Lily Evans lay on her bed staring at the white ceiling of her lilac room. It was the summer holidays and she was bored, she hadn't done anything yet and it was almost the first day of July. It was hard to go from an exciting world filled with magic, to this boring and plain one. Wondering what her best friend Emily was doing, she decided to owl her. Standing up and stretching, Lily strolled over to her desk, picked out her favorite quill, and began to write.

Hey Emily!
So how's your summer been so far? Mine's been completely and utterly boring. What are you doing next week? Please come over and take me out of my misery.

~ Lily

Once she was finished, she tied the parchment onto her black owl, Harry's leg, and explained to him where he was going. With a click of affection, he glided out the open window. Smiling, Lily dropped onto her bed and fell into a peaceful sleep.

Upon waking up in the morning, Lily found Harry back inside her room. As she pushed her covers out of the way and got up, she noticed her room had a slight draft. Stupid Lily, she thought, you forgot to close the window again. Going over to close it, Lily noticed Harry held Emily's reply on his extended foot. Petting her owl, she untied the parchment hurriedly from his leg. It read,

Hey Lily,
Summer's great so far! My parents and I went to France, but it was pretty boring there. You didn't miss much, though there was this really cute guy named Travis... Nothing compared to Sirius though. About next week, my cousin is coming over. Sorry, maybe the week after?
~ Emily

Lily grabbed another piece of parchment and quickly wrote a reply.

Emily-
That's okay. Could your cousin come here with you? They can even bring a friend, I don't mind! The more the merrier!
~ Lily

Lily quickly tied the message to Harry's leg, anxious for a reply. Within fifteen minutes, Harry was back and looking a little agitated. Lily snatched up the letter and read it frantically.

Lily,
You're sure about this? You really don't mind? If you are, we'll be over on Saturday for the week. Does that sound good?
Owl me-
Em

Lily searched for a third piece of parchment, asking herself why in the world it wouldn't be okay.

Emily,
No, of course I don't mind! I'll plan on next week then. Don't bother owling me back! Can't wait until you get here!
~ Lily

Lily then, once again, tied her letter to an infuriated Harry, sighing in relief as he flew out the window. Her stomach grumbled as she glanced at the clock. She had exactly five days until Emily's arrival. Lily skipped her way down the hallway that lead to the stairs, her mind not even stopping to ponder which cousin Emily was bringing.

Those five days before Emily arrived seemed interminable. But it was finally Saturday afternoon and she was pacing in front of the living room fireplace.

"Lily, stop pacing, I'm trying to read!" Petunia yelled at her.

Lily lowered herself into an armchair.

"Why are those freak friends of yours coming anyway?" Petunia asked her harshly.

"In case you haven't noticed, I have friends," Lily retorted.

Petunia opened her mouth, and then closed it again before huffing out of the room.

"Lily, I really wish you'd be nicer to your sister," Lily's father said as both he and Lily's mother came into the room.

"How am I supposed to do that? She's just as mean to me as I am to her!" Lily said frustrated, watching her parents take a seat on the couch adjacent to her.

"We've had this talk before Lily," her mother said kindly. "Please try to see it from her point of view."

Lily avoided her parents' eyes and took a sudden interest in the carpet underfoot.

"When are you friends arriving?" Lily's mother asked.

"I'm not sure, Emily said sometime today..." Lily replied, and as if on cue, the flames roared in their fireplace and out popped Emily-covered in soot. Lily's parents said a quick hello before leaving to go prepare lunch while Emily brushed herself off.

"Hey Lily!" Emily said excited.

Lily flung herself at her friend. "Oh I'm glad you're here! It's been completely boring without you!"

Just then, the last person Lily ever expected to see at her house, flew out of the fireplace. James Potter.

"Hey Lils!" he said messing up his already ruffled hair with his hand. "You must have really missed me over the four weeks, two days, six hours and-" he glanced at his watch, "now eleven minutes we've been apart."

Lily wanted to say so many things at once that it all came out in a babble.

"You-what? No!" she screeched.

Emily faced her with a puzzled expression.

"You what?" she asked dumbly.

The second big surprise of the afternoon jetted out of the fireplace just as Emily spoke. Sirius Black landed on the Evens white-tan carpet, and immediately broke out into song.

"Do you really want to hurt me? Do you really want to make me cry?"

James put a hand over Sirius' mouth.

"Yeah, um-sorry about that," he said embarrassed, "He's been singing that ever since he heard it at that muggle beach."

There was an awkward silence in which everyone looked at Lily. All of this was too much for her. Potter and Black in her house. Her life was becoming a living hell!

"Emily," Lily said in the tone she used when she was pissed. "Why didn't you tell me WHICH cousin you were bringing?"

"I only have 14 cousins!" Emily said like it was the easiest thing in the world.

"Well, HOW THE BLOODY HELL WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHICH ONE IT WAS?!" Lily screamed back.

James and Sirius stared at each other uncertainly.

"We'll... erm, just go now..." James said, pulling Sirius by the arm.

"Oooh! Can we go get popcorn?" he asked.

"Why?" James said blankly.

"Duh! Because of the catfight! ME-OW!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Padfoot!"

Sirius reluctantly gave in and the two Marauders slipped into the kitchen.

Watching them go, Lily slid on to the couch and began massaging her temples. .

"Oh this is brilliant! Just brilliant!"

"Hmm? I thought you were mad at me for bringing..." Emily trailed off looking at Lily, who had plastered the cheesiest smile on her face.

"No, Em, I'm not mad at you at all! In fact I'm very happy that your air-brained, love sick cousin and his perverted groupie friend are in my kitchen right now!" Lily said sarcastically.

"Phew! For a second there, you really had me worried!" Emily said relieved.

Lily smacked her forehead. "You really are stupid, aren't you."

Emily gasped, "Why, what did I do?"

Lily stood up, rolling her eyes and headed for the kitchen. What she didn't know, is what she heard next would scar her and her family for life.