"Look, I've been waiting for the minute to tell you this, and now is as good a time as any. I want to come clean with you. You weren't some random girl we pulled off the street. I saw you with Schoel, and I decided that it would be...fun...to grab you right from under his nose. Then, that wasn't enough. So I decided to pursue you, which irritated him more," James took a breath. "Don't blame Remus and Sirius, they had no idea why I was doing it. They just went along."

Lily's laugh was bitter, as was her response, "That explains it, doesn't it? It did seem strange that you would pull me from the middle of the street. I'm not spectacularly beautiful, and I don't know anyone, so it couldn't have been my personality. Don't think I am not upset. You used me, that is not something I will easily forget."

Lily brushed him off and trampled down the stairs, fighting her eyes to maintain normalcy.

"What did he want?" Anthony asked suspiciously.

"He wanted to get something off his conscience while I would have time to get over it," Lily said cruelly.

"So, now would be the time to admit something if it would make you angry?" Anthony asked tentatively.

"I can't believe this is happening," Lily said, burying her head in her hands. "I thought you guys were supposed to be emotional support, not baggage. But come on."

Lily lead him upstairs, this time to her parents room. Once inside she closed the door and turned to him, "So, tell."

Anthony shifted uncomfortably, "See, you know how I told you that my friends and I know some Dark Arts? Maybe I didn't, but I am now. So I was doing a little divination, and I saw...well something. It showed me that Potter would end up liking you so..."

Lily nodded sadly, "That was what motivated you to make that deal. Yet another explanation I didn't want to hear."

"But I hope when you come back you can, you know, get past this," Anthony said hopefully.

"I don't really have a choice, do I? Getting over it, I mean. We still have that deal, regardless what false pretenses may have been involved. Unless, of course, you intend to dissolve the agreement," Lily said.

"Nah. Let's keep it awhile longer," Anthony said.

"Anything else you'd like to get off your chest?" Lily asked sarcastically.

"I think I've said enough," Anthony replied.

"You can say that again," Lily mumbled under her breath.

Lily stomped down the stairs and turned to her 'friends', "Any other skeletons that need to come out of the closet?"

"No skeletons, but a favor," Sirius said.

"Alright, what do you need?" Lily asked, feigning compliance.

Sirius coughed and said quietly, "Could you ask Lindsay if she'd like to go out with me? I really liked her last year, but I never really got around to asking her. Now I have connections!"

Lily laughed, "Be thankful it wasn't something else. I might have had to hurt you. As it is, I'll ask her when I see her." She looked at Dr. Graphite, "But that may not be for awhile."

Sirius followed her glance, "I'll understand if you are otherwise detained."

Remus looked at Sirius oddly, "Where did you learn those words?"

Sirius pulled out a book with the title 'Words to impress your friends', "Heh, well you made fun of my vocabulary, so I had to do something!"

Remus laughed, but was broken off by Dr. Graphite clearing his throat, "If you're done now, we need to leave. The institute's gates close at nine, and we don't want to be late."

Lily mumbled, "Oh yeah, that would be a pity." To her friends she said, "I'll see you at school, I hope."

Dr. Graphite opened the door, and Lily walked out with her head held high.