Hi hi!

Hope all you Americans enjoyed your Thanksgiving. I myself had a wonderful time. To all my non-American friends, hope your upcoming holidays are great!

Now, I won't waste your time here with idle chit chat. Here's the chapter!

If Someone Cared Enough

Chapter Eighty-Two: Questioning Slughorn

"So which of us should do this?" Lily asked her friends.

She currently stood outside Slughorn's office with Severus and Simone, feigning casual discussion to avoid looking too conspicuous loitering.

Simone tapped her chin contemplatively, "Well normally you're ol' Sluggie's favorites, so he'd be more receptive to you…on the other hand, Snape here lived with Wilkes so it would probably make more sense that he was close enough to 'overhear' any plotting by the guy."

"That doesn't mean he'd feel comfortable discussing anything with me," Severus pointed out, "Up until the end of last year, Slughorn was writing me off as little more than a future Death Eater myself. Surely any interest or curiosity I'd express in a dark subject would make him skeptical of my intentions."

"That's why you don't act curious," Simone said with a roll of her eyes, "You act scared."

"Pretty sure me being scared of anything would raise his alarm," Severus quipped, "I'm usually not a very emotive person. If I appear rattled, he'll probably run straight to Dumbledore."

"Well it can't be me," Simone insisted, "I'm a terrible actor. Blunt and honest; that's all I'm good at. He'd smell a fib from me in a heartbeat."

"Then it should be Lily," Severus stated.

Simone ran a hand over her face exasperatedly, "I told you, she's hardly interacted with Wilkes since the day she was sorted. How on earth would she have believably overheard him plotting?"

"I am a prefect," Lily piped up helpfully, "Maybe I could say I stumbled across him and Rosier meeting privately about it after curfew."

Simone shook her head, "You would have been required to report anything you found on your rounds. The fact that it isn't in your reports would lead to Slughorn finding out no event ever took place."

She turned to Severus, hands on her hips, "It really should be you."

"It's not going to be," Severus shot back.

Simone groaned, "Come on, Snape. Slughorn's off for the rest of the day. That usually means one thing: he's gotten a head start on drinking. He'll be nice and loose; the perfect time to strike."

"Then you do it," Severus said rudely.

"I can't!" Simone snapped, "We've wasted enough time already. Between exam prep and this whole song and dance you two are doing with Mary, we've been greatly strapped for time."

She looked imploringly at Severus, "May's nearly over and we're running out of time. The heir of Slytherin could strike any day now and we're not prepared at all. Please, Snape."

Severus sighed, "If there really is no other option, fine. But I'm telling you, he won't trust me. I've spent too long dabbling in Dark Magic for him to ever believe something I found could scare me about it."

"Then maybe you all need someone meek and timid enough to be believed?" came a soft suggestion to Severus's right.

The trio jumped, turning to find quiet, gentle Thea standing beside them.

"Geeze, Thea," Simone gasped out, a hand over her chest, "We really need to put a bell on you."

Thea smiled at them, a hint of smugness hidden in her features, "No offense, guys, but you all lack the timidity to pull this off. You really should have asked me to begin with."

"You're saying you can play your cards right with Slughorn?" Severus asked skeptically.

Thea grinned at him, "You forget, I'm not only a Slytherin, but I'm blessed with a unique little curse, remember?"

"Using blessing and curse together is a bit of a contradiction," Severus pointed out snidely, "You think you can use your Serendipity to your advantage?"

Thea shrugged, "I don't really have to use it, so much as say it took effect. It's a well-known secret of Slytherin that my family has borne the gift for centuries. Slughorn's well aware of it."

"So how about this," Thea proposed, "I go in there and tell Slughorn my Serendipity led to me crossing paths with Wilkes. Maybe he said some things, or I overheard them and they have me deeply concerned. I'm fragile, easily spooked. Chances are I could get information out of Slughorn with him thinking I'm just over reacting."

Simone grinned, fully aboard, "Clever idea, Thea. Think you can pull it off?"

"My dear, why else would the Sorting hat have put me in Slytherin for?" Thea asked sweetly, "You'll find I'm very convincing."

Taking a deep breath, Thea set her mouth in a deep frown, her lip trembling slightly. Seeming to cave in on herself, she maintained a posture that just screamed frail and weak, arms wrapped tightly around herself and feet pointed inward.

Appearing for all the world like a light breeze would bowl her over, she effortlessly slid her thin frame into Slughorn's office through the partially opened door.

"Professor Slughorn?" Thea said with a hesitant lilt, "C-can I…do you have a sec—that is to say…may I please have a moment of your time?"

"Miss Thea," Slughorn boomed in his usual jovial manner, coming round his desk to greet her. A mostly empty bottle of firewhiskey sat on the desk, "Lovely to see you. Yes, come in and sit down. I have time to chat."

"Thank you sir," Thea said meekly, sliding into the proffered chair in front of her with shaky steps, "I'm so glad you're available."

"I'm always available for my students," Slughorn assured merrily.

"O-of course," Thea said, looking nervously about the room, "of course…"

Slughorn's brow furrowed, the rotund educator taking in Thea's trembling form, "My dear, is something the matter?"

"It's nothing," Thea assured without conviction, pushing some hair behind her ear, "Well, that's not true…I mean, I wouldn't have come to you if it were nothing…some it has to be something…that is to say…oh dear…"

"She's good," Severus whispered to Lily and Simone from where they eavesdropped outside the door.

Simone and Lily nodded.

Back inside the office, Thea continued to ramble on.

"It's just that….you see I've heard some things and…oh, I'm not sure if I should say anything but…oh my," Thea stared at her hands in her lap.

Slughorn placed his hand on Thea's, his large meaty hand dwarfing her own, "Dear girl, whatever is the matter, you can tell me. I'm your head of house after all, I'm always there to help."

"Since when?" Severus scoffed to himself from outside.

Thea looked up at Slughorn with large, watery eyes, "It's just…I overheard something…something that I think I shouldn't have…"

"Do you mean you were eavesdropping?" Slughorn suggested kindly. He chuckled as if it were a joke.

Thea shook her head, sniffling, "Not exactly. I just…happened to be there."

Slughorn looked at Thea, understanding slowly making it's way through his tipsy mind, "Does this by any chance happened to do with your family's ability?"

Thea nodded, "I think so. I can't imagine how else I would have stumbled upon it without being caught…but I'm lucky I wasn't. Wilkes would be terribly cross if he knew I overheard."

Slughorn frowned, searching his foggy memory, "Wilkes? Why, he's been out of the school since the fire. How long have you been holding this secret in?"

"Months," Thea cried, adding a dramatic hiccup, "I was just so s-scared that I didn't want to think about it. Honestly, I don't know if I even believe it, but Wilkes, he's…he's clearly worse than I ever thought possible to have started that fire. What if he's actually capable of worse?!"

"Calm down," Slughorn soothed, patting Thea's hand, "Deep breaths now, before you work yourself up. Now, why don't you tell me what you heard that's got you so upset?"

Thea shifted uneasily in her seat, worrying her lip between her teeth.

"So I was in the common room after hours," Thea began, feigning a contrite confession, "I know I should have been in bed, but my dormmate—Alma Perrington—was snoring awful loud that night. Must have been a cold. I-I couldn't sleep so I went downstairs to do some light reading. It don't normally wandering around after hours, I swear."

"I believe you," Slughorn assured her, "Go on."

Thea looked down at her hands, twiddling her thumbs, "A-anyway, I was reading by the fireplace when Simone's cat—Amadeus—came running down the stairs, chasing my gecko Jerva. Normally I don't mind them playing, but Jerva had recently hurt her tail, so I didn't want them to make it worse."

Slughorn nodded, though chances are he hadn't a clue who either of those animals were in his inebriated state, "I should say not."

"So I chased after them," Thea explained, "it was no easy task, those two can fit under all the furniture and I can't, but I gave it my able best. Anyway, when I was following them, I must have trip on the rub, because next thing I knew I'm falling against the wall by the lakeside window. You know, just below that crooked wall sconce."

"The trick passage," Slughorn mused thoughtfully, "Nine out of ten times it doesn't open. I take it things were different for you given your gift?"

Thea nodded, "I fell into darkness almost immediately. Really, I was truly quite surprised. I mean, it hardly ever opens. I was going to get out straight away, but…I heard someone come in…"

"Mr. Wilkes, I presume?" Slughorn queried, looking all the world like an eager child being told a story.

"Yes," Thea said, working back up her earlier pretense of anxiety, "He was in an awful mood, pacing and grumbling. I thought it would be a very bad idea to just pop up right then, he'd think I was deliberately spying on him. Fat lot of good that did me; I end up spying on him anyway." Thea covered her face with her hands.

Slughorn was quick to comfort her, gently patting her shoulder as he tutted, "Now, now, my dear, you didn't mean to. You just happened to be there."

"But the things he said," Thea cried out, "He'd be so angry if he knew I heard him. He spoke of awful things."

"What did he say, dear?" Slughorn asked kindly.

Thea bit her lip, glancing around nervously as though Wilkes might appear any moment.

"Enchantments," she whispered cautiously, "Dark Enchantments."

"He'd been muttering to himself," Thea went on, launching into her story, "Trying to figure out the right way to do something. It was tough to make out, but I'm sure—no—I'm positive he was talking about doing something dark to some sort of…object."

Slughorn leaned forward, genuinely curious, "How so, my dear girl?"

"It's hard to recall everything," Thea admitted sheepishly, "But he was working on enchanting something to do…entice people, I think. Like, make them want it, but at a terrible price."

"Rather vague," Slughorn said with disappointment, clearly he was hoping for something more scandalous, "Sounds more like wishful thinking on Wilkes's part. He wasn't the best at spells to begin with."

"But I think there's more to it than that, Professor," Thea insisted, "He'd been talking about some book he found, information on dark spells from his father's library, I think. It sounded like he wanted to make something…alive."

Slughorn scratched his chin, "Alive? Do you mean he wished to bring an object to life?" Slughorn chuckled, "That's little more than a parlor trick for most wizards. You can spell a teacup to dance, or turn a sugar cube into a mayfly, but it's not a living thing."

Thea shook her head, "I don't think that's what he meant. Wilkes was talking about something much darker. It sounded like…like breathing life into an object."

Thea leaned in close, her voice low with well performed trepidation, "It sounded like he'd already done it…or found something that someone else had…he was saying it whispered to him, professor…"

That piqued Slughorn's interest, though there was no eagerness nor excitement in his expression now. Instead, an unreadable look came over his face, "…And you say this thing felt alive?"

Thea nodded solemnly, "That's what he kept saying. It was like holding a living thing to him, but some unfathomable heaviness hung from it…like a shroud."

Slughorn didn't say anything, merely looking off into the distance, brow deeply furrowed in thought.

"Professor?" Thea prompted, "Are you alright?"

Slughorn shook himself, nearly falling over. He forced a smile for Thea, "O-of course, dear girl. Just…just thinking to myself."

"Professor?" Thea started slowly, "Do you perhaps know the sort of enchantment Wilkes spoke of?"

"What?" Slughorn asked with a start, "Oh no….Goodness no. I'd say…why I'd say I've never heard of anything of the sort. Surely it must be some nonsense he picked up," Slughorn forced an awkward laugh, "Wilkes always was the more gullible of his classmates." He prattled back to his desk, fiddling with random items as he mumbled assurances to himself.

Thea frowned; Slughorn was hiding something. Admittedly, she'd expected some casual platitudes and reassurances. The plan had been to get Slughorn to give her a solution to her problem just to get her off his back, fully convinced that he'd given her a spell she'd never have to use as he thought her troubles were improbable. She didn't expect him to react this way.

Thea narrowed her eyes, time to go in for the kill, "I'm know I'm probably just overreacting here, Professor. But…after seeing what Wilkes was capable of with that fire, I just didn't think I could risk brushing this off as meaningless. And…it's no secret he wants to join You-Know-Who."

Slughorn stiffened at that.

"Some say…" Thea paused for dramatic effect, "Some say he's actually met You-Know-Who…"

Thea couldn't help but notice how rigidly still Slughorn had become. A part of Thea knew whatever answer Slughorn had would be something she wished she never knew. Still, she pushed on, "I'm sure you're right that Wilkes can't accomplish something like this, but it certainly sounded like he's at least seen one of those things. So if someone else made it…"

"I assure you, Miss Thea, that your concerns are unfounded," Slughorn cut in more sharply than he probably intended. His featured softened, giving Thea a kind smile, swaying slightly on his feet as he collected himself, "Wilkes was one for talk. Just talk. Whatever he may have thought he found, I assure you it wasn't what you've been led to believe."

"But Professor," Thea pushed, "He spoke as if there were more than one."

"More than…" Slughorn's face went unsettling slack, the color leaving his face, "He couldn't possibly have…"

"Professor?" Thea reached out and touched Slughorn's hand, "Professor Slughorn?"

"You're hiding something," Slughorn said softly, turning fearful eyes to Thea, "Aren't you? That's why you're asking me these things aren't you?"

Thea shook her head, taking a hesitant step back, "I don't know anything, professor. That's why I was asking yo—"

"But you do know something!" Slughorn cut in adamantly, "Wilkes was an incompetent fool. He could barely control Fiendfyre, there's no possible way he could accomplish something as powerful as—" He trailed off, realization dawning on his features, "That's why you're here. You didn't overhear Wilkes at all, did you. He's unskilled, reckless, there's no way he'd ever be trusted with one of those things. So where did you hear about it?"

"Professor," Thea said warily, hastily backing away from Slughorn; she's never seen him so unhinged.

"Please," Slughorn grabbed Thea by the shoulders, "Tell me what you know. I beg of you!"

"I don't know anything!" Thea exclaimed, "Professor how much have you had to drink?"

"He must be stopped!" Slughorn cried, shaking Thea, "It's all my fault; he cannot be allowed to make anymore."

"Please," Slughorn begged, "If you know anything about the Horcruxes, tell me."

"Horcrux?" Thea asked in alarm, trying to free herself, "I don't know what you're talking about. Let me go!"

Slughorn persisted, "How many are there? Where has he hidden them? Please my girl, I need to make things righ—"

"Stupefy!"

Slughorn's jaw went slack, his eyes rolling into his head. His hold on Thea loosening, he tipped backwards on his heels and collapsed in a heap on the floor, knocking his head on the desk as he went.

Simone stood in the doorway, a look of shock and confusion on her face wand still in the air.

"Are you mad?!' Severus shouted as he and Lily rushed forward to check on their professor.

"He was hurting her," Simone defended, pulling Thea to her side. She tugged up the sleeve of Thea's robes, "He held her so hard he left bruises."

"I'm fine, Sim," Thea assured shakily, "I'm fine. I just…whatever got into him?"

"He's out cold," Lily confirmed, a hand carefully on the back of Slughorn's head, "Got a back bump coming in back here; must have knocked his head pretty hard."

"He might be concussed," Severus said angrily, glaring at Simone.

Simone glared right back, tugging Thea closer to her, "Well…that's what he gets for manhandling a student. I don't care if he was drunk."

"He said something…" Thea said softly, tucked into Simone's side, "A word…Horcrux."

Severus frowned, "What do you think it means?"

"I've seen that word before," Thea admitted, "In one of my mother's spell books, though I can't recall what it means."

Simone scowled, "You're mother's books were all Dark; I can only imagine what that would entail."

"Guys we're in serious trouble here," Lily said worriedly, "We can't let anyone find us with him. Help me get him up, Sev."

"What are we going to do with him?" Severus asked, huffing as he struggled to drag Slughorn to his feet.

"Put him at his desk," Lily instructed, pulling at Slughorn's limp arms, "He's drunk; maybe he'll have no memory of this conversation."

"That's a pretty risky maybe," Simone pointed out, coming to help.

"Well it's either that or get expelled for attacking a professor," Lily snapped, just lean him forward…like he fell asleep or something."

"I just don't understand how things escalated so quickly," Thea murmured, "He seemed fine at first. Surely alcohol can't be entirely the reason."

"You heard him," Severus reminded her, "He said something about things being his fault. Something tells me behind Slughorn's jolly demeanor is a far guiltier conscience than he lets on."

Simone adjusted Slughorn in his chair, managing to slip the mostly drunk bottle of firewhiskey into his hand, "I bet you it has to do with Riddle. He didn't seem to keen on the guy last time he spoke about him to Lily."

"So it's true," Lily guessed, "He did know what Tom's be up to."

Getting Slughorn posed the way they wanted, the group beat a hasty retreat, ducking down the hall quickly.

"You know, to be fair," Simone said as they ran, "Slughorn attacked one of us first."

"He didn't realize he was hurting her," Lily pointed out, "he was drunk."

Severus scowled darkly, his thoughts going to his father, "Not really a good excuse for it."

"Not helping, Sev," Lily growled as they ran up a staircase.

"Not trying to," Severus shot back.

"Shh!" Simone said, stopping suddenly, "Someone's coming."

Sure enough, the sound of running footsteps was coming their way.

"Act natural," Simone ordered.

Nesme and Davis flew around the corner, skidding to a halt when they saw them.

"Where have you been?" Nesme wheezed, hands on her knees, "We've been looking for you everywhere."

"We've been with Slughorn," Lily explained, glaring at Severus and Simone as they shushed her, "What? They're allowed to know!"

"Know what? That Simone maimed a teacher?" Severus sneered.

"You did what?" Davis squawked.

Simone glared, "He was hurting Thea! And besides, we got what we wanted from him, whatever the hell Horcruxes are."

"You guys, focus!" Nesme cried, snapping her fingers at them, "This is serious."

"No shit," Severus scoffed, "We'll be expelled for Simone's little act of impulsive heroism."

Nesme shook her head, "Not that. It's the chamber. It's been opened!"

Everyone but Davis stared at her in shock.

"What?" Severus asked.

"I'll explain on the way," Nesme said, grabbing hold of Lily and Thea's arms, "Just come with me."

They all raced after Nesme and Davis down the halls, ducking in and out of gaggling groups of students who loitered the halls.

"I need to get something," Nesme said suddenly, breaking away from the group, "I'll meet you there."

"I don't understand," Severus said, "No one should have been able to get past our charms to get into the bathroom. And Myrtle should have chased them off."

"I can't explain it myself," Davis said, "Both failsafe failed. Myrtle was in hysterics when we got there."

Severus was beyond disbelief, "But who opened the bloody chamber?"

Davis turned to Severus as they came to a halt outside the second floor girl's room.

His face was solemn as he answered.

"Peter Pettigrew."

Holy shit balls!

Confession time: I've been writing between three to five chapters ahead since the beginning of this story (literally wrote ten chapters before even posting the first one). So occasionally I get a tad confused about what my readers are talking about in the reviews since mentally, I'm several chapters past the point you guys are reading.

So when you all started talking about Peter being the most likely choice and what not, I kept wanting to respond asking how you liked that twist...before remembering it hadn't yet been revealed or confirmed. Lol.

Peter has always struck me as someone needs to conform to a dynamic with others in order to find his place in the world. The lackey, the sidekick, the best friend who tags along, those may be small roles but they're still roles, an identity and purpose to cling to to feel like he's a part of something.

I think when everyone graduated and joined the war, the Marauders sort of lost some of their dynamic, focusing more on staying alive and protecting their loved ones than carrying on the jovial rag tag group they established. I think Peter began to find himself losing his place in the group as the others forgot about him, since strong fighters like James and Sirius were probably at the front line where Peter had no place or usefulness.

Peter's need to prove himself, to belong would make him a pretty useful tool to be manipulated, to be cowed into obedience. That's how I see it at least.