The Life that Never Lived ? (Chamber of Secrets)

THE DUELING CLUB

Remus was still puzzling, and knowing better than to interrupt him Sirius instead said, "I think he's thinking it's no longer a Gorgon."

"Why?" Lily asked, it was the only reasonable explanation to her.

"Something Binn's said," Remus said, going cross eyed a bit as he continued to categorize everything he knew about this situation so far. "I'm just wondering, well of course it would suite Slytherin... but how could it be..." and he trailed off into more mutterings.

Harry took a leaf out of Ron's book and said, "If, in a month or so, you feel like explaining, you will let us know?" He couldn't deny how eager he felt to hear another answer, since he was so

sure the Gorgon one was wrong.

"Not going to happen Harry," James said sadly, "he's going to be like this until he works it out in his own way."

"Are we supposed to wait for him?" Lily asked as she got up and took the book from Remus herself.

Lily's actions startled Remus out of his reverie, and he looked about himself before smiling weakly and saying, "Just puzzling out some things. Nothing still makes enough sense though."

"At least tell us why you think it isn't a gorgon," Harry asked.

"Because if it was, there are several actions the teachers could take to prevent that. I'm sure they would have after Mrs. Norris, so how did this happen again?"

"But what else could petrify people, and cat's, like this?" Sirius asked.

"I'm working on that," Remus reassured, "and I will let you know, before the month's up," he finished grinning at Harry.

Harry blushed, not realizing Remus had even been listening, while his friends laughed at the pair.

Lily read on sadly, very scared and upset now. If Remus, the guy who seemed to know everything there was to know about magical creatures, didn't know right away what was running around the school, she was honestly terrified to hear the answer.

"That's hardly going to stop the rest of the school from figuring it out," Sirius said in disbelief.

"Appreciate the thought though," Remus said.

"Huh?" All five of them muttered.

"Wonder where they got to?" James said in surprise.

"Surprised they weren't down there to check on Harry," Sirius corrected.

"I'm sure they, ah," Remus said, not able to come up with a good reason.

Harry frowned, trying not to feel hurt his friends didn't seem to care about whether his arm had grown back.

Lily felt bad for Harry, clearly having a good guess at what he was thinking, and knowing full well his friends would have a good reason, so decided to read.

"He makes that seem like such a bad thing," James said, grinning brightly, "personally I'm offended none of us ever thought of that."

"Of course," Lily said, ignoring her husband, "they went to go check on the Polyjuice Potion. They might have thought you would get out later, so they went there first."

Harry smiled, looking far more relaxed now.

"What makes you think they would brew the Polyjuice Potion in there?" Sirius asked.

"They've already established it's a secluded place no one goes in," she shrugged, "as good a place as any really."

"I can think of some better ones," Remus disagreed.