Chapter 9: - Letters from home

"I am very sure you are all aware of the tragic circumstances that have lead to Ravenclaws Mr Davey Gudgeon to end up in the hospital wing" Professor McGonagall said that evening as all of the Gryffindors crowded into the common room. The entire school had been sent back to their house common rooms immediately after the teachers had rescued Davey Gudgeon from the branches of the Whomping Willow that had tangled themselves around Davey's body.

The school grounds had resembled a battlefield that afternoon students were screaming and running around hysterically while others ran towards the noises to find out what was going on, the ground near the willow was covered in blood and the teachers that had come to try and restore order found it extremely difficult. Professor Sprout the Herbology professor lead other teachers in firing stunning spell at the willow tree with very little success, it wasn't until the arrival of Dumbledore that any sense of order was restored. Davey was retrieved from the trees grasp by Hagrid who had received raucous applause and cheering from all the students. Dumbledore had then instructed all the Prefects to lead their houses back to their common rooms where they had waited, discussing all the different details that they could remember about what had happened and in true Hogwarts style the story got more and more wilder the more times it was told.

Lily had heard a third year girl telling her friends that Davey Gudgeon and the other students that had been playing Tag believed that the tree held some mystical powers and that who ever could reach the narrow gap in the trees trunk would be able to become the most powerful wizard ever, the girl also said that this was the reason why the tree had managed to have appeared on the grounds when it wasn't there last year and why it was now almost fully grown.

They had spent almost two hours in the common room waiting to hear of any news about Davey's condition and still more and more rumours flew widely around from person to person and tempers began to start getting frayed as people like Miriam and Sirius where forced to stay in such close proximity with each other.

Lily had left Miriam and Sirius yelling at each other as James and Alice Potter both tried to calm their own friends down, Lily had noticed that Remus Lupin was looking extremely worried about something. Lily had asked if he'd wanted to talk about what was troubling him but all he said was that it was his fault and it shouldn't have happened. Lily had tried to point out to Remus that he wasn't even near the willow when Davey had been hurt and so it wasn't Remus' fault but still he insisted that it was even though he wouldn't tell her why. Finally Miriam and Sirius' argument was cut short by Gideon who insisted that nothing that had happened to Davey was anything to do with Miriam's brother, as Sirius had been insisting it had. Gideon guided them over to separate corners of the Common room and told them to stay put or he wouldn't ask Amanda to remove her curfew enforcements. Shortly after this Professor McGonagall had arrived and had started announcing to all of the Gryffindors what had been happening while the students had been forced to spend the rest of what was quite possibly the last summer like day of the year inside.

"You all will be pleased to hear that Mr Gudgeon has not been permanently injured although madam Pomfrey is insisting that he spends the next few day in the hospital wing, he will eventually make a full recovery" McGonagall continued as a few of the Gryffindors cheered "It has also been agreed by myself the other heads of houses and by Professor Dumbledore that an episode like this should not occur again there for any student that is found in the proximity of the Whomping Willow will face immediate expulsions, do I make myself clear?"

McGonagall waited as a wave of nods and general agreement swept through the common room, then she proceeded to the notice board and pined a piece of parchment to it announcing to all that the Whomping Willow was off limits, she then swept out of the common room.

For Lily, Alice and Frank the only good that had come out of this day was the fact that Miriam had seemed to forget all about her idea of heading back up to the Owlery that night.

That evening after Amanda Hugh-Genghis had insisted on checking all the first years' potion essays she had allowed them to spend the few hours before bed doing what they wanted. Remus who had seemed to have recovered a little after hearing that Davey Gudgeon was to make a full recovery, sat on the hearth rug with Miriam, Frank, Amy and Dymphna playing with Miriam's Kneazle, Mac. Alice was teaching Lily how to play wizards chess, Peter Pettigrew in Amanda's eyes had written the poorest essay out of all the first years and had insisted that he rewrote it under her supervision and James and Sirius had now been completely exiled by the girls and was now sitting at a table on their own whispering to each other behind their hands has they threw the others mischievous looks.

Sunday started out pretty much the same as Saturday, Amanda had again woken them all really early, but having no more homework to do she had insisted that they should read through their set books and practice some of the different spells. Lily actually liked doing this, the first years hadn't had Transfiguration yet has term had started midweek and McGonagall's transfiguration class was a double period on Monday afternoons. Amanda had shown them all how to change the different objects that she had collected into pins then she gave them all a match or small twig each to practice on.

"You're all doing very well" Amanda said has Peter had managed to finally make his twig look less twiggy "Professor McGonagall's going to be really pleased when it's Gryffindor that's the best in the year at transfiguration!" Amanda said happily as she lead them out of the class room they where using and into the Great hall for breakfast.

They where the first into the great hall for the third time in as many days and again the boys sat separately from the girls even Frank had decided to sit with James and Sirius this morning.

"Turncoat!" Miriam called after him has she sat down next to Lily, but Frank just smiled and waved his hand dismissively has he sat next to Remus. They all filled their plates and started eating has the great hall started to finally fill.

"Look" called Alice pointing to the ceiling as a loud Whoosh reached Lily's ears telling her that the morning post had arrived.

'They even deliver on Sundays!' was the thought that ran through Lily's mind has she turned to look in the direction Alice had pointed. She had completely forgotten about the letter she had sent to her parents a few days ago so much had happened since then that it seemed a life time ago but seeing Ichabod swooping low over the heads of the other students with a letter tightly clasped in his beak made Lily smile.

Ichabod dropped the letter onto Lily's lap and moved over to Miriam to be rewarded and praised for having delivered his letters; Miriam and Alice fed Ichabod strips of bacon and allowed him to drink from their pumpkin juice while Lily tore open her Letter.

Lily,

It was so wonderful to find out how they deliver letters in the wizarding world, Ichabod gave your mother such a fright when she opened the window in the morning and he flew in, but we think that next time we will be much more prepared for it. Please thank your friends brother for letting you borrow his owl (Lily felt a slight pang of regret at this has Miriam had never told Thaddeus that they had borrowed Ichabod at all).

The rest of the letter was very mundane just her parents wishing her the best and telling her that everyone was well and that life at home was continuing as normal in her absence, lily felt slightly sad at reading that life at home was still the same and cursed herself for wondering if her mum and dad actually missed her

'Of cause they did' Lily had to tell herself, they probably missed her more then she was missing them. Lily smiled as she read the end of the letter it was signed 'With Love' by her mum, dad and Sister, Petunia had signed it! Petunia was missing her has well and Lily smiled even broader at this though.

"You used my owl!" the voice of Thaddeus Artemis said sounding outraged has he strode down the gaps between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables towards his sister followed by his white blond haired friend. Thaddeus's friend looked very similar to Thaddeus, he was tall and slim and had startling blue eyes just like Miriam's, but apart from the difference of hair colour his face was slightly pointed.

"Oh please" Miriam scoffed turning to look at them "you only use Ichabod during the holidays and only then it's to send letters to your girlfriend"

"Girlfriend!" Exclaimed the white blond boy has he turned to look at Thaddeus in surprise "You sly fox! You never told me you had a girlfriend! Who is she Mi!" He said the last part has he sat down next to Miriam putting his arm around her "Who is she?" he urged again excitedly,

"Don't you dare tell him Mi, not if you know what's good for you!" Thaddeus said furiously

"Tad dear boy, don't try to intimidate your little sister" Thaddeus' friend mocked pulling Miriam even closer into him, Lily couldn't help but see that Miriam didn't look too thrilled about this

"Ok Lucius" Miriam said trying to push herself free from his grasp "I'll tell you, it's the very elusive Miss N.B."

"MI!" yelled Thaddeus grabbing her around the face covering her mouth "How could you!"

"N B" Lucius said pondering the name but it was obvious that he didn't know "N B" he said again mumbling under his breath,

"Now, now boys behave" said a genteel voice from behind them; it was the light blond girl who Lily had seen sitting next to Bellatrix at the Slytherin table,

"N- Narcissa" Thaddeus stammered has he realised what the scene must look like, he was still holding Miriam tightly around the mouth with one hand his other was holding Lucius back has he tried to pull Thaddeus' arm free from Miriam's mouth with one hand and his other was still around Miriam's shoulder holding her tightly against him. Lily could hear Miriam's muffled laughter from under her brothers arm and Lily, Alice, Amy and Dymphna even found they too were laughing at the expression of the two boys faces, Thaddeus' face was swept in fear as he looked at Narcissus as she crossed to the doors and out of the hall,

"Narcissa!" Lucius said in astonishment as comprehension dawned on his face "N B Narcissuses Black? Your dating Narc-" Thaddeus had released Miriam and dived at his friend cutting him off has he covered his mouth. Lily, Alice, Amy and Dymphna roared with laughter at them and Miriam who was being squashed in between her brother and his friend and was looking very peeved.

"Don't you dare say that out loud" Thaddeus warned his friend "don't you dare!"

"Relax," Lucius said pulling Thaddeus' hand free "I'm not going to tell your folks" He smiled mischievously and Lily couldn't help but think that Lucius Malfoy was very good looking,

"I'm just amazed that a git like you could manage to hook the most beautiful girl in the school" he slapped Thaddeus on the shoulder and grinned,

"You're just jealous I got her first" Lily heard Thaddeus say has he and Lucius headed out of the hall.

"What was all that about?" Amy asked still smiling as she looked at the backs of Thaddeus and Lucius disappear out into the entrance hall,

"Lucius Malfoy is Tad's best friend, they've both been trying to go out with Narcissa Black since they where in their third year," Miriam said still looking slightly annoyed has she straightened her robes and de- ruffled her hair.

"What did Lucius mean by he wouldn't tell your parents?" Lily asked and she heard Alice choke on her cereal, obviously she'd just asked a very stupid question but Miriam didn't seem to mind.

"It's this really stupid rivalry between our two families, the Artemis' and the Blacks" Miriam said stroking Ichabod's head "It's been going on for centuries it's nothing really" Lily knew Miriam was lying and she distinctively saw Miriam look in the direction of Sirius Black who was sitting at the other end of the table with the rest of the first year boys,

"So that's why you and Sirius don't get on?" Lily asked, she wasn't going to let Miriam get away with it so easily, Lily was intrigued and really wanted to know what was so bad to have caused a rift between the two families for several hundred years and more importantly what ever it was, was hindering the peaceful existence that the first year Gryffindors should be enjoying with each other.