Hello again!

Disclaimer: It's not owned by me and I'm not making any money, please don't sue me.

Alrighty then, to reviewers:

mackenzie, thank you for reviewing. I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

Stellar, what about 'my lily' (and I use the term loosely) disagrees with you? Just curious, any thoughts you have would help in her character development. Maybe she's coming across in a different way than I intended, or maybe she's right on target. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Darian! Well, I must say, I couldn't stop grinning when I read your review, I felt all warm and tingly inside. One, thank you for clearing up the whole link thing from Headmaster Cromwell. That helps immensely. Two, the telepathy will continue, but it IS going to be explained in this chapter- hope you're not disappointed with the results. Thirdly, to quote you, "There are not many people who can make Lily a believable, likeable, character." This made my day. I'm glad you like Lily so much. That means a lot to me, that I was able to make her come alive for you since she's only barely mentioned in the book, and I had to kinda give it a stab in the dark. Thank you for reviewing! Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Thanks again to Charlotte, my beta!

FYI to all readers, the reason I am being so ambitious about updating this week, I am going on a three week vacation, and will not have any internet access as far as I know, which means although I would love to and it kills me that I wont be able to, updating is not an option until July 10, the night I get back. No matter how tired I am, I promise all of you there will be a chapter posted that night. Until then, enjoy and review!

Onwards and forthwards to Chapter 3: Dumbledore Is An Egghead, aka Know-It-All

Refresher from the previous chapter:

"She's what?! James!" Remus looked horrified. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I- she-" James faltered.

Remus shot him one last glare, and then raced off after Lily.

James was left sitting, bewildered, at the base of the Old Oak wondering what had just happened.

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Lily ran back up to the school as fast as she could, fighting the pain she knew was there. She'd cried enough over the past few years. How could he? She wondered. He doesn't even know me when I've lived in the same goddamn House for six years! How can he judge me like that? How could I have found that horrible boy attractive? Why did I have a crush on that- that oblivious idiot?! What a git!

Stumbling, she made it about halfway back when she ran smack into someone.

Not even wanting to get up, she lay sprawled on the grass, breathing in the smell of the green blades, continuing to fight the tears as they rolled down her cheeks. Remembering………remembering………

A hand reached over and softly stroked her hair, a boy's voice murmuring soft, sweet nonsense. Slowly she looked up and into the stormy gray eyes of Sirius Black. "Hello sweetling. Bad day, huh?" he asked softly, reaching out to wipe away one of her tears.

Sniffling, Lily slowly sat up and brushed briskly at her cheeks in a businesslike-way that had Sirius smiling. Always so in control, he thought. "Not today," she said. It was normal for her to occasionally barge in on his thoughts. Once the weirdness had worn off, it had just been comfortable. She continued speaking, sighing sadly. "It's been the worst day. In Transfiguration, McGonagall told me I have to get a tutor because I'm so slow at the subject, and then you yelled at me in History and oh! I hate James Potter!"

Sirius snickered. "What has that tosser done now?"

"It's horrible, Siri. Did you know he didn't even know who I was, for starters, when I've lived in the same House in the same year for four years, going on five?!" And have had a crush on him as well, she added silently to herself.

Sirius grinned. "Never said he was the brightest bulb in the box."

"But Sirius, I am friends with two of his best friends. You can't tell me he's that dense."

"James only worries about what affects him. If it doesn't affect him, it doesn't penetrate. Typical Jamsie behavior, I promise. He tries not to date in house, so it's no surprise he hasn't truly noticed you. Ignoring temptation and all that rot."

"Sure," she snorted, continuing her rant. "Then, he had the nerve to look at me like a parched man lost in the desert discovering an oasis. I am not a piece of meat. Hell, I'm not even that pretty!"

"Yeah, right, Lily, keep telling yourself that and it might come true. Not! I know you have had the biggest crush on him since second year when he beat up Snape for you because he called you a Mudblood. Granted, he didn't know who he was beating Snape up for, but hey, all men are pigs. Happy? I admit it."

"You know?" she demanded, immediately on the defensive. "You haven't told him, have you? And you can't possibly believe that your James is so in the clouds that he has almost no idea who I am, when I was announced prefect with him this year, and he…"

"Again, Lily, all men are pigs. We think with our dicks. We're mindless, hormone driven apes that belong in the Stone Age. Get over it, you're stuck with us!" He ignored her sigh of exasperation. "Now look, forget James. He's really not worth it………"

"Sirius! He's your best friend!"

"I know. So what's your point?" As Lily opened her mouth to reply, he waved off her response. "Never mind. I've been looking all over for you, and I wanted to say I'm sorry I yelled at you after History. You know how I am when I've just woken up. And today's been sucky for me too."

Lily pretended to stifle a gasp of astonishment. "Today's got to be Friday the Thirteenth or something!" She cried out in mock horror.

Sirius laughed outright this time. "No, today is the sixteenth of September, and rightly so! Don't you remember?"

Lily looked up at him curiously. "Remember what?"

"'Oh, my, a Grim, sitting on an open umbrella! On the sixteenth of September, dears, you will all have a rather sour day and beware, Sirius Black! Death is around every corner!' " Sirius predicted in a fluttery voice, mimicking Professor Trelawney perfectly, causing Lily to giggle. "I am so glad I dropped that class!"

"God, you sound just like her."

"What can I say? It's a talent. Forgive me?" he pleaded. Sometimes Lily could be very unforgiving, if the mood struck her- it all depended on what you'd done to piss her off in the first place and what kind of mood she was in when you approached her. What Sirius didn't know was that he held a special place in Lily's heart, and she could never stay mad at him even if she wanted to.

"I forgive you, but only if you forgive me for my temper."

"Of course, Tiger Lily, why would I, Sirius Black, hold a grudge against the most gorgeous dame in our year?"

"You wish," she replied, shaking her head.

Chuckling, Sirius pulled her into a hug. She giggled with him, holding him and breathing in the scent that was purely Sirius, storing it away in her mind. His scent was always comforting, even in memory. Hugging him close, she imagined Sirius was the only family she had left, if not by blood then by heart. Lily had met him on the first day of school when Snape had knocked her into the lake and Sirius, being the gallant and courageous boy he was, had saved her even though technically she hadn't needed it. She'd been won over by him at that moment. That was the day the legendary feud between Snape and Sirius had started. Lily and Sirius' friendship, however, had only grown since then. She wondered vaguely how Sirius could be so nice to her when he was constantly dating and dumping other girls.

Sirius lifted himself out of her lavender smelling curls and held her chin in his grip gently, making her look into his eyes. "So Lils, want to tell me what my most horrible, incredibly rude best friend has said to upset you so?"

Lily's happiness faltered and she stared down at her hands. "I- I can't, Siri, not unless you come with me."

"Come with you where?"

"To see Dumbledore."

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"Miss Evans, I've been expecting you, step right in. But Mr. Black as well, I see? Well, come right in, the more the merrier." Dumbledore ushered them into his circular office, motioning to two comfy, vacant chairs facing his desk.

"Now Miss Evans, there was something important you needed to discuss with me, something to do with Mr. Potter, I presume?"

"Yes, sir. You see, I was sitting outside with him and Remus Lupin, we were waiting for Joni- that is, Joni Crestmont- and Shawn Finnigan, to come back so we could start a game of hide and seek."

"Ah, a fun filled game, don't you agree?"

"Um, yes sir, it is."

"But that is not why you're here, is it? Please continue my dear."

"Well, we were sitting there, and then suddenly I felt like I was zooming momentarily and everything went blurry. Then I heard Potter's voice in my mind, but it wasn't really my mind, it was like-" she gulped visibly. "Like I was in his mind. It's happened a few times before since I started school here and once in primary, but not this profoundly. I heard him think 'Wonder what's so important that she can't talk about it here?'- he was referring to my request to speak with Remus alone later on- and I got angry and told him if I wanted him to know, then he'd know, among other things; but I didn't say it aloud like I'd meant to. I said it in his head. Well, naturally I was in shock and of course he was astonished, then afraid, and then he accused me of- of being a Death Eater…" she whispered the last part almost shamefully and Sirius reached over and squeezed her hand comfortingly. She took a deep breath, and continued. "He said that because we've been taught that anything that can get into someone else's mind is most likely dark, and so I must be too." She stopped, biting her lip.

"I see," Dumbledore said softly, considering the young red head before him. "Is there anything else you'd like to tell me?"

She looked up in alarm at his intuition. "I, uh," she wet her lips nervously. "Since I've been back at Hogwarts this year, I've been having the same horrible nightmare, over and over, once a night. I wake sore and exhausted, like I've been through a horrible duel where everything went wrong or maybe like someone preformed the Cruciatus Curse on me." She blushed when Dumbledore raised his eyebrows inquisitively. "Not that I have any experiences with that particular curse. I've been researching." She blushed, if possible, even redder as Dumbledore's face changed from curiosity to amusement. "I also have a vague feeling of déjà vu, like I've been having the same dream for years- is that possible?"

"Anything's possible." His furrowed brow revealed his worry, but he said nothing on the subject. Instead, he focused on the one thing weighing on her. "So Mr. Potter called you a Death Eater?" he asked gently. She nodded. He turned to Sirius, who looked angry. "Do you think Miss Evans is a Death Eater, Mr. Black?"

"No!" Sirius shook his head fiercely. Lily's eyes began to fill with fear and despair. I'm done for. If Dumbledore believes I'm a Death Eater, all is lost. Do something! What? She asked herself. Anything! Came the frantic reply.

She spoke up hastily, blurting out whatever came to mind. "Do you think I am, sir? A Death Eater, that is, because you know, don't you, that I would never be a Death Eater? Never! Not only am I Muggleborn," Sirius nodded in agreement as she gulped in air, "but- but they were killed by him………Voldemort. Voldemort killed my parents. Why would I join him?" Sirius clutched her hand tighter. They had gone through the terrible ordeal together in the beginning of third year, just three weeks after they were back at school. He had saved her from drowning herself in her grief, making sure she ate and slept and had a shoulder to cry on. "If anything, I want to make him feel unbearable pain. I want him to suffer like they suffered. I want him to feel what they felt, the fear, the hatred, the confusion-" she stopped, choked with emotion. Finally, she stared up at Dumbledore, eyes filled with sorrow and defiance. Her voice, however, was firm. "I'd die before I joined his side."

"Miss Evans, I never for one second would believe you were a Death Eater," he promised, eyes twinkling briefly.

"Really?" she asked, holding her breath in hope.

"Really," he concurred, smiling reassuringly at her.

"Then, what is happening to me?" she wondered aloud.

"Before we cover that, I believe Mr. Lupin should stop eavesdropping at the door and join us."

The door creaked open of it's own account and emitted a shamefaced Remus. "Sorry, sir," he mumbled. "Sorry Lily. I didn't mean to, it's just, when James upset Lily, I came after her and Nick told me she was up here. I didn't want to interrupt…"

"Did you hear everything?" Dumbledore asked severely.

"Yes sir." He was staring at the floor, face turning an attractive magenta.

Dumbledore smiled cheerfully. "Good."

"Sir?" Remus asked, startled. Even though Dumbledore was the coolest Headmaster Hogwarts had ever seen, and Remus's idol on top of that, Remus was surprised to hear Dumbledore encourage eavesdropping.

"I'll need your help, yours and Mr. Black's, that is if you boys are willing. It might be dangerous."

"Of course I'll help," Sirius and Remus said at the same time.

"Very good. Have a seat Mr. Lupin. Now, Miss Evans, something Mr. Potter said did have some truth to it, although very little. Just because the only recorded mind-reading instances were of the Dark Arts, it should not be a generalization that these powers are dark. There are exceptions to every rule, you know. The power of hearing what others think is associated with the Darker Arts, but it is also very uncommon. No casual Death Eater can use this power, as Voldemort cannot."

"Then, how?" Lily asked, nearly breathless with anticipation.

"You three know Voldemort is Salazar Slytherin's one and only living and chosen heir, yes?" They all nodded. "Well, it's not a very well known fact, but when Helga Hufflepuff, another of the founders, died by the hand of Slytherin- her love- she cursed him and his line. All heirs of Slytherin can only love one person within their lifetime. So it was said, so it was done. Rowena Ravenclaw, Salazar's love at the time, became his sole love for the rest of his life. He was bound to her, spiritually. She, however, loved Godric Gryffindor; they were to be married. The curse Helga uttered before her death had some curious side effects, probably endorsed by Salazar himself- dark gifts began to show themselves in the chosen lover; gifts that were supposed to win over the love of the girl, make her darker. Rowena, although she refused Salazar, never married Godric either. He was afraid of these gifts she began to show, and so refused her. She married another wizard, one less powerful, and not afraid of her- but her love for Godric never died, only making Slytherin's determination to get her that much more. As is the curse of all Rowena's chosen heirs. They are all loved by the current heir of Slytherin and plagued by these dark gifts."

"Are you suggesting I am an heir of Rowena Ravenclaw? And that I am Voldemort's chosen love?" Lily laughed incredulously. "There's no way! Remember? I am a daughter of Muggles."

"Lily, dear, I know this may be hard for you but denial won't help. Your grandmother, Rosemary Taylor; she was a witch, Lily. When she was about your age, she was sought as a lover; she defied the heir, who in turn drained all of her powers. She went to live with Muggles, married a Muggle. Then your mother was a squib, and we thought you and Petunia would be too, but oh! How you proved us wrong. Your grandmother was overjoyed to hear that the Ravenclaw line hadn't died out. Powerful line you were born into, Lily. Almost all Ravenclaw heirs are female, although there is a large minority that are male. You are indeed heir to Rowena, and I believe, Voldemort's bound love." Lily sank back into her chair, face a pasty white. "It is imperative to your safety that you believe me Lillian. Do you?"

She stared at him with helplessness and a bit of fear. "Yes," she whispered, barely audible. "I believe what you say to be true."

Dumbledore nodded sharply. "Good, all right, moving right along. This is where you come in, boys."

"Us?" Sirius asked slowly, first to recover from the shattering news. "How can Remus and I help?"

"You both know as well as I that you two, and Mr. Potter as well, are the most talented wizards this school has seen since- me."

"What about Voldemort?" Remus asked.

"His power is mostly dark, so I wasn't including him. That means, if you look at the History of Hogwarts, you three are a small number of the minority of more powerful witches and wizards that have attended this school. You are descendents, no other way around it."

"Descendents? Really?"

"Yes. Don't confuse descendants with heirs, now. Heirs are much more powerful and far more rare. Only one heir per every generation. The others with the First Four blood? Descendants. Descendants are to protect the heirs in any way they can. Miss Evans here is an heir. You three are descendants. Mr. Black, you and Mr. Potter are Godric's descendents; very distant cousins, I'd say. Mr. Lupin, you are a descendant of Rowena, so you relate more to Miss Evans- and myself."

"Wow," Sirius said finally, exchanging looks with Remus. "Throws you for a loop, doesn't it old buddy?"

"No kidding," Remus concurred softly. "So, what do we do?"

"You will protect Miss Evans."

"That's not necessary," Lily protested, looking startled. "I can't endanger them, they're my friends-"

"Which is why we want to help!" Sirius exclaimed. How can she suggest that? I'd never let anything happen to her! I'd never forgive myself.

"Miss Evans, I insist that you have protection. Whether it be two inconspicuous students or two very obvious Aurors, it will be done. Your decision."

Lily sighed heavily. "It's not like I could stop them even if I wanted to."

"An excellent point. Now, Miss Evans, I'm sure you understand why I say that you can't stay in your dorm anymore. Just in case. I will provide you with a secret room in which you will move into; there will be a passage installed at the end of the girl's hallway- the one that leads into the different girls dorms. This passage, opened by a certain password, will lead you underneath the common room into secret bedchambers. This is where you shall live until told otherwise. I will make sure the password into your room is voice and blood activated- the enterer will have to state their name, and there will be voice identification, as well as censors that identify one's blood; that, as well as a key, should keep anyone but who's on the list out, as well as specialized wards."

"Also," he paused, reaching into his desk drawer. He drew out a silver necklace, elegant and gorgeous. On the chain, there was an emerald pendant, encased in silver. The orb wasn't completely emerald, though. It was a shifting of greens and blues. "This pendant has so many ancient charms on it I don't think I even know them all, but it will protect you. It can even turn the wearer invisible, if the individual is powerful enough. A channel for magic, you could say. If the orb turns purple, you are indeed invisible. If it turns yellow while a person is speaking to you, then they are lying to you. If it turns blood red, you are in danger. I want you to take it and wear it."

"Oh, I couldn't!" Lily objected feebly, in love with the pendant already.

Dumbledore smiled kindly, like a grandfather smiling at his favorite granddaughter. "This is part of your heritage, Lily, and it is a part of you. It's also for your protection. Promise me you'll wear it always."

"I will," she breathed, clasping the chain around her neck and tucking the pendant underneath her robes.

"Okay, that's done. Next, boys, I am going to have to move you into the vacant eighth dorm, where you will live until further notice. There will be a secret panel in the room where you can be transported to the passageway underneath that will lead to her new room, so that you can reach her at all times. Miss Evans, tell your friends that you were caught in the Restricted Area and are in confinement until we decide otherwise- boys, just tell them we have a foreign exchange student coming in, that we're placing him in your dorm space and you two were picked to move into the eighth dorm to make room."

"Won't they know the jig is up when a student doesn't come?" Sirius asked.

"Ah, but we will have a student come."

"Why is there an eighth dorm when there are only seven years?" Remus wondered.

"Long ago, when Hogwarts was first founded, students were required to attend eight years of school. Any other questions?"

"I have a question," Lily said softly. "When will we move? Won't it be sort of obvious if we do it now, in the middle of a Friday afternoon when no one has classes?"

"Very sharp, Miss Evans. I will notify all of Monday's teachers that you are in my care and have the day off. We will move your things to your respective rooms, get you settled in, work on the passwords and passageways, even test them out. Then you'll have the afternoon off to study, to relax, and talk amongst yourselves. And, I'm sorry Miss Evans, you will only leave your room for meals, classes, specialized trips to the library, events such as Quidditch matches and Hogsmeade weekends; and even then you will be under the constant protection of Mr. Lupin and Mr. Black when not in your room."

"I understand."

"Good. Now, if that is all, I bid you good day, as it is almost dinnertime and I am sure you're ravenous. Mr. Lupin, if I may speak with you a moment more?"

Remus nodded as Lily and Sirius got up and walked out of the room, Lily leaning heavily on Sirius. "Wonder what that's all about?" Sirius asked her, guiding her to the Great Hall.

Lily just shook her head wearily. "I am Voldemort's chosen love? Oh, Sirius, when did things get so complicated?"

"I don't know, Lil, I don't know."

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And so concludes chapter three, Dumbledore Is An Egghead, aka Know-It-All. Please review, and come back again when I update! Don't worry, I WILL update. Just gonna be gone a bit….'sall.

Until then, everlasting love to any who have read this, even if they don't review (at least you inspected a piece of me, as my writing is an extention of myself).

Crys