A/N: This took longer than I planned, it's got a lot of dialogue and it's not exactly my strongest skill. I hope everyone likes it. More stuff should start to happen in the next couple of chapters.
Dedicated: to my History/Geography teacher last year because he was so funny and never shut up about his favourite dishes.
Lily ran her brush through her hair for the seventy-sixth time. She was waiting for Faith to finish in the bathroom so they could go down to breakfast. The last few months had flown by for her. She had managed to make friends with a lot of different people, regardless of house or year and had settled into a solid routine.
She spent most of her time in the library. It was one of Lily's favourite places in Hogwarts. She loved the relative calmness and the books filled with information for her to absorb. Most of all she enjoyed the coming and going of students – most of whom would smile at her as they past. She, along with her dorm mates spent numerous hours there, tucked in some corner, mixing socialising in with their studies.
She wished she could find more time to spend with Hugo. It was strange for her, having best friends other than Hugo. She wasn't sure how either of them were honestly handling the change in their relationship but for now things seemed to be going alright. Still, she felt sad when she thought of what had once been, no matter how many new friends she made or how grown up she became Hugo was still, above all else, her bestest friend ever. She just wished they could spend more time together.
Along with Matt, Lily accompanied him once a fortnight to do an 'official' check on the house elves, they sometimes sat together at meal times or in class but for the most part Hugo avoided places like the library in favour of the Quidditch pitch, or the kitchens where, he promised Lily faithfully, he only went for the food not to annoy the elves. She did not believe him. Nate and Hugo were rarely seen without each other, and Nate seemed fully on board with Hugo's views of life.
She supposed that they had grown apart somewhat as people had said they would once at school. She didn't like it. Maybe she should spend less time with the girls. She didn't want to do that either. Though Lily spent a lot of time with her dorm mates she was closer to Faith then the other two. Isabelle and Natalie more inclined to giggle over various boys and far too often one of those boys was a relative of Lily's.
The thought made her cringe. She like them both well enough and enjoyed having girls her own age to talk to but sometimes they would tease Lily about some of the friends she'd made. In particular one Scorpius Malfoy. She remembered fairly clearly when they'd become friends.
Lily glanced around as she entered the Library, she spotted her friends giggling in the corner and was about to head towards them, when she noticed a solitary figure seated at a table nearby. Smiling to herself, she wandered over and sat down opposite him.
The Ravenclaw boy looked up, "Well, if it isn't little Lily Potter? I'm honoured." "Want to be friends?" she asked.
He laughed, and then looked at her curiously, "You're serious?"
"Yes. Why not? Obviously you can't be as annoying as Rose says or she wouldn't spend so much time with you. Anyway, Al and James like you just fine."
"Rosie likes to pretend we're not friends."
"She can be a bit stubborn sometimes; so can Hugo. You just need to know how to get around it with out them noticing."
"So you can be sneaky as well as sweet?"
"Mostly sweet."
"Okay," Scorpius regarded her thoughtfully, "so how do I get around her?"
"Well I'd say you're doing just fine on your own." She smiled up at him, "I mean apart from the fact she refuses to admit it, you're already are friends. Not many people could have manoeuvred her into that."
"Well I don't suppose you know why she refuses to admit it?"
"Rosie's mind is a mysterious thing, but if I have to guess I say it's because she's not too used to having friends. It's easier for her if she can just pretend it's because you're talking to Albus or because you both need a partner or because she wants to ask your expert opinion on the Rise of The Dark Arts in the 15th Century." She said nodding at his History of Magic essay. He laughed, "You're a smart little thing aren't you."
"I like to think so." She beamed at him. "So are we friends?"
"Sure, why not?" Scorpius looked amused. Lily grinned at him, "speaking of friends … Hey Rosie."
"Rosie." Scorpius smiled up at her, "Finished Potions yet?"
"Yes, I just need to do Charms," Rose said sitting down, then her brow furrowed, "I told you not to call me Rosie, Malfoy."
"She only says that when she remembers," Scorpius stage whispered to Lily.
"I forget because you say it so often," Rose snapped. "Did you answer the bonus question? I'm pretty sure it was Wilkins but I wasn't sure if it was actually Hurbert and Wilkins just introduced it to the confederation because…"
"It was Wilkins," he said, waving goodbye to Lily as she headed off to her friends laughing at their banter.
They quite often had conversations after that, mostly about Rose, Lily was fairly certain the two would end up together, which was one of the reasons that Isabelle and Natalie's good natured teasing was often difficult, she couldn't explain that to them. Also they were eleven for Merlin's sake. "Who liked boys at eleven?" she asked her reflection sceptically.
"Natalie and Isabelle" Faith said, as she came back into the room, "Ready to go?"
Lily nodded and they headed down to the Great Hall. "I don't know why. I don't care about boys and I do not want to hear about them all night long."
"At least it's not your brother they are talking about."
"True. Can we sit with your cousin today? Those two are driving me insane."
"They aren't that bad. But sure, which cousin?"
"Whichever is least likely to talk about how dreamy so-and-so's eyes are."
Lily thought for a moment, trying to imagine any of her cousins doing such a thing. "Well how about we just sit with Hugo and Nate? No doubt Hugo hasn't done his essay and will need some help before tomorrow." And it would give Lily a chance to maybe fix things a bit.
"And will probably have loads of things he wants to do instead," laughed Faith. Lily giggled. Somebody bumped into her as she rounded the corner and suddenly she found herself on the ground, "Oh I'm sorry" she said and looked up to see Cecilia Lestrange glaring down at her. Lily sighed wistfully at the girl's hair. It was so, so long. The pangs of jealousy that had become familiar arose and Lily scrambled to her feet and grabbing Faith's arm, hurried into the Great Hall, disgusted with herself.
"Watch where you're going next time," Cecilia called after them angrily.
Faith raised an eyebrow at Lily, "She's a little strange," she commented as they sat down opposite Hugo. "Who?" he asked, spraying bacon over the table. Faith wrinkled her nose, "Lestrange. She just ploughed right into Lily; didn't even say sorry."
"Well, yeah, everyone knows she's an odd cookie. It's got to suck having a last name like Lestrange."
"True. Kinda like being a Weasley but on the opposite end."
The morning owls soaring into the hall interrupted them. A newspaper landed on Hugo's plate.
"When did you start getting the Daily Prophet?" Lily asked, tucking her letters into her bag so she could read them later.
"It was Nate's idea, this way we can keep an eye on what's going on in the world." He unfolded the paper, "hmm, well some death eater died today. Ooh, there were protests against the werewolf rights legislation; they've been pushing that for a long time." He explained to Nate, "House Elves were easier because people weren't afraid of them. But with werewolves it's different."
"Is that something else your Mum does?"
"Err no. I don't know why. Dad said she just doesn't get along with the woman in charge."
"So this Werewolf thing, it's been passed?" Nate asked.
"It happened last year, was it July?" Hugo turned to Lily.
"No. It was September, remember, just after the Owl Emporium protest."
"Oh yeah. So it was passed September last year, there have been pretty full on protests since then."
"Maybe it's because Halloween is coming up." Lily mused, "People get weird around Halloween."
"What's Halloween like in the Wizarding world?" Nate asked excitedly, and Faith, Hugo and Lily launched into an explanation of magical costumes and trick or treating where the treats turned you into things thanks to WWW.
"My favourite costume was when I was a fairy," Faith reminisced, "I could fly without a broom and everything.
"I like muggle costumes the best," Lily said and Hugo groaned.
"Every year since she was about four she'd been a Disney princess."
"A different one," Lily reminded him
"It's still boring, I liked dressing up as Darth Vadar,"
"Nan would never let me trick or treat," Nate said sadly, "She thinks it is too American and she wouldn't let me become a Yank. So I became a wizard instead."
They all laughed, "So you don't ever dress up for Halloween?"
"Well Dad used to let me go to the school parties, so I did sometimes."
"Well maybe we can go trick or treating in the Gryffindor tower?"
"That'd be cool, but if every one went trick or treating there wouldn't be anyone to trick or to give treats."
"Well the feast is bound to be magical."
"I heard they have floating pumpkins!"
"And the ghosts do some sort of special show."
"And just think of the food!"
That weekend, Faith and Nate came to the kitchens with Hugo, Lily and Matt. While Hugo did his usual routine the others sat around a pile of Danish pastries and talked.
"I like Professor Gil de Muro." Lily protested Faith's complaint.
"But he never stays on topic, I always end up lost."
"She has a point," Matt pointed out. "I have trouble following what he's talking about."
"The worst is when he starts reminiscing about cassoule. What is cassoule anyway?"
"I think it's some kind of food."
"Casssoule is a french meal. It has beans and lots of different meat in it Master Powell." Tweaks the house elf appeared at his elbow. "Is you wanting to try some?"
"Not today thanks Tweaks, maybe next time."
"What does food have to do with Transfiguration?" Faith asked.
"He just likes telling stories," Lily said, "I think it's sweet."
"But how are we supposed to learn anything?"
"You listen."
"If you need help, I don't mind helping you." Matt offered shyly.
"He is a Ravenclaw, so he has to be pretty smart."
Lily laughed, "Come sit with us in the library some days. Then we can all hang out more and do our homework." Hugo reappeared just as she said this and groaned, "Count me out. I'm going to teach Nate how to play Quidditch instead."
"Then I guess I'll be learning how to play Quidditch, what a pity I'll miss out on all the homework fun," Nate said cheerfully not looking in the least bit disappointed.
"Like to see you try that excuse on a professor. I didn't do my homework because I was playing Quidditch."
"It works for me," a voice behind them said, sounding amused.
"James!" Lily gave her brother a hug as he slid in next to her and grabbed a pastry.
"Does it really work?" Nate asked curiously.
"Sometimes, if I've had loads of Quidditch practice and there is a Ravenclaw/Gryffindor game coming up and it's Neville."
"Oh." Nate looked disappointed.
"And if I promise to do it in detention after the game weekend," he added. "So Lilykins, these your new friends?"
"Yep, That's Matt, Faith and Nate, and Hugo of course."
"Hey." James waved a hand lazily and turned back to his sister, "So, me and Al have been talking; you have got to stop doing your homework before the last minute. It's not very Potterish of you."
"But if I do it straight away I have lots of free time after without having to worry about it."
"But it's homework. You're not supposed to do it till the night its due unless you're a Ravenclaw."
"But…"
"No buts Lily stop hanging out in the library and get your prank on."
"Okay." Lily said meekly.
"But don't prank me," James said, eyeing her suspiciously. She looked up at him innocently, "Prank you? My wonderful big brother whom I love so very much? Have I ever?"
James snorted. "Seriously though, besides this weird homework thing you've been doing okay?" She nodded, "Slughorn's not giving you too much trouble, cause he is overdue for a Fred and James prank."
"He calls me Lily Evans every other minute but apart from that it's not too bad." James rolled his eyes. "He still flinches whenever he sees me, I'd give anything to know what Grandad did to him to get that reaction even now."
"How do you know it's because of that?" Faith asked.
"You two'll have to explain how our family works," James said to Lily and Hugo, "I got Quidditch practice."
"Okay, bye." James ruffled her hair on the way out, earning a sharp yelp.
"So Lily, going to get your prank on?" Faith laughed. Lily rolled her eyes, "Only if the occasion calls for it."
"Want to go watch the practice? Hugo asked Nate, "It's a good place to start learning."
"Sure." The two boys got up and left, each taking an extra pastry. "See you guys later."
"So what do you two want to do?" Lily asked.
"Could one of you help me with that Transfiguration class we had on Friday?" Faith asked.
Lily and Matt both nodded, "I'll do it" Matt said, "Since Lily's brother doesn't want her near the library." Lily laughed and skipped ahead. "He can't tell me what to do."
"Why doesn't he like Ravenclaws?" Matt asked suddenly when they reached the library door.
"James was just teasing me. He has loads of Ravenclaw friends, my cousin Fred is in Ravenclaw and he and James are like this." She held up her crossed fingers. "Oh," Matt looked relieved, "Well let's get this Transfiguration problem figured out."
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