James and Lily potter: Fourth Year

Chapter 23: summer of fourth year

Lily grabbed her trunk and her owl, Hannah, and stepped into her fireplace. Luckily her parents had gotten their fireplace connected to the Floo Network. She grabbed a handful of sparkling green powder from the mantelpiece and dropped it, and called out, "Potter Mansion!"

She, her trunk, and her owl were spinning and swirling fast in a whirl of colours and places, until finally, she landed with a thump in the Potter's exquisite family room.

"Lily!" cried Mrs. Potter, hugging the tired girl. "How are you dear? James was so anxious to know when you'd be coming!"

"Where is he?" asked Lily groggily. She still didn't like the aftereffects of Floo traveling.

"Oh, he's upstairs in his room, getting ready," said Mrs. Potter, sighing. "He insisted on wearing his dress robes for some reason. He usually avoids wearing them."

"That's because he wants to impress Lily," said a gruff voice from behind them. Mr. Potter smiled benignly at Lily and shook her hand.

Suddenly, four great bounds were heard from the upper floor of the house, and minutes later, Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Arabella pounced on Lily's arrival.

"We were waiting for you!" the latter shrieked, hugging her best friend tightly. "Jen and Vi are getting here later, since they have plans."

"Where's James?" Lily asked, yet again.

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "What, no hello, and you're asking for Jamie?" He smirked.

Lily whacked him. "Oh, shut it, Black! No, seriously, where is Potter?"

"He's indisposed," said Remus solemnly.

She sighed and rolled her eyes, muttering, "Boys."

"James is getting ready," informed Peter, seeing that his other two friends weren't giving Lily an easy time. "He's trying to put on his green dress robes, but they're a little too—er—small. He's tried to use magic, but we managed to get him away from his wand."

"Has he?" said Mrs. Potter in exasperation. "I'd better go help him out...really, making such a fuss!" She winked at Lily and went upstairs, clutching her wand.

"Why does he want to put on dress robes?" wondered Lily aloud.

Sirius burst out laughing. "Oh, don't be so think, Flower. You know why our dear Jamsie wants to get all dressed up. It's because of you."

"Why, I don't care if he's dressed up or not," said Lily in tones of surprise.

Arabella rolled her eyes and whispered to Sirius, "She still doesn't get it."

"Made up now, have we?" Lily raised one arched eyebrow.

Her best friend blushed. "Oh—we're getting along better."

"After she dumped Diggory," added Sirius in a lower tone, so that only Lily could hear.

"We'll help you take your trunk up," offered Remus.

Lily thanked him, and everyone lugged up the heavy trunk, while Arabella carried Hannah. They took it up to the closest room and laid down the trunk and owl. Lily saw that she had it to herself, as no one else's things were up there.

"We all get our own bedrooms this time, huh?"

Sirius smirked. "Bella tried to share it with you again, but Mrs. Potter refused to have more than one person to a room. Said she didn't want to be forcing less space for us."

Just then, James had entered the room with his hair as untidy as ever and wearing green dress robes that brought out the few tints of green in his eyes. He grinned and waved at Lily.