The red and orange leaves had fallen from the trees decorating the grey monoliths. The sea of red, orange and yellow were replaced with a sheet of pure white. The mountains had taken a new coat, just as the students had. The mountains watched over the school as giant protectors. They kept the students within the castle safe from the evil outside. They had done well to keep evil out. They had done their job very well. There were moments when they failed, but the school within stayed strong. The students knew they were safe with their mountain guards. However, sometimes evil found a way in.
The beautiful castle grounds were currently void of the students. Perhaps it was the darkness of a winter evening. Perhaps it was the bitter cold. The morning had been quite a different story. The students had flocked to the quidditch pitch for the most high profile match of the season. The Gryffindor Lions were playing the Slytherin Serpents. Besides being historically enemies, captains Potter and Malfoy had bitter rivalry. Potter's adoptive brother, Sirius was chosen as a beater, so Malfoy made Regulus the seeker. Malfoy banned blood traitors from the team so Potter made the blood traitor Marlene McKinnon a starter. There was some debate that McKinnon would have gotten the spot either way, given her talent. Potter started dating a muggle born witch so Lucius sent some of the team after her. It seemed that their rivalry was not just limited to the pitch. They shook hands like they had to. Both teams had played a good game, but in the end, only one team could win. The Gryffindor Lions took home the win. Both teams accused the other of cheating, much to the despair of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff who just wanted to watch a good game of quidditch.
Inside the walls of the castle, a large gathering of Gryffindors with a spattering of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. Alice Falwey was frantically searching the gathering to make sure everything was going well. She had traded her school uniform for a pair of blue jeans and a Gryffindor t-shirt. She, Lily and Mary had carefully planned the victory party in only two hours. She couldn't find Lily or Mary and they were out of punch. She ran into her boyfriend, Frank, in her search.
"You ok Alice?" He asked her
"Yeah I'm fine" she said
"You don't seem fine" Frank said
"I had to plan a quidditch party in less than three hours, I can't find Lily or Mary anywhere and we are out of punch"
"Relax, Alice"
"I need someone to go get it" She said
"We can go"
"But then you'll miss some of the party"
"I'll get to hang out with the best person here"
"Frank,"
"Come on, it will be fun"
"Fine, but you are carrying it"
"Deal"
Meanwhile, Lily Evans was still nowhere to be found. The dorm of first years was awoken by noise from the floors below them. Three of them were more awake than the others. Jennifer slammed her pillow over her head, trying to block out the noise. Kimberly groaned. Holly sat up from her bed
"This isn't fair. The older students are being to loud" Jennifer said
"I just want to sleep" Kimberly groaned
"Can't they just shut up?" Holly said
"Maybe the head girl or boy could make them be quiet" Jennifer said
"Fat chance, they're probably partying too" Holly said
"We could try," Kimberly said. The three girls tripped down the stairs in their pjs. They weeded through the crowd of older students but no one seemed to notice them.
"Where do you think they could be?" Jennifer asked
"I don't know" said Kimberly
"It shouldn't be this hard to spot her hair, it's bright red" Holly said. The three of them continued to search through the guests. They still could not find them. They did, however, find a door. There were indistinguishable voices on the other side.
"Maybe they are here," Jennifer said.
"You could check," Holly said. Jennifer pulled the door open. She let out a scream. The head girl and boy were indeed inside the closet. She was pushing him against the wall. Her shirt was untucked from her skirt. He was running his hands through her hair and was kissing her fiercely. They broke apart when they heard the scream. Lily Evans turned as red as her hair. James Potter blushed before laughing. The three first years ran back up the steps towards their dorm.
"Don't laugh James"
"I can't help it Lil," he said
"We just traumatized three first years"
"True, but did you see the looks on their faces? It was priceless"
"Let's just hope they don't tell Professor McGonagall"
"They'll be to scared to Lil"
Several feet away, Marlene McKinnon sat with her girlfriend, Dorcas Meadows. She pulled out a flask of fire whiskey she had stolen. She took a swig of it. The bright amber liquid burned her throat, even though she would never admit it.
"You might want to be careful where you drink that" Dorcas said
"What's going to happen if I don't?"
"You could get that confiscated"
"There are no teachers here Dorcas"
"There is Lily, the head girl, James, the head boy, Remus Lupin, the prefect, the other prefects"
"Lily and James are probably off snogging somewhere, the little prefects know better than trying to mess with me and Remus has enough on his plate watching his boyfriend"
"No drinking on school grounds McKinnon" Remus said
"Really?" he took her flask
"Yes, really" he took a liberal swing of fire whiskey
"Why you little-" Marlene said
"Remus" Dorcas said
"Not now Dorcas," Marlene said
"Remus!" Dorcas yelled
"What?" Remus said. Dorcas pointed behind them. Sirius Black was standing on the table. His shirt had somehow disappeared. He was doing a dance to one of the muggle bands Emilene and Lily had introduced him to.
"Not again, Sirius!" Remus shouted, running after his boyfriend.
Mary Macdonald was in a very good mood. The party had been a huge success. She watched the mix of Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs socialize. Everything was going absolutely perfectly.
"Hey Mare," Emilene said. Pandora was standing at her side
"What Emilene?" Mary asked
"Wanna play a prank on Peter and Kingsley?"
"You want to get back at them for dung bombing our dormitory don't you?"
"That is exactly what I want to do"
"What did you have in mind?"
"We could do the zip tie and perfume bottle trick."
"You don't want to try something new?"
"Nope. Plus Pandora already brought the perfume"
"Ugh fine" And that was why Peter and Kingsley smelled so strongly of liles, roses and violets.
Alice Falwey and Frank Longbottom turned into the hallway that held the fat lady. Frank was busy carrying a bowl of punch that was much too big to be carrying by himself, but he did not complain. Him and Alice were chatting. Alice was explaining the exact function of the echinacea. Frank had never heard of it before, but he was happy to see the way Alice's eyes lit up as she spoke about it. They were so absorbed in each other that they did not notice a figure leaning over the fat lady's portrait. Alice looked ahead to make sure that Frank's path was clear when she saw the figure in the hallway.
"Hey, are you ok? Are you lost? Are you trying to get into the party?" Alice asked. That was when she noticed that the figure's cloak was covering their face. Alice's heartbeat quickened. She remembered what Dumbledore had told her about that group of dark wizards that were trying to get into the school
"Hey, who are you? take off your hood" Frank called. He put down the punch bowl. The figure reached for something in their pocket. Alice was faster. She sent the wand flying out of the figure's hand. Frank sent the figure into the air, dangling by an ankle. Frank stepped forward and pulled the cloak off of the figure. Frank's face changed to a sneer. He took a step back so Alice could see the figure.
"Snivellus" She sneered. He glared at them, although he was still upside down, so it looked like a smile.
"What do you think we should do with him, Alice?" Frank asked
"What were you thinking Frank?
"How about we show the others who was snooping around our common room?" Frank growled
"I think that would be a great idea," she spat. Frank dropped Severus down to the ground. He grabbed Severus and led him through the portrait hole. Alice followed behind and closed the painting behind them.
When the group entered the common room, there was quite a scene. Three first years were running past the older students, screaming. Kingsley Shacklebolt and Peter Pettigrew were both coughing up a lung while Emilene Vane, Mary MacDonald and Pandora Preston laughed. Lily and James were hand in hand, although Lily's shirt was untucked and James' hair was even messier than unusual. Remus Lupin was holding a flask and trying to get shirtless, dancing Sirius Black off of a table. Marlene McKinnon grabbed the flask from Remus and ran over to show Dorcas Meadows her boon. Severus Snape stared at the chaotic scene in front of him. Alice and Frank had been to enough Gryffindor parties to not bat an eye.
"Hey guys we're back!" Frank yelled. No one looked up from their own adventures
"Look who we found lurking around the common room?" Alice yelled. The others looked up curiously. When they saw that it was Severus, their faces turned to a mix of apprehension and sneers. However, the strongest glares had to be from James and Lily
"Oi, what's Snivellus doing outside our party?" Marlene growled
"That is a great question Marls" Sirius growled
"What do you think we should do about him, James?" Peter squeaked. James turned to Lily
"What do you think we should do, Lils?" James looked at her meaningfully. Her arms were pulled over her chest, almost as though she was hugging put one of his arms around her. She looked Severus in the eye. He was busy glaring at James. Lily's face darkened
"I think it would be best to let Sirius and Marlene interrogate him" a wicked smile passed over her face. James nodded before smiling at Severus
"You heard her." He grinned.
"What do you think we should do to- wait, one sec" Sirius said "what are your pronouns?" Sirius asked
"Nor/mal" Severus smirked
"Ok, just checking, ok, where was I? Right, I vote we hex him for that crack alone" Sirius said
"Maybe you should check his pockets first," Emilene said. Severus paled. Dorcas noticed
"Right, good idea Em," Dorcas said. She stepped forward and checked. All she found was a piece of parchment. Severus paled even more when she began to open it. Her face darken
"Don't you dare-" Pandora cast a silencing charm over him
"What does it say, Dorcas?" Mary asked
"It's the Death Eater recruitment list" Dorcas said
"Whose names are on it?" Kingsley asked
"Remember, you asked me to read it, for the ones they've recruited, it's Anothny Travers, Rabastian Lestrange, Antonin Dolohov, Evan Rosier, Lucius Malfoy,-"
"Big surprise there" James spat
"-Alecto Carrow, Amycus Carrow, Severus Snape" Dorcas paused. Lily had turned as white as a sheet. She rounded to face Severus. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. A few tears slipped down her cheek. James pulled her closer to him. Severus wanted to laugh. Of course James would try and comfort her, he always needed to bring everything to being about him, Severus thought. Lily's tears, mixed with her now red face, made her look even fiercer than usual.
"I really didn't think you could sink any lower Snivellus. I guess I was wrong" Lily spat. Severus opened his mouth to speak but the silencing charm was still cast over him. "Lift the charm, Pandora, I want to see what excuse he has for himself" Lily said. Pandora nodded
"I'm trying to make a better world for you" he said
"By joining a muggleborn hate group? That seems kind of backwards Snivellus" James said
"I forgot your brain was so small, Potter. Maybe if it was larger you would understand" Severus growled
"I did not expect his excuse to be that stupid" Remus said
"Like I care what a Gay halfblood says" Severus said. Remus and James rolled up their sleeves. Dorcas read the last name over and over again, praying that the rest of her friends would be distracted enough to forget about the list
"Are there any more names on the list?" Mary asked. Dorcas hated herself for reading the list at all. She thought about lying, but knew that she couldn't at this point
"There's one more," she said.
"Well, who is it?" Sirius asked asked
"Regulus Black" she whispered. It was no use. Sirius heard her. His face fell. Tears slipped down his face
"No, that can't be right," he said. Marlene circled around to see the list. She read it and nodded.
"No, he's only a kid. Mum must have forced him to do this, he's a good kid-" Sirius broke down into sobs. James saw. He and Remus ran forward to catch him. The rest of the Marauders moved to comfort him. In all that commotion, Severus managed to sneak out. Not that any of them cared.