" - and then the worst part was that James just accepted it. He accepted that they'd put us all at risk and not just us, but everyone. It's so selfish, reckless and immature, it feels like first year."

"I get that," Marlene replied.

"Hey guys," Dorcas said, "Hate to be that person but can we maybe discuss this when we're not, you know, looking at an abandoned funfair which is possibly being used as a Deatheater base."

Even though I knew she was right, I couldn't help feeling slightly annoyed that she'd cut my ranting short. I'd been bottling it up for a day and it felt good to let it out. It took me a second to realise that if I revealed my idiot husband and his friends had stolen Order files, that put us all at great risk and kept my mouth shut. Dorcas was right, now was not the time.

"This place gives me the creeps," Dorcas said as we continued through the funfair, our backs pressed against each other, one of us on each side for maximum security. I could feel both of them shaking slightly and I could see why, this place was terrifying. It felt like the set of a horror movie, a fun place which had slowly become decrepit and wild over the years. The paint on the old rides had been stripped away leaving only bare metal skeletons which seemed to surround us on all sides. Although a place like this did fit with Voldemort's general vibe, I couldn't help wondering why he would chose this place when he had Arbury Hall only a few miles away.

"It gives us all the creeps," Marlene replied, "How many people are here with us again?"

"I think there are about ten groups of us," I replied, my voice as quiet as it could go to avoid revealing anything to prying ears, "Marlene, we'll be fine."

"Don't worry, I'm not worried, I'm with the girl who bit You-know-who for God's sake," She paused for a second, "I was just curious... okay, maybe I am a bit but no more than usual. I'm more worried I'll run into my Ex to be honest."

"It's been several months since you guys broke up," I replied,"I thought you guys were better now."

"Better doesn't mean good. Better means not awful in this situation.... Mark's annoyed at him too as apparently after you guys left the wedding, Sirius finished all the Proseco." Marlene added.

"That was Sirius? Damn, there was at least three bottles there and he drunk them all on his own? That's impressive..." Dorcas said, "Not the point of the story, the Mark part was the point... or the better part. Basically all of it."

"You've been seeing a lot of Mark lately..." I asked.

"I don't think now is the time, considering we're at risk of an attack," Marlene said with a slight giggle, "But yeah, I have... what? He's fun to be around when he's not being an arse and him and Sirius were sort of rivals during Sirius's player phase - "

"Is that not just ongoing?" Dorcas asked with a snort, "Sorry, continue."

"It's good as if I'm annoyed, Mark is more than happy to listen. I think he gets my sarcasm better too," Marlene said just as we heard a creak behind us. The three of us whipped around, forgetting our special position in fright. We quickly reassembled although the creak had rattled us.

"What was that?" Dorcas hissed.

"Maybe just the wind?" I said hopefully, "I mean we're in an abandoned funfair, it's not going to be all fun and games."

"Understatement of the century," Marlene grinned, "This is offically the worst - "

"Bet you wish you had Mark here to hold you," Dorcas teased and Marlene pushed her off slightly although both of them were giggling.

"I do as a matter of fact, he's a good cuddler."

"Aw, you guys," Dorcas said.

"I know right, sometimes I - oh God, what was that!" Marlene said, jumping back into me, "I saw something... someone move behind the ghost train."

"I mean it is the ghost train," Dorcas shrugged, "Maybe it's a ghost."

"Not the time, Dorcas," Marlene said, her head rapidly jerking around at even the slightest creak, "I'm freaked out."

"So am I, I use humour as a coping mechanics," Dorcas replied, "Woah, this got deep fast - "

"Oh God, I saw something again," Marlene said, raising her wand and pointing it in the direction of the shadow, "It was over there, I saw it. We need to go check it out."

"Maybe we should wait for backup," I suggested, a sense of panic washing over me, "Actually ignore that, it was dumb. Let's investigate, remember our positions."

Not even Dorcas had anything to say as we walked over to the Ghost train, our wands raised. Marlene was clearly the most enthusiastic, breaking away from the formation as we turned the corner, jumping forward slightly as she held her wand out. For a second, I braced myself for the worst before realising there was nothing there.

"I saw someone... something," Marlene whispered. She looked around when I noticed something by the corner of her elbow. A small rat was perching on the railings of the ghost train, watching us attentively. That was no ordinary rat.

"I think maybe you did..." I gestured to the rat and she turned around, glancing down as she realised what was happening, "Peter, we know that's you. Why are you here?"

"I'm sorry, where's Peter?" Dorcas whispered, looking around, "I didn't even know he was here today."

"Peter, stop playing dumb. Did the others send you to spy on us?" Marlene asked, raising an eyebrow at the small rat.

"Guys, it's a rat... it's literally just a rat..." Dorcas said, looking at us like we were crazy, "Can someone explain please?"

"Marlene, why is he watching us?" I hissed and Marlene glanced over at him again, "Do you think James sent him to listen in?"

"Anyone going to explain?" Dorcas asked again but me and Marlene were too focused to bother to reply.

"I don't know... it's not moving, maybe it's not Peter - " Marlene said, just as the rat leapt down off the railing and began to scurry away, "Oh God, it is, chase after it!"

"It's a rat!" Dorcas yelled after us as we began to run at full speed after the tiny rat which seemed to be running abnormally fast for a rodent, further confirming our suspicions. If I was annoyed at James before, I was even more annoyed now that I knew he'd sent Peter to spy on us, especially when they should have been focusing their attentions on bigger issues, namely the fact we were in a Deatheater base right now. Dorcas looked completely bewildered as the three of us ran through the funfair, desperately trying to keep sight off Peter who seemed to be much nimbler than I'd expected.

"Lily, Marlene, please - " Dorcas yelled before suddenly being cut off. It took me a few seconds to stop, so focused on the rat that it took me a few seconds to realise anything was wrong.

"Dorcas, what are you - " Marlene stopped too and slowly begen to rain her arms. I turned around slowly to see what had stopped Dorcas, hoping it was just that she's tripped up or spotted a spooky clown on the side of a ghost train. It was worse; way worse.

Dorcas was standing a few feet away, her wand on the floor by her feet. That wasn't the worst part though, the worst part was the tall, bulky man in a black hood standing next to her, his wand raised.

"Which one of you is Lily? I heard her say it so I know it's one of you." He grunted, hsi voice surprisingly soft given his size. Me and Marlene remained silent for a few second, our eyes darting rapidly to each other, "I asked a question, which one of you is Lily?"

"Who wants to know?" Marlene asked, her wand still in her hand, "I - I still have a wand, tell me who wants to know."

He sneered, "No questions, if you ask more, I will kill your friend. Now, let's try this again. Which one of you is Lily. I've heard the name before, the Dark Lord is asking a lot for Lily Evans."

My heart was pounding, I couldn't believe we'd let ourselves be distracted by a rat and our own personal issues. Dorcas shook her head at me, clearly trying to indicate for me not to tell but a crazy idea was occurring to me.

He looked a little annoyed now, "I said I would kill your friend, didn't you hear me? Now, which one of you is Lily Evans?"

I stepped forward slowly, "Wrong surname but right girl... I'm guessing he wants me alive, right?"

"Lily Evans, he hates you, you know. A lot." The man sneered.

"Now let my friend go," I said, my voice wavering slightly, "You asked a question and I answered, I'm who you want not her."

He furrowed his brow, "You're wrong actually. Why on earth would I let her go? I said I would kill her if you didn't tell me, never said I'd let her go."

"You need me alive, don't you?" I asked again, feeling a strange burst of confidence. I could tell how Voldemort's mind worked with revenge, he wanted me alive, I was the main bargaining chip here and I could fix this. I couldn't help feeling that one of his key reasons for hating me was because I'd bit him, I got the feeling he was the sort of person who didn't enjoy petty things like that.

I wasn't exactly sure what I was doing as I pulled my wand from my pocket, holding it to my head. My years of improvisation with Sirius had had some uses as I desperately thought of a way to try and get Dorcas out of the man's grasp, "He wants me alive because I'm powerful. An asset. I'm powerful enough to do many spells... and curses. Perhaps even the killing curse..."

"Don't do that," He said, suddenly, "He needs you alive, that was what they said."

He held his arm out as if to stop me which made his sleeve slip off of his arm, revealing a bare forearm. No dark mark. This man wasn't a deatheater.

"What did the Dark Lord tell you about me?" I asked and he didn't reply, his face slightly blank, "You never spoke to him, did you? I have and he fears me, he's scared of me for all the crazy things I've done and can do. I'm a wildcard, I am power."

"I was given a list," He replied, his grip on Dorcas loosening slightly, "Your name was on it, near the top - "

"Which means I'm important. He's come for me himself before but I outwitted him," I was getting into the flow of things now, actually starting to believe my own lies, "He sent you because you're dispensible, a nothing. He never really believed you could retrieve me, only weaken me. You mean nothing to him - "

"Stupefy!" A shot of red light suddenly hit the man and he crumpled to the floor. I turned to my side to see a shadowy figure standing there. As he walked closer, relief seeped through me as I realised it was none other than James.

"Lily," He looked a little concerned, "Are you okay? Peter told us, you were in danger - "

"So it was him!" I folded my arms at him, feeling slightly light-headed from the incident, "Did you send him to spy on me?"

"... yes, I did... I wanted to judge how mad you were at me but also I know when you get mad, it can consume you... I was worried," He admitted. Voices came behind him as several other people ran up, detaining the man who lay on the floor, "Lily, I'm sorry we fought," His voice hushed as he came closer, "But I won't tell them to return the files. We found some things before we came to find you that made me ... think."

I gave him a confused look, still slightly in disbelief at the events of the evening, "Like what?"

"I can't explain now," He whispered, "But we need you to help. Lily, please."

I nodded, "Tell me what it is and then we can talk, okay?" I gave him a small kiss on the cheek before dashing over to Dorcas who was sitting with Marlene, both of them a little shaken.

"Dorcas, are you okay?"

"Are you?" Marlene asked, "What happened there? You held your wand to your head, the stuff you were saying - "

"It was acting, Marlene, just acting and it potentially saved Dorcas's life." I replied.

"You seemed so real though, I almost believed it," Marlene shook her head, "You're right, you saved her life and you thought on your feet, better than I could do."

"Thank you," I replied, not wanting to admit that part of me thought she was right. The lies had come so naturally to me, it was almost scary and I hated it. Everything about the evening seemed almost surreal and I couldn't quite figure out why.