The Marauders: Year One | #Wattys2016

Into the Forbidden Forest

Into the Forbidden Forest

The next day seemed extremely long. Sirius was antsy all through classes, keeping his eye on the movement of the sun across the grounds, nervous and excited about the plans they'd formed for that night. James was picking up on Sirius's anxiety and kept looking at him sideways in Potions as they worked on their assignment, though neither dared to talk about it, since Professor Slughorn continuously walked throughout the desks, looking over students shoulders and commenting on their work.

As worked up as Sirius was, his nerves couldn't hold a candle to Peter's. Remus was trying to maintain his patience with Peter as they worked, but Peter kept knocking over vials and spilling various ingredients across the table and onto Remus's lap. There was a scary moment when a bit of something purple got on Remus's hand and started to sizzle loudly, but luckily Slughorn was nearby and he used his wand to siphon it up before putting a bit of antidote on the reddened skin.

That night, during dinner, Lily sat down next to Remus at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. The four boys looked at her, raised eyebrows. "Yes?" Asked James pointedly, "Can we help you?"

Lily's eyes darted from Peter to Sirius. "It's tonight, isn't it?"

Sirius swallowed back the nerves that swelled up his throat suddenly. "Maybe. Maybe not."

"What's it to you?" Demanded James.

Lily leaned forward and lowered her voice, "You shouldn't do it. Please don't do it."

Remus leaned back with his napkin and swept it over his mouth, not wanting to take part in the conversation again. The others knew his opinion, but he'd committed to helping out either way. A part of him wanted Lily to talk sense into the others. He looked down at his plate.

"I don't think it's a good idea and... and I just really wish you wouldn't do it. Give the mirror to Dumbledore. Tell him why you're nervous about it." She was looking at Sirius with pleading eyes. "He can help."

Sirius frowned, "He can but he won't. We've told Dumbledore about the mirror and it didn't do any good. He didn't do anything about it. So we will. And then he'll have to do something about it. When -- when You-Know-Who is here, all bound up with stunners, Dumbledore won't be able to overlook that."

Lily sighed. "I'm just really worried about you is all. I don't want anything bad to happen to you lot."

"Why Lily Evans, do you give a damn about us, then?" James chortled.

Lily turned red. "Well, perhaps not you," she replied sassily.

Remus couldn't help but smirk down at his roast beef at the tone of her voice and the look on James's face.

"You could come with us," piped up Peter from the other side of Remus. "You're so good... surely he couldn't best all of us if you were there, too." He looked at Lily with the most desperate expression he could muster.

Lily looked torn.

"He's right, Lil... We could really use your help," said Sirius.

"Would be nice to have a second level head around," added Remus, "Right now it's just me." He rolled his eyes.

James shrugged, not saying anything. He didn't want Lily to be there. He wanted her safe, in bed, tucked up in Gryffindor tower, where whatever happened out there in the woods... it wouldn't affect her.

Lily seemed to be thinking along the same lines. She shook her head, "No... no I'm not going out there, I'm not mad, like you lot are." She stood up, "Just... just think on it. Please."