Chapter Nine
Confessions
Rachel, Ranjana, and Chaser were siting around a small round table, sipping cups of hot chocolate, when something started scratching on the door.
Chaser frowned and walked to the door. "Morwen?"
Rachel looked up from her mug. "What?"
"Is this your dog?" Chaser asked.
Rachel looked past Chaser, where Sirius was sitting, doing a perfect impression of a perfectly behaved pet. Rachel nodded. "His name's Snuffles," she said. "My mom's going to have a fit. He's not supposed to leave the house. Can he come in? I'd hate for him to wander off..."
"Aren't your parents worried about you?" Ranjana asked, staring coldly at Rachel. Chaser opened the door wider and Sirius walked in and sat down by Rachel.
Rachel shrugged. "I told my mom a friend had invited me over to a sleepover. She was so thrilled that I found a friend that she just told me to be back in the morning." Rachel looked out of the window and stiffened. "The moon's gone."
Sirius nodded, although only Rachel noticed this. Ranjana stood up slowly. "Oh, please let it be Terry McClosh..." she muttered as she headed down the stairs.
"Is that why you wanted to catch that werewolf?" Rachel asked, frowning. "I thought you said it was to clear Remus's name,"
"I have several reasons," Ranjana's tone made it clear that the subject was closed. "None of which I am willing to share with you," she sneared.
Rachel sighed and walked on behind Ranjana. Who was it? Berwyn? Terry McClosh? Cuimín Snape? Someone they weren't expecting at all?
"Lumos!" Chaser muttered. The tip of his wand lit up, illuminating the room, from the black floor to the dark stone walls, from the steel bars of the prison to the person sitting inside it. The person, a woman, raised her head slowly up to look at Ranjana, Chaser, and Rachel.
"Sophie Deattle?" Ranjana was dumbstruck. The friendly, cheerful aura that seemed to hang around Sophie, composed of tacky, overlarge clothing and choking perfume, was gone.
Rachel winced. Stupid... she was so stupid! Everything she had asked about the other villagers, all her information, had been from Sophie! And she never did bother to find out why she never went near the inn, or went to the dance when the muggles where there, or go anywhere near the east side...
"Sophie?" Rachel asked, slumping.
"You caught me, Morwen," Sophie said. She sounded resigned and bitter.
"My name is Rachel, not Morwen. I'm a muggle," Rachel said.
Sophie's reaction at these words were incredible. Sophie leapt up, her hands clenched into fists, fire burning in her eyes and her teeth bared, looking more like a wolf then Remus or Samantha ever did. "What?" she demanded.
"What?" Chaser asked, echoing Sophie.
Ranjana just shrugged. "You have a brother or a sister at Hogwarts?" she asked, like it was the most natural thing in the world for a muggle to blend in perfectly in the wizarding world.
"No, I'm just smart." Rachel snapped, then turned back to Sophie, who now did not look at all friendly. "Why were you attacking the muggles?"
Ranjana gave a hallow laugh. "Why shouldn't she? The muggles were partially responsible for her brother's death, didn't you know?"
Rachel stared at Ranjana. "No..." Stupid! Rachel screamed at herself. Sophie would have known that I was trying to find the werewolf after asking all about Cuimín and Berwyn, and all the other townspeople! Of course she didn't give me information about her own personal grudge... she always played the part of the sweet fairy godmother come to make me a princess at the ball...
"Partially responsible, my foot," Sophie muttered, her chunky face curved into a sneer that did not at all suit her.
Sirius barked at Chaser. It sounded like a warning. "Why? What happened?" Rachel asked. "And don't even try a memory charm, Chaser. I'm one of the only witnesses you have, muggle or not."
Chaser lowered his wand and glared at the dog. "Smart pet," he muttered.
"Very," Rachel said, pushing her glasses up her nose.
"Well, if Remus's name is cleared and the werewolf is taken care of, I'm off," Ranjana said, glancing around the dingy room in discust.
"By all means," Chaser said. Ranjana marched off.
Sophie crossed her plump arms and stared off into the darkness. "If you want a story, go to the library, muggle."
"I think you'd better go," Chaser said. "I'll handle her on my own."
"A few questions, first," Rachel asked, putting her hands on her hips, her haystack hair sticking out defiantly.
"Later," Chaser said. "You can go. Now."
Sirius looked at her and jerked his head towards the door. Rachel hesitated once, then left the house.
"Samantha and Remus are themselves again," Sirius said once they were walking down the dark, deserted streets, Rachel clutching her broomstick. "And I have to go. I need to be at Hogwarts pretty soon. Harry needs me,"
"Harry?" Rachel asked, closing her eyes for a moment. All of a sudden she seemed so tired...
"Harry Potter. My godson." Sirius said. "You do know who Harry Potter is, don't you?"
Rachel nodded. "I think I've read about him in some book or another. Didn't he vanquish some evil wizard or something like that? He's a bit younger then me?"
Sirius nodded. "I have to get to Hogwarts, or at least Hogsmeade."
Rachel yawned. "I was wondering, what do they teach at Hogwarts? I never got around to asking that..."
Sirius smiled a bit. "Oh, transformation, potions, charms, divination, study of ancient runes, arithmacy, muggle studies..."
"Muggle studies?" Rachel asked, suddenly grinning. "You don't have to be a witch to teach that class, do you?"
Sirius laughed. "You'll have to write the headmaster. Dumbledore would probably let you in. We're here," He stopped in front of Samantha's house. Rachel had been too tired to notice she was here.
Remus was waiting out in front, practically asleep. "Remus?" Sirius called quietly.
Remus jerked up. "Sirius? Who is it? Who's the werewolf? Am I cleared?"
"You're cleared," Rachel said.
"It was a woman by the name of Sophie Deattle," Sirius added.
"You have got to be kidding. Sophie?! A werewolf? What about Berwyn? And Cuimín?" Remus stood up and almost fell over. Sirius ran up the porch steps and helped Remus up. "Thanks, Padfoot,"
"No problem, Moony," Sirius said.
"Berwyn's story is apperently true. He was out of town during the full moon. And as for Cuimín... he's got a grudge against you. That's all I can think of. Ranjana didn't tell me why she really wanted to catch the werewolf. I'll try to find out later," Rachel said. Whether or not Remus really heard her, she wasn't sure. He looked like he was going to pass out. "Are you alright?"
"Fine," he muttered. "Did Sophie say why...?"
"She said to look in the library, and that she wasn't going to tell a muggle anything," Rachel said.
Remus was silent for a moment. "I'll tell Samantha in the morning. She couldn't stay up. Fell asleep on the floor the moment we got here. I... I'll be going home now,"
"I have to leave tomorrow," Sirius said. "Sure you'll be alright without me, Moony?"
Remus nodded and staggered off the porch. "You'd better be getting home, Rachel,"
Rachel nodded. She'd just have to tell her mother that she had to leave early morning from the sleepover... her mother always did sleep in... "I'll try and find out what happened at the West Side library tomorrow,"
Remus didn't seem to here. Sirius helped him walk down the street, and Rachel headed for home.
* * *
As it turned out, Sophie did have a reason for hating muggles. Rachel mentally hit herself from getting all her information from one source once more as she scanned the newspaper article she was holding, dated five years back. Sophie's brother had been hit by a car, and the muggles insisted on taking him to one of their hospitals, where he died. There wasn't much to the article, and Rachel could see why Sophie would be bitter about it. Sophie never did tell when she'd been bitten, or why she chose these past few months to attack the town.
Perhaps I'll never know, Rachel thought as she sat alone on the table. Remus's name had been cleared, yesterday, publicly, and Chaser had assured her that he wouldn't tell a soul she was a muggle.
All in all, things looked pretty good...
Confessions
Rachel, Ranjana, and Chaser were siting around a small round table, sipping cups of hot chocolate, when something started scratching on the door.
Chaser frowned and walked to the door. "Morwen?"
Rachel looked up from her mug. "What?"
"Is this your dog?" Chaser asked.
Rachel looked past Chaser, where Sirius was sitting, doing a perfect impression of a perfectly behaved pet. Rachel nodded. "His name's Snuffles," she said. "My mom's going to have a fit. He's not supposed to leave the house. Can he come in? I'd hate for him to wander off..."
"Aren't your parents worried about you?" Ranjana asked, staring coldly at Rachel. Chaser opened the door wider and Sirius walked in and sat down by Rachel.
Rachel shrugged. "I told my mom a friend had invited me over to a sleepover. She was so thrilled that I found a friend that she just told me to be back in the morning." Rachel looked out of the window and stiffened. "The moon's gone."
Sirius nodded, although only Rachel noticed this. Ranjana stood up slowly. "Oh, please let it be Terry McClosh..." she muttered as she headed down the stairs.
"Is that why you wanted to catch that werewolf?" Rachel asked, frowning. "I thought you said it was to clear Remus's name,"
"I have several reasons," Ranjana's tone made it clear that the subject was closed. "None of which I am willing to share with you," she sneared.
Rachel sighed and walked on behind Ranjana. Who was it? Berwyn? Terry McClosh? Cuimín Snape? Someone they weren't expecting at all?
"Lumos!" Chaser muttered. The tip of his wand lit up, illuminating the room, from the black floor to the dark stone walls, from the steel bars of the prison to the person sitting inside it. The person, a woman, raised her head slowly up to look at Ranjana, Chaser, and Rachel.
"Sophie Deattle?" Ranjana was dumbstruck. The friendly, cheerful aura that seemed to hang around Sophie, composed of tacky, overlarge clothing and choking perfume, was gone.
Rachel winced. Stupid... she was so stupid! Everything she had asked about the other villagers, all her information, had been from Sophie! And she never did bother to find out why she never went near the inn, or went to the dance when the muggles where there, or go anywhere near the east side...
"Sophie?" Rachel asked, slumping.
"You caught me, Morwen," Sophie said. She sounded resigned and bitter.
"My name is Rachel, not Morwen. I'm a muggle," Rachel said.
Sophie's reaction at these words were incredible. Sophie leapt up, her hands clenched into fists, fire burning in her eyes and her teeth bared, looking more like a wolf then Remus or Samantha ever did. "What?" she demanded.
"What?" Chaser asked, echoing Sophie.
Ranjana just shrugged. "You have a brother or a sister at Hogwarts?" she asked, like it was the most natural thing in the world for a muggle to blend in perfectly in the wizarding world.
"No, I'm just smart." Rachel snapped, then turned back to Sophie, who now did not look at all friendly. "Why were you attacking the muggles?"
Ranjana gave a hallow laugh. "Why shouldn't she? The muggles were partially responsible for her brother's death, didn't you know?"
Rachel stared at Ranjana. "No..." Stupid! Rachel screamed at herself. Sophie would have known that I was trying to find the werewolf after asking all about Cuimín and Berwyn, and all the other townspeople! Of course she didn't give me information about her own personal grudge... she always played the part of the sweet fairy godmother come to make me a princess at the ball...
"Partially responsible, my foot," Sophie muttered, her chunky face curved into a sneer that did not at all suit her.
Sirius barked at Chaser. It sounded like a warning. "Why? What happened?" Rachel asked. "And don't even try a memory charm, Chaser. I'm one of the only witnesses you have, muggle or not."
Chaser lowered his wand and glared at the dog. "Smart pet," he muttered.
"Very," Rachel said, pushing her glasses up her nose.
"Well, if Remus's name is cleared and the werewolf is taken care of, I'm off," Ranjana said, glancing around the dingy room in discust.
"By all means," Chaser said. Ranjana marched off.
Sophie crossed her plump arms and stared off into the darkness. "If you want a story, go to the library, muggle."
"I think you'd better go," Chaser said. "I'll handle her on my own."
"A few questions, first," Rachel asked, putting her hands on her hips, her haystack hair sticking out defiantly.
"Later," Chaser said. "You can go. Now."
Sirius looked at her and jerked his head towards the door. Rachel hesitated once, then left the house.
"Samantha and Remus are themselves again," Sirius said once they were walking down the dark, deserted streets, Rachel clutching her broomstick. "And I have to go. I need to be at Hogwarts pretty soon. Harry needs me,"
"Harry?" Rachel asked, closing her eyes for a moment. All of a sudden she seemed so tired...
"Harry Potter. My godson." Sirius said. "You do know who Harry Potter is, don't you?"
Rachel nodded. "I think I've read about him in some book or another. Didn't he vanquish some evil wizard or something like that? He's a bit younger then me?"
Sirius nodded. "I have to get to Hogwarts, or at least Hogsmeade."
Rachel yawned. "I was wondering, what do they teach at Hogwarts? I never got around to asking that..."
Sirius smiled a bit. "Oh, transformation, potions, charms, divination, study of ancient runes, arithmacy, muggle studies..."
"Muggle studies?" Rachel asked, suddenly grinning. "You don't have to be a witch to teach that class, do you?"
Sirius laughed. "You'll have to write the headmaster. Dumbledore would probably let you in. We're here," He stopped in front of Samantha's house. Rachel had been too tired to notice she was here.
Remus was waiting out in front, practically asleep. "Remus?" Sirius called quietly.
Remus jerked up. "Sirius? Who is it? Who's the werewolf? Am I cleared?"
"You're cleared," Rachel said.
"It was a woman by the name of Sophie Deattle," Sirius added.
"You have got to be kidding. Sophie?! A werewolf? What about Berwyn? And Cuimín?" Remus stood up and almost fell over. Sirius ran up the porch steps and helped Remus up. "Thanks, Padfoot,"
"No problem, Moony," Sirius said.
"Berwyn's story is apperently true. He was out of town during the full moon. And as for Cuimín... he's got a grudge against you. That's all I can think of. Ranjana didn't tell me why she really wanted to catch the werewolf. I'll try to find out later," Rachel said. Whether or not Remus really heard her, she wasn't sure. He looked like he was going to pass out. "Are you alright?"
"Fine," he muttered. "Did Sophie say why...?"
"She said to look in the library, and that she wasn't going to tell a muggle anything," Rachel said.
Remus was silent for a moment. "I'll tell Samantha in the morning. She couldn't stay up. Fell asleep on the floor the moment we got here. I... I'll be going home now,"
"I have to leave tomorrow," Sirius said. "Sure you'll be alright without me, Moony?"
Remus nodded and staggered off the porch. "You'd better be getting home, Rachel,"
Rachel nodded. She'd just have to tell her mother that she had to leave early morning from the sleepover... her mother always did sleep in... "I'll try and find out what happened at the West Side library tomorrow,"
Remus didn't seem to here. Sirius helped him walk down the street, and Rachel headed for home.
* * *
As it turned out, Sophie did have a reason for hating muggles. Rachel mentally hit herself from getting all her information from one source once more as she scanned the newspaper article she was holding, dated five years back. Sophie's brother had been hit by a car, and the muggles insisted on taking him to one of their hospitals, where he died. There wasn't much to the article, and Rachel could see why Sophie would be bitter about it. Sophie never did tell when she'd been bitten, or why she chose these past few months to attack the town.
Perhaps I'll never know, Rachel thought as she sat alone on the table. Remus's name had been cleared, yesterday, publicly, and Chaser had assured her that he wouldn't tell a soul she was a muggle.
All in all, things looked pretty good...
