A/N: not as much Lily-n-James this chapter, but lots of action!plot, and a little Lily/Sirius action! Non-shippy Lily/Sirius, that is, unless that's your ship, in which case: have at it.
Disclaimer: I still don't have any stake in Harry Potter (though I could use the money) or the Beatles (though I'll probably play Beatles' rock band at some point... whether I like it or not).
Recap: Carlotta Meloni, Adam McKinnon, and another student all try to kill themselves, and a Ministry investigator, Lathe, is brought in to investigate why. Carlotta confides in Lily that she kissed Frank Longbottom over the summer, and the result is Frank and Alice's break-up. Luke Harper's (Lily's boyfriend) family owns a shop in Hogsmeade. Snape tells Lily that she has to choose between James and himself as chooses Snape out of loyalty. Carlotta convinces Frank to go on one conditional date with her.
I did NOT re-read this after it was all finished, so I pray to God it all makes sense...
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO READ, REVIEWED, and FAVORITED THE LAST CHAPTER! (dig the surreptitious underlining?)
Chapter 10- The Connection
Or
"With a Little Help from My Friends"
"Where in Agrippa's name is my hairbrush?" Carlotta Meloni demanded of the universe, and—suspecting that their input was not required—her roommates said nothing, continuing their own preparation for the day without regard to Miss Meloni's plight. "Have you seen it, Shelley?" she asked, turning to her friend, who was unhappily surveying the reflection of her own dishwater blond hair in the looking glass.
"Sorry, no," said Shelley. "You can borrow mine if you..."
Carlotta eyed with distaste the particular item that Shelley Mumps put forth for use and shook her head, endeavoring to conceal her distrust of the hairbrush in question and the strands of hair stuck within its bristles. "No, thank-you, Shelley. I was looking for..."
Lily Evans emerged from the washroom, clipping in small silver hoop earrings. "Lily!" said Carlotta, hurrying over. "Have you seen my hairbrush?" But Lily hadn't.
"I'm going down to breakfast," announced Shelley, while Carlotta searched the dresser for her belonging. "Shall I wait for you, Car?"
"No, go ahead," replied the other distractedly. "I'll be along in a bit." And when Shelley was gone, Carlotta turned to Mary, who sat at the vanity, touching up her eye-liner. "Mary, can I borrow your hairbrush?"
"Sorry," said Mary lightly, getting to her feet very quickly. She pushed the remainder of her cosmetics into her ocean blue handbag, along with her own hairbrush, her auxiliary hairbrush, her de-tangling hairbrush, and several combs. "But I like to take them with me, and I'm going down to breakfast now." With that, Mary practically skipped out of the dormitory.
Confused, Carlotta turned to Marlene. "Mar, could I...?"
"It's unhygienic," interrupted the blond sweetly. "See you in class." And she, too, departed. Carlotta sat down on a bed.
"Is it just me," she began, speaking to the only two girls left in the room with her—Lily and Donna—"or have Mary and Marlene been acting very strangely towards me for the past few weeks?"
"It's just you," said Lily, far too quickly. "I mean... I don't think Mary and Marlene are acting strangely on purpose... it's probably just... y'know... health. Problems. Of sorts."
"Mhm," agreed Donna, slipping into her shoes. "Or they think you're a whore for stealing Frank from Alice."
Lily rolled her eyes. "Donna. Tact. We've talked about this. I know we have..."
"They... what?" And Carlotta appeared genuinely surprised. "But... they haven't said anything, and... they were fine until just recently..."
"Well," began Lily slowly, "I think that, maybe, it's just a little difficult for them to accept that, regardless of what happened over the summer..."
"They think you're kind of a bitch for not only breaking Frank and Alice up, but then going on a date with him after they'd split," said Donna.
Carlotta flinched. "So... so everyone knows about that, then?"
"Not everyone," said Lily; she sent Donna a silencing look. "I mean... Marlene found out, and she told Mary... so... well... actually, yes, everyone probably knows by now."
"Right," said Carlotta. "That's just... great. And... and do you think I'm a bitch, too?"
"Yes," said Donna.
"I was talking to Lily."
Donna shrugged. "I'm going to breakfast," she announced, doing so. Lily tried to look busy with her book bag.
"Lily," repeated Carlotta "Do you think I'm a bitch, too?"
It was unavoidable. The redhead sighed. "I... I don't… Carlotta, it's not really any of my business."
"But I made it your business. I confided in you about everything. I asked your advice... and you were the one who told me that I should go for it with Frank..."
"Carlotta," Lily interjected sternly, "You failed to mention that the bloke you were after had a girlfriend, and that the girlfriend was one of my mates."
"And... I'm not one of your mates, am I?" asked the brunette, coldly.
"You are, but Alice didn't try and steal your boyfriend."
Sighing, Carlotta rolled her eyes. "That's what's so silly, you know. All this convention and habit... who is to say that Alice wasn't the one stealing Frank from me? If Frank and I were destined for..."
"Carlotta," Lily repeated, "the two of you got drunk on the beach and snogged. This isn't Romeo and Juliet, okay? Whether or not you two would make a 'good couple' is beside the point. If you wanted to try to have something with him, you should have talked to him. And when he said he wanted you to stay away, you should have listened. That's just the way things work."
"The way things work is wrong," retorted Carlotta. She rose from the bed. "But I'm glad," she went on, ice in her tone, "that you're finally being honest with me."
"Carlotta..."
"Don't lecture me, Lily... like you're some little saint, trying to keep peace. I don't want you to be nice to me unless you mean it, and I don't need you to protect me from your stupid friends. My God, you're just like the rest of them... so bloody artificial, it makes me sick." And with that, Carlotta stormed off.
Lily's shock had already worn off before the other reached the door; the redhead stood there, fury smoldering within her... oh, how she wished she'd had time to shout back. How she wished she... what was that?
Lying on the floor near the dresser was a wooden handled hairbrush. Lily glared at it, and kicked it under the dresser.
(Ask Me Why)
"I told you so," Donna whispered to Lily, as the two girls sat down in Defense Against the Dark Arts Class. Mary and Marlene took the desk beside them. "I mean, not exactly, but I've always told you that being nice to people... being so optimistic wouldn't get you anywhere."
"My being nice wasn't the problem," retorted Lily. "Carlotta being evil was the problem."
"It's not just Carlotta," Donna went on. "What about Potter, then? He doesn't even look at you, and every time you say anything in class he tries to make you sound ridiculous."
"Well, that's my own doing," said Lily. "I wasn't exactly fair to Potter, was I? Making peace, trying to be friends, and then cutting him off completely..."
Marlene leaned over. "When are you going to stop making excuses for Potter's bad attitude, Lily?" she asked. "It's ridiculous."
"You're one to talk," Mary whispered in a sing-song voice. Marlene didn't hear.
"I'm giving him a month to be angry with me," said Lily. "After that, I figure he doesn't have to be nice to me, but he's no longer justified in going out of his way to be a git."
"A month?" asked Donna.
"Yes. I think it's a proper amount of time: long enough to be really pissed and to move on to apathy, but not so long that he gets used to being a prat to me."
"Well, it's been about a month, hasn't it?" mused Mary.
"A month next Saturday," said Lily. The other three looked at her. "What? I have a good memory."
"You've really given this a lot of thought," Marlene noted, eyebrows arched.
"What else am I supposed to do in Ancient Runes? Stop raising your eyebrows. It's not that weird."
"It's a little weird," said Mary.
"You're a little weird," said Lily.
"Well, you're..."
"Good morning, class," said Professor Black, sweeping into the room with a smile on his tired face. "It snowed this morning. First snow of the year... keep that in mind. Historically, wizards have placed great emphasis on climate events like these."
"What kind of emphasis?" one Ravenclaw wanted to know.
Professor Black merely smirked. "Just keep your eyes open. Now, put your books away. We're practicing for the term exams today with a practical lesson. You're all to pair up for dueling... oh, but first..." He withdrew a scroll from his bag, "Professor McGonagall has asked me to have everyone who intends to go home for the holidays to sign this. Pass it along, and then we'll get started."
"Are you going home?" Lily asked of Donna, who nodded.
"My brother expects me," she replied glumly. "And the nanny's gone and quit again, which means he's had to take fewer shifts at work... they're helpless without me."
"You're helpless without them," Lily noted, amused. "Admit it, Don, you'll at least be pleased to see your little brothers and sisters."
"I don't object to seeing Bridget," said Donna. "But that's it. Isaiah is a nightmare, and Brice is always making a mess."
"You know," said Lily, "you don't have to pretend to hate everything. Emotions can be your friends."
"No, they can't. Even friends can't be your friends."
Lily rolled her eyes. "Why is it you're at arm's distance from everything?"
"I'm not at arm's distance."
"Then why did you reject that cute Ravenclaw who asked you to Hogsmeade?"
Donna shrugged. "It wouldn't have worked out. What? It wouldn't."
"Arm's distance."
"I am not at arm's distance!"
"She's not," Marlene weighed in. "She's much more closed off than that. Emotionally speaking, I reckon you could fit at least a dozen arms between her and the rest of the world."
"I am not closed off," said Donna. "I'm just smart. Practical."
"Emotionally inept," said Mary.
"You, stay out of this."
"Alright," Lily interrupted, "if I pull out a shiny object, will you all be too distracted to continue this debate?"
"How shiny?" asked Mary. The list arrived for the girls to sign: Lily, Donna, and Mary all signed; Marlene did not.
"If I go home," the blond explained, "Mum buys me loads of presents. If I stay here, she just sends one... it's cheaper."
"Home won't be any fun without you," Mary pointed out. "Mum and Dad like you better than me, I reckon, and there's no one interesting left in our building anymore... just that shoddy old couple who were investigated for the narcotics racket."
"Maybe next year," replied Marlene, trying to sound casual. "So, now, who wants to duel me?"
"Not me," said Mary. "You always beat me, Mar. I'm going to find a puny Hufflepuff girl."
"I'll duel you," volunteered Donna boldly. "'Should be fun."
Marlene argued, but Lily did not pay them much heed. The Marauders sat nearby, and as the sign up sheet approached the boys, Lily overheard a bit of their conversation.
"...Do you say, Prongs?" Sirius asked. "You headed home or staying at Hogwarts?"
"Please," James replied. "I don't want to see my dad. I'm staying."
"It's just as well," remarked his best friend. "I was thinking about staying, in any case... considering my uncle's here and all. I think it might enrage Mum a fair bit if her brother doesn't consider me the scourge of the Blacks."
"Sirius Black: Scourge of the Blacks," said Remus thoughtfully. "It's got a certain ring to it, you know."
Sirius laughed. "I reckon you're staying, Moony." He was. "What about Wormtail?"
"If you lot are here, I'll stay," said Peter. "It'd be better than Mum's mincemeat pie and mulled wine."
"Excellent," said James with satisfaction. "It'll be fun. Maybe we'll gatecrash at Slughorn's Christmas party..."
Peter snorted. "You and Sirius don't have to gatecrash, Prongs. You're always invited." James merely shrugged.
"It's more fun to gatecrash, though."
(Because)
The snow did not lay very thick that morning: it was wet and sludgy, in parts translucent, but everywhere very, very cold. Still, the change in weather certainly made the coming of Christmas seem quite imminent, and Lily found her attention wandering in Potions class, later that morning. Nonetheless, when Professor Slughorn came around to collect a sample of her Aging Potion, he appeared no less pleased than usual.
"Very nice work, Lily." As he collected some of the potion in a small vial, Slughorn continued: "Will I be seeing you at the Christmas Eve party this year?"
"I'm afraid not," replied the witch. "I go home this year."
"That's too bad," lamented Slughorn with a sigh. "Deirdre Shakenurt was quite impressed with you last Christmas, you know."
"It was fantastic meeting her, too," said Lily honestly. "But I usually alternate years, and Mum will want me home this Christmas."
"And who can blame her? Very well, Miss Evans. Oh, and incidentally—you haven't seen Mr. Snape today, have you?"
She hadn't. In fact, she had been curious about his absence as well. "No," she admitted. "I think he must be ill or something. He wasn't in Defense class, either."
Slughorn nodded slowly. "Very well. Excellent work, as always, Lily."
When at last the bell dismissed the class, Lily was the first one to the door, only stopping to wait for her friends at the end of the corridor. Donna, Mary, and Marlene at last caught up.
"I sat in front of Chipper Plex today," Donna informed them, as they started for the Great Hall and lunch. "He was talking to his girlfriend, and I heard the whole thing."
"Kinky," said Mary.
"Not like that. Chipper's works for the Ministry... Charlie says they're recalling Lathe."
"Recalling Lathe? Back to London?" asked Lily. Donna nodded.
"Apparently, they're giving him until Christmas, and if he doesn't have any significant leads on the investigation by then, they're closing the book on the case."
"You mean, they're not sending a replacement?" asked Marlene, shocked. "They're just... moving on? But what if someone else tries to... to jump of the Astronomy Tower, or into the lake?"
"It's been months," Donna pointed out. "And Lathe—unfortunately—is one of the Ministry's best investigators. If he can't get anything on this, I suppose the Ministry just thinks they're wasting resources. They've made so many cuts financially to the auror department over the years, and now they're stretched thin."
"They can't just close the book," protested Marlene, as though this were all Donna's fault. "It could happen again!"
"Healer Holloway said it was probably chance that those three were the only ones affected," said Lily, putting an arm around Marlene's shoulders. "If it were going to happen again—which seems unlikely after more than three months—the chances seem astronomical that it would happen to any of the same people."
Adam McKinnon was not far from any of their thoughts.
"Even still," Marlene muttered, though she seemed to receive a little comfort from those words. They reached the Hall and took seats at Gryffindor table. Adam McKinnon himself arrived moments later, but as the girls were just serving themselves, he gathered a few items.
"I've got Charms homework to finish," he explained. "See you later." With a smile, he started to leave.
"At least take a sandwich, then," said Marlene. "You'll starve if that's all you're taking to eat."
"You're one to talk," chorused Mary and Adam. "And I'm not eating meat today," Adam added. "See you in class." He left, and Marlene shrugged, taking fruit for her own lunch.
"What did he mean?" asked Lily. "'He's not eating meat today?'"
"Oh, that's just Adam being Adam," said Marlene casually. "He does this on-and-off vegetarian bit. He's not strict or anything... it's just one of those things. When he feels guilty about eating meat, he won't. Don't spread that around—he keeps it very hush-hush, because he thinks it's stupid. I told him it was just sensitivity, but... Merlin, Lily, what's wrong? You look as if you've seen a ghost!" She had, indeed, gone very pale.
"So what?" asked Donna. "She probably did. Nearly Headless Nick's bound to be around here somewhere."
"It's an expression; it means..."
"Adam's a vegetarian?" Lily interrupted. "Adam's a vegetarian?"
"Only sometimes," Marlene told her, confused. "I just explained: he..."
"I heard," said Lily. "Who else knows?"
"Well... I don't know. I know... not many others. Like I said, he's not very strict or..."
"Does Lathe know?"
Marlene blinked, questioning Lily's sanity with her stare. "Lathe? The Ministry investigator? How should I know? I wouldn't think so, but..."
Lily got up suddenly. "Adam's a vegetarian," she marveled. "I can't believe you never mentioned... Merlin, I have to go. I'll... I'll be back." And she hurried out of the hall, a thousand thoughts pounding in her head. Adam McKinnon was a vegetarian. How could she not have known? What did it mean? How could that possibly make a difference? But all of that made little difference: now, she had to find Lathe.
"Shit, Evans, are you alright?"
Lily had been rushing so that she did not so much as slow when rounding a corner, and—as a result—ran straight into Sirius Black. He wasn't alone (was he ever?) but accompanied by James Potter. Lily stumbled backwards, grasping at the wall and nearly falling, but that both James and Sirius grabbed an arm to halt the process.
"I'm fine," said Lily, too distracted to be flustered even by James's presence. "I have to... I have to go... something's happened."
"What's happened?" asked Sirius, before she could sidestep them. "C'mon, Evans, breathe. What's wrong?"
Lily didn't know what else to say. "Adam McKinnon is a vegetarian."
Sirius stared at her (she had no idea what James did; she made a point not to look). "Bully for him. I didn't realize that was a well-known sign of the apocalypse, though."
"Don't you see?" pressed the redhead, eager to be understood by someone. "He's a vegetarian. He doesn't eat meat. Adam McKinnon doesn't eat meat."
"Right. I got that part." Sirius raised his eyebrow, bewildered. "But what's the big deal?"
"Carlotta Meloni's a vegetarian." But it was James who answered. Lily at last made eye-contact with the Quidditch Captain.
"Exactly," she said gratefully.
Sirius cocked his head to one side. "I'm still not seeing the connection. So Adam and Carlotta are vegetar..." He stopped, evidently seeing the connection. "Adam and Carlotta?"
"Adam and Carlotta," confirmed Lily. "Two out of the three people who tried to off themselves right after a meal at this school are vegetarians."
The three of them were quiet. "We should find Lathe," said Sirius.
"Right."
And off they went.
But Lathe was not in his designated office. "We should find McGonagall," said Lily, but James shook his head.
"We should find Lathe," he said.
"How would we do that?" the witch wanted to know. "He could be anywhere. I've already been to the Great Hall, and he wasn't there. We wouldn't even know where to begin."
The two Marauders exchanged looks. Without saying a word, some information seemed to pass between the pair. "Right," said Sirius, starting down the corridor. "I'll go."
"Wait." James stepped forward. "I'll go. You..."
"Just wait here with Evans," said Sirius, jogging further and further away. "I'll be back in five minutes!"
"Where is he going?" Lily asked, utterly bewildered, as Sirius disappeared onto the stairwell.
James averted his eyes, leaning against the wall. "He's going to find a way to find Lathe. It's... complicated."
"Oh." Lily nodded. "Okay. Is there... I mean, does he have a specific plan, or...?"
"He's getting the map," said James. "We have a map... of the school. Sirius is getting it, and that will help him find out where Lathe is."
"But... how?"
The Quidditch Captain frowned. "It's... complicated."
"So you've said," muttered Lily suspiciously. Crossing her arms, she, too, leaned against the wall, and the pair waited. Sirius did not return for five minutes, however. He did not return in ten minutes, and nearly a quarter of an hour had passed before the two spoke.
"Maybe we should go find him," said James uncomfortably.
"Yeah," agreed Lily. "Where is he headed?"
"The dormitory, I suppose."
Quite awkwardly, Lily and James started in that direction. After some time, the silence became too much for Lily to tolerate. "So, I saw you and Sirius dueling in Defense class," she started conversationally. "You two are really brilliant at that. You used a lot of really complex magic; I have to say, I was..." James gave her a look. "I'm just trying to make conversation," she defended.
"You don't have to. Plus, I don't think Severus would approve."
"He doesn't own me, James."
"'Could've fooled me."
"Listen, it's not like that."
"Then what's it like?"
"It's... it's complicated."
"That's not an excuse."
"You just used it not twenty minutes ago, Potter!"
"Well that's different."
"But it is complicated. Listen, Sev gave me an ultimatum, and he said I had to choose. If it had been anyone besides you, I would've told him to take a flying leap, but..."
"Wow, Evans, that's flattering. Anyone besides me you would have defended simply on principle, but because it was me..."
"You two have been enemies forever," Lily explained. "Imagine if Sirius all of a sudden became mates with... with Nicolai Mulciber. Wouldn't you raise some objections?"
"Yes. I would sock Sirius in the jaw, and hex Mulciber. But I wouldn't run around making ultimatums like a seven-year-old girl who needs to have her own way." James glared. "Anyway, it doesn't matter now."
"No, I guess not," said Lily quietly. "If it's any comfort, I'm... sorry."
"Whatever."
Some more silence followed. "I heard you're staying at the castle for Christmas this year," Lily said after sometime. "That should be fun."
James shrugged. "I just don't particularly care to see Dad, that's all. Last time we saw each other, he was on some discipline kick, and if he thinks that's going to last, he's delusional."
Lily nodded. "Yeah, that could be uncomfortable."
"What do you mean?"
"I—only that, y'know... you haven't seen him in months. He just took off and then just came back... you might feel awkward around him."
"I wouldn't," said James, determinedly. "He might, but I wouldn't."
"Okay." Silence.
"You think I should go back, don't you?" the Quidditch Captain demanded.
"What? I didn't say anything like that."
"You were thinking it."
"So now you read minds?" asked Lily skeptically.
"You're not denying it. I'm right, aren't I? You think I should go home for Christmas!"
"It's none of my business."
"That's not an answer!"
Lily frowned. "Maybe it would be good for you and your dad to resolve outstanding issues... that's all. I'm not telling you what I think you should do, or judging your decision: I'm just giving you my opinion, which you asked for. So don't snap at me for it, alright?"
"I wasn't planning on it."
"Well, good."
"And I'm not going home for Christmas."
"That's entirely your choice."
"It is."
"Excellent."
"Fantastic."
They reached the portrait hole, but before either could give the password to the Fat Lady, Sirius appeared, stepping through. "Oh, there you are," he said cheerfully. "Sorry I took so long. Mrs. Norris, you know..." Lily didn't know, but James did. "Anyway, I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?"
"Padfoot," said James, and Sirius cleared his throat.
"Fine. I'll just tell you. The good news is, Kelly Hacker and Jake Preston have broken up—I just ran into them on the fourth floor, where Mrs. Norris is currently trapped in a suit of armor... it was very dramatic, I assure you: the break up, that is... not Mrs. Norris going into the suit of armor. That was relatively drama-free."
"Padfoot."
"Right. So, the bad news is Lathe's not in the castle."
"And you—you know this from a map?" asked Lily, bewildered.
"You told her?" Sirius questioned James.
"Barely."
"I really don't understand," Lily sighed.
"We have a map that shows the exact locations of everyone in the school," said Sirius. Lily stared. "No, I'm not joking. We do. It's real. It's helpful. You can't tell."
...
"I won't. That's... where did you get it?"
"That's enough of that," intervened James, as Sirius opened his mouth to explain. "Quiet, or I'll tell her your middle name, Black."
"Whatever you say, James Alexander."
James rolled his eyes. "Where's Lathe at if he's not here?"
"He was at breakfast," said Lily. "I saw him then... maybe he's gone down to Hogsmeade, or apparated to London."
"That's likely," agreed Sirius. "But there's not much we can do until he gets back, is there?"
"I think I'm going to McGonagall," said Lily. "She should know that..."
"That what?" James spoke up. "That Adam McKinnon is a vegetarian? Lily, I don't think you realize how mad you sound, going about like that. You can't just go to McGonagall with that—it's different than with Lathe... he wants every piece of information, but McGonagall..."
"Then what do you suggest, Prongs?" asked Sirius. "Sitting and waiting? Not really your style, is it?"
"No," said James. "But you're forgetting about someone. Carlotta and Adam are vegetarians. Someone else tried to kill themselves though."
"He's right," the other Marauder agreed. "What about the Hufflepuff who tried to jump in the lake?"
(Not Guilty)
Her name was Linda Maxson, and she—like any rational fourth year girl—was reasonably confused when Lily Evans approached her between fourth and fifth period. The Marauders' mysterious "map" (which James had refused to bring down from the dormitory and was therefore remained out of Lily's sight) had shown her to be in the Great Hall at lunch time, but by the time they located her, the lunch hour was nearly up. As a result, Lily had spent an impatient ninety minutes in Charms, before dashing off to locate Linda Maxson.
"Hi, Linda," began the sixth year, in what she hoped was a friendly, inviting way.
"Hi," said Linda, puzzled.
"I'm Lily Evans."
"I know. It's... good... to meet you?"
"And you," said Lily, smiling. "Linda, I have a question for you."
"Okay?"
"This might sound really strange, but—are you by any chance a vegetarian?"
Bewildered but compliant, the fourth year shook her head. "No. No, I'm not a vegetarian."
Lily stared, unsure what to think. She had been so certain: so convinced that the answer would be positive, that this was the answer that they had been looking for, that this was what Lathe had missed. How could it be otherwise? As a result, she was completely unprepared for any other kind of answer.
"You're... you're not?"
Linda shook her head. "No."
"And—and you've never been a vegetarian?"
"No."
"Never?"
"Never." Lily was quiet for a while. "It's funny you should ask though."
"It is?" asked the redhead. Linda nodded.
"Yes—that Mr. Lathe bloke: the Ministry investigator: he asked me the same question at the beginning of the year... after I'd done my initial interview with him, he asked me a few follow-up questions about a week later, and he asked if I was a vegetarian. I told him I wasn't and that was all... why is it important?"
"I suppose it's not," said Lily, "not if you aren't a vegetarian. Linda, is there anything unusual about the way you eat... what you eat, when you eat... especially on September second."
"I don't have any kind of disorder, if that's what you're saying," replied Linda indignantly. "No, there's nothing unusual. I eat just like everyone else, and I did so on September second as well. Now, if there's nothing else… I have Herbology."
Lily sighed. "No. Thank-you so much for your time."
Nodding, Linda departed. Lily turned and ascended the marble staircase, at the top of which James Potter and Sirius Black awaited her arrival, chatting idly.
"So?" asked Sirius, when she arrived.
Lily shook her head. "She's not a vegetarian, and she never has been. Apparently Lathe asked the same question back in September, which would explain why he didn't investigate Adam, because if she's not, the whole connection is lost."
"I bet Lathe did ask Adam, though," said Sirius. He checked his watch. "You have class in a few minutes, Lily dear, and so do James and I."
It was true—Ancient Runes started soon, and the classroom was on the other end of the castle. "You lot have Care of Magical Creatures, is that right?" asked Lily, to which the two Marauders nodded. "Adam McKinnon's in that class—don't ask him about it without me, alright?"
"Alright," said Sirius.
"Alright," said James.
Lily crossed her arms. "Seriously, don't."
Sirius placed a placating around her shoulders. "Seriously, Lily, we won't."
(No Reply)
"So, Adam, I hear you're a vegetarian," said Sirius. James rolled his eyes. "Sod off, Prongs. I'm not a saint."
Adam looked at the pair of them—one standing on either side of him, shivering with the rest of the class in the bitter December air. "Damn it, you lot are going to be gits about this, aren't you? So I like animals—are you really going to take the mickey outta a bloke for that?"
"On the contrary," said James, "we respect it."
"I, myself, love animals," agreed Sirius.
"No one wants to hear about your personal life, Padfoot."
"That's not what I meant, Potter. Bite me."
"And once again, mate, no one wants to hear about your personal life..."
Adam shook his head. "Is that all you had to talk with me about? The fact that on occasion I feel guilty about butchering animals?"
"No," said Sirius. "We actually were a little curious about that—how often would you say you feel guilty?"
"And," James pressed, "were you feeling particularly guilty about it around lunchtime on September second?"
Adam raised his eyebrows suspiciously. "You two sound like that Lathe from the Ministry... but I know what you're getting at. He asked me the same question back in September, and I told him—I didn't even have lunch meal that day. I remember, 'cause I was in the Great Hall with Marlene Price, but she was... being Marlene, which means she randomly decides she can't eat, which is ridiculous of course, because I tell her she's not... well, the point is: I didn't eat anything that day."
The two Marauders stared. "Nothing?" asked James.
"Nothing at all?" asked Sirius.
Adam shook his head.
"Not even—not even a sip of pumpkin juice?
The Keeper considered the question. "It's possible I had some pumpkin juice," he allowed. "I don't remember drinking anything, but there is a slight possibility I had some juice."
"And that's it?" Sirius questioned. "No food?"
"None whatsoever?" James clarified.
"None whatsoever," Adam said.
"None whatsoever?" Lily asked. Sirius shook his head.
"No food. Possibly some pumpkin juice, but no food."
"I knew you would ask him when I wasn't there," the redhead added resentfully. The two Marauders merely shrugged, as the three made their way into the Great Hall for supper. "So... so does that mean it really is just a coincidence—Adam and Carlotta both being vegetarians?"
"Maybe it was something in the pumpkin juice," suggested Sirius.
"But that..." began Lily, only to be interrupted by James:
"That wouldn't explain why only those three random people were the only ones affected," he said. "It looks like a coincidence."
Lily sighed. She'd been so sure. They reached Gryffindor table, and James and Sirius spotted Remus and Peter, while Lily spied her own friends further down. "Well..." she awkwardly began, "thank-you for your help today."
"Rubbish. We were bored anyway," said Sirius. James said nothing. "See you 'round, Evans." The two boys joined their friends, and Lily joined hers. Taking a seat beside Donna, she scanned Slytherin table for Severus, but he was still missing. Lily sighed, serving herself a sausage and attempting to join in the other girls' conversation.
"What's all the extra food for, Mar?" she inquired, noting that Marlene was dishing potatoes and lamb chops on an additional plate.
"Well," replied the blond, "it turns out some thick-headed Hufflepuff asked Alice Griffiths how she was handling the fact that Carlotta and Frank have gone on two whole dates... she didn't much feel like coming down for supper after that, so Hestia Clearwater asked me to bring them up something to eat."
"Fabulous," murmured the prefect. "Just fabulous."
As the girls ate, Lily found her eyes wandering in the direction of Hufflepuff table. Linda Maxson sat with a few of her fourth year friends. An untouched plate lay before her, while the witch chatted and laughed with her friends as though nothing in the world bothered her.
She'd been so certain that was the connection. It had all fit so...
"It was fairly stupid, Mary," Marlene, meanwhile, was saying to her friend. "I told you to eat something... but no, you could handle it."
"I wasn't that drunk," Mary argued, laughing. "I wasn't!"
"You were doing your very best rendition of 'Joy to the World,'" Donna pointed out. "At the top of your lungs, while wearing a bathrobe."
"That," argued Mary, "did not happen until we went back upstairs to the dormitory: it was only you three that saw me anyway. And it's not my fault I'm a midget with no ability to hold liquor!"
"You should have eaten something," Marlene once again chimed in.
And then, revelation. Lily looked at her friends, awestruck, but they carried on the conversation completely oblivious to the sudden inspiration that had struck the prefect or that they played any role in that whatsoever.
Why wasn't Linda Maxson eating anything?
"Shit." Lily got to her feet. Her friends looked at her.
"Are you going to do that 'going crazy' thing again, where you leave here with a manic expression and no explanation?" Donna asked wearily.
"It's like alcohol!" she cried. Donna sighed. "And... and she has an eating disorder! She got defensive when I asked her about the food, and--and she has an eating disorder!"
"I do not," said Marlene.
"I'm not talking about you." Lily chewed her lip. "I have to go to the library. I'll... I'll see you later."
"I knew it," muttered Donna, as Lily, once again, hurried away.
(Nowhere Man)
Lily spied Sirius, uncharacteristically alone in the Common Room later that evening. Carrying a large book she'd borrowed from the library, the witch hastened towards him.
"Black," she announced her presence, and he looked up.
"Evans. Blimey, you could murder someone with that book—it would probably look like an accident, too."
"Actually," said Lily, sitting beside the Marauder, "that's precisely what you could do with this book." She opened the front cover. "It's all about poisons and cursed items. Where's Potter?"
"On a date," Sirius told her off-handedly. "What's with the murder book, then?"
Lily shook off the news that James was on date; it inexplicably irritated her—he ought to have been around to hear this, though she didn't know why his presence seemed necessary. "I think I've found the connection between Carlotta, Adam, and Linda Maxson."
"Seriously? What is it?" He straightened up, his interest growing.
"Carlotta and Adam are vegetarians: they don't eat meat, which can lead to a deficiency of something called protein. It's in meat—I'm not sure how up on health wizards are, but..."
"Stay on topic, Evans."
"Right. Carlotta and Adam ate something—actually, they probably drank something (the pumpkin juice) that reacted badly with them, because it was exposed to dark magic. Healer Holloway said that the reason the three of them tried to off themselves was a result of 'accidental exposure to darkly magical objects.' They weren't exposed... the food was."
"Then why didn't everyone try to off themselves? We all drank the pumpkin juice."
"No, we didn't," corrected Lily. "Think: it was the Welcoming Feast... there was butterbeer there this year. That explains why any other vegetarians in the school weren't affected like Carlotta and Adam. They drank butterbeer instead of pumpkin juice. Carlotta must have had the pumpkin juice at the feast... I would verify, but she sort of hates me at the moment... long story."
"What about the Hufflepuff fourth year? She's not a vegetarian."
"No," agreed Lily. "But she's got an eating disorder. She doesn't eat very much. She didn't have any meat—maybe she didn't have anything to eat at all except the juice. My theory is that if you ate enough at the meal—or if you ate meat—whatever was wrong with juice didn't have any affect on you. Like, if you're drinking alcohol, but you're eating at the same time, you won't get drunk quickly."
"So... so someone hexed the pumpkin juice?"
"No." Lily shook her head. "I mean, I have no idea, but... probably not. It's all too random to be intentional. I was reading about it in this..." She held up the book. "'Accidental exposure to darkly magical items,' Healer Holloway said. The food was exposed to something... probably in storage, or before it arrived at the school. The particular effects... making the three students loose their self-defense instinct, are probably just the result of a perfect storm of unpredictable occasions: the pumpkin juice being stored improperly, their not eating meat, etcetera. The only part that doesn't make sense is that Adam and the Hufflepuff weren't affected until the next day, and the food we have at the Feast is different from the rest of the year."
"No," said Sirius thoughtfully. "No, it makes sense. When the house elves over-order for the feasts, they preserve the food and prepare it for the next day. There was left-over food for days this year... I would know. I go down the kitchens almost every day. There must have been extra pumpkin juice from the feast."
"And that triggered everything."
"Whoever's responsible for storing the food like that is going to be in some serious trouble."
Lily nodded. "We have to find Lathe."
Sirius shook his head. "He doesn't get back until ten tonight... I overheard McGonagall and Slughorn after supper. Long story: we were changing all the trophies in the Trophy Room to read: 'Peeves the Poltergeist, for Services to the School.'"
"Why on Earth would you do that?" Lily asked.
"Mostly to annoy Filch." He rose from the sofa. "So, are you coming?"
"Where?"
"To wait for Lathe, of course."
"You know," Lily remarked, as the pair sat on the steps outside Lathe's office some time later, "we could have waited in the Common Room."
"Don't even talk about the Common Room," replied Sirius, teasingly curt. "I still don't understand why you won't let me break into the office itself. It'd be cake."
"We'd get in trouble!"
"Before or after we give Lathe the leads he needs to continue his investigation at the school?" Sirius gave her a look. Lily didn't meet his eye. "You're just paranoid, Evans."
"Well, that's true. How did you hear about Lathe having to leave?"
"My uncle told me," said Sirius casually. "But don't spread that around... nepotism and all that."
"Please," scoffed Lily. "I didn't know nepotism was frowned upon in magical society. It's always come across as encouraged more than anything else."
"Fair enough," allowed the other. "But it's not something we're all proud of. Believe me, if I had it my way, I'd be a family-tree-less muggleborn."
Lily nodded awkwardly. "But... but you're uncle... he's alright, isn't he? I mean, he's a really good teacher, and he seems solid, otherwise."
"Yeah." Sirius nodded, staring at a bit of lint on the step below. "Yeah, he's alright. I mean, I don't know him too well... before this term, we only saw one another once or twice a year."
"Why's that? I thought the old magic families were more... close knit."
"Generally, we are. I grew up with my cousins like siblings, and every other aunt and uncle had supper at the house every week. But Uncle Alphard's more... you know... sane. He traveled a lot, didn't stay in England too much, so he wouldn't have to confront his sister—that's my mum—about all the things they disagreed on. That's why he's never been disowned. He just keeps his mouth shut. You can see..." this he added, with an ironic smirk, "...the two of us don't have everything in common."
Lily smiled genuinely. "You look like him."
"Well, I'm about eighty years younger," Sirius told her, and then—in response to the questioning look she sent him—explained: "Yeah, Professor Black is almost one hundred. He doesn't look at it, does he? But that's the beauty of being magic, isn't it? You don't start looking really old until... a hundred and five, maybe one-ten. Of course, I don't intend on living past forty."
"No," said Lily, "you wouldn't, would you?"
"Did you need something?" said a new voice. Lathe appeared on the landing below them, confused by the presence of the two students who impeded the path to his office. He was back early.
"Yes," said Lily, standing up.
"Yes," agreed Sirius. "And after you've given us all the money you have on you, we'll tell you something very interesting." Lily elbowed him. "It was a joke."
"We have something to tell you," said the redhead loudly, hoping to prevent any more jokes. Sirius nodded. Lathe looked at them. "It's really important."
(Do You Want To Know a Secret?)
Minerva McGonagall was leaving the staff room when James Potter caught up with her that evening. He had known exactly where she was (courtesy of the Marauders' Map), but remained nonetheless grateful that he caught her on her departure, because she was far more likely to give him detention for bursting into the staff room twenty-three minutes past curfew than for catching up with her in the corridor at that hour.
"Professor McGonagall!" called the Quidditch Captain, and she halted, confused, as he reached her. "Professor, I..."
"It's past curfew, Potter," said McGonagall coolly. "This had better be important."
"I just came to find you, Professor, I promise..." Technically, this constituted a falsehood, because he had been on a date for the last few hours. However, the vast majority of the date had transpired before curfew, so James felt mostly truthful. "I just wanted to talk to you before tomorrow, because I know you're in charge of reporting who is staying at the castle and who's going home... and I wanted to give you as much notice as possible. I know I didn't sign the list, but I've decided to go home for the holidays."
McGonagall surveyed the young wizard, fairly confused. "That could have waited until tomorrow," she said, obviously not seeing the significance, though James felt it acutely.
"I'm sorry. Like I said—I wanted to give you notice."
She was quiet, and then nodded. "Very well. You'd better return to your dormitory, now..."
"Yes, Professor." He started to leave.
"And, Potter," added the Transfiguration teacher, "if you don't want a detention, you had better be careful that Mr. Filch does not notice that you're up and about."
The wizard nodded, grinning a bit. "Yes, Professor." He turned and left.
James was about halfway to the Common Room when he ran into Sirius. "Prongs, mate," said the latter cheerfully, "Good news: we've seen Lathe."
"I'm going to need more details than that, Padfoot."
"Right. Of course. Lily figured everything out, and the two of us went to see Lathe... we told him everything, which is very complicated, and I don't much feel like trying to explain it all... something about alcohol, dark materials, pumpkin juice... I barely paid attention," he added lightly. James raised his eyebrows. "The point is, Lathe will very shortly be off to Hogsmeade to investigate why deeply cursed items are being stored next to food... or being stored at all, for that matter, and the world is saved, courtesy of Sirius Black."
"Why do I doubt that?"
"You're right. Lily did most or all of the work... she even went to the library for it, Padfoot... I don't think I've been to the library since we were solving Moony's... health issue. It shows dedication on the part of the lovely Miss Evans, wouldn't you say?"
"Sirius, you haven't even told me what this is all about. Why did the three of them try to off themselves? What does any of this have to do with alcohol?"
"Later," said Sirius crisply. "More importantly, how was your date?"
James rolled his eyes. "Fine. It went fine. Larisa Montanez was very impressed with the simplest spell I performed and laughed at everyone of my jokes... even the ones she didn't quite get. It went fine."
"Did-ja get lucky?
"No. We... made out a bit."
"A gentleman."
"Sod off." James remembered something: "Where were you going, just now?"
"To find you, of course."
"That would have been fruitless, as you had absolutely no idea where I was."
"Didn't I?" asked Sirius enigmatically.
"Well, I have the map, so you couldn't have known."
Padfoot nodded. "So, does that mean that you weren't speaking with Professor McGonagall outside the staff room?"
James looked at his friend, puzzled. "How did you know that?"
"I know you," replied Sirius. "Prongs, we've been mates forever. We've been mates since before either of us knew what a Confundus Curse was... since we were so oblivious that we actually wished Hogwarts wasn't co-ed. We've been through just about every single important life experience together... except birth. I mean, when you were getting your very first detention, who were you taking the blame for? Me. And when I got my very first detention, who was I trying to spring from his very first detention? You. We first heard the White Album together. We worked out how to get into the girls' dormitories together. We convinced Marvin Eggers that he was a girl for an entire day together. I was even in the room for your first kiss, which was awkward, let me tell you, and I am damn pleased Carlotta never found out I was in the closet. Point is, we have hand signals and secret codes for just about anything we might need to say but want concealed... You've always been my best mate, Prongs, and I know you."
Sirius clapped James on the shoulder. James nodded slowly. "But, really, how'd you know?
"'Ran into Larisa Montanez on my way back from Lathe's... she told me you'd gone to find McGonagall in the staff room."
"Right." In what he hoped was a casual tone, James added: "I thought you and Evans went to Lathe's together. Where did she get to?"
And because—in spite of everything—Padfoot really did know Prongs very well, Sirius repressed the teasing remark that rose to the tip of his tongue, repressed the knowing look he wanted to send his friend, and only chanced a very small smile as he replied: "She had to stop by the hospital wing for something. I think she wanted to visit someone."
James nodded. "And, you know you're going to have to tell me what this all about... with Lathe, and the suicides..."
"Oh, I know. I'll explain everything when Moony and Wormtail are around."
Inexplicably, Lily hesitated before entering the Hospital Wing. She had come to see if Severus—who had shown for neither class nor meal all day—was feeling ill and incarcerated thus. When she did push open the door and step through, the prefect was mentally formulating an excuse to give Healer Holloway, for it was past curfew and she wasn't much in the mood to receive detention.
At first, the infirmary appeared empty: Healer Holloway was nowhere in sight and all of the cots were empty. "Holloway must be in his office," thought the redhead. She was about to start in that direction, when she caught sight of a closed-off cot in the corner. Holloway stood just outside the curtain, and he was speaking to whoever resided behind it.
"As a healer, I must advise you to leave the school," Holloway said in a very serious voice. Lily got the feeling that this was the sort of conversation on which she ought not to eavesdrop. Though curiosity burned within her, she was about to leave, when a male voice—familiar but momentarily unidentifiable—replied to the Healer's advisement.
"I can't leave. I've made commitments: to Dumbledore and to... well, I've made the commitment to stay here. I can't just leave now. I just need pain potions to help me through the rest of the year..."
"You might not live through the rest of the year," responded Holloway gruffly. "You might not live through Christmas. For Merlin's sake, you don't want to spend your last days here, do you?"
There was a brief moment of silence, then: "Where else would I want to be, Holloway? I've spent some of my best days here, after all."
"But your family..."
"I have family here."
"There might be something they can do at St. Mungo's. There are experiments being conducted as we speak..."
"There's no cure," interrupted the man behind the curtain. "Holloway, I'm going to die. I'm going to die very soon, and most likely, I'm going to die here. Let's not sugar-coat."
"I don't sugar-coat," grunted the healer.
"Excellent. We're on the same page, then. Excellent."
And Lily realized who was behind the curtain. Professor Black.
She had to get out of there before either noticed that she had overheard such a conversation, but as Lily turned to leave, Healer Holloway noticed the movement.
"Wait up there!" he shouted, and Lily stopped. Fists clenched out of sheer nervousness, Lily waited for him to begin the lecture, start docking points, and hand out a few detentions. "What the hell are you doing here?" he barked, clearly angrier about having been so careless than her actual presence. "It's after curfew!"
"I—I'm sorry, Professor, I just... I came to get s-some headache medicine. I've got an awful headache and can't sleep."
"Well," Holloway growled, "you can just..."
"Wait," said Professor Black's disembodied voice softly, "get her the potion, Holloway. It's alright." Grumbling, the healer departed to his private stores. Lily waited awkwardly for a few seconds, before Professor Black addressed her. He pushed the curtain away so that he could see the student and politely asked: "Won't you come over, Miss Evans? I'm afraid I've just taken a draught that can induce dizziness, and..." But Lily was already at his side.
Tact, she thought. Pretend you haven't heard anything. Obviously he doesn't want this spread around, and maybe he won't know you've overheard...
But Lily couldn't help herself. "Sirius doesn't know, does he?" she asked fearfully. Black, surprised, raised his eyebrows.
Finally, he responded: "No. Sirius doesn't know. And I would ask that this remains between the two of us. Don't tell him."
Twenty-four hours ago, Lily would have nodded and accepted this. It was Black's choice: he was the one dying and he was the one who got to choose who to tell about it. But the image of Sirius, sitting beside her on the stairs, making jokes and trying to look as though he didn't care about his uncle (though he so obviously did) stayed with her. "I won't tell him, but you've simplygot to," she said. "Professor Black, I'm so sorry that I overheard this... I'd give anything to take it back, and if you want to memory charm me, then that's fine, but... but Sirius cares about you... he relies on you and trusts you, and if you don't tell him, he'll... he'll..."
"He'll what, Miss Evans?"
"He'll lose faith," said Lily quietly. "I'm sorry. This is... this is none of my business. I shouldn't even be here." She started to leave.
"Your medicine, Miss Evans," Black reminded her evenly.
"I don't have a headache," Lily admitted. "I came because Severus Snape was missing from all of his classes, and I wanted to see if he'd come by the Hospital Wing."
Before the Professor could respond, however, Healer Holloway returned. He brought with him a small vial of transparent purple liquid. "Take this," Holloway ordered, calmer now, "no other food or drink for half an hour before and half an hour after. Understood?"
Lily nodded. She took the vial and once again started to leave. She had traveled only steps, however, before Professor Black spoke, addressing the healer. "Holloway," he said, "Has Severus Snape been through here today?"
"Mmm... had a bit of the flu... I gave him a potion and told him to stay here, but he insisted in resting in his dormitory."
"I see."
Lily stopped by the door and smiled, gratefully but weakly, at Professor Black. He surreptitiously nodded, and Lily left the Infirmary.
Gryffindor Tower was still crowded when the sixth year returned, but Sirius Black was, mercifully, absent. She could not face him now... she needed time to internalize all of this. Professor Black was dying... he might not live through Christmas, and she knew. By the sounds of it, she was one of the few that did know.
Moving quickly through the Common Room, Lily did not even stop to chat with her friends but headed directly up to the dormitory, which she prayed was empty. She needed solitude: she needed to sit on her bed and listen to something upbeat—maybe Help! or Please, Please Me—and clear her head from all that bogged it down.
The dorm did appear empty too, when she first entered, but Lily was grabbing her nightgown from a drawer when Carlotta Meloni emerged from the bathroom. At first, the pretty brunette looked only surprised, but her expression quickly shifted to cold, superior indignation. "If it isn't St. Lily," she murmured, depositing a few personal items onto her own bed.
But it was late, and enough was enough.
"Back off, Carlotta," she snapped.
Carlotta looked at her, arching one, perfect eyebrow. "Why should I?" she challenged. Lily crossed her arms.
"You are a bitch," she said. "And everyone thinks so. You should know, every single person in this school sides with Alice… even the blokes, whose sole interest in the matter is 'did Frank Longbottom get lucky?' aren't impressed by you, because ultimately, you're a bitch."
Carlotta's mouth opened, either to protest or simply to gape, but Lily wasn't finished.
"You're easy and everyone knows it, and you're right—I'm not going to try to be nice to you anymore. So if you think keeping my mouth shut about the fact that you hurt one of my good friends is 'artificial,' I won't do it. I'm not going to force myself to think, 'maybe Carlotta's just misunderstood,' because the fact of it is, you're not. You're not complicated, Carlotta; you're just mean and selfish, and when it comes down to it, kind of a slut. And what's not as bad, but in your mind must be a thousand times worse: you are perfectly ordinary. You like Frank Longbottom because he's something that you can never really have, because he never really liked you. You don't mind hurting Alice because she's someone that you can't even understand. She hasn't slept with half the school, and I bet she doesn't wake up every morning looking like she's emerged from a fashion magazine, but she's sweet and people admire her. No one admires you, Carlotta. So in the end, the only reason you did any of this isn't some grand, higher destiny or anything like that... it's the painfully typical, supremely cliché jealousy. You don't get to bitch at me when I try to be honest with you, Carlotta; I've seen through that. Fact of it is, you've done something wrong and no amount of rationalizing is going to fix it in your head. You feel guilty." Carlotta stared. "Don't beat yourself up about it, Car," Lily added, venomous and sweet, "it's perfectly ordinary to feel guilty. And if you're looking for your hairbrush, it's under the dresser."
For once, Lily had said the perfect thing at the perfect time. She turned on her heal and headed into the bathroom, pride and guilt simultaneously surging inside of her.
Professor Black was dying. Carlotta was a bitch. Sirius Black was an alright sort of bloke. The attempted suicides had all been accidents. Lathe was going to investigate in Hogsmeade. Professor Black was dying.
Lily had trouble falling asleep that night, and not simply because a small portion of her believe that Carlotta might be waiting for her to drift off so that she might hex her in her sleep. The events of the day played through her head like pictures on a film reel that was on repeat.
Professor Black was dying. Carlotta was a bitch. Sirius Black was an alright sort of bloke. The attempted suicides had all been accidents. Lathe was going to investigate in Hogsmeade…
Then, quite suddenly, two and two made four.
Lathe was going to investigate in Hogsmeade.
Then, it was Luke Harper's voice that Lily heard in her head. "Of course..." and the image of him, sitting beside her at the Halloween feast, was as clear as if the incident had occurred only the day before "...the food won't be quite as good as it usually is at these feasts. They ordered from some shop in London, instead of my family's business in Hogsmeade."
Because it was the Harpers' store that usually provided the food for the school's feasts.
Lily sat up in bed.
The Harpers were the ones storing dark magic materials.
A/N: It thickens! There was a lot to digest in this chapter, and if you think that the mystery has been solved (and the world has been saved, as Sirius puts it), you're wrong. There's so much more to come! For those worried about poor, grouchy Donna, she will, it seems, be getting—though not necessarily giving, because... well, she's Donna—a little love sometime soon. So, who do you think she should start something with? And I will say this straight out: it's not going to be a Marauder.
Some people have been asking, so I thought I'd just post this here: the quote that Lily remembers Luke saying right at the end of this chapter comes from the Halloween Feast... not the one at the beginning of the year. Thus, the contaminated food WAS from the Harpers, because USUALLY the feast food comes from the Harpers... just not that Halloween, for whatever reason. Inflation? Idk.
PLEASE REVIEW. No joke: I'm desperate.
The next chapter, I believe, will be relatively short, extraordinarily girlie, and is—as of now—entitled "The Trouble With Angels." Let's see... there's some Marauder action in the next few chapters (cause I miss that), an Alice revival, and heavy usage of the term "one-night-stand."
Reviews are toothpaste. You just try living without it.
Cheers,
Jewels