Chapter Two The Dreamy Morning
I should be sleeping perfectly well that night, while for the first time in my life, I had owned the whole dormitory, all of my nosy room mates were home for Christmas, but I didn't. The story, no I mean, Sirius' past had somehow terrified me. I doubted he made that story out, because when he was speaking, his face was...unreadable.
I couldn't believe I had talked that much to a guy who I didn't know very well. Actually, I hated him. He was messing up the class, ditching every single girl just because he thought he looked good (though he was, doubtlessly, handsome), teasing the first and second years, sneaking out of the school...his crimes were uncountable. But last night was different.
I got up very early the next day, at dawn break. My face was wet, which I later on found out was the mixture of tears and sweat. There was a moment I thought whatever had happened last night was a dream, that my parent were still alive and I didn't spend my time with Sirius Black. But no, it was time to face it, they were real.
I was woken by a nightmare. In the dream, I could see how the Death Eaters killed my parent, it was like I was there, and watching the whole thing happened, but I could do nothing. The Death Eaters killed my mum first, and then my dad. They were defenceless! I watched them one by one fell onto the icy ground. The Death Eaters, then, destroyed my house; it was shattered in fire and ashes. The Arrors were late, too late to save them.
I was falling into the endless darkness, and landed in somewhere like a cell. A boy about five or six was there, he was sobbing silently in a corner. I couldn't make out the boy's face, but my first impression was that the boy was Sirius. I spoke to him, and told him that everything was going to be OK, but he didn't seem to hear me, and I was falling again.
I was in a very old and ancient house; a woman dressed in black was standing aside with a young boy. A man was putting a spell on another boy about eleven, or twelve maybe. He was in pain and shaking on the ground. He was mouthing the word "stop!", but no one could hear him. That had got to be the Cruciatus Curse, I had read it from the book, it was one of the Unforgivable Curses. The boy stared into my eyes, those grey blue eyes were familiar...
"NO!"I yelled with all my might, "Stop it, STOP IT!"
No one could hear me neither. The boy was blurring, and so did everything. I was being pulled backward and backward.
"Good night, Emily." and a taste of Butter Beer was, strangely, all I could remember when I woke up. I went to the wash room and cleaned my face. I couldn't recognize myself when I looked into the mirror. I looked like a zombie. The hair was messy as though I hadn't washed it for centuries, my eyes were still puffy and there were black bags in under my eyes.
Hurriedly, I took a bath. Lying in the tub of hot water, I wondered about the dreams again. Part of me told me that I made up all those images and pictures, they weren't real. Too many things happened yesterday and I wasn't in my right mind, so I had those dreams, but honestly, was it?
I fixed the black bags under my eyes with a spell Stella, my roommate, taught me, never thought it would be useful. The morning light shone into the room. Gangs and gangs of owls flew in and out the castle. I could see Hagrid, the game keeper, was busy feeding his baby Hippogriff. The sunlight was gleaming on the snow on the ground like diamonds. The castle, the Forbidden Forest, the owls, everything seemed to be unchanged, but it somehow did. It felt like everything I knew was about to be changed.
I went down the hall for breakfast, a giant Christmas tree was planted near the staff table. Professor Dumbledore was sitting in the middle and talking delightedly with Professor McGonagall. Hagrid waved as I entered, and I waved back. There were only about ten students in Slytherin and Hufflepuff, and non in Ravenclaw, whereas there were a few first and second years in Gryffindor, and Sirius was there.
I settled myself next to Sirius, who was grinning at him, "Good morning," he greeted.
"Good morning," I said, and helped myself with some milk.
"You seem better." he said, without looking at me.
"Yeah, thanks." I replied, and there was a rushing sound and about ten owls flew into hall and dropping letters and presents from home. A letter and a Daily Prophet landed front in front of me. When I was about to open it, a package bounced off Sirius' head, and an tiny owl crashed into his pumpkin juice.
"Ivan," I said, pulling him out from the pumpkin juice. Hagrid gave him to me when I was eleven, but five years past, he was still so clumsy.
"A very indeed nice owl you've got," Sirius said, "and it's yours."
He handed me the package. I opened the letter first first, it was from Nathan.
Dear Emily,
I am terribly sorry about your parent; Dad told me what has happened. You know, he is an Arror, and his mate told him that Voldemort had been there, or your house would not be shattered like this. I know how terrible it would be for you. I am so sorry; I should be here with you. I—
"Emily, can I borrow this?" I heard Sirius ask, and without knowing what he wanted to borrow, I nodded.
am coming back tomorrow morning, and hopefully I could see you at night fall. If it is OK for you, I want to go to the funeral. After all, your parent was very nice to me and they cared about me like their own son.
Love,
Nathan
P.S: Mum has made you a magic-free sweater, hope you will like it.
I opened the package, it was a brown sweater. My mum used to send one to me every Christmas, but she wouldn't do it anymore. I sighed and put on the sweater, it was very warm. The letter "E" was branded in the left sleeve.
"It suits you," Sirius said. He had borrowed my Daily Prophet and was reading the first page.
"What about you? Don't you have home present?" I asked curiously.
"I've never received any. But always, I got a jacket or like you, a sweater, from the Potters." he answered. "And your boyfriend's coming back, right?"
"Nathan is not my boyfriend," I protested.
"Stop lying, you're blushing," he teased.
"No, I am not," I said.
"Oh, come on, that's understandable, he's burly, smart, and Qudditch Captain. James said he has got eight Owls."
"Nine, actually," I corrected, and helped myself with some sandwiches. "If you have finished reading the Prophet, I want to read it."
"No," he said and folded up the paper, "Trust me, you won't."
"Let me see it," I said, "Give it here."
He shook his head and took out his wand,
"Incendio."
"Wait!" I was too late, the Prophet was burned into ashes front of me, some first years gasped. "How could you do that? I—"
A black bird flew in with a red letter. I thought that was a raven, but no, it was a black owl. I had never seen it before. It dropped the red envelop front of me, but it was obviously not mine.
"Who sent you a Howler so early?" asked Sirius after he had cleaned the ashes on the table.
"That's not mine," I said, "It's yours."
Sirius glanced at it and was petrified as he saw the words "Sirius Black" on the envelop. "Do me a favour, won't you?"
"Open it yourself," I urged, and couldn't help smiling broadly at him, "C'mon, it'll be over in a few minutes. I promise I am not going to tell James Potter."
"Don't you dare," he muttered and slit open it. Sire Nicholas, the Gryffindor ghost who was happened to be talking with the first years, covered his ears with his hand. A second later, a shriek of a woman filled the huge hall, shaking dust from the ceiling.
"SIRIUS BLACK, I HAVE TOLD YOU TO COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, HAVEN'T I? I HAVE TOLD YOU HOW IMPORTANT THIS CHRISTMAS IS, HAVEN'T I? AND YOU HAVE NEVER CARED OF WHAT I AND YOUR FATHER TOLD YOU. THE MALFOYS ARE COMING TO OUR HOUSE, AND THE LESTRANGES AND YOUR COUSINS!"
Mrs. Black's yells was echoing in the hall, Professor Dumbledore had stopped his conversation with Professor McGonagall, and both of them were looking pitifully at Sirius. The Slytherins were kneeing on their chair, tried to get a clear view of Sirius being scolded.
"—TO SAY TO THEM ABOUT THE ELDER SON MISSING? THE MINISTER IS COMING TOO. YOU CAN NEVER BEHAVE LIKE YOUR BROTHER, CAN'T YOU? YOU DO KNOW WE HAVE GOT A VERY IMPORTANT GUEST THIS TIME, RIGHT? "
Nobody spoke while Mrs Black was yelling, the first and second years were terrified. Sirius mouthed to me, "Stop it."
"I don't know how," I mouthed back.
"HANGING AROUND WITH MUDBLOODS, BREAKING THE FAMILY RULES, EVEN BEING SORTED INTO THAT DAMN, BLOOD-MIXED GRYFFINDOR—"
"Silencio! Waddiwasi! Diffindo!" I pulled out my wand and said, but it didn't seem to work.
"Reducto!," Sirius said, "REDUCTO!"
The Howler exploded into ashes, but her voice was still echoing in the hall. The Slytherins were laughing their head off in their table. Filch, the care keeper, who hated James Potter and Sirius Black very much, was smirking. Even the Hufflepuffs hid their face as they were giggling.
"You've promised me not to tell James right?" Sirius asked.
"If only you stop calling Nathan's my boyfriend."
"Deal."
I spent the rest of the day with Sirius. We had a walk in the ground after that unforgettable breakfast. The winter sunlight shone on my skin as we were resting near the lake. I put off my shoes and socks and put my legs into the icy lake water. The professors did something to the water so it wouldn't freeze in winter.
Talking with Sirius was great; it was somehow like you were talking to an old friend. He was funny and caring. He kept avoiding talking about my parent. I even told him about my dreams.
"I doubt that was me," he said after listening to me patiently, "I mean, I am a lot charming than—"
"Hey," I said, "I am serious."
"Don't remind me, I'm Sirius too."
"What?" I frowned, "Oh, I see. That's funny, Sirius and serious."
He smiled, and the gentle sunlight fell on his face and he was really gorgeous. He just seemed to be the most satisfied statue of god with an angelic face. He filled the empty hole inside of me. I had dated some guys when I was in fourth years, and I had heard of his history, that he changed girlfriends monthly, but here, just he and I, it felt differently. Staring into his eyes, I suddenly had a strong passion to kiss him.
"No, you only know him for one day. "A voice said inside of me.
"Five years, logically," another voice said.
"Emily!You have to resist his charm!"
"Kiss him..."
"No!"
"Emily," someone said, "You're all right?"
I looked up, and swallowed. I really hated him when he gazed at me like this, it was like...pity.
"I'm great."
"You know, I've been thinking, maybe I should go to the funeral with you." he suggested, "It'll be—"
"I can definitely take care of myself."I said, "But I don't mind one more company."
"One more? Nathan's going?" he frowned.
I nodded. "He grew up with me."
Before Sirius could reply, a first year came hurriedly to us, "The Headmaster wished to see you."
"I'll meet back here then," Sirius said.
"Both of you," the first year added.