Forgotten Girl

Break-Ins and Baffling Ideas

"I'm going to go for a walk," Lilli murmured to Elspeth, "This is a bit too much for me." It was the Halloween Feast, and everyone was yelling, talking, laughing. Halloween was always rough at the Lupin home, just like Christmas with Aunt Thia. Last year had been nearly unbearable, being away from anyone who understood. And this year, well, this year wasn't much better, being a full moon and all.

 "Want me to come with?" And even though Elspeth didn't know her past, she was still right there by Lilli's side.

"Sure." Lilli ruffled Draco's hair as they passed him, chuckling at his indignant squawk. Neither of the girls noticed the two pairs of eyes watching them the Head Table.

They walked in silence for a time, before they found themselves on the seventh floor of the castle. They wandered aimlessly, although there was a restlessness to Lilli. She shifted, fidgeted, rubbed a spot on her hand over and over again.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"About what?" Elspeth gave her a look, and Lilli laughed wryly, "That obvious?"

"Lils, you've never left a feast in the two months I've known you. Winna wanted to know if you told me what was wrong. She said this happened to you last year too." The spot on her hand turned red. Her neck twitched, small repetitive motions that felt tight.

"Can you keep a secret, Elspeth?" Another twitch. Her fingers tapped as her eyes found the full moon through the window, "From everyone?"

"Of course, Lilli," Elspeth took her hand, ceasing the taps. Another twitch, and her eyes moved from the moon to stare down at her feet. For another moment she was quiet.

"My parents died on Halloween—" A sound caught her attention from in front of her, "What is that?"

"What?" Elspeth asked, looking around. Then she saw it. A dog had run in front of them and stopped, looking directly at Lilli. It seemed to recognize her.

"What in the world is a dog doing at Hogwarts?" Lilli asked, her brow furrowing. Another tic. The sudden motion scared the dog and it bolted again. 

"How odd." They could hear people talking, yelling, and knew the feast must be over. 

"We should leave," Lilli glanced behind them, then back the way the dog had gone, "Now."

"Why? It's just the Gryffindors."

"Yes, and the Gryffindors don't like Slytherins," Lilli led her away from the voices, "Especially not when we're near their common room. Come on."

They made their way back down to the Great Hall, where Draco and Winna were waiting. The twitch didn't stop, and at one point Lilli could have sworn she saw a man lurking behind a suit of armour. Elspeth told her it was probably just Filch.

"Wait, Lilli." Elspeth stopped her before they came back into hearing distance of Draco and Winna, "I'm sorry about your parents."

Lilli smiled sadly, "I didn't know them. I was too young. But every Halloween my godfather and godmother take me to visit their graves. Not this year, though."

"Why not?" Winna and Draco had spotted them and were making their way over.

"Godfather's sick. And the whole Sirius Black thing means my aunt doesn't want to go alone," Winna and Draco had spotted them and were making their way over, "Don't tell anyone, okay? About any of it. They'll just pity me." Elspeth nodded, squeezing her hand before letting go. Winna came and draped her arms over the girls' shoulders.

"There you are," Draco drawled, "Come on, it's nearly curfew."

~

Lilli had just changed out of her uniform when the prefects came in, ushering everyone up to the Great Hall. Every student crowded the hall, huddled in clusters and whispering furiously about what might have drawn them from the beds. As it were, the Gryffindors had the answers.

"Sirius Black." Ginny Weasley had come over and joined Lilli and her friends, "Tried to get into Gryffindor. Slashed up the Fat Lady's portrait."

"How'd he get into the castle?" Nymphea asked, scanning the room for Nemesia. Her twin stood among a group of Ravenclaw girls and waved when they made eye contact. Winna wrapped her arm around the shoulders of Elspeth and Lilli. She ran a hand over Elspeth's hair when the first year leaned into her.

"Don't know. That's why we're down here." Two of Ginny's brothers, the twins, appeared behind her. Lilli thought she caught one of them winking at Winna, and she definitely saw Winna blush.

Elspeth grabbed Lilli's hand. A chill went down her spine. The dog. Hadn't Uncle Remus mentioned something about that? She recalled stories of a wolf, a stag, a rat, and a dog. Were those real?

"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore told them as Professors McGonagall and Flitwick closed all doors into the hall. 

"I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. 

Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he added to the Head Boy, who was looking immensely proud and important. "Send word with one of the ghosts." 

Professor Dumbledore paused, about to leave the hall, and said, "Oh, yes, you'll be needing..." One casual wave of his wand and the long tables flew to the edges of the hall and stood themselves against the walls; another wave, and the floor was covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags. 

"Sleep well," said Professor Dumbledore, closing the door behind him. The hall immediately began to buzz excitedly; the Gryffindors were telling the rest of the school what had just happened. 

"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" shouted the Head Boy. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"

Winna, Elspeth, and Lilli dragged their sleeping bags away from others, settling so that they could face each other. They talked very little, and when the lights went out, Lilli's head stayed on, thoughts shining like a lantern in the night.

~

At breakfast the next morning, a letter arrived for Lilli from Aunt Thia. She excused herself, finding a spot in the Entrance Hall to read it.

Dear babydoll,

I've talked to Dumbledore, and he's agreed to let you come home and visit the graves today. Be ready by noon, and I will meet you at the Hospital Wing. Remus is likely to be sleeping still, I'm afraid, so he won't be coming.

Love,

Aunt Thia

P.S. - Don't let me forget, but I've things to tell you, my love.

"What things do you have to tell me, Auntie?" Lilli mused quietly, her eyes drifting to the stairs, "What things?"