Shop Till You Drop (Erica/Open)

[Lily Evans]

Lily had her eyes closed tight against the unsettling spinning feeling of Floo powder, her stomach turning in time with her body. Sure, it only lasted a few seconds, but those few seconds were more than enough for Lily. Added to the fact that she had yet to perfect travelling by Floo, it was no surprise she shot out of the fireplace of the Leaky Cauldron and landed right on her bum with a resounding "oof!"

A few of the witches and wizards that had been close enough to see her graceful entrance chuckled, and trying to save herself from embarassment Lily laughed along with them, ignoring the rising heat in her face. One wizad offered her his hand to help her up, and Lily thanked him.

She had come to Diagon Alley to do her annual school shopping. Though it was only July, she had insisted on coming before the end of the holidays so that she could read through all her textbooks and get a head start on the essays that would be due shortly after the semester began. Her mother had laughed at her for it at first, but after some time (and much nagging on Lily's part) she had gave in and agreed to let Lily go shopping.

That was also the best part: for the first time, Lily Evans got to do her own school shopping. Alone. In the wizarding world. She had been so thrilled she had even agreed to travelling by Floo powder from her grandpa Morgan's giant fireplace as opposed to a family trip to London for the weekend... which in retrospect wasn't such a great plan.

Lily didn't feel so well. She walked over to the bar, sat down, ordered a tall glass of water, and placed her forehead on the counter.

[Erica Smith]

Erica was sitting in the Leaky Cauldron with her parents, it had become a daily thing for them to be here. Her parents knew the owner, and they tended to lend some assistance in the summer due to how busy it tended to get. She looked around, when she heard a noise over by the fire place and watched as one of her best friends fell out of the fire place right on her butt. She held back a laugh and watched as a wizard helped her friend up she kenw she should go over and provide some assistance, but for now she wanted to wait and watch.

She smiled as she heard Lily's laugh she knew it had only been a few weeks but she had already missed her best friend. She watched as her parents spoke with some witches and wizards they knew, and she slipped away from the counter, so she would come up behind Lily after she sat down. She watched as her best friend put her head down and she frowned.

Walking up behind her, Erica put her hands on Lily's shoulders and gave her a little shake. "You could have picked a safer place to fall asleep Lily Evans." she teased, sitting next to her. She looked around noticing the place was beginning to get a little more crowded and she had lost sight of her parents once more.

[Lily Evans]

Lily gave a little start when she felt someone shake her. She couldn't help it! She startled easily. She turned around and when she saw it was Erica she squeeled and gave her a heartfelt hug.

"Erica! I wasn't falling asleep, I just felt a bit unsettled after that Floo trip and needed a moment to... readjust." She exhaled a small breath, willing her stomach to stop turning. It must have worked because she felt better. Maybe it was becuase her best friend was here. Or maybe Lily could perform wordless, wandless magic and had healed herself. Or maybe... eh, who cared? She felt better and that's all that mattered.

"I didn't know you'd be here! How are you? How's your summer going?"

[Erica Smith]

Erica squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears as Lily squeeled, then glanced around as some of the witches and wizards in the building looked over at them to see what the excitement was about. She quickly hugged Lily back giving her a soft squeeze and a friendly smile.

"Well I can guarantee after awhile you will get used to it. But maybe to go back home I can give you a lift or one of my parents can." she said teasingly. Erica was a brilliant flyer and there was nothing she enjoyed doing more, well maybe Defence Against the Dark Arts class was almost as good. She studied Lily for a moment, just to make sure she wouldn't fall over or throw up anytime soon. She smiled as her friend looked more like normal then looked around once more.

"I am great, sat with Sirius and talked for awhile the other day... my summer has been pretty good. How is Severous doing? And are you having a good summer, your not trying to get your books early so you can read them ahead and be ahead of everyone are you?

Erica already knew the answer to her last question, she knew Lily, and she knew Lily liked to be on top of everything. It caused her to worry about her friend sometimes, she wanted to make sure Lily enjoyed the little things as well. Also it may be possible that besides Lily, Erica was the only other Gryffindor who was nice, and friends with Severous. They had written each other, but she hadn't heard back from him just yet.

"Oh hey! I think James Potter is around as well today. You should definately say hi to him." Erica said with a smirk. She couldn't fully comprehend what was going on between the two of them, but whatever it was she hoped it would work out.

[Lily Evans]

"I just may take you up on that offer," Lily joked back. Part of her was really hoping that Erica and her parents really would give her a lift home. A longer broom ride was much more preferable to a few short seconds in the Floo Network.

Lily raised an eyebrow playfully, watching Erica with a small half smile. "You sat with Sirius. Really. And how was that?" Her smile turned into a full-on grin. She loved taunting Erica about her feelings for Sirius, though she never went beyond playful teasing. It wasn't fair to give her too hard a time about him.

"I have spent time with Severus here and there, but I've really just been spending more time with my parents. Thrilling, yes, I know," she added, "But I don't get to see them through the school year so it's nice. Severus is doing well, too. I was going to invite him to come with me today but he said he was busy." Too busy to spend time with his best friend, she added bitterly, but silently.

And are you having a good summer, your not trying to get your books early so you can read them ahead and be ahead of everyone are you?

Lily looked down sheepishly, wringing her hands. "I am getting them early, but I'm not planning on reading them," Lily said. "I was just going to to skim them..." she added in an undertone. "Oh, what does it matter? I got to come to Diagon Alley on my own for once... even if it is for school shopping."

When Erica mentioned James Potter, Lily rolled her eyes and hung her head. "Saying hi to him is the last thing I wanted to do. I thought coming here so early would beat the school crowds. Why is he here?" She took a second to pout, then went on. "Well, I supposed he has every right to be here, but still. I shall certainly not be upset if I happen to miss him."

[Erica Smith]

Reply Coming Soon !

[James Potter]

((I found this by chance, lucky for you two! If you'd rather me come in after Erica's post I can redo it all for you.))

James and his parents had been coming down to the main room of the Leaky Cauldron from the inn room they were renting for the month. Mr. and Mrs. Potter were both highly intrigued by the arrival of a most unusual and valuable magical creature to the Magical Menagerie, and they wanted to be present for the unveiling. Finding it rather uneconomical to leave so close to August, when their son would need school supplies and the like, they decided they might as well stay at the Leaky Cauldron for a time.

James had complained for a long while. He was not eager to live in the dingy upper rooms of an old pub when they had a rather impressive house to go back to, not to mention all the things he had been forced to leave there that he would very much like to have at the moment. Although his parents tried goading, bribing, and then berating him, his generally sour mood wouldn't quite lift. That is, until he caught sight of a flame of red hair, so studied by him that it could only belong to one person. His parents continued to chatter lightly about this new mystical animal they were so inclined to see; they thought little of their son stopping on the stairs on his way down, knowing he would probably rather remain in the room to do whatever it was teenage boys found interesting. They weren't quite privy to the fact that the only thing their particular teenage boy found interesting was Lily Evans.

From his vigil on the stairs, James could see that Lily was in discussion with Erica Smith, another Gryffindor in their year that James found quite pretty, but also quite uninteresting. Casually, he made his way down the stairs, making as little noise as possible with his footfalls. Then he ducked back around the tables that haphazardly littered the floor of the large room, and positioned himself until he was directly behind Lily and Erica. He didn't really have any kind of plan, of course. Doing things on a whim and speaking whatever banter came to mind was what got him where he was today.

It made perfect sense, then, that after making a very covert entrance to ensure that he was not seen by either Lily or Erica, that James would then take the most direct, obvious approach possible. From behind, he strode up to the bar and slid into the seat beside Lily's. "Well, well, Lily Evans. To what do I owe the pleasure of your presence here today?" He leaned one elbow on the bar and flashed a charming grin in Lily's direction.

[Lily Evans]

Lily had been trying to explain to Erica about a new Muggle pop group Petunia had told her about when she sensed that someone had taken a seat in the barstool next to her. Turning, she was greeted by James Potter, much unchanged from the last school year, and just as smarmy as ever. Lily restrained herself from groaning, trying to be cordial. After all, James hadn't said or done anything to irritate her... yet.

She stalled from answering him by taking a long drink of water from her glass. She came up for air, inhaled, exhaled, then looked at him and smiled politely.

"Hello James," she responded. "I'm here to do some shopping for school. I know it's early but I wanted to get a head start. Erica is going to come with me." She took another drink from her water glass. "And what are you doing here today?"