You're Crashing, But You're No Wave

Disclaimer: Everything you love about this story isn't mine… but I'm going to keep writing anyway in hopes that you'll like the tales I weave as much as the characters that make them.

Author's Note: Here enters the first predicament of the story. But I promise it will be back to Hogwarts with Miss Lily soon. Also, I just wanted to provide a quick 'thank you' to everyone who has reviewed, added a story alert, or placed this fic on their favorites list. You are all amazing and have encouraged me immensely! Drop a review and I will write back.

Stepping into her childhood home hadn't brought nearly the same feelings of warmth and love that Lily consoled herself remembering while she was away at Hogwarts; though that probably had everything to do with the presence of her older sister and the rogue-ish man she'd brought home as her fiancée. The trio had just finished an afternoon lunch and Lily had busied herself clearing their dishes away from the table. There was silence in the room, an awkward, looming sort that left Lily feeling rather overwrought; she spared no effort to keep her activity near the sink quiet.

"I've been thinking," Petunia's shrill voice sounded through the kitchen, breaking Lily's concentration on the dishes. The girl at the sink stopped for only a moment to look over her shoulder, a silent acknowledgment that she'd heard her sister. Clearing her throat and proceeding at the nudge of her shoulder by Vernon, Petunia continued, "About the house."

After a few moments of tension, Lily placed another dish on the drying rack beside her, "Oh?"

The girl had managed to sound indifferent to what it was that her sister was going to tell her but, really, it was just a feeble attempt at a defense against the thoughts that her sister's words were likely to illicit. Discussion about the estate and personal effects of her late parents was something that Lily was not quite interested in, nor capable of, discussing with a sister she still hadn't completely mended her relationship with.

Lily had arrived at Bethlem Royal Hospital not more than a quarter of an hour after being picked up at King's Cross Station by her sister's burly fiancée. He'd politely managed her trunk back to the car for her, offering an impersonal, yet not altogether impolite, 'I'm sorry for your loss,' before navigating the most direct route to Bethlem. He'd let her out at the doorway, telling her just the room number and floor her mother's room was located on, so that he could park the car.

She'd hurried to the elevator, tapping her foot impatiently as the contraption carried her higher at an agonizingly slow pace. It had taken seconds for her to rush from the elevator, nearly pushing the doors open with her fists, before hurrying through the hallways. Able to follow Petunia's voice and locate her mother's room more quickly, Lily swung around the doorway. She felt her breath catch in her throat, however, when she saw how many machines her mother was tied to. Petunia was sitting in a small wooden chair at Mrs. Evans' bedside; she looked up when she heard Lily's footsteps slow as she crossed the threshold. The red haired daughter could have sworn she saw her mother smile when their eyes met.

"My girls," she managed quietly.

"Shh! Mother," Petunia pleaded. "Everything's alright now. Lily's home; we're together… as a family."

Taking the last few, cautious, steps to her mother's bedside, Lily took the woman's frail hand and was shocked at how cold it felt in her own. Her eyes darted to Petunia, who had stood up to be closer to her younger sister. There were dark circles under her eyes, alluding that she hadn't left their mother's bedside since her condition had stabilized. It was an acceptable reason, Lily decided then, to send Vernon after her at the station.

"I had hoped," Mrs. Evans stopped just once to wince, as her heart monitor fluttered. "I had hoped to see the two of you grown; best friends again."

"Oh mummy," Lily whispered, brushing a few strands of her dark auburn hair, graying slightly from age, out of her icy blue eyes. "Don't you talk like that!"

Petunia had nodded her agreement, placing a protective hand on Lily's shoulder.

"Promise me that you'll take care of one another."

But their mother was gone before the pair had a chance to answer… Vernon, whom Lily had not noticed enter, swept Petunia into his arms, more in an attempt to muffle her blubbering sobs, leaving Lily to wrap her arms around their mother's small frame and cry her eyes out against her shoulder.

To be perfectly honest, things between the two sisters had improved dramatically since the death of their parents; thought that was most likely due to the fact that, without them, there was no one to bring up Lily's previous term at Hogwarts. The red haired witch was far from foolish enough to disrupt what shaky peace had been established between the lot of them by mentioning what she knew would only upset Petunia and Vernon. The girls were able to manage being in the same room at present; they ate their meals together and had comforted one another at the funeral service for their parents.

Biting her lower lip, Lily remembered what Petunia had told her after they had left the hospital… something to the effect that their mother had only held on long enough to see her two daughters together once more; their mutual attempts to repair the broken relationship between them would have made her proud. Taking a deep breath, Lily finished scrubbing the remnant of food scraps from the last dish into the trash can before cleaning it. Anything to take her mind away from the last few moments they'd spent as a family.

"Well, Lily?"

Petunia's voice snapped her out of her reverie.

Thankful for the distraction, Lily let the water run down the drain at the sink and dried her hands on a nearby towel. She turned around and took her seat across from Vernon and Petunia, murmuring an embarrassed, "Hmm?"

With a sigh, clearly indicating his irritation, Vernon clarified, "She's selling the house and we are getting married next summer."

"Selling the – but Petunia!" Lily protested, leaning forward with alarm evident in her voice. "You couldn't! Where will I – you'll be married! It would be improper if I lived with you." Her fingertips brushed against Petunia's forearm but the other woman leaned back in her chair, out of Lily's reach.

"But of course she's already thought of that!" Vernon exclaimed, seemingly content to speak for Petunia, whose eyes had traveled to her hands, folded neatly in her lap. There was silence as Lily's eyes searched her future brother-in-law's, hoping beyond hope that he was merely joking.

"You're underage, Lily," Petunia finally spoke. "And rather than send you to Auntie Kathleen's in the countryside where I know you'd be dreadfully miserable…" Her voice trailed off and she was still unwilling to let her eyes meet Lily's. Petunia bit her lower lip, drawing in a sharp breath before finishing her thought, "You're to move in with father's business partner, Mr. Wilhelm."

Lily's jaw utterly dropped and she stared, dumbfounded, letting her gaze pass over Vernon and then Petunia before she finally closed her mouth. Her mind swam with what all of this could possibly mean. Surely moving into a house with an unmarried, middle-aged man was more indecent than living with her recently married sister and brother-in-law. Her voice was laced with confusion as she leaned back in her chair, away from the pair across from her, "B-but I don't understand… wouldn't that be more indecorous yet?"

"You'll be married to Mr. Wilhelm," Petunia's words were blunt as she quickly stood from the table, rubbing her temples as though she were developing the beginnings of a headache.

"Petunia!" Lily's shock was evident in the three syllables of her sister's name. She threw both of her hands onto the table in front of her, pushing herself into a standing position at an alarming speed. The girl's emerald eyes were wide with shock and perhaps the beginnings of fear that her sister simply hadn't been pulling her leg… that this was the harsh reality she was now faced with.

But Vernon slammed his fist against the table, startling both of the women, "It has already been decided."

"What of my education?" Lily protested; the only thing that didn't seem absurd to mention given the current turn of conversation.

"You're not going back to that despicable establishment you call a school!" Vernon roared, causing Lily to flinch and Petunia to back away from him and into a wall. "It will be a proper education for you!"

With tears forming at the corners of her eyes, Lily backed slowly away from the table. Her fingertips fell gracefully away from its smooth edges as she quickly turned and fled from the room. She took the stairs two at a time, tracing the familiar path upstairs to her bedroom. Slamming the door behind her, she looked around the small room that she had once shared with her sister, Petunia. She had grown up here, in this bedroom; it had seen her greatest triumphs, her greatest defeats. It had known the sadness, the joys of her childhood. And now it would know her greatest sorrow, as well…

Just as she was about to throw herself onto her bed and cry for the bitterness of her wretched sister's heart, or at least that of the ghastly beast she was planning to marry, a soft tapping could be heard on her window. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked at the familiar tawny owl, turning its head curiously, as though inspecting the figure inside. Lily recognized this creature like she would a member of her own family.

"Figg!" she smiled, throwing open the window and taking the letter tied to the owl's leg.