Slowly Closing In

March 5th, 1977

Many days had passed since Albus' enlightening talk with the Gray Lady, or as he now referred to her: The ghost of Helena Ravenclaw, daughter of Rowena.

The fact that the only child of one of Hogwarts' Founders had walked among the staff and students for centuries was almost as surprising to him as the mysterious things the ghost had shared with him before leaving way too soon for Albus' liking.

'Things involving one Harry Peverell.'

The Headmaster had watched the memory of their brief conversation countless times, created complex mind maps, and scribbled over scroll upon scroll of parchment until one final theory eventually took shape and manifested itself:

Helena spoke of two certain items her mother once owned or things she created during her lifetime. The founder's daughter had also let slip that she had told this story to someone before, someone who she had hoped would rectify her mistakes and finally bring her peace. However instead, this person corrupted the items and somehow brought much harm to the castle and the wider wizarding world.

In fact, this person had even dared to mock the legacy of the founder by first tainting her treasure and then using her special, hidden room to hide it.

'But what kind of taint could she refer to?'

Whatever it was, it must have been removed or destroyed, since Helena had praised Peverell a few moments later. She explicitly stated that the young man had been successful already and that some treasures and forms of knowledge are better left destroyed.

Yet, how was this all tied to the fabulous hidden room on the seventh floor? Helena had confirmed that the room exists, that it was created by her mother, and that Peverell was using it frequently. How exactly did the room work and in turn was it connected back to the attacks? Why was Peverell involved in all of this and what role did he play?

'So many questions...'

The Headmaster rubbed his temples tiredly when a loud knock on his door made him look up, followed by heavy grunting that sounded through the wood.

"Come in, please."

The handle was pulled and the door pushed open to reveal one Rubeus Hagrid. He pulled down his head, ducking as he stepped over the swell to avoid colliding with the frame: "Evenin', Headmaster."

"Rubeus..." Dumbledore smiled at the rather welcome distraction: "What leads you to my office tonight, old friend?"

"'hings 're crazy down in the fores', sir!" The man panted heavily; the exhaustion from climbing up the entire way to the castle and the seventh floor was evident.

"'hings are outta' control!" He sounded deeply troubled now: "Jus' talked to the Centaurs. Never seen 'em tha' angry, I'm tellin' ya!"

'Another issue?'

'Didn't he have enough problems at Hogwarts already?'

"Why don't you take a seat- " Dumbledore enlarged and strengthened the chair in front of his desk with a flick of his wand: "-and start from the beginning. Why are the centaurs so upset?"

"Well, Bane said the Acromantulas attacked 'em in their own territory, sir." Hagrid wiped his large forehead on the sleeve of his thick coat: "They usually avoid each other n' stay clear o' the other's territory, bu' apparently the acromantulas are attacking everythin' tha' comes even close to their borders now. Don' know what I'm suppos' to do, Headmaster!"

"Mhmm." Albus hummed. That was indeed very unlikely behavior for the acromantulas: "Since when did the centaurs observe this change in behavior of their neighbors?"

"Ever since tha' strange fire, sir." Hagrid grunted: "Couple weeks ago, I suppose.

"A fire?" He frowned: "I'm afraid I wasn't aware of a fire in the forest?"

"Centaurs told me they saw the black smoke rise high from the hear' of the acromantula territory." Hagrid explained: "Must've been late at night, otherwise I'd have seen it too."

"A large fire right by their web?" Albus repeated, deep in thought.

'That can hardly have been set on fire by itself. But why would anyone intrude and lay fire to the forest, especially a part that was so lethal to humans?'

"Don't you still have a friend with the spiders, Hagrid?" Dumbledore inquired with a sad smile, remembering how said companion had been the reason for the half-giant's expulsion from Hogwarts: "Perhaps there is a possibility to arrange a meeting with him and ask for the reasons for their recent aggressions?"

"I already tried to talk to 'im, sir." Hagrid was close to sobbing now: "They won' even lemme anywhere near 'em again. Threaten' to cut me with their pincers and kill me, should I ever step foot on their land again. There's never been a part of the fores' I wasn't able to enter!"

"I'm very sorry, Rubeus." Dumbledore nodded apologetically: "Do you think I might be able to talk to them and calm down the situation?"

"Not if you wanna' be wrapped in silk 'n eaten alive, sir." The giant of a man sobbed: "Acromantulas are very territorial; walking into their nest will only make things worse now."

"I see." The Headmaster sighed: "Then I will monitor the situation closely and think about a solution. In the meantime, I would like you to consult with the other inhabitants of the forest and find out what actually upset the colony. Perhaps they have witnessed the reason for the fire and whether someone attacked them or not."

"I can do tha' sir." Hagrid blew his nose in a handkerchief the size of a tablecloth: "Thank you, Headmaster, I'm sure you'll find something with tha' brain of yours."

'I wish so, however, it has led me down quite a bit lately.'

"I promise we will get you reunited with your friend, Rubeus," Dumbledore repeated after the man got up from the chair and stumbled back to the door, large tears spilling from his eyes.

While deep in thought Albus' hand absently wandered over to his bowl of lemon drops, only for a sigh to escape his lips when his fingers found there were none left.

'Perhaps Minerva is right and I am indeed addicted.'

Still, as brilliant as his mind was, he still required some sugar to supply it with the necessary energy.

'Time to restock then.'

"Mimsy, my dear!"

With a small pop, a house-elf wearing a simple tunic with the Hogwarts crest on its chest appeared before his desk.

"Master Albus has called Mimsy, sir?"

Indeed, I have, Mimsy." Albus sighed as he rubbed his temples in an attempt to prolong the arrival of the imminent headache: "Would you be so kind as to restock my supply of Lemon Drops?"

The elf nodded happily while taking the empty bowl off the desk: "Mimsy can do that, sir!"

With a faint pop, she disappeared only to reappear a few seconds later with the very same bowl stacked to the brink with Albus' favorite candy: "Thank you very much, Mimsy. You've been a great help."

"Master Albus looks stressed, sir." The elf commented while placing the bowl back in front of him: "Is Sir sure there is nothing else Mimsy can help him with?"

'Rather unlikely...' The Headmaster chuckled good-naturedly, popping a lemon drop into his mouth.

More as a joke he actually spoke out loud: "Unless you can calm an entire colony of enraged Acromantulas or find an extremely well-hidden room on the seventh floor, I doubt there is anything you can help me with tonight, Mimsy."

The elf's large ears flopped: "Mimsy doesn't like spiders very much, sir." Yet, then she bobbed her head: "However, Mimsy knows of a room on the seventh floor that might be the one Master Albus referred to."

'What?' Albus stared at the small elf in disbelief, slowly getting up from his chair: "Did you say you know of such a room, Mimsy?"

"Yes, Mimsy knows the place, sir!" She said happily, eyes widened at being able to help her master. "Mimsy heard tell of it from the other house-elves when she first came to Hogwarts many years ago, sir."

"So the elves are aware of this room?" Albus walked around the table, kneeling in front of Mimsy: "What kind of room is it?"

"It is known to us as the Come and Go Room, sir, or else as the Room of Requirement!"

"Requirement?" said Albus curiously, his mind already spinning with ideas as he clung to the elf's every word. "Why is that?"

"Because it is a room that a person can only enter-," said Mimsy seriously, "- when they have real need of it. Sometimes it is there, and sometimes it is not, but when it appears, it is always equipped for the seeker's needs."

'It can only be entered when there is a real need for it...'

"Mimsy has used it, sir-," said the elf, dropping its voice and looking guilty, "- when the 'Meany Marauders boys' stole all of the elves' cooking pots from the kitchen one morning. We searched for them in the entire Castle but found not a single one. Then one of the elves suggested using the room and they were all there."

Mimsy bobbed her head happily, coming to an end. "Mimsy has also been told that Mr. Filch once found extra cleaning materials there when he had run short, sir."

'So simple yet so brilliant.'

"Do you know how many people learned about this room, Mimsy?" Albus asked, wondering why none of the professors, or students have ever reported such a room to him and how he himself never stumbled upon it during his time as a student, even though he had explored the Castle most thoroughly himself.

"Very few, sir. Most people stumble across it when they needs it, sir, but often they never finds it again, for they do not know that it is always there waiting to be called into service, sir."

Albus was thrilled yet also disappointed that such a room had been probably hidden away by the Fidelius now: "Mimsy, I have been trying to find this room for many months, yet anytime I stand in front of the door, it fails to appear, no matter how desperately I needed it. Do you think you can help me and show me how to make it work?"

"Of course, master Albus, sir, Mimsy will show you anytime, sir," said Mimsy, looking delighted at Albus' enthusiasm and excitement. "We could go now, if you like, sir!"

"That would be perfect Mimsy." Albus beamed and gestured toward his door: "If you would be so kind as to lead the way, Mimsy."

"Mimsy will!" The elf bowed deeply and hurried over to the door of the Headmaster's office in small quick steps.

The bizarre duo descended down the spiral staircase and passed the stone gargoyle. Then they headed down the left, just as Albus had a few months ago when he first felt the magical backlash of Peverell casting the Fidelius charm.

He still doubted whether or not the elf would be able to show him the Room now that it was hidden under the Fidelius, but at this point, Albus was so desperate that he would try anything, including hurrying after one of the many house-elves of the Castle to pursuit a hidden room.

"This is it, Master Albus, sir!" The elf came to a spot in front of a blank piece of wall, across the rather unconventional tapestry where Albus had caught Hogwarts' most famous couple in a precarious position right at the beginning of term.

"And how exactly would I get in?" Albus inquired, the glimmer of hope still burning bright.

"Sir just needs to walk up and down three times and repeat what he wishes for, while also envisioning it in his head." The elf explained happily.

"Three times you say, Mimsy?" Albus peaked up. He received excited nodding from the elf, making her large ears bob up and down.

'Perhaps that was why things had not worked so far?'

Starting at the most right end part, Albus began walking towards the other side, where he turned on the spot and walked back.

'I need you to become the room you become for Harry Peverell.'

He repeated the phrase two more times, looking up with a hopeful expression after the last turn only to have his face fall. The blank piece of wall was still there looking as ordinary as ever with no traces of any entrance to a hidden room.

The Headmaster sighed in frustration: "It does not seem to work for me, Mimsy."

"Would you allow Mimsy to have a try as well, sir?" The elf inquired: "Perhaps it will work for her."

"Of course, be my guest." Albus moved aside and watched as the small elf now hurried back and forth the wall three times, with its large eyes closed, lips moving silently.

"Master Albus is right, it does not work for Mimsy right now." The elf nodded sadly, coming to a stand: "However, Mimsy can still feel the room, sir, it's still right here."

"Would you elaborate on that, Mimsy?" Albus grew curious again: "What do you mean you can 'feel' it?"

"Elven magic be different to that of wizards and witches, sir." The elf explained patiently: "We be able to feel many different things you can't. Mimsy can feel the magic behind these walls even if she can't see the room. Mimsy thinks it might be used right now and whoever uses it doesn't want to be found."

'But of course...' Albus smiled ecstatically at the simple explanation: "Mimsy, how quickly can you find a student in the castle?"

"Alone it takes Mimsy some time, sir." The elf grimaced: "But together the elves can find one very quickly. Master Albus won't have to wait long. Which student shall Mimsy find?"

'Out of the two, Peverell was definitely the least likely to be found...'

"I need you to find Ms. Marlene McKinnon, Mimsy." Albus told the elf: "She is a sixth-year Ravenclaw Prefect with lon-"

"Mimsy knows Ms. Marly already, sir." The elf bobbed her head: "She and Master Harry often visit us elves in the kitchen."

'Of course, they do...' Albus was once again surprised by their detailed knowledge of the castle.

"All the better then." He continued: "I will be waiting up here while you try to find her, Mimsy."

"Mimsy will return shortly Master Albus, sir." The elf gave one deep bow before vanishing with a soft snap.

Albus returned to the blank piece of wall, which was hiding the Room of Requirements as the elf called.

'Were they currently in there?'

And if so, what were they doing? If it wasn't the activities hormonal teenagers do everywhere in the world, what required them to hide from the rest of the castle?

A soft snap made him turn around once more:

'Well, that was indeed quick.'

"Mimsy is a bad elf, sir! Mimsy and the other elves couldn't find Ms. Marly anywhere." The elf lowered her head in disappointment.

"No, you did extraordinarily well, Mimsy." Albus chuckled. He pointed at the wall: "I think you won't be able to find her anywhere because Ms. Marly is currently in here and using the room."

"Oh, so Mimsy still did well?" The elf peeked up again: "Does Master Albus want Mimsy to wait here and tell him once Ms. Marly comes out?"

The Headmaster pondered over the issue briefly while checking his watch: "That won't be necessary, Mimsy. I myself will wait and welcome Ms. McKinnon. You may continue with your other duties. Thank you very much for your help."

"As you wish, Master Albus." The elf gave a final deep bow and vanished once more, leaving the Headmaster alone.

Albus conjured himself a comfortable garden chair he saw in the latest muggle advertisement for barbeque equipment. Taking a seat, he hoped very much that his two mysterious teenagers wouldn't get too caught up in their young romance and instead would come out again soon.

'I would hate to spend all night out here...'

March 5th, 1977

"Alright, love, that's quite enough!"

"Not yet!" She ignored his protests and threw another stinging hex at him, this one aimed right at his butt cheek.

Harry spun around and dodged it expertly, his wand slipped into his sleeve in a rather threatening manner, yet the grin betrayed his true intentions: "Marlene..."

"Yes, Harry?" She batted her eyelashes at him and cocked her head: "Was there something?"

"I'm resistant to that look by now." Harry laughed and threw one of the towels to her, wiping his forehead with the other: "Practice is over, we can continue tomorrow."

The Room of Requirements had taken the shape of a simple dueling pit, just as it always did whenever Harry and she came up here to practice for a few hours each week. Marlene had recognized immense improvements in her spell casting already, especially since Harry was such a patient and knowledgeable teacher.

'Of course, she rewarded him for that patience whenever the opportunity allowed it.'

"But I'm still full of energy, just watch!" Marlene protested. She closed her eyes, imagining bright, emerald orbs hovering above her face as he scooped her up in his arms to kiss her:

"Expecto Patronum!"

A large, silvery Granian burst from the tip of her wand, sprinted towards Harry, and tried to lick her boyfriend's face.

"No! Stop it!" Harry tried to swat it aside while rolling with laughter: "This actually tickles!"

"What I'm trying to say- "Marlene flicked her wand with a smirk and willed her Patronus to vanish: " -is that I still have lots of energy left!"

Bouncing on her heels, she walked over to him and joined him at the door back to the corridor.

"So do I. One can definitely tell that the ritual has been a success." Harry pulled her closer to him by her waist and planted a hard kiss on her lips: "However, my body needs more than magic to recover. I'm hungry, so let's head down and grab something to eat."

"You eat more than a troll, Harry!" Marlene wrinkled her nose, tossing her hair over one shoulder: "Are you sure one of your ancestors didn't have a small misstep, accidentally leading to troll blood running through Peverell veins?"

Harry waited for the door to materialize and pulled it open while chuckling: "I'm pretty sure my ancestors killed deadly creatures like trolls and such instead of mating with them." He gave her a playful slap on her behind as she slipped past him, ignoring her scowl.

The corridor ahead of her seemed completely empty as was always the case on the seventh floor. Marlene waited for him to close the entrance to the room, watching as the door frame disappeared into a blank wall: "Talking about deadly creatures, do you reckon we should go back an-"

"MHM!" She yelped and her eyes widened in shock when she suddenly felt his hands cover her lips, gripping her like a vice.

Harry stepped in front of her protectively, his wand raised high, and aimed at the seemingly empty corridor: "Homonum Revelio!"

She gasped against his fingers when the Elder Wand vibrated once in her boyfriend's hand. Harry gestured for her to remain back and slowly took his hand from her mouth, allowing her to pull her own wand.

"There's someone here." His attention seemed to be drawn to a spot on the floor a few feet away from the entrance to the Room. He trailed his wand over it a few times before, murmuring something incomprehensive under his breath before he grimaced in satisfaction and looked up.

"That's a very good disillusionment charm, Headmaster."

"Not good enough it seems." Marlene barely stopped a second yelp when the tall, long-bearded figure of Albus Dumbledore faded into view a few meters ahead of them. The man chuckled as if he had been caught playing a prank.

"Good evening, Mr. Peverell, to you as well, Ms. McKinnon." He tugged his wand away in his sleeve and beamed at them. "Disillusionment charms are almost perfect, yet you countered mine with one of the few spells they're powerless against, my boy. Hiding a soul is significantly more difficult than a body, yet not outright impossible as I'm sure you know, by now. After all, your cloak does a very fine job at it..."

'The soul-revealing charm doesn't detect Harry's cloak.' Marlene remembered. 'But how did Dumbledore know this?'

"I will repeat what a great wizard once told me, Headmaster..." A small cold smile tugged on Harry's lips when Marlene glanced at him: "'I don't need a cloak to become invisible...'"

'Me neither.' Since Marlene had come a long way by now, she was confident enough to meet the Headmaster's twinkling gaze. 'Luckily Harry had stopped her before she revealed anything important though.'

"That's a very rare and invaluable skill." Dumbledore nodded, strolling over to them as if he'd enjoy nothing more than to continue their chat. "May I ask how you knew it was me, Harry?"

"Magic always leaves traces..." Harry murmured, pointing down to the spot that caught his interest with a faint grin: "Your camping chair left a trace as well and your magical signature is quite potent if I may so."

"Yet one should be very careful when making a judgment based on a signature, shouldn't they?" The Headmaster smiled good-naturedly: "After all, they can be quite misleading..."

As always Marlene had the feeling as if her boyfriend and the Headmaster had known each other for their entire lives already. There was this strange love-hate relationship going on between them.

"I wouldn't know." Harry shrugged, he tugged on her arm, trying to lead her past the Headmaster to avoid any further conversation: "I'm just a sixth year, barely starting my NEWT studies, which I should probably return to..."

Dumbledore blocked their path, still smiling: "Underestimating an opponent is even more dangerous, Harry. I'm sure a few of the Death Eaters that were present during the attack on the Bones manor didn't live to embrace that lesson, did they?"

"Is this where you tell me that they deserved mercy after slaughtering innocent men, women and children Headmaster?" Harry snorted in disgust: "Please, spare me the lecture, sir. We both know it will fall on deaf ears."

"I won't justify their horrible actions, my boy." Dumbledore shook his head with a sad smile: "I will merely serve a reminder that the use of certain spells, especially when they're cast with the intent to kill, change the soul, the very essence of a person. Killing corrupts a person, Harry..."

Marlene's eyes flicked to her boyfriend, who remained silent at first, acting as if he hadn't heard the Headmaster.

"May we leave now, Headmaster?" She inquired politely: "We'd like to head down to dinner."

"Fiendfyre is one of those spells, Harry." Dumbledore continued, simply ignoring her attempt at an interference: "I don't know who taught you about the spell, but I urge you to consider ever using it again. Surely you're aware that I'm ever so slowly closing in on you, my boy. Please, don't give me a reason to grow even more concerned than I already am."

"I will do what I must to protect those I care for, Headmaster." Harry replied coldly: "And I'm ready to go to extremes and finish a job, no matter what it takes, quite unlike you are..."

"I never said I was without faults, Harry." Dumbledore nodded slowly: "But that's quite enough brooding for tonight. I finally laid eyes on the very room I've been looking for for the last few months. If you will excuse me, I can't wait to test whether or not it holds up to the legends that surrounded its creator."

Harry's lips curled into the slimmest smile: "You had some help finding it, sir?"

"I did." Dumbledore beamed in excitement: "Helena Ravenclaw and an overtly enthusiastic elf finally led me on the right path."

"Then I hope the room will arrange itself to your exact requirements." Harry tugged on her hand, moving past the Headmaster: "Have a good night, sir."

March 10th, 1977

Small groups of students walked past her, chatting excitedly and exchanging the latest gossip. Lily paid them no heed as she walked up the large staircase, two steps at a time, humming a little happy tune.

'Almost there.'

If someone had told her two years ago that she would be whistling happily on her way to meet James Potter for a study date, Lily would have had one of the greatest laughs of her life. Yet here she was...

Almost four weeks ago, James Potter had asked her out to Hogsmeade for St. Valentine's Day. To her immense surprise, he hadn't embarrassed her in the process. Lily vividly remembered him reading out highly inappropriate poems in the middle of the Great Hall or dressing up a few house elves as Cupid and asking them to deliver messages to her during previous years.

'He had certainly been creative.'

'However, this one had been completely different.'

James had simply asked her in a seclusive spot at the Hogwarts library, far away from prying eyes, offering nothing more than a single red rose and his irresistible trademark smile. The only reason Lily had stumbled over her own response and not replied immediately, had been because she was too surprised to think clearly and never expected him to still be interested in her romantically.

She had seriously thought that his childhood crush had died when he matured over the last year. In addition, James had never been more popular with the fairer sex than now. With Harry being head over heels in love already, and Black having quite the reputation as a player, James was undoubtedly one of the most sought-after upper-year students in the Castle.

'Why her then?'

Naturally Lily knew that she was quite popular with boys as well. However, none of the boys who had asked her this year seemed to be sincere. Most teenage wizards were just like their muggle count parts, only interested in getting in a girl's knickers. Still, she very much hoped that James would turn out to be a bit different.

'Unless he was a great actor it had certainly seemed that way during their date.'

James had been the perfect gentleman, treating her exceedingly well the entire time she was with him. Instead of showing any signs of disappointment when he only received a kiss on the cheek after the day was over, he had simply beamed at her while blushing furiously, one hand in his unruly hair, asking her if she'd like to go on another date sometime soon.

How could Lily have denied him when she'd love to see him again as well?

'Perhaps with a proper kiss this time, if things went just as well.'

"Careful where you're going, mudblood!"

Lily was suddenly thrown out of her romantic dreams when she almost ran into someone. She looked up at the group of people dressed in green and silver who were blocking her way around the corridor.

"Five points from Slytherin for discriminating and name-calling another student." Flaring her nostrils, her green eyes narrowed in anger. Lily Evans' fiery temperament threatened to flare: "Actually make that ten since I'm a Prefect and you're blocking this entire passageway."

"You think we care about any of that, little Prefect?" Richard Runcorn from seventh year sneered at her. By now the entire group of half a dozen boys was watching her like snakes, ready to lunge: "Perhaps you should be more careful… Lately, your kind has been losing a lot more than just house points in this castle."

"Are you threat-"

"Hey, Lily, heading to the library as well?" A familiar voice called out from behind her.

"Yes, Harry, though it seems I ran into a bunch of disrespectful, bigoted dunderheads." Lily kept her eyes trained on the group of Slytherins while she heard a pair of footsteps catch up with their position.

"Well, then I suggest you move aside, gentleman." Harry stopped right next to her, towering over the majority of Slytherins by nearly half a foot: "Some of us have places to be."

The boys in green seemed a mix of intimated and defiant. Obviously, they knew about Harry's skill with a wand, yet they also held the advantage in numbers.

Thomas Avery, one of the taller boys in the group and the new leader of the house if one followed the rumors, walked in front of the other boys: "We will be on our way soon, no worries, Peverell. Though, I'm afraid I haven't heard anyone calling you bad names, Evans. Perhaps you should let an actual healer check your hearing instead of those muggle doctors…"

"The healers at Saint Mungo's will be busy once I'm done with you slimy bastards." Lily's temper finally flared and she pulled her wand at last: "Run that by me again?!"

"It's okay..." Next to her Harry calmly placed an arm on hers: "Let them talk, Lily. Laughter and petty jokes are everything they have right now to distract themselves from the heartbreaking losses some of these fine gentlemen suffered so recently..."

'Wait what?'

Lily glanced from Harry back to the Slytherins, each of them gritting their teeth, hands twitching towards robes where their wands were surely held.

'What did Harry mean by that?'

"Well, haven't you heard, Lily?" He flashed her a smile, yet his green eyes had turned as cold as steel: "Parkinson over here has lost one of his uncles around New Year. And of course, Goyle's older brother had been reported missing as well, along with his buddy, John Warrington. Isn't that your father?"

"Yo- You!" The younger Warrington's hand wandered inside his robes, yet he was stopped by Thomas Avery, who looked like he was the only one that was able to keep his composure.

"Such unnecessary loss of life." Harry shook his head in mock sadness. By now his voice had dropped close to a whisper: "Simply terrible how quickly our loved ones can be taken away from us, isn't it? It truly makes you rethink your position in all of this..."

"Go ahead, Peverell, don't let me interrupt you..." Avery returned the cold smile with one of his own: "You seem to be so knowledgeable about what's going on. I'm sure we all cling to your words."

"Oh, you're right in assuming I'm knowledgeable, Avery." Harry nodded slowly and Lily felt a small shiver run down her spine.

An icy coldness was rolling off of Harry in smile ripples: "I know exactly how many of you have lost family and friends only so recently. I recommend you do the wizarding society a favor and step aside already, it would be a shame if even more pure blood was spilled."

"You're bold, Peverell, coming to the mudblood's help." Avery inclined his head: "Ever the brave Gryffindor, aren't you?"

Lily was about to retort angrily but once again Harry beat her to it.

"Oh no, Avery, you've got it all wrong, you see..." Harry shook his head with a chuckle: "By now you guys are almost as bold as us. Insulting muggle-borns, especially Prefects, in the wide open? Betting on who might be the next victim of an attack as a joke during lunchtime? Whispers in awe and glorification for a coward who attacked people in the back, one of them a girl who had barely learned to levitate a feather?"

"You're disgusting." Harry snorted: "You're the bold one now, but not for much longer. If the Heir of Slytherin is anything like the brainless cowards that have been sorted into his house over the last decades, then it will only be a matter of time before his pathetic, inconsequential, little game comes to a petty end. An end that Slytherin himself would be ashamed of!"

By now Avery's previously impassive face had shifted into a mask of fury that he barely managed to control. For whatever reasons, Harry's simple words had managed to enrage him as she'd never seen it before.

The two wizards stared at each other, neither backing down. Lily was about to interfere and pull Harry away by the hand when something strange caught her eye.

'What was that?'

Perhaps it was a trick of the light or the reflection of a flame in one of the many torches, but for the tiniest second, Lily could have sworn she saw a flicker of crimson red hover in the depths of the Slytherin's dark orbs, burning hot like bright coals in a roaring fire.