Chapter 17

The next few weeks blended together for Lily. Every day, from class to class, Aurors would escort students from class to class. More than once, Lily was pulled in to explain what happened that night.

Every time, after she had explained the same thing she did last time, they would ask;

"When you woke are you sure you were the same as when you went to sleep. There was nothing out of the ordinary?"

Every time Lily would pretend to think before replying;

"No, nothing was different."

Every time they would respond;

"Are you sure Ms. Evans?"

Every time she'd lie again;

"Yes, I am very much sure."

Every time, Declan would be standing in the corner, looking at her as if he knew she was holding back on something.

She'd look back innocently. And he'd shake it off. Every time.

It wasn't that she didn't want to tell them about her tattoo disappearing. She did. She just knew that in order to tell them, she would first have to explain that why she didn't tell them sooner. Why she didn't go back to Madam Pierce, the medi-witch. Why she kept her pain attacks quiet. Why she kept this crucial piece of information quiet.

Then they would have to check it. Check the tattoo, every aspect of it. They would run every type of test think able on her. They would run then whether she was alright with it or not. If the test showed something wrong they would fix it. She would have no say. None at all. She wouldn't be Lily Evans anymore; she would be That Girl with the Tattoo. They would strip her of her identity, of her thoughts, of everything until the answer of every question was shinning out clear.

Yes, she understood that this was a worse case possibility. But either way telling them would not be good.

And the attacks came back. It only took a few days. They started off small, the same as when they had first begun, and then they got worse and worse. The images, sounds and feelings returning until Arameao was once again ruling over her chest, mind and body. It had only taken until mid December for it all to return.

Tattoos were definitely a sign of slavery, and slavery of the mind was the worst possible.

But still she had to tell someone. It only took till mid November for Gemma to know. She had reacted exactly how Lily had predicted. First shock, then confusion, pain, concern and finally pure guilt for not knowing sooner. Lily did everything she could to convince Gemma that she had absolutely no reason to feel guilty, but she could tell Gemma still felt bad. However, it was amazing to have someone else know. Gemma was perfect for it. She helped Lily get out of anything that would interfere with her attacks. She wanted to be there for Lily when the attacks actually happen, but Lily wasn't sure she wanted any one to see her that weak. For the most part, telling Gemma was possibly the smartest thing she'd done this year. But Gemmas over protective concern was starting to get to her. Still, compared to the last weeks, over protective concern was great.

"Lily are you sure you're alright? What do you need?" Gemma asked looking concerned, placing a caring hand on her friends shoulder while she stared sleepily at the desk. Lily snapped out of it.

"Yeah I'm fine. Just a little tired."

The two girls were sitting in the Great Hall at lunch. Near the center of the table, the Marauders were being very loud and apparently funny, considering everyone else was laughing and temporarily forgetting their biggest problem, the exams. Lily envied them slightly. Arameao was currently uncomfortably hot on her chest.

"Well," Gemma said next to her "we have history of magic next, you could go up and have a nap then study my notes later."

Lily smiled; Gemma was such an amazing friend. But she didn't have to do everything with Lily in mind. No doubt Gemma would be taking twice the regular notes she usually would. Lily didn't want her to work extra for her-any more than she already was.

"I can't fall behind and- I don't want to be alone." It was hard admitting it so Lily looked out one of the many large windows while she said it. Lately, whenever she had been in solitude, she had seen the strangest images. They weren't like the images she had seen during the attacks, they were calmer. Students playing by the lake, or studying in the hall. A father playing with his 2 year old daughter. Julie Potter, getting little Andrew dressed.

"I could come with you then and we could quiz each other later with Adrian's notes."

"That's really thoughtful gem, but neither us should skip class. Plus, I don't want you to miss out on anything else."

"What? I'm not missing out on anything."

"Don't lie to me Gemma. When was the last time you went to Quidditch practice?"

Gemma looked down."I would have missed your attack."

"Yeah, and that's ok. I am appreciate everything you've been doing. Really. I can't tell you how much. But you can live your life. You should. You have a boyfriend you know. Go out with Ty!"

"Lily-"

"Don't you Lily me! Go over there and sit with him. Now! I'll see you in class."

Gemma still looked reluctant, but after a little more buffering from Lily she stood up and walked over to Ty, who had been sitting a few seats away from them, occasionally casting a worried glance at Gemma. When she sat next to him, his face broke into a grin, the anxiety wiping instantly of his face. He kissed her cheek and she smile a little through her blush. Through the rest of lunch, Gemma kept looking over to Lily. Somewhere in the middle of the hour Lily stood up and walked over to Michelle and Adrian, finishing the period with them.

She walked up to History of Magic by herself, passing the regularly placed Aurors that stood watch over lunch. She meet Gemma at one of the desks. The rest of the day past rather uneventfully. Before she knew it she was lying on her bed playing with a strand of her hair and staring at the ceiling.

"Lily?" Gemma asked from her bed next to her.

"Hmmm?" Lily mumbled, twirling her hair around her finger.

"Have you told anyone else?"

"Told them what?"

"About Arameo."

Lily sat up. "Who else would I tell?"

Gemma shrugged looking guilty. "I don't know, but wouldn't it be easier for you if someone else could help to?"

Lily thought of that the rest of the evening. Wouldn't that work? Telling just one more person? She wouldn't get in the habit of one more, of course, and then the whole school would know. But maybe one more would work…

She knew who she would tell. A year ago she would have been discussed at the very idea of telling James Potter but now it didn't seem too bad.

After all, he had managed to keep his mouth shut about Constance, even though she hadn't told him not to tell. It was obvious enough though, she hadn't even told anyone about it. He was the first person she had ever told. If he could be trusted and keep silent with that why not this?

Lily sat up from her bed and walked down to the common room to find James.

Hey guys! Sorry it took so long, and that this chapter was so boring, it's one of those stepping stones, you don't want it but it's rather necessary

Review!

LIZIES