Feral Tiger, Graceful Swan

[.LILY LUNA POTTER !]

"Screechsnap!"

Lily murmured the password and ducked into the passage behind the portrait of the fat lady, careful not to bump into a group of boys scrambling to get out. Lily turned a moment to watch them go and smiled: she knew them. One was her best friend, Manny DeMichael, and he had a wicked grin on his face like he and his mates were making their escape. "Wotcher, Lily!" he cheered to her on his way out, and Lily smiled and waved in return. Her mood was instantly lifted.

Today hadn't been the best of days. It was a Tuesday, just back from Christmas holiday, and she had double potions last class of the day - her worst subject by far. She'd manage to turn her brew into a substance resembling something she could only assume was a new hybrid between pasta sauce and rubber cement, earning her three points less in the Gryffindor hourglass. Which she would have thought was totally unfair if it hadn't escaped her cauldron and stuck everyone's books to the table.

But besides that, Lily was still a bit anxious about what Al had promised her over break. After getting into a huge row with her mother and father, the distant promise of information from her cousin Dominique, and the temptation of helping her brother with some "mission" back at school, Lily's nerves had been worn considerably over the last week or so. Not accustomed to feelings and behaviors more extreme than curiosity or feeling a bit miffed, Lily was still getting used to being frustrated. She didn't like being on the outside looking in, not when matters so serious involved her family. Especially Albus.

So the fact that he was willing to risk his neck by giving Lily something to do to help out meant a lot to her. She'd been antsy all day waiting to hear from him, but every time they passed in the corridors, Albus would answer her eager expression with a slight shake of his head, and Lily's day would grow miserable all over again. She sulked through Charms and she sulked through potions, ending the academic day with a thoroughly depressed supper. Her friends had noticed something was up, and Lily was hard put not to tell them what she was so anxious about. The frown on her face was completely uncharacteristic, as was keeping secrets.

In conclusion, today had been a bit of a struggle.

But seeing Manny acting crazy and spying Albus sitting on the sofa by the fireplace had perked Lily up significantly. She smiled easily now and practically ran over to meet her brother, navigating past tables cluttered with books and students strew about the floor, studying or playing cards or plotting pranks. Upon reaching him, she dropped her books to the floor noisily and sat close to him on the couch, her body turned to face him and her eyes staring acutely. Lips a thin line with concentration and hands folded neatly in her lap, Lily waited.

Oh, but she couldn't wait!

"Albus!" She started after hardly a moment of sitting still, "Well, can you tell me now? You were going to teach me something, oh please tell me what it is, Albus, please?" Her face changed again, charmingly innocent and eager, wide eyes bright with anticipation. It was then she looked most like her mother, her father often told her, stubborn and curious, and not one to be ignored. Lily had beamed at the comparison then, but after that row with her mother, she still held a bit of a grudge (another new feeling for her).

Shaking the feeling, Lily looked back at Albus, her brown eyes searching his green ones. Would he say yes today? Or had all those times in hallway, telling her "no", meant "not today"? Maybe he didn't mean to teach her any time soon... Or at all! Suddenly Lily felt a rising bubble of panic, and the open frown on her face was evidence enough of her inner turmoil. It was difficult for Lily to hide her feelings, and this moment was no exception.

"Pretty please?"

[mgirl03]

Christmas had been...ridiculous. For it being Albus' favorite time of year, and definitely favorite holiday, things hadn't been too great. He had gotten rejected by Rory, which had been horrible and depressing until he had forced himself to get over it a few hours later. While he had decided he couldn't mope around like a girl because Rory didn't want to date him, and yet liked him still (this was his hopeless conclusion), and that he should figure out a way to make her admit why she wouldn't date him, it still had been awkward to sit next to her at breakfast on Christmas morning.

Then there was the problem with her mum, which had...Al took a deep breath and closed his eyes, leaning his head back on the couch, trying to keep his emotions in check. Not only had seeing Rory like that made him feel even worse than when Soren had ended things with her, but thinking about her mother, ditching out on the whole family...Well, quite frankly, it made his blood boil to the point of having to use Occlumency just to keep in check. Aside from all of that with Rory, there had been the giant fight with his parents and Lily, and then he had suddenly found himself promising his little sister something that could end any chance he had of joining the Order.

He knew what Lily felt like, being left in the dark. He also knew where his parents were coming from, wanting to keep her completely protected. Knowledge could be dangerous, as Ravenclaw as that sounded. However, Al's plan wasn't really to tell her about the Order and what the Order was doing. What his parents wouldn't ever understand, he knew, was that Lily could be of help without getting into any danger or even really knowing anything more. There were Slytherins in this school that might not be who they pretended to be, and if Al had Lily just watch out for a certain one whenever she could without following him (which would be dangerous), she could report to him whether or not that certain person was a dangerous enemy.

More than that, though, Al knew that he wanted to teach Lily a few things above her year. He didn't want his baby sister to be blind sided by dark creatures or magic, and if she was better trained for fighting, or at least protecting herself, wouldn't that be helping the Order? A defensive Lily meant less likely a chance for her to be caught unaware, which meant less likely a chance for her to be captured, which meant one less mission for the Order that would endanger the members. He had always been a protective older brother of Lily, and had always been close to both of his siblings, so he wanted them all to be safe and get out of this damn war as least scarred as possible. There was just one problem, though.

Guilt. He felt guilty about going behind their parents backs about something as important as this. He had told Lily he would give her missions and teach her spells when he shouldn't have been doing either. It was why he had just shook his head every time she came around him in the halls. It wasn't just that it was the wrong time; it was that he was still trying to figure out what exactly he was going to do. He had made a promise to his baby sister, and he didn't like to let her down, or break promises period. So now, as he lifted his head again and opened his eyes, he knew that he had to do this. He was going to teach her spells, and give her tiny missions, and try and make his Lilypad feel a bit better about this all.

Running one hand slowly through his black hair, Al paused to shake it back into place just as the portrait door opened, letting in a familiar red head and letting out a few boys that were in the same year as her. Looking away from her, he reached out for his bag, dragging out his Charms book and setting it on his lap to buy him more time. He felt Lily sit beside him, and she was silent, patient. For all of three seconds before she was exclaiming his name, like he knew she would. Al closed the book and looked up at her, noting her eager tone, and the way a small frown of anxiety took over her face. Before he could help it, Al let out a soft chuckle, tossing the book aside.

"All right, I'll teach you a spell," he said, glancing around at the people in the common room. They weren't paying the two Potters any mind. "Just keep your voice down about me doing that, yeah? I'm not...really supposed to be teaching anyone anything, right Lilypad?" Giving her a pointed look, Al turned a bit to face his sister, realizing for a split second that this would be a bit like teaching his mum. Shaking his head to dispel the weird thought, he pulled out his wand from a back pocket and grinned at her. "Now. How about learning the Patronus charm, eh?"

[.LILY LUNA POTTER !]

Ergh, why wasn't he saying anything! Lily had given him plenty of time during the day to make up his mind, and here he was, sitting with his book in his lap like he was actually going to study! Study now, of all times, right when Lily felt like she was about ready to hyperventilate from her own impatience. She tried her best to be calm, honest she did, but with Al sitting so nonplussed, running his hands through his hair like he always did, like it was no big thing...

Oh, Albus!

Lily opened her mouth to prompt a response from her big brother, when suddenly she closed it again happily. "Alright, alright," he sighed with a surreptitious glance about the common room. Lily copied him, looking for prying eyes as well, though of course her tactics were far more conspicuous than the future order initiate's. "I'll teach you a spell."

"Oh, Albie, really?" Lily gasped as her eyes lit up and she clasped her hands together. Something in her chest melted then, dowsing her a warmth that she hadn't felt all the holidays long. Sure, it may have been fun staying up to wait for Father Christmas with Laney, and it was wonderful to see her extended family again, but the aforementioned fights and Albus's obvious sour mood had put quite a damper on the festivities. Lily had fallen into a mood she had yet to be lifted from, but upon hearing those words...!

A few eyes strayed in the direction of the raucous Potter, though the sight of the redhead, ecstatic again, was apparently a common enough event for them to shrug it off. Albus, however, was not as pleased by Lily's outburst and quickly made to shush her. "Just keep your voice down about me doing that, yeah?" Lily's eyes widened innocently and she smiled, a sheepish sort of grin turning her lips. She let her hands drop to her sides again as Al continued, "I'm not... really supposed to be teaching anyone anything, right Lilypad?"

Beaming at the nickname, Lily nodded. "I understand," she said simply, a quick toss of her shoulders at the secretiveness of the situation. Not really one for sneaking around normally, Lily was beginning, unfortunately, to get used to the idea. Pranks and jokes were one thing, but this was a horse of a different color. "You know, it won't be all bad, you teaching me," Lily thought out loud, a finger to her lips and eyes pointed to the ceiling as she spoke. "It'll be like dad, back in his Hogwarts days. Only it'll be a lot easier for you, since it's only me and you haven't got a right toad trying to knock your block off!" She laughed lightly, eyes crinkling up in their characteristic manner. But Al's serious tone from a moment before was enough to still her again, and Lily guiltily returned to an attentive silence.

"Now, how about learning the Patronus charm, eh?"

Sorry, what was that about silence?

"Eeee!!!" Lily squeaked, all excitement and gratefulness and anticipation. "The Patronus, oh, really!" Instantly she reached over and squeezed her brother, burying her face on his shoulder. She couldn't stop smiling, and the bubble that had risen in her a moment ago at the mention of him teaching her had swelled so that it burst! The Patronus charm was a whole year away from her normal studies, and what luck to be learning something so useful! Not only did it fend off dementors but it could carry messages, act as guides and even companions when in need.

Lily felt like she was finally going to be able to help. She had waited so long...

Detaching herself from Al, Lily looked up at the many inches he had on her and smiled. She remembered she was supposed to be quiet and smiled shyly again, and her voice was softer this second go 'round. "Would you really teach me, then? The Patronus?" She knew it wouldn't be a trick, but to be given the opportunity to learn what the magical extension of herself was like... What form it would take... "You aren't just teasing me, are you?" But her smile said she knew he wasn't.

And maybe, if she showed promise in this category (as she was rather decent at Charms), he'd be willing to show her other things. Even more advanced things. And then...

Then maybe it'd be time to write cousin Domi that owl...

[mgirl03]

Lily was a right bundle of energy. She had always been like this, since before Al could even remember when she was born. Uncle Ron told stories of his mum when she was younger, constantly talking and just as energized, before Hogwarts hit and she had been forced through things that made her grow up. Lily, however, was a bit of a sheltered child (he wouldn't have it any other way, as her big brother), so she had plenty of time to grow up being loud, wild, and generally however she wanted. She also had a knack of being a bit...overemotional. Not crying, exactly, but just...

Watching in slight amusement as she responded with a small gasp to his agreement, Al found a small smile tugging his lips. Just like that. With the joyful disbelief, and the nickname that usually made him cringe (but which he dismissed, just this once). Of course, when they were doing something that they weren't supposed to do, it wasn't exactly great that she was bouncy and excited and...loud. He warned her at once, of course, but it was more a precaution than anything. Already people in the common room had looked their way and then went on with their business, knowing that the youngest Potter was always like this. Lily excited, Lily happy, Lily...like this, was just the norm.

Still, it brought him some comfort to know that she was forcing herself to be more quiet. More quiet, but not completely quiet, of course, as she stated that him teaching her would be like their father teaching back in Hogwarts days, with that 'right toad trying to knock his block off'. He assumed of course that his little sister was referring to the time when his Dad led Dumbledore's Army back in his fifth year. He supposed it was a little bit like that, as she said, seeing as she was the only one and he didn't have anybody trying to stop him. Except for their parents if they knew, of course, but never mind that. Al decided to ignore the comparison to their father, moving on to the subject of what he would be teaching her. And apparently moving on from the from short bit of quiet that his sister was showing.

The shriek she gave had heads turning in the common room, and Albus barely had time to wince and make a face at the loud noise sounding in his ear before he was being hugged tightly by Lily. While normally he would smile at her excitement, he felt as if his ear drum had just shattered, so instead he kept making a face as he looked down at her. "Godric, Lily, don't make me go deaf," he said, although his tone wasn't completely unkind. In the next moment, actually, after the other Gryffindors had looked away from the scene, and his hearing had kicked back up in his ear, he grinned a little down at his baby sister.

After another moment of her hugging the hell out of his shoulders, Lily backed away again and spoke again, this time with the sheepish look of somebody who knew they had done something wrong. Namely, screamed again when he had told her to keep it down. The excitement she showed, however, kept Al from begrudging her the loudness. Not to mention the eager way she was speaking now (in a soft tone), as if she couldn't believe her ears; couldn't believe that soon she might be able to produce a silver patronus, something that was at least a year advanced for her, if not more.

"Who do I look like, James?" he grinned at her, turning a little on the couch to face her better now. His voice was just low enough to have his tone be heard by passerby, but not his words. "Of course I'm not just teasing you. It's a brilliant thing to know, how to cast a Patronus. I remember when Dad taught it to me, and you never know when you'll have to use it." It was true, that the day he had learned how to cast the charm was a happy one in itself. He had been beyond excited, ready to be able to do magic that his own father could do, magic that was beyond his year and yet something that he had been determined to know.

"It won't be easy, Lilypad," he added in afterthought, tone more serious now, although he still smiled. Taking on that big brotherly air. "The Patronus Charm is right difficult, what with having to have the perfect memory and mindset and all. It'll probably take you a while to pick it up, so don't get discouraged, okay? We'll keep at it until you've got it down flat."

[.LILY LUNA POTTER !]

Lily looked down a bit guiltily when Albus teased about not being like James, their older and perhaps crazier brother. She was ashamed to giggle at his joke, but soon didn't have to worry about it as Albus plugged on. He explained the patronus charm would be difficult to get, what with having to have all the elements of the spells perfect: the memory, form, etc. Lily bit her lip in worry but smiled benignly when Al reassured her of his assistance. "We'll keep at it until you've got it down flat." Lily beamed.

So this was going to be it, then. This was going to be the first step in being able to finally help the Order, and Lily had never been so optimistic. The smile on her face was actually hurting her cheeks, and she had to look away from her brother in order to give her muscles a break. The patronus charm... She still couldn't believe her ears. Al must have been joking; he'd never willingly agree to teach her something so advanced, let alone something that would help her standing with the Order, right? Wasn't he supposed to be the one that always worried and fretted over her, to trade benign secrets on summer nights, to laugh innocently at her jokes? He wasn't supposed to be teaching her serious things.

But she wasn't complaining.

Lily calmed down after a breath or two, rubbing her cheeks a little as she finally turned back again to face Albus. In an instant, fleeting and brief as lightning, Lily looked into her brother's eyes and thought she saw something in the jeweled color that was... different. But was she seeing something new in his eyes... Or seeing differently out of her own?

Lily shook the feeling and smiled again, more delicately this time. "Thanks, Al," she said simply, and stood up to relieve some of her energy. "Can we start today, d'you think? Right now? I... haven't got much homework, anyway, And it's all Charms work besides. So that's a cinch." She snapped her fingers and beamed at him; Charms, the one thing she was good at (besides a certain affinity for the Bat Bogey hex, like their mum). "We could go to that secret room Dad told us about, y'know, to practice and everything! It... I won't be much bother, I promise!" And there was a mixed look of eagerness and apprehension on her features then, like suddenly she wasn't sure he'd say yes. After all, he was still Albus, over-protective and loving as he was. Maybe he'd laugh, shake his head, muss her hair and say "Another time, Lilypad."

Sigh.

On the other, more optimistic hand, Al could surprise her and jump to his feet to start their lesson. Oh, wouldn't that be something! A smile crept onto Lily's face again just thinking about it! She had clasp her hands behind her back to keep from clapping like a lunatic. Maybe it'd work out, maybe she'd find out what her patronus was, and help fight off dementors, and run messages, oh, maybe her patronus would have the strength to rival her father's, even...!

But before she got too carried away down that road, Lily paused, she hesitated. A sort of far off look came into her bright brown eyes, only for an instant, like she was planning to do something. Her emotions kept bouncing between excitement and anticipation, fear and apprehension, to this... This feeling of finally gaining a little insight, and deciding that now, she should seize her chance... Already she was composing the letter in her head.

Dear Domi...

She shook her head to clear it, her eyes refocusing on the common room. Lily was still standing with her hands clasped behind her back, and in all likelihood she looked quite the fool standing there, spacing out. She grinned and reached for her wand instead, petting the smooth willow handle with the fingertips of her right hand. "I mean... if that's ok with you."

[mgirl03]

He feared for a moment that his little sister's face would break, or her cheeks would sprain, or something. Al watched Lily, with her wide smile that looked practically painful, and her dancing brown eyes, so like their mum's, which were bright with excitement. After a moment, though, she turned her head away, and he saw a glimpse of her cheeks relaxing from the smile, bringing a soft chuckle out of him. Enthusiastic, like always. The surprise and joy he saw in her face at being taught the patronus charm was almost enough to erase the thought from Albus' mind that he was doing something wrong, defying some rule perhaps.

Honestly, though, was what he was planning on doing so bad? Teaching his baby sister the patronus charm wasn't illegal, and his parents hadn't said he couldn't. His dad didn't want him to teach anybody the advanced things he was learning, and Al didn't plan on it. Plenty of people knew the patronus charm since his dad had been taught it so long ago, and like Lily said, been the head of Dumbledore's Army. In a way, he was just carrying out name-sakes, wasn't he? His dad, a Potter, had ran Dumbledore's Army, and he was Albus, named after Dumbledore himself. Teaching Lily this was justifiable, wasn't it?

Yeah. Right.

Blinking once to bring himself back to the moment, Al focused on Lily just as she turned, meeting her eye with a small smile. With her thanks, his smile widened, but as she continued, and stood, he felt it falter a bit on his face. She wanted to do it now, in the 'secret room' (Room of Requirement, he hoped she meant), and he mentally calculated everything he had to get done. Lily obviously had Charms homework, as did he, and while it was probably the best subject for them both, his would still take a while. Not to mention he had a Potions essay, Arithmancy homework, a Herbology sketch to do, things to read for his dad's lesson, and wouldn't have time to do it tomorrow because of Prefect duties. He was busy, and didn't really have the time.

Al had spaced again and shook his head a little to clear it, glancing down before looking back up at Lily. She was grinning, hand at her wand, asking if that was okay. No, it wasn't. He couldn't do it, didn't have the time, should make her do her homework...Maybe he should just tell her to forget about it, even. Maybe their dad was the one who should teach her this, if he ever got the time (which he probably wouldn't), and he should go back to being a student and preparing for the Order and everything else that was on his plate.

Yet the happy look she was giving him...Lily had been so down over Christmas, with the fight with their parents, and all of the problems that had been arising with people wanting to know more and fits about not being old enough and everything else in between. Staring at her, Al wasn't sure he could let his Lilypad down like that. Actually, he was certain he couldn't.

"Yeah, alright. We'll start now," he said, standing slowly and stretching his arms above his head, hands reaching for the ceiling before dropping again to his side. He smiled at her again, checking in his pocket to be sure his wand was still there before glancing around the common room once, quickly and discreetly. Rory wasn't anywhere to be seen (he wasn't sure what to think about that, and Al thought he was probably better off not knowing), and nobody was calling out to either of them, or paying them any mind at all. Good.

Once he was sure they wouldn't be missed, he grabbed up his charms book and his bag (just in case he had free time), and then started off towards the portrait hole without a word. Once out of the hall, Al glanced at her. "Have you ever been in the Room of Requirement before, Lily?"

[.LILY LUNA POTTER !]

Phew, ok, breath. Lily would probably have a heart attack and die of happiness if she allowed herself, because right now, talking to Al, seeing him agree to teach her and even getting up to start her lesson right this second was probably the best she'd felt in weeks. Lily clasped her hands tightly together and hurried Al out the portrait hole and into the corridor, telling herself not to freak out all the while.

She stopped short, just shy of running into Al, actually, and blinked up (way up) at him. Had she ever been in the Room of Requirement, he asked, and she frowned back at him. "No," she scowled, twitching her shoulders a little in agitation, "I haven't. I haven't been trusted by anyone to know where it is. Too young and all." Lily clutched her elbows sullenly for a moment, remembering the terrible row she had with her parents. The constant theme they harped on was her age, like that even mattered. If she acted young for her age it was because no one told her any differently. They never told her to grow up, and consequently she didn't know she wasn't. Like she stuck in ignorance and no one bothered to say anything.

But. She didn't like to think about that or negative things at all. She strove to constantly keep her cheery disposition though it had been admittedly more difficult as of late. So she softened her set jaw and sighed a little, as if figuratively breathing out the bad thoughts. She didn't really feel any better afterwards, but the prospect of the upcoming lesson was reason enough to smile.

"Sorry... about, er that. So um, which way is it, then?" She asked politely, smiling again, though even she felt it was a little fake. Lily hated being so angry all the time now, down and out of sorts, but hopefully this would make things more acceptable to her.

And why shouldn't it? She was one step closer to getting to where she wanted to be: helping her family and fighting to protect them, just like they were fighting for her and the rest of the wizarding world. And if they weren't willing to accept her help outright, Lily was quite prepared to find her own way of helping. It started here. now she just had to keep Al from knowing her true intentions.

[mgirl03]

To Al, it had always seemed like his brother and sister were more 'Weasley' than he was. That wasn't to say he wasn't a Weasley at all--with his temper, not to mention his freckles, there was no mistaken he had some of his mum in him. However, James and Lily had always been more of the happy-go-lucky type, who weren't too serious most of the time. James was usually cracking a joke or pulling some big prank, and Lily was either helping him or just being generally cheerful. Where as Albus took after his father quite a lot, and had to get people to help remind him that he was a kid sometimes. Basically, he knew he could be a grumpy, moody stick in the mud.

However, as of late, everyone was more serious. He knew it was understandable, and should be expected even, what with a war going on and people disappearing or dying. Yet to see Lily scowl, it really struck Al that times were changing. Sure, his Lilypad could be stubborn as hell, and would set her jaw and try and get her way, but her mood had been more down lately than it use to be. Maybe it was the war, or her turning into a teenager, or maybe she was just now coming across things that couldn't always been smiled at. It just made him a little sad that his baby sister couldn't stay a baby anymore. Of course, that kind of thinking was probably what had Lils so agitated.

So at first, he blinked at her calmly as she stated that nobody had trusted her with the information, not saying anything about how he had just found it this year, because nobody told him either. Instead, Albus watched her as she seemed to pep talk herself and calmed, apologizing and attempting a smile. He smiled back a little, slipping his arm around her shoulders in a quick, one armed brotherly hug, before pulling away to look at her.

"Well, nobody was keeping it a secret from you because you're not old enough, Lils," he said, turning without a warning and heading towards the left. He hoped she payed attention to where he was headed if she wanted to use the room again, because this would be his only way of showing her. If it weren't for the fact that they needed to use the room to practice the Patronus Charm without anybody getting in the way (or knowing about it at all), he wouldn't show her where it was at all. Trying to find the room had taken forever, and it hadn't been easy, but it was fun, and the reward of finding such a secret that was embedded in their parents past was worth all the aimless walking that made him look like a moron.

"I didn't find the room until this year, actually. I don't know if James knows where it was, but dad wouldn't tell either of us," Al continued, not even glancing to see if Lily was following him, knowing that she was. He half kept his mind on the conversation, and half let it focus on where they were, looking for paintings and things that would mark where they were. "So I went searching. Yes, your big brother actually snuck out after curfew to go looking for a room." Looking over at her with twinkling eyes, Albus grinned. "Anyways, I found it at the beginning of the room. You'll see, it's brilliant."

He fell silent for a few more corridors before stopping abruptly in front of a blank stretch of wall. Al turned his eyes to Lily again, saying, "Alright, here we are. I don't know if you heard the stories about it or not, but you have to walk by this blank wall three times, thinking about what you want inside the room. If you want, you can do it. Just make sure you make a room big enough for us to move around some...and some books on the Patronus Charm or the like wouldn't go amiss, eh?" Gesturing with one hand towards the wall his sister would have to walk past, Al leaned against the opposite one with a smile.

(It's late, and it sucks, and I'm sorry D: )