When Heather woke she didn’t sit up, she could hear heated voices talking in the wing. When she opened her eyes slightly she saw Hermione turned away from her, around them were barriers showing shadows of the people near them. Heather recognized the voices as Snape and another voice she didn’t recognize.
“Shocking business…shocking…miracle noon of them died…never heard the like…by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape….”
“Thank you, Minister”
Heather nearly fell out of bed with a start, the minister was here and was congratulating Snape! They continued talking something about Harry being given special treatment, at which Heather wanted to laugh at. If being attacked by someone or thing on a regular basis was special treatment, she wanted to see what a true wizarding hero treatment was. She then realized that the voices were coming from outside in the corridor. She opened her eyes fully when Madam Pomfrey strode between the beds. She tended to Harry, who asked how Ron was and she told him he would live, but she sat up as Harry did putting on his glasses.
“I need to see the headmaster,” he said.
“Potter,” she said soothingly, “it’s alright. They’ve got Black. He’s locked away upstairs. The dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now-”
“WHAT?”
The three of them jumped out of the bed, but the commotion had been heard form outside and the two walked in. Both Hermione and Harry began arguing with the Minister, Snape and Madam Pomfrey, but Heather stayed quiet. Dumbledore then walked in, after talking to Black and joined the argument.
“Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds.” Snape said.
“But-” Hermione began.
“Miss Granger,-” Snape began as well but Heather cut in.
“You were knocked out,” Heather said, “Harry did so, you only woke up at the willow because we had all gotten separated by Lupin. Harry and Hermione went after Sirius and I went after Lupin. Peter transformed and escaped into the Forbidden Forest.”
Everyone was looking at her as if she had just appeared out of thin air, but Dumbledore broke the silence.
“The Forest has not been checked, for rats at least.” he said
“Do you really believe her,” Snape hissed, “There are probably thousands of rats in those woods and around the grounds. With her past and heritage I wouldn’t take her word.”
“I am aware of her past, Severus,” Dumbledore said firmly, “But its only fair, the shack was searched upon Harry and Hermione’s word, the forest should be searched upon Heather’s.”
“Surely, you don’t believe it professor, Black has shown his capability for murderer at sixteen!” he hissed quietly.
“I am aware of the past Severus, but I wish to speak to these three alone.” Dumbledore said quietly.
Everyone left, Heather had a feeling Professor Snape was going to be in a particularly bad mood in her next potions class. Heather listened as Dumbledore talked to Hermione of where Sirius was locked, how she can save more than one life and that they must not be see. Heather stared at him, as well as Harry, with utter bewilderment. Dumbledore then beckoned her to the door and began to shut it, saying three turns should do it; and if all doesn’t go well the task will be completed by another and shut the door.
“Professor what-” Heather began, but in the same way Dumbledore began to talk to her quickly.
“You’ve heard where Sirius is locked away, Heather. I don’t expect Harry or Hermione to reach him in time. Picking the lock should jemmy it loose, it have warn off the dementors for a short while, but very short. You don’t have much time and as well you cannot be seen,” he told her.
“But-”
“Go,” he said urgently, “You haven’t much time, if Sirius is inside get him away from that floor and area.”
With that he gave Heather a slight shove down a corridor and told her to go again, Heather understood but didn’t understand what Dumbledore wanted her to do. He wanted her to Flitwick’s office on the seventh floor in the west tower and get Sirius. But why? The only explanation that she could think of was that he was innocent and Dumbledore knew that. But what could Harry and Hermione do while still locked in the hospital wing? With this confusion she came to the moving stairs and made her way upwards towards Flitwick’s office. When she arrived at his door the dementors were gone, the door was locked. She looked around the stone corridor to find not a stick of any sorts. She reached for her hair and pulled out a bobby pin and took it to the door. Listening to the lock click and turn then twisted the knob she ran inside, only to be knocked over by someone else.
“Heather?” came Sirius’ raspy voice.
Meanwhile Hermione and Harry had just gotten Buckbeak and were in the castle, Hermione urging him to go back.
“We have to go back Harry,” Hermione said, “We have ten minutes we have to get there before Dumbledore talks to Heather then walks away. We can’t be seen,”
“But what about Sirius, we-” Harry began,
“We have too!” Hermione snapped. “Didn’t you listen Dumbledore said if we didn’t finish our task another would. Now come on!”
They set Buckbeak free and headed strait for the hospital wing, meanwhile Heather stood unsteadily to her feet.
“Come on, we have to get you out of here.” Heather said, grabbing his arm.
“No!” Sirius hissed, grabbing Heather and tugging her back. “Dementors are guarding the entrance’s, we’ll both be killed!”
“No, Dumbledore has warded them off but if we don’t go we will get killed, come on!” Heather said, with a particularly large tug they ran out of the office and down the hall.
Heather ran down a large staircase and out onto a landing where a fountain was moonlit by the night, otherwise it was vacant. what now…what now… her mind pleaded with her as she looked around.
“Please tell me you know what your doing?” Sirius asked,
Heather was about to say no when out of the sky soared Buckbeak, he wasn’t dead! Astonished she raced towards the bird and grabbed his chains the bird screeched but Heather hissed at him to shut up. The bird obeyed her sternness and followed her to Sirius, “Yes, take Buckbeak and get out of here.”
Sirius nodded, “Heather, you tell Harry I will see him this summer.”
“Okay, Okay, but get out of here fast!” Heather said.
He nodded squeezing Buckbeak’s sides with his heels and soared off into the distance, Heather raced back to the wing. The dementors were back, searching the castle for black, she barely avoided them. In the front she met Harry and Hermione,
“Did he escape?” Harry asked,
Heather nodded “He told me to tell you that you will see him this summer.”
Hermione opened the hospital wing Ron had woken up and was rubbing his head and asked.
“What happened, Where’s Sirius, Where’s Lupin, What’s going on?” Ron asked,
Both Heather and Harry turned to Hermione and he said, “You explain,”
Noon the next day they were released with minor injuries, Heather only sustained a broken arm and deep scratches across her face. The rest of the school was gone, the castle deserted as the students trodden around Hogsmead. Peter was never found in the woods, just average rats. Heather meanwhile had caught up with Kira and began to explain what happened. Astonished she stayed with her on the grounds, asking endless questions of the previous night.
“So Lupin knows you’re an Animagus?” she asked,
Heather nodded, “He said my mother was a Raven and that I should be registered.”
Kira laughed, “You know mum will agree with that, do you think we should tell them?”
“No,” Heather said shaking her head. “I don’t think we should tell anyone for now, Sirius is still a wanted man.”
“Yeah, with dad working at the Ministry in all,” Kira said logically, munching on some left over cockroach clusters she got from her last Hogsmead visit.
“Kira,” Heather said slowly,
“Yeah?” she asked,
“What would you say if I didn’t want to stay at our house this summer?” Heather said quietly, listening to her drop the paper bag.
“Well, I mean I don’t know Heather, What do you mean?” she asked, a bit shocked.
“Its not you or mum or dad, Kira, I love you all I really do, its just, Lupin offered me a place for the summer, sort of.” she said.
“Sort of?” Kira asked,
“Well he said he planned to tell me at the end of the year that he gave me my locket then offer a home, I think it stills stands now.” Heather said, “I mean maybe he knows more about my mother and father and who-or what-I am.”
Kira sighed then nodded, “I don’t mind, really, its not like were aren’t going to see each other. But its dad…with his negative attitude towards vampires, well, werewolves came with it.”
“I know that,” Heather said, noting her fathers subtle but abundant discrimination.
“I know mum will be okay with it too, once she talks to Lupin…” Kira trailed off,
Heather smiled, “I’ll miss your snoring don’t worry,” she said
“Hey, I do not snore!” Kira said, throwing a pillow at her.
After the pillow fight they both began wandering the halls, running into Sir Cadogan once in a while as well as Peeves. It was then a shabby broken trunk floated down the corridor with Professor Flitwick guiding it.
“Hello, girls, lovely day,” he said
“Professor, what are you doing with that trunk?” Kira asked,
“Oh, this is Professor Lupin’s, I’m just taking it to the train for him while he packs up the last bit of things.” he said,
“packs up?” Heather asked
“Why yes, didn’t you hear, he’s leaving,” Flitwick said.
“No…” Kira said slowly.
“Come on, I’m going to see him.” Heather said,
“But he’s resigned,” Kira said walking after her, “there isn’t much we can do, is there?”
“I don’t care, I want to see him.” Heather said taking a left and up some stairs.
When Heather walked into the classroom most of Lupin’s things were packed away. The door to his office was open, his tatter briefcase open as he filled it with papers, an empty tank next to it.
He looked up and smiled, “Hello, Heather”
“Your resigning?” was the first thing out of Heather’s mouth.
“I’m afraid so,” he said, closing the briefcase.
“But why, you’re a wonderful teacher, the best we’ve had.” Heather told him. “wait, they don’t think you were in league with Black do they?”
He shook his head and closed the door behind Heather, “No, Dumbledore managed to convince Fudge that I was trying to save your lives.” He sighed. “That was the final straw for Severus. I think the lose of the Order of Merlin hit him hard. So he-sort of- accidentally let slip that I am a werewolf this morning at breakfast.”
“What?” Heather exclaimed, “That doesn’t matter though, you don’t see people freaking out cause I’m a vampire.”
Lupin smiled wryly, “That’s because your harmless Heather, you don’t drink blood or pose a threat to the students around you.”
“Nor do you!” Heather countered.
He smiled again, “This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving from parents…They will not want a werewolf teaching their children, Heather. And after last night, I see their point. I could have bitten anyone of you, you especially coming after me like that….That must never happen again.” Heather tired to think of another argument but none would come, “Dumbledore told me that you helped Sirius escape, along with Harry and Hermione?”
Heather nodded, telling the story and how confused she had been. When she finished he was smiling again. “yes, Harry should be seeing a bit of Sirius if we’re lucky,”
“Professor…” Heather began, he looked to her expectantly, “You-You said before that you were going to offer me another home, I-I-”
“Wondered if that offer still stood?” he asked the rambling girl, who nodded. “Yes, the offer still stands. I just didn’t think you wanted too.”
“It’s not that I don’t want too, I do, but I don’t want to hurt my other family. Plus my father…well he has slight prejudice towards vampires and werewolves though he doesn’t show it. I don’t think he would be particularly happy with me living with one.” she said, biting her lower lip.
Lupin nodded thoughtfully, “Well, maybe I’ll talk with your mother and father before,” Lupin reached into a draw and held out her locket. “Here, I brought this up from the shrieking shack last night,”
There was a knock on the door, Heather put on the necklace and Lupin opened the door. It was Professor Dumbledore, he didn’t look too surprised at Heather’s being there.
“Your carriage is at the gates, Remus,” he said.
“Thank you, Headmaster.”
Lupin picked up his old suitcase and the empty grind low tank. “Well-good-bye, Heather,” he said, smiling. “I shall see you again,” he said with a nod to her, he shook Dumbledore’s hand and left swiftly.
Heather left the room after the headmaster who left after Lupin, Kira was outside the door and smiled. They both spent the last few days packing up their things that had gotten lost around the common room. Soon they were heading home on the train and in the crowd of students searching for their parents.
“Wait-no, never mind,” Heather said craning her neck over some first years.
“There they are…oh no…” Kira said.
Heather looked in her direction to see their parents, but Lupin was there as well, which made Heather jolt. But what made her heart drop into her stomach was the look on her fathers face, he was furious. They pushed their carts towards the scene, coming upon a heating argument, their mother greeted them.
“I won’t let my daughter living with a werewolf!” her father snapped at Lupin.
“He’s not dangerous!” Heather snapped back at him.
“We don’t know-” but her father stopped looking at her slung arm and scratched face that were similar to Lupin’s. “not dangerous?” he repeated.
“this is my fault,” Heather told him, “I went after Lupin in the woods, he had no idea what he was doing.”
“Why did he take that potion then and why did you go after him?” he asked
“Because-” Kira began but stopped with a look from Heather that said, do you want to freak out mum?
“That’s not important,” Lupin said, “But in all fairness, I suggest that Heather decide, she’s been weighing this issue.”
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