Lily was afraid to do anything, to say anything, until what Severus had to show her was over. She stayed curled up in the cozy armchair, although with all the emotions that were nearly suffocating her, it felt stiff and uncomfortable.
When it was midnight, she slipped out of the chair, rugged and still in her school robes. She crawled quietly through the portrait hole and walked briskly down the halls.
Most of the portraits were asleep, and all of the ghosts were out of sight, except for one.
Nearly Headless Nick drifted down the hall, humming a tune Lily couldn't quite catch. Lily dove behind a suit of armor, her green eyes shining with troubled uncertainty.
Nick stopped and talked pleasantly to the Grey Lady, and then walked her way. Lily was leaning so far forward that the suit of armor tipped forward and fell to the ground with a shattering crash that echoed around the halls.
Nick raised his eyebrows and floated towards her, surprise etched on his ghostly face.
"Lily? What are you doing here?"
Lily sat up self-consciously and brushed herself off.
"I-I was, er, going to the bathroom." Lily said uncertainly.
"At midnight?" Nick asked incredulously. "Well, it's none of my business what time you go to the bathroom. Good night Miss Evans."
Nick seemed to be waiting for her to leave, so Lily picked up her robes and scrambled to the nearest bathroom, before taking a detour to the Entrance Hall.