Lizzie Heart and the Years after Hogwarts
Chapter four: Too Much Trouble.
Lizzie walked into the warm pub after apparating rather awkwardly.
The Leaky Cauldron was busy as always, filled with the most peculiar wizards to the strangest witches. The landlord, Tom, was the heart and soul of the lively place. He knew all the regulars and their favourite drinks, as well as greeting all foreign visitors friendly. And The Leaky Cauldron was famous for it's Hot Fudge Sundae, which gave Florean a run for his money.
Lizzie spotted Hermione at the corner table, looking sad as she stirred the straw in her glass of butterbeer, Lizzie sighed, it was not like Hermione to be depressed, and if she was, she barely let it show. That was just Hermione for you.
"Hey Hermione," Lizzie greeted with strained enthusiasm as she sat down next to Hermione. Hermione looked up and smiled but didn't greet Lizzie back.
"What's wrong?" Lizzie asked.
"You know what's wrong." Hermione said, staring at her drink.
"Yes, but you seem so down. I'm worried Hermione. I hardly ever see you like this."
Hermione sighed and looked up at Lizzie. "Viktor came by the hospital again," She began as tears fell involuntarily but silently down her cheeks, "He pulled me aside off the ward in the middle of my rounds. He said it was urgent but…but…" Hermione had trouble saying the words as salty tears flowed more rapidly out of her eyes. Lizzie placed her hands upon Hermione's in comfort.
"What did he do?" She asked softly.
"He said…he said he loved me and that I'm wasting my time with 'the tall red haired one'" Hermione weeped.
"Oh Hermione, don't listen to him. He is an ugly, lonely arsehole and is too thick-skulled to realise that he should go fuck himself." Lizzie said and laughed lightly. Hermione joined in and giggled gently through her tear strained face. "Now, how about forget being healthy and have a good hot fudge sundae."
The next day it poured with rain. But the England Quidditch still practised due to their over-enthusiastic captain, Oliver Wood. Lizzie knew she wasn't flying brilliantly, but she wasn't doing all that badly, she had scored three goals and missed several nasty bludgers that were heading her way, yet Oliver couldn't help but scream from the goalpost for her to get her act together every five minutes. Lizzie felt so frustrated that she felt as if she could strangle Oliver until his head was like Nearly Headless Nick's.
"Oh come on Lizzie!" He shouted, "you can do better than that!" Lizzie felt the rage bubble up inside her, she swallowed hard and bit her lip trying not to retort in any way. She caught the quaffle and took another shot at goal, looping in between of Rob Green, the seeker and Jack Robbins, one of the other chasers. Unfortunately, after much swooping, the quaffle failed to hit its target.
"That was awful Lizzie! Throw it a bit more accurately!"
This time, Lizzie didn't keep her anger in.
"All right Oliver, I get it!" Lizzie hollered back and flew with tunnel vision back to the ground. The anger was rising in her chest and about to explode involuntarily from her mouth. Lizzie landed and swiftly made her way back through the trodden mud into the changing rooms, where she threw off her soaking training robe. The changing room door slammed open.
"What the hell do you think your playing at Heart?" Oliver bellowed. Lizzie didn't answer but continued to pack up her sports bag. "Answer me, I can't keep you on the team if you keep acting this way." He said, threateningly.
"What way?" Lizzie demanded to know.
"Angry, frustrated, resentful." He answered. Lizzie went quiet and her eyes watered.
Resentful? She thought, Am I really resentful? "Look, sorry, but I just…I just have to go."
Lizzie left Oliver standing there as she disapparated. After an uncomfortable second, she was facing a large block of modern flats in London. She ran up to the door and scanned the list of buttons to choose from. She saw Miss A.B. Heart and pressed the button frantically muttering, "please be in, please be in". A male voice came from the speakerphone.
"Hello?"
"Remus, can you let me in please?" Lizzie pleaded. The buzzer sound and the door unlocked. She hurriedly opened it and moved quickly up the stairs and reached the door with her sister's name on the front. She rang the doorbell anxiously and it opened. A pair of violet eyes came into view.
"Lizzie!" She greeted. Lizzie threw herself at her older sister as tears ran down her cheeks. Alex's arms enveloped Lizzie. "Oh darling, what is the matter? Come in." Alex led Lizzie through to the sitting room, where Remus was sitting, reading a hefty book. He sat up slightly when he saw Lizzie.
"I'll go make tea shall I? And I'll bring some chocolate through. Look's like you need it." Remus walked into the kitchen, leaving the sister's to talk.
"Lizzie, what has happened?" Alex asked softly, much like Lizzie asked Hermione the day before in the Leaky Cauldron.
"Oliver really pissed me off in practise and everything has just been getting to me. The press won't get off my back. I'm really sorry I came here without notice, but it's just that I couldn't go to Hermione because she has her own problems at the moment and I can't go to Ron because he'll wonder why I haven't gone to Hermione and he can't know, and well – I just can't go to Harry." Lizzie ranted.
Remus came back through with three steaming cups of tea on a tray and a selection of expensive chocolates. He handed a cup to Lizzie.
"Here," He said and smiled. Lizzie smiled back through her tears.
"Lizzie, you are always welcome here. Always. When ever you want."
Alex said with one arm round her sister. Lizzie hesitated to answer because as she wiped away her shameful tears, she noticed the living room was filled with boxes. Big ones were stacked in the corner and there were folded ones leaning up against the walls. Also, there were no pictures of any kind hanging on the walls, but they were lined up neatly on the floor.
"What's with the boxes?" Lizzie asked. Alex and Remus smiled at one another.
"Well," Remus began, "Were moving in with each other, to a new home in the country."
"Oh my god." Said Lizzie shocked.
"What?" Alex asked, scared at what her younger sister was going to say at this.
"That's great! I'm so pleased for you two." Lizzie exclaimed excitedly and hugged her sister, then went to hug Remus.
"Oh that reminds me," said Remus vaguely, digging in his back pocket and he pulled put a silver key, "this is the second half of your present."
"A key?" Lizzie said with confusion, taking it.
Alex smiled at her, "Yes, a spare key, to our new home." She revealed. Lizzie eye's expanded as wide as saucers.
"But why?" She asked, perplexed.
"Because we want to see you more often." Remus replied.
"Because you have matured so much in so little time and with your hectic life, we barely see you and miss you." Alex expressed.
"This is what the key-ring is about." Said Lizzie, with the realisation dawning on her.
"It is," Remus replied simply.
Suddenly, the roaring warm fire sparkled a vibrant emerald green and a familiar face appeared.
"Remus? Alex?" Harry's head called out before seeing Lizzie was there. "Oh good – that saves one more of these horrible and restless trips.
"What's this all about Harry?" Alex asked, utterly bewildered.
"Yes, I hope you do tell. You sudden appearance has got me rather curious." Remus said inquisitively. Lizzie just stared at him, looking into those vibrant eyes which were the same colour as the flames surrounded them, hoping that he wasn't going to say what she was thinking he was going to say.
"Well," Harry began, bracing himself; "It has been too long…no…umm…how do I put it? I think it's time," Harry draw in another breath, "I think it's time for everyone to know how I - how we - defeated Lord Voldemort."