Chapter Eighteen: When Majesty Falls to Folly

"Well?"

He kept his back to her, staring out towards the great open expanse of night sky, shoulders hunched. "Well, what?"

"Don't give me that," Lily snarled. "You must have heard what happened by now, the Prefects are a bunch of gossips. Did you do it or not?"

At last Sirius turned to look at her. His hands were in his pockets, and his expression was careless. But she knew him well enough to see the faintest of tremors in his muscles and the careful blankness in his eyes.

"What's it to you?"

"Because you've gone too far, Sirius," she said. "Hestia Carrow is sitting in the Hospital Wing right now, doing nothing but laugh and weep. And James Potter is in there too, with skin being regenerated over the burns she gave him. Did he deserve it?"

Sirius was quiet for so long that Lily began to think he wouldn't answer. Why would he? Her cousin never bared his soul to anyone, least of all to her. She turned to go.

Then, barely audibly:

"He would have, once. Once he would have deserved everything that could be done to him. But he's changed. Something's happened. He hasn't laid a finger on anyone for weeks, and now he speaks about trying to get out –"

He fell silent but it was too late. Lily seized upon it. "Out? What do you mean, out?"

"Nothing," he said sullenly.

She was not deterred. Her voice was an airless whisper when she said, "Is James trying to leave the Death Eaters?"

It was an impossible thought. Nobody left the Dark Lord's service. But Sirius did not deny it.

"Mind your own business, Lily. I'm telling you this for your own good: don't go getting yourself tangled in a knot that won't ever let you escape."

"It looks like that's what has happened to you and James," she said coldly. "Tell me this, at least. You say James didn't kill Flora Carrow… but what about you?"

Suddenly, Sirius smiled, and his face was as cruel and handsome as only a Black's could be.

"She screamed. A lot."

Then he strode past her open-mouthed form and out of sight.

Slowly, Lily slid down one of the walls of the Astronomy Tower, staring out at the star-speckled darkness. Detachedly she realised it was snowing. Light flakes drifted lazily down and caught on her black cloak.

She sighed tiredly. Her cousin was a force of nature, violent and unpredictable, but he was no liar. And he'd finally gone too far. She could skirt around the issue when it was nothing more than an article in the newspaper, but not when it was this close to home.

Lily needed answers. Immediately. Unfortunately, she had nowhere to get them from. Sirius clearly wouldn't talk, and she doubted James would, even if he wasn't currently in the Hospital Wing. The only other two who could know anything of use were Peter Pettigrew and Lupin Lupin. Pettigrew she'd never spoken to, whereas Lupin...

She suddenly bolted to her feet. Werewolf. In the recent drama she'd forgotten about her discovery – Lupin was a werewolf! An idea formed. She was not proud about it, but really, there was no other option.

"Lupin."

He looked up from the book he had been reading, blinking shadowed brown eyes at her.

"Lily?"

She nodded, unable to fault him for his wary tone. Given the late hour, they were the only two in the Library. Perfect. She doubted Sirius had passed on her apology; he was not looking at her like she was somebody who had the power to upend his entire world.

"What can I do for you?" he asked cautiously.

Lily leaned in. "I know your secret."

He jerked. "What?"

"I know your secret," she repeated softly. "You're a werewolf."

All the colour drained from his face. "How did you find out?"

"That's not important. But there are some things I want to know, and if you don't tell me I'll be forced to..." She paused delicately. "Spread the news, as it were."

"Are you threatening me?" Lupin asked slowly.

Lily smiled, comforted by the feeling that she knew what she was doing here. She had an objective. No longer would she be floundering in the dark with nothing more than cryptic warnings.

"I suppose you could call it that," she said. "So here it is: meet me tomorrow, right after breakfast, in the Prefects' bathroom. We'll be safe there."

"But I can't skip Transfiguration!" he said incredulously. "I'll get into so much trouble!"

"That's nothing compared to the trouble I'll bring you if you don't show," she said, standing up. "Don't be late."

She walked away, biting her lip to hide her smirk. It was about time she was in control again.

"You were obviously Sorted into the wrong House," he called after her, voice torn between anger and admiration.

She pretended not to hear him.

AN: I've changed canon a little here to make Flora and Hestia Carrow Hogwarts students in the 70s, rather than the 90s. But I don't feel TOO bad because they only exist in the films anyway. Sorry this is a short chapter but I'll be back tonight!

My Ramadan is going well - thank you to everyone who asked! I am fasting and it's actually pretty easy this year, since I can't even leave the house for major travel, and I have no exams. I basically just hang out at home and read. Honestly having Ramadan coincide with the peak of a pandemic/being in lockdown is not the worst thing in the world...

Guest Reviewer Responses

B - yes, she'll be doing that soon! I'll explain in the next few chapters why she hasn't done it earlier.

Ellie - ooh congrats on getting the job at Sainsbury's! My local one definitely looks like it needs more people, for the last few weeks the line has been out the door (though I don't know if that's still the case, to be fair). I totally know what you mean about missing school! Which A-levels do you study? Not having exams makes me feel kind of lost. Like, I'm grateful, but now I'm just starting the reading for next year which I'd have done over the summer holidays anyway and it's only April... I have read Duchess of Malfi! It was good but I've always thought Antonio was a bit of a moron for letting that note about his SECRET ILLEGAL DAUGHTE just fall out of his pocket haha. Ooh that Guardian list is great! I wasn't too impressed with Catcher in the Rye either. I'm trying to read Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch now but it's just SOOO LOONG. Lockdown is going pretty well for me, thank you! How about you? xxx

Shruthi - Oh I understand now! Rookwood was offering Lily the chance to be involved in the mission against the school. Haha I can't blame your sister! I did leave this fic on hiatus for a very long time... I'm glad you're enjoying so much though xxx