Destiny

Chapter 15

For a while, Lillian didn't have nightmares anymore. Her fear was subsiding and she seemed to be returning to her normal self as best she could. She was laughing and smiling frequently, and Lillian realised that Lindsay and the twins noticed her more upbeat moods.

"I can tell you're feeling much better, Lily." Lindsay said one day at lunch.

Fred and George were nowhere to be seen, clearly up to some type of mischief.

Lillian grinned, "Yeah, I do feel a little better. I haven't been bothered by nightmares as much."

After a moment's pause, Lindsay looked up at her friend.

"Lily, can I ask you something?" Lindsay asked, her voice took on an uncertain edge.

Lillian hesitated, but nodded. She had no idea what Lindsay was going to ask and became slightly nervous.

"When I was walking back from my first Occlumency lesson, I heard you crying in the Entrance Hall with Fred trying to calm you down. What happened that night?" Lindsay was careful of her tone. Whatever had happened, she knew it had been a sensitive moment for Lillian.

A shadow passed over Lillian's face as she relayed what had unfolded. "Fred wanted to know why I didn't kiss him in the Great Hall at dinner. He noticed that I wasn't really myself. I kind of pulled away from him, if you remember, caught him off guard when I didn't return his affection. I wasn't feeling right and I knew kissing him wouldn't help me feel better. He approached me after dinner, and I tried to break up with him because I wanted to figure out my nightmares and focus on my schoolwork. I had noticed a decline in the quality of my work, though my grades weren't dropping too drastically. He had too. He told me he wasn't going to let me break up with him. I think he knew that if I did I would have isolated much more. See, Fred's an incredibly perceptive person. He noticed my reservedness and wanted to make sure I was okay. There was no way he'd let me face this battle on my own. We've agreed to not be so extroverted in our relationship for the time being. That's what I need for the moment." Lillian said quietly. Being so transparent with her friend was not something she was used to, but she pursued it all the same.

Lindsay gently placed a comforting hand on Lillian's arm and said softly, "I'm glad you told him all that."

Lillian gave a dark laugh, "Yeah, it's not something I usually do."

It was an easy day for both of the girls. Snape didn't give them any homework, nor did McGonagall, Binns, or Flitwick. So, instead of tending to their usual workload, they sat in the library talking over the evidence and knowledge of Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew.

"I don't know where we should keep looking. We've been through all the old school books and newspaper articles. What else do we even search?" Lillian ran her palms down her face harshly, looking defeated.

Lindsay mirrored Lillian's frustration and let out a non-violent expletive.

When neither of them could come up with anything, Lillian said, "We should probably head back to our common rooms. Maybe we'll have an idea in the morning."

As they walked, Lindsay thought.

"We could inquire more." She said.

The girls linked arms and walked through the Entrance Hall. Before Lillian could respond to Lindsay's statement, they noticed that all the Gryffindors were in the Great Hall murmuring amongst themselves. The girls looked up, confusion written on their faces, to find the Slytherins, led by Professor Snape, coming up from the dungeons and the Hufflepuffs coming down the stairs from the general direction of the kitchen behind Sprout. The Ravenclaws were on their way too.