Blooming of a new Lily

"The dream has been persistent, Syd. And I get up with such a heavy head,"

Sydney just nodded when Lily told her about the dream. They were in the Gryffindor common room, sitting in a corner. James was busy teaching the transfiguration of a quill into a snitch to Peter and Remus was writing notes on the latest ancient runes lesson. Sirius was absent from the view. A girl named Maurice Hitchings was sitting near the window, looking outside, with a book of transfiguration in her lap. There were not many people in the room, it being a Sunday morning.

"Who was the boy?" asked Sydney after a long pause.

"I don't know. Someone with hazel eyes, I saw that last night," Lily spoke dreamily.

"Hazel eyes," Sydney repeated.

"James!" it dawned on Sydney.

"Cannot be, Syd," Lily uttered, half wishing for it.

"Why? He has hazel eyes,"

"Many people in the world have hazel eyes,"

"Not all of them are in your acquaintance,"

"So?"

"The boy will be someone you know,"

"And where is it written that you dream of those whom you know?"

"You can't be running away with someone out of the streets,"

Lily glanced at James and her eyes got stuck at him. Yes, he had hazel eyes. But the voice from the background wasn't his. Lily didn't know why but she did not want to accept that. Her mind was perplexed, her eyes still clasped on James. He was busy with Peter, his hands going to his messy hair to tousle them even more- his trademark.

"Lily,"

She looked back. It was Sirius. Lily didn't notice when he came.

"Hi!" she greeted him.

"I wanted to talk to you," Sirius spoke looking thoughtful and serious.

"Yeah sure, have a seat," Lily was surprised. This was too soon in a week that she was seeing Sirius in a grave mood.

"I think I'll leave you both alone," Sydney got up and joined Remus.

"So, what is it that brings you here?" Lily said sarcastically.

"Look Lily, it is something serious," His voice too gave away the urgency of the issue.

"What happened?"

"James has been different since we came back after the holidays. He is not James anymore,"

Lily looked down and turned her head towards James, again. He was still teaching the tricks of changing a quill into a snitch but the student was different this time. It was Lily – de Moiré.

"He doesn't talk about you anymore," Sirius lied, observing Lily's reaction on seeing James with Lou.

Something hit her, God knows where. The expression in her eyes was unprecedented. Sirius had not seen that emotion stir up in Lily ever before. She felt something choke in her throat. She looked back at Sirius. His eyes were looking deep into hers and the look was frightening. He looked scared, to Lily.

"So?" she managed.

"He has been hooked up by another Lily and she is a dangerous one. She has changed him. And the worst part – she's a half veela. If he gets trapped further, we won't be able to get him back," He lied more, about the part that James was hooked.

"How can I be of any help? You know him better than I do," Lily mumbled putting up a brave front. Her eyes were on James again.

It was the first time that James wasn't looking back. She wanted him to look back.

"James!"

"Cannot be, Syd,"

"Why? He has hazel eyes,"

"Many people in the world have hazel eyes,"

"Not all of them are in your acquaintance,"

"So?"

"The boy will be someone you know,"

"And where is it written that you dream of those whom you know?"

"You can't be running away with someone out of the streets,"

Lily wasn't listening anymore. She was oblivious to all the words uttered by Sirius. She was looking a James and the new Lily. Their lesson had ended in a fiasco and they were sharing jokes about it. She was ruffling up his hair, his eyes and hers deeply engrossed in talking, their lips displaying perfect smiles. For the first time, Lily felt sorry for herself. She felt angry at not being able to bring that smile on his face even after a year of friendship, which the new girl was able to blossom in just a week. She felt sad, she did not why; she did not love him, or did she? She did not know. She was late.

Just then James looked back at her. A second of eye-talk and he guessed something was wrong. He had almost got up when the portrait of Henry Wilson – the famous quill-maker of Britain, shouted in his shrill voice, " The headmaster wishes to see Ms. Lily Evans and Mr. Sirius Black,"

"Instantly," the portrait added.

……………………………………..

"Good morning, Ms. Evans and Mr. Black," the headmaster greeted them in.

The chamber looked different in the morning. The rugs and the linen changed shades according to the time of the day; Albus Dumbledore told them on Sirius' urging.

"Sit down, both of you,"

Both, Lily and Sirius, took their seats opposite to the table of the headmaster and across the table was Albus Dumbledore himself.

"What would you both like to have?" Dumbledore asked in a gentleman-like manner, a quality that Lily admired.

"Lime bulbs," Sirius said with a huge grin on his face.

Dumbledore smiled and said, " I have always appreciated your sense of humour. It is a pity that the stock of lime bulbs hasn't been refreshed. You will have to ask for something else. Let Ms. Evans choose this time," he gestured towards the silent Lily.

"Soda with sweet moulds would be fine," she replied in a small voice.

Instantly, the table was filled with two jugs of soda, three plates of sweet moulds and three brass goblets. Sirius poured the drink into the three goblets and served them to Dumbledore and Lily before picking up his goblet.

Dumbledore started, " I have called you both for discussing an important event. This event takes place every year to train the security heads of students of the three wizarding schools in Europe. The event is called – 'War Drills for Student Council' or WDSC. It will teach the participants how to defend themselves and the large number of students in the schools in case of a war. It will train them in the life saving tactics and life searching techniques. As you already know that you both are the security links in the Hogwarts security chain, you will be representing our school in the event. The event will take place in Beauxbaton. Professor Horace Slughorn, the expert from our school, will escort you. Two captains from Durmstrang and Beauxbaton will also take part. It is a two week long drill. You are required to move today itself. Any question?"

"No Sir," replied Sirius.

Lily was quiet.

"Any problem, Ms. Evans?" asked Dumbledore. Sirius looked sideways at her.

She nodded her head in a no.

She was happy to go. She wanted time with herself, to understand why she had felt sad. An infatuation cannot stir up such emotions, Lily was sure. She needed time to think. She decided to do the thinking away from school. Not knowing what lay ahead, she agreed on going.