Chapter 28, "Thank You So Much!"

It had been two days like she told Rin, so she said her good- byes to James, Remus, Sirius, Peter, and Rin. She planned to meet her old friend at the corner of First and Second Avenue in New York. He still didn't know that she was a witch, but she was going to tell him today, and just hope that he'd be okay with it.

"Hey there's my Tree," a voice said from behind her.

Lily spun around. "Hey, I've got something important to tell you. And ask you as well. Do you think we could sit?"

"Sure, there's a coffee shop down the corner. Are you okay? You look very nervous," he asked her walking through the open door.

"Yes. No. I really don't know, Smurf, I really don't. I must be breaking about 1,000 rules right now," Lily said more to herself than to him.

"Okay, I'm just going to come out with it and say it. Stuart, you're like a brother to me, and for the past ten years I've lied to you."

A puzzeled look came across his face, but Lily just plowed on.

"Do you remember when we were 11 and we stopped going to the same school?"

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with anything?"

Lily ignored him.

"Do you remember when my mum told you that I was going to a school as a forign exchange student in Brazil? Well, I wasn't."

"Lily, I swear to God, if you're going to tell me you commited murder-"

But Lily cut him off. "Murder? I? No! See, since I was 11, I've attened a school called Hogwarts. You see, I'm no normal person. I'm a witch." Lily braced herself.

"A what?" Stuart said in amazement. "Surely you lie. A witch?"

"I'm not lying. There are more like me too. Do you remember last christmas when we saw each other at that resteraunt?"

"Yeah, you were with those two blokes and their family," Stuart pointed out.

"Yeah, they're wizards. And do you remember James?"

"Messy hair, kind of small?"

"Yeah, well he's my fiance, and I was wondering, since my parents died, maybe you could walk me down the alter? You're like a brother to me. It would really mean a lot," Lily hoped his answer would be yes.

Lily was surprised that he gave his answer without hesitation.

"Of course!" he yelled making everybody in the shop jump with surprise, while he jumped and hugged Lily like she would vanish in a few moments.

With a huge smile forming on her face, she told him, "You can't tell anyone though. You have to promise me!"

"I won't," he promised.

"Not even your family or your girlriend, or anyone."

"Not a soul."

"Thank you so much! The wedding is on December 31st. I know that it's really far away, that's why I'm willing to pay for an airplane ticket," Lily told him, sitting back down again.

"No! You'll be spending a hell of a lot of money already on the wedding. I've got some money saved. I'll pay for it," he told her.

"But- but-"

"No but's, I'm paying, I'm coming. That's final!" He laughed and hugged Lily again. "Congrats."

"Now get back to England, I'm sure your fiance misses you," Stuart told her.

"Yeah, sure. Just one thing," Lily looked at him.

"Hum…?" He looked at her.

"I thought you might have wanted to see some proof. You know, not may people believe in Witches, or Wizards," Lily told him, looking him square in the eye.

"Well, I promised your mother, but…."

"But what?" Lily pushed on.

"Well, before I left, she told me about you. See, I was really angry at you for leaving. Your mom took pity on me, and said that you went to a school for witches and wizards, then she made me promise not to tell anyone," he finished, looking down a little.

"Ohhh…."

"Yeah, well, the point is I knew, and you told me when you felt ready. I won't tell anyone, ever, I swear! And I'm honored that you consider me a brother (though a very distant one) and want me at your wedding."

"I don't care you know, but I've got to tell someone else that I'm a witch and I just hope she'll be as okay with it as you are," Lily told him as they walked out the door.

"Who is it? Scarlet?" He asked, walking along side her.

"Didn't you hear?" He shook his head. "She died, tring to help me fight are really evil, vile, wizard who hates all muggles and muggle borns," Lily said quietly, a tear trickling down her cheek.

"Er… muggle? Muggle borns?"

"Oh, right. You're a muggle. People who aren't a witch or wizard. Muggle borns are witches or wizards like me who have non- magical parents," she explained.

"Oh."

"Well, James will probably be worried. I only told him I'd be gone for a few hours."

"How can you be gone for a few hours? Don't you have to fly?"

"Fly? No, no, no, I can apparate. You know, dissaperate in one place on second, and appear in another the next."

"Ah… I wish I could do that. Then I could actually be on time for something," he joked.

"Well, it's a lot harder than it seems. On my first test I managed to split my body in half. My legs were in London and the other half in Minsk." They both laughed.

"Here is where I want you to be at a certain time and place, so I can pick you up and bring you to my friends house, where I've been staying for the past three years. Thanks again for doing this. It really does mean a lot."

"It's nothing. I'll be there. You can count on me. And I promise not to tell a soul," he whispered in her ear as they hugged good - bye. The next thing he knew, a small pop sounded, and a waving Lily was his last sight.

Lily eventually solved her problem. She went over to Scarlet's old house where her mother was still residing and asked her to be one of her bridesmaids. Scalret's mother, like Stuart, did not find it revolting that Lily was a witch, but she did need a little persuading. Scarlet's mother did agree to meet Lily at the air port to pick her up and bring her to the Sugarsweets manson, just like Stuart.