Ron and Lily didn't so much as look at each other until Christmas Eve. Both were far too ashamed to manage it. It didn't help that Mrs. Weasley was now determined to keep the two of them separated, even at meals. When Lily or Ron attempted to visit the loo in the middle of the night, Mrs. Weasley would immediately leave her room to watch over them, to make sure they were doing what they were supposed to. The one time they both tried to go at once, Mrs. Weasley sat them down in the living room for another stern talk. After that, Lily started holding it until the morning.

Thankfully, Mrs. Weasley was far too busy fussing about the house to keep shaming the two teenagers, and they managed to relax a bit, studying together in the sitting room (albeit with occasional supervision). Lily was receiving daily letters and packages from the Deputy Headmistress containing all sorts of assignments she missed or failed to turn in completely. Her piles of paper towered so high, she was sure she'd drown in it all if it collapsed.

"You know," Lily said as she finished off another paragraph in her essay, "It's a lot more fun to read the text than it is to listen to Professor Binns."

"I know," Ron said. "I've just been using the class to catch up on homework. What's the point in paying attention if he's just going to put you to sleep?"

"I bet Hermione doesn't like that," Lily said.

Ron shrugged, striking out a sentence in his Potions essay. "She doesn't sit with us, usually. She's up with Lavender and Parvati."

Lily tried not to let that bother her. She always did get the impression that Ron and Hermione didn't care for each other.

"Who are you writing about, anyway?" Ron asked.

"Merlin," Lily answered. "Did you know he's the only wizard to ever-"
"Time travel, yeah," Ron said. "You never finished it?"

"I did, actually," Lily said awkwardly. "I just never turned it in. Then I lost it."

"Downer, that," Ron said.

"I think one of the girls threw it away," Lily admitted. "They- well, they haven't been the greatest."

"Have they ever?" Ron asked. He was still writing away at his own parchment, occasionally scratching his nose with the tip of his quill.

"They broke that typewriter Hermione got me," Lily continued, volume far quieter. She could feel her Cheering Charm wearing off, but she'd never be able to sneak off and replace it. "Somebody gave me back the parts. I fixed it, but I don't think I'm going to bring it back to Hogwarts."

"Probably best not to," Ron said. Lily got the impression he wasn't actually listening. "What does Murkwood extract do?"

"Dampens the effects of something," Lily answered a bit too sharply. "You use it if you have an ingredient that's too strong for the potion you're making."

"Can you give me an example?"

Lily considered refusing just to teach him a lesson, but she decided that was just her incoming grumpiness getting the better of her. She always felt at her worst right at the end of Cheering Charm.

"Well, a bezoar will cure most poisons, right?" Lily said after far too long of a pause, fixing a spelling error in her essay. "But the curative properties are a bit too strong, so most Healers will only use it against the worst poisons, otherwise you'll need recovery time just from the cure. So Potioneers will take shavings off the bezoar and use Murkwood to dampen it for normal antidotes."

"What's a bezoar?" Ron asked.

"A stone from a goat's stomach," Lily said, accidentally writing that in the middle of her History of Magic assignment. "They don't strictly come from just a goat, but the poison cure does. Use any other creature and you're just begging to die. They typically extract it while butchering one for other purposes. They fetch a few Galleons, I tried to buy one while I was getting the ingredients for my Poly- for something else. I didn't have enough coins on me. I should probably send an order for one soon, though, just in case."

She really didn't fancy accidentally poisoning herself if she brewed her potion incorrectly. All the diagrams made it look like an excruciating way to die.

"You know, Lily," Ron said, not writing a word she just said, "You should consider becoming a Potioneer. I bet you could give Snape a run for his money."

Lily stopped writing her own essay and glanced up, considering another truth. She set her quill down, her mind made up. Lupin kept trying to tell her it would help to talk about things, and it was time to put it to the test with an easy one.

"You know those Potions books I've been getting for my birthdays?" she said.

"The ones from the mystery sender, yeah," Ron said, turning back to his essay.

"They're from Snape," Lily said. "He's been the one sending them to me."

Ron looked back up, a baffled expression on his face. "What's he been doing that for?"

"Don't know," Lily said, "But I bet they stop, now that he hates me."

"Ah, well, can't win them all, can you?"

Lily stared at Ron while he completely forgot about their topic, his attention diverted away from her. She considered saying more, had it at the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed the urge back down, turning back to her work. She didn't feel much better. She just didn't feel like herself at all, no matter how hard she pretended.

She really needed a Cheering Charm.

"Merlin never got married, did he?" Lily said, reading back over her work.

"No," Ron said, "but he must have been shagging a few birds. I think Muggles say he did. Burbage said they had their own rumours and myths about him. Probably shouldn't put much stock in it, though. Don't know much about anything, Muggles."

"That's where I heard that, then," Lily said, striking out the whole paragraph.

"Brilliant," Ron said. "Now you only have two hundred things left to do."

"Sod off, Ron," Lily said, groaning as she stretched. She saw Mrs. Weasley lean out of the kitchen to check she wasn't up to something. She pretended not to notice and took a bit of her sandwich. Ron narrowed his eyes at her.

"What are you eating?" he said.

"Sandwich," Lily said plainly, taking another bite.

"I mean what's on it."

"Lettuce," Lily said.

"You're eating a sandwich with just lettuce?"

"What's the problem?" Lily said, taking another large bite.

"Where'd you even get it?" Ron asked.

"Your mum made me one while you were-"

"Didn't occur to get one for me, then?"

"Why would I?" Lily asked, shoving the last bit of bread in her mouth. "You hate lettuce."

Charlie leaned forward over supper. This was the first time since they were "caught" that the two were allowed to sit together. Lily was pretty sure it was only allowed because Mrs. Weasley sandwiched them between Charlie and Bill, who she thought were far more responsible.

How little she knew.

"You two enjoy those drinks?" Charlie asked in a whisper, giving the two of them a cheeky smile.

"What did you get them?" Bill asked, taking a sip of his own brew. Lily couldn't read the label on it. She had no idea what language it was supposed to be, but Bill brought it back from Egypt with him.

"Steaming Stout," Charlie answered.

"Good stuff," Bill said, taking a bite of his shepard's pie.

"The drinks were delicious," Lily said, hoping Ron would have enough sense to leave it at that."

"Three was far too much for Lily, though," Ron said. "Really, it just ended up getting us into trouble."

"You got caught?" Bill asked with a raised eyebrow. "Blimey, I'm surprised mum didn't kill you."

"She didn't catch us drinking," Lily said into her cup of pumpkin juice.

"What do you mean?" Charlie asked.

"She thinks we're shagging," Ron said, forcing a large bit of meat into his mouth.

Charlie and Bill both laughed loudly, worrying Lily that they'd grab the mother's attention. Nobody seemed to notice or care, thankfully. Mr. Weasley was telling the rest of the family a funny story from his work, and they were listening carefully to him. Mrs. Weasley in particular seemed completely enraptured.

"Bloody hell," Bill said, wiping a tear from his eye. "You two are really in the thick of it, aren't you?"

"Don't worry about it," Charlie said. "I'll tell her the truth of it just as soon as you lot head back to school. Should avoid the worst of it, that way."

"Brilliant," Ron grumbled. "Then she'll just pull us out of school to kill us instead."

"Nah, it's Charlie who has to worry," Bill said, pointing at him with his fork. "Should have gotten them fishy green, mate, they're new to this."

"I thought they'd only have the one each," Charlie said. "Didn't think Lily would go and drink half of them in one sitting, did I?"

"Impressive, though, really," Bill said. "I could knock back more now, but three at your age would have had me right shit-faced."

"She was shit-faced," Ron said. "We had to wait hours before we could leave. Should have waited longer, really, but Lily kept complaining about freezing her tits off, so we took the chance."

"I don't remember any of this," Lily said in horror. She was very rarely that vulgar. Hermione always scolded her for using improper language.

"Sure you didn't shag, then?" Charlie asked with a chuckle.

"Pretty sure, yeah," Lily said confidently. "Ron's not really my type. He thought the stouts were horrid, by the way, Charlie."

Ron paused mid lift, his fork halfway to his mouth. Charlie set his own fork down.

"My own brother," he said. "Can't believe it. Well, you can forget about me doing you that favour, now, can't you?"

"Oh, come on, Charlie," Ron said, "I liked it, really, I just couldn't-"

"Said he couldn't see how anybody could stand the rubbish," Lily finished for him. She took another bite of her pie.

"Shut up, Lily, don't-"

"You called it rubbish?" Charlie said. "Well, you can just pay me back the 8 sickles I paid, then, you ungrateful little prude."

"You having me on?" Ron said. "Why do I have to pay for the whole thing, Lily's the one that drank most of it."

"Well, she enjoyed it, didn't she?" Charlie said. "You know, Lily, we'll have an open spot in the family, soon, if you'd like to take his place."

"I think I'd like that," Lily said quietly, a small smile daring to perk at the corner of her lips. She had no idea if anybody heard her.

"Oh, come on," Ron said loudly. "I had two of them, I just couldn't keep up with Lily drinking-"

"Ronald Weasley," Mrs. Weasley called out, the rest of the table falling into a terrified silence. "What was that you just said?"

Lily was surprised she didn't die from embarrassment, especially when Ginny kept happily reminiscing about it all while she was trying to sleep. It was still very dark when she woke. She could smell pastries baking in the kitchen below. She wanted to resist the temptation, but she was never very strong-willed when it came to these kinds of things. She threw a robe over herself, placed a strong Cheering Charm on herself, and wandered downstairs, cane clanking against every step. Weasley was sleeping in Mr. Weasley's favourite armchair. She scratched him behind his ears and then hobbled her way into the kitchen, where Mrs. Weasley was sipping from a steaming hot cup of tea. She hopped up immediately, walking right over to the stove as Lily sat down.

"Spot of breakfast, dear?" she asked.

"What are you baking?" Lily asked. She leaned her cane against the wall as she sat in the nearest seat.

"Mince pies," Mrs. Weasley said. "But those are for later. Cup of tea?"

"Please."

"How's your leg treating you, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she poured.

"Better," she said. "It's always a bit stiff right after I get up, though."

"Keeping up your exercises?"

"Did squats last night." She was still a bit sore from it, matter of fact. The walk wasn't very far from her room to the kitchen, but she was very glad for the rest.

"Here you are, dear," Mrs. Weasley said, placing a cup in front of Lily and then turning right back to the stove. "Post came in for you, by the way. It's on top of the paper, there."

"Post?" Lily asked, setting her cup back down. She took the letter. "Hogwarts? What did they send me?" She ran her thumb over the address, feeling oddly nostalgic for a school she hated.

"Haven't the slightest," Mrs. Weasley said. "Came in right before Arthur set out for work. Had an emergency, but he should be back before the rest are up, if we're lucky."

"Did they find Black?" Lily asked. She pried the back of the envelope open. It felt surprisingly heavy.

"I wish," Mrs. Weasley said. She cracked an egg into the hot pan. "No, someone's been Muggle baiting again, I'm afraid. Why they have to get Arthur up so early on Christmas of all days for a spitting furnace, I'll never know. What's that you've got there?"

Lily was staring at a bright, silver badge that fell out of the letter, feeling thoroughly confused. She glanced back at the open letter, trying to make sense of it.

"They made me Quidditch Captain," she said in horror.

"Oh, that's wonderful, dear," Mrs. Weasley said happily, seizing Lily into a hug and planting a kiss on her forehead.

"But I'm only a third year," Lily said, going back to the letter. "Only fifth and up are supposed to be eligible, this doesn't make any sense. 'Congratulations, Miss Potter, on this esteemed honour. For your skill and leadership qualities, you have been made Quidditch Captain for Slytherin House.'"

"Oh, Arthur will be so pleased," Mrs. Weasley said, "Second in the family, we'll have to celebrate- err- another day, it'd be a shame to share it with Christmas of all things."

"Pucey refused?" Lily read aloud, finally finding the addendum Snape added at the bottom. "I'm getting it by default. 'Should you refuse, the team will be disbanded until the new term, where tryouts will be held for an entirely new Quidditch team.' Bloody hell, he's going to get me killed, they'll all think I got rid of the others because I wanted the job!"

"You'll do splendid, Lily, really," Mrs. Weasley said reassuringly. "I'll ask Charlie to give you all of his old notes, they'll help. Oh, I hope your broom gets here soon, you'll need to practice!"

Lily set the badge and letter aside as Mrs. Weasley placed a plate of food in front of her, feeling increasingly guilty over yet another thing. The effects of her Cheering Charm were already gone, and it'd hardly been ten minutes.

She really needed another one.

Charlie's notes, as she found out, were very complicated. She started going over them as the rest of the Weasleys woke and ate, sitting at the table with an ever-increasing feeling of horror.

"You'll be fine, Lily, really," Ron said for the tenth time. "Most of the team is gone now, you'll get to pick people you actually like."

Lily swore, earning a stern glare from Mrs. Weasley.

"I'm going to have to hold try-outs," she said, pulling at her hair. She stood from the table quickly. "I'll be right back, I need to send a letter."

"Be quick, dear," Mrs. Weasley said. "I can't hold them much longer."

Lily ran up the stairs, ignoring her cramping knee (and forgetting her cane downstairs) and ran all the way up to her room. Bill and Charlie were already downstairs, so she pushed her way in, ignoring how messy the room still was. She went straight to her desk, tossed off some of the clutter they added, and dug around for a quill and some parchment.

When she went into one of the drawers, she found her Gringotts scroll, sitting forgotten on a pile of discarded papers. She considered it a moment and then tucked it into her pocket before resuming her digging.

She dipped her quill in the ink and then wrote out a quick message.

Sae,

If you own a broom, if you can fly even a fraction as well as your sister, I need you to bring it to Hogwarts with you. I'll explain then. If you don't own one, but you can still fly, write back to me and I'll buy you one.

Hell, if you can't fly, I'm buying you one. You owe me.

Merry Christmas,

Lily Potter

Lily ran back downstairs, grabbed her cane and an envelope, and then went straight to where they kept Errol. She hoped he wouldn't die on this one, final trip, and then she launched him into the snowy air.

"Lily!" Mrs. Weasley called from downstairs. "It's time, Arthur's back!"

Lily cast another Cheering Charm on herself as she ran back to the house, just to keep the edge off.

The sitting room was crowded with happy and chatting people. Mr. Weasley looked thoroughly exhausted but was sitting in his favourite seat in front of the fire, Lily's cat on his lap. Lily took a seat next to Ginny, surprised she didn't have to catch her breath from all the running she just did.

Lily didn't even have to say a word when she arrived. Within seconds, Mrs. Weasley placed a light package on her lap, the same style each member of the family had waiting for them. Lily opened hers eagerly and, without hesitation, pulled the ruby red sweater over her head. It had a lovely little 'L' on it. Lily didn't mind it one bit.

The only part that bothered her were the little lions embroidered around the edge of the letter. A glance around the room told her that each of them received them. Lily tried hard not to feel too offended, to get back into the spirit of things. It was easier with her spell work assisting her.

She went a bit light on the gifts this year, and she was worried everybody would be disappointed, but her heart felt a little fuller with each glad hug and smile she got in return. For Ron, she got a brand-new pair of goggles, to keep the wind and rain out of his eyes as he searched for the Snitch.

"They're enchanted," she said happily, "So they won't fog up or nothing."

For Ginny, she got her a signed poster of Gwenog Jones, to replace the one Lily took from her. For Percy, she got an excellent little book on the magical cultures around the world, to help him out for the Ministry position he applied for. For the twins, she got a box labelled as candies. They actually contained a set of rare and complicated ingredients and reagents. They were mostly leftovers from her own purchases, but she didn't tell them that part.

"Just don't use any of them on me," she made them promise in secret.

For Bill and Charlie, she admittedly didn't have the slightest idea what to get them. She let Mrs. Weasley pick for them, and they seemed to enjoy it well enough. The most expensive gift was for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley: a spectacular Eagle Owl, the finest the Magical Menagerie had on offer. It took forever to get them to accept it, and only after Lily said she'd be using it too did they relent.

"Errol will like the retirement, poor dear," Mrs. Weasley said, the massive bird sitting on her lap and cooing adorably. "He's really struggled on the last few."

Lily hardly paid any attention to what she got; it was really more of the giving aspect that she was into. She got a nice collection of books and sweets, a set of very nice makeup and perfume from Lavender (scented like strawberries, for some reason) as well as a pamphlet containing all sorts of tricks and charms to "Keep a Witch looking her best!"

There was one that really surprised her, though, the last under the tree. Mrs. Weasley handed over the long, thin package, everybody's eyes on it. Lily stared at it, trying to figure out who knew she hadn't ordered a broom.

"Well, go on then, Lily," Ron said. "Show us what you ordered, would you?"

Not Ron, then, Lily thought. She checked the wrapping just in case, but there wasn't a label, note, or letter attached to it.

"Oh, come on, Lily," Ron said one more time.

Lily peeled off the corner at his assistance, near the tip of the handle, and just nearly managed to hold in the gasp of surprise that every person around her released. Ron swore loudly enough to earn the ire of his mother, and that gave Lily time to process the magnificent creature she was holding, to free it from the rest of its wrapping.

A Firebolt was sitting across her lap, the dark wood handle stretching into twigs made of hazel. She ran her fingers over the registration number, her name, Hazel Lily Potter, sitting right next to it in embossed gold. The stirrups were sleek and shiny, and there wasn't a single blemish on the entire thing.

"Where the hell did you get the money for a Firebolt?" Bill asked with a bemused smile.

"You've got to let me fly it," Charlie said, hands clutching the sides of his head. "Merlin, seeing that makes wish I'd taken England up on their offer, it's magnificent."

That started up an argument amongst all the Weasley children, sans Percy, over who would get the first turn once she was done. Mrs. Weasley came close, leaning in to inspect the broom, as if she couldn't believe this was real.

"You'll have to wait, the lot of you," Mr. Weasley said from his seat. "She's not supposed to fly until Pomfrey gives her the all clear, and she will get the first turn."

"But-"

"No arguments, Charlie. You can ride it over the summer."

Lily couldn't find her voice, couldn't bring herself to speak up. The best she could manage was a high-pitched whine and a single thought.

I didn't buy it.

"Lily, did you spend all your Order of Merlin earnings on this?" Mrs. Weasley said, sounding slightly offended.

"Yes," Lily said, finding that a convenient excuse.

Mrs. Weasley looked straight into Lily's eyes, and she didn't dare look away.

"Lily," she said quietly. "Did you buy this yourself?"

"Yes," Lily lied.

Mrs. Weasley nodded, and then pulled Lily into a hug. "I won't lecture you, you deserve something nice after- well, you best listen to Pomfrey before you go hurting yourself again."

Lily just nodded, stunned into complete silence.

Who liked her enough to buy her a Firebolt?

"I think it's time for the photo, dear," Mr. Weasley said from in front of the fireplace. Lily looked over at him, finally noticing the camera they'd set up. Lily stood to the side as the rest of the family lined up in front of it, feeling awkward.

"Lily," Mrs. Weasley said. "Are you coming?"

Lily blinked in surprise. "Me?"

"Who else?" Ron said snidely.

"You can sit next to Ginny," Mrs. Weasley said. Ginny was sitting on the ground in front of her parents, smiling nicely. Lily hurried forward, taking the broom with her, and then sat next to her, the rest of the family kneeling in closer. Lily held her broom in her lap, not sure where else to put it.

"Ready?" Mr. Weasley said, his wand out. "On 3, then."

Lily didn't even need to put a smile on her face, she was already wearing one. As the light flashed, and the camera clicked, she found she didn't care who sent it after all.

The rest of Christmas passed in a happy blur of eating, talking, and spending time with the family. After supper, the whole household sat in the together near the fireplace, listening to some sappy, old songs come through on the Wizarding Wireless. At some point Fred and George disappeared upstairs, only to return with a large, Gryffindor banner draped between the two of them, both of them wearing it as if it was a cape.

"Where'd you get that?" Ron asked with a raised eyebrow.

"That's mine!" Lily realized in horror. "I had it in my- that was my parent's, I put it in my- YOU WENT THROUGH MY THINGS!"

"It's brilliant," Fred said as if that excused anything. "Why'd you never hang it up?"

"Give it back," Lily said, cane discarded to the side as she stood. "I mean it, give it-"

Lily stumbled over her own cat as she hobbled over, only being saved from an embarrassing fall by Charlie's strong arms catching her.

"Fred and George!" Mrs. Weasley said, voice raised to a dangerous level. "What have I told you about going through other people's belongings? You go put that right back where you found it this instant."

"It was just laying on the ground, mum, honest," George said.

"Bill just wanted us to grab something from his trunk, and we found it there," Fred said.

"It was in my wardrobe!" Lily said, voice panicked and shaky. "I- I had it with my- my-"

My other treasures. She had a box at the very back of her wardrobe, hidden behind under some old boots and robes. In it was everything she held too dear to take to school; every letter she ever received (with only two exceptions), her Gwenog Jones robe (when she wasn't wearing it), her autographed photo with the Holyhead Harpies, some Unicorn hair (nicked from the Forbidden Forest), her photo album containing all the memories of her parents (when she wasn't at home), and the Gryffindor tapestry she withdrew from her vault last year.

Nobody was ever supposed to know about them, she didn't want them to be discovered, to be taken away.

Lily's breathing was coming in sharp gasps, her chest too tight to bring in anymore, and her head was pounding.

"Blimey, Lily, calm down," Fred said, taking the tapestry off the two of them. "We'll go put it back, we didn't know it was-"

Lily kneeled on the ground, one hand clutched to her chest, trying to get air in her lungs. She felt like she was drowning, or suffocating, or like somebody was strangling her. She felt somebody grab onto her from behind just as she lost her sense of self, her vision going dark.

When she woke, she was laying in her bed. Not downstairs with Ginny, but her own bed, with Gwenog Jones staring down at her from above and her cat pressed against her side, his warmth abating the chill in the air. Her heart was still beating quickly, and she felt an overwhelming urge to run away, but she managed to force it down long enough to sit up and drink from a nearby glass.

She couldn't remember the last time something that happened to her. She thought she was beyond them. Her hands were still trembling, the water threatening to slosh from the rim. She could hardly force any of the liquid down from her throat. She could tell it was much later than she last remembered. She couldn't hear a single noise in the entire house.

Lily was still wearing everything she had been before, wand holster included. She took her Vinewood instrument in hand and attempted a Cheering Charm on herself, desperate to calm down. When nothing happened, she tried again, only to feel just as cold as she had before.

She needed air. She wasn't going to run away, but she just couldn't breathe in here. Lily left the room as quietly as she could, her cat following silently behind her. There was still the light from the fire piercing through the room as she attempted to pass through, but she made it no mind. The room was otherwise completely silent, aside from the crackling of the flames and the logs.

Lily had her hand on the door when somebody spoke softly from behind.

"All right, Lily?" Mr. Weasley asked.

Lily jumped, her hand leaving the cool metal. Mr. Weasley had a robe wrapped around his pyjamas, and he was holding a small glass of firewhisky in one of his hands.

"Thought I'd have a nightcap," Mr. Weasley said, gesturing with his laden hand. "Have a seat. I'll pour you one."

"I shouldn't-"

"It won't be much," Mr. Weasley said with a smile. "Just a sliver. You're still too young for much more. Just don't tell Ron; Molly wouldn't let him have any this year, even though we gave the twins some at the same age. Have a seat, Lily."

Lily hesitated as Mr. Weasley walked back to the cabinet, but she obeyed, sitting nervously on the couch, her hands wringing together. When Mr. Weasley returned, he had a second glass, and he handed it over to her before sitting in his favourite armchair.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Mr. Weasley asked, taking a long sip of his own drink.

Lily shook her head, swirling the amber liquid around in her glass.

"Here," Mr. Weasley said, digging into his robe. "This came for you after- well, it came for you. Said it's from Dumbledore."

Lily took the slip of paper from his hand. If it came in an envelope, it was already opened, but she recognized the elaborate handwriting adorning it.

I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, hereby give my ward, Hazel Lily Potter, permission to visit the village of Hogsmeade during the designated weekends.

"You don't have to go if you don't want," Mr. Weasley said, "but he assured us there would be patrols of the village during visits. Of staff, not dementors. You'll be safe."

Lily was unsure what to say to that. She desperately wanted to go, but she didn't see how she could possibly face Katie if she did. The other girl would want to go with her, and she just wasn't ready for that yet. She wasn't sure she ever would be. It just felt wrong.

"Knut for your thoughts?" Mr. Weasley asked. Lily shook her head and pocketed the slip of paper. "I have to ask, Lily. It wouldn't be right of me not to. What happened earlier?"

"I don't know," Lily said, swirling her firewhisky around again.

"Try," Mr. Weasley said. "Sometimes, you just aren't sure how you're feeling until you put it into words. Give it a shot."

Lily was silent for a long time, but she eventually took a sip of her drink to try and steady herself. It burned as it went down, and when it settled, it felt like she had a fire burning in her tummy, warming her from the inside.

It was oddly comforting, in a way.

"I thought they went through my things," Lily said quietly.

"Bill and Charlie confessed it was their fault," Mr. Weasley said. "They weren't snooping, but they were- well, they were wrestling, actually, used to do it all the time as kids- and they knocked into your wardrobe, almost spilled the entire thing over. Your box fell out, the contents spilled, and they- well, they tried to clean it up, but they must have missed the tapestry. They didn't mean anything by it, Lily, and they didn't look at any of it."

"I thought you might take it away," Lily said, feeling stupid. She finished off the rest of her drink, wishing she had more.

"Why would you take your things, Lily?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Because- I- I don't know. I just- I never really- never really had anything before I came here, you know?"

"Is that why you always hide your drawings?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"You saw them?" Lily asked sheepishly.

"We haven't looked, no," Mr. Weasley said. "But we've noticed you sitting somewhere around the house with those sketchbooks of yours."

"Did they tell you about the Dursleys?" Lily asked, her voice a whisper.

"Only that you were with them before the Longbottoms," Mr. Weasley said. "Do you want to tell me something?"

Lily shook her head again. She thought, just for a moment, that she did, but now she couldn't bring herself to do it.

"The Dursleys," Mr. Weasley said. "They didn't let you have anything?"

"No," Lily said, trying to her best to be brave. "They'd- they'd take anything they could f-find." She had to hide her sketchbooks under her bed, where Aunt Petunia would never check. There wasn't enough space for anything else. She felt like she should tell him that, should try to offer an explanation, but when she opened her mouth, no sound came out of it.

"We could tell something was off," Mr. Weasley said after another long pause.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked, thinking he meant she was off. She could feel her heart beating quickly again.

"You remember the summer before second year?" Mr. Weasley said, taking another sip of his drink. "Right before we took you in, on your birthday?"

Lily nodded, unsure where he was going with this.

"When I arrived home, I tried to shake your hand," Mr. Weasley continued. "You flinched away from me, like I was about to strike you. When you went upstairs to clean up, Molly told me you'd been doing that all day, that you'd look terrified whenever you were around Mrs. Longbottom."

"Gran wasn't hitting me," Lily said quietly.

"No," Mr. Weasley said, "But we could tell somebody did before. When I asked you about that split lip you had, I suspected it might have been her, but when I asked Neville, he said he witnessed it himself."

"I broke my wand," Lily said, remembering the event.

"It made us mad," Mr. Weasley said. "It was obvious something was wrong, that you need the help, but when we tried to talk to Mrs. Longbottom about it, she didn't believe it. She thought you just needed a firm hand to knock out your misbehaving."

"I don't want to talk about this," Lily said, feeling uncomfortable.

"My point, Lily," Mr. Weasley said, "is that you're safe here. We're not going to hurt you, and we aren't going to take anything. You don't have to feel afraid. You're family."

Lily nodded, her eyes wandering over to the clock, where her name was still locked in on 'Home.' Somehow, it felt different when a Weasley confirmed it, like a great weight was lifted off her back.

"You're welcome here as long as you want to be, Lily," Mr. Weasley said, following her gaze to its conclusion. "This is your home, as much as it is ours. Bill and Charlie moved into Percy's room, and while he's not happy about it, he's rooming with Ron now. You have your room to yourself."

"Thanks, Mr. Weasley," Lily said, wishing she had some more to drink, if only to help get down the lump in her throat.

"I think we're well past the point of formalities, Lily," Mr. Weasley said with a smile. "Call us Arthur and Molly."

"Thanks, Arthur," Lily said, feeling very awkward.

"You should get to bed," Mr. Weasley said. "It's getting late."

"Can I ask you something?" Lily asked instead, her hand wandering to one of her pockets.

"Anything," Mr. Weasley said with a kind smile. "Just so long as it isn't more firewhisky. Molly will be on my case enough as it is."

Lily fingered the scroll in her pocket. She knew he would say yes to it, even if it inconvenienced them. This was what she wanted, she knew that, even if it was all done on a wild impulse. She idled with her in her pocket, agonizing over it as Mr. Weasley stared at her, waiting to see if she'd speak.

They've done enough for me, she thought. She wouldn't bother them any more than she had already. She left it in her pocket and offered Mr. Weasley a smile.

"The clock," she said instead. "How does it work?"