“She’s gorgeous, isn’t she?” James smiled, squeezing my shoulder and staring at me too. I was suddenly under the impression I was a cute dog that the two guys were fussing over.
“Sorry ‘bout those two,” Remus said, smiling, nodding at his two friends. I smiled at him, and suddenly realized that the long scars across his face weren’t because of his dog. Not even close.

It was because of him.

The next morning I woke up to remember I had double Charms first thing. Perfect way to start a week – one of my best subjects.

After I showered, Quick-Dried my hair, pulled it up into a high ponytail and pulled on my uniform, I walked down the stairs and found James sitting, writing something and using his knees as a support.

“What are you writing?” I asked, walking over to him and sitting down.

“Oh – hey Lils!” James smiled, giving me a polite kiss on the cheek, “Just a letter to my mum,”

“What about?” I asked suspiciously, trying to read over his shoulders.

“She forces me to write at least once every two months,” he smiled. He tied the parchment onto an awaiting owl’s leg and it flew out of the open window and dissolved out of sight. “Did you have a good sleep?”

“Yeah,” I smiled, scratching my neck.

“I’m… thanks… for not talking about Remus’ lycanthropy… last night, y’know…” He muttered, trailing in and out of sentences.

“It’s okay,” I muttered, sinking back into the sofa. I stared into the extinguished fire, and then turned slowly to James, who was staring at me, smiling slightly.

“How do you look so… beautiful in anything?” he asked quietly, tucking some loose flaming red hair behind my hair. I smiled.

“I could ask you the same thing,” I whispered. James smiled and leaned in, brushing his lips against mine. I returned the kiss softly and he shifted closer to me, filling in the awkward space between us. He slid his free hands down my back and rested them on my waist as I snuck my own around his neck.

The day flew by quickly; Charms was a blast, seeing as me and James were paired up and had some fun, Potions was a piece of cake and everything else slipped past easily. I think this will be my last entry. My life couldn’t get any perfect:

(a) I have the sweetest, most cutest, perfect boyfriend ever
(b) I’m passing every class
(c) I’ve got the greatest friends ever
(d) Could life get any more perfect?


Wait – Claire has just told me Dumbledore wants me. Probably to talk about my Head duties or something. Back soon!

Oh my God


Oh my God


Oh my God


OH MY GOD


Just when life was perfect, this happens.


He’s lying.


They’re alive.


They have to be.


He’s lying.


I’m crying.


They’re alive.


They have to be…

He wasn’t lying. They are dead.


My parents.


God, God, God, God, God, GOD.


Why?


How?


How they died I know. Why? Life was perfect. Nothing can be perfect. Not any more, anyway.


What happened. Well. I was screaming as Dumbledore was telling me, but I got the juice of it.


Car Crash.


I can see them in my mind. Chatting excessively, happily, not knowing their life is going to end in a few life shattering seconds. A car comes out of nowhere. Slams into the front. I watch in slow motion as the seatbelts snap, as my mother and father scream and hurtle forwards, as Petunia screams in the backseat. My parents crash through the windshield, glass and blood spurting everywhere, and as they somersault over the roof of the other car Petunia sits dead still in shock, not a scratch on her.

Mum skids along the top of the car, then falls limp to the ground. Dad falls forward, off the hood, and lands with a sickening crash. Astonished witnesses fish out their mobiles quickly, but it’s too late.


They’re gone.


Because of one drunk stranger.

James has tried comforting me. As have Jimi, Claire, Halie, Sirius, Remus and even Peter. I’m sitting here at home – shaking and crying – and I hear Petunia’s wails upstairs. I can’t imagine what it must be like for her. She witnessed it. Not in minds eye – in reality. I think I’ll try and talk to her.

Mistake. Petunia official hates me more know. This is what happened:


I walked up the stairs slowly, staring at the hardwood floor, knowing my heart would break if I looked at the pictures of my parents on the wall.

I reached the landing and crossed it. I heard sobbing and screaming from inside the room. Hesitating, I knocked on the door and went in.

“Petunia?” I asked carefully. I stuck my head in the room and saw Petunia on the bed, tears falling down her face.

“Go away, this is all your fault!” Petunia screamed, sitting up. I felt as though she had stabbed me.

”My fault? How is this my fault?” I asked thickly through my tears.

“You’re a witch! If you were there – and not at that freak place – you could have saved them! IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT!” she screeched at me.

“Oh, so it was my fault I was at school!” I cried at her. She glared at me.

“School? School? That’s what you call that freak place full of weirdos and… paranormal things!?” she sobbed. I couldn’t believe it.

“So. According to you our parents are dead because I was at school learning?” I yelled, anger rising.

“Learning what? How to turn a needle into a match? Real useful! Let’s all go and learn how to be paranormal freaks! How fun!” she screamed sarcastically.

“You know what?” I said as calmly as I could, “I couldn’t be bothered. You are the freak here. Just because I’m magic doesn’t mean I’m not any different from you! We were best friends until I got that letter! And now – our parents are dead and you’re sitting here, telling me it’s my fault, because I was being happy? Because I was peaceful? I was having a brilliant week until Dumbledore called me into the office. First I find out my parents died in a car crash. I felt sorry for you, did you know that? When I found out you were there. Then, I come up here to comfort you, and you insult me, my friends, my professors – call us all ‘freaks’! You’re the freak, Petunia, because you can’t accept me for whom I am!” I screamed, becoming increasingly close to exploding her pillow in her face or turning it into a pile of maggots or something. 
“You know what? I’m going back to Hogwarts – where people like me. Where they accept me for who I am. They don’t care if I’m a muggleborn, or a witch or… bye Petunia!” I spat, turning heel and slamming the door. 
As I put a shaking foot on the stair, I paused and looked back at Petunia’s door. I heard several loud bangs and a scream as Petunia’s nail polish bottles exploded one by one. Then I stormed down the stairs, just in time to hear the front door bell ring.

I looked at the front door and walked angrily towards it.

Calm down!

With my hand on the doorknob, I glanced in the hallway mirror. I was a state! My make up had run horribly all over my face, my eyes were bloodshot and cheeks bloated and red. Quickly waving my wand over my face, the make up disappeared and puffy cheeks vanished – leaving bloodshot eyes. Shrugging half heartedly, I pulled open the door.

“Lily? Are… are you okay?” James asked slowly from my front door step.

“James?! What are you doing here?” I gasped, pushing the door shut behind him as he walked into my house, “Not that I’m not glad to see you,” I added, in case he got the wrong impression. I couldn’t help but notice my voice was higher pitched than usual.

“I wanted to make sure you were okay,” James said, concerned. His hazel eyes left me only to glance around the house. Then they snapped back onto my emerald ones. “Are you?”

“Ye-“ I stopped. Tears started flooding down my face, “No. I just expect them to walk through the front door… to…” I broke off and suddenly burst into tears. I buried my face into my hands and started crying desperately. James quickly placed an arm around my shoulders and a hand above my elbow. He guided me to the sofa and sat me down, sitting beside me.

“It’s okay Lily,” he whispered, holding me and stroking my flaming red hair as I cried into his chest, “It’ll be okay…” I wrapped my arms around his chest and hugged him closely.

“I-I’m sorry,” I murmured five minutes later, letting go of James and sitting up.

“Don’t be,” He muttered back, brushing some of my loose hair behind my ear. “It’ll be okay. We’ll get through this,”

“I… I miss t-them already… I can’t b-believe they’re g-gone…” I whispered, loosing myself in James’ deep, concerned hazel eyes.

“I know how it feels,” he said deeply, dropping my eye contact and staring into the burning embers of the old fire.

“W-What?” I gasped. Who did he lose?

James nodded solemnly. “Last year – Death Eaters kidnapped my baby sister… she was nine… Elle Potter…” James smiled slightly at the memories, despite the tears building up in his loyal eyes, “They killed her…”

”James… I don’t know what-“

“Who is he?” came a repulsed voice from the staircase. James and I whipped around and I silently groaned when I saw Petunia staring disgusted at James.

“Petunia-”

“Is that James Potter?”

I scrambled to my feet and dragged Petunia into the kitchen before she could say anything to James. “What do you want?” I hissed angrily once the door was safely closed.

“I do live here! I can go where ever I want,” Petunia sniffed. “Was that James Potter?”

”Yes – can you-“

“It is? I thought you hated his guts!”

”He’s my boyfriend-“

”WHAT?” Petunia screeched, looking outrage, “It’s bad enough you’re prettier – smarter - better - and now you have to get him as a boyfriend!?”

“I – what?” I was so confused right now. Was Petunia jealous?

“He’s way out of your league! He’s using you!” Petunia spat nastily, loud enough for James to hear in the other room. What? She didn’t even know James!

“I can’t believe you! FIRST YOU BLAME ME FOR OUR PARENTS DEATH NOW THIS?!” I yelled in her face. Storming out of the kitchen and slamming the door in her face, I completely forgot James was here in my outrage.

“Lily?” he asked softly, standing up and facing me, his eyes flickering from the door now concealing a screeching Petunia to me, shaking from head to toe.

“I’m s-sorry James. I’ll… I… lets go back to Hogwarts. I’m not wanted here,” I whispered shakily, walking over to him. “I’ll just go and pack my trunk,” I continued, pecking him on the cheek on striding upstairs. I quickly scourged the room in search for books, quills and vials I had thrown around in temper. Two minutes later James appeared by the door.

“Why are you doing it the Muggle way?” he asked as I straightened up, tie in one hand, Potions vial in the other. Before I could answer, he had swept his wand and all the loose objects around the room flew into the trunk and fell neatly in line.

“Thanks,” I said hoarsely, shutting the tie and vial in as well. I grabbed the trunk with one hand. “Will we…”

“Apparate into Hogsmeade?” James finished for me. I nodded.

One minute later, we were both standing in a windy Hogsmeade path.

“Thank you James,” I murmured over the wind. James smiled at me warmly.

This will be my last diary entry. I don’t want to remember this day. I just want to live as though this never happened. I want to start over. I want Petunia to accept me. I want my family to be alive.

A/N: THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!! There is one more; Chapter Ten: Halloween 1986!!!!