Lily Luna Potter - Back to the Past

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Two days later the four of us bundled up in our winter coats and hats and mittens, ready to head out to Diagon Alley for a day of shopping. Mr. Potter had a day off of work, as I knew Aurors did when their department wasn't so busy, so while we were away and not able to take a "sample bite" or a "small" taste of the desserts Mrs. Potter spent the day making cakes and pies and other puddings.

We took Floo Powder from the Potters' living room to the Leaky Cauldron and the boys and I laughed a bit at Lily's surprise when she was told to step into the fireplace, having never used Floo Powder before. When we were all gathered in the Leaky Cauldron, with the ash brushed free from our clothing, Mr. Potter gave us a few guidelines for the day: stay with someone else at all times, 12:00 lunch at the cafe down the street, and meet up around 2 at Fortescue's for ice cream before heading home, we were let loose.

No later than he had dismissed us, Lily grabbed my arm and pulled me to Flourish and Blotts to look for gifts for Marlene and Ellie (apparently having seen "the perfect" books for them when she was shopping for her school things during the summer). She explained to me as we rushed through the snow to the warmth of the shop that she had planned on getting them through owl order, but a trip to Diagon had been too perfect an opportunity to pass up, especially if it meant she wouldn't have to pay for the items to be shipped to our two friends.

I wandered around, seeing a few books that struck my fancy, but none that I really saw as having potential for a Christmas gift for anyone. Walking around the corner of a bookcase, I very nearly ran into a tall woman with long, curly, black hair.

"Sorry!" I exclaimed, taking a quick few steps back as she gave me a disdainful look with deep-set dark eyes. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

"That is obvious," she sneered, looking down at me over her nose, her chin held high as if she were royalty. "Pay more attention to where you are going."

And with that she brushed roughly past me, her fancy black robes rippling slightly behind her. I watched her go, stunned for a moment, before shaking my head at the nerve of some people and carrying on.

I managed to find a book I thought James would enjoy: The Intermediate Prankster's Guide to Tantalizing Tricks, and considered getting one for Sirius, but discounted the thought almost immediately. Sirius would take no time to actually read it and would probably only ask James what it said anyway. I would just get him something from Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop down the street.

We made our purchases and left, heading to Gambol and Japes, as Lily had had the same idea as me. I got Sirius a few hair-color changing potions that were odorless and colorless (one of his favorite prank items, they could be bewitched to turn all the hair on the drinker's body any color the prankster chose). I had wanted to get him a few puking pastilles or fainting fancies, before realizing that the creators of said products were still in their diapers at this point in time, if they were even born.

Lily had some trouble finding things for the boys, wanting to find items that wouldn't leave much damage to school property or people if they were used - which was really rather difficult. But, finally, we found some harmless pranks: socks that sporadically changed color and a fedora that changed into a top hat or a beanie or moose antlers depending on certain words that might be spoken aloud while it was being worn.

By that time it was almost noon and we hurried to the cafe for a simple lunch of soup and sandwiches. We chatted about various things, and Sirius regaled his "horrible tale" of seeing his cousin Bellatrix heading down the street just as they had been leaving a shop.

"It's bad enough seeing them every summer! Why does it alway seem like they are following me everywhere else!"

From there we split up, Lily with James (they had gotten much more friendly with each other after I had told them the truth about me), and Sirius with me. Sirius wanted to go to Quality Quidditch Supplies to find a "super awesome" gift for James, as he put it. I enjoyed Quidditch, but my brothers enjoyed it more, as James and Sirius did. So I just wandered around the aisles, waiting an inordinate amount of time for him to try and decide between the Puddlemere United posters and the new Chaser gloves available.