PLOT: Lily, the smart one who would never fall for someone like James Potter. But what happens when they spend a summer together does it lead to paradise or does it lead to complete and utter chaos.
In One Moment
Chapter Two: Gracie Manor
In One Moment how everything can change.
In One Moment! How Fate can rearrange your life
~By Cheryl Kemmeny~
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As Lily stepped off the plane she saw a sign with her name on it. So naturally she made her way over to the person holding the sign. "Sir, why is my name on your sign?"
"So you are Miss Evans?"
"Yes I am." 'Wrong answer why am I telling a stranger who I am?'
"Well I am your ride to Gracie Manor I am your shoffer Mr. HardBroom."
"Nice to meet you Mr. HardBroom."
"Come along now we need to get your luggage and accessories, we can't keep Ms Gracie waiting." They made there way through the airport and collected Lily's stuff. The shoffer informed her it would take them a solid hour from the airport to reach Gracie Manor, so Lily occupied herself by writing her friend's letters about where she was. The car had stopped and Lily looked up to see that they had arrived at the manor. Two big black gates opened as they made there way up the three mile long drive way, there was over three acres of land in front of the manor alone, and forty acres of forestry. She hadn't been here since she was seven years old. They pulled up to the front of the manor; it was a gleaming white that glossed over with the suns reflection. It was situated on over 30 acres of beach and more on the property. Lily made her way up the steps and into the house. "Wow!' sighed Lily as she let out an admiring whistle "This place is amazing."
"Well I wouldn't settle for anything less now would I?"
"Gracie!" exclaimed Lily as she enveloped the woman standing before her in a hug.
"My, my, my, you have grown look at you. You certainly are a young woman."
"I'm not that good looking."
"You are and I won't have any objections at all. Harold! Come take Lily's bags upstairs while I show her around."
"Yes, ma'am"
"Come along into the foyer my child, these are the stairs to the west and south wings and the stairs in the entrance hall lead to the north and east wings. In through the mahogany doors is the dinning hall and to your left is the kitchen. If you follow me down the hall we have our buffet room for when we have our parties on your right and we have our pool room to your left." At this Gracie stopped and continued babbling about the bar, the pool, the beach, the game room, the twenty-five downstairs bathrooms, and then the children's area. "Now, on to your room my dear." They returned to the foyer and headed up the stairs and down the south hall to the end of the hall where they stopped.
"Where are we?" questioned Lily while looking around and when she looked back a door was there. "Gracie, where did that . . ."
"Where did what? Come along now, come see your room." said as they entered an extravagant room that had a cathedral ceiling and a huge bed pinned up against the wall, the bed had a ten foot high canopy that held white drapes, and the bed was covered in scarlet red silk. The floor was laced with gems in every marble stone, and the walls were covered with pictures and paintings. There were four doors in this room, one that led out onto the adjoining balcony, one that led into her bathroom, one that led into a game room and another that led into a room that had more doors along every wall.
"Gracie, what is this room?"
"This is your closet, my dear."
"Where are the clothes?"
"Through the doors my dear you have one for jeans, one for sweats, one for shirts, one for sweaters, one for jackets, one for dresses, one for shoes, and one for anything else you want to put in it."
"So that's like, seven closets?"
"Yes, and through the middle door on the back wall is your changing area, and the door to your left is your powder room, equipped with vanity and sofas."
"Where does all this room come from?"
"Pure magic my dear." little did Lily know that this statement was real for she never suspected that Gracie would be a witch. "Okay, time for your surprise my dear."
"Surprise you mean me staying at Gracie Manor isn't my surprise?"
"No its more like my pleasure, your surprise is a ball."
"A ball?"
"Yes to celebrate you being seventeen, it is your seventeenth birthday ball."
"Like the ones you used to give when I was small?"
"Yes but more extravagant, you will have your own entrance, escort and dance."
"All of that for me?"
"Yes, so come along we need to find you a dress and then we must do your hair and make-up."
"You don't have to do this for me."
"Come off it Lillian, you are like a daughter to me can't I do something special for you?"
"Can you call me Lily? And yes you can do something for me but this is beyond what I dreamed."
"I will call you Lillian and that's that plus you deserve only the best." without another word they entered the dress closet and chose a dress and started to get ready for the ball.
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"Mum, what is Sirius going to wear?"
"Jamie, stop complaining I have enough to worry about and for all I care he could go naked, it would add some amusement to the night."
"Mum! I'm serious!"
"Jamie! I'm serious!" mimicked his mother
"You too are quite funny, Mrs. P."
"Sirius its Louise not Mrs. P."
"Yes mummy dearest!"
"Sirius if you want to wear something appropriate be nice and try this on."
"Yes, Louise." as soon as the boys were ready and Mr. & Mrs. Potter came downstairs it was already 6:15.
"My, my boys look at the time we should have been there at six. Come along know don't waist anymore time it will take us about ten minutes by Floo to get to Spain and the party starts at seven. When you arrive in the foyer wait there for Gracie and your father and I. No wandering around!" James and Sirius were the first to Floo and Mr. & Mrs. Potter followed. They arrived at Gracie manor only to be greeted by Gracie herself
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"Oh, Lillian! You are absolutely gorgeous!"
"Thank you." Lily turned and looked at her reflection in the mirror
She was wearing a burgundy dress that was strapless; it tied once in the back to hold the dress up.
It had an open back that closed as it reached her waist covering her lower body.
It clung to her body perfectly; it was like the dress was made to fit her.
After her waist line the dress flowed straight and flared out at the bottom, it also had a slit in the back that went up to her knees.
Her hair was half-up half-down, the part that was up was in a tight bun that had strands looped in and out with four miniature silver roses in the middle, the hair that was down was curled ever so slightly and bounced against her shoulders as she walked. Her bun was kept in place by a tiara. Her shoes where a light wine.
She was beautiful.
"Now, my dear I need to find you an escort so if you excuse me I'll be back in five okay?"
"Hmm - mmm."
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"Ah, James, Sirius, Louise and Derek how wonderful to see you. Now boys," she turned her attention to Sirius and James after giving everyone a hug. "My debutant needs an escort for tonight and I was wondering if one of you would be as kind as to . . . ."
"Sure, James here will be glad to do it that was all he could talk about today hoping to get picked and all." exclaimed Sirius ignoring the glare sent his way by James.
"It's settled then, James please follow Bernard out into the courtyard and he will tell you what is needed. The rest of you can proceed into the lounge until I start the ceremony but right now I have to attend to the birthday girl." with that said she swept out of the square room that you would hardly notice if you didn't know it was there. She left behind Mr. and Mrs. Potter and Sirius.
"Well you heard the lady." commented Sirius as he draped his arms over his parents shoulders "To the lounge!" and with that they swept out of the room unnoticed and headed to join the others.
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"My dear you must be getting ready. I am going to head into the courtyard and give an opening speech and then when I announce your name you are to open the balcony doors walk out and down the stairs where you will find your escort waiting for you. You will then take his hand after he bows and you will curtsy and head to the dance floor for the first dance of the night. Okay?"
"Yes, Gracie I will."
"I must be off then."
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"Attention, Attention everyone! Thank you, I would all thank you for coming to Gracie Manor and hope you enjoy your stay if it would be for the night or for the summer. We will begin this summer with a ball of course, celebrating the honor of my goddaughter. . . . ."
James and Sirius zoned out and they began focusing on the women around the room so they didn't hear Lily's name when it was called. When Lily's name was called she exited her room and made her way over to the stairs. As she reached the top of the stairs she stopped her escort wasn't there. Then she saw a figure run towards the stairs and stop. 'That must be my escort.' So she made her way down the stairs and after her escort bowed she took his hand and curtsied. As they made there way to the dance floor Lily realized she new her escort but she couldn't put a name with his face. As they started dancing she realized who she was dancing with he was James Potter.
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A/N: Hey I hope you liked this chapter and the third one should be out soon, I hope you all REVIEW!! Please REVIEW!!
Updated : 3/2/04
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE ORIGINAL HARRY POTTER CHARACTERS I ONLY OWN GRACIE MAONR AND EVERYONE THAT WORKS THERE.