How It All Happened

"I still can't believe I'm a witch!" Lily squealed to Celestina.

 

"I know... me either..." Celestina sighed as they made their way into one of the empty train compartments.

 

"I mean it's almost like a dream... well sometimes nightmare..." Lily said and smiled as she sat down and looked out the window at the familiar surroundings.

 

"One thing's for sure... I'll miss this dream..." Celestina said and sighed.

 

The compartment door slid open and four boys walked in.

 

"Can we sit here? Everywhere else is full... or has a Lockhart..." Sirius said grinning.

 

"Sure... you can sit here..." Celestina uttered breathlessly.

 

"Grace isn't that bad... but her brother is a nightmare... I wonder how she puts up with him all the time..." Lily said, she wanted to say more but looked down and blushed as James sat down right beside her.

 

Celestina was also going red as Sirius planted himself in the seat next to her.

 

"So are you going to see the Quidditch championships?" James asked Lily and smiled.

 

"No... I don't think so... my parents are Muggles and... I don't think my sister would..." Lily said and blushed the color of her hair.

 

"That's OK... My mom hates Quidditch, but I always hope..." James said and grinned mischievously.

 

"Sirius always gets to go, he'll tell us how it went... I've heard rumors about some new model of broomsticks that can go faster and higher then all the other ones!" James said again and after that remark both Sirius and James launched into a discussion about broomsticks, strategies, and famous Quidditch players.

 

Remus and Peter got bored soon and started playing wizard chess. Lily was looking out the window half looking forward, half dreading getting home. Celestina was trying to finish all her homework before she got home because she had a dog (Noodle) that loved to eat paper.

 

Around noon, there was a knock on the door and a kind looking lady stuck her head in and asked them if they would like to buy anything. Peter and James jumped up and left for the corridor. Celestina looked up from her History of magic assignment, and seem to think about something then she stood up causing her ink bottle to fall and spill ink all over her robes.

 

"Oh NO!" She said and bent down to pick up her ink bottle.

 

"I'll help" Sirius said and muttered a charm that removed the ink stains from her robes.

 

"Thank you" Celestina said and smiled a dazzling smile.

 

"No problem" Sirius smiled an equally dazzling smile.

 

James and Peter returned carrying a load of sweets each.

 

"Can I have some every flavor beans James?" Sirius was eyeing a colorful packet.

 

"Sure! Help yourself!" James said.

 

"Do you want any?" he asked Lily.

 

"No thank you" She said politely.

 

"How about a frog?" James said and picked up another bag.

 

"Oh all right then" Lily said sensing he wouldn't give up unless she had something.

 

Peter who had been busily playing chess with Remus and munching on his own sweets looked at Lily and James. Then he nudged Sirius in the ribs and gave him a meaningful look then he looked at Lily and James who were talking in low voices absorbed the famous wizards on the frog cards.

 

Sirius looked blank for a moment but then he caught on and winked. Peter then whispered something to Remus and they were all looking at Lily and James by now (Sirius had managed to get Celestina to stop doing homework for a bit and watch)

 

Lily looked up and noticed everyone looking. She blushed and edged a bit away from James.

 

He also looked up but instead of blushing he asked: "What?"

 

Sirius waggled his eyebrows and said: "Your getting awfully cozy with Lily over there James..."

 

James put an arm around Lily and said: "So?"

 

Whatever Sirius might have been expecting it certainly hadn't been that.

 

Lily was blushing very much be now but didn't dare do anything.

 

"I'm just kidding! Honestly! you people are so gullible" James said and retrieved his arm from Lily's shoulders.

 

The look of astonishment faded from their friends faces and were replaced be big grins and giggles.

 

Lily didn't know whether to feel hurt or relieved so she just grinned with the rest of them.

 

The doors of their compartment slid open again, bur revealing a not so popular face.

 

"Well if it isn't perfect Potter and his little gang"

 

"Go eat dung" Sirius said and stood up.

 

"Yea, Snape... just g-go and l-leave us alone" Peter said looking rather scared.

 

Snape just glared at him and that made him squeak and then shut up.

 

"Hey no fighting in front of the lovely ladies" James said in a mock gentlemanly fashion.

 

"James got himself a Mudblood girlfriend" Snape said, his eyes glinting with malice.

 

James and Sirius started yelling at him, both at once, and Peter and specially Remus looked extremely angry.

 

"come on, lets go... I can't find Crabbe and Goyle" A blond kid said and hit Snape lightly in the arm.

 

When they were gone Lily decided to ask James about something.

 

"Thanks for standing up to me when he said I was a- a-" Lily started

 

"Mudblood" James finished.

 

"Yea, that... Thanks, ummm what does it mean anyway?" Lily asked looking at him with her big green eyes.

 

"Ummm a Mudblood, is a really insulting word for Muggle borns..." James said.

 

Lily wanted to discuss this with Celestina but she was studying again, Lily let out a small sigh.

 

 

 

 

*

 

"Pumpkin!!!" Her dad said and spread his arms.

 

She ran up to him leaving her luggage behind.

 

He hugged her and then he went to get her luggage.

 

"How was your year honey?" Lily's father said when they were safely in the car driving towards their home.

 

"It was wonderful! I met so many new people and learned so much! I'll show you my homework! It's so interesting..." Lily said excitedly.

 

"I bet it is, dear... I'm so proud of you!" Her father said and smiled.

 

"My marks were really great, specially in Charms..." Lily said beaming.

 

"What are Charms?" Her father said interestingly.

 

"It's the basic magic... I think or something like that" Lily said.

 

"What are the other subjects her father asked as he stopped at a red light.

 

"Well, there's Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology, History of magic, Defense Against the Dark Arts and of course Charms. Then we have more... like Astronomy..." Lily said thoughtfully.

 

"That's nice dear, is Charms your favorite?" her father said as they pulled up their driveway.

 

"Yes, it is" Lily said as she stepped out of the car.

 

"Darling!!!" Her mother was at the doorway with her arms spread wide open.

 

Lily ran into her mothers embrace.

 

"I'm so proud of you darling" Her mother said.

 

"How were your marks?" Her mother asked.

 

"Very good actually, my average was 98%" Lily said and beamed.

 

"Oh I'm so happy for you hon! Come in! I baked some cake!" Her mother said.

 

Her father came in with her luggage.

 

"Home sweet home," Lily said quietly and smiled.

 

*

 

James stepped out of the fireplace and ran to the broom cupboard, was outside in a flash, and was zooming around on his broom like there was no tomorrow, in absolutely no time.

 

He looked down and noticed his father standing down there watching him, holding a cup of tea.

 

James landed on the ground next to his father.

 

"You're a skilled Quidditch player son" His father said and smiled.

 

"Thanks dad" James said and grinned, it wasn't often that his dad complimented him.

 

"Your mother and I were just looking over your marks, and we just want you to know that we're very proud of you.

 

"Really, thanks" James said looking down, he was a bit embarrassed.

 

"Your mother has decided that as a reward for your good marks you'll be getting to go to the Quidditch championships" His father said and grinned

 

"THANK YOU SO MUCH" James said jumping around his fathers neck.

 

"I'm gonna go inside and thank mom" James said and ran inside.

 

After he had hugged and kissed his mother he ran to the fireplace.

 

"Mom! Can I go see, Sirius?" He yelled.

 

"No dear, it's a bit late... you should go to sleep, it's been a long day" His mother said.

 

"Bye then" James said and went anyway.

 

"SIRIUS" James yelled once he got to his friends house.

 

"JAMES" was yelled from the living room.

 

He and his mother were watching TV in there, (Sirius's mom was a Muggle and they owned lot's of Muggle stuff)

 

"Hello James, what brings you here this late?" Sirius's mother asked narrowing her eyes at him.

 

"Sirius guess what! I'm going to the Quidditch championships!" James said ignoring his mother's penetrating stare.

 

"YES!" Sirius exclaimed and jumped into the air.

 

"OK I better go now, cause I'm not really supposed to be here..." James said with an alarmed glance at the clock.

 

"I thought so" Sirius's mom said sternly.

 

"Well bye," James said as he grabbed a small pinch of Floo powder from the jar on the fireplace shelf.

 

And then he was gone.

 

*

 

So Lily, what do wizards (she spat the word out with disgust) do for fun?" Petunia asked snobbishly.

 

"Um well... there's Quidditch!" Lily said after thinking for a moment.

 

"What in the lords name is that?" Petunia snapped. But she looked a bit interested.

 

"It's a sport played on broomsticks..." Lily started, but stopped as their father came up to them.

 

"Did I hear my pumping talk about a sport?" Their father asked and smiled.

 

"Yea... Quidditch"

 

"What sort of sport is that?" Her father asked curiously.

 

"Well, it has four balls, and it's played by seven people on each team on broomsticks high up in the air." Lily said and smiled, happy that her father was rescuing her from Petunia.

 

"I'd like to see that" Her father said.

 

"Well, I can ask some friends where and when the next game is... I heard them talking about the Quidditch championships..." Lily said.

 

"Well, call them up then" Her father said, beaming.

 

"OK" Lily said and hurried to her room. How am I supposed to call them? Wizards don't have phones! Lily thought desperately. As she sat there on her bed she heard a tapping sound.

 

"tap tap tap" Lily looked at her window and saw...

 

"Snowflake!" Lily said in surprise.

 

James's owl flew over too her and nipped at her finger affectionately.

 

"Wait a moment" Lily said and got out her quill, some parchment and an ink bottle.

 

She began to write, after several failed attempts she finally agreed with something simple, she read it over one last time before sending Snowflake off with it.

* * * * *

Dear James,

 

I was wondering about the Quidditch championships...

 

Where are they being held and when?

 

I'm asking because my father and I would like to go.

 

With love from

 

Lily Evans

 

 

P.S Thank you again for standing up for me in the train.

* * * * *

Happy with the results she tied her letter to Snowflakes leg and threw her gently out the window.

 

Then she watched the owl until it was out of sight.