A/N: Thank you inusessy129. I don't know what I was thinking; I know Remus is a half-blood. I have corrected my error now.
Chapter 15: Welcome Back
Lily and Sairina sighed as they collapsed onto the benches in their train compartment. Their summer had been intense to say the least. While they had been at Lily's house and away from the magical world, they could still tell that big things were happening because they had begun to filter into the muggle world.
Little bits on the news programs and in the newspaper had been catching the girls' eyes. Mysterious happenings, unexplainable accidents only caused the girls further worry. In the safety of the train now they could only feel relaxed and free from the toils of brewing war. Lily looked up and saw Sairina staring out of the window.
"Are you alright?" Lily asked softly. Sairina just sighed and looked dejectedly at her friend.
"No," she admitted, "I've been thinking about the attack on Diagon Alley. Lily this is war; it's not a game anymore. My father has told me stories of the War of the Ring, and it's not all glory and valor. There is death; people we know and love are going to die." Sairina's breath caught in her throat.
"I know," Lily said, "I keep thinking about it too." When the teens had come back into the house when they were at James's, his father told them that three Death Eaters had been caught, but two bystanders had been killed in the siege.
One of them had been a boy shopping for his supplies for his first year at Hogwarts.
Silence filled their compartment as they weighed heavily the reality of it all. The train lurched forward and Sairina pulled out her vision journal from her bag.
"Having any luck with connections at all?" Lily asked. The girls had been going over all of the visions Sairina had over the summer looking for any type of connection to anything.
"Still nothing," Sairina said flipping a page, "I said it before, but most of these visions are just mundane little things that occurred within a few days of my having the vision."
"What about the wolf visions?" Lily asked moving from the other side of the compartment to sit next to Sairina and look at the book. Sairina shrugged.
"I think they have something to do with that vision I had after my accident third year," Sairina said turning another page, "I really think that someone at Hogwarts is a werewolf. I think it might be someone I know, but I don't know for sure . . ."
"What about the phantom vision?" Lily asked. Sairina knew of course that Lily was referring to the vision she supposedly had when she had touched the wall of the sitting room at James's house.
"I haven't had any other visions concerning that," Sairina replied, "Nor do I remember anything about it. I think that fate stepped in and forced me to have the vision of the meeting in the inn."
"Why?" Lily asked not understanding at all, "Why would greater forces of nature allow you to see one vision and then decide to retract it and give you another one instead?" Sairina sighed and looked out the window.
"I think," Sairina began uneasily, "I saw something that I wasn't supposed to. Something that fate has planned for the future that can't be exposed yet. But I can only guess because I obviously don't remember the vision." Lily nodded and the compartment door slid open.
"Are you ladies ready to go to the prefects meeting?" Remus asked entering the room. Sairina snapped the book shut and put it away while Lily stood and grabbed her wand and Sairina grabbed her staff and slid her wand into its notch. They then followed Remus out of the room and towards the front of the train.
"Do you know who the other Ravenclaw Prefect is, Sai?" Lily asked looking at her friend as they passed loud, noisy compartments.
"No," she replied shaking her head as Remus reached back to lace his fingers with hers. She gave him a coy smile, "Feeling territorial, are we?" He looked back with a smile.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Remus asked with a knowing smile then continued more quietly, "I do happen to be dating the only princess at Hogwarts." Sairina just laughed at his response. Lily rolled her eyes as she slid open the compartment door. The three stood and gawked for a moment as the looked in.
The Prefects compartment was the side of two regular compartments. There was a long table down the middle with plenty of seating for every prefect as well as snacks, both healthy and not. At the time Sairina, Lily, and Remus arrived, the meeting hadn't started yet, so there were some people standing and talking whereas other people had settled in to chairs and were chatting. The three teens sauntered in and continued talking about classes and teachers when a tall lanky blonde boy joined their group.
"Hey Merric," Sairina smiled as she gave him a friendly hug, "Congratulations on getting Prefect." He beamed back at her.
"Right back at you," he said smoothly, "Although I had a feeling you'd be getting it." Sairina laughed.
"Remus, Lily," Sairina said as she gestured to Merric, "This is Merric Watershed; he's a friend of mine in Ravenclaw and the other fifth year prefect." He shook hands with the other two, "Merric, this is Lily Evans and Remus Lupin."
"So these two are the Gryffindors you always abandon us for," Merric said suspiciously. The teens shared a good laugh when the Head Boy and Head Girl entered and began the meeting. An hour later, the three friends walked out of the compartment.
"This is going to be a lot more work then I had originally thought," Lily sighed. Sairina shot a glare at Lily.
"Do not even start," Sairina groaned rolling her eyes, "Duties, Quidditch, classes, stopping the rise of an evil dark lord, an overbearing suitor . . ." The girls laughed long and hard as Remus began to protest this last statement. This only caused the girls to laugh louder.
They made it back to their compartment and settled in while Remus just stood at the door. Sairina quirked an eyebrow at him and motioned him to sit.
"C'mon," she teased, "I don't bite. I swear." Remus chuckled and sat down next to his girlfriend.
"You know the others will come looking for me," he laughed dryly, "I told them I'd only be gone for an hour." Sairina shrugged while Lily's eye twitched for a moment.
"We'll deal with that problem when it arises," Lily said tightening her grip on her wand. Sairina and Remus laughed before he lazily draped an arm around Sairina's shoulders. Sairina turned to Remus and looked at him seriously.
"Remus," she began, "You're the top student in Defense Against the Dark Arts right?" Remus only smiled at her.
"Yes, Sai," he said with a note of curiosity, "I am. Did you want to start up with lessons again? I don't think you need lessons anymore, honestly. You are very good at the subject now." Sairina blushed at the compliment.
"No," she said shaking her head, "I have a question pertaining to the subject." She cast a look at Lily, almost asking for permission to ask.
"What?" he asked his smile slowly fading away.
"What do you know about werewolves?" Sairina asked casually. The color drained from Remus's face.
"Wh-what?" he asked weakly. Lily leaned over and tapped Sairina's arm to get her attention.
"You should probably tell him about the visions," Lily suggested. Remus paled even further and gulped audibly. Sairina took his hand and looked into his eyes. Fear, why is there so much fear in his eyes?
"I . . . I've been having visions since my injury third year," Sairina began, "They aren't very common, but they are disturbing. I've seen, felt, heard what it is like to transform into a werewolf in these visions. The uncontrollable rage, the animal instincts, the thirst for . . ." Sairina took a deep breath, "you get the idea. It's the most horrible thing I've experienced, and my heart goes out to this person . . ." Remus did a double take.
"You know who it is?" he asked startled, but relaxed when Sairina shook her head.
"No," she said meekly, "but I think it someone at Hogwarts."
"How are you sure it's a werewolf?" Remus asked wringing his hands. He didn't want to be having this conversation right now with Sairina. Not with Lily sitting across from them, he didn't want her to find out this way.
"Sai and I looked up the lunar charts that corresponded with the nights she had the visions," Lily interjected, "They were all full moons." Remus was near a panic now and sweat was beginning to form on his brow. This didn't escape Sairina's keen eye.
"Remmy," she asked with a note of worry, "Are you alright?" He nodded vaguely.
"So what was it you wanted to know about werewolves again?" he asked weakly, "Anything specific?" Sairina opened her mouth to ask a question, but the compartment door slid open and the other Marauders sauntered in. Remus felt a wave of relief wash over him.
"Here you are Remus!" Sirius proclaimed grabbing his friend's hand and pulling him out of the compartment. James turned back to the two ladies.
"Sorry girls," he said giving them a light bow, "we need to borrow him for a few minutes. Important Marauders Business, you see." He left shutting the door behind him. The two girls looked at each other with raised eyebrows.
"That was . . . odd," Lily said slowly. Sairina only sighed.
"He said they would come looking for him," Sairina replied, "but I am getting the feeling that he's not telling me something . . ."
/0/0/
Remus collapsed into a seat in the Marauder's compartment with a sigh and a groan before burying his head in his hands. His friends looked at him with a great deal of concern. Sirius sat down next to him and rested a hand on his shoulder and gently squeezed.
"You alright, Moony?" he asked. Remus lifted his head and sighed.
"Sai's been having visions," Remus said flatly. The other boys looked at him.
"We kind of figured that much out after what happened at James's house," Peter said, "I have a question though. She said she has foresight, but isn't that a trait mainly found in pureblood families?" The other boys looked at him.
"Yea, so . . ." James drawled.
"Sairina isn't a pureblood," Peter noted astutely, "She said her parents were muggles back in first year." Sirius, James, and Peter looked to Remus. He sighed.
"It's not my place to explain," he sighed running a hand through his sandy blonde hair, "I have other things to worry about right now. It doesn't matter how Sai has foresight, only that she has been having visions of someone transforming into a werewolf and assumes there is a werewolf at Hogwarts."
"Well, Remus there is," Peter said with a blank look. James smacked him upside the head. Remus shook his head.
"Are you going to tell her?" Sirius asked. Remus nodded.
"I have to, her father already knows . . ."
"WHAT!" the other three demanded. Remus cowered slightly.
"Explain, now," James demanded. Remus sighed and thought for a moment. He didn't know how he was going to explain this without revealing Sairina's secret.
"I went over to her house for her birthday party," Remus began knowing that it was almost true (but not really, he had talked to her father far before her coronation), "and he cornered me and began the whole 'so you're dating my daughter' father routine. He just kept asking these probing questions, and I couldn't lie to him, it was like he had Legilimency or something." His friends stared at him with disbelieve looks.
"You're lying," James said with a note of hurt in his voice, "Legilimency tends to run in pureblood lines as well." Remus sighed again. This was too difficult without explaining what Sairina was.
"Look," Remus said starting to get frustrated with his prying friends, "I just can't explain everything right now. There are circumstances surrounding Sairina that only she has the right to share with other people. I would be betraying her trust if I told you. All you need to know is that I told her father that I am a werewolf, and he expects me, or thinks I already have, told Sai about this." Remus fought back against the hot tears that were welling in his eyes. He was just frustrated with the whole world right now.
"Don't worry, Moony," James said sitting down across from Remus, "we understand. Just forget about it for now. We know that you'll be ready to tell her when you're ready, and that she'll hopefully trust us enough someday to share what she has hidden with us." Remus nodded.
"Thanks guys," he said weakly. Sirius clapped his hands.
"On to more important business, which is why we dragged you away from them in the first place," Sirius proclaimed, "Now we need to decide what we're going to be doing on the first full moon." Remus's head shot up.
"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" he asked dazed by what his friend had said, "I'm going to be in the Shrieking Shack and you will be at the castle. End of story." The other three Marauders gave each other conspiratorial glances. Remus caught on quickly, "What did you three do?"
"Well," Sirius began with a wide smile, "when we found out you were a werewolf, we did the only thing we could think of before confronting you. Which we did a lot later than we actually had intended to do. . ." Remus raised and elegant eyebrow.
"No," he said, "I don't believe it."
"We did research," Peter said confirming his friend's doubts, "and lots of it. Found out some interesting facts, didn't we." The other two nodded.
"For instance," James said leaning forward and adjusting his round spectacles, "Did you know that werewolves only truly hunt humans?" Remus gave his friend a deadpan look that quite plainly said, 'Duh!' before rolling his pale blue eyes.
"Or did you know," Sirius said carrying on for James, "That animals are immune to werewolf bites? Well unless of course the werewolf rips them to shreds . . ."
"Where are you going with this?" Remus asked sitting back in his seat. The three other teens smiled wider.
"After discovering these facts," James said triumphantly, "we discovered a way to be with you on the night of the full moon. The solution was for us to become Animagi." Remus's eyes went as wide a dinner plates.
"You didn't," he breathed, "do you know how dangerous that is! Did you guys register with the Ministry? Do you know how illegal this is! Do you know what Dumbledore will do to you if he finds out! You could be expelled!" Sirius patted his friend on the back.
"Relax, Moony," he said attempting to calm his friend, "I think Dumbledore would actually congratulate us on focusing on something other than trouble making. Anyways, we were very careful about it. We found this cool room on the seventh floor called the Room of Requirement. You walk in front of it three times thinking of a room that you need, and it appears magically."
"Each time we summoned it up," Peter babbled on, "I would be filled with books on the transfiguration theory behind Animagus transformations. We used the books to study becoming Animagi, because we would have been found out if we used the library."
"We've been studying the theory since second year," James explained further, "It wasn't until we had everything figured out that we actually started to practice. We started to get it towards the end of last year, but neither Sirius nor I could completely transform, we just cover ourselves with fur, and Peter has got some to spout but not a lot." Remus just stared at his friends in shock.
"We figure we just need a few more months of practice and we'll be able to be with you on the full moon," Peter said proudly. Remus's jaw just dropped.
"You are all nuts," he said disbelievingly, "When have you had time to do this . . . practice?" The other three looked at each other.
"Well," Sirius began, "Nights when there are full moons, we sneak out of the tower to go practice, and we sneak back in with the cloak." Remus gaped at his friends.
"I don't know what to say or think," he said rubbing his forehead and closing his eyes, "I have no clue whether to be mad at you, or to be thankful."
"Don't be thankful yet, Remus," James said shrugging his shoulder, "We haven't mastered it."
"You guys are amazing," Remus smiled proudly, "You're the best mates a guy could ask for. Just one thing."
"What, mate?" Peter asked.
"I want to be at your little sessions from now on," Remus said astutely, "I want to go over the theory you have to ensure that you are not going to get yourselves into trouble." The other three groaned.
"We've been fine this long," Sirius protested, but knew their studious friend wasn't going to budge an inch.
/0/0/
The train lurched to a stop in the Hogsmeade Station. Students began piling out of the cars and climbing into horseless carriages or, in the case of the first years, small boats that would take them across the lake to the castle. Lily and Sairina were still chatting as they climbed into a carriage.
"Then what did they do to him?" Lily asked completely enthralled with the anecdote Sairina was recounting one of the many exploits of the Trastahil.
"They put ink in his wine glass," Sairina laughed lightly, "His mouth was black for two weeks. Father and Eomer were furious. The boys had to scour pots and pans for a month."
"That's great," Lily laughed, but Sairina held up her hand.
"Wait it gets better," she said regaining her composure, "The day after their punishment was assigned they all returned to their respective cities. Therefore, they had to serve their cleaning sentences separately and alone." The girls were laughing uncontrollably. They only paused for a moment when Remus poked his head into their carriage.
"Have room for four more," He asked and the girls exchanged a glance.
"Yes," said Sairina while Lily said: "No." Sairina shot Lily a look. The redhead relented.
"Only if James promises to behanve . . ." she barely finished before the Marauders piled in. Attempting to fit three people on each side of the carriage was not working, and it was apparent to all of the teenagers.
"Sai," Remus said, "Why don't you sit on my legs?" Sairina nodded and did so, creating a bit more room and comfortable seating on one side of the carriage. Lily, Sirius, and James (who were seated opposite the other three) were still scrunched together. James looked to Lily and opened his mouth.
"Over my dead body, Potter," she growled before he could utter a syllable. A smile tugged at the corner of Sirius's mouth as he suddenly hoped onto James's lap.
"Oh Jamsie-poo," he sighed causing the others to laughed loudly. Once their laughter subdued sufficiently, Sairina looked out the window.
"Do any of you know what the creatures are that pull the carriages?" She asked absently.
"What do you mean?" Peter asked looking at her as if she had lost her marbles, "There is nothing there." Sairina blushed and muttered something.
"Actually Peter," James corrected, "There is something there pulling the carriage. They're called Thestrals. A wizard or witch can only see them if they have seen death."
"What do you mean 'seen death'?" Remus asked curiously. James let out a half sigh.
"A witch or wizard has to witness someone dying in order to see a Thestrals," James elaborated morosely, "I was with my grandmother at Saint Mungo's as she passed. What about you, Sai? Or would you rather not think about it?"
Sairina closed her eyes and thought back to that day after her second year. Being in her bed and ambushed by that corsair. Unconsciously she moved her hand to her throat where he had held the cool steel of the blade against her warm flesh. She remembered being pushed to the floor and then her father rushing in to aid her, and subsequently ending the pirate's life.
"I'd rather not discuss it," she said lowering her hand and looking at the floor of the carriage, "maybe another time." Silence reigned for a moment before Sirius brought up Quidditch and the boys were in a full blown argument over the World Cup finals that had occurred over the summer.
The carriage arrived at the front entrance to the castle a few moments later and the teens clamored out: James and Sirius were both arguing about Quidditch and Peter nodding his head in agreement with both of them, Lily walked just behind them rolling her emerald eyes, and Remus and Sairina brought up the rear with entwined hands. As they go to the Great Hall, Lily waved goodbye to Sairina and Remus placed a feather light kiss on her forehead before she went to the Ravenclaw table and began talking with her other acquaintances.
The first years trouped in as they did every year. The hat sang, they were sorted, and everybody was just anticipating the feast. Dumbledore sensing the hunger of the students decided to mercifully save his speech for after the meal. The steaming food appeared on the tables, and the students dug in.
Forty-five minutes later, after the last crumb of cake had vanished leaving the plates spotless once more; Dumbledore stood to give his speech.
"Welcome once again to Hogwarts," he said smiling at all the students, "I hope you enjoyed the meal, but before you lot go off to bed, I have just a few reminders for all students . . .
"The Forbidden Forest is precisely that: forbidden," he cast and amused glance at the Marauders, "It is off limits to all students. As with every year, Mr. Filtch has posted a list of forbidden items on his office door and there is to be no use of magic in the halls between classes.
"One final note before you all fall prey to the tender embrace of sleep: Despite the condition of the wizard world I want you all to remember that you are safe here at Hogwarts. Lord Voldermort," some gasped at the headmaster's use of the name, others merely flinched, "has decided to show his true colors, and I assure that each and every one of you is safe while you are within these walls from everything." He peered around the hall, and Sairina could feel his gaze linger on her, but she didn't understand why.
"I suggest you all head off to bed," he continued with a smile, "Classes start bright and early tomorrow morning." There were a few groans and the masses rose and began to wander off to their respective common rooms.
"First year Ravenclaws," Sairina and Merric shouted together while they heard the other fifth year prefects doing the same thing for their first years. The group of eleven first years gathered around them.
"I'm Merric Watershed," he said introducing himself, "And this is Sairina Telcontar. We are the fifth year Prefects for Ravenclaw."
"For the first few days," Sairina continued, "We'll be helping you navigate around the castle and get to all of your classes." The first years nodded silently, "Right now we are going to be taking you to the Ravenclaw common room, and from there you will be able to go to you dormitories." Merric led the group out of the hall walking backwards to continue talking to the group while Sairina brought up the rear.
"Tomorrow morning," Merric said brightly, "Sairina and I will be showing you how to get back to the Great Hall for breakfast. There you will receive your class schedules. For the most part they'll all be the same because you start off with just the basic courses."
"We'll be then showing you to your first class," Sairina smiled, "and instructing you as to the whereabouts of your other classes. If at any time you are lost or confused, you can always ask for help from someone wearing a Prefect badge, or you can ask you teacher how to get to your next class."
"There are three more prefects in the Ravenclaw House," Merric picked up, "a pair of sixth years and one seventh year. The other seventh year who was a prefect last year is actually Head Boy this year. If you are having any problems at all, homework or otherwise, feel free to approach any of us." Merric turned around and came to a halt in front of a suit of armor.
"Password?" the suit asked with a very metallic voice.
"Draconus," Merric said looking to the first years who (he was glad to see) were taking mental note of the password. The group filed into the common room. There were comfortable chairs all over the place covered in deep blue velvet, an array of tables, and twelve foot high bookcases laden with books. The first years stared in wonder and awe.
Merric guided the boys up to their dormitory while Sairina beckoned the girls to follow her up another staircase. After ensuring the girls were getting settled and comfortable, Sairina continued up the steps to her own dormitory. She readied for bed while bantering with her roommates when a shriek caused them all to jump. A first year came running up to the door.
"Th-th-there's something in our r-r-room," she stuttered and the girls ran down the steps and burst into the room. The other girls were all cowered in one corner staring at a bedside table drawer that was shaking ominously. The older girls smiled and drew their wands.
"Boggart," Eliza Smith smiled as she waved her wand and the drawer opened. Out popped a terrifying clown.
"Riddikulus," Eliza said and with a wave of her wand, the clown's face paint began to slide off his face leaving him faceless. This caused the girls to laugh and they carried on taking turns to shoot the spell at the boggart. Finally, Sairina was up to bat. The boggart transformed into that dreaded flaming eye.
"Riddikulus," she said with a smirk and it changed into a pizza. Some of the girls were rolling with laughter by this time. The boggart kept switching forms until there was a nasty pop and it had completely vanished. After double checking all the drawers, the first year girls were ready to go to bed, and the others went back to their dorm.
As Sairina snuggled into her bed she had an epiphany. Remus had been right.
Her skills in Defense Against the Dark Arts had improved greatly.