Hello there! Been a while hasn't it? I have been rather busy so I apologise. OK then.
So without much further ado:
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It was still dark outside when Harry woke up the next morning. It took a while for his eyes to adjust to the light, or lack thereof, before he could see the old grandfather clock in the room. It was still barely after five in the morning but he couldn't go back to sleep. He thought of waking Ron, who was still snoring peacefully but he didn't want to be murdered; so he snuck out of the room as quietly as he could. He hoped that Hermione was awake.
He crept slowly towards the bedroom she was sharing with Patricia. Opening the door slowly he saw that Hermione was still asleep. Instead, his eyes fell on the other girl in the room.
She hadn't noticed him. She stood at the window lost in thought; staring at something beyond the street outside with a look of such intense sadness that for an instant Harry felt as though he was intruding on something deeply private. He had no right to see this. He took a slow step backwards.
Creak. A loose floorboard betrayed him.
She turned to face him and their eyes met. He saw a flicker of shock pass over her face before she masked it with a smile.
G'Morning, she mouthed at him. Downstairs? She gestured.
He nodded. She tiptoed across the room and shut the door quietly. They made their way as quietly as they could to the kitchen.
A while later, they sat across the table; two cups of smoking hot chocolate in their hands.
"Thanks," Harry murmured gratefully.
She merely smiled in return. Harry wanted to ask her what she'd been thinking about when he'd seen her. But it's not really any of my business, he thought looking away.
"I just want to go home, that's all.." she whispered.
He choked on his chocolate and she hurried over patting his back.
"Sorry! Are you alright?"
"You can read minds?" he managed finally.
"Not really.. I'm a terrible Leglimens." she said, still eyeing him with concern. "I can only do it when the thought is particularly strong. And if I maintain eye contact."
"Oh."
She returned to her chair and picked up her mug again.
"Have you ever considered learning Occlumency? It comes in handy you know.."
"Hmm.." He took a sip from his mug.
"Leglimency is the ability to perceive others' thoughts and Occlumency is the counter-ability. It stops a Leglimens from penetrating your mind," she said matter-of-factly smiling at him.
"Was I that obvious?" he grinned.
"Same sheepish look your dad gives me when I say something that flies over his head. Basically happens whenever I try to explain to him how he can stop annoying Lily."
"Oh.." he managed to say. "Can I ask you something?"
"You just did. But I'll tell you what-" she glanced at the clock behind her. "You can ask me five questions more and I promise to answer them as truthfully as I can. Quickly then, before the others wake up."
Harry took a deep breath. "You're my dad's sister?"
She frowned. "Black told you that, didn't he? Remus is too much of a gentleman to go saying things without first taking my permission," she added seeing his face.
Harry didn't know what to say so decided that silence would be most prudent.
"Yes, I am" she said after a while "The Potters adopted me when I was 9. I've lived with them ever since. They are-" she paused "-easily the best thing that has ever happened to me. They accepted me the way I was. No questions asked. Actually, I think they took me in the first place because they suspected I was a witch.. "
"How?" Harry asked incredulously.
"Oh let's just say I was quite an interesting kid," she grinned. "I made things happen. Stupid things; nothing muggles would get too suspicious about. But things a magical family would notice.."
"Like what?" Harry asked curiously.
"Like turning your dad's hair orange," she smirked. "We were seven. He broke my doll. Didn't change back for 3 days."
Harry laughed.
He wished he could've asked his dad about that one. He wondered what he would've said. Would he have laughed too as Harry was laughing now? Would he have feigned mock outrage and fought with his sister? Or would he have told Harry this story himself when Harry had turned his own teacher's wig blue? It was questions like these that bothered him the most. Questions of what might have been.
He didn't realize how long they sat in silence. When he snapped out of it, Trish was still there sipping her chocolate. She was so easy to be around, he thought. Their silence wasn't uncomfortable. This was the silence you felt with friends; where you didn't need to say anything because they understood. Harry was grateful for it.
"Harry James Potter" she said at last. "I like it. It has a nice ring to it."
"As does Patricia...something Potter," he rejoined.
"Patricia Elizabeth Matthews," she replied. "I didn't change my last name. They didn't mind.."
"Why not?" Harry replied confused.
"Alliterations. Not my style. Like I said, they accepted me the way I was. And you better be careful that's four questions already.."
You can't be serious? He was about to blurt out but caught himself just in time. He thought he saw a smile flicker across her face but she disguised it as she took another sip. He weighed his options carefully.
"Ok. I've got one but I'm not sure whether I should ask it or not.."
"Shoot!" She turned to face him.
"Is there something between Sirius and you?" he said quickly.
She lowered the cup slowly and Harry saw a shadow pass over her face. For an instant he saw in her eyes the same pain he had seen earlier. Then the mask was back in place. He wanted to tell her she didn't need to answer but before he could –
"Honestly," she said looking away from him "I don't know the answer to that one myself."
They heard soft footsteps approaching. The door of the kitchen swung open and Lupin entered. He looked exhausted and he was still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. But a smile crossed his face as he looked from Harry to Patricia.
"Is that chocolate?" he asked giving her a long hug.
"Good morning to you too!"
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The others came down for breakfast by 7 by which time Lupin and Patricia had already made breakfast and sent some upstairs to Sirius' room. Ron and Hermione were sleepy but hungry.
"So Dumbledore should be here tonight," Lupin said tossing scrambled eggs into their plates. "The others arrive by noon tomorrow."
"Others?" Harry and Trish said together.
"Mum and the others," Ron replied. "I got to come early 'cause you were here."
"Lucky you," Harry grinned.
"Right then," Lupin interrupted "Now we're going to tell them that Trish is a distant niece of mine. We don't need too many questions asked. Keep the information to a minimum." He turned to Patricia "You can manage that can't you?"
"Spinning a clever web of deceit? Sure thing." She resumed munching her toast. Lupin smiled.
"Remus?" she asked as he rose to leave "Can we go out sometime later? I need to buy a few things. Seeing how I'm going to be stuck here for a while.."
"What kind of things?"
"Oh just things.. The kind a girl would need-"
"See you in the evening then" he said hurriedly. "Dumbledore will be here by 8 so I'll pick you up by 6?"
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It feels great to be outside, Patricia thought as she walked down the crowded street; Lupin at her side. She had spent the entire day cleaning the house with the others. More like waging a war, she thought. She was exhausted but the walk was refreshing. It was getting dark but the weather was brilliant and she loved the feel of the cool wind against her skin especially after being cooped up in that hell hole for so long.
She looked at Moony who was her escort for the evening.
He seems a bit on edge. Na, I'm being paranoid. Maybe it's near the full moon?
She stopped suddenly near the mouth of an alley.
"What's the matter?" Lupin asked looking at her worried.
"I saw something.." Her hand found her wand tucked in her pocket.
"We should keep moving," he looked around warily.
"What's wrong?"
"Why would anything be wrong?" he smiled at her
You always were a terrible liar, Moons..
"There it is again!"
"Patricia, NO!"
But she was already running down the narrow lane. Something had definitely moved; a shadow. She'd seen it twice. She heard Remus running behind her trying to catch up but she was much faster.
She stopped as they reached a dead end. He stopped behind her, panting heavily.
"Don't-ever-do-that-again!" he managed between breaths.
"Sorry, Moons. My bad. You alright?" She pat his arm soothingly.
"I'm not sixteen anymore." He stood up still breathing hard but she thought she saw the corner of his lips twitch. "And I was never the athletic type-"
CRACK!
Lupin spun around his wand drawn as Patricia pulled out her own. Four hooded figures stood before them; blocking their way out. The three in front were wearing masks; the figure behind them was larger and towered over them menacingly. They were trapped.
The colour drained from Remus' face but he recovered quickly.
"Evening," he said coolly stepping in front of Trish.
One of the figures stepped forward and drew his wand pointing it over Lupin's heart.
"Evenin, Wolf!"
The others laughed. Cold, cruel laughs. The large hooded figure shifted uncomfortably.
Lupin smiled. "Evening, Avery is it?"
I'll hold them off for as long as I can. Run! Patricia heard his voice in his mind as clearly as if he had said the words out loud.
No way in hell! Her grip on her wand tightened. Lupin sighed
"I really wouldn't run if I was you," the other man said as though he'd read their thoughts.
"We can give good chase.. Can't we?" he turned to the robed figure behind him. A fresh wave of laughter erupted.
"We would take great pleasure in it," a low voice growled.
Patricia felt a chill run down her spine at the sound. She saw Lupin's grip on his wand tighten so hard his knuckles were white.
"Greyback.." he whispered.
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That's it for now!
Till next time then :P
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