Holding a Torch For Gilderoy Lockhart

By the time June rolled around, Oscar and the Tornadoes had proven Miriam wrong. They had, narrowly, beaten the Pride of Portree, 180-170.

"Well, to be fair, I did say Meghan McCormack would freeze you out. And she did," Miriam said, defending her honour.

"Whatever you say," Oscar said, grabbing her hand and kissing it. "Just happy the match is over; to tell the truth, I expected them to trounce us."

"Really?"

"Yeah, of course. I mean, come on," Oscar said with a smile to her. "It's Meghan McCormack!"

Laughing, they entered the Three Broomsticks, only to see it was packed with students.

"Sorry 'bout this," Madame Rosmerta said. "Hogsmeade week-end, and you'll never believe the news!"

"What?" Miriam asked, leaning toward her over the bar. One great thing about Rosmerta- gossip came first!

"Sirius Black was captured last night!"

"What?" Oscar demanded. "That's fantastic news!"

Miriam didn't completely agree with Oscar. Her traitorous heart stopped at the idea of Sirius returning to Azkaban.

"There's more!" Rosmerta said, leaning forward. "He escaped again, just after he'd been captured. He's back on the run."

"What? That's horribly. Can't the Ministry do anything right?"

"Well," said Rosmerta, "to hear the students tell it, Severus Snape was the one to capture him."

"What?" Miriam cried, finally joining the conversation. "Snape managed to capture Sirius?"

"Hey, didn't you use to date Black?" Oscar asked, finally recalling some vital information.

"Yes. Actually, we were married for a few years before... well, before."

"Married?" he nearly shouted. "You- you never told me that."

"What difference could it have made?"

"You were married to a Death Eater, and you ask what difference it could have made?"

"He wasn't a Death Eater when he was married to me," Miriam said, defending herself.

"How do you know that?"

"Just trust me. I slept with the man every night, didn't I?"

Oscar's face hardened.

"Wait," Rosmerta said. "There's even more!"

"There can't possibly be..." Miriam said with dread. Sirius had been captured, and had escaped, all in the space of one night, while she had been comfortably curled into Oscar's body.

"Did you know Remus Lupin was a Werewolf?"

"No!" Miriam gasped, feigning shock.

"Oh. You did," Rosmerta said with a frown. "Well, I guess you were tight with them, so why wouldn't you."

Now Oscar tugged on her arm again, but Rosmerta just said, "More!"

"What?" Oscar demanded, his eyes wide and a bit dazed. He was probably a bit upset.

"That Potter boy, and his friends, where in the Hospital Wing all evening. Haven't been released, yet, as I hear it."

"Really?" Miriam asked, her Healer instinct getting the best of her. "Were they badly injured?"

"Well, no one knows for sure, but... Well, last night was a Full Moon and Remus Lupin has resigned, so the story goes."

"No. No. It isn't possible," Miriam moaned, recoiling from Rosmerta. "I don't believe you."

"Don't then. Ask him yourself."

"Oscar, I've got to go to the school," Miriam said in apology. "I'll Floo you later?"

"What? No. You can't go see a werewolf! It isn't safe!" Oscar insisted, grabbing her shoulders.

"Oscar, please, I know all about werewolves, perhaps, as a Healer, more than you do?" Miriam said with a glare. "Remus is an old friend, and if he's done anything... well, I need to see him."

"Gods, why? He's a werewolf!" Oscar said, his mouth twisting in disgust. Miriam tried to shrug it off, knowing that most people would react exactly the same- werewolves were extremely unpopular, even in their human form- but she couldn't.

"Good-bye Oscar," she said, pulling herself out of his grasp and running for the door.