MAELSTROM

CHAPTER TWENTY-THE VALENTINES DAY DANCE

The stags' eyes were dull and almost lifeless.

"Kill them," Luke said, his green eyes flashing.

The stag lowered his head and pawed at the floor. The wolf continued to snarl viciously.

"If he charges," Lily whispered terrified. "We'd most certainly be almost impaled."

The stag shook its head, the antlers catching the moonlight.

"So yes," Luke continued. "I put the Imperius curse on your lovely boyfriend…he put the Seal Placement Charm on the school, he caused James' accident, and I was the one who put the 'bomb' in the library. It was so easy to pin in on two people that were new. New people always provoke suspicion easily."

He smirked.

"You really are a sick fuck," I snarled.

"You told lies about me," Luke continued. "I had to pay you back."

He looked at the stag.

"Now kill them,"

The stag charged us.

Lily and I screamed.

The wolf snarled and prepared to jump, but the stag's antlers rammed the wolf in the side, tossing him aside like a rag doll. We heard Remus let out a painful whelp. The stag was inches from us. We shut our eyes.

"Stupefy!" we heard a voice shout from the Hall entrance.

We chanced opening our eyes.

A jet of green shot out and hit the stag right in the side.

The stag fell to its side stunned.

Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Professor Anicks stood with their wands aimed.

Luke changed into the black panther and that's when McGonagall stunned him as well.

"Are you two alright?" Professor McGonagall demanded worriedly.

We nodded.

I looked at the gray wolf.

He shakily got to his feet and shook his body. He came over to us.

"I'll alert the Ministry about him," Dumbledore said gesturing to the black panther.

Luke changed back into his human self but was detained until the Dementors came and got him.

It was pretty intense after that.

James was un-stunned and he returned to normal, not having any memory of what happened after the black panther jumped through the window.

Luke had been staying on the grounds in the Forbidden Forest. That's why no one really ever saw him.

He had framed Holly and Sam.

Remus was okay…he just had a few bruises.

Things were finally going to be alright.

The Valentines Day dance came.

The Great Hall was back to normal as well. It was decorated with hearts, cherubs and streamers in pink and red.

"God this is so gross," James whined jokingly as we entered the Hall.

"Shut your pie hole," Lily scoffed.

I giggled.

Remus and I had our arms linked as we stepped into the Hall after James and Lily.

"I think it's lovely," I said softly.

"You would," James replied grinning at me. "You're a girl. Guys hate this mushy stuff."

"That's about what sums up your brains," I shot back good-naturedly.

James playfully stuck his tongue out at me before Lily smacked him right in the back of the head.

"Stop," she scolded, but her lip twitched.

We found a table and sat down. Everyone else seemed genuinely unaware of anything that happened over the past few months.

We've lost two best friends in the process and the horror was finally over. We'd be able to enjoy the rest of the semester without any worries.

I sat down next to Remus. Across from us were James and Lily.

Remus draped his arm on the back of the chair behind me.

I leaned back against his arm, my head resting on it.

"This is nice," I sighed. "Just to know things are finally over with."

"Yeah," Lily said sadly. "But we lost people we cared about in the process."

"I know," James said quietly.

We fell silent after that.

Food appeared on our plates.

After we ate, the dancing began.

James and Lily got up and began dancing along with the other couples. Everyone managed to find a date.

I looked at Remus.

He looked back at me and winked.

I smiled and leaned forward, our faces inches apart.

"I'm so glad you're back to normal," I said softly.

"So am I," Remus agreed. "But I have something for you."

He reached into the pocket of his robe and pulled out a small velvet box.

My heart pounded nervously in my chest.

He opened it.

It was a beautiful diamond ring.

"It's an engagement ring," he said blushing furiously. "After we graduate, I'm hoping you'd marry me."

My voice caught in my throat.

"Of course!" I squealed and threw my arms around him.

He hugged me tightly. I hugged him back.

After that, we pulled back.

He put the ring on my finger.

James and Lily came over after the dance was finished.

"What's that?" Lily asked her eyes twinkling.

"An engagement ring!" I shrieked.

Lily squealed too and we jumped up from our seats to hug.

James stuck a finger in his ear and twisted it a bit.

"I think I'm permanently deaf in this ear," he said to Remus.

Remus chuckled.

Lily and I squealed and happily hugged, jumping up and down.

After we got all the hugging and squealing out of the way, we sat back down.

"Hey," James said softly. "Congrats mate."

He leaned over and shook Remus' hand before giving him a quick hug.

"Thanks," Remus said blushing too.

"Speaking of rings," James said as he too, reaching into his robe and pulled out a similar box.

He opened it. It was also an engagement ring. He slipped it onto Lily's finger.

"You expect me to accept this?" she asked.

James nodded.

"After what a jerk you've been? And goof?"

Again, James nodded.

But I could see James was nervous and worried…scared too.

"Well, I do accept it," Lily grinned.

James' face filled with relief as he hugged Lily too.

"Looks like we're all engaged," Remus grinned.

"Yep," James said nodding. "Looks like it."

Lily and I began gushing on girl talk about weddings and things. Remus and James fell into a conversation about Quidditch.

I couldn't be happier really.

The term went by fast. I sent an owl to my parents telling them about Remus.

They were a bit shocked but they were happy for me.

Lily and I began packing our things. It was a happy, but sad time. We only had one more year to go before graduating and leaving Hogwarts for good.

"I'm going to miss this place at the end of next year," Lily said sighing.

"I know," I admitted placing my robe into my trunk. "I'm going to miss it too. It's like a second home basically."

"Unfortunately," Lily said. "This year will probably be our most memorable."

I knew what she meant.

"It will," I said quietly.

We finished packing and headed out of the castle to the train station.

The Hogwarts Express had already pulled into the station. A large puff of smoke escaped from the smoke stack and drifted over the rest of the engine before rising to the sky.

Students began boarding the train.

We did too and found an empty compartment to ourselves.

Remus and I had the whole left side on the bench to ourselves as James and Lily had the whole right side across from us.

"Did you tell your parents?" Lily asked me.

"Yeah," I said. "They were shocked but happy."

"Ours too," James replied. "Only hers thought she was nuts because of all the hateful things she owled to them about me."

"I didn't mean any of that," Lily said rolling her eyes.

"Lil, you called me an 'overgrown, thumb-sucking, juvenile imbecile'," James said.

Remus had to chuckle at that.

"Who," James continued. "Finds humor in playing childish pranks on fellow students. Including one where he glued a first year to the toilet?"

At that I laughed.

"Well," Lily said shifting her weight. "At the time it was cruel. Both you and Sirius had a good laugh at the first years' expense…but secretly I think you traumatized him. I heard he won't go the bathroom now without putting a Skin Protecting Charm on the toilet seat on first."

Remus and I roared with laughter.

"But seeing that it was nearly five years ago," Lily continued as a large grin spread on her face. "I have to admit it was pretty funny."

We all had a good laugh at that.

"Sirius was the King of pranks," James said affectionately. "I'm going to miss him."

"We all will," Remus said quietly.

Silence again.

Then, the compartment door opened. We looked up.

It was a group of first years.

"Hi," the girl said. "Can we sit here?"

"Sure," I said brightly.

There was about four of them total. Two girls and two boys.

James was getting that conspiratorial look in his eye before Lily shoved her elbow into his stomach.

He let out a whoosh of air.

I snorted.

"How was your first year here?" Remus asked brightly.

"Great," one of the boys replied. "It's such a big school but everything is really great. I've learned a lot this year."

"I can't wait to start second year," one of the girls replied. "We get to do more cool things."

"So what about you guys?" the second boy asked. "How was your year?"

We all looked at each other.

How could we reply?

"It was a bit rough," Lily said finally. "But next year will be our last."

"So you're sixth years now right?"

We nodded.

"Wow," the first boy breathed. "I bet you're looking forward to leaving huh?"

"Not really," James said. "We're going to miss Hogwarts when we go."

"Yes," I said nodding. "I know I will."

Remus and Lily nodded.

"By the way," the girl introduced. "I'm Emily Reardon."

"I'm Scott Morris," the second boy introduced himself.

"I'm Melanie Richards,"

"And I'm David Theson,"

"I'm Carrie Owens," I said cheerfully.

"James Potter,"

"Lily Evans,"

"Remus Lupin,"

"Great to meet you all," Melanie replied.

She had mouse brown hair and brown eyes.

The snack tray came around. We bought Caldron Cakes and Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. We shared them with the first years.

The first years began chatting excitedly to one another about what to expect in their second year.

I could tell that they were all best friends. I felt a lump rising in my throat when I thought of Molly, Arthur and Sirius. Three best friends we had…lost.

Molly and Arthur had tried to help us. But at least Luke was sent back to Azkaban and the 'war' Molly and Arthur had told us about seemed to be on hiatus and on hold for now.

I had hoped so. I couldn't take anymore heart ache.

I knew neither could Remus, James or Lily.

I looked out the window.

The sun shone brightly in the clear blue sky. It was June now…hot. The compartments were air conditioned thankfully.

I looked out the compartments glass sliding door. I blinked. It looked like a black dog sitting there. I squinted.

Yep…there was a black dog sitting on its haunches in the corridor.

Sirius.

I got up and slid opened the compartment door. I poked my head out into the corridor, scanning the entire thing.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked worriedly.

"I saw something," I replied still scanning.

"What?" Remus asked.

"A black dog," I replied turning back to them.

"A black dog?" Scott asked. "There are no dogs allowed on the train. Maybe it was just a shadow?"

"Maybe," I said uncertainly.

I sat back down. The first years went back to their conversation…but I knew from the look on Lily, James and Remus' face that they believed me.

"I didn't imagine it," I whispered.

"We know," James said looking at me with a serious expression on his face. "We believe you."

Lily nodded.

"It's probably Sirius keeping an eye on us," she said softly.

Remus put his arm around me and gave me a squeeze.

I had hoped next year would be much better.