Previously on: Hidden

And in that hour before curfew, on the night that she had slapped the most popular boy in the school, Lily Evans the Ginger made a friend.

CHAPTER FOUR: HIDDEN

Over the next month, Lily's friendship with Ariah flourished, and Lily became friends with some other Ravenclaws. The Gryffindors didn't have any classes with the Ravenclaws, so Lily had never met or seen her new found friends before. They saw her as a quiet, smart, kind girl whose refusal to succumb to the Marauders was misunderstood as bitchiness. Though they laughed and talked with her, they didn't know her at all.

"Class, if you will please settle down, settle down" said an agitated looking Professor Slughorn.

James slid in, late back from lunch. He had been telling Caroline Sinclair that "Though she was amazing, he couldn't see them having a future", which translates into "I saw your abstinence ring, so I'm out". The only seat left was at the table in the front where Lily was sitting alone. He groaned and slumped into the seat.

"Evans" he grunted, his form of a greeting.

"Potter" she replied, acknowledging him but not keeping her eye off of her cauldron.

"Today, we will be pairing up, and making the Sleeping Draft, made popular by Snelious Peuler in the 17th century. Look to the person beside you, and that is your partner. "

Another groan.

"Potter, hand me the crushed French beetles."

"You know Lily, I would give them to you if you said please" James said in a playful tone.

Silence.

"Please. Please is such an odd word, don't you think?" James said.

"S'il Vous Plaît," Lily said, turning to stare at him.

"Ah, our girl knows French. To go along with our French beetles."

The period passed slowly, sticky with the steam of cauldrons. Lily did all of the work, of course, as James sat back and watched her. She moved quickly, often shaking her head so that her hair would shine in the light. When she reached over to add ingredients into the cauldron, her shirt would lift slightly and reveal her thin, fair stomach splattered with freckles. Her eyes matched the green of the potion before her, except her eyes shimmered… in a way that a sleeping potion didn't.

"Sirius was right," James thought. "She's hot… no, she's.. she's beautiful."

Lily rose her seat, where she had been cutting some Australian snake tail, and scattered it into the potion. Ah bugger, she had dropped one on the other side of t he table. She walked over and bent to pick it up, but as she returned to her full height, she stole a glance at James through the fumes. She now knew why he was the subject of most Hogwarts slumber parties. Their eyes locked, and Lily knew that she must pull away from his glance. She looked down, and took a flask of the potion to give to Slughorn.

Lily did not sleep well that night. His image kept playing in her mind, those eyes kept piercing her soul. It seemed as though he had been looking at her… differently. Like he cared, like he was curious.

Suddenly, an owl flew through the door without a warning. She didn't recognize the owl- it was jet black with red eyes. God she hated animals.

The owl dropped an envelope on her bed. Lily hesitated, but opened it and gasped.

It was her father's handwriting.

"We know where you are."

She let go of the envelope, as though it was going to explode. Her father knew. He knew that she had escaped his house through Dumbledore's help to go to Hogwarts. But how could he know? There had been more and more articles in the paper about people called "Death Eaters" and how they could be anyone, anywhere. Lily felt as though she wasn't safe, as though there were people watching her, laughing at her insecurity and fear. Laughing at the hope that she had once had.

There was something else in the envelope. It was slowing only by an inch, but by that inch Lily could tell exactly what it was. She pulled it out anyway and felt a shock of pain go down her back. The picture had been taken last summer in her father's slimy, dark basement. She was wearing a wifebeater that was soaked with her blood. There were visible cuts all throughout the shirt, and you could see bruises on her shoulders. She shuttered.

FLASHBACK

"And if you try to escape, I will kill you." He said, before turning and going to the door.

"Bethany, I have been called to him. He wants to give me something."

"What is it?"

"We will see. Stay in the house. There might be spies."

"Well aren't you turning into a beauty?" whispered one of her father's friends, moving closer to her. Her father heard, but walked through the door as though he had not.

"Please leave me be" she said, staring at the crack in the wall. If he came any closer, but there was nothing she could do.

He touched her. She jumped, and edged away. He attacked her, holding her down.

"This is hell." She thought.

Hey! I tried to incorporate more fluff and more of her father. Please please review!