The meeting
" James, you can put me down now, it's fine, and you must be so tired!" Lily complained from his arms.
"No Lily, you aren't walking. I'm fine, you're as light as a feather!" James replied. Sirius was leading the way down a side street in the village, and walked all the way to a tiny little cottage at the end of a cold-de-sack.
"Ok, I've held back from asking this until now, but-where the hell are we?" asked Lily, not liking the gloominess of the neighbourhood.
"Cassandra Blakehurst. Don't worry Lily, she'll love you. And she'll be able to help your leg too. She's a retired healer." James explained, and Lily relaxed a little. The pain in her leg was becoming unbearable, but it was comforting to know that she wouldn't have to put up with it for much longer. Just the thought of it seemed to ease the pain slightly.
James carried Lily up to Cassandra's doorstep, and Sirius rung the great bell that hung over her doorframe.
Lily noted that the windows were lit up, despite the late hour. She let her head drop onto James shoulder, making him smile, though his grin was invisible to her.
They could hear footsteps behind the door, before it opened a crack, and two beady brown eyes peered out at them.
"What did you boys do this time?"" asked Cassandra wearily, smiling as she slid back the chain and let the three walk into the room.
The living room was small, and cosy, with warm looking armchairs sitting around a small fire place, covered in crochet and embroidery that the old lady had undoubtedly done herself. There was a whole wall lined with books, and another, Lily noticed, which was filled to the roof with shelves full of magical instruments and gadgets, which she would love to run and inspect, but for the throbbing pain in her leg. James lowered her into the largest armchair by the fire, taking care of her leg and raising it onto the arm of the chair. Lily smiled, and thanked him.
Sirius was by the door, explaining to Cassandra what had happened.
"Oh dear." She said, looking at Lily, "Oh well, I'd say that it twinges a bit, but nothing that I cant fix." Cassandra went over to where Lily lay, and introduced herself.
"You're a pretty young thing, aren't you?" she said, "My name is Cassandra, but you can call me Cass if you like." She turned to the boys. "I expect young Remus will wallow in guilt for months over this one." She said to them regretfully. Lily started.
"What? I mean, do you…how do you…" she trailed off.
"My dear, I am Remus's grandmother." She explained. "These kids," she gestured to James and Sirius, "Come to me crying every time they get themselves caught in a right flap! They can't very well go marching up to the school with great gashes made by a werewolf, can they? People would ask nasty questions. No, It's much better this way." She took out her wand, and raised it over Lily's leg, muttering something under her breath. Lily couldn't bear to watch. When she did open her eyes, she saw that the wounds seemed to have healed, and the only trace of the gashes was that the skin was redder and tighter. James came to stand beside her, when Cass had finished, and eyes Lily's leg anxiously.
"How does it feel?" he asked, unable to keep the worry from his voice.
"Fine." Answered Lily with a small grin.
"You better not have doubted me Potter! When have I ever failed!" Cassandra teased, and went to a cupboard on the opposite side of the room, grinning warmly.
"I think you'll be wanting to clean up, by the looks of you." Said Cass, emerging with three towels, all of which were pink and fluffy, much to the boy's disgust.
"Just what I was thinking Cass!" said James jokingly, winking at Lily.
"In your dreams Potter." Said Lily and Cass at the same time, making James go red and Sirius laugh.
Lily got up from the armchair wearily, and noticed that she still had a slight limp, her leg feeling stiff and a little sore, but she ignored it. Compared to what she had felt earlier this was heaven.
After a shower Lily was shown to their room, a very floral guest room with four single beds lined up in a row.
"Three guesses who normally stays in here." Whispered Cass to Lily, smiling "Or should I say four?" and she gestured for Lily to pick a bed. Lily threw her clothes down on the middle bed (she was now dressed in one of Cass's nightgowns,).
"Uh, I think that James would be extremely happy if you chose that bed," Cassandra smirked, and Lily blushed, quickly moving her things from James bed to the one furthest on the right.
"Ah, oh well, at least you're next to the kid!" laughed the old lady, 'Goodnight Lily," she said, "You're a good kid, the boys told me what you did tonight." She smiled at her warmly, her face crinkling at the corners of her eyes. "Remus is lucky to have friends like you." She chuckled to herself. "And James is lucky full stop." Lily blushed.
"Um, James and I, we aren't…I mean, we're not…" Cassandra laughed again.
"Oh, I know dear. These things take time." And before Lily could argue back, she kissed the girl on the forehead and left the room.
James came in next, and smiled when he saw Lily already in bed.
"How are you feeling?" he asked her, sitting on the edge of her bed.
"I'm fine." She said quietly, "He's not though, is he?" she asked.
James looked at her inquisitively.
"Remus. I can't stand knowing that he has to go through that every month." She said.
"I know. Me neither, but there's nothing that we can do. I can stand it either, but believe me Lily, I've tried." He sighed. Lily sat up a little.
"Is that why he wont ask Ella out, he knows that he'll have to tell her?" she asked quietly. James thought for a moment.
"I guess so. He never really likes to get close to anyone that doesn't know. He's scared he'll hurt them, or they'll hurt him…"
"What do you mean?" Lily asked
"I mean, what if he gets close to someone and then they find out and hate him? He can't stand it." James explained. Lily was growing quite depressed, and felt helpless. She hated feeling like that, there way always something she could do, but to this she was powerless.
"James, I found something that…" she trailed off, "Never mind."
"No, what was it?" he asked. Lily shook her head.
"Don't worry, It's probably not even true, a myth, it doesn't matter." She said James stared her in the eye.
"Lily, I promise, if I think that it's stupid, then I will tell you immediately." He said.
"It's just, I read somewhere…or heard somewhere…It might have even been a dream…anyway, I know it, for some reason, It's here, in my brain, and I cant help but think that it's true…" she said.
"That what's true?" James asked, his eyes darting to the door, his voice barely a whisper.
"There's a legend…of a stone, called the bloodstone. Apparently it's meant to cleanse you of any
If we can find this, then there's a potion. All the ingredients are really rare, but if we can find the stone then I think it could work. James, he wouldn't be a werewolf anymore!" Lily finished. James' eyes were wide, and he stared at Lily for a long time, before the silence was broken by Sirius storming into the room.
"I can't believe that I am wearing a dress! If one of you tells anybody about this then I will personally-"
"Deal with it Black! Or else next time James transfigure you into a bunny I wont turn you back!" came Cassandra's voice from the other room. Lily and James snorted with laughter, and Sirius turned a deep shade of red.
"Thanks for mentioning that Cass!" Sirius yelled back.
"Yes! Literally, THANKYOU!" cried James through fits of laughter, clutching his side, the memory of Sirius as a rabbit floating in his mind.
Sirius turned off the lights in a huff, and threw the covers over his head, snoring a little too loud to be entirely plausible. James stopped laughing, and Lily felt him come closer in the darkness. He was still on the bed.
"I've heard of it too." He breathed. "I don't know how, I just do. It's like it's always been there, I just haven't noticed it before…" Lily gasped.
"We'll find it. We can do it, together." James whispered in her ear.
"Thanks for everything James." Lily whispered back, and he leant forward, unknown to Lily, and she felt his lips lightly touch her forehead.
"I'm sorry about tonight. Sweet dreams." He replied, and crept back over to his own bed.
Lily rolled onto her stomach, and smiled into her pillow. He really was very sweet…
Meanwhile, the sun was rising over Hogwarts, and the shrieking shack seemed peaceful to the occupants of Hogsmeade. Inside, however, was another story. Remus Lupin was sitting on the bed, his head in his bloodstained hand, tears rolling down his face. He hated himself. He almost killed Lily last night. And he knew that James would probably never forgive him. Even if he did, Lupin knew that he would never forgive himself. He couldn't walk back into that castle. Everyone could know by now anyway. The cuts on Lily's leg wouldn't have been easy to explain away….
James, Lily and Sirius slept until midday, when they were woken by Cassandra, who pulled back the curtains in their room and let sunlight flood in and fill their sleeping quarters.
"Wakeup all you! I would say good morning to you all, though that would be a little belated. They opened their eyes groggily.
"Whattimezit?" moaned Lily.
"Midday." She replied, and Lily sat bolt upright in bed.
"What? It's Monday morning! We've missed all our morning classes already!" she shrieked.
"Ok, now I think we are officially awake, " said Sirius, rubbing his ears teasingly.
"Lily, by the looks of it, we'll miss our afternoon classes as well, so will you calm down, and get ready to pretend that you are sick?" said James, exasperated, yet reluctant to be irritable towards Lily.
"Ok, sorry, it was just a shock, that's all," she said, relaxing in her bed. "Let's get up! Come on! Hogsmeade is our oyster!" she said, excited at the possibilities she was now faced with. The boys laughed.
"Now you're thinking! What do you say Cass? You want to come to the three broomsticks for lunch? My shout?" asked James. Cass shook her head.
"I think I'll stay here Potter, I never go to that place if I can help it." She said, "I prefer the Hogs Head myself, I little risky to attempt it alone, by I like the bartender…" Cass giggled very uncharacteristically; making James, Sirius and Lily exchanged disgusted looks.
"But you three feel free to go." She said, noticing the awkwardness of the situation. "Mind James does pay for your drinks Lily! Pity Sirius has to tag along…."
"Cass…" James warned.
"Joking! Joking! You kids have fun! I'll see you this afternoon." And they got dressed and left.
James, Sirius and Lily walked down the main street of Hogsmeade. They were laughing and joking, until they saw the Three Broomsticks in the distance. Or more the people entering the Three Broomsticks.
Dumbledore's long white hair shimmered in the sunlight, and McGonagal walked along side him. They entered the pub talking merrily, and the students' heart sank. They couldn't be found in Hogsmeade on a Monday.
" The Hogshead then?" said Sirius quietly.
"No, I don't think so." Whispered James and he groped in his pocket, drawing out his invisibility cloak.
"It's Monday afternoon, we have transfiguration now, don't we?" James asked. Lily nodded.
"Then what is so important that McGonagal skips class?" he asked, before throwing the cloak over them all, and starting towards the pub.
"James! I don't think this is a good idea." Hissed Lily, "What if we get caught!"
"Shhh, relax, no one can see us! We wont, trust me! I won't let anything happen to you!" Lily sighed and hurried to keep up with the boys, reluctant, through the curiosity, which had gotten her into so much trouble the previous night.
They slipped through the door, and found that the pub had a closed sign on the door, despite the fact that it was packed with people. And a lot of the people, Lily noted, while she hid behind a large pot plant, were fairly prestigious.
Apart from McGonagal, Hagrid and Dumbledore, Lily saw many people from the ministry crowded into the pub, heads of departments who were often seen in the prophet, and the barman from the hogshead was even present eyeing the warm bar and the fireplace with it's merrily dancing flames with distain, scolding at their surroundings.
Lily desperately wanted to know what was going on, but James and Sirius's faces told her that they didn't know anymore than she did, and so she sat in silence and watched as a person who was certainly important rose to a platform that had been conjured at the head of the congregation, and cleared their throat.
"Greetings! You are most probably wondering why I have asked you all here today!" said the minister for Magic, smirking grimly at the mass of people in front of him. Lily gasped, and James covered her mouth with his hand. She cursed herself for being the first to make a noise, however, she had been severely shocked by the scale of the meeting that they had stumbled into. She was somewhat scared as to what they would hear.
The crowd, they noted, also looked grim, and Dumbledore and McGonagal were certainly not smiling as merrily as they had been when they had entered the pub moments before. They looked as tired and old as ever, and Dumbledore looked darkly at the man standing up the front.
"Not at all minister, I think that the majority of these clever peopler have every idea of why we are here today. Now would you kindly inform us as to what Lord Voldermort has done this time…" there was a pause in which the gathering seemed to gasp or shriek, and even Lily's breath caught in her throat. They definitely shouldn't be here…
"And what is the Ministry going to do this time? Have you got us all here to inform us of a daring plan, or are we merely going to be traditional and cross our fingers and hope for the best?"
"Go Dumbledore." Breathed James, and Sirius and Lily smiled nervously.
"Well…" the minister said, flustered, shaking his noted briskly in his hands, "Yes Dumbledore, you know that I always value your opinion. Though you cant deny that the ministry has been doing everything in their power to stop He-who-must-not-be-named. The entire Ministry has been out looking for-"
"And yet you think that's wise?" said Dumbledore, rising to his feet and raising his voice. It wasn't, however, necessary. He had the room so entranced that he could have whispered and it would not have mattered.
"You think it wise to let Voldermort stop the wizarding community running the way that it should? He has barely begun, Minister, and yet we are already forced to compromise the regular workings of our lives to compensate for his tyranny! It is not right minister, not right at all. Regular workers aren't going to stumble across Voldermort while they are walking down the street. He won't be found unless he wants to be, and I don't see that happening anytime soon. We need to think, and find his weaknesses, before he can be defeated-"
"That is all very well and good Dumbledore, but the trouble is, we don't know his weaknesses, and he is growing stronger, and gathering more and more supporters as we speak." The minister explained, wearily.
"So what has brought this on minister?" asked a squat woman with curly brown hair and sickly sweet voice in the front row. Even though she could only see the back of the woman's head, Lily disliked her, the superior way that she sat, right down to the fluffy pink Alice band that she wore atop her ringlets.
"Dolores, we have received word from one of the spy that we have placed within Voldermort's ranks that he is seeking something called the heliotrope to aid him in his work. We have little idea as to what this is, however, if Voldermort is searching for it then it cant be good. If anyone has any information about this, we beg him or her to come forward.
"Also," the minister exhaled loudly, making everyone nervous. This seemed the reason as to why they were here, " There is a new curse, we suspect that it has been invented by You-Know-Who himself, and it is far worse than anything you can ever imagine."
"Worse than…" a voice in the crowd began to speak, though they quickly trailed off into nothing. They didn't need to finish the sentence. Everyone in the room knew what they had meant to say.
What could be worse than Avada Kedavera? - Thought all three of the friends hunched underneath the invisibility cloak, as they exchanged worried looks.
"In some ways." The minister replied to their unfinished question. "We have called it the Imperious curse." The minister cringed at the name, almost as harsh as the cringe he had given that of Voldermort, and the crowd seemed to hold it's breath.
"When cast right, it gives the caster complete control of the victim. They can make them do anything, and only fierce mind power, simular to that which repels Legilimens can throw the curse." He announced. Even Dumbledore froze.
He had been hearing rumours of the Imperious curse for a while now, however, he had not been able to find the cause.
"Voldermort can control anyone he wishes, and they can report back to him. Anyone at the ministry, in your own home, even…" he paused, and scanned the area, sadly, "Even this room, could be under the curse."
"We have marked it as an unforgivable curse, which brings their number up to three. I have signed a bill this morning, allowing the aurors to use these curses on any death eaters who put up a fight." He finished. A growl of a voice came from somewhere to James and Lily's right, making them jump. A man had slipped in the door and was standing on the other side of the plant, listening to the meeting.
"And you think that wise?" said the auror, his wooden leg thumping on the polished floorboards as he clunked into the ministers view.
"Yes Moody, I do." Said the Minister. Mad Eye narrowed his eyes.
"And what if we're wrong?" he growled back, "What if we've captured the wrong bloke and he dies for nothing! What if the poor fella was under the curse himself!"
"The it is unfortunate Mad-Eye, however, we cant be taking any chances! I would much rather take the risk than risk even more mass killing by the ones that we rightfully capture!" The minister argued, "These are dark times Alastor! I am merely doing what I believe right, and you must do what you do, however, if a death eater walks free because you refuse to follow my laws, then on you own conscious be it!" declared the minister. Moody slunk back into the shadows, and Lily noticed him exchange darkly significant looks with Dumbledore.
"Minister?" came a voice from behind the bar, and they saw Rosmerta, the young, blond bar maid, was speaking nervously. "May I ask…what exactly does he hope to achieve? You-Know-Who?"
She wished that she hadn't asked, as every eye in the room turned her way, and watched her reaction as the minister spoke.
James found Lily's hand with his, and squeezed it. Lily didn't pull away. James knew what was coming.
"In the long term, we have received information that he is determined to achieve what he calls the 'purification' of the wizarding race, or, in short, the murders of all muggleborn, and conquering death. All the murders have either been of muggleborn witches and wizards or, we expect, those who have somehow wronged him," he explained. James's grasp on Lily's hand was unbearably tight now, and she was gripping his just as firm.
"And now, I hope you all understand, but I have to leave you all, and I suggest you do the same, though sparingly. We don't want anyone to be overly suspicious of our meeting here today, and we don't want to cause Rosmerta any trouble."
And the minister walked briskly off the podium he had been perched on and walked briskly out of the door, the toad like woman Lily had spied earlier following him closely.
Lily, James and Sirius slipped out the door after them, James not letting go of Lily's hand, and Sirius walking quickly behind them.