Chapter 6

Mars Bars

"Mars Bars? What the hell does that mean?" she thought angrily as she reached the bottom of the staircase.

Distracted by her annoyance at James and his cryptic messages, she collided with a group of first year girls coming down the girls' staircase. She muttered an apology while helping a small brunette up. As she started to walk away, she felt their eyes on her back and muffled giggles. Pushed past her last nerve, she spun around.

"Well?" she demanded.

The girls fell silent but one questioned, "What were you doing in the boys' dormitories?" This caused another wave of girlish giggling.

Lily felt the heat rising to her face as she stammered, "I was just…I mean I was…The thing is…None of your business."

The girl who spoke was the brunette Lily had knocked over. She cocked an eyebrow at her answer. Sirius, in the meantime, had been standing unobserved listening to the exchange. A slow grin had been growing as he planned on how to make Lily even angrier, figuring anything, including anger, would be better than the grief that drove her to drink last night.

He sauntered up to Lily and threw his arm casually around her shoulders.

"Morning Evans," he chirruped. "Hope you got a good night's rest. I sure didn't. Did you know you snore quite loudly?"

He beamed at the first years who looked scandalized. His smile grew, exposing his canines as he said innocently, "I hope I didn't give you the wrong impression about Evans and me here. She wasn't snoring in my ear or anything. She was all the way over in James' bed after all."

He felt Lily stiffen and quickly turned to run up the stairs. He heard the soft whiz of a spell then felt the wind it made as it passed the space where his tail would be if he had one.

Lily turned back towards the girls who were regarding her with looks of equal parts awe and fear. A couple of them had never before seen magic performed so when Lily pointed her wand casually at them, they cowered a bit.

She pulled out her Head Girl badge with her free hand and pinned it on. Quietly she told the first years, "One word. I hear one word about this or even hinting at this and you'll have detention."

She spun on her heel and left Gryffindor Tower, hearing the girls angry voices before the Fat Lady swung shut.

"A hangover, smartass first years, and abusing power. What a wonderful way to start the day," she thought as she headed down the hall to the Headmaster's office.

It was bright and sunny, a perfect summer's day. Students were outside strolling, sunning on the lawn, or playing with the giant squid. Everyone, including professors, seemed to be outside enjoying their last free day before having to be locked up inside Monday morning. It was a rare treat when the first fell on a Saturday and the students along with the staff had a day to enjoy Hogwarts' grounds with no work waiting inside its walls.

Lily turned from the window wishing she good join the carefree, frolicking students. Instead she faced the stone gargoyle that marked the entrance to Dumbledore's office. She stood staring expectantly at it for a few minutes before it spoke.

"Do you know the password or don't you?"

Lily started. In a world where nearly any lock could be undone with a simple charm, passwords prevailed.

"Er…" she stalled while going over everything James had said to her. He hadn't mentioned anything about a password.

"I haven't got all day," the gargoyle muttered grumpily.

Suddenly it hit her like a Whomping Willow limb. "Mars Bars," she said authoritatively.

It grudgingly swung open with an exaggerated sigh and she thought she heard it mutter "No respect these days for guards." She rolled her eyes and stepped onto the spiralling staircase and began her slow ascent towards Dumbledore's office.

After what felt like years yet no time at all, she stood in front of the closed door to the Headmaster's office. She nervously straightened her robes and ran her fingers through her hair. After a moment of thought she checked her breath and then wrinkled her nose. It smelled of stale alcohol. She took out her wand and pointed it at her mouth.

"Purgo!" she murmured. A cool tingle filled her mouth. She checked again and this time a fresh mint scent reached her nostrils. Satisfied, she raised her fist and rapped on the door.

"Ah, Miss Evans," said a soft voice that issued from behind the closed door. "Come in, come in. I've been expecting you."

With a deep breath, she turned the knob and stepped into the office to greet the owner of the voice.