Against the clock
After the break from training, the fifth year commanders reorganized and had Remus and Lily fight Cecile and Anthony. Lily thought, Jack must have already talked to them and told them not to make us teach the others, like Sev does.
Perfect, a balanced fight, and also Cecile and I continue to learn from Remus and Anthony. They are very good commanders, very well chosen, even better than the others, even than him, who never organize two-on-two fights. I have to suggest it to him, what an eye he has to choose.
As time went by, Lily worried more and more. Sev doesn't come, by now he should have woken up. Something else has happened. Of course, what made us so funny at first has been very serious, Sev's entire escort has disappeared from the Great Hall, eight people, and all in the same hole.
They always enter together, the entire Great Hall has noticed, not just the Slys, and of course, the malefics as well. And even more serious, that Jack entered alone, so worried, revealing that Sev was not with them, and left immediately without having breakfast, angry.
The malefics have noticed everything and maybe now they are the ones who have been looking for Sev all morning in the castle. Luckily he has the Map, what a blessing. In the end it was a success that Remus told Albus and that he made it so quickly and gave the first one to Sev.
I must trust his judgment and Albus' more. Surely he would have known how to calm Jack down better than I did and he wouldn't have given himself away so much in the Great Hall. They may even have noticed that we were waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs, or that we have spoken to them. I've screwed it up too completely, we should have come directly to the Training Hall and waited for them at the door as I had originally thought.
I have trusted Cecile's judgment and mine was better. I've put myself in danger too, and Remus and Cecile. When we're done, I'm going to ask Remus to go to the meeting room for a moment and look at his Map, to see if we can see the malefics looking for Sev in the castle. Perhaps he has not even been able to leave the Fidelius, we will have to notify his escort so that they can go and rescue him. Before looking at the Map, I'll ask Anthony to tell Jack not to leave, to wait until the last ones out, so people don't see us talking directly to him.
At quarter past twelve the commanders broke off the fightings. Lily turned to Anthony, "Anthony, tell Jack and Prince's escort to wait until Remus and I leave the meeting room before leaving."
"Okay, Lily," Anthony headed for the sixth-grade group.
Lily spoke to Remus, "Remus, let's go to the meeting room."
"Let's go, Lily."
They went there.
"Take out the Map, Remus. The malefics may be looking for Sev around the castle."
"Right, I already thought about it."
Of course, Remus doesn't suck his thumb. He must have been thinking about it all morning too, we should have looked at it at half-time. How badly we have done everything, we do not know how to function without Sev, we are not up to him. It is essential that he survive and be well for everything to move forward.
Remus spread out the Marauder's Map on the table, the original, with no colors.
"The Gryffs are in the Common Room at home."
"Well, at least the five of them aren't together. Look at the Fidelius on the fifth floor."
"In the fifth there is no one."
"Brilliant. Look for the Raves around the castle," Lily asked.
"Help me, Lily, there are quite a few people going up and down."
How badly we have done everything, we should have looked at it at half-time. Lily paid attention to the Library first. Lauren is not there, how strange, she always rushes the time to the maximum. She must be home by now, something has happened. They looked at the Map intently for a little over five minutes.
"The malefic Raves aren't here, they must be at home too," Lily said. "And I can't see Sev, he must already be at home or still at the Fidelius. We'll find out in the Great Hall. I'm going to peek out to see if everyone's already gone out."
Remus began to fold the Map. "Sure."
Lily leaned out. She saw Sev's escort waiting and Cecile, Alice and Frank, and everyone else had left. "Come on, Remus, go free, run."
They left the meeting room. It's better for the escort to come out first, so they can go look for Sev at home, we won't go up to the seventh floor, we'll go directly to the Great Hall.
They came running up to them and Lily turned to Jack. She pulled him away from the group and spoke to him alone, quickly. "Jack, we have made sure that the malefics are not looking for Prince in the castle. Go home as soon as possible to see if he is there."
"Oof… Lily. Thanks goodness. I've been suffering all morning."
"Sure, Jack. It's just that you've screwed it up completely at breakfast."
"Yeah, I've already realized it."
"Get ready for a good row from Prince. The one you thought of throwing him. And do not dare to contradict him, because he will be absolutely right."
"Of course, Lily."
"Go home now, don't be late for lunch. We'll wait here."
The Slys left. Lily stayed talking to her own escort, also quickly. "This morning not only the Slys have screwed it up, but also us."
"Why, Lily?" Frank asked, alarmed.
"Because the three of us have been waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs, and the people who have come out of the Great Hall may have seen us do it, and even talking to them, also the malefics."
"Ugh, you're right," said Cecile, scared. "And it was my idea to stay."
"Don't worry, Cecile," Lily reassured her. "At that moment I didn't realize it either, nor did Remus. We lack cunning Sly, we must learn more from Sev and Albus, because Jack doesn't have it at all either. The first one who has screwed it up to the bottom has been him, he has put us all in danger. Take the opportunity to go to the toilet if you need it. I need it, I'm very nervous. We are not going to go home, we must reach the Great Hall before the malefics."
"Sure, let's go," Alice said.
They all went running.
Lily thought, Jack has been totally intimidated. Sev is going to remove him as second as soon as Alice and Frank learn Occlumency, and he should put either Deborah or Valerie as head escort. Jack loves him too much and puts him in danger, and so do I, we don't keep our cool. I can go about preparing myself for a good row, if he found out what we did in the morning, from his own Map, Albus', or from Lauren. You will see.
They ran to the door and Lily looked at the time. Twenty-five past twelve, very little time. We don't have enough time to look at the Map again. "Lets go. Alice and Frank in front, me behind you and Remus and Cecile behind. Sorry guys, you two are in danger too, but I'm the most at risk."
"Of course, Lily," Remus said.
They went out and formed. "Come on, without rushing, but at a good pace."
They reached the Great Hall in little more than a minute. Lily had already located where the Rave and Gryff malefics usually sat and she saw that they weren't there. "Okay, we can break the formation now and stop giving ourselves away."
Albus is already at the table, that's because Sev's safe. He must already have the malefics and us located on the Map, he has been making it since Monday. Oof… what a relief. When I get to my place I'll ask him.
They came to their place and sat down. Lily projected to Albus, "Albus, is Prince safe?"
"Yes, Lily, he is at home. He has been with me," the Headmaster replied.
Then he has found out everything and I am going to get a good one. And with every reason. Ugh… "Oof… what a relief, Albus. This morning we have screwed up all completely.
"Don't blame yourself, Lily, it was Jack and me too. I should have projected to him, and instructions for you as well."
Well, yes, the truth is, he's not very quick-minded, but the poor man is over ninety, he's not at his best, that's why he needs Sev so much. It's more important that Sev survives than he does. And he's being too soft on me, Sev's not going to be at all. If I fall, he goes after. "Don't worry, Albus. If he's safe, everything's fine."
"We'll continue talking when he arrives, he told me that he wants to talk to you first. Meanwhile, reassure your friends."
"Okay, Albus."
To talk to me first. To tell me off, and also to find out what Lauren must have found out. Something serious has happened, surely the malefics have seen us. Ugh… how we have messed it up.
She spoke to Cecile, "Cecile, tell Remus that Sev is safe."
"Oof, Lily, what a relief, I'll tell him right away."
Cecile turned to talk to Remus. Lily to Alice and Frank, "Alice, Frank, Prince is fine."
"Of course, Lily, we have not doubted it at any time. He knows how to take care of himself."
Right, they know how to judge him well, even though they've only known him for two weeks and barely dealt with him. Much better than me or Jack. The feeling so deep that we have for him makes us lose our roles. "Of course, not like me, I can't wait for him to be the one to protect me. I know that nothing will ever happen to me if I'm in his hands, sorry for the part that corresponds to you, but he would kill and die in order I didn't suffer a scratch."
"And so do we, Lily," Frank said with absolute certainty. "Don't doubt it."
I believe him, they also understand how essential we both are to the future of the Wizarding World. Him for being who he is and me for being his eternal love. But they still don't know how to kill, nor have they Bonded with us. They should, but they still don't know how to occlude. Fortunately the shield would protect them too, because the three of us already love them, but I must always stay close to Remus or Cecile. "Thanks, Frank, but you still don't know how to kill. He do, since he was thirteen years old."
"He must teach us as soon as possible," Alice said very sure of herself and gravely.
"Of course he will."
More work for him. And I'm sure they will achieve the temper easily, they live to be warriors. I could do it myself, or Remus. I will consult Sev if it is appropriate for us to go to the small clearing.
Lily glanced around the Great Hall. The malefics are already in their places and having lunch, they have arrived ahead of time, to check if both we and Sev arrived on time. I hope he doesn't take long, we haven't been caught by very little. What a risk I've put myself in, and he must have found out everything about this, if he's already at home and calmly looking at the Map. The one that is going to fall on me, I have also screwed it up completely when leaving training. I will never learn.
Lauren is entering the Hall right now, with the vast majority of Sly. She looks calm. She looked at the time. "Half past twelve o'clock. Of course, they do know how to hide, real snakes. Lauren only gets out of hand when her feeling so deep for Sev comes into play. Let's see where she sits, if she changes places. Yes, she does. She has just sat down back to back to one of the Rave malefics. Something big has happened, she is going to read him, I won't project to her.
Lauren projected to her, "Lily, Sev is fine, I've seen him at home."
"Wonderful, Lauren. Albus already told me as well."
"We'll talk when he arrives."
"Whenever you can."
That said, she is going to read the Rave, and Sev wants to talk to me and both of us first, so that he can find out what happened and how I screwed up. Well, to try to eat something until he arrives. Lily began to eat quietly.
. . . . . . . . .
Meanwhile, Sev went up to his bedroom, took out the Map again and spread it out on his bed. The malefics are in the Common Rooms of their houses, it doesn't seem like they have the intention of going hunting for Lily after training. They're going for me, not for her. They are going to use the information they have about her to gain Voldemort's favor, since she is not yet in the spotlight. I don't think, therefore, that they will try to make it public before leaving Hogwarts, we will get rid of the journalists. Better, then Lauren will tell us.
I hope Lily will be cunning and leave the Training Hall first and don't go home, go directly to the Great Hall. At 12:16 people started coming out of the Training Hall. They don't go out. She's been nervous about me and they're looking at Remus' Map. Bad job, Lily... I already have a Map, better than yours, I'm safe. And my escort doesn't come out either. If they all think of going out together again... Luckily the malefics are still in their homes, what fools they are.
At 12:20 people stopped coming out of the Training Hall. Only my escort and they have stayed inside, they are already messing it up again. I'm going to have to tell all of them off. Also Lily, of course. Luckily the malefics are still in their houses, they are not very clever, really, or it is just that, they do not go after her, Lauren will tell us later.
At 12:22 his escort left. Unformed and rushing. The seven, instead of hiding that I'm going with them, to the center, protected. This Jack has no idea, I'm removing him as head escort today. I'll put Deborah or Valerie, Deborah has more leadership and cunning skills, I already saw how she warded her back when she mistrusted me, and Valerie is captain of the Quidditch team, she also knows how to lead.
The malefics are still in their homes, luckily they won't see them, but the Gryffs still haven't come out. I'm already getting sick, they're going to make me arrive late to the Great Hall and not be able to have a few words with Jack beforehand, to let him know what awaits him after lunch.
At 12:25 the malefics left their houses and Lily with her escort at the same time. The malefics are going at a good pace and they have left at the same time, they have organized themselves. Luckily the Gryffs are going to have to wait for the Raves if they want to reach the Great Hall together. Look how stupid they are, they do not constitute a great danger, there is no snake among them. They will arrive before me. Better, so I'll see their faces when I arrive.
Lily goes in formation to the center of the four, at a good pace too, she has already realized that she has put herself in danger too, and they will reach the Great Hall before the malefics, but narrowly, in a sprint. I have to tell her off well, and then Jack. What a tense time awaits me. I'm fed up, I have to keep an eye on everything, this can't go on like this. At this rate I'm going to fall ill. He folded the Map.
Jack came into the bedroom at that moment, with Anthony. "Prince, are you there?"
(He's still nervous, unbelievable.) "Of course I am, Jack. I know how to take care of myself, not like you all," jaded.
Jack peeked into the bed from the window side, which was where Sev was. "I'm very sorry."
(You'll be more in a while.) "Have you been to the bathroom?" Sev asked.
"We haven't."
(Not even that. And that seven minutes have passed since they finished training until they left the Hall. Incredible.) "Come on, hurry up, we have to get to the Great Hall as punctual as possible."
Now we will also have to wait for the girls, who take longer. But Deborah sure has gone, and Valerie and Andrew will have gotten into the one in the Common Room so as not to waste time.
They left in a minute, Sev was already waiting for them at the bedroom door. "Let's go to the Common Room, quickly," he ordered them.
They ran down the stairs. (There's no one left, all the Slys have arrived at the Hall on time, of course, as they should. And as expected, Deborah, Valerie, and Andrew are ready. We're enough, we don't wait for Heather and Fiona.)
He spoke authoritatively, "Let's go to have lunch, in formation and calm. Running we give the impression that we are afraid. Do you know?"
"Of course, Prince," Deborah answered him, with absolute confidence and seriousness.
(I already have an escort head. Now that Jack realizes that Deborah, for this, surpasses him. I'm firing him right now.)
"That is. For the line of two, you next to me, Deborah. Valerie and Andrew in the front and Jack and Anthony in the back. Wands out."
They took out their wands and formed up. Sev got behind Valerie and Jack behind him. They left the Common Room, through the dungeons corridor and the spiral staircase. (I don't even like that he covers my back anymore, I don't see him capable of keeping his cool in a tense situation. And to think that he's the only snake I'm going to have for the summer escort… He has to teach Occlumency Valerie and Andrew without fail and teach them curses as well. I'll go over it all this afternoon with him.)
At the top, through the widest corridor, they stopped to form up again. Sev ordered, "Andrew, Valerie, me between you. Anthony, you behind me."
They regrouped and continued walking, down the corridor on the ground floor and to the Great Hall. Just before entering he looked at the time. (12:32. Luckily we live in the dungeons and not on the seventh floor.) They went inside.
He studied the terrain as they approached the table. (The malefics are already here and they are looking at us, how inept. And Lauren has arrived on time and has changed places, right behind the seventh-year Raves, to read them, perfect. Albus is already at the table, of course, he has not stayed until the last minute in the office raising suspicions, he can be trusted.)
They arrived at the Sly table in formation. (No Sly looks at us and they are all at the table, as if nothing had happened, despite everyone knows that we have missed breakfast and I have missed training. Any of them is more reliable than Jack.)
They broke formation to walk both sides of the table. Jack was behind him, the other four on the other side. When he reached Lauren's height he looked at her and projected to her, "I love you gorgeous."
She looked at him. "And I you, I will always."
"I don't doubt it, you don't either."
He kept walking to his place, with Jack behind him. (Surely he has noticed that Lauren and I have looked at each other, and he must have suspected that we have projected to each other. I don't give a damn, in less than an hour I plan to tell him everything very clearly, not about the kiss, but all the rest, that he finds out about the danger he has also put her in. He is inept.)