The authoress' hand darts out into the chapter. A reviewer spots it, cocks a gun, and shoots. The authoress darts her hand back just in time. "I need that!" she calls out in an aggrieved voice. "Or do you not want another chapter?"
Yes. I'm a shit. I don't update for about a month, and it's a crap update when I do. Apologies, m'darling reviewers. You all have been so patient. Good for ya.
Also: recap. Daphne Winter is a girl, Alice's friend. Anyways - there's about six chapters UNTIL THE END OF THIS STORY - joking, joking. Nine chapters until the end of sixth year, about three chapters on summertime, and then another thirty-something chapters for seventh year (which is a big, sexual-tensiony one.)
And woohoo! I've reached 100,000+ words, which is my new record!
Chapter Twenty-Three: The Death of Daphne Winter
Review Replies: YouCanCallMeSexy: I literally squeed when I saw this review. I think I've fallen in love with you too. *waves frantically* Also, I caught the reference in your name. XD. The Doctor's Wife is like, my favorite episode. Scratch that- it IS my favorite episode. Chloeryn: Dawwww, thank you soooo much! *hugs* Z-Aquarius-Kai: Oh. Poor, poor Daphne. I think you've already found out. :(. Ha, a lot of people say that about Marna. faeriemaiden96: because he's Sirius, and Sirius ims (in my story) is not nice. Like A Boss: Thank you for your three reviews! It took me a little while to think about what to get Remus, and I *guilty look* still haven't figured out what to get Annabel. Thanks! Maddaz a Hatter: Well, this chapter may be a bit anticlimatic, but I hope the next chapter will make up for it! clovetf: Thank you! Potterphileprincess: Yep. As of right now, mah main characters are hopelessly daft, but after this chapter, things start to pick up a bit. Also, about your Sirius and Annabel one - curiously enough, you're the second one that wants Annabel and Sirius to hook up, hahahahaha. I've actually got a bit of a plot for them, hopefully humorous. ellabellabee: There's only one chapter depicting winter break, and that's going to be a super-huge one with EVERYONE in it. Bah. You'll also find out about Noelle and Alice's background (though they're mostly made up). Surfing IS epic - I actually wanted to post this chapter on Christmas, but I couldn't finish it by then. Drat. Sorry! HGromanticsap: OMG CHAMELEON CIRCUIT WITH CHARRLLLIIIIEEEEEE. Curiously enough, I only discovered them about a week ago when I was watching Charlieissocoollike (he's adorable!) and now I've definitely got to check out that song XD. Thanks! And Doomsday- BE STILL MY HEART. Hi: Haha. I like to read those stories sometimes, and I actually have a story like that -le wince- but I try not to read it. Maybe someday I'll work it over. strukkfirst: Haha, yes. Something to do with sunset or orange...or maybe both. And romance is in the air, mi amor! Never mind that I have no idea what that means. XD. And mm, you've just given me an idea! Hellfire Putten Ninja: LOL ROFL. No fighting, though. Grand idea, though. CrazilyObsessed: How sweet of you! Personally, my favorite color is purple, but my friend's favorite color is orange and she described it perfectly for me in sweeping words. Thanks! Anxiously-awaiting: Updating, updating...gosh, maybe I should change it to Romance/Drama, but i like humor. XD. Dark Fire Pixie: I need to start listening to my reviewers and actually update. Whooopss. Nizuna Fujieda: Updating...updating...:D Thanks for the review! WentToManderleyAgain: Hey Em, are you alright? Just checking. *hugs*
Before Dawn (The Night is Darkest)
Plot: Annabel: sixth year. She's made to be partners with Remus for this stupid Herbology project, and in turn, they become friends. Petty drama, this guy named Blake that Lily is just in love with (He's a real prat, that one) and her friends, Noelle and Alice already in drama, it's no wonder her life is messed up! And there's something on the loose, a big something.
And it's attacking the sixth years.
Quote: Girls are like M&Ms. They're different colors on the outside, but on the inside, they're the same. ~KevJumba
"Sing for us, Annabel!"
"No fucking way."
Annabel crossed her arms tightly across her chest and glowered at the grinning, black-haired marauder whom Noelle was ignoring. "Don't be an idiot, Black. I can't sing worth a whit."
"Believe us, she can't," muttered Alice. "Everytime she gets in the shower I swear the tree outside our window dies a bit."
"Shut up!" Annabel said, blushing furiously. "I don't sing that bad."
"You sing like a banshee."
"Sheesh, what is this, gang up on Annabel day?"
"Well, we could make it today if you want it to be."
Annabel felt annoyance well up in her and she ground her teeth; annoyed. But however, they didn't seem to notice, jibing at her and laughing. Even Lily was telling stories about Annabel, about how one day Annabel had turned her own hair blonde and how strange it looked. Noelle had joined in as well.
"Stop it!" yelled Annabel, finding that she was on her feet.
Silence.
"Merlin," growled out Annabel before storming out of the compartment.
Lily looked at Noelle, who had a similarly blank expression on her face. "What did we do?" asked Lily, and Noelle shrugged. "Ridiculous," muttered Lily with an annoyed look. "Sometimes, I just don't get her."
Noelle looked at her. "You're not going to go after her?"
"No point," admitted Lily.
"Good friend, aren't you?" said James, his eyes slightly narrowed.
Lily looked at him askance. "Yes, I am, Potter. Don't give me that condescending look."
"Well, all I'm saying is that if you were a good friend, you'd be running after her."
"And I suppose that's what you'd be doing if Black went off in a fit?"
"No, but that's because Sirius would punch me."
"And how do you know that Annabel won't?"
"Because she's Annabel."
That threw Lily off a bit; she sputtered and looked around helplessly for someone to save her. "Jackass," she managed.
"Really?"
For a fleeting second, James looked almost disappointed. Lily huffed, stood up, and stormed away as well.
"Where's she going?" asked Peter. "To Annabel?"
"Nope," said Noelle with a hefty sigh. "To Blake."
"Open the door, Annabel, I know you're in there."
Annabel curled her arms around her knees and scowled.
There was a splintering noise, a muttered enchantment, and the door to the loo flung open. Remus stood there, rather disheveled and sexy-looking.
Annabel shook her head. Get your mind outta the gutter, she told herself. "You're in the girl's loo," she stammered out.
Remus looked around. "I suppose I am."
"Get out of the girl's loo."
"Ah, I'd rather not."
"Pervert."
"Not in the least."
A bit confused, Annabel stared at him before standing up and brushing off her jeans. "I'm just pissed," she said. "Not furiously angry."
"Right."
Remus brushed a lock of brown-gold hair out of his eyes. "Tell me, Annabel, do you ever feel alone?"
She looked up, her eyes slightly watery and angry. "What the hell kinda question is that?"
He kicked the door shut behind them. "It's a serious one."
Annabel gaped like a fish, her mouth opening and closing before she went to sit next to Remus. It was a cramped loo, the sink and toilet touching, but she wasn't about to stay on the toilet. Her arm touched his and she blushed a bit. "Well, Mr. Serious," she teased. "I have plenty of friends. I'm not some kinda loser."
"I didn't ask that," said a slightly irked-looking Remus. "I asked if you ever felt alone."
Annabel shrugged. "Friends, alone, it's all the same for me."
The train chugged under their feet. It was queit in the loo. Annabel wondered idly where David was at, and then realized that she really didn't know. Then she remembered she had a present for Remus.
"I-I have a present for you," she said awkwardly, and when he looked at her, she smiled. "For Christmas."
"Oh." His brow furrowed. "Yes, I do too."
"Heh." Annabel wanted to reach for his hand, but then she remembered – she had a boyfriend and he, a girlfriend. A girlfriend that was currently blue. "Remus—"
Just then, there was a horrified scream.
"Rhenni!" shouted Remus.
She was blue; bluer than death, and staring up at the sky. Annabel clapped a hand over her mouth. They, having heard the scream, ran out of the loo and saw a girl a few feet away from them. Although she was blue, they both had no trouble recognizing her.
"This isn't fair!" shouted Annabel towards the sky. People glanced at her, but she ignored them and slumped against the wall, one hand covering her eyes. "Why?" She looked around, and saw a sly smile cross a woman's face as she disappeared into a compartment.
Professor Feibe.
Something in her wondered why Professor Feibe was on the train; the other didn't care. That part of her that didn't care was boiling in rage. She was the cause of all of this – Annabel knew it.
Suddenly, memories surfaced in her and she shouted in pain. She was flying; flying high. Into the blue sky. Which was strange, because Annabel was deathly afraid of heights. Then there was a flash of blue light and she was falling –
"ANNABEL!"
A stinging slap, and she was back, blinking up at her friends. "Ouch," she said, more aggrieved than hurt. "What the hell was that for?" Alice was rubbing her knuckles idly. "Ouch, Alice." She stood up. "Where's Remus?"
"Nowhere," said Noelle, and then winced. "I mean, he's with Sir-Black."
"Oh."
In a blur of motion, Annabel stood up and raced her way towards the door. Lily exclaimed and stepped in her way. "Are you an idiot?" asked Lily.
"No," said Annabel, trying to sidestep.
"Well, you bloody are acting like one right now."
"But he's—"
"With his friends," finished Alice. "And Annabel, that's where he ought to be. I know you'd hate to think it, but you aren't his only friend."
"Shut up," snapped Annabel.
"Anna—"
"You're right and I know it, but shut up."
She shut up.
"Eat some chocolate. It'll help."
"What? I haven't been kissed by a dementor, you lot!"
"Moony, mate," said James. "She's fine."
"She's gone. Rhenni's gone."
"She'll be back; as soon as Madam Pomfrey finds the cure—"
"But what if she doesn't find the cure, Prongs?" Remus lifted distraught eyes towards James. "What if? Then Marna and Rhenni and Fauna are all gone."
"Who's Fauna?" wondered Peter, whilst Sirius rolled his eyes and strolled over to Remus.
"Remus Lupin, you are going to shut up, take that pole out of your arse and think about this sensibly. How long has—"
Suddenly, Sirius fell short. "Wolf," he growled in a voice quite unlike Sirius. "Shut the door and close the blinds."
Startled out of his shock, Peter complied.
Sirius fell to his knees, seamlessly transforming into Padfoot. The shaggy black dog was erect from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail, the black moist nose twitching. Slowly, he walked around in a circle and to the door and back. Then Sirius was back, looking grim indeed.
"It was as I thought," Sirius said. "Wolf."
Everyone looked at Remus except for Sirius.
"Not me!" said Remus.
"It's not him," Sirius said. "I know the smell of bunny rabbit Remus. It was something unlike any wolf I've ever smelled."
"But you were human when you smelled it, Padfoot," said James. "How'd you smell it?"
At this, Sirius looked a bit sheepish. "Well, I was turning a bit doggish to make Remmy laugh, but then I caught the scent. It was...strange. Colorful. I would tell Peter to turn into a rat and smell it, but even as it is the scent is very faint."
"Shut up," said James.
"What?" An expression of shock crossed Sirius' face. "I'm in the middle of—I love eclairs, they're delightfully creamy."
This subject change was very strange except for the fact that three girls had just entered the compartment, and they were not Lily, Noelle or Alice. Instead, one was very tall and very thin, with a mane of brown hair that literally fell past her waist. Another had short-cropped dyed-green hair and the last was cast in the tall girl's shadow and was wearing a dark hood.
"Who the hell are you?" asked Sirius.
"Dani," said the tall girl.
"Betty," said the green-haired girl.
The last girl said nothing.
"And why the hell are you here?" continued Sirius.
"We've heard of you," started Dani.
"And we don't like you," continued Betty.
"You've got a reputation."
"And we don't like it when people upstage us."
"Do you even go to Hogwarts?" Peter yelped.
"Yes, we do."
Remus' eyes had skimmed over them silently, taking in everything. "Hufflepuffs," he said. "You forgot to change out of your robes. You're all Hufflepuffs."
"Except me," said the last girl finally and stepped into the light.
It was like revealing an angel.
First was a glint of purple and then the girl's hood slid off to reveal a strikingly pretty face. Deep blue eyes were prominent in a perfectly proportioned face with long, perfect silky dark brown hair in perfect curls. A flash of white as she smiled disarmingly with even teeth. Each freckle in the tiny scattering across her nose seemed to be perfectly shaped. As she moved, her black robe rippled to reveal a purple silk lining.
Everyone was dumbstruck.
Peter, to his credit, recovered the fastest. "Ravenclaw, then?" he asked. "You don't look Slytherin."
"Yes, Ravenclaw," said the girl amusedly.
"Remus, I'm sorry it took me a while but—oh, who's this?"
Annabel stumbled into the compartment and took in the three girls. Her light brown hair, already messy from her fall, looked positively frizzy in comparison to the gorgeous girl's, and besides her, Annabel looked like a monster. Sirius, who would've flirted a bit, gave Annabel a dizzy nod and smiled at the pretty girl.
"Betty," said Betty.
"Dani," said Dani with the sigh of one that had long done this before.
The last girl said nothing, as before. She was possibly the most beautiful person Remus had ever seen and angelic. There was something just too perfect about her, and it frightened Remus. Annabel looked at the last girl questioningly, but then turned to Remus. "Remus—are you—"
"I feel like shit," Remus pronounced clearly.
"Oh," said a confused Annabel, and then her blue-gray eyes softened. "Oh, okay. I'm—I'm sorry. Remus, I—"
Before she could finish her sentence, the train lurched to a stop and she stumbled. When she stood back up, her face was a vivid pink.
"Yes?" asked Remus.
"Nothing," said Annabel, blushing. "I—nothing." Blushing even redder, she turned away and fairly scampered
Remus turned to the rest of the boys, who were all sniggering. "What?" he asked. "What did I do?"
"Nothing, mate," said Sirius.
"Yes," said the last girl, smiling gorgeously. "Nothing at all."
"I never caught your name," James said.
Her sapphire-colored eyes sparkled. "Farrah," she said. "My name is Farrah."
And then she glided out of the compartment.
"Dad!"
Annabel fairly threw herself at her dad. "Gosh, where's Mum?" she asked.
"Working," said her father. "That's your mum for you."
"Tchah," laughed Annabel.
Her father laughed as well, running a hand through his thinning, graying hair that had once been the same color as Annabel's. She and her father shared some features, like their eyes and their hair, but everyone compared Annabel to her mum. Which was warranted.
"There's so much to tell you," Annabel said excitedly, waving at Lily, who waved back before disappearing into the crowd. "There's been so much excitement at school..." Her enthusiasm faltered. "And not all of it is good."
"I see," said her father. "Tell me about it on the way back home."
"Alice?"
Daphne's trembly voice caught Alice's attention. She plastered a smile on her face, giving Frank a quick kiss, and then headed towards her friend. "Hey, Daphne," she said cheerfully, and then her fake smile faded away when she saw her friend's worried face.
Daphne was nervous.
Very, very nervous.
"I—I need to talk to you," Daphne said, twisting the bottom of her oversized t-shirt in her hands. It was already wrinkly.
"Sure."
"In—in private."
"Oh." Alice's eyebrows drew together. "Oh...okay."
Daphne took a deep breath. "It's Professor Feibe."
"What?" asked Alice.
"It's Professor Feibe, Alice."
"What?" asked Alice again, utterly bewildered. "Daphne, you aren't making any sense!"
"She knows," Daphne said. "She knows and she will kill me. I—I'm sorry."
"What?" babbled Alice, sounding like something set on repeat.
Daphne leaned forward. "She's the one who turned all of those people blue, Alice. And yet—she's not Professor Feibe."
"You aren't making any sense, Daphne." Now Alice sounded completely like a repeating doll.
Daphne winced, and grabbed at her stomach. She retched once, twice, and then collapsed on the floor, heaving dry air.
"Daphne!" shrieked Alice. For a moment, tears blurred her eyes and she thought that she saw Daphne's hair moving. "Daphne, please!"
Daphne retched some more and gasped out between choking breaths, "Annabel."
And then she collapsed.
Her eyes fluttered closed.
"Daphne!" yelled Alice. "Someone! Help!" When people came, they saw that the girl was clinging to the limp, lifeless form of another girl. What they didn't see was a dark winding thing trailing on the ground towards the doorway.
"Alice, let go."
It was Frank.
"Alice, let go."
She let go.
Frank was carrying her, warm against him, and she was gasping for air, crying helplessly. "She died right in front of me," Alice said. "She—she just died."
"I know, love, I know."
However, Alice couldn't understand.
Annabel?
Inside Alice's mind, a seed of distrust was sowed.
"Hush, my child," crooned Farrah to her hand. Her friends, Betty and Dani, had gone out to fetch her trunks alongside Cowell and Veckie. In her pale, fair hand was curled a dark, slimy thing. "My child."
Her voice soothed the thing and it subsided squirming.
"I know that the girl resisted, I know..."
"I haven't forgotten," said Sirius.
They hadn't yet heard of Daphne, or they wouldn't be so calm. Over the noisy hubbub of the people, they could hardly hear anything, even the anguished screams of Alice.
"Haven't forgotten what?" asked James, who was thinking of his sketchbook and charcoal. His hands were itching to draw.
"I haven't forgotten that wolf-scent," Sirius said seriously. "James—"
At this, James looked up.
"James, the scent was coming from her."
"Who?"
"The pretty girl. Fanny, Fairy...Hannah? Farrah!" Sirius nodded. "Yes. The scent was coming from Fannah."
Right. And that is where the crappy chapter ends. Sorry!
Review?