Chapter 24: Lifeless Words Carry On
May 1994
While George had opted to stay back at the castle with Maggie (his girlfriend), Harry, Ron, Hermione, Haley, and Fred just finished witnessing Buckbeak's execution.
Not even five minutes after the tragic display, the younger Weasley took off after his rat (which had escaped from his hands after biting him).
"Ron, where are you going?" Hermione called out for him, confused.
"I told you we shouldn't have come out here," Haley berated her brother, having originally tried stopping him from seeing such a horrific thing.
"Then we wouldn't have seen that amazing punch," Fred complimented Hermione's blow against Draco.
"And I wouldn't have to hear it from Amaryllis all night in return," she complained, knowing her friend would be more than displeased when she heard that Haley did nothing to protect her brother.
"I didn't think about that," the twin confessed, feeling a bit bad for her.
"Of course not," she shook her head, watching as Harry set off after his two friends. "We best follow them."
Fred nodded in agreement, thereafter following her as she ran towards the trio.
"Run!" the two heard Ron shout once they reached the thirteen year olds. "It's the grim!" he pointed behind where they stood.
The quartet quickly turned their heads at that, afterwards taking notice to the large, black dog. And before anyone could act, it leapt over them and started running towards the Whomping Willow.
"Ron!" Fred was the first to take action. He chased after his brother once the beast began dragging him into the magic tree.
"Fred!" Haley yelled after he'd vanished into the willow along with Ron, Scabbers, and the dog.
She, like Harry and Hermione, tried entering as well, only to be violently swatted away.
"Wait," the sixteen year old stopped the younger Gryffindors when they tried perusing the violent plant once more. "I know a spell that will temporarily petrify it," she informed them, afterwards casting said incantation.
"I should have thought of that," Hermione scolded herself.
"Come on," Harry didn't want to waste any more time. "We need to get Ron and Fred out of there."
Feeling the same, both girls joined the raven haired boy and made their way into the Shrieking Shack.
…
Fifteen Minutes Later
"Give Sirius a chance to explain," Remus pleaded with Harry as he'd been all too keen to keep on attacking him.
"Why should he?" Haley desired to know.
"He isn't who you believe him to be," the professor tried convincing the siblings and Severus (who was completely on Harry's side with wanting to kill Black).
"I'll leave it up to my brother," Haley decided, unsure of what to do. She glanced over at Fred who appeared torn between caring for Ron's leg and watching the dramatic scene in front of him.
"Fine," Harry wanted to hear whatever story Sirius had to tell.
"You do not have to listen to Black," Snape said the name with much venom. "He hardly deserves your attention," he told him, his wand still directed at Sirius.
"I should hear this," Harry replied, his mind made.
Hesitantly, Severus lowered his defenses.
"Go on, then," Haley told the deranged looking man.
"This should be interesting," Hermione thought to herself as the long awaited conversation finally began.
...
Thirty Minutes Later
"Leave him!" Haley sternly advised as Harry tried recapturing Peter Pettigrew.
"Do you not remember who he is?" he looked at his sister as if she'd gone mental.
"Of course I do," she glared at him, offended. "But we have something much bigger on our hands at the moment," Haley directed his attention towards the transforming Remus Lupin.
"Stay back," Sirius told the teens before taking to his animagus form.
"Sirius!" his godson shouted out after watching Lupin (the now, werewolf) knock him down.
"Don't!" Haley pulled her brother back after he tried getting in the middle of the fight.
"I can't just stand here!" Harry frantically pleaded with her.
Remus lashed out at Sirius once more, causing him to fight against Haley's hold with everything he had. Almost getting away, Severus held onto Harry as well, keeping him out of harm's path.
"Hermione!" they all yelled after her as she began approaching the two canines, unable to watch Sirius be beaten anymore.
Haley tried going after her, only to have Fred keep her from doing so. Ron couldn't move due to his leg and Harry was being kept in place by her father.
"Look out!" she warned the other girl as Lupin began heading her way.
Just then, a howl could be heard sounding out from within the Forbidden Forest.
As the professor fled, responding to the call, Sirius stumbled off in the opposite direction, wounded badly.
"Harry, it's not safe, we need to get back to the castle," Haley informed him once he tried going after his godfather.
"He's hurt," he pointed out, trying to remain calm. "We can't leave him," Harry used his eyes to her disadvantage, forcing Haley to relent.
"Alright," she said, albeit reluctantly.
"Wait," Fred stopped them, "where's Hermione?"
"She must've gone after Sirius," Haley provided the only logical explanation.
"Something's not right," Ron spoke up; feeling uneasy.
He was right. The night seemed too quiet…and cold.
"Haley," Severus turned to his daughter, having his suspicions. "Return the others to Hogwarts," he said as more of a demand than a request.
"But-" Harry tried protesting this.
"Mr. Weasley," the potion's master cut him off, knowing there was little time. "Help her in doing so."
Fred knew exactly what he meant by that.
"Harry, look at me," Haley felt bad for what was about to take place, but she knew it was necessary.
"What?" he faced her, his patience long gone.
"I'm sorry."
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Fred caught Harry before he hit the ground.
"I'll help Ron," Haley decided, "You carry him."
Her best friend merely nodded in agreement, not liking the situation they were all in.
"What about Hermione?" Ron needed to know. He understood why they had petrified Harry, but couldn't comprehend why they would leave her.
"I shall go find Miss Granger," Severus let the group know. "Now leave," he spoke in a manner that caused them all to start walking.
…
An Hour Later
"I'm going to stay here with Fred," Haley told her father as he had been about to leave the hospital wing.
"Alright, child," he was tired and wanted nothing more than to retreat to his quarters.
After finding Miss Granger lying unconscious near the lake, he'd carried her to the infirmary. Remus, he assumed, was most likely still out in the forest, and Black…well, quite curiously the man was nowhere to be found.
"Is it okay if I stop by tonight?" she asked.
Severus knew what the question truly meant. The girl wished to spend the night in her room.
"Is it?" he inquired sarcastically as he always did in these scenarios where Haley misused her words.
She shook her head amusedly and tried again, "May I?"
His eyes smiled for him, "You may." The professor then exited the hospital wing, leaving Haley, Fred, Ron, Harry, and Hermione in his wake.
"You didn't have to stay," Fred told her as she made her way into a seat beside him (which was next to Ron's bed).
"Of course I did," Haley corrected him. She couldn't leave her friends and brother as they were all either injured, concerned, or both.
He simply grinned sheepishly at her. "I should probably go get George."
"That would be a good idea," she agreed, aware that he'd been away from his twin for far too long anyhow. "I'll stay here with Ron," Haley looked at the sleeping boy for a moment.
"Thanks," Fred said, meaning it.
"Anytime," she then watched the redhead leave as Severus previously had.
"I'm going to regret this," Haley thought to herself as she strode towards Harry's bed. Hermione and Ron were currently asleep in their own while her brother remained frozen in his. They had all thought it best to wait a while before lifting the spell.
"Finite," she muttered the charm quietly, not wanting to wake her fellow Gryffindors.
"Where's Sirius?" Harry jumped up, speaking loudly.
"Hush!" Haley silenced him, directing his attention towards his two sleeping friends.
"Where is he?" he asked once more, whispering this time. "And where is Fred?" Harry looked around the infirmary, "I'm going to strangle him," he threatened, beyond upset by what the twin had done.
"Harry, calm down," Haley suggested concernedly. "It was for your own good," she tried telling him.
"What about Sirius?" Harry didn't care what she thought. "He's the only family I've got left!" he said without thinking.
His sister took a step back, feeling the blow physically from within her heart.
"Haley, I-" he hopelessly tried taking the words back.
"Goodnight, Harry," she spoke, the hurt laced through her voice. She then turned to exit the infirmary.
He didn't even try to stop her.
TBC by 3/31/13 …
Thank you, dancer4813 and anyeshabaner for your thoughts on the note I left.
The story will be going in order from this point on, so I'll post the full chronological version (up until Harry's fifth year) throughout the week.
Review please!