The Truth About Remus

Chapter Twelve

"Prongs, how are you feeling," Sirius asked, patting him on the back.

"I think…I'm going…to be sick…"

I took one look at my oatmeal and put my spoon down.

"James, look. You are a Quidditch pro," Lily exclaimed, bursting with confidence, "You have absolutely nothing in the world to worry about."

James groaned and laid his head on the table. It was breakfast time, the morning of the second match of the tournament. The sun was shining, the snow was thick and white and there was a gentle breeze. The Quidditch conditions were ideal for this time of year.

"Prongs, stop being such a baby and eat something," Remus exclaimed, pulling his head off of the table by the hair.

Reluctantly, James picked up his eating utensil and poked a croissant with it.

Lily cleared her throat politely and spoke, "So, how did everyone like their –"

"NO," Sirius, James, Remus and I yelled.

Lily was about to say the "E" word and we have all had about enough of it. Last week was extensively exhausting. All of the ex – erm, you-know-what's, included material from our first year that nearly none of us remembered. The sixth years lived on two hours of sleep a night last week, the Quidditch players on less. On Saturday, the school was deserted of sixth years; all of them were sleeping and recuperating for Sunday, the day of the first match of the tournament.

The game was full of excitement and fascinating plays (well, I have to be able to see that kind of stuff – I am the Gryffindor Quidditch Team Play Strategizer). Anyways, Slytherin won the match yesterday and so we have to play them today.

"Prongs, call the team together and get them to the pitch," I said, "I need to discuss some of Slytherin's plays."

"Say no more, Thumper," he replied and for up to gather the team.

I stood up to leave and Sirius and Lily handed me various foods on the table.

"I know, I know," I told them as they handed me fruits, breads and oatmeal.

"Just make him eat, Ani," Lily pleaded.

"What else is this Playboy Bunny good for," I asked with a wink.

"Sex," Sirius replied.

I scowled at him and left the Great Hall towards the pitch as Remus totally ignored me. It was time to go through the pre-game tradition again: stuffing nutritious foods down the team's throats and organizing plays.

"Gentlemen," I said loudly as the Quidditch team sat before me, stuffing their faces, "I closely observed the match yesterday, especially several of the Slytherins' plays. Please pay careful attention."

I pulled my Omnioculars from my pocket, placed them on a stool and, with a simple spell, light came from the lenses and emitted images onto a screen like a projector.

"As usual, I have given all of these plays code names and have put them together in a small book – only twenty new plays have been added: seven for Chaser, five for Beater, six for Keeper and two for Seeker. Please take a look."

I handed out the books and watched the mini-movie I put together on the plays from both teams in yesterday's game. In the movie, I talked about all of the plays, how to identify them and how they could be countered. Afterwards, I stood before the team.

"Any questions," I asked.

None of them had any and James released them for warm-up.

"Thanks, Thumper," he said in my ear and gave my ass a solid hit.

"Ow," I exclaimed and jumped, "James Potter, you are going to pay for that one!"

I left the locker room to join my Gryffindor pals in the stands.

"They look healthier than usual, Thumper. You certainly did your job," Sirius informed me.

"Yeah, well, threatening to castrate them with a spork is one thing. Actually conjuring the spork is quite another."

I saw Bill take a step away from me as I sat down between Sirius and Lily. Remus and I still weren't speaking to each other. Every time he tried to apologize to me, it came out all wrong and we ended up arguing again. Through my thoughts, I missed the announcing of the teams and the sound of Madam Hooch's shrill whistle as the Quaffle was thrown into the air. The next thing I knew, Sirius was jabbing me.

"Can you believe this," he asked, "We are working so hard today! We are intercepting play after play! Look at the confused look on those Slytherins' faces! They don't know what is hitting them!"

I nodded and smiled slightly as I focused my attention on the game.

"Lea of Gryffindor gains possession of the Quaffle, passes it to Potter, Potter to Dopson, Dopson back to Potter, P to D, D to L and L to goal…SCORE!"

The Gryffindor fans were on their feet, screaming their voices out.

"The Gryffindors are going wild! Watch out you guys, or you wont be able to perform any spells," called Marie Rider, the announcer, "and Slytherin gets the Quaffle…its Flint to Bradley who drops it to Fern up to Flint back to Fern, Fern tosses it – RIGHT INTO JAMES POTTER'S HANDS…"

Again, the Gryffindor stands burst into deafening cheers. A moment later, the cheering died down and the commentary could be heard again.

"…to P to L to D, L, P, L P, D, L, D, L, P – OW!"

The Gryffindors booed as Chaser Jonathan Dopson, a fourth year, was hit by a Bludger and knocked off of his broom.

"Obviously Gryffindor didn't appreciate Hermia Raintree's Beater greeting, but the game must go on, and indeed it does as Fern gains possession of the Quaffle…"

My Omnioculars were catching everything as I spaced out, yet again. My thoughts drifted here and there until they finally settled on one image.

I was lying on a bed in a hospital room in St. Mungo's. The doctor beside me was rubbing a white wand over my lower abdomen – she was conducting an ultrasound. I noticed that my stomach was slightly bulgy. I looked up at the doctor. She was smiling. From the ultrasound machine, I could hear a 'whoosh, whoosh' sound. I had heard it before.

"Anistasia, your baby is doing just fine," she told me, "Do you hear the heartbeat? It's very healthy for a three-month-old embryo. Congratulations, you have survived your first trimester."

I smiled. My thoughts then flashed to a different image. I walked into the door of a white, two-story house. I looked at the mail on the kitchen table – the address was Number 29 Hogsmeade Road.

"Ani," I heard someone call from another room, "is that you?"

"Yes, sweetie, I am in the kitchen!"

"Ani?"

I blinked out of my thoughts and I was back on the Quidditch field. My hand had unconsciously settled upon my lower abdomen. There was no bulge. I looked up at who had spoken to me.

"Where have you been for the last thirty minutes," Sirius asked.

I was tempted to tell him, but I didn't. I just looked around at the crowd. The Slytherins were in an uproar as the Slytherin Seeker was being carried on his teammates' shoulders, the Golden Snitch enclosed in his hand.

"What happened," I asked him.

"We lost. Come on, Prongs will need to be held back from the taunting Slytherins. He is sometimes harder to restrain than Moony."

I sighed and followed him to the locker room. We could hear lockers slamming and being hit and James screaming at the team. The swears that could be heard were so bad that I ran into the locker room before a professor could hear them.

"Silencio," I yelled and James immediately went silent.

He looked at me as though he wanted to ring my neck, but I gained on him before he could gain on me.

"Prongs," I said under my breath, "There is no need to yell at your team. They did extremely well today – I have the whole thing on my Omnioculars. Slytherin got lucky today – just lucky."

James began moving his mouth, obviously speaking, but no sound came out. Realizing this, he pointed to his mouth, ordering me to allow him to speak.

"Don't start yelling at your team," I told him and reversed the spell.

"Well, our bad luck could cost us the Cup."

I sighed and looked at Sirius. He shrugged. I looked to Lily and she walked forward to James.

"James, sweetie," she said in a low voice, "don't be so hard on your team, please?"

He scowled angrily at Lily and addressed the Quidditch Team, sitting on the benches with their heads bowed, "Team practice tomorrow immediately after Match Three. Be ready to work and work hard. Ani, I will need you there, too."

I nodded and James dismissed his team.