And I'm back after such a long time haha! Hopeful people are stil reading :) Enough time had been wasted so let's just get to the chapter, shall we. In case you've forgotten what happened in the last chapter, here's a short summary :)
Dorcas becomes aware of her weight, feeling self conscious about how she's seen. Lily and Severus go to Slughorn's ball and Mary sneaks behind to follow them. She bumps into James Potter on the way who foils her plan. Sirius and Peter meet Ayesha Shafiq in detention who informs them about Regulus being in the hospital Wing, a fact that was unknown to Sirius. He rushes to the hospital wing to only to find Severus Snape with Regulus, who Sirius believes may have had a hand it.
Chapter 40:
Lily sighed and looked into Dorcas's eyes once more her throat constricting with every word. "I'm just not feeling good, I'll come out a little later."
"Are you sick? You don't think you're coming down with a cold, are you?" Dorcas inquired looking worried. "I'd take a quick pepperup before heading out."
"I will. You'll let Mary know?"
"Yeah-she'll understand. Though apparently she's challenged the Ravenclaws to build the biggest snow castle and were going to need an extra person now..."
"I'll come out as soon as I feel better!" Lily promised waving Dorcas away feeling guilty about lying and wanting to get out of it as soon as possible. "Good luck!"
Winter this year had brought snow early much to Lily's dismay. She cherished fall and the early snow covered all the beautiful colors of the leaves she spent hours staring at. She liked the fact that it wasn't too cold, the smell of pumpkins in that air and that when everything around her was reddish orange her hair didn't quite stand out.
On top of that though, the reason she didn't want to come out with Dorcas and Mary was because she didn't want to see Severus. It had been a few days since Slughorn's ball but Lily couldn't shake the fact that Severus had lied to her. How had her only best friend in the world, who had never once hidden anything from her, suddenly become a someone who could lie to her? Was there something wrong with her, she wondered for a second.
How else had she gone from best friend to someone Severus couldn't explain his reasons to, that he had to lie in the first place, and what was it that it had caused him to end up in the hospital wing to fight Sirius?
Sometimes she didn't understand what Severus was thinking and it was getting harder and harder to understand him as the days went bye.
Third year had separated them, that much she was aware of. Between her taking different electives than Severus and the Slytherins schedules being paired with the Ravenclaws this year she did see Severus less. But it wasn't just that.
Severus had been avoiding her. It wasn't something she was okay admitting to herself, she realized. She had avoided bringing the topic up around him and only too often pretend it was something else.
It started with him suddenly cancelling their study dates in the library or showing up late to their meet ups if not at all. He would get angry when she stood outside the Slytherin dorms for too long and sometimes he would pretend not to see her in the hallways ignoring her small wave.
It wasn't like she hadn't been busy either. Some days she would be working late with Lucinda on Gilmores Gossiper or she'd be swamped with homework that she wouldn't be able to meet up with Severus. But she never missed their Saturday afternoon walks and when Severus had missed all of them last month even then she hadn't thought it had to do to her.
Sighing she pulled the covers over her face, thinkin back to Slughorn's ball wondering what she had missed in Severus's mood that could answer her questions.
"Sev! Isn't this amazing? I didn't know ice could do that!" Lily marveled pointing at the sparkling ice sculpture of Slughorn that lit up and greeted everyone as they walked past him.
"It's been infused with magic Lily, anything is possible."
"Well I suppose that does make sense." Lily looked towards the long royal blue clothed table where all kinds of beautifully shaped appetizers were laid out in perfect increments. "Oh Sev let's get something to eat-I didn't realized how hungry I was."
Severus shrugged and they pilled their plates and walking around taking in the others. There weren't as many as to fill the ballroom Slughorn had enchanted the room to become, but there were several students that Lily didn't know.
She recognized Lucius Malloy, the head-boy deep in discussion with a younger student. Just like Mary had informed her earlier Liam Carter was present, talking confidently to an interested group of older students explaining how he had discovered a way to enhance a wands efficiency.
"I heard he brought Karima Aiken-no wait Theresa." Lily whispered to Severus who was now looking quite bored now that they had sone two full turned around the room. That's wouldn't do. Lily wanted him to have fun too, she realized. It neger was fun being the only one who enjoyed the party.
"Come on, let's go meet some people." She told him pulling his sleeve and ignoring his protests.
She stood for a moment in the center of the room not sure who to speak to first. Unfortunately she didn't know anyone except Liam and he was a bit preoccupied now that Professor Slughorn himself had come to listen to his theory.
Theresa too had left him and was talking to an older student with the prettiest dress robes Lily had ever seen.
"Lily?"
Lily turned to see a surprised Gideon Prewett no smiling down at her. "What a surprise to see you here- we didn't know you were in the Slugs Club too."
"We just got invited recently." She pointed to Severus, who gave them a stern look down. "Gideon, this my friend Severus."
"Pleasure to meet you." Gideon greeted. "Say you haven't seen a much less handsome version of myself walking around, have you?"
Lily laughed while Severus who didn't get the joke looked at Gideon with both a confused and annoyed expression. "No we haven't seen Fabian." Lily supplied nudging Severus shoulder.
"Ah, my brother escapes me once more. Alas not for too long." And with that he bade them good bye in search of Fabian Prewett.
"Is he always like that?" Severus asked once Gideon was out of earshot.
"It's part of his charm." Lily shrugged. "I think it's nice, that they always have a sense of humor, unlike you."
"I don't pretend to be someone I'm not." Severus told her cooly.
Lily sighed. "Come on Sev, you're no fun if you keep acting like this all night."
"I told you I didn't want yo come."
"You promised me you would!"
"For an hour!"
"2 hours." Lily corrected him sternly. "Besides you owe me this for leaving me outside waiting for you last week."
He didn't say anything after that she could have sworn he looked guilty. But she didn't think of it too much when she spotted a full head of familiar pink hair admist the guests and gasped. "Oh look it's Irma!" Irma's navy dress robes clashed perfectly well against her hair and she seemed to be enjoying her conversation with an older gentleman Lily didn't know. "I guess he invited both the head boy and girl since it's this last year."
Severus shook his head."He invited Irma Waters because she's interning at the prophet and Slughorn loves publicity and Lucius is only invited because he's a Malfoy."
"Because of his last name?" Lily asked "Is his family part of the ministry too?" She asked remembering the 6th year Ravenclaw, Ryan Cooley, earlier whose father was the undersecretary to the minister, according to Severus.
"Something like that." Severus told her quickly.
"What about Gideon and Fabian?" She asked suddenly curious. Was there a backstory to everyone who had been invited?
"They're Prewetts."
"Are they also an important family?" She inquired looking around at the guests in wonder. She and Severus had been invited due to their high marks in potions, but she now wondered if that wasn't the only requirement, if even a requirement at all.
"They're part of a huge family of pure bloods that's notorious for having many siblings." He took a sip of his drink and set it down at the table as they walked by one with fancy mini cakes.
She could see why Mary had wanted to come after all. Everything from the decor to the food was beautiful and the ease of meeting people and networking wasn't something easy to do at school-especially if Severus was right and there were a lot of important people gathered here under the pretense of a ball.
Severus hadn't been acting weird initially, but after they had separated (he had claimed he needed to talk to Lucius about something) she had lost track of him. It was only after everyone in the room had been forced to dance that she had found him again.
"I hate this." He said not dancing but moving in place as professor Slughorn walked by making sure everyone was participating.
"A dance never hurt anyone." Lily told him holding his hand, that has suddenly become very sweaty.
"You're burning up- are you okay?" Lily asked.
"I need to go to the, the loo." He told her.
"Okay, but hurry back." She told him feeling a chill grow as he walked away. She didn't realize how awkward it felt to be alone, not when she had been with Severus the entire time.
She stood near the dessert table they had passed earlier with the fancy cakes and stared at each of them trying to figure out what flavor lay inside. The yellow one was either lemon or banana but the strawberries and pink icing on top meant it could be anything. And the blue one next to it couldn't have been anything she was accustomed to but was enticing all the same, the icing glistening. She reached out to grab a piece-
"I wouldn't." A small hand appeared between her fork and the cake, and Lily gasped.
The hand was pale and wispy moving in place like it didn't quite belong.
"You're a ghost!"
"Excuse me! I'm saving your life here." The ghost floated upwards so that Lily could see that its full form was a small boy in hogwarts robes, she realized with a jolt.
She knew that ghosts existed and had seen them floating all over Hogwarts but she had never once wondered why they existed at all. Why hadn't she wondered or asked? What type of student was she, she thought shaking her head mentally, ignoring a population of the school so boldly.
"Why are you a ghost?" She blurted without thinking.
The boy ghost looked offended and looked back at the cake. "Don't eat it. Ed and Al spiked it with spores- it doesn't taste very good." And with that he floated back down under the table and Lily who had barely gotten the words 'wait no!' out of her mouth plopped down to see where he went was grabbing only air as he disappeared.
"Drop something?" Theresa Mendez asked, popping her head next to Lily's.
"Just my fork." Lily told her. How embarrassing was it that she thought she could follow the boy ghost.
Theresa, who liked to go by Tess, stared at her and smiled. "Want to join me and Liam?"
Lily nodded. "Yes please." She managed to grab the last slice of normal looking cake for Sev, he wasn't a fan of sweets but no one could resist cake right?
Theresa grinned. "Come on," she leaned in "and oh make sure not to ask Liam about his theory on wand efficiency. Apparently an older student asked him a question and he couldn't give an answer back."
"Ah." Lily made a motion to zip her lips. "My lips are sealed."
Theresa led her to the back corner of where Liam had been joined by a blonde who waved. "You found one!"
Lily looked at Theresa who shrugged. "Tarot card calls for 3."
Lily took a seat and Theresa introduced her to the blond. "Fae, this is LIly, Lily this is Fae."
Lily extended her hand. "Nice to meet you."
Fae took her hand and held onto it, eyes closed. "Lily Evans, you have a curious soul."
Lily coughed nervously. "Um- thank you." She looked towards Theresa who laughed. "Fae here is part of the divination club, she's really good."
"She's being modest." Fae smiled letting go of Lily's hand. "Sybill is so much better but Theresa won't let me complain."
"Her readings are never wrong, Lily." She pulled out a box of what Lily assumed were tarot cards. "Now that they're three of us we can do a round," she turned to Liam who was muttering to himself. "Liam?"
He looked up and noticing Lily have a small smile. "Hey Lily."
"Hi Liam."
"We're ready." Fae interrupted. She had laid out the cards and set one in front of each of them. They were face down but the back had a inscription spinning around a crystal ball that she couldn't make out.
"It's Haeglic." Theresa told her noticing, "I've only started learning it but it's a dead language, so not much to go on, really."
"Surely someone knows though?"
"Yes, but they're either too old to explain or they don't know it well enough. Also it's not apparently language just everyone can read."
"What do you mean?"
"You need to possess the inner eye to even be able to learn it."
"What do you me-" LIly began began to ask when Fae cleared her throat.
"Okay, now place your right hand of the card and hold the left hand of the other person."
Lily set her hand oh the card and took Liam's hand. "Hey Lily I'd love to pick your brain about something, see I have this theory-"
"Liam, not now!" Theresa warned nudging them to look towards Fae who had closed her eyes again and was in deep thought.
She opened them suddenly and Lily thought her blue irises were now rimmed with gold. It flickered for a scone before going back to the the normal blue they were.
"Liam Carter," Fae turned to the boy, smiling. "You are quite the peculiar soul."
"Yeah?"
"I see many things for you, though one thing is apparent, you will lead many to greatness."
Liam seemed to like the sound of that and Theresa nodded in approval, but Lily wasn't sure. It was very vague at best.
"Theresa Mendez you must be aware of those around you, your soul speaks to many but you do not speak to them."
Theresa nodded, looking unsure at first but became accepting of it when Fae continued. "I can see that the Haeglic responds to you, it's bonded to you in a way."
Theresa beamed and grinned at Lily who gave her a small smile. Then Fae turned to her and her nose scrunched.
Lily felt embarrassed. That we hope Petunia looked at her often and she didn't think she'd ever see that again.
But Fae's eyes weren't on her, Lily realized. Instead they lowered as an older student in maroon robes passed by them.
"Now there's a troubling aura." Fae said shaking her head as the girl passed. "Something not quite right with her."
Lily, Tess and Liam both craned their necks to see who the person was that had solicited such a reaction from Fae.
She was pretty with gray eyes and long blond hair that had been curled. She reminded Lily of Marlene a bit, the way she walked her hair swinging behind her.
"Thats Emma Vanity." Liam told them, "She's the head of the dueling club and the captain for the Slytherin Quidditch team."
Dueling club? Lily hadn't joined the club but it was something she had been wanting to try. She reminded herself to ask Liam about it later.
"Stay away from her," Fae told them. "Her aura is in trouble-best to stay away." She cleared her throat and turned to Lily. Lily Evans, your aura on the other is shifting said changing, not clear. Neither is your future, but no one's is really."
Another vague reading, Lily thought.
"What does that mean?" She asked out loud, biting her tongue when she realized how condescending it sounded.
"The future has many paths, and at the current moment you haven't made all the decisions and choices that lead to one or the other."
"Right," That made sense "But what about my future can you see?"
Fae smiled. "I see a dark haired man in your future. He's the one constant I can see."
"Oh, like Lily's future husband?" Theresa giggled. "What color eyes does he have?"
Liam pulled forward, clearly interested. "What exactly, or let me put it this way, who exactly am I leading here?"
Lily thought back to Lucas Andersons hair, and the way it looked when the sun hit the back of during The Holy Grails meetings. It was dark in a way. Brown though, she supposed not black but dark hair was dark hair...
Lily scooted back and stood up suddenly remembering that she had left her own dark haired friend and wondering if he was looking for her!
"I'm sorry!" She apologized "I just realized my friend isn't back, ha probably looking for me-"
Fae nodded. "Please, don't worry."
Theresa smiled. "We'll see you in class tomorrow, Lily!" Liam waved and Lily grabbing her plate of cake stumbled through the remaining students who were still there.
Where in the world was Severus?
He had to have come back from the loo by now? She didn't realize how much time has passed with Theresa and Liam and Fae.
Had he gone back when he couldn't find her?
"Lily!" Professor Slughorns belly blocked her way and she gave him a faint smile. "Professor Slughorn."
"Leaving already?" He asked looking sad almost. She almost felt bad about leaving to find Severus now.
"I'm looking for Severus, have you seen him Professor?"
"Snape, huh." Hé nodded his head. "He left a while ago, I thought you went with him."
Lily was taken aback but she smiled. "Ah yes he said he'd be back but I guess he really did-not feel well." She finished. Lying wasn't her great suit but Professor Slughorn seemed to buy it.
"He did look awfully pale." He nodded. "Best to check on him Evans."
"Will do professor." She hurried away, then shook her head and walked back. Her mother had taught her better. "Thank you professor for inviting Severus and I. We had fun."
Professor Slughorn gave her a genuine smile. "Thank you Miss Evans. Have a good evening."
"You too Professor."
Her mind didn't register her steps as she exited the room and ended up in a dead hallway with just one torch. "Where am I?" She asked looking around and trying to remember what this hall looked like in the daylight.
Lumos
The wand lit up instantly lighting the familiar statue of Gregory the Good. That meant she was near the Defense Against the dark arts classroom.
"Pewter hall." she reminded herself. She had made a pact with herself to remember the name of all the halls by the end of her 7th year but Hogwarts never seemed to stop surprising her, it seemed to grow and change every day, each day bringing a new hall she didn't recognize.
She turned her wand down lighting the steps and following them towards the left where she heard faint whispers. She raised her wand up blinding the two students standing next to Professor Heathens class.
"Nox" A girl called out distinguishing Lily's wand. "Incendio" this time the torches against the wall lit up and Lily could see Peter gawking at her. "Lily?"
"Name?" The girl next to him asked lowering her wand. She was a sixth year judging by the tallies on her robe, the Slytherin emblem glowing on her tie. Lily recognized her, she was one of the prefects she saw often when she waited outside the Slytherin common for Severus.
"Lily Evans. I was looking for a friend-"
"At this time of night?" Ayesha asked incredulously. "It's half past 9 and is that cake?"
"Uh yes, I was with Professor Slughorn you see," Lily rushed to explain not wanting to get in trouble. "He had this party, that where the cake is from. I even have the invite here-" she patted her pockets, before remembering she didn't have pockets..
"It's okay." The girls features softened. "I didn't realize that was tonight."
Lily let out a little sigh. The girl looked towards Peter. "Let's call it a night."
He nodded. She turned to Lily. "Follow me, I'm taking you both back to your dorms."
Peter made a squeak falling into line with Lily as they followed the girl. Lily gave him a shove and a be quiet look. "I don't want you two getting caught by another student," the girl turned back to wink at them. "They're not all as nice as me."
Lily smiled. "How does it feel to be a prefect?"
"It's interesting to say the least. You never really get over what you see on your rounds." She laughed as they turned left heading towards the stairs.
"How did you become one?" Lily asked, intrigued now. Peter was wringing his hands nervously now and Lily couldn't wait to be rid of him. She didn't talk to him too much, now that she had uncovered that me fact that he was one of the Marauders along with James, Sirius and Remus.
"I couldn't say, it's a mix of a lot of things really. What I will say to the deal though is -" She stopped in her tracks suddenly, Lily and Peter bumping into her.
"Ayesha."
Lily's eyes locked in the tall boy leaning against the pillar, arms folded and eyes were onto the prefect.
"Rabastan."
He peeled himself off and walked towards her but she stepped back and shook her head. Lily glanced at Peter but he shrugged unsure of what to do either.
"Ayesha please," There was a pleading in his voice that broke Lily's heart. She didn't know why.
"Rab," Ayesha Shafiq said softly "Not now." She looked around as if waiting for someone to show up, "You know I- we can't."
"Just listen to me. There's nothing that she can do that I can't take care of."
Ayesha scoffed. "How can you say that when you know her? You know what she's capable of Rab. You remember what she did to Cadence-" her voice shivered.
"It's her last year, just a few more months and we'll be free of her. Just promise me that you'll wait and we can do this together."
"No, you know we'll never be free of her. I-," she signed. "Rab, I'll never be free of her."
"Ayesha," he grabbed her shoulders eyes boring into hers. "Tell me what is it that you are so afraid of?"
Lily coughed. She didn't think it was right of her and Peter to be here. Ayesha and Rabastan Lestrange turned and Lily saw her eyes glistening, something deep and powerful and sad all at once shining in them.
"Go." She choked out. "Straight to the dorms, okay."
Lily and Peter nodded, glancing at each other and walking as fast as they could away from the two older students who when Lily looked back were still standing where they were.
Lily wasn't sure what she had just witnessed but all of that was forgotten when Peter made a dive for the stairs heading down instead of up towards the dorms.
"Peter?" Lily whispered towards the boy who was speeding down the stairs. He didn't look back and without thinking Lily chased after him.
The boy was determined, not giving her a second glance. That only made Lily want to find out where he was going even more.
"Peter!" She called catching up just as he made a sharp turn into the Hospital Wing. The boy turned back to look but faced forward and slid into the swinging door with a swish of his robes.
Truth be told Lily didn't didn't know what she was expecting but it wasn't this.
Severus had his wand pressed against Sirius black who had his own wand pointed at Severus's chest.
"Sirius!" Peter panted hard trying to catching his breath.
"Severus?" Lily blinked. What was he doing here? And why hadn't he told her? And what was even going on?
Sirius growled pushing the wand deeper into Severus's chest. Lily was furious.
"Put the wand down, Black." She turned to Severus. "And you-this is what you needed to do? What you left for?" She spat. She had broken so many rules by disobeying a prefects orders and running around the castle for absolutely no reason and this is what she had to see for it!? "To come and fight him in the hospital wing?" She didn't even bother glaring at Sirius, she wasn't surprised that he was here. She had no love for the Black heir.
"Lily," Severus began to say but she cut him off handing him the plate of cake she had saved him forgetting for a second that she still had it on her. "Save it for tomorrow Sev, I'm tired."
Severus had tried to follow her back and talk to her but she shut the portrait door in his face and didn't look back.
Elvis Lockhart was many things, but one thing he wasn't was brave.
He had not been brave when he asked Uma Thurman to go out with him. He had not been brave when the Aurors had questioned him about his relationship with Maya. He had not been brave when he had broken down in front of Emma and Colton and he had certainly not been brave when he had decided that he was going to end this once and for all.
But somehow he had managed to stop right at the foot of the forbidden forest. Standing there the thin line between where the sandy ground of the pitch ended and the dark green mossy patch of the forbidden forest had never looked so big.
But this was no act or bravery. No, this was an act of cowardice. He had already taken things too far to stop now and every step he took now was only to save himself. Everyone else be damned.
His failed attempt to kill had caused the 2nd year Regulus Black to end up in the hospital wing and he wasn't sure if his botched attempt at a memory charm had even worked. Had that boy, Severus Snape, not been there he was sure he could have fully impaired the boys memory. But it was too late to do anything now. Madam Pomfrey,never left his side and everytime he came back to finish the job, some Slytherin or the other was visiting.
And Emma, he has told Emma but she didn't exactly give him an answer of approve of his method.
"Elvis, what have you done?" She had asked looking bewildered when he had told her.
"It's the only way. We have to hand her a soul to get her to leave us alone."
"But Maya-"
"Maya wasn't willing and she committed suicide so she wasn't technically a voluntary soul." Elvis told her. "You know my theory is right. It doesn't make me any happier that I'm right but we have to do it."
Emma closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. "And the 2nd year, is he okay?"
"He's fine. Somebody got to him before me." Elvis told her bitterly "I attempted a memory charm but there were too many people coming in to see him and that boy, Severus-I don't know what he did he but the boy is in such a deep sleep that I don't even know how powerful the affect of my memory charm is on him. It could be probably gone now."
"Snape?" Emma asked. "You said Snape did this? And the 2nd year woud he recognize you then?"
"Possibly."
"Who was it?" She asked finally.
"Regulus Black."
"Black?" Emma shook her head. "Elvis- the Black family is dangerous if they come down here and try to find out who did this-we don't stand a chance."
"I didn't know who he was. He was just there at the perfect time."
"Did it have to be someone from my house? You know how protective I am of them!"
"So was Maya but we didn't listen to her did we."
That was the bitter truth. They hadn't. She had warned them of the dangers in dabbling with the dark I know magic and all of them hadn't listened. Their greed to know more, want more, it has consumed them. They were in too deep.
Emma folded her arms anxiously. "It's to late for regrets, I'll talk to Colt and see what we need to do." She turned to him much like an older sister would eyes filled with worry. "Promise me you won't do anything stupid until then."
He nodded.
"What happens when he wakes up?" Elvis asked her nervously. "The Aurors have already questioned me twice Emmaif Black says anything, I could go to Azakaban."
"Don't be ridiculous." She told him. "Murders go to Azkaban, you're not a murderer."
"Not yet." He muttered.
She gave him a look of disapproval. "I'll take care of Black, he won't say a word even if he does remember. But until then stay put. Wait for Colt and I to come up with a plan for this and we'll get out of it. I promise. I won't let anything happen to you."
Strangely he believed it. As vindictive as Emma Vanity was they had a strange bond. The three of them had been strung unwillingly together, but there was no bond stronger than the one they had now.
"Just promise me you won't do anything stupid until then."
He nodded.
"Promise me Elvis." She stared him down.
"I promise." He said finally, his fingers crossed behind his back.
As he stood in front of the forest however, his cowardice began to seep into his veins again, the guilt of betraying her and the strange fear that whatever lay beyond those trees he wasn't ready to meet it just yet.
Remus was alone.
James had been spending the evenings practicing for the one vacant position on the team. Dawn Shallow had broken her leg and the team needed a keeper urgently. Sirius had detention as usual and Peter was, well actually he didn't know where Peter was.
The common room was quiet. A few younger students were playing exploding snap in the back. He could hear their giggles and screams over the game and wondered what version they were playing. He had heard the new version wasn't as fun, but if this was it it didn't seem like that was true.
The fire cackled softly warming his feet and his spilled ink mark on his parchment had dried long ago. He sighed and picked up another chocolate frog. He always seemed to crave them as the full moon neared.
He wasn't as nervous as much now that James Sirius and Peter knew his big secret. The queasy feeling of lying to them about it has long gone yet the fear or what they thought of him only grew every month.
How could they be okay with him?
They had made it clear that he didn't scare them but what if they were lying to not make him feel bad?
And Sirius was a pure blood- his kind hated werewolves but oddly enough Sirius was always the one who seemed the most at ease with it. James was cautious at times to bring it up and Peter in general was always nervous, though he was getting better at hiding it when he got uncomfortable.
Some days he wondered how it would be if they hadn't found out.
And some days he wondered how much longer it would take for the other students to find out. Afterall James Sirius and Peter figured it out so what was stopping everyone else from the same.
He heard the floor shake lightly, his ears picking up the sounds that no human could.
It was Michael Duke. He had taken a seat as far as he possibly could from Remus.
Great, another person who was scared of him.
The boys hands were folded around the pillow and he was staring blankly into the flames.
Or maybe not.
Michael Duke was the only one to the Gryffindor boys who wasn't a marauder. Ever since he had been acquitted of all charges Remus realized he hadn't talked to the boy, much less seen him.
He usually was either asleep by the time they got to the dorms or tip toed in the middle of the night when he thought they were asleep. But Remus didn't sleep much and thank his wolf part he could hear more than others.
He had heard the boy silently crying at night once or twice too.
And the way he say, far away, quiet, guarded...it was the way Remus was.
He was alone, Remus realized.
Feeling a sudden pang of sympathy he cleared his throat. "Bored Michael?"
The boy looked up at him but didn't give him a smile. "Something like that. You?"
"Was working on Binns essay but I think I've given up."
"You've got 3 feet done, 1 foot more than was required." Michael looked at it approvingly. "I still haven't stated.•
Remus chucked. "You know me- always the over achiever."
Michael nodded.
A silence hung in the air and Remus thought it best to leave it at that.
No.
What would Remus want someone else to do if he had been sitting like that, broken and alone? He thought.
"You know, its not that bad here by the fire."
Michael stated at him. "I'm not that cold."
"In this weather?" Remus pointed at the bare trees and white powered expanse outside. The boy didn't say anything.
"Contrary to popular belief, we do notice things you know. And I know you have been avoiding us."
Michael looked towards him before uncrossing his arms."Thought maybe you guys didn't want me around, since I'm not a marauder and all."
Remus gave him a small smile. "You heard about that."
"Who hasn't?" He countered.
"Why wouldn't we want you around?" Remus asked finally. It was better to get straight to the point then dance around the topic. Besides he already felt guilty for not having this talk sooner.
"You're the unlimited chocolate frog winner- who doesn't want to be around that guy?" He threw him a chocolate frog which he caught with a small smile.
"And what about everyone else? What do they think about me?"
"You mean James and Sirius and Peter?" Remus asked. "The same- I suppose we thought you needed space at first but then we thought you were avoiding us on purpose."
That part was true. Though he wasn't a marauder he was still on of them. They all slept in the same dorm, went to the same classes, albeit they did sometimes forgot he was there at times, Remus thought guiltily.
He would have to change that. For someone who had been an outsider his whole life he really should have been more considerate.
"I am sorry." He said finally. "I know we haven't been the best to you. And I know what it feels like not to belong."
Michael nodded. "I appreciate that. Thought it's not that don't feel like I belong, I just feel like I don't know who anyone else is anymore. " he looked towards the cackling flames again. "People I knew and trusted suddenly weren't there for me when I needed them the most and now the questions is how do I go back to the way I was with them before?"
Remus wasn't sure who all he was talking about. Peter had confided in him though telling him all about that day when he had seen Michael coming out of the dead girls compartment. That it had been a misunderstanding, a big one and how he had told McGonagall and Mary and gotten everything messed up.
"Did Peter ever-?"
"Yes." Michael nodded. "He did and I have no hard feelings. I know what it must have looked like to him but it still will never back to the way it was. At least it'll take time. I know that much."
Remus nodded. "Nothing ever does. Third year bas definitely been the most eventful year so far."
"Yeah," Michael let out a laugh. "You can say that."
"It can't get any worse though." Remus told him.
"I hope so." He turned to Remus a small grin forming on his face, something he had forgotten Michael could do. "Say you don't think I could copy some of that?" He pointed to the essay.
"You can borrow some stuff from it here and there." Remus smiled. "Better hurry though before James and the others get here!"
"Thanks mate." It was a genuine smile this time.
"Better bring me some chocolate frogs while you're at it!" Remus called out as the boy headed up to grab his parchment and quill.
And suddenly he wasn't alone anymore.