A/N: I know the last chapter was really short so here's a nice and juicy one for you. I was debating whether or not to continue last chapter with the events in chapter 3 but then I thought – where would be the fun in that…for me at least and it was such a perfect place to stop. Anyway, enough with my boring rambling – chapter 3!
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….
Lily sat staring blindly as she twisted an edge of the blanket between her fingers.
Why am I so incredibly upset? I have other friends and to be honest I think I've been realizing lately that they are far better friends than….him. But then why can't I say his bloody name? Even in my bloody head, talking to myself! Lily ran a hand through her hair and leaned back against the bedding with a sigh, because she knew perfectly why it was so difficult for her to even think his name. Severus had been her one constant connection to the wizarding world when school closed for summer holiday. He was the one to answer her never ending questions about new and exciting aspects of magic that she came across, still more knowledgeable in many areas even with her five years experience and immense skill. Severus was the one to put her nagging fears to rest when she had agonized before beginning her life and journey as a witch… fears that he had confirmed today.
After Tuney had turned her back on Lily, Severus was the person Lily would spend all her spare time with when at home – now what would she do; who else did she have? She had no muggle friends for any childhood friendships had ended with her induction into Hogwarts and Severus had become like a brother to her. True, the three other girls she shared a room with at Hogwarts had morphed into her surrogate family, as often occurred, they being the ones that she spent most of her time with. However, there had always been a special connection between herself and Sev.
Why though? What was so enormously special about him? Lily smiled sadly to herself, remembering. He was the one that told her that she was a witch,
Lily jumped off the bed, suddenly unable to keep stationary for another moment. She paced up and down the room.
It's that bloody Potter's fault, it is. Severus would never have called me a –Lily forced herself to think the word – mudblood if he hadn't been so embarrassed. Lily stopped herself. NO. She wasn't going down that path. No matter what happened, her best friend would never let that word come out of his mouth. Yet, for all these years, she had been blind. Through her unconditional love for Severus, she had been unable to see what was indeed happening, happened – how he had changed, what he had become. And now he had done something from which there was no turning back. He had strayed too far in the opposite direction, and she had turned to the other side. But being able to take her anger and pain out on Potter was a rather enticing notion….
Lily looked down at the pin on her robes that read "Prefect," a rope binding her to keep to the rules, a harness restraining her oftentimes stereotypical red-headed temper. And thank G-d for it, otherwise there's no doubt I would have gotten myself into trouble once and a while.
Lily couldn't sit in her room anymore and she was concerned that if she even stayed in Gryffindor Tower that she would do something she would regret. I'll go visit Alice! Lily left her room and spread across the common room floor, feeling all eyes turn to follow their prefect as left through the portrait hole. Lily sighed, hurrying down the corridor to the infirmary; Alice's insight would be helpful right now.
Across the common room, Adilay and Elina were making their way up the stairs. Lina motioned for Adilay to follow her to a third level dorm room, as she had been to the boys' dormitory before and was acquainted with the layout. She made to walk in, but Adilay stopped her, knocking on the door instead. Lina shrugged slightly irritated, eager to begin their plan to make Snivellus cry(comparable to situation their best friend was in at the moment) but agreeing to bend to the laws of etiquette; Adilay usually was to be trusted when it came to human behavior.
They heard a voice call for them to come in and they swung the door open to reveal four boys lounging lazily on their prospective beds. One of them had his head hanging off the edge, tossing a snitch back and forth with his neighbor; another was in the throes of reading a thick book and the fourth was took in the scene around him, nearly salivating as he watched the two boys throwing the snitch, catching it time after time. With the appearance of the two girls, the two boys playing with the snitch balked and the black haired fellow hanging upside down proceeded to tumble headfirst off his bed, landing with a harsh thud on the wood floors. His friend guffawed, pointing at the fallen boy's astonished face. This caused the reader to look up from his book and taking in the situation burst into laughter as well. Adilay and Elina, unable to hold back their giggles, joined in.
The black haired boy picked himself up, looking thoroughly annoyed, "Thanks for your help, Prongs."
"Glad to be of assistance, mate." James guffawed.
Elina was the first to control herself and immediately switched into action mode, "Potter, Lupin, can it if at all possible. We need to ask you something."
The boys listened to instructions, albeit with somewhat shocked faces.
James Potter pulled a serious expression and asked, "How can we mighty fine looking gentlemen be of service?"
"Why thank you Prongsie, but I can speak for myself." Sirius said.
"Oh no, Padfoot my dear, you seem to have misheard – I said fine looking gentlemen, and as handsome as you might believe yourself to be, you most definitely are not a gentlemen." Sirius's mouth popped open in mock horror as he clutched at his chest, falling over the edge of the bed in a faint.
"I beg your pardon James, but if you are referring to a gentleman, I must insist that you join Padfoot on the floor for you most assuredly are not a gentleman." Remus Lupin – the boy holding the book – announced in fake pretentiousness.
The two girls shared a look. This was obviously not going to be easy. Not that they had expected it to be, but, they had dreamed.
"Could you pay attention for two minutes without acting like a bunch of blubbering idiots? We need to talk to you about something serious." Lina begged.
"Sirius?" Sirius jumped off of the floor excitedly, "I knew you would single me out." He turned to James with a swagger, "You see, they can't resist me."
Lina huffed and Adilay patted her friend on the back. She would take it from here. Adilay took a step forward, "Sirius, yes, you are gorgeous." Sirius whooped with joy, pumping the air. Lina tapped her friend on the shoulder questioningly. Adilay winked and gave a slight nod. She knew how to navigate these waters.
"Now that that fact has been established, can you settle down and listen? We won't take too much of your time – but if your good, we might stay longer." Adilay smiled flirtatiously and she heard Lina muffle a laugh behind her. She knew how to get these boys to pay attention and indeed all four boys were stunned into total silence. Even Sirius who always had a quick response at the ready was astonished at the normally reserved Adilay's behavior.
"The reason we are here is in regards to the event that took place earlier at the lake." All pretenses falling away, Adilay's kind eyes flashed in rage. The Marauders snapped out of their previous reverie, not at all having expected these next words. James in particular got visibly upset, his own eyes displaying signs of serious anger. "We would like to handle the…situation and as you boys are miraculously always able to find people whom you are looking for, we thought that you could assist us in our search for a particular person."
James and Sirius were both on their feet at this point but Remus quickly stood up and restrained them, turning himself to address the girls, "We might be able to help you, but what are you planning on doing? We can't help if you are going to do something rash." Both James and Sirius looked at him on shock.
"Really," Lina said scathingly, her eyebrows raised, "You are preaching to us about how to treat people. After that spectacle you all so willingly made earlier of yourselves you can stand there and talk to us about how to act towards others? Frankly, Remus, even you can't say that this time."
Remus' bowed his head, "What we did out there was wrong but I don't believe this is the discussion you are interested in having now." He looked back up at the two girls, "You can pay us back later, right now tell us what you need."
"I already told you. We need to find Snape. Can you help us or not?" Adilay was beginning to lose her patience, which was saying something. She was eager to get back at that git for making Lily, who she had never before seen cry, so miserable.
"What's going on?" Peter piped, honestly confused.
"Well Peter, I don't quite understand how you are lost, but let me fill you in. After Snape called Lily a…. that, Lily is – " Lina stopped herself. She wasn't about to start spreading the story of how devastated her friend was, especially seeing the astonishingly concerned face that had emerged on James, "In short, we wish to give Snape a little taste of what we think of him." Sirius grunted in pleasure, James nodding along with him.
"I understand. I believe that we can do what you are asking, but it is slightly complicated. Would you mind stepping outside for a moment while we talk it over?" James requested the usual spokesperson/leader of the group.
Adilay and Elina nodded and walked out. A short while later, Remus opened the door and they reentered. Sirius was sitting huffily on his bed, arms and legs crossed and James was on his own bed, a piece of blank parchment in his hands. Remus showed them to the bed and motioned for them to get on. They hesitated and instead leaned on the bedpost but where suddenly pushed full onto the bed, lying on top of Remus and James. Adilay and Elina hurried to right themselves and turned to see a smirking Sirius standing by the bed his arms folded. Elina had an urge to punch his arrogant face but knew that if she responded, it would become a whole episode and nothing would ever get done. The two girls shifted about until they sat side by side, leaning on the footboard and then Adilay nodded her head, signaling for the boys to proceed.
"This," James waved the seemingly blank piece of parchment, "Is the secret to our success, or one of them anyway. We have agreed to show it to you," Sirius snorted, having obviously made no agreement of the kind, "Because we would like to hurt that bloke as much as you and any part we can take in it we want. Now, what we are about to show you is of the utmost secrecy and on the condition that you never speak of it to another soul – alive or dead. We will show you what you need to see and only that, nothing more. After you perform your act, you do not mention our part to anyone – not Lily or anyone else. This is completely confidential. You must agree to that or otherwise, I am sorry but we cannot help you."
Adilay and Elina looked at one another and read into one another's eyes, then turned back to the boys congregated before them, "We agree to these terms."
James nodded and then removed his wand from his pocket and tapped the tip to the parchment, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!"
Black words suddenly appeared on the piece of parchment and the girls read what it said upside down, "Messers. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, purveyors of aids to magical mischief-makers, are proud to present the Marauders Map."
James laid the map on the bed and opened it, revealing an elaborate labyrinth that on greater inspection was shown to be Hogwarts. Throughout the map, in all the rooms and corridors, there were names floating about – names of students, of teachers, of everyone!
Elina's eyes dilated in shock, "You made this?"
All four boys nodded proudly and she turned back down to inspect it, "This is unbelievable."
"And incredible magic," Adilay gasped, "The names…" She traced her fingers delicately along the parchment, awed.
The Marauders watched in silence as the girls gaped at their handiwork, before James scooped it away, to the girls' immense protests.
"It is part of the agreement, remember? We show you only what you need to know." James skimmed through the map, using his wand as a guide, until he located the floating name "Severus Snape." He folded the map so it exposed only a small area and then turned it so Adilay and Elina could see. He pointed to Snape's name, "You see it? He is alone in that deserted room across from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, the one that they say was once the Arithmancy classroom. He isn't moving at the moment and I bet chances are he isn't going anywhere anytime soon."
Adilay and Elina stood up with a nod, "Thank you so much for your assistance, you have made our time much easier. And not a word to anyone about this, don't worry." Adilay added with a smile.
The boys grinned their thanks and the two girls made to leave the room.
"Wait!" James called. He couldn't stop himself; he had to know before they left, "Why hasn't Lily showed up or anything? I mean, I would think that after this – this tops them all, everything I've ever done – why hasn't she come to hex me? Scream at me? Kill me?"
Adilay's ever expressive eyes turned sad, "My guess is the thought crossed her mind, but she wouldn't come for fear that she might so something that breaks the rules. Besides, she has some pretty heavy stuff one her mind at the moment."
James nodded slightly and looked away, pain piercing his heart, wishing Lily loved him back and that he could run and comfort her now. But he couldn't, and at the rate things were going, it didn't seem like he ever would be able to.
Adilay and Lina waved and left the room. As they walked down the stairs, the adrenaline started pumping.
Lina smiled smugly to herself, Pay back time….
A/N: Suspense! Don't worry, the next chapter will have the confrontation, I promise. Please, please, please read and rate! I really want to know if you like it!