Lily Potter and the Shadows' Misfortune

Chapter Six

The remaining weeks and days that led up to Lily's long-awaited return to Hogwarts flew around her in a whirlwind. Public scrutiny of her family had only grown since her father was named the new Minister for Magic, but the praise for Harry Potter had escalated as well. Lily couldn't even go for a walk through her neighborhood without being hounded by at least one reporter from the Daily Prophet. Witches and wizards of all ages, shapes, and races ran in and out of Grimmauld Place, visiting with the new Minister and his family.

Regardless of the irritating hullabaloo that had gripped the Potter family, Lily still wasn't pleased. She didn't want her father to be the Minister for Magic. Her family, especially her father, had been put in enough danger already, and this post was putting the Potters in a more precarious position.      

Through the madness and in her little amount of spare time, Lily had managed to pack her things up for her return to Hogwarts. After rechecking her trunk filled with her books and belongings over and over again, the day to hop aboard the Hogwarts Express came with much anticipation.

Lily barely touched her breakfast, "I'm too excited to eat," she claimed when her mother questioned her.

"You're too excited? James and Al practically swallowed their breakfast whole in under a minute," her mother laughed as she collected her brothers' plates.

"I just want to get on the train and go," Lily smiled dreamily. After seeing her mother's smile falter slightly, Lily was quick to backtrack. "Not that there's anything wrong with being here. Here is nice. Here is home."

"Hogwarts is your home," her mother replied, knowingly. "Hogwarts is every British witch and wizard's home. There's no denying it, so it makes perfect sense for you to want to go back."

"I'm just so excited for this year, but last year flew by. I can't imagine not being able to go back to Hogwarts after seventh year," Lily sighed, pushing her bowl of cereal to the center of the kitchen table. "I just-"

"Whoa," her mom laughed, "you are a second year. You have years left, Lil. Years of lessons, friends, and fun."

"Speaking of fun," her father interjected, entering the room with something hiding behind his back, "your mother and I have a gift for you, Lil."

"A gift?" Lily questioned. "What are you talking about?"

Her father smirked and put a long package down on the table in front of her. Though Lily was positive of what it was, she was surprised; it was unexpected. She tore off the brown parchment and was ecstatic to find a broom sitting in the wreckage.

"It's a broom!" she exclaimed with a wide grin.

"We know you planned on trying out for the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, so your mother and I wanted to get you your own broom," her father explained. "The school brooms aren't the best; believe me, we all know that."

Partially ignoring her father's words, Lily ran her hand down the smooth, beautiful ebony broomstick, and her eyes fell on the engraved model name: Firebolt Supreme.

"You got me a Firebolt Supreme?" Lily stammered, realizing the caliber of the impeccably crafted piece of wood in her hands. "A Firebolt Supreme?"

"Why do you think I had James grab you the Firebolt that day at the Burrow?" her father shrugged. "I wanted you to be able to get a feel for the brand of broomstick."

"I knew James didn't do that out of the kindness of his heart," Lily joked. "Thank you though."

"Our pleasure," her mother smiled. "Now, go collect your things, Lil. We're leaving soon."