I am really, really sorry everyone. I just moved house so this is one of
the few times I get internet access. Please try to be patient with me. I
love all my reviewers.
(And a special thank you to Fuschia, who reviewed "Helena"-I thought
everyone overlooked that story)
**********************
The girls weren't as surprised as you might think when I came back with no food. I had often gone off to do something after nightfall, only to come back, hours later, with no idea why I had set off in the first place. Meredith and my parents said I was just concentrating on other things; Caitlin and less kinder people said I went around half asleep most of the time (they were careful not to say it when I was in the room, though).
We woke up to a rainy morning. The others groaned but I was secretly pleased. Rainy mornings are interesting. It would be an extra bonus if there was a storm. Meredith gave me a sharp look as I skipped down the dormitory stairs, "Don't stand out in the rain like you did last time," she warned, "You'll be in bed with a cold when the dance comes up."
I haven't explained about the dance, have I? Apparently Dumbledore thinks we're getting in a rut. He springs a dance on us to liven things up before the Holidays (half term). The first few dances were pretty normal but then he decided to theme them (much to Mc Gonnagal's dismay). This dance was based on Gods and Goddesses. We were going to buy our costumes tomorrow at Hogsmeade and try to drag the boys down to buy theirs.
The ceiling in the great hall was a storm of blue, grey and black. Remus beckoned me over. I was about to pretend I hadn't seen him - so he couldn't stuff me like a thanksgiving turkey - when Sirius steered me to their side of the table.
"Flower maiden," he said, "You should be honoured to sit with the most dashing males in Hogwarts."
"Really?" I said, "Where are they?" Sirius made a sound of mock outrage and I sat down next to James, "Who are you going to be for the dance?" I asked, resigning myself to the fact Remus was piling fried eggs on my plate.
James looked up from where he was shovelling food in his mouth, "Jesus."
"James," I said patiently, "Jesus wasn't a God."
"He's God's son," James said. What has that got to do with anything?
"Hello, people," Sirius poured himself more pumpkin juice, "Jewish here. Not everyone believes-"
Peter knocked over a jug of milk, which stopped all talk of religion. I was glad. My parents were strictly Christian as well as my sister. I didn't have a strong belief. Just ideas. There was an alter beside my bed, which I used from time to time, like, once a year. I don't think any Gods that are up there really give a shit about finals or bad hair days. The last time I used it was when Mother had Cancer. Whoever was up there- I didn't pray to the Christian God- took pity on me. She got better after a few weeks in a muggle hospital.
Ignoring the fried eggs, I reached for some toast. Remus looked at me and I defiantly took a bite out of it. He sighed and then smiled as I pushed rhe eggs towards him.
Sometimes I worry about Remus. He has the body of a teenager but his eyes are old. Far too wise for a fifteen year old; as if he had to grow up too quickly when he was a child.
He looked at me and I wondered if I had spoken out loud. A quick glance at the others showed I hadn't.
There was something strange about Remus and I wasn't about to delve into his personal life to find out what it was. A normal Griffindor would have. To `help' him, of course, but I would rather not know. Ignorance isn't a bliss but sometimes its better than the alternative.
*************************
We had Defence against the Dark Arts after breakfast with the Slytherins. The old teacher had left last week due to the fact she was pregnant. Her stomach had been so large that she could hardly fit behind her desk.
I sat at the back with Severus. Both houses shot us dirty looks. It was quite funny, really. Severus seemed to be oblivious to his housemates glares as he took his textbooks out.
"So," I said as we waited for our new teacher, "who are you going to be at the dance?"
He looked at me, "Myself."
I scowled, "You have to be someone..." inspiration struck, "You can be Hades!"
He frowned thoughtfully and I knew I had him. All you needed to do was appeal to Severus's morbid side and he agreed to anything you said (to me anyway)
"Very well," he conceded, "who are you going to imitate?"
"Um," I hesitated, "I'll decide when I get to Hogsmeade."
He snorted. Apparently, since I was a girl I was supposed to have planned weeks in advance just as my room mates had.
Our teacher walked in as I talked to Severus. As my breath hitched in my throat, something deep down inside of me was not surprised.
Lucius stood at the front of the classroom. His lovely golden hair shone in the light that filtered through the rain, accenting his pale skin and grey eyes. Those eyes were the only things that made you realise he wasn't as lovely inside as he was out.
The lesson passed in a blur. When I looked back at it later, the only thing I could remember was when the bell rang. Amid the scramble for bags and books, that false angel looked at me and smiled.
***********************
I sat under the willow trees with Severus at lunch. Some days we sat in silence and some days we talked. It depended on Severus's mood; I didn't mind either way.
Today he felt like talking.
"I know DADA is boring," he said, "And the way that goon teaches it is ridiculous, but it would be wise not to ignore him completely like you did today. He might ask you a question and you looked as if you hadn't heard a single thing he said."
This was quite a speech for Severus who believed that the best communication was no communication so I patted his shoulder. "I won't do it again."
"Hmph," he said, "that means `I'll forget about it in the next five minutes'"
I thought about it, "Possibly," I agreed.
He groaned and lay back on the soaking wet grass to look at the sky. It was still raining (we were the only ones outside except for a couple of mad first years) but the sun shone brightly making the rain fall in sparkling droplets.
"Look, Severus," I exclaimed, "A rainbow!!"
"Oh, shut up," was my only response.
**********************
The girls weren't as surprised as you might think when I came back with no food. I had often gone off to do something after nightfall, only to come back, hours later, with no idea why I had set off in the first place. Meredith and my parents said I was just concentrating on other things; Caitlin and less kinder people said I went around half asleep most of the time (they were careful not to say it when I was in the room, though).
We woke up to a rainy morning. The others groaned but I was secretly pleased. Rainy mornings are interesting. It would be an extra bonus if there was a storm. Meredith gave me a sharp look as I skipped down the dormitory stairs, "Don't stand out in the rain like you did last time," she warned, "You'll be in bed with a cold when the dance comes up."
I haven't explained about the dance, have I? Apparently Dumbledore thinks we're getting in a rut. He springs a dance on us to liven things up before the Holidays (half term). The first few dances were pretty normal but then he decided to theme them (much to Mc Gonnagal's dismay). This dance was based on Gods and Goddesses. We were going to buy our costumes tomorrow at Hogsmeade and try to drag the boys down to buy theirs.
The ceiling in the great hall was a storm of blue, grey and black. Remus beckoned me over. I was about to pretend I hadn't seen him - so he couldn't stuff me like a thanksgiving turkey - when Sirius steered me to their side of the table.
"Flower maiden," he said, "You should be honoured to sit with the most dashing males in Hogwarts."
"Really?" I said, "Where are they?" Sirius made a sound of mock outrage and I sat down next to James, "Who are you going to be for the dance?" I asked, resigning myself to the fact Remus was piling fried eggs on my plate.
James looked up from where he was shovelling food in his mouth, "Jesus."
"James," I said patiently, "Jesus wasn't a God."
"He's God's son," James said. What has that got to do with anything?
"Hello, people," Sirius poured himself more pumpkin juice, "Jewish here. Not everyone believes-"
Peter knocked over a jug of milk, which stopped all talk of religion. I was glad. My parents were strictly Christian as well as my sister. I didn't have a strong belief. Just ideas. There was an alter beside my bed, which I used from time to time, like, once a year. I don't think any Gods that are up there really give a shit about finals or bad hair days. The last time I used it was when Mother had Cancer. Whoever was up there- I didn't pray to the Christian God- took pity on me. She got better after a few weeks in a muggle hospital.
Ignoring the fried eggs, I reached for some toast. Remus looked at me and I defiantly took a bite out of it. He sighed and then smiled as I pushed rhe eggs towards him.
Sometimes I worry about Remus. He has the body of a teenager but his eyes are old. Far too wise for a fifteen year old; as if he had to grow up too quickly when he was a child.
He looked at me and I wondered if I had spoken out loud. A quick glance at the others showed I hadn't.
There was something strange about Remus and I wasn't about to delve into his personal life to find out what it was. A normal Griffindor would have. To `help' him, of course, but I would rather not know. Ignorance isn't a bliss but sometimes its better than the alternative.
*************************
We had Defence against the Dark Arts after breakfast with the Slytherins. The old teacher had left last week due to the fact she was pregnant. Her stomach had been so large that she could hardly fit behind her desk.
I sat at the back with Severus. Both houses shot us dirty looks. It was quite funny, really. Severus seemed to be oblivious to his housemates glares as he took his textbooks out.
"So," I said as we waited for our new teacher, "who are you going to be at the dance?"
He looked at me, "Myself."
I scowled, "You have to be someone..." inspiration struck, "You can be Hades!"
He frowned thoughtfully and I knew I had him. All you needed to do was appeal to Severus's morbid side and he agreed to anything you said (to me anyway)
"Very well," he conceded, "who are you going to imitate?"
"Um," I hesitated, "I'll decide when I get to Hogsmeade."
He snorted. Apparently, since I was a girl I was supposed to have planned weeks in advance just as my room mates had.
Our teacher walked in as I talked to Severus. As my breath hitched in my throat, something deep down inside of me was not surprised.
Lucius stood at the front of the classroom. His lovely golden hair shone in the light that filtered through the rain, accenting his pale skin and grey eyes. Those eyes were the only things that made you realise he wasn't as lovely inside as he was out.
The lesson passed in a blur. When I looked back at it later, the only thing I could remember was when the bell rang. Amid the scramble for bags and books, that false angel looked at me and smiled.
***********************
I sat under the willow trees with Severus at lunch. Some days we sat in silence and some days we talked. It depended on Severus's mood; I didn't mind either way.
Today he felt like talking.
"I know DADA is boring," he said, "And the way that goon teaches it is ridiculous, but it would be wise not to ignore him completely like you did today. He might ask you a question and you looked as if you hadn't heard a single thing he said."
This was quite a speech for Severus who believed that the best communication was no communication so I patted his shoulder. "I won't do it again."
"Hmph," he said, "that means `I'll forget about it in the next five minutes'"
I thought about it, "Possibly," I agreed.
He groaned and lay back on the soaking wet grass to look at the sky. It was still raining (we were the only ones outside except for a couple of mad first years) but the sun shone brightly making the rain fall in sparkling droplets.
"Look, Severus," I exclaimed, "A rainbow!!"
"Oh, shut up," was my only response.