AN: okay, this is one very weird [not so] chapter. I'm stuck at the moment [blame my head!!] and I came up with this after smashing the gameboy and kicking the playstation. Honestly, the gameboy just made me lost my game and the playstation? It won't load my SMS. And my computer too. Won't lemme connect just now. Just had to get my revenge on them. Okay, you're probably bored now ^_^; hope you like this.
bunny chan
Disclaimer: those who didn't belong to me will never belong to me.
The Marauding Five : Year Two
Chapter 8: Snape's Revenge
Severus Snape grinned evilly to himself in his dorm. He had been brewing this particular potion ever since the beginning of the second term, making him miss half the class and almost doing none of his homework. What could've made me work this hard? Snape asked himself in wonder before getting his answer. To get back at Potter, Evans, Black and Lupin for each and every prank they played on him.
He let his eyes stray around his dormitory, looking around for someone. At last, his beady eyes fell upon a lump next to his bed. Of course! Peter Pettigrew! Quietly, Snape took a spoonful of the orange-green liquid and push it into the pudgy boy's mouth. He opened his eyes in amazement and started screaming. Or at least, trying to scream for no words came from his mouth. He'd turned into a rat. He squeaked loudly before turning back into Peter. Peter looked up at Snape. Snape groaned. The potion needs more lizard intestines.
**
Lily sat up in bed, stretching as she looked out the window. Another boring day and boring lessons. Not to mention they had a class with Professor Binns again. Even more boring. Wait, life at Hogwarts isn't boring, Lily said to herself as she cleaned. Life at Hogwarts just need more spices to liven it up! Grinning, Lily jumped and skipped her way to the Great Hall. Not to her surprise, Sirius is already there, gobbling and munching the morning's breakfast at the Gryffindor table.
'Morning Li! Beautiful, isn't it?' Sirius greeted her cheerfully.
'Moning, Si. Life's always beautiful whenever there's food, isn't it?' Lily said, rolling her eyes at him.
'Too true. What's life without food? Emptyness,' Sirius sighed sadly.
'Where's Jam? He promised to bring those Filibusters Fireworks,' Lily asked, looking around for a mop of untidy hair.
'Jam? He's still sleeping.'
'I'll go and get those fireworks then. See ya!'
With that, the red head bounced off, her long hair jumping after it. She bounced all the way to the Gryffindor tower, giving a hurried password to the Fat Lady. She then went up the stairs and into the second year boys' dormitory.
'Lily! What are you doing here?' Dan mumbled, rubbing his eyes blearily.
'Where's James?'
'Oh, him. He's outside.'
'Outside? Sirius said he's still sleeping!'
'Playing Quidditch.'
'That explains all. Thanks!'
James always plays Quidditch every morning. Somehow, he'd gotten heads over heels over Quidditch, like Sirius had pointed out. Sighing, Lily rushed from the boys' dorm, ignoring the looks the boys gave her when they saw her at their side of the dormitories. Lily walked out into the sunshine and started her search for James. Soon, she spotted a boy riding on a broomstick, flying near the forest.
'JAMES!!' Lily called as she waved her arms. The boy flew down, but it wasn't James. No, it was Remus.
'James? He went to the girl's dorm to look for you, Li! Why're you doing here anyway? He says that you're supposed to get those dungbombs,' Remus asked, puzzled.
'Whatever. Thanks anyway.'
For the second time, Lily went back to the Gryffindor tower. The Fat Lady was already at the peak of her anger (Peeves had torn her canvas) when Lily came again.
'Flubby Fluffs. Now let me in!!' Lily cried. Grumpily, she swung it open. Lily climbed up the stairs leading to the girls dorm before throwing her door open.
'James?'
'Buzz off, Lily, if you wanna find James. I need my beauty sleep,' Tally mumbled under her covers. Lily laughed at her friend.
'Tally, if you want your sleep, you can get it at Binns' History class. Why is that class ever invented, I wonder.'
'To give helpless students like me the sleep we need?'
'Probably. Anyway, has James come?'
'Not a soul – wait, Nearly Headless Nick came. He tried to scare everyone. Thought it was Halloween. Stupid ghost.'
'Thanks for your help. I think I'll just get my own ones,' Lily say with a huff. She wanted James' fireworks and dungbombs as it's a new version of them, the upgraded ones with much more effect. She went up to the fourth floor and checked around for spying eyes. Finding none, she entered the secret room to collect a whole loadful of Dungbombs and fireworks.
She made her way to the Great Hall, her pockets bulging with all the Dungbombs and Fireworks. When she entered, she saw Sirius talking with Tally, Dan and Remus. Lily looked surprise. As a rule, Sirius will never speak to Dan unless provoked.
'Sirius, James isn't in the dorm, he isn't flying out and he isn't in my dorm. Just where's he?' Lily asked angrily.
'Hullo Lily! Why are you so moody today?'
To Lily's surprise, James was sitting just beside her.
'Oh, we were wondering how far you'll go for James here,' Sirius said, grinning.
'So we made a story. Sirius was suppose to say that James is in the dorm and I'll tell you that he's out flying,' Dan continued.
'Then when you come, I'll tell you that he's in your dorm,' Remus went on.
'And if you come, which Dan here bet that you won't, I'm to tell you that he's not even there. You owe me five galleons, Dan!' Tally finished, holding her hand out to the boy. He sulkily placed five gold pieces in Tally's hands.
'So where was James?' Lily asked.
'I? I'm in the toilet, trying to blow up the toilet seat,' James said, grinning stupidly. Lily stared daggers. 'Hey, I'm not in it! Sirius sent me off with all those bombs to blow off the toilet! I don't even have a clue what's going on!'
'Sirius!' Lily threw a Dungbomb at the boy, who dodged it. Dan wasn't quick enough though, so he got hit on face by the stink bomb. Tally covered her nose in disgust and screw up her face at him.
'Dan, you stink!' Tally commented.
'I hadn't noticed,' Dan muttered back before using a smothering charm.
'Ooh! Here's Snape! I'm off Li!' Tally said, happily jumping to the Slytherin's table. She ignored every look the Slytherins gave her. Daggers, swords, ocres, stones … she ignored every one of them before settling on the Slytherin's food. Waving her wand over the food, she did a complicated wriggle. After that she muttered 'Colorisa' under her breath so that the food changed its color to acid green. Smiling brightly, she left the table. A few Slytherins called out to her to change their food back. Snape, who was talking nervously to his owl (she's in a bad mood), hadn't yet noticed Tally's visit to the Slytherin table. He dipped his spoon into his cereal and brought it to his mouth. The Slytherins watched him. Seeing nothing happened, they continued eating their food.
Tally and Lily watched them, hiding their grins behind their hands. Soon, very soon, Severus Snape, you'll regret ever having a crush on me, Tally said smugly.
True enough, after fifteen minutes or so, the whole of Slytherin turned into chickens. Snape, however, stood out, as he turned straight into a humongous python, scaring the wits out of half the students. Remus took a quick snap on his camera at the sight of chickens and snake, doing a sort of dance together. Lily and Tally laughed helplessly, clutching their side stitches to stop themselves from rolling down. McGonagall glared at them but it doesn't seem to be an easy way to find the culprit, for the other half of the students were laughing helplessly at the sight. After a good, long, fifteen minutes, everything restored back to normal. The Slytherins returned, a dazed and dreamy look on their face as their memory was modified by the Memory Charm.
'POTTER, EVANS, BLACK, LUPIN!!!! WHAT HAD YOU DONE NOW?' McGonagall's usual and getting-very-boring-screech screeched.
'We're absolutely innocent, though, Lily and James may have used the trick weeks before. But so far, we're sitting on our chair all the time,' Sirius said proudly. Tally and Dan nodded, indicating that the Marauders were right.
McGonagall let them be and went about, looking for the culprit.
'One thing though, Minnie. It's us who'd planned it,' Lily said, giggling behind her hands. 'Tally did it. she asked what had we done, not what had we planned!'
'You're right there. I bet she didn't expect any of us to do it,' Tally said, grinning.
Back at the Slytherin table, Snape was looking ferociously around for the culprit.
'Just what happened? Why's my food green?' He demanded to his acid green food. However, like other food, his doesn't talk. It stared back at Snape, Waiting to be eaten. Snape looked around. Almost all the Slytherins had left already, mumbling about going to bed. Still hungry, Snape took another bite at his cereals. Punctually in another fifteen minutes, a great big python loomed again.
The Marauders, Tally and Dan laughed again as McGonagall looked ready to faint.
**
That night, Snape checked at his potion again. Now, it had turned into a sick yellow-green instead of the orange-green it was supposed to be. Moaning, he set to add in a few bat's fangs as he waited impatiently for it to change color. It turned into a purplish-pink. He groaned loudly again. When is this ever going to work?
**
The Marauders set themselves to work again as they crept out quietly from their dorms to meet at the Gryffindor common room. Lily came last, grumbling about Tally's long talk and persuades about finding out how she know what happens and how much she knew and bla bla bla. The usual stuff.
'You're late, Lily!' Sirius hissed angrily.
'I can't help it! Tally was bombarding me with questions every night about how I know all these things and such!' Lily protested in a whisper. The boys looked closely at her. True enough, she has dark rings under her eyes to indicate that she hasn't had her beauty sleep for a few days already.
'How long has this been anyway?' Remus asked, trying to make out how long it has been.
'I think a week already. Trust me, sometimes, she even asks about James. All your fault,' Lily said accusingly at the boys.
'Hey! Why mine?' James asked.
'Because Sirius and Remus started it and you happened to be my partner in this crime.'
'Wonderful. And I get accused for their doings?'
'That's right.'
'I thought you were my friend.'
'No, I'm not because I'm your-'
'You're his girlfriend. Yeah, we know,' Sirius cut in mischievously.
'No. I'm his best friend. Not his friend. It's best friend.'
'Fine, so are we on with this or not?' Remus cried exasperately.
'Yes! Hey, where's those boggarts?'
'Somewhere here in my pockets,' Lily said, rummaging and turning all her pockets upside down.
'Don't take it out here! I don't wanna see my mom again!' Sirius said as Lily started upturning her dressing gown's pockets.
'Sure. Save it for Filch. I'm not sure if I wanna see a trophy for playing a prank,' James muttered. Lily stopped turning her pockets and quietly, they crept out of the portrait hole.
'W- who goes there?' the Fat Lady asked, shivering a little. They ignored her and quickly ran by the shadows towards Filch's office. Just then, heavy footsteps echoed through the hallways.
'Sssh! It's Corn! We won't wanna listen him lecture at two,' Lily whispered. They quickly hid themselves behind four statues and armors which happened to be nearby. Corn's heavy footsteps echoed through the corridors and stop still. Lily held her breath sharply.
'I swore I heard noises here,' the professor muttered to himself. Quickly, he went off, afraid that Peeves would come after him. Lily let her breathing reassume, her heart pounding hard at her ribs and her forehead filled with sweats. Everyone came out of their hiding place and breathed a sigh of relief.
'I half thought he'll find us!' Sirius said.
'If he's that stupid with Voldemort, I'm sure we'll be attacked by now,' Remus muttered.
'As if Voldemort's coming here. Dad's an Auror and he says that Voldemort daren't come to Hogwarts. Afraid of Dumbledore's magic,' James said with a snort.
'Well, my dad says he's an Unspeakable so I don't know what exactly he does,' Lily said, shrugging.
'Just get on with the plan!' Sirius hissed. They continued on, disappearing at the short-cuts Sirius had found out from his father and reappearing at another place just as quick. Soon, they reached Argus Filch's office. Mrs Norris was sleeping on a nearby rug when they opened the door and Filch was nowhere to be seen, probably combing the castle for Dungbombs. Grinning, they placed a boggart (Lily found it in Sirius' hair) in the cupboard, one in the drawer and another under Mrs Norris' rug. Smiling happily, they left the office before signing in a very ugly handwriting by Sirius.
The next morning, Argus Filch was screaming loudly for Severus Snape.
Almost everyone had come down to Filch's office to see what the commotion was about. The caretaker pointed at the wall writing which read: 'Argus, I hope you enjoy finding your mothers – three of them – scolding you for being a squib! I'll see to it that the whole school knows. Ha ha ha! – Snape, Pettigrew.'
'Now, Argus, which student will be stupid enough to sign his own name?' Dumbledore asked.
'A Slytherin, professor. By the name of Severus Snape and Peter Pettigrew. I demand them for a detention!' the man screamed loudly. Snape and Pettigrew stood up timidly when the headmaster called for them.
'Professor, we didn't do it!' Snape started.
'Detentions and house points will be taken in to this affair. Your detention is to clean the trophy room, which I think Filch will ask you to, clean this writing and remove the boggarts from this room.' With that, Dumbledore left. The higher years were whispering about how a younger student had managed to get a boggart as they are hard to be found. Even so, no one can near it for too long without it turning into your worst fear.
'Potter, Evans, Black, Lupin, you will all pay for this!' Snape hissed poisonously as he and Pettigrew scrubbed the walls.
'Pay what, Snape?' Sirius' cheerful voice asked.
'You!'
'Yes, me. Pay what? You're paying me how much? Fifteen galleons? That's a lot, but I'll take it all the same.'
'You did this!'
'Did what?' Lily's voice asked.
'You all!'
'Yes, us all. What about it?' James asked impatiently.
'You did this!'
'You're out of words, aren't you?' Remus asked in amusement.
'What are you all doing here?'
'Seeing what you're doing for your detention, Snape. It's Saturday and there's no lessons today.'
'You did this and put the blame on me!'
'How? You mean this writing?'
'Yes!'
'Well, no one can forge your writing, but maybe your friend, Lucifer, can. It's too scrawly and Lucifer's writing is also very scrawly.'
'You'd better pay!'
'Oh? How? If you want sands, I have some.' Sirius handed him a fistful of sands.
'No. Pay!'
'How?'
'I want your lives.'
'You sound stupid, you know that?'
'He already does, Re. As if he isn't stupid enough.'
'Interesting huh? Snape the Slytherin Snake. A new specimen to be tested on.'
'Shut up and get lost!'
'Fine. Hasta la vista!'
The four went out of the room, but return no sooner than four seconds with huge grins plastered across their mischievous face.
'Get out!!'
No respond.
'GET OUTTA HERE!!!!'
Silence.
'GET- uh, I didn't mean it, Filch!' Snape said, quivering slightly as Filch walked in, fuming in face.
'How dare you ask me to get out of my own office! Scrub the hallways with bristle brushes! And fifty points from Slytherin!' Filch shouted. Snape and Pettigrew groaned. Filch's Bristle Brushes are smaller than you can ever imagine. Much smaller than toothpicks. Snape turned to glare daggers at the Marauders, but they had vanished into thin air. Poof. Gone. Without a word. He stared at the place they had stood.
'WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?? GET BACK TO WORK!' Filch screamed loudly. Shaken, the Slytherin continued scrubbing the walls, whispering spells and different sort of potions to use on the Marauders and as many ways as he can think of to torture them.
**
Again, Snape sat awake in his dorm at night. He hadn't a proper sleep for weeks already, trying to brew up this potion to use against the Marauders. Reading a book carefully in his hands, he checked the ingredients once again.
'No wonder. It's supposed to be Yabber-Yabbies toenails. I thought it was nails. I hate old books,' Snape muttered as he unscrew his bottle which held the needed toenails before pouring half the bottle in. Pettigrew snored loudly, causing Snape to fall over and into his cauldron. Instantly, he turned into a snake. Franticly, he turned the page over for a cure. He stared at the page.
Be careful never to pour in too much Yabber-Yabbies toenails as it may cause the potion to last for two weeks straight. However, there is no cure for this potion, and it is adviced that whomever who got spilled by this potion to stay in bed, eating only Hubbing's intestines to cure.
Why did I choose this potion? Snape, uh, the snake, hissed to itself. He couldn't possibly slide his way to Madam Pomfrey and tell her that he's been brewing a secret potion at night and that he fell into his cauldron. The woman will burst when she sees a snake.
One more thing. Where is he to find fourteen Hubbing's intestines?
**
'Hey, realized that Snape has been missing for the past one week?' Remus asked, surveying their Herbology class for the greasy headed Slytherin.
'Who cares? He's probably at Pomfrey's to get himself cures,' Lily said dismissively.
'No one missed him anyway,' James said, shrugging.
'Too right. Pettigrew has been bugging us for a week now,' Sirius muttered as the pudgy boy began to make his way to the Marauders again. All of them groaned loudly and buried their heads in their hands.
'H- hi!' Pettigrew greeted.
'Buzz off. No Slytherin scum's welcomed.'
'C- can I join you?'
'No.'
'I- I'll sit here.'
'No.'
'H- how do you think of the Venus Plant?'
'Pettigrew, don't you understand that your presence is NOT welcomed? Buzz off!' Sirius cried exasperatedly.
'A bit too harsh I think,' James and Lily put in sympathically.
'I don't think so. No snakes are allowed to talk to any Gryffindors,' Sirius said as he stared at the Venus Plant which was supposed to be this month's project. 'How do you do this anyway?'
'You give it a fly,' Lily said, handing a fly to Sirius, who fed his plant eagerly.
That night, Pettigrew reported the daily work to a green snake, ignoring the stares other Slytherins gave him for talking to a snake.
'Howssss my Venusssss Plant?' Snape hissed.
'Uh, it's doing quite fine,' Pettigrew replied, fumbling a little.
'I'd like to sssssssssseeeee it.'
Gulping, Pettigrew handed the snake a pot plant. Snape stared at it.
'What did you do?!' he almost shouted.
'Uh, I asked Pittard. She told me to hit it with a refrigerator,' Pettigrew said nervously.
'And you diiiid!' Snape said angrily, staring at his plant. It was squashed flat and holding a white flag, indicating that it had surrenderred when fighting against the fridge's weight. Snape sighed. This has only been his seventh day. He wouldn't want to dream about seeing another seven days.
In the Gryffindor common room, Lily stared hard at a glass orb before her, the boys shielding her from other's sights. Sirius tried to peep at it, but all he saw were swirling white fogs.
'Are you sure you can see what's in it?' he asked doubtfully.
'Mom says I should try. My psychic abilities were quite good for my age and now I can sense things pretty good. I can also control my powers pretty well already. My Seer part, however, is quite week as I can only see a week in the future. And shut up! I need to concentrate!' Lily whispered as she concentrated hard on it but her thoughts kept ringing, This is absolutely stupid. I got this orb for only five sickles!
Lily saw something. She squinted her eyes hard at it.
'What? A snake? Hey, this is my psychic part!' Lily said grumpily.
'How's that snake like?' James inquired.
'Like Snape. Yucky. Greasy. Blearch.'
'Let's just continue with testing your Inner Eye,' Remus encouraged.
Lily turned to the orb again and stared hard at it. This time, she see the white fog swirling and twirling into a colored picture. Her heart pounded hard. She saw it! At least her five sickles isn't wasted. She tried making it out, turning her head this way and that.
'I think it looked like two people. They looked kinda shocked,' Lily started. Immediately, the boys crowded over her. 'I can't hear anything though and the picture's still quite blur, but the two of them seemed angry now.' Lily squinted harder. The picture disappeared. She glared angrily at the orb. Cheap things are bad.
'So, who do they look like?' James started.
'No idea. There's only their back figures.'
'Why are they angry?' Sirius asked.
'How'm I to know? I can't hear anything!'
'Why did you stop?' Remus inquired.
'Isn't it obvious? The picture disappeared!'
'What are you guys doing?' Tally asked as she walked over to them. Lily quickly hid the white orb under her robes and Tally peeked around her. 'What's that you're hiding?'
'Nothing. It's just a- a- a- a- a ball! Aha! Yeah! A ball!' Lily said, as she quickly transfigured the glass orb into a ball.
'Did you see Dan? I wanna ask him about something.'
'Dan? No. Not a hair.'
'Thanks anyway.'
The blonde walked off and Lily pulled the orb back up again, transfiguring it back into her orb.
'That was close,' She said, sighing.
'What's close? Oh, so this is what you're hiding!' Tally said, grabbing the orb from the table.
'So much for your psychic,' Sirius muttered.
'I'm not that good yet! I'm only good enough to pass a fourteen year old witch!'
'That's not good?'
'If I want it to be real good, I'd to keep training until I can pass a eighteen year old. Seriously, I just started!' Lily whispered.
'What're you doing with this anyway? Starting Divination next year? What're you taking for next year anyway? I'm going for Divination and Ancient Runes,' Tally said, inspecting the orb closely.
'No - uh, maybe. I'll see,' Lily replied nervously.
'Since I'm taking Divination next year, mind if I try?'
'Sure. I found it in- in- in-'
'In my attic,' James said firmly. 'We found it in my attic during the holidays. We were trying to see if we can see anything but all we see is that it'll be cloudy tomorrow.'
'Oh, so can I try?'
'Sure. Tell us if you see anything.'
Tally placed the orb before the table and concentrated hard. Suddenly, Lily saw a clear image in it of a stumpy man with small eyes, a snake like nose and lipless lips. Her body froze as she sees a house. A small cottage with spring flowers, a rock garden and a french-like design. The Chapman's.
'Lily? Lily? LILY?' James asked, shaking the red head from her trance.
'Huh? Wha?' Lily replied in shock.
'You look white. What happened?' Tally asked.
'Uh, nothing. James, can I talk with you for a second?' Lily asked, turning to the boy, still white in face.
'Go on and have confess your feelings, Li! We'll support ya!' Sirius said happily, but Remus cut him.
'Si, do you think Lily'll be that white just because she wants to confess anything? I think it's something more important.'
'Oh yeah. Okay. Hey Tally, let's continue and see if we can see anything!'
Lily got up and led James far from every other students.
'Look James, I see another thing in that orb.'
'What is it?'
'Don't laugh okay? Well, there's this short man and he has this red eyes and slits for nose. His mouth is thin, no lips, nothing. He- he-'
'Go on.'
'He's heading towards Tally's house,' Lily gulped, the color draining again from her face, making her look ghostly as her skin is fairly white.
'What?'
'I think it's Voldemort, James!' Lily insisted. 'He's going after the Chapmans!'
'But how? You can't even see anything in that stupid glass before. It costs only five sickles and I doubt if you can even see anything in it!'
'Don't you believe me?' Lily asked pleadingly, her eyes filled with tears.
'I do, but how are we going to tell Dumbledore again?' James asked, racking his brains.
'Let's just make up a story. It isn't hard,' Lily suggested.
'With one that has prediction? I don't think so.'
'Who's the Divination teacher?'
'Trelawney.'
'Use her. We'll use her name. Tell him we've been lost for a while and that we heard her muttering this.'
'It sounds a bit farfetched and weird, but I guess we'll give it a try.'
Together, they headed towards Dumbledore's office. Turning back to Sirius, Tally and Remus' side…
'Seen anything yet?'
'Sssh! My Inner Eye is thinking!' Tally hushed Sirius. Sirius groaned. Can't she even tell that Inner Eyes can't think? Lily can see but this girl can barely even make out a color! Turning to where James and Lily were standing, which is near the thick, dusty books, he saw Lily begging James at something. Maybe they were confessing already, but no. Like Remus had pointed out, Lily wouldn't turn pale suddenly if she wants to confess anything. Soon, he saw the two exiting the common room. Lying back down, he looked over at Remus, who seemed to be looking into the glass orb too, to pass the time.
'Okay, I see something,' Tally cried happily.
'What?' Remus asked, looking up.
'I see fogs and more fogs. Like Lily had said, maybe there'll be fog tomorrow!' the girl exclaimed brightly.
Remus and Sirius groaned. This will never do.
**
Lily and James ran their way to Dumbledore's office, calling to the gargoyle the password. It calmly opened to admit their entrance, just as an owl flew in after them. They collected their breaths as Lily turned the knob open calmly.
'Hiya Dumbledore! We thought we'd pay you a visit!' James started merrily.
'Hello James, Lily! What news have you brought for me?' Dumbledore greeted just as merrily.
'Nothing much. We uh, were passing the Divination Tower and we came across Trelawney. She was talking with us about this wonders of Divination when she suddenly went rigid. She says something about Voldemort going after the Chapmans,' Lily said uncomfortably.
'I see. Excuse me for a moment, but this owl seemed to be anxious in meeting me,' Dumbledore said as he took the letter from the owl and tearing the seal open. The two recognized it as the Ministry of Magic seal. Dumbledore's expression went from smiling to stony and grave. He put the letter down and turned once again to Lily.
'What did Sybil predicted Lily? When she went into trance?'
'She says that the Dark Lord, Voldemort is attacking the Chapmans.'
'I must say that she is right. The news, brought by this owl, had just came that Gredge and Gertrude Chapman are dead.'
Lily sank to her knees. The second time her prediction had been right. So right that it happened at that very moment she was seeing it.
'W- what was it you say?' Lily stuttered.
'The Chapmans are dead,' Dumbledore said gravely. 'If you would do me a favor, please send Tally Chapman to me, thank you.'
James pulled Lily, who was still shocked at the news, and they both headed to the common room.
'I predicted their deaths again, James. The second time. This time, I'm too late,' Lily whispered softly to James. He patted her lightly.
'Well, this is your first try with the Orb, so you can't expect much, Li. I bet if you dream, you'll dream it a week ago,' James said softly.
'I did! I dreamt it! but I shook it off as a normal one! It came repeatingly after that. I didn't believe it until I saw it in the Orb!' Lily said, sobbing now. Quietly, they entered the Gryffindor common room. It was still full of students and when Lily came in sobbing, everyone turned to look. 'It's all my fault! I should've realized it earlier!' Lily wailed when they reached Sirius, Remus and Tally. Tally was still trying to see the future but to no avail at all.
'Realize what, Lily?' Tally asked.
'D- Dumbledore wants to see y- you,' Lily said, sobbing still.
'Lily? Why're you crying?' Remus asked sympathically.
'It's all my fault they died! If I hadn't, they'll still be alive and Tal'll still have her parents!' Lily wailed again. Half the common room turned to her at once at this.
'Mind your own buisiness! I have my wand here and if you really want to try it, you can always do so!' Sirius barked at the room. Hurriedly, everyone turned back to work. Sirius is famous for doing spells and curses he doesn't know how to undo and most will probably be stuck until Madam Pomfrey found the counter-curse for it. Still, they couldn't help wondering why Lily has got to do with Tally's parents' death, though they aren't sure.
James turned to Lily, who was wailing loudly, crying and sobbing at a beanbag by the table. Realizing that she's in no condition to explain, he took it to himself to explain everything Lily had said and what Dumbledore had also said about the letter he'd received. The two nodded, understanding what was happening at last.
No sooner had they nodded, Tally burst into the common room, crying loudly as tears fell from her eyes. Without a word and ignoring each stares, she ran straight to the Marauders' corner.
'M- my p- parents. T- they're d- d- d- dead,' the blonde said without a word.
'I'm so sorry Tal! I thought it wasn't real! Just another one! I'm so sorry!' Lily wailed loudly, louder than the orphan's cries as she rushed over to hug her friend.
'Why're you sorry for? You-Know-Who killed them!' Tally said through tears. 'I swear I'll get my revenge back!'
'I'm sorry cause it's all my fault! I never told what I know! I just told him today! Imagine that! Today! When they could've been under the Fidelius Charm all the week!'
'Fidelius Charm? What's that?' Tally asked.
'I- it's a charm so that no one but the Secret Keeper will know where they are! I'm so sorry I didn't told Dumbledore earlier!!'
'What has the death of my parents have anything to do with you?'
'Everything!'
'Don't believe her, Tal. Not everything. It's actually half of it,' James advised
'No, everything!!!'
'Just forgive her and she'll shut up. She's always like this. Every two years, she'll get this thing that's called "Emotional". Not your usual ones. She'll crack at the slightest of everything and this year happened to be her second year,' Remus said logically.
'That's why she's weird,' Tally muttered. 'Oh well, all's done, is done. We can't do much to stop it, Li. If fate decides that my parents s- should go, then we'll just have to let it be. Come on, Lily. I didn't blame you for my parent's death,' Tally said gently, helping the younger girl up. She continued sobbing helplessly.
'No! I can prevent it! I prevented the Parkinsons' death! I can always prevent your parents'! Only this time, I'm too foolish to believe it!' Lily said as she looked at her friend through her tear-filled eyes.
'Come on Lily, no one can stop fate! When it's destined to be, it will always be. About the Parkinsons, uh, I guess it's just something.'
'I got Dumbledore to make them use the Fidelius Charm. Voldemort didn't get them,' Lily said softly. Tally flinched at the name. 'Do you still say we can't stop what's been destined to be?'
Tally stayed silent.
'Okay, enough of it already. I think you two had better go get some rest. You're lucky tomorrow's a Sunday,' James said gently as the two walked subduedly to bed, Lily still sobbing.
'Really, after those Emotional Fits that Lily had gotten, this has got to be her worst,' Sirius said, shaking his head.
'Can't help much but agree with you,' Remus answered with a nod.
The next day, Tally sat gloomily at the Gryffindor table beside the Marauders at breakfast. Lily was looking sadly at her plate sobbing, still upset at herself for being foolish. The other three Marauders did their best to try to comfort them. Dumbledore stood up.
'I'm afraid that Voldemort,' Dumbledore started. Everyone but the Marauders flinched at the name. 'Had attacked the Chapmans yesterday. According to what Mr Potter and Miss Evans had reported, there had been a vision where their deaths were predicted by the Divination teacher, Professor Trelawney.' Half the Hall snorted. Trelawney could never make a prediction right and these Divination students were sure at that.
'As what they had told me yesterday,' Dumbledore let his eyes wander to Lily and James, 'Trelawney has predicted of the death of the Chapmans just a few minutes before the letter arrived, bearing the bad tide.
'I'd talked to Sybil about her prediction, but she seems to have no memory of talking to either Mr Potter of Miss Evans the night before.' Lily stopped crying and gulped at this. The Hall all turned to her and James.
'I'd like to see you both rightaway,' Dumbledore finished, sitting down at last. Tally gaped wordlessly at them as the two rose up and walked towards the High Table where Dumbledore sat. Whatever Lily's mother had said, she certainly hasn't speak about meeting Dumbledore whenever you let your powers astray.
Whispers and hushes passed around the Gryffindor table and Sirius caught some of them.
'D'you think they're one of those Death Eaters?'
'There're rumors of the Marauders being them as they're so incredibly powerful!'
'Come to think of it, they've been working with You-Know-Who since they were in first year?'
'No wonder Lily blamed herself for being Tally's parent's death!'
'And they're so secretive! How'd they get pass the Forest without even a scratch?'
'And confunding McGonagall! It must've been hard for even us seventh years!'
'Not to mention those two told Dumbledore of the Parkinsons!'
'D'you think they'll be after us?'
'Just stop whispering, would you?' Sirius growled angrily and loudly. Immediately, the whisperings stopped.
'Lily has got nothing to do with my parents' death! She'd told me everything last night,' Tally snapped.
'And about our secrets, it's ours to keep. Talk one more word behind our back and poof! You're a boggart!' Remus promised.
The rest of the second years nodded in agreement. They had all taken liking to Lily and the Marauders, despite all the troubles and crazyness that went about them. The Marauders, unlike how the girls had pictured in their first year, were kind and helpful.
'Hi Dumbledore! Why'd you wanna see us?' James asked cheerfully.
'Come, let's go to my office,' The old wizard said as he led them to his office through a short-cut they never knew exist.
'When I asked Sybil yesterday about her prediction, she doesn't seem to remember even a thing about it. However, she had pointed out to me that neither you nor Lily had seen her. I assume you made up that story, but the woman had pointed out that a Seer can only predict things as soon as it happened.
'I would like to know who has sent you to me with that prediction – or maybe a story – to warn me about it. It is still fresh in my head that the last time you came to me was when someone had a dream about Voldemort going after the Parkinsons. Had this same someone sent you to me?' Dumbledore asked gravely, staring them through his blue eyes.
'Uh,' James started.
'I'd like a straight answer, James. Or perhaps Lily will talk as she's really quiet today.'
Lily fidgeted uncomfortably. Her mother had told her not to reveal her powers if she can because her mother wouldn't want her going to Divination. According to Droville and Billy, Lily was sure she would never want to set foot in the tower. Lily's mother's friend once let her powers out and ended up being pulled into the Divination, even when she protested. Also, Lily had somehow or other predicted that she wouldn't like it there.
Seeing Lily looking uncomfortable, James started.
'I'll answer, professor.'
'Very well James. And I assume this is your first time calling me professor, isn't it?' Dumbledore said, chuckling.
'Uh, this someone's a Seer. And yes, the same someone has sent the both of us to you.'
'Lily?'
The red head nodded. Her long hair was almost touching the ground because she usually jumped and skipped merrily, making her hair bounce after her and impossible to touch the ground.
'Thank you very much. Now, may I know who this person is?'
James looked at Lily. She shook her head quickly. Just a little too quick.
'Why are you shaking your head, Lily?'
'Nothing. I think this person wouldn't want to be known.'
'I see. Can I ask a few questions about this person then?'
The two thought at this for a while. Questions wouldn't hurt, so they agreed.
'Is this person a male or female?'
'Female,' James said instantly. Lily had been sending telepathic messages to him so as not to give out herself easily.
'Year?'
'Four.'
'Appearance?'
Lily and James stopped at this. They hadn't expected Dumbledore to be that anxious to meet that person!
'Uh, raven.'
'With purple eyes.'
'Long hair.'
'Um, very popular.'
'What's her house?'
'Gryffindor.'
Dumbledore stopped to think and started pacing around the room. Lily prayed fervently that he wouldn't find that person out easily for the person they had just described is Josephine Thomas, the bossiest girl of all in the whole school. She is also a chatterbox and to Lily, she seemed unlike a person to be a Seer. All the same, it gives Dumbledore a harder chance to try and find that person.
'How would you like to join Divination?' Dumbledore asked suddenly, breaking into a smile. Lily almost fainted at this. What? How did he know?
'W- what do you mean?' Lily stammered.
'How would you like to join Divination? You seem good enough to be Sybil's prized pupil.'
'Why me? The person's Josephine Thomas!' Lily said as she clapped her hands to her mouth in pretence. James stared angrily at her as if she'd just let out a very valuble secret. Those acting classes does pay, James said happily to himself.
'Don't tell, Li!' James hissed.
'No, it's not Josephine Thomas, Lily. It's you. I heard those telepathic messages sent to James. Also, Sybil had told me that Josephine was worst in Divination, so she clearly couldn't even predict the future. By the way, you both have good acting skills,' Dumbledore said, smiling.
Lily moaned mentally. No wonder mother warned me not to use those stupid telepathic messages when I'm in a closed space. I just couldn't control it, Lily said miserably to herself.
'How'd you know? You just couldn't tell,' Lily accused.
'Lily, it's just too simple. After the same things Anna Huckle, your mother's friend, had done, I have much more experience than you think. How would you like to join Divination? I'm sure Sybil could arrange special classes for you,' Dumbledore said again.
'No! Never Divination! I learn at home with mother, thank you very much,' Lily said hurriedly.
'Ah, Rose, isn't it? Well, she's another talented one, I must say. A very powerful Seer,' Dumbledore said with a faraway look.
'Professor?' Lily asked timidly.
'Yes?'
'I'm so sorry I never reported the dream to you a week ago! Else, Tally's parents will still be living and-' Lily started to wail again. James pulled the old wizard aside as he covered his ears tight.
'She's under her Emotional Fit this week. It always happens to her whenever she's too upset,' James explained, shouting over Lily's wails. Dumbledore nodded.
At last, Lily stopped, sniffing on the couch.
'My ears are all red by now, Lily, thanks a lot,' James muttered as he pulled off the cotton which he used to stuff his ears. Dumbledore pulled off his, too.
'It's okay Lily. Everyone makes a mistake and this happened to be yours. You may return now,' Dumbledore smiled as he see them out. James whispered something to him as he smiled at that idea.
'Very well, James. I'll see it done in a week's time,' Dumbledore said. The two left the room and Dumbledore went back to his colorless office. 'Those two always brightens this place up. I should invite them over more often,' the old wizard said, sighing as he went back to work.
After a few days, like Remus had said, Lily's Emotional Fits died and the girl returned back to her normal jolly self, bouncing and skipping everywhere she goes. Tally was worried for her friend's sanity by the way she had acted happily again after only a few days of crying. But James, who'd lived with Lily all his life said that she just need to cry out everything that has gone for the past two years so that she can return back to her normal life.
'What do you mean by that? She doesn't cry the past two years?' Tally asked, puzzled.
'Right. She never cries for the past two years. Everytime this Emotional Fits come, she'll just stay in bed, have a good cry for a few days, and go back living normally,' Sirius said.
'You boys have that too?' Tally inquired.
'Every two years too. Ours were in the holidays. I bet you heard loud wailings from our part,' Remus replied casually.
'Too bad Lily's happened to be in school. Well, can't be helped anyway. It came spontaneously.'
**
Snape grinned happily from his cauldron. At last, the potion is done and at last, he can have his revenge against those Marauders. He carried it carefully to the Great Hall and saw the foursome – wait, fivesome. Tally was there, eating merrily beside Lily. But oh, this revenge can't wait. If he has to make a fool of himself in front of his crush to go after his arch-rivals, he'll just have to. He walked over to them and tipped the cauldron over the four. The four didn't even seem to react at all but Tally did. She turned to Snape, looked at him calmly and tipped the rest of the cauldron on him.
Everyone stared at the snake before them and even more at the four Marauders. The potion, or whatsoever it was, had no effect to any of the four that were drenched. They continued eating. Or, are they? They seem to be just sitting there. Snape the Snake stared. Firstly, why didn't they changed?? Next, why did I make extra potion? Snape moaned to himself.
Not long after, four figures burst in hurriedly, grins plastered across their face. Lily was halfway pulling her hands into her robes, Remus was trying to brush his hair, Sirius was brushing his teeth and James was trying to tie up his shoelaces which were still undone. Tally turned from them to the ones that were sitting beside her, gaping wordlessly like a goldfish.
Whisperings went about when they see the two groups of Marauders.
'I told you they were into Dark Arts!'
'With all their magic and their strangeness? It'll be a surprise they're not!'
'I'll bet you all my galleons and sickles and knuts that they're Death Eaters!'
The Marauders grinned at that. They were short of money and need more loadings for their Prank Trunk. All their parents (and Lily's Gram) had refused to send them any parcels. Their parents were all Aurors (except Lily's dad who's an Unspeakable) and were all too busy to send them tricks. Gram has been too busy minding all the four's parents to get them more pranks.
'Okay, I'll take up that bet, Fiona!' Sirius grinned.
'Oh yeah? Well I'll give you all I'd said before if you can prove that you're not a death eater. Show your wrists!' Fiona challenged.
'You're still serious about this?' Tally asked uncomfortably.
'Of course! I'm ready to bet anything that they're Death Eaters!'
'Tally warned you, so don't groan,' Lily said, waggling a finger at the girl. She showed her her wrist as Fiona inspected it for a dark mark.
'Why does everyone keep suspecting us?' Lily moaned as they vanished their duplicate self. Lily had 'seen' Severus coming after them with revenge and the four had decided to send their duplicates there and entering the place late. Sirius was happily carrying twenty galleons, thirty-six sickles and fifty-four knuts. The snake hissed loudly at them. No wonder the potion didn't work! It was just a duplicate of themselves!
'You guys are just too smart you know. You managed loads of things the seventh years can't, like duplicating yourselves. That's dark magic,' Sita said pointedly.
'We'd noticed. I learned this from a book and it didn't say anything about this being dark magic. Or not,' Lily said, trying to recall the day she'd read the page. She'd remembered that there was a little P.T.O. at the bottom of the page but she never bothered to turn it over, suspecting it to say all about the history of duplicating yourself.
'You're careless, Li, careless. Very careless,' Sirius said as he tapped her lightly.
'I'd noticed,' she answered dryly. She moaned again, but stopped, realizing that she'd moaned too many times before adding another to the list.
'Cheer up, Lily! We're having our sleeping time pretty soon!' Tally said, motioning to the timetable which, decorated with sleeping moons, read 'History of Magic'.
'Guess I'll just have my beauty sleep there! I hadn't any, trying to make out that stupid dream of Snape trying to turn us into animals,' Lily said, stepping hard on the snake at the bottom, which hissed loudly and drop down with a faint.
AN: Okay, maybe this is really sounding dumber and dumber. Who on earth can predict that? Well, Lily maybe could… anywayz, a message to all readers: Please, please, please, please, please review!!!!!!!! No one reviewed much these days L so please, do me a small favor to review!!!