Chapter 7: The Journey

The day sped past quickly as did the term. This year she was going to stay at Hogwarts but changed her mind in the last couple of weeks of term. Christmas was a family time.

She boarded the Hogwarts Express, which was packed with students returning home for the holidays. The boys were staying at school, so she and Severus had the compartment to theirselves. They talked about what it had been like during term, about what they were doing in the holidays, arranged to meet up and finished the holiday homework on the train.

When she entered Kings Cross Station, her parents were awaiting her arrival. Her parents gave her a welcoming kiss and Petunia even said hi. Severus was pushing Lily's trunk for her as his mother was dealing with his. He walked her out to the car, gave her a kiss and told her he loved her then returned to meet his parents.

The car journey home was pleasant. Her mother asked her "How much time are you going to have to spend on homework this holiday", and was pleasantly surprised when Lily told her she'd done it on the train. When she arrived home she spent the first couple of hours unpacking her things.

At dinner her parents asked her how school had been, what she'd learnt and how everyone was. Her parents had met the boys last Christmas, when they visited with Lily's presents. Petunia just sat playing with her food whilst this conversation was held. She only rejoined conversation when the topic was her wedding.

Lily had to go into muggle London with Petunia to look for a dress. Petunia didn't mind as long as Lily took her to Diagon Alley and Lily didn't mind as she needed new muggle clothes and some potions ingredients.

That night when she retired to her room, she sent Sev a letter.

Dearest Sev

I can't meet you properly tomorrow. I have to go to London shopping with Petunia, but we're going to Diagon Alley as well. I could meet you at Florian and Fortescues about 5pm. Sorry about this but I need some muggle clothing as well otherwise I'd just come and meet you.

Love you Loads

Lily

He replied almost immediately.

Lily,

I'll be in Diagon Alley all day, so if your there early I'll be in Flourish and Blotts or the Leaky Cauldron.

Love

Severus

She awoke the next morning an hour before Petunia so she had more time to make herself respectable. She'd put on some black dress trousers, a white blouse and her suit jacket on top. She then washed and dried her hair before putting it up in an elegant bun.

She went downstairs for breakfast at the same time as Petunia who was stunned, who knew Lily could scrub up so well. Her parents were pleased that Lily had made such an effort for her sister and gave her some extra money to buy some more clothes as she had grown over the last couple of months. Their father dropped them off in London on his way to work.