Chapter Three:

It was an uncomfortable silence that shrouded them in that tiny compartment.

Lily didn't care. She didn't feel like caring.

She knew that everyone was trying not to be seen looking worriedly at her, but she could sense it. They thought she was a freak. She was acting abnormally. Even more abnormal than the usual Lily. Bit as concerned as they were, they didn't seem to pluck up the courage to ask her what was wrong. If they asked, would she tell them?

She never evaluated that question before.

Finally, Mara could take it no longer. She shoved James aside and threw herself down beside Lily. "Lily, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

Lily nodded fearfully, crouching further along the seat, clinging to the wall like a deer caught in the headlights.

Feeling her panic, Mara decided it was her moral obligation as Lily's best friend to look after her. Just not right now. Not with the Marauder's staring at them with eyes as wide as saucers. Especially not with James Potter so close. He would hear everything. Lily probably needed a hug. She was also crying. It seemed pretty serious.

"So, anyone for a game of Exploding Snap?" They all looked at Sirius, reproaching him with their gazes and simultaneously nodded quickly towards Lily. Sirius shrugged and turned to Remus, offering him the cards. Sighing slightly, Remus took the cards, knowing that this was probably the best way to shut Sirius up and draw the awkward attention away from a sobbing Lily.

Peter quickly pounced into their game, as if scared of being left behind. James didn't advance forward, but stayed on the seat beside Mara, as close as he could be to Lily. He looked at the game with next to no interest, but stared at it forcefully as if to control himself not to look at Lily. Only Mara showed no involvement and sat, letting her support ebb into Lily.

Slowly but surely, the laughter and the normal sound of boys screaming with their losses roused Lily from her depression. She wiped her eyes for the hundredth time and slowly spun around to look blankly into space. Mara breathed a sigh of relief. It was going to be all right. She would get Lily to spill all her problems again once the boys were gone.

There was a knock on the door. They all stopped and the door slid open. It was the kindly old witch with her trolley of treats. The Marauder's scrambled over, reaching into their pockets to scoop out their money. Mara patted Lily on the shoulder as if to tell her she'll be right back and inched over as well. Lily just sat there, calming herself down. She was acting like such an idiot. She needed to pull herself together.

Slapping herself gently on the cheek, she took a deep breath and attempted a smile. It was horrible and she stopped quickly. No, she didn't need to smile to act normal. She just needed to show some decent human interaction. She fanned herself with a hand and shook her head. Calm. Peace. Pull yourself together. Pull yourself together.

Mara toppled back, her arms laden with food. The boys were the same. Lily turned towards her best friend and made herself smile slightly. "So, what did you get?"

Mara reeled back her surprise and shrugged nonchalantly. "Just the normal stuff. Want some?"

"Sure." Lily grabbed the nearest thing, tore open the packet and chewed without thinking or even noticing what it was. "So, what card did you get?"

She raised her eyebrows at Mara. Mara sighed impatiently. "You just had a chocolate frog. What card did you get?" She held her hand out for the box. Lily handed it over and slunk back into the seat, willing herself to concentrate. It was so easy before, why was it so hard now. She felt like she was drifting in and out of reality.

All too soon, the girls kicked the boys out and changed into their school robes. Dusk was settling fast and they were reaching Hogwarts. It would be another exciting year and despite all her troubles, Lily couldn't control the lurch of happiness that rolled from her head to her toes. Here, she really belonged. She would be able to daydream and cry and no one would tell her off because she would just brush it off with some lame excuse: like homework stress. People usually didn't care that much anyway. When someone doesn't care, they don't mind what excuse you give them.

Floating almost, Lily made it though the doors of the Great Hall and Mara pulled her over to a seat. The Sorting was about to begin. Lily couldn't help it, she lost focus. Suddenly, Mara shook her. "What?" asked Lily, annoyed that she was feeling so tired. "I'm fine!"

Clearly skeptical, Mara left it and asked her to pass the gravy. Lily complied, registering with a shock that the Sorting hat had already finished its song and people were starting to gorge on the wonderful delicacies placed in front of them. So fast? Maybe she DID need to have a good sleep. Losing concentration so rapidly and for such a period of time scared Lily. How would she pay attention in classes? It seemed like such a chore to even chew her food. What was she eating anyway?

Then, she was being pushed along by the Prefects (she had once aspired to be one. Next year she would have the opportunity. Now she didn't even know why that was important). Ushered along to the portrait of the Fat Lady, she climbed in like the rest of the people and stumbled wearily to her room.

There, she fell asleep, unaware that she was still wearing her shoes, or that the other girls in her dorm were shooting her curious glances.

-_- o -_-

The start of the year was a disaster. Lily couldn't pay attention at all. She zoomed out of focus and walked in crooked lines. When people asked her something she couldn't hear them. Sometimes she wasn't even focused enough to realize she was talking to. Most of the time, Mara would try to take care of her. Other times, the Marauder's would also keep an eye out. But they weren't always in all the subjects she took. There were times when Lily was alone. She would often zero out.

Mara became more and more concerned. What was wrong with the friend she thought she knew so well? Where was the Lily that was funny and sarcastic and gorgeous and a joy to be around? She was gone and replaced by a dreamy, sad, downcast prototype. In the end, her worry couldn't take it. Mara grabbed Lily by the arm one period in Transfiguration…

In Transfiguration:

"Miss Evans! What do you think you are doing?! You haven't done ANY work at all! I'm very disappointed in you! You haven't even tried!"

Lily just stared into space, that sad expression taking over her face. Panicking, Mara stepped on her foot, hard. There was no reaction. No glare, no wince, no anything. Professor McGonagall erupted with fury. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? YOU WERE A GOOD, HARWORKING, STUDIOUS GIRL THAT ALWAYS TRIED HER HARDEST! LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE BECOME! YOU'RE NOT EVEN LISTENING TO ME! YOU'RE NOT EVEN LOOKING AT ME! YOU NEVER TRY AND YOU'RE A FAILURE! WAKE UP AND LOOK AROUND YOU, MISS EVANS! WAKE UP AND LOOK AROUND YOU!"

The class was in shock. McGonagall was obviously very angry. In fact angrier than she had ever been. And Lily was just sitting there with a blank canvas for a face. Then, Mara exploded inside. She couldn't bear it. She needed to get to the bottom of her friend's weird behaviour. She wanted, no, NEEDED the old Lily back.

Mara stood up, her chair knocked to the ground. She reached out and tugged at Lily's arm. Obediently, Lily stood as well, moving like a robot with Mara out the classroom. They walked quickly down the hallways to the Infirmary. Madam Pomfrey must fix this. Give her a memory potion, a wake up potion, any potion that would help Lily.

They reached the doors and Mara shoved them aside. The doors were just a barricade. Madam Pomfrey bustled over, looking strained and irritated. "What's wrong now?"

Then, she took one look at Lily and paled.

AN: I updated in a day! Very proud of myself. But please leave a review. I'm starting to like this story and can see the outline for the plot now. I'm sorry if it was short. I wanted it to end dramatically. Just… REVIEW!