~Curiosities~*

Lily was laughing at James. He had conjured a charm wrong and multicolored bubbles were coming out of his ears. She noticed Lucius walk in and shake his head at James. She glared at him and smirked. He rolled his eyes and sat down at his seat. Professor Adders stood and began to lecture on the a few dangerous new jinxes that they had not studied. Lily took brief notes as he talked but otherwise did not listen to him.

"Only five more classes." She continuously reminded herself as the minuets ticked by. She drummed her fingers on the desktop and with each tick of the clock she found herself becoming evermore nervous for the upcoming tutoring session. Professor Adders had not assigned them homework, he had lectured for the entire class period. At the end of class he dismissed them. Lily stood and gathered her books and bag.

"Ms. Evens, Mr. Malfoy, if you could stay behind for a minuet?" Lucius paused at the doorway and Lily stopped putting her books in her bag. They both walked back up to the front of the classroom and faced the Professor nervously.

"Are the tutoring sessions going well?" He asked Lucius.

"Yes, she's improving greatly."

"Do you want to continue teaching her?"

"Yes, I still have a lot to teach her actually." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Professor Adders nodded and turned to Lily.

"Do you still want to continue with tutoring? I have noticed that you have improved exceptionally in class."

"Yes sir, I have improved, but I still would like to be tutored." She glanced at Lucius who smiled briefly at her.

"Very well then, you may go." Lucius nodded to Professor Adders and walked out of the classroom. Lily smiled at the professor and followed Lucius out of the classroom.

She walked up to him and smiled.

"I would have expected you wouldn't want to tutor me anymore." She smirked. Lucius rolled his eyes.

"You're growing on me, and besides you still have a lot to learn." He smiled and started walking "And to get right." Lily smiled but glared at him and hit him on the shoulder with her book.

"I've gotten plenty of things right!"

"I know, and you have one more thing, the Geminio spell." Lily rolled her eyes.

"I know." He glanced sideways at her and smirked.

"You'll do fine, it's not that bad." Lily crossed her arms and huffed. Lucius chuckled.

"You just need to relax and everything will go fine."

"I know, it's just…" She sighed and shook her head. He looked at her.

"What?"

"I can't help but be nervous." She said. Lucius smiled.

"You still have five hours. That should at least calm your nerves a bit. I've got to go."

"Alright. What class do you have?"

"Quidditch practice." Lily's eyes brightened.

"Can I come?" Lucius eyed her warily but smiled.

"Lily, I don't think that is such a good idea. And besides you have to go to class."

"But I hate divination! Can't I come?"

"I hated it too, but that doesn't mean you can skip and no." Lily pouted.

"Please." Lucius sighed.

"No. Now I will walk you to Divination if you stop pestering me about it."

"Fine. But I get to go to your next practice."

"Maybe." He said. Lily pursed her lips.

"Alright, but I'll continuously ask you when your next practice will be." Lucius chuckled.

"Alright." He smiled. Lily smiled and stopped to turn around and head back towards the North Tower. "Where are you going?" Lucius asked.

"To Divination. Aren't you coming?" Lucius smirked and shook his head.

"You need to learn this school better. I know a short cut so you won't be late." Lily followed Lucius through a hidden passageway located behind a tapestry of a Pegasus with its wings spread wide.

The passage led strait to the North Tower. They walked out from behind another tapestry and Lily was surprised when she saw Miranda.

"Mare!" Miranda looked up.

"Lily hey! I thought you had skipped again, what were you…" She stopped mid-sentence when she saw Lucius standing beside Lily. Miranda raised her eyebrows curiously at Lily who glared at her friend and shook her head.

"Alright. Tutoring tonight at four." Lucius said. Lily smiled at him.

"Ok. See you." He nodded to Miranda and then left. Miranda's eyes grew wide with excitement.

"What were you doing with him?" Lily shrugged.

"We walked to D.A.D.A together and I had to talk to him after so he just walked me to class." Miranda smiled.

"I think he likes you."

"Mare, no, we're just friends."

"Uh huh." Miranda smiled and rolled her eyes as she climbed up the ladder into the Divination classroom. Lily followed and they sat down at their usual table.

"Wonder what we're doing today?" Lily asked. Miranda shrugged and chuckled.

"Don't know, she doesn't have any crystal balls out or cups with wet tea leaves." Lily laughed.

"Yeah. I hated those tealeaves. I spilled a cup and got it all over my shirt one time. It was awful, I could never get the stain out." Miranda grimaced.

"And you can never see anything in her silly tea leaves anyway. I didn't even understand the dumb symbols in the first place."

"Yeah I know." Lily agreed.

"Good morning class." Professor Traught had walked into the classroom from her office. "Today we will be practicing palmistry. A very refined art in the seeing world." Lily and Miranda both rolled their eyes but listened as Professor Traught continued. "If you would all turn to page nine hundred and study the symbols and meaning of each line in the hand. Study your hands starting with left first. I will be coming around and examining each. You will tell me the basic gist of what lines you have and there meaning. Now get to it." Lily opened her book and began to read.

"The base of the thumb is understanding, life lines, marriage, heart, head? Mare what the heck is this supposed to represent?" Miranda shrugged she looked just as confused as Lily was.

"How are you girls coming along?" Professor Traught had walked up to them and smiled. "Let me see your hand dear." Lily held her hand face up and the professor took it.

"Ah, good hearted but quick to love, not destined for long loves, a short life, small fates. The hands of a maiden lost and alone." She closed Lily's hand and Lily jerked away from her. She felt hot tears prick the edges of her eyes and the thought of leaving crossed her mind.

"No. If I leave I'll be more stressed." Lily sighed and closed her book.

"Your not leaving are you?" Miranda asked quietly.

"No. But I'm definentaly dropping this class."

"You can't. It's required."

"Yeah, but we're still aloud to drop it if we want." Lily said.

"Yes but really it would be pointless, you loose a grade and I think you have to take it over again if you drop it now." Lily sighed and shrugged.

"I'll deal with it. But if she makes another prediction like that I swear I'm dropping this class and I will refuse to retake it." Miranda smirked.

"We only have three more years."

"Ugh!" Both girls broke out in a fit of giggles. Professor Traught glared at them and they quieted down.

"Now class, I want a two page essay on the history of palmistry due tomorrow. You're dismissed." The sound of papers being gathered and chairs scraping filled the room as kids got up to leave.

"Transfiguration?" Miranda asked.

"Yeah." Lily said as she left the Divination classroom with Miranda.

"Well good luck. You only have four more classes." Lily raised her eyebrows at her friend and frowned.

"You say that like it's a good thing." Miranda shrugged.

"Well you get to see Lucius again."

"Yeah, and he'll be hexing me."

"Good point. So I guess it is a bad thing. But at least you have the dance tomorrow night."

"Yeah. Well I better go." Lily hugged her friend and walked away to the Transfiguration classroom.

Professor McGonagall stood at the front of the classroom with her hands behind her back waiting for all the students to arrive and sit down. Lily walked in and set her bag down.

"Great, we're transfiguring a bird into a statue." Lily thought with a sigh. Professor McGonagall walked up to a perch where a large raven perched.

"Duro Bestia. The pronunciation of the spell meant to transform an animal to stone. Specifically meant for an animal. The word Duro, translated as to make stone or harden. Now repeat after me. Duro Bestia."

"Duro Bestia." The class repeated in unison.

"Now, observe." She pointed her wand at the large raven.

"Duro Bestia." With a small flick of her wrist the bird turned to complete stone. Several gasps echoed throughout the room. Professor McGonagall smiled. "Now, if you will all get an animal from the cages on the left wall we shall begin." The scraping of chairs and scrambling of students as they moved to the cages to get the best animal was all that could be heard. Lily waited until most of the students had gotten an animal and walked over to the cages. A small brown mouse stared up at her. He was the only one left in the cage near the back. Lily smiled at the small creature and opened the door scooping the small mouse into her hand. She walked back over to her seat and sat down. She watched as the small mouse scuttled and tumbled throughout her fingers and from one hand to the other. The feel of her soft fur against Lily's fingers was comforting. She felt each strand of hair as she stroked the small creature. Felt his heartbeat, his quick excited pulse. Lily could feel an exuberant life in this tiny animal.

"So much energy for one so small." She murmured quietly and refocused her attention on Professor McGonagall.

The class proceeded to practice transforming there animal into a solid stone figure. Lily sighed and drew her wand.

"Duro Bestia." Nothing. She squeezed her eyes shut in frustration. "Why will my wand not work!" She screamed in her head. She was getting more stressed with the thing by the minuet. She was definitely not going to be calm during tutoring.

Lily's wand finally managed to turn the mouse into stone. It was brown stone and it still had a moving tail but it was stone nonetheless. Professor McGonagall walked by and shook her head at many of the students work.

"Your mouse's tail is still moving Ms. Evans. Try it again." Lily continuously tried the spell all through class but to no avail. The mouse's tail continued to swish side to side freely.

"Alright students put away your wands and pack up!" Professor McGonagall said briskly. She waved her wand through the air and small pops began to fill the room startling several students. The stone that encased each animal had cracked and broken away. The birds gratefully stretched their wings and the small mouse Lily had ran around in gleeful circles in front of her. She scooped the small mouse up in her hand and carried her back over to her cage and set her inside closing the door.

"Lily, can I talk to you for a minuet?" Professor McGonagall asked. Lily turned around.

"Certainly Professor." She walked up to the front of the classroom and stood in front of the desk that Professor McGonagall sat at.

"Lily, I noticed that you had trouble today. Is everything alright?" Lily sighed.

"It's my wand Professor. I can't get in to perform the simplest of spells."

"Next hogsmead trip I suggest you take it up to Ollivanders. He can tell you what might be wrong with it. You may go."

"Thank you Professor." Lily walked out of the Transfiguration classroom and headed down the hall. She only had three more classes until tutoring. Lily sighed. She just prayed she could endure them.

Her wand was still not working! She of course had not used in Arithmancy or History of Magic but her Charms work had been horrible! And now her nerves were extremely on edge. She was nervous for Tutoring and Slughorn's party. But as of right then Slughorn's party was the last thing on her mind. It was that blasted Geminio spell she was worried about. She fretted over it as she walked slowly to the third floor growing more and more distraught by the minuet. Lily took a deep breath that she hoped would calm her nerves, she was wrong. She sighed and walked inside the classroom they used for tutoring. She saw Lucius sitting in a chair with his feet propped up on the table reading a book.

"Hey." He looked up and smiled.

"You ready?" Lily sighed.

"No." She said with a nervous laugh.

"You'll do fine. Start out with breathing deeply then we'll try the spell. Just calm down and relax." He returned his attention to his book and Lily proceeded to do as he instructed her. Lucius glanced at the clock after a few minuets and swung his feet off the table. He closed the book and set it down.

"You ready?" Lily took a deep breath and nodded. Lucius breathed in slowly and drew his wand. Lily had been calm but now that Lucius had his wand pointed at her chest her heart was pounding.

"Take a deep breath and hold it. Everything is going to be fine. I'm right here." He breathed in. Lily stared at Lucius her heart was pounding hard.

"Oh my god, he's going to hex me!" She screamed in her head.

"Geminio!" Her breathing quickened and she saw the light begin to ebb away.

"Lucius…" Thud! Smash!

Lucius covered his face with his arm. The mirror on the far side of the room had smashed and the glass had exploded. He lowered his arm and his eyes widened at the scene before him. Lily was sprawled on the floor and the mirror was shattered. The spell had hit the mirror instead of her. He lowered his wand and knelt down beside her. He should probably take her to the hospital wing considering the fact that he was not very good at healing spells. Lucius sighed and lifted her easily into his arms. He carried her out of the classroom and down the stairs to the Hospital wing.

"Oh my!" Madame Pomfrey rushed up to Lucius. "What happened?"

"She fainted." Lucius said bluntly.

"Well I can see that! Lay her down on the bed." Lucius laid Lily on one of the hospital beds and gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Madame Pomfrey came out of the back room holding a bottle of clear liquid. She poured some into a small cup and walked over to where Lily lay.

"This will wake her nerves and get her mind working again. She will wake up after a while. You may leave if you want."

"I'd like to stay until she wakes up." Lucius said. Madame Pomfrey nodded and walked off. Lucius sighed. He should have noticed that she was stressed. He shook his head and sat down in a chair beside her bed. He placed his hand on top of hers and glanced at the clock. It was almost five and dinner would start soon.

"Lucius…" Lily's hand moved and her fingers interlocked with his. He was surprised but did not take his hand away. Lily was still out but was reviving a little bit.

"She'll probably sleep for a little bit." Madame Pomfrey had come out of the back. Lucius nodded without looking at her. Madame Pomfrey sniffed disdainfully and walked back into the back room shutting the door behind her.

Lucius sighed and closed his eyes.

"I don't think we will practice that spell again."

"No." Lucius looked up. Lily's eyes were open and she smiled weakly at him.

"Oh god Lily. I'm so sorry!" She laughed weakly.

"It's fine Lucius." She said and closed her eyes.

"We won't try the spell again." He said.

"No." Lucius looked at her confusedly.

"No." She said again and sat up. "I want to be able to resist the pain. I want to be able to use it to my advantage. I…" She took a shaky breath and placed a hand on her forehead. Lucius pulled his hand from hers and pushed her back against the pillows.

"You don't need to do anything right now but rest. I think you hit your head pretty hard when you fell." Lily huffed and Lucius smirked. He glanced up at the clock.

"I probably ought to go." He stood.

"Will you tell Miranda I'm in the hospital wing?" Lily asked.

"Yes." He smiled. "I really am sorry Lily."

"It's fine. I'll be out of here in no time. All I did was faint, if you would have brought me in earlier I would be out by now, but since it's late Madame Pomfrey probably wont let me out until morning."

"I'll come in after dinner." He smiled at her and left the hospital wing. Lucius walked down the stairs and into the Great Hall. Students were already eating he noticed Miranda glance up and look at him. He ignored her and moved on to the Slytherin table.

"What were you staring at Mare?" Miranda looked away from Lucius and turned to her friend.

"Nothing." She smiled and continued to eat.

Lucius stepped back against the wall as students moved out of the Great Hall and towards their dormitories.

"Miranda." She turned around and walked over to where Lucius stood.

"Where's Lily?" Miranda asked immediately.

"Hospital wing." Miranda's eyes widened.

"What did you do!" Lucius glared at her.

"I didn't do anything. We were practicing the Geminio spell and she fainted." Miranda snorted.

"Well come on." Miranda turned around and moved through the mass of students and up the stairs.

"Hey Mare!" Miranda turned around. James was running after her. She stopped to let him catch up.

"Where you headed?"

"Um, Hospital wing."

"Why?"

"Going to see Lily." His eyes widened.

"Why? What happened?"

"She fainted, now I have to go." Miranda snapped.

"Well I'm coming with you." James said. They walked up the stairs and James ran on ahead. Someone grabbed Miranda's arm.

"Why's he coming?" Lucius asked.

"He asked. I had to tell him, and of course he's going to come he's head over heels for her." Miranda yanked her arm out of his grip. "I don't think it would be such a good idea if you come in and see her, not with James there anyways." Lucius nodded.

"Do you think she will be up for going to Slughorn's party?" Miranda gaped at him.

"Are you kidding me? Lily is totally still going to want to go with you. And for god's sake she only fainted! It's not like she got a broken arm or something, and even if she did she would still go. She's extremely persistent."

"I know." Lucius said and smirked.

"Miranda! Come on!" Miranda turned around.

"I better go, James is calling." She rolled her eyes and ran off down the hall towards the Hospital Wing. She walked inside and James was already talking to Madame Pomfrey.

"What do you mean you already let her out?"

"I just told you, she had only fainted, and she was at least lucky that the boy brought her in." Miranda looked up.

"What boy?" James asked.

"I believe it was…"

"Does it really matter who brought her in James! If she's out than she's up in the common room. So let's get up there!" James pursed his lips and looked from Madame Pomfrey and back to Miranda.

"Alright let's go." Madame Pomfrey glared at her but remained silent. Miranda and James ran up the stairs to Gryffindor Tower and went through the Portrait hole.

"Mare!"

"Lily!" Miranda smiled and hugged her friend. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Madame Pomfrey gave me some tonic and I felt great half way through dinner."

"We went all the way up there expecting you were still there." James said. Lily rolled her eyes.

"It was fine. At least it wasn't anything serious." James pursed his lips.

"Yeah."

"Well, I'm still pretty tiered so I think I'll turn in." Lily said. James nodded and smiled. Lily walked up the stairs to the girl's dorm and flopped down on her bed.

"You alright?" Miranda had walked in. Lily sighed.

"Yeah. Does Lucius still think I'm in the hospital wing?"

"Yes, I didn't get a chance to tell him you where out. I had to distract James because Madame Pomfrey almost let it slip that it was Lucius who brought you in there in the first place."

"Really?" Lily sat up and picked up Pavlova.

"Yes, James was being his normal curious self and started asking a whole bunch of questions."

"That's definitely something James would do. But hey, at least I won't have to deal with him tomorrow night at the dance." Miranda beamed.

"You got that right, I'll try and keep him preoccupied as well so he doesn't come looking for you." Lily smiled.

"That sounds good, because I really don't want him finding out that Lucius is taking me to Slughorn's party." She said and bit her lip.

"Lily there is no need to worry. Lucius really does care about you. He asked me if after this you would still want to go to the party. So he does at least care about your wellbeing." Miranda said as she sat down on the bed beside Lily.

"And you told him?" Lily raised her eyebrows at her friend curiously.

"I told him yes of course, that even if it had been something more severe you still would have found a way to go." Lily smiled and chuckled.

"You're probably right about that." She yawned. "Mare, it is pretty late I think I will turn in."

"Alright, night." Miranda hugged her.

"Night." Lily said. Miranda moved away and both girls changed into their nightclothes and climbed into bed.

Lily woke in the morning and dressed quickly. Miranda was still asleep so she walked down to the common room. She glanced up at the clock.

"Six." Lily sighed and slumped into an armchair. Her mind was buzzing with a million thoughts. The silence was broken as a door opened and closed. Lily looked up.

"Hello James."

"Hey Lils." He plopped down on the couch beside her. "What's up?" She shrugged.

"Nothing much, just woke up early that's all." James nodded.

"Well I'm off to breakfast, you want to come?"

"Sure, Miranda won't be up for another hour anyway." The both stood and exited the portrait hole. They walked down the corridors in silence. Lily glanced down a corridor and saw Lucius standing and talking with a Slytherin girl. The girl was tall and very pretty. She had white blonde hair like Lucius's but it looked like she had merely died the sides blonde and that her natural hair color was a rich, dark brown that looked almost black.

"I wonder who she is?" Lily thought in her head.

"Lils come on!" Lily rushed off to catch up with James just as Lucius Malfoy turned his head to see her flaming red hair disappear around the corner.

Lucius gazed at the spot.

"Lucius." He raised his eyebrows.

"Yes Narcissa."

"Were you even listening to me?"

"Yes I was." Narcissa rolled her eyes.

"Please, no you weren't, you were distracted by that stupid Gryffindor girl. Why do you even pay attention to her?" Lucius looked Narcissa in the eyes.

"Because I am her tutor and I have to put up with her. I had no say in the matter, Professor Adders just told me to tutor her."

"That sucks." Narcissa pursed her lips. Lucius shrugged.

"She's really not all that bad. She doesn't know much about Defense Against the Dark Arts, but she's learning."

"What year is she?"

"Fourth." Lucius said. Narcissa nodded.

"Well, I better go. See you later Lucius." Narcissa walked away and Lucius sighed. He walked down the corridors and into the Great Hall. He spotted Lily sitting at the Gryffindor table. She was talking with James and a few other Gryffindors at the table. He sat down beside Avery at the Slytherin table.

"Where were you?"

"Talking with Narcissa."

"Are you two getting together finely?" Lucius raised his eyebrows at Avery.

"No. She had a few questions and wanted to talk that's all, and no I will not go out with her." Lucius said and chuckled.

"Yeah, I don't think I would go out with her either." Avery said with a smirk. Lucius rolled his eyes.

"So how's that girl doing with tutoring?"

"Lily?"

"Yeah her." Lucius shrugged.

"She's doing better I will admit. God when I first started tutoring her she was clueless about some of the deeper dark magic and she couldn't perform a simple spell worth anything!"

"Man, was she hard to teach?"

"Nah, she's extremely persistent and stubborn which at times can be a good thing and others… well not so much." Avery laughed harshly.

"Like with your quidditch practices?" Lucius glared at him.

"Like I said she's persistent." Avery rolled his eyes and stood.

"Come on, let's walk around a little before class starts." Lucius sighed and stood. He walked out of the Great Hall and noticed Lily talking with Miranda. He nodded to Avery and walked over to where they stood.

"Hey." Lily looked up in surprise.

"Hi Lucius."

"You still wanting to go tonight?" She rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Of course!" Lily said exasperated and turned as Miranda tapped her shoulder.

"I got to go."

"K, bye." Lily hugged her and she left.

"Um, Lucius."

"Yes?"

"I wanted to ask… who was that girl you were talking to earlier?" He looked at her confusedly and then came to realization.

"Narcissa? She's a girl in my year, Slytherin as well. Why do you ask?" He raised his eyebrows curiously. Lily shrugged.

"Just curious, that's all." Lucius smirked disbelieving.

"Well, bell's about to ring, better get to class. See you in DADA." Lily smiled more to herself than to him.

"See you."

Lily walked into potions class and was met by Professor Slughorn.

"Ah Lily, just the person I wanted to see! I must ask about the party tonight. Whom are you going with?"

"I thought you said you would wait and see who I was going with at the party? Change of mind I take it Professor?" Professor Slughorn chuckled.

"No dear girl, it's information for the guest list. If you're not on the list you're not let in."

"Ah, I see. Well I'm going with Lucius Malfoy." She blushed and looked at the floor. Slughorn raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Oh ho! You are are you?"

"Yes sir. I would appreciate it if you keep it between us though professor."

"Alright then. I will see you tonight then Ms. Evans with Mr. Malfoy." Lily smiled at him and then took her seat. "That went better than I expected, I wonder if Lucius would have said that he was taking me if asked the same question?" She smiled to herself and chuckled at the thought. "He'd probably lie." She thought to herself. "But maybe not…" She shrugged and thought of what the dance might be like. Her heart fluttered at the thought of actually getting to dance with Lucius there.

"Oh I hope he likes my dress." She bit her lip absentmindedly as she pictured herself in the long dress at the dance.

"Hey Lils." She looked up in surprise.

"Oh, Severus. Hi." She smiled at him and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. He looked at her curiously.

"You alright?" He asked.

"Hm? Yeah, just fine, just preoccupied that's all." He smirked and nodded.

"So, what are you doing tonight?"

"Um, I'm not sure. Why do you ask?" She looked at him curiously. He shrugged.

"Just curious, wondered if we could study tonight in the library for the Potions test we have coming up."

"Oh." Lily had totally spaced about that test! "Crap!" she thought.

"Well, Severus, I promised Miranda I would study with her for a Divination test we have coming up." She half-smiled at him. He nodded and smiled back.

"Well alright, just remember to get in some studying for the Potions test." He moved back to his seat as Professor Slughorn stood and addressed the class.

"Elixir to introduce Euphoria. Page five hundred fifty two. Sunshine yellow in appearance, If it turns out sky blue you did it wrong. You will receive a grade for this. Alright, get to work." Lily smiled to herself and walked over to the supply cupboards with book in hand.

"Shrivelfig, Porcupine quills, Castor beans, and wormwood. Seems simple enough." She gathered the ingredients and sat back down. She looked at her book and frowned.

"Or not…"

Elixir to Introduce Euphoria.

By: Gregonbock Finchleyvon

Ingredients

*2 full Shrivelfig carcasses

*20 full porcupine quills

*60 Castor Beans

*30 oz. of wormwood

Instructions for Preparation

1. Use Syringe to withdraw 15 fluid ounces of liquid from each of the two Shrivelfigs, empty into bottom of cauldron. (Carcasses will shrivel up as liquid is withdrawn.) Tip: remove skin from Shrivelfigs before juice is withdrawn.

2. Add one Porcupine quill every minuet as the potion is continuously being stirred clockwise. (Potion should now be a deep black color.)

3. Cut Castor beans into fourths. Add a fourth at a time to cauldron.

4. Add the 30 Castor beans cut into fourths, one forth at a time. Stir counterclockwise as the beans are distributed. (Liquid should become thick and hard to stir.)

5. Add wormwood 10 oz. at a time. (The potion should now be a bright yellow and become smooth like glass.)

Lily gaped at the book and sighed. "Well, lets give it a go." She followed the instructions carefully measuring each ingredient exactly.

"Black. But that was supposed to happen in step one… Oh!" Lily sighed in frustration. Her potion was a dark ugly brown now instead of the elegant black it was before. "Ok, Lily, last ingredient. 30 oz. of wormwood, then it should turn yellow." She took a deep breath and picked up the vile of wormwood and popped off the cork top.

"Five, eight, ten…" Lily glanced up from her measuring. A small note fluttered down in front of her unnoticed by Professor Slughorn. She picked up the small bit of parchment completely forgetting what measurement she was at.

Try 60 oz. wormwood not 30, trust me it works.

S.S.

Lily smiled and glanced over at Snape. He smiled at her and nodded. She smiled back and then continued working.

"Amazing job Ms. Evans! I've never seen such a bright potion in my life!" Lily smiled and blushed. She glanced at Severus who merely smirked. She rolled her eyes at him. Slughorn clapped his hands together.

"Alright, pack up! I expect to see all of you Monday ready to make a Blood replenishing potion!" Chairs scraped as students got up and left the classroom. Lily gathered her books and walked out with Severus.

"Awesome job today." He commented as they ascended the stairs out of the Dungeons. She smirked.

"I couldn't have done it without your help." He shrugged.

"The book has a lot of potions wrong." Lily looked at him in wonder.

"How do you know all this?"

"I've practiced them, and every time you do it strait from the book, everything exactly perfect, something screws up." Lily smiled and nodded.

"Well, I better go, D.A.D.A, don't want to be late."

"Alright, Bye. See you at dinner."

"Bye." She turned and ran up the grand staircase towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

Lucius leaned against the wall outside of the D.A.D.A classroom talking with a few of his friends. He glanced up as Lily walked up the stairs. He smiled coolly at her and she blushed, smiling shyly back. He would never understand that girl. Potter walked up behind her and looked from her to Lucius and back with a puzzled expression on his face. Lily tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and quickly ducked into the classroom. Lucius smirked as Potter followed her. He sighed.

"I ought to go see what he's interrogating her about." He thought and nodded to his friends before walking into the classroom. Lily was casually talking to James. She was smiling and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear again. He chuckled and took his seat. The next thing he saw was Lily smack James on the top of the head with her book.

"Ow!" He said angrily. She wasn't smiling anymore.

"You are such an arrogant git James Potter!" She snapped angrily and sat down in her seat without giving him another look. James, looking disgruntled and miffed walked back to his seat and sat down. Lucius smirked to himself.

"Fourth years are so immature." He said with a chuckle. Lily turned around and glared at him.

"I heard that." She mouthed.

"Well they are." He said pointedly as he motioned to where James sat. Lily rolled her eyes but smiled.

"It's true." She mouthed and shrugged before turning back to the front. Professor McGonagall entered the room and everyone stopped talking.

"Professor Adders is at his home with his wife. He will not return until Tuesday." The class began to murmur worriedly, some scoffed, and others such as Lily remained silent as did Lucius. What did he care what Professor Adders was doing at home? It was none of his business and personally he really didn't care at all. He sighed and directed his attention back on Professor McGonagall who continued to tell them what their assignment was for the day. They had to read ten pages in their books and write a three-page essay on Hinkypunks and Red Caps. He sighed, he wished they could study something more challenging. Professor Adders had told them they would be starting the section on dangerous beasts yesterday, Lucius had been disappointed then as well. He thought learning about the habits of magical creatures was almost as boring as History of magic, although that could be an understatement. He pulled out his quill and parchment and began to write. He had read the section already the night before and quickly got the essay done. Lucius stood and walked up to Professor McGonagall and handed it to her.

"I read the section already Professor." He said quietly and returned to his seat pulling out a book to read for the rest of class.

Professor McGonagall dismissed them and Lily rushed out of the classroom. She wanted to get as far away from James as possible. She headed down the hallway towards the passage that Lucius had showed her as a shortcut to Divination. She walked out from behind the tapestry that entered into a hallway leading to the Astronomy Tower. A few students mingled about talking with one another. Lily looked around for Miranda but didn't see her. She walked down the corridor and climbed into the Divination classroom. Mare was sitting at their usual table getting a lecture by a rather angry looking Professor Traught.

"And furthermore the divining arts are spectacular for those wanting a good and respectable job in the wizarding world, so think next time before you question the art!" The Professor walked away grumbling angrily to herself about students not respecting the finer things of life. Lily laughed and sat down across from her disgruntled looking friend.

"Say something about how you hate her class?" Lily asked with a small smirk.

"No. I just asked what the point of this stupid subject was."

"That pretty much saying I hate this stupid subject, why do I have to take it." Lily said. Miranda rolled her eyes at her and sighed.

"Whatever. So how was Potions and D.A.D.A?" She asked changing the subject. Lily shrugged.

"Same old, same old. Professor Adders was gone from D.A.D.A, supposedly at home with his wife, other than that nothing interesting happened really. Oh, although James made me angry again."

"Well that's nothing new, he always ticks you off in one way or another." Miranda said pointedly.

"Yeah, I know." She sighed heavily and moaned as Professor Traught placed teacups in front of them.

"Great, we're reading tea leaves again!" Miranda whispered angrily so as not to be overheard by Professor Traught.

"I know! When will she ever get the hint that none of us like it?"

"I don't know. Just make up some crazy prediction and get this class over with, so tonight can come quicker! I am so excited for you!" Lily smiled.

"I know! Oh, I hope he likes my dress and everything." Miranda rolled her eyes.

"You know he will, you are going to be drop dead gorgeous! How can he resist?"

"Oh please. Neither I nor you know if he will think I am hot or not." Lily said sternly.

"Well, then we'll just have to wait and see won't we?" Both girls giggled and Professor Traught glared at them, they quieted down but still smiled at each other.