Chapter Five
Dear Madre y Padre,
He's here too. Voldemort I mean. Last night one of mi new amigo was attacked in his
sleep. It probably wasn't Voldemort himself but it was someone involved with el. Yo want to come home to our nice safe casa. Now. Its no safer here than in Espana. Can I please leave? I know your probably going to say no but I'm begging you: please?
Love,
Arina
She sighed as she attached her letter to her owl. She knew she would never be allowed back home but she wanted to so badly she would have done anything. If she ran, there was no where to hide…
As she was walking back to the Great Hall where lunch was (she had snuck out) she thought of Sirius. He had probably been the most shaken last night from the expression on his face and the way he had acted. Some how she knew their silly little competition would fall onto the back burner if things like last night kept happening. It wouldn't be a time for things like that. She wished it wasn't that way.
"Whoa!" she exclaimed as she fell back, hit being hit by something. She looked up and saw none less than Sirius sitting next to her on the floor.
"Are you alright?" she asked quietly. What a klutz she was…
"Yeah I'm fine…Oh its you!" he said helping her up, "I thought it was just some other klutz walking in the halls."
"Very funny" she muttered, "What are you doing here?"
"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" he asked giving her a surprise look, "Sneaking out of lunch your first day here…I'm so surprised!"
"So are you!" she exclaimed.
"But that's what I'm known for he said as they started walking back, "What were you doing up there?"
"Sending a letter"
"To who?"
"My parents if you must know" she replied.
"About last night?" he asked, his voice suddenly less kidding.
"Yes." She said quietly, "And I would appreciate you not making fun of me".
"I never joke when it comes to Voldemort," he said solemnly, patting her on the back slightly.
" Good. It's not something I take lightly"
"I don't either," he said quietly. Suddenly he spoke again, "He killed my father you know"
"He did?" Arina asked sympathetically, "I'm so sorry Sirius"
He shrugged slightly. He never seemed to know how to answer things like that.
"It's part of life I guess," he said. He was regretting telling her now, "And could you not mention it to anyone? I don't need peoples sympathy"
"Of course not" she said as they arrived downstairs in front of the Great Hall.
"You all right?" he asked her before they stepped in. She nodded and he opened the doors back to a world of happier things.
* * *
Dumbledore stared out his window tiredly. All of the night had been spent searching for something, anything that could have helped them figure out who had snuck in. No one found a thing. Now it was the afternoon and classes were in full swing. He had already asked Minerva to inform the school about what had happened. He just wanted to sleep.
Something was keeping him awake though, something he couldn't explain. Maybe it was the way Peter's eyes flashed a strange message last night. Something Dumbledore didn't think the boy was capable of. Cruelty, vengeance, a strange hatred for the people in the room. Everything that seemed just the opposite of quiet timid Peter. And the situation seemed so strange…could he have attacked his friend?
Dumbledore brushed the thought away but didn't erase it from his mind. Anything was possible; he had learned that the hard way. He subconsciously became alert for anything that the boy did, anything that seemed out of the ordinary. Even if he told Peters roommates, it wouldn't do any good. They all had a strong bond of trust especially the four, James, Sirius, Peter and Remus.
Remus. The boy had always been a mystery. Sometimes he would never stop talking, other times he seemed pulled back from everyone, stuck in his own little world. As a werewolf he was supposedly the lowest of the low, something that deserved nothing. Maybe that was the cause for the attack. He was such a kind; sweet boy Dumbledore couldn't imagine anyone wanting to hurt him. Then again no one knew why some people did the things they do.
He sighed and got up out of his chair. Even though it had been a long night, he had much to do. Sleeping wouldn't help anything…
* * *
From the second Lily woke up she could remember what happened the night before. She had, had nightmares about it and stayed up for a while trying to get back to sleep. Now it was the afternoon and she was starting to… fall…asleep.
She rested her head down on the table in the Common Room where she had been doing her homework with a few other students, and closed her eyes. Sleep…ahhh.
"Lily?" someone asked. She squeezed her eyes tight hoping they would go away, "Are you ok?"
"Fine" she muttered, "Who is that?"
"James"
"James?" she asked quickly opening her eyes, "What's wrong? Am I late or something?"
"No…I just came in and saw you like that. Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, I was just resting for a second." She said pulling out a chair for him to sit in, "What are you doing here?"
"I…came looking for you" he said, almost shyly, "I didn't get to talk to you about what happened to Remus last night"
"Oh can we just forget about it James? Please? I don't feel like talking right now, I'm just so tired" she said weakly wanting nothing for than to lay down her head.
"Lily…This very creepy, what happened. Are you sure your alright?"
"As long as Remus is I am" she said firmly, ignoring the voice in her head that kept screaming 'Voldemort!'
"Ok then, as long as you are". He stared at her for a quick second, "Do you want me to tell your next teacher you wont be in class? You look exhausted"
"I am" she admitted, "I'm going though, I can't miss class"
"Your crazy"
"I am not!"
"Yes you are," he kidded helping her up. She smiled at him and grabbed her books. They walked out together.
* * *
"Professor" someone said as they opened the door slowly. It was a former student who worked for the school, "Professor McGongall I'm sorry but Professor Dumbledore needs to see Remus Lupin in his office. Now."
"It's alright", she said, "Go ahead Remus"
He stood up feeling the entire classes eyes on him as he walked out the door, following the boy down the hall to a stone gargoyle.
"Butter beer," he muttered and the gargoyle jumped aside revealing a set of stone stairs. The boy descended upon them trying to look important. Rolling his eyes, Remus followed. They walked up the stairs until they had to stop at a wooden door. It creaked opened as they stood in front of it and inside the room sat Dumbledore and a few men Remus recognized from the Ministry.
"Hello Remus" Dumbledore motioning him forward. The boy turned and left the room, the door shutting behind him. Remus stepped forward wondering what was going on.
"Hello Remus" one said stepping forward, "My name is Zack Undersuole. We were just wondering if you could give us some information about what happened last night."
"Are you Aurors?"
"Some" he said, "But we all work with the Ministry"
"Alright" Remus. A seat floated over to him and the second he sat, the questions started.
"Did you get a good look at the attacker?" one asked, swooping down into Remus's face.
"No, they were in black"
"So there was more than one?" Zack asked writing things down furiously.
"No…what are you talking about?"
"You said 'they' meaning more than one. Correct?"
"No, there was only one!" Remus exclaimed.
"Tell us exactly what happened" another man asked him.
"I was asleep when I was brought up into the air and thrown to the ground. The person hit me with a bunch of spells and they left a note"
"Do you still have the note?"
"I have it gentlemen" Dumbledore broke in reaching into a desk drawer, pulling out the piece of parchment. They all read it silently looking serious and grave.
"We should go have this checked out," Zack said tucking it into his pocket. Without a word, he was gone. One by one the other men around him left silently.
"I thought you couldn't dissaperate in here!" Remus exclaimed.
"I gave him special permission," Dumbledore explained. "Remus…we need to know. Was there anything, anything at all that you think could help us figure out what happened? Did anyone act strangely last night?"
"Professor" Remus started.
"I know you don't want to blame one of you're roommates" Dumbledore broke in quietly, "And I wont say anything to them about what you tell me unless I get good solid evidence. I promise."
Remus fell silent looking at Dumbledore. He thought about the way Peter had been quiet and had ignored him half the night. He thought about the way the handwriting looked vaguely familiar and how short his last note had been. He thought about the way he had hardly written over the summer and the change in his attitude. The way he had treated Muggle borns the day before had been disgusting and something seemed different. But it was Peter; he wouldn't do anything to him, his best friend.
"No there's nothing." He finally told Dumbledore. He peered at Remus over his glasses, looking sceptical.
"Are you sure?"
"I am"
"Alright then…you may go back to class", he said with a sigh. Remus stood up slowly. Just as he got to the door Dumbledore spoke again.
"If you ever see anything though, please tell me".
"I will" Remus replied, closing the door behind him as he left. He went down the stairs wanting to run back and tell him everything. He didn't though, friends don't rat out other friends. When he got back into the hallways he peered into a classroom and saw it was almost time for lunch so instead of going back to class he went straight to the Great Hall.
He sat alone for a few minuets until the Hall began to fill up. When James sat down next to him he slipped him a small note.
-Moony
Tomorrow.
Twelve. The right spot.
-Prongs
He knew what it meant. They were all going to meet tomorrow under the Whomping Willow.
"Lily" James mouthed to him. Remus's eyes opened wide.
"She is?" he mouthed back. He nodded and they went back to their lunch not wanting to bring attention to themselves. Lily was going to go through with it? Remus eyes her a few seats down. He couldn't believe it. She had always been such a stickler for the rules and this was breaking tons of them. It would be easier this way though…
"Abby?" he asked James out of the side of his mouth. He thought about it for a second then shook his head. Abby knew about Remus being a werewolf and the rest of them taking the Amagnius Potion but there was no point in having her do it. Remus didn't think she was really up to it either. As strong as she pretended to be Abby was really very weak especially when it came to things like this. The possibilities of her getting hurt were endless. He winced when he remembered the time she had tried a hair straitening charm….ouch.
Remus nodded and went back. Arina took a seat across from him and started in on her salad.
"What's with the lunch veggie girl?" Sirius asked looking at it, horrified at the fruits and vegetables she had piled onto her plate.
"I'm a vegetarian," she told him defensively; "I don't like eating other living things".
"Your crazy that's all" he said. He picked up his hamburger and opened it up like it had a mouth, "Eat me Arina, eat me!" he said in a high squeaky voice. She laughed and shook her head.
"Don't tempt me. I love hamburgers more than anything…I just started to feel guilty."
"Yeah well…sucks to be a cow I guess" Sirius said with a shrug as he took a huge bite out of his burger. She shook her head and took a bite out of her peach.
"How do you like it here?" Abby asked her. Arina shrugged.
"It's nice I guess. People keep staring at my ears though…do you think I should take them out?" she asked. She brushed back her hair to reveal her long silver studded ears. Abby shook her head.
"Let them get used to it."
"Alright"
Lily James and Remus went down to Potions
before everyone else. It was the one class they unfortunately had with
Slytherin. Lucius and Narcissa were already there sitting in the back, looking
like snakes circling their prey.
"Hello there wolfie" he said to Remus, as they got closer. James turned around, relieved to see that Arina wasn't there yet. There wasn't any point in her knowing about him yet.
"Shut up Lucius" Remus muttered taking a seat on the other side of the room. Lucius walked over to them, his grey eyes glittering like puddles in the sun. Narcissa got up behind him, not saying a word. Lucius walked around them slowly. Lily backed away from them, not knowing what to do. Lucius scared her more than anyone in the school. She didn't know why exactly but here was something about him that made her want to run away from him. Someone else walked into the room. Severus Snape.
Lily put her head in her hands and sighed, turning away from the group. James put an arm around her and glared at Severus. The ugly grease ball had had a crush on Lily since the second he saw her and had made that plain and clear. Lily had also made it clear she wanted absolutely nothing to do with him but that hadn't stopped him. In fact a challenge seemed to make him want her more.
He joined Lucius and the two of them stood staring at Remus who glared back.
"Filth" Lucius muttered before turning away. Without warning James walked over to him and grabbed him in a headlock.
"Don't you ever say that again" he whispered in his ear "Or I swear that you will regret it."
Lucius replied by twisting out of James hold and shoving him back into a desks, brushing away Narcissa's hand on his arm.
"I'll say what I want you Muggle lover. It's too late for you. Your going to end up like your grandfather and the rest of your family will. Dead."
By now a small crowd had gathered in the doorway to the classroom. Sirius came over quickly with Abby and Arina behind.
"What happened?" he asked James who only shook his head and sat down next to Lily. Abby grabbed the seat next to Remus leaving Arina alone and nervous looking.
" Hey, what are you waiting for?" Sirius called to her pointing to the empty seat next to him, "You want me to make you an invitation?"
She smiled slightly and sat next to him.
"You don't have to do this you know" she said quietly, "I'm sure there are a lot more people you'd rather sit next to."
"Who? Like Peter?" he asked looking horrified, "No thanks. And I wanted to" he added softly, "Besides this is the best class for pranks. Wait 'til you see the teacher!"
As if on cue a tall lanky man walked in fumbling with a pile of papers in his hands and struggling to hold his glasses up. Sirius snorted behind his hand and looked knowingly at Arina who only raised her eyebrows. He managed to get everything onto the desk without falling; he straightened his robes and looked at them as if he were surprised to see them there.
"Hello everyone! My name is Professor Lilingham for those of you who don't know he" he said looking at Arina, " And today I will explain what we will be covering in Potions. No need to take notes, just listen."
Sirius put up a book and rested his head on the desk.
"Won't he noticed?" Arina whispered.
"Arina I slept through about two weeks last year and I still got an "A" on my exams. Don't worry about it."
She shrugged and leaned down; listening as he went on about the fun they would have dipping carrots into a potion that could make them rabbits…
* * *
The next day, Lily waited nervously in the common room waiting for it to clear out. It was already eight and there were still hordes of people sitting around doing homework.
"Don't worry" James promised her, "They'll go soon. And if they don't I have a plan."
Sure enough then it was ten thirty James stood up on a table and whistled- loudly. Everyone turned to look at him.
"Attention please. There has been a new curfew issued upon the school. Everyone must be in his or her rooms by eleven, which you should do anyway because if you don't you're tired in the morning, but now it is official. So in a half an hour I expect to see you all gone. Thank you!"
He said cheerful ignoring the groans that passed through the room.
"See? I told you everything would be fine" he whispered to her. She rolled her eyes.
"Nice way to abuse your power".
James shrugged.
"Whatever. Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked her.
"I think so…it can't hurt me can it?" she asked.
"We made it" James said. He knew that wouldn't help much, "Lily…baby…I couldn't let anything happen to you. I promise ok?"
"I know," she said kissing him gently. "Were just starting tonight right?"
"Right"
"Ok then…I'll be fine"
"I know you will" he said, putting his arm around her. So at eleven that night all the stragglers went up to bed leaving only Lily, James and Sirius.
"Where's Peter?" James asked. Sirius shrugged.
"Dunno. Haven't seen him since dinner. Wait no I think he went up to the room… to write to Monique," he said raising his eyebrows.
"So he's not coming?" Lily asked. Sirius shook his head.
"Is Moony?" he asked.
"Of course" James replied. They waited around until eleven thirty when Remus came down holding James invisibility cloak. Sirius and Remus threw it over themselves and Lily while James remained on the outside.
"Sure we cant fit a fourth?" Lily asked nervously.
"Don't worry" James whispered, "I'll just say I had to talk to Dumbledore"
"At this time of night?"
"Just let me handle it"
"Fine" she muttered. So they crept along the hallways carefully until the got outside. Sirius transformed into a dog and raced alone down to the Whomping Willow where he waited. James went next leaving Remus and Lily wearing the invisibility cloak to run as fast as they could. If Hagrid saw them they would be dead. When they got down there James and Sirius were in human form and the tree had stopped fighting.
"Hurry" James whispered, as they got closer. They ran through the still branches and went through the hole. Lily went in, scared and unsure of what to do. This was the one place she hadn't been to in the school, the most secret one. It was dark and creepy under ground and Lily stayed close to James as they walked down.
"Alright" he said as they came to some chairs in the middle of the alley. "Here we are. Have a seat."
They all sat, Lily the only nervous one. James heaved a book out of the corner. She gasped when she saw it.
"Is that from the restricted section?" she asked. James nodded and set it down, flipping through the pages.
"Do you think they'd just set it out for anyone to look at Lily?" Sirius asked. She glared at him and watched James as he brought out a large cauldron and a bunch of ingredients. He seemed to be the only one who really knew what he was doing. When everything was done he turned back to them and looked at Lily.
"Ready?" he asked her. She nodded. He turned back and handed each of them ingredients telling them what to do with it. Lily looked disgusted at the jellyfish tentacles she was supposed to slice. With a sigh she picked up a knife and began. This wasn't going to be as easy as she thought…
* * *
A.N.- Ok, ok I know it's been WAY too long and I don't even know how to apologize at this point, but over the past few months I lost a bunch of people who were close to me, school was hard and I was REALLY busy. But now I'm out of school for a precious 2 months and I should hopefully finish this series by then. So anyway I have 1 question for you guys-
- What animal should Lily be?
- A bird (type?)
- A cat
- Other (PLEASE specify)
The animal itself (as of now) has no real significance to the story. Please help me though!!! Thanks!
I also want to add that Arina is not supposed to be me in anyway at all. I invented her and believe me she's not a Mary Sue…*shudders*. And I was going to do her entire letter in Spanish but I'm just not that good at it…and a lot of people wouldn't know how to read it so…I chose not to!
Disclaimer: I own nothing except Arina and Monique. Every other noun belongs to the genius J.K. Rowling.