The Call to the Willow
*Author's Note: Magical Creature information & spell pronunciations are from the Harry Potter Wiki
(Book: B3, 141-142 Everybody loves Lupin! [except Draco & his crew] Snape is worse than ever. Trelawney has tears in her eyes whenever she sees Siria. Lavender and Parvati are spending tons of time in Trelawney's tower & talk to Siria in a whisper, like she's on her deathbed)
Hagrid had taken Sirius's list to heart. They had gone over Horklumps, which were fleshy mushroom looking things that ate worms and spread very quickly. He showed them an Augurey, which were the "Irish Phoenix" and predicted rain. Then they did Bowtruckles then Chizpurfles. The Chizpurfle was too small to see in their first lesson, when Hagrid told them it had fangs and ate wands no one wanted to see it. For their next lesson, he had it enlarged to a foot big. Pansy Parkinson had been so terrified that she collided with Hermione and actually apologized with tears in her eyes. Hagrid had just moved onto Clabberts, a kind of frog-monkey hybrid.
His most boring lesson was about the Diricawl. He referred them to the Monster Book of Monsters because he wasn't able to get one for the lesson. The Diricawl, or Dodo, could vanish at will, which made them hard to catch and caused Muggles to believe they had gone extinct. He made up for it by having Fairies for the next lesson. Even though many of them had seen Fairies used as decorations around Christmas, they were even more pretty in the forest. Hagrid even showed them Fairy eggs and had them bribe some Bowtruckles away from the eggs by scattering woodlice.
Wood increased Quidditch practices to the point they were at the field every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Whether it was pouring or so windy Siria could barely stay on her broom, they were on the field. Colin Creevey was in the stands each practice. Ron joined them every Saturday to give them two four-player teams.
Sunday's study group seemed to have at least one new person each week. From what Hermione had said, Arithmancy was easy, but Siria knew better than to take Hermione's word for any subject's difficulty. They had four new people there just for Hermione's help it.
Anyone who failed to submit their Transfiguration homework or was not performing to Professor McGonagall's standard was offered: detention that night or the study group on Sunday. When a Slytherin fifth year girl took the study group, she brought a fellow fifth year that Siria recognized only because she'd seen him with Marcus Flint, the Slytherin Quidditch captain. The two practiced quietly with themselves for the first half hour.
"Potter," Professor McGonagall looked at Siria over her spectacles, "I do believe you may be ready to learn something new, with Ms. Travers and Mr. Warrington." Siria wanted to ask why they got suffixes, but, when she opened her mouth to do so, Professor McGonagall cocked an eyebrow. The stern expression told Siria she would be better off working with a spell she didn't know than arguing.
"But Professor—" Colin started. He fell silent when Professor McGonagall turned her gaze onto him. Slowly and with a few glances over her shoulder to see if Professor McGonagall was still behind her, Siria headed to the corner Travers and Warrington sat in. With a sharp flick of her wand and "Geminio!" Professor McGonagall turned one goblet into two. Siria lifted the second goblet, which looked identical to the first.
"Could you show it again?" Siria requested and she obliged.
"Got it, Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"We'll see." She kept on her feet and mirrored the quick, sharp flick with her wand. "Gemino!" Again with "Gem-IN-o!" Then with "Gem-MIN-ioh!" Siria stopped to watch Travers. She had dark, tightly curled hair that bounced as she flicked her wand over and over again. Travers's nails were painted brown with green and yellow ribbons, like her eyes.
"What?" Travers growled at Siria. Siria felt the warmth flood of a blush rush to her face, which made her eyes snap down to the table.
"You're— I, um" Siria looked to Professor McGonagall, who was instructing Neville on the spell he, Ernie, and Hannah were trying. Her green eyes trailed back across the table and to Travers. "Professor McGonagall snapped her wand, like" Siria gave the motion she had down.
"Sure, Potter." Travers agreed dryly. She flicked her wand, as Siria had "juh-MIN-ee-oh!" and the three of them fell silent at the goblet doubling.
Travers smirked at Siria and panic flashed through Siria's chest. "Alright, Potter— now it's your turn."
"Right, it's uh 'gem-MIN-i-oh', right?" She asked.
"juh-MIN-ee-oh, you dork." said Travers. Siria gave her wand the quick and sharp flick.
"juh-MIN-ee-oh!" As Travers's goblet had, Siria's doubled. Professor McGonagall's hand patted Siria's shoulder. In the thin line that was her usual mouth, Siria could swear there was the shadow of a smile.
"Well then, Mr. Warrington, you next." Professor McGonagall told him. She remained over Siria's shoulder and Warrington looked startled to hear the news.
"Oh, I didn't have to come," he told her as he looked between Travers and Professor McGonagall.
"But you're here and this is a study group, is it not, Ms. Potter?" she told them.
"Unless you want to help me with my Potions essay," Siria forced a laughed.
"I could do that." He nodded to Professor McGonagall. Siria's eyes widened.
"I expect you to help her through the end, then." Professor McGonagall nodded to them and left Siria wondering how she ended up spending the rest of her morning with two Slytherin fifth years— who didn't seem to hate her.
(Book: B3, 144-149 Halloween Hogsmeade trip announced for Thursday, [10/31/2013]. Lavender's rabbit is killed by a fox & she thinks that Professor Trelawney's prediction came true, but Hermione argues that it isn't the case, which does not go over well with the rest of their class)
Their first class Defense Against the Dark Arts class after the Hogsmeade visit notice was posted, Professor Lupin asked Siria to stay back. Hermione and Ron went ahead. He handed her a letter from his briefcase, which she ripped open upon "He missed the post, so—"
Dear Siria,
I'll visit on Halloween.
Meet me at Remus's office.
Love,
Sirius
As much as she wanted a longer letter, this was all she needed. Her eyes filled with tears and she had to look at the ceiling while she blinked furiously to stop herself from crying. Professor Lupin said nothing until she looked back at him.
"Thank you!" Siria told him, the letter pressed to her chest. Professor Lupin smiled.
"It was my pleasure." He assured her. She kept the letter in her hand as she hurried to catch up with Hermione and Ron.
(Book: B3, 151-152 Hermione & Ron leave for Hogsmeade)
"Staying here, Potter?" Shouted Malfoy (B3, 152).
"Because my Godfather loves me!" Siria shouted back.
She marched back into the castle and headed for the Hospital Wing. It wasn't that she was sick, but that she wanted to be in her best health when Sirius arrived. The moment she entered Madam Pomfrey shook her head. "Nightmares still?"
"Yeah..." Siria grumbled as she sat down at the end of a bed.
"Potter, if you want a Potion for Dreamless Sleep, you've got to stay the night." Madam Pomfrey tsked. She checked Siria's pulse then felt her forehead. "At least you haven't gotten the flu. We've been lucky this year." She seemed to be talking to herself more than Siria. "You've only been by once for 'stomach aches'; how were they over summer?"
"Fine." Siria kept her eyes to the floor. She had suppressed Marge's comments so deep that she'd forgotten them. "I only had one."
"That's not unusual. You're a little on the active side. It can also happen from stress and diet." Madam Pomfrey assured Siria as she looked into Siria's eyes and at the light bags beneath them. "Just make sure you eat more than salad." Siria felt that, if anything, it might be lack of salad, but wasn't about to tell Madam Pomfrey that.
"So, Sirius is coming today and I just want to not feel so tired." Siria confessed. Madam Pomfrey looked so intensely at Siria that the latter wanted to look away.
"Is it just the nightmares this week?" Madam Pomfrey asked. Siria nodded. "Fever?" Siria shook her head. "Nausea?" She shook it again. "Dizziness?" Another shake. "Headaches?" Shake. "Fatigue?"
"Only because I'm tired." Siria reasoned. Madam Pomfrey closed her eyes and sighed.
"Alright, but, if these nightmares keep up, we're going to have to write home. You aren't in trouble for them and it's fine to have them, but something needs to happen to make them go away."
Madam Pomfrey returned with a goblet overflowing with golden smoke. Siria peered at the ruby liquid inside before she raised the goblet and chucked it down. Like the others she had taken, it was so cold it made her shiver. By the time she reached the bottom, her insides went from frozen over to feeling like she'd just swallowed summer. She headed for Professor Lupin's office.
(Book: B3, 153-155 Lupin has the Grindylow on his desk. Siria asks why he didn't let her fight the dementor, he tells her it's because he thought it would be Voldemort; she's momentarily shocked because he said the name & only Dumbledore and Sirius say the name)
"Tom?" Siria asked. "I didn't think of him at all! I can't get dementors out of my head."
(Book: B3, 155-156 Lupin tells her that it's good she fears the dementors because then she fears fear itself. Then asks if she's been thinking he thought she couldn't handle the boggart)
"Kind of, I mean, Sirius had said he had a man on the inside, which is you, and I wasn't sure if he asked you to go easy on me and you did because you guys work together, at Moony & Padfoot— are you alright?" Siria asked as Professor Lupin placed the teapot down. At the word "Moony" he had splashed over his cup and into his saucer.
"Yes, well, I wasn't aware you knew." His tone was controlled, but not as calm as it had been.
"He told me how you guys… I actually don't know what you do there," she confessed. Siria didn't know enough about fashion to guess what it was they did there. Only enough to know they knew the owners.
"You tried, though" he smiled at her as he cleaned the tea with a wave of his wand.
Professor Lupin and Siria spent the morning together and broke for lunch, when it was obvious Sirius was still not on his way. Siria ate a rather noisy lunch with Colin and his fellow second year friends. They mostly stared at the scar on her forehead and had her answer questions about the Gryffindor Quidditch team, the Chamber of Secrets, and why she stayed behind. The moment the rune covered, silver hand of her watch jumped to 4 o'clock, Siria dashed to the Entrance Hall.
"You were supposed to meet me at Remus's," Sirius told her with a huge smile on his face.
"It's not my fault you arrived during lunch," smirked Siria. They walked around the grounds. He said nothing of the hunt for Peter Pettigrew. Though curious, she didn't bring it up. They talked about her classes, how she had kept this mandrake leaf under her tongue for almost two whole months, and about Quidditch practice.
"How late?" Sirius asked.
"We go back as a whole team," Siria told him.
"Siria, with Peter on the loose, it really doesn't matter if it's the whole team." He argued.
"Then come and watch us." She baited. "I've always wanted my dad to come to my sport practice." It was difficult for her to not emphasis "dad." The moment she started the word, she became aware of it and accidently drew it out. Sirius appeared to have not noticed.
"Snuffles may be able to stop by, but I'll have a talk with McGonagall to see if Madam Hooch or someone can't watch."
Professor Lupin met them on their last lap around the grounds. To no one's surprise, he agreed Siria shouldn't be going to practice so late. He made things worse with "is that why you've been tired?" Siria's stomach sank to the ground. She clamped her teeth down. To stop Sirius from marching to Hogsmeade and threatening Wood, Siria hung on Sirius's arm.
"It isn't practice!" She shouted again.
"Then what?" Sirius asked for at least the fifth time.
"I— Uh!" Siria gave a dramatic sigh that Sirius would have otherwise been proud of. "I'm having nightmares!" She hissed.
"About Voldemort?" Sirius asked while Professor Lupin asked "Dementors?"
"Dementors?" Sirius repeated while looking at Professor Lupin. They both looked to Siria, who rolled her eyes then looked to the ground. Inaudibly, she grumbled. Very slightly, she gave a nod.
"How long have you had them?" Sirius asked. "No." He shook his head. "Siria, what can I do to help?" She shrugged. "I could be Snuffles and stay with you, always." He suggested.
"Sirius," Professor Lupin whispered.
"Siria is having nightmares, enough that you noticed she was tired— but didn't even write me," Sirius pointed the last words through clenched teeth. "Uh!" He groaned. "My dear, sweet Siria. What if…" He trailed off.
"You could teach her the Patronus Charm." Professor Lupin suggested.
"Remus, YOU should teach her the Patronus Charm" Sirius countered.
It came on so quickly, Siria nearly gasped. Joy, pure and raw joy filled her. Her heart felt lighter than it ever had before. As if nothing bad had ever happened, she was overcome with happiness. Into the happiness, a raspy voice told her "Go to the Willow." On their own, her feet followed the command. She started toward the Whomping Willow, unaware of Sirius and Professor Lupin asking why she changed direction.
Something inside Siria rang into the happiness and asked "But why?" When her feet stopped moving forward, the harsh voice called again "Come to the Willow!" The dissension between the voices was sending ripples of discomfort through her overflowing felicity. "But why?" the second voice repeated. Her own voice echoed through her mind, "Yeah. Why?" Though her feet tried to move closer to the Willow, her knees buckled under her in their attempt to stop her. As Siria fell to the ground, the happiness seemed to shatter and was immediately replaced with fear.
"What— What was that?" Siria stammered. She shook terribly and, Sirius tried to help her back to her feet, she fell back down. "I— The Whomping Willow was calling me to it." Her throat was closing as she spoke.
"Siria," Sirius stroked her back, as if she were nauseous, while he knelt beside her. "You're okay. You're safe and healthy. Remus is going to take you back up to the castle and I'll go—" Her hand snapped to his arm.
"Don't leave me, please!" She pleaded. "I— I'm— what happened?" Sirius looked to the Whomping Willow then to Professor Lupin.
"Let's get you to Poppy," Professor Lupin instructed. Sirius swept Siria off of the ground and carried her, despite her protests.
Madam Pomfrey looked over Siria for half an hour, which had been Siria's longest inspection, but nothing was found. She was brought a smaller goblet of the gold smoking, red potion she drank earlier. They talked about having Professor Sprout, Head of Hufflepuff House and the Herbology Professor, take a look at it tomorrow.
Once the heat from the potion hit her, Siria felt a little better. "I just don't understand." Siria confessed. "I had been so happy when it called, but I didn't want to go at the same time." Madam Pomfrey, Professor Lupin, and Sirius looked to Siria then froze.
"Happy, you say?" Sirius asked. His dignified voice was slower than usual as though each word was being forced into sounding calm.
"Yes?" She looked up at him. The tree making her feel happy seemed to mean something to the three of them that they weren't willing to share. They ushered her back to the Gryffindor common room, to wait for the feast. She didn't understand what had happened, only that, after feeling so happy, she felt unbelievably sad and like she would never be that happy again.