Chapter 15
Note: I just realized in the chapter with the oracles in the Divination class with Professor Midrigge, I put Hermione in that class. Everything about Hermione in that chapter shouldn't have been there, since Hermione quit Divination in her third year. Thank you for not e-mailing me and telling me of my terrible mistake.
"Oh no!!! Now everything will turn to its worse!" Leila said. Thor burst out sobbing. Lupin grabbed him by the shoulders.
"Get a hold of yourself! Dumbledore will figure a way out to save Fudge." Lupin assured everyone.
"I want to go home." Leila pouted and flung her arms around Ron.
"Well you can't." Lupin said. "Honestly. I feel like I'm baby-sitting a bunch of idiots." He rolled his eyes. He took Ron's paper and pocketed it. The car let out a whiny sound and exhaust trailed out of the exhaust pipe.
"Let's go you guys." Lupin led the others out onto the streets up a staircase from the underground parking garage.
"This reminds me so much of my home." Leila told Ron.
"Really? What's it like?"
"Oh its great! Me and my cousin live in the same neighborhood. We're the only witches there. We're both Muggle born. We love to go shopping in the summer back from school."
"Where did you go to school?" Ron asked as they walked down the sidewalks.
"St. Patrick Wizarding Boarding School. It's like Hogwarts, only more modern. Me and my cousin did lots of Muggle things to fit in. We watched real television. Went to movies. Played summer sports. I played softball, tennis…"
"Ah! Here we are!" Thor sang out and pointed to the shop which they had stopped outside of. It was a grocery store with automatic doors.
"Whoa! Cool!" Ron said as the doors opened for them.
"Come on!" Leila said, taking his hand and locking fingers with him. She pulled him through the store. Lupin and Thor purchased paper towels, some fruit, bread, and deli meats.
"Anything else we need?" Lupin asked, shifting the paper bag he was holding.
"I need some, you-know-whats." Leila announced.
"Oh." Said Lupin.
"Oh." Said Thor. They looked at each other.
"You buy them." They said at once and gave her some Muggle money.
"You're coming with me." Leila said, tugging on Ron's hand who had no clue that Leila's you-know-whats were for her Aunt Flo (a.k.a time of the month).
"We'll meet you at the parking garage!" Thor called. Leila dragged Ron into a pharmacy. He had a fun time looking at all the strange names of pills, such as Tylenol, NyQuil, and Benadryl. Leila found what she needed. Ron went red when he saw what she bought. Then they were off to the parking garage. On the lowest floor of the garage, Ron stopped.
"What's wrong?" Leila asked.
"Don't you have the feeling…. Like we're being watched?" he whispered.
"Well…… Yeah……" Ron slowly turned around. There, behind them, was a great black dog, happily wagging its tail with a newspaper attached to its collar.
"Aw! Look at the CUTE widdle puppy! Isn't it the cutest thing you've ever seen?" Leila cried, rushing forward.
"Who's a cute doggy? You are! Yes you are! Aren't you? Ooooooooo." Cooed Leila.
"Sirius?" Ron asked.
"Huh?" Leila said, arms around the dog. She turned her head to look at Ron. Suddenly, Leila was hugging the legs of Sirius Black, Harry's Godfather.
"AHHHHHHHH!" Leila screamed.
"Hi Ron." Sirius said.
"Wha-Wha…" Leila stuttered.
"Hello Sirius. What brings you here?"
"Hogsmeade of course. Couldn't stay in that cave any longer now that Voldemort had taken over." Ron flinched, then nodded. Sirius' gaze fell on Leila, who clutched Ron's arm.
"Oh. This is Leila. She's my…." Ron stared down at Leila. His mind raced at what he could say. Then he did the daring. "… Girlfriend."
"Pleased to meet you. Sorry about the fright I gave you."
"It's… Okay." Leila said. "You are a cute dog though!" Sirius gave a weak chuckle.
"Where's Harry? And Hermione?" Sirius asked.
"Back at the school. I got out of class for… some extracurricular duties."
"Well. I wanted to show Harry this." He took out the paper that had been attached to his dog collar. It was an issue of a Muggle newspaper.
"Boat sinks in south Atlantic. A small steamship headed for Maui sank after a mysterious gas leakage in the stern of the ship. Several passengers got off the ship safely in lifeboats before the ship blew up. Helicopters later rescued injured people, clinging to wreckage. Everyone was accounted for except for one unidentified woman. She had black hair, big glasses, and wore a strange array of clothes. She was found underwater, dead, tied with coils of a thick rope. No one knows why the ship was destroyed, or how this strange woman came to be like this. Police are still trying to solve the mystery." Ron read aloud. There was a picture of the ship wreck. Pieces of wood floated on the water.
"What does this have to do with anything?"
"Your Professor. Professor Trewlawny. That's the unidentified woman." Ron blanched.
"You mean… That was her ship? I-I mean, I knew she was going to Maui on a vacation, but… I didn't think this would happen."
"Look closer at the picture." Sirius pointed to a piece of ship floating in the bottom left corner. Leila and Ron leaned in close to the paper. They could make out the Dark Mark, burned into the wood.
"That's You-Know-Who's symbol!" Leila said.
"See? He is attempting murder now. I daresay you've read the Daily Prophet?"
"Yes. Poor Fudge… But I already knew You-Know-Who was attempting murder. Hedwig, Harry's owl, was the first victim."
"He never sent me anything yet."
"Can I… Keep the paper?" Ron asked.
"Sure. Make sure Harry gets it. Or Dumbledore at least…" With that, Sirius changed back into a dog and scampered off.
"You know that guy well?" Leila asked as they headed off to find the car.
"Well. Not that well. He's a good guy."
"Humph." Leila said. "Looks like this guy I saw on TV when I was 13. Some escaped prisoner."
"Heh heh." Ron laughed nervously. "Escaped prisoner… Right…"
Harry sighed and stretched out his legs on the couch, concentrating on what would be happening to Ron. He thinks he is in love. Harry thought. He said nothing else.
"What's wrong." Hermione solemnly asked, continuing to massage his shoulders.
"Ron. I'm worried about him." His leg twitched.
"You think you are? He's the one left to roam around the Forbidden Forest!"
"It's not that bad."
"That's because you've been in there even though it wasn't for punishment!"
"So?" Harry said, lazily closing his eyes.
"Well. I just hope he's okay… Hey. Isn't that Pigwidgeon?" Hermione ran to the Gryffindor window and magicked it open. Pig fluttered in and landed on Harry's head. Pigwidgeon had dropped a newspaper on the floor. Hermione picked it up and handed it to Harry. Hermione took Pigwidgeon in her hands and pet him. He hooted gleefully. Harry sat up and opened the paper.
"Hmmm. I wonder why…." He began. Then he read the article. He blanched.
"He…. Hermione! P-Professor Trewlawny! She's…. dead." He managed to say. Voldemort had been true to his word when he said more murders were to come.
"Oh my!" Hermione leaned over Harry's shoulder and read the article. "She is! Oh, Harry! This is terrible!"
"Who will be next?" Harry moaned. Pig hooted softly. "And how did I get this?" He smoothed out the paper, and then his hand got gooped up with some mess on the paper.
"What the…. Sirius!" He said, bringing up his hand, dripping with dog saliva. Harry's lips twitched in a smile, thinking about his godfather. Hermione took up her massaging again.
"Well. Just be glad that it wasn't you that was murdered." She said.
"Or you."
"Or Ron."
"Or Neville."
"Or any student that goes to Hogwarts." Hermione said.
"Or Cho…" Harry thought. He shut his eyes and went back on that faithful day. In his fifth year, end of term…
"Harry. I can't stand this!" Cho cried. "I don't care what Voldemort planned to do! I don't care that you have to go in the forbidden forest! You're just a nosy little person! I can't believe I ever said yes when you asked me out!"
"Cho! I just wanted to let you know where I was going!" He himself had said.
"I don't want to be put in detention from you ever again! Sure, searching around the school was fun at first, but now… now… It's risky!"
"But Cho…."
"It's over Harry. It's over. See you never, Danger Boy." She walked away. Harry had stood there dumbfounded. "Danger boy… Danger boy… Danger boy…. Danger boy…." The echoing voice of Cho called.
"Harry? You're crying!" Hermione said, leaning over his shoulder.
"No I'm not." Harry hastily said. "The fire's irritating my eyes." He said. Hermione stared sorrowfully at him.
"I'm… going to go study." Hermione said.
"Right." Harry said.
"Bye." Hermione went up to her dorm. Harry sat up. Pig nipped at his hand.
"Go away." He said. Pig bit harder.
"Pig. Go. AWAY!" He hit Pig with his hand. Pig went flying. With a little `harumphoot!', Pigwidgeon flew away to the Owlrey. Harry shut the window after him and sat back down on the couch, hugging a pillow for comfort. If Hermione had still been there, he would have hugged her instead. But no. She was gone in her room. Harry began to wonder if what was between him and Hermione would end up like it did with Cho. Cho had been right. His life was risky. Ever since he had come to Hogwarts, he and his friends had taken to roaming around the school, trying to solve the incidents that had been happening. Sure, they lost points and got detention occasionally along the way. But they had been rewarded later on. Harry's thoughts turned to the Quidditch game next week. Poor Ron. If they played into the evening, Ron would transform and fall off his broom and the school would be in danger. Harry wouldn't let that happen. He had already had a close call with a werewolf in his third year.
Harry shifted his position on the couch. He lay on his stomach, staring at the fire. The light glinted off of his glasses. He wanted something to love. Something to hold. He had blew that chance, and the more he thought of it, he was in danger of blowing it again. He pained again for Ron, caught up in his new impromptu love life. Would Ron make the same mistakes? The common room door creaked open and Harry sat up.
"Ron! What are - mumph! Mummph!" Ron had covered Harry's mouth with his hand.
"Shh! Hush up, Harry!" Ron removed his hand.
"Ron! What are you doing here? He looked out the window and saw that the afternoon had almost faded away.
"I have to get some stuff." Ron said.
"Ron…. Who's…. that?" Harry pointed over Ron's shoulder, over the couch.
"Wow! This place is so COOL! I want to see your room, Ron."
"Um… Just keep an eye on her." Ron ran up the stairs.
"Hi! What's your name?"
"Ha.. Harry."
"Hi! I'm Leila. I'm Ron's girlfriend. Isn't Ron just the sweetest thing you've ever met? Well, you being a guy, probably don't notice those things." Leila talked very fast. Harry's mouth fell open. Then he shut it.
"I just LOVE this wallpaper! It's so unique! I like the unicorns. I see them about everyday! I know all of their favorite spots in the morning in the forest."
"The… Forbidden forest?" Harry choked out.
"Mmm hmmm. It's actually not that bad… Unless you go in there at night. That's when the GNOMES come out to get you!" She waggled her fingers at Harry who backed away.
"I'm ready!" Ron said, jumping the last few stairs. "Here. Put this on." He gave Leila one of his old Gryffindor robes.
"Oh!!!! Neat!!!!" Leila put the robe on and twirled around.
"Thanks Ron! Now you won't have to smuggle me into the castle anymore!" Leila gave Ron a quick peck on the cheek and he went red.
"Bye! Nice meeting you!" Ron grabbed Leila's hand and he dragged her out of the common room. There was a creak on the staircase. Hermione was back.
"What was all that noise? Don't tell me.. Pavarti and Lavender stopped by, didn't they… Harry? Harry?" Harry was dumbstruck.
"What's wrong Harry?" Hermione asked, peering into his face.
"I think…. I'm going to be sick." He said.
Leila and Ron made it out through Hogwarts. Several people stared at Leila. Ron knew it was risky (danger boy II), but he had to find a way to have her be near him, without getting caught. They were outside and in the forbidden forest. They quickly stopped by Leila's cave to get some of her clothes. Then they headed up towards the cabin. Up the hill, Leila and Ron ran until they got to the cabin. Smoke was curling out of an open window. Thor was no doubt making the Wolfsbane potion again. Leila knocked twice on the door and Lupin answered.
"Good. You're just in time." Lupin shut the door after them.
"Like it?" Leila showed off her Gryffindor robe.
"Very nice. I suppose Ron gave that to you?" Lupin eyed the short and patched robe.
"Yes." The four goblets from last night were set on the table. Thor nodded `hello' to Ron and poured the potion in the goblets. Like before, Ron choked his down and then they went outside for the moon to appear. And there it was, full as last night, though a smidgen more. Ron was surprised at how less painful it was to change into a werewolf. The moon's cycles and the potion made it go smoother for him. Lupin and Thor went in to the cabin to shake off their scraps of clothing.
"You coming?" Lupin asked.
"No." Leila answered. Lupin shrugged his wolfish shoulders and went inside, letting the door swing until a sliver of light showed through the door. Leila leaned her furry head on Ron's shoulder.
"Walk with me?" she asked. Ron got up off his hind legs and followed Leila down the hill. Gnomes rustled in the bushes. Ron's fur stood on end.
"It's okay. If they tease us we can eat them." Leila said. She led Ron beyond a grove of trees. Shadows of some centaurs reflected the moon to the right of them.
"Jupiter is sure bright tonight." One said.
"Sagittarius is angry." Commented another. The two werewolves slinked by. A soft lapping sound came to Ron's ears. Blue wavery light reflected off some bushes in front of them. Leila parted the bushes with her paws and she and Ron went through.
"Whoa…" Ron now knew that the forest had hidden beauty. A rippling pond sparkled under the stars. A lone unicorn sipped the water up daintily. It looked at them with deep gold eyes. Knowing they meant no harm, it continued back to its drinking.
"It's so… beautiful." Ron said. Leila lay down and curled up under his front paws. Ron looked down. His eyes softened and his heart pounded. He hated this. But in another way, he was having the best night of his life.
`Too bad this couldn't have happened when we weren't in our wolf forms.' Ron thought. Two more unicorns joined the first. The first went away and faintly, Ron heard the Scottish Sirens singing in the distance,
"Lullaby. Lullaby. Lay down to sleep,
tomorrow's the day when the world will weep.
Lullaby. Lullaby. Lay down to sleep."
Note: Okay. Chapter 16 won't be up for a while. Be grateful this got done.
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