Chapter 9 Aftermath
Dumbledore and the professors that had accompanied him said little as they conjured stretchers for those who needed them and escorted the entire company of students present to the hospital wing to be inspected by Madam Pomfrey. None of them needed to say anything, their furious, sickened expressions said it all. Professor McGonagall looked as though she were working hard not to say anything, and when Dumbledore and Flitwick passed her with Lily's stretcher, her eyes went rather red.
In the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey too was more upset than any of them had ever seen her. As the group entered, Madam Pomfrey rushed to those on stretchers, Lily, Alice, Morwenna, Dorcas, and Kathleen, first, exclaiming over them, and began to treat Lily, who was by far the worst off. Before she could get very far, Dumbledore and McGonagall pulled her aside, presumably to tell her what had happened, because when she came back she wore the same furious, disgusted expression all of the professors wore.
"I'll see to you lot shortly, though I'm sure you don't deserve it," Madam Pomfrey informed the few Slytherins who had sustained minor injuries in the fray in a cold voice. She then continued to examine Lily's injuries.
"All right, mate?" Sirius nudged James, keeping his expression carefully neutral. James nodded wordlessly, even though he was fairly certain that he'd never felt worse in his life.
"All of those who do not need their injuries tended to will follow me," Professor McGonagall announced in a tightly controlled voice. "Professor Dumbledore wishes to speak with you."
James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Frank followed their classmates out, all of them stealing glances over their shoulders at the people lying in the beds. All with the exception of James. He couldn't even look at Lily now, not now that he knew how she really saw him.
* * *
Lily had very possibly never felt worse in her entire life.
Broken ribs and ankle, a fairly severe concussion, and loads of bruises, Madam Pomfrey had said. No one had mentioned the injuries that Madam Pomfrey couldn't fix. How was Lily ever to feel safe again? How could she, knowing that there were people in the world like Bellatrix Black and Rodolphus Lestrange who did things like this and reveled in the pain and misery they caused?
"Lily?" a kind, wise, and familiar voice interrupted her thoughts. "Are you able to tell me what happened?"
Lily sighed and, summoning her courage, opened her mouth and began to tell Dumbledore everything, starting with the incident on Halloween.
* * *
Dumbledore kept them waiting almost two hours.
Even though the tension in the room could have been cut with a knife, no one said or did anything. Professor McGonagall sat there, daring them to. And nobody did, even though it was a close thing.
Many of the Slytherins wore rather smug expressions, but none more so than Bellatrix and Lestrange, who were positively ebullient. James found it very hard to be in that room with them and not throttle them both, and he knew the others did too.
Sirius was just as furious and possibly more so than James. Every time his eyes rested on his younger brother Regulus, a Slytherin who had participated in today's debacle, Sirius would emit a deep growl from the back of his throat, fists clenched. He couldn't even allow himself to look at Bellatrix.
None the worse for wear after being dropped to the floor by James, Bellatrix looked, in fact, as if she'd never been better. James was fairly certain that had McGonagall not been keeping such a close eye on her, Bellatrix would have laughed aloud out of sheer glee.
Finally the door swung open and Dumbledore swept into the room, looking as coldly furious as he ever had, and possibly more so after hearing the Gryffindor girls' stories.
Dumbledore and McGonagall conferred for a moment, then Dumbledore moved to the front of the room, piercing them all with his intense blue stare.
"I have just finished speaking with Dorcas Meadows, Kathleen Kirkpatrick, Morwenna Marchbanks, Alice Prewett, and Lily Evans," Dumbledore paused, locking eyes with each of the Slytherins in turn. "And," Dumbledore continued, "I challenge you all to offer me one valid reason why any of you should be allowed to remain at Hogwarts."
There was some surprised and uncomfortable rustling among the Slytherins, but nobody said a word. Bellatrix appeared openly and coolly dismissive.
The silence had become almost unbearable before Dumbledore finally spoke again. "Very well," he said solemnly. "Will Misters Potter, Sirius Black, Lupin, Pettigrew, and Longbottom please come with me? The rest of you may stay here, I shall wish to speak with some of you individually." With that, Dumbledore moved toward the door, James and the others following behind him.
Stopping in another empty classroom further down the hall, Dumbledore turned to face them. "I have spoken with the girls who were attacked, all of whom will be fine, though they will all be staying in the hospital wing for one night and Miss Evans possibly for two," Dumbledore's eyes flicked to James' as he said the last part and James started in surprise.
"I would like you all," Dumbledore continued mildly, "to tell me everything you know of the incident, including anything you may have heard about it beforehand as well as what you saw and did when you arrived on the scene."
Remus told most of the story of what they had seen and heard before the attack, with the others jumping in occasionally, then they went round the room, each of them giving their own personal account of what had happened in the Potions corridor. No one, however, mentioned what James had done to Bellatrix and Lestrange.
"And why was Severus Snape on the ground when Professor McGonagall and myself found you?" Dumbledore asked James, his blue eyes piercing.
James didn't hesitate. "He was running away, Professor, after I'd cornered Bellatrix and Lestrange, and I did a Stumbling Spell so he wouldn't get away. I saw him Stun L - Evans when she was trying to get away from Bellatrix."
"I saw him too, Professor," Sirius put in earnestly. "He Stunned Evans so that Bellatrix could perform the Cruciatus Curse on her,"
"These are very serious accusations," Dumbledore said blandly. "However, none of the girls, Miss Evans herself included, know who Stunned her as she was escaping." Dumbledore's expression conveyed very clearly that he didn't want to hear any more on the subject. With that, he led all five of them back to the classroom where the Slytherins were waiting.
Professor Astral, the head of Slytherin House, had joined Professor McGonagall in keeping an eye on the Slytherins and wore the now familiar disgusted, furious expression. Quickly James and the others took their seats as Dumbledore once more faced the assembled students.
"I have now spoken to all of the Gryffindors involved in the incident and now intend to speak privately with all of the Slytherins," Dumbledore announced. "Misters Potter, Sirius Black, Lupin, Pettigrew, and Longbottom are free to go, as will Mr.Snape be as soon as I have spoken with him. These students have been determined to be innocent of any wrongdoing. As for the rest of you, a disciplinary hearing will take place the week after the holidays have concluded. Your parents will be asked to attend this hearing, and I will let you know my decision about whether or not you will be allowed to continue at Hogwarts at that time. Mr. Snape, come with me, and Mr. Potter, you and your friends are dismissed."
Casting murderous glares in Snape's direction, the Marauders and Frank made their way to the door. For his part, James was dumbfounded. How could Dumbledore let Snape get off scot-free after what he'd done?
"That slimy little git," Sirius fumed. "Always lurking about, making himself agreeable to the right people, sticking his slimy nose where it doesn't belong, and then when he finally does do something slimy out in the open, Dumbledore doesn't believe he did it!"
"Who says Dumbledore doesn't believe he did it?" Remus observed shrewdly. "He never said that. I think Dumbledore has his reasons for doing what he did."
"And what reasons are those, that he's daft?" Sirius snapped. "Thanks to Snivellus, Bellatrix very nearly performed the Cruciatus Curse on Evans, or didn't you notice?"
"I noticed," Remus said stiffly, mouth compressed. "I'm not saying that Snape wasn't wrong, I'm saying Dumbledore has his reasons and I trust him, as should you."
Sirius opened his mouth to argue, but Frank interrupted. "For the love of Merlin, can't you two just shut it? There've been quite enough petty grudges that've gotten bloody well out of hand today without you lot joining in!"
Effectively chastised, Sirius and Remus fell silent.
* * *
For his part, Snape had no idea what Dumbledore was about. It was impossible to determine whether Dumbledore really didn't believe that Potter, and probably Black too, had seen him Stun Evans, or whether he did but had his own reasons not to punish Severus.
Snape had no regrets about what he'd done. It had been a calculated move in the first place, done at a crucial point, which would make Bellatrix and consequently Lestrange grateful to him, and done in plain view of the right people, i.e. Lestrange, Bellatrix, and the rest of the select few, which would prove his loyalty beyond a shadow of a doubt. He hadn't necessarily wanted to see Evans hurt, but this whole damned escapade had never been about what he wanted. He'd owed Lestrange proof of his fidelity, and now Lestrange had it. That was as far as Snape's interest went because that was as far as it concerned him, fortunately. He was immensely relieved that Dumbledore had in effect announced that he would not be expelled from school. Thank Merlin this ridiculous, juvenile machination wouldn't ruin his entire career. In fact, it very well might enhance it.
Dumbledore had led Snape to his office, and now indicated the chair before his desk to Snape.
"Sit down, Severus," Dumbledore said politely. "Now perhaps you wouldn't mind telling me how exactly you were involved in today's events and any other information you feel might be pertinent."
Snape gave him a carefully edited version, claiming that he, and as far as he knew, the others involved, hadn't ever intended for it to go so far. It had been intended as a simple prank, revenge over some schoolgirl slight, or some such thing.
Dumbledore listened politely to Snape the entire time, his clear blue eyes missing nothing. Snape did some sizing up of his own. He still couldn't tell whether or not Dumbledore believed him.
"Thank you, Severus," Dumbledore said once Snape had finished. "You are free to go." Snape rose, eager to be away from that penetrating, disconcerting stare. He gathered up his bag hurriedly and moved quickly toward the door, but before he could open it, Dumbledore's voice stopped him once more.
"Oh, and Severus?" Snape turned reluctantly, feeling Dumbledore's eyes assessing him once more. "Do enjoy your holiday," Dumbledore finished, eyes twinkling.
In that moment, Snape understood why Voldemort feared Dumbledore as he did no other living wizard.
* * *
Lily awoke in the hospital wing the next morning filled with aches and pains. Madam Pomfrey had healed her bones yesterday, but she was still sorer than she had ever been in her life.
I feel like someone threw me into a wall, Lily thought, grimacing. Oh wait, they did. And onto the floor as well, she finished wryly.
Lily heard the curtains round her bed scrape back slightly, and she opened her eyes to see Morwenna peeking in at her.
"Come in," Lily smiled at her friend. Morwenna grinned back at her and entered, followed by Alice, Dorcas, and Kathleen, all of whom appeared to be more or less all right.
"How're you feeling, Lils?" Alice asked, sitting down gingerly on Lily's bed.
"All right. You?" Lily asked, looking round at her friends.
"All right," they chorused, smiling at her.
"Lily, Madam Pomfrey says you can come out of hospital tomorrow and I want you to come and stay with me for the holidays," Morwenna said earnestly.
"Or you're always welcome at my house, Lils," Dorcas offered.
"Or mine," Kathleen piped up.
"Or mine," Alice added.
"So many offers. I should let Bellatrix drop me on my arse more often," Lily teased. Dorcas and Alice laughed, but Morwenna and Kathleen looked rather scandalized.
"Sirius and Frank and Remus and Peter were here visiting us earlier, but Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let them wake you," Alice reported.
"Potter didn't come, I think you hurt his feelings or something," Kathleen confided.
Lily sighed. "I suppose I did go a bit hard on him."
"No shite," Morwenna snorted.
"I meant what I said, though," Lily maintained. "Revenge is revenge, and the fact that they hurt me doesn't make it right to do the same to them."
"I think you're right about that, but I don't think Potter meant to do it," Alice said unexpectedly. "He isn't like them, Lily, you were wrong about that. I think he's a good person underneath all of his shite and arrogance."
Lily wasn't convinced, but it did give her something to think about.
The rest of the morning passed by quickly. Alice, Morwenna, Kathleen, and Dorcas left to pack, then returned later on to say goodbye before boarding the Hogwarts Express. Lily was checked out by Madam Pomfrey again, who said she was pleased with her progress but wanted to keep her one more night to keep an eye on her concussion. That afternoon, Lily wrote a letter to Marlene McKinnon explaining what had happened and asked if she could come and stay with her after all. She had a reply from Marlene within the hour saying that of course Lily could still visit her and that she would come and fetch Lily from Hogwarts tomorrow at noon.
Lily's parents arrived a bit later, having been informed and brought to Hogwarts by Professor McGonagall. They were nearly out of their minds with worry and fussed over Lily till she couldn't stand it, offering to cancel their holiday and take her directly home and to a Muggle doctor. Finally Lily had to say something.
"Mum! Daddy! Please, I'm all right. I don't want you to cancel this holiday, it's too important to Petunia. I've written to my friend Marlene McKinnon - You remember Marlene? She came to stay with us once- and she has said I can come to stay with her. It's what I want, honestly it is. She understands what it's like, being a Muggle born witch."
Mrs. Evans' eyes filled with tears. "Oh, darling, of course you can go and stay with Marlene if that's what you want. I can understand that you need somebody who knows what it's like right now." She kissed Lily for the umpteenth time.
"Marlene is a nice girl and she'll take good car of you, I'm sure," Mr. Evans smiled kindly. "Just be sure to write to us if you need anything and we'll come straight home. It's not as if we'll be having much fun with the Dullsleys at any rate." Lily began to laugh, then winced slightly and settled for grinning instead. Damn Bellatrix.
"Charles!" Mrs. Evans scolded. "What a dreadful thing to call Petunia's future husband's family!" But her twitching lips gave her away.
Her parents having gone to meet with Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Astoral before returning home, Lily sighed with relief. Finally, a moment to herself.
Lily lay back on her pillow, absentmindedly twisting her hair round her finger. She wanted nothing more than to be out of this bed, out of Hogwarts, and somewhere far away where she could finally think about everything in peace.
* * *
James Potter lay on his bed in the dark, not bothering to turn on a light. Lily's words had been haunting him ever since she'd said them, partly because he hated the fact that she thought so little of him when he loved her and partly because he was afraid she was right.
He thought about all he had heard about the Death Eaters and about what his dad had said about Bartemius Crouch, the head of the Magical Law Enforcement Division.
Crouch had recently authorized the Aurors to use the Unforgivable Curses on Death Eaters in order to bring them in. James' dad had said that this made the Aurors no different from the Death Eaters, that using the Unforgivable Curses would turn the Aurors into mindless killing machines whose laws and ways were no better than Voldemort's. It was their humanity, Mr. Potter had said, that made their side right and Voldemort's side wrong and that if their side lost their humanity than their side was no more right than Voldemort's.
James hadn't thought much about his father's words until now. Lily had in effect said the same thing, and about him. He realized now that even though Bellatrix and Lestrange had spun Lily in the air and dropped her to the floor like a poppet it didn't make it right to do it to them. Bellatrix was stark raving mad, and Lestrange wasn't far behind her. James was the better person and should have acted like it instead of following their example.
James heard the door click and a second later saw Sirius' face directly above his own. "You are not going to spend this entire vacation moping about over Evans," Sirius announced. "I thought I'd let you get it out of your system for a bit, but now your time is up." Sirius yanked James off the bed. "Come on!" he urged. "We have to be in the Great Hall on time for dinner. I've spiked the pumpkin juice with Ogden's Old Firewhiskey and I'm curious as to what kind of drunk McGonagall makes."
"Padfoot, you great prat," James said affectionately, more grateful to his best friend than he could say for making him feel like a person again.
"And don't you forget it," Sirius returned cheerfully, understanding as always what James meant without him having to actually say it. "Shall we be off then?" Sirius started eagerly toward the door, his typical hellion grin very much in evidence.
Shaking his head but grinning all the same, James followed Sirius out of the room.
* * *
Author's Note: Wow, thanks for all the reviews, everyone! I'm glad you liked the chapter. There are still big things to come, so keep reading. Special thanks to ChickbabeC, juliet's rose, James Potter09, Tropic of Scorpio, maggie, and MarryMeJames. Don't forget to review!
Dumbledore and the professors that had accompanied him said little as they conjured stretchers for those who needed them and escorted the entire company of students present to the hospital wing to be inspected by Madam Pomfrey. None of them needed to say anything, their furious, sickened expressions said it all. Professor McGonagall looked as though she were working hard not to say anything, and when Dumbledore and Flitwick passed her with Lily's stretcher, her eyes went rather red.
In the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey too was more upset than any of them had ever seen her. As the group entered, Madam Pomfrey rushed to those on stretchers, Lily, Alice, Morwenna, Dorcas, and Kathleen, first, exclaiming over them, and began to treat Lily, who was by far the worst off. Before she could get very far, Dumbledore and McGonagall pulled her aside, presumably to tell her what had happened, because when she came back she wore the same furious, disgusted expression all of the professors wore.
"I'll see to you lot shortly, though I'm sure you don't deserve it," Madam Pomfrey informed the few Slytherins who had sustained minor injuries in the fray in a cold voice. She then continued to examine Lily's injuries.
"All right, mate?" Sirius nudged James, keeping his expression carefully neutral. James nodded wordlessly, even though he was fairly certain that he'd never felt worse in his life.
"All of those who do not need their injuries tended to will follow me," Professor McGonagall announced in a tightly controlled voice. "Professor Dumbledore wishes to speak with you."
James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Frank followed their classmates out, all of them stealing glances over their shoulders at the people lying in the beds. All with the exception of James. He couldn't even look at Lily now, not now that he knew how she really saw him.
* * *
Lily had very possibly never felt worse in her entire life.
Broken ribs and ankle, a fairly severe concussion, and loads of bruises, Madam Pomfrey had said. No one had mentioned the injuries that Madam Pomfrey couldn't fix. How was Lily ever to feel safe again? How could she, knowing that there were people in the world like Bellatrix Black and Rodolphus Lestrange who did things like this and reveled in the pain and misery they caused?
"Lily?" a kind, wise, and familiar voice interrupted her thoughts. "Are you able to tell me what happened?"
Lily sighed and, summoning her courage, opened her mouth and began to tell Dumbledore everything, starting with the incident on Halloween.
* * *
Dumbledore kept them waiting almost two hours.
Even though the tension in the room could have been cut with a knife, no one said or did anything. Professor McGonagall sat there, daring them to. And nobody did, even though it was a close thing.
Many of the Slytherins wore rather smug expressions, but none more so than Bellatrix and Lestrange, who were positively ebullient. James found it very hard to be in that room with them and not throttle them both, and he knew the others did too.
Sirius was just as furious and possibly more so than James. Every time his eyes rested on his younger brother Regulus, a Slytherin who had participated in today's debacle, Sirius would emit a deep growl from the back of his throat, fists clenched. He couldn't even allow himself to look at Bellatrix.
None the worse for wear after being dropped to the floor by James, Bellatrix looked, in fact, as if she'd never been better. James was fairly certain that had McGonagall not been keeping such a close eye on her, Bellatrix would have laughed aloud out of sheer glee.
Finally the door swung open and Dumbledore swept into the room, looking as coldly furious as he ever had, and possibly more so after hearing the Gryffindor girls' stories.
Dumbledore and McGonagall conferred for a moment, then Dumbledore moved to the front of the room, piercing them all with his intense blue stare.
"I have just finished speaking with Dorcas Meadows, Kathleen Kirkpatrick, Morwenna Marchbanks, Alice Prewett, and Lily Evans," Dumbledore paused, locking eyes with each of the Slytherins in turn. "And," Dumbledore continued, "I challenge you all to offer me one valid reason why any of you should be allowed to remain at Hogwarts."
There was some surprised and uncomfortable rustling among the Slytherins, but nobody said a word. Bellatrix appeared openly and coolly dismissive.
The silence had become almost unbearable before Dumbledore finally spoke again. "Very well," he said solemnly. "Will Misters Potter, Sirius Black, Lupin, Pettigrew, and Longbottom please come with me? The rest of you may stay here, I shall wish to speak with some of you individually." With that, Dumbledore moved toward the door, James and the others following behind him.
Stopping in another empty classroom further down the hall, Dumbledore turned to face them. "I have spoken with the girls who were attacked, all of whom will be fine, though they will all be staying in the hospital wing for one night and Miss Evans possibly for two," Dumbledore's eyes flicked to James' as he said the last part and James started in surprise.
"I would like you all," Dumbledore continued mildly, "to tell me everything you know of the incident, including anything you may have heard about it beforehand as well as what you saw and did when you arrived on the scene."
Remus told most of the story of what they had seen and heard before the attack, with the others jumping in occasionally, then they went round the room, each of them giving their own personal account of what had happened in the Potions corridor. No one, however, mentioned what James had done to Bellatrix and Lestrange.
"And why was Severus Snape on the ground when Professor McGonagall and myself found you?" Dumbledore asked James, his blue eyes piercing.
James didn't hesitate. "He was running away, Professor, after I'd cornered Bellatrix and Lestrange, and I did a Stumbling Spell so he wouldn't get away. I saw him Stun L - Evans when she was trying to get away from Bellatrix."
"I saw him too, Professor," Sirius put in earnestly. "He Stunned Evans so that Bellatrix could perform the Cruciatus Curse on her,"
"These are very serious accusations," Dumbledore said blandly. "However, none of the girls, Miss Evans herself included, know who Stunned her as she was escaping." Dumbledore's expression conveyed very clearly that he didn't want to hear any more on the subject. With that, he led all five of them back to the classroom where the Slytherins were waiting.
Professor Astral, the head of Slytherin House, had joined Professor McGonagall in keeping an eye on the Slytherins and wore the now familiar disgusted, furious expression. Quickly James and the others took their seats as Dumbledore once more faced the assembled students.
"I have now spoken to all of the Gryffindors involved in the incident and now intend to speak privately with all of the Slytherins," Dumbledore announced. "Misters Potter, Sirius Black, Lupin, Pettigrew, and Longbottom are free to go, as will Mr.Snape be as soon as I have spoken with him. These students have been determined to be innocent of any wrongdoing. As for the rest of you, a disciplinary hearing will take place the week after the holidays have concluded. Your parents will be asked to attend this hearing, and I will let you know my decision about whether or not you will be allowed to continue at Hogwarts at that time. Mr. Snape, come with me, and Mr. Potter, you and your friends are dismissed."
Casting murderous glares in Snape's direction, the Marauders and Frank made their way to the door. For his part, James was dumbfounded. How could Dumbledore let Snape get off scot-free after what he'd done?
"That slimy little git," Sirius fumed. "Always lurking about, making himself agreeable to the right people, sticking his slimy nose where it doesn't belong, and then when he finally does do something slimy out in the open, Dumbledore doesn't believe he did it!"
"Who says Dumbledore doesn't believe he did it?" Remus observed shrewdly. "He never said that. I think Dumbledore has his reasons for doing what he did."
"And what reasons are those, that he's daft?" Sirius snapped. "Thanks to Snivellus, Bellatrix very nearly performed the Cruciatus Curse on Evans, or didn't you notice?"
"I noticed," Remus said stiffly, mouth compressed. "I'm not saying that Snape wasn't wrong, I'm saying Dumbledore has his reasons and I trust him, as should you."
Sirius opened his mouth to argue, but Frank interrupted. "For the love of Merlin, can't you two just shut it? There've been quite enough petty grudges that've gotten bloody well out of hand today without you lot joining in!"
Effectively chastised, Sirius and Remus fell silent.
* * *
For his part, Snape had no idea what Dumbledore was about. It was impossible to determine whether Dumbledore really didn't believe that Potter, and probably Black too, had seen him Stun Evans, or whether he did but had his own reasons not to punish Severus.
Snape had no regrets about what he'd done. It had been a calculated move in the first place, done at a crucial point, which would make Bellatrix and consequently Lestrange grateful to him, and done in plain view of the right people, i.e. Lestrange, Bellatrix, and the rest of the select few, which would prove his loyalty beyond a shadow of a doubt. He hadn't necessarily wanted to see Evans hurt, but this whole damned escapade had never been about what he wanted. He'd owed Lestrange proof of his fidelity, and now Lestrange had it. That was as far as Snape's interest went because that was as far as it concerned him, fortunately. He was immensely relieved that Dumbledore had in effect announced that he would not be expelled from school. Thank Merlin this ridiculous, juvenile machination wouldn't ruin his entire career. In fact, it very well might enhance it.
Dumbledore had led Snape to his office, and now indicated the chair before his desk to Snape.
"Sit down, Severus," Dumbledore said politely. "Now perhaps you wouldn't mind telling me how exactly you were involved in today's events and any other information you feel might be pertinent."
Snape gave him a carefully edited version, claiming that he, and as far as he knew, the others involved, hadn't ever intended for it to go so far. It had been intended as a simple prank, revenge over some schoolgirl slight, or some such thing.
Dumbledore listened politely to Snape the entire time, his clear blue eyes missing nothing. Snape did some sizing up of his own. He still couldn't tell whether or not Dumbledore believed him.
"Thank you, Severus," Dumbledore said once Snape had finished. "You are free to go." Snape rose, eager to be away from that penetrating, disconcerting stare. He gathered up his bag hurriedly and moved quickly toward the door, but before he could open it, Dumbledore's voice stopped him once more.
"Oh, and Severus?" Snape turned reluctantly, feeling Dumbledore's eyes assessing him once more. "Do enjoy your holiday," Dumbledore finished, eyes twinkling.
In that moment, Snape understood why Voldemort feared Dumbledore as he did no other living wizard.
* * *
Lily awoke in the hospital wing the next morning filled with aches and pains. Madam Pomfrey had healed her bones yesterday, but she was still sorer than she had ever been in her life.
I feel like someone threw me into a wall, Lily thought, grimacing. Oh wait, they did. And onto the floor as well, she finished wryly.
Lily heard the curtains round her bed scrape back slightly, and she opened her eyes to see Morwenna peeking in at her.
"Come in," Lily smiled at her friend. Morwenna grinned back at her and entered, followed by Alice, Dorcas, and Kathleen, all of whom appeared to be more or less all right.
"How're you feeling, Lils?" Alice asked, sitting down gingerly on Lily's bed.
"All right. You?" Lily asked, looking round at her friends.
"All right," they chorused, smiling at her.
"Lily, Madam Pomfrey says you can come out of hospital tomorrow and I want you to come and stay with me for the holidays," Morwenna said earnestly.
"Or you're always welcome at my house, Lils," Dorcas offered.
"Or mine," Kathleen piped up.
"Or mine," Alice added.
"So many offers. I should let Bellatrix drop me on my arse more often," Lily teased. Dorcas and Alice laughed, but Morwenna and Kathleen looked rather scandalized.
"Sirius and Frank and Remus and Peter were here visiting us earlier, but Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let them wake you," Alice reported.
"Potter didn't come, I think you hurt his feelings or something," Kathleen confided.
Lily sighed. "I suppose I did go a bit hard on him."
"No shite," Morwenna snorted.
"I meant what I said, though," Lily maintained. "Revenge is revenge, and the fact that they hurt me doesn't make it right to do the same to them."
"I think you're right about that, but I don't think Potter meant to do it," Alice said unexpectedly. "He isn't like them, Lily, you were wrong about that. I think he's a good person underneath all of his shite and arrogance."
Lily wasn't convinced, but it did give her something to think about.
The rest of the morning passed by quickly. Alice, Morwenna, Kathleen, and Dorcas left to pack, then returned later on to say goodbye before boarding the Hogwarts Express. Lily was checked out by Madam Pomfrey again, who said she was pleased with her progress but wanted to keep her one more night to keep an eye on her concussion. That afternoon, Lily wrote a letter to Marlene McKinnon explaining what had happened and asked if she could come and stay with her after all. She had a reply from Marlene within the hour saying that of course Lily could still visit her and that she would come and fetch Lily from Hogwarts tomorrow at noon.
Lily's parents arrived a bit later, having been informed and brought to Hogwarts by Professor McGonagall. They were nearly out of their minds with worry and fussed over Lily till she couldn't stand it, offering to cancel their holiday and take her directly home and to a Muggle doctor. Finally Lily had to say something.
"Mum! Daddy! Please, I'm all right. I don't want you to cancel this holiday, it's too important to Petunia. I've written to my friend Marlene McKinnon - You remember Marlene? She came to stay with us once- and she has said I can come to stay with her. It's what I want, honestly it is. She understands what it's like, being a Muggle born witch."
Mrs. Evans' eyes filled with tears. "Oh, darling, of course you can go and stay with Marlene if that's what you want. I can understand that you need somebody who knows what it's like right now." She kissed Lily for the umpteenth time.
"Marlene is a nice girl and she'll take good car of you, I'm sure," Mr. Evans smiled kindly. "Just be sure to write to us if you need anything and we'll come straight home. It's not as if we'll be having much fun with the Dullsleys at any rate." Lily began to laugh, then winced slightly and settled for grinning instead. Damn Bellatrix.
"Charles!" Mrs. Evans scolded. "What a dreadful thing to call Petunia's future husband's family!" But her twitching lips gave her away.
Her parents having gone to meet with Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Astoral before returning home, Lily sighed with relief. Finally, a moment to herself.
Lily lay back on her pillow, absentmindedly twisting her hair round her finger. She wanted nothing more than to be out of this bed, out of Hogwarts, and somewhere far away where she could finally think about everything in peace.
* * *
James Potter lay on his bed in the dark, not bothering to turn on a light. Lily's words had been haunting him ever since she'd said them, partly because he hated the fact that she thought so little of him when he loved her and partly because he was afraid she was right.
He thought about all he had heard about the Death Eaters and about what his dad had said about Bartemius Crouch, the head of the Magical Law Enforcement Division.
Crouch had recently authorized the Aurors to use the Unforgivable Curses on Death Eaters in order to bring them in. James' dad had said that this made the Aurors no different from the Death Eaters, that using the Unforgivable Curses would turn the Aurors into mindless killing machines whose laws and ways were no better than Voldemort's. It was their humanity, Mr. Potter had said, that made their side right and Voldemort's side wrong and that if their side lost their humanity than their side was no more right than Voldemort's.
James hadn't thought much about his father's words until now. Lily had in effect said the same thing, and about him. He realized now that even though Bellatrix and Lestrange had spun Lily in the air and dropped her to the floor like a poppet it didn't make it right to do it to them. Bellatrix was stark raving mad, and Lestrange wasn't far behind her. James was the better person and should have acted like it instead of following their example.
James heard the door click and a second later saw Sirius' face directly above his own. "You are not going to spend this entire vacation moping about over Evans," Sirius announced. "I thought I'd let you get it out of your system for a bit, but now your time is up." Sirius yanked James off the bed. "Come on!" he urged. "We have to be in the Great Hall on time for dinner. I've spiked the pumpkin juice with Ogden's Old Firewhiskey and I'm curious as to what kind of drunk McGonagall makes."
"Padfoot, you great prat," James said affectionately, more grateful to his best friend than he could say for making him feel like a person again.
"And don't you forget it," Sirius returned cheerfully, understanding as always what James meant without him having to actually say it. "Shall we be off then?" Sirius started eagerly toward the door, his typical hellion grin very much in evidence.
Shaking his head but grinning all the same, James followed Sirius out of the room.
* * *
Author's Note: Wow, thanks for all the reviews, everyone! I'm glad you liked the chapter. There are still big things to come, so keep reading. Special thanks to ChickbabeC, juliet's rose, James Potter09, Tropic of Scorpio, maggie, and MarryMeJames. Don't forget to review!