In retrospect, the last six months of my sixth year are not something I’m particularly proud of. Mum calls it a “great lapse in judgement�, Aunt Hermione, “a good learning experience�, Emma Longbottom, my best friend, “the most uncomfortable six months of her life�, and Dad…well I don’t know what Dad calls it. I think he’s still getting over the shock, to be honest.

Me? I don’t know what to call it either. I don’t even know how it happened. Maybe it was the whole ‘never been kissed’ thing coming into play, or the want for any boy to look at me and see me as something more than one of the guys. All I know is that one day, I was sitting in Herbology, listening to Neville lecture on the exact way to grow dittany, wondering when I’ll actually get to try growing it, and the next, I was taking notes on the first wizarding war in History of Magic, thinking that my next Herbology lesson couldn’t come faster. It wasn’t that I hated Herbology, it’s just that I never looked forward to classes, not even Defence Against the Dark Arts, my favourite class.

I left class that day, pondering my new found anticipation for Herbology, when Emma came up beside me.

“Hey you,� she said, bumping my arm with hers.

I turned and smiled at my best friend. “Hey back.�

“You look deep in thought,� she said, but I knew it was a question. Now Emma and I, we’ve been best friends since we were in nappies, and while I’d trust her to keep any secret, there was no way I was telling her that I have a weird longing for Herbology class. Not when her dad was the teacher. Instead, I just shrugged.

“We finished the Founders today and started on the first wizard war.�

“And that’s what you are deep in thought about?� she asked.

“Well yeah, that means that sooner or later, I am going have to hear the stories of our grandparents.�

Emma looked at me. “Isn’t that the reason you took NEWT level History? To learn about the Founders, the facts that created wizard legends, and the first and second wizarding wars?�

She was right, of course. That is why I kept on with it. At the end of my second year, I did my research to see what each course covered after you got your OWLs. In sixth and seventh year History, they cover the truth behind legends, like the Deathly Hallows and the Chamber of Secrets, the real stories of the Founders, Grindewald, Dumbledore, and, the thing that really convinced me, the first and second wizarding wars. Most people ask me why I don’t just ask my parents, or a long list of other people who surely have first hand experience. The answer was simple. My dad spent half of the second wizarding war in a tent, and everyone else really only know the parts that pertain to them. This way, I get the whole story and many different perspectives.

We decided to meet Louis, my other best friend and cousin, in the library to work on homework, Neville having given us a two foot essay on the proper care of dittany which was due for the next class. He clearly wanted us to know what exactly we were doing before we actually worked with the dittany. I found myself thinking that was what made Neville such an amazing professor. He always made sure we knew the theory and then gave us the opportunity to try. And because of that, I always knew exactly how to work with the plant, and I never forgot.

Dittany has to be kept in soil with a pH of exactly... I stopped suddenly mid sentence. Since when did I analyse our professor’s teaching methods and how much I liked them? I usually just went to class, paid attention to the material, and did my homework.

“Lily, are you okay?�

I looked at Emma. “Yeah, I’m fine, why?�

“You’re doing that deep in thought thing again. Really, Lily, if learning about the war is doing this to you already, you should really consider dropping the class.�

“Oh, no Emma, I’m fine with that, really. I just couldn’t remember what the exact pH was. I remember it now though.� I hastily scrawled down the number. Louis gave me a bit of a sideways glance and I wondered if he saw right through the lie. I avoided his gaze by checking my watch. “Would you look at that! It’s time for supper.� I shoved my books in my bag and waited for the others to do the same.

As we walked down to the Great Hall, I noticed Emma and Louis exchanging glances. It was clear that neither of them bought my pH story, but they were polite enough not to ask. And good thing they didn’t, because I didn’t even know how to explain my long silences.

I listened to Emma and Louis as they discussed the Potions homework that was due on Monday. I was halfway done with mine already, so my input was not needed. I ate the last forkful of my mashed potatoes and turned to look at the Head Table. Professor Vector and Professor Trelawny were deep in conversation at the end of the table. I scanned further down the table, and to my great surprise, Neville was there, talking with Muggle Studies professor I didn’t know, having never taken the class myself. He smiled. I noticed how when he smiled, his whole face smiled in almost the exact same way that Emma’s face did. I noticed the crinkles in the corner of his dark sparkling eyes. Eyes that held wisdom and depth. Then I noticed his hands. They were large. Larger than my Uncle Charlie’s. And they were dark: the hands of someone who was constantly playing in the dirt, lovingly coaxing plants out of the earth to bloom.

“Lily!� I jumped, startled.

“What?� I asked.

“What is with you?� Louis asked. “Emma called you five times before you responded.�

I looked at Emma. Her deep blue eyes had a look I’ve never seen before. I noticed they were the exact same shape as Neville’s, but the eye colour is all her own. “Lily, why were you staring at my dad?�

I looked at her. I wanted to deny it, but the truth is, I couldn’t. And then I knew. The odd anticipation, the weird thoughts, the staring.

I fancied on Neville Longbottom.

My dad’s friend.

My teacher.

My best friend’s dad.