Chapter 8 - A Secret
Dinner that night was quiet with the group. Ginny tried to talk to them, but to no avail. Harry went straight to bed afterwards.
Harry woke up late the next day. He went down the spiral staircase to find Hermione doing homework, Ron rubbing his stomach, and Avalon reading a book that looked like one of Hermione's.
Avalon set down the book on her lap. "You all right Harry?" she asked. Hermione and Ron looked up and exchanged looks.
Harry sat down in a chair near the fire. An angry cry startled him and Crookshanks jumped off the chair. The ginger cat took a spot in front of the fire. Harry didn't care. In fact, he didn't care anymore. His friends felt the cold attitude he was giving off, making them edgy around him. Avalon was going to say something to him. He just shot her an icy look. She looked away, not hiding her dislike of the way he was acting.
"Everyone's gone, I suppose," said Harry. Ron nodded his head.
"Maybe you should go back to sleep," said Hermione, who seemed to be examining him like Madam Pomfrey. "You don't look well."
"He had a rough night," said Ron. "I would too, after learning about my parent's best friend."
"Let's not talk about it," suggested Hermione. "All it will do is create an argument. Just promise us Harry that you won't go after Black."
"Why not?" asked Harry in a hard voice. "Because of him I hear my mum screaming, begging to Voldemort. Then I hear his laugh, his shrilly laugh. How do you think that makes me feel? None of you know what it is like not to know your parents!" He crossed his arms and looked into the fire. They didn't understand.
"You're wrong!" cried Avalon as she stood up, letting the book fall to the floor. "I know exactly how you feel, Harry Potter!" They stared at her in silence. Her violet eyes began to water. "You know my parents died when I was a baby, but not how. I'll tell you how! Voldemort killed them! Only I wasn't lucky as you Harry. At least you can hear your mother's voice, even though the dementors cause it." Tears made their way down her face and her voice slightly wavered. "No, Harry, I don't even get the pleasure of that. Consider yourself lucky, and do yourself a favor and don't die just yet. If you died, the whole wizarding world would be at a lost." She turned and started to run to the girl's dormitory. At the last moment she turned back. "Oh, and I'll tell you who saved me from Voldemort and gave me to my Uncle Remmy, and I'll say his name proudly and loud. Sirius Black! He saved me, though couldn't do the same for my parents." She turned and left them. A moment later a door slammed.
They sat there in silence.
"I had no idea," muttered Hermione
"Imagine keeping that bottled up," said Ron. "Having Black be a type of hero for you when he really is-"
"Stop," interrupted Harry. Ron closed him mouth, not finishing what he was going to say. Harry felt terrible. He should have remembered that he wasn't they only orphan at Hogwarts. He remembered Avalon said she held her own opinion of Black, but never suspected what she had told them. "I think I should apologize."
Hermione nodded and stood up. They heard her walk up to girl's dormitory steps. Hermione knocked on the door. "Avalon?" A muffled reply came. "Avalon, Harry wants to talk to you."
Another reply came, this time loud enough for Harry and Ron to hear. "He's a heartless git! I don't want to talk to him." Harry felt as he had been struck in the gut. He guess that he deserved it though.
"Yes, he may be, but he still wants to talk to you," said Hermione, trying her best not to upset the girl even further.
Harry heard the door open and few whispered words. Then came footsteps of two people. Avalon's violet eyes were bloodshot and her arms were firmly crossed. She looked at Ron, then Harry. A glint of detest was in them.
He approached her. "I'm sorry, Avalon. I shouldn't have said what I did. I didn't mean to upset you."
"How could you have know," She said sharply, but he could see the dislike in her eyes diminish just a little. Avalon let a small sigh out and uncrossed her arms. "I'm sorry too. You see why know I tried to keep quiet and out of people's way." She gave short laugh. "Who would want to be friends with the girl who thinks Sirius Black is a good guy."
"We do, of course!" said Ron with a smile. "Hermione and me here are friends with the guy that doesn't care about saying You-Know-Who's name and seems to be constantly a target of his. For that matter, you don't seem to mind saying his name either. See you fit just right it. Two normal people, and two weird people."
"Hey!" Harry and Avalon said together. They all looked at each other and laughed.
"So you forgive me?" asked Harry.
Avalon smiled shyly. "Yes."
"Good," said Ron. "Then let got to Hagrid's."
"We can't!" said Hermione. "Harry is supposed to stay here."
"Yeah let's go," said Avalon firmly, but in a small voice. She gave Harry a warning look. "But no asking Hagrid about Sirius. Please?" Harry nodded in agreement.
This seemed good enough for Hermione because she said they better get their cloaks. As they came close to Hagrid's hut the black dog joined them.
"Is that a new pet of Hagrid's?" asked Ron, looking leery of Paddy. Hagrid was known to take in "different" animals. He almost never had any "normal" ones.
"He's Avalon's," said Harry. "Followed her here from home."
"His name is Paddy."
"You aren't allowed to bring dog's to Hogwarts," said Hermione.
"She didn't *bring* him," said Ron. "He followed her. Right?"
Avalon nodded. "Right. He's - ah - loyal friend to my Uncle Remmy.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I still say he should be sent home."
The door was opened just a bit when they approached. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Avalon exchanged looks. Harry opened the door a bit. Hagrid appeared to be crying over Buckbeak, the hippogriff.
"Hagrid, what's wrong?" asked Hermione. He pointed to the table. Hermione walked over and found a letter. She read it out loud for them to hear. "They can't do that to Buckbeak!"
"We'll help you Hagrid," said Harry, but how they'd help him he wasn't quiet sure.
"Hermione would know something about getting a hippogriff off," said Avalon turning to Hermione.
"Yeah, Hermione knows all that stuff," said Ron.
"Yeh do Hermione?" asked Hagrid as he stood up to face them. His eyes where puffy and red, much like how Avalon's had been earlier.
"Of course I do, but I won't help until you pull yourself together."
"For Buckbeak," added Avalon.
Hagrid nodded dabbed his eyes and blew his nose. "Yer right. Gotta pull meself together fer Buckbeak. Can't have a bubblerin' fool to help him."
"You're not a fool," protested Ron. Hagrid blew his nose again.
"Don't worry we'll all help Hagrid," Harry said.
Hagrid nodded and took in a deep breath. He looked at Avalon. "Been meanin' to ask yeh Avalon," said Hagrid. "Yer David and Julie Rastaban's girl aren't yeh?"
"Yes, I am."
"Thought so," replied Hagrid and smiled a little. "Gots yer dad's eyes. Spot those anywhere. And yeh've got yer mum's looks."
"Did you know my mum and dad?" asked Avalon. Harry guessed she knew as much about her parents as he did his.
"'Course I knew them. Some of the brightest students Hogwarts ever seen. Yer dad played Quidditch, bes' Keeper. He was also a prefect for Gryffindor. Yer mum she was smart," said Hagrid, obviously in a better place and happier reminiscing. Then he laughed. "Yer mum an' her bes' friend they were inseparable. Didn' create as much trouble as her twin and his friends though."
"Twin?" asked Ron.
"My Uncle Remmy, they were fraternal twins," said Avalon quickly. She looked at Hagrid to continue.
"Who was her best friend?" asked Hermione.
"Lily Evans. 'Course her name changed ter Potter once she married Harry's dad."
"Our mum's were best friends?" asked Harry and Avalon together, astonished.
"Yeah. Couldn't get those two apart. Most people thought yer mums more likely ter be twins rather than Julie and Remmy. 'Course Julie an' Remmy looked nothin' a like." Hagrid laughed. "One dark coloring, the other lighter. Never would have guessed unless someone had told me."
Avalon nodded her head. "Yes, when people see pictures of them together they think they're friends or something."
"That dog," Hagrid said pointing to Paddy, who had been very quiet. "He any o' yers?"
"He's her Uncle Remmy's," said Ron.
"Didn' know he had one. Makes sense though." Hagrid petted Paddy. "Well behaved too."
"We better get going," said Hermione. "That way we can look things up at the library." The others agreed.
"C'mon Paddy," said Avalon. The black dog started to follow her.
"Why don' yer leave him here with me, Avalon?" suggested Hagrid. The dog stopped and looked at Avalon.
Avalon looked down at Paddy. "All right, but he tends to come and go as he pleases. I don't ask were he's been and he likes it that way." Hagrid nodded and Paddy sat down on the floor next to him.
They checked the library for anything to help Hagrid, with little luck. After having dinner they decided to head back to their dormitory.
Dinner that night was quiet with the group. Ginny tried to talk to them, but to no avail. Harry went straight to bed afterwards.
Harry woke up late the next day. He went down the spiral staircase to find Hermione doing homework, Ron rubbing his stomach, and Avalon reading a book that looked like one of Hermione's.
Avalon set down the book on her lap. "You all right Harry?" she asked. Hermione and Ron looked up and exchanged looks.
Harry sat down in a chair near the fire. An angry cry startled him and Crookshanks jumped off the chair. The ginger cat took a spot in front of the fire. Harry didn't care. In fact, he didn't care anymore. His friends felt the cold attitude he was giving off, making them edgy around him. Avalon was going to say something to him. He just shot her an icy look. She looked away, not hiding her dislike of the way he was acting.
"Everyone's gone, I suppose," said Harry. Ron nodded his head.
"Maybe you should go back to sleep," said Hermione, who seemed to be examining him like Madam Pomfrey. "You don't look well."
"He had a rough night," said Ron. "I would too, after learning about my parent's best friend."
"Let's not talk about it," suggested Hermione. "All it will do is create an argument. Just promise us Harry that you won't go after Black."
"Why not?" asked Harry in a hard voice. "Because of him I hear my mum screaming, begging to Voldemort. Then I hear his laugh, his shrilly laugh. How do you think that makes me feel? None of you know what it is like not to know your parents!" He crossed his arms and looked into the fire. They didn't understand.
"You're wrong!" cried Avalon as she stood up, letting the book fall to the floor. "I know exactly how you feel, Harry Potter!" They stared at her in silence. Her violet eyes began to water. "You know my parents died when I was a baby, but not how. I'll tell you how! Voldemort killed them! Only I wasn't lucky as you Harry. At least you can hear your mother's voice, even though the dementors cause it." Tears made their way down her face and her voice slightly wavered. "No, Harry, I don't even get the pleasure of that. Consider yourself lucky, and do yourself a favor and don't die just yet. If you died, the whole wizarding world would be at a lost." She turned and started to run to the girl's dormitory. At the last moment she turned back. "Oh, and I'll tell you who saved me from Voldemort and gave me to my Uncle Remmy, and I'll say his name proudly and loud. Sirius Black! He saved me, though couldn't do the same for my parents." She turned and left them. A moment later a door slammed.
They sat there in silence.
"I had no idea," muttered Hermione
"Imagine keeping that bottled up," said Ron. "Having Black be a type of hero for you when he really is-"
"Stop," interrupted Harry. Ron closed him mouth, not finishing what he was going to say. Harry felt terrible. He should have remembered that he wasn't they only orphan at Hogwarts. He remembered Avalon said she held her own opinion of Black, but never suspected what she had told them. "I think I should apologize."
Hermione nodded and stood up. They heard her walk up to girl's dormitory steps. Hermione knocked on the door. "Avalon?" A muffled reply came. "Avalon, Harry wants to talk to you."
Another reply came, this time loud enough for Harry and Ron to hear. "He's a heartless git! I don't want to talk to him." Harry felt as he had been struck in the gut. He guess that he deserved it though.
"Yes, he may be, but he still wants to talk to you," said Hermione, trying her best not to upset the girl even further.
Harry heard the door open and few whispered words. Then came footsteps of two people. Avalon's violet eyes were bloodshot and her arms were firmly crossed. She looked at Ron, then Harry. A glint of detest was in them.
He approached her. "I'm sorry, Avalon. I shouldn't have said what I did. I didn't mean to upset you."
"How could you have know," She said sharply, but he could see the dislike in her eyes diminish just a little. Avalon let a small sigh out and uncrossed her arms. "I'm sorry too. You see why know I tried to keep quiet and out of people's way." She gave short laugh. "Who would want to be friends with the girl who thinks Sirius Black is a good guy."
"We do, of course!" said Ron with a smile. "Hermione and me here are friends with the guy that doesn't care about saying You-Know-Who's name and seems to be constantly a target of his. For that matter, you don't seem to mind saying his name either. See you fit just right it. Two normal people, and two weird people."
"Hey!" Harry and Avalon said together. They all looked at each other and laughed.
"So you forgive me?" asked Harry.
Avalon smiled shyly. "Yes."
"Good," said Ron. "Then let got to Hagrid's."
"We can't!" said Hermione. "Harry is supposed to stay here."
"Yeah let's go," said Avalon firmly, but in a small voice. She gave Harry a warning look. "But no asking Hagrid about Sirius. Please?" Harry nodded in agreement.
This seemed good enough for Hermione because she said they better get their cloaks. As they came close to Hagrid's hut the black dog joined them.
"Is that a new pet of Hagrid's?" asked Ron, looking leery of Paddy. Hagrid was known to take in "different" animals. He almost never had any "normal" ones.
"He's Avalon's," said Harry. "Followed her here from home."
"His name is Paddy."
"You aren't allowed to bring dog's to Hogwarts," said Hermione.
"She didn't *bring* him," said Ron. "He followed her. Right?"
Avalon nodded. "Right. He's - ah - loyal friend to my Uncle Remmy.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I still say he should be sent home."
The door was opened just a bit when they approached. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Avalon exchanged looks. Harry opened the door a bit. Hagrid appeared to be crying over Buckbeak, the hippogriff.
"Hagrid, what's wrong?" asked Hermione. He pointed to the table. Hermione walked over and found a letter. She read it out loud for them to hear. "They can't do that to Buckbeak!"
"We'll help you Hagrid," said Harry, but how they'd help him he wasn't quiet sure.
"Hermione would know something about getting a hippogriff off," said Avalon turning to Hermione.
"Yeah, Hermione knows all that stuff," said Ron.
"Yeh do Hermione?" asked Hagrid as he stood up to face them. His eyes where puffy and red, much like how Avalon's had been earlier.
"Of course I do, but I won't help until you pull yourself together."
"For Buckbeak," added Avalon.
Hagrid nodded dabbed his eyes and blew his nose. "Yer right. Gotta pull meself together fer Buckbeak. Can't have a bubblerin' fool to help him."
"You're not a fool," protested Ron. Hagrid blew his nose again.
"Don't worry we'll all help Hagrid," Harry said.
Hagrid nodded and took in a deep breath. He looked at Avalon. "Been meanin' to ask yeh Avalon," said Hagrid. "Yer David and Julie Rastaban's girl aren't yeh?"
"Yes, I am."
"Thought so," replied Hagrid and smiled a little. "Gots yer dad's eyes. Spot those anywhere. And yeh've got yer mum's looks."
"Did you know my mum and dad?" asked Avalon. Harry guessed she knew as much about her parents as he did his.
"'Course I knew them. Some of the brightest students Hogwarts ever seen. Yer dad played Quidditch, bes' Keeper. He was also a prefect for Gryffindor. Yer mum she was smart," said Hagrid, obviously in a better place and happier reminiscing. Then he laughed. "Yer mum an' her bes' friend they were inseparable. Didn' create as much trouble as her twin and his friends though."
"Twin?" asked Ron.
"My Uncle Remmy, they were fraternal twins," said Avalon quickly. She looked at Hagrid to continue.
"Who was her best friend?" asked Hermione.
"Lily Evans. 'Course her name changed ter Potter once she married Harry's dad."
"Our mum's were best friends?" asked Harry and Avalon together, astonished.
"Yeah. Couldn't get those two apart. Most people thought yer mums more likely ter be twins rather than Julie and Remmy. 'Course Julie an' Remmy looked nothin' a like." Hagrid laughed. "One dark coloring, the other lighter. Never would have guessed unless someone had told me."
Avalon nodded her head. "Yes, when people see pictures of them together they think they're friends or something."
"That dog," Hagrid said pointing to Paddy, who had been very quiet. "He any o' yers?"
"He's her Uncle Remmy's," said Ron.
"Didn' know he had one. Makes sense though." Hagrid petted Paddy. "Well behaved too."
"We better get going," said Hermione. "That way we can look things up at the library." The others agreed.
"C'mon Paddy," said Avalon. The black dog started to follow her.
"Why don' yer leave him here with me, Avalon?" suggested Hagrid. The dog stopped and looked at Avalon.
Avalon looked down at Paddy. "All right, but he tends to come and go as he pleases. I don't ask were he's been and he likes it that way." Hagrid nodded and Paddy sat down on the floor next to him.
They checked the library for anything to help Hagrid, with little luck. After having dinner they decided to head back to their dormitory.