Quills
Hello all! Only the characters that you haven't read about in the series are mine, otherwise they belong to J.K. Rowling.
I know that I said that chapter three would speed some things up, but I decided that I really wanted to do a full Sorting scene thing. In this chapter it skipped up to about 11 October, 1971 (please inform me if the year is wrong).
I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed this story so far, especially rekahneko who has been totally awesome and reviewed each chapter. Thanks everyone!
So here's chapter four.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
--Poppy Pomfrey--
Dear Alastor,
Hello love, I'm sorry that I haven't written for so long, I've been too busy to even pick up a quill outside of work; it's astounding how many magical accidents first years can cause in a single week. I was just wondering if you remembered that I told you that Albus was planning on letting a werewolf attend school here. If you don't then I just want to inform you that he has.
Alastor, please don't fret or cause another uproar at the Ministry, they were the ones who allowed the boy to come here in the first place. And after all, that is just what he is in the end, a perfectly harmless little boy. I'm ashamed to admit that when Albus first told the staff of the boy's admittance here I was frightened out of my wits, not because once a month his life would be in my hands, but because of what my blind prejustice thoughts. I'm sure that in time you'll feel the same way, especially since you think that his father is the only other Auror who's capable of any independent thought.
The other day when I was bandaging Remus (that's the boy) up, I decided that I should learn a thing or two about what a werewolf's life is like. So I asked him about his family and he told me that he lives with his mother, father, and older brother who is a seventh year here and captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Apparently his mother is now expecting and will have to go on maternity leave in about five months; she's a Healer at St. Mungo's. As I wrote before, his father is an Auror who works alongside you but reports to you. How about that, eh?
Before I put him to bed (which he didn't even protest to like most of the other patients) I asked him what it was like when he was bitten. I thought that you should know how he replied:
"I don't really remember all that well to be honest…whenever I try to remember all I can see is the moon from that night." Then he grinned crookedly at me, a habit that he picked up from one of his friends. "I was very young and I can't even remember my age – Mum and Da and Rom refuse to tell me and it's the same with the rest of the family!" He laughed then, and fell backwards onto the mattress. I asked him what was different about the wolf and his answer startled me. "I don't know," he said, his ecstatic smile in place, " I honestly can't remember what it was like to be human…" and I knew that he wished to close the topic and go to sleep.
That's Remus for you. He's always trying to be optimistic and kind to everyone, he's such a sweet boy. Remus almost always talks in a calm collected manner unless someone brings up the subject of books, school, and most surprisingly, his wolfish past. Alastor I'm telling you that boy sometimes acts just like our dear headmaster, his eyes tend to sparkle and they seem like they can just see into your soul and thoughts.
Oh dear, there's been another spill in potions and now the infirmary is filled with quacking students. Love, I have to go. Please owl me as soon as you can, alright? I'll see you at Christmas time, please tell Ethan that I say hello.
Much love,
Poppy
11 October, 1971
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Poppy smiled at the dusty old barn owl as she tied the envelope to his outstretched leg. "Good luck with the trip Odysseus, and don't worry, I'll tell Minerva that I borrowed you for a bit." The old hooted at her before ruffling his feathers and hopping towards the wide open window of the school's infirmary.
The medi-witch laughed with pure exhilaration as the aged creature took flight, she laughed again as it spotted a meal and plunged downwards for the kill.
"Poppy?" the witch jumped at the voice behind her. There was a long suffering sigh as Pomona Sprout leaned an elbow on her friend's shoulder, her mouth twitching into a grin. "You've stolen Min's owl again, haven't you?" Poppy laughed in agreement.
"I really needed to send another letter to Alastor," she playfully defended herself with a pout. "So I have good reason." Pomona rolled her eyes.
"Riiiiiight, like she ever listens to reason that includes you, Odysseus, and your lovely husband."
"Ah but my dear friend that is where you are wrong," proclaimed Poppy triumphantly. "Why it was just the other week that she heard me out."
"Pops, she left after two minutes."
"Bu – but who was I talking to, then?" the Healer asked with frantic eyes.
"Well apparently, it seems that she transfigured our dear History of Magic professor into a doppelganger of herself and stole his wand until you had finished and left."
"Really? Wow, I didn't even notice the difference…you know, she should be the Transfiguration teacher, she's so much better at it than Winsawe." She looked up at her friend with furrowed brows. "Why did she take up the Defense job when she knows that it's jinxed anyhow?"
Pomona flicked Poppy in the side of the head. "Because, you silly dolt, Winsawe hasn't died or retired yet, when she does Minerva will get her job."
"Oh…really now?"
"Yup, and everyone's waiting with baited breath until that sweet day arrives," the Herbology professor smiled wistfully.
"No argument there. Now wish me luck, I have to go ask Minerva if I can borrow her owl."
"But didn't he just take off?"
"Er…yes, well about that…" the smaller woman shifted from foot to foot, finding the stone flooring quite interesting for a few seconds before grinning wildly up at her friend. "Got to go, see ya at lunch!" She raced through the double doors just as a dirt-encrusted Aberforth reached out to open them. The frame slammed into his nose and she called an apology over her shoulder at him as she raced down the otherwise empty corridor.
"Just to let you know, she's in the kitchens!" The wizard hollered as he rubbed the bridge of his long nose. Pomona looked at Aberforth with a scrunched up expression as she caught a wiff of him.
"How the hell did you get so stinky and dirty?" She asked the man. He looked down at her with amusement twinkling in his eyes.
"I've been planting a tree." He replied giddily, hands in his jean pockets, rocking on the balls of his feet.
"Really? You?" Her eyes widened in sarcastic amazement. "What type?" The wizard grinned at her devilishly.
"A willow."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
--Lily Evens--
"WHAT!" Lily's shriek echoed off the damp stone walls of the Slytherin common room. People glared at her for disturbing the rare peaceful quiet, she just ignored them and continued to leer at Sirius who alone seemed completely unfazed by her reaction. "Sirius you moron, that's only three days away!"
"I know," the boy was immensely pleased with himself for some absurd reason unknown to mankind.
"Would you stop grinning like an idiot!" she snapped at him as she turned on her heel and stormed to the door leading out. "C'mon, we need to find the others before lunch ends." Sirius shrugged and followed her lead.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
As they passed by the kitchens they saw Madam Pomfrey leaning over with her hands on her knees, panting and her hair coming out of its usually tight bun. McGonagall stood before her looking worried about something, her black bangs tucked behind her ears.
" – gone missing again, Poppy." She peered suspiciously at her colleague. "You took him again didn't you?" she accused. Pomfrey nodded and collapsed on the floor, McGonagall didn't seem to notice. "Great, perfect, I'd just finished my letter to Ceres and John too…"
The two witches disappeared from view as the two Slytherins rounded a corner. 'Wonder what that was about…' Next to her Sirius shook his head smiling.
"Ahh, the antics of boarding school teachers," he murmured quietly, Lily peered curiously at him from the corner of her eye.
"Right. Lets hurry it up; we've only got thirty minutes to inform the others of our Black-induced dilemma."
"Thirty minutes!" Sirius slid to a stop. "Lily, that's forever!"
"No," she countered impatiently, also stopping, "that's half an hour."
"But we've still got ages to tell them."
"We need time to find them if they aren't in the Great Hall."
"We could just ask someone if they knew where they went," argued the boy.
"I know, Sirius, but I just want to find and tell them quickly."
"Whatever," he grumbled, "but we're not running like we would in a marathon."
"Fine," she agreed with a dark scowl.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"WHAT!?" The pumpkin juice that had previously been in Remus Lupin's mouth was now dripping down the semi-annoyed faces of James Potter and Peter Pettigrew, both of whom were seated across the table from him. Next to Remus, Severus Snape was howling in laughter at the expense of the two boys; Remus himself wasn't paying attention to that; he was staring horrified at the faces of his two Slytherin friends.
"You git, that's only three days off!" He hollered at Sirius.
"That's almost word for word what flower-girl said," he replied happily. Lily glared at the boy for several seconds before turning to the werewolf again.
"Sorry that you weren't told before now, I just found out myself." Remus silently shook his head.
"We should each keep a list of when each other's birthdays are until we remember." He suggested to the others. They nodded their agreement.
"You'll need these in that case," said Romulus as he passed by the place where they sat. He lazily waved his wand as he walked on, conjuring a piece of parchment, quill, and inkwell on the table between them.
"Thanks, Rom!" his little brother called after him. "I'll bring them back up to your dorm later!"
"Don't bother, bro, they're Nelle's!"
"No wonder the quill's pink," mused Sirius as he inspected the object in his hands.
"Right," James rubbed his hands together, "down to business then."
"But I'm still eating!" protested Peter past a mouthful of Cornish pasty. Severus rolled his eyes at the small Hufflepuff.
"You can go back to eating after you've written down your birthday, Peter."
"Anyway," said James loudly, "I'll write it down." He drew the paper towards himself, snatched the writing utensil, dipped the pink quill into the inkwell, and began scribbling...
Messrs. Potter, Black, Lupin, Pettigrew, Snape and Evens
Are Proud to Present:
Their Birthdays!
"Eh hem," Lily cleared her throat and turned her vivid green eyes pointedly on James. "Potter, in case you didn't notice, you made a mistake."
"Really? Where?" The boy asked with a furrowed brow as he searched the heading for the problem.
"You put me down as a Messer, I'm a girl."
James shrugged, "so?" he asked. "What's the point if it's only ever going to be us seeing the parchment?" Lily snorted but backed down from the argument, realizing that it would go nowhere if she continued.
Messer. Potter – 27 March, 1960
Messer. Black – 14 October, 1959
Messer. Lupin – 12 November, 1959
Messer. Pettigrew – 3 August, 1960
Messer. Snape – 28 February, 1960
Miss. Evens – 30 January, 1960
Satisfied with the list, James rewrote it five more times and tore off one for each of the others, they pocketed it almost immediately.
"Well now that that's done, we have to go get ready for classes, we have double potions with Slughorn next," announced Remus somberly, he truly disliked potions class, probably because his potion always blew up.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
so that's chapter four, sorry that it's so short.
A/N: those are James and Lily's real birthdays in the books, according to page 328 of Deathly Hallows. I'll try to get chapter five up soon, I just need to plan it.
Ciao – Nicole! D
ps- i'm putting up a poll to see what readers think about mpreg.