I had been expecting it to take weeks before Severus got back in contact so it came as surprise when his letter arrived only a few days later. For the past few days, I'd managed to push the thought of my immorality to the back of my mind. There were talks of a secret mission for Remus, winning over the feral werewolves in the wild so the three remaining men ended up spending a lot of time at our flat. When I greeted, Sirius, I had at first been dismayed to see he skirted over the topic of Regulus but in hindsight, I was definitely glad. Had he brought it up, I no doubt would have caved, spilling it all to them and had that happened, Dorcas never would be able to receive justice.
When his letter had arrived, I was the last one awake. After the fifth day of discussing whether Remus should help or not, it was safe to say we were a little ... tired. Usually, all of us would be up by awake by half ten, even Peter. However, a combination of sickly sweet Cider and intense debate ensured their early night. The four of them were slumped against each other on the sofa, intertwined so tightly that I doubted I could prise them apart if I tried. Originally, I'd been snuggled up on James' lap but the moment an unfamiliar tawny owl pecked at our window, I got up.
"Who ... what?" Remus's sudden voice caught me off guard. However, upon looking back, I realised that he was simply murmuring in his sleep, the vague tapping sound stirring him a little.
Treading lightly, I made my way over to the window, wrenching it up with just a little help from my wand.
Lily,
I'm a man of my word, Mundungus is with me. Nobody will be looking for him, nobody cares enough, that I know for a fact. I can keep him for as long or as little as you need, just say the word.
We really do have all the time in the world.
Severus
The letter sent a shiver of unease down my spine as I murmured, "Eloquent as always, Sev."
On the desk upstairs, there were several quills so I tiptoed up there so as not to be disturbed. I wasn't sure when I'd find the time to meet as my life had become increasingly unpredictable. That was an understatement in fact, just the other day I'd found myself envying Petunia's life due to its simple normality ... I never thought I'd ever stoop that low.
Writing his name alone felt appropriate given our formal partnership but I just couldn't find it in myself to do it. It wasn't very me.
Dear Severus,
I'm not sure when
Without meaning to, my hand involuntarily seemed to lift off the paper. I wasn't sure when I could see him, it could be months and as much as Mundungus was annoying, he was essentially innocent. Glenn had hurt Dorcas, I didn't want to hurt Mundungus any more than I had to but the longer he spent with Sev, the less I could prevent that.
I had to go now.
Before I penned my decision down, I crept down the stairs a little, glancing down at the four sleeping boys. They were gone for the night, it would take multiple boomboxes to get a peep out of them. The idea of leaving them made me uncomfortable but I would try to be back soon.
I̶'̶m̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶s̶u̶r̶e̶ ̶w̶h̶e̶n̶ Where are you right now?
His response came back quickly again; so far he was proving to be far more efficient than Regulus in this whole revenge plot. I wasn't entirely sure of the address but one word stuck out to me: Cokeworth. Whilst I had fond memories of our shared hometown, Severus did not which made up part of his eagerness to attend Hogwarts. Despite our current disposition towards one another, it made me slightly sad to think of him back in the town he hated so much, as if he'd never truly escaped the past.
When I was younger, I'd always moaned about how far away from our houses seemed to be: his in the dead centre compared to mine on a gravelly country road. Yet, now it was coming in handy. As I walked through the cobbled streets, an overwhelming sadness came over me at the thought of our now empty houses a few miles away.
No doubt actually seeing it would have been too much.
If Marlene or Dorcas saw me going into Severus's house at such a late hour, I'd probably have been shouted until I was deaf although none of it would be malicious, more disbelieving. Perhaps they were right although none of them were really in a position to lecture me at the moment. Moreover, as Severus answered the door, it felt odd but there was no malicious intent behind it. Whilst, I didn't feel safe, I sensed that if harm were to befell anyone, it wouldn't be me.
"Do you ... want to hang up your coat?
My coat was my mini shield at the moment. Instead of giving it to him, I pulled it closer around me, "No, I think I'll keep it on," He raised an eyebrow, "It's chilly, don't deny it Sev ... erus. Where's Mundun - "
The question was rendered useless as loud, struggling groan came from the living room. Severus's thin lips morphed into a spell, "Incarcerous spell," His eyes drifted to the door, "A good one too, if I do say so myself. Do you want to see him?"
"Obviously," I couldn't help but snap, "I didn't come here for late night tea now, did I."
"I do have tea - "
"I don't want tea," I cut in.
"Not even Earl - "
"No, Sev!" My intentions were to sound firm but I instead just sounded desperate and pleading. A sharp look of hurt seemed to cross his face even though he knew as well as I did I wasn't here for him. The moment I got the secret, I was out of there. Sleeping on a couch wasn't exactly my idea of fun but perhaps James would be a decent mattress.
Without speaking, Severus opened the door to the living room and ushered me in. Maintaining the same primness I'd had at the park, I obliged, pleased to see he hadn't closed the door completely.
Inside the room, it was largely as I remember, a neat yet dingy living room with bookshelves lining the walls. However, there was a new addition to it: Mundungus Fletcher bound to a chair in the dead centre.
"He's gagged," Severus said leisurely as if announcing today's weather forecast, "His voice was annoying me but I can untie it."
"Will he remember this?" I asked, standing in front of him, my fingers delicately resting on my chin.
"I was going to erase it, yet," Severus replied, "Why do you ask? ... what are you planning to do, Lily?"
I'd known Severus my whole life yet his tone was completely unreadable to me: it could have been anywhere from shocked to weirdly excited.
"Nothing," I quickly replied, "I just plan to talk to him."
Bending down, I delicately unbound the gag although it was getting harder as Mundungus began to struggle once more.
"Just use a spell," Severus scolded.
"No, I want to do it manually," I replied, kneeling so I was eye height with Mundungus.
"Miss, you 'ave to help me," He begged instantly, "I don't know nothing, this man just comes a sneakin' up on me ..."
"You do know something," I replied. My voice was trembling slightly along with my hands; I could hide the former but sadly there was nothing I could do other than pray for a burst of confidence if I wanted my voice to return to normal.
Gripping his hand in mine, I whispered, "I ... we don't want to hurt you, Mundungus, I just need your help."
"I can get almost anythin'," Mundungus bragged, "Gotta lot of connections, you see? Please, Miss - "
"I don't want an object," I whispered, "Glenn Fletcher, he's your half-brother, right?"
For once, Mundungus had nothing to reply.
"I would appreciate it if you gave her an answer," Severus replied.
"He is."
"He's at Château de Condé," It wasn't a question, I knew that's where he was. Mundungus did too, remaining silent although his face betrayed him.
"So, what if he is, I ain't telling you nothing."
Severus sighed dramatically, "Your use of double negatives is infuriating."
It was admittedly a good point but I ignored him, pushing on, "It's under a Fidelus Charm, they say you're the secret keeper."
"I ain't saying - "
"Nothing," I finished, "I know ... I don't want to hurt him, Mundungus."
That wasn't technically a lie, I wasn't entirely sure what I would do just yet. Some days, the rage burned so hard that I was sure I could end Glenn's life in one fateful strike whereas on other I had started to envision the two of us mourning her together.
"Did you know Dorcas?"
"I ... I did," Mundungus replied, "She was nice to 'im, not like most of you prats."
"He wasn't so nice to her ... she's dead."
"I know. You mus' not how sorry I am for your loss, Dorcas was a fine woman."
Hearing him say her name with such nonchalance made a sudden anger boil up inside me which leaked a little into my voice, adding a fierce edge to it, "Then tell me where Glenn is, I just want to talk to him, please!"
"Not saying anything."
"Please!"
"Not gettin' a peep out of me - "
"Please, Mundungus!" I begged. He remained silent as I begged again, "Please, she was my best friend, please tell me where Glenn is! Please! Please - "
"He's not talking ... yet," Severus said ominously, "Lily, step aside."
Without thinking I obliged, sinking down onto one of the sofas. Severus's body acted as a barrier between us, not that I was paying too much attention anyway. I'd assumed he'd talk easily especially after his endorsement of Dorcas, I wanted to find Glenn so badly, it felt like it was eating me up inside.
As I lay there, the soft whispers from Severus' direction were so calming, my sleepy brain almost made me nod off. That is until a sudden yelp awoke me from it.
"Severus ..." I glanced over at him, "What are you doing?"
He didn't reply so I stood up, peering around him before recoiling on horror. Mundungus's skin was pulled up, the exposed flesh suddenly seering and reddening as if being cooked over an imaginary flame.
"Severus, stop - "
"He'll talk!"
"No ... no, stop it!" My voice came out shriller than I expected, both of them caught by surprise. For a moment I thought he would continue before another whisper came from his lips and it stopped.
"He was about to talk."
"No ... no," I murmured before suddenly realising something, "You ... you must have some veritserum on you ... it's you, you always do, we can use that."
A wry smile played across Severus' lips, "Of course I do, what do you take me for?"
"Then get it, we can use that!" My breathing had slowed now as I asked, "Why didn't you just use it first?"
His black eyes darted towards Mundungus before returning to me, "I thought we should try other options first."
This was an obvious lie and he knew it. However, he still obliged and by the end of the night, Mundungus had gone from reluctantly telling us to blissful oblivion as Severus wiped that part of his memory.
After that night, I had got the information I needed and with any luck would never have to see Snape ever again.