One-Shot: Lily Luna, with supporting adult characters
Title: Bad Hair Day
Author: mollywheezy
Prompt: #27-"I thought nothing could be as bad as red hair. But now I know it's ten times worse to have green hair.” -- Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
Pairing(s): Mostly Lily Luna genfic with background George/Angelina, Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione
Word Count: 1329
Rating: PG
Summary: While Ginny and Hermione are unavailable, George, Harry, and Ron attempt to deal with a sobbing Lily Luna. Angelina comes to the rescue.
A/N: I wrote this for the 2010 hp_canon_fest and only just found it! Since I never posted it, here it is--better late than never. ;)
George Weasley was surprised when Lily asked him for a summer job. She'd never been interested in pulling pranks, and seemed to like Wheezes less than any of his other nieces and nephews. Maybe she had changed her mind? Maybe she was thinking about her future career, and wanted to start exploring her options? Maybe she had some ulterior motive George didn't know about . . . yet. George guessed the latter, but he didn't care. He always needed short-term help, and hiring family was a good plan. He knew where they lived, so they always made sure to do a good job . . . or else they would fall victim to one of George's ingenious pranks.
***
Lily was bored. It was too hot to come to Diagon Alley, so business was very slow. Uncle George had her boxing owl orders while she watched the till. She wasn't allowed to just read a book if the shop wasn't busy. Uncle George always found work for her to do. Yesterday she had been stirring potions. She hated potions, and between the heat outside and the steam from the potions inside, it made her hair all sweaty so it stuck to her head. It was bad enough to have red hair, but stringy, sweaty red hair was worse.
Working with Uncle George wasn't what she expected, either. The customers were mostly frantic mums with small children in tow. Then there was her annoying younger cousin Fred, who followed Uncle George around like an extra shadow. She had hoped to see people from school in the shop. Well, her friends had come to visit her on several occasions, and Uncle George even let her go out to lunch and shopping with her friends once (without telling her Mum and Dad, too). Honestly, she had expected to see boys from school in the shop. Or at least one particular boy, whom she knew loved Uncle George's products. Maybe he used owl order instead of coming out during this heat wave?
"Hey, Lils. Try this, will you?" George held out a plate of fudge to Lily.
Lily examined the fudge suspiciously. "What is it?"
"It's fudge."
"What kind of fudge?"
"Chocolate."
Lily eyed her uncle shrewdly. "This isn't regular chocolate fudge, is it? I mean, it's a Wheeze, right? What is it going to do to me?"
George sighed dramatically, "You're too smart for me, Lils. It's Fantastic Fancy Fudge. It will turn your hair, eyes, and maybe your skin into whatever colors you fancy."
Lily thought for a moment. "What will you give me if I eat this?"
George rolled his eyes. "You're just like your mum. Another afternoon of lunch and shopping with your friends, and I won't tell your parents."
"Deal!" Lily and George shook hands, and she popped the fudge into her mouth.
"Wow! This tastes really good!" Without thinking about it, Lily ate another piece. "Do you have a mirror?"
George conjured a mirror and held it out for Lily. Lily's hair was a lovely harvest gold, the color of hair she'd always wanted. Her eyes were green just like Dad's. It was so unfair Al had inherited Dad's gorgeous green eyes, while she was stuck with Mum's boring brown. Her skin, though, was her favorite shade of purple, which made the overall effect rather bizarre.
"Fun, yeah? I'll leave out the plate of free samples, and you can be the advertisement." George vanished the mirror.
"How long will it last?"
"I'm not sure. It lasted a few hours when I ate a piece last night, but you're smaller than I am, and you ate two pieces, so we'll have to wait and see . . ."
"OK." Lily shrugged. "If anyone even comes in . . ."
The shop door belched. Lily looked up to greet the customer, and her mouth fell open.
"Hi Lily! I'd heard you were working here and wanted to come in to see you, but my family has been on holiday . . ."
Lily just stared in shock. Why did he have to come NOW of all times. NOW when she had blond hair, green eyes, . . . and purple skin. She looked like a freak! Lily didn't know what to do, so she turned and fled.
She was vaguely aware of Uncle George's surprised, "Lily?" and HIS calling after her, but she ignored them. She ran into Uncle George's office, threw some Floo powder into the fireplace, and yelled in one breath, "Ministry-of-Magic-Auror-Headquarters-Harry-Potter's-Office-password-Ginevra!"
The flames turned green, and she jumped into them, just as Uncle George burst through the door after her.
***
Harry was in his office going over the mission reports of his subordinate Aurors, when the flames turned green and spewed out his sobbing daughter into a heap on his office floor. She was just like him-she never could land on her feet when she Flooed.
At least, Harry thought it was Lily. He looked closely. It was Lily, except with blond hair and purple skin.
"Lily? What's the matter?"
"Look at me!" Lily sobbed.
Harry knelt on the floor, pulling Lily into his arms. She clung to him and sobbed into his chest, "I want Mummy!"
Now Harry was very worried. Lily had not called Ginny "Mummy" for at least three years.
"Sweetie, you know Mummy is in Peru covering the World Cup. We talked about this, and we all agreed we'd be fine if she went."
Lily just sobbed harder. Harry could now feel the wetness seeping through his Auror robes.
Ron peeked in the door. "Harry, I heard . . . what's the matter with Lily?"
Harry shrugged, and mouthed at Ron, "Get Hermione."
"Sorry, mate. Hermione's in court all day. Can't be reached." Lily's sobs continued. Ron waved feebly at Harry and fled.
Harry sighed. "Honey, does all this have to do with your skin being purple?" Harry felt Lily nod against his chest. "It'll wear off in a bit. It's nothing to worry about." Lily started sobbing harder. "You know, Uncle George gave your mum a sweet once that turned her hair green-the day before she was trying out for the Harpies. And it didn't wear off before the tryouts. She was so mad at him! She thought green hair might hurt her chances of making the team, but the coaches liked it-they said it showed she had team spirit. Of course, they thought her hair was green on purpose . . ." Lily gave a half-hearted chuckle, but didn't stop crying. "So, um, purple skin isn't so bad . . ."
Harry's fireplace glowed green again, and Angelina stumbled out of the Floo. Angelina with red hair and blue eyes.
"Lily! There you are! It took your uncle and me a bit to guess your dad's password-sorry Harry-but you really need to come back to the shop. We ate the fudge, too. Everything will be fine, I promise."
Lily sniffled and looked up at her aunt. "Really?"
"Yes, trust me." Angelina knelt on the floor with Lily and Harry. "Here, Sweetie, let me fix your puffy eyes . . . " Angelina cast a spell, and Lily looked as if she had not been crying, although her skin was still purple.
Harry looked confused. "What is . . ." Angelina shook her head and cut him off.
"Lily, come back with me, O.K.?" Angelina took Lily's hand and helped her off the floor. Harry hauled himself up, still befuddled. "We're going back to the shop now, Harry."
"You're all right, then, Lils?" Lily nodded and quickly hugged her dad, as Aunt Angelina got back in the Floo. Lily soon followed.
Aunt Angelina was waiting when Lily Flooed into Uncle George's office and caught her before she fell. When Lily entered the shop again, she saw the boy she fancied waiting for her with the same blond hair, green eyes, and purple skin she had.
Author: mollywheezy
Prompt: #27-"I thought nothing could be as bad as red hair. But now I know it's ten times worse to have green hair.” -- Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
Pairing(s): Mostly Lily Luna genfic with background George/Angelina, Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione
Word Count: 1329
Rating: PG
Summary: While Ginny and Hermione are unavailable, George, Harry, and Ron attempt to deal with a sobbing Lily Luna. Angelina comes to the rescue.
A/N: I wrote this for the 2010 hp_canon_fest and only just found it! Since I never posted it, here it is--better late than never. ;)
George Weasley was surprised when Lily asked him for a summer job. She'd never been interested in pulling pranks, and seemed to like Wheezes less than any of his other nieces and nephews. Maybe she had changed her mind? Maybe she was thinking about her future career, and wanted to start exploring her options? Maybe she had some ulterior motive George didn't know about . . . yet. George guessed the latter, but he didn't care. He always needed short-term help, and hiring family was a good plan. He knew where they lived, so they always made sure to do a good job . . . or else they would fall victim to one of George's ingenious pranks.
***
Lily was bored. It was too hot to come to Diagon Alley, so business was very slow. Uncle George had her boxing owl orders while she watched the till. She wasn't allowed to just read a book if the shop wasn't busy. Uncle George always found work for her to do. Yesterday she had been stirring potions. She hated potions, and between the heat outside and the steam from the potions inside, it made her hair all sweaty so it stuck to her head. It was bad enough to have red hair, but stringy, sweaty red hair was worse.
Working with Uncle George wasn't what she expected, either. The customers were mostly frantic mums with small children in tow. Then there was her annoying younger cousin Fred, who followed Uncle George around like an extra shadow. She had hoped to see people from school in the shop. Well, her friends had come to visit her on several occasions, and Uncle George even let her go out to lunch and shopping with her friends once (without telling her Mum and Dad, too). Honestly, she had expected to see boys from school in the shop. Or at least one particular boy, whom she knew loved Uncle George's products. Maybe he used owl order instead of coming out during this heat wave?
"Hey, Lils. Try this, will you?" George held out a plate of fudge to Lily.
Lily examined the fudge suspiciously. "What is it?"
"It's fudge."
"What kind of fudge?"
"Chocolate."
Lily eyed her uncle shrewdly. "This isn't regular chocolate fudge, is it? I mean, it's a Wheeze, right? What is it going to do to me?"
George sighed dramatically, "You're too smart for me, Lils. It's Fantastic Fancy Fudge. It will turn your hair, eyes, and maybe your skin into whatever colors you fancy."
Lily thought for a moment. "What will you give me if I eat this?"
George rolled his eyes. "You're just like your mum. Another afternoon of lunch and shopping with your friends, and I won't tell your parents."
"Deal!" Lily and George shook hands, and she popped the fudge into her mouth.
"Wow! This tastes really good!" Without thinking about it, Lily ate another piece. "Do you have a mirror?"
George conjured a mirror and held it out for Lily. Lily's hair was a lovely harvest gold, the color of hair she'd always wanted. Her eyes were green just like Dad's. It was so unfair Al had inherited Dad's gorgeous green eyes, while she was stuck with Mum's boring brown. Her skin, though, was her favorite shade of purple, which made the overall effect rather bizarre.
"Fun, yeah? I'll leave out the plate of free samples, and you can be the advertisement." George vanished the mirror.
"How long will it last?"
"I'm not sure. It lasted a few hours when I ate a piece last night, but you're smaller than I am, and you ate two pieces, so we'll have to wait and see . . ."
"OK." Lily shrugged. "If anyone even comes in . . ."
The shop door belched. Lily looked up to greet the customer, and her mouth fell open.
"Hi Lily! I'd heard you were working here and wanted to come in to see you, but my family has been on holiday . . ."
Lily just stared in shock. Why did he have to come NOW of all times. NOW when she had blond hair, green eyes, . . . and purple skin. She looked like a freak! Lily didn't know what to do, so she turned and fled.
She was vaguely aware of Uncle George's surprised, "Lily?" and HIS calling after her, but she ignored them. She ran into Uncle George's office, threw some Floo powder into the fireplace, and yelled in one breath, "Ministry-of-Magic-Auror-Headquarters-Harry-Potter's-Office-password-Ginevra!"
The flames turned green, and she jumped into them, just as Uncle George burst through the door after her.
***
Harry was in his office going over the mission reports of his subordinate Aurors, when the flames turned green and spewed out his sobbing daughter into a heap on his office floor. She was just like him-she never could land on her feet when she Flooed.
At least, Harry thought it was Lily. He looked closely. It was Lily, except with blond hair and purple skin.
"Lily? What's the matter?"
"Look at me!" Lily sobbed.
Harry knelt on the floor, pulling Lily into his arms. She clung to him and sobbed into his chest, "I want Mummy!"
Now Harry was very worried. Lily had not called Ginny "Mummy" for at least three years.
"Sweetie, you know Mummy is in Peru covering the World Cup. We talked about this, and we all agreed we'd be fine if she went."
Lily just sobbed harder. Harry could now feel the wetness seeping through his Auror robes.
Ron peeked in the door. "Harry, I heard . . . what's the matter with Lily?"
Harry shrugged, and mouthed at Ron, "Get Hermione."
"Sorry, mate. Hermione's in court all day. Can't be reached." Lily's sobs continued. Ron waved feebly at Harry and fled.
Harry sighed. "Honey, does all this have to do with your skin being purple?" Harry felt Lily nod against his chest. "It'll wear off in a bit. It's nothing to worry about." Lily started sobbing harder. "You know, Uncle George gave your mum a sweet once that turned her hair green-the day before she was trying out for the Harpies. And it didn't wear off before the tryouts. She was so mad at him! She thought green hair might hurt her chances of making the team, but the coaches liked it-they said it showed she had team spirit. Of course, they thought her hair was green on purpose . . ." Lily gave a half-hearted chuckle, but didn't stop crying. "So, um, purple skin isn't so bad . . ."
Harry's fireplace glowed green again, and Angelina stumbled out of the Floo. Angelina with red hair and blue eyes.
"Lily! There you are! It took your uncle and me a bit to guess your dad's password-sorry Harry-but you really need to come back to the shop. We ate the fudge, too. Everything will be fine, I promise."
Lily sniffled and looked up at her aunt. "Really?"
"Yes, trust me." Angelina knelt on the floor with Lily and Harry. "Here, Sweetie, let me fix your puffy eyes . . . " Angelina cast a spell, and Lily looked as if she had not been crying, although her skin was still purple.
Harry looked confused. "What is . . ." Angelina shook her head and cut him off.
"Lily, come back with me, O.K.?" Angelina took Lily's hand and helped her off the floor. Harry hauled himself up, still befuddled. "We're going back to the shop now, Harry."
"You're all right, then, Lils?" Lily nodded and quickly hugged her dad, as Aunt Angelina got back in the Floo. Lily soon followed.
Aunt Angelina was waiting when Lily Flooed into Uncle George's office and caught her before she fell. When Lily entered the shop again, she saw the boy she fancied waiting for her with the same blond hair, green eyes, and purple skin she had.