Chapter Six

Secrets and Lies

Lily gazed at her roses from her bed; the tall red flowers sitting in a vase. Why did James do that? One day he is an arrogant pig and the next day he is a sweet boy.

"I will never understand you James Potter," she whispered to herself before closing her eyes.

Rose rubbed her sore eyes and finally sat back on her chair.

"There's nothing else we can do Lily. We need to talk to the Aurors that are here and that is not gonna happen. Let's just leave it to the professionals,"

Lily glanced up from her timeline, "Do you even care about Mary?"

Rose groaned, "Yes I do. But we aren't going to help anyone by getting involved,"

Lily glared at Rose and stood up, "Look if you aren't gonna help I will go find Sev. He will help me even if you won't,"

Lily gathered up the sheets of parchment on the table and made for the portrait hole. Rose sighed and ran after her.

"Lily wait! I want to help! I really, really do! I just don't understand how two eleven-year kids will find a girl who has been taken by some unknown force," Rose cried causing the closest group of people to look over at them. That group consisting of Sirius, James, Peter and Remus, gazed between Lily and Rose before hurriedly getting up and running for their dorm. Lily rolled her eyes at them before walking up to stand in front of Rose.

"Well, first we find out whom this "unknown force" is," Lily said grinning.

"Snape!"

Severus spun around to see Avery standing by his bed. Severus stood up from his trunk.

"Yes Avery?"

"I have a job for you,"

Severus gulped, "Wha-what kind of job?"

"One that involves Sirius Black,"

Lily screamed as a broomstick went whizzing by her head. Remus cracked up.

"This sport is ridiculous!" Lily growled but she too, cheered as Gryffindor scored yet another goal against Hufflepuff.

"That spectacular goal by Fabian Prewett brings Gryffindor's lead up to 60-10," a Ravenclaw fifth year yelled over the microphone.

Lily nudged Remus and pointed to Sirius, James and Rose, who were watching the game with rapt faces, "You would think that this is the most interesting thing they had ever seen,"

Remus laughed, "To them, this is the most interesting thing they have seen,"

Lily grinned and put her arm around Remus, "I like you Remus Lupin,"

Remus blushed and put his arm around Lily, "And I like you Lily Evans,"

"Come on Jones! Catch the Quaffle!" James shouted shaking his fist at the Gryffindor Chaser, "You're a Chaser! That's what you do!"

"Seriously! Catch that ball!" Rose screamed. Sirius was jumping up and down shaking his fist wordlessly at the Gryffindor team!

Suddenly Jones faked a left and shot right, scoring yet another goal for Gryffindor!

"And Hestia Jones scores for Gryffindor! 70-10! But wait, Peter's is diving!"

The Gryffindor's stands all rose in unison screaming as their Seeker dove steadily towards the ground. Just as he was to smash into the ground, he levelled out and held up his fist, the tiny gold ball fluttering uselessly.

"Gryffindor wins! 220-10!"

The noise in the Gryffindor common room that night was so loud, no one overheard the four first years in the corner plotting their next prank. If anyone had cared to listen, it may have saved many Gryffindor's from a trip to the Hospital wing to cure a strange red, itchy rash that appeared on their hands and feet the next morning; the result of itching powder placed in gloves and socks.

Severus was hurrying through a corridor to his next class when a shout from behind him made him stop.

"Snape! Wait up!"

Avery quickened and soon they were walking side by side.

"How is your little job going?"

Severus fisted his fingers, "I haven't started yet,"

Avery stopped and pulled Severus to a halt.

"What?" Avery growled.

Severus fidgeted, "I haven't had time,"

"Haven't had time? We gave you two months to do this job! You place the object in his bag! It isn't very hard!" Avery hissed.

"It is when you only have one class with him!" Severus protested but gulped when Avery stepped up to him.

"Well make that one class count!" he threatened before stalking away, leaving a slightly shaking Severus.

That night James and Sirius crept around the corridors on Hogwarts, taking care to keep the Invisibility Cloak covering all of them.

"One more corner and we will be at the library," Sirius whispered, "where are we going James?"

James smirked but kept silent as they rounded the corner and tip-toed into the library. Once in the shadows of the shelves, James pulled the Cloak off. Sirius glanced warily around him as a nearby candle cast flickering shadows on the dusty old books. James snickered at his apprehension and reached into the nearest shelf extracting a shiny new book that when pointed out stood in sharp relief to its' old counterparts beside it.

"It's really late but I was still a little unsure of you when your birthday came around so I hunted over the holidays and found this. Happy Birthday mate," James said handing over the book.

Sirius took it with two hands and turned it over the see the title.

Charms, Tricks and Saucy Hints on how to Capture the Opposite Sex

James laughed out loud at Sirius' puzzled face.

"Surely you have noticed the attention you get when you walk down the hall. Every girl in first, second and half of third years' are crushing on you mate. And this will help you know which one to snag. I can only help so much,"

Sirius turned tomato red, the candle-light highlighting his reddened ears and mumbled his thanks. James looked triumphant for a moment before the library was flooded with light.

"Students out of bed!"

Sirius and James looked crestfallen as caretaker Argus Filch rounded the shelf and took them in with a toothless, grimy grin.

"What hour do you call this?" Professor McGonagall growled, her tartan night cap sitting haphazardly on her head, "Two in the morning and you are out wandering the corridors. What in the devil where you doing? And in the library no less? With your record boys I hardly think you were studying,"

Sirius flicked his hair out of his eyes and jutted his chin forward, "We couldn't sleep so we went to clear our heads,"

"In the library?"

"We didn't think we'd get caught," James rolled his eyes. And that did it. McGonagall bristled and drew herself up to her full height.

"Well you were and you will suffer the consequences. Detention and ten points each. Now off to bed and no detours,"

James and Sirius both slumped their shoulders and turned to walk out. At the door Sirius turned; his face full of determination.

"Might I saw you looked particularly striking this evening Profe-,"

"OUT!" McGonagall shouted and the boys hurried away.

James speared Sirius with an exasperated look. Sirius chewed his lip and began to grin.

"It was worth a shot,"

James was silent for a beat before he burst out laughing.

'Maybe Dad did something to someone at work. And they are trying to get back at him,' Mary mused as she twiddled with her hair, contemplating the latest reason as to why she had been kidnapped.

"But what would he have done?" Mary growled, angry at herself for thinking ill of her father.

"It isn't what he has done but rather what he will do," a shadowy voice from the doorway echoed, "That is if he ever wants to see you again. Alive,"

Mary spun around and screamed.

The next morning, Lily and Rose entered the Great Hall with a plan on their minds; find Severus Snape without entering the vicinity of the Slytherin table.

However, after fifteen minutes of fruitless attempts at catching Severus' eye, both Lily and Rose concluded that they would have to, unfortunately go over.

Rose was reluctant, "Maybe we could just talk to him in Potions?"

"No, we must do it now. So he has the day to think about it. Potions is last. I'll go," Lily said taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders.

Rose sucked in her breath and briefly hugged Lily, "Good luck! You're a braver person than I am,"

At first, the Slytherins' took no notice of the red-headed first year. You had to pass their table to get to the door. No big deal. But then a fifth year noticed her attention was fixed on their table. He smirked and whispered down the table.

"Heads up, ginger Gryffindor firstie headed this way,"

The message was passed down the table until everyone had heard it. Including Severus. He gulped as he listened to his sixth-year neighbours.

"This should be fun!"

"Wonder what she wants?"

"She's pretty for an eleven year old!"

A seventh-year coughed loudly to announce Lily's presence as she stopped at the end of the table. Her eyes quickly searched the table, never focusing on someone too long.

'They look like they wanna eat me,' Lily shuddered as she searched for Sev.

'Where are you Sev?'

Sandy Jinx, seventh-year and resident bitch stood up, "What do you want midget?"

The table jittered and Lily went bright red.

'Well this is going to be embarrassing'

Fabian was walking into the Great Hall when he saw little Lily Evans standing at the head of the Slytherin table.

"What is she doing?" he whispered to himself as he jogged over to them.

He arrived just in time to hear the taunts starting to be flung at the poor girl.

"Want to switch houses little girl?" Lucius Malfoy smirked.

Lily stuttered and looked at the ground.

"Too bad! We don't take Mudbloods like you!" Sandy Jinx crowed. The table cracked up and Malfoy fist-bumped Jinx.

Lily's head snapped up and tears sprung to her eyes. Fabian growled and sprinted over. He noticed a greasy-haired first-year stand from the table and edge his way up to Lily.

"Hey! There is no need for that Jinx!" Fabian said angrily, putting his arm around Lily who leaned into the touch.

"What do you want Prewett?" Jinx sneered, "You're not welcome either!"

"I wouldn't want to be welcome. The day I am welcome at a Slytherin gathering I have sunk to my lowest," Fabian hissed and tugged Lily away.

Fabian felt Lily turn back, looking for something. Whether she found it or not, she turned back and allowed him to lead her back to the Gryffindor table.

Lily bravely held in her tears as she was led away. She glanced back and saw Sev following behind them and turned back, a smile on her face. He always knew.

Fabian sat her down at their table and Rose came hurrying over.

"Oh Lily, I should have come over too!" Rose moaned.

"No, I'm fine. It's fine. I knew it was coming I just didn't prepare myself," Lily said wiping her tears.

"I'm still going to talk to Professor McGonagall about Malfoy and Jinx. She won't be happy!"

Lily chewed her lip and nodded. At this point Severus had reached their table.

"Lily. Are you okay?"

Fabian looked between the girls and Severus and nodded, walking away.

"Thanks Fabian," Lily called out before turning to Sev, "I'm fine,"

Sev nodded and sat down beside her, earning curious glances from nearby Gryffindors. Rose sat on the other side of the table.

"I am guessing you wanted to see me?" Severus asked.

"Yes. We need to find out why Mary would be taken. Then we can figure out by whom. So, we need information…," Lily trailed off, batting her eyelashes at Sev.

Severus groaned, "I'll talk to Avery,"

Lily grinned, "I owe you Sev!" and she promptly hugged him tight.

At this moment, James, Remus and Sirius walked into the Great Hall. James spotted Lily hugging Snape. He froze and clenched his fist.

"What's Snivellus doing at our table?" he growled.

"Snogging Evans," Sirius snickered, ducking the punch James threw at him.

"10 points for fighting M-mr Potter," Guillotine smirked as he walked past. James glared at him too before walking purposefully towards the Gryffindor table. He stopped just behind Snape and cleared his throat, prodding him in the back.

"What do you think you're doing over here Snape," James sneered, glaring at Severus.

"He was talking to me!" Lily growled back standing up and glaring at James full in the eye. James gulped but stood his ground. Severus stood up and locked James in a glare off. Sirius smirked as he glanced up and down Snape.

"Wow Snivellus! I must ask! What shampoo do you use? It really brings out the grease in your hair," Sirius sneered. Severus reddened but didn't back down.

"Is that eyeliner Black? That how you get all the girls?"

Sirius let out his bark-like laugh, "At least I get girls,"

Snape narrowed his eyes some more, "What's it like to be a blood traitor to your family?"

Sirius' eyes flashed and he took a step forward. James shook his head slowly and clenched his fists.

Remus stepped in, "Cool it guys!"

James and Sirius glanced at Remus and went back to glaring at Snape and Lily. Rose had stayed in her seat but she stood up now and touched Sirius' shoulder.

"Let it go Sirius. He's not worth it!"

At Rose's touch, Sirius cooled a little but James looked ready to rip Snape's throat out.

Professor McGonagall chose this moment to walk past. She took in the fighting stances and cleared her throat.

"Do we have a problem here? Mr Potter? Mr Black?" she asked primly.

"Just him Professor," James grunted, pointing at Severus. Snape twitched away from his finger.

"Mr Snape? Why are you over here?"

Lily butted in, "He was talking to me,"

"But don't worry Professor, I was just leaving. I wouldn't want to spend any more time in the vicinity of these boys," Snape snapped before stalking off. Lily frowned as she watched him go before rounding on James.

"Ergh, you're such a pig Potter!" Lily snarled, "He wasn't doing anything to you at all!"

James looked flabbergasted, "He called Sirius a blood traitor!"

"After you ridiculed him!" Lily shouted back. Their argument was attracting a crowd. Professor McGonagall stepped in to end it.

"You five, my office. NOW!" She growled.

James and Sirius started to argue but one look from McGonagall shut them up again. The five first years trouped after her as the whole of the Great Hall watched them leave. The Slytherin table was in hysterics.

"Snape started it!" James burst out as soon as Professor McGonagall closed her office door.

"He did not! We were having a normal conversation and you came over and butted your big fat nose into our business!" Lily shouted back.

"He was a Slytherin at our table! Of course we were going to object!" Sirius growled.

"He's not a bad Slytherin, Sirius. He's strange but not bad!" Rose objected, "So shut it boys! Show some respect! You're just as bad as Severus is,"

"He is not strange!" Lily gasped at Rose.

"He is a bit Lily," Remus put in quietly.

Professor McGonagall sat in her chair and watched her first-years squabble. Better to let them get it out in here than in the Great Hall.

Lily looked angrily from one person to another.

"I can't believe you guys! Severus is my friend!"

Remus walked up and put his hand on her shoulder, "And he's also a Slytherin. Forgive us for being a bit apprehensive,"

SLAP!

Lily stared at her hand and then up at Remus who was holding his cheek.

James and Sirius gasped and hurried over to Remus.

"What'd you do that for?" James yelled at Lily, as both he and Sirius pushed her away. Lily stumbled and fell over backwards. The boys burst out laughing as tears sprung to Lily's eyes. Rose hurried to her side before looking up to Professor McGonagall.

"Professor," she pleaded.

McGonagall stood up and cleared her throat.

"If you are done beating each other up, I would just like to say how disappointed I am in all of you! You are all meant to be in the same House, same group, and same year level. Where's the House spirit?"

She walked down to stand in front of the five, "Boys there is no need to insult Miss Evans and Mr Snape's friendship, but Miss Evans there is no need to slap Mr Lupin and Mr Potter and Mr Black, you should never hit a girl. Miss Stanford, you also entered into the argument which was not such a good idea. Now, for causing such a ruckus in the Great Hall, I am giving you all detention together to try sort out this rivalry thing you have with each other. Mr Potter and Mr Black, this will count as your detention for last night as well,"

Rose gaped, "But Professor, I didn't do anything!"

"Neither did I" Remus argued.

McGonagall held her hands up, "My decision is final. Meet at 11 o'clock tonight in the Entrance Hall,"

And with that, she walked out of her office.

Lily spun around to glare at the boys, "Look what you have done!"

Sirius snorted leant against the wall, "Detention won't kill you Evans,"

Rose placed an arm on Lily but the red-head shoved her off, "Don't you get it. I don't get detentions!"

"Are they beneath you?" James smirked. Lily's eyes flashed and she grabbed Rose's hand, towing the girl out of the room.

James, Sirius, Remus and Peter were walking down the breakfast when a scream made them turn. People around them began running towards the source of the noise, the boys following the crowd.

Half the school was already at the scene when the boys arrived. The crowded had made a circle around a small mousy haired Hufflepuff girl who was huddled on the ground beside the statue of a one-eyed hunchback.

Everyone looked on seriously as the tiny third year rocked back and forth sobbing. Finally, a Ravenclaw seventh year broke from the crowd and crouched down beside her. At the same time, Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Slughorn and Flitwick pushed through the crowd.

McGonagall and Flitwick knelt down beside the girl and helped her up.

"Miss Bones, what happened?" Dumbledore asked kindly, placing a caring hand on the girl's shoulder.

Amelia Bones shuddered and shut her eyes, "I don't know where he came from,"

"Excuse me, he?"

"Yes, the man who held a knife up to me. I was walking down the corridor when he just jumped out. I don't know where from. I wasn't paying attention. He grabbed him and then there was this cold thing against me neck. He tried to make me walk but I shut my eyes and screamed. When I opened them again, he was gone," Amelia opened her eyes and started to cry.

"Miss Bones, did he say anything to you?" Dumbledore asked, seemingly ignorant to the whole of Hogwarts school listening in.

"He told me to be quiet,"

"Anything else?"

Amelia sniffed and took a deep breath, "I think he was talking to himself. He said that my parents would have to listen now,"

McGonagall and Dumbledore shared a glance that wasn't missed by both Lily and Rose and the boys on the other side of the circle. Dumbledore seemed to come back down to earth as he glanced around him.

"Off to class students, now!"

The crowd dissolved, Lily and Rose heading off to Potions. They lagged, taking their time so they could talk.

"That's what happened to Mary. I know it!" Lily exclaimed.

Rose bit her lip, "Amelia Bones said something about her parents being involved. Do you think the MacDonald's are?"

"I think it is more, the people who took Mary and tried to take Amelia, I think they are using them as ransoms in a way. Like they can get the parents to do things just because they have their kids," Lily said as they slipped into Potions. Slughorn glanced at them but let them away with their tardiness.

After being set their task for the lesson, the girls continued their talk, whispering behind their cauldrons.

"So it's blackmail?" Rose whispered as she sliced up her slugs.

"I think so. And Dumbledore knows it!"

"It's the Death Eaters,"

Lily and Rose looked to their left at Sirius and James who were seated next to them.

"Has anyone ever told you it's rude to eavesdrop?" Lily scoffed.

James narrowed his eyes, "I was just trying to help Evans. Get off your high horse,"

Lily glared at James, "Only when you deflate your ego!"

That night, as the grandfather clock in the corner chimed twelve times, two Gryffindors rendezvoused in the common room.

Rose sat staring at the fire, waiting for Sirius to show up. When he did she patted the couch beside her.

"What took so long?"

"James wouldn't sleep. He kept talking about how that man got into the castle. He wants to check out that statue tomorrow,"

"Can we come? We need to get James and Lily to tolerate each other. If she really wants to find Mary then she is going to have to get over whatever it is that annoys her so much about Potter. And no matter how adamant she is, Snape isn't going to be as big a help as she thinks he will be," Rose urged.

Sirius nodded, "I agree. I'll talk to James tomorrow morning,"

Avery spotted Snape sitting before the fire in the common room and approached him haughtily.

"Snape!"

Severus spun around fearfully and locked eyes with Avery.

"Snape, have you done it yet?" Avery asked, glaring down at Severus.

Severus nodded quickly, "Yes I did it today in Potions when he was talking to Li-Evans and Stanford,"

"Well done Snape. You might be a Slytherin after all," Avery smirked and walked away.

It wasn't until after dinner that Lily (convinced by Rose), Rose herself, James (convinced by Sirius), Sirius, Peter and Remus found time to pay a visit to the one-eyed croon statue.

James stood in the middle of the space and looked around, "Now how did this mystery man get into Hogwarts?"

"Apparate?" Sirius asked. Lily sighed impatiently.

"Don't any of you read Hogwarts: A History? It is impossible to Apparate or Disapparate in or out of Hogwarts,"

"Well how else did he appear and disappear so fast?" James argued, leaning back against the statue. He heard a faint click and stood back up. The back of the statue popped out and then disappeared.

"I think you just answered your own question James," Sirius said, gaping at the hole.

Mary stuffed her fist in her mouth to silence her scream as a man with a skull mask stepped into her cell.

"Evening Mary MacDonald," he purred, walking towards her like a predator stalks his prey. Mary inadvertently took a few steps back and only stopped when her fingers touched the cool, damp wall. The masked man held out one hand and stroked one finger down the side of Mary's face. She shuddered and closed her eyes, feeling truly frightened for the first time.

"Now, let's get down to business," the man sneered.

Mary couldn't help it anymore. She let out a long, petrified scream.

Hehe, there we go... sorry it's soooooo late! but I had to do a lot of re-working during this chapter and figure somethings out for myself :)

So, what did you'll think? :D

Next chapter is called Discoveries of the Heart! Rose tries to convince Lily that Snape won't help, Remus goes through a particularly nasty tranformation, Sirius learns the hard way that being a Gryffindor in a Slytherin family is tough, James battles with his own personal feelings and a breakthrough in Mary's disappearance :)