The Green Flame Torch

CHAPTER 8: The Conversion of Lilah

As Snape's next class headed for his room they were blocked off by a huge clump of students standing outside his door. The few lucky ones in front, including Hermione and Draco, were listening in.

"I swear Uncle!" yelled Lilah, "I don't know where it came from!"

"Then how did it get in there? Hmm? Tell me." Snape snapped.

Lilah sat quietly. Honestly, she didn't know. She could say Hermione did it, but her only proof was that she gave Lilah a menacing look. But, then again when didn't she look at Lilah like that?

"Someone could have put it there." Lilah suggested.

Snape was pacing around the room, sighed, and then, sat at his desk.

"Lilah, logically you couldn't have made this potion. It is too advanced for you." He said, "However, it was found on you, and you were caught going through my potion books the other night."

"But, I was sleepwalking!"

"Be that as it may, you're still the prime suspect."

Lilah felt nauseous.

"I have to inform Professor Dumbledore."

"Why?" Lilah whined.

"Why?" Snape shouted, "There are god knows how many boys scampering about the school thinking they are in love with you. It may be very flattering and all, but I think he is bound to notice."

Lilah looked at the floor.

"Now, I want you to go to your room. I will excuse you from all other lectures," he looked around, " I will have to create some sort of antidote for you and the boys. And for god sakes don't touch anybody!"

"Yes, sir." Lilah mumbled.

Snape headed for the door, then stopped and faced Lilah.

"Any idea who would want to play a joke on you?" he asked looking exceptionally angry.

Lilah was touched by his anger in an odd way. She took a deep breath then muttered out with absolute certainty, "Hermione Granger."

Snape broke into a wicked smile and thought for a moment. He then opened the door and escorted her out.

Everyone backed away from Lilah as if she was carrying a terrible disease. She quickly looked around. Neville looked like he was on the brink of tears, and Harry and Ron both looked quite melancholy. Hermione was not gloating as Lilah thought she would be, but looking quite stern.

"Well, what are you all doing, loitering about? Off to class!" shouted Snape.

Lilah walked behind him, her head hung down giving the impression of one being lead to their death sentence.

Later that day, Snape took her to Dumbledore's office.

"I've explained to Professor Dumbledore the situation and like me, he believes you are innocent."

Lilah looked up gratefully at her uncle.

"We both know, " he continued, "that the spell is to advanced for you to be able to do. Professor Dumbledore has asked that you be present when the spell is lifted to show you have no shame. Professor Dumbledore does not believe that Granger is capable of doing this to you."

His eyes narrowed.

"The child is known for behavior like this but he favors her so what can be done?"

"What will happen to me?" Lilah asked quietly as they reached the door to Dumbledore's office.

"You'll be given a potion as well as the boys."

"Boys?" Lilah screeched.

"Yes, all the boys who had sudden infatuations with you were asked to come here after dinner by the other Professors. "

"But, do they really have to be here? I mean, please Uncle it is embarrassing as it is already!"

"Quiet." Scolded Snape as he opened the door.

13 pairs of eyes turned and looked at Lilah as she entered the room. Harry and Ron were quite close to her standing behind an embarrassed Dean Thomas. Ron was fuming as Harry quickly looked at the floor. Lee Jordan looked annoyed and whispered something nasty to Fred. Goyle looked dumbfounded, if he could look anymore dumb. And, Neville was sniffling. Off in the corner behind Harry was Nigel who looked more pitying then the rest towards her. The other boys Lilah hardly knew, most were just some boys she had ran into in the halls, literally. Dumbledore looked stern and nodded to Snape who then left.

"Miss Snape, come here." He said quietly.

He handed her a goblet full of steaming pink liquid.

"I've explained to these young men that there is no way you could have done this in anyway." Dumbledore said, " That is why I wanted you here, so they could see you had no shame."

Lilah tried not to look guilty but when she caught Nigel's confused look all her ability failed her. She could feel the tension in the room and knew no one had to be empathetic to know that no one here believed she was innocent. She brought the goblet to her lips and drank it quickly. It was thick and sticky, and tasted of bubblegum. Suddenly, Lilah saw a soft pink light with little sparkles engulf her body then and as soon as it appeared it vanished. She assumed that was the spell leaving her body. The boys were given in turn the same goblet filled with the same liquid. She saw each one as they swallowed become engulfed in a soft pink light as well. When it vanished they were allowed to leave. She saw them quickly make for the door without any hesitation.

Harry took a sip and the light surrounded him. He handed the goblet to Nigel then made for the door where Ron was waiting. Nigel brought the goblet to his lips and drank some. But, nothing happened. Nigel stared curiously at the goblet then drank some more and still nothing happened. Quickly realization hit his face, as he turned red.

"Mr. Moon you can leave. It is all right." Dumbledore said holding back a smile.

Nigel covered his face with his hand and ran out the door.

"Apparently," Dumbledore whispered after the last boy left, "Moon's infatuation wasn't by magic."

Lilah bit her lip and nodded, trying hard to show pity for Nigel rather than flattery.

"May I leave now sir?" she asked.

Dumbledore nodded.

"Take care Ms. Snape. It will be difficult to gain trust again, especially with the lads here. But, our Mr. Moon may be able to help you. Hufflepuffs are known to be loyal friends."

Dumbledore met Lilah's eyes.

"Y- yes sir." She said and left.

She hoped Dumbledore was right, as the lion's words whispered again in her ear, "The moon will help you."

Lilah thought for a moment as she headed down the hall. She would do anything to be back in Harry's graces. Anything. She turned a corner and leaning there against a wall looking quite embarrassed was Nigel. Lilah stopped and tried to proceed without him seeing her.

"Lily?" he called causing her to stay.

"Yes."

"Professor Snape said you didn't make that potion."

"I didn't."

"But, everyone says of course he would say that because he is your uncle. And I must confess I thought as much myself but..."

Lilah waited.

"Dumbledore said you didn't do it either so I guess you didn't."

"Okay," Lilah mused.

"Well, I mean I am sorry no one believes it. But, really why would you do that? I mean you already have boys that...fancy you."

Nigel didn't meet Lilah's eyes.

"So why would you do it?"

"I didn't," Lilah said again feeling impatient.

"But I mean...I...I..."

"Yes?"

"I made a git of myself didn't I?"

"Oh no!" said Lilah feeling sudden pity for him, "Not at all. Anyone could have made that mistake."

"I just don't want you thinking that I only thought the only way I would like you would be by magic. My friends told Professor Lupin about my, er, feelings and he made me come here."

"Oh."

"Sorry. It must have been horrible for you." Said Nigel, sounding like he was trying to change the subject.

Lilah nodded solemnly.

Nigel looked back at her and for a moment they said nothing.

"Well it is almost dinner. Shall we?" said Nigel showing the way like a stuart.

Lilah smiled and followed. They entered the Great hall and went to their house's table. Many eyes looked upon Lilah quite nastily. Lilah ignored them and sat down.

"Lily!" gasped Pansy who ran over to her, "My poor Lily! Draco told us all about what happened. I mean I was so confused in class but he told us what Goyle told him, and I must say I would kill her!"

"Who?" asked Lilah.

"Granger!" shrieked Pansy and Jezebel who appeared out of nowhere.

"Draco heard you say her name through the door." Continued Pansy.

"Just goes to show you what kind of people those mudbloods are like!"

"Yes all for what they can get!"

"She saw you getting to cozy with her Potter and precious Weasly and figured out a way to get rid of you."

Lilah agreed but was finding it hard to get in a word in edge wise as they were speaking so fast.

"All right Lily?" asked a familiar voice.

Lilah turned around to see Draco standing behind her smiling at her pityingly.

"Not really." Lilah answered.

"Of course she's not okay!" screeched Pansy; "She has been through an ordeal today! Her name has been blackened!"

"Then she has come to the right place." drawled Draco as he gestured Jezebel to move and took her seat next to Lilah.

His eyes were on the Gryffindor table. Pansy kept chattering on with Lilah. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were discussing things and occasionally looking over towards the Slytherins.

"See," said Draco," Friends one day, enemies the next."

Lilah looked over at Harry and saw the way they looked on her with contempt. She stood up to go speak with him as Draco grabbed her wrist.

"Lily, do you want to get hurt?"

"But, they're my friends." whined Lilah.

"They won't believe."

"I just need to explain."

"Explain what? That Granger their best friend for three years all of sudden is evil? You think they will take your word over hers?"

Lilah sat back down holding in her tears.

"Don't cry." said Pansy sympathetically.

"You don't need them," said Jezebel.

"Not at all," Pansy added, "You have us."

"And," chirped in Jezebel, "We would never do that to you. We don't have any reason to be jealous of you. Well, maybe Pa-" Jezebel jumped up with a shriek and glared at Pansy.

Pansy just rolled her eyes and smiled at Lilah. Lilah wasn't so sure having them as friends would be much of a blessing.

The first week without Harry was hard for Lilah. But, she did get through it, determined not to let Hermione get the best of her. And to help matters, the Slytherins seemed all too willing to be friends with her now that she had been framed. Pansy acted as if they had been friends forever.

When Lilah walked down the halls she always had Millicent, Jezebel, and Pansy at her side, the four of them giggling with arms hooked around each other. Lilah didn't really care much for them, but was always glad of Millicent's dominating presence when one of the other house's students tried to start something with her. It was becoming very apparent to Lilah that all of the school, save the Slytherins disliked her. Even Professor Lupin seemed non-to pleased with Lilah.

****

Lilah sat in the Slytherin common room doing Transfiguration homework with her new self-appointed tutor, Draco. Pansy came running in with her latest gossip, beside herself.

"Lily!" she gasped as she ran to Lilah, "You'll never guess. Granger has your potions book!"

"Excuse me?" said Lilah.

"She said, "Pansy continued, "That you switched books with her. She realized it wasn't hers when some notes weren't in it or something, which she had written. She said that you have hers and that you were trying to frame her."

"You mean that's not yours?" asked Draco pointing to her book.

"No." said Lilah.

"Why didn't you say anything before?" he asked.

"I did! During class! But, remember no one believes Granger is capable of doing anything like that to me."

"Granger said," continued Pansy, "that you put the potion in her book and accidentally took hers. That is why you freaked out in class. You meant for her to get in trouble."

"Where did you hear this?" asked Lilah.

"It's all over the school," said Pansy.

"Great. As if people don't have enough reason to hate me. Now there is even more proof! God I hate her!" shouted Lilah.

Draco chuckled, "What else is new?"

Lilah went through the next day trying hard not to think of ways to publicly disgrace Hermione. And, she found it quite easy to do so in Potions class, her hardest class. Just because she was the professor's niece didn't make it any easier for her. As she walked out of class her mind was stuck on that day's lesson. She couldn't get over her lack of ability to get her potion to boil, let alone work. Pansy stood next to her jabbering on about something. Lilah giggled and nodded when she heard a pause but couldn't keep her mind on what Pansy was saying. Then, Pansy stepped on the heel of the shoe of a girl in front of them. She spun around showing it to be Hermione. She glared at Lilah and Pansy.

"Real mature!" she spat causing Lilah to come out of her thoughts.

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Pansy with a smile, "I was just making sure an animal hadn't attacked your head. But, I see now it is only your hair."

Lilah put her hand over her mouth trying to stifle her laughing. Hermione just glared at her.

"I see you have found a group you can fit in better with Snape."

"Oh sod off you twot!" snapped Pansy to Hermione.

"Yeah, I haven't done anything to you!" yelled Lilah.

"Right. Always the innocent one." Growled Hermione.

"You're the one who's guilty!" shouted Lilah.

"Me?"

"You're the one that is always pretending to be innocent! Not me! You're the one that got jealous!"

"Jealous? " Hermione snorted, "Me? Of what? Of a girl who can't spell Transfiguration let alone do it? Of a girl who pouts her lips and bats her eyes to get what she wants?"

"Well," shouted Lilah, "At least I look like a girl!"

Hermione stood speechless and quickly walked away. Lilah had the feeling that Hermione was about to cry. She felt a pang of guilt inside but Pansy's giggling soon brought into a fit of giggles of her own. The girls grabbed hands and ran off telling any Slytherin who would listen, what happened.

Lilah lay down in her bed that night content with the praise she received on her dealings with Hermione. She drank her sleeping potion, closed her eyes, and drifted into sleep. Lilah could feel herself being led down the hall by a hand. But, she saw no one or even a hand. She reached a door and a voice from the other side said, "Enter."

Lilah pushed the door open and sitting in what looked like a professor's office, only everything was in red, was seated the lion at a desk.

"Hallo." He said.

Lilah nodded.

"So I see I have misjudged you." He said.

"Pardon?"

"I thought you were different. But, you are living up to your name."

"It wasn't my fault!" Lilah yelled.

"Did you try to prove it?"

Lilah hung her head down and sighed, "No."

"No, instead you became what everyone thought you were because of your name."

"You don't understand!"

"Apparently not."

"And who are you anyway to be scolding me!" shouted Lilah.

"Just a disappointed . . . guardian."

Lilah walked up to the desk.

"You have no right to nag me!" she spat.

"No." replied the lion quite calmly.

The lion left the desk and headed towards her.

"Are you mad at me for my friends," snapped Lilah, "Or at the fact that they are more important to me than your stupid torch!"

"Or your mother."

The lion's eyes met Lilah's.

"What?" she gasped.

"Everyone thought she was dead."

Lilah backed away but the lion still advanced.

"How do you know that? Who are you?"

"You wouldn't understand." He sighed.

"Tell me!" she screamed.

"Just be more weary of the people you associate with! Your mother learned too late!"

"Who are you!" Lilah yelled.

"First ask your uncle what happened to your mother!"

"Answer me!"

Pansy sat up in her bed, "What are you screaming about?" she asked sleepily.

"What?" said Lilah panting.

"You were screaming something."

The other girls were rising in their beds as well.

"Sorry." Lilah mumbled as she buried her head in her pillow.

"It's okay." Said Pansy as she lay back in her bed soon to be fast asleep.

****

Lilah felt a tinge of curiosity rise in her again about the torch despite her fight with the lion. And about her mother. However, whenever she mentioned her mother and her days in school to Lupin, or Snape, they would always change the subject. So, Lilah had to distract herself with the torch and what was so special about it.

Before long it was November and she still knew next to nothing about the torch and doubted she ever would. Even the lion, as he made more visits in her dreams, seemed less keen on finding it as well.

It was a rainy morning and Draco and Lilah had been in the library for their daily routine of looking for anything and finding nothing. Draco had become almost obsessed about the torch after Lilah confessed in him the truth about her sleeping disorder. He even had suggested they ask Professor Binns about the torch, but Binns just stared at them oddly and began to jabber on about the Dwarf Invasion of 1702.

"I think I remember my mum telling me a story about a green flame that could heal the good or something when I was little." said Draco later that day at supper.

"Really?" said Lilah half listening while she glared at the professor's table at Lupin.

"Of course it was only a faerie tale."

"Well, it had to come from somewhere." said Lilah with a smile.

Draco smiled back but with a nervous twitch as the Bloody Baron had taken to sitting next to him, again.

"So, are we off to the library after supper?" asked Draco, his mouth full.

"We were already there this morning!" exclaimed Lilah, "Honestly, three months ago I would of fainted at hearing you so excited to go to the library. You're beginning to sound like Granger."

"Gah!" screeched Draco, "I hope not!"

The two finished supper quickly and headed out of the great hall, arms hooked around each other. It had become accustomed with them to walk around school hand in hand or similar these days, but only as friends, of course. They headed for the library when Lilah felt an icy cold prick at her shoulder. She turned around and the Bloody Baron was standing there holding a note. He handed it to her.

"This is for you." he said, his voice deep and stern.

Lilah's hand shook slightly as she took the note.

"Thank you. Er, cheers." she said with an awkward smile, which the Bloody Baron did not return, but instead went through a wall.

Draco shivered as Lilah opened the note. It read:

The Green Flame Torch was an artifact so powerful it drove men to

madness and murder to possess it. All those who seek its glory only fall

to destruction. Do not desire it or anything about it.

The note was unsigned and in handwriting she did not recognize. She handed it to Draco, who quickly read and flashed a mischievous grin.

"I think it sounds more interesting now!" he exclaimed.

"But who wrote me that note?" asked Lilah pointing to the paper in Draco's hand.

"Well, whoever it was knows about us."

"What?" gasped Lilah.

"You know, about what we've been looking for and such. Have you told anyone else about your dreams."

"No. No one. My uncle knows I've had nightmares, but I didn't want him to think me mad so I didn't go into details." Lilah put her hand to her forehead. " Oh! Lupin!"

"Why'd you tell him?"

"I just asked him if he knew anything about the torch. But, he said, no."

"So he says." drawled Draco.

"You think he wrote it?"

"Why not? A professor of DADA could know about the torch."

"But, why would he deny it in the first place then? Besides he's angry at me because of the whole business with Granger."

"Everyone is!" chortled Draco.

"You're not funny." Hissed Lilah.

"Well, first and foremost, Lupin is a Professor," said Draco getting back on subject, " And he has to cut in if he thinks you'll hurt yourself. The torch must be very powerful indeed."

"Maybe so but, I'm not quite sure Lupin wrote it."

They decided to continue the conversation in the girl's dorms as students were beginning to leave the hall from supper.

Draco and Lilah sat on her bed. Lilah read the note over again as an odd thought entered her mind. Maybe Harry had found out about the torch and was trying to keep her from danger. But, in the back of her head she knew very well that Harry wouldn't really care if anything happened to her. She sighed and rested her head on Draco's shoulder as he read through Hogwarts a History for the fourth time. She smiled at his sad attempt to force the book to give him information if he read enough times. Lilah became amused at the fact that she couldn't remember ever returning the book to the library. It must have been a couple months since she checked it out.

"Lily?" Draco said looking up from the book.

"Hmm?"

"Er, your mum lives with you and your grandmother right?"

"Yes. Why?" asked Lilah sitting up.

"Well, er, according to this book, well, she's dead."

Lilah grabbed the book from his hands.

"Right here!" he said pointing to the side of the page labeled 'Key Events of The School Year.'

Lilah read frantically.

'Imogen Philomena Snape disappeared from Hogwarts on the eve of the 20th of February 1977. Beloved daughter of Ignacius and Bianca Snape; younger sister to Severus and Viviane. Presumed Dead. Class of 1978.'

Lilah couldn't believe it. She read the page over and over again.

"This is just like the portrait." Gasped Lilah, "I don't understand. There must be some mistake."

"Maybe," said Draco, "Your mum ran away and they couldn't find her for a long time."

"So they gave up and left her for dead!"

"Don't get mad at me."

Lilah looked back down at the book.

"But, why would she run away?" Lilah asked herself.

Then she gasped, "Maybe because of me? Maybe my mum ran off with my dad because my family didn't approve or something."

Draco looked at her puzzled.

"That's quite romantic and all," he drawled out, "But unless your mum was pregnant for two years, I doubt it."

"Still she could have run off with him."

"Well there is only one way to find out. Ask your uncle." Said Draco.

Lilah nodded, grabbed the book, and headed for the door.

"Lily?" called Draco.

"Yes?"

Draco looked uneasy then said, "Er, who is your dad?"

Lilah sighed, "Don't know. All I've been told is that he died when I was a baby. But, I know he was tall, dark, and very attractive."

"How do you know?"

Lilah cracked a smug smile and said, "Because I am. And, I am constantly told I look nothing like my mother."

Draco shook his head.

"I'll be back in a while. You can stay here if you want."

Draco shrugged his shoulders indifferently and mumbled, "Whatever,"

Then, Lilah left. Draco sat on her bed and looked around the empty room. He knew that other Slytherin girls wouldn't mind him being in there. He had started to make his presence quite common in their bedroom. As soon as Lilah closed the door behind her he crept over to her trunk. He opened it and his curious hands dug through schoolbooks and papers. Nothing very interesting. He went to her bureau. He fumbled awkwardly through her knickers and socks, hoping that maybe the common belief that girls kept secret thing in their underwear drawer was true. His fingers pushed aside tights revealing a large diary of some kind. It had a moon on the front and a sun on the back. It was tattered from years of adoring use. He opened it his heart beating fast at finding something so private he flipped past pages of boring Muggle actors and stars. He scowled at her taste but tossed it off as early childhood fancy. It was before she had met him.

He finally arrived to wizard clippings. The pages seemed to be dedicated to Xenia. Draco, like every other normal wizarding teenager liked her, but he wasn't as hardcore as Lilah. He was however, delighted that she had some normal taste now.

When, Draco had opened her journal he had expected it to well be a diary and have entries. But, the clippings went on and on. He flipped past ones on Harry. Dismissing them a common interest. Nothing to worry about. Yet again, this was before Lilah had met him. Then, a headline, Xenia's Black Days Return, caught his eye. Mostly because of the scribbles in red pen such as, Lies, Twits, Don't Know Nothing, that Lilah had written all over it. He read the article just to see what the big deal was. It read:

The goddess of song Xenia is at odds with the Magical Music Industry, yet again. Three songs written by her for her latest MB, Dreams, were denied from being put on it because of their content. "The lyrics contain symbolic references to events in her [Xenia] past that were connected to the dark lord." Says Patricius Bean, president of Atlantis Music. "Although she has been cleared of any ties to You-Know-Who, the songs could lead to controversy that we do not wish to experience, again."

Years before Xenia was banded from all households for her songs which supported, not the dark lord, but her jailed husband, who was imprisoned for conspiracy to murder in the name of the Dark Lord. "We do not wish to associate her with that man. Don't even print his name in the same article as hers! Why do you think she only goes by Xenia for God sakes?" pleaded Bean.

Whether her allegiance is for good or bad, Xenia has never been known to be submissive. So it can be certain that Atlantis Music is in for a long battle. As her spokeswizard said, "She will fight this out no matter how serious or black the consequences are."

Draco looked curiously at the article. He had never known Xenia was at all connected with You-Know-Who. He flipped quickly to the back where there seemed to only be paper and no clippings. What he hoped to read in the back he never found out, for just then, Pansy walked in. Draco threw Lilah's journal into the drawer and slammed it closed as quickly as he could. Pansy stared at him with a suspicious expression on her face. Draco got up and laughed nervously.

"What were you doing?" asked Pansy.

"Just looking for my Herbology book. I think I left it in here."

"In her knickers drawer?" replied Pansy.

"I realize it isn't in there now. Honestly, I don't where everything of her's is, okay?" he snapped back.

"All right! Don't snap at me."

Draco made for the door and mumbled, "I gotta go."

" Okay." Said Pansy.

Draco made it back into the common room where Crabbe and Goyle were trying hard to play chess. Although both not succeeding. Draco sat in the armchair and watched them in a stupor. Lilah came storming in and slammed Hogwarts a History down near Draco's feet.

"No luck?" he asked with a sympathetic gesture to Lilah to sit down near him.

"He wasn't there. He was off again, somewhere. Who knows where that man ever is!" sulked Lilah as she sat down near or rather on Draco.

Crabbe raised his eyes suggestively at Draco who returned it with a nasty hand gesture.

The next DADA class, Lilah held the anonymous note in her hands trying to compare it to Lupin's script as he wrote notes on the bored. To her dismay, they weren't a match.

"Well we are back to square one." Mumbled Lilah as Draco and her left class.

Draco scowled and said, "We don't get a break, do we?"

Lilah nodded disparagingly.

"Lily, do you ever wonder why we should be looking for this torch?"

"If you had my dreams you would know."

"But, we don't even know if it is safe or who the lion really is."

"Listen," said Lilah. "I know it sounds mad, but every night I see him and I feel safe with him there. I don't know why. Maybe I am looking because I feel I owe him something for helping me."

"Well, maybe if he wasn't so damned cryptic we could help him."

They arrived at their next class when Lilah turned to Draco and said, "Why are you helping me?"

Draco looked up at her almost frightened.

"Do-don't know." He stammered.

"Because I can't talk to anyone about this without them thinking me mental. But, you don't. You believe me whole-heartedly. Why?"

Draco looked uneasy, then took a deep breath and opened the door to class for her.

Draco answered, his voice low and stern, "Don't ask me that." He said, "I don't know."

Lilah left it at that.

*****

The weather was quickly changing from rainy to snowy and Lilah was pleased that Christmas was near. She had all but given up hope that Harry or Ron would forgive her. She tried hard to make herself believe she didn't care. It wasn't so hard when dealing with Ron, but Harry was another issue.

She sat in Potions class dwelling over this exact problem for the hundredth time. She had to be content with what she had, she told herself. She had friends, all of the Slytherin house in fact. They believed her explicitly. Who needed those damn Gryffindor's anyway!

Then, she remembered the sweet-faced Hufflepuff boy named Nigel. The one non-Slytherin who believed her innocence. She had been so occupied acquiring allegiance from the Slytherins that she had forgotten about he one person who gave it voluntarily, without any persuading.

The moon will help you.

The lion's voice kept ringing in her ears. She wasn't still sure what it meant. Then Lilah had an odd idea. Maybe, just maybe the reason why things weren't working out, the reason why she couldn't figure out anything about the torch was because she hadn't had Nigel helping her, but Draco.

That weekend Lilah headed for the library, hoping to find Nigel hiding behind a book again. And, luck was on her side, as he was sitting next to two Hufflepuff boys, Justin Finch -Fletchly and Ernie Macmillan, discussing a book. Nigel looked up and smiled when he saw her approaching. He practically leapt out of his seat. Ernie and Justin looked to see what was so special coming their way. But, their reaction was less then flattering for Lilah. Ernie leaned over and whispered something to Justin who scowled at her. Nigel gestured her to sit down. Then, Ernie got up and mumbled something to Nigel who responded by shrugging his shoulders. The other boys then quickly left Lilah alone with Nigel.

"Are they afraid or mad at me?" Lilah said glaring at the boy's backs as they walked off.

"They don't understand." Said Nigel.

"What do they have to be upset about? I don't remember them being under any love spell!" Lilah raised her voice in the direction they left.

Nigel tried to quiet her, but looked amused.

"Lily." Chuckled Nigel sympathetically.

Lilah liked the way he said her name. She felt his understanding nature behind it. It was far more calming then when Draco said it, causing lurches and butterflies in her stomach. She talked to him about idle things. Picking topics of similar interest trying to gain back all the time she lost in getting to know him and gaining his trust. She came to realize that Nigel, was an oddity, unlike the Slytherins or even any of the Gryffindors she ever met. He was initially trusting to anyone, no strings attached. They left the library to continue their talk and headed to the lake. The sun was starting to set and the sky was turning pink. Figuring she didn't have much time till dusk, Lilah quickly steered the conversation to the torch.

"The what?" asked Nigel.

'The Green Flame torch." Lilah said slowly.

Lilah then proceeded to tell Nigel all about her dreams and the torch and the lack of information out there about it. He sat quietly listening, his face frozen in awe and fear.

"However, why are you looking for it?" he asked when she was done.

"Don't really know. Draco asked me the same question."

"Malfoy?" said Nigel shocked.

"Well, er, he has been helping me find out about the torch."

"But, why him?"

"Well, who else would help me? Who would want to?" exclaimed Lilah, "Everyone in the school hates me, except for the Slytherins. No one else wants to be my friend. I kind of had no choice."

"I guess your right. But, I'm your friend." He said with a smile.

"You are?" said Lilah shyly although she knew the answer.

"Of course. And, I will help you try to find out anything about this torch if you wish."

Lilah met his eyes and smiled. The boy had said it himself. Mr. Moon would help her.

"Thanks." She whispered.

They didn't talk for a while then Nigel turned to Lilah.

"I'm honored that you can trust me so much." He said.

Lilah giggled, "Beware Nigel. Mind you, I can tell when someone is lying or deceitful."

"How?"

Lilah looked up wickedly at him and told him about her empathy. Yet again Nigel sat in a frozen state listening; falling more under Lilah's charms. By this time it was dark.

"Well, we'd better go inside." She said, "It's getting late."

"Right." He said giving her his hand and helping her up.

"I'll be off then." Nigel continued, "The Hufflepuff house is far off on the other side. Can you manage?"

"I don't know." Joked Lilah, "It's so dark I might fall into the lake or something."

"Don't worry," said Nigel pointing up to the sky, "The moon will help you."

Lilah felt a shiver up her spine. She looked up at the full moon shining brightly above them.

"Indeed." She said softly.