"Potter really doesn't show any mercy, does she?" Anthony said, holding a hand over his eyes to block out the light of the sun. Hermione could hardly hear him over the roaring din of the crowd around them. Plus, a certain Durmstrang Headmaster wouldn't stop screaming every time Lily did anything at all.

"FOUL! FOUL!"

"She's just keeping up with the Slytherin tradition," Hermione said, not at all worried about it.

She was far more worried about finishing up this sweater for Dobby; he liked nothing more than to spend his hard earned salary on clothing, and she was flattered that he thought highly enough of her handmade stuff to commission her. Unfortunately, it was an awful lot of work. Dobby liked his articles to have clashing colours in high abundance, and he was also a big fan of funky little patterns.

"If you say so," Anthony said. "Other might call it 'unsportsmanlike.' You'd never catch any of our players acting like such a-"

"Don't say it," Hermione said warningly, her croquet needles slipping on each other.

Anthony sighed. "You know, Hermione, it might be nice to have you on my side for once instead of Potter's. When was the last time we did something together without you running off looking for her? You don't even have breakfast with us anymore."

"Last weekend, at Hogsmeade," Hermione said, screwing up her face in concentration. Dobby's stuff was very difficult, but she almost enjoyed the challenge, and it was really helping to improve her skills. Now, her stuff always looked like how it was supposed to, even if she still sometimes screwed up on some small details. She let out a little sigh, wishing she had the time to get some sewing done with Lily again; the two girls were just so busy getting Lily's marks up to snuff.

"I seem to recall you running off there, too."

"And I seem to recall Lily being attacked by a Death Eater."

"Is that what we're calling it now? The papers are saying-"

"The papers are wrong," Hermione said firmly. "It wasn't Belby, it was a-"

Hermione was interrupted by the crowd around her suddenly standing up and screaming as loudly as they could, startling her so much that she dropped what she was working on and had to drop to her hands and knees to find the thing before somebody could stomp on it. When she came back up, she saw what all the commotion was about (rather than hear, since Karkaroff was shouting in a frantic Bulgarian); Krum and Lily were both shooting up into the sky, Lily too far behind to catch up.

"GO, LILY!" Hermione shouted into the din, waving around the half-finished sweater like a little flag or banner.

She joined the rest of Slytherin in expressing her disappointment moments after, as well, when Lily was sent off the field by Mia Alderton.

"I better go check on her," Hermione said, sighing and tucking her sweater away inside her robes. She'd have to finish it later, when she could find the time for it. Perhaps if Lily fell asleep early enough, she'd be able to fit in some later tonight.

"Must you?" Anthony said impertinently.

"Yes," Hermione said perhaps a bit too sharply. "She's my friend, Anthony. You're going to have to get used to me wanting to help her."

"It's just- it's seems like she's the only one you want to help."
"I'm not talking about this," Hermione said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek just to shut him up. "I'll see you after supper, yeah?"

"I suppose," Anthony said, at least seeming a bit happier as she slipped through the stands and made her way downwards.

Hermione made her way downwards as quickly as possible, completely uninterested in the game above them now that Lily was out of the running. Still, it took her much longer than she would have liked to reach the dark hallway tunnel (as spectators generally didn't want to move from their spots, lest they miss a pivotal moment of somebody getting brained by a bludger). As she made her way down it, breathing some hot air into her hands to rub out some of the sudden chill, a Beauxbatons girl went running straight past her. Hermione found that strange and hurried up her pace.

Just as she reached the door to the Slytherin changing rooms, a second Beauxbatons girl came running out, pale faced and panicked.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, only to be shoved out of the way and ignored. Hermione scrambled back up to her feet and hurried inside the room, worried about what they must have done to Lily. She let out a sigh of relief when the first thing she saw was her friend standing in the room, safe and unharmed, if a little frazzled.

And then her eyes turned to the girl bleeding out on the floor.

"Oh!" Hermione said, raising a hand to cover her mouth. "Clara? Lily, what did- what did you do?"

Lily said nothing. She continued staring at the French girl, and Hermione noticed her hands were trembling, as well as that she'd dropped her wand on to the floor. Hermione doubted she'd even noticed. Hermione took a deep breath to banish away the panic rising in her chest, and then she took her first step into the room and shut the door firmly behind her, locking it with a whispered incantation and tap of her own wand. Then, she turned her attention back to the task at hand.

She wasn't proud of her first thought: how on earth was she going to help Lily hide the body when it had already been seen by two witnesses? She worried at her lip with her teeth as her mind raced, but then Clara coughed, and a bit of the panic went away.

"Wand, Lily," Hermione said, hurrying forward. "We've got to stop the bleeding."

Hermione searched around frantically for something to put pressure on Clara's wound when she found what must have triggered the event: someone had placed a gorilla suit in the place of what was, undoubtedly, Lily's school robes. Charming, Hermione thought, grabbing a robe from the nearest cubby, instead. Then, her own hands surprisingly steady, and trying to ignore some very vivid memories of a certain event in the Chamber of Secrets, she knelt on the ground and pressed down with it firmly over Clara's chest.

The girl's eyes were open, searching around frantically while she desperately tried to wheeze in air that only seemed to make her cough harder.

"It's alright," Hermione said, her voice shaking. "It's alright, Clara. You're going to be alright. Lily!"

Lily was still standing, frozen in shock, but she snapped to when Hermione shouted at her.

"Pick up your wand and help me," Hermione said, gesturing to Clara's body with her head.

"Right," Lily said, taking a tentative step. "Right, I'll- I'll go get-"

"No!" Hermione said quickly when the girl turned towards the door. "Just- just get over here, and keep the pressure on her chest."

"Right," Lily said, hurrying forward and taking up opposite Hermione, taking her place in holding the robe down on Clara's wound.

"What spell did you cast?" Hermione asked, reaching to the side for her wand. Her hands were sticky with blood, but she didn't have time to care about that.

"I- I don't- I was trying to-"

"Focus, Lily," Hermione said, placing one hand under Lily's chin and forcing her to make eye contact. "I need you to remember. Do you know the counter curse?"

"No," Lily said very slowly. "I- I didn't even know what the sp-spell would- would d-do. It was just-"

"Right," Hermione standing quickly and taking another deep breath. "Keep pressure on the wound, alright? I- I'm going to go get Pomfrey." Her eyes locked with Lily's, and Hermione didn't like what she saw. Hermione hoped Lily would just agree with what she was told, instead of suggesting what Hermione was afraid she was thinking.

"Right," Lily said, leaning forward to put more weight and pressure on the cloth. "I'll- I'll just-" Before Lily got a chance to say what she was going to do, the door to the changing room opened (after a loud click of the lock being undone), and both girls turned their heads to see what was happening now.

Severus Snape was standing at the doorway, beady eyes locked on to what they were doing, one of the French girls cowering behind him.

"Step away, Potter," he said, entering the room casually and drawing his wand from his sleeve.

"But-"

"Move."

"Come on, Lily," Hermione said gently grabbing Lily from under the shoulder and moving her to her feet. She felt a tremendous amount of relief, even if Snape wasn't the optimal person to catch them.

Snape crouched down and removed the robe from Clara's chest. The girl's already erratic breathing was slowing down, and her face was terribly pale. Hermione chewed at her lip, certain that they were only seconds from witnessing another mortal's death, and now completely unable to push away her memories of Lily bleeding out down in the dark. Snape studied the wound for only a moment, and then he tapped his wand to it.

"Vulnera Sanentur," he said. In just a moment, the wound began stitching itself back up, closing and sealing together, and Clara's breathing became more stable, even though her eyes remained closed in unconsciousness.

"Oh, thank Merlin," Hermione said, letting out the breath she was holding.

"You," Snape said, pointing at the French girl. "Go to Madam Pomfrey and inform her that I will be bringing a patient shortly. Advise her to have dittany on hand; we may yet prevent any scarring."

The French girl blinked at him, and Snape rolled his eyes before repeating the instructions in a lazy French. Hermione noticed Lily raise hand to her own chest, her face changing. She couldn't quite read the expression before-

"Granger," Snape said, placing one hand on Clara's forehead. "You will take Potter to your dorm, and you will ensure she does not leave before I come for her."

"Come on, Lily," Hermione said, grabbing her by the hand. "We've got to go."

Lily looked like, for a moment, she might resist, but then she nodded and allowed Hermione to lead the way. As they passed through dressing room door, a great cheer went up in the stands above them, the spectators chanting one, single name.

"KRUM! KRUM! KRUM! KRUM!"

Lily couldn't stop thinking on the way to the dark, cold dungeons. Not about anything in particular, but about anything and everything, just to keep her mind busy and as far away from her current predicament as possible. She thought about how much homework she needed to get done this weekend, she thought about sucking it up and talking to Katie again, she thought about ordering a new set of dresses from Madam Malkin's, she thought about slipping in an extra one for Hermione if she could just find a way to get the girl's measurements, she thought about S.P.E.W. and what her students would be going over tomorrow, and she thought about the Firebolt that she'd left sitting in the changing rooms (and hoping that no one would be stupid enough to try and steal it).

Mostly, though, she thought about the summer, and the curse that almost killed her. She had vague memories of her trip to St. Mungo's. She had vague memories of the Healers talking about how hopeless it was. And then she had vague memories of a familiar voice calling them muppets and then healing her in an instant.

Her chest kept itching, right where the curse had hit her, and she couldn't stop scratching at it.

She shook her head to get rid of that particular thought, and then when she opened her eyes from blinking, she found she was sitting on her bed in the safety of her room, staring at her hands, Hermione saying something right in front of her. It sounded like she was so far away.

"What?" Lily asked, shaking her head again to focus.

"You need to wash, Lily," Hermione said, nervously looking down at Lily's hands. Lily turned her own gaze back down.

"Oh," Lily said, lifting them and rubbing at some dried specks of Clara's blood with her thumb. How long had she been sitting here? A glance at the clock on the wall told her it'd been over an hour. She kept sitting there, folding her hands back in her lap, her heart beating quickly in her chest, and her scar pounding. She couldn't remember the last time it hurt this bad, but squeezing her eyes shut did nothing to relieve any of the pressure inside her skull.

"Lily, you need to-"

"I was going to let her die," Lily blurted out quickly. "I- I felt good about it. If you hadn't come in- she- she would have been-"

Lily looked up, expecting support, but was instead met with a look of fear.

"Lily-" Hermione said, her face changing like she'd realized what she'd done.

"She deserved it," Lily said, quickly trying to defend herself, jumping up to her feet. "Don't try to tell me she didn't."

"I-" Hermione swallowed and stood up a bit straighter. "You almost killed her, Lily."

"You're the one who told me to stand up for yourself!"

"I just meant to tell her off, or something!" Hermione said. "I didn't mean to curse her! I told you I was worried about how you kept escalating things!"

"She had it coming," Lily said, storming off towards the loo, the feeling of dried blood on her hands suddenly unbearable.

"Lily, wait!"

Lily closed the door behind her and clicked the lock shut, then leaned against it and slid all the way to the ground, where she tucked her head between her knees and took in a deep, shaky breath. She kept breathing, even when it became hard, like her chest had some great weight on it that was keeping her lungs from expanding. She felt like she needed air, fresh air, but trying to go outside right now would be impossible.
The best she could do was to hop up to her feet to pace, back and forth across the small bathroom, trying to fan her face as if that would help oxygen flow through her veins or cease her pounding headache. When it didn't, she turned the cold water on in the sink, splashed her face with as much as she could, and then leaned against the cool porcelain, hands gripping the edge hard enough to turn her knuckles white. Clara's blood was still on her hands, although a good bit had come off when she was using the water. When she looked up at her reflection in the mirror, she noticed some under her chin, too, from where Hermione touched her.

She scrubbed both hands and face until her skin was raw and pink, but it didn't make her feel any better. If anything, it just made her face numb, which made her pulsating scar even worse.

She wasn't even sure how she was feeling. She wasn't sure if the guilt trapped in her heart was over almost killing someone, for not finishing the job, or simply for getting caught. She took another breath, coming easier this time, trying to clear her mind of thoughts, just like she was taught, but all it did was focus her mind on the image of a former friend dying on the floor.

"Who cares?" a familiar voice asked. "It was just Clara."

Lily nearly jumped out of her skin, and when she reached for her wand, she found her holster was empty. Squaring up with her fists instead, she took a quick glance around the room, only to find it completely empty, sans for the toilet, tub, sink, and the-

"Calm down," her mirror reflection said, rolling her eyes. "It's just you in here."

Lily lowered her hands, and she couldn't help but noticing that her reflection wasn't reflecting her movements in the slightest. It still looked just like her- short red hair, pink lipstick, a tiny bit of eyeshadow, two ruby earrings- aside from the cocky smirk lining her lips.

"Am I going mad?" Lily asked, a tiny, hysteric laugh escaping her.

"Maybe," her reflection said, shrugging. "But all the best witches and wizards are a little mad."

Lily blinked at herself slowly. She couldn't help but remember Krum's words from before.

You should not use dark magic. It changes a person.

"Right," she said, laughing again. She just hoped this wasn't going to be a permanent change. "Well, with all due respect, I don't think a mirror is the right person to trust."

"Then trust yourself," mirror Lily said, pounding her chest with a closed fist (and real Lily could almost feel it). "You didn't do anything wrong."

"We almost killed her," Lily said, not quite caring.

"Again, who cares?" mirror Lily said. "She had it coming. How many times have we warned her to back off?"

"But-"

"We shouldn't have to feel bad about it," she said, starting to make a lot of sense. "She deserved it, and much worse. Don't bother thinking otherwise."

Lily shook her head and turned her gaze back down to the sink, rubbing at her still pounding scar. She left the faucet on, and she watched as the water swirled down into the drain.

"She was weak," the other Lily kept saying, voice oddly toneless. "She kept challenging you. She had to learn eventually."

"That doesn't mean she deserved to die."

"But you know she did! You felt it, too, after we did it."

"That- that was just-"

"Don't feel bad, Lily," other Lily said. "You did the right thing. Besides, she didn't die. No harm done. At least now, people might stop bothering us."

Lily shook her head again, certain her own brain was just trying to tell her what she wanted to hear.

"We did the right thing, Lily," other Lily said. "We did the right thing. We shouldn't have to feel bad when they made us do this."

"They're going to expel me," Lily said quietly.

"Maybe," other Lily said. Lily could hear the smirk in her voice. "Maybe not. I think you'll- we'll- be surprised."

"You really think so?" Lily asked, her heart beating quickly.

"Oh, I know so. Just trust me- trust yourself. You did nothing wrong."

Let your heart pick the destination, Lily thought to herself. Well, what does a psychotic break count as?

"Alright," she said, nodding along. "I'll try-"
Somebody knocked at the door, and when she looked back up at the mirror, her reflection was back to just how it should be: tired and scared looking.

"Lily?" Hermione said through the door. "Snape is here. Are you- are you alright in there?"

Lily nodded to herself, and then took a deep breath and stood up straight. She was right, even if she was having a little episode. She shouldn't feel bad. She took another deep breath, opened the door, and walked straight past the still nervous looking Hermione. Snape was standing at their entrance, staring at her curiously. When Lily tried to pass by him, he turned with her, placing a hand on her back.

"This way, Potter," he said, leading her to the left instead of towards the common room proper.

"Where are we going?" Lily asked when he started taking her to a dead end.

"It would not do to escort you through the common room," Snape said, stopping the both of them at a blank wall. "The Head of House gets certain privileges. Authority is to be respected."

Lily almost got snarky with him, but, apparently, that was supposed to be a password, because the blank wall was opening up into a staircase that stretched upwards endlessly.

"This way, Potter," Snape said, guiding her by the back again. "And you are not to use this passage yourself. Do I make myself clear?"

Lily didn't argue. It wasn't quite time yet. She was fairly certain this staircase was physically impossible, though, but Hogwarts didn't seem to care that it had to climb straight out of the Lake, where there wasn't a single structure visible from anywhere else. Lily would know, having been forced to explore a good portion of it. The passage also didn't have any visible light sources- instead being a single stretch of stone walls and steps without so much as a railing to keep them from falling- and, yet, it was very bright in there.

Lily kept trying to shake off Snape's hand from her back as they made their ascent, but every time he just kept putting it back. She wanted to complain, but she didn't feel like she was in a position to do so. She felt like she owed him, and that made her sick to her stomach.

"You saved my life over the summer," she said matter-of-factly, rubbing at her chest with her left hand again, where she still had a barely visible scar (and, really, she could only find it because she knew it was there to begin with).

"Yes," Snape said, not bothering to deny it.

"How did you know my blood type?" Lily asked, vaguely remembering it being mentioned. "I didn't even know it."

"It does not matter," Snape said. "Cease your questions."

"You're the one who gave me the spell," Lily said, purposefully phrasing it as a statement. That also meant he'd taught it to the Dark Lord, but she didn't want to think about that part.

"Yes," Snape said, albeit over a longer pause. "Although, I believe you were warned it was for enemies exclusively."

"She was," Lily said defensively.

"She's fourteen. Your teenaged tantrums can hardly be referred to as-"

"You have no idea what she's done," Lily snapped, "or what's it like to have someone- to have everybody- just shut up for once. Please." Her scar was starting to increase in pain again, and she started rubbing at it, hoping it would go away.

Lily was surprised when Snape seemed to do just that. They continued up their secret little staircase until it emerged all the way up on to the top floor. In fact, it came out right next to the gargoyle that guarded the entrance to Dumbledore's office. Lily couldn't help but wonder if every House had their own hidden route to the Headmaster (although Gryffindor wouldn't need one, already being so close), but she supposed it didn't matter at this point. Snape stopped in front of the statue, and Lily waited for him to speak the password so they could get this over with.

"Listen to me carefully, Potter," Snape said instead. "When we go in there, you are going to keep quiet and let others do the speaking for you."

"I'm not going to just-"

"Listen," Snape said. "What you've done is very serious. Two of the governors are up there, plus the Minister and his assistant, and if you speak out of turn or anger, you will only be making things worse for yourself."

"What do you care?" Lily said. "You wanted me expelled ages ago."

"That is not entirely accurate," Snape said slowly. "I merely sought a change in behaviour. My failure has led directly to this moment."

Lily snorted and crossed her arms. "Just give the password."

Snape seemed like he wanted to say more, but he turned to the gargoyle and spoke the password, instead. Lily didn't wait for him. She hopped straight onto the platform and started up the spiral staircase. She could hear the voices arguing inside of Dumbledore's office, as well as Snape's hard heels following up the steps behind her, but she didn't bother knocking before pushing the door open.

"Hello, Lily," Dumbledore said calmly, his voice piercing through the raised voices. The portraits lining the walls around them started a chorus of shushing, silencing the ongoing arguments from the other occupants of the room.

Lily took a quick glance around, still standing at the doorway. Sirius was waiting by an empty chair that was clearly meant to be hers, looking completely furious (but still smiling at her slightly). Augusta Longbottom was standing next to him, still wearing that ridiculous stuffed vulture, and glaring across the room at her fellow school governor, Lucius Malfoy. He just looked calm and oddly pleased. He had Cornelius Fudge at his side, his face a beet red and sweat on his forehead. Dolores Umbridge stood next to him, looking like she could not possibly be having a better day.

"Come, Potter," Snape said, placing a hand on her back to guide her to her seat.

"You keep your hands off of her," Sirius said, quickly throwing an arm around her shoulders and moving her away from him.

"If you insist," Snape said, shrugging at him.

"Let's not coddle the girl," Fudge said, dabbing at his forehead with a handkerchief. Lily noticed his bowler hat sitting at a nearby table as she sat down. "She knows what she's done."

"Indeed," Umbridge said, smiling at her pleasantly. "There's not a doubt in my mind that Potter knew exactly what she was doing."

"You don't know that," Sirius said defensively. "We don't know for sure what happened yet."

"What is there to discuss, Dumbledore?" Fudge said, hands now playing nervously with his handkerchief. "We have two witnesses who saw her curse the girl- and with dark magic, may I add. As far as I am concerned, the case is closed."

"The Ministry has no say in Hogwarts matters, Cornelius," Dumbledore said, still staring directly at Lily. "Until the law is changed, the both of us are beholden to the decisions of the Governors."

"She can not be allowed to stay!" Fudge said desperately. "For Merlin's sake, Albus, she almost killed a girl! We cannot keep protecting her!"

"And this isn't the first time, either," Umbridge said, jumping into the silence. "Hazel has a long record of violent and erratic behaviour, even from her days with the Muggles. She is responsible for twelve instances of hospitalization, not to mention countless cases of underage magic."

Twelve? Lily thought, her scar pounding again. She could remember one, now, for sure- and the girls definitely had it coming, even if she didn't do it on purpose- but twelve? Umbridge had to be lying.

"Accidental bouts of magic," Dumbledore clarified, snapping Lily back to attention. He noticed him scowling as she continued to rub at her scar, and she removed her hands back to her lap.

"She's dangerous," Fudge said. "And when the public finds out about this- it will mean both of our heads, Albus. She's got to go."

"It is your Ministry that elected not to report any prior infractions," Dumbledore said. "Until such a time where Miss Lavigne decides to pursue this matter legally, there is no reason for us to break prior precedent, and there is no reason Miss Potter should not be allowed to remain at school."

"You can't be serious, Dumbledore!" Fudge said, his face somehow growing redder. "There is no containing this! She used dark magic to attack an innocent girl!"

"Is she so innocent?" Gran said, voice cold and even. "Do you have any idea how many reports of bullying we've received this year, just occurring from our foreign friends at Beauxbatons?"

"Even so, there's no proving-"

"Get over yourself," Gran interrupted. "You've read the papers just as much as the rest of us. The whole world can't stop picking on Potter. It's no wonder she finally snapped and fought back, and there's no rule against students defending themselves."

"We have no proof she was defending herself!"

"If I may, Minister," Snape said, speaking slowly. "The witnesses have also told us that Miss Lavigne was only in the Slytherin changing rooms in the first place in order to torment Miss Potter. It seems they were in the middle of swapping her clothes out for a gorilla suit when she happened to walk into them."

"Hem hem," Umbridge said, pretending to clear her throat. "There is a clear distinction between protecting oneself and escalating a situation. If all the Beauxbatons students were doing was pulling a harmless little prank, then I hardly see how Hazel's reaction is warranted."

"A harmless prank?" Sirius said, sounding madder than she'd ever heard him before. "Have you lost it?"

"A bit of hazing is a Hogwarts tradition, Mr. Black," Umbridge said. "Especially in Slytherin. And I seem to recall you partaking in quite a bit of it back in your own day, despite not being of our House."

"That- that was different!"

"This goes well beyond a simple case of hazing," Snape said, glaring at Sirius. "Potter has been zealously targeted by the Lavigne girl since they arrived from France. She's already received multiple warnings from her own Headmistress. That she has escaped discipline thus far lies entirely on who her father is."

"Perhaps," Umbridge said. "But those of their ilk are often wrong in the head. It's no surprise it came to this."

"Their ilk?" Sirius said. "What, pray tell, is that supposed to mean?"

"The girl has a deviant mind," Umbridge said, gesturing towards Lily. "Or have you forgotten her previous fraternization with the Belby woman?"

"I would advise you to stop speaking," Dumbledore said, the unhidden fury in his voice startling Lily out of what she'd been about to say.

"You can hardly deny that-"

"Hazel's romantic inclinations are no basis for her behaviour," Dumbledore said. "Who she chooses to love is of no business of yours or to the discussion at hand. Suggest so again, and I'm afraid you must be asked to leave."

"Very well," Umbridge said at last, puffing out her little chest and holding her chin high. "If you insist."

"Now," Dumbledore said, leaning back in his seat. "We may talk in circles all day, if we'd like, but it will get us nowhere. I will not be expelling nor suspending Hazel. Augusta? Lucius? I assume the two of you arrived with the decisions of the Governors?"

"We have," Gran said, glaring straight at Lucius as if he was the most revolting thing she'd ever seen. Lily knew then that she was being removed for sure.

"The board has elected unanimously on the matter, as a matter of fact," Lucius said, speaking for the first time and sounding immensely pleased. "It is our decision that Miss Potter will not be removed from school at this time, as she has done nothing wrong."

"Come again?" Lily asked, unable to stop herself.

"Children fight," Lucius said, shrugging and ignoring the strange looks everybody in the room was giving him. "The other girl will not even live with a scar, and her father has decided to remove her from school. We have taken that as an admission of guilt."

"Clara is gone?" Lily said, ignoring the sharp look from Snape.

"I believe I just said so, yes," Lucius said.

"I'm not being punished?"

"You did nothing wrong," Lucius repeated.

Lily couldn't believe what she was hearing, and if she hadn't been surrounded by people who still seemed very upset with her, she might have laughed.

"Nothing wrong?" Fudge said, staring at him incredulously. "Lucius, my friend, are you under your own control?"
"If you'd like for me to submit to an Imperius test, I would be more than happy to do so," Lucius said. "But I assure you I am quite sound of mind, as are the rest of the Governors. It is our decision that Potter be allowed to continue her studies unabated."

That time, Lily did laugh, even if it did seem to infuriate Fudge and Umbridge further. It was almost too good to be true. She was right- the other her was right, even if it was just a figment of a cracking mind! Clara was gone, and she was going to-

"She's not staying," Sirius said, ruining her premature celebration. "I'm not letting her stay here any longer. Hogwarts has been nothing but trouble for her."

"You mean to tell me you had no intentions of leaving her here at all?" Fudge said, sounding even madder if it was possible.

"I've wanted her out for ages," Sirius said. "You should know that. I gave you the paperwork myself."

"You're joking," Lily said seriously.

"I'm not," Sirius said. "This has been a long time coming."

"But- but-"

"She must at least finish out the year," Lucius said, his smile and aura of smugness completely vanishing.

"Not happening," Sirius said, grabbing Lily's shoulder protectively. Lily shook him off. Before now, she wouldn't have ever believed she'd be agreeing with Lucius Malfoy.

"Hem hem," Umbridge said, lifting a hand to her throat. "Excuse me. The air is awful dry in here. Miss Potter cannot be allowed to leave Hogwarts just yet."

"Oh, now you want her to stay?" Sirius said.

"Her expulsion was always a matter of when," Umbridge said. "It could not have been completed regardless until the tournament has been completed. Or have you forgotten that she is required to compete?"

"Then I'll bring her back for the task," Sirius said.

"I'm not leaving," Lily said, her statement going completely ignored.

"She must be a student of Hogwarts," Umbridge said. "That means she must-"

"There is no rule that indicates a student must be present at their represented school for the entirety of term," Dumbledore said. "Only that they compete in the tasks themselves."

"I'm not going anywhere," Lily said, trying to stand only to be forced back down by Sirius's hand.

"I'm afraid I must insist that she-"

"The Ministry has no power over where a student acquire their education," Dumbledore said, interrupting a bristling Umbridge. "As Sirius has already filled out the required paperwork, I'm afraid you have no sway on the matter. If he wishes to remove Hazel from our school, he has every right to do so."

"Very well," Umbridge said, a strange twinkle in her eye. "We will see where the matter lies in the future, then."

"There is still the matter of her attacking a foreign student on school grounds," Fudge said, dabbing at his forehead again.

"If the Lavignes have no interest in pursuing charges, I see no reason why Hazel should not be allowed to go free," Dumbledore said.

"We cannot continue to sweep her crimes under the rug, Dumbledore," Fudge said, going red again. "I have humoured you thus far for the sake of peace, but she's gone too far this time. If she's a dark wizard, then I will not cover for her any further."

"I'm not a dark-"

"I am not asking you to cover for her," Dumbledore said, the whole room Lily's swearing when she was cut off yet again. "I am asking only for your discretion. You wish to try Hazel as an adult, but there is no need to do so."

"She almost killed somebody!"

"She deserved it!" Lily snapped, ignoring another look from Snape.

"See!" Fudge said, pointing at her. "She's not even remorseful, Dumbledore! It's only a matter of time before she tries again!"

"Cornelius," Dumbledore said calmly, as if he was speaking to a toddler having a tantrum. "The matter has been settled. There is no need for the Ministry to interfere any further- nor do you have any legal right to do so. Pursuing this any further would be the greatest mistake of your career."

"So you say, Dumbledore," Fudge said. "But- but-"

"Let it go, Cornelius," Umbridge said pleasantly. "It is our own mistake for giving Hogwarts so much control over our children's futures- one that we will make sure to correct."

Lily didn't like the look she was giving Dumbledore, and even the Headmaster seemed to be uncomfortable at the implications.

"Very well," Fudge said at last. "But this is the last time, Dumbledore. Get the girl under control before she actually kills somebody."

"I understand, Cornelius," Dumbledore said, nodding patiently.

"And we will be discussing this further," Fudge said, snatching his bowler hat from the table and placing it firmly on his head. "If the Ministry needs to step in to get this school on the right track, then so be it."

"I am looking forward to the political discourse," Dumbledore said, smiling in a friendly manner.

"Come," Fudge said, Umbridge following him out at the door right at his heel, Lucius following right after them. Lily was certain he'd be whispering his poison in their ear in no time flat- she just wasn't sure what kind it would be, after today.

"Come on," Sirius said, lifting Lily up by the arm. "Let's go home."

"Don't touch me," Lily said, shaking herself free and ignoring the hurt look on Sirius's face.

"Use my fireplace," Dumbledore said. "It would not help matters if the other students see Miss Potter leaving. Severus, see to it that her things arrive safely to their home."

Lily didn't wait any further; she walked straight towards it and tossed in a pinch of Floo powder from the bag sitting on the mantel and then stepped straight inside, whispering her destination.

"Hazel," Dumbledore said, softening his voice. "Please, take care of yourself. I wish you nothing but the best."

"Yeah, sure," Lily grumbled as the green flames of the flooed chimney wooshed around her. "Whatever you say, you coffin dodger."

She was already in the swirling vortex by the time she said the last part, so she was fairly certain nobody heard it. She wasn't certain she cared if they did. As soon as she came out into the sitting room of Grimmauld Place, she stepped right over and out of the hearth, spreading hot ash all over the nice new rug. She was halfway up the stairs when she heard someone else arrive in the fireplace.

"Lily, wait!" Sirius called after her.

"No," she shouted back, continuing to stomp upwards.

"Come on, Lily, we need to talk."

"You need to talk," Lily said, reaching the next landing. "I don't."

"Lily-"

"Save it."

"Lily, I said we need to-"

"I said save it," Lily snapped, leaning over the second floor railing. "You said you were going to hear me out, and- and you already did it!"

"Hogwarts wasn't good for you!" Sirius said, halfway up to the first floor, pausing so they could at least look at each other.

"I don't care!" she said. "You lied to me!"

"I wasn't trying to-"

"You promised! You said we'd talk it over!"

"I'm just trying to keep you safe!" Sirius said.

"Yeah, well, I didn't ask you to!" Lily said, continuing off down the hall to her room.

"Lily, just let me explain! I just want you to-"

"Leave me alone!" Lily said, slamming her door behind her and clicking the lock shut. She made it over to her bed by the time Sirius was knocking on her door (and quite loudly, at that).

"Open the door, Lily," Sirius said through the thick wood.

"Make me," Lily said, picking up an issue of Teen Witch Weekly from her nearby stack and then jumping onto her bed. She stretched out, kicked off her boots, and flicked the cover open.

"We both know I could get in if I wanted to."

"Then do it."
"The last thing I want to do is become my parents. Please open the door. I don't want to talk like this."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"I just wanted to explain why you're-"

"I don't care," Lily said. "Obviously, it doesn't matter what I want, anyway, so what's the point?"

"Lily-"

"Leave me alone!" Lily rolled up her magazine and threw it as hard as she could towards the door.

"Alright," Sirius said, his voice a lot softer. "I love you, Lily. I just want you to know that."

"Whatever," Lily muttered as she heard Sirius's footsteps retreat down the hallway.

She put her hands behind her head and stared up at her ceiling, right up at her poster of Gwenog Jones, wondering if her idol would put up with this rubbish.