Safety From a Distance

Chapter 11

© PrincessLesse 2003

When I told Lily about Rowena's suicide letter, her mouth dropped open, and her eyes widened and brightened.

"You can't be serious? Rowena Ravenclaw? Taking her very own life? That just doesn't seem possible."

I shrugged, the fact that one of the Founders of Hogwarts killing herself already something that wasn't of that much importance to me. Of course it was horrible, but there was nothing that I could do about it.

"No, I'm being frank with you. She killed herself, and Moony has the suicide letter if you'd like to read it. I believe that he's with his sister at the moment, so we can go get the letter and I'll show you where the room is."

Lily nodded mutely, she didn't seem as if she would be able to form a coherent thought much less a sentence. I smiled at her and patted her on the shoulder. I needed to let her know that I knew exactly what she was talking about. Poor dear.

"Come now, we need to go catch him before he goes off on a tirade. That always happens whenever he talks to Sam, even though he talks to her every day."

I grabbed Lily's hand and I pulled her up and made her walk briskly up to the fifth floor corridor. Sam's office was at the end.

Knocking on the door, I called for Moony. "Remus, you in here?" I asked inquisitively.

"James? Yes, he's in here. You can come in," Sam answered me. I walked in and Lily was following close behind me. She was looking around curiously. I had a feeling that she rarely went into any of the Professors' offices. I wonder what she'd think of Dumbledore's office. She'd probably go insane with all of the junk he keeps in there.

"James?" Remus asked me questioningly. "Is there something that you need?"

"Yes, actually. A letter." I gave him a pointed glance. He looked confused, and then Lily said, "Oh, you know, Remus. The letter! It was the one about a friend of mine. I thought she would be great for you. Her name's Raven."

I glanced at Lily and almost started chuckling. It seemed as if Lily was emphasizing every other word. Anyhow, Remus seemed to catch what she said, because I saw his face light up.

"Ah, yes. I read that letter from you friend Raven. She's quite the intelligent one, I hear. Anyhow, I believe the letter is in the cupboard."

In the cupboard was our codeword for a nook in the wall in the boys' dormitory. We kept our valuables there: The Marauder's Map, various ingenious pranks, and now Rowena's letter. Lily's face was confused, but she smiled and said, "Oh, thanks, Remus!"

I wanted to laugh. Lily could be a prankster yet! Alas, before we could leave, Sam interrupted us.

"Wait, you have a friend that would be interested in Remus?" Sam asked, clearly confused. I could tell in her voice she was thinking about Remus' ailment.

Lily tilted her head and bit her lip. I could tell she was getting nervous. "Yes, I believe I know someone who would be perfect for Remus. He's a charming person, that he is." Lily cast a glance in Remus' direction and gave him a wink. He grinned at her, but he was pale underneath the calm façade.

Sam looked disapprovingly at Lily. "She couldn't possibly know about—"

"Oh, that doesn't matter!" I said, jumping in before Sam could finish. Lily didn't know about Moony's ailment and it wasn't for my place, or Sam's, to tell her. Remus looked at me with wide eyes, his face now an unhealthy shade of white.

Apparently, Lily could sense the tension in the situation and she jerked on my arm. "Oh, well, Professor Lupin, I believe that James and I have to get somewhere. Thank you, Professor, for letting James and I borrow Remus for a moment. Oh, and don't worry about my friend and Remus, I'm positive they're perfect for each other. Well, we bid you adieu."

Lily tugged on my arm and we both left Sam's office. Before we were out of hearing range, we heard Remus yell at Sam.

"I can't BELIEVE you almost told her! God damn it, Sam!"

I hurried Lily along as we left the corridor. I beamed at her as we made our way to Gryffindor Tower. When we got the portrait of the Fat Lady and gave her our password (Go Go Gryffindor!) we walked up to the boys' dormitory.

"Lily, could you wait outside a moment, it won't take but just a second."

She smiled at me and leaned against the wall. "Go on ahead, James, I don't mind waiting."

I smiled at her and hurried into the room. I grabbed the stone and shimmied it out. I retrieved the letter and the Marauder's Map. I grabbed my invisibility cloak and I walked back to where Lily was standing. She was smiling and she stood up straighter. Her yes were shining, and I noticed her fingers were flexing. She was just quaking to read that letter. Oh well, I suppose that I'll be nice today and let her read it.

"Here you go, m'dear." I handed her the letter and I walked down the stairs. I was letting her read as we went.

I was silent as we continued down the corridors, finally getting to the second floor corridor. I was amused by the fact that every so often, Lily had given a gasp of surprise, muttered, and then reread the part she was reading. I could tell by the way she bit her lip and how she was narrowing her eyes that she was rereading a certain part several times.

"Knut for your thoughts, dear?" I asked her, trying to lighten the mood. She glanced up at me and smiled. Her face was pale, though, and her freckles stood out in stark contrast.

"James, sorry I doubted you before. I truly didn't want to think that a mentor of mine would've diminished herself to suicide. Yet, I suppose that suicide was a noble way out of life back in the day. I know that it's a noble way out in Japan, or so they think."

I smiled as Lily was just spouting out information now. I grinned as we stood under the second chandelier on the second floor corridor. I gave her a wink as I grabbed her arm and I pulled her through the wall. I heard her gasp before we emerged to the other side.

"James! Wow, how—how did you guys find this?"

I gave her a wink and covered my mouth. "That is a secret, and I can't let anyone know… or I'd have to kill you."

Lily gave me a mocking look as she said, "Yes, I'd like to see you try and kill me. You wouldn't get an Unforgivable Curse past your lips!"

I chuckled as I went to the fireplace and lit it. I suppose that now I had sent Rowena my blessings, wherever she may be, I could at least light the fire in the room.

"Wow," I heard Lily breathe once she actually saw the room. I nodded my appreciation as well as I finally got to see the room in its entire splendor. It was ornate in it's decorations, yet the Ravenclaw colours being the prominent theme.

"This was Rowena Ravenclaw's room," I heard Lily whisper to no one in particular. She was gaping, and I had to suppress a chuckle at her slack-jawed amazement.

"James, this is where Rowena spent the last minutes of her life. In this very room. I wonder who found her."

I shrugged and then I held up my wand high enough to cast a spell. "I believe that I want to clean this room. The dust is getting to me."

"NO!" Lily yelled at me. I looked at her confusedly as she blushed and then said, "What I mean is, no. We shouldn't disturb the room… it would be disrespecting her memory."

I raised my eyebrows at her and I decided to do something I never do with Lily. I argued.

"How exactly would it be disrespecting her memory? She's not going to come to from the afterlife to yell at us about cleaning the dust. I bet that she was the immaculate sort, anyhow. She'd probably want this place to be clean."

Lily narrowed her eyes at me. I'm surmising that she's not used to someone actually arguing with her when she so clearly thought she was correct. I mean she usually has this look that says she's right, even though she may not be. She's used it on plenty of the professors; I know that look anyhow. She was looking at me that way at this very moment.

"Lily, I know I'm right on this. Just trust me."

She sighed and then grinned, a sign of her compliance. "Alright, fine then, James. You can cast the cleaning spell, but if you don't get it right the first time, I'm warrant to make fun of you."

I mock-saluted as I grinned at her. "No problem."

Raising my wand I said, "Pulvis Enucleo!"

Lily raised an appreciative brow as the dust cleared. I grinned wickedly as Lily breathed in deeply and then exhaled. She gave me one of her smiles… the ones that I live for.

"Wow, James, I didn't know you could perform a cleaning spell."

I chuckled sarcastically at her as I stated, "Remember my part of the dormitory."

"Yeah, yeah. Sure, James, sure. Anyhow… oh my gosh! Wow, look at those books. They're probably all filled with things that could be useful to us. That is incredible."

I nodded carelessly. I couldn't form coherent thoughts at the moment. I wish someone could see how wonderful Lily looked right now. Her hair is hanging down her back, she has her hands on her hips, and she has this smudge of dust on her nose. I guess I did miss a spot.

"…This is just spectacular, don't you think, James?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah. It's great! I told you it would be. Didn't even believe me." I was smiling, but my heart wasn't in it now. I didn't feel like talking about this room. I wanted to know more about her. I don't know what I could learn, but I have a feeling that it would be spectacular. Spectacular. Like she said… it's just spectacular.

"James, you're not even paying attention to me."

I started to chuckle as Lily was blowing air exasperatedly out of her lips. She was also giving me that look, the one she uses that makes people feel as if they are the most important beings in the world. Oh, how I wish Lily knew she was that important. To anyone. She never understood how deeply I appreciated her. I don't think she ever will.

"James! Snap out of it, dear. I think this enclosed space is getting to you. Come on, let's get going. I'm hungry."

I nodded and I extinguished the fire as I grabbed Lily and made her get a move on. "Geez, Lily, you're so slow."

"Don't think I won't hex you, James, because you know I will."

"I know, I know, but what's the point of hexing me if you keep warning me?"

"I don't know. Well, come on."

Lily and I walked out of Rowena's room in compatible silence. I never realized that I would be too scared to make a move on a girl before. I just, I just think that Lily's quite different from all of the other girls I've known or dated. Yes, different indeed.

"Well, Potter, Black, do you two know why you are here?"

"Is it because you love us so much?"

"No, Black, that isn't the reason."

"Are you sure, Filchy, because I could've sworn that was the reason. Jamesie, don't you think that's the reason?"

"Nah. I think it's because that he's a masochist. Addicted to pain, Filchy?" I asked him. I almost started laughing loudly as he puffed up and his cheeks got red.

"Filchy? A masochist?" Padfoot asked me. He grinned as he gave me a wink as he said, "Well, it does make sense, doesn't it? It would make sense that he keeps those chains down in his office, doesn't it?"

Padfoot and I started to crack up as we realized that Filchy was sputtering and he was trying to form a coherent retort. I could tell that Padfoot was about to say something else before we were interrupted.

"Argus, I believe that I can take the boys from here. Thank you."

Padfoot and I turned around and Dumbledore greeted us. He was smiling in that way that infuriated some people. It was that way that meant that nothing could possibly go wrong. I grinned as he twinkled at me.

"Yes, Professor," Filch muttered to Dumbledore. I started chuckling as he said that he thought it'd be better if he could "shackle those damn hoodlums". Hoodlums? Who uses that word anyway? Damn duffer.

Before I could say anything to Dumbledore, Padfoot beat me to saying anything at all. "You're in charge of our detention, Professor?"

"Why, yes, I suppose I am in charge of your detention. To get started, why don't you two take a walk with me out to the grounds? I'm also quite surprised that it's only you two in detention. You'd think with all these students there would be more trouble-makers."

"There are, but we're the only two worthy enough of going to Filch," I told him, grinning as I took long strides to walk up. I was lagging behind.

Chuckling, Dumbledore opened the doors and walked out of the castle, Padfoot and I trailing behind. Finally, we caught up to him as he stopped at the lake. Realizing that Dumbledore was staring at something, I turned to see, too. The Giant Squid was propelling as it waved its tentacles in the air.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, I realized that you two and some others have found something quite important in one of your, ah, expeditions."

I straightened my back quickly as I gave Sirius a quick, pondering look. He himself looked like his eyes were about to pop out.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Professor!" Sirius said rather convincingly. He was using the eyes and he was grinning that grin that even worked with McGonagall. Too bad he didn't have that look that Lily had. That would've been horrible, if Sirius was to have all those powers. He'd be invincible.

"Of course, Mr. Black, that's what I thought. Anyhow, if you, hypothetically, did happen to stumble upon something important, I'd be wont to know." Dumbledore paused after this, and he was still turned towards the Giant Squid. Sirius and I shared a look, and he raised his eyebrow, and I raised both of mine, and then we started contorting our faces until he nodded. I don't know what that accomplished.

"Okay, sir, so if we hypothetically found something of importance, you'd like to know."

"Yes, I would, Mr. Black. If you were to find something hypothetically, of course."

"Well, hypothetically speaking, then, I believe that there might be a room of importance on the second floor corridor. A few paces in front of that Helga Hufflepuff statue and under the second chandelier."

I was watching Dumbledore's profile now. He was still staring at the water, but I could tell that he was perturbed by the way his stance had changed from what it was before.

"Hypothetically," Sirius added in after a moment. I grinned as Padfoot started to scratch his head in thought. His hair wasn't in a ponytail, and he was looking at it with fascination. Geez, he got bored easily.

"Yes, of course, Mr. Black, hypothetically. Thank you for your thoughts. I believe that I've been looking for that room for some time now."

I was amazed that Dumbledore didn't know everything. It wasn't something that I was accustomed to. I was staring at Dumbledore and Padfoot, them both taking up my attention. Then I realized that Dumbledore knew that we went on our nightly outings. I felt my face go red. I was a Prefect, and that behaviour wasn't acceptable.

"I will over look the fact that you hypothetically knew where this room was located. I assume it was just an accident."

I almost started laughing. The finding of the room was by accident. Anyhow, since I knew that Dumbledore knew, I managed to voice my question.

"Professor, she stabbed herself?"

"Ah. Yes, I'm afraid she did. She couldn't bear the pain. Anyhow, Salazar and Godric both had found her body. As sad as that sounds, that caused more of a rift between them and it was never the same after that."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. I didn't know why that bothered me so much, but it did.

"I thought that Godric and Salazar both had left, though."

"They had, Mr. Potter, and Godric left to go find Salazar and bring him back to Hogwarts." Dumbledore paused after this and he finally turned around to stare at Sirius and myself. Sirius was staring at Dumbledore in awe. I then asked another question.

"Sir, how is it you know all of this?"

"Ah, Mr. Potter, we Headmasters pass on information about Hogwarts to our successors. We add the information we've learned to each new generation."

I nodded, supposing that made sense, but was all of an answer that I was going to get. I grinned and shrugged.

"Well, if I had seen her room, I suppose it would've been fantastic."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and put a hand on both Sirius' and my shoulder. "Yes, I suppose if the room was real, it would've been a grand room indeed."

"Oh yes, and clean as well."

Dumbledore chuckled as he started leading us back up to the castle. "Your detention will end early tonight, boys. I think that detentions are starting to be tiresome for you two."

Sirius reacted rather violently to that information. "No! Of course they aren't! They are doing great things!"

"Mr. Black, just because they are putting you ahead of one Uric Beaufolle's detention record doesn't mean you should like them."

"Oh, but I abhor them!" Padfoot told Dumbledore brightly. I chuckled and grinned. Sirius was bound and determined to beat the record. Then, before he knew it, I would beat him for most detentions in a term! Yes, I'm underhanded, so what?

"Well, gentlemen, I believe that it's getting rather late. The hot chocolate is calling my name."

"Does it say, "Dumbledore, Dumbledore, come drink me!"' Padfoot asked in a falsetto, a frank look upon his face.

Dumbledore grinned and said matter-of-factly, "Why yes, it does!"

I smiled as I nodded at Professor Dumbledore at the entrance. "Don't be too harsh on the hot chocolate, Professor. Sirius and I will go back to Gryffindor Tower now. Goodnight, Professor."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he nodded and smiled merrily. "Goodnight, Mr. Potter, Mr. Black."

I don't know if that is actually Uric the Oddball's last name, but I got it from Ariana Deralte's fics about Uric the Oddball. Check them out! They are superb.