Chapter 4

Mary's long hair half covers her face as she bends her head over her parchment, biting her lip as she scribbles away furiously. Lily stares out the window in blank boredom. Looking at Mary, and at Sophie and Mark at the next table, she wishes she still had something left to do.

"Uh, do you mind helping? I'm in a bit of a fucking mess." Mary snaps at her without looking up. Lily sighs and picks up one of the numerous Potions textbooks lying around.

"Why do you have so many? 'My Experiments With Wolfsbane'? Honestly Mary, did you even read any of these before taking them?"

Mary mutters something and then furiously crosses out an entire line on her parchment. Lily picks up 'Advanced Potions: NEWT's Part 1' and settles down to find the chapter on 'Sleeping Draughts', which is the topic they have to submit an essay on.

They've just started to make a certain amount of progress, with Lily dictating bits to Mary as she writes, when Sirius Black bursts into the Common Room with characteristic panache, Remus behind him, rolling his eyes at whatever Sirius is whispering to him.

"Oi Head Girl, if you've got nothing to do tonight we were wondering if you might want to join us at the Astronomy Tower," Sirius slides into the seat beside Lily, adding, "After hours," with a knowing smirk. Remus sits down on the arm of Lily's chair and scoffs. "Could've been louder Sirius, I don't think Bloomhilt heard, at the back there."

Ignoring him, Sirius says, "Mary my love has already agreed to it. You're the only one. And you know I'd hate to start the year without my expert roller here."

Lily gives a surprised, but pleased laugh. "But, I haven't brought any with me. I mean, I have cigs, but not…."

"Remus my love has us sorted," Sirius folds his hands behind his head, "So what do you say?"

Lily opens her mouth to answer but Mary looks up and snorts, "Has she ever said no? Of course we'll be there. Now either go away or help me finish this assignment."

Sirius rolls his eyes and pulls up a table, setting up the chessboard as Remus settles down before him. Just as the room quiets down once again, someone bursts in, looking for the Head Girl.

"Slytherin Common Room, um, there's been a sort of, I don't know –," He starts, panicked, and Lily jumps up and follows him out without saying a word. The door shuts with a loud bang and everyone in the room stares after them in silence.

The two of them run as fast as they can, pushing past students, teachers, through ghosts; Lily asks where Potter is, and the boy replies that he's already on his way. Their feet thud through the corridors nearly as fast their hearts and Lily's mind conjures up the worst; she thinks of blood and cuts, jinxes; no, curses, the Cruciatus curse, the Killing curse; she imagines a child lying dead, James lying dead –

They reach the corridor outside the Slytherin Common Room to loud bangs and flashes of light; she can see a boy lying unconscious behind Mulciber and Avery and the Carrows as they duel Potter and Matthews; for a second she's relieved that Snape's not part of it, and then tense again; it's four against two and there's a small crowd gathering that is fortunately too scared to participate. A couple of the idiot Slytherins cheer them on. She turns to the boy who brought her and realizes he's only a kid. Fuck.

"Go straight to Dumbledore, don't stop for anyone, alright? Fast!"

He takes off and she makes her way through the crowd, casting a shield around them; a flash of green on the edge chills her blood and she immediately turns and casts 'Stupefy!' Her brain feels like it exploded.

There's a collective gasp as she moves towards the duel and sees Potter and Matthews gaping at her, panting like they just ran a mile. All the four Slytherins are out cold. She moves towards them in a daze. The boy lying there is alive, thank god; she can see his belly rising and falling lightly.

"You almost killed them Evans." She turns around to see Potter walking toward her. Seeing her panicked expression he laughs, "Hey, I'm not complaining, I kind of wish you really had." Matthews is busy wiping his face and trying to dismiss the crowd. Lily looks at Potter. Her brain hasn't stilled yet. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Are you?" She nods. She just stands there for a few long moments as he continues to look at her; the look in his eyes strange, but kind; last night's altercation seemingly forgotten. She gives him a sort of half-smile, which is all she can muster at that moment, pats his shoulder and turns back to the small boy who'd been attacked. She sits beside him, counting his pulse, checking his eyes; she can hear McGonagall's voice sending the other students off. Dumbledore makes his way to her from where the Slytherins lay and Slughorn stays back, standing above his students; looking on pathetically.

Dumbledore puts two fingers to the boy's neck. His lips move silently as he appears to be uttering some sort of incantation, his eyes cast upwards. It feels almost like a prayer. He then turns the boy's left palm outwards and Lily gasps; his inner forearm reveals several scars, curved lines running up his wrist to his elbow. Dumbledore sighs.

"Is that what I think it is?"

Lily looks up at McGonagall's quavering voice. Everyone's gathered around; the new Defence professor and Flitwick have joined them; Matthew's leaning against the wall nearby.

"Professor, if you would be so kind as to have them all taken to Madame Pomfrey, the boy will require some care when he wakes, as for the others; I think they're alright, just stunned. Please make sure they come to my office as soon as they revive. I hope our Prefects aren't hurt?" To which all three of them shake their heads vigorously. "Good, Horace, if you would accompany me to my office – ," Dumbledore stands up and everybody starts to move about; everyone, that is, except for the two Head students and Prefect, who stare at the confusion.

Dumbledore feels sorry for them and turns saying, "Voldemort's followers have a name, of which I'm sure you are aware. They also have a mark, a brand of sorts, cast on the left forearm precisely; it's called the 'Dark Mark' and only his most loyal followers are granted that honour." He says it with perfect solemnity but his lips curl at the word 'honour', as though smelling something foul. The three students continue to gape at Dumbledore.

"Are you saying they tried to brand this kid? Put the Dark Mark on him?" Lily's voice is loud.

Dumbledore shakes his head, "We can only know for sure once the four students responsible are conscious. Given their particular prejudices, though, I wouldn't be surprised if I was right. Oh, and, uh, Professor, please let me know when the boy awakens and – What is his name?"

"Zegwalter. Joshua Zegwalter." They all turn to Slughorn. He clears his throat, "He's a smart boy."

Everyone quickly makes their way to their assigned tasks, while the three prefects dazedly make their way out of there. Just as the three of them reach halfway down the opposite end of the corridor, Dumbledore calls out, "Oh, and good work students!"

His face, once again, looks haggard in the lamp light even as his eyes twinkle for a brief second before he moves away out of sight.