Lily in the Shadows

Book 3 Chapter 1 (Edited)

 Before the chapter starts I would like to thank Ravenclawtraveler for keeping me motivated and giving me good ideas. They're my little Idea Factory. You guys should go check out their stories.

Waking up early on one of the first days of summer, Lily-Kathryn rushes about her room. Pulling on a burnt orange off-the-shoulder shirt that complements her hair nicely and a dull golden brown skirt with olive socks and brown pumps. She puts on some light makeup and grabs a wrapped box on her side table. Running a brush through her wild mane she skips down the stairs and into the kitchen. There her aunt is supervising Harry as he cooks breakfast, and a large stack of similarly wrapped boxes causes the table to creak tremendously. She sets her package with the rest, listening to her cousin run down the stairs, excitedly shouting about the packages.

"Happy birthday Dudley!" Lily shouts, tossing a handful of confetti she cut out.

Dudley picks her up, spinning around, "Thank you Lilypad, I'm excited to go to the amusement park. It's going to be super fun!" Setting her down he turns to the table, running his eyes greedily around the pile. "How many are there!" He asks his father roughly.

"There are 38," Dudley's face turns red. "But we're getting you another present when we go out. So you will have more presents than last year." Staving off Dudley's inevitable meltdown Vernon turns to his breakfast Harry sets down.

"You didn't count my present uncle," Lily says, pulling the said box out from the pile. "My present makes 39, one more present than last year."

Now completely content Dudley takes Lily's present and begins opening them all. The rest of the family sit down, eating their breakfast.

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After breakfast, they all get dressed and load into Vernon's car. Once in the car Lily and Harry exchange excited looks, so glad to be going somewhere together again. Driving for a while they stop, Lily, surprised at the short ride, looks out the window only to feel disappointment as they pull up to Mrs. Figg's house.

"Oh auntie, please can we take Harry with us? Please!" Holding onto Harry's arm she begs for him to be allowed to attend, wanting so very much to spend time with her brother.

"But of course not, this is my Dudykins' special day. I will not have that freak ruining it." Petunia speaks with venom, not toward Lily but towards the very boy, she's talking about.

Getting out of the car, Vernon and Harry walk up to the front door, entering without a word to the rest. A few moments later, Vernon exits the house and gets back in the car. Starting it back up they drive away, Lily turns in her seat to watch out the back window, waving to her brother peeking through the curtains.

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Arriving at the amusement park, Lily and Dudley press their faces against the window of the car. Eyes wide in wonder at all the wonderful colors they could already see above the gates. Rushing out of the car they each grab a parent by the arm. Dudley dragged his father forward as quickly as he could. And Lily holds onto her Aunts hand jumping around excitedly as she calmly walks forward. Standing in the line for tickets, Lily and Dudley talk excitedly to one another, becoming more excited the closer they get to the front.

Mid-sentence Lily gasps, pointing at something behind Dudley. She turns to her aunt, grabbing her arm with one hand, and pointing with the other. "Auntie, look! A puppy!" The family looks at where she was pointing but sees nothing. "Awe, it's gone."