Ch. 3: Punishments and Questions
I couldn’t help but smile as Neville entered the Greenhouse. My godfather was one of my favorite people ever. He used to be an Auror and worked with Dad, but even I knew he felt most at home surrounded by plants. Despite my happiness at seeing Neville, my eyes fell on the other group of students sharing our class…
“Slytherins,” Sarah whispered in my ear.
I nodded. Siri had explained the rivalry to me many times. Apparently, it’s gone on for centuries, though he couldn’t tell me why.
“Hello all, I’m Professor Longbottom and this term we’re going to be working with simple plants; nothing too dangerous.”
A hand shot up in the air. Neville smiled and pointed at the blonde girl in the back row.
“Weren’t you an Auror?” she asked.
Neville smiled. “That was a long time ago, but yes, I was an Auror for the Ministry,” he answered.
“Why did you stop?” she asked.
This girl’s question got my attention and I gazed at Neville. His smile faltered and he looked agitated. “I’m sorry, Miss…”
“Abernathy.”
“Yes, well, Miss Abernathy, I don’t see how that question has anything to do with this class. So, I’m going to move on,” he said, using an icy tone.
I tried to hide my surprise at his change in demeanor. I had never heard Neville speak to anyone like that, not even his kids when they were misbehaving. It felt like I was seeing a new side to him and I didn’t like it at all. He continued his cool demeanor for the rest of the lesson and excused us without a smile.
“What was that all about?” Sarah asked as we headed back to the castle.
“The Devil’s Snare being a deadly plant and sunlight being its weakness,” Mack said.
“Not that, Mack. I’m talking about Neville’s sudden coolness, all because some girl asked why he stopped being an Auror. It’s just not like him,” Sarah said.
“Maybe that Abernathy girl knows something,” I said, searching our herd for her blonde head.
I was beginning to realize that just because I was a Potter didn’t mean that I knew everything about my father’s early life everyone else did.
“Where are we?” Mack asked, causing me to observe our surroundings.
“Um…” I said, peering down an unfamiliar corridor. I didn’t notice anything in front of or behind us. “I have no idea.”
“Guess this is what we get for not paying attention to where we’re going,” Sarah said, leaning against the wall.
“Well, Potions is in the dungeons right? So, let’s just go back and take the first stairs we come across down,” I suggested.
“We’re going to be late!” Mack said, taking off at a run.
“Mack! Mack, wait for us!” Sarah yelled as we both ran after her.
We rounded a corner and sprinted down a staircase. As we started running down the path to the dungeons, I realized we had lost Mack. “Where did she go?” I asked between pants.
“She probably made it there. Did you see her take off? She was running like mad!” Sarah answered in a rasping voice.
We burst through the door and found Uncle Bill in the middle of a lecture. I blushed as he narrowed his eyes at us. “So glad you two decided to join us. We’re reviewing the ingredients for a Calming Draught, which we will be brewing next class,” he said.
Sarah and I quickly copied down the notes and paid attention to the remainder of his lecture. “And finally, I urge you to remember that potion brewing needs to be precisely accurate or there can be horrible repercussions. You are dismissed,” he said.
I began to pack up when Uncle Bill spoke again. “Lily Potter and Sarah Weasley, could I have a word?”
Mack smiled apologetically as we approached our uncle. Most of the class had left and he waited until the room was empty to speak. “Girls, I am disappointed,” he said, simply.
“Uncle Bill, we got lost, honest!” Sarah said and I nodded in agreement.
“Even if that is the case, I will not show you favoritism. I’m taking ten points from Gryffindor and giving you both a detention,” he said, his face set in a frown.
“Ten points and a detention? Isn’t that a bit extreme, Uncle Bill?” I asked, trying to hide my anger.
“No. Now go to dinner. You’ll receive instructions for your detentions later,” he said.
Sarah opened her mouth to retort, but I stepped on her foot and yanked her away.
“What an arse!” she said as we strolled to the Great Hall.
I didn’t say anything, but I did agree with her. We didn’t purposely stroll in late. In fact, we burst through the bloody door sucking air! I hate it when this happens. Either I was constantly being badgered about my family status or being punished for trying to abuse it. I turned to head to the Common Room.
“Where are you going?” Sarah asked.
“I’m not hungry,” was the only response I gave. The injustice of the last fifteen minutes was hard to swallow, and there was no way I could eat anything. As I turned down the hallway that would lead me to the dorm, I ran into my dad.
“Lily, why aren’t you at dinner?” he asked, eyeing me curiously.
“I’m not hungry,” I answered, avoiding his eyes. I could still feel them on me and I knew he was trying to read me.
“Are you ill?” he asked, putting his hand on my shoulder and forcing me to look at him.
“No, I just…don’t like it here,” I said, unable to stop myself.
“Why?”
“Do you have any idea what it’s like? Every class I have is taught by a relative or family friend! People gawk at me every where I go, but don’t bother talking to me. I’m a somebody who’s a nobody and it’s your fault. Don’t say anything! Leave me alone!” I said, pushing past him.
I waited until I fell into bed before letting the tears come. I knew my outburst had been stupid and pointless, but I was so angry. Why is he hiding stuff from us? I never knew about a Prophecy. I didn’t know what had really happened the night Voldemort killed my grandparents. Mum and Dad could’ve told me the truth, but instead I heard from some ghost in a room full of gawking strangers. How embarrassing!
***
I must have drifted off at some point during my self pity party, but Pam and Trish came in and woke me up.
“Sirius is down in the Common Room looking for you,” Pam said.
“He looked worried. Did you two have a row?” Trish asked.
“No,” I said, sliding off my bed and walking out the door.
I found my brother sitting in an armchair, gazing into the crackling fire. He looked deep in thought and didn’t move when I sat in the chair next to him.
“What’s going on?” I asked him.
When he finally looked at me, I felt my eyes grow wide with surprise. He looked very pale and wore an expression of loss.
“Siri, you’re frightening me,” I said. I had never seen him look at me the way he was now.
“The oddest thing happened today,” he whispered. “Natalie and I were stealing a moment in the Trophy Room before class and she noticed something with Dad’s name on it. I figured it was a Quidditch thing, but it was an Award for Special Services to the School for both Dad and Uncle Ron. I went to ask Dad about it and he got all nervous and said he didn’t want to talk about it.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Why wouldn’t he?” I asked.
“I know! And it can’t have anything to do with Voldemort because Dad got it in his second year,” he said.
“Come on,” I said, grabbing his hand. “We’re going to the library.”
“What? Why?” he asked as I dragged him through the portrait hole.
“Because, Siri, they have all the issues of the Prophet. We’ll be able to search them and get more information,” I said, still dragging him.
“Okay, but can you stop yanking my arm? It’s starting to get a bit old, Lils,” he said.
I dropped his arm but didn’t apologize. When we entered the library, I immediately headed for the newspapers.
“Let’s start with 1981,” I said, running my fingers down the list. When I found the right year, three books containing the articles began to glow. Sirius ran over and grabbed two.
We began our search. It was rather boring; I don’t enjoy things of this nature. This was definitely Bry’s area of expertise.
“Hey look!” Siri whispered, pointing to his page.
‘YOU-KNOW-WHO DEFEATED!
Yesterday in Godric’s Hollow, You-Know-Who met his demise at the home of James and Lily Potter. The circumstances surrounding the events are not known at this time. The Daily Prophet does know that You-Know-Who killed Mr. and Mrs. Potter and then attempted to kill their son, Harry. For some inexplicable reason, the curse backfired, leaving little Harry with nothing but a scar and You-Know-Who obliterated. His body has not yet been recovered, but the Minister of Magic is confident that the Dark Times have passed, leaving us with a hero in Harry Potter!’
My heart was pounding and Siri looked amazed. Before he could say anything, I noticed the time and cut him off. “The Library’s going to be closing soon. I’m going to come back and continue looking later,” I said.
He nodded and stood up. He looked shocked; his face was pasty white and his green eyes were glazed over. We silently headed back to the Common Room, which was filled with people doing homework. Siri headed up to his dorm while I joined Sarah and Mack’s conversation with Pam and Trish. But after listening for a few minutes, I realized I, too, needed to go to bed. I was going to need a lot of sleep if I was going to be doing late night research.
To Find the Truth by hopelesslyhopeful
Chapter Notes: Okay...in case anyone is a bit confused as to who is who, here's a little recap:
Sirius, Brian, Lily and Cedric are Harry and Ginny's kids; Kevin, Katy and Jacob are Charlie and Margaret's kids; Molly and Sarah are Fred and Calli's; Seamus and James are Remus and Tonks' kids and Mack is Lily and Sarah's new friend.