A/N: Well now, you can thank the real Tae for this chapter, she's been bugging me and bugging me to get it written because apparently nobody writes better than me and she has nothing else to read, her words, not mine. So, here it is, it was meant to be out earlier but I was too lazy. Enjoy!

Chapter 5

As readers may remember, earlier this year we reported on terrible attacks towards Muggle-born witches and wizards. Just as authorities were getting close to finding the purpose behind these crimes, the attacks died off for the summer. Now, as we start the eleventh month of the year, it seems the perpetrators are back, and worse than ever.
Gangs of men in white robes and silver facemasks assaulted magical schools across the world. Muggle-born and half-blood witches and wizards were beaten and humiliated in front of students and teachers at their Halloween celebrations last night. Though reports have yet to be confirmed, it is believed that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is the only school not to have faced the horrific attacks last night.
One onlooker describes the events; "It was horrible. They all came into the dining hall and started ordering us around, casting spells to separate us. Most of us were pushed back and a barrier put in front of us so we just had to watch on and couldn't do anything to stop them. They cursed and charmed the others, made them do things no one should have to, did things to them that people shouldn't have to go through. It was horrible for us to watch, I can't begin to imagine how it must have been for them."
All of the attacks seem to have been similar and were all done in the name of the Dark Lord Voldemort. As of yet no one knows who this man is, though authorities are looking into the matter, as well as how the attacks could happen in so many places at the same time and why Hogwarts is believed to be the only school not hit by the vicious attacks.

"Have you seen this?" Alice slammed the newspaper down on the table. Her face was pale and she showed hints of anger.

"What is it?" Both Marie and Tae turned to look at her. Not many others in the Great Hall did though, most had their own copy of the Daily Prophet and those who didn't were looking at their friends, like Marie and Tae were now doing.

"Is this a joke?"

"I wish," Alice answered, small tears brimming in her eyes. "My mum sent me a letter; my cousin in Madrid saw it firsthand. It's horrible, who would do something like that?"

Tae budged over on the bench and Alice sat between the two girls so they could comfort her. "I don't know, they're sick though. Funny though, how we're the only ones who didn't get attacked, you'd think they'd come here, too."

"Maybe they're scared of Dumbledore?" Marie suggested.

Tae shrugged, "I don't think so. I know he's dead powerful but it just seems a little off that they wouldn't try to attack here, too, just to test him."

"Tae's right," Alice agreed. "I think something happened last night that made them have to stop."

"Like what?" Marie asked confused.

"I don't know but I know someone who can give us a few suggestions." Alice got up from her comfort position between her two friends and hurried out of the Great Hall quickly.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Remus was carefully reading the article in the Daily Prophet for the hundredth time whilst Peter tucked into his breakfast without a care in the world. Sirius was staring intently at the Slytherin table and James, who had come down later than the others, had just finished reading the article over Remus' shoulder when Sirius spoke.

"Look at them, I bet they had something to do with it."

"Who?" Remus asked wearily, almost too afraid to ask.

"The Slytherins, Malfoy, Snape and the gang."

Remus rolled his eyes, "They were here all night, Sirius, and you saw them. How could you possibly think they had anything to do it that?"

"I don't know," Sirius faltered his thoughts for a moment. "But look at them, all smug and pleased with themselves, they're connected someway."

Remus shot James a pleading look, James nodded. "Sir, mate, I think our moon-driven pal might be right about this one. They were here all night with us."

"How can we be so sure? We were all in costume…" Sirius gasped. "Give me that article."

Looking dubious but humouring his friend, Remus passed the newspaper on. Sirius scanned the page in great detail before a loud "a-ha!" was heard from him.

"Look," Sirius pointed to the part of the article that described the clothing worn by the attackers.

"White robes and silver masks?" Remus asked uncertainly.

"Yeah, did nobody else notice loads of them wearing that same outfit yesterday?"

Remus and James thought back, shaking their heads. "I think you're imaging things, Sir," James answered. "You want them to be responsible s you're applying things to them."

"No!" Sirius cried, "They were, I swear it on Peter's life."

For the first time Peter's head peaked up in interest, it was soon put down again. James snorted and Remus shook his head. "Sorry, mate, but I just can't see it."

"Fine!" Sirius announced angrily, getting up off the bench. "You can't but I can and I'm going to prove it to you!" And then he stormed off, no one saw him again until that night when his mood had improved and he even apologised for the outburst.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Lily didn't know much about what was going on but she knew something was wrong. The night before Lily had been lying in her bed in the infirmary when she'd heard screams and shouts from somewhere below her. Still feeling nauseous she was in no condition to get up and investigate, despite her best intentions. She didn't have to wonder for long, about ten minutes after the shouting started it ceased and a further five minutes saw the abrupt entrance of several panic-stricken professors and older students carrying and supporting others into the room. Unconscious students were carried by magic and Lily watched in confusion at the scene going on before her.

No one offered explanation for what had happened and she was forced to watch as the medi-witch set to work on the injured and wounded patients before her. Those professors with some medical knowledge helped the frazzled witch with her work. The students who had brought the others in aided anyone with small cuts, scratches and bruises. Those who were more emotionally affected than physically were gathered at one corner by the head teacher who would take them on to receive emotional counselling. The over-worked medi-witch forgot about her other patient as she tended to as many of the 'serious' cases as were possible.

A few hours after the first scream, the hysteria was starting to die down. Only a small handful of people remained in the infirmary but Lily still had no clue what had happened. When the medi-witch had come to check on Lily's condition she refused to answer any questions about what had happened. Over the next 6 days, each time the medi-witch came Lily would ask her what had happened and each time she would be ignored and not receive and answer. As the other patients became healthier, Lily tried asking them, too but no one would answer her question. She would have asked Alex what had happened had Alex come and visited her but she didn't and so, for the seven days she was locked up in the infirmary, Lily's curiosity ran wild.

By the time she was released she had imagined so many different scenarios and each one, though wilder and wilder, all seemed possible. It was not until she got back to her bedroom that she had even a tiny inkling of the reality of what had happened. The actuality of what had happened was far worse than what she had imagined. Since she'd known she would be going on the exchange, Lily had taken out a subscription with The Daily Prophet so that she could keep up-to-date with the goings on in the Muggle world. With them not allowed to enter the infirmary, she returned to her room to find seven owls waiting, most impatiently, for Lily's return. Guiltily she paid the owls and advised they head for the owlery if they needed anything. Angrily they flew away, she never knew where. She also found a few letters waiting for her, too. The letters she opened first.

Lily honey, we haven't heard from you in such a while, we just wanted to make sure you're okay. Your father's been promoted, he's now deputy something-or-other in Grunnings (you know I never did pay much attention to the goings-on of the company, it bores me so). Petunia's doing fine, I think. She doesn't talk to us much anymore. I wish you were here with us. I miss you, sweetie.

Mum xx

There were three more letters, she could tell from the writing who they were off, she opened the first with a grin.

Lil, I wish I were writing under better conditions but under the circumstance I feel it best to write and make sure you are okay. I heard about the attacks and I wanted to make sure nothing had happened to you. Merlin, Lily, I couldn't handle it if those… animals had done anything to you but I don't see how they couldn't. You're Muggle-born and they were there. Please, write me back, let me know you're okay…
Remus

Worried by the words Remus had written she opened another of her letters, also written by him. It was much shorter.

Lil…You didn't write, oh Merlin, I hope it doesn't mean what it looks like. Tell me you're just busy.
Remus

Obviously whatever Remus was talking about had to do with what had happened on Halloween, whatever it was that Lily still had to find out.

Lily! We heard what happened, are you okay? It's all over the Prophet, the attacks, the men, they didn't do anything to you did they? I hope you're safe, tell me what happened.
I'll tell you all the news when you write back. Please write back, we're all worried, even the Marauders are acting differently. Hogwarts may have been spared the attacks but that doesn't mean it didn't affect us.
Hoping you're safe,
Alice x

However curious Lily had been, her interest was peaked even more so by now and she turned to the issues of the Prophet. Alice had said they had written about the incident in there so to Lily it seemed like the logical place to look for answers. She read the article and, by the time she had finished, had the same feeling of dread and horror that the others had had when they read it. This couldn't have happened, surely. Who would do something like that? After she got over the shock of what had happened she was hit by the realisation of how close it was to happening to her. She was meant to be at the dance, well she wasn't but Alex had wanted her to go so she should have been in that sense. She would have been, too, if she hadn't been forced to take that potion for her sickness.

She felt cold and clammy and her palms were sweaty. The feathers of her quill stuck to her hand as she prepared to write replies to her letters. Her letters were shaky but eventually she had them written.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Tae sat in the Gryffindor common room curled up on a chair with a drawing pad and charcoal. What she was drawing was anyone guess, she had no object in front of her and instead just looked up and stared at the wall blankly before putting her head back down to sketch some more. Her blonde and blue hair fell like a curtain around her and the pad. She was deeply absorbed in her drawing and didn't notice when someone stepped up behind her.

"Hey, Tae."

Her head whipped up sharply at the voice, her eyes wide in surprise. "Oh, it's you," she didn't sound too enthusiastic at the sight of the person before her.

She got a grin in return. "I know you're excited to see me, really."

"Oh yeah," she said half-heartedly. "As excited as I am when I hear I have to spend a detention with McGonagall."

"Hey! Minnie's detentions are fun!"

"Sure they are, Black."

Sirius ignored her tone and leant forward, admiring her picture. "Who is that?"

Tae rolled her eyes, "Go away."

"No, I want to know."

"Child," she muttered quietly before turning the pad round to face the annoying boy before her.

Sirius squinted and moved his head from side-to-side. "Is that…No, it's a banana, right?"

Tae glared at him and pulled the pad back towards her.

"I'm joking," he grinned, "I know, its niffler, like the ones we were studying in Care of Magical Creatures before."

Tae looked at him in surprise.

"What?" he asked when he saw her face. "You think you're the only person who can appreciate art? It's a good drawing by the way, you missed the detail on the nose though." And with that said he got up and walked away, leaving Tae to watch him go in amused wonder.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Alice was sat in the common room, too, though she was sat at the other end with Marie, Narcissa and the Marauders. Marie and Remus were involved in a flirty conversation about Quidditch, James and Narcissa were getting closer and closer and Sirius and Peter were in the middle of a game of Wizarding chess. Alice watched them all in boredom, she hated not having anything to do, and so when the owl arrived she was quite happy for the break.

"Oh, finally!" she exclaimed when she saw the familiar scrawl that was Lily's writing.

Marie and Remus looked over at her; everyone else continued what they were doing. "What is it?" Marie asked.

"Letter off Lily, I wrote a week ago to check she was okay but I never got a reply."

"Me either," Remus admitted, looking round to see if there was an owl for him since Alice had one. Marie frowned at his behaviour but he didn't notice.

"Oh, she's fine," Narcissa snapped impatiently at their behaviour. "She wasn't even in the room at the time."

She said this as Alice read the letter so nobody really paid attention to her.

Alice, I'm fine, I didn't even know what had happened until a few minutes ago. I got sick on Halloween, me and Alex were meant to be crashing the Halloween party they were having here but I ended up spending the day in the infirmary after the stupid nurse gave me some anti-sickness potion. Anyway, long story short, I wasn't there. It's horrible though, isn't it? I can't believe nothing happened at Hogwarts, though it's good it didn't.
I better go, I have a week worth of stuff to catch up on and I want to see Alex. Can you believe she didn't come visit me once? So yeah, there's a letter for Remus in the envelope, pass it on for me? Thanks!
Lily

Alice handed Remus the letter he'd been waiting for, it was pretty similar to Alice's except Remus' also said I was right about what though it made no reference. Once he'd finished reading and he, Alice and Marie (who had read over his shoulder) had digested the words they turned to Narcissa.

"How did you know she wasn't there?"

Narcissa, who had been whispering into James' ear and playing with a strand of her hair, looked at them, annoyed then startled as she processed what they'd said. "Hmm?"

"Lily, you said she wasn't in the room, how did you know?"

"Oh…erm…Alex! Yeah, Alex wrote me and complained because Beauxbatons was doing something for Halloween but she was too young to go. Evans wouldn't have been there if they were too young, would she? You not what a stickler for the rules she is."

Alice looked doubtful but the others let the conversation drop once James said, "Look, Evans is fine and it's sad and all but it doesn't concern us, can we drop it and get back to what we were doing?" He looked pointedly at them all but his gaze soon drifted back to Narcissa. Alice, fed up and repulsed by the display of the couples before her, turned to Sirius and Peter only to find Peter gone and Sirius heading towards Tae. Sighing she got up and went to her dormitory, she refused to put up with that sickening sight any longer.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Back in Beauxbatons, Lily was on a mission. She was going to find Alex and find out just what her problem was. They were meant to be friends, weren't they, and yet she'd allowed Lily to be poisoned and not even visited her for a week. To Lily that wasn't friendship at all. She'd tried everywhere inside the building, the only place left to look was outside.

As cold as Beauxbatons was, Lily liked the outside of the large castle. Flowers bloomed no matter what the time of year and on cold days like today, seemed to thrive in the atmosphere. The flowers were all kinds of different colours and shades, each one brighter than the one before it. Despite the bright and blossoming flowers, the grass was crispy and almost blue with the frost that clung to it. It truly was a beautiful sight. She made a mental note to get some pictures taken before her year was up. Her mum would love this.

The grounds went on for miles but Lily saw Alex pretty close to the building. She was sitting in a group of students, older than herself by a few years, but all listening to her intently. Lily made her way towards the group, her feet crunching on the frozen grass beneath her.

"Alex," she called when she was still some distance away.

Alex stopped talking and turned to Lily. "Hi! You're out of the infirmary then?" Lily nodded. "Cool, come and sit with us."

Lily shook her head; "I need to talk to you, alone." She cast a wary glance at the group. They were all watching Lily closely, some glaring, they reminded Lily of the Slytherin back home.

Alex turned back to face the group, Lily didn't hear the sigh she made or see the roll of her eyes. "Je serai arrière dans quelques minutes," she spoke in fluent French.

"What do you need?" She asked when she reached Lily.

"I want to know a few things," she said, her face growing red. "Like why you let that dumb witch give me the anti-sickness potion when you knew what it does to me and why you didn't come visit me the whole time I was in the infirmary. And then I want to know why you were pushing me to go to that stupid Halloween thing in the first place, did you know what was going to happen?"

"What?" Alex looked shocked. "No, of course not, how could you think that Lily? I thought we should go because I thought it would be fun, how was I to know that those things would do what they did?"

Lily just stared at her, Alex sighed.

"And as for the rest, I forgot you were allergic Lil, people forget, it happens. The last time you took that stuff was right at the beginning of first year, we haven't spoken for nearly a whole year, I forgot all about it. And as for not visiting you, that 'stupid witch' in the infirmary wouldn't let me in. After you drank the potion she decided it was all my fault and wouldn't let be back in but I swear Lil, I honestly forgot and if I had been allowed in I would have done."

Lily could sense the honesty in her voice and sniffed. "Alright, I'm sorry. Now tell me what happened that night…"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Later that night as she went to bed, Alex marvelled at how gullible Lily was and how it easy it was to fool her. Could the girl not see that Alex hated her with every fibre of her being? True, she had forgot about the potion, she didn't want to ruin that night, but the rest, all of it, the whole friendship, how could she not see. Alex went to sleep with a truly Slytherin-esque smirk on her face. Some people really were just stupid.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Lily wasn't as clueless as Alex seemed to believe, true she believed her story but she still had her doubts. Something about Alex really just didn't add up and Lily was going to find out what. In the meantime she'd have to keep closer watch on what was happening around the world. It was obvious, to her at least, that this Voldemort character was gaining more and more support. Lily cut out the article about the attack and stuck it into her scrapbook, writing the date of the incident above it. She checked the other newspapers to find anymore articles, any that seemed remotely linked she also put into her book. She'd show Remus she'd been right all along.

A/N 2: I'm using a translator site for when Alex and others speak so it's probably not accurate but it's meant to say "I'll be back in a few minutes".

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