Tears

It was already almost curfew, but Lily still needed to find a few more books for her Charms research project. She hadn't realized that Hogwarts had a library annex below the dungeons--she hadn't even known there was a level under the dungeons. The bookshelves here, however, were not conveniently spaces as they were in the library far above: they were stacked right up against each other but would move to accommodate a person as necessary.

Ten minutes until curfew. She had to be quick. Of course, as Head Girl, she was allowed out in the halls after curfew, but she had to set a good example for the other students, and, besides, the annex was creepy. She scanned the signs on the sides of each wall of books, looking for the right call number.

"Aha," she murmured as she discovered what she was looking for. The other shelves moved accordingly to show, revealed at the very end of the now broken barrier of bookshelves, a pair of students rather inappropriately clad and engaging in rather inappropriate behavior. Lily blanched, horrified and shocked at the sight before her. They were having sex in the annex. And--she looked at her watch--now it really was after curfew. She strode briskly down the parted sea of books and stopped before the grunting, moaning, panting, oblivious, and completely self-absorbed pair.

"Fifty points each from Slytherin," she said audibly and icily despite the furious blush that began to rise on her cheeks at the embarrassment of the situation. They broke apart, though the boy still remained on top of the girl as he looked insolently up at Lily.

"You don't want to interfere here, mudblood," he drawled.

"Do I not?" she asked even more icily in return. "I'm afraid you two are breaking the rules, and I must enforce them. Get up, get clothed, and get out. Now."

He merely leaned back down and engaged the girl's lips in a slow, languid, and exaggerated kiss. She moaned and arched up.

"Must I force you apart and escort you two to your respective dormitories?"

"But we're not finished here yet. And after your . . . interruption, . . . I've lost . . . the rhythm. . . . We'll have to . . . start over again. . . . You can stay to watch . . . if you'd like," he drawled in between bites and kisses.

"That's it. Fifty more points each from Slytherin. Now, up." She flicked her want, enrages, and they flew apart. "Now put on your robes." They did. With another swish of her wand, she made sure they wouldn't walk away as she led them back to the Slytherin dormitories.

"Goodness, Evans. Don't you trust us?"

"I won't even dignify that question with an answer. Shut it."

They finally reached the entrance. She turned to them. "Do not do such a thing again." And Lily turned abruptly on her heel and left.

Now she was out after curfew, she hadn't gotten her books, and she had left her bag in the annex. She felt suddenly very drained and very unwilling to return to the annex. However, she had no choice. So she picked up her bag, found the necessary books, and returned to Gryffindor tower, promptly collapsing onto the nearest couch and dropping everything unceremoniously at her feet.

"Out after hours?" came an amused voice.

Lily whipped around to see James. "Please. Not now, James," she said, closing her eyes wearily.

He was suddenly ashamed of teasing her. "I'm sorry. Rough night?"

"You have no idea."

He raised an eyebrow. "I've had my fair shore of rough nights. You sure I have no idea?" he said lightly.

"You'd better not have an idea!"

"What happened, Lily?" He sat down next to her on the couch, his words completely sincere and his eyes impossibly caring.

She brought her feet up onto the couch and rested her head on her drawn-up knees. "Did you know we had a library annex?" she asked into her knees.

"What? Where?"

"Below the dungeons."

"What about it?"

"I just found it today. Madame Pince told me I could find the books I need for my Charms project there. But apparently, other students have already discovered it and put it to use."

"Lily. What on earth do you mean?"

"I mean I caught students having sex in the stacks!" she said angrily.

"What?! Who were they? Did they give you any trouble?" he growled, oddly protective.

"Not any more trouble than Slytherins usually do. But it was so--oh, I don't know--disgusting, embarrassing, humiliating. I don't know what to do. Should I tell Professor Dumbledore? I mean, it looked consensual, but I don't know, and I feel like that kind of behavior is breaking some sort of rule somewhere, but I don't think I've read it anywhere, but it just seems so wrong! But I also feel guilty telling anyone because it's such an intimate thing to tell of. I'd feel like the tattle-tale everyone hated in grammar school. Should I not tell anyone this first time? But then what if I catch them again? I don't think they're the type to listen after they've been reprimanded. If I see them doing it a second time, should I tell? What should I do, James?"

"If it's really bothering you, we can see Dumbledore and ask him. If it's something you oughtn't have told, he'll tell you."

"...Oh. That makes sense."

"First thing in the morning before breakfast?"

"You don't have to come with me."

"It would be my pleasure."

"Thanks, James."

***

"Good morning Miss Evans, Mr. Potter. What can I do for you?"

"Er, Professor, I just had an--er--a disciplinary question."

"Of course. Go on."

"Well, I was wondering--er--Professor, what I should do should I--um--find students engaging in--er--carnal pleasure after ours in, say, the library annex?"

"Carnal pleasure?"

"Having sex, Professor," translated James matter-of-factly. Lily was blushing furiously and looking very determinedly at the floor.

"Am I correct in assuming this isn't merely a hypothetical situation?"

"Yes, Professor," responded Lily in a small voice.

"If I may ask, how did you react?"

"Er, I stopped them, took off a hundred points each, and told them they were out after curfew and never to do it again."

"Never would be a tall order, my dear," said Dumbledore lightly.

"Well I meant--" she stuttered, flustered.

"I think Lily means she never wants to see that again," intervened James.

"Did I do the right thing, Professor?" she asked anxiously. "Was I supposed to punish them more, or should I have just kept it to myself, or--"

"I think you handled the situation very well. That is why you were selected Head Girl."

"But isn't there some kind of rule about this kind of behavior? Isn't it ... wrong?"

"Nowhere does any mention of this appear in our books, so there are no rules and no guidelines on procedure, I'm sorry to say. Of course, it also comes down to individual morals, which gets very subjective and muddy, which is likely why it doesn't appear. Nonetheless, there is nothing you or I can do in the name of law."

"We shouldn't contact parents or anything?"

"We are not obligated to, and I don't think we have the right to. You shall have to be content with reprimands and taking off an unseemly number of points."

"You don't think I took off too many points, do you?"

"Frankly, my dear, no. We don't condone this kind of behavior, but there really is nothing I can do about it."

"You can't make a new rule?"

"I'm not sure I could."

"Alright. Thank you, Professor."

"Anytime, my dear. Have a good day, you two."

"You too, Professor," replied James. "Now that wasn't too bad, was it?" he asked after they left the office.

"It was terrible!" she groaned. "It was so embarrassing, and nothing is any clearer. There's no specific way I'm supposed to handle this. What if it happens again?"

"We won't let it happen again," he said as he put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Let's get some breakfast."