A/N: This is the last part for a week as I'm going on holiday in the morning; be back a week Saturday! I've written the next part so I'll put it up as soon as I get back!
2: Potter and Shocks
Lily opened her mouth slightly in shock as James continued to grin at her.
"You might want to close your mouth there, Lily, you'll catch a fly."
She shut it with a snap and narrowed her eyes at him.
"What are you doing here, Potter?" She asked, looking at him suspiciously.
"Came to see you."
"It's just a shame that I don't want to see you then isn't it." Lily retorted and pushed past him to continue on her way.
"Where are you going?" James called after her.
"None of your business." She replied before adding, "Leave me alone."
She began walking briskly away from him, anticipating more attempts at conversation on his part but when she chanced a glance back, he had disappeared. Lily muttered something about disaparating in public and shook her head as if trying to rid herself of James' presence as she walked into the shop.
She meandered through the aisles, absent minded picking up things and putting them back on the shelves, all the while feeling thoroughly sorry for herself. It was difficult not to be miserable she reminded herself, when she had no one for company but instead had to put up with the constant presence of her irritating sister, talking non-stop about her wedding with their parents with such urgency an outsider would believe it was next week not next year.
She had received no more than two owls from her friends all summer; all gushing with what a good time they were having in their various exotic locations and none of them particularly close together, leaving Lily feeling desperately alone in the summer before her last year at school. Now to top it all, Potter had appeared, obviously determined to make her summer even more miserable than it already was. How he had found out where she lived she would never know…
"Alright love?" Asked the elderly man behind the counter as Lily approached him, suddenly aware she had completed her shopping so absorbed in thought she hadn't even realised what she was doing.
"Yes, thank you," she answered politely and passed him her money.
Picking up the bag with her purchases, Lily moved towards the door, thinking vaguely about owling her friends again when she got back. As she shut the door of the shop behind her another huge gust of wind nearly tore the carrier bag from her hand. Gritting her teeth in frustration she set off for home, already looking forward to hiding up in her room where no one could bother her.
Lily finally turned around the corner to head up her road and began to speed up slightly as her goal of home got closer. She came to a sudden stop, however, when a certain James Potter appeared directly in front of her, still grinning like a Cheshire cat.
"Potter!" She shrieked, "Stop doing that!"
"Doing what, Lily?" Asked James innocently.
"Apparating in front of me!" She shouted and immediately clapped her hand over her mouth after realising how loud she'd been. Once ascertaining that there were no muggles around, Lily resumed her glaring at James who had a highly amused look on his face. "And stop grinning." She snapped.
"You gotta admit, Lily that was quite funny." Smiled James.
"Stop doing that as well!"
"What?"
"Calling me Lily! When did I say you could call me Lily!"
"Well," James shrugged, "I just thought…"
"Well you thought wrong! Will you please get out my way so I can go home."
James didn't say anything; rather he seemed slightly shell shocked from the outburst and an impatient Lily tutted as she pushed past him to head up her drive. James seemed to recover from the shove and turned his head to watch her insert her key in the lock and walk into the house.
He sighed slightly and turned away from the house just as an ear splitting scream rented the air. James jumped around … that was Lily's scream. Before his brain had caught up with his legs James was running up the drive to Lily's house. Reaching the slightly ajar door, he pushed it open slowly, suddenly afraid of what he might find inside.
"Lily?" He called out uncertainly into the silence.
When there was no answer he slowly moved further into the house, his hand firmly on the wand hidden in his pocket. His ears strained he stopped, sure he could make out muffled sobbing. He approached a door in front of him, from which the noise seemed to be coming from and gently pushed it open. His brain froze his body for a split second as he took in the scene in front of him. Lily seemed to be slumped over two other people who were lying, unmoving on the floor. His heart thumping wildly in his chest, he let out a near silent sigh of relief as he realised that he wasn't seeing Lily's body in front of him, she was the one crying; huge heaving sobs were racking her body.
"Lily?" He ventured quietly, not wanting to alarm her. When she didn't respond he crossed the room and dropped down on his knees beside her.
