Chapter Six;

The Whomping Willow & Moony's Furry Little Problem

Sep 01 1964

The summer holidays weren't very pleasant for Daffodille. With Sirius staying over, it had been awkward. Every time the pair had bumped into one another on the hallway, it was extremely difficult to forget that they were an item the previous year. They would regard each other nervously before going their separate ways. To make matters worse, James had found this amusing and would joke about it when the pair was in the same room. On the train back to school it was no different. Peter Pettigrew watched in awe and Remus Lupin had his head stuck in his book as pure usual.

"Would you just give it a rest before I smack you?" She threatened finding it extremely annoying. James, however, continued his taunting.

"Smack me? I see you've forgotten that we are all wizards." As soon as that sentence had left his mouth, several bats had appeared around him nipping at his head. James tried to bat them away but more kept appearing. Daffodille smirked, satisfied, as she watched her creation taunt her cousin. Then, suddenly, they were gone which confused her. The petite brunette turned to see an odd-looking witch standing at the compartment door. The witch had goggles on her head which pulled back her long, curly hair and a long trench coat pooled around her boot clad feet. All four teenagers stared at her in bewilderment. The woman then placed her wand into the folds of her coat. Once it was away she gave each child an individual stare before stopping at Daffodille.

"Tell me, it is okay to waste ya magic on this midget? I think ye'd should use on someone really worth while; like a Slytherin." Her accent was American which suggested she was also a foreigner. Daffodille kept her mouth shut in case she said something horrible. "Did ya have anything ta say fer ya'sel?"

"Well, uh, I only used it to shut him up. He's one of those cantankerous beings that need to know when to shut up." She reasoned, her voice shaking slightly. The American chuckled lightly at her answer which annoyed her even more.

"Excuse me, who are you and what are you doing on this train?" Remus piped up, injecting himself into the odd conversation. The woman then turned her gaze onto him.

"Me name's Persephane Rivers but Professor Rivers will do jus' nicely. 'M ya new Defence Against ta Dark Arts teacher." She wasn't shy about answering the question especially with such confidence. "Ol' Professor Dumbledore wrote ta me 'bout ta post so here I am."

"You do know that anyone who teaches that post doesn't stay long?" Daffodille stated trying to keep her tone level and casual.

"I do but I intend on staying for a while longer," Rivers replied with a smile. "So, don'cha worry 'bout a darn thing, Daffodille." The latter shuddered when the Professor used her full first name. "Right, I shall see ya at ta feast then." Once she had left, Daffodille hit the wall in infuriation.

"It's Daffy! How did that imposter know my name?" Bitterness was laced in her voice as she ground that sentence out. This was going to be one hectic year.

DAP

It was on the second night back that Daffodille had received the note. She was in her dormitory when the aeroplane shaped note entered the room. The petite brunette didn't noticed it until it had landed on her bed. Looking around the room, Daffodille shrugged and lifted up the thing. She unfolded it with mild curiosity and frowned when she saw the scrawl on the tea-coloured parchment. She sighed before reading;

Dear Mrs Potter,

We require your expertise into something and would like to invite you to one of our meetings. Although we do not have a name for our group yet, we are currently mischief makers about Hogwarts so you may have a clue as to who we are. But if you don't, all shall be revealed when you meet us.

So, as we said, we would like to invite you to one of our meetings. The meeting shall be during tomorrow's lunch hour. Go to the seventh floor on the third corridor, and wait, as a door should appear. Do not worry about your lunch as we shall provide it for you.

Remember on the seventh floor, the third corridor during lunch and come alone.

Yours faithfully,

Mr Wormtail, Mr Moony, Mr Padfoot and Mr Prongs

Daffodille gave the note a strange look. Where had she seen this writing before? She couldn't think about it too long as Lily Evans and Alice Prewett entered the dorm room. The petite brunette quickly slid the note underneath her pillow and beamed at her dorm mates.

"Good evening," she said hoping to Merlin that her voice was level. Her friends smiled at her as they went to get ready for bed. Daffodille said her good night and drew the curtains around around her four-poster bed. She then got the note and read again trying to figure out who had written it. But drowsiness had over taken her and she fell asleep, the note laid across her chest.

DAP

When Daffodille arrived at the meeting place, she had thought it to be a joke until a door appeared on the wall from nowhere. She raised an eyebrow as the door opened. The petite brunette gazed around before she stepped through the door. Once she did, she was amazed to find a room that she had never seen before. Daffodille gazed around in awe at the mini Quidditch pitch, large sweet cabinet, a large table (obviously for meetings and meals) and, then lastly, at the comfy seating area. She frowned when she noted the four sitting there.

"Not you lot!" She yelped, the door closing behind her.

"And it is nice to see you too, Daffy," her cousin beamed looking up from his game of wizarding chess with Black. Ignoring him, she gazed around the room again.

"What is this place? I've never noticed it before."

"That's because its not really here," Remus replied. "I mean it is but it only appears when you require it." Daffodille frowned at this; she wished she had found it before James had.

"You mean, like a Room of Requirement?"

"Exactly," Black replied watching as his Queen wrecked James' Knight. "Not many know about it or otherwise there'd be crowds on this floor."

"I see." Daffodille then remembered the note. Extracting it from her pocket, she waved it in the air to show the four boys. "I assume this was your doing."

"It does," James said, matter-of-factly, abandoning the game. "We couldn't exactly use our real names, now could we?"

"You would have thought it to be a joke," Black added leaning back in his seat.

"Exactly," she replied angrily. Daffodille then turned to leave, "Which is what I'm going to do now." James and Black quickly left their seats and grabbed onto the girl's shoulders.

"Not yet, Daffy, please," her cousin wheeled and gently guided to the table. "Why don't you have something to eat before you judge?" She was about to respond when her stomach an involuntary grumble. She was starved. The petite brunette sighed in defeat as she let them steer her to the table.

"So what will it be, beef roast with the trimmings or something Italian?" Black offered holding up a few plates. Daffodille took the Italian.

"So, what do you do desperately want my help in?" She asked tucking into her pizza fixing the two with a concerned look. Both Remus and Pettigrew joined at the table as James gave his cousin a serious look.

"Daffy, I know that you can keep a secret but I want your word about what I - I mean - we are going to tell you." Daffodille looked around to the others who shared James' expression. Gulping a mouthful of Butterbeer, she nodded.

"You have my solemn word, James." She for once was eager to keep this so-called secret as the four did look really serious this time around. Even their eyes were lit with honesty that she could not help but take notice of it.

"Maybe Remy should tell her?" Black injected casually taking a seat at the table. James nodded causing her to looked at her friend expentantly. She now understand the height of seriousness this secret held.

"This is a very grave secret that I am about to disclose," he sounded grave indeed. Remus gulped, his apple moved visibly as he did so. "You see, I got bitten long ago. I was bitten by a... a Werewolf," he managed. Concern ebbed over Daffodille's conscience as she watched him shake with nervousness. "Daffodille," he said leaning forward and lowering his voice although his friends was aware of what he was about to say. "I'm a Werewolf." They waited for her reaction but none came. She didn't gasp nor did she hit Remus for calling her that. Instead, she beamed.

"Is that why you've been looking tired?" At this, the Werewolf nodded. "I see, so what does this have to with whatever it is you called me for?"

"You see, we think Remus would get lonely during the full moon so we were wondering about being Animagus." Daffodille sent James the meanest look she could muster.

"James Charlus Potter, that sounds awfully selfish of you! Also, to go around after curfew is a bit ex-" Black had leaned over and placed a hand over her mouth.

"We're not doing it for that, Daffy! We want to keep Remy company when he's, you know, a Werewolf," he reasoned. "So, as we said we were wondering if you could help us since you're an Animagus yourself." Daffodille was taken aback by this. Black removed his hand and she wanted to hide as the four boys stared at her.

"What do you expect me to do? I'm no teacher."

"But, you can show us, right?"

"So, if you're going to keep this a secret, then that means you're not going to register?"

"Register? What does that mean?" Pettigrew piped up.

"Don't you know about the Animagus registration number?" She asked presenting her own. "If you don't have one, its illegal."

"But if we went to register then they'll ask questions and we can't do with that," James waved off. She hesitated at this, her cousin did have a point.

"Okay then," she drew out slowly. "I'll help you but only because Remus needs company." And so it began, the secret meetings and lessons that came with it.

DAP

It was a few days after that meeting was when Daffodille's concern grew. The morning before class, she had noted that her cousin had a very purple bruise surrounding his eye.

"Jamie," she leant closer to inspect it. "What the bloody did you do last night?" Then it dawned on her, "Did you go near the Whomping Willow last night?" She lower her tone as she asked it in case someone overheard them.

"I had to see Remus off," he told her stubbornly trying to wave her off. "The branch hit me when I tried to."

"That's what you get for Maraudering around past your bedtime," McGonagall's voice reached their ears. "Remember six o'clock tonight Mr Potter." After she moved away, Daffodille frowned.

"You got caught too, didn't you?" When James didn't answer, she gave him a light shove before getting her wand out. "I'm not going to curse you," she said upon her cousin trying to move away. "I'm going to heal you," she added at his alarmed expression. She waved his wand to preform a healing spell, 'Eh-PIS-kee,' and instantly the flesh around James' eye went back its normal colour. Daffodille simply beamed at her handy-work.

"Thanks," he said admiring his newly-healed eye in one of the silver dishes.

"Not a problem," she smiled putting her wand away. "You said you haven't got a name for you little group, right? How about what McGonagall said? The Marauders would be a well suited name." James grinned at her and then, to her utter shock, hugged her.

"That is a brillant name," he stood. "I must go tell the others. Thanks, Daffy!" With he ran out of the Great Hall. Daffodille turned back to her breakfast when Thomas Flame approached her, his prefect badge shining in the natural light.

"Wow, I never knew you became a prefect," she said admiring his badge with awe. "What's it like?"

"Very... Tiring.." He admitted with a light chuckle sitting down next to her. "Where was your cousin off to just now?"

"To go wreck havoc with his friends," she lied although she thought it wasn't a complete lie. Daffodille knew what her cousin and his friends were like.

"Say, are you still dating Black?" Thomas asked sounding very nervous indeed. She shook her head, no, she was not dating Black anymore. "Good," he hesitated licking his lips. "How about... How about you and I date? I'd understand if you don't want to."

"No," she smiled, "I'd like that but let's keep it quiet from Jamie for a while, I know how protective he can get." The red head nodded in agreement. They both shared a secret smile with many promises but neither of them discussed it as James and his friends entered the Great Hall. Daffodille's cousin had seen her smile.

"What's that smile for?" He asked in bewilderment.

"Nothing, Jamie, nothing at all."

Author Notes:

I apologise for abandoning this for a while but hopefully I'll bring it back. I promise, I'm not going to let it fade. Review if you need to.

Chelsea Leigh aka Rinnie10