DAMASCUS GATE

CHAPTER THREE-THE FIGHT

I felt someone shaking my shoulders roughly.

"Hmmf?" I asked groggily as I slowly raised my head. The page briefly sticking to my cheek.

"Moony? You fell asleep here in the common room?" Sirius' voice asked concerned.

"Sirius? What time is it?" I asked yawning as I sat up and stretched my arms above my head.

"Eight O'clock," Sirius said.

My eyes widened.

"I missed Charms!" I cried as I became fully alert now and scrambled to gather my books and things.

"Chill," Sirius said grinning. "We told Professor Dawes that you weren't feeling well. You're in time for Potions class though in like twenty minutes."

I relaxed and stuffed all my books into my bag.

"Oh good! He's awake!" Lily said as she, James and Kelly came into the common room through the portrait hole.

"What on earth were you doing?" James asked as he sat down on the couch. Lily sat beside him. Kelly went over to the chair and flopped down.

"I was looking through my books to see if they gave a reason as to why Kelly was having these nightmares," I said keeping my eyes on Lily.

"Did you find a solution?" Sirius asked intrigued.

I shook my head.

"Well that settles it then," Sirius said grinning as he stood next to the chair and leaned in to Kelly. She pulled back with a disgusted expression on her face. "You're wacko."

"Have you ever heard of a breath mint?" Kelly asked waving her hand in front of her face.

"I just woke up babe," Sirius said grinning. "Get used to it. This is what I look like in the morning."

"In that case I'm going to have to make sure I'm either blinded naturally, or I'll have to poke my eyes out with my own wand," Kelly said.

James, Lily and Sirius laughed good-naturedly.

"But I think Remus takes the cake," James teased grinning at me. "Talk about sticking your finger in an electrical socket."

I absentmindedly raised a hand to my hair. Some of it was standing on end.

KELLY.

I felt an overwhelming twinge of guilt for the way I treated Remus last night. I knew he was just trying to help me and cheer me up.

He stayed up practically the entire night reading for me.

Remus scowled at James before heading off to the boys' dorm. He came back with a fresh uniform and robe and headed toward the portrait entrance.

"Where are you going man?" Sirius called.

"To shower and change. Unlike some people I despise smelling like what I change into," Remus said meaningfully as he left the common room.

"Did you have another nightmare?" Lily asked turning to me.

I shook my head.

"No, thankfully,"

"That's good," James said. "Maybe they're going to stop?"

I shrugged one shoulder.

Remus came back shortly freshly showered and wearing a clean robe and uniform.

His hair was neatly combed. I got a whiff if Irish Spring soap when he passed me.

He bent over and gathered his school bag. He swung it onto a shoulder.

"Let's head to class," he said as he glanced at me with a cold expression before walking back toward the portrait.

James and Sirius followed him. Lily and I followed shortly.

"Did something happen last night between you and Remus?" she asked quietly. She had a strange grin on her face though.

"If you mean I made a complete fool of myself…yes," I muttered.

Lily's expression dropped.

"What happened?"

"Remus tried to cheer me up and I blew up at him," I said sighing.

"Oh," Lily said. "He knows you didn't mean it."

"I'm not so sure," I said swallowing. "That look he gave pretty much said it all."

Lily swung an arm around my shoulders.

"How about if I talk to him for you?"

"Would you?" I asked hopefully.

She nodded.

I cheered up slightly.

After Potions, we headed out onto the grounds for a bit.

The sky was gray and the scent of snow could be detected easily.

We all sat around the large oak tree. I stayed with James and Sirius while Lily pulled Remus aside and talked to him.

REMUS.

Lily pulled me aside. We were standing by the lake. Small waves rippled across the lake surface as a gust of wind blew, whipping my cloak around my legs.

I cupped my hands and blew into them, trying to generate heat. My breath rose up in puffs of steam and rose to the sky.

The wind whipped Lily's hair around her face.

"Remus, Kelly didn't mean to blow up at you like that last night. She feels completely upset now," Lily said.

"I have to admit, that wasn't the right time to joke," I said doing a little jig in place to keep warm.

"That's just your way of cheering someone up. Thank God you're not like Sirius," Lily said rolling her eyes. "Everything to him is a complete joke…but you have a serious tone but you also have a sense of humor. You were just trying to make Kelly feel better about the nightmares."

I sighed.

"I still feel bad about it,"

"Don't," Lily said firmly. "Go talk to her alright? I'll send her over."

She headed back over to the oak tree. I saw her lean down and whisper to Kelly. Kelly nodded and got up. She began walking toward me.

Again I blew into my hands.

Kelly stood in front of me and hugged her cloak around her tighter. The hood was up slightly shielding her eyes from view.

"I'm sorry…"

"I should've never…"

We both began at the same time. Chuckling at the same time, Kelly was the first to speak.

"Go ahead," she said.

"I'm sorry for teasing you like that," I said.

"I'm should've never blown up at you like that. I know you were just trying to help," Kelly said lowering her eyes, making her seem almost ghostly.

"Let's just forget it," I suggested.

Kelly raised her eyes and nodded.

"Okay," she said and smiled.

I smiled back.

She and I headed back over to the oak tree. James, Sirius and Lily looked up.

"Everything okay now?" Lily asked grinning coyly.

"Yes," I said nodding.

"Good," James said.

After that, we headed back into the castle. We pulled off our cloaks and left them in the common room.

We headed to the rest of the classes.

KELLY.

I felt much better after talking with Remus. Things were back to normal between us.

He was laughing and joking around with Sirius and James.

That night at dinner, we sat around the Gryffindor table talking about the upcoming holidays.

"So where do you plan on staying for Christmas?" Sirius asked me.

"Dunno," I said shrugging as I helped myself to some pork chops. "Knowing my parents, they won't even send me an invitation to come home."

I saw a flash of pain across Remus' expression.

"So you have no plans for Christmas?" James asked stunned.

"Let me think…" I said pretending to think. "Eh, no."

"Shit," Sirius said shaking his head.

"You must stay with me," Lily said brightly. "My parents would love to have you."

"So would mine," Remus offered.

"Mine too," Sirius added.

I grinned.

"Thanks you guys," I said, sighing. "But I think I'm going to stay here at the castle."

"Then I'm staying," Remus said firmly.

"Me too," Lily said.

We looked at James and Sirius.

"Unfortunately, my parents are expecting me home. I've got to spend time with my grandmum. She's sick so I have to go home," Sirius said looking guilty.

"Why are you guilty? I think that's sweet," Lily said stunned.

"And my parents said they have a big engagement surprise for me," James said looking at Lily. "I have to go too."

Lily pretended to pout.

"Fine," she said but grinned.

James grinned back.

I had to admit I felt a twinge of jealousy at Lily and James. I still didn't have a boyfriend. I wanted to get married and everything. But at this rate, it didn't look like it.

My appetite suddenly vanished and I began pushing the food around on my plate.

"What's wrong?" Remus asked leaning forward. He was sitting across from me.

"Nothing," I said forcing a smile.

Remus studied me but then went back to his meal.

What I loved about him was the fact that he didn't push you into telling him anything. He left it up to you if you wanted to tell him.

Suddenly, my eyes slid out of focus and I went rigid in my seat.

A bright light flashed before my eyes. I saw James arguing with someone, but I couldn't make it out. I saw James pull out his wand and aim it at the person. A jet of green light shot out from the tip of James' wand.

The flash vanished. My body jumped and my eyes slid back into focus.

No one seemed to notice what had happened except Remus.

"What happened?" he whispered looking alarmed.

I whispered to him what I saw.

Remus looked upset.

James excused himself after finishing off a third baked potato.

Remus and I also got up and followed him.

"Why are you following me?" James asked turning around.

"We're full as well," Remus said quickly. "We're just taking a walk to walk off all that extra weight we just put on."

I nodded.

Just then, a Slytherin named Derek Hanes approached us. He was a well known bully and loved to start fights with James.

"Hey," Derek said smirking. "Where are the Gryffindorks going?"

"Shut up," James snapped folding his arms over his chest.

"And look," Derek said moving his eyes onto me. "The Mutt."

"I'm warning you," James said threateningly. "Shut your pie hole."

"Or what, Potter?" Derek said challengingly back to him. "You'll do what?"

James pulled out his wand and aimed it at Derek.

"I'll curse you into oblivion," James snarled narrowing his hazel blue eyes behind his glasses.

"James," Remus said in a low warning tone.

But James ignored him.

"You have such a big head," Derek continued. "Just because you're the star of Gryffindor doesn't mean you can break rules."

"And you're the most self conceited, arrogant twit I've ever met that loves to torment others because by your standards aren't measuring up to what you think is a witch or wizard," I said angrily to Derek.

Derek pulled out his wand and aimed it at me.

Remus immediately pulled out his wand and aimed it at Derek.

"Don't start," Remus said threateningly.

"And the perfect Prefect," Derek smirked at Remus. "You're such a goody-goody."

Derek turned his eyes back onto me.

"Too bad your parents could care less about you," Derek said. "I guess that's what they get for marrying each other. They bring a Mutt into the world that to everyone that matters is basically vapor…a waste of breathing space."

Those words stung tremendously.

"CRUCIO!" James snarled aiming his wand at Derek.

Derek ducked and turned his wand onto me next.

"Avada Kedavra!" Derek shouted.

I saw the jet of green light coming at me.

The next thing I knew, Remus roughly shoved me to the side. The jet of light hit him directly in the chest.

Remus' wand fell from his hand. He dropped to his knees before falling to his side. One arm was stretched out, while the other was draped over his side.

"REEEMUUUS!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

James opened fired back at Derek with a "Petrifiucs Totalus" charm.

Derek fell backward petrified.

Remus wasn't moving.

I dropped to my knees next to him and gently turned him over onto his back.

His eyes were closed.

"NOOOOO!" I howled.

"What's going on?" a voice cried from the Great Hall's double doors.

Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore stood.

I grabbed a handful of Remus' robe and pressed my face deeply into his chest. I began crying hysterically.

James sank to his knees and I heard him drop his wand.

"What on earth happened?" Professor McGonagall repeated as she and Dumbledore hurried over to us.

I couldn't let go of Remus' robe. I shut my eyes tighter against the robe. No longer will Remus joke and laugh with us. I could only cry harder and more hysterically.

I heard James explaining what happened to McGonagall in a strained voice.

I felt someone's hand on my shoulder.

I didn't even raise my eyes, but I knew it was Professor Dumbledore.

"I'm so sorry," I heard Dumbledore whisper in my ear.

I gathered more of Remus' robe and pressed my face deeper into his lifeless chest.