Lily slammed the door shut and trudged towards the sleeping bag on the floor. Why she had to share a room with James when there was a perfectly good couch downstairs she didn't know. Still, she felt it would be rude to object to Mrs. Potter, and Lily was anything but rude.

She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. Her parents were going on a second honeymoon and, instead of leaving Lily and Petunia home or sending Lily to someone's house she actually liked, they decided to send her to Potter's. The very last week of summer had been ruined already—she had hoped they would finally get along but even that was ruined now.

She sighed and reached for the telephone on James' nightstand. She punched in a number on the old and worn keys and waited for Victoria to pick up the phone. "Hello?" Victoria said from the other line. Victoria and Lily had been friends from the first day on the train. She and Lily were complete opposites in almost every way—Lily was ambitious and a perfectionist while Victoria would rather be having fun than anything else. They were different, not only in personalities, but also in their tastes in guys. Lily hated James with a passion but Victoria seemed to think he was a god.

"God, my summer just plummeted to hell," Lily groaned, not even bothering to say hello. "Could Potter be any more of a egotistical bitch?" Lily stood and kicked the base of the bed with her foot, disgusted with the thought of James alone.

Victoria laughed a little, partially from amusement of Lily's complaints but also to cover up how envious she was of Lily. Spending a week with James would be fantastic. "He's only acting like an arrogant jerk to impress you. He so likes you," Victoria assured her, "And, personally, I think you two would be cute together." Lily gagged at the very thought of having any relationship with James Potter. "Quit being so overly-dramatic and go talk to him! And tell him I said hey."

"Victoria, there is no way I will—" Lily began, but she was cut off by the dial tone; Victoria had hung up. Sighing, Lily reluctantly hung up the phone, successfully resisting the urge to call Victoria right back. She knew Victoria was right, though. She was going to be staying here for a week and never leaving her room was certainly not an option.

She grudgingly shuffled towards the door and downstairs where Mrs. Potter was pouring ice into two cans of Coca-Cola. "Oh, Lily dear!" she said in a sugary voice, "Your mother telephoned about fifteen minutes ago. She forgot to tell me that you are yet to visit Diagon Alley and purchase your school supplies."

Lily managed to smile a little, the only reassuring thought at this point being that in just a week she would be at school and away from James, only having to see him during classes and in the Common Room, of course. "Oh yes. I apologize for having to make an extra trip," she said politely.

"It really is no problem. James still needs to go to Diagon Alley, so I suppose you two can go together this afternoon," she suggested, handing Lily a glass of Coca-Cola and setting the other on the table. Though Lily would rather burn in hell than spend the afternoon with James, she just smiled and nodded politely. "Can you take James his drink?"

Lily grabbed his cup and walked downstairs to the couch James was sitting on. He was staring off into space thoughtfully until he heard Lily's approaching footsteps. Snapping his head around quickly, he put on a charming grin. "Hey Evans," he said mischievously, "Is that for me? Why thank you!"

Lily rolled her eyes and sat down on the other side of the couch. "Listen," she said in a serious tone, "Today your mother wants us to go to Diagon Alley together." James raised an eyebrow and put on a crooked grin. "Here's how it's going to work: We split up after your mother leaves, and then meet back at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor at a quarter to three until your mother comes back."

James shrugged and, instead of giving her one of his usual pickup lines, decided to apologize. "Hey Lil…I'm—" he started, but his mother interrupted before he could apologize.

"Let's go! You two have got a lot of shopping to do!" she said enthusiastically, handing them each their broomsticks and pointing them towards the door. Mrs. Potter and Lily went outside first, and James just watched, realizing he had just missed his chance and made an ass of himself in front of Lily once again.