The Marauders: Year Seven Part One

Would You Mind Pinning it On?

The evening of 31 August, Mrs. Evans made shepherd's pie for dinner and Lily sat at the table, staring at her plate, wishing she was off somewhere with James Potter. Instead, she was stuck sitting at the dinner table, listening to another of Vernon Dursley's long winded stories which would inevitably end with the count of the number of drills he'd sold that day - all of his stories ended with a count of the number of drills he'd sold in a day. Lily stabbed a carrot with the violence that she was restraining from taking out on Vernon. 

"And so the bloke bought a total of seventy-nine drills!" Vernon chuckled, "Such an odd number, threw my entire quota out of balance for the day. Had to write on my report I'd sold 879 drills -- the quota minimum was four hundred of course, so still had sold more than twice my lot!"

Instead of responding to this declaration, Mrs. Evans turned to Lily. "Are you all packed for the train tomorrow?"

"Mother, really." Petunia flushed and turned to Vernon, petting his hand, "You did such a grand job of it, popkin."

Lily ignored Petunia. "Yes, I packed this afternoon."

"Are you excited to be going back to school?" Mrs. Evans asked, then, smiling, "It's your final year."

"My final year starts tomorrow, too, mum," Petunia intoned.

Mrs. Evans nodded, "It certainly does."

Lily said, "I'm excited but also sort of sad about it. It's the last time. The last time I'll push my trolley to 9 3/4 --"

"9 3/4? What?" Vernon looked at Petunia, who rolled her eyes.

"-- the last time we'll find Hagrid at the other side, calling the first years --"

"What on earth is a Hagrid?" Vernon asked.

"-- last first night feast..." Lily sighed. "The whole year's going to be bittersweet, isn't it, mum?"

Mrs. Evans nodded, "Obviously my experience with it is closer to your sister's, meaning much more boring, but --"

Petunia looked offended.

"-- it's certainly bittersweet, doing all of the lasts. But think of all of the firsts that are coming, too, and it will get you through." Mrs. Evans smiled at her plate for a moment, then, "And one day, you'll go back to 9 3/4 with your own children, and see them off on the train to Hogwarts." Her eyes sparkled at Lily. "...Perhaps with James?"

Lily blushed.

Petunia cleared her throat. "I'll have children one day, too," she said regally. And, for good measure, she grabbed onto Vernon Dursley's pudgy hand and squeezed it. "Perhaps with Vernon."

Vernon Dusley sputtered on the drink he'd just taken, flecks of purple juice dotting his pressed white collared shirt. Lily laughed as Petunia leaped up to get the club soda before the stains had ruined it completely.

Next morning, Lily said goodbye to Petunia, who only grunted in response, and stuffed her trunk into the back of her mum's car. Mrs. Evans drove them to London, and up to the unloading curb at King's Cross. Lily got out of the car and saw James coming toward her, pushing a trolley. "Morning!" he called, coming up to the curb. "Here, I'll get that." He dodged around Mrs. Evans, who'd been about to try to pull Lily's trunk from the car herself, and lifted it before she could.

Lily smiled.

James piled her trunk on top of his own on the trolley and said, "There we are."

"Thank you James, what a gentleman." Mrs. Evans smiled at him, then winked at Lily.

James wheeled the trolley about and stood, waiting while Lily said goodbye to her mum and they hugged. "Have a wonderful year," Mrs. Evans whispered in her ear, "And remember to take it all in and enjoy every moment."