"So...what happened?" Ruth was very excited to see Lily knowing she spent the day with Zach Rowley, that the first thing she did when they got back to the common room was ask about what happend. "Tell me everything."

"Not much to tell...except he ask me to go to the Costume Ball."

"The one on Halloween?"

"Well there's no other costume ball is there?"

"So..."

"So what?"

"Did you say yes?"

"Well...I mean I had no reason to say no..."

"Oh..." Ruth got a weird look on her face after hearing Lily's answer.

"Should I have said no?"

"No, I mean, there's nothing wrong with him. It's just that..."

"It's just that what?"

"What about James?"

"Ruth...we've been over this. James and I are just friends. He doesn't have feelings for me."

"Right...that's what you think." Ruth mumbled quietly.

"What does that mean?"

"Don't be nieve Lily, the whole school sees it, why don't you? James is crazy about you."

"Oh Ruth, don't be silly. I can assure you that he no longer has feelings for me."

"How do you know?"

"Well for one, he's not acting like a complete idiot anymore is he."

"Maybe...he realizes that you'll never like him if he keeps making you mad."

"Either way...there's nothing between us. James Potter does NOT love me." Lily's confidence in the words she just said quickly died away. She began thinking about the first night back at school, at the jealousy he had shown towards Zach, and their talk the night before. "Ruth, what do you know? Does he still love me?"

"I don't know anything, I can only assume. I can feel it, he loves you."

"NO! YOU'RE WRONG. I'M NOT IN LOVE WITH JAMES POTTER!"

Ruth noticed a slip in what Lily had just said. "I never said you were...."

"What? No of course not, no. I mean... I meant to say... that he doesn't... love... me..." Lily quickly tried to take back what she said, and turned around immediatly to exit the common room.

"Lily, wait." Ruth rushed after her and stopped her right before she got ready to go upstairs. "You love him, don't you? I KNEW IT!"

"No I don't. He's my friend."

"So...what's wrong with that?"

"Well what if it doesn't work out? It could ruin our friendship. How many people remain friends after they've broken up? I can't bare to hate him again. That'll just put more pressure on me especially with the NEWTs coming up." Lily's attempt to change the subject didn't work, not with Ruth who was a stubborn as she was.

"Lily...you two are meant to be together. It's fate, it's DESTINY. You don't mess with fate. You, of anyone, should know that. After all, fate brought you from a muggle family to Hogwarts. And now fate has led you to James Potter."

"Did fate bring Voldemort into the world?"

Ruth was shocked at the sudden mention of the dark lord's name. "I told you, don't say that name!"

"After all the horrible things the world has seen, there's not much I believe in right now, especially not love. All I know is that I have to go to bed, and that Zachary Rowley is the person I want to go the the Halloween Ball with." She started up the stairs but turned around only to say "Good night Ruth."

Ruth just stood there for a moment and said quietly to herself. "Some day Lily Evans, I'll make you believe. You'll believe in love, and I know just the person who will make you believe." She sat down with a quill and parchment, and started writing a letter.