Chapter 4: In Comes The Historical One

Alone in the dormitory, Lily monotonously made herself look presentable. She cannot help it; her unconscious mind dictates it. As she pulled her auburn hair into a loose ponytail, she wondered if it was right to not think of Cassie and the preceding incident. It's not as though she wasn't affected. Her dorm mates are mad at her and she might lose one of her best friends. It seems improbable that her mind would wander somewhere else. But ghosts from her past have come; maybe to haunt her?

Two years ago a pilot test was conducted to determine if the 'boys only' Soleil Academy is ready for a change. Representative females from various schools for magic were invited to stay on campus for two months. Lily, as one of the top students from her year, was a part of the Hogwarts party.

It was a difficult experience for most people. But Lily was too friendly, too outgoing, too confident for that. She waltzed into the lives of those she met and made an impact on everyone she touched. It wasn't long before her name became known throughout the campus.

Lily's generous heart, forgiving nature, strong will and broad intellect are treasures. But we all look for physical beauty, sometimes more so than inner beauty. Hers is not striking. There are areas of imperfect symmetry in her features, and coarseness to her appeal. Yet there is something in her countenance that can only be described as intriguing, playful, serene, teasing and exciting all at the same time. She is not one who would stop you dead on your tracks, but one that lingers on you mind long after she has passed by.

Because of this characteristic allure, she gained the attention and admiration of most of the boys of Soleil Academy. One such you man who fancied himself in love with her was Andrew. He was older by a year, but that did not stop them from becoming more intimate than both intended.

Much can be said about Lily; not the least of which is her taste. Andrew was the type of guy you would bring home to show your parents. But on certain occasions, he can also be the guy you could get in trouble with. His looks were arguably the best Soleil had to offer.

Lily was not a flirt. Of course there had been moments of romance before she came to Soleil, and she wasn't ignorant to the arts of flirting. But all that could be deemed the slyest acts of seduction by her jealous peers were merely kind-hearted civilities on her part. What attracted her to Andrew were the simplicity and sweetness of his understanding of her character. It is to be said that they respected and loved each other with equal passion.

The project was a success and after their two-month stay, they were to go home for the summer vacations. Although the summer holidays consequently parted them, their communication persisted. Of the eight weeks of their acquaintance, she and Andrew had been intimate for six. And as summer rolled on, they kept in constant contact. The owls kept flying back and forth on a regular basis. That is until two months of the following school year have passed. And then the distance and time apart got the better of them.

On October of Lily's fifth year at Hogwarts, Andrew told her in his letter to Lily that he has met 'an amazing girl', and that a friend told him that she Lily might be angry, that he laughed that off to say the Lily knows that they 'were never a couple'. After that Lily ended all communication. Who could reply to such a hurtful and inconsiderate letter?

It has been a long time and Lily has almost forgotten the event. It has been pushed to the back of her mind up until the week before when they were informed during a routine prefect meeting. They were informed that Hogwarts Academy and Soleil Academy were joining forces to set up a foundation to help poor families to afford to send their children to magic school. The Hogwarts-Soleil Foundation will assist families by finding sponsors for their children's education. In line with this, students from Soleil Academy will be visiting Hogwarts to help jump-start the venture.

The effect of this announcement to Lily was almost immediate. She could not converse without some confusion and was jittery and irritable throughout the night. Her behavior the following day was calmer, but her anxiety was not reduced. Whenever she was alone she renewed the memories of her time spent in Soleil. She resolved on finding out whether he was part of the group. But as no list of names was given, only the number of delegates, she could find no relief.

She did not dare tell Jess and Nat about her apprehensions. She did not want to alarm them. They knew of her past with Andrew. Jess had been there and knew every deteail of what happened. And when she questioned Lily on the subject, Lily gave such steady assurances of her indifference. Jess was not satisfied, but she respected her friend's wishes and kept quiet. Nat could not have known the full extent of Lily and Jess's worries, but she was content with knowing that both are perfectly alright.

Now the day has come for Lily to face whatever Fate is to bring her. She will either suffer the consequences of her actions two years ago, or breathe a sigh of relief. She was already late; she ran down to the Entrance Hall aware that her tardiness might give her a grand entrance. To be noticed is the least of her wants right now.

As she decended the last flight of stairs, her only wish was that she was not too late as to be able to composedly face him. She didn't care that her last minute pains of making herself look nice were outdone by her running. All she wanted was that if Andrew was there, she would face him straight-faced.

She got there just in time to take her place in the line. The doors opened and Liyl's fate was sealed.

Something from absurd insanity:

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