Lily Potter and the Dance with Death

by Witchy Custard

Hazel Lily Potter made her decision. With a dear friend at her side, she leaves towards the continent and begins attendance at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, where she hopes to live out all her hopes and dreams. With the revival of the Triwizard Tournament, and dark dreams threatening her life, Lily finds that peace doesn't come easily to the Girl-Who-Lived. Book Four, Fem!Harry

22. How to Charm Girls

"How long was I out this time?" Lily asked, first thing upon opening her eyes and finding herself within the familiar walls of the Hospital Wing.

"Just the day, Potter," Pomfrey said from somewhere unseen.

"Oh, thank Mer-"

"Don't get too ahead of yourself, now," Pomfrey said, pulling the curtains around her open and blinding her with sunlight. "You'll be staying in here a while longer."

"But-"

"No arguments," Pomfrey said sternly, already back at her cart and mixing vials of potion. "You've suffered a concussion, on top of everything else, and a bad one at that. Brain injuries are serious, Potter, even for wizards. I want to make sure you're alright before you go jumping off the stairs."

"I'm not going to jump off the stairs."

"Tell that to the mountain."

"There was a dragon! What was I supposed to do, ask it for some tea?"

"You shouldn't have been in the situation to begin with," Pomfrey said, shaking the two liquids in her vial together until they formed a bright, vivid purple. "I don't know what you were thinking, putting your name in that goblet."

"I didn't."

"And I don't know what Dumbledore is thinking, allowing all this nonsense," Pomfrey continued unabated, shaking the vial even harder until it turned a bright red. "I mean, really, dragons at a school! I'd expect this of Hagrid, given his history- and yours, Potter, don't think I don't remember that bite wound from your first year. Honestly, if it wasn't likely to get you killed, I'd resign out of protest. Unfortunately, it seems my retirement will have to wait until you're out of school. I mean, look at you! It's a miracle you're waking up at all!"

Lily lifted one of her arms, only to find both it and hands wrapped in thick, heavy bandages. Touching it to her head, she found that, too, wrapped in much the same, although frayed ends of her hair were poking out at the base of her neck. Her other arm was the same, as were her torso and legs. Her bad one only had them going down to the thigh, ending right where her knee brace began. Something was off about it, though. It was still black, but it had little silver runes engraved around the outside this time, instead of only on the inside.

"Had to make a new one," Pomfrey explained, catching her running a hand over them. "Don't know what you did to the last one, let alone why you took it off before jumping off a bloody mountain."

"I didn't want to take it off," Lily snapped. "Umbridge made me. We weren't allowed to bring anything but our uniforms and our wands."

"I'll have to have a word with the woman before the next task, then," Pomfrey said. "You never should have allowed her to take it from you."

"I'll try to keep that in mind next time," Lily grumbled, crossing her arms.

"That's the other reason I'm keeping you in here," Pomfrey said reluctantly. "To be honest, Potter- you were in bad shape. Burns of all degrees all over your body- your hands and back getting the worst of it- a broken arm, fractured in four different spots, a concussion, and, to top it all off, you mangled your knee on that landing of yours. Don't know how you managed that little grandstanding of yours, although I suppose it's no wonder it didn't hold you for long."

"My rings!" Lily said, suddenly sitting up, left hand reaching for her bandaged right.

"Calm down, Potter," Pomfrey said, forcing her to lay back down. "They're still there. Couldn't get them off if I wanted to, matter of fact, and believe me, I tried. They're a bit worse for wear, but it's your fingers I'm worried about. Don't know if they'll heal right with all that metal wrapped around them. And don't you go trying to remove them before I say so; best case, you'll drag you skin off with them before you're fully healed. We'll have to find out together when I give you the all-clear."

"How long am I staying in here?" Lily asked, narrowing her eyes. She could feel the ringed metal below her bandages, and she kept touching them to calm herself down, resisting the temptation to spin them around.

Pomfrey scoffed and then finally handed her the potion she'd been shaking. "It'll be no picnic for me either, you can believe that much. By the time the week's up, we'll both need a break."

"A week?"

"At the earliest," Pomfrey collected. "You tend to heal faster than I expect, but I think I've got you down at this point. Even then, the bandages will stay for longer- those were some very nasty burns, and dragonfire tends to linger- and you'll need to use your cane again if you want to be walking normally by the time the Ball comes around."

"Ball?" Lily asked, blinking slowly.

"Oh, yes, you would have missed the announcement," Pomfrey said with a chuckle. "I'll let those friends of yours explain, they've been dying to see you."

And based off the way Hermione clung to her, letting out great sobs of relief, Lily very much believed it. Ron's smile, in comparison, seemed far more devious.

"Can't believe you jumped off a mountain!" he said, sitting the wrong way on a chair.

"Merlin, is everybody going to give me grief about that?" Lily said, throwing her hands in the air out of frustration. "There was a dragon!"

"Didn't stop Krum and Delacour from climbing down the normal way," Neville said, shrugging and pulling up a seat next to his fellow Gryffindor.

"Speaking of which," Lily said, patting Hermione on the back and wondering if her rapidly soaking bandages would need a changing soon, "what were the scores? How'd I do?"

"Oh, don't you worry," Ron said, grinning again and digging through his bag. "I've got you covered there, mate." Ron pulled out a paper, gave it a dramatic little flick, and then began reading.

FIRST TASK PASSED:

POTTER DRAGS IN LAST

Every headline the next few days ran as essentially the same thing, although there were some variants. The Quibbler even tried to run that Lily was actually in first place, but nobody but Luna believed that (it did feel very good to have somebody on her side, though), as she found out when the girl came to visit her after an art club meeting.

"It's been quite lonely painting without you," she said in that dreamy voice of hers.

"Yeah, well, they're the ones who kicked me out," Lily grumbled, picking at the ends of one of her bandages, her other hand lazily flipping through the gifted magazine.

"Oh, I'm sure they'd let you come back. After all, you're the talk of the-"

"You!" Pomfrey said, emerging from her office, completely red-faced, and storming to the two girls. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Painting," Luna said as if it was obvious. She didn't even bother looking up from her canvas, even while Pomfrey stood in front of her, sputtering in disbelief. She even scratched at her nose with the messy end of the brush, and Lily finally realized just how stupid she must look when she did that herself.

"Painting?" Pomfrey finally managed.

"Yes?"

"And I'm reading, thanks," Lily said, flipping another page. "So, if you could keep it down, that'd be wonderful."

"Are you- this is a hospital!"

"Yes, it is very peaceful in here, and the light is quite-"

"Out! Out!"

The Hollybrews aren't a real band? Lily thought, scratching at her nose. Then who's albums have I been buying?

The rest of the articles people brought her (meaning Ron, because he found it really funny) ranged from total support for her to completely leaving her out to dry. Lily didn't care, though, because among the students at Hogwarts, it was the commonly held belief that her near death experience was by far the most fun to watch.

From what she gathered, Krum got his egg by just brute forcing the entire encounter. He came down the mountain last and after a brutal slog of a duel with an ice breathing dragon. Way Ron told it, he almost killed the poor creature. Way Hermione told it, it mostly consisted of transfiguring the stone around him to block the acidic blasts while he made repeated attempts to strike the dragon's eyes with a Conjunctivitis Curse. Regardless of who was telling the story, though, he caused a few eggs to get smashed and, as a result, was only two points ahead of Lily (courtesy of Karkaroff giving his own student a perfect 10).

Information on Fleur's actions were very vague. The only thing everybody agreed on was that she was perfect… aside from getting both legs caught in a jet of flames from her dragon. She was still walking around with bandages wrapped around them, but she was expected to make a full recovery without even a single scar to show for it. Despite her injuries, she was in a very solid first place. Lily just wished she could have been there to see the girl dancing and weaving between the monster's spikes. When she closed her eyes, she could almost picture it, but then her brain would start thinking about other things and getting all flustered just made her burns itch and hurt.

Lily's own scores were, in her humble opinion, terrible. A 10 from Bagman (clearly undeserved), a 6 from Dumbledore, a 2 from Umbridge, a 3 from Karkaroff, and, most surprising of all, a 7 from Maxime. Until she read it herself, she thought for sure Ron was just having her on.

And despite being in last place, Lily was still earning all the attention for herself. That might have once made her feel even worse, but everybody was just so complimentary. Even if Ron kept joking that it was because everybody thought she'd die in the second task for sure, she had to admit, it did a lot to make her feel better about herself. Especially the attention coming from the feminine half of the student body.

"Oh, you have to show me how you made that little slide!" Lavender said, clinging to her arm a little too tightly when she, too, visited her in the Hospital Wing with Parvati Patil.

"It's- err- nothing we haven't learned in class," Lily said, trying very hard not to seem too interested in Lavender's softness. "It's just- it's bigger, is all."

"Say, I have a question for you," Parvati said, ignoring her friend. "I have a little bet going with Padma, see. She thinks you planned to jump off the mountain all along."

"And you- err-" Lavender was shuffling around, and Lily was briefly distracted. "You don't, then?"

"Pav thinks you jumped off because you're a knobhead," Lavender said teasingly.

"Those are not the words I used," Parvati said, looking away from Lily's grumpy face. "I said you probably panicked and did the only thing you could think of."

"Err- actually," Lily said, swallowing when Lavender squeezed her arm again, "it was- err- all a part of the plan!" Lily was sure her little laugh at the end sold the lie quite well.

Lily hardly paid attention to Pomfrey at all when she was finally let out. She said something about taking it easy, warned her not to try removing the rings until the bandages came off, and reminded her to use her cane. As soon as she rounded the corner and was out of sight, she shrank the cane and tucked it into her robe, rolling her eyes and whistling a tune as she began skipping down the steps.

The party in the Slytherin common room that night was one of new favourite memories, even if Hermione kept trying to drag her off to get some more bedrest. She still had no idea who smuggled in all the butterbeer (amid other illicit beverages), and she had no idea how long or with whom she spent dancing amidst the rapid blur of faces, but she did know that she had an exceedingly good time. She also knew that the few naysayers she had left in Slytherin seemed to be defeated entirely. This time, Lily even ate the homemade cake Pansy brought for her, even if only at Daphne Greengrass's insistence. She was completely delighted to find out it wasn't poisoned.

Between bites of the delicious, strawberry fluff, she nodded along to whatever conversation was happening around her, only tuning in when Daphne placed a hand on her arm.

"So, Potter," she said, the other hand playing with her strawberry blonde hair. "Do you have your dress settled yet?"

"I have several," Lily said, swallowing down her cake. "My favourite one has these little sailboats, see, and they-"

"We're talking about for the Ball," Pansy said, rolling her eyes.

"Ball?" Lily asked, chewing her food more slowly.

"Haven't you heard, yet?" Pansy said, leaning in and sounding excited. "Slughorn announced it while you were sick, of course you haven't."

"Oh," Lily said, thinking hard. "Err- the Yule Ball, you mean?" To be honest, it slipped her mind between all the worrying about her life.

"So, you have heard," Pansy said with a smirk. "Who do you plan on going with?"

"Err-" Lily didn't know if she should answer that question. Hell, she didn't know if she had an answer.

"Have you got your dress settled yet?" Daphne said, taking charge once more. "Won't do to have a date in mind if you don't even have that."

"Err- I was going to-"

"No need to worry, then!" Daphne said, clapping her hands together happily. "I'll get it all settled for you, you'll just have to visit our Hogsmeade shop for the fitting! Oh, I should get going, mum'll want to know so she can get started, we've been discussing our ideas for ages but couldn't do anything until you agreed."

"I haven't- wait!" Lily tried to grab on to the edge of Daphne's robe, but she was already vanishing into the crowd of Slytherins, Pansy laughing across from her.

"Nothing you can do to stop her now, Potter," Pansy said, stealing a bite of Lily's cake with her fork. "Just be ready to pay when they send you the invoice."

"Right," Lily said, standing from her seat. "Err- I'm feeling a bit tired. I think- oh."

Lily clutched a hand to her head when the sudden wave of dizziness came over her, her other hand gripping the table to support her weight.

"You alright, Potter?" Pansy said, lowering her fork.

"Fine," Lily said dismissively. "Just dizzy. Think I'll go lay down."

She had to lean against the wall as she walked towards her dorm. Several people offered to help her, but she just smiled and waved them off, claiming she had just a bit too much fun tonight. That earned a few laughs, and they let her move on her way. She was still feeling a little dizzy when she got to her door, her name and Hermione's engraved right next to each other on the plaque. She fumbled with the knob, her sweaty hand sliding off the metal, when it was suddenly yanked open from the inside.

"There you are!" Hermione said, immediately dragging her inside. "Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting on you?"

"You could have stayed at the party," Lily said, allowing Hermione to sit her down on the edge of their shared mattress, Hermione herself pulling the desk chair closer to sit near.

"I have no interest in their little celebration," Hermione said with a dignified sniff. "Besides, you seemed to enjoy yourself well enough without me."

Lily thought she detected a bit of jealously, there, but she said nothing, instead focusing on rubbing at her temples to counter the headache building in her skull.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked.

"No," Lily admitted. "I think I might be sick, actually." Maybe Pansy did poison that cake after all. Of course, she was eating it, too, so- maybe she took the antidote right after Lily left?

"Lay down," Hermione said, not even waiting for permission before lifting her legs and helping Lily to get comfortable. "You just got out of the Hospital Wing, Lily, you shouldn't have celebrated at all. You should have been resting."

"I'm allowed to have a little fun," Lily said, closing her eyes and feeling a bit better now that she was completely off her feet.

"You're supposed to be taking it easy! Pomfrey said-"

"Hermione, with all due respect," Lily interrupted, "I'm not just going to sit around doing nothing, so stop trying to mother me."

"I wasn't- that wasn't what I was- I was only-"

"What did Pomfrey say?" Lily asked, starting to feel a bit bad. There was a brief pause before Hermione started speaking again, and Lily could still detect a bit of hurt in the girl's tone.

"You didn't ask her?"

"Hermione, she spent an hour lecturing me, and I hardly caught a word of it. I just wanted out. What did she say?"

"What makes you think-"

"Oh, knock it off, would you?" Lily snapped, no longer feeling bad. "I know you asked her, you know you asked her, so what did she say?"

"She said you'll be feeling your symptoms for a while," Hermione said, letting out a little huff (and, in Lily's imagination, at least, crossing her arms).

"What kind of symptoms?"

"Nausea, dizziness, headaches, memory loss," Hermione said, Lily physically able to hear her counting off on her fingers. "You're supposed to stay off your feet as much as possible while you recover, Pomfrey even asked me to make sure you do since she knows you won't listen to her. Not like you listen to me, either."

"Oh, get over it, would you?" Lily asked. "How long?"

"Just another week," Hermione said with a sigh. "Just skip Quidditch this week, alright? They can play without you. And- and no running, either!"

"Not supposed to do that until my knee heals, anyway," Lily said, giving the offending limb a little shake.

"Why weren't you wearing your brace, anyway?"

"I wanted to talk about that, actually," Lily said, opening her eyes and leaning forward a bit. "Think it's high time I tell you the rest, because I can't handle this by myself. It was Umbridge, see, she-"

Lily's story was interrupted by a sharp knock at the door.

"Who's that?" Lily asked.

"How would I know?" Hermione said, rolling her eyes as she stood. "Probably one of your new admirers." Lily thought Hermione sounded a bit bitter, there.

She was proven right, though, when Daphne Greengrass stepped in immediately upon the door opening, all sorts of measurement tools and fabrics stacked in her arms, and a quill tucked behind her ear.

"I need to get some measurements and test some colours," Daphne said, not bothering to say 'hello' to either girl. "It'll make mum's job easier, see, and I've even got some sketches you can look over for approval."

"Excuse me?" Hermione said, blinking slowly, still holding the door open.

"Oh, Granger!" Daphne said in surprise, dumping all of her things unceremoniously on Lily's desk. "I didn't realize you were here. Thought you'd be back in your own dorm by now."

"I am in my dorm."

"No, you're not. You're no Slytherin."

"Then why is my name on the door?" Hermione said, pointing outside the still open frame.

Daphne blinked. "You're staying in here?"

"That's what I said, isn't it?"

"There's only one desk and bed?" Daphne asked, taking a quick glance around to observe her surroundings. "Where have you been sleeping?"

"On the floor," both residents said at once.

"Well, suit yourself," Daphne said, grabbing her measuring tape from the desk. "Can't say I blame you for pretending. Green is the best colour. Up, Potter. I need to get your measurements."

"Do you have to?" Hermione asked waspishly. "Lily was thinking about turning in early, and I was-"

"Oh, this won't take but a moment," Daphne said, rolling her eyes and dragging Lily up by the arm. "Robes off, please. I need bare skin for accuracy."

"Right," Lily said, blushing and reluctantly doing as she was told.

"Oh, that reminds me," Daphne said, tightening the measuring tape around Lily's tummy (lifting the shirt up was as far as Lily was willing to go). "You'll need a dress for Slughorn's party this weekend, too. We'll have to expedite it, but we should have it done in time."

"Why do I need a dress for Slughorn?" Lily asked. "I just wore my uniform, last time."

"First of all, big faux pas there, always try to look your best, especially at the Slug Club," Daphne said, moving the tape up to Lily's upper chest (and, hopefully, not noticing Lily's embarrassment at the contact). "Second of all, it's not just a normal meeting, it's a Christmas Party- or, at least as close as he's getting. You don't have to look as brilliant as you will at the Ball- and believe me, you will- but you at least have to put some effort into it."

"I don't know. I think I might just-"

"Oh, just come to my room beforehand, I'll have something for you," Daphne said, moving lower and wrapping the tape around Lily's thigh. "Think having a cut to show a little leg will be nice."

"What about you, Hermione?" Lily asked, doing her best to ignore all the thoughts associated with Daphne's words. "Want one too? We can match!"

Hermione scoffed and crossed her arms. "I'm not wearing a dress just to impress Slughorn's associates."

Daphne scoffed and moved to Lily's other leg. "Like it matters, anyway. Granger would look completely ridiculous in a dress."

"Pardon?" Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means what I said," Daphne said plainly. "Unlike Hazel here, you hardly have any assets worth showing off."

Lily tried to ignore the mention of her assets and how pleased it made her.

"I have no need to show off," Hermione said dismissively. "Frankly, the whole lot of you put far too much focus on all this rubbish."

"Oh, there's no need to be so down about it," Daphne said standing up and moving to Lily's shoulders. "I'm sure we can find something for you to look presentable. Perhaps a nice set of dress robes? We might have a few in the bargain bin that'll look handsome enough. Assuming you even find anybody to go with!"

"I think you should leave, now," Hermione said coolly, arms crossed.

"Suit yourself," Daphne said, shrugging and removing her tape from around Lily's neck. "I'll show you the sketches tomorrow, Potter."

It wasn't until the next morning when the practicalities surrounding the Yule Ball finally began to sink in for Lily. Every girl in the room was chatting excitedly, gossiping about who would be asked by whom, giggling and trying to catch the eyes of those they fancied. Lily just couldn't get into the same spirit.

In fact, she was feeling rather like the grim faced boys sitting around the hall. It was tired, old social obligations that insisted that they be the ones to approach the girls in order to procure a date. It was also entirely certain that the vast majority of them had never even tried asking a girl out and would much rather face Lily's dragon than attempt.

She was in much the same boat. When the first boy asked her out, she considered agreeing immediately, just so she wouldn't have to deal with the stress. But a glance around the hall, and at a few girls in particular, granted her the strength to refuse.

The following week of classes was almost too much for Lily to bear. It became immediately apparent that, even despite the nasty rumours and such that people were spreading about her even still, she was quite the hot item. She completely lost track around the twenty-seventh time some complete stranger accosted her in the hallways in order to ask her to the Ball. Most of them seemed completely shocked that she'd say no. One of them even had the gall to get completely furious at her. Lily was pretty sure the specific words he chose for her would be good enough to get her out of a murder charge, but since Hermione was so close by, she settled on just stunning him and leaving him in the crowd. Not a single person chose to rat her out, which she took as a very good sign.

"Blimey, you'd think they'd get the hint by now," Ron said on Wednesday after her refusal count doubled.

"I wish that they would," Lily said with a sigh. "What about the rest of you? Any of you get a date, yet?"

Ron's answer was a snort, Neville's to stare down at the table and blush furiously, Sae's to stare up at the ceiling, and Hermione's to continue reading her book as if she didn't even hear the question (and, to be fair, she likely didn't).

"How's a bloke supposed to ask one out when they always walk around in packs, anyway?" Ron asked.

"Well, Ron, if you haven't noticed, you've got three girls right here," Lily said, taking a hearty bite of bean.

"You trying to tell me something?"

"Hardly. I doubt you'd get a 'yes' from any of us, but it could be good practice. I'm told experience is very good."

"Alright, then," Ron said, sitting up straight. "I suppose you'd be the expert by now. You want to go to the ball with me?"

The answer from each of the girls was a resounding "no," and Ron spent the rest of their meal silently fuming in his seat.

Lily was walking with Sae and Hermione towards the library shortly after, the two Gryffindors off to attend their Divination class.

"He's here again," Hermione mumbled as they sat together.

"Who?" Lily and Sae asked together.

"Krum," Hermione said, nodding her head subtly in the Champion's direction. "He's always here when we are, and always in the same place."

"Maybe he's hoping to hear us talk about the egg," Lily said with a shrug. Hermione kept trying to drag her into it, just wanting to get the whole thing settled, but Lily was adamant that it could wait. Her mind was focused on other priorities, like Lavender Brown sitting across the library, playing with her hair and whispering excitedly to Parvati Patil. If only Lily could get her alone; she was near the top of potential prospects, but Ron's assessment of pack behaviour was more accurate than she would have liked.

"Or maybe he's here to ask Lily to the ball," Sae said with a cheeky smile, snapping Lily back into reality.

"Blimey, if I turn down him, the whole school will think I've gone barmy." She was now openly staring in Krum's direction, instead, and very much hoping that wasn't exactly what he was thinking. She didn't think she could refuse him; her current popularity was already on thin ice as it was.

"The whole school already thinks you're barmy, Lily."

"Thanks, Sae. That really helps."

"You'll have to say 'yes' to somebody eventually, you know," Sae said, opening her potions text.

"Do I?" Lily said, leaning her hand on her open palm and turning her gaze back to Lavender.

"Of course you do, Lily," Hermione said sharply, still glaring at Viktor Krum and his group of gaggling girls watching him from nearby. "The Triwizard Champions have always started off the dance. It's a tradition. I highly doubt you'd be able to get out of it."

"I could always sneak out under my cloak and go to Hogsmeade."

"And do what? Watch the snow fall?"

"Why not? I like snow."

"I really think it's best if you just get it over with and ask somebody yourself," Hermione said sternly.

"Maybe," Lily said, still trying to build up her confidence to get up and do just that.

'Hey, Lavender, I was wondering how you feel about dancing?' No, that's too obvious. Or not obvious enough?

"Who are you going to ask?" Sae said teasingly.

"What's it matter to you?" Lily asked.

'Lavender Brown? More like Lavender Gown, because that's what you'll be wearing when I take you to-' Merlin, no, that's terrible.

"Oh, I was just curious, is all. Maybe you should ask Krum out."

Lily scoffed. "Fat chance of that. He isn't really my type."

'Hey, Lavender, I turned down Viktor Krum! Why? Oh, because I think I'd much rather go with you.'

"What is your type, then?" Hermione asked, nose buried in a book, voice super casual.

"Oh, I like when they're sporty," Lily said with a slight hum. "I need a bit of energy, you know? Can't sit still myself, so I'd like somebody to go running with. I also like my- err- I like it when they're older."

'Don't worry, Lav, you're pretty enough for none of that to matter!' She can't read minds, can she? God, just kill me now.

"Older?" Hermione said, looking up with a furrowed brow. "Really?"

"Sure," Lily said with a shrug. Madame Rosmerta, Gwenog Jones, and Mrs. Granger accounted for about twenty percent of her daily brainpower, while Fleur easily made up another thirty by herself. The other half was made up by the girls her age (and, sure, Lavender didn't much care for sports, but she sure was bubbly), with a single, solitary percent set aside for schoolwork.

'Hey, Fleur, want to go the ball with me? Don't worry that I compared you to several women older than 30, I meant that as a compliment!'

"You know you just described Krum, right?" Sae asked. "Sure he isn't your type?"

"Very sure."

Maybe I'll write to Hermione's mum, after all. Play it off as needing advice, maybe? Oh, sure, like she'd just volunteer herself to go with you. Keep dreaming, Potter. Would Gwenog show up? At the very least, I might get some tickets out of it. Hey, I can use that as a segue! 'Oi, Lavender! Want to watch some Quidditch?'

For a moment, Lily thought she saw Sae's gaze follow her own towards Lavender, but the girl gave no indication that she suspected in the slightest.

"So, who are you hoping to go with, then?" she asked nonchalantly.

"You'll see along with everybody else," Lily said with a firm nod, standing from the table. She was going to do it.

'Lavender, want to go to the Ball with me? No, not as friends, I actually think you're really pretty and I think it would be fun to-'

Lavender looked over at her and waved eagerly, and all of Lily's confidence fled away from her as she made her first step.

"I'm heading down to the kitchens," Lily said, turning on her heel.

"You're still hungry?" Sae asked in disbelief.

"Yes."

"I'll go with you," Hermione said, already packing up her things.

"Best not," Lily said, pushing her gently back down into her seat. "Nobody will ever ask either of you out if I'm nearby."

"Lily," Hermione said with a bemused little look. "Do you honestly think that matters one bit to me?"

"Err-"

"I'd be perfectly content going with nobody at all," Hermione said prudishly. "Or, for that matter, not going at all."

"There's nobody you'd like to go with?" Sae asked, brow furrowed.

"Well, of course, there is," Hermione said, blushing slightly. "But there's not a chance they ask me."

"Who?" Lily said, smiling in excitement and taking her seat back.

"Oh- err- nobody you know."

"Oh, come on, who?" Lily said, nudging her gently.

"Really, Lily," Hermione said, her face completely red. "I don't think it's any of your business."

Hermione was not forthcoming with the answer, and Lily was still grilling her on the way to Defense Against the Dark Arts (or, as it was this week, Dueling). She would have kept going, but she was far too excited to get some practical defense in. Before anybody even called for class to begin (and before any boys could take the chance to ask her out again), she was already hopping on a stage, waiting for somebody to join her.

She was not at all surprised when it was one Mr. Ronald Bilius Weasley who volunteered to be her first victim.

"Right, well," Ron said, rolling his wand between undoubtedly sweaty fingers. "Let's get this over with."

"That's the spirit!" Lily said happily.

Ron tried his hardest, he really did. He even managed to get a few spells off! But his defeat was inevitable. Lily reflected his expelliarmus right back at him with a silent reddimitto, Honestly, it was just a routine match for her. So, she was very surprised when she heard an excited squeak and applause from near the door.

"Absolutely wonderful!" Flitwick said, hurrying towards the stage. "Tremendously fantastic!"

"Thanks!" Lily said, smiling widely despite it being one of her weaker performances.

"The silent casting!" Flitwick said, hopping up onto the stage with was, at least for his stature, quite the splendid leap. "The movements! Dear girl, you've come so far!"

Lily could hear a few murmurs and giggles coming from the Beauxbatons students, but she found she didn't care in the slightest. She worked hard for this, and the praise felt good.

"Come, come," Flitwick said, drawing his wand and taking a stance. "Show me what you can do!"

"Lily," Hermione said from near the stage, arms crossed. "You had a concussion. You're supposed to take it easy!"

"I'm not playing Quidditch, am I?" Lily asked, trying to contain her excitement.

"I'm fairly certain dueling a professor counts as strenuous physical activity," Hermione said.
"It'll be fine!"

"Two weeks! You were supposed to wait two weeks!"

"I'll be fine," Lily snapped. "Merlin, Hermione, stop worrying so much. I'm just having a bit of fun. Ready when you are, Professor!" Lily shouted the last part so the man could hear.

"Then, let us begin!" Flitwick squeaked.

And then he bowed, and Lily bowed with him. When she came back up Flitwick was already moving, already sending a spell at her. Lily cast a quick shield charm and then quickly crouched and tapped her wand to the ground, whipping it upwards as she stood back to full height.

A stone wall grew in front of her, half of it cracking away under the pressure of Flitwick's next spell (she didn't see it, but she suspected a Concussive Curse, which felt a little harsh considering her most recent stay in the Hospital Wing). Lily stepped to the left and then tapped a section of her barricade, loosening it into a sole brick and sending it hurtling towards Flitwick.

Flitwick batted them away, transfiguring them into canaries, then cardinals, then pigeons and sparrows. At that point, Lily's little wall was hardly standing at all, and she hopped backwards before he could take advantage of the opportunity, crouching and erecting another barrier.

She knew it wouldn't hold for very long, so she stayed crouched and swept her wand in low arcs, swinging her arms as the tip of her wand generated static electricity. Her wall disappeared, disintegrated by Flitwick, and Lily threw her arm forward, directing a bolt of lightning to the diminutive duelist.

Flitwick didn't even seem surprised. He flicked his wand downward, transfiguring the air in front of him into a large, steel spike, impaling it into the stage in front of him.

Well, bugger, Lily thought as her bolt arced towards the lightning rod. She hopped backwards again, conjuring another wall in front of her.

And then her wall twisted and turned, moving to the side, and rushing straight for her, trying to push her right off the stage. Lily let out a little squeak, completely panicking, and pointed her wand upwards, leaping over the wall with an ascendio.

Flitwick traced her path through the air and gave a casual flick, sending a strong gust of wind to blow her off path. Lily cast a relashio, conjuring a thick, flowing rope that tied itself against the wall (still turned to the side and standing at the edge of the stage), yanking herself towards it and safety.

Flitwick severed her rope with a diffindo, but Lily was already sailing back towards the platform. Her trajectory dipped enough to send her tumbling ungracefully to her knees, but as she fell, she cast fumos to at least give herself a smokescreen.

Flitwick used his wind spell again, and Lily rolled a few feet back, nearing the end of the stage, her thick fog completely vanishing. Lily knelt and rose, conjuring a third wall in front of her. This time, she tapped the side of her head, casting Geminus Aediffico, and then sent the copy of herself over the top. Then, she knelt again, poking her wand into the ground and pushed forward, vanishing a tiny little hole into her wall and then turning the stage floor to ice.

And then her wall exploded into a burst of flame, singing what little hair she had left and hitting every area of her body with stone and debris, on top of sending her to the very edge of the platform from the force of the blast.

Lily let out a little growl of frustration and then leapt back to her feet. Three quick flicks of her wand, her arm swinging in wide arcs, and she sent more bolts of lightning towards Flitwick. These ones were weaker, since she had less time to generate power, and Flitwick just batted them away, making tiny, specific shield charms with each flick of his wand.

"Now, now, Lily," he said in his lecturing voice. "Don't you remember what I taught you?"

"'Keep your spells varied, to keep your opponents on their toes,'" Lily recited, continually her electric flings, watching Flitwick close the distance with each step.

"Then why do you insist on the same techniques?"

"Because you also said 'a cornered beast is the most dangerous one,'" Lily said, smiling. "'Liable to lash out and surprise.'"

Lily tried. Nobody could argue against that. As soon as Flitwick put his foot down, as soon he finished his next step, Lily swung her arm, pretending to follow through on the arc of lightning, only to transition to a levitation spell, floating the professor straight off the ground with a surprised little squeak. For a moment, Lily even thought she'd done it, and she was fully prepared to toss him from the platform.

But then Flitwick righted himself in the air and, with a casual flick of his wand, a long, red whip cracked from the end of it, striking Lily straight in the chest and knocking her off balance. She panicked again, and that caused her to let go of the professor too early. Flitwick didn't waste a moment, and with a final burst of cold air from his wand, he blew Lily ten feet backwards and out of the dueling arena.

"Oh, well done!" Flitwick said while Lily rubbed her bruised ego (and rump). "I haven't had a bout like that in ages!"

"Lily," Hermione said with a sigh. "You're supposed to be taking it easy."

Lily just laid down on her back and laughed, wondering how long it had been since she felt so good. Sure, she was in pain, and sure, a good bit of it was centered right in her bad knee (which she'd definitely landed on badly), but she didn't care.

Flitwick spent the rest of the class conversing with her in the corner, ignoring that he likely had his own class to be teaching. He asked Lily all sorts of questions about what she'd been practicing, and he even spent a good few minutes watching Lily perform her little illusion spell and offering pointers.

"There's an updated version you can use to create voices," he said excitedly. "They can't move far, and they can only say what you preprogram them to, but it makes for a far more believable illusion. I'll find it for you, if you'd like."

"That'd be great!" Lily said genuinely.

"Actually," Flitwick said, glancing around and lowering his voice. "If you'd like, I can teach you myself. Perhaps after classes? We can resume our lessons from second year, and I can teach you some very advanced Charms."

"Really?" Lily asked, blinking in surprise, her mouth hanging open. "You mean it?"

Flitwick nodded. "We'll have to be careful about it, strictly speaking, we're not supposed to be helping the champions. But, given your age, I believe we can disguise it as tutoring. Are you interested?"

"Very!"

She had to make a trip to the Hospital Wing for her knee (and mostly as Hermione's irritating insistence), but she, at the very least, finally got her bandages removed. Her skin was a little pink, but Pomfrey gave her a cream to rub on it daily until it turned back to her usual variety of pale. Of course, Lily just turned it back immediately upon being out of seat with her powers, but Pomfrey didn't need to know that. She just wished she could do the same for hair without people catching on. It was a shame they were learned all of the hair stuff in the previous year; they weren't supposed to do any human transfiguration outside of the classroom.

Most importantly, though, her rings did not take her skin with her as she pulled them off. The little bands themselves were a little worse for wear, scorched and perhaps a little more oddly shaped than before, but the enchantments seemed to hold. For now, she tucked them in her robe, deciding to give them to Sirius at the first opportunity to see if he could get them back as new.

Lily was still in an unnaturally good mood as the weekend approached, and not a single thing could bring her down. Sure, she missed Slytherin's second Quidditch game, and, sure, they got completely smashed as a result, but not a single person was even blaming her for it! And after the game, she met up with Daphne Greengrass to prepare for Slughorn's party, only to find Pansy waiting for her, too (which should have been normal, considering the two girls were sharing a room together).

"It's a shame what happened to your hair," Pansy lamented, being very thorough in brushing it and making it presentable. "I'll admit, I often found myself feeling very jealous about how nice it was."

"It'll grow back," Lily said, trying not to puff out her chest too much at the compliment (although it did make her wonder where all this support was during the worst year of her life).

"I mean, it was just so pretty," Pansy said, letting out a little sigh. "You'll let me braid it when it grows back out again, won't you?"

"Sure," Lily said. So long as you're not back to being the worst person I know, anyway.

Despite allowing them to assist her in getting ready, Lily was not comfortable enough to attend Slughorn's party with the pair. They were trying to be friendly, sure, but it'd take a while longer for Lily to forget their cruel words in the previous year, if she ever did. She was willing to entertain them, but the trust only went so far. As soon as she was finished getting all gussied up, she returned to her own dorm to get Hermione.

"You ready to go?" Lily asked as she entered, a hum in her voice. She was surprised to find Hermione sitting at her desk, not wearing the dress she left out for her, scribbling away on stacks of parchment. "Did you- err- lose track of time?"

Hermione finally turned away from her work, and Lily noticed for the first time just how tired she looked. Her already bushy hair was puffier and frizzy, and there were bags under her eyes. Hermione's jaw dropped, just a bit, when she saw her, and for a moment, Lily thought she saw something in her eyes before the girl was turning back to the desk.

"I don't think I'll be going," Hermione said in a weirdly cool tone. "I have a lot of work to do. I've had some new ideas for S.P.E.W., and I really need to get started on them. I've been thinking about how Muggle Studies is just a choice after third year, see, and how no purebloods are even forced to take it, even though Muggleborn have to take History of Magic. Doesn't seem fair, does it?"

"No," Lily agreed, clenching her jaw. "You're making me go by myself, then?"

"This is important, Lily, you should be helping me!" Hermione said, that some odd tone in her voice. "Why waste time going to a party full of complete idiots who refuse to listen when we can stay in, instead, and work on something that really matters?"

"Because it's fun. Because I've spent the last month worrying about being eaten by a bloody dragon, and now that I've finally got my bandages off, I can go do something."

"We can do something fun here, too!" Hermione offered, still not looking away from her desk but at least setting her quill down. "I could use the break."

"Then come with me!"

Hermione let out a little sigh, and Lily could see her shoulders dip a bit.

"It's just a stupid little dance because Slughorn can't stand the thought of the Yule Ball overshadowing his Club," Hermione said, her voice now bitter. "It's not like anybody expects me to go or even wants me there. I'm just plain Hermione Granger, too mannish to even wear a dress."

"Hermione-"

"Just go," Hermione snapped, standing from her seat and hurrying over to the bathroom. "I'm sure you'll have a great time without me."

Hermione slammed the bathroom door behind her, shaking the paintings that Lily placed around the walls.

Lily almost didn't go to the party at all, but she didn't trust herself to still be in the dorm by the time Hermione came out from the loo. As such, she found herself standing at Slughorn's party, angrily shoving prawns and sausages, cheese and crackers, and everything else she could get her hands on into her mouth as quickly as she could. Occasionally, somebody else would approach her, but a quick glare (with her cheeks stuffed full of meat and cheese) would send them skittering off elsewhere.

"Careful there, Potter," Katie said, shuffling up alongside her and poking playfully at her tummy. "Keep going at that rate and you won't fit in your dress anymore."

"I'll be fine," Lily grumbled after swallowing, reaching for another tray of food. She stopped when something caught her eye.

Katie was wearing a pale, pink dress, a single strap wrapping around her neck and holding it up. Her shoulders were bare, and her sleeves were disconnected from the rest of it, held up just below her pits and on her wrists by matching pairs of gold bands.

"Like it?" Katie said with a laugh, giving a twirl to show off her flowy skirt. "Dresses are about the only thing my mum won't argue about when I say I want one."

To be honest, Lily was a little lost for words. The only possible response she could think of was popping another sausage into her mouth and continuing to stare.

'I'm sure you'd like to go flying more, but how about dancing, instead? Perhaps at a certain little Ball?'

Very awkward, to be honest, but her brain felt completely fried.

"You look good, too," Katie said after waiting far too long for a compliment. She reached out a hand and tugged playfully at Lily's skirt. "I like your snakes."

"I thought it was a bit much, to be honest," Lily said. Other than the little silver snakes embroidered all around it, it was just a plain, green dress (Daphne was dismayed about it, actually, but she simply didn't have the time to do anything else). She also refused to allow that slit to show off a little skin, although now that she was standing next to Katie, she was kind of wishing she'd gone through with it.

'If you like the snakes, I could always show you the-' No, no, where were you even going with that one?

"I wanted to apologize," Katie said after another awkward pause. "I shouldn't have blown up on you at Hogsmeade like that."

"It's alright," Lily said with a little shrug. "I- err- shouldn't have said what I did, either."

'If you want to have another row, though, you could always go to the Ball with me!'

…Why do I even bother?

"Seeing you fight that dragon, it- well-" Katie paused, one hand running up to play with her hair. "To be honest, I was still angry up until then, but it knocked some sense into me. So- err- I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Lily said again, this time adding a little nervous laugh to it. "Honestly, I wish I hadn't spent so much time worrying about it. If I'd been a bit calmer, I don't think I would have done quite as badly."

"Maybe you would have thought of something better than jumping off a mountain," Katie said with a laugh of her own.

"That was part of the plan!" Lily said, puffing out her chest.

"No, it wasn't!" Katie said, smiling more genuinely. "I know you well enough by now, Potter, I've seen you how play Quidditch, I know your panic face better than anyone. It's like last year all over again, when you jumped off your broom trying to get around Cedric."

'Oh, so you've been watching me, then? Want to watch me dance? I could give a nice, close look, if you want to come to the Ball with me.'

"That happened to be part of my plan, too," Lily said with a dignified sniff.

"Sure, sure," Katie said teasingly. "Tell that to your poor hair." Katie reached a hand up and pulled at the ends of Lily's (currently) curly hair, right next to where it rested at the start of her neck. "I mean, it was so nice before. Look what you've done to it!"

"It'll grow back," Lily said, ignoring her rapid heartbeat.

'I'm a metamorphmagus and I can make it look however you want if you'll just go to the bloody Ball with me.' No, that one is far too desperate. We'll workshop it.

"It's a shame the Quibbler was wrong about all that Metamorphmagus rubbish," Katie said, now playing with Lily's hair. "Imagine what all you could do with that."

'Oh, I don't have to imagine, and neither do you, if you'd like to-' Merlin, no, we want her to come to the Ball, not to get put on some sort of registry.

"Oh, I think about it all the time," Lily said, not capable of being at least a little bit of a tease. "I mean, from what I've heard, they can change all sorts of things."

It was when Katie's hand froze on her cheek that Lily realized she might have made it just a bit too awkward. She was about to apologize, especially when Katie quickly pulled her hand away from where she'd been cupping Lily's face, but then the other girl was clearing her throat and brushing some hair from her bright red face.

"So," she said, her voice cracking. "Err- if you've got a lot of free time, now, do you want to come to Hogsmeade with me next weekend?"

"Yes!" Lily said far too quickly.

Also, I'd like to go to the Ball, thanks. Please make my job easier.

"Oh, thank Merlin," Katie said, her face lighting up again. Lily got the impression she meant to not say that part out loud. "I'll meet you there next weekend, then?"

"Sounds great!"

'And what about the Ball? Want to meet up there, too?'

"I'll- err- I'll see you later, then," Katie said, glancing around. "Slughorn wanted to introduce me to some Quidditch players from the Tornados. Don't much care for the team, but since that's the only thing that got me the invite in the first place, I probably shouldn't refuse."

"Go!" Lily said, urging her forward with a little push. "I'll see you at Hogsmeade!"

Katie made it two steps away before glancing around again, turning on the spot, and then leaning in and kissing Lily softly on the cheek.

'Katie Bell? More like Katie Smell, because you smell so-' What is wrong with you?

"I'll see you then," Katie said, smiling at seeing Lily's face.

Lily raised a hand up to her cheek, wondering if this was all just a sick trick her brain was playing on her. She certainly felt lightheaded. She also couldn't stop smiling, even when she noticed Draco Malfoy giving her a suspicious look from across the room. She shot a rude gesture in his direction, as if daring him to say anything at all (and, at least at this particular moment, not sure she'd care if he did), and then she had to stop herself from skipping out of the office.

As soon as she was out of sight, though, she was sprinting down the castle corridors (after stopping to remove her heels, of course). Sure, the stone was freezing, but that only seemed to urge on her speed. She had something very important she needed to do, and she simply could not wait for it.

She was very surprised when she heard a shocked, frightened little shriek as she entered her shared room. She was more surprised when she found Hermione standing in front of the wardrobe, wearing one of her dresses, face bright red and hands quickly moving down from her hair (implying, at least to Lily, that she was definitely trying out some poses).

"I wasn't- I was just- it's not what it looks like!" Hermione sputtered out frantically.

"You look great!" Lily said, patting her on the shoulder as she passed. "Honestly, you can have that one, it looks much better on you than it does me!"

"Err- I wasn't- I was just-"

"I'll be right back!" Lily said, grabbing her mirror from her trunk. "We'll have a little fashion show when I'm out!"

"I don't want to-"

"See you in a bit!" Lily said with a wink, closing the bathroom door behind her. She sat on the loo immediately, took a breath, and then called for Sirius.

She was surprised when he only answered after her fifth shout. Normally, he picked up immediately. When he came into view, she heard him laughing about something, looking away from the mirror's surface, before the front door shut behind him and he gave her his full attention.

"I was wondering when you'd give me a call," he said. "Didn't think about telling me that you survived your dragon?"

"I was- I didn't- err-"

"I'm only teasing you, Lily," Sirius said with a smile and a wink. "I know you would have gotten around to me eventually."

"Err- sorry."

"Listen, I'd love to lecture you on completely forgetting to apply our battle strategy and jumping off a mountain," Sirius said, "but- err- I've actually got a guest right now, so I need to keep it at least a bit short."

"What? Who?"

"Err- actually, I'd like to introduce you to them. Think you can meet me at your next Hogsmeade?"

"Well- yes, but- err- I have something else to do right after, and- and that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh?" Sirius said curiously, raising a cup to his lips. "And what's that?"

Lily took a deep breath. "How do you ask out a girl?"

Sirius coughed and choked on his coffee, half of it dumping out onto his shirt.

"Are you being serious?" Sirius asked at last.

"Yes," Lily said with a nervous nod.

"Are you sure you're ready?"

"Yes," Lily said with a more confident nod.

"Because once this secret is out, Lily, there's no putting it back in. You have to be sure."

"I'm sure, Sirius," Lily said. "Honestly, I- I've been thinking about it a lot, lately."

"And?"

"And I- I can't stand the thought of not having a girlfriend," Lily said very fast, her face burning hotter with every word. "I mean, they're just so- I love them, Sirius, they're cute, they smell nice, and when they laugh I feel like I'm flying on my broom and I want one."

"Well, first of all," Sirius said with a laugh, "you probably shouldn't put it like that. You don't get to own one like they're an owl."

"You know what I mean!"

"When do you plan on doing it?" Sirius asked, taking a careful sip of his drink.

"Err- at Hogsmeade."

"Blimey, that soon?"

"Sirius, I really don't have much time until the Ball, and I'm a Champion, which means I have to have a date, and- and I want it to be a girl."

Sirius let out a low whistle and leaned back in his seat. "Are you really sure you've thought this through?"

"Yes."

"I seem to remember just a few months ago you completely refused to talk about it and nearly got violent when I kept pushing.

"Sorry about that." Lily scratched the back of her head very awkwardly.

"And now you want everybody to know?"

"It's not that I want them to know," Lily said very carefully. "It's that- well- I just want this. You know?"

"No."

"I don't know how to explain it," Lily said with a deep sigh, wishing she had a drink of her own if only to have something to occupy her hands.

"Try," Sirius said gently.

"You were right, Sirius," Lily said after taking a deep breath. "And, I just- it's getting really hard to hide it. I just- I can't stop thinking about them, and at some point, somebody is going to notice me staring and put two and two together."

Somebody already had, but for some reason, the former Mrs. Malfoy was choosing not to say a thing. There was no way that could last forever, especially if her son was beginning to suspect, as well. Ah, well. That was another problem for future Lily to worry about.

"Do you think my parents would be angry?" Lily asked, running a finger over the rim of the mirror.

"No," Sirius said confidently. "They'd be proud of you, Lily, no matter who you love."

Lily nodded. "And they were Gryffindors, too."

"Pardon?"

"They were Gryffindors," Lily repeated. "And I am, too, no matter what colours I'm wearing. I'm tired of hiding what I am, so- so it's time to be brave. I just- err- don't know how to do it. I keep trying, but everything I come up with in my head sounds so stupid.

"First off," Sirius said, "have you told anyone else how you feel yet?"

"Err- no." She hadn't even told Katie, and she already knew how she felt on the matter.

"Well," Sirius said, leaning back in his seat. "Go ahead, then."

"Pardon?"

"Tell me," Sirius said with a cheeky look.

"Err-"

"Lily, I already know. You just haven't said it. I mean, come on, how many times did you call me at Beauxbatons, freaking out over some pretty bird? If you can't handle saying it to me, you'll never be able to handle everybody else."

"I was hoping to wait until after I got a girlfriend," Lily said, her cheeks starting to burn.

"Well, if you want my advice on that matter," Sirius said, "then first you need to clear this hurdle. Go on, then."

"Alright, alright," Lily said, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. She even closed her eyes, but Sirius was still staring at her expectantly when she opened them back up.

"Could you at least pretend to look surprised?" Lily asked.

"I'm told I'm not a very good actor, but I can try."

"Alright," Lily said, taking a deep breath again and dropping her voice. "I'm gay."

"What was that?" Sirius said, holding a hand up to his ear.

"That's as good as you're getting," Lily said, face burning hotter.

"No, really, I'm afraid I didn't quite catch it."

"I'm gay."

"Our connection must be fuzzy or something, I could have sworn I heard you say-"

"Alright, alright!" Lily said. "I'm gay! I like girls! Happy?"

"You?" Sirius said, raising a hand to cover his mouth. "No! Where is this coming from?"

"Oh, shut up!" Lily said, wishing she had something to throw at the man or even could do so.

"I'm proud of you, Lily," Sirius said more genuinely. "Really."

"Thanks," Lily said, feeling like an immense weight was off her shoulders. She couldn't stop smiling.

"Now," Sirius said, standing, the wall behind him moving to telegraph it. "I'd love to give you what you're looking for, but I think it'd be better to do in person."

"Right. Hogsmeade, then."

"But, first," Sirius said, holding up a single finger for her to see. "I have one requirement you must fulfill."

"Sirius, come on, I just did it!"

"You did it to me," Sirius corrected, "but if you want my advice, you're going to have to do a bit more."

"But-"

"I'm not asking you to come out to the whole bloody school, Lily," Sirius said, "but your friends deserve to find out before the bloody Ball, don't you think?"

"Maybe," Lily said slowly.

"Ron, Neville, and Hermione," Sirius said. "That's all I'm requiring. Tell them, and I'll tell you everything you want to know. Do we have a deal?"

"Fine," Lily said after a long pause, a pit of nervousness settling in her stomach. "I'll tell them."

"Good," Sirius said, smiling for her again. "I'll see you next weekend, Lily. Love you."

"Good night," Lily said, setting her own mirror and running her hands over her face.

Hermione was not wearing the dress anymore when Lily came out of her hidey-hole, although based on her posture from her seat on their bed, she seemed awfully embarrassed about being caught in the act.

"Lily," she said primly. "I was just-"

"You looked great!" Lily reinforced. "Really, Hermione, I don't care if you try on my clothes, I think it's cute!"

"Err- Well- well, good, then," Hermione said, her cheeks turning red.

"In fact," Lily said, "you should come with me when I meet Daphne next weekend. We can try on dresses together!"

"Err- I don't think-"

"It'll be fun!" Lily said enthusiastically.

"Alright," Hermione said reluctantly, a hint of a smile on her lips. "I suppose I'll give it a shot. But I am not putting up with Greengrass any longer than I have to. You might be trying to move on, but that doesn't mean I've forgotten how any of them treated you, let alone me."

"Speaking of Ball dresses, though," Lily said, turning to her wardrobe to hide her face (and so she could change out of her dress). "There's- err- something I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

Lily took a deep breath and tossed her dress to the ground, knowing the elves would wash it properly later.

Just get it over with. Tear it off like a bandage.

"I'm going to be going to the Ball with a girl," Lily said slowly.

"Come again?"

"I like girls," Lily said, continuing her calm pace as he pulled on a t-shirt. "I have for a while now, and- err- I'm going to be asking one out, soon, so- so I'm just telling you now so that you aren't surprised when it happens."

"Oh," Hermione said in a very odd tone.

"If that's weird to you, I'll sleep on the floor from now on," Lily said very quickly. "Or- err- I can talk to Dumbledore and finally get around to getting that other bed."

"No, it's alright!" Hermione said just as quickly. "I don't mind, really!"

"Are you sure?" Lily asked, still refusing to look over at Hermione. "I- err- I know this is probably a lot."

"I mean it! I- err- so, you're a- a lesbian, then?"

"Yes," Lily said carefully, finally closing the wardrobe door and turning to meet Hermione, only to be completely and utterly surprised.

"That's excellent!" Hermione said, positively beaming. "Honestly, Lily, I've had a feeling for a while, now, with the way you just keep staring at Fleur, but- but, this is great! You've finally said it!"

"Oh," Lily said, her stomach doing happy little somersaults. "Err- have I really been staring that much?"

"Yes," Hermione admitted, "but- err- I don't think anybody else has noticed! I have because- err- because I'm just around you so often!"

"Right," Lily said, "well, just- I think I'm going to go for a run, so- so we'll have that little fashion show later, yeah?"

"Wait! Err- do you really think I looked good in it?"

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Hermione," Lily said, opening the door. "You're really pretty. Course, I find every girl pretty, but- err- I'm allowed to joke about it, now, don't give me that look- it just means I'm right!"

As Lily closed the door behind her, she couldn't help but feel that went incredibly well, and she left the common room with a skip in her step, and she gave out a little whoop and a shout, nearly scaring the life out of a couple passing first years.

She didn't work up the courage to get through the other two requirements until Tuesdays' Care of Magical Creatures class. It was Hagrid's last turn before the holidays, and once they were over, they wouldn't have him again until February. To give everybody one last, happy memory (and because most of them threatened to revolt if he brought out the Skrewts again), they were each given their own little campfire, where they had to take care of the Salamander burning within. She wasn't even sure she was going to do it then, but with Hermione's encouraging looks in her direction every few seconds, she decided to just it over with, repeating the same mantra from before.

"So," Lily said, trying to snap their attention from their conversation about the Chudley Cannons. "Err- I don't really have a better way of saying this, so I'm just going to get it out of the way."

"What, are you dying?" Ron said, rolling his eyes. "Can't say I'm surprised, way you keep ending up in the Hospital Wing."

"It's never my fault!"

"Sure," Neville said with a laugh. "That why you jumped off a mountain, then?"

"I meant to do that!" Lily said, her face burning. "Merlin, why does everybody keep bringing that up?"

"Lily, you have a long list of incredibly stupid ideas," Ron said. "And that one is near the top. Kind of like you, on that mountain."

"At least everybody isn't going around calling you 'mountain girl,' or something," Neville said, brushing a bit of snow from his robe.

"Well, it's no wonder, mate," Ron said, wiping Lily's snowball from his face. "'Mountain girl' is terrible. Frankly, I think we can do much better."

"Please, don't," Lily grumbled.

"What did you want to tell us?" Neville asked.

"Right, well," Lily said, getting on with it. "Err- how do you feel about girls?"

"That's a stupid question," Ron said with a snort. "If this is about the Yule Ball, Lily, I seem to remember you saying you'd sooner spend eternity in hell than go with either of us. So, I'm afraid that no matter how desperate you are for a date, I must decline."

"I didn't say it like that!" Lily said. "I just- I didn't want to go with a friend!"

"Then what are you going on about now?"

"Well- I- I just wanted to say that- that, during the Yule Ball, you're going to see me dancing with a girl," Lily said, poking at their especially fat fire lizard with a stick (you had to keep them awake, or the fires would get too hot) and doing her best not to look at anybody.

"And?" Ron asked.

"And only a girl," Lily said slowly.

"What're you getting at?"

"Oh, come on, Ronald," Hermione said smugly. "You can put it together. She's only dancing with a girl."

"What- you saying you're going to date one?" Ron said, laughing. "Good one, Lily."

"I am," Lily said.

"Right. And, like I just said, the Chudley Cannons are offering me Captain."

"I think she's serious, mate," Neville said, placing a hand on Ron's shoulder.

"What, really?" Ron said, looking between all three of them. "You mean you finally did it?"

"Did what?" Lily asked, completely confused.

"You asked one out?" Ron clarified. "Well, blimey, mate, it's about time!"

"You knew?" Lily asked, blinking slowly.

"You knew?" Hermione said, sounding like she didn't believe him.

"You knew?" Neville said, a nervous laugh escaping his throat.

"Well, course I know," Ron said, taking his turn at poking the salamander. "Blimey, Lily, you only spent half an hour crying to me about how pretty you thought they were and about how badly you wanted to kiss one."

"I did?" Lily asked, her mouth still hanging open. "When?"

"When we had those stouts," Ron said. "You know, right before mum caught us and thought we were-"

"I remember, thank you!" Lily said. "You knew, and you never said anything?"

"Well, I couldn't, could I?" Ron said. "You only threatened to kill me if I said so much as a word. Honestly, if I knew you'd forgotten about it, I wouldn't have spent so much time constantly looking over my shoulder."

"Well, that's just great," Lily said, feeling a little put out that this conversation didn't go the way she wanted it to. "How about you, then? You certainly didn't seem surprised."

"Err-" Neville said, scratching at his nose. "I- err- Katie told me, after your Hogsmeade trip with her last year."

"You knew that long?"

"Well, I didn't mean to find out!" Neville said defensively. "I just- I found her crying outside the common room after- I didn't go that day because Snape gave me detention, see, and she came back early- and we took a walk, just to calm her down, and- well, she just really needed someone to talk to, so- so, she told me."

"Brilliant," Lily said with a sigh. "You know, a lot of my problems could have been solved much earlier if you told had just told me you knew and didn't care."

"It's not that we don't care, mate," Ron said, "it's just that- well, it just isn't much of a shock, is it? I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if half the school knows, way your eyes keep following all the skirts around."

"They do not!"

"Sure," Ron said, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, if you're going for it, it's not going to make it any easier on us, is it?" He nudged Neville at the last part.

"What do you mean?" Hermione said, narrowing her eyes.

"Well, I mean, blimey, it's only like Lily is the prettiest girl in school," Ron said with another snort. "Half the blokes in Gryffindor have asked her out, and the other half are planning on it. All I'm saying is, having her and whoever she asks out of the running makes the field a lot more sparse, don't it?"

"Oh, great," Lily said with a groan. "Nothing I love more than worrying if the next one is going to scream at me or cry."

"Yeah, it's- wait, you've made some cry?"

"No! Err- I tried to be nice, they're the ones that took it too personally!"

Honestly, all in all, it went better than she ever would have expected. Sure, Ron liked to tease her about it, now that it was all in the open, pointing at every girl in all of their classes and asking if she fancied them (and she just wasn't very good at hiding it when he chose one she actually did), and, sure, Hermione was acting a bit weird around her, always asking if she should try doing something different with her hair, and even trying on a few dresses for "practice" and asking her opinion (for which Lily could only assume she was worried about getting a date of her own), but not a single one of them were judging her for it.

So, when the weekend finally rolled around once more, Lily was very eager to get to Hogsmeade and advance to the next stage of life. Ron and Neville didn't go with them, since both boys liked to sleep in even on a Hogsmeade day, so Lily ran to the village with just Hermione at her side (or, rather, a fair distance back, since the girl had no hope of keeping up).

"Lily, please!" Hermione said as they neared the village gate. "I c-can't- I need to catch my breath!"

"Just keep moving," Lily said, slowing and jogging in place as the girl caught up. "It gets easier if you do."

Hermione leaned on the wall of the building next to her, breathing hard and brushing sweat from her brow.

"How you do this for fun?" she asked, long breaths between every word.

"I just like to move!" Lily said, hopping in place, now.

"Merlin, I feel like I'm going to die."

"You just need more exercise!"

"Maybe I'll come with you tonight," Hermione said quietly. "Where are you meeting Sirius?"

"Right over there!" Lily said, happily pointing at Madame Puddifoot's, a local café, where Sirius was sitting with-

A woman, who was laughing at something Sirius was saying, one of her hands placed over one of Sirius's in the center of the table.

"Lily, wait up!" Hermione called after her as she stomped ahead.

"So, then I was- Lily, there you are!" Sirius said, smiling and beginning to stand as she rapidly approached.

"Who is she?" Lily said before she could stop herself, arms crossed along her chest, glaring at the woman.

Both Sirius and the woman looked over at her nervously.

"Lily, this is Ashley Smith," Sirius said, gesturing over to the brunette across from him. "Ashley, this is my goddaughter, Lily."

Lily opened her mouth to say something she would definitely regret, but thankfully for her wellbeing, Hermione spoke first.

"That's where I know you from!" she said, immediately offering a handshake. "I've seen you in the papers, you're in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement!"

"Undersecretary to Bones herself," Smith said with a pleased expression. She accepted Hermione's handshake and her other hand went up to secure the glasses that were just beginning to slide down her nose.

Lily felt like she recognized that name from somewhere, and when she noticed the false leg made of bronze attached to the woman's left leg, it all clicked, and she felt terrible about the cold reception. Unfortunately, then she saw the glance Smith shared with her godfather, and she was feeling angry all over again. She even almost brought attention to it, but before she could so much as get her mouth open, Hermione was launching into a barrage of questions and taking the tin of S.P.E.W. badges out from her bag.

"Let's go over here for a bit, shall we?" Sirius said, leading Lily a couple tables over as Smith and Hermione took a seat at the former one. "Once you get Ashley on to work, it's impossible to get her off of it."

"Are you seeing her?" Lily asked immediately, trying to ignore why that particular topic would make her feel so hurt.

Sirius sputtered a bit on the coffee he was trying to drink.

"I don't know," Sirius answered honestly, setting his cup back down. "We're just- we're taking things slow, for now. Seeing where it goes."

Lily nodded and waited for him to elaborate.

"She was the first person to reach out before my trial," Sirius said, taking another sip. "Said she never stopped trying to get Bones to reopen my case. Even showed me all the paperwork that kept getting rejected." Sirius laughed softly and set the cup back down. "Anyway, we're here to talk about you, aren't we? How long do you have?"

"About half an hour," Lily asked, poking at a little beetle that landed on her hand. "Katie's meeting me in front of Zonko's."

"Well, be careful, there," Sirius said, his laugh carrying and causing Ashley to glower at him slightly before turning her attention back to Hermione, "don't know how she is, but if I was meeting a girl in front of Zonko's, there was a 99% chance they'd end up with a bug or a snowball down their robe. Sometimes both, depending on the season. That little guy there would have been a prime specimen, matter of fact." Sirius poked at the beetle, frustrating Lily's attempts to get it to lay still in her palm.

"Brilliant," Lily said slowly. "Why did I come to you for this, again?"

"Well, look, I never really mastered the dating part," Sirius admitted. "But it was the 'asking one out' part you wanted help on, and I have plenty of experience on that matter."

"How do I do it, then?" Lily asked, poking at the beetle again when it froze on her wrist. "How do I ask one out?"

"I'm getting there, relax," Sirius said, taking his cup back and leaning into his seat again. "On to more pressing matters, then: how to charm girls."

Sirius raised a single finger and Lily leaned in, listening raptly.

Step one: act confident.

"You don't have to actually be confident," Sirius clarified. "You just don't want them thinking you're a complete and total knob. Took us a while to figure that one out, to be honest."

Step two: always look presentable.

"Course," Sirius said, scratching the back of his head, "I'm not sure how that'll work for you. I'll admit, don't have much experience in the realm of trying to be pretty."

"Well, how did you do it?" Lily asked.

"It helped that we were fairly fit," Sirius said. "I wasn't much of a player, but I was always willing to help James train before Quidditch matches. Once we got out of that weird wiry phase everyone goes through, we attracted more than our fair share of attention."

"Alright," Lily said, wishing she had something to write this down on. At least she already had the 'in shape' part down.

"Course," Sirius said, scratching his chin now, instead. "For most birds, you just wait for the bloke you like to come up to you. Don't know how it'll go on your end."

"I'll just try looking cute," Lily said with a sigh. That was just working out so well for her so far.

Step three: learn what they like.

"And I don't mean favourite little foods or any of that rubbish," Sirius said, waving off what was definitely her next question. "I mean what they really like. Find out if they like to read, find out what their favourite genres are, find out what writers they prefer, and then go out and read those things yourself. And not because you're just trying to get under their skirt. Take a real interest in it, because if they find out you don't like it at all, it'll never work out. Which brings us to the next step-"

Step four: find out what you have in common.

"If the two of you are never doing anything together, then you're not really together, are you?" Sirius said.

"What did my parents do?" Lily asked.

"I was wondering when you'd get around to them. Well, your mum wasn't much into sports, and, to be honest, I think this and the last step is what kept the two of them apart for so long. James just thought your mum was the prettiest woman on the planet, and he never made as much of an effort as he should have."

"What changed?" Lily asked.

"Well, your mum was coming down from the girl's tower one night," Sirius said, starting to match her energy, "when she saw him reading her favourite novel."

"What was it?"

"All in due time, Lily, let me finish the story. So, she saw him there, and they got to talking- found out they've both been reading the same bloody series since the beginning. Spent weeks talking about nothing but it. Drove us all a bit barkers, to be honest. And once they ran out of topics on that, they just started reading together every night in the common room. Even started a bloody book club just to keep spending time together. Tried to drag me into it with him, the duffer." Sirius shook his head fondly.

"He wasn't just trying to trick her, was he?" Lily asked nervously.

"Course not!" Sirius said, laughing. "He'd been reading them on his own since first year. Merlin, most of the books I bought him as gifts! Anyway, on to-"

Step five: be yourself and know when to give it up.

"Wait," Lily said slowly. "That sounds an awful lot like two steps."

"Well, they aren't," Sirius said. "They go hand in hand, actually. Don't try to pretend to be someone you aren't just because you think a girl would like it, Lily. You'll just find yourself miserable for the effort."

"And giving up?"

"If everything you're trying isn't working," Sirius said, "and you start thinking about trying something that just isn't you: give up. They clearly aren't into the real you, and any relationship you might be able to force won't be worth it in the end."

"Right," Lily said eagerly. "What's next?"

"Next is-"

"And what are the two of you talking about over here?" Smith asked teasingly, taking a seat next to Sirius. "Just ignoring us this whole time?"

"I did it, Lily," Hermione said excitedly, taking a seat next to her and disturbing her little beetle pal. One quick glance at Ashley Smith told Lily all she needed to know; she was now wearing a S.P.E.W. badge on her chest.

"Well, congratulations, Hermione," Lily said, watching the insect fly off forlornly. "It seems our little 'rubbish' has infected the Ministry."

"To be honest," Hermione said, dropping her voice and smiling a bit as Smith pinned another badge on Sirius's chest, "I think she only accepted because it'll earn points with a certain somebody's godfather."

Or maybe the goddaughter, Lily thought, still wondering why the thought of Sirius seeing anybody made her feel so off.

"I'll see you later," Lily said, feeling a spike of anger when Smith laid her hand over Sirius's again. "Got some errands to run before our appointment with Greengrass."

"Just don't be late!" Hermione called after her. "I don't want to be there alone!"

Lily left the table feeling equal parts giddy and anxious. The anxiousness went away immediately after finding Katie, who looked pleasantly surprised that Lily showed up at all.

"Told you I'd come," Lily said, trying not to take it to heart. She was also hoping that whatever Katie was holding behind her back wasn't a bug, even if she just had a beetle on her wrist; it was just a different experience entirely when it was a surprise.

"Right," Katie said, definitely sounding pleased. "Well, where too, then?"

The first step on Lily's agenda was a very personal one. It took them a bit to get there, since Lily spent a good five minutes squealing and trying to get the spider toy Katie dropped down her robes out.

"Consider it payback for standing me up so many times," Katie said between laughs, as they stepped into the store. "Also, hats? Really?"

"Really!" Lily said with a hum, dragging Katie forward by the hand and deciding to pay her back later.

Katie did not seem to enjoy the prospects of buying hats as much as Lily did, but that was alright. She certainly seemed to enjoy watching Lily model them for her, at the very least. Next, Lily dragged her to the sweet's shop, where she had to be convinced out of buying half their stock. She settled for as much candy as she could physically hold, and then Katie wanted to stop in at the Quidditch supplies stop. Lily bought her the nicest set of cleaning and pruning supplies in stock (and an extra set for Ron's upcoming present, as well), and then noticed Katie looking at her strangely as they left.

"Why hats?" Katie asked, pointing at the one Lily was wearing (currently bright yellow, but it was supposed to change colours based off the strongest emotion the wearer was currently feeling).

"Because you brought me there on our first date," Lily said, bumping her shoulder with her own.

"I'd hardly call that a date."

"I'm choosing to look back on it fondly!"

"You rejected me!"

"Yes, well- I was a stupid little girl."

"It hasn't even been a full year!"

"Say," Lily said, pulling Katie forward again and ignoring the last comment. "Want to go somewhere else?"

"Where did you have in mind?" Katie asked. Lily just smiled, grabbed her by the hand, and then dragged her to the wooded path.

The where was the Shrieking Shack, and Katie did not seem impressed by it one bit. There wasn't anybody else in sight, and while the other girl joined Lily in leaning against the nearby fence, she seemed a bit putout.

"Sorry," was all Lily could think to say.

"About what?" Katie asked without looking at her.

"I thought- err- I thought you'd like it."

"Like the place you dumped me the first time?"

"Right," Lily said, going red again. "But I didn't exactly- err- that's what the 'sorry' was for."

Lily attempted to place her hand on Katie's only for the other girl to move away and let out a deep sigh.

"I just don't understand what you want, Lily," Katie said.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you sometimes make me feel so terrible," Katie said. "And then, you- you go and give me a great day and I'm just- I'm confused."

"Sorry," Lily said, playing with some of the snow pooled on the fence. This suddenly wasn't going very well, and she was having a hard time remembering Sirius's advice.

"I just- what do you want Lily? Honestly? I don't want to bring the mood down, I just- I just want to know if this is going anywhere. A girl can only take so much, you know?"

Right. Time for some confidence.

"I want you to go to the Ball with me," Lily said, moving quickly and placing her hand on Katie's for real this time. The other girl kept her silence, but their fingers linked and Lily could feel her heartbeat through her palm.

"I don't know," Katie said hesitantly.

"You can have my Firebolt!"
"What- Why would I want that?"

"Because I really mean it!"

"I don't want your broom," Katie said, squeezing her hand. "I just- I just want you to make up your mind."

"I'm sorry, Katie," Lily said. "I was in a bad place last year. And I have made up my mind. I want you to go to the Ball with me."

"You don't think everybody will think it's weird that you're going with a friend?" Katie asked nervously, their shoulders touching.

Lily leaned in close and turned Katie's face towards her.

Confidence.

"I don't want to go with a friend," she said right before kissing her.

Lily lost track of time and body. One moment, they were still just leaning against the fence. The next, they were wrapped around each other, one of Katie's hands tangled in Lily's hair. They only came back to reality at all and broke apart because Lily could have sworn she heard a branch break from the nearby woods.

"Just an animal," she said with a nervous laugh.

"Yeah," Katie said, brushing hair from her red face again, and then moving in to renew their kiss. Lily allowed it, but she had also had other plans, so her hand that wasn't exploring was reaching for the fencepost and collecting a bit of snow. Then, without skipping a beat, Lily slipped it down Katie's neck and under her robes.

"You complete berk!" Katie shouted, immediately squealing and moving away.

"That's for the spider!" Lily said, laughing. "Come to think of it, I seem to remember you doing the same thing the last time we were here!"

"That was before the kiss!" Katie said, moving back forward and playfully shoving Lily. "Way to ruin a nice moment."

"Does that mean you're leaving me already?"

"Hardly," Katie said with a snort, joining Lily in leaning against the fence again. "Alicia will never let it go if she finds I finally got a girlfriend and broke up with her right after."

That was when Lily noticed their hands were entwined between them once more. She found herself quite lost for words.

"Merlin, you're pretty," she finally said, earning a brilliant smile from Katie.

"You, too," Katie said. "I- err- I don't know if I ever told you, but I love your hair. Even if it is short for a while."

"Thanks," Lily said, feeling stupid.

"You'll have to show me your routine."

"So, that's a yes?" Lily asked, recalling Katie mentioning having a girlfriend.

Katie laughed and pulled Lily along, hands still together, back towards the path.

"I'll need a dress."

"Well, luckily for you, I happen to be late to my appointment!"

"How is that lucky?"

"Because you'll probably get to use mine after Daphne Greengrass murders me. Say, want to stop for a butterbeer, first?"

"I'm starting to think you just wanted to come here because of Madame Rosmerta," Katie said over her half-full mug.

"What was that?" Lily asked, finally pulling her eyes away from the delightfully busty woman.

"Nothing," Katie said, taking another sip. "So, did you figure out what the next task is, yet?"

"Err-" Lily took a long drink to buy herself time. "Well- don't tell Hermione, but I've only opened the egg once, and- err- I didn't really catch a word of it to be honest."

"What? Wasn't it supposed to have a riddle in it? That's what Bagman told us after you all were done."

"Yes," Lily said slowly, "but it's not in English. It's just- it's more of a screech, really."

"A screech?"

"Hermione thinks I've been working on it every night, trying to figure out what language it is, but really I've just been doodling- err- well, it doesn't matter what."

"What do you think it is?" Katie asked.

"Harpy, maybe?" Lily asked. "All their speech sounds like screeching, and we do have those fancy new mountains. Ministry probably wants to get some more use out of them, yeah?"

"Maybe you'll have to play Quidditch against Gwenog Jones," Katie said with a laugh, drinking deeply from her butterbeer.

"Maybe," Lily said, thinking about her now. "Course, it could also be- oh. I really am an idiot."

"What?" Katie asked, staring as Lily hopped up from her seat. "Where are you going?"

"Come on," Lily said, grabbing her up by the hand. "I've figured it out, and we have a pool to visit."

"Come again?"

"It's mermish!" Lily said with a frantic little laugh. "I can't believe I didn't think about it before!"

"Since when does Hogwarts have a pool?" Katie asked as Lily dragged her inside of the Secret Chamber.

"Since now," Lily said with a shrug, tossing the golden egg to the side before tearing off her robe and doing the same to that.

"You know," Katie said as she watched her sit on the ground and remove her boots next. "If you wanted to show off your swimsuit, you could have just asked. It's not like I would have said 'no.'"

"I- err-" Lily said, pulling her socks free, next. "I don't actually own a suit."

"What? Then how are you planning on listening to the egg?"

"Like this," Lily said before hopping up and jumping into the pool while wearing the rest of her clothes.

There was a brief moment of fear and panic as her face and head were submerged, but Lily kept repeating the words Confidence and Gryffindor in her head. Plus, the pool wasn't really that deep (the water only coming up to her shoulders), since she specifically requested it not to be, so as soon as her toes touched the bottom, she pushed back and at least pulled her head back to air.

"Alright," Katie said, dipping her bare feet in the water, egg held in her lap, "you certainly have my attention. But you're going to have to get a suit eventually if we want to come back here."

"You want to come back here?" Lily asked, blinking in surprise (and also rubbing at them, since they were now stinging).

"Why wouldn't I?" Katie asked, laughing again. "Some quality alone time and I get to see some skin? Sounds like my favourite dream."

"Right," Lily said, certain she was now red from head to toe. She was grateful she kept her waistcoat on; her shirt underneath was now see-through, and she didn't need Katie to have something else to see right now. "Err- can I have the egg?"

"Sure can!" Katie said, happily tossing the egg into the air. Lily moved sluggishly to catch it, not at all used to how much water hindered her mobility. Thankfully, it wasn't meant to be out of her reach, and she scooped it out of the air.

"Well, here goes nothing," she said, taking a deep breath, ignoring the nagging fear in the back of her head, and then submerging herself. Once she was under, she turned the hinge at the top of the egg, and the previously screeching voice turned into wonderful music.

"Well?" Katie asked as she came back up, gasping for air. "Was it mermish?"

"Yes," Lily said, pushing her sodden hair out of her face.

"And? What's it say?"

"Come seek us where our voices sound-"

"Wait," Katie said, cutting her off. "Since when can you sing?"

"Since always," Lily said, her face burning again. She wondered if she'd ever get used to embarrassing herself. "I just- err- don't do it in front of others."

"You sing in the shower, don't you?"

"No!"

She sang in the bath, as a matter of fact, as she far preferred those. She would also sing and dance along with her records, provided there wasn't anybody else in the room. Those moments were becoming rarer and rarer, since she couldn't even sneak the record player into the bathroom on account of the Slytherin walls not being soundproof as well as Hermione always clinging as close to her side as possible.

Oh, Merlin, she left Hermione alone with Greengrass. She was going to pay for that later.

"Can I do the rest of it, please?" Lily asked after a few more moments of teasing. She really needed to wrap this up. It'd take ten minutes to sprint back to Hogsmeade at her best time.

"Sure, sure," Katie said, still smiling widely. "But I want a song, later, Potter, you owe me."

Lily tried not to worry about that too much and took it as a good sign that Katie wanted to meet up again at all.

Come seek us where our voices sound, we cannot sing above the ground.

And while you're searching ponder this, we guard our prize amongst the fish.

An hour long you'll have to thief, but do your best to keep it brief.

The rarer treasure that you keep, will help you rise from the deep.

Just stay away from our stern gaze, or be pulled down into your grave.

"So, you have to steal something from them?" Katie asked, playing with the egg in her hands by spinning it over and over.

"That's what it sounds like," Lily said, clearing her throat to hide the embarrassment she was still feeling.

"But what?"

"Dunno," Lily said. "I've got an hour to figure it out, though."

"So, what's the problem, then?"

"Pardon?"

"You seem like you're afraid of something," Katie said, pointing at her. "I'd recognize that face anywhere. What's wrong?"

"Well," Lily said slowly, "I just- there's one little thing that- err-"

"We can get you a suit, Lily," Katie said, laughing again. "No need to be nervous about it."

"It's- err- something else."

"And that is?"

"I- err- don't know how to swim."