From The Beginning Till The End

~ Chapter 26: The Important News ~

"Uh oh." Lily stopped suddenly and turned to check out the owner of the voice. Even in the heavy downpour, his voice could be heard rather clearly. It was impossible that he could magnify his voice magically, so it must be due to all the shouting at the students over the years.

"Filch." James smiled when he saw the person at the Entrance Hall, looking wet and angry. Even though his spectacles were blurred with raindrops, he could recognize that figure anywhere. Afterall, at least a quarter of his detentions in the last few years were assigned by the school caretaker. Another quarter was by Professor McGonagall for all his major pranks in the Great Hall and her Transfiguration lessons. The third quarter was by Professor Porky, who had a great hatred for all Gryffindors. The final quarter was made up from various professors for his misbehavior during their lessons.

"Caught. For a moment, I thought it was McGonagall whose voice had broken like mine." Sirius grinned mischievously, partly at his joke and partially at the thought of more detentions coming up. Argus Filch had never been lenient in detentions assignments. In the last few months, Sirius' and James's voice had just begun to break and Remus' voice sounded the lowest and deepest among the four guys.

"At least three more for my list!" James exclaimed. The Marauders already had a drawer all for themselves in Filch's office. They had so many detentions that Filch had dedicated a drawer especially for the Marauders by the end of their second year. They had joked that by their seventh year, they would each be bestowed with a drawer in his office.

"We'll get detention all right," Arabella said as she wrinkled her nose at Filch in disgust. He hated the students for some unknown reason. Arabella had been sent to clean the Potions classroom for her detention by Filch last year, in which she had ended up having more from Professor Porky for not cleaning the classroom properly. She had disliked Filch ever since which was normal because most students did not like the grouchy school caretaker.

"We better go," Lily said in a quiet voice as they walked unwillingly towards the Entrance Hall. Peter followed closely behind all of them, head bowed. He was not as brave as Gryffindors were supposed to be. The six had walked back with their heads held high, as if detentions meant nothing to them at all.

"What could you be thinking of to be outdoors at a temperature of twelve degrees?! Get frozen to death or down with a high fever?! Do you want to spend a week at the hospital wing?!" Filch yelled at the seven shivering students. "Come with me to my office and I'll make sure all of you get a week of detention for breaking this rule!" Filch led the group towards his office. "Look at the mess you've caused, I need to clean the wet floor after this!!" Filch shouted angrily at them. They were quivering in cold even though it was relatively warm inside the castle.

"There are no rules saying that we can't be outdoors today. Besides that was just a downpour. You can dry us before taking us in so you can save the trouble of cleaning the wet floor," James pointed out defiantly.

"Another week of detention for you, Potter," Filch said in an angry voice, spattering saliva over their heads as he talked. The seven cringed in disgust. Filch had always been disgustingly unhygienic, which was quite an irony.

"Argus, Dumbledore wants to see them." Professor McGonagall walked over towards them from the opposite end of the corridor and saved them from their detentions. The four guys actually looked rather disappointed that they escaped detentions while the girls heaved a sigh of relief.

"Let me assign them detentions first. They were outdoors playing in a weather like this," Filch argued. He did not want to let any students off without a week of detention. Otherwise how could he maintain the cleanliness of so many rooms with just him and the house-elves alone? The castle was just too big to be cleaned.

"It's rather urgent, Argus. I'll make sure they get their deserved detentions," Professor McGonagall said sternly at the group of trembling students. They were partially shaky because of the cold and also fearing what was unveiling before them. Filch looked dissatisfied but he left anyway, swearing away.

"The six of you have to go Dumbledore's office immediately," Professor McGonagall instructed. She pointed her wand at Peter muttered 'oblivate'. "Peter, you have to go back to the Gryffindor tower now. Do you understand me?" She then conducted a drying spell and all of them were dried instantly. Peter gave a confused look and but followed Professor McGonagall's instruction and walked towards the Gryffindor tower. "The rest of you: follow me."

"Can we eat first?" James asked suddenly. His stomach was growling in hunger. They had forgotten all about their lunch. Another reason was that James wanted to delay time.

"We have something important to tell the six of you. I spent the last hour looking for you in the castle and there you are, outdoors in such a cold and wet weather. I really don't understand children nowadays." Professor McGonagall started lecturing them about misbehaving and not knowing how to take care of their health, as they walked briefly towards the gargoyle.

The six of them shared a similar apprehensive expression for they already knew what Dumbledore wanted to see them for. They shared a knowing eye contact but remained silent as McGonagall continued talking about the weather.

Peter had given a rather hazy look as he walked back towards Gryffindor tower, though he knew clearly what was happening.

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

"We need the six of you to start practicing your powers as soon as possible," Dumbledore said with a sense of urgency. He had just told the entire story of what he knew to the six of them. I'm afraid you all might have to fill up the unsolved puzzle. I would have asked Sybill about that if not for the fact that this was highly secretive.

"So the seventh savior is Tom Marvolo Riddle, who graduated from Hogwarts more than ten years ago??" James asked again. He knew all these, but he had no choice but to act bewildered. He was neither calm nor composed about knowing what his future held for him. But he had to hide his fears. He had been taught this way.

"Yes, James. He's now known as Lord Voldemort. I believe the six of you were sent here to defeat him," Dumbledore repeated patiently. This is going to be a tough one.

"There are seven things needed to defeat the great evil according to the story," Lily said in a rather timid voice. After she heard the conversation between Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, she was horrified. The terror and fear still haven't left her. She wiped her clammy hands on her cloak again.

"We're unsure of that as well. I hope the six of you can help solve the riddle," Professor McGonagall said with a sigh. Tom Riddle had been a wonderful student back when he was in Hogwarts and now he had turned evil.

"But we've no idea of that as well," James said boldly. Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall remained silent at his comment because they too, did not had any more idea than the six. Both Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall shared a similar serious expression.

"So, I think the six of you should start practicing your special powers as soon as possible. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in my office after dinner. Starting from the coming Monday," Dumbledore spoke up after five minutes of silence. The six thirteen-year-olds were fidgeting a little, uncomfortable at the deafening silence.

"James, Sirius and Remus, you'll be excused from the Wednesdays training for Quidditch. I'll inform Leo about that," Professor McGonagall said grimly. The six of them shared the similar worried expression. The idea of fighting a Dark Lord at the age of thirteen seemed totally unfeasible.

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

"This is not looking good," Lily spoke up suddenly. They had left Dumbledore's office a while ago and walked back to Gryffindor tower in silence. They did not know what to say either. So remaining silent was the best option. This silence is deafening!!

"I'm sure this Voldemort is not that powerful," James comforted the group. I myself am not sure of that. My gut feeling tell me that this is not a good sign.

"If he's that easily defeated, Dumbledore wouldn't look so worried," Lily pointed out. The look on Dumbledore's face was unreadable.

"We can do it. We've got to. It's our duty here," Remus said wearily, after a long eventful day. The full moon was two days ago and he was still recovering from his transformation.

"I hope we can do it. I've a bad feeling about this," Arabella said. I've got this instinct that tell me we're going to fail. Was it part of my dream or something?? This is really not looking good.

"With the power of six, we're gonna be invincible!!" Sirius exclaimed with faked cheerfulness. The atmosphere is so tense. I don't feel good with this.

"We need to try our best," Lily said, deep in thoughts. I thought the Supreme Sevens must be born into pureblood families?? I'm Muggle born. Bell's family history is unknown. But she could jolly well be a pureblood witch. But me??

"Earth to Lily??" James waved in front of Lily.

"Are you alright??" Arabella asked, concerned at the pale look on Lily's face.

"I'm fine. Just thinking."

"About what? Care to share?"

"All of you are pureblood witches and wizards. But me? A Muggle-born? How could I have such power?"

"I could be a Muggle-born as well. Afterall, I grew up in a Muggle orphanage," Arabella said, trying to comfort Lily. I really want to know who're my parents. I can't visualize their faces at all. Sometimes I really envy them with such fantastic parents.

"I don't think so. I've heard of the Figg name being seers before," Sirius said, not sounding very helpful.

"Could it be a mistake?" James asked Lily. She has got a point too. We're all pure blood wizards actually.

"I don't know. I inherited my mother's eyes and my father's hair colour though."

"I've seen your parents. You definitely looked like their daughter. The resemblance was very obvious."

"I think perhaps your grandparents or relatives are witches or wizards."

"But you all are pureblood witches and wizards. Right to your parents."

"Tom Riddle isn't."

"Well, that's true," Lily conceded, a little convinced at that fact. They climbed into the portrait hole and went to their separate dormitories to change for dinner.

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

"Lily!!!" Arabella waved in front of a daze-looking Lily who was sitting rather still on the edge of her bed. She had sat there for an hour ever since she gotten out from the shower after their dinner. They were too traumatized to enjoy their dinner that day.

"Huh?? What??" Lily asked, confused at Arabella's actions.

"What happened to you?" Stefanie asked, concerned about her best friend.

"Nothing."

"We do have our means of finding out, Lils," Arabella reminded her. "Do you want to tell us yourself or want us to invade your thoughts??" she asked in the jokingly but threatening manner.

"It's about me being part of, you know. I'm Muggle-born. It just doesn't sound possible."

"You suspect your identity?"

"A little."

"We can ask Dumbledore about that. I'm sure it's nothing great. Perhaps your aunt or grandparents had magical talents. But well, your parents could be Squibs??" Stefanie suggested helpfully.

"I don't know."

"We'd better get some sleep. We might not have that leisure soon," Arabella advised as she climbed to her bed. I really want to know where I'm from as much as I want to find out about Lily's identity as well. But how can I check that out??

"Thanks Bell and Stef. I'm okay. Anyway, it is getting late. Good night," Lily said. I still have doubts. How can I check it out?? Dumbledore?? Library?? I really don't know. Lily tossed and turned around in the bed, having trouble getting to sleep.

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3