ENIGMA
Chapter 28-Haunted
The next morning, Hillary woke up, eager to see the Quidditch game. She knew Harry must be a nervous wreck.
That afternoon, Ron, Hermione and Hillary headed to the Quidditch pitch. The stands were raised, and each house had their own stand. The weather was raining, windy and completely horrible. Ron wondered how they were going to be able to see the Snitch. They were sitting under umbrellas, but with the wind, Hillary, Ron and Hermione were still getting soaked, but they didn't care.
Hillary took a seat next to Hermione and she scanned the Quidditch pitch. Each house stand was completely crowded.
Hillary caught site of the stand where the teachers were. She could make out her father's form.
A gust of wind blew rain into her face. She could feel the water dripping off her face and her hair was whipping around, sticking to her face, neck and throat in wet strands.
The game began and they could make out tiny forms which they knew were the players. Madam Hooch blew the whistle and released the Bludgers. The Snitch took off, but they couldn't track it.
Another gust of wind blew Hillary's hair causing several strands to stick to her cheek and forehead, but she didn't bother to tuck her hair behind her ears because another gust of wind would just blow it back. She reached over and took Ron's binoculars. She raised them to her eyes and peered through the lenses.
She was able to make out Harry. He'd gone into a dive, but he seemed to be having trouble catching the Snitch.
"He sees the Snitch," Hillary reported to Ron and Hermione. "But he seems to be having trouble catching it due to the wind and rain."
"I do hope he's careful," Hermione said nervously.
Suddenly, several dark shapes appeared and Hillary could tell Harry was having trouble holding onto his broom. She saw him falling from the broom.
"Something's wrong!" Hillary cried. "Harry's…."
Her voice trailed off as she lowered the binoculars. She was pulled into darkness and she heard a wolf howling, then she heard herself screaming, "No Dad!" before the blackness pulled her in completely.
"Is she alright?" a familiar male voice asked with pure concern.
"What exactly happened?" another male voice asked, whom Hillary didn't recognize.
She moaned and slowly began emerging from the darkness. She blinked several times, clearing her vision. She realized she was in the hospital wing.
She propped herself up onto her elbows. She was lying on a cot. Standing around her cot were Remus, Ron, Hermione and two boys whom Hillary realized were Fred and George, Ron's older twin brothers.
"Hillary, are you alright?" Remus demanded anxiously carefully studying her.
Hillary groaned and sat up now. She looked at the cot next to her. Harry was also lying there. He'd just come around and was looking at Hermione and the rest.
"What happened?" Harry asked cringing.
He had a slight abrasion on his cheek.
"You fell from your broom," Fred replied to him. "We always wondered what a human pancake looked like but not this way."
He swallowed.
"Dementors were on the grounds," Hermione clarified. "Dumbledore's furious. He slowed you down."
Hermione's chocolate brown eyes moved onto Hillary next.
"And you fainted too," she said looking upset. "Your eyes just rolled up into your head and you collapsed sideways. You almost hit your head on the edge of the bleacher."
"Who won the match?" Harry demanded.
Ron swallowed. He was carrying something under a Gryffindor throw cover.
"The important thing is you're alright," Hermione said. "Both of you."
"Well," Ron said slowly. "When you fell, your broom sort of landed in the Whomping Willow."
He took off the throw to reveal Harry's broom in splinters.
Remus sat on the edge of Hillary's cot and placed a hand on her knee. He'd panicked the minute Hermione had ran and got him. Professor Dumbledore had come and magicked both Harry and Hillary to the hospital wing. He swallowed a lump.
Once Fred and George left leaving Ron and Hermione alone with Hillary and Harry, Hillary turned her eyes onto Remus.
"I heard that howl and scream again," she said quietly. "It was me screaming "No Dad". It was so clear."
Remus was starting to get upset now. What if she's getting a premonition of something worse to come? Something that hasn't happened yet? Like me attacking her?
His heart ached at the very thought of turning on her when he changed. Professor Snape had been giving him the Wolfsbane potion to help with the changes. But if he missed one…that would be it.
Hillary looked absolutely scared and terrified.
Remus swallowed again and turned his eyes onto Harry.
"Am I correct in assuming you heard screaming as well?" he asked him.
Harry nodded.
"I think it's my Mum," he said.
Remus felt another stab in his heart.
"Well," he said moving his eyes back onto Hillary. "Madam Pomfrey has checked you over and has found nothing wrong with you two. You're free to go."
Harry nodded. His maroon and gold Quidditch uniform was completely soaked so Hermione and Ron helped him get to his feet. Ron helped him out of the hospital wing. Hermione turned to Remus.
"Professor? Shall I help Hillary?" she asked.
Remus smiled and shook his head.
"Thank you, Hermione…but I've got it covered,"
Hermione nodded and gave Hillary a big grin before leaving the hospital wing.
Hillary shakily got herself out of bed. Her legs felt like jelly and she stood wobbly for a moment before she almost fell back onto the cot. Remus immediately went to help her by grabbing her arm, but Hillary pulled her arm out of the way.
Remus was now standing. Hillary finally got her balance. Several damp strands were still sticking to her cheeks and throat. Her robe and uniform were soaked as well.
"Hillary," Remus began quietly. "You do know that I'd never hurt you right?"
Hillary studied him.
"I know you'd never hurt me as you, Dad," she said quietly not believing what she was actually saying. "But I'm not so sure when you change. There's still a real threat if you change and there is a possibility that you could attack. Suppose you forget to take that potion?"
Hillary couldn't believe she was actually saying that she was genuinely scared…of her father.
Remus' green eyes began brimming with tears. He'd never thought in a million years his own daughter would be terrified of him. He guessed she'd never really fully realized just how dangerous he was.
Remus stood directly in front of her. Since he towered over her, Hillary had to look up at him.
He put his hands on her shoulders. "Then I think its best if I stay away from you for a while,"
"What? Dad, no," Hillary protested. "I don't care."
"But I do," he said firmly.
"Dad…" Hillary protested further but Remus shook his head. He drew Hillary into a tight embrace. Hillary wrapped her arms around Remus' midsection tightly too, pressing her face into his chest. She began sobbing.
"I couldn't bear to hurt you," Remus said as his voice shook violently with emotion. "It's only for a while."
Hillary shut her eyes against Remus' sweater vest and felt the tears streaming down her cheeks, dampening the material of his vest. Remus rested his chin on top of her head and kissed it. He put a hand on the side of Hillary's face. Remus let her go and then helped her out of the hospital wing.
Christmas rolled around. A heavy snow blanketed the grounds. There was going to be another trip to Hogsmeade. Harry, determined to go, decided to use his fathers Invisibility cloak. Remus had given permission for Hillary to go again. Hillary was waiting with Ron and Hermione. Harry had gone to sneak past Hillary, Ron and Hermione when Fred and George grabbed him and dragged him aside. They handed him a piece of parchment.
"What's this?" Harry asked. "A spare piece of parchment?"
"This is why we've been so sucessful," Fred replied grinning. "But we decided that we needed to give it to you."
Fred pulled out his wand and placed it on top of the parchment.
"I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good,"
Immediately, lines began appearing on the parchment until Harry realized it was a map.
"Messrs Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are proud to present…The Marauders Map,"
Harry raised his eyes to Fred and George.
They told him about an entrance from the One Eyed Witch that would lead him directly into Hogsmeade under Honeydukes.
Harry grinned.
"When you're done, just say "Mischief Managed" or anyone could read it," George replied.
Hillary, Ron and Hermione were now standing in front of the Shrieking Shack.
"It's the most haunted place in England," Ron was saying to Hermione and Hillary.
"I doubt that," Hillary replied giving him a deadpan expression. "That might be Malfoy's underwear drawer."
Ron burst out laughing.
Snow had begun falling sticking to the ground more, creating more blankets of snow on the ground. Their shoes crunched over the snow.
Hillary pulled her black newsboy cap over her eyes. Her hair was fluffed around her shoulders on top of a black pea coat. She had the Gryffindor scarf around her neck. The snowflakes stuck to her hair and clung to the material of her coat. She had black gloves on as well.
"Well well," a voice drawled from behind them. They turned around. It was Malfoy and his cronies. "Looking for a place to live, Weaselby?"
"Shut it," Ron snapped at him.
"You shouldn't talk back to important people," Malfoy smirked.
"I seriously doubt that you're important," Hermione said coldly.
"Shut up, you filthy little Mudblood," Malfoy said angrily.
In a flash, Hillary was standing in front of Hermione.
"And what are you going to do?" Malfoy taunted. "Get your Daddy to come and help you?"
Crabbe and Goyle snickered.
Hillary narrowed her eyes. Her hands were opened palm outwards at her sides. Just then a strong gust of wind blew from behind her, making a mini twister of snow around Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle.
They were freaking out. Hillary concentrated hard until they were completely gone in the snow twister.
Finally, when Hillary felt a hand on her arm and realizing it was Hermione, did she relent and calm down. The snow twister stopped and things went back to normal. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle took off running and screaming that the place was haunted.
Hillary blinked several times and turned to Hermione, but just then, she felt someone gently tug her hair, then move onto Ron, playing with the strings to his hat, then tugging on Hermione's hair.
"Harry," she laughed.
Sure enough, Harry slipped out from under the Invisibility cloak and grinned at them.
"Love the twister," Harry grinned at Hillary. "I think they needed to change their underwear."
Ron burst out laughing as well.
"Come on," Ron said still laughing as they headed to Hogsmeade.
Hogsmeade was busy with students eagerly checking out the shops. They came across the Hogshead pub. A sleigh stopped in front and several teachers got out, including Professor McGonagall. They had met up with several other teachers.
Madam Rosmerta, the bar maid, ushered everyone inside but not before Harry, Ron, Hermione and Hillary overheard Sirius Blacks name.
Harry quickly pulled on the Invisibility cloak and snuck inside. The pub wasn't allowing under age wizards in that day, so Ron, Hermione and Hillary had to wait outside.
"What do you suppose they're talking about?" Ron mused.
"I'm not sure," Hermione said as they stared at the snowflakes falling around them. Hillary naturally had a pretty good idea as to what and who they were talking about.
About 10 minutes later, they saw footprints being formed in the snow.
"Hey," Ron said pointing.
Immediately, they knew it was Harry so they got up and followed him to a small wooded clearing. They could hear him sobbing.
The footprints stopped near a large rock and Hermione headed over and crouched down. She reached up and pulled the cloak off Harry, bringing him into plain sight.
"What happened?" she asked softly and gently.
Hillary and Ron stood around Harry.
He looked up.
"He betrayed my parents," Harry said vehemently. "He was their best friend! Sirius Black is my godfather."
Ron and Hermione's faces went pale, but Hillary avoided eye contact.
"I really hope he finds me cause I'm gonna kill him," Harry snarled, then looked to Hillary.
"Maybe she can help me," Harry said.
All Hermione and Ron could do was watch in sympathy.
They all headed back to the castle that evening.
Harry went back to Remus for more practice at the Dementor Boggart, but Hillary had skipped the practices.
The four of them decided to visit Hagrid the next morning. The 'attack' on Malfoy caused a major problem and a hearing was had to determine the fate.
Hagrid was all upset and they realized why…Buckbeak was going to be executed.
"Ruddy Malfoy," Ron growled.
"That's not fair," Hillary protested. "Malfoy was the one who insulted Buckbeak even after you warned the class not to. It's his fault he doesn't listen. Now an innocent creature is going to be killed for no reason."
She angrily folded her arms over her chest.
"Leave it to the Malfoys," Harry hissed. "His father probably influenced the decision anyway because they don't like Hagrid teaching."
"Too bad I can't put my wand up bit ass," Hillary pouted.
That made Hagrid chuckle. Hermione just put a comforting hand on Hagrids' arm as they stood near the great lake, staring across its shimmering surface.
