"Come on, Lily, put some weight into it!"
"I'm trying," Lily said, throwing another punch into Sirius' padded mitt. "I don't weigh much!"
"Please," Sirius said, rolling his eyes at her incompetence. "You're bigger than most of the girls your age."
"It's the Strengthening Solutions," Lily grumbled under her breath, wiping some sweat from her brow. She had an injury before the Holidays during the last year, one that could have crippled her if it wasn't treated in time. She was off the potions, now, and could mostly walk fine (only being really sore at the end of particularly long days), although she still had to wear a brace on the offending knee to give it support. The potions did leave her with quite a bit of muscle, making her look far less gangly than other girls her age.
It was just another thing she hated about herself, that made her stand out too much. At least this one also happened to be her fault.
"What's wrong?" Sirius asked, lowering his hands slightly.
"Nothing," Lily said, getting back to work.
Sirius was teaching her how to fight. She didn't really want to, to tell the truth, but he insisted on it. She thought it would be useful, at least. She never wanted to be stuck in a helpless position ever again. Sirius knew how to box, and now she was going to.
She just wished he'd take her somewhere cooler to practice, instead of doing it in the middle of the Weasley's garden. Mrs. Weasley insisted they stay close to the home, though. She wanted to be able to patch Lily up if she hurt herself. That would never happen. Sirius didn't dare push too hard. The one time he did, he knocked her flat on her ass, and that seemed to panic him. He didn't show back up to the house for three days afterwards, even though Lily never said a thing to anybody about it.
Lily hated that, too. Sirius treated her as if she was some brittle thing. Sure, sometimes she was, but she could handle herself. It was when life itself decided to beat her down that she encountered problems.
It just happened to beat her down often.
"That's more like it," Sirius said, "but you still aren't hitting hard enough, Lily. You really have to mean it if you're going to throw a punch."
"Can we stop?" Lily asked, taking a chance to breathe and wipe more sweat from her forehead.
"You can last another hour, surely," Sirius said, lowering his hands just a bit. "We haven't even gone on our run, yet!" That was Lily's favourite part of their daily routine, truth be told. They'd run down to the local Muggle village, stock up on some snacks and new clothes, and then make the run back, burdened down by the weight of everything they bought. She always felt good afterwards, especially once she went down for an evening bath to wash off all the sweat and grime.
"Arthur's supposed to be home soon," Lily said, already in the process of removing her gloves. "I wanted to show him something I finished last night, but he was already gone when I got up."
"Remus said you didn't like to show anybody your art," Sirius said, lowering his hands fully.
"I don't," Lily said, kicking at a loose rock awkwardly. "But he- he said he wanted something to hang in the office."
"Really?" Sirius said. "He asked you?"
"It's not much," Lily said, "but, I- well, I- I don't know." When he asked, she just couldn't bring herself to say no, even though he made it very clear that was an option. She just felt like she didn't want to disappoint him.
So, she did it. Just the last night, she put the finishing touches on it, cleaning up her sloppy strokes, fixing any mistakes she happened to notice. It was the best she'd ever done. She even animated it, something she hadn't done in a long time.
"Well, you better get off, then," Sirius said, plastering a smile on his face. "Wouldn't want to keep him waiting, would we?"
"Thanks, Sirius," Lily said, tossing him her gloves in her haste to hurry back to the house. She also needed to time to clean up, to tell the truth. Molly wouldn't let her eat until she did. Nobody ever wanted to sit near her so soon after a workout. She couldn't blame them. She was sure she smelled dreadful.
Just after she stepped out of the bath, she heard the loud chattering and laughs from downstairs, signaling the patriarch's return. By the time she was dried off and dressed, and by the time she managed to get downstairs, the Weasleys were already sitting at the dinner table, all the prime spots taken. Lily was forced to sit at the very end, with not a single person next to her. She tried not to feel too offended. Mrs. Weasley quickly dumped some food on her plate, patting her kindly on the shoulder as she whisked the pan away towards the sink.
"Sirius had to head home, dear," she said, sounding slightly displeased. "Said he'll see you tomorrow."
"We're going to Neville's tomorrow!" Ron piped up.
"Yes, well, he slipped away before I could remind him," Molly said with an indignant sniff. She had a smile plastered back on her face as she turned back towards the table, though, taking the seat closest to Lily. "Remus will be here after supper, though, for your session."
"Brilliant," Lily mumbled, poking her pork with a fork. She hated it when Mrs. Weasley talked about her sessions in front of the others. Made her feel off for needing them in the first place. She wished they'd happen somewhere other than the Burrow. The Weasleys promised not to eavesdrop, but she could never be certain on whether or not the twins were actually keeping their word. At the very mention of Remus, they both leaned closer to her side of the table, listening in while pretending not to.
"Mr. Crouch said my work on the cauldron bottoms was quite impressive," Percy said boisterously and loudly from the other side of the table. "Why, he said it was the finest he'd seen on the subject since Doggerton left the office."
"Miss that woman," Arthur said, taking a bite of his own meal. "Always loved to catch up over a cup. Brought the nicest biscuits, too."
"We should write her," Molly said. "See if she'd like to have tea."
"That'd be nice," Arthur said fondly.
"I'm afraid I won't be able to make it," Percy said, "Mr. Crouch will expect me to be in the office, what with all the work Bagman's department has left us. Between the Quidditch World Cup and the- well, you-know-what – why, we've hardly had the time to breathe!"
"Just make sure you're home for Lily's birthday," Molly said. Lily glanced upwards towards Percy as she said it, noticing his face darken ever so slightly.
"It's alright if you can't," she said quickly. "I know you're busy." And it's not like it was even her real birthday, but she'd yet to tell the Weasleys that. Percy seemed to relax at her words, his face softening. Lily wasn't sure anybody else even noticed.
Percy was the family member that was the most awkward around her. Everybody else would makes jokes, they'd invite her to things, they'd do their best to include her. Percy, though, he seemed to avoid any room she was in, if he could help it. She didn't blame him. Not after what she did.
Well, she supposed that wasn't entirely true anymore. Ginny was also giving her the cold shoulder, but for entirely different reasons. Right at the start of the summer, she tried to offer to teach the girl French, since she needed somebody to practice with anyway, and Ginny made an excuse and went to play Quidditch with the boys. When Lily tried to join them a bit later, Ginny made an excuse and went back to the house. She tried to pretend it didn't bother her and then stayed well past the others leaving, practicing her dives and turns well into the setting sun.
When she finally finished, she stopped outside the open kitchen window. She hadn't meant to, but she heard her name being said, and that immediately grabbed her attention.
"I don't possibly see how you can be on Lily's side," Percy said.
"Drop it, Percy," Ron said warningly.
"Didn't you listen to a word I said?" Percy said. "Didn't any of you? She used Polyjuice illegally!"
"She apologized, Percy," Mrs. Weasley said. "You told us that yourself."
"As if an apology makes up for it," Percy said. "What about all the magic she gets up to around here? Have you forgotten that she blinded Ginny just two years ago?"
"Percy, we've been over this," Mr. Weasley said.
"What happens if the Ministry finds out?" Percy said. "You can't keep covering for her, forever! We could all get into a lot of trouble for it, and it could really affect not only my career, but all of yours."
"I think Fred and I will be fine," George said.
"It's not just the magic!" Percy said. "Haven't you seen all the trouble she got into just in the last year?"
"It wasn't her fault!" Ron said. "Snape was punishing her for nothing, that's what he always does."
"And, yet, he didn't for her first two years!" Percy said. "Don't you find that strange at all? That he was fine with it up until she entered his own House? I've always said McGonagall was far too lenient on her students. Why, if she hadn't refused my offer to-"
"Oh, piss off, Percy."
"Ron!"
"Fine," Percy said. She could hear his chair scraping against the tile as he stood. "I think its clear to see where you all stand. How you could pick her over your own flesh and blood, I'll never know."
Lily spent another hour after that sitting in her favourite tree, trying her best to forget about it all. She considered talking to Percy afterwards, considered apologizing to the whole family, but she could never bring herself to do it. It just didn't seem her place. She started eating more of her food, while the family chatted around her.
"Just make yourself comfortable," Remus said as they entered her room. Lily went straight for her bed, sitting on the edge awkwardly while Remus went through his various privacy charms. When he was finished, he pulled her desk chair around to face her, and sat with a journal and fountain pen perched on his knee (one foot was perched on the other, giving him a surface to write on).
"Is that why you wanted to sell those pens?" Lily asked, gesturing towards it.
"Perhaps," Lupin said with a sly smile. "After the war was over, it was easier to find employment in the Muggle world- for a time, at least. Your mum found me the position, actually, and I got used to them while I was there. The Ministry put a stop to it just a few months after she died."
"Why?" Lily asked.
"We're not here to talk about me, Lily," Lupin said, sounding genuinely remorseful.
"Right," Lily said, placing her hands between her thighs. She never knew what to do with them during these sessions, but she always felt like fidgeting about with them just made Lupin worry more.
"Is there anything on your mind today?" Lupin asked.
"Not really," Lily said with a shrug.
"Lay back on your bed," Lupin asked.
"Why?"
"Humour me," Lupin said with a soft smile.
"Fine," Lily grumbled. She did as commanded, twisting and turning her body to stare up at her Gwenog Jone's poster. The dark-skinned Quidditch Captain winked at her, as she did every so often, and Lily felt her stomach turn. Sirius took her to see them play just a couple of weeks ago, before the shop opened. It was just as brilliant as the first time. She even got to meet them afterwards, just like the first time, although Lily didn't let them hold her as close as she did the year before. She felt far too nervous and awkward for that. She gave the robe Gwenog gave her to Ginny afterwards, just as she promised she would.
That didn't earn her any points from the girl. All she got was a terse "thank you," and she'd yet to see Ginny wear the thing.
"Close your eyes," Lupin said.
"Why?"
"It'll help you think better," Lupin said. "Give it a try."
Lily rolled them first.
"Your birthday is in two days," Lupin said. "How are you feeling?"
Lily shrugged, keeping her eyes closed.
"Your words, Lily. I know you know how to use them."
"It's just a birthday," Lily said. "And it's not even the real one."
"Until you choose to celebrate your actual one, it will be treated as such," Lupin said. "Have you given any more thought to telling the others?"
"No," Lily said.
"And why is that?"
"Because it would feel like I've been lying to them," Lily said. "I know that I haven't been, that I wasn't the one who even made it up in the first place, but- well- I don't know. I'll tell them eventually, I promise."
"Then we'll table the matter for the moment," Lupin said. "This is your first birthday since Sirius was cleared. The two of you have been spending a lot of time together. Are you comfortable around him?"
"I like him well enough," Lily said.
"It's a big change," Lupin said. "I'm sure it must feel strange, him coming around all the time. You know we're past the point of silence, Lily. You can talk to me."
Lily let out a sigh. She should have known the silent treatment wouldn't work. It hadn't in ages.
"I know he can be a bit overbearing," Lupin said. "If it bothers you, I can ask him to stop."
"No, it's alright," Lily said. "It's just- everybody told me he was trying to kill me. Merlin, I thought he was going to. It just- it feels a little strange, seeing him all the time."
"It's only natural, Lily."
"I do like him, though," Lily said. "He always wants to be around me, and he never says no when I want to do something. Mrs. Weasley doesn't like it when I climb that tree, but Sirius went up with me. I don't know. It makes me feel good. I don't know how else to put it."
"And your lessons with him?" Lupin asked. "How about those?"
"The boxing is fine," Lily said, "but he gets a bit annoyed when we try to work on Transfiguration."
"Yes, I suppose he would," Lupin said with a fond chuckle. "James and Sirius both got most of the material we learned on their very first try, so I imagine it must be a bit frustrating for the both of you when you fail."
"I'm getting better, though," Lily said. "We're almost halfway through what McGonagall assigned us."
"That's good," Lupin said. "What about the rest of your studies?"
"It's been alright," Lily said with a shrug. "I bought a few more of those journals you got me. Been working on transferring all my notes to them, so I have them all in one place."
"An excellent idea," Lupin said. "But why multiple? You could put them all into a single one, keep them with your thoughts."
"And then what do I do if somebody wants to copy them?" Lily asked. "Give them access to everything?"
Lupin chuckled. "A good point. Best to keep them separate, then. How is the rest of the family treating you, now that Sirius is free? Any complications?"
"I don't think Molly likes him," Lily admitted. "They get into a row whenever they think nobody's listening to them."
"That doesn't surprise me," Lupin said with a chuckle. "They both have- shall we say boisterous- personalities. A clash here and there isn't unthinkable. They both care deeply about you, Lily. They just have different ideas of how to show it."
"I don't think Percy likes me," Lily said, trying to get off the topic of Sirius. That was what she really wanted to talk about.
"Why is that?"
"He's been awkward," Lily said. She wasn't sure how else to explain it. "I think he's avoiding me."
"How long has this been going on?"
"Since I told him about the Polyjuice," Lily said.
"You told him?" Lupin said, raising his brow. "I believe I only instructed you to tell the people you copied. Bell, Brown, and Clearwater, wasn't it?"
Lily swore quietly to herself; she forgot all about telling Lavender. Now she'd never get the chance to do it.
"I had to tell him," she said. "Penelope broke up with him because of what I did."
"He didn't take it well then, I take it?" Lupin said. "And that's why he's been avoiding you?"
Lily shook her head. "I don't think that's it."
"Then, what?"
"I don't know," Lily said. "I don't think he likes me."
"Why wouldn't he like you, Lily?"
"I don't know."
"Try to explain it. Humour me."
"Because I live here," Lily said after a long pause.
"Why would that bother him?"
"Everybody already treats him like rubbish," Lily said. "The twins and Ron, they're always calling him a prat. And- never mind." She didn't even really know where this was coming from. She'd hardly thought about it before.
"I seem to remember you having strong words about the boy last year."
"I wasn't feeling good," Lily said. She didn't like to think about how she was the last year. It was best to just leave it behind the Cupboard Door, with everything else.
"So, you're feeling guilty that they treat you better, then?"
"I don't know," Lily said. "I guess so."
"Have you tried talking to him?"
"How?" Lily asked. "He's always at work, or- or locked in his room."
"You could try knocking."
"I don't want to bother him," Lily said. "His boss is always giving him too much work."
"And what were you going to say earlier?" Lupin asked. "You tried to avoid it."
"It doesn't matter."
"Humour me."
"Arthur and Molly," Lily said after a long pause.
"What about them?"
"I think I'm being too clingy," Lily admitted nervously. "They're- well- I don't know if I should-"
"Go on, Lily," Lupin said. "Nothing you say leaves this room."
"I think they're being too nice to me," Lily said quietly. "Last week, I was helping Ron degnome the garden, and I tossed one at the back of his head- as a joke- and he tossed one back. It got stuck in my hair, trying to pull it out, and Molly shouted at him for almost half an hour, while I didn't get anything even though I started it."
"You don't like how much preferential treatment they give you?"
"What's that mean?"
"You don't like that they're giving you special treatment? Not treating you like the others?"
"No," Lily said. "But Sirius does it, too. I get it."
"What do you get?"
Lily swallowed down the lump in her throat. "They- I don't know, I- I guess they're worried that I'll break again."
"Arthur tells me Molly gave you quite the scolding around Christmas," Lupin said.
"That was different," Lily said quickly.
"How so?"
"Promise you won't tell Sirius?" Lily asked, breaking her seal of darkness and taking a worried glance over at Lupin. He was writing something in that journal of his.
"Sirius doesn't know anything that we discuss together, Lily," Lupin said with a reassuring smile. "I have told nobody a single thing, nor will I, without your permission."
Lily turned back to her ceiling, this time keeping her eyes open. Gwenog Jones gave her another wink.
"She thought Ron and I were out shagging," Lily admitted. "We came back late. My trousers were all torn, right at the knee, and I had some sticks in my hair."
Lupin cleared his throat and shifted in his seat awkwardly. "And- err- were you?"
"No," Lily said. "Charlie gave Ron some stouts. We drank them out by the creek."
"I see," Lupin said. Lily could tell he sounded distinctly relieved. "Was this around the time you were using those Cheering Charms?"
"Yeah," Lily admitted, hurrying to add to her tale; the last thing she wanted was for Lupin to bring that argument back up. "And Molly found out later what we were actually doing, and we went through the whole thing all over again."
"What about other times?" Lupin said. "I'm sure there are more incidents where you were the sole instigator."
"Not after I started living here," Lily said. "When Ron and I snuck into Knockturn, they talked to us separately, mostly. Molly only yelled at us together for just a minute, and then sent us upstairs. When Arthur talked to us himself, he got a lot longer one than I did. Mine was just two minutes."
"And Molly?"
"She never came to see me by herself," Lily said, "but I could hear her yelling at Ron from downstairs."
"You said not after you came to live here," Lupin said. "What about before?"
"Well, it was just Gran screaming at me before then," Lily said. "But when I was suspended, Molly was really angry, right until McGonagall told her what I was being suspended for."
"I believe you were suspended after you came to live here, Lily."
"I guess."
"And you can think of no other incidents?"
"No," Lily said. "They just- they tell everybody to be careful around me, to not upset me. Even Ron and the twins stop when they think they're going too far, even though they never do with each other."
"And this all bothers you?"
"Of course, it does!" Lily said, surprised by how angry she felt, by how loud her voice got.
"Why?"
"Because- because- Merlin, I don't know, I just-"
"Lily-"
"I'm supposed to be family!" Lily said, throwing her hands into the air in her frustration. She had to fight against the urge to start her pacing. Lupin hated it when she did that, even though it helped her get out her energy. "They gave me a clock hand! But, none of them treat me like- like one of them! Percy doesn't even look at the clock anymore, and when he does, he looks angry, Ginny is too disgusted by me to even be in the same room! Even Sirius treats me like I'm- like I'm this fragile little thing that'll break if the breeze catches me wrong!"
"You went through a very hard time last year, Lily," Lupin said. "It's only natural that people treat you a bit differently for a while."
"But I don't want to be treated differently!" Lily said, losing her battle and standing up, her feet hitting the ground too hard in her haste to get moving. "I'm fine, now! I don't have dementors clawing inside my mind every bloody second, do I? I haven't even had a nightmare in two weeks!"
"You're still having nightmares?" Lupin asked, not flinching from the glare Lily gave him.
"It wasn't anything," Lily said, waving it off.
"Lily," Lupin said, clearly not believing her. "You promised to alert me if they returned."
"What's the point!" Lily said, throwing her hands in the air again. "It's not like I ever remember them! So what if I have one?"
"How bad was it?"
"It was nothing."
"Lily-"
"It was the same shite it always is," Lily said, sitting back on her mattress, the frame creaking dangerously. She crossed her arms against her chest, one foot tapping angrily against the floor.
"And that is?"
"I scream," Lily said. "And then I wake up, every muscle twitching in pain, thinking I'm back at- at the-"
"At the Shrieking Shack?"
Lily nodded, her head pounding at the thought of it. She could feel the Cupboard Door creaking against the pressure. Her foot started tapping faster.
Lupin leaned forward. She could almost hear his mind working, trying to pick the right words that wouldn't set her off.
"You still don't remember any details?" Lupin asked.
Lily shook her head, feeling a little bit of tension leave her muscles. She was worried he was going to press the issue, but Lupin always seemed to know just how far to push her. He wasn't going to make that mistake again.
"Have you put any thought into why you cannot remember your dreams?"
Lily shook her head again. Whatever it was, she was sure it was behind the Cupboard Door, and there was no way she was going to open that and find out.
Lupin leaned back in his seat. "I would like to talk about the Shrieking Shack, Lily. I think it will do you some good."
Lily felt her body tense up again. "I don't want to."
"If it becomes too much, we will stop," Lupin said. "But we cannot allow this wound to fester."
"It's been a month," Lily said, trying to ignore the urge to flee. Lupin should be able to see the signs, but if he could, he was choosing to ignore them. Her mind was trying to work out if it'd be better to go for the door or the window.
"And I should not have waited so long to approach the subject," Lupin said. "Dumbledore tells me you remember very little of it."
"I don't," Lily said. It was true. She could get little flashes and tidbits of it, if she really tried, but it hurt too much to bother.
"We found you in a very bad state, Lily," Lupin said.
"Please," Lily said, shutting her eyes tight. There was silence for a long time. Eventually, she heard Lupin get up, and then felt him take a seat next to her.
"Lily," Lupin said gently, placing a hand on one of her knees. "You said you did not want people to treat you like a fragile being."
"I can't talk about it," Lily said. She could feel her whole body shaking.
"You are stronger than you were before," Lupin said. "I would not have broached the topic if I did not believe it. Talking through these things will help you."
"I-I c-can't," Lily said. It was getting very hard to breathe in here.
Lupin placed an arm around her shoulder, just holding her, letting her be silent. Lily felt ashamed of herself. For all her big talk, all it took was two words to shatter her whole façade.
"Healing is a very long, arduous process, Lily," Lupin said. "I know the lack of results frustrates you, but despite what your brain is telling you, we haven't been at this for very long. We started just in January, and we aren't even to August yet. And, already, you've come this far. I am very proud of you."
"I'm just tired of feeling this way," Lily said quietly.
"And we will continue working on it," Lupin said. "I'll speak to the Weasleys on your behalf, if you wish. They care for you, Lily, and just want the best."
Lily shook her head. She didn't want them to know she'd been talking about them.
"Can I ask you something?" she said instead.
"Anything, Lily," Lupin said.
"It's about the Marauder's Map," Lily said. "How did you get it to track people?"
"It's a tricky spell," Lupin said. "I don't think I'd be able to instruct you without the source we learned it from."
"I can do it!"
"I'll have to ask Sirius for the name of the book we found it in," Lupin said. "He and James took it from the Restricted Section themselves, I just did the actual spell work."
"Can you keep it a secret?" Lily asked.
"I'm sure Sirius would not mind the idea of you breaking school rules, Lily," Lupin said with a smile. "But if you want me to, I will make some excuse. Perhaps after a few drinks. Sirius loves to reminisce after a glass of brandy. What did you want it for?"
Lily shuffled her hands around nervously, glancing over to the box on her desk, containing all the parts she ordered.
"Can you keep another secret?" she asked.
Lily rubbed at her eyes several hours later, long after the sun went down. She was fairly certain it was well past midnight. She managed to burn her way through two whole candles (although, really, one of them could really only be called half a candle).
It was all worth it, in her fine opinion. Her hands were covered in paint (and she was certain she had a bit of it on her face) from her latest piece. This one was a birthday present for Hermione, the two girls sitting side by side in an empty classroom, Hermione getting the Patronus Charm to work on her third try. The silver otter would curl around Lily's shoulder while the two girls studied and chatted, occasionally hugging. It occurred to Lily at this moment that she had no idea how to get paintings to talk. All the ones at Hogwarts always seemed so lifelike.
"Ah, well," she said, leaning back and stretching her back on the hard wood of her chair. That was a problem to figure out in the future. For now, she needed to put the painting away where it could safely dry.
But, first, she really needed some sleep.
She set her brush down, blew out the candle, and walked in the dark towards her bed, falling face first into it, not caring at all if she was a mess, or if the mess would spread to her sheets. Her cat seemed disturbed by it, but she felt him curling up next to her soon after.
Lily blinked, and when her eyes opened, they felt much heavier, and there was suddenly a pale light peeking in from behind her curtains. Lily groaned, not feeling quite up to starting her day, when she heard some steps on the stairs out in the hall, trying to make their way quietly down without waking anybody up.
Lily moved quickly, grabbing the glass frame from next to her desk. She couldn't believe she completely forgot about it.
She heard the two Ministry workers talking softly in the kitchen as she entered the sitting room. She felt slightly awkward as she stood in the doorway, watching the two converse over the fireplace in hushed voices with a man's face peering from the flames.
"We don't know how Skeeter found out," the man said, "but now that's it's out, Fudge wants all hands on deck for damage control."
"Mr. Crouch always says Madame Bones needs to keep a tighter eye on the records," Percy said, sounding all pompous. "I'm sure he's already well on it, we'll handle it in just a-"
"Yes, yes, ol' Barty's been in the office all night," the man said. Lily realized it was Mr. Diggory when Arthur moved slightly out of the way. She was supposed to meet his son in just a few days to play Quidditch. "Look, Arthur, we need you to get down to Magical Minors, try to find out if Skeeter found anything else on the girl. If we're lucky, she won't have gone for them yet."
"Got it," Arthur said. He turned, to grab his robe laying across his chair, and froze in surprise when he saw her. "Lily!"
"Potter?" Mr. Diggory said with a pop as he pulled back out of the fireplace.
"How long have you been standing there?" Percy asked, eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"I just got here," Lily said, suddenly feeling like this was a mistake.
"I should get going," Percy said, standing up a bit straighter. "Mr. Crouch will be expecting me."
"Go ahead, Percy, I'll be right behind you," Arthur said. He grabbed a crumpet from the table and took a bite from it, picking up his briefcase with a free hand and tossing his robe over a shoulder as Percy vanished into green flames.
"Sorry," Lily said, feeling stupid.
"For what?" Arthur asked in a confused tone. "What are you doing up so early?"
"I wanted to see you off," Lily said, her hands playing nervously with the frame she was still holding.
"Really?" Arthur said, sounding touched. "Don't think anybody but Molly's done that before."
"Here," Lily said, holding out the finished project. "I- err- I finished it. I meant to give it to you last night, but I- I forgot. Sorry."
Arthur took it in both hands (having to set his briefcase back down), a smile spreading across his face as he looked at what she made.
It was a painting of him, sitting in his favourite armchair with his wife, her head resting on his shoulder as they both slept. They had a quilt over their laps, with Weasley (her cat) laying across both of them. It was snowing outside the room's window, with a fire crackling merrily in the chimney, the light sending rippling shadows across the decorated sitting room. The gaudy Christmas tree stood in the corner, with each individual ornament adorning it. The ones she made herself were even animated, just as like in real life. Outside the window, you could make out the Weasley kids occasionally running by, throwing snowballs at each other.
It was the best Lily'd ever done. It took hours of effort, days of painstaking tears and sweat. She even dug out all the decorations from storage, just so she could make sure she got it all right.
And now she was standing in front of Arthur, waiting for him to bring her back down to reality. She could feel tension all over her body. He was looking at it for far too long, and she could sense his disappointment. This was why she never shared any of her work. She took a step back, ready to retreat to her room, her brain trying to find some excuse that could save her fragile ego.
"I love it," Arthur said, his voice choked up. When he looked up at her, she was surprised to see mist in his eyes.
"Really?" Lily asked.
Arthur set it down gingerly on the table, walked the few steps over to her, and then pulled her into a close hug.
"Thank you," Arthur said. "It's beautiful, really. Merlin, when did you- how did you get so good?"
Lily couldn't find the words to answer that particular question. She just closed her arms around his back and buried her face into his shoulder.
"Sorry," she said, apologizing for her tears.
"I love it, Lily," Arthur said. "We don't have much space in the office, but I'll give it the prime spot. I'd love to sit for a cup, but I really do have to go, there's an emergency."
"It's alright," Lily said, wiping off her face as they broke away. Arthur moved quickly, treating her artwork far more gingerly than he did everything else he was carrying.
"Try not to read the paper today, you won't like it," Arthur said. "And get back to sleep. You have a few hours before you go to the Longbottom's. You look exhausted."
"I was up all night," Lily admitted, feeling stupid again.
"You just head straight back home if Mrs. Longbottom gives you any grief," Arthur said. "Keep a little pouch of Floo Powder on you, in case you want to go out."
"I will," Lily said.
"Have fun, Lily," Arthur said, stepping into the fireplace. "And tell Neville 'Happy Birthday' for me. Ministry of Magic."
And with that, he was gone, spinning away into the chimney.