Decided to give you all this next Chapter early since I felt bad about being gone for almost a week. Hope you are all enjoying the story still. Can't wait for everyone to read the chapters I'm currently writing. You're all going to LOVE it!
Thank you so much to windyshoes, loves2readalways, and themysteriousnicole for taking a few moments to review and encourage. You all rock!
Now continuing with the story...
It took several minutes to pry the boys away from the brand new gleaming broomsticks. But the girls tempted them with venturing out onto Cecil Court and visiting the record store that was to the left of the Leaky Cauldron. Lily and Hermione also wanted to peek into the book store that flanked the other side of the pub, but were afraid that wouldn't be an effective lure to the three Marauders.
The group exited the Leaky Cauldron and took a right to find Haggle Vinyl. There were records everywhere; all along the walls, stacked high on every shelf and even in boxes around the floor. The store smelled strongly of musty plastic, but it was exhilarating.
Hermione nudges Lily a bit and tilted her head toward James. The nonverbal communication was understood, and Lily quietly asked, "James, would you mind helping me find something? I'd like to find a Beatles record for my sister." James eagerly agreed and followed Lily to the other side of the store where some Beatles memorabilia could be seen hanging off the wall.
Remus put his arm around Hermione's shoulder, "Well, look at that. You wouldn't have anything to do with Lily wanting to spend time alone with our Mr. Potter, now would you?"
Hermione playfully shoved Remus, "I don't know what you're on about Lupin. I don't even know you all that well." Hermione's laughter was stopped short by the brooding frown that Sirius now wore. "Is something wrong Sirius?"
"Yea, you're right. You don't know any of us, and yet you feel the need to meddle in our lives," Sirius stared after Lily and James.
Hermione didn't allow Sirius' mood to damper her own, "I didn't really meddle. Lily asked me a question and I simply answered honestly. It was her choice, not mine."
Remus shot Sirius a glare before he walked off to investigate some records for himself.
Hermione and Sirius initially went in opposite directions when they went searching through the vinyl, but they soon found themselves bumping into each other's backs. Hermione wanted to smooth over the tension from before; she didn't want to miss the opportunity of getting to know all these people. "Um, Sirius? I'm sorry if I offended you earlier. I really hadn't meant to meddle."
Sirius shook his head and looked confused, "Why are you apologizing to me? I was the one who was rather arse like."
Hermione shrugged, "Wanted to get you talking?" She flashed him a smile.
"Alright, let's talk then," Sirius leaned against the record rack and faced Hermione. She noticed that she was about a head shorter then he was, but with Sirius slouching now they were on eye level with each other. "James is my best mate. I've known him for six years. His parents took my in last year when my mother threw me out; we're basically family. But you think you know what's best for him."
Hermione stepped closer to Sirius and leaned on the record rack next to him. "I'm sorry about your mother."
Sirius was surprised by the girl's gentle tone, "Yes, well not every parent is willing to die for their child." He had said this so softly, Hermione was unsure if she was even meant to hear it. The comment wasn't said in malice; Sirius sounded hurt.
"Well," Hermione quickly turned the conversation back to James so that Sirius didn't have to explain further, "Your knowledge of James was never in question, Sirius. But do you think it could be possible that you're a bit jealous of James and Lily?"
A snorting sound was the only retort from the young man next to her.
"Alright you berk, hear what I have to say before you dismiss everything," Hermione shifted herself so that she was facing Sirius again. "You're jealous of Lily because she can claim your best friend's attention without even trying. She's changed him, whether it is for the better or not, you don't like that he's different around her."
Sirius nodded a little, "And in your little hypothetical world, why am I jealous of James?"
"Because he's found someone that he loves and he wants to make these small changes for her," Hermione stated matter-of-factly.
"But they haven't even started dating… you've only just met them…how the bloody hell do you know they're in love?" Sirius' voice got a bit higher and Hermione had to shush him as he spoke.
She leaned in next to him and whispered, "Because I can see the way he looks at her. And if you could look past your jealousy issues, you would see it too." Hermione grabbed his arm forcefully and turned Sirius around so that they could see James and Lily.
The couple was standing by a wall of record players testing some of the vinyl with the provided headphones. James was insisting to Lily that they needed to switch. He gently placed the headphones on Lily's head and brushed her hair over her shoulder. Lily smiled and began talking a bit louder then she realized and James had a good laugh. She playfully slapped his arm and returned the headphones that James had been using.
Hermione stood on her tip toes to now whisper directly into Sirius' ear, "Can you honestly tell me that they don't look happy?"
Sirius looked at his best mate and cracked a half smile. Maybe this new addition to their group was right. He had known that James was in love with Lily since third or fourth year; even though James didn't really know himself until fifth year, which is when he began asking Lily out every other day. Sirius had hated Lily Evans at first. She made his friend uncharacteristically self-doubting. Sirius had hoped that James would get over her and find someone that appreciated the mischievous, prideful person that James was; that Sirius himself was too.
But, Sirius did have to admit that his best friend looked happy. The changes that Lily had brought about in his friend had made a good impression on others also. James' parents had noticed the change in him over Christmas break last year and his father had been asking if James wanted to learn the family business. Dumbledore had even noticed the change; despite not being a Prefect, James had been named Head Boy this year. These were difficult pieces of evidence to ignore…
"What if I made you a deal, Amelia?" Sirius whispered back to the pretty blonde beside him, "You don't tell James or Lily how much of an arse I was, and I'll try to keep my attitude issues to a minimum."
Hermione held out her arm, "Should we make it an unbreakable vow?"
"Ha ha, very funny Blondie," he shook her hand instead and smirked. "Don't push your luck; I was just beginning to like you."
Hermione and Sirius were still laughing and chatting when Lily found them and begged to go to the book store.
The girls initially intended for the book store trip to be brief. They thought that the three Marauders would not be very interested in muggle books; but they were very mistaken. Sirius found a few books on motorcycles and how to restore them. James found some old crime novels. And Remus became distracted by an astronomy textbook. He was fascinated by how much their magical textbook differed from the muggle one. This gave the two girls plenty of time to peruse the shelves at their own pace.
Lily and Hermione had looked over almost every section of the store when they finally arrived in front of the classics bookshelf. Hermione reached for Jane Austin's 'Emma.' It was bound in a dusty white leather binding with gold leaf diamond patterns all around the cover. "Wow," was the only word Hermione could form.
"It's beautiful. What edition is it?" Lily gawked at the book. She took the book out of Hermione's hand and found that it was a first edition and very expensive. "A little too much for me, unfortunately," Lily stated as she replaced the novel back on the shelf.
"Too much for me as well," Hermione said sadly. The book looked so much like the one her mother had received on her eighteenth birthday from her great-grandmother. It was the same book that Hermione's mother had used to share her love of Jane Austen with her daughter.
"Amelia?" Lily shook Hermione's shoulder lightly.
"Yes?" Hermione's mind came back to her current present with the reminder of her new name. "Oh, I'm sorry." She rattled her head quickly to expel the sad thoughts of sending her parents away. "Sorry, just missing my parents. My mum had an edition of 'Emma' just like that one. We used to read it together."
"Was you're mum a muggle?" Lily asked sadly, but a hint of excitement was evident in the possibility of a fellow witch who had muggle blood.
"No," Hermione racked her brain quickly to remember what Minerva had said about her sister-in-law. "She was a muggle-born witch. But she made sure I learned about the muggle world just as much as the magical one. And she loved Jane Austen."
Lily smiled and grabbed a newer paperback copy of 'Emma' and almost skipped toward the cashier, "Well, I am going to buy you this then until we can afford a fancier copy for you."
After the bookstore it was time to part ways. Lily and James spoke quietly off to the side of the group as Hermione said her goodbyes to Remus and Sirius. "I guess I'll see you all at the feast. Don't forget, I'll be the giant being sorted."
"Well we might actually see you tomorrow…," Remus began.
Sirius quickly continued since he was much better at bending the truth, "Yes, sometimes Dumbledore asks the Head boy and Prefects to come to school a bit early to prepare for the incoming new students. And I tag along because I can't leave Remus and James to their own devices."
"Yes, well if you lot are going to sneak into the castle before term begins that's fine. I won't tell my Aunt, you don't have to worry." Hermione laughed. She noticed that Remus didn't look relieved by her comment though; honestly he just looked exhausted now. Oh no, how could I have forgotten.
Tomorrow was the first night of the full moon.
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