Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that are familiar to you. They are owned by J.K Rowling, and this fan fiction is written solely for entertainment.

Chapter 14: After Shock

The sun shone into the dormitory brightly, baking down on my face. There was the loud ringing, telling all the students to start getting up, making me jump up straight.

After what had happened last night, I had gotten a major migraine. I blinked my eyes adjusting to the light and looked over a Kelsey. She was known for her common headaches and apparently, she had one too. I rubbed at my temples slowly and groaned with lack of sleep. We had been in the Whomping Willow until WAY after hours and I barely had enough sleep.

Stretching my sore bones, I slowly flipped my legs over the edge of the bed. I blew the hair out of my face, and bent down in my trunk for a clean uniform. I glanced at Lily and Kelsey.

They smiled weakly before immediately concentrating back on their clothes.

"Where were you three last night? You didn't come in to the dorm until I was asleep," Cecily asked us.

Lily's head shot up.

Kelsey jerked her head away from people's sight.

I bit my lip painfully.

"We were…talking to Professor Dumbledore! We needed to ask him something. I can't even remember what!" Lily said, trying to laugh.

Kelsey and I "laughed" with her and nodded quickly. The other's nodded and laughed too.

I looked nervously at Lily and Kelsey. They looked quite relived. As was I.

We made our way out into the courtyard towards the Great Hall. We decided we needed some sunshine, so we took the long way. I was still completely shaken by what had happened last night.

Lily seemed just as shaken once she had realized it was never a dream.

The three of us were rather quiet during the walk outside. We passed the Whomping Willow as usual.

I glanced at it, trying to act like I was just looking at it like everyone else did, but every time I looked at those flailing branches I would just shiver.

Being close to it, let alone NEAR it was incredibly frightening and Lily and Kelsey agreed with me.

"Look at that thing," Cecily said nodding towards the Willow. "That thing could blow someone to pieces." You have no idea, I thought to myself.

"I know really! What is it doing there anyways? I mean, that little boy the other year nearly got his eye popped out! Who would WANT to go near that thing!" Alice said.

Cecily nodded in agreement.

"Can't imagine," I said hoarsely. "Let's get to the Great Hall, I'm starving!" I added, changing the subject.

I rushed ahead, leaving the others confused a few feet behind me.

I hurried into the Great Hall, flushed in my cheeks. The others caught up with me a second later.

"Let's sit right there," Alice said, pointing to a free space at the Gryffindor table. We sat down quickly, helping ourselves to some food.

Kelsey, Lily and I were again silent during the meal pretending to giggle and smile at what the others were saying. I was talking to Alice when someone accidentally slammed into my shoulder.

"OW! Hey!" I exclaimed, turning around quickly at who had collided into me. It was Sirius. He had been bumped back slightly from the impact, but kept walking.

"Oh, sorry," he said quickly before turning back to James and Peter. Remus must still be in the Hospital Wing.

Lily and Kelsey glanced at the Marauders, but quickly whirled back to their plates as they passed.

My brow involuntarily creased. OH SORRY? OH SORRY! After what had happened at the Whomping Willow with a werewolf, Snape and all that terrifying stuff, they pass as if it never happened! The nerve after the horror I had experienced and all I get is an Oh, SORRY!

Lily looked at me with an expression of the same feeling I had. I shrugged with frustration.

Professor McGonagall clinked her knife against her goblet. This was the cue to start heading to your first class. Getting up, we all started for the door, when I felt a hard tap on my left shoulder.

I turned around to see McGonagall's pursed lips and deep, strict eyes staring down at me. Kelsey and Lily had stopped too. McGonagall turned to the others.

"Move along to your first class, I'd like to speak to Miss Evans, Jistel and Lefave alone please." She said. Alice and Cecily shrugged and hurried toward Defense Against the Dark Arts.

When they were out of earshot, Professor McGonagall pointed down a corridor.

"Professor Dumbledore is waiting for the three of you in his office. Not to worry, you are not in trouble. Now, follow me," she said sternly, turning swiftly down the corridor making the three of us nearly have to run after her.

She stopped in front of a statue of what looked like a hippogriff.

"Baffledum," she exclaimed, hands raised towards the statue.

Instantly, the statue began to turn, revealing a staircase at the top as the statue stairs rose. Kelsey leaped onto the staircase.

Lily and I followed. When the staircase came to a stop, we were standing in front of a large, wooden door. We stood there for a long moment.

"Go on," I whispered to Lily. "He doesn't bite," Lily nodded and hesitantly pushed open the door.

The door swung to reveal a MASSIVE room filled with things I've never even seen of before. Fawkes squawked in the most intriguing way possible.

"Cool..." Kelsey gasped in awe. Strangely, Dumbledore was not in the room, which made me more nervous.

"Ah, I've been waiting for you three," came a voice from the top of a small staircase by Dumbledore's desk. Dumbledore smiled, eyes twinkling as usual. The three of us stood there nervously.

"Please, sit down," Dumbledore said, gesturing to three chars in front of his desk. We quickly sat down, looking down into our laps.

There was another awkward silence until Professor Dumbledore spoke up.
"I was informed by Mister Snape of what happened last night," he began.

The three of us instantly jumped into explanations, but Dumbledore held up his hand to silence us.

"I am not angry with you all. You did a VERY brave thing, besides quite frankly being a Gryffindor and saving a Slytherin," he said. Lily shrugged.

"I wouldn't say we were technically SAVING Snape, Professor. It's my fault actually. Caroline heard Sirius and I just didn't want anything to happen-"
"I understand," Dumbledore interrupted. "As I would have done the same thing. And because of that, I'm awarding 50 points to each of you." He declared. Lily, Kelsey and I brightened up a little.

"Did anything strange happen down there in the shack?" he asked. Lily shook her head.

"James Potter turned up. I guess he knew how to get into the Whomping Willow," she said.

"He looked awfully worried, Professor. He went into the Willow after he made us come back up to the castle. Sirius wasn't that far behind him." Kelsey said. Dumbledore nodded.

"I see. I thank you. You may go back to class. And from what you've told me, Sirius Black and James Potter had a great deal to do with this, naturally. I'll have Professor McGonagall send them to me. Thank you again."

Dumbledore told us as we made our way towards the door. We nodded and hurried out. Lily stopped me once we had gotten down into the corridor.
"Is Potter going to get in trouble?"

"I don't know. What do you ask?"

"No reason. I was just wondering." She said quietly.

I glanced at Kelsey.

"Sirius will naturally." She added quickly. "But I have to ask you…"

"What?"

"Why would Snape want to go to the Whomping Willow? Why would Sirius send him there? It's dangerous obviously, but he got into that passageway so what exactly is the sense or importance of it? What could possibly be down there?"

I thought quickly but I couldn't think of any excuse.

"That's just it. There is no sense to it. It was just a prank." I said.

Lily nodded and we continued to Defense Against the Dark Arts.