My god, nearly forty chapters in. Where has the time gone?!
Glad to have you back, people and I hope you're glad to be here.
Hopefully this chapter is to your liking, folks ;)
If Someone Cared Enough
Chapter Thirty-Nine: Ponderings
The morning after Severus's enlightening conversation with Myrtle, he waited outside the Great Hall for Lily and the others. Feigning interest in perusing his Ancient Runes notes, he stood off to the side of the doors as students sleepily milled past him on their way to breakfast. In his hand, he clutched several small pieces of parchment, each bearing the same hastily scribbled message:
'Helena stole the diadem. Meet after breakfast'
Initially Severus had wanted to run straight off to Lily and tell her his findings the day before, but when he had left Myrtle's abode, dinner was beginning and most would be heading to bed, study groups, or detention, making it very difficult for him to nab all his friends at once. Even if he managed to get Lily alone, he would only have to repeat what he told her to the others later on and he would rather only have to hash out this complicated puzzle once.
He should have told Simone last night, but their conversation had derailed his train of thought.
Spying Thea and Simone approaching the Great Hall, Severus gave them a curt nod as they passed, slipping the piece of paper into Simone's hand smoothly. A girl of poise and discretion, Simone gave no indication the paper was even there, walking into the large room and guiding Thea to their usual seat.
About five minutes into breakfast, Lily could be seen walking towards the Great Hall alongside Mary and her other dorm mates, Nesme and Davis not far behind, the latter engrossed in some argument that seemed to amuse Nesme to no end and drive Davis up a wall in exasperation.
Lily and Mary broke away from their group when they spotted Severus, the two girls oblivious of their other friends glares of disapproval. Severus paid half his attention to Lily's greeting and the other half to watching her two friends—a thin, willowy girl with boney, jutting hips and a curvier dark haired girl who intentionally walked with her large chest pushed forward—eyed him with distrust and disgust as they waited impatiently for their friends. A third girl, a vaguely familiar dark haired upperclassman with an athletic physique, was much friendlier to Severus as she walked by, grinning broadly at him over Lily head and waggling her eyebrows as she looked between him and the redhead.
"Take it," Severus muttered to Lily, discreetly passing her the slip of parchment, "I'll talk to you later."
Lily took the paper without question, playing it off as her getting close to look at Severus's Ancient Runes notes, "I take it you had an interesting evening?"
"One could say that," Severus replied.
As Severus handed Davis the final note, Potter and his gang came stampeding down the stairs towards the Great Hall, laughing uproariously and tripping over one another in the haste to get downstairs the fastest. Only Remus managed to avoid the tumbling stampede, trailing behind them with his nose in a book.
The boys came to a halt a few feet from the doors, straightening themselves and smoothing out their clothes. They'd received detention from McGonagall one too many times before for entering the dining hall like a 'pack of wild animals'—Sirius always looked so besides himself with laughter at that comment it was a surprise he hadn't peed himself whenever he heard her say it.
"MacDonald," James greetly politely, "Evans." He nodded to each of them as he walked by, barely turning in their direction. He paused when he saw Severus.
"Snape," he said civilly. Besides him. Black looked like he had swallowed something foul, showing remarkable restraint not to sneer at Severus.
"Potter," Severus returned.
James turned his back on Severus then, giving him no further attention. Severus noted Remus nodding approvingly from behind his friends.
When James saw Lily's other two friends waiting, he grinned widely at them, ruffling his hair.
"Jessica," James greeted charming, "Meldonna. How are you two this lovely morning?" Though he spoke to both girls, his eyes stayed on Jess.
Jess flustered, surprised by the attention, "F-fine, thank you…"
"Wonderful!" James said happily, "Would you like to join Siri and me for breakfast?"
Jess flushed red right up to the roots of her hair, "Really?" she squeaked, blushing. She shared a look with Mel, "We'd love to!"
"Great!" James said, throwing an arm over Jess and leading the dreamy-eyed girl into the Hall.
"That was…odd," Lily said after the group had left, "It wasn't just me, right? That was definitely odd."
"You're telling me," Mary muttered, staring after the Marauders, "James barely gave you the time of day."
"Do you think that means he's finally taking the hint?" Lily asked curiously, "I mean, I've always hoped he would—making a fool of himself to get my attention is embarrassing—but I honestly thought he was too stubborn to ever give up. Talk about miracles." She looked unsure of how she should react; something that put a nervous squirming in Severus stomach.
'Please don't tell me you're actually going to miss his flirting,' he pleaded mentally.
Severus knew Potter had to be up to something; what they had just witnessed was surely all an act for Lily's benefit. Potter wouldn't set his sights on someone else in a million years. The very idea was absurd in Severus's mind as no girl in the school compared to Lily. As much as he hated being rivals with Potter, Severus understood why the toerag vied for Lily's attention.
No, Potter wasn't over Lily. The scene they all saw had to be part of some ploy of Potter's.
Severus broke away from his friends and headed to his house's table, all the while keeping his eye on Potter. He may have to prod Lupin for some answers on this latest development.
Severus had barely poured himself a glass of juice when he felt a presence behind him. Turning around expecting one of his more hostile and violently inclined dorm mates, he instead found Simone standing there, looming over him like a vulture.
"The hell am I waiting through breakfast to hear what this is about," Simone said matter of factly, waving the parchment piece in front of her, "We're discussing this now."
Pulling Severus up from his seat, she looked out over the four tables, eyes finding each of her friends' gazes in turn. Jerking her head stiffly towards the door, she led Severus and Thea outside of the hall.
Lily and Mary wisely waited until Nesme and Davis had followed to make a show of discussing a homework assignment, Mary loudly proclaiming she must have left hers in her dorm and asking Lily to help her find it.
When everyone was outside the Great Hall, Simone set off towards the stairs, "Step lively everyone," she called behind her.
"Where are we going?" Davis inquired as they all chased after the dark skinned girl.
"Your dorm, Davis," Simone replied, "It will be mostly empty by now and whoever's still there has the decency to mind their business."
Davis offered no argument seeing as there was very little one could do to dissuade Simone of something once her mind was made up.
Ushering everyone into the Ravenclaw common room, Simone laid claim to a corner of the room off to the side of the fireplace.
"Sit," she ordered, pointing to the space around a coffee table.
Everyone sat down on the floor circling the table, forming a tight knit crowd to avoid being overheard.
Simone fixed Severus with a commanding stare, "Now spill; who's Helena and what does she have to do with the diadem."
"Helena Ravenclaw," Severus pulled out a notebook he had jotted some information down on the night before, "Ravenclaw's daughter. She ran away around the time the diadem went missing. If you look it up, the time of her disappearance and the diadem vanishing coincide with one another."
"No one ever knew what happened to her," Simone noted, looking over Severus's notes, "What makes you so sure she took it?"
"Myrtle told me," Severus said.
"That bathroom ghost you told us about?" Mary questioned.
Severus nodded, "She has sources, presumably other ghosts in this castle who must have known Ravenclaw or knew of her."
"That's what you were doing last night?" Simone asked, "Why didn't you tell me then?"
"You distracted me," Severus defended, "Anyway, Myrtle informed me of something else most are unaware of."
Simone cocked a brow, "And that is?"
"Apparently the reason no one ever found Helena was because she was murdered shortly before her mother passed away. In Albania."
Everyone was silent at that, staring dumbfoundly at each other.
"You're sure of this?" Lily asked.
Severus shrugged, "Myrtle isn't one to lie; in fact I dare say she'll share any secret if she is desperate enough for attention. I plan to make more visit to her in order to extract just which ghosts she got this information from.""
"Well she's at least telling the truth about when Helena died," Davis stated.
Everyone turned to him in puzzlement.
"How can you be sure?" Thea asked.
"Because there is one place it is documented," Davis stood up and walked across the room. On the other side of the sitting area was a large magnificent portrait of Rowena herself in full regalia, complete with diadem.
When Davis reached the portrait he place his hand on the ornate frame and turned to the others, "Not many students know about this; only a handful of Ravenclaws even know. Xenophilius showed it to me."
Pushing the frame slightly to the side, Davis reached behind the portrait and pulled out a rolled up piece of cloth.
"There was a magical fire in the common room centuries ago," Davis explained, "It destroyed many of Rowena's remaining historical possessions. One of those items was the tapestry containing Rowena's family tree. Only this part was saved."
Unfolding the cloth, Davis revealed a ragged and burned depiction of a segment of tree branches woven from thread embroidery. There were only a handful of names and dates on the branches, each residing under a face enchanted to smile and frown at the viewer.
"Rowena and Helena have the same year for their death date," Davis explained, pointing to the farthest most names on the branches, "With them, the Ravenclaw line ended; no heirs, no descendants. All family tapestries like these are enchanted at their creation to record all additions to a family line and all the names and dates. This is the closest thing we have to a death record for Helena." Davis looked at Severus, "When I read your note at breakfast, I knew I have heard that name before; this is where I first saw it."
"Rowena probably died without seeing the change appear on the tapestry," Severus muttered, "She died having no idea what happened to her daughter."
"This tapestry was originally hidden by a riddle here in the common room, like many of the possessions left here in honor of Rowena's legacy," Davis stated, "So chances are, very few who knew Rowena personally knew where to find the tapestry, so Helena's demise remained unknown to most of the world."
"How did a fire happen in the common room?" Mary asked curiously, "Surely Rowena would have had the foresight to protect her possessions with magic."
"It's said it was fiendfyre," Davis said ominously, "A student set it off. From what the rumors say, the girl claimed she was asked to do it, but refused to divulge who ask her."
"Probably should have fessed up," Simone said, "She was most likely expelled for it."
"Is anyone seeing the connection here?" Nesme asked suddenly.
The others looked at her, baffled.
Nesme rolled her eyes and sighed, very put upon, "The only record of Rowena's missing daughter's death was nearly burned to a crisp. In a fire in this very common room. It was a fire someone asked be created. Someone was trying to get rid of it."
"But who would want to do that?" Lily asked.
"Someone who knew Helena had the diadem," Severus said suddenly, his eyes wide in understanding.
Severus began making a flurry of points on his notebook, each labeling key information they had gathered.
"Helena and the diadem vanished at the same time," he began, "This was never mentioned in a single history book so Rowena most likely took this secret to the grave. No one knew when or where Helena died other than her murderer, but that tapestry kept the record…Someone wanted it destroyed, but rather than do it themselves they asked a student to do it. This most likely is because whoever wanted the fire cast couldn't cast it themselves…If the only people who knew about the diadem were people already dead by the time Myrtle came along, chances are it wasn't a living source Myrtle went to."
"You already said Myrtle's source was most likely a ghost," Simone pointed out, "What makes it useful information now?"
"I'm saying the only ghost who could have known about Helena, and the diadem, and the tapestry was directly connected to all of it. It was probably her killer. And for Myrtle to have spoken to them, they're most likely a ghost here at Hogwarts."
"Good thing ghosts can't harm people," Nesme said in relief, "Otherwise it might be a tad bit of a probably to be roaming the halls with a killer on the loose."
"Do you think the killer is the one who stashed the diadem in the Come and Go room?" Lily asked Severus.
It was Simone who answered, "Unlikely. I found the diadem on top of a more recent make of dresser, probably in the last century or so. Whoever killed Helena did it in the…when was it, Davis?"
"The 1100's" Davis answered, looking over the charred tapestry piece.
"If the diadem had been hidden here in Hogwarts during that century, it would have been buried by more recent items by now; I doubt I ever would have stumbled across it," Simone stated.
"Okay, so we still don't know who hid the diadem," Severus sighed, making note of that on paper, "But we do know that there is a ghost from Helena's era here in the school who has information on at least her death."
"Why would the ghost of her killer come back to haunt Hogwarts," Mary pondered aloud, "You said Myrtle heard Helena was murdered in Albania. What tie did the killer have to Hogwarts?"
"I guess we'll just have to ask them when we find them," Davis said, "The question is, which ghost do we ask?"
"Nick's out," Severus declared, "I believe he said he was executed in the 15th century."
"Lord Draben too," Thea added.
"The Fat Friar was alive during the 1100s," Nesme pointed out, "Though…he doesn't exactly strike me as the kind to be a murderer, but maybe looks can be deceiving."
"Somehow I doubt it's him," Simone said.
"The Bloody Baron was from the 11th Century," Severus began.
Everyone looked at each other.
"You don't think that blood is…?" Mary started.
Lily worried her lip, "Severus?"
"No one ever has been brave enough to ask why he's covered in it," Severus reasoned.
"Ghost appear the way they died," Simone mused, "He's got a stab wound by the looks of it, but some of that blood on his hands and chest are too high up to have come from the wound, it would probably be someone else's blood."
Nesme gasped, "Helena's!"
"He gets covered in her blood…then his own…" Davis murmured.
"Meaning the Baron was murdered with her or he took his own life after taking hers," Severus finished.
"This is making a lot of sense," Simone said, rubbing her head, "But how the hell can we confirm it? It's not like we can go up to the guy and ask, 'Hey Baron, commit any heinous acts in your life time? Maybe right before said life ended.' I doubt that would go over well."
"Well we have to ask him somehow," Severus insisted, "This is important."
"If he's the ghost Myrtle's been getting her information from, why not have her ask him," Simone shot back.
Severus considered it, "That could potentially work. I can ask her tonight."
"What happens tonight?" Lily asked.
"Myrtle is going to keep a look out while I search the restricted section," Severus explained, "When Helena died, the diadem was presumably with her in Albania. Maybe there is some regional dark magic from that area I can look up that relates to the weird qualities we noticed on the diadem."
"I'm going with you," Lily said suddenly.
Severus turned to look at Lily, "…No, you're not."
"Yes, I am," Lily said insistently.
"No," Severus repeated more firmly, "You're not."
"I'm going."
"Lily be reasonable," Severus said hotly, "The more people involved, the greater chances of being caught. There's no point in us both risking detention."
"The more people the faster you can search through the books before Filch makes his rounds through the library," Lily pointed out stubbornly, "I can help you look. Two sets of eyes are better than one."
"Lily, I said no."
Lily scowled, "You act like you get a choice in this."
Severus groaned, throwing his hands up, "Fine, then maybe I'll just move this plan to another night and not tell you."
"Fine! Then maybe I'll sneak out every night to catch you and increase my chances of getting a detention. Sort of defeats your intent to keep me out of trouble, doesn't it," Lily shot back.
Severus growled, "Why are you so stubborn?!"
"Why do you think you can tell me what to do?" Lily challenged.
"Just let her have her way, Snape," Simone sighed, "it's not like you're going to win this round."
"Is no one on my side here?" Severus asked with exasperation.
"Nope," said Simone.
Mary shook her head, smiling.
Thea looked down at her hands.
"Nuh-uh," said Davis disinterestedly.
"Lily sort of scares me when she's mad," Nesme admitted, "Plus I like how red your face gets when things don't go your way."
"Then it's settled," Lily said, clapping her hands, "I'll meet you tonight after curfew."
Severus looked at their gathered group dourly, taking in their grins of amusement.
"Just…fuck of all you," he spat with a huff.
(page break)
Severus honestly considered not showing up that night purely out of spite. However, he knew Lily would make good on her promise of sneaking out no matter what and he felt he could keep the foolhardy Gryffindor out of trouble better than she could herself. This was why he begrudgingly met her outside the dozing portrait of the fat lady.
Lily's smile was so wide it made Severus's cheeks hurt to look at.
"After you," Lily happily with an exaggerated wave of her hand.
Grumbling Severus led the way to his meet up point with Myrtle.
Myrtle was not happy to see their female tagalong.
"I thought it was going to be just us," she told Severus with an offended sniff when they reached her.
Severus shrugged helplessly, "She insisted on giving me a hand. At least I'll be able to look through the books faster this way."
Myrtle looked less than pleased, but for once opted not to complain.
"Filch doesn't make his rounds in the library until midnight," the ghost explained sulkily as she led the way to the library, "That gives you around a two hour window to find what you're looking for and leave. I'll keep an out for if he comes up early, so be sure you're listening for me," she looked at the pair dubiously, "That is, if you're not too preoccupied with each other."
"She's only here to help," Severus said a little more forcefully than necessary, a slight blush rising to his face.
Myrtle sniffed, "So you say."
"Say Myrtle," Lily began, ready to get down to business, "The Bloody Baron wouldn't happen to know anything about Helena and the diadem, would she?"
Myrtle whirled around, her translucent robes whipping up, "You told her what we talked about?" she hissed at Severus.
"Like I said, she's here to help me find the right information," Severus said in defense, "I wasn't aware it was a secret. So…does the Baron know?"
Myrtle turned her back on them, her arms crossed, "It's hardly your business."
"That's a yes," Severus said knowingly, "I suppose we should ask him what he knows."
"Don't!" Myrtle cried, turning to them in horror, "He wouldn't like it if you pry."
"But Myrtle we need to know," Lily argued.
"Hasn't he been through enough?!" Myrtle asked shrilly, "He's suffered for centuries over what happened, can't you all leave him alone."
It was clear Myrtle had a soft spot for the dramatic and grim. Of course she would sympathize with a soul as tortured as the Baron appeared to be as he dragged his chains along throughout Hogwarts.
"It sounds like you sympathize with him, Myrtle," Severus pointed out, "He murdered Helena."
Myrtle looked away, a wistful, sad expression on her face.
"He never meant to…"she said softly, "it was an accident…and that's all I'll say on the matter!"
"Myrtle we need to speak with him," Severus insisted, "Don't you think it's possible he can't find peace in death because he's kept this a secret for so long and denied the living the chance to give Helena justice post mortem?"
"He killed himself, isn't that justice enough?" Myrtle asked woefully.
"Please, Myrtle?" Lily begged.
Myrtle regarded them both with thinly veined suspicion. Seeing nothing but sincerity etched across their faces, she relented.
"You won't get anything from me," she started, "It isn't my story to tell…I'm regretting telling you anything," she added, looking reproachfully at Severus, "But the Baron himself might be willing to talk—if you ask nicely. But he's sensitive about it so…be kind, alright?"
"Will do," Severus agreed.
Myrtle came to a stop outside the restricted section.
"Two hours," she warned, "I can keep him distracted, but he'll eventually catch on that something's up. So work fast." She floated away out of sight.
It may have been the enveloping darkness or the effect of the sparse moonlight steaming through the windows but the restricted section looked far vaster than in daylight hours. Endless rows of bookcases stretched out before Severus and Lily, burdensomely full with old, dusty tomes, many of which had seen better days. The old wooden shelves groaned from the weight of the impressive literary collection and the dust motes hung in the air as if suspended, illuminated only by the light of the waning moon.
Severus cast a quick Lumos and the tip of his wand began to glow, "This could take a while."
"All the better reason to get right to it," Lily stated, walking up to one of the shelves and skimming the titles, "Careful picking a book, some of these things make noises or bite if I recall."
"Don't need to tell me twice," Severus muttered, looking sourly down at a faded scar on his hand. He'd never know why someone wrote a book about magical creature attacks that actually bit back.
For the next hour, Severus and Lily worked in silence, scouring the pages of book upon book for any hint of useful information. It was slow going, and the dust made their noses red and their eyes itchy, but they were nothing if not determined to make the most of this excursion.
"Try looking up warding," Lily advised, "That may be what is making the diadem so dangerous. I've heard Black talk once or twice about his folks and it sounds like dark families know some nasty warding spells that borderline on dark with how severe the consequences are for crossing them uninvited."
"He falls directly from the most gnarled and rotting tree and yet I'm the bad apple," Severus scowled, leafing through a book on outlawed spell crafting, "The hypocrisy is stifling."
Ignoring Lily's snickering, Severus closed the book and set it aside for later; spell crafting was still an interest of his. Looking back to the shelves, he selected a different book at random. Scanning the index, Severus flipped to a section on wards that looked promising.
"It says here that some wards can be triggered slowly by intention and made to apply the principal of threefold," Severus observed, "if someone wishes to do harm, harm is done to them three times worse."
"I imagine then that the punishment can get pretty brutal if the trespasser is planning on maim or murder," Lily pointed out.
Severus nodded, "Yes, which is why it says that particular warding was made illegal in the early 1900s, but it isn't quite what we're dealing with when it comes to the diadem."
"Any luck on the regional stuff yet?" Lily asked, looking at a book on 18th century curses, "You said there was a chance the magic used is rural to Albania."
Severus shook his head, "Nothing yet. These books seems to be focusing on the level of harm the spells cause rather than where they originated from."
"Maybe we'd be better off looking for charms that are morally questionable," Lily suggested.
"Or just plain evil," Severus replied, running his fingers along the spines of the books on the shelves. Just as he was about to move to a new shelf, a peculiar title caught his attention.
'Arts of the Mind,' he read to himself.
Curious, Severus cast a careful glance over his shoulder at Lily before pulling the book off the shelf.
The cover was plain and simple, bearing only the title in loopy calligraphy indented into the hard cover. Judging by how stiff the pages were, the book hadn't seen much use over the years, probably because it was on a subject rarely discussed in curriculum and therefore not useful for most research assignments.
Quietly, Severus scanned the introduction, 'Occlumency…'
Having never discovered such a subject in all his years perusing his mother's school books and the ones he snuck from his pureblooded classmates, Severus found the idea of mentally guarding the mind from invasion to be rather intriguing and dare he say it, appealing. As a very private person, he was often wary of what others may learn and use against him, keeping only a select few people close and divulging very little about himself.
Yet, even with all his paranoia, it never occurred to him that there were means to peer into someone's head and take the information they never spoken aloud.
Legilimency sounded like a rather undesirable talented; Severus valued his secrets and privacy greatly and saw the skill as a violation that would hypocritically compromise his own principals. If he indulged in such an ability, he would be no better than those who would use it against himself.
Dumbledore's inquisitive, blue-eyed stare came to mind; now that was someone who probably pried into people's minds. Severus could think of only a few rare circumstances where it would be acceptable to invade someone's mind, namely for his own protection, but that was it.
Shielding his mind, on the other hand…
"Find anything yet?" Lily asked from a bookshelf away.
"What?" Severus said with a start, nearly dropping the book, "Just stuff more beneficial to myself than our problem with the diadem."
Lily looked at Severus suspiciously, "Nothing dark, I trust."
"Not really," Severus answered, "Just complicated and difficult to learn. It's about shielding your mind from outside prying," He glanced at her, "Why? Would it bother you if I still read about dark magic in my free time?"
Lily looked away, "Not really…"
"I thought you said you understood the importance of knowing about dark magic in order to protect yourself from it," Severus reminded her.
Lily shifted uneasily, "I know, and I did mean what I said. I just…don't want you to get wrapped up in anything dangerous. Not every dark spell is dark because it hurts other people; sometimes it does terrible things to the user too."
"I'm well aware of that," Severus said, "Rest assured; this book doesn't seem to be promising harm to anyone. Rather, it's protection." He glanced at the title again, "Really, I think the only reason it's even restricted material is Dumbledore doesn't want a bunch of students with minds that are impenetrable from him."
"You think he knows how to read minds?" Lily questioned in wonder.
"You ever notice how intensely he holds eye contact when he's talking to someone?" Severus asked, "There's definitely something going on there."
Lily frowned, "That just seems so…wrong. I mean would he really do something so invasive—"
"Ickle students out of bed?"
Both Severus and Lily whipped around. There floating above them was Peeves, a Cheshire grin on his face.
"Out for a wee little date?" Peeves teased, "A little snog?"
"Knock it off, Peeves," Lily demanded, "I'm a prefect. I'll report you to Dumbledore."
"Tell him I caught you in the restricted section?" Peeves challenged. He cackled, "Oh yes, that will go over well!"
"Go away, Peeves," Myrtle snapped, floating through the wall, "No one wants you around."
"Just like no one wants you?" Peeves asked, "Pimply, pudgy Myrtle, can't get anyone to sneak off for a snog with her."
Myrtle glared at him, her lip quivering.
"Ignore him, Myrtle," Severus warned.
"Sniveling, simpering, single Myrtle," Peeves sang, "Can't get a date in life or death!"
Tears welled in Myrtle's eyes, "You knock it off!"
"Myrtle, don't listen to him," Severus insisted, seeing where things were rapidly heading.
"Ever alone, ugly, pimple faced, hideous Myrtle!" Peeves cajoled, "Forever alone and no one cares!"
That was the straw that broke the hippogriff's back. Face twisting, Myrtle let out a heartbroken wail and zoomed off down the hall, look out post forgotten.
Peeves looked down at the pair evilly.
"Peeves," Severus warned warily, "Don't make me get the Baron…"
"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves screamed with delight, "STUDENTS OUT PAST CURFEW!"
"Grab what you can and run," Severus shouted at Lily, gathering up a few selected books.
The pair scrambled out of the library and took off like dementors themselves were after them. All the while Peeves kept screaming away their position.
"THEY'RE GETTING AWAY!" he yelled, "SOMEONE BETTER CATCH THEM!"
In the distance, Severus and Lily could hear the ever familiar wheezing pant and plaintive meow of Filch and his nosey cat.
"We're completely buggered," Severus cursed, as they rounded a corner and managed to evade Peeves momentarily, "Filch will be here any minute."
"Severus, what do we do?" Lily fretted.
Severus scanned the hallways desperately, "All the classrooms are locked at this hour. There's nowhere to hide."
"Severus look!" Lily pointed up ahead.
Before them, Amadeus sat staring at them from the base of a suit of armor. Getting lazily to his feet, the massive cat started off down the hall. He paused a few feet down the hall and look over his shoulder at them.
"Do you think he wants us to follow him?" Lily asked.
"I'll try anything at this point," Severus replied, grabbing hold of Lily's arm and racing after the cat.
Coming to another hallway, the pair stopped to find Amadeus sitting once again, this time in front of a tapestry of a griffin fighting a unicorn.
"Why'd he lead us here?" Severus asked in frustration, "We're sitting ducks if we don't find a hiding place."
The sound of Filch's wheezing grew closer.
"Sev, he's coming!" Lily cried.
Cornered, the pair back into the wall worriedly, Severus wrapping an arm around Lily and waiting the inevitable.
As their backs touched the tapestry however, solid stone did not greet them beneath it. Their heels hit the wall and with twin cries of surprise, the pair fell backwards into a hole, the tapestry falling back into place.
Both barely had time to gather their wits when Filch's raspy voice filled the hall.
"Where are they, my sweet?" he asked his cat, "Where could they be?"
Tangled up in their hiding place, Severus held a finger to his lips.
Filch's steps paused right on the other side of the tapestry, "Just where did they go, my dear?"
Severus and Lily looked at each other in concern, their faces inches apart.
Amadeus's deep, low meow came rumbling from somewhere on the floor. Filch's cat answered back.
"Made a friend, have we?" Filch asked, "Well maybe he knows where the students are."
Filch's footsteps moved away and grew distance, presumably following the cat.
Lily and Severus breathed a sigh of relief.
"That was close," Lily breathed.
"Indeed," Severus agreed.
The trouble behind them, the two took a moment to assess their situation. They were in an alcove of sorts, a foot or two off the ground and hidden by the tapestry. Having fallen in after Severus, Lily was on Severus's lap, her back to his chest and her head resting back on his shoulder.
As Severus had made a grab for Lily to steady her when they fell, his arm was wrapped tightly around her middle, pressing her close to him.
The pair stared at each other in awkward silence for a moment, a flush rising steadily to their cheeks.
"I…never knew there was a hiding place right here," Severus said awkwardly, his head propped up on Lily's shoulder. The weight of Lily's breasts pressed down on Severus's arm from above and he could feel his face getting hot. He shifted uneasily, counting to ten in his head.
Lily wiggled as his breath tickled her ear, her face heated, "Y-yeah. I never stopped to investigate this wall hanging before."
Severus hair hung over Lily's should and Lily caught a familiar scent of cinnamon and parchment ink. There was also the subtle hint of peppermint and sage.
Severus could smell Lily's perfume; a soft lilac and linen scent.
A few more seconds of silence ticked by.
"Perhaps we should move," Severus suggested, "Before Filch comes back."
"Right," Lily agreed rather quickly, "Of course." Easing herself off his lap, Lily carefully slid out of their hiding place, keep her feet light and gentle as they touched down on the floor.
Severus followed after her.
"Well," Severus began, neither of them making eye contact, "Tonight was certainly exciting."
"What?' Lily asked, "Oh, oh right. Yeah…this was an adventure to be sure."
They both stared at their feet, neither sure what to say in their embarrassment.
"So what books did you grab?" Severus asked after a moment.
Lily looked down at her bag.
"Just one or two," she said, pulling out two books, "One about warding, and the other one I hadn't a chance to look at yet. I just grabbed it before we ran."
The pair looked down at the cover.
Etched in deep red ink on the worn black cover were the words 'Magick Most Foul; a Collective History of the Dark Ages'.
"They were hunting witches in full swing then," Severus murmured, gazing at the title, "Wizards and Witches would have been getting pretty desperate to defend themselves from hunters."
"So this might actually be useful," Lily said with a smile. Her eyes met Severus's and she looked away embarrassedly, "That's…good."
Severus nodded jerkily, "Yes…good."
Lily looked at Severus out of the corner of her eye.
"I should probably get back to my dorm now," Lily said quietly, "Amadeus is probably going to keep Filch busy for a while."
Severus nodded again, "Right," he cleared his throat, "I guess this is good night then."
"Yes, good night," Lily made to head off towards her dorm.
"Lily?" Severus called after her.
Lily turned around, "Yes, Sev?"
Severus paused, searching for words, "…Thank you for your help tonight," he decided upon finally, "I'm really glad you came."
Lily allowed a small smile to grace her features, "Me too."
The two of them went off to bed, their minds a mess.
The plot thickens! Or is it the tension? Bum, bum, BUM!
Basically, the first half of this chapter is me trying to work out a logical reason so few knew the Grey Lady was Helena in canon. Obviously, most records of her appearance must have been lost or hidden over time and the ghost that haunt Hogwarts came about after her own death and must not have met her in life. However, it seems strange to me that there isn't some historical record of Helena or pictures of her when her mother was so famous so anything related to her would surely be sought after for historical purposes. This could mean someone might have purposely gotten rid of records of Helena.
Also, I'm beginning to think Amadeus should be renamed the deus ex machina cat.
So are things developing for our dear heroes? Could change be in the air? Tune in for future chapters to find out!
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