This chapter has mature themes. Don't get your hopes up, no lemons.
Lily was out of the hospital wing later that night. Madame Pomfrey had fixed her up in a second, no questions asked. It was something of a Marauder's privilege, Lily guessed.
James never left her side. He was there in the hospital wing, hands stuffed in his pockets, eyeing Lily with a hint of worry, though he tried not to show it. She hadn't been bitten, and the cuts and splinters were healed in a second.
In the grand scheme of every situation that could've gone wrong from that night, it could've been much worse.
"Oh, Lily…"
"Don't, Remus, it wasn't your fault."
A few days had passed, and the breakfast hall was filled with the usual chatter of students. The morning sun leaked in through the windows, causing Remus to wince.
James sat on Lily's left, and Sirius sat on Lily's right. Across the table, Remus sat with his head in his hands, wearily remember the events of the previous nights. Peter sat awkwardly next to Remus. Adelaide was no where to be found.
"It's so stupid, though," He said, rubbing his temple. "I never forget. I can't forget."
Lily picked at her toast. "Everyone's stressed. No harm, no foul."
Remus looked at her incredulously. He tightly shut his eyes. "James, I could've killed her. Take my side on this."
James leaned down on his elbows. "Mate, it wasn't your fault. Granted, I was ready to rip your bloody throat out, but it wasn't your fault."
Sirius snickered. "Besides, it looks like you have a massive hangover."
Remus let out a small smile. "That's one way of putting it." He slowly looked up, as if just noticing his surroundings. "Any of you seen Adelaide?"
They all shook their heads.
"She's probably looking over her potions notes," Lily said, comfortingly. "She has some trouble with it, you know?"
Remus nodded, though he was clearly disappointed.
"Speaking of the opposite sex," James said, leaning behind Lily to Sirius. "What is this I hear of Celia Vance?"
Sirius snorted, and took a swig of pumpkin juice. "A moderate looking girl with an attitude, nothing more, nothing less," He said casually, though Lily could've sworn she'd seen something of a blush on his cheeks.
"That's not what I heard," James winked.
"Oh, shut up."
"Don't tell me what to do!"
"I will tell you what to do, especially when - "
Lily stood from the bench. "Both of you, shut up!" She kicked her legs off the bench. "I'm going to the library to find Adelaide. And to warn Celia Vance of Sirius." Though she sounded slightly annoyed, there was a good humored twinkle in her eye. Sirius rolled his eyes as Lily took off down the hall and exited.
James watched her go. Her red hair swished behind her back, like it always did. He chuckled, and began to finish her half eaten toast.
Lily walked down the hall that was almost empty. Most people never walked down these halls on weekends because they only lead to classrooms, and a secret passage to the library that most people didn't know about. Figures, she thought, the one passage I would know leads to the library. It was her favorite hall though, as it encased a little garden with flowers, grass, and trees. You could hear the birds.
She turned down the corner and past a tapestry, large enough to cover a good section of the wall.
She should've kept going. She would've kept going. If the tapestry hadn't moved.
It shifted, only slightly enough for the most keen eye to see. Lily, being inquisitive, stopped, starred, and cocked her head, looking for the source of the movement. She gazed at the tapestry thoughtfully, and noticed its intricate designs of flowers.
Her brow furrowed. She didn't remember tapestries being able to move.
She didn't have time to consider it further, as the tapestry ripped open and a pair of arms dragged her into the room with in.
Lily was too shocked to scream, too scared from the strong grasp of hands that were leaving bruises on her arms. When she gained the idea to scream, she opened her mouth, though no sound would come out. A spell. A charm. Something had silenced her. She looked around, but couldn't see anything. It was pitch black. She could feel presences though.
"Lily Evans," said a strange, hissing voice. "You're on the list, aren't you?" The voice sounded smug, arrogant. Lily hated it immediately.
"Strange," said the same voice. A cold, thin hand grabbed her jaw and turned it to the side. "I assumed the Dark Lord didn't want mudblood filth."
Dark Lord? Lily thought. Voldemort? It hit her. Death Eaters. Recruits from the school, probably. And they were looking for her.
"She's one of the brightest in our year," said another voice, a little higher pitched than the last. "She could do great things for us."
The cold hand traced her jaw, spreading chills through out Lily's tense body. With a loud CRACK, ropes were around her wrists and ankles. She felt her wand in her robe pocket. She had missed her chance.
"Pretty, don't you think?" Said the first voice. "How much could we pay to get you, sweetheart? How much do you cost?"
Lily only glared, though she knew he couldn't see it. If only she could speak. The things she would be saying!
"She would work for the Dark Lord for free," said another, deep voice. How many people were there?
"Of course she would," said the first voice. His hand left her face and began to trace down her neck. Lily cringed, and tried to move away, only to run into someone's chest. "I'm not talking of that work. I'm talking of another way you could… benefit us."
"Severus said - "
"Severus isn't here, is he?" The cold hand ran down her arm. "He doesn't have to know."
"I don't know…"
Someone snorted. "This would be a great way to show her… our power."
"You can't do that, not with a mudblood." Protested a different voice.
"It wouldn't mean anything," he said, coldly. "Like training an animal."
Lily's mind had drawn a blank, though she slowly began to process what they were saying. She began to tremble.
"An animal," said the first voice. "Exactly." The cold hand came down and struck her across the face. Lily fell hard against the cool floor, her arms bound, unable to catch herself. She felt her wand press against her side.
A pair of hands flipped her over, so she lay on her back. She began to squirm, desperately, wriggling for the tapestry, just to reach the entrance…
She felt a pair of legs straddle her. She tossed and turned, willing herself to make a noise. She couldn't.
She heard a zipper. Her blood turned to ice. Every muscle in her body tensed.
"Open her mouth, would you?"
Lily's teeth grinned together, when a hand grasped her face. Fingers dug into her cheeks, prying her mouth open. They pushed her up into a sitting position.
She closed her eyes. She would be overpowered. She couldn't win.
Behind her eyelids, she saw a flicker of light. Then a burst.
"Lily?" A familiar voice called, astounded.
An explosion rocked the room, and Lily felt bodies collapse around her. Streams of light whizzed around her head.
She opened her eyes, experiencing the blinding white light. Once her eyes adjusted, she focused in on the disheveled person holding his wand high.
Remus.
His eyes were wide and frenzied as he looked around, willing for more students to come out of the shadows. He focused in on the boy that had fallen next to Lily.
"Lily, why are his pants down?" Remus asked, shocked.
Lily just shook her head, unable to speak. It finally clicked somewhere in Remus that Lily was tied, and with a quick wave of his wand, Lily's ropes fell. With another wave, Lily felt her throat open.
Remus ran over and pulled Lily into a hug. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, still shaking.
"Lily," He said, soothingly. "It's over, it didn't happen."
Lily felt a tear roll down her cheek, and felt ridiculous. Nothing had happened. She should be fine.
"Remus, he was so close to doing it, it was so close," she muttered into his shoulder. She finally processed what was happening. What could've happened. She trembled more violently.
Remus didn't say anything; he just stroked her head, waiting for her to calm down.
"Why were you here, Remus?" Lily said, after a moment, when Remus released her.
Remus grinned weakly. "I was looking for Adelaide, heading for the library. I saw the tapestry move."
Lily laughed. "I saw it move, too."
Remus looked down at her, confused. She shook her head, not wanting to explain.
"I guess we should go," Remus said, eyeing the boys around her. He stood, and offered his arm to Lily. She took it.
"Are we going to tell the teachers?" Lily asked nervously.
"Of course," Remus replied. "But I want to get you to the Common Room first. James has to hear it from one of us."
Lily winced. She pictured James's anger. The rage he would feel. She wasn't sure she could handle it.
"Don't worry, I'll calm him down."
The first thing James noticed was how pale she was. She was naturally very pale, but she looked sickly. Then, the red mark in the shape of a hand the stuck to her cheek. Then, her disheveled robs. Then, Remus supporting her weight.
"Lily?" He jumped from the couch, watching her walk over. "What happened?" He demanded.
Remus brought her over and Lily collapsed on the couch. James kneeled on the ground in front of the couch, and in front of Lily.
"Lily?" He asked again. He gently grabbed her wrist, though he immediately pulled back, shocked. She flinched. At his touch. His touch.
He sprung from the ground and ran to Remus. "What happened?" He yelled, again.
Remus weakly looked at her, then to James.
"REMUS."
"Some Slytherins, behind a tapestry, they caught up with her, took her into a room..."
Lily, exhausted, only heard pieces of Remus's explanation.
"… assume they wanted to recruit her… I know she's not pureblood, let me finish… they might've tried to, you know, rape… caught him with his pants down right in front of her… No, I let them run away and gave them lollipops. Yes, I sent a message to Dumbledore…"
Lily sank in father to the couch, willing herself to sleep. She winced when a hand gently ran across her face. It wasn't cold, like the one she so vividly felt. It was warm and soothing.
Someone sat down next to her and laid her down into their lap. James. He stroked her forehead, and whispered things she could only make pieces of.
"… It won't happen again, those…"
"Dumbledore will punish them, I swear…"
"… I should've been there, I'm so sorry, Lily…."
Lily curled into his chest. Her words came out slurred. "James, I'm tired. Shuddup."
She felt his chest contract with laughter.
Lily fell asleep.
Woah. That's serious shiz.
Hey, I don't know you. And this is CRAZY. But this chapter's over! So review it maybe?
(I actually hate that song with a burning passion, but I though it would be a great pun.)