A/N: OMG GIL GRISSOM! I'm watching Manhunter, but Hannibal ain't Hannibal without Hopkins. I feel the odd need to bookend my chapters with Author Notes, but maybe I should just stop.


Lily rounded a corner and found herself looking straight into a lit wand. The sudden light blinded her for a moment, and as she squinted she heard a familiar voice.

"Just what do you think you're doing out of bed at this hour?"

Headmistress McGonagall lowered her wand so that Lily could see her face. Lily smiled.

"Just the professor I was looking for!"

McGonagall stared.

"The kitchens are just down this way. Care to join me?"

She blinked once, then sighed.

"You are your father's child." She turned and they walked in silence to the portrait of fruit, where Lily reached up to tickle the pear. A handle appeared, and together she and McGonagall went in.


Having been dismissed, the elves went back to their work, but every so often one would come over and offer more pumpkin juice, or more cakes. Lily devoured the sweets, but McGonagall opted simply for juice.

Lily sat the box on the table and pulled out the unicorn, setting it down gently. It had laid down at some point, and upon being woken up it had glared at Lily with ferocity before going back to sleep. Lily watched it, smiling.

"That's rather impressive," McGonagall said, examining it.

"Scorpius gave it to me."

McGonagall's eyebrows shot up.

"The Malfoy boy?"

Lily looked up at her.

"It's our two year anniversary, you know."

"No, I was unaware."

"Mum knows, dad doesn't. I'm not sure. He's not his father, you know, but people don't understand that."

"I see how that would cause you two problems."

"Ah, yes, speaking of problems! I don't suppose you've been following the war?"

"Miss Potter, though I am the Headmistress of a school, I find it of great relevance to be aware of the events of our world."

"They're saying it's coming here."

"So I have heard."

"Dad thinks that whatever it is, it's coming for him."

"With all due respect Miss Potter, I don't think - "

" - that Dad is the target of more than one Dark wizard, right?"

"I just find it highly unlikely that - "

"Well whatever the case may be," Lily interrupted, "We're preparing. Dad's called back together the Order of the Phoenix, no doubt you'll be invited soon enough, I think, and we're going to resurrect Dumbledore's Army here."

McGonagall sat in shock.

"I know it probably feels like he's trying to undermine your authority, but I assure you that he isn't, it's all a matter of safety because, you know, Hogwarts is supposed to be the safest place in Wizarding Britain, and he really does like you, you know, he was glad when they put you in charge, although I really must say things aren't as bad as they were."

"And just what do you propose I do, Miss Potter?"

"Well, nothing, actually. We'll need the Room of Requirement to practice in but all we'll be doing is defensive spells and maybe some light curse work, but Dad promises to be there personally to teach us that if need be so there's no need to worry. Mum can do a mean Bat-Bogey Hex, you know. I think she may have learned it from you."

The corners of Professor McGonagall's mouth turned up slightly at the corners.

"That may be so, but we still have rules a this school, Miss Potter. You ought to be off to bed before anyone realizes you're missing and I have to take away house points."

"I thought teachers weren't supposed to show House favoritism?" Lily asked slyly, carefully putting her unicorn back in his box as to not wake him.

McGonagall winked at her, a truly rare sight, standing up and ushering her out the door.


Lily woke on the morning of October fifth earlier than usual.

The sun was just beginning to rise and as she dressed, her room was filled with a grayish light that made everything look the same shade of colorless blue. She went down to the common room and sat in front of the fireplace in an over-sized chair, pretending to read. In groups of twos and threes and occasionally as individuals, people began to follow her, dressing and going downstairs. Some stayed in the common room with her, some left to get to the Great Hall early for breakfast.

To almost everyone in the castle it was a normal Thursday, and there was nothing to mark it as being any different than every other Thursday. But for Lily, anticipation made her stomach ache and the idea of eating made her more than a little sick. Still, she went down to the Great Hall to meet with her friends. Though they all gave each other looks, no one said a word about what they were waiting for.

The morning dragged by for Lily as it does when one is waiting for something exciting to happen, but the monotony of classes was disrupted by the odd glances she kept getting from teachers. Professor Longbottom was particularly nice when instructing Lily and Abby how to properly handle fanged geraniums without being bitten, and Flitwick awarded five points to Griffindor every time someone properly got their teacups to sprout legs, though Hufflepuff was equally rewarded and so no one complained.

After lunch, Lily and Abby had a double potions class with Ravenclaw, which meant that Lorcan and Lysander would be in their class with them. It passed relatively uneventfully, but for one particularly embarrassing episode with Professor Slughorn.

Despite the chaos of the Battle of Hogwarts, Slughorn had found himself particularly fond of the school, and had decided to stay. Although he was getting on in age, it only made him more lenient and therefore agreeable. Lily had a love of potions that was not inherited from her father, and because of this had become a pet of sorts for Professor Slughorn, and she had been invited to the Slug Club shortly after entering his class. As it happened, two of her favorite blond males also were members.

Part of being a Slug Club member meant discussing, in a social environment, advances in the art of potion making. Part of being a Slug Club member meant tutoring other students who were less skilled in the class. Part of being a Slug Club member also meant being frequently singled out in class, as Lily was that morning.

They were left to their own devices, which normally was not an ordeal. However, they were now in their O.W.L. year, and studying was rigorous, the classes austere. It was because of this that Lily was incredibly flustered when Slughorn walked up to their table and attempted to initiate conversation.

"So, Lily, I trust you'll be attending the Slug Club Halloween Party?"

"Er..." Lily looked up at him, setting down the ingredients she was measuring.

"Surely a lady like yourself would have all sorts of gentlemen callers to choose from!" He looked at her, waiting for her to acknowledge the compliment. She nodded once, staring down at where her book lay open, pretending to read the instructions.

"I will be attending, but at present I think making sure my potion comes out okay is slightly more important."At this, Slughorn's smile faded, the corners of his mouth turning down.

She took a deep breath before picking up her vial again. She forced a smile and looked up at him, doing her best to beam.

"After all, if I start failing potions, I won't be invited to the ball anyway!" Lily thought she heard Lysander chuckle next to her as Slughorn cleared his throat, oblivious to Lily's temperament. He nodded to her, walking away to watch over some students at another table.

"So, Lily, I trust you'll be attending my Teacher's Pet menagerie?" Lysander said, mocking Slughorn's tone. She snorted, glaring at him sideways before dumping the next set of ingredients into her cauldron.

"Seriously though, you're going, right?"

"Mhm."

"So," Lysander said, "It could be your coming out party!"

"Could be yours."

"You know what I mean, Lils. He's a Slug Club member too. You could always just come together." After three whole seconds of silence, Lysander snorted, brushing off the impending laughter as a coughing fit with more grace than Lily had seen her Uncle Ron pull off in the face of Aunt Hermione's wrath. Even the corner of Lily's mouth turned upward.

"I suppose we could."

"Who cares what people think anyway, right?"

"Xander, why is it you're working so hard to push us together?"

"Because," he replied in a matter-of-fact tone, "I know how stressful keeping a relationship hidden is, and I think it'll be good for you to get it out. Besides, you have a good judge of character. If you like him, I'm sure he's not the stupid git his father was."

"Thanks, Xander." He grinned.

"Anytime."


A/N: Sorry I took so long Anni. I'll try to get the next one up tomorrow.