When Lily woke up it was getting dark again. She'd collapsed, fully clothed onto her bed and fallen deeply asleep which had, at least, given her the rest she needed. Unfortunately it also meant that the second she woke up every single muscle in her body ached.

Madam Pomfrey's potion had done it's job though and her arm was now working brilliantly again. She removed the cast and got up, stretching felinely. Realising that she only had ten minutes before dinner was served, she grabbed a quick change of robes and made for the showers.

Piping hot water pounded her muscles into a state of relaxation and by the time she was dried off and dressed she was almost as good as new. Almost. Lily had never seen her face look so tired before, or so drained of life. With a huge sigh she walked over to Amber's trunk and began rummaging around for some make-up.

Deciding that she might as well do the thing properly she put on some jewellery as well, rolling up her sleeves and piling on bangles and bracelets. She even pulled her hair back into an elaborate sort of plait that Michiko had taught her how to do.

Lily made her way out of her dormitory to find the common room deserted. Not a huge surprise since the leaving feast (for people that were going home for the holidays) had started twenty minutes ago. She sighed again and started down to the Great Hall. She couldn't believe that the holidays were here already. She also couldn't believe that she was spending yet another Christmas away from her family.

Ever since Petunia had married that glorified warthog, Vernon Dursley, he had been going to their house for Christmas and New Year. And Petunia had made it very clear that Lily wasn't welcome. And since Lily would be moving out soon enough she didn't see the point in arguing with her sister.

Lily loved Magic. She love Hogwarts, she loved Dumbledore and she loved the fact that she had a home here. She'd never really felt comfortable in the muggle world; she'd always been out of place. The weird loner at school who was pretty, but not all that special… And then she'd come to Hogwarts. She'd made friends instantly, she'd been an outstanding student, people didn't think she was some sort of freak and for once in her life she was free to be herself and she loved it.

It was slightly depressing to realise that the thing you loved most in the whole world, was the thing that separated you from your family. And it certainly did that, in more ways than physical distance. Petunia had taken to telling people she was an only child for one thing. Then there was the fact that next year, when Lily left school, she was moving into a flat in Hogsmeade rather than back into the muggle world as her parents had expected her too. Though she still hadn't told them about it.

But that was where her little adventure last night had come in useful. Being hunted down like a rat in a trap did have it's benefits for a girl's psychological well-being. She no longer cared.

She didn't care about whether Davey Gudgeon leered at her, she didn't care about whether or not the Slytherins insulted her and she didn't care about whether or not she got a detention for jinxing Bellatrix Black when the stupid cow deserved it. She had basically come to the conclusion that life was short and her life was probably going to be shorter than most so she may as well enjoy it while she could and try to make a difference.

Lily was under no delusions about the fact that a fair proportion of the Wizarding world wanted her dead. She was also under no delusions about the fact that they would continue trying to get rid of her until such times as they succeeded.

Her thoughts flickered to Lupin as she hopped across a disappearing step.

Most of the Wizarding world wanted rid of him. Most of the Wizarding world wanted him dead. And, like her, he had done nothing to deserve it. Lily had a hard time believing that Remus was one of those nutters who sought out werewolves in order to get bitten, which meant he was a victim. He was as much a victim of werewolves as she had been last night, except with him it happened every four weeks like clockwork.

A picture of his terrified face came into her mind… 'It's coming… It's…Oh no… please no. No she doesn't deserve…'

Lily felt a flicker of annoyance at Slughorn's attitude that morning. In fact she felt a flicker of annoyance at pretty much everybody. Just last month in Defence Against the Dark Arts they'd spent several lessons being told about how truly awful and terrifying Werewolves were and Lupin had been forced to sit there and listen to it; he'd been forced to watch as his classmates and contemporaries had been taught to fear and hate him. Didn't the poor guy suffer enough without hundreds of close minded idiots making it worse for him?

She paused.

He'd also been forced to watch as Potter and Black got three weeks detention for arguing with the teacher about just how terrifying werewolves were.

An image flashed through her mind: James Potter on his feet, yelling at the teacher and calling him a… oh what was it? "Bigoted, backwards-minded, inbred, idiotic prat with the compassion of a dead ferret".

So perhaps not everyone was making it worse for him. Some people were defending him. His friends were defending him. They had to know of course, and they'd still stuck by him. 'The Marauders'. She laughed. Maybe they weren't dishonourable scumbags after all. Loyal to the very end.

She wondered vaguely why Pettigrew hadn't so much as looked up from his book as the teacher said these things about his friend. She decided that after Sirius's first expletive, he must've just felt like leaving it to Black and Potter. She probably would have done the same if her two best friends had been doing so well on their own.

She looked into the Great Hall with a feeling of trepidation. She hated it when people stared at her and she knew that the second she walked in there every head would turn to her. It's only for a second, she told herself. They'll look at you for a second and then they'll go back to what they were doing without a second thought. Unless of course Bella had told people about their plan last night, in which case everybody would be stunned to see her, expecting her to be Saint Mungo's for the next two weeks, as was customary after werewolf infection.

Lily threw her shoulders back and checked her hair. She wasn't giving Bellatrix or Narcissa the satisfaction of knowing they'd so much as put a hitch in her stride.

She pushed the door open casually and strutted in. It wasn't very often that Lily Evans strutted but when she put her mind to it she could do it better than anyone. Just as predicted, every head in the Hall turned to face her. Unlike she'd predicted, nobody looked away. Particularly stunned looking was the Slytherin table. Everybody just looked at her with amazement.

Except Potter, who was glaring at everybody except her.

So Bella had decided to tell people she had disposed of the Gryffindor Princess, had she? Well fine.

Lily smirked and stalked over to her fellow Gryffindors, pausing as she passed the Slytherin table to give them an exaggerated curtsey. She blew them a kiss with the air or a Hollywood starlet meeting her adoring fan base, then she twirled cheerfully and practically skipped to her chair.

The hall burst out laughing and then everybody went back to their dinners. She took her regular place between Michiko and Amber who swiftly went back to discussing which Puddlemere United player was cutest. Lily looked up to the teacher's table where Dumbledore was sitting. He gave her the merest flicker of a smile before turning back to his conversation with McGonagall. His eyes were twinkling though. So he was happy with her. Lily grinned.

"Hey Sirius, pass those potatoes would you? I'm starving." she said brightly. Sirius was a couple of seats down on the other side of the table and was, to her mind, hogging the mashed potatoes.

Sirius grinned at her and passed the plate over. "Anything else Miss Evans?" he asked. "Turkey? Chicken? Head of everyone's least favourite Slytherin Girl on a stick?" A few people laughed, Lily just smiled and concentrated on piling food onto her plate.

"No thanks," she muttered, reaching for the peas. "Knowing your hag of a cousin she'd try to annoy from the grave and I don't plan on spending Christmas with food poisoning." she muttered under her breath. Sirius laughed. She wondered how the hell he'd heard her but didn't dwell.

"Evans you're going to explode in a minute you know." Came James Potter's amused voice, forty minutes later as she helped herself to her third generous slice of deliciously sweet, moist, white chocolate gateaux.

Unable to come up with a suitably witty retort Lily stuck her tongue out at him. He looked at her like she was completely deranged. His eyebrows skyrocketed and a crinkle appeared just in the middle of his forehead and his hazel eyes twinkled behind his glasses…

Oh god, she was noticing Potter's eyes. And he was noticing her looking at him. Crap, crap, crap.

"Something wrong Evans?" he asked, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. Lily pretended to smirk at him.

"I just realised. You haven't had any dessert. As in, none." she feigned mock-concern. "Are you okay? Do you know who you are? Because I'd hate to have to see McGonagall with a confounded co-Head." surrounding people laughed as he rolled his eyes.

"Not all of us are quite as starved as you seem to be Evans." he said simply. Lily shrugged and grabbed a piece of chocolate cake from beside Michiko's arm.

"Their loss." she stated. "Food, good. Should be appreciated." she managed between mouthfuls.

"Lily are YOU all right?" Michiko asked sounding concerned. "You don't usually eat this much."

Lily downed another glass of pumpkin juice and smiled at her friend. "First I'm not allowed to insult Davey Gudgeon and now I'm not allowed to eat chocolate cake. Mickey, are you set on taking away all my fun?" Michiko didn't look particularly convinced but before she could complain Lily asked her to pass over the pumpkin juice so she could get a refill.