A/N:
I really feel like this is fluffy filler. But, I guess it's not.
Oh my God, I just realized that I accidentally named Selena 'Selena.' Her name has two connotations, I just noticed.
In this one, there's a ... BARRON'S WORD! (Or maybe there's more than one.)
The Scribe's Resurrection
Part One: Chapter Seven
Late Summer Vacation, 1975
Selena sat on the front porch reading her magazine, Enchanted. She had no idea why she was reading it. It made her depressed, actually. All the pretty witches in their pretty robes with pretty boys hanging off them- it made her feel awful. She flipped the page.
Just yesterday, her face erupted in grotesque pustules, and Selena had screamed for her mother. Komali Riviera cooed, going on about puberty, and said that finally Selena maturing. The only good thing was that the baby fat that adorned Selena's body was melting away with each passing day. Even so, Selena hated it all.
Of course, now thinking about it, she didn't mind the pimples and growing taller; it was the pain that got to her. Her left leg was struggling to grow along with the right, and the overwhelming pain kept her up at night. Komali attributed it to some "growth plate."
Selena looked at the order form and began ticking off things she wanted. The only good thing out of puberty was that her mum had taken pity on her and had agreed to buy her new things. She was actually waiting on the front porch because a package was supposed to arrive.
"That's a nice dress." Selena's mother looked over her shoulder. She pointed to a black dress.
Selena nodded, and her hair moved. The raven-haired girl had decided to grow out her hair last May, and now it cascaded past her shoulders. Darcy had been right- a delicate curled wave sat in it now.
Mrs. Riviera bent down to water her flowers. Selena added the black dress to her list.
"Selena, why don't you go fly your broom?" Selena shook her head. Mrs. Riviera examined her hanging ivy. "We should go out shopping."
"Nuh-uh." She shook her head no again.
Peeking at her daughter, Komali suggested, "We should have a party and invite your friends. I haven't met them." Selena picked up her head and stared at her mother.
"Mum, no."
"Why not?"
"Don't feel like it."
"Well, baby, we've got to do something. You haven't left the house since we went to Diagon Alley."
"I know." To tell the truth, Selena hated the way she looked at the moment and didn't want anyone to see her. She felt uncomfortable just being around her mother; Selena only sat outside because she waited for a parcel. And then Selena saw her mother's face.
Komali Riviera appeared severely distraught. Her daughter didn't need to ask- Raphael Riviera hadn't been heard from since early July, and it was now the twenty-first of August.
"Well, Mum, I suppose we could ask Lily and Alice to come over for a bit."
Selena's mother's face brightened as she said, "Really? Alright!"
"I'll go call Lily and write Alice." Selena got up.
"Good, good."
"If my package comes, can you tell me?"
"Sure."
---
Lily, Alice, Komali, and Selena shrieked at the top of their lungs. Alice hid her pale pink heart-shaped face behind a down pillow; the redheaded Lily leaned forward, clutching a plaid blanket; Komali clasped her hands to her mouth; Selena's brown eyes could be seen peeking from under her fingers.
The credits of Jaws flashed on the screen of the television, and the watchers let out a long-held breath. Selena had invited her two favorite girl friends for a sleepover.
"Wow."
"I know. I'm never going to the beach again," Mrs. Riviera claimed. "Anyone want ice cream?"
"I do!" Alice bounced up and shuffled into the kitchen. The three girls sat at the barstools while Selena's mum dished out the ice cream.
"I really like your hair, Selena."
"Thanks. I like it too. Could you pass the chocolate syrup?"
The girls began gabbing while they played exploding snap, and Mrs. Riviera sat quietly, absorbing it all.
"I'm a prefect! Got the badge in the mail last week," Lily said triumphantly.
"Ooh, you get the good bathroom, don't you?"
"Yeah."
"I wonder who the boys' prefect is."
"It's Remus," Selena said. "He sent me a letter this morning."
"Great, that means I'll probably see more of Potter."
"You don't hate him, Lily." Alice jabbed her elbow playfully at her.
"He's awful! I don't know how you stand him."
"He's actually really nice, Lily," Selena pointed out.
"To you! Have you seen how he pokes fun at Severus all the time? Severus already has next to no friends." Selena shrugged, preferring not to push the matter further.
"Anyway," Alice went on, "Selena, have you tried the thirty-second vanisher?"
"Ordered it today."
"Yeah, that should work. I mean, it worked for me."
---
The next day, Mrs. Riviera closed the door and said, "That was fun."
"It was." Selena stood up on the stairs, ready to go to her room. She put her cane up on the step and began her ascent.
"Wait. Turn around." Selena slowly obeyed and looked at her mother. "Wow. Oh, wow. C'mere." Komali Riviera walked into the living room, and her daughter followed.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Selena's mother stepped to a cupboard in the wall and rummaged around in it until she found a flat wooden box. "Here we go."
"What is it?" Mrs. Riviera didn't answer- only sat on the couch; she beckoned her daughter to sit with her.
"These are pictures of me when I was around your age." The wooden box opened to reveal a collection of black-and-white photos.
"Are you sure? These look like-"
"You! Oh, you've grown so much!" Komali Riviera reminisced with her daughter about the days when life was so, so different.
September, 1975
Selena did not meet with her usual four Hogwarts Express companions, partly because Remus was with the prefects and was not there to be sat with. The other reason why she did not talk with them was that they'd kicked her out of the compartment. They didn't even look at her or acknowledge that they knew her, just told her to "get the bloody hell out."
So, understandably, Selena felt quite annoyed. She was one of the only people they let in. Even at the Great Feast, they spoke in hushed voices, wary of anyone overhearing. By the time everyone was to go to bed, Selena still had not conversed or even greeted them.
But, Selena was used to not speaking to the four young men for days on end.
On an overcast, dismal Thursday, Selena found herself needing to carry six books up three flights of steps. She sighed, shoving four of the newly checked-out books into her shoulder bag. She gathered the other two into her arms and began walking.
As always, she was slow about it. The stairs were the worst part.
"Ooh, look, it's Riviera. Having trouble because of your lame leg?" A light voice from the top of the stairs mocked her. She decided to keep quiet.
"Looks like she's stupid too. She can't talk," another voice, this one male, snickered.
"If you're not going to help, can you please shut it?" Selena grouched. "I don't need your crap."
"Ooh, defensive," Darcy said. "No need to be so hostile." Selena stopped her hobbling and wondered what they were going to do.
"Merlin, why don't you Slytherins go off yourselves?" A growl came from further up the stairs, and Sirius stepped down to his brother and Darcy. "Hello, dear brother."
"Hmph. Let's go, Darcy." Holding hands, Darcy and Regulus walked down the steps, and when the blonde passed Selena, she shoved her shoulder into Selena's. The books fell out of Selena's hands and, along with some parchment, tumbled to the floor.
"Ahaha." Darcy's laugh sounded like a pixie's high-pitched gibberish.
"All right?" Sirius asked, bending down to pick up Selena's books. "They're prats."
"I'm fine."
"That's good. I was looking for-" Sirius stood up and saw Selena's face. His mouth opened slightly. She'd changed so much, he thought. Her hair was longer, yes, but her face. He didn't know what color it was anymore. It was tanned, of course, but it was also rosy. He'd never noticed how pretty she was. Her dark eyes were wide, puzzled. Sirius caught his breath and flushed lightly.
"Looking for what?" Selena asked. Sirius gathered himself.
"You. We were looking for you."
"Oh. You lot are finally talking to me now?" Sirius decided to carry her books himself, seeing that she was struggling to get up the stairs.
"What d'you mean?"
"This is the first time you've talked to me this September."
"Oh, sorry. We've been busy."
"With what?"
"That's what we want to show you. We've found a solution to Remus' furry little problem."
"What?"
"Can't tell you yet."
"Oi." Silence fell. Sirius walked slowly up the stairs with her. Suddenly, a question formed in his mind.
"Is there anything you wish you could do?"
"Huh?"
"Your cane. Is there anything you can't do now that you could do before?"
"Other than running, jumping, skipping, playing Quidditch, and dancing?" Selena, using a sarcastic voice, cut her eyes at him. Sirius sighed.
"No, I mean, what do you miss the most?" Selena thought for a moment. No one had asked this before.
"I think dancing. My mum was teaching me how to do Indian dances at one point. I miss spending time with her like that. But, she taught me how to sew."
"Oh."
"I guess a good thing came out of it too. I have to think before I do anything, you know? I can't forget a book in the common room because I can't go get it."
"Mmm." Sirius said, "I'm trying out for beater."
"Oh, really?! I'll have to watch you in tryouts, then."
"I guess. You should ask Professor McGonagall if you can be the announcer this year."
"Why?"
"Well, I know how much you like Quidditch."
"Hmm."
"You should try to get back on a broom, you know. James says the team misses you."
"Haha, I'll bet they do."
"They've got more bludger injuries now."
"I saw, I saw. Me 'n Harper were amazing." Selena sighed sadly. "If only I weren't too scared to get on a broom."
"You're scared?"
"Sirius, have you fallen through the air to the ground? And then when you woke up, you found that some Muggles screwed in a metal pole to your thigh, knee, and shin?" Selena asked bitterly.
"What happened to the Muggles that did it?"
"Ministry of Magic wiped their memories."
"That's all?" Selena shrugged. "I would've made them grow antlers. Speaking of antlers, the surprise is going to be amazing. Remus doesn't even know yet."
"... Antlers?"
"What?"
"You said, 'speaking of antlers.'"
"No I didn't."
"Right."
"Kelpie," Sirius said to the Fat Lady.
"Right you are." The Fat Lady swung open, and the two friends stepped inside.
"Hi, Remus," Selena said. The room was empty except for the peaky boy.
"Hey."
"Okay. Wait two minutes, then you both can come up to our room. Oh, and make sure Frank doesn't come up with you, please?"
"Frank isn't even here," Remus said.
"Well, he could come in." Sirius dashed up the steps.
"What d'you suppose they've got to show us?" Remus asked.
"Dunno, but Sirius mentioned something about antlers."
"Maybe they've made up a potion that puts a stopper to my transformation," Remus said hopefully. A beautiful smile appeared on his face, making Selena smile too.
"Maybe. You lot do some pretty awesome things." A moment passed. "I think we can go up now."
"I'm nervous," Remus said.
"You shouldn't be. It's amazing to have friends who'll do anything for you."
"Yeah." Selena and Remus ascended the stairs to the boys' dorm. The door was closed, and Remus opened it. Selena went inside first.
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL!" She exclaimed. A stag was the first thing she saw, as it took up most of the space. Her eyes darted around the room. A large, black dog was seemingly smiling. She felt something touch her foot; she looked down. A fat rat tried to crawl up her leg. She was dumbstruck.
"What? What's- WHOA." Remus' eyes did the same as Selena's. He walked forward, leaving Selena in the doorway.
"This is... Interesting. Where are the humans?" Selena picked up the twitchy rat and set him on Sirius' bed.
"I think they are the humans," Remus said, looking around.
"Animagi? WHAT?" When she said this, the three animals went through a transformation. The antlers on the stag shrunk, and his body decreased in size. The dog kept its black hair, but increased in size. And the rat sitting next to Selena grew into a boy.
"You three are bloody brilliant," Selena said once they'd finished. "Oh my goodness."
"Yep! We studied really hard," James spoke, giving the biggest smile Selena had ever seen.
"And we did it for our friend Remus," Sirius said victoriously; he put his arm around Remus' shoulder. "Now we can go with you!"
"You could've seriously killed yourselves," Remus murmured.
"'Seriously killed'? No, we would've jokingly killed ourselves," Peter said sardonically. He went on, "or, at least, James and Sirius would've first. They helped me."
"Isn't this great?" James clapped his hands together. "Animals can't become werewolves, so we'd be able to be with you the entire time!"
"You shouldn't've." Remus gazed at them all, eyes wide. "But thank you so much."
"You're welcome, Remus!"
"Well, then, you four are going to have an adventure, then. Full moon's tonight."
"Mmhmm. We didn't think we'd get Peter changed in time. But we did."
"And with two hours to spare. Dusk'll be soon."
"Let's go down to dinner, then."
"Yeah, I'm hungry."
"Peter, you're always hungry."
"We need nicknames," James pondered.
"What?"
"Nicknames for our forms."
Selena watched the four of them walk in front of her, chatting amicably about their Animagus forms. By the time she reached the Great Hall, they already had soubriquets for themselves.
"Moony, pass the chicken."
"Here you are, Padfoot."
"Wormtail, you're gonna be sick. Slow your eating."
"Leave him, Prongs- if he wants to vomit, let him."
---
Later on, Selena sat by the window of the boys' dormitory, cuddled in a blanket. She took a sip of her butterbeer, looking out of the window. She watched the grounds, waiting for something peculiar to happen. Selena didn't have to wait for long- she saw Madam Pomfrey accompany Remus to the Whomping Willow, which promptly stopped moving. The woman left him, and went back inside. Remus faltered before going in; Selena could swear she saw a foot appear out of nowhere.
"There they go," she murmured. Selena was worried. It was all very well and good that James, Sirius, and Peter were now Animagi, but she was more concerned for Remus. She reassured herself that the boy had transformed on many occasions, and that this time shouldn't be too different.
Selena pulled out her journal and opened it. She let her mind wander, thinking of anything and everything that crossed her mind.
Her thoughts eventually wandered to Darcy.
She was happy Darcy snogged Regulus in the hallways now, but what about them? Selena knew that the promise they'd made was "until they didn't need each other," but even though Darcy did not need her, Selena still wanted that person. She wanted to belong to someone. She wanted someone to pass notes to, to sit by in class and make fun of Professor Slughorn.
And her mind flowed on.
Half-way through her journaling, a chill pervaded the air. Selena grabbed another comforter off the nearest bed and wrapped it around her shivering body.
Her hopes, dreams, and fears filled the pages of the diary as fast as she thought them. The ostrich quill spared no word, and she could not deceive the pages into eloquence- always the words were blunt and honest. Always.
Selena became tired, which was odd, considering that it was a quarter past nine. She inhaled, exhaled. Inhale, exhale. Blink, blink, yawn.
She woke up to a loud hushing sound.
"Shut up! I think she's asleep."
"She took my blanket!" A voice hissed.
"I'm not asleep," said Selena groggily. She rubbed her eyes and looked at them. "How'd it- oh, my." All four of them, covered in scratches, looked cold and windblown.
"It went well- better than most days," Remus said happily. Sirius and James secretly glanced at him, disbelievingly. "I can actually remember what I did."
"You growled a bunch," Peter whimpered. "I never thought I'd be so scare-" James glared at Peter. Selena sighed.
"You look tired."
"Yes." Sirius yawned. "Can I have my blanket." He didn't ask, only stated what he wanted.
"But I'm warm," Selena complained. This was Sirius' way of kicking her the hell out.
"Alright."
"What time is it?"
"Six in the morning," Remus answered.
"What the hell," the girl groaned. "Not cool. It's Friday."
"She's right." Sirius ripped his bedspread away from her and crawled into his bed.
"Fine. I'll just go all the way over to the girls' dorm."
"Bye." Sirius curled up in his bed, ready to visit his dreams.
"Prat. Anyway, good night," Selena mumbled, leaving the room. The boys waved.
Selena, walking down the stairs, found she wasn't at all tired.
October, 1975
"I swear there's a conspiracy theory," Remus muttered. "Why do we always have a new D.A.D.A. teacher? Merlin, now I miss Professor Lake..."
"Professor Charlemagne hates me," Peter whined.
"If you'd quit tripping over yourself during practicals-"
"That's not fair! I study and stuff!"
"He does! Charlemagne just hates him," James said. "Honestly."
"Well, I sit in the back of the class, so I wouldn't know," Selena said, writing rapidly.
"I mean, come on, why are we supposed to write a paper on how to duel?! I hope he lets us duel. I swear, I will-" Sirius' eyes became shady.
"Padfoot, you wrote expelliarmus wrong. Are you sure that has a spell-check on it?" Remus interrupted.
"I always connect my e's and l's like that."
"Looks like a d."
"Right, Moony. Just do your paper. I'll get Selena to check mine, thanks."
"Going to pay me?" Selena looked up briefly.
"Pay you? With what?" asked Sirius, smirking; Selena didn't see his face.
"Money."
"No."
"Then I'm not proofreading it."
"Ugh, Remus, can you check this?" Sirius shoved his paper at Remus. His friend jabbed his wand at the parchment, and the letters began correcting themselves.
"Non-verbal spells?" Selena asked curiously.
"What?"
"Non-verbal spells. You just used a non-verbal."
"Oh, I guess I did."
"That's not 'till next year! You can do non-verbals?"
"Can't you?"
"... Yeah."
"Okay, then. Prongs, can you pass the chocolate?"
"Peter, pass me your essay. Just pass it here," Selena sighed.
"Do I have to pay you?"
"No, you don't." Selena also poked her wand at her friend's paper, rewriting whole paragraphs.
"Oi, why doesn't he have to pay?"
"Because he can't do it by himself. You can."
"... Can you help me? Please? With my Transfiguration?"
"Sirius, haven't you already done it? It's due tomorrow."
"Erm, I need a once-over."
"Right. Peter, you've got to write two more inches." Selena sighed. "I'll be right back- got to get my Transfiguration essay. Get yours out, Sirius." She left the table.
"You don't need help with Transfiguration," James said lightly. Remus snickered.
"Nope." Sirius conjured several snails out of the air, making Peter's jaw drop.
"That's, that's N.E.W.T-"
"Shh."
"She really is not going to appreciate that." Remus smiled and returned to his own Transfiguration.
Several minutes later, Selena reappeared with scrolls of parchment and her books.
"Okay, Sirius, what do you need so desperately to be helped with?"
"Vanishing spells- essay and the spell." She shook her head.
"I see you've got snails."
"Mmhmm."
"Now, what you've got to do is-"
"Sorry, but we're going to make a kitchen run," James announced. "We'll be back. D'you want anything?"
"Tea."
"Soda."
James, Remus, and Peter left.
"Okay, well, you know the spell is evanesco."
"Repeat that? I mean, we've got to enunciate and all..." Selena said it slower with more inflection. Sirius butchered the word.
Several moments later while Sirius twiddled his thumbs and Selena proofed his essay, some people walked by.
"Hi, Sirius," Charlotte Ackermann said. "After you're done studying, we should talk for a bit."
"I've got Quidditch practice."
"Oh, right, you're Beater." Her friends gushed with their mawkish ways, making ooh's and ahh's.
"Mmhmm."
"Well, see you later then, Sirius." And with her cackling friends, the auburn haired sixth-year left Sirius and Selena to their work.
"She'd better go see Madam Pomfrey," Selena said sincerely.
"Why?"
"Her eyes. They were blinking so much. I mean, your eyes and my eyes don't do that. It's like she had something in them. Probably spores from Herbology." Sirius stared at her for a while, then threw his head back and laughed.
"Oh, wow."
"What? Did I say something funny?" Selena turned a bright red.
"Oh, yes, you did." Sirius calmed down and continued, "There is nothing wrong with her eyes. You see, when a bloke- that's me- and a girl- Charlotte- fancy each other, they-"
"You like each other?" Selena gasped, leaning forwards. "So you're le beau des yeux gris." Charlotte Ackermann, like Selena, knew a fair bit of French, but Charlotte, unlike Selena, always gave boys French nicknames.
"She talks about me?"
"Sirius, girls talk about everybody."
"What does she say?" Selena laughed at his eagerness. Then, she flushed even deeper and began to fidget, picking lint off of her robes.
"Um, well, apparently-"
"We're back!" Sirius swore.
"Thank you," he grumbled as Peter handed him the fizzy drink. The raven-haired girl exhaled happily, for she really did not want to tell Sirius that Charlotte was as notorious as he was.
"What's that?" Selena asked when they all sat back down. She pointed to Sirius' beverage.
"A soda..."
"No, I mean, it's like firecrackers." The soda shimmered neon colors like fireworks, and smoke wafted from it.
"Oh, it's called a Dizzy Fizzy. The same person who made Fizzing Whizbees made it. Here, try some." He handed her the bottle, and she took a sip.
A creamy taste filled her mouth, preceding fizzes. Her hair flew up, as if she'd been struck by lightning.
"Ah!" She giggled, seeing phantasmagorical colors and images. It took a while for the high to disappear, and she gave him back the bottle. "Wow."
"Yep."
"My dad would love that." The colors faded.
"Oh, speaking of your dad." James put his quill down. "Mum's having a Christmas party, and you, your dad, and your mum're invited."
"Okay. I dunno if Daddy can make it, but I'll ask him. I'm not allowed to send him owls, though. But if he can't, I'll definitely bring my mum." They went back to studying, and Sirius miraculously learned his Vanishing Spell.