The Emerald Fire*
By: SilverPhoenixWings
A/N: Wow. I say 'wow'
because I just re-read the last chapter. How on earth did I write that? I don't
really know. This just goes to prove that characters really do have a mind of
their own. I'm sorry if I made Callie and Jen seem to be rather rocky toward
each other. From personal experience, I have found that when two sarcastic
people are friends, it can often seem like they don't like each other. I
promise you that Jen and Callie are on perfectly good terms. I would like to
say a very big thank you to the four people who made this story possible.
Literally. So, thank you girlies!
Dedication: This chapter is
dedicated to ~*~Hermione~*~, the coolest prankster and my partner-in-crime.
Some of the jokes in here are ones that only she will get, so just deal with
it. Also dedicated to ALT, because your stories rock, girl! And you are a
wonderful person who deals with my perfectionism. Thank you, girl.
Note: In the process of
re-reading my story, I have noticed some spelling errors. These were obviously
not intentional, but there will most likely be more. Please ignore them.
~*~*~
Of Metaphors, Jolting pains, and Rose-flavoured
Potions
Jen heard Callie come in, but she didn't say anything.
Callie had that certain level in her breathing that meant something was
bothering her, and this was confirmed by some rather loud swearing when she
tripped on her trunk. Jen waited until Callie's curtains had been drawn, and
then she tiptoed downstairs. As she had expected, someone was by the fire.
Remus
looked up at Jen. She had a firm what-did-you-do look on her face.
"Hi,
Jen."
"Don't
'hi, Jen' me. Why is Callie so upset?" Jen said, plopping down in an
overstuffed armchair. Remus looked slightly bewildered.
"Upset?
What did she say?" Remus asked.
"Nothing.
But she didn't have to. What did she talk to you about?" Jen asked, still
trying to get answers. Her greenish blue eyes caught a glimmer of the dying
firelight.
"Ask
her."
"No!"
Jen said firmly, hopping up. "I am sick and tired of you guys talking in
riddles. Come off it, Remus. I saw her come down here, looking as though she
had seen Salazar Slytherin, and then she came up, without saying anything."
"Jen,
I'm not going to tell you." Remus said.
"Remus,
what did you say to her? I know you like her, so if was something about that…"
Jen trailed off.
"Hypothetically,
how would you know I liked her?" Remus asked.
"Remus,
I can just tell. It's probably why James broke up with her. But why would that
make her so upset?" Jen asked the last question rhetorically. Remus shrugged in
response. "Oh fine! I'll ask her." Jen threw up her hands and left the common
room.
When
Jen woke up the next morning, Callie was sitting on the end of her bed.
"Callie! Geroff!" Jen said, trying to squirm her feet out from under Callie.
"Jen,
dear, I need your help." Callie said angelically. Jen nodded.
"Callie,
dear, I need my feet." Jen said. Callie shifted and Jen pulled her feet
out. "Alright. But first I want to know what you talked to Remus about. He
won't tell me."
"Are
you spying on me?"
"No.
Now spill." Jen said, sitting up. She grabbed a hair tie off of her nightstand
and twisted her hair up into a pony-tail.
"Fine.
Jen, I think he's a werewolf." Callie said in a whisper. Jen nodded. It all
made sense. His monthly illnesses, his dying aunt, it all fit. "That's why he's
always so tired. I know there's some sort of potion that would ease the side
effects, but it's in a book in the Restricted Section."
"Callie,
why do you want to make the potion?" Jen asked.
"Because!
It isn't fair that he has to go through that!" Callie said loudly. Liane
stirred. "I mean, no one deserves that." She said, bringing her voice down to a
whisper.
"Fine,
Cal. For you. But we can't tell the others. I think Lily may have figured it
out already, and I'm sure the guys know. But be quiet about it, okay?" Jen
said. Callie nodded.
Liane
was the first to notice that Jen and Callie became withdrawn. They would spend
countless hours in the library. Jen would often look exhausted and starved,
while Callie stopped talking altogether. It was a very strange occurrence that
lasted through March, but ended abruptly about a week into April. Callie ran
into the dorm holding a small flask.
"Callie,
what's up?" Lily asked. Callie smiled broadly.
"Jen
and I are finished."
"With
what?" Liane asked, coming out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her.
"With
our project." With those words, Callie dropped her school bag on her bed and
exited the dorm.
Remus
was waiting on the couch, grinning. Jen got up from her book and walked over.
Callie handed Remus the flask, and he drained it in a gulp.
"Wow."
He said.
"What?"
Callie asked.
"It
tastes like roses."
"Roses?"
Jen asked, dubiously. Remus nodded.
"Don't
ask. But trust me, roses." He smirked. "I feel like I could fly."
"Okay,
Cal. What did you do? He's apparently drunk." Jen said, poker-faced. Callie
laughed.
"No,
Jen. It was in the book. But in a minute or two-" Callie stopped abruptly
because Remus had fallen back onto the couch with a loud thud. "He'll fall fast
asleep." She added.
"Alright
then" Jen said.
Callie
was practically falling asleep in History of Magic on Friday when a note hit
her in the head. She bent down to pick up the parchment and unfolded it. It was
written in James' untidy scrawl with a bit of Sirius' added in.
Phoenix-
Mr. Prongs and Mr. Padfoot would
like to inform you (Callie laughed. The boys always put on this formal charade)
that Mr. Moony would like you to escort him to Hogsmeade tomorrow. Yeah! And
no one will be there to eavesdrop on you. Ignoring Mr. Padfoot, Hey! You
can't ignore me! Ahem. Mr. Moony shall like your answer via Via? What
kind of a word is 'via'? Via owl by tonight. Enjoy your doodling,
Mr.
Prongs
Callie sighed to herself. She tucked the note away in her bag and started to absent-mindedly doodle on her notes.
As
soon as class was over, Callie owled Remus and said 'yes'. She ate a hasty
dinner and returned to her dorm. Jen was sitting on her bed.
"Hi,
Jen." Callie said.
"Callie,
you have another strange owl on your bed." Jen replied. Callie looked over.
Attached to the owl was a book. Callie untied the owl and let it fly out the
window. Jen watched as Callie turned the book over in her hand. Charmed Pets.
Jen quietly pointed out that a page was book-marked. Callie nodded and flipped
it open.
Bonding Charms were
created in the late 1300's. They can be applied to any sort of animal, but
basic rules remain the same. The Charms bond a human and animal until death.
The Charm will not allow the animal to die until the human has done so. The
Charm will summon the animal to the human's side when death is near. The
Bonding Charm will also protect the animal and human from harm. The Charm will
disallow suicide, but not killing curses.
Jen
sighed. She knew what Callie was reading. She herself had read the very same
passage when her brother had first been Bonded to his owl.
The
next day, Callie met Remus downstairs to go to Hogsmeade. True to his word,
James kept the rest of the group in the castle. Callie rolled her eyes. She and
Remus walked out of the castle and toward Hogsmeade.
Callie
explained to Remus all about the book, hoping that he could figure out where it
came from.
"Oh
no." he said, while they were drinking a butterbeer.
"What?"
"I
just realized."
"Excuse
me? What?" Callie asked impatiently. Remus counted out ten sickles for the
butterbeers, and then pulled her out of the pub.
"Callie,
oh God. I hope I'm not right."
"What?"
she asked again.
"I
think I know who sent you that book."
"How?
Why?"
"Because,
remember how you felt that jolting pain in the park?" Remus asked, hurrying her
down the path. She nodded. Callie remembered. It felt as though she had been
slammed up against a wall repeatedly. "I think it's the Bonding Charm."
~An
hour earlier~
Liane
brushed her hair out slowly. Her mother had once told her she was part Veela.
That much was obvious by her xanthious skin and hair. She heard Emily come in
behind her.
"Hey.
Why aren't you off snogging with your boyfriend?" Liane laughed. Emily rolled
her eyes.
"They're
doing something with the Map. But Jen and Lily followed them." Emily said.
"Okay."
Liane said, returning to her hair. A pounding on the window made her jump. "Who
could that be?" she walked over to the window and drew back the curtains. She
screamed when she saw what was on the other side…
I again say that I should be
shot for an ending like that. I can't believe I did that. Oh my goodness…