The Next Great Adventure (A Marauders Fan Fic)

Chapter Fifty Four

“Agreed but somehow I doubt the other people in the restaurant will be pleased if she turns up in…” Alice trailed off uncertainly.

“A pillowcase?” Cassie supplied with a grin.

Soon they were left alone again and Lily retreated to the bathroom to run a bath for herself. When she emerged she rifled through her wardrobe, comparing everything inside it. Eventually she slipped on a simple black dress, rolled a pair of tights up her legs and did her makeup quickly. When she was finished she put on an emerald bracelet and a pair of earrings James had given her that morning and eyed herself in the mirror. They matched the necklace he had bought her for her seventeenth birthday and which she still had around her neck.

“You look great Lil,” Cassie said when Lily entered the sitting room later. “You should wear that camel coat.”

“Thanks Cass,” she beamed. “Yeah I know, have you seen it?”

“On the chair in the kitchen,” she replied as she turned the page of her book.

Lily vanished for a moment. When she returned she stood over Cassie and shrugged her coat on. “When’s Sirius coming?”

“Probably with James,” she said.

She hovered by the bookshelf as she wrapped a scarf around her neck, busying herself with tucking it under the collar of her coat.

Minutes later there was a knock at the door. Lily rushed over to it, grabbing a pair of gloves before opening it to reveal James and Sirius standing in front of her. Sirius grabbed her in a hug, pecked her cheek, and raced inside where he leapt over the back of the sofa and landed on Cassie. Her ear-piercing scream made both Lily and James wince as they stood in the doorway.

James smiled at her and pressed a kiss to her other cheek, pulling her against her chest in a tight embrace. “You look beautiful,” he whispered. “Shall we go?”

“Sure. You look pretty smart too. I didn’t know you owned a normal suit.”

“Yeah I bought it. Some street called Savile Row… It’s quite nice.”

He was so oblivious it hurt and Lily smirked as she pulled a woollen hat out of her pocket. James grabbed it out of her hands and she shrieked. “Hey what are you-!" He pulled it down over her head, laughing at her disgruntled expression. She frowned petulantly and pulled her gloves on before stalking away, leaving James to chase after her.

When they reached their destination Lily couldn’t help but gasp. The lights above them bore into her eyes, illuminating the night, and she turned to James in wonder. “Are you serious?” she exclaimed. “You’re bringing me here?”

“Wait is that bad?” he asked. “I had no idea, I just asked some Muggle on the street where the best place in London was and he said here so I found one of those books with the number collections in and I… called them and booked a table.”

“No it’s… amazing James.”

“Oh good,” he let out a sigh of relief and pulled her towards the entrance.

“Are you sure this is a good idea? This is one of the most expensive restaurants in London.”

“Yeah it’ll be fine,” he said as they headed through the opulent hall. “I took a bunch of Galleons out of my vault and converted them in Gringotts.”

“Oh Merlin James, please tell me you don’t have it all on you now.”

“No I mean, I have this,” he said, flashing her his wallet as the waiter led them through the red velvet seats. It was stuffed with notes and Lily hissed at him to put it away. “And then the goblin who was sorting me out said that they use some kind of card… He gave me one of those and put the rest of it on that but I don’t know what it is.”

“How many Galleons did you exchange?” she asked as they sat down.

“No clue,” he shrugged. “Not that many. I’ve got a vault full down there so… Woah this place is incredible,” he breathed as they entered the restaurant.

It was enormous, with pillars draped in fabric and bright frescoes covering the ceiling. Their feet sank into the carpet as they walked, and even that evening it was filled with chattering Muggles who had braved the weather and left their homes. The waiter led them to a small table in the corner and lit an enormous candle which flickered between them.

“Very romantic,” Lily chuckled as she gestured to it.

“It’s almost as if he thinks we’re on some sort of date.”

“Really? That’s horrible! Ugh the idea of going out with you…” She shook her head and mimed throwing up as James smirked at her. “I feel a little cheated to be honest,” he sighed pathetically, “I mean look at this place!”

“What about it?”

“Well all of this incredible luxury and they only gave us one candle!”

Lily giggled and opened her menu, wincing when she saw the prices. She was aware of the curious glances which some people had directed at them; presumably they were wondering how two teenagers could afford dinner there. 

As James ordered a bottle of champagne, butchering the name in the process, she settled down with a smile on her face to enjoy her birthday dinner.