Chapter 9

You would think that after saving Gryffindor from losing a Quidditch match, Professor McGonagall would let me go to Hogsmeade, but of course, I can't. I even tried to get her to sign it, but nope. "I can not sign it. Only a parent or a guardian can and since I am neither, I can't."

Same bloody excuse she gave Harry. Ron, Hermione, Rachel and Amanda gave us sympathetic looks, but I didn't care. I hated Mrs. Weasley at that moment in time. Harry and I decided that maybe it was time to go talk to Professor Lupin. I told him that Lupin knew our parents and maybe we could get an insight to what he was like. Thanks to Madam Pomfrey, she was able to mend Harry's arm quickly and now, he was out of a sling and in perfect health. Once we reached the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, we saw him leaving. "Professor, may we have I word with you?" I shouted as we ran up to him.

"Of course. I was actually just going to go outside and enjoy a bit of fresh air. Why don't you two come along?"

And so, we followed Lupin through the grounds to the bridge. It was a nice spot, a good place to talk, but it was a bit uncomfortable with a professor. The first part was a bit quiet, both me and Harry trying to figure out what we wanted to ask Lupin and once we stopped on the bridge, Harry asked, "Can I ask you a question?"

"You want to ask why I stopped you from facing that boggart?"

Harry and I looked at him in amaze. "I thought it was a bit obvious, wasn't it? I thought it would take the form of Lord Voldemort."

"And you lunged when Sirius Black showed up. Why?"

"Dementors can be harmful. I didn't want to have to explain to Dumbledore why I let a boggart kill a student. I'm surprise Lord Voldemort didn't appear for both of you."

"Well, I thought of him, then I remembered that night on the train," said Harry.

"And I remembered hearing Sirius Black was after us. That kind of defeats the whole Dark Lord thing when you have someone else who actually is ALIVE chasing you."

"Yes…yes it does. Well, it seems that what you both fear the most if fear itself. Very wise."

"That and snakes," I muttered.

"That night, on the train, we heard someone screaming before we fainted," continued Harry.

"Dementors force us to face our darkest memories. That is how they gain their power."

"I think we heard our Mum and Dad…the night they were murdered," replied Harry.

We both turned and saw Lupin studying us. "What?" I asked.

"You know, the first time I saw you two, I recognized you immediately. Not by your scars, but by your eyes, Harry. They're your mother Lily's. And Elliot…You are a spitting image of Lily herself when she was your age."

We both stared at him in with a smile. "Yes. I knew her. She was there for me at a time when no one else was. We used to talk for hours. She was not only a singularly gifted witch but an uncommonly kind woman. She had a way of seeing the beauty in whoever she met, even…and perhaps most especially…when that person couldn't see it in themselves."

We saw Lupin's eyes glaze in memory and then smile at us. "Which perhaps explains her affection for your father. James had, shall we say, a certain talent for trouble. A gift, rumor has it, he passed on to you, Elliot."

Lupin turned and smiled at us. "I could tell you stories…and there are many about your parents…but know this; they lived. Every moment of everyday. You both should know that. That's how they'd want to be remembered."

Our chat ended with Lupin announcing that he needed to retire. In fact, Harry and I were getting a bit hungry. We decided to head to the Great Hall to get something to eat before everyone came back. For the rest of the day, Harry and I talked about Lupin's information on our parents. For once, I forgot the fact they were dead. Finally, Ron, Hermione, Rachel and Amanda arrived back from Hogsmeade and we finally headed back towards the Common Room. "And the post office! It's about 200 owls, all sitting on color-coded shelves, depending on how fast you want your letter to go!" emphasized Hermione.

"And Honeyduke's is brilliant!Sugar Quills, Flaming Whizbees…and blood-flavored lollipops forHalloween!" smiled Ron.

Harry and I nodded, picking quietly through the spray of brilliantly colored sweets they had given us. Hermione must have noticed because she quickly said, "But, I mean, after awhile, it got a bit boring. Don't you three think?"

"Huh? Oh. Yeah. Dead depressing.Hang on. I almost forgot. I gotyou something wicked at Dervishand Banges, Elliot. It's a PocketSneakoscope," said Ron.

Ron placed a small glass spinning top in my hand. "If there's someone untrustworthy around, it's meant to light up and spin. Mind you, Fred and George say it's rubbish, sold for wizard tourists, but I thought, you know, it can't hurt, given that..." started Ron.

"Sirius Black's trying to kill us. Thanks Ron," I smiled, "Listen I'm glad you had a good time. Really. And thanks for this. Rubbish or not, you're right. It can't hurt."

As we climbed the stairs, we found a crowd gathering on the Seventh Floor landing. "What do you think is holding us up?" asked Amanda.

"Neville's probably forgotten the password again," laughed Ron.

I laughed with him, only to stop when I spotted Neville glaring at us from behind. Percy pushed past us and shouted, "Let me through, please. Excuse me, thank you, I'm Head Boy...Back! All of you! No one is to enter this dormitory until it has been fully searched!"

We exchanged confused glances when Ginny emerged from the crowd, crying, "The Fat Lady... she's gone!"

We all looked shocked as we saw the portrait empty and torn. "Serves her right. She was a terrible singer," said Ron.

"It's not funny, Ron!" stated Hermione, punching Ron on the arm. Just then, Dumbledore appeared and pushed past. After he ran his hand across the torn portrait, he ordered, "Mr. Filch. Round up the ghosts. Tell them to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."

"There'll be no need for ghosts, Professor..." replied Filch, extending a crooked finger. High up, near the ceiling, the Fat Lady cowered in a portrait not her own, trembling behind a zebra. We all ran over to see her, Dumbledore leading the way. Once we approached the portrait, Dumbledore asked, "Dear lady. Who did this to you?"

The Fat Lady stood up and looked at us trembling. With a sound of fear in her voice, she told us, "Eyes like the devil he's got. And a soul as dark as his name. It was him, Headmaster. The one they talk about. He's here. Somewhere in the castle. Sirius Black!"

I looked at my friends with a look of fear in my eyes. Sirius Black here in Hogwarts! I wanted to faint. "Secure the castle, Mr. Filch. Therest of you... to the Great Hall," ordered Dumbledore.

We quickly ran down the staircase, hoping to get away from where Sirius Black.

---oOo---

That night, we all lay together with the rest of the Gryffindors. Rachel and Amanda cuddled close to Fred and George, the twins' arms wrapped around Rachel and Amanda to keep them safe. Harry and I lay with our eyes open, listening to Snape and Dumbledore. "I've done the dungeons,Headmaster. No sign of Black. Nor anywhere else in the castle," said Snape.

"I didn't really expect him tolinger."

"Remarkable feat, don't you think?To enter Hogwarts castle on one'sown, completely undetected...You may recall, prior to the startof term, I did express my concernswhen you appointed Professor…"

"I do not believe a singleprofessor inside this castlewould have helped SiriusBlack enter it, Severus. No... I feel quite confident thecastle is safe. And I'm more thanwilling to let the students returnto their Houses. But tomorrow.For now, let them sleep...It's astonishing what the body canendure when the mind allows itselfto rest."

I stared at Harry, asking with my eyes what Snape meant by which Professor he didn't want to be here.

---oOo---

That next day, Dumbledore hand-picked our new guardian. Unfortunately, he was the most annoying portrait ever. "What villains are these that trespass upon my private lands?!"

We all stood around his portrait, staring at him with a look of him being crazy. "Who dares challenge Sir Cadogan! Back, you scurvy braggarts! You rogues!" he shouted, pointing his sword at me.

"He's barking mad!" shouted Seamus.

"What d'you expect? After what happened to the Fat Lady, none of the other pictures would take the job," replied Seamus.

"But he keeps changing thepassword. Twice just thismorning! I've taken to keeping alist," said Neville, holding up a bit of parchment.

Finally, Rachel and Amanda left the Common Room. "Farewell, comrades! If ever you have need of noble heart and steely sinew, call upon Sir Cadogan!"

"Yeah, we'll call you... if we everneed someone mental," laughed Ron beneath his breath. We were heading towards Defense Against the Dark Arts, but unfortunately, I wasn't going to enjoy it.

TBC…

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