When Lily regained her consciousness, she looked around and saw white walls around. Getting up from the bed, she glanced at the mirror near the medicine cabinet. She looked awful, her hair was frizzed up and her eyes were bloodshot. The small girl's skin looked translucent, it was so pale. The beds near her own were filled with some students who Lily recognized to be some of which she had worked alongside with in Hogsmeade.

She jerked at a sudden movement, Madame Prinuella was bustling around, snapping larges slabs of chocolate into even pieces and putting three onto each of the students' bedside tables. The kind but strict nurse heard Lily's gasp and spun around.

"Oh, sorry, dear, I didn't know you were up and about. Here, eat it," she handed Lily a medium-sized chocolate piece and she gratefully took it. Warmth spread over her limbs and her brain didn't feel as logged as before.

"Thanks, Madame Prinuella. May I go up to the Common Room already?"

"Oh, just a check-up."

After having passed Prinuella's check-up, Lily walked up the staircases leading to the seventh floor. After giving the Fat Lady the password ("Dissento!"), she headed back into one of the couches, in front of a dying ember in the fireplace. The memories of last night relived themselves in her head: James kissing Alice, her running up to her room and starting to pack her things furiously, and then being called in to help Hogsmeade. Lily sighed and lay down on the scarlet couch, her thoughts occupied by a raven- haired someone.

"Ahem," someone cleared his throat. She jumped up and looked behind her, where Remus Lupin stood.

"Oh, hi, Remus. Didn't see you there," she patted the empty space on the couch for him to sit down on.

"Lily, I know you were thinking about James," he said.

"What do you mean, Remus?"

"Well, you got this dreamy look upon your face mixed with hatred, possibly for Alice."

"What makes you say that I fancy James?"

"I didn't you did."

"I most certainly do not fancy James Harry Potter! He's a stuck-up snob, a rich git, and a player!"

"Well, Lils, it's pretty obvious you like him."

"Why is that?"

"For starters, when he calls you Lily Flower, you blush. When he's around you, you blush. When he speaks to you, you blush. When he gets a new girlfriend, you blush. When he touches you, you blush. SO, you pretty much blush whenever you're around James."

"What do I do then?" Lily whispered, eyes to the red carpet.

Remus, who'd been expecting a cry of outrage, a denial of what he just said, was astounded. He wasn't sure he heard right.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I said, Remus, what do I do about it, then?"

"How long have you liked him, Lils?"

"Since the end of second year."

"Oh. Maybe you should tell him how you feel. Then, we'll find out."

"What if he declines or something?"

"Can a person decline another's feelings?"

"Point taken."

"There is no such thing, is all. I better head back now."

"Why?"

"Well, Lils. Let's just say people don't usually stay in the Common Room at such an ungodly hour, like 3 in the morning."

"It's 3 am? Bloody hell, that's why Madame Prinuella didn't want me to go. Well, thanks Rem."

"You're welcome. And Lily?"

"Hmm?"

"You might want to consider telling James what you feel about him seriously. It could do wonders-"

"Or make things worse. G'night, Moony."

Remus stopped in his tracks to the Gryffindor Fifth Year Boy's dorm and turned around, paling visibly and stared questioningly at the girl.

"What?" she shrugged. "I heard Peter call you that."

He slumped his shoulders and gave a sigh of relief. "OK, Lils. It's just that it's a Marauder thing. Please don't mention it again."

"Okay, Remus. Thanks, again."

After Remus had gone to bed and his usual snores filled Gryffindor Tower, along with all the other snorers, Lily went back to thinking. As she recalled her fond memory when James first pulled a prank on her, she felt her eyes drooping.

*~*

"Nott! Goyle! What is this new Auror that Malfoy tells me about?" The high- pitched voice of Lord Voldemort spat out at two cowering figure kneeled on the damp floor of his cave hide-out in Brazil.

Goyle looked up fearfully and answered, "Master, Alastor Moody beat half of our Death Eaters in the Hogsmeade attack. He may be a threat to your plans, my Lord. He always seems to know where we are."

"Yes, Master. He knew of our attack on Essex, Wimbledon and even that little town, Sascwatcherous," Nott added.

The Dark Lord was outraged. "What?! This cannot be! Execute this Auror you speak of at once!"

He left with a huff, his charcoal black robes billowing behind him. The two Death Eaters hurried out at once.

*~*

"Lily! Lillian Rose Evans, get up right now!" Clara shook her friend awake while Dana amusedly looked on.

The redhead stretched her cramped arms and looked round. Confusion settled in her face as she took in her surroundings, then realization dawned upon her.

"Oh, hey guys! Had a good night's- night's- slee-sleep?" Lily put on a fake bright and cheerful voice while trying to cover two huge yawns. The cousins giggled and put their hands on their hips (obviously they'd planned this, Lily thought).

"Lillian-"

"Rose-"

"EVANS!" Both of them finished.

Lily put on a what she thought was an innocent smile, but what really made her look guiltier than ever. "Yes, dear friends of mine?"

"Where were you last night?"

"We heard your footsteps and waited for you to come to our dorm!"

"But, no! Lily had to go and talk to a GUY!"

"OH, yes, Lillian! We heard you and a GUY's voice!"

"Talking at a very late hour, I must say, 3 in the morning!"

"What were you thinking?"

"Worse, what were you doing?"

"Was he a good snog?"

Dana brought their played out conversation to an end as curiosity got the better for her. Which resulted in her getting a smack on the arm and an ear- piercing shriek from Clara, confirming Lily's suspicions that blondes do scream well. (A/n: no offense at all to blondes!)

After removing her hands from her aching ears, she put away all her friends' doubts. "No, Dana, he wasn't a good snog, considering the fact I'll never find out and I don't intend to since I don't like Remus," she said pointedly and was satisfied with Dana and Clara's understanding "Oh!"

"So, Lils," Clara said in what she hoped was an offhand sort of voice, "What you talk about, hmm?"

Lily sent a death glare at her friend who was chewing on her nail and looking around, wide-eyed with innocence.

"He knows about James."

"Good gosh. How'd he find out?"

"He figured it out fro himself, he's not as daft as I thought him to be."

"What'd he say?"

"I dunno. I asked him what to do about it."

"You what?!"

"Lils, d'you know we're talking about a Marauder here!"

"He's the sensible one!"

"Still! Tell a secret to a Marauder, it'll be divulged to the world in no less than ten seconds!"

"I trust him!"

This shit them up. For Lily to out her trust someone showed that he/she was really trustworthy. It had taken Dana and Clara all of first and most of second year to gain her trust, much more her friendship, since her damn sister, Petunia made her believe that she was a freak and no one wanted to be her friend. SO it had taken nearly two years to make her come out of her shell.

"I trust him, too. Don't you Dana?"

"Yeah, Clars. I trust him, too."