SILVER LINING

CHAPTER ELEVEN-HALLIE'S VISITORS

"Where's her body?" I demanded automatically.

Stephanie's eyes widened.

"Oh. My. God," she breathed. "You're right! There was no sign of her body!"

"Tell me that isn't suspicious enough," I said frowning.

STEPHANIE.

I pulled Harry's robe tighter around me and hugged myself.

"Maybe she managed to crawl away?" I suggested not really believing those words.

I was starting to get a nagging feeling that I knew who the Silver Lining was.

"I'll let Professor Dumbledore know," Harry said. "Sorry about that muzzle."

I smiled.

"That's okay. I'm sorry I acted like that. I had no idea that it was part of the plan nor did I know that McGonagall and the others knew about me. My parents never told me they owled the headmaster before I came here,"

Harry nodded again.

"Well, let's get you back to the common room to change,"

We headed to the common room. Jennifer O'Brian ran and got me some fresh undergarments, a fresh uniform and robe and then handed them to be. Harry stayed outside while I changed. Once I changed, I left the common room and Harry and I headed to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Hermione wasn't at the table. So Harry and I took a seat next to each other. Professor Dumbledore arose from his seat and silence fell across the Hall like a tidal wave.

"As most of you probably already know, a wolf was caught last night in the Gryffindor tower," Professor Dumbledore began.

Murmurs went around.

"As of 5:00 this morning, the wolf was destroyed," Professor Dumbledore continued. "So I urge all of you not to go looking for it. Anyway, those that knew Hallie Morgan will be allowed to visit St. Mungo's later on this evening. So if you wish to go and see her, please let Professor McGonagall know. Tuck in!"

The food appeared on our plates. Harry and I began helping ourselves to pancakes, sausage and hashbrowns.

"I'm going to visit her," I said taking a bite of pancake.

"Me too," Harry said softly.

We hungrily ate our breakfast and then headed to classes.

Crabbe seemed completely lost now that the ring leader was gone. He just slumped in his seat and did his work, not even making eye contact with anyone.

On one hand, I felt sorry for him. He'd lost his friends...but on the other, they tormented people. I really had mixed feelings toward him at this point.

When classes were over, we headed to Professor McGonagall to let her know that we wanted to go and visit Hallie.

She arranged for us to be brought back to London, and to Harry's delight, we were met by Professor Lupin.

"Professor Lupin!" Harry said happily as he ran and hugged the former teacher.

Professor Lupin's blue eyes were twinkling as he gave Harry a quick hug back.

"Hello Stephanie," Professor Lupin said kindly as he turned to me.

"Hi Professor," I said softly.

I had thought he was cute when he taught our third year. I still did.

Professor Lupin's eyes lingered on mine for a bit before he turned to Harry.

"Okay," he said. "I'm supposed to get you two to St. Mungo's. We're going to take Muggle transportation. I've arranged for a taxi to meet us here in ten minutes."

Harry and I stood side-by-side as Professor Lupin filled Harry in on everything.

I looked around. The evening sky was midnight with tons of stars that twinkled merrily.

The taxi arrived shortly and Professor Lupin opened the back door for us. As Harry and I started to walk toward the car, Harry pulled me aside.

"Do you know Professor Lupin's been eyeing you?" he whispered looking stunned.

"Really?" I said feeling a bit weird about the fact that a teacher has been 'checking' me out.

Harry nodded.

"Um, Harry? You're creeping me out okay?" I said as I climbed into the car and Professor Lupin slid in next. Harry last.

Lupin was sitting in between Harry and I.

I stared out the window, feeling shivers running up and down my spine every once and a while.

We arrived at St. Mungo's, but to the Muggle eye, it was an abandoned department store. We carefully entered.

A Healer was sitting behind the desk. Professor Lupin went over to her. I stood with Harry and scanned the signs:

ARTIFACT ACCIDENTS...Ground Floor

(Cauldron explosions, wand backfiring, broom crashes, etc.)

CREATURE -INDUCED INJURIES...First Floor

(Bites, stings, burns, embedded spines, etc.)

MAGICAL BUGS...Second Floor

(Contagious maladies, e.g., dragon pox, vanishing sickness, scrofungulus)

POTION AND PLANT POISONING...Third Floor

(Rashes, regurgitation, uncontrollable giggling, etc.)

SPELL DAMAGE...Fourth Floor

(Unliftable jinxes, hexes, and incorrectly applied charms, etc.)

VISITORS' TEAROOM AND HOSPITAL SHOP...Fifth Floor

If you are unsure where to go, incapable of normal speech, or unable to remember why you are here, our Welcome Witch will be pleased to help.

Professor Lupin came over to us.

"Hallie is on the First floor," he said. "In the Lei Emmersot ward."

We followed him down the corridor and up one flight of stairs that led to the "Creature Induced Injuries" corridor. We paused in front of a door that read "Dangerous" Dai Llewellyn ward and "Critical" Lei Emmersot ward that was off the left. We entered the corridor through the door and headed left.

This ward was rather large and bright, with plenty of windows. There were about seven patients. Hallie was occupying a bed beside one of the large windows. I could see Harry's expression as we approached Hallie.

She was asleep with her head turned toward the window, the moonlight casting a glow over her face. The covers were pulled up to her chest and her arms were resting on top of the blanket and sheet at her sides. A machine was hooked up to her. There was a clear tube inserted into Hallie's mouth and taped. Professor Lupin pulled out his wand and three chairs appeared beside Hallie's bed. We sat down. A female Healer came into the ward and over to us. She was dressed in a lime green robe with the embroided emblem of a wand and bone crossed. She had curly red hair and green eyes. For a moment, Harry's face drained of all color. I guess for a moment she reminded him of his mother.

"You must be friends of Hallie's," she said brightly. "I'm Healer Wendy."

"How is she doing?" Professor Lupin asked with a grave expression on his face as he looked at Hallie sleeping peacefully.

"She's critical, but stable," Healer Wendy said as she picked up Hallie's chart and wrote something on it.

"What does that machine do?" Harry asked gesturing to the machine that awfully looked like a Muggle respirator.

"That's a Grovan," Healer Wendy explained. "It's..."

"Like a Muggle respirator right?" Harry asked quietly.

"No," Healer Wendy said softly. "It is fixing her injuries. She's got four broken ribs, an almost crushed sternum and a bruised lung. This will fix everything. I think she'll be okay in a week."

With that, Healer Wendy replaced Hallie's chart and then left.

"Professor Dumbledore told me about you," Professor Lupin said leaning close to me. "About being an Advair."

I nodded.

"He also told me about what happened with Lavender," Professor Lupin continued. "I can't believe they would think an Advair is capable of killing innocents, but then again, those that don't understand often resort to rash actions."

I nodded, not taking my eyes off of Hallie. She seemed so peaceful now.

"I feel like this is all my fault," I whispered gripping the arm rest of the chair.

"No," Harry said firmly. "None of this is. We'll figure out who the Silver Lining is and put a stop to them."

With that, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and gave me a squeeze.

I wasn't going to change tonight because of where we were. I curled up in the chair, leaning against Harry and just relaxed.

HARRY.

Stephanie leaned against me with her head against my shoulder. I smiled and then looked up. Professor Lupin was smiling too.

"Where is Hermione and Ron?" he asked.

I launched into the whole story. When I was done, he looked shocked.

"I don't know what to think," I said. "They found Hermione's blood stained uniform but no Hermione."

"I'm afraid you know who the Silver Lining is already," he said gravely. "Trust your gut."

I nodded and fell silent.

About an hour later, three people entered the ward and scanned it. It was a woman, a man and a young man about our age. Their eyes fell on us.

"There she is," the woman said as they began approaching.

Stephanie sat bolt upright.

"Mom? Dad? Sam?" she asked shocked.

The man and woman hugged Stephanie and the young man did also.

"Harry? Professor Lupin? This is my Mom, Dad and best friend and cousin, Sam Larsen," Stephanie said beaming.

We all exchanged 'Hello's'. Stephanie's mother looked exactly like an older version of Stephanie. Same hair and facial features. The mother was dressed in a Muggle floral skirt and white blouse. The father had short, dark brown hair and brown eyes. He was dressed in black slacks, a dark green shirt and black tie.

Sam had short, wavy, thick dark blond hair and blue eyes. He was dressed in jeans and a red shirt.

STEPHANIE.

I couldn't believe that Mom, Dad and Sam had come here.

"What are you doing here and how did you know where I would be?" I asked bewildered.

"Professor Dumbledore sent us an owl and explained everything," Dad said softly. "We saw the front page of the Daily Prophet."

"I had no idea Malfoy had set that up," I said earnestly.

"We know," Mom said softly.

I knew they didn't know about me attacking Goyle.

"Did you guys know I attacked an innocent?" I asked quietly.

"No," Dad said. "Why? What happened?"

I looked at Harry.

"Someone drugged her, sir," Harry chimed in. "She had no idea what she was doing when she changed."

"You know about her?" Dad asked sounding rough.

"Dad, relax," I said. "He won't tell anyone."

Dad stepped forward and grabbed Harry by the throat and lifted him several inches off chair and ground.

"Scott!" Mom scolded looking scared.

"Quiet, Amy," Dad said putting his face close to Harry's. I saw Professor Lupin's eyes. They had changed to jaundice color and I heard him growling at Dad.

Dad heard him and turned to him.

"What are you?" Dad demanded.

"I'm a werewolf," Lupin replied not taking his eyes off of Dad.

"Please stop!" I cried. "He won't tell anyone!"

"If you tell one person about my daughter or our kind, I swear I will hunt you down and kill you," Dad snarled his eyes flashing and taking on the wolfish appearance.

"LET HIM GO!" I screamed angrily.

Dad turned to me startled.

I felt angry tears forming in my eyes. I spun around and stalked out of the ward.

I stood outside in the cool night air and looked up at the sky as the tears streamed down my cheeks.

I understood Dad's reaction but when I said that Harry wouldn't tell anyone, I would've hoped Dad would trust my judgement.

A few moments later, Mom came out and Sam.

"Are you okay?" Mom asked, putting her arm around me.

"Did Dad tear into Harry?" I asked sobbing.

"No," Mom said. "But he did warn him strongly."

"Too strongly! I wish Dad would learn to trust me and my judgement," I said angrily.

"Steph," Sam said softly as he put his arm around my left shoulder. "Remember what happened before. Your father's just concerned that it won't happen again."

"Sam," I began but Dad came out.

"We'll let you talk," Mom said as she gave me a kiss and so did Sam before heading back into the hospital.

Dad came over to me.

"I'm sorry, hon," he said quietly. "Harry explained to me what happened. He's a good guy."

"I just wish you would learn to trust me and my judgement," I snapped turning to face him.

His brown eyes were filled with guilt.

"I just don't want a repeat of six years ago at the family reunion," Dad said quietly.

"Dad, I had no idea that Lisa would tell okay?" I said. "I thought she was my best friend and I was wrong. This time its different. I'm more mature and careful. Harry, Ron and Hermione didn't find out who I was until recently."

Dad put his arm around me and hugged me.

"I'm sorry okay? Can we just go back inside,"

"Fine," I said.

He released me and we headed back into the hospital.

"Poor kid," Mom said sadly looking at Hallie. "She has no idea."

"No idea? About what?" I asked looking from Mom to Dad, to Sam.

"Her parents were killed last night. They were attacked by some kind of monster...probably the Silver Lining,"

Harry and I looked at each other.

"That's why Dumbledore sent us," Dad explained. "We've agreed to take her in."

"Dad? She knows too," I said.

Dad nodded.

"That will make it easier too," he said. "Just don't tell anyone else okay?"

I nodded.

"Poor Hallie," Harry said sadly.

"She'll be well protected with five wolves," Mom said. "Sam is one too."

Harry nodded.

Nighttime came around. Mom, Dad and Sam know how to control the changes like I have. None of us were going to change tonight.

Mom, Dad and Sam gave us hugs and kisses before leaving, telling us to owl them in the morning if there is any change with Hallie.

We promised and then we too, left heading back to the castle.

I was exhausted. I entered the girls dorm and just collapsed on the bed. Lavender's body had been taken away and nothing remained of what happened that horrible night. I fell into a deep sleep.