July 31st, 1977
The motorcycle turned into a cozy street under the green canopy of spreading crowns. The sun had already set, and the air was lazily filled with sweet bliss. The warm pink evening trembled with the chirping of crickets and the sound of children's voices. A dog was barking somewhere, neighbors were chatting, and the smell of fresh pancakes was coming from somewhere.
Sirius realized which house they needed as soon as it appeared from behind the fluffy green thicket.
The brick walls of the house, in all shades of red, green, and orange, were covered with wild ivy. The lush green of the rain-soaked garden embraced the cottage on all sides, making it appear not to be a house at all but some kind of friendly herbivore peering out from its green hiding place. Soft shrubs supported the porch and climbed to the veranda, hiding it from prying eyes with large white blossoms. A magnificent, sturdy fence of rough-hewn white wood surrounded the compound in a regular square. A wide path of gray and pink stone wound from the gate to the door.
A lantern hung from a bracket beside the door. Its warm orange light blurred the currant twilight. The large window on the first floor glowed as if some kind of magic were happening inside, but the cream curtains shut the room off from the street. There was also a light on the second floor, in the window, where the shadow of a girl with a telephone in her hands and a crown of curlers passed from time to time.
It was one hundred percent Evans' house. No need to guess.
Sirius stopped the bike and turned off the engine.
'As it was promised.' Sirius waved his hand and patted his knee, 'You welcome, m'lady'.
The door to the house opened. Sirius and Alice looked back at the same time to see a quite short girl in blue jeans and a blue plaid shirt peeking out onto the porch. Her dark red hair was pulled back into a ponytail on top of her head.
Seeing the guests, Lily Evans beamed and ran down the steps.
Sirius smiled briefly and raised his hand in greeting.
Alice jumped off her bike with a happy sigh, accidentally kneeing Sirius in the back, and opened the gate, running to her friend.
'Lily, Lily!'
Lily caught her, and they hugged. Bare, sharp elbows flashed in the air, braided bracelets glittered, and joy and emotion combined in a high, happy squeal.
'God, I missed you so much,' Lily closed her eyes, hugging her friend tightly and rocking her from side to side, 'So much!'
'Me too!'
Hugging each other, they stood there, murmuring, until Lily suddenly pulled Alice away, grabbing her by the shoulders.
'Did you cut your hair?'
Alice touched her short curls, and then Lily grabbed her left hand, the one with the ring on it.
'And where did that come from?'
Alice covered her hot cheeks with her hands and closed her eyes.
Lily let out a soft 'ha' or something, put her hand over her mouth, and then they squealed again and hugged again.
Sirius leaned on the steering wheel, cupping his cheek, and smiled as he watched the measured movement of two pairs of slender, jeans-covered hips. He was suddenly overcome with an unprecedented sense of complacency, and he thought that there were no better creatures in the world than girls. Especially girls like Evans and Wood. They are sweet, funny, warm, always smell delicious, and have these cute little freckles on their noses and moles on their cheeks. They are also insanely smart and fun to talk to. It was like a breath of fresh air, especially when you spend most of your time talking to creatures like Blake Zabini, Chloe Greengrass, or Patricia Stimpson.
