Chapter 5

Serena saw Neville walking with Seamus and Dean and went up to them. "Hey Neville, have you seen Hermione or Ron around anywhere?"

"Oh yeah, they were looking for you a while ago. They said they'd be up by the Shrieking Shack."

"Oh, thanks Neville." Serena turned around and started walking up there when Draco Malfoy and his friends came running past screaming. Serena raised her eyebrows, but continued walking to the shack. Her hands were beginning to feel cold so she stuck them in her pockets. She began to hear voices up ahead and as she rounded a bend she saw Hermione and Ron.

"Hi guys!" she yelled and she ran over to them.

"Serena! Where have you been?" Hermione crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yah! You missed it! It was hilarious!" Ron added.

"What happened?"

"I just scared the hell out of Malfoy." Harry had come up behind Serena and was carrying his invisibility cloak.

"Harry! How'd you get here?"

"Let's just say two little birdies told me a way out of the castle."

"Why don't we head back down and get some butter beer, it's getting colder." Ron suggested.

"I wouldn't mind that." Harry started walking down the path and the three of them followed.

"Shouldn't you put your cloak back on? What if a teacher sees you?" Hermione said.

"Don't worry; I'll put it back on when we get closer." They walked down to the town and Harry put his cloak back on as they were coming past the sign. They walked past a pub and three teachers walked past them.

"Did you hear?" Harry whispered to them.

"What?" Serena looked at the teachers, who were about to enterthe pub.

"They were talking about Sirius Black! I'm going to go follow them." Harry walked over to the teachers and waited for them to go inside.

"Harry, wait!" Hermione called after him and they followed his footprints up to the door. The teachers moved inside and the door closed behind them. They tried to open the door, but there was a sign that said, 'No students allowed in today'.

"Well shoot. I guess we'll just have to wait here." Ron sat down on a bench and Hermione and Serena joined him.

"Serena, you never answered my question. Where were you?"

"Oh, I…uh…went back and found my glove and then when I went inside I couldn't find you. So I looked around for a little bit until I saw Neville. He told me where you guys had gone." The story was practically the truth, minus George. Serena was hoping Hermione had forgotten about George, but she hadn't.

"But I though you were-"

Serena cut off, "I was going to go talk to her about that, but I decided I'd do it tomorrow." Serena nodded her head and hoped that Hermione wouldn't say anything else, luckily she didn't.

They didn't have long to wait before the door of the pub burst open. The door slammed shut and something ran by them, leaving footprints in the snow."

"Was that Harry?" Serena asked.

"We'd better follow him." Hermione said. The three got up and followed the footprints, which were leading back up to the Shrieking Shack.

The footprints ended over by a rock, where a sobbing sound was coming. Hermione crept over there and whispered, "Harry?" She reached up and pulled off his invisibility cloak. "What happened?"

Harry wiped a tear off his face, "Sirius Black." Serena felt her breath catch in the air, Harry continued, "He was their friend! He was my parent's best friend, and he betrayed them to Voldemort! He helped kill them…I'm going to kill him to!"

"Harry…" Hermione put her hand on Harry's shoulder. Serena could feel tears welling up in her own eyes. She was so confused, It isn't right! She turned around as the tears came and started running down the path that led to the Shrieking Shack.

Ron called after her, "Serena wait!"

"Leave me alone!" she shouted at them. She kept running as the tears streamed down her face. She looked up and the Shrieking Shack loomed above her, then she tripped over a tree root and fell sobbing in the snow.

She sat up and wiped the tears from her face; she winced and pulled back her hand. There was blood on it; she had scraped her cheek on a rock when she fell. Serena pulled her legs up to her chest and cried into her knees.

"I don't get it!" she voice was trembling as she talked, "He said he didn't do it…but everyone believes he did. Who am I supposed to believe?" She raised her head and saw a large tree near by. She walked over to it and sat beneath it so she could lean against it. Her face was cold, but at this point she didn't care, all she wanted to do was be alone.

"Well if it isn't a bunch a third years back from Hogsmeade!" George welcomed Hermione, Harry and Ron as they came into the Gryffindor common room.

Hermione hurried over to him, "Have you seen Serena? Has she come back yet?"

George gave her a confused look, "What do you mean? She was with you guys."

Hermione looked over her shoulder at Harry and Ron, "She was," she stuttered, "but, well, we don't know why. But she got very upset and ran off…" Hermione rung her hands nervously, "We were hoping she'd come back on her own, but…it's getting so late…"

"Where is she?" George stood up from his chair by the fire place.

"I don't know. She ran off towards the Shrieking Shack…" Ron answered him. George ran up to the boy's dormitories and came back with his coat and hat.

"Where are you going?" Ron asked.

"I'm going to go find her." George ran out of the common room leaving the room hushed by the scene. George ran down the corridor and then off into a smaller wing. He checked to see that no one was looking and then dodged behind a statue. He felt for the door handle and then slipped in side. Closing the door behind him, he started running towards Hogsmeade, Please let her be alright…

Serena sniffed, her nose was cold and the sky was getting dark. She tried to move her hands, but they were stiff as well. She felt colder, but she didn't want to go back and have to explain everything to them. She reached up and touched the now dried blood on her face. She winced, as it still stung. I'll just wait a few more minutes…

"Serena!"

Serena jerked her head up and saw George running towards her. As he drew near he dropped to his knees in front of her, breathing heavily. He finally managed to get out, "I found you."

Serena waited for him to catch his breath before saying, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to find you. Hermione said you'd run off and when I found out you weren't back yet, I came to look for you."

"But why?"

George's eyes widened, "Why? Everyone is worried about where you had gone! And here I find you, bloody, crying and freezing in the snow. What happened!"

"I…I can't explain right now…it's difficult…I'm not even sure. I just wanted to be alone for a little bit…"

George took off his glove and put his hand on her cheek. "You're so cold." He moved closer to her and put his arms around her back. She lay her head on his chest and immersed herself in his warmth. He helped her up from the ground and she staggered a bit. He took her hands in his and whispered in her ear, "You made me worry too…"

"I'm sorry." She lifted her head and looked straight into his eyes, before pressing her lips against his. His lips moved against hers and she could feel warmth spreading back into her face. They parted and George traced the bottom of her lip with his thumb.

"We should go back, before any teachers notice we're gone."

"Okay." George wrapped his arm around her waist and they walked back to Hogsmeade, then slipped into Zonko's and used the secret passage in the basement. They walked in silence until they reached the exit into Hogwarts. George reached up to open the door, but Serena held him back.

"Wait one more minute." She hooked her arms around George's waist and buried her head in his chest. George ran his fingers through her hair.

"Thank you." She breathed.

"Hmm?" He looked down at her and she pulled away.

"Thank you for coming to find me, I'm glad it was you." Serena smiled and George beamed.

"Oh no problem, knight in shinning armor at you service." Serena laughed and he joined her. "Are you ready to go back now?" Serena nodded her head and he opened the door. He checked to see the hallway was clear before helping Serena out. They walked back to the dormitory and luckily everyone was down at dinner.

"I'm going to go up and wash my face; I hope you don't mind waiting…"

"Go right ahead." Serena ran up the stairs and washed her face in the wash basin. The scrape had stopped bleeding and she made sure there were no tear stains on her face. She went back down stairs to find George petting Frasier.

"You ready to go?" she asked

"Yup." He walked over to her and took her hand. They began walking down to the great hall, and Serena looked up at George.

"Um, George, would you mind if I told Hermione. I mean, about us."

"I don't mind. I've told Fred, actually he figured it out, but I don't see why you can't tell Hermione."

"Okay, actually, I think she might have already guessed as well."

"That's Hermione for ya," They were just outside the entrance of the great hall and George let go of her hand, "Ready for the onslaught of awkward stares and questions?"

"Not really."

"I think we'll manage." George walked in first and then Serena followed him. Serena sat down by Hermione and George sat near Fred.

Hermione hugged Serena as she sat down, "Oh, thank goodness you're alright! What happened?"

"I just wasn't feeling well, but I'm okay now, really. But I'm starving! Let's eat." Serena smiled at her friend and they started dinner as usual on a Saturday night. Ron and Harry were laughing about something Ron brought back from Zonko's and Hermione was talking at an abnormally rapid speed about a History of Magic paper.

After dinner, everyone returned to their houses for the night. Harry, Ron and Hermione sat down at their usual places by the fireplace. Instead of joining them, Serena said, "I'm going on up to bed. It's been a long day." They all said their good nights and Serena walked up stairs to her room. She took off her necklace and placed it back in it's box. Then she changed into her pajamas and got into bed. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep. I tell Hermione tomorrow. I'm too tired right now.