Chapter Four:

"Sit down, girl!"

Lily complied immediately, sinking into a nearby chair. Mara glanced nervously at Madam Pomfrey.

"She'll be all right, won't she?"

Madam Pomfrey sighed and shut her eyes for half a second. "I don't know. I don't know. How long has she been like this?"

Mara rubbed her temples. Wow. Now that she thought of it, Lily had been acting strange ever since the holiday's ended. "She was like this when we were on the Hogwart's Express. I just didn't really notice at first." Then, panic started to overwhelm her. "Tell me she's going to be okay! I need to know! Is something wrong?"

Madam Pomfrey shushed her and ushered her into a corner, shaking her head from side to side. "This looks pretty serious. It's obviously been going on for a long time." She reached Lily's side and waved a hand over her eyes. Lily didn't blink. She seemed disconnected to the world. Madam Pomfrey nudged her shoulder. Lily budged a little, then swung back into the same position. Madam Pomfrey nudged harder. Lily toppled to the floor, her eyes wide open and vacant.

Mara whimpered. Lily seemed ever worse than she was before. This was starting to scare her. Madam Pomfrey just propped Lily back onto the chair and swept out of sight with lots of grim sighing. It really didn't seem to look good. Mara rushed over to Lily and grabbed both her shoulders. "Lily! It's me! I'm Mara! You must remember me! I'm your best friend! You're a witch! You're at Hogwarts! You need to wake up. COME ON LILY! JUST WAKE UP! LOOK AT ME!"

Lily stayed perfectly still, her eyes never blinking. In fact, she was so still she didn't even seem to breathe. Mara looked at her best friend, tears clouding her face. Lily seemed lost, lost in her own mind. How was she supposed to be roused? Even Madam Pomfrey looked downcast. What if Lily couldn't be saved? How serious was this?

A million terrible thoughts ran through Mara's head. She rubbed her temples again willing the thoughts to stop. It made her head hurt. For now, she was weak and could do nothing. She would stay by Lily's side and guard her. But then she remembered. James! Sirius! Remus! Peter! They weren't friends of Lily, but they had always helped her when she needed help. They had supported her when she needed support. The did everything friends did, yet Lily refused to call them friends. But this wasn't the time to dwell on pride. Maybe the Marauders would know something about Lily's behaviour!

Mara didn't place much hope on it, but doing something (no matter how small or insignificant) would make her feel better than sitting here uselessly and probably getting in the way.

She straightened and swirled out the doors, hurtling through corridors and pushing through wandering students. Where would they be?

-_- o -_-

In the Infirmary, all was quiet.

Lily sat there, motionless, expressionless, empty of thoughts and of emotion. Suddenly, a green light sliced the air. Smoke filled the room and a figure rose from the billowing grey clouds. He turned towards Lily and laughed. It was a terrible laugh. Then, he slowly advanced towards her, his misshapen arm outstretched. Just as he was about to touch her, footsteps approached and he drew back quickly. Then, with a glance at the rising voices, he turned again and vanished, dragging his smoke with him.

Professor Dumbledore appeared along with Madam Pomfrey, Professor Slughorn and Professor McGonagall. "This is very serious, Poppy. She seems to be in a trance of some kind." Professor Dumbledore appeared highly concerned and walked tentatively towards the upright girl.

"MISS EVANS! Miss Evans, can you hear me?"

Lily showed no signs of response.

Professor McGongall placed her trembling hand against her mouth, horrified at the sight.

Madam Pomfrey shook her head and looked away.

"Miss Evans, stand up and walk slowly towards me" said Professor Dumbledore calmly and firmly.

Then, Lily rose smoothly from her seat and turned evenly towards the headmaster. Then, she stretched out a foot, and then another, and then another. She was walking towards the group of teachers, those wide eyes never even quivering. She was like the living dead.

Professor Slughorn let out a wail of despair. "What foul treachery is this? What evil has befallen Lily?"

Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall glared at him and Professor Dumbledore motioned for him to be quiet.

"Miss Evans, if you can hear me, nod your head."

Lily didn't move.

"Miss Evans, nod your head."

Lily nodded her head.

Professor Dumbledore swiveled around to face his colleagues, a grim expression on his face. "We know not of who that's cast this powerful spell. Lily's mind has gone. But she will obey anything you tell her to do, even saw off her own arm…"

Madam Pomfrey was sobbing into her hand and Professor McGongall has fallen to the floor, shocked at what she heard and saw.

"We must have someone stay with Miss Evans at all times. The person who cast this spell must still be waiting to use her further. Something must have happened to Miss Evans during the holidays. Poppy, her friend, Miss Harper, told you she was acting strange on the Hogwart's Express?"

Madam Pomfrey nodded through her tears.

"Then, we must find out what happened exactly. Horace! Please send one of your acquaintances to inquire into the matter. Go now."

Professor Slughorn gave a nod and fled out the Infirmary.

"Minerva. Go to Miss Harper and tell her to keep this news of Miss Evans to herself. Try not to speak of this matter to anyone else than those that were here today."

Professor McGonagall also strode out the doors briskly.

"And Poppy, we shall take turns guarding Miss Evans, but as we are all otherwise engaged right now, I must ask you to stay with Miss Evans for the moment."

Then, the Headmaster also swept from the room.

-_- o -_-

Night had fallen and after a day spent in trying to locate the Marauder's, Mara trudged back to the common room in failure, feeling miserable and unhappy. She had tried to go back and see Lily, but Madam Pomfrey had refused.

As she climbed out through the portrait hole into the common room, she saw the flickering shadows of four boys, sitting at the armchairs. She quickly resumed the climb and ran up to them. "There you are! I've been looking for you guys the whole day!"

James looked up and asked worriedly, "How's Lily? McGonagall was really angry in Transfiguration today." Sirius snorted. "I'll say! I was surprised there wasn't any smoke coming through her nostrils!"

Remus made a face that told them to quieten down while Peter sat there, staring at Mara intently.

She sighed. "It looks really serious. I took Lily to the Infirmary and even Madam Pomfrey looked grim. I don't know what's wrong, but I left before Madam Pomfrey came back."

The Marauders leaned in and Remus asked, "Mara, did anything else happen?"

As she was about to open her mouth, someone behind them spoke.

"That is not of your concern."

AN: Hah! I updated for the SECOND time today! I'm on fire! I have a good idea about where this story is going! But anyway, REVIEW!!