lily evans

Saturday, 2:28 p.m. 17 July 1976 Cokeworth, England

As he made his way past neatly trimmed lawns and uniform houses, Remus was thankful for two things. One, there was a wizarding apothecary connected to the Floo Network in the town’s main shopping area ( a surprise considering the almost overwhelming Muggle-ness of the whole town ), so there wasn’t a problem of walking too far. Two, he hadn’t run into Severus Snape. After all, he was one of the primary reasons ( indirectly, perhaps ) why Remus was walking down this street in the first place. 

It had been obvious from the tone of Lily’s recent letters that she was chafing for a break in the monotony of her summer holidays, what with Petunia’s constant snide remarks and the void of a companion that Snape usually filled. ( Their falling out at the end of the year clearly hadn’t been easy, and despite his general dislike of Snape and his interest in the Dark Arts he couldn’t help but feel bad for the both of them. ) Remus had responded to her letter with sympathetic solidarity, which, over the course of the next few weeks, turned into an idea, which turned into an offer, which led to the two of them deciding that he’d stop by her house for a visit on Saturday since Lily was rather restricted in terms of transportation.

And now Remus was here, standing in front of a door which he hoped was hers, holding a potted basil plant that his mum had unceremoniously thrust into his hands to offer to Mrs. Evans as a “hostess gift.” ( Whatever that meant. ) As he knocked smartly on the door, he silently prayed that Petunia would not be the one to open it.

     While Lily had considered for a moment to keep quiet about Remus’ arrival, simply to see the look of horror on her sister’s face at not only one wizard in the house but two, Lily knew better than to put her friend through that. So thankfully, with the knowledge that another wielder of magic was arriving, Tuney had decided to spend the day out. That left Remus with no chance of being insulted simply for being a wizard -- which made Lily considerably less anxious about his arrival.

     When the clock struck three, which happened to be the time they had agreed on, Lily made her way downstairs. There were the makings of a rather pleasant grin on her features and it was enough to earn a remark from her mother. “Are you sure this boy is just a friend, sweetheart? You don’t usually smile like that for just friends.” The words wiped the smile straight from her face, replacing it with an annoyed expression as the redhead rolled her eyes and quickly corrected the woman. While Remus was definitely the type of boy who would make an amazing husband one day, he wasn’t anything more than a fierce friend for Lily.

     At the sound of knocking, Lily let out a sigh of relief and quickly left the sitting room where her mother stood tidying up. She reached the door moments later and pulled it open to find Remus standing there with a plant, causing quite a bit of confusion for the witch. “Are we getting a head start on out Herbology NEWTS?” she inquired, eyebrows raised and eyes focused on the plant. “Because I’m fairly sure that isn’t going to help us.”

     “ --- You know, sneaking up on someone when they’re practicing martial magic isn’t exactly the smartest thing to do,” the redhead muttered. She lowered her wand and arched an eyebrow, waiting for an explanation for the interruption.

          Just a few hours ago he was enjoying butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks. He enjoyed the sounds of chattering, the exciting ringing laughter just a few houses down the path coming from Zonko’s. And then as he blinked — chaos. Fire, burnt wood and painful screams, snatchers kidnapping and torturing, shadows lurking and ready to grasp the innocent souls they could lay their hands on. Now, he was here, helping the kid who just wanted to try the Sugar Quills forget the painful and bloody images of the attack. It was history that they were making. All those students and professors, the monstrous snatchers and dark wizards. Just like the hundreds upon hundreds of tomes in the Library, this would be documented and known as the day kids grew up too young. And it sickened him to the core of his heart.

          Fabian knew Lily’s words were supposed to be comforting, and if they were said just an hour ago, the chances of him lashing out to her were big. He had always thought patience, calmness and the ability not to panic in stressful situations were traits he possessed — but the real war brewing out there proved him wrong today. The eagle had still fought through it but what was the price? The built up feelings ready to erupt in his chest were too much, so Evans’ calm words were the catalyst for his emotions to explode. “He was left burning in a building Lily!” he exclaimed, looking straight into her deep green eyes and feeling guilty for his words. “Me and Remus, we went in to look for Kingsley on my watch because I am that stupid to risk his life together with mine. He wasn’t in, no one was in. McGonagall kicked us out, Merlin.” an explanation filled with too much confusion and fire, his voice firm and louder in volume, though not rude or insulting. It was a burst out, a much-needed one and he hoped his friend would understand. It was rare for Fabian Prewett to vent or to get all of his thoughts out in a fracture of the second but the night was young and the day was tough.

          When she confirmed his inquiry, his gray eyes instantly traveled to her shoulder, a rush of blood making it to his cheeks and head. “Are you certain you’re okay? We could go to Poppy and I don’t know, take painkillers or something. Either that or you could try and fix my lip again.” he joked, though a smile wasn’t dancing on his lips. “How are your friends? Are Mary and the boys alright?” It was selfish to act like it was only him who was suffering emotionally. Other people too had friends who they were worried about and he had to reflect the strength Lily was for him right now.

          “Alright.” he extended his hands towards Lily, handing her the wand. His eyes traveled to her fragile face and flaming locks and now his heart ached. Fabian wasn’t sure how he would’ve felt if he knew she was in a bad condition after this hell of an attack. “A lip and wand repairer. My, my, what a talented individual you are, Evans.” and there it was — a smile gracing on his lips.

     Fabian’s words didn’t quite paint a full picture, but judging by his frantic explanation, he was just about as confused by the situation he’d experienced as Lily was hearing about it. “But if McGonagall was there, then she would’ve done everything in her power to help Kingsley. If I was in danger, I’d definitely want her help.” Lily could understand why the professor turned the boys away, though she wasn’t about to say that at the moment. She didn’t need to make Fabian angry or make him get even more upset. Though she would be equally distraught were she in his place and Marlene in Kingsley’s, she knew there was no good in worrying on what could’ve been. 

     “We could look for them. I’m sure someone has seen them.” Lily was willing to do anything to put the boy in front of her’s mind at ease. She never wanted to see her friends hurting and at the same time, she was worried about the well being of his mates as well. Though they may not be dreadfully close, any loss at all was a terrible one. 

     The air between them seemed to shift a bit, perhaps because Fabian was slowly beginning to calm down. He inquired about her shoulder, obvious worry in his voice, but she waved it off, not wanting to bother with distracting Poppy. She had far too much on her plate as it was. “I don’t know about everyone,” she said with a sigh. “Obviously Remus is all right, since you’ve seen him, and I ran into Potter on my way back to the castle. But I’m really not sure about everyone else.” The thought frightened her, but she did her best not to dwell, lest it make her absolutely sick with worry.

     Glancing up once more, Lily’s breath caught slightly at the sight of Fabian smiling -- however faintly it might be. She had begun to worry she might never see it again, given how distraught he was, but the sight had her letting out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding before she squeezed one of his hands. Letting go, she grabbed Fabian’s wand as well as her own. “It’s hardly difficult. If you have a properly working wand, that is.” Lily tore her eyes from him in order to concentrate before she muttered a soft repairing spell. While it fixed a few splintered pieces, the wand as a whole remained broken “I suppose I spoke too soon,” she muttered in embarrassment, her cheeks flushing bright pink. Glancing up at him, she offered a sheepish smile and held the wand out for him once more. “Sorry, Fab. Seems it may be beyond repair.”

sheet mask: what’s your favorite lazy activity?

Lily is quite the fan of finding a nice place to lounge outside during the more warm months. Although she has quite fair skin and burns easily, it doesn’t deter her from spending an afternoon sprawled out on the grass with a good book or some much needed company. Over the summer, she spent many a day just laughing along with Marlene and Mary in a field near her house. It’s quite the accomplishment to find people you can completely entertain yourself with while doing nothing at all.

silver: do you have any obscure hobbies? what are they?

Collecting chocolate frog cars and playing gobstones. While neither are necessarily obscure, most people have grown out of the habit by now, but Lily is still quite the fan of both. She’s been collecting the cards since first year and sending them back to get family each time she finds a new one. There are only a few left to complete the collection and she’s quite determined to find them soon. As for gobstones, she only recently began playing quite a bit less. It was a favorite of Severus’, a game her taught her before they even got their letters, and playing now only brings back unhappy memories.

wine: what kind of drunk are you (happy/affectionate, angry, sad,fun/wild)? if you don’t drink, what kind do you think you WOULD be?

bubble bath: do you have any routines before bedtime? like skin care, etc. what are they?

champagne: what topic could you talk about for hours?

crushed velvet: have you ever used your charm to get something you want?

diamonds: how do you feel about excessively spending money?

faux fur: describe your wardrobe.

glitter: describe someone special to you.

gold: describe what you would call the most perfect meal.

jazz: name a song that resonates with you and your emotions. explain the reason why.

lace: what is something in your life completely different from last year?

lingerie: do you consider yourself a promiscuous person?

lipstick: do you enjoy talking to strangers?

pearls: what's something about your personality that surprises others?

penthouse: what would you consider your dream home? describe it.

perfume: if you could make your own signature fragrance, what would it smell like?

robe: how do you prepare for an evening alone with a loved one/date?

roses: If it had to be winter, autumn, spring or summer for the rest of your life, which would you choose?

satin: what is your most favorite article of clothing?

sheet mask: what's your favorite lazy activity?

silk: do you have more inner or outer beauty?

silver: do you have any obscure hobbies? what are they?

sparkling water: what are your top three songs for the summer?

          Her voice refreshed his mind and he felt at ease. Few were the people who could make a difference and soothe Fabian’s troubled mind or deal with the big ball of mess he became when the pressure was gone. Lily was someone who with the help of the fire burning in her heart managed to spark the extinguished planks in his own. And he thanked her for it because he felt lost. Perhaps with Evans, the eagle reminded himself that in the midst of chaos he was never alone ( yet his brain could never work out the positive outcome when in the heat of the moment ). 

          The lump that had previously formed in his throat disappeared, another sigh of relief escaping his lips. Marlene was okay. She wasn’t dead. She was alive and well, probably exhausted and dealing with bruises but she was alive. Fabian’s hands lingered on Lily’s shoulders as if he was clinging for his life. “Oh Merlin, I thought I had lost her.” he released, closing his eyes briefly and trying to forget about Kingsley. He is not dead, he is alive and he will be here with you any moment now ( Lies. He is dead, Fabian. ).

          The eagle’s hands traveled upwards and wrapped around Lily’s own, something in the gesture truly genuine to him. How did Lily make everything alright with just a simple touch and a few words? From the first time since he had returned to the castle, wand snapped in half and mind filled with doubts and terrible thoughts, Fabian smiled. His lips were pursed but his mind was slowly starting to relax ( though not before he was sure of Kingsley’s well-being ).

          “Kingsley… he,” Fabian began, the smile melting away, “Yes, I hope he is alright too. I have to go search for Gideon sometime soon… Thank you.” he brought her hands down and squeezed them, holding her two in his own pale ones. “Did you encounter snatchers?” a question out of his sense to protect. Even if Lily was alive and seemingly untouched he wanted to be sure she was okay. “Oh and, uhm,” he murmured, taking out two pieces of broken wood out of the inside of his robes. “I broke my wand. Just what I needed, right?”

      It was a terrible thing, seeing someone you cared for deeply having a rough go of it and not being able to do anything to make it better. It left one feeling utterly helpless, like nothing they could possibly do would ever take away the pain that their loved one was feeling. It was something Lily was all too familiar with. She had spent so long trying to make her sister feel better about not getting accepted to Hogwarts, even going as far as to owl the headmaster himself and plead that he allow her to attend. Nothing had helped. It was the same with Severus. For years she attempted to fight off that darkness in him, to somehow pull him back to the light because she knew, deep down, there was a good man beneath all of that hatred. She had failed in that too. And now, sitting before Fabian, she could see the way his heart was shattering into a million pieces and all she wanted was to put it back together again -- a task she knew she’d fail at as well. But she had to try, didn’t she?

      When Fabian moved to place his hands over hers, for a quick moment, she worried he would force her hands away and shut her out. She expected it so completely, that she was shocked when he just rested his hands there and even curled his lips into a slight smile. Her breath caught at the sight and she realized belatedly just how desperately she had been wanting to see that. Fabian Prewett without a smile on his face was like spring with no flowers or a holiday and no one to share it with. It was empty in a way she couldn’t handle for long. Seeing his smile gave her hope that maybe, by some stretch of reality, she’d actually be able to help, for once, instead of having her attempts be for naught. 

      “I’m certain he is, Fabian. They’re both more than capable wizards and there were so many people out there trying to help.” It worried her too, to think that either of them got so caught up that they ended up hurt, or worse. But it didn’t do either of them any good if Lily sat there wondering about what could’ve happened. She needed to be strong. She always needed to be strong. “I...” the redhead trailed off, her eyes cast down towards their laps where Fabian was still holding her hands like a lifeline. “I did, yeah. Nasty buggers, they were. One got me pretty good in the shoulder. But I don’t think he’ll be hexing anyone else any time soon.” That is, if the Ministry had actually shown up to arrest anyone.

      Moments later, at the sight of Fabian’s wand, Lily pulled back a bit and her gaze rose up to his eyes. “Have you had anyone try to mend it yet?” It was a foolish question, because he probably hadn’t the time to even worry about that, but she asked anyway. The mere thought of him wandering around without a working wand scared her and she found herself that much more thankful that he had made it out unscathed. "I could try. It’s hardly a strong suit of mine, but I can give it a go, if you’d like.” It would only take a simple repairing spell, so long as the magic within the wand hadn’t been broken beyond repair. If that was the case, Fabian would need a new wand altogether.

“First of all, I’m absolutely considering that an admission,” Marlene replied with little regard of the actual preceding statement. They hadn’t yet paid for their items, but still she had pulled a sugar quill from the pack and held it between her lips. “A damn shame, I’d reckon, but he and I are what you would call ‘platonic’. He and you, on the other hand? No way. Platonish, maybe, but far from simple friends.” This would all be written down as nonsense, she was sure of it, although that didn’t diminish the truth of it all. At their wedding - or their first date, a more realistic goal for the loquacious girl - Marlene would be able to say 'I told you so’.

The noise hadn’t earned a second of her thought. It was written off as nothing more than a poorly-practiced apparation as she continued to browse the products. An idea had come to mind - something teetering dangerously on the line between 'harmless’ and 'offense’. She was just about to present it to her much more sane friend, but Lily’s urgency halted her. “What it is?” Any semblance of amusement was abandoned as she approached the window.

Marlene’s blood ran cold, her heart skipped more than just one beat. There was darkness in the atmosphere and smoke in the air. “Merlin,” she muttered. “Is that…fire?” It took her a moment to process the presence of danger, when only seconds prior had they been safe, but Marlene finally snapped. The sugar quill dropped from her fingers so she could grab Lily’s hand. Zonko’s could be next and Lily was right - they needed to go.

      The feeling of Marlene’s hand in her own caused Lily’s body to break from its frozen state. The sight of fire and smoke, the sound of people shouting and buildings collapsing had shaken her to her core. She stood there, stock still and unable to do anything but stare out in horror at the events unfolding before her. But as soon as Marlene came to her side, as soon as that small amount of contact was made, courage surged up inside of Lily and she knew that they had to help. Looking on would do no good and there was no way either of them would ever forgive themselves if they simply fled from the scene. It just wasn’t in them to do so.

      “Get your wand ready, Mckinnon. We have some work to do,” she said firmly, her hand tightening around Marlene’s as she quickly darted for the door, leaving their things abandoned in the shop. Her wand slipped easily from its holder just inside her shirt sleeve and she gripped it tightly, more than prepared to fight her way through whatever lied on the other side of the door. Muttering a quick charm, she threw the door open and pulled Marlene along with her, adrenaline kicking into full gear now. They didn’t have much time to waste. They needed to get their bearings and figure out a course of action quickly, lest they end up victims themselves, completely unable to help anyone.

      As she scanned the area just outside of the shop, Lily finally let go of her best friend’s hand, though she made a point to keep their arms in contact with one another -- it was a habit they often shared in battle. If Marlene wasn’t in physical contact with her, then Lily always made sure she was within the redhead’s line of sight. If not, panic had a tendency to cloud her mind. “I think we should head towards the fires. I know that’s probably reckless, but if you watch my back, then I’ll watch yours. Yeah?” Lily offered her friend a half shrug before taking off, turning her head to make sure Marlene was behind her. 

      The sound grew as they got further and further into the thick of it. The temperature rose and people ran past, desperately trying to retreat to the castle. As the crowd grew smaller and the smoke shifted thanks to the wind, Lily caught a flurry of motion to her left and her blood ran cold at the sight. “Snatchers!” she cried out, quickly lifting her wand to shoot off a stunning hex at the man currently trying to pry a third year from a post they so desperately clung to. “Marlene! They’re after the muggleborns.” It all made sense now. The fires were a distraction so that they could snatch up as many as they possibly could. The knowledge made her sick, but at least now she could do everything in her power to make sure they left with as few muggleborns as possible -- starting with the tosser directly before her.

Flesh-Eating Trees of the World 

The Dark Arts Outsmarted 

Bestiarium Magicum 

Potion Opuscule 

Marlene Mckinnon

Mary Macdonald

Remus Lupin

Fabian Prewett

treacle tart

sugar quills

mum’s custard

dragon claws

My mum

Paracelsus

Beaumont Marjoribanks

Minerva McGonagall

          His eyes do not catch chocolate skin but instead, flaming curls; and his face softens. Fabian stands in his place for a brief moment, frantic eyes inspecting every inch of Lily only to find that she was o k a y. A deep relief overruns his features, for a moment forgetting all of his own confusions, even if it seemed selfish ( because somewhere deep he knew it was all going to be alright, that no one was in fact, dead ).

          Fabian responds to the affectionate hug with a squeeze of his own, fists clenched and his nails digging into his pale palms. His sapphire eyes shut closed and for a second they are left right there, alone, two FRIENDS comforting each other and glad to be in each others’ arms ( but was it friendship, or was it something more? ). “Lily,” he whispers, trying to pull away but not being able to. Don’t voice your thoughts Fabian, or they might become true.

          “You’re safe.” a gentle response that was lacking the firmness of his usual voice. He was putting on the mask of the unaffected hero Prefect for all the children running around the castle SCARED —  it was about time that he broke it and started acting like his real self in this exact moment. Fabian pulls away, hands supporting the sun-kissed girl’s shoulders. “I’m glad that you are alright. Merlin, I am,” he reassures, shaking his head slightly while biting on the inside of his cheek. “Marlene, I– … I lost her, we split up and now she’s not around and I’m just– … and Kingsley and Gideon and,” a pause, sentence left to hang in the air, Fabian with no more words to spill. 

      Lily had been so focused on getting the muggleborns back, that she had little time until after to worry about her friends -- about the ones she couldn’t stand to lose in any capacity. She had forced herself to focus on the task at hand and not get caught up in what ifs, but now that the children were all safe and sound in their respective common rooms, she was left to wonder what terrible news awaited her. Who made it, and who didn’t? And who was unlucky enough to end up in the hands of the snatchers?

      It was enough to make her sick, but she pushed the feelings down in favor of the pure relief that having Fabian in her arms brought her. He was alive and unharmed, for the most part, though she could tell by the way his voice wavered that he had been through quite the ordeal. As the taller boy pulled back, Lily’s eyes took on a pained look and her heart ached at the sight of pure helplessness in his gaze. His words tore at her, echoing what she felt inside, and she wanted nothing more than to embrace him again and tell him that everything was going to be alright. But how could she, when she had no idea if that was true?

      “Oh, Fab,” she breathed, her eyes stinging as she reached up to cup his bruised face. She was gentle, not wanting to hurt him more than he already was, but needing the contact just as much as she felt he did. “Marlene’s all right. At least, she will be. Poppy wouldn’t let me in to see her, but Mare and I saw them bringing her in. She...” Lily trailed off, her eyes falling from his. “She’ll be okay.” She wasn’t sure if that was more to convince herself or Fabian.

      A pregnant pause lingered between them before Lily finally glanced back up, her eyes still as sad as before. Her hands remained on his cheeks and she ran her thumbs lightly along his skin, aiming for comfort and hoping it helped at least the slightest bit. “We’ll find Kingsley and your brother. They’re tough. I’m sure they’re somewhere in the castle, looking for you right now.” Lily steeled herself, making sure to keep her voice steady because the last thing Fabian needed right now was uncertainty from her. 

it alternates between fight or flight, at times an amalgamation of both. he ducks his head in response to an incoming spell, knowing full well that blind courage does nobody any good, especially when they’re outnumbered. severity of the situation dawning upon him fast and hard, and it pushes lanky limbs to work, clambering as he stumbles out of the valley.

he loses micah several steps back –– the poor boy’s battered and wounded and currently nowhere to be seen, having likely fled in an opposite direction or james would’ve caught him coming his way. hasty steps swallowing pavement, instincts lead him down the sidepath where the scene’s likely to be less tumultuous. that’s when he catches onto it, them: quiet shuffling that almost falls in tandem with his own, reverberating in the dimmed valley he’s headed towards. ( one, three, no –– several. he’s not alone. )

she finds him like this: strands flying stray, glasses smudged and a shirt stained with blood that isn’t his.

his wand’s at the ready when he’s yanked around the corner by the robes, but his spell dies behind parched lips when his mind registers the familiar pair of emerald hues registers. “bloody hell, evans, thought you were one of them –– staying out of sight, what did you think i was doing?” yet the relief that follows the revelation is all but short-lived. given any other time, an opportunity for time alone with lily would’ve been exhilarating, except he would’ve preferred if there isn’t the looming threat of someone hexing their heads off any second now.

“are you alone? could’ve sworn i’d heard footsteps.” he takes a quick glance around, gaze wary as he goes over every potential hiding place.

when the light shuffling returns, it’s followed shortly by the toppling of what appears to be a trash can. he’s on full alert then, wand raised in the direction as he moves swiftly to stand in front of her. one has revealed himself, then the others follow cautiously with heads peering up from behind the frail, trembling figure on the ground. eyes narrowed with furrowed brows, he gradually makes out the identities of their newfound company, only they are… students?

“… were you bringing this lot with you?” 

      ‘Thought you were one of them.’ There seemed to be a lot of that going around. Not only had Lily mistaken the quidditch player for a snatcher, but she’d done the same for a number of other students she’d stumbled upon while trying to find safe passage back to the castle. It was easier with just one or two people. There was less of a chance to get separated and it was far easier to stay out of sight. A small group of third years who could barely contain themselves thanks to the fear was nearly impossible to keep from being seen. And therein lied the problem.

      “No. I have--” Lily began only to be cut off by the sound of a trash bin tipping over. It startled her until she realized it was the same bin she’d told the children to hide behind while she found a better place for them to lie low. Before she could so much as attempt to tell James what was truly going on however, the boy was jumping into action. His robes flitted around and she found herself shielded behind him as his wand arm raised. The action caused panic to spread through her. These children were her responsibility and she certainly wasn’t about to let James Potter accidentally hex the lot of them.

      In a flurry of motion, the redhead darted under James’ arm and placed herself in between his wand and the small group of children. Her eyes blazed with a fierceness she only seemed to muster in situations like this and she reached out to lower his wand for him. “Merlin’s bollocks, Potter! They’re just third years and they’re already terrified enough. Save your heroics for the snatchers, yeah?” A small huff left her and she shook her head at him, visibly annoyed. She knew he meant well, that he anticipated a fight and just wanted to make sure she was safe, but she hardly needed him to protect her -- something she had every intention of proving.

      “I need you to be brave, all right?” Her voice took on a much softer tone as she turned back to the frightened third years. “You lot just startled him. Don't worry. We’re both going to help you all get back to the castle. In twenty minutes, you’ll be safe and cozy by the fire. Promise.” At her words, she offered them a bright smile that she hoped was more convincing than she felt it was. She still hadn’t the slightest how they were going to get past the snatchers guarding the path back to the school, but at least with the pair of them, they’d be able to fight off more. 

      “Any brilliant ideas, Potter?” the prefect whispered low enough that the others couldn’t make out her words. “Because as of right now, our options are stay put and hope the Ministry gets off their arses or head straight into a bloody ambush.”

          “Up the stairs and you answer the riddle, right?” he rose his eyebrows and ruffled the little boy’s hair, careful sapphire eyes observing as the child ascended to the eagle common room. Fabian then allowed to shut his eyes off and Merlin, did he regret it. The fire came back in front of him once again and for a single second, his head went dizzy ( Kingsley was dead. He was convinced he was dead and his brain did not even want to imagine where Marlene was ). Fabian’s body was covered in bruises and his recently fixed lip had burst open again. Two pale fingers squeezed the bridge of his nose as he tried to concentrate, erasing the paintings of chaos and terror with the reality — dim lights, gray stone, the echoes of confused students and teachers. Steps distracted him, making him turn and gasp slightly. 

                          “King-” but he stopped, a lump formed in his throat.

      With the knowledge that Marlene was going to be okay, Lily could finally allow herself to worry about other things. Obviously there were plenty of other who had gotten hurt and even some still missing, but given the castle was on lock down and no students were permitted outside, the only thing she could do was wonder the corridors and hope that everyone made it back in one piece. 

      It was a terrible feeling, knowing you could be out there doing something but not being allowed to do so. It frustrated her beyond belief and sent her pacing, absentmindedly searching for those she hadn’t heard anything about yet. Mary was safe back in the castle, as was Marlene even though she had quite a few injuries to recover from. She’d stumbled upon a few others, but for the most part, majority of her friends were still unaccounted for. 

      As she turned a corner, having made her way towards the Ravenclaw Tower rather than her own, she paused in her steps when she saw Fabian there. He was bruised, far more than he had been after his little run in with Amos, but he looked like he was okay. The knowledge caused a breath of sheer relief to escape her and she quickly closed the distance between them. “Oh thank Merlin you’re all right,” she muttered as she pulled him into a tight hug.