The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix - Part One

The Ruby Red Tie

"YOU are getting married? YOU? I suppose it's to that horrible boy isn't it?"

"James isn't horrible, he's --"

"He's trash from Spinners End, of course he's horrible! All greasy haired and with that big ugly nose --"

"You're TALKING about Severus Snape," Lily said sternly, teeth clenched, quite fed up with Petunia's shouting already. "I'm not marrying Severus, I'm marry James Potter."

"He's rubbish as well - the scrawny little layabout that came with us to the sea a couple years ago!"

"That's Sirius Black," Lily snapped.

Petunia sniffed.

"He's the lovely one, dear," Mrs. Evans tried, her voice gentle. "The one with the athletic build."

"The who who elongated your neck when you were being a priss that time we went to the cinema!" Lily shouted.

Petunia brought her hands up and covered her throat with her palms, looking alarmed in the direction of the fireplace, as though she expected James Potter to leap out of the ashes there and make her neck even more giraffe-like. "As I said," she sniffed, "Horrible."

Lily replied hotly, "Well he wouldn't have done it if you hadn't been acting like a twit!"

Petunia let out a shriek and threw her napkin muleishly onto the table, then got up and stormed out of the room.

"Really!" Mrs. Evans sighed. She shook her head, "I wish that you girls would just get along. I hate that you fight so much. What will happen one day when I'm gone?"

Lily looked at her mother, "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not going to live forever Lily, and it hurts my heart to think of you girls, fighting the way you do..."

Lily froze, staring at her mother. "Mum, please let's not talk of it. You've got a very, very long life ahead of you yet."

Her mother nodded, "I do... and it looks longer everyday." She smiled sadly. "Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy for both my girls... You've got such a lovely young man in James that will take wonderful care of you, who loves you so, so much... and Petunia's got -" she paused ever so slightly. "Petunia's got Vernon," she finished, "Who... is very good at selling drills."

Lily bit her lip.

"But my wish is for you to both is that you would have each other as well." Mrs. Evans reached out for Lily's hands, holding them in hers, and her eyes were emploring. "Promise me, no matter how awful things get with Petunia, that you'll try to stay close to her? She is so proud, she would never ask for your help, even if she needed it. Please, please try with her."

Lily nodded and squeezed her mum's hands. "I will, but you have a very, very long time before you ever have to think about that. Alright, mum?"

Mrs. Evans nodded. Upstairs, there was some loud thumping about and the sound of Petunia's radio filled the house. Mrs. Evans looked up at the ceiling, then back to Lily. "I know it won't be easy, but please try."

"I promise, mum," Lily said.

After getting home from the Full Moon night, Remus wanted nothing more than to rest and take a long nap, and so the boys set him up in the bedroom and left to keep the apartment quiet. Sirius's interview was that afternoon, and James had agreed to tag along, with plans to pick up some of the supplies that he and Remus needed for their secret plan while Sirius was distracted by the owner of Gomer Grimes Gnome Removal Service. They took Sirius's motor bike over Tower Bridge and into downtown London, where Diagon Alley was hidden. It was early and the street was quiet as many patrons were either still in bed or else at work themselves for the day. James dropped Sirius off at the door of the Gomer Grimes's office and went on down the road on his own errands as Sirius went inside.