"Where have you been?" Cara asked Lily as she rushed back into the apartment.

"No where." Lily said quickly. She put her bag down and stretched her arms.

"Likely story, you're hair is all fly away and you're limping." Cara said, "I can't afford you limping." Lily put a hand to her hair but then forgot about it.

"Oh shut up, like I can't go out while you're trying to charm the guys? I do have some needs you know." Lily said

"Like what?" Cara asked. Lily stared at Cara,

"Like stuff." Lily said. She walked past Cara and into the bedroom that Lily had claimed.

"Aren't you going to ask me how my date went?" Cara asked, her mood suddenly so different. Lily stopped and sighed.

"How was your date?" she asked dryly.

"It went rather well. If you ask me I think we're onto a winner." Cara said with a smirk.

"Is money all you think about?" Lily asked. Cara shook her head.

"No, of course not." She took a sip of the drink she had in her hand, "I also care about my looks." Lily rolled her eyes and closed the bedroom door, sometimes she didn't understand why she stayed with Cara. They were totally different but Cara had helped pick up Lily's life after Hogwarts, when everything had gone so terribly wrong. Lily still wouldn't talk about it to this day, the day when her parents had died and Remus and her split up. Lily couldn't and wouldn't talk about it. Lily started to change and stared at herself in the mirror and smiled at her reflection. It was nice to see some familiar faces again, even if James had bugged the crap out of her in Hogwarts. He was so sweet tonight, Lily never knew he was interested in Astronomy. Lily found herself smiling, she had rather enjoyed tonight. There was a knock on the door.

"What?" Lily asked. Cara came in holding a letter.

"Owl for you." Cara said. Lily took it and opened up the letter, it was from James. She smirked slightly as she read it and then slipped it into her bag. "Who was that from?" Cara asked suspiciously,

"A friend." Lily said simply. Lily picked up a booked and lay back on her bed. She started reading but got distracted as Cara stood at the end of her bed. Lily tried to ignore her but couldn't.

"What?" Lily asked eventually.

"Something is slightly different about you." Cara said sitting down on the bed. Lily felt the bed dip slightly as Cara sat down.

"Nothing's different." Lily said, "How's your date with-"

"It was fine," Cara waved her hand dismissively, "Matthew's great but how is the Healer?"

"Oh, I'm not really going for him any more." Lily said, she glanced at her book again.

"Who are you going for?" Cara asked interestedly.

"Oh, someone else." Lily said, she went back to her book but Cara pulled it away and closed it.

"Who, you have to explain everything if we're going to pull a double con." Cara said. Lily frowned.

"I really don't know. I might break it off before it gets too far, I don't actually like him." Lily said.

"Of you can't like him. What's his name? How much does he have? What can we get out of him?" Cara asked.

"Well, he owns a bar and he has like, I don't know, several million Galleons, what?" Lily asked, Cara was staring at her with her mouth slightly opened

"Several Million!" Cara asked. "Isn't he suspicious?"

"No, why should he be? He worships the ground I walk on." Lily thought back to her sixth year where James had actually done that, "Literally." She said frowning.

"Oh, you go Lily. I can't believe it, your first con and-"

"And he knows my real name. I didn't mean for that to happen though." Lily said.

"Oh, that doesn't matter." Cara said. There was a knock at the front door and the two girls looked at each other.

"Who's that?" Lily asked, "No one knows we live here." Cara got up and left the room. Lily got out her wand and changed into something more comfortable before leaving the room. She was just about to leave the room when Cara came running into the room.

"Oh my god, it's Hamon!" Cara said quietly but urgently.

"What!" Lily asked slightly alarmed.

"Get out, before he-"

"I can't the fire place isn't connected to the Floo network yet and you can't apparate out of-"

"Charlotte?" came Hamon's voice. Lily froze while Cara slowly stood up and headed out of the room.

"Oh, it's you. What do you want?" Cara asked coldly. She glared at Hamon while he looked around.

"I love what you've done with the place, a real feminine touch I-"

"What are you doing here?" Cara asked. Hamon started and went to Cara and took her hands.

"Cara, darling, I just wanted to tell you that I still love you, I want you back so much."

"But you cheated on me with that secretary of yours." Cara said. She turned to face the bedroom door. Hamon rushed to turn with her so he was facing Cara.

"Yes, I know and it was wrong and I-" he continued to beg for forgiveness. Lily peered out of the bedroom and Cara was suddenly pulled into a hug. Cara took this opportunity to nod for the door. Lily nodded and ran to the door. She had her trainers on and wasn't making any noise. Cara pushed Hamon off her.

"I'm still not taking you back." Cara said.

"Oh please, I promise I'd never-" Lily bumped into a table and the vase on it began to spin slightly as well as a few other things. Lily put her hand on the vase to stop it, "cheat on you again-"

CRASH! The vase had fallen to the floor as Lily tried to stop anything else from falling over. Hamon turned around and saw Lily. Lily bent over and hid her face with her long hair. She swore under her breath.

"I'm sorry, miss. I'll have this swept up in no time. The bedroom is all done and I've restocked your fridge." Lily said in a higher voice.

"Thank you Janet." Cara said. Lily nodded and got up to make sure Hamon didn't see her and she headed for the door.

"I know that walk." Hamon muttered. Lily flicked her hair behind her shoulder, big mistake. "Samantha! Stop right there." Hamon got out his wand and pointed it at the door causing it to shut. Lily turned around to look at him.

"Hello sir, can I help you?" she asked, twirling a lock of hair in her fingers. Hamon looked at Cara.

"You know her?"

"What? No, we're just-" Cara looked at Lily for help. Lily shrugged and felt her wand in her hand. She lifted it up and pointed to it and flicked it at Hamon. Cara looked at her confused. Lily flicked her wand again and some red sparks shot out of the end and straight into Hamon. Lily put a hand to her mouth.

"Sorry." Lily said, "I'll see you guys later Cara-Charlotte" Lily said correcting herself quickly. She turned and felt like hitting herself.

"No, what did you call her?" Hamon asked. Lily decided that she wasn't going to get out so she went to stand by Cara.

"Charlotte?" Lily asked,

"No, before that?" Hamon asked.

"Cara?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, that. Is your name Cara?" Hamon asked looking at Cara. Cara looked at Lily but Lily was looking away. Hamon got out his wand and pointed it at the girls.

"Yes it is." Cara said resentfully. "Cara Kurtis, I'm thirty two and I do not do anything for a living. Happy?" Hamon looked at Lily.

"And you?" Hamon asked, turning his wand to Lily. Lily sighed.

"Lily Evans, Twenty two, I used to work as a Muggle accountant just after I got out of Hogwarts and I live with Cara." Lily said.

"You two tricked me?" Hamon asked.

"No, you still cheated on me." Cara said.

"But you set me up." Hamon said to Cara.

"But you still cheat on her. You can't change a scumbag." Lily said.

"Give me back the apartment and the money you owe me."

"We can't give you back the money." Cara said. Lily and Hamon both looked at her.

"What!" They both said.

"Well, I gave it to my mum. She's a muggle and I had to change it to Muggle money to pay for some kind of Operation!" Cara said.

"You have a loving side?" Lily asked.

"She's my mum. Did you expect me to watch her die?" Cara asked

"I had to watch my mother die!" Lily said.

"But you two scammed me." Hamon said. "I want my money back, one way or another."

"We can't afford it. The person Cara's trying to do doesn't have that much money." Lily said. "There's no point, if you want to kill us, kill us now, I'm having a bath." Lily turned to go to the bathroom, leaving the other two. Cara looked at Lily and an idea formed in her head.

"Yes, Matthew may not have enough money but your guy-" Lily stopped dead and turned around and pointed her wand at Cara.

"No, I'm not scamming James." Lily said.

"But you said he's worshipping the ground you walk on." Cara said.

"He is but I'm not scamming him. He's too clever for that. He used to do it to girls all the time. I think he'd be able to notice if I'm doing it." Lily said.

"Come on, you said he owns millions and he's got those rich friends, Sirius Black." Cara said.

"No, I can't do it to him. I may hate his guts but I'm not going to scam him." Lily said.

"It could work though," Hamon said, "That way we'd get enough money to pay me off and for you girls to have enough money."

"No, I'm NOT DOING IT!" Lily shouted at them.

*    *    *    *

Lily walked into The Seven Wands the next morning. The weather was incredibly hot and she could do with some drink.

"Oh, look it's miss Bitch Evans." Sirius said dryly. Lily gave him a look that told him that wasn't funny. Sirius was at the bar talking to James over a few bottles of Butterbeer. James looked up at Lily and gave her a weak smile. Lily gave him a smile as well. Sirius turned around muttering as Lily walked up to the bar.

"James, can I have a talk with you please?" Lily asked.

"About what?" James asked. He was already lifting up a flap that would allow Lily to go behind the bar.

"Hey, why aren't I allowed to go round there and Miss. Bitch Evans can?" Sirius asked.

"It's about last night." Lily said looking into James' eyes. He nodded and let her behind the bar.

"Prongs!" Sirius snapped. Lily turned to Sirius.

"Shut up Black, we have some stuff to discuss and it would be great if you didn't interrupt." Lily snapped. James smirked slightly and put a hand on Lily's shoulder.

"This way Evans." James said. Lily took a deep breath and nodded. Lily put her bag on the bar top

"Thanks. Look after that, Black" Lily said turning around and letting James lead the way to a small room behind the bar.

"Yes miss!" Sirius said sarcastically. Lily snaked her arm through James' and inched a little closer to him. He glanced at her and smiled. Sirius had to blink a few times to make sure he was seeing what he was really seeing. Was Evans actually touching James willingly? James led Lily into a room filled with crates of drinks.

"What did you want to talk about?" James asked.

"Um, last night. I just wanted to say thanks, I had a great time." Lily said grinning at him shyly. She felt a blush on her cheeks, why was she blushing! "I don't normally have a good time like that and I think I need to pay you." Lily said.

"Oh, really you d-don't have to. I was j-just j-joking you know." James said quickly. Lily smiled and got up on her tiptoes to reach James' mouth. She gently brushed her lips against his. Lily could taste the Butterbeer he'd just had and gently touched her tongue against his lips to get more of the taste. She hadn't had Butterbeer in ages. When Lily pulled away James seemed to be in a minor state of shock.

"You just-" James said touching his lips, Lily nodded, "Willingly?" Lily nodded with a smile. James grinned and bent down slightly and kissed Lily on the cheek quickly.

"So I can see you again sometime?" Lily asked.

"Definitely." James said quickly, "Anytime, any where. Just owl, no better yet, just turn up." Lily smiled at James' babbling. She pointed that out and he went slightly red, "Sorry."

"You know, you're sweeter then you used to be." Lily said. "What happened?"

"I grew up, that's what happened." James said with a smile. Lily put a hand to his cheek.

"The best thing that's happened to you yet." Lily said. James grinned,

"Do you want a drink?" James asked.

"Ok, that would be-" the door opened and Sirius came in holding Lily's bag.

"It's ringing." Sirius said. Lily gave a frustrated sigh and dug her phone out.

"What!" She answered.

"So, what's happened?" Came Cara's voice.

"I'm not telling you." Lily said turning away and putting a hand to her ear. "Just go and do something else for once, stop checking on me." Lily snapped at Cara.

"Fine! I'm just looking out for your own good." Cara said, "Well, I'm guessing that by your annoyed tone it went well. I'll see you later."

"I might be-" Cara cut off the phone and Lily stared at the phone.

"Bitch!" Lily said at the phone.

"You gay?" Sirius asked eagerly. Lily looked at Sirius.

"No. I am not a lesbian Black. That was my…cousin." Lily said.

"I didn't know you had a cousin." James said taking Lily's hand. Lily looked at him and smiled.

"I do, I didn't know about her until I got out of school" Lily said, "Now how about that drink?" Lily said trying to change the subject.