Call On Me
Chapter Twenty Eight-The First Signal
I sat, completely stunned as to what I heard come from Kelly's mouth. Something was definitely wrong…at least, that's what my gut was telling me.
LILY ANN.
I saw Dad's expression and wondered what was wrong. I leaned forward and dropped my voice down.
"Dad? What's wrong?" I whispered worriedly.
For a minute, Dad didn't reply.
"Dad," I said a bit louder.
Finally, he snapped out of whatever stupor he had gone into.
"Huh? Oh, sorry Lily Anne," he apologized. "What is it honey?"
I scrutinized him carefully.
"You seemed to have gone into some sort of stupor," I said. "Is everything alright? You seemed to have zoned out after Kelly walked past."
"Yeah I'm fine," he said smiling, but I knew it was forced for some reason. I never pushed Dad to tell me anything unless he absolutely wanted to.
I guess that's why we're so close because we trust each other and have a really tight knit relationship.
"Okay," I said nodding.
Arimus barked, which echoed across the Hall. Several students laughed.
I gave her a piece of bacon which she hungrily ate.
"So," Elizabeth said. "May I ask what happened to your Mum? If you want to talk about it that is."
Dad and I exchanged looks.
"My wife was killed a few years ago by You-Know-Who," Dad replied quietly. "She dove in front of the Killing Curse to save me."
Elizabeth's expression faltered and remorse filled it. Her eyes filled with faint tears.
"I'm so sorry," she said quietly.
Dad nodded.
"Thank you,"
Elizabeth nodded and pulled out her schedule.
"We have Charms first, followed by Potions," she said making a disgusted face. "Eww. That Snape is horrid and scary. I really wonder if he likes wearing women's underpants?"
At that, I burst out laughing. Dad was even chuckling.
Elizabeth was grinning mischievously at us.
The bell rang, ending breakfast and we headed off to class.
Kelly was teaching Charms now. As we entered, she gave Dad a friendly grin and when her eyes landed on me and Arimus, they narrowed and got cold as ice.
I took a seat toward the back and Arimus sat on her haunches beside me near the aisle.
Elizabeth sat beside me on my right and Dad on Elizabeth's right.
She stood in front of the classroom and faced the class.
"Good morning, class," she said brightly. "Today we'll be learning the Yulnez Charm. This charm was used for centuries to ward off any jinxes without anyone knowing the wizard or witch had used a charm in the first place. Please take out your wands."
I pulled out mine. It was 11 inches, mahogany, firm with a unicorn hair in it.
She waved her wand and then muttered "Yulnezis Wardolis,"
"Do the same thing," she instructed.
So there was a muttering of Yulnezis Wardolis floating around the classroom.
"Awesome," Elizabeth said. "You feel kind of warm and fuzzy…protected."
Dad was watching me intently.
I did the same wand movement and said the words.
Kelly was walking around the classroom, checking on everyone. When she stopped by me, she smiled.
"Let's see," she said pulling out her wand. "If you did this correctly."
She aimed her wand at me and the next thing I knew, my legs buckled out from under me and I slid off the chair. Pain shot up my legs as though on fire.
REMUS.
Lily Ann was on her knees and clutching the desk edge. I could see pain etched in every detail of her face.
Arimus began snarling at Kelly and protectively stood in front of her.
I slowly stood up and pulled out my wand.
"Release her from the Crucio Charm," I said narrowing my eyes.
I couldn't believe Kelly had used on of the Unforgivable Charms on a student. She would likely be sent to Azkaban…possibly for life.
Kelly still had her wand aimed at Lily Ann.
"RELEASE HER," I said angrily.
The other students were watching in fear and anxiety. They began whispering amongst themselves.
Finally Kelly released her.
Lily Ann shakily got to her feet and took a seat again. Arimus continued to growl at Kelly.
"I can't believe you used one of the Unforgivable Curses on a student!" I cried outraged. "You do realize that you can be sent to Azkaban and I'm going to make sure you are!"
Kelly blinked and shook her head.
"How'd I get here?" she asked looking confused. "All I remember was sitting in my office preparing for the lesson when everything went blank."
I glared at her.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I can't remember how I got here to class,"
"Are you sure Miss Smith that you don't remember anything?" Professor Dumbledore asked as we stood before him in his office.
Arimus had gone over to him and was sitting on her haunches next to him with her head on his thigh. He was absentmindedly scratching her ear.
Kelly shook her head, looking absolutely upset and distraught after learning that she had used one of the Unforgivable Curses on a student.
"I don't understand it," she said shakily. "I was sitting in my office and then the next thing I remember I woke up in the classroom and…well…that's it."
Professor Dumbledore turned to me.
"Remus, how'd you know she'd used the Cruciatus Curse on Lily Ann?"
"I recognized the signs, Professor," I said folding my arms over my chest. "Lily Ann was in sheer pain and the only curse that causes that is the Cruciatus Curse."
Lily Ann was sitting in a chair beside me shaking violently.
Dumbledore sighed.
"I really don't know what to do here other than to fire you," Dumbledore said. "And I will have to contact the Ministry for further investigation."
Kelly nodded and turned to me, looking upset.
"I would've never intentionally harmed her," she said her voice cracking. "I would've never dreamed of hurting a student."
"P-Professor?" Lily Ann asked suddenly. She had been quiet the entire time.
"Yes Lily Ann?" Professor Dumbledore asked kindly.
"I'm not siding with Professor Smith, but could she have been under the influence of the Imperius Charm?"
Dumbledore looked at Lily Ann thoughtfully.
"Why would you say that?" he asked gently.
"Because she did seem to have this glazed look on her face," Lily Ann said avoiding Kelly's look. "It was faint but I saw it."
I frowned.
Come to think of it, Kelly did seem to be a bit 'spacy'.
"That's possible," Dumbledore said scratching Arimus' neck next. "But how would she have gotten put under it here at Hogwarts?"
We all looked at each other.
We couldn't come to a decision about that.
"For now, Miss Smith will refrain from teaching," Dumbledore said. "Remus? Would you mind teaching?"
I shook my head.
"Absolutely not,"
"Good," Dumbledore said. "Miss Smith? You are to remain here at Hogwarts until we can come up with a game plan. But I am still going to try and contact the Ministry and alert them."
Kelly nodded.
Arimus licked Dumbledore's hand before trotting back over to Lily Ann.
"Dismissed,"
We all left the office.
Kelly pulled me aside.
"I really am sorry, Remus," she apologized looking guilty and upset.
"Fine," I said coldly. "Just stay away from us. The Ministry will decide what to do with you now."
With that, we continued off down the corridor.
"You okay?" Elizabeth asked worriedly as we went back to Charms class and just then the bell rang, ending Charms.
It was off to Potions now.
"Yeah," Lily Ann said rubbing her leg. "It was as if my legs were on fire!"
Elizabeth looked upset as we entered the dungeon a few minutes later. Professor Snape was already standing in front of the classroom.
"Ah," he sneered when he spied Lily Ann and I enter. "The whole Calvary is here."
Elizabeth and Lily Ann took a seat toward the front. Arimus once again took her seat beside Lily Ann. I found a seat toward the back and sat down.
"Don't give them grief, Severus," I scolded.
"Why would I do that?" Severus sneered as the rest of the students began entering the dungeon.
Once everyone had taken their seats, he addressed the classroom.
"Here you will learn to bottle glory, brew luck and with patience and experience, bottle fame," Snape said his dark eyes wandering over each student.
Lily Ann coughed.
He eyed her before continuing.
"Some of these potions you will learn will have to be brewed exactly as I tell you or it can be dangerous," he went on.
Again, Lily Ann coughed.
"Miss Lupin? Do you need a cough drop?" he asked oily.
"My throat hurts," she said in a husky voice.
"She's probably getting a cold, Severus," I said raising one eyebrow. "Can you brew her a Pepper Up Potion? Or will that be too dangerous?"
Several of the students snickered and chuckled at that.
Severus bristled.
"Fine," he said icily. "Go to Madam Elkin."
Lily Ann got up coughing and headed out of the dungeons.
"You've got a bad attitude, Dude," Elizabeth said glaring at Snape.
"Excuse me?" Snape asked looking at her as though she had said a curse word. "How dare you talk to me like that. 50 points from Gryffindor."
The Gryffindors moaned.
"You can thank Missy here," he said glaring at Elizabeth.
"Well," I said slowly standing up. "As I'm now a Charms teacher replacing Professor Smith, I'd have to agree with Elizabeth."
Gasps went around.
"Careful Lupin," Severus said grinning oily and with a sneer. "You don't want that dog of yours to do anything rash."
"Who? Arimus?" I said mockingly. "Naw she's a well behaved dog. Why on earth would you think she would do something rash? Oh, could it be that she pissed on your robe? I'd have to say it was a major improvement."
Severus was turning scarlet red.
Elizabeth was watching with an expression between amusement and shock at the fact that I was talking to a teacher like this.
"I give Gryffindor 50 points for Elizabeth voicing what we all are thinking," I said folding my arms over my chest.
Severus was silently seething.
A few minutes later, Lily Ann returned.
"Feeling better?" I asked her my tone softening.
"Yeah," she said nodding and took her seat again.
She looked from me to Professor Snape.
"What just happened?" she asked warily.
"Your dad totally reemed Professor Snape here a new hole!" I heard Elizabeth whisper to Lily Ann.
Naturally, Severus could've have heard it as my werewolf hearing was ten times sharper than a normal human's.
"Let's just say he got a lesson in people skills," I said eyeing Snape as I turned and took my seat again.
Professor Snape regained his posture and began the lesson.
The bell rang ending Potions and it was time to head back to the Gryffindor common room for the 45 minute break.
"That was really awesome, Mr. Lupin!" Elizabeth gushed laughing as she flopped down on the couch.
"Yeah well," I said smiling pleased. "We went to school with him."
Elizabeth continued to laugh.
"I've never seen someone so steamed!" she roared.
She finally managed to calm down after a bit.
"Oh man," she said coughing. "I'm going to have a chocolate frog. Would you like one?" she offered one to me and Lily Ann.
We both shook our heads and politely declined.
She took a bite of the chocolate frog and after swallowing it, she suddenly had the strangest expression on her face.
"Elizabeth?" I asked becoming alarmed.
"What's wrong?"
She didn't reply.
"Elizabeth?" I demanded panicked now.
"I don't feel…" with that, she slipped off the couch and landed on her back. She wasn't moving.
"LIZ!" Lily Ann cried terrified.
I immediately rushed over to her and crouched down beside her. I felt her neck for a pulse. There wasn't one.
I looked at the wrapping on the floor. There was a light green liquid pooling around in the center.
Lily Ann began sobbing and immediately, I rushed to get Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape.
Professor Snape looked at the wrapping.
"This is Mynot," he said looking up at Professor Dumbledore and the rest of us. "It's a highly lethal poison."
"Someone poisoned the chocolate frogs?" Professor McGonagall asked shocked and stunned.
"Where'd these frogs come from?" Dumbledore asked.
Lily Ann realized where Elizabeth had gotten them from.
"They're in my bag," she said fearfully.