Chapter 5
Christmas was approaching fast and that weekend brought their next day in Hogsmeade. Harley and Rhia made the walk from the castle alone, wondering all the while where Fred and George were. There was a crowd at the sweet shop, making Harley and Rhia venture to see what the commotion was about. Just inside the sweet shop door, was a Ministry notice saying Dementors would be walking the streets of Hogsmeade after sunset and customers were advised to complete their shopping before nightfall. It was here that Fred and George finally appeared.
"Where have you two been," asked Rhia suspiciously.
"Oy, George! I'd watch it if I were you, she's starting to sound just like Mum."
"Relax, Love, we just had some business to attend to with young Harry."
"Lord, what have you done to him," said Harley.
"Nothing; honest! We had to give him a little present. Pass on a trick of our trade, if you will."
"What do you mean," asked a confused Rhia.
The Twins looked at each other and seemed to come to and unspoken decision. Fred began, "Ok here goes. Our first year here, we were in a spot of trouble with Filch."
"As usual," George broke in.
"So he took us to his office and started threatening us."
"As usual," interrupted George.
"Anyway, we couldn't help but notice a drawer marked Confiscated and Highly Dangerous, so what else could we do but look?"
"You stole something from Filch," said Rhia in shock.
"Not really stole, more like took it off his hands. He would have never figured out how to work it anyway."
"So... what was it," said Harley anxiously.
"A map."
"A map," echoed Rhia, "What's so dangerous about a map?"
"Well this isn't any old map. This map has been the secret of our success."
"The Marauder's Map."
"The Marauders... and who are they exactly," inquired Harley.
"The original Hogwart Mischief Makers."
"Our Idols," mused George.
"So this map... What's so special about it," asked Rhia.
"Well, it shows all of Hogwarts' secret passages," said Fred. "Some of them Dumbledore doesn't even know about, I'm sure."
"A few of them lead out of the school into Hogsmeade. That's why we gave it to Harry. We didn't want him missing every Hogsmeade weekend."
"Well, that was sweet of you," cooed Rhia.
"Only doing our part to spread mischief."
Leaving the sweet shop, the girls came up with a plan. "Okay," said Harley, "we have to shop for you and we hope you'll be doing the same, so lets split up and meet at the Three Broomsticks for lunch, then we might as well head back to the castle."
"Alright then," said George kissing Rhia on the cheek, "We'll see you at lunch."
Fred rushed off after his brother, giving Harley a quick peck.
Harley and Rhia meandered the streets and shops trying to think of what to get the Twins. Nothing from the joke shop, they could invent better things on their own. They'd just left the sweet shop, so no point in going back now. No sense in buying them a book, they'd only use it for a doorstop or something. The only sensible choice was to get them something to do with Quidditch... but what?
"How about some bats," suggested Rhia. "I bet they'd like to have some of their own and not the schools. They could put their own charms on them and everything."
"Sounds good to me," said Harley, "But they have to be really nice ones."
The girls made their way to the Quidditch shop and looked through all of the bats. There were bats made of various metals and woods, some had existing charms, others were blank. There were bats of every color, and you could even have them engraved. Harley finally picked up two bats of solid oak, with a silver inlay. The handles were leather padded and they no existing charms.
"How about these?"
"Oooooo, those are pretty," said Rhia.
"We don't want them to be pretty, we want them to be strong, and I figure oak is about as strong as it gets."
"I like 'em. How much?"
Harley looked at the price sticker. "Eighty Galleons for the pair."
Rhia dug in her purse for a bit and produced forty Galleons. "Well, here's my half."
They bought the bats, had them gift wrapped to keep the guys from seeing them, and made their way back to the Three Broomsticks. When they arrived, the Twins were already waiting.
"It took you long enough," said Fred grabbing at the bag, "whadcha get us?"
Harley popped him across the back of the head, "Oh, no, you don't. You'll just have to wait until Christmas."
"That's fine," said George, "It's gonna take us some time to finish yours."
"Finish, you mean you're making us something," asked Rhia sweetly.
Under the table Fred stomped on George's foot. "You didn't hear that."
"Hear what, Freddie," said Harley.
"Exactly."
They ordered their lunch, and had started to eat when they noticed a number of teachers sitting at the same table. McGonagall, Flitwick, Hagrid, and...
"Oy, that's Cornelius Fudge. What's he doing here," asked George in shock.
"Probably has something to do with Black," replied Fred, "Fudge was bound to come round sometime, especially after the Fat Lady's attack."
They strained to hear the conversation but it was no use.
"You know we could really use some sort of eavesdropping device," remarked Fred. Then, as if a lightening bolt had struck both of their brains, they put their heads together and scribbled some ideas down on a napkin.
Harley and Rhia spent the rest of lunch talking amongst themselves as the Twins brain-stormed. When lunch was finished, they made there way back to the castle and to their dorms to dress for dinner.
- - -
A make believe sun peered through the enchanted windows of Harley and Rhia's dorm room. Rhia laid on her stomach, arms tucked under her pillow, completely oblivious to the ambush that was seconds away. Just then an energetic Harley pounced onto Rhia's bed rolling her off onto the cold stone floor.
"Every year," she moaned, pushing herself up. "You do the same bloody thing every bloody year."
"Rhia, it's Christmas; you have to get up early on Christmas!"
"Okay, I'm up. Now gerroff my bed so I can go back to sleep."
"What's the matter Rhia," asked Harley in an overly sympathetic tone, "did I interrupt a dream. I thought I heard a mutter that sounded an awful lot like the name George and by that smile you had I'm guessing I interrupted something pretty good"
-Bomph- went a pillow as it struck Harley in the face.
"All right, Poppet. Now, I'll get up."
Rhia dressed and walked, half-sleeping, down the hall into the common room. There was a large Christmas tree sitting beside the fireplace, covered in black and yellow ornaments. Under the tree sat two piles of presents. Harley and Rhia were the only Hufflepuffs left home for the holidays, so all of the gifts must have been for the two of them.
Rhia slumped to the floor and sat next to Harley. "Okay, let's open these up."
Suddenly the girls ripped into the presents and in minutes the room was covered in discarded wrapping paper. In Rhia's pile sat a stack of new clothes from her mother, a charm bracelet from Colin, money from her grandparents, and various other trinkets from less important friends and family.
Harley's mum sent her a purse (she wouldn't use), clothes (she wouldn't wear) and a basket of bath salts (which she adored). Her grandfather sent her £100 muggle money, which she would have to wait to convert to usable wizarding currency.
They exchanged their own gifts last, saying it would make up for the blunders of others. Harley dove into a bag and pulled out a journal. It seemed simple enough, a black leather journal with tan parchment pages, but as she turned it opened it she saw the inside cover was engraved.
Seven years ago you gave me a journal, and it sparked a friendship that changed my life. I know you're not much for journals, but maybe this one will be different. The back page holds a special charm. Write on it, and the words appear on the back page of mine. Also (just as the one you gave me) you can never fill it up. I hope this journal will do for your life what yours did your mine.
Harley was never one to cry but Rhia had a way of knowing when she'd touched her. The girls hugged as Harley handed Rhia her gift. Harley wasn't much of a present-wrapped either. As usual, the package was in brown mailing paper and tan twine. When Rhia opened it, Harley pulled her wand out quickly and said Engagio. A purple winged, wooden bodied, yellow-glowing butterfly flitted out and proceeded to flit around about a foot above Rhia's head. It was a nightlight that Harley had enchanted to glow and fly on command.
Rhia's tear-filled eyes darted after the butterfly, which soon landed in the palm of her hand. She couldn't believe how thoughtful Harley had been. Harley knew that Rhia had two major fears in her life, darkness and solitude. The butterfly remedied both. Not only would it light Rhia's room at night, but even when Harley wasn't there, it was like a piece of her was. She hugged Harley tightly, then wiped her eyes.
"Okay," said Harley, "enough of this teary rubbish, lets go see the guys."
Harley and Rhia left their gifts sitting in the common room (all but the ones from each other); there was no one around to mess with them, so they'd be fine. They made their way down to breakfast, where they were met by the Twins and their siblings. The four of them sat at the end of a table, away from any others.
"So," said Rhia, "Do we exchange presents now or later?"
"You can't have yours until later tonight, so that's really up to you."
"Well, it's not really fair for us to have to wait and you not to," said Harley, "so you can have yours tonight, too."
When breakfast was over the Twins said goodbye to the girls. The Weasley crew was going to Floo Powder themselves home for the day to spend Christmas with their parents. Harley and Rhia were to meet the Twins out at the Quidditch pitch at nine o' clock.
To pass the time, the girls decided to go back to the common room and play with their journals. They wrote silly little things back and forth, such as; H. E. loves F. W., and Rhia and George forever. Then they tested more complex things, like carrying on an entire conversation without say a word. Sometime around thirty after six, a crash from the fireplace made both girls jump and scream. When the soot cleared, Harley's owl Archimedes staggered out, coughing up ash. "Oh, it's just Archie." Clasped in his beak was a letter. The envelope was shoddy gray and the ink work was midnight blue. The front of the envelope read: To Miss H. Edwards, Hufflepuff Prefect, From Mr. Reginald Reinhold, Azkaban Warden.
"I told you those weren't free samples!"
"Shut up, Rhia. I...I'm sure it's nothing serious. Probably some kind of training invitation for my Aurorship. That's all. I'm sure it's just some sort of skill sharpening things. Hanging around with the Dementors till I don't fancy a faint."
"I still say it's about those caramels."
"Bollocks to the caramels!"
"Well...aren't you going to open it?"
"Why? Ought I? I'm rather enjoying admiring the penmanship."
"Oh, gimme that!" Rhia took the letter from Harley and tried to open it, but it gave her a little electric sort of shock when she tried. Harley only sniggered and took it back, tearing open the top of it with her wand, without getting a jolt.
The parchment and ink inside the envelope were the same, light gray and dark blue. There were two pieces of paper inside the envelope, a note from the Warden and another envelope. Harley read the Warden's note aloud. "Dear Miss Edwards, I hate to make your acquaintance under such circumstances, but desperate times bring desperate events. It seems your father...My father?"
"G'on. Read the rest! Don't stop now," Rhia said in a hushed voice, even though there was no real need to whisper.
"It seems your father's (William Lee Green, convicted death eater) kiss is scheduled to occur December twenty-seventh at sundown. It is customary, if the inmate still has his wits about him, to grant them a last request. Your father's, Miss Edwards, is to see you." Harley didn't say much after that, having gotten quieter and quieter till she finally stopped talking.
Rhia gently took the contents from her hands and finished reading the letter from the Warden. ...is to see you. I humbly request your presence on the morning of the twenty-seventh. Your Headmaster is already aware of the situation and has given you leave to visit our penitentiary. Yours in Service, R. Reinhold. P.S. Enclosed also is a letter from W.L.Green. Rhia looked at the sealed gray parchment in her other hand, not daring to even attempt to open it. "Aren't you going to read it?"
"Why? This is all silly. I don't have a father. And if I do, he's certainly not a Death Eater on Last Kiss Row!"
"Don't get in a strop with me!"
"I'm not in a strop," Harley bellowed, folding her arms over her chest, muttering curses on her mother's head.
"Fine then."
"Fine."
"Ok."
"Alright."
"Alright."
"Ok."
"Ok."
"Stop it!"
"I'll stop if you open the letter."
"I hate you."
"I know...now open the letter."
Harley snatched the letter away from Rhia with a growling snarl and tore it open in her childish, pouting way. She skimmed it, quickly and hotly at first. Then her expression softened and she threw it back at Rhia, covering her face with her hands quickly before any tears could fall in the open. Rhia scooted right up next to Harley and put an arm around her shoulders as she glanced over the letter from Harley's father.
Harlequinn, I must have started a thousand letters with that word. That name. A horridly muggle name, but still the sweetest I'd ever heard. Did your mother ever give you a middle name? But why am I asking such stupid questions at a time such as this? They've only given me five minutes to write you a letter, Daughter, but that's really not enough. I'm sure there are a lot of things you think this letter will tell you. However, I'm not that eloquent. The only question I can think that you might have is why would I want to see you and why didn't I ever try before? To be truthful, your mother never let me. I'm sure that comes as a shock to you, but that is between you and Lynn. I can tell you why I want to see you though. As you probably know by now, I'm in the service, or was, of the Dark Lord. This, I'm certain, distresses you, but I won't go into that now. I've done many horrid and dastardly things in my days, and the only thing I ever did that was worth a damn was help create a little girl I never got to meet. They're telling me my five minutes are up, so I'll finish with this. I know I have no right to ask this, and that you have no obligation to fulfill it, but my last request is to at least meet you, if only for a few moments. Please, if you are the girl I hear you are, come and see me, Harlequinn. Your Hopeful Father, Billy.
"Wow," said Rhia aghast. "Oh Harley, I don't know what to say?"
Harley said nothing.
"Are you going to go?"
"I- I don't know!" She stood snatching up the letter and heading for the door.
"Harley where are you going?"
"I need to be alone. I know you just want to help, but please, I just need a little time."
Rhia stood in silence as her best friend walked away. It was the first time in seven years that she was unable to help her in her time of need.
Harley walked swiftly through the corridors, ignoring students and ghosts as they passed. She climbed the stairs to the astronomy tower and paced back and forth. Now, alone, she could cry and curse, free of the embarrassment she'd normally feel. She tried to speak, to shape her thoughts into an intelligent statement, but all that came were yells and growls. She attempted to calm herself down but the only thoughts that rang clear were the injustice her mother had done her. How could she? She knew all along and never said a word! All these things swirled around Harley's frazzled brain. "Bugger," she shouted to the winds as she stormed out of the tower, towards the Owlery.
Once there Harley attempted to start a letter, then another, and another, until thirty or so laid crumpled on the hay and dropping-covered floor. Letters, she thought, why is it that my entire life can change because of a letter? One says I'm a Witch, now the daughter of a Death Eater... What's next? I'm Harry Potter's long lost sister or Voldemort's my Uncle? She finally decided to write exactly what she was thinking and then sent it to her mother.
Mum, I hate to say this so bluntly, but you're a bloody, wanking, lying slag who's done nothing but make me a miserable muggle-raised child when you knew all along about my father. Why did you lie to me about him? Why didn't you tell me he was a Death Eater? Why didn't you tell me he was in Azkaban? I know that you knew! How could you?! Mother, this is crazy! It's tossed that I have to learn about myself through bloody badgering letters. After Graduation, I'm not coming home. I can't live with someone who's been lying to me since day one. I love you, Mum, but sod off.
- - -
With that off her chest, Harley headed back to the common room. Rhia met her outside the door.
"Are you alright?"
"I'll be fine. I just had to blow off some steam and it seems my mum was the perfect target."
"Sorry if I wasn't any help."
"That's alright. I don't even know what to do right now. How can I expect you to?"
"Well, on a happier note, it's almost time to meet the guys. Maybe that'll cheer you up."
Harley thoroughly doubted it, but it was worth a shot.
The Twins were already waiting when the girls reached the stadium. Each girl held what was obviously one half of a joint present, this being said because of the identical wrapping on each. As they approached the field, they noticed what looked like fireworks placed at the feet of each Twin.
"What have we here," asked Rhia curiously.
"You just wait and see," said George.
"Well I guess that means we're going first then," said Harley somewhat less than excited.
"That's right Love," joked Fred, "hand 'em over."
Without warning the boys tore into the perfectly wrapped gifts, then held up their bats in awe.
After a few moments of silence, Fred sheepishly spoke, "Bloody hell."
"Wow, this is amazing," said George kissing Rhia. "Thank you so much."
Fred followed suit, kissing Harley on the cheek, "I'm a little embarrassed, our gift is nowhere near as good as this."
"I'm sure it's great," said Harley with a half smile.
"Okay," said George, "stand back." With that, the Twins set their bats aside, pulled out their wands, and set off the fireworks. Both shot into the air in a burst of color, then slowly took shape. A swirl of green surrounded Harley, then became a pack of green wolves, running and playing around her. She watched in utter wonder as the sparkles changed shape yet again, this time taking the shape of Harley herself and one small wolf pup rolling and playing on the ground. Suddenly, it was as if all of that afternoons events had never taken place. With a genuine smile, she turned to see Rhia in a similar swirl of purple butterflies, then turned to Fred with tear filled eyes, wrapping her arms around him.
"Well, this wasn't the reaction I expected. Why the waterworks?"
"I just really needed this. Thank you."
Fred was taken aback, for it was well known that Harley wasn't exactly the emotional type. Sure, she got a bit teary at some of those muggle movie-picture-thingies, but not normally did she breakdown at fireworks. "...erm...you're welcome, but, something's wrong, isn't it? Did I miss your birthday again?"
Harley smiled a little as she wiped tears from her cheeks and shook her head, "No, no, it's not till April, it's just...well...I got this letter." Quickly Harley explained to Fred about how everything she had been told about her Dad was a lie and about how she now knew the truth. Most importantly, she told him that she was suppose to go see him in a few days...in Azkaban.
Fred looked at her soberly and held her tight, "When do we leave?"