~*~Chapter 6~*~
"Lilian! There's a black owl sitting on the kitchen window sill for you!" Mr. Evans called across the house a couple of weeks later. "Breakfast is ready too."
"Thanks Daddy!" She ran to the kitchen, hoping it was a letter from one of her Hogwarts friends. Taking the envelope, she fed the owl a piece of a muffin and watched it take off in flight. "It's from Hogwarts!"
"Oh?" He looked up from the stocks page of the newspaper as Lily opened it carefully.
"It's just a list of supplies for the new year -- Wait, here's another form..." She scanned its contents. "Hogsmeade? I think I heard James talking about it at school last year. Some all-magical town."
Her father took a sip of his black coffee. "Ah, yes. All students got to go starting in 3rd year. Here, I'll sign the form."
Lily looked up at him with a dazed, almost frightened expression. "How did you know that?"
He yawned lazily. "Oh...Carson told me the other day. Said to be expecting the letter."
"Ah..."
As Mr. Evans signed the form with his already-infamous money-making signature, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it Dad -" She opened the door. "James! Hey!"
"Hey Lily."
"Wanna come in?"
"Sure."
He stepped inside and removed his shoes. He already knew that Mrs. Evans was really strict over walking in the house with shoes on; he found out the hard way, through experience.
Lily slipped her hands in the back pockets of her jeans and asked, "So, what's the occasion?"
"The occasion is today!"
"Yeah James, that really helps a lot," she said sarcastically.
"Guess what today is!" He grinned widely.
"Ponce de Leon's pet chipmunk's celebration day?"
"Hardly," he replied dryly.
"What's the date? I get a bit lost during the summer."
"Do you seriously not know?" He looked a bit hurt.
"No James, like I just told you! I don't remember dates in the summer. It's not important."
"Not important!? July 8th should be important to you."
"July 8th already?... Oh my gosh! It's your birthday!"
James sighed with relief. He was so happy that she remembered.
"Happy Birthday James!" She quickly hugged him. "12 years old, huh?"
"Uh-huh, and guess who's still only 11," he teased.
Lily stuck her tongue out at him. "It's not much longer though. Less than a month."
"Yeah, but you're still younger even though it's only by about 22 days."
"Oh give it a rest, you win. But since you're older, than makes you an elder. Being my elder means you have certain responsibilities towards me." She smiled angelically.
"Such as?"
"Well, a piggy-back ride, for one."
"A piggy-back ride!? No way! You're too big!"
She put her hands on her hips. "Are you calling me fat?"
"NO! -- You're just...tall. You're almost as big as I!"
"Well Mr. Quidditch Pro, training starts now...with weight lifting."
He rolled his eyes.
"And plus, I'm just tall, not heavy. You're both."
"Jeez! Nice compliments! But now you're calling me fat!"
"Yeah, they're just rolling off my tongue today." She giggled. "And no, you're not fat. You're solid muscle, let me tell ya..."
He beamed with arrognance, apparently not detecting the sarcasm in her voice.
"Now quit being a whimp and let me on."
She hopped on his back.
"Ok, Almighty Elder, where to?"
"My house?"
"Good call." She turned around on his back and yelled, "Dad! I'm going over to James'! Bye!"
They were just about to leave when Frank stuck his head out of the door.
"Lilian!" He called out warningly.
"Yes, Da'?"
"What are you doing?" There was parental suspicion in his tone.
"He's giving my a ride."
"A 'ride' huh?"
"Daddy!" Lily cried out, thoroughly embarassed. "Nothing like that, sheesh! Don't you think you're being a little over-protective? And a bit dirty-minded, if I do say so myself."
"You're becoming a teenager. I have a right to be worried."
"We're only 12!"
James was humiliated beyond compare at the thought that Mr. Evans would think him capable of being like that with Lily.
"Dad, please!" Her face was beet red. "Can we please go?"
He tsk'ed quietly. "Very well, but we'll continue this discussion when you get home."
"Yes Dad." She dropped her head on James' shoulder in completely humiliation.
"Lily?"
"Yeah, James?"
"Are you ok?" He sounded concerned, but at the same time, petrified.
She mumbled a reply.
"Do you think your dad doesn't trust me or something?"
Lily, with her head still buried in James' shoulder, answered his question, but it was muffled in his shirt.
"What was that?"
She looked up and made intense eye-contact with him. "Obviously I'm not ok. How could he do that to me? That was so embarrassing. We're not even dating!"
"Don't worry about it. I guess he's just being a dad. A very suspicious one, but a dad nonetheless."
Lily nodded.
"I just pity any guy that dates you in the future when your dad finds out." He shuddered, worrying about that situation that he or his buddies could possibly find themselves in a few years from now.
"Oh yeah, that's another thing about my dad. Any guy who ever wants to date me has to ask him first to get his approval." She sighed. "I already got that lecture last year."
"Yikes... You're dad is really terrifying. I can't imagine anyone with the guts to confront him so he can ask you out. That's scary. No offense."
"None taken. But Dad's actually a teddy bear, contrary to how he seems sometimes."
"Uh-huh, whatever you say."
Lily repositioned herself on his back, and the rest of the 'ride' over to James' house was silent.
She hopped off of him as soon as the door slammed shut.
"Ouch, you really need to go on a diet Lils," James advised, trying to crack his back.
"We've been through this already. I am not overweight; you're just whimpy."
"Am not!"
"Whatever Stud. You just keep telling yourself that and the world will spin a lot smoother." She gave him a weird glance. "Uh, do you want me to crack your back for you? You look like you're failing at the effort."
"How will you do that?"
"Easy. Lay on the floor and I'll walk on your back until it pops."
He swiftly took a couple staps away from her. "No thank you. I'd rather not have you on my back again. It hurts as it is."
"But this helps, trust me!"
"Nope, not happening."
"Suit yourself."
She grimaced as he took off towards the kitchen, stepping on her foot in the process.
"Ouch! Where are ya goin'?"
He looked like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "To get some food...duh."
"Oh, I'm sorry Almighty Elder. I haven't yet advanced in the field of mind-reading."
"Pity, it's quite a handy skill. Like right now, for instance. I know what's going on inside your brain."
"Oh really? Tell me then. What am I thinking?"
"Wait, you have to write it down on paper so you don't lie or change it."
"Ok..."
She scribbled down quite a few words, set it down on the table, folded, and said, "Right. Your turn. Tell me, what was I thinking?"
James rolled his eyes into the back of his head and wiggled his fingers mystifyingly around Lily's skull.
"You're thinking...'James is the cutest, smartest, strongest guy in the whole of Hogwarts. He has the most attractive wit of anyone I've ever seen'."
"Are you finished?" She said impatiently.
"Yup. And now you. Read the paper."
She unfolded it and held it out so the both could read it.
'James is the whimpiest, most moronic, unattractive-at-times person I have ever seen. And he has the most intolerable witty mind imaginable.'
James dropped his jaw as Lily chuckled. "Looks like you lost pal. Nice try, but no cigar. Au revioir! Adios! Come back next time, and try again later!"
"Ok ok, so I'm not a mind reader."
"No dip Sherlock."
"It was simply elementary my dear Watson." James replied unsmartly.
She gave him a disbelieving glare before dragging him into the kitchen.
"Ooooh, waffles!" James announced when they walked into the kitchen.
"Yes, they're almost done. Take a seat..." Janine Potter turned around to grab the pitcher of batter and saw Lily. "Good morning dear! Would you like some breakfast as well?"
"Absolutely. They smell divine."
She chuckled. "Thank you, Lily. I'm afriad we have to pick up the pace though. We're on our way to Diagon Alley. James wants to go there for some reason... why he'd want to spend his birthday there is beyond me."
They both looked over at James who was downing a whole bottle of syrup on his pile of waffles. He resembled a a wolf, hungrily eyeing a herd of injured sheep.
Lily nudged his mom and whispered. "Mrs. Potter, for you sake, I really hope that syrup is sugar-free."
"Ah, it is. But shh! What he doesn't know won't hurt him."
They both giggled.
"Would you like to come to Diagon Alley with us?" Mrs. Potter asked kindly. "It's going to be somewhat like a birthday party, without the partying, if that makes any sense. But, that's what James said he wants..." She rolled her eyes heavenward, sighing with defeat.
James looked up from his meal. "Yeah Lils! Come with us!"
"Sure! I've got to tell my parents though. Do you have a phone?"
"Yes, over there on the counter."
Lily picked up the phone and dialed her number. "Hey Mum!"
"Hello Lily. Don't tell me another disaster happened... I swear, that house is cursed."
"Actually, the house is charmed."
"What?" Her mother, being a muggle, was confused.
"Nevermind -- And no, everything's fine. They just want me to go to Diagon Alley with them for James' birthday. Is it ok?"
"Yes, of course. Just be safe and try not to go crazy and spend all your money in the bookstore."
Lily laughed. "I'll try."
"Good. And before I forget, ask them what their phone number is so I can write it down."
She turned from the phone, covered it with her hand, and asked, "Mrs. Potter, what's your telephone number?"
She looked up to the ceiling as if she was thinking really hard. "Hmmm, I really don't know. You're the first person to ever use to the phone. We only have it to look normal for when our muggle friends visit."
Lily was astounded. "Ummm, ok..." She rotated back toward the receiver. "They don't know, Mum."
"They don't!? Why?"
"They don't use electronics. Very few magicals do. They said I'm the first one to ever use their phone."
"That's strange."
"Yeah, but don't worry. They have ways to contact you that are just as fast as phones... in case anything ever does happen."
"Ok Lily. Well, have fun! Love you."
"Love you too Mum. Bye."
"All set?" Janine asked as Lily hung up the phone and sat next to James at the table.
"All set!" She took a plate. "Now bring on the waffles."
In a matter of minutes, they had finished their breakfast and were standing in front of the fireplace, ready to go.
"Ok, everyone ready?" Carson asked, preparing the floo. "James, I contacted Sirius, Remus, and Peter. They said they'll meet us in Zonko's."
"Great! Then let's go!"
After Mrs. Potter and James went, it was Lily's turn. She groaned quietly as she dunked her hand in the bag to grasp some of the powder.
Carson could sense her feelings. "Nervous?"
"Kind of. I just don't like this. It reminds me of those motion simulators at Disneyworld... my stomach didn't exactly handle those rides."
He scrunched his nose in disgust, but didn't let her see him. "Well, that was nice to hear..." he teased.
Lily dropped her head to hide her blushing face.
"But you know, there is a method for people with motion sickness to use when flooing."
"There is?" She was relieved, to say the least, to hear that.
"Sure there is! There's a trick for everything." Seeing her eager expression, he continued. "Ok, you know how you get that feeling of your naval being yanked away from your body?"
She nodded in recognition of the not-so-pleasant sensation.
"So simply place your finger on your belly-button and after saying your destination, mumble 'suucliar' over ad over."
She raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "This really works?"
"Of course, but you can't think about feeling sick or else it won't work. Concentrate on the word 'suucliar' and you'll be fine."
"Ok, thanks Mr. Potter. Here I go..." Taking a deep breath, she stepping into the fireplace and turned, ready to release the powder, then hesitated. "You're sure this works, right?"
"Yes Lily! Just do what I said, trust me!"
"Thank you. I just need reassurance...DIAGON ALLEY!"
As the green flames engulfed her, Carson started chuckling and congratulated himself. "Good thinking, Carson 'ol chap. Motion sickness is all in the mind, so if she's thining about the fake spell and not her stomach, she'll be fine. Once again, good thinking, wouldn't you say?" He asked his reflection in the mirror, which nodded its agreement. He then walked into the dusty soot and dropped the floo powder to meet up with his family.
~~~~~~
"Suucliar...suucliar...suucliar..." All of Lily's thought drifted to, what seemed like, the edge of time as she concentrated on that one funny word. In fact, she was so mentally absorbed on not getting sick to her stomach that, 20 seconds later, she wasn't even aware that the spinning had ceased to continue.
"Hey Lily! Finally! We were beginning to think you'd ended up at the wrong gate!" James was happy to se her, but looked at her strangely when she didn't open her eyes. "Lily?...hello? Snap out of it!" He clapped his hands in front of her face which was still silently mumbling a slurred line of words.
She shook herself awake. "Oh, sorry! I was a little out of it."
Just then, Mr. Potter landed gracefully next to them.
"Lily..."
"What James?"
"Why do you have your finger poked in your belly-button?"
She looked down and quickly relocated her finger from her naval to her pocket. "Oh...motion sickness."
James gave a dazed glance to his dad who was holding in laughter, then said. "Alright, first stop is Zonko's."
When they met Remus, Peter, and Sirius at the entrance of the joke shop, they boys took off, pulling Lily with them. Mr. and Mrs. Potter went to Ollivanders because Carson needed a new wand; It snapped in two from the attacks last month.
"Guys, slow down! Believe it or not, the store isn't going to grow legs and run away," Lily scolded them as she almost fell over a little boy from them pulling her.
"So much stuff to ruin Slytherin lives with, so little time!" Said Remus greedily.
"Excuse me!" Peter objected to the stereo-typical comment.
"Oh, sorry Pete... Correction: Slytherins we don't like."
"And that's every single one other than you," Sirius said as they came upon a shelf of motion-sensored exploding textbooks.
"Oooh, look at these!" James squealed excitedly, grabbing one and showing it to his friends.
"As much fun as this is -- googling at mindless contraptions meant for other people's destruction -- I'm going to leave you to do it yourselves. I need to get all my school supplies." Lily began to walk to the exit.
"No, wait. We have to get ours too, so just wait for us."
"You all won't want to go with me. I also need to get some new clothes from Madame Malkins' as well and that'll probably take a long time."
They all simultaneously wrinkled their noses. "You're right... We'll pass."
Lily heaved out a breath of relief. She really didn't want them tagging along with her because not only did she need robes, she also had to buy James' birthday present.
"Good choice. How about we meet in Flourish and Blotts in... 3 hours?"
"Yep, yep... see ya." Peter waved her off as they closely examined a 'Quirky Quill' that was dancing and spraying water in their faces.
Lily left them, quite thankful for her skills in persuasion, and walked in the direction of Madame Malkins.
The streets, as Lily was astonished to see, were very empty compared to how they were last year when she came to get her supplies.
"It is only July 8th," she thought. "I guess all the students don't usually come until later in August, right before the start of term... I think I like it better this way though. It's much easier to walk around."
"Welcome to Madame Malkin's Robes for all Occasions! I am Madame Malkin. What may I do for you?" A lady in bright orange bustled up to her the second she walked into the door.
"I need some clothes," Lily said absentmindedly, observing all the colors and clothes around her. There were racks of robes; stacks of sweaters; corners of coats; tables advertising t-shirts; and hats everywhere of all different shapes and sizes. The colors were what primarily stunned her: There was every shade of every color and the whole store was color-coded. All the reds were in front of her, all the pinks to her left, all the purples in the far corner. To say the least, she was astounded and on-lookers would have said she looked at that store like James looked at Zonko's.
"Well of course you need clothes, Miss...er... what's your name dear?"
"Lily Evans."
"Evans? Daughter of THE Frank Evans?!"
She gave the woman a funny scrutiny. "Er, yes...why?" She said slowly.
"You don't know!? --" She gasped. "Well, if you don't, it must be for good reason. I'm sure you'll find out by your parents. But I envy you dear, oh do I envy you... What I wouldn't give if --"
"Excuse me," Lily rudely interrupted her, but she couldn't listen to the woman blabble of something she knew nothing of. Madame Malkin was like a fly that wouldn't go away, even if it was being swatted at. "I came here to get clothes, and I don't have a lot of time."
"Oh!" She took out her tape measure, looking rather embarrassed. "Clothes, right. I'll need to get your measurments, so just stand there with your arms parallel to the ground - good - while it measures you."
With a wave of her wand, the tape measure took the job over itself.
"What kind of clothes do you need?"
"I need 3 new school robes. My old ones are too short. I also need a dress robe, just in case there's something formal..."
Madame Malkin was already darting back and forth, collecting various robes and mumbling to herself. "Please continue Miss Evans! I'm listening."
"Alright..." She went on. "I want something warm to wear to Gryffindor quidditch games."
"Scarlet and gold, I assume?"
"Yeah, and a practice quidditch robe that I can get muddy."
"Liky quidditch, eh? Good thing, I'd say...yes, very good thing indeed." She paused as Lily raised her eyebrows in confusion. "Nevermind that dear. I have mud-repelling robes if you want!" She shuffled through a red rack.
"Sure, that'd be good." She relaxed her muscles as her measurements completed. "And then I just need some casual slacks and shirts to wear on weekends at school."
"Absolutely." She stopped abruptly and looked at her. "You do have money for all this, right?"
"Yeah..." Lily said slowly.
Madame Malkin tossed her head in the air and scolded herself. "Why'd I even ask!? Of course you do! After all, you're an Evans!"
"I'm sorry to be rude, but can I please try some of those on?"
"Oh, certainly!"
Lily was handed a huge pile of garments, which she estimated weighed more than a stack of 10 thick textbooks, and was directed to a fitting room.
It was an hour later when she finally emerged, carrying a large stack of her final choices.
Madame Malkin, who was lazily assisting another customer, froze when she saw Lily looking satisfied with the clothes and rushed over to her. "It this everything for you, Dear?"
Lily felt a bit over-treated when she saw the expression on the other customer's face: it was one of jealousy and annoyance.
"I think that lady over there needs your help," she said.
"Oh no, that's ok. First come, first serve, and you were here prior to her. So, is that all you need?"
Lily handed her the clothes and shook her head. "No, I need something else too, but I'll look for it myself. You can help that other woman."
Madame Malkin looked reluctant to leave. "Are you sure? -- Ok, but if you need anything, I'm only a yell away."
Lily chuckled as she watched her swarm to the other side of the room. She was glad to get rid of her; one thing she couldn't stand was people treating her like she was something special. She liked to be independant.
"Wow... I really like this!" Her eyes widened as she gasped over an outfit being displayed on a manakin. "Bradford Extraordinaire." She read the sign next to it. "...Must be the designer."
Grabbing one her size, she took it to the front desk with the rest of her selections. "I'm going to wear this the first day of school. I love it," she told herself.
Madame Malkin, seeing Lily waiting to check out, hurried over to her. "Ahh, the Fall Menagerie. Such a beautiful line by a brilliant designer! Bradford is an amazing woman and is becoming very popular very quickly." she said, commenting on the yellow skirt with orange and red swirls in front of her. "Truly a lovely gown."
After an anylization of all the clothes, Lily was finally out the door, carrying five large shopping bags and her money pouch, which was considerably lighter.
Next, she went to a store for hair supplies and then a store for ink, quills, and parchment.
"Alright, now all I need is some Fortesque's ice cream for the road and James' birthday present. But what to get him?..."
She rotated in a circle, considering all the stores around her. "Definently Quality Quidditch Supplies...the music store... and the bookstore, just for kicks."
As she walked into the quidditch store, a huge poster caught her eyes. She read:
Speed-Ridge Quidditch Utopia
The ultimate in quidditch resorts! Brand new and the largest in Europe! Located on the magnificent White Cliffs Of Dover in Southern England.
Anyone who's anyone in quidditch will be there during the grand opening from July 30 - August 5.
Reserve your tickets today!
"Wow..." Lily gawked at the advertisment. The place was beautiful and fancy and seemed to be the place for any quidditch fanatic to go. "This looks so cool! I wonder if James knows about the resort yet? -- Steep-ridge Quidditch Utopia -- It's a utopia all right..."
After 15 minutes, she pulled herself away from the poster and into the store, just in time too, for as she entered, the boys walked up to the poster to read it. All four of them were bedazzled, from what she could see.
Luckily, in Lily's case, they saw a friend from Hogwarts over at Fortesque's, so they left, leaving her alone to find something for James.
~~~~~~
"Thank you! Come again Miss Evans!" The Flourish and Blotts clerk politely dismissed her after she made her purchase a good hour later.
Lily said to her quietly, "I still have to buy my textbooks today before I leave. This book here is a gift, so act like I just got here, ok?"
"Ok," the clerk winked knowingly.
Lily busied herself with gathering her school books and finding some extra reading material for herself when her friends scuffled into the store.
"Hey Lils!"
"Hey guys." She raised her eyebrows when she saw their bags, then continued skimming an interesting-looking book on banshees. "Those bags... let me guess... Zonko's."
"Si," James replied in Spanish. "And self-freezing Fortesque's Banana Splits."
"And all his birthday presents from us!" Peter smiled.
"Oh! Your present!" Lily turned around and bustled through her bags and packages. "Close your eyes James, while I get it ready."
"Ok..."
Lily worked quickly, organizing his presents into a gift bag and stuffing it with poofy tissue-paper. "And... v�ila! Your present!"
He grinned like a child as Lily handed him the bag and he dug in.
�Don�t take you time or anything,� she teased sarastically. He was ripping it open like
someone dying of starvation opening a box of crackers.
�Woah, this is awesome!� He exclaimed, taking out a huge book. �Get the Goal: The
ONLY Published Book of All Techniques, Plays, and Biographies of the World�s Greatest
Quidditch Chasers. -- Plus a Special Interview with the Britian Knights� Chaser and
Captain, Jereon Vonneli,� James read off the cover and all his friends gasped.
�This is a wicked book, James.� Sirius� voice almost failed him as he was in awe.
�You�re going to have to let me borrow it sometime.�
�Yeah, me too!� Remus and Peter begged as Lily laughed.
�I take it you like it?�
He nodded vigorously.
�Well keep going, you�ve got more stuff in there,� she said.
It took a lot longer than expected for him to get through it all, but by the time he did, he�d
received not only the Quidditch book, but a Beatles record and a kid Spanish book titled:
'El Moo de las Vacas, el Quack de los Patos.'
�Ok James, here�s the test: Translation. Firstly, what is the title?�
�Hmmm...� He scrunched up his face, deep in thought. �Ok, first word is �the�.�
�No kidding. Everyone knows what �el� means.�
�I�m going, I�m going!�
His friends laughed at the sight of him muttering to himself, his face anything but vacant.
Each 2 seconds were unique with a new quizzical expression being temporarily plastered
to his face.
�Any day now, James.� Lily said, just as he looked up at her, entirely amused.
��The Cows Moo, the Ducks Quack�?�
She giggled. �Absolutely! I thought it was cute!�
He glared at her.
�You don�t think I�m supposed to start you on the infamous Flobberworm Reproduction
Spanish textbook, do you? If so, you�re sorely mistaken.�
�No, but this is a baby book!�
�More reason for you to read it. Gotta crawl before you walk. Gotta learn Lumos before Nox.�
He scowled lightly when she winked at him.
�Be sure to tell me when you�ve got the whole book figured out. Then you can read it to
me and we�ll advance to less �babyish� books.�
�Great!� He blushed and looked at the floor as any guy would when trying to thank someone politely. �Thanks for the presents, Lily.�
�No problem. Just remember whose birthday is coming up,� she hinted.
His baffled face made him look like an absolute idiot. �Whose? I think my great-aunt�s is
in late July...�
�James, you keep making yourself look stupider and stupider,� Remus nudged him in the
side as they walked to the front desk to get their school books.
�Is it really that bad?�
�You have no idea.�
�Well what�s the big deal!?� He looked at him, not understanding at all.
�It�s LILY�S birthday in August, nimrod. Sheesh James, you really aren�t that smart are
you?� Sirius whispered to him haughtily, hoping that Lily wouldn�t hear.
He smiled sheepishly. �Oh...�
In a few minutes, they had purchased their truck-load of textbooks and were sitting
outside of Eyelop�s Owl Eporium, surrounded by shopping bags and eating their
self-freezing banana splits.
�Boys! Lily! About time we found you!� Mr. and Mrs. Potter had walked up to them,
bagless.
�Yeah, no doubt. We�ve been looking for you for over an hour! We went to Fortesque�s
three times, Quality Quidditch Supplies five times, and I can�t even begin to count our
trips to Zonko�s,� Janine said, exasperated and out of breath.
�Sorry Mum and Dad.�
�Well, finish up your ice cream,� Mr. Potter grinned like he wasn�t even bothered by their
expedition; he was more-or-less eager beyond all reason. �We�ve got a great surprise for
you, James!�
They were so eager to find out what it was that the food was basically shoved down their throats. In no more than 20 seconds, Carson and Janine were leading them down the streets of Diagon Alley.
"Oh look! It's Mrs. Black!" Remus pointed out towards a short motherly-looking woman about 100 feet from them.
"Hey Mam��!" Sirius waved to her and greeted in the typically Spanish way, accenting her name. She was from Spain, but Sirius never learned the language of his mother, stupidly.
"Sirius, there you are! We've been looking for you!"
"'We'?"
"S�, Remus' mother is here somewhere. We need to get going. I know you don't want to, but that can't be helped. I'm sorry." She gave them an apologetic glance. "And Peter, your parents are visitng the Lupins, so you have to come with us too."
"Awww... Mam�, do you have to?" Sirius looked at her with his excruciatingly persuasive puppy-dog eyes.
"Yes, I'm sorry. You, Remus, and Peter need to come with me." She was one of those few people that weren't affected by that look of his.
"You heard her, boys," Carson agreed.
They sulked and follwed her in the other direction.
"James!" Sirius hollered as an afterthought. "Be sure to tell us what the big surprise is as soon as you can!"
"Will do!" He turned to his parents. "Now where to?"
~~~~~~
15 minutes later, the four of them were standing outside of Quality Quidditch Supplies.
James suddenly became wide-eyed. "Do I get a new broom!?" He jumped up and down. "Because I know you and Lily's dad own the store, so we probably get them free... And I REALLY want on of those new Spiral S-160's because it has dual anti-shock suspension! Is that what the surprise is!?"
"No James, that's not what it is," His dad said.
"Oh... Well, maybe it's one of those Speed-Ridge Spectaculars! No... wait... those don't come out until July 30th..."
"Son, we don't get brooms free from QQS anymore."
James was completely aghast as he almost stumbled backwards. "We don't!? Why?"
"Because Mr. Evans and I sold it way back in January... to buy something bigger and better..." Mr. Potter's face was lit up like a lightbulb with excitment.
"What did you buy?"
Mrs. Potter grinned and pointed at the posted on the window of the store.
James did a double-take, looking from the posted to his parents and back to the poster. �You� they� you bought�?!�
Lily was equally stunned. �No way��
�You can�t be serious! Dad, are you saying that you and Mr. Evans bought the resort?! We are actually the owners of Steep-Ridge Quidditch Utopia?�
He ran to his parents and swallowed them in a breath-taking bear hug.
Carson whispered to Janine, �I take it we didn�t need his opinion on selling QQS if you ask me. He seems to be happy with the decision.�
She winked back at him.
�This is so much better than any racing broom!� James beamed with delight. �Thank you!�
Carson chuckled. �And what do you think, Lily?�
She didn�t say anything at first, and then a smile extended to the far corners of her face. �It�s brilliant!�
�It�s ace!� James agreed.
�Fantastic!�
�Splendiferous!�
�Ok ok, calm down now.� Janine was laughing. �Obviously you�re happy, so that�s good.�
�No doubt!�
�But that�s not the end of the surprise��
�It�s not?�
This was getting better and better for them. Lily had passed the point of astonishment a long time ago and was now heading to the point of shock. This was all new for her. James was used to having piles of money at his fingertips ever since he was born, but her family was never rich. It was a complete turn-around.
�You�ll get the rest of your presents on July 30th, both of you will since Lily�s birthday is coming up too.�
�July 30th?... That�s the day the resort opens!�
�You�re sharp.� He congratulated her. �Yes, that is the opening day.�
Quietly, James was putting two and two together in his head. �So� are you saying that we�re going?�
�Absolutely! We snagged a couple tickets before advertisements went up.� He winked. �Everyone�s really psyched too. You wouldn�t believe how many quidditch fanatics have been swarming your dad�s office, Lily, just hoping there are tickets left, and if not, that they can somehow bribe someone into selling them tickets.�
�It�s really that popular?�
�Unbelievably, yes. I�m not exaggerating. Your father and I are up to our neck in preparing for the big week, making sure everything goes as planned.�
Janine, after staying quiet the whole time, said, �It�s going to be amazing, so it�s worth all the work. I just hope it�ll quiet down a bit once this is all over. I�ve already had tons of people treat me like royalty around here � too many people for comfort.�
�So that�s why Madame Malkin was babying me while I was in her store. And she kept going on about how she envied me and it bewildered her that I didn�t know what she was talking about.� Lily rolled her eyes. �I hate it when people take away my independence.�
Mr. Potter laughed. �Try to get used to it. I think the only person who was civilized towards us was Mr. Ollivander, but I don�t even think he knows or cares a great deal of what�s going on in the world around him. He keeps to himself. Always the same old mysterious, yet lovable man.�
�I think he�s a crack pot,� James whispered to Lily, hoping his parents� ears weren�t being very attentive.
�James! That�s an awful thing to say!� She whapped him with one of her shopping bags. �Mr. Ollivander is a dear man. I�ll never forget him for giving me my boa constrictor-made wand.�
�I still think he�s a loony.�
�You would.�
�What�s that supposed to mean?�
�You�re a loony!�
His parents were enjoying listening to Lily tease him and said, �Now that someone other than us finally confirmed that, let�s be going, shall we?�
James was dumbstruck by the fact that his dad said that, but eased up when he heard him laugh.
On the way out, Lily quickly grabbed a Daily Prophet and gasped upon laying eyes on the front page.
�Oh my gosh�� It wasn�t just the front page either, she noted. There was an entire section on the Potter and Evans families. A whole eight pages of family trees, history, and pictures. �No wonder!�
�Don�t worry, Lily,� Mrs. Potter put a comforting arm around her. �You�ll get used to the publicity.�
Chapter 5 ~~~~~~ Chapter 7
Home