The moonlight shone through her bedside window but her desk lamp was what was providing her with the needed light to go through her pages. She was taking night classes at a nearby institution while working full-time at a medicinal company. The organization was close to the flat she paid rent for using her income. She was hardly meeting friends these days or going out much. She exchanged pleasantries with her coworkers and chatted back and forth about common interests like movies and music but her energy was mostly devoted towards getting through the work day satisfactorily if not well, and then studying the organic molecules and processes of a magical person's biology. Her goal was to become a Healer or work for the Ministry of Magic.
She sifted through the pages, her instrumental music playing in her tiny earphones, and took more notes, trying to memorize specific structures and mechanisms. It was almost night. She scrolled through her social media seeing pictures of her friends enjoying parties with drinks and fun outfits. Sighing, exasperated, she dropped her pencil feeling tears stinging at her eyes. She thought to give her mother a call. "What was the point? Could she even do it? Was it in her reach to win the fellowship?" she thought to herself. She wasn't incredibly popular and had faced mental health problems in the past. Her close friends from Hogwarts were already Healers and she was still studying due to her setbacks in health. She breathed a sigh, and decided to take a walk in the wintery evening. She pulled the headphones playing gentle violin and piano classical notes out of her ears and grabbed her long grey overcoat. Taking a sip of water from a glass she'd left on her kitchen, she glanced at the mirror. Her fiery red hair hung loose, and somewhat oily from the long days of work. She pinched her cheeks, added a bit of mascara bringing out her green eyes, stuffed her feet into her black booties, and headed out the door locking it properly.
As she left the door she ran into her neighbor John who was in a few of her graduate classes at the university. "Oh hi!" Lily said flustered blushing "Sorry about that. How are you?" she asked her eyes smiling. His face lit up handsomely and he returned the smile. "Lily, didn't see you there. Ah, I'm good, it's been a while! Pembrook's class treating you well? Hope you're not tiring yourself out over that exam next week, are you?" John said good heartedly. Lily blew a sigh "I wish, I barely have enough time to go over it so we'll see how it goes. See you soon John! Just going out for some fresh air. Have a good one!" she said smiling. John nodded his head and said "You too, Lily, take care!" Lily moved the doors of the complex out and breathed in the wintery cold air of the campus she lived so close to.
She strolled down the sidewalk, observing the snow laying like a blanket over the grassy parks and dust particles seen due to the lamppost light making them visible. She thought of her mother and how she constantly fretted over her not taking care of herself enough. Was she getting the proper nutrition living on her own? Did she make enough time to get in some exercise? Was she feeling focused and happy after her mental health problems in her past? Her mother was her rock and the reason she had overcome and achieved so much despite her obstacles in life. A tall dark figure on her left was crossing the wet street and making her way over to her. She couldn't make out his face…and then all of a sudden she could. He was so grown up in his dark robes walking purposefully. His face had matured and his glasses no longer gave him a boyish appearance. His face shone surprise as he took in her face. "Lily Evans…?"