Friends? ? ?
With Lenore's acceptant of Sirius' apology, the seven students began to
hang out together. Maia and Lenore were welcomed into the group. Despite
the cold fall weather, turning to winter, they spent a lot of time in the
court yard. The boys would watch as the girls spent much of their lunch
breaks dancing.
In fact, the Marauders found that having Len and Maia around to be rather helpful. In addition to their help with school work, they were pretty good at plotting details for pranks. Len seemed especially good at getting rid of the evidence. Not that she admitted it, but that was one thing that she'd helped Bas with while they were growing up.
About mid-November, Lenore had another catastrophe in potions. This one blew up like a rocket. Sending the cauldron straight up into the Transfiguration lesson above them. The falling cauldron landed upended with its contents right over Len's head. She was knocked out. That was a good thing, the potion had burned a large portion of her face, shoulders and upper body. Maia who'd been standing next to her, had gotten splashed and had minor burns on her arm and legs.
Len awoke in the hospital later that night. She groaned in pain. She tried to remember what had happened. She couldn't remember, must have been a potion. She mused, it was normally a potion. Lenore tried to sit up. The room was empty. -Where's M. Pomfrey? Normally she'd already be over here yelling at me.-
-Boy, do I hurt!- Len winced in pain as she decided that moving was a bad idea. She lay there still as what happened played back in her mind. -Great, Drake's going to fail me now! I hope Maia's alright. Well she can't have been hurt, or she'd still be here.-
M. Pomfrey came back into the room then. She came over to check on Lenore. Poppy was rather surprised to see her awake. "Ohhh, you've woken up. How are you feeling?"
"I hurt." Len replied, her throat sounded horse.
"I'll get you something for the pain." She replied. "Do you remember what happened?"
"The usual, potion went wrong." Lenore replied. "Did it really go through the ceiling?"
"That's what I heard." M Pomfrey chuckled. "You certainly do manage to cause some destruction. I was starting to think that you no longer liked to come to visit me. I haven't seen you here in almost a month." She retrieved a potion for her. "Not that I want you to get hurt dear. I'd heard a rumour that you were getting better with your potions."
"Apparently not." Lenore replied. "Slow night?" She took the offered potion, a minute after swallowing the pain started to reseed.
"Not with you around. " She smiled warmly. "Now, my favourite patient, its time for you to get some sleep."
The next morning, Maia came to visit Lenore before going to class. Lenore was getting a retelling of events after she'd been knocked out.
"At least you didn't have to listen to him yelling." Maia giggled.
"True enough." Lenore replied. "Did he expel me?"
"He can't, remember. It had to be the head of our house to do that, or Professor Dumbledore of course." Maia comforted. "So don't worry about that."
"I'm afraid that it's time you were off to class, Miss. Crestwing." M. Pomfrey told her.
"Get better alright! I'll see you at lunch." Maia called as she headed off to class.
Lenore spent most of the day reading her course books. While M. Pomfrey refused to let her go to class she said there was no reason for her not to study. Maia came in at lunch. She waved to M. Pomfrey, Maia looked around the infirmary, then came over to Len.
"What?" Len asked. Slightly confused by Maia's actions.
"Oh, it's just that Remus is sick today. I thought I'd say hi, but he's not here." Maia replied. Sitting beside Lenore's bed. "Have you had a good day?"
"Alright, how bad's the homework?" Len asked. Maia shrugged.
"It's about normal. Have you heard how long you're going to be in here?" Maia asked.
"Not yet. Boss lady won't tell me." Len smiled. Then dropped her voice to a whisper. "Don't worry about Remus. He's probably just playing hooky or something like that."
"You're likely right." Maia replied. "Oh are you going home for Christmas?"
"Yeah, Bas is home from training." Lenore smiled. "I can't wait. I hope I'll be well enough to go into Hogsmead this weekend I still have presents to get."
"For someone who claims not to believe in Christmas. You sure do seem to enjoy it." Maia teased her. Lenore tried to look disgruntled. However the bandages obscured the look on her face.
"I think it's just hypocritical. I think that you should always be nice to others, and that there should always be peace and joy." Lenore corrected. "So, have you finished your shopping yet?"
"You know I haven't." Maia returned. "I'm a Just-in-time girl." Maia looked around again, then leaned in. "Are you getting stuff for you know-?"
"I was thinking about it." Lenore smiled. The act hurt her healing burns. She let out a small whimper. "I've got some great ideas."
"Are you and Si, going to like be official then???" Maia asked delighted.
"Ahhh, no." Len replied. "I may have forgiven him. But I don't think that I'm ready for that just yet. What about you?"
"No. I think not." Maia blushed. She had a crush on Remus. She had tried to hint for him to ask her, without success. "He's like totally not interested in me."
"Untrue." Len told her. "He's always trying to tickle you, bump into you., lean in to get a better look at your notes. He's totally hot for you."
"That's why he keeps asking out all those other girls, right?" Maia sounded a cross between sceptical and hurt.
"Yeah, because he doesn't care if they say *no*." Len told her. "I think that you should just ask him." Maia blushed furiously.
"No, way. Girls don't ask boys out." Maia looked horrified at the prospect. "Besides the fact is it makes me look easy and desperate, what if he turns me down??"
"He won't." Len assured her. "Okay, try the not so direct as to hit him over the head with a club, get him something really nice and intimate for the holiday."
"That could work." Maia thought.
Len whispered, "So long as he isn't as dense as Sirius." Maia giggled. They talked for a little while longer, until M. Pomfrey told Maia that it was time she was off to class. Maia waved as she left, promising to return after classes.
The next day Maia found it strange that Remus was still *sick* but not in the infirmary. I mean it was easy for any teacher to find out if he was faking it. If he wasn't then, where was he???
Maia mentioned this to Len that lunch break. "It's just strange."
"Well, you know that he's always been sickly. I mean think about it. He regularly has periods of leave." Len rationalized. "Maybe, he has to get treatments at St Mungos' or something." Len trying to stretch out her arm. Testing the newly healed skin. She winced, noting it was still tender.
"If that were true, they would have told us. Wouldn't they?" Maia suddenly sounded confused. Len gave her a don't-be-silly look. "You're right. It's just odd. I hope he's alright."
"I'm sure he's fine." Len thought about it. "You know if he were a chick, I'd say he just got really bad cramps." They chuckled for a second. Then a light went on in Maia's head.
"You're right! He does get sick like once a month." Maia replied.
"Maia, leave it alone. It's not worth stressing over." Len told her. "Besides it's Remus' business. Not ours."
"You're telling me you aren't the slightest bit curious?" Maia knew better. Len had to have answers as much as she did. It was one of the reasons that they got along so very well. "Do you mind terribly if I don't come to visit after lessons? I want to get some research done."
"Right. I'll be fine. I've got my books." Len replied, knowing exactly what she would be researching. "Besides Lily and the Marauders said that they'd try to come by. That is if they could fit me into their schedule, between pranks, eating and quidditch."
"Oh, Sirius will fit you in. Even if that means that he has to get kicked out of the game and Gryffindor lose to Slytherin. He'd make time to see you." Maia teased.
"Maia you're crazy. He only likes me, because I'm a challenge." Len insisted.
"Not true." Maia replied. "He asks me about you like after every time I'm in to see you."
"Then why doesn't he come himself?" Len asked sounding as if she didn't believe Maia.
"Because M. Pomfrey, only lets me come in, in the mornings and at lunch." Maia stated. "Everyone else has to wait until asked class." She smiled. "And if you haven't notice, Sirius has been here every day. I even heard from Lily, that he goes up to their tower to get cleaned up before he comes to see you. I'm telling you he's crazy about you."
"Whatever, Maia. You'd best get to class." Len said shaking her head slightly. "Have fun in the Library." Maia waved to her friend as she left. Len leaned back into the pillows. The burns had been severe, they required 3 applications of the burn salve to heal. Len found that her ears hurt worst of all her burns, will with the exception of the ones on her breast, but she didn't mention that.
Len fell asleep reading the History of the Goblin War. Same old shit, she read it before, and it still bored her. She awoke sometime that afternoon to find none other that Snape sitting watching over her. She gasped in shock.
"Sorry, did I startle you?" He asked quietly. He made no move toward her. Lenore guessed that he was worried if he'd frighten her. In truth his eyes (so dark grey they looked black), his black hair and pale skin (despite his hours of Quidditch practise) did make an ominous picture to wake-up to, especially when not expecting to see him.
"A little. Did I sleep all afternoon?" Len asked groggy from her nap.
"Sorry." Severus replied shyly. "No, I had last period free. M. Pomfrey let me sit with you so long as I didn't wake you. I didn't think that you would want anyone else to see me in here, but I had to see how you were. That was a rather nasty explosion."
"Thanks." Lenore smiled. She left it unclear as to why exactly she was thanking him. Severus thought that it was to his timing in not being seen. Lenore meant it for his concern.
"I bet Drake is happy that I'm missing his class."
"True. He is, and sorry to say, so are most of you're fellow students." Snape told her. To his surprised she smiled at this.
"Don't blame them really. It's much safer when I'm not there." Lenore admitted. "Hey this is actually one of my better years, with no small thanks owed to you. This year, I've been much better."
"That frightens me." Snape replied all very serious. Len burst out laughing. "What?"
"Oh, nothing. You just looked cute when you shuddered at that realization." Len told him. M. Pomfrey poked her head out of the office to see the source of the laughter.
"Lenore Nightshade, you settle down, or I won't clear you for the trip to Hogsmead." She scolded. Lenore nodded to her, as she quieted her laughter. "As for you Mr. Snape, I don't want you to tiring her out. She's had a rough time." It was Snape's turn to nod solemnly. The difference was he meant it, Lenore was just placating her.
"I supposed that I should be off. Classes will be over soon, and I'm sure you'll have plenty more visitors. It wouldn't be fair if I'd exhausted you out before they got you see you." Snape said rising from his seat.
"PSst! They visit every day, you don't." Len replied honestly. "I think that you should stay a little longer." She smiled sweetly.
Snape did a mental double take. Had she really asked him to stay? How could he every have refused that smile. He returned to his seat. "Well I guess a few more minutes won't hurt. The burns look to be healing nicely. Do they still hurt?"
"A little. My ears are particularly sensitive." Lenore replied. "I so want to chop my hair all off right now. Every time it falls on my ears it feels like sandpaper. It's driving me crazy. Because my scalp is burned too, Maia isn't allowed to fix it."
"Have you tried a charm on it?" Snape asked quietly. His mind tried to recall a simple charm to tie one's hair back. He personally liked his to hang lose about his shoulders. It made him look imposing, so he was told. His early growth spurt, which made him taller than most boys his year, heck most boy in the school, only added to that imposing figure he seemed to present. He liked that thought. Since he knew he'd never be loved like the Marauders, he might as well be feared.
"I don't know any. I've always had Maia do my heir. She does such a good job without magic." Lenore replied. She tired to sit up a bit more and winced. Snape hurriedly jumped up, concerned for her.
"You alright?" He asked compassionately.
"Fine, I'm still just a little sensitive." She assured him. "Thanks for your concern. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." He looked at her confused for a moment. "That you're actually human, and that you in fact do have a heart."
A small smile crept onto his stern features. He looked shy for a moment, before resetting his mask of indifference. He mentally scolded himself. Why did he have such a hard time keeping his mask up around her? "It's not like anyone would believe you."
"True." She replied back. Her smile this time he realized, held secrets. Her eyes he realized were as masked from the world as his were. He wondered what she would have to hide. "But we know differently."
"Just remember, don't tell or I'll stop tutoring you. Then you'll spend most of the rest of the year in here." He teased her. "I should really go. Classes will end soon. If I'm not out of here, then I shall have to wound myself to have a plausible excuse to being here."
"Eri, you wouldn't really . . ." Lenore started, the Severus shook his head *no*. She smiled, "Don't worry me like that. Alright, I suppose you're right. You should go, before your reputation is damaged."
"Here I thought that it was you're reputation that would be damaged." He replied seriously. Again she giggled.
"I'm not the one, who's supposed to be an anti-social grump without a heart." She stated. Normally those words would have had a bitter edge to them, but not coming from her. They sounded almost like a compliment, a friendly joke.
"Right, my mistake." Snape replied. "Class is boring without you, hurry back. I do so love to hear Drake yelling at you."
"I don't." Lenore commented. "Bye Eri."
He left her after that. That night his mind replayed the conversation. Was she flirting with me, or just being friendly? Was she really happy to see me, or just glad for company? What was she hiding behind her mask? Why have I never seen it before?
Lenore was released that Friday. Although Len believed that she really should have been released Thursday but M. Pomfrey didn't want her to be back in potions yet. She was allowed to go on the Hogsmead trip, so long as she was careful. She was not to let anyone touch her shoulders, back, well her upper body in general. Lenore whined bitterly, her hair was a mess, and the cool, soft showers were just not as relaxing as her normal hot ones.
Lily taught her a few simple hair charms. Which Lenore only used grudgingly so as to keep her hair from scratching her new and rather sensitive skin. Maia assured her it looked fine, but Lenore hated it. "In some ways I'm very much my Muggle mother's daughter, when it comes to my hair, I very much am." Lenore insisted.
Maia and Lily, enlisted the Marauders aid to ensure that no one touched Lenore's new skin. Sirius was especially protective, both through the halls of the school and during their shopping in Hogsmead. The three girls giggled about it, for Lily also thought that it was rather sweet. They had a great time in Hogsmead, until Lucious Malfoy decided that it was a great opportunity for revenge.
The girls had separated from the boys, as they wanted to do some Holiday shopping, while the boys wanted to get supplies for upcoming pranks. They agreed to meet at the 3-Broomsticks for Butteredbeer at noon.
"Snape, hurry up!" Malfoy ordered. He planned to cover the girls with itching powder as they came out of some clothing shop. "How can they be taking this long? That pitiful excuse for a store isn't the big."
"Is this really necessary?" Severus asked. Malfoy looked coldly at him.
"Are you going soft? Just remember what that little bitch did to my hair. Not to mention all the things that Lily Evens has done. They deserve it. Besides it'll hurt a lot less than some of the curses I'd originally planed."
"I'm not going soft. I just think that an open assault like this will get us caught." Snape replied in his most logical tone, completely devoid of emotion. While inside he was screaming at himself to beat Malfoy senseless before he could do this. Perhaps he'd miss and the powder would land on Lily and Maia. While uncomfortable for them, it wouldn't cause the damage it would to Lenore's new skin. Snape readied his wand to make a gust of wind to blow the itching powder away from Lenore. "The teachers are likely the least of the worries. You are aware how that dolt Black is fawning over her?"
"That prat? We'll be long gone before he's around." Malfoy boasted. "What can he do to us? He's too slow witted to manage to curse us, besides we know more curses than he does. What's with the wand, Severus?"
"I was going to make sure the wind didn't interfere." Snape covered quickly.
"Good thinking." Malfoy sneered. "Those little Mudbloods won't know what hit them. It'll be hilarious to see them jumping around, stripping off their cloths to get it off." He grinned wickedly. Snape sneered.
-Malfoy is insane.- Severus concluded. -It's the only reason the he would risk the temper of the Marauders, especially the brute Sirius for a cheep thrill.-
The girls came out chatting away. Lenore was unfortunately in the middle of the others. Severus cursed, he couldn't make that look like the wind *accidentally* shifted away from her now. Snape thought of hexing Malfoy before he had a chance to drop the powder, however Malfoy was too fast.
Malfoy cast a small cloud, which snowed the girls with itching powder. Lily and Maia began to scratch and look around. Lenore on the other hand began to cry out in pain almost instantly. The cloud was still snowing on them and followed them when they tried to move. Lily conjured an umbrella to hide Len for the powder. Maia concentrated helping her friend out of her cloak.
Malfoy began to laugh hysterically at the girls' distress. Snape pulled the other boy away, not wanting to be seen. He secretly hoped that this would help allow Lenore a chance to get away from the *snow*.
"Malfoy, are you crazy?! Do you want to get caught?" Severus snapped at him. "Shut up! They'll hear you."
"No they won't. Not over the crying of that little git." Luscious laughed. "And so what if they do? Those little girls are too busy worrying about their hair to do anything else."
"We should move ourselves far away from here. So as not to be considered involved." Snape insisted. Luscious looked at him a moment before grabbing his arm.
"Just let me take one more look." He replied maliciously. "While they may be filthy mudbloods, they are still sort of cute."
Severus rolled his eyes. "I'm leaving. I'll be by Bolts Books." Snape stalked off. He didn't want Malfoy to follow him. He thought that if he didn't put some distance between the two of them that he might kill Malfoy. He actually hoped that the Marauders would stumble upon Malfoy, and beat him to a bloody pulp.
Meanwhile the girls frantically tried to get the powder off Lenore. Maia had her cloak removed, and directed her back toward the store. The itching powder burned her sensitive skin badly. Len couldn't see through the tears in her eyes. Lily ignoring her discomfort looked around for who would have pranked them like this. She heard laughter coming from the alley but was too worried over Len to check it out.
"Help!!!" Maia cried getting back inside. "Please, my friend needs help."
Lily followed and tried to explain what happened while the sales-witch as Maia helped Lenore out of her robes. The sales-witch gasp at the state of Len's shoulders. The new skin had blistered and split in places. Len sobbed in pain, unable to do anything else. Lily and Maia got mad, as they too removed their cloaks and robes.
"Who would have done this?" The Sales-witch asked the girls. Being very careful not to do any further damage, while trying to remove any powder residue from her.
"I don't know, but when I find him --" Lily's threat was obvious. "Len? How bad is it?"
"At least the cauldron knocked me out." Len whimpered. "How am I going to get back to the school? I can't wear anything on my shoulders! Apart from being nearly December, I'm not walking back topless."
"Agreed. So what are we going to do?" Maia asked. She was rinsing of the residue from her skin, and shook out her hair, trying to get rid on as much as possible.
"I'm not sure yet." Lily replied, it was obvious that she was the angriest of the three.
"Well, Miss Nightshade is welcome to stay hidden here in the back until you figure it out." The sales-witch offered. "I'd heard of pranks at the school, but I never thought that they were this vicious. Those Marauders have gone too far with this one."
"It wasn't them." the three chorused defensively. "They are friends of ours." Lily continued. "They might have dumped itch powder on us once Lenore's shoulders had healed, but not right now. They knew how sensitive she is."
"Well someone sure doesn't seem to like you three." She commented. "Would you like a glass of water dear?" She asked Lenore, who was now calmer, and only sobbed occasionally. She looked to the other 2 girls who nodded and said their thanks. Lenore nodded *yes*, she was shivering from the cool as she sat in only her bra and jeans. The Sales-witch left to get the girls a drink to help calm them.
"Good thing that you like to wear your jeans on the weekends." Maia said, trying to comfort her. "Don't worry. We'll figure something out. After all we are the smart ones."
Lily had changed into her new robe she had just bought. "Len, I can cast a warmth spell on you, if you'd like."
Lenore shook her head *no*. "It'll make my burns worse. But thank you for the thought."
"If it was spring I'd say we could use glamour to hide the fact you're topless. But at this time of year you'd freeze." Maia replied.
"Not to mention that I have bets that Sirius would see right threw it." Lily teased. "The boys!!! We were supposed to meet them." The sales-witch returned then with their drinks. The girls gratefully drank the liquid.
"You two go and meet up with them." Lenore said quietly. "I'll be fine here. Not like I get much choice in going anywhere."
"If you don't mind me making a suggestion." She waited until the girls acknowledged her. "Have you thought of a levitation charm on a cloak? It might work long enough for you to get back to the school to see the nurse and if you go back early, there is little chance that you'll meet up with anyone."
"That's a good idea." Maia beamed brightly. Lenore thought that it was the best they had right now. "Thanks!"
"I'll need a new cloak." Lenore replied quietly. "There is no way I'm putting my other one back on, until it has been thoroughly washed."
They all selected a nice deep blue velvet cloak for Lenore. They enchanted it so that it hovered about 2.5 cm (sorry I prefer metric measurements, that's about an inch to people using the Imperial System). As an afterthought, Lenore added a charm so that it could not be opened above the waist until the charm was released.
This entire escapade, took the better part of an hour, which meant that they were about ½ an hour late for meeting up with the Marauders. Maia headed off toward the school with Lenore, while Lily went to meet the boys.
The Marauders had gotten worried when the girls were late. After 15 minutes they started to look. Although Lily liked to shop, she was always punctual. In fact, they saw the 3 girls leaving the clothing shop (the 2nd time).
They were puzzled when Lily came out and looked about before waving for the other two to follow. James called to her as he saw Maia and Lenore headed off in the other direction (towards the school). "Hey Lily, what's up?" James greeted friendly as he came up to her. The rest of the Marauders close behind.
"What did you forget about us?" Peter teased. He hadn't seen Lily's odd behaviour moments before. Sirius cast him a rotten look. Even Sirius knew better than to insult a woman's shopping habits. He noticed Lenore wince as she took a step.
"We got worried, what happened?" He asked, moving toward Len and Maia. Maia cut off his path, by stepping between him and Len.
"It's a long story." Lily replied. She shook her head. "It ends with us girls having to head back to the school. I'll fill in the rest if you care to walk with us?"
The Marauders looked puzzled at the strange comment. They turned to and headed back to the school with the girls. Lily explained what happened, how the itching powder had burned Lenore so badly. Much to her surprise, Sirius did not try to look under Len's cloak, instead asked for detail relating to who had done it.
It seemed that the Marauders were as angry as Lily was. "Must be a Gryffindor thing." Len whispered to Maia. Who nodded in response.
"What? Aren't you two furious?" Lupin asked them.
"Well, hell yeah!" Lenore replied. "I'm likely going to have to spend another week in the infirmary topless because of this *joke*. But it does no good to get mad, and plot revenge, because it just starts a nasty circle. Having been on the receiving end of pranks before, I know."
"Besides, it not like we saw who did it." Maia replied. "It would be unfair to retaliate on the wrong person."
"We know it had to be a Slytherin." Sirius insisted. "They're the only group I know who find others misery amusing."
"Excuse me???" Lenore stopped and looked at the group. "You are the ones who torment the Slytherins with pranks, I can recall on several occasions that it was the Marauders that somehow or other managed to cut the hot water to the Slytherin dorms, and give entire house food poisoning. So don't try and tell me that you don't enjoy making other people suffer. Just think about all the taunting you four have done to your fellow students."
The Marauders just stared at her for a moment. They weren't sure how to take her outburst. "True, we did those things, yeah. But we never hurt anyone." Sirius said first. "They were just jokes. No harm."
"Right, food poisoning a joke. I must have missed that lesson." Lenore scoffed. "Well this was likely someone's idea of *just a joke* too. I'll be it a sick joke, but joke none the less. The person probably didn't realize that it would hurt me so badly."
"More like they didn't care." Remus added. "The whole school knows about the potion and the burns. Who ever did this knew you were hurt."
"Leave it alone." Maia added calmly. Both she and Len had a sense of calm that the Gryffindors found unnerving.
"How can you be so calm?" Remus asked her.
"Easy, I don't have a target for my outrage, therefore it's pointless." Maia replied logically. "Until I know, without any doubt who did it, I'm not going to waste my time or energy being frustrated and pissed-off."
"Fine, you two don't have to be." Lily replied still obviously furious. "But if it's all the same to you, I plan to find the culprit and remove a few layers of his skin."
"Whatever works for you Lily." Lenore called. She started walking again. Len would have run but the impact would have hurt too much. As it was the walk back to the school left her a human Popsicle. Her lips and fingers were going blue as the reached Hogwarts grounds. Her teeth were chattering none stop.
In fact, the Marauders found that having Len and Maia around to be rather helpful. In addition to their help with school work, they were pretty good at plotting details for pranks. Len seemed especially good at getting rid of the evidence. Not that she admitted it, but that was one thing that she'd helped Bas with while they were growing up.
About mid-November, Lenore had another catastrophe in potions. This one blew up like a rocket. Sending the cauldron straight up into the Transfiguration lesson above them. The falling cauldron landed upended with its contents right over Len's head. She was knocked out. That was a good thing, the potion had burned a large portion of her face, shoulders and upper body. Maia who'd been standing next to her, had gotten splashed and had minor burns on her arm and legs.
Len awoke in the hospital later that night. She groaned in pain. She tried to remember what had happened. She couldn't remember, must have been a potion. She mused, it was normally a potion. Lenore tried to sit up. The room was empty. -Where's M. Pomfrey? Normally she'd already be over here yelling at me.-
-Boy, do I hurt!- Len winced in pain as she decided that moving was a bad idea. She lay there still as what happened played back in her mind. -Great, Drake's going to fail me now! I hope Maia's alright. Well she can't have been hurt, or she'd still be here.-
M. Pomfrey came back into the room then. She came over to check on Lenore. Poppy was rather surprised to see her awake. "Ohhh, you've woken up. How are you feeling?"
"I hurt." Len replied, her throat sounded horse.
"I'll get you something for the pain." She replied. "Do you remember what happened?"
"The usual, potion went wrong." Lenore replied. "Did it really go through the ceiling?"
"That's what I heard." M Pomfrey chuckled. "You certainly do manage to cause some destruction. I was starting to think that you no longer liked to come to visit me. I haven't seen you here in almost a month." She retrieved a potion for her. "Not that I want you to get hurt dear. I'd heard a rumour that you were getting better with your potions."
"Apparently not." Lenore replied. "Slow night?" She took the offered potion, a minute after swallowing the pain started to reseed.
"Not with you around. " She smiled warmly. "Now, my favourite patient, its time for you to get some sleep."
The next morning, Maia came to visit Lenore before going to class. Lenore was getting a retelling of events after she'd been knocked out.
"At least you didn't have to listen to him yelling." Maia giggled.
"True enough." Lenore replied. "Did he expel me?"
"He can't, remember. It had to be the head of our house to do that, or Professor Dumbledore of course." Maia comforted. "So don't worry about that."
"I'm afraid that it's time you were off to class, Miss. Crestwing." M. Pomfrey told her.
"Get better alright! I'll see you at lunch." Maia called as she headed off to class.
Lenore spent most of the day reading her course books. While M. Pomfrey refused to let her go to class she said there was no reason for her not to study. Maia came in at lunch. She waved to M. Pomfrey, Maia looked around the infirmary, then came over to Len.
"What?" Len asked. Slightly confused by Maia's actions.
"Oh, it's just that Remus is sick today. I thought I'd say hi, but he's not here." Maia replied. Sitting beside Lenore's bed. "Have you had a good day?"
"Alright, how bad's the homework?" Len asked. Maia shrugged.
"It's about normal. Have you heard how long you're going to be in here?" Maia asked.
"Not yet. Boss lady won't tell me." Len smiled. Then dropped her voice to a whisper. "Don't worry about Remus. He's probably just playing hooky or something like that."
"You're likely right." Maia replied. "Oh are you going home for Christmas?"
"Yeah, Bas is home from training." Lenore smiled. "I can't wait. I hope I'll be well enough to go into Hogsmead this weekend I still have presents to get."
"For someone who claims not to believe in Christmas. You sure do seem to enjoy it." Maia teased her. Lenore tried to look disgruntled. However the bandages obscured the look on her face.
"I think it's just hypocritical. I think that you should always be nice to others, and that there should always be peace and joy." Lenore corrected. "So, have you finished your shopping yet?"
"You know I haven't." Maia returned. "I'm a Just-in-time girl." Maia looked around again, then leaned in. "Are you getting stuff for you know-?"
"I was thinking about it." Lenore smiled. The act hurt her healing burns. She let out a small whimper. "I've got some great ideas."
"Are you and Si, going to like be official then???" Maia asked delighted.
"Ahhh, no." Len replied. "I may have forgiven him. But I don't think that I'm ready for that just yet. What about you?"
"No. I think not." Maia blushed. She had a crush on Remus. She had tried to hint for him to ask her, without success. "He's like totally not interested in me."
"Untrue." Len told her. "He's always trying to tickle you, bump into you., lean in to get a better look at your notes. He's totally hot for you."
"That's why he keeps asking out all those other girls, right?" Maia sounded a cross between sceptical and hurt.
"Yeah, because he doesn't care if they say *no*." Len told her. "I think that you should just ask him." Maia blushed furiously.
"No, way. Girls don't ask boys out." Maia looked horrified at the prospect. "Besides the fact is it makes me look easy and desperate, what if he turns me down??"
"He won't." Len assured her. "Okay, try the not so direct as to hit him over the head with a club, get him something really nice and intimate for the holiday."
"That could work." Maia thought.
Len whispered, "So long as he isn't as dense as Sirius." Maia giggled. They talked for a little while longer, until M. Pomfrey told Maia that it was time she was off to class. Maia waved as she left, promising to return after classes.
The next day Maia found it strange that Remus was still *sick* but not in the infirmary. I mean it was easy for any teacher to find out if he was faking it. If he wasn't then, where was he???
Maia mentioned this to Len that lunch break. "It's just strange."
"Well, you know that he's always been sickly. I mean think about it. He regularly has periods of leave." Len rationalized. "Maybe, he has to get treatments at St Mungos' or something." Len trying to stretch out her arm. Testing the newly healed skin. She winced, noting it was still tender.
"If that were true, they would have told us. Wouldn't they?" Maia suddenly sounded confused. Len gave her a don't-be-silly look. "You're right. It's just odd. I hope he's alright."
"I'm sure he's fine." Len thought about it. "You know if he were a chick, I'd say he just got really bad cramps." They chuckled for a second. Then a light went on in Maia's head.
"You're right! He does get sick like once a month." Maia replied.
"Maia, leave it alone. It's not worth stressing over." Len told her. "Besides it's Remus' business. Not ours."
"You're telling me you aren't the slightest bit curious?" Maia knew better. Len had to have answers as much as she did. It was one of the reasons that they got along so very well. "Do you mind terribly if I don't come to visit after lessons? I want to get some research done."
"Right. I'll be fine. I've got my books." Len replied, knowing exactly what she would be researching. "Besides Lily and the Marauders said that they'd try to come by. That is if they could fit me into their schedule, between pranks, eating and quidditch."
"Oh, Sirius will fit you in. Even if that means that he has to get kicked out of the game and Gryffindor lose to Slytherin. He'd make time to see you." Maia teased.
"Maia you're crazy. He only likes me, because I'm a challenge." Len insisted.
"Not true." Maia replied. "He asks me about you like after every time I'm in to see you."
"Then why doesn't he come himself?" Len asked sounding as if she didn't believe Maia.
"Because M. Pomfrey, only lets me come in, in the mornings and at lunch." Maia stated. "Everyone else has to wait until asked class." She smiled. "And if you haven't notice, Sirius has been here every day. I even heard from Lily, that he goes up to their tower to get cleaned up before he comes to see you. I'm telling you he's crazy about you."
"Whatever, Maia. You'd best get to class." Len said shaking her head slightly. "Have fun in the Library." Maia waved to her friend as she left. Len leaned back into the pillows. The burns had been severe, they required 3 applications of the burn salve to heal. Len found that her ears hurt worst of all her burns, will with the exception of the ones on her breast, but she didn't mention that.
Len fell asleep reading the History of the Goblin War. Same old shit, she read it before, and it still bored her. She awoke sometime that afternoon to find none other that Snape sitting watching over her. She gasped in shock.
"Sorry, did I startle you?" He asked quietly. He made no move toward her. Lenore guessed that he was worried if he'd frighten her. In truth his eyes (so dark grey they looked black), his black hair and pale skin (despite his hours of Quidditch practise) did make an ominous picture to wake-up to, especially when not expecting to see him.
"A little. Did I sleep all afternoon?" Len asked groggy from her nap.
"Sorry." Severus replied shyly. "No, I had last period free. M. Pomfrey let me sit with you so long as I didn't wake you. I didn't think that you would want anyone else to see me in here, but I had to see how you were. That was a rather nasty explosion."
"Thanks." Lenore smiled. She left it unclear as to why exactly she was thanking him. Severus thought that it was to his timing in not being seen. Lenore meant it for his concern.
"I bet Drake is happy that I'm missing his class."
"True. He is, and sorry to say, so are most of you're fellow students." Snape told her. To his surprised she smiled at this.
"Don't blame them really. It's much safer when I'm not there." Lenore admitted. "Hey this is actually one of my better years, with no small thanks owed to you. This year, I've been much better."
"That frightens me." Snape replied all very serious. Len burst out laughing. "What?"
"Oh, nothing. You just looked cute when you shuddered at that realization." Len told him. M. Pomfrey poked her head out of the office to see the source of the laughter.
"Lenore Nightshade, you settle down, or I won't clear you for the trip to Hogsmead." She scolded. Lenore nodded to her, as she quieted her laughter. "As for you Mr. Snape, I don't want you to tiring her out. She's had a rough time." It was Snape's turn to nod solemnly. The difference was he meant it, Lenore was just placating her.
"I supposed that I should be off. Classes will be over soon, and I'm sure you'll have plenty more visitors. It wouldn't be fair if I'd exhausted you out before they got you see you." Snape said rising from his seat.
"PSst! They visit every day, you don't." Len replied honestly. "I think that you should stay a little longer." She smiled sweetly.
Snape did a mental double take. Had she really asked him to stay? How could he every have refused that smile. He returned to his seat. "Well I guess a few more minutes won't hurt. The burns look to be healing nicely. Do they still hurt?"
"A little. My ears are particularly sensitive." Lenore replied. "I so want to chop my hair all off right now. Every time it falls on my ears it feels like sandpaper. It's driving me crazy. Because my scalp is burned too, Maia isn't allowed to fix it."
"Have you tried a charm on it?" Snape asked quietly. His mind tried to recall a simple charm to tie one's hair back. He personally liked his to hang lose about his shoulders. It made him look imposing, so he was told. His early growth spurt, which made him taller than most boys his year, heck most boy in the school, only added to that imposing figure he seemed to present. He liked that thought. Since he knew he'd never be loved like the Marauders, he might as well be feared.
"I don't know any. I've always had Maia do my heir. She does such a good job without magic." Lenore replied. She tired to sit up a bit more and winced. Snape hurriedly jumped up, concerned for her.
"You alright?" He asked compassionately.
"Fine, I'm still just a little sensitive." She assured him. "Thanks for your concern. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." He looked at her confused for a moment. "That you're actually human, and that you in fact do have a heart."
A small smile crept onto his stern features. He looked shy for a moment, before resetting his mask of indifference. He mentally scolded himself. Why did he have such a hard time keeping his mask up around her? "It's not like anyone would believe you."
"True." She replied back. Her smile this time he realized, held secrets. Her eyes he realized were as masked from the world as his were. He wondered what she would have to hide. "But we know differently."
"Just remember, don't tell or I'll stop tutoring you. Then you'll spend most of the rest of the year in here." He teased her. "I should really go. Classes will end soon. If I'm not out of here, then I shall have to wound myself to have a plausible excuse to being here."
"Eri, you wouldn't really . . ." Lenore started, the Severus shook his head *no*. She smiled, "Don't worry me like that. Alright, I suppose you're right. You should go, before your reputation is damaged."
"Here I thought that it was you're reputation that would be damaged." He replied seriously. Again she giggled.
"I'm not the one, who's supposed to be an anti-social grump without a heart." She stated. Normally those words would have had a bitter edge to them, but not coming from her. They sounded almost like a compliment, a friendly joke.
"Right, my mistake." Snape replied. "Class is boring without you, hurry back. I do so love to hear Drake yelling at you."
"I don't." Lenore commented. "Bye Eri."
He left her after that. That night his mind replayed the conversation. Was she flirting with me, or just being friendly? Was she really happy to see me, or just glad for company? What was she hiding behind her mask? Why have I never seen it before?
Lenore was released that Friday. Although Len believed that she really should have been released Thursday but M. Pomfrey didn't want her to be back in potions yet. She was allowed to go on the Hogsmead trip, so long as she was careful. She was not to let anyone touch her shoulders, back, well her upper body in general. Lenore whined bitterly, her hair was a mess, and the cool, soft showers were just not as relaxing as her normal hot ones.
Lily taught her a few simple hair charms. Which Lenore only used grudgingly so as to keep her hair from scratching her new and rather sensitive skin. Maia assured her it looked fine, but Lenore hated it. "In some ways I'm very much my Muggle mother's daughter, when it comes to my hair, I very much am." Lenore insisted.
Maia and Lily, enlisted the Marauders aid to ensure that no one touched Lenore's new skin. Sirius was especially protective, both through the halls of the school and during their shopping in Hogsmead. The three girls giggled about it, for Lily also thought that it was rather sweet. They had a great time in Hogsmead, until Lucious Malfoy decided that it was a great opportunity for revenge.
The girls had separated from the boys, as they wanted to do some Holiday shopping, while the boys wanted to get supplies for upcoming pranks. They agreed to meet at the 3-Broomsticks for Butteredbeer at noon.
"Snape, hurry up!" Malfoy ordered. He planned to cover the girls with itching powder as they came out of some clothing shop. "How can they be taking this long? That pitiful excuse for a store isn't the big."
"Is this really necessary?" Severus asked. Malfoy looked coldly at him.
"Are you going soft? Just remember what that little bitch did to my hair. Not to mention all the things that Lily Evens has done. They deserve it. Besides it'll hurt a lot less than some of the curses I'd originally planed."
"I'm not going soft. I just think that an open assault like this will get us caught." Snape replied in his most logical tone, completely devoid of emotion. While inside he was screaming at himself to beat Malfoy senseless before he could do this. Perhaps he'd miss and the powder would land on Lily and Maia. While uncomfortable for them, it wouldn't cause the damage it would to Lenore's new skin. Snape readied his wand to make a gust of wind to blow the itching powder away from Lenore. "The teachers are likely the least of the worries. You are aware how that dolt Black is fawning over her?"
"That prat? We'll be long gone before he's around." Malfoy boasted. "What can he do to us? He's too slow witted to manage to curse us, besides we know more curses than he does. What's with the wand, Severus?"
"I was going to make sure the wind didn't interfere." Snape covered quickly.
"Good thinking." Malfoy sneered. "Those little Mudbloods won't know what hit them. It'll be hilarious to see them jumping around, stripping off their cloths to get it off." He grinned wickedly. Snape sneered.
-Malfoy is insane.- Severus concluded. -It's the only reason the he would risk the temper of the Marauders, especially the brute Sirius for a cheep thrill.-
The girls came out chatting away. Lenore was unfortunately in the middle of the others. Severus cursed, he couldn't make that look like the wind *accidentally* shifted away from her now. Snape thought of hexing Malfoy before he had a chance to drop the powder, however Malfoy was too fast.
Malfoy cast a small cloud, which snowed the girls with itching powder. Lily and Maia began to scratch and look around. Lenore on the other hand began to cry out in pain almost instantly. The cloud was still snowing on them and followed them when they tried to move. Lily conjured an umbrella to hide Len for the powder. Maia concentrated helping her friend out of her cloak.
Malfoy began to laugh hysterically at the girls' distress. Snape pulled the other boy away, not wanting to be seen. He secretly hoped that this would help allow Lenore a chance to get away from the *snow*.
"Malfoy, are you crazy?! Do you want to get caught?" Severus snapped at him. "Shut up! They'll hear you."
"No they won't. Not over the crying of that little git." Luscious laughed. "And so what if they do? Those little girls are too busy worrying about their hair to do anything else."
"We should move ourselves far away from here. So as not to be considered involved." Snape insisted. Luscious looked at him a moment before grabbing his arm.
"Just let me take one more look." He replied maliciously. "While they may be filthy mudbloods, they are still sort of cute."
Severus rolled his eyes. "I'm leaving. I'll be by Bolts Books." Snape stalked off. He didn't want Malfoy to follow him. He thought that if he didn't put some distance between the two of them that he might kill Malfoy. He actually hoped that the Marauders would stumble upon Malfoy, and beat him to a bloody pulp.
Meanwhile the girls frantically tried to get the powder off Lenore. Maia had her cloak removed, and directed her back toward the store. The itching powder burned her sensitive skin badly. Len couldn't see through the tears in her eyes. Lily ignoring her discomfort looked around for who would have pranked them like this. She heard laughter coming from the alley but was too worried over Len to check it out.
"Help!!!" Maia cried getting back inside. "Please, my friend needs help."
Lily followed and tried to explain what happened while the sales-witch as Maia helped Lenore out of her robes. The sales-witch gasp at the state of Len's shoulders. The new skin had blistered and split in places. Len sobbed in pain, unable to do anything else. Lily and Maia got mad, as they too removed their cloaks and robes.
"Who would have done this?" The Sales-witch asked the girls. Being very careful not to do any further damage, while trying to remove any powder residue from her.
"I don't know, but when I find him --" Lily's threat was obvious. "Len? How bad is it?"
"At least the cauldron knocked me out." Len whimpered. "How am I going to get back to the school? I can't wear anything on my shoulders! Apart from being nearly December, I'm not walking back topless."
"Agreed. So what are we going to do?" Maia asked. She was rinsing of the residue from her skin, and shook out her hair, trying to get rid on as much as possible.
"I'm not sure yet." Lily replied, it was obvious that she was the angriest of the three.
"Well, Miss Nightshade is welcome to stay hidden here in the back until you figure it out." The sales-witch offered. "I'd heard of pranks at the school, but I never thought that they were this vicious. Those Marauders have gone too far with this one."
"It wasn't them." the three chorused defensively. "They are friends of ours." Lily continued. "They might have dumped itch powder on us once Lenore's shoulders had healed, but not right now. They knew how sensitive she is."
"Well someone sure doesn't seem to like you three." She commented. "Would you like a glass of water dear?" She asked Lenore, who was now calmer, and only sobbed occasionally. She looked to the other 2 girls who nodded and said their thanks. Lenore nodded *yes*, she was shivering from the cool as she sat in only her bra and jeans. The Sales-witch left to get the girls a drink to help calm them.
"Good thing that you like to wear your jeans on the weekends." Maia said, trying to comfort her. "Don't worry. We'll figure something out. After all we are the smart ones."
Lily had changed into her new robe she had just bought. "Len, I can cast a warmth spell on you, if you'd like."
Lenore shook her head *no*. "It'll make my burns worse. But thank you for the thought."
"If it was spring I'd say we could use glamour to hide the fact you're topless. But at this time of year you'd freeze." Maia replied.
"Not to mention that I have bets that Sirius would see right threw it." Lily teased. "The boys!!! We were supposed to meet them." The sales-witch returned then with their drinks. The girls gratefully drank the liquid.
"You two go and meet up with them." Lenore said quietly. "I'll be fine here. Not like I get much choice in going anywhere."
"If you don't mind me making a suggestion." She waited until the girls acknowledged her. "Have you thought of a levitation charm on a cloak? It might work long enough for you to get back to the school to see the nurse and if you go back early, there is little chance that you'll meet up with anyone."
"That's a good idea." Maia beamed brightly. Lenore thought that it was the best they had right now. "Thanks!"
"I'll need a new cloak." Lenore replied quietly. "There is no way I'm putting my other one back on, until it has been thoroughly washed."
They all selected a nice deep blue velvet cloak for Lenore. They enchanted it so that it hovered about 2.5 cm (sorry I prefer metric measurements, that's about an inch to people using the Imperial System). As an afterthought, Lenore added a charm so that it could not be opened above the waist until the charm was released.
This entire escapade, took the better part of an hour, which meant that they were about ½ an hour late for meeting up with the Marauders. Maia headed off toward the school with Lenore, while Lily went to meet the boys.
The Marauders had gotten worried when the girls were late. After 15 minutes they started to look. Although Lily liked to shop, she was always punctual. In fact, they saw the 3 girls leaving the clothing shop (the 2nd time).
They were puzzled when Lily came out and looked about before waving for the other two to follow. James called to her as he saw Maia and Lenore headed off in the other direction (towards the school). "Hey Lily, what's up?" James greeted friendly as he came up to her. The rest of the Marauders close behind.
"What did you forget about us?" Peter teased. He hadn't seen Lily's odd behaviour moments before. Sirius cast him a rotten look. Even Sirius knew better than to insult a woman's shopping habits. He noticed Lenore wince as she took a step.
"We got worried, what happened?" He asked, moving toward Len and Maia. Maia cut off his path, by stepping between him and Len.
"It's a long story." Lily replied. She shook her head. "It ends with us girls having to head back to the school. I'll fill in the rest if you care to walk with us?"
The Marauders looked puzzled at the strange comment. They turned to and headed back to the school with the girls. Lily explained what happened, how the itching powder had burned Lenore so badly. Much to her surprise, Sirius did not try to look under Len's cloak, instead asked for detail relating to who had done it.
It seemed that the Marauders were as angry as Lily was. "Must be a Gryffindor thing." Len whispered to Maia. Who nodded in response.
"What? Aren't you two furious?" Lupin asked them.
"Well, hell yeah!" Lenore replied. "I'm likely going to have to spend another week in the infirmary topless because of this *joke*. But it does no good to get mad, and plot revenge, because it just starts a nasty circle. Having been on the receiving end of pranks before, I know."
"Besides, it not like we saw who did it." Maia replied. "It would be unfair to retaliate on the wrong person."
"We know it had to be a Slytherin." Sirius insisted. "They're the only group I know who find others misery amusing."
"Excuse me???" Lenore stopped and looked at the group. "You are the ones who torment the Slytherins with pranks, I can recall on several occasions that it was the Marauders that somehow or other managed to cut the hot water to the Slytherin dorms, and give entire house food poisoning. So don't try and tell me that you don't enjoy making other people suffer. Just think about all the taunting you four have done to your fellow students."
The Marauders just stared at her for a moment. They weren't sure how to take her outburst. "True, we did those things, yeah. But we never hurt anyone." Sirius said first. "They were just jokes. No harm."
"Right, food poisoning a joke. I must have missed that lesson." Lenore scoffed. "Well this was likely someone's idea of *just a joke* too. I'll be it a sick joke, but joke none the less. The person probably didn't realize that it would hurt me so badly."
"More like they didn't care." Remus added. "The whole school knows about the potion and the burns. Who ever did this knew you were hurt."
"Leave it alone." Maia added calmly. Both she and Len had a sense of calm that the Gryffindors found unnerving.
"How can you be so calm?" Remus asked her.
"Easy, I don't have a target for my outrage, therefore it's pointless." Maia replied logically. "Until I know, without any doubt who did it, I'm not going to waste my time or energy being frustrated and pissed-off."
"Fine, you two don't have to be." Lily replied still obviously furious. "But if it's all the same to you, I plan to find the culprit and remove a few layers of his skin."
"Whatever works for you Lily." Lenore called. She started walking again. Len would have run but the impact would have hurt too much. As it was the walk back to the school left her a human Popsicle. Her lips and fingers were going blue as the reached Hogwarts grounds. Her teeth were chattering none stop.