Chapter 17- Burning Brightly
"I just don't understand where I went wrong with you. Why must you insist on terrorizing your sister?" My mother said, slowly shaking her head in a disappointed fashion.
"Oh, come now dear, they were just joking. It was just a harmless little joke." My father said gesturing to us with his hands.
"Harmless? Petunia's outfit is ruined! Some of the paintings were destroyed, and they blew up the piano as soon as Petunia sat down to play. Not to mention that Petunia doesn't even have any hair! She can't go to the ball now!" Mother said, practically scandalized that father was taking it all so lightly.
Petunia was sobbing on the couch with a towel wrapped around her head so nobody could tell that she was bald. Harry was rubbing Petunia's back while trying to hide a smirk every time Petunia would wail out during my mother's little speech. She probably thought she was making an emphasis on what mother was saying, but she was really just making her self look like an idiot. At least, that's how I saw it. Father jerked his head over to look at dear little Petunia every time she saw fit to cry out. He thought she was being a little too dramatic. I know he did, I checked his mind. Of course I only read his thoughts when I want to see exactly how much trouble I'm in. That way I know how much red head Lily I need to be in deceiving everyone with false apologies and fake sincerity.
"I'm sure they didn't know their explosion would have that affect." Father said calmly.
Charlie and I looked at each other. Oh, we knew exactly what would happen. We tried to look remorseful though. We're very good at this pitiful look that says 'I'm sorry, I'll never do it again.'
"The affect? What about the explosion in general?!" Mother shouted.
"Charlie said that they could repair the damages. They were just trying to give her a little scare." Father said.
I glanced at Charlie and he smirked at me.
"Well they managed to once again ruin everything!" Mother shouted.
It's nice to know my mother thinks so highly of me.
Father looked at her steadily.
"Come on Petunia dear, we'll see what we can do." Mother softly said to Petunia as she guided her out of the room, glancing back only to give my father evil looks.
Harry got up and left the room after them, making sure to keep his head low so that nobody would know he found the whole thing amusing.
Charlie and I looked up at our father.
"Now that wasn't very nice to do that to Petunia. You know she's afraid of your magic." Father said.
"We're sorry father. It was just a joke. Her hair will even grow back in a couple of days." Charlie said.
Father smiled.
"Well, alright then. But do apologize to your sister. It might be best to wait a day or two though. Give her time to cool down." Father said.
Charlie and I nodded.
"So how was school? Is your quidditch doing well Lily? Are you enjoying yourself Charlie?" Father asked.
We started to give him all of these details of school and quidditch. Father had always been fascinated with magic. Charlie showed him some magic (seeing as I wasn't allowed to use my wand). One of the maids popped in and announced that my father had a telephone call, so, Father got up and left.
Once the door had clicked shut, Charlie and I burst out laughing about the pranks we had pulled.
"Did you see the look on her face when the ink squirted out on her?" Charlie asked.
"And did you hear her shriek when that slime exploded onto her as soon as she opened the door?!" I said.
"Wait until she goes to her shower." Charlie said.
"Oh, yeah." I said remembering what we had done to it.
A distant scream could be heard.
"Found the one in the kitchen, do you think?" I asked.
"Sounds like it." Charlie said.
We both laughed and ran out of the room to hide from our mother. All the pranks we had set up in the house would affect Petunia and Petunia only. The rest of us were quite safe. Of the pranks that is, mother's fury was a whole different story.
-
"So are we going to hide out in here all day? I'm getting bored." I said as I changed my position in the arm chair of the east wing library.
Charlie looked up from his book.
"Well we could always apparate somewhere. Where do you want to go?" Charlie asked.
"You might be allowed to use your magic, Charlie, but you haven't passed your apparation test yet." I said.
"True, but I always have this." Charlie said extending his right hand to reveal a golden ring on his middle finger.
The ring was what Charlie had won from the Potter's scavenger hunt on Christmas.
"I forgot all about that. Have you used it yet?" I asked.
Charlie smirked.
"Does it work inside Hogwarts?" I asked.
"Apparation wards can't touch this." He said.
"Oh. Well, I probably don't even want to know where you've been going then." I said.
"No. Probably not. But give me your hand; I know where we can go." He said.
"Where?" I asked holding his hand.
"The one place we'll always be welcome to." Charlie said before turning the ring two times counter clockwise.
I closed my eyes. I never was a big fan of apparation. A second later when I opened my eyes, the scene had changed. Charlie and I were no longer sitting in our library at home; we were in a living room. It was a very familiar looking living room.
"Whoa, when did you get here?" A voice asked from behind us.
Charlie and I turned around to see Sirius Black standing in the doorway with a glass of water.
"We were bored." Charlie said shrugging as he shook hands with Sirius.
"Hey there, Lily of the fields." Sirius said hugging me.
I rolled my eyes. He was always coming up with weird little names for me.
"Quidditch then?" Sirius asked.
"Sure." Charlie said.
"Wicked." Sirius said. "I'll go tell James."
He walked a few feet before stopping and turning around with a huge grin on his face.
"Why don't you tell him Lily? Go surprise him." Sirius said.
I grinned.
Sirius, Charlie, and I left the living room as Sirius led us to the kitchen.
"Wait right here and listen first." Sirius said to Charlie and me.
We nodded as Sirius walked into the kitchen.
"Hey Prongs." Sirius said.
"Padfoot." I heard James say.
"You look kind of down mate." Sirius said.
"Oh really?" James said sarcastically.
"I know what will cheer you up." Sirius said.
"I doubt it." James said.
"Well what if I gave you a flower?" Sirius asked.
"What?" James asked.
"Oh you know, just a Little Flower!!" Sirius said.
I pushed open the kitchen door and James' back was to me. Sirius grinned as he looked over James' head. James turned around and when he saw me his eyes widened.
"Lily!" He shouted as he ran to me and scooped me up in his arms.
He sat me down and kissed me. Enter Charlie.
"Whoa there, James. It's only been a day." Charlie said.
James pulled away smiling.
"Hey Charlie." James said.
Charlie and James clapped each other on the back.
"So do you want to play some two on two quidditch?" Sirius asked, his eyes shining with excitement.
"Excellent, but we're separating those two lovebirds." Charlie said pointing at James and me.
"What? Why?" James asked.
"What's the matter Potter? Afraid of a little competition?" I asked stepping away from him with a teasing smile.
"Oh, I see how it is. Alright Evans, you're on." James said grinning.
I winked at him before racing through the kitchen and out of the back door. I could hear them all running behind me.
"I win!" I screamed upon reaching the pitch in James' extensive backyard.
"You had a head start water Lily!" Sirius said.
I stuck my tongue out at him.
"Nice Lils. That's very mature of you." Charlie said.
I resisted the temptation of rolling my eyes at him.
James summoned four brooms and we split into teams. It was Sirius and I against James and Charlie. We played for several hours until we finally called the game. Sirius and I won hands down.
"That was awesome! I love quidditch!" Charlie said. "Too bad I was too late to try out for the house team."
"You're both staying for dinner aren't you?" James asked.
"Uh." I said looking at Charlie.
"You have to; mum and dad would love seeing you again." James said.
"Well having to see you every day, I'm sure they can't wait to see me." Charlie said.
We laughed as James shook his head at us.
"I don't know about you three, but I really need a shower." I said.
"I think it would be a good idea if all of us showered." Sirius said.
We all nodded in agreement.
-
"Lily! Charlie! I haven't seen you in ages." Charlotte said hugging Charlie and I.
"It's good to see you both again." Henry said hugging us as well.
After our greetings the house elves announced dinner and we all left the sitting room for the dining hall.
Dinner was fun. James and Sirius started a mini food fight back and forth between each other so that Mrs. Potter couldn't see. James' father was subtly passing them both bread for ammunition to use against one another.
After dinner we all sat in front of the fire in the sitting room discussing the events of the evil wizard Voldemort. Apparently he's killed another muggleborn family. The Potters warned us that he could be a real threat because none of the aurors had been close to catching him or even having a clue on how to find him. Also, there is no way to know how he is choosing his victims except that they are muggleborn. But there are many muggleborn families, there's no way to predict who will be next. It's sad that the ministry aurors think there's going to be a next.
"I want you all to be really careful. It's not that I don't think you can't handle yourselves, I just don't want you in the position that you would have to. This Voldemort fellow has followers that are doing his biding now. They're calling themselves deatheaters." Mr. Potter said.
"Deatheaters? That sounds morbid. How serious is all of this really?" I asked.
"He's powerful, Lily. Very powerful, determined, and he is quickly obtaining all of the resources he needs to accomplish what he wants." Mr. Potter said.
I nodded.
Upon our return home, it didn't seem like Charlie and I were even missed. We heard the library door open and Jerry walked in with a tray of our favorite cookies and cupcakes along with two glasses of milk.
"Welcome home master Charles, miss Lily. I thought you might like a little snack." Jerry said.
"I'll just leave this for you shall I?" He said setting the tray down on one of the side tables.
He bowed to us before backing out of the room with a small grin on his face. No doubt it was because of the shocked looks that Charlie and I wore. How does that man know everything that goes on in this house? I shook my head slowly as I sat down in an arm chair and reached for a cookie from the side table.
"We really should give him a raise. No doubt he covered for us all day today." Charlie said as he followed my example by indulging himself in the warm cookies.
I nodded silently as I starred ahead into the orange flames that were burning brightly.