Chapter 11 ~*~ Christmas brings death
Allison and Remus returned that Tuesday. Both stayed in their dorms because they were too exhausted. They evidently had broken out of the shack and had had a roam of Hogsmeade; the town that the shack was in. They did however return to classes the next day, despite the begging they did.
"Allison and Remus! Wake up!" someone yelled in their ears making them jump.
"What? Lil! What was that for?" Allison asked.
"You fell asleep standing. AGAIN!" Lily replied.
"So?" Allison asked.
"We've got classes. You need to wake up." Hannah threw in.
"Well then, lets go to breakfast. That might wake me up." Allison replied grumpily.
"Can't." Remus replied in the same tone. "We still have to wait for Katie, James, Sirius, and Peter."
"Why!" Allison whined, and everyone turned to stare at her. Lily even took the time to raise her eyebrows.
"Alli.you sound like your five years old asking why you can't have any ice cream." Remus said.
"So?" Allison said, throwing on a pouty face, "I'm tired, hungry, and we have potions of all classes. I'm entitled to my whine." And with that, she stomped out of the common room.
"What's with Allison?" James asked as the four missing group members (including himself) joined them.
"She's acting like she's five." Remus said, and then imitated her exact words, sounds, and movements.
"Oh." Sirius said. "Well she does have a point, I guess."
"Yeah, he's right." Katie threw in. "Let's just meet her at breakfast before she leaves."
So they all headed down to the Great Hall, where they found Allison talking to Allen Zabbi from Ravenclaw. Everyone turned to glare at Remus, who cowered slightly. Instantly, Lily elbowed him, causing him to stumble forward right in front of the two.
"Alli, I'm sorry. Just come and eat please." Remus begged her.
Allison just glared at him before turning back to Allen. "Do you mind if I eat with you at your table today?" she asked while flashing a smile.
"No, not at all. See you around Remus." He said, before leading Allison over to a seat at the Ravenclaw table.
"What did you do!" Katie exclaimed as he took his seat next to her.
"I said sorry, but she just glared and then asked Allen if she could sit with him for breakfast." Remus replied. No one bothered to push the matter because he just started to glare at his food.
After breakfast, the seven of them caught up with Allison on their way to class.
"Allison, wait up!" Sirius called.
"Hey Sirius! James, Peter, Katie." She said with a smile before turning to glare at Lily, Remus, and Hannah. The three of them took a step back at seeing her eyes flash purple for a second, before they turned back to normal.
"What's up?" she asked kindly turning her attention back to the other four.
"Why didn't you sit with us at breakfast?" James asked casually.
"I ran into Allen, and we started talking, so I ate with him." Allison said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Well don't do it again." James said.
"Yeah, we missed you." Katie threw in.
"Besides." Sirius said, while throwing his arm around his shoulders, ".we don't want you returning like all of them smart-allec Ravenclaws, do we now."
Allison just laughed, before turning back to the other three, who were now at least two yards behind. When she did so, they all stopped. Allison laughed again and she shook her head before speaking.
"I'm sorry guys, and come on. We can't be late. Besides, you know I can't hold a grudge." She said, while pointing to Hannah at the last part.
"It's true, she can't," Hannah said, "unless it's a really serious or vile thing."
So they all preceded through the rest of the dungeons to the potions classroom. They arrived in their seats just before the bell rang. The door slammed open, and their potions teacher, Professor Glub, walked in.
"Attention class!" she began. "Ms. Santino! Five points from Gryffindor for not looking up as I speak!"
"But-" Hannah began.
"Another five points for talking back," she said, "and five points to Slytherin, for quietly paying attention." Hannah just sat in her seat and attempted to growl.
The problem was that anyone who would glance around the room would notice that the Gryffindors were all silent with quills, parchment, and ingredients out. Whereas the Slytherins were all pointing and laughing, and only half had managed to get out their supplies. By the end of class, everyone had finished the sleeping draught they were making. Sirius had struggled a bit, but he got it after a few minutes of Katie informing him of which ingredient was which.
After lunch passed, they all headed off to Defense Against the Dark Arts, where Professor Ridge had them take notes on Kappy's all class. It was here that James and Remus decided to try out a new hex on the Professor, while Sirius distracted him. The hex worked to say the least. The Professor grew a new cats tail every five minutes for an hour, and then began to lose one every five minutes for an hour after that. It wasn't till well after the class ended that he had become tail free. Everyone was still laughing when they reached the Common Room ten minutes after the bell had rung to signal the end of the class.
Soon Thanksgiving went by, as well as the turkeys that the boys had charmed to come to life at the feast.
All to soon, another three weeks had gone passed and it was the evening of the ball. The first through third years had just returned from their dinner, and the fourth through seventh years had all gone down for theirs and the ball. Hannah, Katie, and Allison were all in the dorm packing since they were the only Gryffindor first years leaving. Allison had been sitting on the window seat, when an owl flew in, and dropped a letter off by Hannah, before leaving again. Hannah picked up the letter, and read it, but immediately she dropped it as if it were an explosive. She stared at it with hatred, anger, hurt, and disbelief.
"No." she whispered.
Katie ran over and grabbed the letter. She and Allison both began to read the blood red writing.
Ms. Santino,
I told you I'd find your family. I warned you that they would die if I didn't get what I wanted, but no, you were too stubborn. It wasn't hard really. I just had to decide on the time to kill them. I finally agreed that right before he holidays was a good time. Oh you should have seen the way their faces looked. Lying there, dead! Actually, here's a look at it. Enjoy!
- Just Guess -
Below the letter was a photo of her parents. Lying there, dead on the kitchen floor.
"Oh my God!" Katie exclaimed.
"That's so sick!" Allison said, barely above a whisper.
They both looked u pat Hannah to see her reaction. She had paled so much that she was a white as paper almost, and she looked as if she had lost everything important to her.
"No." she whispered while shaking her head. "GOD DAMNIT NO!" she yelled as she started chucking things around.
"Hannah, this won't help!" Katie exclaimed. "HANNAH, PLEASE!"
"K-Katie?" Allison slowly stuttered.
"What?" she turned to face Allison who was shaking and sitting in the window seat.
"I-it's written in their b-b-blood." She said.
They both turned back to face Hannah.
"How the HELL could I have let this happen!" she was screaming.
"HANNAH, STOP, PLEASE!" Allison yelled as well.
"GOD DAMNIT!" Hannah screamed.
Meanwhile, Lily, James, Sirius, and Remus were sitting in front of the fireplace. The boys were complaining about some Slytherin they had met earlier in the halls, but Lily was thinking of other things. Something didn't feel right on the inside, and the feeling actually scared her.
Lily suddenly interrupted them. "Did you guys hear that?"
"Hear wh-" but Sirius was cut off by someone shouting.
"GOD DAMMIT NO!" echoed through out the room.
"Hannah?" Remus questioned.
'What Remus?" James asked.
"I think that was-" but he was cut off by a series of shouts.
"Hannah, this won't help! HANNAH, PLEASE!"
Remus began naming who the shouts were coming from. "Katie."
"How the HELL could I have let this happen!"
"Hannah." Remus said.
"HANNAH, STOP, PLEASE!"
"Allison." Remus said, getting more and more worried.
"GOD DAMNIT!"
"Hannah again." Remus said, beginning to pale.
"I'm going up there!" Lily said, but James grabbed her wrists.
"They'll go find help if they need or want it, okay?" he said to her, while looking her in the eyes.
Lily didn't know what it was right then, but something in those eyes seemed to calm her nerves slightly. She felt her muscles tighten slightly before they loosened up, and then James let go of her wrists.
"I suppose your right." She said, but continued to pale every second.
Hannah on the other hand wasn't exactly better off. She was worse if anything.
"You didn't do anything! It's NOT YOUR FAULT!" Katie screamed.
"SHUT UP! IT'S ALL MY FAULT!" Hannah had begun to knock over cabinets in such. Everything came crashing down with a loud thump or bang.
"NO IT'S NOT! HANNAH, CALM DOWN!" Katie was frantic now. She had no idea how to help, and from the looks of it, neither did Allison.
"Calm down? YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN!" Hannah was livid.
"YES! OR STOP SCREAMING!" Katie yelled. She wasn't mad, but scared for her friend.
"Katie! He killed them!" Hannah screamed again. "He KILLED my PARENTS! VOLDEMORT KILLED THEM!"
Everyone in the Common Room went silent, except for James, who fell off his chair at the last comment.
"Oh God." He whispered.
"What James?" Sirius asked, while helping him up.
"Someone get Dumbledore! NOW!" James yelled, before sprinting up the stairs with Lily, Remus, and Sirius right behind. They could here more yelling as they entered the room.
"He killed them, Katie! He killed them!" Hannah was sobbing. Katie had knelt beside her and was rocking Hannah back and forth as Hannah leaned against her. She was still clinging to Katie's robes sobbing. "I can't believe he killed them. He needed me. Why them?" she kept saying things like that over and over again.
"Shhh." was what Katie would say, as the tears streamed down her face as well. ".It's alright."
"Oh my!" Lily gasped. "W-what happened up here?"
Katie looked at them and nodded her head down to Hannah. It was obvious that she had been crying as well, but nowhere as much as Hannah.
"Where's Allison?" Sirius asked.
"Or don't we want to know?" Remus added nervously.
Katie looked up at them again, before looking over at the window. When everyone, but Hannah, followed her gaze they couldn't believe what they saw. Allison was sitting on the small, low window seat, staring at Hannah with wide eyes, and wasn't blinking. She was paler then anyone else there. She was rocking back and forth wit her hands tightly gripping the edge of the seat so tightly that her knuckles were white. Tears were running down her face, but she didn't even seem to notice. Sirius was about to walk over to her, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see Dumbledore standing there with one of the grimmest looks he'd ever seen someone have.
"No Mr. Black." Dumbledore said while shacking his head. Ms. Sears is in a state of shock, and I don't suggest that you do anything just yet."
"But."
"No! Just wait for her to let go of the se-" but he stopped in mid sentence, staring at her right hand. "What is she holding Ms. Grilliot?"
Katie looked over to Allison. "Oh.t-that's the letter." She finished. "The one that caused all this." And with that she gestured around the room.
"Oh dear." He started to look grimmer every second. He then slowly strode over to Allison and knelt in front of her, but Allison didn't seem to take notice. "Ms. Sears?" he asked, but to no avail. "Ms. Sears!" still no answer. "Allison?" she still didn't move. "Well Mr. Black, it is extremely important that we see that letter, so would you like to try?"
"Yes!" So Sirius placed himself in front of Allison. "Allison?" she didn't change. "Allison, come on. Snap out of it!" Sirius said. This time, she seemed to stop rocking do fast, but she didn't really change much.
"Sorry." Sirius sighed, as he stood back up, and dropped his head.
"Let me try." Remus spoke up, looking at Dumbledore hopefully.
"Mr. Lupin, I don't wish to push her too far tonight."
"No. Let him try Headmaster." Katie said.
"If you insist, then go ahead."
Remus sat down in front of her and just began to watch her. The only sounds in the room were those of Hannah's sobs and Allison rocking. No one moved except for Lily, who had backed into the wall and slid down it, to shocked and scared at what was happening around her to stand.
After ten minutes, James spoke up. "Remus, what are you doing?"
"James, you prat, shut up! Look at her hands!" Sirius said.
"What's so different about her.oh." James replied, after he looked down. She had loosened her grip and her knuckles were turning back to the same color as her pale skin, which was a big improvement.
After about another ten minutes, Remus spoke. "Alli?" she started blinking and Remus smiled. He then sat up on his knees and put his hands on her shoulders to keep her from rocking. When he was looking right at her eyes he spoke four words clearer the air. "Lunar of the night."
Immediately, as if trained, Allison mumbled back, "Moon of the sky." When she did this, she started looking around and shaking. "R-Remus?"
He just smiled, and glanced at everyone's dumbstruck faces. Even Dumbledore seemed impressed. "You okay?" he asked as he turned back to her.
She just stared at him for a second before she broke down. She threw he arms around his neck and clung to him, not knowing what else to do. "I- it's n-not f-fair Remus!" she chocked out. Not feeling all that sure as to what else she should say.
He just rocked her back and forth and comforted her. "I know. It'll be fine."
"N-no it w-won't be! First I lose my best friend, then Katie's mum just because she was a muggle, and now Hannah's parents just because they did their job!" Allison exclaimed as tears began to form in her eyes.
"Alli!" He pushed her back a ways. "This is not your fault, to start off. Second, these things happen and I'm sorry it's happened so many times, and then there is the third. You need to let go of the past, and the hard present." He looked straight into her eyes that whole time and grabbed the hand holding the letter at the end. "Let. Go." He said once more.
Allison just stared at the letter in her hand. She just had to let it go, but why was it so hard? After almost five minutes, Allison slowly let it drop into Remus's hand. She smiled a little before turning around to blink back her tears.
Remus swallowed hard after reading the letter and held it out for Dumbledore to take, with shaking hands. Remus looked at Allison, then at Katie, and then his eyes locked on Hannah. She was still sobbing this whole time. She hadn't stopped once. When Remus looked over at Allison, he couldn't help but feel anything, but everything for all three of them. Allison had now moved to sit on the window seat and was string out the window. Remus immediately moved over to her and leaned back against the wall of the window seat. When he reached out to brush some of the hair out of her face, she looked up at him. Remus thought she was feeling better at first, but then he saw how red her eyes had become. He just wrapped his arms around her in a brotherly hug, before moving across the room to Katie and Hannah, knowing she would be all right.
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Black?" Dumbledore spoke.
"Yes?" they both said.
"Could you please go back to the Common Room or your dorm?"
"Yes sir." They said, and then exited with one last glance at the room.
"Sir?" Remus spoke up, from where he was comforting Hannah, while Katie sat on her bed.
"Ah, Mr. Lupin. I believe that your services will be needed here and that none of these three will be in any condition to go anywhere, anytime soon, and I am allowing you to remain here with them, until then. Do you mind?" Dumbledore responded.
"No, sir." Remus said.
"Well than that just leaves Ms. Evans, and Ms. Wella." Dumbledore said, still sounding grim.
"I heard my name.Oh My God! W-what happened?" Rebecca said as she walked into the dorm.
"Rebecca, Lily, if the two of you could please get your things and follow me."
"Yes sir." Lily said glumly, while grabbing her trunk.
"Lily, what happened?" Rebecca asked her.
"Lets just go." Lily said, while dragging her trunk out the door.
"Fine." Rebecca snapped.
Dumbledore magiced another dorm for them right across from their old one, and told them they would be staying there till the others were better.
It wasn't for another hour till Allison finally drifted off to sleep. Remus waited till he was sure he wouldn't wake her up and moved her over to her bed. He was soon moving Hannah as well, but the look on Katie's face told him that there was someone else that needed help.
"Katie?" he as ked upon seeing all tear streaks on her face.
"Yeah Rem?" she said, while staring at the floor.
"You okay?" he said, sitting down next to her on the bed.
"Yes, well, no. Not really."
"You never mentioned your mom died. Why?"
Katie laughed a little as if remembering good old times. "I guess I didn't think it was important. I spent so long getting over it and then when I saw Hannah screaming, and then break down, I guess I just remembered when it happened to me. The only difference is that I still have my dad, but she doesn't. What's she gonna do?" Katie said, looking at Remus. "I don't think we can offer her a home or I would."
"I don't know Katie. I just don't know." Remus said, as he shook his head.
"Well I think I'm going to go to bed now." Katie said. "Okay?"
"I think I'm gonna go talk to the guys for a minute, and then I'll be back." Remus replied as he stood up.
"Alright, night Rem, and thanks." She said.
"Don't thank me, and night." He said while closing the curtains for her, and walking out of the dorm.
"You think they're okay?" Sirius asked James.
"They are fine Sirius." Remus interrupted as he collapsed on the couch. "And yes I'm sure, before you even ask."
"Can we go talk to them?" Sirius asked hopefully.
"Sorry." Remus replied. "Allison nodded off from lack of energy about an hour ago, and Hannah cried herself to sleep, but she was only about thirty minutes ago. Then I was talking to Katie for a bit before I came down here."
"Oh," Sirius said, "I just thought.never mind."
"Get some sleep guys. Just come up when you wake up, and I'm sure they won't mind." Remus said, as he sat up. "Deal?"
"Deal." James said. "Sirius?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, deal."
"Well I better go. I told Katie I would be right back. Please come up tomorrow," Remus said before heading back up the girls' dormitory stairs. The only problem was he wasn't the only one awake in the dorm. He could hear gagging coming from the bathroom, and when he walked in, he saw Hannah puking and spitting up blood.
"Hannah!" he said, as he ran over to her.
"Remu-" but she cut herself off as she leaned over the toilet again. When she looked up, he could tell she had been crying, and still was. "Hi Remus." She said, putting on a half smile.
"God, are you alright?" Remus asked, his eyes full of concern.
"Well actually no, but I'll be fine. I just have to-" but once again she had to cut herself off as she leaned back over the toilet.
"That's it, we're going to the hospital wing."
"No Rem, really I-" but yet again she had to stop. Once she had finished again Remus spoke up.
"Hope, you're coming."
"No really, Rem. This time I'm fine."
"You hold out for ten minutes and then we won't go."
"Deal." Hannah said smiling.
Ten minutes passed, and Remus held up his deal by letting Hannah stay in the dorm. By now it was about half past one in the morning.
"I can't sleep, Rem." Hannah said, sitting up in her bed.
"Normally I'd ask why, but under the.um.circumstances, yeah you get it." Remus replied. "What do you want to do then?"
"I dunno."
"Um." he said. Looking around.
"How about chess?" Hannah asked.
"Sure." So Remus got up off the window seat and sat down on Hannah's bed to play chess.
They were in the middle of their third game when Allison woke up, and moved over to sit next to Remus.
"Hey Han," Allison said yawning, "Rem."
"Morning Allison." Hannah said.
"Morning Alli." Remus replied.
"So what time is it?" Allison said, stifling a yawn.
"Half past three." Came Katie's mumbled voice from her bed.
"Come on Kat." Remus said. "No one is really gonna get much sleep tonight."
"I suppose your right." So Katie joined them, and linked arms with Hannah.
The four of them spent the next few hours playing various sorts of games, and keeping their minds off the previous nights events. It was then that there was a knock on the door, and Lily, James, and Sirius walked in.
"Oh Hannah! I'm so sorry!" Lily said, running over to her and giving her a hug.
"Same here." Sirius and James chorused, both giving her a hug.
"Thank you guys." Hannah said, smiling once again. Everyone knew how drained she looked, but they also knew it wasn't likely she'd get to sleep anytime soon.
"So!" Sirius said. "What should we do today, or right now for instance?"
"Oh, can we show James and Remus Hexes Forest?" Allison pleaded.
"I don't see why not." Hannah said.
"Yay! We can show you the puppies, and of course you can come Sirius." Allison was bouncing up and down on the bed as she said this.
"How did you know that I was going to ask?" Sirius questioned, and cocked an eyebrow.
"I just did." Allison said, shrugging her shoulders. "Let's go!"
"How about we change first." Remus said.
"Sure." Allison said.
So the girls all changed into pajamas, while James and Sirius threw on t-shirts (since they already had on flannel pants), and waited for Remus to do the same. By the time they were all ready it was around seven.
The seven of them stepped out of the portrait hole, to end up coming face to face with Dumbledore.
"Pajama party?" he said with a small twinkle in his eyes, and a smile growing on his face.
"Actually, yes Professor." Lily said smiling.
"Well it's nice to see you're all feeling some what better, but may I have a word with you Allison?"
"Yes Sir. I'll meet you all there, okay?"
"Kay! See you Alli." Remus said, following the others down the hall.
"I've contacted your parents. They would be glad to have the seven of you come and stay for Holidays. That is, if you'd all like that."
"I actually intended on asking them myself, but I see I'm to late." Allison replies smiling.
"Well, they're coming tomorrow at half past six in the morning for anyone who would like to join you."
"Thank you Sir. I assume we should be at your office then?"
"That would work nicely. Have a good day."
"Thank you Sir, and good day to you as well."
Allison and Remus returned that Tuesday. Both stayed in their dorms because they were too exhausted. They evidently had broken out of the shack and had had a roam of Hogsmeade; the town that the shack was in. They did however return to classes the next day, despite the begging they did.
"Allison and Remus! Wake up!" someone yelled in their ears making them jump.
"What? Lil! What was that for?" Allison asked.
"You fell asleep standing. AGAIN!" Lily replied.
"So?" Allison asked.
"We've got classes. You need to wake up." Hannah threw in.
"Well then, lets go to breakfast. That might wake me up." Allison replied grumpily.
"Can't." Remus replied in the same tone. "We still have to wait for Katie, James, Sirius, and Peter."
"Why!" Allison whined, and everyone turned to stare at her. Lily even took the time to raise her eyebrows.
"Alli.you sound like your five years old asking why you can't have any ice cream." Remus said.
"So?" Allison said, throwing on a pouty face, "I'm tired, hungry, and we have potions of all classes. I'm entitled to my whine." And with that, she stomped out of the common room.
"What's with Allison?" James asked as the four missing group members (including himself) joined them.
"She's acting like she's five." Remus said, and then imitated her exact words, sounds, and movements.
"Oh." Sirius said. "Well she does have a point, I guess."
"Yeah, he's right." Katie threw in. "Let's just meet her at breakfast before she leaves."
So they all headed down to the Great Hall, where they found Allison talking to Allen Zabbi from Ravenclaw. Everyone turned to glare at Remus, who cowered slightly. Instantly, Lily elbowed him, causing him to stumble forward right in front of the two.
"Alli, I'm sorry. Just come and eat please." Remus begged her.
Allison just glared at him before turning back to Allen. "Do you mind if I eat with you at your table today?" she asked while flashing a smile.
"No, not at all. See you around Remus." He said, before leading Allison over to a seat at the Ravenclaw table.
"What did you do!" Katie exclaimed as he took his seat next to her.
"I said sorry, but she just glared and then asked Allen if she could sit with him for breakfast." Remus replied. No one bothered to push the matter because he just started to glare at his food.
After breakfast, the seven of them caught up with Allison on their way to class.
"Allison, wait up!" Sirius called.
"Hey Sirius! James, Peter, Katie." She said with a smile before turning to glare at Lily, Remus, and Hannah. The three of them took a step back at seeing her eyes flash purple for a second, before they turned back to normal.
"What's up?" she asked kindly turning her attention back to the other four.
"Why didn't you sit with us at breakfast?" James asked casually.
"I ran into Allen, and we started talking, so I ate with him." Allison said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Well don't do it again." James said.
"Yeah, we missed you." Katie threw in.
"Besides." Sirius said, while throwing his arm around his shoulders, ".we don't want you returning like all of them smart-allec Ravenclaws, do we now."
Allison just laughed, before turning back to the other three, who were now at least two yards behind. When she did so, they all stopped. Allison laughed again and she shook her head before speaking.
"I'm sorry guys, and come on. We can't be late. Besides, you know I can't hold a grudge." She said, while pointing to Hannah at the last part.
"It's true, she can't," Hannah said, "unless it's a really serious or vile thing."
So they all preceded through the rest of the dungeons to the potions classroom. They arrived in their seats just before the bell rang. The door slammed open, and their potions teacher, Professor Glub, walked in.
"Attention class!" she began. "Ms. Santino! Five points from Gryffindor for not looking up as I speak!"
"But-" Hannah began.
"Another five points for talking back," she said, "and five points to Slytherin, for quietly paying attention." Hannah just sat in her seat and attempted to growl.
The problem was that anyone who would glance around the room would notice that the Gryffindors were all silent with quills, parchment, and ingredients out. Whereas the Slytherins were all pointing and laughing, and only half had managed to get out their supplies. By the end of class, everyone had finished the sleeping draught they were making. Sirius had struggled a bit, but he got it after a few minutes of Katie informing him of which ingredient was which.
After lunch passed, they all headed off to Defense Against the Dark Arts, where Professor Ridge had them take notes on Kappy's all class. It was here that James and Remus decided to try out a new hex on the Professor, while Sirius distracted him. The hex worked to say the least. The Professor grew a new cats tail every five minutes for an hour, and then began to lose one every five minutes for an hour after that. It wasn't till well after the class ended that he had become tail free. Everyone was still laughing when they reached the Common Room ten minutes after the bell had rung to signal the end of the class.
Soon Thanksgiving went by, as well as the turkeys that the boys had charmed to come to life at the feast.
All to soon, another three weeks had gone passed and it was the evening of the ball. The first through third years had just returned from their dinner, and the fourth through seventh years had all gone down for theirs and the ball. Hannah, Katie, and Allison were all in the dorm packing since they were the only Gryffindor first years leaving. Allison had been sitting on the window seat, when an owl flew in, and dropped a letter off by Hannah, before leaving again. Hannah picked up the letter, and read it, but immediately she dropped it as if it were an explosive. She stared at it with hatred, anger, hurt, and disbelief.
"No." she whispered.
Katie ran over and grabbed the letter. She and Allison both began to read the blood red writing.
Ms. Santino,
I told you I'd find your family. I warned you that they would die if I didn't get what I wanted, but no, you were too stubborn. It wasn't hard really. I just had to decide on the time to kill them. I finally agreed that right before he holidays was a good time. Oh you should have seen the way their faces looked. Lying there, dead! Actually, here's a look at it. Enjoy!
- Just Guess -
Below the letter was a photo of her parents. Lying there, dead on the kitchen floor.
"Oh my God!" Katie exclaimed.
"That's so sick!" Allison said, barely above a whisper.
They both looked u pat Hannah to see her reaction. She had paled so much that she was a white as paper almost, and she looked as if she had lost everything important to her.
"No." she whispered while shaking her head. "GOD DAMNIT NO!" she yelled as she started chucking things around.
"Hannah, this won't help!" Katie exclaimed. "HANNAH, PLEASE!"
"K-Katie?" Allison slowly stuttered.
"What?" she turned to face Allison who was shaking and sitting in the window seat.
"I-it's written in their b-b-blood." She said.
They both turned back to face Hannah.
"How the HELL could I have let this happen!" she was screaming.
"HANNAH, STOP, PLEASE!" Allison yelled as well.
"GOD DAMNIT!" Hannah screamed.
Meanwhile, Lily, James, Sirius, and Remus were sitting in front of the fireplace. The boys were complaining about some Slytherin they had met earlier in the halls, but Lily was thinking of other things. Something didn't feel right on the inside, and the feeling actually scared her.
Lily suddenly interrupted them. "Did you guys hear that?"
"Hear wh-" but Sirius was cut off by someone shouting.
"GOD DAMMIT NO!" echoed through out the room.
"Hannah?" Remus questioned.
'What Remus?" James asked.
"I think that was-" but he was cut off by a series of shouts.
"Hannah, this won't help! HANNAH, PLEASE!"
Remus began naming who the shouts were coming from. "Katie."
"How the HELL could I have let this happen!"
"Hannah." Remus said.
"HANNAH, STOP, PLEASE!"
"Allison." Remus said, getting more and more worried.
"GOD DAMNIT!"
"Hannah again." Remus said, beginning to pale.
"I'm going up there!" Lily said, but James grabbed her wrists.
"They'll go find help if they need or want it, okay?" he said to her, while looking her in the eyes.
Lily didn't know what it was right then, but something in those eyes seemed to calm her nerves slightly. She felt her muscles tighten slightly before they loosened up, and then James let go of her wrists.
"I suppose your right." She said, but continued to pale every second.
Hannah on the other hand wasn't exactly better off. She was worse if anything.
"You didn't do anything! It's NOT YOUR FAULT!" Katie screamed.
"SHUT UP! IT'S ALL MY FAULT!" Hannah had begun to knock over cabinets in such. Everything came crashing down with a loud thump or bang.
"NO IT'S NOT! HANNAH, CALM DOWN!" Katie was frantic now. She had no idea how to help, and from the looks of it, neither did Allison.
"Calm down? YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN!" Hannah was livid.
"YES! OR STOP SCREAMING!" Katie yelled. She wasn't mad, but scared for her friend.
"Katie! He killed them!" Hannah screamed again. "He KILLED my PARENTS! VOLDEMORT KILLED THEM!"
Everyone in the Common Room went silent, except for James, who fell off his chair at the last comment.
"Oh God." He whispered.
"What James?" Sirius asked, while helping him up.
"Someone get Dumbledore! NOW!" James yelled, before sprinting up the stairs with Lily, Remus, and Sirius right behind. They could here more yelling as they entered the room.
"He killed them, Katie! He killed them!" Hannah was sobbing. Katie had knelt beside her and was rocking Hannah back and forth as Hannah leaned against her. She was still clinging to Katie's robes sobbing. "I can't believe he killed them. He needed me. Why them?" she kept saying things like that over and over again.
"Shhh." was what Katie would say, as the tears streamed down her face as well. ".It's alright."
"Oh my!" Lily gasped. "W-what happened up here?"
Katie looked at them and nodded her head down to Hannah. It was obvious that she had been crying as well, but nowhere as much as Hannah.
"Where's Allison?" Sirius asked.
"Or don't we want to know?" Remus added nervously.
Katie looked up at them again, before looking over at the window. When everyone, but Hannah, followed her gaze they couldn't believe what they saw. Allison was sitting on the small, low window seat, staring at Hannah with wide eyes, and wasn't blinking. She was paler then anyone else there. She was rocking back and forth wit her hands tightly gripping the edge of the seat so tightly that her knuckles were white. Tears were running down her face, but she didn't even seem to notice. Sirius was about to walk over to her, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see Dumbledore standing there with one of the grimmest looks he'd ever seen someone have.
"No Mr. Black." Dumbledore said while shacking his head. Ms. Sears is in a state of shock, and I don't suggest that you do anything just yet."
"But."
"No! Just wait for her to let go of the se-" but he stopped in mid sentence, staring at her right hand. "What is she holding Ms. Grilliot?"
Katie looked over to Allison. "Oh.t-that's the letter." She finished. "The one that caused all this." And with that she gestured around the room.
"Oh dear." He started to look grimmer every second. He then slowly strode over to Allison and knelt in front of her, but Allison didn't seem to take notice. "Ms. Sears?" he asked, but to no avail. "Ms. Sears!" still no answer. "Allison?" she still didn't move. "Well Mr. Black, it is extremely important that we see that letter, so would you like to try?"
"Yes!" So Sirius placed himself in front of Allison. "Allison?" she didn't change. "Allison, come on. Snap out of it!" Sirius said. This time, she seemed to stop rocking do fast, but she didn't really change much.
"Sorry." Sirius sighed, as he stood back up, and dropped his head.
"Let me try." Remus spoke up, looking at Dumbledore hopefully.
"Mr. Lupin, I don't wish to push her too far tonight."
"No. Let him try Headmaster." Katie said.
"If you insist, then go ahead."
Remus sat down in front of her and just began to watch her. The only sounds in the room were those of Hannah's sobs and Allison rocking. No one moved except for Lily, who had backed into the wall and slid down it, to shocked and scared at what was happening around her to stand.
After ten minutes, James spoke up. "Remus, what are you doing?"
"James, you prat, shut up! Look at her hands!" Sirius said.
"What's so different about her.oh." James replied, after he looked down. She had loosened her grip and her knuckles were turning back to the same color as her pale skin, which was a big improvement.
After about another ten minutes, Remus spoke. "Alli?" she started blinking and Remus smiled. He then sat up on his knees and put his hands on her shoulders to keep her from rocking. When he was looking right at her eyes he spoke four words clearer the air. "Lunar of the night."
Immediately, as if trained, Allison mumbled back, "Moon of the sky." When she did this, she started looking around and shaking. "R-Remus?"
He just smiled, and glanced at everyone's dumbstruck faces. Even Dumbledore seemed impressed. "You okay?" he asked as he turned back to her.
She just stared at him for a second before she broke down. She threw he arms around his neck and clung to him, not knowing what else to do. "I- it's n-not f-fair Remus!" she chocked out. Not feeling all that sure as to what else she should say.
He just rocked her back and forth and comforted her. "I know. It'll be fine."
"N-no it w-won't be! First I lose my best friend, then Katie's mum just because she was a muggle, and now Hannah's parents just because they did their job!" Allison exclaimed as tears began to form in her eyes.
"Alli!" He pushed her back a ways. "This is not your fault, to start off. Second, these things happen and I'm sorry it's happened so many times, and then there is the third. You need to let go of the past, and the hard present." He looked straight into her eyes that whole time and grabbed the hand holding the letter at the end. "Let. Go." He said once more.
Allison just stared at the letter in her hand. She just had to let it go, but why was it so hard? After almost five minutes, Allison slowly let it drop into Remus's hand. She smiled a little before turning around to blink back her tears.
Remus swallowed hard after reading the letter and held it out for Dumbledore to take, with shaking hands. Remus looked at Allison, then at Katie, and then his eyes locked on Hannah. She was still sobbing this whole time. She hadn't stopped once. When Remus looked over at Allison, he couldn't help but feel anything, but everything for all three of them. Allison had now moved to sit on the window seat and was string out the window. Remus immediately moved over to her and leaned back against the wall of the window seat. When he reached out to brush some of the hair out of her face, she looked up at him. Remus thought she was feeling better at first, but then he saw how red her eyes had become. He just wrapped his arms around her in a brotherly hug, before moving across the room to Katie and Hannah, knowing she would be all right.
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Black?" Dumbledore spoke.
"Yes?" they both said.
"Could you please go back to the Common Room or your dorm?"
"Yes sir." They said, and then exited with one last glance at the room.
"Sir?" Remus spoke up, from where he was comforting Hannah, while Katie sat on her bed.
"Ah, Mr. Lupin. I believe that your services will be needed here and that none of these three will be in any condition to go anywhere, anytime soon, and I am allowing you to remain here with them, until then. Do you mind?" Dumbledore responded.
"No, sir." Remus said.
"Well than that just leaves Ms. Evans, and Ms. Wella." Dumbledore said, still sounding grim.
"I heard my name.Oh My God! W-what happened?" Rebecca said as she walked into the dorm.
"Rebecca, Lily, if the two of you could please get your things and follow me."
"Yes sir." Lily said glumly, while grabbing her trunk.
"Lily, what happened?" Rebecca asked her.
"Lets just go." Lily said, while dragging her trunk out the door.
"Fine." Rebecca snapped.
Dumbledore magiced another dorm for them right across from their old one, and told them they would be staying there till the others were better.
It wasn't for another hour till Allison finally drifted off to sleep. Remus waited till he was sure he wouldn't wake her up and moved her over to her bed. He was soon moving Hannah as well, but the look on Katie's face told him that there was someone else that needed help.
"Katie?" he as ked upon seeing all tear streaks on her face.
"Yeah Rem?" she said, while staring at the floor.
"You okay?" he said, sitting down next to her on the bed.
"Yes, well, no. Not really."
"You never mentioned your mom died. Why?"
Katie laughed a little as if remembering good old times. "I guess I didn't think it was important. I spent so long getting over it and then when I saw Hannah screaming, and then break down, I guess I just remembered when it happened to me. The only difference is that I still have my dad, but she doesn't. What's she gonna do?" Katie said, looking at Remus. "I don't think we can offer her a home or I would."
"I don't know Katie. I just don't know." Remus said, as he shook his head.
"Well I think I'm going to go to bed now." Katie said. "Okay?"
"I think I'm gonna go talk to the guys for a minute, and then I'll be back." Remus replied as he stood up.
"Alright, night Rem, and thanks." She said.
"Don't thank me, and night." He said while closing the curtains for her, and walking out of the dorm.
"You think they're okay?" Sirius asked James.
"They are fine Sirius." Remus interrupted as he collapsed on the couch. "And yes I'm sure, before you even ask."
"Can we go talk to them?" Sirius asked hopefully.
"Sorry." Remus replied. "Allison nodded off from lack of energy about an hour ago, and Hannah cried herself to sleep, but she was only about thirty minutes ago. Then I was talking to Katie for a bit before I came down here."
"Oh," Sirius said, "I just thought.never mind."
"Get some sleep guys. Just come up when you wake up, and I'm sure they won't mind." Remus said, as he sat up. "Deal?"
"Deal." James said. "Sirius?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, deal."
"Well I better go. I told Katie I would be right back. Please come up tomorrow," Remus said before heading back up the girls' dormitory stairs. The only problem was he wasn't the only one awake in the dorm. He could hear gagging coming from the bathroom, and when he walked in, he saw Hannah puking and spitting up blood.
"Hannah!" he said, as he ran over to her.
"Remu-" but she cut herself off as she leaned over the toilet again. When she looked up, he could tell she had been crying, and still was. "Hi Remus." She said, putting on a half smile.
"God, are you alright?" Remus asked, his eyes full of concern.
"Well actually no, but I'll be fine. I just have to-" but once again she had to cut herself off as she leaned back over the toilet.
"That's it, we're going to the hospital wing."
"No Rem, really I-" but yet again she had to stop. Once she had finished again Remus spoke up.
"Hope, you're coming."
"No really, Rem. This time I'm fine."
"You hold out for ten minutes and then we won't go."
"Deal." Hannah said smiling.
Ten minutes passed, and Remus held up his deal by letting Hannah stay in the dorm. By now it was about half past one in the morning.
"I can't sleep, Rem." Hannah said, sitting up in her bed.
"Normally I'd ask why, but under the.um.circumstances, yeah you get it." Remus replied. "What do you want to do then?"
"I dunno."
"Um." he said. Looking around.
"How about chess?" Hannah asked.
"Sure." So Remus got up off the window seat and sat down on Hannah's bed to play chess.
They were in the middle of their third game when Allison woke up, and moved over to sit next to Remus.
"Hey Han," Allison said yawning, "Rem."
"Morning Allison." Hannah said.
"Morning Alli." Remus replied.
"So what time is it?" Allison said, stifling a yawn.
"Half past three." Came Katie's mumbled voice from her bed.
"Come on Kat." Remus said. "No one is really gonna get much sleep tonight."
"I suppose your right." So Katie joined them, and linked arms with Hannah.
The four of them spent the next few hours playing various sorts of games, and keeping their minds off the previous nights events. It was then that there was a knock on the door, and Lily, James, and Sirius walked in.
"Oh Hannah! I'm so sorry!" Lily said, running over to her and giving her a hug.
"Same here." Sirius and James chorused, both giving her a hug.
"Thank you guys." Hannah said, smiling once again. Everyone knew how drained she looked, but they also knew it wasn't likely she'd get to sleep anytime soon.
"So!" Sirius said. "What should we do today, or right now for instance?"
"Oh, can we show James and Remus Hexes Forest?" Allison pleaded.
"I don't see why not." Hannah said.
"Yay! We can show you the puppies, and of course you can come Sirius." Allison was bouncing up and down on the bed as she said this.
"How did you know that I was going to ask?" Sirius questioned, and cocked an eyebrow.
"I just did." Allison said, shrugging her shoulders. "Let's go!"
"How about we change first." Remus said.
"Sure." Allison said.
So the girls all changed into pajamas, while James and Sirius threw on t-shirts (since they already had on flannel pants), and waited for Remus to do the same. By the time they were all ready it was around seven.
The seven of them stepped out of the portrait hole, to end up coming face to face with Dumbledore.
"Pajama party?" he said with a small twinkle in his eyes, and a smile growing on his face.
"Actually, yes Professor." Lily said smiling.
"Well it's nice to see you're all feeling some what better, but may I have a word with you Allison?"
"Yes Sir. I'll meet you all there, okay?"
"Kay! See you Alli." Remus said, following the others down the hall.
"I've contacted your parents. They would be glad to have the seven of you come and stay for Holidays. That is, if you'd all like that."
"I actually intended on asking them myself, but I see I'm to late." Allison replies smiling.
"Well, they're coming tomorrow at half past six in the morning for anyone who would like to join you."
"Thank you Sir. I assume we should be at your office then?"
"That would work nicely. Have a good day."
"Thank you Sir, and good day to you as well."