AN: I wasn't originally going to continue this, but after the great response I got, I figured it might be fun to continue it. Lily's a bit in over her head, isn't she? I wonder how she's going to get out of all this - or if she is at all. Hope you enjoy, and reach out on IG under the same name!
Lily tossed and turned the whole night. Finally, just as the sun began to peek through the windows, she managed to fall asleep.
"Lily," someone called, "it's time to get up."
Lily groaned and rolled over to see her cousin, Rose Granger-Weasley, and her best friend Brighid Finnigan sitting on her bed. "Ugh, what time is it?"
"A bit past noon. Lunch is on now - we can still grab it if we hurry."
Lily groaned again and pulled the covers over her head. Her head throbbed painfully. Someone - she wasn't sure who - rubbed her back soothingly. After a minute, she pulled the covers down.
"I know you don't want to go," Rose said, "but you must. Your O.W.L.s are two weeks away - and you can't hide forever."
"We'll be with you the whole time," Brighid said. "Let's get you up and dressed." She held out her hand. Lily took it and showered, dressed in comfortable weekend robes, and walked out to the Great Hall with the girls.
There were angry glares and whispers from the Slytherin table, but nobody confronted her directly. She took a seat at her house table with her back to the Slytherins. Rose sat across from her and Brighid next to her.
Lily began to eat - hopefully, that would make her pounding headache feel better. After a moment, Brighid spoke up. "Lils, there's something you should know…" she trailed off awkwardly.
Lily looked up. "What?" Both Rose and Brighid had tight, concerned looks on their faces.
Rose sighed. "Greengrass has decided to continue her magical education elsewhere."
It was as though the whole world dropped out of her stomach. Lily pushed her plate away and put her head in her hands. "Oh, Godric." The Great Hall spun. Brighid put a hand on her back to steady her.
"It's for the best," Scorpius said, sliding into the seat next to Rose. He and Al often sat with them at the Gryffindor table - this wasn't uncommon. "You did the right thing, Lily."
"I never wanted her to leave Hogwarts, just leave our family alone!" Lily hissed, looking up at him and glaring.
"But she wasn't going to. She kept escalating, she's been starting rumors for years...the Daily Prophet interview was just the next step."
Lily didn't have an answer to this. She knew Scorpius had a point, but her stomach still churned. Best to change the topic. "Where's Al?" Al and Scorpius were usually joined at the hip - it was kind of annoying, really, if she wanted a word with her brother.
"It's Saturday - he's at his internship with St. Mungo's."
"Does - does he know?" Lily asked hesitantly. Al was a sensitive sort: she wasn't sure how he'd react.
"No." Scorpius paused, "Not yet."
Lily raised an eyebrow.
"Lils…" Brighid had a face of more bad news, "Moaning Myrtle saw Phoebe leaving the chamber last night. She, er, may have spread it around that something funny happened after Phoebe met with you."
"I believe her exact phrasing was, 'All I know is that I saw the Potter girl and Greengrass together, and then an hour later Greengrass was walking away, looking not quite right in the head anymore.' " Rose, ever the stickler for details, quoted.
" Ugh, " Lily said emphatically, "Can I just throw myself in the lake, please?"
"Sure, only after you have finished your O.W.L.s," Rose quipped, "Or my mum will come and dig you out of the lake herself and have you sit them sopping wet."
Scorpius snorted. "Your mum is a piece of work."
"That she is." Rose responded briskly, "Right, Lily, let's get up to the tower and grab our books. We're having a study session in the library today." One of the benefits of having Rose as an older cousin was that while Lily was preparing for her O.W.L.s, Rose was preparing for her N.E.W.T.s, and her Granger-focus kept her whole family on track. How she managed it was anyone's guess.
Lily stood resignedly, sighing - she couldn't wait until exams were over. Outside of the Great Hall, a sixth-year Ravenclaw pulled her aside.
"What is it, Nelson?" she asked tiredly.
"Gobstones got called off tonight so I'm free. Do you want to meet up and, er, you know?" He looked at her meaningfully.
"No, Merlin no, just….no!" Lily shout out and stamped away, "And don't ask me again!" she called over her shoulder and rejoined Rose and Brighid. She glanced back and Oscar Nelson stood, head hung and arms crossed, unmoving and unsure.
They settled into the library for a long afternoon of studying. After a few hours, Lily yawned, stretched, and began browsing the shelves for a reference book on the differences between Irish and Norse runes. She probably didn't need the book, come to think of it, but a little boost never hurt, and what she really needed was to stretch.
A Slytherin snuck up behind her, flipped her robes upside down so they were stuck above her head, and hexed them into place. "That's what you get for hurting one of our own. Better watch your back, Potter," he hissed viciously before sliding away.
Lily stood there, frozen. She couldn't see because of the robe, or push it down with her hands, and her underthings were in plain view for all to see. If she stood there, someone would come along eventually...and hopefully help. If she moved, everyone along the main library tables would see her. Whyyy oh why did I have to leave my wand in my bag?! Dad always warns me about leaving my wand - the one time I don't bloody listen…
"Oh gods," someone muttered. Lily felt the blood drain from her face. Before she could say anything, her robes fell down around her.
Brighid stood before her. "It's been a while since anyone's managed to land one on you," she commented slowly.
"Thanks," Lily patted her hair into place again, "I know, I left my wand in my bag...but didn't even hear him coming."
"Do you know who it was?" When Lily shook her head, Brighid put an arm around her, "Ah well, let's get back to studying. Everyone's tense from exams...this will all calm down in a few days. You know how Hogwarts gossip is."
Lily smiled warmly at her friend and walked back to their table with her head held high. Rose glanced up at them questioningly but didn't force the issue when Lily just dove back into her books. The benefit of having a single-minded cousin.
She attempted to study more, but after that, her concentration was shot. "Right," she said after another hour of attempting to study, "I'm through with this - can't focus anymore. Anyone fancy a walk around the lake?"
Rose looked up disapprovingly, "Lily, you can't - we can't! The O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s are the most important exams we'll ever take - we can't skive off now! How about you take a break for five minutes and come back to -"
"No, I said I'm done and that means I'm bloody well done," Lily snapped. She stood up and threw her things in her bag. "Well, are you coming or not?" she asked Brighid demandingly.
"Lils, I've really got to finish this Transfiguration assignment - you know I'm bollocks at the theory behind human transformation." Brighid said pleadingly. "Maybe -"
"Fine. Just fine." Lily stormed out of the library before she could hear anything else.
"Maybe I could join you in an hour," Brighid whispered sadly behind her, but Lily was too far away to hear her.
A walk around the lake cooled Lily's temper somewhat. On her second go-around, Brighid joined her. They walked in silence for a while.
"I'm sorry," Lily eventually mumbled, "You don't deserve to be snapped at."
"It's okay," Brighid said. "I mean, I wish your temper cooled sometimes, but everyone's snapping at everyone right now - remember how I yelled at you last week for offering me orange juice instead of pumpkin juice at breakfast?"
Lily nodded. "Thanks. I...just didn't expect it to spiral out of control this way."
"Hm." Brighid looked like she wanted to say something, but refrained. "Hey, did you hear about Davies and Singh? In sixth year?" Brighid chattered on animatedly about the latest drama. Lily only had to nod and gasp at the appropriate places - finally, she felt herself relaxing.
Finally, when the sun had begun to set, they began the trek back up to the castle for dinner. They sat with their friends, talking relaxedly, thankful for another quiet day of studying ahead of them without classes. After a delicious cottage pie, with some raspberry tarts for dessert, Lily, Brighid, and her friends headed back to the common room. Al waited outside the portrait, pacing furiously.
"Hey, Al!" Lily said, "How was your internship?"
"Don't," he growled, each word punctuated with anger. " What did you do?!"
Lily crossed her arms and tossed her long red hair over her shoulders. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"The whole common room is talking about you and what you did and how you're the reason Phoebe isn't here anymore!" Al's voice was steadily rising. "Why do you always have to interfere?"
If blood could boil, Lily swore hers was at that very moment. The Prophet article had cost their family countless hours of work, answering questions, writing back and forth to solve this mess because the goddamn Prophet never seemed to tire of bothering their family, and even ministry visits from their parents. What she did was "I did what you refused to do, dear brother. I protected our family."
For a second, it looked like Al was going to slap his sister: then, he closed his raised hand into a fist and lowered it slowly. He took a long, deep breath, and said in a dangerously low voice that neither Lily nor Brighid had ever heard before. "Fuck off, Lils. Just - stay away from me, all right? I don't need you in my life and I don't need your help."
He stalked off. Lily and Brighid stood there in silence for a moment, shocked.
"Come on, Lily, let's go inside…"
Lily shook her head. "No. You go. I'll see you later." Before her friend could say anything, she sprinted off.
Down the stairs, through the corridors….she wasn't really thinking. She moved on autopilot. She walked up to the Ravenclaw table. Nelson wasn't there, but his friend was. She grabbed his shoulder. "You. Will you see Nelson tonight?"
The friend nodded, wide-eyed.
"Good. Tell him if he wants more Herbology help, he knows where to meet me." She ran off without a response.
Like clockwork, Owen Nelson met her under the second floor tapestry. "Thought you didn't want to meet up tonight," he chuckled. "What, am I too irresistible?"
Lily scoffed and rolled her eyes, but she was secretly pleased. Not everyone could verbally spar with her so well. "Just had a change of plans, is all. Realized I didn't have any...thing to do tonight."
"Well then, milady, why don't you take this thing? "
They entered the bathroom, Lily cast her charms, and a minute later, they were in the Chamber.
"It never ceases to amaze me how you found this place," Owen murmured softly in her ear. Goosebumps danced down her neck. He knew she melted like chocolates with compliments.
She grinned and led him to the bed. He picked her up and tossed them on the mattress. Lily squealed and flipped him over. She pinned his arms above his head, then looked at him questioningly. He raised an eyebrow and grinned at her. A sly smile lit her face and she lowered her face to his.
Even though everything else in her life was completely crazy, tonight, Lily was in control.