Secrets & Dreams: A Lily Evans and a James Potter Story

Both Lily and James go to Diagon Alley, and something surprising happens in Ollivanders...

CHAPTER TWO:

Alleys And Wands

The day began with a good start. Lily, now used to Anne's and Petunia snide comments about her, woke up with a fresh happiness. Today, she was going to Diagon Alley.

Lily had never been to London before, though Petunia had, from her old primary school trips.

In an eager frenzy, Lily quickly got dressed, and prepared herself for a thrilling day.

Face pressed against her car window, Lily gaped at London. She had never seen a place so busy, it was much busier than Surrey.

"Are you excited?" both George and Henrietta asked, in unison. Their daughter's immediate response made them laugh: "Yes!!!"

Lily went to a small bookshop, her eyes darting to every shelf, her heart throbbing with desire. She wanted to buy all the books her eyes landed on, but knowing she'd run out of money, Lily only bought the books that were necessary.

To her delight, Henrietta bought Lily a large, grey owl, with huge yellow cat-like eyes. Lily named her Crystal.

What Lily was looking forward to was trying out the wands. She'd never touched a wand before, and was thoroughly happy just to think that she would soon be an owner of a wand.

When they entered Ollivanders, Lily felt her heart stop. There were loads and loads of boxes that resembled a shoebox on each shelf, and Lily knew it was where the wands were kept. Something icy ran down her spine; she knew someone was watching her and her family.

"Hello, my dear." Lily jumped, and she wasn't the only one.

A middle-aged man appeared, his head balding, his eyes shimmering at Lily with interest.

"My name's Ollivander. And who are you, may I ask?"

Lily gulped, and she tried to disguise it as a cough. "My name's Lily Evans," she whispered, in awe.

Ollivander gave Lily a kind smile, and it eased her nerves. "I assume you have come to try out the wands?"

Hastily Lily nodded her head.

"Wand arm, please."

Guessing, because she didn't know what he meant, Lily held out her right arm. Ollivander whipped a tape measure out his pocket and began measuring Lily's arm.

After that, Ollivander clicked his tongue. Thinking this was a bad thing, Lily's nerves started to settle in.

What if he can't find a wand for me? Lily thought, or what if this is a cock-up? And I'm not a witch after all?

As if reading her thoughts, Ollivander gave her another reassuring smile. "Everything will be alright," he told her, and Lily gave him a look, as he shuffled to find a wand.

Funny, thought Lily, Daddy told me that yesterday.

0000

James was not happy. Fine, for the first few days, being accepted into Hogwarts was wonderful. But the excitement was starting to die down after a couple of weeks.

He hated how Helen kept on bugging him to go to Diagon Alley. He hated it when Patrick bugged him to follow Helen's orders. All in all, James started to wish he never received that dratted letter. His life would be a lot quieter.

"Come on James, wake up, and get dressed, because we're going to Diagon Alley."

"Dad!" groaned James, who detested waking up earlier than ten o'clock. He threw his covers over his head.

Patrick, who didn't like James' recent behaviour, grabbed the duvet and threw it on the floor. He stared down at James, and James stared straight back at him. Patrick was trying hard not to lose his temper.

"Look, son, both your Mother and I know you've been avoiding going to Diagon Alley. Why?"

James scowled, his lips set in a tight line. Patrick, who loved James with all his heart, wanted to take back his question. But he didn't. "Mum and you keep on bugging me about it," grumbled James, reluctantly, "it's starting to drive me insane. I never get a minute before someone mentions Diagon Alley."

"James, you need to get your school equipment, before it's all sold out," Patrick told him, weakly.

James' scowl deepened. "I know that, Dad. Mum's been telling me that for ages."

Ignoring James' furious protests, Helen and Patrick forced James to go with them to Diagon Alley. Its bustling town didn't impress James, who's been to London and Diagon Alley a lot of times before.

James' angry strides made Helen and Patrick frown, but James who was used to this gesture, strode on without a care in the world.

What made his anger subdued was the large crowd around a shop. His exited eyes met Patrick's, and James rushed into the crowd.

"It's supposed to be the fastest broom," a boy whispered to his sister, as James pushed his way through the crowd.

He came to the shop window, and what little excitement he felt before, increased. The broom faced him, and he read what its name: Silver Arrow. It was written in an eye-catching way: big, loopy silvery handwriting.

"I guess you want that, don't you?"

James looked up to see Helen. He was surprised it wasn't Patrick. "Yeah, that'll be great."

0000

Lily had tried at least seven wands. She was desperate to leave Ollivanders; it was too dark and spooky for her liking. She didn't like how Ollivander's pale blue eyes twinkled with surprise when the wands rejected her. Lily also didn't like that Henrietta and George had decided to wait outside for her.

Lily's green eyes betrayed her nerves, and when Ollivander brought her the eighth wand, Lily looked at it, nervously.

Ollivander picked the wand up, and gave it to her. When Lily grabbed it, she felt the power swelling in her. She gave it a hard jab, and a jet of stars and birds flew out.

"Excellent!" Ollivander cried out, when the stars and birds diminished.

"Ten and a quarter inches, swishy, made out of willow. Nice for charm work."

Lily heavily blushed, as she paid for the wand. When she was about to leave, a boy around her age with messy black hair came in, and accidentally bumped into her.

"Watch it, carrots," he snapped at her, and Lily wrinkled her nose. She wanted to retort, but the boy was already talking to Ollivander. Trying hard not to get him under her skin, Lily went to her parents.

"I've got my wand!" Lily squealed, producing her wand from her jean pocket. Her parents beamed at her.

0000

"Watch it, carrots," James snapped, to a redheaded girl, who accidentally bumped into him. She stalked out of the shop, looking highly affronted.

But James didn't care. Ollivander was looking at him, through his pale blue eyes. James wished those watery eyes looked somewhere other than him. "I'm James Potter," he introduced himself, gruffly. He firmly told Patrick and Helen that they should stay outside.

"Wand arm," Ollivander ordered. James held out his right arm, already bored. Once Ollivander finished measuring, he brought out a wand for James to try. James poked it in the air, and nothing happened.

"No, no, no," Ollivander murmured, snatching the wand from James' fingertips. Minutes later, he came back with another wand.

"Try this."

And James did. But like the first one, it did nothing. "Another tricky customer, huh?" said Ollivander, raising his shaggy eyebrows.

"Another?" James repeated. He wanted to be the one and only. Ollivander smiled.

"Yes, the last customer was extremely tricky."

That redhead? James thought, astonished. "She'll be a very bright girl," Ollivander predicted, and scurried off. He was a few minutes before he strolled back. He handed James another wand.

"She had at least seven rejections, before the eighth one agreed with her. Really, it's the wand who chooses the wizard."

Why's he telling me all this? James thought, as he jabbed his wand. Then, lightning bolts flew out of it, with pink flowers chasing after them.

Glad that he knew he'd be getting out of the shop, he even listened keenly to what his wand was made out of: "Eleven inches, mahogany, Pliable. Excellent for Transfiguration."

When he got home, James was a lot happier. Finally having Diagon Alley off his mind, he was in a cheerful mood like he was when he first received his Hogwarts letter.

Bliss, grateful that James was acting kindly, worked a lot harder for him, especially when it came to picking up his clothes that were left in a mess on his bedroom floor.

However, she kept on dreading when this new behaviour from James would disappear, to be replaced back to his grouchy self.

Trying hard not to think of that horrible thought, Bliss began to sing whenever she thought of it.

One particular memory of her singing made her blush severely...

!!!!! Flashback!!!!!

Bliss hadn't always had a happy life, but once the Potter's took her in, she saw the brighter things in the world. Helen and Patrick were her Gods, but the only flaw in their family was their son, James.

He'd always been mean to Bliss, and Bliss thought he was too arrogant and conceited for words, but her opinions changed when he received his Hogwarts letter. He became happier, and he was a lot nicer to Bliss.

Bliss, thankful for the new James, worked harder for him. But soon James went back to being mean and hateful, which caused him to be nasty to Bliss.

Shocked and hurt by the sudden change in James, Bliss then ignored to pick James' clothes up.

After he went to Diagon Alley, he came back being nice again, which thoroughly confused her. Not liking the thought of James turning nasty again, Bliss spent her time singing.

She sung when she cooked, she sung when she washed the clothes. She sung when she cleaned the house.

And as she picked up James' trousers, she began to sing one of her favourite songs.

"Sunny days

Brings me happy mornings

Happy evenings..."

"I didn't know you could sing!"

Bliss whipped around, and blushed as she saw James staring at her, from his bed. His face shone with amusement.

"Bliss doesn't sing, Mr Potter sir," she stammered, and fled from the room.

!!!!End Of Flashback!!!!

0000

Lily read and memorised nearly all of her books on the second day she got them. She was still furious about that boy calling her: 'carrots,' and her mood was not improved when both Anne and Petunia ambushed her, Henrietta and George when they got home from Diagon Alley.

In a rage, George grounded Petunia for two whole weeks ("but Daddy, school's starting soon!" "Your loss!") And threatened Anne to tell her parents ("Mr Evans, I'm sorry, but it was Petunia who forced me to do it." "You still could've said 'no'!") But he did tell Janice France and Edward France in the end, and they were equally as angry with Anne as Henrietta and George were. ("Lily's your best friend, Anne! Doesn't that mean anything to you?")

With all her might, Lily tried to be happy and she tried lightening the chilly atmosphere in the Evans household. But Petunia kept on spoiling it, usually shouting, "Freak!" or "stupid!" or "freak of nature!" from her room.

All in all, Lily couldn't wait until she went to Hogwarts.