They appeared quite suddenly in the middle of the Headmaster’s office. Drained, feeling all the aches of the past few hours, Lily stumbled slightly. Noticing this, James slipped an arm around her shoulders, but a minute later, he had pulled away again. Surprised, Lily looked over at him; he was blinking at his hand, which was red with blood.
–Welcome back,†drawled a voice from the corner, and Lily spared Sirius the briefest of glances before focusing again on James.
–Are you all right?†It was Remus this time, his voice touched with concern; Lily had neither energy nor concentration enough for him either.
Instead, –Are you hurt?†she asked James, gesturing towards his hand.
He looked at her oddly. –Lily,†he said, –this is your blood.â€
Dazed, she looked down at the arm he had touched. The sleeve of her shirt--they were all still in Muggle clothing--was stained red from the wide gash on her forearm, which was from, she remembered, when she had pushed Sirius away from Michael Kingsbury’s curse.
–Oh,†she said, feeling suddenly dizzy, and then irritated. There wasn’t a lot that made her feel faint--she spent too much time doing Potions--and her own blood never did. Chalking it up to the stress of the day, she allowed herself to look away.
–Here,†James said, pulling his shirt over his head. From the corner, Sirius wolf-whistled. –Hit him for me,†James said, without looking, and a moment later they heard the yelp that meant Remus had obliged. Despite herself, Lily giggled.
A moment later, James had ripped a strip of fabric from the hem of his shirt and moved to tie it around Lily’s arm.
–What are you doing?†Lily murmured, as he took her arm, gentler than she would have expected.
–Just let me,†he said softly. –It might be awhile before we can get you to the hospital wing.â€
He was looking at her so earnestly that she surrendered, letting him tie the strip of fabric around the still-bleeding gash in her arm, even though she wasn’t entirely sure he knew what he was doing.
Sirius, who had spared a worried look for Lily when she had James had first arrived, had realized that the injury was nothing serious, and was now starting to bounce back and forth from one foot to the other with puppylike energy. Apparently unable to contain his boredom, he called out, –Aren’t you going to take off any more of your clothes? Moony and I are still waiting, and the tips get progressively smaller the longer we have to wait.â€
A moment later he yelped again; this time, Remus, who seemed unsure how to handle both Lily’s silence and Sirius’s exuberance in the same room, had hit him without prompting. –We really need to keep you away from those Muggle magazines,†he grumbled.
–But I learn so much from them,†Sirius said brightly, and James and Remus groaned in sync.
James’s focus was on Lily, but he glanced once, briefly, at Sirius, and it was enough to notice that he seemed oddly flushed, almost feverish. He had seen that look before, if not often--a reckless, almost ecstatic edge. Unlike Remus and Lily, who looked about as wan and tense as James felt, Sirius looked almost comfortable as he leaned against the wall. His eyes, however, were almost sparking, and James wondered if it was just the fight that had him so alive like this.
–So what happened out there, anyway?†James asked them as he double-knotted the t-shirt fabric. –How’d you know to come find us?â€
–It wasn’t that hard, really.†Sirius shrugged. –McGonagall realized that you hadn’t made it to the checkpoint, and she let Dumbledore know, and they stopped me and Moony from Apparating back. Then Dumbledore showed up, grabbed a couple of people from the Order, tried to tell Moony and me we couldn’t come, gave up, and then we all went and got you. Nice job, by the way, not even graduated and we’ve had our first Order fight!â€
–You could take it a little more seriously,†Remus said with some exasperation.
–Why?†Sirius said. –It’s not like anyone got hurt.â€
Lily bit her lip; she and James exchanged the barest of glances and said nothing. Then James, still confused, shook his head. –That doesn’t clear anything up for me, really,†he said. –For starters, how did you know we’d even been kidnapped? How’d you know where to find us?â€
Sirius frowned. –What do you mean?†he asked. –You told us, didn’t you?â€
Suddenly, the door to Dumbledore’s office burst open, and all of them but Sirius jumped in surprise as the headmaster himself strode in, Professor McGonagall a few steps behind him. Embarrassed, James pulled his shirt back on, but because of the strips he had ripped off, the hem was now considerably shorter. The shirt now ended several inches above his waistband, revealing a strip of bare skin, and he tugged at it mournfully, to no avail. In his corner, Sirius snickered, but then unzipped his jacket and tossed it to James, who put it on gratefully.
By this time, Dumbledore had settled himself into the chair behind his desk, and surveyed them all over his glasses. –You must all be exhausted,†he said gently, and waved his wand. Several squashy chintz armchairs appeared, settling around Dumbledore’s desk, and the four of them fell into them almost instantly.
–You’ll be on your way in a moment,†Dumbledore assured them. –I just wanted to be sure you all arrived here safely, especially considering the trying day it has been.â€
–Nah,†Sirius said, –we’re fine. Can’t wait to do it again!â€
Lily thought for a moment that the headmaster’s gaze flickered towards her, but she straightened her spine and said nothing.
–Sir,†James said, leaning forward, –what happened, after we left? Is--is Voldemort--â€
–He is still very much alive,†Dumbledore said, –as are his followers. Today was merely a retrieval operation; we did not have the strength to do more.â€
James nodded, settling back into his chair. Sirius looked at him, and then at Dumbledore, before saying, –Sir…about those followers…†Dumbledore transferred his bright gaze to him, and he continued, –It’s just that when we were leaving, we ran into Michael Kingsbury, you know, the Ravenclaw. And I know that Annabelle Fletcher has been trying to tell me something for awhile, and I just think that maybe…maybe he’s been the one leaking information to the Death Eaters this year.â€
Dumbledore sighed heavily, looking suddenly far older than they had ever seen. –Michael Kingsbury has, I believe, been acting as a spy for quite some time, and he has recently disappeared from school grounds. But rest assured, Mr. Black, we will be looking into his involvement with the Death Eaters, and speaking to Miss Fletcher as well.â€
Sirius, sitting back, looked dissatisfied with this answer, but he said nothing more on the subject.
–And now,†Dumbledore said, –I would like a word with Mr. Potter and Miss Evans alone, please.â€
–Black, Lupin,†McGonagall said briskly, –if you’ll come with me, I’ll escort you back to Gryffindor Tower.â€
Lily half-expected Sirius to argue with this, being treated like a first-year, but to her surprise, he remained silent. Remus spared them a quick glance over his shoulder, and then they were alone with Dumbledore.
–I’d like you to tell me,†Dumbledore said slowly, his eyes on his fingertips, –what precisely happened tonight.â€
It was James who began the story, haltingly, from when they Disapparated from the McKinnons’ house to Voldemort asking them to join his forces.
–I think,†James said, –I think he’s been trying to get ahold of us all year. There was the attack on the Hogwarts Express earlier, and I know Lily and I both had strange encounters with Death Eaters--I guess Michael was keeping tabs on us, or using Annabelle to keep tabs on us. And when Leda Wood was kidnapped a little while after that, all the questions they asked her were about us. We just didn’t understand why until today. You-Know-Who--Voldemort--he says he wants us on his side.â€
–And how did you respond to that?†Dumbledore asked gently.
–Well,†James said awkwardly, looking at Lily, –well, we said no. And he, well--â€
–He used the Cruciatus Curse,†Lily said, her voice clear, –on me. Well, he didn’t do it himself. He had a woman do it for him--Bellatrix, I think he called her. Neither one of us had wands, but James was trying to get to her anyway, or me, when you all came in.â€
Dumbledore nodded softly. –That is a powerful curse,†he said, looking at Lily. –And I know it leaves lingering pains, especially when applied for a considerable amount of time, as I can guess it was in your case. There is not much to be done for that, but Madame Pomfrey can do some to ease the effects.â€
Lily nodded, not quite trusting herself to speak.
–There’s something else, though, sir,†James said. –Sirius said you knew where we were…because we told you? What--â€
–Shortly after you disappeared,†Dumbledore said, –I was found by a Patronus, which informed me of your whereabouts. It was surprisingly simple to locate you from there--the house where you were being kept is not a permanent meeting place for Voldemort and his followers. They were not expecting to be there long, and so it was not surrounded by the more powerful--and more time-consuming--protective spells that would have kept us from finding you. The Patronus itself was a doe--which I believe, Miss Evans, is yours?â€
–It is,†Lily said, startled, –but I didn’t send one. I couldn’t have.â€
James shook his head in agreement. –We didn’t even have wands, Professor. And we were unconscious when they brought us there, we didn’t know where we were.â€
–It had to have been someone else,†Lily mused. –But I don’t know who it would be. I don’t even know anyone else with a doe Patronus.â€
James groaned. –More mysteries,†he muttered, his face in his knees.
Dumbledore nodded. –Very well,†he said. –I will do my best to unravel these, with the information you have given me. For now, I think it’s best if we get Miss Evans to the hospital wing, see what we can do to patch her up--â€
–Wait,†Lily said, standing. She was trembling, and her eyes were bright; James looked up at her, worried. –There’s something else. Michael--the curse he used on me--I’ve only ever heard one person use it before, and it was the person who invented it.â€
Dumbledore looked at her calmly, James in confusion, and Lily closed her eyes, as though saying the name required immense effort. –Severus Snape,†she said finally. –I don’t know if that’s where Michael learned the curse, or why they would be in communication, but I just…thought you should know.â€
–Thank you,†Dumbledore said gently. –And now, you two should be on your way.â€
---
James sat quietly to the side as Madame Pomfrey examined Lily’s arm.
–There’s not much I can do for this,†the nurse tisked, dabbing the cut with a foul-smelling purple potion that steamed when it touched skin. Lily hissed in pain, cringing, but didn’t move away. –Curse wounds tend to take longer to heal,†Madame Pomfrey continued, –so you’ll be tender for a few days yet. I’ve managed to stop the bleeding, and with plenty of rest, you should be on your way to recovery. I really should keep you here for a few days--â€
–No!†Lily protested, sliding to her feet. –No, please, I’d really sleep better in my own bed, I promise--â€
–Well,†Madame Pomfrey said reluctantly, –I suppose there’s not much more I could do for you here.†Then she looked around at James and added severely, –But if she looks like she isn’t getting enough sleep, you march her straight back to me!â€
James grinned and assured her he would, and the two of them left the hospital wing to walk back to Gryffindor Tower.
Lily was silent as they first began, and so James, too, let his own thoughts wander. It had been, he thought, the longest day of his life--watching Lily being tortured felt like it was weeks ago, although his reaction to it was still so fresh. But for some reason, the image that stood out in his mind was Lily’s face as she gave Dumbledore Severus Snape’s name. It had been so hard for her, and she had looked so uncertain…Like she was betraying someone…
–All right,†she suddenly said, coming to a halt in the dark corridor. –Out with it.â€
–What?†he asked innocently.
–You’ve got something on your mind,†she said. –I can tell.â€
–It’s nothing,†he said, shaking his head. –It’s just been a long day, and--â€
–It’s Severus, isn’t it?†she blinked up at him, and he looked down at her, his mouth open.
–How’d you know?†he asked, almost guiltily.
Lily sighed, shaking her head. –I know you, James,†she said. –You only have that look when you’re thinking about him.â€
–What look?†James asked curiously.
–Like you want to punch a wall,†Lily told him wryly.
James shrugged. –It’s just…†he said slowly, –you seemed so upset, talking to Dumbledore about him. Like you thought you were doing something wrong. I guess I just don’t understand how you can still care so much about him.â€
–Oh, James,†Lily said, sounding exhausted. She leaned back against the wall of the corridor. –He was my best friend. He was my best friend for a long time, and even if that’s changed, it’s hard not to feel like I still owe him something, or like I should still be loyal to him. Think if it was Sirius.â€
–You can’t compare them!†James protested. –Sirius would never be interested in the Dark Arts like that, or--â€
–I know,†Lily said, sounding frustrated. –Don’t you think I know that? But it’s not that easy to let go of, it’s not, and today was just so--â€
She closed her eyes tightly, and James wondered if she was trying not to cry.
–Hey,†he said uncertainly, moving towards her. –I don’t want to fight--â€
She leaned forward, resting her face against his chest, not quite crying. –Me either,†she said. –I’m just…I’m just scared. Because what happened today, what if that’s all that’s out there for us, when we leave school? Fights like that, against people we can’t see, that don’t really go anywhere. Sirius seems excited enough about it, but it scares me, James, and what if that’s all our lives will be from now on?â€
–They won’t be,†James said, although he could hear the doubt in his own voice. –They can’t be, there’s more than that--â€
But his words stopped as Lily, lifting her head, wrapped a hand around the back of his neck and stood on her toes to bring her mouth to his.
James was taken aback by the ferocity with which she was kissing him--her lips were insistent against his as she grabbed him by the shirt with one hand, dragging him into a shadowed alcove, until her back hit the wall. He leaned forward, his hands braced against the wall on either side of her head as he hesitated, remembering what Madame Pomfrey had said. But Lily did not appear to be feeling any tenderness; quite to the contrary, she had grabbed a fistful of his borrowed sweatshirt with one hand and hooked the fingers of her other hand through his belt loop. Their bodies collided as she tugged at him, and he gave in, his hands moving from the wall to the side of her face, her hair, her back. She had disengaged her own hands from his clothing and they were now fumbling with the zipper on his jacket. Her fingers grazed the bare skin beneath the tattered hem of his shirt, and he closed his eyes, his arms tightening around her. She bit lightly at his bottom lip, but then, as if from far away, he heard voices in the corridor, and jerked backwards.
It was only a pair of first-year Ravenclaws, just returned from break, walking down the hallway chattering to each other. James and Lily stood quietly in the alcove, still half-tangled together, barely breathing until the first-years, who hadn’t noticed them, had passed. Then James pushed himself upright, shaking his head to clear it. –What are we doing?†he asked wryly.
Lily looked up at him, biting her lip abashedly, but trying not to smile. –Panicking?†she offered.
James grinned. –I can’t believe I’m saying this, but maybe we should exercise some self-control.â€
To his relief, she laughed, her eyes lightening for the first time all day. –Yeah,†she said, detaching herself from the wall. –A corner just off the headmaster’s office with a bunch of first-years running around, not really a private-moment kind of place. Especially for the Head Boy and Girl.â€
–There are better places,†James agreed. He peered out into the corridor, and finding it empty, gestured to Lily. As they started again towards Gryffindor Tower, he added, –Don’t get me wrong, though, that’s definitely my favorite way to panic.â€
Lily groaned good-naturedly at him as they trundled back to the tower. –What?†he asked her, laughing. –It’s not like I was complaining…â€
When they finally pushed their way into the Gryffindor common room, however, the smile dropped from his face. Sirius and Remus were sitting at their usual table by the window, talking to a very frightened-looking Peter. Sirius’s half-crazed, post-battle energy seemed to have diminished somewhat; he slumped low in his chair, speaking quietly as an ever-somber Remus leaned forward beside him.
–What do you want to tell them?†James asked Lily quietly.
–The basics?†she suggested, and he nodded, understanding this to mean, Let’s leave the torture out of it.
Sirius looked up as they approached, his face brightening. –Thought Dumbledore was going to keep you all night!†he said, once they were close enough that he could speak without raising his voice.
–Felt like it,†James yawned, throwing himself into the chair next to Sirius, while Lily slid in beside Peter.
–Are you guys all right?†Lily asked, her brow furrowed, while Peter looked back and forth between them all, his eyes wide.
Remus nodded. –Madame Pomfrey patched us up in a few seconds,†he said. –We’ve just been filling Peter in and waiting for you to come back.â€
–It’s not every day I get to visit my cousin’s house,†Sirius added nonchalantly.
–It was a little--wait, your what?†James choked.
–Yeah,†Sirius said, sneering slightly. –You probably saw her. Bellatrix Black, now, I believe, Bellatrix Lestrange. We don’t really keep in touch.â€
–Your cousin?†James was still gaping at him.
Sirius nodded. –That was her house,†he said, and then continued, almost coldly, –Don’t act so surprised, James, you know what my family is like.â€
–Well, yeah, but…†James cast a furtive glance at Lily. –I didn’t like her.â€
Sirius gave a short bark of laughter. –I never did either,†he said, –but what can you do. Anyway, Moony here got in a few good licks with her, didn’t you?â€
–What he means,†Remus said dryly, –is that I barely got away.â€
Peter shuddered. –I’m not sorry I missed this,†he said.
–Good thing you were able to send us that Patronus,†Sirius nodded at Lily. –Otherwise we never would have found you.â€
James caught Lily’s eye for a second, and then, in silent agreement, they both said nothing. James knew he’d probably fill Sirius in on the details later, but at the moment, Peter was looking more worried than he liked and he saw no reason to panic him further.
–Oh, hey,†Sirius said, looking over their heads to the portrait hole. –Annabelle’s back.â€
They all looked over. Annabelle had indeed just clambered into the common room, and she looked, James thought, somehow younger than he’d ever seen her before. She seemed tired, new lines under her eyes, her shoulders slumped forward with none of their energy.
–Dumbledore must’ve just talked to her,†Remus said quietly.
–I feel sort of bad,†Sirius admitted. –I think she was trying to tell me about Michael before and I didn’t listen…which is weird, considering how convinced I was he was evil.â€
–He’s not evil,†Remus started to say, but Sirius shook his head.
–We’ll see, won’t we?†he said. –I’m sure that’s not the last we’ll see of Michael Kingsbury.â€
–I still don’t believe it,†Peter said, shaking his head.
Sirius looked over at him incredulously. –Trust me,†he said, –Michael was there. He’s a Death Eater, all right. Weird, though, as only a fourth-year…I wonder what Voldemort will want with him now? He hasn’t finished school but his cover’s blown, he’ll be no good as a spy…â€
–I know,†said Peter, who had shuddered again at the sound of Voldemort’s name. –It’s just…he was a Ravenclaw. I thought all the Death Eaters were Slytherins.â€
–Oh, I don’t know,†James shrugged. –He wanted us, didn’t he? And Lily and I are both definitely Gryffindors. Sure, most of them are Slytherins, but I think he’s recruiting where he can.â€
Peter, if possible, looked even more worried. Lily, however, who hadn’t been paying attention to any of them, said suddenly, –She looks so sad.â€
They all craned their necks again to look at Annabelle, who was still standing in the center of the common room, her bag at her feet, staring into the fire.
–Maybe someone should go talk to her,†Remus suggested, and one by one, they all turned to look at Sirius.
After a moment or two of silence, he looked up. –What?â€
Remus raised his eyebrows pointedly.
–But…†Sirius whined, –but I don’t wanna.â€
–She’s been trying to talk to you for weeks,†James pointed out. –You might as well give her the chance.â€
Sirius glared around at them all before growling, –Fine,†and stumping off.
Remus grinned as he watched him go. –It’s probably not chivalrous of me to be so entertained by this,†he said casually, –but I can’t help it.â€
–Oh,†Lily murmured, –you’re not alone.â€
Sirius had reached Annabelle, and James grinned as he shuffled awkwardly from one foot to the other. Annabelle seemed to recover some of her spark; she stood with one hip jutted out, eying Sirius flintily. A second later, however, she had flung her arms around him, apparently sobbing into his shoulder. Remus looked positively delighted as Sirius patted her awkwardly on the head before she released him and dashed up the stairs to her dormitory.
Shaking his head, Sirius walked back to the table, and James clapped him on the back as he sat down. –Girls,†Sirius said fervently, –are weird.â€
They all looked at Lily, who had slumped forward with her head on the table. –I’m not arguing,†they heard her say sleepily.
James laughed. –Okay,†he said. –I think it’s bedtime for some of us.â€
–Now that you mention it,†Sirius said, stretching his arms over his head, –I could sleep.â€
–Classes start up again tomorrow,†Remus reminded them all. –I’d almost forgotten.â€
–Classes!†Peter scoffed. –Forget that. I can’t believe we still have to take N.E.W.T.s!â€
They had forgotten; James groaned as they stood, and Sirius cuffed Peter over the head, as normal and safe as things could be in Hogwarts.
---
They always started out like normal dreams: she’d be failing her N.E.W.T.s, or clinging to a broomstick, or running through the lawn behind her parents’ home with her sister. But eventually something would happen--she’d trip or be shoved, something like that, and the dream would change to a cold stone floor against her face, blood in her mouth, and Bellatrix Lestrange with her wand outstretched.
The dream was not simply a replay of the actual event; her mind took liberties. Bellatrix’s tortures were never ceasing, of course, but within the confines of Lily’s own head, they took on a new form. James, always in the periphery of the dream, was now tortured, even killed in front of her; other nights the dream dragged in people who hadn’t even been there--Sirius had made a few appearances, as had Mary and Remus, Marlene and Alice, and even, on occasion, her parents. Every night, she watched someone die.
She knew it was a dream, too, that was the part that irked her most about it--it was a dream, but she couldn’t force herself out of it. And when she did finally wake it was sudden, her eyes flying open, her skin clammy with sweat, the blue light of early morning and the sleeping bodies of the other girls all around her.
What Lily did not know--could not know, in fact, because neither of them was talking about it--was that on the other side of Gryffindor Tower, James awoke each morning in much the same way. His nightmares weren’t quite like hers, but each night he relived that afternoon as he remembered it. Helpless, he watched Lily struggle beneath the weight of the Cruciatus Curse, and when she screamed, he could do nothing but scream with her.
Not since that first night back had they discussed the events at the Lestrange manor. Two full weeks had gone by since the end of the Easter holidays, and the seventh-years were finally feeling the weight of their upcoming N.E.W.T.s. If James and Lily both appeared subdued, it was easily chalked up to stress and worry at the approach of the end of their final year at Hogwarts. Even Sirius, noticing the dark circles under their eyes, kept quiet.
He’d had some news of his own in the past week, although he’d kept that to himself as well. Really, he thought, somewhat irritably, as he sat alone one morning at breakfast, I’m bound to go mute from lack of practice if the atmosphere around here doesn’t liven up. And silent is not how I intend to spend my final days here.
Sirius, however, was nothing if not optimistic, and the letter he was clutching in his hands was only adding to his increasingly mischievous mood. He reread it, smiling broadly, and then looked up as Remus sat down across from him. At least, Sirius could only assume it was Remus--he was carrying a stack of books so high that they obscured his face.
–Is that you in there, Moony?†he asked, peering around the books.
–Think so,†came the muffled reply. A second later, Remus had pushed the books aside and blinked owlishly at him. He had a quill in his mouth and his hair was sticking up in the back.
Sirius laughed at him. –You look like James,†he said. –And why are you eating your quill? There’s plenty of breakfast.â€
Remus spat the quill out and placed it gingerly on the pile of books. –I’m not eating it,†he said delicately. –My bag split on the way down and I didn’t have enough hands. Pass the bacon, will you?†As Sirius did so, Remus added, –And speaking of James, where is everyone?â€
–Peter was here earlier,†Sirius said. –But he ran off to see Professor Flitwick about something. I think he’s worried about his Charms N.E.W.T. And James was still asleep when I left--I let him, he’s been looking a little tired recently.â€
He said this last part carefully, looking curiously at Remus, but Remus only said, –Has he?†vaguely, while trying to navigate his breakfast around his books.
–Where have you been, anyway?†Sirius asked.
Remus swallowed a mouthful of pumpkin juice. –I was in the--â€
–Library,†Sirius finished for him, grinning. –I don’t know why I asked.â€
Remus made a face at him. Sirius grimaced back, and then began folding up his letter. –What’s that?†Remus asked, nodded at it.
–Letter from home,†Sirius said, tucking it away.
Remus furrowed his brow in confusion. –Bad news?†he asked.
–Not exactly,†said Sirius. –Don’t worry. You’ll find out soon.â€
–Why is it,†Remus said unhappily, –that every time you tell me not to worry about something, worrying is the first thing I do?â€
Sirius grinned.
---
Up in the dormitory, James awoke quite suddenly to the touch of something cool on the side of his face.
Blinking at the light in the room, he fumbled for his watch, squinted at it, and then swore as he realized he had overslept. Despite that, he was exhausted; he wanted nothing more than to bury his head beneath his pillow and fall into a dreamless sleep.
Groaning, he rolled over and felt that brush of coolness, this time against the back of his neck. Startled, he sat straight upright, turning to look behind him. On his pillow lay the diminutive form of the Golden Snitch.
James looked over at his bedside table, frowning. The drawer where he kept the Snitch was once more ajar. Behind him, the Snitch whirred and rose into the air to hover beside his ear. At the foot of his bed, Jinx sat up, her eyes following the small golden ball.
James looked from the Snitch to his open drawer. –Are you doing that?†he asked the Snitch, which hummed at him and began to fly in lazy circles around his head. Watching it, he felt strangely relaxed--the calmest he’d felt in weeks, actually--although Jinx seemed to be getting rather worked up.
He reached out a hand and snatched the ball from the air. When he opened his palm, however, it didn’t dart away. Instead, it lay there vibrating lightly against his skin as he looked at it.
Odd, he thought, sliding out of his bed and getting to his feet. Slowly, he began getting ready for class. Once dressed, however, he didn’t shut the Snitch back inside his drawer. Instead, he slid it into his pocket and left the dormitory behind him.