Chapter Thirteen – In which Sirius gets a new style and Remus teaches Anna to fly… kind of.
By Dizmius.
Did I ever write a disclaimer for this? Ah well…
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had to rewrite this TWICE. Once I left it at school, and it got corrupted on the disk, and two, I found a gaping plot hole, so I er… had to go and completely redesign it. ARG! Anyway- where were we? Ah yes…. The 'swish' that Sirius keeps referring to is dedicated to Teddy... and whoever else goes "swish" (complete with hand movements, god help us…)
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"So you haven't seen her since?"
"No. I was hoping you'd have some news."
"Sorry to disappoint you Snape."
"You haven't even talked to Moody since?"
"No, I have other requirements on my time."
Remus sighed, sipping at his goblet of coffee. An argument between Severus Snape and Edea DuCruet could (and probably would) last hours. Sirius was sitting in the large chair next to Remus grinning widely. He obviously had a good night then. Well of course he did. He's Sirius.
"Oh of course, you're Miss Important Auror now." Snape sneered, steepling his fingers and staring at the fire. "I was hoping…"
"New enterprise for you, then." Sirius grinned at Snape, who scowled in return.
"Look, Snape, I have no clue where Dray is likely to be, I told you, I wasn't in on that raid. I was busy in Little Whinging." DuCruet straightened out her pinstripe robes.
"Plus, why should she have to go look for your wife, it's not her fault it your wife is off having some affair 'cause you just don't deliver the goods." Sirius said in a dry tone, winking at Edea.
Snape stormed over to where Sirius was sitting and glared down at him, clenching and unclenching his fists. "How dare you make such insinuations about Draezyc..."
Ah, slight problem. Sirius Black's overlarge mouth strikes again. This should prove interesting… Or maybe not. Remus noted to himself as Edea strode over to Snape and physically pulled him away from Sirius, who was laughing uncontrollably. Still a teenager then-, my suspicions are confirmed.
Snape gave the room a final glare before slamming the door behind him and storming off down the corridor in a foul mood.
"That went so well." Remus rolled his eyes, "Just marvellous."
"See his… face!" Sirius gasped, still giggling.
"Yes, well, I have to leave, meeting with Fudge." Edea flicked a speck of dust off her shoulder.
"Alas! Thou canst not leaveth me! My heart shall twist in the ungodly wrath of pain whilst thou is afar!" Sirius sighed melodramatically, fluttering his eyes.
Edea frowned. "You've been doing that all night, and you're still being all fakey-Shakespeare, it's really not appealing."
"Well, what do you propose for a new image?" Sirius stood up, striking a pose in front of the fireplace. "Whatever turns you on, baby." He wiggled his eyebrows mischievously at Edea, who simply raised an eyebrow and folded her arms, not amused.
"Well darling, I could like… be all… you know, baby… swish… if you wanted…" Sirius gestured wildly with his hands. Remus shrank back in his chair, worried about his friend. "Or, baby, I could be like… sha-winnng…"
"Camp as a row of Bulgarian tents." Remus muttered, shaking his head.
"Did I miss something?" Anna rubbed her eyes sleepily as she descended down the stairs into the warmth of one of the many guest rooms.
Sirius pranced over to Anna, taking her hand to his lips, before putting his hand on his hip, and posing. "Darling! How simply splendiferous to see you… I mean, I've got a new look because my bed-buddy said I totally didn't suit the retro-Shakespeare look… I mean… you know… do I suit the pink or the purple?"
"Ignore him, he's had too much caffeine." Remus called out from his position in an armchair.
"I resent being publicly called your 'bed-buddy'." Edea scowled.
"Well, darling, really…." Sirius shook his head, waving his hand. "You just don't have the… swish… to understand."
"I. Don't. Want. To. Know." Remus wailed, covering his eyes with his hands. "Please discuss your er… swishing… somewhere else."
Anna grinned. This had to be a friend of Remus and Sirius'.
"Have we met?" Edea asked Anna, purposefully ignoring Sirius who was working his way across the room, talking to various portraits about his new image.
"Er… sorry." Remus stood up, "Anna this is Eddie DuCruet."
"Edea." Edea scowled. "Not Eddie, not Eds, not Crewwie… But pleased to meet you, Anna, you must be..."
"I'm a Phaerren." Anna said brightly, watching Edea nod, and frown as Sirius stole her silk scarf to use as a headband for his long unruly hair.
"Sorry to be so quick, but I really do have to go, if I'm late for Fudge again. I'll probably lose my hope of any promotion whatsoever." Edea waved to Remus and anna before walking quickly out of the door and down the corridor.
I wonder how long it'll take Sirius to notice….
"EDEA!" Sirius dropped the scarf. "You can't just leave me, darling!"
"I'm leaving." Edea's voice echoed up the stairs.
Sirius streaked out of the room, clomping down the stairs two at a time to follow her.
"Oh dear." Anna sat on the arm of Remus' chair. "Aren't you worried about him?"
An outraged shriek echoed up the corridor followed by a mischievous laugh, obviously that of Sirius Black.
"Yes, very." Remus nodded, "Tea?"
"No, thanks." Anna looked up at a portrait of four dark robed men, playing a game of bridge. "Don't they ever tire of it?"
"Oh yes, then they go and invade other portraits." Remus smiled faintly. "There's a rather alluring mermaid in the old prefect's bathroom if I remember…"
"What's going to happen today?" Anna asked.
"Well. You have robes now, from Hogsmeade, so I was thinking of going to Diagon Alley, or if the weather's nice I could teach you about Quidditch, although I'm nothing compared to Sirius or Harry."
"Harry?"
"Harry Potter. A son of an old friend of mine. He's Sirius' godson." Remus didn't elaborate.
"I'd like to fly." Anna nodded. "Do you think I could?"
"Don't see any reason why you shouldn't."
"But if I can't have a wand…"
"You don't need a wand to fly." Remus stood up, "Coming?"
Anna nodded, and they walked down the stone staircases, out into the broom shed.
This could prove interesting. I don't know whether Phaerren magic eliminates the magic that controls a broom, like it eliminates the charm-side of wand-work. But then again broom isn't wandwork… But maybe the Phaerren bit eliminates everything… or not, seeing as she can see Hogwarts and not get turned away confused by the charms surrounding it.
"You still haven't told me about your revenge for Sirius' coats of armour." Remus picked up two brooms and headed out into the sunlight.
"If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret would it." Anna smiled, watching with interest as Remus dropped the two brooms to the grass.
Secrets, what a thing. I had too many to even contemplate holding more, which I'm sure I will have to do soon enough anyway. Remus grinned, "Then I shall sit back and enjoy the show."
"Let me give you a clue. Don't go anywhere near his shoes anytime soon." Anna smirked. "Something I read when I was small."
"Shoes, a stinking smell?" Remus took a wild guess, discarding his outer robe.
"No. It's no use trying to guess. You won't get it." She laughed. "I got some expert help on this."
Remus shook his head, smiling. "Anyway, you ever seen anybody on a broom?"
"One, in Hogsmeade yesterday." Anna nodded, watching as Remus extended his hand over the broom, quietly commanding it up. It hovered at waist height and Remus swung a leg over it.
"Right well, you got to balance yourself like so, or you'll fall off the end." He carefully took of his hands, and sat up straight, hovering a few feet off the ground. This would be the time that I fall right off and make a complete fool of myself. I never was an expert flyer. If Sirius was here, he would be laughing so hard. "Hold your hand over the broom, and command it up into your hand."
Anna stuck out her arm, and uncertainly said "UP!" The broom hovered a few feet before dropping back to the floor and rolling to the left.
"Ah, yes." Remus frowned. "Try again, it might help to think about the broom rising and hovering into your hand, I didn't get it first time either." He grinned sheepishly. "unlike some of my show-off friends."
A few trials later and the broom was hovering beside Anna, who was cautiously climbing onto the broom, trying to keep the balance. She gripped it with her knees and clung on tightly with her hands.
Remus looked triumphant. "Right, now, don't jerk the broom in any direction too hard or you'll end up shooting off in some stupid direction." He cringed, remembering Peter's first try on a broomstick. "You've got to be gentle with it. Glide it upwards, and down again at a small gradient so you don't topple of the front and onto the grass."
Something large and black whizzed past Anna, causing her to drift slightly.
"WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The black whizzy thing had a voice.
Oh no.
"You didn't tell me you were planning on flying a broom this morning Moony." Sirius came to a halt some few metres above Anna, effortlessly gliding down to skim the grass.
I wonder why.
"He's got you on a broom, you go girl!" Sirius nodded to Anna, giving her the thumbs up. "Bet you're miles better than that wimpy thing there." He pointed at Remus, who mockingly gasped and bent low to the broom, zipping after Sirius, who shrieked and belted off towards the Quidditch pitch, with Remus in close chase.
Anna frowned. They'd left her suspended in the air on a thin piece of tree. She looked up to see them coming back at her at a stupidly fast speed. Remus had his arm outstretched and was gaining on Sirius, who turned to stick his tongue out at Remus.
"Nyah." Sirius laughed, coming to a sudden stop, and watching Remus streak past him, curve round and slow to a halt next to Anna.
"Sorry." Remus apologised. "Got carried away."
"So, what's the lesson for today?" Sirius folded his arms, looking quizzically at Remus. "I take it it's not high speed broom chases."
"Er, no." Remus looked worried. "Not in the slightest, unless we get that far."
Sirius got off his broom, and let it fall to the floor. "You carry on, I want to try out this new broom-surfing thing the Salem guys are all raving about this year." He stood on it, commanded it up, and promptly fell off as it rose too quickly.
"Oh, clever!" Anna grinned, "The fall off broom technique."
Sirius grinned back up at her, from his position flat out on the grass. "Yeah, it's all the rage with the kids nowadays. Remus I can see up your robes." He added with a smirk. "Nice boxers you have there."
Anna smiled impishly.
Remus scowled, and watched as Sirius laughed rolling over and getting up, focusing on his broom-surfing, leaving Remus to teach Anna about broomstick flying.
By lunch Anna was flying round successfully, if not still slowly. Sirius however, still hadn't progressed from falling off the broom. "Want to see the scenery?" Remus asked as Sirius headed back to the broom shed with his broom.
Anna nodded, not wanting to remove her grasp from the broom. Remus floated back to just above the ground, letting his boots skim the tufts of grass. "Get on then, sideways I think, less chance of us both slipping off."
"On your broom?" Anna let her broom drop to the grass and warily sat on the handle of Remus' school broom, holding onto Remus with one arm, and the broom with the other. Remus drifted up a few more feet than he had been before and guided the broom over to where the lake was.
"See that thing down there…that's the giant Squid. Sirius nicknamed it Clarence one year." He rested his chin on her shoulder, taking her past the edge of the school building, past countless windows and turrets. "Hagrid's cabin is over to the left, and behind it is the forest we walked through part of to get here,"
Well at least Sirius isn't here making comments. It's something haven't done for a while, broomsticking for fun. I forgot what it felt like to have the wind rushing past my face, streaking past places high above the ground. Above the ground, it's the full moon in a few nights time. I don't suppose Snape's made the potion at all.
Remus was thrown out of his thoughts by Anna's quiet gasp. "Remus... What's that…"
On the grass up ahead in between the trees, was what looked like a body, entangled in robes, sprawled between the roots of the large oak trees. Remus took the broom into a dive, landing on the grass not far away from the mass of robes.
Anna walked quickly over to it, crouching down next to the head.
"Draezyc." Remus exclaimed, rolling her over. Her face was muddy, eyes closed and lips a dangerous shade of blue. "Dumbledore, now." Remus checked her wrist, and finding a faint pulse, conjured up a thick blanket, pulling Draezyc up into a slumped sitting position against a tree he wrapped the blanket around her. "Take the broom, go, I'll stay here. Get Snape if you can find him."
Anna nodded, and ran back to the broomstick, glancing back to see Remus looking worriedly at the unconscious Draezyc.
