Finally we see the Whomping Willow prank! One of my fave moments.
CHAPTER SIX
MISHAPS, MUDBLOODS, AND MOONLIGHT
The grounds are covered in white. Snow has blanketed everything, and is still falling thickly— between the trees, the castle is just barely visible in the distance. The forest is quiet, serene and peaceful...
Something rustles a low hanging tree branch, causing a small shower of snow.
It is a handsome red deer, a stag with impressive antlers, eyes alive with intelligence beyond that of a normal deer. He looks around, taking in his surroundings.
After a moment, he takes off through the forest, startling some birds, dodging trees with ease as he heads down an embankment.
He leaps easily over a frozen rivulet, landing in a soft spray of powdered snow. He continues until he reaches a little clearing.
In the clearing is a small herd of unicorns, almost blending in with the snow. There's young, too, their coats a brilliant gold. They're drinking from a partially frozen river.
The stag approaches them carefully.
One of the unicorns looks up and straight at the stag. They hold each other's gaze for a moment, then the unicorn returns to drinking. The stag regards them, then leaps over the brook and continues on its way.
It reaches the edge of the forest, still running at full tilt. Once out of the trees, it tears past Hagrid's hut, bounding up the hill with amazing agility.
Just before the entrance to the covered bridge, the deer launches itself forward and transforms mid-air into James Potter.
James, breathing hard, leans against a stone pillar for support. He grins, and straightens up, pulling his jacket more tightly around himself as he heads back across the bridge.
Mary is sitting up in her bed, feeling a great deal more herself than she has for a while, smiling a little as Cresswell talks to her.
There's a small pile of cards, flowers and sweets on the table next to her bed.
Cresswell is seated on the chair by her side, showing her something in a hefty textbook. He comes to visit her a lot, and she's grateful. He keeps her from being alone with her thoughts for too long.
"Yeah, and that's what they did to them. Pretty gruesome, eh?"
Mary looks down at the page, grimaces at the woodblock prints depicting gruesome murders the goblins committed against wizards during their uprising. Most of them involved pickaxes in some way. "It's really horrible... D'you know, I think I've learnt more with you in a couple of weeks than I have with Binns in five years."
"I think history of magic's sort of interesting actually," says Cresswell. "It's only Binns that makes it seem dead boring. I mean, literally, right?"
She chuckles a little.
"Yeah, the Goblin rebellions were actually really fascinating if you look into it. I mean, you've got this whole species that's just as intelligent as humans, arguably more intelligent, and yet they were considered lesser. Still are, to some extent."
"Didn't know you cared so much about Goblin rights, Cresswell." Says Mary, surprised.
He shrugs, "And why shouldn't I? They're the same as any of us, just a bit shorter's all. I don't understand why they're not treated like it. Wizards are a bit odd, aren't they."
"Yeah, it's not as if Muggles are ever racist," Mary says pointedly, and he looks chagrined.
"Oh, right. Yeah, I s'pose you're right about that, aren't you. Sorry."
She shrugs. "Yeah, well. Tell me more about the Goblins."
"Well... their language is really strange but I like it, I've picked up a few words and all."
Mary looks at him, awestruck. "You've been learning the Goblin language?"
"Gobbledegook," says Cresswell, not without a hint of pride. "Yeah. My dad's always said I've got a way with languages, I just like them is all."
"Well go on, say a few words then," she prompts him, eager.
He turns a little pink. "Oh, well, alright, though you can't blame me if my pronunciation is shoddy. Let's see, Kavktta Vvargden— that means 'die wizards' so it's bound to come in handy. Oh, there's Bladvak, that means a sort of pickaxe, like the ones they were using in the pictures."
"Right," Mary says with a shudder, as Lily enters the hospital wing.
"Morning all," she says brightly. "Seen the snow?"
"Yeah, its mad out there," says Cresswell.
"Morning, Lily. Dirk was just telling me how he's learnt the goblin language."
"What? I didn't know about this."
Cresswell scratches his head, embarrassed. "Well I haven't learnt the whole thing, have I, only a bit."
"A lot more than me," says Mary proudly.
"Yeah, and me."
Lily crosses the magical line and sits down in the other chair next to Mary's bed.
"How are you doing this morning, Mary?"
"Oh, honestly." Mary says. "I'm fine, just like I was yesterday."
Lily bites her lip. "Listen, I know what you said but Marlene practically tied herself to my leg on the way down here begging me to ask you again, so—"
Mary immediately withdraws, looks away. "No, I... I don't want to see her. Just leave it."
"I know," says Lily, looking regretful. "And I'm sorry to ask. It's whatever you want, Mary. I just promised her I'd ask you again."
"Well, you have now, haven't you?"
"Yeah, I just... you've got to start talking to her again sometime, haven't you? You've been best friends for five years, Mary, you can't just let that go."
Mary shrugs listlessly. "I don't want to talk about that."
"Well, fine, please yourself then." Lily says, giving up.
Mary searches for a change of subject. "What classes have you got today?"
"Charms, then Defence..." Says Cresswell.
"We did have Herbology, but it got cancelled because of the snow. So we've got a study period instead. Though there's not much to study on the last week of term."
"Oh, right," Mary says with a frown. Time seems to have gone by so quickly; it feels like just yesterday she was duelling Rosier in the courtyard.
"Oh, that reminds me," says Lily suddenly. "Slughorn's throwing his Christmas party tonight and he said you're both welcome if you want to go."
Cresswell looks sceptical. "He said that, did he?"
"Alright, well I had to convince him to let me bring two dates instead of one," Lily admits. "But it wasn't hard. That is, if you feel up to it, Mary. You'd be supervised the entire time."
She and Cresswell exchange a glance.
"Better not, Lily," says Mary. "These potions they've got me on have me out like a light at eight or so."
"Then I've no idea who to take! I don't want to go alone..."
"What about Marlene?" asks Mary casually.
Lily looks away, uncomfortable. "Well, we're not exactly on good terms at the moment, she only talks to me to ask about you, and besides that...
"What?"
"She's already going with, uh, someone else."
Mary sits up. "Someone else? Who?"
Like the rest of the common room, the Slytherin boy's dormitory is dark and regal, low-hanging green silks dangle above the beds.
Corrin Shea is doing up his tie, looking irritated.
"I don't see why it has to be me."
He turns to Nicola, who approaches to adjust his tie for him.
"Well, it can't be me, can it?" she says.
"Why not? It's you that wants her there, you take her."
She rolls her eyes. "Oh, honestly Corrin, it makes no difference. It's just what we're writing on the stupid paper. We'll all be there together anyway."
"It makes some difference, though," Corrin grumbles. "It's me everyone's going to be talking about."
"I thought you didn't care what people said about you," Nicola points out. "Besides, you're a boy. At the end of the day you can just pass it off as some perverted little notion that got into your perverted little head."
"Well thanks very much," he says sarcastically.
"I didn't mean your head specifically, I meant all boys, obviously."
At this moment Avery enters freshly showered, sees them and grins.
"Well well, if it isn't the terrible twins. Isn't it a little early to be paying conjugal visits? What's the matter, Selwyn, you just couldn't wait for it? Though, by all means, don't let me stop you. Bed's right there, go ahead, I'll just be making some notes..."
Nicola gives Shea a meaningful look.
"Aye, alright, I'll give you that one," he says grudgingly.
Severus, one bed over, stirs. In a most ungainly fashion, he pulls himself out of bed and stands in just his greying pants, rubbing his eyes blearily. He shuffles around for a second, grabbing a towel as all three Slytherins watch him.
Then he seems to spot Nicola; his eyes grow wide with horror and he scuttles from the room as fast as he can.
There's a moment of surprised silence and then Avery cackles with laughter. Even Nicola and Shea look amused.
"Well, maybe you're right," Shea says.
"When aren't I. My point is, she's a pretty girl, people will be happy to take the simplest explanation- which is that you want to shag her. I mean, don't you?"
It seems to Corrin like a trick question with no real correct answer, so he does his best.
"Not... really? I mean, hypothetically, one would... I mean, no."
Nicola rolls her eyes. Avery looks delighted.
"Yeah, alright," she says. "I'll be in the common room when you've got yourself together."
She leaves, and Avery laughs again while Shea grits his teeth in frustration.
Meanwhile in the Gryffindor dormitories, Remus is making his bed, tucking in the corners a little fastidiously.
James and Cresswell are absent, but Peter is in bed still and Sirius is puttering around getting dressed.
Once Remus is done, he goes to the window and looks out at the blizzard brewing outside. He tries to peer up into the sky but it's nearly impossible to see anything.
"Ready for tonight?" says Sirius as he rummages through his drawers, pulling out things at random and tossing them aside.
"Now that you mention it, not really," Remus admits.
Sirius barely hears him, preoccupied with whatever he's searching for. "Yeah, me too. It's going to be grand, I've been looking forward to it all week."
Remus looks at him, a little irritated and put out by this unintentional brush-off.
"Well, I haven't. I'm kind of nervous about it, actually."
Sirius stops and looks up at him in confusion. "Why on earth would you be nervous? What could possibly go wrong?"
"Oh, I don't know, how about everything?" Remus says. "And even if nothing does go wrong, I still don't exactly look forward to full moon."
Sirius shrugs, and returns to his search.
"Well, fine, you don't need to get so touchy about it."
"I'm not being touchy. You're just being obtuse."
Sirius looks at him, incredulous. "Obtuse? How am I being obtuse?"
Remus sighs. He doesn't want conflict, not today. "Oh, I don't know, you just... nevermind."
"No, I want to hear this, go on," says Sirius, waiting.
"Well it's easy for you and the others, isn't it?" Remus says. "You still get to keep your mind and everything. It's fun for you. I just... I lose everything, I lose control of everything that I am and become this mindless monster bent on destroying everything around it."
Sirius laughs. "When you say it like that it sounds really cool, doesn't it."
"Well, it's not cool, Sirius. It's painful and it's awful."
There's a slight edge to his voice. Sirius realises that Remus is for some reason offended and he relents a little.
"Look, I didn't mean anything by it, alright? Sorry if I... hurt your feelings or something."
It's not a great apology, and Remus isn't totally impressed.
"Yeah, no problem," he says, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice.
Sirius frowns, not really seeing what he's done wrong, but also apparently not particularly caring that much. He moves onto other things, quicker than Remus would like.
"I can't find my fucking sock, have you seen it?"
Remus sighs in annoyance, looks at the ground. A single dark grey sock is just sticking out from under his bed. The lone point of disorder in Remus's otherwise perfectly ordered world. Remus picks it up.
"This it?" he says, holding it out.
"Oh, yes, that's it. Cheers, mate."
Sirius takes it with a grin, argument forgotten.
The ceiling of the Great Hall is a furious blizzard, so white they can barely see the rafters. The Slytherins head towards their usual spot at the end of the table.
"You going to Sluggie's party tonight, Mulciber?" Avery says.
Mulciber's lip curls. "No. I asked Slughorn about it on Monday and he made it quite clear neither I nor Evan are welcome."
"My guess is it's got something to do with little bedridden Mary MacDonald," says Rosier.
"Well, obviously it is. No matter, Slughorn is an obsolete old fool and his parties are only breeding grounds for Mudbloods and blood traitors. We can make our own fun, can't we, boys?"
"Well I should like to go," sniffs Wilkes.
"You're not going," snaps Rosier.
Wilkes, intimidated by Rosier amends quickly. "Fine, fine, I'm not going. What about Shea and Selwyn, are they going?"
"Yeah, along with their newest toy," Avery says.
At their uncomprehending looks, he nods towards a section of the Slytherin table further down. Shea and Selwyn are sitting there, talking with Marlene McKinnon. Severus stares at them, not understanding. What's one of Lily's goody-goody, holier-than-thou friends doing with them? He wonders, bitterly, if Lily is as critical of McKinnon's friendship choices as she is of his own.
"Forget them," says Mulciber. "They're only pretenders, not worthy of our cause."
"Yeah... I'd pretend anything to get between McKinnon's legs."
"Nobody asked, Avery," snarls Rosier.
"Well, they didn't have to. I provide this service free of charge."
There's a few seconds of silent stand-off, during which Severus gets the impression that the power dynamics of the group have shifted ever so slightly. Half a year ago, Avery would never have spoken to Rosier in that way.
"Enough, both of you," says Mulciber. "As I was saying, tonight we'll have our own party, of sorts. Severus, are you in?
"What? Oh, yes, of course I'm in."
"Right, well then the only person left to ask is the guest of honour."
"The guest of honour? Who's that?" asks Wilkes.
"You'll find out," says Mulciber mysteriously.
He shares a knowing glance with Rosier and the rest look around at each other excitedly, wondering who it could be. Could it be… Severus thinks, no, it can't be.
"You'll find out very soon. We've been planning this for quite some time."
Richter stares at them all from behind his moustache.
"This is the last session we will have together before the holidays, so we must make it count. As you may be aware, things are currently far from stable in the wizarding world and for young wizards and witches such as yourself to learn how to defend yourselves is paramount. Today, the most fundamental spell in protecting yourself and others—"
He writes on the board, circles it twice:
PROTEGO
"Now if it were up to me, this would be the first spell a child learns when coming to this school. It is always important to be able to mount a strong, unbreakable defence at a moment's notice. But as it is, this spell is fairly difficult to cast and therefore is considered OWL level by your Ministry. I had it scheduled for after you returned to school, but given recent events I've decided to rearrange things."
"Now, I need two students to come up here and demonstrate. How about you— yes, you—"
He points at Severus, who reluctantly heads to the front and stands glowering before the class.
"And... you, quiet boy."
He signals Remus Lupin, who casts his friends an apprehensive look before standing up and walking to the front of the room. Severus smirks to himself.
"Alright, now you will try to jinx your classmate and he—"
Before he is even finished speaking, Severus has whipped his wand through the air and sent a curse flying at Lupin— who does not have time to block it. He is hoisted by his ankle into the air.
Richter rounds on Severus furiously. "What— What are you doing? Put him down immediately!"
Severus does, not before sending Black and Potter a smug look.
"He did that on purpose!" Black says, angrily.
Richter seems to agree, staring down at Severus with a beady eye. "Yes, clearly. You, stupid boy, what were you thinking? I didn't say you were allowed to start, and I didn't say you could use this spell. I give very clear instructions for a reason, so we can learn while in a safe, controlled classroom setting. What was that spell you used, stupid boy?"
Severus hesitates, not wanting to share his secret. "It's... uh..."
"Well?" Prompts Richter. "What spell was it?"
"It's... it's called levicorpus, sir," Severus says reluctantly.
"Right. Well, do not let me catch you using it in here again. This, everyone, is irresponsible behaviour. And it has just cost this boy's house ten points. Go and sit down. You, red haired girl, come up instead."
Severus does, ignoring Lily's reproachful look as she passes him. He has to walk between the desks of James and Sirius, who fix him with twin murderous glares.
"I'm sick of that slimy git playing games," Sirius mutters to James once Severus has gone. "He has it out for Remus. Maybe it's time we taught him another lesson, seeing as the last one clearly didn't take."
James nods. "Yeah, but not tonight. We've got enough going on tonight."
"Yeah, yeah. I know."
He shoots another glare back at Snape, who leers back.
"This girl is going to use Impedimenta, and you, boy, will try to block it. Is that clear?" Richter says.
"Yes, professor. Ready, Remus?" Lily raises her wand.
He nods.
"Impedimenta!"
She flicks her wand and a jet of white light arcs towards Remus—
"Protego!" shouts Remus.
It impacts with an invisible shield that has sprung from his wand tip and bounces away harmlessly.
"Very nice, very nice work indeed from both of you," says Richter. "Five points to Gryffindor apiece. Return to your seats."
Lily beams as they step down to the desks together. "Well done, Remus!"
Avery, in the front row, mocks her tone. "Well done, Remus! Watch out Scar-face, I think Evans here might have a bit of a crush."
She ignores him and the laughter of the Slytherins and returns to her seat.
Remus doesn't look totally displeased, though, as he follows suit— but James feels a jolt of irritation.
"That Avery... Snape's one thing, but Avery's just an entirely different sort of evil."
Sirius shrugs. "I don't know, I reckon Avery's all talk. It's Snape we've really got to watch out for."
"You could be right. He does seem to especially hate us an awful lot, doesn't he? No idea why."
James yawns and tilts back on his chair.
Severus, lost in his own dark thoughts, heads away from the Defence classroom.
"Sev!"
Lily hurries after him, and he, content to see her, slows so she can keep pace with him.
"Hiya Lily, I was just off to the library, did—"
But she cuts sharply across him.
"I think what you did to Remus in class earlier was really rotten."
He stiffens, his mood darkening again instantly.
"You shouldn't've done it," she continues. "And I think you really ought to apologise for it."
He scowls bitterly at her. "Oh yeah? And why should I? They've never apologized a day in their life for all the rubbish they've done to me, have they?"
"No, they haven't, but I know for a fact Remus doesn't behave the way his mates do. You're just taking it out on him, aren't you?"
"Oh, you know that for a bleeding fact, do you?" he sneers. "How do you know that? Has he told you that?
"So what if he did? Remus is honest, he wouldn't lie about—"
"He's lying about something. And I'll prove it to you."
"Oh, honestly, I think you're being absolutely ridiculous. Remus—"
"Will you please stop calling him that?"
She stops, surprised. "Well, that's his name, isn't it?"
Severus squeezes his eyes shut.
"I— I just don't want you to think he's some sort of... all those times when his mates were pushing me around, and he just sat there... he's part of it, isn't he?"
Lily sees the truth in this and softens her demeanor.
"You've got a point. I'm sorry, Sev, and what he's done— or not done, I suppose— that's rotten too. I still think you ought to apologise to him. And so should he. Tell you what, if I talk to him about it—"
"Oh, don't do that—" he says quickly.
"No, I will," says Lily decidedly. "He's got to apologise as much as you have. It's only fair. If he does, will you promise you'll say you're sorry."
"I don't know, Lily..."
"Please, Sev. Do it for me. Go on," she wheedles.
He really, really doesn't want to— but of all the people on the planet asking him, it's her.
"Oh, alright, fine. I'll bloody apologize to him if that's what you want."
She beams. "Oh, thanks Sev, I knew you would."
"I'll be surprised if that little— if Lupin's as keen on apologising to me."
"Oh, don't worry. Remus is alright really."
"If you say so," says Severus doubtfully. "Coming to the library?"
"Better not, I've got to go round my dormitory before next class. Are you going to Slughorn's party?"
Sev hesitates. He can hardly tell her about Mulciber's 'surprise', whatever it is. "I... don't know. I don't think so, I've got loads of homework," he says instead.
Lily looks awfully disappointed "Oh. Alright then. I'll see you later."
He watches her flutter away a little dazedly, then heads down some steps, joining a stream of students heading towards the library.
Severus heads through the library, dawdling a bit, and then he finds his way to the advanced transfiguration section.
After a moment's pause, he climbs up on the desk and peruses the bookshelf—there is a noticeable gap where a book once was, and he brushes a hand over it thoughtfully. He could have sworn this is where the Animagi Compendium was. If he could just get his hands on it, he'd know more—
"Looking for this?"
Severus twists around to see Sirius Black below him, waving a book significantly— Sev doesn't have to see it up close to know it's the Compendium.
"Give me that," he demands, even though he knows Black will never do so.
Black sneers at him. "Honestly, Snivellus, did nobody teach you to ask for things nicely?"
Severus steps down from the shelf.
"I need that book."
Black reads the spine critically. "Hmm... Torgoff's Animagi Compendium. Now what could a scheming, twisted little slimeball like you want with a book like this? Begs the question, doesn't it?"
"I know what you and your mates have been up to," says Severus.
Black regards him with amusement. "And what's that, then?"
"You're trying to become Animagi, aren't you?" says Severus all in a rush. "Well, it's illegal if you're unregistered."
Black looks at him for a moment, then laughs. "Well look at you, clever clogs. You think you've got it all figured out, don't you?"
"Well, haven't I?" Sev says. He hadn't expected this reaction. Panic, anger, anything— but Black is absolutely cool.
"Listen, you sad bastard, if you want to go running off to the Ministry because you think a group of fifth years suddenly up and decided to become Animagi, do, by all means. Maybe they'll even put me in Azkaban! That'll be a laugh."
Severus deflates, a great deal less certain about his theory now.
"You're dead wrong, though, and I'll tell you what," continues Black, then leans forward, voice dropping to a near-whisper. "You ever been inside the Whomping Willow?"
Severus blinks at him, thrown. "Inside the— what?"
"There's something down there," Black says cryptically.
"Down there? What's down there?"
Black looks around, as though checking for eavesdroppers. "Something dangerous."
Severus burns with curiosity. He has to know, has to see for himself. "How do you get in?"
"There's a knot on the tree somewhere you can press and the whole tree will freeze. We go down there all the time. We're going tonight, actually."
"Why are you telling me this?" Severus says suspiciously.
Black frowns. "Honestly, I have no idea. Doesn't matter, anyway, I wanted to see if you'd have the gobstones to do something about it but you're probably just scared after last time."
He feels his face heat up at the memory of his humiliation. "I'm not scared of either of you," he snaps. "Or whatever's down there."
Black gives a soft, nasty chuckle. "Oh, yeah, that's convincing. 'Course you aren't scared. I'd say come and have a look yourself tonight but— nah, forget it."
He turns to leave.
"But what? What's down there? What's down there?"
Black stops, gets right in his face. "You're a snivelling, worthless little coward. You really think I'd tell you?"
He pushes Severus away from him, then turns on his heel and leaves.
Severus barely notices the shove; his head is spinning with a whirlwind of new thoughts and questions. Whatever's down in the Whomping Willow, it's got something to do with Potter and Black and the rest of them, and he's going to have to go down there and find out. Only this time, he'll be ready for them.
Lily, sitting by herself in a corner of the study hall, worries. There's no sign of Cresswell, even though he said he'd be there. She stands up and moves her books over to sit next to Remus.
"Evans. What a pleasant surprise," says Potter, his hand jumping to his hair. Lily scowls at him.
"Save it, Potter. Hi, Remus."
Remus, at least, looks pleased to see her. "Oh, hiya Lily, you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fab."
"What are you after, then?" says Black suspiciously.
"I'd just like a word with Remus."
Remus waits expectantly, and she sighs.
"In private," she says.
Black oohs and James looks rather annoyed, crossing his arms.
"Well, alright."
They stand up and he follows her to a secluded area behind a bookshelf, out of earshot of his friends and out of Amirali's sight.
"What's going on, then?" Says Remus interestedly.
"I spoke to Severus about earlier," Lily begins.
Remus suddenly looks a lot less eager to hear what she's got to say. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. He knows it was wrong of him and he wants to apologise."
"He does?" says Remus doubtfully. "That's... unexpected."
"Yes, well, it took some convincing, but I thought maybe it was time to, you know, settle old differences. So I said I'd ask you."
Remus laughs humourlessly. "Snape wants to settle old differences? That's a laugh. Besides, I don't know what you want me to do about it. I've never done anything to him, he's the one who's always having a go at me for no reason."
"It's not for no reason," Lily points out. "Your mates have always treated him worse than dirt... and you've never stood up for him, not once. Sev deserves an apology as much as you do. Doing nothing is almost as bad as participating."
Remus looks at her incredulously. "Let me get this straight— he attacks me, attacks me, and I'm supposed to apologise because I didn't do anything?"
Lily's smile melts off her face almost instantly. "Oh, come on, Remus, you know what I'm trying to—"
"No, I don't." Says Remus stubbornly. "And I don't care. I'm not apologising to that... that bastard, there's no way. Sorry, Lily."
He walks away from her back to his friends, but she hurries after him.
"Remus—"
"Just leave it out, Lily."
He sits down and opens his book, pretending to read it. His friends stare at Lily, confused.
"What on earth did you say, Evans?
"She wants me to apologise to Snape," Remus says mutinously to his textbook.
They goggle at her as if she's said she lives on the moon.
"She wants you to what?" squeaks Pettigrew.
"Apologise? What for?" Black demands.
"She thinks we ought to settle old differences," says Remus.
Black and Potter take one look at Lily's dejected face and start laughing.
"Good one, Evans."
Lily crosses her arms. "It's not a joke. Hasn't this gone on long enough? You lot pick on him, then he picks on you, and it just keeps getting worse, doesn't it?"
Potter gives an irritatingly condescending sigh. "Look, Evans, I know your heart's in the right place, but you just don't get it. And you never will."
"Why not?"
He seems to struggle for an answer for a few seconds, then comes up with: "Because you're a... a girl."
"Oh, because I'm a girl?" Lily raises her eyebrows dangerously high.
"Yeah, that's what I said, isn't it?"
"And that doesn't strike you as a bit sexist?"
"It's not sexist, alright, it's just how it is," he says impatiently. "There's just certain understandings that blokes have between them that girls can't... I mean...there's just rules..."
"Rules?"
"Yeah, right. Between blokes. Snape's got his moral code, and I've got mine. Just so happens mine is better."
"Oh I see," Lily says. "And it's your moral code that means you have to jinx Severus whenever you see him, is it?"
"Well... yes."
He has the grace to look a bit chagrined as he says this, and Lily has the feeling he almost believes it— but Black and Pettigrew start laughing as if it was intended as a joke, and even Remus can't resist a grin.
Lily gets to her feet. "Fine," she snaps. "You know what, fine. I can see I've wasted my time."
Potter frowns. "Evans, I know you think you're in the right here—"
"Don't you talk to me about right and wrong, Potter," Lily says dangerously. "You're disgusting."
To Lily's satisfaction, he shuts up.
"Remus, I—" Lily takes a deep breath. "I was wrong about you all along, wasn't I? You really are just as bad as all your friends."
Remus doesn't reply, a little too focused on the page of his book.
But Black stands up, forcing her to take a step back from their table. "Alright, I've had just about enough of your self-righteous, judgmental bollocks. If you don't mind, Evans, save your sermons for someone who's actually interested in what you've got to say. If such a person exists."
Lily swallows but says nothing, silently scraping her books back into her bag. With a last disappointed glance at Remus, she departs— head held high.
"That was really rude," says Remus unhappily. He watches Lily exit the study hall in disappointment. All because of that bastard Snape, he has no chance with her now…and bloody Sirius isn't helping.
Sirius shrugs, not caring, until—
"Yeah, that was a bit out of order, mate," James says, looking about as annoyed as Remus feels.
"What, you as well?" says Sirius in confusion. "Did both of you miss everything she just said?"
James shakes his head. "No, I know she was talking absolute rubbish but she was only trying to help. In her own misguided way."
"Well pardon me," says Sirius with a roll of his eyes. "I didn't realise it was everyone's time of the month. Apart from yours, Remus, I s'pose that's obvious."
He and Peter laugh but James is less amused, and Remus grinds his teeth, wishing more than anything that Sirius would just shut up…
"Look, James, if you really want me to go and apologise to Evans I will, but I just don't see what all the fuss is about. She's heard it all before and she lived, didn't she? It's only Evans."
James won't meet Remus's eye, and Remus frowns. There is something strange, he thinks, about the fact that James isn't on Sirius's side.
"Look, let's just forget about it," says Peter hastily. "We've got a big night ahead, remember, don't want to ruin it."
James nods. "You're right, sorry."
Remus looks at his watch and stands up, piling his books back into his bag
"You off, Remus?"
"Yeah. Sunset's only in an hour and a half."
"Alright, we'll wait until Madam Pomfrey's out of the way and join you," James says. Seeing Remus's uncertain look, he reaches out to clasp his shoulder comfortingly.
"Look, there's absolutely nothing to worry about. Everything's going to go brilliantly."
But Sirius smirks in a way that doesn't reassure Remus in the slightest.
The Hog's Head is cramped and uninviting, dingy and dark. Aberforth Dumbledore stands at the bar polishing glasses with a grimy rag. Occasionally, he glances over at the far corner.
In this corner Mulciber sits at a table, the hood of his robes pulled low over his eyes. He's on edge, waiting. He plays nervously with a beer mat, flipping it over and over in his hands.
Finally, the door opens, and a man in a travelling cloak enters the pub. Mulciber gets to his feet immediately. The man approaches him, lowers his hood to reveal dark eyes and a neatly-trimmed beard.
"What have you got for me?" says Travers in lieu of greeting.
"Not much," Mulciber says nervously. "I'm under suspicion at the moment, because of some stupid mishap with a Mudblood. Getting out of the castle was a job."
"What sort of mishap?"
"I was going to use her to get to Dumbledore. But they caught on before I could do anything, and now she's under guard night and day in the hospital wing."
Travers gives him a withering look. "Sloppy. Deal with the issue."
"Yes. Sorry, I will."
"We're planning some activity in London over the holidays and we can't afford added scrutiny at the moment. I don't want anyone suspecting you of anything more than a harmless school prank. Make sure it's sorted out."
Mulciber bows his head contritely. "Yes, Travers. It's already underway."
"Good," says Travers, apparently satisfied. "We'll not contact you until after Christmas, so until then fix your blunder and keep your head down. If you need to find a scapegoat to take yourself out of the line of fire, then do it. He or she will be well received in our company."
Mulciber thinks this over, nodding.
"Alright."
"Very well then. You'd had better be getting back before anyone gets suspicious. And I have business of my own to take care of."
Mulciber nods and they stand. They shake hands. The dark, twisting lines of a tattoo on Travers's arm peek out from beneath his sleeve.
Mulciber stares at it, hungrily.
Remus hovers nervously in the hospital wing. Outside the windows, he can see the sun is already low in the horizon— sunset isn't far off. Madam Pomfrey is in her office, waving her wand over some glass vials filled with liquid, which shimmers and turns lilac. Whatever incantation she's muttering, he can't make it out.
Remus clears his throat and she starts, spotting him.
"Cutting it a bit close tonight, aren't we?"
"Yeah sorry, I just—"
"One moment, I'll just get my cloak," says Madam Pomfrey. She hurries to put away the potion vials, setting her wand down on her desk before looking around for her cloak and hat.
Remus stares nervously at the bed he knows Mary MacDonald is sleeping in. It's supposed to be a secret, but rumours about what happened to her have been flying around the school all week. He knows Dirk Cresswell's been practically living at her bedside.
Madam Pomfrey catches him looking. "Oh, you needn't worry about her. The potion I gave her put her out like a light, and I sent her friend away hours ago.
"Oh," says Remus. "Alright then."
"You ready? Come on then, no time to waste."
Remus nods, follows her out.
Slughorn's office is decorated with cheerful Christmas spirit, wreaths and tinsel and mistletoe as well as magically floating baubles. There aren't many people there yet, but Slughorn himself is setting things up at the drinks table.
Lily has come alone, looking around a little nervously. She's put a bit more effort into her appearance than usual, her hair done up and sporting a little bit of Marlene's eyeshadow— which she'd taken the liberty of dipping into, though it wasn't quite her colour.
"Lily, my dear girl, there you are," says Slughorn jovially as he spots her.
"Oh, hi Professor."
"On your own tonight are you? Well we can't have that, can we? Here, come and help me with the drinks."
Gratefully, she does.
"Pass me that little blue pot there, would you?"
Lily hands it to him, looking at it curiously.
"Here. What is it?" she asks.
"Thank you— it's powdered billiwig sting. Just a pinch, sprinkled on top, to give the cocktail a little buzz, you know. There we are. Is Severus coming tonight?"
Lily sighs, looks down. "I don't think so. He said he had homework."
"Homework?" Slughorn asks curiously, dusting cocktails with the electric blue powder. "It's the last day of term."
This hits Lily like a battering ram. "Oh, well, er, maybe he's— got something else." She stammers. Her mind reels— why would Sev lie to her?
Slughorn looks at her with paternalistic concern. "Is everything quite alright, my dear? Is it Severus? The two of you used to be so close, but I hardly see you together anymore. Now slice these lemons, would you?"
Lily hardly looks at the lemons as she brings the knife down again and again, chopping them into wedges. "Yeah, I know, I s'pose we've just... grown apart, that's all."
"That can happen. People change as they grow older, and other things can just get in the way. Life, you know. We like to think our friendships are unbreakable, but it isn't always so. People can change, and they can do things that disappoint or even hurt you."
Lily isn't too keen on that.
"Well, I'm sure you two will work it out. Now would you be a dear and pop some lemon wedges on these glasses here?"
Lily starts sliding lemon wedges onto the rims of the elegant cocktail glasses Slughorn has laid out as he departs to greet the guests that are beginning to enter. She can't stop turning it over in her mind, Sev has been so strange lately, maybe something's wrong, maybe she hasn't been paying enough attention—
Lily looks up and quickly drops her gaze when Marlene, accompanied by Shea and Selwyn, sees her.
Marlene stalks over.
"I'd like a drink. Something strong."
"Are you sure you should be drinking?" says Lily coolly.
Marlene rolls her eyes. "Oh, honestly. Forget it then."
Lily bites her lip. "What are you doing with them, Marlene?"
"You're one to talk," says Marlene icily. "What's Snape up to tonight, then? Too busy cursing people to be your date?"
Lily looks down, hurt.
Sunset is almost upon the grounds, though the moon has not yet risen. The blizzard has stopped; instead, an eerie hush has descended upon the grounds, as if the air is holding its breath.
From behind a tree, Severus watches as Madam Pomfrey and Lupin hurry towards the Whomping Willow, which is swaying menacingly.
With an ease that suggests he's done it many times before, Lupin darts forward to press the knot near the base of the trunk.
Instantly the tree freezes, and Madam Pomfrey hurries into the dark passage.
Lupin takes a look back across the grounds before he enters, like he's expecting someone to be there— Severus freezes, pressing himself flat to the trunk— then Lupin turns around, follows her into the Willow.
All is quiet in the darkened Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey still hasn't returned, and Mary sleeps peacefully.
The doors open, and someone enters, moving deliberately towards Mary's bed.
He almost walks across the magical barrier before he sees it, the toe of his shiny black shoe stopping just shy of the glowing white line.
Rosier, frowning, takes a few steps back and raises his wand. Silently, he levitates Mary— still sleeping— out of her bed and floats her with him as he leaves the hospital wing.
Inside Madam Pomfrey's office, her forgotten wand issues a warning cloud of smoke.
James, Sirius and Peter are sitting on some snow-free steps under a small section of roof, smoking.
"Do you think she's gone by now?" says Peter.
"Yeah, probably," James says.
He stands up, squints into the darkness. He can see, distantly, a figure hurrying into the castle.
"Look, there she goes. Shall we, then?"
"Poor Remus looked awfully nervous earlier, didn't he," comments Peter as they head towards the Whomping Willow.
James sighs. "Yeah, I reckon all that rubbish with Evans and Snivellus had him rattled, didn't it? It makes me sick to think that Snape just thinks he can get away with it."
"Oh, don't worry about Snape," says Sirius smugly. "He's about to get what's coming to him, you'll see."
James looks at him, interested. "Why, what're you thinking?"
Sirius says nothing, looks ahead with a grin. James grows a little uneasy.
"Sirius... what've you done?"
"Oh, nothing. I've only gone and told Snape he should have a look down in the Whomping Willow, thought it—"
James's reaction is immediate and horrified, his eyes growing wide and hand flying to his mouth.
"You did what?! Have you completely— what's wrong with you?"
Sirius frowns, confused. "What are you so worked up about? It's only Snivellus."
James shakes his head desperately, realising that there's no time to make him understand.
"Fuck, just... just get out of here, alright? Both of you. I'll sort this out, just— oh, bollocks."
Sirius, utterly bewildered, reaches out for him but James shoves him off.
"Don't, just— get out of here!"
He starts running, leaving Sirius and Peter behind.
James runs, as fast as he can, tearing over the grounds towards the willow— it's not fast enough, and the snow is slowing him down. He launches himself into the air and hits the ground on four hooves.
The stag takes off like lightning across the snowy grass.
Severus reaches the knot on the willow and presses it with a stick.
As the tree freezes he grins to himself, then heads into the tunnel.
Snape stumbles a little as he enters the narrow sloping passageway. He starts down it, grabbing onto roots that stick out of the earthen walls for support.
He hears a menacing growl from somewhere in the depths and pauses nervously, then steels himself and continues. Whatever Potter and his mates are up to, this is his chance to prove it.
Rosier has just arrived at a small alcove where Mulciber, Avery, and Wilkes are gathered. He sets Mary down between them.
"Ah, excellent, the guest of honour has arrived."
"What, her?" says Wilkes, disappointed. "Isn't that just Mary MacDonald? I heard she was sick, she might be contagious."
Mulciber rolls his eyes. "This isn't just Mary MacDonald. This is the future, for all Mudbloods at this school. Watch and learn."
He points his wand at her.
"Reenervate."
Slowly, Mary stirs back to life. She blinks, looks up at her surroundings. As soon as Mulciber comes into focus her eyes widen in horror.
He points his wand at her again, looking at her with calculation.
"Imperio."
Severus has stopped at a wooden door. He can hear scratching and snarling from the other side, and he grips his wand, which is awfully sweaty.
Severus tries the doorknob. Locked.
"Alohomora."
It clicks open and he turns it—
He has a brief glimpse of a dilapidated room with boarded up windows. And in the corner...
Hulking, massive, slavering jaws and wild, inhuman eyes— a horrible beast is hunched over, drawing horrible raspy animal breaths. Its nose twitches, scenting something... scenting him...
Severus stares in horrified shock as slowly the werewolf turns around and locks his gaze on him.
He is petrified, and he can't even move as it lunges forward at him— but he's yanked aside at the last second by the back of his robes.
"Run, you idiot, what are you waiting for?" Potter yells.
Severus, more terrified than he's ever been in his entire life, scrambles back and does so. The werewolf is now bearing down on Potter instead, who whips out his wand.
The beast bears down on him, and takes a vicious swipe at him with one enormous claw—
"Protego!"
The blow goes glancing off Potter's magical shield, and the werewolf is knocked off balance but quickly recovers.
"Conjunctivitis!"
A narrow beam of red light nails the werewolf in the eye— it staggers back and lets out a howl of pain. Potter slams the door shut and runs after Severus, whose legs have turned to jelly— he has to keep moving, but he can't— Potter grabs him roughly by the arm and yanks him along. They race up the tunnel, Potter not stopping even as Severus trips and stumbles along behind him. He can hear the scrabbling and snarling of the beast behind them, blundering half-blindly and crashing into walls.
After what seems like an eternity, they finally emerge from the Willow and Potter kicks the knot on the trunk before throwing Severus furiously forward onto the snow. His wand rolls out of his grasp.
"You— you stupid, nosy, idiotic little wanker," Potter snarls down at him, beyond fury. "What the fuck did you think you were doing, eh? You almost got killed and you would've deserved it. Fucking bastard."
Severus glares at him with pure hatred mixed with some kind of wild triumph.
"I know your big secret now. What's to stop me from telling everyone, then, now that I know? Who's going to stop me?"
They both eye his wand— Sev dives for it, but Potter is faster. He tosses it down the tunnel without looking.
"Get it tomorrow. You know where it'll be. Come on, get up, we're going."
He hauls Severus roughly to his feet by the back of his robes.
"What? Where?"
Potter looks ahead grimly. "We're going to Dumbledore."
Mary stands listlessly as all four Slytherin boys regard her with gleeful amusement.
"Let me try," says Avery eagerly.
"Well it has to be me, since I cast the curse," says Mulciber. "What do you want her to do?"
"Make her take her top off," sniggers Avery.
All the boys giggle with excitement— they'd all been thinking it, but Avery was the first to say it.
Mulciber screws up his face in concentration.
Take your top off… take it off…
Slowly, Mary pulls her top off over her head.
Suddenly, wandlight flashes from the end of the darkened corridor.
"Shit, run!" hisses Wilkes.
The boys take off, leaving Mary standing there.
The Slytherins round the corner, Mulciber and Avery in the lead, Rosier lagging behind—
"Stupefy!" shouts Professor McGonagall.
A beam of red light hits Rosier and knocks him out cold. Mulciber looks back at him, and then shoves the other two down a stairwell.
Madam Pomfrey and McGonagall hurry forward towards Mary and Rosier, taking in the scene.
"Take these two to the hospital wing." Says McGonagall in a faint voice. "I'll fetch Albus... and Horace, seeing as it's his student…"
Madam Pomfrey nods, looks down at the unconscious Rosier. "This is horrifying... I never thought... it's my fault."
McGonagall shakes her head. "It's not your fault, Poppy. You were doing your job, helping another student, and well... maybe Gerhard was right."
She prods Rosier with her toe.
"Maybe some of these children are beyond saving," she says.
The party is in full swing, but Marlene isn't having much fun. She keeps seeing Lily, standing awkwardly on the edge of Slughorn's conversation, glancing sidelong at her.
Marlene, fed up, approaches her again. "Do you want something?" she snaps.
Lily looks downcast. "I just... I really don't understand why you're so angry at me. I don't understand what I've done wrong or why you hate me."
Marlene sighs heavily, feeling guilty despite herself. "Merlin, you... you haven't done anything wrong, Lily. I don't hate you."
"Then why are you acting like this?"
"Because I'm a bitch," Marlene says simply.
Lily frowns, opens her mouth to say more, but Professor McGonagall enters and makes a beeline for Slughorn.
"Horace, you have to come with me... it's Mary MacDonald."
Marlene and Lily look at each other, alarmed.
Severus slumps in his seat as Dumbledore peers over his desk at them.
"You say it was your friend, Sirius, who told him about the Willow?" he says to Potter.
"Yeah, he was just being stupid, he didn't think about it—"
Severus scoffs.
Dumbledore's eyes flash dangerously. "No, clearly he did not. And you, Severus, did you think twice before rushing down there? If James hadn't arrived on time, you could have died, or become a werewolf yourself. You owe James a great deal—"
"Oh, please," Severus interrupts hatefully. "He wasn't doing it for me, he was only doing it to save his mate's skin."
Dumbledore frowns at him, displeased with the interruption. "James risked his own life to save yours. When one wizard saves another's life, it creates an unbreakable bond. A debt."
They look at each other in revulsion, not too keen on the idea.
"Is Black going to be expelled?" Severus says.
Potter sits up.
"No. Nobody is going to be expelled tonight. Sirius Black was thoughtless, yes, and he'll be given consequences after the holidays— but each is responsible for his own actions. And the way James acted tonight was incredibly noble and selfless. I've rarely seen such bravery. You should be proud, James."
Potter sinks back down, relieved. "Thanks, sir."
Severus feels as though he might be sick with fury. All of it, for nothing. Potter still comes out the hero. He opens his mouth to protest further, but Dumbledore fixes him with a steely gaze.
"As for you, Severus, I must ask that you do not repeat what you have learned tonight to anyone. A boy's future is at stake."
"But—"
"It's time to put petty school rivalries aside. I feel compelled to warn you that I will not abide cowardly, vengeful action. If Remus is forced to leave this school because word of his condition spreads, then so shall you. You will have to leave Hogwarts forever, and surrender your wand. But from the bottom of my heart, I hope that you'll keep your silence for the sake of doing the right thing."
Nothing, not even a werewolf, could be more frightening than expulsion to Severus. He closes his mouth abruptly.
"So, do I have your word?" Dumbledore prompts him.
Severus wrenches the words from his tongue. "You have my word," he mumbles, barely audible.
Dumbledore is about to speak again when the door opens and Professor McGonagall enters, looking stricken.
"Albus, you have to come, quickly."
He reads the look on her face and stands up immediately. "Boys, head back to your common rooms and try to get some sleep. Severus, remember what I've said."
He hurries out after McGonagall. Potter takes one last disgusted look at Severus and follows them.
Severus, once nobody can see him, threads his hands through his hair in anguish.
Lily is packing a few of her things into her trunk, casually trying to listen in to what Dorcas and Blanca are saying.
"So, d'you think you'll see him over the holidays?" says Blanca.
"Oh I don't know...maybe," says Dorcas offhandedly. "Our parents are old friends, so I s'pose I'll see him if we have our usual Christmas do."
"Yes, but are you going to see him alone?"
Dorcas turns light pink. "I don't know, I mean, I'd like to..."
"Well why not? It's past time the two of you made it official," Blanca says. "I mean, you have… you know."
Lily busies herself pairing socks, feeling heat rush to her face. Has Dorcas really… with Potter…? The thought makes her stomach do a funny little squirm.
"I know, I know..." Dorcas says.
They head for the door, passing Lily. Dorcas stops and frowns at Marlene's bed, which clearly has not been slept in.
"McKinnon isn't around much these days, is she?" she comments.
It's still a little icy between them.
"No," Lily mumbles, feeling very hot all of a sudden.
Dorcas rolls her eyes and heads out.
Lily sighs, closes her trunk and hurries after her into the common room.
McGonagall is standing there, next to an anxious Cresswell. Lily rushes towards them, all thoughts of Dorcas having had sex forgotten.
"Miss Evans."
"It's Mary, isn't it? What's happened? I heard, last night, at the party—"
"Calm down, Miss Evans. Mary is fine. You can go and see her later. Last night, a few students thought it would be amusing to kidnap Miss MacDonald and... well, that hardly matters now. The main culprit has been expelled."
"Mulciber?" asks Lily.
McGonagall gives her an odd look. "No, Evan Rosier."
Lily glances at Cresswell, confused.
"But I thought Mulciber..."
"It was Mr. Rosier who moved Miss MacDonald from her bed, and it was he who was found at the scene. We have confiscated his wand and tested it with priori incantatem. We found no trace of the Imperius curse, but there was enough frightening Dark magic there to expel him five times over."
Lily's eyes have grown wide at the mention of the Imperius curse, her heart hammering.
"We'll wake her up at noon so she can head home with the rest of you. For now, she needs rest." McGonagall says. She gives them a small, sympathetic smile, and departs.
"Imperius curse?" Lily repeats hollowly.
"Yeah, that was Richter's theory when I first told them about Mary," Cresswell says.
"Christ..."
"There's no way it wasn't Mulciber," says Cresswell. "She said they didn't have any evidence and that Rosier confessed, but I just know it. Mulciber had her— she didn't want to tell me this, but the way they found Mary..."
"How?" Lily says apprehensively.
Cresswell sighs angrily, kicks at the ground. "They found her without her top on, didn't they. Fucking bastard. I'll kill him."
Lily absorbs this, horrorstruck. "Where was Madam Pomfrey? I thought she was meant to be watching?"
"She was... I don't really understand it," says Cresswell with a frown. "It's got something to do with your mate. Snape."
"Sev?" Lily says hoarsely. She can't believe he had anything to do with this, he can't have done… please, she thinks.
"Yeah, him. He decided last night was the night to go poking around in the Whomping Willow. Potter had to go in after him and rescue him from whatever's down there. You hear it at night sometimes, don't you?"
Lily's hand flies to her mouth, the world spiralling around her. "Is he— is he alright?"
"Yeah, I think so." Cresswell says with a shrug, as if he doesn't much care. "And lucky for him, I know he wasn't involved in what happened to Mary last night."
Mixed relief and worry swim up within Lily. "Right," she says. "I knew he wouldn't be."
Marlene stirs slowly into wakefulness, taking in her surroundings.
She's in a large room, spartan and unfamiliar, containing only a wide mattress on which Shea still sleeps beside her.
Marlene crawls forward towards a helpfully placed glass of water and downs it in two gulps.
"You're up."
Marlene blinks at Nicola.
"Yeah, I... don't really remember anything."
"No, you were pretty out of it," Nicola agrees. "Something about MacDonald. You were rather upset."
Mary, Marlene remembers with a lurch. "Where are we?
"The Come-and-go room. It only appears when you really need it."
"What? How come I've never heard of it?"
Nicola shrugs. Marlene looks uncertainly back at the mattress.
"He and I didn't—"
Nicola laughs. "Merlin's balls, no. Don't be stupid."
"That's all I've been lately," says Marlene helplessly.
Nicola sighs, sitting down next to Marlene with her legs crossed.
"Don't worry."
"Yeah, I—" Marlene stops. "Hang on, what was that? Were you just trying to be nice? Were you trying to comfort me?"
Nicola scoffs. "Well, I obviously didn't do a very good job."
Marlene grins a little. "Means a lot that you tried."
They look at each other for a second, smiling. Then Nicola leans over and kisses Marlene on the lips. Marlene returns the kiss at first, eyes closing—
—and it dawns on her what she's doing and her eyes snap open. She scrambles back and gets to her feet.
"Look, I'm sorry, I've got to go—"
Nicola watches her go, impassive.
The Marauders are gathered around Remus's bed, not saying anything. Remus is looking away from all of them, his left eye covered with a patch.
"Come on, Remus, he's said he's sorry," says James.
"I don't care. I don't want to talk to him. Make him leave."
"Moony, I—" begins Sirius, but Remus interrupts.
"Don't call me that."
"Maybe you should go," says James. "You've done enough damage."
Sirius frowns. "Nothing happened, did it? Bloody Snape is fine, James is fine, you're fine, we're all fine except for MacDonald over there."
"Don't joke," snaps James.
"Don't joke?"
"It's not funny. Not now. You almost killed someone, Sirius. Worse, you almost let Remus kill someone. Do you have any idea what that would've meant?"
"No, I... I didn't think about it," Sirius says, hanging his head.
"No, you never do, do you? Actions have consequences, you prat, it's about bloody time you learnt it."
Sirius reacts as if he's been slapped and then immediately turns defensive, drawing himself up haughtily. "I don't have to learn anything. You know what— I don't need this. Not from you, not from anyone."
James shrugs. "Do what you like."
"I will. Fuck you."
He storms out. Peter watches him go gloomily.
"Remus, don't you think—"
"No," says Remus. "I don't want to talk about it. Why don't you all just leave me alone? I'm tired."
James heaves a sigh. "Fine. Peter, let's just— I'll see you over the holidays, Remus. I will see you. I don't care if I've got to break down your door."
The ghost of a smile passes over Remus's face, but it's gone quickly.
James draws the hangings around Remus's bed, and they leave, quietly.
It's the last day before they go home, and Lily can't think of a worse start to the holidays. She hasn't been able to speak to Severus since the night Mary was attacked, and she has the feeling he might be avoiding her. Rumours have been flying around all weekend about Severus going down the Whomping Willow, and how James Potter saved him. Uncharacteristically, Potter himself has been oddly quiet about it all— Lily thought he'd have loved the attention like usual.
Finally, she spots him hurrying across the courtyard
"Sev, can I have a word?"
She glares at Avery with great dislike.
"Lily, can it wait?" he says impatiently.
This, for Lily, is something like the last straw.
"No, you know what, no!" she says angrily. "It can't bloody wait, Severus, not this time. Avery, piss off."
"What's got into you—" To Lily's satisfaction, Avery shuts right up as she takes out her wand.
"Didn't you hear me? I said piss off."
Avery raises his hands, backs away. "Alright, alright, I'm going."
He leaves Severus and Lily to it— Lily starts walking fast in the opposite direction, and Severus follows her, irritated.
"What do you think you're doing? Have you gone mental?"
She whirls around. "Have you? I feel like I don't even know you anymore. I know you lied to me—"
"I never—"
"Shut up, I'm talking! I know you lied about having homework. You must think I'm such a great bloody fool, don't you?"
Severus is thrown, raking his memory in a panic for what she could be talking about; he can't remember lying about homework, he's had to lie so often to her that he can barely sort out the tangled web he's made of it.
"I don't think that at all," he says.
"Oh yeah? Because it seems like you do. You think you can do whatever you like and I'll just look the other way, don't you? You think I'll be on your side, no matter what?"
"I thought we were supposed to be friends? Best friends?" says Severus.
Lily closes her eyes and sighs heavily. She stops and leans against a pillar.
"We are, Sev, but I don't like some of the people you're hanging 'round with! I'm sorry, but I detest Avery and Mulciber! Mulciber!"
Severus shifts uncomfortably. He doesn't know how much she knows; Avery and Wilkes had been quick to regale him with a spirited account of their narrow escape, and Rosier hadn't been seen since then. The other Slytherins seemed to find the whole situation very amusing, but Sev had been too preoccupied by his newfound knowledge about Remus Lupin to really do much other than laugh along blandly at their jokes.
"What do you see in him, Sev, he's creepy! D'you know what he tried to do to Mary MacDonald the other day?"
"That was nothing, it was a laugh, that's all."
Lily glares at him. "It was Dark Magic, Sev, and if you think that's funny—"
He interrupts her angrily. What does Lily know about it? "What about the stuff Potter and his mates get up to?"
"Potter? What's Potter got to do with it?"
"They sneak out at night—" he says breathlessly. "There's something weird about that Lupin... where does he keep going?"
Lily is not keen on the change of subject. "He's ill, they say he's ill. It—"
"Every month at the full moon?"
Lily rolls her eyes. If Sev's trying to insinuate Remus is some kind of werewolf, it's not very convincing. She knows Remus. And despite his flaws, he's not a monster. "I know your theory. Why are you so obsessed with them, anyway? Why do you care what they're doing at night?"
"I'm just trying to show you they're not as wonderful as everyone seems to think they are."
He stares at her, willing her to understand, to see it from his perspective. She averts her gaze.
"It's not the same... They don't use Dark Magic, do they? And you're being really ungrateful. I heard what happened to you the other night."
Severus twitches.
"Yeah, you went sneaking down the Whomping Willow, and James Potter saved you from whatever's down there—"
"Save— saved? You think he was playing the hero? He was saving his neck and his friends' too. You're not going to— I won't let you—"
But Lily is not having it. "Let me? Let me?"
"I didn't mean— I just don't want to see you made a fool of— he fancies you! James Potter fancies you!"
It appears to cost him a great effort to admit. Lily, however, doesn't seem to be taking him very seriously, just shakes her head, eyebrows rising. He splutters incoherently to try and make her understand.
"And he's not... everyone thinks... big Quidditch hero—"
"I know James Potter's an arrogant toerag, I don't need you to tell me that."
Severus visibly relaxes, and they start walking again.
"But Mulciber and Avery's idea of humour is just evil. Evil, Sev. I don't understand how you can be friends with them."
But her words don't seem to have much effect on Sev.
"Look I think you just ought to choose better friends," Lily presses. "I'm not sure how much longer I can keep making excuses for you, that's all."
At this, Sev twists around to look at her. "Choose better friends? And who's that s'posed to be, exactly?"
"I know it's not easy, us being in different houses and all. But I just feel like they're turning you into someone I don't recognise. Someone I don't even like."
This hits Severus rather hard.
"Slughorn said people grow apart..." Lily says.
"Not us. We don't," he says, stubbornly.
The platform is wreathed in steam as students climb aboard the Hogwarts Express, eager to go home and enjoy their holidays.
Less cheerily, Lily is pulling her trunk across the platform. She stops and curses as her trunk hits a snag.
"Fucking bollocks," she swears.
"Are prefects allowed to use that sort of language?"
Lily looks up to see Potter standing in front of her. "Save it, Potter, I've had an awful day."
"You seem to be having a lot of those lately, don't you?" he comments, then nods at her trunk. "What, were you late packing? They took all the luggage this morning."
"Yeah, I've left it a bit late. I've… had other things on my mind," she mutters, wiping her forehead and wondering how on earth she's going to lift her heavy trunk onto the train.
He looks at her oddly. "Here, let me help."
It occurs to her she could just levitate it in but instead she shrugs, surrenders the trunk to him. He heaves it into the carriage for her, shoving it into the luggage compartment.
He seems to want to say something, and she waits for whatever it is—
"Listen, Evans, give yourself a break this Christmas. Just try and forget about... whatever it is that troubles the average young witch these days."
Lily blinks. "Great. Thanks for the sage advice."
"Yeah... just this once, I won't charge you for it."
She rolls her eyes but can't resist a little grin. They board the train.
"Christ, just— happy Christmas, Potter. Thanks for the, you know." She gestures at the trunk, but feels as though, in a way, she's thanking him for saving Sev as well.
"Yeah. Happy Christmas." He says awkwardly, and it almost seems as if he's understood.
She finds a compartment, not bothering to look for any of her friends, and settles down in the seat by the window.
A shrill whistle sounds across the station and the Hogwarts Express, issuing steam, starts pulling forward.
Lily stares out of the window, lost in thought. Despite the brightness of the snowy countryside rushing by, everything seems so much darker.