AN: Wow! It's been less than a week since my last update! Totally unexpected and I hope this happens more often
James's bathroom rivaled the prefect's bathroom at hogwarts. Not only did the bathtub have nozzles for every kind of water bubbles imaginable, but there was also a shower, every inch of which was covered with various nozzles and handles. Some spouted soapy water, some massaged, and Lily even found a button that caused the ceiling of the shower to rain warm water, which of course led to the complete soaking of her hair and shirt.
After peeling off her clothes and drying her hair, Lily found herself comfortable in James's warm, dry and sweet-smelling shirt. She found him in the kitchen that she had passed through, sitting at the counter with two mugs of steaming hot cocoa and a plate of biscuits.
"Nice shirt." Lily rolled her eyes.
"Thanks. What's all this?"
"I believe you've heard a bit about my hot chocolate?"
"You have no idea. Where's everyone else gone? Sirius really sounded like he was looking forward to it."
"He's already had his. Your mum and aunt liked the house so much that Sirius has gone with them to get your things. And maybe your sister. I hope you don't mind staying here too much."
"It's lovely here." Lily was looking forward to trying out that shower for real, now that she could.
"It has nothing on some of the other old pureblood mansions."
"I don't believe that."
"Really. It's actually pretty new compared to most of them."
"Sirius said something about the Potter name being relatively new."
James snorted. "Families like the Blacks and the Malfoys look down on ours because we didn't get all this money until around the french revolution. I guess Sirius hasn't rejected everything his parents said"
"That sounds like an awfully long time ago though - when did they become so rich?"
"Nobody really knows, and I think they like it that way. There are parts of Malfoy Manor that look almost a thousand years old."
"You've been to the Malfoys' house?"
"Once. They had a huge coming-of-age gala show-off thing for their son. Remember the blond one who was head boy?"
"I thought they looked down on your family."
"But most people respect us. And there are lots rumors surrounding my mum's family. It's all very complicated, this high society thing. I try to avoid it."
"Good rumors or bad? From what you get into at school, it sure sounds like you avoid it pretty well."
"Something about her ancestors being extremely rich and powerful. No one really knows since they've had only daughters in the family for a quite a while.
"What's wrong with daughters?"
"You can't trace the family name. Do you want some more hot chocolate" James asked just as Lily drained her mug.
"Ooh, yes please. This really is good. What's in it? Sirius never got around to telling me that"
"Melted chocolate, milk, and I think I put cinnamon in it this time."
"Cinnamon?"
"Yep. Apparently they they make it like this in Mexico. But more spicy, I think." James poured the rich mixture from the pan into two mugs. "Whipped cream?"
"Yes please."
"So what about your family? Any crazy royal lines?"
"Nothing special. Two kids. Suburban house. Oh yeah, and it's like world war two during holidays."
"Haha. Must be nice to get out."
"If only. The axis powers have been dragged here too."
"Your sister?"
"And her boyfriend. Are these marshmallows?" Lily was holding a goopy gray lump and the hot chocolate was dripping off it and running down her hand.
"That's disgusting."
"I know they are. I can't believe you put them in my hot chocolate." Lily was now picking all the marshmallows out of her mug and piling them in a soggy oozing lump next to it.
"I was talking about what you were doing." He pointed at the lump of half-melted marshmallows.
"Oh. Right. Sorry. Want some?"
"Ew. No. What's wrong with marshmallows anyway? You got something personal against fluffy deliciousness?"
"Fluffy? I think slimy. Gooey. Soft."
"Soft?"
"I dunno. I just think they're too soft."
"You hate bunnies too? How about beds? Do you sleep on a rock? Some nails maybe?"
"It's like eating a pillow. Seriously."
"So you do sleep on a bed of rocks. Sorry hun, but we only have really nice beds in this house."
"Why would I care what kind of bed you sleep on?"
"You're going to be staying here, remember?"
"Right. Well from the look of this place, I would have assumed you all slept on bales of hay."
"Really?"
"No, you idiot. This place is amazing."
"I know."
"I always knew you were modest."
"Well it's not exactly like living in a castle came as a big shock." And just like that, they had fallen into an easy banter. No awkward pauses, dancing around subjects.
"Are you done?" Lily stood up with her mug and James's, intending to wash them.
"Are you mad? You're not doing that." Still playing the gracious host, he took them from her, insisting on doing it himself. Of course, James Potter had never washed his own dishes before, so he need Lily's constant instructions, and his inability to do even this simplest domestic task sent the pair into a fit of sudsy giggles.
Sirius walked in the door with Lily's bag.
"Well, this is new."
AN: This chapter's for some random guy with a blog. I suppose I did call it "your damn chapter," and, well, they finally got to that hot chocolate, didn't they?
My lovely folks are dragging me off the mountains or something to sleep in some non-enchanted tent that's not at all like the one in deathly hallows next week, so updating could be a while. I'll try to handwrite the next bit while I'm gone, but I don't know how likely that is.
Review make me melt like chocolate chips in a cookie.