Ok, guys, this is the Chapter 24 for "Into the Hands of Fate" but I'm making everything move faster. This story, like before it said in the summary, ends at the very end. After that well…there's gonna be a sequel. This sequel is one already planned and will be started immediately after this story is done.
Please forgive me for speeding this up but…nothing really exciting is going to happen in the years I'm going to skip so…I'm sorry, but I'm skipping them. If you can think of a different way that I can do this, tell me and I'll take it into thought. I hope you guys like the story!
If you do like this story, please, please review it. If I get enough reviews when the story is completed, I will then start posting up the sequel. THIS STORY'S ALMOST DONE! I'M SO HAPPY!
Thanks a bunch guys! Later babes and stay crunk with lotsa love from Sea Chelle!
(Disclaimer: I own nothing.)
Chapter Twenty Four
It was three years later and the group was in their fifth year. They had all tried to forget all the happenings dealing with the founders but deep inside, they knew that could never truly omit that part of their life from their memories.
James tried to force the Seer part of him away and almost forgot it, but it could not be erased for it was actually a part of who he was. Occasionally, he'd have strange dreams that would frighten him terribly, but most of them he had forgotten the next day. Others were the good dreams that everyone likes and those he just took as nothing real or important.
After their second year, Professor Jenkins retired and was given a wonderful farewell party. Many of the students gave her presents. Lydia gave her flowers and a photo album of many of the students and teachers while James gave her candles that, when lit, gave off a banner with the words "We'll miss you" glowing brightly on it. Lily gave the professor her perfect pincushion and a stationary kit and Hallie gave the professor her periwinkle pillow that was supposed to be a pincushion and a few books. Sirius, because everyone else gave the teacher something, gave her a hug.
The next year, which was the third one, the new professor for Transfiguration came. Her name was Minerva McGonagall, a strict young woman who seemed as if she had just gotten out of school herself. However, useful as she was, Professor McGonagall was a very good teacher.
Professor Greggors was never found and this puzzled everyone. The Ministry was informed of his disappearance and was still looking for Jonathan Greggors. In his place for the time being, was a new teacher named Professor Flitwick.
He looked out the window at the ivory flakes of snow that fell from the heavens and sighed. It was nearing the Christmas Holidays and everyone was excited for it to come. The door swung open and then closed in a hurry. Sirius, with a mischievous grin and panic upon his face ran straight at James, jumped up on the other boy's bed once and over him and then behind the bed. "Sirius, what-," but a "Shh" cut him off.
A moment later the door swung open again. Hallie, looking extremely irritated, marched in. She put her hands on her hips and looked at James expectantly. "James, where is he, I know you saw him come up here," she said.
Putting on his innocent look, he replied, "Sirius? Are you sure he came up here?" James heard sniggering from below where the culprit sat crouched and trying to muffle his laughs. Hallie narrowed her eyes and left. James grinned and looked at Sirius. "What did you do now?"
The other boy put on his own innocent look. "I didn't do anything wrong! Why are you always blaming things on me?" he exclaimed in indignation. James laughed.
"Because it's always your fault!" he said back. The door opened and Sirius ducked once again. Hallie came in this time pulling in Lily with her who had a bored look upon her face.
"Go ahead, ask him," said Hallie to her best friend.
Lily looked at her and her face broke in a grin. "This again? This is why you pulled me away from my work?" she asked.
"Yes, now ask."
With a sigh Lily said, "James, where's Sirius?" James, who was now very shy when Lily was around blushed and pointed to where the other boy sat, crouched.
Sirius jumped up and looked at Hallie with a look. "That's cheating!" he proclaimed. The other girl smiled and ran to tackle him.
"Where'd you put it?" she demanded. He just smiled secretively. She squirmed on him to pull out her wand. "Tell me or I'll turn you into a periwinkle pillow."
Sirius' eyebrows shot up. "A periwinkle pillow?" he asked incredulously. And then he laughed as he said "You can't turn me into a-," but she had. He was now a periwinkle pillow. Lily gasped and James fell off his bed from laughing so hard.
"Hallie, you change him back right now!" yelled Lily with wide eyes. Hallie looked at her and then to the pillow that was Sirius.
"I like him that way," she said. Picking it up, she laughed. "He's so soft as a pillow!" This made James laugh all the more. He was laughing so hard that he was gasping for breath. Hallie hugged the pillow and Lily glared at her.
"Change him back now!" repeated Lily.
With a sigh, Hallie did as was told. Sirius became Sirius again and stood before her blinking dazedly. She patted his shoulder and then scrunched her face up. "I liked him so much more when he was a pillow." At this, he seemed to wake up.
"Pillow? You actually turned me into a pillow?" he shouted.
"You were very soft," she told him with a sweet smile. His eyes widened and with a stunned expression upon his face, he turned and left the room. She laughed and turned to James who was sitting on his bed now and clutching a cramp on his side but he was still laughing.
"Oh-oh gosh…so-so funny! I-I rather liked S-Sirius as a p-pillow," he said trying to control his laughter. "And you!" He pointed at Hallie who looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "You said-you said" laughter "'You were very soft!'" More laughs. "He won't be able to sleep tonight because-," and then his laughs stopped completely as he put a hand over his mouth looking shocked. "Oops."
Lily looked confused. "Why?" He stood and walked out. Lily looked to Hallie who had a hand over her mouth. "Let it all out." And the other girl did. She laughed and laughed and laughed until she couldn't breath anymore.
"Lily," she said a while later, "I really did like him better as a pillow…" And Lily hit her upon the head with one of the pillows on James' bed. They walked to the common room where Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter were all talking secretively.
"It's tomorrow," said Remus with a bit of strain. Peter patted his shoulder with a smile.
"We'll be there this time," said James with a triumphant smile upon his handsome face.
Sirius looked mischievous. "Goody, so we can become animals tonight!" He clapped and the other boys laughed.
"You're so childish," said Peter. Sirius shrugged, still with a small smile on his face.
"What if it all goes wrong or something happens to one of you? I won't forgive myself it any of you get hurt because of me," whispered Remus in worry. Sirius and James shared a look and Peter grinned at him.
"You worry too much," he said.
Remus sighed. "Well, with friends like you I'm surprised I don't have a head full of gray hair…"
Remus sat by Lydia on the couch as they did their homework. She was looking at her Herbology book, but not reading it. Remus looked over at her and grinned. "You're not reading it are you?" he asked suddenly. She jumped up in alarm and then smiled sheepishly at him with a red tinge glowing on her cheeks.
"Not a word." He put his arm around her and kissed her cheek softly. She smiled and hugged him tightly. Remus stood and took her hand in his.
"Then let's take a break," he said softly. He led her to the steps. "Go put on your snow gear, let's play in the snow!" She laughed.
"Remus, dear, that didn't sound right at all." When she said this, he flushed a deep red.
"I didn't mean it that way," he said in a low voice. She just laughed. They met back in the common room and he led her outside. They sat at the foot of the lake and she put her head on his chest. He leaned his on hers. "Lydia, there's something you haven't been telling me." She pulled away to look at him.
"What do you mean?" Her nose was red with the frigid air and he kissed her nose making her laugh. His expression became serious again and her smile faded.
"I want you to tell me that secret."
Her eyes widened. "How-," he shook his head.
"I don't know, I just know you have one and I want to know what it is," he told her. She averted her eyes.
"Are you sure?" she questioned softly. He nodded looking at her squarely in the eyes. "I've never told anyone about this, not even Hallie or Lily. Only my mum and I know about it.
She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He rubbed her back and she put her arms around his neck as she leaned her head on his shoulder. "It was Christmas Eve, close to midnight. Like every year, dad would leave saying he had to go to work but really, he'd go and collect the presents and come back as Santa Clause. But this time he didn't come back. That night we waited for a long time but he didn't return. We called the Ministry and they said they'd try to find him. Four days later, he still wasn't home.
"It was horribly cold that day and I went to the fireplace. There I noticed a smell. It was terrible." Lydia swallowed and Remus hugged her tighter. "I went to see what it was because I thought it was those birds that always used to nest in our chimney, but what I found weren't the birds, it was my dad.
"The Ministry came and told us that dad had broken his neck. It turns out he was climbing down the chimney with his arm full of presents but he slipped and fell breaking his neck. He died instantly.
"It's many years later now, but still, the birds never come back." She looked at Remus. "That's why I hate Christmas," she told him softly. "You're the first one I've told this to." She laughed but tears were streaming down her face. Remus' eyes filled with burning liquid and he hugged her tightly after he brushed away her tears.
"I'm so sorry, Lydia, I don't know what to say." His heart went out to her and he felt the pain she felt. She shook her head and buried it into his shoulder. He ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her forehead.
"I feel much better now," she said to him with a small smile. He smiled back and leaned closer to her. Their lips met and warmth filled her. They pulled apart and he wiped away her new tears.
"I love you, Lydia," he said.
She smiled genuinely and wrapped her arms about his neck again. "I love you too, Remus, I love you too."
(Author's Note: Thanks to Myanda, Gurlie409, and Lissa May for your reviews! Thank you so much!)
