Falling For Black

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Chapter Nineteen - Something Long Forgotten

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As they stepped out of the train and onto the platform, a harsh breeze swept around them whipping their cheeks. And just as Madison pulled her thick scarf tighter around her neck, snow began to fall from the jet black sky above.

"Hey, Madison....Sirius!" called a voice from behind the group. Remus Lupin was striding towards them grinning broadly. Madison felt a pang of guilt in her stomach, she hadn't spoken to Remus for so long, and surely he didn't know about the wedding, how would she phrase it? But it was Remus who spoke first.

"Just wanted to say congratulations, on the engagement." said Remus rubbing his hands together to warm them, "And...Sirius I'm sorry for hitting you...that was out of order."

Sirius and Madison just gaped. Then Sirius said,

"Thanks...but hey, I should be the one to apologise...sorry Remus. Why the sudden change of heart though?"

Remus looked over his shoulder, at a small girl stood by the ticket booth obviously waiting for Lupin to go back over to her. She was short, and looked oriental. She had long dark hair falling down to her waist and her dark eyes were shaped with eyeliner making them look very pretty.

"Aiko Yamamoto," said Lupin, beaming. "And I thought since I met her...there shouldn't really be any hard feelings about...well Madison. Because Aiko's wonderful." As he said this Madison felt tears prick at her eyes, and she flung her arms around Remus.

"Oh-Remus-I'm-so...so-sorry." she said her voice muffled as she spoke into his shoulder, but as she broke away she said again more clearly, "I really am...sorry."

Remus just smiled then said, "I know. Thank you." then as Madison let go, Sirius said.

"Come on Moony, we can go up to the castle together...you can introduce Aiko to us!"

For a second Sirius and Lupin just looked at each, then they both smiled and they knew the Maruaders were a four again.

*

Lily walked into the great hall in tears, her hands covering her face. James had his arm around her although he was looking rather pale and lost. Sirius, Lupin and Peter Pettigrew followed looking stunned. Madison got up at once.

James, Lily, Sirius, Lupin and Peter had been summoned to Proffessor Dumbledore's office that afternoon, after the lessons had finished on their first day back. Madison had no clue what about.

Madison, Magsy and Zara hurried over to the Gryfindor table, and sat next to Marauders and Lily.

"Lily whats wrong?" asked Zara, looking concerned.

"What did Dumbledore say?" said Magsy, taking hold of one of Lily's hands.

"He said..." said James, "He said there's a spy."

"A spy? What do you mean?" asked Magsy, frowning slightly.

"I mean...someone in Hogwarts is passing information to...to Voldemort...information about me and Lily..." said James and Lily sniffed.

"He's after us..." said Lily, dabbing her eyes with a tissue, "Me and James...he wants us dead."

There was a stunned silence. Then Magsy said,

"No. No it can't be true..."

"I'm afraid it is..." said Lupin gravely.

*

"Five minutes left." said Proffessor McGonogall, curtly as she strode between the desks in her Transfiguration classroom.

"Can I borrow a quil? Mine just snapped." hissed Tiffany in Madison's ear. This was only a mock NEWT, but the students had been seated in alphabetical order just like they would in the real exam, and because there were no Q's or R's in this Transfiguration class Madison had been seated next to Tiffany.

"Well can I?" implored Tiffany. Madison turned to see if McGonogall was watching, she had her back turned, so whilst giving Tiffany a stern look, Madison shoved a quill towards her.

"Thanks," whispered Tiffany, "Hey Madi, what did you get for number 10?"

Madison scowled at her. She didn't seem to understand this was an important exam, even if it was a mock.

Tiffany had always been like this in primary school, getting Madison into trouble because Tiffany would be talking or Tiffany would be copying Madison's work or Tiffany would pretend Madison had pinched her and get Madison sent out of class. Some things never changed.

"Come on let me have look." hissed Tiffany, pulling Madison's paper towards her.

"No." Madison whispered back, trying to pull her paper back, but at that second McGonogall turned around.

"Peters," she said briskly striding up to Madison, who turned to look at Tiffany, she was now induldged in her own paper. "What do you think you are doing?"

"I just..." squeaked Madison.

"You just thought it would be okay to sneak a look at Sinchowitz's paper did you? Hmm?" snapped McGonogall. Madison could feel her face heating up.

"No Proffessor. I didnt....she..." said Madison, her voice still unusually high.

"Well, I'm sorry Peters, but this has to be treated like a normal exam, give me your paper." and McGonogall reached over, took Madison's paper, and tore it in two.

Madison could feel tears stinging her eyes, but she blinked furiously. She had spent the last three days preparing for that exam. She had even cancelled on Sirius's invitation on taking her out to dinner to study.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave this classroom." said McGonogall her lips tight.

Madison could feel every eye in the clasroom upon her as she packed away her things. Slinging her bag over her shoulder and trying to breathe evenly, Madison walked carefully from the room she couldn't really remember how to walk right then.

Madison made her way down to Ravenclaw Commong Room, but before she reached it she crept behind a tapestry and sat down, letting her tears fall freely.

She couldn't believe that had just happened. But then again, when she thought about it she could believe it had happened. She thought of Tiffany in primary school, and horrible swirling dark images engulfed her mind like fog.

A dark figure, leering drunkenly towards her. Bottles crashing. The sound of her own sobs. Screams. Dark nights she spent sleeping on a park bench. Not daring to go home. Scared to go home...scared to go to him...

Madison suddenly shook herself. Stop it, she told her self standing up, stop crying, stop crying you're stronger than that, you've been through hell and you're still here. Who cares about some stupid test?

She strode out from the tapestry drying her eyes on her sleeve. She travelled up a corridor, down some stairs, through another tapestry, up a winding flight of stairs, through a portrait, and the warmth of the Ravenclaw common room washed over her, comforting her.

She sunk in a squashy blue armchair. All those thoughts had rekindled something she had long been striving to keep quiet. Something she had stowed at the back of her mind for years now. She gently lifted her skirt up her leg. The scar was still there.

* * * * *

A/N: oh god I never thought this story would become dark. But I added this bit in for all you Madison haters, to show that not even she is perfect :D

Thank you to Diva937 for helping me bring back Remus...I didn't really liked the way I wrote it...it came out a bit gaahhish XD but at leat ol' Moony's back now...with his little Aiko :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter you poo.

See you in 20!!! I've never written this much of a story before...I'm so proud!! XD 33