Chapter 9.
Let it Snow.
A month later with the school holidays approaching the children of Hogwarts woke to an early smattering of snow. It melted in the morning sun and a chill wind blew across the grounds. Students huddled around the fires in the common rooms and Lily noticed that Remus had become ill once more.
"I'll be off to visit my Mum tomorrow, she's not well," he said as he exited the common.
The boys all nodded. Lily however followed him out of the portrait hole.
"You look like you are getting sick again too," she noted.
"Mmm a bit, must be the change in weather," he reluctantly admitted as an afterthought he added, "Hey, what ever happened with those spells Snape was going to teach you?"
"Oh, he hasn't mentioned it again. I'll ask him though. Well you be sure to rug up, and don't worry I'll take notes for you," she looked thoughtfully at him for a moment before turning and heading back through the portrait hole. Remus felt guilty for a minute, she was proving to be a good friend and he was lying to her. One simple thought washed the guilt away - how would she react if she ever knew the truth. His heart spasmed in his chest, she wouldn't want to come anywhere near a monster like him!
Later in the quiet of the night Lily sat on the window ledge in her dorm, listening to the deep soft breaths of the other girls. She looked out over the grounds, hoping for another fall of snow. The reflecting light of the moon in the lake caught her eye; the gibbous moon was one night away from being full.
The following afternoon Lily met with Severus in the library to study. "Are you going home for Christmas?" she asked.
"Nah," he replied trying to be nonchalant, Lily winced.
"No better at home?"
"No, worse if anything," he gave a one shouldered shrug. "They argue all the time now. When Dad is in one of his moods it's better if I'm not there, I just make it worse," he stated quietly looking forlorn.
"I'm sure your Mum appreciates it when you are home. It won't always be this way Sev. And you know you can always come over mine" She touched his arm to reassure him. "Hey, I've been meaning to ask," she said changing the topic. "The spell you've been learning, how is it going?"
"Mmm well enough I suppose, it's proving to be quite difficult," he kept his eyes on his work.
"What is it and we can look it up, maybe that will help if we find the theory on it?"
"It's called the Transmogrifian spell," he said a little uncomfortably. This was not going to go well.
"Well I'm done with my work, so I'll go and look it up, so what section?" Lily offered.
"Um I think jinxes but I'm not sure," he replied.
She raised an eyebrow at him, something wasn't right, but she couldn't tell what it was. If she had to guess she would say that he sounded guilty, but surely there was no reason for that was there? Pushing these thoughts aside she went off to look for books. The spell wasn't mentioned in any the books she could find that day, or on many subsequent trips to the library.
Classes the next day passed quickly and soon it was the weekend and Remus returned.
"Remus, how's your mum?" Lily greeted him with a smile as he entered the common room.
She was seated on the floor using one of the chairs as a table. He walked over and squatted on the floor beside her.
"You're still looking poorly, sit down properly and I'll get your notes." She grabbed his hand and pulled him down.
"She's much better thanks. Hang on I'll get some parchment and ink," he tried to resist the drag on his arm.
"No, it's ok I found a new spell, the Gemino curse it makes an exact copy so I already made copies for you, so long as you can read my writing it should be ok." Lily rifled through her bag and passed the copies to him.
"Wow you'll have to teach me that one, charms are really your thing, aren't they?" he complimented settling down beside her and started looking through the notes.
She grinned "Yeah I like them a lot."
Pulling charms to the front he began to read.
"Hey Remus?" she asked after a quiet moment.
"Yeah."
"I asked Sev about that spell, he hasn't managed it yet, but it's called the Transmogrifian spell, I tried to find it in the library, but I can't find anything on it. Have you heard of it before?"
"No, but I'll keep an eye out. Actually, maybe Sirius would know his family has used all sorts of spells. Are you worried about it?"
"Well a bit. He sounded funny when he mentioned it, sort of guilty, it's probably nothing," she admitted. "But I couldn't find it in any of our standard books of spells, I looked all the way up to book 7, and it's not in advanced charms. So, I couldn't help wondering, especially given what you said about Malfoy. I would hate for him to be getting mixed up in the something dark," she looked concerned.
"Don't worry about it, I'll help you find out, and if it's something dark, you can talk to him about it, ok," he reassured.
"Thanks. I'm going to head up to bed. See you tomorrow."
As soon as she was out of sight he grabbed the notes and raced up to his dorm. "Hi guys!" Remus said as he pushed the door open.
"Hey Remus, you're back. How's your Mum?" cried James.
"Sshe's all better; she just gets sick a lot, like me." He took a deep breath before continuing. "Before I left I spoke to Lily and she's found out which spell the Slytherins are working on."
"Evans has come through. What is it?" asked Sirius eagerly.
"I've never heard of it. It's called the Transmogrifian spell."
Sirius's jaw dropped. "No way! There's no way anyone of our year could perform that spell, it's seriously dark stuff!"
"What does it do?" asked Remus slightly shocked by the response.
"It's actually called the Transmogrifian torture. It's said to torture the victim over time and eventually leads to death. It's considered to be nearly as bad as the unforgivables, the only reason it isn't one is that it's treatable if you're quick enough," a quiet voice issued from the smallest boy.
The others all turned to look at Peter in shock.
"How did you know that?" asked James.
"Um, well my Dad was an Auror and that was the spell that killed him, he was out on assignment and didn't get back in time," he focused on his shoes as he spoke.
James, Remus and Sirius continued to stare.
"Sorry, I…we ..didn't know," James stammered "My Aunt and Uncle are Aurors too."
"It's ok it happened when I was five. I don't remember much about it," whatever was on his shoes kept Peter's attention.
"If you're up to it, you might be the best one to discuss it with Evans," suggested James as gently as an eleven-year old boy could.
"I guess I could try," the blonde shrugged.
The boys chatted quietly as they prepared for bed and it wasn't long until gentle snores were heard throughout the dormitory.
The next week passed in a flurry of excitement over the holidays and soon all who were going home were once again on board the Hogwarts express. Peter had not yet built up the courage to talk to Lily about the spell.
Lily took a compartment by herself and pulled out a copy of Hogwarts a History to help pass the time. She was dozing gently leaning against the window when the train finally pulled into Kings Cross station.
Mr and Mrs Evans were waiting for her outside the platform, her sister Petunia was nowhere in sight.
"Didn't Tuney want to come?" Lily was unable keep the disappointment from bleeding into her voice.
"No dear, she's old enough to stay home by herself for a bit now, and she had some studying to do. Now we have a little surprise for you at home," said her Father trying to appear mysterious.
"Really! What is it?"
"You remember we wrote that Nanna Anne hasn't been well? The Doctor said she shouldn't be living alone anymore. So, we've turned the snug into a downstairs bedroom," Mrs Evans was unable to keep the secret.
"But Mum the bathroom is upstairs! With how her knees are she'll never get be able to get there!"
"We know dear but Nanna Anne managed to sell her house for a reasonable price, so she gave us some money to add a little extension out the back, it meant we could make the room bit bigger, add a bathroom and conservatory so she can have a little space for herself."
"Oh I see. Is there any garden left?" Lily wanted to know. "I'll miss your roses Mum."
"Don't worry not all the lawn has gone, and we managed to keep the big tree you like to climb. You can help me plant out a new garden when you're home from school this Summer."
They passed the rest of the journey happily discussing the first term. Petunia was waiting on the front porch when they arrived home and for a moment Lily thought she was waiting to see her.
"Hi Tuney," Lily called cheerfully, hoping her sister wasn't going to be in the same mood she had been in when she'd left.
"Humf," huffed Petunia. "Mum, Nanna Anne needs you," message delivered, the tall thin girl turned on her heel and marched back into the house. Mrs Evans sighed looking sadly at her youngest.
"I'm sorry poppet, but she seems to feel a bit put out by the whole magic thing."
"It's ok Mum, I'm sure she'll come around eventually," Lily entered the house and inhaled the clean fresh scent of the handmade soap that Nanna Anne always used.
2 days passed and then a week and Petunia still hadn't come around. When Lily tried to talk to her she was ignored. Lily had taken to spending her days sitting in the branches of her favourite tree in back yard. When the girls had argued in the past Lily would climb it and wish to be unseen, it seemed to work. She remembered one year when she was about 6, Petunia had called her stupid because she'd asked Tuney to read her a story as she didn't know all the words yet. Lily had run from the house and flown up into the branches of the tree and desperately wishing to be invisible. It must have worked as the family searched for her for hours coming into the garden several times, until Petunia came outside crying and apologising and Lily had climbed down, visible once more.
As she sat watching the snow fall, she remembered the previous summers spent in the garden, playing with Sev or Kathy after school. Kathy! Only 3 months had passed, how could she have forgotten her best friend?
"Mum," she called as she ran into the house, "Mum can I go visit Kathy?"
"Sure poppet, come home in time for tea."
"Yes!" she gave an excited cheer as took off up the street to knock on her friend's door.
A boy she recognised as Kathy's older brother, Christian, answered the door. He let her into the house and showed her to Kathy's room. The rest of the holidays were spent in joyful reunion and Christmas spirit. She left with promises of writing regularly this term and not being a stranger when she came home for the summer.
Snow had continued to fall in the student's absence and the grounds of Hogwarts were covered in a pleasant blanket of white. It was not so deep as to make walking unbearable but was deep enough to require wellies. Lily trudged through it towards the gamekeeper's hut to deliver a present to Hagrid.
"Hagrid," she smiled as he opened the door to her knock. "How was your Christmas?"
"It were loverly thank you. And how was yours?" The gentle giant passed her a cup of tea.
"Well apart from my Sister it was lovely too. Oh and before I forget, my Nanna Anne came to live with us and she loved hearing me talk about you, so she sent you this scarf that she knitted in case you get cold. I insisted on the Gryffindor colours." Lily passed over the brightly wrapped package.
"Well that's mighty kind, when you write next, don't forget to send me thanks." Hagrid pulled the scarf free from its paper and wrapped it loosely round his neck. "Now what's wrong with yer Sister?"
"Well she still doesn't like that I can do magic," Lily's face fell, "she calls me a freak, and tells me I am abnormal, and that it is safer for everyone if I just stay away. She won't even look at me anymore and can barely stand to be in the same room as me."
"She sounds like a regular Slytherin," he chuckled. "Well you can't please 'em all. She should come 'round once she gets used to the idea. Magics dead useful. I bet you got a lot of gifts for Christmas."
"Well the usual chocolates and sweets and such," Lily shrugged. "We don't have much money. Sev gave me an amazing book on charms that was once his grandfathers and Remus gave me a beautiful eagle feather quill. What did you do?"
"Well I still had ta oversee the animals in the forest. Those centaurs got a little riled, somethin' about an asteroid, blocking the light of Saturn or summat, and I had to tend a little unicorn that got injured running about."
"Oh Hagrid, will you take me to see the unicorns one day, please?" the girl was practically vibrating with excitement.
He chuckled, "Now Lily ya know it's forbidden. When you start Care of Magical Creatures in third year, yer can see 'em then." Hagrid looked down at the disappointment written all over her face and found himself giving in "Well not today I've work ta do, but maybe I can take you when I have ta go in there ta work."
"Would you really, I'd love that. I guess I'd best head back to the castle now." He stood and led her to the door.
"See yer next week Lily," he said as she ducked through and he closed the door so he could return to his work.
As usual Lily's feet took her to her tree on the edge of the forest and she imagined watching unicorns and centaurs run past through the trees. She sighed as she jumped down and trudged back up through the snow. It wasn't long before she was passing through the wide double doors that gave entrance to the castle and continued making her way back to the Gryffindor Common Room. Four boys sitting in chairs by the fire watched as she walked up the stairs to the girl's dormitory.
"Peter, you need to do it soon," James whispered.
"I can't! I don't know what to say, but I have an idea, let's send her a note anonymously?" he looked at the other boys nervously.
"Knowing Lily she won't believe a random note" Remus stated, "she'll need some hard evidence."
"Well what if we can find a book with it in and send her that?" Peter tried.
"But she's searched the library already and not found anything about it."
"Yeah but I meant I could get one of Dad's old books from home, I'll owl Mum today," finally seeing the other boys nodding in agreement Peter began to relax.
With the plan formulated the group headed down to the Great Hall for dinner.
At breakfast the next day Peter received reply from his mother stating that she would look for the book he'd requested. Now all they could do was wait.
During their usual study session that week, Severus began to teach Lily the wand movement for the Transmogrifian spell. The movement was complex and each night after a short time practicing Lily would develop a headache and have to depart the library. When Severus started to teach her the incantation she'd felt unsettled, the spell resonated deep in her chest and she'd developed a feeling of dread, something wasn't right with this spell. She was sure it was the reason that she went back to the common room each evening feeling ill and she mentioned this to Remus.
"It's the weirdest thing, it's like I have a physical reaction to the spell, I come over all dizzy and sick in the tummy. I'm not sure I like it."
"If it bothers you don't do it," Remus urged, "Have you told Snape how it makes you feel?"
Lily had tried many times, but it was hard when Severus insisted that it was supposed to be a useful spell and that he was sure it would be examined in one of their later years. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, neither one of them had much success with it. Severus managed to get his wand to emit a red glow, while Lily's had no response what so ever.
One morning towards the end of February at breakfast an owl delivered a small package to Lily. The card attached read:
Lily,
I thought you might find this useful for your research.
All the best.
There was no signature and she did not recognise the writing. When she opened the parcel, she found a small leather-bound book, it was well worn and many of the pages were dog eared. She flipped it over to look at the title: Curses and their cures for overcoming thy adversary by Envira Green (Defeat your enemies and defend your friends), and tucking the book inside her robes to read later she headed off to class. At lunchtime Lily headed out to the grounds instead of going the Great Hall. She climbed into the beech tree near the lake, brushing the previous night's snow from its branches to sit down and read. Flicking through the book she found the correct page, it was near the back of the book where each page seemed to hold progressively more horrible spells. There was a very small paragraph:
Transmogrifian Torture: tortures the victim over time to the point of death!
Lily looked up in shock, there had to be some mistake. This could NOT be what she had been practicing with Sev. She carefully looked over the instructions for the wand movements and the pronunciation of the incantation, there could be no doubt it was the same. How could he? She wondered, if they had tricked him? Did he even know what it did? No! Surely not, there was some mistake. She decided she would have to talk to him that night.
Remus watched Lily as she walked through the entrance hall on the way to class, she looked pale and there was a furrow in her brow.
"She's read it," he whispered to the others "and she doesn't look happy."
"Good!" James said vindictively "This should mean she's no longer friends with that snake."
The boys gathered their things and followed Lily to class.
