A/N: This is my first fanfic and I really, really hope you like it! Constructive criticism is appreciated and throw in any ideas or suggestions of things you want to see happen. Thanks so much to the people who reviewed and added me to their story alert – you made my day! I might not be able to update in a few weeks because of exams so I'm going to try and get out as much as possible before hand. I apologize in advance for my future silence.
Disclaimer: I forgot to do all this in the first chapter so I'm going to do it now – the one and only time, I don't see the need to repeat it every chapter. Anyway – I am not and will never be J. K. Rowling, unless the mirror has been lying to me all these years. Harry Potter and all its characters belong to her but the O.C.s are mine!
Lily made for the Entrance Hall and the crowd parted to let her through. Behind her, Severus Snape's eyes were filled with tears, but she didn't give a backward glance. Lily made a beeline for the stairs and began to run up to the Gryffindor Common Room, attempting to hold in the tears threatening to begin to fall…
She pushed through the students roaming the halls; the first through fourth years scrambling to make their next classes and the sixth years loitering here and there, attempting to ditch their difficult courses. Lily was systematically falling to bits. Her normally well kept composure already in shambles, she tried to pull her last shred of dignity about her – at least until she made it to her dorm room. No matter what happened Lily Evans did not display weakness to the public, for more reasons than one. She let herself shift to complete auto pilot, her mind too much of a raging mess to comprehend anything as menial as direction any longer. Lily soon found herself before the portrait of the Fat Lady and a small voice in the still organized section of her brain mentioned that she had to give the password.
"Gobbleknots," Lily muttered and clambered awkwardly through the now open portrait hole, into the Gryffindor common room. The tears were in serious peril of dropping by now and as she rushed through the so conveniently full common room – all the more chance for as many people as possible to witness her breakdown – Lily felt the first staunchly constrained tears plunge down her face. After that, there was no stopping the sobs that racked her body yet Lily somehow garnered the power to hike up the spiraling stairs to her room. Lily fell through her door and slammed it behind her with her last ounce of strength before she crumpled into a bawling, weeping mess on the floor.
Her mind had no time to begin to make sense of what had happened. At this point she could comprehend nothing other than the sheer pain of it all. Never before had she experienced such utter, desolate sadness; not when Petunia had called her a freak, effectively ending their close relationship and not even when she had been attacked by an escaped dementor set to guard the castle in her second year. Always, she had had Severus to help her through.
Lily leaned against the door and closed her eyes, drops of salty water still trickling down her cheeks, composing herself. She knew the main outburst was done and over with but was in no mood to go through another episode; they were terribly draining. This was the position she was in when she was flown across the room and bumped into Alice's headboard from the door being forced open. Adilay was standing there, her face drawn and her eyes wide as she stared down at Lily.
She approached Lily and helped her up onto Alice's bed and drew Lily to her, cuddling her in her arms like a mother to her young child, "I met Elias on my way back from the owlery. He had been there and told me what happened." Lily nodded in agreement. She faintly remembered passing Adilay's twin brother on her way through the mess of people to get to…Severus. To go and help him. She took in a steadying breath and hugged herself closer to Adilay.
"I'm so sorry Lils…. I can't understand how he did that…." Adilay muttered, troubled. Lily sighed.
"Adilay, I don't want to cry anymore but if I hear any more about this I'm pretty sure it's going to start again. Could I have a few moments to myself – to collect myself and try to make myself presentable?" Lily gestured to her face with an attempt at a small grin. Part of Lily was grateful for the company, but the majority of her feelings – well, she needed some time to organize those. Adilay was uneasy about leaving Lily alone, wanting to be there for her if she needed anything, but Adilay knew that Lily hated making others watch her when she was upset. Lily detested putting other people through hardship just because she was having a rough time.
Adilay left Lily on the bed and made her way to the door.
"It'll be ok Lily. We are here with you." Lily mumbled her thanks and Adilay exited the room. As she was walking heavily down the stairs, she remembered Elina and left the common room, confused as to where Lina could be. She had barely started down the corridor when Lina came barreling around the corner and nearly rammed into her. Adilay grabbed Lina's shoulders and steadied her.
"What in the name of Merlin is going on? I met Regina Turner on the way down to the Black Lake from the owlery and she told me what that bloody Snape did! Where's Lily? Is she ok? Is she –" Adilay cut across her friend, " She's in the dorm and wants to be alone. I highly doubt she's ok but I suppose it's going to be a while for us to be able to get anything out of her. But…where did you go from the owlery? I was up there too when it happened but I didn't see you there."
"I take the back route. I can't stand the constant traffic to the main entrance so I take the way around the tapestry of Granum the Great and past the Astronomy Tower. I guess we just missed one another. Back to Lily – it's most definitely true then? He really called her a….?"
Adilay nodded her head and Lina stiffened, "That vile, lowly git! How dare he? I knew he was evil inside but Lily was always so protective and trusting of him, I figured the whole "future Death Eater" demeanor was just an act and he really was good inside…. I need to go pummel him. There is no chance in hell that prat is getting away with this!"
"I came across a rather interesting hex in the library the other day while studying – I say we go try it out." Adilay's beautiful lips twisted into a very rare sneer, reserved for only the lowliest of creatures.
"Well, let's go find him then and extend our gratitude for his actions."
"I am in no mood to go running about the castle searching for the git….there might be another option."
Adilay and Elina shared a look; they both knew who to go to for help in this situation.
They swiftly reentered the portrait hole and turned to the left, up the boys' staircase.