Living without Danger
Chapter 6: Coming to Terms (Year 1)
By Anne B. Walsh
Chapter 6: Coming to Terms
Aletha sat in her bedroom at the Den, staring out the window. She held a quill in her hand, but she hadn’t dipped it into the ink yet, and the parchment in front of her remained unmarked.
How can I possibly write this to her?
But how could I tell her to her face?
God, if I’d only realized when we first met who she was...
But what could I have done then, when we were still hiding? Deny the cubs their friendship with Ron and Ginny because of something that happened almost before they were born?
The door creaked. She looked around. "Oh."
"‘Oh’? Whatever happened to ‘Hello, nice to see you, come here so I can kiss you’? Or is the magic fading already? It’s only been, what, nine years?" Sirius shut the door, crossed the room, and sat down on the edge of their bed closest to her.
"Sirius, I’m really not in the mood for this."
"I can see that. What’s wrong?"
"I don’t want to talk about it." Aletha got up and started walking toward the door.
Sirius crawled across the bed and swung himself off it in time to intercept her. "Why not?"
Aletha folded her arms. "Don’t push me right now."
"Don’t make me push you then. Tell me what’s going on."
"No."
"All right, have it your way." Sirius stepped aside.
"Thank you." Aletha reached for the door handle to let herself out of the bedroom.
The door was locked.
"This isn’t funny," she said, reaching for her wand.
"Expelliarmus!"
Aletha staggered forward a pace with the force of the spell, just catching herself with her left hand as her wand flew from her right. "What are you doing?" she demanded, whirling around in time to see Sirius catch her wand and stow it in his pocket. He had his own out, and it was not quite pointed at her, but she knew how fast it could turn her way.
"You’re being irrational. You used to slap me around when I got that way, back in London. Not physically — usually — but I do seem to recall one or two episodes where you took my wand away."
"You were saying stupid things about being a bad person and not deserving to live. I’m just in a bad mood. It’s not the same."
"You’ve been in a bad mood more or less continuously for a week. Since Halloween. This has to stop. Are you aware that Meghan thinks you hate her?"
"What?"
"I found her this morning in Danger’s arms, crying and asking why her Mama Letha didn’t love her anymore."
"That’s ridiculous."
"Maybe, but it’s true. Ever since Halloween, you’ve been completely on edge around her. And around everyone else. You shouted at Remus yesterday — you never shout at him. And you provoked him into shouting back, which also never happens. You’re affecting everyone, Letha, and whatever it is, you need to get it under control."
"I have it under control."
Sirius coughed into his hand, making a sound suspiciously like "bovine manure."
"Even if I don’t, I’ll handle it myself. Without your so-called ‘help.’" She made sneer quotes in the air with her fingers. "Now, if you wouldn’t mind unlocking this door so I can go tell my daughter I don’t hate her..."
"With that look on your face, she wouldn’t believe you."
Aletha snorted angrily. "So what are you planning on doing? Keeping us both locked in here until I tell you what’s going on?"
"If necessary."
"Fine. I can last as long as you can. Probably longer."
"Probably true. So I’ll have to go to Plan B. Wingardium Leviosa."
Aletha carefully refrained from squealing or otherwise making noise as her feet left the ground. It’s what he wants. She contented herself with glaring bloody murder at her husband as he levitated her to the bed, turned her horizontal, and set her down on it. "And what exactly is this going to do? Unless you’re planning on tying me down, I’ll just get up again."
"I wasn’t planning on tying you down, but you’re not getting up again."
"Why not?"
Instead of answering, Sirius climbed onto the bed beside her.
"Going to try and kiss me better? Not going to work. Not this time."
"I know. That’s why I wasn’t going to try it."
Just then, Aletha noticed that he wasn’t orienting himself the same way she was oriented. Instead, he was at right angles to her...
Before she could react, he had draped himself across her midriff, his stomach resting on her hips, effectively pinning her where she was, since he outweighed her by a significant margin.
"Why — you — I — let me up!"
"No."
"Yes!" Aletha squirmed, but she was trapped. "I’ll bite," she threatened.
"I’ll tickle."
"I’ll tickle back."
"In that case, I will tie you up. At least your hands."
She snarled. "I hate you."
"At least you’re being open about it with me. Covert warfare’s hard on an eight-year-old."
"I do NOT hate Meghan!"
"Then what is wrong with you? Why have you been edging around her and snapping at her every time she makes a sound for a week?"
"I..." Aletha made a sound half growl, half sigh. "Now I know how you used to feel when you’d have a nightmare and Remus would force you to tell us what it was about."
"Have you been having nightmares? You haven’t been sleeping well, I know."
"No, I have not been having nightmares — but I probably will now that you’ve brought it up. Thank you so very much."
"You started it."
Aletha disdained to reply.
"I was trying to think if I’d ever seen you like this before," Sirius said conversationally, as if he were remarking on the weather. "One time came to mind. Right after Harry was born, when the war was really getting nasty..."
Aletha tried to stop herself stiffening, but she couldn’t help it entirely.
"Ah-ha. I’ve got something there, haven’t I."
"No." Her voice squeaked slightly on the negative.
"Yes. Let me think. What was going on around then?"
"Stop. You’re wrong."
"If I were wrong, you wouldn’t care. I’m right. Aren’t I?"
Aletha took a breath to deny it again, then realized it would do no good. Sirius knew her too well — he had her trapped, verbally as well as physically. "Yes."
"All right. Around the time Harry was born. You weren’t there when it actually happened — you were away on some kind of mission..."
Aletha flinched again. Whatever happened to my control? I used to be able to handle this kind of thing, I used to be able to stay calm through anything and not give my secrets away...
"That mission. That’s what has you tied up in knots. What could possibly have happened eleven years ago that’s got you so worked up now?"
"It’s none of your business."
"As long as it was just your problem, that was true. But not any more. This is affecting me, Meghan, and the rest of the Pack. So it’s bloody well become my business, and you’d better get used to that and start talking, because I’m just going to keep guessing until I get it right if you don’t."
"If I say I’m going to start talking, will you let me up?"
"The way you’ve been acting, you’re going to need to swear."
"Whatever happened to trust between husband and wife?"
"Whatever happened to affection between mother and daughter?"
"You keep hammering on that. I have not been that bad to Meghan."
"Oh yes you have. Jumping on her for every little thing she does wrong, spying on her when she’s playing — and what about that little outburst the other day? She was just asking when we’d go to Hogwarts again. You know perfectly well she didn’t mean anything about any of the other cubs getting hurt, and it was wrong of you to imply she did. What is going on here?"
He’s learned a few things from Remus. That was a damned good impression of an alpha. "Get off me and I’ll tell you."
"Swear?"
Aletha thought rapidly. "On my mother’s grave."
Sirius started to lift himself up, then stopped. "Nice try."
"What?"
"Your mother wasn’t buried. She was cremated. So she doesn’t have a grave, does she."
Aletha growled. "No."
"Try again."
"I hate you."
"You’ve said that."
"I’m not going to tell you."
"Then I’m not getting up. It’s very comfortable here."
Aletha glared at him. "Do you have a suggestion for what I could swear by that will satisfy you, Your Highness?"
"Swear by your music. That I’ll believe."
"Fine. You win. I swear by my music I’ll tell you what’s going on. Now will you let me up?"
"Yes." Sirius climbed off her and lay down next to her, propping himself on an elbow. "Whenever you’re ready."
"Which is not now." Aletha turned over, facing away from him.
"Hoy, that’s cheating!"
"No, I swore I’d tell you. I didn’t say when."
"Are you going to get legalistic on me?"
If it’ll keep this story from getting out, yes. She took a breath to tell him so —
And the memories rushed back on her. Helpless, watching the battle, and not being able to do anything — and then, when she had been released, when she should have acted —
She was shivering, knees drawn up to her chest, her breath coming in shaky gasps.
I did nothing. I hesitated.
And because I did, they died... and if Meghan becomes a Healer, it could happen again, it could happen to her...
I will not condemn my daughter to that kind of pain.
So instead you’d deny her what she obviously wants?
Aletha jumped. Several highly rude words came to her mind. Now you’re even spying on my thoughts?
You were so lost in them, you never even noticed me putting my chain on you. And whatever this is, it needs to be dealt with. NOW. Before it poisons one more moment with that sweet little girl-cub of ours, or with our Packmates or the other cubs, or anyone else we care about.
You are aware this is the equivalent of forcing you to relive Azkaban?
If I had to do that to make me fit to stay with the Pack, I’d at least give it a try. And you won’t be alone. His arm slid over her, promising strength and comfort. I promised to stand by you for better or for worse. But I can’t do that if I don’t know what the ‘worse’ is.
Aletha’s shoulders slumped. Since you’re obviously not taking no for an answer...
Damn straight.
Let me go? Just for a second?
All right. Sirius released her. How come?
If you’re going to make me do this, I’m at least going to do it comfortably.
Works for me.
Aletha turned over and found her usual place, head resting against Sirius’ collarbone, his arm under her neck, her face against his chest. He leaned his head down and kissed the top of hers.
So you remember July of 1980, she began. You remember what we were all doing then.
Let’s see. James and I had just finished Auror training. Lily was a bit busy, what with being nearly nine months pregnant. Remus was traveling a lot, getting in touch with werewolves and other nominally Dark creatures, trying to persuade them to our side or at least to stay neutral. And you were halfway through Healer training — that’s four years, where Auror is only three...
That’s right. About three days before Lily’s due date, Dumbledore had a talk with me.
Aletha closed her eyes and allowed the memory to sweep over them both.
xXxXx
They stood in the corner of a small office-like room, watching Dumbledore, behind the desk piled high with scrolls, looking gravely at a much younger Aletha, who looked stunned and highly unhappy. "A mission? Now? But sir—"
"I know. You had hoped to assist Lily and Alice when they gave birth. I had hoped you might be able to as well. But a situation in Scotland has come to my attention which cannot be ignored."
The younger Aletha sighed. "All right, sir. What is it?"
Dumbledore pulled out a scroll and handed it to her. "There are rumors of a colony of Hebridean Black dragons being magically trained to attack Muggle suburbs with fire."
Aletha’s face showed confusion. "But — I’m no good with dragons. What can I do?"
"I am sending Gideon and Fabian Prewett to investigate the situation. If there are indeed dragons, whether or not there are also Death Eaters training them, injuries are likely. They will need a Healer with them, and you are the most qualified current Order member."
"But I’m only half-trained—"
"Which is more training than anyone else in this Order at the moment. You may make the difference between life and death. Will you go?"
Aletha straightened proudly. "Yes, sir."
The memory faded.
xXxXx
You were with the Prewetts? I never knew that.
I know. There’s a reason. Aletha swallowed bitterness. You won’t like this.
Just go on.
We went north. Walking and hitchhiking, acting like Muggle backpackers. I played Gideon’s girlfriend, with Fabian the little brother being dragged along to give us at least the semblance of being chaperoned. It took us a bit over two weeks to get near the site Dumbledore had given us. And I have to say I enjoyed myself on the trip. You remember the Prewetts.
They were a lot of fun. Fabian played the guitar. Gideon was always cracking jokes. Do you remember the time he and James and I got into a bad joke contest? Sirius stopped. I’m hurting you, I can feel it. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. His tone was puzzled. What’s wrong?
Tears of sorrow and frustration and shame were starting to sting Aletha’s eyes. It was a trap, Sirius. There were no dragons. There was nothing there. Just five Death Eaters, waiting for us. They knew we were coming, they knew exactly when and where.
Sirius growled. Wormtail.
It must have been. He may even have planted the information about the dragons to begin with. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that they ambushed us, and we were caught completely and totally by surprise. One of them got me with a Body-Bind first thing. I didn’t even have time to try to dodge.
So you had to watch. Sirius held her closer. I’m so sorry. It must have been terrible for you, not being able to help them.
She forced the words out. Even thinking them was an effort. That wasn’t the worst.
Then what —
The memory she’d been trying to avoid rushed over them both.
xXxXx
"Give it up, boy, you’ll never make it," taunted a masked figure, just visible from behind a boulder. Fabian Prewett was hunched on the ground, one arm pressed against his side awkwardly, at an unnatural angle. Gideon lay nearby. From her vantage point, Aletha knew that her younger, Petrified self could just see his chest rising and falling.
He’s not dead yet. The thoughts of that unmoving girl came clearly to the ears of the Aletha who was watching from a nearby rock, with Sirius standing beside her. I could save him, if I could just get to him... if I could just move! Her frustration was hot enough to light a fire, but the spell binding her was rock-solid.
"Maybe I... won’t," Fabian panted out. "But... your friends won’t... either." He jerked his head toward the nearby ground, on which four bodies lay, faces covered with masks. "And — Reducto!"
The Reductor Curse blasted away a corner of the rock behind which the Death Eater hid. He dodged quickly to the other side of the rock, and Fabian lurched to his feet. "Stupefy!"
The Stunner hit the Death Eater’s now exposed shoulder, and he dropped where he stood. Fabian staggered, but turned painstakingly around, pointed his wand at Aletha, and said something inaudible.
Then he collapsed.
"What did—" Sirius began, but stopped as the younger Aletha moved. "Of course, he countered the Petrificus. Stupid me."
"Just watch," said Aletha, forcing herself to do the same. This is my shame. This is the worst moment of my life. But if I try to forget, it will only come back and haunt me again and again. It’s already begun.
The young Aletha was clearly in a quandary. She ran to Fabian and checked his pulse, then turned to Gideon and did the same, then hovered between them a moment. Her dilemma was obvious. Two badly hurt men, both of whom needed her help — but she couldn’t help them both...
"And I helped neither of them," muttered Aletha as her younger self made up her mind and began working frantically on Gideon.
"What are you talking about?" Sirius asked. "Look, there you are, helping them right now."
"It’s not going to do any good! Or don’t you remember?"
xXxXx
They were back in the bedroom.
Don’t I remember what?
They died, Sirius! They both died! Because of me!
What do you mean, because of you? If there was nothing you could do, that doesn’t make it your fault that they died...
There was something. Or there should have been. I should have, I could have saved at least one of them. But by the time I made up my mind which of them to treat, it was too late. I hesitated, Sirius. You saw it. I hesitated, and because I did, they both died! They died, when I could have saved them!
The tears escaped her now. Hot and painful, they overflowed her eyes and spilled down her face and soaked into Sirius’ shirt, and there was nothing she could do to stop them.
Sirius simply held her until the worst of it was over. This is probably really horrible of me, he said quietly. But a very wise woman once told me that could have, would have, and should have all add up to the same thing. Didn’t.
Astonishment at his sheer gall in repeating her own words back to her overwhelmed her anger and annoyance at it, and she laughed, weakly. You are aware I should probably try to kill you for that.
I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t.
So now you know. I Apparated back to Headquarters after I’d lost them both. The bitterness in her mouth returned full-force. Any Healer hated to lose a patient, but to lose two at the same time, and through her own carelessness and bungling, was inexcusable. I told Dumbledore what had happened. He sent people north to get them — their bodies — and collect the Death Eaters. And I told him I was quitting the Healer’s program. He tried to argue me out of it, but I wouldn’t budge.
I remember thinking there was something wrong with your line about "Healing doesn’t agree with me anymore." But we needed someone in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement — someone who wouldn’t be noticeable rummaging through parchments, that is. And I must say, from a personal standpoint, I certainly didn’t mind having you around. But if I’d known that was why you’d left the program...
You didn’t. No one did, except Dumbledore. That was the way I wanted it.
I can understand that. Sirius’ tone changed subtly, becoming ever so faintly sardonic. So let me see if I have this straight. You’re under the impression that Gideon and Fabian Prewett died because you hesitated, and because of that, you gave up on your dream and want to keep Meghan away from hers?
Aletha pulled away sharply, standing up on the floor and yanking Sirius’ chain from her neck. "How dare you," she hissed. "How dare you couch it like that. You weren’t there. You didn’t have to feel them die under your hands, and know — know — that even a second less of your stupid hesitation would have saved them!"
Sirius was on his feet as well. "Don’t play can’t-understand with me, Aletha, it’s not going to work. You know perfectly well whose blood is on my hands. Maybe I wasn’t there, maybe I didn’t see it happen, but I’ve dreamed of it and thought about it and been haunted by it anyway for ten damn years. And I spend my time trying to make up for it — even though I know I never can — not trying to run away from it."
"Are you calling me a coward?"
"Yes, I am."
"Then say so." They were in each other’s faces, eyes locked and glaring. "Say it to me, in so many words. Right here, right now."
Sirius took a breath, paused, and let it out again in a sigh. "No," he said on the tail end of it. "No. I can’t."
"What do you mean you can’t?" Aletha was furious, perhaps more at his refusal than she would have been had he done it.
"I mean I won’t help you beat yourself up over this. Circe’s hair, Letha, you were only twenty, and a Healer-trainee, not even halfway through your training yet. You should never have been in a situation like that in the first place."
"It was a war. Wars don’t give you much choice."
"True. But Meghan — I hope — will have her choice. If you were going to force her to become a Healer, then you could say you were ‘condemning’ her to something." Sirius made rather clumsy air quotes around the word.
Men just don’t do good air quotes...
"But you’re not. It’s her wish, at least right now. And don’t forget, almost no one actually grows up to be what they think they want to be when they’re eight. When I was eight, I wanted to be either a dragon tamer or — get ready for this one — a werewolf hunter."
The absurdity of this in light of their present surroundings broke through Aletha’s mood and surprised a laugh from her. "Healing was the only job I ever really thought seriously about," she confessed. "Before I went to Hogwarts, I wanted to be a doctor or a veterinary. When I found out about magical Healing, I read everything I could about it."
"What about your music?"
"I never thought of that as a job, really. It was just something I did because... because I had to, I suppose."
Sirius frowned in confusion. "Because you had to?"
"Not the someone-making-me kind of had-to," Aletha clarified. "More along the lines of, if I didn’t, I felt strange and wrong, as if I hadn’t eaten or slept for too long. Over the years, music’s become almost a necessity for me. Like writing is for you. I’ve seen you on days when we have too much to do to let you get at your work for a while. You get irritable and fidgety."
"I think I can sympathize with your experience carrying Meghan," Sirius said ruefully. "The story kicks at the inside of my head until I let it out."
"At least you don’t gain weight with it. I must have gained three stone while I was pregnant, and I’m not sure I’ve lost all of it yet."
Sirius looked her up and down. "Looks all right to me."
Aletha chuckled. "Flatterer." Then she frowned. "Weren’t we angry with each other just about a minute ago?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Just checking." She stepped closer to him. "I want to make sure it counts as making up when I do this." She pulled his head down and kissed him.
"I’d take it even if it weren’t," Sirius said dreamily when they let go. "Do that again."
All in all, Aletha thought, it was a good thing the door was already locked.
xXxXx
There’s another part to this, Aletha said nearly an hour later, when they were back to simply holding one another and being together. Do you remember how Gideon could cook?
Yes. He was almost a genius. He didn’t do fancy dishes, but he could make the most amazing things taste wonderful — just plain things you’d been eating all your life and thought you knew exactly what they tasted like, he could make them new again.
And he always used to claim his big sister taught him everything he knew.
That’s right. His big sister Molly... Sirius stopped. Oh, no.
Oh, yes. Fabian was a redhead, if you recall. And the resemblance is there, if you look.
That does make things more difficult, doesn’t it.
Only in private could Aletha allow herself foolish and stereotypical feminine shows of weakness, like hiding her face against her husband’s shirt. No matter how good it felt, it wasn’t the right demeanor in public. Not even when he put his arm around her in that way she knew meant he was ready to fight off anything that threatened her...
Yes, she answered belatedly. It does.
xXxXx
Three days later, Aletha sat in the kitchen of the Burrow, facing Molly Weasley. She had taken advantage of the more-or-less permanent invitations to tea that existed between the Weasleys and the Pack, she had made sure Molly didn’t have anywhere else to be and that Ginny was out of the house, and then she had told the whole story.
The first words out of Molly’s mouth shocked her.
"Thank you," the other woman said, although there were tears running down her cheeks. "You don’t know what this means to me. To know that someone tried to help them — that they weren’t alone or abandoned — you could say they were my first babies, you know, I was as much a mother hen when I was a girl as I am now — thank you, Aletha. Thank you so much." She sniffled a bit, then took another look at Aletha’s face. "Gracious, what’s the matter?"
"I... guess I’m a little surprised. I’d thought you’d be angry, or hurt..."
"About what? That you didn’t save them?" Molly shook her head, reaching across the table and taking Aletha’s hand in hers. "I suppose if you’d told me this the week after they died, or the month, or the year, I would have been angry. But time is a great healer. It can’t heal everything, but it does a surprisingly good job on many things." She looked searchingly at Aletha. "You’ve never forgiven yourself, have you?"
Wordlessly, Aletha shook her head.
"No one can be perfect, Aletha. Least of all a twenty-year-old Healer-trainee scared out of her mind. You did try. I’ll never forget that. And I forgive you, for what that’s worth. Now you go and work on forgiving yourself. Go on, home with you. Shoo."
Aletha allowed herself to be propelled, laughing but still with tears in her eyes, towards the Floo. Before she entered it, she turned and impulsively embraced Molly. The embrace was returned whole-heartedly.
"And I’ll be wanting stories about those two reprobates from all of you who knew them," Molly said in Aletha’s ear.
"Gladly."
Something I can do. Finally.
The weight she’d carried in her heart for so many years seemed a little lighter.
xXxXx
"Ooooh, my head," Danger groaned theatrically. "I bumped it terribly on the brick wall when I tapped the wrong brick to open Diagon Alley. Healer, can you help me?"
"Let me see," said Meghan briskly, opening her Healer’s bag. "I have just the thing. A Headache Potion." She handed Danger one of her many play vials. "Drink it all very quickly and your headache will go away."
Danger opened the top and pretended to drink the contents, then made a face. "This tastes horrible."
"If it didn’t taste horrible, how would you know it was a potion?" Meghan questioned pertly.
"Healer, Healer, help me!" Sirius clung to the doorframe. "My leg, it’s my leg."
"Here, sit down." Meghan pulled one of the chairs over for him. "What happened to your leg?" she asked, examining the rather hairy appendage extended for her perusal.
"My friend kicked it after I called him a nasty name."
"Well, then it’s your own fault, isn’t it now. But I’ll still help you." Meghan pulled out two or three vials and a bandage from her bag, soaked the bandage in the pretend contents of the vials, then tied it tightly around her father’s leg.
"Loosen it up a bit, Pearl, my foot’s falling asleep," Sirius said.
"Don’t argue with the Healer," said Meghan in a prissy voice, but she undid the knot and rewound the bandage a bit looser.
"Healers don’t like that," Remus agreed from the doorway. "I’ve just been feeling a bit off-color recently, Healer. Can you help me?"
Meghan did a thorough examination of Remus, peering into his eyes and ears, making him say "Ah," even jumping on him from behind to see how he reacted. "You can’t do that when you’re a real Healer," Remus warned her, peeling her off him.
Meghan stuck out her tongue at him. "I can if I want to."
"No, you can’t," Remus said sternly, tapping the side of Meghan’s neck with two fingers.
Meghan pouted, but nodded, and the next second was back into her game. "You’re a werewolf, Mister, so you’d better stay inside at the full moon, and don’t bite anybody. And stay away from silver, unless you know a werewolf tamer."
"Stay inside, don’t bite, no silver," Remus muttered as he took pretend notes on his hand. "Anything else?"
"Yeah. No more kicking my Dadfoot."
"Not even if he calls me nasty names?"
"What kind of nasty names?"
Remus whispered in her ear. Meghan’s eyes got big, and she ran over and pretended, in slow motion, to kick Sirius, who grabbed his shin in mock agony. "Ow! Whose side are you on?"
"The same side she’s always on," chuckled Danger from the couch where she was lying, "recovering from her headache." "The side that allows her to have the most fun."
Aletha came hurrying in from the kitchen, all smiles, with a piece of parchment in her hand. "Letter from Hogwarts!" she announced, putting an abrupt end to the game as everyone gathered around to hear the letter read aloud.
xXxXx
Dear everyone,
Draco’s in trouble.
I am not!
You have detention with Snape tomorrow. I think that counts.
Well, I don’t deserve it.
Sorry about that. They grabbed it away from me. Boys.
Anyway, we were sitting outside with Ron and Neville when Nott and Dursley and Crabbe and Goyle came by, and Draco said he was bored and going to have some fun. So he got up and went over to them.
It was hilarious. I picked out Dursley and told him I needed to show him something. Then I held my finger in front of his eyes and moved it back and forth. His eyes followed it around everywhere it went — I was having a really hard time not laughing.
Then he stopped it right in front of Dursley and started moving it toward the idiot’s face. Dursley’s eyes got so crossed you could barely see them. Ron and I were dying from not laughing. And then Draco went and poked Dursley on the forehead, and we just couldn’t keep it in any more.
Well, I think Draco was lucky not to get hurt. Crabbe and Goyle grabbed for him, but he ducked them and got back to us. The boys were all laughing like lunatics — I personally don’t see what’s so funny about making Dursley look stupid, I mean, it’s not like it’s hard or anything. Anyway, Nott complained to Snape, and now Draco has detention.
Oh, lighten up, Neenie. The worst he can do is make me scrub the ceiling on my hands and knees or something like that.
Classes are going just fine. Hermione’s doing the best out of all of us, but Draco and I aren’t doing so badly. Professor McGonagall wants to know how your independent studies are going, and to remind you the first Quidditch match is 17 November, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, at 11:00. Oh, Pearl, Neville says hello. He’s been busy — we all have — but he’ll write again as soon as he has a minute.
Ron says hello to everyone too. I’m making sure the boys eat their vegetables and change their socks, Danger.
Yes, I’ve been keeping up with my practice, Letha. And no, it wasn’t me or Harry who kept charming the Slytherin table to read "Slytherins are losers" all last week.
I wish we had. It was an excellent prank. I think the twins did it, though. They’ve been chuckling every time they see a Slytherin.
Neville set a school record yesterday by falling down five flights of stairs without hurting himself more seriously than scratches and bruises. Madam Pomfrey wasn’t sure whether to be disgusted or impressed.
Lockhart’s still a prat, even if he did save my life. He picks on me every single class to come up and demonstrate bits out of his stupid books. I wish we had Quirrell. Maybe he stutters, but at least he’s a decent teacher from what I hear.
Harry, are you out of your mind? At least with Lockhart we don’t have any real homework. We just have to think up new ways to flatter him every class and we can get away with not doing anything.
I think Harry’s quite right. And this is my letter, so both of you can go suck dragon eggs. That’s just about all the news there is from Hogwarts. What’s going on at the Den? Anything fun? Please write back soon.
Much love,
Hermione
Harry
Draco
xXxXx
"And just where did my little sister learn a phrase like ‘go suck dragon eggs’?" Danger demanded, looking straight at Sirius and Remus.
Both men pointed at each other. Meghan giggled.
Aletha smiled, folding up the cubs’ letter, as Danger began to harangue her husband and Pack-brother about proper language in front of the cubs, incidentally using a few of the phrases she was rebuking them for.
Sirius knew it, all those years ago.
Life around here is many things, but it is never, ever dull.