Chapter Two

Carmen ducked just in time to avoid an owl to the head. It crashed into the rather large pitcher of milk. Anyone sitting within a ten foot radius was instantly drenched

All heads at the Gryffindor swiveled to see the receiver of the culprit's delivery. Carmen felt herself flush.

Letter from home, she called cheerfully. There were dark mutterings and glares as each of the students turned back to his or her meal. Morning was not a good time to test her fellow Gryffindors' patience.

Carmen noticed an owl drop a letter into Lily's lap, then a letter in Allison's lap, and another in Jen's. She was wondering why she hadn't gotten one when a falling missile bonked her squarely on the head.

Carmen rubbed her head indignantly while opening the parchment.

Inside was a simple:
Your detention is set for tomorrow, October 31, at 8 PM. Please report to the Hospital Wing for duty.

Carmen groaned. No doubt duty' included cleaning bed-pans.

Lily looked over to Carmen's letter. You got your detention notice too? she asked glumly. Carmen nodded.

They can't do that to us! Jen exploded. They can't take away our Halloween like that! I even hear that Dumbledore booked some special entertainment for the feast. Everyone, and I mean everyone will be there!

Suddenly, there was a strangled scream from the other end of the hall. All four girls swiveled in their seats to see the offender.

A Hufflepuff girl that looked to be about sixteen was openly weeping. Her friend whispered something in her ear, obviously meant to be of some comfort, but the girl only cried harder.

Her other friend took her elbow and pulled her out of her seat. She led her distraught friend out of the hall in the direction of the hospital wing. Professor McGonagall intercepted the two girls at the hall's entrance, a few brief words were exchanged, and then, she, too left the hall to accompany the two friends.

Three girls were in hot pursuit. Carmen recognized one of them; Katy, from Herbology.

she whispered as the Hufflepuff walked past her. Katy, what's going on?

Katy turned to see the four Gryffindor girls looking anxiously at her. She sighed heavily.

That's Maggie, Katy said quietly. Then, softer still, she added, She just found out her parents were killed by You-Know-Who.

Carmen glanced at her friends, all of whom wore additional expressions of shock on their faces.

Tell her, Carmen faltered, tell her we're sorry.

Katy nodded, and sped away to catch up with her fellow Hufflepuffs.

As soon as she left, noise erupted in the hall. Everyone was whispering, muttering to their friends, or shaking their heads in disbelief.

Carmen, however, just sat there thinking. The pain Maggie must be feeling, and the shock too, the shock that something this could ever happen to her. Carmen empathized with her. She understood what Maggie was going through.

Maybe more than she should have.

*******************************

You're kidding, Jen said. Allison shook her head. Do I look like I'm kidding? she asked. Jen studied Allison for a moment, then said, rather ruefully,

But why would the Slytherins have to have detention with us? Lily wondered. You mean, other than to torture us? Carmen interjected.

Allison sighed. Do the words peacefully cooperate' mean anything to you? All three girls shook their heads no.

Well, it doesn't mean anything to me, either, but it does to McGonagall, because that's why were doing time with the Slytherins.

Lily groaned. We have to have detention with our mortal enemies so we can be taught how to peacefully cooperate'?

No, it's not as simple as that. If we merely had to go through detention with them, then we would learn how to cooperate. However, and this is the hard part, when we go through detention with them without killing each other, then we learn how to peacefully cooperate', Carmen answered knowledgeably, glasses poised at the end of her nose. Jen though she looked somewhat like a younger version of McGonagall.

She didn't say this out loud, however, knowing full well that Carmen would use that remark as grounds for murder.

And how exactly did you find out McGonagall's ulterior motive for putting us through the most miserable experience in our lives? Jen asked incredulously.

A little bird, Allison smiled mischievously. Jen didn't trust that smile for an instant.

A sandy haired little bird that's six foot one and has green eyes and a name that happens to be, oh, say... Tim? Carmen asked innocently.

Jen laughed aloud at the look on Allison's face. Ooh, busted by Carmen the Super-Snoop.

Who's brilliant career is about to come to a tragic end, Allison threatened through gritted teeth.

Um, Carmen? Lily whispered tentatively, now would be a good time to walk away.

Jen shook her head. No, Carmen, now would be a good time to run like hell and hope to God that she's not following you.

Carmen didn't need to be told twice.

*********************

Where are you going? Narcissa wondered as Sirius checked his watch, got up, and motioned for James to follow him.

Yeah, the feast doesn't start for another hour, Narcissa's friend, Juliet Winterbottom, correlated. Sirius sighed. Must they scrutinize his every move?

he muttered almost inaudibly. Narcissa frowned.

That's the fourth one this year. Really, Sirius, if you keep your antics up you'll be expelled before too much longer.

Thank you Miss Voice of Doom', Sirius snapped sarcastically. Narcissa looked rather taken aback.

I'm just trying to get you to start taking things more seriously!

Why, when it's so much more fun to take things lightly? he teased.

Narcissa's mouth was set in a tight, thin line like it always was when she got angry.

That's not funny.

Really? Well, Juliet seemed to think it was.

Narcissa glanced at Juliet, who had been up until that point shaking with silent laughter. The last laugh died in her throat, however, when Narcissa glared daggers at her.

Remus called across the Slytherin common room, Are you coming or not?!

Be there in a sec! Sirius called back, and before Narcissa could utter a word of disapproval, he kissed her soundly on the lips, then turned around and walked out of the entrance, leaving Narcissa stunned for several moments.

No fair! That's cheating! she yelled after him after the initial shock of being kissed in public wore off.

********************

Sirius exploded. What did you say?!

Carmen looked at Jen and rolled her eyes.

I said that your three are all separated for detention! she repeated in a vexed tone.

But, no way, McGonagall would have told us that. Remus voiced his opinion on the subject.

Did you even read the detention notices? Jen asked incredulously.

He did, James pointed to Sirius.

Exactly. Sirius stays here with us in the Hospital Wing. James reports to the dungeons where Lily is, and Remus is to go to the trophy room with Allison.

The three boys looked at Jen as though she had just sentenced them to eternal damnation.

Look, you think we want it this way? Carmen asked angrily. You think we asked for this? If we had it our way, we would even have detention.

Yeah. Just look who got us in detention on the first place? You did.

So you're saying it's our fault we got stuck in detention with you? Sirius sputtered.

For lack of better wording, yes.

Carmen checked her watch. You'd better hurry up, she announced, It's eight-o-five already. You're five minutes late.

Oh, darn, Remus muttered sarcastically.

Sirius followed James and Remus to the wing entrance.

Don't leave me here with them! he pleaded. James and Remus both gave him pitying expressions.

Have too, James said resolutely.

Good luck, Remus added as they turned to go.

I'll need it. they heard Sirius grumble as the doors swung shut.

James and Remus parted at the end of the corridor, James to the dungeons, Remus to the trophy room.

I should have realized McGonagall wasn't going to let us stay together Remus berated himself as he trudged to his prison.

Remus was still in a foul mood when he pushed open the door to the trophy room. Already Allison was at work, polishing one of hundreds of trophies with a greasy rag.

What, you a muggle or something? he asked skeptically. Allison whirled around, her unruly hair flying in all directions.

Geez, you gave me a start, she exclaimed, eyes widened, a hand at her throat

Then she realized who he was.

What're you doing here? she demanded.

I decided to look at the trophies, Remus answered sarcastically, then retorted, What do you think I'm doing here?

Allison smiled. Oh, yes, the armor incident. she motioned at the pile of rags. Well, go on, if you did the crime you might as well do the time.

Well you're certainly perky, Remus commented disgustedly. Allison rolled her eyes.

What, would you rather me be surly and snarl at you every few seconds?



Well, tough luck. That's not the way I am. she turned back to her trophy.

Remus picked up a rag and moved to the opposite side of the room; or as far away from Allison as possible.

That's a good idea, Allison remarked. If we both take one side of the room and divide the trophies up evenly, we could be finished a lot faster.

And with the least contact, Remus muttered. Allison didn't hear him.

They worked for what seemed to Remus to be hours and hours. However, when he stooped low enough to inquire Allison on the time, he found it had only been an hour and a half. No wonder he wasn't even halfway done.

Finally Allison threw down her rag.

"There," she announced. "I'm done,"

"Well, goody, goody for you," Remus muttered sarcastically. "Excuse me if I don't jump up and down with joy, but I seem
to still have approximately seven thousand trophies left,"

Allison surveyed his cleaning. "You're doing it wrong," she told him. "No wonder you've been taking so long. Look, if you'd
let me show you, I could help you do it faster..."

"And since when did you become an expert on Muggle cleaning?" Remus snapped. To his surprise, Allison smiled sadly.

"I grew up in a Muggle orphanage," she explained, then added, "let's just say I had a lot of practice," She turned to walk out
of the door. Remus stared after her before shaking his head and turning back to his work.

"Well," he murmured to himself, "at least that explains a lot,"

**************************

Allison closed the door gently behind her. Honestly, she couldn't imagine why she had even offered to help him. It was his
own fault he was in there, and she could just let him suffer.

Her stomach grumbled loudly as she though longingly of the feast she missed. It would be almost over by now, she
reasoned, trying to convince herself not to further embarrass herself by sneaking into the Great Hall.

She paused, about to turn into a corridor. There was a far off metallic sound, such as that of a trophy being thrown against a
wall in frustration.

"Remus," she muttered distractedly to herself, shaking her head.

Then she felt it.

A surge of hate washed over her. Hate so intense it made her blood boil. And anger. There was anger there too, pulsing
through her body. But the strongest feeling was what scared Allison most.

Evil. Pure, unflinching evil.

Allison was frightened. She had never experienced the emotions before, and certainly not in these proportions.

She blindly took a few steps backward. The feeling grew weaker. It was as if Allison had been standing in a vortex of
horrible, burning passions.

Allison turned and ran in the direction she had come. It wasn't until she came to the door of the trophy room that she
stopped, out of breath.

Slowly she pushed open the door, half of her relieved she had escaped, the other half of her furious because now she had to
spend more time with Remus.

Remus looked up when she entered the room. At first his face showed surprise, then relief, and then, lastly, disgust.

"So you're back are you?" he asked disdainfully. "Why so soon?"

Allison took a deep breath, trying to bring her heart rate down to normal. Her breathing was shallow and uneven before, she
was shaking hard, and her face was deathly pale.

Remus peered at her in genuine concern for a moment, before ruining it with a "Are you alright? Because you look like hell,"

Allison glared. "I'm fine, thanks," she answered shortly.

"So why'd you come back," Remus repeated. Allison mentally sighed. She couldn't very well tell him what had happened, so
it looked like it was up the old standby; making things up. Luckily, due to her rather large imagination, Allison had no
problems with this. Possibly one of the reasons she did so well in Divination.

"Well," she began, thinking. Then it hit her. "Well," she started again, "I was thinking that if we both worked on your half,
then we could both be out of here faster. You see, it's a win/win situation,"

Allison paused for a moment; Remus snorted in derision. Allison smiled before adding, as a comeback to his clear disdain
of her answer, "Of course, I forgot, you Slytherins prefer lose/conquer situations..."

Remus's head snapped up. "That's stereotypical," he said testily. This time it was Allison's turn to mock her opponent.

"Well, it's true isn't it?" she asked in a superior tone of voice. She was enjoying torturing him. She rarely had a chance to;
she was usually the one trying to solve arguments, no start them.

"Maybe to you," Remus retorted, adding, "but then, to me, all Gryffindors are a bunch of arrogant busy bodies. Especially
the seventh years," he smirked, "but that doesn't make it true does it?"

Allison had a sudden desire to curse him.

"I guess not," she said, slow to relinquish her control over him.

"Well, now look who's so humble all of a sudden,"

"You know, I wouldn't be talking like that if I were you," Allison began hotly. "After all, you're the one who got all his
friends in trouble just because you were too careless to pick up a book,"

Remus's eyes narrowed. "Say that again," he challenged her.

"I will," Allison's voice grew cool. Their eyes met, daring the other to make the first move.

A scream shattered the tense silence.

Allison and Remus looked at each other, then the door, then back at each other. Without a word to each other, both began to
sprint flat out towards the sounds of distress.

Allison quickly overtook Remus, running with all her might, dreading what she might discover just around a corner.

Suddenly, Allison slipped over something wet. Cursing, and wondering exactly why Filch would even consider mopping at
midnight, she scrambled up to her feet, wiping her hands on her robes.

It wasn't until then she noticed her hands weren't covered in water.

They were covered in blood.

A second scream pierced the night air.