Ballet Shoes

Chapter 13

Lilleth groaned and opened her eyes.

At first, she gasped in fear as she was surrounded by a white light, and she thought for one terrifying moment that she was still in that horrible place she'd been in, but then her vision cleared and she was in a room filled with beds surrounded by curtains. One of the other beds was filled, but it was an older Slytherin that she'd never met before.

Was she still in that dream? Was this all real?

"Lilly!"

No, it was definitely real. Piper, Blake and Dennis appeared in the doorway and ran over to her. It was Piper who had said her name, and Lilleth grinned in relief as she realised that she was back in the normal world.

"Are you alright?" asked Blake anxiously. "Piper told us what happened. Well, what she saw happen."

"What did you see?" asked Lilleth. It had only just occurred to her that she had no idea what had been happening in the classroom whilst she'd been watching what her boggart had shown her.

"You sort of... went into a trance." said Piper, glancing up at Blake awkwardly. "Your eyes glassed over and you didn't move or anything. We couldn't see your boggart, and even Professor Lupin didn't have a clue what was going on. It was quite scary. And then you – well, you screamed, and you started crying, and then you just collapsed. Professor Lupin stepped in front of you and it then turned into some white circle thing and he got rid of it."

"How long have I been here?" asked Lilleth.

"Just this afternoon." said Blake. "It's almost dinner time."

"And don't worry, we made notes for you in Transfiguration." said Dennis, handing her a few pieces of parchment. "Piper managed to work out the copying spell."

"I asked Hermione." said Piper modestly. "It wasn't that hard. And it might come in very handy someday."

"So wait, what actually was your boggart?" asked Blake. "What did you see?"

"I – don't really think I understand it." said Lilleth hesitantly. "It was just... weird."

"Ah, Miss Black-Lupin."

A woman bustled over to them, wearing a long red dress with a white apron over the top of it. Her bright blue eyes were sharp in their gaze, yet her lips gave a kind smile. Her greying hair was tied up in a white cloth, giving her the look of a starched nurse from the history books that Lilleth had seen in her primary school.

"Well, if you're awake, you can go down to dinner now." said the nurse. "Don't face any more boggarts, if you please."

"Thank you." said Lilleth gratefully. "I'll do my best."

She climbed out of the bed hastily to find she was still in her uniform, although her hair was now a mess. Sighing, she pulled it out of its plait and allowed it down loose around her shoulders.

"I like your hair like that." said Piper, grinning. "Come on, let's go get some food. I'm starving."

The four of them made their way out of what appeared to be the hospital wing and headed down the stairs to the Great Hall, where most people were already beginning to eat dinner.

"Oh, and Harry Potter came looking for you while you were in there." said Dennis, turning to look at Lilleth as they walked into the hall. "He seemed very worried."

Lilleth went bright red and exchanged a glance with Piper.

"How could you not tell us that the Harry Potter is basically your brother?" asked Blake.

"Can we all sit at the Hufflepuff table?" asked Lilleth, quickly changing the subject.

"Only if we get a full explanation." said Dennis. "And I want to know if he really lets spiders live in his socks."

Lilleth couldn't help a laugh as they all took their seats on the Hufflepuff table, and then the food arrived.

"So come on." said Blake, loading up his plate with the glorious Hogwarts food. "Spill. How do you know Harry Potter so well?"

"We grew up together." Lilleth explained. "Neither of us know why. We were just found on his aunt and uncle's doorstep after his parents were killed and we've lived there ever since. And since his aunt and uncle don't like us all that much, we've always had to look out for each other. It's like you said, he's basically my brother. Always has been."

"And he really does let spiders live in his socks?" asked Dennis.

"Yeah, when he's not wearing them." said Lilleth casually. "I mean, he used to have to live in the cupboard under the stairs. There's spiders everywhere."

"The cupboard under the stairs!?" exclaimed Piper. "Did I just hear that correctly?"

"Yeah." said Lilleth, going red again. "But I mean, we share a room now."

"Wait, did they give you a room and him a cupboard under the stairs?" asked Blake incredulously.

"No." Lilleth shook her head. "I lived in the pantry. It wasn't too bad." she added hastily at the looks of horror on her friends' faces. "It was right next to the kitchen. And Aunt Petunia never used it for food, so I had shelving space."

"Did you have a bed?" asked Piper.

"Not exactly." Lilleth admitted. "I mean, I had a fairly small mattress on the floor. But we moved into a proper room when I was nine, so I didn't exactly outgrow it."

"That's awful." Dennis declared. "I feel so sorry for you."

"It isn't that bad, to be honest." said Lilleth, shrugging. "You get used to it. And I made friends with a mouse named Herbert until Aunt Petunia caught him and set traps."

"That shouldn't be something you have to get used to." said Piper quietly. "It's just terrible. You shouldn't have to live in a pantry."

"Well I don't anymore." said Lilleth, and she began to wish desperately that they could change the subject. "I live in a bedroom."

Luckily, they were both distracted by someone throwing something right at the back of Lilleth's head, and she turned around, glaring, and searched for whoever it was.

"Psst! Lilly!"

She finally spotted Harry on the next table, looking at her, and tensed slightly under the table.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his eyes full of concern.

"I'm fine." she said, going red.

"Are you sure?"

"I said I'm fine." she said, more angrily than she meant, and she turned her back to him. She couldn't see the hurt in his eyes.