Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. The song "Gold" is by Linda Eder and we do not, in any way, own it.
Whisper of a Thrill
Chapter Six: Gold
You have to live the life you're given
And never close your eyes
You hold on and stare into the skies
And burn against cold
For any moment, you might find the gold
Just keep running.
I had never done well with emotions. To me tears were a sign of weakness - a white flag to the world that I wasn't strong enough and I couldn't, no, wouldn't have that. So, rather than crying, I ran. At home I would run through the trails my brother, Remus, and I had sculpted through the forest that was our back yard when we were younger. At Hogwarts, however, I wasn't about to wander the Forbidden Forest (not without the others, of course), so I opted for a much safer venue: the Quidditch pitch. By running, I could push away my temper, allow my mind to free itself, and work myself through the problem. If I didn't, I more often than not ended in detention or the Hospital Wing. I'd always had a hot temper and I knew that it stemmed from my childhood.
My dad and Remus's dad were old Hogwarts friends, so they were more than delighted when the two of us were born at the same time. I honestly don't know if we would have ended up being best friends without our fathers' influences. After Remus was bitten, my mum seemed to change her views on the Lupin family. She seemed to think that Remus could change at any given moment and, for "my safety," had tried to end my play dates.
Naturally, this didn't go over terribly well for me. My dad thought the whole notion was daft and would normally override my mum, but he was often out of town for work. No matter how much I would yell, scream, threaten, or cry, my mum would never give in. I would go weeks without seeing my best friend, while my sisters were always with their own friends. It was when I was nine that I realized my tantrums got me nowhere, so I began to run.
I didn't care that I was wearing my school uniform and my books were scattered around the field from when I threw my bag off my shoulder. I didn't care that I had lost one of my dilapidated Converse on the opposite side of the pitch. I didn't care that my hair was falling out of the loose braid I had quickly put it in that morning, to hide that I had woken up late and hadn't had time to shower. I just knew that if I kept on running, everything would get better.
I forced myself to think back to only a half hour ago, when I arrived in the Great Hall with Nat, James, and Sirius after Herbology. We had been discussing the Venomous Tentacula that had nearly thrown James into cardiac arrest when it had surprised him from behind.
"Honestly, Prongs, you should've seen your face," Sirius said for the umpteenth time, sitting down at the Gryffindor table for lunch.
"It was a bit amusing," Nat agreed, her grin showing that she found the situation much more than "a bit" amusing.
"Oh, sod off," James grumbled, sick of being the object of scorn.
"Really, guys, why don't you - "
I was about to tell the two off, but I noticed a tawny owl swoop into the Great Hall with a long package attached to its leg. Owls rarely came into the Hall after morning post, so I wasn't the only one gawking at the owl. Then, I recognized it as my own owl.
"Brilliant! Chara's back already with my broom!" I had written my dad the Monday after Quidditch tryouts asking for him to send me my broom and letting him know that if he wanted to buy me a new broom, he was more than welcome to it.
To my surprise, though, rather than flying across the Hall to where I was sitting, Chara swooped short to the Hufflepuff table. Furrowing my brow, I recognized the back of Iris's head tending to my owl, Calysta sliding down to investigate.
"Why did she go to my sisters?" I mused, craning my neck to see across the Ravenclaw table and felt my hopes fall through my feet when Iris looked over and met my eye, a malicious look on her face.
"Uh-oh," I said quietly, swallowing hard.
"What?" Nat asked, her red hair flipping as she swung around to see what I was talking about.
"I, er, I'll be right back," I said quickly, getting to my feet.
James looked up, concerned, and asked, "D'you want me to come with?"
"No, I'll be fine," I tried to put on a smile.
"Maybe your mum wrote them a letter, too?" Sirius suggested, although his face betrayed his enthusiastic voice.
"Maybe," I agreed half-heartedly, then slowly retreated from the solace of scarlet and gold and into the sea of yellow and black.
I counted my steps, allowing it to double as an anger management technique. My sisters and I don't exactly…mesh. I had a bad feeling that this wasn't going to over well and usually my feelings were pretty accurate.
3...2...1.
"Iris, did Dad have anything in there for me?" I asked and Chara gave me a happy hoot of welcome and spun around me before taking off out of the Hall.
"What would make you think that, Aludra?" Iris asked, giving Calysta a knowing look over her shoulder.
"Look, Iris, I really don't want to deal with this right now," I said in an exasperated manner, running an annoyed hand through my hair. "Can I just have my broom, please?"
"Your broom?"
These two words would forever change my life. I felt words catch in my throat and I ignored the lump that was rising. I looked at the beauty that was Iris, her long, straight black hair easily brushing her lower back and dancing brown eyes. I even spared a glance to Calysta, thinking my youngest sibling might have a change of heart, but her matching brown eyes looked exactly like our sisters'.
"What are you on about, Iris?" I asked, struggling to control my voice.
"This is actually Calysta's broom," Iris smirked, reaching forward to rip the wrapping off of the package and opening the box. Inside laid my trust Nimbus 1000.
"Iris, that is my broom," I said forcefully, reaching forward to grab it, nearly taking knocking over a girl close by.
"Not anymore," Calysta spoke up, her lip curled into a happy sneer. "I made it onto the Hufflepuff Quidditch team who, in case you didn't notice, have won the Quidditch Cup for three years running now. I'm a Chaser."
"Not with your help, obviously," I pointed out. "That is my broom. Dad bought it for me for my tenth birthday."
"And now it's mine," Calysta said, waving a piece of parchment in front of me.
I snatched it quickly away from her and narrowed my eyes. This had to be some sort of lame joke my sisters had thought hilarious. Not even my mum would take my own broom away from me. It was one of the few things that I enjoyed anymore.
"Dear Aludra, Iris, & Calysta,
"Your father is on business yet again. Sadly, he wasn't able to see your letters, but I will pass on the good thoughts and events.
"I am glad to hear that the two of you are off to a good start this year. Iris, I couldn't be prouder of you becoming prefect. I'm sure you will even attain more OWLs than your older siblings managed. Calysta, congratulations to making it onto the Quidditch team! The both of you couldn't make your mother prouder. Aludra, your sisters brought it to my attention that you are now dating that cheeky Potter boy that I have had the misfortune of meeting in the past. You are aware of my feelings regarding not only him, but your other friends as well. Those boys, especially Lupin, and that Natalia are bad influences on you. Why don't you try befriending Sarah Wickersham? Her mum is just lovely.
"Calysta, I have decided that because you were bestowed such a wonderful honour of being able to play Quidditch at school, you can have Aludra's broom. I regret that it is as old as it is, but I know you will fly beautifully. I'm sure that it will suit you much better than Aludra, as the Gryffindor Quidditch team has never been up to par with proud Hufflepuff.
"Love, Mum"
Don't react. Don't cry. Don't shout.
I swallowed hard, pocketed the letter, and gave Calysta a stiff nod. "Well, then. Good luck."
As I spun on my heel, my head was filled with the sound of my sisters' laughter. I hurried down the aisle and back to the Gryffindor table, where my friends were sitting, now joined by Peter as well. Determined not to give my sisters the amusement of just how hurt I was, I reached over and shouldered my bag, knowing that if I had to watch them throughout the rest of lunch I would snap.
"What's up?" James asked, looking concerned. He reached forward and tried to take hold of my hand, but I withdrew it before he could touch it.
"Nothing," I lied. "I'm not hungry. I'll see you lot later."
As the emotions surged back through my veins, I pushed myself harder, feeling my brown hair whip back and forth behind me. I pounded my feet harder against the green grass. I wasn't going to be satisfied until I wore a path around the field.
Of course my dad wasn't home - how daft was I? He had told me before I had left for school that he wasn't going to be back in England until the end of September, if not later. My dad had a high paying Ministry job that forced him to be out of town often.
My dad and I had an amazing relationship. I knew that I would always be daddy's little girl, which is why I couldn't wait for him to come home and tell my mum off. I knew that I would never see my broom again, though, unless Calysta was riding it. Try as he might, my dad was never able to say no to my mum, even for me.
I felt my legs starting to slow, chest heaving from the hard run. As I turned the corner of the pitch, I saw someone walking toward me. When he saw that I saw him, he dropped his bag to the ground and took off at a run. Once we reached each other, I allowed Remus's arms to envelope me. I sunk into his chest, my legs wobbly from running.
"Why have you been crying?" Remus asked quietly, running his fingers through my hair.
"I haven't been," I replied just as quietly, breathing hard.
"You're running," Remus pointed out. "It's the same thing when it comes to you."
Damn best friends for knowing everything. I pulled away from him and caught my breath.
"You're back from the Hospital Wing early," I pointed out, trying to change the subject.
"It wasn't a terrible night," Remus shrugged, and then noticed what I was doing. Giving me a stern look, he said, "Madam Pomfrey let me out just in time for afters without lunch, so I went into the Great Hall. Padfoot and Nat were still there and they filled me in on your sudden flight."
"They did, did they?" I asked, starting to walk to pick up my dropped items that were scattered across the field.
"I'd love to hear your side of the story, though," Remus followed me. "Padfoot can be pretty wonky if he tries hard enough."
I gave Remus a smile and launched into the story. The best thing about Remus is how amazing of a listener he is. I could tell him about anything - from an ingrown toenail to homework - and he'll listen intently, as though I was telling him the meaning of life. He never interrupts and always knows when to gasp, laugh, or nod appreciatively.
After I finished, I bent over and picked up my shoe, allowing him to digest it. I straightened the tongue and spared him a look.
"What do you think?" I asked.
"I think your mum is mental, but that much is obvious," Remus smirked. "I also wish she'd stop thinking of me as the bad influence."
"No kidding, you swotty little pansy boy," I threw my shoe at him.
"You can shut your mouth," Remus replied, chucking the shoe back at me so I could put it on my now grass stained foot.
Remus and I fell silent as we continued walking toward where my black robes were sitting in a pile on the grass.
"Are you going to be okay?" Remus asked tenderly.
"Oh, yeah, don't worry about me," I replied a bit too quickly and pompously to be even halfway believable. "Well, I'm used to it."
"What are you going to fly on?" Remus asked.
"Well, I'm going to owl my dad, of course," I said darkly. "Maybe he can talk some sense into her or something. In the meantime, though, I guess I'll just use one of the school brooms."
"Those are ancient brooms, Allie," Remus pointed out.
"D'you have a better idea?" I asked. "Maybe I can ask Filch if I can borrow his mop."
Remus let out a laugh as I gathered my robes, shaking the grass out of them and throwing them over my shoulders.
"You know, I turn seventeen in a few weeks," I pointed out, continuing onward to my bag. "Maybe I'll move out and get a flat."
"Maybe you and Padfoot could bunk together," Remus suggested. "He always says that this is the year he's going to ditch his family."
I let out a short laugh. "He's also been saying that for five years now."
"I wouldn't be surprised if he did it this year, though," Remus mused. "His letters were quite desperate this summer."
"I noticed," I said quietly, then dropped to my knees and gathered my books together. "Oh, I was wondering - if things go, well, awry over the Christmas Holiday, could I stay with you lot?"
"Of course," Remus shrugged as I stood up and shouldered my bag. "My mum and dad are in love with you. They'd be beside themselves if we ever got together."
"Oh, please, Remus," I scrunched up my nose. "No offence, but that's revolting."
Remus let out a laugh and shook his head. "To think you used to say that about James."
"That's different - " I started, but was interrupted by the bell signalling that another class would be starting shortly. "Oh, bloody, I have my Astronomy lecture right now. I'll see you later."
"Sure thing," Remus replied as I started off toward the school.
"Oh, and, Remus," I said, turning and walking backward. "Thanks."
Remus gave me a smile and nodded. I returned the smile, and then took off at a run toward the school.
I hung back in the Astronomy Tower, not especially excited to go down to the common room and have to endure the questioning looks of my friends. As I slowly put my notes and book into my bag, I jumped when someone tapped me on the back.
"Bloody hell, Sirius," I said roughly, shaking my head at him as he laughed at my reaction.
"Nice entrance, by the way," Sirius smirked. "I especially liked how you let Professor Mona pick up the star charts by himself."
"To be honest, I didn't even notice I knocked him over until after I sat down," I admitted, getting to my feet.
Sirius let out an appreciative laugh. "I'd saved you a seat."
"I didn't notice, sorry," I apologized, biting my lip. "My brain has been elsewhere lately."
"You're okay, though, right?" Sirius asked, his eyes more serious than I had ever seen them. "I know you don't get along well with your family - "
"What makes you say that?" I snapped, and then wished I could take it back. "Sorry."
"As someone who hasn't gotten along with his own family for years," Sirius started, ignoring my outburst, "it's pretty obvious to recognize."
"Well, it happens," I admitted with a shrug. "It shouldn't, but it does."
"You can say that again," Sirius nodded. "Well, look, I'm going to be late for Muggle Studies if I don't leave about three minutes ago. But, you know, if you need to talk or anything - "
"I'm fine, Sirius," I interrupted.
"No, honestly, Allie," Sirius said sternly. "We have a lot more in common than I think you'll let yourself recognize."
Surprised, I didn't say anything for a moment, then opted for, "Maybe you're not as wonky as Remus says."
"Did he really say I'm wonky?" Sirius asked, feigning shock. "Why, that smarmy berk - "
I laughed. "Thanks, Sirius."
"It's what I do," he smiled. "I'll see you at dinner."
Sirius took off out of the Astronomy Tower and I watched him leave. Not for the first time, I couldn't help but feel a sense of happiness just because of my friends. While we were definitely a group of misfits - James and Sirius, the popular attention seekers; Remus, the bookworm; Peter, the sometimes overlooked; Nat, the oddball; and me, the tomboy rebel without a cause - we had a friendship that I had never been able to see in other cliques around Hogwarts.
Besides, you're always going to remember the ones who were always by your side - even when you grow old. They'll be the ones who are still right there by your side.
Author's Note: Ooo, got some Sirius in there to make y'all happy. I really enjoyed writing this chapter for some reason. Hmm. By the way, the song "Gold" is probably one of the most uplifting songs I've ever heard. It's amazing and..yeah. It's a great song and I recommend it, especially if you like Broadway style music.
Anyways, let us know what you think and thanks for reading!
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