Woah, bit of a delay there (i.e. over half a year)! Absolutely humongous apologies- I really don't know what happened. School this year is mad, and naturally I'm meant to be working my arse off these hols ready for exams- hence why I am staying up to write this as revision is really an exercise in futility as far as I'm concerned!

I do hope you enjoy this- remember where we were before (if you read the preceding chapters when they were actually posted!).

I would just like to make one little point. Having reread what I wrote in a previous chapter, I realised I've said that lily hates Potions. This was written before HBP and now of course we know that she rocked at it. Although this plays little part in the story, I thought I'd just say that I realise it's a mistake now, but it wasn't last year! So please don't shoot me for bad continuation or something!

R xxx

Disclaimer: Okay, my plan is that if I bankrupt Warner bros then I can claim all rights on Harry Potter. However, this course of action will take several months to be effective and in the mean time I need 4km of steel girder, a monster truck and 3 swiss bank accounts. Suffice to say that until this plan works, I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter. Weep for me.

Chapter 4- In which our heroine realises just how much she hates being wrong…

"The reason that I have not done a portrait in so long is the spouse of the

subject always complains. As there are no husbands or wives here, I trust I

may proceed safely."

"No husbands or wives, at present…"

The Great Hall glittered and shimmered just as well as it always did. The enchanted candles burned above them (James had bewitched them to drip wax all over the Slytherins as a way of breaking in the new year) and above that, the ceiling was slowly darkening to dusty purple. The sorting came and went with children Lily swore were even smaller than last year's lot and Dumbledore had given his usual start of term notices (much to Peter, Remus and James' glee the list of forbidden items had climbed to a record three hundred and seventy two) and the feast began.

'You know,' said Chrissy pensively, watching the boys shovel food into their mouths as though it was their last ever meal, 'up close, they're not as attractive as I thought they were.' Lily laughed loudly at this, realising how true it was. James tried to shoot them an affronted look which failed quite spectacularly, his cheeks resembling that of a hamster having just shovelled in a load of mashed potato.

'Eat with your mouth closed,' said Alice to Peter, poking him in the side and causing him to start choking on whatever it was he was eating at the time. Remus whacked him hard on the back while Dan and James roared with laughter. 'They really are disgusting creatures,' muttered Alice. 'And I should know, I've got two brothers myself.'

'Yeah well, Petunia's not quite as bad as this lot eating-wise,' Lily inclined her head towards Peter, Remus and James, the former now turning slightly blue, 'but her manners are just as bad, if not worse.'

Chrissy let out a heartfelt sigh. 'You're lucky to have brothers and sisters.' She gazed down at her stew, poking bits around her place and saying quietly, 'I hate being alone.'

'But you must have cousins or something?' Lily said.

Chrissy shook her head. 'I never knew my parents, and so I don't know whether they had siblings or anything.' She stabbed a potato on her fork and glared at it. 'I was put up for adoption when I was two. My parents never left their contact details.'

Lily and Alice exchanged uncomfortable glances. But it was Remus who came in next.

'But your adoptive parents are really nice. I've chatted to them occasionally at the end of term.'

Chrissy immediately brightened, smiling. 'Oh they are.., I just love them to pieces. I couldn't have asked for better people to care for me, they're as good as parents to me.'

'So are they Muggles?' asked Remus, seeming to have a genuine interest.

'Actually yes. But they don't mind my being a witch at all.' She grinned, 'they find it all quite exciting really.'

Now feeling slightly removed from the conversation, Lily turned to Alice but before she could say anything, Alice pre-empted her.

'They're getting on well.' Lily looked at her. Alice was gazing at Remus and Chrissy, smiling benignly.

'Oh. Yes, so they are,' said Lily, trying to sound happy and carefree but in effect actually just sounding as though she was about to sneeze.

'You alright Lils?' asked Alice.

'Me? Yes, fine. Why wouldn't I be?

'Nothing, it's just that…' Alice broke off mid-sentence, squirming slightly in her seat. She looked under the table quickly, then back up again. 'James…' she said slowly.

'Yes?' came the reply from opposite her.

'Wrong foot.'

'Oh. Whoops. Sorry.' And looking thoroughly unabashed, he started stroking his foot up and down Lily's ankle instead. Lily ignored him.

Just then Gideon came over from the Ravenclaw table and poked his head in between Lily and Chrissy.

'Excuse me ladies, but may I trouble you for some potatoes? It's just that my dear brother has cunningly managed to invent a spell that… well, you can see for yourself, and we've run short.'

The whole Gryffindor group twisted in their seats to peer over at Fabian who had potatoes emerging from every visible part of his anatomy- nose, ears, mouth.

'Gross!' said Lily, Chrissy and Alice, half laughing half grimacing.

'Cool,' muttered James. Might have to get that incantation off you later Gid.

'No prob,' said Gideon grinning. 'Might want to wait to find a counter-jinx first though!'

'True…' mused James, who had gone into a daydream, probably envisaging different situations involving Slytherins and potatoes.

Chrissy, who was nearest to the potatoes on the table reached over and grabbed the bowl, passing it to Gideon.

'Angel,' he said, and kissed her on the cheek. He grinned, winked at Lily and departed.

Chrissy looked like she was in a slight state of shock. 'You know,' she murmured to Lily and Alice, 'they're actually not so bad after all…'

That night in the girls' dormitory, a stony silence had settled between the 3 members of the prissy posse and the new firm friends. In order to enjoy more privacy and to have a good bitch about the blondes, Chrissy had climbed into Lily's bed and they had cast muffliato around the curtains (a useful little spell Lily had picked up off Snape in the last Potions lesson of the previous year. Creepy though he was, the slimeball had his uses).

'Okay, marks out of ten,' giggled Lily, who loved this game more than any other.

'Right, ten being good I suppose?' asked Chrissy. Lily nodded.

'Okay, Peter,' whispered Lily.

Chrissy mused a second. 'Looks- 4. Cuteness- 7.'

'Yeah, maybe a five on looks,' said Lily fairly. 'He'd probably be okay if he were just a little taller.'

'And skinnier!' giggled Chrissy, looking slightly ashamed of herself, but having far and away more fun than any night she'd ever spent in Hogwarts.

'Okay, Dan and or Frank.'

'Yeah, they're both pretty good-looking,' said Chrissy, blushing even more. 'Seven? Eight?'

'Seven and a half,' compensated Lily. 'Personally, I prefer dark hair, but that's just me. Okay, Fabian.'

'At least an eight… maybe nine?'

'Nine's pretty high Chrissy…'

'Don't you think he's good looking?' asked Chrissy amazed.

'Well,' said Lily, thinking. 'Yes, he is. Both he and Gideon are… but I've known them for so long, it'd be weird going out with them, you know?'

'I know what you're getting at,' she mused, 'but I can't honestly say I've ever experienced the feeling.'

'But you will, darling. You will. Okay, Gideon's a no-brainer I spose, now that we've given Fabian an eight.'

'Oh, but I quite like Gideon… can't we give him nine?' Chrissy turned magenta at this, and Lily couldn't help but shout with glee inside. Another match made in heaven!

'Well, okay then,' she smiled. 'An eight for Fabian and a nine for his identical twin brother. Seems a bit cruel, but there you go…'

'What about James?' asked Chrissy. 'What would you give him?'

'For looks, a ten,' admitted Lily. 'For charms, minus four.'

'Oh, he isn't that bad Lils.'

'Fine, minus 3. Can we move on?' Chrissy realised this was not a subject on which Lily wished to dwell. She had been longing to ask about a conversation she'd overheard earlier- something about his brother and her sister, but she sensed that now was not the time.

'Sure,' she muttered.

'Right, who's left?' mused Lily. 'Oh yeah, Remus.'

To Lily's complete and utter horror, Chrissy turned an even brighter shade of red than she had previously been displaying as she muttered a hasty, 'Ten.'

'Ten?' asked Lily, trying to keep her voice steady. 'Really?'

'Well, yes…' muttered Chrissy. 'I really do like him Lils. He's sweet and funny and clever, we have loads in common-'

'But the other guys are all sweet and funny and clever too,' interjected Lily. 'What's different here?'

'I don't know,' said Chrissy quietly.

DAMN!

'What do you mean, "this is not good"?' asked Alice bemused the following Saturday.

The whole group of them- Dan, Clarissa, James, Peter, Remus, Chrissy, Alice, Frank, Camilla, Camilla's little sister (who happened to be called Charlotte and was, as feared, just as talkative as her older sister, if not more so), Gideon, Fabian and Lily were all lazing away what was probably the last hazy sunny day of the by the lake. Lily had pulled Alice away from the main group to the waters edge where she was now hoping to get a little support in her plight.

'I mean, Gideon really likes her, she really likes Remus and Remus, quite clearly really likes "Hogwarts: A History",' hissed Lily, skimming stones with a little more ferocity than was required.

'What's wrong with "Hogwarts: A History"?' asked Alice, bemused.

'It's just… oh look, sod the book. The book's unimportant. The fact is that I don't want Gideon's heart broken because she likes someone who doesn't like her back.'

Alice looked at her for a full three seconds before nearly dying of laughter. Lily glared at her while she clasped onto a nearby tree for breath. The others started looking around in mild curiosity.

'What on earth is going on with you two?' called Fabian, casting Alice a wary glace as she was now gasping for breath.

'Uh, nothing,' said Lily, casting around for excuses. 'Just a good joke I heard.'

She grabbed Alice by the hand and yanked her away from the tree.

'What's so funny?' she hissed.

Alice drew a calming breath. 'Well, it's just…'

No use, she collapsed into giggles again.

'Some funny joke,' muttered Remus, not glancing up from page 825 (chapter 22: 'So, you think you know everything about the Room of Requirement?').

'Get a grip Alice,' muttered Lily. 'What is so funny?'

'Would you like the short list or the long?' asked Alice, finally getting a hold of herself.

'Well, seeing as you'll treat me to the long, whichever I say…' muttered Lily.

'Well, first of all, I think it's obvious that Remus does like Chrissy. So it's definitely not unrequited, whatever you might say. Secondly, you promised me you were going to lay off this match-making business. And thirdly… Gideon? Heartbroken? The one boy who will never be without a gaggle of gorgeous girlies wherever he treads? Lily, I love you to pieces, but carry on like this, and I'm taking you down to the secure unit at St Mungo's. They've got a special ward for nutcases like you.'

Lily glowered but said nothing. She knew it was true, she knew her argument was flawed. She just hated being wrong about a match, especially this early in the term.

'Come on Lils, cheer up. Forget about your crazy schemes fro one afternoon?' Alice nudged her in the ribs. 'Look, your drawing pencils are getting lonely...' It was true- the box of pencils protruding from Lily bag had started squeaking intermittently, clearly distressed at being ignored

'Alright…' said Lily, ever so slightly grudgingly. She wandered over to her bag, sat down and drew out her pencils. It was a talent she'd harboured for a long time, she was the only person Alice knew that could accurately capture the right expression on people's faces down on paper.

Lily drew for most of the rest of the afternoon. There was one of Camilla and Charlotte playing with Alice's cat, Cleo. One of Clarissa who had dozed off while lying on Dan's chest, one of Remus sitting against a tree reading a book of poetry Chrissy had lent him (he had abandoned Hogwarts: A History when James threatened to feed it to the giant squid). By five o'clock, the sun was starting to go down and Lily had started a drawing of Chrissy who was sitting down by the water's edge writing in her diary. After about half and hour, Gideon came and sat down next to Lily, peering over her shoulder.

'Yes?' asked Lily.

'Nothing,' replied Gideon. 'I just like watching people draw.' He looked closer at the picture. 'Hey Lils, this is really good.'

'You're going to put me off,' muttered Lily smiling, trying to capture the reflection off the water just right, but still not quite getting it.

'Little old me? Never!'

Just then, James decided he was going to have a peek at the drawing too.

'Well, you might not put me off,' said Lily, glancing up from her drawing to check the position of Chrissy's arm, 'but he might.' She nodded her head in the direction of James who was now casting a shadow over her work. 'Oy, I can't see! Move out the way Potter!'

James crouched down next to Lily, inspecting the drawing. 'You've made her hair too long.' Lily gave him a withering glare.

'I think it looks nice,' said Gideon in Lily's defence. 'Besides, I'm sure Chrissy's hair will probably be at least that long by the end of the year anyway.'

'Don't worry about it Gid,' said Lily. 'Potter just likes to find fault with me, that's all.'

'Ah,' James muttered in her ear, so quietly only she could hear it, 'but I am practically a brother to you Lils. Isn't it a brother's job to find fault with his sister?'

Lily retaliated by sticking out her tongue at him, smiling ever so slightly and turning back to her drawing.

Gideon, who had not heard any of the last conversation asked, 'Lils? Do you think I could copy this drawing once it's finished?'

YES!

'Oh, you can have the real thing if you like,' said Lily sighing and putting down her pencil. 'I just can't get this water right and it'll annoy me if I keep it.'

Gideon took the paper from her and gazed down at the sketch. 'She really does look beautiful…' he murmured. Lily smiled satisfactorily, a good day's work done.

'He WHAT!' shrieked Lily up in the dormitory. It was midnight, and Lily and Chrissy had finally gone upstairs to bed. However, Chrissy had given Lily some unexpected news.

'He asked me out,' repeated Chrissy, blushing furiously but smiling broadly all the same.

Lily beamed back. 'Oh this is fantastic! I can't believe Gideon asked you out… Oh the girls are going to be so jealous! And all in the first week of term! I-' but Lily cut off short at the look on Chrissy's face. 'What is it..?' she asked warily, for Chrissy had looked nervous and edgy, the smile faltering on her face.

'Well, I…' she stammered. 'I… I mean it… Gideon didn't ask me out.'

'Then who...?'

'Remus did.'

'Remus?'

DAMN!

'Is that bad..?' asked Chrissy.

Oh no, it's just peachy…

'Well, no. Not exactly,' said Lily, choosing her words carefully so as not to hurt her friend's feelings. 'But I would advise you to think carefully on this.' She stopped short. 'What did you tell him?'

'That I would tell him in the morning,' replied Chrissy. 'I really wanted your opinion first.'

Good girl.

'Well, if you think him the nicest, most good-looking, most lovely guy you have ever met or will ever meet, why should you refuse?'

That got Chrissy. She paused, and Lily knew her job here was done. She climbed underneath her blankets, blowing out the candle next to her bed as she did so.

'Did I tell you that Gideon now has a picture of you in his possession…?'

Ooh, I am back in business! I might just have to write another chapter right now- I've got myself hooked! Damn addictive business, writing…

Ooh ooh, I got the Goblet of fire on DVD yesterday! Mmmmm…. Cedric….

R xxx