Disclaimer: Aw, come on people. If you're daft enough to believe that I own Harry Potter....
A/N: PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!!!!! I'm sorry it took me so long to update! It's not my fault—really! I've been so stressed with homework and piano competitions and plays and things. Well, here goes the next one. Again—if you have any ideas for the plot they would be greatly appreciated. Here are responses to my lovely reviewers of chapter deux:
Crystal-Ice2: Thanks for your review(s)! I'm glad you liked it. I will read your new story soon!
Ella-Watson: Thanks so much for reviewing. I don't think it's all that great, myself. Please review again!
ThelovelyladyLily: I will read your story. It sounds good from what I started reading of it. Please review again!
Annmarie Aspasia: Thanks for your reviews. I'm sorry it's taking me so long to update. I really am quite busy, but things are calming down now, so expect sooner updates (but don't hold me to that!)
Puprlebutterfly: Thanks for reviewing, I'm glad you like it!
Marauders4ever: Wow. That was a very long and detailed review. I will be sure to use some of those ideas. Thanks for all of your suggestions—they are greatly appreciated! To answer your questions, in book five, J.K. says that Sirius moved out of James's house after sixth year to get a place of his own. They are going into seventh year now. Please review again!
PrettyLilyFlower: Hey Lily! Thanks for the review. I loved your new story! Please review again!
Chapter Three: Walks, Talks, and Laughs
After about a week of Lily living at the Potters' house, they pretty much had a daily routine: James and Sirius would play Quidditch while Lily read a book, and then the three of them would make lunch, then Sirius would leave and James would try to talk Lily into playing Quidditch with him. He hadn't yet been successful. After James's pleading would come a walk around the Potter estate, where Lily and James would sometimes talk, sometimes just walk in silence. It was an odd thing to do, but they both found themselves looking forward to it everyday.
James had just finished pleading with Lily to play Quidditch for the day, and they decided to head out for their walk. They gotten all the way past the gargantuan black lake before either of them said a word to the other. Finally, James spoke up.
"Do you miss your sister?" he asked not looking at her. Lily looked at him strangely.
"What, Petunia?"
"Yeah," James confirmed. Lily looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Not really," she finally decided. "I mean, she's my sister, and I love her, but...you know...we've never really...gotten along."
"Oh," James said quietly. They walked in silence for a few minutes.
"Why?" Lily asked. James stared at the ground, but stopped walking and turned to face her.
"Do you really want to know?"
"Yes, I do. What is it, James?" James took a deep breath, and started talking.
"I used to have an older sister named Jess. I idolized her. She was my hero. When I was seven, and she was in her second year at Hogwarts, that Tom Riddle fellow invaded the school, and she was killed. I've...I've just always wondered what it was like to have a sister since then. I felt like I never really got to know, because I was a little kid back then...." his voice broke.
"Oh, James—I'm so sorry that happened. I didn't know."
"No, I'm sorry," James said quickly. "You're grieving right now. I shouldn't be telling you about my problems. I just wanted to know."
"I'm sure your sister was a lot nicer than mine," Lily said. "You can't guess how you and your sister would get along now by how my sister and I get along. It's under totally different circumstances."
"I guess you're right."
"Potter," Lily said.
'Oh great,' thought James. 'She's back to using "Potter" again.'
"Even though I don't know you very well, you know you can always talk to me, right?" Lily asked gently.
"Um...yeah," James said. It was getting too sentimental for him. He was never good with that 'you can always come to me' stuff. The only reason he liked hearing it was because Evans had said it.
"Good," Lily said, her voice business-like again. Obviously she had realized how sappy it had been getting, and was, too, uncomfortable with it.
James looked around. They had unknowingly been walking back toward the house, and were only about seventy yards away from it.
"Race you to the house," he said with a boyish grin before bolting off.
"Hey!" Lily yelled, running after him.
James reached the front door a good ten seconds before Lily. She arrived beside him and hung onto his shoulder, trying to catch her breath.
"Hey Lily," he said.
"Hey—what—," Lily gasped.
"I won," James said with a silly smile.
"You had—a head—start," Lily said, trying to regain her breath.
"No, I just...um...ate more cereal than you this morning!"
"What?" asked Lily, utterly nonplussed.
"You know, that whole muggle cereal commercial about those 'Wheaties' that make you stronger or something?" James said, looking at her like she was an idiot. Lily's face got red. Oh no. She was going to start yelling at him now, he was sure. James, however, had miscalculated. Lily burst out in hysterical laughter.
"Wheaties---head start---so funny---muggle commercial," she sputtered incoherently.
"Lily, dear, are you alright?" James asked. Lily nodded, still unable to speak.
After she calmed down, she said with a smile, "Gosh! That wasn't even funny, but it felt so good to laugh! I haven't laughed in a while." Now that he thought about it, James hadn't laughed in a while either.
Mrs. Potter opened the door to see James holding onto Lily as the two of them laughed like maniacs.
"Kids," she muttered with a smile, closing the door again and walking away.
A/N: Alright, that wasn't too terrible. Tell me what needs improvement in your reviews (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). Sorry the update took so long. I will really try to update sooner this time. Shall I say it? Are you people really this dense? Ugh. Fine: Read and review please.
