0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
A/N: I want to thank everyone who was so concerned about my mother. I've finally heard form her, and she's safe – their house is even okay! I'm going to be posting some donation hotlines and phone numbers connected to Hurricane relief on my profile shortly, so if you're interested please check it out.
Anyways, thanks for all the nice reviews, but I know there are some of you out there being shy, so, I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU to review. I've got almost 30 people with this story on their favorites and only 10 or so reviews for last chapter… there's something fishy going on there…
:) I'll give you a cookie…!
Anyways, review response will be following the Chappy, and please enjoy! (And REVIEW!)
Oh, and my sincerest apologies for this taking so long to update! It'll never happen again, I swear!
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Legal Disclaimer: See Prologue.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
This chapter is dedicated to Pink Luvin Goddess.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Chapter Eight:
Everything Will
Be Okay
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Charity lay awake that evening, staring at the ceiling, wondering why. She could hear Alice's gentle snores coming from the next bed. Usually there would have been a second set of snores emitting from Nichole – No, she mustn't think of that. She absolutely mustn't. After all, as she reasoned with her self time and time again, it wasn't her fault. There was nothing that could have been done to prevent it… She did nothing wrong.
I don't want this, she thought to herself. Why…?
The Grim, forever in the bottom of the cup, numbers growing smaller as weeks passed by, inching slowly towards the brim…
The castings… Isa – always Isa…
And the cards – Oh, the cards, damn them! – the hanged man… sacrifice, pain… the devil showed then end of something, the END of something…
Its not my fault, its not my fault, its not my fault, its not my fault, its not my -
Charity suddenly heard the door creak open, ever so gently. As she stifled back the tears behind her eyes, she listened to Lily's footsteps padding across the thick carpet. After a momentary rustling of fabric, she heard the tale tell swish of bed hangings being closed and knew her best friend was in bed.
A few long minutes later, when she was sure Lily was asleep, Charity sat up slowly, and ever so slightly did she open her bed curtains, and looked at the journal sitting on her bedside table. She had checked it over and over again, hoping that what she recorded was wrong, or that it was interpreted wrongly… but every time she found that it was correct. She was not just seeing things… She was Seeing things. And not as her Divination teacher Saw things.
When Charity Saw… she knew exactly what she was looking at, exactly what they meant. It was as if the messages she deciphered were written plainly in the cups, on the stones, and on the cards. She KNEW for certain… There was no room for interpretation. She KNEW.
The only problem was what she didn't know: She didn't know what or whom the readings were meant for. She couldn't think clearly when she cast runes or tried the tarot… her mind was filled with thoughts of different people and places and questions… so all she could gather was that there was going to be more…
And they were going to be people she knew – or at least concern people she knew. And that disturbed her more than anything else. She did not want to See. She had spent three years trying not to do it. But it was becoming a powerful addiction now. As if she couldn't control the urges to do so.
No, she scolded herself mentally just as she was reaching a hand out to pick up the journal again. I'm not going to do this. I can't do this.
Charity thought miserably of what she had become in the past few weeks. She was quite aware of the depression that overtook her more than happiness, and quite aware that tomorrow, she wouldn't let it happen again. If not for herself, then for Sirius
Sirius alone now made her happy, and Sirius alone scared the hell out of her. There was nothing that could hurt her more than having their happiness disrupted - he was her world and her whole heart. There was nothing he'd dislike more than seeing her upset, and the last thing she wanted to do was make him unhappy.
So, tomorrow, everything would be okay.
She would wake up, spend her day with good friends and the love of her life, and be happy. Then everything would be okay. She would take that good mood and use it as a springboard into her previous, jovial life. Then everything would be okay. She would go back to being herself and helping Remus and James and Lily… And everything would be okay.
She sighed to herself as she finally pulled her hand away from the journal. Yes, she thought, Everything will be okay.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
James woke the next morning before he even opened his eyes. So he kept them closed. After all, why should he invite the tremendous headache that awaited him the moment the sunlight hit his pupils any sooner than absolutely necessary?
His head was swimming with images of Lily, regularly intermingled with those of Sirius and… Charity.
He definitely didn't want to think about Charity. Not today, and especially not this morning. But, for some strange reason, not wanting to think about her pushed the subject promptly to the front of his mind.
He still couldn't believe he hadn't realized it the moment he saw her in the astronomy tower. He supposed the reason he hadn't was simply because she wasn't an insufferable twit as the rest of them come off to be. Them, he thought. Was it possible that she was real? There was no way of telling for sure… But why was she afraid if it wasn't legitimate? What would Sirius think if he had seen what James had seen? James knew Charity wasn't stupid enough to be afraid of a figment of her imagination… Fear.
Being scared.
James knew a thing or two about the subject… Lily, he thought.
James groaned in frustration as he thrashed around under his blankets, burying his face in his pillow. Females, he thought disdainfully. Those two piss me off!
He wondered, vaguely, what in hell Lily was thinking last night… He kissed her, she kissed him back. She tried to kiss him again – that is, until Charity…
James punched his pillow. "Damn girls", he growled, "drive me round the bend, they will."
"You'd be making a return trip seeing as you'd have to be round the bend to be talking to yourself in the first place, Prongs", he heard, as his bed hangings were suddenly ripped open.
"Shut up Padfoot", James's muffled voice replied. He rolled over, running a hand through his messy hair, yawning. "What time is it?"
Sirius looked down at his muggle wristwatch (a present form Charity), and said, "Almost six thirty."
James opened his eyes. "What the hell are you doing up so early?" he asked astonished.
Sirius shrugged. "I stayed up all night. It's much easier than getting up early, don't you think?"
James rolled his eyes, but chuckled slightly. "Well, go bother Wormtail. I'm sleeping until noon, at least", he told his friend, closing his eyes again.
Sirius seemed highly insulted by this bit of information. "What!" he yelped, as though burned, "The Hogsmede trip it today, you git!"
"Yes, I know. I'm not going. I've got too much on my mind", James replied easily. He opened his eyes slightly to see a comprehending smile dance on Sirius's features. This was most certainly not the reaction James had been expecting, and at this early hour, he found it annoyed him greatly. "What's so funny?"
Sirius sat down on the foot of the bed, still smiling.
"What!" James snarled.
"You're going", Sirius said.
James cocked an eyebrow, then: "No, I'm not."
Sirius nodded. "Oh, yes-" –"No I'm not!" - "- Shut up, James – yes you are. You're going because I know why you don't want to go", he replied, as thought this fixed everything.
James looked doubtful. "Do you, now?"
Sirius nodded again. "Did you know I'm getting awfully good at eavesdropping on Lily?"
"What's your point?" James asked, grumpily. He didn't even want to hear her name.
"Last night when I came in from running about with Moony, I nipped off in one of the corner armchairs in the common room. I was actually waiting on you to come back and wake me up, and you did – kind of. I was torn from my peaceful slumber by two certain authority figures – namely you and Lily – who were returning from some sort of rounds, I presume… And I heard it."
James's mouth was hanging slightly open in astonishment. "You're trying to tell me that… That I'm going to go to Hogsmede today because – because you heard the conversation that made me not want to go? Mate, I think you've gone round the bend", James said.
So it seemed, for Sirius was now grinning more madly and widely than ever. "No, not at all", Sirius said, "Lily started talking to herself after you stormed off."
James felt his heart leap suddenly. "Oh?" he asked, in what he hoped was a casual voice. Not so. Sirius now looked as though he was fighting back fits of laughter.
"Listen to Prongsie here, like he doesn't care…"
James sat up. "Sirius, please."
Although his smile remained, it was no longer the teasing, patronizing smile it had been. "Sorry James", Sirius said.
"What did she say?" James asked, half scared to hear the answer.
"She started in on herself about how she shouldn't have said what she said, you know, about how something shouldn't have happened, like she's glad it happened or something, I guess – and that she was lonely and whatnot…" He paused for a moment, a thoughtful look on his face, then: "I think she's seriously torn up over you, Prongs."
James hardly dared believe it. "She said she… that she shouldn't have said 'it shouldn't have happened'?"
"Yes sir, that's what she said. The only thing I couldn't figure out was… well, what exactly was it that 'shouldn't have happened'?"
James looked Sirius straight in the eyes, daring him to laugh. "I kissed her."
Sirius's jaw dropped. "You… WHAT!"
"I just – I don't know – did it. She was upset and I guess I just felt like I wanted to protect her. Make her feel happy. Then I just kissed her in mid-sentence. And she… Well, she kissed me back as well. Really kissed me back… It felt like it was destined to happen," James saw the corners of Sirius's mouth twitch, but threw him a dangerous look, effectively eliminating the spasm. "But then she said that it shouldn't have happened and I left her well enough alone."
"But she asked you to wait!" Sirius bellowed.
"I thought she was going to try and make me feel good about being rejected!" James cried. It had seemed that way at the time, after all. How was I supposed to have known, he thought. This seemed a valid point: "How was I supposed to have known!"
Sirius's eyes looked as thought they were going to pop out of his face. "What in bloody hell is wrong with you, you great berk! Blimey, Prongs… You had her, mate, you HAD her! When she asked to you wait and you ignored her – You had her, you moron!"
James, now fully awake, was slowly processing this information. He found it completely joyous and utterly painful all at once. Sirius was right – he could have had her, or at least come closer to having her than he had ever been… If only he would have come back when she had asked maybe… maybe Lily Evans would be his girlfriend today – right now.
But, NO, James thought, I just had to be thick enough –
"Oy!" Sirius yelled, waving his left hand in front of James's face. "What are you going to do now?"
"What do you mean?" James replied miserably.
Sirius gaped at him. "James, pal-o-mine, old buddy, old friend – you've got to get u off your ass. You can't just give up!"
"Why not? I'm tired, Padfoot. I'm so tired of being rejected by her… it hurts too much."
"Look, asshole: You're a Marauder", Sirius said indignantly, "I won't let you give up. Seriously, James, if this cat and mouse bullshit doesn't stop between you two, it's never going to happen. This is it mon frere, this is the SEVENTH AND FINAL YEAR. You're going to fight for this, especially now that you know how she feels."
James shook his head sadly. " I don't know anything about how she feels. I just know what you told me she said."
Suddenly, Sirius lepta up and grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking him violently. "Wake up, you git! If you love her – and I know you do - you've got to do it! Take a chance, James! If you don't I can promise you a few things: first off, you'll never, EVER find another girl as great as Lily besides Charity – and she's MINE; Secondly, you'll never, EVER have another chance; and last, but most importantly, you'll never forgive yourself if you don't do this. Do it. Do it today, Prongs", he finished, relinquishing his grip on James.
James sat in shock at the fact that Sirius, his best friend in the entirety of the world, had just grabbed him – then the truth in his words hit him. James began to think fast.
"I need some time", he breathed out, running a hand through his hair. "I meant to finish last night, but…" he trailed off, thinking.
"What are you planning?" Sirius asked.
James attempted a smile, but was in too much of a rush trying to fit all of his thoughts inside his head and not forget them. "Charity told me something… I'm nearly done… Gotta go!" he exclaimed, jumping to his feet and running to the door, stopping only when he heard Sirius's voice ring out:
"Have fun in your PJs, Prongs!"
James looked down at his attire, swearing loudly and waking Peter up in the process. He dashed to his trunk, and realizing he'd never cleaned up from the night before, grabbed a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, stripping in the middle of the dormitory, and running to the door once more.
Peter sat up, looking around the room with a dazed look on his face for a moment, then threw himself back onto his pillow without even sparing a glance for Sirius who was now standing by the door holding a pair of shoes.
When James returned thirty seconds later, he took the shoes fromSirius's arms, paused a moment, then pushed Sirius into the wall. "Padfoot, you're my best mate. I want to thank you and all, but if you ever shake me like that again, I'll hex you into oblivion", and without waiting for a reply, he was off again.
Sirius chuckled to himself as he listened to the snores coming from Peter's bed. He ran a hand through his hair, letting it fall messily, yet, unlike James's hair, elegantly back into his eyes. He decided to set about dressing. Just as he had picked out his clothing, Peter shot straight up in his bed and looked over to wear Sirius was standing.
"What the hell are you doing up so early?" he asked, incredulously.
Sirius grinned. "I'm going to surprise Charity. I'm going to be waiting on her when she comes down and escort her to breakfast for once, AND", he said, waving a small bottle around, "I'm going to smell good, too." He wiggled his eyebrows jokingly. Peter shook his head, smiling.
"Whatever blows your skirt up, Padfoot", he muttered, letting himself fall back once more. Sirius was still grinning as he thought of his pocketful of gold and the purchase he was going to begin researching in just a couple of hours.
As Sirius was leaving the dormitory to wait on Charity, Peter was snoring loudly once again.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Lily Evans woke up that morning just after seven am. She groaned sleepily and looked over to Nichole's bed, which was, of course, empty.
Memories of the previous evening flooded back to her painfully. She could almost define Charity's behavior as normal compared to her own actions – those actions that she would never ever disclose to anyone, EVER.
Lily had promised her self upon entering this room last night that she would not mention what she had seen to anyone. She would try and forget – write it off as another case of terror caused by Lord Voldemort. She could, after all, understand. The muggle deaths weighed heavily on her mind constantly. Perhaps Lily had simply overreacted? Yes, that would be it. Stress. Stress and –
James.
James Potter.
She got up out of bed, looking over to Charity's curtain-drawn bed, where, at the foot where the trunk was, was the sweater, skirt and boot combo Lily had helped her pick out. She felt a familiar surge of envy course through her veins as she thought of Charity and Sirius. How she wanted that kind of love for her own. She immediately reprimanded herself for having thoughts of jealousy towards Charity. Lily knew her best friend deserved it, but the feelings of yearning for affection like they shared remained.
She knew that she could easily fall for James. As a matter of fact, she felt herself falling as she walked into the bathroom. She felt herself falling as she brushed out her hair.
Alice walked into the bathroom, leaning against the doorframe. "Whatcha up to?" she asked, yawning.
Lily shrugged, her mind still dancing aroundthe hazel-eyed boy. "I'm not sure what to do with myself this morning", Lily replied miserably.
Alice's eyes brightened at once. Lily immediately sensed her mistake, but she didn't have a chance to escape before, "How about a Glamour Charm?" Alice cried.
Lily slowly backed away, placing her index fingers on either hand in front of her like a cross. "Oh no, you don't!" she said, watching her friend like a hawk. Alice had been trying to make Lily over since the first day they met.
"Oh, Lils, come on!" Alice whined, "You're so pretty, you're perfect for a Glamour Charm! I really want to!" she begged, breaking out the puppy dog eyes.
Lily shook her head stubbornly. "Uh uh, no way. Don't put your wand anywhere near any of my extremities, or I'll snap it in half."
Alice sulked. "Fine. Ruin my day."
Lily did not care. She knew that she had put Alice off of this trip far too many times to have actually hurt her feelings.
She looked into the mirror and visualized James standing there with her. She paused for a moment, then sighed.
Perhaps it would be a nice change, just for the day, to let Alice have her way about this. You'd never have to make her leave you alone again, you know… and James may like it, the annoyingly persuasive voice in her mind said.
No way! I'm not gonna do that just for some guy.
Not just any guy.
Yes, but…
…But Lily couldn't help but feel that James may not want her anymore. She could remember Charity's angry voice from the beginning of the school year still ringing in her head: 'If you keep pushing people away, eventually they're going to stop coming back.'
Had she finally pushed too far? He had come back so many times… too many to count. Lily had previously believed that he'd just come back for the chase – the game of getting the one who wouldn't have him. Now she wasn't so sure. It was a painful concept – much too painful to think about.
"Hey Alice?" she called. "What exactly does a Glamour Charm do?"
Alice squealed excitedly. "You know those models in the muggle magazines? You'll look like that – oh Lily, they're fantastic! But they're really difficult... I don't know anyone else who can do one… Anyway, they automatically play up your best features according to your personal preferences. You'll love it, trust me."
But Lily had stopped listening at around the third sentence. "What do you mean 'they're really difficult' and "no one else who can do one'?"
Alice waved a hand untroubled. "They're just difficult to get the bugs out of seeing as how it does something different for everyone. It's no big deal."
"No-n-no big DEAL!" Lily sputtered. "Alice, I swear by Merlin's Beard if you turn my hair purple I'll – "
"Yes, yes, you'll put me in detention for the rest of my life."
Lily nodded vehemently. "That's right! Dont' you dare mess it up - "
"It lasts for exactly eighteen hours", she said, still grinning broadly. Lily knew she was going to let Alice do it, and obviously, so did Alice, for sheconjured a plush stool out of thin air in front of the mirror. "Sit",Alice said, motioning towards the stool. Lily obeyed, but was still protesting.
"Alice, you're sure you know what you're doing?" Lily asked, as she sat down facing the mirror.
"Yes, Lils, I'm sure. You know I'm really good with Charms", she replied as she turned Lily around so that she was facing Alice with her back to the mirror.
"Hey, I wanna see!"
Alice laughed. "Nope, that's not how it works."
Before Lily could protest more, Alice had her wand out. "I need you to hold quite still."
Lily's mouth stopped working, hanging open. She was suddenly very afraid of Alice. She could almost feel pain from the anticipation. She was beginning to regret having agreed to this.
"Infinitus formositas", she heard being muttered. Lily tried to turn her head around, just slightly, to see herself, but Alice stepped in her line of vision. She repeated the spell twice more. This made Lily feel as though something had gone wrong, for she didn't feel any different. Why does she need to say it so many times? she thought frantically.
"No fair, Alice, I want one too!" a voice sounded from the doorway. Charity was standing there in her dressing gown looking completely normal, and very well rested. It took an act of pure will on Lily's partto trynot tocomparewhat Charity's face had looked like the night before to this morning.
No, Lily thought, I'm not going to think of that.
All of a sudden, Charity squealed and Lily jumped. "Wow, Lils, you look so awesome! Oh my goodness! Alice, do me too!"
Alice beamed. "Sure", she said to Charity, she then turned to Lily and said,"Hop up."
Lily gazed up at her confusedly. "Huh? You're done?"
"Yup", she said, "take a look."
Lily stood up, not even wasting the time to look in the bathroom mirror. She headed straight to the full-length mirror in the bedroom. She let out barely audible gasp when she got up to it.
She looked as if she had just been airbrushed from head to toe: her skin was absolutely glowing; her face looked as though she had no flaws – her lips! She had pretty lips like Charity's (almost); her hair appeared to be longer and –to top it all off – it was BEHAVING itself! Lily felt ecstatic as she gazed upon herself. She had never before realized how pretty she looked with a bit of a tan, which the Charm had apparently given her.
"Alice, you're a genius!" she exclaimed. "I think I'm thinner as well!"
Alice laughed. "Somehow I doubt that."
Charity yelled out: "I think I look almost tall with one!"
Soon all three girls were bursting into fits of giggles. Charity emerged form the bathroom, her long blonde hair falling into perfect, loose ringlets. Alice was putting the finishing touches on her own Charm while Charity was trying to coerce Lily into wearing an emerald sundress. Lily looked at Charity, at how happy she seemed, and laughed at herself inwardly. She felt foolish and ashamed for having listened in on her best friend the night before. There seemed to be nothing wrong today. She supposed it WAS just pent up stress and fear for her life – after all, she was a muggle-born, just like Lily. The two of them had more to be scared of than most wizards or witches.
"Lily?" Charity asked, waving a hand in front of Lily's face. "Ah, dreaming about a certain hazel-eyed boy, are we?"
"What!" Lily screeched, waking from her reverie with impressive speed. She grabbed a pillow and flung it at the tiny girl who was now having fits of laughter. "No way! Shut up!"
Charity wiped tears of pure joy from her eyes as she tried to control her giggles. "Lily, I saw you two last night – I'm not stupid."
"Yes, Lily, we know already", Alice said, every syllable dripping with a kind concern.
"I don't know what the two of you are talking about! I think you've both gone mad", she said evasively. She knew she was not being very convincing, but she felt like lying to these two girls would only make her feel worst. "Or perhaps I've gone mad", she said miserably.
Alice smiled slightly as she finished dressing. "Lily, do what feels right. Don't worry about what might happen. Dream about what could be", she said. She pulled on her shoes, and waved goodbye to Charity and Lily. "I'm going to meet Frank for breakfast. See you two in a little while."
Charity was staring intently at Lily, who was looking away. "What?"Lily asked quietly.
Charity shook her head. "Lily, I know there's something going on between you two. I don't know what exactly, and I'm not going to ask because I believe you'll confide in me when you're ready.But I will tell you something: You never know when or if you'll ever have another chance at something you want, so you'd better have after it while you still can. There's no point in being scared all the time – its better to let things happen to you than worry about them all the time and be miserable not knowing and caring, because you'll never KNOW. So just… be naïve and don't care, you'll be much happier. And who knows? Maybe James is your soul mate", she finished seriously.
"You know what, Charity?" Lily said, "Sometimes I don't appreciate how great you really are."
Charity blushed profusely. "I'm not great. I just… I just care about you Lily. You're the closest thing to a sister I've ever had and one of the few real friends I've ever had, too. I want you to be happy."
Lily smiled. "I know I've asked you this before, but you and Sirius… you really love him, don't you?"
"More than I ever thought I could."
"Hm."
"Lily?"
"Yes?"
"Are you happy?"
"I'm lonely."
"Hmm."
"You're happy aren't you? With Sirius?"
"Yes. Sirius... and that's pretty much it."
"I'm sorry for that."
"Don't be."
"I am anyways."
Charity paused, looking down. Then:
"Lily, are you scared?"
"Of what?"
"Of Voldemort."
"Yes", she answered truthfully.
"Me too." Charity paused again. "Are you scared of dying?"
Lily thought about this for a moment before answering. "I don't want to die for a long time. I want to have been able to live first… But… No. I'm not scared. I think it's just a… a passageway of sorts… between here and somewhere better."
A single tear fell down Charity's cheek, but Lily pretended not to notice for her sake. "I hope that I get to go somewhere better."
Lily smiled, a genuine smile, and said: "I don't think you'll have to worry about that. Not you."
Charity smiled back. As she looked up at Lily, it seemed that there was a shadow, almost like a veil, lifting from over her eyes for the first time in weeks. Lily sat next to Charity on he bed and hugged her. The two girls sat like that for a goodwhile before either of them spoke. Finally, Charity said, "I'm going to go get breakfast, you coming?"
"In a minute. You go ahead, I'll catch up", she said.
Charity nodded and set off to, Lily assumed, wait or Sirius to wake up as Lily looked at herself once again. Charity had in fact talked her into wearing the dress. Charity had talked her into quite a bit in the past few minutes. 'You never know whenor ifyou'll have another chance…'
"Well", Lily said to herself, "hopefully there isn't going to be a need for another chance… Okay Lily, you can do this. Everything will be okay."
She sighed aloud once more before turning the doorknob.
"Everything will be okay."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
A/N: Hey guys! I'm so sorry again for the delay. I hope you liked it, I know it's not my best. I meant to make it much longer than it is, but I decided to cut it off here instead of go into the next part of the story – if I had it would be about 5,000 words for this chapter alone! I've been under quite a bit of stress with my mom in New Orleans and school and all (exams are brutal!). Anyways, I was very pleased with all the reviews I got last chappy. I'd like to take a moment and thank you guys for them!
Hprules3: Thanks! Oh, and does it LOOK like I'm leaving you hanging?
BlueJeanMistress: No L/J here, but I swear to you, its coming next chappy – oh yeah, its going to be good! Thank you so much for your continual reviews! They make me happy!
Hpandfriendsruletheworld: I'm glad you liked the kiss. I was rather fond of that particular paragraph. Yeah, my mom lives by there, but she's all right! I heard from her! Thanks so much for your concern!
HPHGKCroar: Sorry for the delay, L/J major action coming up – don't you just hate me for the anticipation! But it makes it better! I'm glad Charity had an effect on you; even if it was that she was frightening. I was getting a lot of requests to make it "darker" as I was writing, so….
Daisy: I hope you come down to help. I'm working in an animal shelter right now. My thanks go out to you for your prayers – they were much appreciated. Thank you for the confidence boost as well! I'm really enjoying writing this, and I'm glad you're enjoying reading it so much!
Terrifictypingtrio: Ah, so we meet again my faithful reviewer… I'm so glad you said that! It means a lot to me! No one's ever really complimented my style before. Here's the update, though not as soon as you hoped for, but here nonetheless! I hope you like it!
James Lover: I'm not totally awesome… slightly perhaps, but… ahem, anyways, I'm glad it's your favorite! And, yes, that's exactly why she was scared.
To the person who failed to leave a name: People tend not to like characters who are always brave and have no flaws – they can't relate to them. I know I hate them. Lily is growing as a person as she struggles with these feelings overcoming her, I HOPE I'm showing that anyways. I think she is weak as well, but I think that we all are – especially when it comes to situations that involve really opening yourself up to being vulnerable to pain (and ESPECIALLY when we've already experienced that pain). I'm glad you expressed you obvious displeasure with my character development, it shows that even if you don't care for it, it still made you want to contact me with this information. I hope you understand my reasoning a bit more now :)
X.Little.Black.Cat.X: I so enjoy your reviews. I hope this chapter made you feel better about "listening in' – a mouse? EEEK!
Pink Luvin Goddess: I agree with facing fears. I hope this makes you happy! It's a definite start, I think. This chapter is for you! I hope you continue to review for me!
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Thank you guys again for all the encouragement, and especially those of you who contacted me offsite! Again, I hope you liked this chapter; I'm almost done with the next one as I update this now! Please, please review… or… or I WON"T UPDATE (okay, thats a lie, but do it anyways! Please, lol?) REVIEW!
Hugs and Oreos,
Love,
BrittanyRose