The Marauders: Year Five #Wattys2017

McGonagall's Office

"Yes, and... and something happened at the Ministry --"

"Yes, Gideon Prewett went with Dumbledore this afternoon to go and save Fabian. The first years Defense Against the Dark Arts class was interrupted when Gideon went through a right terror -- Fabian was being tortured, he said..." she stared up at James, then "Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt."

James shook his head - he didn't care if Evans interrupted. He'd rather not tell his story anyway. It hurt too much to speak it.

"So... where is Maryrose, then?" Lily asked when James didn't resume his tale.

"Voldemort's taken her. She morphed herself to look like Lucy Minchum and went to act as a decoy and Moldy must've figured it out somehow or - or --" he paused. "Evans, he was going to take Lucy Minchum to the Malfoy house. When we first got there, Kreacher put us in a cupboard and told us to hide and Sirius's Mother, she came in the room and commanded Kreacher to put luggage down for Malfoy to take. I'll bet he's taken Maryrose to the Malfoy house, thinking she's Lucy Minchum!" He looked up, eyes wide. "Bloody hell."

Lily blinked in surprise as James turned about and hurried back into the office and grabbed his glasses from the desk, jamming them onto his face. He turned to McGonagall's hearth and started searching for the vase of floo powder he knew she kept there, but it had gone and she started turning over knick knacks and searching the shelves.

"Evans, help me find the floo powder."

Lily stepped into the office. James's face was alight with a sort of mania as he searched and she looked up at him in concern. "Perhaps we ought to tell McGonagall, rather than trying to do this ourselves?" she raised an eyebrow, "She's hidden it this well, she obviously doesn't want us finding it. She'll be angry if she finds out we've been through her things."

"McGonagall's angry with me already," James replied.

"For running off to Grimmauld Place?" Lily asked, expecting a yes.

James shook his head, though, "For being an anamorphus."

"Animagus?" Lily asked. "How does she know about --?"

James said, "Because I was running from Grimmauld Place and I transformed and I got myself tangled in some purses in a department store in London." He looked at her. It was the most absurd thing in the world when it was said quickly like that. His eyes challenged her not to laugh.

Lily stared at him. "You got tangled, did you?"

"Yes. Looked like a bloody Christmas tree. Consequently, if you need a purse, I reckon there's two or three on the path to Hogsmeade that's fallen from my antlers."

Lily's lips cracked a smile.

James continued ruffling about, looking for the floo powder. "Evans, we have to save Maryrose."

The office door opened and he looked up to see Professor McGonagall enter the room, her mouth a hard line. She glanced at him, and then to Lily and she looked a bit surprised. "Miss. Evans, what are you doing here? And Potter, get your hands off that teapot."

"Yes m'am." James put the teapot he'd been searching in down.

"And I was actually just coming to - to see you," Lily stammered a lie out. "James was here and I was talking to him and ... well, you're here now, but I see you're busy. I'll come back later with my question. It's just a homework thing." She ducked toward the door.

"Very well. Good day, Miss. Evans," she said and she shooshed Lily out the door. James was sorry to see her go, but really it was jus tas well. He had a feeling she had been about to attempt to go with him if he'd found the floo powder and he certainly wasn't about to let that happen. He wasn't going to be responsible for losing Lily Evans, too.