Chapter 16: Forced Fun

A Brief Synopsis: Where questions are answered, things are learned, and Julia is forced to have some fun.

AN/ Yeah I realize that the last chapter left something to be desired. Once I looked at it again I realized that I never really answered some questions. What's worse is that I had Remus and Draco eating lunch when they should have been having dinner. Woops! Hopefully this chapter should answer some questions.

Forced Fun:

If there was one thing Julia Potter had in common with her brother, it was her dislike of what she called forced fun. Forced fun consisted of unwanted chess matches, undesirable parties, and unplanned excursions outside (specifically group excursions).

Julia considered the situation she was in now forced fun, in the form of a group excursion, a picnic to be specific. After her disastrous meeting with Professor Snape and Remus Lupin, her Godfather, had been so rudely interrupted by the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. Said Headmaster had arranged for everyone in the castle; this included Teachers, the Nurse and, unfortunately all students. This sadly included Julia herself, being the only other student in the castle besides the apparently reformed Draco Malfoy. Everyone had to go outside for an impromptu picnic. Unfortunately enough for Julia, It was mandatory. She had tried to avoid attending by hiding in Moaning Myrtles bathroom. Julia was rather fond of the constantly upset ghost. Peeves in all his glory ruined her plans of hiding in the bathroom all day by chasing her all the way to the Great Hall pelting her with water balloons the whole way.

Nor was she the only person unhappily attending. Draco Malfoy and Professor Snape had been personally escorted from the dungeons by the Headmaster. Both Slytherins had permanent sneers attached to their faces, looking as if a picnic was beneath them. Professor Snape had an added measure of anger to his face whenever he looked at the Headmaster. Dumbledore and Snape were at an impasse of sorts, and neither was happy about it, which was probably the reason, that the Headmaster had forced the Potions master outside at all.

Since the Headmaster had joined the meeting yesterday everything had gone downhill. 'Well more so than it had already'. Dumbledore was angry that Snape had told Julia anything about her condition. Snape was angry that Dumbledore hadn't told her already, and Julia? Julia was absolutely furious with the headmaster as well. For once she was agreeing with the Potions master. She looked up to see if the sky was falling, it wasn't. 'A miracle if there ever was one.' Julia didn't like things being kept from her, especially if it was about her. Dumbledore had felt that Julia shouldn't be burdened with the knowledge of what had happened to her or to the people who had been put through similar things.

Once Dumbledore found out what she already knew however he decided that she should know everything, about her condition that is. Julia thought back to what had happened yesterday as she tried to skip stones across the lake. Quite unsuccessfully, by the way, The amused vice snarked to her.

FlashBack

"Julia I wish you had not been put into this situation," Dumbledore gave Professor Snape a particularly disappointed look.

The Professor stared calmly back.

"It was my intention to tell you when the time was right, but apparently Professor Snape feels that he is more justified to tell you now." Seeing the lack of earlier response Dumbledore had turned away from Julia at the last part of his statement to look Professor Snape in the eye.

The Professor had the grace to look slightly repentant. This seemed to slightly appease Dumbledore as he turned back to Julia and told her the history of the 'Selubrious' curse.

"The first recorded sighting of the 'Selubrious' curse had been in 1604 when the wizard Gremwald had reportedly cast it on his cheating wife Gertrude. Gertrude had gone into a coma like state and then two weeks later had mysteriously vanished from the hospice she had been staying at. At around the same time the neighboring villages had reported seeing hooded specters that 'took the very joy of life out of the room'. The villagers sent out a few of their bravest men to meet them one night as they came through the town yet again. No one saw what exactly happened but those men were found the next morning, when the villagers came out of hiding. They would not speak or move but for simple orders. They would not take the slightest interest in their own well being, nor the well being of their families. After a month they died from starvation. The only connection between Gertrude and the men was a flowered shawl left in the middle of the town, bearing the initials G.A.G. Gertrude Allia Gremwald. It is common theory that Gertrude turned into one of the hooded specters. Can you guess what those specters were?"

Julia swallowed past the lump in her throat that she'd had since hearing about the hooded specters and gripped the armrests in her chair harder.

"They were, umm, they were Dementors weren't they?" She took a deep breath after The headmaster had nodded his affirmative. Then she said in a great rush of words. "I'd always wondered how they came about. Was it the curse that made them? Once someone was cursed did they automatically become Dementors? Did anyone get better?" Julia ended her barrage of questions when she realized what she was asking. 'Oh god was she going to become a Dementor?'

Dumbledore started to say something but Julia wasn't listening anymore. It seemed that the emotion suppressor had worn off and she was left in a swirl of emotions; Fear, Anger, Sadness, Regret. Julia realized though that she was only feeling her emotions though. Apparently Snape was Occluding and Dumbledore seemed to have picked up the same message too, though to a lesser extent. Julia could tell that if she concentrated too much on the man she might be able to tell what he was thinking. The snapping of fingers brought Julia back to the conversation. She buried her emotions as well as she was able and focused instead on what Dumbledore was saying.

"I realize that this all might be a little much for you Julia, but you really need to listen." Professor Snape mad a little harrumphing noise when Dumbledore said that. Dumbledore ignored it however when Julia nodded to show that she was paying attention.

"Good, now then as to your questions. First off, yes, those 'hooded specters' were Dementors, you were right about that. Now as to your question, if the curse 'Selubrious' created Dementors, no one is quite sure of that. It is my belief however that yes that curse was used by power hungry men to create Dementors, to be used as weapons. Most evil things do not come about naturally. They are created by man. As to your question, if someone is cursed did they automatically become a Dementor or did they get better? I have a more definitive answer on that question. The truth is, no not all who were cursed became a Dementor, in fact very few did, and that was only under very special circumstances."

Julia shuddered when she heard Dumbledore say 'particular circumstances'. "No one though ever stayed the person they were before they were cursed, in fact very few of those that did not become Dementors ever woke up from the coma they went in to after the curse was cast, and of the few that did wake up over half went insane, screaming about feeling other peoples emotions. Of the other half, some became Dementors but others; they became what I like to call Human Patroness's. Though there's only one of them that ever lived a year past when they curse was put on them. That one was, I believe Severus told you about her, his sister Saris?"

Julia nodded to show that yes she had heard of Saris, vaguely. She was still a little shell shocked at what she had heard so far.

---------------------------End---Flash---Back------------------------

Julia had asked more questions of course. Questions like what would happen to her. Was she going to become a Dementor, and just what was a human Patronus? There was one question that she had hesitatingly asked Snape. "What happened to Saris?"

She had never gotten an answer to that question,

For the other questions however Snape and Dumbledore had been quick to answer.

No, it was decided, she was not going to become a Dementor, if she was it would have happened already, of that both men were quick to assure Julia of.

A human Patronus was someone who could repel Dementors by broadcasting happy feelings from themselves and towards the Dementors. Julia had called that 'wicked neat' and Dumbledore had replied that the Patronus charm had originated from that thought.

Snape had rolled his eyes.

As for what was going to happen to Julia, she and Draco were to spend one more week at Hogwarts, to see if Julia was indeed stabilized in her condition, then they were going to be taken to a safe house, which Julia had strongly thought was Grimmauld Place, to meet Harry, Hermione and her parents, and the Weasley's. They would stay there for the last two months of summer unless something unforeseen happened of course. Once there Julia was to learn forms of meditation and hopefully convince Harry to restart Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape again. Why they had stopped in the first place she didn't know, and had told Professor Snape. He had seemed shocked and asked.

"He didn't tell you?"

"No he told no one just that they had stopped."

Snape seemed rather shocked, and oddly pleased to hear that.

From what she had heard though, Dumbledore had already tried to convince Harry to restart the lessons and he had flat out refused. Harry seemed absolutely furious at the headmaster. Why, Julia didn't know but she fully intended to find out.

The headmaster had fully refused to tell Julia the reason for Harry's anger, stating that it was between Harry and himself. At that point Julia had left for the dungeons and had walked strait into the twilight zone. She had entered the great hall with the headmaster and Snape at her heels to see none other than Draco Malfoy and Remus Lupin eating dinner together. It had looked to be a tense affair Julia had figured out quickly against Dumbledore's strident objections, saying and I quote "Your not ready to be around so many people yet." To which Julia had pointed out that she was going to be around more people than this in a week. Dumbledore had reluctantly agreed. Remus and Draco were attempting to engage in false pleasantries, Julia had endured five minutes of talk about how lovely the weather was before she had said in no uncertain terms that she was not going to listen to talk about the weather unless it was snowing in the summer.

Dinner from then on had been entertaining to say the least. Snape had quickly engaged Remus in a discussion on the Wolfsbane potion while Draco and Julia had hesitatingly talked about previous classes and how they hoped they did on their O.W.L.s

Draco had been in the middle of telling Julia about his defense O.W.L., she had already told him about her Ancient Rune fiasco, she had given the rune for death in lieu of the protection rune. She still cringed when she about it, when the Headmaster suddenly announced the picnic. 'That had led to this fresh hell.' Julia thought skipping one last rock across the lake. She turned to go join the rest of the group, and noticed the woebegone expressions on the two Slytherins faces.

Julia smirked as she headed towards them, and wondered what her brother was doing.

THIS IS THE END OF THE CHAPTER CONGRAGULATIONS FOR GETTING THIS FAR.

Authors note:

It is so disgraseful of me to have waited so long to update, and for that I am truly sorry. Hopefully I will update in the next week or two, I do know exactly where this story is going never fear.

I do have one question though.

I will have the Dursleys come back into the story soon but I was wondering if you would like to see them at:

1) Privit Drive

2)Grimauld Place

3) Hogwarts

or

4) somewhere else

Er. and if you want to see anything in particular do tell me.

and for those of you who want to see more Julia/Draco next chapter will have that.

REVIEWS GREATLY APRECIATED

Lots of Love

Kira