Going back to Hogwarts after the holidays was a bit of a sudden change. I'd gotten all too used to laying about all day doing nothing at all except reading (I was finishing a Muggle book series called Red Queen, which I mostly enjoyed because of the love triangle at the center of it, which involved two equally insensitive and controlling (but still precious at times) brothers, and a lot of spunky defiance on the part of the main character), or watching television with my brother. James had convinced me to start watching Doctor Who, and I was addicted.

Mason was also a Doctor Who fan, so we spent the entire train ride back to school arguing over which version of the Doctor was the best. I adored Ten, but Mason insisted that Eleven was the best, and we were unable to agree to disagree. I'm pretty sure Autumn was entirely sick of us by the time thirty minutes had passed.

Halfway to Hogwarts, Charlie Corner and Scarlett Boot came into our compartment. When they heard about our debate, they were both quick to join in - on Mason's side. I was dreadfully outnumbered, so after another half hour of back-and-forth I changed the subject.

"How was your holiday?" I asked Scarlett, who I knew had been to the continent with the Corners.

"Oh, it was amazing! We got to see all the sights... France, Germany, Switzerland... wasn't Lucerne beautiful, Charlie?"

"Yeah, it was nice," Charlie agreed. "Honestly, though, the best part was the French food."

Scarlett snorted. "I didn't think you noticed the food... you were too busy staring at the girls."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Charlie the ladies' man?" I laughed. "Who would've thought?"

I turned to catch Mason's eye, looking for a reaction, but found him unresponsive. He was staring out the window, a distant look in his eyes. He'd been doing this quite a bit lately. I knew he was thinking of his mum.

It had taken a lot of persuasion on Ms. Bones' part just to get Mason to come back to school. He wanted to stay with her, but she'd eventually convinced him that she was fine. I had a feeling, though, that there would be nothing but her on his mind for the rest of the term.

If she even lasted that long.

It may have been insensitive to have that thought, but I had seen Susan Bones on Platform 9 ¾ that very morning. I had seen how much frailer she looked than she had only a few weeks ago. I had seen how tightly she had embraced her son before he boarded the train. And I had seen the pained look in my own mother's eyes as she watched them bid each other farewell.

Truly, my heart ached for my friend. I had no idea what he was going through. He hadn't wanted to talk about it since that first day when he found out. I could see him worrying, but he wouldn't let me share it. Perhaps he thought it would be less real if he didn't acknowledge it.

Autumn, Scarlett, and I were in the middle of a conversation about baguettes when the compartment door slid open.

"Mind if I join the fun in here?"

A grin crossed my face as I looked up at the intruder. "Alec! It's been ages."

He smiled at me with the fond lopsided grin that he had inherited from his father. "Four days, is hardly ages, Lily."

"Feels like it, though! Where's Lysa?"

"Am I my sister's keeper?" he asked, eyebrows raised. I stuck my tongue out at him, and he chuckled. "I'm kidding. She's helping Rose with something... they kicked me out of their compartment."

"Probably girl stuff," I said, waggling my eyebrows at him. He made a face, and I laughed. "Well, come on, sit down! We've been hearing all about baguettes."

As Alec took a seat, Autumn's eyebrows shot up. I hadn't yet found time to tell her about the events of the New Year's party, so she was no doubt confused by the marked change in my attitude towards him. I mouthed later at her when Alec was looking the other way and continued on with my conversation.

---

The moment we were out of the train at Hogsmeade station, Autumn pulled me aside. "Oh my gosh, Lily. Spill."

I smiled mysteriously. "About what?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe about how you went from scorning Alec Scamander to making eyes at him in the course of a few weeks?"

"Oh," I said innocently, "that." Grinning, I gave her a brief summary, followed by a promise to explain every detail later that night. Then I pulled her along into a carriage before she could ask any more questions.

A moment later, Rose and Lysa came into view, hopping up into the carriage to sit across from us. "Hi, Lily!" Rose said brightly. "How was the ride up?"

"Quite good, I think," I said, a relaxed smile on my face.

"Did you enjoy the company of anyone in particular?" Lysa asked, a subtle smirk on her face.

I narrowed my eyes at her playfully. "What on earth could you mean by that, Miss Scamander?"

"My brother, you goof. I swear he hasn't stopped smiling for more than a few seconds since New Year's. He was with us earlier, you know, but I could tell he was itching to go find you. I kicked him out of the compartment so he would."

I reached across the carriage and smacked her. "You scheming devil!"

She giggled. "I couldn't help it! He's hopelessly devoted to you... it's simply too cute for words."

I pressed my lips together. "Lysa, I hope you don't have any false impressions about my feelings for Alec. I have decided that I am tired of despising him, therefore we have returned to being friends. That is all we are, and all we ever will be."

"Geez, I didn't realize you were so opposed to a connection with my family," Lysa scoffed.

I rolled my eyes. "I have no complaint with your family; I simply have no interest in him that way. Besides, we're eleven, Ly. Too old for it to be frivolous, and too young for it to be serious. The only thing it could possibly be is a mess."

"And does he know you think that?" Rose asked tentatively.

"Of course he does," I said. But I was biting back a frown. He did, didn't he? He wasn't expecting anything from me except friendship. Was he?

Rose was looking at me, a strange expression on her face. "What?" I asked, confused by the look she was giving me.

She shook her head. "Nothing."

"Oh, come on, tell me."

My cousin hesitated, then said, "Well- I was just wondering... is it possible that you like someone else?"

I immediately shook my head. "No. Who would I like, anyway? My class is full of idiots."

Quietly, Autumn said, "I sort of thought you fancied Mason, and you were just too stubborn to admit it."

I snorted. "Mason? No way. Been there, done that, it was awful. Never again." My friends looked at each other, and I could see that none of them bought it. "Oh, come on. Mason is one of my best friends! If I liked him it would make things weird."

"Okay, okay," Rose sighed. "If you say so."

The wink that followed made it clear that she was still going to believe what she wanted. Oh, well. Let them talk. I had no intention of declaring any sort of feelings deeper than simple friendship for Mason, and that was that.

By the time we reached Hogwarts, I was awfully hungry, and thrilled at the prospect of eating the delicious offerings of the kitchen elves. I hurried across the Great Hall to sit down at the Ravenclaw table, and dug into supper the moment it appeared. I was halfway through a helping of mashed potatoes when a blond-haired someone slid into the space right next to me.

"My, my, looks like someone was famished," Alec said, his tone laced with amusement. "Don't they feed you at the Potter household?"

I narrowed my eyes at him - I couldn't exactly stick out my tongue, since, you know, there were potatoes in my mouth. When I'd swallowed, I said, "My mother is a perfectly decent cook, but she can't rival Hogwarts' food."

"At least your mum can get through the preparation of a meal without accidentally blowing something up, or letting the food overcook because she's been distracted by wrackspurts," my friend said wryly.

I grinned. "Oh, don't joke about your mum, she's lovely."

"I'm glad you think so."

I tried to read the expression on Alec's face, but came up empty. I tilted my head. "You are a curious boy, Alec Scamander."

The corner of his mouth quirked up. "I'd say that's a good thing, isn't it? If it's true I'm so curious, I'm bound to keep you interested in me."

I rolled my eyes. "And why, exactly, do you want me to stay interested in you?"

Alec ducked his head. Then he lifted it back up, and, smirking, winked at me. "I think you know."

---

After supper, Alec was at my side as we left the Great Hall. I suppose it made sense, considering we were headed to the same common room and all, but I was a bit tense about the whole thing, so when I spotted Mason and Charlie lingering in the hall, I took the chance to slip away.

"Hey, guys!" I said cheerily. "Wasn't that supper delicious?"

They were both quick to agree, then Mason added, "We were just wondering if the food was all you were enjoying." His eyes followed in the direction Alec had gone.

I groaned. "Oh, not you too."

Charlie shrugged. "You have been pretty determinedly ignoring the guy since the beginning of the year."

"Not just since then," Mason added. "Since the incident. I thought you swore to never speak to Scamander again."

I had forgotten that Autumn wasn't the only one who would need an explanation. I shrugged. "I changed my mind."

I watched them exchange a look, and then Charlie said, "Did you change your mind for some legitimate reason, or just because he's good-looking?" I noticed Mason duck his head when he heard the question.

I leveled a glare at my friends. "Don't be ridiculous, please. I've already gotten quite enough of this from the girls. I am not interested in Alec. And even if I was, is that really your business?" I shot them a final exasperated look, then turned to go.

As I walked away, I thought I heard one of them groan, but it was probably just my imagination.