AN- hey all!
Welcome to my newest story! It's a bit rough around the edges, but hopefully you will like it. This time I'm going back to the marauder era, and doing an out-of-Hogwarts story. It'll make more sense when you read it. I hate having to create OC's but when you are dealing with the Marauder era. I've seen stories that put Arabella Figg in as one of Lily's friends, but I really don't understand their logic for her not being a squib. But I digress.
I will be starting to revise I'm Lost Without You as soon as I get this chapter up, so if you want something else to read, go check that out. I'm also going to upload a one-shot tentatively called "A Memoir" I'm very proud of it.
Anyway, I hope you like this story, and please review! It makes my day!
love you all,
Tidal Waves
And the Winner Is . . .
Chapter I - Counting Ceiling Tiles
"And would the following people come up to the stage: Mr. Sirius Black, and Mr, James Potter, Miss Kirsten Jones, Miss Lily Evans, Mr. Jonathan Hales, Miss Lyndsay Pearl and Miss Erica Reed."
Lily, shocked, made her way up the steps to the platform to stand beside Sirius. He grinned at her. "What's this for?" she quietly asked him. The black-haired boy simply shrugged his shoulders and gestured towards the man who had just called their names.
"I'm pleased to announce," said the balding man, "that these seven young witches and wizards have won an all expense-paid trip to Vancouver, Canada to represent Team Great Britain at the International Magic Fair that will be held there in May."
The crowd gathered in the hall applauded, and Lily gazed out through her raid hair, finding her friends in the mass of people. She grinned at them and then turned to her friends who were on the platform. James's hazel eyes were twinkling as he grabbed Lily into a celebratory hug. Laughing, she hugged her friend back and then turned to hug Sirius as well.
"We're going to Vancouver!" she yelled, jumping up and down.
"I know," said James. "This is so awesome!"
"Let's go find everyone," said Sirius. "I'm hungry, and we should all go eat dinner now."
"Typical," sighed Lily. "Do boys ever think about anything other than their stomachs?"
James laughed. "Of course we do! We also think about sex and Quidditch, and sometimes both at once," he said.
Lily shuddered. "I really didn't want to know that."
"Well, now you do," said Sirius impatiently. "So can we go now, or what? I'm feeling faint from lack of food."
"Awwww, muffin," said Lily. "Fine, let's go."
xoxox
"Listen up, everyone! Double check your form before you give it to me, because I won't be able to correct any mistakes that you might make," said Mr. Berry, the coordinator for Team Great Britain. The seven finalists were currently finishing with filling out their registration forms for the International Magic Fair that was quickly approaching. Lily brushed her long, red hair out of her eyes and read through her parchment again.
Name: Lily Marie Evans
Mother's Name: Sarah June Evans
Father's Name: Harold Evans
Age: 17
Birthday (MM/DD/YYYY): 05/21/1960
Year: Seventh
School: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Project Title: Conjuring Charms: Should We Use Them?
Project Abstract (50 Words Max.): Many rely on conjuring charms to get them out of tight situations, but these charms can be dangerous if used incorrectly. Different types of charms were used on conjured items and it was found that an excess of conjured items in one place can have adverse effects on one's health.
Project Category: Charms
Allergies or Health Concerns: None
Vegetarian or Vegan: No
The parchment went on and on for about another foot, and Lily, like everyone else, dutifully filled out every little section. At last she was satisfied with her form and she handed it in to Mr. Berry and went off to find her best friend.
xoxox
Lily and her best friend Wyn were sitting together in History of Magic two days later. They were talking to Sirius and James who were sitting right behind them. Professor Binns was at the front of the room, droning on about something to do with a frog and a group of hags. The four friends were discussing their plans for the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend, and Lily was excited about buying some new robes for the trip to Vancouver.
"Lily, what is it with you and your obsession with shopping?" asked Wyn. "You love it more than is healthy for normal people."
"No, I don't. I haven't gotten any new clothes in quite some time, and my parents just sent me a load of money for new things," retorted Lily.
"Sure, Lils," said James. "It's all right to admit your shopping disease. Just let it all out. You are among friends here."
"Yeah, all we'll do is make fun of you, and then move on," said Sirius. "Hey, Prongs, you should go with her. Remember how you told me that you needed some new dress robes?"
Lily watched, curious, as James' cheeks acquired a faint pinkish tint. "You need robes too?" she asked him. James nodded, his pink colour deepening a few shades. "You should come with me then! I could use the company. Someone refuses to come with me." She fake glared at Wyn who laughed.
"What can I say," laughed the brunette, "I'm allergic to shopping!"
"Great," said Sirius. "This way you can spend the day with none other that Hogwarts' sexiest man."
"Remus is going?"asked Wyn, grinning mischievously.
"No. I was referring to myself. You know you want me."
"Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that."
"Pish. Anyway, Remus has a date with Sarah, that Ravenclaw girl he's been hanging out with. Even Peter has a date. With that hot Hufflepuff, no less!" He sighed dramatically. "I suppose that I shall have to spend the day all on my own, sitting in the Three Broomsticks, drinking butterbeer and counting ceiling tiles."
"Oh, don't be such a drama queen. I'll hang out with you this weekend."
"You will? Yay! You won't regret it!"
"Keep it in your pants, Black. And this is only because I have nothing better to do, mind. It's not because I like you or anything."
Sirius grinned his most charming grin. "You know you can't resist me, my dear."
Wyn sighed and turned around to face the front of the classroom. Lily and James caught each others eyes and broke up laughing.
The sound of laughter finally caught the attention of Professor Binns. The ghost looked up from his notes. "Miss Earle, Mister Porter, do you find something funny?"
Lily choked down a laugh and managed to croak out a, "No, Sir."
"Well, see that you pay attention, Miss Everall." He turned back to his notes and continued wit his droning lecture.
xoxox
Saturday dawned bright and clear, and a warm breeze tossed the hair of the students who were making their way down to the village of Hogsmeade. Lily, Wyn, Sirius, and James walked together, as Remus and Peter had met up with their dates earlier in the morning. The group of four laughed and joked as they walked down the long path. Upon reaching Hogsmeade they split up, Lily and James to shop for their dress robes, and Wyn and Sirius to Zonko's.
A smiling woman in her forties greeted James and Lily as they walked through the door of the robes shop. Upon learning that they needed new dress robes, and that it was for the International Magic Fair, she hastily enlisted a shop assistant to help James while she herded Lily off to the women's section. The woman, whose name was Maggie, asked Lily for her size and then began piling robes into the girl's outstretched arms. By the time tat Lily was shown to the dressing room, she could barely see over the many coloured fabrics tat se was holding.
After what seemed like an hour of trying on robe after robe, Lily had narrowed her choices down to three. Wearing a green velvet robe that hugged her curves, she went out to see if James was there to offer his opinion. She found him sitting on a chair with a bag at his feet. When he saw her, his jaw dropped and he abruptly stood up.
"Wow," he said, looking her over with an appraising eye. "That's one nice set of robes."
"You like them then?" asked Lily, slightly amused at his reaction. "I was hoping that you would help me decide which robe to buy. I have two other pairs back in the dressing room."
"Well, go try them on," he said and sat back down.
His reactions were similar for the next two sets of robes. Lily could barely keep from laughing at his hopeless expressions. It was as if he had never seen a girl in a dress before.
James was no help when it came to making a final decision. She eventually picked the emerald robes and the white ones with blue trim. Her parents had sent her enough money for twenty pairs of robes if she wanted them, so she didn't have to worry about the money end of things.
The two friends paid for their robes and stepped out into the sunny street that was crowded with Hogwarts students and locals going about their daily business. They set off up the street to rescue Sirius and Wyn from each other.
