What A Girl Wants

Chapter Six- Arriving in London

     Disclaimer: I do not own Harry potter, only some characters in this story.

      After nearly a seven-hour flight, Lily finally arrived in London. As soon as she walked out onto the pavement, Lily felt a rumble in her stomach. "Well, let's see if we can get a bite to eat.", Lily said as she looked for a cab. Once she was able to hail one, she got in the cab and told the driver the address of a place her mom used to visit many times as a child.

      Her mom had told her that The Leaky Cauldron was a pub where Witches and Wizards stay the night at and eat. They had arrived at Charing Cross Road not half an hour later when Lily went to pay the driver, watching as he eyed  the place up and down as he double checked the address she had given him.

     "Are you sure this is the right place, Miss? It looks like a run down old shop.", The driver asked her with concern.

     'He's a muggle! I forgot Mom told me that it was disguised!', Lily thought to herself before she answered the older man who looked like he was in his early sixties. "Yes Sir, I'll be alright. I'm actually meeting a friend here, so she can give me a tour of London." Lily lied as she smiled at him and began to exit the cab.

     "Alright lass. Just be careful." The cab driver told her as he waved goodbye and headed off down the street.

     'Such a sweet man. He reminds me of Grandpa Granger.', Lily thought as she stepped into the pub.

            Once she stepped inside, she took in everything she saw. The pub was dim and tattered, with a bar on the left side of the entrance way. In the middle of the pub were an abundance of tables and chairs that occupied witches and wizards who were in their dress robes talking amongst one another while they were enjoying their brandy, tea, and pea soup. As she continued to look around, she noticed a wooden staircase that led up to a second floor which held various rooms. There was a parlor room located next to the bar that occupied a desk, tables and a couple chairs. Lily was so mesmerized by the place that she hadn't heard someone come up behind her.

    "Can I help you?", asked a voice that startled Lily and caused her to hit him in the nose with her hand as she jumped.

      "Oh, I am so sorry! I didn't mean to hit you, you just scared the hell out of me!", Lily said as she said looking over at the young man she had hit making sure he wasn't bleeding.

       "Oh, it's quite alright. By the way you have one hell of a punch.", The young man said with a smile as he rubbed his nose.

"Well thanks. I get if from my Mom I guess.", Lily told him with a light laugh, giving  him a smile. She took a minute to look at the young man who she had punched. He had straight strawberry hair that laid flat across his head, while there were a couple strands that seemed didn't want to lie down. His eyes resembled a dark blue, much like the deepest part of the Mariana Trench. She noticed he had a hint of freckles sprawled all over his face. 'He's actually kind of cute.', Lily thought but quickly reminded herself she was not here to look for a boyfriend.

     "Well , allow me to introduce myself. My name is Seth Weasley and I am one of the finest employees of the Leaky cauldron, that is until I begin Auror training in the fall.", he told her as he put out his hand to her.

    "Finest Employee huh? Is that what all the lovely witches who walk through these halls tell you?", Lily asked but then immediately regretted and spoke "Sorry that was rude of me, my name is Lily." She told him apologetically as she shook his hand.

     "Nice to meet you Lily. And to answer your question, no that is not what all the 'lovely witches who walk these halls' tells me. My boss Hannah did actually, seeing as how I am the employee of the month.", Seth told her as he leaned back on the bar top and gave her a cheeky smirk.

   "Oh well congratulations to you then. And as to the question you had asked before I punched you, yes if you could help me get a room here that would be lovely."

        "Sure, just let me grab a key and I'll check you in.", Seth told her and then left to go behind the bar. Lily felt bad about punching him, but who on earth just comes up right behind a person without acknowledging themselves? But he honestly seemed like a nice enough guy, and she really loved the color of his eyes, seeing how she's always found blue eyes attractive. She shook the thought of his eyes out of her mind when she noticed Seth walking towards her with a key jingling in his hand.

      "You don't have any luggage with you?", He asked her curiously.

       "I do. I used a shrinking charm and stuck my suitcases in my pocket. Beats having to pay for extra carry-ons.", Lily told him as she patted her pants pocket.

     "Smart", Seth told her with a chuckle. "Well if you would follow me please.", he told her as led her upstairs to her room. "So, you're American?"

      "Technically yes. My mom and grandparents are from Britain, but my mom moved to the States before I was born. The accent gave it away huh?", Lily replied as she let out a small laugh.

     "Just a little bit." Seth laughed as he halted at a brown door with the number 4 etched on it and opened it with the key. "Well, here we are Lily. Welcome to your room."

       "Thank you, Seth." She told him as she smiled at him while she entered her room. The room had three pane glass windows that had a brown curtain laying to the side of it. The walls were white with a medium mahogany trim across the top. The four-poster bed was made of a dark walnut wood that had intricate carvings on them. On the bed were two white pillows, white sheets and a yellow stich blanket. The floor was made of a light brown wood. Near the bed, sat a small brown table that had a pitcher of water and an oil lamp on top of it.

      Lily took the luggage that was residing in her pockets and placed them on the floor. She pulled her wand out of its holster, pointing it at her suitcases and uttered, "Engorgio" causing them to return to normal size.

     "You're quite welcome. I hope you don't mind me asking but where are your parents? Surely, they wouldn't have let you come all the way here on your own? No offense.", Seth asked. He was curious to why she had all this luggage with her but no one around to help her.

       "Honestly? My mother is in the United States and I did not exactly tell her I was leaving. As for my father, well let's just say he is not in the picture at this present moment." Lily told him as she set her things on her bed.

      "Oh, I am sorry to hear that. What happened to him?"

        " That's the question I came to find out for myself. My mum left Britain about nineteen years ago and she never heard from my father. And to be honest he doesn't even know I exist.", Lily told him as a solemn look began to appear on the face.

     "I'm sorry to hear that. Do you know his name by chance? Maybe I might know him", Seth asked with empathy etched in his voice. He could not imagine not having both parents in his life.

    "His name is Harry, Harry Potter.", Lily told him and when she spoke she watched as Seth's face flushed white.