I don't own Harry Potter or a car. That said let's get on with the story.
NOTE THIS: In this chapter it talks of Petunia's blond hair, I know that in previous chapters I said 'black' and that it was black in the movie, however, I am re-reading the books, and I discovered that on pg1 of the book it says: 'Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde with nearly twice the normal amount of neck…' So I have seen my error, just thought I'd tell you before I was patronized in my reviews for her sudden hair color change.
The Truth isn't far behind me…
Chapter Four
Nothing stays the same forever
The lightening flashed in her eyes,
And he knew that she knows.
-The thunder rolls
by:
Lily,
Hey! How is your summer going so far? Mine is fabulous. I was writing to see if you would like to come to my place soon, Dana's already here. We could have so much fun! Think about it won't you, your fifteen now, and if you ask me, your mum and dad should let you come this year. You're not a baby for Christ's sake! Well, think about it lovie, and let me know as soon as you can!
Hope to see you soon,
Olive
P.s. Lily darling, this is Dana. If you don't come over here, I'm warning you, WE'LL come over there! This isn't a threat… wait, yes it is! Just come! Love ya!
Lily smiled and tucked the letter back in its envelope, shaking her head. Every year they'd tried to talk her parents into trusting the wizarding world enough to let her stay a while with her magical friends, and hopefully this year, they'd be more successful than usual.
It'd been a week since the beach fiasco, and Lily had been trying her hardest to get it out of her mind, for that was the only way she'd get over it, and she knew it. It was difficult to forget, however, when your mother talks of nothing but James Potter every day, and your twin smirks at you knowingly at every passing, but she was managing. Today, however, she wouldn't have to try, because today her Dad got back from his business trip, and would be seeing her for the first time since Christmas.
They were to meet him at the airport, then spend the day on the town. Lily couldn't contain her excitement as she tied a yellow ribbon in her hair, and she squealed, spinning in a circle in her room. She'd always been 'Daddy's little Girl', since before she could remember. If no one else would leave her alone about James, he would, and he'd make sure the rest followed suit.
Breakfast was a rushed affair, as they were running a tad bid behind schedule, and her mother was scared that they wouldn't be there to greet him. After she sped the girls through the meal, she practically shoved them out to the car.
"Mum!" Lily exclaimed, as one of her mother's talon-like fingernails grazed her bare shoulder (She'd worn a white and yellow sundress).
"Sorry Lily dear, I didn't mean to. Come now, let's go. Petunia! Don't dawdle, we haven't got the time!" Mrs. Evans scolded, as Petunia walked out slowly from the house, reading a letter with a smile.
Once Mrs. Evans had them all in the car, she squeezed in beside them.
"Alright Collin, we're ready now." She muttered to the chauffeur.
Lily turned to Petunia with a wry smile.
"You know," Petunia hissed angrily, "If you keep staring at me like that, your face may stick!" She snarled at Lily, but was still peculiarly careful when she slid the letter into the small, gray envelope.
"Who's the letter from? A beau?" Lily glanced at the return address, "Who's 'Vernon Dursley'?" she wrinkled her nose. "He sounds awfully… stuffy."
Petunia bristled. "What's it to you who I am corresponding with. If you were any part of my life, you'd know." She spat, brushing a straight blonde lock of hair from her face.
The words hit Lily like a slap, and they stung. But she couldn't let Petunia know that, so instead of shock, she let triumph fill her features.
"A bit touchy aren't we?" she smirked, "So he is your beau then, isn't he?"
"Don't be redicul—" Petunia began venomously, then was cut off by her mother.
"Oh, is Vernon writing to you again? Such a lovely lad." She smiled fondly.
"Petunia, please, tell us more about Vernon." Lily simpered, she should have known to leave it to her mother to ruin it for her sister, for she'd always ruined everything else.
Instead of talking, however, Petunia just shook with rage, and stared out the window. Lily sighed, truly regretting that this was the way she and her sister had come to be when they were once so close.
In the airport, Lily looked around excitedly. She'd know her father's tall stance and blonde hair anywhere and she couldn't wait to refresh her sight with it. She looked around, biting her lower lip, trying to find him, then suddenly; there he was, standing before her.
"Dad!" She flung herself into his arms, causing him to drop his luggage.
"Is that my wee little Lily?" He asked, his Irish accent thick.
"Oh, dad, how I've missed you!" She buried her head in his arms, breathing in his familiar scent of cigars and after-shave, but was surprised to smell something else there too. Something sweet and abnormal. She pulled back and looked into his eyes, and she knew. Anger and sorrow filled her entire being immediately, and she pushed him hard in the chest, wanting to get away from him.
"Lily!" Her mother scolded, giving her a stern look. "Hello Harold dear." She turned her smile back to Lily's father, giving him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.
Lily watched, horrified by what she saw. Her mother stood there, clueless as ever, with no idea as to why Lily was angry. What was worse was, Lily didn't know how to break her heart by telling her. How do you tell your mother, that her husband is having an affair?
The day had been a murderous episode for Lily, and there was nothing she could do about it. Her mother was too blind to see what was in front of her, and Lily herself was to softhearted to open her eyes.
When the day was finally over, Lily locked herself in her room to brood. Her parent's were the most stable relationship she knew. They'd been together for 22 years, and then this? There was a soft tapping on her door.
"Come it…" Lily said cautiously, mentally preparing herself to handle her father. But when the door opened, she received a shock, "Tuny?"
Her sister smirked and sat on the bed.
"So, now you know our family secret." Petunia's eyes glittered, and Lily could tell that she was enjoying this far too much.
"What? But, how long have you known..?" Lily pondered, though she really didn't want to know.
"Since January." Petunia stated as a simple fact, as though it had no meaning. "I knew you'd know immediately, you always were so observant. But, me, no I had to actually see him with his little girlfriend, so consider yourself lucky." Petunia examined one long fingernail.
"January?" Lily choked out, feeling the breath leave her body. "You've known since-"
"Yes, Lily, that's right, I've known since January. And he knows that I know, he asked me to keep it quiet, said that he wanted to tell Mum himself, but that was six months ago, and she hasn't a clue." Petunia finished dully, looking at Lily smugly, as though she were supreme for actually knowing what was going on in the family while Lily, the obvious favorite, was clueless.
"But, that's, Petunia, we've got to tell Mum!" Lily concluded fretfully.
"No!" Petunia spat, standing up quickly. "Lily, no, we can't go tell Mum, it would crush her. We live different lives than we did when you were still around Lily. Mum lives in her fantasy world, and she stays there, and I don't need you coming home to ruin that too. Face it Lily your not part of this family anymore, not really. You don't even know one thing that's happened. Oh, don't look at me with those sad eyes, it won't work, I know you too well. Face it, you chose to go to that school and leave us, and now you've lost touch." Petunia smirked.
Lily gulped back tears. Why was Petunia being soawful to her? What had she done?
"Now, that said, why don't you just hop on that train, and leave again like you always do. We don't need you here." Petunia turned before Lily could respond, and traipsed out of the room a bit too jovially for Lily's liking.
Breakfast the next morning was a rather unpleasant affair. Lily poked at her bacon, not wanting to look at anyone there. Petunia acted as she always did, and Lily supposed that was because she'd known for a while. Her father sat there, looking sad, while her Mum chattered on about some television program that she'd watched the previous evening.
Lily wanted to scream at her mother to open her eyes, and not to let her father pull the wool over her eyes. Even more, she wanted to scream at her father for doing this to their family. She couldn't believe that things had been this bad for so long, and that no one had said anything. She couldn't handle the pressure, so she stood to leave.
"Lily?" Her mother turned to her questioningly.
Lily grimaced at the smile on her mother's face, but didn't reply, and walked out of the room carefully. As soon as she was out, she ran. She wasn't sure where exactly she was going, but not anywhere near this place. The streets that had been her childhood sanctuary of fun, were now blurs of tears as she ran in the early morning sun. She never wanted to stop, and she wouldn't have, except for a vaguely familiar voice calling to her.
"Lily?"
She stopped, gasping for air, and turned.
"Anthony?" She couldn't help smile. Anthony had been her first 'boy-friend' before she left for Hogwarts.
"Oh, I see that it is you!" He walked over, smiling his trademark smile. "I haven't seen you in so long!" He pulled her into a hug.
For some reason, Lily started crying as she rest her head on his shoulder. Back when she knew him, her life had been perfect. No James, no affair, and Petunia didn't hate her.
"Lily? What's wrong?" he pulled her back and looked at her tear-streaked face.
"Oh, Tony, it's.. it's everything." She gulped, not sure why she could open up to him, but it was so easy, just as it had always been.
"Come on, Little Flower," he said soothingly, calling her by an old nickname. "Come over to my house, and we'll talk over lemonade." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and led her into his large Victorian house.
Inside, Lily was hit by ever childhood day she'd ever lived. The smells were the same, as were the furniture. Nothing had changed, it was like a rock in her wavy life.
"C'mon, lets get the lemonade, we can talk in the den," he led her into their cavernous kitchen.
"Anthony, did you say that you wanted—" His mother stopped when she saw Lily. "Why is that grown up thing little Lily Evans?" She smiled.
Lily blushed. "I'm afraid it is, Mrs. Caddy." She smiled. Mrs. Caddy looked almost the same, except for her once vibrant red hair was now streaked with silver.
She walked over to give her a hug. "Now, how many times do I have to tell you dearie, call me Wanda!" She smiled.
"I'll try." Lily lied, knowing that she respected this woman far too much to call her by her first name.
"Well, Mum, me and Lily have some things to talk about, so, I'm just going to get us some lemonade…" he opened the icebox and pulled out to bottles of lemonade. "We'll be in the den if you need us." He steered Lily out of the kitchen and into the den.
When they were settled in on a couch, she started to talk about everything, from James, to petunia to her parents pending divorce. Before she knew it, she was sobbing uncontrollably.
"Shhh, Little Flower!" Anthony pulled her into a tight hug. "Its going to be o.k. Trust me, your sister is just jealous of you, she always was, if that James boy gives you anymore trouble, just send him to me." Lily had a fleeting image of James hexing Anthony, and shuddered, "and as for the divorce, it will work out."
"How do you know if it will work out? I've never known a home with only one parent, and now I feel I have no choice." She took a great shuddering breath.
"Lily, you may not know this, but my parents are divorced."
"What?" she gasped, "I, but, how?"
"Mum was having an affair with some guy that no one even knew. Dad left like that. He sends money for the bills and for me, but I haven't seen him in two years. He doesn't want to see me, he made that clear."
"Oh, I'm sorry Tony, I didn't know."
"It's o.k. I 've gotten over it by now, my mom is still the same, and I am happy again. Lily, the trick is to know that none of it is your fault."
"How and I supposed to 'know' that, when Petunia so blatantly thinks it is?"
"Well, you're hardly ever there, so how could it be—"
"That's just it though. Dad never went away on business until I went to Ho—away to school. Maybe if I hadn't…"
"You can't think that. Your father made that decision, not you."
Lily sighed. "I know that. But I will be responsible, I am going to tell my Mum."
"Lily, that doesn't make you responsible, it makes you a person who loves their mother deeply enough to tell her the truth, even if it does change everything."
"You always did know just what to say Anthony." She smiled up at him.
He buffered his fingernails on his pant's leg. "Oh, that's because I'm good Lily." He smiled at her. Then out of no where, he swooped down, and kissed her softly on her lips.
Lily's first instinct was to pull away, but she didn't. Instead she kissed him back, realizing that her first kiss was awful, and she might as well make the second one count. When she figured they'd kissed for long enough, she pulled back and looked at him, dazed.
"Wow. Some how, in all of my wildest dreams and imagination, I never thought I'd actually ever get a chance to kiss you." Anthony smiled broadly, lighting up his handsome face.
Lily blushed. "Nor I you. That was… wow." She giggled, feeling guilty. The farthest thing from her mind was her home problems.
A/N: There it is everyone, the much-awaited chapter four! I actually kind of like this one, as it is based on something that I myself have experienced. I hope that you all like it too! I guess I will refrain from asking for a beta again, as it's been brought to my attention that I don't need one…. Yet…
I don't know when I will be able to update, I am booked up for the next two weekends, and I have a rather busy schedule, but I will try to hurry, as I know how it is to wait for someone to update.
I would just like to thank you all, for the general concern seems to linger around everyone worrying about my reviews. I love reviews. They put me in an excellent mood. If you guys are concerned though, i have no problem to you writing many reviews, and telling your friends about my story! Hehe, well, thanks for your concern!
Now to all the spectacular reviews I've gotten from all of you wonderful people:
Burning Lily: Well, honestly, I'm pretty easy to please. I get ecstatic over every single review, but thank you for thoughts though ( I did get lots more reviews this time though!) (lolz I just realized that you reviewed more than once) Yea, I love writing for lily, she is such a fun character to work with, she reminds me of myself a lot. Keep reviewing though, I like to keep up with how my readers feel.
Dwarfed half elf: Thank you for your review, I'm glad that you liked it.
The-very-Little-turtle: Well, I think that the readers actually being able to relate to what is written greatly improves their odds of coming back to it! I will go read your story as soon as I get the time, I promise!
Fleury: Lol. That was the point, y'know she got the sunburn, and it's funny… lol well, I'm glad somebody got it! Lol, your such a fun reviewer! You remind me of me, crazy. (don't take that as an insult, I hold crazy people in the highest regards… I think…) well, keep reviewing.
PammaPoo: You are like my favorite reviewer, really you are. Lol, calm down, I did get PLENTY of reviews (not to discourage anyone for reviewing, my goal is 500),but I'm glad that you care so much. O.k., so I will stop begging for a beta, I just figured it would help with writers block when it comes around. I like to update a lot. I hate it if I go over a week without updating, so that shouldn't be a problem. Lol, I'm glad your obsessed with my story, because I am obsessed with your reviews! Lol well, keep reviewing!
Absh: Thanks!
TigerFireTiger: Yay, finally someone offers help for my writers block! I love lily and James. They are so perfect for a story, because, even if I put a lot of turmoil in, you always know it will work out with them together in the end. I have a request. Please go read my other story, I have more writer's block with it. It's a Ginny/Harry fic. It's called: sanity of the insane please go read it though, that way if I email you with pleas of help, you could help me there too.! Thanks for your review. I'm glad you like my story.
Navi: Thank you for you review. It was lovely and long, which I love. Lily is such a fun character to work with, she can be so stubborn, and I'm glad that you agree with the way I've portrayed her! To answer your question: No, he doesn't live close (Hint: that's not to say that he doesn't know people who do…) But I'm glad that you caught the deer thing, no one else mentioned it. Keep reviewing.
Stinkypillow: Lol, everything will be revealed in time. I'm glad you liked it, and trust me, you will be feeling a lot more of lily's emotions. Keep reviewing!
:b
Hplovesme: I like being mentioned as well, that's why I try to mention everyone. I seem to be good at making peoples days awful (lol, j/k) but I hope that I have made yours better by updating! So, thrill me by reviewing!
Butterfly-grl4: tadaa! Here's the update!
Amandinka: Here ya go, I'm really glad that your so enthusiastic, I hope that means that you'll keep coming back!