Everybody was collapsed in various living rooms a few minutes later, waiting in vain for the incredible amounts of food they consumed to settle so they could function normally again.
"Mummy, my tummy hurts!" A five year-old whined.
"That's generally what happens if you eat food that Lily cooks. Welcome to the real world, kid." Sirius said sarcastically, half-heartedly ducking as a pillow sailed in his direction. "I meant that as a compliment. People tend to gorge themselves when you cook."
"I take the pillow back in that case." Lily smiled brightly.
"How did you manage not to eat five servings, Lily?" Serenity groaned.
"I think that's the downside of cooking. Maybe it's the upside, I take that back." Chessa said ruefully.
"Would you lot quit whining? It's not my fault you successfully ate ten percent of your body weight." Lily snapped.
"Whoa, easy with the mood swings, Lils." Sirius joked, lazily tossing the pillow back at her.
Lily smiled, tucking her ankles under her while covering up with one of the many hand-made blankets in the house. She wistfully looked at the glowing angel in the lofty tree branches, presiding over the room in rays of gold and white.
"Papa Papa Papa?! Can I pleasssse put the star on the tree? Please please please?"
"You'll have to asked Petunia if she minds. If she wants to, you two have to put it on together." Logan answered with a fond smile.
Lily turned and looked at her older sister, twelve years old now, sitting in the chair all curled up and reading a magazine. "Petty, do you want to help me put the star on the very very top?"
Petunia had looked over Lily's shoulder, and Logan gave her a look. "Sure, Lily, why not? How about I lift you up? You're little enough."
Lily had immediately crossed her arms in a pout. "I am NOT little."
"Of course not. Here." Petunia had lifted her up while standing on a chair, their tiff forgotten already.
Lily got up, dragging her blanket with her, and sat in the window seat, one facing her old home. The curtains weren't drawn in either house, so Lily could see the Reginald's instead of the Evans' sitting in the living room, no doubt watching a sappy Christmas television program, their daughter looking forward to the presents tomorrow would bring. She suddenly had a longing to turn and ask somebody 'Do you remember when I helped Dad cut a Christmas tree? I was five, so all I actually did was get in the way, but I picked it out'. Lily wanted to cry when she realized nobody would remember, because none of these people knew her when she was five. Nobody knew her when was five anymore. James might remember her, but then again, he was more likely to remember some incredibly mean trick instead of her Christmas tree excursion.
The phantom force that had propelled her outside earlier was now screaming at her again. This time to walk into the hall, pick up the phone, and call Petunia, her only family member left.
She hates you, and everything you are, everything you stand for. If somebody told her you joined a chain-smoking nudist colony, she would sniff and say 'I don't have a sister, certainly not an oddity like that.'
So? "I am so stupid." Lily muttered while getting up again and walking out. "Honestly ignorant. I am proving my lack of intelligence right here and now." She saw the old modeled phone hanging on the wall. Then she saw the new, crisp, unused phone directory, undoubtedly placed by a House-Elf. Dursley, Vernon & Petunia........620-785-7540
Lily took the plunge and shakily dialed the numbers.
"Hello, Dursley residence, Vernon speaking." Came the gruff voice over the line.
She slammed the phone down on the receiver out of fear. After her breathing returned to normal, she dialed the number again.
"Dursley residence. Vernon speaking." This time the voice sounded decidedly annoyed.
Lily swallowed once, tightening her death grip on the phone even more for fortification. "M-may I speak to Petunia please?"
"Who's calling?"
"A um...old accquaintance." Lily improvises. "I wanted to wish her a Happy Christmas."
"Leave your name, and I'll tell her."
"I would rather tell her myself."
"Just a minute." Vernon did not sound like a happy camper.
After a few moments, "Hello?"
"Hi, Petunia, it's me, Lily." she said softly, "Don't hang up. I just wanted to wish you a happy Christmas."
There was silence.
"Do you remember when you lifted me up to put the star on top of the tree? The Reginalds have already decorated their tree, I-"
"Why are you calling me?" Petunia asked in a whisper.
"I-I-I just wanted to ask somebody if they remembered." Lily was actually trying very hard not to cry.
"I don't know why either of us are still carrying on this conversation, but wait a minute."
There was a slamming of doors, and Lily assumed Petunia was going somewhere where nobody would hear her talking.
"Lily, one of Mum's favorite saying were you made your bed, now you must lie in it. And it applies to you. You chose your way of life, and it isn't any fault of mine that you're lonely. If you want to ask somebody if they remember when, ask Potter."
"I can't." Lily said, biting her lip.
"He left you, did he? I can't say I expected anything different. Your kind, you're all the same, good for nothing, low lifes."
"Happy Christmas, Petunia." Lily hung up the phone again. This time she didn't pick it back up.
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