Chapter Twenty: Mother
Yeah I totally own all of this. Except not. I own none of it. So yeah…alright, read on! And please don't kill me for taking so long, I'm super sorry!
It felt as though the days were moving sluggishly ever since we had received a reply from Harry. The only thing it had said on it was June sixth. I had replied in kind saying only the word thanks and my name. Lily and I had compromised on studying when I promised that I, as Kailey, would focus an hour a day on review every day after dinner. No more and, unfortunately, no less.
"Am I done yet?" I called from my seat in the kitchen. I was so sick of History it wasn't even funny and I was completely ready for bed.
"You have five more minutes," Lily replied, walking into the room.
"That's like five more lifetimes," I groaned, glaring at the book. The words weren't even making sense at this point.
"I think you'll survive," she answered, smiling.
"Why are you so obsessed with this in any case? You're not my mother or anything," I said, hoping to get out of the last five minutes.
"Stop changing the subject," she said foiling my plan.
"Whatever are you talking about?" I asked innocently with a smile.
"Kailey," she said in a warning tone.
"There you go again, talking like you're my mother," I said, shaking my head. "Are you practicing?"
"You know, for every minute you spend talking to me I think we should add on an extra half hour," she answered instead, growing agitated.
"So that's a yes then, you are practicing. By the way, that method won't work," I decided, turning back to the History text that was putting me to sleep.
I woke up the next morning with a sore neck. I groaned and sat up wincing slightly as I ripped my face away from the page that it had been stuck to. I looked around, feeling slightly dazed. I was still in the kitchen and it was still dark out. Why am I awake…?
Then I heard footsteps walking around in the kitchen. Whoever that is may as well consider himself dead…
"Sorry, did I wake you?" Sirius' voice asked from the semi-darkness.
"Consider yourself dead," I groaned, rolling my head around to try and stretch out my neck.
"I'll take that as a yes then," he replied, I could tell he was smiling though. Jerk.
"Why the hell are you up?" I asked quietly. I did not want to deal with Lily this early in the morning. I was nothing compared to her.
"I'm going to try and see a bit of the match, you want to come?" he asked enthusiastically.
"Don't you remember what happened last time?" I hissed. He shook his head. "When Harry fell, weren't you there in the stands when that happened?"
"That was me that scared him?"
"He thought you were the grim and then the dementors showed up," I replied not bothering to suppress a yawn. "But in any case, it's still dark out; you can't go to the match yet,"
"Well I can't exactly sneak up there in broad daylight, I have to go early or I don't get to get into the stands," he explained.
"What if we get caught?" I murmured, stretching out my shoulders.
"We won't get caught," he said, "And does that mean you're coming?"
"It's the only Quidditch cup I get to see him in, of course I'm coming," I groaned, standing up and heading for the door. I reached for the handle but stopped. I turned around abruptly and headed back for the kitchen.
"What are you doing?" Sirius asked, following me back into the room.
"I'm hungry," I replied, pulling some cereal from the cabinet.
After I'd scarfed down a quick breakfast, Sirius scribbled out a note letting James and Lily know where we were off to. I transformed into my animagus before he opened the door and stretched again.
"Why is your fur black?" he asked, as we left the house. He transformed into Padfoot before I answered.
"It's only black when I'm Kailey. It's pretty much opposite of when I'm Keena," I explained as we jogged along through the forest, heading for the Quidditch pitch.
"Well, you're in need of another nickname then," Padfoot stated. "How about Whitetip?"
"No, that's my cat's name,"
"You have a cat?"
"Got her last fall,"
"Hold on, Snape let you get a cat?"
"Yeah," I said, grinning. "He's not all bad, you know,"
Padfoot snorted but said nothing and the conversation stopped for a minute. We made it to the edge of the forest and slowed to a walk. I was about to ask if he'd thought of another nickname but all that came out was "Crookshanks,"
"What?" Padfoot asked, perplexed.
"Hermione's cat, Crookshanks," I said, staring at the orange cat that had stopped and looked as though he were waiting for us.
"That's his name?"
"Yeah, you've met him?"
"He got me the passwords," Padfoot said, heading for the cat. "He understands us a little, but it's hard to make out everything he tries to let us know,"
"Us? So Prongs and Redtail have met him too?" Padfoot nodded and turned his attention towards Crookshanks.
"Any news?" he asked carefully.
"Ner nerthin," Crookshanks mewed in reply, beginning to walk towards the edge of the forest.
"No passwords?"
"Giant smellers nearby,"
"Giant smellers?" Padfoot asked. Crookshanks nodded.
"I think he means trolls, they're there to protect the Fat Lady," I suggested quietly.
Crookshanks looked at me with a curious stare. "Partner er Whitetip?" he questioned.
"Yes, that's me," I answered with a nod a little taken aback that he'd realized who I was so quickly.
"Sher worries, ner leaves room," he accused.
"I'm sorry, let her know I'd like her to not worry for me, I'll be home soon," I said guiltily. I hadn't realized my cat would go into a depression without me there.
Crookshanks nodded and left promising to keep watch over the angry red one, who I could only assume to be Ron, and his prey, obviously Scabbers. Cat language was weird.
Padfoot and I made it to the outside of the Quidditch stands as the sun was beginning to rise and we snuck up through the stands until we reached the very top. We sat underneath the first row of benches where it was roped off for special guests so chances were we would be able to see without having to worry about students noticing us.
"So how many games have you come to see?" I asked while we waited for the stands to begin filling up.
"Only the ones that I noticed in the Hogsmeade paper, they have all of the matches listed as well as which houses," he answered, scratching behind his ear and making a thumping noise with his hind leg. "I can't wait to watch as a human again," he added after a second's thought.
"Not much longer, I'm sure," I said, turning to face the pitch and we were silent for a moment. "Padfoot?"
"Yeah?"
"Why is it a Quidditch field? The entire game is played in the sky,"
He laughed at me, or barked rather, before he calmed down. "What a question! It's called a field because…because…"
"Because…?"
"Well…why is it called a snitch?" he shot back.
"That's the name of the bird they used to use instead of a ball," I replied. "But why a field?"
"Er…"
"C'mon, you're a huge fanatic and you don't even know the answer to this?"
"Look, I'm a fan of the game, not the theory, who cares what they call the field as long as Gryffindor beats those bloody Slytherins to a pulp." Padfoot answered, growing angry that he couldn't give me an answer that I wouldn't bend back the other way.
"Jeez, don't get so worked up, it was only a question," I muttered, though I couldn't help but grin.
He opened his mouth to argue but was interrupted by the sounds of hundreds of people climbing the stairs to the stadium seating. I thought it might quiet down some after everyone was in their seats but I was wrong, it only got louder.
"HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE QUIDDITCH FINAL!" Lee Jordan's voice rang through the stadium, sounding at least five times louder than I had expected.
"Why is he so loud?" I asked Padfoot as quietly as I could.
"It's your dog ears, they make everything louder, remember?"
"AND HERE COME THE PLAYERS! GRYFFINDOR VERSUS SLYTHERIN! RED VERUS GREEN, GOLD VERSUS SILVER, GOOD VERSUS EVIL--!"
"JORDAN!" McGonagall's voice pierced Jordan's analogies.
"SORRY PROFESSOR," he muttered into the microphone, but the crowd was laughing, drowning out the booing of the Slytherins.
Madame Hooch's whistle rang through the stadium and the cheers from the crowd seemed to double as the players launched into the air. I had to admit, it was much easier to see what was going on with dog vision. I picked Harry out from the others easily, mainly because he shot up higher than anyone else combined, though Malfoy tried to stay on his tail.
"GRYFFINDOR IN POSSESION, WITH ALICIA SPINNET RACING FOR THE SLYTHERIN GOALS! AND—NO! INTERCEPTED BY WARRINGTON AS HE TEARS UP TO THE OTHER END OF THE FIELD!" there was a deafening crack as one of the Weasley twins (he looked like Fred but Jordan said it was George) slammed a bludger at Warrington, getting Gryffindor back in possession. Alicia raced up the field and launched the ball at the goal post… "SHE SCORES THE FIRST OF THE MATCH GIVING GRYFFINDOR THE UPPER IN A TEN—ZERO GAME!"
Alicia punched her fist in the air, crying a loud "Yes!" just as Marcus Flint turned his broom toward her and sailed into her. She nearly lost her balance but managed to catch herself.
"OF ALL THE LOW DOWN, NO GOOD ROTTEN--"
"JORDAN," McGonagall warned though I'll bet she was seething with rage as well.
McGonagall's verbal warning had no effect on George, possibly Fred, as he threw his bat Flint's head, who slammed headlong into his broom handle. Madame Hooch blew her whistle, looking disgruntled, but unsurprised as she awarded penalties to both teams. The crowd hushed into unnatural silence as Alicia took up position with the Quaffle.
"C'mon Alicia," I couldn't help but mutter and Padfoot nudged me in the side to keep me quiet. I'd forgotten I was a wolf at the moment.
A second longer and Alicia had scored another ten points for Gryffindor and now it was Flint's turn for the Quaffle. Wood looked determined and he was muttering to himself it looked like, as he drifted in front of the posts. Flint feigned right and threw it left, but the ball slipped ever so slightly in his hands before Wood made an amazing save and the crowd went wild.
"No talking," Padfoot muttered quietly while the crowd screamed and Jordan got admonished by McGonagall. I nodded mutely in understanding as Gryffindor scored another penalty goal.
I gasped when Harry suddenly started speeding towards the Slytherin goals and a bludger was sent careening for his head. Padfoot let out a low growl as another bludger grazed the edge of his robes. Then out of nowhere both Slytherin beaters were flying towards him. Harry pulled up just in time as the two beaters collided into one another, each smacking the other with his club.
"THAT'LL SHOW YOU LOT TO MESS WITH A FIREBOLT!" Jordan yelled as the Gryffindor supporters either laughed or cussed at the beaters. "AND IT'S ANGELINA JOHNSON IN POSSESSION WITH FLINT FLYING RIGHT UP NEXT TO HER—GET HIM IN THE EYE!"
"JORDAN!"
"IT WAS A JOKE, A JOKE! BUT OH NO! FLINT IN POSSESSION! C'MON OLIVER! AND…FUCK!"
"JORDAN!" there was a sound of the microphone being tugged back and forth and the crowd could hear the two bickering.
"SORRY, SORRY! BUT NOW IT'S THIRTY-TEN, GRYFFINDOR WITH THE QUAFFLE! AND SHE SCORES! HEY, SHE IS NOT A BLUDGER YOU LOAD OF—OF—WELL, THEY'VE BEEN GIVEN A PENALTY ANYWAY…WAS THAT BETTER PROFESSOR?" the crowd laughed as Jordan avoided saying any more crude words. "NOW THEY'VE EACH BEEN GIVEN ANOTHER PENALTY, LET'S PULL IT OFF AGAIN, ANGELINA!" and she did, scoring perfectly while Wood managed another fantastic save. "NOW IT'S GRYFFINDOR IN POSSESSION ONCE MORE…GO KATIE, GO! AND…YES! FIFTY-TEN TO GRYFFINDOR! BUT WHAT ARE THEY DOING?"
Both Slytherin beaters launched the bludgers one after another into Wood's stomach and he looked as though he was barely holding onto his broom. Madame Hooch all but swore at the two beaters as Wood caught his breath. Barely half a minute later the score was up to seventy to ten, giving Gryffindor the significant lead.
Harry burst into speed suddenly, but this time he was going much faster. I kept my eyes trained on him and growled furiously as Malfoy came from behind him, grabbing the tail of his broom. The entire stadium was shouting in anger.
"That bastard! Does he know who he's dealing with? Merlin when I tell James--" Padfoot was growling threats and pranks and mixes between the two angrily but I was just growling without words. We were just lucky it was so loud. Even Mickey was swearing herself horse. Alicia missed the penalty and Wood was still so frustrated that he missed a goal put in by Montague.
Harry and Malfoy looked as though they were joined at the hip; they were so close to each other. I looked back at the game to see a mass of green racing towards a solitary scarlet bullet that was Angelina. Harry came pelting out of nowhere, forcing the Slytherins to scatter and he nearly rammed into the stands where Padfoot and I were sitting. He spotted us and froze for a moment. Behind him I noticed Malfoy beginning to dive toward the ground. I barked but he still didn't move. I changed back into a human, bumping my head on the bench that I was lying under.
"Harry, the snitch!" I yelled out, pointing at the now diving Malfoy.
He snapped out of it and turned, flying like lightning towards Malfoy and the snitch. It happened so fast and Harry suddenly had the snitch in his hands. Padfoot nudged me as the entire stadium leapt to their feet and I changed back into my animagus. The stands emptied within what seemed like seconds and then, slowly, the massive crowd made its way back up to the castle.
"You are so lucky," Padfoot said, shaking his head when everything was quiet once more.
"I couldn't let him miss it by that much," I answered trying to pout in my wolf form.
"Yeah, but--" he stopped and his ears perked up at the sound of feet climbing the staircase. "How many?" he asked quietly.
I listened intently before answering "Three,"
We stayed silent as they came closer, finally coming to stand in front of where we were hiding. One of them was wearing Quidditch robes.
"C'mon, Harry, they've probably gone," Hermione's voice said gently.
"Yeah, mate, and people are going to wonder where you've gone off to," Ron added.
But Harry ignored them, and, slowly, Padfoot and I watched as he lowered himself so that he was facing us. "Told you they'd be here," Harry said, looking back up at the other two.
Padfoot and I looked at each other and he walked out from under the benches first and I followed closely. We sat down and looked at the other three expectantly.
"There isn't anyone up here, it's safe," Hermione said, realizing what I was waiting for.
Not needing to be told twice, I turned back into a human and tackled Harry in a hug. "You idiot, I told you there was no such thing as a grim and you nearly throw the match just to stare at him!" I laughed.
"That's Harry's grim?" Ron asked, suddenly wary.
"Yep," I answered, ruffling the fur on Padfoot's head.
"How ironic," Hermione said, seeming to have guessed his identity.
"Yeah, so, Harry what was with that last letter? One word?" I asked. Harry took on a look of mild embarrassment.
"I was a bit angry you let him write," he admitted.
"In my defense, he stole the quill from my hand," I defended. Padfoot gave a bark. "Sorry, don't speak dog," he began to whine.
"I suppose I can't be angry with you though, you managed to save me from eternal damnation of the Quidditch pitch," Harry said with a grin. "Could you imagine what Wood would've done to me?" he put on a look of horror.
"Honestly, Harry, it's just Quidditch," Hermione said in exasperation.
Both boys began defending their beloved sport and Padfoot barked along with them, I just laughed. "Hermione, I think you've lost this one,"
"Well, school is more important," Padfoot gave another bark. "Speaking of which, are you still keeping up with your studies somehow?"
"Oh yeah, Hermione, I'm sure she's got loads of books what with her being in the forest or wherever," Ron said, rolling his eyes. Padfoot sniggered. Actually, it sounded like he was gagging and we turned to stare at him for a moment.
"Relax, Hermione, I've already taken most of the tests that you're going to take,"
"Yeah about twenty years ago," she shot back. Padfoot did another sniggering-gag.
"Hey, at least I'm not an old man all of the time," I aimed at him. That shut him up and he gave me a puppy-dog look, reminding me of my kitten for some reason. "Oh, and Hermione, could you maybe give Whitetip a little attention from me? She's feeling lonely, according to Crookshanks in any case,"
She and Ron just stared at me as though I was insane, but Harry suddenly had a look of understanding cross over his face.
"So it was you lot that I saw this morning?" I nodded. "You can talk to cats like that?"
"They talk funny, but yeah," I said with another nod. "And while we're on that note, you're certain that it's June sixth?"
"Yeah, why do you need to know that?"
"It is crucial, trust me,"
"Why don't you just stay here?"
"I think Padfoot may go mental if I leave him alone and besides, you know what happens to me when Dumbles sees me again. No, it'll have to be that night, I can't think of another time to make it work sooner. How is Buckbeak, by the way? They didn't bring the case back up, did they?"
"No, Malfoy's dad has tried but with no luck. The ministry says that dealing with him is more important," Ron answered, gesturing to Padfoot. "But Hagrid's been keeping him at the house with him, he's under the impression that if he gets a hold of your scent he'll go after it."
"Um…okay…well, anyways," I replied awkwardly making a mental note to avoid going near Hagrid's hut just in case he was right. "How did smacking Malfoy go for you, Hermione?"
"Very well, thanks," she answered proudly.
"Wish I could've helped," I pouted. "And then you walk out on Trelawney? Very big year for you,"
"You can only hear about the grim so many times," she answered, shaking her head.
"And she's been predicting that they find your brutally murdered body somewhere in someplace called Haiti," Ron added. I blinked.
"Haiti? I've never even been there," I muttered, more to myself than to the others. But that was where inferi originated…where our best research began…could she know about Lily and James…?
"We thought it might just be a state or something," Ron continued.
"No, it's a country in Latin America," I said automatically.
"Told you," Hermione grinned.
Padfoot gave a whine and stared pointedly at me. I looked at my watch and sighed. "You three had better get to the castle before someone comes looking,"
"You promise to be careful?" Hermione said, pointing a finger at me. I nodded with a small smile.
"Good and you?" Harry said, looking at Padfoot who looked surprised. "If you're not careful, she gets caught and I blame you," Harry explained. Padfoot nodded once to show his understanding.
Sirius and I arrived back at the cabin less than an hour later. James literally jumped up and down like a little girl when he heard that they had won the cup. Lily asked if we had gotten pictures but I told her that Remus had a camera and he had hopefully thought to use it.
"You should probably study now," Lily said as the conversation slowed.
"No one else in my house is studying tonight and neither will I," I said, folding my arms and sticking my nose in the air. Lily sighed, shaking her head but saying nothing.
"I think Harry is starting to trust me," Sirius blurted out suddenly. He'd wanted to say it for a while, I could tell by how he was suddenly beaming.
James grinned and clapped Sirius on the back. "I told you he would,"
Lily stayed silent, a smile plastered on her face but it didn't look entirely real. It reminded me of how Harry looked whenever someone mentioned a parent or sibling. It was sad and, even worse, pointless because they could all easily be together. I frowned and finally made a decision.
"I'm not going to keep this a secret anymore,"
I'm so sorry that it's been so long! First I didn't have time and then I got writer's block and then I didn't have time again! And I'm so sorry to add that I will not likely update again until around May…I'm going to Italy on a school trip (meaning no computer). I'll do my best to get something up sometime before the 18th, but I can't make any promises. Please don't lose interest, I'm doing my best! Okay, now that that's off my chest, no this is not the last story of the series; I'm hoping to make it thru all seven years so we're maybe half-way there. Almost. So um…please review! Next will be 21!
:-D