POTTER SPILLS HER SECRETS:
GIRL-WHO-LIVED SPEAKS OUT
It was just the day after what she refers to as 'the incident', in the early morning, when I was enjoying a spot of tea, when I received an interesting offer. A former professor of mine was reaching out, asking if I'd be interested in interviewing one of the Champions; he did not say which one, but there was only one I could imagine it being. I responded in the affirmative immediately, expecting a time to be set up for the following week, only to receive another communication just minutes after confirming the interview time for the just a couple hours later on the same day.
It seemed whoever it was that wanted their story out there wanted it out in a hurry; that only confirmed their identity for me. I had a full work schedule for the day, but I cancelled it all; this wasn't an opportunity I could pass up. It was all worth it in the end when, upon entering the decadent interior of the Three Broomsticks, I was met with the confident façade of one Hazel Lily Potter: the Girl-Who-Lived. I purchased a couple of butterbeers for the two of us, and then sat down for one of the most interesting experiences of my life.
"So, just getting this out there right away," Hazel said before I could finish pulling out my quill and paper. "Yes, I'm gay. Yes, I like women. Yes, that was me in the photo. No, Skeeter most certainly did not have my permission to print it, no matter what she says."
"So, she was lying, then?"
"About that, and a whole lot else," Hazel said, taking a moment to sip her drink while I finished getting ready.
"So. You wanted to clear the air, then?"
"Among other things."
"Why ask for me? Why not just send in an op-ed to the Prophet?"
"Probably because they've been smearing my name for months now. Why would I want anything to do with them? Besides, I like Witch Weekly, have a subscription and everything."
"Professor Slughorn said you asked for me specifically."
"He also said you're the only reporter he knows with any integrity," Hazel said, taking a hot chip of the freshly served tray. "Ask your questions. Strictly speaking, I'm not supposed to be here."
"Scared you'll get in trouble for skipping classes, then?"
"Hardly. Classes are over. I'm just not supposed to be out of the castle. Got a friend covering for me right now. You going to ask your questions, or not? I'm on a bit of a timer, here."
"You're the one who called me. Care to share what you've got on your mind?"
"I'm sure you have questions you'd like to ask. Don't be scared, I don't bite, even if the Quibbler thinks I'm vampire."
"Is that what they're on a bit now?"
Hazel just smiled and shrugged, the first bit of emotion from her since sitting down.
"Who knows? Wouldn't surprise me. Go on, ask anything you'd like."
"The girl you were with? Who was she?"
"Not saying," Hazel said, that beautiful smile now gone. "She didn't want to come out, yet. Skeeter took that from the both of us, and her parents went and pulled her out of school for it."
"Have they?"
"That's what happens when you out someone against their will. Skeeter never considered that maybe there were reasons for it, that maybe hiding was safer. She just did it because I ruined an interview for her."
"You believe it was done out of revenge, then?"
"Oh, I know that much. I can even give you the memory, if you'd like. She even threatened me, said 'Oh, I think you'll regret this,' and offered me a chance to apologize."
"And you refused?"
"I told her exactly where she could shove her apology. Let's not talk about Skeeter."
"You have nothing further to say on the matter?"
"Oh, I have plenty to say. I'm sure you've noticed, you've got connections. Why don't you ask your next question?"
It was that moment where I noticed an excited, clever twinkle in Hazel's eyes. The only person I'd ever seen a look like that before was Albus Dumbledore himself, and the prospect of sitting before the next Greatest Witch of Our Time was looming over my head. She was fully in control, but I was more than willing to dance to her tune.
She was right. I already knew exactly what she was referring to.
"It's true, then? You've filed a suit against Skeeter?"
"It was my godfather, actually," Hazel said, reaching for another chip. "I'm too young to file for myself, so he can do it for me."
"Too young? Am I to believe Skeeter and the Quibbler were wrong about you being of age?"
Hazel laughed, attracting the attention of almost everybody in the pub.
"Skeeter was just lying," she said. "No comment on the Quibbler, I think they're rather funny. Anyway, no, I'm not of age, I don't know where Skeeter came up with that one. There's really only one timeframe my parents could have had me, and the Hogwarts acceptance system is automatic; it sends letters to eleven year olds. Why would the hat have sorted me if I was too old for it?"
"Just to get it on the record, for all our readers, how old are you?"
"Almost fifteen. Got about a month left on that."
"Come again? Weren't you born in July?"
"No," Hazel said, her eyes twinkling again. "That's one of the 'truths' I wanted to get out there, before Skeeter could go and ruin that too. She's right that something was funky about my birth, but it's just that I was born a girl in January, not a boy in July."
"Then why has your birth record been July all this time?"
Hazel just shrugged and winked, leaning back in her seat as if it didn't concern her in the slightest.
"I'm told it was for my protection, to keep me safe from [You-Know-Who]."
"But why keep it a secret for so long?"
"Because Dumbledore isn't in the habit of revealing the private information of children. He leaves that to Skeeter."
"A fair point. Can we get a day, for all your adoring fans out there?"
"If I have any left, sure. 23rd of January. By the time this is printed, just under a month."
"Well, I wish you an early Happy Birthday. Back to your suit: what, exactly, has been filed against Skeeter?"
"Sources didn't know that part?"
"Unfortunately not."
"Harassment, Breach of Privacy, Blackmail," Hazel said, counting them all off on her fingers. "Oh, and can't forget the Illegal Distribution of Sexual Content of a Minor. That's the biggest charge. No more questions, I've said all I'm legally allowed to."
"You're not afraid of Skeeter, then? She's managed to dig up a lot of dirt on a lot of powerful people. Are you sure going after her is wise?"
Hazel leaned forward, a smile on her lips, that absurd twinkle returning once more and sending a shiver down my spine.
"I'm not afraid of Skeeter. That insect will get what's coming to her, I can promise you that much."
"You can stop reading there, Ron," Lily said, leaning back against the tree, hands behind her head.
"Why?" Ron asked, staring at her in confusion, magazine still laying in his lap. "There's half an article left."
"Because that's all that matters," Lily said, humming. That's where the trap was. Now, all she had to do was wait.
"How come you never told us when your birthday was?" Neville asked, brow furrowed in frustration.
"Because I didn't want to?" Lily said simply. "Look, my life is a nonstop parade of everything falling apart. I'm allowed to keep some secrets just to keep myself a little sane."
"Fair enough," Ron said, rolling up the magazine and then tossing it back to her. "You're not getting two presents a year, though, so you'll have to pick."
"I just did," Lily said, tapping the magazine that was now on her lap.
"Do you really think that interview will help?" Neville asked.
"Not in the slightest," Lily said, standing to her feet. "In fact, it'll probably just make everybody more sure I'm a barking lunatic, but it wasn't really supposed to help. I'll see you two gents later. Got some laps I need to do."
"Laps?" Ron asked as she walked away.
Lily was still 'swimming' an hour later, although, in her case, it really only meant a lot of helplessly flailing her arms around and hoping that was enough to propel her through the water. The Secret Chamber seemed to sense she didn't know what she was doing, and it kept the pool shallow, so that when she inevitably sank, she could always kick back to the surface. In addition, Lily was almost certain there was something strange about the pool's liquid; she didn't have to fight to float at all, now, it just happened. There were also a few boards and tools scattered around the room, but Lily had no earthly idea what any of them were supposed to do, and she had no idea who to ask without giving away she couldn't swim. She'd had enough humiliation in her life without that particular one leaking.
The school seemed to mostly forget her little "gaycident" (as Ron was calling it) the next morning, when the same terrible magazine that printed her outing printed a new article all about how dangerous she was. She supposed she should have seen it coming; that Skeeter was trying to paint her as a dangerous, deviant lunatic after the suit was made public shouldn't have been a surprise. What was a surprise was an interview included from the former Mrs. Malfoy.
'I was there at the Quidditch World Cup,' Ms. Black said over a cup of tea. 'When the Veela arrived, her behaviour- well, I'll just say it was improper. So, I can hardly say I'm surprised by all this nonsense. She's always been a cruel girl. I get letters every month about the terrible things she does to my son and others, and, yet, Dumbledore has never done a thing about it.'
'And you think this queerness of hers is the cause?' I asked.
'I think it's merely a symptom, although I can certainly see how one would view it as the root cause. People of her sort are often more violent, are they not?'
And, indeed, the statistics seem to speak for themselves, on that matter. In this cause, it can be assumed that correlation does equal causation.
"A bunch of rubbish," Lily said, tossing the paper across the table. "Pass the bacon."
"You sure you're alright, mate?" Ron asked cautiously.
"I'm fine," Lily snapped. "If Skeeter wants to double down on it, it'll just make our case against her easier. Let her print whatever she wants."
Of course, talking was one thing, and actually feeling that way was another. Lily went to the Quidditch stadium with a tight, if full, stomach, wishing Katie was here just a quick exchange of good luck. The basic words from her friends just weren't doing it today. She just hoped flying would make her feel better.
The changing room went silent as she entered. Several girls scattered or went running for the private changing rooms, while most just avoided her eyes. Lily clenched her jaw, did her best to steady her nerves, and took her school robe off in front of her usual locker.
"Shouldn't you be doing that somewhere else?" one girl asked.
"Like where?" Lily asked, hoping the danger in her tone would be enough to end this particular conversation.
"Go change in the boys room," another girl suggested, "if you want to be one of them so bad."
"I'm perfectly happy as a girl, thank you very much," Lily said, hand flexing.
"Take the hint, Potter," the first girl said. "Nobody wants you in here. You're a freak."
"You fine with this?" Lily asked, jaw clenched, looking towards their Captain.
"Maybe just wait outside until we're all done?" Mia Alderton suggested, not daring to meet her eyes.
"Are you serious?"
"It's just- some of the girls are uncomfortable around you. Do it for team spirit?"
"Fine," Lily said with a shrug, closing her locker and swinging her robe back over her shoulders. "Have fun playing without me, then."
"Lily, wait!" Mia said, emerging from the nearby loo just as she was slamming the door behind her.
Lily stomped straight past the crowd rushing towards the stadium for the game. She should have seen this coming, too, the way half the school fled her presence the instant she entered any room. A few students, Ron and Neville included, called out to her, confused as to where she was going, but she kept stomping off until she reached her dorm room (which was still Hermione-free). She tossed her Firebolt to the spare bed, grabbed her mirror from her desk, and then shouted Sirius's name.
"Alright, I'm here," Sirius said, rubbing at the bridge of his nose, eyes closed. "Merlin, don't you have a game to be playing?"
"They don't want me there," Lily said, face twisting. "Please tell me you have some good news for me."
"I don't have anything," Sirius said with a sigh. "I told you, Lily, these things take time."
"Have you even tried?"
"Yes!" Sirius said. "I was just discussing it with Ashley last night!"
"Is that why you're hungover?" Lily said, only growing angrier in the subsequent silence.
"Look, we had a few drinks," Sirius said at last. "But that doesn't mean we aren't trying."
"You're not doing anything!" Lily countered. "Katie is still-"
"Her parents have every right to remove her from school," Sirius said. "You've been told that three times everyday since she was taken. You have to be patient, Lily."
"They're hurting her!"
"You don't know that! There's no proof her parents have ever been physical with her, and we have no evidence of it even if they were."
"Then go get her," Lily growled. "We can't just leave her there, Sirius, you saw how scared she was!"
"I know!" Sirius said. "I know, Lily, you know we're trying- the whole bloody Order is on it. But it takes time. You have to be patient. We'll get her out, I promise. Just- just enjoy your Ball, and we'll talk more after, alright?"
Lily didn't respond. She just tossed her mirror to the other bed, right next to her broom, and then collapsed face first into her own bed. It was going to be hard to enjoy Ball when nobody else was willing to go with her. Every time she tried, she was either told flat out that if she even asked they'd scream for help, and the three girls she did work up the courage to ask just laughed in her face. Daphne Greengrass, Hannah Abbot, and Lisa Turpin were now permanently (until they did something nice enough to forgive them) on her list of enemies. She was going to try Lavender Brown as well, after receiving a friendly little wave from the girl while walking through the halls, but the mean glare Parvati gave her the instant she approached scared her off.
"So much for a lion's courage," Lily groaned, rolling over to her back.
She glanced over at her friend's bed, wishing Hermione hadn't left for home. She'd probably go with her, if she begged enough. Lily sighed and kicked off her boots, settling in for a nap if she wasn't going to be playing Quidditch.
She wasn't surprised at all when Slytherin lost their subsequent match to Ravenclaw at 240-130. That, combined with Hufflepuff's subsequent victory against Gryffindor in the last game before Spring(Ron caught the Snitch, but they still narrowly clenched it with a last minute goal), made Lily certain the rest of Slytherin was most certainly going to turn on her. She was very surprised when Mia took the blame entirely on her own, telling everybody who would listen that she benched Lily herself to give their reserves some time to shine. It was enough to get her to ask Mia Alderton out, only to be laughed at again by the girl's friends surrounding her and refused completely. At least Mia had the grace to look ashamed about it as her friends continued laughing until she fled around the corner. At least she managed to hold in her frustrated tears until she got to her dorm and buried her face in her pillow.
When she woke up the day Christmas morning, the day of the Yule Ball, Lily adamantly refused to leave her bed. She just didn't much see the point in spending the day getting all fancied up and pretty when she'd just be mocked and ridiculed as soon as the Ball began. She could see a stack of gifts sitting on her desk, but she couldn't be bothered to get up and open those, either. She might have spent the entire day laying there, if Sirius didn't call for her the instant she closed her eyes.
"Happy Christmas!" he said, his smile dipping the instant he saw her face. "Merlin, you didn't sleep very well, did you?"
"No," Lily grumbled.
"Well- err- looking forward to the Ball?"
"No."
"Err- open your presents, yet?"
"I don't care about presents," Lily snapped, sitting up straight. "When are you helping Katie?"
"Lily," Sirius said with the composure of a practiced speaker, "We are doing everything we can. You have to be patient."
"Forget it," Lily said, tossing her mirror down.
She went straight to the Secret Chamber after throwing on a set of robes, where she ordered it to give her something to break. The inside ended up being filled with dozens, if not hundreds, of identical vases, chandeliers, statues, cabinets, desks, and anything else Lily could have thought of to smash. And she did so, for hours on end, trying out every spell she knew, and sometimes just slashing her wand endlessly without any real thought at all. No matter how many things she broke, they'd be back to new when she turned around. No matter how many things she broke, she didn't feel satisfied in the slightest.
She gave it up at some point when her stomach simply wouldn't allow her to continue. She settled on grabbing a quick meal and then returning immediately after. She was letting her swimming practice slip; Katie would be mad at her if she failed to finish before the Second Task, even if they weren't currently allowed to speak.
She was very surprised when, upon exiting the Chamber, she found Fred and George leaning against the opposite wall.
"About bloody time," George said, immediately springing to his feet.
"We've been waiting out here for ages," Fred added, doing the same.
"I don't feel like a stupid snowball fight," Lily snapped, turning to stomp off only to immediately be blocked by George.
"We know you don't," he said, holding out a hand to stop her. "We're not here for that, either."
"What do you mean?" Lily asked suspiciously.
"We're here for your help," Fred said, moving to her other side. "Ron told us where to find you, but we couldn't get in."
"I didn't want anybody coming in," Lily admitted, crossing her arms.
"We figured," the twins said together.
"Completely terrible of you to hide this room from us, by the way," George said, staring at the wall that moments ago had been a door.
"Reckon it could have been very useful in the past," Fred agreed, shaking his head forlornly. "Ah, well. You should open it for us now. We need to talk, and you won't want anybody listening in."
Lily almost refused, but she could tell by the stern look she was receiving that it wasn't an option.
"Fine," she said, turning on her heel and thinking "we need a place to talk." Just like always, it took three paces, back and forth, before the door finally appeared.
"Wicked," the twins said, exchanging a look of glee with each other.
"Hurry up," Lily said, opening the door. "It only stays for a few seconds."
With all of their bodies safely secured inside, Lily turned to the two of them and crossed her arms again, waiting for them to begin speaking.
"Right," George said, taking charge. "Well, it's about Katie, see?"
"What about her?" Lily said dangerously.
"We want to go rescue her," Fred said, "but we need your help for it."
"Come again?" Lily said, a whole lot of animosity immediately leaving her body.
"We know where she lives from Alicia," George continued. "Took a bit of convincing- she really didn't want us going, with the Ball starting up soon and all- and we can get there on our own, but- well-"
"But what?" Lily asked.
"But we can't get in by ourselves," Fred said.
"That," George said, "and we need some Polyjuice Potion for our plan to work."
"We know how to brew it," Fred said, "but we don't have the time."
"Not to mention the money," George muttered.
"But you know where to get some," Fred said. "See, we've heard through the grapevine that you've brewed some before."
"Who told you?" Lily said, narrowing her eyes.
"Percy," they said together.
"Can't say I blame you for copying Penelope, though," Fred said, smiling and nudging her. "Especially now that we know how you feel about our female schoolmates."
"And she was a looker, wasn't she?" George asked, matching his brother. "Can't say I blame you for wanting to see the rest of her."
"I wasn't doing anything weird with it!" Lily immediately protested.
"Sure," the twins said, dragging the short word out.
"Honest! I just wanted to see what it was like to be someone else for a bit!"
"And I'm the ambassador from Bulgaria," Fred said, doing his best impression of the man from the Quidditch World Cup.
"I'm not lying!" Lily said, stomping in frustration. "I copied Katie and Lavender too and- err- Stop giving me that look!"
"Look, Lily, it doesn't matter what you were up to, gallivanting about as a gaggle of cute girls," George said.
"What matters is if you know where to get some more of the stuff," Fred finished. "If you can't, we're dead in the water."
"What do you need it for?" Lily asked after a long pause. "What's the plan?"
"We've heard from Alicia that the Bells are hosting a Masquerade tonight," Fred said.
"All very last minute," George continued. "Alicia's parents were, apparently, very upset that they didn't get an invitation."
"It's to celebrate Lucius Malfoy's engagement, see," Fred said, "so he's the one that picked the guests, and he excluded anyone who isn't a personal friend of his."
"So how is Polyjuice going to help us get in?" Lily asked.
"We've got hairs from that git Draco," Fred said, holding up a thin blonde hair.
"And I've got one from that girl he's taking to the ball," George said, holding up what was undoubtedly Pansy's hair.
"They're both invited, see, even if they aren't expected to show up," Fred said.
"So, way we figured it, we'll just pop in as a little surprise," George said.
"Who am I going as?"
"Don't know," Fred said. "We'll figure that out later, even if we just have you wait in the car."
"Car?" Lily said, blinking in confusion.
"Later!" George said. "Focus, Lily: can you get the Polyjuice or not?"
"I can," Lily said slowly. "But- err- it's not strictly legal. I'll have to steal it."
"We won't say a word," Fred and George said, locking their lips with a little key made of air and then tossing it away.
"Just meet us at McGonagall's office," George said as all three of them pushed into the hallway. "We have it on good authority she'll be out of it the rest of the night."
"Got it," Lily said, already jogging ahead.
Lily sprinted down the corridors to get back to her dormitory, ignoring both the scolding cries of Prefect and Professor alike. Honestly, she didn't know why they were even bothering. After three full years of the stuff, she thought they should have been used to seeing it by now. She didn't slow down one bit until she reached her dorm. There, the break in speed was only to search for her Invisibility Cloak.
She found it sitting on her bed, with a note pinned to it. That made her blood run cold, but she recognized the handwriting and the message.
The Order of the Phoenix meets at 12 Grimmauld Place. Should one require safety, or to be hidden away, it's the best choice after Hogwarts.
Lily let out a little, satisfied laugh, tucked the note into her robe, and then tossed the cloak over the head.
Sneaking into Belby's office proved more difficult than she expected. For one, she had no idea where it was; all her meetings with the Professor, prior to her removal from the Beauxbatons roster, were in the normal Potions classroom in the dungeons. She checked every room down there she could think of, but each of them were empty (aside from one where a Slytherin couple were sneaking away for a bit of privacy, but they thankfully didn't see Lily, even if they did hear her little squeak).
She didn't have the time to check every single door in Hogwarts, and while she certainly had some good guesses, she really didn't fancy running all over the school. Doing so was already hard enough under her cloak as it was. She ended up being very lucky when, while turning a corner towards McGonagall's office (as she decided to just ask a friendly professor where it was), she ran into Mad-Eye walking with the Greek woman, arguing in low voices. Lily froze in place, wondering how in Merlin's name she was going to explain this to Moody, when his magical eye whizzed past her direction without so much as a pause.
"We can discuss this in my office, Alastor," Belby said, tone very cool.
"Good," Mad-Eye growled. "I can get my inspection out of the way, as well."
Lily blinked in surprise as they walked right past her. This just seemed far too good to be true. She had to test it, and the only way she could think of to do that was to release a sharp, short whistle. Both professors turned around and, once again, Mad-Eye's trademark passed right over her.
He couldn't see her. But why? She knew he could back in second year. What changed?
"Must have been the wind," Mad-Eye grumbled, grabbing Belby by the arm and getting them both marching again. "Castle's been draftier than ever since it grew."
She supposed the why didn't much matter right now; she couldn't waste the opportunity. Either Moody really couldn't see her anymore, or he was faking it to give her the chance. That implied he knew what she was up to, which was disturbing on a different level, but it wasn't something she could waste.
Besides, if Dumbledore was supporting her, it would follow that Moody would, too.
She hurried to follow behind them. Occasionally, Moody might have heard a footstep, or some other noise, from behind them, but he never gave any sort of acknowledgement. When she accidentally stubbed her toe trying to turn a corner too fast, the gnarled, former auror whirled, one hand whacking the side of his head that the all-seeing eye was on.
Either he really couldn't see her, or he was putting on quite the act for the foreign woman. Either way, Lily was going to make full use of it. It, at the very least, made following the duo back to Belby's office much easier. She just barely managed to slip in behind them before Moody could close the door.
"You've been eating fruit in here?" Mad-Eye said with a grunt.
"No," Belby said dismissively. "I never eat in my office."
"You make a habit of using citrus in your potions?"
"No."
That was Lily's fault. Moody must have caught a whiff of her perfume, even if he didn't realize it. Oh, well. She moved around the room as quietly as she could, checking shelves and vials for the slightest bit of Polyjuice Potion.
"You've been watching Potter," Mad-Eye said matter-of-factly. "Why?"
"Olympe asked me to," Belby said coldly, taking a seat at her desk.
"Why?"
"Because until a decision has been made, she is still a student of Beauxbatons, regardless of what uniform she is wearing."
"I find it hard to believe the giantess cares that much about a wayward student," Mad-Eye said. "Especially after the way she was treated when her name came out."
"Potter fooled her. She has every right to be mad."
"Potter fooled nobody. She didn't enter herself in the tournament."
"So you say. Let me ask you something: you suspect me, don't you?"
"I suspect everybody."
"Why would I enter her into the tournament? Why would anyone from Beauxbatons?"
"Not anyone," Mad-Eye corrected, both eyes fixed on Belby. "Just you. I happen to have records showing a large deposit in your account from a Mr. Lucius Malfoy, dated shortly after the girl was chosen as a Champion. How curious."
"I sold him some potion," Belby said dismissively. "Nothing more."
"What was it?"
"Polyjuice," Belby said. "Made by Potter, as a matter of fact. And, no, I don't know what he wanted with it. I didn't ask."
Lily just caught herself from swearing. This was all a waste of time. She started edging towards the door, doing her absolute best not to focus on how angry this conversation was making her.
"An awful lot of money for Polyjuice Potion," Mad-Eye said skeptically. Lily could hear his eye whirring around in his skull.
"It wasn't just for the Polyjuice," Belby admitted. "That was just the largest part. I can get you a full list later, if you want. He purchased quite a bit of my personal stock."
"Why you?"
"I invented the Wolfsbane along with my husband, even if my name doesn't appear on the patent. I assure you I am quite capable."
"I don't believe you. Malfoy could have brewed it himself, or he could have had someone brew it for him. Malfoy wouldn't seek out a Potioneer who relies on the naivety of a teenage girl to brew expensive potions."
Lily really didn't know how to feel about that, but she decided she wasn't going to be taking any more private Potions lessons anytime soon.
"Believe whatever you want," Belby said calmly. "I just sold him what I had on hand. Potter's name just allowed me to charge more."
"He knew she made it, then?"
"He specifically asked for it, as a matter of fact."
"And how did he know she brewed anything at all?"
"I mentioned it to Horace," Belby said, checking her nails. "The man loves to gossip. Perhaps you should be interrogating him on who he is discussing the girl with?"
"Oh, believe me, I intend to," Mad-Eye said, turning towards the door. "I've got my eye on you, Belby. I suggest you keep better company. We wouldn't want to think you're involved in all of this."
"No, we sure wouldn't," Belby said as Mad-Eye (and Lily, right behind him) slipped out the door.
There was a lot to unpack in there, but Lily simply did not have the time to even begin doing so. As much as she wanted to run down to Hermione for a very frantic discussion (only to be disappointed when she remembered the girl wasn't down there), she had a very pretty girl to rescue. She ignored Mad-Eye completely (although, thankfully, he went in the opposite direction) and moved as quickly as she could down the hall and upstairs.
"Dobby!" she said as she ran down the hall, whipping the cloak off herself and shoving it into her robe as soon as she was alone.
"Hazel Potter needs Dobby?" Dobby said, popping into existence and immediately running at her side.
"I need you to grab something for me," Lily said. "My dress for the Ball. Should be hanging on my wardrobe. Get it fast."
"Yes, Hazel Potter," Dobby said, doing an awkward sort of run-bow before popping back out of existence.
Lily ran a bit further and then stopped completely, face frozen in realization.
"Dobby!" she said.
"Hazel Potter needs something else?" Dobby said, popping in front of her and handing the dress over.
"Can you bring Katie Bell here?" she asked, accepting the pretty thing.
"Dobby cannot go to anyone if he does not know who and where they is," Dobby said, wringing his hands together nervously.
"What if somebody can tell you where they are?"
"Dobby is sorry, Hazel Potter," Dobby said, turning his eyes down. "Both conditions is needed for Dobby to go. Dobby could only visit Hazel Potter because Dobby has seen her leaving the train, Miss, when Dobby was picking up the young Master, and because Old Master knew where you was, Miss. Dobby does not know Miss Bell."
"Even if she's a student here?"
"Dobby was in the kitchens. Dobby never saw students, unless they comes to visit Dobby like great Misses Hazel Potter and Hermione Granger. Dobby is sorry. Dobby could search, but it would take Dobby a long time, Miss."
"What if your master calls you?" Lily asked. "Could you go if I transferred you to her?"
"Dobby is a free elf, Miss," Dobby said. "Dobby is working for you, but Dobby is not owned."
"Wait- but you can hear me call for you?"
"Hazel Potter is Dobby's Mistress," Dobby said, still wringing his hands. "But Hazel Potter does not own Dobby. Dobby can come, Miss, if he knows where Hazel Potter is, but only when Miss calls for Dobby. A good elf is only seen when he is needed, Miss. Dobby is sorry he cannot be of more help."
Lily let out a sigh. "It's alright, Dobby. That would have been too easy, anyway."
"Yes, Miss."
"Go back to the kitchens. And, for the record, I'm going to Malfoy Manor, if I call for you. Do not tell anybody else that."
"Yes, Miss," Dobby said, eyes widening in fear, popping away again. Lily immediately started running again.
"Bad news," she said upon turning the corner near McGonagall's office. "There isn't any Polyjuice."
"Well, that's the plan shot, then, isn't it?" Fred said, sighing and exchanging a look with his brother.
"Good news," Lily said, stopping short in front of them and holding up her dress, "I've got a different plan."
"And what's that?" George asked. "I like skirts as much as the next bloke, Lily, but I don't think me putting one on as me is going to help anything."
"It's not for you, it's for- look, you're sure McGonagall is going to stay gone?"
"Positive," Fred said. "We gave Peeves our entire stock of dungbombs and told him to have fun. She'll be hard pressed to find them all before the Ball starts if she's wasting time on us."
"Then let me change, and you'll see," Lily said, tapping her wand to McGonagall's door and entering the now unlocked office.
Her dress was a sleek, dark green, snakes made of a light, silver thread embroidered throughout it that shimmered when catching the light just right. The sleeves were cut to leave skin and show off her shoulders, a small, gold band holding at her elbows and wrists and provide a bit of contrast to the rest of the colour scheme. The skirt was long and not quite as puffy as a traditional ball gown would be, clinging closer to her form, but it was enchanted to swirl and spin and look magnificent while she danced.
It was just a shame Lily Potter wasn't going to get a chance to wear it; she had a silver tiara, made like snakes writhing around each other, all encrusted with diamonds (a little gaudy, but Greengrass talked her into it), that she'd now never get a chance to wear.
As soon as she was finished changing, she opened the door back up and did a little spin to show off for the boys.
"Yes, great, you're very pretty," Fred said dismissively. "But how is that going to help us?"
"Also, you look like you're about to pop out of that thing," George said. "Why is it so small?"
"Because I shrank it to fit Narcissa Black," Lily said, smiling and then, by crossing her eyes and focusing hard, she changed her body to an exact replica of the woman she met at the Quidditch World Cup. She shrank down about as far as she could go, widened her hips, busted her bust, made her nose smaller and her eyeshadow darker, and turned her hair into a straight, sleek, blonde.
"Wait," George said slowly. "You- you actually were a Metamorphmagus?"
"The Quibbler wasn't just having us all on?" Fred asked.
"They can't be wrong about everything," Lily said, rolling her eyes, her voice a lot more sultry and proper. "Here." She tossed her Invisibility Cloak to Fred, who caught it just in time. "Keep that safe for me. You'll need it if you're going to follow me into the manor. How are we planning on getting there, anyway?"
"Oh, you'll see," George said, smiling and pushing past her. He went straight to McGonagall's fireplace, where he tossed in a pinch of power and turned the flames to green. "Ladies first. Head on home. We'll be right behind you."
"If you insist," Narcissa Black said, giving the two gentlemen a curtsy. She stepped past the grate and into the cool flames and then turned around to face the boys.
Hang on, Katie, Lily thought. We're coming.
"The Burrow."