The one with the sisters - Year Five [COMPLETED]

Chapter 14 - The one with the Sectumsempra

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not interested."

"I'm sorry!"

"Save your breath."

"I'm sorry, Lily, please..."

"I thought Iris had already told you not to come and talk to me ever again." The red haired girl had her arms crossed over her chest as she stood by the entrance of the Gryffindor Tower. She was trying to look angry, but anyone who knew her well enough knew she was hurting. And Severus was one of those people. "I only came out because Mary told me you were threatening to sleep here."

"I was." The Slytherin said, his voice almost pleading. "I would have done. I never meant to call you Mudblood, it just..."

"Slipped out?" There was no pity in Lily's voice. "It's too late. I've made excuses for you for years. None of my friends can understand why I even talk to you. You and your precious little Death Eater friends..." She stopped talking and the boy looked down at his feet. "You see, you don't even deny it! You don't even deny that's what you're all aiming to be! You can't wait to join You-Know-Who, can you?"

He opened his mouth, but closed it without speaking.

"I can't pretend anymore. You've chosen your way, I've chosen mine."

"No... Listen, I didn't mean..."

"To call me Mudblood? But you call every one of my birth Mudblood, Severus. Why should I be any different?"

He struggled on the verge of speech, but with a contemptuous look she turned and climbed back through the portrait hole. Lily struggled to keep her tears in, but as soon as she heard the Portrait moving to a close, she fell down on her knees. Mary, Marlene and Iris rushed over at her.

"Shh, Lils... It's alright... It's going to be alright..."

The three girls tried to comfort Lily the best they could, but nothing seemed to be working. She just cried and cried and cried. Eventually, after about an hour of tears, the tiredness got the best of her and she fell asleep on Mary's lap. With Marlene's help, they managed to get Lily upstairs to her room.

"Are you going to be alright?" Iris asked, when Mary reappeared on the Common Room.

"Yeah, I think she'll sleep through the night." The girl nodded, making her curly hair bounce around her. "You can go back to your room, now, Irie... You don't look too good."

"I'm just worried." She frowned. Mary smiled gently, before stepping forward and pulling Iris in for a hug.

"You don't have to worry, dear. Lily's asleep and if she wakes up, she's in good hands."

"I know." Iris nodded, squeezing Mary a bit in appreciation. "I'll be here waiting for you tomorrow morning for breakfast."

"Alright. Good night, Irie."

"Good night, Mary."

And with that, the dark skinned girl turned around to leave. As soon as she disappeared on the stairs that leaded to her room, Iris let out a heavy sigh, running her hands through her hair.

"You okay?"

At his voice, Iris looked at him. She was supposed to be mad at him. At all of them. But when she glanced at the corner of the room, where they all were sitting since that event earlier in the afternoon, and saw the worry and sorrow in their eyes, she felt all her walls crumbling down.

"No." She admitted. "I'm not okay."

In an instant, James and Remus were in their feet. They walked toward her and looked her in the eye, as if asking for permission to get nearer. In that moment, she forgot all about Severus' book and his dark hexes and the fact that they've used one of them against him and engulfed them both in an awkward hug. Even in the uncomfortable position, they returned the gesture, both of them deciding to ignore the fact that they could fell the girl's tears on their shoulders.