Chapter 3: Mandrake Leaves

Lily became something of an unwilling celebrity. She kept being stopped in the corridors by wide-eyed students asking for details of the Chimera attack. Bertha Jorkins, the notorious 7th year gossip, seemed particularly crestfallen each time Lily had no more juicy details to share. The chimera itself was living in a sturdy wooden enclosure near Hagrid's hut until it could be deported to Greece. Lily often saw a small crowd around it when she walked the grounds to Herbology.

There was a rising sense of unease in the castle after both the fiendfyre and chimera incidents. No culprits had been found and the information that Lily was a muggle-born was particularly concerning to many. The newspapers had not ceased bringing bad tidings of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his increasing number of followers. A few students had even confessed to Lily their worries about blood-status and whether they, too, might be attacked at Hogwarts.

In response to these worried mutters, that year's Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, the burly Professor Wickbane, had decided to set up a duelling club. This, he had pitched to Dumbledore, was necessary in the interests of students' self defence should any more dangerous events unfold. A few weeks after the Chimera attack, Lily, Marlene and Dorcas found themselves stood around the edges of a raised duelling platform in the Great Hall.

'Welcome, students, to the noble art of duelling!' cried Professor Wickbane, striding into the centre of the platform and throwing off his cloak to reveal a tank top and shorts. He had a thick black moustache and generous eyebrows, giving him the appearance of a circus strong-man. He began rolling his bulging muscles to limber-up.

Next to Lily, Marlene had stuffed her own cloak into her mouth to stifle her giggles as Wickbane began stretching energetically to each side.

'Tonight we will cover both a defensive and an offensive duelling spell,' Wickbane explained, his own head now between his legs as he stretched his lower back.

'Yes, indeed,' he continued, stretching up again and flexing his biceps, 'offense is often the best defence, you know, so both are necessary-' he paused stretching and looked down at them all, surprised- 'come on now, everyone, you have to warm up- follow my stretches- and benddd-'

Lily caught Dorcas' eye and bent forward quickly before they could dissolve into laughter. Unfortunately, she could then see Black and Potter doing exaggerated impressions of Wickbane's muscle flexing behind her, complete with enormous fake moustaches. She snorted involuntarily. Potter caught her eye and winked.

'Now, we shall all pair up- draw names out of this hat- here,' he waved his wand and a top hat appeared with a pop, 'form a line when you have your partners, please.'

Lily was relieved to be paired with Anthony Stebbins, a Ravenclaw boy in her year, and not any prejudiced Slytherins. Ahead in the line, poor Mary McDonald had been paired with Mulciber. Lily had seen Severus hanging around with him in the courtyard a few times, and hated the glaring looks he gave her.

Severus himself was standing just in front of Mary and Mulciber. Lily saw a sly little smirk on Sev's face and noticed he had been paired with Remus. She felt uneasy- Remus had never bullied Severus himself, but she knew Sev hated all the Marauders just the same and had often voiced his desire to duel them one-on-one.

'Now, the two spells you will learn are 'Flippendo' the knockback Jinx, and 'Protego', the shield charm,' called Wickbane, 'Could the first pair please join me up on the platform. Very good, hello there.'

Marlene strode onto the platform, ever confident, with her partner trailing rather sulkily behind. It was Bertha Jorkins the Hufflepuff 7th year who kept bothering Lily for gossip.

'You've heard the incantations, ladies, and I will now show you the wand movements,' he steered Marlene to one end of the duelling platform, 'you will be on the offensive, moving your wand like so,' Wickbane instructed Marlene, giving his wand a sharp jab.

'-And you shall be on the defensive, like so-' Bertha blew her long mousy fringe out of her eyes and practised the circular movement with Wickbane.

'First, we bow to our partners-', Marlene and Bertha bowed to each other, '- and then we duel!' cried Wickbane, dancing out of the way. Bertha raised her wand and opened her mouth to perform the shield charm- but Marlene had already yelled, 'Flippendo!' and a jet of blue light shot at Bertha. It hit her square in the chest and punched her back several feet. She flew off the platform in a whirl of Hufflepuff robes. The crowd whooped appreciatively. Marlene blew a few kisses as she descended the platform.

'Excellent- excellent- what a strong knockback! I've never seen the like on a first attempt, simply marvellous!' Cried Wickbane, clapping enthusiastically with the rest as Bertha groaned and untangled herself on the floor.

'Next pair, up you come!'

The next defender managed to block the jinx with a shield charm. The third pair included little Lockhart who merely skid back a meter, still beaming and waving, as he failed to produce a shield charm. Nothing quite as spectacular as Marlene's first attempt happened until the fourth pair.

'Next!'

Severus and Remus stepped onto the platform. Remus bent low into a bow, but Severus merely bobbed his head and raised his wand-

'No!' cried Lily, as Severus opened his mouth, Remus still bent in a bow. But Lily needn't have worried- Severus was suddenly hiked upside down, spluttering, by an invisible hook to one leg. The crowd roared with laughter.

'Coward!' yelled Potter, his wand pointed at the struggling Snape, 'attacking your opponent while he's bowing-'

The crowd booed and jeered.

'Yes, well, we are only practising,' Wickbane soothed, smoothing his own moustache, 'it's natural to jump the wand, so to speak, in all the excitement- let that fellow down, now-'

Potter jerked his wand and released Severus, who smacked into the platform in an angry tangle of Slytherin robes.

'Next please-'

Mary Mcdonald, Lily's dorm-mate, stepped onto the platform alongside the hulking Mulciber. Lily didn't blame Mary for looking a little apprehensive as Mulciber assumed his stance, rolling his thick neck and shoulders.

'Good, now bow-'

Mulciber leered at Mary and swept her a mocking bow. As they both straightened, he moved his wand in an odd twirling way- certainly not the movement Mulciber had shown them for the knock-back jinx. Lily was just close enough to hear Mulciber's muttered incantation- 'mutatio genu!'

A jet of purple light shot towards Mary who screamed, all thoughts of the shield charm forgotten.

'No!' Professor Wickbane bought his wand through the air and a bubble encased Mary. Mulciber's hex dissolved into a splash of purple as it hit the barrier.

'I say- only the spells we are practising please, not whatever that was- ' Wickbane fumed, having not heard the incantation. Mulciber slouched moodily off the platform.

'What was that?' Lily muttered to herself. Stebbins, by her elbow, couldn't help answering. Lily guessed this was a common Ravenclaw trait.

'I read about that spell in a book- Hexes Moste Horrible- it's borderline dark magic- a knee-reversing hex. It makes your knees flip around to the wrong side,' Stebbin's explained, shuddering, 'apparently the counter-charm is really tricky and wizards have been stuck like that for months- stumbling around all back to front, breaking their legs - I read that this one time -'

'Next, please,' called Wickbane, cutting Stebbins off. They both ascended the platform to practice.

- . - . -

Lily confronted Severus in their next potions lesson. The Gryffindors and Slytherins always had them together and Lily and Severus had been partners since their first year.

'It was only a little knock-back jinx, Lils, it wasn't going to hurt him-' Severus protested, as he lit the fire under their cauldron.

'It's the principle, Sev- you shouldn't go around jinxing people when they aren't prepared-'

'What, like Potter and Black do to me?'

'But it was Remus, and he doesn't do that kind of thing-'

'Oh come on, Lily, don't be so naive. Potter already had his wand trained on me. I knew they'd do something up there, so I decided to strike quickly-'

'Still, Sev-'

'Okay, look- it all happened so fast- and you can't think clearly in a duel-'

'So you'll apologise to Remus?' Lily insisted.

'Well, no, he's always hanging around Potter and Black-'

'I suppose that's sensible, no sense antagonising the situation,' Lily sighed.

They began cutting up their rat tails evenly. Slughorn had assured them that this hair-raising potion was likely to come up in the summer OWLs. Lily could feel the roots of her dark red hair beginning to lift, even in the steam from the cauldron.

'And speaking of Lupin, where is he today?' Severus muttered.

'Sick again,' she said, throwing her hands up, 'I have to keep swapping our shifts with the Hufflepuff Prefects-'.

'Hmm,' said Snape. Lily could tell he wanted to say more, but Slughorn swept up to their cauldron.

'My potions prodigies!' he boomed, ever indulgent, 'this simple hair-raising potion should be a cinch for two such capable students- let's see now-' he bent over the cauldron.

'Snivellus' greasy hair could do with a bit of a lift,' whispered Black, sweeping back his own effortlessly glossy mane. Potter snorted. Slughorn, already a little deaf, didn't hear. Severus gritted his teeth.

'Yes, very good progress-' Slughorn declared happily, straightening up.

'Once we've finished this one can we experiment on another, Sir?' asked Lily, 'see if we can't improve it?'

'My dear girl- of course, of course- that's some real ambition you've got. I've said it before and I'll say it again- you should have been in my house. Eh, Severus? Marvellous talent.'

Lily rolled her eyes as Severus gave Slughorn one of his rare grins.

'Oh yes,' said Lily, 'I'm sure being a muggle-born in Slytherin would be just peachy these days-'

Slughorn's smile faded a little, 'well, yes, all that unpleasantness in the news-' he cleared his throat. It was Slughorn's policy not to mention He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Such bad news was not to be discussed in class, and certainly not at any of his little parties. The topic was, he said, 'a real buzz-kill'. He hurried off to check on other cauldrons.

'Hey, Snivellus,' hissed Black, 'Why don't you pick on Remus when he's actually ready? Here-' he threw a parchment note at Severus. Lily could only assume it had the details for a time and place to duel. She rolled her eyes- Remus knew better than to risk his prefecture on a midnight duel, especially if he was ill. Severus wouldn't be fooled either. But, as Snape read the parchment, his eyes widened and something twisted imitating a smile spread over his sallow face.

Later, Lily had stayed behind to clear up their second potion. It had exploded rather violently, and Severus had had to go up to the hospital wing- just in case- after some landed on his cheek.

Lily had finished cleaning and was just pushing open the door to leave when she heard arguing in the corridor outside.

'Sirius, what was on that parchment?' Lily had never heard Potter truly angry at Black before, but now he sounded furious. Furious and worried. They were both facing away from her and she watched as Potter ran his hands through his messy black hair- pulling, agitated. He reached out to Black's shoulder- 'Sirius, tell me you didn't do it?'

'Don't worry about it, mate,' Black shrugged Potter off, 'if he even suspects- nobody would be that stupid-'

'You idiot, Sirius!' yelled Potter, beginning to pace- 'We haven't managed to do it yet- we don't have enough mandrake leaves- we can't be there tonight- what if Snape gets-?' He stopped mid-sentence as he spotted Lily in the doorway. He turned, swore, and walked off- every line of his neck and shoulders tense. Lily felt more confused than ever.

- . - . -

Remus was back to class within the next two days. Neither he nor Severus had been caught duelling, so Lily could only assume the note had been a prank. Potter must have been angry at Black for involving Remus when he was so sick.

October passed away with no more incidents involving either the sorting hat or Severus. Their teachers were all pressing hard, getting them ready for OWLS, and Lily was grateful for the distraction. Even the Marauders had started acting very strangely under the pressure of that month. For one, Lily had seen them all pouring quietly over books in the transfiguration section of the library. Sirius seemed particularly cowed after Potter's anger and they had stopped their double-act of pranks and chattering in lessons. There was also something suspicious about their mouths when they did talk. It seemed uncomfortable, like they were holding something in their mouths. When she asked Remus, who did not seem to be afflicted, he muttered something about a three-way bet concerning Honeydukes everlasting gobstoppers and Lily laughed. Black and Potter may have the brains but, when it came to food, Pettigrew would whip them both.

Her mind was soon occupied by Gryffindor's general anticipation of November. November meant two things: the first Quidditch match of the season against Ravenclaw, and Sirius Black's birthday. Both were occasions for outrageous common-room parties and, this year, they would coincide.

Rumours of the coming party were already swirling. Dorcas swore she once saw Black adding to a huge stockpile of bottles- Butterbeer, Firewhisky, Knotgrass Mead and Dragon Barrel Brandy - stacked high in the common-room broom cupboard, but nobody had been able to unlock the door and check. No detail had escaped, no matter who tried to bribe little Pettigrew.

The morning of 3rd November dawned crisp and frosty. After breakfast, Lily and Marlene bundled themselves into Gryffindor hats, scarves and gloves. They hugged a grinning Dorcas for good-luck, laughing at her enormous keeper's gloves, and soon hurried through the cold grounds to nab a decent spot in the stands.

The scarlet team and sapphire team assembled on the pitch below, their breath rising in clouds, and the captains shook hands. The whistle blew and both teams kicked off from the frosty ground, rising like birds into the cold air-

'And they're off!' echoed the magically loud voice of the new Quidditch commentator. Lily's mouth fell open. It was that little first year Ravenclaw- Gilderoy Lockhart. They could see him in the commentator's box, wrapped in his sky-blue (singed) cloak, a jaunty peacock-feather hat pinned on his head.

'A first year?' Said Marlene incredulously, using the tone of voice she might have used to say 'dog poo'.

'Ravenclaw have possession- that's Stebbins with the Quaffle- I taught him that move you know, and- oh no! Hit by a bludger from Gryffindor's Black- Now, Gryffindor's Potter with the Quaffle-'

Lily and Marlene cheered as the ruby-blur whizzed past and sank the quaffle through the left hoop. They could hear Black crowing above.

'First goal to Gryffindor!' Lockhard groaned along with the Ravenclaws, 'They lead by 10 points. And, yes- look at that goal celebration from Potter- haha, careful below!'

Potter had stood upright on his broom and was surfing it around the stadium over the heads of the screaming and cheering crowd- glorying in his goal. Lily and Marlene rolled their eyes.

'Potter, hero of Gryffindor' said Lockhart, '- and hero of some Slytherins too, rumour has it.'

The crowd laughed.

'What?' said Lily. Marlene shrugged.

'Didn't you hear?' Bertha gloated, turning fully around in her seat, in her gossiping element, 'Potter saved that greasy Slytherin kid- Yape? Snape? Whatever. Saved him from the Whomping Willow they're saying- or was it an angry spite living in that tunnel near it? I don't know- but it was really heroic, apparently.'

'Watch out! Watch out!' screamed little Lockhart, drawing them back into the game, his peacock feather hat askew- 'Ouch! Stebbins hit by another bludger from Black- Gryffindor take possession again- '.

In the end, Ravenclaw caught the snitch but Gryffindor won anyway. Potter and the other chasers had scored so many points, and Dorcas had saved so many goals, that Ravenclaw had no hope of pulling back.

The Gryffindor common room was a whirl of celebration. Potter had tied a huge gryffindor flag around his shoulders like a cape and was re-living his goals for a group of excited admirers.

Lily, Dorcas and Marlene were sitting cross-legged on the floor with a ring of Gryffindor girls, munching through an enormous table of nearby party food.

'They must be bribing the elves,' said Alice Fortescue, shaking her head as she chewed through her fifth sausage-roll.

'Good game, Dorcas, well done!' people kept patting Dorcas on the back as they passed by.

'Let's get this party started ladies!' said Black. he scooped boys from thin air- steering them to sit on the floor with them- the first year, Kingsley Shaklebolt, was settled next to Lily, looking a little bemused. Remus and Peter had joined the circle too, but Potter was still oblivious, miming his sixth goal to a smattering of applause. When 20 or so players had been commandeered by Black, he settled himself in the ring too.

'Veritasphere truth or dare!' he declared, revealing a swirling, purple glass ball the size of an apple from inside his robes. Some of the participants laughed, others groaned.

'You hold it and if you tell the truth it turns clear. If you lie it stays purple!' He explained. The ball resting on his outstretched hand became suddenly clear. Now- Hands out everyone!'

Black waved his wand and the ball began flying around the circle over their outstretched hands. It passed around three times before dropping into Shaklebolt's lap.

'Truth or dare?' It was not Black who asked this, but a mystical voice emanating from within the Vertasphere itself.

'Truth,' squeaked Shaklebolt in his high, unbroken voice.

The Veritasphere vibrated madly in his hands.

'What's it doing?' whispered Lily to Marlene.

'Oh, just scanning his intimate thoughts for juicy content, you know-' Marlene waived an airy hand. Lily gulped.

'Who is your first crush?' The Veritasphere asked in its mystical, carrying whisper.

Shaklebolt sighed and muttered something they couldn't hear.

'Speak up Shaklebolt, don't be shy!' someone catcalled.

'It's Professor McGonagall' admitted Shaklebolt to a general explosion of mirth. The Veritasphere became crystal clear and took off again to spin around the circle.

Lily wondered what it would possibly ask her- she wondered whether picking a dare might be less embarrassing. The Veritasphere fell into Dorcas' outstretched hands. She groaned.

'Truth or dare?' asked the sphere.

'Dare,' Dorcas decided, apparently thinking along the same lines as Lily.

The Sphere pulsed this time, rather than vibrating.

'Your dare is to kiss the girl you find least attractive in this circle.'

Dorcas gasped. This one had the potential to make her some enemies if she didn't choose politically. She thought for a moment and then turned to Marlene, smiling.

'I pick my friend Marlene. She's beautiful, but she's my friend, and I could never be attracted to her-' She leant in and placed a chaste kiss on Marlene's lips. Some of the participants catcalled anyway.

The Veritasphere turned clear- Dorcas' choice had been truthful. It rose from her hand and began its circle again. It was halfway around the circle when someone standing around the edge caught it mid air.

'I want a turn!' declared Potter, settling himself into the ring. He had apparently finished his monologue of 'Potter's greatest goals'.

'Truth or dare?' asked the sphere dutifully.

'Truth' said Potter, his hazel eyes bright with fun. The Veritasphere started to vibrate, scanning his secrets.

'Why do you have a mandrake leaf held in your mouth?' asked the Sphere. Those in the ring exchanged confused looks. What an odd question. Lily could have sworn she saw Potter and Remus exchange panicked glances.

'It's a bet,' said Potter quickly. The sphere remained purple.

'Forfeit!' declared the sphere, 'You must declare your crush or I will reveal the true answer.'

Whatever the truth was, Potter was determined not to have it revealed. He took a deep breath, looking at the common room ceiling.

'I have a crush on Lily Evans,' admitted Potter, not looking directly at her. His dark skin darkened in a blush. There were wolf whistles and catcalls. The sphere turned clear and rose into the air once more.

'Well, that confirms it,' whispered Dorcas, 'you always suspected. Sorry, Lils.' Some of the girls who had been hanging on every word of Potter's Quidditch re-play were now throwing Lily nasty looks and whispering behind their hands. If only she could tell them how not interested she was in being a captive audience to tales of Potter's greatest goals.

The Veritasphere fell into her lap, whether by coincidence or by magical design to extract the most drama from a party.

'Truth' said Lily, before it could ask her. It vibrated in her hands.

'Will you go out with James Potter?' It asked in its carrying whisper. There were excited mutters around the circle.

'Never', said Lily. The sphere turned clear in her palm, evidencing the truth of her feeling. Whatever Potter had expected her to say, it was not that. It gave her some satisfaction to knock his arrogance, his assumption that any girl would fall at his feet. The circle dissolved into raucous laughter.

'Ouch, mate', said Black bracingly, but Potter had opened his mouth to reply. The humiliation had sparked something in him. He seemed to pull an air of bravado and swagger about him as he brushed off her rejection-

'Go on, Evans, you'll enjoy yourself, I promise,' he called to renewed catcalls.

'I'm not interested, Potter, so don't embarrass yourself' she said, fists clenched. How dare he turn the humiliation around on her.

'I guarantee you'll change your tune, Evans, don't worry-' he said arrogantly as the sphere rose to continue its search for another victim.

_._._

The Gryffindors were all feeling a little delicate the next morning. Unfortunately, Lily had agreed to meet Snape early in the courtyard, so had to drag herself out of her cozy bed, past her snoring dorm-mates, and out into the frozen morning.

Snape seemed to have become obsessed with the Marauders since the odd note incident in potions class. He kept trying to convince her to use her prefect powers to catch them in the act of midnight wanderings. But she had promised Dumbledore she wouldn't wander about the castle after curfew, and Alice had arranged their patrols accordingly.

'Go on-' he wheedled, 'just meet me in behind that tapestry in the entrance hall at midnight tonight- I know they're sneaking out-'

'Will Avery and Mulciber be with you too?'

She took his silence for a yes.

'I can't', she said, I'm sorry Severus.'

(*Following dialogue taken from canon in the spirit of FanFiction*)

'I thought we were supposed to be friends? Best friends?' he wheedled.

'We are, Sev, but I don't like some of the people you're hanging round with! I'm sorry, but I detest Avery and Mulciber! Mulciber! What do you see in him, Sev, he's creepy! D'you know what he tried to do to Mary Macdonald the other day?' Lily turned to look at him, leaning her back against a pillar. She tried not to imagine how it would feel to have her knees twist the wrong way around.

'That was nothing- It was a laugh, that's all-' Snape protested.

'It was Dark Magic, and if you think that's funny-'

'What about the stuff Potter and his mates get up to?' Snape countered.

'What's Potter got to do with anything?'

'They sneak out at night. There's something weird about that Lupin. Where does he keep going?' Severus' demanded.

'He's ill. They say he's ill-' said Lily, once again.

'Every month at the full moon?' Snape raised one eyebrow.

Lily rolled her eyes. Snape had decided, bizarrely, that Remus was a werewolf. Lily couldn't think of anyone less likely to turn into a savage beast each month. But Snape had kept raising it, ever since she'd mentioned re-arranging their prefect duties in that potions lesson.

'I know your theory,' said Lily wearily. Yes, she had also noticed Remus' periodic illnesses, but there were plenty of different cyclical magical ailments. She didn't want to pry. It could be monthly pixitus for all she knew.

'Why are you so obsessed with them anyway?' She accused, 'Why do you care what they're doing at night?'

'I'm just trying to show you they're not as wonderful as everyone seems to think they are,' he said through gritted teeth.

'They don't use Dark Magic, though" She countered.

"And you're being really ungrateful,' she added suddenly, remembering Bertha's gossip from the Quidditch match, 'I heard what happened the other night. You went sneaking down that tunnel by the Whomping Willow, and James Potter saved you from whatever's down there-'

Snape's whole face contorted and he spluttered, 'Saved? Saved? You think he was playing the hero? He was saving his neck and his friends' too! You're not going to- I won't let you-'

"Let me? Let me?" She narrowed her eyes, voice dangerously quiet. Why was every boy in her life suddenly deciding they could dictate her actions and feelings?

'I didn't mean- I just don't want to see you made a fool of- He fancies you, James Potter fancies you! And he's not...everyone thinks...big Quidditch hero-' Snape was spluttering.

Lily nearly laughed. If only he had heard her rejection of Potter last night. She felt her blood boil as she remembered Potter's arrogant words assuring her she'd change her mind.

'I know James Potter's an arrogant toerag,' she said, cutting across Snape. 'I don't need you to tell me that. But Mulciber's and Avery's idea of humor is just evil. Evil, Sev. I don't understand how you can be friends with them-'

They continued the argument on their walk.

- . - . -

Lily was so tired from her early start that she had fallen asleep in one of the common room chairs that evening. She was sunk so low into the squishy fabric that nobody could see her curled up by the fire.

There were hushed noises in the common room. Lily's eyes fluttered open. She could see Potter, Black, Pettigrew and Remus whispering together by the portrait hole. Bizarrely, Black was clutching a pot with a mandrake plant firmly rooted into the soil. Then, Potter drew out a beautiful silvery cape and threw it over them all. They vanished instantly. Lily stifled her gasp. She'd read about invisibility cloaks. The portrait hole seemed to open and close by itself as they left.

Lily hesitated for a moment- her promise to Dumbledore heavy on her mind. But, surely it was okay? She wasn't being lured out by anyone- and nobody would have to know. She thought back to Potter's refusal to answer the Veritasphere's question about mandrake leaves. Overcome with curiosity, Lily clambered out of the portrait hole after them.

- . - . - . - . - . -

Mystery mystery! What are the Marauders up to? Will the waiting Snape, Avery and Mulciber get caught up in it all? Is Lily now in danger from the Sorting hat thief? We'll find out next time!

Thank you so much if you're there sticking with it.

And a very warm WELCOME to new readers Umm Idk Whatever, Pulse9242, and sandroli.19841 -
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Hoping to get Chapter 4 ready to roll on 22/08/2020.

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