OMINIX

CHAPTER FOUR-THE NEW FRIEND

"Oh my God!" Lily cried. "You're absolutely right! I remember you telling us that."

Remus frowned. "How is that possible?"

"I have no idea," I said. "But something is definitely strange."

Suddenly, I froze as I picked up a scent coming from outside. It floated in through the window in the common room. I couldn't describe the scent. I just knew it wasn't normal nor was it good.

"What's wrong, Hillary?" Sirius asked.

"I just picked up a scent," I said slowly. "Smells like trouble."

"I got it too," Remus said.

We hurriedly left the common room and headed out onto the grounds. We turned a corner and found a fourth year boy from Slytherin that was cornering a first year Gryffindor. She was sitting on the ground cowering. She looked absolutely terrified and was sobbing. The seventh year had a look of twisted fury on his face.

"I told you to do my Charms homework! Why wasn't it done?" the 4th year boy snarled.

"I-I'm sorry!" the girl stammered sobbing even harder. "I forgot!"

"Well, you're right about one thing," the boy said menacingly. "You are going to be sorry."

He clenched his fist and drew back his arm. Remus flew over and grabbed the boy's arm in midair. Lily and I rushed over to the girl.

"Don't even think about it," Remus growled sounding more like the wolf.

"Stay out of this," the boy hissed.

"Leave. Her. Alone," Remus continued in the same threatening tone narrowing his eyes.

"Flake off," Sirius snapped to the boy.

"I said, 'stay out of this'," the boy growled.

Remus then pinned the boys arm behind him and put his other arm under the boys throat.

"If you don't leave right now, I will personally rip your arm off. Do you understand?" Remus snarled in the boys' ear.

The boy looked genuinely terrified now and he nodded. Remus released him and he took off without even looking back.

"Are you okay?" Remus asked the girl in a soft, concerned tone.

"Yes," the girl replied. "Thank you."

"What happened?" Lily asked gently as she stroked the girl's long blond hair.

"He bullies me into doing his homework since the first day," the girl explained miserably. "His name is Edwin Wilson."

Remus crouched down in front of her so they were eye level.

"I doubt he'll be bothering you anymore,"

The girl grinned. "My name is Laura Mason,"

"I'm Hillary," I introduced. "And that's Remus, Lily and Sirius."

Lily and Sirius grinned broadly. Remus was still couched down in front of Laura. She had shoulder length blond hair and blue eyes. Her uniform and robe were dirt smudged. Her bag was lying a few inches from her with all of the contents spilled out on the grass. Sirius bent down and began packing everything up.

"Could I possibly stay with you guys for a bit?" Laura asked in a small voice.

"Of course!" Lily cried.

Sirius and I nodded. Laura beamed.

"Come on," Remus said standing up. "We've got to head back inside."

Sirius handed Laura her bag and we all proceeded back inside and to the common room.

Shortly, it was dinner time. Laura said with us and ate happily. I guess she felt like she would be safe from Edwin hanging around a bunch of 6th years. I knew Sirius, Remus and Lily didn't mind. I didn't either.

"So how's school going?" Sirius asked Laura. "Other than the bullying."

Laura was sitting in-between Sirius and Remus. Lily and I were sitting across from them.

"Okay, except that I hate the summer," Laura replied lowering her eyes to her plate.

"I hate it too," I replied grinning. "Too hot."

Laura suddenly became shy. "No...that's not what I meant,"

"What is it then?" Remus prodded gently and patiently.

Laura hesitated and swallowed. She avoided our glances.

"I have to back to the orphanage,"

I had just started to take a bite of my pot roast and my hand froze in midair to my mouth.

Remus, Lily and Sirius all had shocked expressions on their faces.

Laura began pushing her food around on her plate.

"That's why Edwin bullied me," she continued miserably and sadly. "He thought because I had no parents he could push me around. Well, have no parents." she corrected herself.

"Sick," Sirius said shaking his head in disbelief.

"Have you made any new friends?" Remus asked leaning close to Laura.

Laura shook her head.

"Well, you did now," Remus said grinning. "You've got the four of us now."

We all nodded and grinned. Laura grinned broadly too. Remus put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a brief squeeze before returning to his dinner. No one else caught it but I did. Laura blushed. I think she was becoming taken with him. I grinned to myself and continued to eat.

The next morning, we all met in the Great Hall for breakfast. Laura was sitting next to Lily. I plopped down beside Remus. We were sitting across from Lily, Laura and Sirius.

"Hey," Remus said affectionately to me. "Sleep okay?"

"Yes," I grinned.

Remus winked at me before helping himself to some crumpets.

"May I ask what happened to your parents?" Sirius asked softly. "If you want to tell us."

"They were killed," Laura said quietly. "2 years ago."

At that, Remus' head popped up. I knew what was going through his head. His parents were killed only a few months ago by the Mogador. He watched Laura closely.

"They were Muggles," Laura continued. "They were killed in a terrible fire. Our home burned to the ground. I was able to get out but they weren't. I sometimes feel guilty."

"You shouldn't," Sirius said gently. "It was an accident."

Laura nodded. "I know. I was sent to the East Wales Orphanage for Witches and Wizards. It was so cold in the winter and like an oven in the summer. I was so glad when Professor Dumbledore sent the letter of acception to Hogwarts."

"I bet," Lily said kindly. "I can totally understand why you hate the summer."

Laura nodded again. "I'm sorry. I'm not hungry anymore,"

With that, she got up from the table and hurried out of the Great Hall.

"I'll go talk to her," Remus offered as he too, got up from the table.

"Good idea," Sirius said looking in the direction that Laura went with a concerned expression on his face. Remus glanced at me before hurrying out of the Hall.

REMUS.

I hurried after Laura. I found her sitting on the floor in the corridor. Her legs were drawn up to her chest and her arms were wrapped around them. I went over to her and sat down beside her, also drawing my legs up to my chest.

"What's wrong?" I asked kindly.

"I know you guys won't want to hang out with a measly first year," Laura muttered. "I heard about how cool you all are."

"Cool?" I asked bewildered.

"Yeah," Laura said. "You, Lily, Sirius and Hillary. I also heard about what happened to James."

There were tears in her eyes. Hearing about what happened to James must've brought back some painful memories of her parents. I too, felt a lump rising in the back of my throat.

"I hear what good pranksters you were," Laura continued as a tear slid down her cheek.

I felt a smile forming. "We don't do pranks anymore...although Sirius forgets to take his medication every day. That's why he acts the way he does."

Laura giggled and wiped her cheek.

"But what on earth gave you the impression that we wouldn't want to hang out with you?"

Laura just shrugged. "I thought that 6th years wouldn't be caught dead with 1st years,"

I shook my head. "Totally wrong. You are apart of the group now. If anyone else gives you trouble you tell them to come and see me...okay?"

She grinned and nodded, seeming to be more cheerful.

"Come on," I said as we got up and I took her hand. As we headed back into the Hall, a familiar pain shot across my abdomen. I cried out and fell to my knees.

"Remus?" Laura asked with pure panic.

"Go get the others," I cringed.

Laura tore into the Great Hall.

HILLARY.

Laura came running into the Hall looking terrified. She told us that Remus was in pain.

We fled out to him.

We helped Remus back into the common room and let him rest for the day while we headed to our classes. After dinner, we stayed in the common room for a bit before heading to bed.

LAURA.

While the others went off to bed, I stayed in the common room for a bit working on an essay for Professor Kendal. I looked outside. A full moon hung in a midnight sky. Stars twinkled merrily. I stood up from sitting on the couch, yawned and stretched. Then, I heard a 'thud' that came from the boys' dorm entrance.

I squinted into the darkness. Something was walking toward me. It was half hidden in the shadows but I got a clear outline. It was huge, like a cross between a Great Mastiff and a Doberman Pincher combined. Its massive paws touched the floor in each graceful step. Its jaundice eyes were locked on me. A gray wolf.

I felt spreading warmth in my skirt. I stood, shaking violently. The wolf stepped completely out of the shadows and now sat on its haunches on the hearth rug in front of the fireplace watching me and not moving a muscle.

"Laura? Are you?" Hillary's voice called from the girls' dorm entrance.

I slowly turned my head. Hillary was standing in the entranceway.

A smile began forming on Hillary's face. "He won't hurt you,"

She began walking toward me. The wolf turned its eyes onto her and followed her movement.

She sat on the couch. The wolf got up and went over to her, sitting on its haunches at her feet and leaned against her leg with all of its weight. I slowly sat down beside Hillary. The wolf began panting. A red tongue lolled out and rested between its bottom canines as it looked up at Hillary and I.

Just then, a black dog bounded out of the boys dorm next. He galloped over to me, reared up on his hind legs and put his front paws on my shoulders. He frantically licked my face. I giggled and gently pushed him off of me. The dog ran in circles chasing his own tail. The wolf looked at him. I swore there was a look of amusement on his face. Hillary rolled her eyes.

"You really are a goofball," she muttered but was laughing. "How about we take a walk?"

The dog barked and they left. The wolf watched me closely.

"Oh man," I moaned to myself. " I need to change clothes."

I felt embarrassed now. The wolf turned around and galloped into the boys' dorm. A few minutes later, it returned with a pair of sweat pants dangling from the jaws. I shakily reached for them. The wolf released the pants. I took the pants and quickly changed with the wolf watching me. Once I was dry, I tossed the soiled skirt beside the couch. The wolf jumped up onto the couch beside me and tucked his hind legs underneath and stretched out its front ones. It rested its head on my thigh and looked up at me.

I began gently stroking the wolfs head.

The portrait door opened. Immediately, the wolfs ears perked up and he raised his head.

"Hillary?" I called.

No reply.

The wolf began growling. I looked from the wolf to the entranceway. No one was coming through. Then, a figure dressed in a black hooded robe entered. The wolf leaped down off the couch and shot straight for the figure. The figure dodged the wolf and came straight for me. The wolf skidded on the floor and crashed into a wastebasket. The figure grabbed me by the throat and lifted me several inches off the ground. The fingers dug into my throat. I gasped and wheezed as I tried to breathe.

The wolf regained traction and lunged for the figure again. This time, the wolf clamped his jaws around the figures knee and bit down hard. The figure's leg buckled but his grip didn't loosen around my neck. The wolf was snarling violently and kept tugging at the leg.

Finally, the figure threw me to the floor. I cracked my head on the edge of the table. I landed on my back and drifted in and out of consciousness. I groggily turned my head and saw the wolf go for the figures' throat.

"NO!" I heard Hillary's voice cry from somewhere distant. I raised my eyes to the ceiling and felt the black dog standing over me whining. I felt blackness swallow me up.

LILLY

I woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and wide awake. I noticed Hillary and Laura weren't in bed. Intrigued and worried, I quickly pulled on my uniform and robe and headed to the common room. As soon as I stepped into the room, I froze.

Laura was lying on her back, not moving with Sirius as the black dog standing over her ; Hillary was sobbing as Remus still in wolf form, sat beside a figure that was lying on its back, had blood on his muzzle and blood puddled around the figures neck.

"What happened?" I asked slowly.

I went over to Hillary.

"Sirius and I went for a quick run down the corridor. When I came back, and this was about 5:30AM, Remus was attacking this figure. He broke the neck. Laura's unconscious," Hillary sobbed.

"Oh boy," I breathed.

A little groan came from Laura's area. I rushed over to her.

"Are you okay?" I demanded.

Laura rubbed the back of her head. "Ow,"

Sirius sat on his haunches and licked her face. Laura wiped the sticky saliva off her cheek and scratched Sirius' right ear.

"That figure attacked me," Laura said gesturing to the dark body lying on the floor. "The wolf protected me. The figure threw me to the floor and I remember hitting my head."

"Did anyone see who was under that cloak?" I asked stroking Laura's hair.

Hillary raised her eyes to mine. There was disbelief and shock in her eyes.

"It was the boy who bullied Laura,"