The Year of the Revolution II. The Discovery of Friendship

10. Pacts

Lily retraced her steps to the entrance hall, no longer struggling to hold herself together, because the worse she looked, the more believable her alibi would be. The entrance to the castle was full of students waiting their turn to take the carriages that would take them to Hogsmeade station. Cecile was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs, she walked towards her, and two steps away from reaching her, her friend held out her hand. She gave it to her and the other one squeezed it tightly and said, "You're still sick, aren't you? Don't worry, tonight you will be with your parents who will take care of you."

Lily looked at her with profound gratitude. Cecile continued, lowering her voice a little to confidence, "By the way... I didn't say you went to the Infirmary because Potter wanted to go out looking for you."

Lily hugged her, the other continued speaking in her ear. "And he has turned to look at the Slytherin table..." She returned to her normal tone. "Has Pomfrey given you something?"

Lily pulled away from her and nodded.

"Well, then don't worry. You will see that soon you'll feel better. Let's go with the others."

She was the one who explained to everyone that Lily came from the Infirmary. She continued to hold her hand in the carriage, and as they boarded the Express she apologized to the others saying that they were going to find a quieter compartment until she felt better. She didn't ask her any compromising questions or comments, even when they were alone, Lily at the window and Cecile at her side. She took a book out of her backpack and said, "I'm going to read for a while to let you rest, but if you prefer to talk we can."

Lily was really surprised, Cecile had known about everything, probably since the night in the Astronomy Tower, maybe even before, and she knew that she didn't exactly like Sev.

When they had been traveling for about fifteen minutes, she finally asked her, "Cecile, why are you helping me?"

The other looked at her and spoke with understanding, "I have always considered that we are friends, and friends are helped without judging them. I think you should be free to make your own decisions, and nobody better than yourself knows what is best for you," and changing the tone to ironic, "Besides, I like Potter even less."

They both laughed. Cecile went back to her book and Lily to look out the window, and from time to time they would comment on something without bringing it up again.

A while later, Remus appeared in the compartment door. "Hi, girls. Are you feeling better, Lily? Can you go out for a moment?" He must want to tell her what had happened at breakfast.

"Come in, Remus. Cecile knows about it and she's already told me everything."

They both looked at her in surprise, Lily just smiled, shrugging her shoulders, making a face of 'What are we going to do to it?'

Remus entered a little hesitantly and Cecile asked her, "Lily, do you want me to go?"

"No, no, you two stay."

Cecile put the book down, Remus sat down opposite Lily, and resting his other elbow on his knee, he held out his hand to her. She gave it to him. "You're going to be alone at Cokeworth, aren't you?" He looked at her with sorrow and tenderness.

Lily nodded, but said, "I'm going to be with my family, I really want to see them. He's going to have a much worse time, he doesn't have friends like you," looking at both of them.

"Yeah..." Remus said a bit dejected.

Cecile was nodding slightly, her expression somewhat grim, like her understanding many things. They both stared at her gravely for a long minute, Lily alternately staring back at them. Then it was Cecile and Remus who did it to each other, for even longer, without speaking but all three thinking of a fourth person who wasn't present. At last Cecile turned to her again, took her other hand and sentenced, with absolute conviction, "Yes, he does."