Chapter One: "Getting into Trouble"
A man, cloaked in black, stormed into the Great Hall without announcement or any apparent reason. Immediately, the heads of the students turned together toward him in a wave of interest and sudden, somber quiet. Some of them were curious, others afraid. There were rumors flying around in the wizarding world that an army of warlocks and dark wizards was being assembled to destroy all light in their path. Was this stranger one of these enemies? If he wasn't, then why had he burst into the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry without saying anything, not even his name? All sat breathless, waiting for him to respond with a word or action that would reveal his business in the school this late in the evening. The man did nothing except swing his broomstick over his shoulder and then he walked directly to the faculty table. The headmaster had already risen to meet this strange visitor and spoke in a clear and friendly voice, "Welcome, friend! To what may we owe the pleasure of your visit to Hogwarts?"
"No time for chit-chat, Dumbledore. I bring an urgent message from the Ministry of Magic. One that must be conveyed quickly—and in private," he added with an uneasy shift in his steps. It wasn't odd for the Minister of Magic to request the occasional favor or two from the well-respected headmaster.
As if by cue, Dumbledore turned to leave his post and said, "Come, we shall discuss this in my office and not trouble the students--"
The messenger interrupted, "No, it's not for you, Professor Dumbledore, but for Professor Aurelia Covington."
A rush of understanding filled the Great Hall. This was Auror business. Suddenly all eyes flew to the young Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and sometimes famous Auror. She didn't seem surprised, but almost amused. Dumbledore, on the other hand, seemed to lose his smile and looked almost worried. Aurelia confidently spoke up to assuage the fears of her students and those that her fellow faculty members might have, "A message for me? How interesting. If you need a secure location to tell it to me, I know just the place. Let's not distract the students from their delicious dinners."
With that, the messenger bowed his head, and Professor Covington left her post at the faculty table. As she left she turned and met Dumbledore with a wink. Though she had once been a member of the Ravenclaw House, no one could ever say that Professor Aurelia Covington lacked the courage of the Gryffindors. And considering the darkness of the times, that courage could not be underestimated, nor go unappreciated.
**********
"All in all, I'd say we got off a lot better than we should have," fifteen-year old Remus Lupin said as he plunged his mop into a bucket.
"Really, Moony? Is that what you'd say?" came the sarcastic reply of his best friend, schoolmate and co-conspirator, James Potter, "I'd say you're just relieved that you didn't lose your shiny prefect badge."
Lupin blushed, "I merely meant that it could have been worse. I mean two second year Slytherins did sprain their wrists because of the ice sheet we planted outside their dormitory."
James shrugged, "I bet they were faking it. It wasn't that big of a deal. I mean, sure, when the ice did eventually thaw there was a flood on the entire floor, but I don't see why that means we have to mop that up and all the other floors of the school. What would you say, Padfoot?" He turned behind to the third member of their tight foursome, the charming and bedeviling Sirius Black.
Black didn't look up from his mopping. "I'd say that in the almost five years I've spent at the world-renowned Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, I have done more mopping, brooming, polishing, raking, scrubbing, tapestry beating, dish washing, and creepy threstral grooming than my demonic excuse for a house elf has done in his entire lifetime," he said.
"Oh yeah," James grinned nostalgically, "the threstral grooming. Those were good times."
"Indeed they were, Prongs, indeed they were."
"Threstral grooming?" a squeaky voiced fourth boy named Peter Pettigrew chirped up, "When was that?"
Sirius chimed in, "Oh, a while ago, Wormtail. It was when Prongs and I let some garden gnomes loose in the girls' bathroom."
"Oh, well, I don't remember-look!" Peter's attention had been stolen by the sight of two adults pacing back and forth by a piece of wall far down the corridor. One was a stranger, a tall man in a black cloak, and the other was the boys' favorite teacher, Professor Covington. Suddenly, a door appeared between the man-sized vase and window the two had been pacing between, and Professor Covington led the man in.
James smirked, "Secret rendezvous, you think?"
"James," Remus pressed, "that room they're going into, it isn't on the Marauder's Map."
"What?" said Sirius.
James laughed, "Of course it is. Every room, secret corridor, password and even all of the closets appropriate for snogging is on the map."
Remus wasn't convinced, though. Even Sirius chimed in, "I don't know, Prongs. I think Moony might be on to something. In fact, I'm not so sure I've even seen that door before."
"Oh, please," James said, "this is Hogwarts we're talking about, and magical rooms pop up all the time."
Remus shook his head, "No they don't, Prongs. Staircases might move around, but most rooms stay put. Besides, we're supposed to have found all the secret rooms and tunnels in this castle."
"Except of course for the Chamber of Secrets," Sirius joked, "but then, we all know that doesn't really exist.
James pressed on, unable to overcome any flaw he or any of his creations might have, "Look, we devised the Marauder's Map ourselves. It's...perfect. It shows everything. How could we have missed a room like that?" All four boys stared at the door in question, trying to wonder its mysteries into revealing themselves.
Peter sighed, "What do you suppose that room is used for?"
"For hanging young miscreants, such as yourselves, by their toenails!" The four boys snapped around to find Filch, Hogwarts' disagreeable caretaker and their detention supervisor, along with his pet cat, Mrs. Norris. "It's a broom closet! Nothing else. Get back to your mopping! There's still two more floors to go, boys," Filch smiled with a slight touch of sadism. "Come along, precious," he spoke to Mrs. Norris, and with that and a swift kick to Peter's bucket, he left the boys to their mopping.
"Why is he so mean?" Peter whined, but none of the other boys seemed to notice. Instead, James, Sirius, and even Remus were eyeing each other meaningfully, secretly agreeing to their next mission: to find out what was hidden behind that door.
*********
It was the second time in one night that someone burst in on Aurelia Covington without warning, but this time she was elated to see who it was. Fifteen-year old Lyra Covington had rushed to her mother's suite as soon as dinner in the Great Hall was over, to learn what news the messenger had brought. However, Lyra was a perceptive girl, and with just a quick glance about the room she could surmise that it had not been good news. Her mother was in the midst of packing things: a mixture of clothing and mystical weapons of defense.
"Where are you going? What's happened?" Lyra questioned with deep concern.
Her mother replied, "Oh Lyra, it's nothing serious."
"Nothing serious?" she chuckled. "Is that why they sent a black-hooded messenger of death to call upon the aid of the greatest Auror alive?"
"Don't be ridiculous. That was most certainly not a 'black-hooded messenger of death'. Stern is merely a hit wizard at the ministry. Besides, even you should know that Mad-Eye Moody's the greatest Auror alive."
"Yeah, well you still give Moody a good run for his galleons," Lyra smiled to her mother, who could not help but to mirror the same smile back. Mother and daughter might have shared similar features, but Lyra was not nearly as sophisticated or as polished as her mother. Aurelia was known for her glittering violet eyes, a trait that had not been passed on to her dark-eyed daughter. Her mother's black tresses were long, sleek and shining while Lyra's dull, dark hair was cut in a shoulder length style that did little to flatter the girl. Nevertheless, they were as close in spirit as a mother and daughter could be.
"I wish I could come with you," Lyra said wistfully.
Her mother laughed, "No, you don't."
She nodded, "You're right. I don't...I don't have the courage."
Aurelia studied her daughter and encouraged her. "You'll find it. You'll grow into it, just like you grew into those ears of yours."
"Mom!" Lyra shrieked in embarrassment.
"What? You have lovely ears. Your father's ears," she smiled.
Lyra ached to change the subject and glean from her mother the information she had come for. "Can't you tell me anything?"
"Do you really want to know?"
"Do you really have to ask?"
"Alright," Aurelia sighed. This was not going to be pleasant. As a mother, she wanted to shield her daughter from the dangers of the world for as long as possible, even if Lyra was old enough to now understand. "Well, there's been rumors lately of a Dark Lord--"
"Of course," Lyra interrupted smoothly.
Aurelia was surprised, "What?"
"Mum, I'm in Slytherin. Most of my house is obsessed with the Dark Arts and gossip. Do you really think that any rumor, especially one like this, would escape these overgrown ears of mine?"
Her mother's eyes narrowed and seemed to betray that her thoughts were some place other than before. "I never liked you in Slytherin."
Lyra was frustrated. She had heard this from her mother before. She huffed, "Do we really have to talk about this now?"
Aurelia shook her head, "Alright, never mind."
"So, about this Dark Lord?" Lyra expressed with interest.
"Lyra!"
"What?" she said innocently.
Aurelia relented, "Fine. As you've probably heard, he's gaining political support and manpower from many of the wizarding world's oldest and richest families. He's made it clear that he wants to eliminate muggleborns. What he hasn't made clear is how very serious he is about this plan. He—well, we don't have much proof, but we have reason to believe that he's resurrected the Knights of Walpurgis and is planning attacks on muggleborns as we speak. I've been asked to hunt him or any of his supporters down and bring them in for trial and questioning. Of course, since we have no substantial proof, we need to gain some."
"So, you're spying."
"I can't say."
"You are then." Lyra tried to retain some humor in light of all this talk of darkness, "Well, Mum, have fun on your little vacation."
Aurelia said, "Lyra, I promise I'll be back as soon as possible. But, can you promise me something?"
"Anything, Mum."
Her mother sighed, "Follow your heart and don't join this Dark Lord's side. You're a good girl, Lyra, but many in your house, are let's face it, the wrong sort."
"I know that," she admitted, "and I can't say that I like or agree with Lestrange or Bellatrix, or MacNair, or even sometimes, Snape. But, Mother, you have to understand that they're in my house, and when you attack my house, you attack me."
"Lyra, I am not attacking you."
Lyra broke, "Yes, you are. Look, everyone assumes that because I'm in Slytherin that makes me some sort of sadistic, evil, muggle-hating psychopath. But I'm not, and yet, I still belong there. I'm in there because I believe in my family. I believe in my potential to do great things. I'm there because..." she broke off. She almost said, I'm too afraid to be anywhere else, but instead, in her fear and embarrassment, said, "I just want to make you and Dad proud.
"We are proud. You are a wonderful girl. You're sweet, clever, hardworking and have such great humor. You believe in what's right and--"
"I never get into any trouble?" Lyra finished with a laugh.
Aurelia paused, "Actually, I think I'd prefer it if you did get into a little bit of trouble."
Lyra was shocked. "What?"
"Loosen up a bit. Explore the world. Dare to follow your own path."
"But, Mum--" They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Aurelia called out pleasantly to invite the person in.
As the door slowly creaked open, the head of a young man with tousled brown hair and a mischievous grin popped into the room. "Hello, ladies! Mind if I pop in?"
"Of course, Orion!" Aurelia laughed, "Come on in."
With that, Orion Covington sauntered into his mother's room, clearly after the same knowledge that his younger sister had been after only fifteen minutes earlier.
"Good evening, Orion. What brings you up to Mum's?" Lyra questioned, with an air of mockery, since she already knew the answer.
Orion grinned, "Oh, nothing much. Just doing the same you are: wishing a good night to my mother. By the way, Lyra, dear, how have you been doing? Hope those snakes in the Slytherin House haven't turned you into evil incarnate quite yet."
"Orion!" Aurelia chastised her son, while Lyra just shook her head and gritted her teeth. It would all be settled soon, she thought. In just two weeks, Slytherin would blow Gryffindor out of the water in the Quidditch Finals, and then it would be Orion on the defensive. Both of Lyra's older twin brothers, Orion and Vexin, played on their house teams. Orion was a Beater, along with Sirius Black, for Gryffindor, while Vexin was the head Slytherin Chaser. Though Gryffindor had quite a few trophies in their case, mostly due to the spectacular plays of Black's best friend, Chaser James Potter, Slytherin had a fighting chance this year. Not only were the Gryffindors due for a good stuffing, but Vexin had also proved to be quite a Captain, organizing a talented team.
Orion quickly apologized for his comment to Lyra, if only to please his mother, and then began to ooze all the charm he had to gain the information Lyra already had. It was disgusting. Though she usually got along well enough with Orion, she couldn't stand him when he was laying his "charm" on so thick. She searched herself for a good reason to excuse herself, and soon found one. Lyra explained to her mother and brother that she was tired, and since she still had a whole Potions essay to work on, among other assignments, she decided it would be best to say good night, and retreat to the Slytherin dormitory.
"Good night, sweetheart," came her mother's sweet voice.
Lyra smiled back, "Good night!" As she left, she could hear her mother laughing and Orion's voice pumping her for information. Although the last thing Lyra wanted was to spend time with her older brother, especially when he was acting as annoying as he was, she couldn't help but to feel a nagging in the pit of her stomach that begged her to run back to her mother's room. But like most Slytherins in such situations, Lyra ignored the advice of her gut and followed her wits back to her books.
*********
Back in the Gryffindor common room, Lily Evans, a pretty fifth year with deep red hair and startlingly green eyes was finding it difficult to concentrate on her Potions essay. She tapped her quill against her parchment, closed her eyes, and tried to imagine a world in which one of her magical powers included the ability to erase James Potter from existence. While she sat by herself at a table strewn with textbooks and notes, trying desperately to study, Potter and his cronies were taking over the comfortable chairs around the fireplace, wrestling, joking, laughing and annoying the hell out of young Miss Evans. After hearing what sounded like a small firecracker go off behind her, Lily decided that she had had enough. She slammed her textbook shut, adjusted her prefect badge and mustered all the strength she had to confront Potter and company.
"Uh oh, guys, there she goes..." said an amused girl's voice from a chair in the corner. Lily turned to see her best friend, Dorcas Meadowes pop her eyes up from her Herbology text and give Lily a smile.
Exasperated, Lily said, "Dorcas, I can't take it any longer. They've been making noise for too long, and finals are coming up. It's not just for me; I have a duty to my fellow Gryffindors to squelch trouble and stop loud...noise...makers." She frowned at her own inarticulateness.
Dorcas giggled, "It's okay, Lils. You have a duty to perform! Go over there and what was it? 'Squelch trouble and stop loud noise makers?'"
"Shut up," Lily moaned with a guilty smile.
"I told you, it's alright. I can't wait to see you give Potter a piece of your mind."
Lily shook her head and said, "It's about time someone does."
"But Lily," Dorcas warned, "don't be crushed if your constructive criticism seems to merely bounce off his thick gloss of arrogance. Methinks the lad might be too far gone to listen to the complaining of a goody two shoes prefect princess."
Lily shot back, "Dorcas! That's mean!"
"I'm only being cruel to prepare you for the sharp and wicked tongue of Sirius Black. The boy's a bastard. A hot bastard, but a bastard at that. If you can't handle my teasing, you won't be able to survive a head on collision with Potter and Black."
Lily's eyes narrowed and her stomach sank. How was she supposed to do this? Most of the time she found it easy to maintain her composure as prefect. The younger students feared her seniority and those above her in years respected the authority given to her. Potter and Black were a different story altogether. Even Lupin, who was their best friend and Lily's fellow prefect, couldn't exercise restraint over the terrible twosome. They didn't seem to respect the teachers, either. Though occasionally, Covington or McGonagall could inspire remorse in the boys. The headmaster was the only one they respected, and Dumbledore was oftentimes too soft with them, as he admired their cleverness and sense of comedy. In all honesty, it was hard not to be charmed by Potter and Black. All seemed to fall quickly and easily under their spell, except for Lily, who saw their shenanigans as immature and sometimes amoral. Now, with frustration gnawing at her and finals approaching, she had to take action.
She cleared her voice and attempted to politely address the boys, "Excuse me, but could you please keep it--"
"Oy! Jamesey!" Sirius barked at his friend, "Look who it is!"
James quickly ruffled his hand through his hair in a terribly ridiculous manner, and seemed to mess it up more on purpose, as if to give the illusion he had just jumped off his Nimbus 1001. In the cockiest voice Lily could ever imagine, he said, "Had enough studying, Evans? Want to join our party?"
As far as she could tell, this was some sort of insult or inside joke. They were obviously ribbing her on her meticulous study habits, as she could support with the sights of Sirius shaking his head and stifling laughter, Peter blushing and giggling with keen anticipation, and Remus smiling into the book he had quickly provided for himself upon her arrival. James seemed oblivious to all this, and merely stared Lily down. She felt he was trying to tear her confidence down with those hazel eyes of his, hidden behind wire-rimmed glasses. So, she met his gaze, with a steel set one of her own, as she spoke up, "Look, I didn't want to bother you, or anything, but I'm...people are trying to study for their exams. And considering they're only three weeks away, I would hope you would understand this, and keep it down while you're in the common room."
"Well, seeing as it's our common room, too," Sirius shot back, "I would hope you would understand that we have as much right to this space as anybody else does. If you've got a problem with it Evans, I suggest you pack your things and scamper off to the library."
Lily didn't want to deal with this. She had hoped politeness would have been enough. She quickly looked about the room, as though the fireplace or end table could whisper some fighting words to her to spit back at the imbeciles before her. Her eyes fell upon plates of food, from the dining hall, and then remembered that the boys hadn't been at dinner that night, as they had been in a much deserved detention. "Where did you get that food?" she fired to all of them at once.
"Uh..." Potter looked for an answer. "Some friends brought dinner back for us, as we missed it."
Sirius backed him up, "Frank Longbottom, Orion Covington and the Prewetts."
Lily's eyes narrowed as she responded, "Orion Covington left dinner early, without carrying anything out, and presumably to visit his mother."
"Professor Covington?" Remus questioned, "Why did she leave dinner early?"
"I would think Frank, Orion, and the Prewett boys would have mentioned what had happened when they gave you the food. Besides, dinner was four hours ago, where did they keep the food until you got up here?"
Potter came up to her, so close that she could smell the combination of stadium grass and soap water he had all over his clothes. He talked down to her, "I don't think I like what you're implying here, Evans."
"Well, I don't like your blatant disrespect for authority."
"What authority do you have over us?" Black chimed in. "You're in the same year as the rest of us."
Lily swallowed and went to her last reserve, "The same authority that Remus has. Tell them Remus to be quiet. O.W.L.'s are only weeks away."
Remus went pale, and said nervously, "Oh, I don't know Lily, they're not doing anything wrong. We're just unwinding after a long day."
"Remus! You're a prefect!" He said nothing. Only shook his head and looked back down into his book. Lily spoke, "Fine, I'll deal with the noise this time. Next time, I'm going to Professor McGonagall. I think she'll agree with me that anything detrimental to the learning environment should be stopped."
"You run to McGonagall, Evans," Black grinned. "We're Gyffindors. We're not afraid."
She blanched and retreated to collect her books and go up to her dormitory room. After she left, Remus finally spoke in her defense, "She was right, you know."
"Oh, stop it, Moony," Sirius complained. "I'm not letting some goody two shoes prefect princess get the better of me...even if Prongs is madly in love with her."
"Huh?" James snapped back to reality. Even though he had been harsh with the girl, he couldn't stop feeling a thrill and nervous excitement throughout the whole conversation. He had been so close to her he could see the gold flecks in her eyes.
"I said, she was right. I should have agreed with her, instead of...just letting you two tear her apart," Lupin admitted with some hint of remorse.
James suddenly felt something he rarely felt: guilt. He asked, "Do you think we were too hard on her?"
"Oh enough about Lily Evans, what about Professor Covington and the mysterious room across from the ballet dancing trolls tapestry?" Sirius asked with a twinkle in his eye. "I say we go exploring boys. Question is when?"
Lupin sighed, "Not tonight, I actually have to put the finishing touches on my Potions essay."
Peter cursed, "Forgot about that."
"No problem," James said. "You can copy off of me or Padfoot. We can go tomorrow. Quidditch practice shouldn't run too late."
"Nah, it shouldn't," Sirius agreed. "So, tomorrow? After dark?"
The boys all smiled at each other, sealing their plans for the following night.
A man, cloaked in black, stormed into the Great Hall without announcement or any apparent reason. Immediately, the heads of the students turned together toward him in a wave of interest and sudden, somber quiet. Some of them were curious, others afraid. There were rumors flying around in the wizarding world that an army of warlocks and dark wizards was being assembled to destroy all light in their path. Was this stranger one of these enemies? If he wasn't, then why had he burst into the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry without saying anything, not even his name? All sat breathless, waiting for him to respond with a word or action that would reveal his business in the school this late in the evening. The man did nothing except swing his broomstick over his shoulder and then he walked directly to the faculty table. The headmaster had already risen to meet this strange visitor and spoke in a clear and friendly voice, "Welcome, friend! To what may we owe the pleasure of your visit to Hogwarts?"
"No time for chit-chat, Dumbledore. I bring an urgent message from the Ministry of Magic. One that must be conveyed quickly—and in private," he added with an uneasy shift in his steps. It wasn't odd for the Minister of Magic to request the occasional favor or two from the well-respected headmaster.
As if by cue, Dumbledore turned to leave his post and said, "Come, we shall discuss this in my office and not trouble the students--"
The messenger interrupted, "No, it's not for you, Professor Dumbledore, but for Professor Aurelia Covington."
A rush of understanding filled the Great Hall. This was Auror business. Suddenly all eyes flew to the young Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and sometimes famous Auror. She didn't seem surprised, but almost amused. Dumbledore, on the other hand, seemed to lose his smile and looked almost worried. Aurelia confidently spoke up to assuage the fears of her students and those that her fellow faculty members might have, "A message for me? How interesting. If you need a secure location to tell it to me, I know just the place. Let's not distract the students from their delicious dinners."
With that, the messenger bowed his head, and Professor Covington left her post at the faculty table. As she left she turned and met Dumbledore with a wink. Though she had once been a member of the Ravenclaw House, no one could ever say that Professor Aurelia Covington lacked the courage of the Gryffindors. And considering the darkness of the times, that courage could not be underestimated, nor go unappreciated.
**********
"All in all, I'd say we got off a lot better than we should have," fifteen-year old Remus Lupin said as he plunged his mop into a bucket.
"Really, Moony? Is that what you'd say?" came the sarcastic reply of his best friend, schoolmate and co-conspirator, James Potter, "I'd say you're just relieved that you didn't lose your shiny prefect badge."
Lupin blushed, "I merely meant that it could have been worse. I mean two second year Slytherins did sprain their wrists because of the ice sheet we planted outside their dormitory."
James shrugged, "I bet they were faking it. It wasn't that big of a deal. I mean, sure, when the ice did eventually thaw there was a flood on the entire floor, but I don't see why that means we have to mop that up and all the other floors of the school. What would you say, Padfoot?" He turned behind to the third member of their tight foursome, the charming and bedeviling Sirius Black.
Black didn't look up from his mopping. "I'd say that in the almost five years I've spent at the world-renowned Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, I have done more mopping, brooming, polishing, raking, scrubbing, tapestry beating, dish washing, and creepy threstral grooming than my demonic excuse for a house elf has done in his entire lifetime," he said.
"Oh yeah," James grinned nostalgically, "the threstral grooming. Those were good times."
"Indeed they were, Prongs, indeed they were."
"Threstral grooming?" a squeaky voiced fourth boy named Peter Pettigrew chirped up, "When was that?"
Sirius chimed in, "Oh, a while ago, Wormtail. It was when Prongs and I let some garden gnomes loose in the girls' bathroom."
"Oh, well, I don't remember-look!" Peter's attention had been stolen by the sight of two adults pacing back and forth by a piece of wall far down the corridor. One was a stranger, a tall man in a black cloak, and the other was the boys' favorite teacher, Professor Covington. Suddenly, a door appeared between the man-sized vase and window the two had been pacing between, and Professor Covington led the man in.
James smirked, "Secret rendezvous, you think?"
"James," Remus pressed, "that room they're going into, it isn't on the Marauder's Map."
"What?" said Sirius.
James laughed, "Of course it is. Every room, secret corridor, password and even all of the closets appropriate for snogging is on the map."
Remus wasn't convinced, though. Even Sirius chimed in, "I don't know, Prongs. I think Moony might be on to something. In fact, I'm not so sure I've even seen that door before."
"Oh, please," James said, "this is Hogwarts we're talking about, and magical rooms pop up all the time."
Remus shook his head, "No they don't, Prongs. Staircases might move around, but most rooms stay put. Besides, we're supposed to have found all the secret rooms and tunnels in this castle."
"Except of course for the Chamber of Secrets," Sirius joked, "but then, we all know that doesn't really exist.
James pressed on, unable to overcome any flaw he or any of his creations might have, "Look, we devised the Marauder's Map ourselves. It's...perfect. It shows everything. How could we have missed a room like that?" All four boys stared at the door in question, trying to wonder its mysteries into revealing themselves.
Peter sighed, "What do you suppose that room is used for?"
"For hanging young miscreants, such as yourselves, by their toenails!" The four boys snapped around to find Filch, Hogwarts' disagreeable caretaker and their detention supervisor, along with his pet cat, Mrs. Norris. "It's a broom closet! Nothing else. Get back to your mopping! There's still two more floors to go, boys," Filch smiled with a slight touch of sadism. "Come along, precious," he spoke to Mrs. Norris, and with that and a swift kick to Peter's bucket, he left the boys to their mopping.
"Why is he so mean?" Peter whined, but none of the other boys seemed to notice. Instead, James, Sirius, and even Remus were eyeing each other meaningfully, secretly agreeing to their next mission: to find out what was hidden behind that door.
*********
It was the second time in one night that someone burst in on Aurelia Covington without warning, but this time she was elated to see who it was. Fifteen-year old Lyra Covington had rushed to her mother's suite as soon as dinner in the Great Hall was over, to learn what news the messenger had brought. However, Lyra was a perceptive girl, and with just a quick glance about the room she could surmise that it had not been good news. Her mother was in the midst of packing things: a mixture of clothing and mystical weapons of defense.
"Where are you going? What's happened?" Lyra questioned with deep concern.
Her mother replied, "Oh Lyra, it's nothing serious."
"Nothing serious?" she chuckled. "Is that why they sent a black-hooded messenger of death to call upon the aid of the greatest Auror alive?"
"Don't be ridiculous. That was most certainly not a 'black-hooded messenger of death'. Stern is merely a hit wizard at the ministry. Besides, even you should know that Mad-Eye Moody's the greatest Auror alive."
"Yeah, well you still give Moody a good run for his galleons," Lyra smiled to her mother, who could not help but to mirror the same smile back. Mother and daughter might have shared similar features, but Lyra was not nearly as sophisticated or as polished as her mother. Aurelia was known for her glittering violet eyes, a trait that had not been passed on to her dark-eyed daughter. Her mother's black tresses were long, sleek and shining while Lyra's dull, dark hair was cut in a shoulder length style that did little to flatter the girl. Nevertheless, they were as close in spirit as a mother and daughter could be.
"I wish I could come with you," Lyra said wistfully.
Her mother laughed, "No, you don't."
She nodded, "You're right. I don't...I don't have the courage."
Aurelia studied her daughter and encouraged her. "You'll find it. You'll grow into it, just like you grew into those ears of yours."
"Mom!" Lyra shrieked in embarrassment.
"What? You have lovely ears. Your father's ears," she smiled.
Lyra ached to change the subject and glean from her mother the information she had come for. "Can't you tell me anything?"
"Do you really want to know?"
"Do you really have to ask?"
"Alright," Aurelia sighed. This was not going to be pleasant. As a mother, she wanted to shield her daughter from the dangers of the world for as long as possible, even if Lyra was old enough to now understand. "Well, there's been rumors lately of a Dark Lord--"
"Of course," Lyra interrupted smoothly.
Aurelia was surprised, "What?"
"Mum, I'm in Slytherin. Most of my house is obsessed with the Dark Arts and gossip. Do you really think that any rumor, especially one like this, would escape these overgrown ears of mine?"
Her mother's eyes narrowed and seemed to betray that her thoughts were some place other than before. "I never liked you in Slytherin."
Lyra was frustrated. She had heard this from her mother before. She huffed, "Do we really have to talk about this now?"
Aurelia shook her head, "Alright, never mind."
"So, about this Dark Lord?" Lyra expressed with interest.
"Lyra!"
"What?" she said innocently.
Aurelia relented, "Fine. As you've probably heard, he's gaining political support and manpower from many of the wizarding world's oldest and richest families. He's made it clear that he wants to eliminate muggleborns. What he hasn't made clear is how very serious he is about this plan. He—well, we don't have much proof, but we have reason to believe that he's resurrected the Knights of Walpurgis and is planning attacks on muggleborns as we speak. I've been asked to hunt him or any of his supporters down and bring them in for trial and questioning. Of course, since we have no substantial proof, we need to gain some."
"So, you're spying."
"I can't say."
"You are then." Lyra tried to retain some humor in light of all this talk of darkness, "Well, Mum, have fun on your little vacation."
Aurelia said, "Lyra, I promise I'll be back as soon as possible. But, can you promise me something?"
"Anything, Mum."
Her mother sighed, "Follow your heart and don't join this Dark Lord's side. You're a good girl, Lyra, but many in your house, are let's face it, the wrong sort."
"I know that," she admitted, "and I can't say that I like or agree with Lestrange or Bellatrix, or MacNair, or even sometimes, Snape. But, Mother, you have to understand that they're in my house, and when you attack my house, you attack me."
"Lyra, I am not attacking you."
Lyra broke, "Yes, you are. Look, everyone assumes that because I'm in Slytherin that makes me some sort of sadistic, evil, muggle-hating psychopath. But I'm not, and yet, I still belong there. I'm in there because I believe in my family. I believe in my potential to do great things. I'm there because..." she broke off. She almost said, I'm too afraid to be anywhere else, but instead, in her fear and embarrassment, said, "I just want to make you and Dad proud.
"We are proud. You are a wonderful girl. You're sweet, clever, hardworking and have such great humor. You believe in what's right and--"
"I never get into any trouble?" Lyra finished with a laugh.
Aurelia paused, "Actually, I think I'd prefer it if you did get into a little bit of trouble."
Lyra was shocked. "What?"
"Loosen up a bit. Explore the world. Dare to follow your own path."
"But, Mum--" They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Aurelia called out pleasantly to invite the person in.
As the door slowly creaked open, the head of a young man with tousled brown hair and a mischievous grin popped into the room. "Hello, ladies! Mind if I pop in?"
"Of course, Orion!" Aurelia laughed, "Come on in."
With that, Orion Covington sauntered into his mother's room, clearly after the same knowledge that his younger sister had been after only fifteen minutes earlier.
"Good evening, Orion. What brings you up to Mum's?" Lyra questioned, with an air of mockery, since she already knew the answer.
Orion grinned, "Oh, nothing much. Just doing the same you are: wishing a good night to my mother. By the way, Lyra, dear, how have you been doing? Hope those snakes in the Slytherin House haven't turned you into evil incarnate quite yet."
"Orion!" Aurelia chastised her son, while Lyra just shook her head and gritted her teeth. It would all be settled soon, she thought. In just two weeks, Slytherin would blow Gryffindor out of the water in the Quidditch Finals, and then it would be Orion on the defensive. Both of Lyra's older twin brothers, Orion and Vexin, played on their house teams. Orion was a Beater, along with Sirius Black, for Gryffindor, while Vexin was the head Slytherin Chaser. Though Gryffindor had quite a few trophies in their case, mostly due to the spectacular plays of Black's best friend, Chaser James Potter, Slytherin had a fighting chance this year. Not only were the Gryffindors due for a good stuffing, but Vexin had also proved to be quite a Captain, organizing a talented team.
Orion quickly apologized for his comment to Lyra, if only to please his mother, and then began to ooze all the charm he had to gain the information Lyra already had. It was disgusting. Though she usually got along well enough with Orion, she couldn't stand him when he was laying his "charm" on so thick. She searched herself for a good reason to excuse herself, and soon found one. Lyra explained to her mother and brother that she was tired, and since she still had a whole Potions essay to work on, among other assignments, she decided it would be best to say good night, and retreat to the Slytherin dormitory.
"Good night, sweetheart," came her mother's sweet voice.
Lyra smiled back, "Good night!" As she left, she could hear her mother laughing and Orion's voice pumping her for information. Although the last thing Lyra wanted was to spend time with her older brother, especially when he was acting as annoying as he was, she couldn't help but to feel a nagging in the pit of her stomach that begged her to run back to her mother's room. But like most Slytherins in such situations, Lyra ignored the advice of her gut and followed her wits back to her books.
*********
Back in the Gryffindor common room, Lily Evans, a pretty fifth year with deep red hair and startlingly green eyes was finding it difficult to concentrate on her Potions essay. She tapped her quill against her parchment, closed her eyes, and tried to imagine a world in which one of her magical powers included the ability to erase James Potter from existence. While she sat by herself at a table strewn with textbooks and notes, trying desperately to study, Potter and his cronies were taking over the comfortable chairs around the fireplace, wrestling, joking, laughing and annoying the hell out of young Miss Evans. After hearing what sounded like a small firecracker go off behind her, Lily decided that she had had enough. She slammed her textbook shut, adjusted her prefect badge and mustered all the strength she had to confront Potter and company.
"Uh oh, guys, there she goes..." said an amused girl's voice from a chair in the corner. Lily turned to see her best friend, Dorcas Meadowes pop her eyes up from her Herbology text and give Lily a smile.
Exasperated, Lily said, "Dorcas, I can't take it any longer. They've been making noise for too long, and finals are coming up. It's not just for me; I have a duty to my fellow Gryffindors to squelch trouble and stop loud...noise...makers." She frowned at her own inarticulateness.
Dorcas giggled, "It's okay, Lils. You have a duty to perform! Go over there and what was it? 'Squelch trouble and stop loud noise makers?'"
"Shut up," Lily moaned with a guilty smile.
"I told you, it's alright. I can't wait to see you give Potter a piece of your mind."
Lily shook her head and said, "It's about time someone does."
"But Lily," Dorcas warned, "don't be crushed if your constructive criticism seems to merely bounce off his thick gloss of arrogance. Methinks the lad might be too far gone to listen to the complaining of a goody two shoes prefect princess."
Lily shot back, "Dorcas! That's mean!"
"I'm only being cruel to prepare you for the sharp and wicked tongue of Sirius Black. The boy's a bastard. A hot bastard, but a bastard at that. If you can't handle my teasing, you won't be able to survive a head on collision with Potter and Black."
Lily's eyes narrowed and her stomach sank. How was she supposed to do this? Most of the time she found it easy to maintain her composure as prefect. The younger students feared her seniority and those above her in years respected the authority given to her. Potter and Black were a different story altogether. Even Lupin, who was their best friend and Lily's fellow prefect, couldn't exercise restraint over the terrible twosome. They didn't seem to respect the teachers, either. Though occasionally, Covington or McGonagall could inspire remorse in the boys. The headmaster was the only one they respected, and Dumbledore was oftentimes too soft with them, as he admired their cleverness and sense of comedy. In all honesty, it was hard not to be charmed by Potter and Black. All seemed to fall quickly and easily under their spell, except for Lily, who saw their shenanigans as immature and sometimes amoral. Now, with frustration gnawing at her and finals approaching, she had to take action.
She cleared her voice and attempted to politely address the boys, "Excuse me, but could you please keep it--"
"Oy! Jamesey!" Sirius barked at his friend, "Look who it is!"
James quickly ruffled his hand through his hair in a terribly ridiculous manner, and seemed to mess it up more on purpose, as if to give the illusion he had just jumped off his Nimbus 1001. In the cockiest voice Lily could ever imagine, he said, "Had enough studying, Evans? Want to join our party?"
As far as she could tell, this was some sort of insult or inside joke. They were obviously ribbing her on her meticulous study habits, as she could support with the sights of Sirius shaking his head and stifling laughter, Peter blushing and giggling with keen anticipation, and Remus smiling into the book he had quickly provided for himself upon her arrival. James seemed oblivious to all this, and merely stared Lily down. She felt he was trying to tear her confidence down with those hazel eyes of his, hidden behind wire-rimmed glasses. So, she met his gaze, with a steel set one of her own, as she spoke up, "Look, I didn't want to bother you, or anything, but I'm...people are trying to study for their exams. And considering they're only three weeks away, I would hope you would understand this, and keep it down while you're in the common room."
"Well, seeing as it's our common room, too," Sirius shot back, "I would hope you would understand that we have as much right to this space as anybody else does. If you've got a problem with it Evans, I suggest you pack your things and scamper off to the library."
Lily didn't want to deal with this. She had hoped politeness would have been enough. She quickly looked about the room, as though the fireplace or end table could whisper some fighting words to her to spit back at the imbeciles before her. Her eyes fell upon plates of food, from the dining hall, and then remembered that the boys hadn't been at dinner that night, as they had been in a much deserved detention. "Where did you get that food?" she fired to all of them at once.
"Uh..." Potter looked for an answer. "Some friends brought dinner back for us, as we missed it."
Sirius backed him up, "Frank Longbottom, Orion Covington and the Prewetts."
Lily's eyes narrowed as she responded, "Orion Covington left dinner early, without carrying anything out, and presumably to visit his mother."
"Professor Covington?" Remus questioned, "Why did she leave dinner early?"
"I would think Frank, Orion, and the Prewett boys would have mentioned what had happened when they gave you the food. Besides, dinner was four hours ago, where did they keep the food until you got up here?"
Potter came up to her, so close that she could smell the combination of stadium grass and soap water he had all over his clothes. He talked down to her, "I don't think I like what you're implying here, Evans."
"Well, I don't like your blatant disrespect for authority."
"What authority do you have over us?" Black chimed in. "You're in the same year as the rest of us."
Lily swallowed and went to her last reserve, "The same authority that Remus has. Tell them Remus to be quiet. O.W.L.'s are only weeks away."
Remus went pale, and said nervously, "Oh, I don't know Lily, they're not doing anything wrong. We're just unwinding after a long day."
"Remus! You're a prefect!" He said nothing. Only shook his head and looked back down into his book. Lily spoke, "Fine, I'll deal with the noise this time. Next time, I'm going to Professor McGonagall. I think she'll agree with me that anything detrimental to the learning environment should be stopped."
"You run to McGonagall, Evans," Black grinned. "We're Gyffindors. We're not afraid."
She blanched and retreated to collect her books and go up to her dormitory room. After she left, Remus finally spoke in her defense, "She was right, you know."
"Oh, stop it, Moony," Sirius complained. "I'm not letting some goody two shoes prefect princess get the better of me...even if Prongs is madly in love with her."
"Huh?" James snapped back to reality. Even though he had been harsh with the girl, he couldn't stop feeling a thrill and nervous excitement throughout the whole conversation. He had been so close to her he could see the gold flecks in her eyes.
"I said, she was right. I should have agreed with her, instead of...just letting you two tear her apart," Lupin admitted with some hint of remorse.
James suddenly felt something he rarely felt: guilt. He asked, "Do you think we were too hard on her?"
"Oh enough about Lily Evans, what about Professor Covington and the mysterious room across from the ballet dancing trolls tapestry?" Sirius asked with a twinkle in his eye. "I say we go exploring boys. Question is when?"
Lupin sighed, "Not tonight, I actually have to put the finishing touches on my Potions essay."
Peter cursed, "Forgot about that."
"No problem," James said. "You can copy off of me or Padfoot. We can go tomorrow. Quidditch practice shouldn't run too late."
"Nah, it shouldn't," Sirius agreed. "So, tomorrow? After dark?"
The boys all smiled at each other, sealing their plans for the following night.