The village of Hogsmeade was a Christmas wonderland.
The snow had fallen in great heaps over the week leading up to the holiday festival and the various shopkeepers had decorated their windows with bright and colorful lights and displays that drew the attention. The warm lights from inside cast shadows of the window frames on the street and the Fountain had been bewitched for the special occasion to distribute hot chocolate so that witches and wizards need only walk up, produce a tea cup, and scoop as much of the warm drink as they wished. There was an energy among the students and villagers in general as they milled about, carrying their packages, smiling as they breathed in the ever-present smell of dragon-fire roasted nuts and popcorn wafting through the air. Vendors had come to Hogsmeade for the event, too, setting up carts and little booths, selling foreign wares and homemade pieces like knitted sweaters and trinket boxes, muggle gifts, blown glass creatures that really moved about, jewelry made from home-grown crystals of vibrant colours, and loads of special foods.
Sirius could see why Dumbledore had decided to shuffle about the usual schedule of things to allow for the students to attend the festival. There was so much goodness happening on the streets of Hogsmeade that it was hard to believe that any evil existed anywhere at all in the world, and it seemed that was precisely what the students needed at this time of the year - a bit of relief from the awful things happening in the news. Everyday somebody was called to the Headmaster's office, it seemed, to collect bad news, so that students waited with held breath whenever a house elf was seen about the castle.
Of course, Sirius himself wasn't attending the festival. Rather, he'd snuck out of the Shrieking Shack to come down to the main road to meet with James and Lily, and he'd figured it wouldn't hurt to have a look-around while he was waiting for them to arrive... and if he happened to have bought a small box of chocolates - all that he could afford - for Remus's Christmas present, well, what was the harm in that?
James and Lily, after talking about Walburga's arrival at the Evans's house, had decided that their best bet was to find out what exactly Walburga knew. What this would require was finding out who exactly had told Walburga Black about Lily having the locket. At first, this had seemed a daunting task - after all, everyone in the Order knew about the locket, and it could've been any one of them, James had originally reckoned, until Lily pointed out that it was impossible it was any of the Order members. "First of all, if it had been anyone in the Order, they would've known that the locket was no longer with me and it would be rather irrelevant that I ever had it at all. She'd know that it was here at the castle instead of my house," Lily explained, "And secondly, if it was someone in the Order the contract Remus and Emmaline made would've kicked in and we'd be able to tell who it was."
"Excellent point, Evans," James had said, nodding. Then, "Well who else knew about you having the locket?"
"Only you and me," Lily replied. "I don't even think Remus and Sirius knew until after it was at Hogwarts, and I know Peter didn't," she added the last bit hastily, given everything that was already going on with Peter and Voldemort, she didn't want anymore piled upon him.
James said, "Well I didn't tell her."
"I know," Lily replied.
James had hesitated, then, "Snape knew."
Lily had been quite adamant that Severus Snape would never have told Walburga anything, and that he couldn't have been forced to either. He knew how to practice occlumency, she had reminded James, and Voldemort couldn't force any knowledge out of him that he kept locked up in his mind. Surely if Severus Snape could keep Voldemort out, then he could keep Walburga Black out as well... Besides that, Lily had said, Severus Snape wouldn't betray her like that. "He has done, though," James said, "He used the amortentia potion on you and he tried at taking advantage of you and he's hurt you how many times? Lied how many times? Dunno what you consider betrayal, but all of that falls under the category to me, at least."
So they had agreed at last to go to Hogsmeade on 24 December, the day of the festival, and, together, try to find Severus Snape and find out exactly what was going on, including if and why he might have told Walburga Black that Lily had once had possession of the locket. This would enable them also to check on Regulus and Peter, as well as exchange gifts with the other Marauders in the morning of Christmas before going home to celebrate with their families.
They apparated together from the backyard of the Evans's house, where no one would see them, and arrived in Hogsmeade with two loud cracks, a little ways down the road past the Three Broomsticks. They met Sirius at the fountain, where he was attempting an engorgio charm on a tea cup to bring hot chocolate back for Remus. "Oh Sirius, really," Lily said, and she transfigured his teacup into a large thermos.
"Brilliant," he said, and he made four more and filled those as well, making James carry two of them as they made their way through the village, toward the Shrieking Shack.
"So how's Wormy doing?" James asked, "Was he terribly hung over last week?"
"He's been quiet," Sirius replied, shrugging, "I think he's embarrassed."
"Of being drunk?"
"Yeah, and also of Wendy having dumped him... Apparently she did some time ago, Remus said she told him, and Peter never told us lot."
Lily looked surprised, "He's told me that he's been seeing her."
"Me also," Sirius said with a shrug, "Guess he was lying to cover it up that they broke up."
James frowned.
"Anyways, he's been mostly only in the dormitory when it's time for bed. I've been trying to be good to him, Prongs, really I have. I haven't called him stupid or fat or any of the things I usually do. Every time I go to open my mouth to Wormy I ask myself, Sirius, what would Prongsie say right about now? and if it isn't something you'd say, I don't say it."
James said, "Well, jolly good. Maybe you ought to make that common practice if it'll keep you out of trouble."
Sirius grinned, "Maybe."
"So where is Pete now, then?" James asked.
"Probably in Honeydukes, knowing Peter," Sirius said, thumbing back at the village behind them.
"Did he come with you and Remus?"
"Well we came through the tunnel," Sirius said. "Remus is really sore this month and he couldn't really walk very well. I actually had thought about driving the motorbike over during the night so he wouldn't have to walk much, but we ended up going through the tunnel so we could take it as slow as he needed. Wormtail wasn't in the dormitory when we left, so I left him a note to come join us. Don't know if he got it yet, but I haven't seen him."
James decided that it was be very important that he would make sure to find Peter before he left to go home.
They arrived to the Shrieking Shack, their footprints magically clearing in the snow behind them, thanks to the sweeping charm Sirius had put on the path, and they ducked into the house through a backdoor, James used his magic to board it back up from the outside. When the final nails had banged into place, James turned about and spotted Remus Lupin laying across the couch in the dusty living room area, his eyes swollen and dark from lack of sleep, and his body stiff and uncomfortable looking, mouth wincing in pain, even as Lily sat beside him and held his hand softly.
Sirius stepped up beside James as Lily whispered to Remus, "It really is getting worse, you know. The transformations."
"I've noticed that, too."
"I mean progressively, every moon."
James nodded. "What d'you reckon causes it?"
"Newt Scamander and Ned Veigler were trying to figure it out, last I knew, but I'm not sure. It's been since last year, while you were... anyway. It isn't just Remus. It's Ned, too, and Bradley, and basically all the werewolves. That's why the Wolfsbane potion was so important."
James sighed, "Well, maybe after holiday we can send an owl to Newt Scamander and see if he reckons he has any theories and ask if we can help him figure it out at all. Dunno how we'd do that, but if anyone could answer how, it'll be Mr. Scamander."
Sirius nodded.
Severus Snape was glad for the Hogsmeade weekend - not because he was at all interested in the festival but because it emptied the castle and made it easier for him to sneak into the potions room and steal a couple more bottles of the Wolfsbane Potion to provide to Fenrir Greyback. He tucked the vials into his cloak, looking around the stores of potions in Slughorn's private cupboards, reading labels with interest before stepping out into the corridor.
He was gliding through the darkly lit hall, glancing back over his shoulder, when he ran smack into Regulus.
They stared at one another for several long moments. Then, very slowly, Snape said, "Didn't go to Hogsmeade?"
Regulus shook his head. "Nor did you."
Snape regarded Regulus again, pausing for even longer. Regulus could feel Snape sifting about, trying to force his way into Regulus's mind, and Regulus simply thought about exams and revision and the library and Severus's mouth pursed. "There's something more to it you're not showing me."
"Perhaps what I'm doing is none of your business."
Severus scowled.
"And what are you doing, sulking about the corridors?" Regulus questioned.
Severus's voice was low and slow. "Perhaps what I am doing is none of your business."
"I suppose we're at an impasse, then," Regulus replied logically.
"Indeed," mused Snape.
"I'll go my way if you'll go yours," Regulus suggested.
Severus nodded, and Regulus nodded his thanks, and started off, hurrying by Severus, brushing past him as he went, his chest hitting Snape's arm. Severus stood still after Regulus had passed, and he waited, listening for the footsteps in the corridor.
He'd seen it, in his mind.
The locket. Regulus knew about the locket. Regulus had the locket - or once had.
It was a particularly unique shape and Severus would have recognized it anywhere. And he recognized it now, in Regulus's mind.
But how in the bleeding hell did Regulus Black get it?
And where was he going now?
Severus turned, deciding the Wolfsbane potion was safe enough in his cloak pocket, and hurried to follow after Regulus Black. It wasn't exactly not following Regulus's rules for their agreement to each go their own way - it's just that Severus Snape's way was now following along after Regulus instead.
Regulus didn't seem worried at all about anyone seeing him, even stopping and saying hello to a girl from Ravenclaw on the stairs and chatting for a few moments before continuing on his way up the stairs of the castle. The moving staircases were a challenge for Severus to keep up with Regulus without being spotted, the cases switching and moving about as Regulus climbed so that Severus worried when Regulus got off the staircase he might not be able to follow closely enough before Regulus would disappear down the corridors beyond. Somehow he managed to only be a little bit behind, and he saw Regulus just turning the corner at the far end of a short hall as he disembarked from the staircase, and Severus hurried to follow after. However, reaching the end of the hall, he found the corridor there empty - although there were no doors for some way - further than Regulus could have gone, Severus thought, before he had caught up.
He puzzled, standing in the corridor and looking about.
Suddenly there were talking voices coming from down the hall and Severus ducked to one side, hiding behind a suit of armor and holding as still as he could, hoping the darkness of his robes and the low light of the corridor would make the shadow of the armor enough to hide him. He held his breath, and closed his eyes. Legilimens...
It was James Potter, and Lily Evans. He could hear their minds, sort of jostling about, but nothing really clear was showing up.
They came about the corner a moment later, holding hands, and Severus thought he might throw up at the sight of it. He scowled. James led Lily down the hall a bit and then they paused before a painting and stood a moment before James strutted back and forth, and muttered something under his breath that Severus couldn't quite hear... To his amazement, a gold cut in the wall began to show itself, and the cut became a door and the door's handle popped out and James took hold of it. "After you," he said, holding it opened, and Lily smiled and ducked inside, calling that arrogant slimeball a gentleman.
Severus glowered all the more as he extricated himself from behind the armor and hurrying down the hall. But by the time he'd reached it, the door had turned back into a solid wall.