Author's Note: Yes, this is shameless promotion of my fic, "Lily Before Harry". I'm sorry. You don't have to read it if you don't want to (but please do!).
Lily's eyes hurt from reading. It was so late that nobody else was in the library, and the silence was heavy. Lily rubbed her eyes and stretched. She still had half a foot to go on her potions homework, but she would finish it tomorrow. She sighed, and started dumping books into her bag haphazardly. She stood up to leave, and noticed movement in the bookshelves to her right.
"Mrs. Brown?" she called. The old librarian didn't answer. Was she alright? She was a tiny, frail witch who had always looked as if she might topple over while carrying stacks of old, dusty books. Lily nervously stepped toward the bookshelves, but when she peered around the corner no one was there. Frowning, Lily went back to get her bag, and froze.
Lying on the table where she had been sitting was the bud of a single lily, opening and closing slowly. Fresh tears ran down her cheeks as she stood, hugging herself and watching it perform its sad routine. She was glad Mrs. Brown was nearly deaf. She looked around, but didn't see any sign of the shadow that haunted the bookshelves, though she was sure he was there.
Finally, she reached out to touch it with one finger. As soon as she did, it burst into flames and disintegrated. Lily gasped.
"Oh!"
All that was left was a little pile of ash. She brushed it onto a piece of parchment and quietly threw it away. Then she hurried out of the library, up to the dormitory, and fell into bed before anyone could ask her what was wrong.