Chapter Three

"Jaggers?"

"Hm?"

"Remember that year you spent away from the Caravan?" Selene asked the next morning as she and Jaggers sat in her tent.

She was lying on her belly, resting her chin in her hands, and her elbows propped up on her pillow. Selene and Jaggers often spent time in her tent, especially when it was raining. She always looked forward to their conversations when the outside was taking its cleansing shower. They visited each other's tents often (Selene's the most), to do homework, to find advice, or perhaps when one of them felt lonely or troubled. But when they talked during the rain...that was special; Jaggers even gave it a special name, "Ranwi Itikio", meaning, "Rain Whispers" in English. If Jaggers gave something a name, that was a sure sign it was of special worth.

Outside it was pouring so hard Madam Maguchi had skipped her early parade. The rain fell violently on the roof of the tent, almost as if someone was dumping buckets of rocks down on them; a simple repelling charm kept the rain from creeping inside.

Remus Lupin had been on Selene's mind all night, and she felt she could no longer hold in her worries; let alone from her...best friend. If this man that Madam Maguchi might have warned her about was going to be teaching at Hogwarts.... She just wasn't sure what to think. Also, she needed to break the news to Jaggers that she would be going to a different school....

"The year I was required to spend with humans?" Jaggers asked. He sat by the tent wall, staring up at the ceiling, hugging his knees to his chest.

"Yes." She said. "Did you meet the magic gifted humans?"

"You mean the witches and wizards."

"Mm-hm," Selene said, nodding. "Did you visit a school called Hogwarts?"

"Hogwarts?" Jaggers' eyebrows came together as he thought for a minute. "Yes.... It's a boarding school."

"I know," She said. "Did a man named 'Remus Lupin' teach there?"

"Remus Lupin?" Jaggers moved his eyes from the ceiling to Selene's face. "Professor Lupin, I remember him. He was my favorite teacher. He taught Defense Against The Dark Arts."

"Does he--still teach there?" Selene asked, feeling slightly nervous again.

"I think so," He said, shrugging. "I only stayed there for a couple months or so, remember?"

"Did he seem...different?"

"I didn't think so, kemeo," Jaggers said thoughtfully. "I spoke with him many times after class. He can speak Elvish and our language. He has a lot of Gypsy blood."

"Why is he not in a Caravan?" Selene asked, sitting up.

"He didn't tell me that..." Jaggers was starting to get suspicious. "Why do you want to know so much about him, kemeo?"

"Uncle Richard knows him..." She didn't want to tell him about Hogwarts...or Madam Maguchi's lesson...not yet.... She should just drop the subject. She didn't have to tell him. Why was she being so hesitant to tell him? A few months ago Jaggers would have been the first person to hear what happened.

"You're going, aren't you?" Jaggers said abruptly in a quiet voice. Selene leaned forward urgently as she exclaimed,

"Yes-oh, but Jaggers! It's only because my mother is making me! I wouldn't go if..." Selene trailed off, putting a hand over her mouth. She just seemed to flow out words like a river, trickling down the sunny rocks.

"My-mother is making me go," She said finally. "You...know how she is."

Jaggers was quiet, and his eyes were looking out the window at the dreary, wet autumn setting. Selene sat up, looking down at her lap. She was caught off guard as she felt his hand grasp hers.

"Kemeo," He said, turning his head and looking at her in a strangely serious manner. "I think going to Hogwarts would be...very good for you."

"Good...for me?" Selene's cheeks flushed. Even Jaggers thought it was good for her to go to Hogwarts.

Jaggers nodded. Then, something very strange happened. Selene never considered that Jaggers would express such personal feelings so openly with her. For Gypsy men, personal feelings were...any feelings.

Nonetheless, Jaggers did what he did.

He leaned forward...and warmly embraced her; tightly, as though a fear had suddenly seized him; a fear that Selene would disappear if he did not hold her.

Selene's arms lay limp at her sides. Pondering whether she should hug him back. A strange emotion was erupting, as Jaggers held her in his strong arms while the rain softly sounded pitter-patter outside. She felt her arms rise, and for a moment, she had an odd urge to embrace Jaggers also, but instead they came to his shoulders, gently pushing him off.

His silver-blue eyes were crystal, as though they too had been cleansed by the autumn-rain.

Her sparkling amber eyes held in them confusion and bewilderment. Jaggers was....

"I want you to be happy," He said softly, stuttering. "I love you."

She blinked.

"Jaggers, I-I love you too," Selene smiled gently, saying it in an of-course-I-love-my-friend kind of way, although she partly knew he did not mean brother/sister love...and he did correct her,

"No," Jaggers leaned forward, taking her hands again. "Selene, I love you...not Isa-carmi love..." He put his other hand on her cheek. "Sierra love..."

Selene felt herself blush. Isa was the saying for brother; carmi was sister.

Sierra...sierra meant....

Jaggers leaned close to her face, gently putting an arm around her waist. And there it was...her first kiss. Time's speed seemed to quicken, and before she knew it-

"I...I have to go pack my things..." She rose, and quickly shuffled out of the tent, running through the falling, cold stones of rain.

She ran until she had no more strength, until the rain stopped, and the clouds became clear, pure memories of the threat they used to be.