When they met outside The Leaky Cauldron, Remus looked as though he'd had
about as much sleep as Harry. "Good morning," he said.
" 'Morning," Harry replied.
"Well, what do you have planned for today?" Remus asked, gesturing to the vast streets of Diagon Alley.
"Oh," Harry said, remembering that he had failed to mention to Lupin that he had replied to the letter,"Er...I reckon we should head to Florean Fortescue's, because I told Isabella I would meet her there at noon."
Remus looked surprised, but not angry. Harry knew Lupin didn't mind, because he was curious as well. Remus asked with interest, "Did you now? Well, we'd best be heading that way then."
- - -
As they sat down at the table in front of the ice cream parlour, Harry expressed once more his thoughts that Isabella might be useful to the Order. Remus considered this for a moment.
"I'd have to talk to Dumbledore about that, but you may be right..." Lupin said, pondering.
"I think-" Harry began, but he stopped, as Remus was clearly not listening. He was looking off to the street.
"Harry, there's Isabella Fowlie," he said, nodding in the direction he was facing.
Descending down the stone steps to the street was a young woman. She was wearing a flowing mantle of such a dark blue it looked black, and she had soft black ringlets that fell to her shoulders. Isabella was porcalin- complexioned and very pretty.
Approaching their table, she smiled somberly, and said, "Harry Potter, and Remus Lupin...it is an honor. I assume there is no need for me to introduce myself." Clasping her hands in front of her, she continued, "I expect both of you have many questions for me, but first I must show you something. Come."
- - -
Isabella had led them into an obscure store which contained many strange magical devices. She seemed to know the shopkeeper, as he didn't mind her using his merchandise. They were all gathered around a Pensieve.
Isabella pulled out her wand, which was of a red-tinted wood. Bringing it up to her temple, she withdrew a memory and put it in the Pensieve. She watched it swirl around in the stone basin, and then indicated for them to look inside. Harry leaned forward, until he felt the familiar sensation, like he was falling into the Pensieve.
- - -
When he landed, Harry saw that he was in Diagon Alley, on a clear, moonless night where clusters of stars twinkled overhead. Beside him, Lupin picked himself up off the ground.
"This was the summer after we finished school at Hogwarts," Isabella murmured from behind them, mainly speaking to Remus, "Lord Voldemort's young supporters were foolhardy and reckless then. They were immensely interested with his belief in 'pure blood' being sustained in the wizarding world. They held organized attacks on muggle-born wizards." Her blue eyes clouded over. "My mother was half-blood. I am one quarter muggle blood."
Someone rounded the bend and came into view. It was a slightly younger Isabella. She wore pale yellow robes and her hair was piled loosely on top of her head. She carried a few flagons that looked like they contained various potions. They watched her walk under an archway, passing by a group of people. Lupin, Harry and Isabella followed and caught up with her just as the group moved to surround her.
"You know, a girl like you shouldn't be out this late at night," one of them said.
"You're right," Isabella replied curtly, "Which is why I'll be on my way." Before she could take another step, one of the men moved in front of her. With a spell, he shattered the flagons she was holding, tearing her sleeves and cutting her arms.
"You're not going anywhere, Mudblood," he hissed.
Isabella reached for her wand, with the frightening realization of the danger she was in.
"Stupefy," a voice from behind her said. She was blown off her feet by the powerful Stunning charm. Harry watched her wand fall out of her hand as she landed among glass shards. Isabella scrambled for it, but the closest Death Eater stepped on her wand, snapping it in half. She gasped and slowly looked up into his face.
Feeling sick, Harry watched the younger Isabella look up into the sneering face of Severus Snape. He raised his wand, pointing it between her eyes. "Crucio!" he cried.
- - -
" 'Morning," Harry replied.
"Well, what do you have planned for today?" Remus asked, gesturing to the vast streets of Diagon Alley.
"Oh," Harry said, remembering that he had failed to mention to Lupin that he had replied to the letter,"Er...I reckon we should head to Florean Fortescue's, because I told Isabella I would meet her there at noon."
Remus looked surprised, but not angry. Harry knew Lupin didn't mind, because he was curious as well. Remus asked with interest, "Did you now? Well, we'd best be heading that way then."
- - -
As they sat down at the table in front of the ice cream parlour, Harry expressed once more his thoughts that Isabella might be useful to the Order. Remus considered this for a moment.
"I'd have to talk to Dumbledore about that, but you may be right..." Lupin said, pondering.
"I think-" Harry began, but he stopped, as Remus was clearly not listening. He was looking off to the street.
"Harry, there's Isabella Fowlie," he said, nodding in the direction he was facing.
Descending down the stone steps to the street was a young woman. She was wearing a flowing mantle of such a dark blue it looked black, and she had soft black ringlets that fell to her shoulders. Isabella was porcalin- complexioned and very pretty.
Approaching their table, she smiled somberly, and said, "Harry Potter, and Remus Lupin...it is an honor. I assume there is no need for me to introduce myself." Clasping her hands in front of her, she continued, "I expect both of you have many questions for me, but first I must show you something. Come."
- - -
Isabella had led them into an obscure store which contained many strange magical devices. She seemed to know the shopkeeper, as he didn't mind her using his merchandise. They were all gathered around a Pensieve.
Isabella pulled out her wand, which was of a red-tinted wood. Bringing it up to her temple, she withdrew a memory and put it in the Pensieve. She watched it swirl around in the stone basin, and then indicated for them to look inside. Harry leaned forward, until he felt the familiar sensation, like he was falling into the Pensieve.
- - -
When he landed, Harry saw that he was in Diagon Alley, on a clear, moonless night where clusters of stars twinkled overhead. Beside him, Lupin picked himself up off the ground.
"This was the summer after we finished school at Hogwarts," Isabella murmured from behind them, mainly speaking to Remus, "Lord Voldemort's young supporters were foolhardy and reckless then. They were immensely interested with his belief in 'pure blood' being sustained in the wizarding world. They held organized attacks on muggle-born wizards." Her blue eyes clouded over. "My mother was half-blood. I am one quarter muggle blood."
Someone rounded the bend and came into view. It was a slightly younger Isabella. She wore pale yellow robes and her hair was piled loosely on top of her head. She carried a few flagons that looked like they contained various potions. They watched her walk under an archway, passing by a group of people. Lupin, Harry and Isabella followed and caught up with her just as the group moved to surround her.
"You know, a girl like you shouldn't be out this late at night," one of them said.
"You're right," Isabella replied curtly, "Which is why I'll be on my way." Before she could take another step, one of the men moved in front of her. With a spell, he shattered the flagons she was holding, tearing her sleeves and cutting her arms.
"You're not going anywhere, Mudblood," he hissed.
Isabella reached for her wand, with the frightening realization of the danger she was in.
"Stupefy," a voice from behind her said. She was blown off her feet by the powerful Stunning charm. Harry watched her wand fall out of her hand as she landed among glass shards. Isabella scrambled for it, but the closest Death Eater stepped on her wand, snapping it in half. She gasped and slowly looked up into his face.
Feeling sick, Harry watched the younger Isabella look up into the sneering face of Severus Snape. He raised his wand, pointing it between her eyes. "Crucio!" he cried.
- - -