THE QUEEN OF MY HEART
Chapter Fourteen: Staying at Hogwarts
On the way to Arithmacy class, Remus was thinking about the Yule Ball. He couldn't believe that James was actually in love. He had sworn all his life that he would never get serious about a girl. And now, he was. This definitely wasn't pleasing to Remus. He should have felt happy for his friend, but he found himself being upset. If James loved Lily and Lily loved James then Remus could never have her. Of course, Lily had never said that she was in love with James. There was still hope.
As Remus entered the dreary classroom, he immediately saw his friends. Peter and James were seated together. Lily was leaning against the table, talking to James. Her hair was down and shimmered radiantly red.
"Hey all," Remus greeted. "Where's Sirius?"
"He transferred," Peter whined.
"Transferred?" Remus repeated. "Why would he transfer?"
"Two words," James began, "Sibyl Trelawney."
"Sirius has switched to Divination to be with her," Lily explained.
"Wow, who'd have thought?" Remus commented.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to spend Christmas holiday with her," James voiced.
"Oh!" Lily exclaimed, jumping off the table. "Remus, I need to talk to you."
Lily took Remus' hand and pulled him to the corner of the room.
"Have you signed up to stay over holiday?" Lily asked.
"What?"
"Crauwel has a rendezvous with Voldemort over Christmas. Remember?" Lily asked.
"Oh, yeah," Remus began, "I almost forgot. I'll have to owl my mum and tell her that I'm staying here."
"I've never stayed here for Christmas before," Lily told him.
"Me neither."
Lily and Remus smiled nervously at each other and then went to their seats. Without Sirius there, Remus had to sit with Nigil Longbottum. Nigil kept staring stupidly at Remus and asking him questions like, "What does Professor Trepid mean by that?" and "What's it like to have friends?" Remus tried to answer his questions, but sometimes he wasn't sure what to say.
After class, Remus went up to the owlry. He scrawled a note, saying:
"Dear Mum,
I'd like to stay here for the holiday. I have a friend staying and we wanted to do some stuff. I'll write you everyday and miss you. Is it alright?
Love ya,
Remus"
He gave his note to a large barn owl and watched as it exited the rickety tower and flew off into the clouds.
*************
The next morning, the marauders sat together eating their breakfast. James was leaning over an advanced potions book while the others stared at him.
"We're supposed to boil it until it becomes a light teal," James told them.
"But the Animagi potion has been grey ever since we thawed it," Remus pointed out.
"What if we did something wrong?" Peter whined, chewing his fingernails.
"Sirius, are you sure it was frozen for exactly two months?" James asked.
"Course I'm sure!" Sirius snapped, seeming offended.
"Maybe it's supposed to take time to turn teal," Remus suggested.
James leaned forward and rested his chin in the seam of the book.
"Guys, we need to consider something," Sirius brought up, looking at all their faces, one by one. "What are we supposed to do about the potion over the holidays?"
"That's right," James gasped. "We need to have it watched and taken care of."
"One of us could take it home," Peter suggested.
"That won't look a bit suspicious," Sirius said sarcastically.
"Um, guys," Remus interrupted timidly.
"My invisibility cloak can keep it form looking suspicious," James explained.
"That would mean you'd take it home," Sirius informed.
"What, did you want to take it?"
"Guys," Remus said.
"If you want to have it spoil your holiday, that's fine," Sirius told James.
"How d'we keep it hot?" Peter asked.
"That's right," James began, "it needs to stay boiling."
"We can keep a inflammation charm on it," Sirius suggested.
"James," Remus addressed.
"That'll set my cloak on fire!" James exclaimed.
"What other choice d'we have?" Sirius questioned.
Remus stood up, shouting, "Will you guys shut it!"
Peter, Sirius, and James gaped at him.
"What is it, Mooney?" James asked.
"I just thought you ought to know that I am staying over the holiday," Remus announced. "I can look after the Animagi potion."
"Why're you staying?" Sirius queried.
"I have stuff to do," Remus said vaguely.
"This means that your mum will be all alone over the holiday," James stated. "You sure you want to do that to her?"
Remus had never thought of that. He and his mum had always spent holidays together. He tried to imagine her sitting alone by the Christmas tree. Very few presents were under the tree. Remus felt horrible leaving his mother there. She hadn't seen him in four months and she'd have to wait another four. It couldn't be helped, though. He and Lily had to find out what Lord Voldemort was planning.
Remus went to answer James' question but was interrupted by the sudden inflow of owls. Remus scanned the ceiling for a large barn owl. They were all moving much too fast to tell what they were.
"Got some nutmeg cookies from mum," Peter announced, opening a small tin that was dropped in his lap.
"Oh, crud!" Sirius exclaimed, seeing the large red envelope that was clutched in a tawny's beak. "Another howler."
"Better run for it," Remus advised.
Sirius grabbed the envelope and sprinted out of the Great Hall. Remus could hardly hear Mr. Black's yelling. Sirius must be able to run fast.
Just then, the large barn owl landed in front of Remus' plate of eggs. It dropped a letter and then took flight. Remus picked up the envelope and opened it.
"Darling Remus,
Of course you can stay at Hogwarts with your friend. I am glad that you have so much fun at school. And you're becoming quite popular. It makes me happy. it truly does. I will owl your presents out there. See you when school ends.
Love Always,
Rochelle Lupin"
Remus could tell that she was sad that he wasn't coming home. What could he do? He couldn't just let Voldemort take over Hogwarts.
"What's that, Mooney?" Peter asked from across the table.
"Just a note form mum," Remus told him.
"She OK with you staying here alone?" James asked.
"Why wouldn't she be? Remus retorted. "Anyway, about the potion..."
"Yeah, alright," James began, scooting the book toward Remus. "We are here in the potion."
"So once it turns teal, I need to add the bezoar." Remus concluded. "Do we have a bezoar?"
"Sure do," James said, smiling mischievously as he pulled a bottle from his back pack.
The bottle was full of some acid yellow liquid. Among this liquid was a semi-round red thing. It looked kind of muscular. The sight of it made Remus feel ill. Despite this, he took the jar and put it in his own back pack.
****************
As the students going home hustled and bustled to the carriages, Lily, Remus, and some other kids stood on the doorstep, biding farewell to departing friends. The marauders, minus Remus, pulled their trunks through the Entrance Hall. The guys left thier trunks to rest thier arms.
"Lily, you're staying too?" James gasped.
She smiled nervously.
"Why're you staying?" Sirius asked.
"Mum, Dad, and Petunia have decided to holiday in Ireland," Lily explained, lying. "I'm not partial to marshes and ruins so I decided to stay here."
Remus saw that shocked look on Peter's face that said he was getting suspicious again.
"It's a good thing that I have to watch over the..." Remus glanced at Lily, "...stuff or Lily'd have to be all alone."
Sirius, James, and Peter looked at Remus a moment, nervous about the fact that Remus had almost revealed the secret of the Animagi potion.
"We'd better get loaded," Sirius announced.
With that, they picked up thier trunks and dragged them to the next carriage. Once James had packed his trunk, he went back over to Remus and Lily.
"I'll miss you," he said, obviously talking to Lily.
Lily stepped over to him and replied, "I'll miss you, too."
James and Lily embraced. Remus took a deep breath and looked at his shoes.
"I was hoping to see you over holiday," James whispered to Lily, just loud enough for James to hear.
"I'm sorry," Lily pouted fraudulently.
Remus glanced over at them. Lily and James had thier arms around each other, looking into each other's eyes with thier foreheads pressed together. Remus felt like his time of month had come that second. His stomach was lurching and the temperature felt like it had risen ten degrees.
"I'll see you in two weeks," James said, beginning to walk away.
Lily and James had thier fingers touching until James had gone out of arms reach. Lily waved, her arm still outstretched.
James got into the carriage and it drove off on it's own. Remus looked at Lily. She stared after the carriage for a moment and then she turned to Remus, smiling.
"What should we do?" she asked.
Remus shrugged.
"We have several days before Voldemort is supposed to contact Crauwel," Lily informed. "What should we do?"
Remus shrugged.
"What is there to do in a castle all by ourselves?" Lily muttered, putting her finger to her chin in a thoughtful way.
"We could just do whatever comes to us," Remus suggested, brainstorming for ideas.
"It's as good a plan as any," Lily commented. "Anything coming yet."
Remus thought for a minute, and then his stomach began to pop and gurgle.
"How about lunch?"
Lily laughed.
Remus and Lily ate lunch in the abnormally quiet and empty Great Hall.
"I love Christmas," Lily blurted over chicken and sprouts. "It isn't only beacuse of all the presents, but the spirit in the air just sings."
"Are you sure it isn't just Peeves?" Remus commented.
Lily glared at him, smiling slightly.
"I mena the generousity that calls to us and the kindness that inspirtes us. At this time of year, people have more regard for each other. I suppose it's not like that for everyone. There are those who just look forward to the gifts."
Gifts? Oh, no! Remus hadn't gotten Lily a gift. Somehow, so much was going on that he just forgot. What could he get her? It had to be soemthing good. A lame gift wouldn't help his chances. Where could he get a good gift at Hogwarts? He could go to Hogsmede to buy something, but he wasn't sure if he would be allowed to go. Had Lily gotten him something? It didn't really matter. He just wanted to get her a gift so she would have it. He wanted to make her smile.
"Are you OK?" Lily asked.
Remus stopped staring into space and looked ta her.
"You seemed a little worried," Lily told him.
"I'm fine," he began. "I was just thinking of something."
Lily nodded once.
Remus brainbstormed all the rest of the day for ideas of waht to get Lily. All his ideas were either not good enough or inappropriate. He was entertaining the idea of giving her a hair barrett. Of course, what did he knoe about what bareets in fashion. He would probably end up getting her a barett from the fourties. It could always be retro. Who was he kidding? She probably wouldn't even wear it.
Chapter Fourteen: Staying at Hogwarts
On the way to Arithmacy class, Remus was thinking about the Yule Ball. He couldn't believe that James was actually in love. He had sworn all his life that he would never get serious about a girl. And now, he was. This definitely wasn't pleasing to Remus. He should have felt happy for his friend, but he found himself being upset. If James loved Lily and Lily loved James then Remus could never have her. Of course, Lily had never said that she was in love with James. There was still hope.
As Remus entered the dreary classroom, he immediately saw his friends. Peter and James were seated together. Lily was leaning against the table, talking to James. Her hair was down and shimmered radiantly red.
"Hey all," Remus greeted. "Where's Sirius?"
"He transferred," Peter whined.
"Transferred?" Remus repeated. "Why would he transfer?"
"Two words," James began, "Sibyl Trelawney."
"Sirius has switched to Divination to be with her," Lily explained.
"Wow, who'd have thought?" Remus commented.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to spend Christmas holiday with her," James voiced.
"Oh!" Lily exclaimed, jumping off the table. "Remus, I need to talk to you."
Lily took Remus' hand and pulled him to the corner of the room.
"Have you signed up to stay over holiday?" Lily asked.
"What?"
"Crauwel has a rendezvous with Voldemort over Christmas. Remember?" Lily asked.
"Oh, yeah," Remus began, "I almost forgot. I'll have to owl my mum and tell her that I'm staying here."
"I've never stayed here for Christmas before," Lily told him.
"Me neither."
Lily and Remus smiled nervously at each other and then went to their seats. Without Sirius there, Remus had to sit with Nigil Longbottum. Nigil kept staring stupidly at Remus and asking him questions like, "What does Professor Trepid mean by that?" and "What's it like to have friends?" Remus tried to answer his questions, but sometimes he wasn't sure what to say.
After class, Remus went up to the owlry. He scrawled a note, saying:
"Dear Mum,
I'd like to stay here for the holiday. I have a friend staying and we wanted to do some stuff. I'll write you everyday and miss you. Is it alright?
Love ya,
Remus"
He gave his note to a large barn owl and watched as it exited the rickety tower and flew off into the clouds.
*************
The next morning, the marauders sat together eating their breakfast. James was leaning over an advanced potions book while the others stared at him.
"We're supposed to boil it until it becomes a light teal," James told them.
"But the Animagi potion has been grey ever since we thawed it," Remus pointed out.
"What if we did something wrong?" Peter whined, chewing his fingernails.
"Sirius, are you sure it was frozen for exactly two months?" James asked.
"Course I'm sure!" Sirius snapped, seeming offended.
"Maybe it's supposed to take time to turn teal," Remus suggested.
James leaned forward and rested his chin in the seam of the book.
"Guys, we need to consider something," Sirius brought up, looking at all their faces, one by one. "What are we supposed to do about the potion over the holidays?"
"That's right," James gasped. "We need to have it watched and taken care of."
"One of us could take it home," Peter suggested.
"That won't look a bit suspicious," Sirius said sarcastically.
"Um, guys," Remus interrupted timidly.
"My invisibility cloak can keep it form looking suspicious," James explained.
"That would mean you'd take it home," Sirius informed.
"What, did you want to take it?"
"Guys," Remus said.
"If you want to have it spoil your holiday, that's fine," Sirius told James.
"How d'we keep it hot?" Peter asked.
"That's right," James began, "it needs to stay boiling."
"We can keep a inflammation charm on it," Sirius suggested.
"James," Remus addressed.
"That'll set my cloak on fire!" James exclaimed.
"What other choice d'we have?" Sirius questioned.
Remus stood up, shouting, "Will you guys shut it!"
Peter, Sirius, and James gaped at him.
"What is it, Mooney?" James asked.
"I just thought you ought to know that I am staying over the holiday," Remus announced. "I can look after the Animagi potion."
"Why're you staying?" Sirius queried.
"I have stuff to do," Remus said vaguely.
"This means that your mum will be all alone over the holiday," James stated. "You sure you want to do that to her?"
Remus had never thought of that. He and his mum had always spent holidays together. He tried to imagine her sitting alone by the Christmas tree. Very few presents were under the tree. Remus felt horrible leaving his mother there. She hadn't seen him in four months and she'd have to wait another four. It couldn't be helped, though. He and Lily had to find out what Lord Voldemort was planning.
Remus went to answer James' question but was interrupted by the sudden inflow of owls. Remus scanned the ceiling for a large barn owl. They were all moving much too fast to tell what they were.
"Got some nutmeg cookies from mum," Peter announced, opening a small tin that was dropped in his lap.
"Oh, crud!" Sirius exclaimed, seeing the large red envelope that was clutched in a tawny's beak. "Another howler."
"Better run for it," Remus advised.
Sirius grabbed the envelope and sprinted out of the Great Hall. Remus could hardly hear Mr. Black's yelling. Sirius must be able to run fast.
Just then, the large barn owl landed in front of Remus' plate of eggs. It dropped a letter and then took flight. Remus picked up the envelope and opened it.
"Darling Remus,
Of course you can stay at Hogwarts with your friend. I am glad that you have so much fun at school. And you're becoming quite popular. It makes me happy. it truly does. I will owl your presents out there. See you when school ends.
Love Always,
Rochelle Lupin"
Remus could tell that she was sad that he wasn't coming home. What could he do? He couldn't just let Voldemort take over Hogwarts.
"What's that, Mooney?" Peter asked from across the table.
"Just a note form mum," Remus told him.
"She OK with you staying here alone?" James asked.
"Why wouldn't she be? Remus retorted. "Anyway, about the potion..."
"Yeah, alright," James began, scooting the book toward Remus. "We are here in the potion."
"So once it turns teal, I need to add the bezoar." Remus concluded. "Do we have a bezoar?"
"Sure do," James said, smiling mischievously as he pulled a bottle from his back pack.
The bottle was full of some acid yellow liquid. Among this liquid was a semi-round red thing. It looked kind of muscular. The sight of it made Remus feel ill. Despite this, he took the jar and put it in his own back pack.
****************
As the students going home hustled and bustled to the carriages, Lily, Remus, and some other kids stood on the doorstep, biding farewell to departing friends. The marauders, minus Remus, pulled their trunks through the Entrance Hall. The guys left thier trunks to rest thier arms.
"Lily, you're staying too?" James gasped.
She smiled nervously.
"Why're you staying?" Sirius asked.
"Mum, Dad, and Petunia have decided to holiday in Ireland," Lily explained, lying. "I'm not partial to marshes and ruins so I decided to stay here."
Remus saw that shocked look on Peter's face that said he was getting suspicious again.
"It's a good thing that I have to watch over the..." Remus glanced at Lily, "...stuff or Lily'd have to be all alone."
Sirius, James, and Peter looked at Remus a moment, nervous about the fact that Remus had almost revealed the secret of the Animagi potion.
"We'd better get loaded," Sirius announced.
With that, they picked up thier trunks and dragged them to the next carriage. Once James had packed his trunk, he went back over to Remus and Lily.
"I'll miss you," he said, obviously talking to Lily.
Lily stepped over to him and replied, "I'll miss you, too."
James and Lily embraced. Remus took a deep breath and looked at his shoes.
"I was hoping to see you over holiday," James whispered to Lily, just loud enough for James to hear.
"I'm sorry," Lily pouted fraudulently.
Remus glanced over at them. Lily and James had thier arms around each other, looking into each other's eyes with thier foreheads pressed together. Remus felt like his time of month had come that second. His stomach was lurching and the temperature felt like it had risen ten degrees.
"I'll see you in two weeks," James said, beginning to walk away.
Lily and James had thier fingers touching until James had gone out of arms reach. Lily waved, her arm still outstretched.
James got into the carriage and it drove off on it's own. Remus looked at Lily. She stared after the carriage for a moment and then she turned to Remus, smiling.
"What should we do?" she asked.
Remus shrugged.
"We have several days before Voldemort is supposed to contact Crauwel," Lily informed. "What should we do?"
Remus shrugged.
"What is there to do in a castle all by ourselves?" Lily muttered, putting her finger to her chin in a thoughtful way.
"We could just do whatever comes to us," Remus suggested, brainstorming for ideas.
"It's as good a plan as any," Lily commented. "Anything coming yet."
Remus thought for a minute, and then his stomach began to pop and gurgle.
"How about lunch?"
Lily laughed.
Remus and Lily ate lunch in the abnormally quiet and empty Great Hall.
"I love Christmas," Lily blurted over chicken and sprouts. "It isn't only beacuse of all the presents, but the spirit in the air just sings."
"Are you sure it isn't just Peeves?" Remus commented.
Lily glared at him, smiling slightly.
"I mena the generousity that calls to us and the kindness that inspirtes us. At this time of year, people have more regard for each other. I suppose it's not like that for everyone. There are those who just look forward to the gifts."
Gifts? Oh, no! Remus hadn't gotten Lily a gift. Somehow, so much was going on that he just forgot. What could he get her? It had to be soemthing good. A lame gift wouldn't help his chances. Where could he get a good gift at Hogwarts? He could go to Hogsmede to buy something, but he wasn't sure if he would be allowed to go. Had Lily gotten him something? It didn't really matter. He just wanted to get her a gift so she would have it. He wanted to make her smile.
"Are you OK?" Lily asked.
Remus stopped staring into space and looked ta her.
"You seemed a little worried," Lily told him.
"I'm fine," he began. "I was just thinking of something."
Lily nodded once.
Remus brainbstormed all the rest of the day for ideas of waht to get Lily. All his ideas were either not good enough or inappropriate. He was entertaining the idea of giving her a hair barrett. Of course, what did he knoe about what bareets in fashion. He would probably end up getting her a barett from the fourties. It could always be retro. Who was he kidding? She probably wouldn't even wear it.
