Lily Evans and the Marauder's Secrets

Chapter 10: Tutoring, Take Two

Dear Tuney,

I hope you are well. Did Mum tell you about my letter to her? If not, I just was updating you all on my first week back at school. Classes are busy, being Head Girl is kind of stressful, but it's good to be back with friends.

How is Vernon? I know he and I haven't really clicked or been able to spend much time together, but I'm glad he makes you happy. I also wanted to let you know if you feel like I've been making unfair judgements about him, I'm sorry. Sometimes, people are hard to read, even when you've known them a long time.

Anyways, I miss you. Keep me updated on your fancy new promotion (Congratulations!).

Love,

Lily

***

"He really thinks there are Death Eaters here at school?" Alice says, sitting upright.

When I'd made it upstairs to the seventh-year girls' dormitory, I'd found Alice, Emmeline, and Marlene waiting for me. Carol's and Mary's beds were empty, too, which was perfect. We'd wasted no time all piling onto my bed for a good chat. Alice and I have our backs resting on the wall at the head of the bed, while Marlene sprawls on the foot. Emmeline perches on the edge, hugging my pillow to her while I talked.

"Yeah, seems so," I say in a hushed voice. I've just finished relaying what Professor Dumbledore had said to me and Potter in his office, leaving out, of course, the part where he went over the great things about the pair of us. Don't need to self-praise or anything.

"And he wants you to sniff them out?" Marlene asks. She's propped up on one elbow and her eyes gleam in the dim light.

"Well, Potter and me. And I don't think we're exactly supposed to hunt anyone down. Just... keep an eye out, you know?"

"Wow..." Alice says. She leans back slowly against my pillow and stares at the ceiling.

"Yeah," I say again.

"That's bloody brilliant," Marlene says. "Hey Lil, if you need anyone with you to catch some Dark wizards, let me know, yeah?"

I snort. "Thanks Marlene. I'll come right to you the next time Rosier or Lestrange calls me 'Mudblood'."

"Do it!" Marlene insists. "I'd be more than glad to take down any one of those --"

But Alice sits back up suddenly. "But Lily, she has a point. Don't you think that if there really are any prospective Death Eaters in the school, that group of Slytherins would definitely be them?"

"Well, yes. They are exactly who I thought of when Dumbledore brought it up. I mean, they are not exactly subtle, are they? Rosier and Lestrange... Merlin, even Mulciber and Black and..."

"And Severus," Alice says. Marlene's eyebrows shoot right up her forehead.

I shake my head. "No, we've been through this before. Just because Sev is in the same House as them..."

"They're not just Housemates, Lily. He's friends with all of them."

I squirm, but she's right. Just not about all of it. "Severus would never," I say adamantly.

Alice's eyes flash, but before she can press the issue further, I look over to Emmeline. "What do you think, Emma? About what Dumbledore said?" Emmeline has been very quiet this whole time, chewing on her pinky nail and not commenting on anything we'd been discussing.

"Well..." she says hesitantly, her eyes darting around at all of us. "Umm..."

"Well, what?" Marlene says.