Chapter 13: Found and Lost
At least there's sun.
Helen tilted her head back, feeling as if the rays were stroking her cheeks, as soft as her baby sister's hair across her face in the morning. Bed-hopping was a common sport at the Den. It wasn't unknown for the younger children to sleep in four or more beds per night.
A persistent voice whispered at the back of her head. I wonder if I'll ever wake up with Mary Jane curled up against me again? Or Ceddie at my feet with his thumb in his mouth?
She shook her head sharply, angry at herself. Stop that. Everything will be all right. You know they'll come.
But what if they don't want me anymore?
If they didn't want you, they could have left you at the Dursleys' any time these past eight years. You're not a sniveling Dursley anymore. You're a Potter. Start acting like one!
Helen's eyes shot open. "That was scary," she whispered. "I sounded just like Dad." She was talking to herself, since she was still the only one huddled in her small corner of wall. The other girls were talking in small groups in the middle of the fenced-in area of blacktop that apparently served Goldenrod Academy as a playground.
But they're wary. One from every group is always watching, watching the others, watching all around. It's them against the world, and they know it.
I wonder if I'll be like them after a week here. Or two weeks. Or a month...
STOP THAT! She jumped up and started pacing. I'll never know, will I, because I'm not going to be here a month. Or even a week. I doubt I'll even be here another day. They are coming. They are.
Caught up in her own thoughts, Helen didn't realize she was repeating her one hope aloud. "They are coming. They are. They are coming."
"Who's coming, new girl? The aliens?"
Oops. That was stupid of me. She had walked almost into the middle of a conclave of girls. Not the ones from her dormitory, but different ones. And she didn't have anything to scare them off with.
Wait...maybe I do. She raised her chin and crossed her arms. It was the pose that got Chester out of her way the fastest. "For your information, my family is coming. And they will have me out of here so fast you won't even see me go. They may scare you a little first, to make up for me getting scared. And then I'm going home, and I'm going to a real school this fall, and I am going to learn to be a witch."
The girls stared at her.
No, they were staring beyond her, and one of them was raising a shaking hand to point. "Those cats, looka those cats, they just – popped out of the air!"
She knew she shouldn't, that they were probably only doing it to trick her, but she turned around.
Two tabby cats, one orange, one gray, were trotting towards her eagerly.
"Mum! Grandma Minnie!"
Helen fell to her knees as the orange cat broke into a full gallop and leapt into her outstretched arms, purring emphatically. The gray cat arrived a few moments later and began to strop Helen's knees, her purr almost as loud as the orange cat's.
Helen felt the sandpaper caress of a tongue on her face, washing away the tears she hadn't been aware of until that moment. Nothing mattered now. Her family had found her. Everything would be all right.
"Miss Dursley!"
Helen barely even heard. That name belonged to someone else now.
"MISS DURSLEY!"
Helen jumped. She couldn't help it. Anyone would jump if somebody had just bellowed in their ear.
Quickly, she stood up. The bellower was probably a professor. She had that "don't-cross-me" look about her that Helen's Grandma Minnie had perfected. And she was staring at that lady, currently between Helen's feet, with a very sour expression on her face.
"Where did these – cats – come from, Miss Dursley?"
"I'm not sure, Professor. They just came to me."
"They popped out of the air!" volunteered one of the girls, the one who had spoken before, a small child with a mousy look to her. "They weren't there, and then they were. It was like magic."
Helen repressed a grin and wondered what would happen if she told the professor it was magic.
They'd probably think I was mental.
"There's no such thing as magic, Miss Petrov," the professor said in a no-nonsense tone. "You're old enough to know that. Put that thing down, Miss Dursley. No animals are allowed inside the fence. If it comes back here, we'll have to have it exterminated."
"Yes, Professor." Helen opened her arms to let her mum leap lightly to the ground.
"You've been causing trouble, Miss Dursley. Not only here, but in your dormitory. Something about poisoned candies, I believe."
"They weren't poisoned, Professor."
"And yet they caused your fellow students pain. Some of those girls still cannot walk properly. Such behavior requires a visit to the Headmaster."
Helen froze. "Will he use his cane on me?" she asked, perhaps a little louder than she had to for her words to carry to the woman's ears.
"If he decides your behavior warrants it, and I think he likely will, yes. Now come along."
The cats hissed as one and raced around the corner of the building as the professor pulled Helen toward the door by her wrist.
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The non-Animagi members of the rescue squad had found a comfortable grove of trees not too far from the school where they could wait. To pass the time for the men, Charlie was dealing Texas Hold 'Em, made more interesting by the use of Exploding Snap cards, so that one's hand could literally go bust. The women were chatting, catching up on the latest news.
Harry was alone, sitting with his back to a tree, looking up into the green leaves and thinking of the past.
We gained so much in that last fight. But we lost so much, too. So many.
The final battle between Voldemort's Death Eaters and the rest of the wizarding world had been sparked by a kidnapping. The Death Eaters had only intended to snatch Hermione, but Penelope Clearwater had tried to stop them, so they had taken her as well.
And Snape saved them.
Severus Snape, Hogwarts Potions Master and Dumbledore's spy among the Death Eaters, had blown his own cover to give Penelope and Hermione the chance they needed to escape with the vital information: Voldemort was weakening, his confidence crumbling, his Death Eaters leaving him. This was the time to strike.
He died for that. I wish I could have thanked him.
Then Viktor. It was just dumb luck that he was even there...
Viktor Krum, crazed with worry over Hermione, had inadvertently been closer than anyone to the Death Eaters' hideout when it went up like one of the Weasleys' fireworks. His Seeker's eyes had found the terrified, exhausted women, who barely had enough strength to stand, let alone to Apparate. He had given them his own broom and wand and distracted the Death Eaters while they got away. His last words to Hermione had been "Tell this Ronald he is very lucky man."
Ron cried like a baby when he heard that.
And we all cried over Luna.
Luna Lovegood, a dreamy Ravenclaw who had been in Ginny's year, had stopped Voldemort's last try to keep Hermione and Penelope from telling his secret. Draco Malfoy had smuggled a poisonous snake into the Hogwarts Hospital Wing, a snake under orders from Voldemort to kill the girls on sight. Luna had been visiting them when she caught sight of the snake. There was no time to pull her wand. She had kept the snake from biting Penelope with the only thing she had.
Her own hand.
Even Madam Pomfrey had not been able to save her.
But there was no time for grief then. We had to fight...
"Harry!" Ginny exploded into view, Minerva a second behind her. "They use switches at this place!"
Ron flung down his hand (which promptly exploded) and jumped to his feet. "What?"
He wasn't alone. Everyone was up, clamoring to know how Ginny knew, was Helen being hurt, how could they get in?
"Quiet," said Minerva.
There was instant silence. Most of the group had gone through years of classes with Professor McGonagall, and they knew very well when she meant what she said.
"I think the ladies will handle this one," she said. "Disillusionment Charms, girls, and follow me."
Harry blinked. He was alone with Remus Lupin and seven Weasley males.
Remus, he noticed, was looking a touch paler than usual.
"Are you all right?" he asked, moving to Remus' side as the poker game resumed (with some grumbling at Ron, who had managed to incinerate the pieces of parchment they were using for counters).
"I'll be fine, Harry. Same old trouble, I'm afraid."
"Is full moon tonight?"
Remus nodded.
Suddenly Harry had a flash of inspiration. He whispered in Remus' ear.
Remus' eyes widened. "Harry – that's brilliant!"
"You took your potion before you left?"
"Yes indeed." Remus was grinning like the schoolboy he'd been when he'd received his nickname. "Tonight, Moony stalks again."
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(A/N: Hee hee hee... Goldenrod Academy is in for a rough night... and what are those lovely ladies up to?
Lady Cinnibar: Ahh anime... not much of a fan myself, but friends with lots of fans... YOUR poor mailbox? What about mine? More reviews every time I check! ;-)
Kraeg001: Glad I amuse you. Your story was thought-provoking. Keep up the good work... or rework. (And Harry's memories in this chapter should be opening a line of thinking in regards to your question.)
athenakitty: A Pensieve? Why would they do that? (Oh no, you're contagious!) No, Chester is through and through Muggle, in the worst way possible. As for your other questions, keep checking back, you'll find out eventually...
gallandro-83: I think you're right. I had fun writing that scene; I'm glad you had fun reading it.
JeanMarie: Agreed on Dudley's origin. Don't worry, he won't. If he ever had, she would have been out of Privet Drive so fast you couldn't even see the tracks. That was one of the conditions Harry and Ginny set for themselves when they adopted her.
Joshua: Improvement? And here I thought I was perfect. ::sniffle, wink::
Lachwen, bewitched, CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: Thanks!
Next update will NOT be this Friday, because I have a field trip with my geology class. We get to camp out and study rocks. Woohoo. I will try to get it up on Saturday, but no guarantees. I will do my best to update Resonance tomorrow and Saturday as planned.
Thanks all! Keep reading and keep reviewing, I love hearing from you!)