Chapter 22 – The Planning
That very night, Sirius gathered his closet friends for years in the boys' dormintory to talk over the problem regarding Raine. With James, Remus and Peter sitting comfortable on his bed, waiting and wondering as Sirius began to explain the whole dilemma of Raine's brother and what he had found out today while in the Three Broomsticks. Sirius took his time, trying to remain calm and hoping his friends would help him. At the end of his small speech, the room fell silent and the three Marauders stared at him with wide eyes.
Uneasy Black gazed at his friend in turn, resting his eyes on James and said, "Will you help?"
"Of course," exclaimed James immediately, "you know that we all like Raine, whatever her past. And may I say for the record, its looks pretty screwed up."
"We should probably inform the Headmaster", spoke out Lupin, "if there is going to be a kidnapping…."
"I can't", complained Padfoot loudly trying to show the frustration building inside, "if I go and tell Professor Dippet then it will be around the whole school the next day, which means Raine would be more of a target in Hogwarts than out!"
"I know," sighed Lupin, "I thought I would just mention the sensible route before we ignore it." He grinned at Black who smiled back gratefully to have him on his side.
"Well, what about you Wormtail?" enquired Black. Peter had gone very pale through Sirius' revelation and his hands were still twisting his clothes in knots but as Peter gazed around the determined faces of his other three friends then he nodded his consent.
"How are we going to know where Raine is all the time?" squeaked out Peter.
"Pete! We have the Marauders' Map for that," said Prongs in a surprised tone, "and if old Padfoot stay glued to her side, which he does most of the time anyway, then it will be easy to spot her."
"I think we need something that we can all use to contact one another," said Remus simply. James and Sirius nodded there approval but felt crestfallen when Lupin continued with, "Any ideas?" Remus shook his head from side to side with laughter. "Don't anyone you actually pay attention in class? We are learning the Protean Charm… so what objects do you carry around daily that won't look out of place?"
"The golden Snitch", mentioned James.
"My rabbit's foot", said Peter quietly.
"Erm…," Sirius was finding it hard to think, "I don't know…"
"What about your little black book?" sniggered James which brought the guys laughing as Sirius' threw a pillow at him.
"I totally forgot about that," muttered Padfoot. "Ok, the black book it is then. Hopefully Raine won't see it."
"Ok then", coughed Remus to gather everyone's interest, "hold them out and I'll cast the spell. When it's done, anyone of us can contact the each other and they will go hot to tell you that other needs help."
"Moony did I ever tell you that you are brilliant," breathed Sirius and then fluttered his eyes, acting like a gushing girl. Remus went red due to the compliment.
"Leave him alone Padfoot," chuckled Potter at his best friend's antics, "he's already got a steady girlfriend…and she is way better looking that you!"
"I thought you were going to take Zelda to the Ball, as friends", stated Black.
"I was…but…Anne…you know."
Sirius grinned outwardly although he felt slightly sad for Zelda who had a massive crush on the quiet Marauder since four year. "I see".
"Don't give me that look," shouted Remus, "I know that look! Its' 'looks like someone is getting lucky'. Anne is sweet."
"Ok", said Sirius, "don't get your wand in a twist."
After Raine had safely tucked her dress in her room so that no one would find it and destroy it, for example, her former best friend Sara who still scowls across the table from her and tries to get the Sirius Black fan club to jeer at Raine at every opportunity. Yep, Raine was happy were she had hidden it and felt a warm glow start in her stomach flowing to every part of her body. She was going with Sirius to his graduation Ball as his official girlfriend.
However, now she was on a quest to find Zelda and asked why she had lied to her. It hurt that Zel couldn't trust her with telling her the truth but then Raine thought that maybe Zelda didn't want any of the gang to know or that Snape had got confused or was lying. Raine could not accept the last one of her conclusions. Severus is always honest to me!
Raine had decided to walk in the direction of the Ravenclaw common room in hope that she would see Zelda. However the plan was shorten as she bumped into someone coming out of the DADA classroom where Professor Dumbledore could be found at all hours.
The familiar violet eyes with brown hair came into Raine's vision as well as a hand to pull her off the floor. "Sorry about that Raine! Didn't see anyone when I was coming out."
"That's ok, Zelda", said Raine, "I was away with the fairies."
"Not thinking about old Sirius again?" exclaimed Zel with a huge smile on her face. "I think that boy has definitely been whipped by you!" And to emphasis her point, Zel did the whipping in the air.
Raine blushed as always when some one brought up her relationship with Black. Even after three weeks of being his girl, it was still surreal. Trying to divert the conversation to what she wanted to know, Raine asked straight out, "Were you really in detention all day because I saw Snape and he said that McGonagall never excluded you from Hogsmeade."
"Ooh, well if Snape said it then it must be true," snapped Zelda which surprised Raine very much as she had never seen Zel so angry before. "Did you ever think Raine, that maybe I didn't want to go? Do I need to inform the whole group of my dislike for Hogsmeade? Do I?"
Raine shook her head, "Of course not. I was worried, that's all."
"Well, there is no need to be!" Zelda raising her voice, "I'm quite capable of looking after myself and here is a little bit of information that you can tell the others as well. I'm not going to the Graduation Ball either so it would have been pointless searching for a dress robe all day!" And without saying goodbye, Zelda swung round and stomped off to the Ravenclaw common room.
Raine was left speechless but her friend. She didn't know where all that anger had come from and if it was suppose to be directed at her or someone else. Also Zel not going to her own Ball was a bit of a shock too. Why wouldn't she be going? mused Raine.
"I would excuse Miss McGregor's outburst there, Miss Jenkins", said a deep voice behind her. She turned round to face Professor Dumbledore, who was stroking his short beard as if it would help it grow quicker. Raine had always liked Dumbledore's classes as he tried to make them exciting and would treat everyone as equals even the Slytherins.
"Sorry Professor, I didn't mean to disturb you", answered Raine.
"Of course not, I am nosey by nature and found myself out here to investigate, so I should be the one apologising", replied Dumbledore smiling at the shy girl in front of him. "Zelda MacGregor has been having a difficult time at home and therefore decided to seek my advice today and missed the trip."
"I just thought I might be able to help", said Raine meekly feeling foolish for hunting for Zelda.
"As any good friend would be", smiled Dumbledore, "however sometimes help can be misplaced if the situation is not revealed. Zelda will come around, my dear, so continue to be a friend. Would you like a lemon sherbet?"
"No thank you, Professor", said Raine. "I'll think I'll go and do my homework now."
"Ahh, yes!" nodded Dumbledore knowledgably, "the bane of any student. Goodnight Miss Jenkins." And with a wave he disappeared into his classroom, clicking the door behind him.
Raine, more puzzled than ever, turned and walked up alone to the common room still thinking about Zelda's behaviour.
Zelda felt ashamed. Her outburst at Raine was uncalled for, there really was no need. The emotions that she had kept well hidden for almost a whole year, came flooding threw at its nearest target and she regretted it instantly.
How in Merlin's name can I ever expose Raine's brother as the murder of my whole family! I hate her sometimes so badly just because she is the nearest thing related to him. I want to curse the Avenging Angel so badly! See how he likes being totrtured! Zelda was disgusted with herself and again the anger burned in her heart. To think that I could ever be friends now! Knowing what I know. I wish Dumbledore never told me!
Tears began to pour down Zelda's face silently as she headed towards the Ravenclaw tower. Her head was low down to hide the oncoming droplets spilling from her face to her clothes.
All I want to do is to go to my bed and cry. Just cry. Then pick myself up in the morning and pretend that life is wonderful. I'll tell Raine something about eating the wrong food…or it's that time of the month. I need to be alone.
Yet destiny hadplans since Snape had been waiting patiently for the one person he had to speak to before tomorrow's ball. When he held an arm out to grab her, he became aware of her tears and the pissed off expression wore.
"An urgent word with you Zelda," said Severus quietly and for the first time in his whole school career, he dragged a girl into the nearest broom closet. He closed the closet, making sure that it indeed was closed and put a silencing spell over the door. The cupboard had to be the smallest one in the whole of Hogwarts as there was barely four inches between Zelda and himself. "Lumos", he said quietly, untrustworthy of the charm he had place a second ago. "Why are you crying?", the way his cold tone pronounced the words made it sound unfeeling but both were surprised at the exchange.
"I have been informed that it was Raine's brother who killed my whole family last summer", stated Zelda with no emotion and had stopped crying from the shock of Severus Snape's invisible strength and odd behaviour.
"I see." The silence entered for five minutes as each one stared at the other, trying to gauge the situation.
Zelda broke the competition first by saying, "You know Severus, I don't know if I should be grateful or highly offended that you have me in here, and not snogging me silly."
"I don't care for such things", Severus eyes were flashing with annoyance.
"Glad to hear it", said Zelda, "I have you booked down for a romantic, sweep me off my feet type." Snape became rigid and stood very still. "Well, I do", exclaimed Zel. "But I don't think that's why I'm in a closet, although if you want to….I have always had a thing for the bad guys when I was younger and you count since you have Slytherin and being a Death Eater on your side."
"I'm here about a kidnapping", snapped Severus.
"Killjoy", muttered Zelda.
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So…what do you think? Do you like? Do you hate? I can't believe the end is nigh! Of course, we all know it's going to happen at the Ball! Excited I am! Again reviewing is an important thing, in some sense it's like voting. By the way – is it me or is getting complicated with all this new stuff to upload? It probably my fault I don't read half the notices! Sorry I'm off on a tangent!