MAELSTROM

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX-REMUS' ACCIDENT

CARRIE.

I stood, completely shocked.

I really didn't want to separate. I was hoping a solution would present itself. I loved Remus more than life.

Jenna was sobbing hysterically into her pillow.

"I'll try and talk to him okay?" I said reassuringly.

Jenna just continued to sob. I gave her a hug and kiss before rushing after Remus.

"Remus!" I called jogging after him.

He spun around and faced me.

"Carrie," he said. "I couldn't feel any more horrible right now that I bit you. You're absolutely right. I knew no one in the room would've hurt her. I over-reacted. But suppose I do that again and actually end up hurting Jenna as well? I couldn't live with myself."

"Remus," I said choking back tears. "Jenna's sobbing hysterically into her pillow right now. She doesn't want us to separate."

Remus looked choked up as well.

"I'll stop by later and talk to her," he said his voice shaking.

I burst into tears. Remus wrapped his arms around me and pulled me tightly against him. I pressed my face into his chest and sobbed hysterically into his chest.

"I love you, Carrie," Remus whispered.

When he pulled back, he gently took my face in his hands and kissed me. I kissed him back softly and gently.

He released me and walked off down the corridor. I spun around, hugging myself as tears continued to streak down my cheeks.

"Are you alright?" a voice asked from behind.

I turned around. It was Snape.

"Remus and I split," I sobbed.

"Is it because of the werewolf issue?" Snape asked quietly.

"How'd you know?" I demanded accusingly.

"I recognized symptoms," Snape said. "I might be able to help you and Remus."

"How?"

"There's a Potion I can make that will slow down transformations," he replied. "I can make it tonight and give you and Remus a dose. It has to be taken every full moon though otherwise you will change."

I felt hope rising in my chest.

"Why are you helping me?" I asked wiping the tears from my eyes with the back of my hands.

"Lupin asked the same question earlier," Snape said coldly. "I'm doing it for the school."

"Will you make it?" I asked.

Snape nodded.

"Tell Remus about it. He has to take it tomorrow night though. You too,"

With that, he walked down the corridor, his black robes billowing out behind him.

Halloween came.

"It's either really dangerous or valuable," I was saying to Harry.

"Both maybe," Harry mused.

We were both stumped as to what would need such heavy guarding and Harry filled me in on the package moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts.

Jenna was pushing food around her plate the following morning at breakfast. She had one hand holding up her head while she toyed with the food. Her eyes were red and puffy. She looked like she hadn't slept at all last night.

Harry and Hermione expressed their concerns.

"I'm fine okay?" Jenna snapped and dropped her fork onto her plate with a clatter. She got up and abruptly left the Gryffindor table and Hall.

"She's upset because Remus and I split up," I said quietly.

"Why? I can obviously see you two love each other!" Hermione said surprised.

"Bit complicated," I said.

"Either way, if you're hurting Jenna it can't be a good decision," Hermione said matter-of-factly.

Just then, the Owl post arrived. Several screech owls delivered a parcel and dropped it onto the table in front of us.

Another owl dropped a letter. Harry ripped open the letter first.

He read it and then showed it to Hermione and I:

DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE.

It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or else they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your first training lesson.

Professor McGonagall

Harry's face was filled with absolute delight.

We got up to leave the Hall when Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle barred upstairs.

Malfoy snatched the parcel from Harry's hand.

"Don't you have anything better to do then harass us?" I snapped angrily.

"Nope," Malfoy said. "And that's a broomstick. You're in for it now, Potter."

He tossed it back to Harry.

"Not just any broomstick," I smirked. "A Nimbus Two Thousand."

I couldn't resist it.

"Is everything okay?" Professor Flitwick squeaked suddenly appearing at Malfoy's elbows.

"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," Malfoy said quickly.

"Yes," Flitwick said brightly. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"

"A Nimbus Two Thousand, sir," Harry replied. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I got it."

He and Hermione headed up the stairs.

I playfully ruffled Malfoy's hair before following after them, leaving Malfoy to stew.

Hermione went to the library at seven while Harry headed out to the Quidditch pitch. I found Remus curled up on the couch reading a book.

"Hi," I said quietly as I sat down across from him.

"Hey," he said.

I began telling him about the potion.

"Snape thinks it will help," I finished.

"I don't trust Snape," Remus replied. "There's bound to be a hidden agenda there."

"Remus," I said. "I don't want to separate! It's killing Jenna! Have you seen her?"

Remus shook his head and at that moment, Jenna entered the common room.

Remus' eyes moved onto her.

"Oh," Jenna said looking upset. "I'll leave."

"No," I said firmly. "Come here."

Jenna obediently came over.

"Please tell me you can't see it," I said showing Remus Jenna's expression.

Remus sighed.

"Carrie…"

"Dad please!" Jenna exploded. "I don't want you two to separate!"

"Jenna," Remus said calmly as he gently pulled Jenna toward him. "If I hurt you like I hurt your Mum, it's killing me."

"Professor Snape might have a solution," I explained to her.

"THEN HEAR HIM OUT!" Jenna cried.

Jenna began shaking.

I could see Jenna was getting to Remus.

He sighed.

"Fine,"

Jenna threw her arms around Remus and hugged him tightly.

"I love both you and Mum…I don't want anything to cause you to split," she whispered into Remus' shoulder.

Remus' arms tightened around Jenna and he pressed his face into her hair and closed his eyes.

I went over and hugged them too. Remus gave me a kiss.

Two months went by. It felt as if it was only yesterday.

Remus began taking the potion. It was working and I started taking it as well.

Jenna was back to her happy self again.

Remus and I sat in the back of Charms class.

"Now don't forget the nice wrist movement," Professor Flitwick squeaked. "The swish and flick."

Jenna was having a bit of trouble with it, but Hermione managed it quite well.

Hermione told Jenna she was doing it wrong.

"She's such a bossy, know it all," Jenna muttered to Harry as we headed out into the crowded corridor.

Someone jostled me as they went by…Hermione. She was sobbing.

"Nice Jenna," I scolded. "She heard you."

Hermione hadn't turned up during the next classes. I was getting worried.

On our way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, Harry, Jenna and I overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone.

I could see Jenna as looking guilty and awkward. I felt awful too. Hermione was really just trying to help after all.

We entered the Hall. A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling, while thousand more swooped over the tables. The feast appeared suddenly on gold plates as it had at the start of the term banquet.

Harry was just helping himself to a baked potato when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair and gasped, "Troll—in the dungeons—thought you ought to know."

He sank to the floor in a dead faint.

There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.

"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

The Gryffindor Prefect was in her element.

"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"

"How could a troll get in?" Harry mused.

"Maybe Peeves left it in for Halloween as a joke," I suggested.

Just as we reached the Hufflepuffs table, I grabbed Harry's arm.

"I've just realized! Hermione and Remus!" I said. "They don't know about the troll!"

Panic settled in my chest.

"Let's go," Harry said.

I turned to Jenna.

"Follow the Prefect. We'll meet you back in the common room,"

She nodded and hurried off.

Harry and I followed the Hufflepuffs going the other way, slipped down a deserted side corridor and hurried off to the girl's bathroom.

I was surprised to find Remus standing outside the bathroom.

"Remus! There's a troll in the dungeons!" I cried.

His face drained of all color.

"I was just about to come and check on Hermione because I hadn't seen her around. Parvati told me she was in the bathroom crying. What happened?" he asked.

"She overheard Jenna saying something," I replied.

Remus, Harry and I spied Snape creeping along the next corridor. We quietly followed.

About a minute later, we heard low grunting and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet.

At the end of the passage, something huge was moving toward us.

We shrank back into the shadows as the thing came into light. It was twelve feet tall; its skin was a dull granite gray with a small bald head. The legs were short and thick. It dragged a huge wooden club because its arms were so long.

It slouched slowly into a room.

"Lock it in!" Remus whispered.

We edged toward the opened door and we finally managed to grab the key, slam the door and lock it in.

Just as we were about to leave, we heard a petrified scream.

"Hermione," Harry said his face draining of all color. "It's in the girls' bathroom."

We quickly unlocked the door and ran inside.

Hermione was shrinking against the wall opposite the troll looking as if she was about to faint. The troll was advancing on her, swinging the club and knocking sinks off the walls as it went.

"Confuse it!" I said desperately to Remus.

Harry grabbed a tap and threw it as hard as he could against the wall.

The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly to see what made the noise.

It spied Remus and to my horror, lifted its club and took a swing at him.

"NOOO!" I screamed.

The club connected with Remus' side and from the force, Remus was thrown into the air and crash landed on an already broken stall. He landed on his side and didn't move.

"Oy, pea-brain!" Harry snarled as he threw a metal pipe at it.

It paused, giving me time to run around it and I rushed over to Remus.

Harry rushed over to Hermione and went to pull her, but she was still frozen with terror.

The shouting and echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk.

It roared again and started toward me, but then Harry did something that was both brave and stupid. He jumped and managed to fasten his arms around the trolls' neck from behind and rammed his wand up the trolls' nose.

I pulled out my wand and aimed it at the troll. I said the first charm that came to mind.

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

The club lifted in the air and dropped with a sickening crack onto the trolls head. It swayed on the spot for a moment before falling flat on its face with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

Harry stayed with Hermione as she sank to the floor in fright.

"Is it—dead?" Hermione squeaked.

"I don't think so," Harry said. "I think it's knocked out. Are you okay?"

Hermione nodded.

Harry bent down and pulled his wand out of the trolls' nostril.

"Eww, troll boogers," he cringed.

A sudden slamming and footsteps made us look up.

Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, followed by Snape and Professor Quirrell bringing up the rear.

McGonagall looked really angry. I returned my eyes onto Remus.

I put a hand on his shoulder. Snape came over to me, crouched down beside me and looked up at me.

"What happened?" he asked quietly.

"The troll swiped at him with the club," I said my lower lip trembling.

Snape felt Remus' neck with his index finger and middle finger. I was praying that Remus would be alright.

"There's a pulse, but faint," Snape said.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" Professor McGonagall snarled. "You're lucky you weren't killed! Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Snape gave Harry a swift, piercing look. Harry looked down at his feet.

"Please, Professor—they were looking for me," Hermione said in a small voice.

"Miss Granger!"

"I went looking for the troll because I—I thought I could deal with it on my own—you know, because I've read all about them. If they hadn't shown up I would probably be dead."

Harry and I looked at each other. Hermione was lying to a teacher?

"Harry stuck his wand up the trolls' nose and Mrs. Lupin knocked it out with its own club,"

"Well—in that case," said Professor McGonagall. "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a full grown mountain troll on your own? Because of that, someone is severely injured."

She gestured to Remus lying unconscious.

Hermione hung her head. I knew she hadn't meant to injure anyone on purpose.

"It was an accident, Professor McGonagall," I offered quietly. "She didn't intentionally mean for this to happen."

"But she did decide to go after the troll," McGonagall said reasonably. "There was bound to be some injuries. Five points will be taken from Gryffindor. Professor Snape, please help Mrs. Lupin and Mr. Lupin up to the hospital wing. Miss Granger and Mr. Potter, please return to your common room."

As Hermione passed me, I gently reached out and squeezed her arm. I gave Harry wink before Snape magicked Remus onto a stretcher and I followed him.