Chapter 8, Home
The next morning Lily woke up so early the sun had not risen yet. Lily would have started packing if she hadn't finished packing the night before, so she decided to run down to the kitchens and get some breakfast. As she walked she had a great upsurge to jump on a broom and fly away from Hogwarts, then she remembered that she had always been afraid of flying. For the fist time since she came here, she had never wanted to leave so badly.
"Hello, Miss Lily, what can Elfric get for you?" asked the squeaky voice belonging to a tiny elf with golf- ball sized silver eyes.
"Just some toast and water please," said Lily very kindly.
The elf took no more than a minute or two to bring her the toast. "Here yous go," piped up the tiny elf handing her the toast.
"Thank you, do you want to join me?" asked Lily kindly, Elfric had always been her favorite, and Lily thought him adorable.
"Oh, Elfric wished he could, he so wishes, but you see he has to help the others, one elf got sick last night," declined Elfric.
"Tell him or her that I hope they feel better, 'Bye Elfie."
"Oh he will be mostly pleased, no one ever bothers with a sick elf, 'bye Miss Lily."
Lily took a walk around the lake, muching on her toast, watching the sunrise. The sun was almost fully up, which would mean the others in the room she shared would be up soon, and if she wanted to avoid all questioning she had to get up there soon.
Good, she thought, they're not up yet. She crawled into bed as quietly as she could. Then lied down and pulled out a photo album. She looked at the pictures of the past and let everything drift to her. Her father hugging her, her sister and her standing next to each other with cute smiles on their faces. Lily with her tooth missing, the Christmas tree decorated messy. Lily as a baby in a pretty white dress, her mum and sister standing by it.
Memories washed over her one by one, and tears began to overtake her. She missed her childhood so much; she'd give almost anything if she could have it back.
"Lily, c'mon, you should wake up now, its breakfast," said Catherine in her quietest voice.
"I already had, and I'm not going down anyway," said Lily.
"Okay, I'll see you when I get back then," Catherine started to walk toward the door, then stopped abruptly, "Lily would you like me to empty the room so you can get ready?" she asked opening the curtain a tiny bit.
"Thanks, you're great," was Lily's reply.
"Plug your ears, it's about to get loud," said Catherine smiling widely.
"I don't know what I'd do without you," said Lily smiling equally widely, plugging her ears with her fingers.
"Nothing, now plug those ears for your own health. WAKIE, WAKIE, EGGS AND BAKIE! NOW! C'MON PEOPLE UP, UP AND AT 'EM, BREAKFAST TIME!"
"Shut up Cat, we're trying to sleep!" shouted a girl with blonde hair, and brown eyes.
"SLEEP IS FOR THE TRAIN RIDE, CLEMINTINE, ITS BREAKFAST TIME! C'MON, DOWN TO THE GREAT HALL!"
"If we go and have breakfast will you let us sleep in peace?" asked a blue eyed brown haired girl from the bed beside Clemintine.
"YEP-ER-ROONY! POSITUTLEY LAUREN!"
"Don't know how Lily can stand you, c'mon guys lets eat," replied Penelope, who had black hair with dark chocolate eyes was walking out the door followed by everyone in the dorm room but Lily. Once she heard the door shut, she hopped out of bed and brushed her hair and teeth, then put on a pants and a shirt that were too big for her. She put back her pictures of the past and closed her trunk. She brought it down to the common room and put it with the others, and ran back up the stairs again.
Lily left a note for Catherine waiting on her bed telling her that she was thankful for what she did this morning, and that she was going to the Hogsmeade station to get on the train fist, and that she should be in compartment 149, or the very last one.
She put the note on her pillow, and ran out of the castle doors. Once she reached the Gamekeeper's hut she slowed to a walk. She looked out of the carriages so much that she knew which way she should go. She took a left at the gates, and kept walking.
Out of no where a horseless carriage showed up, and the door magically opened, Lily knew Dumbledore had sent it, it was just like him, so she hoped in. The carriage turned around and started going toward the Hogsmeade station. When it stopped by the scarlet train Lily got out and walked to the last compartment.
Lily sat there for so long that she fell asleep, when she woke up the train started to move and Catherine was sitting across from her. "Hey sleepy, what do you want to do during the ride?" asked Catherine.
"I don't know Rin, what should we do. Well knowing you, you'd want to prank someone, so lets see whom we could prank. How about Valerie Smalldoer, you know in Slytherin?"
"Yeah, what should we do to her? Let's fill her compartment with bugs, what bug does she hate the most?" she asked with a devilish grin.
"Er… I think cockroaches."
"Okay, large rainbow colored cockroaches coming right up."
Catherine flicked her wand and the next second there was a loud shriek from next door. Lily and Catherine burst out laughing so hard they fell on the floor.
The door came sliding open the next moment and a girl with a black haired girl and a snotty expression was standing there. "You…you…you'll pay big time." She was about to curse them into oblivion but the lady who pushed the trolley came up to them. "Is anything wrong here?" she asked kindly.
"No. Everything's good here. Just a bit of disagreement, nothing we can't work out," was Lily's quick answer.
"Okay, back to your compartment dear, I'll be there in a minute." Valerie shot her a glare as she back toward her compartment.
"Ah, just like the good old times," declared Lily after they bought some snacks from the trolley.
"Yeah, that was fun, on the ride back who should we do?" Catherine asked smiling maliciously.
"Narcissa Black, she need to fix that face of hers, it looks like a rat crawled up her nose."
"Here, here, watch out Narsissy, you're next!" Both girls had a fit of giggles that lasted for a while.
Once they subsided Catherine asked "So, what are you doing for Christmas this winter?"
"I dunno, I hope something quiet, but I'm not so sure how quiet it could get with Petunia's snores. You?"
Catherine gave a giggle when Lily mentioned Petunia's snores, the answered," I don't really know, we usually have everyone in the family come over. I have a feeling it's going to be the same, thank The Lord I'm in seventh year I won't have to hear Jacob complain about his nasty feet." At this they both gave a snort of laughter and continued talking.
When the train had come to a stop, Lily looked as excited as ever, but still very sad, "Hey Rin, thanks for not talking about…er…last night. Have a happy holiday, see you when we get back, remember last compartment as always."
"Yeah, no problem, last compartment, 'bye Lily," she said with a hug.
"Happy Christmas Lily!" Mr. and Mrs. Evans said together.
"Happy Christmas Mum and Dad, what are we doing this year?" asked an excited Lily.
"You know your friend Scarlet, well her mother signed her up for a ball, I think it's called the Lady and Gentlemen's Ball, their suppose to teach you how to proper young men and women. Anyway, Scarlet was completely set against it because she didn't want to go alone, so I thought that it would be nice if you accompany her," explained Lily's mother.
"Mum, you didn't, I don't want to go, why?" complained Lily.
"Because you and Scarlet are friends, and I thought you might enjoy having her company and she, yours."
"But, I don't wanna, you know how I hate getting dressed up."
"Sorry Lily, but you're going."
They just pulled up to their driveway, started to unload the car, "Mum, I don't wanna, and you can't make me!" Lily started to slam the car door, and was now stomping on the stairs.
"I already paid 700 non-refundable pounds, now you're going and that's that!"
"No!"
"I thought that you didn't need to be thought how to be a proper lady, but apparently I was wrong, now go up to your room, now!"
"Fine! Urgh!" Lily stomped all the way up to her stairs and slammed the door behind her. A wonderful way to begin the holidays.
I need to talk to someone, thought Lily, Scarlet! Lily opened her window and picked up an orange bouncy ball, and thrust it at the window directly across from her. She did this a couple of times more before the window finally opened.
"Scarlet, hey scarlet, can you believe what our mother's are making us do?"
"Who's Scarlet?" a voice that sounded like a boy answered.
"Sorry. Who're you? No!" Lily had only seen the very messy jet-black hair the belonged to James Potter. She slammed her window down and ran downstairs to find her mother.
"Mum, Dad, where'd Scarlet go, why is Potter next door?" yelled Lily running down to the kitchen.
"Lily dear, they moved down the street about a month ago. They now live at house thirteen, not four. Didn't I tell you?"
"Apparently no, and why didn't you tell me he now lives there?" Lily's temper was starting to get the better of her.
"I didn't think is was that big of a deal," explained her mother, "but apparently I was-"
"Wrong! I'm going for a walk." She grabbed her cloak and slammed the door behind her.
"I don't know anything anymore, my home, my family, or my friends," Lily whispered as she walked down to house number thirteen. She knocked on the door, "Hey Scar, can you believe what our mothers making us do?" Lily said as soon as she opened the door and was greeted be a friendly-faced red head with blue eyes.
"I know I hate it, come in it's like ice out there."
"Thanks," said Lily walking in, "I can't believe everything, I don't know anything anymore you know that."
"What don't you know Lily."
"My family, my life, my home, my neighborhood, and my friends. You know I tried getting you next door and instead I got Potter."
"Who's Potter?" She asked bewildered.
"He's this arrogant toe-rag that thinks he's all high and mighty. Everyone at school thinks he's king or something. Positively unbearable."
"Well what can you do? He lives next door, you don't have to put up with him that much do you?"
"Are you kidding we're both head students, I don't know how he became a head student, he pranks so often, they've even got a little gang, him and his pals."
"Let's change the subject, why not? What about that Ball we have to go to?"
"Urgh, I know, the second one in the same month, getting dressed up twice. What's so funny."
"Nothing, nothing, we have a rehearsal ball tomorrow, you know, we're suppose to get our escorts and all."
"Great, just dandy," Lily replied sarcastically.
"I know isn't it. I was just going to make some hot chocolate, you want?"
"Sure, where's your mum?"
"Out, she's got a date." Scarlet explained bustling around the kitchen. "So, tomorrow are we picking you up or are you picking me up?"
"I have to ask, can I have your new number, I don't want to accidentally call the Potters, come to think of it I don't think they even have a phone," Lily thought out loud.
"Why won't they have a phone?"
"Amish."
"Oh, okay."
"Well, 'bye, gotta go home, I'm probably in so much trouble. I think I'll take the latter up, I don't feel like arguing much."
"Lily you like to think out loud don't you?"
"Yep-er-roony," and with that said she shut the door behind her.
It started to snow on her way home, she loved snow. It was her favorite thing to watch, taste, smell, feel, hear, and everything. Snow took away all of her troubles, all of her fears.
As the snow came tumbling over her she started to recite a poem:
Oh, snow,
You put on such a show,
So pearly white,
Never a fright,
So fluffy,
Like a marshmallow.
So clean,
So innocent,
Like a child,
Sleeping through the night.
Oh take me back,
To the past,
And let me see the light
That emits from you so bright,
So that I never forget,
The wonders of this world.
When she reached her house she went down the side instead of to the front door. It was almost buried by the time Lily found it, the latter that she and Scarlet used many times when they were younger. She pushed off all the snow and propped it up by her window. Scarlet and Lily used to go to each other's room climbing up and down the latter. When Lily was halfway to her window someone said, "What are you doing?"
"Going to my room, what do you think?"
"Why not go through the front door?"
"Because Potter, I don't feel like it." Lily had been exceptionally cold to James since the kiss.
"Oh."
Lily slid her window open, and climbed through. "I need to go take a bath, I feel like an ice cube. Then I'll ask who's bringing whom to the dinky ball rehearsal," said Lily gathering up her clothes, and heading to the bathroom.
"Hello Petunia dear, how are you today?" said Lily being so sweet that Petunia started to look sick, and ran for her bedroom.
"Nice to see you haven't changed."
After Lily finished her bath, feeling very warm inside and out, she went downstairs to find her parents sitting on the couch watching the news.
"I have a question, who's bringing whom to the rehearsal thingy tomorrow?"
"Scarlet's mother volunteered, I drop you off for the real thing," explained Mrs. Evans.
"Oh, okay, g'night."
"Night sweetums," said Lily' father.
Lily awoke the next morning and quickly combed her hair, and brushed her teeth. It was sort of her morning ritual. When she went downstairs for breakfast she found a surprise waiting for her. Scarlet was waiting for her in the kitchen.
"Hi, why are you here so early?"
"We have to go, it's not my fault they decide to start rehearsal at eight in the morning," explained Scarlet.
"What-oh, I totally forgot, I'll go get changed," replied Lily grabbing a pancake and stuffing into her mouth while running up the stairs. Lily quickly grabbed a shirt and a pair of jeans, and ran down the stairs.
"Ready," said Lily scouring. She was always known to be on time.
The drive was a long drive, but luckily Scarlet's mother had always like to put on the music. Lily liked to sing along to her favorite songs. When they got there Lily thanked Scarlet's mum for brining her, and both girls said their good-byes. Scarlet told her mother that she should come back around six 'o' clock.
"Guess who's going to be here because his mum's making him?" said Scarlet playfully.
"Er…Paul!" yelled Lily running up to him, "Nancy, Ron, oh my God I missed you guys so much!" she yelled running up to everyone and giving them hugs.
"Settle down, settle down, let's take attendance, then we'll set you up with your escorts," said a plump woman with graying brown hair.
"When I call your name say here or present. Carla Diego!" she started reading off from the list.
"Here," said the girl with mousy blond hair.
"Carmen Chago!"
"Here," she had blonde hair, with very bright blue eyes.
"James Potter!"
"I didn't do it!" someone shouted from the door. Everyone turned to see who said that. They all saw a messy black hared boy with hazel eyes.
"YOU!" shouted Lily pointing at him.
"ME!" shouting James pointing at himself. Not realizing that it was Lily who spoke.
"What are you doing here?" they yelled at the same time.
"I asked you first!"
"No I asked you!"
"Shut up!"
"No you!"
"Stop saying what I'm saying!"
"No you stop!"
"DAMN!" they continued to say what each other was saying until the lady in charge stopped him.
"You are suppose to respond Mr. Potter by saying 'Here' or 'Present', not 'I didn't do it!' and Miss. Evans, young ladies do not use such harsh language."
"Sorry," they said together.
"Where's Sirius, please don't tell me he's going to pull a prank," asked Lily even more hateful of this stupid ball than ever before.
"Hey Padfoot get your arse in here, I think I see Snivillius!" and a second later Sirius was into the room with a devilish grin on his face.
"Hey Prongs I don't see him," said Sirius stupidly.
"That's because he isn't really here, you dolt. I had to get you in here somehow, didn't I."
"That's not very nice, you know how much I love to torture him," said Sirius pouting, "Oi! Lookie who we have here Prongsie, your girlfriend," yelled Sirius wrapping an arm around her.
"I'm no girlfriend of his!" she yelled throwing him off.
"Oho, James I think we're in trouble, look," Sirius said looking horrified.
"I agree completely."
The whole female population was drooling over them. There weren't many, but when these girls got into a boy crazy frenzy it was very hard to get out.
"Erm… Lily, could you help me out please, they really scare me, more than the girls at school," asked a pleading James.
"Nope, sorry, in the words of Sirius ' I want to see you wiggle your way out of this one'," replied Lily smiling.
"Sorry girls, but I'm already in love," Sirius sounded very scared.
"WHAT? YOU LOVE RIN!" yelled Lily.
"Yes," whimpered Sirius.
"Oh my god, she'll go through the roof when I tell her."
"You will not tell her, I will, when I'm ready. Got it."
"Fine."
"Settle down! Settle down! FREEZE!" shouted the host.
"Now, since you two obviously know each other, Mr. Potter, and Miss. Evans, you shall be each others escorts. Now can I please get on with the attendance, Scar-"
"No! I will not dace with him! I already had to dance with him, I'm not going to dance with him again!" interrupted Lily.
"Why not, Lily, afraid of what might happen again?" asked James mockingly.
"Shut up Potter," Lily snarled. Everyone was silent, so silent that you could hear the snow falling outside.
"Why, afraid of falling in-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence."
"Love, and there I was thinking that Gryffindor's were suppose to be brave, guess I was wrong," James dared.
The next second Lily pounced on him and was trying to strangle him. Completely taken aback it took him a while too fully understand what she was doing. Sirius was immediately trying to pull Lily off him.
"Lily… let…go… calm… down…." Sirius was doing his best; Lily put up a good fight. Just as James's face was starting to turn purple she let go. No one had ever seen her get this angry with anyone.
"You have no idea what it's like to be me Potter, to face the world with only one friend who you can't even trust, and now they all know. At least you've got him,"-(Lily pointed to Sirius)- "I'm gone," Lily walked out the door without a backward glance.
"Prongs you really did it this time."
"I know Padfoot, I know."
"Miss. Phoenix, will you tell Miss. Evans that Mr. Potter is still her escort whether they want to or not. It is better for her to learn to get along with people she dislikes, and to get back in here so we may start or she will stay over time."
Scarlet walked out the door and found Lily sitting on the step without a cloak. "Hey," she said quietly, "are you all right?"
"No, why me, shoot me please, I'll even draw a X on my forehead," Lily asked very hopefully.
"No, and I know this sounds stupid but no one knows why you. Now c'mon Lily let's go back in otherwise you have to stay after longer."
"Do I have to?" Lily whined.
"Yes," Scarlet said, mimicking Lily's whining tone, "and you still have to dance with James because Mrs. Prissy in there reckons that it's better for people to do things with the people they hate."
"No, I already had to dance with him once and that turned out to be a complete disaster."
"How do you know this time it won't. Lily you have to take a chance in life once in a while."
"I know, but I don't want to take a chance. What? I'm coming, see I'm moving," said Lily standing up and walking through the doors.
"Yeah, in the wrong direction!" Scarlet pulled on Lily's arm and dragged her inside. "Uh… Lily, you should know that almost everyone is afraid of you now."
"Thanks. Hey, I'm sorry about what I said before, about not trusting anyone."
"It's okay, let's go back. Sirius is kind of cute isn't he?"
"Sorry, he's taken, my other friend at school is seeing him."
"Oh, that's too bad, well then, what do you think of Paul?" said Scarlet smiling.
"He's okay I guess."
"Hey everyone, I got miss fiery to come back, I wouldn't push her too hard James, this time you might end up dead," joked Scarlet.
While Lily was out Mrs. Prissy herself started paring the others up. "Okay everyone, remember, nice swift movement. I'm turning on the music."
Lily and James moved closer to each other, as the music started. James could hear Lily muttering under her breath, "I hate my life, I hate my life," continuously.
When James finally had enough of hearing Lily complaining he asked, "Why do you hate you life, it looks fine to me."
"Because Potter there's a lot you don't know about me yet, a lot no one knows about me."
"They why don't you tell somebody?"
"Because I can't trust anybody. What is this Twenty- one Questions?" asked Lily accusingly.
"What's Twenty-one Questions?" asked James bewildered.
"A muggle game."
"Oh."
"Why do you have to take this?" asked Lily she didn't look as angry as before, but still angry.
"Because my mum made me. Said I needed to learn how to act like a gentleman because I blew up my neighbor's soup in her face last summer. I tried to tell her it wasn't me it was Sirius but then she just signed up both of us because she said Sirius needed to learn too."
"Sirius doesn't look too happy either," Lily pointed out.
"Yeah well he's kind of afraid of what Catherine might do if she finds out he's been dancing with other women."
"She won't do anything, she'll be completely okay as long as he tells her that it meant nothing, and that your mum made him."
The rest of the lesson went smoothly, and Lily was relived when it was finally over. There had been one thing that kept nagging her. How were Sirius and James going to get home?
It was finally six 'o' clock, and everyone went out to their cars. Lily and Scarlet went to the pale green car with mud all over it.
"Lily don't those two boys live next door to you?" asked Scarlet's mother when they got in.
"Yes, unfortunately, why?"
"Because I don't see them getting into any cars, call them over, I'll give them a ride home," Scarlet's mother had always been a very helpful woman.
"Do we have to?" whined Lily.
"Do we have to what?" asked Scarlet, she had just gotten in.
"Do we have to drop those boys off home, since I don't see anyone coming to get them, and yes Lily, now call them over."
"Fine," said Lily huffily winding down the window, "Hey, Potter and Black hop in!" Lily yelled.
James pointed to himself, "Yes you, I don't know any other Potters. Now get in." James and Sirius walked over to the car and sat in it. "What were you planning to do stand out there and become icicles?"
"Ha ha, if you must know we were going to use fl- oh, cookies!" Sirius made a grab for the cookies.
"Hey Lily what station?" asked Miss Phoenix turning on the radio.
"Doesn't matter, pick any," replied Lily.
After she picked a radio station they were off. "Lily are you okay? You have sung along to any of you favorite songs," asked Scarlet's mother form the drivers seat.
"Yes, fine," it wasn't very crammed in the back seat, but Lily had squished herself all the way to the corner. James and Sirius were talking very fast and excitedly about something. From what Lily could hear it sounded like Quidditch.
"Hey mum can I go over Lily's tonight?"
"Sure, I don't see why not, if that's okay with her parents."
"There's a nine out of ten percent chance it will be a yes," said Lily taking to Scarlet in front of her, "At least there's someone there to save me from that retched sister of mine."
"You have a sister?"
"Yes Potter, I have a sister, and she the worst sister you could ask for. Thinks I'm a freak because I go to our school. Also because half the time I act like a boy."
"Oh, so that explains why you wear the boys uniform. Doesn't your mum yell at you for that?" asked Sirius.
"Yes well, you see I'm not as stupid as you. I bought three boys uniforms and one girl uniform that I change into when I have to show my parents. They never ask to see the others because they think that they're all the same. I would appreciate it if you didn't tell them about that too, because, quote ' A lady must always wear proper attire, such a skirts, and elegant dresses to all social gatherings, with the exception of playing or going out with friends' unquote."
"But wasn't this a social gathering?"
"Yes Sirius but I woke late and I had to change fast otherwise I'd be late. My parents didn't have enough time to lecture me on what to wear because I bolted right out. I'm probably going to pay when I get home, well at least from my mum, dad doesn't really care as long as I'm happy."
"Wow, that's complicated."
"I know. What do you want to do when you come over Scar?"
"I don't know, are you still set against makeovers?"
"Yes she is, Rin was trying to give her a make over and we could hear her screaming all the way from our dormitory," Sirius answered for her.
"Same old Lily," Scarlets mum said making a turn onto their street, "What time do you want Scar over Lily?"
"Doesn't matter, I'll ask them and then I'll call, 'kay?"
"'Kay, here's your stop boys and girl."
Everyone said their thanks and went to their own respectable houses. Lily went inside and yelled, "Mum, can Scarlet stay over tonight?"
"Yes!" her mother hollered back.
"Thanks!" she picked up the phone and called Scarlet. "Hello," could be heard on the other end of the line. "Hey, you can come over."
"That's great, what time?"
"Anytime."
"I'll be right over, just let me pack."
"'Kay, I'll get the room ready. 'Bye."
"See 'ya soon."
When they hung up Lily ran into her room and started to move around things so that there would be enough room for her and Scarlet.
She finished just in time, because the doorbell had rung only a minute after she decided that there was enough room there for two people.
"Hey you can put that stuff in my room."
"Thanks, guess what I rented, Enter the Dragon, you know with Bruce Lee in it."
"Cool, I've wanted to see that movie for ages."
"What's a movie?"
"Potter what the hell are you doing here?"
"You know Lil' I'm starting to see why you hate him so much," said Scarlet.
"I'm bored Lily, can I stay with you, and watch the movie?"
"Do you even know what a movie is?"
"No, but I want to know, please, please, please," begged James coming through the window, closely followed by Sirius.
"Get out, if my mum finds you in here I'm in so much trouble."
"Mum Lily has boys in her room!" came a voice from outside her door.
"Petunia! Damnit! Get out now!"
"Fine, fine, I'm going," said James climbing out of the window.
"Goodbye m'ladies," said Sirius following James out the window.
"Lily what is this I hear about boys in here? You know better than that, now where are they?" asked her mother coming into the room.
"I never had any boys in here, did you see any boys in here Scarlet?"
"Nope, none, well except for the boy on this movie case," joked Scarlet.
"Well, then carry on," and with that said she closed the door and waited until her mothers footsteps died away to bust out laughing.
After their laughter subsided and they started to go downstairs to put on the movie Scarlet asked, "So, Lily, what are you going to do once you graduate?"
"I don't really know, maybe become a teacher," she lied, in truth she wanted to become an Auror, but she couldn't tell her that, the Ministry of Magic would be on her like a rat that just found cheese for exposing their world to muggles.
"Oh, I think I might be a doctor, I don't know yet though, I can never decide."
The movie started to play just as Scarlet stopped talking. They watched in silence. By the time it was over it was stark black outside.
"So what should we do now?" Scarlet asked when they got into Lily's room.
"I don't know? Petunia stop being so nosy and leave!" yelled Lily noticing her sister in the corner. Petunia stomped away into her room. "God, sometimes I hate her, no correction, most of the time."
"How about we open this magazine and look at cute guys. Nah that's too shallow."
"What if- are our sleepovers always this boring?"
"I know! We could sneak into the boys room next door and prank them."
"Great idea Scarlet, then I can take a picture to embarrass them at school with," agreed Lily with a devilish smile crossing her face.
"What should we do?"
"Wrap them in seran warp, and put shaving cream on their heads, and stick little gum drops all over them with honey."
"Sounds positively devious, but what are we going to leave behind?"
"A scarlet lily of course! What else."
"Yeah, but where are we going to get a scarlet lily?"
"From the vase down in the foyer of course, I'll go and get it. You get the other stuff. I'll come back and set up the latter."
"Okie- dokie- pokie." Both Lily and Scarlet quietly walked down the stairs. Scarlet came back carrying everything she could, so Lily had to go back down and get the gumdrops.
"Okay, we got everything? Yes, let's go, shoot, I forgot the camera, be back in a second. Okay, let's go."
Scarlet threw the stuff out the window and climbed down, Lily came shortly after her. Then they moved it and scarlet picked up one item at a time and tossed it up to Lily at the top. When Lily caught it, she put it quietly on the floor, and climbed in. When there was nothing left to throw up Scarlet climbed the latter, and picked up the seran wrap and started wrapping one of the beds, making sure to leave some air pockets, Lily following her.
When they finished the stuck their hands through the air pockets and began to put shaving cream all over their faces, and bodies. They took the honey and sat on it for a while because the snow had made it cold and it would wake them up because of the difference in the temperature, and it was very hard for the honey to come out.
When they were convinced that the honey was a good temperature they started to fill in all the places they couldn't use the shaving cream on because they ran out. After that they started to strategically place gumdrops all over them to look like they were gingerbread men. When they finished the left a scarlet lily on the floor.
"That was so much fun, I can't wait until tomorrow morning," Lily said in ecstasy.
"That had to be the most fun I've ever had in my life," agreed Scarlet getting into bed, Lily also hoping into bed with a bounce.
"Yeah, but I'm defiantly gonna pay when I get back to school," Lily said to herself, "'night."
"'Night." Lily turned out the light, thoughts of the morning were racing through her head and she started to giggle. She could hear Scarlet giggling next to her, obviously they were thinking about their reactions to looking like gingerbread men. They stayed giggling until they laughed themselves to sleep.
"Lily Halley Evans, why the hell to we look like the friggin' gingerbread men!" yelled James the second he woke up, he yelled so loud the snow on the roof came down.
"What do you mean?" Lily asked sweetly coming over to the window.
"What do I mean? What do I mean? We're covered in honey and shaving cream and gumdrops!"
"Yes, but you look so cute, don't they Lil?"
"Oh, yes very, very adorable," agreed Scarlet. They didn't do a very good job of keeping a straight face.
"We do not look adorable! We look like food!" yelled Sirius coming to the window trying to wipe the honey off his face.
"See, Lily why'd you have to go and make us prank you?"
"Sure like you could prank me without using hem, hem."
"Yes we could, we aren't called the Marauder's for nothing."
"Could've fooled me, now, good day boys but I've got to be getting on, I'll be awaiting the er… prank, did you say," as Lily closed the window she started to giggle uncontrollably and high- fived Scarlet.
"That was great!" Lily said to Scarlet.
"I know!" Scarlet said back happily. "Let's go down for breakfast."
"Good morning girls, had fun?" was their greeting as they walked into the kitchen.
"More than fun daddy," was Lily's reply sitting down for breakfast. "Yay, Mrs. Evans, you made lumpy pancakes! I love them!" Scarlet yelled stuffing a pancake into her mouth.
"Your welcome honey. Lily today we have to go and pick up a dress for you to wear to the ball tomorrow."
"But mum," Lily whined, "why can't I just wear the dress that you sent me to wear to our Christmas ball?"
"Because people have already seen you wear that," was all she got as a reply.
"Only Potter and Black next door."
"Yes, Lily, but they're considered people."
"No, they're not people they're…," Lily considered calling them arses, but her mother would lecture on her language, and Lily really didn't feel like listening.
"Are you saying that they're ghosts? Because they don't look transparent to me. Now, you will come and we will find a dress and you can bring Scarlet along with you if you wish," he mother stated, she was always the strict one.
"Fine, Scarlet will you-"
"Yes, my mum still hasn't picked out a dress for me yet. I just have to go and change, and get some money. What time do I have to be back?"
"Around noon should be good," Mrs. Evans replied.
"Okay, see you then," Scarlet said getting up from the table and going to the door, Lily following.
"Scar, thanks for putting up with my family."
"No problem Lily, see you at noon," she said grabbing her jacket. Just as she took a step out the door a bucket of fish in smelly water came falling down, spilling on both of them. "Lily what's the matter? What happened?" Lily mother just came out from the kitchen.
"That's it! Potter you are dead!" Lily yelled stomping off to James's house.
"Lily, how nice to see you," James said once he answered the door.
"That really smells nice on you Lily dear, what is it that you're wearing?" asked Sirius coming to the door.
"Really Black, you think that the smell of rotting fish is delightful," Lily said almost yelling.
"Well only to us dogs it's delightful," He should not have said that because the next second he was kicked so hard in the shins that he had a huge black and blue bruise on his leg, and it started to swell.
"Hey, that was uncalled for!" yelled James.
"Watch it Potter, you're next," Lily said very threateningly.
"Or this," Lily said kicking him as hard as she kicked Sirius, "I hope that that will teach you not to play childish pranks on anyone anymore," Lily said and staled off. She knew it was hypocritical, but the smell of the fish was getting to her.
"I don't want to hear a lecture now mum, I'm going to my room for some solitary confinement," Lily stomped up the stairs and slammed her door.
By the time noon rolled around Lily went and took a shower which cooled her temper down. "Hey, Scarlet," Lily said unenthusiastically.
"Hey, ready to go shopping?"
"Yes, how ready can you get to go and do the most boring thing in the world."
"Shopping isn't boring," Scarlet said indignantly.
"Yes, c'mon let's go."
Lily spent the rest of the day shopping with her mother and Scarlet. She was so happy when her mother and Scarlet finally bought the dresses that she bounced all the way out the store and into the car.
"Lily I really think this white dress will look positively lovely on you."
"I think so too mum," Lily replied lazily getting into the car and turning on the radio. When they got back, Mrs. Evans dropped Scarlet off at her house and said, "Lily, I don't know when you became such a trouble maker but this needs to stop."
"I'm not a troublemaker, he deserved it."
"Whether he deserved it or not you should not have done that."
Lily couldn't think of anything to say, so she just got out of the car and headed for her room.
