Author's Note: Just a quick note: I wonder a lot how it's come that there are more people who've got this story on their watch list than reviewers.

This I find to be very paradoxical, because: If you care enough about the continuation of the story to put it on your watch list, you should indeed be able to find the five seconds it takes to submit a review. And in addition to those reviews, there should be the reviews from people who think the story is too crappy to put on their watch list. Meaning: The number of reviews should outnumber the number of people who have put the story on their watch list.

I believe the modern human is way too lazy for his/her own best. I mean, seriously, you're not even required to write something long or meaningful (though that is very much appreciated); I'd just appreciate some sort of footprint!

So, thanks a lot to those of you who bothering to review, it is genuinely appreciated. And thanks to my beta, Four and Twenty Blackbirds.

And that was it for today's lecture, thank you very much, on with the story. Good-day to you and on with the story!

Chapter 3: The Trials of Composing a Personal Advertisement

The following evening, the girls could once again be found studying in the library. Aurora was doing her Divination homework (seriously, who takes Divination for NEWT…) while Lily and Elisabeth were studying for the expected pop quiz they would most likely be having in Arithmancy the next day. Well: Elisabeth was flipping through her book, occasionally scribbling down one or two key words on a parchment. Lily, while pretending to do the same, had most of her concentration on how she would frame herself in the ad for the lonely-hearts column.

She didn't want the whole school to recognize that it was she who had put in the ad, but she still needed to be honest about herself in order to find a guy. Neither did she know whether or not she should write it kind of jokingly, though it would not really be her style, as she tried not to take it all too seriously in an attempt to save herself from disappointment.

Lily glanced at Aurora and Elisabeth, both of whom seemed to be absorbed by their homework. In the corner of her piece of parchment she began doodling the rough outlines of what could be her notice.

Incredibly beautiful witch with anger management issues requires wizard to play with.

She grunted to herself and crossed out the line. That wasn't her – neither did she have anger management issues – except when it came to James Potter –, nor did she consider herself incredibly beautiful – though James had actually called her that once a very long time ago. As for 'play with'; although it was true that she wanted to place the ad to get over James, 'play with' was a bit harsh, wasn't it? She truly wanted to fall for someone else.

Some boys (you know who you are) have led me to believe that all males within the walls of Hogwarts are arrogant bastards, and I need you to prove me wrong.

Nah, Lily thought and crossed out also this sentence. It sounded much too desperate, and way too much like she was a slut who had been with every single boy at the school (and been disappointed by them).

Too ambitious seventh year needs distraction. I'm passionate, loyal and kind, though it might not always show.

She let out an unconsciously loud sigh

"What's up?" Aurora asked and threw a quick glance at Lily's parchment before she'd had the time to snatch it away. "What's that?!"

"Nothing," Lily muttered.

"Please, girls, I'm trying to study," Elisabeth said but Aurora ignored her.

"Is that an ad for The Mirror?!" Aurora asked.

This seemed to have caught also Elisabeth's attention. "What?" she inquired. "Are you considering putting in an ad? How great! Let me see!"

"No," Lily lied, "I'm not going to put in one of those stupid ads."

"So can we see what you've been writing then?" Aurora asked innocently.

"No," Lily said, somewhat uncertainly. "Why do you bother anyway, it's just Arithmancy notes…"

"Oh, then we can compare ours!" Elisabeth exclaimed and quickly leant forwards and snatched the parchment from Lily before she had realized what was happening. "Incredibly beautiful witch", Elisabeth read out loud ("SHUSH" exclaimed Lily, "be quiet!"), "wait – it's crossed out, I can't really see… what does it say? Incredibly beautiful witch with anger management issues-"

"Interesting", Aurora said and smiled. "Not gonna put in one of them silly ads, you say?"

Oh crap, Lily thought. "Please", she said, "would you please don't read it out loud, at least not here."

Elisabeth held the parchment a mere inch from her eyes in order to see what had been crossed out.

"So," Aurora said, "let me see! Have you come up with anything good?"

"Not really," Lily said.

Elisabeth handed Aurora the parchment. "You just need to show them you're serious, though with a humorous twinkle", she said thoughtfully. "Self-confident without being arrogant or mediocre. Actually one of them was quite good, if you'd just alter it a little…" Her voice faded away and she began writing elatedly on the corner of her own piece of parchment. "How about this?" she said when she looked up and handed the parchment to Lily.

Perfect perfectionist with somewhat of a paranoiac characteristic needs distraction. I'm kind, generous and passionate though it might not always show. You need to be patient and fun though not to an extreme extent, as those kinds of people annoy me. You boys whose voices haven't even broken yet needn't bother; I'm in one of the upper years.

"Answer to The Best You'll Ever Have," Elisabeth laughed.

"Very funny," Lily muttered. "The ad was good, though. But the ad-thing wasn't serious; it was just a weird idea of mine."

"What, you're not gonna put it in?" Aurora asked.

"Nah."

"Lily, come on," Elisabeth teased, "I know you want to…"

"Nah."

"Just as an experiment," Elisabeth continued. "No one will know it's you, and if you only get bad replies you don't have to answer."

"I don't know…"

"Come on!" Aurora said. "Don't be such a chicken!"

"I guess it's quite risk-free," Lily admitted.

"So you want me to publish it?" Elisabeth asked.

Lily nodded. "Go for it."

Author's Note: Sorry if that was a bit short. I had a lot more planned for this chapter but the whole 'writing-an-ad'-thing took much longer than expected and I just feel that it will be better to wait until next chapter.

And, no James. My God what a crappy chapter this must have been :P