This Summer Changed Everything

Tears fall

Once again, I would like to say that all the characters, exept Nadine, belong to J K Rowling. 

The first few weeks with the Potter's flew by. Henry went to work every day, Rebecca chatted with me and helped the house-elves, and Sirius was his usual annoying self. Only, James and I hardly talked. I suppose, a few weeks ago, I would have loved this, but now it seems weird. Every time I look at him, I can see the sadness losing Nadine has caused him.

Everything, mostly, was going smoothly, until one breakfast...

"Lily, pass the toast," Sirius demanded.

"What's the magic word?" I retorted.

"Oh yeah." He pulled out his wand. "Accio toast!" The toast flew toward him.

"I didn't mean it like that."

"I know."

"Come on Sirius, have some good manners," Rebecca instructed.  

"Okay, Lily, please, please, please, pretty please, will you pass the butter?"

"The physical appearance of the please does not make a difference, Sirius," I tell him, before passing the butter.

"Thank you, Lily flower."

Sirius finally settled down just before the post arrived. Three owls: one barn, one snowy and one tawny flew through the open kitchen window. The barn and snowy owls dropped three letters in front of Henry, but the tawny owl dropped its letter in front of me.

I nervously picked it up. Why had I got a letter? What had happened? Quickly, I slid my fingers under the flap, opened it, and read:

Dear Lily,

                 Firstly I would never do anything like this, like your people do, unless it was an emergency. So now you know two things. One, this is an emergency, and two, this is from Petunia.

Well, I need to get this out. Something terrible happened, and it is all YOUR fault. Mum and Dad were murdered…

Tears began to roll down my cheeks. I couldn't keep reading. My Mum and Dad were dead? I didn't even get to say a proper goodbye.

"Lily, are you alright?" Rebecca asked, concerned.

"Excuse me," I choked, before rushing out of the dining room, and up to my bedroom.

I reached the room, ran in and flopped down on the bed. I buried my face in the pillow and cried and cried and cried. I felt so upset, I couldn't help it.

A few minutes later, I heard someone knocking on the door.

"GO AWAY!" I screamed.

"Please Lily, can I come in?" James asked. So person knocking was James.

"NO!" I shrieked back.

"Lily, I know you are upset, but..."

"YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW I FEEL. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENED!"

"But Lily, I know what pain feels like, and I can tell you are in pain. Please, can I come in?"

And then I remembered. James does know how I feel. He lost Nadine to murder ages ago. He seemed to love her more than an average brother loves his sister. It would have hurt him to lose her; it must have hurt him a lot.

"Please Lily, can I come in?" James continued.

"Okay," I sniffed.

The door opened and in came James. He sat down on the bed, next to me.

"What's happened Lily?" he asked, sounding sincerely concerned.

"It's my parents." I began to cry again. "They're... they're... dead."

"Oh Lily, I'm so sorry" he said, before wrapping his arms around me, and pulling me towards him. I rested my head against his chest and cried.