It's really good to see Cliona.

Of course, it's generally good to see Cliona. She is, after all, one of Lily's best friends.

But it's really good to see Cliona.

Lily's never done this before, go back home for the summer and not see anyone from Hogwarts at all for weeks. She isn't completely cut off, of course -- she gets a letter from some classmate or other almost every day, her room is full of spell books and pictures that move and odds and ends from Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, and there's her wand, always with her, even if she's not allowed to use it. But it still feels ... strange, like some part of her life isn't quite ... real, even though she couldn't begin to say whether it was life at home with her parents or life at school that seems that way.

It turns out it's terrifically odd to never have anyone to talk to who shares a frame of reference for a huge part of your life. Her parents are great, of course; they've always asked about Hogwarts and what she does there and all ... but answering those questions means explaining the answers. And while she's happy to ... it's still not the same as talking to someone who already knows what all those things are.

So it's really good to see Cliona, when she turns up Sunday morning, full of stories about things like Quidditch matches and visits to Diagon Alley and Wizarding careers being pursued by her various relatives.

They lie in the shade cast by the shed in Lily's back garden -- it's been a hot, dry summer and house stays a little stuffy. Cliona's been there an hour when there's a momentary lull in the conversation and she says, "So."

Lily raises her eyebrows slightly, a suddenly a little wary. Cliona has this way of saying 'so' – a not-at-all-actually-casual tone that means you are about to discuss something Cliona thinks you need to discuss, and your opinion on the matter is irrelevant.

"Yes?"

"You and James," Cliona says. "What's going on there?"

"What d'you mean?"

"You're corresponding."

"No we're not," Lily says, confused.

"James says you are," Cliona says, matter-of-factly.

"Does he, now?"

Oh, really?

Cliona nods. "Says he's been writing to you and you've been writing back."

"Well, yes, but we're not corresponding."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, maybe you have a different meaning for the word here in England, but … isn't that what 'corresponding' is?"

"'Corresponding' makes it sound ... formal. It's just a few letters."

"Is it?"

"Cliona, what are you getting at?"

Cliona sighs. "Come on, Lily. You know he likes you. And now you're corresponding and I thought, well, maybe there's something going on here more than 'just a few letters.'"

"What, because Potter's a boy, and he's been interested in me in the past -- "

"And the present," Cliona puts in.

Lily continues, ignoring the interruption. " -- then I'm not allowed to send him couple of letters without it meaning that there's some kind of ... understanding between us? Who the hell am I supposed to be here? Marianne Dashwood?"

"Who?"

"Never mind."

"Look, Lily, all I'm saying is that he likes you, and you know it, so if you're going to write to him ... you have to be careful."

"I appreciate your concern, Cliona, but I'm fine."

"You're also not the one I'm worried about here."

"Oh, I see," says Lily. "So, what, you think I'm ... leading him on or something?"

"Not deliberately," Cliona says, quickly. "But you have the boy exploring Muggle London because you said he should."

"How is that a bad thing?" Lily stands by her belief that they'd all be a lot better off if the average pureblood wizard knew a bit more about how the Muggle world worked.

"It's not," Cliona says. "But you have to admit there are some implications there, Lily. If you're asking him to do something like that."

"Implications? What does that mean?"

"Well, it's not like you've ever told me you think I should go explore Muggle Belfast, have you?"

"I hate to say this, but given the political situation in Muggle Belfast right now, I'm not sure I could in good conscience tell you to go explore it."

Cliona frowns. "Fair enough. But have you ever told Perdita you think she should go explore Muggle London?"

Lily sighs and admits, "No, I haven't."

"Just James, then?"

"I guess."

"So why James?"

"I don't know, Cliona. It just ... it came up, all right? I was talking to Potter and it just came up, in conversation. It doesn't mean ... whatever it is you're trying to make it mean."

Cliona sighs again. "You're going to hate this question, but I have to ask."

"No, you don't. Whatever it is, you don't have to ask."

But of course, Cliona does.

"You and James and letters and conversations and everything … how much of that is about getting back at Severus Snape?"

"Cli-o-na! Do you really think I'm that kind of person?"

"I don't think you'd do it on purpose. But you have to admit, if you wanted to get back at Snape –"

"I don't. Jesus, Cliona. I can't believe you'd even ask me that."

"Sorry."

"Well, you should be."

"Okay. I am," Cliona says. "Do you like him, Lily?"

"I ... " Lily says, and stops. Honestly? She's not even sure what her opinion of James Potter is these days, and it involves a bar in another dimension, and descendants with his hair and her eyes, and frankly, it might be the most confusing thing in her currently incredibly confusing life. "I don't hate him," she says at last.

Cliona studies her for a second, like she's trying to decide how much further to push all this, and then nods. "Just be careful, please? I really don't want to see either of you get hurt. And if you break his heart, it's going to completely destroy my Quidditch season."

Lily looks at Cliona, eyebrows raised slightly, and then half-laughs. "And we can't have that, can we?"

"We've got a Cup to reclaim. Can't do that with our second best Chaser in a permanent mope, can we?"

"Second best, huh?"

Cliona shrugs. "Well, a very close second."

"Just for you, then," Lily says, "I will try my best not to, as you put it, break James Potter's heart. But that doesn't mean I'm going to go out with him, either. Nor anyone else. Not any time soon, anyway. Not after last year. There's still way too much to work through."

Cliona's frown returns. "Are you all right? You did have kind of rough year."

"Didn't I?" Lily says. "I'm fine. Or close enough."

"Are you sure?"

"No, not really. But I know I will be."

"Good," Cliona says.

"I will say this, though. You better win that Cup next year, Cliona."

"Oh, don't worry, Lily. Next year's going to be a triumph. Just you wait."

"Here's hoping."

After all, that and waiting are kind all she can do.