Even though Lily and James had never exactly been friendly towards one another, there now lay a huffy silence in the Hospital Wing that not even Madam Pomfrey could cure. The sick, hurt or jinxed students coming up to the Wing to be treated left quickly again, not wanting to have the suffocating blanket of James and Lily's hostility over themmore than necessary. Remus, Sirius, Peter and Lily came to visit frequently, but could never manage to get the two talking, and the visits usually ended up awkward, so they did not stay for long. Only when Lily came up without the rest, or when James gang visited while Lily was other places, did the conversations flow easily. Though either James or Lily were left to him- or herself, depending on the visitor.

Lily was still barfing and not eating. Her temper with James was not subsiding, and she wanted to do nothing he had told her to. Em was stupid as usual, not understanding at all. Lily had forgotten about wanting to make a better, less disgusting, thin version of herself. Now she just wanted to defy James. Madam Pomfrey was sick with worry. No student had ever tried to fight their treatment as vigorously as Lily did, and the Matron did simply not know what to do about it. One day, after Lily had knocked the bowl of soup she was presenting her with out of her hands for the 13th time, she went to Dumbledore.

"Professor Dumbledore," she said, after entering the door and taking a seat in front of his desk, like her had asked her to, "I'm worried about Lily."

Dumbledore nodded gravely, elbows on his desk and his fingertips touching.

"Yes," he replied, looking as though he was quite lost in another world, "Yes…I have noticed. She is not well. Not at all…What do you suggest?" He fixed a concerned stare on Madam Pomfrey.

"I think she should go to St. Mungo's!" she said immediately. She had been giving this a great deal of thought and could think of no other solution. "She does not eat, even if I use magic, and I really do not want to resort to the Imperius Curse! They have experts at St. Mungo's. I mean," she added hastily, "I am quite sure I could cure the physical problems she has…but the mental ones…this is, after all, a mental disease, Dumbledore."

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes," he said, "yes indeed."

"And," Madam Pomfrey went on hastily, glad that the Headmaster was agreeing with her, "I am sure that they at St. Mungo's have experts on these sorts of things!"

"Have you ever considered putting her in a regular hospital?" Dumbledore asked quietly. Madam Pomfrey looked astounded.

"A…a regular hospital, sir? But surely you do not mean a…a…Muggle hospital?"

"No, I suppose I mean more of a Muggle…what do they call it…psychiatrist. They do not use magic to delve into the brain and solve problems there, but it seems it works. Becoming quite a fashion, having a personal psychiatrist," he added as an afterthought.

"Yes," said Madam Pomfrey, clearly uneasy, "but I feel it more…safe for Lily to be in St. Mungo's, with people who know…what she is. I'm not sure she would cope in a Muggle hospital, I hear they are quite dreadful, and if she isn't allowed to use magic…" she trailed off.

"Very well, if that is what you want, Poppy,I shall see to it immediately."

Madam Pomfrey looked relieved.

"Thank you so much, Headmaster." Then she left.

Another beautiful sunny day was streaming through the windows of the Hospital Wing. Lily was not fooled. Mother Earth might be beautiful, but nothing else was. Madam Pomfrey was approaching her, and Lily turned her back.

"Lily, you're going to be moved to St. Mungo's," Madam Pomfrey's voice claimed

"What!'

"You're being moved to St. Mungo's. I cannot help you more than I have already done." There was a defeat in Madam Pomfrey's voice. She had never failed as a nurse before.

"But I don't want to go to St. Mungo's!" Lily cried in outrage

"What you want, little Missy," said Madam Pomfrey, suddenly flaring up, "does not matter anymore!" She turned her back on Lily and went to tend to her other patients. Lily lay in shock. St. Mungo's? But there was nothing wrong with her! And even if there was, she thought bitterly, it was definitely not serious enough for St. Mungo's. She lay fuming when she felt a pair of eyes on her.

"What?" she said aggressively, turning towards James' bad, which was once again, beside hers. Somehow, Madam Pomfrey thought this would perhaps straighten out their rocky relationship. As long as they quit their shouting matches, she was happy.

"Nothing," James replied as expected.

"I suppose you just want me out of here as quickly as possible." Lily said, sneering at the ceiling.

"To be honest Evans, it doesn't really matter to me, as I am being signed out of this place tomorrow anyway," he said loftily. Lily stared.

"You are?"

"Of course I am! Madam Pomfrey finally thinks I've rested enough." And with that, he turned over, leaving Lily to ponder for herself.

The next day Madam Pomfrey insisted on accompanying Lily to St. Mungo's before she let James go. A little more rest could hurt nobody. Lily and the Matron were to use the Floo network to St. Mungo's where Lily had not idea of what would happen to her. Emilie had come down with some of Lily's clothes which she would need for the short journey.

"You know I'll miss you, right?" asked Em quietly as she helped Lily into her favorite shirt (Em had thought it would cheer her up a bit) behind the curtains Madam Pomfrey had stationed around her bed. Lily was now so weak that she could not dress on her own properly.

"Hmm…" she replied, not caring much. She wasn't about to admit it, but she was scared if what would happen to her at St. Mungo's. What would they do that Madam Pomfrey had not already done?

Emilie was just as worried. As she helped Lily tighten her belt (it was still insufficient at holding up her pants though it could not be tightened anymore) she wondered how life at Hogwarts would be without Lilly. Though she hadn't exactly been present these last weeks, it would be a weird feeling to know that she was not in the castle anymore.

Finally, Lily was dressed. Emilie looked at the sad sight in front of her. Lily's shirt was hanging from her limp shoulders; her jeans were folding, the belt being smaller than the waist of the pants. Madam Pomfrey drew the curtains aside and put the few things Lily was taking with her on the bed.

"How long will I be gone?" asked Lily, eying the bag.

"That depends solely on you," said Madam Pomfrey. "You could be there for a week, a month, 6 months. It all depends on you cooperation." She gave Lily a stern look. "Now, I've packed some Potions St. Mungo's might not have. I want you to take them every day, do you understand?" Lily nodded.

"Right then, let's go."

"I'll miss you so much Lily," whispered Em, giving her a final hug she hoped would show how much she cared about her. "I'll come visit, I promise." She stepped back to allow Madam Pomfrey to steer Lily by the elbow to the fireplace.

"Bye Evans."

Lily turned around. James had held his hand up in what seemed a sincere good-bye wave. Lily nodded, but made a face. You never knew. James might just be mocking her. She took the Floo Powder Madam Pomfrey was handing her, stepped into the fireplace, threw the Powder to the ground and yelled "St. Mungo's!" As she caught her last glimpse of the Hospital Wing, she wondered when she would be back.

James watched her go. However much her resented her, he couldn't help hoping that St. Mungo's might be able to do something Madam Pomfrey could not. Somehow.