Lunch with Hestia

[tt_lily]

Date: 6 May 2002
Characters: Lily Evans, Hestia Jones, any who may show up?
Setting: World's End Pub
Content: Safe
Status: Open: Public

Lily was a bit nervous about meeting someone new; perhaps it was instinctual. But, she knew that she and Hestia had several things in common and that helped; plus, Hestia seemed like a genuinely nice person and someone she could be friends with. That was the best part.

She picked a table at the World's End, outside for once as it wasn't too terribly hot out and waited, looking over a menu.

Comments

[tt_hestia]

Hestia still wasn't certain what led her to contact Lily. Only that she had, and now the two were meeting up for lunch. Even though it was her day off, she had been contacted to consult with the Healer on duty over on Settlement Two regarding a virulent form of scronfungulus. It had taken more time than she would have liked, but everyone was in cautious agreement over the treatment plan for the wizard who had contracted the disease. Thank Godric that their magic was back and she could apparate directly to the approved spot outside of the pub and walked up the path to the deck where Lily was sitting at a table.

"Hullo," she said and stuck her hand out. "Hestia Jones, I'm sorry I'm late. I got called in on a consult. I hope you haven't been waiting too long."

[tt_lily]

Lily stood up to shake her hand, "Nice to meet you, I'm Lily. No, not long. You're a healer?" While she wasn't 100% fluent in the language of healers, she knew consult fairly well. "Other than working, how are you today?" she asked.

[tt_hestia]

"I am a healer," Hestia replied after the pleasantries of shaking hands were over and she sat down across from Lily. "Today was originally supposed to be my day off but I got called in to help for a couple of hours. But my supervisor promised me that I could leave earlier tomorrow if I want. I may end up taking him up on that if this weather continues. I am doing quite well though." Picking up a menu, she began to glance through it.

[tt_lily]

Lily nodded, "It is lovely weather. I'm glad to be here to experience it. How long have you been a healer?" Lily was fairly certain she knew what she wanted to order, but glanced over the menu once more.

[tt_hestia]

While the World's End had good food, their menu was short and Hestia was pretty certain that by now she had it memorized. "...I am too," she replied. Which surprised her. But that feeling of surprise wasn't one to be analyzed and thought about now. "I've been a Healer for ten years now."

[tt_lily]

"What made you go into healing?" At times, Lily felt cheated out of not having a career. Granted, when someone has a maniac after them, careers are set aside. She felt especially bad for James.

"Do you have family here?"

[tt_hestia]

"...I knew I liked helping people. I always got told that I had a very caring personality and that I should go into a career that I could help to benefit other people." Hestia said, looking over at Lily. "Plus, I don't know...it just seemed like a good fit for me." Everyone knew the basics of the Potters' fight and ultimate sacrifice against Voldemort. But it occurred to Hestia then that she didn't know much beyond that regarding Lily, James, and Harry. Petunia hadn't talked much about Lily in their year of hiding together and had mentioned James and Harry even less. It had been Dudley who had offered the most about Harry and even then that hadn't been much.

But asking about it might be too much of a personal topic for having just met in person today and Hestia focused her attention back on Lily. "I do have family here. Both of my parents, my sister Megan who was a Hufflepuff in the same year as Harry. My cousin, Gwenog, and her parents came over within the last month."

[tt_lily]

Lily nodded, listening. "Where you Hufflepuff as well?" She asked. Lily didn't know what all to talk about, so she figured common links - Hogwarts and such- were the best way. "Did you know Remus when he taught there?"

[tt_hestia]

"Nope," Hestia gave her a bit of a smirk. "You're speaking to a fellow Gryffindor here. Followed in my mum's footsteps. Megan and Dad were the odd ones out; Dad was a Ravenclaw with Megan being a Hufflepuff." In response to Lily's question regarding Remus, Hestia shook her head. "First time I met him was at an meeting in 1995. Megan however had nothing but good things to say about his teaching abilities though."

[tt_lily]

"Wow, I always thought most families were in the same house. Of course, Sirius was in Gryffindor too," Lily shrugged. "I wouldn't doubt Remus' teaching abilities, although if Sirius, James, and I were to sit in on one of his classes, we'd make it trying for me." Lily couldn't help but laugh and wondered if there was any way to get Remus to be a teacher here.

"How was my sister last time you saw her?"

[tt_hestia]

"My family must be the odd ones out then," Hestia said lightly. "My cousin Gwenog was in Slytherin but she says it was because their Quidditch team was in need of her help." She let out a laugh remembering that particular conversation. "I know that there are schools here that would probably welcome his teaching abilities. Yeah, why is that?"

Just then Lisa approached the table with a grin. "Could I get a diet cola and the pasties please?" Hestia ordered. Waiting until Lily ordered and Lisa walked away with a promise to get their orders in right away, she turned her attention back to Lily's question about her sister. "Still Petunia. She was more happy over Dudley doing the right thing than being proud for what Harry was going to do." Their first meeting still made Hestia angry.

[tt_lily]

"I hate that Petunia is like that, but I am glad she gave Harry some sort of home growing up. Definitely not how I would have liked him to grow up." Lily let out a small sigh, "Is her husband still a big git?" She remembered the one meeting and didn't figure he would change in that time.

"We'd give Remus a hard time because he's our friend," she let out a little grin. "He would return the favor though. He can be such a prankster; you wouldn't tell that by looking at him though."

[tt_hestia]

"Mmmm," Hestia said in a sympathetic sort of response. "I mostly interacted with Dudley." Only because Dudley was the only one of the three in the beginning who would actually a.) look at them and b.) talk to them. Petunia would leave notes if absolutely necessary and somehow Dedalus had gotten the two of them off on the wrong foot with Vernon so he'd just ignore them. "Yes, he's still a big git," was her only response though.

"Yeah if you looked at him, you wouldn't know that." Hestia agreed. "I'm friends with Tonks," she added. "She's told me a couple of things."

[tt_lily]

"Figures. I didn't think he'd change. I thought maybe Petunia would soften up. I'm glad Dudley isn't completely like his parents." Lily shook her head, how could two sisters be so completely different?

She thought about Hestia's next statement and how Remus was connected with a 'Tonks'. It then clicked. "Oh! Yeah. Remus has mentioned little bits here and there. He seems to be friends with her now. I know he's found Andromeda and his little one; he's just hesitant. I think he's waiting to talk to Tonks about it." Lily got quiet for a few seconds before saying "Remus is just weird." Although she did say it with love.

[tt_hestia]

Seeing the lack of a relationship between Petunia and Lily made Hestia want to find her own sister and give her a hug and thank her for being such a great sister and human being. "I don't think he'll ever change." Although by the time March came around, Petunia was talking to them and Vernon had deigned to grace them with his presence.

"Tonks is absolutely fabulous. We were apart a few years in school and then of course there was the Order." Hestia hadn't heard much from Tonks recently - Hestia wasn't sure if she was still upset with her - but at least Tonks and Remus were talking. That was good. "I can't say I know him well enough to agree, but I'm certain you know what you're talking about."

[tt_lily]

Lily grinned, "He doesn't let many people know that little fact. Are you older than Tonks?" Lily asked. She honestly didn't know how old the woman across from her was. "I know I'm asking a lot of questions, but do you ever find it odd to run into people who aren't as old as they are supposed to be?"

[tt_hestia]

Hestia touched the tip of her finger to her mouth. "I promise to keep that little fact a secret." She smiled at Lily's next question, to let her know it wasn't a bother. "Two years and don't worry about the questions. How else are you supposed to find out things? I'm slowly getting used to it? Honestly, I should be older than what I am right now."

[tt_lily]

Lily laughed out loud at Hestia's last statement. "I'm supposed to be 42, I think. However, I will keep this body for now. I was the one every was acting like they were seeing a ghost over. Even my best friend was in awe at me being here." She stared at the table. "Do you feel lucky to be here?"

[tt_hestia]

"I should be thirty one, but I'm twenty nine as of the year two thousand. Dying then randomly coming back to life can do odd things to the age you're supposed to be. Not as much as an age change as you though." Hestia said. "You look wonderful if you don't mind me saying so."

Hestia pursed her lips as she contemplated Lily's question. "...I don't know," she said slowly. "I got told that this was a second chance, a chance to make things right. But I really didn't have anything to do over. I was pretty happy with where I was in life, with the direction it was going. Yeah, there were little things I would have liked to have changed, different decisions. But none of that was major." Hestia looked down at the table then over at Lily. "What about you?"