As soon as they were out of earshot, Anthony whispered to Lily, "My mom's quite a dish, isn't she?"

Lily was shocked, but looking back she realized Mrs. Schoel was really a trophy wife. Beautiful, graceful, well-mannered, and self assured.

"Yeah," Lily replied. "She's quite beautiful. Do you think she likes me?"

Anthony laughed at her insecurity. "I know she was relieved. Our family doesn't think so well of muggles. Come to think of it, you're the only one I like. But, anyway, she naturally assumed the worst. It's important to her for our line to continue having beautiful children, like me."

Lily almost choked. "Children?! We ARE children. We can't think of having them!"

"Woah, Lily, calm down," Anthony said. "I wasn't saying anything like that. It's just there is no point in dating someone who is not a possibility for marriage."

Now Lily wasn't just frightened, she was upset, "So I wouldn't be a possibility if I weren't pretty?!"

"Not in my mother's eyes," Anthony replied.

Bordering on hysterical, she shouted, "What is wrong with you? You seemed normal before."

Anthony could sense this was getting out of control, "Look Lily, you're just overwhelmed. Tomorrow we'll go get your school supplies."

"Where would I get this stuff?" Lily asked, looking at the list of unusual objects, momentarily distracted from her upset.

"Oh just a place behind this bar we know," Anthony replied. "Don't worry about it. Just ask your parents for some money to put in a new account for you at a wizarding bank."

"Yeah, like it's that simple," Lily said, thinking of what she could say to convince her parents this was true.

"Hey Anthony! Is that my going away present?" they heard a voice call from the sky.

"Erik, get off your broom and come in. Mum wants you."

"You didn't answer my question," the boy pointed out. "Who's the girl?"

The boy came closer and Lily could see that Erik, like Anthony, had dark hair, almost black. They both had blue eyes, but Anthony's were more crisp and dark. Pale skin seemed to run in the family, but only added to their appearance.

Anthony grumbled, "She's MY girlfriend."

"Don't get all huffy. So you got a new one already. What happened to the perfect Lily?"

"I am Lily," Lily said, causing Erik to fall the few remaining feet to the ground and get a mouthful of dirt.

"You're Lily? Muggle Lily?" Erik asked collecting the broom he had fallen from and spitting out dirt.

"Uh, yeah. Why so surprised?" Lily asked, not sure if she should be offended.

"Oh, it's nothing personal, but we don't usually have muggles to our house for obvious reasons," he said, indicating the broom.

"She's going to Hogwarts," Anthony jumped in.

"Can you tell me about this school? All I know is the name and what it specializes in," Lily said.

Anthony opened his mouth to explain, but Erik got there first. He offered his arm to Lily, and began strolling with her, "You see there are four houses..."

After walking a few feet, Erik turned back to give his brother an infuriating wink.

When Lily had grasped the concept of Hogwarts, she asked him, "What year are you in?"

"Oh, I'm in sixth year. I remember going my first year, it was terribly exciting. You'll like it, I'm sure," Erik assured her, but she couldn't quite shake the feeling he was thinking about something else.

"What house are you in?"

"Slytherin, of course. It's really the best house. All the greatest wizards come from there," Erik stopped walking abruptly. "Lily, would you go out with me?"

Lily gasped, trying to find the right words.

Misinterpreting her gasp, he said, "I know I said I dislike mudbloods, and I do, but you're the exception to that. You're beautiful, true, but that is only half the attraction. You have a sense of power that attracts me. I'll be in sixth year, so the age gap isn't terrible. I'm on the quidditch team, though that probably wouldn't impress you, since you don't understand it yet. But I'm popular, at least in my house. Plus, it would be good for your status to date a pureblood."

Lily looked at him sadly, and he felt the rejection coming.

"Erik, I might have considered if I hadn't been dating your brother," Lily said softly.

"Oh, that doesn't matter. Dump him," Erik said coolly.

"I can't. Not for a year," Lily stated matter of factly.

Erik stared at her in disbelief, "You time these things?!"

"No, nothing like that," Lily broke out laughing. "I lost a bet to Anthony so I have to date him for at least a year, but I'd like to still be friends."

"For now, I guess I'll have to live with that, but I have to say that I envy my brother. You are quite a catch, he was smart to sink his hooks into you. Smart, but so undeserving. And - maybe - at the end of the year -"

"We'll talk in a year," Lily stopped him.

"Alright," Erik said, leading her into the house where they were immediately confronted by Anthony.

"How did it take you so long to make a five minute walk?" Anthony asked, eyeing them suspiciously.

Erik shrugged, "I asked your girlfriend out."

Anthony started turning purple but Lily put a hand on his shoulder and he immediately looked better. She had a calming effect on people.

"I wouldn't back out of our deal," she said smiling.

Anthony looked relieved, "I knew that. I just thought you might have forgotten. Sometimes my brother is a little too charming."

Erik grabbed his chest in feigned agony, "Oh, another girl resists my charm, I think I'm losing my touch."

"Another girl?" Anthony questioned.

"Mum," Erik replied laughing.