Chapter 3: The Astronomy Tower
Hermione looked at Lily with a wondrous gaze, as if she knew the answer.
"What stone?" Asked Fred and George, suddenly curious.
"Stay here!" Said Hermione, and she sprinted up the stairs to the girl's dormitories.
Lily, Harry, Ron, Fred and George barely had time to exchange mystified looks before she was dashing back, with an enormous old book in her arms.
"I never thought to look in here!" She whispered excitedly. "I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."
"Light?" exclaimed Ron, but Hermione told him to be quiet until she'd looked something up, and started flickering frantically through the pages, muttering to herself.
At last she found what she was looking for.
"I knew it!"
"Are we allowed to speak yet?" asked Ron grumpily, but Hermione ignored him.
"Nicolas Flamel," She whispered dramatically, "is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone!"
This didn't have quite the effect she'd expected, well at least not from the boys.
"The what?" asked Fred and George.
Lily rolled her eyes at them. "Look-read that, there."
She pushed the book towards them, and Harry, Ron, Fred and George read: 'The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal.
There have been many reports of the Sorcerer's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight).'
"See?" Said Hermione, when they had finished. "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Philosopher's stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the stone moved out of Gringotts!"
"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying!" said Lily. "No wonder Pan's after it! Anyone would want it."
Harry nodded. "Now all we have to do is get it."
"Say what?" The twins asked. "You want to sneak passed a three headed monster? A monster that just happens to be on the third floor... Which just happens to be forbidden?"
Lily sighed. "Are you going to stop us?"
They chuckled. "'Course not!" They stated, grinning. "We're gonna help you! Why do you want it anyway?"
Harry and Lily exchanged worried looks. The only people who knew what had happened in the forbidden forest was Hermione, Ron, Felix, them and unfortunately Draco.
"Can I tell them?" Harry asked her.
A tear rolled down her cheek as she nodded. "Go ahead."
Harry sighed. "Pan doesn't just want the stone... He wants Lily too."
The twins just sat there momentarily in shock. "What? What the bloody hell for?" They tried not to yell.
Lily held back a sob. "I don't know... He just... He just does."
It was true, Lily had no idea why Peter Pan would want her, and that's exactly what scared her. "Well,
"Technically, she's not-" Ron started.
George put a hand to Ron's mouth in attempt to shut him up, so Fred could continue. "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted... if that git wants to take our favourite sibling away, then he'd have to go through us. Right Forge?"
George nodded in agreement. "Right Gred."
Lily hugged them both. "Thank you."
Hermione looked over at Lily with concern written all over her face, but she had a word of comfort.
As Lily leaned back into the sofa, Hermione spoke. "Listen, Lily... Everyone says the dark one is the only one you-know-who is afraid of. And as long as he's around, he won't touch you."
Lily frowned, and she could tell the boys had the same blank expression. "Who's the dark one?" They asked.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly! You really never read, do you?" She snapped. When no one replied, she sighed. "You-know-who used to be an old friend of the dark one ... But he betrayed him. And ever since then, The dark one has been seeking revenge."
"How do you know he's here?" Harry asked her.
Hermione shrugged. "He must be... Otherwise you-know-who would've taken- um- made a move by now."
"You can say it, you know..." Lily whispered.
Hermione sighed. "Lily, I-"
"His name is Peter Pan." Lily stated, causing the others to flinch. "Fear in the name, only increases fear in the thing its self."
Her tone was flat and tired, and the others could understand her grief.
The sky had turned dark before they stopped talking. "Now, if you guys don't mind, I think Lily and I should go to bed." Ron stared after Hermione as she gently took her up the spiral staircase and said. "No, we don't mind."
After ten minutes, Lily had finally fallen asleep.
Night was now her least favourite part of her day.
It was the usually routine of getting under the warm covers, slowly falling asleep and hoping she wouldn't see his face.
But tonight was no different.
He was grinning at her darkly, holding her wrists tightly in his hands. "Let go!" She pleaded.
But he didn't, he never did. "You are mine. Forever."
"Unless I find the stone." She hissed. "And I will find it! I believe!"
Pan scoffed. "Believe all you want. You've got one month left. If I don't get the stone... You will never have your freedom."
Sometimes a cage would appear from nowhere, and he always pushed her inside, slamming the door shut. "Let me out!" She would beg...
He would, only to hurt her and put her back in.
But tonight he did neither, no... He dragged her to a tree house, making sure to give her plenty of cuts and bruises.
"Forever..." And as he went to rip out her heart.
Hermione woke from her sleep by the sound of Lily's desperate cries of fear.
The young witch sat up and noticed that Lily had woken herself up as well. Hermione did not hesitate.
She stumbled out of her own bed, and walked over to Lily.
Her cheeks were wet from tears. "Are you okay?" She whispered, and sat next to Lily and placed her arms around her in comfort.
Lily nodded and grabbed her wand, which lay on a chair beside her bed, swung it lightly, and a white handkerchief appeared in her hand.
"N-nightmare a-again..." She stuttered, while she used the handkerchief to wipe her face.
"Pan, right? Don't worry, it was just a dream." Whispered Hermione, and stroked her hand up and down Lily's back.
Lily bit her lip. "No... I-it wasn't just a dream." She whimpered. "I've got one month... Then he'll take me away."
"Who'll come and take you away?" A voice asked from the other side of the room.
Lily and Hermione turned their heads to the left and saw: Ginny Weasely, Ron's little sister, Parvati Patil, Lavender Brown and Fay Dunbar.
They were all standing next to Lily's bed with concern written all over their faces.
"I didn't know you were awake," said Hermione.
"Did I wake you, too?" asked Lily, guilt written all over her tear struck face.
"How is a girl supposed to sleep when you, Lily, are always screaming out into the night in fear, as if your being murdered?" Asked Lavender scornfully.
"Just ignore her," said Fay Dunbar and glared at the witch.
"What happened to you in the dream?" Whispered Parvati, a girl with raven black hair, and and doe like eyes.
"Pan almost took my heart," answered Lily, while she felt Hermione's hand rub up and down her back.
"It's alright. It was just a dream, Lily, it doesn't mean anything. You're safe now." Said Ginny with comfort in her voice.
'It doesn't mean anything?' thought Lily. 'Of course it does: My life is at stake!''
Before the anyone could stop her, Lily ran out of the dormitory. "Was it something I said?" Asked Ginny.
Hermione shrugged but knew that it was. "It's not your fault, Ginny."
Lily darted out of the common room, and headed for the astronomy tower.
She went there whenever she felt like she did now, terrified.
Luckily for her, on her way, she met no one.
When she reached her destination, she looked up at the stars.
It hadn't even been a minute when a cold familiar voice spoke from behind her. "Beautiful, aren't they?"
Lily tensed, to afraid to speak. She shivered when she felt his breath on the back of her neck.
Lily tensed, to afraid to speak. She shivered when she felt his breath on the back of her neck.
She let out a hitched breath as his hands rested on her hips, starting to make their way up her body, until she pulled away from him.
"D-don't t-touch me." She hissed, still not daring to face him.
Somehow, he was delighted. "You've still got that fire, I see." He whispered. "I'll enjoy putting it out."
He turned her around forcefully, startling her. Before she could protest his lips were on hers.
Pan released his grip on her, when they both heard footsteps rushing up the stairs. "See you in thirty days," He whispered darkly, and vanished before three figures reached the top of Astronomy Tower and caught Lily with surprise.
When she finally saw who they really were: Draco Malfoy along with his two bodyguards Crabbe and Goyle, she felt her stomach churn.
"Well, well, if it isn't little Lily," Draco sneered glancing at Crabbe then at Goyle, who were standing on either side of him.
As if Pan's visit wasn't enough. "Wishing for someone to come and take you away? Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning, perhaps?" Asked Draco with a derisive tone.
Her eyes widened. "How would you possibly know about that?" Lily demanded.
Draco smirked. "I was there, " He stated. "When the boggart turned into Pan."
Lily glared at him. "Leave me alone, Malfoy."
"Ooh!-not very friendly. Boy's I think it's time we teach this girl how to respect her superiors." Said Draco and pulled out his wand.
"Ha! I hope you don't mean yourself." Said a familiar voice.
Lily was as surprised as Draco when they saw Hermione Harry, Ron, Fred and George coming up the stairs.
"How dare you talk to me, you filthy, little Mudblood!" Yelled Draco and raised his wand, but Harry was quicker.
"Expelliarmus!" and before anyone had time to react, Draco's wand flew out of his hands and he was disarmed.
"Let's go." Said Crabbe.
"Quick!" Yelled Goyle and pushed Malfoy closer to the stairs.
"Not a word to anyone, understood?" Exclaimed Malfoy while he and his 'goons' ran down the stairs until the Gryffindor students couldn't hear them no more.
"Are you okay?" Asked Hermione concerned.
Lily just nodded, thoughts of Pan's presence worrying her to the core.
She wasn't alright, but that wouldn't stop the twins.
"Good," said Fred and smiled brightly at Lily.
"Now if you three will excuse us," said George, gesturing for Harry, Hermione and their little brother. "We have something we would like to discuss with Lily."
Lily gave the them a confused look, but didn't say anything.
"Thick heads." Whispered Ron as he and the others began to walk down the stairs and back towards the Gryffindor common room.
"Early Christmas present for you, Lily," Said George and Fred pulled something from inside his cloak and hand it t her.
It was a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it.
Lily, suspecting one of Fred and Georges jokes, stared at it blankly. "What's this supposed to be?"
"This, Lily, is the secret to our success," said George, patting the parchment fondly.
"It's a wrench, giving it to you, really," said Fred, "but we decided, last night, your needs are greater than ours."
"Anyway, we know it by heart," said George. "We bequeath it to you. We don't really need it anymore."
Lily raised an eyebrow. "And what do I need with a bit of old parchment?" Asked Lily confused.
"A bit of old parchment?" Said Fred, pretending to feel offended.
"Well...when we were in our first year, Lily-young, carefree, and innocent-"
Lily just rolled her eyes at the last word. She doubted whether Fred and George had ever been innocent.
"-Well, more innocent that we are now- we got into a sport with Flich."
"We let off a Dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him for some reason -"
"So he hauled us off to his office and started threatening us with the usual detention-"
"-disembowelment-" George added.
Fred grinned. "-and we couldn't help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked Confiscated and Highly Dangerous.
"Please, don't tell me-" said Lily and started to grin for the first time that day.
"Well, what would you've done?" asked Fred. "George caused a diversion by dropping another Dungbomb, I whipped the drawer open it, and grabbed-this."
"It's not as bad as it sounds, you know," said George. "We don't reckon Filch ever found out how to work it. He probably suspected what it was, though, or he
wouldn't have confiscated it."
"And you know how to work it?"
"Oh yes," said Fred, smirking. "This little beauty's taught us more than all the teachers in this school."
"You're winding me up," said Lily, looking at the ragged old bit of parchment.
"Oh, are we?" said George.
He took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly, and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
And at once, thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched.
They joined each other, they criss-crossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly green words, that proclaimed:
Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present THE MARAUDER'S MAP
It was a map showing every detail of the Hogwarts castle and grounds.
But the truly remarkable thing were the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labelled with a name in minuscule writing.
Astounded, Lily bent over it. A labelled dot in the top left corner showed that Professor Dumbledore was pacing his study; the caretaker's cat, Mrs. Norris, was prowling the second floor; and Peeves the Poltergeist was currently bouncing around the trophy room.
And as Lily's eyes travelled up and down the familiar corridors, she noticed something else.
This map showed a set of passages she had never entered. And a couple of them seemed to lead -
"Right into third floor," said Fred, tracing one of them with his finger. "There are seven hidden passages in all. Now, Filch knows about these four." He pointed them out.
"But we're sure we're the only ones who know about these ones. Don't bother with the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor. We used it until last winter, but it's caved in-completely blocked. And we don't reckon anyone's ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow's planted right over the entrance. And as you might've noticed, another entrance is right at the bottom of this staircase, through that one-eyed old crone's hump. It leads to the third floor."
"Moony, Wormtaill Padfoot, and Prongs," sighed George, patting the heading of the map. "We owe them so much."
"Noble men, working tirelessly to help a new generation of lawbreakers," said Fred solemnly.
"Right," George said briskly.
"Don't forget to wipe it after you've used it or anyone can read it," Fred said warningly. "Just tap it again and say, 'Mischief managed!' And it'll go blank."
"So, young Lily," said Fred, in an uncanny impersonation of Percy, "Mind you behave yourself."
Both Fred and George left the tower, both smirking in a satisfied sort of way.
Lily stood there, gazing at the miraculous map.
She watched the tiny ink Mrs. Norris turn left and pause to sniff at something on the floor, and somehow,she felt safer, until she spotted the labelled dot heading straight for the tower: Argus Filch.
"Mischief managed!" Lily whispered, tapping her wand on the map.
She ran down the stairs to the tunnel Fred and George had told her about her.
To try an attempt to hide, but when she reached the tunnel Mr. Filch was already there.
"Oh, no." She whispered.
"Well, take a good look lassie. This night might well be the last you spend in this castle. Hm. Oh, dear, we are in trouble." Said Mr. Filch.
Lily had never been in Filch's office before; it was a place most students avoided.
The room was dingy and windowless, lit by a single oil lamp dangling from the low ceiling. A faint smell of fried fish lingered about the place. Wooden filing cabinets stood around the walls; from their labels, Lily could see that they contained details of every pupil Filch had ever punished Fred and George Weasley had an entire drawer to themselves.
A highly polished collection of chains and manacles hung on the wall behind Filch's desk.
It was common knowledge that he was always begging Dumbledore to let him suspend students by their ankles from the ceiling.
Filch grabbed a quill from a pot on his desk and began shuffling around looking for parchment.
He retrieved a large roll of parchment from his desk drawer and stretched it out in front of her, dipping his long black quill into the ink pot.
"Name...Lily Jones. Crime..."
"Crime!? I only spent some alone time looking at the stars!" Exclaimed Lily.
"Alone time to you, girl, but to me it's an extra hour scrubbing!" Shouted Filch, a drip shivering unpleasantly at the end of his bulbous nose.
"Crime...being out of bed in the middle of the night without permission, or supervision."
Dabbing at his streaming nose, Filch squinted unpleasantly at Lily who waited with bated breath for his sentence to fall.
But as Filch lowered his quill, there was a great BANG! on the ceiling of the office, which made the oil lamp rattle.
"PEEVES!" Filch roared, flinging down his quill in a transport of rage. "I'll have you this time, I'll have you!"
And without a backward glance at Lily, Filch ran flat-footed from the office, Mrs. Norris streaking alongside him.
Peeves was the school poltergeist, a grinning, airborne menace who lived to cause havoc and distress. Lily didn't much like Peeves, but couldn't help feeling grateful for his timing. Hopefully, whatever Peeves had done, and it sounded as though he'd wrecked something very big this time, would distract Filch from Lily.
Thinking that she should probably wait for Filch to come back, Lily sank into a moth-eaten chair next to the desk. There was only one thing on it apart from Her half-completed form: a large, glossy, purple envelope with silver lettering on the front.
With a quick glance at the door to check that Filch wasn't on his way back, Lily picked up the envelope and read:
kwikspell A Correspondence Course in Beginners' Magic.
Intrigued, Lily flicked the envelope open and pulled out the sheaf of parchment inside.
More curly silver writing on the front page said:
Feel out of step in the world of modern magic? Find yourself making excuses not to perform simple spells?Ever been taunted for your woeful wand work? There is an answer! Kwikspell is an all-new, fail-safe, quick-result, easy-learn course. Hundreds of witches and wizards have benefited from the Kwikspell method! Madam Z. Nettles of Topsham writes: "I had no memory for incantations and my potions were a family joke! Now, after a Kwikspell course, I am the center of attention at parties and friends beg for the recipe of my Scintillation Solution!" Warlock D. J. Prod of Didsbury says: "My wife used to sneer at my feeble charms, but one month into your fabulous Kwikspell course and I succeeded in turning her into a yak! Thank you, Kwikspell!"
Fascinated, Lily thumbed through the rest of the envelope's contents. Why on earth did Filch want a Kwikspell course? Did this mean he wasn't a proper wizard? Lily was just reading:
Lesson One: Holding Your Wand (Some Useful Tips)
When shuffling footsteps outside told Her Filch was coming back. Stuffing the parchment back into the envelope, Lily threw it back onto the desk just as the door opened.
Filch was looking triumphant.
"That vanishing cabinet was extremely valuable!" He was saying gleefully to Mrs. Norris. "We'll have Peeves out this time, my sweet -"
His eyes fell on Lily and then darted to the Kwikspell envelope, which, Lily realized too late, was lying two feet away from where it had started.
Filch's pasty face went brick red. Lily braced herself for a tidal wave of fury. Filch hobbled across to his desk, snatched up the envelope, and threw it into a drawer.
"Have you - did you read -?" he sputtered.
"No," Lily lied quickly.
Filch's knobbly hands were twisting together.
"If I thought you'd read my private - not that it's mine - for a friend - be that as it may - however -"
Lily was staring at him, alarmed; Filch had never looked madder. His eyes were popping, a tic was going in one of his pouchy cheeks, and the tartan scarf didn't help.
"Very well - go - and don't breathe a word - not that - however, if you didn't read - go now, I have to write up Peeves' report - go -"
Amazed at her luck, Lily walked out of the office, up the corridor, and back upstairs. To escape from Filch's office without punishment was probably some kind of school record.
"Miss. Jones. What're you doing wandering the corridors at night?" she heard a voice say from behind, and she could tell right away who it was - Professor Snape.
"I must say I thought Mr. Potter to be the one who would be doing such a thing. Since his father, too, was exceedingly arrogant. Strutting about the castle -" Lily cut him off.
"Harry and his dad did not strut. And nor do I."
"I'm on my way back to Gryffindor's common room from Mr. Filch off -" but she got cut off by Professor Snape.
"Mr. Filch office? Miss. Jones. You do not look to have the appearance for trouble."
'Pan does not have the appearance to be wicked, yet he is.'" thought Lily to herself.
"Looks can be deceiving." said Lily to Professor Snape.
"Yes. Indeed. What's that?" Asked Professor Snape, and pointed at the parchment in Lily's hand.
"It is what it looks like a piece of parchment," She said with a shurg.
Snape turned it over, his eyes on Lily.
"Surely you don't need such a very old piece of parchment?" he asked. "Why don't I just - throw this away?"
His hand moved towards the fire.
"No!" said Lily quickly.
"So!" said Snape, his long nostrils quivering. "is this another treasure gift from Mr. Weasley? Or is it - something else? A letter, perhaps, written in invisible ink? Or - instructions to get into Hogsmeade without passing the dementors?" Lily blinked. Snape's eyes gleamed.
"Let me seem let me see..." he muttered, taking out his wand and smoothing the map. "Reveal your secret!" he said, touching the wand to the parchment.
Nothing happened. Lily, clenched her hands to stop them from shaking. "Show yourself!" said Snape, tapping the map sharply.
It stayed blank. Lily was taking deep, calming breaths.
"Professor Serverus Snape, master of this school, commands you to yield the information you conceal!" Snape sapped, hitting the map with his wand.
As though an invisible hand were writing upon it, words appeared on the smooth surface of the map.
"Mooney presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business." Snape froze.
Lily, stared, dumbstruck, at the message, but the map didn't stop there. More writing was appearing beneath the first.
"Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs offer their compliments to
Professor Snape and..."
"Go on." demanded Professor Snape.
"I - I don't think I should." Stuttered Lily.
"Keep reading!" He ordered.
Lily closed her eyes, when she'd opened them, the map had had it's last word.
"...and request that he keep his abnormally large nose out of other
people's business."
Lily waited for the blow to fall, when she heard him say.
"Why you insolent little -"
"Professor...?" she heard Professor Lupin cry out.
Pwetty pwease review. *Insert hearts here*