The Gryffindor common room was quiet, the low crackle of the fire the only sound to break the silence. Remus Lupin sat slouched in one of the armchairs, a battered book balanced on his knee, though he hadn't turned a page in at least twenty minutes. Across from him, Lily Evans sat on the rug, her arms wrapped around her knees, gaze fixed on the flames."James and I broke up," she said suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.Remus glanced up, startled, though not entirely surprised. He had noticed the way James had been avoiding her lately, the way his eyes lingered on someone else. "I figured something was going on," he admitted cautiously. "How are you holding up?"Lily shrugged. "I'm okay. It wasn't messy or anything. I think we both knew it wasn't... right." She bit her lip, hesitating. "He's in love with someone else.""Regulus," Remus supplied, watching her carefully.Lily's head snapped up, her wide green eyes meeting his. "You knew?"Remus gave her a small, apologetic smile. "It's hard not to notice the way he looks at him. But I didn't think you'd be... okay with it.""I think I'm relieved, actually," she admitted, her voice trembling slightly. "It's like I can finally breathe. It wasn't fair to either of us to keep pretending."Remus nodded, but he could see there was more. "What's really on your mind, Lily?"She hesitated again, her fingers twisting nervously in her lap. "I think—I think I might be..." She trailed off, swallowing hard, before blurting, "I think I might be gay. Or bisexual. Or something."The confession hung heavy in the air, and for a moment, the fire seemed too loud, the room too warm.Remus leaned forward, his voice soft. "That's nothing to be ashamed of.""I know that," she said quickly, though her tone betrayed her uncertainty. "It's just... it's not exactly easy, is it? Not now. Not in this world. People talk, and they judge, and sometimes they're cruel.""They can be," Remus admitted, his heart aching for her. "But you don't have to figure it all out tonight, Lily. You can take your time."She nodded, though her hands were still trembling. "It's not just that," she said quietly. "There's someone... someone I've been thinking about a lot. Someone I... care about. But I don't know if they'd ever feel the same."Remus tilted his head. "Who is it?"She looked away, her cheeks flushing. "Y/N," she whispered, as though saying the name out loud might shatter something fragile inside her.Remus blinked in surprise. "Y/N?""She's kind, and smart, and... God, Remus, she's beautiful. But I can't tell her. What if she doesn't feel the same? What if she thinks I'm disgusting? What if—""Stop," Remus said firmly, cutting her off. "Lily, Y/N is not like that. She's one of the most open-minded people I've ever met. And for what it's worth, I think she'd be lucky to have you."Lily's eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "You really think so?""I know so," Remus said gently. "But you have to decide if telling her is worth the risk. If it's something you can't keep inside anymore."Lily stared into the fire, her emotions swirling—fear, hope, doubt, longing. "What if I ruin everything?" she whispered.Remus reached out, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You won't. And even if things don't turn out the way you hope, you'll survive. You're stronger than you think, Lily."She nodded, leaning into his touch. But as the fire crackled on, her heart ached with the weight of uncertainty, her feelings for Y/N burning brighter and fiercer than the flames before her.
