Chapter 7

Lily followed James, Sirius and Nichloe nervously down to the kitchens that night.

Nichloe and Sirius were holding hands ahead of her.

Lily looked away and watched her feet as they plodded along the stone flooring.

"Here we are," said Sirius. They had reached a large painting of a bowl of fruit. Sirius reached up to tickle the pear.

It giggled loudly and turned into a handle.

Sirius reached up and turned it and the painting opened.

The four of them stepped inside the kitchen and were greeted by hundreds of house-elves.

"What would sirs and misses like today?" they chorused.

"A quiet dinner for four please," asked Sirius.

They were led into a small room which had a petite wooden table and chairs and a large fireplace on the wall.

Lily felt warm and happy in the fireplace's heat.

The house-elves sat them down at the table and rushed away to get food for them.

After a lengthy dinner and dessert, James, Sirius, Lily and Nichloe leaned back in their chairs and basked in the fireplace's warmth.

Then Sirius leaned over and whispered something in Nichloe's ear.

She giggled and turned crimson. "Ok," she said and she and Sirius stood up.

"We're just going to go somewhere, Prongs. See you," said Sirius and he and Nichloe left the kitchen.

"Project S. I. C.," muttered James.

"What on earth is that?" Lily asked.

"Project Snogging In Classroom."

Lily looked at James for a moment to see if he was teasing her or not. "Are you joking?"

"No, I think what I just said was the name of it."

"I mean, Sirius doesn't want to…snog Nichloe, does he?"

James shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. But he has had a crush on Nichloe for a long time."

James made a face. "Nichloe? What kind of weird name is that?"

"Her parents couldn't decide whether she should be Nicole or Chloe so they just combined the two," Lily said, as if James should have known that.

"Well, that's something I can tell Sirius when he gets back…if he gets back."

Lily stared at the rings on the table made from people sitting there and not using coasters for their drinks. "Do you come here often?"

James shrugged. "We come here pretty often, yeah. But I wouldn't say we make daily trips."

Lily continued to look at the rings.

"Lily…have you ever played truth or dare before?" James asked her.

Lily looked at James in disbelief. "Of course I have. Why?"

"Well, the others and I thought you and Nichloe might want to come up one night to our dormitory one night and play."

Lily laughed. "You're joking right?"

James looked serious. "No. So, do you want to come up one night? Tomorrow night?"

Lily still looked like she thought it was all a joke.

"You can have another go on my broom in the morning," James offered, hoping this would change her mind.

Lily's eyes sparkled. "Really? Then yes. As long as the broom ride offer still stands."

"Of course it does," said James, relieved that Lily was accepting.

"Then I'll see you tomorrow morning. Around nine?" said Lily.

"Around nine," confirmed James.

Lily walked back to Gryffindor Tower. When she reached her dormitory, she changed into her pyjamas and pulled back the sheets on her bed.

She yawned and lay down between the sheets.

Nichloe came bursting into the room, her cheeks flushed and a smile on her lips.

She did a sort of pirouette and sat on the end of Lily's bed. "Guess what?" she asked Lily.

"What?" replied Lily in a bored tone.

"Sirius and I kissed!" Nichloe squealed.

Lily blinked. "Did you kiss him or did he kiss you?"

"He kissed me!" said Nichloe excitedly. "And he invited me to play truth or dare with him and his other friends tomorrow night."

"Yeah, James invited me."

"Did you say yes, Lily? Did you?"

"Of course I did. Especially after he offered a ride on his broomstick tomorrow morning too."

"Oh Lily, I'm so proud of you! You're taking more risks now!"

"Is that a good thing?"

"Yes!" said Nichloe and she hugged her friend. "I can't wait for tomorrow!"