Disclaimer: See first chapter
Chapter 4, The First Night
Lily was listening to James and Sirius talk. After Mr. and Mrs. Potter had left the car, they told her to wait there and they would get her when the room was ready. When they had left the garage, Lily got out of the car and gotten her invisibility cloak out of the trunk. She had gotten it as a present from her mom and dad when she had first gotten her Hogwarts letter.
She had followed Mrs. Potter to James' room and listened to them talk about Sirius' new room arrangement. She was about to follow Mrs. Potter to her new room when she heard them say something about their map of Hogwarts. There was a scrambling of feet and the two had run down the hallway, it was all Lily could do to keep up. What map? There is no map of Hogwarts, I should know. If any map of Hogwarts was made they would at least tell the prefects! Unless of course they sent one out this year, AFTER the prefect duties were all done and I somehow missed it. But that couldn't be! Hmmm.
When Lily finally caught completely up with them Mrs. Potter was leaving the room. Lily stayed hoping to hear more about the map. What Lily had heard was worse than she thought it would be. They already suspected that she was there!? And they were going to check tomorrow night while the Potters were supposed to be at a party? She had to find a way out of there. Dani! I have to owl her right away! Why didn't I think of it before?
Dani, actually Danielle, was Lily's best friend in the whole world. She was a transfer student to Hogwarts in their fourth year from The Salem Institute of Witchcraft For Girls in Texas. Her dad was in the army and had to move to England. Although he was a muggle and not supposed to know where Dani went every year for school, she had to tell him when they moved. How else was she supposed to find a new school? Lily and her became instant friends the minute they met (ramming into each other at Diagon Alley). Both her and Lily seemed to be picked on a lot, Dani because of her accent and attitude and Lily for her clothes. Dani also wore a lot of makeup. Everyone picked on her for that too, although Lily could never see why.
Lily quickly went back the way she came to get her trunk. Mrs. Potter was in the garage looking perplexed.
"Sorry Mrs. Potter" Lily started as she took off her cloak, "I couldn't help but explore a little while I was waiting."
"No problem dear. I just wanted to tell you a few things and then move you into your room. As we said before, your meals will be brought up to you by the elves through floo. I need to ask you a question. Tomorrow I am going out shopping. I want to buy you some new clothes because well, umm. Anyway, I just wanted to get you some. I was wondering if you wanted to come along?"
"That is alright Mrs. Potter, I don't need to come. I don't really need any new clothes for that matter either."
"I'm sorry dear, its just that you have only t-shirts and I just wanted to get you a couple things dear, not much! And another thing, tomorrow night we have a small party to go to. I was wondering if you wanted to go with us?"
"It's ok Mrs. Potter. I'll be all right here by myself. You just go. I was going to owl a friend to see if I could spend some time with her for a while too. She told me she would owl me this summer about it so... well yeah."
"Alright dear. I'll show you to your room." Mrs. Potter started walking towards the room with Lily's trunk in hand. Lily quickly put the cloak on again and followed her. When they got there, Mrs. Potter spoke again "Here you are, we can redecorate it if you like, otherwise I hope you have a good rest!"
"Thank you Mrs. Potter. I really appreciate this" Yeah right. I would rather be home. What if Potter and Black decide to see if I am here tonight instead of tomorrow!! Mrs. Potter left and Lily quickly changed into her pajamas (a very large T- shirt and sweat pants). She put her trunk in the closet (unpacking nothing) and put her invisibility cloak over it. Crawling in bed, her last thoughts before she feel blissfully asleep was at least the bed here is more comfortable, even if the home isn't so welcoming – Potter and Black that is.
James sat in bed just staring at the ceiling. I just have to know if Lily is here! I must know! If she is here, I have to try to spend time with her to make her like me more! I am going to check. Nothing is stopping me from checking tonight!
So James got up and opened the door to the passageway he and Sirius made. He slowly crept down to the end and opened the door. The room was empty. Nothing was in it. Wait! There was someone in the bed! Lily??
As James crept closer the more and more sure he was that it was Lily Evans. He was almost right next to the bed; he could almost see the face to see whom it was when she woke up. James dove under the bed so that she couldn't see him. If she did she would scream! Then his parents would come and well, lets just say it wouldn't be a very pretty sight.
Lily got up and walked over to the window. She was sure that she had heard something! "Stupid Potter, why couldn't he just have let me be! I can have dealt with my parents on my own..." Lily muttered under her breath.
James was hurt. He was just trying to help her out! And now she was very, very mad at him... he had to make her understand. He had to talk to her!
Lily sat at the desk, took out a piece of parchment and began to write her letter to Dani.
Dear Dani,
How has your summer been going? Mine been worse than last years. You know how last year I told you that Potter had been following me around, and my parents started to punish me because of it? Well the problem got worse. This year on several occasions he tried to climb up to my window to talk to me. Plus he sent his PARENTS to check on me and to try and get me 'away from there' I believe he put it. And you can just guess what happened. Apparently, my parents and his have been friends for a while. They talked my parents into having me go home with them to be a hired hand. My parents of course agreed not knowing that the boy who they punish me so much for was their son. Of course, they aren't going to make me to servants work but well. Potter suspects that I am here even though I told his mom not to tell him. I heard him and Sirius talking. They are planning on checking to see if I am here tomorrow (Wednesday) night while they are supposed to be at a party with Potter's parents. I was wondering if I could stay over there by you for a few days? I don't want your dad to freak though. But would you both be ok with it? I really don't want Potter to know that I am here. Mrs. Potter wants to buy me some new clothes. YUCK! I can just imagine the clothes that she wants to get me. All of those prissy type ones. Why can't people like that leave people like us alone! We WANT to wear what we wear! It is a statement of our personality. Oh well, I'll just wear one a week, see if she likes that. I hope she doesn't get very many. I feel really bad when people give me charity like that. I really don't like it. Well I am writing this at almost 2 in the morning and I am SO tired. I heard a noise and woke up. Maybe now I can go back to sleep. Hope to see you tomorrow if it is all right. Owl me back as soon as possible ok? I really don't want to stay here tomorrow night, then Potter will know I am here and my life would be ruined. Thanks for understanding
Yours Truly,
Lillian Evans
P.S. I found out who Jip is, you know the initials from my dreams? It's Potter, at least... I think it's him. His middle name is Isaac. What should I do! I don't want to know how that dream turns out. Maybe if I go over there we can talk about it.
"That should do it. OH NO! I don't have an owl! Oh well, I'll just ask Mrs. Potter in the mor-"Lily stopped mid-sentence, "What is that?"
James almost burst out laughing, he would have if he hadn't remembered that he was hiding in a girls bedroom. It was their owl, Perkins. Whenever anyone in the house needed an owl mailed. Perkins always sensed it and came right to the room.
"Wow, that is awesome! An owl who can sense when a letter needs to be sent! How clever!"
Lily told the owl that the letter needed to go to Danielle Ginther and it flew away. Then she crawled quickly back into bed and fell asleep.
James got up quickly and silently and walked to the window. He called out to the owl just in time; it was almost past the gate. Perkins zoomed back and onto James' outstretched arm. James took the letter and read it quickly. She heard Sirius and I talking? How? Hmmm, his mum was going to get Lily a "few" clothes. I know what that means. The whole stores stock in Lily's size. Jip! I am in her dreams! I wonder if it is good or bad. Lily stirred Oh no! Better get out of here and send Perkins off again! James quickly sent the bird and went back to his room, his mind buzzing with many unanswerable questions.
Thanks to trashcan for the review! (don't worry... as soon as I get the chapter up I will send it up, so obviously by the time you read this you will have gotten the email! LOL)
I hope you liked the chapter! I have decided that for a while (not sure for how long really) I will give out the name of the next chapter. SO the name of chapter five will be: The Hooded Stranger.