April has to be the worst month of the year: all the bugs come back, my hair frizzes out, and it rains all the time. The only good part of April this year is the apparition testing and even that's stressful. I'd been dying for my license ever since turning seventeen in January. It was nice to know I could do magic at home from now on. I probably wouldn't though. Petunia was upset enough without me rubbing my magic in her face.

I jumped in a carriage with Bella and we made our way down to Hogsmeade. It was my first time back into town since Valentine's Day with Potter. I hadn't really told Bella much about it, not that there was much to tell. I guess the only thing I didn't tell her is how Potter grew on me that night. It was no big deal, but now when he winked at me, I didn't roll my eyes.

I stepped out the carriage with a smile on my face that was quick to fade. Severus was walking quickly towards me. Placing my hands on my hips, I waited for him to approach, letting Bella disappear down the road, knowing she was waiting at the corner.

"Lily," he said a few steps from me.

"What do you want Severus?" He scared me. I wouldn't lie. Who he had become and what he believed in frightened me more than I could say. My childhood friend had become my nightmare.

He stopped a few paces from me. "Good luck on the test. I'm sure you'll pass."

"Even as a mudblood?" I crossed my arms.

"Lily don't…" he started.

"What else did you come here for?"

He stood still and silent for a few moments. "How's Tuna doing?"

I frowned deeply. "Thanks not what you were going to ask."

"True, but I still want to know."

"We don't correspond much while I'm at school. I think she's still a bit upset that she couldn't come. She is still calling me a freak."

"You're not," he said earnestly, stepping a bit closer.

I stepped back. "If you've lost your nerve to say what you were going to, I must be going."

"Lily," he called as I walked away. I didn't look back.

I met back up with Bella who was window gazing into a high-class jeweler. I grabbed her by the arm, not slowing my pace, and pulled her towards the meeting point for our apparition test.

"What did Snape want?" she asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know what he want but he asked about my sister instead."

"I don't see why you talk to the git."

"Bella…."

"No Lily, listen. You know what he's a part of. You know what he thinks of people who are like you." I slowed my pace slightly.

"He never thought of me that way though until last year… or at least I didn't know he did. I'd always thought him one of my best friends."

"I hate to say it Lils, but people like him have always thought that way, basically since birth. His mother raised him that way."

I shook my head sadly. "I know that." We walked silently for a few seconds. "He introduced me to magic though. Told me I was a witch, a powerful one."

"He wasn't wrong honey," laughed Bella. We continued to rest of the walk on more carefree topics.

"… so then he reached his arm around me and said 'I hope you know you're beautiful.'"

"Oh that's cute Bella."

"Oh, it was cute until his hand grabbed my breast." We laughed together. "End of date needless to say."

We let our laughter carry us the test proctor. She was a young which, had to be in her twenties, and I over heard Sirius whisper to Remus that she was "not too bad on the eyes." She was average height with a curvaceous build, light brown hair tumbling down her back in shiny waves.

"Hello students. This is rotation two to be test correct?" Spoke the woman to the group. The group nodded. "Good. Well I am Miss Melissa Solomon. I am an apparation specialist for the ministry with focus on splinch mending. I will read role and we shall begin shortly after. "Black, Sirius…" and the list went on to include 4 people from each house.

She explained the test directions as we listened. She had created a point in front of the local menagerie to which we were supposed to apparate to and then return back from. Her intern assistant, Christopher, was waiting there to check those who came by.

I was third in line so I waited impatiently. I was nervous. I knew how to apparate but still was shaking. Bella put a hand on my shoulder. Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward for my turn. Picturing the spot clearly, I turned in place, letting the now familiar crushing pressure consume me. Landing I felt someone knock into my side. I began to fall sideways when a pair of strong arms grabbed a hold of me. I looked up to a good-looking tall man. He couldn't have been two years out of school. His jaw was speckled with afternoon shadow and his dark eyes twinkled joyfully.

"Are you alright miss?" He asked setting me on my two feet.

"I'm fine. Am I not in the right place though?" I looked around and saw that I was indeed within the white circle created in front of the menagerie.

"Oh, do not worry, you were fine. I was not paying attention to where I was pacing and I kind of walked into your newly appeared form. I can't say I was fully upset to run into a beautiful witch like yourself, just slightly embarrassed."

I blushed deeply. "You must be Christopher."

"Please call me Chris." He said looking me up and down. "Don't mind me, I'm just ensuring you haven't splinched yourself at all." I walked around me. I noticed he took special care checking both my facial features and the features of my behind.

"Well you look fine to me." I sighed in relief. "But before you go, can I have your name?"

"Lily Evans," I said simply.

"And can I also have you availability status?" he asked smiling

"Excuse me?"

"Are you single?" He asked still smiling.

"Oh!" I exclaimed my eyes growing. "Well… yes, I am."

"And one final question, would you can to grab a butterbeer round 2 at the three broomsticks with me? You fascinate me miss Evans."

I moved to the center of the circle. "Please call me Lily." And with that, I turned and reappeared in front of Melissa with a large smile on my face.

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Hey all! Sorry that it's been a while since I've updated. I've been really busy at college. I suddenly got the urge to write this chapter though. No James in sight for me personally but this new character, Chris, was my last boyfriend. We actually met through a friend online and talked for about a month before he asked me out but you shall see why this character is interesting.