Lily's Tale

by Emeraldbuttercup

Lily Evans is determined to find out what prank the Marauders are up to. But when she follows them when they sneak out of the castle one night, she has no idea the secret she will unearth.

I sat, my emerald eyes becoming unfocused as I read the same sentence for the fourth time. With a frustrated grunt, I snapped the potions textbook shut, and rubbed my temples wearily. Glancing up, I watched the fire in the hearth crackle and burn. All in Gryffindor tower was still and silent, the noise of third years celebrating the approaching weekend had died down hours ago. Now, at eleven o'clock at night, all were asleep.
Except for Lily Evans, of course.
I had accepted an extra assignment from Professor Slughorn, and now was bitterly regretting it. I had thought I could finish the assignment this evening, leaving the weekend clear and glorious, but I had forgotten that I had promised my friend, Alice, that I would accompany her to Quidditch practice. Now in the dark hours I kept on, trying futilely to finish the work. As I stared at the flames, I knew it was hopeless to continue. Even if I somehow managed to write the report now, it would most likely come out garbled and unintelligible. I took a strand of my long red hair and twisted it around my finger, thinking. If only I still had Severus's help in potions class…no. I couldn't think like that. I would never speak to him again. He had chosen his own way, and I had chosen mine. Still, a wave of sadness threatened to drown me as I thought about Severus. As I dwelled on our past conversations, I ran a hand through long ruby red hair, allowing it to drape over most of my face like a curtain. My thoughts turned sluggish, like I was trying to run through cement. I blinked, trying not to fall asleep. By Merlin, it would be embarrassing if tomorrow morning all the Gryffindors found me passed out in the common room. Willed by this single thought, I struggled out of the worn armchair, dragging my sorry body upright. Stretching my arms high into the air, I let out a gigantic yawn. Grabbing my potions book, I made my way to the spiral staircase leading to the girls dormitories. On the way there however, I stopped on impulse, looking out of the window. Outside, the moon was full and beautiful. Stars glistened like diamonds in the inky darkness. A certain peace had settled on the Hogwarts grounds like new fallen snow, blanketing the entire castle. I put a hand on the glass, which was cool to the touch. I sighed blissfully, giving into the serenity.
Movement on the grounds caught my eye. At first, I thought I had imagined it. Perhaps it was a reflection on the lake. I leaned in, my breath fogging the glass, one hand clutching the stone windowsill. There was someone out there, walking right outside the castle. No, I blinked, and suddenly saw that there were three people. How had I missed them before? The trio were all wearing student robes, which camouflaged them well into the night. That had to be the reason I hadn't seen them, though it sounded a little far fetched to me. Wiping the foggy glass hastily with my sleeve, I squinted to have a better look. They all seemed to have relatively short hair, and were jostling each other around-they definitely weren't girls. That fact was probably a given, though. Trust a boy to go getting into trouble for no good reason. Girls were much too smart to sneak out into of the castle when everyone else was asleep. My curiosity was aroused. Just what did those boys think they were doing? Then, one of them looked up at Gryffindor tower. I had a clear view of his face. My stomach clenched.

It was James Potter. Ever since my first year at Hogwarts, James had been begging me to go out with him. It was infuriating, how he assumed just because he was a good Quidditch player, he expected all the girls to swoon over him. Most of that was true, but his narcissistic ways never failed to disgust me. Things had gotten better in the fifth year though. After my fight with Severus, James seemed to withdraw a little, which came as a huge relief to me. Then he became Head Boy, which had shocked me (and the rest of the school, as James and his friends were known as the biggest troublemakers in our school's history). Luckily, even though I was also appointed Head Girl, we hadn't spoken more than ten words over the past few months. I was glad for the space. Ever since last summer when my parents-
"Don't think about it." I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. My fingernails were digging into the stone, my knuckles white. Dwelling on the past wouldn't do me any good. I needed to focus on now, the present, or I would be lost wandering in painful memories. James and other two friends were sprinting across the grounds toward the Forbidden Forest. Whatever they were doing out of bed, it couldn't be good. Only last week they had enchanted the winged boars guarding the Hogwarts entrance to spout out creative insults when someone passed by. Were they working on their newest prank? Not for the first time, I groaned, wondering what Dumbledore could have been thinking appointing James as Head Boy. Maybe he should give Peeves the position of headmaster and be done with it. I watched them, debating what I should do. Go to the teachers and tell them what James was doing? No, I could get in trouble for being out of Gryffindor tower at this hour. But I hated for James to get away with this. Always thinking he was invincible, strutting around the school like he owned it...it made my blood boil. He used to make me feel stupid, always cornering me with his cocky grin. Truthfully, the way he constantly harassed me had embarrassed me more than I cared to admit. But now...I was Head girl. Wasn't it my job to stop wrongdoers? James never got caught. The whole school loved him for that. It was time to put a stop to that. Dropping my potions textbook on window sill firmly, I fished my wand out of my pants pocket. Wide awake now, with a resolved glare, I exited through the portrait hole.

Sneaking out of the castle had been easier than I thought. The great oak front doors were unlocked. No doubt James had forgotten to lock them back when he broke through them somehow. Boys. Never thinking. The only thing I encountered was Mrs. Norris, the caretaker's bramble-coloured cat, but I managed to stay out of her lamp-like gaze. Now here I was, standing in front of the the Forbidden Forest. Why did it have to be the Forbidden Forest? The trees stretched out their skeletal branches, their nightmarish silhouette highlighted by the pale light given off by the moon. When I was little, I used to dream about the horrors that waited in its shadowy depths. Vampires, chimeras, dragons, evil things that crept on the borders of the magical world were all rumored to take residence in the forest. There was a reason it was forbidden, after all. Of course James would find this place appealing, I thought, rolling my eyes. Toward my left, Hagrid's Hut sat, it's normally bright and merry windows dark with the curtains drawn. I wondered whether I could retreat back to the castle. I highly doubted I could get back to Gryffindor tower unnoticed, however. I wasn't that lucky. Besides, the longer I waited, the farther James in ahead of me. Scratching the back of my leg with my foot, I teetered at the forest's edge, summoning my courage.

"Are you a Gryffindor or not?" I challenged myself internally. I nodded, and marched into the forest without further adieu.

Dead leaves crunched beneath my feet. Where had James and his friends disappeared to? I held my wand higher, trying to get the golden glow it was emitting to shed more light. I hated the dark. I was too busy watching my feet to even look for James. Stupid phobia. Stupid James. Why couldn't he just keep out of trouble for three seconds? Around me, a symphony of night time noises rose and fell. It should have calmed me, but my nerves were too high-strung. Every hoot of an owl sound like a mournful warning, The trees groaned like tortured spirits, and the cold wind buffeted me back, sending shivers down my spine. Even the cricket's chirping startled me, their loud and sudden cacophonies making me cringe.

"Stop it." I scolded myself, weaving through the gigantic tree trunks. "You're doing this to yourself. It's just your imagination." What kind of prank could possibly draw James out at night? There was still no sign of him. I couldn't find his footprints. Was I even heading in the right direction?

"Potter!" I called, trying to sound braver than I felt. "When I find you, you're going to be in so much trouble!" My voice had turned haughty, the way it always does when I address James. However, my words made me cringe. Threatening James was probably not the best strategy since I wanted to find him. Prioritize. First find James and get out of this creepy place, then jinx him into tomorrow. I stopped and surveyed the forest, part of me almost, almost worried about James. After all, if only half of the rumors of this place was true, James could get into serious trouble. This was no place for a moonlit stroll. He could be in danger. I glanced about one last time. The shadows did not offer up James to me.

"Fine." I said out loud, my voice carrying. I didn't have any real hope of anyone hearing me, it was clear James was nowhere nearby. I wrapped my arms around me, trying to fight off the chill. I wondered briefly if James was cold too, but quickly and unceremoniously shattered that thought. He got himself into this mess, he would surely get himself out. I was the real idiot, following him out here like this. Why had I- a howl echoed through the forest. I stiffened at the sound, my eyes widening. A lump formed in my throat. The howl reverberated, so I couldn't tell in what direction it had come from. I could feel my heartbeat quicken, pounding against my ribcage. My hands shook, so that I had to take my wand in both hands to steady it. I pointed it outwards defensively, searching around warily. Suddenly James's pranks seemed childish- certainly not worth hanging around in the dark. I turned back the way I had came into the forest. However, the path I was looking at was unfamiliar. Indeed, there were no signs where the forest ended. Though I could have walked more than a quarter mile, it looked as though I was in the middle of the forest. I glanced up, hoping the stars could help me head in the right direction, but the sky was hidden from view by the thick interlocking tree branches. Reassuring myself that I was not lost, I forced myself to continue on, trying to find my way out of the endless forest.

The next hour was a haze of terror and exhaustion. The howling grew, the call of some savage beast. It was hunting me down, I knew it. I stumbled blindly through the forest, trying to find my way. All of my surroundings were strange and gnarled. I hadn't passed this way before. I would try to correct my course, but only succeed in getting even more confused. My false hope snuffed out. I was lost, totally and utterly. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, mingling with the exhaustion clouding my head. I couldn't trust my eyes, they refused to focus. At times I thought I saw cobwebs made of silky thread as thick as rope. I hoped it was only my addled mind playing tricks on me. If I ran into the creature that made that- I didn't want to think about it. And honestly, not thinking wasn't too hard a request. My thoughts had shut down, I was led only by my instincts. I forgot about James, only praying I could escape this place. My knees were weak and shook, even the golden light from my wand flickered, as if it was going out. Hoof prints were fossilized in mud next to the path, as was a single handprint. I begun to wonder what was real and what was my imagination. I would have stopped and waited for the sun to rise, if it wasn't for the howling. It was getting closer. The very earth quaked when the howl sounded, vibrating the bones of the ancient forest. Imagining what made that howl did not help my straining nerves. I halted, pointing my wand at myself. With a quick incantation, the light faded, and hot air blew out of my wand tip instead. I closed my eyes, enjoying the heat. My face, which had felt numb with cold, warmed up immediately. I continued the spell until the heat became unpleasant, then canceled the spell.

"Lumos." I muttered, and the golden light returned, a little stronger this time. The howl rang out again, so close that it made me jump. I froze, unsure what to do. The howl ended with a growl. The icy wind blew again, carrying the scent of blood. I turned around, bile rising in my throat.

To say it was a wolf is an understatement. The was as large a Great Dane, with wicked claws and muscular body. Dried blood was matted on its thick coat of fur, and its fangs were bared, each as long as a finger. Foam frothed in its mouth, with its long tongue lolling to the side. Its eyes were its most horrid feature, insanity waging a torrented storm in its glowing red eyes. The werewolf stared me down with these eyes. It let out a low growl, its shoulders tensing. One leap from a monster like this would easily reach me. I felt sick at the thought of what would happen then.

"Confringo!" I screamed, flashing my wand through the air. There was a burst of light, and the werewolf was blasted backwards with a yelp. I ran out of the glade in the dark, without time to summon light. I ran through the forest, darting like a hare between the trees. The sound of pursuit was behind me, the werewolf yowling for revenge.

"Confringo!" I yelled again, my voice cracking. Bark from a tree I had hit with the spell flew in all directions, but missed the werewolf.

"Stupify!" The spell found its mark, but the werewolf did not even slow down. It was closer, its eyes brimming with bloodthirst.

"Accio silver!" I tried, remembering werewolves one weakness. I knew it was a futile attempt before the spell even left my mouth, the summoning charm didn't work that way. I turned to flee, but it was too late. The werewolf pounced, landing on top on me. I fell to the ground, and my world exploded with pain, racking my entire body. Humid breath tingled on my neck, stinking of raw meat. Next to my ear, I heard a low, throaty growl. My heart fluttered painfully in my chest. I was only partly conscious of the sound of hooves thundering on the ground- the weight of the werewolf was suddenly taken off me. I heard the werewolf yelp. Dazed, I looked up. A golden animal was attacking the werewolf fiercely, its horns driving the beast back. The werewolf swiped at the animal, and they both went tumbling, rolling over each other on the forest floor. With faint surprise, I recognized the animal as a stag. My vision was darkening. I struggled to watch the fight. The werewolf was up again as the stag flailed on the ground. The werewolf turned his grotesque head toward me, its eyes alit with untamed fire. The stag struggled up, charging the werewolf again. The werewolf was unprepared for this attack, and the stag scooped the beast up into its antlers. The werewolf screamed and writhed in the antlers, and both of them tumbled. At my side, a blurred shape descended. Wearily I blinked my eyes, trying to see what it was. A boy my age knelt next to me, his expression concerned. His long black hair hung limp and shaggy to his shoulders. The darkness was creeping up the edge of my vision now. It was hard to see the boy at all, my vision was turning fuzzy. The boy crouched next to me, his face inches away.

"Evans? Evans, can you hear me?" He asked, his tone frightened. I drew breath to answer him, but pain clouded my mind, and I blacked out.

James's Point Of View:

I hurried over the uneven terrain, cradling my arm close to my chest. This couldn't have happened. My head hung and my arm bled, but I carried on. Remus never attacked anyone before. He couldn't have. The Marauders had taken precautions to make sure no one would ever be in danger. We could fight off Remus in our Animargus forms. But still, Remus had attacked someone, I had seen it with my own eyes. But I couldn't have seen the victim correctly. I had only thought I'd seen her because I couldn't get her out of my head. It was late, I was having delusions- but I hurried anyway. I had to confirm it was all in my head. Up ahead, Sirius knelt by a huddled form. Even from this distance, I could see tears glistening on Sirius's face. My stomach clenched. In the light from Sirius's wand, I could also see a curtain of red, wavy hair...

"No!" I cried, my voice strangled. My pace quickened, and then I was running, sprinting to her side. I knelt beside Sirius, ignoring my wounded arm as I stared into her face. It was pale, paler than I had ever seen her. Her face was calm and impassive, much more at peace than it ever was when she looked at me. Tears now trickled down my face as I realized what had happened, the horror washing over me. Out of everyone in Hogwarts, it was Lily Evans lying here, unmoving.

"She's alive, Prongs." Sirius said hollowly, placing a hand on my back. "She'll be fine. I think Moony just knocked her senseless." Sirius frowned as he looked around. "Where's Wormtail?"

"Watching Remus." I said slowly, not taking my eyes off of Lily's face. Her chest rose and fell slowly, her breath stirring her hair. Her arms were splayed at an awkward angle, her ivy wand lay a few feet away, as if thrown by the impact when she had fallen. Hesitantly, I reached out for her hand. It was as cold as ice in mine, her fingers limp in my grasp. When I fantasized holding hands with Lily, I never quite pictured it like this. If she was conscious, she probably shrink away, her emerald eyes scornful. My heart ached at the thought.

"Why do you think she was here?" I asked, turning back to Sirius. He shook his head, his ebony eyes narrowed with worry.

"Maybe she noticed us leaving the common room?"

"We had the invisibility cloak on." I pointed out, wiping the tears roughly off my face. I rubbed my thumb against the back of her hand. I remembered walking pass her that night, trying to get the cloak to cover Sirius, Peter and I. We all had grown over the summer holidays, but Lily had been too immersed in her book that evening to notice three pairs of feet walking out of the Gryffindor common room. Had she noticed us leave?

"This is all my fault." I said, taking her hand in both of mine, trying to let warmth seep back into it.

"Don't be thick headed." Sirius grumbled. "You didn't know she was out here. None of us did." I shook my head, refusing to listen to his logic. My voice shook with uncontrollable emotions.

"We need to get her somewhere safe." Sirius's face was grim.

"You're right. The forest is dangerous for both her and us in our human forms." I nodded in agreement.

"We better hurry to the castle, Madam Pomfrey-"

"We can't take her there!" Sirius sounded stricken. "Are you mad? Do you know what the school would do if they found out there were three unregistered Animargi running ramped with a werewolf?!"

"I don't care!" I shouted back, angry tears welling up in my eyes. Evans is hurt and it's all my fault, Evans is hurt and it's all my fault- Sirius took hold of my shoulder and shook it.

"Prongs, listen to me! I know you're upset, I am too, but if we turn ourselves in, think of the consequences! We'd all be expelled for sure, not to mention the trouble with the Ministry! Poor Remus would have to go through his transformations without our help. Think of what that would do to him!"

"She needs medical help, a grown werewolf attacked her-" Sirius shoved me, his wand light blazing in my face.

"Can you hear yourself?" Half of Sirius's face was cast in shadow, but the other half displayed varying degrees of vexation. In the distance, a hunting horn sounded. Both of us blanched.

"Centaurs." I whispered frantically. "The Invisibility cloak, quick!" Sirius reached into his robes, hastily pulling out a folded square of cloth the colour and fluidity of water. Taking it and unfolding it together, we spread it between ourselves, our argument forgotten. We had run into the centaurs many times in our animal forms, observing enough to know that we should never cross their paths as humans. They had little toleration for our kind, and finding us trespassing in their territory during the time of their sacred moon might provoke them into violence. Ducking under the cloak, both Sirius and I crouched over Lily to keep her hidden as well. I waited, holding my breath, my chest inches away from her face. Sounds of hooves trampling underbrush came from my right. I did not dare try to peer out to see if it was indeed a centaur, not daring to make a sound. Next to me Sirius did the same, his lank hair falling to cover Lily's legs. The hooves moved on, galloping away. Sirius turned his head slowly towards me.

"It's too risky out here." He whispered. "I agree we need to get out of here as quick as possible. Let's take Evans to the Shrieking Shack. She'll be out of harm's way, and we can try reviving her there." Looking at my doubtful face, Sirius continued on doggedly. "We can reach the Shrieking Shack much faster than if we took her up to Hogwarts." He watched me for a reaction. After a moment, I sighed.

"You're right. We can't let her tell our secret to the whole school. I wasn't thinking." Sirius clapped his hand on my back in a comforting gesture.

"I knew you'd come through." He said gruffly. Together, we threw off the invisibility cloak. We stood, stretching our cramped muscles. Sirius wadded up the invisibility cloak and stuffed it into his robes. Both of us turned of Lily's motionless body.

"Do you think she should be conked out for this long?" He asked, his eyes troubled. 'If she had a concussion..." He let the thought go, shaking his head. Both of us stood silent for a moment.

"All the more reason to hurry." I said. Waiting around and worrying wouldn't help Lily. "Should we carry her to the Shrieking Shack?" I asked. Sirius stared at Lily thoughtfully.

"Do you turn into a stag and carry her on your back? We might be able to move quicker if you did." Without bothering to answer him, I closed my eyes and concentrated.

Summoning your Animargus is a bit like casting a Patronus spell. You summon all the happy thoughts you could muster, but instead of sending them out like a Patronus, you turn them inward. It's hard to describe, it took me ages to find out how to do it myself. But you have to take from the memories a single feeling- not pride, or happiness, or joy- it's something much more powerful. It swells inside you, warmer than butterbeer and smoother than ice. It's the feeling that tugs at the corner of your mouth when you smile, a small flame of your being- you summon it and let it grow. The rest comes naturally to me now, like wiggling a finger. When the transformation is done, I'm left with a feeling of longing, like waking up from a beautiful dream I can't remember.

When I opened my eyes again, I was a stag. My human body seemed to melt perfectly into the stag, like the stag had been inside of me the whole time. I threw my head back, the aftereffects of the transformation coursing through me. Sirius picked up Lily and laid her gently onto my back. I cantered through the forest, my spirits rolling from light to dark.

Lily's Point Of View:

It was like trying to tune into a radio station. Images swirled behind my eyelids, each more distorted than the last. Deep purple blended with scarlet before shining like a supernova and disappearing, leaving me blinded and confused. However much I tried to ignore these phantoms, they gave me no peace. All my exhausted brain wanted was rest, to steal away from the world. Zig zags weaved their three dimensional webs, then swelled to fill my entire vision. I was weightless, floating through the ever changing colours...then they dissolved, revealing inky darkness beneath. I was plummeting down, going faster and faster. Spots of sickly yellow followed my descent like malevolent bats, emitting high-pitched squeaks until I thought my head would burst.

"Fine." I thought wearily as I continued falling through infinite space. "Fine, you've won."

I hesitantly opened my eyes, and my nightmarish fantasies were shattered into a thousand pieces. Quite rudely, I was dropped back into reality.

Reality, it seemed, was not much better. My head felt like it had been beaten from the inside out. Every inch of my body groaned and complained. My heart pounded in my throat, as if to remind me it was still there. My brain was the consistency of oatmeal, refusing to recognize anything than my sorry state. My very being was reduced to a dull throb. For a while, laying there was all I could do to stay conscious. I felt like I was lost in a haze, unable to find my way out. Movement came from above. At first I thought I had imagined it. It glittered above me like a prism caught in a breeze. Drawing my thoughts together best I could, I refocused my gaze. James Potter's face swam into view. I stared up at him, dumbfounded. James's face split into a wide grin.

"Glad you've decided to join us, Evans." I frowned, trying to gather my bearings. A question formed, but as I opened my mouth to ask it, I stopped and cringed. My tongue was thick and dry in my mouth. A chisel seemed to be driving itself into my skull. James's easy smile wavered. "Evans?" He asked, his eyebrows pinching together. He bent closer, his tousled hair sweeping into his face. He offered me his hand, his brown eyes sparkling with concern. Reluctantly, I took his hand. Carefully, together we got me into a sitting position. The effort from that left me breathless. A wave of nausea overcoming me temporarily. I dimly noticed I was sitting on a worn couch. Not knowing what to make of this information, I put it aside for now. James sat on the floor opposite me, his face almost fearful.

"How do you feel?" James asked gently, not a note of his usual smugness invading his voice. His sincerity caught me off guard. I leaned against of the back of the couch, pain arching across my back.

"I feel like hell." I croaked, my speech rough. A barking laugh came from my left, causing me to start. Looking in the direction the noise had come from, I saw a boy stretched out in the corner of the room. his hands were behind his head, his legs out in front of him. He was watching me, his eyes peering out from shaggy bangs.

"Black?" I asked, a tone of surprise sinking into my question. The boy's expression soured.

"I prefer the name Sirius." The boy said, his voice clipped.

"Oh." I said blandly. Sirius's face softened. He waved a hand carelessly.

"Don't worry about it. I'm just not in a good relationship with the rest of my family."

"That's an understatement." James replied, the corner of his mouth twitching.

"She's only just woken up." Sirius argued, rolling his eyes. "Excuse me if I don't bombard her with my entire family history. Maybe I should have been like you, waiting for her to wake up, ambushing her with questions like a lovesick puppy-"

"Shut up!" James said, his face crimson. Sirius grinned wolfishly, then got to his feet and prowled over, sitting next to James on the Sirius looked up at me, I frowned. My thoughts were still trying to unscramble themselves. I felt like his face carried a connection I should recognize. My mind flashed to a different scene- I lay on the forest floor, pain and shock flooding my senses, this boy's face hovering next me, sounds of a struggle, a howl rattled the night sky- A shudder racked my entire body as the memory took hold. Both boys looked up, alert. My very foundation seemed to rock as the memory barraged me. I gripped the couch with fingers like talons. Beads of perspiration dotted my face. I felt clammy, like I had the flu.

"She looks like she's going to be sick." Sirius said, inching away from the couch. "I could go see if we have-"

"Werewolf." I gasped. Both boys looked up, guilty looks confirming my fears. Uncontrollable panic welled up inside of me. I remembered the smell of rotting flesh on its sticky breath, the size of its razor-sharp fangs.

"Where am I?" I asked, trembling as I stared into their faces for answers. "We're in danger, there was a werewolf, it was tracking me-" I hadn't realized I had been babbling until James put his hands out for me to stop.

"Hold on, Lils." James talked slowly, like he was talking to a cornered animal. Despite my confusion, I stopped, momentarily befuddled.

"Lils?" James shrugged unapologetically.

"I need you to pay attention to me for a moment, Lils. We already know about the werewolf." Behind him, Sirius shifted uncomfortably.

"What?" I clung to the couch even tighter. I glanced impulsively around the room, half expecting the werewolf to be lurking behind the upturned furniture. The room I was in was nearly demolished, a fact my sluggish brain had not noticed earlier. Chairs littered the floor like kindling, and an entire bookcase lay on its side. In fact, the only furniture that wasn't utterly destroyed was the couch I was on. The boarded up windows were framed by dark tattered curtains. The curtains looked as if someone had attacked them with a knife. Any pillows or cushions found in the room were slashed through viciously, stuffing spilling out. The very room was torn to shreds. Most disturbing of all was the angry dark splotches. It was blood. It was splattered on the floor and smeared on the walls. It shown in the dim light, revealing the tracks of a titanic beast. Horror knocked the wind out of me.

"The werewolf's been here." I choked. "This is it's den-"

"Evans." James warned. His tone had turned stern, verging on fearful. "I need you to listen to me." I refused to heed him, and struggled to my feet. A wave of vertigo grasped me, making the earth spin. I swayed dangerously, but managed to remain upright. Taking a deep breath, I stumbled forward. My back muscles suddenly screamed with agony, but the fear of meeting the werewolf again drove me forward. There was a staircase leading up, a door heading out of the room- I made for the door. Sirius stood hurriedly as I passed him, his face portraying his shock. I continued on, a pressure building in my head.

"Where are you going?" James called to me.

"I have to get away from here." I mumbled, half to myself.

"But you can't!" Sirius stated incredulously. "You have to hear what we've got to say! Besides, you're in no condition to go roaming the woods."

"I'm not going to wait to meet the same fate as the rest of this house." I argued, taking a step back, closer to the door.

"I can't let you go, Evans." Sirius said, fishing his wand out of his robes.

"Padfoot!" James said, aghast. He rushed over, standing in front of Sirius, his arms spread to block me.

"Can't you see she's disoriented?" I inched closer to the door...my hand was on the door handle now. My knees shook. Shamed faced, Sirius lowered his wand. James continued to glare at him, then turned back to me. His looked at me beseechingly.

"The werewolf is coming back here, isn't it?" I asked James, trying to evade the mounting pain in my head. "I have to go back, I can't-" A shudder passed through me again. James took advantage of my silence.

"We just need to talk. You'll be safe." The mounting pain was blinding me. I couldn't hold out for long. I looked up at James's face. I might have enough time to escape. James wouldn't let Sirius hex me. I swayed on my feet, then looked back at James. Could I trust him? He watched me, his brown eyes sad. I hesitated.

"I trust you." I told him, staring straight into his eyes. I grimaced as the pain in my head reached its peak. My vision was growing dark in response. James's eyes widened. As my knees buckled, he lurched forward, catching my as I fell. my vision failed, and my mind happily shut down.

James's Point Of View:

I caught Lily just as her knees gave out. her eyes fluttered, then shut. A sigh escaped her parted lips. I adjusted my grip on her, lifting her closer to my chest. Her head lolled uselessly to one side. Her hair cascaded down, like a waterfall of fire, revealing something we had missed. My heart clenched. A bloody gash trailed along her hairline.

"I'm sorry Prongs, I didn't think she would faint-" Sirius sputtered, looking down at his wand. He hurried to my side, his face guilty. He looked down at her and sucked in his breath.

"She's injured." He whispered, his face gaunt. He turned to me. "You don't think that Moony... bit her?" Fear overflowed into his voice. I placed my arm underneath Lily's knees and carried her back to the couch.
"We'll have to treat that wound." I rushed, setting Lily down and turning on Sirius. "We have all that supplies that Moony uses to heal his own scratches after the full moon in the upstairs privy, there might be something we can use for Lily. You stay with her. Here." I took a torn cushion and ripped it, brushing the stuffing off and handing the rag to Sirius.
"Get this wet and try cleaning the wound while I check that medical supply."
"Got it." Sirius nodded and I ran out of the room, taking the stairs two at a time. I barged into the broken down privy and threw open the cupboard. Dusty vials sat in organized rows, waiting. I started pulling things out at random and skimming the labels. A brass ornate container marked 'poppy seeds' I placed on the sink, along with a thin crystal vial filled with a yellowish liquid. I cursed myself for not paying more attention in Herbology as I stared dumbly at a jar of dehydrated Venomous Tentacles, wondering how on earth they could do
any good for Lily.

Lily.

I grabbed the counter to steady myself. Lily was downstairs, unconscious and bleeding. I took a deep breath, trying to regain my composure. She said that she trusted me, and now she was counting on me. I collected the assortment of healing materials wondering how I could possibly treat Lily. I didn't know the first step to doctoring someone.

"Prongs!" Sirius's cry rang out suddenly. I shot downstairs in an instant, trying not to slosh potion down my front or drop any of the precious bottles. I hurtled toward Sirius, who was standing over Lily.

"Look." He took a hold of the neck hole of Lily's sweater, and carefully pulled it to uncover her shoulder. The sight that met my eyes snatched my breath away.

Three long rows tore into her flesh, running from the base of the neck to beginning of her forearm. The razed skin glistened with blood.

"Her sweater's thick." Sirius noted hollowly. "The blood hasn't had time to soak through. I don't think I would have noticed if she hadn't yelped when I tried moving her arm."

"You mean she woke up?" I asked, placing the vials on the floor.

"No. She cried out in her sleep." Sirius reported, examining the wound. "Prongs- do you think these are claw marks, or teeth marks?"

"I don't know, Padfoot." I replied, my stomach lurching. I started searching among the vials for something, anything to give to Lily.

"If they're teeth marks, then the curse-"

"I know, Padfoot!" I snapped, my patience running thin under the mounting stress. "Give me a moment, alright? Do you remember the healing properties of dragon's blood?"

"No." Sirius admitted sheepishly. I ran a hand through my hair unconsciously, trying to clear my mind. If only Lily was awake! She was the top in our year in potions, surely she would have a solution. I bitterly regretted not paying attention to the more practical areas of magic. I tugged on my chin, thinking.

"Fine. We'll scratch magic for now. We'll have to do this the muggle way. First, we need to staunch the bleeding."

"And then?" Sirius prompted. I frowned. Both of us had come from pureblood families. Never did I receive an injury that a wave from my mother's wand couldn't fix. Still, I wasn't completely hopeless; I knew that the best thing for Lily right now was to avoid serious blood loss and avoid infection.

"We'll get to that part later. Grab a cloth and help me with this." As the faint morning light shone through the boarded windows, Sirius and I got to work. Sirius wrapped Lily's head gash while I worked on binding her larger wound. Lily moaned pitifully in her sleep as I gently lifted her arm, but I continued on determinedly until the wound was completely bound. Perspiration dotted Lily's flushed face, her knitted eyebrows showing that she was far from peaceful. Noise suddenly came from outside, from the secret tunnel leading into the Shack. Sirius looked up, tilting his head slightly, listening.

"It's Remus." He whispered. I nodded, knowing that his canine-like hearing never completely left him after he transformed back into human. If Sirius said it was Remus was there, then there was no reason to doubt him.

"Is he-"

"Full moon's over." Sirius baid, answering my unasked question.

"We can't let him see Lily yet." I hissed to Sirius. Sirius nodded once, and quickly loped down of the room, and into the tunnel. After a few moments, I could hear Sirius distinctive growl echoing up to me.

"Remus, we need to talk before you go into the Shack-"

"Peter told me something went wrong tonight." Remus's voice was filled with fear and dread. "He didn't tell me what happened." Sirius cut in.

"Do you remember anything?"

"No." Remus's voice shook. "Are any of you hurt? Where's James?"

"He's fine."

"Then what is it?" Remus's ragged shout echoed from the passageway.

"There's... there's been an accident, Remus-"

There was a sudden clammer of noise as Remus fought to get passed Sirius.
"Remus, you have to listen to me before you go up there-"
"What have I done?!" Remus yelled. I heard him throw Sirius off, his loping steps bringing him towards the Shack. A second later the door burst open, a bedraggled Remus displayed in the doorway. His eyes swept over the room, and then landed on Lily, Remus swayed on the spot, clutching the door frame for support.
"Remus!" Sirius came up behind Remus, panting.
"Is she- did I..." Remus shuddered, his gray eyes fixated on Lily. "Did I kill her?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"She's alive." I hastily confirmed. This did not seem to comfort Remus. His eyes seemed wild, lost.
"How?"
"She must have seen us leaving." I explained, trying to be as gentle as I could. "She followed us into the woods. I should have been watching you more closely- you got away from us, and when we caught up, you had already found Lily." Remus grunted, self-disgust prominent on his face.
"Did I bite her?" His face contorting horribly. Sirius and I exchanged a look.
"We don't know." I told him truthfully. "She is wounded."
"Let me see." Remus strode over, and together we crouched next to Lily. I looked sideways at my friend's haggard form.
"Are you sure-"
"Show me." Remus said stubbornly. I reluctantly peeled back the cloth covering Lily's head wound. Remus's eyes widened as he surveyed the dried blood, the depth of the gash. He covered his face with one hand, his shoulders trembling.
"I can't believe I did this."
"You didn't do this, Moony." Sirius growled, crouching on my other side. "It was the wolf. You can hardly be blamed for your actions during a full moon."
"There's more." I said to Remus. Remus swore, catching both Sirius and I off guard. Remus was always the soft spoken, mild one. It was unnerving to see him so unhinged. With the utmost care, I unwound the binding, revealing Lily's mangled shoulder.
"No!" Remus choked, with such emotion that I started to cover the wound, trying to spare my friend any more anguish. Remus put his hand out to stop me, leaning closer to inspect the damage. He touched the the ravaged skin in almost trance-like, a single tear traveling down his cheek. Lily let out a weak moan, drawing her arm in closer. Her chin pressed against her chest, her mouth twitching. Remus drew his hand away.
"When I woke up after my transformation. I didn't question why I had blood on my hands. I usually injure myself when the wolf takes over, so I hardly even noticed tonight. But it's not my blood staining my hands: it's hers. He raised his arms, which were covered to the wrist in gore. Remus stared at his hands in grotesque fascination, then leaned back and wretched.
"Ah, Remus-" Sirius muttered consolingly as Remus continued to be sick on the floor. Sirius turned to me for help.
"Get him something- a towel, a bucket, anything." I said, my eyes transfixed on Remus's heaving back. I felt sick myself, imagining the blood Remus now wore on his hands to be torn from Lily's flesh. I tried to keep a cool head however, I would have to direct the situation myself. Sirius was now offering Remus a threadbare rag. Remus grasped it shakily, and hastily wiped his hands on it.
"Feeling better, mate?" Sirius asked rather awkwardly.
"Remus, we need your help." I interrupted. "Sirius and I can't doctor Lily to save our lives. We'd have as much a chance as poisoning her than healing her. Can you help us?" Remus turned back to me, wiping vomit from the corner of his mouth. Wordlessly, he walked over and looked at the assortment of vials I had brought from upstairs. Clumsily he sifted through the stock, reading each of the labels. A kind of fierce determination lit up his features; almost a feverish possession.
"Here." He took the smallest vial, fashioned out of a single piece of ebony, and clutched it like a lifeline in his hand.
"Move." He ordered me, and I quickly moved out of his way as he bent over Lily. He unstoppered the vial. Carefully he tilted it over Lily's shoulder wound, and a single drop escaped the vial. It landed on the wound with a sudden plume of green tinted smoke, Lily yelped in her sleep. When the smoke cleared, the wound was smaller and scabbed, as if several days had passed. Remus tentatively touched the skin; it was still red and angry.
"Essence of Dittany." Remus muttered over his shoulder. "Standard Book Of Potions, Grade Six, page three hundred and sixteen. Only to be used sparingly in emergencies." He did the same thing to the gash at Lily's hairline, to the same effects.
"She'll be all right then?" I asked.
"Temporarily." Remus answered gruffly. "She'll need to get to St. Mungos as soon as possible though. I don't like the look of that head wound. But as the Dittany helped- neither wound was are claw marks, not bite marks."
I let out the breath I hadn't known I'd been holding.