Stranger Danger
stran·ger
noun /ˈstrānjər/
strangers, plural
A person whom one does not know or with whom one is not familiar
[Off to see the wizard]
.
Lily watched the time anxiously, just like she had all morning. It had been a week since her conversation with Professor Dumbledore and she didn't feel any closer to making a decision.
Magic was real.
Seriously, she was still trying to wrap her head around that fact and was being asked to step blindly into this world she knew nothing about. She glanced at the clock again. It was quarter past one in the afternoon. She sighed as the doorbell rang. Automatically she jumped out of her seat and ran to the door. Her hand hesitated on the handle, though. It could be anyone, really. She took a deep breath and pulled open the door.
A man about her age was standing there. His hair was black and incredibly messy, he wore glasses and a crooked smile.
"Lily Evans?" he asked, his eyes appraising her. She nodded and his smile widened. "I'm James Potter. Dumbledore said you'd be expecting me?"
Lily sighed and rubbed her eyes exasperatedly "But I haven't made my decision yet."
"He said you'd say that." James admitted, the grin not leaving his face. "But by opening this door to me, I think that shows you have made your decision."
"Not really…" Lily mumbled. "You could have been the postman."
"What's a man doing delivering your post?" James asked confusedly. "Owls are much more efficient. Now-"
"Owls?" Lily asked incredulously, before she was pulled through the doorway by James.
"-come on!" he said brightly. "I trust Dumbledore explained that someone was going to teach you everything you need to know about the Wizarding World before you start Hogwarts in 5 weeks? Well you have been placed with me and it is my duty to get you up to speed. You have me all to yourself from now up and until October." He smirked at her "Let's go!"
"Wait- my family, friends…won't they notice I'm gone?" Lily pointed out the obvious.
"Not in the slightest." James said. When Lily didn't look convinced, he added "I trust you understand the concept of time-travel?" She nodded slowly. "Then no more needs to be said about it! Now, first step in becoming a witch: purchase a wand."
"Naturally," Lily said, loftily. "and where do you suppose I buy one of those?."
"Ollivander's, Diagon Alley." James said, as though it were obvious "There really is no other place."
She stared at him. "Please take my arm." He commanded.
"Why?"
"Miss Evans," James said, exaggerating every syllable "Please stop with the suspicion and just trust me!"
She glanced at his extended arm. What was the worst that could happen, right? She took it and he beamed, turning on the spot.
Ok, this was the worst thing that could have happened. She was suffocating, as if being squeezed through a tube- but then it was over and she was standing in a cobbled street, obviously far from home. She blinked rapidly.
"Are you alright?" James asked, concernedly from her side. "Most people chuck up after their first side-long apparition."
"Thanks for the warning(!)" she muttered sarcastically, closing her eyes to focus on quelling the uneasiness in her stomach. When she opened her eyes, James was looking down on her with a mixture of amusement and worry.
"I'm fine." She said. "Well, relatively."
He nodded seriously. "Apparition is the most convenient of wizard travel methods. You'll learn how to do that pretty soon into first year as you are over 17 and therefore of age by wizarding law. Second most convenient, but my preferred method, is by broom. I've volunteered to give you a head-start in that course," he winked at her "Get you ready for Quidditch trials if you're any good. Now," he turned to point at a dingy pub opposite them. "Do you see that pub over there?"
She nodded, still trying to take everything he'd said. Brooms…apparition…kwidlick, or something…This was too much to absorb.
"Good." James continued "If you didn't, that would make you a muggle, which would have been a bit awkward." He grinned again. "This is the Leaky Cauldron: entrance to Diagon Alley. But…er…now don't take this the wrong way, but you're still looking quite peaky, so we'll get you a drink first." Lily allowed herself to be led into the bar.
"Ah! Master Potter!" the bartender exclaimed as they walked in.
"Hello, Tom." James greeted "How are you?"
"Not bad as it happens, Master Potter, not bad at all."
"Good…and I thought we were on first name basis, Tom?"
"Of course, Master Potter." The man grinned, cheekily. James merely chuckled. "What can I get for you and your friend?"
"This is Lily Evans." She waved "and two butterbeers, please."
"Butterbeers?" Tom repeated, half-laughing. "Are you sure? Why, just last week you and young Master Black drank out my entire Firewhiskey supply."
"It's still quite early," James stated "and first-time apparition." he gestured to Lily "Better start her on the weak stuff."
"Fair enough," Tom said "I'll bring them over, Master Potter."
James and Lily sat in a booth.
"Master Potter?" she asked, raising an eyebrow "What are you, the king's son?" she realised that may have come out as rude and blushed faintly.
"No, that would make me Prince James," he pointed out.
She rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean." She said "And sorry if that was rude. This is all…so much." She cast her eyes around the pub. It looked like there was a vampire in the corner. Were any of the bedtime stories she was told as a kid not true?
"Don't worry about it. My family are quite established in the Wizarding World," he explained and er…me and my friends spend quite a bit of time in here." He smiled guiltily, just as Tom brought over the drinks. James paid with some odd-looking coins and slid a bottle over to her. She eyed it uneasily.
"Drink." James encouraged, swigging his own. "It'll make you feel better. In fact…" he reached into his pocket and pulled out a slab of what looked like chocolate.
"Honeyduke's finest." He announced. "Moony always says to have chocolate when you're not feeling good."
"My parents always told me not to accept sweets from strangers." Lily shot back.
James laughed. "You've run away with me to the centre of London, I hardly think we're strangers anymore."
"Ran away." Lily scoffed. "More like forcibly dragged." But she broke off a piece of chocolate anyway and ate it, instantly feeling warmth spread throughout her body. "Tell Moony he's a genius."
"He'll like that." James smiled.
"Sure that's not drugged?" she asked half-seriously, looking at the bar on the table.
"Nope, just magic." James said, waggling his eyebrows. Lily giggled and leant back in her seat, visibly more relaxed. She took a sip of butterbeer and James looked to her expectantly.
"It's nice." She admitted.
"Good." He replied.
It wasn't long before the two drinks were finished.
"Ready to go?" James asked.
"Yep. Unless it involves more apparition." Lily said.
"Nope, we'll be walking." And they walked to the backyard. "Observe."
James pulled out what appeared to be a long stick and tapped certain bricks. Lily gaped as the wall seemed to melt away.
"After you." James offered. Lily stepped through into a bustling street.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley." He said.
_
A/N:
Hi,
Thanks to: Iwould'vebeenAlexia for reviewing. Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I've been on holiday and got quite inspired, actually. Though some of that was also from The Life and Times by Jewels5. It's seriously like the best fanfiction I've ever read. My point is, is that I have direction with this story now and hopefully my more dedicated side will shine through to allow me to carry on.
Now…my sister pointed out: how could Lily refuse Hogwarts? As in: how could she control her power and how did she not notice for 18 years? As this is AU, I'll say that their powers don't really show themselves until after puberty, so sort of late teens. As to how Lily could forget them, I think with the Obliviate, she'd forget she was a witch, kind of like Lockhart and therefore not really be able to perform any sort of magic. Hope that clears things up =]
Also I know there are a few issues this story raises in terms of what's canon HP, such as what the hell did wizard kids do for the first 18 years of their lives? Just bear with me, I will fill in the gaps, so for now I need you to just accept things xD
One thing I will point out now though is that because they are both 18, James has done his 'growing up' and so I think he and Lily would get on. But don't worry, there will be significant tension in later chapters. I should also probably say now that this is going to be Lily/James.
Final point: the last two chapters were kind of an introduction. The chapters will be getting lengthier now, as I'm hoping to turn this into like a mini-novella-type-of-thing.
Thank you for reading. =]
~Reviews make me happy~