Lily's Revenge

Lily's Revenge

Chapter Four: Severus Searching For A Stick.

Through the torrential rain, a vague form slowly took shape. Severus Snape squinted, trying to focus his eyes. A loud clap of thunder made him jump in fright, and it was then that he could recognize Lily Evans, stalking like an offended cat up to the castle. She passed his bush without noticing his dark green robes, even when he abruptly shifted his legs out of view - rattling some damp branches. Only awarded a quick glance of her face as she strided by, he wasn't too certain as to what he had seen.

Severus had been given the impression, however, of a fierce smile. He smiled himself, for if she were smiling like that then it had to mean that she had cooked up some prank for him... Giving him the excuse to cause her more hurt. Severus Snape didn't like Lily. He never had, though there had been times when her help had been useful, and his friendliness had been necessary to earn that help. Well! He needed her no longer, and was happy to have an excuse to torment.

It really riled him, however, that she had turned to the three worst people in the school. But perhaps through this "prank" he would find an excuse to get both her and her new "friends" expelled.

Shivering from cold, Severus began to straighten his robes in preparation for standing up, when he once again saw some odd shapes taking form within the distance. From the same direction that Lily had come. His temperature forgotten, Snape leant forward for a better view in between the twigs of his bush.

Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew were walking up the path. Between them floated an odd shape, one that Severus couldn't guess. However, they were running quickly to get out of the wet, and they were soon close enough for him to see, and to recognize that floating shape. It was James Potter.

Severus smiled, a ferocious grin that looked even more evil with his beak of a nose. Apparently something had happened, and Severus was curious as to just what it was...

It didn't take long for the three Marauders to run past him, and when they had done so he slowly stood up, brushing the wrinkles from his robes. As he hastened to walk back towards the castle, he once again wondered just where Remus might be...

***//\//\***

Sky looked up to see a dripping Lily entering the common room. Her smile was instant, welcoming Lily back, though Lily's looked altogether too fierce to be considered kind. There was a distance to Lily's eyes, as though she weren't all there, while her skin was flushed, perhaps with fever. Sky's concern for her friend's health immediately doubled. Although Lily had appeared unhealthy before, it had never been this bad. Stepping over to her friend, Sky self-consciously brushed her blonde hair away from her eyes. She had never had to look after a sick person before - what was she to do? What did she need to say? Should she ask Lily how she is? Too late.

"Oh Lily! You look... Er... wet" she finished lamely. She had been about to say she looked horrible, but then Sky had seen Lily's eyes up close. They were horribly bloodshot, while tears appeared to stream down her cheeks with the water. The emerald gleamed painfully bright, though they were still unfocussed. Lily didn't appear to notice Sky, merely standing in a trance-like state with that crazy smile on her lips.

Physically shaking herself, Lily fell out of the odd condition she had been in and looked to Sky. Her eyes cleared a little, focusing better, while her lips contorted a little out of their shape, appearing a lot less dangerous.

"Wet?" Lily asked, laughing (though with an hysteric edge, Sky noticed). "I think that's a bit of an understatement... Do you mind finding a clean towel for me? I'll go have a shower."

Sky could only nod dumbly. Perhaps she had been imagining the madness in her friend's face before. Yes, that was it - she was imagining everything. It was the stress of the upcoming exams, and the fact that she had to cope on her own... Yes, that was it. That was it.

Sky didn't realize she was muttering to herself, sounding as mad as Lily. She did, however, wake up enough to remember to ask Lily: "Oi, Lily, just wait a moment." Lily turned around. The fire appeared to have returned to her cheeks, though her eyes weren't tearing anymore. It didn't register to Sky that, considering the time elapsed, Lily should already have reached and entered the bathroom.

"Are you going to the dueling club meeting tonight? They're having a discussion on ways to block the unforgivable curses, I think it'll be interesting..." Sky dropped off, worried about the emotions flickering over her friends face. First there was curiosity, then regret, then anger, rage, a fierce joy - and now? Nothing. Her face was as blank as an empty pane of glass. Her voice, when she replied, was just as neutral.

"I'm busy this evening. No"

After that she turned on her heel and continued walking to the bathroom. Sky turned, also, walking towards a linen cupboard. It was here that she began searching intently, scuffling through sheets and blankets. She was worried, and nervous. There was something wrong with Lily, something serious. Lily had never hidden anything from her before. Lily had never done anything like this before. Sky mumbled over and over, "My imagination's playing tricks. Yes, that's it..." Still she continued to search, though she couldn't remember what for.

***//\//\***

Lunch passed as a blur for everyone, though Lily and James didn't turn up. The two remaining Marauders minded their manners and didn't do anything outrageous, though they had contemplated heating all the Slytherins' cutlery so that it might burn them... They were nervous, however, about what would happen about their plans for tonight if they somehow got themselves locked in the trophy room, cleaning, for the rest of the weekend.

That afternoon, while James still lay on his bed with the effects of an unconscious curse still refusing to wear-off, Peter and Sirius played a game of Snakes and Ladders as they discussed their plans for the evening. After being bitten for the third time, however, Sirius gave up.

"Stupid, infernal game!" grumbled Sirius, as he angrily snapped the board shut. On Peter's hand. A yelp emitted by Peter made him glance over at his friend. "Oh, sorry, Pete" he said, noticing a growing bruise, "I didn't realize I shut it that tight."

"That's alright," muttered Peter, "I'm more worried about tonight than I am of some black skin."

Sirius glanced over at him. It was normal for Peter to be afraid, though this dark queasiness that filled Sirius' belly reminded him of fear, too, and that was unusual. Sirius had done many dangerous things in his life, and he didn't think this one topped it, though for some reason he felt a vague foreboding towards it. Trying to lighten his manner to its normal high he said:

"I'd be worried about that bruise if I were you, Wormtail, it might make you lame as a rat."

Peter furtively cast his eyes around the room, paranoid that someone might have heard. Thankfully, the common room was unusually empty; there had been no one there to hear his secret.

"You'd better watch out, Padfoot. Mention that again and you might become a newly-castrated dog." Sirius let out a large guffaw. As if Peter would ever do anything like that, the pink tinge to his cheeks indicated as such. Laughter seemed to cleanse him, and he soon felt better about the evening.

"So what are we going to tell Snape, anyway?" Peter asked, his curious eyes watchful. All he could understand of the plan was that they were somehow going to introduce Severus to Remus in his wolf guise. A highly dangerous plan, one that would end in the death of Severus, and possible expulsion of Remus - not to mention the rest of the Marauders.

"You may be interested to know that Remus isn't currently in the Shrieking Shack," commented Sirius, smiling at Peter's confusion. With a twinkle in his eye he continued: "They are currently testing a new potion for controlling werewolves. Remus is in the hospital ward, asleep in his human form. Unfortunately, the potion isn't strong enough yet to control a werewolf over the peak of the full moon... that occurs tonight, by the way. This evening, Madam Pomfrey is going to escort the semi-conscious Remus to the Whomping Willow. From there, Remus will take the path and morph into his werewolf form."

Peter looked awed. All this was sheer genius! From close association to Sirius and James he could already guess how the plan would work. He smiled knowingly at Sirius, who wore a smug grin.

"Yep, you guessed it, Pete. We're going to tell Severus how to enter the Whomping Willow.

***//\//\***

Severus had dried himself since the morning, though he still wore the dark green robes. He had spent the rest of the day studying in the library, trying to make his desire of beating the Marauders in this year's final exams a reality.

It had been on his return to the Slytherin common room that he saw Sirius and Peter skulking around, looking as though they were up to mischief. Always willing to take up the challenge of following Marauders, he hid his books behind a statue of an old wizard and continued on behind them.

***//\//\***

"Great," Sirius said to Peter, "He's picked up our bait! Now all we've got to do is lead him to Remus and Madam Pomfrey." Peter sniggered in reply, his grin glinting in the vague dusk as they stepped outside. "Now to just drop our final clue..." Peter appeared to accidentally drop a small piece of paper on the ground. Upon this piece if paper, a quickly scrawled note read:

"Secret of the Whomping Willow: Planted to hide the entrance of a tunnel access to Hogsmeade, the Whomping Willow, akin to most trees of its ilk, has an "itchy" spot. A small knob at the base of the tree, that, when poked with a long stick, will bring the tree to a complete standstill for a short amount of time - just long enough to enter the tunnel beneath its trunk."

Sirius and Peter walked on their way, far enough ahead so that Severus wouldn't suspect their knowledge of his spying but close enough to know that he saw them drop the piece of paper.

***//\//\***

The dusk made things difficult to see, especially people a fair distance ahead of you that wore black robes. A full moon shone brightly, reflected strongly by the lake, yet it only made the shadows cast by tall trees more foreboding.

A cold wind rippled the waters; distorting the moon's shape and giving everything it touched a bitter chill, reminding Severus of the winter soon to be. Ahead he saw something white and gleaming on the ground. It appeared that the Marauders had dropped something. Severus smiled in evil joy. Yes! This time he would know their plan soon enough to do something! This time, they would be expelled.

Reaching down, Severus quietly picked up the paper, tapping it with his wand first to make sure it wasn't booby-trapped. Severus had had that trick played on him too many times now for him to fall for it a thirtieth time. Nothing happened, so he continued the process of taking it, then held it up to the light of the moon and read what words it contained. Considering the untidy scrawl that it had been written in, that was quite a feat, though after deciphering it, Severus knew very well what it was, and how important it was.

Obviously Sirius and Peter were considering entering Hogsmeade. That could be very dangerous, it could even get them expelled... Severus's smile grew wider.

Hearing an odd noise behind him, Severus jumped to his left, trying to hide behind the trunk of a tree, his job made easier by the glowing moon sliding behind a cloud at that moment. Two people walked down the path behind him. One of the people was obviously Madam Pomfrey - Severus would recognize that little witch anywhere. The other person stumbled and wobbled as though sick, yet if that were so, then why would he be walking away from the hospital wing? Severus' eyes narrowed in a frown of concentration, obviously there was more to this than he thought.

Suddenly the moon jumped out from behind the cloud, shining in all its previous majesty and beauty - lighting up the entire grounds. Lighting up the person clumsily walking beside Madam Pomfrey.

Severus gasped as he recognized Remus, the Remus who was supposedly visiting his dying cousin...

***//\//\***

Lily smiled in glee as she watched Severus hide his books behind a statue and begin to creep quietly in a different direction to that which he had been headed. She knew that walk; knew the behavior. And knew that Severus had caught the bait.

Quietly, she followed along behind him, stalking him as they had so often stalked the Marauders. Her concentration was, for the first time in a long while, precise. She knew exactly what was happening, and reveled in the revenge that it would reward her with. Stepping out into the cold, she shivered at the chill that ran down her bones. She had been hungry earlier, but now sheer adrenaline flowed through her veins, strengthening her body and creating a tingle all over. She hadn't felt so strong in all her life - even the cold dissipated in her newfound power.

The full moon made the perfect setting, as well as being necessary to her plan. As Lily saw Severus look up to it, she wondered if he knew that it would be the last he'd ever gaze upon. She nearly cackled in her monstrous happiness, then quieted as she remembered where she was.

Seeing Severus reaching down, to pick up a white something from the ground, Lily's forehead creased. That hadn't been part of the plan. Whatever was happening? Had the Marauders changed the plan? Without telling her?

Sudden fury tore through Lily, burning and making her gasp for breath. If they dared... If they dared! Or, she suddenly guessed, her thoughts changing direction, Or... what if James had left some sort of note, dissuading the course of action? This calmed her down and made her even angrier all at once. Tears poured down her cheeks from the conflicting emotions. No. It couldn't be James, he was probably still unconscious - and certainly had been when they decided the day. The white thing had to be something else...

Her train of thought was distracted by a sound behind her. The opening and shutting of a door. Quickly ducking back towards the wall of the castle, she hid herself beside it - glad that the moon had chosen that moment to go behind a cloud. Walking out of the door was Madam Pomfrey, walking beside a very clumsy and awkward Remus.

Remus? She thought to herself. Whatever is he doing here? And in human form at that! Something odd was certainly going on. Looking up to the clouds, she saw them shifting again, and stepped further back against the wall of the castle - trying to blend in with the stones, lest she be seen when the moon-

Instantly, the world was a place of light once more, as the full moon lit up the scene. She saw Remus glance at it apprehensively, and with it's light noticed the hair growing on his face and the lengthening nose... or should it be snout? Madam Pomfrey seemed to be trying to make Remus move even faster, for she was running and dragging him behind her as she headed towards the Whomping Willow.

What was it that James has said about the Whomping Willow? Lily's eyes gleamed with fanaticism. Yes, the plan was going as it should, for by the time they reached the Whomping Willow, she suspected that Remus would be a werewolf. She didn't even consider that this might pose her in some sort of danger, for the thought of reprisal consumed her.

--- --- ---

Sirius looked up to see Madam Pomfrey hurrying down the path with Remus. "Right on time," he whispered, and nodded to Peter.

They both began to change.

--- --- ---

Lily watched, confused, as Madam Pomfrey scrabbled around in the dirt, apparently searching for something. Beside her Remus lay on the ground, emitting an odd growl, while ahead the Whomping Willow waved its branches menacingly, as though in wait for someone to come close enough for it to whomp. Which, Lily thought to herself, was probably quite correct.

Abruptly, Madam Pomfrey jumped up, holding something that looked rather like a long stick in her hands. After doing something with the stick, the tree abruptly stood still. Remus entered, while Poppy quickly ran away. The tree started waving its branches angrily again soon after she left, though Madam Pomfrey didn't stop to look - she kept running up the path until she reached the giant doors. After entering, she closed them with a resounding thud.

The sound rocked through Lily's head with the clarity of a bass drum. It vibrated through her ears and made ripples through her thoughts. Her anger at Severus returned, while her joy at his coming demise grew.

Speaking of whom...

Severus took a while stepping up to the Whomping Willow. For one thing, he'd been far away when Madam Pomfrey had approached it, and for another, he wanted to be certain that no one was around. He was certain that this wasn't a prank against him, as he believed that his conclusions from seeing an unconscious James Potter departing from a meeting with Lily Evans were certain. Obviously the Marauders had tried to call off their prank with Lily, and the crazy wench had knocked James unconscious. Peter would never dare, and Sirius was his best friend.

Meanwhile, the fourth Marauder was going to Hogsmeade, and Severus was certain that Sirius and Peter were about to follow. What a plan, Severus reflected to himself, What an idea!

Severus scrabbled around beneath the tree, narrowly avoiding branches in his frenzy to find a long enough stick. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a glowing white blur.

The moon was bright tonight.