Chapter 2: Hiding in the dark
The Disclaimer.
"I do hereby disclaim anything that is involved in the Harry Potter world. This is an Au fic so I do own some plot twists as my mind invented them rather resourcefully. I do wish you all good day and do wish you enjoy." ~Herb3
Author: Herb3
Story: Never let me go.
Chapter Two: Hiding in the dark.
When I returned to the compartment I found Phoebe talking to Gwen with Grendel sitting in her lap all happy like. Grendel was just going to be a first year and was quite excited about it. They all looked up at me and smiled.
"So my dear Lily. Who might this years Head Boy be?" Gwen asked with her usual smirk. I knew somehow, someway she knew.
I smiled up at her as if nothing was wrong.
"James Potter."
Phoebe looked dejected, I knew she hoped it was Remus. "Oh. How is that going to be then yeah?"
"Oh it shouldn't be too hard, just as long as he doesn't have any proclamations about our wedding and children this year. For some reason I feel he's changed."
Gwen started to laugh. "Lily fancies James."
I glared at her.
"I do not, nor will I ever have feelings that are more than friendship for James Theodore Potter!"
"And just how do you know his full name?" the smirk was back a paint on her face.
I glowered at her now.
"First year, that is how he introduced himself."
"Right Lily... you're in luurvee..." she cooed. "At any rate I do approve of this one, not like that whole McLaggen thing last year. All that bloody bastard wanted was to get inside you knickers."
I rolled my eyes deciding to ignore her.
"So Gren, excited to come to Hogwarts?"
The small blond smiled and nodded her head vigorously.
"Gwenie says that I'm a Gryffindor for sure." she smiled brightly.
It was quite amazing the similarities between the two sisters. They looked exceedingly alike.
Gwen smiled warmly at her sister. "You bet love." Then Gwen turned to Phoebe who was reading a rather large tome on some Muggle author that even I knew nothing of. "Gonna finally make them moves on Remus this year?"
Phoebe's eyes bugged out of her head, she lowered the book and blushed a deep crimson red and sighed. Gwen just smirked, just like normal.
"I do not know what your talking about." she defended herself by draining all color from her face.
"Lily?" Grendel asked jumping off of her sisters lap and setting down next to me.
"Yes?"
She screwed her eyes up in concentration and then asked, "What does make the moves on mean? Who is Remus?"
Gwen started roaring laughter and Phoebe just went red again.
"Well dear its umm... something you'll know full well about when your just a bit more older. "
"Ok. So when I'm married?"
"Gren, you'll know before then. And remember. I always get the last word when it comes to it too." Gwen smiled.
"Ok."
Just then the compartment door slid open and in walked Remus, Sirius and James. For some reason Peter wasn't with them, but then I'd been seeing less and less of him for what seemed like ever.
Phoebe looked up and smiled, just as she always did. She always smiled. I just nodded in observance, and Gwen, well she glowered at the middle of the trio, just as per usual. Gren looked up excited at meeting new people, and they beamed all back at us.
"Hello James, Remus, Sirius." I greeted politely.
"Hello Lily." James greeted in return setting down next to me and Gren.
Sirius strutted in with a sway. "Good greetings my fair maidens. How might ye be this merry after eve?" He plopped down next to Gwen who glared bloody murder at him.
"We are all quite well Sirius." Phoebe replied kindly. "How are you three?"
"Oh we Gent's are quite well." He then turned to Grendel who was sitting in front of him. "And who might this lovely young maiden me?"
"My name is Grendel and I'm a first year." she smiled reminding yet again of Gwen.
Sirius smiled charmingly and caught her hand in his bringing it up to his lips, kissing it. "It is quite a pleasure then my dear Grendel, to meet you this fine merry day."
"Its nice to meet you too." she said blushing.
I looked over at Gwen who to my prediction, was glowering heavily at Sirius. Remus must have sensed her anger because he sat down next to her and calmly patted her shoulder. That girl was always the character. She had to be the most wild, wrathful, violently pleasant person that I'd ever met or would meet.
James then followed suit and sat down next to Remus after that.
I turned to Remus, who was still patting Gwen on the back soothingly.
"So how was your summer?"
He grinned brightly.
"Oh it was great. I was over at James's house for the last bit of the summer along with Sirius and Peter. It was rather fulfilling as our last one."
Gren looked up at us with a grin and then turned to me. "So this is Remus?"
I nodded with a smile. "Yes Gren, this is Remus."
"Ok." she then turned to Gwen who was calming down slowly. "Gwenie."
Gwen eyed her sister curiously. "Yes?"
"Who is the guy your always complaining about. The one Phoebe said that you might fancy."
Gwen went completely pale. I started to grin widely as well as Phoebe who was eyeing Gwen suspiciously as if she were going to attack at any given point of time.
Sirius then jumped up proudly.
"Its me!" he proclaimed. "I be the one that shall steal the ever lovely Gwendolyn Rose Ackles heart."
"I wouldn't flatter yourself too much Black. There are plenty of people that I complain about. Take Amos Diggory for example."
His smile didn't falter.
"Oh my dear sweet, sweet Gwendolyn. When shall you accept in your heart that it is I the one that you secretly long for."
She rolled her eyes.
James interjected
"Sirius, could you please quit the dramatics. I know you've taken to reading Shakespeare and all but really..."
Sirius mocked being hurt.
"Oh Prongs." he clutched his heart so. "How could you hurt me so!" he gave a fake sob. "My best mate and all..."
"Sirius please, I'm agreeing with James on this one. Your over doing the dramatic hero thing." Remus rolled his eyes.
"And Moony too!" He sobered again. "How shall I ever make it through this betrayal."
"I dunno Pads, I'm sure you'll get through this one." James smirked.
He then fell to his knees in front of Gwen. "Oh Gwendolyn, my sweet. Say that you love me."
She only glowered at him.
"Black, I would not give you the time of day if you were bloody Merlin himself."
He suddenly gave a serious face.
"Listen Ackles, its our last year and all and I just... Look I'm sorry and I want to put this behind us." He told her with rather large round eyes that had fear dripped in them. A very uncharacteristic thing for Sirius Black. And apology even more so.
Gwen just kept glowering. Apology or not.
"So you think that a simple apology like that can just clear everything up between us?" she started to yell.
"Well I was hoping so yes."
"Black. You are so incorrigible. If you think some petty stupid apology like that is going to make me forgive your sorry spit of arse that Merlin gave you, your very wrong."
And with that she got up from her seat and stomped away from the carriage.
He sighed heavily.
"She's never going to forgive me is she?" he asked James who he took up a seat next to a second later.
"She'll come around Sirius." Phoebe assured. "I'm not too sure what has transpired between the two of you in the past, but I'm sure she will."
"You really think so?"
"I do."
ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo
When we finally reached the Hogsmeade platform some four and a half hours later I jumped off the train to breathe in the familiar air. I knew I was going to miss this place once we were gone, but I also know that there was happiness to be sought after one phase of life ends. I turned to smile at Phoebe, Gren and Grendel who had just stepped off the train behind me. Phoebe had a look similar to mine a paint her face; Gwen was holding her sisters hand with excitement.
"Fir's years this way. "Fir's years." came a grumpy haggard voice I could only recognize as Hagrid. He was our grounds keeper and he was shuffling all the first years to the boats that would take them to they're sorting. I waved at him with a smile, to which he waved happily back.
"Don't worry Dragon, its going to be fine." Gwen told Grendel reassuringly. Gren now had tears in her pretty teal eyes.
"But Gwenie.."
"Gren just calm yourself down ok. I know your a Gryffindor for absolutely sure. I will save you a spot at the Gryffindor table ok? Because your one no doubt. I love you loads, now go and get your but with the other first years. You never know, you might even meet a friend."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure. Remember. Every thing's going to be alright."
"Promise?"
"I promise. Now go."
Gren took off after the other first years quickly.
It was always quite odd how much those two relied upon each other. Out of all the years that I've known them, they were exactly like that. It was cute and innocent. I envied them sometimes, as my sister hated me. But just to see how happy and content they are with each other makes up for it and makes me respect them.
It was then that Phoebe Gwen and I went to find an empty carriage to take us up to the school. We located the last one to the back and climbed in before it took off with the others. When we arrived at the castle I smiled with major relish, yet some sorrow albeit here and there. This was the last time I'd get to arrive at Hogwarts. I was going to miss this place interminably and I knew it. But as I've already acknowledged, phases in life pass quickly and I knew one day there would be an offspring of mine ready to come here and that's what makes it worth while for me. Phoebe climbed out of the carriage first, followed by Gwen, and then lastly I did.
We walked up to the castle quietly, climbed the stairs and entered the great hall. We all three had hard smiled on our faces, we were all going to miss this place. I know I haven't really introduced my friends yet, so I might as well now.
Phoebe Rachel O'haare was the wise one out of the three of us. She was a half blood who gave off a mysterious aura. She was sweet and kind, and was the nicest person that I'd ever met. She would do anything for you, she'd rip the clothes from her back if she had to. She was really a sweetie... by far the tallest of the three of us, and in some ways the most beautiful.
Gwendolyn Rose Ackles was for lack of a more fitting term, 'The Wild One'. She was always the life of the party. She had many people who wanted to date her, but she had this hatred of men that excluded only Remus and James. The rest of the male population had better watch out though. When she was ten, her father Ralf Ackles walked out on her mother to marry some pretty young witch named Marissa. Her mum was heart broken with a sobbing four year old and Gwen to pick up the pieces. And she did and is still the craziest person that I have ever met, even all these years later. She could make you smile in less time than it takes to say Quidditch.
I was the, well for lack of better words and phrases, the boring one. There really was nothing special about me, or so my opinion is. I studied hard, made top grades, made Head Girl, but there wasn't anything interesting about me. I wasn't sweet, nor was I crazy cool. I had no talent for Quidditch nor for an art. I was good at school work and that was the extent. I had one sister and a mum and dad. Said sister hates my bleeding guts and my mum and dad got a divorce some years back. My mother despised me as much as my sister, to where my dad stuck up for me. Though if you'd let James tell it, I was the prettiest witch in all the land and I had the most gorgeous eyes. But then I have always though that James Potter was an obsessed fool too... so eh...
The three of us had met back in our first year on the Hogwarts express. We were all from different backgrounds and were complete loners. Phoebe was the half blood that had moved from Egypt back to England when she was nine, as her family here English they just liked to do a bunch of curse breaking. Gwen was from the broken upper class Pure blood family, and I was the muggleborn. James always told me to not be so harsh on myself. But I really cant help it, that's who I am, the boring nobody that's blending in with the backdrop of Hogwarts.
When we entered the great hall which was as per usual, was decorated as its splendid and warm self, I located the staff table and Dumbledore. He beamed radiantly upon the crowd of returning students with that predictable twinkle in his eyes. I watched his eyes sweep the hall twinkling on familiar faces only to gain a bit more when they landed on the Marauders who were at present, trying to put some frog spawn in a rather unfortunate fourth year Slytherin girls hair. We all sat down at our own respective house tables and waited anxiously for the first years to come. Phoebe, Gwen and I purposely sat close to the staff table so that Grendel would have a clear view of us.
McGonagall swept into the hall menacingly with the first years and the sorting then began.
"Ackles, Grendel"
Gren nervously stepped over to the old worn wooden stool and sat down as the sorting hat was placed upon her head. The hat just sat there for quite the bit of time, I could feel Gwen getting restless besides Phoebe and I as time slowly and painfully slipped on.
Then at long last the hat shouted.
"Gryffindor."
Grendel then smiled broadly, put the hat down rather daintily on the stool and skipped over to Gwen who had her arms wide open for her.
"I knew you were a Gryffindor for sure kiddo." Gwen said still holding her sister tight.
With that, the rest of our last feast as students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry past with a whirl with welcomes and laughter and in some cases tears of Joy. Dumbledore then announced the new D.A.D.A teacher and it was over in a flash.
Ooo000OoO000ooo
The next morning dawned bright and early. The birds were singing cheerfully in the warm sun light as I jerked awake from a night filled with nightmares, though oddly enough I could not recall them.
I got up from my bed and pulled open my thick red curtains to find an empty dorm. I checked my alarm clock which read fifteen minutes passed eight. I dressed rather quickly in my pressed uniform and robe before slipping into my black Mary Jane's. I then walked to my trunk where I pulled out my dark suede bag and my books before dashing out of the room in search of Phoebe and Gwen.
I ran through the common room passing anxious first years and lazy sixth years before climbing out of the portrait hole in pursuit of my two friends. I managed to get through the sixth floor with out anyone popping up to chat, the same would be equivalent for the fifth and fourth. It was only on the third floor did I run into some one next to the statue of Angus the Articulate. I had just made a rather sharp turn around the corner before barreling into Remus who was toting along a rather large stack full of Library books on Defense Magic. I cannot complain about the landing as for me it was rather comfortable. Though I am however quite sure that Remus himself did not think so.
I smiled down at him sheepishly.
"Sorry Remus."
I stood up and offered him a hand which he promptly took.
He smirked.
"Hello Lily. Though please tell me, how often to do you find yourself awake at half past eight in the morning on a Monday when you've ran head on into them only to fall down full on top of them?"
I blushed.
"Not too often." I smiled remembering that this same situation happened in our fifth year. "Only on you."
He let out a chuckle.
"I think that it is best for both our our safety that you don't let James know of these meetings. He just might get the wrong Idea and I'd get an antler up my arse."
I snorted.
"What can James do? He's got no control over me and my actions."
He rolled his eyes while flicking his wand so that his books would stack themselves and return to his arms.
"You right Lily, he cant control you. But I however, am a different party alone and trust me, he would not have any second thoughts before sending me into oblivion by some hex."
"I'd kick'em in his arse if he did anything."
"Yes Lily, I'm sure that you would." he snickered.
"Whatever Lupin." I waggled my head exasperatedly.
"Are you mocking me?"
"And if I am?"
"Eh, then I guess you would be."
We walked down the hall way a bit in silence.
"Remus?"
He looked down at me.
"Yes?"
"Have you noticed the change in Potter?"
He smiled.
"Yes I have."
"Umm, do you know exactly why he's changed?"
He pondered for a moment as we descended the stair case to the second floor.
"Well if I had to pin point why I'd guess you'd be the reason. He really does like you Lily, and I think he wants to show you the good in him, not the arrogant bully toe rag as you'd say."
"Oh." I nodded.
"So you've noticed that he's not being his normal arrogant haughty self?"
"Well its blatantly obvious."
"True, but you still noticed."
"Yes I did."
"Well Lily, I must say a goodbye for now. I've got to return these to my dorms." he smiled before kissing my cheek and dashing off on his way back to Gryffindor tower.
I kept on my way down a corridor on the second floor by the statue of Agnes the Agile. I was just rounding the fourth corner of the corridor which in turn would lead me to the stair case that would take me to the first floor.
"Merlin Black can you not take a bloody hint?"
"Apparently not."
"Ok here's one. GO AWAY."
"But my dear sweet, sweet Gwendolyn. I only wish to woo you with wonderfull bursts of songs. Tell me, do you like that muggle band called Queen?"
"Go AWAY Black."
"Oh my love, surely you don't wish me to leave?"
"Yes I do."
I stopped by the statue of the one eyed witch and hid behind it in the alcove.
"Come on Ackles. Do you always have to play the part of the shrew?"
"With you and any other Male that inhabits this castle who is not James, Remus, Frank Longbottom or is on the Quidditch team besides you."
"I just want to be friends. Is that such a hard task to ask of?"
"With you yes."
"But Gwen..."
"No, its not nor is it ever going to happen."
"Why? Why bloody cant it?" he pleaded.
"Why don't you go and ask Rita Skeeter? You are still acquainted with her are you not? Or did you do the same thing to her as you did to me?" she spat rather coldly before walking away from here."
It was then that I came out of my hiding spot and walked over to Sirius who was still standing staring at Gwen's retreating figure. He had his head hanging low and to my astonishment, he had warm tears sliding softly down his face.
I don't really remember why I chose that moment to become friends with Sirius Black. He was everything I'd come to hate in people, haughty and arrogant. But seeing him standing there so broken with tears in his eyes changed my feelings. I walked up to him and pulled him into a hug and let him cry on my shoulders. Seeing and hearing him cry like this was so weird because it was so out of character. He was proud and elegant and charming all at the same time. We stayed there for quite a while, him crying lightly on my shoulder as I pat him softly on the back. I didn't like change, and for me this was the first bit of it. Sirius was a good guy who just sometimes made wrong choices. I was glad that he could turn to me for this, I was glad that I could help him.
The rest of the day was rather uneventful. We all received our time tables of classes and enjoyed our last start. Phoebe seemed far more quiet than usual and Gwen seemed far more wild. For me it was usual, boredom. Following the day as it led me. The first week passed slowly, classes returning to they're boring selves, teachers piling us with work for the Newts we'd take in the spring. Weeks dwindled down in a similar fashion. And far too soon, we were all in the midst's of October waiting for Halloween to arrive.