CHAPTER 24
13 January 1992 - 7:34 AM
Neville stared in annoyed trepidation at the scene before him, wand at the ready in case he needed to intervene. By his side were Blaise, Hermione, and Amy, all looking rather perturbed at what they were seeing.
It was the Potter Twins, caught in a heated verbal exchange regarding their mother. With an internal shudder, Neville recalled the witch's gut-wrenching screams after she'd been cursed by her ex-husband. While Heir Longbottom had known Lord Potter's propensity for drunken cruelty (he'd never forget that Howler from First Year), he hadn't thought the man truly capable of acting on his callous spite. The spell - which Gran had revealed to him was something called 'olde magick' and made him swear upon the Heir's Honor not to reveal - would bear terrible consequences for Professor Evans.
One of which her sons were currently arguing about near the Great Hall, surrounded by quite a few spectators from Slytherin and Gryffindor.
"You're not the boss of me," snarled Jim. The Potter Heir was furious. A few minutes ago he'd run into his mother and Harry as they were en route to the Great Hall. Before he could even get out a 'hello', his mother had doubled over and clutched her chest in pain as she'd physically recoiled from him. Jim had been caught between horrified and apologetic at her reaction, inwardly cursing James Potter's name. It seemed whatever curse his idiot father had used on his mother, the side effect was not being able to be near him in his capacity as Potter Heir. As the younger Potter sibling, Harry (to Jim's brewing ire) was seemingly immune to this unique side effect. In fact, Harry had Nott escort his mother away to the Hospital Wing to be checked over while he stayed back to…deal with brother.
"Just as you're not the boss of me, Brother Dearest." Jim's whole face twitched violently at Harry's cold and condescending tone in use of that damned epithet. "And in this case, you're not the boss of my mother either. Your sorry excuse for a father cursed her, it's a miracle she didn't die." The Slytherin stepped menacingly close to his Gryffindor brother, eyes flashing Avada-green as he leered down hatefully at the slightly shorter boy. "You're not to come anywhere near her. Ever." Jim's face spasmed in anger. "If I catch you looking in her direction, it's over. If I catch you trying to speak to her, it's over. If I even think the words 'Lily' and 'Evans' are dancing across that empty shell you deign to call a brain, it is over." Several in the assembled crowd exchanged nervous glances at the intensity of the Slytherin's threatening tone.
"Oh piss off, Harry." Jim stepped close to his brother, their noses practically touching. "You think you're the boss of me, you dirty little snake?! She's my mother too. If anything, she was my mother first before you came crawling out to make all our lives a bloody misery." Harry frowned viciously as his brother continued on nastily. "In fact, it's because of you that our family was torn apart! She gave up everything for you; her marriage, her life, ME! And as I see it, you're not worth the bloody effort!"
"You sonofabitch!", exclaimed Harry.
"FUCK YOU!" Several in the crowd jumped at the expletive, the volume of it bouncing through the halls.
"Jim, Harry," said Hermione quietly, "Please. Both of you need to calm down."
"DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!". Instinctively, Hermione took a step back at the twin bellows as Amy glared at the two boys for their audacity.
"And besides," Harry turned back to his brother and leered hatefully, "this is all about you being jealous." Jim's eyes widened in rage as his breathing quickened. "Oh yes Brother Mine," continued Harry sinisterly. "She gave up her marriage to your father for me. Gave up her parental rights to you for me. Gave up any chance of a…relationship with a useless, worthless, Merlin-forsaken lump like you for me. It was always me. It is always me. It will always be me. After all," Harry sneered. "Slytherins rule, Gryffindors drool."
Jim shook in his anger as a myriad of emotions whirled through his already incensed being. Unbidden, Granger's cruel words regarding Harry being the true Boy-Who-Lived and his parents separating as a ruse to protect him pounded through the Potter Heir's head.
Like his father, rage won.
With a roar of unrestrained fury, Jim head-butted Harry, knocking the shocked boy down to the ground. Jim unholstered his wand and prepared to attack, but Harry was faster.
"EXPULSO!" the Slytherin exclaimed. To his shock Jim parried the spell away with Averto and made to respond.
"PROTEGO DUO!" A brilliant white shield erupted between the two brothers, effectively preventing either Potter from attacking the other. Neville glared at the two boys as he maintained the shield.
"Well done Mr. Longbottom," said Lockhart quietly, who'd caught the tail end of the argument and had prepared to intervene between the two brothers. "Take 10 points for a flawless application of the Protego Duo shield, and another 10 points for effectively diffusing a would-be contentious battle between two armed combatants." He gave a pointed glare towards each still-fuming brother. "Now, I would ask what in the name of Merlin's saggy Y-fronts is going on here-"
"The Psycho-Who-Lived just attacked me-"
"The snake bastard started it-"
"ENOUGH!", thundered the DADA Professor. Everyone grew quiet at that. "I had foolishly believed that my lessons in Team Counterstrike had succeeded in aiding you two to finally learn to work together. But it seems my efforts are being further used as tools to aid in your ceaseless antagonization of the other." Both brothers gulped at the man's cold tone, fearing they'd be kicked out of the research team. "Thankfully," Lockhart continued, "I do believe in the magic of second chances." To demonstrate, he sent an Episkey in both brothers' direction to heal their injuries before cleaning them both off with a Scourgify. "In lieu of being expelled from Team Counterstrike, I am taking 15 points each." The brothers bit back their mutual groans. "You will both serve detention with me this evening where you will perform some advanced double dutch drills. Wandlessly." The boys' eyes widened at that. "Bear in mind that both your Heads of House will be informed of this incident, and both will be free to dole out their punishment as they see fit for your misbehavior. Are we clear?" Two tight-lipped 'Yes sirs' were all he received in response.
"Good. The rest of you, into the Great Hall." He flashed his overly white teeth. "Breakfast is, after all, the most important meal of the day. Ha-Ha!"
DADA Classroom - 4:39PM
Team Protector quietly went through their Patronus exercise under the watchful eye of Professor Lockhart. As was standard since their first class in September, members of the team would work to achieve the necessary mental state and take turns casting the esoteric charm. Once complete, they would confront the Boggart and attempt to banish it, before trying the Patronus once more. According to the DADA Professor, practiced confrontation of their biggest fear would aid in achieving (and strengthening) the required meditative state needed to cast the charm.
The expansive classroom had been cleared of all its desks and chairs, with the Boggart cupboard at the front of the classroom closest to the Professor's desk. A small end-table was piled high with various brands of chocolate provided by the house elves to help the students improve their moods once they confronted their demons.
"Right then," said Lockhart amiably. "I have watched you all demonstrate the necessary wandwork and incantation for the Patronus, and we all seem to be maintaining the required mental framework. To demonstrate: EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
The brilliant form of his Tasmanian wolf - Daisy - bounded out of his wand and cantered around the room, quietly sniffing the air for threats as it always did. Finding none she made her back to Lockhart, who gave her a gentle scratch on the head before she faded away.
"Excellent, now let us begin!"
After that, Lockhart went around the room, with the students making their attempts one at a time. He would observe and critique each students' performance and give advice, and each student had three attempts before he moved on to the next. Quite a few - like Neville, Marcus, Eurus, and Susan - were able to produce small silvery fog mists from their wands, much to Lockhart's excitement. Harry, in spite of previous successful efforts, was unable to create any mist today. Taking a deep breath and going through his Occludic meditation, he thought of his happiest memory and attempted to cast the spell again. A small burst of silver light poured from the holly wand, but it quickly disappeared. Understandably, he was disappointed. It seemed he was unable to shake off his foul mood after his disastrous confrontation with the Git.
"Right then," said Lockhart amiably. "We will now go through our Boggart drill. As is customary, there are chairs out in the hall. I'll ask you all to step outside and wait until I call you in. Your greatest fears are just that, yours and yours alone, and as I have maintained throughout the duration of this course, will stay between you and I as a protection of your privacy and trust. Ms. Bones, you are first. Everyone else, outside!"
With that, the other team members stepped out into the corridor. As always the group was pensive and mostly quiet as they each waited their turn. Neither knew what the other's biggest fear was, not even among those who were friends. Well, except for Neville who'd told his Slytherin friends about his greatest fear. Apparently, his was a giant piece of flagstone pavement flying towards him ready to bash his head in. Which was really how the boggart interpreted Uncle Algie dropping him to his death. Once he realized that, he'd cast Riddikulus and rendered the boggart into a bouncy rubber ball that bounced all the way back into its cupboard to hide.
About seven minutes later a very pale Susan emerged, numbly nibbling on a small bit of chocolate as she took a seat next to her Hufflepuff friends. Even Zacharias Smith, pureblood poncy git extraordinaire, leveled a sympathetic look in the witchling's direction. The first time he'd faced his greatest fear - the ghost of his ancestor Azrael Smith that haunted the Smith family manor - he'd fainted dead away and had to be resuscitated by Lockhart.
Finally it was Harry's turn, the last of the group. He took a deep breath and entered the classroom.
"Alright, Mr. Potter. Do you feel confident that you know your fear? And how to transform it into something amusing?" Harry stared curiously at the Professor, wondering what the hell the man was playing at (again). They both already knew his fear; a swarm of ravenous grindylows that attempted to rip him apart, representative of his near-death experience he had the summer prior. He'd transformed them into octopoid balloon-like pufferfish that had bounced around the room, before deflating and fleeing into the cupboard at his and Lockhart's laughter. Harry doubted this time would be any different. Still, he responded yes to both questions. "Very good. Have your wand at the ready."
Harry stepped forward wand in hand and nodded. "ABIERTO," intoned the Professor.
Slowly, the cupboard door creaked open as a zombie-like hand emerged. Bit by bit, the being unfurled its garishly pale, withered, and skeletal form as it emerged from its dark cocoon, face turned downward. Scraps of what used to be smart dress robes covered its form, eaten away by decay and neglect. With growing dread, Harry recognized the shade of red hidden beneath the oily straggles of hair as the woman straightened her body, bones popping macabrely. In a flash her head snapped up, eldritch-green eyes boring straight into a horrified Harry's skull.
"M-Mum?!"
The cadaverous abomination of Lily Evans snarled viciously.
"You…you dare…speak to me?!" she rasped violently, taking shuffling steps to a now-shaking Harry. "This…this is all…your fault!" She pointed a gnarled hand at her chest, specifically at the scarlet 'A' scar that jutted out in angry relief from her rotted skin. "I suffer from this…because of you. I am…damaged…because of you. I am…dying…because of you." Her expression turned malevolent as hissed in anger. "You pushed your father too far…and now…I'm paying for your sins." She leered cruelly, basking in Harry's increasingly panicked terror. "I chose…the wrong son!"
"M-m-m-mum p-please!"
"Mr. Potter," said Lockhart, his voice sounding a thousand miles away. "Remember Mr. Potter, she isn't real. This isn't real." Boggart-Lily just hissed in the man's direction before turning her attention back to a quivering and horrified Harry. Lockhart continued his words of encouragement. "You are in control Mr. Potter. You know the depth of your mother's love for you. This thing… is a lie. Its words are lies. It has no power over you."
It took a moment, but Harry allowed his Occlumency to resume control as he allowed himself to grow calm and unfeeling. He moved his wand arm in the familiar pattern of the Banishing Charm and behind the sanctuary of his psychic shields Harry heard a voice very much like his own yell out "RIDDIKULUS!" with a voice full of terror and rage and the desire to render this lying monstrosity into nothingness...
Boggart-Lily suddenly froze, before transforming into a pretty doll-like puppet as marionette strings appeared and made her do a jolly dance. Harry heard himself choke out a rather hysterical laugh as the boggart danced its way back into the cupboard, door slamming shut behind it. Feeling the effects of the creature clear Harry dropped to his knees, taking in deep gulping breaths as he loosened the reins on his Occlumency. He heard Lockhart approach and drop to his knees next to him, slowly offering him a candy bar. Muttering his thanks, Harry took the chocolate and tore a big bite out of it as his heart rate returned to normal.
"You did exceptionally well Mr. Potter, one of the best responses in the class. That," he paused here and leveled a hardened stare at the cupboard. "That was not easy, and you handled it admirably. If I could, I would award you points for your phenomenal showing."
"Thank you sir," Harry said shakily as he put his wand away.
With that, Lockhart pulled Harry up with him, allowing him a few more moments to collect himself. Satisfied, the professor went to call the other students back into the room. The group reentered with varying degrees of trepidation, and Lockhart began conjuring seats for all of them. Neville noticed Harry's paler than normal countenance as he stood by him, and in typical Neville-fashion, squeezed his friend's shoulder in comfort. Harry nodded gratefully.
"As always, well done all of you. I know it is never easy bracing that which intends to destroy you, but alas, such is the case when facing off against the unremitting powers of the leagues and forces of darkness. But remember, you each possess the power within you to vanquish the darkness back into the pits of the abyss. Understood?" He received mostly nervous nods in response. "Excellent! Messrs. Flint, Smith, and Longbottom, we are done with the boggart for the day. I kindly ask each of you to cast the Levitation Charm simultaneously to levitate it back into the storage closet in the back of the class. Normally, boggarts will remain hidden away unless exposed, but sometimes the sound of a crowd nearby makes them frisky, ha-Ha!"
The three boys made their way over to the cupboard and cast the charm, slowly levitating it back to its intended position. They were nearly to the closet when it happened. From the far corner in the back of the room, seemingly out of empty space was a series of soft girlish giggles that caused everyone to freeze.
"What in Merlin's name was that?!", exclaimed Marcus. The other students stared nervously as the giggling sounded once more, this time much louder.
"Everyone be calm." With that Lockhart confidently approached the corner, wand at the ready. "NOX OBSCURO. REVELIO." With those two spells whatever invisibility shield that was there melted away, revealing five pretty blonde dolls outfitted in rather vintage-looking doctor's uniforms. In each of their hands was a slim silver blade - no longer than three inches in length - that glowed in the low light of the classroom.
"Dr. Barbie? What on earth are they doing here?" Eurus cocked her head curiously at the five dolls as she came to stand by a perplexed Lockhart. Upon hearing the name Harry frowned, trying to recall where he'd heard it before. Most of the pureblood students in the class looked confused, though the muggleborns were perplexed as to how muggle toys had made their way into Hogwarts of all places.
Suddenly, the dolls eyes all suddenly started to glow eldritch green as their expressions warped to become noticeably clown-like and…feral. As one, they let out a fiendish cackle as a maniacal voice loudly hissed a phrase the only Parselmouth in the room understood:
"WHY SsSsOOO SsSsERIOUSsS?!"
Naturally, at that exact moment, Harry 's mind whir-clicked as he recalled Sirius telling him about Erasmus Wilkes ensorcelling Barbie dolls to unleash murderous havoc. And it seemed that Lockhart reached the same conclusion as his eyes widened in understanding, just as a killer Dr. Barbie leapt towards him with lethal intent.
"STUPEFY! EXPELLIARMUS!" The enraged doll froze as both spells hit true, stunning and disarming it as it flopped to the ground. Suitably enraged, the four others attacked the Professor and made to attack the remaining students.
Bedlam erupted.
Amidst the panicked screams, Zacharias and Marcus' concentration had broken in shock, causing their levitation charms on the cupboard to end. The weight of the cupboard suddenly fell to Neville, who stumbled and lost his concentration before yelping in pain as the cupboard tipped and landed on his foot. The cupboard door banged open as the boggart flew out.
Suddenly, towering over a terrified Zacharias was an uncommonly tall and ancient ghost with pallid skin, flaking rotted skin, and hollow empty eye sockets that somehow still glowed with malice. He wore a suit of armor that rattled chillingly as he slowly moved towards his terrified descendant.
"ZACHARIAS M'BOY!" he thundered in a voice like a monstrous goliath as he brandished a mighty and blood-soaked sword. "COME GIVE Y'GRANDAD A HUG! YOU DON'T WANT GRANDAD TO SLICE INTO YOU DO'YA?!" The Hufflepuff screamed in primordial terror while quickly backing away from the horrific creature, landing right into the arms of his classmates as they crowded protectively around the screaming boy.
The instant Zacharias had moved far enough away, the boggart instantly turned towards Marcus, and its form shifted like smoke. In place of Azrael Smith's homicidal form was Marcus' senile cackling grandmother, a hideous and balding crone who looked to want to strangle the boy. Marcus, shaking in terror, attempt to pop out his wand but it slipped out of its holster through fear-numbed fingers and fell to the floor. The crone's cackled reached a crescendo as she loomed over the terrified wizard, grasping talon-like hands nearly at his throat.
Suddenly, a figure protectively stepped in front of Marcus. It was Neville, his expression hardened in anger. The boggart's form blurred again as it transformed into a giant piece of flagstone pavement flying towards him ready to bash his head in. With a powerful slash the Gryffindor bellowed "RIDDIKULUS!", transforming the flagstone into a teeny tiny rubber ball that whizzed straight into the cupboard. "COLLOPORTUS!" The door locked soundly and with another grunt, an overpowered Pushback Jinx forced the cupboard into the farthest opposite corner of the DADA classroom. Satisfied, Neville bent down and cradled a shivering Marcus protectively.
At the same time, Lockhart, Harry, and Emily Rossum hand their hands full keeping back the murderous toys from unleashing their lethal wrath. All three poured their all into an overpowered Aegis Lapis Fortis shield, a dome-shaped stone edifice that kept the Barbies cornered and controlled in one location. However, the spell - a unique amalgamation of Conjuration and Protective Magick - was extremely taxing on their magical cores and starting to show cracks as the dolls maintained furious attacks from multiple points.
"STUDENTS!" The professor's voice sounded with an Amplification Charm. "I WANT YOU ALL TO FOLLOW MESSRS LONGBOTTOM AND FLINT TO THE HOSPITAL WING IMMEDIATELY. UPON YOUR ARRIVAL, I WANT MR. FLINT TO KINDLY ASK MADAME POMFREY TO SEND FOR PROFESSORS DUMBLEDORE AND MCGONAGALL AND HAVE THEM COME TO THIS CLASS AT ONCE! GO!"
With little hesitation, Neville and Marcus got up and led the terrified class out, though the two boys looked back worriedly at Harry before making their exit. Marcus - who was behind the group - didn't notice the gentle ruffle of air as an invisible force lightly brushed past him and ran in the opposite direction.
"Alright you two," said Lockhart in a normal volume. "This shield won't hold for long." There were several long veiny cracks slowly stretching across the dome, with bits of stone debris crumbling and hitting them in their sweat-covered faces. "On the count of three, I want you two to slowly disengage and make your exits as I maintain the shield. Lock the door behind you. I will wait for Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall to arrive…and…provide their assistance." He grunted as he poured more power into the shield, starting to pant from his exertion. "It is of the utmost importance that these…things don't make it past this classroom else it spells disaster for us all. Now, on my mark! 3…2…1…NOW!"
Harry and Emily retracted their wands as they ended their spells, before quickly making their way out of the classroom and slamming the door shut behind them. As one, they cast "COLLOPORTUS!", nodding in satisfaction as the door locked accordingly.
"You…you reckon he's going to be alright?" asked Emily, leaned over and panting as she tried to catch her breath.
"I don't know," replied Harry quietly as he wiped his brow with his shirt sleeve and sagged against the door. He was feeling quite dizzy and rather thirsty, his head swimming at the amount of magic he'd used.
Suddenly, there was a mighty crash followed immediately by Lockhart's enraged yell. Emily and Harry stared at each other nervously, wondering if the eccentric man had just met his demise. Some seconds later the hurried footsteps of the Headmaster and his Deputy rounded the corner before the two soon appeared with tightened expressions.
"Mr. Potter, Ms. Rossum, thank you for your assistance." In a flash the Headmaster's wand appeared as his Deputy mimicked his movement. "Please make your way to the Hospital Wing to be looked over whilst Professor McGonagall and I assist Professor Lockhart in resolving this matter. Pip pip!"
With polite nods of acquiescence the two students made their exits. The last thing they heard as Dumbledore unlocked the classroom door was an overly boisterous Gilderoy Lockhart: "Ah Professors, you made it! Just in time too! As the muggles say, the more the merrier, ha-Ha!"
Professor Evans' Quarters - 8:57PM
"C'mon dear, it's getting late. I'll walk you back to the Gryffindor dorms."
With a quiet nod, Hermione gathered her notes and homework into her knapsack. The two muggleborn witches were meeting for their once-weekly tea session, discussing the Gryffindor's classes and other topics of relevance. Since they'd missed the past few weeks, this evening's session had been focused on the topic of Lily's curse. Mainly Hermione oscillating between sweetly fussing over the older witch, cursing James Potter's "chauvinistic male ways", and worrying over potential remedies to help her would-be mentor.
The Gryffindor had also expressed frustration over how tight-lipped Harry and Neville had been over details regarding the curse's true nature, especially since Hermione was absolutely certain that both knew exactly what the magic entailed. After making the witchling swear a Secrecy Oath that she couldn't reveal any details to anyone save their immediate circle. Then, Lily explained everything to her. James' insane paranoia regarding her and Sirius' nonexistent affair. The origin of the Scarlet Letter curse. It's effects on her body and her magic (Hermione had been aghast at that). And the varying manifestations of the curse, especially between mother and child. Unlike Lady Hestia and baby Phaedra, Jim was the male heir to a patrilineal house. Because of Lord Potter's false belief that the so-called affair had caused Lily's pregnancy - thereby foolishly bringing paternity of his own heir into question - the magic of the Scarlet Letter Curse prevented mother and son from being in close proximity with each other, lest Lily wanted to die writhing in agony. Interestingly enough, the effects didn't extend to Harry as the second-born son, despite him and Jim being identical twins. "Small miracles", Lily had muttered sarcastically.
Hermione had then haltingly explained the argument said twins had gotten into after Lily had been taken by Theo to the Hospital Wing. To the witchling's consternation, Professor Evans had vowed to have a discussion with her sons after they completed their detention this evening. She'd also heard some disturbing news that an exercise for Lockhart's Team Protector had gone horribly wrong, with even more disturbing news that five of Erasmus Wikes' killer toys had been unleashed. Furious, Lily endeavored to discuss the matter with the DADA Professor first thing tomorrow morning.
"All done!" Hermione swung her knapsack over her shoulder as Lily stood. Wrapping a firm arm around the Gryffindor's shoulder, they exited her private quarters and made their way over to the Gryffindor dorms, chatting about mundane things. Some minutes later they reached the Second Floor girls' lavatory, which - like on Halloween - was flooded with an uncommon amount of water that extended all the way to the stairwells.
"Circe's sake," muttered Lily, swishing her wand as she dried the water. "You'd think a magical school would be impervious to faulty plumbing, but nooooo." Hermione giggled at her sarcastic tone, causing the older witch to snicker. Soon, their path dried and the two witches continued on.
Suddenly, merely two feet away from the abandoned lavatory's entrance Lily paused, head cocked to the side as though she could hear something.
"Professor? Is everything alright?" asked Hermione curiously. Lily didn't respond, just continued to tilt her head as her eyes narrowed to slits. A few beats later they widened in alarm before her entire expression hardened to stone.
"Hermione, turn around immediately and head back to my quarters. The password to enter is 'Cerastes'. Using the password will activate additional security measures that will prevent anyone who isn't me from entering unless you choose to open the door. On my desk is one of your linked parchments; use it to send a message to Professor Snape to have him and Professor Dumbledore meet me here." Hermione's eyes widened, wondering what the hell was going on. She'd never heard Lily sound so…intense.
"Professor what is-"
"No time Hermione! GO! NOW!" With a squeak the Gryffindor turned and raced down the hall, yelping in panic when she heard the crashing sounds of spellfire. Within a minute she'd reached Lily's quarters and gave the password, practically running inside when the door opened. With trembling fingers she quickly used the parchment to send the message to Professor Snape.
He didn't respond.
She tried twice more, still to no avail.
Hermione panicked for a whole two minutes before taking a deep breath, going through her meditative exercises so she could think calmly and clearly. Professor Evans was in trouble, and she needed help. The one adult who could help her was unresponsive, and Hermione had no feasible way of reaching either Professors Dumbledore or McGonagall to get help. A few seconds passed before she made up her mind.
Summoning all reserves of her Gryffindor courage, Granger unholstered her wand and marched to the door and opened it. She made to step out when a dark blur flashed right past her.
It was Professor Snape, and he was running.
"Professor Snape?!" exclaimed Hermione "Where have you been?! I've been trying to reach you! Professor Evans is in trouble-"
"I'm aware Ms. Granger, get back in that room immediately and keep the door shut! Do not, under any circumstance, let anyone in through that door save me! Do it, NOW!" Hermione jumped as she quickly followed his instructions, hoping to God, Merlin, Circe, Buddha, and a myriad of other deities that nothing terrible happened to Lily Evans.
'Oh no. No no no no!'
That was the only coherent thought running through Severus' mind as he slowly approached the scene before him.
The entire hallway was flooded with water coming from the abandoned lavatory. A few feet away laid his best friend on her side, form disturbingly still.
He'd been in the middle of grading papers for his OWL-level students when the krait symbol on his cuff had grown alarmingly red hot, pulsing out an SOS-beacon as an image of Lily's approximate location had flashed in his mind. In a split second he'd raced from his office, cursing his inability to apparate within Hogwarts.
With his walnut wand at the ready in case he needed to defend his person, Severus approached the downed witch. He gasped at her expression; eyes blown wide in horrified shock with a mouth contorted into a spell (a lethal one knowing her). She was staring directly into the water's reflection, looking at a point some distance away. Her trusty willow wand was clutched firmly in her grasp and aimed true, ready to defend its mistress. Following the wand's direction the Potions Master cast several detection spells, snarling in frustration when nothing was yielded.
Abandoning that task he closed a firm hand around her wrist, checking for a pulse. He hissed at her ice-cold skin, realization of her state slowly dawning on him. Unwilling to admit the obvious, he cast a rapid-fire slew of diagnostic and resuscitation charms, even spelled some Rejuvenation Potions directly into her body. It was to no avail. Lily remained stock still, frozen into stone.
Beating back wrathful tears Snape summoned his Patronus, sending it directly to the Headmaster with an urgent message delivered in deadpan sotto voce: "Lily Evans has been Petrified."
AN 1: Poor Lily! The woman can't catch a break can she? We'll see how things go for our favorite muggleborn soon enough.
AN 2: While Barbie dolls were released well after Erasmus' graduation in 1945, it's not too farfetched to believe he could have had some of his ensorcelled toys snuck in, either by himself or one of his...pals.