. "Does she really think, with you're mum's great cooking, anything could make me stay away?"
* * *
Lily arrived at the designated place where they were supposed to have their training. She was impressed by the organization of it all.
Soon after she arrived, her boyfriend showed up.
"It's about time," Lily scolded.
James put his hands up in a surrendering position. "Sorry! We got stuck in Muggle traffic; I don't know how Sirius even knew how to work those carb things . . ."
"Cars," Lily corrected.
". . . car then. Anyway, we got stopped by a Muggle please officer for speeding . . ."
"POLICE!" Lily yelled, getting slightly irritated at James.
". . . and he tried to give us a slip of paper . . . and asked for a 'driver's license' and of course Sirius didn't have one . . . so we just jinxed him with the Memory Charm so he wouldn't remember about it." James finished.
"James! You can't just jinx a law enforcer!" Lily protested.
James Potter shrugged that off, "Doesn't matter. Besides, we're legal, and you wouldn't want us being late for the first day of Auror training because we got sent to the Muggle Azkaban?"
"James . . ." Lily began.
But she never got to finish her sentence because James pressed his lips upon hers. At first she struggled a bit, but then she relaxed and enjoyed the kiss.
"Oooh!"
Lily heard whistling behind her, and she and James broke apart. They both blushed as they saw the audience they had attracted, probably all Auror in trainings that just arrived. Out of the corner of her eye she saw James grinning, despite himself.
Suddenly, the door to the old warehouse opened with a creak. A robed wizard beamed out at the people waiting outside.
"Come in, and welcome to your first day as an Auror!"
Oh, should I bump the rating up to PG 13????
And a question to all British readers (if there are any): What does "mickey" mean over in Britain? I was re-reading Order of the Phoenix and I came across that word and was totally confused. Thanks!
* * *
*~ Lily was a trainee Auror and was in a practice duel with a guy who had been in Hufflepuff, Stanly. She had the advantage for a while until Stanly shouted, "Ludicrous Hornus!"
Lily was flung backwards violently, and she landed pretty hard. When she got up, she was surprised to see other in-training Aurors laughing at her! Stanly put a hand to his mouth and said, "Sorry!" She glared at her boyfriend, James Potter. He was pointing at her head, laughing, and said, "I told you so, Lily, remember what I said at graduation about crazy Aurors who give each other horns?"
"What the heck are you saying?!" Lily demanded, and then found a window to look into.
Lily screamed and stared at the long horns that stuck out of her head. ~*
Lily screamed as she woke up in her bed, cold sweat running down her face.
Petunia banged on Lily's door. When no one got up to open it, she just thrust it open herself. "What was all the screaming about?" Petunia demanded. "Besides, aren't you supposed to get a lot of sleep before going to that freak training camp thing?"
Glaring at her sister, Lily said, "I'm just fine, thank you. And it's not a freak training camp, it's my CAREER."
Petunia rolled her gray eyes. "Whatever. Well, at least I have an actual high school diploma, unlike you, who gets one in MAGIC and . . . oh wait, I forgot, you get a hat too!"
"Why are you being so bitter about this?!" Lily demanded.
Petunia sniffed. "I'm not bitter; I'm just disgusted at mother and father for WANTING a freak in the family!"
Those words hit home and made Lily's heart sting. Her own sister . . . what had changed her so much?
"If you think I'm a freak," Lily said slowly, trying to restrain her anger, "then get out of my room, you might catch the freakiness."
"Fine." And with that, her sister stormed out of the room.
Lily sighed and grabbed her pillow. She stuffed her face into it and screamed.
* * *
James knew he wouldn't see his family for a while. At least, not in the daytime. The Auror training would be near enough to his home, but he guessed that by the time he got home he'd be too exhausted to do anything but fall asleep on the couch.
Today was a pretty big step for Sirius. He is a legalized adult now in the wizarding world, and cannot depend on James's parents. So he and James went out looking for an apartment for him, since he just turned seventeen. It was nearing the end of summer, and they would have to brave the big bad world of adulthood.
They found the perfect apartment for Sirius, right smack in London, and it was close to James's house, so he could drop by anytime he wanted. James sort of wanted to be Sirius's roommate, but his parents wouldn't hear of it.
"We love Sirius, you know we do, but can Sirius cook?" Mrs. Potter had asked him.
"No, his food's terrible," James answered after some thought.
"Can he do laundry when you're too tired to?"
"He could do his own, but he'd be too lazy to do mine."
"Knowing Sirius, he'll start dating again. What if he brought his girlfriend over? What if you brought Lily over?"
"No, come on, we're close. So close that he probably won't mind making out with her when I'm in the room," James said cheerfully.
"James . . ." Mr. Potter sighed.
"What? He probably won't," James defended himself.
"What we're trying to say is that we don't think it's a good idea to move in with Sirius right now, maybe after you're Auror training." Mrs. Potter concluded.
"All right, fine." James gave in. For some reason he could never win an argument with his mother.
"That's a good boy!" Mrs. Potter remarked, smiling. Then she ruffled James's hair (now you know where he got that habit from?) and James wiggled out of her grasp.
"Mum!" He protested.
"Sorry, dear."
After that, with a sudden CRACK! Sirius appeared, landing on James's head.
"Ow!" James's muffled voice came from underneath Sirius.
"Sorry, James." Sirius apologized, but there was a sly smile on his face.
"I thought the whole point of passing the apparition test was to be able to apparate without landing on a poor bloke's head." James complained, rubbing his head tenderly.
"Sorry, James, just having a bit of fun. Hello Mr. and Mrs. Potter," Sirius added politely.
"Hello Sirius. Will you be joining us for supper?" Mr. Potter asked.
"Yeah, sure. Thanks."
"So . . ." Sirius asked James after James's parents had left to set up dinner, "are you rooming with me or not?"
"Not, I think my parents have separation anxiety." James said with a smile.
"Ah, well you can bet my old hag of a mum wouldn't." Sirius noted as if it was casual conversation.
"That is too bad about your parents . . ." James began, but Sirius cut him off.
"James don't start with that again, okay? I am happier on my own with little galleons in my pocket than I was sheltered by them and their rich money." Sirius said firmly, showing that this was the end of this conversation. Then he let out a rich bark-like laugh.
"I can't wait to see you and Lily after Auror training!" Sirius barked, "You're both going to be dropping dead!"
"Shut up Sirius!" James retorted, "What about you and the Daily Prophet interview? If you make it in, your hand's going to drop off by the end of the week; they've never worked that hard in their life."
"Naw . . . Hogwarts homework prepared my hands." Sirius said with a smile.
"Oh, Sirius, you're going to join the Daily Prophet? I didn't know you liked to write!" James's mum said from the doorway as she was about to call them for dinner.
"It's more of where I'm gonna go as a journalist than the actual writing," Sirius clarified, "I'm hoping I get to use magic to interrogate people . . . just kidding!" Sirius added hastily at the look on Mrs. Potter's face.
"All right, come join us for dinner. By the way, Sirius, you're always welcome to come back for Sunday lunch with us, you know." Mrs. Potter added.
"Thanks, I will." Sirius said with a smile, and then glanced at his best friend mischievously when James's mum had turned around. "Does she really think, with you're mum's great cooking, anything could make me stay away?"
* * *
Lily arrived at the designated place where they were supposed to have their training. She was impressed by the organization of it all.
Soon after she arrived, her boyfriend showed up.
"It's about time," Lily scolded.
James put his hands up in a surrendering position. "Sorry! We got stuck in Muggle traffic; I don't know how Sirius even knew how to work those carb things . . ."
"Cars," Lily corrected.
". . . car then. Anyway, we got stopped by a Muggle please officer for speeding . . ."
"POLICE!" Lily yelled, getting slightly irritated at James.
". . . and he tried to give us a slip of paper . . . and asked for a 'driver's license' and of course Sirius didn't have one . . . so we just jinxed him with the Memory Charm so he wouldn't remember about it." James finished.
"James! You can't just jinx a law enforcer!" Lily protested.
James Potter shrugged that off, "Doesn't matter. Besides, we're legal, and you wouldn't want us being late for the first day of Auror training because we got sent to the Muggle Azkaban?"
"James . . ." Lily began.
But she never got to finish her sentence because James pressed his lips upon hers. At first she struggled a bit, but then she relaxed and enjoyed the kiss.
"Oooh!"
Lily heard whistling behind her, and she and James broke apart. They both blushed as they saw the audience they had attracted, probably all Auror in trainings that just arrived. Out of the corner of her eye she saw James grinning, despite himself.
Suddenly, the door to the old warehouse opened with a creak. A robed wizard beamed out at the people waiting outside.
"Come in, and welcome to your first day as an Auror!"