Disclaimer: Everything you recognize is J.K. Rowling's except for Jamie, Luka, and Ariana.
Chapter 6- Flight of the Fat Lady
In no time at all, Defense Against the Dark Arts has become most people's favorite class. Only Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins have anything bad to say about Professor Lupin.
"Look at the state of his robes," Malfoy would say in a loud whisper as Professor Lupin passed. "He dresses like our old house-elf."
Things had been pretty different for me around the castle for the last few days. My friends… well they didn't seem to want to be exactly friends with me at the time. When I went to sit with them at dinner that following night after our fight, they had stopped talking and the boys had glared at me, while Hermione wouldn't meet my gaze.
So I ended up going to sit with Fred, George, and their friend Lee Jordan. I had gotten a few curious looks from them at first, but when I asked what they'd been up to they soon forgot about the oddness of me sitting with them. Classes were a little harder to bear without my friends.
Defense Against the Dark Arts and its cool subjects weren't even enough to keep me truly happy. After boggarts, we study Red Caps, nasty little goblinlike creatures that lurk wherever there has been bloodshed: in the dungeons of castles and the potholes of deserted battlefields, waiting to bludgeon those who had gotten lost. From Red Caps we move on to kappas, creepy water-dwellers that look like scaly monkeys, with webbed hands itching to strangle unwitting waders in their ponds.
Everyone seems to know now that I'm not in the good graces of my friends anymore and they happen to whisper about me behind my back. They say that I must have done something really horrible to them in order for them to not want to be my friend anymore.
Most nights when everyone is hanging out in the common room I check to see if maybe they want to talk and see if we can still be friends, but they never look my way, and pretend that I'm not there when I try and talk to them. So usually I head up to my dorm room, and crawl onto my bed pulling the curtains around it so that none of the others can see me cry.
That doesn't stop Lavender and Parvati from making scathing comments about me while in our room. Rachel our other dorm mate tries to tell them that its not nice to talk about me like that, but it never stops them. I had also given up on trying to talk to Hermione a few nights ago.
I don't really understand what I did that was so wrong though. It was information about my own life that I was withholding, and it only affects my family. It has already destroyed my home life, and now it seems that its going to ruin my school life as well.
There have been some good things to come out of this exile though, I've come to work with Neville in most of my classes since no one ever really wants to sit with him, and now my friends don't want to sit with me. As I've gotten to talking with him more, I've come to realize that he's an insanely sweet boy that just has some confidence issues.
When talking about his home life living with his Gran I realize that he's a lot like me never actually having any real friends. When I'm not in class at the beginning of our separation I would idly wander the corridors hoping not to run into Filch. That is until I ran into Ariana one day as she was coming out of the library.
She had taken one look at the desolate closed off look on my face, and was able to piece together what had happened, so that night I spent time down in the kitchens with the young Dumbledore eating ice cream as I explained to her the reason why we had fought.
Ariana hadn't gotten upset with me or my brother for not having told her, she only held me as I cried, and promised that everything would get better. After that night I spent most of my free time hanging out with her and her friends Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones.
They are nice girls but I really missed my own friends though. The day after I had told Ariana about what happened she went and told Luka about what had happened. I had managed to catch him as he was about to storm Gryffindor table in the Great Hall and chew my friends out for abandoning me for something that wasn't in my control.
Thankfully I managed to calm him down with a promise that I would be okay. Luka had only been abated when I promised him that I would be fine and that it would blow over. The Weasley twins bless them became aware that something was amiss when I ended up eating with them for four straight meals, and they noticed that the others wouldn't talk to me.
Fred wanted to jinx them until they were blue in the face, and George tried to use the slug vomiting charm on them, but I had managed to get them to drop it, though Harry, Ron, and Hermione, had been turning up pranked more often, and the twins are icing them out.
I don't really care though. All I want is for us to be friends again. I promise that I'd never keep a secret from them again! It didn't seem to matter though for I went to bed early again tonight with nothing to do but cry silently to myself.
Classes besides DADA weren't going all that well either. Snape has been an arse since the whole becoming a boggart incident and poor Neville has been being bullied in that class anymore, and that leaves me to wipe up the tears afterwards since I've seemed to become his partner.
Divination isn't all that fun anymore since I don't have anyone to laugh at all the outlandish things that I've come up with. For some odd reason still Professor Trelawney still seems to think that I'm some great gift to divination though. If I'm what constitutes greatness in this field, then I worry for all wizard kind.
Just like me Hagrid has seemed to lose his confidence while teaching our Care of Magical Creatures class. We've started taking care of flobberworms, which pretty much do nothing. Now that I'm not apart of my group anymore, the Slytherins have started picking on me more as well, especially Malfoy.
"I guess Potter came to his senses then, and realized you for what you are useless!" Malfoy jeers at me one class time. Hagrid had overheard him and put him in his place with a detention though. I was grateful for him for I haven't had the heart to put him in his place for a while.
Hagrid had looked to Ron, Hermione, and Harry to comfort me but they were minding their own business a few groups away with their own worms. I just gave Hagrid a small smile to let him know that it was okay. He didn't look like it was okay, but it really was.
At the start of October, however, I have something else to occupy me, something so enjoyable it makes up a little bit for how upsetting my life had suddenly become. The Quidditch season is approaching, and Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor team, calls a meeting one Thursday evening to discuss tactics for the new season.
The only part that worries me though is that Harry's on the team and we've haven't really talked since that afternoon when everything went down. I think that its safe to say that Harry sat as far away from me as he could, and I resigned myself to sitting with my fellow chasers Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson.
Its not that I don't like them, its just that we never really hang out aside from Quidditch.
Oliver Wood is a burly seventeen-year-old, now in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts. There is a quiet sort of desperation in his voice as he addresses his six fellow team members in the chilly locker rooms on the edge of the darkening Quidditch field.
"This is our last chance — my last chance — to win the Quidditch Cup," he tells us, striding up and down in front of us. "I'll be leaving at the end of this year. I'll never get another shot at it.
"Gryffindor hasn't won for seven years now. Okay, so we've had the worst luck in the world — injuries — then the tournament getting called off last year. . . ." Wood swallows, as though the memory still brings a lump to his throat. "But we also know we've got the best — ruddy — team — in — the — school," he says, punching a fist into his other hand, the old manic glint back in his eye.
"We've got three superb Chasers." Wood points at Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, and me.
"We've got two unbeatable Beaters."
"Stop it, Oliver, you're embarrassing us," say Fred and George Weasley together, pretending to blush. I manage to crack a small smile at their antics.
"And we've got a Seeker who has never failed to win us a match!" Wood rumbles, glaring at Harry with a kind of furious pride. "And me," he ads as an afterthought. I glance at Harry agreeing silently with Wood's assessment of my friend—maybe friend?
"We think you're very good too, Oliver," says George. I nod my head as well.
"Spanking good Keeper," agrees Fred.
"The point is," Wood goes on, resuming his pacing, "the Quidditch Cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since Harry joined the team, I've thought the thing was in the bag. But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see our name on the thing. . . ."
Wood speaks so dejectedly that even Fred and George look sympathetic. "Oliver, this year's our year," says Fred.
"We'll do it, Oliver!" sounds Angelina.
"Definitely," pitches in Harry. Silently I add my agreement to their voices.
Full of determination, the team starts training sessions, three evenings a week. The weather is getting colder and wetter, the nights darker, but no amount of mud, wind, or rain can tarnish my wonderful vision of finally winning the huge, silver Quidditch Cup and hopefully with my friends around me.
I return to the Gryffindor common room one evening after training, cold and stiff but pleased with the way practice had gone, to find the room buzzing excitedly. I hang around the stairway to the girls dormitory to see if I can hear anything before I head up to take a nice warm shower to warm up.
I overhear Harry ask Ron and Hermione what is going on when he joins them. I had given him a five-minute head start back to the tower before joining him. "First Hogsmeade weekend," I overhear Ron say, pointing at a notice that has appeared on the battered old bulletin board. "End of October. Halloween."
"Excellent," says Fred, who had followed me through the portrait hole. "I need to visit Zonko's. I'm nearly out of Stink Pellets." I can only imagine what they are going to do with those. The group starts talking about Sirius Black and the chances of Harry getting to go to Hogsmeade.
I feel out of place standing there listening in on a conversation that's obviously not meant for me to be a part of. I shift weight to another foot realizing that I should go and get cleaned up, so like usual I disappear up the steps. I quickly change out of my dirty sweaty Quidditch clothes and hop into the shower. The warm water feels good on my cold body.
I allow myself to indulge in a few small tears going free since I have promised myself that I won't cry anymore. It doesn't count since there's water running over my face as well right?
After my shower I changed straight into my pajamas that have tiny owls all over them, and climb into my bed, pulling the curtains around it like I do every night, hoping that they'll shield me from any unwanted mean words tonight. I lay down and pull out a small bundle of letters from inside my pillowcase underneath my pillow.
There's quite the small collection of responses from Mrs. Weasley who I've been writing to over my past few weeks or so. She's been asking me what's the matter since I've been writing to her a lot more over the recent weeks, and for the fact that I'm mentioned less or not at all in Ron's letters to her.
I have not told her about what's been happening with the three of them since the first letter to her. I don't want to get Ron in trouble if I tell her the truth; I still distinctly remember the howler threat from early September. My fingers itch to pick up a quill and write her another letter, but I stop myself firmly telling myself that Mrs. Weasley has better things to do than read letters from a girl who isn't even her own kid.
So I shove my letters back into my pillowcase, and roll over in bed fighting back the need to cry. Eventually I manage to fall asleep as my aching body and mind take over.
The next day I can see that Ron and Hermione have had a fight. I can tell it in the way that they won't talk to each other at all during breakfast or in Herbology, and for the fact that everyone in our house is talking about the big fight that they've had over Scabbers and Crookshanks. I have to say though that the big orange cat has grown on me.
When Hermione's not in the room he hops up onto my bed and cuddles with me. I've only ever really cuddled with Sophocles before but Crookshanks has slowly made his way into my heart, so I can understand why Hermione is so adamant about defending the furball.
Outside of Transfiguration there's a commotion from the front of the line. I decide to listen in to see what its all about. Lavender Brown seems to be crying. Parvati has her arm around her and is explaining something to Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who are looking very serious.
"What's the matter, Lavender?" says Hermione anxiously as she, Harry, and Ron go join the group.
"She got a letter from home this morning," Parvati whispers. "It's her rabbit, Binky. He's been killed by a fox."
"Oh," says Hermione, "I'm sorry, Lavender."
"I should have known!" says Lavender tragically. "You know what day it is?"
"Er —"
"The sixteenth of October! 'That thing you're dreading, it will happen on the sixteenth of October!' Remember? She was right, she was right!" Oh great now one of Professor Trelawney's predictions have come true, the world is going to end!
The whole class is gathered around Lavender now. Seamus shakes his head seriously. Hermione hesitates; then she says, "You — you were dreading Binky being killed by a fox?"
"Well, not necessarily by a fox," says Lavender, looking up at Hermione with streaming eyes, "but I was obviously dreading him dying, wasn't I?"
"Oh," says Hermione. She pauses again. Then —
"Was Binky an old rabbit?"
"N-no!" sobs Lavender. "H-he was only a baby!" Parvati tightens her arm around Lavender's shoulders.
"But then, why would you dread him dying?" I can't help but smile at Hermione's deduction of the sheer stupidity that is Lavender Brown. If we were still friends, I'd have hugged her for making Lavender look this foolish to me.
"Well, look at it logically," says Hermione, turning to the rest of the group. "I mean, Binky didn't even die today, did he? Lavender just got the news today" — Lavender wails loudly — "and she can't have been dreading it, because it's come as a real shock —"
"Don't mind Hermione, Lavender," says Ron loudly, "she doesn't think other people's pets matter very much."
Professor McGonagall opens the classroom door at that moment, which is perhaps lucky; Hermione and Ron are looking daggers at each other, and when they get into class, they seat themselves on either side of Harry and don't talk to each other for the whole class.
I focus on the lesson as best I can when the bell rings signaling that class finally over. "One moment, please!" she calls as the class makes to leave. "As you're all in my House, you should hand Hogsmeade permission forms to me before Halloween. No form, no visiting the village, so don't forget!"
Neville puts up his hand.
"Please, Professor, I — I think I've lost —"
"Your grandmother sent yours to me directly, Longbottom," says Professor McGonagall. "She seemed to think it was safer. Well, that's all, you may leave."
I start for the door but before I can get very far I'm stopped. "Pendragon might I have a word with you after I'm finished with Potter?" Professor McGonagall calls. I freeze in place, but turn around and nod my agreement to her anyway. I wait near the middle of the classroom so as not to listen in on their conversation the best that I can.
I'm pretty sure that Harry's asking if he can go to Hogsmeade without having his permission slip signed. From the sound of it and the look on Harry's face when he storms out of the class, it seems like she's said no. "Okay Jamie." Professor McGonagall says to me. I turn around and slowly make my way up to her.
"Yes professor?" I ask her worriedly. She levels a long heavy stare at me that makes me shift nervously.
"Has there been something going on Jamie? You don't sit with Potter, Weasley, and Granger anymore, and you've barely spoken three words in my class in the past weeks. Are you okay?" She asks me worriedly.
My eyes widen when I understand the implication of her words. "Y-yes I'm totally fine professor, just a lot on my mind is all." I tell her shoving a fake smile onto my face quickly that doesn't feel right anymore since I don't smile all that much anymore.
"I'm not foolish you know Jamie I am keyed in to the rumors and gossip that goes around this school. I know that everything is not all right. I can't do anything about it though if you do not tell me what is wrong though." She says earnestly. I bite my lower lip in worry. It would be so easy to spill to her about the separation from my friends, and the torment from the Slytherins and Malfoy.
If I did though, then my friends would get in trouble, and I don't want that, even if they are being mean. "I'm fine professor seriously. You don't need to worry about me." I tell her slowly backing away and gesturing to the door. "I've got to get to class." I say even though I do not have one.
As I'm leaving though I hear something that worries me. "But I do worry." Professor McGonagall says after me.
The next morning is Halloween and everyone third year and above is getting ready to go out to Hogsmeade today. My brother and Ariana are trying to get me to come with them today, but I'm really not feeling in the mood to go. There will be too many people there, and there's always the chance of running into Hermione and Ron that I'd just rather avoid.
I'm beginning to resign myself to the fact that if they haven't talked to me after all this time that they're not going to talk to me ever again. So I just keep the picture that I have of the four of us taken last year close at hand in case I ever start to feel really lonely.
I think that my brother is about ready to kill all three of them along with Ariana. They say that I've changed, even though I don't see it that much, and they blame Hermione, Ron, and Harry. I keep telling them though to not do anything for my sake though, because I brought it on myself.
"For the last time Jamie! You don't deserve the way that they've been treating you! You're different! You don't joke around anymore, you don't pull pranks, you choose to sit still and quietly, and lately you're afraid of your own shadow!" Ariana cries facing me with her arms crossed over her chest and a furious look on her face.
Her nose is scrunched up in anger and her foot is tapping. I wince because a ticked off Ariana Dumbledore is a dangerous force of nature. "Come on Jamie it will be fun! We can get to the joke shop and get you some cool stuff to mess with people." Luka says attempting to prod me into going.
"No its okay guys, I'm not feeling that well. Maybe I'll go to the next one. Have fun though, and bring me back something cool!" I tell them waving the disgruntled and upset pair off out of the castle.
I spend the rest of the day wandering around the castle and discovering some hidden passageways because of my sheer boredom. I've found some good shortcuts that will save some time in getting to class so that's always a good thing. I decide to spend some of the time up in the owlery with Dionysus, but I find him all holed up with Hedwig Harry's owl.
My heart pangs in pain, for even my owl is still able to keep friends, when I can't. So defeated, I head back to the castle for dinner since its that time again. The Great Hall is decorated with hundreds and hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats, and many flaming orange streamers, which are swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling like brilliant water snakes.
The food is delicious as ever but my heart's not really in to the feast. This is the first time that I've attended it in my Hogwarts experience and I'm alone without my friends. This is not where I pictured myself last year. Not for the first time in the past weeks I curse Tom Riddle for playing games with my life for his own damn amusement.
I decide to leave the feast early since I'm full and not in the mood for entertainment so I slowly make my way back up to the tower. I might as well start my homework and go to sleep. If there's one good thing about having no friends it's that my grades have dramatically improved since I have nothing else to spend my time on.
I'm almost near our portrait hole when I hear a familiar shrill scream. I hurry up the last few steps my heart pumping. There standing in front of the Fat Lady is the emaciated form of a man. His dark brown hair is long and stringy, and his chest is heaving up and down. "Damn you woman! Let me in I used to be a part of this house! I need to get someone dangerous out of there!" The man howls with madness.
"No! Y-you do not have the password so y-you s-shall not p-pass!" The Fat Lady cries her voice quivering in feat. She's armed with her chalice but it's not going to do much good defending herself.
"Curse you woman let me in!" He growls and suddenly there's a gleaming wicked looking knife in his hand, and he's slicing up the Fat Lady. I hide my gasp of shock and horror behind my hand even though I'm not sure that it could have been heard over the screams of terror from the Fat Lady and the shredding canvas.
The Fat Lady flees and the man stops shredding her painting feeling the wall behind her to see if he can gain access to our common room that way. He has no such luck though. "Curse her and this insufferable school!" The madman spits kicking at the wall in frustration. I jump a little at the violence of the act, and slip on my step.
The noise is enough to make him spin around and catch sight of me standing there. He squints his dark eyes, and rubs at his scruffy face. "You! I know you… you look so familiar. Aha! Alexis! But that can't be Alexis is dead, oh! You must be Alexis and Daniel's girl you have to be! I know, you can let me in!" The man says, and I confirm my suspicions that this is indeed Sirius Black.
Why else would he call me by my mother's name if he didn't know that she was dead for a moment there? "N-no. You can't… I-I won't let you g-get to Harry." I say my voice shaking with fright just like the rest of me. Sirius' eyes widen in shock.
"Hurt Harry? Why on earth would I want to…" but he's cut off by the sound of many approaching voices.
Before I can even react Sirius Black is racing away from me and down another corridor disappearing from sight. I slowly approach the place where he had been standing with shaky legs. I raise my hand to the torn canvas slowly, tears cascading down my face. I had just been face to face with a convicted mass murderer and have lived to tell the tale.
Suddenly there are many shocked gasps, and I twirl around to see Professor Dumbledore and other teachers standing there with many of my housemates crowding in behind them.
"What is the meaning of this Jamie Pendragon?" Dumbledore asks me softly but with an edge of command to this voice.
I raise a shaking hand to my face to attempt to wipe away some of the tears that just won't stop. "S-Sirius B-Black." I utter with a quivering voice. Shocked gasps come from everyone except for Dumbledore. There's a cackle from overhead as Peeves the school's poltergeist floats down next to me making me want to cringe and jump in fear.
"Oh yes, Professorhead," says Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flips over and grins at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."