Nox

The Rescue Mission

~LILY POV~

The fake tattoo was unsightly, I can't believe James could even bear to see such a dishonourable mark on his arm.

Holding it up, my new friends and team mates flinched, they were helping me devise a plan to rescue our missing comrade. Our team was incomplete without her, news had come that Luna Longbottom was dead. The entire school had been somber, depressed and Neville Longbottom had gone home to be with his mourning family. Herbology had been cancelled, most classes had.

I planned to pose as a Death Eater, going down to the cell to feed the prisoner, then, I would break her free and run like hell. It wasn't much, but to me, it sounded like a lot of fun.

The spell made me unrecognisable, I had long, curly hair, a sharp cheek bone and piercings in some of the most peculiar places.

As I approached Malfoy Manor, I realised just how rich this family was. The house must have been at least five storeys high, with grand windows and fountains brightening the large garden in the dark. A shiver ran down my spine as I looked around, most of it was covered in white, flowers, fountains. But it seemed so dark, so evil, even with all the white, it was eerily quiet. I felt nauseous as I approached the dark metal gate that separated me from the mansion. Holding up my forearm, the gate turned to smoke, which I could then walk straight through.

Rustle.

'What was that?' I thought, turning in the direction of the noise.

Rustle. Shaking, I raised my wand, hawthorn, unicorn hair, 11 inches and supple.

Out popped a pure white bird, a peacock, seriously?

As I glanced around, I realised that they were everywhere, strutting around the little white flowers. I needed to move on.

Entering the manor, I found myself in a large drawing room. How was I ever going to find Athena in this place. I guess I would have to start in the dungeons, classic prisoner area. As I headed to a staircase that seemed to lead downstairs, I froze. There were voices, muttering to each other, I had to hide. As I stood, straight as a board, I recognised one of the tones, James.

"The prisoner has struggled, but nothing I can't handle." James said.

"How has she been going after Luna Longbottom's ahh...'accident'?" The other questioned.

"She's not speaking, just sits there, rocking. She won't talk to me either."

"Well of course she won't, you bloody killed her mother, you think she's going to forgive you...ever?"

"She will learn to love me, I promise you, she'll come to her senses and Master will convince her."

"Sure, what ever you say buddy."

I heard the door slam and I ran back to the staircase. I had to help her, the poor girl, her mother killed right in front of her.

As I came to the bottom of the stairs, I saw her, the cell was luxurious, as if they were trying to take care of her.

But her hair was matted, face covered in grime. Sitting in the corner, rocking, silent tears soaking her dirty face. A few days' worth of food sat, untouched in another corner, she was starving herself.

"Athena." I whispered.

The girl looked up, "Lily? Oh, Lily, help me please. You were right, I'm sorry."

"Shh," I glanced around, "I don't know how long we have wait...hang on... How do you know it's me?"

"I can see you."

"But...I had a charm, it changed me, it must have worn off."

"How did you get in, the gate..."

I held up my arm.

Athena gasped, "Lily, no!"

"It's fake, I did it so I could get in."

"Oh."

Reaching for my wand, I chanted the incantation, "Alohamora."

The door opened, Athena rushed to my side and hugged me, but as she let go, I felt her tense. Knowing what was standing behind me, I turned to see what I had dreaded, James.

"James.."

The boy raised his wand.

"I'm sorry Lily."

"You don't have to kill me."

"I do..."

"No, you don't, I love you with all my heart, my brother, but what you did...it's unforgivable."

"I love you too, Lily, you were my favourite. I can't kill my baby sis." The boy lowered his wand a little.

"I'm sorry, James, but you can't be trusted. Petrificus totalus."

The boy's body went as rigid as a board. Careful not to step on him, Athena and I went around him, hoping that he hadn't brought any companions, we ran, grabbed the broomstick, and shot off into the night, back to Hogwarts, Athena cried the entire way, my clothes were sopping by the time we arrived. We both crashed onto a bed and fell asleep, our hands still clutched tightly together.