Disclaimer: See my other chapters.
(A/N) A great big THANK YOU to my reviewers for putting up with my lack of updates!
Queen of the Clarinets: I think you have the new record! *hands her a brand-new virtual car* The Grinch is an awesome movie! Just ask Squeaks!
Cinnamon: Thank you so much. I know it was a sad chapter, but I think things will look up for our young heroine.
Dreamer22: Yes, I agree. Thank the Lord for tissues. I was bawling when I wrote that chapter.
Starry: I'm so sorry! *hugs* It's going to be okay! She'll be happy! I promise!
RoseFyre: Oh geez, the giant family tree. I'll send you an e-mail about that ok? If I were to put every kid in this fic right here, I probably wouldn't have any fingers left to type!
HarryPotterFanFicGirl: I know, so do I, but you know I can't bring my favorite character back! *sniffles*
Nicks-Amy: *hands her a few tissues* I'm sorry!
Alexi Serenitia: Don't kill Lucius! I have BIG plans for him (like make him my personal slave)! LOL
Dragonsbane: I'm sorry I haven't updated! I blame too many fanfics that I'm writing mixed with 16 credits of college work.
BraveSpiritGryffindor: I'd love to be in your fic! I'll e-mail you later to talk to you about it! Anyway, thanks for the lovely review!
Blue and Silver Ribbons: Thanks for your kind words. I LOVE YOU MAN!
Goddess of Slytherin: I already graduated from Hogwarts so you can't really dock points from Slytherin. I never said all Slytherins were evil, but the nature of a few characters added to the story. Anyway, thanks for saying that you like my story.
Karly: It's always nice to see a new reviewer! Thank you for your kind words. Things like that make me want to write more (even though the dreaded writer's block likes to rear it's ugly head).
Wow, 13 reviews! If you want an angsty fic, read my story "Searching" which some of you have already started reviewing!
Chapter Thirty-Two: Emotions
The next three days were a blur for me. I never set foot in Arissa's room, I remember that much. Helios and Midnight were always with me.
Sunday, the day I dreaded most after Arissa's funeral. I had to go back to Hogwarts alone. I was like a puppet on strings. Every move I made was forced. I had no desire to leave my room. Mum and Dad tried to get through the wall I had built around myself after I delivered Arissa's eulogy, but both had failed miserably. No one understood what I was going through. The only solace I found was in the pets Arissa and I shared.
The day started like any other since my sister was taken from me, sunny. I'm really starting to hate sunshine. I was forced to eat by my parents before I was led to the car to drive back to school.
Dumbledore was waiting for us at the gates when we arrived. After a quick good-bye to my parents, I entered the place I once thought was safe.
"Welcome back, Simone," he said. His blue eyes were lacking that twinkle I had grown accustomed to over the past eight months.
I nodded. I didn't speak much anymore. I had no need to.
"Your friends are waiting for you in Gryffindor Tower," he added.
I nodded again as we walked into the Main Hall. Dumbledore looked at me sadly before saying, "Go. Your friends are waiting."
I wandered through the school. There was no reason for me to go straight to Gryffindor Tower. I knew my things were being brought up. I knew Bianca would go to the Owlery. Midnight and Mercury were left at home.
Before I knew it, the Fat Lady was staring me in the face. "Password?"
"Arissa Marie Anne," I whispered. Jordan told me that they had changed the password to honor Arissa.
The portrait moved to let me enter. The Common Room was empty. I didn't care. All I wanted to do was sleep.
I wearily gazed at the staircase leading to the first year dorms. Did I want to see if everything was the same as I had left it? Was Arissa's bed still there? Were my friends there, talking about normal things? I heard laughter from somewhere in the tower. That was all it took to make me decide.
I climbed the stairs with the same slowness as before. The laughter grew louder. Thinking it came from my friends, I broke into a run for the first year dorms. No one was there. The laughing stopped. Was it my imagination? I looked into the other girls' dorms. They were all empty too. Why did Dumbledore tell me they were here if the whole place was deserted?
Dejected, I went back to the first year dorms. Arissa's bed was still there, like it was never touched. I fell onto it, and just cried. Everything I was feeling for the past week was slowly coming out. My hatred for Lucius, the sadness for losing my sister, the way no one could get through the barriers.
I don't know how long I stayed on Arissa's bed, crying my heart out. I heard the portrait squeak then footsteps running towards the dorms. Lisa, Christina, and Jordan appeared in the doorway in less than five seconds.
"Simone?" Jordan breathed. I nodded through my tears.
"Oh, Simone," Lisa said, coming to my side. "It'll be okay. Look, they already took Lucius into custody," she added, handing me a copy of the Daily Prophet.
With tears still blurring my vision, I took the paper. The front headline screamed "Malfoy Taken Into Custody Over Granddaughter's Death".
I handed the paper back to Lisa before my tears could smudge it up. "Don't you want to read this, Simone?" Jordan asked, sitting on my other side.
I shook my head. I had already read the story the day after Arissa's funeral. All it said was that Lucius was taken in and his trial was set for May 17th, the day after my twelfth birthday. Mum and Dad already said I had to be there. They said I had to be strong for Arissa. She would have wanted it that way. The memories kept flooding back. I cried harder, not knowing what else to do.
Jordan and Lisa hugged me, while Christina said that she was going somewhere else. I didn't care. I couldn't feel anything.
"Can we do anything for you, Simone?" Jordan asked.
I shook my head again. They let me go, I think.
"Get McGonagall," I heard Lisa say.
I lied on my stomach, my head buried in Arissa's pillow, sobbing.
"What's going on here?" I thought I heard Professor McGonagall ask.
"It's Simone, Professor," Jordan answered. "We came in and found her like this. We tried to comfort her, but nothing worked."
So McGonagall had come in. "Simone?" she asked. "Do you want to talk about it?"
I pretended not to hear her. I couldn't answer her, not like this.
"Simone?" she asked. I kept sobbing.
"Get Professor Dumbledore, Miss Mehal," she said. "Hurry."
I heard Jordan's footsteps echo through the Tower as she ran to get Professor Dumbledore.
"Is she going to be okay, Professor?" Jordan asked.
"I can't answer that, Miss Rodriguez," she said sadly over my sobs. "Miss Malfoy just lost her twin sister. I knew it would be a bad idea to send her back so early, but what can you do?"
I think Lisa returned because the next voice I heard was Professor Dumbledore's. "What goes on here, Minerva?"
"Albus, I've no idea. Miss Rodriguez found me in my office, telling me that Miss Malfoy was hysterical."
"Is this true?" he asked my friends.
"Yes, Professor," they mumbled.
"We showed her this article, thinking it would cheer her up, but she cried harder," Lisa added.
I decided to show my blotchy face to the growing crowd. Lisa was handing the newspaper to the Headmaster. He quickly scanned it. "Ah, yes, Lucius Malfoy. The cause of all of this," he murmured.
"Go back to your studies, girls," he said. "Minerva, Miss Malfoy, please come with me."
Jordan and Lisa walked downstairs to the Common Room while Professor McGonagall and I followed Professor Dumbledore. I was still sobbing as I walked through the Common Room, passing a smug looking Christina. Like almost everything else, I ignored her. I had no reason to talk to her.
Out the portrait, up a few flights of stairs we walked until we reached the gargoyle. The password was said and Dumbledore ushered us into his office.
"Please sit down while I fetch Severus," he said, running out of his office.
McGonagall didn't try to speak to me. At this point, my sobs had lessened, but still I was crying softly. The last time I was here, I told everyone that I wanted my sister back and was told that nothing could bring her back.
Dumbledore came back a few minutes later with Professor Snape. He was carrying a goblet in his hands. I guess he comes to these meetings prepared.
"Now, Miss Malfoy, I need you to take this," Dumbledore said as Snape gave me the goblet. The potion was vile. It made my throat burn.
"What is this stuff?" I asked through my tears.
"We can't tell you that," Snape said, his cold eyes piercing right through me.
"Severus, please," McGonagall said.
"Both of you, enough!" Dumbledore yelled. "I think it's best if you leave. I can take it from here."
Both professors looked confused as they left me alone with Dumbledore. He smiled lightly, as not to hurt my already crushed feelings. "Now, Miss Malfoy, why are you crying?" he asked in a gentle voice.
"Because my whole world is shattering," I said miserably.
"Because of your sister being killed."
I nodded. "It's not fair. It's just not fair," I muttered.
"Life is never fair, Simone," he said.
"Don't you think I know that? My sister, my best friend, was taken from me by the one man who was supposed to accept us as his granddaughters!"
"Please, calm down. This is more serious than I thought. You must spend time in the hospital wing, starting right now!"
"So what did you give me?" I asked, trying to start crying again.
"Veritaserum and a mixture of Calming Potion," he said. "Obviously, the Calming Potion didn't work." He stood up. "Come with me. You have to see Madam Pomfrey immediately."
Again, I had no choice but to follow him to the loony bin. Madam Pomfrey gave me a white nightgown and made me get into bed. She handed me a Dreamless Sleep Potion. I knew what it was from when Arissa had the flu. After a few sips, the world went black.
(A/N) Well, she'll be better eventually. Please review!
