Thanks to my Beta!


         The Christmas holiday approached slowly for Lily… Amazingly slowly. She spent all her time doing schoolwork Her tutoring sessions with James were helping enough for her to squeak by. He was surprisingly patient with her. One night she asked him if he wanted payment.
    "Nah, but could you help me with charms?"
   "Sure." So with that agreement, a small truce between the two rivals was set. Not a friendship, and not an alliance, but a truce.
This was the highlight of Lily's time before Christmas. She had to work so hard on her schoolwork that she had little time to spend with her friends. When she did, she found herself envious of them and their perfect lives Gwen lived with her Grandmother and her little brother and she was always telling stories of evenings spent by the fire with a kitten in her lap.
Remus and his family were happy. His mom was so cool. James and Sirius had each other, and always had stories of mischief.
So in the end, Lily spent most of her time studying or drawing. She could draw better than anyone in her year. She had copied the picture of her parents, and drawn Alec in color, getting the shade of his eyes just right.
Christmas came, and she welcomed it more than anyone knew. She had missed her family, and would have given anything to get away from schoolwork. On the train, she was more open with her friends than she had been in weeks. After a rousing game of Gobstones, almost everyone fell asleep. Not Lily. She stared out the window, and soon Remus came and sat next to her.
"Lily. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, why?"
"It's just that lately you've been withdrawn, ever since your brothers illness."
"I'm fine, okay?"
"All right Lily." Remus wasn't so sure.
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When Sirius and James arrived at the station, Venny, their butler, was waiting for them with Alyssa.
"HI!!" Alyssa shouted when she spotted them.
"Hey." James answered. "How's mum?"
"Well, young James, she is doing well. She really wants to see you two." Venny answered with a smile that didn't reach his blue eyes.
"Well then, what are we waiting for? Lets go!" They got home an hour later, and James and Sirius raced to Ms. Potter's room.
"Hey Mum!" They shouted.
"There are my boys! How are you?"
"Fine Mum, you?"
"Oh, fine." She said evasively. James caught this in her tone, but he kept his mouth shut.

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The twins' homecoming was slightly different. Their whole family was there. Petunia was standing off to one side, pretending not to know them. The kids were so excited that Rose fell over a trolley, and their dad was all smiles. Lily warned Benny to slow down as he had been ill, and her dad said:
"You are one to talk Lily."
"What do you mean? I'm fine!"
"Oh really? Did you see your marks, or am I blind?"
"Oh… that…"
"Yeah, that." Her father said sarcastically.
"I will do better next semester. This was only the first one. Give me time!"
"Okay Princess, but don't let this conversation be repeated during the summer. Do you hear me young lady?" He looked at her ferociously.
"Yes sir. I hear you" I just hope I can keep the promise. She thought wistfully as they got into the car.
'Of course you will.' Alec said.
'I didn't realise that I was talking to you.'
'Well, I cannot read your mind'
'You think you can.'
'I do not!'
'Do.'
'Don't!'
'Do!'
'Don't!'
'Do!'
'DO NOT!!'
'DO SO!'
"Dad, tell Alec to stow it!'
"Alec, stop bugging your sister." Her dad did not think twice about scolding something he could not hear. It was a great thing that they had come to him when they were older because Lily could have used that to her advantage.
'Daddy's little girl.'
'And proud of it!'
The rest of the ride home was silent.
Their father's girlfriend was at dinner that night. Her name was Melinda, and they had been going out for a while. They were half way through the meal, when their father made in announcement.
"Children… My wife Penny, and Benny's mother, has been dead for a long time now. I need someone. Melinda and I are going to get married." He waited for a second to see their reactions. Penny jumped up and hugged them. Lily jumped up too, but it was for a highly different reason.
"Daddy, how can you do this to us? Don't we have a choice?"
"Lily, Darling, I thought you would be happy! Someone else can take care of Benny."
"I take care of Benny! She doesn't even like children!" And with that, she ran into her bedroom and screamed into her pillow.
"What's wrong Lily?" That would be Emmie.
"My dad is a bastard."
"Now, don't be so harsh."
"Hmph."
"Well, what are you going to do?"
"Um… Maybe I can go to Gwen's."
"Benny wouldn't like that."
"Yeah. I guess I'll stay." But she didn't want to.