Lily Evans was angry. Rumors had been flying around, ever since a disheveled-looking Harry Ashworth had stumbled late into the Great Hall for breakfast followed shortly by an equally disheveled-looking Bellatrix Black, two days ago. Actually, her appearance had been impeccable, as always, but she had looked tired, as if she'd spent the entire night awake and doing… Lily shuddered, not even wanting to think about it. It was bad enough that he spent so much time around that Black girl, but now this ? She stomped her way to her next class, completely unaware of her surroundings, at least until she walked right into someone, and almost came crashing to the ground.
"Watch where you're going, Evans," a female voice said coldly.
"Then get out of my way, Black," Lily shot back as she stepped backwards.
Bellatrix gave her a curious look. She was aware that Lily didn't like her, but the outright hostility in the Gryffindor girl's tone was something new. "You got a problem with me, Evans?" Bellatrix crossed her arms. "If you do, just say so."
"It's none of your business."
"Fine," Bellatrix shrugged. She didn't much care for Lily, anyways, and it didn't really bother her if the girl wanted to make like a popsicle around her. "See you later, Evans." With a casual wave over her shoulder, Bellatrix wandered down the hall. In the direction of Professor Ashworth's private quarters, Lily noted with chagrin. Huffing in anger, she continued to march down to her Charms class.
When she walked through the door, a couple of minutes later than usual for her, a handful of people were already sitting in the room. Much to her annoyance, that included James Potter and his group of marauding misfits, who were huddled over something on one of the benches, apparently trying to cast charms on whatever it was they were working on. Another prank, no doubt, Lily dismissed as she took her seat, as far from them as she could.
"Hmm… you think so?" one of them asked timidly. Lily reckoned that was probably Peter. She didn't know any of them well, but aside from Remus, he was the most soft-spoken one.
"Come on, James," Remus intoned, "you're talking nonsense. There's nothing going on between Professor Ashworth and Bellatrix. So they're friends. From what I heard, she was the one who showed him around when he got here, so it's natural they hang out a lot."
"Yes, but on a Friday night? After curfew?" James chuckled. "I think we all know what's going on there, him sneaking around with her after dark."
Sirius cuffed him upside the head. "Oh shush, there's a lady present," he pointed over James's shoulder at Lily, causing his eyes to widen comically. Oops, he mouthed. "And didn't I tell you, I'd be more worried about her seducing him, in any case? Ashworth's kind of a wimp."
"Aha!" James cried out in triumph. "So now you're admitting that there might be some of that going on, after all!"
Sirius groaned at the wide opening he'd left for his friend. "No, but even if there was, it's none of our business. And you have no proof, anyhow, and Ashworth's only a temp. He's gonna be gone at the end of the school year, anyway."
"But I do have proof."
"That map?" Sirius rolled his eyes. "Remus?"
The third Marauder shrugged his shoulders. "It's… sort of working. I think a couple of the charms are interfering with each other. But I'd say it's mostly reliable. We should be able to fix it up in a couple of days."
"See?" James grinned.
"But like I said, there's still some irregularities. I have no clue how you managed to get the map charm to show the girl's bathroom in the Great Hall," Remus concluded. James's smile fell.
"Lighten up," Sirius clapped him on the shoulder. "You're probably making a big deal about nothing. I really don't think Ashworth's up to something sinister. The guy's a total gimp."
"Professor Ashworth is not a gimp!" Lily exclaimed angrily, her temper flaring after catching bits of the boys' conversation.
Sirius looked over and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Evans, I meant that in the nicest possible way."
"Still," she insisted, "you shouldn't be talking like that about a professor."
Sirius shrugged. "Well, James here thinks just because he thinks he caught him sneaking out the castle Friday night that he's up to something dark and devious."
"He's a professor," Lily said, as if that explained everything.
"Hey, all I'm saying is that he doesn't strike me as the whole cloak-and-dagger kind of type. I'm actually with you on that, I don't think anything bad is going on. Maybe he just wanted to get some fresh air," Sirius raised his hands placatingly.
"And take your cousin with him?" James interjected.
"Oh, quit it already with your conspiracy theories, James," Sirius groaned. Any further reply was pre-empted by Flitwick entering the room, followed by more students. The class passed in agonizing slowness for Lily, who usually always liked Charms. She even failed to answer two of Flitwick's questions, which was highly irregular for her. Her distraction almost caused her to miss Flitwick's dismissal of the class, and she had to scramble to get her books together in order to make it to her next class-potions. The dungeons were empty at this point; there was only one class that was being held down there, and most everybody avoided it, if it all possible. Lily was much the same-the narrow corridors, the enclosed spaces, the lack of windows, the flickering torchlight even if it was bright daylight outside, it all creeped her out.
"My uncle wants to talk to you, Ashworth."
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