Chapter 3:
Their trunks were packed, their room given a last clean, their muggle clothes were adorned and now all that was left was the last meal of the year.
Rushing down the stairs to the Great Hall Lily and James were late – Lily hadn't been able to find her earring. The old doors creaked as they were pushed open and Lily and James tried to sneak in without being noticed. Unfortunately the room was in the middle of a minutes silence for the guard dog who had died the week before hand. Every head in the Great Hall swivelled around to investigate the noise of the doors and were presented with a James Potter and Lily Evans holding hands, sneaking to their table.
Cutlery clattered to the floor, food dripped from spoons and forks that had been in use, the silence was deafening. Lily marched down the spaces in between the tables to two empty seats and sat down pulling James hard into the seat next to her. Glares from most of the female students were directed towards Lily; she just glared back and stood up. All eyes refocused on the little red-head as came to her full height, which was not much.
"EVERYBODY TURN AROUND. EAT YOUR FOOD AND STOP BLOODY STARING AT US!" she bellowed to the room. Lily stood breathing in and filling up her lungs, a hard glint in her eyes and a set jaw. James knew this look he had seen it numerous time again and again. It was definitely surreal to not have it being used on him.
Immediately everyone returned to their dinner and started up hesitant conversations to appease Lily. She sat back down and started to grab all food that was in her sight and munching down on it hungrily. James stared at the girl. She was normally so refined and perfect. And now here she was ripping chicken from its bone with her hands and teeth. James wondered the enigma that was Lily Evans while he tucked into his meal with little less vigour.
Dinner was finished and students filed out of the Great Hall, then the castle and boarded the large red Hogwarts Express in Hogsmede station. Lily had to sit with the Marauders and endure their endless talk about pranks, girls, nonsense and other Marauder stuff. She also had to endure the glares from most of the Hogwarts girls whenever one passed her cabin, in which she sat with three of the schools most eligible bachelors. She couldn't wait for the train ride to be over. Though she did learn some interesting things about the three marauders. Sirius Black had a fear of balloons, Remus Lupin was really the brains behind all the pranks – "innocent" Lily scoffed under her breath-, James Potter was madly in love with someone who was nicknamed Buboo and for some reason constantly visited his house, his family and him while he was at school.
Lily dozed off half way through the train ride and woke up with a sudden jerk as the train pulled to a stop at King Cross Station. Eager to be away from the boys Lily jumped up and out of the carriage. Pulling Potter along she said her good byes to the few people who she talked to, collected her trunk and waited for someone to pick her up. James followed behind her with his trunk magically shrunken in his pocket. Lily still had hers at her feet as she tried to look over the crowd. Standing on her trunk she started to wave to a man in a black suit. He had almost white hair, light blue eyes and was very white. If it hadn't been for the fact that he had blue eyes James would have sworn he was a vampire or an albino. The man (who James dubbed the vampire) stiffly walked over to Lily and after a handshake picked up her trunk, turned and walked off in the direction of a large black car.
'Wow' James thought 'these people are cold'. He thought referring to Lily's dad's manner when dealing with his youngest daughter and the boy hanging off her hand. He expected a man to come colliding up to his daughter and try and talk to her about the birds and the bees and that getting romantically involved at such a yada, yada, yada. He expected a lady with a high starched collar, tight red bun, a mobile on one ear and a daily planner in the other hand, just like her daughter. He didn't expect this stiff formal man with a perfectly dry cleaned black suit with no love in his eyes, or warmth in his handshake.
Lily jumped into the open door and settled herself in the back of the car, not giving her father a hug or a kiss or any recognition but a small thank you for holding the door open. 'What a little ungrateful URGH' he screamed in frustration to himself. Maybe he wasn't the only one she treated like crap he thought to himself as Lily's dad started to drive away from the station.
"Where were your parents?"
"Told them I was staying at a muggle friend's place" James answered shrugging his shoulders as though it didn't matter.
"Aren't they worried they won't see you all summer?"
"Nope they don't really care to tell you the truth" Lily was infuriated by his attitude. Of course his parents would worry. Couldn't he put himself in their shoes for just two minutes? Couldn't he just put himself in anyone's shoes for more than two seconds? 'I guess that was already answered by the merciless pranks he pulled' she jeered quietly during the car trip.
James dozed off in the back seat expecting a long journey to Lily's home. Probably lives in a mansion he sneered to himself and settled himself down for a nap. Five minutes later The Vampire stopped the car outside a large building with White tin contraptions flying around in the sky.
Once again Lily jumped out of the car and started heading towards the building. In horror and fascination James followed behind her. What is she thinking going into a there? James wondered frantically trying to piece together the parts of the puzzle that is Lily Evans.
Where the white flying things a type of rare dragon? Did she live with dragons? Did she hunt them? Why didn't her and her dad talk? Why didn't she seem bother about his cold attitude? What was going on?
By the time Lily dragged James through the sliding glass doors he was thoroughly confused by her actions. Lily noticed him lagging and turned to tell him to hurry when she noticed his pale face and sweating hands. 'Oh god he's probably never been to an airport' she realised. She squeezed his hand to reassure he was going to be all right. Walking over to the line in the airport they waited until a check-in became available.
Standing in line Lily told James about airports and what the 'white dragons' did. Thinking back on the conversation Lily realised it was her first civil tête-à-tête with the prank lord since before she could remember. They finally reached the check in lady and were given their tickets that Lily's parents brought on the internet.
Lily guided James through the airport to the flight lounge where they had a light lunch and headed out to catch their plane. James asked a lot of questions on the plane, "what's this do?" "How's this work?" "What's that man wearing?" "Why's he wearing it?" "Who's she?" "Why don't you know her?" Lily answered as best she could humorously comparing him to a child in a new candy store. Round eyed, open mouthed and firing question after question. Many of the people looked at Lily in sympathy and glared at James. They obviously wouldn't be getting much sleep this trip and he obviously slept through the muggle studies lesson on planes.
Eventually Lily dozed off knowing she would definitely be suffering from jet lag if she didn't. Unfortunately James had never been out of the country and didn't understand why he needed to go to sleep. He stayed awake all night playing the games in the headrest in front of him. He had once tried to go after this one long legged bimbo but realised he couldn't after Lily wouldn't let go of his hand. Realising that everyone would have thought they were a couple he sank down in his seat and tried to not bring any attention to himself. He didn't want anyone seeing him holding her hand.
He looked down at the sleeping red-head. The dimmed lighting making her hair sparkle and the cute little freckles on her nose more noticeable. CUTE? CUTE? What am I thinking? She's THE Lily Evans. Total butt ugly bitch who never gives anyone any slack. Ok must get to sleep, obviously I'm hallucinating because she is looking quite attractive. One thing he did notice was that she wasn't wearing her schedule watch and instead a purple and green watch with a round character rubbing its hands together and the writing Miss Chief next to it.
Lily had a good knack of sleeping while travelling since she had been doing this particular route for the last six years every summer and Christmas holidays. As much as she tried she just couldn't get to sleep this trip. Maybe it was bumpier than usual? Or maybe the lights were brighter? Or maybe it's because she had a boy sitting next to her, holding her hand and was going home with her to meet her family? Just maybe...
Lily was officially freaking out. She had tried everything to fit in at school and having her arch enemy come to her house definitely wasn't part of the plans. She had learnt to English customs and speech. She learnt the history of the Unite Kingdom and the jokes of the native people. Hours and hours of research and practice to not be the odd one out at school. After freaking out enough she eventually dozed off in her sleep and woke up nine hours later feeling refreshed and happy. After a year with no visits she was finally getting to see her parents again. James wasn't feeling as well as she was. He was asleep on his feet and very grumpy because he just realised he wouldn't be on the market over the holidays. It was no longer a charm in his books it was now a curse.
Lily was skipping down the walkway between the plane and the airport when she stopped, her happy smiled wiped from her face. Looking around she noticed it was not her home airport she still wasn't home. A man in a dry cleaned black suit with a board and the names Evans and Potter written in block writing waited and she pulled James over to him. The man took her bags and handed her a small envelope to read. The name Grommit written in her father's cursive writing stood out against the white envelope.
In the car Lily ripped open the envelope and found a letter and a small photo.
To out little Grommit,
Since we couldn't take you on the family holiday to the Gold Coast we, as a family, have decided to give you your own holiday. I know you have a companion so you should be ok.
You will be staying the Hotel Plazo in Penang. Right now you should be in Kuala Lumpa airport and you are to take the tickets in this envelope and catch the 10.45pm flight with Qantas – sorry honey can't find the flight number.
Enclosed is also your own credit card for the holidays.
Rules:
no stuff with the boys – though I know you'll probably ignore this
don't spend excessively please
HAVE FUN
Love from your mum and dearest, bestest, greatest dad
Hun ignore your dad
Have fun, be good and no boys. Also we would like to still pay our bills so easy with the card
Love ya mum
Inside the envelope were six tickets, two to Penang, two back to Kuala Lumpa and another two bound for home. The tickets home were dated for four days away. Lily pulled out the photo. It was a picture of her sister's wedding to her now husband and long time boyfriend Vernon Dursley. Lily had missed the wedding because it was over her mock Newts exams and she just couldn't come home. Petunia didn't even give her a place in the wedding. Her mother, her father and even her sort of friend had some part in the wedding but her little sister wasn't even mentioned. Lily felt her heart breaking all over again. She felt betrayed. Quickly she put away the photo after feeling a prickle in her eyes and soreness in her throat. She smiled up at James – albeit a forced smile it was all she could manage.
James didn't notice the smile as once again he was off in wonderland as he stared around the KL airport.
"This is a final call for a Ms. Evans and Mr. Potter can they please make their way to gate 12" Lily heard on the announcement system. Typical dad booking a flight back to back. Waking James from his ga-ga land they took off at a run and made it to the plane just in time. Huffing and puffing they made their way to their seats and sat down for another few hours of flying. It would have been nice to sit down and soak in her Mum and Dad's letter but good ol' dad and booking times.
She pulled out the letter again and noticed more writing on the back of the original letter
Ello Grommit,
As you can see there is a map of the area in Penang you're staying in. I asked for some help from Sally – she's living there now did you know? And she said she would help me out. By the way she's meeting you at the airport. I know that you hate never doing anything so I arranged a little GIFT for you and your friend. At certain places you'll find little presents from your mother, sister, Alana, Shanti and myself. Hope you like it.
Love you always DAD
Lily was smiling by the end of the letter. Dad was always doing stuff like this for Petunia and her when they were little. When they were little he would write letters from the Easter Bunny and how he and the misses were now up to their 300th child and give clues to where the eggs were hidden. They weren't hard to find because he usually left cotton as a trail to find the eggs. Mr. Bunny was apparently losing his fur.
Lily hadn't had a treasure hunt in such a long time she wasn't sure if she could complete one or figure out the clues.
James had no idea why Lily was smiling so much since leaving Kuala Lumpa but whatever stopped her from screaming was always welcome to him.
