August 21st, 1972
Lily was practically vibrating with excitement as she sat cross-legged on her bed, her trunk half-packed with the robes and books she'd need for her second year at Hogwarts. Sunlight streamed through her bedroom window, making the dust motes dance in the warm afternoon air. Downstairs, she could hear her mum humming—probably making tea, the way she always did when she was content.
The summer holidays had been brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
She'd spent weeks with her family in Cokeworth. Money was tight—it always was—but her parents had managed a long weekend visiting her aunt and uncle in Wales. The four of them had crammed into her dad's old Ford Anglia, windows rolled down because the air conditioning didn't work, singing along to the radio. Even Petunia had seemed almost happy on that trip, before... well. Before everything went back to normal.
And Sev had been there for most of it. Not the Wales trip—his dad wouldn't have allowed that twice so soon—but the rest of the summer. Long afternoons in the park near Spinner's End, practicing the wandless magic exercises David had taught them. They'd been careful to keep it subtle, small enough that no Muggles would notice. Sev had gotten so much better at the concentration required. His dark eyes would go distant and focused in that way that meant he was really working at something. They still weren't able to cast anything, but they were getting close.
Mary had even come to visit for a whole week in July. That had been wonderful—having another girl to talk to, someone who understood about Hogwarts and magic and the Circle. They'd stayed up late whispering about everything. Classes and spells and what it would be like going back to the castle. Mary had brought news about some of the other Circle members too, the older students who were spending their summers in London.
The only sour note in the whole summer had been Petunia.
Lily's smile faded. She glanced at the wall she shared with her sister's room. Tuney had been... well, worse than usual, if that was even possible. Every mention of Hogwarts earned a sneer. Every time Lily accidentally said something magical—talked about Transfiguration or mentioned Professor McGonagall—Petunia would go rigid. Cold. Her lips pressed into a thin line that made her look older and meaner than fifteen.
Last week, Petunia had actually called her a "freak" during Sunday dinner, right in front of their parents. Mum had gasped. Dad had gotten that disappointed look that somehow hurt worse than anger. And Lily had fled to her room with tears burning in her eyes. She'd clutched her Circle pendant so hard it left an imprint on her palm, wished desperately that she could talk to David about it. He always knew what to say. He always understood.
But none of that mattered now. Because in just over a week, she'd be back at Hogwarts. Back where she belonged.
Last year had gone really well for her. And for the Circle.
After they'd all returned from Christmas holiday—those wonderful two weeks when Sev had actually smiled and laughed, away from Spinner's End and his horrible father—the Circle had doubled down on everything David had taught them. They'd shown a unity that had surprised everyone, even some of the teachers. During meals, Circle members could often be found sitting together at different house tables. Lily and Mary would join Sev at the Slytherin table for breakfast, their silver pendants glinting in the candlelight. Dirk and some of the older Gryffindors would sit with the Hufflepuffs at lunch. It wasn't against the rules exactly, but it was unusual enough that people noticed.
They walked together between classes too. Gryffindors and Slytherins and Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws all moving through the corridors side by side, their Circle pendants visible against their robes. A united front, David had called it. A visible reminder that they weren't divided by house politics or pure-blood prejudice.
And it had worked.
Lily had been terrified after what happened in December. After David had turned those pure-blood bullies' blood into mud creatures right there in the corridor. After he'd shown everyone exactly what he was capable of. She'd worried constantly that the pure-bloods would retaliate, that they'd attack Circle members when David wasn't around to protect them. She'd hoped desperately that David's demonstration had been enough. That the sheer terror on those boys' faces would be enough to make them leave the Circle alone.
And it had been.
Sev had told her that some of the Slytherin pure-bloods still gave him filthy looks in the common room. Avery and Mulciber especially. Their eyes cold and hateful whenever Sev walked past wearing his Circle pendant. But they never did anything more than look. Never said anything, never tried anything. David had frightened them enough that even their hatred wasn't worth the risk.
The thought made something warm and fierce bloom in Lily's chest. David had kept them safe. The Circle had stayed strong. And they'd ended the year with more members than they'd started with, new students joining every week once they saw that the Circle wasn't just talk.
Lily had sent David an owl just yesterday. She'd used the brown tawny they'd hired from the post office in Diagon Alley back in June, carefully written out her message: Dear David, Hope you're well! Holidays have been good. Missing Hogwarts. How have you been? - Lily. She'd expected a reply to come by owl sometime today or tomorrow.
Instead, her Circle pendant had suddenly grown warm against her skin.
Lily jumped. Her hand flew to the silver chain around her neck. The pendant—the alchemical circle with its overlapping triangles—was glowing. Faintly. A soft warmth spreading through the metal like it was alive. And then, impossibly, she heard David's voice. Not out loud. Not with her ears. But somehow in her mind. Distant but clear. Like he was speaking to her from very far away:
"Lily. Can you hear me? If you can, focus on the pendant and think your response."
Her heart hammered in her chest. She stared down at the glowing pendant, her fingers trembling as they touched the warm metal.
This was new. This was a function she'd been completely unaware of. The pendants had always been important—symbols of their membership, enchanted with the distress call feature that would alert everyone if they were in danger. But this? This was different. This was communication.
Lily's mind raced. She tried to remember everything she'd learned about magical theory in her first year. The pendant must be reacting to her ambient magic. That made sense, sort of. All wizards and witches had ambient magic—the magical energy that naturally surrounded them even when they weren't actively casting spells. That's why the Trace could detect underage magic but couldn't identify who cast it. Could the pendant be using ambient magic to charge an enchantment? To create a communication device that could transmit thoughts across distances? Maybe? or she could be completely wrong.
She focused on the pendant, pressed it between her palms, thought very hard: I can hear you! How are you doing this?
A moment of silence. Then David's voice again, warmer this time, with that hint of amusement she'd come to recognize: Excellent. I'll explain when I see you. Can you meet me in Diagon Alley this afternoon? Bring Severus and Mary if they're available. Around three o'clock, at the Leaky Cauldron. There's something I want to show you all.
Lily's excitement surged back, even stronger than before. She grinned down at the pendant, already mentally calculating how long it would take to get to London, whether her parents would let her go, how quickly she could send messages to Sev and Mary—
Wait.
She could use the pendant. She could contact them the same way David had just contacted her.
The realization hit her like a stunning spell. This wasn't just David being able to send messages. This was all of them being able to communicate. Circle member to Circle member. Without owls or Floo powder or any of the traditional methods wizards used.
Lily stared down at the pendant, her mind working through the possibilities. She'd seen two-way radios before—Muggle devices that let people talk to each other across distances. Her dad's friend who worked as a security guard had one. He'd shown it to her once when she was little. You pressed a button and spoke into it, and someone else with a matching radio could hear you and respond. Was that what David had done? Taken the idea of Muggle two-way radios and somehow made a magical version? It would be exactly like him—combining Muggle ingenuity with magical theory to create something new, something useful.
But how had he made it work? The pendant had been dormant all summer, just a symbol of her Circle membership. What had changed? She'd have to ask him when she saw him. And she'd see him today, in just a few hours, if she could manage it.
o–o–o–o
Sev had come to her house just after lunch. He'd appeared at the front door with his hands shoved deep in the pockets of his worn jacket, but his dark eyes were bright with curiosity about her message from David. They'd picked up Mary on the way. Her family lived closer to London, in a neat terraced house with window boxes full of flowers. Lily's mum had been happy to drive them all to the Leaky Cauldron. "You still need to get this year's textbooks and equipment anyway," Mrs. Evans had reasoned. "It makes perfect sense."
The pub was busy with the late afternoon crowd. Witches and wizards clustered around tables nursing butterbeers and firewhisky, their voices creating a low buzz of conversation. The air smelled of wood smoke and something sweet—probably Tom's treacle tart. He always had it fresh this time of day.
When they entered, it took Lily a few moments to spot David. He was sitting in a booth near the back of the pub, partially obscured by the crowd and the dim lighting. It took her a moment to recognize him because he wasn't in his school robes.
Instead, David wore a long, elegant black coat that fell almost to his ankles, tailored with clean lines that made him look older than fourteen—almost adult. Beneath it, she could see a high-collared shirt in charcoal grey, buttoned nearly to his throat, and a dark waistcoat that fit him perfectly. The whole outfit had a distinctly continental feel to it, sophisticated and slightly foreign, reminiscent of the formal wizarding fashion from earlier decades that some of the older pure-blood families still favored for important occasions. His Circle pendant hung openly against the dark fabric of his shirt, the silver catching the firelight from the nearby sconces, the alchemical symbol clearly visible to anyone who looked.
He looked... powerful. Composed. Like someone important.
When David saw them, he stood and raised a hand in greeting. Lily noticed the way other patrons' eyes followed him. Not with hostility exactly, but with a kind of wary attention, as if they'd sensed something about him that demanded notice.
"My friends, it's good to see you all." He moved to greet them, stepped out from the booth with that easy confidence he always carried, like he owned whatever space he occupied.
Lily felt herself grinning as she hurried forward. "David! Your message—the pendant—how did you do that?" The words tumbled out before she could stop them, her excitement overriding any attempt at playing it cool.
Beside her, Mary was staring at David with wide eyes, one hand touching her own pendant through her shirt. "Mine got warm too when Lily contacted me. I thought I was imagining it at first, but then I heard her voice and—" She broke off, shook her head in amazement.
Sev hung back slightly, as he always did in groups, but his dark eyes were sharp and curious as they flicked between David and the pendant visible against his chest. "It must be more enchanted than we thought," he said quietly, his voice carrying that analytical tone he got when he was working through a problem. "But how does it know who to connect to? And what's the range?"
David's smile widened, that look he got when one of them asked exactly the right question. "All excellent questions. And I promise I'll explain everything." His grey eyes swept over the three of them, warm with what looked like genuine pleasure at seeing them. He waved his hand. "Come, follow me. There is somewhere I want to show you all."
They left the Leaky Cauldron. David gave a wave goodbye to Tom, the barkeeper, who nodded back with a respectful incline of his head. That seemed unusual for someone greeting a fourteen-year-old.
They moved out into Diagon Alley. It was busy, absolutely packed with witches and wizards. Lots of people Lily recognized as parents and students, all here to do their shopping for the new school year. The street thrummed with energy and noise. Shopkeepers calling out their wares, owls hooting from the Eeylops display, the metallic clang from the Apothecary as someone dropped a cauldron. They weaved between everyone. David led the way with easy confidence while Lily, Sev, and Mary struggled to keep up, kept losing sight of his distinctive black coat in the crowd.
They kept walking for several minutes. Past Flourish and Blotts where Lily desperately wanted to stop and browse. Past Madam Malkin's with its display of fresh school robes in the window. The crowd began to thin slightly as they moved further down the alley. The shops became less pristine, the cobblestones a bit more cracked and uneven.
Lily noticed they were heading in the direction of Knockturn Alley. Her steps slowed. Unease prickled at the back of her neck. She'd heard stories about Knockturn Alley. Dark shops selling dark things. The kind of place where respectable witches and wizards didn't go.
"Umm. David? Why are we heading for Knockturn Alley?" She tried to keep her voice steady.
David looked over his shoulder with a smile, seemingly unconcerned. "We are not heading into Knockturn Alley proper, just the outskirts between it and Diagon." That calmed her unease somewhat, though she still kept her hand close to her wand pocket, just in case.
It was another minute before they came to a building tucked into the corner where Diagon Alley began its curve toward the darker streets. The shopfront was narrow but well-maintained, with large windows that gleamed clean in the afternoon light. Above the door hung a sign in elegant script: Margins & More - Books, Rare & Common. The lettering was a deep burgundy against cream-colored wood, sophisticated and inviting.
But it was the decoration around the border of the sign that made Lily's breath catch. Woven into the ornate scrollwork—subtle enough that you might miss it if you weren't looking, but unmistakable once you saw it—was the Circle's symbol. The alchemical circle with its overlapping triangles, worked into the design so it looked like nothing more than decorative flourishes unless you knew what to look for. Beneath the main sign hung a smaller placard, simpler in design: Practical Solutions - Domestic Services with an address in a different part of London listed below.
Lily stared up at the signs, her mind racing. A bookshop. And a cleaning service. Both with the Circle's symbol hidden in plain sight.
"David," Mary breathed beside her, clearly having spotted the symbol too. "Is this...?"
David gave a nod. "Come inside and see."
They moved inside quickly, all three of them now vibrating with excitement. The door opened with a soft creak and a bell above it rang out—a clear, pleasant chime that seemed to hang in the air for a moment longer than it should.
The interior of Margins & More was nothing like the cramped, dusty secondhand bookshops Lily had seen in Muggle towns. The space was larger than it appeared from outside—extension charms, obviously—with high ceilings that made the room feel open and airy despite the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that lined every wall. The shelves were dark wood, well-maintained and organized, with books arranged by subject rather than just crammed in wherever they fit. Soft light filtered through the front windows, supplemented by floating candles that drifted lazily near the ceiling, casting a warm golden glow over everything. The air smelled of old parchment and leather bindings, with just a hint of something else—maybe tea, or the faint trace of magical preservation charms keeping the older volumes fresh.
The shop was clearly divided into sections. To the left, she could see newer textbooks and popular magical theory volumes, the kind of practical books students and young professionals would need. To the right, the shelves held older, more esoteric titles—books with cracked spines and faded lettering that suggested rare finds and serious scholarship. A few comfortable chairs were scattered throughout, inviting customers to sit and browse. Near the back, she glimpsed a counter with a till and what looked like a small office area beyond.
A man who was standing at the counter with his back to them turned around. Lily recognized him immediately. Ted Tonks. The Hufflepuff who'd graduated last year, one of the Circle members. He looked different out of school robes, wearing a simple grey shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a brown waistcoat that had a few ink stains on the pockets. His sandy hair was slightly mussed, like he'd been running his hands through it while working on something.
He gave them all a quick once-over, then gave a heavy nod to David, his expression warm and welcoming. "Hello everyone. Welcome to Margins & More."
Lily couldn't quite contain herself. "Wh-what is this?"
Ted gave her a cheeky smile. "It's a bookstore, Lily."
She rolled her eyes at that. "You know what I mean."
Ted laughed, the sound warm and genuine. "I do, I do. Just having a laugh." His grin widened. "What does it look like? We sell books. Rare ones, common ones, textbooks, magical theory, historical volumes. Anything a witch or wizard might need to expand their library."
"But it's more than that," Lily insisted, gesturing around at the shop, at the Circle symbol hidden in the sign outside. "This is... this is for the Circle, isn't it?"
"Smart girl," Ted said with an approving nod. "Always knew you were sharp. Yes, it's a legitimate bookshop—we really do sell books, make a profit, pay our taxes, all very proper and legal. But it also serves other purposes." He leaned against the counter, crossed his arms. "Think about it. What better place to gather information than a bookshop? People come in, they browse, they chat, they talk about what's happening in their lives, what they're worried about, what they've heard."
"And what better place for Circle members to meet without drawing attention," Mary added, her eyes lighting up with understanding. "You could have meetings here and anyone watching would just think it's customers shopping."
"Exactly," Ted said, pointing at her. "David said you lot would catch on quick." He turned his head towards the backroom. "Dromeda, David's here."
A few seconds later, a beautiful blonde woman stepped out from behind the back office curtain. She was tall and elegant, wearing a simple but well-fitted dark green dress with her hair pinned up in a neat twist. Her features were aristocratic—high cheekbones, a straight nose, the kind of refined beauty that spoke of old wizarding families. But there was something different about her now, something in the way she carried herself that seemed lighter, freer than Lily remembered from seeing her at Hogwarts.
It was Andromeda Black. Or—well, not Black anymore, Lily supposed. She'd heard the rumors even over summer, whispered through the owls that Circle members sent to each other. Andromeda had been disowned by her family, burned off the family tapestry, cast out for choosing Ted over pure-blood expectations.
Andromeda's eyes lit up when she saw David, and a genuine smile crossed her face. Then her gaze moved to Lily, Sev, and Mary, and her expression grew warmer still. "Ah, the younger generation. David's been looking forward to showing you all this."
David stepped forward. "Indeed I have." He turned to look at them all. "Well, go have a look around. Circle members are given an exclusive discount."
All three of them moved to explore. Mary immediately gravitated toward a shelf of Charms textbooks. Sev drifted toward what looked like an impressive Potions section. But Lily stayed within earshot of David and Andromeda as they began speaking in lowered voices, their heads bent close together.
"...ola have a report about the whispers?" David asked. Lily missed the first part of the sentence.
Andromeda's expression grew more serious, the warmth from before fading into something harder. "Her people have confirmed it. It's more than just whispers now. One of the Squibs that's been cleaning on the Muggle side has seen newspaper reports about a village being attacked. Some place out in the countryside."
What little Lily could see of David's face seemed to harden, his grey eyes going cold in a way that made her stomach tighten. "Have we investigated the village?"
"Fin is checking it out as we speak."
David nodded once, sharp and decisive. "Good. Come." He waved toward the back area. "Show me how we're progressing with the other matters."
They moved toward the office. Lily quickly pretended to be very interested in a nearby shelf of magical history books, her heart hammering in her chest.
A village was attacked? By who? What whispers were they talking about?
She pulled a book off the shelf without really looking at it, her mind racing. David had sounded... not surprised, exactly. More like he'd been expecting something like this. Waiting for it, even. And Fin—Finola Finnegan, probably. The fierce Irish Gryffindor who'd graduated last year. But what was she checking out? And why did she have "people" reporting things?
Lily's grip tightened on the book in her hands. This was serious. David's voice had gone cold in that way that meant something dangerous was happening, something important.
She glanced over at Sev. He was carefully examining a worn copy of Advanced Potion-Making, his expression absorbed. Had he heard any of that? Should she tell him?
No, she decided. She would trust David to tell them if he felt they should know.
That was one of the things she'd learned over the past year. David always had reasons for what he shared and what he kept to himself. Sometimes he explained everything in careful detail, teaching them theory and strategy until they understood exactly why something mattered. Other times, like now, he held information close, revealing only what was necessary when it was necessary.
It had frustrated her at first. Back in October, when she'd first joined the Circle, she'd wanted to know everything. All of David's plans, all his thoughts, every detail of what they were working toward. But she'd come to understand that David protected them by controlling what they knew. If they didn't know something, they couldn't accidentally reveal it. If they weren't told the full scope of a plan, they couldn't be pressured into betraying it.
And David had never, not once, kept something from them that would put them in danger. He'd always warned them when to be careful, always explained threats they needed to watch for. If he thought they needed to know about villages being attacked and mysterious whispers, he would tell them.
So she would wait. She would trust him.
She turned back to the shelves to really look for some books.
They all spent almost half an hour perusing the shelves. They had all decided to get the required textbooks for this year—better to buy them here and get a discount than at Flourish and Blotts—but they all ended up with some other books as well. Sev obviously got several Potions books and a thick volume on Herbology that looked at least twenty years old. Mary had gotten a Charms book and what looked like... a romance novel? Lily hadn't noticed any fiction section, but there must have been one tucked away somewhere.
Lily herself found a Charms book that looked interesting—Practical Applications of Household Charms by Leticia Somnolens. It covered things like permanent cleaning charms and temperature regulation spells, the kind of practical magic that didn't get much attention at Hogwarts but seemed genuinely useful. She was still contemplating whether to add it to her growing stack when David appeared beside her and placed another book in her hands.
She looked down at it. The cover was deep blue leather, well-worn but carefully maintained, with silver lettering that read: Protection Charm Your Mind: A Practical Guide to Counter-Legilimency by Franciscus Fieldwake.
"You should read this one, Lily," David said, his voice quiet but intent. "I think you will find it fascinating. It is something we as the Circle are going to focus on this year. No reason for you not to get a head start."
Lily stared at the title, her heart beginning to beat faster. Legilimency—mind reading. She'd heard whispers about it, knew it was advanced magic that most wizards never learned. And if David wanted the Circle to learn how to defend against it...
"Are people..." she started, then lowered her voice. "Are people trying to read our minds?"
"At the moment? No, not that I am aware of. But one day they may. Besides, Occlumency—the art of defending your mind—is more than just a defense. It can help with memory retention. It can help control emotional outbursts. Because of both these things, it can help fine-tune the control of your magic."
Lily's eyes widened, the implications sinking in. Better memory meant she could remember more spells, more theory, more of everything she was learning. And emotional control—she thought of the times her temper had flared, how her magic sometimes sparked when she was angry or upset. If Occlumency could help with that... "Is that why your control is so good?"
He gave a chuckle, the sound warm and genuine. "No, as I said, it helps. It does not grant you control from nothing. You need to have already gained control. It can just give you a new tool to exercise that control." His grey eyes grew more serious. "Think of it like this—Occlumency is a training method, not a shortcut. It forces you to examine your own thoughts and feelings, to organize them, to understand what triggers certain reactions. That understanding translates to better magical control overall."
Lily looked down at the book in her hands, feeling its weight. This was advanced magic, the kind of thing most wizards didn't learn until they were adults, if ever. And David wanted all of them to learn it. This year.
"Will you be teaching us?" she asked quietly.
He nodded. "Of course. There are not many who have learnt Occlumency in depth. Most learn the basics. The pure-blood families make sure all of their members know enough to detect and put up basic resistance to an intrusion, but beyond that? They know very little. Occlumency can do so much more than that. I admit, I'm no master of the craft. Though, Dumbledore believes I have a natural talent in the art."
"Dumbledore knows you know Occlumency?" Lily felt her eyebrows shoot up. For some reason, she'd assumed David's abilities were something he kept hidden from the Headmaster, secrets he'd developed on his own.
He nodded. "Oh yes, he helped me develop my defenses. He is an accomplished Legilimens. He was hesitant at first, but it allowed us another arena to compete in."
Compete. The word hung in the air between them, casual but weighted with meaning. Lily had heard about David and Dumbledore's chess matches. Everyone knew about those games. But she'd never thought about what else might be happening during those sessions.
"You mean... he tries to read your mind? And you block him?" The idea was both thrilling and terrifying. Dumbledore was the most powerful wizard alive, and David was practicing mental defense against him, at fourteen.
"During our chess matches, yes," David confirmed, his voice still quiet enough that only she could hear. "It's good practice. He pushes, I resist. Sometimes he finds cracks in my shields, and I learn from them. Other times, I manage to keep him out entirely." A slight smile crossed his face. "He says I'm frustratingly stubborn about it."
"Aren't you worried that he might learn more about the Circle?" Lily glanced around nervously, making sure no one else was close enough to overhear their conversation. Sev was still absorbed in his Potions books. Mary had wandered to a different section entirely.
He gave a fond shake of his head. "Dumbledore knows more about the Circle than most. It was inevitable. Everything that goes on within Hogwarts' walls, he is aware of. He watches who our members are. He knows where our room is. He knows what we strive towards." David's expression grew more thoughtful, his grey eyes distant. "The truth is, as much as Dumbledore is trying to bring me around to his way of thinking, I'm doing the same. Not for him to just start following what we all stand for, but for him to weigh us up against the pure-blood movement that was always going to form in response to us and decide we deserve his support."
That made Lily pause. She'd never thought about it that way—that David might be trying to influence Dumbledore just as much as Dumbledore was trying to influence David. It felt strange, almost wrong somehow, to think of anyone trying to change the Headmaster's mind. Dumbledore was... well, he was Dumbledore. The greatest wizard alive, the man who'd defeated Grindelwald. But David spoke about their relationship like it was a dialogue between equals, not a student being guided by a teacher.
Lily bit her lip, decided to be bold. "Is that what you and Andromeda were talking about? The whispers?"
He gave her a look—assessing, maybe a touch surprised that she'd been listening so carefully—and then nodded. "Yes. There have been rumors that the pure-bloods are gathering. Not in response to us; it's too early for that. We haven't made any waves yet, not outside of Hogwarts. But someone is gathering them together. Organizing them. We're not sure who."
A chill ran down Lily's spine. She hugged her arms around herself even though the bookshop was warm, even though the floating candles cast everything in soft golden light. Pure-bloods gathering. Organizing. She thought about those boys in the corridor back in December, the way their blood had turned to mud, the way they'd screamed. She thought about David's warnings all year about how the old families would respond to change. Violence. That's what it meant. Attacks. Maybe even what happened to that village.
"What are we going to do about it?" Her voice came out quiet, small.
David's expression softened. He smiled at her—not his teaching smile, the one he used during Circle meetings. This one was different, warmer. "We, as in the Circle, will continue doing what we've been doing," he said. "Preparing." He glanced over at Ted, who was stacking books at the counter, then back to her. "We don't have enough information yet. We don't know what they're called, who leads them, what their goals are beyond the obvious." His hand settled on her shoulder, steady and solid. "So we train. We learn. We build our strength." His grey eyes held hers. "And when we're ready—when our hearts tell us it's time—we fight back. We help anyone we can."
Lily nodded slowly, feeling something firm settle in her chest. Purpose.
"Together," she whispered.
David squeezed her shoulder once. "Together."
The bell above the door jingled.
Lily looked over to the entrance. Her breath caught.
Headmaster Dumbledore.
He was unmistakable in his robes—flowing midnight-blue silk covered in silver stars that seemed to shimmer and move in the candlelight, paired with a tall pointed hat that bent stylishly at the tip, embroidered with golden astrological symbols. High-heeled buckled boots clicked against the wooden floor as he entered. His half-moon spectacles caught the light as he surveyed the shop with obvious delight.
Lily's hand tightened on the Occlumency book. Her heart hammered. What was Dumbledore doing here?
David had turned to see who had entered. "Headmaster? What in the world are you doing here?"
Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled behind his spectacles. "Ah, David. I had heard that a new bookstore had opened in Diagon Alley and I just had to investigate." He looked around the room, taking in the shelves and floating candles. His gaze swept over each of them in turn. "Ah, Ms. Evans, Mr. Snape, Ms. MacDonald, Mr. Tonks. Wonderful to see you all."
Lily felt her cheeks warm. She gave a small nod. Beside her, Sev had gone very still.
Dumbledore stepped closer to David. His voice lowered slightly, though the twinkle in his eye suggested he was enjoying himself. "I had some suspicion that you may have had something to do with the store when I checked to see who owned it. The paperwork said a Mr. Ananke. Really, David? A bit on the nose, wouldn't you say?"
David gave a chuckle. "Only to you, Headmaster. How many would even know that name in the magical world?"
Dumbledore inclined his head, his star-spangled robes shifting with the movement. "A fair point. The Pantheon of the Greeks is not something many in Britain would know. Especially an obscure goddess such as Ananke." His smile widened slightly. "Though I suppose that is rather the point of obscurity, is it not?"
Ted walked around from behind the counter. His movements were careful. Nervous. "Is there a specific book we could help you find today, Headmaster?"
Dumbledore shook his head. His star-spangled robes swished around him. "Oh no, I must confess I came here today to speak with young David. But perhaps..." His eyes brightened as they swept across the shelves. "Would you have any fiction books by chance? Of the Muggle variety? I have found a certain fondness for their fantasy genre. It's fascinating how close yet how far Muggles come to imagining what magic's true capabilities are."
Ted gave a nervous chuckle. "We are actually collecting an order of Muggle fiction books next week. Some of our Muggleborn customers asked if we could add a section for them."
Dumbledore's smile widened, genuine and warm. "Marvelous. I will be sure to return next week to peruse your selection." He turned back to David. "For now, David, can I have a word? Perhaps at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. I have had a craving for butterscotch ice cream."
David gave a chuckle. "Sure, sir." He turned toward them. "Please hang around for a bit. I will return and make sure you all get home safely."
Lily nodded. Saw the others doing the same. Mary looked curious. Sev's expression was unreadable.
David waved toward the door. "After you, Headmaster."
Dumbledore inclined his head, his pointed hat tilting slightly, and swept toward the entrance. The silver stars on his robes seemed to twinkle brighter for a moment. The bell jingled as he stepped outside.
David paused in the doorway. Glanced back at Lily. Met her eyes.
He didn't say anything. Just gave her a small nod.
Then he was gone, the door swinging shut behind him.
Lily stood there, the Occlumency book still in her hands. Her mind racing. Dumbledore had come here. Had known David owned the shop. Had known about the name Ananke and what it meant (something she had no idea about. She would have to research it.)
And David had just walked away with him like it was the most natural thing in the world. Like having a private conversation with the Headmaster of Hogwarts over ice cream was perfectly ordinary.
"Well," Ted said after a moment, breaking the silence. His voice was carefully casual. "That was unexpected."
Lily looked at the closed door. Through the window, she could just make out the swirl of midnight-blue robes disappearing into the crowd of Diagon Alley.
Together, David had said.
She pressed the Occlumency book against her chest. Felt the weight of it.
Whatever David and Dumbledore were about to discuss, whatever was happening with the pure-bloods gathering and villages being attacked—David would make sure they were safe.
He always did.
o–o–o–o