For the next few days, all the talk in the castle was about Sirius Black. Even the Quidditch game had been forgotten about by near everyone except the teams. It was in only three days, and the Slytherins and I were training near as hard as the Gryffindors. The school quidditch game wasn't the only thing on my mind, however.

"Lily!" Sydney shouted from behind me. I turned to face her sprinting up the corridor toward me. "I know that our Quidditch game is soon, and I swear I'm focused, but... The Montrose Magpies! I mean, it's only a week away! D'you have your things ready? What're you wearing? You have your ticket, right? You can't have lost it! Is Harry ready? Does-"

"Sydney!" I breathed exasperatedly. "Relax! Harry and I are both ready. We have our tickets. We're wearing the Magpies robes we bought in Diagon Alley before the school year began. Is that all?"

Sydney took a deep breath. "I guess."

"Thank you."

I continued my trek to the Gryffindor common room where I was meeting Hermione so that she could help me with (or preferably do) my arithmancy homework. I was hoping for a quiet walk after a hectic day, but that never seemed to be the case around Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As soon as Sydney had left, someone else took her place.

"Hullo, Lily. Lovely day, don't you think?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Weather's dreadful. I've got practice in that rainstorm."

Percy's neck reddened. He cleared his throat and took a moment. I suspected he was looking for a way to redeem himself now, so I broke the silence to try and save him from having to (though flustered Percy was always quite an enjoyable sight).

"You don't have to follow me, you know," I grinned. "I know your mother has probably instructed you to protect me from Sirius Black, but I'm fine."

"I- I assure you that I am doing nothing of the sort. We are simply headed in the same direction, is all."

I simply chuckled and let him follow me, allowing him to start up conversation on the author of a new wizarding book release. We neared the common room quite quickly (by which point we were speaking of Gilderoy Lockhart's publicly being outed as a fraud). It was only after Sir Cadogan finally let us pass that he let me go off on my own.

Thankfully, after telling Hermione of my very busy schedule of Quidditch, detention, and preparation for the Magpies game, she let me copy her homework. She handed me her paper, only somewhat reluctantly, and I traded her for my essay. I sat down with it in front of me. Ron wasn't overjoyed when he saw the sight of this.

"Come on, Hermione! You never let me copy your homework!"

"Oh, hush, Ronald," Hermione said, not taking her eyes away from where she was reading over my Charms essay for me. "Lily has a busy schedule tonight. Plus, she is much nicer about it."

To prove her point, I handed her paper back to her, having finished copying her tidy scrawl and offering a wide grin. "Thank you, Hermione. I owe you one. Let me know when you want to take me up on it."

"Of course," she giggled. "Here's your essay. It's brilliant, really. You really do very well when you do your work, Lily. I'd only suggest you put your name on it?"

I blushed, taking my essay back and putting my name on the corner, mumbling another thank you.

I wasn't able to stay long after that, and was soon bidding goodbye to Hermione and the Weasleys, before leaving the Gryffindor common room quickly before Percy could try and escort me to the pitch.

I found it was harder than that to escape having a personal bodyguard, though. It was not even twenty steps away from the common room when someone else found an excuse to talk to me. I sighed as my new guardian from Sirius Black fell into step beside me. She heard, and 'hmphed' sharply.

"You should know by now, Ms Potter, that my presence does not always mean you are in trouble."

"Oh, I know, Minnie. But you're the second bodyguard I've had today. You don't really think that Sirius Black stuck around in the castle, do you?" I smirked when McGonagall gaped. "Yeah, I know he's supposedly after me, but really, I'll be fine from here to the dungeons."

"Fine," McGonagall huffed. "I am walking you to the first floor, though. I have business there anyway."

I shrugged in reply. So McGonagall escorted me to the first floor, reminding me many times not to go onto the grounds unattended (and even insisting that both mine and Harry's practices be supervised by Madam Hooch). I agreed absentmindedly, not having been listening too closely to all the rules McGonagall had laid out. I suspected she knew this, judging by her mutter of 'just like James' I heard as she walked away.

I continued on my way to the dungeons. As I passed him with a simple hello, I felt Snape watching me walk down the corridors. Unlike Percy and McGonagall, though, he simply nodded and let me be on my way. I sighed in relief.

I went straight to my dorm and threw my bookbag down on my bed, before flopping down beside it. Figuring I had time before my Quidditch practice, I wrote a letter to John, and then pulled out a book to read. The time flew by quickly, and soon I was walking between Sydney and Jet toward the pitch, hissing in Sydney's ear about trying to get along with Jet.

Sydney grumbled, but spoke up. "So, Br- Jet. How do you like Hogwarts then?"

"You talking to me finally, Marshall?" Was Jet's reply, a smirk on her face. "I got the impression that you didn't like me much."

"Hm. Don't know where you would've gotten that impression, Monroe," Sydney sneered. "But I do believe I asked you a question?"

"I believe you did, didn't you?"

Jet didn't offer a reply, and smiled sweetly at Sydney before skipping up ahead, striking up a conversation with Higgs about an upcoming potions assignment. Sydney glared at her back, but gave no words. I stayed quiet, assuming she'd need a minute to nurse her now bruised ego.

We changed quickly, getting onto the pitch just as Gryffindor was leaving. In the furious storm that had started days ago and still persisted, they had all gotten soaked and windblown. I pat a few on the shoulder as they passed, winking at Fred as he approached.

"Be careful out there!" He shouted over the roaring winds. "Wind'll take you right off your broom. Caught Georgie by surprise! Fell right off his broom!"

"Thanks, Freddie. He alright?" I asked loudly, hair whipping in my face.

"He's fine! Have fun! See you later."

Fred chased after his team as they left the pitch without him. I beckoned my team to the middle of the pitch, my throat already sore from yelling over the winds. They all followed, only Sydney daring to scream over the whistling of the wind through the goalposts.

"We really going to play in this?"

"We'll likely be playing in this when we play Gryffindor!"

So we all mounted our brooms and kicked off the ground. A few times a gust of wind nearly knocked me from my broom, but I held tight, with no intention of repeating the events of first year. Madam Hooch watched us (me in particular) intently, and I wondered how on earth she was even able to see us through the pouring rain.

In the conditions, we scored far less goals than we usually did, and we were forced, due to visibility issues, to step down to one bludger for our two beaters to keep control of. It took me three times longer to catch the snitch than it usually did.

Our practice, which was usually two hours or longer, was knocked down to one hour, after which everyone was soaked to the bone, shivering, and moaning and groaning. I waved to Madam Hooch as a form of silent communication, but she flew over to where I stood.

"The Gryffindor team has invited you for hot chocolate and cookies. They wouldn't say where, only mentioning that you shouldn't really be there," Madam Hooch, one of our few very lenient teachers, chuckled. "I think they're in the kitchens, but those Weasley boys said you'd know. Have fun."

"Thanks, Madam Hooch."

My team and I all thanked her before we ran to our dressing room, Jet, Adrian, Sydney, and I getting to the showers first. We, unlike Higgs, didn't stay in long. As we stepped out, I warned Higgs we'd lock him out of the kitchens if he took too long. He glared, and I shook my short wet hair out on him.

It was only fifteen minutes before we had all finished and entered the corridors. Harry, in my head, had confirmed that they were indeed in the kitchens. So, with brooms and bags of equipment in hand, we began to head that way, avoiding looking too suspicious as we passed by Professor Sinestra.

We got to the kitchens in no time. As students all having been at Hogwarts for at least two years (and especially as Slytherin students), all of us but the transfer knew exactly where the kitchens were and how to get in. I heard her asking quietly just where we were going. As soon as it was in sight, Higgs grabbed Jet's arm, pulling her roughly to the painting of the fruit bowl and pointing to it proudly. He grabbed her hand and forced her to tickle the pair. The door swung open.

The Gryffindor team, in casual clothes, some wizard, some muggle, all cheered when we stepped in. We took our seats with them at the only table in the room, thanking the house elves that arrived with another tray of cookies and more mugs of hot chocolate. I offered them each a sickle from my track pants pocket, but they refused.

We spent the rest of the night in the kitchens, hooting and hollering cheerfully, deciding it dangerous to approach the topic of Quidditch. So instead we talked giddily about just how wonderful the chocolate chip cookies were, and how glad we were to have a Professor for Defence that wasn't Voldemort nor an idiot.

It was well past dinner when we finally decided it was time to sneak out of the kitchens. Apparently, however, we had been much too loud, for the door swung open and revealed Dumbledore's twinkling eyes. We braced for detention.

"Hurry to bed, children," he smiled. "Curfew is in ten minutes."

*

"But where's Professor Lupin?" Seamus said once again.

"He is ill," Snape said nonchalantly. "Five points from Gryffindor. Now, if you're done, losing yourself your points, we will begin."

He began to flip through the textbook, no one saying a word. I raised an eyebrow, wondering just what he was going to come up with this time. He didn't look up from the textbook for another few minutes.

"Sir," Hermione dared say. "Today we're supposed to be covering Grindylows."

"Five points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger, for interrupting once again," Severus sneered. "Now, today we'll be discussing werewolves."

My heart sank into the lowest pits of my stomach. Surely Severus didn't know? But that wasn't possible. He was, after all, the one who made Remus his monthly potions. I gaped, looking at Harry, unable to form any words. He shook his head at me, and I found, in my shock, I was unable to decipher whatever he was trying to get across.

"But, Sir-" Hermione tried again.

"I was under the impression that I was teaching this lesson, and not you," Snape drawled. I didn't look up to see the smug look he surely had on his face. "Turn to page three hundred and ninety four."

I didn't and neither did Harry. Snape continued on, oblivious of the looks of horror that Harry and I were trying to hide. I was sure my face was just as green as Harry's was. I could hear my heart pounding amongst the shuffling of pages.

I ignored Snape, and the arguments the class was putting up. I ignored the points he was taking away from the Gryffindors, and just barely heard him assign Ron a detention. I took a minute to compose myself before looking back up.

Surely, I tried to assure myself, Severus was only following the curriculum. Maybe it was mandatory to learn about werewolves in third year. With that thought in my head, and soon enough in Harry's, I looked up again, letting the class come into focus.

"You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways to recognize and kill werewolves. I want-"

He stopped when my textbook fell loudly on the floor. I felt sick, and by the look on his face, so did Harry. Snape didn't flinch, but I saw a look of recognition in his face. I turned away from it angrily.

"You alright, mate?" Ron asked Harry as Hermione lay a hand on my shoulder and asked me the same.

"Must've been the cookies last night," Harry said to Ron, and I nodded. "I... er- I had too many."

I stood up, quickly catching the attention of all of our classmates. Harry was up only a few seconds later, glaring harshly at the Professor who stood emotionless before us. The class was all gaping.

"I'm feeling ill," I announced blandly. "I must have caught something during practice last night. It was cold."

"Me as well. I think it best if we go to the hospital wing."

Snape said nothing as Harry and I collected our things, apologizing profusely to Ron and Hermione, before walking to the door. Snape still said nothing. I didn't glance back once as I threw my bag over my shoulder and left the room, Harry only steps behind me.

*

The cheers I could hear from only just outside the dressing room was only adding to my adrenaline rush. I loved the feeling of it pumping through my veins. I grinned at Adrian as the team and I lined up at the door, Nimbus 2001s (which had been officially declared as the Slytherin team brooms, much to the disappointment of Sylvester Vaughn, who'd wanted the keep one for himself) tight in hand.

The second the doors opened we took off one by one. First went the keeper, Cordell, then the beaters, Zach and Sydney, then two of the chasers, Higgs and Jet, and finally Adrian, and then I. The Slytherins roared as we soared around the pitch, which was already streaked with the crimson of the Gryffindor team.

I winked at the twins as I passed them, unsure if they even noticed at the speed we were all going. We all made for the ground at once, landing in a circle around Madam Hooch. Drowned out by the sound of the wind roaring in our ears, the whistle seemed to be considerably quieter than normal. Regardless, we all took off into the air, already the Quaffle was in Gryffindor's hands.

Through the torrential downpour, I found it nearly impossible to see my team, or the Gryffindors. I didn't think twice of it, and hoped to Merlin that the snitch would be visible through the rain. I circled the pitch once.

I couldn't see anything but the sea of umbrellas in the stand, and heard nothing but the wind and repetitive cracks of thunder. Without the commentary, I had no idea who was in the lead. I couldn't see Harry anywhere, and for all I knew, he could have been chasing the snitch. I circled the pitch again.

Accompanying the next crack of thunder was a flash of lightning, momentarily lighting up the pitch and letting me see Angelina Johnson getting the Quaffle through the goalpost. I swore and circled the pitch once more.

With the next flash of lightning I saw something not so pleasant. From where I was hovering high over the pitch, I saw in the distance that dementors in a gathering of over a hundred. In the momentary distraction that they posed, another burst of lightning lit up the sky. With my eyes having been trained on the dementors off in the distance, I didn't know right away what had knocked me off my broom.

Looking up as I watched the sky get further and further away, I watched the bludger that had hit me continue on it's course as my Nimbus 2001 got carried by the wind. I gulped, realizing the wind had caught me as well, and the speed at which I was approaching the ground. I didn't make it all the way down.

A jolt of pain raced up my body as I made contact with the stands right in front of the Professors and Lee Jordan, whose commentary I still couldn't hear. I shut my eyes as I continued down, not wanting to see the ground rushing toward me. But there was a sudden tugging at the back of my robes. I looked up.

Remus and McGonagall both stood leaning over the stands with their wands outstretched. I breathed a sigh of relief as I was brought into the stands. I refrained from calling out in pain. Instead I drew a breath sharply.

"Are you alright, Potter?" McGonagall asked. "You hit quite hard. I must insist you go to the hospital wing."

I didn't outright refuse. "I've got to speak to my team first. Call time out, Lee."

"I'll escort you," Remus said.

So I raced down out of the stands as fast as my injuries would let me. Clutching my aching ribs with one hand, and the back of my head with the other, I finally made it to my awaiting team. They all let out shouts of relief as I arrived. I managed to grin at them.

"Get Venterel out here," I said. "No way I can play after this. He's good. He can do it. Don't worry."

"Where are you headed? Hospital Wing?"

"Likely. Don't worry about me. Win this game for us."

They all nodded, and I, along with Remus, headed through the howling winds toward the doors. The winds were so loud, in fact, that I didn't hear the footsteps that had followed us until we had entered the doors. I turned around and came face to face with the one person I didn't want to see.

"Are you alright? You're bleeding," Severus stated.

"I'm fine. Remus and I are perfectly capable of making to the Hospital Wing on our own, thanks."

"Lily-" He tried.

"I said we're fine, Professor Snape," I sneered, the term of respect being used as anything but respectful. I turned on my heel, making my way for the Hospital Wing as Remus followed in silence.

The only sound now was the sound of our footsteps echoing off the walls in the corridors. The quiet was a nice change from the unmerciful winds bellowing outside. Neither Remus or I did anything to break the silence that had fallen.

It was only when we reached the Hospital Wing that there was sound once again. Madam Pomfrey only tsked as she let me across the room to a bed, and then proceeded to chastise both Remus and I for tracking mud through the room. I sat on the bed, clutching my ribs still, as Madam Pomfrey headed for the back room.

"Care to tell me what all that was about?" Remus finally asked. "With Snape?"

I was surprised he hadn't heard. All of the third years were complaining already about the assignment that we had been given by the Professor who didn't even teach Defence Against the Dark Arts. I grumbled some unkind words under my breath, which went without correction.

"We were given an assignment in Defence while you were out ill," I said, sitting up straighter on the cot. "Hermione tried to tell him what we were studying at the time, but he refused to listen to her. So we started something new. He gave us an assignment. We're to tell how to distinguish a werewolf from a real wolf, and how to- how to kill one."

Remus paled suddenly. Then all at once, he seemed to become as angry as I felt. He huffed, taking a moment to breathe. I didn't speak as he sat without words. He looked up at me, and forced upon himself a look of indifference.

"So, how do you?" He asked.

I scoffed. "Doesn't matter. I'm not doing it. Harry and I both left the room claiming we were ill. Obviously he didn't believe a single word of it, but he didn't say anything."

Remus fell silent once again as Madam Pomfrey entered the room once again, hurrying over to where I was sat up in the bed. She pushed me to lay down, and I obeyed, muddy boots dripping over the white sheets. Madam Pomfrey seemed to notice the tense silence.

"So, you've finally heard, then?" She tsked disapprovingly. "I overheard a few third years complaining about it earlier. I refuse to speak ill of a Professor..."

Madam Pomfey trailed off and clicked her tongue as she pressed her hands roughly against my side. I inhaled sharply, and heard her muttering something about broken bones. She gave me a potion, and used a simple spell to stop the bleeding on the back of my head. I tried to sit up but she pushed me down again.

"Relax, Potter. You can leave in an hour or so. Until then, you will remain in this bed. Understood?"

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey."

Pomfrey left the room. I stay lay back and looking at the white ceiling quietly, wondering what one failed assignment would do to my marks. I refused to even think about completing the assignment and handing it to Snape. I wouldn't give him that kind of satisfaction.

"I must be going, Lily," Remus said after some time, handing me a chocolate bar from his pocket. "Here, the Hospital Wing is never any fun. I trust I'll be seeing you soon?"

I nodded, putting the treat into my Quidditch robes pocket. "A correct assumption. And Remus? I wont be doing the assignment, just so you know."

Remus nodded thankfully and left the room. I turned my attention back to the white ceiling, thinking about the game once again. I had forgotten to even ask the score before I'd left. I grumbled at the thought of it. It was another twenty minutes before anything else interesting happened.

The doors burst open, and another Quidditch player,  this once clad in gold and scarlet, was levitated into the Wing. I craned my neck to see better, but it was only when the mop of messy black hair hit the bed next to mine that I figured out who it was. I opened my mouth to speak, but McGonagall, who had rushed in with Dumbledore, was quicker to speak.

"He's fine, Potter. Just unconscious. The dementors got a little too close," she turned to make sure Dumbledore wasn't nearby. "They weren't supposed to come onto school property. Dumbledore's composing a letter to the ministry as soon as everything is in order. I know you wouldn't want this to go without action."

"Thank you, Minnie."

She nodded and headed over to where Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey both stood. It wasn't long before the two Professors had left, and both the Gryffindor Quidditch team (minus Oliver) and the Slytherins entered the Wing. Hermione and Ron were only steps behind them. Madam Pomfrey scowled. They were all talking loudly, but not about Quidditch, presumably trying not to start a fight.

They all stopped at our bedsides, dripping puddles around us. George shook out his hair onto all of his teammates, and all of mine as well. The commotion that ensued woke Harry, who groaned with a start. A hush fell as I sat up, and both teams looked down carefully at Harry.

"Alright, Harry?" Asked Sydney as he sat up.

He nodded. "Who won?"

A hush fell again, but I perked in curiosity as well. It had been well over an hour since I had found myself out of the game, and I still knew nothing of what had happened. When the Gryffindors faces fell, I got my answer.

"I didn't know you'd fallen, Potter," Elliot admitted, stepping forward and running a hand through his curly blonde hair. "I tried to explain to Hooch that I'd'nt have caught it if I'd known. Adrian and I tried to cancel it, get a replay. But..."

"They won," George said. "Fair and square. Even Wood knows it. He's still in the shower. We think he's trying to drown himself."

George and Fred both had a way of bringing smiles onto people's faces. Harry chuckled quietly. Fred, who had taken a seat at the end of my cot, grinned back at him. Then he and George turned to me.

"You never fall. You feeling alright? Heard you marched out of Snape's class ill yesterday."

"I'm fine," I snapped, offended. "I saw a group of dementors, was all. Distracted me long enough for the bludger to make its mark. Must've been the same ones that same onto the pitch and made Harry fall."

As I remembered the dementors, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the chocolate bar Remus had given me. Both teams looked pale beneath coats of mud, and so I managed to divide it amongst all fourteen of us, with Ron and Hermione both declining. Madam Pomfrey noticed this, and brought more over.

"Dementors- at a school!" she was saying to herself as she divided chocolate and passed it to the teams. "Can't believe you weren't all off your brooms."

The teams thanked her as they all ate their chocolate. I watched the colour come back into their faces, and their shivering seemed to lessen. I grinned at Fred, grabbing his and taking a small bite before handing it back to him. He only chuckled.

Finally, Pomfrey seemed to have had enough, and the muddy teams were shooed out. Only Ron and Hermione remained as the others headed for the showers. They moved closer, Hermione grabbing a nearby blanket so she could set at the foot of my cot, which was wet after Fred had sat on it.

"Where's my Nimbus?" Harry asked suddenly. I repeated the question.

Hermione and Ron both froze, looking at each other in silence. It was a moment before, in a very soft voice, Hermione spoke.

"Well, once you had fallen off it, Harry," she said, "the wind caught it. It- flew into the Whomping Willow."

The Whomping Willow seemed to be a magnet for just about anything. It was the only tree on the entire property that hit back, and yet it was the tree that everything seemed to fly into, including the Ford Anglia that Harry, Ron, Sydney, and I had been inside of last year.

"The Whomping Willow doesn't like being hit, as you must know," Ron said. "And so, it..."

Hermione picked a bag up from the floor, and turned it upside down on the bed. Out of the bag fell the remnants of Harry's broom; a dozen splinters of wood and a clump of twigs. He sighed and picked up a splinter, half of a lion carved into it.

"And mine?" I couldn't help but ask.

"We searched," Hermione said. "We had a Professor summon it, but it still wouldn't come. That could only mean."

"It's been broken or tampered with," I nodded. "Thanks, anyway. I'm sure the school brooms will be fine."

I was, for only a moment, regretful that I had given our old Nimbus 2000s to Fred and George. But, after a moment, realized that they and their family deserved it, having previously sat on a few old Cleansweeps. I shrugged it off.

I, as Madam Pomfrey had promised I would be, was released only a few hours later. I stayed with Harry, however, who was told he would have to stay the weekend. As soon as Ron and Hermione had left, Harry turned to me seriously.

"I saw the creature again. The one from Diagon Alley. It was in the stands at the game," he said. "You don't think... it's the grim?"

"Of course not, Harry," I said, trying to convince myself as well as Harry. "The grim isn't real. Even if it were- it's no death omen."

"What do you think it is?"

"A coincidence. That thing in Diagon Alley was just a stray dog," I said, nodding to myself as I said it.

Harry nodded too. "And the thing in the stands- it must've been my imagination. The rain was thick. If it wasn't then it's probably something from the forest. All kinds of things live in there. We see it every time we go in there."

I nodded, and the topic was dropped and replaced by something else. I left only at diner, when Madam Pomfrey insisted I go, and that visiting hours were now over. I waved goodbye to Harry, and headed for the Great Hall.

When I arrived at my table, I took a seat with Sydney at the Gryffindor table. As always, dinner was always very loud at the Gryffindor table, with only Wood brooding quietly about the game. It was halfway through desert when Joey, a second year Slytherin, approached me.

"Lily?"

"Hey, Joey. How's it going?"

"Good, thanks," he grinned. "Professor Snape is requesting you in his office. Wont say what for. Good luck, you might need it."

"Thanks, Joey. See you later."

Joey nodded and headed toward the Slytherin table to sit with the other second years. I groaned, pushing my only half finished desert away. I stood up from the table, Sydney watching me go.

"What's Snape want with you? He mad about you leaving his class?"

"Probably," I lied. "I'll see you later Syd."

With only that, I headed out of the Great Hall to see the person I least wanted to see. I made it to his office in no time, and, without knocking, opened the door, focusing a glare toward Professor Snape.