By mere coincidence, a few nanoseconds after Harry had disapparated from Lily's room, Lily heard another loud crack and the footsteps of someone else who had just apparated in.
Looking around, Lily saw that her new guest was Rachel Robins, who looked in considerably better spirits than the last time Lily had seen her.
"Hi, Lily," said Rachel cheerfully, "It's nice to see you again."
"The feeling is mutual," replied Lily warmly, "You look a lot happier today than when we last met."
"Lily, after New Year's, I am quitting my job as waitress of the Three Broomsticks and taking a new job!"
Lily could tell by the glee in Rachel's voice and the glow on her face how elated Rachel was to have this new opportunity.
"Congratulations, Rachel," said Lily brightly, "May I ask what this new job is?"
"Starting first day of term after New Year's, I am going to take up a position as a Potions Maker for The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing! Lily, have you ever heard of The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing?"
Lily smiled broadly at Rachel.
"Ainsley is transferring there to become a student starting next September 1st. Her career ambition is to become a Healer like her mother, Amy." explained Lily proudly.
"That's awesome!" replied Rachel happily, "Maybe I'll run into Ainsley there. Healing is probably the most noble profession in the Wizarding World and making such a move shows that Ainsley really is a caring and compassionate person. Plus, Ainsley following in Amy's footsteps is cool in its own way. My job will be to make potions for the school. I don't have full details yet about what potions I will be making, how they will be used, or why the school needs them, but the long and the short of it is I will be spending my work days making potions. Potions was always my favorite academic subject at Hogwarts and I'm relieved to be able to move on from my job as a waitress. Being a waitress at the Three Broomsticks wasn't a bad way to get my feet wet in the work world but I didn't exactly love being a waitress to begin with and the longer I've been in the position the less I've liked it."
"Rude customers?" asked Lily.
"Yes," answered Rachel, "Making food and drink naturally takes a certain amount of time but you wouldn't believe how many customers, especially boys, have pressured me to "hurry up." Furthermore, profanity has proven to be a big part of many customers vocabularies. Last Hogwarts Hogsmeade weekend about an hour after your group came, a group of four fourth year Slytherins, two boys and two girls, came in and the F word was like every fourth word out of their mouths."
"I don't mind profanity," admitted Lily, "But if you're going out your way to use it constantly, that's too much. As for the impatient customers, you do have to expect that when you're in a job like that."
"And the pay really wasn't great. A fair starting point but...…"
"How did you get your new job, Rachel? asked Lily curiously.
"Thanks to you, Devon, Hugo, James, Ainsley, Stephanie, and especially Samantha." replied Rachel with a smile.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!" cooed Lily in understanding, "You used our tip money to pay for a job interview?"
"Well, not exactly," answered Rachel, "But it was because of that tip money that I aced my job interview."
"How?" asked Lily curiously.
"I used much of that tip money to purchase potion making supplies, including a strong brass cauldron, brass scales, vials, bottles, and potions ingredients. I practiced potion making on my own time and by the time my job interview rolled around I was in a good rhythm. While I was an O student in Potions at Hogwarts, without the self-practice, I would have been rusty. Practicing on my own allowed me to sharpen my potion making skills prior to my job interview. Part of the interview was demonstrating how well I could make certain potions. The staff at The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing was ecstatic at how good I was, and I got a job that I will much prefer to waiting that will also pay far better."
"Congratulations, Rachel," said Lily kindly, "I couldn't be happier for you. How did you find out about this job?"
"The classified section of the Daily Prophet last Sunday," answered Rachel simply, "I purchased the mentioned potion making supplies on Sunday and practiced as much as I could before my job interview yesterday. That tip money was a life changer for me. Without the several days of practice ahead of time, I don't think I get the job and without the tip money, I don't have those supplies to practice with."
"It's incredible what a simple act of kindness can lead to sometimes," said Lily thoughtfully.
"This was more than an act of kindness," said Rachel with obvious gratitude in her voice, "It was a display of compassion. Remember what Samantha said when she proposed the idea of your group giving me tip money?"
"Waitresses have a thankless job that rewards them with low pay into the bargain," remembered Lily.
"Exactly!" squealed Rachel, "Samantha understood the position I was in and empathized with me. That's what compelled her to take the action she did. I felt terrible afterward about comparing Samantha with Gilderoy Lockhart. I'm still not a fan of Samantha's cockiness, arrogance, brashness, and propensity to praise herself. But unlike Gilderoy Lockhart, who hasn't so much as a drop of caring blood or an ounce of caring heart inside, Samantha truly has a compassionate side. Gilderoy's exterior indeed represents the truth about the conceited, stuck up, selfish, heartless, and uncaring person that he is. Samantha, on the other hand, has proven through her actions to have a heart about twenty sizes bigger than normal. Actions speak louder than words and Samantha's actions have proven how enormous her caring and compassionate heart really is."'
Lily nodded and asked Rachel, "Are you staying for the Having Fun at Lily's Expense Party today?"
"I want to," said Rachel uneasily, "But I'm not in a position to make a huge donation to Worthy Wands at this point. Isn't the Having Fun at Lily's Expense Party a fundraiser?"
"Rachel, I understand," said Lily gently, "To make to the Having Fun at Lily's Expense Party accessible to all and encourage participation, I am only charging a one galleon per person admission fee. Any person wishing to make an extra donation beyond that is free to do so at the time he or she pays his or her admission fee but as long as you can cough up one galleon that's all you need."
"Thanks, Lily," smiled Rachel, "I'm going into Samantha's room now. I wish to speak to her one on one before breakfast as I wish to have a confidential conversation with her."
"See you this afternoon," Lily told Rachel as she left.
When Lily went down to the common room, she saw that the main guests for the Having Fun at Lily's Expense Party had already made it to Hogwarts.
Courtney was catching up with Samantha and Stephanie while Gary, Todd, and Miles were catching up with Devon. Meanwhile Fred and Roxanne were taking some brother-sister time as were Hugo and Rose. Noticing this, Lily went and joined James and Albus and the three Potter siblings chatted away amongst each other until breakfast.
Breakfast on this morning consisted of meat lovers' burritos stuffed with sausage, bacon, and ham and pumpkin juice was served to wash it down with.
A few nanoseconds after breakfast had ended, Professor McGonagall called into her enormous purple megaphone, "Would Ainsley Cochlain and the Potter siblings please report to the hospital wing. Nothing to worry about, your opinions on something are desired."
James, Albus, Lily, and Ainsley all realized the nanosecond that McGonagall had finished that announcement that Amy must be visiting and that it was she who wanted their opinions. Madam Pomfrey would ask for a student's opinion less than once every tenth blue moon. Amy was much warmer and more open minded to hearing different opinions.
Sure enough, when James, Albus, Lily, and Amy entered the hospital wing, it was Amy who was waiting for them.
"Good morning, Amy," chorused James, Albus, and Lily, while Ainsley piped up. "Hi, mom."
"Good morning," returned Amy cheerfully, "Let's get down to business. The school nurse at The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing is retiring at the end of the academic year and I have been offered the position of The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing nurse full time next year. The advice and opinions I seek are this: Would it be appropriate for me to leave St. Mungo's for The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing?"
"Well," asked Albus, "Would you be replaced at St. Mungo's by a Healer as able as yourself?"
"Yes," replied Amy simply.
"Then why shouldn't you accept the post at The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing?" asked James.
"I'm just wondering whether it would be appropriate for a Healer to take a job as a school nurse. The job of a school nurse is mainly to take care of creature, Quidditch, fighting, and falling injuries." replied Amy uncertainly.
"Some of those injuries can be serious at times," interjected James matter of factly.
"But they can usually be dealt with by a typical school nurse," responded Amy clearly.
"But there are still times when more serious issues that do require a fully trained Healer do come up at schools. That then leads to having to call a Healer to come in from St. Mungo's. Wouldn't it be better to have a fully trained Healer already on site at schools?" inquired Lily.
"Communication and travel can be done quickly via the Floo Network when that is necessary though," pointed out Amy.
"My view," piped up Ainsley clearly, "is that a fully trained Healer would then also naturally be better at the everyday tasks faced by a school nurse. The more trained the person doing the diagnosis and treatment, the better the diagnosis and treatment. A person with enough knowledge and education to be a fully qualified Healer would naturally also be better at the day to day stuff than a traditional school nurse."
"OOOOOOH!" screeched Lily, "You Know what, wouldn't it be only right to strive to improve medical care in ALL parts of the Wizarding World? Doesn't it make the most sense to strive to get better Healers into our hospitals while simultaneously improving medical care at our schools be these schools Hogwarts, The Wizarding Academy for Dramatic Arts, or The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing?'
"Ainsley and Lily are EXACTLY RIGHT!" said James proudly, "Remember when Madam Pomfrey misdiagnosed Samantha after her Bixby accident?" remembered James, "Maybe a fully trained Healer would have diagnosed her correctly the first time."
"What you're really saying," said Albus, "Is that we ought to fully train more Healers and use some of them in schools, effectively eliminating the traditional school nurse."
"And younger people who are school nurses could in fact be given more training," said Lily reasonably.
"So, you four share the opinion that I should accept the position?" Amy asked James, Albus, Lily, and Ainsley to confirm.
"Yes," chorused Albus, James, Ainsley, and Lily instantly.
"Then I will!" smiled Amy.
"You're not the only one with a new job at The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing," Lily explained to Amy, "This morning Rachel Robins explained to me that she will be taking up a position as a potion maker at The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing just after New Year's!"
"That's awesome!" replied Amy with a grim, "The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing is proving a place of opportunity for so many isn't it."
"Yes." replied Lily simply.
"Mom," said Ainsley genuinely, jumping up and giving her mom a hug, "I can't begin to tell you how proud I am of you. St. Mungo's and The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing isn't a bad resume for a Healer to have. Never forget that you were the one who inspired me to take an interest in Healing."
"I'm just as proud of you, Ainsley," said Amy sincerely, still embracing her daughter, "I know you like the idea of following in my footsteps but I also know that what really inspired your interest in Healing was the opportunity to help people."
"How are you now feeling about transferring to The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing?" Lily asked Ainsley seriously, "Do you still have mixed feelings about that decision?"
"Not at all, said Ainsley clearly, "I initially felt sad about leaving my friends at Hogwarts. But I have since gained peace and a sound mind about my decision to transfer to The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing. Truthfully, while I value friendship far more than the Saver girls, I have never really seen friendship as as important as the Potter-Weasley-Dursley circle does. The suddenness and unexpected nature of making the decision made it more emotional in the moment it otherwise would have been."
"Speaking of The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing," smiled Amy, "Ainsley, I have a book for you."
Amy pointed at a book on one of the tables.
This book had a white cover with a picture of a bed and some potions bottles on it. The book had a title in silvery gray lettering across the top: The Definitive History of The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing,
Ainsley picked up the book and said, "Thanks, mom, this should be an interesting and useful book to read ahead of my starting at The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing next September."
"That's why I got it for you," smiled Amy, "Also while I won't be participating in the Having Fun at Lily's Expense Party, I made a donation of treats and prizes so that treats and prizes can be given away at this party without creating overhead. They are in two bags I gave to McGonagall. "
"Thanks, Amy," smiled Lily, "I asked McGonagall if she could provide treats and prizes for the Having Fun at Lily's Expense Party so that the overhead would be zero and 100% of the donations collected could go to Worthy Wands. She said she thought she knew someone who could and would."
"That was me," smiled Amy, "Good luck with the Having Fun at Lily's Expense Party today. I hope you and your friends have lots of fun and I hope you raise lots of money for Worthy Wands."
Professor McGonagall made a decision to collect admission fees and donations ahead of time so that the Having Fun at Lily's Expense Party at exactly 2 P.M. Lily simply gave McGonagall her collecting tin and people wishing to attend the Having Fun at Lily's Expense Party would make their payments in her office. McGonagall would then count the money while the Having Fun at Lily's Expense Party was in progress and then announce how much money had been made at the end of the Having Fun at Lily's Expense Party. The Having Fun at Lily's Expense Party was to be held on the Quidditch Pitch and to prevent freeloading, McGonagall had temporarily bewitched the pitch to make a loud screeching noise if anyone who hadn't paid the minimum admission fee entered the area.
At 2 P.M. Hogwarts time, Lily found herself in the center circle with two large hot pink bags on the ground on either side of her. The bag on the left contained the prizes that Amy had provided for the party and the bag on the right contained the end of party treats. Lily found herself surrounded by people om all sides of the pitch and was holding a purple megaphone that McGonagall had lent her.
