Thanks so much for all the reviews guys! This chapter, while not fluff, is lighter and not as fantasy concentrated as the previous two.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

The classroom was silent except for frantic quills scratching parchment. The first years did not dare let their eyes wander to other papers under Professor McGonagall's stern gaze.

You were being a real prat today Sev

Pettigrew had it coming!

That…incident was Potter and Black's fault, going after one of their friends was stupid.

Incident? Getting your collarbone broken is now an incident? A fiery flash of red flared in Lily's mind.

Of course not, we'll get thosetoerags for what he did.

I can take Potter and Blackmyself, you don't need to put yourself in harm's way—it's my problem.

Severus felt a scoff push at him. I'm not made of glass you know. You better tell me what you've got planned.

Fine, but first you have to tell me the answer to question 13.

Manipulative snake.Colors danced cheekily in his head. It's the theory of Dissipation.

Thank you. The words felt smooth. Lily suppressed a gasp as an empty whiteness enveloped her mind's eye. She found it harder to concentrate on the multiple choice question before her but was not overly concerned.

Shaky lines were drawn by an invisible hand until they resembled grotesque stick figures of James Potter and Sirius Black. The figures began to move. Severus eagerly provided their voices.

I'm James Potter and I just love myselfOooh look at me! Stick figure James was promptly squashed by a wobbly circle that vaguely resembled a boulder.

Lily snorted loudly into her paper. Professor McGonagall's head snapped like a hawk in her direction, "Is there a problem Ms. Evans?"

Lily looked up at her teacher wide-eyed and shook her head frantically, "No, no problem professor," Lily bent over her paper and pretended to scribble on it.

GitRed and black fluttered in her head. Don't laugh at me!

"Mr. Snape?" Professor McGonagall turned her attention to the dark little boy who had just given a similar snort into his exam, "Is there something amusing you would like to share with us?"

"No professor," Severus said quietly, letting his lanky hair fall in front of his face.

Severus's artistic interpretation of Sirius Black reappeared in Lily's mind. Now that Potter is dead I can no longer be his fawning sidekick…I have no reason to live! The only thing to do now is to throw myself into the river Styx. Stick figure Black threw himself off a cliff into some hastily scribbled fire.

The two would have managed to contain their laughter if they had not caught each other's eyes from across the room. The giggles were infectious. The rest of the class began to shoot them odd looks as they shook and cackled uncontrollably.

"Evans! Snape! Out!" McGonagall snarled, "Ten points from Griffyndor and Slytherin!"

The two scrambled out of the room with their professor marching close behind. Their laughter had retreated into contorted grins.

"Explain yourselves. I expect this sort of behavior from first years, not second years who should know better!" McGonagall towered over them.

Severus thought fast. Got hit by a tickling hex.

"Got hit by a tickling hex, ma'am." they said simultaneously.

McGonagall raised an eyebrow, "By whom?"

Potter.

Black.

"By Potter and Black."

McGonagall hesitated, "…Where, when and why?" she asked quickly.

"Second floor, Charms corridor. After lunch. We were taunting Potter's favorite Quidditch team, ma'am."

By this time McGonagall's eyebrows had almost collided with her high hairline, "I'll call Potter and Black out here then," McGonagall leaned back into the classroom, "Potter! Black!"

The two boys, Severus noticed with disgust, swaggered out of the classroom.

"Yes Minerva?" Potter grinned.

McGonagall flared, "Twenty points from Gryffindor! You will address me with respect!"

Potter quailed under her gaze and was silent.

Regaining her composure the professor said, "Did you hex Miss Evans and Mr. Snape this afternoon?"

Black and Potter burst into incoherent denials and McGonagall frowned, "I seem to remember Professor Flitwick telling me that you two skipped out on Charms today. Where were you two?"

"Studying in the library!"

"Er…writing a letter to my mum?"

McGonagall sighed, "You two will have detention with me this Saturday for skipping class and another detention next Saturday for hexing Evans and Snape."

"But we didn't--"

"Back inside," McGonagall's tone left no room for argument. She turned to Lily and Severus, "As for you two, finish your exam out here. I will not have the aftereffects of this hex distracting my class. I will be checking in on you, so I trust you will keep your academic integrity."

The two nodded frantically and sighed with relief as their exams and quills floated out to them.

That was brilliant.

Of course it was.

That was like the time my family took you with us to St. Peter's and we got the church giggles during Father Simon's about original sin!

The two sat down on the cold stone floor and started on their exams. A dull pain pounded in Lily's head.

You okay?

Yeah…my right side is just sore from "the incident" and bending this way to write isn't exactly helping.

Just do this. Lily's quill scribbled without a hand to guide it.

Yeah. Severus's quill followed suit.

I thought my head was going to spilt open when they knocked you off your broom

Sorry…If it was anything like how my head felt when you fell out of that tree and broke your arm last summer, it must have felt pretty bad.

We have to find a way to block that connection.

It is strange, but we've been in the library everyday and haven't found a thing about this aspect of Legillimency. It's probably in the Restricted Section.

The two grew bored of the drafty hallway and decided to sit side by side on Severus's broom and weave across a red-leafed autumn forest. Neither noticed Professor McGonagall come out into the hallway and suppress a gasp. Neither noticed how she returned to the classroom with her heart in her throat at the quills moving with invisible hands or the incredibly alive eyes staring into a world beyond her comprehension.

Your feedback is much appreciated. I like ideas about where the story should go as well. : )