Body
All In The Name of Love
A/N Firstly, I suggest you read Score All To Us - Nil To Snape before reading this, as this is SATUNT's sequel. Secondly, I'd like to apologise to those of you who read this when it was Chapter 21 onwards - I'm really sorry about that - believe me, it wasn't deliberate. Fanfiction.net wasn't overly keen on accepting any files I submitted, and this has been edited so that it coincides with information JKR has released about the marauders. On the advise of someone who read Score All To Us - Nil To Snape, I have chaptered this. It should make it easier to read, I hope, and it shouldn't take as long to upload.
This is dedicated to Arabella, who did a fantastic job of editing it for me, and always makes me laugh with her comments. Thanks, I really appreciate what you do.
Chapter 1 - Cecelia, Eleanor, Felicity and Lily
The end of August. The summer holidays were entering their close. Four girls, about sixteen or seventeen years old were travelling down Portabello Road.
"Flick!! You're incorrigible!" A petite girl with long red hair, which was pulled off of her face, and huge emerald eyes laughed at the tallest of them.
"What? It's not my fault he was a peeping tom. He deserved it!" Felicity Howell, a pretty brunette, looked at her, brown eyes innocent.
"Don't look at me like that!"
"Yeah, but Lil, did you see his face when she called him a-"
"Okay Ellie, there's no need to repeat it. Lily looked scandalised the first time round!"
"I'm looking on the bright side. She didn't try anything illegal. Can you imagine her dad's face. 'I'm terribly sorry Mr Howell, but Felicity is currently an inmate of the nearest gaol. They said they'd let her out if you went to get her!' He'd never agree to us visiting again!"
They reached a large Victorian house, with a mahogany front door and shining brass knocker. It opened, and a tall man with dark brown hair and twinkling blue eyes greeted them.
"Come on in! Flick, aren't you going to introduce us?"
"Well, if you'd let us come in! Is Kat asleep? What's Mags doing?"
"Yes, Kat's asleep, and Mags was muttering about lunch." As they spoke they moved into what must have been the living room. It's main feature was the cast iron fireplace, above which was a huge mirror. The room was furnished comfortably, with blue sofas and yellow walls. Books were scattered on the coffee table, and a newspaper was folded neatly on a chair.
"Dad, these are Lil, Cee, and Ellie. My friends from Hogwarts." Hogwarts was Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. That was the unusual thing about the four girls, and the inhabitants of the house. They were all magically talented.
Mr Howell gestured for the girls to sit down. They were a good-looking group, no one could deny that. Eleanor Silver had icy blue eyes, and silvery fair hair that fell in ruler straight masses, to touch her shoulders. Cecelia Hall, on the other hand had wavy black hair that fell to her knees, and deep, dark eyes. Combined with Lily Evans's Celtic beauty, and Felicity's own charisma, they were very pleasing to the eye.
A woman the complete opposite of Felicity entered the room. This was Flick's stepmother, Mags. Together with her new half sister, Katherine, and her father, they made up the Howell family. Felicity and her father were Welsh, but had lived in America for eleven years, after Flick's mother died when she was five years old. When her father had married Mags, they moved back to England, where her father had a job, and Felicity transferred to Hogwarts, where she had quickly become a member of the group that Lily, Cee and Ellie formed.
"Hi! You must be Mrs Howell." Lily said to the short woman with the golden hair and grey eyes.
"Call me Mags. And I'm guessing that you're Lily?"
"Red hair a dead giveaway. Oh well, we all pay for our sins."
"Not at all. It's a lovely colour. I was actually referring to your height. Flick said that I'd know you straight off, and for once I'd be able to look down on someone. She's cheeky, our Flick, I'll grant you that!"
"Tell me about it!" Lily groaned, good-naturedly.
"What's she been saying now?"
"You don't want to know! How's Katherine?"
"She's fine, and we're calling her Kat. Much shorter when I have to yell for her you know."
"Only if she's like Flick!" Ellie chimed in. "If she's more sedate then you won't need to call her, she won't be given to running off."
"You're Ellie, I know, which makes you Cee. Come on girls. I've got lunch in the kitchen, and we can have a good old natter. Flick's dad's off to work now, so it'll just be us women."
"I pity the neighbours!" Mr Howell said, under his breath.
"What was that, Daddy darling?" Felicity asked, innocently.
"Nothing!"
It was an afternoon indulged in gossip and laughter. They were a gregarious lot, and given to doing things so outrageous that no one would think to ban them. A particular favourite was an incident at the end of the previous school year.
"I have to say I think the boys' end of year feast fiasco was the best!" Ellie giggled.
"What did they do to the poor boy then?"
"Poor boy? Mags, this is Severus Snape we're talking about. He tried to get James expelled!" Flick exclaimed.
"How? Why?"
"It doesn't matter. Suffice to say, he deserved all he got."
"Doesn't he always?" Cee asked, laughing.
"Stop side tracking." Lily chastised them. "We always said that Snape's hair was greasy enough to fry food in, and the boys, um, put it into practise."
"I don't like the sound of that!" Mags' words were those of a mother, but she was trying to conceal her laughter.
"Neither did I." Lily agreed. "But when did they ever listen to me?"
"James listens to you." Felicity stated, wickedly.
"Not always." Lily replied, blushing.
"Most of the time." Cee muttered. Mags seemed to sense that they were on dangerous ground, and she promptly changed the subject. By the time Lily, Cee and Ellie had to leave, all were happy again, and the afternoon had been spent, for the most part, in high jinks.
Lily's birthday was on the last day of August, one day before the beginning of school, making her the youngest of the group that produced most of the mischief in their year. She lived in a cottage, with her mother and father. Her elder sister, Petunia, had been married for ten days, and was currently enjoying a honeymoon on the French Riviera. Lily had to admit that Petunia's in-laws were rich, but her new brother-in-law, Vernon Dursley, left her cringing. He had intolerance for anything 'unnatural' to rival Petunia's, and Lily, in her capacity as a witch, was just about as abnormal as you could get in his eyes. Not that she was all that bothered. Ever since she had found out, her sister had barely spoken to her, and while Lily regretted the lost companion, she and Petunia had never been close, so it was no great loss.
On the morning of her birthday, she was greeted by an ocean of presents, including several from her wizarding friends. She opened the gift from her parents first. It was a gold watch, studded peridots, which happened to be her birth stone. Exclaiming over its beauty, she moved on to the present her sister had left for her. A writing pad and envelopes. No surprise there. Petunia had given her that every year since she had turned twelve. She had collected a range of hues, and coloured inks to go with them, that being Petunia's chosen Christmas gift. Her next present included a letter.
'Lil lovey,
Sorry, this is going to have to be a quickie. Kat's screaming, and Dad's on the warpath. I think the lack of sleep is finally getting to him. Well it's not my fault there's a baby in the house, I'm being as quiet as a mouse. (Take that look off your face. I can be quiet you know, it's just no fun!) The whole point of this is to wish you a happy birthday. Getting on a bit now, aren't you? Seventeen. Before you know it you'll be old and grey, rambling on about what it was like 'when I was young', perish the thought. I hope you like the present. Have a great day, eat lots of chocolate, and be merry!
luv 'n' stuff
Flick'
Flick's present turned out to be a book of charms, charms being Lily's favourite area of magic. Cee sent a box of Chocolate Frogs, and Ellie went for a book token. Eventually there was only one letter left. Lily knew who it was from, and waited until her parents had started working, before reading it in the privacy of her bedroom, looking out at the magnificent view her window gave.
'Dear Lily,
It seems I spend my life writing to you, but I couldn't not send this. After all, it's your birthday. I was actually aware of that fact before I got a letter from Flick, and another from Ellie, and one from Cee, but something tells me they have little faith in me. Anyway, many happy returns (pretty mundane thing to say, huh?) I know I don't go in for slushy stuff...' Just the big brother act, Lily thought ruefully, 'but I found this poem, and I thought you might like it.
What is love? It's often asked
Is it what I feel as I walk past
A pretty girl, or is that only
A feeling born because I'm lonely?
Love is special, I say
Love is there for you, come what may
A feeling that you'll know when it hits you
A feeling that makes one from two.
Love is the experience you'll never forget
The warmth that will never let
You feel alone, it's always there
The one whom you love will always care.
They say some love is unrequited
I say love comes, its never invited
For everybody, woman or man
There is a love you'll understand.
And once you find that love
Cherish it. It is above
All those empty dreams of old
And is far more precious than any gold.
Happy birthday Lily. Have a great day. I hope you like the present.
Lots of love
James'
Lily smiled as she read the poem, and then turned to the package that accompanied the letter. Her boyfriend was notoriously unromantic. He'd been at her sister's wedding, and his primary interest had been the food. So he must have gone to a lot of trouble to find a rhyme that she would like. Lily herself didn't go in for all things lovey-dovey, but that didn't make her any less the romantic. Her friends often joked that the reason she had fallen for James had been his devilish streak, in spite of her protests to the contrary.
She tore the paper from the package, and was greeted by an ornately decorated box. Curiously, she opened it, and inside nestled two miniature white doves. Lily smirked. Perhaps James was a romantic after all. Being products of the magical variety, the models moved, and one tucked it's head daintily under it's wing. Gently, Lily placed the box on her bedside table, and then went off to find her mother.
Chapter 2 – King's Cross Station
The next day, Lily's father transported her to platform nine of King's Cross Station. After a hurried goodbye, he left her for his work. She, in her turn, made use of a large group of German tourists in order to cover her entrance to the magical platform nine and three-quarters. No sooner was she in then a call greeted her.
"Lily! Lil! Over here!" She hurried over to greet Flick.
"Flick! Thanks for my birthday present. How's your dad?"
"Like a bear with a sore paw, but I'm not bothered - I'm at Hogwarts, he's in London, there's quite a bit of mileage between us."
"You can say that again. There's Ellie. ELEANOR!" Ellie, in her turn, joined them.
"How're you doing guys? Have you seen Cee?"
"Nope. And I don't expect to see her until ten minutes before we're due to leave. You know Cee, always leaves everything till the last minute." Lily laughed at Felicity's light-hearted insult, and Ellie joined her. Lily was about to speak when a hand came over her eyes, and a voice whispered
"Guess Who!"
"Grow up Sirius!" she said, scathingly.
"Getting priggish in our old age are we?" Sirius Black countered, looking at her searchingly.
"Who're you calling old? And why are you staring at me as though I've suddenly sprouted tentacles?"
"Oooh! Good idea!"
"Nice one Lil, lovey, you've given him another idea to use on Snape." Felicity said, sarcastically.
"Well, why are you staring at me?" Lily asked, ignoring Felicity.
"I just wondered..."
"What?" Felicity asked sharply.
"Well, are you still a prefect?" Lily blushed. She'd be hoping to keep this under wraps for as long as possible, especially regarding Sirius.
"Not exactly." Sirius looked at her, questioningly.
"Okay, okay, I'm Head Girl. And don't fall about laughing."
"Dumbledore's more romantically inclined than I thought." Sirius muttered. "Well, Lily," he said, in his usual clarion tones, "you'll be pleased to know that lover boy is your counterpart."
"I will?" She asked.
"Why not?"
"You've been on a planning committee with James, and you're asking why I'm not over the moon to know that he's Head Boy?"
"Oh, I see your point?"
"Which one?" Ellie asked.
"Well," Flick said, cutting Sirius off, "Either Lil's worried about James' tendency to, um, dominate planning sessions, or she's concerned that they'll get very little work done."
"Flick!" Lily exclaimed. "What exactly do you think we do?"
"Go over spells?" Flick asked impishly.
"Ha ha, very funny." Lily replied scathingly. "Some friend you are." She turned to Sirius. "Where is James, anyway?"
"Here." James said, coming up behind her. While he was not as tall as Sirius, he dwarfed her figure only a little over five feet, and had unruly black hair and blue eyes that sparked electrically.
"Where've you been?" Lily demanded.
"Looking for Remus. Why?"
"Just wondered." She replied, evasively. "Cee's here. I can see her. Give her a wave someone."
"Why can't you?" James asked.
"Oh use your brains," she replied. "She won't be able to see me through you, will she?"
"Well, you saw her."
"By peering round you. Stop being so pedantic. Anyone would think you'd-" he cut her off with a kiss, which was greeted with a chorus of whistles.
"Shut up." he said to his friends good-naturedly. "That's the only way to keep her quiet!" Lily glared at him, and turned to Cee. As Felicity had predicted, Cee had left very little time for mounting the train, and all of them hurried to the compartment that Flick had reserved earlier, by strewing all her luggage around it.
"Do you have enough luggage?" Sirius asked, gaping.
"Ah, leave her alone Sirius, she's a girl!" James drawled.
"Listen to the pot calling the kettle black!" Lily said, gesturing towards Sirius own luggage. "Between your stuff, and Flick's, how are we all supposed to fit in?"
Lily was right to be concerned. By the time everyone's belongings were packed into the compartment, there was only enough space for seven people. And Flick, Cee, Ellie, James, Sirius, Peter and Remus had beaten her to it.
"Where exactly am I supposed to sit?" she asked. "Or am I supposed to stand up for the entire journey? Perhaps there's something you're not telling me. I can always find another carriage. I heard that Nathan Briggs had space in his." That statement meant the others turned to gape at her.
"Well, she's small." Flick said. "Maybe she could sit on one of our laps?"
"If you didn't have so much junk" Lily emphasised the word junk, "then I'd be able to sit like a seventeen year old, rather than a seven month old." As she was talking, the train suddenly lurched forward, and she ended up sprawled across the four boys.
"Great pose Lil." Sirius smirked.
"Shut up Sirius!"
"Lil, you can't spend the whole journey standing up." Ellie said, plaintively.
"You've got a better suggestion?"
"Go and sit on Sirius. Then maybe he'll shut up."
"Charming." Sirius replied. "If she sits on me I'll have dead legs and then- Hey! What do you think you're doing?"
"Sitting on you." Lily smiled at him, angelically. "Ellie was right - you need it. Oh, and for your information, I am not a baby whale!"
"Never mentioned one. I just said your weight would kill me-"
"I 'spect your mum would be grateful." Flick chortled.
"Seriously, can't we move some of this around, so that I can sit down?" Lily asked.
Eventually the luggage was arranged so that Lily could just about squeeze in. Unfortunately, it meant her cat, Jet, was being nursed by Remus, and Cee's owl, Aphrodite, was perched on James' shoulder.
"The Magical Menagerie has nothing on us!" Sirius muttered.
The rest of the journey passed with little incident. Eventually they reached the stop for Hogwarts. Jet and Aphrodite were back in their cages, and all of the luggage was with its owners. Lily had only one case, and Jet. Flick, by comparison, had two cases, a rucksack, and a cage containing her new kitten, Kat's cat.
"Why on earth did you call her Kat's Cat?"
"Because Kat's fallen in love with her. I dare say she'll be Kitty by the end of the week, but never mind. And Hagrid's dealing with the first years, so we really should be off."
They made their way to the Great Hall, and soon it was time for the sorting.
"Our last," Cee muttered to Flick.
"My first," she retorted. "I missed it last year." Then she hurriedly shut up, as the hat began to sing.
In days of old I was required
By a quartet of magicians
They needed to complete their houses
With those they would commission
Great Gryffindor I remember well,
Noble, brave and true
He desired for his house
Those who were these things too.
By far the most intelligent
Was Lady Ravenclaw
She saw the value of learning things
And laziness deplored
Fair Hufflepuff was kind and sweet
And terribly loyal
She wished for her house
People unafraid of toil
Now Slytherin, a clever chap
Less faithful than the rest
Was more inclined to darker ways
And viewed those to be best.
So put me on and do not fret
I've done this job for years
In spite of all you may have heard
I can allay your fears
The house to which you belong
Is written in your mind
I'll see it there and say for you
Where those like you you'll find.
After much applause, the first years were placed into their houses. Lily watched in a wave of nostalgia. She remembered her own sorting all too well. A Hufflepuff, Rita Skeeter, was sorted before her, then she put the hat on. It considered Ravenclaw, seeing her love of learning, but then told her that she was capable of brave and noble things, and she had become a Gryffindor. In some ways she wished that she was one of the first years, with another seven years to look forward to, but she had done her time, and now she was at the other end of the school. Then there was the beginning of term feast. Dumbledore stood to say a few words.
"I'll be brief, but there are a few words I'd like to say. We have only one new face this year. Professor Horti, our Herbology professor, retired at the end of last year, so here is Professor Sprout, his replacement. I'm sure you'll make her very welcome. Now, let us eat!"
They set to. Even though they had eaten on the train, the eight mischief-makers were ravenous. There was little conversation as they devoured as much as they could. Anyone would have thought that they hadn't been fed for months, judging by the amount they ate. But as Peter had once remarked, the food was just too good to skimp on.
After the meal, they were almost walking in their sleep, and so they set off for bed. The new password was Armarillo. Once safely in their dormitories, all were fast asleep, and the entire Gryffindor tower was silent.
Chapter 3 - Introducing Severus Snape
The mischief-makers went through the first week of term without incident. When Sirius realised this, he looked at the others in horror.
"One whole week! We've been back one whole week, and we've not had a single detention! James - dump Lily. All this love stuff is going to your head get with it- James! Lily! What are you doing?"
"Kissing." Flick told him. "And leave them to it. As long as you don't look it's kind of sweet. And drop the whole dump Lily act too. Otherwise you'll have four not so good friends, and James' head will appear on a wanted warrant. Believe me, I know a lot of painful curses, and you wouldn't like to sample them."
"Flick - you spend far too much time paying attention to what goes on in Defence Against Dark Arts."
"Oh, and you don't? It's Remus' best subject. Ten to one if he can do it you can."
"Remus is more intelligent than me."
"Can't argue with that. He hasn't set a record for the greatest number of detentions earned in a year. And don't smirk like that, it's nothing to be proud of."
"Sorry, Mum. Lighten up Felicity! Oooh! Looks like the love brigade have finished. Prongs, get yourself over here!"
"Why?" James asked mildly.
"Because I want to do something so that you remember that we never ever go for more than a week without detention!"
"This is Hogwarts calling Sirius. I am Head Boy. We have to wait a couple of weeks, or I set a bad example."
"Yeah, after that you can create bedlam." Lily said sarcastically. "I don't know why I like you boys. Even Rattie has more sense than you. And that's saying something. Now, I hate to love you and leave you-"
"Literally" Sirius muttered.
"But I have some research to do. If you could put your 'I am sensible' hat back on before I get back, so much the better!"
With that Lily left the room. Soon after Felicity followed, and the two boys were left to their own devises. For once they did not do anything illegal. But soon all that was to change.
On Monday morning they all went down to breakfast chattering happily. Sirius and Felicity were having a good natured argument, and Lily and James were discussing the Potions test they were to sit later that day. Meanwhile Cee and Ellie were delving into the world of books - both were reading the same - and Remus was doing his best to give Peter some last minute coaching.
At the table they generally sat four on each side of the table. This morning was no exception. Felicity was nibbling on some toast as she read a letter when Severus Snape approached. Snape was James' archenemy, and showed it. Not that it mattered. James returned his loathing with interest, yet he never stooped to Snape's level. His jokes, while meant to pay Snape back, were not malicious. Severus himself could be very malicious, and rude into the bargain. He soon learnt that the best way to rile James was to call Lily a Mudblood. Unfortunately for Snape, it also roused Felicity, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Cee and Ellie.
"Well, if it isn't Potty Potter and his fan club. I don't understand you Potter. From your superior vantage point one would think you drew the line at associating with Mudbloods and foreigners" Snape sneered at Lily and Felicity. "But I forgot, the Mudblood is your girlfriend isn't she. What did you do? Dose her up on Love Potion? Either that or she's mad. Then again, maybe she's just stupid. I'm going for the latter-"
"Shut up Snape." James growled, coldly.
"Can't take the heat? Oh, and you may be interested to know that your Muggle girlfriend's Muggle sister has a hate for wizards. Not exactly good grounds for a lasting relationship, is it?"
"I already knew that." James shot back, hotly. "But I'm not interested in Petunia am I. Lily and her sister are chalk and cheese, and you only know about both of them from hearsay!"
"Leave it James." Lily said softly.
"But-"
"Leave it." Lily was firm. Then she directed a hard glare in Severus' direction. In frosty tones that James remembered all too well from the previous year, she addressed him. "Anyone else in my family you'd like to insult? Or are my sister and I enough? You might be interested to know that my aunt thinks that magic is the stuff of folklore, very mugglish. Or maybe the fact that my father's a scientist? Not a particularly logical job is it? Well, Severus, I'm sure you'd fare adequately in the Muggle world. Or maybe the stress of being without magic would threaten you? After all, you'd actually have to work. And there's a novel idea!"
"You little-" Snape was lost for words. He turned on his heel and left the room. Lily looked and James and smiled.
"I believe I won that round."
"Don't you always?" It was a standing joke between the two of them that she always won. Her diminutive form, coupled with her ability to charm meant that it was very difficult for anyone to disagree with her. While she hated the childlike stigma that went with her height, she was prepared to use it to her advantage. And childlike innocence gave her a great advantage.
"He shouldn't call you a Mudblood." Cee said, piously.
"I want to know who he was calling a foreigner. I'm a native of Britain just as much as the rest of you!" Flick exclaimed in outrage.
"Don't fret Flick. I don't think Snape would want to take you on in a hurry."
"Too right. And I've changed my mind. Sirius, get plotting. I don't care what you do, as long as it's safe, and it gets Snape back. Okay?"
"Marvellous!" Sirius said, grinning gleefully.
He enlisted James, Remus and Peter to carry out his plan. It was simple, but effective. Snape had harassed them at breakfast, therefore at breakfast he would pay. Beyond that, the girls knew nothing.
The next day, their whole perspective changed. At breakfast, Snape sprouted devil horns.
"Couldn't be more obvious if they tried!" Cee groaned at Ellie.
"Nah!" Ellie replied. "They're sitting over here. And no one can see their wands. No one would guess. Snape can suspect, but he won't know. And there's no way of proving who cast a spell that I know of. I'd say it's ingenious."
Meanwhile, Flick, seated next to Sirius, smiled, and said
"Who's a clever boy then?"
"Where's the parrot?"
"You're a laugh a minute- I don't think! That was a bit of a brainwave though. Maybe not quite dramatic enough, but I like it."
"Not dramatic? Flick, the guy sprouted horns. What do you want that's got more drama than that?"
"Steam coming out of his ears to go with it? Maybe breathing fire - actually, perhaps coupling Snape and fire is a bad idea. Still..."
"Next time you plot a revenge, if you want something more 'dramatic'!" and Sirius snorted.
"Lighten up! We've got Herbology today. I wonder what the new professor is like?"
"You call that lightening up?" Sirius looked at Felicity in wonder. She merely tilted her head towards Snape, who had just reached them.
"I'll kill you Potter! And it'll be a long painful death!"
"But Severus, I don't understand. I don't recall earning such a fate."
"Cut the innocent act out Potter. I know."
"Snape? Why have you sprouted horns all of a sudden? Did your wand backfire?" Sirius asked, genially.
Snape hissed insults at them, and then left the table. Very soon the eight of them had finished, and once they reached the Gryffindor Common room, they made enough racket to wake the dead.
"Did you see his face?"
"Sirius, you're incorrigible!"
"James, you need acting lessons! That was appalling! I thought you were supposed to be a good liar." Lily teased her boyfriend good-naturedly.
"I'd like to see you do better. And incidentally, who said I was acting?"
"If that was genuine, I'd hate to see what you're like when you don't mean something."
"I hate to break up the party, but if we don't move now we're going to be late for Herbology." Remus said, reluctantly.
"Who cares?" Sirius asked.
"I do." Lily replied. "So do Flick, Cee and Ellie. And so should you. Come on!"
"Spoil sport!" Sirius muttered.
Chapter 4 - The Trial
In the second week of term, Sirius received a letter.
"That was from my dad! Guess what!"
"He's going to impound you for insane behaviour?" Flick asked. They had had an argument.
"More like you! You're the one who-"
"Get on with it Sirius!" Remus interrupted.
"The Ministry wants us to testify against Endommager, you know the guy who-"
"Got Lily. Yes, we know. So why are you excited?"
"Because it will be fun. And Lily can pile on the agony, and he'll get life sentence."
"But I thought he was already locked up!" Lily looked up him, with large, frightened eyes.
"He is." Flick glared at Sirius. "But they can't send him to Azkaban without a trial."
"But you told me that he was in prison, you told me...you lied to me!"
"Lily, you were having nightmares every night! We had to do something. You were hysterical..."
"I'll give you hysterical..." Lily looked at her fiercely, then looked at her breakfast. "You were only trying to help. When's the trial Sirius?"
"Next week. Wednesday."
"We'll miss lessons then. Okay."
And beyond that she said nothing, and chatter turned to other matters. On the Wednesday following, all eight of them were met by Sirius' father at the school, with Ministry cars, and they were driven to the court.
Once there, they were greeted by a woman, vaguely familiar to Lily, Felicity, James, Sirius and Remus.
"You're here! I'm guessing you're here to testify?"
"Halfreda? Goodness, you've changed!" Flick recognised her first. The eyes were the same turquoise blue, but they had lost the haunted looks, and the wavy blond hair was no longer tangled, but well kept, and clean. She'd put on weight too.
"I look a lot better than I last saw you, I grant you that. How are you Lily? You look better too."
"I am. What are you doing now?" Halfreda Dubrillsiod had been responsible for the speed of Lily's rescue, when she had been kidnapped by the evil wizard Endommager the previous year.
"Back with the ministry, hunting out the bad eggs. Oh, this is my husband, Larry."
"Pleased to meet you. These are my friends."
They had a brief chat, and then the trial commenced. Eventually, it was time for Lily to testify.
"Now, tell us all about the events earlier this year, that led to up to the alleged kidnapping." Endommager's lawyer questioned her first.
Calmly, Lily spoke of the letter that she had received, warning her of his intent to capture her, in order to hurt the Potters and gain information about both them and the Blacks. She mentioned the talking owl.
"Miss Evans. Can you tell us what occurred last year after my client had 'kidnapped' you."
"Well, I remember seeing him, and then everything went black, and when I came round he was there."
"Yes, but what happened?"
Suddenly Lily went deathly pale. Flick looked at Cee and Ellie, worried.
"Leave me alone. Stop it. Your hurting me!" Lily's high pitched plea filled the room.
"Miss Evans?"
"No, stop it. I told you everything. I don't know anymore. Please..."
"Miss Evans?"
Sirius' father spoke up.
"I believe Miss Evans is suffering what is known as a repeat scenario, whereby she is reliving the time she spent in your clients company. While her evidence is useful, I suggest you move on to another witness, while she is treated for shock." The judge nodded, and Halfreda was called. Lily moved out of the stand and into the hall, shaking violently.
"Lily? Lil. Come on Lil snap out of it." Felicity was concerned.
"She'll be okay, just leave her for a few minutes." Mr Black spoke quietly. "I've seen it happen before, usually when someone has blocked off the trauma they suffered, blaming themselves for its occurrence.
"She thinks it's her fault." James said to him. "She's always though that. We told her over and over again that it wasn't, but she didn't believe us." Suddenly Lily snapped out of it.
"Where are we? What's going on? Is he convicted yet?" She tried to speak through chattering teeth. Felicity hugged her fiercely.
"Your freezing. Here, put this on." She handed Lily a sweatshirt, which her friend pulled on, thankfully.
There was no time to discuss what had happened then, but once the trial was over, and Endommager had been sentenced to life in Azkaban, Lily's friends explained what had happened to her.
"But I don't remember. I remember being in the stand, and I remember in the corridor, nothing else."
"That's how it works Lily. Your subconscious took hold of you." Mr Black spoke soothingly.
"And how many times did we tell you not to blame yourself? To talk about it?" Felicity asked, shooting her friend an exasperated look. "But did you listen? No."
"I couldn't." Lily said, softly. But I can now."
And on the way back to Hogwarts she told her friends everything, the pain, the fear, the loathing. In doing so, she removed a burden from herself. They were amazed that the strength of her character had carried her so far. Once they were back at Hogwarts, they had dinner, and then went straight to bed. And the nightmares that wouldn't go away, finally stopped.
Chapter 5 - Midnight Adventure
As the term wore on, Sirius became restless. So did Felicity. And they decided to act on it.
"I hate having to say this, but so far this year has been really boring."
"You're the one who decided to concentrate on studying." Sirius glowered at Flick. They'd had a row about that. Both could be very single minded, and when they didn't agree, everybody knew about it.
"Just because you want to fail. I do have a life to live you know."
"You call spending every waking moment with your nose in a book having a life?"
"No. Which is why we're going to do something exciting."
"We as in all eight of us?"
"No, we as in you, me, James and Lily. They need to drop the slush factor, and go back to being their normal spicy selves."
"Spicy?"
"Don't worry about it. But if Lily wasn't so self-conscious about the Head Girl thing, then we'd have so much more fun. So, we're going to show her how to have a good time. But James had better come along, or you'll get lonely. Now, here's the plan..."
While Felicity and Sirius were plotting, James and Lily were taking a stroll.
"James?"
"Yes?"
"Why are we walking in a circle?"
"I don't know."
"Why are Flick and Sirius looking like the cat that got the cream?"
"I don't want to know."
"Sensible. We'd better go back actually, Flick and I are going to see Hagrid. He's going to show us some new animal he's got."
"Try and come back with all your fingers."
"Flick's the one that has the accidents. They all like me!"
"Such blinding modesty."
"I know! I had a good teacher."
"Who?"
"You."
"I am not arrogant!"
"I didn't say you were. Just self satisfied."
"Thanks Lil."
"My pleasure. James?"
"What?"
"I'm getting wet."
"That's because it's raining." Lily rolled her eyes at him, and they hurried into the castle, where they were cornered by Sirius and Felicity. Flick told Lily their plans while they were on their way to Hagrid's.
At midnight the next day, Felicity left the dormitory, accompanied by Lily. In the common room, they met James and Sirius.
"I still say this is stupid." Lily groaned. "And I'm going to be dead tired tomorrow."
"Excuses, excuses!" Felicity shot back. "Anyone would think I dragged you here."
"You did!"
"Small, insignificant detail. Have you got the map?" She turned to James and Sirius.
"Of course." Sirius answered.
They left the common room, and made for the astronomy tower. On arrival, they were about to talk when Lily put a finger to her lips, and cupped her ear. They listened, and heard boots clumping up the stairs. Quickly they hid. Fortunately, James had his Invisibility Cloak, so they scurried behind a chair, and covered themselves with it.
A tall figure, as black as the night itself, entered the room, and Felicity shivered. This man had an ominous presence. He brought out a torch, and began to flash.
"What's he doing?" Sirius asked, confused.
"Shhh!" Lily hissed. "He's signalling."
"Who? And how do you know?"
"It's Morse. I'll explain later. And she hurriedly pulled a piece of parchment and quill from her robes, and wrote down what was being flashed.
Once he had finished flashing the man left the room, and once the sound of his boots had faded away, they crawled out of his hiding place.
"What did he say?" Felicity asked Lily curiously, as James and Sirius peered over her shoulders.
" TO PLAN AT THE SCHOOL TARGET ONE KNOWS NOTHING TELL LEAD G SEND FURTHER ORDERS LEAD Z" James read.
"What does that mean?" Sirius asked.
"More to the point, how do you know that's what he said?" Felicity asked Lily.
"I told you, Morse code. I learnt it at Brownies, before I knew I was a witch."
"What are Brownies, and what's Morse code?"
"The Brownies are an organisation set up by Lady Baden Powell. But don't worry about that. As to Morse, it's a way of talking using flashes, or sounds or whatever. It uses dots and dashes to communicate. Obviously they know it, and non-Muggles wouldn't, so they're using it. To anyone who didn't know, it's just a funny light pattern."
"I'm guessing," James began, quietly, "that they're some kind of group, and not a good one at that. Target one is obviously someone at Hogwarts, and Lead G is obviously giving Lead Z orders. And everything is going to plan."
"So what are we going to do?" Felicity asked.
"Tell Dumbledore?" Lily suggested, doubtfully.
"Probably have to," Sirius said mournfully. "And then we'll get an earful for breaking the rules."
"We'll get more than an earful." Lily said. "We're at the wrong end of the school. I hope the trophies are fairly clean, because I can see a detention with our names on it."
"Never mind. All for a good cause."
"What good cause, James?"
"I don't know!"
Yes, my sister is driving me insane playing with her mobile phone ring tones right now - why do people do that? As I don't have a phone (telephobia is a horrible thing) I couldn't say. Of course, talking to me on the phone right now wouldn't help you very much, as I'm rather incoherant thanks to the plastic monstrosity the Orthodontist tells me will straighten my teeth. I didn't like to tell him that they weren't exactly wonky.
Hallie