A Country Trip to the City

It was James's first time going shopping in town with the Evans family. Lily had wanted to bring Snape along too, but he refused to spend time with an air polluter no matter what. "I still have to brew the improved potion," Snape said. He paused, then added, "Don't get too close to Potter. You'll catch his stupidity."

"All right, Severus. Make sure you get some rest too. I'll bring you afternoon tea."

Before leaving, Lily looked back at Snape. He was huddled alone in a corner of the dim workshop, several cauldrons around him. His dark, gloomy eyes had been utterly lifeless, but whenever they fell on her, a faint glimmer would quietly appear in them.

"Lily, hurry up!"

James shouted at the top of his lungs from outside. The light in Snape's eyes vanished in an instant, as though it had never been there. Lily thought her eyes might have been playing tricks on her.

"Stop shouting!" Lily shouted back just as loudly. James came over and ushered her into the car. "Mr Evans just said he's taking us shopping in London!"

"Really, Dad? Are you taking us to London?" Lily climbed into the car. Petunia was sitting primly on the far right.

"Wow, Petunia, we're wearing matching sister outfits!" Lily looked in surprise at their dresses.

"I picked them out last night. As long as you think they look good."

Petunia made no comment. She was wearing a long, apricot-white dress today, her golden hair meticulously arranged in a European-style updo. "You look just like a young noblewoman," Lily said, sitting close beside her. She was wearing an apricot-white dress too, but hers was short. Petunia had styled her hair in a classic low Roman bun. Petunia really was the one to rely on; Lily herself only knew how to braid her hair.

James had seen Lily in several dresses over the past few days. At Hogwarts, everyone wore wizard robes, which weren't at all interesting, but Lily was still the prettiest of them all.

"Beautiful, beautiful."

The sight of James acting lovestruck made everyone else laugh. He alone looked at the other four in confusion. "Why are you laughing?"

"We're laughing because you look cute." Lily casually spoke what was on her mind. She naturally didn't think anything of it.

"Huh? Ah, ah—" James froze on the spot, his tongue tied. That was it: James had turned into a fool who could only babble.

"James, snap out of it. What's wrong with you?"

Lily shook James by the shoulders. He swayed back and forth with the force of her shaking, a goofy grin on his face. No, she thought he looked even cuter like this.

"You look even cuter like this than you did just now."

James's face instantly turned red all the way down to his neck. Petunia found the scene immensely amusing. She took out her camera, switched it to silent mode, and kept snapping pictures of James and Lily. It was too funny. She would have them all developed and show them to Mom and Dad.

"Hehehe... hehe..."

James laughed like that the whole way there. Lily had already let go of him and turned to Petunia to discuss what they would wear tomorrow.

"Petunia, Petunia, how about we wear matching sister outfits again tomorrow? Or we could just go buy some at a clothing store later."

"How about buying a few pairs of shoes while we're at it? We can match them with our new clothes."

Mr Evans and Mrs. Evans listened to a soothing tune in the front seats.

Next door, in the Potions workshop, Snape kept watch over the cauldrons alone, countless pangs of bitterness and inferiority churning in his heart. He had been the first to grow close to the Evans family, yet as soon as Potter arrived, everyone's eyes were on him.

He hadn't noticed it in the Evanses' attitude, but Petunia's subtle emotions couldn't fool him, a master of reading expressions. She disliked him. That was right: he came from Spinner's End and was a Slytherin, and he usually looked unkempt. So, assuming the worst of Petunia, Snape was certain she had exaggerated his faults to Lily to make her stay away from him. Unforgivable. He did hate that he was half Muggle, hate his wretched origins, and hate his greasy, disheveled appearance. He was dirty and inferior, and he liked and was used to wearing indifference and sharpness as a shell to disguise his vulnerability. So what? Even someone as wretched as him desperately longed for steady kindness free of disdain.

Lily had everything he had wanted since childhood: a gentle nature and a whole, harmonious family. They were things he had never had in his life.

He could always fight for what he wanted himself.

Meanwhile, the car drove into central London. Mr Evans had replaced his car with a brand-new Jaguar XJ6 Series 1, and the eye-catching model drew plenty of looks from passersby along the way. The Tales of Blossoms chain was growing larger and larger, and Mr Evans knew quite a few people in business circles. A businessman he knew recognized him as soon as he got out of the car.

"Mr Evans, it's rare to see you find time to take your family shopping."

Mr Evans smiled. "Are you out shopping with your family too, Mr Jones?"

Across from them, the brown-haired Mr Jones stood by the street with his wife. Mrs Jones politely exchanged greetings with Mrs. Evans, then her gaze fell on Lily and James. "Your son and daughter are both so good-looking," she said sincerely.

"Thank you, ma'am, but this is my friend." Lily politely explained to Mrs Jones that James wasn't actually one of their children, so there wouldn't be any unnecessary misunderstandings later.

Mrs Jones looked at James, who was pressing close to Lily while pretending nothing was out of the ordinary, and immediately understood. "You and your boyfriend look very good together."

Wait, no—"Thank you, ma'am. I think so too."

James was quick to answer when something was said to his advantage. Lily fought down the urge to do something as unladylike as beating Potter up in the street. It's fine, Lily. Just pretend he doesn't exist.

James took the opportunity to push his luck. Pretending to put a hand on his hip, he slipped his arm through Lily's and successfully linked arms with her. "Hmm?"

Petunia was caught up in the joy of shipping them. How strange—they weren't even a real couple, so why were they so fun to ship? She fought the urge to smile.

"Petunia."

Petunia ignored the pleading look for help from her sister and focused on her little leather shoes. "We won't keep you from your shopping. We'll be going now." The Joneses smiled as they said goodbye.

The awkward exchange was finally over. Lily tried to pull her hand back, but James held on tightly and refused to let go. "My mom said we have to hold hands when we cross the road, so you can't let go of me."

Once again, James's absurd reasoning left Lily speechless. Is it possible the whole thing was that you have to hold an adult's hand when crossing the road, or it'll be dangerous? Am I your adult, that you're holding my hand?

Besides, the strange feeling was like holding Harry's hand at the zoo. No, what on earth was she thinking? Lily shook her head to drive the absurd thought away. "Does shaking your head mean you don't like me?" James asked quietly.

"No." Lily thought James was actually rather nice, and gave him a fair answer. "You're actually rather nice."

"Then that means you like me. Why aren't you asking whether I like you?" James asked and answered his own question. "Of course I like you."

Lily: Speechlessness is my mother tongue.