A.N. / So here's the new chapter, glad you enjoyed chapter 17...and you're actually still putting up with me and my move. Read, review, and enjoy.

Chapter 18

"Lily...Lily? LILY WAKE UP!" Came a tired voice shaking Lily's body all around her bed. "Lily!"

Lily sighed and opened her eyes to see a very pissed off Cassidy O'Brian standing over Lily's bed. "Must you always be such an arse in the morning that I wish you dead? When we both know you shouldn't wish our best friend dead."

"Then why do you?" Lily knew this would drive Cassidy crazy.

But instead Cassidy rolled her eyes and threw herself on Lily's bed, which made both girls giggle. "Why are you being so complicated today? Something happen last night?"

Lily sighed deeply, Cassidy always knew when something was bothering Lily. Sometimes it was a wonderous gift, but sometimes it was a curse. "Yeah," Lily gave in. "Yeah something happened last night."

"I knew it!" Cassidy giggled, "So what base did you get to with James, that is until you came into the Common Room last night and stormed past Sirius and I. We just wanted to know if you wanted to compare Transfiguration notes."

"First off I didn't storm in..."

"Yes you did."

"I did?" Cassidy nodded and Lily went on, "I don't remember seeing the two of you last night...sure you weren't snogging?"

"Positive, we snogged before we were comparing notes, you seemd so angry last night. So what didn't James do?

"It wasn't James," this comment made Cassidy's eyes almost bug out of her head.

"Well who didn't get you to what base?"

Lily sat up, "You're driving me crazy! I didn't do anything with anyone last night. No bases. I was grading papers and..."

"Aww man, you were with Tyler, again?" Lily nodded, "For what?! He's too old for you!"

Lily rolled her eyes, "Alright, mum."

Cassidy stuck her tongue out at her best friend and continued to talk. "I don't like him, bad vibes. Besides you should be with James."

"We're back at this, again?"

"Yes, we are. We know you care about James, hell you're his date to the dance next weekend."

"True, I care about him but..."

"Don't you dare Lily. He cares for you too. You're doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"Pushing guys away from you. Tylers is too old for you, and he's a staff member so don't..."

"Get to know him romatically, right?" Cassidy nodded, "That's exactly what I said to him last night when I left the classroom."

"Then why did you storm in here last night?"

"I'm angry with myself."

"Why?"

"Geez, Cassidy! Haven't you been listening to me? I'm torn! Between James and Tyler!"

"What do you mean torn?! There's only one obvious answer here, JAMES!"

"What do you mean there's only one obvious answer and it is James? You don't even know Tyler."

"Lils he's freaking five years older than you! You're sixteen and he's twenty-one!"

"Cassidy I know the freaking obvious!"

"Do you really? So who's it going to be?"

"I'll let you know when I do."

Cassidy got up from Lily's bed, "You better go and get ready for your date with Tyler, and yes it is a date."

An hour and a half later Lily was ready to meet Tyler in The Three Broomsticks. She looked at her watch, noon, so she had four hours with him before she needed to meet James at Serlena's Costumes for All Occasions.

Lily was wearing a green v-cut top with blue bell bottoms and tennis shoes. Lily had her hair straight with gentle curls at the ends. Light green eyeshadow, black eyeliner, black mascara, and clear lipgloss. Which was her favorite flavor, strawberries. Lily brought a muggle sweater zip-up jacket with her incase she got cold.

Lily was really nervous about today. She'd stormed out on Tyler last night. She was so clueless with the two guys.

Today she'd be with Tyler for four hours. She prayed to God that he wasn't boring outside of school. But then again...why was she worrying? She couldn't like him. Like Cassidy said, he was twenty-one and she was sixteen. Then her mother's voice popped into her head. 'LILY MARIE EVANS! ARE YOU OUR OF YOUR MIND?! All a twenty-one year old wants with a sixteen year old girl is what is under your skirt!" Lily cringed, why did her mother's voice have to mess weith her now? But maybe the voice was right...what if he only wanted Lily for what was under her clothes and not the true Lily inside?

Of course Lily wouldn't have sex with him. She was a virgin and planed on being that for a while. But she couldn't see a guy that was only looking for sex from her. After all, that was all Amos and Mitchell had wanted from her...and there was no way she could go throught that hell all over again.

As Lily was on her way to The Three Broomsticks she bumped into someone since she'd been too caught up in her own thoughts.

"Ugh!" Lily fell to the ground, "Sorry about that." A strong helping hand lifter her up.

"No problem," she turned around to see who this was.

"James? Are you following me?"

"No," he answered truthfull. "Give me some credit. I'm on my way to Zonko's. I'm meeting Peter and Sirius there."

"What about Remus?"

"At home...visiting his mum," James lied.

"Wow, still sick? She's been sick for as long as I've known Remus."

"Uh, yeah. Deadly illness, doesn't have much time left. That's what Remus said...he goes home to see her once a month. Dumbledore, great man."

Lily sighed, she was sick of playing these games. She pulled James into an empty alley way and got so close to James's face, he thought she was going to snog him right there. "Look James," she said so softly that if anyone would have been around they wouldn't have been able to hear her. James could barely hear her. "I've known for a while now. I"ve just played along with the Marauder's games. I figured it out in first year when he kept leaving and showing back to school looking ill. I checked out a book from the library. I read it and knew...I felt so bad for him...still do."

Lily looked sincere, James knew she was telling the truth. "If you knew...why didn't you go and tell someone...warn them?"

"I'm not like Paris or Heather. I'm not a gossip, I am true to my friends."

"And I'm not?" James asked outraged.

"James, I never said that. Look I've got to go meet Tyler...I'll see you later." She kissed his cheek and walked off.

"Four hours at Serlena's!" James yelled after her.

As Lily arrived at The Three Broomsticks it was packed, as it always is when it is a Hogsmede Weekend for the Hogwarts Students. There were so many people you couldn't actually spot anyone...you just saw tons of Hogwarts students. Lily began to think that maybe she wouldn't run into Tyler and she could join the Marauder's and Cassidy in Zonko's. True, James never said that Cassidy would be there, but Lily knew Cassidy too well.

Usually Hogsmede trips were 'Girls Only Days.' It had workd for a while too. Alice and Gabby began dating their Ravenclaw men, they told the guys that it was a tradition. Lily, Gabby, Cassidy, and Alice always did Hogsmed trips alone. Even when Lily was with Stoyan. True the last trips Cassidy and Lily hadn't going together, but those were uncontroable.

Since Lily was meeting Tyler up at The Three Broomsticks of course Cassidy would be with Sirius. This saddened Lily a bit, because if James had asked her out again...they'd all be spending this Hogsmede trip together...and she wouldn't be stuck here in The Three Broomsticks looking for Tyler Smith.

"Lily!" Was Tyler's voice behind her and she groaned. Last night had been too weird, and she'd really love to be with her best friend right now. "I've been calling your name for a while now, something the matter?"

Lily shook her head, she needed to be polite to him...at least until Professor Nelson came back. Then she'd never have to worry about Tyler Smith again. "No," Lily lied. "Everything is fine."

"You hungry?"

"Yeah, let me go..."

"No need. I bought you a plate, just tell it what you want..."

"And you've got it." Lily finished his sentence. "Yes, I know. When we have dances we get plates like those." Lily noticed they were passing up all the tables. "Tyler where are we going?"

"To a secret dinning room, Madam Rosemerta had, got it booked the day we planned this date."

"It's not a date," Lily said loudly on accident.

Tyler stopped, "Why do you say that? We flirted, I asked you on a date, you said yes. I'm paying for your meal, and that's called a date. Yes, and I know your kind-of seeing James...I'll show you a real man." He opened the door to the secret dinning room, and pulled out a seat for her to sit in. She scooted herself in, much to his dissapointment.

Lily rolled her eyes, this was a real man? "Can we just eat? I'm starving."

Tyler sat down across from her, "Sure sweetcakes."

'Sweetcakes?!' She screamed inside her head, 'Where in bloody hell did he come up with that?!'

"Something the matter Lily?"

"Yeah, sweetcakes? Where did you get the name...sweetcakes?"

"I thought it was cute, just like you." He said batting his eyes at her.

'Oh geez! Please kill me now!' "So where's the menu so I can eat?"

Tyler leaned in, "You've got to kiss me to get it."

"Nope, I don't kiss a guy I don't know."

"Lily, we know each other. You help me grade papers all the time."

"Okay," Lily sighed. "I don't kiss on a first date, it's tacky."

"Aww, come on Lily." He leaned in closer to her.

Lily got up to leave, "Look Tyler..."

"It's Ty," he interupted.

"Tyler, it's not going to work. I really care for James. I need to go find..."

"James, right?"

"Wrong, Cassidy."

"Cassidy?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Even thought it is none of your business Tyler, Hogsmede Weekends are 'Girls Only Days' with us. No guys. So if you excuse me, I need to go find my best friend." Lily left with a falsh.

"Yes that one is definatly difficult," Tyler said leaning back in his chair.

-Meanwhile-

"Where's Lily?" Sirius asked as Cassidy followed Sirius into Zonko's. "I thought Hogsmede Weekends were 'Girls Only.' "

"Yeah they are, but some mystery guy asked her on a date and she forgot. Why don't want me here with you?"

Sirius threw an arm around his girlfriend's waist. "Love, I always love to be around you. So who's the mystery guy?"

"Some guy named Tyler Smith," she said shrugging her shoulders.

"What?!" Sirius said almost passing out. "The Tyler Smith!"

"Do you realize how many Tyler Smith's there are in all Britian?"

"Well, if it's the guy who subs for our Muggle Studies class, he's a Professional Quidditch Player."

Cassidy slugged him in the arm, "Yeah that's her Tyler. But, you're a bloody liar. Why would he be subing for our class?"

"He's Dumbledore's grandson, heard he owes Dumbledore money. Lived in a Muggle area, was stalking some Muggle girl. Got a thing for redheads, I heard he would leave the Muggle girl alone. He got thrown in Muggle jail. Dumbledore had to bail him out. Tyler began to play Quidditch for England to pay Dumbledore back. Told Dumbledore if he ever needed anything he'd do it. Dumbledore needed a sub for Nelson, so Smith stepped up."

"But, if he's a Professional Quidditch Player, why isn't he playing now or practicing for off season?"

"Off season doesn't start for another two weeks, he shouldn't be around much longer. Besides England has him on the sidelines for now, until they think he's learned his lesson...docked pay too. England doesn't play around."

"Wow, he plays for England! That's an awesome team! But, if he's so good...why doesn't he just transfer to another team?"

"Cass," Sirius sighed shaking his head. "No one wants Smith. He's a party boy, never stops, and is always in trouble. England keeps him for some unknown reasons."

"Oh."

"Does Lily know all this?"

"Doubt it," Cassidy sighed. "I wish James and Lily would just hook up already."

"Yeah me too."

"Speaking of James...where is he?"

"On his way, I suppose," Sirius said shrugging his shoulders.

"And Peter?"

"Out with Amy, again."

"Going steady those two, aren't they?"

"Hey you guys!" Came James's voice as he entered Zonko's. "Miss me?" He joked with a wink.

"Terribly," Cassidy said with sarcasm just dripping.

"Don't ever leave me again!" Sirius shrieked to make several people turn around and whisper.

"Geez Padfoot, what the hell's your problem? Where's Peter?" James asked noticing one of his best friends was missing.

"With Amy," Sirius sighed.

"Again?!"

"I'm afraid so, wonder if he'll beat Remus to the alter?" Sirius said more to himself, and then changed the subject. "Lily's with Smith?"

James nodded, "Don't know what he has that I don't. Oh wait...a jail cell in the Muggle World, damn I suck again. Evans and I just don't have good luck with one another."

"Things will change, she cares for you James." Cassidy said."

"No she doesn't or she'd be my girl."

"If she didn't care she wouldn't have said 'yes' to you for the Halloween Ball. She's waiting on you to ask her to be your girlfriend, again."

"Yes! Black is right, AGAIN!" Sirius yelled making the whole store turn around again and look at him. "Aww turn aroun and mind your own bloody business!"

"So what do you want to do today?" Sirius asked turning from Cassidy to James.

Neither said anything, "How about The Three Broomsticks?" Sirius suggested. "Yeah, because I'm hungry and I want some butterbeer."

"We can't."

"And why not Prongs? I'm not going ot The Hog's Head, it's down right disgusting. And we're not going to that fluffy place the chicks dig."

"Lily will think we're trying to spy on her date with Smith."

"No she won't James," Cassidy said. "Lily knows I only go to The Three Broomsticks. Besides then you can meet her up there and walk over to Serlena's with Lily...instead of meeting her over there."

"Sounds good, let's go."

The three entered The Three Broomsticks to find it as packed as Lily had. "There's so many people in here that I can hardly breath!" Cassidy complained.

"Yeah there are so many people in here, I can't tell who's who; a part from you two. Busy day for Madam Rosemerta." Sirius said sitting down in a booth, next to Cassidy and James across from Sirius.

"At your service kids, what would you like today?" Madam Roesmerta said smiling at the three.

"Quick aren't you?"

"Like the speed of light," she said with a wink.

"Okay," Cassidy said impatently. "I'd like a butterbeer and cheeseburger...but mayo, chesse, and meat only."

"Weirdo," Sirius laughed. "I want a butterbeer and a burger with ketchup, meat, and pickles only."

"Look who's the weirdo now," Cassidy laughed.

"I want a chesseburger with everything except mustard and onions." James said.

"To drink?"

"Butterbeer."

"Will that all be on one ticket?" Madam Roesmerta asked.

"The lady and I are together, but Jamesey..."

"Sorry I'm late," Lily said throwing herself beside James startling them all. "Your taking our orders? Great! I'm starved. I'd like a butterbeer, and a chesseburger with mayo, lettuce, meat and chesse only, please."

"Paying for yourself, like James here?" Madam Rosemerat asked.

"Yes...."

"No, I've got her covered." James said with a wink to Lily.=

"Okay, be back in a few." Madam Rosemerta walked off; and Sirius, Cassidy and James all turned to look at Lily.

"What happened to your date with Tyler?" Cassidy asked.

Before Lily could answer, James spoke. "Yeah, what happened to meet you in four hours. I might have had a date."

"But you didn't, so stuff it." Cassidy interupted.

"Went for my boy James, huh?" Sirius said winking at her. "Told you James had the better package."

"SIRIUS!" They all yelled and a slap in the back of the head from Cassidy.

"What?!" Sirius wined rubbing the back of his head.

"Okay," Lily said. "Im speaking now, so noone interupt me. I did meet Tyler here, like I told all of you. He got one of those fancy eating rooms in the back, and kept pestering me. I think you were right Cass, there's too much of an age difference."

"So your going to be with all of us today?" James asked.

"Until we need to get our costumes, and Sirius and Cassidy do. We can split up then."

"YAYS!" Sirius yelled so loudly that half of The Three Broomsticks turned around to look at him oddly.

"What am I..." Cassidy started to say, but then turned her attention to Lily. "Tyler at twelve o'clock, better hide."

"Ekk!" She bolted under the table.

"Hello all," Tyler said as he approached Sirius, Cassidy, and James. He did not spot Lily hiding under the table.

"Hi," they all said in union.

"I'm looking for Lily Evans, you know your redheaded friend, have you seen her lately?" They all shook their heads no. "No?" He asked and sighed deeply. "Well if you see her tell her I"m looking for her." Tyler walked away and out of the shop.

"Tyler's looking for you," Sirius piped up when Lily got back in her seat. Making the rest of them look athim like he was stupid, with another slap in the back of the head from Cassidy. "Woman! If you don't quit!"

"Then stop being such an idiot!"

The rest of the day was calm, and uneventful. Tyler didn't bother them the rest of the day, as a matter of fact they didn't see him at all. Four o'clock chimed from a clock somewhere and the four split up into twos. Sirius and Cassidy, and James and Lily. On their way to get their Halloween Costumes for the ball next week.

As Lily and James were abou to walk in Serlena's Costumes for all Occasions, Lily stopped and grabbed James's hand. "What about Remus?"

"What about him?" James asked confused.

"He's not going to be able to purchase a costume in time for the ball."

"He's not going."

"What? Why not?"

James sighed, "He only wants to go with Gabriella, and said no to the girls that asked him."

"That's horrible, he's still got it bad for her?"

"Yup, afraid so. If only there was a way to get her to dump Bagman...got any ideas?"

Lily let go of James's hand and looked at him in disgust. "You want me to help you break my friend and her boyfriend up so she can get with your friend? James that's not only wrong, but crazy...we don't even know if Gabriella will go after Remus."

"Remus is your friend too. Besides don't act like you actually like Bagman, Cassidy and you are always saying stuff about him."

"James Potter!" Lily yelled and punched him hard in the right shoulder, enough to make him squint. "How dar you listen in on Cassidy and my privateconversations?!"

"Private?" James chuckled, "You and Cass are in the Common Room, and loud enough for everyone in Gryffindor Tower to here."

"Oh," Lily felt very childish now. Anyone at Hogwarts, minus Gabriella and Ludo, knew that Lily disliked Ludo almost ask much as she disliked Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Lucius, and Amos. Luco was an arrogant, big headed dumbass. Lord knows how he got in Ravenclaw.

"Lily?" James's voice brought Lily back to reality.

"Yeah," she sighed letting him know she'd heard him.

"Where were you just now?"

"James forget about it. Can we go get our Costumes? I have Prefect Duty an hour before dinner and two hours after."

"Who are you patrolling with since Remus isn't here?"

Lily sighed and her face formed a look of disgust, "Snape."

"WHAT!" James screamed, "How could they? They know Snape hates you. He calls you a...a..."

"Mudblood" Lily sighed. "Yes James I know. The Head Girl doesn't like me, the Head Boy is just dumb."

They entered Serlena's finally, holding hands again. "Lily if Snape is mean to you at all, you let me know and he'll feel the wrath of the The Marauder's."

Lily giggled, James was actiing as if he was a Superhero on a Muggle Television. "I'll remember to do that."

James smiled, this was going to work....it had to work. Lily had to be his...

-Somewhere in distant Egypt-

"Seer! What do you see?" Hissed a cold pitched voice.

"The girl," the Seer said in a calm voice. As she was use to visions now and didn't go all rigid. "Stood up Dumbledore's grandson for Potter."

"Little Mudblood likes the fullblood....hmm. Go figure." He hissed, but went on. "If those two don't stay away from another, I'll split them a part by grief."

"But Dark Lord," the Seer spoke. "Grief will only bring these two together."

The Dark Lord made a noise as if he didn't believe her. "Sure," he sneered. "Get me my parchment, I need to write the Evans a letter about their daughter."

"Will you write the girl?" The Seer asked handing her master some parchment.

"No, not just yet. After the letter I write her parents, I know they'll inform her."

"Lily Evans isn't a threat to you yet. She isn't with James Potter."

"Their almost there," he hissed. "Their too strong together...you said in a vision I was fighting againstt them, but I didn't kill them....that I fled."

The Seer sighed, "Yes Lord, I did see that. They are both very powerful and almost invinsible together."

"Shut up Seer! I know this, why do you think I don't want them together?"

"Right. Master?"

"What now?!" He roared at her.

"W...well, you have parchment...but no quill or ink. How ill you write the girl's family?"

"With blood."