Chapter 17 – A surprise revelation…

Harry fumbled with the thick parchment inside the envelop, unfolding it with shaking hands.  His heart was pounding in his throat as he read the letter.

Dear Mr Potter,

            We are pleased to inform you that the results for your Ordinary Wizarding Levels have now been processed.  Enclosed is your copy of the results for the examinations.  Wishing you the best of luck for the future,

Griselda Marchbanks

Harry held his breath as he looked at the second piece of parchment.

Required subjects:      Written             Practical          Overall Grade

Transfiguration              85                    95                    O

Charms                        90                    80                    O

Potions                         70                    68                    E

DADA                           98                   101                    O

Herbology                    93                    87                    O

Astronomy                   85                    65                    E

History of Magic           41                    -                       P

Elective subjects:

CoMC                              -                    95                  O

Divination                        -                    33                  P

O – Outstanding                      

E – Exceeds Expectation

A – Acceptable

P – Poor

D – Dreadful


Harry sighed as he viewed the results.  He was amazed that he had done so well in potions, considering the trouble he had in the subject in his 5th year, but he had needed to get an outstanding to become an auror.  He felt disappointment curse through him as he threw the parchment aside and lay back on the bed.  He could hear muffles noises from somewhere else in the house and decided to go and investigate.  He walked out of the room and quickly realised where the noise was coming from.  He walked slowly towards the room that Hermione, Ginny and Megan were sharing.  The door was open a crack and he pushed it open a little further.  He smiled at the sight that awaited him.

Megan was standing in the middle of the room, dressed in her pyjamas, and singing loudy, hairbrush held tightly in her hand like a microphone.  Her hair was up in the braid still, but she was not wearing the scarf to cover her head.  Harry felt a jolt in his stomach as he watched her dancing around the room and singing.  This was another side of her that he hadn't seen before.  She was unlike anyone that Harry had ever met before.  She had so many interesting, yet extremely contrasting personality traits, yet for some reason which Harry had yet to comprehend, she kept these traits hidden from the rest of the world.  Here though, while no one was around, was the real Megan. 

She was not shy or unhappy, she was full of life and happiness.  The result was breathtaking.  Harry was brought out of his silent observations when she spun around suddenly and saw him staring at her.  She stopped singing immediately and put the brush down, grabbing her scarf and putting it over her head again.

"You know you look a lot prettier without that" Harry commented. 

Megan blushed slightly, but continued to fasten the scarf around her head.

"Maybe I don't want to look pretty" she said softly. 

Harry looked at her strangely for a moment.

"You have a really nice voice" he said, trying desperately to have a decent conversation with her. 

He wanted to get to know the side of her that he had just seen.  The carefree and happy side, but she never seemed to want to talk.

"You weren't supposed to hear that" she said softly, walking over to him.  "I'm really tired.  I think I'm going to go to bed.  You should probably do the same"

With that, she closed the door, leaving Harry standing alone in the corridor.  Harry shook his head as he walked back towards his own room.  He didn't understand girls at all.

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Late that night, Mel arrived back at the hideout.  She was very pale and looked extremely tired.  She didn't say much to the order members, but headed straight upstairs to Megan's room.  She stood in the doorway watching her child sleep for a few moments before realising that she was not the only person standing in the corridor.

"What are you doing up here?" she whispered. 

Sirius took a few steps towards her.

"I was going to ask you the same thing" he replied with a small shrug. 

He had been bothered by her recent disappearances, and was unsure how to bring it up.

"I have order duties tonight.  I figured I'd come and check on her before I left" she said simply. 

Sirius sighed.

"I guess you won't tell me where it is you've been going when you aren't on duty will you?" He asked in defeat. 

Her expression darkened.

"It's no business of yours" she said curtly before closing Megan's door softly so that the voices wouldn't wake her. 

She was about to walk away when Sirius grabbed her arm.

"So who is he then?" Sirius demanded. 

Mel glared at him.

"Perish the thought that I might not be seeing someone.  Perish the thought that I might not be the tart you take me for" she said coldly. 

Sirius relaxed the grip on her arm slightly and looked at her in surprise.

"I never thought of you like that" he said slowly.

"Could have fooled me" she said curtly before walking off again. 

Sirius followed her.

"So you aren't seeing anyone else?" he asked. 

She stopped and glared at him.

"Not that it's any of your business, but no.  I am not seeing anyone" she said and walked away. 

Sirius stared after her, completely confused.  He really didn't know how to take these mood swings of hers.

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Sirius walked over to Emily's room and knocked on the door.  There was no answer.

"Emily its Sirius, open up" he said, knocking again. 

The door flew open, but there was no one there.  Sirius sighed as he walked into the room.  It was dark in the room.  Emily had always preferred to stay in the dark.  A small trail of light illuminated the floor of the room, but not enough to see where Emily was lurking.

"Where are you?" he asked impatiently.  "I really need to talk to you"

Something moved in the corner of his eye and he spun around.

"What's wrong Siri?  You look upset" Emily said softly as she walked over and reached a hand up to pull the hair out of his face. 

She smiled at him and he smiled back weakly.

"I need to know what's going on with Melarin" Sirius said firmly.

"And what makes you think that I would know?" Emily asked softly as she motioned for him to sit down and waved her wand slightly so that the door closed. 

She lit a candle, which illuminated her face, while casting eerie shadows across it.

"You always know" Sirius said simply. 

"True" Emily said.  "I do know, but the question is, am I going to tell you?"

Sirius stared at her for a moment.

"Please, I need to know" he said.

"Why?" She asked.  Sirius looked away and didn't respond.  "If she hasn't told you yet, then she has a reason for it.  Give it time.  You will know soon enough"

Sirius looked at her.

"Why can't you tell me then?  I'll know soon enough anyway" Sirius said, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"The last time I told you what I'd seen, it didn't help" Emily said softly.  "If I hadn't told you, then perhaps my brother and his wife would be here today.  Harry wouldn't be an orphan.  You would never have gone to Azkaban"

Sirius looked at Emily and saw the pain and guilt in her eyes.

"It wasn't your fault" Sirius said softly. 

Emily looked up at him again and smiled softly.  A large deck of cards appeared from nowhere.

"Chose your cards" she said. 

Sirius sighed.  He had never stocked much faith in Tarot, but he knew that this was Emily's way of dealing with the pain, so he humoured her.

He turned the first card.  It had a picture of a moon on it.

"Remus?" Sirius asked as he looked at the card. 

Emily laughed.

"More likely Mel.  It symbolises deceptions.  It's upside down, so the deception is slight." She explained.

He turned the next card. 

"That's the wheel of time" Emily said softly.  "It's upside down.  It means back luck or misfortune await you"

"Wonderful" Sirius muttered sarcastically. 

Emily motioned for his to pick the next card, which he did.  It had the picture of a devil.  He looked at Emily with raised eyebrows.

"Something is going to happen, but in the long run, the result will be favourable" she said. 

Sirius nodded and picked up the next card.  It was the death card.  His face went pale.  Emily put a hand on his reassuringly.

"It doesn't mean death" she said quickly.  "It means change, some kind of transition."

Sirius nodded slowly.

"So what does this tell me?" he asked after a moment. 

Emily looked down at the cards then back up to Sirius.

"I think that all the cards speak of the same event which is yet to come.  Mel is deceiving you, and that deception will lead to your misfortune, however in the long run, that will spark a change in your life that will be for good" Emily said with a small smile.  "So you will suffer a little, but have a happy ending" 

Sirius sighed.

"I've had enough.  I'm going to bed" he said suddenly.  Emily nodded.  She waved her wand and the door flew open at the same time as the candle extinguished.

"Why do you like the dark so much?" Sirius asked curiously.

"You keep your wits about you in the dark" came her response.  Sirius couldn't tell exactly where she was.  "You don't use your wits when it is light.  It makes you vulnerable"

Sirius frowned as he left the room.  She was definitely a strange woman.

Emily crouched in the corner of her room.  As soon as Sirius' footsteps died away, she flicked her wand and the door closed, and locked.  The room was left in complete darkness. 

She sighed as she balled herself up, ears listening intently for any sound inside or outside the room.  Many years of hiding had taught her this defensive behaviour.  She thought about Sirius and frowned.  She wanted more than anything to protect him from what was going to happen, but knew that it was likely that she would make the situation worse if she tried to intervene.  She hugged her legs to her chest tightly and fell asleep in a ball with her back against the wall.