"There is no way to go back in time and change everything, without a Time-Turner. However, witches and wizards have learned that often trying to fix the past creates more problems than it solves." Professor Flitwick explains. "Your homework will be to write an essay on a story that talks about the dangers of time travel. Hand it in on Monday."
If I could go back in time, I don't know where I'd start. From the day Marlene got injured? Or maybe the day that Sirius dumped Marlene. Or would I go even farther back? Back to the simple years of my childhood?
"Lily, that look is making me nervous." Alice declares as we drop our books on my couch.
"I was just thinking about what I would do or fix if I could go back and change things." I explain as I sit down.
"I know the feeling." Alice sighs and she throws the pillows out of the way.
"What would you fix?" I ask.
"Well, I wouldn't necessarily fix this, but I would go back and try to understand when Marlene became someone else."
I nod. "I want to know if she was always like that and we never saw it or if something changed."
"I'd like to think that she wasn't always like this. I mean, we spent whole summers with her. On different years, we went to France with her. We've stayed in the same dorm every year, but this one. How would we have not noticed?"
"Are we having a pity party in here?" Remus asks curiously, as he walks into the room.
"Definitely. Remus, care to join?" Alice asks.
Remus shrugs his shoulders and sits down. "I'm assuming that the topic of discussion is Marlene McKinnons."
"Yes."
"Alright. I don't know her half as well as you do, but I would hesitate to say that there was never a layer of cruelty somewhere in her. Everyone has their inner demons and sometimes the people that you least suspect, have the worst ones. No one's perfect. She's usually one of the kindest people I know, but she's angry and upset. In a sense, and I'm not saying that you did anything wrong, but you both did pick Sirius over her. I understand why, but maybe she doesn't. However, she still should have asked you about it, rather than insulting Lily. But, I doubt she'll try that again." Remus says solemnly.
"Why?" I ask.
"James was pretty hard on her about it. He yelled at her, took points off Gryffindor, and gave her a week's worth of detentions for insulting you and Sirius."
"Wow."
"I didn't actually think James would take points off his own house."
"I agree, but he did."
"What would you do, Remus?" I ask quietly.
Remus frowns for a moment. "I wouldn't say sorry, until she admits that she's wrong too. I don't know if you should talk to her or just leave her alone."
"What's going on?" another voice asks from the doorway. James.
"Prongs, I thought you were still at Quidditch practice." Remus admits, looking confused.
James sighs. "Sirius missed a Bludger and it hit King in the face. He fell about thirty feet and hit the frozen ground. He's alive, but Madame Pomfrey said that he's out for the rest of the season." He turns and looks at Alice. "Why weren't you at practice?" he demands.
"No one told me we had practice today. Sirius told me that it was tomorrow." she retorts.
"So, that was what Sirius was going on about."
"What?" I ask.
"Sirius said, 'she's gonna kill me when she finds out. I better plan my funeral early. James, would you be the preacher?'"
"That would likely be the best funeral that I ever go to."
James groans and sits down on the arm of the couch. "What's worse is that if I don't find a replacement by tomorrow's game, then we'll have to forfeit."
"James, we have a backup player for seeker." Alice declares.
"Who?"
"Wow, Sirius always claimed that you were slow, James. I never actually agreed until now." Remus laughs.
"Lily is the replacement."
"What?" I gasp. "Since when have I been the backup?"
"Erm, since I signed you up?" Alice says nervously.
"Perfect. I'll go find the rest of the team. Alice, you and Lily ought to be able to find some robes that fit her. Also, make sure all the blockers fit, if not then meet me and we'll ask Professor McGonagall for a brief trip to Hogsmeade."
Alice grabs my arm and pulls me out of the Head's dorm and into the corridor. The hallway is brightly lit, but the air is cold. "Blast these old castles." Alice mutters.
I roll my eyes. I grab my wand and cast two warming charms. "You'd think that being a witch means you'd think like one."
"That's not very nice!" she accuses.
"Who said I was nice?"
We walk in silence through the corridors. Most of the students are back in their common rooms, trying to stay warm. I don't blame them, if I had the option. I'm sure I'd be there too.
Finally, we make it to the Quidditch cupboards just before the doors that lead towards the pitch. Four cupboards are lined up against the wall. One for each house. I move to open ours, but stop and frown. "Alice, something looks wrong with the lock." The lock looks warped and is sitting at an unusual angle, almost as if it was floating.
Alice leans closer to the lock. "This isn't the lock that James set. I was here last time he set it." Her face darkens. "I think someone's been tampering with our equipment."
"When was the last time that you guys opened it?" I ask.
"I guess they would have tonight, to get the balls."
"What spells did James use to lock it?"
Alice shakes her head. "I honestly don't know. James doesn't want everyone on the team to know, incase someone overheard a conversation or told someone that they shouldn't have."
I shrug, "fair enough." I look at the lock for a moment. It just doesn't look right. "Send a Patronus to James. Tell him to get down here." I pull out my wand. "If someone tampered with it, they might still be nearby."
Alice casts her Patronus and it disappears down the corridors. "I hope James hurries."
"Oh, he will." I say confidently.
"Why? Oh, right! Quidditch is the love of his life."
I scowl at her.
"Erm, I meant after you, of course." Alice amends.
James sprints into the corridor. He walks up to the cupboard and stares at the lock. "What the hell? This isn't the lock."
"Should we try to get in?" Alice questions.
"I think it should be safe enough. I mean it doesn't seem to be too dangerous." I say cautiously.
James nods. "I agree." He points his wand at the lock. "Expulso!"
The lock explodes into dust. I sigh. "The only problem with that, James, is now we can't tell what spells were used."
James shakes his head. "Lils, I'm more concerned that our stuff is still there, rather than what spells were used on it." James reaches out towards the door.
"Wait! I don't think that's a good i-"
James jerks his hand back with a hiss as it makes contact with the door. Large red boils form on his hands. "Damn."
Carefully, I grab his wrist and study the boils. "Are you allergic to anything, James?"
"No."
"Why don't we open it with magic?" Alice demands.
"There might be spells that be dangerous, if we use magic, we might trigger something." James says. His eyes are dark with frustration. "Damn whoever did this!"
I look at the seemingly harmless wooden cupboard. "Does anyone have gloves on them?"
James removes his worn Quidditch gloves out of his pocket and passes them to me. I shove my tiny hands into his massive gloves and grab the door.
The cupboard is completely empty.
James starts swearing, while Alice asks sadly, "what would anyone want with Mr. Tibs?"
"Mr. Tibs?" I ask in disbelief. "Did you name your broom or something?"
"NO! He's our mascot. He always sits in the cupboard with our balls."
"It's a plush animal, Lily. Alice's cousins Fabian and Gideon claimed that it brought us good lucky. Honestly, I don't think it made a bloody difference." James states.
"How dare you! He's our loyal mascot! We must get him back!" Alice shrieks.
James raises a hand. "Either way, we have to get Lily some gear. I think we'll be sneaking out to Hogsmeade."
"James! I can't... We can't. We're Heads."
"Lily, Gryffindor is depending on us. If we lose this game against Ravensclaw, we'll have to score insane amounts of points to catch up to Slytherin. They're actually good this year."
"Alright, let's do it." I say determinedly.
"There's that look," Alice says. "She's not going to stop until we get this solved."
"I have a feeling that once we figure out who has our gear, they'll be in for a nasty Marauders' prank. I'll join in that prank." I declare.
James laughs. "On that case, I'll get the rest of the Marauders to get looking, since we're the kings of finding things that people don't want found."
The Marauders are on the case. This won't take long.