Chapter 16 - - - Protection from Death
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Sirius cleared his throat as he helped Maria to her feet. Her cheeks were stained pink, which deepened to red when she saw their friends watching. However, only Remus was laughing.
"I'm sorry we have to spoil this happiness," James said, "but we need to talk."
Maria frowned. "Without Troy and Jenna? Where are they?"
"That's what we're going to talk about." Lily answered.
James led his friends to the empty Charms classroom, where they all settled down on top of desks.
"So? Where are Troy and Jenna?" Sirius demanded.
"They're..uh..." Noel fidgeted uncomfortably, looking to her brother for help.
"..gone." James said. "Troy and Jenna were murdered by Lord Voldemort."
"..how?" Maria asked, eyes shining.
"We don't know," Lily replied, "their bodies were found near the beach...they told us it was You-Know-Who."
They all sat silently, each preoccupied with his or her own thoughts.
(So, it's true. Voldemort is after us.) Maria thought. (He murdered Jen because she is..she was the Heir of Hufflepuff. Next, he'll go after...) Her gaze floated to Remus. (...no. If he's going in the obvious order...Remus...then me..) she shook her head. (I won't let it happen. I shouldn't have already let it happen...Jen...Troy..)
"Maria? Are you there?"
Maria jerked her head up, realizing that James was speaking to her, seeming concerned. "Yes, James?"
"I said, I'd like to talk to you. In private. Walk with me?"
She nodded, and he led her out of the Charms classroom.
It wasn't until they reached the tall Astronomy Tower that James started talking. "You and I, we know why Jen and Troy were murdered. Hufflepuff...Jen.." he shook his head.
"Yeah," Maria said softly, "and if he goes in the obvious order, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Gryffindor..we have to protect Remus! He'll be next, because I have the Pendant! We must-"
"No," James interrupted, "Remus and I already spoke, while you were zoned out."
"But-! Remus is next!" Maria cried wildly. "We can't just let him die, like we did with Jen and Troy!"
James placed his hands on Maria's shoulders, looking into her deep green eyes. "We need to protect you. Remus says he can take care of himself. No, don't say it," he added as Maria opened her mouth to protest, "I know you're strong, too. We're not trying to say you can't, but, well....we want you to accept our protection. Your brother wants to keep you safe. He says we should worry about you, not him."
"My..how did you know?"
"I have a Pendant, too, remember?" he smiled. "Not to mention that time you practically said it!"
Maria's mouth twisted wryly. "Nobody's perfect."
They laughed.
"So? Will you accept our protection?" James said seriously.
Maria avoided his eyes, thinking. (I can take care of myself, but...) She thought of Troy and Jenna, and how easily their lives had flown. How she would never see them again.
"Maria..?" James said softly.
(We'll never be safe.) Maria's lips quivered, and tears threatened to spill from her eyes. (But that doesn't mean we can't live. At least we still have our lives!)
James watched his friend's face carefully. (An inner battle. Remus said she was too proud, but she also remembers Troy and Jenna.)
Maria choked back a cry, and threw her arms around James, crying as if her heart would break. He stroked her hair back, thinking that, if they did survive this, they might be better off dead.
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a/n; Sorry I'm getting bad about updating! I'll work harder on it! Oh, and the song from the last chapter was "Catch Me If You Can," by Angela Via. Please review, and thanks to all my regular reviewers! And of course, new ones, too! Longer chapter later!
~ ~ ~
Sirius cleared his throat as he helped Maria to her feet. Her cheeks were stained pink, which deepened to red when she saw their friends watching. However, only Remus was laughing.
"I'm sorry we have to spoil this happiness," James said, "but we need to talk."
Maria frowned. "Without Troy and Jenna? Where are they?"
"That's what we're going to talk about." Lily answered.
James led his friends to the empty Charms classroom, where they all settled down on top of desks.
"So? Where are Troy and Jenna?" Sirius demanded.
"They're..uh..." Noel fidgeted uncomfortably, looking to her brother for help.
"..gone." James said. "Troy and Jenna were murdered by Lord Voldemort."
"..how?" Maria asked, eyes shining.
"We don't know," Lily replied, "their bodies were found near the beach...they told us it was You-Know-Who."
They all sat silently, each preoccupied with his or her own thoughts.
(So, it's true. Voldemort is after us.) Maria thought. (He murdered Jen because she is..she was the Heir of Hufflepuff. Next, he'll go after...) Her gaze floated to Remus. (...no. If he's going in the obvious order...Remus...then me..) she shook her head. (I won't let it happen. I shouldn't have already let it happen...Jen...Troy..)
"Maria? Are you there?"
Maria jerked her head up, realizing that James was speaking to her, seeming concerned. "Yes, James?"
"I said, I'd like to talk to you. In private. Walk with me?"
She nodded, and he led her out of the Charms classroom.
It wasn't until they reached the tall Astronomy Tower that James started talking. "You and I, we know why Jen and Troy were murdered. Hufflepuff...Jen.." he shook his head.
"Yeah," Maria said softly, "and if he goes in the obvious order, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Gryffindor..we have to protect Remus! He'll be next, because I have the Pendant! We must-"
"No," James interrupted, "Remus and I already spoke, while you were zoned out."
"But-! Remus is next!" Maria cried wildly. "We can't just let him die, like we did with Jen and Troy!"
James placed his hands on Maria's shoulders, looking into her deep green eyes. "We need to protect you. Remus says he can take care of himself. No, don't say it," he added as Maria opened her mouth to protest, "I know you're strong, too. We're not trying to say you can't, but, well....we want you to accept our protection. Your brother wants to keep you safe. He says we should worry about you, not him."
"My..how did you know?"
"I have a Pendant, too, remember?" he smiled. "Not to mention that time you practically said it!"
Maria's mouth twisted wryly. "Nobody's perfect."
They laughed.
"So? Will you accept our protection?" James said seriously.
Maria avoided his eyes, thinking. (I can take care of myself, but...) She thought of Troy and Jenna, and how easily their lives had flown. How she would never see them again.
"Maria..?" James said softly.
(We'll never be safe.) Maria's lips quivered, and tears threatened to spill from her eyes. (But that doesn't mean we can't live. At least we still have our lives!)
James watched his friend's face carefully. (An inner battle. Remus said she was too proud, but she also remembers Troy and Jenna.)
Maria choked back a cry, and threw her arms around James, crying as if her heart would break. He stroked her hair back, thinking that, if they did survive this, they might be better off dead.
~ ~ ~
a/n; Sorry I'm getting bad about updating! I'll work harder on it! Oh, and the song from the last chapter was "Catch Me If You Can," by Angela Via. Please review, and thanks to all my regular reviewers! And of course, new ones, too! Longer chapter later!