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Age Twenty One, Engagement

Lily Potter was on a worldwide tour. The biography she had penned on the life of her father was now translated into over fifty languages and was being sold in over one hundred countries worldwide. Lily's first stop on this year-long marathon tour just happened to be Greece, where two of her best friends lived. For a week she would be in Greece, traveling from cities to small towns. From Greece she would be going to Italy. From there it was across Europe, then into Asia and the other continents. Already, she was tired, and it was merely the first day. She was traveling by tour bus across all of these countries. When she was going to go overseas, the bus would be flown across the ocean. The first reading that was on her tour had occurred this morning. Now, she was exhausted of the emotional rollercoaster that was the last week. She was sitting in a Grecian café overlooking the beautiful clear-blue Mediterranean. Lucile and Garrett were supposed to be meeting her here, but they were late. Lily was lazily sipping an espresso. She needed to wake up and have energy for the photo shoot she had to attend tonight. Her agent Marcy had only given her three hours to frolic outside of the hotel room, and she had planned on spending them with her friends, not waiting for them alone at a table. The last time she had seen Garrett and Lucile was last year, at the celebratory party Scott had thrown for her at her big reading. She checked her watch for the third time since she had entered the café. Her three hours were whittling down to two and a half.

This world tour had come on quite suddenly. One day, she had been perfectly content signing autographs at charity benefits, and the next she was on a tour bus to Greece, her agent setting up more tour dates as the minutes wore on. Lily was trying to be excited about this, but her relationship with Scott had just been veering towards a little more than friends as it had six years ago. Now she wouldn't be able to see him for nearly a year. The very thought made her want to cry. He had only been able to keep one semi-serious relationship since their graduation from Hogwarts, and it seemed that he had given up all together as of late. Since that night a year ago when they had slept in his bed together, it seemed that the dynamics of their relationship were beginning to change back to the way they were in Hogwarts. The flirting rate had increased, and he had been frequenting her personal appearances and her flat, whenever she had the free time to actually live in her flat. She was not getting her hopes up, however, in case nothing happened between them. Scott was always good at moving on, and Lily was fairly sure that is what he had done from her. She figured that he was becoming closer to her because he needed a good friend. He had not been having much luck in love, so Lily was a fair substitute. This was the rationale she was sticking with until Scott confirmed otherwise.

Lily's personal assistant, Grace, was sitting at a table across the room. Grace was a quiet but assertive girl, about Lily's age, whose job was to tell Lily where her next appointment was and make sure she did not get too overwhelmed by fans. Lily liked Grace, though Lily had not found a friend in her yet. Granted, Grace had only been working alongside her for a day and a half, and in that time they had only exchanged a handful of words, but Lily did not get the feeling that they would be bosom buddies.

Lily was excited to see the world. She had always wanted to travel and make her mark in society, and at twenty-one, she would be able to do that. This entire experience was a dream come true for her. It was something unimaginable. It was something that was going to require many espressos such as the one she was currently finishing.

Grace was periodically glancing over at Lily, checking to make sure she was all right and not surrounded by dangerous-looking characters. Two women who looked like they were in their mid-twenties timidly approached Lily, alone at her table and staring out the window. She saw them in a dim reflection in the window and turned as they came towards her. "Um, excuse me," one of them said in splintered English. "Are you Lily Potter?"

The automatic smile Lily used when dealing with her fans appeared upon her face. "Yes, I am," she said.

"I am Bella, and this is Paula," the girl said. "We would like your autograph, if you would be so kind."

"Of course," Lily replied. "It's lovely to meet you." She took the pen that Bella handed to her and wrote To Bella, my Grecian friend. –Lily Potter on the napkin Bella put into her hand. She wrote likewise on Paula's napkin before they skittered back to their own table. The people of Greece, so far, had been exceptionally nice to her. Nicer than her friends, at least, who still had not shown up.

Before her fame, Lily had not been one to appear impeccable whenever she went out in public. Sweatpants were a favorite of hers, but no longer. Now, she was expected to wear dresses, suits, and collared shirts. She received a manicure and pedicure once a week, and her hair was colored twice a month. It seemed that her life was in the hands of others. Other people planned her day: they told her where to go, what to do, and who to talk to. She ate, she slept, she read aloud, she took photographs, and she met fans. This was her dream, though when she imagined it, she thought there would be a larger margin for independence. But this was her dream, right?

The bell on the front door rang and Lucile and Garrett came bustling in the door. "I'm so sorry, Lily baby," Lucile exclaimed, rushing over to Lily's table and sweeping her friend into a tight embrace. "The traffic was absolutely horrific."

"Hey, Lily," Garrett greeted, squeezing her soundly. "I'm so sorry we're late. I know your time is limited." Garrett's mannerisms were much softer than Lucile's. They complimented each other perfectly. Lily had dreamed of having the sort of relationship that they shared. She saw the way Garrett looked at Lucile as he held out her chair for her, the way Lucile made sure the waitress put two creams in Garrett's coffee, just the way he liked it. When their beverages came, Lucile started in on questioning Lily about her tour so far. Lily didn't want to talk about it, so Lucile continued. "Okay Lily baby, please don't hate me, but this is not something I wanted to tell you over the mobile or anything." She glanced at Garrett, smiling, before stretching her arm across the table, shoving her hand into Lily's face. It took a moment for the ring to come into focus.

"Oh my god," Lily gasped, grabbing Lucile's hand to stare more closely at the diamond inlaid in white gold. "You're engaged." She looked over at Garrett. "You're fucking engaged. You finally did it, Garrett. I can't believe this! You finally asked her!"

Lily was amazed that this was actually happening. She had always joked with her friends that they would get married, but now a wedding was truly going to occur. Two of her friends were getting married. Lily would be forced further out of their lives as they grew closer together, she knew, no matter how vehemently Lucile was denying this fact from across the small table in a Grecian café.

"It was so romantic, Lily, I wish you could have been there," Lucile gushed. "He did the whole get down on one knee in a restaurant thing and—"

"When did this happen?" Lily blurted out.

"Last week," Garrett replied. "Honestly, I was trying to wait until you came, Lily, because I knew how hard it was going to be for Lucile to keep from telling you, but I couldn't wait any longer. Sorry." He smiled sheepishly.

"Anyhow," Lucile went on, "I think we're going to have the wedding in London next summer, after your tour is over. Your free days are the most important, because we know your schedule is crazy. You are our top guest, and therefore top priority, Lily."

Lily was touched that her friends were scheduling their wedding around her busy agenda of fame. Still, things would be different from now on. She knew that this was going to happen eventually, but now that it was, she wasn't sure if she welcomed the idea wholeheartedly. She felt that now Lucile and Garret were going to be in a relationship together that required them to keep no secrets from one another; they would start keeping things from her because they would have each other to consult with on all matters.

"It was so romantic," Lucile continued. "We were in my favorite restaurant in the quaint little town overlooking the beach. I got the best lasagna—you know how I love my lasagna—and then we had this crazy flaming dessert. So, over some dessert wine, Garrett started talking really sweetly to me and he was saying all of these nice things about me and how he loves living with me…" Lily saw that Garrett was flushing with embarrassment. "Then he gets out of his seat, kneels on the floor, and pulls out this ring. I saw the ring and everything, but my brain didn't register what was happening until he asked me to marry him. It was like the movies, Lil, I'm telling you. I started crying and hugged him and the restaurant burst into applause." Lucile reached over and squeezed Garrett's hand, gazing at him lovingly. "It was so perfect."

"I'm ecstatic you two are finally committing," Lily said sincerely. She was surprised to find that there was a slight tremble in her voice. Her eyes were becoming wet with tears.

"Aw, sugar pie, what's wrong? Don't cry," Lucile said, sliding her chair around the table and putting her arms around her best friend. Before Lily could even evaluate what was wrong with herself, Lucile said," You'll find your someone someday." As soon as those words came from her mouth, Lily knew that she had hit the nail on the head. Lily was such a bad friend; her best friends were getting married and instead of showing her delight, she was worried about her own damned love life."

"I'm sorry, Luce. I really am happy for you two. You don't know how long I've been waiting for this moment. I just wish I could have been there." She sniffled through a smile. "Garrett, why couldn't you have waited any longer?"

He chuckled, but she could tell that he felt her loneliness and sympathized. "Sorry, Lil, it was just the perfect moment. Plus, I needed a night of mind-blowing sex."

Lily burst into laughter, and other of the corner of her eye she saw Grace make a startled move, not realizing what was transpiring. "That was way too much information, Garrett!" she cried.

"Nothing's too much for our mate Lily," he replied.

Lily recognized just then how rare a relationship Garrett and Lucile shared. They had known one another for so many years that they were practically one person. They could nearly read one another's mind. Lily wanted that one day, and she knew that she would have to be patient because the only people she would be spending any time with for next year or so was her road crew: Grace, her agent Marcy, her bus driver Joseph, her publicist Michael, a personal stylist and two assistants, and her tour manager Samuel. She didn't see herself becoming involved with any of them. For now, she would have to live vicariously though the lovebirds sitting before her.

"Are you planning on moving after this marriage?" she asked.

"I think we'll stay where we are for a while," Garrett said. "Our lease on the flat will last for another few years. But it isn't big enough for a family."

"A family," Lily said, nearly in awe. "How on earth did you change Lucile's mind about having children?"

"He's very persuasive," said Lucile. She had, just a few years ago, vowed never to go through the painful process of childbirth and raising little ones. "We want to raise our children in Stratford, where we grew up. We want them to go to Hogwarts as well, not to mention be closer to their Auntie Lily, if she ever returns from her world tour."

"Oh, don't worry, she will," Lily sighed. "I already know that I'll be pretty tired of travel after this year."

"C'mon Lily, stop being so pessimistic," Garrett chided. "Don't focus on a husband; focus on your smashing career. You have an opportunity that most would give their right arm for." How did both Garrett and Lucile read her so easily? "I suppose you're right," Lily groaned. "I'm living out my dream. You both had better listen when they broadcast me on the radio next week in Venice."

"I'll even have a party," Lucile said. "I'm so jealous of your success."

The funny thing was, Lily was jealous of Lucile. She was going off on a world tour, and all she wanted was someone to share it with.

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Yeah, that wasn't the engagement you expected, was it?

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