I know not many people are probably reading this, because yes I do understand, Dorcas Meadowes may not be as interesting as reading about Harry Potter, but to all who do read, thank you very much, and I appreciate comments whether good or bad. I have finals week at the moment so I wanted to get up one last chapter before I become swamped. But no fear, there is more to come soon. I appreciate letting me know what your opinions are on this, and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please note, that I do not own Harry Potter.
Chapter 6:
Seventh year at Hogwarts meant a lot of things for the students. It meant the transition from adolescence to adult hood. It meant figuring out what one wanted to do with their life. It meant having fun and partying, and it meant studying for the NEWTs to name a few things, thus making it the most coveted yet dreaded year. For the marauders that year was this one. However, instead of focusing on the negative aspects, they for the most part thought optimistically viewing this as their year to go all out on pranks.
The quintet currently sat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall as the start of the year feast took place. As usual, the boys, particularly James and Peter were scarfing back food, Remus was having an intellectual conversation with Lily, and Dorcas and Sirius were having a debate over what was more hysterical: a Severus Snape dressed like a ballerina or a flashing rainbow Mr. Filch.
"Filch is most deserving of this revenge." Argued Sirius. "He's been such a pain in our ass and it would allow us to see him from further away."
"Sure we'd find it amusing, but Filch would only anger and get more on our cases." Dorcas said.
"Your point is? It's fun! " Sirius asked.
"My point is that as staff, pranking Filch and getting away with it is more difficult then pranking Snape, a mere student." Dorcas snapped.
"Alright then, your point is clear, but pranking Snape is what we normally do. Don't you want to do something different?" Sirius asked.
"No, I don't want to do something different. Pulling pranks on Snape are fun plus he deserves it, and it serves to teach him a lesson." Dorcas said.
"Well he hasn't learned not to mess with us yet." Sirius said.
"All the more reason to keep trying. The message has got to sink in eventually." Dorcas said.
"Then how about we do both? Fun and everybody's happy. Besides Filch and Snape that is. They wouldn't be happy at all." Sirius suggested.
"Agreed." Dorcas said grinning.
Before the conversation could continue on, Dumbledore stood asking for silence as he was about to begin his opening speech.
"Welcome and welcome back to Hogwarts. Filch has asked me to remind you that forbidden items will not be tolerated. To see the complete extensive list, see his office door. Also, as the name indicates, the forbidden forest is indeed forbidden." Dumbledore began earning smiles and chuckles from the marauders knowing that comment was directing at them who constantly needed these reminders.
"As you all know, the wizarding world is in chaos. Something wicked is coming out way, and it, or more precisely he, goes by the name of Lord Voldemort." He said pausing for the affect. "Some may deny it, but he is out there none the less. Some of your family may have been affected by his rise, and you will all continue to be affected unless you united." Dumbledore said.
"You students of Hogwarts are the future. When you graduate each and every one of you will be faced with this daunting fact. Here at Hogwarts, you live a sheltered life, but lasting strong bonds will form allowing for Voldemort's down fall. Therefore I urge you, put aside your differences, because in the real world, it all means nothing." Dumbledore concluded.
"On a lighter note, now that our hunger has been satiated, let's conclude with the Hogwarts song. Everyone chose your favorite tune and sing along." Dumbledore said.
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts
Teach us something, please
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff
For now they're bare and full of air
Dead flies and bits of fluff
So teach us things worth knowing
Bring back what we've forgot
Just do your best, we'll do the rest
And learn until our brains all rot!"
Finally when the last person concluded, Dumbledore shouted, "Now off to bed!"
There was a rush to get out of the great hall. First years were following prefects such as Remus, other students were trying to find people who knew their house's password, and James and Lily were off to speak with Dumbledore about their duties as head boy and head girl, leaving Dorcas, Sirius and Peter alone to make their way up to the Gryffindor tower. The only problem was, once there, none of the trio knew the password.
"I'm sorry. No password means no entry. A rule is a rule." The fat lady said.
"Come on! You know us! We've been here for six years. We're the people you can't stand for waking you up in the early hours to come back in, yet love us so dearly for our charming personalities!" Peter whined.
"Need I make myself any clearer?" The fat lady asked.
Peter was about to respond yes, when Dorcas said "Nope. Your point is crystal clear." She wondered if the fat lady was just messing with them doing this as pay back for all the mornings after the full moon that they woke her up.
"Damn it!" Sirius said, and Peter now proceeded to guess what the password could be. "With a best mate as head boy, you would have thought we'd know the password, but no! No one bothers to tell us." He said frustrated.
In the mean time, Peter continued his guessing. "Butter bear, whomping willow, niffler snout, acid pop, elephant's back side, hocus pocus, chick pocks, cheese cake, bugger, old mick Donald, goblin ears, bludger, fairy feet…"
Sirius, who was becoming increasingly annoyed, was about to yell at Peter when he said, "dragon dung" and the fat lady responded, "Correct, you may now enter" and then opened the entrance.
"Dragon dung?" Dorcas speculated. "McGonagall's creativity must really be suffering."
"Hey, don't knock it! It worked." Peter said.
"Sure. Sure." Dorcas said. After all, getting in to the common room was the important part.
Remus, who had been in the common room waiting for his friends to arrive, purposely did not give them the password, desiring to see if they could figure out, smiled when he saw them enter the common room after finally guessing it. "What took you guys so long?" He asked innocently.
"Sorry, but it took Peter a few tries to find the password." Sirius responded.
"A few! You call that a few? More like a million!" Dorcas said.
When Remus started to laugh, Sirius said, "So it was you! You were the one who so rudely left without telling us the password!"
"Ah. Look at the time." Remus said quickly glancing at his watch. "I've got to go." Remus said as a way to escape his friends' wrath. Quickly he started going up the stairs.
"You can't get away that easily!" Sirius yelled chasing after her.
Peter spared Dorcas a smile and a pleasant good night before joining the chase.
Dorcas rolled her eyes and mumbled, "Boys will be boys" before following suite and going to her own dorm to sleep.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in England, others by the name of Voldemort and Malfoy were plotting.
"Lydia Meadowes is dead my lord. She has been for seventeen years." Malfoy said.
"Oh well that's…unfortunate." Voldemort said trying hard not to show emotions. Despite the popular belief, that he Lord Voldemort was unable to love, the truth was he and Lydia had gone out for a while in their 7th year of Hogwarts, and while Voldemort did not feel this love for her anymore, at the time, he had been really attached to her. "And the girl?" He asked wanting to know more about Dorcas Meadowes.
"Her mother is indeed Lydia, but she lives in Cornwall Orphanage during the summer since Lydia died of child birth. Meadowes is a 7th year Gryffindor at Hogwarts who excels in charms, transfiguration, and potions. Surprisingly, she plays beater, and has a tendency to knock people of their brooms resulting in their injury. " Malfoy said rattling off facts that his son Lucius had told him.
"Lucius tells me that she hangs out with the eldest Black boy and the blood traitor Potter's son and has an ongoing dispute with Slytherins. Teachers can't stand her because she's a trouble maker, yet at the same time love her for her exceptional display of intelligence and brilliant personality." Lucius concluded not wanting to go too much into detail. Because this information had come from Lucius, it was all rather biased, and most of it viewed her in a negative light. Being that she was Voldemort's daughter, he couldn't just say those things.
Voldemort took a minute to think this over. Dorcas may look like Lydia and him, but did she act like them? If she was his daughter, then certainly the intelligence was inherited from him. Lydia was clever especially in charms and potions, but never the brightest. But a child of his a Gryffindor? It couldn't be! He himself was a parseltongue and a direct descendent of Salazar Slytherin! That had to mean something. Therefore, shouldn't she too be in Slytherin like he was and not a damn Gryffindor.
"No." Voldemort said in denial. "No child of mine would ever be a Gryffindor. It's not possible"
"Face it Tom. You two were together fall of your 7th year and broke up right after Christmas followed by her leaving the school early. It all makes sense." Malfoy said.
"But a Gryffindor!" Voldemort said distraught. "It couldn't be!"
"Hanging out with bad influences like Black and Potter, it's no wonder that she is one, but it's not the end of the world. Houses don't define people." Malfoy said which went very much against his beliefs but at the same time placated his Lord. "Look, if you want to meet her, then fine. Take the initiative. If not, then just forget about her."
"Me, lord Voldemort having a daughter, what are the odds of that?" Voldemort speculated out loud. "Alright, I want to see her."
"Good." Malfoy said wondering how they could accomplish that. Hogwarts was too secure to smuggle the girl out of there and in Hogsmeade there were too many witnesses. One would only have to hope that for Christmas she went home to the Orphanage. Even better, Malfoy would have some future death eaters, more commonly known as PBS or pure blood Slytherins find out more about Dorcas Meadowes, and perhaps even send her a message. "It will be done my Lord." He said.