Lily Potter and the Potions Professor

AN: Wow, Saturday already. Enjoy.

Chapter 25: Secret Revealed

It was another late night at the library for Lily who was getting more and more behind with her school work as the OWLs got closer and closer. She had had a lot of other things on her mind this year and was quite alarmed to realise that not only had her grades been slipping but it was only a few short months until she would be sitting her exams. There was still time to catch up on her abandoned work and still time to redeem herself but it did require a lot of library time and late night studying.

She had just finished a rather lengthy History of Magic essay that was due the following day when she heard a strange sound a couple of shelves over. She picked up her wand and lit it as she approached the source of the noise. A couple of fellow fifth years and a few seventh year students who were also staying as late as possible in the library did not look up as she came to a halt at the entry to the Restricted Section. Lily was sure that there was someone in there and once again her curiosity got the better of her. Glancing over her shoulder to ensure no one was watching her she extinguished her wand light and silently crept over the threshold into the dimly lit and apparently disserted section of the library which housed books of darker content.

She suddenly wished she hadn't been so hasty in handing her Invisibility Cloak over to Scorpius but continued to walk quietly along the rows of book searching for the person that she knew must be there. She was just starting to question her sanity when she saw it; a disembodied hand reached for a book and withdrew it from the shelf. A moment later both the hand and the book disappeared.

Lily had a feeling she knew who it was and began to walk towards the invisible figure.

"A little late night reading?" she asked a little smugly and pleased with herself for being the one doing the taunting for once.

"I suggest you leave Potter," said Scorpius' voice from directly in front of Lily.

"Why? What are you up to?" she asked, now feeling a bit stupid for standing there talking to nothing. "Take the cloak off."

She heard an irritated sigh and then Scorpius appeared pulling the shiny transparent cloak from himself.

"We'll get caught," he said, glancing past her in the direction she'd came from.

"Doing what?" asked Lily quickly still dying to know what Scorpius had wanted the cloak for. Obviously it was to sneak into the Restricted Section but why not just obtain a permission slip? He was clearly up to something. What was it?

He didn't answer and Lily noticed that he was still hiding something in his hands underneath the Invisibility Cloak.

She stood there for a moment and then, as quick as lightning, snatched the cloak from Scorpius to reveal the book he was holding. He grabbed at the cloak but it was too late, she had it and was holding it well out of his reach. He quickly hid the book behind his back looking thoroughly annoyed with her now.

"What's that?" she demanded, a little loudly.

"Shut up, it's nothing," hissed Scorpius. "Nothing to do with you."

Lily felt a little hurt by his tone; there was more than mere annoyance in it now.

"You said we weren't enemies," said Lily, lowering her voice. "You're sure acting like we are now."

"Well I may have said that," returned Scorpius coolly. "But I never said we were friends either!"

Lily didn't know what to say. His comment had taken her by surprise. Did she think they were friends? No. Then why did his words seem to paralyse her?

"It's none of your business," said Scorpius snatching the cloak back and pulling it over himself.

Lily heard his footsteps fading as he left.

She was even more determined to find out what he was up to now so she looked up at the place that the book had been taken from. As she did so her foot knocked something on the floor. She bent down and picked it up. She nearly dropped it as it as the candle held by the withered hand glowed to life.

Scorpius had forgotten to take the Hand of Glory with him in his haste to leave. Shrugging, Lily used the Hand to light the titles of some of the books surrounding the gap which Scorpius's had left, she didn't like what she saw and suddenly knew why he hadn't wanted her to see the book he had taken.

AN: Thanks for reading. Please review.