Lily Potter And The Secret Bewitchment

Chapter Two - Jayla Berryfield

Lily burst out of the fireplace of the Leaky Cauldron gasping for breath and covered in soot. Her mother toppled out seconds after, whilst Lily was still brushing off coal dust.

"Still not very good at the floo, are you?" Ginny asked, half sympathetic, half amused. Lily shook her head. "Well, I need to visit Quality Quidditch Supplies to pick up my new broom for a test ride in practice tomorrow, but after that, we'll get lunch and then buy your textbooks."

"Okay," Lily replied, even though she was eager to get the books first, she was mostly just glad to be here.

"Come on then, Lil."

Ginny and her daughter walked out of the small pub and into the courtyard which contained nothing except a few empty dustbins and a solid brick wall. Lily hopped up and down, bouncing on the balls of her feet in anticipation.Ginny removed her wand from a pocket of her robes and tapped a brick sequence with the tip of the wand.

At once, the bricks began to move from the point the wand touched, rotating backwards to create a doorway in the alley wall, through which Ginny stepped, taking Lily by the hand. Even though Lily had been there many, many times in her childhood it was still just as magical. She knew the way to the Quidditch shop by now and followed her mother through the empty street. Most wizards would be at work or Hogwarts on a weekday such as today, but a few small children and parents were hurrying through the streets, and all the shops were open.

Lily and Ginny walked in through the door of Quality Quidditch Supplies and a little bell tinkled overhead. The man behind the counter looked up.

"Ah! The renowned captain of the Holyhead Harpies! Mrs Potter, lovely to see you again and congratulations on your cup final win!"

"Thank you, Mr Ellington," Ginny said, graciously. Lily's mother was a Quidditch player and Captain of the current cup-holding team, the Holyhead Harpies. Ginny continued to talk to the shop owner, "Do you have the seven new Firebolt 5's I ordered for my team?"

"I do indeed." His eyes fell on Lily. "And here's Miss Lily Potter too! Are you off to Hogwarts in September?"

"Yes Sir, I am."

"And you enjoy Quidditch, too? I heard about the final against Turkey and I had your oldest brother in here for a broom last summer!"

"I hope I can play on the House Team when I get to Hogwarts!" Lily knew that the shopkeeper was referring to her final match of last years season. In recent years, a Quidditch league for young witches and wizards had been established by international co-operation efforts. Lily had become a beater on England's under 11's quidditch team by the time she was nine and, largely thanks to Lily and her cousin Hugo, the team had won Europe's under school-age league for the past four years in a row, her final victory alongside Hugo as her fellow beater had taken place only a week ago. The brooms only flew so high, and the balls moved so slowly that the games were not of any true value to the players - the training was the most important thing. Her training enabled Lily to properly practice for Gryffindor Quidditch, alongside Hugo. Deep down, Lily knew she was slightly better than her cousin, and she knew they couldn't both make the house team come September. Molly, their cousin, was a fantastic beater who would be in her seventh and final year at Hogwarts come September. Playing with Molly always meant for a good game of Quidditch.

Mr Ellington was also right in the second part of his statement, James had purchased his broom here. He had a Firebolt 3, which was very good, but not the best out there. Since Ginny and Harry's Hogwarts days, there was a new rule about brooms, so that games were fairer. First years were also allowed their own brooms for recreational use, although they all used slow models for flying lessons.

Suddenly, Lily was jerked back to reality by the shopkeeper's voice. He had finished getting the brooms and saying goodbye to her mother.

"Thank you very much, Mrs Potter, Good day to you!"

"Thank you, Mr Ellington. Come, Lily."

Holding the enormous parcel in one hand and her daughter's palm in the other, Ginny walked out of the shop.

Lily's mother placed the package on the cobbled street and flicked her wand once. The brooms vanished in a puff of smoke, into the secure kitchen of their= house, presumably.

"Good. Now, back to the Leaky Cauldron! What would you like for lunch, Lily?"

"I'd quite like a sandwich, Mum." Lily wasn't really paying much attention to what she was saying. Desperate to get her textbooks, she knew that she'd have to wait and felt guilty anyway for not appreciating the quality time she could have with her mother, discussing Quidditch and Hogwarts and Family life. Ginny really understood how her daughter felt about most things, especially understanding what it was like when Lily had been left out of family Quidditch games, treated like she couldn't even fly! Her family were very, very invested in Quidditch, much like Lily herself. The Gryffindor Quidditch Team at Hogwarts had been comprised largely of Weasleys and Potters for a number of years, Molly was on the team, as a beater and the captain. James was seeker and his best friend was on the team. All the cousins enjoyed Quidditch together, even the more studious amongst them, such as Molly's sister Lucy and Hugo's sister Rosie.

"Lily, are you on another planet?"

"Sorry Mum, I was thinking about Quidditch."

"Yes, so was I. I was going to say that we'll need to get you a Firebolt 3 if you get onto the house team at Hogwarts. I mean, I'm sure you will, but I thought that I could buy you one once I've heard the news." Ginny smiled at Lily's look of ecstasy.

"Are you serious, Mum?" Ginny nodded. "Thank you!" Lily was very excited that she would have no handicap against the other players. They had reached the Leaky Cauldron now, and as they walked in heads turned towards them.

"You're Ginny Potter, aren't you?" One woman said to Lily's mother from the bar. "Could I please have an autograph?"

Lily silently sighed. Her Mum was very patient with all these people, but they really bugged Lily as she was always shunted aside.

"Hello." A shy, young, female voice said. Lily turned. It was a girl, smaller than her but around Lily's age. She had waist length chestnut hair that curled, dark brown eyes and rosy cheeks, as well as pale skin. "Is that your Mum, who all those people are talking to?"

"Yes," Lily sighed, glad of a reason to turn from her Mum's admirers. "She's a Quidditch player

"Are you going to Hogwarts this Autumn?" The shy girl asked.

"Yes, I got my letter this morning. Are you?" The girl nodded. "What's your name?" Lily asked.

"I'm Jayla Berryfield," the girl replied, "You play Quidditch too, don't you?

"I'm Lily, Lily Potter." Lily said, grinning, "Do you play Quidditch?"

"No." Jayla shook her head. "I can fly, and I'm good on a broom but I can't play any sports! I once tried to score a Quidditch goal against my cousin and almost broke his nose!" Lily and Jayla laughed together.

"What house do you think you'll be in at Hogwarts, Jayla?"

"I'm hoping for Gryffindor. My mum never went to school, she was taught at home but said she felt like a Gryffindor. Her whole family were Slytherins though. My Dad's a Gryffindor muggle-born, so I think I'll fit best there."

"Why didn't your mum go to school?" Lily was curious about her new friend. Who hadn't been to Hogwarts?"

"It's a long story," Jayla shrugged Lily's question off, and though her curiosity was burning Lily let the subject drop. The two girls talked about everything from Houses to teachers, sharing the knowledge they had gained from their families. Jayla turned to wave at a person Lily couldn't see.

"I have to go Lily, I can see my mum, but save me a seat on the train in September!"

"Of course! Write to me." Lily scribbled down her address and passed it to Jayla.

"Yes," Jayla smiled and turned as Lily waved.

Lily had been so excited to buy her textbooks for school, but she barely noticed what she ate for lunch, and paid little attention to the Sales Assistant in Flourish and Blotts.

Jayla was all Lily could think about through the entire afternoon. The way the girl had seemed so scared to talk about her mother. Lily was proud to call herself a Potter, and the thought this girl was unwilling to talk about her family was strange.

"Lily, are you alright?" Her mum and dad were staring at her from across the kitchen table as the family ate dinner.

"You seem awfully quiet, Lil," Harry said. "Is there anything you'd like to talk about?"

"Yes," said Lily, deciding on the spot, "Mum, when you were signing autographs in the Leaky Cauldron, I met this girl called Jayla."

"OK," Ginny said, "Carry on."

"And we talked about Quidditch and houses, and I asked her what house she hoped to be in. She said Gryffindor, because her dad was a Gryffindor, and then she told me that her mum learnt at home."

"Well I think I'm going to be really good friends with Jayla, but I asked who her Mum's parents were because I wondered who would be taught at home."

"Who are Jayla's grandparents then?"

"She wouldn't tell me, but said the whole family were Slytherin. I'm worried they might have been Death Eaters, but can we still be friends?"

"It doesn't matter what..." Harry began

"Someone is born, but what they grow to be." Lily finished her father's sentence. "Albus Dumbledore."

"Good for you." Ginny spoke firmly, getting up to clear away the plates."Off to bed now Lily, go and read those books and put these worries out of your mind." Ginny paused, looking her daughter straight in the eyes. "Your friend will tell you these things in due course if she wants you to know ."

Lily got to sleep much later that night, her head buzzing.