Well, here we go – chapter eleven. Slightly short, but it's an update! Sorry for any delay in posting, but I'm back at college now, and in addition to my lessons, CCF, rugby, judo, choir, band, literary club, rowing, music lessons and everything else I do normally, I'm also involved in not one, but two drama productions – Moulin Rouge and Oliver. I'm becoming convinced that I have suicidal tendencies – I seem to be determined to work myself to death!

It's crazy here at the moment. In the last week, our Head of House (like a head boy, but for only one house) was suspended – for smoking something dubious, obtained from a Chinese herbalist in Newcastle, two of our prefects were suspended after having a punch-up (both girls btw), and the entire senior year got completely drunk. Oh, and it snowed!

Oh, my god, I'm rambling. You lot really aren't interested in that. So let's got on with what you are interested in… the chapter!

Chapter 11 - Scream

Lily fixed Remus with an absolutely ferocious glare.

"How could you? How could you, Rem? I trusted you."

With that, she whirled on her heel, and stomped towards the stage, the rest of the school staring open-mouthed at her, murmuring quietly.

            She turned her death glare onto Rebecca as she handed over the microphone. He voice was hard and soft as she introduced herself.

            "Here's a song that might benefit some of you…" She surveyed the Great Hall contemptuously. "Be who you are. Don't lie about something that important." She turned her gaze to Remus, and he was struck by the degree of pain there. But it flickered and vanished as soon as it had come, and Lily began to sing, her voice laced with hurt.

Say the first words, take the first steps

Be like a child again

Don't be scared anymore

Don't be scared at all

It was obvious to everyone the point at which Lily began to lose her anger in the music. Her voice softened, and a curious kind of longing entered it. The school looked shocked as Lily's voice rang clearly, and awed whispers broke out. None had heard anything quite like it before.

And if you feel like falling

I will be there

I'll catch you if I'm strong enough

Try not to let you fall

Remus felt the hairs down the back of his neck begin to prickle. Lily's eyes, which had flickered shut, shot open as her voice gained momentum.

You could scream

I know you could

You could scream at the top of your voice

Would it do any good?

You could scream

Make your feelings plain

Scream, for the right for once in your life

To be you, and not need to explain

The prickling sensation had gotten worse. Remus could see, glancing around the room, that he was not the only person to be feeling it. A strange kind of tension was building up, a power like nothing he'd felt before.

And do you see the credits roll

Before your eyes?

All the people who've made you part of

Every part of their own lives

And behind the feeling of power, Remus could feel something deeper. Anger, sorrow, longing, pain, and curiously, peace. He looked up at Lily, shocked. Could he be feeling what she was?

And what is it you fear?

And do you even know?

All the things you should have done

Well it's time to let them go

The feeling of power had grown worse and worse – it wasn't outside him, pushing at him anymore. It was actually inside his head. He could feel the pressure, but there was no pain, just the power laced with emotion and a strange compulsion that was gaining strength as Lily's song swelled.

You could scream

I know you could

You could scream at the top of your voice

Would it do any good?

You could scream

Make your feelings plain

Scream, for the right for once in your life

To be you, and not need to explain

And then the emotions battering his senses seemed to unravel themselves. He looked up at Lily and understood. He understood the song she was singing, the meaning behind the words, and to a degree he understood Lily. He was linked in a strangely intimate way, him and the song and Lily… But the power, the power was growing and growing and the compulsion was nearly overwhelming.

Make my head ring

With what it is you want to be

Make my head ring

With what it is you need

Go ahead and scream

Go ahead and scream

Please just scream

And they did. Suddenly the compulsion in Remus's mind became impossible to resist, and he opened his mouth and… well, howled. His mind was blank of all else, he could do nothing but scream. And, although Remus was not in any state to notice, all around him the same thing had happened to every student watching, and even the teachers – all that is, but Dumbledore, who sat there with a slightly bemused expression on his faintly smiling face. Noise filled the Great Hall, screams of emotion – of anguish or exultation and everything in between, and for one short period of time, everyone there was totally honest, Masks were stripped away, and they poured their true self into the screaming. Lily didn't seem to notice.

            Her eyes had flickered shut once again. Her voice faded and became softer as she sang almost to herself.

You could scream

I know you could

You could scream

I know you should

Lily's song ended, and the Great Hall rang with silence, as the screaming stopped as swiftly as it had started. No one moved, as they all gawped in shock and something akin to fear at the slight girl with the bandaged face and frighteningly intense eyes who stood on stage. She seemed strangely vulnerable at that moment, and somehow diminished.

Lily slowly turned to face Dumbledore, who seemed the only person in the room still capable of speech. His eyes twinkled brightly as he stood up and began to clap, the sound echoing strangely in the silent room. No one made a move to join in, still staring mutely at Lily.

Grinning, Dumbledore stopped his applause only to say, "Well, Miss Evans. After that most… interesting display, I feel that the only choice for winner of our talent contest is you. And my dear…" he lowered his voice, so only Lily could hear, "I'll need to see you in my office. Immediately."

Well, I hope you enjoyed that. The song isn't mine, it was written by a brilliant folksy blues singer, Amy Wadge. It's called, fairly obviously, Scream. I'll try to update fairly soon, but I can't make any promises…

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it'll annoy enough people to be worth the effort…

Herm Allbright