The Four Marauders.

chapter twentyseven- Rivalry

Lily POV:

As we landed outside saint Paul's church I froze, I can't do this, it thought to myself, James wrapped his arm around my waist, "do you know why your a gryffindor? Lily?" I couldn't answer him, I had gone stiff and I couldn't talk in fear of vomiting. "It's because your brave" he said, squeezing my arm to comfort me, "you can do this"

James' mum started to talk to me, I could only just hear her, things were starting to sound fuzzy. "I hope things don't get too bad between you and your sister," he said, looking me in the eye, "if she is nasty to you, just remember that nothing is your fault, and you are certainly not a freak" she said, "now, I hope everything goes well, and i'll be going now, just remember what I said, lily," she smiled at me then apparate away, Mrs Potter reminded me so much of my mother, the mother who I was about to witness be burried, never to be seen again.

We turned round and entered the tall church to be greeted by a sour welcoming. Petunia. With Vernon, the boy she had been dating for a couple of months. The sight of them almost made me laugh, if, of course, I wasn't attending a funeral. Petunia was standing next to Vernon, in a black pencil dress and a black clutch bag with a metal, silver coloured bow on the right hand side, her hands wear gloved by a pair of ghastly looking fluffy gloves.

Vernon was wearing a black ill fitting suit, it was far to tight for his fat body, and he was probably about three times bigger than petunia, I didn't see what petunia saw in him, he also had a face that looked greatly like a pig sucking on a very strong mint sweet. Not a good look.

"Your five minutes late" Petunia said to me as her way of a greeting. I chose not to reply as some of the guests were starting to filter though into the hall where the service would be being held. James sneered at her for me instead.

Within about five minutes all of the guests had appeared and the priest took to the stage to say a few words, "we gather here today, to pay our respects to Mr John Evans and Mrs Rose Evans" the grey haired man said, "now, if we could all stand a take a moment to remember" everyone around me stood up in unison, everyone apart from me, the situation was to surreal for me to handle. James gently pulled me to my feet and muttering under his breath if I was okay, I numbly nodded. Before long, everyone sat down again, "we have three requests for people who want to say a few words" he said, slowly stepping to the side and bowing his head as a sign of respect.

I was the first one up, or was meant to be, at least. "do you want me to come up with you" James whispered. I replied saying I did.

James did most of the walking, I was just holding onto him, after what felt like an eternity, I finally reached the podium where I was meant to condense sixteen years of memories with my parents down into about a five minute speech I had already made a speech that i was going to read out, but I didn't feel like it did justice to the most important people in my life. Who were now dead. I folded up the speech and made it up as I went along:

"the times I had with my mum and dad were the best times of my life, from going to the seaside together, playing in the sea, and making sandcastles on the beach then eating a picnic that had been contaminated with the sand around us, to going to Germany and getting locked out of our hotel room, looking back on all of the memories I have with my parents are all funny, or they always ended well. I know I didn't spend enough time with them, and I know I took them for granted, but that is one of my biggest regrets, and since that dreadful day, when I was told that they had died, I have told myself to carry on with the things I love doing, and to cherish my friends and my remaining family. So, I need to tell myself, even though I will never see them again, never hear mums voice comforting me or feel my dads strong bear hugs, and I also realise that they will never see my wedding, or hold their future grandson, I- we have to remember all of the good time we had with my parents, even though they are dead, our memories of them are not and most of all, my mum's and dad's spirit will live on as long as there are people here to remember them" I nodded my head to say that I had done and I slowly returned to my seat to listen to Petunias and aunt Mags speech.

"Hello," started Tuney "I would just like to echo exactly what my sister said, because if I said it again, I would be second best to her again" she said harshly, she speed walked down the column.

I stood up quickly about to make a mend of the situation, as always it was me who had to pick up the pieces. "Tuney" I said gently touching the side of her arm.

"No! Don't Tuney me! And don't you go touching, or even looking at me, you little freak!" she shouted, no one really reacted to what she had just said to me, not even James did, we were all to stunned to say anything. It slowly started to sink in. Tear after tear. Thought after thought.

I grabbed James by the wrist and ran out of the church, asking him if he had any floo powder on him and where was the closest chimney we could use to get us both back to potter manor.

"I've got some in my pocket and we could go and find a chimney. there's bound to be one somewhere" he assured me, we finally found one in a small inn.

"Potter manor!" I heard James shout.

I whent in after him, "potter manor!" I half heartedly shouted, soon, I felt my self land gently inside the manor, then I felt James arms catch me as I collapsed in to a crying reck.