It was quite warm in the stands; someone had cast a powerful Warming Charm. I found Jen standing on her seat and chanting at the top of her voice with the rest of the crowd. I pulled on her robes until she noticed me and she hauled me up to stand on the bench with her.

"What's going on?" I asked her.

She quickly filled me in.

Apparently, Potter, as Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, had decided to ask for a moment of silence in honor of the Piccadilly Five before the start of the match, but the Slytherin team stole the Quaffle and started to play anyway.

Jen went on at a bit of a shout so I could hear her over the chanting. "So James really got into it with the Slytherin Captain, and the stands were so quiet you could hear a pin drop! Marlene Amplified his voice so the whole pitch could hear what he said about Muggles and compassion and solidarity! It was so inspiring!"

Ugh. Jen wouldn't forgive Dorcas for taking Sev's side in fifth year, and she wouldn't forgive Sev for what he'd called me, but she could somehow forgive Potter all his arrogance and childish bullying.

I mean, really. What could Potter have said that was so inspiring, anyway? And why did he have to show off by standing on a broom?

The thought of it made me queasy. I mean, even just trying to fly on a broom! I could never.

"Then what?" I asked.

Jen grinned, her eyes going wide in awe as she recounted the events to me. "Well, apparently the Slytherin Captain said something along the lines of this just being a Quidditch match, and it was no place for politics or taking a stand, so naturally…" she gestured at the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, and at the crowd around me, all standing atop their benches and chanting.

I laughed. "I'm sorry I missed it!"

I may loathe the boy, but Potter had his moments.

"You must be so proud of him," she said.

I gave her a funny look. "Proud?"

She cast a sidelong glance at me. "Well, yeah. I mean, he's done all of this for you, of course."

What?!

"Me? Why me?" I asked, confused as ever.

Now it was Jen's turn to shoot me a funny look. "Because of your mum."

I lifted a single eyebrow. "That's thoughtful of him."

"MUGGLE LIVES ARE HUMAN LIVES!" Jen shouted with the crowd.

"I hope he isn't expecting me to go out with him over it," I muttered. Just the thought that Potter could use this to try and get closer to me—I shook my mind clear of it.

Jen grinned. "Have you even gone on a proper date yet?" she asked.

I clapped along with the rest of my schoolmates, watching as Madam Hooch flew over to the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain.

"Of course I have!" I answered, feeling slightly insulted. "Don't you remember Thomas Watford?"

Jen pulled a face. "Ugh, Tongue-y Tommy, how could I forget?"

I shuddered at the memory. There'd been … so much saliva.

She swallowed in a lungful of air and yelled, "MUGGLE LIVES ARE HUMAN LIVES!" She turned to me and said, "No I meant you and James."

"James?" I repeated. Since when was Potter James?! "Course we haven't had a date, don't be daft."

Jen shrugged. "Suppose you've been rather busy."

I thought it was an odd thing to say, but I didn't have time to address it.

A hush fell over the crowd as Potter held up a hand. He cleared his throat, a sound which echoed across the pitch due to Marlene's Amplification Charm.

"Oh, I think he's going to make a speech!" whispered Jen excitedly. She threw me a conspiratorial grin, which was a bit confusing. What joke was I meant to be in on, exactly?

"As your Head Boy, the Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, and a member of wizarding society, I would like us all to take a moment of silence to honor the Muggle victims of a terrible wizarding crime. This is not the first attack on innocent Muggles we've seen since this war started"—the crowds reacted in growing murmurs to the acknowledgment of an actual war going on—"and we must always be surprised, we must always feel the shock of genocide on our fellow humans, and we cannot abide it. Muggle lives are human lives."

"MUGGLE LIVES ARE HUMAN LIVES! MUGGLE LIVES ARE HUMAN LIVES!" answered the crowd in a bout of chanting, and I found myself joining in.

Potter eloquently shifted his weight on his broomstick and squared his chest. So cocky. "Whatever you believe, it should never cost a human life. And now, let us take a small moment to remember the Piccadilly Five."

Potter bowed his head, and his team followed suit. Every student and staff member present at the game fell quiet and bowed their heads. Even the Slytherin team stilled in the moment.

"For Sarah Jones," whispered James, and we were silent. "For Matthew Jones," he continued, and we were silent. "For Calum Gordon." And we were silent.

He knew their names—the names of the five Muggles who'd been nonsensically murdered. He wasn't reading from a slip of parchment, or from ink on his hand as far as I could tell. He actually knew their names.

It was enough to bring a pang to my chest, and I struggled not to cry as I squeezed Jen's hand. Arrogant toerag he may be at times, but in this moment, I could almost kiss James Potter.

Almost.

"For Siobhan Healy."

Then, like an egg cracking open, the sun broke through the late November clouds overhead. A shaft of sunlight poured onto the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain as though the whole world were granting him sainthood. I would have rolled my eyes, but strangely, I didn't mind.

"For Dylan Morgan."

I watched him closely in wonder; he seemed so grown up, so different. I didn't feel nearly as much disgust for him as I should—perhaps this wasn't all for show and he was actually sincere?

And then, the most alarming thing happened.

Potter squinted up at the sunlight and his face broke out into a smile that sent my stomach absolutely swooping with butterflies.

Okay, that was new!

He stuck his wand up in the air, looking like a disco god. "For the Piccadilly Five," he declared, a beam of brilliant scarlet and gold light shooting out of his wand.

We all mirrored him, sending up hundreds of little light bursts into the dreary November sky; scarlet and gold, emerald and silver beams, all mixed together in a wonderful sea of House pride and commemoration.

Potter surveyed the stands in turn and then said, "Thank you. Now let's play some Quidditch!"

The stands erupted into cheers, and we all climbed down off our benches. The Quidditch captains shook hands and at the starting whistle of Madam Hooch, Potter stole the Quaffle, taking off towards the Slytherin hoops.

I ignored the game for the most part. Watching my classmates on brooms gave me secondhand panic, and the whole stomach-swooping-at-Potter's-stupid-smile thing wasn't something I wanted to explore at the moment. Instead, I chose to devote my attention to my sandwiches as the crowd oohed and ahhed around me at every steal, dive, Bludger strike, and goal.

I mean, who did he think he was, anyway?

I bit into my sandwich.

Smiling like that.

I wiped the side of my mouth on my robe's sleeve.

It should be outlawed!

I stared rather crossly after him as he scored a goal and did a victory loop in the air like the flying prat that he was while the Gryffindor supporters screamed, "GO, GO GRYFFINDOR!"

As I'd refrained from joining in, Jen patted my arm sympathetically. "James has got a lot more flying experience than you do, but I promise he's being safe out there."

I fixed her with my most bewildered expression. "Jennifer Till, just what are you on about?"

"Well, I'd be worried about him, too—you know, all those reckless stunts he pulls—but he's been flying probably his whole life."

I blinked. "Right, then you can worry for the both of us," I said. "I'm sure he'll be touched."

"Did you two—did you get into an argument or something?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

I burst into laughter. "It's Potter! We're always in an argument!"

Jen nodded, but didn't seem totally reassured.

Ten minutes and a sandwich later, Gryffindor was up ten points, and Nadiya Shah careened towards the Slytherin goalposts, her hijab billowing behind her as she intercepted a pass between two Slytherin Chasers.

"And it's Shah with the Quaffle, folks! She's only a few feet from the goalposts, but Bulstrode's guarding it well!" Frank Longbottom's voice rang out across the pitch. I didn't quite know why, but I found him a titch annoying.

Instead of scoring into the goals RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER, however, Nadiya passed to Okosta, who passed to Potter, who passed back to Nadiya. She dropped several feet in the air, and started flying towards the middle of the pitch, two Slytherin Chasers on her tail.

Our entire section got to its feet, yelling at her to fly back to the goalposts.

What was she thinking? She was going in the completely OPPOSITE direction!

Just what was Potter doing with this team of his?!

Just as she barrel-rolled out of the way of an incoming Bludger, the east-side of the pitch roared in triumph.

"GO, GO GRYFFINDOR!"

We all scrambled around wildly. Had we scored?

DID WE JUST SCORE?

But Nadiya was right there—?!

Potter was doing another victory loop, Quaffle in hand.

QUAFFLE. IN. HAND.

What in Merlin's name?!

"GO, GO GRYFFINDOR!" I chanted along with the crowd.

Potter zoomed past the stands, and slowed considerably as he approached our box. Spotting me in the crowd, he smiled widely and threw me a wink, which filled me with an inexplicable sensation of warmth and made me want to kiss him.

AGAIN.

What was wrong with me?

Had I been struck by some wayward hex that made you want to kiss the nearest bloke on a broomstick?

Perhaps I needed a personal visit back to St. Mungo's!

While Mum recovered from her dose of Calming Draught, they could commit me in the Janus Thickey ward for the rest of the weekend, or at least until I went back to my normal, Potter-loathing self.

I blushed considerably, which only made Potter's smile grow wider, and he blew. a. kiss. at. ME.

My poor heart was pounding a thousand miles a minute, beating itself to death against my ribcage. The sounds of the crowds seemed to muffle and everything in the world went slightly fuzzy except the sight of Potter smirking devilishly on his broomstick.

Just what in Merlin's name gave Potter the right?

Jen elbowed me in the side as he sped off. "Aww, he was looking for you," she said. "It almost makes me want to be sick it's so sweet."

"I think I'll join you," I agreed, miming a gag, much to Jen's amusement. "Anyway, since when have you joined Marlene in the Let's-Get-Lily-to-Date-Potter Camp?" I asked, feeling slightly betrayed.

Jen hummed. "Probably when you actually started dating him." She gasped at something happening on the pitch, but I could only stare at her, her words echoing in my brain.

When you actually started dating him . . .

WHAT.

"WHAT," I said.

She joined the crowds in their whinging as something didn't go their way and then continued, "Actually, I think it was when he offered to help you learn how to fly so you could beat Black at a game of Hippogriff. I thought that was very big of him."

If this was supposed to be a joke, I couldn't make out the punchline.

"Okay, seriously. WHAT are you talking about?" I demanded.

Jen frowned. "What do you mean, 'what am I talking about'? I'm talking about how you and James started dating because he taught you how to fly."

My eyebrows went up. Jen was not making any sense at all. I was not dating James Potter nor did I know how to fly!

The thought was absolutely ridiculous!

Hilarious!

I started laughing. "That's the funniest thing anyone's ever said to me in my entire life, Jennifer Till."

"Is that not how it happened? Whatever—the point is, I never thought he actually deserved you until that moment, you know? And it was enough to change your mind, so even though I still give him a hard time about it, I think he makes you happy."

"Truly, Jen, what are you on about?" I asked. "You're talking complete hogwash. Did you have a very vivid dream about this and mistake it all for reality?"

Obviously, there was something wrong with my besty matey! Perhaps we both needed a visit to the Janus Thickey ward. . . .

Jen opened her mouth to say something, but she was cut off by Mary Macdonald.

"There you are!" she said. She was decked out in scarlet and gold from head to toe, having even dyed strands of her hair bright crimson. "I was in the other box with Remus and Peter, but when I saw James slow up over here, I thought, 'Well, that must be where Lily is!' And I was right! How did St. Mungo's go? Is your mum well? I'm sure you're feeling much more cheerful after that display! Oh, that was so romantic, Lily. The girls over there were absolutely swooning. You're so lucky to have such a dreamy boyfriend!"

I looked between Mary and Jen and back again. "Are you two taking the piss?"

Mary's face fell.

"I mean, honestly. Did you two get together and decide it'd be really funny to pretend that Potter and I were going out?"

Jen looked absolutely gobsmacked.

"Well, ha bloody ha!" I continued. "It's not very funny after all, is it?"

"Lily, what—?" Jen began, but I cut her off again.

"And that whole bit about him teaching me to fly? That was a low blow, Jennifer Till, even for you." I crossed my arms across my chest and watched as the Gryffindor Seeker made like a canon towards the middle of the pitch and zipped erratically towards the ground in pursuit of the Golden Snitch. "You know how I feel about the fact that I, a dreadful Muggleborn, never learned to fly."

Mary and Jen exchanged puzzled looks.

"He taught her how to fly?" whispered Mary.

Jen nodded. She placed a tentative hand on my shoulder. "We're sorry, Lily. We didn't mean to upset you."

I shrugged. "I suppose if it was meant to be for a laugh, I'm sorry to have spoiled it. I'm just not in a very big laughing mood, to be honest."

"Right," Jen said, peering at me with restrained curiosity. "What happened at St. Mungo's?"

I got right to it, told her about how our Trainee Healer was an insane Pureblood Supremacist who tried to Obliviate Mum against her express wishes, but had tricked her into signing a waiver.

"Wait, you got in the way of the Charm?" asked Mary, alarmed. She and Jen exchanged worried expressions.

I stared at her feathered blonde and crimson layers. "Yes, but Auror Moody put up a Shield Charm and I didn't get Obliviated, thank Merlin."

I watched as Potter scored another goal and frowned. He pumped his fist into the air as he did another victory loop. To my internal horror, the sight filled me with the warm feeling of dirigibles floating pleasantly in my stomach.

No time to dwell on that, however, as Jen and Mary each placed a hand on either of my shoulders.

"Lily, how well can you fly?" asked Jen carefully.

I blew a raspberry at her. "I'm pants on a broom as you well know, Jen." They looked at each other again, and I sighed. "Alright, what is it?"

"Lily, I think you were Obliviated," said Mary, her eyebrows furrowing worriedly. "How else would you explain the fact that you don't remember your own boyfriend?"

"Or that you can fly," added Jen, side eying Mary. "And that you're having your very first official Hippogriff match in about three hours with a Hippogriff team you captain."

I blinked rapidly. "What are you saying?" I had to sit down on the bench. I could scarcely breathe properly. "Hippogriff?"

The girls sat down on either side of me just as the crowds around us burst into cries of triumph, Longbottom's voice roaring over the din. Apparently, one of the Seekers had finally caught the Snitch. Wonderful.

"You're missing some memories, love," said Mary in a calming voice.

"No," I shook my head vehemently. "Auror Moody put up a Shield Charm."

Jen rubbed my back soothingly. "I think maybe he was too late."

"No, that's impossible." But I didn't think I could believe that anymore. "You're joking! This is just one big TERRIBLE joke!"

Jen and Mary wore expressions of equal discomfort.

"Tell me it's a joke!" I demanded. When they said nothing, I slid into panic, ranting a mile a minute. "It's just not possible. I would've known! Wouldn't I have known? Merlin, of course not! Obliviation wipes your memory and replaces it with false ones but I—I don't even really remember—it's all very foggy and, oh. Oh. Are you telling me that that Trainee Healer actually managed to—to—oh my Godric. No. No, this can't be happening!"

"I'm sorry, Lily, but I think it is," said Jen, a frown creasing her brow.

The crowd jostled us from side to side in their celebrations. Normally, we'd probably join in. But I, Lily Evans, was freaking out.

And when I looked Jennifer Till and Mary Macdonald in the eyes, they did not waver; they were telling the truth.

I gasped in shock as it all dawned on me. "I'm dating James Potter?!"

Okay, I'm dating James Potter.

No big deal.

He's my boyfriend? James Potter is my boyfriend.

Somehow, despite all the stupid pranks and awful torment he put my former best friend through, and all the immature ways he'd asked me out in fifth year, he won me over.

Yeah, okay. Totally believable.

Except NOT! Though he must have done something to make me, Lily Evans, President of the "I Shall Remain Forever Suspicious of James F. Potter for All Eternity Because of That One Time He Transfigured My Homework Into a Flock of Clucking Paper Chickens" Club, actually date him.

Because I was dating him, according to witnesses. Good Godric, it was still so bizarre to think about!

I mean, that would explain the bizarre urges to kiss him and the inexplicable warm feeling I got when he looked at me or did something completely benign, like fly in a silly victory loop after scoring a goal.

How could I just forget a whole relationship like that? How bloody inconvenient to have all these feelings for a bloke and not even remember how they got there?

According to Jen, it was all because he taught me how to fly, because I'd accidentally-on-purpose let everyone think I was an incredible flyer when I nearly fell to my death but managed to pull off a Wronski Defensive Feint instead, whatever in Helga Hufflepuff that is.

And that's the other thing—I was now Captain of a Hippogriff team, which was due to have its very first match in a matter of hours.

I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HIPPOGRIFF WAS, OKAY?

We'd scrambled out of the Quidditch stands as soon as we could, though the lumbering crowds slowed us down quite a bit. And there, just on the other side of the Herbology greenhouses, was the Hippogriff pitch.

How had I missed it before? It was so much bigger than the Quidditch pitch!

When I asked Jen about it, she said, "Oh yes, well, you need quite ample space to race and relay for sport."

She seemed so learned in the subject, and I had no idea it was even a thing! And I was supposed to captain a whole team? Full of people I didn't even know? Except DORCAS for some equally bizarre reason?!

The three of us made our way to the Hospital Wing, where my very worried mates deposited me in front of a very alarmed Madam Pomfrey. She had also admitted Okosta Chinua for a concussion after a nasty blow from a Bludger. Which meant that he was due for a visit from the rest of his team and, inevitably, the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain himself.

Er. My boyfriend, James Potter.

Godric, that was so weird!

"What's the matter?" asked Madam Pomfrey, inspecting me with quick eyes.

"I've been Obliviated," I said. I briefly explained to her the situation, and her quick eyes became slow, rounding out and widening at a glacial pace as I recounted my experience with the Trainee Healer at St. Mungo's.

"Alecto Carrow is a disgrace to the profession!" Pomfrey declared. "And what was Mr. Bones thinking? He should have inspected you for damage before you left his care; it's his department!"

She sent off a few Owls and ordered me to a bed.

Jen and Mary followed, though not before visiting a younger girl with brown skin and a fountain of curls who lay sleeping in the bed next to mine.

From the school tie folded neatly at her bedside, it appeared she was a Gryffindor student. I asked the girls about her, and Jen frowned.

"You don't remember Sruthi, either."

I grimaced. "How do I know her?"

Mary shrugged. "She's always hanging around Sirius Black. I reckon he introduced you two."

"I'm friends with Black?!" I asked, taken aback.

Jen sighed. "You're dating James Potter, Lily. Of course you're friends with Sirius Black!"

"And Remus and Peter," added Mary matter-of-factly.

"And Sruthi," I said, trying to put together an entire social life that had been wiped from my memory. I stared at the sleeping girl sorrowfully. "I wonder if I should be worried for her, if she's in here."

"I think you'd be relieved she was finally getting some sleep," answered Jen.

When Madam Pomfrey returned to me a few moments later, she demanded my friends be present to "assess the extent of the damage."

They filled her in on their observations: I didn't remember being captain of a Hippogriff team, didn't remember what Hippogriff was at all, in fact, didn't remember any of the people on my team—except Dorcas—didn't remember I could fly or my boyfriend or having friendships with any of his mates (I can't even imagine having a conversation with Remus Lupin—he hardly speaks!), and I didn't remember Sruthi.

"You only brought her in yesterday morning," Madam Pomfrey said, much to my surprise. "What can you remember about yesterday?"

I recounted that I'd gone to morning classes, but had been late for Arithmancy due to Head Girl business. I'd arrived at the Great Hall for lunch late and found out about the attack on Piccadilly Square. I'd seen Mum in the Daily Prophet, and had a miserable evening moping about it because I had to wait to see her.

"And what was your Head Girl business?" asked Madam Pomfrey.

I cocked my head to the side. "I was—I . . ." I trailed off, staring hopelessly at the large windows opposite me. I frowned when nothing but the words Head Girl business rang around in my head. "I can't recall. I just know that it was Head Girl business."

Pomfrey tsked and wrote something down on a clipboard. "That business was bringing Ms. Chowdary in for some much-needed sleep."

Oh.

"But it doesn't seem your memory was replaced, which may make it easier to recover the Obliviated one," she continued.

Mary and Jen seemed to be holding their breath as Madam Pomfrey asked me to recall the events of the last week—events which surely would have included Potter-as-my-boyfriend or the Hippogriff team—but which drew the same mysterious results: Potter was supportive, and productive evening held with friends floated around in my head in place of where I should have had memories.

Just as I was trying to recall Wednesday night, an owl swooped onto the end of my bed, and stuck its leg out to the Healer in front of me. She took the proffered parchment, unfurled it dramatically, and read its contents, a frown growing in menace between her eyebrows as she went. Finally, she looked up. "Mr. Bones recommends a potion out of Medicinae memoriae to speed along the process of memory recovery. If he is suggesting the potion I am thinking of, we can have it brewed within the week."

"The week?!" sputtered Jen. "But we've got a Hippogriff match in two hours!"

"Isn't there something else you can do?" I asked, a flood of panic settling in at the thought of being forced on a broom without knowing how to FLY. "What am I supposed to say to everyone in the meantime?"

"I don't suppose it's occurred to you, Ms. Evans, that the truth would be simplest," answered Pomfrey.

"Simple, yes, but certainly not wise," said Mary. "Lily's got so many rivals; it'd be a shame if they could use this information to hurt her."

Jen and I stared at Mary in shock. She flipped her crimson and blonde hair behind her shoulder self-consciously.

"Well. We don't want that." Madam Pomfrey seemed taken aback. "Ms. Evans, when you saw Mr. Potter this morning, did you notice how you felt about him?"

Yes, it was ALL I could notice!

I nodded.

"And was it different than normal?" she pressed on.

I nodded again.

She smiled a small, knowing smile. "Was the nature of your feelings romantic?"

I blushed deeply, but nodded anyway.

This time, Pomfrey's smile widened across her face, pulling her expression into one rarely witnessed by many Hogwarts students: happiness. "Well, then your body remembers, even if your mind doesn't."

That should have been good news, but it only meant that Jen was convinced I'd be able to fly on a broomstick in less than two hours in front of the entire school and some Ministry officials.

Because this sport was being sponsored by the Ministry.

Because Jen and her barmy Hogwarts bylaws loopholes. (I'd tuned out of that explanation pretty quickly.)

I sighed and shook out my hands as a wave of fresh anxiety overtook my body. My remembering body.

Oh, sweet Merlin.

I was still sitting on a Hospital Wing bed, answering questions, when the sounds of an approaching clamor reached the doors.

They burst open to reveal the Gryffindor Quidditch team, still clad in their game day robes, holding aloft their broomsticks.

"Oh, for Peeves's sake," muttered Pomfrey as she got up, presumably to yell at them.

"OKOSTA THE MOST-A! OKOSTA THE MOST-A!" they sang as they circled his bed.

"Mr. Chinua is unwell!" Pomfrey exclaimed. "Lower your voices or you will be expelled from the Wing immediately."

Sirius Black grinned, and as if on cue, he and Marlene whispered, "Okosta the most-a! Okosta the most-a!" until the rest of the team had joined him.

Okosta laughed and the team visited with him for a few moments, before Marlene and Sirius noticed me a few beds down.

"Oi, what's wrong with you, then?" called Marlene.

And although Jen and Mary overworked their arms and faces trying to get her to shut up, Potter turned around and saw me anyway.

His face immediately shifted from laughing to troubled in mere microseconds. He was at my side in what seemed even less time. Sirius and Marlene sauntered along behind him.

I stared at the doors in panic. Possibly, I could just. Walk away. Escape. I'm sure no one would notice. . . .

"Lily, what's wrong? Did something happen to you at St. Mungo's?" Potter asked, taking my hand.

Which felt, in my head, extremely weird, but my own hand had a mind of its own and simply interlaced our fingers.

Dear Godric. I was holding James Potter's hand!

The heat in my neck was sure to be making my face flame, but I tried not to pay it too much attention.

"Er, yes." I searched helplessly at Jen, Mary, and Madam Pomfrey. "I'm okay, but also very not. And we aren't sure yet if I can be helped. Certainly not immediately, anyway."

I was rambling.

Marlene dropped onto the bed next to me and slung a muscled arm over my shoulder. "Madam will get you sorted, won't you?" she asked Pomfrey.

Madam Pomfrey opened her mouth to reply but only managed a grimace.

Potter cocked his head to the side, his hair all hurricane-ridden and strangely satisfying to look at. "What's going on?"

He regarded me in a way that made me realize how silly it would be to make for the door. Even though I didn't remember dating him at all, I felt it would be wrong to keep this from him. Besides, he needed to know. What if he tried something?

"Well," I started. I slipped my hand out from his and nervously tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "I—I was Obliviated."

"Crikey," said Marlene.

"Sruthi," murmured Sirius. He sounded rattled. He and James shared a panicked look. It was a bit of a strange reaction, though the girl in question was sleeping in the bed next to mine. Perhaps they'd just noticed her?

Potter turned to Pomfrey. "How can we fix this?"

We. He'd said we.

The dirigibles in my stomach made their way to my chest where it felt like they were exploding in elation. Okay, okay. I could see the appeal in dating this bloke.

Pomfrey explained, "We are working with St. Mungo's on a solution and they have suggested we try a special memory potion. However, that will take a week to brew."

Potter deflated. And then, looking down at me and then at the hand that had rejected him, he pursed his lips. "You forgot me, didn't you?"

Marlene gasped.

"Me, too?" asked Black, his grey eyes flashing with something that could have been hurt.

I stared up at them guiltily. "I'm … sorry," I said.

Potter closed his eyes and exhaled, totally crestfallen. "It's not your fault," he said.

Black's eyes narrowed. "What's my name, then?"

"I remember who you are, obviously, just, not who you are to me," I said. "You're Black, er, Sirius Black."

"Oh, for—" Pomfrey got up and made her way over to the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, who were now Levitating Okosta up and down out of his bed as they whispered, "Hip, hip, hooray!"

Once she was out of earshot, I caught Potter's gaze. He looked so, so sad. "I've also forgotten how to fly," I said. "If that makes you feel any better. And apparently I have a whole team that I don't remember at all."

He shook his head. "How could this have happened?"

"There was this Trainee Healer—she didn't like that Mum wanted to keep her memories, and she tricked her."

Potter laughed humorlessly. "And let me guess, you got in the way?" he said.

I frowned. "Yes, I—"

"Unbelievable," he said, shaking his head. "That is so typical!"

Jen said, "Potter—"

"No, no. Don't 'Potter' me, Jen! You know I'm right! Lily can't keep putting herself in these dangerous situations!" He gestured wildly at me. "She doesn't think, just jumps!"

You know what? I take it back.

I do not see the appeal of dating James Potter.

"I'm right here," I said through gritted teeth.

Potter looked pained. "Yes, in the Hospital Wing." He crouched down to my level. "Lily. I'm sorry for getting carried away, but I care about you and I want you to be safe."

I blinked, ignoring the swooping in my belly and focusing on the faint spark of indignation in my gut instead. "Well joke's on you, Potter, because I'm about to go fly in a game I don't even remember. Better run now or we'll be late, eh?"

I didn't catch his expression before getting up from the bed and pulling Jen, Mary, and Marlene out of the Hospital Wing.

I may have been on good terms with and also dating James Potter in some alternate version of my life, but in this reality, we were through.

A/N: Lily can be such a drama queen sometimes. Anyway, I'm waiting out a hurricane at the moment. Here's hoping I make it to chapter 26 in one piece! And as always, dear reader, from the wibbly-wobbly depths of my heart, I am ever so grateful I can share this story with you. Things may be getting pretty sticky here and in real life, but if we can hang in there and weather the storm, we'll make it out the other end and into the sunshine.