A/N: Most of this chapter is spent revolving around Lily, so enjoy some ✨character development✨

...

September 2, 1977
2:30 a.m.

Remus and Mary had decided to join Lily in the Heads' common room, so she didn't grow lonely. Yet, she still found herself awake in the ungodly hours of the morning.

She ran the sink water until it grew warm and splashed it on her face, not that it would make anything any different. Lily pressed her hands to her cheeks, like maybe if she made her eyes disappear, she wouldn't have to witness the things going on around her.

The fact of the matter was, her friends had been taken by who she assumed were death eaters and she didn't know if they were okay.

So, she worried and worried and worried and worried and worried, until, she got the bright idea of going to visit Dumbledore at 2:30 in the morning.

Walking down the corridors at Hogwarts alone with little to no light was spooky, but she forgot her wand, which meant no extra light from the tip.

When she finally reached the door, she started to think back on her choice of visiting, but in a sleep deprived state, she knocked anyway.

The door moved open to see an equally tired Dumbledore sitting surprised behind his desk.

"Hello, Miss Evans, what a surprise," he stated almost yawning.

"I was worried about my friends and sought some answers here," she said sitting down across from him.

"Well, the only information we have this moment in time, is that it was indeed death eaters attacking the Hogwarts Express and that they took people from each year."

"Why would they do this?" Lily asked with frustration present in her tone.

"Think about who he took. What is similar between Miss McKinnon, Miss Fortescue, Mr. Black, Mr. Potter, and Mr. Pettigrew?"

Similar between Marlene, Alice, Sirius, James, and Peter? Similar between-

"None of them are muggle-born!" She said earning an approval nod from Dumbledore.

"Previously, the thoughts surrounding Voldemort was that if you weren't muggle-born, you were fine. We believe that he's trying to create a new narrative, in which, he targets everyone going against him."

"In doing so, he instills more fear earning more followers," Lily said keeping up with Dumbledore quite well.

"Precisely, now we have the top aurors on this case including Mr. and Mrs. Potter, who both insisted they play a part in it. I suggest you get some sleep."

"I want to help too. I know I'm just a seventh-year, but these are my friends we're talking about and I would be very helpful. I'm smart!" Lily said trying to make her statement clear to him.

"If need be, you can help."

She not only made her point clear in his office that day, but she solidified the fact that she was a fighter and she would die to save the people she loved.

...

September 2, 1977
9:01 a.m.
Great Hall

Lily had officially lost it. She considered herself the most mentally stable out of her group, considering who she was friends with it made sense, but without them she was falling apart.

She had given up on eating during breakfast, preferring to just put her head down on the table and worry herself into oblivion.

The rumor mill at Hogwarts had run its course and now everyone knew that their were people missing, yet the names had not been released. However, Doodledorf planned on releasing a good amount of information.

"There have been some appalling events taking place in the past twenty-hour hours," Dumbles cleared his voice as the entire school looked at him with wide eyes.

"These events are things, as the school's headmaster, I feel I must address. First, I have a list of names of the students that were taken from the Hogwarts Express.

"It reads as follows:

Second-year
Scott Dressl
Rebecca Cortell
Uriah Nephuylo
Walter Geiskit

Fourth-year
Noah Spain
Freddie Yopper
Lucas Speghettio
Ryley Paine

Sixth-year
Wilson Paine
Timothy Young
B.J. Callad

Seventh-year
Peter Pettigrew
Alice Fortescue
Marlene McKinnon
Sirius Black
James Potter

When the last name was called, a sharp intake of breath could be heard from the Gryffindor table and everyone turned as the tears started to fall. Annie Potter.

Lily immediately got up out of her trance and walked over to Annie's spot next to Julia and another young boy she didn't know.

Annie quite literally jumped into Lily's arms, which seemed to be a growing habit, as the older girl got on quite well with her.

"Now, that right there is why she's head girl," Mary said with tears of her own. All Remus did to respond was wrap an arm around her waist.

"Fleamont and Euphemia Potter are leading the investigation and will take any leads you may have in this here box," Dumbledore pointed to the one in front of him on the podium at which he stood.

"Classes have been cancelled for the next few days considering how many students have been taken. I need to see Lily Evans after breakfast. Thank you."

He sat back down and light conversation presumed it's course with lots of eyes skimming the usually crowded Gryffindor table for the student mentioned at the end of the headmaster's speech.

"Are they going to be okay?" Annie sobbed into her shoulder.

"Euphemia and Fleamont are on the case, and I believe in them more than anyone," Lily's voice broke and she looked at all the other first and second-years staring back at her with wide eyes.

"Dumbledore is trying his very hardest, Annie," Julia said comforting them both.

Albert Eintinley walked over from the Ravenclaw table since he was one of Annie's best friends from almost before birth.

"Graham, Hunter, Lincoln, and I can leave you guys alone for awhile, if that's what you want," Albert said to Annie's back since she was still hugging Lily.

"Yeah, we'll meet you in the Hufflepuff common room later tonight," Julia replied with a small, rather forced smile.

Graham and Hunter were both gryffindors like Julia and Annie, but Lincoln was in Hufflepuff which meant that his common room was their usual hang out spot.

"Go talk to your sister, Jewels," Annie said letting go of Lily.

"Will you be okay here?" Julia asked.

"Yeah, she can hang out with me," Lily said throwing her hair into a low messy-bun.

"Except, you'll probably have to do a lot today, since I'm head girl and Dumbledore already asked me to talk to him. Oh my Merlin, I'm supposed to be talking to Dumbledore!" Lily ran off towards Dumbledore's seat at the staff table and Annie followed.

It was probably better that Annie had something to occupy her while this was going on. After all, Lily knew how to keep people busy when needed.

"Professor! You needed to see me?" Lily finally said to the turquoise robed man.

"Yes, I want you to go around to each common room and talk to some of the students. Make sure they're doing alright and pass out this chocolate that Madam Pomfrey wants everyone to have," he looked stressed.

"Of course, I'll be right on it!"

...

September 2, 1977
3:30 p.m.
Hufflepuff Common Room

Surrounded by Hufflepuff students telling her what a great job she was doing at head girl, flustered the hell out of Lily.

Yet, she looked up and saw one Hufflepuff sitting on the couch watching the entire thing with a smirk. It was the same boy that helped her apparate into Hogwarts. What was his name? Craig!

"I still have to visit the Ravenclaw common room, so Craig here," she pointed to the no longer smirking Hufflepuff. "Will pass out this chocolate Madam Pomfrey has requested everyone eat."

As she walked out the portrait, she heard him sigh deeply and say something very sarcastically.

"Thanks, Lily!"

...

September 2, 1977
11:38 p.m.
Heads' Common Room

Mary opened the portrait with Remus and she saw Annie curled up on the couch, she smiled for the first time on that very long day.

"Do you think Lily's asleep?" She asked Remus who had gone to get Annie a blanket.

"I'd say so, she barely got any sleep last night because she was worrying so much."

"I guess we could go back to the Gryffindor common room, since these two seem alright. Julia told me Annie was supposed to meet them in the Hufflepuff common room, but I waved her off."

"Yeah, she's had a tough day, just as everyone else in the damn castle has."

They walked slowly through the corridors with both of their wands clutched.

"I suspect it's going to be like this for a little while longer."

"Just a little while."

...

September 3, 1977
1:23 a.m.
Lestrange Manor

Clouds swept the crescent moon out of sight, creating little light passage way into the cold, damp, cellar.

There lay sixteen students, ranging in ages, but not in fear. Some knew how to hide this fear better than others, yet it was still there, especially when the recruitment crew entered the room.

The first woman wore a tight black dress and combat boots that could not be seen unless she deliberately stepped on someone. Her dark curls were tamed just enough for her not to seem insane, but her eyes told another story. Her eyes brought you through her dark upbringing in a house with petrifying morals.

The second woman, looked rather less insane than the other, having seen much less horrifying sights it made sense. Although, they did have the same upbringing, this did not change the fact that her eyes were still holding hope for a better world someday.

The first man looked very much as sane as the first woman, as he was her husband. His eyebrows seemed to be permanently quirked in an off way and his stance radiated bad bitch energy.

The second man just appeared scared. His blonde hair seemed duller and unkept, not like his usual shiny and knot-free look.

"Well, how nice to see you, cousin," Bellatrix acknowledged Sirius with a grim smile.

"Wish I could say the same thing, Bella," his wit had not diminished even though he was in an undesired situation.

"Careful, you're the one in chains, not me."

He glared in response as the chains in his hands cut into his dirt covered skin.

"Potter, seems to me like you still hang out with the wrong sort," Rodolphus said with a matching smirk to his wife's.

"I can tell who the wrong sort are myself, thank you. Especially since I'm on the right side of things," he replied through a cut lip. His glasses were lopsided and cracked, but he couldn't fix that.

Bellatrix tutted walking towards a heavily-injured Marlene and an Alice who looked scared from her wits.

"Pity, you two could've been good fighters, but you send a stunning jinx like that at a Lestrange and you don't get to change your side," she spoke closely to Marlene's grimacing face barring her teeth.

"Ah, there was a wedding. Pity I wasn't invited," Sirius said trying to draw the attention back to him.

"You weren't invited because you're a blood-traitor. However," she laughed manically.

"Regulus was invited because he's Walburga's golden-boy," she knew exactly where to twist the knife for Sirius and that's what hurt with family you didn't identify yourself with anymore. They knew you even if you didn't want them to.

"What are you doing down here anyway?" James asked with more venom because he knew exactly what Sirius was thinking. He could smell the murder plans without hearing them, which he probably would be later, along with everyone else in the cellar.

"Instilling fear."

The last thing they heard was Bellatrix laughing, before they were left in the dark once again.

"I fucking hate my family."

"They're not your family, our family is out there planning our rescue, knowing Mum, and Dad is directing all the other stupid ministry people around like dogs."

...

Author's Note:

Kind of proud of this chapter ngl, but my brain is fried either way, so I guess it's a win lose situation.

My phone is about to die, so this is the end of the author's note I guess.

Lmao anyways thanks for reading
-teddy🕸🕷