-Chapter Three
-By Natali
(-Present…)
"That's so sweet," Rachel sighed, tying the last braid. "You never told us any of that before."
Lily shrugged, getting up from her chair. "I didn't want to-or needed to either. Now I both want to and need to." She turned around. "Interestingly enough, chocolate and a bubble bath do help. Do you… want to go shopping?"
Grace smiled at her. "Oh, we're really feeling better now. Alright, let's get on with this therapy!" She grabbed both Lily and Rachel by the hand, apparating with them to a store in Middlesbrough, in a back alley. It was her haven.
"Ok, Lils," Grace smiled, shoving her in the direction of the shoes. "I command you to spend at least a thousand galleons here!"
Lily shook her head, but let a small smile creep onto her lips, even though it was a little forced. She began trying on random shoes, trying to find the most outrageous.
"Tell us another story, Lily," Rachel called from her left, scanning a clothes' rack. "We don't have all day you know." She winked.
Lily picked up the pink and bright green stiletto boots she'd been trying on. "Alright. I practically know the diary entry and its story by heart anyway… That tends to happen when you're so head over heels for someone that you think about them, even if you're not thinking about them. Does that make any sense?"
"Yes," Grace said under her breath. "I wonder what they would say if they knew Remus and I were hooking up again…"
Rachel peered over the rack. "Did you say something, Grace?"
Grace shook her head. "No. Not one thing… Well, go on then, Lily."
Lily turned back to her shoes and tried on a pair of bright blue strap sandals. "Well, you guys remember our first date, right?"
"How could we forget?" Rachel muttered, looking at a pink skirt. "You were talking nonstop about it, you prepared for it for three hours, and then you kept us up half the night giving us a play by play!"
"Fine, I won't tell you then."
Grace sent Rachel a murderous look. "Don't listen to her. You tell us anyway. Besides, the first time you told me, I tuned out after the first five minutes anyway."
The same pink and neon green boot hit the side of her head.
"Bitch!"
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September 29
I'm going to bed soon. I just came back from our very first date together (and his first date period). Now, we'd gotten together on Wednesday to discuss our plans. We'd go to Covent Gardens for a play and then Somerset House for an after party of sorts. He was very… extravagant, to say the least.
Well, he was so nervous! It was almost cute-but since James Potter is too cool for that, we'll say he was charming. (Splendid. Bloody splendid! Did you see that [! ]? Did you see how I called him James? Bloody hell…)
Because we were planning to go out of school, and it's not exactly "allowed", we had to sneak out, with a whole bunch of accomplices. Not to worry, it's been done before, several times. So he'd arranged for us to take our clothes and head over to Covent Gardens-the Warlock Underground.
I was really excited earlier, because I'd never been to see a play at the Gardens. I've been, naturally; but a play, and an after party?
And so I figure… If I'm going to get myself into this mess with Potter, why not pick up some culture along the way?
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(-Memories…-)
"Lils," Grace said, poking her head in. "He says he's ready when you are." She came the rest of the way in and shut the door behind her. "Are you really going to do it? Why don't you just go have a nice, private dinner in the greenhouses or something? Are you willing to risk expulsion just for a little fun?"
Lily smiled. "First, of course I'm really going to do it. Second, when has expulsion been a threat to me? And third"-she turned from the mirror she was looking in and faced her friend-"the greenhouses?"
Grace furrowed her eyebrows. "That wasn't my point."
"Yes, well mine is that I frankly don't care. Potter is an expert at sneaking out of school, and I'm no novice either! Then with all of you helping… Well, it's bound to go fine!"
"You know these things always have a way of coming back and nipping you right in the ass."
"Naturally."
"And you just don't give a rat's hairy bum, do you?"
"Not a hair of it."
"Jolly good then. Remember that when you're packing your bags to leave."
"If they haven't already expelled me for all the things I've done, why would they start now? Besides, my mum would nag Dumbledore so much he'd finally give in and let me in again." Lily placed first one ornamental chopstick then another into her elegant bun. "And anyhow, would you pass up a night like this?"
Grace smiled slowly. "Hardly. But I still think you better watch it. Snape is just begging to get you into trouble."
"That foul, irritable cockroach! I swear, doesn't he bathe? Its called cologne, for heaven's sake!"
Grace laughed. "Relax, Lils." She looked at the pretty white dress hanging on the closet door, ready for Lily to take it with her. "I love that dress."
"Thank you, I do too. Now, what will you be doing while I'm gone? Snogging with Remus, shagging Remus, or staring at Remus?"
Grace sputtered incoherent sounds as Lily grinned knowingly.
"I am not shagging Re-Lupin! We hardly know each other."
Lily feigned a disappointed face. "Well, that must make the shagging part rather awkward. Rather, the part after. What do you say then? `Thank you'?"
"I am not shagging him, I tell you!" she shrieked.
Rachel walked in from the bathroom, catching the end of this. "Who? Remus? Of course you are, dear. It's obvious as the bloody sun in the sky."
Grace's face turned a deep shade of crimson as Rachel and Lily laughed.
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(-Present…-)
"Excuse you!" Grace interrupted. "This is not Lily's story. This is bloody Grace's private story, so shove off with it, Lils!"
Lily and Rachel shared a look, Rachel's a smiling one and Lily's a half-smiling one.
"Really though," Rachel mused, browsing though the lingerie. What would he think of this? she wondered, holding up a hot red thong. She giggled as she looked at her mates. What would they think if I told them?!
"Really though what?" Grace grumbled.
"How could you think we didn't know?" Rachel laughed. "You two would sneak off every two minutes to somewhere and shag each other silly. At least, I'm guessing you did-you would disappear for hours."
Grace didn't answer. They still disappeared for hours… Just to her flat this time and not in some broom closet at school.
Lily gave Grace a sly look. "He was good, huh?"
She was silent for a moment. "Yes. Very, very good. And thorough. Oh so very thorough." She groaned and bit her lip, reminiscing. "Wicked…"
Rachel snorted. "Someone liked to get fucked."
"You're so crude, Rachel!"
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(-Memories…-)
"So Lils, excited for your date with Potter?" Rachel asked.
"I suppose. Which reminds me… McGonagall down there?"
"Yeah."
"DISTRACT HER! I GOTTA GO!" Lily shoved Rachel out of the door, grabbed her dress and ran down the stairs (alright, she walked. There was no way she was going to mess up her hair).
"Potter!" she hissed at him, grabbing him by the arm in his room. "We need to go! McGonagall is going with Rachel, but then we're screwed. Come on!"
"I think you're so sexy when you're rushed," he chuckled.
"Don't you have your outfit?"
"At home."
"Oh."
They went out the portrait, and headed deeper into the castle.
"So, how are we getting out?" Lily asked, smiling at the hand James had grabbed on the way out. "Should we use the passage behind the portrait of Guld the Groggy?"
James stopped and stared at her. "How did you know about that?"
"Never mind. Are we?"
He hesitated then kept on walking. "No. Filch found it last week and had it blocked. I suggest you don't use that one anymore-he's prowling around it, trying to catch the people who used it."
"Thanks for the heads up. I'll remember to tell Grace and Rach. The passage behind the statue of the Greek goddess?"
"Do you know every passage here?"
"I'd like to think so."
"How many?"
"Eight."
"Eight? There's only seven, not eight."
Lily smiled. "Of course there is. You keep thinking that."
"I've been all over this castle! I know there isn't another passage."
"Well, unless you were in the Seventh Year girls' dorm, you wouldn't have had a chance… We dug it ourselves."
"Why, you naughty thing."
"Thank you."
"We can't use the one behind the statue because there was flooding there in the last storm and it's all caked mud-not to mention an entirely different tunnel."
"Then which one, genius?"
James was silent for a moment. "There's this tunnel, on the grounds… It ends somewhere." He sighed. "Lily, you have to promise not to tell anyone. And also that you'll never go there again." He opened the great oak doors in the Entrance Hall. "You also have to promise that you won't tell anyone about this place-ever."
"Alright. What is it? A government tunnel or something?" she joked.
"If only it were that." James turned left and headed for the Whomping Willow. "Another thing. I'll… have to blindfold you."
"You are not blindfolding me, James Potter."
"It's for your safety! Tell me now if I can't, because that means we can't go out this way."
Lily rolled her eyes. "Fine. You can blindfold me. When?"
James grinned. "Now." He tied the white handkerchief around her head. "And when we get to the end of the tunnel… Promise not to ask questions."
"Alright. Really, it's as if it's some sort of secret…"
"…It is."
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(-Present…-)
"Um, did you say the Whomping Willow, Lils?" Grace asked as they walked down Baker Street, eating ice creams in celebration of their account-emptying purchases.
"Yeah. Why?" Lily asked.
Grace frowned. "Did he um, ever tell you why you couldn't tell anyone?"
"No, not ever. Is something the matter?"
"No. Everything is fine," Grace replied, relieved.
Rachel meanwhile, was watching an old man walking down the street, rethinking about the events of three days ago. Three days ago, she had gone to see James, Sirius, and Remus-just because Lily and James had broken up, didn't mean she couldn't talk to them. She'd gone there to see them, and to ask James what had happened (for all Lily had told her about the breakup, she'd never told her why).
She'd gotten to the flat they shared, but only Sirius was there.
"Where are they?" Rachel asked.
"I don't know. James has gone missing for the past week or so. Remus is off with some girl-at least, that's my notion."
"How could you not know where James is, Sirius?"
"He's a big boy… He can take care of himself."
"And you don't think he's hurting?"
"…Not really."
"You're a prick! They love each other!"
"Seems to me that they broke up…"
Rachel smiled and glanced down into her shopping bag. What would he say about the lingerie she bought?
But that wasn't the important thing. What really mattered was the fact that the old man following them on the other side of the street had been near Lily's gigantic mansion. Now, why would an old beggar go to a very rich, guarded neighborhood, and then follow them all the way here?
"Hang on guys. I want to see this store. Go on, I'll catch up," she said, preparing to cross the street.
"You sure you don't want us to come with you?"
Rachel smiled. "Positive." As she crossed the street, cars honked at her (or perhaps it was her miniskirt?). "Oh, dear God," she muttered, "you've really done yourself in this time. Chin deep in shit, aren't you?" She gave a chuckle as the old man smiled and walked up to her, hugging her in greeting.
"You smell bad," she wrinkled her nose. "What is that?" She sniffed. "Rotting fish?"
"Shove it. I had to sleep in the dumpster to avoid the coppers."
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(-Memories…-)
Lily strapped on her right shoe and stood, looking at herself in the mirror. In all modesty, she didn't look too bad.
At all.
With a satisfied sigh, she grabbed her purse and headed down the stairs to where her prince was waiting.
"I'm ready," she called out softly. "Don't laugh."
James smiled and stood up from his couch. "I won't."
With one last breath, she stepped around the corner in plain view of James. "Well… What do you think?" she asked when he remained silent.
His chest swelled as he drank in the sight before him: a beautiful, porcelain beauty packaged in the finest white satin.
When he still didn't say anything (trying to ignore the growing erection in his pants, I imagine) she said, "You don't like it. Great. Well, deal with it!" She tried not to feel disappointed, not to feel sad.
"Lily… That is not what I was thinking." He held out his hand. "Come here, angel."
Lily slowly walked to him and let him wrap her in his arms, even though she was still a little upset. "You didn't like it," she grumbled. Her eyes misted. "You're supposed to like it."
What am, five? Why am I crying? she thought to herself.
"I did like it," he whispered. He ran his tongue along her perfumed neck. "I really like it. A lot. You look… breathtaking, and I do mean that."
"I know you like it," she giggled, nudging his stiff member. "Shall we go?"
"Let's."
(-Later…-)
"My lady," James smiled, opening the door for the carriage he'd rented to take them to the party. He handed Lily up and followed her in. "Go on, Jerry!"
The carriage lurched forward just as he sat down.
"Did you like it?" he asked.
"It was good," Lily nodded, looking out the window. "I've never been to see a play here. Do you come often?"
"Mum and Dad drag me along."
"My mum could never afford tickets to a play, much less a private box at a play! And Dad… Well, he was cheap even though he had the money."
"Your parents are divorced?"
"Yeah."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. They hated each other and I loved my stepmother. Before they died three years ago, anyway."
"I'm sorry for that then."
She shrugged. "Death is something that happens everyday. There's this one poem called There's An Elephant In The Room. It goes:
There's an elephant in the room.
It is large & squatting, so it is hard to get around it.
Yet we squeeze by with "How are u?" and "I'm fine".
And a thousand other forms of trivial chatter.
We talk about the weather.
We talk about work.
We talk about everything else-
Except the elephant in the room.
There's an elephant in the room
We all know it is there.
We r thinking about the elephant as we talk.
It is constantly on our minds.
For you see, it is a very big elephant.
But we do not talk about the elephant in the room.
Oh, please say her name.
Oh, please, say "Barbara" again.
Oh, please, let's talk about the elephant in the room.
For if we talk about her death,
Perhaps we can talk about her life.
Can I say "Barbara" & not have you look away?
For if I cannot, you are leaving me
Alone…
In a room…
With an elephant."
"That's… different," James said. "I'm guessing that the elephant symbolizes something?"
"Death," Lily offered. "We don't like to talk about it, but it's there, so why do we avoid it? I won't say I don't miss them-because I do. But it's something that happens. People come and go, but it's their love that stays here forever."
"You took it hard, huh?" he asked softly.
"Yeah."
"When did your parents divorce?"
"When I was two months old," she smiled. "My sister, Petunia, is about a year older than me. It came out that she was actually my dad's ex-best friend's daughter. Needless to say, it ruined their marriage. It wouldn't have been such an unhappy ending if my mum had ever gotten married with Petunia's dad like they were going to, but he died of a stroke."
"How old was he?"
"Sixty-five."
"Ill."
Lily laughed. "No kidding. Point is, Petunia's always held it against me. So when I got Dad's inheritance…" She grinned at him. "You can imagine."
"Ah. Sibling rivalry."
"To the max. What about you?"
"My parents are so deeply in love it's sickening," James grimaced.
"They kiss in front of you?"
"If only it were that!"
Lily giggled just as the carriage stopped in front of Somerset House. "I guess we're here."
"Uh… Lily?" James said, not moving. "Do you want to… skip this?"
Lily cocked her head to the side, thinking. "By all means. Let's skip."
-A/N: I answered all reviews on the review page. Thanks for reading guys!
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