Ebb and Flow

Hogwarts, Late March 1976

***

"Althea, wake up," Lily said pulling back the curtains around Althea's bed.

Althea mumbled sleepily and turned over onto her side. She quickly pulled the thick blankets over her head and tightly shut her eyes. It was Monday, and two days since the news of her father's death. She did not want to face the other students or attend classes. She had not interacted with any students--except for Lily and Jane, when they brought her meals that Althea barely touched. Althea liked sleep--she had slept for the majority of the past two days, and had no intention to do anything else. Her comfort came from her dreams, and in her dreams, her father was alive and no one bothered her to talk about her feelings.

"Althea, we have class," Lily said and tugged at Althea's blankets.

Althea tightened her grip on her blankets.

"Althea!" she shouted and grabbed Althea's blankets.

The cool breeze created by Lily pulling off Althea's blankets caused her to shiver. Althea sat up and roughly rubbed her eyes. She hazily gazed at Lily, who was holding Althea's towels and dressing gown. Let me sleep, she thought, looking from the towels and dressing gown to Lily. My only comfort comes in sleep.

"I'm not going to class," Althea explained quietly and folded her arms. "Now, give me back my blankets."

"No," Lily demanded and threw the towels at Althea, "you're going to class."

Althea angrily threw the towels on the floor. Lily did not understand--Althea wanted to be alone. She did not want sympathy or apologetic looks as she entered the Great Hall. She did not want to be whispered about as other students had done for the other three. She spent two hours on Sunday imagining the scenario of breakfast in the Great Hall. She would enter, with a stoic look, amid the stares and whispers as she walked to her seat. Those around her would attempt to say something kind while awkwardness permeated every kind word, or they would choose to ignore her--the awkwardness overwhelming. In class, her professors would give her sympathetic or thoughtful looks as they handed her back her papers, and at the end of class, would talk to her privately about how sorry they were at her father's untimely passing. She couldn't stand it. She wanted to be alone.

"If you don't get out of bed and go to class...your Gran wins," Lily said, folding her arms.

"What do you mean my Gran wins?" Althea huffed, not moving from her bed.

"If you stay in bed, you'll flunk out of Hogwarts. Then, you'll have to go to Muggle school--no choices then," she said and threw Althea's dressing gown at her face. "Now get up."

Althea caught it and threw it to the ground. "Can't I have time to grieve?"

Lily sighed and frowned. "Althea, you can grieve, but what you are doing--it's not healthy," she said softly and sat at the end of Althea's bed. "I'm worried about you...the others are worried about you."

Althea laughed out of disgust. "Tell them not to worry. I'm not their problem."

Lily took her wand from her robe pocket. "That is it!" she yelled out of frustration and pointed her wand at Althea. "You are going to class!"

Althea eyed her friend warily. "What are you going to do? Hex me into going to class?" she smirked and folded her arms.

"Better," Lily said.

With a swish of Lily's wand, Althea found herself suspended over her bed. Lily had picked up Althea's towel and dressing gown, and with slight movements of her wand, drifted her toward the fifth-year bath. Why do I have the best friend that's bloody fantastic at charms, she thought, flailing her arms in the air.

"Put me down!" Althea shrieked as she frantically waved her arms and legs.

"Not yet," Lily replied determined--her wand guiding Althea into the fifth-year bath. "Okay, now," she said and let down her wand.

Althea screamed as she fell into the bath of cold, soapy water. Unexpectedly she felt Lily scrubbing her head with shampoo. Cold? She could have at least warmed it, she thought, shivering as Lily continued to scrub Althea's scalp. What did I ever do to deserve this? My father died and she's treating me like a child!

"I can do this bit myself," she explained angrily, pulling her knees to her chest as she started to shiver.

"Can you?" Lily replied cheekily, and dunked Althea's head under the cold bathwater.

Althea took a deep breath as she surfaced, and her teeth began to chatter. "I w-won't f-f-forge-get th-this," she said as Lily poured conditioner on her head.

"I know," Lily said as she massaged the creamy conditioner that smelled of lilacs into Althea's scalp. "You'd do the same for me.... I love you."

Althea straightened in the bathtub. Lily loved her. Not everyone that loved Althea and that Althea loved were gone--she had Lily. Lily sniffed and stopped massaging Althea's scalp. She tapped the side of the bathtub, and Althea felt the water warm to a pleasant temperature.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," Lily said, her voice slightly shaky. "I'd be lost without you."

"No, you wouldn't," Althea replied soberly and Lily poured water over her head. "You're very popular--don't argue--and have more friends than I do."

Althea held her breath and closed her eyes as the warm water poured over the top of her head. Opening her eyes, she wiped the wet hair away from her eyes and blinked rapidly. Lily lost without her? How could that be? Lily was the strongest person Althea knew, and Lily's vulnerability made her uneasy. To Althea, Lily was everything Althea ought to be...and Althea continued to fail miserably at it.

"I would!" she said sharply. "Whom would I complain to about Slughorn's invitations? He thinks I'm cheeky when all I'm doing is telling him to sod off!"

"Jane."

"You and I know that Jane is too consumed with her undying love for Black--"

Althea felt her neck and shoulders prickle with warmth. She knew Lily saw.

"--and wouldn't listen," Lily finished--Althea grateful for Lily's tact. "You know," she said slowly, handing Althea a bar of lavender-smelling soap, "she still asks me if you told me what Black looks like naked."

The soap slipped from Althea's hand, but she quickly caught it--the soapy water splashing into her eyes. Lily giggled as Althea roughly lathered her arm.

"He had a towel," she replied through clenched teeth.

"Pity," Lily sighed. "We could've told Jane he uses an Engorgement Charm, and in the meantime, wager on her reaction."

"He doesn't need an Engorgement Charm," Althea muttered and gasped at what she said.

Lily laughed loudly--her laughter echoing throughout the bathroom. Althea covered her face with her hands, sinking lower in the bathtub--her skin becoming increasingly hot.

"Oh, I didn't mean that!" she said, mortified. "What I meant to say," she continued, and did not dare remove her hands from her face, "was he is the fantastic and wonderful Sirius Black, and therefore, in all of his arrogance he does not need an Engorgement Charm."

Lily snorted quietly as she attempted to stifle her laughter. "Liar," she laughed. "You want to see him naked just like the rest of us."

Althea quickly sat up and turned to face Lily--her lips upturned into an impish grin. "Us?" she asked with great interest. "Miss Lily Evans, Gryffindor Prefect and bane of Sirius Black's mischievous existence, includes herself in the gaggle of silly girls that would like to see him naked? Shameful and shocking, indeed. I'll owl your mother."

Lily playfully narrowed her eyes. "I'll nick school parchment, forge McGonagall's handwriting, and write Gran detailing your love of wrestling naked boys--especially one Sirius Black."

"Ha!" Althea laughed, pointing a triumphant finger. "Gran doesn't know who Sirius Black is!"

Lily leaned closer and casually said, "It's still a boy."

"Bugger," she murmured, defeated.

Lily rested her hand atop Althea's hand. "Admit it, it would be bloody hilarious if a rumor spread about a random student entering the boys' loo to hear Black mutter an Engorgement Charm--"

"You've thought about this, haven't you?" she asked and smiled with disbelief. "If only McGonagall and Dumbledore knew how truly naughty you were."

"He mimicked you again," Lily replied solemnly. "Jane said it was spot on.... She told me last night as you slept."

Althea suddenly felt a chill and shivered. Could he? A knot developed in her stomach at the possibility Sirius had entertained fellow students with an impersonation of her from two nights before. He had been so kind...noble even. Had he betrayed her confidence?

"What--what did he do?" she asked cautiously.

Lily rolled her eyes with disgust. "Two weeks ago, Black crumpled two rolls of parchment, placed them inside his shirt, and mimicked you from Transfiguration class," she explained, and hesitated a moment before continuing, "and after, he charged a Knut to touch them."

Any feelings of goodwill toward Sirius from two nights previous quickly faded. Althea shyly pulled her long, black hair forward to cover herself.

"An Engorgement Charm is too kind," Althea sneered. "Worse than last week when he coaxed the Fat Lady to change the password to, 'Black is Brilliant.'"

"You're forgetting he had a special password for you, 'I fancy Sirius Black.'"

"I didn't forget," she muttered and rolled her eyes. "Had Pettigrew stationed on the other side of the portrait so no one would open it for me. Potter outside, forcing everyone to enter single file...and Black stood there--grinning--so pleased with himself."

Lily snickered and quickly covered her mouth.

"It isn't funny," Althea replied, feeling her mouth twitch. "Right, it is a bit funny."

"A bit?" she laughed, her lips curving into an amused smile. "You threatened sleeping in the corridor."

"He said that he wouldn't leave until I said it," she replied plainly, allowing herself to smile, "and I wasn't about to say it. It's his own stupid fault for not fully thinking his fantastic schemes through."

"You had to say it though--"

"Because you brought McGonagall--"

"Were you really prepared to sleep in the corridor?" Lily asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes!" Althea laughed, leaning back. "I wouldn't have been forced to say it!"

"You didn't say it, you shouted it--"

"Because Black said, 'What's that? I don't think the Fat lady heard you?'" she finished, impersonating Sirius and folding her arms. "Oh, that obnoxious laugh of his!"

"McGonagall did punish him," Lily reminded and frowned before she added, "the obnoxious git."

Althea sighed deeply. "Why must we have the stupidest boys in all of Hogwarts in our year and in our House?"

"Lupin's not stupid," Lily replied in a singsong voice. Lily squealed and held up her hands as Althea splashed soapy water at her. "Right, stop!" she laughed, and mischievously muttered a charm--the water flowing from her wand tip in a graceful arch and splashing atop Althea's head.

"'Brilliant, Miss Evans! Ten points to Gryffindor!'" Althea said, horribly mimicking Flitwick. "Lily...Lily, you can stop."

"Scowl like Black because he didn't receive the points first," she demanded eagerly.

Althea did her best impersonation of Sirius's "I'm too bored to really care, but you are still beneath me" stare.

"Spot on," Lily breathed appreciatively and the flow of water stopped. "I don't understand how he managed Gryffindor," she wondered, a small crease appearing between her eyebrows.

"At lunch, tell him that he's a coward," she remarked and winked. "I've only managed 'cow.' It's amazing how easy it is to anger him."

"I've called him many things, but he shrugs them off," she replied thoughtfully.

"That's because you're Potter's--"

"Don't even say it!" she warned, sitting higher. Lily's eyes widened and she pointed her wand at Althea as she spoke, "Don't even think it!"

Althea leaned forward, smiling wickedly. "You don't think he's that awful, do you?" she asked with feigned innocence. "His hexes and jinxes of Snape and first-years are just tokens of love, Lily...tokens of love."

"Have Jane call Black a coward and then use that 'tokens of love' bit with her," she replied, tapping her finger against the edge of the bathtub for emphasis, "because, according to your reasoning, Black is unequivocally, madly in love with--"

Althea covered her ears.

"--you."

"He fancies blondes," she replied, grasping the towel at the side of the bathtub.

Althea stood and wrapped a soft, lavender-colored towel around her torso. She wrapped another towel around her head and slipped on her dressing gown.

"Why isn't he dating Jane, then?" Lily asked, standing. "She's his type and she's in Gryffindor."

Althea sat on the squashy-cushioned, pink stool, and began to comb her long hair. "He took her to Winter Fête, didn't he?" she reminded and frowned at the abnormally large knot in her hair.

"And he left immediately after dancing with you," Lily reminded, leaning against the dressing table. "He's acted strangely toward you all year.... I don't trust him. Not now--"

"That my father died," she finished, frowning deeply. "You're afraid he'll take advantage of me, aren't you?"

Lily nodded.

"Not going to happen," she said, brushing out a very persistent tangle--almost too vigorously. "I have to admit he's too smart for that."

Unfortunately, she thought, her scalp sore from pulling, I believe it's already starting.

"I was the one that placed the package on your bed."

Althea's hand slipped and the bristles of the brush tangled in her hair.

"Black gave me the package," she explained, resting her hands behind her on the dressing table. "He was upset."

Althea frowned as she slowly untangled the brush from her hair. "He was?"

Lily nodded. "I refused, but he said I had to give you the package," she said, bemused, crossing her legs at the ankles. "Then...yesterday, he asked about you."

"About me?" she asked and laughed nervously. "What for?"

"If you were all right," she answered distantly--Althea knew she was thinking. "He asked me last night--cornered me the common room...he was very concerned. I told it him that it wasn't his business--"

"Of course, it isn't--"

"--and he seemed...hurt."

"Hurt?" she murmured and stopped brushing her hair.

"Yeah," she said, hopping up onto the dressing table. Lily absentmindedly swung her legs against the dressing table as she said thoughtfully, "I think he fancies you."

"You're joking," she said incredulously, narrowing her eyes. "Black fancy me?" she remarked, pointing with her brush toward her chest. "Likely."

"It's disturbing," she remarked quietly, taking a lipstick off the table.

"It is."

Lily uncapped and capped the lipstick. "May I?" she asked, holding up the lipstick.

"Yeah."

Althea frowned as she searched for the words to tell Lily what Sirius had done for her two days ago. He doesn't fancy me, she thought, placing the brush on the dressing table, he was being nice. Althea cringed at thinking Sirius could ever be "nice" to her. No, he felt sorry for her. The thought that Sirius pitied her was far worse than the thought of his kindness, and she quickly wanted to forget both thoughts.

"Lily, he doesn't fancy me," she said and anxiously chewed her bottom lip. "He found me after I read the letter about my father's death."

"I know," she replied, placing the lipstick on the dressing table, "but I still think--"

"He doesn't," she said firmly, standing. "He doesn't, all right?"

***

Althea dressed and followed Lily to the common room. Thankfully, the common room was abandoned and she could discreetly leave Gryffindor Tower. Althea and Lily skipped breakfast and immediately went to the classroom to prepare for Defense Against the Dark Arts class. As odd as it seemed, Althea felt it would be easier to handle fifth-year Slytherins during Defense Against the Dark Arts than the stares of the entire Hogwarts student body at breakfast.

Lily had cheered up Althea during her bath, but upon entering the classroom, the sadness returned. No, the Slytherins would be too much for her--she needed the comfort of her bed.

"I don't know if I can do this," Althea said quietly as she stared at the blank blackboard.

"You can," Lily said reassuringly. "You're one of the strongest people I know."

Althea shook her head. "I don't feel that strong."

Lily rested her hand on Althea's back. "You can't let your Gran win. I won't let you," she responded and patted Althea's back.

Althea attempted to laugh. "Now I'm not surprised why Gran protests every time you come over during holiday," she said and tried to smile.

Althea heard loud laughing and voices from outside the classroom door and turned to see who would enter. Peter shrilly laughed with delight at as James made a fantastic catch of the Snitch over the last row of desks. One day he's going to lose the Snitch, she thought as she watched James stuff the Snitch in his pocket, then Hooch will have his head. James smiled at Althea as he patted his pocket.

"Morning, Morrigan," James said as he sat behind Lily.

Lily sighed with disgust.

"Good morning," Althea replied quietly and mustered a feeble smile.

Althea shifted her eyes toward Sirius, who folded his arms as he leaned back in his chair and winked at her. I hope he doesn't mention anything about the other night, she thought as she turned to face the blackboard. I know he'd love to use it against me...but I have something against him. He had spoken so openly with her about his family, that thinking about it now, it was still very awkward. Lily was right--Sirius was acting strangely toward her. When did he start smiling at her? Althea did not dare turn her head to see if he was still looking at her--she could feel it.

"Good morning, Althea," Remus said quietly as he sat next to her.

"Oh, good morning," she replied and smiled weakly as she turned to face him. "Sorry, I didn't meet with you the other day, I--"

"Don't worry," Remus interrupted, as he looked into his schoolbag, "I bookmarked the pages so you could find them," he continued as he took the book from his schoolbag.

"Thank you," she replied as Remus handed her the book. Althea flipped through the pages of the book; she was amazed the Remus would take the time to mark the pages for her. "This must have taken a long time," she commented with a tinge of embarrassment, closing the book.

"It didn't take that long," he replied and blushed slightly. "I had help."

"Oh," she murmured as she thought of a person that would help Remus with Arithmancy. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she realized whom it could have been. "Oh," she continued knowingly and Remus smiled uncomfortably.

Unexpectedly, Althea heard the shrill laughter from Peter, and then outright laughter from James and Sirius. Remus, looking over her shoulder, began to laugh as well. She quickly turned to see what the boys were laughing at--Snape, his long, stringy, greasy hair the color of bright orange, had entered the classroom. Snape, with his head bent and permanent scowl across his face, walked to the other side of the room and sat down. Althea bit her lip to hide her laughter, and looked at Lily, who frowned deeply.

Althea promptly turned to face Sirius and James, the two still laughing. "What did you two do?"

"Why do you automatically assume it was us?" Sirius asked, but Althea could tell by the twinkle in his eye he was impressed by his own work.

"Really," James sighed and folded his arms. "It could have been Evans for all you know," he added and motioned at Lily in front of him.

"I'm not that childish," Lily said, quickly turning to face James. "I stopped pulling pranks when I was eleven."

Althea saw Sirius wanted to respond, but was prevented by James nudging his side.

"Having your boyfriend do your dirty work?"

"My what?" Althea asked, bewildered, turning around to face Snape, who stood on the other side of her desk.

Sirius leapt over his desk and Althea jolted forward. "You leave her alone!" he growled, his wand pointed at Snape's large, hooked nose.

Althea sank lower in her seat, covering her eyes with her hands. It was definitely not a good idea to come to class today, she thought as she massaged her right temple.

"Me?" Snape sneered and pulled something from his robe pocket. "You and that Potter--taking all the Daily Prophets--"

Sirius violently grabbed Snape by the robes. "You leave your greasy nose out of other people's business!" he roared and threw Snape back toward his side of the room.

Snape landed with a loud thud against the stone floor, and Althea gasped, horrified at what just transpired. What was in the Daily Prophet? Althea glanced at her desktop and noticed that Snape had left a piece of paper on her desk. Is this the article Snape mentioned, she wondered, eyeing the piece of paper apprehensively. She went to retrieve it; however, Sirius quickly snatched the paper before her, and shoved the paper and his wand in his robe pocket.

Sirius quietly returned to his seat as the rest of the Slytherins, and the always-late Jane, entered the classroom. Jane took her seat behind Sirius, and returned to what she did best--stare longingly at him. Shaking her head, Althea looked toward the Slytherins, and covered her mouth to stifle her laughter at the sight of them; a few of the Slytherins had purple polka dot covered faces, pink or orange hair, or--like Lesley Aaron--both. Did James and Sirius do this for her? More important, why did they do this for her? Althea could not help but appreciate the immature gesture.

"Eck, now my hands are covered in grease!" Sirius said, pulling a face and holding out his hands. "Here, Peter," he added and wiped his hands on Peter's sleeve.

"Don't wipe it on me!" Peter whined, staring at his soiled sleeve with repulsion.

"Where else was I supposed to wipe it?" Sirius explained and folded his arms.

Althea saw Peter frown.

"Mr. Black, please start paying attention in my class," Professor Erlenmeyer said tersely, as he sauntered up the aisle between the Slytherin and Gryffindor desks.

Althea turned to face the blackboard and heard Sirius mutter something about Professor Erlenmeyer and some indiscretion with a hippogriff and a bottle of Firewhiskey. Althea started to snicker and Lily nudged her arm. At twenty-five, Professor Erlenmeyer was the youngest of the Hogwarts faculty--and according to a few of the female students--the most handsome. Althea had to agree that Erlenmeyer was handsome, but his glorious attributes stopped there. Yes, he was dashing, but he was condescending and cruel--outweighing any positive qualities. The male students despised Erlenmeyer--most of all Sirius. Perhaps Sirius saw Erlenmeyer as competition for the affections of female students. She missed their old Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, but Professor Thaddeus had mysteriously disappeared in December.

Althea noticed that Erlenmeyer had finished marking their essays on the vampires of Eastern Europe. It was a tedious essay and Althea loathed every minute of writing it. Erlenmeyer, of course, was the expert of Eastern European vampires, and Althea knew, anything the students would write from their textbooks would be marked on the contrary. He had his own ideas on vampires and on other dark creatures in general, and she found it very difficult to hold her tongue and not to ask what would he like because the textbooks were obviously wrong. She felt--embarrassingly so--a small solidarity in this venture, for Sirius would ask and promptly receive detention. Althea bit her lip as not to sigh with frustration as Erlenmeyer threatened and muttered under his breath that the students should order new books for the rest of the school year. Holding the parchments casually, Professor Erlenmeyer started to return the marked essays to the Slytherins, commenting as he handed the essay back to the individual.

"Ms. Aaron, please on your next essay, attempt to write more than three paragraphs," he said, handing a thin parchment back to an angry Lesley Aaron.

Althea observed Lesley flash her a nasty grin, and Althea raised an eyebrow. She was the worst of the Slytherin fifth-year girls--under the tutelage of Bellatrix, and then Narcissa and the older Slytherin girls. She was horrible because she taunted Lily, and to Althea, no one taunted Lily. Lily never seemed to care though, the words and taunts never seemed to affect her they way they affected Althea.

"Ah, Mr. Snape, I asked for a essay--not a thesis. Please be more concise next time...Eastern Europe isn't that enormous."

Althea heard Sirius laugh loudly behind her and she turned to face him. Erlenmeyer quickly turned his attention toward Sirius. Sirius eyed Erlenmeyer with a distinct air of boredom.

"Mr. Black, you should spend less time admiring the opposite sex, and more time writing your essays," he said smoothly and Sirius roughly grabbed his parchment, "or I should say, spending your parents' money on a better essay writer. It was nauseating."

"Berk," Sirius muttered angrily.

"Mr. Potter, you've surprised me this time. I see you've spent more time on your essay than on the Quidditch pitch," he said and laughed to himself.

Some of the Slytherins laughed as well.

"Git," James growled under his breath.

"Ms. Evans, stop trying so hard," he added as he handed Lily her essay. "Dull, but correct."

Lily rolled her eyes.

Althea's stomach somersaulted and twisted into tight knots. She hated his comments on her essays; it was embarrassing and almost to the point of being unbearable. Althea took a slow, steady breath of air as he approached her. Althea noticed Lesley and a few of the Slytherins with pink or orange hair and polka dot faces looked at the upcoming exchange with eager anticipation.

"Miss Morrigan," he said his voice changing--softer and less cutting. "A beautifully written piece," he added pleasantly, handing her the parchment--his dark blue eyes sparkling.

Althea felt nauseated.

"I'm looking forward to your next essay."

"Oh, bloody hell," she murmured and felt Lily reproachfully nudge her in the side.

Althea wished the chair would absorb her. Sycophantic twit, she thought, taking the parchment from him. My father's dead and he laughed at your manuscripts. To her mortification, Erlenmeyer had read her father's book on werewolves and the current and future problems the Wizarding society brought upon itself with its prejudices. Erlenmeyer smugly thought he knew what to do with what he said was "the werewolf problem." She had no choice but to owl her father the manuscripts--she included a letter apologizing for the author's stupidity. Called you 'a remarkable idiot' for thinking he would agree with your idea of werewolf containment camps.... What's this, she thought as a piece of paper slipped out of her rolled homework.

Althea carefully picked up the folded piece of paper and unfolded it. This is a page from the Daily Prophet, she thought as she scanned the front page. Toward the bottom of the page, Althea made a terrible discovery:

"Controversial Author Daniel Morrigan Dies Mysteriously."

However, her father's name was crossed out and the word Mudblood was replaced, and across the article describing in gruesome detail her father's death were the words:

You're next Muckblood.

It felt as if the blood leached from her face and slowly seeped down to her abdomen. I can't--I can't handle this, she thought, blinking her eyes. I need to go. Blankly staring at the blackboard, Althea placed the article on her desk, and slowly stood from her chair.

"Miss Morrigan, are you all right?" Erlenmeyer asked as Althea passed Lily and started to walk down the center aisle.

Althea mustered an inaudible grunting noise and continued toward the classroom door.

"Althea," Lily said and grabbed her arm. "What--what's wrong?"

Althea looked into Lily's eyes and then pointed at the article on her desk. "My father was blown up," she said her voice strained. "An arm...blood everywhere."

Lily's eyes began to water. "Oh, no," she whispered, shaking her head. "No."

Althea pried Lily's arm from hers and walked toward the door. She did not pay attention to the commotion that erupted behind her. Slowly, she turned the cold doorknob and pulled the heavy door open. Where was she going? It did not matter. As she walked, she pulled her wand from her robe pocket. So, this is what killed my father, she thought as she examined her wand. She held the wand in her delicate hand and examined the wand from every angle. Without any thought, she shrugged her shoulders and threw the wand over her shoulder. Stupid stick, she thought as she heard it clink and rattle along the stone floor. Worthless wool robe, she thought as she continued to walk up the staircase that led to Gryffindor Tower. She took off her robe and watched it as it fell and somersaulted down three flights of stairs.

"I've always hated this damn tie," she said to herself, as she vigorously undid her tie and dropped it at her side. "And I hate this sweater," she added as she pulled the grey sweater over her head. "Oh, and this shirt," she said and quickly unbuttoned her shirt. "Oh, and I can't forget about this skirt," she finished, and shimmied the skirt to her ankles and with a great kick, kicked the skirt high into the air.

Next, Althea took off her shoes and knee socks and flung them as far as she could--in possible hope of breaking or hurting something.

"Loads better," she sighed, and continued to walk toward the Fat Lady's portrait. "Ursa major," she said as the Fat Lady raised an eyebrow at Althea's appearance.

Althea walked through the portrait, through the common room, and up the girls' dormitory steps. What was she going to do? Perhaps her Gran was right--maybe she should attend a Muggle school. The students would not care that her father was Muggle-born there--they would not even know what Muggle-born meant. She could blend in there--or at least attempt to blend in there. She would be Lady Althea--well respected and well liked by Muggles. However, what if she couldn't blend in? What if she was forever known as the creepy girl that no one wanted to talk to because strange things happened around her? Or the odd girl that everyone felt sorry for? She sighed; no matter where she went, she was not welcome. She was underage. She couldn't become a full witch--she couldn't become a full Muggle either. Althea lay on her bed with the blankets underneath her chin and her curtains closed. She had to decide what to do with all of her Wizarding belongings. I'll give Lily all my spell books, she thought as she stared at the scarlet curtains. Actually, I think I'll give Lily everything...Well, almost everything. I think I'll give Jane some things.

"Althea?" Lily said quietly from the other side of the curtains.

Althea did not respond.

She was angry with Lily for she forced Althea to go to class. From someone's cruel joke, Althea discovered the circumstances of her father's death from an article in the Daily Prophet. He was captured, tortured with an Unforgivable Curse the article refused to mention, and murdered--his blood splattered against the walls, and in a pool of blood, his arm. Now she understood why her Gran refused her to attend the funeral--no child should see her parent murdered. Althea tightened the blankets under chin. Did her father think of her as the perpetrators pointed their wands at him to torture him? She thought of her father at first fighting them off, but shook her head knowingly--she never imagined him a dueler.

"Althea?" Lily repeated her voice shaky. "Althea, please, I'm sorry."

"I suppose it's going to make everything better," Althea replied bitterly.

"No, it won't," Lily said and pulled back the curtain.

Althea noticed that half of Lily's hair was blue.

"I--I didn't know about the Daily Prophet," she added as she sat down on Althea's bed.

"How could you not? You read the Daily Prophet every morning. You love laughing at it."

Lily sighed and sniffed back tears. "I didn't get one today. No one did," she said quietly. "Lupin saw the article and alerted Dumbledore."

"He did?"

Lily nodded. "Potter, Black, and a couple other Gryffindors confiscated the ones that did get through," she said and rested her hand on Althea's hand.

"Well, they didn't do a very good job," she muttered resentfully, roughly removing her hand from underneath Lily's hand.

"They did the best they could," she replied and frowned. "The students that did refuse--well--you saw Potter and Black's ultimatum."

"Obviously someone kept it," she remarked darkly and looked at Lily's reaction.

Lily lowered her head.

"You know who kept it, don't you?"

Lily sighed. "It was Black's brother--payback for your comment to his cousin earlier this year," she answered with a slight bit of anger. "Of course, Potter and Black think Snape had something to do with it, but I don't think he's that vicious...not to you at least."

Althea covered her face with her hands. "No," she replied, rubbing her eyes. "His idiot brother.... Oh, I'll hex him into oblivion!" she added furiously, and forcefully pounded her fists against her mattress.

"No, don't Althea. Let Black do it," Lily said pleadingly. "He'll enjoy harming his brother.... He did a particularly gruesome hex when he discovered it was his brother. It was scary."

Althea closed her eyes. "Fine."

She imagined the satisfaction of repeatedly punching Regulus's face, but then felt greater satisfaction at Sirius repeatedly hexing his brother. Sirius' hexes were often nasty. Althea opened her eyes and again noticed Lily's partially blue hair.

"What--what happened?" she asked, pointing to Lily's hair.

Lily looked at her blue hair and smiled. "Oh this? What a juvenile charm," she remarked, and with her wand changed her hair to its normal color. "At least Potter and Black's charms last for a few days. Some Slytherin fifth-year blasted me with it," she added and smiled.

Althea sat up from her bed. "So that was what the commotion was about that I heard as I was leaving?"

"Yes, dueling and everything."

Althea's eyes grew wide. "Miss Perfect Prefect Lily? You were involved in some dueling?" she asked in amazement and Lily nodded. "I see you're on the better end."

"I left before it ended."

"Wait, it's still happening?" Althea asked eagerly and leaned closer to Lily.

"I don't know," Lily said and bit her lip. "Jane stayed though--she hid under the table," she added and laughed to herself. "Jane would trip the Slytherins and Pettigrew cursed them when they fell."

Althea laughed--which surprised her. "Why am I not surprised? She's scared to use her own wand," she replied and stood from her bed. "I suppose Black and Potter were beside themselves with glee--what?"

Lily's mouth opened in shock. "Where--where are your clothes? You didn't walk back to Gryffindor Tower in your slip?"

Althea sighed. "As a matter of fact I did," she replied plainly, as she took a black skirt and purple sweater from her chest of drawers.

Althea slipped on her skirt as Lily spoke, "Those are your things in the corridor and on the steps?"

"Yeah," Althea said as she pulled the sweater over her head. "I left my wand somewhere."

"You left your wand? Althea, you're not acting right," Lily said, standing.

"How am I supposed to act? I just found out that my daddy was tortured before he was murdered...murdered," Althea explained and rested her hands on her hips. "It's not fair, Lily," she added quietly as tears formed in her eyes.

Lily wrapped her arms around her friend. "It isn't," she whispered, holding Althea tightly.

Althea pulled away from Lily and wiped her eyes. "No, no. I'm absolutely sick of crying. I'm too tired to cry," she said as she sniffed back tears. "Anyway, how were the rest of our classmates fairing in the commotion?" she asked, wanting to change the subject. "I have a wonderful image of Martha kicking Aaron in the shins."

Lily noticed the cue. "I'm not sure," she said and bit her lip. "We could go and see if anyone is expelled yet."

"If anyone's getting expelled--it's me," Althea replied as she headed for the door. "I started a riot."

Althea and Lily collected Althea's clothes on the way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, and luckily, Althea found her wand where she left it--in the hall that led to the classroom. The two approached the classroom and found McGonagall and Dumbledore inside. The damage to the classroom was not as extensive as she thought. Althea had imagined unconscious students scattered throughout the classroom--on tables and under desks. The classroom was empty--except for McGonagall and Dumbledore--and a few scattered papers, books, and inkbottles. Althea took a deep breath as she entered the classroom. She would take responsibility for everything. She would be the one expelled.

"Professor McGonagall, Professor Dumbledore, it's my fault," Althea said meekly as she approached the pair.

"Your fault?" McGonagall asked incredulously.

Althea took in a deep gulp of air. "The article--from the Daily Prophet. It was in my graded homework," she began--her palms sweating. "I--I don't have it, but someone wrote, 'Mudblood,' over my father's name and, 'you're next Muckblood,' over the article," she finished, wiping her hands on her skirt. "I left the room as the commotion began."

"I don't doubt that, Althea, but you're not to blame," Dumbledore said as he held the article in his hand. "I thought we could save you from the details of your father's death; however, I was sadly mistaken. The Prophet finds these salacious sorts of details sell papers. It is my responsibility and I am sorry, Althea."

Althea took a step backward. Dumbledore was taking full responsibility? As well he should, she thought as she scuffed the floor with her shoe. He won't tell me why they died.

"Sir, where are--"

"The others," Dumbledore finished. "In Madam Pomfrey's care, and yes you may go and see them."

"Thank you, sir," Althea muttered, looking at her shoes. "I don't deserve this."

The two girls hastily walked to the hospital wing to find every bed occupied by a Slytherin or Gryffindor fifth-year. She would have a party for all Gryffindor fifth-years over Easter Holiday. A small smile emerged across Althea's face as she scanned the room--the Slytherins by far were in worse shape. A few of them were bald, had turnips for ears, elongated teeth, enlarged ears, or--to complement the polka dots--stripes. As she walked by, Althea felt the glaring eyes of the Slytherins. She thought she heard Snape mutter something, but she could not understand him due to her enormous front teeth. The Gryffindors occupied the rest of the beds. Jane and Peter had only a few bumps, but Remus, James, and Sirius were bruised and bloodied. Althea wondered what types of hexes the Slytherins had used to draw blood.

Althea rushed to the edge of Remus's bed. "Remus, are you all right?"

Althea was shocked by Remus's behavior in the classroom. Remus dueling...I don't believe it, she thought, looking at the large gash above Remus's right eyebrow. She had never known Remus to fight actively, but he had. He probably had no other choice but to defend himself, she thought, looking from the gash above his eyebrow to the bruise on his chin.

"I'm fine, but how are you?" he asked, smoothing the hair to cover the gash above his eyebrow.

"Terrible, but you're the one in the hospital wing," she answered and gently patted his bandaged hand.

Remus developed a small smile. "I've been worse," he whispered and winked.

"Thank you, for what you did today," she said quietly, slipping her arms around his neck. "Lily told me that you alerted Dumbledore. Thank you."

Remus held her tightly. "I would do anything for you," he whispered in her ear.

Small, stinging tears began to well in her eyes. Don't start crying Althea, she thought as she kissed him on the cheek.

"What about us?" James asked as Althea pulled away from Remus.

Althea sighed and rolled her eyes as she looked at James, who smiled and winked.

"Come on, we helped, too," he said, grinning and pointing to his cheek.

Althea sat on James' bed, and he feigned a ridiculous groan, which caused her to laugh. "Potter, I know about you and Black confiscating the Daily Prophets. Thank you," she said and kissed him on the cheek.

"No problem, Morrigan. We'd do it again, even," he said and ruffled the back of his hair. "It gave us the opportunity to try out a few new spells." He looked over at the Slytherins in the hospital wing, and Althea knew he was looking at Snape.

"The orange hair is a definite improvement for Snape," she whispered and smiled.

"You're welcome. The orange color was Sirius's idea," James said proudly and looked toward Sirius's bed. "Oi, Padfoot, visitor."

Althea looked over at the bed next to James. Sirius had the blanket wrapped around him like a cocoon, with only the top of his black hair visible. She walked over to his bedside and sat on the edge of the bed. I'm about to thank Black? I don't believe this, she thought, as she was about to place her hand on his shoulder, but thought better of it. She never thought she would be thanking Sirius for defending her. The night on the grounds, the box for transformation, confiscating the Daily Prophets, and the Slytherin duel--what was Sirius up to? Maybe he still feels guilty for almost drowning me, she thought as she slowly pulled the blanket away from his head, or he could fancy me as Lily believes. Althea felt slightly queasy.

"Black?" Althea whispered as she slowly removed the blanket. "Black?"

Sirius grunted and turned tightly on his side as not to face her.

"Black, come on," Althea whispered as she tugged at the blanket. "I wanted to thank you," she whispered into his ear. "It might be the only time you ever hear me thank you. You'd like to remember it...wouldn't you?"

Suddenly, Sirius began to shift and awkwardly he sat up, and her head jolted back at the sight of him. His arm was broken and in a sling, and his face had a half-inch wide gash that ran from his chin up to his temple.

"Are you all right?" she whispered with concern, and Sirius nodded somberly. "How did this happen?" she asked, leaning forward.

"Snivellus," he replied bitterly, looking in the direction of Snape.

"Oh my!" she gasped and covered her mouth. "How--what did he do?"

Sirius frowned and shifted in the bed. "It's not important," he muttered and winced from the pain. "I flew into a cabinet--that's all.... The coward cursed me from behind," he explained and winced again. "A Dark spell, too."

"How awful," she murmured, furrowing her eyebrows. "Are you all right? Do you need anything?" she asked, and helped him in attempt to make him more comfortable as he labored to move in the hospital bed.

"No, don't worry about it," he muttered, refusing to look at her.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "No, you shouldn't have done that. It's my entire fault," she said quietly and lowered her head. "I should have confronted them. Not you, not Potter, not Remus--I should have."

"No, what they did was wrong," Sirius said plainly, resting his good hand on her forearm. "No part of it is your fault."

"But look at you," she said and bit her lip, "you're hurt."

"Don't worry about me, right," he said with forced cheerfulness as he gritted his teeth from pain.

Althea sniffed back tears. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, as she ran her fingertips underneath the gash from his temple to his chin.

With his good arm, Sirius gently took her hand from his face and held it in his. "Please, we're more concerned about you," he said quietly, his thumb lightly stroking the back of her hand.

"Thanks," Althea whispered and kissed Sirius on the cheek.

Sirius tightly wrapped his good arm around her. Althea's heart skipped as she felt Sirius' lips against her cheek.