Al's owl, Wafic, had come to Lily during lunch hour on the first day of second term of her sixth year, and informed her that she had been summoned to the Astronomy Tower. While she was taking astronomy, as it was required for a sixth-year student, it was always a bittersweet location for her at the school. It was there that her beloved papa had murdered the former headmaster and her brother's namesake, Albus Dumbledore, a crime that her dad had witnessed when he was in the exact year that she was.

Lily went up the grand staircase, which seemed to want to cooperate with her, ever since she had made prefect the year before. When she got to the top floor, she found the little spiral staircase that led directly to the tower, and climbed up without hesitation. The summons said that it was important, but not who had asked for her to come; they were signed by Headmistress McGonagall, however, and Lily knew that the signature was valid.

"Minister," Lily said, spotting Kingsley Shacklebolt, a friend of the family, and the Minister of Magic ever since the Second Wizarding War had ended, as she finished climbing the stairs. She took in his typical kufi hat, as well as his beautiful blue and purple robes. "It was you that summoned me, sir?"

Kingsley turned around fully then, taking in Lily's five-feet-five frame; yes, the only daughter of Harry Potter and Severus Snape had grown up well. She had long red hair now, and intelligent green eyes; her skin was quite pale, and yet, she always had a glow about her that radiated health and determination. "I did send for you, Lily, yes," he replied as she crossed over to him and looked out at the impressive Hogwarts grounds.

Lily was slightly taken aback by his tone, as it seemed to be overtly formal. Informality had been the norm for the minister, ever since she and Al were children, as he always was quick to show them tricks by hiding galleons up his sleeves, and then producing them from their ears. It was a Muggle trick, Lily knew, and yet, as both of her fathers were Half-Blood, she was very familiar with the Muggle world, and delighted in the memories.

"Is everything all right, sir?" Lily asked, finally permitting herself to speak again. "Has something happened to my father?"

"Harry? Merlin, no," Kingsley said gently, shaking his head. "Your father is a brilliant addition to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Lily." He hesitated for a moment, before turning to look at her. "You seem quite skilled when it comes to the law."

Lily shrugged. "Oh, I don't know about that, sir," she said. "I appreciate that we have laws in place that we can protect ourselves from the outside world. Of course, it would be wonderful if we could be all-inclusive—we are, after all, all human. I just so happen to be a witch on top of that, through no fault of my own."

"Just your blood, Lily."

Lily nodded. "Yes. Just my blood."

"I have come here with a proposition for you, Lily."

Lily blinked, turning back to the minister. "Sir?" she asked.

"I requested Headmistress McGonagall to send me your O.W.L. scores," he said. "I must admit, they were quite impressive. Eleven O's and one E—quite impressive."

Lily sighed. "I was disappointed in myself for the E, given my father's profession," she said quietly to him. "I was surprised that both my parents were pleased with the scores. I feared that Dad would be upset that I couldn't follow in his footsteps..."

"Exceeds Expectations will usually proceed to the next level," Kingsley said softly. "If you express an interest, send Headmistress McGonagall an owl. I believe, given that your other grades were O's, that you will at least be considered."

Lily smiled. "I hope so. I want as many opportunities as I can."

"Do you want to be an Auror?"

She laughed. "Given Al's aptitude for potions from the very beginning, it was always thought that I would follow in my dad's footsteps and become one."

"Would you join the department, if they wanted you?"

Lily nodded. "Of course I would."

Kingsley sighed. "We've been having some trouble tracking down the remaining Death Eaters that served under Tom Riddle," he said softly, and Lily shivered automatically at the mention of her dad's greatest enemy. "It seems as though some of them have managed to track down the Dementors, and they are all on the lose as various units."

"I'm sorry to hear that, sir."

"We're considering recruitment of younger witches and wizards. You're seventeen, Lily, which is of age in the Wizarding World."

Lily blinked. "Sir?"

"Your O.W.L.'s went by swimmingly. My proposal is that you sit your N.E.W.T.'s immediately and, if you do as well as you did on your O.W.L.'s, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement is prepared to take you on."

Lily shivered. "Me? But why me?"

"It is not just because of your name, Lily, although that automatically carries considerable weight in ministry circles. It is about your magic," he said steadily. "You are not only an Animagus, but you can also produce, from what I've heard, a flawless Patronus Charm. Not to mention the notion of your wand's core."

"Its core?"

"Thestral hair," Kingsley said quietly. "A wand of that caliber hasn't been seen since The Elder Wand, which I know you know your own father used to kill Tom Riddle."

Lily nodded. "I am aware."

"Plainly speaking, the department wants you, Lily, pending your N.E.W.T. scores."

Lily shook her head, knowing that Teddy had been so distant over the holidays that, if she even left for a little while, then she would lose him. She couldn't, wouldn't, do something like that. It was commendable of her father to venture out and kill the Dark Lord on his own like that, but Lily wasn't that person; she was not her dad. She couldn't just leave something unresolved like things were with Teddy, no matter what.

"I'm sorry, sir," Lily whispered. "But I can't."

"Can't?"

"No, I can't," Lily replied. "My father cut out before seventh-year, and I completely understand why he did so. However, I'm not him. I can't do that."

Kingsley sighed. "I'll admit, Lily, I'm disappointed, but I understand your desire to keep your younger years as normal as possible. In fact, I commend you."

"Thank you, sir."

Just as the pair was about to shake hands, there was a cry from up over the Black Lake, and they immediately turned towards the noise. It was the most ear-splitting scream that Lily had ever heard, and her heart was immediately pounding in her chest when she saw its maker. It was a shrouded figure, which seemed to glide at full speed towards them; behind it, were two others just like it. Lily had heard enough from both of her parents to know exactly what those creatures were, and it was then that she felt a cool hand on her wrist.

"Sir, what...?" Her question was cut off as she saw Kingsley deflating next to her; his eyes were haunted, and he seemed to be rooted to the spot. "Oh, Merlin!" Lily whispered, turning back to the dark beings, coming closer at any minute. "Sir..." But Kingsley would be no help, and so, Lily shut her eyes. "Happy memory...happy memory..." Her memories went wild, and she remembered a Christmas—their first with Al—when Lily had gotten a charms for beginners textbook for the holiday. She felt so happy on that day, as she opened the ancient-looking pages of the tome before her—the largest she'd ever seen—and attempted to sound out the Latin language before her. "Accio. Lumos. Alohomora. Expelliarmus. Wingardium Leviosa!" she said, clapping gleefully, as her fathers looked on. Her heart fluttered then, seizing upon that moment, and allowing it to embody her very being, as her wand flew into her hand, and her eyes snapped open instantly. It snapped to attention, pointing directly at the beings, and Lily felt the happiness of the memory overtake her. "Expecto Patronum!" she shouted then, a great beam of light coming out of her wand then, the Scottish wildcat flying in the direction of the dark creatures, and beaming them off from the edge of the Astronomy Tower, over the grounds, the Black Lake, and beyond.

Lily's heart was pounding as she stumbled backwards, leaning up against the back wall for support, the jewel in her wand glowing a proud red. Once she could stomach the strength to look up, she saw Headmistress McGonagall, her dad, and papa standing at the top of the staircase of the tower. Lily swallowed then, pushing herself upwards, and slowly walked over to the trio as her papa rushed to Kingsley to help him.

"How's everything?" she asked, her tone casual.

"Lily!" Harry said, almost as if he'd snapped out of whatever haze he'd been in, and rushed towards her, throwing his arms around her. He was only four inches taller than she was, but he seemed like a protective mountain then as Lily leaned into him. Harry pressed his lips to his only daughter's forehead, keeping a good grip upon her. "Are you all right?"

Lily nodded, standing back as she turned to her papa, who had put a sleeping potion down the minister's throat, before handing her a vial of some suspicious-looking brown liquid. "Papa, what is...?"

"Chocolate," Severus replied curtly. "Drink it."

Lily sighed, knowing he wouldn't lie to her, and tipped it down her throat; it reminded her of a chocolate-flavored custard or pudding, and was altogether pleasant. She felt her energy returning to her then, and lifted her gaze towards the staircase, where Al, Rose, Scorpius, and Teddy were standing, and she went with her gut. Running around her father, she threw herself into the pair of arms she wanted, and, in that moment, she chose Scorpius.

. . .

Lily had pulled her knees beneath her chin, all the while staring at the elaborately-patterned carpet placed just in front of the couch. She couldn't say anything else; all she wanted to do was remain silent, until Aiden got a chance to reply. She kept on staring at the carpet, motionless, until Aiden cleared his throat.

"You saved the life of the Minister of Magic?"

Lily didn't even nod. "Yes," she said softly.

"How come this wasn't in The Profit or The Quibbler?"

Lily sighed. "The minister wanted to keep it quiet, I suppose. The last thing a person in power wants is a mere seventeen-year-old defending their life."

"But your dad did that, several times, before he was seventeen, to former Headmaster Dumbledore, and the papers reported about it," Aiden replied.

Lily turned to face him then, her brows knitting together. "But my dad was the Chosen One. I'm nowhere near where he was..."

"You learned the Patronus Charm almost a year before he did, didn't you?"

Lily worried her lower lip. "Well, yes..."

"And you're an Animagus. Your father isn't one."

She shook her head. "No. He couldn't do it, and it never interested Papa."

Aiden considered that. "Al's one, isn't he? An Animagus?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. He became one just after I saved Kingsley. He's a Konik horse," she explained, answering Aiden's unanswered question.

"Both the Scottish wildcat and the Konik horse are smaller versions of the typical wild animals people elect to turn into," Aiden put in.

Lily smiled. "They usually match their Patronuses." She hesitated for a moment. "Your Animagi form matches your Patronus, doesn't it?"

Aiden nodded. "It does." He hesitated for a moment. "Mum and Dad wanted to be Animagi, but they weren't able. Mum was too impatient to keep the leaf in her mouth, and Dad got too distracted to drink the potion during the thunderstorm."

"And the twins? Valencia and Valerie?"

"Somehow managed to complete the tasks as I did. We did it at the same time, on a dare. We just wanted to see if Mum's impatience or Dad's distractions were passed onto the three of us. I guess they weren't, because now we're all Animagi."

"What forms do the girls take?"

"Dogs," Aiden said with a small smile. "Valencia's a white Akita and Valerie's a black Border Collie. Interestingly enough, my form is the only cat they tolerate."

"Same species, different colors," Lily whispered.

"And breeds," Aiden put in. "Guess it just goes to show you how different you can be, even though you're supposedly identical."

Lily smirked at the notion. "The Profit thinks that, because Al and I are the children of the famous Harry Potter, that we'll automatically be like him."

Aiden blinked. "Well, he's one of your fathers. Only natural that you'll have some similarities to him in some way, shape or form."

"It's not just that," Lily said quietly. "It's the fact that I've literally been on display since their relationship became public to the papers. Sure, they gave Xenophilius Lovegood an exclusive interview, but they also let him into our home, and allowed him to take pictures of me. They say it's your parents' right to do something like that, but I'm my own person from the moment I'm born. There's got to be a line somewhere..."

"You don't like the fame?"

Lily laughed aloud. "Am I used to it? Definitely; I'm nearly nineteen, and I've had to live with it since I was an infant. Do I like the fame? No... I suppose I'm like my dad in that way, I suppose, given that he himself never enjoyed it."

"You said that there was something during your Hogwarts years... Something different, that you wish you could take back?"

"I did say that, didn't I?" Lily replied, feeling her shoulders hunching around her in an automatic gesture. "When I was dating Teddy, I told you about my suspicions..."

"About his feelings for Victoire Weasley?"

Lily nodded. "Right. Well, there was one day that we were at Madam Puddifoot's in Hogsmeade, the final day we could go before Christmas, during fifth-year..."

"I remember that day," Aiden said softly. "Scorpius Malfoy sent me his Patronus with a bunch of Honeydukes merchandise for me to take his place beside Teddy to watch the younger years file into school... Wasn't that your job?"

"Yeah, Teddy and I planned on doing it together, when Hufflepuff and Gryffindor's numbers were up," she replied. "As we were walking back to the school, Teddy accused me, laughingly, mind you, of being paranoid—Victoire was in Madam Puddifoot's that day, too," Lily explained to Aiden, and he nodded. "Anyhow, I lost my temper. I slammed him up against the bricks of the buildings we were walking by, and pointed my wand at his throat, demanding that he tell me the truth about his feelings for her. Threatened him with Legilimency, too..."

"Merlin, Lily! You could've been expelled for that!"

"Thankfully, our wonderful Potion's Professor caught me, and not the headmistress," Lily said bitterly, feeling her humiliation washing over her twofold at the memory. "He told Teddy to get going back to the castle, before we Apparated to his chambers. He gave me a strict talking-to, and told me that Al didn't have the aptitude for Legilimency, and that it was a privilege for me to know and be adept at such magic. It's not to be tampered with..."

"No, it's not," Aiden said, shaking his head. "I can't even do it. Blocking, yes. Actually entering another mind? No."

Lily swallowed then, looking up at Aiden and zeroing in on his mind without hesitation. She heard him gasp, and he seemed to immediately attempt to put up walls, but Lily somehow managed to bypass them. She searched the inner workings of his mind, finding many memories associated with Care of Magical Creatures, but one memory stood out entirely...

"Stop! Stop it!" cried Aiden, who was clearly a year or two from joining Hogwarts. "You're not playing fair!"

"Nothing's fair when it comes to magic," sneered an older boy—he looked similar to Aiden, the same brown hair, but not closely enough to be a sibling, for as far as Lily knew, Aiden had no brothers, only sisters. The older boy proceeded to levitate a hippogriff toy, which seemed to be handmade.

"Please!" Aiden begged, tears filling his eyes. "Don't hurt it! It's the last thing that Gran gave me, please!"

The older boy sneered at Aiden then, obviously not taken with his sadness. "Gran's old and gone, Aiden!" he bellowed, continuing to bring the toy upwards.

"Stop! Please, Kain!" cried out little Aiden, the tears flowing freely down his face now. "Don't do this! You don't have to do this!"

"Better to do this now, when I can still keep you in line!" the boy called Kain yelled, and manipulated the toy into a bare tree. "You're nothing but a filthy Squib anyway!"

Aiden's breath caught in his throat then, watching with horror as his beloved stuffed hippogriff was slashed by the tree. Stuffing blew in the wind as the body of the magical beast—now mangled by the spiky fingers of the branches—flew softly to the ground. Aiden looked up at Kain then, glaring at him, and let out a scream like a banshee, shoving Kain backwards without hesitation in his mind, towards the trunk of the tree that had killed his toy.

"Aiden!" came a shout from behind them, and a girl—looking similar to Kain, except with blonde hair—who looked about fourteen came into the memory. She was shocked to see Aiden standing there, red in the face from a combination of anger and crying, as well as Kain, who was now slumped a few feet away from the tree. "You know the rules," she said.

Kain lifted his head; it was clear the girl was addressing him. "I wasn't doing anything to him, Cara!" he cried out then, stumbling to his feet, and trying to appear sympathetic.

"Like I believe that for a moment," Cara said, lowering her eyes to the scattered bits of stuffing and fabric, which littered the ground. "You've destroyed Laoise," she said, her tone angered and directed entirely at Kain and the pieces seemed to flow to her automatically, and she gathered them into her arms.

"Hey... Hey!" Kain shouted, jabbing a finger at her. "You can't do that! It's against the rules, Cara!"

Cara sighed, shutting her eyes. "I will risk the wrath of the ministry, but once the hear my side of the story, I'm sure they can be persuaded to look the other way." Her eyes, pearly silver, opened again, and she knelt before Aiden. "It's all right," she said, and lowered her eyes towards the pieces of Laoise. "Reparo," she whispered, running her hands over the fabric and stuffing, and the hippogriff was as good as new. "Pardon my brother, Aiden. Ever since he got his Hogwarts letter, he's been terrible."

Aiden sniffed, taking Laoise into his arms. "I know," he said quietly. "Next year, when I get mine, I can beat him."

Cara smiled, kissing Aiden's forehead. "I wish you were my brother, but I've got to settle for cousin. It's all right, though," she said, gathering Aiden in her arms for a moment, before walking him back towards the house. "Mum says lunch is ready," she called over her shoulder to Kain, who stuck his tongue out at his older sister, before he trudged behind them.

Lily retreated from the memory then, flying back into the parlor of her shared house with Aiden in Sweden, and they stared at one another. "Cara?" she whispered.

Aiden's eyes were red. "My cousin."

"Yes, I figured that out..."

"Eldest child and only daughter of my father's cousin, Fergus," Aiden went on, his tone bitter as he shook his head.

"What happened to her? Was she expelled?"

"No." He shook his head. "She turned seventeen before the start of her seventh-year. She was in the Auror pre-training program, and was permitted to go on a mission to capture some of the Death Eaters that are still lose."

"Oh, no," Lily whispered, remembering before her third-year was due to begin, and the whispered conversations between her parents...

"A girl is dead, Severus!" Harry shouted, while Lily remained silent on the staircase, unseen due to her Animagus form.

"Harry calm yourself..."

"How can I do such a thing? She was seventeen, Severus—just seventeen. That was the age I was when I carried Lily," he whispered, despair filling his voice. "To have such a young life of such a talented witch cut short..."

"Who was the girl?"

"Cara Finnigan, Half-Blood, daughter of Seamus's cousin, Fergus, and his Muggle-born witch wife Finella. She went to Beauxbatons, the mother—she's half-French on her mother's side, and so she went there after her parents got divorced..."

"I am sorry for the family, Harry, really I am. But you're so torn up about it. Are you afraid that Lily will want to be an Auror?"

"I know it's her dream—right now, anyway," Harry replied. "But it gets worse than that, Severus, much worse."

"What's worse?"

Harry bit his lip then, raising his eyes to his husband. "As the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, I'm to inform Fergus and Finella."

"I know the name," Lily whispered, trembling then. "My parents discussed it. It was just before third-year, when Dad came home and shared the news with Papa..."

"We were visiting Uncle Fergus and Aunt Finella that night—since Mum and Dad are only children, Fergus became like our uncle, and Mum's best friends, Padma and Parvati Patil, became our aunts... Your dad came and delivered the news. He was so calm about the entire thing, and I couldn't understand it..."

"Papa likely gave him a potion," Lily said softly. "He wasn't uncaring or unfeeling, Aiden, please don't think that. He needed to focus when it came to Apparition, and if he was so upset, the motion sickness would've been worse for him. He had a job to do, an unfortunate one at that, and that job was to inform Cara's next of kin as soon as possible."

Aiden dragged his hand down his face. "A horrible night..."

"What happened to Kain?" Lily whispered.

"He joined the Auror Department a year ago. He mended his ways after that day—the memory that you witnessed. Due to that, the Sorting Hat amended his choice from Slytherin to Gryffindor, and he became the latter, just like the rest of us."

"Cara was a Gryffindor?"

"Yeah. Slated to be Head Girl her seventh-year."

Lily nodded. "Of course. She was a prefect..."

Aiden sighed, trembling as Lily had done a moment ago. "I just feel like I'll forget her," he said then, the tears filling his eyes.

"You won't," Lily replied, moving over so that she was closer to him. "I had no right to look at your memories. I apologize."

"No," Aiden said, "I'm glad you did. There are certain things I don't like discussing, so it's better for you to know like this..."

"How is it better, if you have to relive the sadness?"

Aiden smiled slightly then. "One must remember the good with the bad, Lily. It was on that day that my magic manifested. I had just turned ten, and I knew my family was concerned that I hadn't done anything. Kain wasn't the only one who thought I was a Squib."

"You're not," Lily replied, her eyes locking with Aiden's. "You're very powerful in your own right, and I'm sure Cara would be very proud of you."

Aiden hesitated for a moment, considering his reply, before he finally spoke. "And you? Are you proud of me?"

Lily smiled. "Of course I'm proud of you, Aiden. We may have not been close during our school years, but I watched you, from a distance. I was shocked at how much you managed to accomplish, and I was proud to be a fellow Gryffindor."

Aiden smiled back at Lily. "I'm proud of you, too... Teddy didn't deserve you. I'll admit, I was always a little jealous of him..."

Lily laughed. "Jealous of Teddy? Why?"

"Because you were you, and he was just... Teddy. Wonderful parents, but he likely didn't listen to their teachings, or his house, for that matter. Hufflepuffs are supposed to be loyal and fair, and he wasn't either of those things towards you. You deserved better."

Lily swallowed then, staring at Aiden, and found that she couldn't deny his points, nor his magic being wonderful, or that he was easy on the eyes. "Better like you?"

Aiden smiled again. "Maybe..."

Lily nodded then, and leaned in, feeling relieved when she noticed Aiden doing the same, and felt a charge of some kind as their lips met. The attraction had been evident for some time, and, due to the fact that they'd never been close—and Lily's past relationship—it had been left untapped for several months. Once their lips met, however, exploring one another in an intimate dance, Lily was gone, and she had the feeling that Aiden was, too.

. . .

Lily awoke on the final day of July, untangling herself from Aiden's arm, slung around her in sleep, and summoned her robe wandlessly. Wrapping it around her, she turned and spotted Isis and Ignatius, curled around one another, at the foot of her borrowed bed, and crossed over to the en suite bathroom. Showering quickly, she knew that she and Aiden were an hour ahead of her parents, but she was desperate to get a fire-call to them and quickly, knowing that her beloved Aunt Hermione had planned a party for her father's thirty-seventh birthday.

Lily climbed into the shower, mentally managing to adjust the water temperature to her liking, the various droplets making contact with her skin quickly. They made trails down her arms, shoulders, chest, stomach, and legs before finally swirling into the drain and disappearing, only to be replaced with new ones. Her red mane was long and wet down her back, and she felt deliciously sore from the night before. To say that Aiden was a generous lover would be an insult to Godric himself, for Aiden always went above and beyond for the both of them to ensure pleasure was had by all.

Stepping out of the shower once she'd finished, the summoned towel flew into her outstretched hands and wrapped around her quickly. She advanced towards the mirror above the sink and stared at herself for a few silent moments. The Thestral on her left clavicle, inked during the 2014 Quidditch World Cup when she was only fifteen-years-old, when her Dad had introduced her and Al to Viktor Krum, a fellow Triwizard Champion, seemed to stare back at her. Lily had managed to keep the ink a secret from her fathers for over a month. On the final day of summer vacation, during a swimming trip to the Burrow, however, they'd seen Lily's shoulder area, and were deeply upset by her not consulting them about such a life-altering thing.

It was an amusement that she was made a prefect the following day, she mused to herself, tossing the towel away and crossing over towards the window. Standing on her toes, she looked towards the forest, and heard nothing out of the ordinary. Satisfied, she turned towards the skies, and saw that it was going to be a sunny day. The Thestral was no longer alone; it had been joined in the wake of Lily's rescue of Kingsley Shacklebolt by her wand casting her Patronus, which was featured on her left rib cage. Her final tattoo, for the moment, at least, was the lion of Gryffindor proudly holding the Sword of Gryffindor upon her back, which she had gotten in the wake of Teddy's breaking up with her.

Dressing in a pair of jeans and a turtleneck, she summoned her hiking boots and laced them on just as quickly, casting a cleaning charm onto her teeth, and a drying spell onto her hair. She then left the bathroom and crossed through her bedroom, kissing Aiden's forehead before she headed out of there and towards the staircase towards the parlor. She felt bad that she and Aiden had all this space, but, considering that they'd shared a room from the first night of settling in here for their research project, they really didn't need the bottom half of the property. Shaking her head at her actions, she smirked to herself as she stepped into the parlor and knelt before the impressive hearth before her.

Tossing in some Floo Powder, she said clearly, "Potter Park, Woolacombe, Devon, England," and waited for the flames to clear.

"Lily!" came Harry's voice after a moment. "That you?"

"Yeah, Dad, it's me," Lily said, grinning at her father. "Happy Birthday."

"Thank you, sweetheart," Harry replied, pleased to hear from her. "How's things going over there in Sweden?"

Lily sighed. "Well, I can tell you that Aiden and I are getting some impressive work done. Of course, we can't tell you what it is yet—Luna and Rolf made us sign a confidentiality agreement beforehand, which you're aware of."

Harry nodded. "Yes, of course I remember, darling. Well, what can you tell me?"

"Lots of research is happening, I can say that much. Aiden and I are working around the clock, and we work really well together. Really."

Harry regarded his daughter then, their eyes locking with the other. "I feel like there's something you can tell me, Lily, but are hesitant to do so."

Lily swallowed. "What makes you think that?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know, Lil. All I do know is, you're my daughter, and I know full well how you act when something's going on that you're hesitant about sharing."

Lily tucked a stray hair behind her ear; she and Aiden hadn't established formally what they were to one another, but they hadn't blatantly said not to discuss it at all with other people. "I guess I'm involved with someone..."

"Yeah?" Harry asked, grinning. "Someone that you met over in Sweden? I know that Luna and Rolf arranged for some of their associates over there to keep in touch."

Lily shook her head. "No. Nothing like that."

Harry mulled that over for a moment. "Is it Aiden?"

Lily's heart fluttered then. "Yeah..." Her voice sounded like it was trapped by a lead weight. "I mean, we're not official or anything. But we work really well together in the field of things, and we're adults..." She sighed; she knew full well how badly she was explaining things to her father, and she wished all of this was easier. It wasn't for the first time that Lily wished she had a mother to talk to, and knew full well that Aunt Hermione would understand...

"Do you like him?" Harry asked.

Lily nodded. "Of course I like him."

"He always seemed to be a respectful, charismatic, intelligent boy—hell, even Severus liked him," Harry joked, and Lily felt a soft laugh escaping her lips. "He treating you right, Lily? That is the main thing here..."

"He's brilliant, Dad, and he's so patient with Isis and Ignatius. It's almost as if..." She shrugged then, and laughed nervously. "I don't know. We're...we're staying together..."

Harry nodded. "His room or yours?"

"My... My room," Lily said, flushing.

Harry smiled. "Well, he's nineteen, and you're eighteen. Nothing wrong with what you're doing as long as you're both fine with it."

Lily nodded at Harry. "I'm fine with it."

"Then, that's all that matters," Harry told her, reaching through the flames and taking her by the hand, squeezing it gently. "Now, please. It's my birthday. Can't you tell me something about your work with Aiden?"

Lily smiled, thinking it over, knowing she could come up with something worthwhile to tell her father, especially on this day.

. . .

It had come as a complete surprise to Lily during one of their writing sessions—in which they'd explored the forest for creatures for a week, taken notes, and wrote down their findings during the weekend—that Aiden clearly had something to say. Lily had gotten to her feet, saving her progress onto the computer, and smirked slightly that a Muggle invention was so useful, and walked over to Aiden. She gently massaged his shoulders and kissed his head—they were very physical with one another, given that they were frequently alone—and moved away after a few moments.

"I'm going to start on dinner," she said, making her way towards the door of the study. "What do you think we should have tonight?"

Aiden mulled that over, pushing himself back from the computer. "Well, it is Sunday. We may be in Sweden, but still..."

Lily laughed. "I think we have a roast somewhere. I'll get started on it. How do potatoes and carrots sound with it?"

"Fine," Aiden said, dragging his hand down his face.

Lily hesitated in the doorway, staring at him. "Are you all right?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he assured her, looking up. "I just wanted to see if, maybe, you wanted to go out next weekend, after we get some work done."

Lily blinked. "As what? Colleagues? Friends?"

Aiden smiled. "No. I was thinking like...a date."

Lily swallowed; she hadn't been asked out since Teddy had done so on the train back home from Hogwarts during their fourth year. "Sure, I'll go out with you," Lily replied, and found that she was smiling at him. "I'd love to."

"Great," Aiden replied, getting back to his work.

The easygoing Aiden had vanished on that day, twenty-nine days later at the end of September, when he and Lily had inadvertently disturbed a potential mating ceremony between the head Snorkack and his budding lady love. The male had let out an ear-splitting scream when the tree branch Lily was standing on snapped, and after she had tumbled to the ground, too fast to cast a spell to save herself.

"Shit," Lily said, clamoring to her feet as the beast rumbled towards her, rage in his expression, and Lily felt her skin go white as she struggled to stand, although he ankle screamed in protest at the motion.

"Run!" Aiden screamed, jumping down from the tree and grabbing Lily by the hand, yanking her out of the fray.

"We can't harm them!" Lily shouted, knocking Aiden's arm downwards, but he thankfully managed to keep a grip on his wand. "Luna and Rolf would have our arses if we even attempted to do such a thing!"

Aiden remained silent, yanking her along behind him, as Lily tried and failed to keep up, due to her ankle burning. Aiden let out an annoyed groan, and lifted Lily almost effortlessly, and managed to keep up a good pace. Lily looked over his shoulder, seeing the Snorkack following them in a blundering fashion, eager to catch them and make them pay for making him look the fool in front of his hoped-for mate. Lily swallowed, knowing that the branch had been weak, but she was stubborn, and thought she could handle it.

"I'm sorry..." She whispered.

"Forget it," Aiden replied, jumping over the massive tree roots and continuing to attempt to keep a hold on her. "We'll try again tomorrow..."

Lily sighed. "Normally, I'd be complaining about my ankle, but I guess I know a knight when I see one," she said.

Aiden rolled his eyes. "No flattery right now, Lil," he said, rounding a bend, keeping a good grip upon her. "No distractions."

Lily sighed, having enough and launching herself off from his grip, and managed to hop at a good speed beside him. "Look, you're the one who asked me out and initiated the whole feelings conversation," she snapped, hearing the Snorkack behind them. "I may have kissed you, Aiden, but you're the one who wanted to take the party upstairs..."

Aiden rolled his eyes. "That's not what I meant by distractions and you know it," he muttered, a significant amount of annoyance peppering his tone of voice. "I meant solely in this situation that we're in right now. That's all."

"Well, you weren't very clear!" she snapped again.

The Snorkack screamed from behind them, and Lily turned slightly, seeing that it was literally just on their tails. She knocked Aiden out of the way, but he was too strong for her, and did a successful knock himself. Her heart entered her throat then as Aiden's wand lit up, and he was wordlessly attempting to cast something at the angered beast.

"No!" Lily cried out then, knocking his hand down a second time.

He let out an annoyed huff and pulled her along. "I wasn't about to stun or hex him, Lily!" Aiden yelled, pulling her into a shrub once they'd rounded a corner, knowing that, since the Snorkack's sense of smell was its weakest sense, that perhaps they'd be safe there, for a time. "I was going to immobilize them. That's all."

Lily caught her breath, digging for her canteen and drinking quickly, forcing her heart rate to go down as she struggled for breath. She hesitated for a moment, peering through the withering leaves of the bush, and saw the Snorkack take off in the other direction. "I guess I didn't want you to get into trouble," she said quietly, returning to her former position, and permitting herself to glance at Aiden.

Aiden blinked. "That's awfully kind of you."

She shrugged, capping her canteen and securing it in the pouch at her waist, which was complete with an undetectable extension charm, thanks to Aunt Hermione and her infinite wisdom. "It's been known to happen," she muttered, wiping off her mouth with the back her hand.

Aiden swallowed. "That was stupid. The thing with the tree branch."

Lily glared at him. "I know that. Don't you think I know that?"

"You still did it!" Aiden shouted.

Lily felt her anger mixing with her magic, which was bubbling just beneath the surface. "I'd advise you to stop it."

"Or what? You'll do to me what you wanted to do to Teddy?"

Lily let out an angry growl, and lunged forward, knocking Aiden to the ground, and they were rolling around like schoolyard children in the dirt. She didn't care about the consequences of her actions; in that moment, she was out for blood. It wasn't even a few moments later that Aiden had her on her back, her red mane fanned out around her head, and she continued glaring up at him, breathing hard. "Don't mention Teddy," she said, her voice firm. "And I know what I was doing was stupid. I just have a stubborn streak."

Aiden sighed. "Look, I only said it was stupid because I was worried about you," he said, and Lily raised her eyebrows. "When I saw you fall, too quickly to cast a spell, all I thought about was protecting you. It's never been this way, Lily, not with anyone. Sure I dated, kissed, and slept around a bit during my Hogwarts years, but it never meant anything. There was respect in the couplings, I'm not an animal..." At Lily's eyebrows raising further, Aiden backtracked considerably then. "Okay, we're both animals," he amended, "but I didn't take advantage of anyone in the process. And now..."

"And now?" Lily asked.

"And now I think I'm falling for you," Aiden replied, and the gasp of shock was quick to escape Lily's lips. "I know you're stubborn and reckless, but you're also intelligent and courageous and wonderful and beautiful. I love all those things about you, Lily. I think there could be a future between us, and I think..."

Lily was quick to put her arm around Aiden's neck, pulling his lips to hers, and kiss him. She was successful in gaining the upper hand, and rolled Aiden onto his back, making quick work of unbuttoning his shirt and pulling down the zipper of his pants. She did the same to her own clothing, and Aiden wasn't about to stop her. She let out a hungry groan as he entered her then, and felt her magical core pumping slightly then.

"Lily..."

"Yes?" Lily whispered, finding the best position for optimal pleasure.

"I want us to be official," Aiden whispered.

Lily lowered her eyes to Aiden's, and smiled down at him. "So do I," she whispered back, and leaned down to kiss him again.

. . .

Al stared into the Firewhiskey he'd been permitted to drink by his parents, and allowed it to swirl inside the golden goblet; it had a W upon it for Weasley, and it was studded with rubies for Gryffindor. It didn't phase Albus; in all, only four Slytherins were in attendance at the Christmas party at the Burrow—his papa, Draco, Scorpius, and himself. The rest was a mixed bag, although Gryffindor was the Hogwarts House most in attendance that evening, with Lily and Aiden being the center of attention.

Al was pleased that his older sister had come home from Sweden for the holidays, and he was just as pleased to see Aiden having her on his arm. Al had always liked Aiden, thought he was a good bloke, and was especially pleased with the rare potion ingredients that Aiden and Lily had brought back from Sweden for him and their papa for the holiday. He watched as they talked in whispers with Luna and Rolf, likely giving them a report of their findings over there. Finally, the couple left them alone, and Al swallowed as Scorpius seemed to make an immediate beeline for the two of them.

"Scorp, don't," Al said, his voice firm as he caught the arm of his best friends' dress robes. "Let it be, at least for tonight. Please."

"I wasn't going to..."

Al sighed, cutting him off. "Very much like my sister, I don't care for liars," he said softly, and Scorpius sighed in annoyance. "Let it alone, Scorp. She's with Aiden, and she's happy."

Scorpius pulled a face. "I know that, but..."

"But nothing," Al hissed. "The last thing Lily needs is guilt right now, knowing that she was your prize all along."

Scorpius's eyes blazed. "How did you know?"

"Papa had quite a bit of free time on his hands over the summer, and I may have persuaded him to guide me in Legilimency," he said softly.

Scorpius looked shocked. "You read my mind?"

"Only to get to the piece of information that you so strove to keep from me. How could you do something like that to Rose?" Al hissed at him. "She liked you; she may have even loved you, but you only dated her to get closer to Lily."

Scorpius swallowed. "Al..."

"No. That's my sister, and Rose is my cousin," he said, his voice trembling. "I don't understand how you can go through with doing something like that. It's very Slytherin of you, to say the least, but I always thought you were better than that."

"Maybe it's good that I'm living up to my house's name," Scorpius replied, his tone bitter. "At least don't let Alice know."

Al flushed, looking away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I know you two are together," Scorpius said softly, his voice a threatening whisper. "Even though it could be seen as odd."

Al looked up. "Odd?"

"She's a sixth-year, and you're only a fifth-year," Scorpius went on. "What's going to happen after she graduates in a year?"

Al shrugged. "I guess we'll figure it out."

Lily could feel Al's magic prickling uncomfortably; she knew it was long overdue for Scorpius to confront him about dating Alice, but he was going a bit too overboard with it. Of course, he would want to address his best friend dating his little sister, but the notion that he could go on and on about the subject, to the point where Al was uncomfortable, was overkill. Lily turned back to Aiden, and smiled at him, but her smile faltered then when Teddy and Victoire walked out of the Floo fireplace together.

"Forget him," Aiden said softly, putting his hand in hers, something that was not lost on either Teddy or Scorpius, even from different locations in the room.

"You're right, I know," Lily replied, and smiled up at him, and leaning closer as he kissed her on the cheek. "I'm not going to worry about it."

"Does it make you uncomfortable?" he asked.

"What?"

"Me acting this way towards you in public, or seeing Teddy with Victoire?"

"The second one," she replied, letting out a sigh. "I'm over him, I swear. It's just the notion that he never admitted to lying... That's what hurts the most." Lily noted with a quick amount of glee that Teddy showed his awkwardness at the situation far more rapidly, and forced himself into a conversation with his parents. "I'm forgetting him now," Lily said, her voice firm as she turned her full attention to Aiden. "Happy Christmas, Aiden."

Aiden leaned down, and brushed his lips with hers. "Happy Christmas, Lily."

. . .

"It's a treehouse," Lily said, staring up at the property that Luna and Rolf suggested that they look at, when they returned to Sweden.

"It's in the hub of our operations," Aiden said, taking Lily by the waist, and gently summoning the two of them up to the landing above, Ignatius in his other arm, and Isis on Lily's shoulder. "I think it's perfect."

Lily grinned. "You would," she joked, kissing Aiden on the cheek. "But you're not going to hear me complain here. Besides, it's just for another few months, right? We're under contract until June, unless we decide to extend it."

Aiden nodded. "Let's cross that bridge when we come to it," he said, squeezing her waist before he let it go, and crossed the platform towards the door, and unlocked it.

"What an extension charm," Lily whispered in awe as they crossed the threshold. Inside, there was a beautiful living room, along with a hearth connected to the Floo Network. Through the archway beyond was the kitchen, and down the hallway beyond that, halfway down, was their shared study.

"And now, the moment we've all been waiting for, our favorite room in the house," Aiden said, with Ignatius and Isis at their heels, as he opened the final door. "The bedroom."

Lily laughed aloud, catching sight of the size of the bed. "Guess Luna and Rolf really understand that we're together now," she said quietly.

"You regret being open about our relationship?" Aiden asked, returning their trunks to their original sizes, before magically unpacking their belongings and putting them in the large closet that they would be sharing.

Lily shook her head. "No," she said, waiting for Aiden to finish the task he'd given himself, before she crossed the room and put her arms around his shoulders. "If it takes a few moments once a day to tell you how happy I am, then I'll do it. I'm happy, Aiden. Really. We got some good research done on the Snorkack last time around, and now it's time for the Swedish Short-Snout, and thankfully we've got some information from Charlie this time around."

Aiden grinned. "Not walking blind anymore."

Lily shook her head. "No. I think that's a good way to go about life."

Aiden looked curious about that. "Not walking blind, you mean?"

She nodded. "Exactly. If you know too little about a situation, you're bound to get burned, be it by dragon fire, or because of the lack of information you possess. By the same token, knowing too much information can make a witch or wizard—or even Muggle—a cocky beast, and then you could wind up dead or in a stupid and preventable situation. If you know just the right amount of information, then, you can keep a level head, and you're more than likely to be successful."

Aiden smiled at Lily then, and she shook her head at him.

"What?" she asked.

"With words and thoughts like that, you could be Minister of Magic."

Quickly, Lily shook her head. "No. The public eye isn't for me..."

Aiden blinked. "Why not?"

"Because," Lily said quickly, "I have too much to say. If a man says too much, everyone around him laughs and goes along with it. If a woman says too much—and she's not in the correct circle—she could be killed." She stepped closer to Aiden, and brushed his lips with hers. "I don't want anyone to die for me, Aiden, but I'm certainly not prepared to die. Not yet."

"You've got a life to live, then?"

Lily smiled. "Exactly. I've got a life to live. And whether or not you're in it as my friend or as my boyfriend, I know that, either way, I've got to be happy with my life."

. . .

Lily was typing up their final report on the Swedish Short-Snout, to be delivered to Luna and Rolf by the end of the week, when they were due to return to England. However, that morning, an owl had arrived, addressed to them both, telling them that there was another assignment, this time in Norway. It had come across the breakfast table, when Lily and Aiden were indulging in a breakfast of eggs and sausages. Lily had finished already, while Aiden was helping himself to seconds, so Lily opened the letter and stared at the parchment.

Dear Lily and Aiden,

Terrible news from the Norwegian Ministry of Magic, only coming across our desks this morning, and it is quite a shock indeed. It seems as though Selma—a dreadful sea monster from years ago—has been found, and is terrorizing the citizens. It was stated to be taken care of four years ago, during the last Quidditch World Cup, but someone seems to have stolen it and returned it to Seljord Lake in Norway.

We understand that your obligation to The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures is due to end in a week, but we wanted to let you know first about this assignment. If you don't wish to pursue it, we quite understand, as such a thing would be considered dangerous, even for an expert. We simply ask that, either way, you let us know what your answer is, as everyone involved wishes for this to be resolved as soon as possible.

Luna and Rolf Scamander

Lily stared at the computer then, forcing herself to continue writing the assignment. Ever since she and Aiden had returned from England over Christmas, try as they might, the spark seemed to be gone from the two of them. She didn't want to believe it, as she was very satisfied in other ways, but she knew that, sooner or later, the two of them would have to face it.

Lily finished the writing and printed out her report and sealed it, knowing that the owl from earlier was waiting for it. She bit her lip and walked into the living room, where Aiden had been after the letter had arrived. She swallowed then, seeing his report on the coffee table, and bound his together with hers, and went back into the kitchen. She smiled at the owl and petted it, and, now that it had had nourishment and something to drink, she handed over the reports to the owl, as well as her answer about the trip, knowing that Aiden had likely given his as well. Unlocking the kitchen window, the bird hooted to her and flew out, back to England.

Lily shut the window and walked back into the living room, where she took a seat on an easy chair beside the hearth, thought better of it, and joined Aiden on the couch. "I take it you sent in your answer with your report?"

Aiden nodded, leaning forward. "I sent it, yes."

She nodded back at him. "And you're going home?"

Aiden sighed. "I have to, Lily. I signed on for this job for a year, and now that it's up, I've got my desk job with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, just like I always planned."

Lily sighed, biting her lip. "I understand."

Aiden turned to her then, regarding her profile. "You're staying? Or, rather, going to Norway to deal with Selma?"

Lily swallowed, before she nodded, staring at the coffee ring that Aiden had accidentally made on the coffee table when they'd first gotten there. "Yeah. I know there's more out there for me to know and discover, Aiden." She turned and looked at him then, willing for herself not to try. "I know that a desk job seems great, and I'm happy for you, but..."

"But you're not ready to settle?" he guessed.

Lily smiled. "Yeah, I guess I'm not. There's more for me out there, career-wise. I just can't go home yet. I'm not ready."

Aiden sighed, moving closer to Lily and kissing her on the cheek. "Do you want me to be waiting for you?" he asked.

Lily shook her head at him, kissing his forehead. "No, don't wait for me," she said gently, and pulled back, so that she could stare into his eyes. "I care about you a lot, Aiden, and I know you care about me, but we don't love each other."

Aiden swallowed, but finally permitted himself to nod. "You're right. We would've been better as friends all along."

Lily smiled at him. "We can still be friends, Aiden. Unless, of course, me staying here means that you never want to talk to me again."

Aiden grinned back at her. "Of course I still want to talk with you, Lily. Of course I do. I'm not going to be a jerk about this."

Lily smiled before she took Aiden's hand. "Thank you, for teaching me how to be happy again," she said softly to him. "Thank you for making me understand that I deserve happiness."

Aiden nodded. "Anytime. And thank you, Lily..."

"For what?"

"For teaching me that me talking about Cara, and my past, could actually be beneficial, instead of me burying it like a dirty secret."

Lily grinned. "You're welcome, for being my nosy self," she replied.

. . .

After Aiden left, there was the matter of gathering up hers and Isis's things from the treehouse in Sweden, and going to the place in Norway that Luna and Rolf had prepared for her. Once she arrived later that day, Lily had some downtime for the first week, waiting for Luna and Rolf to get back to her on the Selma incident. Spending time reading about the serpent, and spending time with Isis, filled her days, until an unexpected knock came at her front door.

Lily left the chair beside the window in her study, and came out into the living room. She had left Isis asleep in the study's window seat, so she ventured to the door alone, her wand in her hand, as she checked through the peephole. A gasp escaped her lips as she saw Scorpius on the threshold, and unlocked the doors quickly, staring at him.

"Are my parents all right?!" she cried out then, grabbing onto his wrist and yanking him inside the house. "What about Al?! Has something happened?!"

Scorpius immediately shook his head. "No, everyone's fine, Lily," he assured her. "Here, come and sit down," he said, gently placing her on the couch and moving to sit beside her. "I didn't mean to catch you unawares. I sent an owl, but I suppose it went to Sweden instead," he said, a short laugh escaping his throat.

Lily sighed, relief filling her. "So, everyone's fine? Even Rose?"

Scorpius nodded. "Yeah, Rose is great. Helping the Harpies win every match she can. She's brought up their winning average twofold since joining the team."

"That's amazing," Lily replied, recalling her conversation with Rose over Christmas, and was thankful to know that their friendship had not been broken. "So, what brings you here?" she wanted to know.

"Al told me about Selma," Scorpius said, looking slightly worried. "How are things going with that, then?"

"Just preliminary research at this point," Lily replied. "Nothing serious, and certainly no action or field work, as of yet."

Scorpius sighed, looking around. "You alone here?"

Lily blinked. "Just me and Isis. She's in the study."

"Where's Aiden?"

"Went back to England a week ago," Lily said, confused that Scorpius didn't seem to know that bit of information. "Got a desk job with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures..."

Scorpius smirked. "I thought Aiden was a Gryffindor," he said smugly.

Lily blinked. "Of course he is."

"Well, why didn't he stay to face Selma with you?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm perfectly capable of facing it on my own, Scorp. And besides, Aiden stayed as long as our original agreement was. We were under contract for a year; I decided to renew my contract, and he didn't. Simple."

"You didn't want to come home?"

Lily shook her head. "No. Not yet, anyway. Wasn't ready."

"Why?"

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. I'm only nineteen, and I've only ever been around the United Kingdom, plus Argentina for the Quidditch World Cup when I was fifteen. Exploring Scandinavia, and writing up reports on magical creatures..." She smiled. "I don't know. It makes me happy, fulfilled. When my adventures here are over, I'll come home."

"Maybe you could have adventures at home, Lily."

Lily laughed aloud then. "Do you miss me, Scorp?"

"Of course I bloody well miss you!" Scorpius yelled, shooting to his feet and walking away from her, which caused Lily to raise her eyebrows.

"Scorp, what's all this?"

"Blimey, Lily, I don't know," Scorpius muttered, shaking his head. "I thought I was over it. I mean, when I saw you and Aiden at Christmas, I drowned myself in Firewhiskey, thought I could kick you as a habit..."

"Kick me as a habit? I'm not some drug, Scorp," Lily said, slightly offended by the images that directly came into her mind.

"Yeah, that's what I thought, too," Scorpius said, shaking his head. "Your pictures were printed all over The Profit and The Quibbler," he went on, digging inside one of his inner pockets, and shoving something into Lily's hands.

Lily blinked, uncrumpling the piece of paper, and recognizing it as coming from the front page of The Profit, giving a brief overview of hers and Aiden's research in Sweden. There was a picture of the two of them well; a photographer had come at Luna and Rolf's request two weeks before, when they were still in Sweden, and still together, to get some publicity shots of the two of them for the article. It was titled, Potter's Daughter Makes Name for Herself in Magical Creatures World, Alongside Boyfriend Aiden Finnigan. Lily rolled her eyes, taking in the shot of them together—Aiden, beaming, his arm around her shoulders, while Lily somehow managed to look happy, although, on a loop, she was attempting to avoid the camera's flashbulb, and she looked altogether uncomfortable with the situation.

"Did this upset you, Scorpius?"

He sighed. "Maybe it did..."

She swallowed, getting slowly to her feet. "Not that it's any of your business, but Aiden and I ended things before his departure."

Scorpius looked shocked. "He did?"

"We did," Lily said, not wanting to be some damsel in distress in need of rescue. "It was a mutual decision, with no heartbreak involved."

"That's why you didn't come home?"

"No. I didn't come home because of work, Scorp. Not a guy."

"Don't you want to come home?"

"Eventually, of course," Lily told him. "One day. Just not today..."

"Lily..."

"What?"

Scorpius stared at Lily for a moment, before he stepped forward, grabbing her by the waist and yanking her against him, his lips finding hers without hesitation. Lily didn't struggle, and molded her body to his, letting him touch her, allowing herself momentary pleasure. It was heady, to say the least, as he asked her where the bedroom was, and she pointed, allowing him to take her there, where for hours they did what many adults did best, and she awoke with the cock's crow the following morning.

Lily sat up then, bolt-upright, her hair a mess down her back. The comforter of the bed was wrapped around her, and the silvery light of dawn crept into the bedroom. Looking next to her, she saw the naked figure of Scorpius, asleep next to her, and shook her head. What had she managed to get herself into this time?

She sighed, knowing that she had a choice to make, as her eyes filled with tears, but she would not allow herself to be chained. Swallowing, her wand had automatically come into her hands, and she pointed it carefully at Scorpius. "Obliviate," she whispered then, taking his memories from the night before, and replacing them with ones of him trying to kiss her after getting too drunk, and her putting him to bed. In an afterthought, she put on his boxers and pants, so that her story would be backed up.

Lily got up then, summoning a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, not even skimping on the undergarments before putting on her hiking boots. Shaking her head, she poked Scorpius in his naked back, and he moaned slightly before opening his eyes and staring at her. "You need to get up and get dressed, Scorp."

Scorpius was surprised at her demeanor, and sat up in the bed. "What?"

"You can't stay. I'm working," she said, deliberately attempting to make her voice cold. She couldn't let him in, she just couldn't.

Scorpius shook his head. "Lily, I thought, after last night..."

"Nothing happened last night," Lily said quickly.

Scorpius blinked. "What?"

"You got drunk," she said firmly. "You were drunk, Scorp. You tried to kiss me, and I told you it wasn't happening. I gave you sleeping potion, don't you remember?"

"But... I slept in your bed..."

"It's a large bed, Scorp. Just because we slept in the same bed, doesn't mean that anything happened between us. You wanted it to, but I declined, and you fell asleep."

Scorpius nodded, almost as if he was forcing himself to understand the situation. "Well, if that's what you say happened, then I suppose it did happen."

"It did happen, Scorp," Lily said, the emotion tangling up for a moment in her tone, but she swallowed it quickly. "Put on your shirt, shoes, and socks. Your coat is still in the living room, and you won't have to Apparate."

Scorpius, by this time, had gotten out of bed, and had gotten his shoes on. "I won't?"

"No. The fireplace is on the Floo Network. You'll be home in a moment."

Scorpius swallowed, before he nodded. "All right," he said, and moved to leave the room, his expensive shoes squeaking on the wood floor.

"Scorp... Wait," Lily said, and moved to run after him. She knew that Scorpius didn't deserve this, any of it, and as her heart pounded, wanting to rectify the situation, she ran from her room and into the living room. However, as she ran into the room, the flames had already swallowed him up. "Fuck," Lily whispered, and grabbed a handful of powder, before a tapping caught her attention, and she saw an owl by the window.

Shaking her head, she dropped the powder back into its vessel, before letting the owl inside the kitchen, summoning some tidbit for it. She opened the letter and scanned the pages, knowing that it came from Luna and Rolf, telling her the instructions for methods of getting rid of Selma—or, at the very least, her violent tendencies. Lily scribbled out a reply to the owl, who screeched as it was handed over, and she watched it fly away, before she sank to her knees, allowing the sobs to wrack her body, hating how cowardly she was in her unwillingness to let someone, someone who truly cared about her, in.