"Hazel Potter."

"Yeah, I'm coming, you gaffer," Lily grumbled as she stood.

The hall was still silent as Lily walked down the aisle; each click of her heels on the hard stone feeling like they took an eternity to reach her ears. She heard whispers as she passed, and she tried very hard to ignore the look of pure horror Cedric (among others) was giving her.

"Of course it's Potter."

"Didn't she get expelled?"

"Looking good, Potter!" a Slytherin boy said with a whistle as she passed. That got the rest of their table, as well as the few scattered green robes at the others, clapping and applauding. She was their Heir, after all.

Lily clenched her jaw and tried to ignore it.

Dumbledore held the scrap of paper for her to take, and she did, but she also crumpled it and kept it in her clenched fist. McGonagall placed a hand on her shoulder as she passed, Snape and Karkaroff glared at her, and Maxime looked like she could kill Lily with a single glance. That made it a good thing that her Headmistress was absolutely refusing to look at her.

And then she was going through the doorway, descending a shallow set of stairs and emerging into a large lounge, with three massive armchairs resting in front of a fireplace. Fleur and Krum looked up from two of them as she approached, Fleur even hopping up with a smile, and Lily felt her left hand twitch.

"Did they send you to fetch us, Lily?" Fleur asked. "Do they want us back up?"

"No," Lily said, tossing the crumpled paper towards the other girl.

"What is this?" Fleur asked as she unfolded the paper.

"You are the third, then?" Krum asked in a very heavy accent.

Fleur scoffed at that, still staring at her name on the paper. "'ow, Lily?"

"Beats me," Lily said, collapsing into the third armchair. It really was quite soft.

"So, Beauxbatons has two champions, then?" Krum asked, eyeing her skeptically.

"No," Lily said. "My name came out for Hogwarts."

"'Ogwarts?" Fleur said, outraged. "You cannot compete for 'ogwarts, you are one of us!"

"Tell that to the Goblet of Fire," Lily whispered to the flames.

Before Fleur could vent any further, the doors to the Great Hall opened again, and the Heads were all coming down, arguing loudly with Bagman, Umbridge, McGonagall, and Snape at their heels.

"Madame Maxime!" Fleur said, hurrying forward with Lily's paper. "There has to be some sort of mistake!"

"There is no mistake, Miss Delacour," Dumbledore said, staring at Lily (who took that as her sign to stand up and stare back awkwardly). "Miss Potter is our Hogwarts champion."

"She ees not your champion, Dumbly-dorr," Madame Maxime said, holding her chin high. "I forbid eet."

"It is out of our hands, dear lady," Dumbledore said, still staring. "The rules are clear: each school is allowed only one Champion. Welcome back to Hogwarts, Lily."

"What?" Lily asked into the prolonged silence, blinking slowly as her brain caught up.

"I will not allow eet," Madame Maxime said, her face turning red. "Your Minister will be 'earing about zis! Zis ees not what we signed up for!"

"Olympe-"

"I agree, Dumbledore," Karkaroff said, staring at Lily with a cruel gleam in his eyes. "She is not even of age!"

"Igor, I assure you-"

"Hem hem," Umbridge said with a couple little fake coughs. Lily felt her stomach turn, but all eyes in the room turned to focus on her. "If I may?"

"Please, by all accounts," Bagman said before anybody could continue their fury.

"I'm afraid it really isn't so simple as 'she isn't of age," Umbridge said with a sickly smile.

"What do you mean?" Moody said, narrowing his good eye.

"I was afraid this might happen," Umbridge said with a little sigh that did nothing to hide the strange satisfaction in her tone. "You see, when I heard Miss Potter was returning to Hogwarts with the rest of her- foreign compatriots- I conducted a little investigation."

"And?" Moody said.

"And," Umbridge said with a little huff, "I'm afraid her name has left the roster of those under the Trace."

McGonagall gasped and raised a hand to her mouth. "You cannot mean-"

"I'm afraid so," Umbridge said, her lips tilting ever-so-slightly upwards as she turned her gaze towards Lily. "As far as the records at the Ministry are concerned, Miss Potter is of age."

"This cannot be!"

"How?" Moody asked. "The Trace is supposed to be unbreakable from the moment it begins until the individual turns 17. How did it break?"

"An excellent question," Umbridge said, her eyes never leaving Lily. "And one I would be most excited to hear."

"Hang on," Lily said as all eyes turned back to her. "I- I didn't do anything!"

"And, yet," Umbridge continued, "your name has come out of the Goblet!"

"Crouch," Moody growled.

"Pardon?" Umbridge said.

"Potter," Moody said, stomping towards her, his false leg thudding on the stone floor, "when you got here, at the feast, every time you looked at Crouch you'd raise your hand to your scar. Why is that?"

"It was hurting," Lily said, raising a hand to run a finger over the smooth skin.

"You should have told us immediately," Moody said, stomping over to the fireplace. "Crouch has the Ministry connections to change the Trace, we'll have to move fast if we want to-"

"Most certainly not," Umbridge said, extinguishing the fireplace with a single flick of her wand.

"Have you gone mad?" Mad-Eye said, whirling back to face her.

"Barty Crouch is a distinguished member of our nation's Ministry," Umbridge said, smiling again. "I simply cannot allow one such as yourself to investigate him on any matter, especially when your proof is the testimony of one irresponsible little girl."

Lily supposed she couldn't deny the irresponsible charge, but she was almost twice the height of Umbridge.

"Somebody from the Ministry had to break the Trace," Moody countered. "Somebody high up enough not to alert anyone. If Crouch didn't do it, he might know who did."

"And I assure that the Ministry will be looking into it," Umbridge said. "And once we find out how it is done, I assure you, the one responsible will be punished for it quite severely."

The little eager look she sent Lily would have made her sick again, if she hadn't already voided the contents of her stomach earlier in the evening.

"Zis will not stand!" Maxime said, shouting over the renewed protests of Moody. "I will be taking my students 'ome, and to 'ell with your tournament!"

"Then Miss Delacour and Miss Potter will have to remain at Hogwarts if you do, I'm afraid," Umbridge said softly, turning to ignore Moody, everybody else quieting to listen to her.

"Vot do you mean?" Krum asked since, apparently, nobody else would.

"I believe we made the rules quite clear," Umbridge explained. "Once your name is drawn from the Goblet, there is no going back. Should you refuse to participate, it will mean your deaths. The magical contract is binding, and there is no way to break it."

"It'll kill me?" Lily said shrilly. "Have you gone mad?"

"Lily, please remain calm," Dumbledore said.

"You said it was going to be safe!" Lily shouted at him. "You said nobody was going to die, but if we don't participate, we still do?"

"It isn't as grave as that, dear girl!" Bagman said with a laugh that did not match the atmosphere of the room. "Dolores is just exaggerating, is all!"

"Then what does happen?" Lily asked, crossing her arms.

"If you refuse to participate," Mad-Eye said from the corner, "then you lose your magic and your mind. You'll be madder than I am."

"Brilliant," Lily said, her left hand twitching. "Fucking brilliant."

"Language, Potter," Snape said with a coy smile.

"Don't you start."

Snape held his hands up in a mock surrender. "I am merely offering you advice, Potter, seeing as how you are once again a student in my House."

Lily clenched her jaw, feeling like she was matching the expression Maxime was wearing quite well.

"There 'as to be a way out of zis, Dumbly-dorr," Madame Maxime said desperately. "No enchantment ees unbreakable- look at ze Trace!"

"Unless Merlin himself decides to grace us with us presence, I'm afraid there's nothing that can be done," Dumbledore said, spreading his hands. "It was he who constructed the Goblet, and it is only he who knows it's full secrets. All we can do is change the rules and stipulations it uses to judge the champions."

"Then change them again!" Lily shouted, pulling at her hair.

"It's too late for that, dear girl!" Bagman said, voice full of glee. "Your name's already come out, all changing it now would do is affect the next tournament!"

"And how did your name come out of that goblet, I wonder?" Igor said, eyes squinted in suspicion. "How is it that the most famous witch in your country both gets her status as an underage wizard revoked and gets chosen in the Triwizard Tournament?"

"Somebody is trying to kill me!" Lily suggested.

"Or, perhaps," Umbridge said sweetly, "Miss Potter has once again found a way to circumvent the rules that she does not believe pertain to her. Perhaps the Trace was even broken much earlier than the ex-auror believes. If I recall, you have been casting magic outside of school, yes? However did you manage that?"

Lily clenched her jaw almost hard enough to snap her jaw, but Umbridge's gaze turned to Dumbledore, making the implications of her accusation quite clear.

"Lily," Dumbledore said calmly. "Did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?"

"What do you think?" Lily snapped.

"'Azel," Maxime said, still glaring at the Headmaster herself. "Answer ze question."

"Of course, she did," Snape said before she could even try. "It's hardly unexpected. Potter is known for these kinds of stunts. Can't stand not being the center of attention for even a single second. The only question is how she did it. Well, Potter? What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I didn't put it in," Lily said through clenched teeth.

"So you say," Karkaroff said. "And, yet, here you are!"

Maxime said nothing. She just shook her head, glowering and glaring at her pupil.

"Lily, look at me," Dumbledore said, placing a hand under her chin, his glasses perched on the tip of his nose. "Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire?"

Lily didn't answer the question. She stared right into his eyes and lowered her guard, allowing him to see everything he wanted to. She felt a pull on her mind, saw a twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes, and the briefest flicker of a smile.

"I believe you," he said softly, turning back to face the rest of the waiting, irate crowd. "Lily did not enter herself into the tournament."

"Zen, she can leave ze tournament, yes?" Fleur asked. "She does not 'ave to compete, no?"

"I'm afraid she is still bound," Umbridge said in what Lily assumed was supposed to be disappointment. "She is Hogwarts Champion until the tournament is concluded."

"'Ow did zis 'appen?" Maxime said, finally seeming to accept the situation, her eyes refusing to look over at Lily. "She is too young, no? 'Ow did she get past your modifications?"

"She can't have done it herself," Mad-Eye said. "I don't care how powerful she is, she's only a fourth year. Without somebody telling her exactly how to get around the enchantments, she never could have figured it out herself. Voldemort himself couldn't do it. We can only because Merlin left the instructions with the Ministry."

"So, the girl bribed someone to do it for her," Karkaroff said with a scoff. "It hardly seems like some grand mystery to me."

"Then how did her name come out?" Moody asked.

"The girl has an Order of Merlin, does she not?" Bagman said with a smile. "Hardly seems surprising, does it?"

"Are you saying you changed the Goblet for her, Bagman?" Moody said sharply.

"Me?" Bagman said, sputtering. "Hardly! The Goblet's been in the Department of Mysteries prior to Barty and I taking it out ourselves!"

"And there it is," Moody said into the sudden quiet. "And where, may I ask, is Mr. Crouch?"

"Deathly ill, I'm afraid," Umbridge said pleasantly. "I have personally confirmed it on behalf of the Ministry."

"It can't have been Crouch," Bagman said.

"Then give me some options, Bagman, if you don't want to be the one in chains," Moody growled. "Where was the Goblet prior to the modifications, but post the Department of Mysteries?"

"Only in several dozen offices," Bagman said in a panic. "Fudge took it on a little tour with him, get a bit of good buzz going for the whole thing, you know."

"And if Fudge had it," Mad-Eye said, "then that means Lucius Malfoy wouldn't have been far behind."

The room fell silent again.

"Are you suggesting Malfoy put her name in the Goblet of Fire?" Bagman said, adding laugh right after. "Bloke's been overseas with Bertha Jorkins all summer!"

"Lily," Dumbledore said, looking into her eyes again. "Can you think of anybody else that had access to the Goblet? Anybody that would have put your name in?"

"How would the girl know?" Karkaroff said.

"Nobody, sir," she said with her jaw clenched, wishing she'd had a different answer to prove the berk wrong.

"If you'll excuse me," Umbridge said, giving a little curtsy, Moody's magical eye watching her as she moved back towards the Great Hall.

"Heading off so quickly?" he said, the other woman pausing at the door.

"Time is of the essence, is it not?" Umbridge said sweetly. "If the girl did not enter herself, then we must find out who did as soon as possible, so they might receive the proper justice." Again, Umbridge looked at Lily and, again, Lily felt like she was going to be sick. "Ludo, please inform the Champions of their First Task."

"Right," Bagman said happily, clapping his hands together. "So, as you know, the Triwizard Tournament is divided into three Tasks, each of which will push you to your very limits and test your abilities to their fullest. At the conclusion of each task, you will receive a hint for your next one."

"And the first one?" Krum asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Your hint for the first one is as follows," Bagman said with a wink. "Nothing! The first task is meant to trust your improvisation skills, to test how you react in a dangerous situation without any preparation at all. As such, you will each be going in blind! You'll find out the morning of 26th November, along with the rest of the student body!"

"Brilliant," Lily grumbled, crossing her arms across her chest. "I don't suppose it has anything to do with the mountains that weren't here before?"

Bagman laughed and slung an arm around her shoulders.

"Can't get anything past you, eh, Potter?" he said. "The two of you better watch out; with a mind as sharp as hers, she might just give you a run for your money!"

"That will be enough, Ludo," Dumbledore said, pulling her free from him. "Why don't the three of you head off to bed? I'm certain your schools will want to celebrate with you."

Lily attempted to join Maxime and Fleur as they turned towards the exit, only to be stopped by the Headmistress's rather firm hands.

"Where do you think you are going?" she asked.

"To the dorm?" Lily said, her heart sinking.

"I'm afraid not," Maxime said with a raised brow. "Seeing as how you are the Hogwarts Champion, they can house you themselves."

"But-"

"You are no student of mine," Maxime said, her nostrils flaring. "You heard your Professor Snape, no? You are his once more."

"But-"

"Come, Fleur," Maxime said, trying to sweep the other Champion away.

"I didn't put my name in," Lily said, clenching both fists.

"Then how else did it come out?" Maxime asked, turning once more. "I am no fool, Miss Potter. All this talk of conspiracy and Ministry collusion is but a distraction. You conspired with Dumbledore to steal our secrets and them use them against us in the tournament."

"I didn't!" Lily hissed.

"Then what were you actually meeting with Dumbledore about?" Maxime said, crossing her arms.

"I already told you!" Lily said, raising her voice. "It was about S.P.E.W.!"

"Pah!" Maxime said, waving it away. "Enjoy your tenure at Hogwarts, Miss Potter. Come the end of year, we will review your standing with Beauxbatons. I would not expect any leniency. Come, Fleur."

For a moment, it looked like Fleur was going to stay and stand with Lily. Lily even sent her a look of silent pleading. The French girl took one step forward, and Lily's heart soared.

"We'll talk later," Fleur said, taking one of Lily's hands in both of hers and giving her a desperate look.

"Yeah," Lily muttered as Fleur started to follow her headmaster, her hands holding onto Lily for as long as possible. Lily's heart sank again as Fleur left the room without so much as another glance.

"You should get moving too, Potter," Snape said as soon as only the Hogwarts staff remained. "You may be our Champion, but I will not abide a member of my House lingering after-"

"Oh, save it, Severus," McGonagall snapped, sounding, for the very first time Lily ever witnessed, quite unlike her normal, composed self. "I will handle Potter's affairs from here."
"If you insist," Snape said after a long, dramatic pause, turning his cloak in a great sweep and following after the other departees (after leaving Lily with the common room password). The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Lily alone with her former Head of House, standing awkwardly near the fireplace, Dumbledore and Mad-Eye long since parted to begin their own investigations.

"Sorry," Lily said, not knowing what else to say, or even what she was apologizing for.

"Oh, hush," McGonagall said, losing her composure even further and pulling Lily into what felt like a far too tight hug, considering their previous relationship. Even so, Lily returned it, feeling oddly comforted.

Just as quickly as it came, McGonagall broke it, quickly straightening her posture and putting back on the stern aura Lily was used to.

"We will get you through this, Hazel," she said. "I will get you through this."

"I thought Professors aren't allowed to help," Lily said, blinking in surprise at the last person she expected to hear this from.

"You never should have been in this position in the first place," McGonagall said. "I will do everything in my power to make sure you make it through this. You have my solemn vow."

"Thanks," Lily said after a brief pause.

"Now," McGonagall said, "I'm afraid we must see to your uniform. You cannot represent Hogwarts while wearing Beauxbatons colours."

"Do we have to?"

"I am sorry, Hazel," McGonagall said, her lips a tight line. She waved her wand once in a brief, circular motion. Lily clenched her jaw again as her light blue, silky soft uniform changed into the black, thick wool of the Hogwarts robes. Her frilly ribbon turned green and stretched down her chest, striping itself with silver as it tied itself around her neck. Her skirt lowered itself to the proper Hogwarts standard, her socks changed to black with her boots, and it did nothing to make her feel any better about her situation.

"Thanks," she said anyway. She still felt the warmth of McGonagall's grasp, even though the touch was long gone.

"Walk with me, Hazel," McGonagall said, nodding towards the door.

"If it's alright with you, I think I'd rather just-"

"It is not," McGonagall said. "I will walk you to your common room. It is the least I can do."

"Alright," Lily said reluctantly. McGonagall walked slowly, allowing Lily to fall into step at her side, and, together, they walked out into the empty Great Hall. Lily was half hoping to find her friends waiting for her outside, but when the Entrance Hall, too, proved empty, she supposed they must have all been sent off.

"I'll admit," McGonagall said as they entered the Entrance Hall. "I was hoping for Ms. Johnson, myself, but with a little assistance, you will make a fine Champion. Watch your step, potter, the stairs are a bit steeper these days."

"What kind of assistance?" Lily asked, doing just that as they entered the frozen, inhospitable dungeons. The Hogwarts uniform was much better suited to this environment, she had to admit. She practically couldn't feel her body freezing and shivering beneath the pressure of the Lake.

"I cannot offer you any direct assistance," McGonagall said, "but if you find, let's say, a few tomes from the restricted section on your desk in the morning, I would do your best to read through them."

"Thanks," Lily said, feeling oddly touched. "I- err- I'll read them. Promise."

"Good," McGonagall said, squeezing her arm as they reached the familiar stretch of blank wall. "Then I will see you in the new week for your first set of classes. Do not be late."

"I won't," Lily said, hoping that was a promise she could keep.

McGonagall turned to leave, made a little sound of realization, and then turned right back.

"Apologies, Hazel," she said. "In all the commotion, I'm afraid we quite forgot to explain it."

"Explain what?" Lily asked.

"Because you are expected to spend all of your free time preparing for the tournament," McGonagall said, "the Triwizard Champions are exempt from end of year exams. In addition, the Champions will be excused from all assignments and homework- although, for your sake, I highly suggest you keep up with them. And most certainly do not go without mine, Potter. You might be exempt from assignments, but you are not exempt from punishments. I will not have you falling behind so close to your OWLs."

"Right," Lily said, suddenly feeling just a bit fearful for her future.

"Goodnight, Hazel," McGonagall said, leaving her after one last squeeze on the arm. Lily let out a sigh and turned to face the entrance.

"Strength in numbers," she said, the wall sliding open to let her in.

She was met with an immediate cacophony, and then somebody was grabbing her by the arms and hauling her inside, where she was swarmed with robes of green, happy and excited faces patting her on the back and congratulating her.

"How'd you do it, Potter?" somebody she didn't know asked.

"Blimey, I knew it'd be you," someone else said.

"Come with us, Potter!" an older girl said.

"Thanks, but I have to-"

"What's the task, what do you have to do?" a fifth year boy asked.

"I don't know, they won't tell us until the-"

"Bloody hell, give her some space," Sae said, pulling her free of the throngs of people.

"She's our Champion, too," Mia Alderton said, pulling at her other arm. "Why don't you just piss back off to your little corner?"

"Why don't you?" Sae shot back. Lily didn't think that was very clever.

"You have to come sit with us, Lily," Mia said, pulling her free of Sae's grip. "Oh, I can't believe you're really back!"

"Yeah," Lily said with a nervous laugh, her body pressed far too close to Mia's for comfort. "Me, neither."

"You have to join the Quidditch team," Mia said, dragging her back to another group of celebrating Slytherins, one of them handing Lily a cup of red liquid that she immediately downed without question.

"I don't know, I-"

"You've got the starter Seeker position," Mia said, crossing her arms. "I won't take no for an answer, either. We've got our first game against Gryffindor, and we've got to beat them hard if you're going to prove you're not one of them."

"She isn't," Sae grumbled, apparently having followed their path. "Lily, we need to talk."

"I'll be back in a second," Lily said, setting her empty cup down and following Sae.

"You're welcome," Sae said as they rounded the corner into some peace and quiet.

"Thanks," Lily said genuinely. "Err- what did you want?"

"Nothing," Sae said. "Just thought you'd want to get away. Anyway- somebody should show you how the new dorms work."

"New dorms?" Lily asked.

In Lily's memories, the Slytherin girl's dorms were all in one, large room, with a glass dome above it all separating them from the Lake. Now, sitting area was still there, tables and dome and all, but the beds weren't, and neither were the common bathrooms and loos. Now, ringed all along the circular room, were a series of doors, each with a nameplate next to them engraved with the dwellers within.

"Snape made some changes," Sae explained as they walked. "Everybody gets one roommate of the same year, and nobody can go in someone's room without the permission of either."

"Why?" Lily asked quietly. "Snape doesn't care what we do in here."

"Of course he doesn't," Sae said with a snort. "Blighter made it very clear that the order came from Dumbledore. Apparently we've got a toxic culture that the Headmaster can no longer oblige."

Lily could not argue with that statement, having experienced it for herself. She almost expected to be rooming with Sae, but she supposed that option never made much sense. Instead, her nameplate was on a new door (one that Sae could not remember being there before) all by its lonesome.

"Right, well," Sae said awkwardly, scratching the back of her head. "I'll just- err- leave you to it, then."

Lily nodded her confirmation and then entered her room without another word.

Gone were the warm temperatures and colours of the Beauxbatons' dorms. Gone was the delightful little balcony that led to an ocean view. Now, all she had was the dim, green light from the Lake above, a small bed in the corner, a desk piled with her some of her belongings (record player and tunes included), and a small bathroom on the far side of the room. All her paintings and artworks were leaning against another wall, her trunk and broom were at the foot of her mattress, and no matter how hard she looked, she couldn't find any of her Beauxbatons uniforms. They were all the black, green, and silver of Slytherin, now. Zeus, she supposed, was likely up in the Owlery with the rest of the Hogwarts owls.

The room was also freezing, but she found she felt oddly comforted by it. At Beauxbatons, she was always warm, always felt like she had a think layer of sweat covering everything. Here, she felt like she'd freeze to death if she didn't dry off properly after a run.

Lily didn't unpack anything or hang up any of her portraits. She put one of her happier records on and then laid face first into her mattress, letting the sound of the music drown out her thoughts.

Those were interrupted by the door opening twenty minutes later. When she lifted her head, she was surprised to find Hermione coming in, dragging her trunk and belongings behind her.

"There you are," she said fretfully as she awkwardly closed the door behind her back.

"What are you doing here?" Lily asked, hurrying to sit up.

"How all those people could throw a party over you getting killed, I have no idea," Hermione said, wheeling her trunk over to the opposite corner.

"I'm not dead yet," Lily said. "What are you doing here, Hermione?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Hermione asked, flinging her trunk open so she could begin unpacking.

"How did you even get in?" Lily asked.

"Sae let me in," Hermione said, "although I spent a good ten minutes shouting outside the entrance before somebody finally opened it."

"But- Hermione, you can't be here!"

Hermione snorted. "Why not? I'm Slytherin, too, aren't I?'

"I- what about Beauxbatons?"

"Lily," Hermione said gently, hanging up her uniforms in Lily's wardrobe, "I already told you, didn't I? Wherever you go, I will, too."

"But-"

"Why are you in here, anyway?" Hermione asked, moving to organize her books on Lily's little shelf. "Shouldn't you be out there celebrating?"

"You just said they shouldn't be!"

"Sure, but since they are, we could really be using this opportunity to push S.P.E.W.."

"Hermione," Lily said, "I don't- how- why are you here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Hermione asked, letting out a little sigh of frustration when she ran out of room on Lily's shelf.

"No."

"We're roommates, aren't we?"

"I- there's only one bed!"

"Then I suppose we'll have to share."

"Your name wasn't on the plate!" Lily said. "You shouldn't have been able to open the door!"

"I put it on myself," Hermione said with a shrug. "Didn't think it would work, but here I am."

"Hermione," Lily said one more time. "Really. You shouldn't be here."

"Lily," Hermione said, her tone becoming far harsher. "I am not leaving you in here by yourself."

"But-"

"If Maxime wants to kick you out for something you didn't do, fine," Hermione continued, "but I'm not just going to sit by and watch you get yourself killed. I'm staying, and if they actually expel you, then I'm transferring back to Hogwarts with you."

"But-"

"It isn't up for discussion, Lily," Hermione said, quite literally putting her foot down. "I'm staying."

The two girls stared at each other for a long time, neither speaking any further. Lily wanted to convince Hermione to go back, just so one of them wouldn't be miserable, but the thought of being alone was not only terrifying but also went completely against the warmth and love she was currently feeling towards the bushy-haired menace.

"Do you think Dumbledore would give us another bed if I asked?" Lily said, glancing down towards the one she was still sitting on.

"I certainly hope so," Hermione said with a snort. "I can hardly stand your snoring when I'm across the room."