Chapter eight: In the firelight Lily Evans was in Gryffindor and therefore saw Severus everyday during class. She had to admit that she had never noticed him before the serendipity event in the library and now she realized it hadn't made much of a difference. It was now the beginning of October and Lily was still awaiting a second glance from him. 'I read too far in to him.' she told her self as she walked from her potions class with Remus and Ganelle. "Lil' what are you planning on doing tonight?" Remus asked"Homework..." She answered, "why?""Well, James and Sirius found the way in to the kitchens and Sirius wanted to know if you two wanted to go there for dinner instead of the great hall. The service is better and you'd love the house elves.""Elves huh? I guess I could come. Are you coming?" She asked Ganelle, who nodded. The three continued on towards the Gryffindor tower until they heard a voice from behind them squeal, "Oh Lily! Lily, Lily, Lily!" Lily sighed and closed her eyes in distress before putting on a fake smile and turning to see Anna running towards her with Tom close behind. "Lily oh my gosh hi! It's been far too long, just, oh so far too long!""Yeah!" Lily agreed trying to sound ecstatic."You didn't right back to my note." Tom said looking a little hurt."Oh I told him you were probably just busy" Anna assured Lily before she got a chance to see her. Lily looked at Tom who was looking at the ground."Yeah... I was busy. I'm sorry I didn't write back. I meant too." It looked as if Anna were going to respond but Tom cut in saying,"Don't worry about it. We have to go." And with that he pulled Anna away from a snickering Remus and Ganelle and a dumbfounded Lily."wow, Lily. You really chose the wrong compartment." Ganelle snickered, putting her arm around Lily shoulder. "Trust me, I know." and the three of them continued to the Gryffindor tower."Alright. Ready to go then?" James asked Sirius, Lily, Ganelle, Raven and Remus that night around dinner time. Lily smiled and nodded with the rest of the group and so they quickly and quietly made their way down to the kitchens. Remus, Lily found, was right about the service. I was very good down there. When they arrived they were served their own mini private banquet. "So how many detentions have to guys had so far?" Ganelle asked James and Sirius early on in the meal."Nine or Ten." James shrugged and Sirius nodded."Nine of ten?!" Lily asked astounded. "What did you guys do?""The normal." Sirius replied, "Staying out after hours, trying to get in the restricted section. Just little kid stuff. We'll get better, I promise." He winked at her. Ganelle caught her eye and Lily smiled back. "So Lily, where do you live?" James asked her after a bit of silence making her jump."Uh, Fieldcrest, England." She replied."Fieldcrest. I've been there. Where abouts do you live?""Uh... do you know the Elementary school?" she asked him, starting to get a little uncomfortable. He nodded so she continued, "I live down the round from there, what about you? Were do you live?" She asked rather quickly. He seemed rather disappointed that the conversation had turned to him but went along with it anyway,"London." He replied. And so the evening continued, everyone getting to know each other a little better, and the four of them eventually returning to the common room around eleven that night. When they got back Lily, Raven and Ganelle tiptoed up to their rooms and got in to bed. Lily lied looking at the top of her bunk for a while before realizing she really wasn't tired, so she got up, put her bathrobe on and went back downstairs to the common room. When she arrived at the bottom of the stairs, she noticed Sirius was down there looking in to the fire. Her looked at her as he entered and motioned for her to come take a seat next to him. She complied and was therefore not long after, sitting in the seat next to Sirius. "Not tired?" He asked, she smiled and shook her head,"In the least." "Me neither." They were silent for a moment then he asked, "Do you like watching the fire?" Lily glanced at him, than back at the fire and replied,"Yeah." He nodded"Me too. It sort of calms me." Again they were silent for awhile then he continued, "If you ever can't sleep come on down here. I'll more then likely be here.""You're down here a lot?" She asked."Almost every night. My dad used to make fires at my house. He'd sit there for hours just watching it and I never had much else to do so I sat with him. I guess I'm kinda homesick with out it." Lily nodded in understanding. "Did you say you live in Fieldcrest?" He asked."Yeah."Sirius nodded knowingly and said, "My dad loves Fieldcrest. He brought me there every Saturday to a little cafe. There wasn't anything special about it that I could see. He said there was something about the people." Lily nodded to show she was listening. "Do you like living in Fieldcrest Lily?" He asked a minute or so later. She thought about it for a minute then answered,"I did yes." He smiled at her and said,"That's good." A little while later, Lily began to feel tired and stood to get ready to go to sleep. She said goodnight to Sirius and just before she went up the stairs, Sirius said,"Lily..." She turned towards him and said,"Yes?" He was still staring at the fire but she could tell he was smiling when he said,"Remus tells me to have a 'thing' for me." She blushed but his face was turned so she tried to think of something to say. All that came out, was "o-oh?"He chuckled a little and said, "Don't worry. I wont tell anyone." Lily smiled and turned again saying,"Goodnight Sirius," Before climbing up the stair case.

With in the next week, Lily received another owl from Tom and Anna which she again chose not to respond too, and an owl from Jenny asking if she wanted to meet her at the library on Friday which was what Lily was on the way to do right then."Lily Hey!" Jenny said when she saw her coming. They both sat down at a library table as Lily greeted her friend."Hey, how's Amanda?""She good. And get this, the guy remember Danish's boy friend?" Lily nodded, "He dumped her. He made this big deal out of it too, in the Ravenclaw common room. It was the biggest scandal. Absolutely fantastic. Turns out he had been going out with some 5th year chick for a year." Lily's eyes widened."Really?""Yup! And he only went out with Danise on a bet. Everyone one felt so bad for her. She just sulked around, didn't even go to classes! but she eventually had to go back because she got two detentions for skipping. I just love the dramatic year this is turning out to be.""So are you guy friends or not?" Lily asked."We're friends. Granted she thinks it's my fault they broke up but what ever." Jenny shrugged. "So what's new with you?" The two of them talked like this for a half an hour or so when Jenny said she had to go meet Amanda and that she'd owl her again soon. So Lily sat alone at the table in the library. With her chin lean on her hand she just sat with her eyes closed for a moment until she remembered something. "Punka" She whispered and then stood quite suddenly and walked to the novel section. She was in the mood to read.