Chapter 15
Ghosts of the Past
When Severus and Lily left Dumbledore's office, they headed straight to the library. They pulled several Hogwarts history books from the shelves and sat down at a table and began going through them.
"I find it amusing that someone as supposedly wise as Rowena Ravenclaw could have lost something this important," Severus said.
"You know what?" Lily asked, tossing a book aside. "I'm so sick of going through these books, they've told us nothing useful so far."
"Do you have a better idea?"
"Filius Flitwick, he's head of Ravenclaw. Maybe he can answer some questions."
Severus nodded, happily pushing the pile of books across the table and following Lily from the library. They weaved their way through various corridors until they reached the Charm's Professor's door and Severus knocked firmly. They had to wait several minutes before a very tired looking Flitwick pulled the door open.
"Do you realise what time this is?" Flitwick squeaked in a high-pitched voice as he pulled his dressing gown tight around himself.
"We're sorry Filius," Lily said. "I know it's late but we need to ask you some important questions."
Flitwick rubbed his tired eyes and stood aside to let them in.
"Take a seat then," he said stifling a yawn. "Just excuse me if I don't offer you something to drink."
Severus and Lily sat next to each other on a small settee, Flitwick sat opposite them.
"Now then, since you've dragged me out of bed, what can I do for you?"
"What do you know about Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem?" Severus asked wasting no time.
Flitwick frowned.
"Why would you be interested in that?"
"Ah. Severus and I have been arguing," Lily said. "About the merits of the missing diadem being worthy of Hogwarts folk law."
Flitwick scratched his chin.
"I don't really know a lot," he said. "Its whereabouts have been unknown for centuries."
"You must know something," Lily prodded. "Any small fact that could help."
"Help?" Flitwick frowned again. "You two wouldn't happen to be looking to find it would you?"
"Filius, please," Lily said. "Let's just say that the Order of the Phoenix would greatly appreciate your assistance."
Flitwick leaned back in his chair and contemplated them.
"I-I'm not sure what I can tell you. All I really know is the same as anyone else, just the legend. Perhaps… perhaps if you spoke to the Grey Lady."
"Who is the Grey Lady?" asked Severus.
"And you were a student here?" Flitwick scoffed. "She is the Ravenclaw house ghost, she's been around almost as long as Hogwarts itself."
Lily grabbed hold of Severus' sleeve and pulled him up.
"Thanks Filius!"
As Lily dragged Severus from the room, Flitwick watched. He shook his head, puzzled, and closed the door behind them.
"What are you doing?" Severus complained, freeing himself from Lily's grip.
"The Grey Lady!" Lily exclaimed. "I can't believe I forgot about her; she could have been here at the same time that the diadem went missing."
"Okay, so where do we find this ghost?"
"Ravenclaw tower's a good start."
Severus and Lily made their way down the dark and deserted corridors to the tower.
"This place feels a little spooky," Lily said, shivering.
Severus grinned and ran his fingers over her back like a spider.
"I thought Lily Evans wasn't afraid of anything?"
"I'm not scared," she said defensively. "It's just the idea of us creeping around the castle ghost hunting."
Severus stopped for a second and let Lily get ahead of him, then grabbed her shoulders and whispered 'boo' in her ear. She screamed and jumped, turning to face Severus and punched him playfully in the stomach. He bent over in laughter.
"Not funny!" she said.
"Shh!"
Severus pointed down the corridor up ahead where a tall white figure was drifting away from them.
"Wait!" Lily called. "Please wait."
The ghost stopped and slowly turned to them.
"Are you the Grey Lady?" Lily asked.
The ghost, a young woman, curled her mouth as she looked Lily up and down. She flicked her waist length hair aside and asked what they wanted.
"I do not think I have met a ghost with an attitude before," Severus whispered to Lily.
"What do you want?" the Grey Lady asked again impatiently.
"Why, you have somewhere to be?" Severus asked.
"We have some questions about Ravenclaw's diadem," Lily said.
The ghost recoiled, taken aback.
"What? I-I don't know anything about it."
"Really?" Severus asked. "A ghost who has been at Hogwarts for so many years, Ravenclaw's house ghost no less, knows nothing about the whereabouts of this diadem?"
The Grey Lady's lips began to quiver and tears filled her eyes.
"Go away!" she yelled. "Leave me alone!"
She started to drift away down the corridor again.
"Wait!" Lily called. "Please don't let my friend upset you, you've got no idea how many times he's made me cry."
The Grey Lady stopped and faced them, tears now running down her cheeks.
"It's not him," she cried. "It's-it's… please, I just don't want to talk to you."
"We need to find the diadem, it's more important than you could possibly imagine," Lily pleaded.
"I doubt it," the Grey Lady said, wiping her eyes. "Do you know how many wannabe treasure hunters have hounded me for information over the years?"
Lily stepped closer.
"I assure you that our intentions are different. I've no doubt you've heard of Lord Voldemort?"
The ghost nodded.
"The Dark Lord continues to harass Wizards and Muggles alike," Severus added. "And if we do not find this diadem soon, his power will only continue to increase."
"So what has the diadem got to do with anything?"
"We believe that Voldemort has already found it," Lily said.
The young ghost gasped in horror.
"You don't really believe he has it do you?"
"If you know anything then now is the time to talk," Severus commanded.
The Grey Lady was still clearly shaken.
"B-but so many people have sought it over the years… how was I to know that…"
"Please," Lily pleaded. "What do you know?"
"A young man," the Grey Lady said quietly. "He asked after the diadem. He was so sweet, so charming; I didn't mean to tell him so much. I-I didn't know who he was."
"You knew where the diadem was?" Lily asked.
The ghost lowered her head and began crying again.
"He was so charming," she repeated. "So comforting and reassuring… I would have told him anything. I told him exactly where to find the diadem."
Severus frowned.
"So how is it that you knew where it was?" he asked.
The Grey Lady bent over, holding her head and sobbing loudly now.
"My name is Helena," she sobbed. "Rowena Ravenclaw was my mother. I stole her stupid diadem because I longed to be more intelligent than her."
Lily looked at the young ghost in shock.
"I don't understand," she said. "You're her daughter?"
The ghost nodded,
"After I stole mother's diadem I fled; I only made it as far as Albania before I was wracked with guilt. I hid it deep in the forest."
"And you told this story to this stranger?" Severus asked. "Told him just where to find it?"
"Please understand my motives," Helena cried. "The Bloody Baron had followed me to Albania and when he caught me he-he… murdered me. I came back to Hogwarts where I must remain for all eternity like this. Imagine how devastated my mother was."
"So what about Voldemort, the boy you told your story to?" asked Lily.
She tried to remain calm and reassuring, but Lily could see how close they were now to a real lead. Helena hung her head.
"He was the first person to show me attention; any real affections. I guess I was just overwhelmed by it, flattered."
"It's okay," Lily soothed. "Thank you for helping us Helena."
Severus and Lily watched as Helena nodded slowly and disappeared through a nearby wall.
"Do you believe her?" Severus asked as they started back down the corridor.
"Yes, and I feel sorry for her; she's so sad."
"And that makes her honest?"
"No it doesn't; why do you always have to be so cynical? We need to get back to Albus, tell him what we know."
"Well what do we know?" Severus asked. "All we can say is that someone, who may or may not have been Riddle, knew where to find the diadem."
"Come on Sev, the time for coincidences is over; if Voldemort got the diadem then it's a horcrux. Our only problem is that we still have no idea where to find it."
Dumbledore headed to his door to answer the urgent knocking, wearing a long white nightgown; Severus and Lily stood on the other side.
"I do hope this is important," he said as he let them in. "Considering the time, perhaps this could wait until the morning."
"Not really," Lily said. "We know for sure that Voldemort got his hands on Ravenclaw's diadem."
"We are not sure," Severus added.
Lily glared at him.
"Is there some confusion here?" Dumbledore asked.
"No," Lily said. "We spoke to the Grey Lady, otherwise known as the ghost of Ravenclaw house, otherwise known as Helena Ravenclaw."
"Really now? And what did you find out?"
"Helena was the one who stole the diadem from her own mother, and hid it away. The only other soul Helena told where the diadem was, was a young man."
"Let me guess," Dumbledore said. "Tom Riddle."
"We assume," Severus added.
"I think it would be a safe bet to assume that considering that Voldemort has the diadem," Lily said, glaring at Severus again. "And if that's the case, it'll be a horcrux."
"A horcrux that we have no idea where to find," said Severus.
Dumbledore stifled a loud yawn.
"So the next job for the two of you is to figure out just where Voldemort may have hidden it."
"So what other places were important to Voldemort," Lily asked. "I think we've already covered them all - Hogwarts, Borgin and Burke's, the orphan-"
"Not the orphanage," Dumbledore interrupted. "Riddle hated it. He would never have hidden a horcrux there."
"He could not have hidden anything at Borgin's shop either," Severus added. "He could not run the risk of it being noticed."
"Or sold," Lily noted. "Hogwarts?"
"A very important place," Dumbledore agreed. "His first and only true home, remember?"
"So you keep saying," Lily grumbled. "Do you think he could have hidden a horcrux here? But how could he have even gotten in? Surely a visit from him wouldn't have gone unnoticed."
Dumbledore gestured to the pensive sitting on a pedestal at the side of the room.
"Riddle returned only once since he was a student," he said watching, amused, as Severus and Lily frowned at him.
"Did you ever plan on telling us this?" Severus snapped.
"Riddle came to me after he graduated from Hogwarts and asked me for a job."
"A job!" Lily was astounded. "He didn't? Imagine the nerve!"
"I always thought the idea of him looking for a job here didn't quite fit. Now it makes more sense if he was only here to hide a horcrux."
"The diadem!" Lily said. "But he couldn't have had much time to hide it would he? Someone would have noticed him wandering around."
"Unless he already knew where he was going to hide it before he arrived," suggested Severus. "Somewhere he knew it would remain safe and out of student hands."
"Perhaps he spent a lot of time somewhere in particular as a student," Lily offered. "In the castle or grounds somewhere?"
Dumbledore thought for a long time, stroking his beard and pacing as he did.
"I do not know of Tom Riddle's habits," he finally said. "But there is a place within the castle, a secret place that very few knew about. I do wonder if Riddle had discovered its existence."
"So what place is this?" Severus asked
"It is a room, a room of… requirement shall we say. It is a room that can shift itself into whatever its users most desire it to be."
"That is ridiculous," Severus snapped.
"You must admit Severus that if Riddle had stumbled across it, the idea of a magical room would certainly have appealed to him."
"So where is this room then?" Lily asked.
"The room itself is not so easily found," Dumbledore said. You must first desire it."
"I am not in the mood for any of your riddles," grumbled Severus.
"Of course not," said Dumbledore. "But you must understand that this is no ordinary room. You must approach it, thinking of what you want most, in this case a hiding place, and the room will reveal itself."
"So where do we go to look? Lily asked. "I think we should go look now."
Dumbledore began instructing them how to access the room.
"On the wall of the seventh floor corridor you will find a tapestry of trolls attempting ballet," he said. "Opposite that tapestry lies the secret entrance to the room. To open it simple walk past three times and think about what it is you need to find."
"Can't you just show us?" Lily asked. "It would be easier."
Dumbledore gestured to his long night gown.
"You two might have nothing else to do but I need sleep. Goodnight."
The Headmaster showed Severus and Lily out and closed the door behind them.
"Well then," Lily said. "Let's go."
Severus took hold of her arm.
"You do not think it best we wait until morning?"
Lily grinned and started down the stair leading from Dumbledore's office.
"You can go to bed if you want but I'm going to find this room," she said.
Severus sighed and followed along the dark and deserted corridors and winding stairs until they reached the seventh floor.
"Can you see the tapestry?" Lily asked.
"With dancing trolla? I think this may be it."
Severus began examining the wall opposite the large tapestry; he felt all over the large stones as Lily watched him with folded arms.
"Albus told us how to get in," she said.
"Right, by really wanting to."
"It's just like you not to believe something unless you can see or touch it."
"Humour me."
Lily stepped forward and took both of Severus' hands in hers.
"Close your eyes," she said softly. "Visualise what it is you most desire."
After a few moments the wall beside them began to shake, startling them into jumping backwards. Right before their eyes a thick wooden door appeared where before there had been only a stone wall.
"Unbelievable!" exclaimed Lily. "It actually worked!"
Severus pulled free of Lily's grip and moved closer to the door. He took hold of the bronze door knob and pushed it open, just enough to push his head through. Inside was a room bathed in the light of hundreds of candles. A king sized bed sat in the centre of the room, covered with large cushions. Beside the bed a fireplace burned. Severus leapt back in stunned horror and slammed the door shut.
"What's wrong? What was in there?"
"Nothing."
"What do you mean nothing? There must have been something in there."
"It was the wrong room."
"So what was in there then?"
"Nothing."
Lily narrowed her eyes.
"What's wrong with you Sev? Tell me what was in the room."
Severus shook his head.
"Fine… let me see for myself."
When Severus refused to move out of the way, Lily angrily pushed him aside. As soon as Severus moved away from the door, it disappeared. He sighed with relief as Lily glowered at him. She put her hands on her hips, pacing back and forth. Severus watched for several minutes as Lily closed her eyes tightly, mouthed something then opened her eyes to check the wall.
"Damn it! How did you get a door so easily?"
"What are you asking for?" Severus asked.
"For the diadem."
"Somehow I do not think that will work."
"Thanks for your insightful help. The diadem's what I want isn't it, so that's what I'm asking for."
"You need to think like Riddle," Severus instructed. "It is a room you want, a safe place to hide something in."
Lily closed her eyes again and mouthed something silently. In an instant another door, much plainer than the first, appeared.
"Yes!" Lily yelled and clapped her hands together.
She pushed open the door and rushed into the room before Severus could stop her. He followed her in but the room Severus had first seen had vanished, and in its place stood a new room.
No, not a room, thought Severus, a cavern. The roof of the monstrous room towered high above them and within its massive walls lay piles of junk. Severus and Lily began to walk slowly through the labyrinth of dusty items.
"I don't understand," Lily said shaking her head. "This can't be the right place."
"It has to be," Severus grumbled. "Just look at all this rubbish."
They looked around at the mountains of discarded items around them. They were surrounded by old toys, books, furniture, clothing and even dusty weapons.
"There must be the belongings of thousands of students here," Severus said.
"Perfect! We're never going to find the diadem amongst all this trash."
Severus pulled out his wand.
"Accio diadem… accio Ravenclaw's diadem…accio horcrux…"
Severus' attempts to summon it seemed futile, nothing worked. He tucked his wand away angrily. Lily picked up a nearby book and read the title.
"There's got to be some pretty old stuff here," she said.
Lily tossed the book aside and found a pile of clothing. She put a tall top hat on her head and wrapped a purple velvet scarf around her neck.
"What do you think?"
Severus gave her a sly smile.
"Gorgeous."
Lily laughed and continued her search, tossing items she deemed useless aside and playing with others. Following her lead, Severus also began to sift through the numerous piles.
After they had been searching for almost two hours Severus slumped against and old wooden rocking chair.
"I do not think this is a job we can expect to get done in a hurry," he yawned. "Perhaps we can come back and try again tomorrow."
Lily closed a drawer in a cabinet she had been searching through and nodded.
"Gladly."
"Non-verbal spells,"Severus announced to his class. "You need to learn them, understand them; they need to become a part of you."
The sixth year students sat mesmerised as Severus strolled casually between their desks.
"Non-verbal spells are the most effective defence against curses, and I want you all to practice using it until they becomes fluid and natural. Now," he said. "Find a partner."
Severus instructed one partner to fire a harmless curse while the other tried to use to defend themselves. Severus frowned at the sight of so many of his students seemingly having fun as they worked. He roamed amongst the smiling students and reminded them that they needed to take Defence against the Dark Arts more seriously than they obviously were. After class, Severus packed his desk away and headed down the corridors to the Great Hall for dinner.
"Severus!"
He turned around to see Lily rushing towards him.
"You are looking very… happy," Severus said with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, I guess I am. I had a good day, how about you?"
"The usual," he shrugged.
"How about we get to the room? I'm keen to keep searching."
"As infectious as your eagerness is," said Severus without enthusiasm. "After dinner we are due at Black's for an Order meeting."
"Oh, that's right."
She bit the inside of her mouth.
"Unless," Severus said. "You would rather we did not go; that we stayed here instead and searched."
Lily flashed him a tooth smile that, to Severus' disappointment, turned quickly to a frown.
"As much as I'd love to, I don't think Albus would let us get away with it," she sighed.
Severus sighed with her.
"A pity," he said. "I would have welcomed an excuse not to go."
"Why? I thought you enjoyed being part of…" Lily quickly looked around the corridor to check that they were alone. "The Order."
"I do not enjoy the way I am ostracised by everyone there. I know they all believe I do not deserve to be a member, and they are probably right."
"Stop feeling sorry for yourself," Lily commanded. "Albus and I both know just what you're doing, the sacrifices you've made, and we're the only ones you should care about, right?"
Severus gave her a tight-lipped smile.
"Right," he said.
"Well then, the rest of them can just butt out."
"I am happy to have you on my side."
It was Lily's turn to smile.
"Me too."
When the Order of the Phoenix meeting began later that evening, Severus and Lily sat together, watching silently as an argument swept around the kitchen table. Like they had in every other meeting since Severus had been present, each member was vocal in their views of how and when Voldemort and his Death Eaters should be taken down.
"I can't believe you'd question what Kingsley has to say!" Sirius yelled across the table at a short wizard with blonde hair. "He's at the Ministry every day; he sees what's going on."
"I'm not calling Kingsley a liar," the wizard said. "It's just that I don't understand how."
"I think we're all having a little trouble with the how," Arthur Weasley said.
Sirius rolled his eyes.
"Here we go again, getting caught up in useless facts!" he said. "Voldemort is infiltrating the Ministry, isn't that all we need to know?"
"You are neglecting an important fact," Dumbledore suggested. "Perhaps understanding how this is happening can assist us in stopping any more Ministry members from falling into Voldemort's grip."
Sirius leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. Sometimes he had half a mind to tell Dumbledore to find somewhere else to hold his meetings. He wished he could tell Severus Snape and anyone else who opposed him that they weren't welcome in his home. He looked over at Severus who was sitting very close to Lily. They were watching the debate as it worked its way around the table, their arms ever so slightly touching each other. Sirius scowled at them both and clenched his jaw as Lily reached out to pull a stray hair from Severus' jacket. Sirius stood up and announced loudly, and with more aggression than he had intended, that he wanted a private word with Severus.
The two men walked silently out of the kitchen and into the empty hallway where Sirius stepped up close to Severus and stared into his dark eyes.
"How could you sink so low?" Sirius hissed through gritted teeth. "I know you're sleeping with her!"
"I am doing no such thing."
"Seducing a widow, Snape, even you couldn't be as slimy as that."
Severus' cheeks began to redden as his anger boiled.
"I have done nothing of the sort," he fumed. "Lily and I are friends – not that it is any of your business."
Sirius' eyes burned into Severus' with a hatred born of loyalty and protection.
"How desperate you must be to go after someone so heartbroken. Then again it's probably the only chance you'd have with a woman."
Severus balled his hand into a fist and slammed it hard into Sirius' jaw. Sirius stumbled backwards into the wall.
"FILTHY MANTICORE!" Sirius roared.
He flew at Severus and shoved him into the wall opposite. Severus' head smashed into a large picture frame, glass showering down over them both.
"Enough!" Dumbledore's voice boomed behind them.
The two men pulled apart. Severus touched the back of his head; seeing the blood on his fingers made him angrier.
"How can either of you expect to take on Voldemort if the two of you are constantly wasting your energy fighting each other?"
Severus saw something in Dumbledore's eyes other than anger, it was disappointment. It overwhelmed Severus that the old man would care enough about him to be disappointed. Severus turned and walked out the front door; Sirius stormed up the stairs, and like a child sent to his room, slammed the door shut behind him.
Sirius was staring out the window, watching Severus leave, his black cloak flowing behind him as he headed through the square below Grimmauld Place, when someone knocked on his door. Without waiting for a reply, Lily pushed her way in.
"Sometimes I still feel like we're back at school," she said taking a seat on the end of Sirius' bed. "You want to tell me what's going on?"
"I think you should tell me."
"What do you mean?"
Sirius turned away from the window, anger and sadness both showing in his eyes.
"You and Snape!"
Lily shook her head.
"There's noth-"
"Oh stop it! I hope you feel guilty," Sirius spat. "Guilty for the way you're betraying James."
Tears swamped Lily's eyes.
"How-how dare you! I haven't, could never have betrayed him."
Sirius scoffed and folded his arms.
"Severus has been a good friend," Lily continued. "He's been able to help me get through something unbearable; pain so unimaginable that I never thought I'd be able to face life again. Severus wants nothing from me, expects nothing. With him I can just be myself, sad, angry, confused, he lets me have it all and without question."
Sirius' face softened, his arms dropping to his sides. He sat down on the bed beside her.
"I can't understand what you've been through," he said quietly. "I don't think I could ever understand the extent of your pain, but I have to warn you about getting too close to Snape, I don't trust him."
"But I do. Doesn't that count for anything?"
"I care about you Lily; I need to be able to protect you because I couldn't protect James and Harry."
Lily patted him on the leg.
"And I appreciate it Sirius, but you've got to leave Severus alone, he's not the enemy here."
Sirius lowered his head.
"I can't make promises," he said with a slight grin. "Something about that man's face just makes me want to smack it."