Written for the Let your OCs run Free! challenge.
Pink – Your OC is being pressured into becoming a Death Eater.
OC used – Lisa Fawley, appearing otherwise in There doesn't have to be a reason and More Than a Feeling.
Prompts:
19. (Dialogue) "Just try to stop me!"
17. (Word) amusement
14. (Sentence) The snow covered grounds made the whole scene look like something right out of a Fairy Tale.
12. (Word) charming
15. (Word) pretend
January 1976
Finally!
The winter break was finally over, and Lisa was able to return to Hogwarts, eager to get away from the never-ending string of relatives and her extremely annoying younger sister. But, of course, what she wanted most was to meet up with her best friend, Dorcas Meadowes. It had only been a few weeks since they'd seen each other, but it honestly felt like decades.
Luckily, she didn't have to wait long. It hadn't even been ten minutes since she'd walked into the Entrance Hall, when Dorcas' broad smile appeared out of nowhere and Lisa found herself suffocating in her friend's silky mass of black hair, while a pair of arms circled her neck.
"Cass, I can't breathe," she wheezed, but her mouth was also stretched in a wide grin.
"Sorry," Dorcas said hastily, loosening her grip. "I've just had a horrible break. I'm so glad you're back!"
"You? Try being smothered by tight, fancy dress robes and talking to old relatives, whose names you don't even remember! How bad can a winter break at Hogwarts be?"
"You forget who I had to spend it with," Dorcas said with a scowl. "Lestrange and his little court of gits were in the common room pretty much the entire time. I took to wandering the halls aimlessly the last couple of days, just to get away. I can't stand it when they start talking about what's happening outside as if it's the greatest thing since the invention of the Cure for Boils."
Lisa gave her friend a sympathetic look. Her housemates may be annoying at times, but at least she didn't hate any of them. Well, maybe James Potter and Sirius Black stuck their toes outside the line occasionally, but they never outright crossed it. And anyway, their hijinks were at least amusing, instead of bigoted and racist.
"You wanna go for a walk?" Lisa offered, feeling a little silly just standing in the middle of the Entrance Hall. Dorcas nodded and the two girls walked through the heavy oak doors and into the chilly January air.
The snow covered grounds made the whole scene look like something right out of a Fairy Tale. The lake was smooth as glass, the hills were covered in a deep blanket of snow, and even the Whomping Willow was iced in white. Hagrid's hut looked like the picture on a holiday greeting card, with its homey fire flickering inside and the smoke coming from the chimney.
"I don't know how I ever let my parents talk me into going home," Lisa said, her eyes lingering on Hagrid in his heavy winter coat, trying to clean a path from his hut to the castle. He waved at them, and they waved back. "Hogwarts is very pretty during the winter. Besides, I'd much rather be here to keep you company, instead of listening to Great Uncle Canopus going on and on about the decline in quality of cauldron bottoms."
"Yes, but if you had stayed, you'd have to deal with them the entire break," Dorcas grinned, inclining her head to the left.
Lisa threw a glance in that direction and saw James, Sirius, Peter and Remus, throwing snowballs at each other and causing a ruckus. James spotted them and waved enthusiastically, when a well-aimed projectile from Remus hit him straight in the cheek. The snow exploded against his face, as Sirius' laugh echoed through the empty grounds, until James silenced him with another ball, right in the mouth. The three boys laughed heartily, as Sirius was spitting snow and making faces. The girls giggled and continued on their way along the lake.
"You know they've actually come up with idiotic nicknames for each other? They call themselves 'The Marauders' now," Lisa said, causing Dorcas to erupt in laughter.
"Well, it fits them, you can't deny that."
"It does. It would also fit my sister! Maybe she'll join them when she comes to Hogwarts in two years and makes my life a living hell! She seriously made me contemplate taking a Draught of Living Death and just faking a heart attack or something."
"I do not get what your problem is. Julie is adorable."
"You're only saying that because you see her maybe once or twice a year. I have to live with her every second I spend at home! I haven't had a moment to myself in the last two weeks! Everywhere I go, she follows, and never stops talking, and whining, and asking questions, and being a general pain in the bum!"
"A bigger pain than Lestrange?" Dorcas asked with a slight smirk.
"Speaking of Lestrange..."
The two girls stopped walking and looked on wearily, as a group of Slytherin boys approached them through the snow. Front and center was Rabastan Lestrange, of course, flanked by Travers and Goyle, two other seventh years. Behind them was the gang of fifth years, Avery, Mulciber, Snape, Rosier and Wilkes. Lisa's hand gripped the wand in her pocket. If they were coming in full ensemble, it couldn't mean anything good.
"Hello, dear cousin," Lestrange began courteously. Lisa couldn't help the frown that appeared on her face. She and Lestrange were very distant cousins, and that was only because technically all the pureblood families were related in some way. By that logic, James and Sirius were both her cousins too.
"Rabastan," she said coldly, giving him a slight nod of acknowledgement. "Is there something you want?"
"There is indeed," he said, shooting a quick look at Dorcas. "I believe your friend has already told you what was discussed in our common room a few days ago?"
"Believe it or not, Lestrange, we actually have more pleasant things to talk about than your schemes," Dorcas said bitingly.
His eyebrow quirked up at the word 'schemes', but he ignored her and turned to Lisa again.
"In that case, let me elaborate. There is a certain political movement spreading outside the walls of Hogwarts, which we are a part of. We are working towards the betterment of the wizarding world, where those of superior blood are recognized for their status, the way it should be. We are willing to extend an invitation to you, seeing as you are the Heir of an old, respected wizarding family. All of pure blood are welcome."
Lisa had to keep back a snort. Political movement? What a charming way to describe a racist cult.
"Yes, I've heard of your 'movement'. I'm sorry to say that I must decline. With O.W.L.s coming up, I just don't think I'll have the time to commit to exterminating muggle-borns."
Lestrange's confident smirk fell.
"This offer is not being made lightly, Fawley. Consider your answer carefully."
"I don't have to consider anything," Lisa growled, dropping all pretense of formality. Dorcas threw her a quick look and wrapped her fingers around the back of her friend's robes. Everyone knew Lisa was prone to outbursts, but two on eight were not odds Dorcas was itching to take, especially with Snape, Rosier and Lestrange in the mix.
"She gave you her answer. Now sod off," Dorcas said coldly. Lestrange's stormy grey eyes shifted to her for a moment.
"This doesn't exactly concern you, half-blood," he said, before turning to Lisa again. "You really should be more open-minded. Think about what this would mean for you. You can make a lot of connections, meet powerful people. And if our leader likes your work, there are certain... rewards."
"And what would that work entail? Torturing muggles for my own amusement?" Lisa spat, her balled up fists beginning to shake with anger. Dorcas' grip on her robes tightened.
"Among other things," Lestrange smirked slightly. Lisa's temper flared up instantly, and she was just about to pull out her wand, when a snowball blindsided the Slytherin from the left, causing him to stagger from the strength of the impact.
"Sorry about that," came the merry voice of James Potter, as he and his friends approached through the snow, faces red and clothes wet from the snowball fight. "Hey, Fawley, Malcolm said to tell you the new Quidditch practice schedule was posted in the common room this morning. He's really gearing up to win the Cup this year." He paused and looked at each Slytherin (minus Dorcas) in turn. "Everything all right here?"
"Yes. They were just leaving," Lisa said, glaring daggers into Lestrange. He threw a contemptuous glance at the Marauders, but after a short contemplation inclined his head to the castle and his posse turned to leave, though not before giving them their own venomous glares.
"You shouldn't be so quick to reject such an offer, Fawley. Insolence can have... consequences," Lestrange said as he was turning away. "Oh, how rude of me, I almost forgot to inquire after your family. Your sister turns nine in February, doesn't she? I'll be sure to send her my... regards."
The Slytherins walked away, leaving Lisa to gape after them in shock. It took her a few moments to recover, and the wand whipped out of her pocket.
"What do you think you're doing?" Dorcas hissed, grasping her wrist.
"What does it look like? You heard him! He just threatened my sister!"
"And what are you going to do, hex him?"
"Just try to stop me!"
"Lisa, do you honestly think this will help?" came a calming voice from her right, and she faintly registered it belonged to Remus. "If anything, he'll be more likely to target her, to get revenge on you."
The blood was thumping in Lisa's ears, but she lowered her wand. He had a point.
"So what am I supposed to do? Pretend it didn't happen?"
"Alert your parents," Remus said. "Tell them to keep a close eye on your sister, and to be careful."
Lisa sighed deeply, but tucked her wand back in the pocket of her robes and ran her fingers through her long, blonde hair.
"Thanks for the snowball," Dorcas said to James, trying to lighten the mood a little.
"Don't look at me, that one's on Moony," he replied with a casual shrug. Remus looked down and away, seeming extremely uncomfortable.
"Moony? Who the hell is that?" Dorcas cocked an eyebrow quizzically.
"It's Remus," Lisa explained, a small smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I told you they came up with moronic nicknames for themselves this year. Remus is Moony, Peter is Prongs, James is Padfoot and Sirius is Wormtail."
The four boys exchanged dumbfounded glances, and then James, Peter and Remus exploded in laughter, while Sirius threw Lisa an incredulous look.
"I'm Padfoot! How can you confuse me for Peter?"
"Sorry," Lisa said, rolling her eyes. "Your nicknames make no sense. You can't expect me to remember who is who."
Sirius opened his mouth to say something, but James quickly slapped his hand over it.
"Excuse him. I think that snowball he took to the head might've damaged his brain. Come on, Wormtail, let's get you checked out," James said, barely containing his laughter. Sirius groaned audibly.
"Oh, no. This is gonna be a thing now, isn't it?"
"I'm sure I have no idea what you mean, Wormtail," Remus said, keeping a completely straight face. James and Peter sniggered, and Sirius groaned again.
"See you at practice, Fawley," James threw over his shoulder, patted Sirius on the back and led him back to the castle.
"Bye, Lisa!" Peter chirped and hurried after them. Remus gave her a small smile and a wave, and followed as well.
"You totally have the hots for him," Dorcas said, as the two of them waved back.
"The hots for who?"
"Lupin."
Lisa threw a look at her friend and laughed.
"What? No, I don't, he's just one of James' friends. We're only classmates."
"Uh-huh." Dorcas smiled knowingly and continued down the snow-covered path. "Because you'd listen to any of your classmates like that. I didn't even know it was possible to make you lower your wand with nothing but words."
"What are you talking about? Yes it is!" Lisa protested, trying to catch up to her friend.
"I have yet to see it from someone other than him. And his nickname was the only one you didn't get wrong," the Slytherin added teasingly.
"That doesn't mean anything!"
"Whatever you say."
~oOo~
Lisa followed Remus' advice the very next day. She spent the whole evening composing her kilometer-long letter, trying to emphasize to her father that this wasn't some silly prank. Yes, she complained about Julie a lot, and the little girl was a bouncing ball of annoyance, but just the thought of those tossers raising a wand against her was enough to send Lisa into both rage and panic at the same time. Younger sisters are a nightmare, but you still can't help but love them.
"Thought I'd find you here," Dorcas said, sliding down into a chair next to her friend later in the afternoon. Although Lisa was considered a 'jock' because of her love of Quidditch, the Library was her favorite place in Hogwarts. Dorcas often wondered how she could read so much and still barely scrape Es in most subjects.
"Where else would I be?" Lisa quipped, putting down Flesh-Eating Trees of the World.
"In the Owlery, sending that letter, like Lupin told you to," the Slytherin smirked.
"Just did it this morning," Lisa tried to smile. Dorcas immediately knew something wasn't right, but before she could even ask, her friend looked down at her book and spoke. "Do you really think they would?"
"What?"
"Do you really think they would. Harm my sister, I mean," Lisa clarified, meeting her gaze.
"No," Dorcas replied immediately.
"What makes you so sure?"
"Julie's blood is just as pure as yours. They don't want to 'spill magical blood'. If it was Rodolphus, maybe I'd be worried, but Rabastan can't put his money where his mouth is. He's just trying to scare you into joining."
Lisa looked down at her book again and her hands balled into fists.
"What if... what if it works? What if they really do manage to hurt Julie? Or you?"
"It won't work," Dorcas said confidently, squeezing Lisa's shoulder. "I've managed to survive in Slytherin for five years; two more won't be a problem. And if they do hurt a hair on Julie's head, I'll turn them into slugs in their sleep." Lisa let out a shaky laugh, but Dorcas kept a completely straight face.
"Wait... are you serious?"
"Nobody threatens my best friend's sister," the Slytherin said ominously. "They're off the hook for now, because they haven't actually done anything, but the second they try something on you or your family, they won't even know what hit them."
Lisa gaped at her friend for a couple of minutes, a little surprised at the intensity of that statement. Then she threw her arms around Dorcas' neck, trying to fight back the tears that were suddenly burning in her throat.