A/N: This is it...the one you've all been waiting for! Drum roll, please...The LONGESTpartso far! Three and a half pages typed, baby!

I'm pressed for time, so I can't really chat. Please review as always, and many thanks to those of you who have been doing so!

EDIT: IMPORTANT Anonymous reviews are open now! I was SO stupid...the control was RIGHT in front of me. Please review!

EDIT: Answering reviews for Part Eight...

ebtwisty9: Yeah, sorry about the first names thing...I have a knack for doing stuff like that too early. Oh well, what's done is done. It's too late to change it, trust me.

Jedi Knight Bus: Well, this one's a lot longer! I'm glad you like the reviewer response thing. So long as you review, I'll put you up here!

iWILLmarryDanielRadcliffe: Yes, Hilz. I got it from The Parent Trap. Say "hi" to your cousins from me!

Part Nine: The Final Ingredients

"Hey, Lily. Sorry I took so long," said James between pants. He had run from the castle as not to keep her waiting.

She was standing at the end of a rather long line of students, who were going through a tedious inspection by Argus Filch.

"It's quite all right," said Lily as they moved one step forward in line.

They proceeded in silence. Once Filch was satisfied that James did not have any Dungbombs on him, they walked to where the horseless carriages were waiting to transport them to Hogsmeade.

"So…" Lily tried to start up a conversation, "we have to get the fluxweed in town, and then the only ingredient left will be a drop of O-positive blood. Oh, that reminds me. We need someone to supply the drop… Logically, it should be one of us, but I have type-A blood. James, what's your blood type?"

"Hmmm?" James asked distractedly. Very predictably, he had been staring at her while she spoke, admiring her every facial expression.

"What's your type?"

"Oh…intelligent young women with fiery red hair and—"

"James! Did you listen to a word I was saying?"

"No…"

Lily nearly shrieked with exasperation, but, remembering their truce, she calmed down almost immediately. "What is your blood type?"

"Er…what's that?" he asked, embarrassed for his ignorance. He then held a hand out for Lily and helped her into a carriage.

"You're telling me you've never been tested for your blood type?" The carriages began to move.

"No. Wizards don't normally do that."

"Oh, I never thought of that as a solely Muggle custom. We can stop at Hogsmeade's clinic after we go to the apothecary."

"What!"

"They'll take a little of your blood, and then run a test to see your type."

"No, you're not getting me to do that!"

"Why not?"

"I hate needles."

"The James Potter, big, strong Quidditch player, afraid of needles?"

James frowned. "I resent that."

"Sorry, James," Lily laughed.

"I'll show you. I can do it."

"All right then."

The students emptied out of the carriages as Hogsmeade station and went their separate ways. Lily and James ambled down the village main street, toward MacDougal's Stores, the local apothecary.

Lily entered first, and a bell rang when she opened the door. James followed close behind, shutting it.

"Mr. MacDougal?" Lily called.

A balding wizard with light blue eyes appeared from behind the counter. "Miss Evans, what can I do you for today?" he asked in a deep Scottish accent.

"Potions assignment. We need five kilograms of fluxweed."

"We, eh? Who might this chap be?"

"James Potter, sir," James shook hands with Mr. MacDougal.

Mr. MacDougal smiled knowingly at the pair. "I'm very sorry, Mr. Potter and Miss Evans, but I don't have any fluxweed left. I just sold the last bushel to Mr. Nott and Miss McKinnon for their belladonna antidote."

James hung his head down.

"Are you sure you don't have any left at all?" Lily asked hopefully.

"Again, I am truly sorry, Miss Evans. I'd try to get an order in before your Hogsmeade trip is over, but no one else will have it in stock either. Tonight's the full moon, and that, as you know, is the only time to pick it."

"Could we pick it ourselves?"

"I was hoping you'd ask that." Mr. MacDougal pulled out some pruning shears, a wizards' gardening book, and a sealable bag from under the counter. "Since my service has inconvenienced you greatly, I am willing to supply for your expedition without charge. This"—he pointed to a picture in the book—"is what fluxweed looks like. Here's something to cut it with, and here's a bag for it, because you won't want to age too much from air contact after you pick it." He pushed the items to Lily.

"Thank you very much, Mr. MacDougal," said Lily gratefully.

"Don't mention it. Oh, and you'll want to Disillusion yourselves. You never know what might be lurking out there at night."

"Thanks again," said James, opening the door for Lily, who was carrying the goods in her bag.

The elderly man nodded as the two exited and went into the storage room, where a box full of fluxweed sat on the top shelf.

"That really hurt, Lily," James grimaced. They had just sat down at the Three Broomsticks after a nasty experience (for James, anyway) at the clinic.

"Oh please, it was only a prick," Lily waved it away. "Besides, now we know you've got O-positive blood, which means we won't have to ask around for it." James' face still wore a pained expression. Lily sighed. He's hopeless. "Look, I'll buy you a butterbeer. Will that make it better?"

"It might…"

"James!"

"Okay…please?"

"I'll be back in a minute."

Lily soon returned to the table with two bottles of butterbeer.

"We've a heck of a job to do tonight," said James after taking his first sip.

"Yeah. I was thinking about it, and even though Disillusionment is a complex charm, I think—"

"I've got that covered."

"What do you mean?"

"I have a way we can Disillusion ourselves without the charm."

"But how can you—"

"Trust me, Lily."

Lily bit her lip. Should I?

Why not? The voice inside her head rightfully asked. She sighed. "It'd better be good."

"It will be. Don't worry. AndI've got a sure-fire way to make certain we won't get caught."

"Oh, we can't!" Lily was surprised she hadn't thought of it herself. "I'll lose my prefect's badge!"

"There are far worse things in this world than losing a prefect's badge."

"Like what?"

"Like…hmmm…dying and never having been loved? Or maybe never being happy? Or"—he added on a lighter note—"being decapitated and eaten alive by a three-headed dog?"

Lily shook her head. His manners may have improved, but he's still pretty immature. "So you're sure you've got it covered?"

"Yep."

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