Thud.
What was that? Lily thought to herself, as she jerked up from her comfortable pillow. She checked the watch on her wrist, and saw that it read 2:30. She had only been asleep for a few hours.
Not being able to fall back asleep, Lily slowly stood up from her bed and walked towards the door leading to the common room. On the way, she noticed that the rest of the girls weren't up yet.
Walking downstairs to the empty common room, Lily looked around for what might have made the loud sound that had waken her up.
After a few minutes, Lily could see nothing that had made the commotion, and started to head back upstairs to change, when she heard the unmistakeable swish of a cloak.
Lily turned quickly, but saw nothing.
"Hello?" Lily said nervously, venturing a step forward, "James, is that you?" Lily knew of the Invisiblity Cloak that was in James' possession. She had used it countless times herself, playing pranks on whomever she currently held a grudge against, or whomever she thought would scream the loudest.
She heard the creak of a door, and turned just in time to see the portrait hole open and close.
More frightened than she had ever been before, Lily ran up to the boys' dormitories. She swung open the door of the third year dormitory, and found Peter, Remus, James, and Sirius all sound asleep in their beds.
Who could it have been, then? Lily thought, very afraid indeed. Deciding to head to her own dormitory until the other Gryffindors woke up, she walked silently out the dormitory door, and closed it with a slight click.
Lily walked up to her own dormitory, and collapsed on her bed. After such a build-up of anticipation, Lily felt quite tired, and fell asleep straight away.
About an hour later, Victoria awoke. Victoria Briche (pronounced Breesh), a third-year in Lily's dormitory, was about to get up and go to the common room, but then knew she would have no one to talk to.
I need a friend. A girl. One that I can really talk to. About things that matter; and even things that don't. Victoria sighed. Suddenly, an urge for someone like that in her life came to her. But who would want to be friends with me? Suddenly, it came to her. Lily. Lily had always been nice enough to her, but she had always hung around James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. The two girls had never really been close. Well, that's about to change. Victoria thought, a sudden confidence overpowering her, as she walked over to Lily's bed, and shook her awake.
"Huh?" Lily heard herself say as she was shaken awake by one of the girls in her dorm, Victoria.
"Wake up! It's already 3:45! I bet half the Gryffindors are up by now!" Victoria cried.
Lily found it slightly odd that Victoria was waking her up. Usually, she kept to herself. She didn't have very many friends, this Lily knew, so Lily decided it might be nice to be friends with her. After all, Lily knew what it was like to feel alone, having been alone (Petunia didn't count) for 11 years of her own life.
"'Morning Victoria!" Lily answered cheerfully. Victoria looked a little taken aback by this reaction, but quickly recovered herself, and put a grin on her face. A real one, too. Not one of those fake ones plastered on by the rest of the Barbie Dolls in Lily's dorm.
The girls quickly changed, and walked down to the common room. Victoria was right; the common room looked to be occupied by at least half of the Gryffindors. Mostly older students, Lily found. However, Lily saw that Remus, James, Peter, and Sirius were also up, and were playing Gobstones.
"Where do you wanna sit?" Lily asked Victoria casually.
"Anywhere is fine," Victoria replied, her light skin changing to a slightly pinker tinge.
"Do you wanna go sit with the boys?" Lily questioned, referring to Peter, Remus, Sirius, and James, who had now seen Lily, and were waving for them to join them.
"Alright, but I wouldn't know what to say," Victoria replied, her cheeks now turning a darker pink.
"Why not? They're just boys," Lily reasoned.
"No, it's just...," Victoria trailed off.
"Just what?" Lily asked curiously.
"Well...okay, I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to tell a soul," Victoria stated.
"Promise," Lily consented.
"Alright, well...I kind of have a thing for Sirius," Victoria admitted, digging her toe into the floor, while staring at her feet with her hands in her robe pockets.
"Well, don't worry, Victoria. I won't tell a soul," Lily swore.
"Thanks, Lily. You're a good friend," Victoria replied, grinning at Lily.
This time it was Lily's turn to blush, "Thanks, Victoria. You are, too. And I promise, you won't be nervous sitting with Sirius and the rest of them anyways...I'll make sure of it." Lily turned to stare at the boys, who were still trying to get the girls' attention.
"Oh, and Lily?" Victoria asked. Lily turned to look at Victoria, "Call me Vic."
"Okay," Lily answered. They both grinned, and set off through the maze of students, making their way towards the chairs in front of the fire, when the boys were sitting.
"Checkmate!" James cried about an hour later.
"Aww...," Sirius pouted. Lily grinned and turned to Vic, who looked back at Lily and blushed.
What's up with that? James thought to himself.
"This is getting boring, you guys," Lily stated, sitting forward from her position on the floor.
"Well, do you have any better ideas?" Remus asked.
"Well, umm...," Lily said, biting her lip.
"Exactly," Remus replied, as he set up the board once again.
"No, Remus. Lily's right. This IS getting boring," Sirius stated tactfully.
"Well, then, what are we going to do with our spare time?" Remus retorted hotly.
"There's got to be SOMETHING," James cut in, just as Sirius was about to say something. Something stupid, knowing him, James thought.
"Let's think," Peter suggested. James rolled his eyes, I think that's what everyone was already doing.
After a minute or two of complete silence, Vic suggested doubtfully, "We could just walk around the school."
"Yeah, but what if one of the teachers caught us?" Peter replied.
"Well, we'll think of some excuse. Anything's better than this," Sirius stated.
"True," Remus admitted.
"Well then, let's go!" James said cheerfully, as he got up, and helped Lily off the ground.
Once outside the Gryffindor common room, the five friends walked down to the Great Hall, which of course, was empty.
"I'm hungry," Remus stated, "I didn't even get to eat breakfast this morning!"
"Wow!" Sirius said.
"What is it?" Victoria asked as curiously as the others felt.
"I'm amazed! I never thought I'd see the day when Remus Henry Lupin missed breakfast!" Sirius exclaimed.
The others burst out laughing, even Remus, who tried to look angry, but wasn't very successful.
"There's a first time for everything," Lily stated when everyone had stopped laughing.
"You know, I AM a little hungry," Victoria admitted, looking around at the others.
"Yeah, me too," Everyone agreed.
"But they won't serve any food in here until dinner!" Remus exclaimed, looking around the Great Hall.
"Why don't we try and look for the kitchens? Maybe some of the cooks will be willing to let us have something to eat!" James suggested.
"Yeah, maybe!" Sirius exclaimed, his eyes lighting up, "Then we can add it to the-"
He couldn't finish his sentence, because James had put his hand over Sirius' mouth, giving him a look.
The boys looked nervously at the girls, but after a few moments, James recovered himself, and said, "Well, let's go!"
The five walked around for forty-five minutes, opening doors, asking numerous portraits, questioning the Gryffindor resident ghost, Nearly Headless Nick, and inquiring suits of armour of the whereabouts of the kitchens.
Just as they were about to go down a staircase leading to the dungeons, they heard a thud.
Lily heard the familiar swish of a cloak.
"Wh-h-h-o's there?" timid Peter asked to the air in front of him.
"I'd like to know myself," James stated, looking around cautiously.
"Wands out, d'you reckon?" Vic whispered to her new friends. They all nodded, and slowly brought their wands out.
Sirius stepped forward, looking on either side of himself, trying to find the conductor of the sound.
He had barely walked two feet when he slipped and fell.
"Clumsy oaf," James muttered, as he and Remus pulled Sirius up by the arms.
"I slipped on that water over there," Sirius retorted, pointing at the puddle of water on the floor that seemed to go all down the hallway.
Just then, the Gryffindors heard another swish of a cloak, and saw footsteps in the water. And they were coming towards them. The six friends stood, frozen, as the footsteps formed in the water, approaching at a speed that seemed slow to the Gryffindors.
"Run," Sirius croaked, but no one could, not even himself. It was as if they were stuck to the ground from terror.
The footsteps drew nearer...closer, and closer they came...
The students cowered in fear. James stood in front of Lily, and Peter who, was cowering behind her. Sirius stood in front of Victoria, who was clutching Remus' arm in fright. By this time, Remus, Peter, Lily and Victoria were blocked from the nearing footsteps, but James and Sirius were still in full view for whatever came their way.
The footsteps were 10 feet away...nine...eight...Victoria clutched Remus' arm even tighter, and held onto Lily's hand...seven...six...five...Lily grasped for James' shoulder, fighting back tears over what she thought would be her dying day...four...three...two feet away...one...
The footsteps were inches away. The six Gryffindors closed their eyes in horror. They felt coldness rush over them. Then heat, then coldness, then heat, then coldness. Over and over, for several minutes. During this time, images played in their minds, though not of past memories, but what appeared to be their futures.
James saw what appeared to be his graduation. He was wearing a cap and gown, and looked to be valedictorian.
Lily saw herself getting ready for her wedding. She was wearing a beautiful gown, and was her matron of honour looked to be Victoria.
Victoria saw herself at what appeared to be a ball. She looked beautiful in a bright red strapless dress, and was dancing with, much to her delight, Sirius.
Sirius saw himself at what looked to be a pub. He was with his friends, and they were laughing and chatting, and seemed to be having a wonderful time.
Remus saw himself sneaking down to the grounds with James, Peter, and Sirius. They were creeping down to the Whomping Willow, and James snuck forward to press the knot on the trunk.
Peter saw himself as an old, balding man in withering robes. He was talking to someone. Someone sitting in a chair by the fire...
As quickly as the images had come, they left, and the six friends were left standing there, in shock. They each opened their eyes, one by one, and looked around. The footsteps had not only come to them, but they had gone right past them. They were still going behind them, as the Gryffindors turned around.
Splat, splat, splat
"What WAS that?" Sirius asked, dumbfounded, as he rubbed his head.
"I don't know," James replied.
"Well, we know what it's not," Vic stated.
"We do?" Remus asked.
"Well, yeah," Vic said, disbelieving that he didn't know what it wasn't, "It's not a student or anything in solid form. It went right through us. And it's not a ghost because ghosts aren't solid when they become invisible. Come to think of it, they're not solid at any time."
"True," Sirius said, tilting his head to the side.
"Wow, you're smart," Peter said, a look of admiration coming across his face. It was a look that Sirius and James were used to by now.
"But there's still one thing I want to know," Lily said.
"What?" The others replied unanimously.
"What was that, and what was it doing here?" Lily stated.
What was that? Lily thought to herself, as she jerked up from her comfortable pillow. She checked the watch on her wrist, and saw that it read 2:30. She had only been asleep for a few hours.
Not being able to fall back asleep, Lily slowly stood up from her bed and walked towards the door leading to the common room. On the way, she noticed that the rest of the girls weren't up yet.
Walking downstairs to the empty common room, Lily looked around for what might have made the loud sound that had waken her up.
After a few minutes, Lily could see nothing that had made the commotion, and started to head back upstairs to change, when she heard the unmistakeable swish of a cloak.
Lily turned quickly, but saw nothing.
"Hello?" Lily said nervously, venturing a step forward, "James, is that you?" Lily knew of the Invisiblity Cloak that was in James' possession. She had used it countless times herself, playing pranks on whomever she currently held a grudge against, or whomever she thought would scream the loudest.
She heard the creak of a door, and turned just in time to see the portrait hole open and close.
More frightened than she had ever been before, Lily ran up to the boys' dormitories. She swung open the door of the third year dormitory, and found Peter, Remus, James, and Sirius all sound asleep in their beds.
Who could it have been, then? Lily thought, very afraid indeed. Deciding to head to her own dormitory until the other Gryffindors woke up, she walked silently out the dormitory door, and closed it with a slight click.
Lily walked up to her own dormitory, and collapsed on her bed. After such a build-up of anticipation, Lily felt quite tired, and fell asleep straight away.
About an hour later, Victoria awoke. Victoria Briche (pronounced Breesh), a third-year in Lily's dormitory, was about to get up and go to the common room, but then knew she would have no one to talk to.
I need a friend. A girl. One that I can really talk to. About things that matter; and even things that don't. Victoria sighed. Suddenly, an urge for someone like that in her life came to her. But who would want to be friends with me? Suddenly, it came to her. Lily. Lily had always been nice enough to her, but she had always hung around James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. The two girls had never really been close. Well, that's about to change. Victoria thought, a sudden confidence overpowering her, as she walked over to Lily's bed, and shook her awake.
"Huh?" Lily heard herself say as she was shaken awake by one of the girls in her dorm, Victoria.
"Wake up! It's already 3:45! I bet half the Gryffindors are up by now!" Victoria cried.
Lily found it slightly odd that Victoria was waking her up. Usually, she kept to herself. She didn't have very many friends, this Lily knew, so Lily decided it might be nice to be friends with her. After all, Lily knew what it was like to feel alone, having been alone (Petunia didn't count) for 11 years of her own life.
"'Morning Victoria!" Lily answered cheerfully. Victoria looked a little taken aback by this reaction, but quickly recovered herself, and put a grin on her face. A real one, too. Not one of those fake ones plastered on by the rest of the Barbie Dolls in Lily's dorm.
The girls quickly changed, and walked down to the common room. Victoria was right; the common room looked to be occupied by at least half of the Gryffindors. Mostly older students, Lily found. However, Lily saw that Remus, James, Peter, and Sirius were also up, and were playing Gobstones.
"Where do you wanna sit?" Lily asked Victoria casually.
"Anywhere is fine," Victoria replied, her light skin changing to a slightly pinker tinge.
"Do you wanna go sit with the boys?" Lily questioned, referring to Peter, Remus, Sirius, and James, who had now seen Lily, and were waving for them to join them.
"Alright, but I wouldn't know what to say," Victoria replied, her cheeks now turning a darker pink.
"Why not? They're just boys," Lily reasoned.
"No, it's just...," Victoria trailed off.
"Just what?" Lily asked curiously.
"Well...okay, I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to tell a soul," Victoria stated.
"Promise," Lily consented.
"Alright, well...I kind of have a thing for Sirius," Victoria admitted, digging her toe into the floor, while staring at her feet with her hands in her robe pockets.
"Well, don't worry, Victoria. I won't tell a soul," Lily swore.
"Thanks, Lily. You're a good friend," Victoria replied, grinning at Lily.
This time it was Lily's turn to blush, "Thanks, Victoria. You are, too. And I promise, you won't be nervous sitting with Sirius and the rest of them anyways...I'll make sure of it." Lily turned to stare at the boys, who were still trying to get the girls' attention.
"Oh, and Lily?" Victoria asked. Lily turned to look at Victoria, "Call me Vic."
"Okay," Lily answered. They both grinned, and set off through the maze of students, making their way towards the chairs in front of the fire, when the boys were sitting.
"Checkmate!" James cried about an hour later.
"Aww...," Sirius pouted. Lily grinned and turned to Vic, who looked back at Lily and blushed.
What's up with that? James thought to himself.
"This is getting boring, you guys," Lily stated, sitting forward from her position on the floor.
"Well, do you have any better ideas?" Remus asked.
"Well, umm...," Lily said, biting her lip.
"Exactly," Remus replied, as he set up the board once again.
"No, Remus. Lily's right. This IS getting boring," Sirius stated tactfully.
"Well, then, what are we going to do with our spare time?" Remus retorted hotly.
"There's got to be SOMETHING," James cut in, just as Sirius was about to say something. Something stupid, knowing him, James thought.
"Let's think," Peter suggested. James rolled his eyes, I think that's what everyone was already doing.
After a minute or two of complete silence, Vic suggested doubtfully, "We could just walk around the school."
"Yeah, but what if one of the teachers caught us?" Peter replied.
"Well, we'll think of some excuse. Anything's better than this," Sirius stated.
"True," Remus admitted.
"Well then, let's go!" James said cheerfully, as he got up, and helped Lily off the ground.
Once outside the Gryffindor common room, the five friends walked down to the Great Hall, which of course, was empty.
"I'm hungry," Remus stated, "I didn't even get to eat breakfast this morning!"
"Wow!" Sirius said.
"What is it?" Victoria asked as curiously as the others felt.
"I'm amazed! I never thought I'd see the day when Remus Henry Lupin missed breakfast!" Sirius exclaimed.
The others burst out laughing, even Remus, who tried to look angry, but wasn't very successful.
"There's a first time for everything," Lily stated when everyone had stopped laughing.
"You know, I AM a little hungry," Victoria admitted, looking around at the others.
"Yeah, me too," Everyone agreed.
"But they won't serve any food in here until dinner!" Remus exclaimed, looking around the Great Hall.
"Why don't we try and look for the kitchens? Maybe some of the cooks will be willing to let us have something to eat!" James suggested.
"Yeah, maybe!" Sirius exclaimed, his eyes lighting up, "Then we can add it to the-"
He couldn't finish his sentence, because James had put his hand over Sirius' mouth, giving him a look.
The boys looked nervously at the girls, but after a few moments, James recovered himself, and said, "Well, let's go!"
The five walked around for forty-five minutes, opening doors, asking numerous portraits, questioning the Gryffindor resident ghost, Nearly Headless Nick, and inquiring suits of armour of the whereabouts of the kitchens.
Just as they were about to go down a staircase leading to the dungeons, they heard a thud.
Lily heard the familiar swish of a cloak.
"Wh-h-h-o's there?" timid Peter asked to the air in front of him.
"I'd like to know myself," James stated, looking around cautiously.
"Wands out, d'you reckon?" Vic whispered to her new friends. They all nodded, and slowly brought their wands out.
Sirius stepped forward, looking on either side of himself, trying to find the conductor of the sound.
He had barely walked two feet when he slipped and fell.
"Clumsy oaf," James muttered, as he and Remus pulled Sirius up by the arms.
"I slipped on that water over there," Sirius retorted, pointing at the puddle of water on the floor that seemed to go all down the hallway.
Just then, the Gryffindors heard another swish of a cloak, and saw footsteps in the water. And they were coming towards them. The six friends stood, frozen, as the footsteps formed in the water, approaching at a speed that seemed slow to the Gryffindors.
"Run," Sirius croaked, but no one could, not even himself. It was as if they were stuck to the ground from terror.
The footsteps drew nearer...closer, and closer they came...
The students cowered in fear. James stood in front of Lily, and Peter who, was cowering behind her. Sirius stood in front of Victoria, who was clutching Remus' arm in fright. By this time, Remus, Peter, Lily and Victoria were blocked from the nearing footsteps, but James and Sirius were still in full view for whatever came their way.
The footsteps were 10 feet away...nine...eight...Victoria clutched Remus' arm even tighter, and held onto Lily's hand...seven...six...five...Lily grasped for James' shoulder, fighting back tears over what she thought would be her dying day...four...three...two feet away...one...
The footsteps were inches away. The six Gryffindors closed their eyes in horror. They felt coldness rush over them. Then heat, then coldness, then heat, then coldness. Over and over, for several minutes. During this time, images played in their minds, though not of past memories, but what appeared to be their futures.
James saw what appeared to be his graduation. He was wearing a cap and gown, and looked to be valedictorian.
Lily saw herself getting ready for her wedding. She was wearing a beautiful gown, and was her matron of honour looked to be Victoria.
Victoria saw herself at what appeared to be a ball. She looked beautiful in a bright red strapless dress, and was dancing with, much to her delight, Sirius.
Sirius saw himself at what looked to be a pub. He was with his friends, and they were laughing and chatting, and seemed to be having a wonderful time.
Remus saw himself sneaking down to the grounds with James, Peter, and Sirius. They were creeping down to the Whomping Willow, and James snuck forward to press the knot on the trunk.
Peter saw himself as an old, balding man in withering robes. He was talking to someone. Someone sitting in a chair by the fire...
As quickly as the images had come, they left, and the six friends were left standing there, in shock. They each opened their eyes, one by one, and looked around. The footsteps had not only come to them, but they had gone right past them. They were still going behind them, as the Gryffindors turned around.
Splat, splat, splat
"What WAS that?" Sirius asked, dumbfounded, as he rubbed his head.
"I don't know," James replied.
"Well, we know what it's not," Vic stated.
"We do?" Remus asked.
"Well, yeah," Vic said, disbelieving that he didn't know what it wasn't, "It's not a student or anything in solid form. It went right through us. And it's not a ghost because ghosts aren't solid when they become invisible. Come to think of it, they're not solid at any time."
"True," Sirius said, tilting his head to the side.
"Wow, you're smart," Peter said, a look of admiration coming across his face. It was a look that Sirius and James were used to by now.
"But there's still one thing I want to know," Lily said.
"What?" The others replied unanimously.
"What was that, and what was it doing here?" Lily stated.