A/N: here is chapter two! Sorry for the formatting on the previous chapter, I sort of forgot how to use this site, it's been a while. Should be fixed now.
CHAPTER TWO
ENTROPY
The world is sideways and hazy,
Sirius yawns widely, stirring a little more and finally making headway on actually getting out of bed. He looks around.
The Gryffindor boy's dormitory is a mess, as usual. Clothes and other belongings are strewn about haphazardly— only one boy's area is neat and tidy, and it is vacant. Remus hasn't yet returned from the Hospital Wing.
Peter and Cresswell are still asleep, but James is awake, sitting shirtless on the edge of his bed with his back to Sirius.
Sirius regards him a while, taking him in, before speaking.
"Thought you would've gone out for your run already."
James twists around to look at him, smiles softly in greeting.
"It's pissing rain."
Sirius looks outside. It is pissing rain.
"Hasn't stopped you before," he points out.
"S'pose not. Didn't feel up to it today, that's all."
"Fair enough... everything alright?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't it be."
"Dunno."
"Moony gets out today, remember. Should we wait for Peter to wake up?"
They look. Peter is snoring contentedly away, not showing any signs of waking. But there's no real hurry, thinks Sirius. The morning has only just begun.
"Could wait a few minutes, yeah."
James nods, stretches widely. Again, Sirius's gaze lingers on him. James rummages through his clothing looking, most likely, for something that's not too disgusting to wear again. From a pocket of his trousers he pulls out a crumpled, bright purple pamphlet.
"Oh yeah, there's that protest thing today. Almost forgot."
Sirius blinks at him. "What's today?"
"You know, that thing Mary MacDonald's doing. I told you about it. The whole school's been talking about it since Saturday."
"Oh yeah."
"Reckon Remus is up for it? I suppose he hasn't got to go to class at all, if he says he's still feeling poorly."
"I'm sure Remus will manage," replies Sirius. He yawns widely. "All it ever is is standing in a big group while MacDonald shouts at you."
"Yeah. She's funny, isn't she."
"Not bad looking either."
James stops what he's doing to give him an odd sceptical look.
"What?" Says Sirius.
"Nothing."
Sirius frowns. "You get like this every time I talk about girls. I don't understand it. We used to talk about girls all the time."
James is inscrutable. "Yeah, things change though, don't they. People do, as well."
Sirius digests this. "So is it you that's changed, or me?"
"We both have, haven't we." James says. "What I mean is, we're older now, and that means we're... I don't know, realising things I suppose."
"Yeah. Alright. If you want to start making sense any time soon, you let me know."
James shrugs this off and finds a clean enough shirt to pull on. He puts on his glasses and checks himself in his mirror for a while, making subtle edits to his appearance. He rumples his hair one way, then the other, then looks over at Peter's unconscious form in the mirror.
"Sod it, I'm waking him. Can't sleep all day, can he?"
James goes over to Peter and shakes him, not particularly gently. Peter groans as he blinks awake.
"Hrrrh... what... what time is it..."
"It's past time you were up is what it is. Come on, rise and shine then, you great lump."
Peter sits up blearily, rubbing his eyes. "I'm up, alright, I'm up."
He makes his leisurely way to his cupboard and finds his uniform, putting it on just as slowly.
James looks at Sirius.
"You planning on getting dressed or are you just going to stand there?"
Sirius starts, realises he's still in his pants and looks around for where he threw yesterday's clothes. He yanks them on unceremoniously.
"Shall we then."
They troop out, descending the spiral staircase into the Gryffindor common room, which is dotted with students starting their day. The air is palpably abuzz with news of the protest.
"At least we don't have to go to classes today," James says. "They can't possibly give everyone in the school detention, can they?"
"I s'pose they could just dock off points from everyone except Slytherin."
"That's hardly fair," says Peter "There's bound to be at least a couple of Slytherins there."
James snorts. "Don't believe that, they're all rotten."
"Surely not all of them…" says Peter uncertainly.
"Oh yeah? Show me a decent Slytherin in this entire school." James retorts, as he's hailed by Benjy Fenwick.
"Oi! Potter! When exactly were you thinking of putting the next practise timetable up? I've got a busy week to plan, you know."
"Yeah, I'll get to it soon enough, calm down."
"Alright, you take your sweet time then Potter. It's not like our first game's next week." He makes eye contact with Sirius, and gives him an odd look that Sirius doesn't quite comprehend. Fenwick nods in recognition.
"Alright, Black?"
"Yeah, alright?" Sirius replies, perplexed.
They head towards the portrait hole.
"I hope Moony's up to walking down to breakfast," Sirius comments. "I'm half starved. And I'm not eating that hospital wing shit again." He could almost smell bacon and sausage, even seven floors up.
"We'll see," says James amusedly. "Hey, Dorcas, you still owe me that two Galleon. And a kiss."
Dorcas Meadowes is just coming in through the portrait hole. She fixes him with a fondly exasperated look. "Honestly, Potter. You'll get your money, but you know as well as I do that was never part of the bet."
"Please yourself, then. You're missing out on something great here."
She laughs. "Yeah, in your dreams, Potter."
He grins at her as she heads towards her dorm. Sirius is not too impressed.
"What bet was that?"
James's hand jumps to the back of his head, ruffling up his hair. "It's stupid... She bet me I couldn't get completely off my face and still score five goals. Obviously I could. It hurt a lot, though."
Sirius glances at Dorcas' retreating back. "Over the summer?"
"Mm. I went to hers since her parents were having a do, and my parents were invited."
Sirius chews his lip, irritated.
"Right."
They continue down the seventh floor corridor towards the grand staircase.
"Oh, I had a horrible dream." Says Peter. "In it, we went down to see Moony in the hospital wing. Like we're doing now. Only when we got there, he was a great bloody werewolf and he et all of us."
"That's stupid, werewolves don't eat people." Says James.
"How do you know?"
"S'pose I don't, but it'd be like... cannibalism, wouldn't it? We can ask Moony if he's ever eaten someone."
They laugh.
"Be funny if he had," says Sirius. "Some poor first year who wandered too close to the forest one of those nights he got out of the shack... ooh. Scary thought, isn't it."
James grins. "Yeah well, it's just logical, isn't it? If—"
He stops as students pass them.
He continues in a hushed tone "—if a werewolf wants to reproduce, it has to keep its human victims alive long enough to turn into other werewolves, don't it? No, I suspect it mostly eats deer and things like that."
"Or those weird horse things that pull the carriages," pipes up Peter.
They look at him, confused. "What are you on about, Peter? What horses?" Says James
"The ones that—"
"You don't suppose we have time to go to the Great Hall first, do you? Talking about this is making me hungry." Says Sirius. He's certain he can smell bacon now.
"How is this making you hungry? Honestly." James shakes his head. "We'll get breakfast later."
Instead of going to the Great Hall and delicious bacon, they turn left at the Entrance Hall and cross the leaf-strewn courtyard...
It has only just stopped raining, and the air has that distinct dewy after-storm feeling to it, but the sun is bright through the clouds.
"How is the team shaping up, then James?" Asks Sirius as they cross a bridge between two towers.
"We're doing alright, I reckon. I wasn't sure at first about some of the people I picked who'd never really played before. I passed over plenty of pureblood kids who'd been playing for years."
"Why's that?" Says Peter curiously.
"Call it instinct if you like. Some people have just got a... flair, a knack I suppose. You've either got it or you haven't, clear as anything once you get on a broomstick. Doesn't matter how long you've been playing for. You can just tell. Or some can, anyway. That's what makes a good captain."
They hurry across the clock tower courtyard, towards the gigantic pendulum swinging away the seconds. The courtyard itself is littered with statues in various stages of disrepair and gnarled crabapple trees that are still losing their leaves.
They climb the wooden stairs into the clocktower.
"Hope he's awake already. I'd hate to have to wake him." Says Peter.
"Too bad for him if he isn't, he's got a class to skive off, hasn't he." Replies James.
He pushes open the hospital wing doors, letting his friends through first.
But Remus is awake, smiling tiredly at the sight of them. He looks quite a lot better than the last time Sirius saw him, though still scarred and a little weak.
"Oi oi! There he is!" Crows James at the sight of him. They gather around his bed.
"You're looking better," says Peter.
"Yeah, I'm feeling better. About ready to leave this bloody hospital bed, I reckon."
They whoop and cheer, and Remus grins at their enthusiasm. They've done this a million times, but it never gets old.
Madame Pomfrey bustles out of her office and puts a palm to Remus's forehead critically.
"I'd say you're about ready to leave if you feel up to it."
"I feel more than up to it."
He pushes himself upright and swings his legs off the side of the bed. James puts a steadying hand on his shoulder.
"You're good friends," says Madame Pomfrey approvingly. "Always coming to see him like this. Aren't they, Remus?"
"Yeah, they are."
He gets to his feet successfully, and Madam Pomfrey swirls her wand into a glass of water, turning it light pink, and hands it to him.
"There you are. That should give you a bit of strength for the day."
He drinks it eagerly. She gives him a final nod of approval and starts to strip his bed.
"Fancy some breakfast?" Asks Sirius eagerly.
"Sirius here hasn't shut up about breakfast since we left this morning."
"Yeah, alright." Remus says. "I'm still a bit queasy though."
James puts a companionable arm around his shoulders as they head to the door.
"What's been going on since I've been out?"
"Oh all sorts," says James with a grin. "Wait till we tell you about it..."
Water runs steadily into a white ceramic sink. Lily rinses the suds off her hands, then turns the tap off.
She inspects herself in the mirror critically, not entirely satisfied with what she sees there. She pokes at a spot near her nose, flips her damp hair over her shoulder..
Lily opens a little bag of toiletries, applying some cream to her face. She reaches for her wand, then taps the top of her head, screwing up her face in concentration.
"Siccum."
Starting from the crown of her head, the strands of wet hair dry themselves.
The Slytherin's bathrooms are considerably darker and grimier, thanks in large part to the lack of windows. The bathroom is empty except for one boy.
Severus is preparing for a shower, naked except for a grey towel wrapped around his lower half. Still half-dead from sleep, he checks every stall to make sure he's alone.
He enters the shower.
He pulls the curtain closed.
The water turns on.
Lily switches the tap on, runs her fingers through her hair, rearranges a few strands, looks dissatisfied.
Severus stares at a spot on the wall. His hand trails downwards… he can't get the image of her out of his mind…
Lily, only in her underwear, turns sideways in her mirror and grabs experimentally at her tummy. Maybe she ought to start exercising… or avoiding the treacle tart at dinner.
Severus, breathing hard, presses his free hand against the wall for support.
Lily pulls on her uniform, reties her tie a couple of times, adjusting her skirt. It's not perfect, but it'll do.
Severus, head full of her, doubles over against the wall.
Lily checks herself in the mirror one last time, nods with acceptance, and heads for the door.
Severus towels himself off, wraps it around his waist and does the same.
Severus and Lily run into each other in the hall.
"Hiya!" She chirps.
Severus is surprised at the warmth of her greeting. "Oh, hello." He says.
"Look, I'm sorry I got a bit cross with you the other day. You know me. I shouldn't've lost my temper. Friends, yeah?"
"Always."
Lily beams and takes his arm as they walk. "Heard about this protest thing today?" she says casually.
"I heard something. Seems all a bit irresponsible if you ask me."
She stops, and he does too. "Why? Seems like it's only right to stand up for what you believe in... I'm going, you know."
Severus looks at her, surprised. "I wouldn't have thought you'd be mixed up in all of it."
"Oh and why shouldn't I be?" She says defensively. "My friend Mary MacDonald's the one in charge after all, I think it's an important cause. I've been lending a hand organising and things.
"You have?" Merlin, he hated the influence her Gryffindor friends had on her. Always leading her into distractions.
"Yeah. Proper revolutionary, aren't I?" Lily says proudly. "This is our chance, Sev, to show the school Muggleborns are here to stay."
Severus digests this information. He's miscalculated how much Lily cares about the subject.
She keeps blabbering. "It's going to be grand, everyone out in full force like that. Well, I s'pose apart from anyone who doesn't agree that Muggleborns ought to be treated right."
Sev's mind is racing, realising the predicament he's in and the corner he's been backed into. He tries hard not to let it show on his face.
"Well, there might be some who don't want to get in trouble and miss class, won't there?"
"Well some things are more important than school, Sev. Besides, between you and me, you don't have to worry. The teachers know about it, and they all agree with us even if they can't say anything official-like. I talked to Slughorn myself actually, you know how much he likes me. He came 'round eventually."
He has no way around it now.
"Well, that's... er, good. Well done."
"Yeah, thanks... listen I've got to run and meet Mary and Marlene for breakfast, but I'll see you in Potions!"
She hugs him, and he hugs her back a little awkwardly.
After she's gone, he smacks himself on the forehead in frustration.
"Fuck!" he swears loudly.
"You look frustrated, Snivellus!" calls Sirius Black as they pass on their way to breakfast. Lupin is with them again, Severus notes, looking sickly as ever.
"Watch out lads, Sniv's gone spastic!" says Pettigrew. The surrounding students laugh.
"Shut up!" Severus whirls around and stalks away from them. Their laughter echoes in his mind, cruel and clear.
Mary and Marlene are sitting together at the Gryffindor table, which is densely packed with students.
Marlene scoops cornflakes into her bowl and looks at it with disillusionment.
"Don't know why but I haven't got an appetite at all lately..."
"Oh come on Mar, you're already as skinny as a wand." Says Mary. "You should eat something at least."
"You sound like my mum."
"Your mum's right then."
"Yeah maybe, only she nags something awful, doesn't she?" Says Marlene sulkily, filling her bowl with milk.
"Well, you just seem a bit moody lately, that's all."
Marlene delicately tries to avoid the subject. "Do I?"
They're distracted from this topic by Lily's arrival.
"Hello, gang." Says Lily cheerily.
"You look happy," says Mary.
"I'm just excited is all. How're you feeling?"
Mary bangs her fist on the table. "More than ready, that's how." She looks up at the ceiling, which is clear and bright. "Looks like the rain's cleared up as well, brilliant. Oh, and I've stashed little tin cans in all the classrooms."
"Tin cans?" Asks Lily.
"They're charmed, so that I can talk and everyone who's near one can hear me. Like speakers, I suppose. I'll make an official announcement when it's time. That way anyone who hasn't heard yet definitely will."
"That's clever, that is."
"Yeah, Marlene helped me with it, she's good with charms," says Mary proudly.
Marlene blushes. "It was nothing."
"It was a big help, Mar... I reckon I've thought of everything. This has to go right."
"I'm sure it will."
Mary leans forward, growing serious. "Listen, I know I don't say things like this very often but honest... I'm really glad you two are with me. There's no one else I'd rather do this with."
"I agree," says Lily.
"Yeah, and me," Marlene adds.
They clasp hands, smiling at each other in anticipation.
Mary grins. "Alright, girls, finish your breakfasts. We're going to change history today."
Marlene and Lily laugh at her dramatics, and after a while Mary joins in.
The potions corridor is dimly lit and windowless, and the torchlight cast shapes on the dark stone walls and the faces of the fifth year Slytherins leaning against them.
"The whole thing is ridiculous if you ask me," Nicola Selwyn is saying.
"Seconded," Shea says. "We're here trying to get a proper education and instead we've got delinquents running around trying to create anarchy."
Wilkes folds his arms. "They really ought to put a stop to this, ought'n they? I wonder why they haven't."
"Most of the professors here are only Dumbledore's toadies," scoffs Avery. "Blood traitors and mudbloods and muggle-lovers. Even ones that are halfway decent like Sluggie are in his bloody pocket."
"My dad's always saying Dumbledore ought to be sacked," says Wilkes.
"That's not likely, is it?" Severus asks.
"You never know. Things are changing, just like Mulciber's been saying."
Shea laughs. "Oh well, if your precious Mulciber's been saying it, then obviously it's going to happen." He says sarcastically.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Wilkes asks.
"Nothing. Only you can't go two bloody seconds without bringing him up, can you? It's actually rather revolting. If you wanted to suck him off so badly, you could just say so. It'd be less painful."
Wilkes goes tight with anger, but Nicola and Avery laugh.
"And what's the matter with you, Snape?" Asks Nicola suddenly, noticing his silence.
"Oh, nothing. I'm alright, thanks."
Nicola looks irritated that he would assume she was concerned about his well-being.
"Good for you... say, you haven't been charming up, have you?"
He scoffs. "No, I don't do those sorts of charms. I prefer to keep my head clear."
He doesn't miss Selwyn and Shea's shared eyeroll.
"If you say so."
They all stand up straight as Professor Slughorn comes down the corridor, still in his slippers and a book tucked under his arm.
"Oh hello all. Early, aren't you?"
"Yes sir," Wilkes replies. "Proper attendance matters to some of us, you see."
Slughorn is unlocking the door to the Potions classroom and doesn't seem to have heard what Wilkes said.
"Quite right, quite right."
He opens the door and they file in after him into the potions classroom, taking their customary seats at the far end. Wilkes follows Slughorn up to his desk.
"What book have you got there, Sir?" asks Wilkes. Severus rolls his eyes. Wilkes, ever the influence-monger, is always trying to suck up to Slughorn. Unfortunately for Wilkes, he's neither talented nor clever enough to interest Slughorn in more than just his name.
"Hmm? Oh, this one. It was recently published by an old student of mine, Eldred Worple. Quite thrilling, I must say. He spent some time in Transylvania living among vampires... yes, I thought I might need something to occupy myself today."
Wilkes frowns. "Sorry sir, but what do you mean?"
"You are out of the loop, aren't you, Mr. Wilkes. Your classmate, Miss Evans, informed me she was planning some sort of demonstration today, which involves all of you kids leaving my classroom at once."
At the mention of Lily's name, all the Slytherins turn to look at Sev. He shrugs, feigning innocence.
"Now I don't typically participate in that sort of thing myself, mind, but I admire their enthusiasm. So long as it doesn't become habitual. I shouldn't like to be out of a job!"
Wilkes looks thunderstruck, and returns to his seat wordlessly, leaning forward so he can hiss at Snape.
"Hear that? Your little mudblood slut is in charge of the whole thing. Why didn't you tell us, eh? We could've put a stop to this nonsense."
"I didn't know honest," says Severus helplessly. "I only found out today she's involved at all. Besides, she's not the one in charge, it's Mary MacDonald..."
"Oh, I hate her. Foul, common little thing." Nicola sniffs her disapproval.
The door opens and the rest of the students stream in. Lily waves at him— he gives her a weak smile in return.
"Good morning, everyone. Now, I shan't take attendance until the end of class, that is if I remember at all..."
There's laughter from the Gryffindor side of the classroom.
"Yes, well, I suppose there's not much point in trying to teach anything today so feel free to do some quiet studying on your own or in small groups in the meantime."
The anticipation is palpable in the room, and Severus feels as though his stomach is going to fall out from the nerves.
Across the classroom, Lily is equally anxious.
"I'm shaking, I am, look at that." She holds up her hand, which is trembling.
"Nervous?" Asks Marlene sympathetically. Mary has gone to the courtyard ahead of time, leaving the two girls by themselves.
"Not nervous, not exactly... well, maybe a bit."
"There's nothing to be nervous about," Marlene says confidently. "It'll probably be like the rest of them, we go out there and Mary shouts at everyone."
Lily shakes her head. "No, no, this one's going to be different. I can feel it."
"I s'pose we'll see soon enough, won't we."
Suddenly there is a strange, loud crackling sound from the back of the room, like radio static. Slughorn nearly jumps out of his skin.
Mary's voice comes roaring across the classroom: "Attention Hogwarts, this is Mary MacDonald and I say the time has come to act!"
This is greeted by cheers, and students getting to their feet, James Potter, in the lead, bounds up with enthusiasm.
"I say the time has come to stand up against prejudice and strike a blow against oppression!"
All of the Gryffindors are already up, except Lily who is staring at Severus with mounting dread.
"If you're against oppression, I invite you to stand up from your chairs and come and join me in the second-floor courtyard."
This draws scoffs from the Slytherin gang. Lily, who has got to her feet, is trying to get a good angle on Severus, but his head is bowed over his desk.
"If you're against the pureblood supremacist institution, stand up!"
"Oh, honestly. What a display." Says Nicola Selwyn loftily.
"If you're against fascism, elitism, and discrimination, stand up! If you're against the persecution of Muggle-borns, stand up!"
The students are leaving. Marlene beckons to Lily, but Lily hestitates..
"If you're not an absolute wanker fuckface, stand- oh yeah, sorry professor, I'll keep it clean. Yeah, don't worry, we'll be fine. Second floor courtyard, everybody, let's gather and show the world Hogwarts won't stay silent!"
"This is absolutely unbearable," says Avery loudly. "Please, will someone kill me."
Lily goes around to Sev's desk. He has absolutely no choice but to look up at her.
"Come on then, Sev, what are you waiting for?" she says, trying for casual.
The other Slytherins observe him with great interest, a pack of jackals surrounding a possible feast. What is he waiting for?
She looks at him, desperately, imploring "Sev..."
He looks at her in anguish, absolutely unsure what to do.
"You can't possibly be thinking of joining this lunacy."
Surprisingly, it is Wilkes' condescending tone that spurs Sev's decision: slowly, so slowly, he rises from his chair and pure relief blossoms on Lily's face as he does.
Severus, struck by the implications of what he's just done, will not look as his friends as Lily tugs on his arm and leads him out the door. She's dignified, he rigid with shame.
The Slytherins watch them go, not quite sure what to do or think. They put their heads together to discuss the matter without Slughorn overhearing.
"That was certainly something," says Shea.
"Dirty little half-breed traitor... what did I tell you, Avery?" Nicola says.
"Leave it out, Selwyn, none of us saw that coming."
"What do you think Mulciber's doing?" Says Wilkes thoughtfully.
Shea rolls his eyes. "Can you give it a rest with Mulciber?"
"I'm serious, you don't honestly think he's going to take this lying down, do you? Why should any of us? You heard her, they're going and threatening purebloods now. Threatening us."
"Hate to say it, but I actually agree with him this time," says Avery. "We should go there and show them what's what. Have ourselves a counter-protest. What gives them the right but not us?"
Wilkes nods urgently, getting to his feet. "Come on then, let's go find Mulciber."
Nicola looks up at him in annoyance. "Do we have to?"
She sees that they do, in fact, have to, and reluctantly stands up. She signals to Shea that he should do the same.
"Waste of my bloody time," he says.
They leave the classroom, Wilkes leading the charge with Shea trailing in the rear. Slughorn watches them go with a bemused expression, then returns to his book.
The courtyard is absolutely packed with students, not the entire school but still much more than they had bargained for.
The crowd is excitable and just hovering on the border of uncontrollable. Lily has the sense that a lot of the students are here mostly for a good time, and not really for actual political reason.
Still, Lily thinks proudly, Mary is in her element. She's climbed onto the dry fountain, elevated above everyone else, and her voice is magically amplified to soar over the crowd.
"Hear me, Hogwarts! We won't let them silence us! We will be heard! We will fight back!"
Lily is still clutching Sev's arm as they struggle their way through the crowd towards where Marlene stands next to Cresswell, just below Mary.
They have to shout to be heard over Mary and the crowd.
Marlene greets them. "Oh, hello! She looks like she belongs up there, doesn't she?" She nods at Mary, who is radiant.
"Yeah, she does," agrees Lily.
Marlene notices Severus.
"I see you decided to join us in the end. Good on you."
He nods stiffly, and Lily beams at him.
James Potter lurches out of the crowd at them.
"Alright, Evans?"
"Yeah, Potter. I'm fine," she says.
He, too, notices Severus and looks thrown.
"What's he doing here?"
Lily sniffs. "He chose to be here, didn't he?"
Fully validated in her friendship with Severus, she grabs his shoulder and turns him so that they have their back to Potter, and they watch Mary.
"From this day on, Hogwarts will be safe for everyone, not just the privileged elite. We're not going to let anybody threaten us, nor hurt us, ever again!"
The fifth year Slytherins are hurrying along a corridor when they run into Mulciber and Rosier. Both of them have their wands out, stormy expressions on their faces..
"There you are," says Wilkes.
"We got sick of listening to the Mudblood whinging," says Rosier.
Mulciber looks them over. "Severus isn't with you?"
Wilkes gives a humourless laugh. "Severus stood up and pranced out as soon as his girlfriend snapped her fingers, didn't he?"
Mulciber's face betrays only the merest flicker of surprise and anger, which he subdues quickly.
"Let's go then. We'll show them who this school belongs to."
"How are we going to do that?" Asks Shea. "It's half the bloody school out there in case you haven't heard."
"Oh, I doubt most of them signed on for a fight. First sign of trouble and they'll scatter." Says Mulciber.
"Yeah, that or they'll mob us." Says Shea.
"If you're too much of a coward, Shea, feel free to sit it out." Snarls Rosier.
Shea shrugs moodily, resigned to going along with them.
Marlene drops back to stand with James Potter and his friends. She's never quite sure what to say to Severus, on the rare occasion that he's around. Thankfully, Lily seems to have cottoned on to the fact that he doesn't mix very well with her other friends, and keeps them well separated.
"You aren't saying much, Potter. Makes a nice change."
He grins at her. "Very funny McKinnon. I'm listening, aren't I?"
She shrugs, amused.
Marlene decides to probe a little. "Dorcas was asking about you."
"Yeah?" His hand jumps to his hair, ruffling it up stupidly. She has to suppress a laugh— James Potter really is quite lovable underneath it all.
"Yeah. Can't see why. How's your mum, Remus?"
"Doing better, thank you." Says Remus. Marlene always wonders whether it really is his mum who's sick. Poor Remus always looks awful.
"Good to hear it. I'm never really sure what to do at these things, are you? I suppose turning up is the important part, isn't it."
James glares bitterly at Snape's back. "Yeah, I suppose it is."
"Personally," says Sirius. "I thought there'd be more of a fight. I'm surprised the Slytherins are just going to take this lying down."
But Peter has turned away from the fountain, pointing. "I don't reckon they are. Look."
They turn, and Marlene's heart jumps into her throat.
A group of Slytherins is coming down the wide corridor entrance. Mulciber and Rosier are in the lead. They look absolutely ready to murder, scarier than Marlene's ever seen them, wands out and dark robes swirling around their determined strides.
"Oh, bollocks. Mary!" Marlene dives forward through the crowd towards her friend.
"Here they are, then, ladies and gents, the ruling class! What are you going to do then, Mulciber? We're not scared of you!"
Mary, atop the fountain, glares at the oncoming Slytherins. She sees Mulciber slow at the edge of the courtyard, stopping Rosier and the others. He regards her with a soft, predatory smile, and holds her gaze. There's something awfully penetrating about the way he looks at her…
She frowns, uncomfortable, and breaks away to speak into her microphone.
"They think just because they're born into privilege that they have more of a right to be here than we do- are we going to stand for that?"
The crowd roars dissent.
Rosier strides forward, utterly fearless, cracking his wand like a whip. A blast goes off like a gunshot.
Students scream and scatter. Rosier carves a swathe through the terrified crowd like the parting of the red sea. Everyone at Hogwarts knows his reputation.
"Come down here, MacDonald!" he yells. "Let's see how brave you really are."
Mary feels Lily tugging on her sleeve.
"Oh don't, Mary, he's only trying to get a rise out of you."
Rosier laughs at her. "Scared to face me, you filthy little Mudblood?"
Mary whips out her wand. "Fuck it. Out of my way!"
She hops down from the fountain. The crowd moves back, clearing a space as she and Rosier circle each other.
"Bow on three," says Rosier.
She spits on the grass. "I'm not bowing to you, scumbag."
His face darkens. "I said bow, you little Mudblood upstart. Or have you never been taught what a proper wizard's duel is like?"
She bows, exaggerated and mocking. He bows properly, formally...
"Stupefy!"
Mary fires the first shot, and Rosier reacts instantly. The duel bursts into a frenzy of lights and sparks, each one moving faster than the eye can see.
"This is insane!" Lily says to Severus anxiously. "People are going to get hurt!"
"Maybe we ought to get a professor," he says nervously. He's eyeing Mulciber and the others, his expression unreadable. Lily nods, bites her lip.
"You're right, I'll go," she says.
Rosier's teeth are gritted in concentration, his wand slashing through the air in brutal strikes. He deflects one spell, dodges another, then fires back.
It misses Mary by centimetres, singing the sleeve of her jacket. She snarls and returns the favour with an explosive volley of magical projectiles that spiral towards him like firecrackers.
Rosier deflects most of them, but the last glances off his shoulder. He's snarls, furious, and gears up for a powerful counterattack.
But his spell misses, arcing wide—
It hits Marlene squarely in the chest. Her face briefly registers shock, and then she crumples and falls to the floor.
"MARLENE!"
Mary hurries to Marlene's side, turning her over. She's out cold, breathing but barely.
Rosier pauses to catch his breath, surveying his handiwork and wiping sweat from his brow. His shoulder is obviously in some pain.
Mary screams at him. "YOU BASTARD! I'll kill you, you bastard!
Rosier grins, takes aim again but is suddenly blasted backwards.
Mary turns, sees Dirk Cresswell, who has come to stand protectively in front of the girls. Mary scrambles back onto her feet. They stand shoulder to shoulder, wands at the ready.
"Cheers," she says.
He looks at her. "Don't mention it."
Things have descended into madness around them, and several Slytherins are pushing their way into the fight.
Seeing this, James and Sirius step up behind Mary.
The one on one duel is now an all-out brawl. Mary and Rosier are still going at it, Cresswell takes on Avery and James and Sirius square off with Mulciber. The crowd is dissipating, and people are trying to get away from the chaos.
On the edge of it, Shea and Nicola debate.
"Come on Nicola, we should just leave before any professors get here."
"You don't think that girl's dead, do you? Forget expulsion, Rosier'll be in Azkaban tomorrow if she is."
"She's probably not dead, Nicola, come on."
"You don't know Rosier like I do," Nicola says darkly. "He shoots to kill."
Sirius and James are duelling as a flawless team. Between the two of them they have Mulciber pinned against a wall.
"Not so bloody tough now, are you?" Says James.
He growls. "It's two against one, Potter, and I'm holding my own."
Nicola is pushing through the crowd, and Shea follows her.
She's hit by a stray spell and goes down.
"Nicola!" Shea yells. He scoops her up and takes her out of harm's way, looking around at the chaos.
On the edge of the courtyard, Mulciber is still holding out against James and Sirius. But Mary MacDonald whoops as she gets a good shot in on Rosier and this distracts him—
James presses the advantage.
"Expelliarmus!"
Mulciber's wand goes flying through the air and James effortlessly catches it. He grins cockily at Mulciber, who is done for—
But then James is swept up into the air, dangling upside down by his ankle. Mulciber's wand falls from his grasp.
Sirius whirls around – Severus Snape stands there, breathing heavily and wand still aloft. Mulciber snatches up his wand.
Before anything else can happen, a loud booming voice echoes across the courtyard like a roll of thunder.
"ENOUGH!"
Albus Dumbledore steps out into the courtyard, taking in the scene. Everyone freezes, staring at him.
Lily peers anxiously around Dumbledore. Marlene, unconscious, is being carried by two students—
There's a second of absolute silence, and then it starts raining harder even than before. James hits the ground facefirst.
Professor McGonagall hurries forward to Marlene's side. "We need to get these students to the hospital wing," she says. "As for the rest of you…"
The portraits of old headmasters peer curiously down at the students, still soaking wet, gathered in Dumbledore's office.
Avery, Mulciber, Rosier, and Snape stand together. A short but deliberate distance away are Mary, Cresswell, James, and Sirius. James is half-covered in mud. The still bubbling tension and hatred between the two groups is palpable. This fight is not over, not really.
Dumbledore sits behind his desk, hands steepled in front of him. McGonagall is standing at his side, looking irate.
"An all-out magical brawl in the courtyard?" She says furiously. "What were you thinking? It's lucky more students weren't injured."
Mary stares hatefully at the Slytherins. "They started it."
McGonagall stares down at her, nostrils flaring. "Did they, MacDonald? We allowed you to hold your rally because you promised it would remain peaceful. And did it? Certainly not. We have no reason to trust anything you tell us."
Mary looks away, shamed. Mulciber is staring at her. She glares back and mouths what? aggressively.
Dumbledore steeples his fingers. "I heard your speech, Miss MacDonald."
"You did?" Mary says uncertainly.
"Yes, and I thought you made some rather excellent points. Particularly about making Hogwarts a safe place for everyone. Do you think violence is the way to achieve this goal?"
"Sometimes. It depends."
He looks at her, thoughtfully.
"As for the rest of you... the time is fast approaching when you have to choose what sort of path your life will lead you down. One of violence, and hatred? Or one of love and compassion? Professor McGonagall and I can't decide for you. But we can do our best to guide you through these difficult times unscathed."
"We've decided to give all of you detentions every school night for the now until the holidays," adds McGonagall. "You will be helping Mr. Filch with his custodial duties. Believe me, this is merciful. If anything- anything like this occurs again, it will be much worse for all of you."
She looks at James.
"We thought about revoking your rights to play Quidditch—"
James and Dirk interject with outrage.
"Oh, that's hardly fair!"
"Yeah, what about them?"
She presses on. "—but, in light of the upcoming Quidditch match, we decided against it. Two students were injured because of your stupidity, including your third chaser."
Dumbledore turns his gaze to James as well. "I did not wish to rob Gryffindor of their other two chasers, and the captain to boot... From you, James, I expected better."
James hangs his head, shamefaced.
"Yes, sir. Sorry sir."
"We'll be writing to your parents, of course. I can only hope you've learnt your lesson."
In the hospital wing, Marlene is blearily being spoonfed medicine by Madam Pomfrey.
"Ooh. I feel absolutely awful."
Madam Pomfrey makes a disapproving noise. "Whatever spell that boy hit you with, it was powerful. We don't teach that sort of magic here at Hogwarts. I can only imagine where he might've picked it up."
Marlene rubs at her chest, which is still painful.
"Lucky for you, some students got you here as soon as possible. Looks like no serious damage has been done. You should be up and about in a few days. Just need plenty of rest now."
"What happened exactly? Was anyone else hurt?"
Pomfrey eyes her silently then nods, stepping away. On the opposite side of the ward Marlene sees Nicola Selwyn sitting up in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Corrin Shea is by her side, talking to her in a hushed tone.
"Merlin, will you stop fussing over me?" Nicola says. She knows Corrin's only worried, but honestly, she's fine.
"Can't help it. You nearly gave me a heart attack when you went down like that. Why'd you have to go charging in?"
Nicola's eyes travel down to Marlene McKinnon, who averts her gaze.
"I don't know," she says carefully. "I wasn't thinking." It's partially true. Nicola has no idea why the urge to save Marlene McKinnon suddenly came over her, but her moment of selflessness came with a price.
"Well that's obvious. D'you need anything? I'll stay here if you want."
She takes his hand, trying to reassure him.
"Oh Corrin. I'll be alright, really. I just need some rest. You go."
"I'll stay, it's no trouble."
"Thanks, but... I won't sleep a wink with you hovering over me like a mother hen. Go on, I'll be fine."
He relents.
"Alright. Rest up. I'll be by in the morning."
She nods, and he leans over to kiss her forehead, brushing her hair aside gently.
He leaves, and Nicola examines her fingernails for a minute before looking up and catching McKinnon still looking at her.
"What are you looking at?
"Nothing."
"Didn't look like it."
McKinnon frowns at her. "So you were in the fight?"
"No, I was…" She trails off as she realises she doesn't really know what she was doing.
"All I remember is Mary and your friend Rosier going at it—"
Nicola interrupts her. "He's not my friend."
"Oh yeah? It seems like you spend an awful lot of time together."
"Don't care what it seems like to you."
"Fine, I was only curious."
Nicola sighs. "Look, if you think I'm like Rosier, I'm not. Neither is Corrin. But that doesn't mean we're like you, either."
"Right, you hate Muggle-borns and all that."
Nicola scoffs, doesn't reply.
"Well. This is fun. How long are you in for?" Marlene asks.
"A few days at least. You?"
"Same."
They look at each other in horror, realising how much time they're going to have to spend in the same room.
Lily isn't sure what to say.
Mary is sitting on the window sill and staring out at the rain-streaked landscape. They're the last ones in the common room.
"Have you been to see Marlene yet?" Lily asks finally.
Mary turns away from the window. "Yeah. Reckon she's going to be alright, only they've put her across from Nicola Selwyn of all people."
Lily makes a face. She can hardly imagine a worse fate. "Poor Marlene."
"You know it wasn't my fault things turned out that way, don't you?" Mary says uncertainly.
Lily smiles softly at her. "I know. You never asked for the Slytherins to come and start trouble. They did that on their own."
Mary shrugs. "Maybe I shouldn't've risen to Rosier's bait, but all I could think was how people needed to see how we can fight back and win, too. I would've won."
"Yeah, I heard you knocked him off his high horse. About time someone did."
They exchange grins, the mood lightened a little.
"I don't think Dumbledore's right, though." Mary says suddenly.
Lily frowns. "What do you mean?"
"Well, in his office he was saying how we ought to choose a path of nonviolence and harmony and all of that rot."
"Shouldn't we?"
"If we have a choice, yeah, brilliant. But I'm starting to think none of us have. Especially people like you and me. If someone tries to hurt me you'd better believe I'll try and hurt them back. If someone takes a swing at you, you fight back, don't you? You don't stand there preaching like bloody Mahatma Gandhi and let yourself get hit, do you?"
"S'pose not... Nobody here would even know who Mahatma Gandhi is, would they?"
Mary shrugs. "Point is, Rosier's got to pay for what he did to Marlene. One way or another."
"Oh I wish you wouldn't do anything stupid, Mary. You're already in enough trouble as it is."
Mary laughs weakly. "I am in rather a lot, aren't I?"
"Mary, I know people think I'm an awful prig—"
Mary interrupts. "They don't think that!"
Lily ploughs on. "But I want to keep fighting as well. I want to do more. I don't want to give up. But we'll be smart about it, alright?"
Mary looks at her, amused, then grabs her with one arm and pulls her in for an affectionate noogie. "C'mere, you. I love you."
"Love you too. Ow, my hair, Mary, my hair—"
"Sorry." She lets Lily go. "I've never been prouder than I am now. I've raised you well."
"Oh, leave it out." Says Lily in exasperation, but she's smiling a little too much.
"Things are gonna be different from now on," Mary says, staring out of the window again.
The greenish light from the lake filters through the windows of the Slytherin common room.
They are gathered around the sofa near the fireplace. Only Selwyn and Shea are missing. Other students are giving them a wide berth, perhaps out of fear or respect.
Snape stands before them, waiting to be judged by the unholy tribunal.
"You didn't see him," Wilkes is saying in disgust. "Standing up like a trained dog when the Mudblood called him. He'll never live this down, never."
Mulciber eyes him. "And how soon are you going to live it down, Devereux?"
Wilkes blinks, confused. "Live what down?"
"Where were you when the fighting started? All of us were in the thick of it— me, Evan, Preston, and even Severus. I notice you didn't fire a single spell, nor did you get in detention."
"Yeah, that's right." Says Avery.
Wilkes shrugs uncomfortably. "Seemed like you had it covered."
Rosier glares over at him from beside the fireplace. "You ought to be ashamed."
"I'm sure he is, Evan." Mulciber says, eyes glittering. "Very ashamed indeed, isn't that right?"
Wilkes certainly looks so.
"As for you, Severus—" Continues Mulciber. Severus stiffens. "You might have embarrassed yourself this morning, but you showed your true loyalties when it came down to it, didn't you? Your spellwork was impressive too... I've never seen that jinx before, what was it?"
"I— actually, it's my own spell. It's called levicorpus."
Mulciber regards him, interested.
"You'll have to teach it to us sometime. For now, I'd like to hear what you know about this Mary MacDonald, seeing as you have a common… acquaintance."
Severus frowns. "About Mary? Not much, really, she's friends with Lil— with Evans but she's never liked me very much. She's rather rude actually, at least to me."
"Tough for a mudblood. Didn't expect that." Grunts Rosier.
"We need to be prepared for tougher fights than that," says Mulciber. "Soon enough there's not going to be any teachers around to save the day."
"No, but there'll always be Aurors and that, won't there?" Says Avery.
"Will there?" Says Mulciber delicately.
They all consider the implications.
Mulciber pats the sofa next to him. "Why don't you come and sit down with me, Severus."
Severus does so, relieved Mulciber has forgiven him so easily.
"I've been giving the Lily Evans matter some thought. Turning it over and over in my mind. And I believe I understand."
Severus stares at him. "You do?"
"Oh yes. We can't control our base desires, can we, Severus. All we can do is learn to manage them."
He shares a look with Rosier.
"She's a distraction, an obsession. That's all. You're a great wizard, Severus. You deserve better. Look at how she treats you, she thinks she's too good for you."
This, thinks Severus, has some truth to it. Lily is always telling him what he shouldn't do, who he shouldn't be friends with. She looks down on him, just like the rest of her house.
"I s'pose so, yeah... maybe you're right."
Mulciber nods, hand on his shoulder.
"Great wizards, Sev, like you and me... and even him..."
The mere mention of him sends shivers of excitement around the group.
"I'll tell you something about great wizards..." Continues Mulciber. "We see what we want, and we take it."
