Chapter eleven - The first victim
"YOU LEFT ME ALONE WITH A GHOST!" Lia screamed at Harry as she met him near the Great Hall.
"I'm… sorry. I didn't know you're scared of them." Harry replied, a bit shocked of her behavior.
"I can't believe this place! A ghost as a teacher!" Lia put a hand on her forehead. "I'll get crazy before I learn anything!"
"Hey, calm down. I felt the same on the first day I came here."
"Listen, I'm sorry I yelled at you." Lia said, "But you shouldn't have left!"
"It's okay. I know how you feel. But you'll get used to it." Harry said with a smile.
"I don't think so."
"Alright, let's get in for lunch. I'm starving."
"Me too. That ghost scared the hell out of me!" said Lia.
They entered the Great Hall and sat near the table where Professors Sprout and McGonagall were having a conversation.
A moment later, Virginia and Wendell came in with Tony following them along with Professor Dumbledore.
"Hi Lia." Virginia said and sat next to her.
"Hi Virginia. How are you?"
"I should ask you about that. I'm fine. How are you? I hope that you're feeling better now."
"I'm fine. Had two lessons today."
"Oh, how… interesting." Virginia said.
"Yeah, interesting indeed. I had a lesson with a ghost teacher!" Lia said as she filled her plate with smashed potato.
"A ghost? Teaching?" Virginia asked.
"Yep."
"This place is more weird than the kingdoms."
"I don't know. I've never been to your world. In fact, I've never been out of my house for a long time now."
"You have to visit us sometime. As soon as we solve this unknown problem, you're welcome to visit us at the Fourth Kingdom." Virginia said with a smile.
"Thank you. I'd love to come." Lia replied.
Wolf and Remus entered the Great Hall and each of them sat neat the table. Wolf looked pale, he took a seat next to Virginia and Remus sat next to Harry.
"Where have you been Wolf?" Virginia asked.
"Remus was showing me the castle." Wolf lied.
"Oh really? That's nice of him." Virginia said with an obvious sarcasm in her voice. She knew that it had something to do with the full moon on the next day.
"Well, not exactly." Wolf said, apologetically. "We are trying to find a good place for the full moon. It's tomorrow."
"I thought so." Virginia said.
"Now don't push it." Wolf said, but then he realized that he shouldn't have spoke like that. "I'm sorry my little lamb chop. You know how nervous I get at this time of the month."
"I know." Virginia said and continued with her lunch.
Lia finished her lunch quickly and got up. "Excuse me everyone, I need to check on Rex."
"Want me to come?" Harry asked.
"Oh, no. Continue your lunch Harry. I'll find my way." Lia said and left the hall.
She walked through the corridors and went up and down the stairs. She didn't want to see Rex at that moment. She just needed to be alone for a while, but didn't know how to tell Harry. He was with her all the time showing her the way to where she wanted to go.
She stopped in front of a door that made her feel strange. Curiosity rose in her and she opened the door and entered. The room was huge and empty. The windows were dusty and reaching the ceiling. There was a mirror in the center of the room. Lia walked to it and noticed a carving around its frame.
"Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi." Lia read. "Hmm… That's weird. Wonder what it means?"
She stood in front of the mirror and looked at it. Her heart sank at the scene in front of her. She was standing there, holding a baby in her arms. John, her boyfriend, was standing next to her, his arm around her waist and smiling.
Lia felt tears rolling on her cheeks. This was what she always dreamed about when John was alive. She wanted to have a family with him, but that never happened. She sat on the floor in front of the mirror and kept staring. She felt a sting in her heart, but she didn't give it attention. She kept looking at her lover, who died while trying to defend her. His shoulder length dark hair covering his face every time he wanted to tell her that he loved her. She loved the shy look on his face every time he did so. Lia sighed. If only she could take back time.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around to see Professor Snape standing near the door looking at her with his expressionless face. Lia quickly stood up.
"I wasn't supposed to be in here, was I?" she asked.
"Not really. This is the room of requirement. It appears to anyone who needs it." Snape replied.
"I didn't need a room. I just walked in."
"You needed to be alone, as much as I can see, to think about something. And the Mirror of Erised was the best solution for it."
"How come the mirror was the solution? I don't understand."
"When you looked into the mirror, what did you see Miss Jones?"
Lia blushed. "That's kinda personal professor."
Snape sighed. "The mirror shows your deepest desire. I'm sure you've read what's written on the frame."
"Yeah, but it doesn't make sense."
"If you read carefully, and use a small part of your brain, you'll find out that you have to read it backwards and unscramble the words, so it would read: I show not your face, but your hearts desire."
"Oh." Was all that Lia could say at that moment.
"Don't you have any more classes today Miss Jones?" Snape asked.
"Not anymore." Lia replied. "Professor, may I ask you something?"
"Yes."
"Why did you get into this room?"
Snape stared at her like he was looking at his worst enemy. At that moment, Lia finally understood everything that Harry had told her about Snape. That look on his face would scare all the ghosts who lived at Hogwarts.
"Okay, never mind. Sorry I asked." Lia said and left the room.
She walked through the corridor and headed to the stairs. She walked down until she reached the first floor. She looked around and found herself at the Entrance Hall. She walked out and headed to Hagrid's hut.
Rex saw her approaching and he ran to her, slamming her to the ground, waving his tail to the sides.
"Rex, stop it!" Lia said, trying to push her dog off her. "I know you miss me. I miss you too." She surrendered now, and kept playing with him on the ground. "Wanna play?" she said and got up. She picked up a stick and waved it in the air. "Okay boy, let's see how good are you in this. Fetch!" she threw the stick and Rex ran after it. Hagrid and Fang were in no place to be seen.
Lia kept playing with Rex for an hour until Remus came to see her.
"There you are!" he said.
"I told you that I'll be here."
"That was about four hours ago. I came to see you after lunch, but you weren't here. We got worried!"
"I'm not a kid, and I can take care of myself."
"And I don't doubt it." Remus said. "Lia, this place is dangerous for those who don't know anything about it."
"I know. I never left the castle anyway."
"And where were you?"
"Snape said it's called the room of requirement."
"Ah! I see." Remus said. "Wait a minute. Snape? He was there with you?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Well, you're still breathing. That's why."
"Oh come on! First Harry and now you. That guy didn't do anything wrong…"
"Yet." Remus continued for her. "You'll see what I mean when term starts. I was in the same class with Snape. He was in Slytherin and I was in Gryffindor. Your uncle made quite a joke out of him. And I think that he hasn't quite forgot about it."
"My uncle made a joke out of him?"
"And not only your uncle." Remus said.
"You too?" Lia said with amazement and Remus nodded. "I wouldn't have guessed!"
"Well, that was a long time ago. But don't tell him about it, he wouldn't be so pleased to remember.
"I'll keep that in mind." Lia said.
"Let's go back to the castle. Where's Hagrid anyway?"
"He wasn't here when I came."
"Maybe he's out in the forest again. It's his favorite place."
They walked back into the castle. When they reached the Entrance Hall, Lia stopped.
"What is it?" Remus asked, but she didn't answer. She kept staring at one point, her hand on her scar.
"Lia, are you alright?" Remus asked her again, he stood in front of her and shook her. "Lia, answer me!"
A short man was standing near a little boy. There was a black hooded man with a face that looked like a white skull and he had eyes that looked quite like a snake eyes.
"Master, what do you desire now?" the short man asked, bowing in front of his master.
"Kill him Wormtail. And take his body to Hogsmeade. People should know that they will be living in fear." The man hissed.
"As you wish master." Wormtail said and took the boy to another room.
Lia saw herself in the room where Wormtail dragged the boy. He was crying and begging Wormtail to spare his life, but Wormtail didn't listen. He took out his wand and pointed it at the boy.
"Avada Kedavra!" Wormtail said and a green light flashed out of his wand and hit the boy on the chest. The boy fell silently on the ground. Then, everything turned black.
Lia opened her eyes to see Remus above her with a concerned look on his face.
"Are you alright?"
"No." Lia said with a shaky voice and breathing hard.
Remus helped her to get up. "What happened? You seemed fine until we got here."
"There was this man… he seemed familiar. In a black hood, and I recognized his voice. Oh my God!" She started to shake. "He's the one who killed my mother!"
"Lia, are you sure?"
"Yes! And there was this other man, short and fat, and a little boy." Her eyes filled with tears. She looked at Remus in the eyes. "Remus, he killed the boy!"
"We have to see Dumbledore." Remus said and they ran to Dumbledore's office.
They entered Dumbledore's office to see Harry sitting there with him.
"Sorry professor, but this is an emergency." Remus said. "Lia has just witnessed something weird."
"I believe you were also there Lia?" Dumbledore asked with a calm voice. "Have a seat please. And tell me what you saw exactly."
"I was coming back to the castle with Remus and suddenly, I felt strange, my scar burnt, and I saw myself standing in a strange room. It was the man who killed my mom, and another one, he was short and fat. His name was… Wormtail. Yeah, that's it, Wormtail. They had a little boy with them, and this Wormtail killed him. He was going to take the body to Hogsmeade." Lia was shaking again. Remus put his arm around her shoulder, trying to calm her.
"Harry had witnessed the same event." Dumbledore said.
"How come I couldn't see her there professor?" Harry asked.
"Because you two were far from each other at that moment, and each one of you were thinking about different things."
"So, it means that Voldemort is starting his evil work again." Remus said.
"I'm afraid that he is." Dumbledore replied.
"Don't tell me that this was true! That little boy was innocent!" Lia said.
"Unfortunately, we cannot stop Voldemort at this moment. As we don't know where he is." Dumbledore said.
"But we have to find him! We have to stop him before he kills some one else!" Lia said, with anger in her voice.
"He will find us." Dumbledore said with his usually calm voice.
"What do you mean?" Lia asked.
"I'm his main target whenever he starts something." Harry said. "He'll be here soon. Or at least, one of his Death Eaters."
"Professor, do you think we should put some protection on Harry and Lia?" Remus asked.
"Hogwarts is a safe place Remus and you know that. They won't need protection inside the castle. But if they want to go out, someone from the Order should be with them." Dumbledore replied. "And I think that both of them needs occlumency classes."
"I don't want to attend occlumency." Harry said, "Remember what happened the last time I was alone with Snape?"
"Harry, that was an accident." Remus said.
"Harry is free if he doesn't want to attend Remus." Dumbledore said. "He knows what he must do to stop Voldemort from playing with his mind. But Lia doesn't, so she will attend occlumency classes with Professor Snape."
"Why couldn't Remus teach her?" Harry asked. "I don't want her to be alone with Snape!"
"I can take care of my self." Lia said. "Besides, I don't understand why do you all keep talking about Snape like he was some kind of a criminal?"
"That's the spirit!" Dumbledore said. "I will talk to Professor Snape tonight and you might start your occlumency classes tomorrow Miss Jones."
"Thank you Professor. But what is occlumency?" Lia asked.
"You will know tomorrow." Dumbledore said. "Now you are free to go. I will speak to the Minister about this last event."
Harry, Remus and Lia left the office. Harry was furious about the thought that Snape was going to teach Lia occlumency. He knew how it felt when someone invaded your brain. He couldn't stop Snape from doing it. And instead, he sneaked into the penseive and looked into Snape's memories.
"Harry." Lia said as they walked through the corridors. "What's wrong about that occlumency class?"
"Snape." Harry replied.
"Harry, I'm sure that Snape won't keep the penseive on his table this time." Remus said. "And don't worry about Lia, I'm sure she can handle him."
"He has been nice to me since this morning." Lia said.
"Wait until tomorrow." Harry said. "I'll be in my room if you need me. I need to write some letters to Ron and Hermione."
"Okay. See you at dinner." Lia said, and Harry went to his dormitory.
"He really doesn't like Snape, does he?" Lia asked.
"Snape has the habit of assaulting all the students who are not Slytherins." Remus replied.
"Why?"
"First, he's the head of the Slytherin house. And second, Harry is James' son, and James did really awful things to Snape."
"Oh I see. And Harry is his main victim now?"
"You can say that. Snape wouldn't miss a chance of taking points from Gryffindor. Any kind of trouble and he's there."
They went out to a balcony that looked at the lake.
"This place is wonderful." Lia said, admiring the view in front of her.
"I agree. No one would guess that the forest is forbidden from looking at it from here. It looks so peaceful." Remus said.
"What kind of animals live there anyway?"
"They're mostly magical creatures. And they are dangerous to humans. It seems that only Hagrid can handle them. He goes to the forest almost everyday."
"He seems to be a nice person."
"And he is. Most of the people think his dangerous because of his looks. But he can't harm a fly."
Lia stared at the forest for a while in silence. She has never seen a place more beautiful before. Mountains covered with trees surrounding the area, a huge lake and a forest from one side, and the castle from the other. People would pay millions to get a house at a place like this, but here she was. Miss Lia Jones, who didn't have enough money to feed herself, standing in a castle surrounded by the beauty of nature in the world of magic. A world that she never knew about.
"Remus." Lia said, interrupting the silence.
"Yes?" Remus replied.
"Why did Voldemort kill my mother?"
Remus was confused. No one ever wondered why Voldemort killed people. He usually killed them for his enjoyment. Harry's case was different, but killing Lia's mother was another case. Voldemort has found her somehow and killed her. He also tried to kill Lia, but he didn't succeed.
"I don't know Lia. No one can say what's on his mind when he kills people. Sometimes he does that for fun. But sometimes he has a purpose. I really don't know the reason of killing your mother."
Lia's eyes filled with tears as she remembered that day. "I remember him telling her that he won't forgive her because she married my dad. But why would he say that? Sometimes I think that he had some feelings for her. But if he had, why would he kill her?"
"Come here." Remus said and took Lia into his arms. "All I know is that they used to study in the same class. They knew each other from school. James used to keep an eye on Emily, although he was younger than her. But that didn't stop your mother from meeting your father every summer. And during school terms, she used to write to him all the time. Voldemort used to talk to her most of the time, but she used to make a fight out of it at the end. She never liked him. But none of us thought that he might have some feelings about her. He never showed that anyway."
"But why did that happen? Everyone says that our house was protected by charms. How did he find out?" Lia was crying now.
"There's only one possibility. Someone has told him. Just like the night when James and Lily died. Wormtail told him where they were and he came and killed them."
Remus ran his fingers through Lia's hair. "Now stop crying please. It won't help you. It's all gone, and you must stay strong to be able to fight back."
"But I can't. I don't know anything about magic, how am I supposed to fight back?"
"You are here to study magic, aren't you? You'll learn about everything, and I'm sure that you'll be an excellent witch just like your mother."
Lia straightened herself and wiped her tears. "I guess you're right. Crying won't do. I'll learn everything I can and I'll get my revenge. Voldemort took away the last two precious persons in my life and left me suffer all these years. I won't let him get away with it. He will pay for what he did."
Remus smiled. "You remind me of your mother, you know? She always took her revenge when she wanted to."
"She was a wonderful woman. I never thought that she would approve about me and John going out together. She liked him and he liked her. Nothing was so perfect before, until Voldemort ruined it." She put her hand on her scar.
"Come, let's get inside." Remus said as he noticed her hand movement. It meant that her scar was hurting, and he didn't want her to lose consciousness again. "You need some rest. I'll take you to your room, and Dobby will bring you dinner. You don't have to be at the Great Hall tonight. Besides, I am leaving tonight and I'll be back after a couple of days."
"Where are you going?" Lia asked.
"I have some work to attend." Remus replied nervously.
Lia nodded. They went inside and Remus took her to her room. After that he went to his room and took two bottles of Wolfsbane, and then he went to meet Wolf.
"Are you ready?" Remus asked as he saw Wolf waiting for him in the corridor.
"Yes. Oh huff-puff! I don't feel good about leaving Virginia alone." Wolf said.
"She'll be fine here. Come on, let's go before some one sees us." Remus said and they went out.
The reached the Whomping Willow and Remus ducked to avoid a branch that headed toward his face. He kneeled and quickly he went to the entrance to the secret passage and touched the base of the tree. It stopped waving its branches around and Wolf followed Remus down the passage until they reached the Shrieking Shack.
"I thought you'd never come!" Sirius said as he saw them enter his room.
"Hello Sirius." Remus said.
"Hi Sirius!" Wolf said.
"How's everything going?" Sirius asked.
"A boy was killed this morning. His body will be at Hogsmeade today." Remus said.
"What? How did you know?" Sirius asked.
"Lia and Harry saw it happen." Remus said. "Wormtail killed the boy. Voldemort is planning something new."
"I swear I'll kill that pig head when I see him." Sirius said.
"I wouldn't spare his life either." Remus said as he sat on the bed.
"So, when's the full moon?" Sirius asked.
"Tomorrow." Wolf replied. "But I am getting nervous already."
"I know how you feel." Remus said and took out to little bottles out of his pocket and gave one to Wolf. "Here, drink this. It's called Wolfsbane. It helps to ease the pain of transformation and keeps your mind in place."
Wolf took the bottle and sniffed it. "It doesn't smell good. But thanks anyway." He opened the bottle and drank the potion. Remus did the same, and they sat there together with Sirius talking about Voldemort's latest crime and how would they prevent any more murders.