TOY SOLDIERS

CHAPTER TWELVE-LEAVING HOGWARTS

We all sat, looking stunned.

Shortly, Professor Dumbledore entered the library. We jumped from being startled.

"Sorry to scare you four," he said his blue eyes twinkling behind his half moon spectacles. "I trust James came to you?"

We nodded still dazed by this whole thing.

"I suggest going to Remus' home in Manchester," Professor Dumbledore said. "It's about six miles from here. A good enough distance until we figure out how to kill this thing."

"The book said something about steel?" Lily said tilting her head.

"Ah yes," Dumbledore said wisely. "But that's false. It doesn't always work. You will be excused for your finals. Peter will stay here since it has not tried to hurt him."

"Lucky," Sirius said sarcastically.

Professor Dumbledore moved his eyes onto Sirius.

"Wait a minute," I said suddenly. "I had a dream that this…thing…left a note that said "Step by step, we all fall down like Toy Soldiers. What did that mean?"

"I'm not sure," Dumbledore said. "But it could mean a war."

"A war? You mean there are more of these things out there? What about the extinction?" Remus asked stunned.

"I'm afraid not," Dumbledore said quietly. "The truth is they all went into hiding. You didn't read this in any book but they all decided that they would turn and start war with witches and wizards. They were tired of being attacked by us. They claim they only hunted the sick witches when in reality the witches were perfectly healthy. They can't be trusted and they can manipulate. All they want is blood-shed."

All four us had our jaws dropped.

"As for it hunting Hillary," Dumbledore said scratching his chin. "I'm really baffled."

"Professor, it took the form of Eric," I said. "And it said that I was the reason why he was sent to Azkaban and that he died trying to escape. He vowed to get even with me."

Professor Dumbledore smiled. "That's partly all a lie. Mogador's play on your fears. They manipulate you into feeling guilty when in actually reality, there's nothing there,"

"So Eric didn't get sent to Azkaban or die trying to escape?" I asked.

There was a touch of hopefulness in my voice. He was my brother even though he was sick…mentally.

The smile faded from Dumbledore's face.

"I'm sorry, but there's a bit of truth to it," Dumbledore said quietly. "He didn't get sent to Azkaban but he did get sent to a mental hospital called Keller Mental Health Facility in Wales for anger management and rehab. He did die trying to escape. You see, it's not like a Muggle mental hospital. They have guard dogs that are the size of Hippogriffs guarding and patrolling the escape routes. The dogs chased him into the arms of the guards. Because he was so deranged, they pulled out their wands and…well, you can figure out what happened."

"Oh," I said quietly.

"Oh Hillary," Lily said putting her arm around my shoulders. "I'm so sorry."

"Me too," Remus said.

"Me three," Sirius said.

"We know you're three. That's your IQ," Lily said but I knew she was just trying to cheer me up.

"As for now," Dumbledore continued. "I suggest going to the common room and packing your things. I will have Professor Xander take you to the train station to head home. An owl was sent to each of your parents explaining the situation. Remus' parents offered for you to stay with them."

We nodded grimly and began trudging up to the common room.

Lily and I began packing in the girls' dorm while Sirius and Remus packed in the boys.

"I somehow can't help but feel like this is all my fault," I muttered tossing a pair of underwear into my trunk.

"Absolutely not," Lily said firmly. "None of this is your fault."

I didn't reply. Lily came over and put her hands on my shoulders.

"Do you understand? None of this is your fault."

I smiled.

"Yeah. I know," I said softly.

She smiled and we continued to pack.

Once we were done, we all headed down to the Great Hall. Professor Dumbledore was waiting with Professor Xander. She looked apprehensive.

"All set?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

We nodded.

"Okay. Good luck and don't worry. You will be back here before you know it," Dumbledore said winking.

I started to relax.

Professor Xander took us to the station.

The Hogwarts Express pulled in and we climbed aboard.

"Your parents should be there waiting for you at Kings Cross Station," Professor Xander explained looking at Remus. "Be careful okay?"

We nodded and climbed aboard. Our luggage was quickly loaded onto the train.

We found a compartment and then sat down.

Remus was sitting next to me while Sirius was sitting next to Lily.

The train began moving.

I snuggled against Remus under his arm and rested my head on his chest. His arm was draped over my shoulder and hung down against my arm. Lily watched us with watery eyes.

"I miss James," she said quietly.

Sirius put his arm around her and drew her close.

"I know," he said quietly also. "We all do."

"Please be good to each other okay?" Lily said to Remus and I.

Remus and I looked at each other then back at Lily.

"Of course," Remus said gently. "I would do anything for Hillary. I love her more than life."

Lily smiled.

"James is with us," Sirius said comfortingly. "I know it."

Lily smiled again and began to relax more.

We just sat enjoying the rocking motion of the train. Suddenly, about an hour and a half later, the train stopped.

"What's going on?" Sirius asked looking out the window.

"I don't know," Lily said looking confused and a bit worried.

Just then, Remus cried out and slid off the seat, landing on the floor on his hands and knees.

"Remus?" I demanded shrilly.

Remus didn't answer. He began changing into the gray wolf.

"It's not a full moon!" Lily cried shocked. "What is going on here?"

Lily and Sirius stood up on their seats. I watched as Remus was gone and all that remained was the gray wolf.

It shook its body and then turned those jaundice colored eyes onto me.

"Remus?" I asked swallowing.

Then, his ears were pinned flat sideways and he rolled up the top lip exposing white canines and incisors.

He snarled. His back was arched and his front paws were spread.

"What's wrong with him?" Lily asked trembling from head to toe.

"I don't know!" I said terrified. "Remus, it's me, Hillary…and Lily and Sirius."

The wolf only snarled more.

"I'm going to see what's going on," Lily said as she slowly began moving toward the compartment door. The wolf's head snapped toward her. It watched her but made no move to go for her. Once she was clear, she tore out of the compartment.

The wolf returned his eyes onto me and snarled.

"What's going on Remy?" Sirius asked in a soothing tone.

The wolf turned around and knocked Sirius off the seat. Sirius cracked the back of his head on the edge of the seat and was knocked out.

"Remus…please…what's going on?" I asked in a shaky voice.

Then, the wolf leapt on me knocking me onto my back. It stood over me with both front paws on either side of my arms. The jaws of the wolf were inches from my neck.

"Remus…please…don't do this," I said as I began sobbing.

Then, the wolf clamped its jaws on my shoulder. I screamed in pain. Blood began flowing and pooling on the floor of the compartment.

The wolf just began mauling me. Some of my blood splattered onto the compartment door. I was screaming in pain.

Sirius was still unconscious.

I felt deep scratches on my chest, legs and stomach. I knew my uniform was torn in several places and it stuck to me from the blood flowing from the wounds.

Then, the wolfs jaws hovered over my throat.

"No, please!" I pleaded sobbing.

The jaws parted and clamped on my throat. I felt the sharp canines and incisors pierce my skin. Blackness swallowed me up.

LILY.

The conductor said that something climbed aboard and then got off. It looked like a huge cat.

Once the train got going, I headed back to the compartment. I had an idea on what the 'cat' might've actually been.

When I came closer to the compartment, a red substance was streaking down the glass.

"What on earth?" I mused.

Then, my fear settled in.

Remus. I thought.

I opened the compartment door and let out a blood curdling scream.

Hillary was lying on her back on the floor. Her throat had been torn. Her eyes were opened. Blood was everywhere.

The gray wolf sat beside Hillary looking shaken and then it vomited. Sirius was also lying on the floor. He moaned. I grabbed him.

"Are you okay?" I demanded.

"Yeah," Sirius said as he rubbed the back of his head. "OH MY GOD!" he yelled when he saw Hillary.

The wolfs muzzle was blood stained. It let out a whine and raised its eyes to mine.

"She's dead isn't she?" I asked sobbing.

Sirius felt Hillary's wrist.

"Good Lord, no," Sirius said with a huge wave of relief. "She's got a faint heartbeat. If we don't get her to Saint Mungo's, we might lose her from blood loss."

The wolf vanished and Remus appeared.

"What on earth was going on with you?" I shrieked at him. "Look what you did to Hillary!"

Remus was completely pale in the face. He went over to the window, opened it and stuck his head out. We heard him retching.

"I don't know what came over me," he said his voice sounding harsh, strained and watery. "It was like I couldn't control my motions…like something had taken over."

He still kept his head out the window.

I dropped to my knees beside Hillary and placed a hand on hers.

"Hang in there," I choked out.

Once we hit Kings Cross Station in London, Hillary was immediately taken to Saint Mungo's.

We explained to Mr. and Mrs. Lupin what had happened. Remus couldn't even speak.

He looked so guilty and withdrawn.

"Remus," Mrs. Lupin said putting her hand on her son's shoulder. "It wasn't your fault. I have never, ever known you to attack someone for no reason. This was probably just an isolated incident."

"If she dies, it would be murder," Remus choked out. "Werewolves have been prosecuted for years regardless if it was an accident."

"She won't die," Sirius said firmly.

"You don't understand," Remus said standing up. "I gave her the curse! She's exactly like me now! How would you feel if that happened to you? She probably hates me now."

With that, he left the waiting area.

Sam Lupin looked exactly like Remus. Same hair and eyes. Ellie Lupin had shoulder length blond hair and aqua eyes. They weren't werewolves. Just Remus was. She and her husband were dressed in Muggle clothing. Remus, Sirius and I had changed on the train into Muggle clothing. I was wearing a navy skirt and white shirt. Remus was wearing jeans and a red shirt and Sirius was wearing tan slacks and a black shirt.

A Healer came over to us.

"I'm Healer Cassie Owen. Hillary will be just fine," she said brightly. "Luckily you arrived here just in time or she would've had blood loss. Unfortunately," she said her expression fading and a grim one replaced it. "She now has the curse. I hope you can all help her get through it."

We all nodded feeling relieved.

"She's got bandages on and she's a bit groggy, but you can all go and see her. She's in room 194A,"

"Thank you," Sirius said. "Go get Remy."

I nodded as they headed off to the room.

I found Remus standing outside staring up at the sky.

I stood beside him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"She's going to be just fine," I said softly. "She's alive."

"It's still my fault," he said quietly.

"I think I know what happened," I said facing him.

He stared into my eyes.

"The Mogador was on board," I said. "The conductor told me that a huge cat got on, then off."

"But how?" Remus asked looking shocked. "How would the Mogador affect me?"

"Maybe it wanted Hillary to be killed by someone she loved," I suggested. "It might have a power or way of bringing out the worst. And with you being what you are," I said lowering my voice. "It brought on a transformation even though there shouldn't have been one."

That made a lot of sense.

"So in reality, it wasn't your fault," I continued. "It was the Mogador's."

I could see Remus starting to come around again.

"Besides, she's going to be fine," I said softly. "Okay? We can go and see her."

I led Remus back into the hospital.

Hillary was lying in a bed with tons of bandages on her arms, legs, abdomen and one around her neck. Her eyes were open. She broke into a grin when she saw us.

"Hey!" she said cheerfully.

"How are you feeling?" Mrs. Lupin asked kindly and softly.

"Eh, like I've been run over by a Hippogriff," Hillary replied wincing.

"Doctor says you're going to be just fine," Mr. Lupin said.

"I'm a werewolf now huh?" she asked.

Mr. and Mrs. Lupin nodded gravely.

"Oh well," Hillary said shrugging her good shoulder. "Look at it this way, at least when Remy changes he won't be alone."

We all looked at each other stunned.

"You mean you're not angry with me or hate me?" Remus asked standing close to the bed.

"No!" Hillary said looking appalled. "Why would I? I knew it wasn't you on the train. Something had to be wrong."

"Yeah," I said. "The Mogador."

Her eyes widened.

"How is that possible?"

"We don't know," Mr. Lupin said. "But once you're better and return to our home for the remainder of the semester until we can figure out how to kill it, we're going to keep a sharp eye out for anything unusual."