3rd September

Sirius is treating this whole situation as a huge joke. He asked me out for James today. Of course, the answer was no.

4th September

Sirius asked me out for James again.

5th September

Ditto yesterday.

6th September

Ditto again. I am getting so fed up of this.

7th September

Sirius is a importunate fool. Nuff said.

8th September

Transfiguration

I am meant to be making notes for a test tomorrow, but I have Anna, so I will survive.

I have arranged for a first tutoring session with Remus tonight. He came up to me after potions, which was last lesson.

'Yeah, that's fine.' I replied, when he had explained where we would meet, what to bring e.t.c. Then I turned to him, and said somewhat jokingly, 'As long as you don't bring Potter - I already had a shower this morning.'

'But it wasn't -' began Remus, taking me seriously.

'I don't want to hear any excuses about yesterday.' I said firmly, making sure Potter was well within earshot. 'He can apologise to me in person if he really wants to.'

With that, I marched off, my exit somewhat undignified, as I tripped over the hem of my robes slightly (the shop didn't stock any robes any smaller for a seventh year).

9th September

Lunch

Yesterday went well with my tutoring.

Lupin has returned to basics with me, but I am fine with that. Anything that will help will do. I have another session tonight.

And Potter, taking my hint after Potions, apologised. I am not sure if I am readily able to forgive him for humiliating me, but there is more of a chance now than there was yesterday.

Anna and Rachel think I am being unfair towards him.

'But did he actually throw one?' demanded Rachel after I had explained what had happened for the seventeenth time.

'No-'

'So how do you know he didn't have anything to do with it?' interrupted Anna.

'Because,' I retaliated angrily - sick of telling them - 'He had this stupid little smirk on his face, and he was all edgy before hand as well, and he didn't do anything that made me think it wasn't him.'

'But how do you know?'

'I - I just do.'

'But how do you?'

'I just do, OK!' I yelled, causing several first-years to jump and look around frightfully.

Rachel looked alarmed.

'Oh, all right,' she said hastily. 'I'll be in the library, catching up on my Arithmancy.'

'Ok then.' I said moodily, spearing a mushroom with the prongs of my fork.

'Coming, Anna?' asked Rachel.

Anna gave me a funny look and hurried off after Rachel.

'Fine,' I muttered angrily. 'Just fine.'

Still 9th September

Library

OK, OK, I admit it. I was being a little hard on Potter, as was pointed out to me by Lupin this evening.

Potter was there, skulking around the shelves. I slung my cloak over a chair and put my bag on the floor, carefully not looking at him.

Lupin sighed, watching me avoid watching Potter.

'What?' I said.

'He's innocent.'

'Huh?'

'You know, the whole water balloon incident. He had nothing to do with it.'

'I told you before, I don't need to hear -'

' -Excuses.' said Lupin. 'Yeah, I know what you said, but this isn't an excuse. James didn't do anything!'

'Yeah, he didn't actually throw the things, but-'

'That's not what I meant.' said Lupin gently. 'He wasn't involved. It wasn't his idea. In fact, he didn't know anything about it at all.'

'Really?' I said sarcastically, digging around my bag for an ink bottle.

'Yeah really. It was all Sirius' idea.' continued Lupin. 'He got a right earful from James afterwards. He was pretty upset.'

'Potter or Black?'

'James, of course. Though Sirius was a bit put out at being yelled at by his best friend.'

What was James upset about?'

'You.'

'Me?'

'Well, he likes you a lot Lily, but you don't really seem to notice.'

'Notice? What do you call the past seven years?' I exclaimed. 'He's the most annoying person I've ever had the misfortune to meet, and that's including my sisters boyfriend Vernon - who is repulsive.'

'That's a bit harsh.'

On further reflection, I decided it was.

'Well, he is definitely in the top 10.' I said. 'And I'm still a bit dubious. Potter had this stupid little smirk on his face, and he was all edgy…'

'He was edgy because he was sitting beside you.'

'Me?'

'He likes you Lily - more than just a friend. He's liked you loads, ever since third year when he sat next to you in Potions.'

'He's had a funny way of showing it since then. But what about that smirk?'

'It wasn't a smirk. It was a sort of pleased-with-myself smile. You notice how he never smiled like that around any other girls? When he was going out with Martha, or Gracie or Elise?'

Ugh. Elise Georgini. I shuddered. I was desperate to find a reason against Potter's innocence, but if one was hiding somewhere, it was certainly hiding very well.

'Yeah, fine.' I said at last. 'I believe you. Be right back.'

And as Remus sat there with an identical smirk to Potters (an I'm-pleased-with-myself one), I realised he was right. Potter - James - had changed for the better. He had been a whole lot nicer to be around. And before if he'd done anything to upset me, he'd never apologise right away.

I approached him quietly. He was skimming through a book on werewolves. I tapped him on the shoulder. He spun round, snapping the book shut.

'Hi.'

'Er - hi.' He looked confused. He pushed his glasses up his nose. Then the hand rose to his hair.

'Don't do that,' I said sharply, automatically.

'What?'

'Ruffle your hair like that. It really annoys me.'

'OK.'

My jaw dropped. A simple OK like that? Not defensive retaliation? Where was the old Potter I used to love to hate? Who was this new impostor? This new impostor, who was proving himself likeable?

He looked at me with those astonishingly emerald eyes.

'What do you want, Lily?'

The new impostor who had learnt my first name at last?

I took a deep breath. 'To apologise.'

'To me?'

'Yeah, to you. I was being a bit harsh saying all that's stuff when I had no proof that you were involved with the water balloon thing. I'm sorry.'

James blinked at me, startled. 'Apology accepted.'

'Thanks. Well, see you around - James.'

'Um, yeah. See you.'

'I'll try be nicer as well, if you like.' I smiled at him. He smiled back.

'That'd be … nice.'

'Good. Bye.'

'Bye…'

And I went back to Remus, strangely feeling a whole lot better.

10th September

Defence Against the Dark Arts

I am so so so grateful to God for creating Remus Lupin, who is the most wonderful tutor in the world.

We had a test today which, upon hearing about, I instantly went into 'aaaaaaaaaaah!' mode.

But, I found it not so hard. It was hard to concentrate, on account of James sitting next to me concentrating so hard, his arm so close to mine. He smelt really nice, a clean boy smell of soap and… cleanness.

And also, he looked as if he had the right answers, so I just copied them (altering them slightly to avoid suspicion of course - I am not stupid, whatever people may say/think). I considered this 'method' of answering as 'enhancing what I already know', because cheating is against all the morality in my nature, but now I do not care as failure will be part of my nature if I flunk Defence Against the Dark Arts.

James has glanced at my paper. Damn. Must not look as if I am copying…. hums to oneself thinks to oneself that oneself is so busted…

James just did the most unbelievable thing. Instead of grassing on me, he shifted his left elbow so I could see clearer! I returned that act of generosity with a smile, and secretly vowed to myself to be nicer to him than ever furthermore. And let him copy my answers for Transfiguration (my best subject). Wait - not all my answers. Just some.

11th September

Lunch

Am going to watch the Quidditch tryouts. Anna wants to try out. She says she doesn't care if she doesn't get on the team. I would. But then again, I'm not trying out.

11th September

Dinner

Well. That was unexpected.

I feel so strange. Tingly. Like I'd just been given a tiny electric shock.

After the tryouts, me, Anna and Rachel were walking back to the castle, perfectly normally. I was worrying about where I'd put my Head Girl badge perfectly normally.

Then, someone called my name. I spun round. Potter was hurrying towards me.

'Lily!' he stopped, slightly out of breath. 'Can I talk to you a moment?' His eyes fell on Anna and Rachel, who were surveying him with interest. 'Alone?'

'See you in the Common Room, Lily.' said Anna, turning with Rachel to walk away. They were grinning.

'What?' I asked Potter. He looked nervous.

'Um, well… Have you seen the new notice on the board in the Common Room?' he asked me.

'No - what's it about?'

'A Hallowe'en Ball.' he answered. His eyes darted to the floor. 'And the prefects and head Boy and Girl have to start of the first dance with their… their… partners.'

'What? What partners?' I asked, panicking slightly.

'Dance partners.' he said.

'They've got to be joking! I can't dance! I don't dance.' I said. 'And I won't dance.' The last bit was more talking to myself, but Potter heard.

'Well, um, the real reason I wanted to talk to you was, um… Willyagowimme?'

'Sorry?' I eyed him quizzically. He was going red, and took a deep breath.

'Will you go with me?'

'Huh? To the Ball? Me?' I replied, startled.

This was obviously not the reaction Potter expected, as his shoulders drooped and he smiled slightly, forlornly.

'It's OK, if you don't want to…'

'I never said I didn't want to.' I interrupted, taking myself by surprise. Bad Lily! I thought to myself. Giving Potter false hope! But then my mouth spoke of its own accord. 'I'll think about it.'

WHAT????!!!

Half of me sort of felt sorry for Potter. The other half was suspicious. Was this another prank? I studied potter's face. He looked deadly serious.

'Really?' he said, excitedly. 'I mean, will you let me know?'

'Sure.'

We stood for an awkward silence of approximately 1.3 minutes.

'Well, um we'd better get going. Dinner's probably started.' I said.

'Yeah - I'd better get changed. Um, see you, Lily.'

'Yeah, see you.' I said. 'James.'