Hey, sorry for the long time without an update :/ MY COMPUTER IS RUNNING SO SLOW right now, it's driving me crazy :S Anyway, time for an update wooo :D Not a particularly great chapter in my opinion and I've had so much to do that I really haven't written as much as I'd have liked to this holiday, but I promise to try harder for you guys! Well, here it is, in all its disappointing glory! xx

Chapter twenty – no denial

Several days had passed since Lily and Severus' strangely prompted talk. The two of them were quieter than usual, and avoided each other's eyes. Lily now knew which path Severus had chosen and she was taking the opposite one.

Every time they had fought, Lily had always thought that there was a chance they could be friends again, make up, over come their differences, but now, though they were not enemies, they were on opposite sides in a brewing war.

And that's what it was; a brewing war. Each day brought more news of deaths, disappearances, accidents that weren't accidents at all.

Lily walked solemnly to breakfast one morning, late in September, slumping in her seat next to Sylvia.

She grabbed a slice of toast, though she wasn't hungry. She was never hungry anymore.

The ceiling of the great hall was grey, reflecting her mood.

Around her, fellow students talked, laughed, ate and drank, all the while Lily was wondering how they could ignore the mounting danger outside the walls of the castle, because she knew that no one was ignorant of it. Perhaps they were in denial?

There was no denial for Lily.

"Have you seen this?" Hestia commented, passing Lily the Daily Prophet.

Lily scanned the front page.

"DEATH TOLL RISES AS MUGGLE RESCUE TEAMS INVESTIGATE LATEST 'BOMBINGS'"

"This is awful." Lily murmured. She read on.

"A known 313 people have been pronounced dead thus far in investigations. Undercover wizards help the muggles investigate what they have dubbed a "terrorist bombing" of a train station. Several more people are injured in hospital, with most of them, wizard or muggle, being taken to the spell damage ward in St Mungos hospital.

"It is believed that this was the work of either the vicious gang of you-know-who supporters known as "Death Eaters" or of you-know-who himself. He-who-must-not-be-named is certainly gaining both support and power. This is the fifth attack believed to be the work of him this month.

"This story is continued on pages 3, 4 and 5."

"How horrible." Sylvia whispered, having read over Lily's shoulder.

"Isn't it?" Hestia groaned.

"I can't wait until I can join the order with my brothers. I can't wait for him to be brought down! He deserves to be killed slowly and painfully." Mary growled.

"Don't say that Mary! He has people everywhere and you'll be killed!" Sylvia moaned.

As if suspecting Death Eaters to swoop down at any moment the girls looked around them.

It was getting worse.

Sorry it's a short chapter everyone. I'll update right after this too, but then I'm siriusly (hehe) gonna have to get writing! :O xx