Fizzing Whizbees

~9~

The summer was passing slowly for Lily. True, she missed her parents while at school, and she had Severus to hang out with on those long, hot summer days, but nothing compared with Hogwarts. And Lily was homesick for her second home.
"Lily," Severus asked one afternoon. They were laying under the willow tree they used to play at when they were younger. "What do you think life after Hogwarts will be like?"
It was a tough question for Lily. Living as a muggle born, she felt torn between two worlds. One part of her wanted to establish herself as a full citizen in the Wizarding world. Maybe she would get a job at the Ministry and marry a respectable wizard. They would have two children and her parents could visit all the time. After all, they had already raised one witch. In a perfect world, her children would have weekly play dates with Tuney's little tykes as the two sisters discussed worldly (both Wizarding and not) news while sipping tea. That would incorporate both of the lives she knew and loved. But, it wasn't a perfect world and Lily would be surprised if Tuney talked to her into adulthood, especially with the way she's been treating Lily this summer. Another part of Lily didn't want the magic and adventure to end. She wanted to travel the world, apparating to a new country each week. She wanted to learn their cultures and study their magic. She wanted to meet a handsome stranger on the road, fall madly in love and make a difference in the world. Maybe even try to bridge the gap between muggles and wizards.
"I'm not sure, Sev." She responded. "That's two years away. We don't know what the Wizarding World will look like at that point, especially since those rumours of that dark wizard rising to power are starting to feel eerily true."
"Yeah," said Severus, trying to ignore the part about Lord Voldemort. He knew the rumours were true, he heard chatter about them in the Slytherin common room. Last spring his friend Lucius Malfoy was boasting about a tattoo of a snake coming out of a skull's mouth, saying he joined ranks with the future of the Wizarding World: the man who will purify magic once and for all. Severus liked Lucius, but thought some of his ideas were a bit extreme. He could never join an army who wants to get rid of all muggle borns because then he would be going against Lily. "I was thinking of something simple." Snape continued, filling the silence. "Maybe do something with potions. I could possibly teach-"
"Oh, you would be so good at that!" Lily interjected. "You're the only one who can have potions make any sense for me! I mean, Slughorn isn't bad, but he's not nearly as good as explaining the material as you are, Sev!" Snape smiled at the compliment and the two continued laying under the tree and talking until twilight.
When Lily returned to her house to help her mother set up for dinner, Petunia was there, with her friends. Lily was surprised. Throughout the school year, Tuney had found some friends of her own. They were as boring and bland as Lily could imagine, which is probably why Tuney liked them. Every day they would meet up to hang out, drink tea and gossip about perfectly boring topics. Usually, Tuney and her friends would go to one of their houses, because Tuney was terrified of them finding out the truth about Lily, but today all three pinched face girls sat at the table together, nibbling on biscuits and sipping tea. "I heard he doesn't even fancy her anymore!" The girl on the right said. "He's just going with her for the sake of popularity." She had mouse brown hair, which was pulled into a tight pony tail, accenting the severely angular shape of her jaw. "How silly." The girl on the left chimed in. Her hair was dirty blonde and pulled back into a French braid. Her features were softer than the other girl's, but her facial expression was harsher. "Yes, yes." Petunia finally stated, taking her eyes away from Lily who was walking through the door. "I give it another month." She said, and her word was final. Both of the friends nodded in agreement and took a sip from their tea.
"Mum?" Lily asked as she entered the kitchen. "What is Tuney doing with friends over?"
"Oh, you saw!" Mrs. Evans took her head out of the pantry, where she was previously collecting ingredients for dinner. "Both Iris and Ivy's parents are out, so I thought I would invite them to dinner. Is that alright, love?" Lily was stunned that Petunia would have her friends over with her in the house. "Yeah, I guess." She responded before picking up a set of plates for setting the table.
Dinner was served at a quarter past six. Petunia sat next to Lily, which is about the closest they got to each other all summer, and her friends sat opposite them. "Petunia didn't tell us you were so pretty." The dirty blonde, Iris, said to Lily, breaking the long and awkward silence.
"Oh, thank you!" Lily responded, slightly taken aback by her niceness.
"It's too bad you don't go to school with us," Ivy cut in, "you would just be adorable with Sebastian Quinn, that super fit senior boy." Lily smiled bashfully. Iris' eyes bulged out, and she turned towards Ivy, speaking in an audible whisper. "Sebastian is totally fit, but he's a bit odd. He's always walking around with his guitar, alone, and he has never had a long term girlfriend!" Obviously Iris thought about him a lot. "Yes, I know." Ivy responded. "But if anything Petunia says is correct, then Lily is a bit off her trolley, too, making them the perfect couple!" Petunia shoved a helping of potatoes into her mouth, looking down at her plate. Mr. Evans coughed, and Mrs. Evans looked sympathetically at her daughter.
The rest of dinner was even less enjoyable for Lily. Iris made the mistake of asking which school Lily attended. Petunia jumped at the question, spilling the salt all over Lily's plate, her mumbled apologies being the most Petunia willingly spoke to Lily throughout the summer.
Finally, after desert, Ivy and Iris left with the same impression of Lily that Petunia held true.

The uncomfortable meal reminded Lily about how much she missed Hogwarts. She longed to sit at the long, wooden tables lined with golden plates that filled the Great Hall; she craved the intricately crafted meals that the house elves prepared in the kitchen all day. Lily even found herself missing the company of James Potter and the rest of the Marauders, which didn't feel right. The story James Potter told Lily the day before their departure resonated with her. Never before had Lily felt so alone. Tuney, who Lily believed to be her long lasting and unconditional friend, wouldn't look at her, nonetheless talk to her. Of course she had Snape, and Lily's parents made every effort so that she would feel comfortable and welcomed at home, but they couldn't understand her like her friends at Hogwarts. Lily needed someone, a companion, and she felt a twinge of guilt every time her heart brought up the possibility of James Potter being that guy.