Listen To Your Heart

Chapter Twenty One-Mistaken Reality

Madam Elkin quickly waved a small vial of a clear liquid under Gillian's nose. She immediately came around.

"What is that stuff?" James asked.

"It's a Muggle remedy called Formic acid," Madam Elkin explained.

"Acid?" Lily asked with a touch of fear in her voice.

"Yeah," Madam Elkin said. "Don't worry dear. We don't pour it on the person. They just inhale it. It brings them around faster than a lightning bolt."

Lily relaxed.

Sam helped Gillian get to her feet and she sat on the edge of my cot.

"Are you alright, Miss Ross?" Professor Dumbledore asked concerned.

"Yes," Gillian said her voice shaking violently. "This is happening again. I can't believe it."

I looked at her confused.

"Gillian had a dream that Remus went missing and he ended up dying," James explained. "This is exactly what happened in her dream."

"Oh no," I said feeling as though my heart was being wrenched.

"Don't worry," Sirius said firmly sitting next to me and draping his arm around my shoulders. "We're not going to let anything happen to Moony okay? I promise."

I just pressed my face into Sirius' shoulder.

"I'm going to send word to the Ministry of Magic to let them know what happened," Dumbledore said. "And I'm going to alert the teachers."

"Hey," Lily said suddenly. "Has anyone seen Peter?"

We all looked at each other.

"I haven't," I heard James reply.

"I suggest we go looking for Mr. Pettigrew," Dumbledore said wisely.

Sam and Sirius headed off with Dumbledore as they began searching for Peter.

It was really strange. Peter was missing.

The teachers searched the grounds and castle but could not find any trace of Peter.

We all sat in the common room that evening. Gillian was absolutely beside herself and Sam had to keep reassuring her that Remus would be fine.

James and Lily stayed huddled close together and Chelsea and Sirius seemed to not get along really as well.

"I can't believe someone would want to hurt Remus," Chelsea explained sadly. "He's such a great guy."

"How would you know?" Sirius said rolling his eyes. "You've only known him for like? Several hours?"

I was silent.

"Roselyn, are you alright?" Sam asked worriedly looking up from talking with Gillian after turning his back on Chelsea.

"I'm fine," I said quietly and began wringing my hands.

"No you're not," Sirius said, as he got up and came over to me. "You're a nervous wreck."

I didn't reply.

"Roselyn, trust me…Remus will be just fine," he said reassuringly.

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and gave me a squeeze and he pressed his forehead against the side of my head.

Without thinking, I turned around and wrapped my arms around Sirius' neck and rested my chin on top of his shoulder.

"I'm just so scared," I whispered shutting my eyes. "I don't want anything to happen to Remus."

Sirius slowly wrapped his arms around me, drawing me close.

"I know," he whispered. "Everything will be alright."

He released me.

That night I tossed and turned dreaming about Remus.

The next morning, I awoke feeling even worse than I did the night before.

We all sat at the Gryffindor table that morning. Talk was rather subdued. I went to reach for a crumpet when a shadow fell across the table. I slowly looked up. It was Severus.

"I'm sorry about Remus," he said looking upset and solemn.

"I thought you couldn't be seen around Roselyn?" Sirius said coldly glaring at Severus.

Severus didn't take his eyes off me.

"I just wanted to offer my condolences," he said before turning his eyes onto Sirius. "Is that against the rules?"

"Well you know," Sirius continued. "We just figured that Professor Jennings wouldn't like it and go and tell your Mummy and Daddy."

Severus sneered.

"Wow you're using big words now," he sneered.

Sirius abruptly stood up and looked as though he wanted to lunge for Severus, but James held him back.

"But he has a point," I said. "You said that if Professor Jennings saw you with me that something bad might happen to me."

Severus moved his eyes back onto mine.

"Has anyone noticed that Professor Jennings isn't around?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

We looked up at the Head table. Sure enough, Professor Jennings wasn't sitting there.

"Where is he?" Lily asked curiously.

"On the third floor attending an 'Emergency First Year Dilemma'," Severus sneered coldly but then his tone softened.

"I thought you were different Roselyn," he said sadly. "I guess I was wrong."

He went to turn away, but I stood up and gently grabbed his arm. I still really cared about him and didn't want to hurt him.

"Wait," I said and walked around the edge of the table and stood beside him. "It's just that I remembered what you said. That's all. I think it's really sweet what you did."

I leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek and put a hand on the side of his face before turning around and taking a seat again. Severus gave me a smile before returning to the Slytherin table.

Sirius opened his mouth to say something, but I shoved a piece of crumpet into it.

"Shut up," I said and returned to my breakfast.

We all sat in History of Magic that afternoon. I couldn't concentrate one bit without my mind shifting to Remus. Severus kept glancing at me every once and a while as well. I was sitting with James. Behind me were Lily and Gillian, and Sam and Chelsea.

About an hour into the lesson, Professor McGonagall came bursting into the classroom out of breath. Everyone looked up.

"Everyone leave your belongings and follow me," she said with a touch of panic and urgency in her voice.

"Minerva? What's going on?" Professor Dawes asked alarmed.

"The war," she whispered.

I saw Gillian's face drain of all color. James grabbed my hand and yanked me to my feet. Lily and Gillian leapt to their feet as well as Sam and Chelsea. All the students fled from the classroom.

"Albus has everyone down in the tunnel that leads to Hogsmeade," Professor McGonagall explained as she ushered us forward. "Mostly everyone is down there."

We were ushered into the tunnel. All of the houses were down there already, huddled together on either side creating a large aisle in the middle. James insisted on helping to fight. McGonagall protested. Dumbledore arrived and much to his protests as well, allowed James to help. The entrance was sealed and we listened to what was going on above.

Gillian and Sam were huddled close together. Lily was sobbing from fear. Chelsea wasn't with us. I was nearly sick to my stomach. Sirius was sitting next to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"This is happening backwards," Gillian whispered terrified. "This is supposed to happen after we get Remus back."

"Gillian chill," Sirius said. "It's probably nothing more than a coincidence."

"How do you explain the details?" Gillian argued. "It's more than a coincidence!"

"Guys stop," Lily said sobbing. "James is out there fighting! There's a chance that he might not come back!"

Sam wrapped an arm around Lily and gave her a hug.

Sirius muttered something but fell silent.

We heard snarls and howls coming from up above.

"Werewolves," Gillian whispered her eyes wide with fear.

We heard something scratching at the door. Several first years screamed and huddled together tighter.

Something was telling me to open the entrance. I slowly got to my feet and started walking toward the door.

"Roselyn!" I heard Sam cry.

"Get back here!" Gillian hissed terrified.

I ignored them and proceeded to open the door when suddenly, a huge wolf burst through, knocking me onto my back. I heard the screams as a large gray male wolf stood over me.

Immediately, I realized this was Remus.

"Moony," I heard Sirius whisper.

The wolf's ears were flattened sideways and the top lip of his snout was pulled back, exposing white canines and incisors.

It snarled at me.

"What's gotten into Moony?" I heard Gillian whisper terrified.

"I'm not sure," Sam whispered back.

The wolf's amber/jaundice eyes were locked on me. It continued to snarl viciously.

"Remy, it's me," I whispered pleadingly. "You know me."

The wolf didn't even flinch. It had each of its forepaws on either side of my shoulder and the hind paws on each side of my thighs. The tail swung back and forth. Suddenly, the wolf parted its jaws and clamped them down on my shoulder.

I screamed as the canines dug deep into my skin. I felt the warm rush of blood flowing. I kept screaming in pain.

A blast of yellow whizzed by my head and hit the wolf. The wolf fell to the side completely stunned from head to toe.

My shoulder seared with pain and I felt my robe and uniform sticking to my skin.

The next thing I knew, I saw Sirius and Sam's faces above mine before I passed out.

"She's coming around," a soft female voice said.

I began emerging from the murky blackness and slowly opened my eyes. I blinked a few times, clearing my vision. I was lying in the hospital wing on a cot.

I turned my head to the left. James, Sirius, Lily, Sam and Gillian were all standing around my cot…Remus was there too, in human form in his robe and uniform. He had his arms folded against his chest and he was nervously biting his bottom lip. The cuffs of his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. His Prefects badge caught the light.

"Remus!" I cried relieved as I went to sit up, but searing pain shot through my body. I cried out.

Sirius and James rushed forward and propped a pillow up behind me so I was able to sit back against it.

"You're alright!" I cried happily.

"He's fine alright," Sam said.

There was a touch of sarcasm in his tone though.

"What's going on?" I asked.

Remus stepped forward and slowly sat down on the edge of my cot. He gently took my hands in his.

"Remus?" I prodded nervously.

"Chelsea is dead," he said swallowing.

"Wait," I said. "You bit me on the shoulder."

Remus' face drained of all color.

"What?" he asked becoming alert now. "Who bit you?"

"A gray wolf," Lily said. "We figured it was you."

"No," he said looking up at them. "It wasn't me. I woke up just outside the grounds."

"What are you saying?" Lily asked. "You were never involved in the war?"

"The war?" Remus asked confused.

Sirius began explaining to him what happened.

"No," Remus said. "Like I said, I just woke up behind the greenhouses. I don't know how I got there or when."

"I think," Professor Dumbledore said gently. "There is another gray wolf that joined Voldemort."

Everyone cringed at the name.

"Who could it be?" Sam asked.

"It's possible it was Fenrir Grayback," Dumbledore said quietly. "He is a well known werewolf who loves infecting everyone with this 'disease'."

"Roselyn's infected?" Remus cried. "I should've been there!"

"How?" Gillian said gently. "Remus you were probably knocked out. You had no idea what was happening."

Remus began pacing now.

"Still," he said looking upset. "I should've been able to protect her."

"Remus knock it off," Sirius scolded. "You couldn't help it. Drop it."

"What matters is that Miss Rourke will be fine," Professor Dumbledore said gently.

"But she's infected!" James cried. "How do you call that 'fine'?"

"She's alive," Dumbledore said. "But she may have an 'ailment'. The fact that she's alive is the main thing and what is more important."

"He's right," Lily said. "We've become Remus' friends and we care about him greatly even though he has that problem. We can do the same thing for Roselyn."

"Absolutely," Gillian said nodding.

"Yes," James said firmly. "We certainly can."

"I'll leave you lot alone now," Professor Dumbledore said kindly and left the hospital wing.

"Do you remember anything?" James asked Remus.

He shook his head.

"Absolutely not," Remus said. "After I changed, I remember this sack coming over my head but that's about it. I woke up behind the greenhouses after that. I am guessing I was knocked out. But for some reason, the person just left me."

"We can't find Peter," Lily said gravely. "We have no idea where he is."

Remus frowned.

"I've picked up Peter's scent when I was a wolf outside, so maybe he's outside somewhere?"

"We'll go search," James said as he tapped Sam and Sirius and the three of them left.

"What was the outcome of the war?" I asked.

"Well," Gillian began. "The teachers fought back. There were werewolves and Death Eaters. We didn't lose any students thank Heavens nor any teachers. It was if they retreated for some reason."

"See?" James said soothingly. "Your vision really didn't come true."

Gillian nodded, looking a bit relieved.

"That's right," Lily said. "Remus is fine and so is everyone else."

I grinned at Remus.

He still looked really upset though, but gave me a smile nonetheless.