Ultimatums

Chapter 20

Lily sat in the Gryffindor stands, scribbling on a piece of parchment during the match Marlene had dragged her to. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy Quidditch, she just had a Potions essay to finish.

"And Crabbe puts it past Simmons again, after Clarius and Elladora Rowle pelted the bludgers at him! What an exciting match, wouldn't you say Professor Sprout? And now, Black and Hufflepuff's Seeker Lynch disappear into the clouds.... Black has really turned Slytherins fortunes round this season eh folks?" Persephone Montaine spoke into the microphone, causing Lily to finally look up from her work and pay attention to the game.

She waited for Regulus to come back down with the Snitch like he usually did, but he didn't. And when he did, he wasn't in control of his broom.

"Marlene, look" Lily heard Mary McDonald shriek, but she couldn't tear her eyes from Hermione.

She saw the girl's horrified face, saw Sirius shaking her desperately though she couldn't fathom what Hermione could do to help. Regulus was nearing the ground, and practically everyone was wincing in anticipation...

But then he was caught by pure, purple magical energy. It encased him a coffin, keeping him safe. Lily followed the stream of magic, up and up until she found herself shielding her eyes from what looked like a dying star. It was beautiful, yet horrifying when she realised it was Hermione in there, in the swirl of magic.

Remus and the other boy they were sitting with, Rosier she thought, looked as if they felt the same as her, but Sirius and Avery didn't seem to have the same shock, the same awe. They looked more worried, and Lily saw them position themselves behind her. It seemed like an eternity before Hermione's magic ran out, but when it did, she slumped into Sirius and Avery's arms, unconscious.

Lily turned to Marlene and Mary, who were whispering conspiratorially, but she wasn't in the mood for gossip. She decided to watch people's reactions instead. Potter was glaring at Regulus in the ever changing purple box, while Pettigrew whispered in his ear. He then turned to watch Sirius pick up his sister and carry her away, and Lily wondered where his emotions for his sister were at the moment. Did he know about whatever just happened, or did he just find out along with the rest of them?

She then turned to watch Narcissa Black and Remus walk down to the pitch. Narcissa was the essence of calm, as if this had happened as often as they had class, while Remus was staring at Regulus with a raw sense of confusion and ultimately fear. Lily watched Narcissa argue with Madame Pomfrey and Dumbledore, and it seemed everyone had turned their eyes that way too.

After a while, Dumbledore announced "all students and faculty are to return to their common rooms or offices, and to steer clear of Ms Potter's dorm altogether. I believe any visitors are going to be preapproved"

Lily lingered for a moment, before she packed up all her Potions work and followed her friends through the crowd of students.

☏

A few days later in the Gryffindor Common Room, a row ensued between the Marauders. Usually, rows didn't happen with the group, and if there was a disagreement, it was resolved fairly quickly. But this one ran deeper than James teasing Peter too much, or Sirius eating Remus's chocolate.

Sirius had just returned from the Slytherin Common Room, after spending time with his brother and looking after Hermione, when James sat opposite him. "Where've you been?"

"Spending time with Reg. He's really beat up about the whole thing" Sirius answered, already dreading this whole conversation.

James snorted "He should be, it's his fault."

"James you don't know what you're talking about. Leave it" Remus walked in and sat next to Sirius.

"My sister is unconscious, because she was trying to save Black. Hence, it is his fault, no? And no shit I don't know what I'm talking about if no one will bloody tell me anything"

Remus saw Sirius's jaw clench. "James"

But he continued on "and how is it, that you and Remus are allowed to visit her, and yet I am banned from walking anywhere near the dungeons?"

"Maybe because she hates you" Sirius muttered, but James heard.

"Hates me? Since when were her and Remus pals? I bet you know everything and you're not telling me."

"I do actually. I've known for about a year and a bit. But I'm not going to tell you James, and you can't see her until she wakes up and asks for you. I swore on my magic" Sirius punctuated his speech with a wave of his hands and Remus put his head in his hands.

"Why hasn't she told me, but she's told you? I'm family" James ran a hand through his hair, only to have it get stuck.

"Because she doesn't trust you James. You need to win back her trust. Put as much effort into Hermione as you do asking Lily out. You can't even bring yourself to say her name" Remus explained, and Lily looked up as she heard her name.

"He is right you know. She thinks you don't love her. Though, when you do go, I'll come with you James"

Sirius laughed his signature bark laugh "Not a good idea Evans. Neither of you are on her good side, and Bella and Reg won't let you get a word in if they even think for a second you're upsetting her"

"Well that's just foolish isn't it? Can't Hermione speak for herself?" Lily rolled her eyes.

"Oh she can. They know she can. But they also know that what she just did..." Sirius trailed off. He didn't want to say Hermione could've died. He didn't want to raise the tensions. "Nita doesn't need you two bothering her when she's so physically weak. You being there could drive her over the edge, and Bella and Reg know that. They won't let you near"

☏

As the weeks went on, rumours spread. Some were fathomable, like the one being Hermione was an Obscurus. Others were crazy, like she had made satanic deals and her mission was to wreak havoc at Hogwarts. Why the Satan would want to cause mischief at Hogwarts instead of doing other things, Lily would never know.

Sirius and Remus tried to shut down the harmful or completely untrue ones, but can you really control a rumour once it's started? It's like trying to extinguish one tree in a wildfire.

Regulus didn't leave the dungeons, except for food if he needed to escape the atmosphere, and whenever anyone saw him he looked gaunt. There were dark circles under his grey eyes, and while his hair was decently kept, if you knew him well enough it would look like a birds nest on him. Regulus couldn't sleep, and even when he did, he was tired anyway. He felt helpless and looking at Hermione everyday killed him.

Anyone who asked him anything about Hermione got an evil looking glare on a good day, on a bad one was a stream of threats he no doubt meant. Sometimes Sirius had to go over and calm him down before he hexed a curious first year.

Everyone had written to their parents about it, and while Hogwarts got quite a few complaints, many were more interested in Hermione's condition than anything. Walburga Black of course defended Hermione Potter within an inch of physical assault, which is more than she'd do willingly for either of her sons, purely because it brought her publicity. The Potters hated it, but they couldn't do anything without provoking a feud. So instead, they wrote Hermione a passive aggressive letter and a basket of muffins