Title: Warm Despite The Chill
Rating: M
Date Started: 11/24/05
Date Finished:
Date Posted:
Summary: See ch. 1
Chapter: Four
Chapter Title: Of Diagon Alley & Knockturn Alley
Quote: "Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't."
-Eleanor Roosevelt
(1884 - 1962)
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A few weeks later found Lily outside, staring into the murky, large puddle that called itself Puddle Duck Pond. Puddle Duck Pond was a place where she'd been seeking refuge for most of her life, or rather, ever since she'd learned to climb the trellis down from her window.
Most days it was undisturbed, hidden away by years of unkempt vines and rose bushes. Trees towered over it, shrubbery surrounded it- it could've been the middle of the afternoon and no one would've been able to see the redhead concealed within it's depths.
Her hair was pulled into a sloppy bun on top of her hair and she was wearing a plain white shirt with a pair of Beth's shorts. Lately she'd just been so tired out by the atmosphere that hung over her house. Her parents were still trying to talk things over with her, while all the while trying to avoid their daughters and the betrayed looks they shot them. And her sister had been going out every morning with her friends and then every evening with her boyfriend, Vernon.
Lily couldn't help but wish to see Sirius, she knew one way he could most definitely take her mind off things and she'd leap without a second thought at the chance if presented.
Sirius.
She hadn't talked to him at all- they hadn't owled like they'd promised, and she couldn't say that she'd thought about him constantly since summer holidays had started.
Lately though, she'd felt the strange need to hold onto things that weren't new, older things, things before the summer had started comforted her and allowed her to live in a pretend fantasy for a while.
Which was always nice when reality wasn't treating you so well.
She glanced down at her watch and noticed bitterly that the time for her to be home for dinner had come an gone, quickly, as seemed to be the case whenever she was contemplating.
Picking herself up and dusting off the front of her pants, she headed towards her shattered home once again, falling back into the world of reality.
---
She finished her dinner- Bubble & Squeak, one of her least favorites and hurried up to her room, desperate to get away from the hurt and timid silence.
As she reached the top of the tower and collapsed onto the settee, she noticed something odd. One of the windows was open and a owl was staring down into her eyes from the back of the piece of furniture.
"Hello- you're pretty, whose the letter from?" she cooed to it as she untied the piece of parchment wrapped about its ankle.
Opening it up she began to read.
Dear Lily-
I'm sorry I haven't owled you like I promised, but well, neither have you! Anyways, I was wondering if you'd like to go to Diagon Alley this weekend, on Saturday. I know it's last minute, being Friday and all, but if you do just send word with Pix. I'll be by to pick you up around 8 if you decide to go.
-Yours,
Sirius
Happy, for what seemed like the first time in days, she penned out a response quickly saying she'd love to go.
---
After Sirius' letter had been taken care of, she dug through her school trunk to find her radio and tuned it to the AAQ station, deciding that with her life beginning to look up at least a bit, she should get some rest and what better way to fall asleep than listening to her favorite sport being broadcast?
---
He was there again, standing in his darker than dark black cape, and a sort of funnily stained shirt underneath, stained with something that horribly reminded her of blood.
And then he was looking up from a pool…of something, and his scarlet eyes, widened with innocence, closed to slits, and he spoke. His usual melodious voice grating into something mean and harsh, something unwelcome to her.
She knew she was supposed to run now, but she couldn't. Was she going to live a cowards life for the rest of hers?
"What do you want?" she begged.
"The key must be destroyed!" he hissed, stepping towards her.
"The key, I don't have the key and even if I did, I wouldn't let you have it. Besides, I don't have any keys except for the one I use to get in my house, and god damnit- you can't have that either!" she shouted, aiming a kick at his shins.
"Crucio!" he bellowed.
A scorching, excruciating, fire hot sting of pain roared through her body. She knew she was screaming in a separate part of her mind that was detached from the part that was panicking and helpless as she was tortured.
---
Lily awoke shaking and promptly leaned over her bed and vomited.
She gave a painful groan, and then lifted her head to look at the mess.
"Great, just great," she untangled herself from the twisted sheets around her legs and headed for the bathroom to get some things to clean it up with.
---
About 20 minutes later, she finished cleaning and sat on her settee, watching the sun rise. Her music was off and no one in the house awake yet.
Lily found herself not really paying attention to the glorious yellow and orange streaks streaming across the sky as her mind kept traveling back to her dream. It was the first time she had ever had that one, and it was slightly disturbing because it left her with a growing feeling of foreboding in the pit of her stomach.
Eventually she was brought back to veracity with the creaking of stairs and clanging of plates in the kitchen.
She heaved a sigh, and went to take her shower, Sirius would be arriving in a couple of hours and she wanted to look good.
---
Two and a half hours later found Lily dressed in a pair of black pedal pushers and a fitted white hoodie, with her pair of worn trainers on. Her mom had tried to engage her in conversation while she was getting some orange juice to drink. It was needless to say that it hadn't gone well.
---
"So honey, you look nice- are you going out with Beth today?" her mother had smiled hopefully.
Lily rolled her eyes and brushed past her mother, her face unmoved and cold.
She'd jumped as she heard her mother slam her hand on the counter.
"That is it Lily Blaine Evans! I am sick of your crap! Yes your father and I are getting a divorce! There's nothing you can do about it! It's been a long time coming and we're over the edge with having to deal with each other. If you're gonna have such a problem with this then I suggest you find somewhere else to stay! Because as soon as that asshole leaves my house and my life- Don is moving into it!" her mom shouted at her, following Lily into the entranceway.
She stood there shocked, slightly hurt, and very angry.
"Save it, mum, I don't need to listen to this," she bit out as she turned on her heel and stalked away.
"WHERE ARE YOU GOING YOUNG LADY?" her mom asked, seething now.
"Out,"
"OUT WHERE!"
"Out with my boyfriend, Sirius, who cares for me more than you ever have. I'll see you later, if I don't go back to his flat that is," Lily said casually, waggling her fingers in a flippant wave.
Her mother threw the dish towel after her angrily and stormed back into the kitchen.
---
And now here she was, sitting on the sidewalk in front of her house, her crocheted bag resting on her lap. Sirius wasn't due for another 10 minutes and Lily found herself drifting in thoughts of their relationship.
Was it even that? A relationship? She'd agreed to go out with him on the last day of term, and then 2 hours later they'd made out in a hidden nook on Platform 9 ¾. She thought back to him asking her out. Why had she agreed to go out with him? Had she been looking for a good time only, something to give her bragging rights? Such as sitting in the Great Hall and saying extra loudly, "And then Sirius was so sweet- he bought me Bertie Botts and hand fed them to me!" just to feel like she could best some of the purebloods who thought her being a muggle born didn't make her good enough for their world. But yet, even that seemed a little unbelievable- she'd never been one to fight her battles through other people, she was strong and in charge. She could handle herself.
Once she'd discarded that idea she realized something worse. She was being such a hypocrite! She'd told Potter to bugger off because his love for her was just shallow lust, yet here she'd agreed to be Sirius' girlfriend after just one kiss- which hadn't even been that pleasant. It was exciting for sure, but shy and soft it hadn't been, and those were the kisses a girl wanted when she first gets kissed by a new guy.
Lily buried her head in her hands and blew out her breath long and hard. This was frustrating. But it was simple. She'd just have to tell Sirius that she couldn't see him anymore and if he asked why she just have to tell him she wouldn't be able to stand herself if she became a hypocrite. Satisfied and feeling much better about herself now that she had a plan- plans always made Lily feel better in foreign situations- she stuck a piece of gum in her mouth and waited patiently for her boyfri- ex-boyfriend, to arrive.
---
Sirius glanced out the window on the Knight Bus. Trees, neighborhoods, and people all flew past him and he let out a heavy sigh. He would've preferred to keep his distance from Evans, especially because he found it hard to pretend he liked her when really he wanted to cause her horrible pain. Finally the bus pulled to a screeching halt, which knocked him off his chair onto the floor. Grimacing as he got up, he attempted to brush some of the dust off the back of his jeans. Straightening his hair with practiced movements, he hurried down the steps and met Lily.
---
He saw her sitting down, leaning against some houses white picket fence, looking most determined. Her chin was angled in a decisive way and her hands were fidgeting with her bag.
"What's up Lily?" he asked, casually.
She jerked her head up and then immediately looked guilty.
"Hey Sirius. We need to talk," she stated, pushing herself off the ground.
'Uh-oh, what am I supposed to do if she breaks up with me? My plan hasn't even begun yet! Distraction, about Diagon Alley and what shops she wants to go to…' he thought lightening fast.
Sirius saw her open her mouth to continue and he hastily gave her a rather rough kiss.
"So where do you want to go today? Quality Quidditch Supplies? Eyelops Owl Emporium? The Leaky Cauldron for some tuck?"
He inquired all this in a rush, and when she got a subtle yet distinct frown on her face, he gave her a rather hard shove towards the Knight Bus and began to blabber senselessly again, hoping to stall for time.
Their date in Diagon Alley had been going okay so far in Lily's mind and she was truly having a good time joking around with Sirius. He took her inside almost every shop and even bought her a book she'd been eyeing in Flourish & Blotts called "Counter Spells, Jinxes, and Hexes Against Dark Magic Spells". She soon found herself reluctant to break up with him…
Her thoughts were conflicting, fighting in her head. In the end one came out on top.
Why ruin a good day with bad news?
---
Sirius had found himself actually enjoying Lily's company a few times throughout their date and was surprised he was capable of feeling that warmly towards someone who'd been so cold to James. When he caught himself slipping and beginning to like her, he chased away the thoughts as quickly as possible. He'd already betrayed James' trust by buying her that damn book, he couldn't afford to fall back on his plan now.
He would crush her.
---
They exited Quality Quidditch Supplies, each carrying their own bags of practically the same things. EverWeather Warming Quidditch Practice gloves, a shirt with their preferred team, and Sirius with a new Beater's Bat, while Lily had a small 10U personalized quaffle for herself. It was the traditional red with her name done in calligraphy in gold.
"Where to now?" he asked her.
"Maybe some ice cream?" Lily suggested hesitantly, looking around for the source of her sudden strange feeling.
"And I suppose you want me to pay for your sundae as well?" he joked.
She looked horrified.
"No! I'm sorry, no, I'll pay for myself!" she exclaimed, embarrassed.
Sirius began to calm her down.
"Take a chill pill- it was just a joke! Of course I'm going to pay for your sundae."
After they'd finished their sundaes and sat talking for a bit, Lily and Sirius figured it was time to head back out to The Leaky Cauldron.
They strolled leisurely up the alley, and for some unknown reason stopped at the entrance to Knockturn Alley.
While it was light and cheerful in Diagon Alley, 2 meters away it was the exact opposite. The light played tricks on the eyes, shadows moving gracefully and curving into walls in a slightly sinister way. And dark robed figures stalked up and down the tiny, over built lane.
Sirius felt Lily shudder and unconsciously moved closer to her. He was surprised to feel her scoot away and clench her fists.
"Lily?" he asked.
"Those are the bastards that might end up killing my parents and ending my life," she ground out, clenching and unclenching her fists.
"Huh?" he inquired, confused and a little disturbed.
"Well they're after muggles, my parents are muggles. And even if I hate them right now, I'll die if they do as well," she sighed, turning her gaze on her shoes.
"Lily, I promise you this. Your parents will never be killed by Deatheater's…I swear to you," he said firmly, shocked at this overwhelming emotion coming over him like a wave.
"You promise?" she asked in a tiny voice that had him taken aback.
"Yes."
Just then, some invisible force sent their bags flying down the alleyway.
"Oh Merlin, after all that, I refuse to go down there," Lily moaned.
"No problem, we can just use an 'accio' spell."
"Sirius- we can't do magic out of school."
"Right, well we can just rush in and grab them."
They watched as the bags drifted farther down the lane. There was something strange going on, but they weren't about to abandon their purchases.
"Scratch that thought. We'll just go down about 15 meters, use an 'accio' spell, then get out, okay?" he asked.
---
Five minutes later, they were ready to run down and get their bags, and Lily was having severe second thoughts.
"Is this legal Sirius?"
"Legal? Ha! Would I ever do something illegal?"
"Well...you have been known to have...momentary lapses of judgment when it comes to having 'fun',"
"Good point sweetie, lets put it this way."
"Two points to be made here. One, what's with the 'sweetie'? And two, uh-oh, which way?"
"I see your point. It's not exactly legal, but it isn't illegal either,"
"Oh crap, I knew I should've cancelled our date,"
"How you rip at my heart with cold words. I do not believe I shall ever-"
Lily sighed and blew a piece of hair off her face.
"Alright, alright. I'm sorry. Lead the way Mr. Legality,"
Sirius stopped walking, "Hey! I resent that!"
Lily smirked, with new found reassurance.
"Too bad!" and gave him a push down into Knockturn Alley, quickly following Sirius, making sure to not be seen, and more than a tad worried.
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Hey all! Sorry about the extra long update….I didn't mean to take forever, I've just been really busy!
Sorry if there are any incorrect things, I'll have a finished copy from my lovely beta soon…
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Thanks and hugs,
BB
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