Lily ran her fingertip across the cotton pillow cases, she was used to satin.

"That's adorable, and you still have the shoe too." Crystal said turning off the light, then getting into bed.

"You know it's kind of romantic." Her friend said continuing as Lily slipped in beside her.

"Crystal! It wasn't remotely romantic. We were six years old." Lily said in a tone hardly short of a growl.

"So" her friend pouted. "I wish I had a memory like that."

Lily sighed knowing where the conversation was going. " I want to be-"

"Yes, I know" Lily sighed. "Head-over-heels-in-love"

"Yes, but you forgot one part, with James Potter"

Lily snorted loudly "That would be a one-sided relationship seeing as James Potter knows nothing about love! Also that he's too in love with himself to love anyone else!" Lily said tilting her head back laughing.

The blonde frowned with her arms crossed.

"I mean I keep telling you that, you don't know him." Lily said still giggling

"Goodnight, Lily" Crystal said coldly.

Lily sighed and turned to go to sleep.
She'll see. Being head-over-heels-in-love is propaganda. he knows nothing about love, nothing.

Lily squinted as the flash from the camera beamed into her eyes.
"Oh, that won't be a very good picture!" Lily's mother said frowning.
"Take another one, Greg!" she said moving behind him. "Smile, girls!" Gregory Evans said to his daughters.

"If they take one more picture I'm going to die." Lily muttered to Petunia.

"Shut up freak!" Petunia said her smile unwavering.

Lily bit her tongue and went on smiling, even though she had the perfect comeback.

"Oh, Lily" her mother said as she threw her arms around her.

Lily sighed "I'll see you at Christmas, okay mom?" Lily said as she noticed her mothers' tears.

"Bye Dad" Lily said quietly.

"You, stay out of trouble" he said smiling

"I will. Bye Petunia" Lily said looking towards her sister.

Petunia said nothing but turned away.

"Petunia!" Lily mother barked.

"It doesn't matter" Lily said kissing her mother on the cheek. She then rolled her luggage towards the barrier. Waving one last time, she ran through it.

Peace at Last she thought as her friend waved her over.

"I thought you'd never get here. Where were you?"

"With my parents" she said rolling her eyes.

"Ah" Crystal said knowingly.

"Listen, I'm going to talk to James, come with me" Crystal said.

"You see, I would except I have work to do. See you in the compartment" Lily said turning away from her friend.

"I'm so sure, Evans. We'll talk later" The blonde shouted after her.

Lily searched through all the compartments. Until she found the one she was looking for.

"Hey, Emily" Lily said as she sat down.

Emily looked up from her magazine and smiled "Lily" she said.

The girl threw down her magazine and standing at full height "Where is Crystal" she said her hands balled up into fists.

Lily smirked "Do you actually have to ask."

"I suppose with, Potter" she said sighing and sitting down.

"My father is going to lock me in a room with a troll, when he finds out I lost his cloak. You think the ministry just gives them away? They're extremely rare, and you know the ministry doesn't even have them to give!"

"Why are you getting mad at me, I didn't lose it" Lily said backing up as far as she could in her seat.

"When she gets here, she is dead!" The smile returned to her small form and she spoke in her normal mellowing voice.

"How was your summer, Lily? Did you have a nice time in Rome?"

"Yes, it was okay" Lily said slightly disconcerted.

……………………………………………………………………………….

Crystal giggled in what she thought was infectious laughter.

"You're friends, with Lily Evans, am I right?" James asked.

"Yeah! She's my best friend."

"Interesting" James said with a half-grin.

Me! Not Lily! Fool!

"You know from what I've heard she hates you" Crystal said in a what would be wise manner.

James' face fell into a frown "No need in reminding me he said." He said chuckling.

"So where are you sitting?" James asked

Progress, oh wait what if he only wants to see Lily? Although he did say, "you" and not Lily. I guess I'll have to wait and see

"Hey, Emily" Crystal said hugging her friend.

"Hi" Emily said in a harsh tone. "Get out!" Emily said as James, Sirius, and Peter sat down. They looked surprised, no girl had ever wanted them to leave before. When they didn't move she shouted again.

"Do you not understand? Leave" she belted. They hurried out, and she slammed the compartment door behind them.

"Emily!" Crystal said mouth wide open

"How could you lose that? I told you to be careful with it! Don't you think the ministry might need it?" Emily said speaking of the cloak, although shouting.

"Well, maybe if you would tell us what's going on, I would find it more important!"

"You know I can't tell you, it's confidential. I'm not even supposed to know. I simply overheard it. All is I can say is they're looking for someone okay!"

The fight went on until Lily left to go to the prefects meeting. They never noticed her leave.

She sighed as she entered the compartment. "Hey, Remus" she said falling beside him.
"Troubles?" He asked eyebrows raised

Oh, my friends were just having this fight." Lily said smirking
"Emily, in a fight?" He said taken aback.

"I know it sounds weird, I mean she may look like a calm person, but she can get really angry"
Lily said with raised hands.

"I'd like to see that" Remus said rubbing his chin.
"Be careful what you wish for" Lily laughed.

"Although James did tell me he was kicked out of your compartment."

Lily giggled. "Now that I liked that."

"He also said she could give you a run for your money" he said with a half grin
"Did he no-." Remus nudged her signifying the head boy was about to give out the instructions for the day.

He began to speak, Lily looked right at him, yet she couldn't hear him."

Where was he last year? He can't be new, he wouldn't qualify for Head Boy

The boy looked over, Lily realized she was staring, she looked away quickly.

The time flew by. Lily wiped her wet palms on her robe.

"Evans." She tensed up as he addressed her. "When would you like to patrol."

"Today?" she said not thinking.

"Yes, that would be the generalization seeing as we won't be on the train tomorrow.
I meant what time today." He said smiling.

"Oh, twelve then" she said carefully.

He wrote it down on his chart, and said nothing more to her.
"Alright meeting's over" He said as the sound of chairs being shuffled filled the compartment.

Lily collected her bag and was, and was one of the first to leave the room."
"Hey, Lily. Wait up!" Remus called.

""Are you okay, you seem a bit off"

"I'm fine." she said beaming at him forcibly.

What is wrong with me. My palms are sweating! It's just a guy. I must've sounded like a blithering idiot. I'll bet
He's wondering how I became a prefect in the first place.

"Emily" Liliy breathed leaning on the compartment door for support.

"Do you know Jason Scott?" she said sitting down

"No-" Emily started. "I know him" Crystal said.

"Really?" Lily said surprised.

"Yeah, you know Mandy from hufflepuff? Well he's her cousins', best friends', sons', friend"

Lily sighed "Crystal, remember when we decided we would go to Emily,
for help or anything of the like?"

"Yes" Crystal pouted as she leaned back in her seat.

"Anyway" Emily said glaring at Crystal "I know he's the keeper for Ravenclaw"

"Captain" Crystal glared back.

"It's not surprising you didn't notice him, you're completely oblivious to your surroundings."

"That's not true"

"Okay" Emily said smirking " He won that award last year at the ceremonies for his grades, don't you remember"

"I was sick" Lily muttered.

"Speaking of grades, Emily, how many owls did you get?"

Emily smiled sweetly "For me it does not matter, when school is over I'm giving up my wizarding license! I will become an
Illegal alien in the muggle world, and join the peace corps."

"Well isn't that just what we all want" Crystal said in a icy tone.

Emily ignored her. They both sat sulkily in separate corners, while Lily was forced to sit in silence.

Thanks for the bumps, I did the part about the peace corps just for you, Emily. Not that I'm exactly sure what it isYes very short I'm sorry!"Remus" James said patting him on the back he entered the compartment.

"How was the meeting?" James asked grinning.

"You mean how was Lily?" Remus asked looking nonplussed.

"Well-"

"I think you're obsessed" Remus said sitting down.

"Obsessed?" James said defiantly.

"Couldn't you just leave the girl alone?"

"Remus I-"

"I agree with Remus" Sirius said swallowing a cream puff.

"Sirius, I think you should lay of the sweets, I think they're getting to your head."
James said glaring at him.

"Well you have got to admit James, it's been almost two years now..." Sirius said

James folded him arms. "Would it hurt?" Remus asked.

"She is kind of strange looking. You know, what with her freckles and bright eyes." Said Sirius, receiving a strange look from Remus.

James raised his eyebrows. "I guess I could give it a go."

Remus and Sirius exchanged a glance of surprise.

"What do you think Pete?" James asked Peter, who was busy stuffing his face full with as much food as possible.

He shrugged. James sighed.

"I'll try" he said in a resigned voice.

When they thought James wasn't looking they high-fived, both boys beaming.

"I saw that you two, I think I'm just going to leave with my only true best friend." He said dragging Peter out the door.wow really ironic!

The three girls burst out of the train. "Fresh air" Crystal gasped.

Lily tightened the scarf around her neck. "Let's get a carriage" she said
starting to shiver.

They settled themselves in a carriage, and waited for the carriages ahead to move.

"There's room here." Exclaimed a boy in a group of second years said, pointing towards their
carriage.

"I'm sorry." Lily said as the boys began to climb in, there's only four aloud to a carriage.

"Rules have changed, there's a shortage of carriages. Guess it's going to be a tight squeeze." Lily's face fell. Being squashed into the side of a carriage wall with a group of second year boys,' was not her ideal dream of her first day back to school.

"We get off that train, and now this." Crystal muttered.

They were on the carriage for what seemed like hours. When finally Hogwarts came into view. The carriage put all three girls in the worst of moods.

They trudged through the leaves looking like they were on a murderous hunt. Lily felt her stomach growl. She stepped into the front entrance and the warmth filled her body.

The students filed into the Great hall, stumbling left and right. At long last the girls made their way to the Gryffindor table.

"Now if you'll all be seated." Professor Dippet said sternly. "We all want to eat, so to get this moving as quickly as possible, I'll need your co-operation.

The students stopped talking and sat down. "Good." With a flick of his wand he opened the door. Exposing a large group of first years.' Squeals and shrieks escaped their beings, at the sight of the great hall. With their heads upturned towards the ceiling they formed a line, as directed by Professor Mcgonagall.

"Abrahms, Ira" Professor Mcgonagall said in a clear voice. A small boy ambled excitedly towards the bench.

"I'm starving" Lily said hissing as the sorting progressed. "Why can't they sort them, after we eat!"

Crystal had her head in her hand looking into space. At this point she sat up strait
"What?" she said looking towards Lily.

"Never mind" Lily sighed.

Lily felt like she had been waiting all day. So far the day couldn't get any worse.
"Zimmer, Alex" Professor Mcgonagall called out.

Lily sighed in relief as the last first year placed the hat on his head.

"Now you may eat!" Professor Dippet shouted out with a wave of his hand the food appeared. He then received many whoops from the student body.

Lily began to eat the food that tasted as it does, when you're starving.
As she ate her mood changed. She conversed and laughed happily.

Lily was waving to an old friend when all the light in the room was no longer
There.

"Has the power gone out" Lily asked carelessly.

"Don't be daft, Hogwarts doesn't have power!" Emily said frowning, although Lily could not see this.

"What's going on?" Crystal said in a tone of fear.

"Like I know all about it" Emily said.

"Well, how are we supposed to know that?" Crystal spat.

"Quiet" Lily said snarling.

The students sat in the darkness cold and confused.

"Nothing's happening" Emily said slowly.

"Lily come" Remus said dragging her out of her seat.
"What" Lily said confused.

"There's a prefects meeting"

"Why?" She said letting herself be dragged.

"Move faster, Evans" Remus breathed.

They ran until Lily was red-faced and panting for air. "Did we have to do all that
running, everyone's still outside. She said pointing at a large group of prefects standing outside Professor Dippets' office.

Remus shook his head and dragged her along into the crowd. Professor Dippet arrived minutes later, the rest of the staff following behind him.

He pushed through the crowd to stand in front of the entrance he muttered an unheard word. "Follow me" he said turning into the entrance. Only to realize his office would not open.

"You'll have to stand" he frowned. "That or sit on the floor."

"We don't know how, and we don't know why. So don't ask." He leaned forward with two hands on his desk.

"It seems we are unable to perform any magical tasks on the grounds."
He poured a glass of water and drained it down.

"No silent incantations, no wands, no nothing."

"What about the repellant charms around the castle" A fifth year girl from Ravenclaw
asked.

"We have it covered thank you, Eliza" he said in a frustrated tone.

"We have no information on the matter yet. The only reason I've called you here is so you can lead the rest of the students back to the dorms. I know it'll be difficult seeing as
you have no light, although you are all smart. This is why you're our prefects and such, now go." He said turning away grumbling.

Lily walked along slowly, she felt empty. Her haven had become, like any other place, and not the place it was.

She hardly noticed where she was going. She helped the students, mostly the first years along. Her only light coming from stray windows.

She suddenly realized she was heading in the complete wrong direction. Having followed the wrong person she found herself at the Ravenclaw dormitories. She sighed and realized she was lost. She slipped down to sit leaning against a wall in a corridor, oblivious to the events around her.

"Lost?" She looked into the Head Boys' eyes greenshe thought as a smile spread across her face.

"Yes" she said and felt herself blush

"Come on" he said holding out a hand.

"Okay" she said letting him help her up.

She looked into his eyes Green she thought as a smile spread across
Her face.

Lily walked along side him Don't ask anything! she thought.
I've just got to keep my mouth shut!

They turned a corner. That's it I can't take this!

"I'm not idiot!" she said he jumped back startled as she broke the dead silence.

"I know there's something going on, and you are going to tell me. I know you know!"
She said her voice echoing through the corridors.

He looked slightly disconcerted. He cleared his throat and grinned. "Am I"

"Please" she said quietly.

"They think it's a prank at this point." He said in a resigned voice.
"Classes will be canceled, for tomorrow anyway. Every student will be tested with a truth serum. Make sure you let those in your dormitory know."

"Potter" she muttered under her breath.

He chuckled. "He's been tested. They thought for sure it was Potter or Black. You see they were absent during the feast, yet it turns out neither had anything to do with it."

"Surprising" Lily said raising her eyebrows.

"Here we are" he said as they reached the stairs to the Gryffindor tower.

"Thanks." Lily stopping before she flew up the stairs.

"No problem." He said but she didn't hear it.

She entered the common room and to her a horror it was packed.
"Look a prefect!" A girl squealed and pointed. The students rushed at her
Like bulls' after a red cloth.
"Will the lights go on again?"
"Will there be classes?"
"Will we ever see our families again?"
"I want to go home" a girl cried.
"Why don't we use candles?"
"We've no way to light one, fool."
"Don't call her a fool! Idiot!"
"Who are you calling me an idiot!"

"SILENCE!" Lily shouted at the top of her lungs. The noise stopped instantly. That had been the most emotion she had let out in what seemed for ages.

"Now if you will listen carefully." Lily said softly although so they could all hear her. The staff is almost positive this has been caused by a student. We don't know who
but we will."
She took a deep breath then continued on "You will all go to breakfast as usual in the morning." She then turned to leave

"The lights?" a girl pleaded. Lily shook her head and descended up the stairs towards
The girls dormitories.

She collapsed into bed. "Lily, you're back! You have to tell us what's going on no one
knows"

"I need sleep" Lily muttered.

"Come on, Lily, I'd do this for you!"

"It'd be nice to know" Emily said coming out of her four-poster.

The two other girls crawled out of their beds too.

"Fine." Lily said as she related the events once more, and fell back into her pillow.
Leaving Emily and, Crystal, to ponder the new information.

Lily woke up in the morning to find find sunlight on her pillow, she beamed as happiness flooded over her. She gasped as she looked at her watch. She changed quickly, rushing through the corridors. She stopped as she reached the entrance to the Great Hall, and walked in a normal pace. She saw a space beside her friend and rushed to sit beside her.

"I would like to inform you all that Professor Dippet, who we all love so dearly,
has fled." Dumbledore said.

Great, sinking deeper into h ells hole

"A deep burden we all will share. So being the deputy headmaster I will be taking on Headmaster Dippets' duties as headmaster." Dumbledore continued.

Lily smiled at this, she'd always liked Dumbledore.

"Lily, you were supposed to go to a prefects meeting ages ago" Crystal said as
she sat down.

"Of course I was" Lily sighed rushing off again. I could faint she thought.
She slipped in "Ah, Evans nice of you to join us I've just finished." Professor Mcgonagall said superiorly. "I'm sorry." Lily said ashamed. The black haired women raised a hand "No matter, Evans." Mcgonagall then turned and walked briskly out the
door.

"Remus!" Lily said rushing towards him. "What's going on now?"
She sat down.

"The woman's mad" Remus said grumbling. "She's locked us in here."

"How are we supposed to help if we're in here?" Lily asked.

"We are to find a way to create light, manually." Remus snorted.

"Which is not possible. I vote we go on without the light until the problem sorts itself out."

"Don't be simple, Remus" Lily laughed "Fire" she said

"How do you make fire without magic, Evans"

"The muggle way of course, sticks and stones or maybe a mirror"

"What are you on about, we've been over everything"

"Am I the only muggle-born here?" Lily asked.

"Yes, I supposed you are"

Lily sighed she reached for a lantern off the wall, and brought it down onto the desk.

"Come here" she beckoned to everyone.

The students crowded round. She found a mirror in a drawer and, reflected the sunlight on a stray piece of paper. They waited just under a minute it became to spark and a rich flame started. Lily beamed, she lit the lantern with the paper.

"Light" she said. The students were looking at her in ama