A/N: Sorry for the late update. I'm currently transitioning everything from my old computer to my new one, and it's taking a little getting used to. Anyway, here you go!

I felt my tense muscles relax and my worries slip away as I approached the Potions classroom. This class was my favorite, and I couldn't wait to see what Professor Slughorn would have us brew.

"Ah, Miss Evans! I trust you had an enjoyable holiday?" boomed the Potions master as I stepped into the room.

"I'm afraid it wasn't as enjoyable as I would have liked," I said. "I wasn't here." I gestured dramatically to the stone walls of the classroom.

He chuckled. "Of course. Always eager to start brewing."

"You know me, Professor."

I spotted my friends and slid into a seat next to Hestia. I was lucky that I had all my classes with my friends. They had already figured out what they wanted to do. Hestia wanted to work at Gringotts (her brains and cleverness would put her at an even match with any goblin she met) and Emmeline wanted to manage her own bookshop. They were taking a couple of extra classes than me as their career choices dictated, but they were in all my classes.

I inhaled deeply. I loved the smell of the classroom. There were always the faint traces of leftover brews that hung in the air. But today's scent seemed particularly intoxicating. I noticed the cauldron sitting at our table for the first time and saw golden smoke wafting up from it.

Amortentia. Also known as love potion.

I thought it was silly how some girls obsessed over it. Why would you want to make someone love you? But I couldn't help leaning forward as I inhaled.

I could smell peppermint, the combined smell of broomsticks and grass, and something else I couldn't identify. It smelled faintly of musk, and something spicy…whatever it was, it smelled glorious. And I had the feeling that I'd smelled it before.

"Professor?" I asked, tearing my gaze from the cauldron. "Did you have the sixth years before us?"

"Spotted the Amortentia, have you?" he asked, coming over and capping it. I felt slightly disappointed as the intoxicating perfume was cut off. "Yes, they were quite eager to see this one," he said patting the cauldron.

"Now, you will be brewing a tricky little healing potion today," he said, switching gears to start class. "If made correctly, it will cure a severe cough. Very helpful, but also very finicky. Now, as for partners…" His eyes fell on me and I began to grow uneasy.

"Why don't my two best students pair up?" he said cheerfully, blissfully unaware of the mutinous expression on my face. "Mr. Snape with Miss Evans, if you please…"

No, I do not please. I sullenly picked up my bag and took a seat next to Snape, who'd been sitting alone. I didn't make eye contact, just stared at the board as the instructions appeared.

"Lily—"

I cut him off. "Let's just brew the potion, alright?"

He shut his mouth and nodded. We started preparing the ingredients in silence.

"Put the gurdyroot in whole," he said.

I silently obliged, knowing his talent for improving potion recipes.

"Cut the mint leaves into strips, they'll dissolve faster," I added. He wasn't the only one who could do this.

"I'm sorry."

I turned slightly to find Snape looking straight at me. I dropped my eyes and said, "I seem to remember you saying that before. It didn't work then, either."

"Lily…"

"We've had this conversation before, Snape. I don't want to have it again. You said what you said. You're going down a road and I won't follow you. That's how things are."

That shut him up.

Our potion was simmering quietly when Slughorn passed by. "A perfect solution, as expected. Well done!"

We nodded, but remained silent. Slughorn seemed to notice this, and a little crease appeared in between his eyebrows as he moved to the next table.

After class had ended, Slughorn drew me aside. "Am I correct in saying that you would no longer like to work with Mr. Snape?"

"That would be accurate," I said quietly, looking down at my shoes.

He sighed. "Such a tragedy to break up a wonderful potion team. But, if you feel uncomfortable working with him, I won't pair you two up again. There's a project coming up involving a long-term potion. I'll go ahead and assign you." He picked up a class roster and scanned the list. "Let's see…you'll be with Mr. Potter for the project."

Did he just say Potter? I was partnered with Potter? That almost made me wish I was paired with Snape. Almost.

"Damn, that smells good."

I whirled around to find Potter and his friends standing by the Amortentia. The cap was in Black's hand, and Potter was inhaling deeply, a dreamy look on his face.

"Uh, Prongs? I think they're talking about you." Remus nudged him, wiping the stupid look off his face.

"Eh? What?" He focused on us.

"You will be Miss Evan's partner on the upcoming long-term assignment," said Slughorn, rolling up his class list. He handed me a sealed envelope, which I took dazedly, and left the room whistling happily.

"Score, Prongs!" cried Black happily, pumping his fist.

I scowled and swept out of the room.

"What happened?" asked Emmeline, trying to catch up with me.

"Potter," I growled.

"What about him?" asked Hestia.

I explained what had just happened as we made our way to lunch. "So I'll be stuck with him for who knows how long?" I finished, setting my bag down below the bench and sliding in.

"Ouch," murmured Emmeline.

"I know," I groaned. I didn't even feel hungry now. But that only lasted for about a second before my stomach changed its mind.

After a satisfying lunch, we headed up to the common room for our free period. Well, Emmeline and Hestia did. I took one look at the chaos within and excused myself to my dorm. The might be able to work in loud environments, but I definitely couldn't. Especially if I was going to start on my Transfiguration.

I found Potter already working at a desk in the common area. I didn't know whether to acknowledge him or not, so I just remained silent and took the couch, spreading my assignment over the low table in front of me. I needed to practice simple Transfiguration before I could start tackling this year's work (according to McGonagall). I was confident and successful in my minor attempts, but as soon as I tried to vanish a particularly ugly scarf that Petunia had given me (a frilly eyesore the color of baby vomit), I froze up and could only Vanish a few frills.

"Evanesco," I tried to say calmly. Nothing happened. The scarf remained on the table, seeming to stare at me smugly.

"Evanesco!" I shrieked, jabbing at the scarf. A few frills reappeared. I groaned in frustration and banged my head on the table.

"Everything alright, Evans?"

"No, everything is not bloody alright," I growled, lifting my head and scowling at the heap of fabric in front of me. "I can't Vanish. At all."

"Ah, yes. The wingless bird." I could practically see his smirk.

"Don't remind me," I moaned pitifully.

"Remember what I told you?"

"You mean when you were invading my personal space? You'll have to remind me."

I heard his chair scrape against the floor, and soon he was sitting next to me. "You have to be confident that you can do it."

"But I can't."

"How do you know?" he challenged.

I gave him a disbelieving look and pointedly stared at the remaining scarf. He followed my line of sight and jumped slightly when he saw it. He blinked a few times.

"Okay, I'm a bloke and even I know that scarf is hideous."

"No, it's just—" I broke off as Potter's eyebrows shot up. "Okay, yes, it's awful. Now you see why I'm trying to Vanish it."

"You have to believe that you can Vanish it. You have to totally believe it. Who's this scarf from, by the way?" he added, abruptly changing topics.

"My sister," I said suspiciously. "Why?"

"I think you're having trouble with this because you don't really want it to go away. Some part of you wants to keep it."

"That's a lie," I burst out.

He looked at me, surprised. "Oh?"

I stared at the scarf, practically burning a hole in it with my gaze. It was such an ugly color, and Petunia knew I hated frills. She'd insulted me by giving me this. Suddenly, flashbacks overwhelmed me. Petunia laughing at me, Petunia ignoring me, Petunia calling me a freak…

"Evanesco," I said with a deadly intensity. The scarf faded from my sight until not even a shadow remained. It was gone. Forever.

"I take it back," said Potter, staring at the spot where the scarf once lay. "You don't have a problem."

I hesitated. I may have mastered the spell work, but I still didn't understand the theory.

But I wasn't about to tell him that.

"I guess I won't need you as a tutor, then," I said coolly.

Potter looked at me shrewdly, and I had a funny feeling that he could see right through me. "Fine," he said simply, returning to his desk. A few moments later I heard the scratching of his quill, leaving me to take my homework alone.

Wait. Potter, the boy I'd never seen work, was sitting quietly across the room working on an essay that had been assigned that morning.

Had someone forgotten to tell me the world was ending?

"Lily! Lily, I need to talk to you!"

I looked to the portrait hole. Someone was outside, calling me. Someone that sounded a lot like Emmeline. Someone who sounded a lot like an upset Emmeline.

I pushed the portrait open to find her outside, tears streaking down her face. She took a deep breath. "I need to talk to you."

I turned to look at Potter, but found his seat empty and his door closed. "Alright, come on in."

We sat on the couch, and after casting a few spells to ensure we wouldn't be overheard, she began. "It's Hestia," she explained sadly, staring at the fire in the hearth. "She won't leave me alone about who I may or may not fancy. She wouldn't stop bugging me yesterday after you left for your dorm, and she started again when you left today. I can't take it!"

I hugged her and rubbed her back until she'd calmed down some. I'd opened my mouth to speak when she held up a hand. "Let me finish. Now, this wouldn't bother me normally, but she's been implying that no bloke would ever look at me. She started on the train when Black left, and now she's been trying to find out who he is so she can tell me if I have a chance. Shouldn't I have a chance with any boy? And I know this is stupid and silly and immature, but ever since she started I can't help but think that maybe the reason I've never had a boyfriend is because I'm unattractive—"

"Stop right there," I ordered in a stern voice. "Em, you are a beautiful person. You are one of the prettiest girls here. The reason you haven't had a boyfriend yet is because you're shy. You won't show the boys what you show us. You don't display your wonderful personality. And the guy you fancy—I'm assuming there is a crush?"

She nodded.

"He would be lucky to have you. And don't worry about Hestia. I'll take care of her." I looked at her from the corner of my eye. "You do know she loves you, right? She means well, but sometimes she can be overbearing."

Emmeline gave a wan smile. I hugged her again. "Will you tell me?" I asked quietly.

She shook her head, looking genuinely sorry. "I want to observe him a little more. To see if I have a chance."

"Well, whenever you do feel like sharing…"

"I'll come straight to you," she said.

"Just—tell me it's not Sirius Black."

She chuckled. "No, it's not him." But something in her eyes gave me pause.

I had the feeling that Emmeline was holding something back. Something she was afraid I wouldn't like.

A/N: Please review!