Chapter two: School and
two Legged Pigs.
I spent my whole summer with Harry and felt my heart grow heavier as the new school year approached. Harry seemed happier at the prospect of returning to school. He talked all the time about the great food and boarding. He talked about his friends and how much of a family they were to him. He made me want to hitch hike and go with him. I wanted to go to his school and stay with him. So far he was the best friend I have had during my stay here.
My mum and Lupin were closer then ever. Lupin told her more about the Clan of murderers and that they were really called Death Eaters. I shivered as I thought of a clan under such a title. It was already reported that a lot of people were found dead at a party one night and that the only clue that could be found was a wisp of smoke hovering over the victims house shaped like a skull and snake.
Lupin told my mum that he wanted her to move into a safer neighborhood. Preferably near him where we had a better chance of avoiding the same fate, but my mum refused saying that we had already made a life in this house and were not going to move out.
Lupin gave a defeated sigh and gave my mum a hug and kiss before leaving home for the night. My mum had been working late hours for the past few days and began to forget to inform me when she would come home on her regular time or not. I blamed Lupin for her extra work and tiring late night tasks. She spent a lot of time trying to help Lupin and his friends with the Death Eater problem. I didn't know what she did, only that when she came home she was tired. I had belief that maybe she was trying to convince people to stay cautious. Maybe the real work was to get them to believe her.
I believed her.
I met up with Harry on his last week in the neighborhood. He was going to his friends' house for the last four days of summer and wanted to go along the streets with me at night.
I loved the nighttime. The stars and the moon were brightly shinning above us like silver flies caught in a black web. We watched then as we strolled down the lamp lit streets. I told Harry of my parent's divorce and how much I missed my father back in Australia.
Harry knew about the Death Eaters as I found out when he talked of the sudden attacks. I told him my mum worked on the case but this only made him more worried and he told me to be careful. As the night grew darker we started to head for home. Harry informed me of the crazy bum who walks the streets barking at people and chasing them so we decided it would be best to avoid such inconveniences.
He told me that he would try to send me some letters during the year using his owl Hedwig. He would at least send some letters around Christmas and Halloween.
I asked about sending letters back but was only told that I should simply tie whatever I wanted to send him to Hedwig's leg. I found it awkward to send letters by owl or any kind of bird but decided I would try to send him letters whenever I could.
We reached the Dursley's house and Harry and I embraced in a last goodbye. I watched him enter the house to hate so much and was rather glad he was leaving it but not very happy he was leaving me. It was going to be boring here without him but as long as he is safe I am more than happy to say goodbye as long as we meet again.
School started and I found that I was to walk to school instead of my long bus rides early each day. The school was fairly big with traditional two-door entrance and windows lining the sides of the tan building. We were the Jack Rabbits and had a football team that played against only five other schools. Our biggest competitions were the Bobcats.
Hmm… I wonder why?
I was use to going to schools with large cats as our mascots but now I have to be a rodent. I feel special.
Really I do.
I have managed to avoid Harry's fat cousin who had already made his reputation clear as the bad- ass gang leader who beats up helpless elementary kids as they passed by our school trying to get home.
I always left my house earlier then Dudley (As I have heard him being called besides Big D) so I could avoid him as well as make a good impression on my teachers. I did not want to fail this year. My classes were long and boring except the exception of History and English literature.
Summer faded away into fall and everyone went out for Halloween night to attend parties or trick or treat. Harry sent me a beautiful Halloween card sporting a scary decorated hallway with a ghost hidden somewhere in the picture for me to find. Harry was doing well at school and said that he would be remaining during the holidays. I smiled at this as I set up my house decorations for the trick or treaters. At least he'd be happy even though I was deprived of his company longer.
I placed a nice long spider web along the railings near the door and a cat was perched in the windowsill. I also had cute little ghost hung along the car and roof. I had a better setting to decorate back at home when I could hang the ghosts in the trees but I improvised with what I had. We were giving out the usually, an assortment of chocolates and candy brand names. I sat watching TV and munching straight out of the candy dish as I usually did ever6y Halloween after gazing at other people's decorations. But unfortunately not many people decorated their houses so I did the next best thing. Watch scary movies and eat loads of sugar.
I noticed that Dudley and his gang still went out for Hollow's eve and I found it disturbing. They had decided to dress up as their imitations of girls. They made their way towards my house first. They rapped at the door and I answered it with dread. The radio played our scary music tape and they laughed slightly at it.
Dudley looked fatter then ever in his polka dot cocktail dress strutting down the street. He was swinging a hideous matching purse that had the same black polka dots printed on it. The dress was black and white and disturbingly short. He also had red lipstick on and loads of blush that clashed with his complexion. His hair was smoothed back and had a bright red bow in it that resembled that of Daisy Duck. He reminded me of a Disney princess horror, or Minnie Mouse gone on a diet of animal fats and glucose.
"Hey, I've seen you before. You're that girl who was hanging out with my cousin. So… are you going to get married? Because I think he is already taken. He has a boyfriend named Cedric back at his school." He started to laugh at his own joke, which I found to be more than corny.
"Well, here is your candy." I tossed three pieces into each of their bags then backed into the doorway.
" There's only three pieces!" he shouted at me before I could close the door.
"Oh my gosh really, I didn't noticed that I ONLY gave you three. WOW where is my head tonight!" I shot back sarcastically.
He huffed angrily like a spoiled three year- old in a candy shop that had not been able to get what he wanted. I closed the door behind me and locked it. I heard something hit the door then wild laughter. I could only guess he threw an egg at my door but decided to ignore it.
The rest of the fall went by and the leaves disappeared and were replaced by thin ice and flooded streets. Snow would fall occasionally but melted as soon as it hit the moist ground. Ice-cycles hung off of our roof and made the little bit of sunlight we got reflect in different colors on the walls. Christmas was next week and so was another event I had been dreading. My mum and Lupin had gone out one night to a special place of Lupin's and had dinner there. After dinner Lupin took out his mum's old ring and proposed. When she returned home and told me I gave her a hug and enjoyed her smile and laughter the rest of the night and morning.
They were planning the marriage at a small synagogue near town called Sha'are Shalom. My mum and I are Jewish and Lupin didn't seem to mind the Jewish wedding idea. I spent each afternoon doing my homework and helping mum with the wedding plans. We decided upon a plain flower decoration for simplicity and inviting my mum's sisters and cousin's to the wedding. We planned to have it the day before New Years Eve.
Mum was paying for most of the wedding and thought that a small wedding with only a small group of our closest friends and family would work. Plus it was less food to buy. We were going to have the dinner at the synagogues meeting room. We decorated it with roses of white and red on each table and lilies aligning the walls mixed with small white and gold flowers. Lupin had brought in a special flower that was a beautiful silver color that seemed to glow like the moon. He placed them going down the short isle leading to the Torah stand.
When it started to get late and the sunset early, as it does in the winter, I found the moon- flowers glowed a beautiful path down the isle and made the light blue and white rug to look like a still pond. It was gorgeous and I had to admit Lupin had some taste in decoration.
I made few friends at my new High school and was almost considered a freshman. I'm fifteen and have already been a freshman so bugger off!
My grades at school were good as far as passing. All A's accept two B's, one in math and the other in Chemistry. Oh well it passed and I can go on to the wonderful world of a higher level of Biology.
Ever since Hollow's eve Dudley and his friends have been pestering me. My once life of avoiding him in success has now turned into trying to get away from him by running to each class. If I didn't know better I would say he has an obsession over me. First off he stole a flower from a graveyard and tried give it to me. It was addressed to "My beloved Mary. I miss you so much." That had to be the most disturbing thing ever. Then he attempted to do bike tricks for me but ended up falling on his portable air bag, his butt.
If that weren't bad enough I had to miss a lot of homework time to go to wedding rehearsals. The dresses were going to be very simple but very pretty. My mum was going to wear a white dress that fell to her knees. The sleeves went halfway down almost like a long tight short-sleeved shirt. The dress had a velvet flower pattern on the skirt and the arms and torso. All in all I loved the dress and I was glad it still looked so good after so many years of storage.
My dress was all black with long sleeves and a short skirt. It had lapping lace over the skirt and shirt in the pattern of a flower and it was my favorite dress. I also had a small crystal heart shaped necklace that had the letter C etched in the middle of it. It had a pinkish purple tint to it and looked very nice against the black dress.
My aunt was going to be the maid of honor and her daughter was going to be the flower girl. Me, I am expected to just sit and watch. Not much really but perfectly fine with me.
I sat and watched the ceremony proceed and found that it would be short but sweet. No big ceremonious music or tacky decorations, just a simple soft wedding that did not make you nervous but comfortable in front of the small crowd of people who loved you. Lupin's best man was an old gentleman who was introduced as Albus Dumbledore. He wore magnificent in his dark goldish red robes with a gold silk rope around his waist. His hat stood tall and neat on his silver head and his beard was tied at the end with a black bow. He looked like Merlin! For Merlin's sake.
I think I have read Crystal Cave a little too much today. I shook my head slightly then watched my mum walk down the isle accompanied by my aunt. They stood at the alter and the rabbi chanted her song.
And here my reader is where I started you off. So now you are officially caught up and I can tell you my story as it happens and not a past like in a diary. Ok, so this is told slightly like a diary. Well, it's not a diary it's me talking to you kind of… Oh what ever, I am just talking to you somehow.
The wedding was in a week and I spent my school free days helping mum pick out food and a nice cake. Our next-door neighbor seemed to enjoy staring at us from her window and act as though she wanted to catch what we were doing or try to keep us out of trouble. It was annoying really. One day she surprised both my mum and myself by coming to our door and asking about the wedding. My jaw dropped at how nosy she could be. My mum simply told her that she was having a wedding and good bye. Well Harry told me it was not easy to get away from the Dursley's and that they would get what they wanted.
I only laughed and told him that Sandman would be happy to take care of them if he wanted to. Sandman sat next to me in the television room and yawned with content as I rubbed his soft small ears. His large amber eyes shined gold matching his brindle red fur. He was very soft and sweet. I stroked his head and switched the TV to a different station. The channels were different here. The only thing that remained the same wese a few movies. Besides that I have to get into the new shows and try to learn the slang.
My mum walked into the room and sat down next to me and stroked Sandman.
"Is it okay if Lupin spends the night Chris?" she asked me.
"Sure. Why?"
"We want to discuss some things tonight and not have to leave the house to do so. By the way have you seen your aunt anywhere?"
"Yeah she went out to get some ice cream to share with me."
"Oh, okay then I am going to go start dinner." She kissed me on the forehead then walked off towards the kitchen.
"By the way," I asked. "What's for dinner?"
"Beef ribs and cream spinach." She shouted back.
I smiled with content. I like that dinner. Sandman lifted his head up at the mention of food and licked his lips with expectation. Apparently he did too.
My aunt came home carrying some vanilla ice cream as well as my request of seltzer water and U-Bet chocolate. I helped carry them in and started to pour some of the chocolate into two large glasses then some milk. Then I filled the rest of the glasses with the water and mixed. My dad and I use to make these all the time and we got the idea from my grandpa. They were called Boston egg creams and were like a chocolate soda. I sipped mine happily and my aunt did the same before helping set the table.
Sandman was fed and asleep and Lupin arrived just as I left the greyhound to his nap. He looked like his usual shaggy robed self and seemed to be dreading each step he took towards my mum.
"I have something to tell you after we clean up from dinner." He whispered to her then sat down at the table set for dinner.
Sandman changed his resting spot to under the table and everyone had to watch out were they put their feet so not to kick him. Lupin told my mum of the pranks he use to play at his old school and how much detention he and his friends use to get daily. I laughed despite myself at what he did to a boy named Snape on a Christmas afternoon involving squirrels and the boys' pants.
I accidentally kicked the dog and he sniffed my foot with his wet nose. I laughed before climbing under the table to pet him. He was wearing his doggy sweater that I had bought him for Chanukah with small bones aligning the collar. I had received the games Sims from my mum and a blue robe from Lupin. My mum had bought him a load of candy for he seemed to fancy chocolate and chewy stuff.
I have loads of fun with Sims. I made a bachelor named Remus Lupin. Remus had no friends, no job and broke down into sobs whenever he awoke in the morning. If Lupin made me angry Sims Lupin suffered. He burned his house down by fire once but the fireman came in time to save him. Oh well maybe next time. I thought about putting the character in a swimming pool and remove the ladders and any means of exiting the water.
We cleaned up the table and my aunt and I washed the dishes quickly so we could sit on the roof and watch the sun set. The sun was brilliant from atop the roof. Even through the fog that usually covered it. You could see it clearly with out any trees around. It was blood red setting into the distance and made a light ring of gold in the outer layers of the red. I told my aunt of my dislikes of Lupin and she only told me that I would learn to love him. He could teach me some good pranks and make me laugh when I felt down. She tried to convince me that even though Lupin was not my real dad he would be a good friend.
She bade me good night then left the roof to get ready for bed. I stayed on the roof for a couple more seconds to catch the last ray of light darken into a velvet-blue-black color. I climbed inside and made my way down the stairs to say good night to my mother but stopped dead in my tracks when I head Lupin's voice in a serious tone in the half lit kitchen. I sat down near the corner out of view and listened.
"I meant to tell you this before but…I thought you would leave me and not want to get married." He said in a slightly sad tone.
"You must promise me you will believe me first of all then promise me you will not think of me any different than you did all the times you have known me."
"Of course Remus." My mum said. She sounded as though she thought he was a bit crazy. Why would she feel different about him? Its not like he was a werewolf or something.
I could hear him pulling out a chair and asked her to sit down. She took the seat.
" I should have told you before. Before we made all these wedding plans. I was a bit scared they would all change."
He took a deep breath. "I am a wizard. And a werewolf from young age." He said this slowly but clearly.
An uncomfortable silence took over the atmosphere except the sound of my aunt moving around upstairs. I sat in shock playing in my mind what he had just said. Was he joking? I think he had too much chocolate tonight. How could he be a werewolf when they don't exist? Or even a wizard for that matter?
"What do you mean?" My mum asked sounding slightly unsure.
"I was born with the ability to perform magic using a wand and occasionally my emotions. I went to a school for witches and wizards when I was eleven through seventeen. The headmaster of the school was and still is Albus Dumbledore my best man at our wedding."
I thought that guy was a bit Merlin looking, I said to myself.
"But…" my mum tried to say but just couldn't get the words to work.
"I know. You probably think I'm nutters right?" he said with a small sign of laughter.
"Not if you can prove it." She said.
I heard the rustling of Lupin's robe then he said in a clear voice "Lumos".
A bright pale light filled the kitchen as though an electric surge had gone through it. I peered into the small room and saw Lupin holding a brightly glowing stick in his hand. The tip of the stick was alight with a dazzling light and made his face shadow less and young. He looked at my mum with his beautiful brown gold eyes and she looked amazed and shocked at the same time. I had to push my jaw back into place before turning the corner again so I wouldn't be spotted. Then I heard Lupin mutter "Nox" and the light was extinguished at once.
He's a wizard, a real live wizard, but a werewolf?
"Amazing." My mum said.
"I was lucky to get into Hogwarts. The ministry of magic, our government, tried to prevent me since I was a werewolf and a danger to the other students. But Dumbldore fought for me and I was accepted, under certain circumstances of course. I had to transform every full moon night in an isolated shack near a small village."
"You could have trusted me you know. I would understand." My mum said slightly offended.
"I was scared you wouldn't. A lot of people don't take it as calmly…"
"Did you think I wouldn't believe you? Or that I would throw you out because you're a …a."
"Werewolf." He finished.
"Yes."
Lupin didn't trust my mum? Well this ought to cause some kind of damage to the wedding. Come on get into a fight.
"That's why I don't have steady job because our world, the wizarding world, are too scared to hire me and plus there is an antiwerewolf legislation that makes it difficult for me to keep a job." He told her desperately.
"And how about those… those Death Eater things? Are they?"
"Yes."
"You mean to tell me that they were more dangerous then you told me and you put my daughter and myself in more danger then I could have protected us from?"
His shadow shook its head. This was followed by my mum's angry words on how much he put us in danger without warning.
"I couldn't tell you, it would have been against the decree of secret wizards."
"I don't care. It was my families life Remus." She retorted angrily.
I got up to leave so they would not find out of my presence and made my way upstairs to my room. My white door and the twist of the hallway in front of the stairs now muffled the screaming. I sighed. Maybe this will put off the wedding or even better, call it off completely. I smiled and fell to sleep on my soft flowery bed spread. I curled under my father's old brown lion blanket and smelled its familiar scent. The foul smell of the new house had not over taken it yet and drowned out the old memory of the nights I spent at my old house.
As soon as I closed my eyes the room dissolved into a snowy field surrounded by bare black and brown trees. I stood encircled by a pack of large different colored wolves. Each were following or approaching one another in excitement. I seemed to not want to join in but instead was waiting for a certain wolf to come. The field slowly emptied of the beautiful wolves and each followed its chosen one to the dept of the dark forest. Only three wolves remained. Two of them rubbed each other's side then ran off towards the forest leaving me alone with the largest of all the wolves. He had pure white fur with bright gray eyes and a massive build. He looked at me with longing and affection. I wanted to ask what was going on but could not speak. The snow was not as cold as usual but a pleasant mist of fluff that hit my fur coat.
He waited for a second, then with a quick movement came to my side. He looked at me as though asking for permission then I gazed into the forest expecting, at any moment, for my chosen one to come.
He didn't.
I accept the wolf's presence and he rubbed against me. His warm fur I could feel against mine. After he finished he ran off towards another, unoccupied path of the forest and I followed automatically. I kept up the pace watching his back legs move in a silent but even rhythm. He glided easily across the thickets of the forest and knew every turn and jump before he came to it. The sky was dark and a full moon hovered above the thick tree limbs.
I followed the male wolf gliding just as easily but fumbling with the turns. My eyes adjusted clearly to the darkening night and I started to smell the sweet scent of mammals scurrying to avoid us, and the pines, fresh and immortal to death. The male wolf finally halted at a small clearing near a large cliff. He turned towards me and signaled towards a small cove in the cliff barley visible among the pines. He trotted over to the small opening and slipped inside. I followed squeezing between the two stony walls.
The most amazing sight met my eyes. A cave full of crystal frosted the walls. I walked around the room gazing at my shadowy reflection. The largest wall was a clear glass crystal that when I gazed at it I could see the outlines of the forest through it. It was beautiful. In one of the corners a soft bed of deerskin was piled in the shadows.
The male wolf walked over to me and told me in soft whines of affection,
"I have chosen well."
A loud bark and a scrape of claws made me jolt up in my bed sweating as my eyes took in my room again. A thin mist of sunlight illuminated my room and I could hear Sandman jumping around while someone gave him breakfast.
I yawned and climbed out of bed. I changed into some jeans and a blue T-shirt before making my way to the kitchen. My eyes opened wider as I saw Lupin sitting in a chair laughing at the bouncing greyhound dancing around my mum.
"Your still here." I said without thinking.
"Why would he not be?" My mum asked looking shocked at my words.
"I heard you fighting last night and thought…"
"Oh, we had a small quarrel but we are passed it now." My mum said giving Lupin a fond look.
"So you're still getting married?" This slipped too.
"Yes Chris. The wedding is still on."
Christain's mother and father divorce and she is forced to move to England and live in a new neighborhood called Privet drive. Not only is Christain mad at the divorce and sudden move but also the fact that her neighbors are creepy and her mother fell in love with a man who believes himself to be a werewolf and a wizard. To make matters worse a pack of Ku Klux Klan wizards are on the lose and her mum is apart of those trying to stop them.