fox - r.lupin

- c h a p t e r - t h i r t y-t w o -

edited.

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 Lily wasn't sure what to do.

Violet wasn't speaking to her, the girls, the boys, or anyone. She hadn't said much of anything since the incident at the lake. Violet had finished her O.W.L. exams–but would disappear as soon as they were over.

And that is how she was every day now.

After every class. Meal. Etc.

She was never around–keeping to herself even with the Christmas ball drawing closer and closer.

Lily didn't know what to do anymore.

She had been sure that Violet just needed a few days to cool off after what happened. So Lily gave her the space–but around day five of Violet disappearing and not reappearing again, the Evans girl knew it was more than needing to cool off.

Violet got quiet like this whenever big emotional things happened like this. She had done it when her parents died. She had done it when she got into that big fight with Remus.

She had done this since they were kids.

Lily was usually good at persuading Violet out of the mental prison she would lock herself in–but this time was different.

She had tried everything. But nothing she did seemed to bring Violet out of her shell. And it scared her.

It really scared her.

Especially after talking to Madam Pomfrey.

The Healer had listened to Lily talk about Violet's tendencies and habits over the last few weeks, and the woman murmured, "Do you know if her parents had a history of depression?"

Lily knew what that was. Her mum got it every winter–which was why Lily spent much time with her when she went home for the holidays.

But Violet didn't have anyone to help her through her depression in the winter. She didn't have a hand to hold when everyone went home. She didn't have anyone.

Except for them.

Lily really wasn't sure if they could help–but with her heart shattering any time she caught a glimpse of Violet in class or at meals–sitting as far away from her as possible–she didn't have a choice.

She needed her best friend back. She needed her sister.

So that meant she would have to find the Marauders–recruit them to help Violet.

With a quiet sigh, Lily glanced at Violet–who was silently sitting in her favourite armchair by the fire across the room, scribbling notes into a journal.

Her hair had grown out again, and the pink was nearly completely gone, making Lily even more sad. She knew that Violet loved the vibrant colour–knew it made her happy.

And now Violet didn't care.

Before she could chicken out, Lily quietly moved to the stairs of the boys' dormitory, praying she knocked on the right door.

She stopped, her fist hovering over the wood as she was about to knock again, and she hesitated.

Her stomach twisted, What if this was a mistake? She shook her head–deciding quickly: I'll figure this out myself.

But the door flew open before she could leave. There was a desperate look in Sirius Black's grey eyes, which were outlined in a thin eyeliner, "Vi, I can explain—" But the glimmer faded when he spied Lily's deer-in-the-headlights face, and he blinked–stiffening, "Evans."