Accio Evans

Chapter 29: New Year

After Lily had eaten her food and James had eaten his happy meal – he rather enjoyed the toy, a small dinosaur which when you pulled its tail roared – Lily put the car in gear and drove the short distance back to the Evans House. This time James managed to open the door for himself and didn't complain that the handle was trying to eat him; neither did he insist on sticking his head inside the boot to examine it closer, he simply grinned like a maniac as he lifted the bags of shopping out of the car, much to Lily's relief, her next door neighbours had come out to wave and Lily did not want to explain why her boyfriend had his head stuck in the boot of her car, shouting about muggles. Waving back she smiled and took the last bag from the car, shut the boot, clicked the lock button on the key and followed James up towards the house.

"You took your time!" Rose mock scolded as she came down the stairs, wearing her dressing gown and her hair pulled up in curlers, only half of her make up done.

"We stopped off for lunch." Lily explained. "Mum, you do realise you only have half your make up done right?" Lily giggled, her mother had eyeliner and, blusher and mascara done on the left side of her face – the right was significantly bare.

"I know! I just wanted to ask where you'd been that's all..." Rose trailed off. Lily sighed, but she couldn't help but smile. 'No, you wanted to see James.' She concluded, at least her mother liked James, more than could be said for Vernon. The first time her mother had met him, her father had informed her that she'd accidentally called him vermin and split orange juice into his lap 'Accidentally on purpose' her father had written in his letter. Once Petunia, and a very irate Vernon, had left her mother had proceeded to rant about what a foul man he was and how could her daughter fall for someone like that?! James was obviously a breath of fresh air as far as Rose and Arthur were concerned.

"Hey kids – bring the food in here." Arthur instructed, appearing in the doorway and gesturing towards the kitchen, where a table had been cleared and set out with bowls and glasses - all ready for the party. Lily emptied packets of crisps into the bowls; James copied, giggling when the bag popped.

"Err Lily?" Arthur asked, turning to face her father Lily laughed as he held up the loaf of tiger bread and bag of Starburst.

"Blame James!" Lily explained. James blushed slightly and grinned, Arthur shook his head.

"Well, at least you had fun." Mr Evans concluded as he stuffed the empty carrier bags into the cupboard to be used at a later date. "Now go on, shoo, go and get ready!" and Lily and James hurried out of the kitchen, to ready themselves for the New Year's Eve party.

"Ugh..." James groaned. January 1st had dawned and the banging in his head felt like someone had hit him repeatedly with a quaffle, and then hit him with a beaters bat for good measure – lifting his head off the pillow he squinted as a pink and red blob entered the room, wincing as the door squeaked. Positioning his glasses on his nose, the blob came into focus – Lily stood in the doorway smirking at James' face – he still had an eyeliner moustache drawn across his face and Lily's lipstick smeared across his lips, with a quick flick of her wand his face was clean and back to normal, James however didn't care, he just wanted the pounding in his head to subside. The party, even by Evans standards, had been a good one; Lily's cousins had forced James into drinking a shot every time someone mentioned how lovely he and Lily were together – by ten o'clock James was staggering around the house giggling at plant pots – the next door neighbour (who was rather drunk himself), had decided to use Lily's eyeliner to draw a moustache across James' face. James had then proceeded to tell a rather tipsy Lily that he was pirate, before falling over the plant pot he'd been giggling at minutes before. Then at midnight, Lily lead James up to the small balcony on her room to watch the fireworks, and when he kissed her – well she didn't say no. Smiling slightly at the memory, she giggled as James rubbed his forehead and laid flat out on his back, snapping his eyelids tightly shut. The curtains to the spare room were shut, Lily had an inner battle on whether or not to open them, knowing the light would further James' hangover, which she had to admit was hilarious.