(Thanks to everyone for all the great reviews, I really appreciate them! I replied to most of them on the review page)
Chapter 5
Secrets and Lies
The next week went as usual, classes that they (for the most part) didn't pay attention in, and some near misses in the detention field, but Remus was starting to get nervous. It was only a few days until the full moon, and pretty soon he would have to get to the hospital wing, and he still hadn't told James, Sirius, or Peter that he was a werewolf. He was starting to think that there would never be a good time to bring it up, and that even if he did, it's not like they would embrace the fact that he turned into a monster every month. He was wondering if it was better just not to tell them. Especially Sirius. Although he did seem to be fitting in more with the Gryffindors, he did still look down on the Muggle-born students at Hogwarts, and Remus was sure it was the same with half-breeds. No, it was definitely safer to keep his secret to himself.
*
A few nights later, James was in the library studying. Or rather, Lily was in the library studying, and James was staring at her. He must have spent a good two hours reading the same sentence ("If the sap of the Curiosap touches your skin, dunk it immediately in a potion made from warvole droppings") and glancing occasionally at her.
When she got up to leave, he gladly got up to follow her. (His backside was really starting to ache.) He was careful to stay far enough behind her so she wouldn't see, but then, as she was passing the staff room, her bag split open, and she dropped all of the books she was carrying.
James was a bit reluctant to go and help her, but when he had caught up, he really had no choice but to ask. "Do you, um, want some help?"
"Oh, yes. Thank you."
She smiled.
She smiled?
"Oh, you were the boy at the train station who helped me with my trunk!"
James panicked.
He was just about to mumble a reply when she murmered, "Thank you. I'm sorry I snapped at you. I was feeling a bit stressed out." She smiled again.
But at that very moment, just as he was making some progress, Professor Dumbledore turned the corner with Professor McGonagoll. They hadn't seen Lily and James, but they were bound to, as they were crouched by the door to the staff room. If they were seen, they would almost definitely get detention, as they were supposed to be in bed by now, and James wasn't quite keen on collecting any more droppings.
Shoving Lily's things into her bag, James grabbed her by the arm and dragged her behind a suit of armor.
"They've come to me for help," Professor Dumbledore was saying. "They say that this great power that is threatening them could destroy us all."
"But why you?" asked Professor McGonagoll.
"I have been in contact with them for many years now, and they have always aided me when I needed it."
"And what is this great threat?"
"They will not say. But I believe it is a person."
They had reached the staff room now, and walked inside. James, in a moment of intense curiosity, reached forward and stuck Lily's bag in the door, unnoticed, to prevent it from closing.
Inside were Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, and Professor Binns, the History of Magic teacher, who was so old and shiveled that people were always worried that he would drop dead in the middle of class. He was very regimented, and stuck to a strict routine, and people said that even if he did die, he would still get up every morning to teach.
Professor Binns said, "Albus, Minerva, what brings you here?"
"Ah, a very good question," Dumbledore said quietly (so quietly that Lily and James practically had to press themselves against the crack in the door. "There has been a crisis in Greece."
"Greece, Professor?" Flitwick squeaked.
"Do you know anything about the legends of Greek gods?"
"Well, yes, of course. But they are only legends, aren't they?"
"Not entirely, no. The gods who lived in Greece were an ancient breed of wizards and witches with great power. They can control the weather, transform people into all kinds of things (Professor McGonagoll gave a little cough), and, although they are not immortal, they are perfectly capable of living for many thousands of years. For these great powers, these people were labeled `gods'. Long ago, they lived peacefully with the Muggles, but soon, because of their powers, the people began to fear, and even hate them. The gods had no choice but to leave their homes, and so they found a new place to live. They created a huge palace on the top of a tall mountain, Mount Olympus, where no one could ever find them. They have remained there ever since, but there stories were passed down from generation to generation to become legend. After a time, the Muggles worshiped these wizards, and prayed to them, but they were still afraid, and as long as the wizarding world remains a secret, so shall they."
Silence greeted this, and James and Lily exchanged skeptical looks, until Flitwick asked, "But what is this crisis?"
Dumbledore suddenly looked sad. "They have told me that a great power threatens to destroy their survival, and they worry that if it is not dealt with, it could destroy us all. They are coming here to speak with me."
Lily gasped, and the four teachers turned towards to door. Before they could be seen, they snatched the bag from the door and took off running toward the Gryffindor common room.
*
James and Lily reached the common room, out of breath and panting, but not in any trouble, which was nothing short of miraculous, as they had just spied on teachers and heard a top secret meeting when they should have been in bed sleeping.
Lily went straight up to the girls dorm to tell Emmeline, Marline, and Dorcas what she had just heard. But James didn't have to move, because Sirius and Peter were already there waiting for him.
"Have fun at the library?" Sirius joked as James collapsed on the floor, clutching his side.
"I wasn't at the library. Well, I was, but I left, and I was helping Lily pick up her stuff, and I have to tell you what I heard. Where's Remus?"
"He's been gone all day. Haven't you noticed?" Sirius answered, annoyed. "He left early this morning, something about his mother. She's sick or something. But forget about it. We'll tell him when he gets back. What did you hear?"
James gave them a full account of what he and Lily had heard in the staff room, and Sirius and Peter gave suggestions to what, or who, could be threatening the most powerful group of wizards and witches in the world.
They were in the common room until dawn, (which was all right, because it was a Sunday, and they wouldn't have classes anyway) and as the sun was rising, Sirius was asleep on the couch, and Peter was asleep on the floor by the window. James had just woken up, and decided to wake Peter and Sirius up before people started to wake up. They could always just sleep away the rest of the day in their own beds.
James soon realized just how deeply Peter slept. He was poking him, and prodding him, and calling his name, when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. It was outside. It was a person. A woman. But she was far away, walking towards the Whomping Willow. She was picking up a large stick, and then the tree froze. It just stopped moving. She disappeared. For a moment, James thought he was going insane. He started shaking Peter, who finally started to wake up.
The woman had emerged from a big hole underneath the tree, but someone else was with her now. A boy. He was limping. He looked hurt. They were walking back to the castle now. James could see them clearer now. One of them was Madam Pomfrey. And the other was…
"Hey, Peter?"
"Yea?" Peter said sleepily.
"Where did Remus say he was going?"
"To visit his sick mother, I think."
"So he's definitely not here right now?"
"Yea, definitely. Why?"
"Because there he is."
***
-->