"A basilisk on the school grounds?!" Cried an adult man in the principal's office. "Albus, this is unacceptable, what will we say to The Daily Prophet?"

"And the parents will soon claim the safety of their children," another man added.

"This could be the end of Hogwarts," Minerva said nervously.

"Silence!" The director demanded to keep his companions silent. "Could you observe anything?" the man questioned addressing a woman.

"As I said, sir, I was not there at the time of the attack," a dark-haired woman replied seriously.

"Do you know of someone with whom Miss Black could have been at that time?" Asked the old man.

"With Mr. Longbottom, maybe," the woman said with a shrug.

"Thanks for the information, Justine," the man thanked. "Professor McGonagall, bring Mr. Longbottom immediately to the office, please," the man ordered, looking away from the other woman.

"Right away, Albus." She left the room while those present watched her leave.

The teacher hurried down the stairs in the direction of the infirmary where she would assume that Frank would be, probably visiting her friend, or so the teacher thought.

Before arriving at the place, she began to listen to the scandal that came from that infirmary that looked more like a common room of Gryffindor.

"That's when I noticed it on her forearm, the disgusting skull and snake peeked out of her robe..." Frank Longbottom shouted with arrogance and a little disgust.

"Does she really have it? The Dark Mark?" Interrupted a girl from the same house.

"Check it out for yourself," the boy added, "after all, it's petrified." He paused and continued. "Revenge is sweet," he finished with a mocking smile.

Before these words the teacher accelerated the step more until arriving at the infirmary without being able to contain all her fury.

"But what is all this scandal?" She noticed her presence. "Miss Howell!" She scolded the girl who had interrupted Frank, who was about to lower the tunic of her unconscious companion. "Mr. Longbottom! Come with me," Minerva said loudly and with an angry gesture, one she hadn't had long ago.

The boy approached the teacher with disdain and began to walk together through the halls.

"A basilisk at school, professors defending Death Eaters, what is next? Conjure Morsmordre in the sky?" The boy exclaimed in surprise.

"You seem to be quite informed, Mr. Longbottom," said Minerva suspiciously.

"An auror must know his enemies," Frank explained proudly.

"I must remind you that you are still no an auror, Mr. Longbottom," the professor added with satisfaction.

"My parents are aurors," he commented with an arrogant smile.

"Which doesn't make him one directly," McGonagall replied with a mocking smile. "In the meantime, you can talk to the principal to hear his punishment." The boy was silent for a while without knowing what to answer while Minerva said the password and the stairs slowly rose. "And, by the way, Mr. Longbottom, attitudes like this can make you lose some titles you aspire to," the teacher finished as she left the hallway leaving Frank halfway down the steps of Dumbledore's office.

Thinking of those words and without further remedy, he entered the principal's office.

Meanwhile, the arrival of a redhead at the infirmary had managed to escape all of Frank Longbottom's friends. Lily went straight to where her friend was and when she arrived, she watched her in detail. Her expression was astonished, with her blue eyes so big that they now seemed dull, one of her hands looked like she had been holding something and realized that, on the little table, right next to her, was her wand, possibly that was the only thing she had to defend himself that night. For another moment she looked at her sadly while for a moment she thought she was dead, that lack of brightness in her pupils made her look more tragic. Lily moved closer to take away some papers that had been left on her clothes with horrid and threatening messages and comments and then began to cry, disconsolately. A few meters away, without the redhead flinching, Professor McGonagall, who had just arrived from the principal's office, and the nurse watched her while they talked.

"How did she not die?" Asked the nurse.

"I still don't know exactly," Minerva replied in anguish. "Although Dumbledore has said that maybe she saw the creature through something," she said. "But we are not sure."

Suddenly a few steps behind them surprised them and they observed that it was only Meryl, who gave way to reach her friend, but the blonde was walking with a more annoying attitude than sadness or worry.

Meryl's hands on the redhead's shoulders were enough to attract the attention of the girl who was wrapped in tears, whom she comforted with a big hug.

When they separated, the blonde hurried to ask.

"So, everything is true?" The blonde's expression was of surprising.

The redhead nodded as she rose from the ground and headed to roll up her friend's tunic sleeve a little. Meryl understood the message and came closer to see before her eyes that skull and snake so controversial.

"Calynn wanted to tell you, but she couldn't find a way to explain things to you," Lily stammered, wiping away her tears.

"But how did she get it?" Meryl questioned seriously.

"I already told you, her parents. Cygnus and Druella Black are one of the most loyal followers of the Dark Lord, that's why they had to make her the mark, she didn't want that," Lily whispered loudly enough for only both of them to hear. "You shouldn't bother about it," Lily commented, noting her partner's attitude.

"I am not angry about that," she said quickly as she pulled out a pile of papers full of text from her robe. "This is why I'm upset."

The blonde showed her different posters containing offensive words against Calynn, each with some design and different phrases. "I have not collected all, they were too many to fit me in the tunic, they could be hundreds. That damn Longbottom is getting away with it and we're allowing it," Meryl pointed out in a really annoying tone.

"We could take each one off until we finish with everyone," Lily said.

"And classes? I bet McGonagall won't give you the days off," Meryl said as the teacher, who watched from a distance, smiled.

"We still have today and tomorrow free, I will worry when Monday arrives, now we must begin," Lily ordered getting up from her friend's bed.

The teacher and nurse backed away so as not to be seen while the girls said goodbye melancholy.

"Everything will be fine," Lily said, watching little Black. "I hope so." With that said, the redhead accelerated the step to leave that place accompanied by Meryl who also walked quickly.

They met McGonagall and the nurse when they left, who only greeted them with a nod, so that Lily later paused in her rapid pace.

"When can she wake up?" She asked hoarsely.

Hearing her voice, Meryl stopped walking and reached for her partner who was further back.

"For the Mandrake Restorative Draught, that used to restore those who have been petrified," the nurse began, "they need totally mature mandrakes, so we must wait for Professor Sprout to get us some."

"But how long will it take?" Asked the redhead.

"Maybe about a month," the nurse replied.

At these words Lily's face paled and an expression of bewilderment enveloped her, leaving the redhead without knowing what to say.

"She'll be fine here, Miss Evans," Professor McGonagall said this time, "we won't allow Mr. Longbottom or anyone else who just wants to come to annoy Miss Black."

Lily sighed and then looked at the two women trying to comfort her.

"Thank you," Lily confessed as she nodded. She walked away with Meryl at her side quickly as both women watched them walk.

"I tell you, Dumbledore, during the day we have taken many students who came to annoy the patient to the infirmary, this is not only about Mr. Longbottom, it is about the whole school, how can we stop so many students?" Exclaimed a nervous Minerva in Dumbledore's office.

The old man only shook his head as he stared at his desk, totally frustrated. "What did you say to the boy?" Asked McGonagall.

"I have given him his much-deserved punishment," he paused. "He'll spend a lot of time inside Hogwarts kitchens until Miss Black wakes up," the director finished triumphantly.

"What about the basilisk? We will have to do something about it," said the professor.

Dumbledore shook his head.

"We can't, Minerva," the director began, "not until Miss Black wakes up. Mr. Longbottom was not present when the attack happened and assured that Calynn would be alone at that time because of what had happened before." He paused to observe that McGonagall understood what he meant. "The basilisk will have to remain there and unless the Ministry of Magic shows up, we will try not to alert our students."

Minerva was silent before continuing.

"What will we do with her parents? Don't you think that now that her identity is known, it will pose a danger to the school?" Asked the teacher distraught by Calynn's parents.

"Of course, and we will have to wait for a letter from the parents to take more drastic measures, for the moment I have thought about telling some of the aurors to guard the castle," Dumbledore finished.

"Do you think the school may be at risk?" Asked the teacher once more.

"We just have to hope for the best," the director ordered as he nodded.

"One hundred and fifty," Meryl finished after releasing the last poster from one of the castle walls.

"That only from a part of the castle," said the redhead and then yawned, showing her tiredness.

"I think that's enough for today, we just have to find a bin to throw these last papers and go to dinner," said the blonde.

"Good idea," Lily replied and began looking for a classroom to get rid of that garbage.

Some halls were totally silent, while others were very busy, with everyone hurrying down to the Great Hall.

"And there are Evans and Johnson, the new celebrities," said someone behind them, dragging the words. "It is useless to have a deadly friend, a pity that she can't move a finger now."

"Do you have a problem, Malfoy?" Asked Lily.

"None, little mudblood, I'm just giving you my deepest sympathy," the blond added. The girls were baffled for a moment. "You will not believe that the wonderful Dumbledore will allow the presence of Death Eaters in the castle, will he?" Lucius scoffed again.

"Sure, here you are," Lily said loudly.

Lucius could not avoid that gesture of amazement and for a few seconds he was silent trying to think what he would say in his defense.

"I don't know what you mean, Evans," he began stuttering. "Besides, those matters are none of your business." He continued even more nervous, eating the words. "Now I must go, I have better business to deal with," he said, returning to his arrogant volume.

The boy went on his way, hitting Lily with his shoulder blade as he walked away waving the long robe of snakes.

The girls continued walking until they reached the Great Hall where they looked for a place at their table right next to the Potter group. Meryl and Lily began to use some of the delights offered by the Hogwarts menu.

"Look!" Meryl said, pointing to the chair where Dumbledore was next to the other professors having dinner. "It is not very common for Dumbledore to accompany us during dinner, at least not during these days, he sure has a Saturday party," the blonde joked with her sense of humor characteristic of her, but Lily only shrugged as she only moved with her fork the chicken pieces she had on her plate. "Get happy!" Said the blonde as she smiled.

"No, I can't Meryl, she needed someone and I wasn't there to comfort her," the redhead sobbed.

"I think if someone should feel guilty, it's Frank, don't feel bad because I'm so good at comforting as in class." She laughed for a moment until she noticed that her partner was not imitating her.

"That night I was with Severus, since before entering Hogwarts we had not been able to speak alone," she said, remembering that night.

It was night and the air moved the leaves of the trees that were observed from inside the library, Severus and Lily did the duties of History of Magic while the library was increasingly deserted.

"I'm only missing three lines of Binns' homework," Lily commented to her friend, who only nodded.

"You know, it had been a long time since we hadn't spoken," the redhead reflected, but without getting a response from Severus. "I really missed you, Severus," Lily said as she saw that her friend was getting closer to her.

"I missed you too, Lily," the boy commented this time as he approached his companion, who only looked tenderly in his eyes and for the first time the boy had gained great courage by getting closer to Lily's face and kissing her little lips for a minute, a minute full of love and friendship combined in a single sensation that both had hidden for quite some time.

As they parted, they both opened their eyes at the same time and then laughed slightly at what had just happened.

"Thank you, Severus," said the redhead, fully blushing. This only caused the boy to turn redder than he already was.

Both were in the library for a while to finish their homework until they decided to leave that place that was lonelier than the dungeons.

They walked slowly while the moon illuminated them avoiding being seen by a teacher when they heard Professor McGonagall's voice.

"We must take her to the infirmary now!" Screamed, "Quick!"

Both boys ran to see what was happening and Lily gave a horrified scream warning her presence. In front of her was Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall with a stretcher where little Black rested, who didn't move a little.

"Miss Evans! It's not what you think, see for yourself," explained the director trying to keep calm, trying to reassure the redhead.

Lily said goodbye quickly to Severus and ran to reach her friend.

"I've never seen someone petrified, it's very impressive to see someone like that, it's so much like death," the redhead recalled as a tear slid down her cheek.

"But she's really good, McGonagall said it, she's in good hands," Meryl tried to comfort her friend.

"But it will be hard for her to know everything Longbottom has done," Lily said before eating the first piece of chicken.

"That Longbottom will need a lesson," Meryl commented with a hateful tone in her voice.

"What do you mean?" Asked Lily as she cut more meat.

"Longbottom deserves a good heavy joke," the blonde said. "Do you know someone who can help us with that?"

Lily thought for a moment until she turned to see James, who was next to her and Meryl understood the message instantly.

"Hey, James, would you like to help us with a heavy joke?" The redhead questioned the boy who smiled at Lily's voice.

"Where do I sign?" James joked as Sirius and Peter laughed in groups. "And who will be the lucky one?"

"Frank Longbottom," Meryl replied with a mischievous smile this time.

Almost the entire group laughed heavily except for Sirius, who remained serious and thoughtful.

"Wait a minute," Black added, "is this to help my cousin?"

Silence reigned in the room and the whole group abandoned those smiles changing them to serious gestures, with the only person that the group still got along with was Lily, since Meryl had revealed Lupin's secret, all the boys had distanced themselves. The girls nodded in complete silence as they watched their friends react.

"We don't like Death Eaters," said James, trying to hide that tone of disgust.

Lily sighed desperately; she was tired of judging her friend without knowing the true reason.

"James, you don't understand what happened, she..." But she was interrupted by the same boy in glasses.

"We will do it, all right?" He sought the approval of his friends. "But we don't want to defend any other follower of the Dark Lord on another occasion, OK?" The boy asked both girls this time.

Lily and Meryl nodded with a smile on their faces, at least they had achieved what they were looking for.

"Tomorrow at noon we will meet in the Gryffindor common room to discuss this, while Padfoot and I will think about how innocent mischief we can do to Longbottom," James ordered as he finished with a laugh along with his friends.

"Perfect," Lily whispered to Meryl, perhaps that joke could not compensate for all the damage Frank had caused in Calynn, but at least it would teach him not to exceed his limits.

Both continued to eat quickly when all the dishes disappeared at once, leaving the plate shining in spite of everything. Everyone was silent as they looked at the teacher's table that was right in front of them; the man with a beard rose from the director's chair and addressed, with all the students' eyes, that golden lectern that gave him more superiority. For a moment, the old man only stood there for a moment while he looked around until he stared at Lily and Meryl, immediately put a finger to his lips indicating silence, and before everyone could turn to see the girls, the director looked away, leaving both girls baffled.

"At Hogwarts, we don't tolerate violence or humiliation," the director began, evading all his humorous comments with which he usually began, "therefore, dear students, we will not allow such behavior to any other person, without exceptions," the director concluded, with everyone in silence.

The man sighed before he dared to keep talking. "Hogwarts has stood out for the security it provides its students," he continued, "and the presence of any student will not prevent that. Recently, the conditions of Miss Black have been known." It was enough to listen to the last name so that the uproar began at each of the tables, while Lily and Meryl looked at each other seriously while the first indicated that they continued to remain silent, however, everyone around them exclaimed complaints.

"It's a damn Death Eater!" Said a boy from the Gryffindor table who had risen from his seat.

"Is that supposed to be our safety?" A guy from Hufflepuff said, he was offended.

Even some Slytherin students whispered and were upset by the presence of little Black.

"Silence!" The director shouted with the wand in his neck, which made his voice resonate throughout the room. "You will be rewarded in your well-being with the presence of a group of aurors guarding the castle during all hours of the day," said the director while some more murmurs were perceived in the Great Hall. Among all that crowd a raised hand asked for the word, Dumbledore gave it to him, surprised.

"Excuse me, Mr. Director, but could this not be the beginning of a magical war?" Asked a shy boy from the Ravenclaw house.

"Not necessarily, Mr. Quirrell," the man replied. "Help can be found at Hogwarts by those who deserve it."

"Don't you think that Death Eater could be a spy of the Dark Lord?" Asked Mary McDonald from Gryffindor's table this time.

"We have enough information to allow Miss Black's presence at the school, Miss McDonald," said the old man. "Now, as I mentioned, Miss Black will not be tolerated and the entrance of visits to the infirmary will be more stringent for the well-being of all our students." He mentioned observing Lily and Meryl while shaking their heads and both understood what he meant by perfection. "Now, if you don't have something better to do, you'd better go back to your bedrooms," the professor finished with a little distaste in his voice.

"Do you think Dumbledore knows her?" Alice suspected, speaking with some of her housemates.

"Maybe that's why he has the preference," one of them added. "It would be so easy just to kick her out of school and forget her."

Meryl and Lily listened attentively to the comments of others about Calynn, that's where they realized that they were the only defense of her.

"I'm glad Dumbledore defends Calynn like that, that's securing a place at school," said Meryl, who felt quite relaxed.

Lily spent a moment reflecting on what her friend had just said, they might not have good student support, but they did have it with the teachers.

"Come on, it's time to rest, remember that tomorrow we will continue removing these absurd posters," the blonde recalled as she peeled one off the wall and crumpled it with all her might. "This is absurd," Meryl finished, throwing the paper ball to the nearest bin she found on the way to the common room.

They only reached the bedrooms and fell asleep, only this time Lily felt lonelier without her friend in the bed in front.

A few floors below, the nurse moved hurriedly while searching for medicine until she left the room, leaving a boy who had hidden in the shadows to get there without being discovered. He had a present attached with his long palms that was accompanied by a small card.

The boy sighed nervously as he took the first step toward the only petrified girl in the room.

He hadn't dared to look her straight in the eye, it broke his heart, he just wanted to bring her something to show that he was there, next to her. He placed the card first on the girl's bedside table, but was hesitant to leave the other gift, the fresh smell of that present betrayed him, but decided that he preferred to give it to her once she had woken up so she discarded it by placing it on the floor to move more comfortably. A few more papers rested on her and on her bedside table, surely the nurse had not immuted who had left them there.

"I miss you so much," he whispered, though he knew she couldn't hear him.

And for a moment the room sank in silence, where only the movement of the trees could be heard with the air until hurried steps from the corridor were getting closer. The boy took the gift he had discarded and hid just behind a curtain while waiting for the nurse to leave so he could leave without being seen. And, as he expected, the nurse just crossed the room and then retreated without looking back. The boy took advantage of that opportune moment and left the place with the gift in the direction of his common room that was quite far away.