The Rise And Fall Of The Stag And The Doe

Running Up That Hill

The sleepover idea was originally intended just for that night, but as soon as Alice and Dorcas returned they seemed completely for the idea of all of them sleeping in the common room. Other students didn't seem to like it too much, but none of them said anything directly to them. Now that the Marauder's were back together, no one seemed to want to test them.

At breakfast all the students seemed to still be gossiping about the attack over the weekend and Marlene's kidnapping. Mary wasn't known to most of them so no one even hesitated talking about her. Thankfully Alice had opted to skip breakfast, if she had heard the way they mentioned her like she was just some girl, Dorcas would have had to take them all out for her. Both Lily and Dorcas had transitioned quickly from grieving to anger. Lily wanted to believe that people were truly looking for Marlene and that she was going to be safely returned to them, but after waiting so long they were all on edge.

"It's been four days." Lily growled in frustration as she gnawed through several strawberries. "I can't believe they haven't gotten her back. That is more than enough time to find her and get her."

Dorcas nodded in firm agreement, absentmindedly curling the ends of her dark hair. "I'm giving Dumbledore until dinner and then I'm tracking him down and demanding to know what's going on."

"I'm coming with you." Lily said immediately.

"So are we." James declared as the Marauder's sat around them.

Dorcas wasn't really surprised, but she did find this whole show of unity… odd. It made sense. They wouldn't be working with The Marauder's if this weren't about Marlene but it just seemed so strange to her that it had happened so easily. For years Lily had hated James, and Dorcas never particularly cared for any of the rest of him except for Peter, but right then it didn't matter. Because the one team they were all one was the one team that was falling.

"Meadowes," Sirius started gruffly. "Pass the butter."

Lily turned to Sirius, and eyed him. He didn't look as bad as he had in the past week. Finally he had shaven and was regularly was showering, but he was trying to hard to seem perfectly back to normal. Occasionally he would eye one of the many girls in his fan club and wink at them, but his heart wasn't in it. It was like if he made himself believe that Marlene was just his friend than he wouldn't have to deal with the possibility of losing her. A month ago Lily would never have thought that. She would have been disgusted by him and thought he was the lowest creature in the world for choosing to hit on girls rather than worry about his friend. But Lily saw through it now. She saw the way his face lit up every time a blond girl would enter the great hall, and the way his chest would tighten up when he would see it wasn't her.

She wanted to comfort him, but Lily knew he'd run from it. Sirius Black was not a man that faced his feelings. He was a man that charmed the ladies and laughed in his enemies' faces. This wasn't a man that allowed himself to fall in love with anyone, let alone his best friends non biological sister. Everyone else couldn't see it, but Lily could and it broke her heart, because she knew his heart was breaking too.

They needed Marlene back and Lily was so sick and tired of doing exactly what she was told. Seeing Sirius had hardened her resolve, if Dorcas didn't go up to Dumbledore, Lily would. They didn't have time to wait for their elders to decide when the time was right. They needed Marlene now.

Dorcas rose first and waited for Lily to stand before she linked arms with her. It wasn't just a girlish gesture anymore but a sign of mutual support, and they needed it to get through the day. The day before they went to all of their classes and came out relatively unscathed, but today felt different. There was an energy in the air, a fight or flight instinct that seemed to pulse around them, warning Lily to stay on guard.