Here I go again! Posting 10 billion times a day… sighs. Oh well, I'm sure that you guys don't care. I just feel like a dork! LOL! Oh wait—that's because I am, duh!

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Chapter 19

The Fidelius Charm

After lunch on Thursday, Lily, Belle, and Madison hurried to the fifth floor for Charms with the Ravenclaws. Lily sat down in her assigned desk, and pulled out her books. A few minutes before the bell declared the start of classes, short little Professor Flitwick came shuffling into the classroom, loaded with books.

"Do you need any help professor?" Lily asked politely, approaching her teacher, who only came up to her hips.

"Oh, no thank you, Lily…" He muttered, placing the books on his desk with a loud clunk.

The bell rang, and students scurried to their desks and pulled out their materials. They all sat patiently, while Flitwick climbed up his platform so everyone could see him.

"Right." He began. "Open up your books to page 337, please. This week we'll be studying the Fidelius Charm." There was a flipping and shifting of pages before he continued. "Now, the Fidelius Charm is immensely complex, and I only teach it to my seventh years."

"I've heard about this charm…" Madison whispered to Lily. Was she bragging, or informing?

"Now, this charm involves the magical concealment of a secret inside one person. This person is called the 'Secret-Keeper'. The information is hidden deep inside the Secret-Keeper, and is literally impossible to locate. Unless," He paused, "The Secret-Keeper chooses to tell it. But as long as the Secret-Keeper didn't divulge the furtive information, someone could try and try to find the person, or the information forever… they wouldn't be able to find it out!

"It's really very useful. Especially for wizards and witches under the witness protection program-- which is what it's mainly used for today." Flitwick said. "Now tonight, I want you to come up with a secret. Anything will do-- who you have a crush on, what you're going to do when you graduate- anything that no one else knows. Then I want you to think up one person that you trust more than anyone else-- in this classroom, of course." He smiled out at all the confused faces.

"I know what you're all thinking." Flitwick chuckled. "Why? Well, I figure that the best way for you to learn about the Fidelius Charm is to perform it yourselves. You'll do the potion in potions class… then we'll do a modified version of the charm on you and whomever you trust. Sound good?" There were some nods of agreement.

"And don't worry: The version we'll do will wear off in an hour or so." Flitwick added. "And don't forget to think up your secret-- it's the easiest homework you'll have this year!" He replied, chuckling.

"Now the format for speaking your secret is very simple. You might want to take out some paper for some notes here…" Flitwick continued.

Lily had no question of whom she trusted. Her first thought was Belle… but then she found her thoughts moving to Remus. She trusted Remus with all her heart… she could rely on him.

But the harder thought was a secret. What did she know that Remus-- or Belle-- didn't? What could she tell them?

Obviously, she knew tons of secrets…

The fact that she knew James, Sirius, and Peter were Anamangi… that they made a map that could sneak James out of Hogwarts… James was the heir of Gryffindor… and then the Stone of Rialle…

But those weren't her secrets. Those were the marauder's secrets. What secret did she have?

She thought of her diary that was still hidden in her trunk… and she remembered that she hadn't touched it all year. She didn't like anybody… or so she thought… so what could she say?

Then it hit her-- Amos's letters.

She hadn't told anyone about his love confessions, and if that wasn't a secret, she didn't know what was.

This would be no problem.

So Lily came to class the next Monday with her head held high, thinking about Amos and Remus. But just as she sat down, her plan was dramatically changed.

"Oh Lily!" Madison sighed, sliding into the desk right in front of Lily, and looking relieved.

"Yes?" Lily asked.

"Well, I just wanted to let you know that I trust you so much. I know we haven't had a chance to talk much recently, but I still think of you as my best friend in the whole wide world. Would you be my Secret-Keeper? Please?" Madison asked, looking deep into Lily's eyes.

"Of course, Madison…" Lily replied, watching Remus enter the room and sit down. She paused, and then added regretfully, "Will you be mine?"

"Oh, of course Lily! I'm so pleased that you'd ask!" She squealed with joy. "So… what's your secret?"

"I don't think I can tell you yet." Lily said, glancing away from Madison's eager face. "I mean, we should wait until the spell is cast, don't you think?"

"Oh.  I'm sure you're right." Madison replied, looking downcast. "See you." She added softly as Professor Flitwick entered the classroom.

"Good morning students! Are you ready to cast the Fidelius Charm? Good… good…" He replied, walking briskly to his desk. "Now then. Let's get started. Pull out your wands and open your books to page 339.

"Now please pair up with your Secret-Keepers and your Secret-Givers." He added. There was the loud scratching of chairs being shoved out of the way as people matched up. Lily stood uncomfortably next to Madison. She smiled at her, but realized that she was watching Remus and Peter…

"All settled? Good." Flitwick said, climbing on top of a pile of books so he could be seen. "Now this is very serious. Anyone messing around will be thrown out immediately… Isn't that right, Messrs. Black and Potter?" He added, eyeing Sirius and James warningly.

"Here I have the potions that you concocted on Thursday." Flitwick said, pointing to the large cauldron of bubbling purple liquid. He hopped down off the books with a thump, and teetered over to it. He climbed up another stack of encyclopedias, and dipped a mug into the liquid. It hissed and frothed wildly. Foam issued from the cup and he smiled and handed it to a Ravenclaw boy.

"Now, Mr. Davies, I'm going to read the spell-- because someone uninvolved in the secret must read it- and then in the space provided, say your secret in the format we discussed last week. Understand?" Flitwick asked. Zack Davies nodded.

He took a deep breath, and picked up his pages of notes. The class watched him with bated breath.

"And Mr. Chang…" Flitwick turned to Ling Chang. "After he speaks his secret, you will read the passage out of the book, all right?"

"Yes, professor." Ling replied, picking up his book with slightly shaking hands. Lily was glad that she and Madison didn't have to go first…

Professor Flitwick cleared his throat and recited, "Un segreto da tenere non lo ha lasciato mai andare per esso può provocare la maggior parte dei degli eventi."

Without warning, the room became slightly darker. It was as if someone had closed all the blinds, although the sun was still shining out the windows… A swirling light blue mist twisted up from somewhere… it almost seemed to be coming from Zack, Ling, and Flitwick.  

"Un destino della persona si fida di di voi che è il vostrohorrendousdecisione da proteggere o adenunci."

After a sharp look from Flitwick, Ling nodded and said, "Oh right… Sia guidato dalla luce di quella quello chi mette la loro vita in vostre mani."

Zack leaned in to Ling, and whispered something in his ear. Everyone there knew that he was telling his secret. They looked at each other, eyes shining with pride, and each took a long drink from the mugs of frothing potion. Their faces screwed up with dislike.

"Ugh… this stuff is gross…" Zack groaned softly.

The room seemed smothered in an inhuman silence, as everyone watched anxiously for what would happen next. Then, as if the potion had just hit the pits of the boy's stomachs, they both jolted, and gasped for a breath. There was a bright purple light that came sparkling from the center of Zack's chest… the light slowly transferred itself towards Ling, who watched it nervously as it hit him in the torso.

As soon as it started, the blue light faded… as did the purple, and the room was filled with sunshine again.   

"And that's all!" Flitwick declared happily. "You two boys have done it!"

"Really?" Ling cheered. The class broke out into applause.

"And you know what this means, don't you, Ling?" Flitwick prompted, raising his eyebrows hopefully.

"His secret is safe, unless I choose to divulge it." Ling said pompously.

"Right, but only for a few hours. I wouldn't have you perform a full-blown version of the Fidleus Charm… that takes hours, and is much more dangerous. And don't worry, they won't have any memory of your secret after the charm wears off."

Lily glanced at Remus quickly. She wished that she was telling Remus about Amos's letters… instead of Madison. She didn't really think she could trust Madison, but she guessed she'd have to.

"Now, each of you come up here and get some potion. Then go ahead, and do the ceremony. Zack and Ling are here to read the initiation… or you can grab another pair of Secret-Keepers. You may begin." Flitwick instructed.

"Lily, would you go get the potions for us?" Madison asked. Lily noticed she was watching James and Sirius.

"Er… okay." She replied, moving towards the cauldron.

"Here, Lily." James said, handing her a mug of the lavender fluid. The lights slowly dimmed again, as students started their charms.

"Thanks…"

"So who's your Secret-Keeper?" He asked, dipping another mug into the fizzing potion.

"Madison." She replied, accepting the second mug.

"Oh. I didn't think that you two were really that great of friends anymore…" He said, not looking up from the cauldron.

"Sure we're still friends!" Lily said, aghast. "Why wouldn't we be?"

"It's not that, I just… thought you'd pick Remus, that's all." James said, a little softer. "Well, good luck with your secret." He said, hurrying back over to Sirius.

"Madison?" Lily said, approaching her. "Ready?"

"Yeah… hey James!" She called. "Want to give us a hand with our charm?"

"What're you…" Lily began, but James shrugged, and he and Sirius headed over to them.

"Want us to read the initiation for you?" James asked.

"Oh, would you?" Madison grinned.

"Sure…" Sirius said, making a face as Madison turned to pick up her book.

"Right here…" Madison said, standing very close to James, and pointing to the paragraph.

"Um, okay." James said, taking a step away.

"Lily can go first." Madison snapped heatedly. Lily shrugged.

 "Ready?" James asked Lily. She nodded and he read, "Un segreto da tenere non lo ha lasciato mai andare per esso può provocare la maggior parte dei horrendous degli eventi." The blue mist sprung up around Lily's feet.

Lily said her part softly, then Madison continued.

"Sia guidato dalla luce di quella quello chi mette la loro vita in vostre mani"

Lily quickly said her secret ("Mosa Iggoryd ays eh ovesl em.") without stopping. No one seemed to have caught what she had said, and Lily was glad.

Lily and Madison drank from their cups. Lily's mouth filled with a bitter, sour, lip-puckering flavor that tasted like white wine mixed with limes. It was thick and chunky- almost like tapioca pudding. It sizzled and popped as it oozed down her throat.

"Ew." Lily mumbled.

"Gross, eh?" Sirius chuckled. "You should see the looks on your faces!"

"Shut up." Lily said hoarsely. Suddenly, the purple light emerged from her chest… it glittered until it reached Madison. The smoke and purple light vanished.

"Need us to read yours?" Lily asked James, breathlessly. She put a hand to her torso, and gulped.

"Why not?" James said, handing the book to her.

When class was finished, everyone filed out quickly. Lily had the sinking feeling that her secret wouldn't be a secret for long… especially if Madison was Keeping it.