Notes:

Just a little not to say that the character Edward Camerson is the creation of a friend of mine who wanted to be part of the story, by the name of Robert Camerson. I have based my perception of Lily on another friend of mine, Maureen O'Dwyer. I'd just like to say thanks to the pair of you, you've really helped me with this!

Professor Sambora is my own creation, but if any of you out there are Bon Jovi fans, then perhaps you can understand where I got my "inspiration" from by telling you he was a great guitarist as well as Professor of Herbology!!!

The Ball and its aftermath

We had a great time at the ball. As soon as I got back to the common room to tell Ed, he stopped me and asked if I would like to go with him, and I said yes. I must say he made a much better job of it than Severus had, and I was very impressed that he could be a gentleman rather than a clown when he wanted to be. Fair enough, he had his fair share of fun on the night (leprechaun gold, Professor Sambora, a Boggart, don't ask) but it only made it more fun, and while he was getting told off, I had a chance to watch Lily and Severus (I was involved in this little escapade, but he went all heroic on me and took all the blame!). It was as if no one else was in the room, they didn't leave each other's sides all night, and although I felt very happy for them, I thought perhaps I would become a 3rd wheel.

My fears were quickly laid to rest on that, or for a few years they were. Things changed very little between us, and I still had time with one of them on their own quite often, so it wasn't the hell it could have been. Severus and I were both on the Quidditch team, so we had practice twice a week (he was the best Chaser Slytherin has ever had, and I was a fairly average Seeker, but thankfully the other team's current Seekers were all second years and below average.) Lily and I had become sort of permanent helpers for the Herbology teacher Professor Sambora, so I saw her every Wednesday night for a few hours on her own.

In classes, very little changed, except when James was around. Lily had told me in confidence that James had asked her to the Ball, but she had not given him an answer, in the hope that Severus would ask her. I laughed at the time, but perhaps this was a turning point, and where all our future problems were decided. Whenever he was within earshot or could see Severus and Lily, Sev made point of putting his arm around her very dramatically and saying something he knew would annoy James. Lily didn't seem to mind, which did strike me as a little odd, but perhaps she was afraid she'd upset Sev if she said anything; I guess we'll never know.

Ed became a sort of honorary Fate, and he enjoyed more than anything to try and annoy the Marauders, but he still put friendship first, which again left me pleasantly suprised. He told me he had found out that Remus carried a bit of torch for me, but he never tried to use that against him. The explanation he gave me at the time was something like I was a person, not a product from Zonko's, and he didn't want to upset me. Looking back, it may have been a clever line, but at the time he seemed Genuine. Either way, it worked!