𝐿𝑎𝑑𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝐿𝑖𝑓𝑒

Chapter 10: Shopping Spree

Alice was running late. Her hair was still dripping wet from her shower and her skirt was turned sideways due to her running down the street.

Michelle had been responsible with the duty of waking up Alice, which wasn't that hard of a job since she was a morning person. Yet, she still hadn't and that meant Alice was late.

Punctuality had always been one of Alice's better traits, so when she was late, Lily began to worry. The worrying eventually plagued her thoughts enough for her hands to start shaking, which sent the girls back to their chairs at The Three Broomsticks.

"Lily, you can't let your worries get to you so much! Focus on something else," Marlene suggested.

"Like what?" Lily put her forehead against the rim of her water glass.

"Recount Petunia's wedding," Mary responded after drinking a large gulp of her own water.

"I ate an entire mountain of pancakes."

Alice rushed down the cobblestones, skidding on the rain puddles.

"Then, I went upstairs and had an existential crisis."

The Three Broomsticks came into her view just as it had many other times.

"You two helped me get ready and I almost stopped breathing when I saw James."

"Almost?"

"Well, I'm still here, aren't I?"

The door's bell clinked when it opened to reveal a very disheveled Alice Fortescue grinning at her friends.

...

The Marauders had not stopped by The Three Broomsticks with the girls and had instead chosen to go to Zonko's. They needed to replenish their firework supply.

"So, what's the situation with Lily?" Sirius asked while flipping through various odd products.

"There's a situation?" James asked rather dumbly.

"Don't be stupid James. You've fancied her for the past five years, she told you she fancied you back, and there's no situation? I don't buy it!" Remus responded, taking the words from Sirius' mouth.

"Wait, Lily fancies you back?" Peter squeaked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes! Keep up Peter!"

"It's actually rather frustrating, I now know the feelings are mutual, so why aren't we dating?" James looked about rather ready to pull out his hair.

"She told you that she didn't want to put you in danger, James. Lily knows the risk about pure bloods associating with muggle-borns and she doesn't want to put you at that risk," Remus answered intelligently.

"What's life without a little risk?" Sirius and James said synchronized, which caused them to high-five.

"Lily doesn't think like that and you know it!" Remus reminded him. James groaned in response.

"Girls are so ruddy complicated." Peter sighed.

...

The girls had since chosen their next location, Lily's favorite book store in the entirety of Diagon Alley. Mary had sworn that it would be closed in around five years, yet the tiny shop was still going strong that afternoon.

"Why do you even like this place so much?" Alice asked, surveying the cobwebs in and around the corners of the room.

"She's not going to respond while she's in here. Talking to Lily in the book store is like trying to talk to James during the week before a big quidditch match about anything other than quidditch. It just doesn't work," Marlene responded and watched as Mary brushed her hands on her shorts while crinkling her nose.

"It's so dirty in here!" Mary whined, "Hey Marlene, isn't that your brother?"

There stood Marlene's brother, Myles, playfully holding a book overtop Dorcas Meadowes' head.

The two had been friends since Marlene could remember, yet she suspected they were something more. Despite him being in Slytherin and her being in Ravenclaw, they never missed a single conversation with one another, so much so Marlene thought they had created their own language.

Dorcas noticed the three sets of eyes on them, Lily was still wandering around the book shelves, and smiled brightly. She had grown into the McKinnon family quite well, so she knew Marlene and co.

"Marlene! Funny seeing you here! Aren't you staying at my cousin's house?"

Myles stood behind her awkwardly with his hands in his pockets, book long forgotten on the floor. He couldn't say it didn't happen a lot, Dorcas was a very outgoing person, yet he was not. Even though she was talking to his sister, who he was quite close to, relationship wise, Myles still didn't know how to add to the conversation. He was awkward in that aspect.

"How've you been, Dorcas? I feel like I haven't seen you in ages!" Marlene beamed back at her, noticing how awkward her brother was standing there. "We're school shopping and we really need to hurry along, I'll chat with you later?" Marlene tried to sound disappointed.

"Oh, okay. Yeah, I'll see you guys later!" Dorcas called after them as Mary dragged Lily out the door, slapping money on the counter for the books she managed to grab.

"To answer your question, Alice, I like that place because they have both muggle literature and Wizarding literature," she spoke like she had thought about it before, very sure of herself.

The truth was, she had thought about it before, many times actually. Lily had come up with this answer because her life was a mix of muggle and Wizarding, just like the bookstore. It helped her realize she didn't need to choose one over the other.

The four of them were to meet the Marauders outside Madam Malkin's to go home for the day. Everyone had gotten their books and the groups were ready to merge again. They had only split apart since Sirius did not want to hear Alice talk gossip for a few hours.

James walked out of Madam Malkin's fresh robes in hand, with the boys behind him and a huge grin on his face. He was so ready to create chaos and laughter his last year at Hogwarts. No responsibilities set the mood.

"Ready to go?" Remus called out to the girls. They all responded with nods and then they apparated, Marlene side-along with Lily.

...

Minnie McG was again in Dumbledore's office, telling the Smith's she was out getting groceries. Yet, she wasn't in there for war matters, there was a new student, and he was American.

"I thought we only accepted British students, Albus. Do we really want to throw in an American student?" She asked leaning back in her chair.

"He may have been born in America, but he just moved to London and he's extremely gifted. He could benefit greatly from coming here."

Once again, Minnie did not agree with Dumbledore's ways of thinking, but who did?

...

Author's Note:
This was much smaller than I originally planned, but I guess it'll have to do.

I currently have the song Betty stuck in my head and I'm not complaining. Folklore has immaculate vibes.

Lmao anyways thanks for reading
-teddy🧦