Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any other element of the story. Emily Black and her mother, brother (Zandyr), and Isaac (well . . . He is also Monsoon's) are my creations so don't use without permission :) Sarah (sweets), Rilee, and Nephiro own themselves.
A/N: This chapter made the word quota without using authors notes :) I feel semi-proud. Now school is pretty much done. I should be study for my global and science finals but I don't think I have the patience . . . I'll get what I deserve. Anyway. Chapter 22 is halfway done.:) Me and Jess have to get together to finish writing it. Oh, Blackness is now a co-written project. Jess has pretty begun to write almost all my chapters (with some help for me) because she is better at some things. She is more descriptive and I'm more dialogue. A good mix if I should say so myself. :) Ummm…. The editing process is still going on because Jess managed to actually find mistakes in chapter 1. sweats I thought that was the only chapter that didn't have any. cries oh well. . . on with the chapter :)
Chapter 16: With LoveI awoke in the infirmary, with the over powering stink of chocolate and peppermint. I opened my eyes a little casually peering about the room. No one was here, but the piles of flowers and chocolates at the end of the bed, which told me I had, certainly have had visitors. Along with the 'Get Well' presents was a couple nicely wrapped gifts placed in their own special part. I cranked my neck to see better but the pain was too much to bear. Whimpering I put my head back in the pillow. I sat there gazing at the ceiling with confusion. I could hear voices coming from down the hallway and getting louder.
"Remus- Listen. No student here has been taught the spell Miss Granger claimed she heard. There's no possible way it was Nephiro." I recognized the owner of voice was Professor Dumbledore, sounding cool and collected as usual.
"But, she has a different background. There's a chance she knows it!" Lupin exclaimed. "If, I might add Headmaster. Nephiro couldn't have been there that night. Miss Riddle said, her and Miss Miketsu were in the Slytherin common room the whole night," Snape's cold tone said. The doors swung open and the Headmaster and two angry teachers came in. I shut my eyes again, pretending to be asleep.
"I'm sure Emily can tell us what happened, can't you?" My eyes bolted open. How did he know I was awake?
"I . . . ummmm. . ." The words lumped in my throat, refusing to pass my tonsils. Dumbledore held up his hand.
"When you are ready to tell of course," he stated. "Answer this though . . . was it Nephiro Miketsu?" What a stupid question.
"Of course not," I told them. Madame Pomfrey bustled in quickly, looking pissed off. "I must ask you to please leave Professors," she commanded, motioning them to the door. The three left without a word.
"Wha –what happ-p-pened?" I asked, eyeing the green liquid she was holding.
"You fell out of your chamber window. Apparently you were hit with a pretty powerful spell that knocked you straight through the glass." She paused for a second. "If Miss Granger wasn't woken up by the incident you might have died of bleeding."
"Bleeding?"
"Yes. The spell is one that only dark wizards mutter. Its called a, disperse. The one particular one performed on you, shattered most of your bones and managed to open up all of your old wounds." I picked up my wrists and bit my lip. Things I wished I'd done washed back into my brain. Me, standing over the sink bleeding while my aunt barges in and calls me stupid girl for not cutting them the right way. That's OK, I know it's up the river to flow, not down. I shook my head to release me from the thought. "Those scars are gone now."
"It was. . ." I began.
"A while ago. Child you don't need to go into it. It's over and done with. I noticed them when you came to me earlier this year. They were made maybe a year or so back. Am I right?" I looked away, not wanting her to see the embarrassment in my face. "Never the less, drink this," she told me, holding me the green substance. "It will help ease the pain." I gratefully drank the yucky-tasting liquid. My body relaxed much and I smiled from the relief of pain (and the lack of feeling). "Sleep, you'll feel better later." And I drifted off . . .
o.O
The place surrounding me was black. Black nothingness. I could reach but all I would feel is air. But I could hear sounds. I could hear the sound of my heart pumping and the quick breaths I was producing.
"No! Stop! You don't know what you are doing!" A woman's voice screamed. I turned my head around frantically. There was nobody there with me.
"Yes I do!" Yelled another female. "I know perfectly clear what I'm doing Annie." The woman's voice quivered but still was strong and intimidating. "Search the house. Make sure you do what was told."
"Cara! You can't be serious!"
"Oh yes, I can!" There was a small pause. "Avada Kedavra!" I heard a thump, and a sharp laugh that sent chills down my spine.
"We found the children!"
o.O
I awoke with a start and sat upright, ignoring the few jolts of pain. Pain meant nothing at the moment. The covers on the bed were thrown about and I felt a chill from the cold sweat I was drenched in. The only light in the room was from the window where dusk was turning into night. The first stars were beginning to appear in the sky. I looked around the room and heard pattering on tiny feet; Scabbers. I spotted the rat in the corner, leaving the room just as a figure entered, 'Oh great . . . now what?' As the figure stepped into the light, I saw that it wasn't an angry short, balding man but something far, far worse . . . Nephiro. "Great, you're up," she "greeted"; taking a seat next to me.
"If you're here to make fun of me for falling out a window, then go ahead. I don't care right about now," I responded, lying back down.
"It's nice of you to give me permission to taunt to you but that's not why I'm here. I actually came to talk to you," she replied. Wait . . . what? Nephiro wants to talk to me? Oh god . . . what's going on?
"What do you want to talk about then?" I snapped.
"Looks like someone still got something up their butt. You'd think falling out a window and several days in the hospital wing would mellow you out but nope. Guess not," she commented. "I want to know how you got yourself cursed. Seeing how I was the prime suspect, I think I have a right to know."
"They blamed you?!" I asked in disbelief, recalling the conversation I overheard earlier.
"Lupin seemed to think I was the perfect suspect even though I was in the common room the whole time. I know some advanced curses but I'd never use them on you. It would be a waste of a good spell."
"Well, how much do you know?" I always wondered what she was capable of.
"Hmm. . . The Unforgivables, ancient lore the people in this place don't even know exist, and some other powerful charms. I'm not telling you all that I know. You'll run and tell Lupin or Dumbledore or you stupid boyfriend," she answered. I chose to ignore that.
"What did Dumbledore fill you in on?"
"Nothing. He asked me to . . . use my abilities to try and figure out what happened to you. I filled him in on most of the stuff. I could only tell the curse used, not who used it. Since the offender used your wand, we had no way of telling, at least I didn't."
"I think it was Scabbers," I said suddenly, eyeing the door. I expected her to say something along the lines of 'What? The rat?' but she didn't.
"I don't trust that rat. It acted very weird when it was in Egypt with Ron and it saw my dad. A sort of . . . paranoia. I think you might be on to something."
"Nephiro. . . " I trailed off. I wanted to tell her about the dream but I wasn't sure what it was. I thought I should figure it out myself before I tell someone else.
"Yeah?"
"I think Scabbers is an Animagus."
"That could be. Nobody ever said an Animagus had to change back," she replied. "But what made you think that?"
"The other night, Scabbers came into my room and sat on my bed, next to my wand. I turned around and when I looked back, Scabbers was gone and there was a man there. I think it was him who put the curse on me," I explained. I didn't know how she'd react. So far, she's been surprisingly nice and actually believed me but I don't know how long it'll last.
"That's interesting. Yes. . . very interesting. I should probably go now. Open your presents." She left. 'Figures. Just when we really start talking, she leaves.' I eyed my presents that were located next to my bed.
"I guess I should open them now," I told myself. I pulled myself up again, and grabbed a card that read "Get Well" on the front.
Emi-
I don't fucking care if you fell out of a window. Suck it up. You missed 2 lessons. You owe me double time.
-Rilee
"Nice Riddle. Just nice." I reached for the next one. I slowly ripped off the paper, revealing a half a dozen white roses. A note fell onto my lap. "It's from Draco." I said as I recognized the handwriting on the envelope. I opened it and read the letter.
Merry Christmas! I'm sorry I'm not there today. I wish I were though. These roses are enchanted so they'll never die . . . like my love for you!
Love, Draco
"Like my love for you? Wow, real cheesy Draco." I sniffed the flowers and sighed. What am I going to do with that boy? After that I got pair of omnioculars from Zandyr, a copy of Fantastic Beats and Where to Find Them from Harry, and Charms for Dummies: A Guidebook to Simple Charms from Lily. Two gifts were left. I took a hold of one wrapped in white paper and gold ribbons. I untied the ribbon and slid the present free of the paper. It was a gold journal with the quote: "It's not the blackness that consumes the soul, it's the soul that consumes the blackness - Anonymous" in black fancy lettering on the front. "Lovely quote." I opened it and saw the first page has something written on it. "Here's something to write in, so you don't have to whine to Rilee- Nephiro" "Good thing I got her something."
The last present was a small box, crudely wrapped. There was a small envelope under it with my name written in a fancy looking cursive. I slowly opened the envelope and took out contents. It was a magical picture. A group of seven people stood arms around each other, in a line, and smiling. I grinned. I recognized my father and mother right off the back. And of course James, who Harry gets his looks from. The others I wasn't quite sure about. I turned it over to find something written. "June 23rd, 1980. The "Marauders"- James Potter, Lily Potter, Peter Pettigrew, Cara Rushvish, Remus Lupin, Annie Confianza, Sirius Black, Alexzandyr Black." My older brother was clung to my father's leg with one arm, and sucking on his thumb with the other. Everyone looked positively happy.
I reached for the box; I held it in my hand for a bit before I opened it hesitantly. Inside the box, was a black ring with that seemed like diamonds running across it. I took it out to examine it more closely. At one part the diamonds stop and an inscription was engraved. "Spain- No matter what, I will love you. -Moony". I almost dropped the ring in response to the message. 'This ring belonged to my mother.' I slipped it onto my index finger and smiled; it fit perfectly. The rest of the gifts were things like chocolate frogs and jellybeans. I got a few more cards. Not one more thing from Draco, which took me by surprise because he is usually so worried. 'Maybe, no one told him.'
A/N: Edited Note Yes. It's a picture. And Yes. The dream is different. No. She didn't realize the name thing. (blah, bad Emi). Yes. Peter is smiling in the picture, he is standing next to Cara :) Who wouldn't be smiling? Yes. The ring is signed Moony. Dun dun dunnnnnn. Get over it. It'll be explained. . . at some point or another :) /edited note
Ummm, you may all think. What's going on with Draco? Shouldn't he be there with his girlfriend? I have things planned for Draco, so don't you worry about that smirks evilly I just have to consult with Jess to see how we are going to "fit" it into the "plot" (We have a sheet of paper that says "the plot" on the top of it :) and we literally need to "fit" it in there, lol) Yes, apparently Nephiro strong in the magic area, lol. She is even more fascinating. But I won't go there. That's like too far into the future and I'm going to shut up now. Quote? You want a quote? Sure thang.
"Yes, I am back, I'm feeling fine, no, I don't need your help and watch it Granger or you'll be flying out the window next," I snapped.