Disclaimer: I own nothing

AN: Late again. I'm not amused with how I keep posting the day after I specifically chose to post in! Agh. This is my entire fault really. Yeah, but what's important is that I actually do post regularly, if not on time. I'm not happy with the last conversation of this chapter, but the plot must move on.

I had trouble getting the inspiration to write this chapter. My favorite band announced their end this week, and I'm more depressed than I'm allowing myself to show. Its sad, and it makes me more lazy than I already am.

This chapter was a bit half-assed, so if you spot many errors and muddy sentences then it because I had enough, deciding to leave things as they are. That my back hurt doesn't help either.

Anyways, thanks to those that have commented and to those who now are following the story. You guys are awesome.

Read, enjoy, comment if you can, and have a lovely day.

Chapter 27: The day after March's run

I held on to my wand tighter as a sort of outlet for the pain that raged through my head. With the discomfort of the ache, a minuscule fraction of ancient information was freed, and with the blood knowledge I understood how to do a score of Counter-curses that were addressed in class. I resisted the heavy drops of my eyelids as I blinked myself to a normal state, tired more so than usual after a night of running around in the Forbidden Forest with the Marauders in their animal forms.

Missa Lufkin was already standing opposite of me, in the corner we had chosen for our practices in the classroom. Around us duos of sixth year Slytherins or Hufflepuffs began to perform the day's spell, encouraged by Professor Ofina, the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. She was an odd witch dressed from her shoes to the tip of her pointy hat in a bright cerulean that singled her out anywhere as she glided in between pairs. There was a wild look in her eyes, one that most times I mistook for dementia, but often times ruled out because of her age. As I nursed my headache away to clear my mind and be ready for practice, I saw the professor head toward the other end of the classroom, to the platforms she had raised herself.

I watched as Severus Snape and Mafalda took each side of it, and face the other to duel. They began without a single word spoken, the clash of their streams of light joining those of the other already in the fray about the room.

My attention returned to Lufkin, who had patiently waited for me both when using my secret blood knowledge and looking around. Blonde and skinny, Missa sometimes made me feel like I was towering her with the couple extra inches I had over her, but that would lose any importance as soon as she pulled her wand out. Missa was vicious. She was deadly accurate, fast on her feet, and a brilliant duellist.

We were good duelling partners. She pushed me to my limits most times in Professor Ofina's crazy drills, and I liked to think I did the same. After all, months had gone by and she still looked me up to start our practice. Our only problem was that she barely said anything to me, and I had the feeling it had to do with me being a Slytherin she didn't know. Sure, I had barely heard her say anything to anyone in the months that we had taken the class, but her verbally discomfort with me, I wagered had to do with the fact that I had appeared out of nowhere in the beginning of the school year. I just appeared and she was stuck with me. At least Missa had been kind enough to roll with it.

Lufkin pointed her wand toward me, her last cordial sign of waiting for me. A second later, yellow light erupted from the end of her wand. We were supposed to use nonverbal spells and counter them accordingly, and I had to dodge out of the way before I could bring to mind the correct one for her jinx.

The long, thin piece of wood in my hand erupted to life as I directed my attack on Missa. She clashed her yellow light against the one coming out of my wand, sending vibrations from my arms to the rest of my body for the second the streams connected. Lufkin had ended the merging, jumping to her side to again direct her wand toward me.

I took her leap as the correct moment to attack her, using a Body-Bind Curse to distract her. She deflected it with a wave of her wand, lurching at me and making me move. I darted to a comfortable distance, shooting at her again and again as she deflected all of my hexes. My arm lashed from one side to the other, Lufkin waving her arm in the same violent matter. Her face was twisted with determination, her eyes were set sorely on me, and I was doing the same thing. I could hear the duels happening all around us over the clashing of our spells, but the vibrations of my wand were enough to keep me concentrated.

Purple jet light erupted from my wand, pointed straight at Missa's legs. It was an unexpected target, and my duelling partner wasn't able to stop the Locker-Leg curse that tied her legs together. She hopped two times to stop herself from failing backwards, and shot a red stream at me while she was at it.

The Expelliarmus spell made my wand fly out of my hand, my guard down for having been watching my partner trying not to fall. As I saw Lufkin counter the curse on her legs, I scrambled after the piece of wood.

Just as my hand took hold of my wand, ever watchful of Missa, I saw as she sent a spell my way. From her wand to my body, invisible strings grabbed me, binding my arms to my torso. With nothing to do about it for a second, I tried to struggle against the holds. They were ferociously tight around me, and no matter how much strength I tried to use, there was no bulging out.

"Emancipare!" I said out loud, for I felt that with my wand so tightly pressed against my thigh, I wouldn't be able to do the counter-spell right without waving it.

Freed, Missa Lufkin wasted no time in attacking me, hitting me with a Stunning spell on my left arm. I tried to use a shield charm to deflect it, but that only caused the spell to lose strength once it got pass my sloppy defences to hit me. The force sent me back a few feet, making my vision darken and my legs wobble as I tried desperately to hold on to my consciousness. I staggered, feeling the pain as I went to wave my wand against her. I fired my own jinx, watching it hit her as she hadn't expected me to react so fast. Wizard crackers erupted over her, going out with a bang around her head. Her attention was consumed by the sharp sounds and lights for the moment it took her to remember the counter-curse needed for it.

A bell began to chime then, and all around the classroom there was a wave of alleviated grunting as the practice section of the class came to an end.

With a last spell, I helped Missa to a normal state, earning a curt nod and a 'thanks' from her, before she went to gather her things. I wiped sweat off my brow and cheek with the sleeve of my robes, tucking my wand away while I was at it.

"Next week we'll be revising defensive and counter-spells again. Practice your wand work as much as you possibly can. Remember, practice now will keep you alive in the hard days to come." Professor Ofina said in a sing-song voice as she spoke over the sounds of students gathering their belonging. "And I want a roll of parchment describing today's class. Include everything! All that you learned, all you did wrong and what you believe would have been a better offensive or defence in the situation. Off you go, then."

With my things put away in my bag, I waited for my classmates to walk out the room before doing the same. Being the last to leave was always better that getting stuck between my Slytherin dorm mates, and that meant less drama for me. I could do with less drama.

My social life in my House had yet calmed itself. Almost a week had gone by since Lorcan Mulciber's insult in the common room, and I can't say I expected things to be normal by now. I really didn't, but I hoped that at least I could go back at being ignored by my housemates. That was better than having their stares on me every possible moment of the day.

Stepping out of the classroom last, after speaking to Professor Ofina about clearing up some doubts in her office, I came upon the hallway were students were walking around to where they were supposed to go next. The Slytherin and Gryffindor first years were waiting by the door I exited for their Defence class. My plan was to study in the Library with Lily until it was time to meet with the professor, but that plan was put on hold. As I walked a little away from the classroom door, I saw Graham Rowle sitting with his friends on an empty window ledge, waiting to enter the room I just came out of.

"Alright, Faraday?" Marcus Selwyn greeted me when he saw me, sitting next to Graham. On the other side sat Anne Fawley, a feisty little girl that I always thought would had done better in Gryffindor with the bold attitude she had. They were an odd trio, and the oddity began with how similar they looked from a first instance. All from pure-blooded families, and probably distantly related, the three Slytherins had the same shade of blonde hair. They were, however normal eleven year olds, blessed with different color eyes, all striking nonetheless with their distinctive attitudes.

I greeted all of them in turn, glad to see them. Graham remained silent as he held a spread roll of parchment on his lap. That seemed strange to me. Most times it was Graham the one that said hello to me, or invited me to stay among his little group, but as he sat, he said nothing, not even looked up to me. It made me wonder if I had done something to him, and I was about to ask him, when Anne spoke.

"Is it true?" I looked to the girl, she had her long hair tied back with a ribbon, and her blue eyes stared at me with a daring annoyance. Not understanding where her question was coming from, I made a face and she continued. "Do you really not like us anymore?"

"Anne!" Graham said through gritted teeth. On his other side, Marcus looked away, suddenly very interested with something behind me.

I was, needless to say, confused. "Of course I like you. What, what is this all about?"

The girl crossed her arms, staring at me as if she was looking down at me. Anne and I weren't the best of acquaintances, I mostly only talked to Graham, but her sudden attitude stroked me as strange. As my gaze didn't waiver from her, she reminded me of a less condescending Gemma. "Graham thinks you hate us now, and that's why you don't sit with us anymore."

I looked at the girl, then at the boy. It was true that I hadn't sat with them for the daily meals in a while when before I would sit with the trio always. Ever since my embarrassment in the Slytherin common room, I had avoided like the plague being around my housemates. Mostly I did it in the dorm and the Great Hall, for there was little avoiding to be done in class, there was no running away from that. In the House it was easy; I stayed in the Library or in some corner of the castle until late in the night, and when I was sure there would be barely anyone in the common room, I would sneak in. It was a plan that worked for me. In the Great Hall, on another hand, it was harder. I would be seen no matter what I did, even more considering that I had taken the habit of sitting with my Gryffindor friends. I hadn't done it much, only for like four meals in the couple of days since I first asked the Marauder boys. On the other occasions I had to eat, what I did to avoid Slytherins was go to the Hall late, when there was barely anyone loitering around. And of course I skipped a couple meals.

I had skipped breakfast that morning in order to finish the homework I had due. The full moon interrupted my routines of staying up until midnight scribbling away and revising the assignments I had to give in the following day. With painfully dry eyes, and no energy whatsoever, I decided the morning meal could be sacrificed in order to not get low marks. But I didn't hate the kids, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out why they thought I hated them. It would make more sense if they hated me. "Do you really think that? It's not true, you know."

"Is it that your new boyfriend is jealous of us?" Marcus piped up, a surprise to me for he regularly didn't speak much when I was around. His face went red when I looked at him, and he lowered his head to stare at the ground.

I tried hard to keep the irritation out of my voice at the topic brought up. I wasn't able to. "What boyfriend?"

"Sirius Black." It was the first thing Graham had said to me, and I detected frustration in him.

"He's not—" I sighed, cutting myself off, less I answer them in an angry tone. They were kids, curious children who were susceptible to the rumors around school that refused to die already. A month had already gone by from Valentine's Day, and people sure did like to keep gossiping about it. "We're not dating."

"What about the Pettigrew bloke?" Anne said, this time more normal and less Gemma-like.

I shook my head, again trying desperately not to be angry at children who had done nothing but accept me and given me a place to sit when in other occasions I wouldn't have. They watched me.

"Then it's because we didn't help." This was said by Graham, who held on to his parchment a bit too tightly. The edges had already begun to get crumpled up.

"Help with what?"

The kids, each in turn gave the impression of being uncomfortable, but it was Graham the one to look around and see if the coast was clear. I did the same, noticing that their classmates had already begun to file into the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. When our gazes met again, Graham's hazel eyes were shinny and red around the edges as he spoke. "I-we, we wanted to, really, but he's so scary."

I knew instantly what he was referring to. However, the expression on Graham's face reminded me of the fateful night in September, during my last attendance to the Slytherin Duelling Society. My heart seemed to stop for a moment as I stared at the boy, chilling me at the prospect that Graham might remember that night and all that had occurred. Anne and Marcus, though embarrassed to agree to their friend's statement, didn't sport the same kind of primal fear. A fear I understood completely. It took me a moment to speak, and when I did, I thought I had done so only to myself, but that wasn't the case. "Better that you didn't."

After that they said no more, and neither did I. Then they gathered their things, leaving me in the hallway alone, as they entered class. I felt bad as I watched them go. My heart grew heavy, just thinking of poor little Graham celebrating the Slytherin Quidditch win in the common room, and then having to witness my disgrace. I thanked the heavens that he wasn't braver; I shuddered at the thought of him facing Lorcan Mulciber at his worst.

"Oh wonderful, I managed to catch you." I jumped as a female voice spoke behind me.

"Hey." I said to Mary Macdonald, trying to hide in vain that she had startled me. I hadn't heard her approach.

"Come with me." The girl, taller than me by a couple of inches, grabbed my arm for a second; pulling it in the direction she had appeared from. I didn't resist her pull, though it seemed a bit odd to me. I was comfortable with Mary, but I didn't think we were in terms to touch the other, even if it was for beckoning. "Lily is not good. She's been crying all night."

"Why is she crying?" Whatever had bother me about being touched by Mary disappeared. Of course I was washed with concern, as I went to follow the Gryffindor girl to wherever she was leading me.

"Because of Uric, obviously."

She didn't say anything more, and I opted to not ask for it was best to not waste time. The thought of Lily crying was unheard of for me. It unsettled me to no end, and the allegation that it was because of Uric Belby didn't make things better. We hurried to the girl's bathroom on that very floor, and I was grateful that was the destination. I don't think I could go down or up stairs with my heart lodged in my throat.

Mary led the way into the bathroom, which was empty with exclusion of Lily Evans and Dorcas Fisher.

My eyes went directly to the huddled form of Lily. Leaning her shoulder to the outer part of a toilet stall, she looked as composed as ever, watching me approach her with Mary. Sure, her eyes were a bit puffy, and she looked like she hadn't smiled in a week, but other than that she looked fine. I'm sure my face showed my confusion. I expected a crying wreck of a girl, and it wasn't the case. Lily looked more ticked off than sad.

"What's going on?" I said as Lily stood, Dorcas next to her, patting her back in a manner that she believe she was being comforting. It must have been, for Lily made no sign of being bothered by it. For a moment I thought that maybe they were playing a trick on me, but I pushed that thought away.

"We're here for moral support." Mary said going to our friend in need on her other side.

"Okay, but why?" With the spur of the moment, the worry I harboured for Lily, and the relief that she at least looked emotionally stable to me, exhaustion caught up with me.

"Don't you see the state Lily's in?"

"I'm fine, really." Lily said to oppose what Mary had said. Her tone of voice was monotone, and it made me wonder if she was saying the truth or if she was trying to be strong or if she was already tired of the attention she was getting. My bet was on the latter. That would be my feeling too if it were me in her situation, not that anyone had told me already what was happening.

"You cried all night." Dorcas said next to Lily, in a soft and caring voice.

"Why were you crying? Mary said this has to do with Uric?" I went to stand directly in front of Lily, as any other spot was taken. Her face twisted with the mention of her boyfriend, but what it meant I didn't know. This was the first time I was supposed to give support to a friend in need, who appeared to have relationship troubles. I had no idea what I was supposed to do, so I went with what Mary had gone to the through the trouble of getting me. Giving support. But to do that I needed to know what happened, and Lily didn't answer my questions. Nor did her appearance make me believe that she had cried that much. I knew what a person looked like after hours of crying, and Lily didn't sport the look. "Did Belby cheat on you?"

I got angry just saying the words and Lily's reaction didn't help me. She gave a sarcastic chuckle. "If only he had."

I was taken aback at this. I looked at Dorcas concerned face and then at Mary's. The last thing I imagined was for Lily to react that way. It appeared almost uncharacteristic coming from her, but I had just witness it. Lily did joke from time to time, however, with a topic as serious as that of her romantic relationship; I would think she would be different. A statement of pure anger would have been more true to her, given the situation. Plus, I didn't believe Uric would be that kind of guy. I barely knew him, of course, but of what I did know, it seemed out of character.

"See? She needs all the support she can get." Mary looked at her friend as if she was looking at a sick person, and it made me wonder if maybe she was doing the right thing. Dorcas didn't offer me anything, the girl keep comforting Lily, who kept accepting the gesture.

We stared at Lily then, waiting.

Lily looked at me, only at me; singling me out in a way that gave me the impression that the other two girls already knew what had happened.

"Uric has a fiancée." Her mouth seemed to chew the words, as if saying them was leaving a bitter aftertaste. The reveal surprised me. I wanted to ask for how long he had one, but Lily went on talking. "Last week was his birthday, and for coming of age, his parents announced his betrothal. He's a half-blood and his mother managed to pair him off with a pureblood. They're insisting on the match."

I stared at her, wanting to say something, but not being able to. Lily continued, looking away from me. "He wants to stay together, though, for as long as we can."

Dorcas spoke, her face shining with disgust. "He's a two-timing git."

There was silence, as Mary nodded Dorcas words as undying truth, whereas I was still a little bit confused. I looked at my best friend, perplexed as to why her reaction was so controlled. She should be angry, distraught and frustrated, but as I stared, I didn't see any of that. Okay, maybe there was frustration in her, evident in how she clenched her hands together in front of herself. "I don't get what's the problem."

"He has a fiancée." Mary said to me, in a stressed tone.

I gave her a nod as I went on speaking, acknowledging her words. "Yeah, I understood that part. What I don't get is the problem with Uric having one. Were you planning on marrying him, Lily?"

My question made her visibly uncomfortable, as she stood between her friends. "No,"

I opened my arms as manner to highlight my question at the same time as I rolled my shoulders. "Then why not stay with him?"

Her brow furrowed, eyes shining with green ember. "I don't want to be the other woman." She moved away from the spot she had been leaning on the toilet stall. Walking to the sinks, she turned around before she was further away. "And I don't want to be a last fling before he has to get married."

"Maybe he'll fight against it." Mary offered with a chipper attitude.

"No, he's gotten a good match." Dorcas said shaking her head as she spoke.

I could only agree with her words. "Yes, and he's the first born of his family, therefore the heir. Marriage to a pureblood would solidify their family in the elite, and they'll have a good position in the future."

Lily and the other two girls stared.

"Purebloods." Mary said to Lily who nodded in understanding. The comment stroke me as odd at first, but once I understood it, I couldn't resist the urge to smile at it. Lily and Mary were both muggle-born witches, and something like the acceptance of arranged marriages would seem like a crazy thing. I had thought that same thing when I arrived in Hogwarts to a dorm filled with girls that spoke of the topic as if it was old news. For the likes of Gemma and Hestia it was something they knew they were supposed to do since they were born, and it hadn't taken me long to get accustomed to the idea that I would eventually have to do the same.

"I'm a half-blood too!" Dorcas defended herself with indignation, raising her hands in the process.

The three looked at me, expecting a similar defence or something. I gave a dry chuckle as I waved a hand in their direction. "Oh, I'm as pure as we get. According to the Healers in St. Mungo's, that is. "

To my luck, no one pressed at my words. The only one that would normally, Lily, just did one pace in front of a row of sinks.

"What bothers me more," Lily continued, shaking her head as she went. "Is that, he wants to be with me, and I want to be with him, but I don't want to be in a relationship with a certain end. I don't want to be a fling. I want to be a priority. And I'm angry that I have to end this just because he's accepted the future laid out for him. He won't fight to be with me." A big fat tear rolled down her eye as she spoke and that startled me.

Anger was an emotion that fitted better with the Lily I had found in the bathroom when Mary brought me. I wanted to comfort her, for her to feel all better, but that wasn't a thing I could do. I knew that. The next best thing was to tell her what she wanted to hear. "Break up with him."

Neither Lily, nor the other girls were surprised at my words, no doubt having told her the same at some point before. "Should I, really?"

I nodded and Mary sent me an approving look before she spoke. "You definitely should."

"No doubt about it." Dorcas agreed.

I felt like the voice of reason; however I also felt like I was repeating things to her that she had already heard. I didn't mind, so long as it worked to get her better. "This is eating you away, and I'm sure your relationship will never recover from this if you chose to stay. End it."

"And you deserve better." Dorcas told Lily as went to pat her arm.

Two silent tears began to fall down Lily's face, and as soon as she saw them, Dorcas engulfed Lily in an embrace. From where she was, Mary went to do the same. I, on another hand, didn't felt comfortable enough to follow them in. I might hug Lily later, when alone.

"Lily," I said walking forward to take a hold of her hands. The tears had stopped as soon as they had begun to come out, and that made more sense to me of the best friend I knew. "You are a beautiful glowing sun goddess. A talented, brilliant and powerful witch. You deserve more than Uric Belby. You deserve a man that can see all the wonderful that is you, and knows that the only logical thing to do is to worship you."

The three girls stared at me. I was stretching it, we all were when we claimed that she deserved better than the boyfriend she had had. Uric was one of the best, and one of the reasons Lily might had been frustrated about breaking up with him was for that fact. He was a good man, with a potentially good future ahead of him, and any girl he chose to love would be happy to have his attention. But this was about Lily, and as her friend it was my job as was Dorcas and Mary's to make matters sorely about her.

"You don't mean like Potter does, do you?" Lily said after a moment when she got control over herself.

I shrugged, trying hard to keep a grin from forming on my face but failing miserably. "Well, if you think he's your type—"

"Faraday!" The three yelled.

Then after a second, the room roared with laughter.

. . .