Lily moaned, and with an effort, managed to pull her heavy down pillow over her face, preventing the air from being breathed in. She could feel her face flushing from the lack of oxygen, and the air under the pillow was hot and steamy.
Lily was at her new flat in London, and she liked it very much. However, the subtle disturbances such as neighbors welcoming you to the vicinity with assortments of sweets and pies at seven o'clock in the morning was not exactly coded into the kind gesture which the people were trying to produce, by Lily.
Rap. Rap. Rap.
Lily lifted her head from under the pillow. She didn't even open her eyes, which she knew would be bloodshot. Instead of getting up, she dove headfirst under the covers, shivering in her pyjamas.
Rap. Rap. Rap. Rap. Rap.
"Oh, piss off!" She heard herself growl.
RAP. RAP. RAP. RAP. RAP. RAP. RAP. RAP. RAP.
"FINE!" Lily yelled. She pulled off her blankets. Her eyes still stung when she opened them, and when her focus became clear, she saw an owl at her windowpane.
She opened the window slowly, mustering all of her strength. The owl flocked in towards Lily's owl's cage.
Lily opened her own owl's cage and let the two birds mingle, drink from the water dish, and eat some of Lily's owl's pellets.
"Wait! I need my letter first!" she realized.
Lily pulled the letter off the brown owl's leg. It looked like a school owl, and it came with a package and a letter.
Lily sat down on her bed. She opened the Hogwarts package, and out fell two envelopes. Enclosed in one envelope was two pieces of paper - just the list of necessary appliances and another sheet of paper.
Dear Miss Evans,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been chosen
as the Head Girl for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and
Wizardry.
Congratulations!
However, with this privilege you have a great responsibility. Any foolishness and more than three detentions will automatically forfeit your badge unless you have an arrangement with the Headmaster or Head of House.
If you feel unable to accept this responsibility, please let the Deputy Headmistress know.
Enclosed is a badge for your position. Please wear it over your school robes.
You will be working alongside James Potter and will be patrolling the corridors weekly. Please act respectively.
You will receive a list of passwords when you get to school.
Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
"James Potter," Lily snarled.
Lily threw away the envelope for the letter and poured more food into Agrippa's dish.
There was a clank and a swear word coming from the other room, and Lily peeked her head out of the door to see who it was. There, sitting at her counter,
making himself a cup of coffee was…
"Potter," Lily muttered.
What in Merlin's name is James Potter doing in my home? Is he stalking me?
Remain calm, Lily. Brace yourself, she thought.
Lily opened her wardrobe and pulled out a pair of Muggle jeans, some undergarments and a green shirt.
Pocketing the other envelope, she thundered into the kitchen.
"Lily," James Potter greeted warmly as Lily came in.
"Pot - James," she acknowledged with a stale tone, still utterly confused on what he was doing in her kitchen.
James was sitting at Lily's kitchen counter, drinking some coffee. "I had a spare key - I didn't break in," he assured her.
James was in a red jumper and his hair didn't look as messy as it normally did. His glasses looked new, and his eyes were sparkling. His lips - was Lily looking
at Potter's lips?!
Oh God, what has gotten into me?! Lily wondered.
She grabbed a bowl and box of corn flakes and poured the cereal absent-mindedly into the bowl.
"So - er - what are you doing here?" Lily asked James uncertainly.
James looked confused. "Didn't you get your letter?"
Lily frowned. "What letter?"
"With your Head Girl badge? Wasn't there another letter?" James asked skeptically.
"Oh!" Lily said immediately, everything clicking into place. "Right!"
She pulled the envelope from her pocket. She opened it on the counter, as it felt a lot heavier than she had recollected. Out fell a letter and a silvery chain necklace with some words in a language she didn't understand on the back.
Dear Lily,
Do not lose this locket.
I need your assistance with something very serious. What we will be doing is very risky, however it is crucial to your entire life.
I believe you passed your Apparition test. You will Apparate to the Muggle record shop, right next to that large pub in the middle of London with your school supplies today at twelve o'clock in the afternoon.
Bring your owl.
Mr. Potter will accompany you. Expect him at your residence at ten thirty in the morning.
I will explain everything later.
See you this evening.
"This doesn't make any sense!" Lily exclaimed.
"I know, mine doesn’t either," James said, frowning.
Lily put the box of corn flakes away and grabbed the milk. "And it doesn't say who it's from! Who is it From?"
"Dumbledore." James smiled as he put the milk back into the fridge.
Lily poured herself a cup of coffee and grabbed a spoon.
"Anyway, Lily," James said, watching Lily eat with a look of sheer amusement on his face, "how has your summer been?"
An hour passed quickly with James. He had ended up to be funny, smart, kind and very empathetic beneath his evident layers of arrogance.
James caught sight of the large plastic clock behind Lily. "Oh, crap! Lily - we have to leave in a half hour," he told her.
Lily stood up abruptly. "I'll be right back!"
Thanks to the fact that Lily was of the proper age now and could do magic outside of school, she was packed up and ready to go in ten minutes. She took a quick shower and changed into some other clothes, with still five minutes to go.
She came back downstairs to see James watching the Muggle television with a look of utter fascination. She giggled as James turned to look at her and unsuccessfully tried to turn the set off. Lily grabbed the remote and turned pressed the power button.
Magically drying her hair, Lily conjured her trunk into the room. She ran back to her room, grabbed Agrippa's cage, and brought it into the living room.
James met her there and gave her the necklace that she had left on the counter.
"Ready?"
"Ready," Lily said.
James grabbed his and Lily's things and the trunks and owl cages vanished.
And with a crack, Lily and James Apparated to the Muggle store.
"Ah, Lily! James! Pleasure seeing you again."
Albus Dumbledore was standing in front of the record shop. He was standing there with waist-length hair, magenta robes and long leather boots, looking gleeful, and he was smiling warmly, looking at Lily and James with intense liking.
Behind him was a man with elegant black hair and grey eyes. He was grinning and looking confused at the same time.
Dumbledore ushered Lily, James and the other man into the record shop. In the back was a door that Lily, who had been there before, had never seen.
They stepped into the door and found themselves in some sort of garden.
"You are wondering what you all are doing here?" Dumbledore asked finally.
The three others nodded.
"Let me explain."
_________________________
A/N: Dun dun dun! And the plot thickens!
This was just a little plot bunny that hopped into my head.
While you're waiting for updates, please go check out my other story, An Unclear Past - updates are coming soon to that one too.
Also, please review with some positive feedback - even a little "great job - update soon" would be nice.