With our hands still clasped together, me and Marlene slowly walked after the other three towards the beautifully laid out table. Alice and Mary were laughing over something, Alice patting Mary on the back as they slipped into the booth, completely oblivious to the looks on mine and Marlene's face. Dorcas, however, noticed, the creases on her forehead softly folding over as she frowned slightly.

"You okay?" She mouthed and in almost perfect unison, smiles appeared on our faces and we nodded. No point worrying her especially considering that she and Glenn were having trouble at the moment.

As we sat down, Alice leant across the table, pulling Marlene into a firm hug which snatched her hand from mine.

"Marlene, it has been forever! Oh, it's been too long with all of you," Alice said, "Gosh, isn't this place lovely. I've been wanting to go somewhere fancy for a while now but me and Frank don't have the time... well, I do but Frank values his sleep a lot and he just looks so sweet that I don't dare wake him."

"He'd probably bite you," Mary laughed, "Sweetheart in the day but biter by night."

"Kinky," Dorcas remarked but it seemed vaguely lacklustre, her fingers drumming quickly on the table. Alice laughed nonetheless and pulled the menu out. I was forever in awe of how she managed to stay so happy and positive even in times of war, maybe that was exactly what I needed given how heavy life had become especially with the added realisation that someone was keeping me and Marlene apart on purpose.

"So, what's everyone getting... it's all so fancy that it basically looks made up," Alice laughed, clearly noticing the mild tension.

Not wanting to ruin our one meet up, I put a smile on my face, taking one of the menus, "You're right, what is a... pappardelle?"

"It's basically a very broad, flat pasta noodles, kind of like fettucine," Mary replied without looking up from her menu, a small smug smile on her face. Slowly, she lowered the menu, "Please tell me you know what a fettucine pasta is."

Marlene blinked a few times before sarcastically replying, "I refer to all spaghetti as the long, wormy one, do you think I'd know what a fettucine is?"

"Alright, calm down," Mary said, wrinkling her nose slightly, "I dated a chef back in New York for a few weeks. Whilst the relationship didn't last, the intricate knowledge of food will stay with me for a lifetime."

"Other than shagging chefs, how have you been, Mary?" Dorcas asked.

"Um not bad, I've been covering small stuff with the magazine although I'm thinking of going freelance, it's too confining and I want to write my own stuff. Plus, I want more coverage of the Wizarding war, too many people don't even know it's going on and you guys need all the help you can get. I'm thinking of writing about the Order - "

"Don't," Me, Marlene and Dorcas cut in quickly.

"Why not?" Mary asked, a slight hint of confusion falling over her face, "You guys are heroes and stories like yours could inspire some people to help."

"Mary, that would be seriously jeopardising to our positions. Obviously the ... other side know we exist but we try and keep on the down low, away from the public eye," Marlene explained, "Maybe after the war."

"But by then it would be too late, you need all the help you can get right?" Mary asked.

"I don't know, things are already pretty dangerous and articles covering our lives could make it worse," I said, choosing my words carefully so as not to offend her.

"Anyway, I'll think I'll get the Lamb Salad with Fregola," Marlene said, carefully pronouncing the last word as best as she could before snapping her menu shut, "Lily, what about you?"

"Pappardelle with Sea Urchin and Cauliflower... do you think I could get it without the Sea Urchin?" I shivered, "It sounds a bit unappetising."

"Lily, are you crazy? That's the best part, you can taste the sea brine but it's so creamy, like fish custard!" Mary said, closing her eyes and smiling.

Marlene had an expression of disgust and slight horror before promptly standing up, "Yum, fish custard, sounds great. I need to pop to the loo to fix my hair, Lily care to come with me?"

I nodded quickly, "I need to do my makeup anyway, didn't have the time. If we're not back and the Waiter comes, can you order for us? Get mine without the sea urchin, please."

"You're missing out," Mary said softly but didn't press it any further, the eye roll was sufficient.

Both me and Marlene knew that the hair fixing and makeup was just a cover (although I was actually going to fix my makeup), we needed to discuss the awful reality that someone had been intentionally sabotaging us. As we walked into the bathroom, making sure there was nobody in there. Luckily it was empty and to make sure it stayed that way, Marlene locked the bathroom door as she pulled a hairbrush out of her bag.

"Okay, so what the hell is going in with this anonymous letter?" I asked, leaning against the sink as Marlene held a bobby pin in her mouth, carefully brushing out her damp, black hair.

She gestured for me to hold the bobby pin for her before speaking, "I have no idea, it was so weird. Basically, it said that I shouldn't come as my presence would upset Sirius and that he hated Mark. It also said you didn't want me to come as well, it was really weird. The way they'd phrased it, well... it sounded like something you would say. So I lied and told James Mark was sick and then wrote you this really heartfelt letter about the real reason. I was devastated when I didn't even get a reply."

"But I would never not want you to come, I'd been writing to you for ages. I even set one of Dumbledore's weird patronus message things and you know I hate that," I replied, feeling slightly gutted.

"I know that! Well, I didn't then but I hadn't got a letter from you in months other than the plan when I came around and the disaster with the pancakes happened. By the way, is Sirius still mad that I tried to... you know, out him and Remus? Because I'm pissed that he thought I was the spy, he told you that right? As I was saying, angry that he thought I was the spy but I shouldn't have retaliated in that way," She admitted, "I'm not good at apologies though, so I'll probably not say anything."

A strange wild thought occurred to me suddenly, "Do you think he would sabotage our letters? Maybe he was mad that you retaliated in that way or maybe he's just pissed off. He still thinks it's you, told me that you couldn't be dating Mark because he plays Quidditch in America."

Marlene rolled her eyes, "He apparates in, I... do you want a turn with the mirror? I have been hogging it."

"Maybe in a bit, we have time," I replied, "Do you think he could be trying to sabotage us?"

Marlene shook her head, "No, I don't think he'd do that to me or you for that matter. You're like a sister to him, he wouldn't do that. Also if James found out, it could severely dent their friendship and besides, I just don't think he's that sort of person. He's usually quite upfront when he's angry such as telling me he thought I was the spy."

"Do you reckon whoever wrote the letter to you also sabotaged our letters?"

"Oh definitely," Marlene replied, "It was really nice handwriting, very, very loopy and long. Like those old writers from like the 1800s, when calligraphy was all the rage."

"Sirius has famously awful handwriting. So do most people I know to be honest, other than Mary's who literally looks like a font," I replied as Marlene finished up with her hair, moving out the way for me.

"Are you implying Mary is sabotaging our friendship?" Marlene asked, "From what she said, she's more occupied by chefs and trying to extract people's life stories for her almighty quill."

"No, I wasn't implying that in the slightest," I laughed, "I think we should try and figure out who it was as well as avoid it happening again. I say we only use patronus messages from now on, even if I hate them. That way we know they won't be intercepted. Maybe we could get two way mirrors as well like James and Sirius - "

"So THAT'S what it was," Marlene exclaimed, "Blimey, for all the years we were together, I thought he was just a vain prick who talked to his own reflection like damn Narcissus or something!"

After a few more minutes of us discussing who was the saboteur, we decided to leave, realising a tiny queue of passive aggressive muggle women had formed outside. With a hasty sorry, we darted back to our table, just in time to see the waiter leave.

"Did you order for us?" I asked and Mary nodded.

"I asked for the sea urchin... but for me, not you," She said with a grin, "See, I tricked you."

"Very good, Mary," Dorcas replied with a snigger, "You two look fabulous."

"Thank you," I replied.

"I know right," Marlene had a lot more confidence than me when it came to accepting compliments. There was a moments silence before Alice spoke again, taking the role of the conversation leader thankfully.

"So, Lily, how are you and James doing? And how's potion making going, word travels fast that Fleamont left all his ingredients and potions to you, that must be cool."

"Yeah it is," I replied, "Haven't done much with it, still waiting on a few things and I haven't.. haven't had the time really. But yeah, me and James are happy right now despite all the chaos around us, really happy actually and not to brag, but the sex is amazing."

"That makes one of us," Marlene sniggered, "Mark just kind of lies there and expects me to do all the work and like, I don't want to."

"Glenn is the opposite, very forceful in everything he does," Dorcas said, readjusting her jumpsuit.

"Ha... wish I could join in but I'm currently very single," Mary said, "Although I am jealous of you shagging Mark, he was my crush for like three years."

"Oh God, I remember," Alice said, clapping her hands.

"I don't," I cut in, "What the hell, when was this? There was that guy Dan and then Remus... thought that was it."

"There were others, I just keep secrets," She giggled, "Marlene, I hope you don't mind me saying this, I'll shut up... Marlene, you okay?"

Marlene's didn't reply, staring at something on Dorcas's chest with her eyes wide. For a moment I thought Marlene was checking out Dorcas's, admittedly great, boobs before realising she'd seen something else. A small piece of paper in her pocket.

"Marlene, everything okay?" Dorcas asked, tilting her head slightly, "Eyes up here... ha."

"What's that in your pocket?" She asked after a long pause. Dorcas frowned for a moment before glancing down.

"This? Nothing," She replied shoving it down in her breast pocket but not before I caught a glimpse of the handwriting. The long, loopy handwriting.

"Dorcas, we need to see that," I said, trying to snatch it from her but she jutted away.

"It's nothing, okay? Just drop it!" She replied defensively. Me and Marlene exchanged a look before Marlene suddenly seemed to leap across the table, managing to rip the bottom part of the paper off before Dorcas snatched it back, almost toppling over in the process.

"Marlene, what the hell!" Dorcas shouted, standing up and slamming her hands on the table, attracting the attention of almost everyone in the restaurant.

"Can we please all sit down and behave like adults in this fancy restaurant," Alice pleaded but her pleas went ignored.

"Have a... something time tonight and I hope you behave. I love you so much, lots of love, Glenn?" Marlene read aloud before frowning slightly, "Dorcas what the hell is this? I hope you behave?"

"He just likes to keep tabs on me... it's complicated," Dorcas said desperately, anxiously glancing over at the door.

"No, this is weird, it's like he thinks he owns you," Marlene's tone softened dramatically, "Dorcas, what is this man doing to you? I am not letting you go home to him, you are coming with me."

"She's right, this is weird," Mary chimed in, "It's not a sweet gesture or anything, it's just clingy. What does he mean behave?"

"I can't explain," Dorcas said, glancing over at the door again, hitting her hand against her leg, "But it's not just black and white as it looks, I promise. I'm not in the right either - "

"No, you're the victim," Marlene said but Dorcas shook her head.

"I'm not. I'm not the victim," She replied sharply, shaking her head, "Please can we just - "

I never heard what she said next as there was a loud crash, glass suddenly exploding throughout the entire restaurant as jets of black smoke smashed through the window. The sound and impact of it all knocked me flying off my chair, causing me to black out for a few moments. When I came to, my ears were ringing and I suddenly became aware of a pain in my head, a hand yanking me up by my hair.

Slowly, I looked up to see a cloaked figure above me. My arms felt limp and numb and I could see my wand on the floor, out of reach. As much as I hated myself for it, I made no effort to fight back, accepting that I was about to be taken.

But the Deatheater didn't want to take me.

Instead, they pulled harder, pulling a hank of my hair out before walking away and dropping me back on the floor. Slowly, my hearing began to recover and I became aware of the chorus of screams and cries around me. Lying a few meters away from me was Mary, Alice by her side gripping her hands.

"Lily..." I became aware of a faint voice behind me and turned around to see Marlene, her dark eyes wide, "Lily, oh God, are you okay?"

Slowly, I nodded, pulling myself up, "Marlene, are you? Is Mary? What happened?"

"It was ... it was a Deatheater attack," She said, pulling me into a hug, her whole body trembling, "I thought... I thought you were dead and then I thought... thought they were going to... going to take you. You hair..."

I gently put my hand onto the front of my hairline, where a small chunk of my hair had been pulled out, leaving an annoyingly obvious patch of skin.

"It was weird... they didn't want me, he pulled my hair instead," I said, "Where's Dorcas?"

Marlene looked around, glancing down at Mary and Alice before scanning around, "Dorcas? DORCAS?"

At this, Alice stood up, her hands shaking violently, "Mary needs help, she got hurt... we need to alert the Order that there was an attack."

"Alice, where's Dorcas?" I asked and Alice shook her head.

"I don't know but Mary needs help, she's got glass through her cheek," At this, the three of us rushed to her side as Mary sobbed, clutching at her cheek.

"It really hurts," She mumbled through the tears.

"Oh God, where is Dorcas?" Marlene asked again, breathing heavily.

Mary shook her head, "They got her... she didn't even fight."

My heartbeat began to rise, panic slowly flowing through me. My eyes drifted over to the small piece of paper Marlene had ripped which was now singed and on the floor.

"I hope you behave..." I recited softly, "Oh God... what if Glenn was here, what if he saw. What if Dorcas didn't behave?