The Locket

Chapter 6

 Maisie Evans pressed her fingers to her temples and massaged her skin. It was a pointless attempt at ridding herself of the awful headache waging war within her. The stress of the job did take it's toll sometimes. The pounding within her head was substantial enough proof of that. Her brief chat with her inside source had only confirmed her concerns. The boy needed to be watched carefully because unless he perceived things the right way, her plans would be ruined. His plans would be ruined. The dark lord could not afford another mishap. Things needed to go the exactly the way she had them planned.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat in a circle. Harry placed the locket in the center of their circle and unlatched it. The swirling blue contents inside it were mesmerizing to the beholder.

"Okay. On the count of three. One. Two. Three." With that, the group linked arms and Hermione dipped her finger into the locket. Almost instantaneously, they were whisked away into Lily's memories.

The hooded figure slid gracefully between the trees, barely making a sound. The thick grove overhead let only little slits of sunlight through, making it a perfect place to remain obscure from prying eyes. Moving hastily, her wand was gripped tightly.

Nearby, Harry, Ron, and Hermione watch two mysterious figures making their way through the woods. Upon a closer look they appeared to be kids, not more than fifteen. The boy had a dark mob of shaggy hair and a hooked nose. Although his eyes were dark, they held a mysterious laughter. The girl beside him had long red hair with sparkling emerald eyes that complimented the light dusting of freckles along the bridge of her nose wonderfully. They quickly recognized them as Lily and Snape. Hermione and Ron shot Harry a curious look at the sight of Severus and Lily together.

"Come on!" Severus tugged Lily's arm playfully as they made their way through the thick bramble.

"Look, I'm not sure about this. Honestly Severus, there are reasons it's called the forbidden forest. Can't we go back to the castle now?" Lily bright green eyes shifted nervously to and fro. Severus pressed his lips against hers gently and squeezed her hand. Harry looked back and forth between the two of them in shock while Ron fought a strong urge to laugh. Hermione only studied the exchange curiously. Her analyzation of the situation was unnerving to Harry.

"We're almost there." Severus gave her such a genuine look that Lily finally caved.

"Okay... fine. Show me what you found." She sighed rolling her eyes and suppressing a laugh. Pushing forward they eventually found a clearing.

"This is it." Severus gestured to the paltry glade. Everything seemed to be held at a standstill and a shiver danced along her spine. The ferns planted along the edge of the clearing formed a perfect circle. Within it were all sorts of wild flowers and plants. Scrutinizing it curiously, Lily stepped into the circle pulling Severus along with her. A gust of wind suddenly picked up. The strange breeze tugged on the fragile plants, until suddenly, they were pulled up by their roots and being carried about in all directions by the wind.

"Severus. Where are we?" Lily whispered faintly as her eyes widened. A powerful sense of magic lingered in the air.

"I don't really know. Something is peculiar about it all though, isn't it?" Severus glanced around anxiously, completely unaware of what Lily was seeing.

"It wasn't like this last time. It feels wrong." A bead of cold sweat trickled down Severus's forehead. "Lily, we need to leave. Now."

"Why, do you see that?" Lily inquired abruptly. Her voice sounded distant and unconnected.

"See what? Lily, I don't see anything." Panic was evidently laced in his voice now.

Lily knelt down peering with wonder at the whimsical flower in the center of the circle. The petals were a light violet color and looked extremely delicate. Severus shakily pulled his wand out of his robes and went about spinning around searching for something to fight.

"Lily!" Severus began holler, but to no avail. Her transfixed stare remained, containing the same vague expression. Her slim, ivory finger reached down to touch the swirling center of the flower. It was a milky blue color and it churned restlessly. Her finger grazed the surface of the flower. Silence. And then screaming. Lily's blood curdling screams.

The hooded person swiftly changed directions. She moved more hurriedly now. The girl's scream reverberated throughout the woods. All that mattered now was that she was there in time.

Pushing Severus aside, Maisie knelt to the ground and pressed her hand to Lily's forehead. A scorching fever had broken out and little beads of sweat rolled across her face.

"Who are you?" Severus asked fiercely.

"My name is Maisie. Look, it's important that we get Lily back to the castle and to Madam Pomfrey. She'll know what to do." Maisie urgently gestured to Lily without a moment of hesitation. There was no time to wring their hands, something had to be done quick. Regaining his composure, Severus helped carry Lily back to the castle.

They lay Lily down on the hospital wing bed and began pacing back and forth. Madam Pomfrey hurriedly poured a strange looking liquid into Lily's mouth and stepped back, looking at Lily's limp body expectantly. Within seconds, Lily sat up. Her eyes were bulging out of her skull and her skin looked unnaturally pale. Swiveling her head around frantically until her gaze caught sight of Maisie Evans.

"Hello sister." Maisie smirked now at the sight of Lily's horrorstruck expression.

"You... you vile creature! How dare you! Why are you here!? After what you did to Petunia!?" Lily seething rage encompassed the room.

"Well, I think that's enough sisterly love for me today. You're welcome by the way, for, you know, saving your life. Toodles!" With that, Maisie Evans turned away and the trio watching the story unfold witnessed a tear rolling down her face. A weakness she'd never let them see. No, this pain she would squash and conceal in any and every way possible. With that, Maisie Evans disapparated.

Thank you so much for reading! :)