A Thin Line

Dormitory #16

Lily, Alice, Marlene, Jazmin and Darcy heaved their things up the stairs.

"Wish Mary could be with us too, "Alice sighed once she got up to their room, putting her wand to the lock and muttering a quick spell.

"I think she's in the same dorm as Will Grey, "Marlene said. "It'd be better if all three Grey sisters were in Gryffindor, that'd be fun. But they're all individuals, Nix is smart, Fern is kind, Will is brave."

"Will told me her sister Fern was best friends with Fifi, "Alice said. "I like Fifi, she's got this aura of energy and playfulness surrounding her."

"She's mostly just crazy and funny, "Jazmin and Darcy said at the same time.

"I bags the bed by the window, "Lily ran in, sitting on it and unpacking her luggage.

"I want the bed by the door, I'm a light sleeper and I wanna wake up if someone's prowling around in the middle of the night, "Alice said seriously. "I mean, it is a war out there that's brewing, who knows what'll happen next? All the newspapers say the Muggleborns are in big trouble, Death Eaters hate Muggleborns."

"Which makes me wonder, "Marlene said, and Lily suddenly realised where this was going, "why do you, Lily, talk to that Severus Snape when he's best friends with Death Eaters? I'd be surprised if he won't be in You-Know-Who's inner circles once we leave school! He's working for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Lily, you have to see that much!"

"He's not working for Voldemort, Mar!"

Alice, who had gone under her bed to fetch a pair of denim shorts that had fallen down, banged her head against the bottom of her bed and screeched in pain. Marlene clapped a hand over her mouth, and Jazmin and Darcy looked at Lily like she had gone completely bonkers.

"Are you crazy, Lil'? You can't say that word!" Darcy said, Marlene nodding her head as she spoke. "That's his name ... you have to call him You-Know-Who or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, or the Dark Lord!"

"Dumbledore uses his name, and we can all place our faith in Dumbledore," Lily said.

"Well, he's the only exception!" Jazmin said. "Besides, you're great and all, Lil', but you're hardly one of the most powerful wizards in history - who, for some reason, decided to waste his late life teaching kids ... well, that was his choice, besides we all knew he was mad anyway."

Alice groaned as she got up, rubbing her head. "Ow, Lil', never do that to me again!"

"Sorry," Lily tried to look apologetic.