Disclaimer: Due to the fact that I find disclaimers absolutely detestable (from now on) I'm simply gonna tell you lot that I. . . wait, wait, I, me, do not own any of the following characters, locations and hardly any of the temperaments. The only things little me has in little mine possession is the plot, but then again, that can probably be traced to 'THE WELL OF LOST PLOTS'. Oh funny! Hehehehe.
A/N: Sorry about the plots thing, I've just finished these two books, (funniest things in my life, well, since I thought someone was kidding when they said that Bush had been elected and all, but still) and they absolutely rock. I'll tell you what they're called and you can all go and rush down to the shops and get them: The Eyre Affair and Lost in a Good Book. The third one I have yet to read, but I know it's out there somewhere, it's called: THE WELL OF LOST PLOTS, so there!
Imaginable ~^.^~
Chapter 5 - Out of place
As she walked along the corridors she attempted to hide behind her sister, as muttering and pointed fingers followed her the length of the hall. Lily was not a shy girl, in fact, she could most likely be classified as a show off, but even Lily Evans got cold feet when over four hundred people were constantly staring at her for something she had no recollection of.
She sighed and Aurora turned around to face her.
"It's hard isn't it? In my second year, I won a annual prize, everybody was looking at me wherever I went, except that was good attention" she paused an looked around at a couple of Hufflepuff stragglers that were whispering to each other and throwing occasional glances at Lily "and this is bad"
"It's horrible"
"Why wouldn't it be? I mean, last time I heard they'd all classified you as a nut case. Sorry sis, but, it's true" she turned back to the hallway while Lily choked uncontrollably. Finally she found her voice.
"SORRY!?!" Aurora winced. Lily however was not in the mood to notice. "THEY WHAT?!!"
"Calm down Lils! Yes, they're stupid, yes they're pig-headed, yes they come to rash conclusions, yes they won't believe a word you say, and yes all they care about is gossip, yes! Yes! Yes! But for no reason do you need to get stroppy with me!" she stopped and looked at he hurt face of her sister.
"You don't care" Lily accused, her voice thick with suppressed tears. "You have no idea, NO IDEA what it's like. I don't even know what happened, I just know that Harry - " she stopped. Aurora stopped. Everybody else in the corridor not already standing still staring at them stopped.
"Oh my god" and she fainted.
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Amy sighed in frustration as the Defence teacher glared at her and handed her another piece of parchment. She glanced down at it, not really feeling all that obliged to read what was on it.
"Detention
AT: Defence classroom
WHEN: 5.00°Clock, Wednesday
REASON: Disrupting class
TEACHER PRESENT: Mr Crowely"
Oh yes, everything was just peachy. She walked out into the halls, and stopped. She didn't know why, but it seemed the thing to do; everyone else she could see had all stopped, and all of them were facing towards the entrance to the Dark Arts classroom. She paused and shook her head, who cared?
"Move it peoples! I've got to get to class, I'm sure all of you lot do to!" she didn't say it particularly loud, she didn't have to. The silence was suddenly no longer existent and everybody within her hearing range was talking about 'the Evans girl'. Something was not right.
Something inside her seemed to be twisting and turning, it had the rather un-likable feeling of having a bug in your gut. She gulped; somehow, for a few seconds foresight was granted to her. She stopped as she saw Lily slumped on the floor, Aurora cradling her head in her lap looking around furiously for a comrade, or something.
She spotted Amy and quickly motioned for her to come over. Amy almost ran.
"What happened?" breathless though she was, it didn't stop her from asking questions.
"I have got no idea, I think it had something to do with the vision/premonition she had" Aurora glanced at Amy, who was chewing her lip in thought. "She said the name 'Harry' and from what she told me earlier, this Harry person must have looked a lot like James Potter" whatever effect Aurora thought this would have on Amy it was not the one she got. The eleven year old looked surprised and then shocked as if realising something, and then, with wisdom beyond her age:
"Fuck!" she then proceeded to faint.
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When Lily came round, the first thing she saw was Aurora's head hovering over her. Slowly her ears began to work again and her vision un-blurred. She gulped as she remembered what she had said to Aurora and wondered is she would again be sent into a white room.
She shook her head, trying to clear the buzz that seemed to be vibrating all the way through her head.
"Oww" the moan that escaped her lips managed to get the full attention of an overly protective elder sister. She gulped again, this time for air. Aurora pulled out of her hug to glare down at Lily, before she could open her mouth Lily had opened hers.
"Sorry" Aurora frowned.
"What makes you think that I'm going to tell you off?" Lily grinned half-heartedly, and tried to wave her hand dismissively, unfortunately for her, she failed.
"You have this look in your eye, it reminds me of glee; it's very scary" Aurora glared at her, and pocked out her tongue, before turning serious again. She looked down at the bleary eyed Lily and couldn't contain a sigh.
"Lily, I don't know what's going on, I really haven't got a clue, sometimes I wish I could just be seven again and not know the things I do know, but, the point is; I can't be seven again, I'm stuck being sixteen for at least a year, and after that I can tell you I won't suddenly become twenty-seven. I've got to make do" she sighed again and stroked Lily's hair with her hand.
"In a world where good people are being murdered for no apparent reason, I don't know what to expect. I can't expect anything, you know; expect the unexpected" she looked at Lily with a bitter smile.
"Na na! Expecting the unexpected makes the unexpected the expected! You can't pull that one on me!" but she too had a twisted smile on her lips as she spoke, however young she may have been, even an eleven year old can understand the ethics of bloody murder.
"So so, but it's hard, when you're sixteen, you'll live in two completely different worlds; you'll have a normal sixteen year old life, you'll hang out with friends, you'll put make up on, you'll go shopping all the time, and yet, in the other world, you'll see people dead and dieing, long before you should because there never is a time when it'll all just be ok, there isn't a time when you can just go 'oh it's all ok now, I can watch people die and never have nightmares again' it haunts you, day in, day out. There is no release." she closed her eyes momentarily, and counted to ten in her mind.
"Someone once told me that there is no good, and there is no bad, that all there is, is power. That person was right. However wrong the beliefs behind the phrase and how they try to twist it to fit them, it's still true. Where ever you go in this world you'll see death, suffering, diseases, people in mourning, people filled with hate. The best thing you can do Lily, is not to hate, but to love. No matter how hard you fall, no matter how many times your heart breaks, understand, that yes, there is power, and yes, there is no black and white, no definite line that says THIS IS BAD and THIS IS GOOD. You have to choose Lily, it's up to you to decide, because all there really is; are infinite shades of grey" she stopped abruptly and turned to look out the window. Lily, swamped by what she had just said only sat there, her mind trying to process the information that had been presented to it. She couldn't understand a word of it, so she gently filed it away for use later on, when she could understand the morbid words that had come from her sisters mouth, a disease that Lily couldn't, yet, catch; for lost hope, is something that spreads, so fast, so furious, and is, so deadly.
"Aurora, why am I in here again?"
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When Amy came to, she was back in her bed in the Gryffindor dorm. For a moment she was confused; shouldn't she be in class? Was it morning or afternoon or. . . then, she remembered.
Harry. Had Lily really said Harry? Was Aurora just kidding, playing a practical joke on her? Somehow she didn't think so, somehow she knew that Lily had said Harry, and the Harry really did exist.
Exist? Who was she kidding? Harry was just a dream, a recurring one sure, but a dream none the less, it meant nothing, nothing at all, Harry was just a dream.
How wrong she was.
What could she do know? She had a detention on Wednesday, so if she caused a little bit more trouble, no one would notice, but it would be iniquitous not to let Lily on in the trick, now, what could she do. . .
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James Potter was normal for an eleven year old boy; he loved chocolate and hated the colour pink. Oh, and he hated girls, but every young boy does. Girls have cooties you see. And, as Amy's logic went, do what the boy would like least; deprive of chocolate and dress him in pink. Unoriginal, sure, sure, she knew that, but the fact that it was unoriginal wouldn't make it any less amusing.
When to strike? Should it be during breakfast or before he woke up? Maybe she could dye all his cloths pink by hand, he wouldn't know a spell to turn them normal again, how could he? They'd only had one class, well, she'd only had one class but it was still the first day.
So, pink it was. But how to fix the chocolate? She'd have to ask Lily. She stood up and stretched, preparing to go and find her best friend at all cost, equipped as she was with her wand and some dung bombs, nothing could stop her.
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Lily stood up on wobbly legs and made her way towards the door. Aurora looked at her disapprovingly, but didn't try to stop her, Lily grinned in triumph. She grasped the door handle and turned, taking a step out into the empty hallway. The only students about would be her and Aurora, as well as the ones that had a free period.
It was time to go up to the headmaster's office. She took a deep breath and began walking in any-which direction, hoping it was the right one. Fortunately for her, it was.
"Lucky" she muttered, as she came face to face with a stone gargoyle. The gargoyle snorted.
"That's not the password" she looked confused, then smiled.
"I know, but sweet is" the gargoyle snorted again, but moved aside, letting Lily walk up the staircase (her limp had long since disappeared). When she made it to the top of the staircase she was about to knock on the door when it opened for her.
"Oh" she walked in.
"Miss Evans, it is a pleasure to see you, what, if I may ask, brings you to this office when you should currently be attending flying class?" she blushed at his voice and quickly sat down on one of the red velvet chairs that had presented itself. "Not that I don't mind your company of course"
"I came because I rem - " she was cut off by a curt knocking on the door and looked inquisitively at Dumbledore, who rose from his chair and walked over to open it. When he did a women with golden blond hair, a man with brown and a boy about her own age walked in.
"Professor Dumbledore, it's a pleasure to see you, I must once again thank you so much for this. . ." she trailed of, her eye's landing on Lily. Lily tried her hardest to shrink into the chair. The man, presumably the boys father moved in-between her and the mousy haired boy, as if to protect him, or her.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know that I was interrupting anything, if you want we can come back later - " she in turn was cut of by the calm and soothing voice of the headmaster.
"Janet, please, take a seat. We have much to discuss. Maybe Lily would like to stay, I am sure Remus would not mind a friend in his new school" the woman looked decidedly uncomfortable, but sat obligingly, waving her husband and Remus down as well.
"headmaster, do you really think that we can trust this little girl" Lily swelled indignantly, but the women continued without paying her any attention "I mean to say, Remus's condition is a very sensitive topic, I am not sure it would be wise to let someone we do not even know aware of it"
Dumbledore nodded slowly, but did not motion for Lily to leave the room. Instead he tried to calm the obviously agitated woman.
"Janet, it will be fine, please, do not worry" his voice sounded peaceful and smooth, but Lily could detect an iron steel beneath it. She swallowed nervously.
The lady too swallowed and the boy, who Lily judged to be her own age, gave a little whimper. She smiled reassuringly at him, but if anything, that just seemed to inflame the apprehension he must be feeling. She wondered what his 'condition' was. Dumbledore turned to her.
"Lily, Remus is a werewolf, I expect you to keep this to yourself and not spread ridiculous rumours, is that understood?" Lily nodded, her eyes instantly seeking out the shy boy. He blushed and looked down at the floor and she felt an immediate liking for him, she grinned at him as he looked up at her and he smiled shyly back.
"Lily? Is that understood? In words this time" she nodded again, and then realising the meaning of the word 'word' spoke.
"I promise I won't" Dumbledore nodded approvingly and looked towards the Lupin's to see if the were ok with what was going on, they both nodded reluctantly.
"Now, Lily, since you have been taken into the Lupin's trust, perhaps you would tell us what it was you wanted to discuss?" Lily too nodded reluctantly and the Lupin's looked appeased.
"I was just going to say that I remembered the vision, um" here eyes flickered over to the Lupin's who were looking confused "and, um, I was in the great hall and at the Gryffindor table two boys were shouting 'we got potter' over and over. Um, they might have been twins, they looked pretty similar, they had red hair and looked like they might have been in second or third year. Um and the person they were cheering, potter, his name. . . his name. . . his name was Harry Potter"
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A/N: I can't decide wether or not to continue, this is just such a wonderful place to finish don't you think? But I don't have enough words yet! **Sigh** Maybe I'll continue maybe not. . . Ok, fine, I'll go on. . .
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She stopped and glanced at Dumbledore, waiting to see his reaction to the news, she was disappointed; his face was as serene as ever, but he did have a thoughtful look on his face, he stayed this was for a few seconds them turned his piercing blue eyes to her.
"How did you know his name was Harry?"
"I. . . I don't. . . I don't know, I j-just did. I just knew that it was his name, I just did. . ." she trailed off and shot a sideways glance towards Janet Lupin, the lady looked as confused as she felt.
"Dumbledore, what does this child mean? What is she talking about? Can we please discuss arrangements for Remus? I have a meeting in two hours" she sent a withering glare at Lily, who squirmed uncomfortably, before turning her gaze back to the headmaster.
"Yes, of course Janet, I am sorry" he still looked deeply troubled, but he smiled gaily at her frowning face "Professor Sprout has informed me that she has a new arrival in her garden" he paused for dramatic effect, Janet however looked agitated.
"Headmaster, why should I care about your Herbology professor's taste in plants, I am concerned about my son" Dumbledore nodded in apology.
"Of course, of course, I am sorry, but Professor Sprout is now the proud owner of a whomping willow, I happen to know for a fact that there is an abandoned cottage on the outskirts of Hogsmead, and a spot in the ground that could be called the opening of a tunnel. That tunnel might just end up leading to the shack and a few spells and a few rumours. . . The likelihood is that no one will go near that shack" Mrs Lupin looked annoyed.
"I don't care if no one is going to go - " she was interrupted by the calm voice of her husband.
"Darling, I think I understand what Professor Dumbledore is trying to stay. If we were to send Remus down the tunnel when his affliction is due to happen, then he would not be able to harm anyone, he would be in this abandoned cottage. Though I am not sure where the willow comes into it all" he looked at Dumbledore enquiringly.
"Yes, quite, if we were to place the whomping willow over the entrance to the tunnel, then students would certainly not try to approach the tunnel or the tree. Leaving Remus safe from curious eyes" the Lupin's nodded in understanding, Lily looked confused and Remus thoughtful.
"Would you tell anyone about Remus's condition?" Lily, who had been silent up until then, asked curiously. Mr and Mrs Lupin looked horrified and Remus looked scared. Dumbledore nodded at her.
"It is up to Remus" the Lupin's all looked relieved and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why.
"I think it would be best if the students were unaware of the problem" Dumbledore nodded almost sadly.
"Welcome to Hogwart Remus"
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A/N: Yay! It's not that much more than I would have put, but it gets a few thins out of the way. Ok, now I understand that this is a very. . . odd chapter and like all of my stories It has no definite ending or anything like that so sorry.
REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!
Imaginable ~^.^~