MAELSTROM

CHAPTER THIRTEEN-CRASH WORLD

The minute Sam and Holly saw us watching them they got up and ran from the stands.

"I'm telling you," Remus said firmly. "Those two are definitely up to no good."

"Why was Arthur on my broom?" James demanded turning his attention back to Molly.

"He wanted to make sure it was safe and okay," she replied in a weak tone.

"Why?" James demanded. "Why wouldn't it be safe or okay?"

"Please trust me," Molly said as tears streamed down her cheeks. "We will tell you everything when the time is right."

James swore.

"Go get Madam Elkin huh?" he snapped.

Molly tore off back to the castle.

"Did you see Sam and Holly in the stands?" Lily asked.

"Yeah," James growled. "They're the next ones to get questioned."

Thunder boomed and lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the entire pitch. Cold droplets of rain began falling.

I hugged myself.

Shortly, Madam Elkin came hurrying across the pitch. James quickly told her what happened and she magicked Arthur onto a stretcher. We followed her back into the castle and up to the hospital ward.

Arthur's leg was mended, but he was going to have to stay in the hospital wing for a few days to make sure that the leg healed the right way.

Molly still wouldn't give us a straight answer as to why Arthur was on James' broom…which James grabbed and put it back into the boys' dorm where it was safe and sound.

As for Sam and Holly, we managed to corner them on the way to lunch.

"What were you two doing in the stands?" Remus demanded curiously.

"We just wanted to see what the pitch looked like," Holly said innocently. "Then we saw Arthur on the broom and decided to watch. Then, it looked like the broom lost control of itself. He slipped off of it."

Remus and I exchanged looks.

Something about her explanation wasn't sitting right…but we decided to leave it alone until we had idle proof that they really were up to something.

Lily nodded, but I saw her chewing on her bottom lip thoughtfully.

After cornering Sam and Holly, we made our way back to the hospital wing to check on Arthur.

"He'll be as good as new tomorrow," Madam Elkin said brightly.

"Oh joy," I said sarcastically.

Arthur looked up with a hurt expression. He still looked incredibly guilty and upset.

"Carrie," Arthur began. "I really hate that you're mad at me…as are all of you."

"How'd you think we would react?" Remus asked raising an eyebrow. "Jump for joy?"

"We really do have an explanation," Molly said earnestly. "But we can't tell you just yet. We have to make sure that…"

"…Everything is okay and safe," Lily droned in a bored voice.

Arthur and Molly nodded.

"Can't you give us a hint or something?" James asked narrowing his eyes.

Arthur and Molly looked at each other.

"Let's just say that your lives are still in danger," Arthur said slowly.

"All of us?" I asked.

"Just mainly Lily and James," Molly said carefully. "But Carrie as well because of her ability to see visions. Everything that went on between Remus, Arthur, Carrie and I was all part of the plan. That's all we can say for now."

"Oh that was so clear!" I said rolling my eyes scornfully. "Now I can sleep at night…thanks so much for clearing that up, Molly."

Molly looked angry now.

"You had no trouble trusting us before! Why should this be any different now?" she asked angrily.

"Oh here's a shocker!" I said vehemently. "Why? Well, let's see...first, Arthur says that he loved me and that he likes me…then, you turn around and do the same thing to Remus…then, Arthur tells me that he's really in love with you and he's sorry for leading me on…You do that to Remus as well. Oh. My. God, There's a few reasons right there!"

I said mockingly.

Remus was glaring at Molly too.

"Those are certainly good enough reasons not to trust you two now," James said firmly.

"Have we ever done anything to hurt you?" Arthur asked. "Aside from 'that'."

"No," Remus and I said in unison.

"Do you think we're capable of hurting you?"

"No," I muttered.

"Then why would we now?"

"Because I'm still incredibly hurt over this!" I snarled. "I really thought you cared about me…but I was wrong."

"Same here," Remus snapped glaring at Molly.

Molly and Arthur looked exasperated now.

"We're trying to save your lives!" Molly said.

"Funny," James said. "It certainly doesn't seem that way."

"You know what?" I said angrily. "Fine. Don't tell us everything just yet. Just go about saving our puny little lives. As far as I'm concerned, we're not even friends anymore."

With that, I stormed out of the hospital wing.

I angrily kicked at the wall in the corridor.

That was all part of their plan? How dare they! I never though they were evil and conniving…but I was wrong.

"Please calm down," Remus said behind me.

I turned around.

"It just irates me to think that they had a plan to hurt us!" I growled angrily running a hand through my hair and flipping over my shoulder.

"I know," Remus said.

"How could I be so stupid to think that someone like Arthur would like me?" I said angrily.

"You're not stupid," Remus said firmly. "Stop talking like that."

"I really thought he would be the one but I guess I was wrong. I should've never said yes to him. Look where it got me now…you too…" I began rambling on but then, Remus took my face in his hands and brought his face closer. His lips gently pressed against mine as he kissed me.

Startled, I didn't kiss him back. When he pulled back from the kisses, he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"I'm sorry," he apologized looking embarrassed. "That was really stupid."

He looked really shy now and he was blushing furiously now.

"It's okay," I said softly. "And no it wasn't."

He looked at me startled.

"I think we should just take it slow okay?" I said gently.

He nodded, looking a bit relieved.

"I mean, I would like to…you know…got out with you," I continued. "But I'm not in the mood to trust just yet."

Remus nodded. "I know. I feel the same way,"

I grinned.

Just then, James and Lily left the hospital wing.

"What are you two kiddies up to?" Lily asked grinning.

"Not much," I said innocently. "Still just extremely mad."

"I know," Lily said nodding. "We are too. You'd think they could tell us a bit more about our lives being in danger."

"Ugh," James said disgustedly. "I give up with them."

"Yeah," Remus said. "Now we have to figure out if Sam and Holly are up to something. They certainly seem like it. And both times they have had these creepy expressions on their faces."

"We all saw it," Lily said.

So, we all left and began heading back to lunch.

After lunch, we headed to Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Marris.

Once those classes were over, we headed to dinner and then bed.

September flew by fast. October came around.

The weather improved but it got colder and raw outside.

There was a match against Hufflepuff. James grabbed his broom and hurried down to the Quidditch pitch. Remus, Lily and I headed to the Gryffindor stands.

Arthur and Molly were sitting behind us in the very last row toward the back.

We completely ignored them.

Sam and Holly were sitting behind us.

"So this is Quidditch huh?" Holly asked eagerly.

"Yep," Remus said nodding as he glanced over his shoulder at her.

"Awesome," Sam said.

James mounted his broom and then Madam Kyla blew her whistle, the game began.

Lily and I were cheering loudly.

Hufflepuff was in the lead by a few points. But then, James' attention snapped to something small, gold and fluttering.

"He's found the Snitch!" Lily squealed as she grabbed my hand excitedly.

We watched James go into a dive.

He was still in a dive.

"Um, please tell me he's going to pull up?" I said slowly as panic began settling in.

Lily's hand clenched around mine tighter.

We looked at each other with fear.

James crashed head first into the ground.

Lily screamed.

The rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team immediately landed and ran over to him.

Without hesitating, Lily, Remus and I flew out of the stands. I just happened to glance back at Sam and Holly. Instead of the strange expression on their faces, I saw them smiling happily.

Arthur and Molly were right behind us. We were now running across the pitch and made our way through the team. Even the Hufflepuffs had stopped playing and were now watching with fear and worry.

Lily dropped to her knees beside James. He was lying face down on the grass. He wasn't moving.

"James," Lily sobbed.

Remus crouched down and felt James' neck for a pulse.

"He's got pulse," Remus said quietly and softly.

Relief spread over us.

Madam Elkin was called and she magicked James onto a stretcher.

"He'll be fine," said the Gryffindor Beater, Julie Walsh as she gave us a concerned hug.

We all trooped up to the hospital wing.

"Did you know those two were smiling?" I hissed to Remus and Lily.

"Arthur and Molly?" Remus demanded immediately.

"No," I said shaking my head. "Sam and Holly."

"You're kidding!" Lily asked raising her eyes to mine.

James was lying on a cot on his back. There was a large gash on his forehead which was bleeding.

The front of his Quidditch robe and uniform was dirt smudged and had bits of mud caked on it.

I shook my head.

"I'm beginning to think they're causing all of this," Remus said gravely.

"But how?" Lily asked lowering her eyes to James.

"All right," Madam Elkin said kindly. "He's unconscious and lucky he didn't break his neck hitting the ground at that force. When he wakes up I'll check him over but I'm pretty sure he'll be just fine."

We all let out sighs of relief.

We left the hospital wing. As we were leaving, Arthur and Molly began hurrying toward us.

"Is he okay?" Arthur demanded looking worried.

"He'll be fine," I said stiffly.

"We should tell you what we heard," Molly said seriously. "It's about Sam and Holly."

"What about them?" Remus asked intrigued.

"We heard them chanting some kind of spell or something," Arthur said looking grave. "It sounded like the Imobilus Taratella spell."

"That spell is used to freeze objects in motion," Lily said wide-eyed. "How can that be?"

"I'm not sure," Remus said angrily as he balled up his fist and punched it into his opened palm. "But they lied to us about transferring to Hogwarts when they're really here just to observe…what else would they be lying about?"

"Exactly," I said. "I don't trust them as far as I can see them."

"I say we have a little chat with them," Remus said narrowing his eyes.

"Want us to come too?" Arthur asked in quiet voice.

"If you want," I said indifferently.

Lily, Remus, Arthur, Molly and I began heading back to the common room.

Holly and Sam were sitting in the common room. They looked up when they saw us enter.

"Hey," Holly said looking concerned. "Is James okay?"

"You tell us," Remus said angrily folding his arms over the front of his robe and uniform.

Holly looked to each one of us uncertainly.

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked alert.

"We heard you chanting the Imobilus Taratella charm," Arthur said angrily. "We're surprised Remus, Lily and Carrie didn't hear you since you were sitting right behind them. But we clearly heard you."

I thought that was a bit odd too, because they were sitting right behind us. How on earth did Arthur and Molly hear it when they were several rows behind us?

Sam stood up this time.

"Now," Sam said smiling. "Why on earth would we want to hurt one of you?"

Something about the way he said that sent chills down my spine.

"I'm not sure," I said firmly. "But you two certainly have been acting weird since you got here."

Sam came close to me and put his face close to mine.

"In what way?" he asked.

His eyes seemed cold and lifeless. I had to lean back a bit.

"Every time there's an accident or something you two always seem to be right there. Frankly, to me that sounds fishy. I would appreciate it if you stayed away from us," I said narrowing my eyes. "If not, you'll be sorry."

Sam grabbed me by my shoulders and shoved me backward into Remus.

"See," he said pulling out his wand. "Now you've gone and threatened me. I hate being threatened."

Remus, Lily, Arthur and Molly pulled out their wands as well. Holly did too and stood behind Sam.

"Who are you really?" Remus asked angrily as he quickly put me behind him protectively.

"We told you who we are," Sam said icily. "Now don't ever threaten me again."

With that, he put his wand away and so did Holly. They stepped around us without so much as a backward glance as they left the common room.