I have completely decided to stop being so completely and utterly insane!
Can you imagine me saying that, Prongs? If you can, that means you still absolutely love me.
Or didn't you say that already?
The reason my letter this time doesn't start with a salutation is because I am simply not in the mood to write one. Because I am no longer completely and utterly insane.
Or something like that.
The day has been utterly horrible. I opened a supply closet only to find an ex of mine and an enemy of mine falling out of the said closet, while they were making out. Not a pretty picture. Neither of them are that good-looking, mind.
Lily shuddered before continuing. Honestly, Zahn Michaels and Severus Snape making out. **Gross**
You asked me if I was seeing anyone. Well, there is this one boy. He doesn't know I'm seeing him, but I am... Can't you picture me winking?
Lily recalled how sweaty her palms got whenever she was around the Gryffindor boys- Because of James.
But he's totally in love with this other girl. Almost exact replica of me, you know? It totally sucks that he loves this girl. I mean, honestly. He floats about the place like an idiot.
And he thinks he's my best friend in the world, when he makes my palms sweat and I'm constantly wiping my hands on my robes and I'm gulping.. He's driving me bananas, James.
James was instantly jealous of this fellow.
Write me soon, James. I might actually be distracted from this god for a moment if one of your wonderful, beautiful letters comes through to me. I float about the place like this god whenever I receive your letters. Write me soon, James.. I cannot survive France without you.
Love, Always,
Lily
"What are you writing, James? Another letter to Lillian?" Belle asked, slipping in a seat next to him at breakfast.
"Her name is Lily." James grunted. "And, yes. Damn girl is in love with somebody."
Belle spat out her orange juice. "I wouldn't believe it."
"She said she's seeing someone." James groaned miserably. "But he's in love with another girl."
Belle smiled coyly. "Not to worry, James, I'm pretty sure Lily isn't in love. She said she was only in love once, and that was the same person she'd be in love with for the rest of her life."
Belle walked away.
Dear Lily,
Damn the fellow who can't see that you're the best thing that will ever happen to him. I can imagine opening a supply closet and finding my ex with her current beau attached at the lips. I did it once to you, remember? David Morales in sixth year? Well, Belle had the unfortunate duty of getting us quills one day and she opened the door and Severus Snape and Zahn Michaels were making it like dogs.
Lily smiled. They had been talking about the same thing, and he had no idea.
The day was semi-good. With Belle around, we're able to have a Gryffindor, our year only scrimmage like we did in sixth year when the rest of the house got detentions (when we were conveniently missing, remember?). She's not on the Quidditch team, but it's nice to have fun with the seventh years only.
I actually made us some points in Charms, when the part-Transfiguration Charm was being used, the Sparkler one.. You know, to make things sparkle. I accidentally turned something into a little sparkler, like the ones on New Year's Eve in first year, and Flitwick mistook it as the actual Charm. Belle was scolding me, though, to make me tell the truth. A lot like you would.
Do you know what? I told you in the very beginning of fifth year that I knew French. Funny, it escapes me now whenever I try to understand it. I suppose it's different, speaking French for English people as an English person and then speaking it to a real French person, like Belle, and.. I suppose it's because I've always recited phrases, and Belle speaks in fast, fluent French. Funny, Sirius isn't part of the upper class (well, he is, in technicality, his dad is the founder of this Potions ingredients farm, but that's not the point. The point is that he's not required to know French), and yet he and Belle can chat in the best French in the world.
Lily started laughing her head off and sort of remembered the weird expression on his face whenever 'Belle' spoke to him in French.. A real French person? Belle? Right... Though she had to admit, she had been fooling him thus far with a very French/Bulgarian accent and come to think of it... She kept reading the letter.
I cannot wait until Christmas Eve, Lils. I would have waited almost a full year before you return to me. My letter is short because I cannot repeat to you over and over, the same thing; I miss you. Life here is like a garden without flowers, a night sky without the stars and moon, like Shakespeare without the mushy love—That is life here without you. That is how I feel without you.
Love, Always,
James
"Tell me why exactly are we dressing up just to meet this girl?" Leola demanded.
"Don't ask me. Sirius just said that this girl is a close friend of Lily's, a friend of his own, and she's helped out James a whole bunch." Coco had clearly become the leader of the group. Coco left her long black hair straight over the baby pink dress.
"And why doesn't Clarisse have to go?" Leola whined.
"Because, Lee.. She has a date with Remus." Diana snapped, curling her hair with her wand. "Honestly, Lee, you whine about everything."
"If I had known I could get out of this with a date, I would have gone out with Sean Barnes." Leola whined again.
"You wouldn't have been able to, Lee.. He's coming too." Jennifer told her exasperatedly. Jennifer's new signature color had become red. She looked amazing in it. "Just get dressed, Lee.."
"Have you even noticed you are the only one in the room who's still in her bathrobe." Mia pointed out. Mia wore a black dress, and she was clearly regretting the decision. "What if I get red hair all over this thing?"
"Chances are, you will." Leola snapped as she headed over to her wardrobe. "Yellow, again?"
"It's your best color. Stop sounding so ungrateful." Diana told her confidently over her shoulder, stepping into a Ravenclaw blue dress.
"I just look like I belong in a Hufflepuff tenth year reunion." Leola whined.
"Like anyone would mistake you for a Hufflepuff." Mia said with a smile.
"Thanks guys. I still don't understand why we have to meet this girl. I mean, when is she supposed to be leaving?"
"The twenty-third of December, I believe." Coco went over to her notebook. "Tad wrote me a note about it during mandatory study hall."
"It does not make sense to imprison Ravenclaws in the library for study hall with the Slytherins and the Hufflepuffs. We study enough already." Jennifer looked like she was going to freak. "I actually had to witness Snape and Michaels attaching themselves at the lip."
"At least the Gryffindors were there." Mia said, relieved. "I swear, if we have to watch Zahn Michaels and Severus Snape make out, at least we have Sirius there to make commentary."
"We could have met this Belle person then, couldn't we? What happened?"
"You are determined to make this one of the least enjoyable meetings of my life, aren't you, Lee?" Jennifer drawled.
"Easy. The period that we're supposed to spend in classes like Arithmancy and such are cut from us in seventh year as we have an understandably huge load to go through, especially since this year we have to turn in a heavy research project. Once a week, the Head Boy and Girl have to use this 'study hall' time to go over projects and security and such." Diana explained. "Are we almost ready?"
"As soon as Leola gets in her tights." Coco muttered. "Continue."
"There's nothing more to say." Mia commented.
"Who's going to be Head Girl when Belle leaves?" Jennifer asked.
"You know, it's odd. The day after Belle leaves, Lily comes back." Coco muttered. "Naturally Lily will be Head Girl, but isn't that suspicious?"
"Isn't what suspicious?" Leola asked, pulling on her tights.
"Belle looks almost exactly like Lily. She excels in everything, like Lily. She plays all the Quidditch positions Lily could play." Mia commented.
"Lily disappears to France.." Diana was catching on.
"Belle is from France." Jennifer murmured in realization.
"The day after Belle leaves.." Mia whispered huskily.
"Is the day Lily comes back! I'm surprised we didn't see it before!" Coco exclaimed. "And we're supposed to be her best friends!"
"Do you think Sirius knows?" Diana asked.
"What do you want to know about Sirius?" Sean and Nick came in, Sean was the one who spoke.
Leola put her shoes on. "Never you mind.. Shall we go?"
Nick laughed and Sean put a sheepish smile on his face. "Yeah, Lee.. Let's roll."
"What if they don't like me, Ronan?" Belle was pacing about the place. James was nowhere to be found.
"Of course they'll like you." Ronan was becoming used to this.
"And what if they make fun of my dress?" Belle was becoming very anxious.
"They'll love your dress." Sirius replied.
"And what if they don't like my hair or the way I eat or what if they think I've.." Belle trailed off and sat down in the nearest chair.
"What is your problem?" Munguldus snapped. He, too, was nervous. He seemed to strike a nerve. She stood up in a huff, crossing her arms.
"Why don't you use your god damn powers and figure it out?" Belle shouted at him in a perfect London accent. She clamped a hand over her mouth. She had snapped. In two.
"L-l-l-l-lily?" Ronan stuttered.
"Yes, yes, you can't tell James, you can't tell anyone.." Lily had complete nervous breakdown in front of their eyes.
Sirius shrugged.
"Sirius Aries Black- If you ever make one of my hugest insecurities a simple move of your shoulders, I bend you to look like Severus Snape's lips when intertwined with Zahn Michaels's, in that exact same size!!!" She snapped at him. "Oh god.. I've snapped. I've lost it.. I'm positively cuckoo!" She sat down in a chair again.
Sirius, Ronan and Munguldus stared at their old friend.
Remus walked in with Clarisse. "Oh, Belle, Ronan.. Mung, Sirius- James isn't coming down tonight."
"Oh, bloody hell." Lily snapped. "My name isn't Belle, you dimwit. I am Lily fucking Evans, for god's sakes."
"You are?" Nick exclaimed. The Ravenclaws had followed Remus and Clarisse in.
"She is?" Sean looked to Mia, Jennifer, Coco, Leola, and Diana. Lily, Mia, Jennifer, Coco, Leola, Diana and Sirius nodded weakly.
"Oh god, I'm need a therapist." Lily muttered before banging her head against the table. "I sincerely need a therapist. Do you think I need a therapist? I need a therapist.. I. Want. My. Mummy."
And she proceeded to bang her head against the table.
"You know, Lily, this is what you get for having a split personality." Munguldus muttered.
Sirius and Ronan, who had been standing on either side of Munguldus, both slapped him on the side of his head.
"Well. This has been one interesting evening." Nick said finally.
"Oh, shut up." Lily muttered.