Listen To Your Heart
Chapter Five-A Muggle Disappearing Act
REMUS.
Lily ran and got Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. They quickly magicked Gillian onto an invisible stretcher and we all headed to the hospital wing.
Professor Harris, the head of Slytherin, also joined us along with Eric.
Sam had changed back into his human form when Professor Harris and Eric had stepped out for a moment. Only Dumbledore knew about us.
Sam filled Dumbledore in on what happened. I couldn't believe my ears what I was hearing.
"But how are we going to get Eric to confess sir? The tape recorder is smashed," Lily said in a shaky voice.
Professor Dumbledore winked. "I have my ways,"
He had picked up the pieces of the recorder, waved his wand at it and it magically repaired itself to look as though it had before it was smashed.
Madam Elkin was checking over Gillian.
"Well, I'm afraid she's lost the baby," Madam Elkin said sadly.
Lily burst into tears and James wrapped his arm around her. Sirius sank onto an empty cot, but it wasn't exactly empty. A second year was lying on it and she gave him a confused scowl, but didn't say anything and went back to sleep.
I swallowed a lump of tears. Sam looked just as bad.
"Her head wound will heal though," Madam Elkin said kindly. "What on earth are you kids doing these days?"
She shook her head and left.
Professor Harris and Eric returned into the hospital wing.
"What happened?" Professor Harris asked, looking at Dumbledore.
"Apparently, your student attacked Miss Ross," Dumbledore said raising an eyebrow at Professor Harris.
"That's impossible," Professor Harris said shaking her head. "Why would he do that?"
Dumbledore held up the tape recorder and pressed the 'play' button.
We could hear Gillian's voice, and then Eric's confession.
Eric's face drained of all color.
"So you see," Dumbledore said as the tape stopped. "He attacked Gillian because she had him on tape confessing to telling Argus Filch about their first meeting. And," Dumbledore went on. "It appears that the first meeting was Eric's idea in the first place. He was the one who instigated them being out of bounds at that hour…then told Filch where Gillian was to get her into trouble."
"Is this true?" Professor Harris demanded turning to Eric.
Eric nodded.
I knew he would be stupid to lie in front of teachers now that the proof was just played on the recorder.
"I can't believe this!" Professor Harris exploded. "I'm sending an owl to your parents."
"I'm afraid he'll have to be suspended," Dumbledore said. "And we're going to have to have meeting about whether or not to let him back in. He's possibly dangerous to other students."
Professor Harris apologized and gave Gillian a sympathetic and solemn look before dragging Eric out of the hospital wing.
GILLIAN.
I heard voices and slowly began emerging from the murky blackness.
"She's coming to," a voice said quietly.
I opened my eyes and blinked a few times before my vision had become clearer.
There were a bunch of people standing around me with concerned expressions on their faces. Sam, Lily, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter were looking down at me.
"Hey nerd," Sirius said affectionately. "How are you feeling?"
"Like a Hippogriff stepped on my head," I moaned as I propped myself up onto my elbows, but felt a sharp stab of pain shoot across my skull that forced me to lye down again.
"Well, you certainly got to know the wall a lot better," Sam said deadpan.
Remus sat down on the cot beside me and leaned forward so that our faces were inches apart.
I suddenly became aware of a certain emptiness in my womb.
"What happened? Is the baby alright?" I demanded alert now fully and looking at each of their faces in turn.
Lily pressed her face into James' shoulder; Sirius lowered his eyes to the floor and Sam shifted his gaze onto an empty cot beside me and rubbed the back of his neck. Remus kept his eyes on me though. I saw a faint glistening of tears in his eyes.
"I'm so sorry Gillian," he said quietly and slowly. "But you lost the baby."
"WHAT?" I exploded sitting up sharply and feeling another stab of pain in my head but I ignored it.
"Eric kicked you pretty hard in the stomach," Sirius said swallowing and finally raising his eyes to meet mine. "You ended up having a miscarriage."
I tossed the covers off of me and swung my legs over the edge of the bed and stood up.
"Whoa," Sam said immediately stepping forward. "You need your rest. You're too weak. Madam Elkin is going to give you a Dalleiwyn Potion for the weakness."
His arms were outstretched and resting on my shoulders, gently but firmly pushing me back toward the cot, but I shrugged off his hands with strength that was coming from my rage.
"Where is Eric?" I demanded rounding on James.
"Professor Harris' office," James said automatically with a look of fear on his face. I don't think any of them have seen me like this.
Staggering out of the hospital wing, I began heading down the corridor. The whole lot of them were right behind me and were sticking to me like glue.
"Gillian, you really need your rest," Remus said in a firm, but gentle tone.
We reached Professor Harris' office and there was Eric, sitting in a chair in front of her desk.
"Miss Ross," Professor Harris said startled looking up from writing a letter. "You really should be resting."
"I'm tired of everyone telling me I need rest!" I snarled angrily.
I went over to Eric and slapped him.
"You Son-of-a-Bitch!" I roared. "You made me lose my baby!"
Professor Harris' startled expression deepened.
Eric had guilt on his face now.
I began hitting him trying to make him feel the immense pain I was feeling right now.
I felt strong, but gentle arms encircling me, pulling me off of Eric.
"No! Let me at him!" I protested angrily thrashing as Sam dragged me out of the office.
I let out protesting screams all down the corridor. Several passing students were watching with fear and confusion as Sam, Lily, James, Peter, Sirius and Remus dragged me back to the hospital wing.
Once back inside, Sam released me and I slapped him as well.
"Don't ever touch me again," I hissed at him as tears formed in my eyes.
Just then, my legs gave out and I collapsed to my knees.
Remus and Sirius quickly helped me and put me back on the cot.
SAM.
I stood, absolutely stunned. My right cheek stung from where Gillian had slapped me.
Remus and Sirius had placed Gillian back on the cot. She was sitting up, sobbing hysterically into Sirius' chest.
Sirius had his arms wrapped around her tightly, holding her against him. His chin was resting on her shoulder. Remus had his face close to hers and was rubbing her back affectionately.
James put a hand on my shoulder before joining them. Lily came over to me.
"She doesn't mean it, Sam," she said quietly leaning against me with her arm draped over my shoulder. "She's just devastated about the baby."
I nodded, swallowing a lump of tears as well.
"Oh yes I mean it," Gillian snapped pulling away from Sirius and glaring at me. "I don't want him near me at all!"
Lily just shook her head at me.
But it was killing me to see her like this…and I now felt like she blamed me for the whole thing for some reason and I found out why.
"You should've let me beat Eric to a pulp!" she yelled at me. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying.
"And what good would that have done?" I argued back. "It wouldn't have brought the baby back!"
"Don't talk to me alright?" Gillian shrieked and threw a pillow at me. "Get out! ALL OF YOU!"
Peter was looking upset now as well.
Madam Elkin arrived, hearing all the yelling, decided to give Gillian a Calming Draught and a Dreamless Sleep Potion at the same time.
"Give her some time," Madam Elkin suggested kindly. "She doesn't mean what she is saying. It's the grief talking…but right now what she needs most are her friends and rest. Just be there for her."
We slowly left the hospital wing and with major reluctance, headed to our classes.
I felt so awful for Gillian.
Gillian had stayed overnight in the hospital wing.
The next morning at breakfast, the owl post arrived.
"Ooh," James said eagerly. "The Daily Prophet."
He reached for the newspaper and immediately when he glanced at the front page, his face drained of all color.
"What is it?" Remus asked, noticing the pale expression on James' face.
"Read this," James said in a shaky voice. We all leaned in close. The headline read:
15 Year Old Muggle Girl Vanishes Without a Trace
"So?" Sirius said frowning. "Muggles go missing all the time don't they?"
"Not as a rule," Remus said. "Keep reading."
We kept reading and I had to admit, I was concerned too. Something about the disappearance didn't fit right:
15 year old Eleanor Chambers vanished mysteriously from her home in Oxfordshire late on Monday evening. Apparently, she had gone to bed around 9 o'clock to do some homework. When her parents entered her room, the entire room was disheveled and there were scorch marks on the walls. But Eleanor herself was no where to be seen. They live on the 3rd floor of the Lanix Apartment Complexes and there was no way for Eleanor to just escape without someone seeing her. There were several witnesses that were walking by saw a bright flash of light coming from Eleanor's room window and then nothing. The girl didn't climb down the fire escape either. It was if she had just vanished without a trace. The family is offering 1000 galleons to anyone that might have information as to what happened to Eleanor.
Below the article was a picture of a Muggle woman and man dressed nicely. The woman was sobbing into the man's shoulder.
"Monday? That was the other day," Peter said curiously.
"Yeah," Sirius said turning to him. "I'm glad you know your days of the week."
"Sirius, lay off Peter okay?" Lily said rolling her eyes irritably.
"He acts like an ass sometimes though," Sirius replied. "He comes across as stupid too."
"Give the kid a break alright?" James snapped. "Lay off him."
"He's not stupid," Lily shot at Sirius.
This started an argument until Remus let out a sharp whistle. That stopped their arguing and also got some scandalized looks from the other house tables as well as a reproving look from Professor McGonagall.
Remus leaned forward.
"Knock it off you guys," he said in an irritated tone. "We're all on edge and very upset about Gillian…but biting one another's heads off isn't going to change anything."
James exhaled loudly.
"He's right," he said.
"Yeah," Sirius agreed and turned to Peter. "Sorry mate. I didn't mean what I said."
Peter nodded, signaling that he accepted Sirius' apology.
Finally, normal conversation picked up again about the missing 15 year old girl. Remus turned to me.
"Gillian didn't mean anything last night," he said. "You know that right?"
I muttered a 'yes' and began helping myself to some toast.
We went to our classes. Gillian would be staying in the hospital wing for a few days. But Madam Elkin assured us that she would be fine physically…but she should stay away from sex for a few weeks because of the miscarriage and we should just keep supporting her like we're doing.
A few days later, while we were sitting in the common room for the 45 minute break between classes, Gillian entered the common room.
We all stood up and watched her.
"I'm so sorry guys," Gillian said, her voice cracking. "I didn't mean anything I said."
"It's okay, Gil," Remus said watching her. "We just want you to know that we're here for you okay?"
Gillian nodded and burst into tears. Remus stepped forward and threw his arms around her, pulling her tightly against him. She rested her chin on top of his shoulder. Next, Sirius stepped forward….then Peter, James and Lily until it was one big group hug. I however hung back. I wasn't sure if Gillian meant that toward them or if she really was sorry for what she said to me.
After the group hug was finished, it was time to head to class. Remus, Lily, James, Sirius and Peter grabbed their bags and began leaving from the common room. I grabbed my bag and swung it on to my shoulder. I went to walk past Gillian, but she lightly grabbed my arm. Remus had hung back, watching.
"It's okay, Remus," Gillian said keeping her eyes on me. "I want to talk to Sam for a minute. I'll catch up."
Remus nodded and gave me a wink before leaving the common room.
I pretended to stare at the mantle piece above the fireplace, avoiding looking at her.
"Sam," Gillian began. "I'm especially sorry for what I said to you. That was really mean and I never, ever meant it."
"It's fine," I said keeping my eyes on the mantle piece.
"Then look at me," Gillian said her voice rising.
Finally I moved my eyes off of the mantle and onto her eyes.
"What do you want me to say, Gillian?" I asked. "What you said really hurt. I never thought you would feel like that."
"I didn't mean it, Sam!" Gillian cried. "I'm just so devastated about the baby I didn't mean anything I was saying!"
"If you say things that you don't mean when you're upset, then what about when you're not?" I demanded. "Is that truth coming out?"
She looked at me with a shocked expression on her face. I guess the jealousy was getting to me now. I'd seen the look on Remus' face when Gillian entered the common room. I see the way he looks at her. I was angry…not at Gillian or anyone, but myself mainly. I let myself fall head over heels for Gillian, but she might not even feel the same way about me.
"That hurts, Sam," Gillian said quietly as fresh tears formed in her eyes.
I exhaled loudly and just stepped around her, lightly jostling her and I left the common room.