Lost in spells and shadows

Chapter 3: Lily and Severus

When they went home, for the first time, Victoria had finished packing before they arrived. "Don't flatter yourself, Toria. She had finished 2 minutes before your arrival." Said Elizabeth.
"Still it's an improvement, isn't it?" Victoria said jokingly.

They put their belongings in the car and went to the train station. It was already packed with people. "Now let's go to the platform of 9 and 3/4. " said their father. Elizabeth was the first to push her trolley with Helena sitting on her luggage. Victoria was the second as she practically raced and slammed inside the wall with Edmund laughing on her belongings. "My god! Victoria is such an idiot sometimes." Muttered her mother worriedly. "Now, it's your turn, let's do this." Said her father. Adelaide, closing her eyes, ran towards the wall with her parents by her side. When Adelaide opened her eyes, she saw a big red train with smoke arising from it. They found her siblings sitting on some chairs nearby, talking. As they had cam a bit earlier, it wasn't as crowded as it could get.

"You are still bothered by the fact i read your letter isn't it?" Victoria said.

"Well, i am disappointed by you, but then again i was bothering you." Sighed Elizabeth.

"Well, since it was written by a boy to you and it seemed like a love-letter." Victoria said slyly, smirking as she glanced at their mother sideway.

"My god, Victoria! It was not a love letter!" Elizabeth said while blushing furiously.

"Elizabeth, could you explain now?" Their mother said interested in her daughters' bickering.

"Well, contrary to what Victoria said, the letter was just written by Malfoy. He wanted to see if i was interested in being courted by him and i refused him. It was sent to me in the middle of the summer. Everything is cool now. He was a gentleman and took my refusal very well, unlike some other people."

"Wait! It was Malfoy? Well, why shouldn't i be surprised you are one of the most sought-after ladies in your year and of course since you're the same age he would ask you. But i hate him. How dare he? That egoistic proud little Slytherin. He hates everyone that isn't an arsehole like him!" Victoria's face was fun to watch. She looked alarmed and bewildered. Then her face was changed into anger and betrayal. Helena giggled at Victoria's last sentence while Elizabeth looked most irritated.

"Victoria Jane! Mind your language around your younger siblings." Her mother said and turned to Elizabeth. "Though, she is right. A sacred 28 that is proud of their status as a muggle-hater... ." Her mother's voice disappeared as she glanced worryingly towards her eldest.

"Oh no, mother. I know. You see, i give people chance when they deserve it, he is not as bad as Victoria says it, he is after all chosen as a prefect this year beside Narcissa. He isn't a horrible violent bully like the rest of the Slytherins." Elizabeth explained.

"Then why did you reject him if you speak so highly of him?" Muttered Victoria annoyed by her sister.

"I rejected him because he was still a pompous peacock. He gives a lot of value to wealth and blood-status. He cares too much about appearances, that many of his prejudices are based on that. I could give him a chance but it would go nowhere." Elizabeth glanced at their mother and looked back at Victoria then continued,

"I would have given him a chance if he was willing to change for the better. But, he wouldn't. I want someone who would be willing to change and put their selfish needs away for me, because i would be doing the same thing for them. I want to have someone that loves me more than their own ambitions."

Adelaide was blown away be her sister's words. Elizabeth never said she liked Malfoy back or never said anything of affection towards him. Though it seemed likely, Elizabeth might have felt something for him but refused to act on it because of his love of privilege and power. Their mother looked thoughtful as if she remembered something a long time ago, her eyes looked foggy, but she blinked and squeezed Elizabeth's shoulder.