A few days after Christmas, Narcissa made the long walk from the Slytherin dungeon to Gryffindor Tower, in the hopes that someone would let her into the Gryffindor common room. She was tired of hanging around the dungeon with only Severus Snape to keep her company. Really, he wasn't much company at all, Narcissa thought – all he did was sit around the common room, reading, or practicing spells she had never found in any schoolbook, or looking at her sideways when he thought she wasn't looking. Narcissa was bored, and she was lonely. At least in Gryffindor there would be someone to cheer her up.
As she rapped on the portrait of a fat lady in a pink gown, she realized she hadn't seen Remus all day. Where was he? She hoped he wasn't sick.
"Even if he is sick," she thought aloud, "I'll sit up there and keep him company."
The portrait swung open and James stuck his head out.
"Oh! Hi, Narcissa," he said, "Lily's just finishing up some take-home work, if want to come in and wait for her." He held the portrait door open, and she stepped inside.
Lily was sitting in the middle of the red rug, books and papers spread out everywhere. When she heard them approaching, she looked up, and smiled. "Hey, Narcissa. What's up?"
"Not much," Narcissa replied, "Wow, you guys have a nice space." She glanced around the spacious common room, at the plush red carpet and velvet chairs, covered with squashy red and gold pillows.
"Never been up here, eh?" James asked, plopping on the floor next to Lily and giving her shoulders a squeeze.
"Never had much reason to come," Narcissa replied, before she thought. She began to blush when she saw a sly smile creep over James' face.
She coughed, "By the way, is Remus in here? I haven't seen him all day."
James started, and quickly looked at Lily. Lily's eyes flickered up from her work and met his for an instant, and then looked quickly back down again.
"No," Lily said, "He's not here."
"We haven't seen him," James added.
Narcissa's eyes narrowed. Lily's face was flushing pink, and she didn't think that it was a reflection from her red hair. And James was looking everywhere in the room – at the walls, the ceiling, the fireplace – everywhere, except at Narcissa.
She leaned forward, conspiratorially, and felt the silver of Remus' pendant thud coolly against the skin of her neck.
"Really?" she asked ironically, "You two seem to know more than you're letting on."
"No, we don't," Lily replied, her voice edgy, her eyes flashing.
Narcissa looked at James. He was still looking sideways, like he didn't want to meet her eyes.
"James!" she said shortly.
"What?"
"You know something."
"No, I don't." But James was beginning to look nervous.
"Is he in the hospital wing? What's wrong with him, James?"
"He – he's not here," James replied, "He's gone away. Gone home for a little bit."
"Why did he go home?"
"Narcissa, stop it," Lily demanded.
"Stop what?" Narcissa snapped, "I haven't done anything to you." She stood up and stomped over to the narrow staircase labeled "Boys' Dormitory."
Up the stairs, to the very top floor – "7th Years". She pushed open the door and found – nothing. The room was empty. Four beds all made. Four trunks all closed. She stood in the very center of the room and stared around her.
She heard footsteps coming up behind her. It was James. He had followed her. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, saying nothing. There was nothing to be said.
Narcissa turned to look at him, "Which bed belongs to Remus?" she asked.
James stared at her mutely. Then, he pointed to the bed directly across from him.
Narcissa ran her hand over the thick blankets on the bed, then over the ironwork on the trunk. She touched the fixes on it. "It's unlocked."
"What?" James asked.
"He didn't go away," Narcissa said softly, "His trunk is unlocked."
"Maybe he just forgot to do it up," James suggested weakly.
Narcissa looked at him, "Or maybe you're not telling the truth."
James struck his hand on one of the four poster beds in anger and frustration, "I'm not telling you because I CAN'T tell you!" he managed.
Narcissa was silent. She looked down at her hands. Neither of them said a word.
Then James said abruptly, "Where did you get that?"
Narcissa followed his gaze. The pendant Remus gave her was hanging out of her shirt. "Remus gave it to me for Christmas," she answered.
James stared at it for a good long minute. Then he leaned in to Narcissa and said lowly, "Look. I can't tell you where he is, and I can't tell you why he's there. But I will tell you that he gave you that for a reason; to keep you safe."
"Keep me safe? I don't understand."
"Trust me," James said, "It's safer if you don't know."
"James, tell me where he is."
But James was guiding her to the door, "Go back to your common room, Narcissa. Don't talk to anyone about this. And above everything else, don't go looking for Remus. He will come back – soon." His eyes were a silent plea, "Please, Narcissa. Please don't do anything stupid."
Back in the Slytherin common room, Narcissa sat in front of the fireplace, fuming. She pulled the silver pendant from around her neck and ran it up and down the chain.
Why had Lily and James clammed up like that? Why hadn't they told her? She felt cold all over. James had mentioned danger. Was Remus in danger? Was she?
She pulled her knees up and hugged them against her chest.
"Why?" she asked herself softly.
"Because they're afraid."
Narcissa jumped.
Like some overgrown bat in his black sweater and pants, Severus glided out of the Boys' Dormitory and into the common room. He draped one arm over the mantle and smiled sardonically.
"How are you, Narcissa?"
Narcissa glared at him, "What do you want?"
"I couldn't help watching you when you came in," Severus deadpanned. "You seemed – preoccupied."
"No," Narcissa replied, "You said 'because they're afraid'. You don't even know who I'm talking about."
"Don't I?" Severus feigned puzzlement. "Hmm. Guess you don't need my advice, then – seeing as you know everything already."
Narcissa jumped up, "How could you possibly know what's going on? You don't even speak with James and Sirius and Remus – they don't like you."
Severus' eyes flashed.
"You're wrong," he said silkily, "I don't like THEM." He leaned forward until he was almost an inch away from her face. Narcissa cringed at the look in his flashing black eyes, "I don't like them," he repeated.
She pulled back, "Fine, then. How could you possibly know anything concerning them, then?"
Severus gave a short laugh.
"You always were a naïve little child," he snickered cruelly, "I always thought Lucius had much too high an opinion of you."
"That I don't doubt," Narcissa interrupted rudely.
"He thinks you walk on water," Severus snapped, "My, my, my – what would he think if he knew."
"Knew what?" But Narcissa's face was turning red. He knows! She thought furiously. How could he know? Was he bluffing? Was it that obvious to everyone already?
Severus eyed her coldly, "You might want to take more care of how you display your jewelry," he replied.
Her heart sinking, Narcissa glanced down. She was wearing a buttoned cardigan sweater, and the silver chain had slipped through the v-neck, plainly visible. She fingered it for a long moment, then said, "It has nothing to do with this, Severus."
Without warning, he reached forward and snatched the chain, yanking it and her neck forward so fast that Narcissa thought he might break both.
"You fool," Severus hissed, "Do you realize what you've gotten yourself into? Don't you know? You'll end up destroying any hope you had of a future – you'll destroy your chances with Lucius Malfoy!" His eyes were wide now, not with anger, but with fear, "Do you have any idea what you're dealing with?"
Narcissa was choking on the chain around her neck, "I don't know – I don't care!"
Severus released the chain and leaned back on the couch.
"I should break your stupid neck," he panted, "for the trouble you've gotten yourself into."
"No," Narcissa replied faintly, "For the trouble I've got us BOTH into. Admit it, Severus, Lucius asked you to spy on me for him. He's threatened you with – oh, God knows what – so you haven't sent him a letter yet, telling him that I'm breakfasting with the Gryffindors and taking walks with Remus Lupin. But you will. You'll have to and then you'll get yourself in no end of trouble, because he's the whole reason you've managed to keep your head above water with James Potter and Sirius Black. And I – well, I don't know what he'll do to me." She narrowed her eyes, "But no doubt it will be unpleasant."
Severus glared at her for a moment, and then closed his eyes. "You don't even know what you're dealing with."
"Funny," Narcissa snapped, "I thought I'd just explained."
"You think you've got it all taped out, don't you?" Severus snarled, "You think that you've got it all figured out, but you don't know anything."
"I've lived with him for almost my whole life; you think I don't know what he's capable of?"
"Not Lucius Malfoy," Severus replied nastily, "Remus Lupin."
Narcissa stared at him.
"What do you mean, Remus?" she asked, "Severus – do you know what they're hiding from me?"
Severus looked at her with thinly veiled hatred again, "I know."
"Tell me," she demanded, "Severus, please tell me."
"I can't. Dumbledore's orders. I'll get chucked out if I tell you."
"Then show me. Show me what's going on. Show me in a way that won't get you into trouble."
Severus stared at her, "We'll both be killed."
"So he IS in trouble," Narcissa tucked the pendant into her shirt, "Please, Severus. You have to show me where he is. I have to go to him. I have to – "
"If we're not killed outright, Lucius will – "
"I don't care about Lucius, I don't care about him!" Narcissa jumped up and grabbed the front of Severus' sweater. "Please, I need to know! I'll protect you from Lucius; I'll make up some lie. Whatever it takes, just please let me know where Remus is."
Severus' mouth went dry. He licked his lips and somehow managed, "He's down in Hogsmeade, inside the Shrieking Shack."
She let go of his sweater and bolted towards the door of the common room, grabbing her cloak off one of the pegs and throwing it over her shoulders as she went.
"Narcissa!"
She turned.
"Wait for morning," Severus pleaded, "It will be safer then."
She shook her head.
"I can't," she replied, "He's in danger."
She opened the hidden door and vanished through it.
Severus jumped to his feet, "Narcissa!"
But she was gone.
He stood stock-still and stared at the door, wishing he had never said a word.
"You'll be in more danger than he's in," he said aloud to the empty room.