CHAPTER 15

The Rise and Fall of Darryl Avery

"Now I am ready to be civil with you four," Darryl said, folding his hands onto his lap. "Last year, I think we can all agree, was a nightmare."

"Actually, I remember it being very fulfilling," James said, crossing his legs.

"I believe that you and I have different takes on what we think is 'fulfilling,' James," Darryl retorted.

Sirius snorted.

"As I was saying," Darryl said, eyeing Sirius fearfully, "I have a proposition to make."

"All right, well, then make it," James said.

"I will." Darryl brought out a piece of parchment and scanned it. "Well, I made up a schedule for all of us to follow here. It's sort of a contract."

"What's it say?" James asked, as Remus, who was sitting on the bed behind him, took the contract.

"It says that we are all in bed by nine o' clock every night, and we do not, under any circumstances, get out of bed until eight o' clock."

"It also says that Peter has to get rid of his rat," Remus said, scanning the contract.

"Are you nutters?" James said, mussing up his hair. "That's the only thing Peter's got going for him!"

"And what will you give us in turn for all this?" Remus asked.

"I will give you the satisfaction of you knowing that I won't tell the teachers about your little escapades. Yes, I know all about them," Darryl said. "Getting Peeves in here every night to shake my bed and make as much noise as humanly possible. Opening and closing the door."

Sirius raised a brow, and looked at James. James, trying to hold back a laugh, yanked the parchment out of Remus's hand, and tore it in half.

"No deal," James said finally, "We don't accept it. Peter keeps his rat, Sirius keeps threatening you as much as he wants. Go whining to the teachers. But remember, two can play at that game. Oh, yes, we know all about it, Darryl."

Darryl became very white.

"You're bluffing," he said.

"Oh, you think so?" James said, smiling evilly. The other three were very confused.

"I've known for months, Darryl. I bet someone would be very pleased to know about it. Do I need to elaborate?"

Darryl shook his head slowly, then he walked out of the room and shut the door behind him.

"Care to tell the rest of us?" Remus asked.

James waved his hand. "There's always something everyone doesn't want anyone to know about. I was just bluffing. I have no idea what the git was so scared about. But it worked, hey?"

Sirius patted him on the back and went back to unpacking.

"""""""""""""""""""

The beginning of their first term began the next day, and Remus was no where to be found.

"He couldn't have gone home already," Sirius said as they made their way into the Herbology room. "He just got here."

"He sure ran out of the dormitory pretty quick last night," James said. "Come to think of it, I don't remember him coming back in."

Their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was so boring that even Sirius couldn't stay awake. They never heard his name, but it seemed that it started with an F. He spoke in a drawling voice. Halfway through the class, Peter fell out of his chair, asleep. The teacher had just continued on with his class just as if nothing had happened. He was worse than Professor Binns, James concluded, as he rubbed his eyes and stepped back out into the corridor.

Transfiguration was just as strict as it had been last year. Professor McGonagall stood in front of their class, welcoming them back. She eyed Sirius and James, and made some comment about how she was expecting greater things out of second years than first years and not to disappoint her. There was no smile on her face this time.

Then it was off to Potions with Slughorn. In the corridor on the trek to the dungeon, Sirius and James were pulled aside by one of the third year teachers, Professor Snorks, and asked to give Remus a message: He may be leaving that very day to see some old friends who had taken ill, and he wouldn't return to Hogwarts for at least three months.

"Tell him to speak to Sprout about my replacement, eh?" the bald Arithmancy teacher added very quickly as he strolled away.

Snape was glowering the whole day, giving evil looks to James and Sirius. He had his first detention that night with Sirius, and neither of them was looking forward to it. They were to clean the Herbology greenhouses, one by one --- without magic.

"Thanks again for saving me out of a detention," James said to Sirius as they walked out of Potions.

"Welcome," Sirius said, and they continued to lunch.

To their surprise, there was Remus, sitting by himself, shaking and trying to eat a skinned potato. Even if he looked like he was about to throw up his breakfast.

"Where were you?" James asked as he, Peter, and Sirius sat down next to him.

"Don't ask," Remus said, shaking. He reached for his spoon, but his hand hit his goblet, and his milk went spilling all over the floor. "Oh, damn." He bent over to clean it up, hands still shaking.

"Are you feeling all right?" Sirius asked, looking him over. "You're looking sort of peaky again."

"What?" Remus said, returning to the table. "Oh, right. Well-"

"Is it your mother again?" Peter blurted out.

James stepped on his foot under the table, but Remus just nodded. "I got an owl from her this morning --- had to miss my first classes --- it was an emergency. I traveled by Floo Powder to home to see her. I knew she shouldn't have taken me to the platform yesterday. It's all my fault."

His lip started to tremble, and James comforted him by patting him on the back and telling him it would be okay.

"But it won't," Remus said. "It's just getting worse. I don't know what I'm gonna do."

It was a very quiet lunch.

The night had come, and the four of them waited until Darryl was fast asleep with his eye mask on. Then, when James gave the signal, they all jumped out of bed, fully dressed. He pulled out his trusty Cloak and smiled.

Minutes later, they were in position, walking out of Gryffindor Tower.

"Where to go?"

"How about that one doorway that I saw?" Peter asked.

"Are you still obsessed with that stupid doorway?" Sirius sighed. "For God's sake, Peter! There are better things to do than going around and-"

"Hey," James said, hushing him up. "Wonder if 'Peeves' is gonna mess with Darryl tonight. Too bad he's not here."

Sirius smiled. "I know what you're thinking. And I like it."

"Are we for it?" James asked.

"I'm in," Sirius said.

"Whatever," Remus sighed, and the four of them turned around to face the sleeping Darryl.

"""""""""""

The morning was very calm. The birds were singing their sweet tunes outside, and Hagrid could be heard singing along with them. It was especially quiet in the dormitory room. This may have been because Remus had woken up from his sleeping, and was listening for a sound he knew would come. Or it may have been that Sirius and James were still sleeping, exhausted from the late night. Or maybe it was because Darryl wasn't anywhere in sight.

"AAAAAHHH!"

A shrill scream came from the highest astronomy tower. Peter sniggered. Remus groaned, and pulled a pillow over his head. He knew what was coming next.

Sure enough, the sound of footsteps was heard as Professor McGonagall and Darryl charged into the dormitory room at full speed. Sirius and James snapped awake and covered themselves with their blankets.

"Professor!"

Darryl was very red in the face, and he pointed his bony little finger at Sirius. "IT WAS HIM!" he screamed, "IT WAS ALL OF THEM!"

"What are you going on about, Darryl?" Remus asked, pretending to have just woken up. He rubbed his eyes.

"YOU! YOU LITTLE FREAK!" he charged at full speed to the foot of Remus's bed. "YOU HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT, TOO!"

"Now, Mr. Avery, I don't think that that's necessary." Professor McGonagall grabbed Darryl by the arms and pulled him away from Remus, who was trying to act confused.

"I don't know what you're talking about-"

"I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE!" Darryl threatened, still jabbing his finger at him. Remus grew stone cold. "I'VE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME NOW! I'LL TELL THEM! THEY DON'T KNOW, DO THEY? THEY DON'T KNOW YOUR LITTLE SECRET, DO THEY?" His eyes were dodging towards James, Sirius, and Peter, who were speechless.

"Darryl-" Professor McGonagall started.

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH! YOU KNOW, DON'T YOU?" Darryl started in on her.

"I have no idea what you are referring to," Professor McGonagall said sternly, "And don't you point your finger at me. I understand that you are upset, but that's no excuse for accusing-"

"I'M NOT ACCUSING! I KNOW THEY DID IT! THEY'RE IN CAHOOTS WITH PEEVES!"

"Peeves was in my office last night, drawing mustaches on portraits," Professor McGonagall informed him. "There is no possible way that he could be working with them. He's never cooperated with a student."

"They have their ways," Darryl said, glaring at Sirius. Sirius grinned.

"You're talking nonsense, Mr. Avery," she said. "Now clean yourself up, and get some new trousers on. Class starts in an hour."

The four boys' eyes drifted down to Darryl's pants. There was a large wet spot covering the front of them. Sirius gave out a "ha!" and James bit his lip to stop from laughing.

"Nice," Sirius commented as soon as Professor McGonagall had left.

"Just you wait," Darryl glared at Sirius, "Just you wait, Black! I'll see that you never forget this! I'll show you."

"What are you going to do? Wee on me?" Sirius smiled his sly smile, and Darryl ran towards him, fist raised. But someone caught it in mid air, and forced Darryl away from him. It was Remus, and he looked ready to kill.

"Like Sirius said," he said in a calm voice, "you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us. Don't you touch him."

Darryl looked frightened for a moment, but then collected himself, and looked back at Remus's astounded friends. Then he whispered so only his captor could hear, "You just wait until they find out what you are, werewolf. They'll abandon you. I know it, and you know it."

Remus glared and tightened his grip on Darryl's wrist.

"Get out," he said, and then pushed him back onto his bed. Darryl was still smiling as he picked himself up and closed the door behind him.

The other three boys were still in shock as Remus sighed, ran his fingers through his hair, and made his way to his trunk for clean clothes.

"Well, that was --- surprising," Sirius said in a newly found respect for his small friend.

Darryl moved out of the dormitory that lunch period. He took the extra bed with the first years, and everyone (but the first years) seemed the happier for it. By the time that the four friends got around to returning for some sleep that night, his bed was empty. Remus still had an uneasy feeling in his stomach. He was sure that this wouldn't be the last that he heard from Darryl Avery.