Remus was back the week after school started up again. He had gotten Lily's letter and he pulled her aside in the common room.
"You're right. They'd love each other. "
"I know. But what can we do? "
"When's the wedding? "
"August. "
"Isn't June traditional? "
"Miranda? Tradition? Ha. " Lily scoffed.
"Okay. I see you're point. I dunno Lils there's gotta be something we can do. " Remus was thoughtful but he couldn't do aanything she knew it. But she could be wrong.
Not much changed that term. Gwen wasn't speaking to her, Transfig was impossible. The usual. She went through her life like a robot defiantly not the carefree girl she used to be. Benny stayed health enough that she didn't have to go home but it always gave her stress headaches.
Easter they stayed at Hogwarts Lily spent her time frantically studying for exams.
Hey Alec? She would ask pitifly
Yeah Lillian? He would respond perturbed he only used her full name when he was majorly pissed. She decided almost against he wishes to ignore it.r
What makes a Forget-me-not potion?
Beetle legs and unicorn drool now if you'd payed attention…
Stow it Mr. Scholar
were her conversations with her brother. James continued to help her with Transfig and it helped a lot. She thought she might pass. McGonagall still didn't quite trust her and was constantly pulling her aside asking "Did you get that? Misilosus for a pebble to become a marble? Everything else going okay? " it was soooo annoying.
Things might have been better if she had someone to talk to but she didn't Gwendolyn was giving her the cold shoulder and Alec was always reading history. He didn't need to study. He could do a spell just thinking of it and they were always powerful. Remus was gone over Easter the only other person in Gryffindor was Pettigrew. She didn't trust him he never said anything about his family or anything else he also depended on James and Sirius to help him with school work.
To make matters worse the news about the happenings outside the stone walls was horrible. A wizard seemed to be gathering followers the deaths were high. Twenty since September. The first had been the Bones' the only survivior was a twenty year old girl who had hiden in a bomb shelter. Her parents had been in the ministry in the Department f Mysteries
The other daughter was about to start at Hogwarts with them. It was horrible to think that could happen to a girl her age. They said she had been found on her bed reading over Hogwarts A History.
Summer came soon enough and it was time to pack bags for the year, Lily passed Transfig but barely her highest mark was in Charms of course. On the train home most kids were rowdy doing spells for the last time until September. Lily once again sat alone staring out the window. Then it hit her.
"Remus! C'mere. " She exclaimed. Remus was startled she hadn't really talked to anyone in ages. He immeadeatly suspected she had another one of her headaches and rushed over.
"What is it Lils? Are you okay? "
She smiled and he breathed in a sigh of relief; he then became incredibly curious about why she had called him over.
"Fine absolutely fine. I had an idea. If I can get my dad to take me to the mall tomorrow. And he sees your mom… "
"Lily Evans you are a genius. " He marveled. Sure it was chancy biut if it worked…
"Tell McGonagall that! " Lily interrupted his thoughts sarcasticly.
"And hopeless… " he grinned. He had missed her these past months.
"You know if they got married we'd be related. "
"Yeah. We would. " He sighed.
"You sound dissipointed. " She frowned hoping he wasn't upset. "I know I've been a bitch but- "
"No it's not that Lils. It's just that… "
"Spit it out. " She uttered her catch phrase and he smiled warmly.
"That I like you. " He blurted. She looked at him cryptically.
"I'd hope so. "
"No I like you in another way. I think I have ever since I met you. " He sighed deeply a huge weight had been taken off his shoulders.
"Oh. Oh Remus. I like you like a brother. I don't like you like that, I'm sorry truly. I never knew. "
"Oh. Okay. Well. " He looked at his feet and cleared his throat embarassed. Lily watched amused as his ears turned bright red.
"Are you okay? " she asked sympathy in her voice.
"Yeah. I'm okay. I mean we could be siblings so… " he stammered trying to mask his feelings,
"Right that'd be. Bad. " They sat in silence the rest of the ride.
That evening she approched her dad who was reading the news paper by the fire.
"Dad? " she asked timidly.
"Yes Lily? " he looked at her over the paper. She was dressed for bed in a long yellow nightdress and her hair was down to her shoulders.
"Um you see you know my friend Remus? "
"Is that the little brown haired kid that always calls me sir? "
"Yeah. That's him. So anyway his mom works at the mall and I was wondering if you could take me there And. Pick. Me. Up. There tomorrow? "
"Sure. I won't forget this time. " The last time he had left her at the movies for two hours before remembering. Lily was ready the next day.
"Pick me up in two hours. " She said as she got out.
"I'll be back in four hours. "
"TWO! "
"Okay okay. Testy are we? " sjhe ignored this and ran in. She made a beeline for the store Ms. Lupin worked at. It was relitivaly queit and Lily sat down on a chair in the corner. Soon Ms. Lupin joined her.
"Hi. What's wrong Lily? "
"Nothing. It's just. Melinda. " She sighed into her hands.
"What'd she do this time? "
"Nothing. It's the fact that she breathes. "
"Lily… " Ms. Lupins tone was that of a warning mother.
"I know. That and McGonagall. "
"I had my troubles with her. "
"She hates me. She thinks I am a hypocondriact and that I am depressed. " She started to cry. "Maybe I am. " Her dad walked in to find her there still crying two hours later
"Lily? " he asked as they walked into the store. She looked up from her hands which were soping wet. As an attempt to collect herself she wiped away her tears.
"Hi Daddy. " She said with incredibly false cheerfulness. He sat down next to her. Ms. Lupin was helping a customer so the other chair was open.
"Lily what's wrong? " she smiled brightly.
"Not a thing. Her let me show you this cute shirt. " She bounced up but he grabbed her arm.
"Lil sit. " She sat.
"What? " she whined.
"Lily have you been crying? " he looked at her but she looked away.
"No of course not why would I be crying? " she said with a huge smile. Then Ms. Lupin came over,
"Lily quite lying to your Da. " She said soothingly. Lily glared at her.
"Okay. Yes Dad I was crying. " She admitted.
"Care to tell me why? " Not Really!
"Mmm. " She muttered.
"LILY! " Both of the adults said.
"Okay okay don't have a cow.It's just… " she breathed in hard. "Just that with all that has happened this year. I guess I'm overwhelimed. You know starting Hogwarts, Benny being sick. Me being sick, my grades. So much has happened. Not to metion Melinda. "
"Yeah Lily about Melinda. " Here we go she is okay quit treating her like crap blah blah blah. "We canceled the wedding. "
"Oh so now you've canceled the… " she drifted off. The shrieked. "You canceled the wedding!! "
"I thought you'd be upset. " Her father said in all seriousness. Lily looked at him as though he'd grown another head and saw the grin on his face.
"Not me Penny will. "
"Right that's for sure. Does your friend here sell suits of armour? "
"'Fraid not. All though ski jackets are quite hefty. " Her dad laughed.
"Sorry I haven't introduced myself I am William Evans "
"Rita Lupin. Pleasure. " They looked into each others eyes for a moment before her father cleared his throat. "
"Er. Right then… our kids seem to get along well at school and uh maybe we could get them together…. "
"Right for the kids sake. Say tomorrow at seven? Meet here? "
"Yeah sounds good. Rita. "
Oh Alec… she called in a singsong voice.
What? You need to know how to turn a sister into a brat? He spat at her.
No… just to say sorry and that dad likes Ms. Lupin…
