"Petunia, are you ready yet?" Lily's voice carried up the stairs.
"Yeah, yeah," her sister's voice shouted back.
Five minutes later there was still no sign of her.
"Mum…" Lily whined as Kathryn passed through the hall.
Kathryn sighed. "She's still not ready? PETUNIA!"
"I'm coming, chill."
"Good because if you're not down here in two minutes we're going without you." Kathryn went back into the main house after this, so she didn't hear Petunia's sarcastic reply.
"Like that'd be a big loss."
"Petunia, put the phone down and come on, we're going to be late," Lily pleaded, annoyed at her sister's ignorance and lateness.
"Freak, get lost, I'm trying to talk here."
Lily sighed and went into the kitchen to make a sandwich while she waited. 'I can't believe that selfish…If we're late I'll kill her. Or even better, I'll curse her.' She thought, or at least she thought she did.
"Don't bother, I can do without the hassle," Jack commented with a weary smile, hearing his daughter's mumbling.
"Oh, but…"
Jack laughed, "'It'll be fun,' I know but you know Petunia would probably move out to get away from you if you did."
"Like that'd be a big loss," Lily mumbled, imitating her sister's tone.
"Lily…" Jack began warningly.
Lily sighed, "I know, I know." She picked up her sandwich. "I'm going to hurry her up."
She took a bite of the sandwich then headed back into the hall. She was about to shout upstairs when a better idea popped into her head. Less than a moment later a loud scream shook the house.
"What have you done? I was talking!" She shouted as she came thudding down the stairs.
Lily stood at the bottom of the stairs with the phone cable in her right hand; her left hand lifted the sandwich to her mouth. She made her sister wait until she had chewed and swallowed before answering, "And we're waiting to go out."
Petunia's already red face seemed to turn an even brighter shade. "You…"
"What's going on?" Kathryn asked as she and Jack came running into the hall.
Lily dropped the cable casually. "Nothing," she answered innocently. "Petunia was just letting us know she's ready to go, isn't that right?"
"No," Petunia answered irritably. "She just…"
"I don't care." Jack said tiredly. The whole holidays he and Kathryn had been forced to stop fights between their daughters, it was tiresome to say the least. "You're off the phone now so go and get changed and we can go."
"I am changed," Petunia answered. She was wearing light blue mini skirt with a white vest t-shirt and a light blue jacket. On her feet was a pair of heeled sandals.
"Petunia, you know you're too young to be wearing that, get changed." Jack snapped at his eldest daughter.
"I hate you, if it was Lily wearing it you'd let her," Petunia pointed out as she stormed up the stairs.
"Except I wouldn't be wearing that to begin with," Lily called after her. "I don't like looking like a teenage pro–"
"Lily, get in the car," Kathryn gasped.
"Sure, if it means we get there faster," Lily said brightly as Jack handed her the keys, not minding the least as she escaped a mild telling off.
Five minutes later they were on the way, Petunia and Lily sat in the back, Kathryn and Jack in the front seats. Petunia was now dressed in jeans and a more modest t-shirt on this hot summer night.
"So how long is it going to take to get there?" Lily asked eyes full of glee at the surprise that lay ahead.
"Only about thirty minutes," Jack answered turning the steering wheel.
Lily frowned, "Half an hour, where are we going? It's not that tacky medieval-themed restaurant just outside of town is it? Because I think we're a bit old for plastic crowns and goodie bags."
Jack and Kathryn shared a look of amusement before Kathryn turned around. "No, it's much better than that."
"Where are we going then?"
Beside Lily Petunia rolled her eyes and huffed, "Can't we just tell her and put her out of her misery? She's beginning to annoy me."
Kathryn looked from one daughter to the other. So different she found it hard to believe, even now, Petunia was looking at her with bored, slightly angry eyes, and a face to match while Lily was beaming, her face full of eager anticipation at what was to come, and she didn't even know what it was.
"She can wait," Kathryn smiled. "She'll find out soon enough."
Petunia sighed. "Fine, make her shut up and stop bouncing the seat then."
Lily spent the rest of the journey stationary, though she didn't stop talking. When they stopped and got out of the car her already large grin grew and she wondered how Petunia could not be excited.
"Circus, excellent!" Lily cried.
"Not the words," Petunia muttered under her breath. "Two hours of boredom more like."
"We'll see," Lily said, running off ahead of her parents.
The circus was situated in a large field on the outskirts of the town. The huge Big Top tent was sat in the very centre and around it were a few stalls of the usual side-stall variety, the kind you spend lots of money on but rarely win anything. They were just closing as clowns outside the tent began to usher people inside for the beginning of the show.
"Can I have some candy floss?" Lily asked her parents the minute she saw the stall.
Kathryn grinned, already holding out the money for her daughter. Lily took it and ran off for some candy floss.
"You want some popcorn?" Kathryn asked Petunia.
"No, thank you," Petunia said in icy tones.
Kathryn glared at her. "Will you stop it? This is meant to be a late birthday treat for your sister since she wasn't here at the time. You can enjoy or not but you're still going to have to sit through it; it just might be more fun if you try. Now, let's try again, would you like some popcorn?"
Petunia put on a fake smile, "No thank you," she repeated, her voice fake cheery.
"Ok, fine."
At this point Lily was back, sat down and the lights went out. Two spotlights lit and shone in the centre where there now stood a clown wearing long, deep red, flared trousers and a matching jacket trimmed with black.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the final night of the Keltzmann Family Circus. Prepare yourselves for an evening of pure delight as you witness death-defying stunts and dangerous aerobatics for your own enjoyment. Before we begin I must warn you all that these acts are done after years of training and at great peril to those doing them, for these reasons they must not be attempted at home or anywhere else. On with the show!"
Again the lights went out, then the spotlights came on once more and four people were stood in the ring; two boys, two girls. A voice boomed from speakers around the tent.
"Ladies and gentlemen, our evening begins with a performance by the Keltzmann's youngest members who will amaze you with some skipping!"
"Oh, this is ridiculous," Petunia whispered, unimpressed by the idea.
"Shh," people hissed around her.
Lily watched amazed as the four people took the simplest of activities and turned it into an art form as they twisted and weaved their way over and under the rope, across it. Each time the skipping got more and more complex as extra ropes were added or they went in different directions, making them cross over in an "+" shape. Next was an act with a clown, a tiger, an elephant and a young woman and after that a knife thrower. Each time the stunts got more daring and the accompanying music faster and more raucous. After a time the lights went off again and the main lights came back on.
"We now break for a short intermission, during this time we advise you stretch your legs and use the facilities provided as we want no accidents in what is to come; the most dangerous of feats ever done. For those of you who wish them, refreshments are available."
"So, how do you like it?" Jack asked his daughters.
Lily's wide eyes shone, "It's amazing."
Petunia made a noise, "I wouldn't go that far, but it's not as bad as I was expecting."
Kathryn smiled slightly behind her eldest daughter. "Excuse me," she said as she got up and headed out of the tent.
Lily took a bite of her uneaten candy floss.
"Too enthralled to eat?" Jack asked humorously. "You must be impressed."
Lily grinned as she ripped a bit off and popped it on her tongue, enjoying the sensation as it melted. "I am."
Petunia rolled her eyes. "I'd like a drink, can I have some money?"
Jack gave her some then turned back to Lily. "I know it doesn't compare to anything you could do at your school, but we thought you'd enjoy it."
Lily looked at him, hand stopping half way to her mouth with another chunk of candy floss. "Are you kidding? This is so much better, magic's great, but once you've learnt it you're left thinking 'What's next? What can I do that's better than this?' And even when I have learnt it, I can't show it to anyone other than the people in that world who already know about it because of exposure. These people, they spend their whole life learning one thing and then variations of it, for an act that they can use to impress and amaze people. It's nothing life changing, but for a few hours they get to be the centre of attention and show people what they can do. That is what's impressive."
Jack looked curiously at his thirteen-year old daughter.
"What?" Lily asked through a mouthful of candy floss.
Jack shook his head, "You're growing up," he answered. "And becoming a very intelligent and wise young lady with it, that's all. I'm impressed with you, never mind this thing."
Lily laughed, "As if!"
Kathryn and Petunia got back at the same time to find both Jack and Lily laughing, "What's so funny?" They asked.
"Nothing," Lily said as she turned back around to face the ring just in time for the lights to go out.
Once more the spotlights came on but this time there was no one in the ring. Before Lily had even a chance to frown the voice spoke through the speakers again.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have now reached the final act for the evening. Prepare yourselves for the sight of your life as you witness this man," The spotlights shone to a figure stood on a high platform attached to a thin wire that diagonally cut across the tent to another platform. "Attempts to walk across the high wire. 'Easy', I hear you say. 'People do that everyday', but do they do it in this way?"
The man on the platform took hold of a large stick to help his balance and made his way carefully across the wire. Half way across he stopped and let go of his balancing pole. It fell the sixteen metres to the ground, landing with a large thud. The audience gasped and watched in awe as they saw the man do a half somersault in the air and catch the wire. Applause sounded the second he caught the wire. He proceeded to spin around the wire, starting with two hands, letting go of one then letting go of that one, quickly putting the one he released onto the wire so that for a split second he held onto nothing. The audience took a collective gasp the minute he did so, releasing it only when both hands were on the wire once more. His spinning stopped when he reached the top of the wire, here he balanced upside down, his arms shaking with the effort to support his body, and then he did another half somersault, attempting to land with both feet on the wire to continue walking across. However, his foot slipped off the wire and he began hurtling towards the floor.
It all happened in a blur. Screams shouted, workers from the circus ran to the ring, hoping to catch their friend and colleague and the audience watched in horror as he fell. Then, with a sudden flash of inspiration, one little red head stood up, her wand, which she always had on her whether she was in school or not, was out and pointed at the falling man and words crying from her mouth. "Wingardium Leviosa!" She shouted with all her will. The man's descent fell and by the time he was a few metres from the ground he was falling at so slow a speed that the impact he felt was barely there and if it left any marks it was a small bruise. Lily panted at the effort it took out of her when he was safely on the ground. Fatigue spread through her and it was all she could do not to fall over, she gripped her father for support but dropped her wand, which her mother luckily picked up for her.
"Is he alright?" she asked.
Jack watched as the man picked himself up batted away the fussing crowd around him, hoping to see who had helped him. The audience was in shock, their attention split between the man who had fallen and the person who had shouted. They did not know who it was; the voice had seemed so grown up that no one thought to look at the little red-head who clung to her father, believing she was just a girl afraid of the night's events, this was the thought of the man too.
"He's fine," Jack soothed his daughter, giving a look to Kathryn. "Maybe we should go home?"
Kathryn nodded, "Good idea, come on Petunia."
Amidst the confusion in the tent, no one noticed the Evans family make a hasty exit. The car was silent on the drive home. Petunia saw her sister as even more of a freak now, witnessing her magic first-hand and Kathryn and Jack didn't know what to say, any questions they may have had they couldn't ask because Lily fell asleep the minute she was sat in the car.
-
Lily woke late the next day to an empty house. She went downstairs and helped herself to some food from the kitchen and headed into the living room where there sat a brown owl with an official looking letter tied to its leg. Lily took it with shaking hands, a feeling spreading through her that it would be a letter telling her she had been banned from the Magical World for using magic over the holidays and that somebody would be coming to take her wand. She had already received such letters during her last summer, warning her of the misuse of magic and that any further use of magic during holidays would result in such a punishment. She opened it and read:
Dear Miss Evans,
We have become aware of the illegal use of a levitation charm at the place of one Keltzmann Family Circus. You have received letters warning you of using magic outside of Hogwarts before and the consequences that go with it. However, after consulting both Herr Keltzmann and Professor Dumbledore we are aware of the facts involved in this incident and feel that such punishments would be wrong under the circumstances. Instead we applaud your quick thinking and ability at Charms but ask that you keep the incident quiet. A mind wipe is taking place on all the muggles present when this happened and talking about it would simply lead to confusion.
We therefore respect your silence and once again congratulate you.
G. Maykins
Minister of Magic
Lily flopped onto the couch, relief flowing through her. She wasn't in trouble after all. She switched on the television and watched some of the day time soaps while she waited for someone to come home.
-
Before she went to bed that night, Lily sat in the living room with her parents.
"Mum," she began. "Do you have my wand?"
"What? Oh, yes, over there," Kathryn answered.
Lily saw it and took it, happy as she felt the familiar wood.
Jack seemed to take this as an opportunity and asked Lily to sit down.
"What's up?" she asked with a frown as she sat back down.
"Nothing, we just wanted to say, about yesterday…" Jack answered.
"We're so proud of you sweetie," Kathryn. "Saving that man like that."
Jack grinned, "Very impressive of you."
Lily laughed, "Ok, thank you. I don't think I can take all the sweetness though, I'm going to bed. 'Night."
Kathryn and Jack smiled. "Good night sweetie."
Lily headed out of the room, through the kitchen, into the hall and up the stairs. As she went up them she passed the opposite side of the living room wall, through which she could hear her parents talking.
"She was amazing, I didn't realise she was so good. Do they all have that much ability do you think? Because if they have the power to do that, then surely they have the power to do the opposite and…"
"Jack, don't think like that," Kathryn admonished. "Lily won't do anything like that, that's all that matters."
"I know," Jack agreed. "But it makes you wonder."
Kathryn nodded, "I know," she said fearfully.
Lily gasped and went up to bed, not angry that they thought she could do something like that, because she knew they didn't really think she could, no, their words just brought up a memory of that note and the suspicions she'd had a few months ago as to whether the muggle-hating wizard really existed. With these horrible thoughts she went to sleep. It was just a few days until September 1st when her new start would begin.
Hey! I know my bio on my page says I'm not updating 'til after my exams but I got bored so I thought I'd write a nice long chapter for you instead :D I definitely won't have the next chapter until the 9th at the earliest so enjoy this nice long one. Sorry if it seems random and rushed! The ending I've just had to cram in because I was due off the comp 15 minutes ago!
ENJOY!
Rae