The passerby wouldn't pay the slightest attention to the beauty that was Hogwarts. More likely they would scrunch up their nose at the illusion of ruins laid out before them. But on a full moon night, every star in the sky, and pure white snow on the ground, Hogwarts was truly magnificent. Lily Evans couldn't understand how anyone could just sleep through it.

It wasn't common knowledge but every night Lily sat at the window of the common room and looked out. Sometimes she did homework, sometimes she read, but mostly she just thought. School could be stressing out or some guy could be driving her crazy, but Lily never felt upset when she sat alone, the only one to witness Hogwarts at its most peaceful time.

Once again she wondered if she should keep a diary. Her mother had given her a lovely one before she left for Hogwarts but Lily hadn’t touched the thing. But now she considered the thought. It might even be relaxing. She reached for the notebook and the pen she kept in her purse. She’d never liked quills.

Dear Diary,
I hate saying that. It makes me feel like a little 8 year old trying to be mature. I’m actually 16. 16 isn’t so old though which is something I’ve discovered lately. I’m your typical teenage girl. I go crazy over guys, I stress about the tiniest things, and I’m always busy. Night time is the only time I sit down and relax. Honestly I wish I had some one to talk to besides a piece of paper. But my friends don’t really discuss serious things. I have maybe one good girl friend. But she’s not the type to open up to. She’s more the type you go to when you need shopping tips. She’s a good friend though. I mostly hang out with guys. One of them is the best guy I’ve ever met. Everyone says we’d be perfect together. He’s cute and smart and really sweet. Unfortunately my heart has never flipped seeing him. So I guess I don’t have those feelings.
I wish I did. Christmas is in a few days and I don’t have anyone to love. It makes me want to cry.

Lily stopped writing. The truth of it got to her. More than anything else she wanted a boy to fall in love with. So far it hadn’t happen. She yawned. The writing had relaxed her. She took a sip of her hot chocolate but jumped and spilled it when she heard people outside the portrait talking. Not wanting to explain to anyone why she was up at 3 in the morning, she grabbed her mug and stuffed her journal in her bag. As she ran, she didn’t notice it fall back beside the window.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Undiscovered yet again!” Sirius Black said triumphantly.

“Shut up,” his friend said with an amused smile. “Do you want to wake up the whole house?”

A short fat boy named Peter grinned. “Oh come on James, you have to admit, when that girl came out of nowhere you were scared to death.”

James rolled his eyes. Sometimes he worried about his friends. Sirius lived for a great adrenaline rush and Peter adored anything Sirius did. Turning into their illegal animagus forms and freeing a full grown werewolf every month was kid stuff to Sirius. He had had a ball tonight, fighting with their friend Moony to protect some random damsel in distress.

“We were lucky,” James said, not in the mood to play around. “We need to be more careful.”

Sirius looked annoyed. “No one got hurt, James. The danger is half the fun.”

He and Peter started to go up to the boys dormitory. “You coming?” Sirius said, turning around.

James shook his head. “You guys go ahead.”

Sirius shrugged and left him. He knew that James liked to think at night rather than sleep. He took his usual place at the window sill, looking out at the Hogwarts grounds. He smelled a trace of strawberries and wondered if some one had been sitting here a few moments before. He looked around and noticed some brown liquid in a puddle on the floor. In front of it, there was a notebook.

James considered leaving it alone. It was obvious that some one had left here in a hurry. They probably wouldn’t appreciate him picking up their things. But James wasn’t the type to ignore something so obvious. “Accio, notebook.”

It gently flew to him. He opened it and immediately realized it was a girl’s diary. You shouldn’t be reading this, a voice uncannily like his mothers said.

Oh well.

As he read it, he sympathized with the writer. Who wouldn’t want some one special when it was so close to Christmas? He knew he did. But unlike the girl, he knew who he wanted. He smiled and decided to give her some advice.

Dear Diary-that-belongs-to-someone-else,
I know what you mean. I’m also single this time of year and let me tell you it’s no picnic. My friends don’t seem to care so much but then again they all have girls they talk to and may even like them. I’m a guy, by the way. I’m 16 also, but not at all your usual teenager. I don’t like to worry about the small things. I prefer to just live. Things do end up being okay so I don’t waste my time trying to make them like I want. As for some one to love, well…. I know she’s out there. I just have to trust that we’ll find one other, you know? Well I have to go to sleep. I always come out here at night. Isn’t it peaceful? I hope to talk to you again. Sorry for reading your diary.

James closed it and slid it behind a curtain. He went to sleep with a smile one his face, grateful that there was some one else who thought the same way.

"Lexi, why don't you just go out with him?" Lily asked impatiently. "He's a nice guy and he's obviously crazy about you."

Lexi brushed back her long dark hair and sighed. The two girls had been friends for years but they still disagreed over things like boys. Lily would love a tall dark haired boy to try to sweep her off her feet. Especially if that boy was smart, funny, and sweet. Lexi wanted some one a little more dangerous. A little more exciting.

"I'm not saying James isn't a great guy, Lils. But I don't want to be all settled down already. Maybe one day we will be together but right now I just want to have fun."

Lily sighed. Lexi had been friends with James and his friends for a long time and James had always had a crush on her. Sirius and Peter also liked her. Lily wondered what it would be like for all those boys to be fighting over her. It seemed like fun.

As if she was reading Lily's thoughts she said, "I think you and James should go out."

Lily spit out her morning coffee. "Excuse me? He likes you, remember? We only started talking this year."

Lexi smiled. "You two have so much in common though! You both take love way too seriously."

Lily couldn't understand why her friend was so flighty about falling in and out of love. It was such a special thing. Oh well. One day she'd fall for some one. Then she'd understand.

* * * * * *

"A notebook, huh?" Sirius said as he and James walked to their next classes. "You wrote to some girl you barely know?"

James shrugged. "I related. She seemed so sad."

"Maybe it's Lexi. You could go cheer her up," Sirius suggested.

James shook his head. The girl who had written the message was a little more poetic than Lexi. She was obviously smart and realistic but she was a romantic also.

"I don't think it was her."

They turned into their Potions class and stopped. The whole class was seperated.

"Ah, Mr Potter and Mr. Black. So nice that you could join us. Seperate. Everyone will be put into pairs in a moment," Professor Slughorn said.

"Why can't we choose our own partners?" Lily Evans asked.

Slughorn turned to Sirius. "Because last time you all chose your own partners, Mr. Black here got distracted and created a new species."

The class looked toward the cauldron with a bubbling blackish greenish thing inside.

"Down, Spot!" Slughorn said, amused.

James tuned out the professor as he thought about his problem with Lexi. She confused him easily. One minute she wouldn't seem to like him at all and the next she would flirt like crazy. But she said she wasn't ready for a relationship. James rolled his eyes. That was the oldest excuse in the book.

"James Potter, Lily Evans."

"What?" James said.

The professor frowned as the class giggled a little. "You are partnered with Lily."

"Right," James said, taking his seat next to her. "Head Boy, Head Girl. Makes sense."

Lily rolled her eyes. James could be so weird sometimes. And obvious. Now he was looking to see who Lexi would be partnered with.

"Sirius Black. Alexia Brown."

"Sorry," Lily said, as James frowned.

"No big deal," James said. "You're the best in the class, right?"

Lily shook her head. This would be interesting.

* * * * * * *

"You and Evans, huh?" Sirius said as the class left. "Interesting."

James raised his eyebrows. "Why is that interesting?"

Sirius shrugged. "You used to like her, right?"

James shook his head. "Used to. She was cute. I got over it. I like Lexi, remember?"

Sirius shook his head. "I don't know. You never really get over your first love. You never told me what happened anyway."

"Shut up," James said.

* * * * * * *

Lily found her notebook later that day. Suprised that her nosy roomates had left it alone she opened it up and was shocked to find the new note. As for some one to love, well…. I know she’s out there. I just have to trust that we’ll find one other, you know?

A sweet guy? Wow. Not many of them took the time to actually relate to what Lily said. Interesting.

Dear Diary... and person-I-hope-writes-again,
Thank you for taking the time to tell me what you think, and having the sensitivity not to laugh at my problems. It's nice to meet you. I was beginning to think all the nice guys out there were to busy falling for my friend. Who knows? You're probably one of them.
Can I ask you a personal question? Have you ever fallen in love before? Or do you just romanticize it? I do hope you respond.