January 30, 1978

Ten minutes later Lily was waiting in the entrance hall. Lily hadn't really known where they were going or how nice she had to dress, so she'd just put on something decent and brought earrings in the pocket of her coat.

"Hey."

"James, what the hell is going on?"

"You'll see. Here." James covered them in the invisibility cloak. "Right. Had to a bit of testing to see if this would work, but now we know."

He pulled out an unassuming shoe and muttered "Portus."

"Okay take hold." James said.

Lily put her hand on the shoe and a second later, somewhere near her navel, something pulled her and she lurched forward something pressing around her forcing her closer to James and the shoe. Then the pressure released and she was in muggle London, in an alley near Westminster.

"James, what the fuck!" Lily whisper yelled.

James pocketed the shoe and took off the cloak. "I used a portkey to get us out of Hogwarts, since we can't apparate on school grounds."

"That's… actually pretty smart." Lily said astonished.

"Thanks, alright let's go." James led Lily out of the alley and onto the street. London was crowded but beautiful, especially with the sun setting on the horizon and casting a myriad of colors reflecting on the glass of the buildings around them.

"This way Lils." James said taking her hand and leading her down the street.

"Where are we going?"

"Still a surprise, Evans." He said smiling.

They walked past several shops, a couple pubs, and a strange looking office building. Finally, James stopped in front of a dark shop.

"I think it's closed, James."

"Nonsense. Just dark." He opened the door and gesture for her to enter.

Once inside Lily could see that it was open but that the windows were covered so that inside the lighting could be colourful and not bother with outside light. She also noticed that the place they were in was not really a shop. There were several tables covered in a thin fuzzy, green felt. A couple people were standing around these tables and using long rods to knock little balls around the table.

"James, what is this place?" Lily asked as he came up next to her.

"This is a billiard place, I'll explain when we get our table. It's a game, you try to sink the balls into the pockets."

"Oh."

James led her forward and conversed with the clerk.

"Ello, we have a reservation."

"What's the name?"

"Charles Walker."

"I need an I.D. for both of you."

"Right." James pulled out an I.D. for Charles Walker, and to Lily's surprise her own I.D. from a pocket in his coat.

"Alright." The clerk said after examining the photos and their faces. "Right this way."

The clerk walked them over to a table in the back corner.

"Alright Mr. Walker?"

"Yes, thanks very much."

"Great, a waiter will be around soon for your orders." He said handing them menus.

The clerk walked back to the front desk and left Lily and James by themselves.

"So...Charles Walker?"

"Oh that's my fake I.D., I use it when I need to get in places in the muggle world. I got yours from your mum, by the way. Ok let's get started."

"Wait, why are we here?" Lily asked.

"Well, I thought you probably wouldn't want to go out drinking, so I thought what else do you need to be 18 for and would be fun. Billiards! Do you know how to play?"

"Umm I think my dad taught me once, but I don't really remember."

"Okay, I'll teach you."

James began describing how to play, using the cue, as the rod was apparently called, to hit the cue-ball into other balls and knock them into the pockets, and breaking, and scratching. Lily started to remember as he began, but then the waiter came round.

"What would you like, sir and ma'am?"

"I'll take a beer, Lily?"

"Umm.. I guess I'll have a beer too?"

"Very good. Any food?"

"Fish and chips is fine." James answered.

The waiter left with the menus and James handed Lily a cue.

"Ready?"

"Uhh yeah?"

"Right, I'll break then we'll play."

James set up the balls and hit the cue-ball into them.

Lily took her turn next. She leveled her cue, aimed and shot. She stood up to watch as the cue-ball hit the five ball into the side pocket.

"Woo!"

"Nice job, Lils! Alright you're solids." He held up his hand for a high-five and she obliged.

Lily aimed at the three and hit it in the corner.

"Jeez Evans, are you a secret billiards expert?"

"Not to my knowledge."

The waiter came back round with their beers.

"Thanks mate." James said as he dropped them off. "Okay Lils, you ever had alcohol?"

"Well not really."

"Good, it probably won't do much if we just have a couple beers, especially if we drink them slowly, but you should know that if you do get a little drunk, you will have no filter and you'll feel lighter. But in the morning you'll get a headache. Okay?"

"Uhh yeah, but how do you know?"

"Well you can't be friends with Sirius and not get drunk at least once a month."

"Okay, uhh cheers, I guess." Lily said holding up her beer.

They cheered and then took a sip. It was cold and a little bitter, but pretty good. She set down and took aim at the four, but she didn't hit hard enough and it hovered in front of the corner pocket.

"Blast!" She exclaimed.

"It's okay Lils, now you'll see a pro."

"Oh really?"

"Watch and learn." He smiled.

James aimed for the eleven and it ricocheted off the rail and ended very far from where he had aimed. James eyebrows knit together.

"What just happened?"

"I think, James, that you are not the expert you imagine you are." Lily said chuckling.

"Impossible, but it's your turn."

Lily and James played for a while until Lily hit the eight ball in and won.

"Woo!"

"Merlin Lily, you wiped the floor with me!"

"That's right mister, remember that."

"Want to play another or do something else?"

"I think the floor is still dirty, my dear." Lily chuckled.

o0o

Lily lay in bed later that night thinking over her 18th birthday. It had been one for the books. Lily had had the greatest time playing billiards with James, especially since she had won two of the three games they'd played. And now she was 18. It seemed like her life had gone by so fast. Wasn't it only five minutes ago that she'd been flying off swings with Petunia? It had been a good life so far and Lily couldn't wait for the rest of it.