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Lily loved mornings.
It was the best time of day, really. The sun was not yet high enough to make her sweat in her clothes, but it wasn't cold enough to make her shiver. The pleasant morning breeze made her red hair dance around her face, as she walked down the main street of Cokeworth, for the first time in months. She had really missed her hometown during the last two years while she was working as a medical apprentice to Doctor Michaela Quinn in Hogsmeade. Her eyes lingered fondly on the Barbershop, where Mr. Diggle, a friend of her father, worked enthusiastically on Mr. McKinnon's chin. Something to the left of the window caught her curiosity and she strayed from her way to approach the shop. A big poster with a picture of four young men in the middle, all grinning and raising a pint to the camera, was stuck to the wall of the building.
WANTED
dead or alive
THE MARAUDERS
For the robbery of the Hogwarts Express, horse theft, and multiple shop robberies.
REWARD OF 10,000 EACH
Immediately contact nearest U.S. Marshal's office
Lily tore her eyes away from the poster and continued down the street. Soon she came upon the apothecary and stopped to look through the window, but it was covered in a deep layer of dust. Grinning mischievously, Lily stooped and peered through the keyhole, finally spotting the man behind the counter. The little bell rang merrily as she opened the door, and when he turned to face her, the usual scowl on his face was quickly replaced by a smile.
"Lily! You're back!" he exclaimed in surprise, as she rushed over to hug him.
"I missed you, Sev! I can't believe you actually did it! Your own apothecary!"
"Yes, well, a lot of things happen in two years. So you've completed your apprenticeship then? You're finally a Doctor?"
"Yes, I am. Doctor Quinn was such a great teacher; I have so much to tell you-..."
Just then, the bell rang again, and their reunion was interrupted. Three men entered the dimly-lit apothecary and Severus' whole body stiffened. They all wore dusty traveling coats and cowboy hats, and Lily recognized them immediately. The Marauders.
The one on the left was dressed as a true gentleman, with a pressed white shirt and a waistcoat. Those, however, were not enough to distract from his face, where he bore a horrible, disfiguring scar. The man on the right was his exact opposite. He was clad in black from head to toe, and though his face was very handsome, his whole air screamed 'rebel'.
The one in the middle, whose unruly black hair stuck out in all directions from underneath the hat, approached the counter and slammed a piece of paper on it.
Severus' black eyes slid over the note, but his brows were locked in a frown.
"We don't sell to outlaws."
"Is that so?" The man grinned, and in less than a second a gun was in his hand, pointed at Severus' head. "How about now?"
Severus looked like he was forced to swallow a whole lemon. His eyes darted to Lily, then very slowly, he turned around and began collecting the herbs, drugs, and other medicine listed on the piece of paper. The black-haired man finally registered her presence as well, and gave her a flirty wink, but Lily only scowled at him.
"My, my, I don't think I've seen you around here before," his darkly clad companion said, approaching her. He had shoulder-length black hair and a haughty, confident look about him, which did nothing to endear him to Lily. He reached to touch her hand, but she jerked away. "No need to be alarmed, ma'am. That's not a pistol in my pocket."
The man at the counter sniggered, while the third, who had so far remained silent, only shook his head.
"Please excuse him," said the former. "His brain cavity wouldn't make a drinkin' cup for a canary."
"That'll be 79 dollars," Severus said tersely, sliding a brown bag with the medicine across the flat surface.
"You know what, I must've left my wallet in my other pair of pants," the black haired man said, his hand already curling around the sack. "How about you put it on my tab?"
Severus' fingers clenched into a fist, but he remained silent, staring daggers into the criminal.
"How dare you!?" Lily piped up suddenly. "Do you have any idea how hard this stuff is to come by!? That morphine alone is only delivered once a month if you're lucky, and there happen to be people around here that are in need of it!"
The outlaws stared at her, dumbfounded. The man that had flirted with her recovered first.
"What about us? We're in need too," he said, a cocky grin on his face. "Won't you take pity on us?"
Lily glared at him furiously.
"How do you even know all that stuff? About the morphine delivery?" the messy-haired one called, taking the bag with medicine and securing it in his satchel.
"Because I happen to be a Doctor!" Lily exclaimed angrily. "And I know that if you take these drugs away, a lot of people will suffer for it!"
The men exchanged glances but said nothing and made to leave, when Lily's hand shot forward and gripped the gun on the handsome one's hip, drawing it from its holster and pointing it directly at the other one's face.
"Now, now, darlin'. Don't make me shoot you," he said, eyeing the gun.
"Put the medicine right back on the counter, and be on your way," she said evenly, her hand steady.
"Prongs," the flirt called again. "Didn't she say she was a Doctor? What good is medicine, if we don't have someone who can administer it?"
His companions shot him stunned looks.
"Padfoot, we can't just take a strange woman with us," the third man finally spoke, sighing heavily.
"Not just any strange woman... a Doctor. Alright little lady, you're coming with us," Prongs said.
"You must be out of your mind, if you think I'm going anywhere with you!" Lily snapped. The man called Prongs was about to open his mouth again, but suddenly a loud whistle sounded from outside.
"We don't have time for this. Moony, tie her up."
"Stay away from her!" Severus yelled, but before he knew what was happening Prongs fired his gun and Lily felt the revolver jerk in her hand and fly off. Next thing she knew, Severus was ducking down on the floor; shattered jars raining glass on his head, and her hands were drawn behind her back and fastened with a rope.
"I'm sorry about this," Moony said in her ear and stuffed a scarf in her mouth.
The outlaws dragged her outside and made straight for the horses waiting for them, along with the fourth member of the gang. When his eyes fell on Lily, he turned questioningly towards his comrades, but Prongs just mumbled 'I'll tell you later' and Lily was forcefully slung on his stallion, as the four men mounted the horses, riding off into the horizon.
oOo
It was well into the afternoon before the men finally decided to stop for a break. Cans of beans were passed around between them, as they just sat in a circle and played a few games of poker. Lily was tied up a bit to the side, but at least they had removed the cloth from her mouth. Not that she would speak to them anyway.
"Ah, I always lose at this game," Wormtail, the fourth Marauder, muttered dejectedly.
"Ain't our fault you have a horrible game face," Prongs quipped. "Maybe if you weren't jittery as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs every time you get a bad hand, we wouldn't beat ya so often. And don't be so down! Look at Padfoot, he got rejected five times today by the same dame, and he's still grinnin' like a baked possum."
"Go dance with a rattlesnake, Prongs," Padfoot bit back, as the three men sniggered. "You hungry, Doc?" he turned to Lily. "Thirsty? We got plenty to share... for a kiss."
"Stop bein' an ass," Prongs called and threw a pebble at his head. "We didn't take her along so you can practice your sleazy pick-up lines."
"My lines are not sleazy! I'll have you know that I got a giggle and a kiss for that one in the last town," Padfoot said indignantly.
"We're awfully sorry about this, Miss," Moony addressed her politely.
"If you were really sorry, you'd untie me and take me back to Cokeworth!"
"Ah, but then we wouldn't have your beautiful face to brighten up the plains!" Prongs said. "Without your lovely presence here, all I have to look at is this bunch."
"Are you implyin' my looks are below your standards?" Padfoot said in mock-offense.
"Sorry, was I bein' too subtle?" Prongs quipped back and the two engaged in playful rough housing. Moony walked over to Lily, completely undisturbed by their behavior, and placed a tin cup of water in her hands.
"Don't mind them, Miss. They are as shy of brains as a terrapin is of feathers."
Lily observed them, slightly confused. She had imagined them as much more vulgar, cruel scoundrels, but all they did was exchange playful banter like a bunch of schoolchildren. Were those men really dangerous outlaws?
Suddenly, her musings were interrupted by the sound of horseshoes beating against the hard ground. The Marauders looked up, and in the distance they could all see a lone rider in a white hat. As the stranger approached, Prongs stood up, walking forward to greet him.
"Frank! Frank, help me!" Lily screamed, recognizing the newcomer.
Deputy Frank Longbottom threw a swift look in her direction, before dismounting quickly.
"Took ya long enough. We've been waitin' for ages," Prongs said and extended his hand. Under Lily's stupefied gaze, Frank clapped his palm on the man's forearm in a friendly handshake.
"Had to shake the Sheriff. They're gatherin' a posse to go chasin' after ya. You've really done it this time," he said.
"Frank! You're working with the Marauders!?" Lily exclaimed, but the men more or less ignored her completely.
"Why's she here?"
"We kidnapped her," Padfoot said casually from where he was sitting.
"You kidnapped her. What for, to get the people even more riled up?"
"She's a Doctor," Prongs explained. Frank's eyes finally moved to Lily and his lips curled in a small smile.
"Good thinking. You're taking her to the Valley then?"
Prongs nodded.
"Good thinking? Frank Longbottom, you come over here and untie me right now!" Lily demanded angrily. No one paid her any mind.
"It'll be a good few days' journey, and the posse from Cokeworth will be right on your trail. I suggest you pack up and high tail it out of here as quick as you can. I'll try to hold 'em off, but I can't get ya more than a day's worth."
"That's all we ask for," Prongs grinned. "Take care, Frank."
"You too," the Deputy said, getting back on his horse. "And treat her kindly, ya hear?"
"'Course. You know I can show a lady a good time," Padfoot said with a smirk, and Frank laughed before taking off.
oOo
Ten days. Ten days of exhausting all-day rides on a different Marauder horse, then cold nights by a fire Lily refused to get too close to. She did not want to associate with these criminals any more than she had to! She didn't care to hear their jokes, or listen to them singing songs around the fire and recap old adventures, or to watch Padfoot and Prongs try to out-do one another at anything and everything. She must've seen at least a dozen sharp-shooting or quick-draw competitions already, and neither of them was a consistent winner. Sometimes Moony or Wormtail would get in on those, but it was mostly the first two, who seemed to have an unquenchable thirst for showing off.
Padfoot toned down the flirting after the first few days, but Lily's quick wit and humorous comebacks sparked the attention of Prongs, who now took his friend's position in her mind as the most annoying out of the foursome. His advances had less vulgar undertones, but she couldn't say the lines themselves were any better. Saying 'I'm an outlaw, can I hide in your house?' only made sense if the woman you're trying to sweet-talk was not already taken from her home by you!
Currently she was swaying behind him on the horse, her hands looped around his waist and bound at the front so she wouldn't try to jump off again. She tried to run away at every opportunity, and had even attempted to sneak off into the night, but only made it ten paces before Moony caught her and brought her back. Lily didn't want to give into the exhaustion, but she couldn't help herself and leaned her cheek against Prongs' back.
"Tired, Doc?" he asked teasingly, throwing her a look over his shoulder. "Don't worry your pretty, red head; we'll be there before sundown."
"We'll be where? Where are you taking me?"
"Looks like you'll get your answer sooner than expected," Moony said, spying a dust cloud advancing toward them.
When it neared, Lily's heart dropped to her stomach, as she saw a whole posse of Indians emerge from it.
"What are you waiting for? Draw your gun!" she hissed against Prongs' shoulder.
"You want me to gun down fifteen men?" he whispered back.
"They're Indians!"
"I know, I never trust Indians. I figure it's their fault for bein' on our land before we got here," he said flatly.
Lily was stunned into silence, while one of the Indians spoke to the Marauders in a language she didn't understand. Prongs replied in the same tongue and after a short discussion, the outlaws were surrounded by the savages and led forward like cattle.
"What did they say? What's happening?" Lily whispered into his back.
"They're taking us back to their camp. I think they might kill us."
"What? Aren't you going to do something!? I don't want to die like this!"
"To die would be an awfully big adventure," he smirked. Was he serious!?
Once the party entered the Indian camp, the riders all dismounted and she tried not to tremble when a stern looking Indian with two long black braids and a feather in his hair held up a small wooden bowl filled with corn to her. She looked at it, completely terrified, and Padfoot leaned closer and whispered.
"You're supposed to take that. It's a sign of hospitality."
Her head snapped to look at him, then to glare at Prongs, who was barely keeping it together. Lily smiled at the Indian and took the bowl with a small bow. The tribesman bowed as well, and then Prongs said something in their language again and gave them his satchel. The tribe began jabbering excitedly, before giving the cowboys some space. As soon as she was sure she wouldn't offend anyone, Lily whacked Prongs with the bowl.
"You absolute bastard! You made me think they were going to kill us!"
His laughter echoed above the natives' voices, soon joined by Padfoot, Wormtail and Moony.
oOo
"I see you haven't tried to escape in about four hours. You're starting to warm up to us, Doc," Prongs said, when Lily sat down between him and Wormtail by the small fire of the Marauders that night.
"What game are you playing? You steal medicine and you give it to the Indians, you work with Frank Longbottom, an honest and decent man if I ever met one, and you're supposed to be this vile, rowdy group of hoodlums, but for more than a week now the worst thing I've seen you do is cheat at cards."
"A vile, rowdy group of hoodlums. I like the sound of that. Has a nice ring to it," Padfoot chortled. The Marauders exchanged amused smiles.
"What else are they saying about us?" Wormtail asked excitedly.
"Saying? Are you implying it isn't true?"
"Might be. Might not be," Prongs grinned cheekily.
"They're saying you steal horses."
"Not when we have our own already."
"That you've robbed multiple shops."
"Well, you know what they say. Crime doesn't pay. Gotta get our moolah from somewhere."
"That you robbed the Hogwarts Express."
"Robbed?" Prongs frowned. "Like we stole their property?"
"That money was supposed to pay the salary of every worker in the county!" Lily exclaimed angrily.
"Money?" Padfoot echoed, his brows knitted as well. "They're spreadin' that we stole money?"
Lily shot a confused look at each in turn.
"Didn't you?"
"That train was transferring slaves," Prongs answered darkly. "Blacks and Indians. They were going to sell them at Hogsmeade."
"... But why would they lie?"
"Because..." Prongs looked around at his friends, who all gave him small nods. "America is slowly being overtaken by a man. A very dangerous man, pullin' the strings behind the curtains. He's behind all this 'relocation' of the natives and all the propaganda that's been goin' around. We are members of a secret organization that's tryin' to stop him. Frank is too. You say your town needs you? Well, we need you to help these people. Their healers are not familiar with the multitude of diseases we've introduced them to. We won't force you to do anything against your will, but we will ask you. Will you help?"
Lily held his gaze, mesmerized by the flames dancing in his hazel eyes.
"I will," she found herself saying. "Prongs," she added after a bit of hesitation.
"James."
"Huh?"
"My name. It's James."
He smiled at her and she felt something stir in the pit of her stomach. He reached out a hand and she stared at it for only a second, before placing hers in it.
"Lily."