The Next Great Adventure (A Marauders Fan Fic)

Chapter Fifty One

Chapter Fifty One

“What is she doing here?” Petunia asked as Lily opened the door, the fake smile she had plastered on her face falling off it immediately.

“She lives here Petunia,” their mother sighed from behind her.

“Petunia,” Lily said frostily. “I’d forgotten you were coming today.” She spun on her heel and stalked upstairs, desperate to slam the door in her sister’s face. Petunia’s shrill voice ricocheted through the house behind her, already prattling on about her various bridesmaids and their dresses. It was only when her bedroom door slammed shut behind her that silence once again reigned and she was able to turn her radio up to drown out her thoughts as she packed.

“Now we go to our Quidditch correspondent Percival Cooper for the update on the match between Italy and Scotland,” the announcer said as Lily rifled through her drawers searching for her socks. Flicking her wand at the dial she turned the volume up and emerged, flourishing them triumphantly.

“Well it’s very exciting out here,” a different man said. “It’s the fifth hour of this match and both teams seem very well matched; I’d be hard pressed to tell you which one is going to win and I’m sure there’s a lot of money riding on either outcome. Currently the score stands at 50-80 to Italy and I must say, their Keeper Luciano Rossi has been doing fantastically; honestly, he’s performed some of the best saves I’ve seen in this entire competition. Their Chasers - Paolo Paone, Giulia Baligi and Silvia Monti for those of you who haven’t been following the Italian team - have been perfectly co-ordinated and in the past hour alone they’ve scored four goals. There was also one Scottish goal from Chaser Fergus McLeod as well as a caution to the Scots for a Bludger which appeared to be aimed at the referee, although they swear it wasn’t. Their Beater, Angus Carter, seemed to be protesting the referee’s support of a previous Italian goal but he swears it was a mishit due to a fly buzzing about his head. There is still, however, no sign of the Snitch and it’s not for lack of trying. Tierney Macmillan, the Scottish Seeker, very nearly caught it in the two hundred and forty seventh minute of the match but she was stopped by a well-aimed Bludger; Samuele Beppe is still sitting above the other players and searching for it but, as of yet, he has done nothing except race Macmillan for the Snitch when she spotted it. It’s a tough match this one and the teams have been battling it out endlessly, up and down the pitch, as the Quaffle changes hands; it barely seems to make it further than five metres before the other team will seize it and it’s made for an intense and riveting day out here, with fans going absolutely mad.”

As the radio began playing the latest musical hit, Lily turned the volume up even more. She had heard the song before, Jessica had insisted on playing it almost every day in the Gryffindor common room, and although she had protested at first eventually she had grown to enjoy it. Now it made her think of her friends, of their halcyon days spent in the sun and her classes; she had been so happy there and, as was always the case, hadn’t realised it until it was gone.

Suddenly her door slammed open and Lily jumped, dropping the pile of clothes that she had in her arms. “Turn that thing down!” Petunia screeched. “I’m trying to talk to Laura and I don’t want you blasting that… that nonsense throughout the whole house! I can hear it in the kitchen!”

“In case you haven’t noticed Petunia,” she hissed, “I live here. In fact, technically, I live here more than you do now that you have that house in London with your wonderful fiancé.”

“You leave Vernon out of this. Neither of us want anything to do with your kind! Just… keep the radio down!”

“I’ll do whatever I want!” Lily said, grabbing her wand and jabbing it at the radio. Petunia screamed and cowered by the door. “Keep that thing away from me! Put it away!”