Crookshanks | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 34

After long hours of staying in that room dazed, Jenna finally transformed back to Crookshanks and left the Shrieking Shack, her mind racing and her head aching. But instead of going back to the Gryffindor common room, she made her way down to the kitchen.

     Mickey was there as always when Jenna transformed back to her human form, rushing toward her and bowing deeply at her sight.

     "What can Mickey to for his Mistress?" he said in his old and squeaky voice.

     Jenna stammered the matter before saying her order and leaving the kitchen with it in form of Argus Filch, after apologizing to the house elf that tonight she couldn't stay with him and talk.

     In the dark of the night, Jenna left the castle again. It was way past curfew and the halls were as empty as a ghost town, making it the perfect time for a stroll through the Hogwarts grounds.

     The moment she reached the Black Lake and had made sure that nobody else was around, Jenna returned back to her own form. With that, she sat down at the edge of the water and placed the bottle of Fire Whiskey — which she had gotten from Mickey — beside her on the grass.

The lake was freezing cold considering the fact that they were in January, but Jenna couldn't care less. So with that, she then took off her shoes and rolled up her pants and hesitantly dipped her feet in the cold water.

At that, she felt a sharp pain shoot up through her entire body because of the low temperature of the water, as if someone was needling her bare feet. But then she opened up the Fire Whiskey and took a large sip from the bottle, feeling her throat burn and her whole body grow warmer because of it.

Jenna just sat there for long minutes, gazing out into the water and drinking straight from the bottle, watching how the moon had been reflected upon the surface. It looked as if someone had splattered pearls upon the water as it glimmered down the moonlight.

     The fact that Sirius was sentenced to a wizard's worst punishment was bad enough. But now he had turned his and frustration of being locked up on Jenna, blaming her for being unsuccessful for not being able to kill Pettigrew yet, as if she hadn't been trying.

     But to make matters worse, he had demanded that she should bring him the Gryffindor password in the next two weeks, so he could get to the common room and finish the filthy rat's life himself, not caring for being caught in slightest.

     It was as if Sirius had lost all hope. He didn't care about being caught anymore, not thinking about the consequences. Jenna thought that he was being selfish, because even though he had given up on his life, Jenna hadn't. She still had hope in a future that they could share together, as a family. But it was as if Sirius had gone blind from hatred.

At that point, Jenna was feeling slightly tipsy, until just then she suddenly jerked her head around when out of nowhere she heard someone say, "Now this is just a miserable sight..."

Turning around and glancing behind her shoulder, Jenna let out a breath in relief when she saw that it was Remus.

He was standing there with his hands in his old and shabby pockets, smiling down at her direction.

"Trust me, I've looked worse," Jenna said bitterly, turning her gaze away from him and back at the lake.

She then took another sip of Fire Whiskey straight from the bottle, wincing at the burning sensation that it caused in her sore throat.

Remus sighed, walking toward her and sitting beside her on the grass at the edge of the lake's water. They sat there motionlessly for long seconds quietly, letting the silence of the night take things over.

     "How did you know where I was?" Jenna asked, her eyes fixed upon the still lake.

"Just a little guess," Remus shrugged. "You hadn't been to visit me for so long that I got worried and came looking for you. Although I've been busy myself. I found something very interesting."

"What?"

     "You wouldn't believe me if I told you," said Remus with a playful smile.

     "Try me." Jenna grinned back at him.

     "Okay... The Marauders' Map."

     "Really?" Jenna laughed in surprise, her smile widening. "How did you get it?"

     "Well, that's where it gets even more shocking."

     "Doubtful, but go on." She grinned at him challengingly.

     Remus gave her a triumphant look. "I got it from Harry."

     "What!?" Jenna exclaimed, her eyes widening as Remus chuckled. "How on earth did this happen?"

     "Apparently Harry already had the Map in his possession — how he'd learnt how to work it is beyond me — but he got into trouble with Snape, so I had to get the Map from him."

     "Ugh, that stupid grease ball." Jenna rolled her eyes at the mention of Snape's name. "Some days I actually have to hold myself back from going and pissing all over his desk."

     Remus roared with laughter.

     "Hey, I'm not kidding!" Jenna said defensively, even though she was laughing too. "The slimy old git gave everyone an assignment a few months ago on werewolves, hoping that just one of them would recognize you as one!"

     "Come to think of it," Remus started thoughtfully after his laughter had died down a bit, "how has Harry never mentioned you? I mean, if he had the Marauders' Map and you were in the Gryffindor common room all year, then how come he didn't see you on it?"

     Jenna cleared her throat awkwardly. "I-it's a long story..."

     "Ah, so there is a story!" Remus said with delight. "Why am I not surprised?"

     "Look," Jenna started explaining with a sly smirk, "when I found out that you four had this Map that could show everyone, I became worried. I just couldn't make my peace with the fact that four nosy boys could see where I was whenever they wanted to!" Jenna said, both of them laughing. "So for my own reasons... I used a spell to take my name off it, so I wouldn't be spotted."

     "I'm impressed," Remus said earnestly as they chucked. But then he only gave her a sad look after his laughter slowly fainted and they became quiet again. "What's really wrong, Jenna?"

      But she ignored him. Jenna couldn't get herself to think about it any longer. So instead she turned her gaze back toward the lake, trying to change the subject.

     "You know..." she started with a little sigh, looking back at the lake, "we had a pact to come back here... Me, Lily, Marlene, and Alice."