"Mum, can we go to Diagon Alley tomorrow?"
Lily was laying on her stomach on the floor, her legs kicking back and forth in the air above her. She rested her head on a hand, her other hand waving a licorice wand like it was capable of magic. She was impatient and brimming with excitement.
"I told you, Lil, we're going on Monday. That place is far too crowded on the weekend."
She gave a big sigh and rolled over onto her back. Her long, red hair fanned out around her, and she took a bite of the candy in her hand. Albus glanced over at them from the sofa, putting down the book he was reading. "Have you figured out what you want your Hogwarts present to be yet?"
It was a tradition in Ginny's family for the kids to get something special when they were headed off to Hogwarts. James had gotten a new broom, and Albus an owl of his own. Lily had been thinking long and hard about what she wanted. She was still trying to decide if there was anything in the world she truly wanted more than "A broom." She smiled with confidence in her decision. "Since I'll be making the team this year, anyway."
"You know the rules, Lil."
Lily sat up and crossed her arms, looking at her mother. "Dad did."
Ginny just rolled her eyes. "Your dad was a special case. Rules didn't seem to apply to him."
"But—"
"Look, I'll admit, you're good on a broom. No doubt you'll make the team next year—"
"Plus," Albus added. "Only Ravenclaw had seventh years on the team last year. Everyone else is still pretty set in their players."
Lily huffed, grabbing another licorice wand and waving it about. "Fine. But I still want one to practice. I'm going to be better than all of them by my second year, just you wait."
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A/N: Written for Advent Calendar Day 30: (food) Licorice wands;
Writing Club – Showtime 26: (genre) Slice of life;
Writing Month and Dragons: wc 322