Chapter 13

Un-Beta'd

Secrets Revealed

Classes came and went and only Remus marked Lily's absence. He searched for her in the library and the hospital wing. Meanwhile James, Sirius and Peter returned to their dorm. James flopped on his bed.

"Ah the week is over at last."

"Ah Yeah!" agreed Sirius. James wiggled on his bed.

"Ants in your pants?" Peter asked.

"Well something in my bed." James flipped over and saw a coloured corner sticking out from under the blankets.

"Did you guys put this here?" he asked as he removed it, Sirius and Peter shook their head in denial.

"Maybe Remus?"

James flicked it open "No I don't think so." A moments silence passed as he examined the calendar.

"You guys know how Remus gets sick all the time?" They looked over at him. "Well take a look at this. Irritability, scratches, tired and disappears at full moon. And look here, each of the times he is missing is marked with the reason and look they all align with the full moon!"

"You don't suppose?" Sirius stopped.

"I do suppose."

"Suppose what?" asked Peter.

"What do you think he gets sick, once a month at the full moon, at which time he is tired and grumpy as all hell, and he comes back covered in scratches."

"He comes back covered in scratches?"

"Well so these notes say. I think the only reason we haven't seen them is because he is always covered in blankets when we visit him."

"So you think he is a ….." Peter looked too frightened to say.

"Well it would explain why he is so poorly once a month."

"Don't you think it's a bit…. scary?" Peter swallowed.

"It's Remus" scoffed James "He is as gentle as. It doesn't change who he is."

"And someone else knows," said Sirius solemnly.

"Yeah but who?"

"Someone who wanted us to know."

"Wait how do we know that someone knows?" asked Peter.

"Well the calendar for a start."

"And someone always leaves a chocolate frog for him."

"You don't think that could be Pomfrey?"

"Why would she leave a frog for a student?"

"Fair point. I guess the question is what are we going to do about it?"

Lily ran to edge of the forest her dirty robes whipping about her legs, she quickly scaled the branches of her tree, wishing herself invisible. Her stomach rumbled and her throat was dry reminding her it had been too long since she had eaten anything. Water she needed water, a vision entered her mind and she saw a path leading past a series of caves down to the water's edge. She climbed down and headed up the western path into the woods.

As she approached the caves she called in vain to the wolves. The lack of response drove her on and she continued to the stream. Lying down on the bank she washed her face and hands before scooping up the cool water to drink. Looking up she saw the path continue on the other side, taking her stockings off, she tucked them into her bag and began to ford the stream. Slipping and sliding on the stone stream bed she waded across in a matter of minutes. The grass on the opposing bank was deep and cool at the sides of the path, so she followed it further into the forest.

Up a slope and down the other side, her way was blocked. A wall of green ivy prevented her travelling any further that way. She leaned against the wall and let her weariness take her.

The light cutting through the leaves was golden by the time she awoke. Leaning against the wall she pushed herself upright.

Clink.

The distinct sound of metal on metal disturbed the silence. Lily turned back to the wall, running her hand across the ivy.

Clink.

It sounded again. She tried to pull the leafy curtain aside, it merely swung as if blown by a breeze.

Clink

She pulled the curtain towards her and felt it give, bending down she pulled again and crept under the edge. It was dark under the curtain. She reached out her hands and felt the wall in front of her expecting to find stone, instead she found wood. She ran her hands across it. There was a door! The clinking had been a round metal loop that had clearly been used as a door handle. She pulled on the door to no avail. She could feel ridges engraved into the surface of the door and wished the light were a little better. Crawling out from under the leaves she made her way back to the stream and drank again, it helped to ease her hunger pains. With no better options she returned to dubious shelter of the wall and settled underneath the curtain of leaves for the night.

In the castle three boys waited the return of the fourth. Remus having failed in his search for Lily pushed the door to the dormitory open. James, Sirius and Peter were all sitting on their beds expectantly facing the door, somber expressions on their faces.

"Remus, we've been waiting for you. We have decided to call a meeting of the Marauders."

"Ok," Remus swallowed, fearing they had discovered his secret, and he was about to be thrown out. Maybe Lily knew somewhere he could sleep!

"The issue we would like to address," James was all business. "Is item Number five on the Marauders Manifesto."

"Ok," Remus went pale.

"We have reason to believe that one Marauder may not be telling us the truth! We would like to give him this one chance to come clean however there will be consequences."

"It's ok guys," Remus whispered looking at the floor "I'll just leave" and he made his way towards his bed as the others exchanged worried glances, this was not the response they were expecting.

"Remus, we know!" Peter spoke up.

"It's ok, I'll go," he bent over and opened his trunk, preparing to pack.

"Remus we don't care," added James and Remus froze.

"What?" he looked like he might faint from the shock.

"Well we know you are a werewolf and we don't care, you aren't going anywhere but there will be consequences for not telling us the truth," Sirius put in cheerfully "You shall have to go swimming in the black lake, without any clothes on."

Remus stood for a long time staring at the three boys.

"You…you don't care?"

"No why should we, we know you Remus."

"But I'm a monster, brutal! Horrendous! Violent!"

"Well once a month that may be true, but you aren't near us then so…." James shrugged nonchalantly.

"You mean it?" Remus smiled then. "You really, really mean it!"

"We do," James nodded in agreement.

"Well I guess we had better get the cloak then," he laughed

"Why?" asked Peter

"So I can go swimming of course."

As they were about to leave Sirius made a decision.

"Wait," he called out stopping James who had his hand on the door knob. "I have something I need to say too. You had better sit down."

The others did as they were asked. Sirius pulled a pile of letters out of his trunk.

"Um," he hesitated "It's about my family."

Silence.

"My Dad has certain feelings about the wizarding world."

"I think I know where this is going," James said sternly.

"Yeah, he thinks that Purebloods should rule and Muggleborns and Muggles should be put in their rightful place. Which is preferable no-where near him or the wizarding world."

"Like they shouldn't be here at Hogwarts?"

"Yeah and even more than that. He thinks that Muggleborns are a travesty against nature and should be destroyed. There is a new Dark wizard who is styling himself after Grindelwald and Dad thinks he has the right idea."

"Ok so your Dad's a bit… old fashioned. That's not really a secret though, I mean my parents already know that." James tried to make the connection.

"Maybe these will help. Just don't get mad." Sirius winced.

James, Remus and Peter read through the letters.

"He wants me to try and convince you…"

"I guess the real question is what do you believe Sirius? You have never said."

"I don't know. It's hard to go against my parents. I..I never actually tried to change your mind, but if I don't give Dad something he is going to stop me coming round in the holidays and I will be punished."

"Punished?"

"Beaten, locked in a cupboard, denied food," Sirius stated blandly.

"Ruddy hell!"

"Sirius, you still haven't said what you believe."

"I guess they are just the same, I mean Evans annoys me but so does Snivellus and he is pureblood isn't he. Mary's ok and she's Muggleborn. I don't think you can really tell until you ask. So I guess why should they be treated any differently?"

"You're right mate, they shouldn't. Now we just have to figure out how to keep it from your folks! Oh and you had best get ready for a swim."

"What?"

"Fair's fair. Remus has to then so do you," laughed Peter.

The made their way down to the Black Lake underneath the cover of the cloak and in the darkness, two boys stripped and ran into the cold waters. Remus and Sirius emerged shivering on to the shore and were handed towels and clothes.

"You wouldn't think it would be that cold in summer!" Sirius shivered.

"Apparently it is," laughed James. "Come on, we need to figure out how we are going to get you out of your house for the summer."

Lily woke up and massaged her neck, at some time during the night she had rolled onto a rock which had left behind an divot and red mark on her skin. Seeing that the light was a little better she stood to examine the door. The grooves she had felt the afternoon before now where visible as writing engraved into the wood.

Be ye brave and bold and kind,

The key to this door ye may find.

Locked is the way to those insincere

Only those with courage may venture here.

In this garden treasures hide

Through the depths of time they will abide.

In your mind the key is hid.

Come only those who are bid.

Fire and gold will guard this door

To the secret garden of Gryffindor.

Lily read the passage again and again. Fire and gold guard the door, the key is hidden in the mind. Sounds like a Ravenclaw puzzle rather than Gryffindor! Fire and Gold, the Gryffindor crest.

Lily concentrated, flicked her wand and projected a picture of the Gryffindor crest onto the door,

Clunk.

She grabbed the handle and pulled, the door moved and the hinges squealed as the rust broke from them in brown flakes. She ducked around the opening and into the garden. The path continued through the door and lead to the center of the garden where stood the statue of a lion in the middle of a paved circle. Around the walls the plants had grown wild, crawling and climbing over each other in their attempt to reach the sun. A fountain clogged with ivy stood to the left side of the door. Lily started to free it from its confines and was surprised when water sprang from it once it was clear, washing away the years of debris.

Her stomach growled as she washed her hands and drank from the fountain. She had left the castle now there was no turning back, surely there was some plant here that could provide sustenance at least until the end of term and then she would sneak onto the train. Once it arrived in London she would never enter the wizarding world again!

'Pup!'

She turned to the door, to see the leader of the wolf pack sticking his head through the door way.

I'm here.

'Why have you entered the garden, we do not come here' his voice was stern in her mind 'Go back to the castle.'

I can't. In her mind she showed him all that had been done to her, and he felt her sorrow.

'Come, run with the pack.'

She followed him out of the garden making sure to close the door behind her. She had to jog to keep up with him as he trotted through the forest to rejoin the pack. By the time they came into view she was tired and stumbled over the roots and detritus that lay on the forest floor. The pups were no longer the little balls of fluff they had been when she had last seen them.

'Who are you?' a voice chirped in Lily's mind.

'She is pack.' answered the dominant female.

'She hasn't enough legs!' came the voice of the girl pup.

'No she is human,' agreed the leader.

'Can she run fast.' The junior female came close to Lily examining her intensely.

No, I can't run fast.

'Can you hunt.' the boy pup challenged.

No I don't hunt, I gather instead. I bought you food once to the other den.

'That meat tasted funny!'

Yes it was cooked.

'What is cooked?' the pup tipped his head on the side, ears upright.

Cooked is when meat has been made hot.

'Like the light in the sky?'

Sort of.

Lily struggled to convey the foreign concept to the adolescents and showed them a picture of a small fire.

'Can we have fire when the white water falls from the sky.'

Maybe I can come and show you next time the white water falls. Time for sleep now while the moon is in the sky.

Lily curled up in a ball with and the pups came and lay next to her as she fell into a deep sleep. The sun was just broaching the sky the next morning when the Alpha male spoke to her.

'We must hunt. Human pup, stay here and rest.' Lily was left all alone and lay down again in the cave soon drifting back to sleep.

Clop, clop, clop

Lily woke suddenly.

Clop, clop, clop.

She peered out of the cave to see the Centaur herd gathering on the mound.

"What is this?" Lily was grabbed roughly by the arm.

"I'm Lily, I'm from the school."

"This is our forest! You have no cause to be here. Leave." She was roughly shoved to the back of the herd.

"Lily Evans, you need to go quickly before they anger." A blonde centaur spoke to her and gently led her into the trees.

"But Firenze, I have nowhere else to go? I have left the school. I was staying with the wolves."

He looked at her sadly "Lily Evans return to the castle. The forest is not safe for you. I must return to the herd."

"Goodbye Firenze," she called softly as she walked into the forest.

A/N- I have posted the first chapter of another story 'Harry Potter and the Three Fates'. I am looking for feedback to see if it is worth proceeding further with it, so if you like a Time Travel story, please have a read and let me know. Thanks muchly