Lily tried very hard not to notice Potter walk in, but he was impossible to ignore, especially now. He wasn't loud and laughing like usual- his face had gone white, in fact, he looked very angry.

All of these complicated, useless feelings fell out of her mind, and she went to him immediately.

"Potter," she said in greeting.

"Evans." He grinned slightly.

"What's up?" she said, concerned.

"Oh, no, nothing," James said; it would've been convincing if Lily didn't know him so well. "Just had a little run in with S- someone."

"Severus," said Lily, in a clipped voice.

"Potentially," James said easily.

"What did he do?" Fuck, what did he do?

"Nothing, really! It's just, well, you know."

Lily's heart turned over; she did know. "Did he take it out on you?"

"Tried to," James said, "but good old Head Boy over here put a stop to that nonsense at once!" He laughed, clapping Remus on the back. Lily smiled up at Remus, who'd long been her favorite of James's friends.

"I didn't-"

"Oh, stop being so humble, he was fantastic," Sirius said, smiling hugely. "Completely nonverbal expelliarmus, of course, and that's no small feat against Snivellus, and then he just goes, 'No magic in the corridors, I'm afraid,'' in that ultra- polite voice, it was brilliant."

Lily laughed lightly. "Well, I'm glad no one got cursed, or punched, or knocked out or anything." It was a question, not a statement.

"Of course not," said James. Lily's sharp green eyes tracked the glance that passed between Sirius and Remus. So James was lying, then, but for once, Lily wasn't worried about Snivel- Severus.

A group of giggling sixth and seventh years walked up to Sirius, and Lily was suddenly surrounded.

"I like your suit, Sirius!"

"You look so good, Sirius!"

"How do you do your hair, Sirius?"

She rolled her eyes and pushed her way out of the crowd, followed by a certain exasperated Remus Lupin.

"Annoying, right?" he asked her.

"So annoying," she affirmed. "But it's Black, he can't survive without all the attention."

Remus laughed. "Lucky he's so good at attracting it, then." Lily caught something wistful in his expression, and suddenly it all clicked into place. Maybe it was the firewhiskey she'd just had, or James Potter's intoxicating mint shampoo, or- well, for whatever reason, she wasn't thinking straight.

"Okay, look, I'm sorry if I'm being too forward," she said, throwing caution to the winds. "But- do you like him?"

Remus's dark blue eyes widened, his hands started to shake, he lit up bright red under his scars, and Lily felt instantly guilty. "I'm really sorry," she said immediately. "I don't know why I thought- I won't tell- I mean, I was just-"

"No, it's fine," said Remus tiredly, the blush fading from his cheeks. "I do. Like him. Love him maybe." He looked horrified with himself. "Don't know why I told you that. I just- it's been years, so…" he sighed.

"Well, does he like you back?" said Lily, relieved that Remus wasn't angry.

Remus scoffed. "Uh, are you kidding? Of course not! He's obviously straight."

"Black?" said Dorcas, popping out of nowhere. "He's not. He's clearly not. Look at the way he's dancing with that girl. He is not attracted to her, trust me, that's the way Marlene used to dance with guys."

"You think?" Remus said quietly. He was chewing on his lip.

"I know, Lupin. I am three thousand percent certain, bet you anything," Dorcas crowed. "Ask him for a dance!"

Remus shook his head, looking anxious once more. "Uh, please don't tell anyone, guys, I don't want him to know-"

"Of course," said Dorcas emphatically.

"Remus, I would never. I'll make the unbreakable vow right here if you want me to," said Lily, and she knew she was being dramatic, but it felt like the right thing to do all of the sudden. She had pressured her friend into coming out to her, and now Dorcas had overheard, and what a fucking awful thing to do-

"Hey, hey," said Remus, presumably picking up on Lily's anxiety. "Please don't feel bad. I've literally been bursting to tell someone for three years. I trust you, and you didn't make me tell you, I promise I can lie when I want to."

"Oh, I have no doubt you can, Lupin," Lily said, but she was incredibly relieved.

"Seriously, just consider asking him for a dance. I bet he likes you back," said Dorcas with a smile.

"Never in a million years," Remus said, and with a shake of his head, he walked away.

Not a moment later, Potter came bounding up to her. In a way he was like a lovesick puppy. "Evans!" James said, dragging out her name; Lily smiled at how quickly he'd cheered up.

"Potter!" she replied, imitating his tone. With an infuriatingly sweet smile, he spun around onto one knee and picked the flower out of his collar.

"May I have this dance?" he said, holding it up to her.

"You most certainly may not," she said, and he laughed because this was of course to be expected, but she was startled by how close she'd come to saying yes.