Up with the stars (Lien)

Lily was bored. She barely saw her brother anymore. And she never really bonded with Albus the way she did with James. She sat near the window sill of the astronomy tower, just looking up at the sky. It was after curfew, but she didn't really care about stuff like that anymore. Who would with everything going on in her life. She sighed, pulling her legs to her chest and just staring out the window.

@Lien Chang

It had felt a while since he had to patrol the corridors at night, and in this particular area of the castle as well. The last time he had to do it, Discordia Lestrange had attacked him out of no where, and he was subsequently saved by James Potter. That was when he started to change his mind about him. Now he didn't know what to think. Supposedly James fancied him, and going by the fact that he was avoiding everyone, it was likely the shame of the truth.

At times he'd felt angry at James for having something to do with putting him in this situation, but those feelings had since fizzled out. It wasn't James's fault that everyone was always in his business.

Lien found himself walking up to the Astronomy tower again. Perhaps there was a part of him that hoped James was there so they could talk. They could go back to where they were - friends - just talking to one another, confiding in one another. When he reached the top of the stairs, however, he saw a different Potter.

"You know that you're not supposed to be out of the common room by this time, Lily," he sighed.

@Lily Potter

Lily's head whipped around, her hair following behind like a wave of fire, "Oh. Hi Lien." She said, a bit relieved it wasn't someone like Faye or Jetson or Nott. She would fight her again on sight, "I know I'm not. I just... Can't sleep. My brain won't turn off and I just..." She made her chin do a little wobble and sniffled, "I'm just worried about my brother."

@Lien Chang

Lien glanced away from her awkwardly. He wasn't the best at comforting people when they were upset.

"Couldn't you just read in your dormitory or something? I'll have to give you detention..."

It was clear, from his voice, that he really didn't want to. Urgh. He couldn't be horrible to her. She was younger than he was, so he felt an almost brotherly sort of affection.

"Yeah. He's got a lot on his plate right now," he said, walking over to the window and glancing out of it. "I heard that you got into a fight with Alayna."

@Lily Potter

Lily looked up at him, her eyes all Bigg and innocent, "I tried that for hours. I needed fresh air. I just felt... Trapped." She said, getting to her feet. She brushed off her pajama pants and looked up at him. Her being much younger, she was also much shorter. She frowned and nodded, "There's so much he's dealing with. I just want to be able to help him." When he mentioned the fight, she smirked, "Yeah. Broke the stupid bitches nose."

@Lien Chang

Lien sighed.

"Did you really have to do that? It only makes matters worse, you know."

Perhaps he was slightly happy that Lily broke Alayna's nose. On the other hand, he wondered if Alayna was all right. There were a lot of conflicting ideas and emotions going through his head at the moment.

"I think he probably just needs space."

@Lily Potter

"She deserved it. I wish I had gotten more hit son her. A few more broken bones. And I'll do it again." She said, getting angry at the idea of Nott. She knew he was right and that James needed space, but she wasnt good at that. When she was upset she wanted support and to be around people that loved her. James was just different, "Yeah I know.."

@Lien Chang

"You... probably shouldn't do that. You could get in a lot of trouble for it."

And not only with the Professors, with everyone.

"Have you spoken with him since... you know?"

@Lily Potter

"I don't care. She s Abit h. And she deserved what she got. She toyed around with you, she outted my brother. Who knows what other drama she's responsible for." Lily didn't like being lectures or told she had done something wrong. It irked her. She nodded when he asked if she'd seen James, "Yeah. I have. He's in hiding."

@Lien Chang

"Yeah..."

He looked at her.

"I knew she was a bit... you know. A bit like that. But I had no idea how far she'd go."

He nodded slightly.

"Oh... right." He supposed that was understandable? "I just hope he bounces back up soon. I can't imagine James Potter being like that forever. He'll get bored of it. He gets bored of everything, eventually." Perhaps he'd get bored with him, too, he thought.

@Lily Potter

"Yet you still chose to be with her. Makes me question those brains you supposedly have. Anyone could tell you Alayna Nott is poisonous." She said in a huff. She looked at him like he was crazy next, "I don't really know how he can just back bounce from this. It's alot to deal with at once." She knew her brother would pull through, but it would take some time.

@Lien Chang

"I just have a habit of going for the wrong type, I guess."

Was she really that critical of him?

"Well he has to, eventually. He can't just hide forever."

@Lily Potter

"Are you calling my brother the wrong type?" It was common rumor that Lien dumped Alayna because he had a secret crush in James and was discovering some shit about his sexuality. At least according to the bathroom wall.

@Lien Chang

"What?" he asked, flustered. His face turned pink. He was not expecting that, but then again he had been preparing for someone to ask whether he liked James that way this entire time. After preparing an answer for when someone asked that question, his mind turned completely blank on the spot. Lily took him completely off guard. She seemed to be extremely direct: blunt, causing fights, asking people personal questions...

"Er, no. That's not... relevant."

He cleared his throat. Great. He'd handled that... great.

Not.

"I'm straight," he concluded.

@Lily Potter

"How would it not be relevant? It's my brother that's being discussed as well. And anything to do with him, effects me. So I ask again, is my brother the wrong type?" She didn't care if he was straight or gay. That didn't effect her. He didn't effect her, "I frankly don't care if your straight, gay, bi, pan. Whatever. It doesn't effect me."

@Lien Chang

"Well... if I'm straight that means that no male is my type in that way."

He frowned at having to explain that to her.

@Lily Potter

"Well then you may want to tell my brother that when you find him. Because he does like guys like that. And he likes you like that." Lily said returning his frown with one of her own

@Lien Chang

"I'm sorry, what is this?"

He gave her a strange look.

"Do you think I'm leading him on or something?"

Lien was certain that James was better than that. He didn't feel that way at all.

"I'm not going to try and find him while he's hiding away. I respect the fact that he needs time and space away from everyone, including myself."

@Lily Potter

She raised an eyebrow at him, "I don't know. But it's better for you both if you're on the same page. That way no one gets hurt." She said, realizing she had been coming off a bit strong, "Just... I don't know anymore."

@Lien Chang

Lien looked at her. It was difficult to know what to say. He just had to think about what he'd say to Mei if she was upset about something?

"Just try and get on with your own thing while James gets on with his."

Realising that Atticus had given him some Honeydukes chocolate earlier, Lien took it out of his pocket and gave it to her.

"Here. I don't like chocolate."

@Lily Potter

Lily looked at him. Maybe he was right. She couldn't just out her life on hold for James, she had to continue on with her own thing, "Yeah, I guess you're right." When he offered her some chocolate, she smiled, "Thanks!" She loved chocolate she opened the sweet and took a bite, "What are you gonna do? What's gonna be your thing?"

@Lien Chang

He didn't have to think about what his 'thing' was going to be.

"I have a lot of work to catch up on," he said, pleased that the chocolate wasn't going to waste. "So it will mostly be that. Returning to my schedules of study and preparation. Alayna was very high maintenance: she took up a lot of my time." Still, that was partly his choice. For the first month of school, all he could think about was her.

"And... How about you?"

@Lily Potter

Him getting back into school work made sense for him, "You should have known she was high maintenance and a bitch, really. She's the most popular girl In school and she hangs out with Rowle who treats her like queen of the school." When he asked what she was going to do, she shrugged because she had no idea, "Maybe cheerleading. Then again, Nott is on the team."

@Lien Chang

"Just be careful," he warned dubiously, "I expect someone like Alayna will also wish to exact revenge on you. It might not just be a hex, either. She has that intolerable arse wipe following her around all the time, doing her dirty work."

He hoped she knew he was talking about Rowle.

"Perhaps you shouldn't give her any opportunity to do so."

@Lily Potter

I'm not afraid of her. Or her stupid little guard dog. Well, I guess they're fucking now so it's normal for him to try to defend her." She had heard a rumor that Rowle had brought Alayna down to the Slytherin dorms for the night the other night. She was curious by what he meant by his next statement, "Can't exactly stop her form being a bit h. Unless you kill her or cast an imperius. Unless you have an idea?"

@Lien Chang