Geminus

The sixth year students spent the rest of the week still discussing the debate. As the following Thursday drew closer panic began to set in amongst the students about the DADA project practise. The gang (plus Neville) spent Wednesday evening in the library making sure they had covered everything for the next day. While they were there a group of Slytherins, including Draco and Pansy, arrived and were sitting near them. Kara pointedly turned her back on them so she didn't have to see Pansy drooling over Draco. After a few minutes she sighed irritably.

"That's it, I've had enough."

Jenna looked up at her sister, a smile playing on her lips.

"Enough of what?"

"Of work. I'm off to the common room - I'll see you back there."

Kara gave Harry a quick kiss and headed out of the library ignoring Draco's gaze. She had just exited out when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Fearing it was Draco, Kara turned round with a sigh.

"Look ... oh it's you."

Cho grinned smugly.

"Expecting someone else? Maybe Malfoy?"

Shocked, Kara couldn't hide the guilty look on her face quick enough for Cho not to notice whose smug grin grew wider. Kara shook her head.

"Is there actually a point here?"

"Yes - as I said the other day, I don't like how you treat Harry."

Kara frowned - she really didn't want to lose her temper but this girl was pushing it.

"Cho, you are getting on my last nerve. It's none of your damn business how I treat Harry."

"Well Kara, I'm making it my damn business so you had better listen up...."

"Oh get over yourself, your threats don't scare me."

Kara went to walk off but Cho darted in front of her and grabbed her wrist.

"Don't you dare walk away from me, you bit...."

Kara yanked her wrist away, anger now radiating from her.

"Get your hands off me - I'm not some snivelling, whiny little crybaby. I'm the nastiest girl in Hogwarts history. I take crap from no-one especially pathetic little busybodies like you."

Kara and Cho pulled out their wands at the same time glaring at each other. Cho raised her eyebrows - how dare a lowly sixth year think she could match her, a seventh year?

"You wouldn't dare."

Kara laughed.

"Wouldn't I? Everta stateum."

Cho flew backwards, knocked off her feet by the spell. Kara lowered her wand, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"Gosh, Cho, sorry. I guess I have a problem expressing myself verbally. It's something I struggle with."

Cho stood up, a smirk slowly developing on her face. Kara had failed to notice that Harry and the others (including the Slytherins) had come outside to see what the commotion was. They were currently standing behind Kara, most with an impressed look on their face - they had never seen someone take on a seventh year and win before. Cho noticed them, however, and used it to her advantage.

"I don't know, you managed to express yourself pretty well with Malfoy on Boxing Day - but then again it wasn't so much of a verbal use of your mouth was it?"

Before Kara could retort Harry cut across her.

"What?"

Kara spun round, her face falling when she saw the crowd behind her. Jenna drew her wand and stepped towards Cho who wisely decided she was finished and sprinted down the corridor. Harry glared at Kara and Draco in turn, the looks on their faces not helping matters.

"Well? What was Cho going on about?"

"What do you think? She saw you and decided to get her revenge on me by winding you up."

Harry shocked everyone by ignoring Kara and turning to Draco.

"Well Malfoy?"

Draco's eyes flickered to Kara long enough to dispute anything he then said.

"Don't ask me - like I would want your sloppy seconds."

Draco sneered at the Gryffindors and he and the rest of the Slytherins headed back in to the library. Harry turned to the others.

"Can you leave us alone? We need to talk."

Ron, Hermione, Neville and Jenna looked at Kara in pity then went back in the library. Harry headed off to the Gryffindor common room forcing Kara to follow him. They remained in silence until they got inside when Kara quickly spoke before Harry had the chance to.

"Look, Cho has already had a go at me about the Yule Ball ... which I deserved ... but she knows mentioning Malfoy will push your buttons - that's all there is to it."

Harry frowned at Kara.

"There's just been too many times."

She hated herself for it but Kara used the one thing she knew boys couldn't handle - tears.

"So what are you saying? You dumping me? You going to let Cho win?"

Once Kara started crying she found she couldn't stop - all the pent up anger and guilt came flooding out as tears. Harry quickly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her on to a sofa.

"Ssshhhh. No, I didn't mean that. Just please promise me you will spend as little time with Malfoy as possible from now on?"

Kara looked up at Harry, her eyes wet with tears.

"I promise."

Harry smiled and hugged Kara who tried to ignore the voice in her head calling her a liar.

--------------------------------

Thursday came round too quickly for some of the students. Kara and Harry were one of the last ones in to practice that day with Jenna and Ron being the absolute last ones. Jenna and Ron decided to wait outside the DADA classroom whilst Harry and Kara went in and practiced their charm. Lupin stood at the front of the classroom with Oliver leaning against the desk. Earlier on that day Oliver had had to take Crabbe to the hospital wing after Goyle had said their project charm wrong - it had caused Crabbe to sprout antlers. Oliver and Lupin could still hardly suppress their amusement of it.

"Kara, Harry come in, so what was your project again?"

"The one time truth charm."

"And can you explain that?"

"It's a spell that can only be used once a month. You cast the spell and ask someone a yes/no question and they have to answer correctly ... it works kinda like Veritaserum."

Lupin nodded to Kara to proceed. Kara and Harry had already decided that Harry would perform the charm on Kara and he had the perfect question - it had been running through his mind ever since Kara had first mentioned it. The argument with Cho yesterday had strengthened Harry's resolve to go for it even more. Harry thought it was about time Lupin knew about the spell. He was fed up with not knowing whether it was possible or not and fed up of waiting for Kara to say Jenna had agreed to at least consider it.

Kara sat down on the chair next to Lupin. She was feeling decidedly nervous about this and she didn't like the look in Harry's eyes. Harry waved his wand.

"Modo veritas ... Do you know how to bring back Sirius from beyond the veil in the Department of Mysteries?"

Kara met Harry's eyes with a look of panic. She bowed her head but knew it was no good, she had to answer. Lupin looked confused by Harry's question and was about to ask what he meant when Kara replied quietly.

"Yes."

"What?!"

Lupin exclaimed as he looked from Harry to Kara, a mix of emotions crossing his face. Before anyone could respond Jenna burst through the door.

Jenna had been waiting outside not so patiently with Ron. Kara hadn't actually told her what their project was but Jenna knew it had something to do with truth which was why she had insisted on waiting outside the DADA classroom for their turn. Then she felt it - the pendant around her neck grew warm and the chain tightened slightly. Panic flooded through Jenna, this only meant one thing - Kara had been forced to tell about the veil. Jenna knew this was the only reason the pendant would react this way, it was one of the things her grandmother and mother had constantly reminded them about.

"Kara what have you said? I know you've said something, I felt it and I know you did too."

Jenna ignored the other three people present in the room and the looks of shock and confusion and laid into her sister as soon as she entered. Jenna never was one for explanations but this time she knew what Kara must have said to evoke the reaction she got from the pendant.

"It's not my fault. I had to, the charm...."

Kara tried to explain but Jenna was fuming.

"I don't want to hear it Kara."

"Jenna, will you just...."

"I warned you once Shay, Narla's been itching for a fight. Do you really wanna scratch that for me?"

Kara glared darkly at her sister but remained silent. Now was not the time for a display of Shay and Narla and Jenna knew it - not that it would have stopped her

"Kara was right then, that you know how to bring Sirius back from beyond the veil?"

Harry managed to find his voice again to confront Jenna.

"Of course I know...."

Jenna snapped at Harry.

"... And as I have reminded Kara many times I do not want any part in this. Sirius Black is dead, gone, not here anymore, so get over it and move on already."

Jenna said coldly. Kara gasped at her sister and Harry and Lupin's faces filled with anger but Oliver was the only one that managed to speak.

"Jenna?"

"OLIVER PLEASE JUST STAY OUT OF IT."

Harry and Lupin had found their voices again after the initial shock of Jenna's harsh words.

"HOW DARE YOU!?" bellowed Lupin. 'Now there was a man you really didn't want to piss off,' thought the twins as they flinched from the power radiating from him.

The raised voices travelled into the corridor and drew the attention of both Ron and an approaching Professor Snape.

"Get Professor Dumbledore," Snape ordered. Snape knew it must be something serious for Lupin to actually have yelled. Snape made his way quickly to the classroom to find out what was going on and stood at the door, partially amused by the scene before him.

Jenna laughed at Lupin falsely.

"How dare I? I didn't ask for this gig."

"Jenna, will you just calm down?"

Kara was yelling now to make herself heard.

"Not another word or I'll hex you myself."

"Like to see you try - silencio."

Kara had turned her wand on her sister just as Professor Dumbledore arrived.

"That will not be called for Miss Geminus - please remove the silencing charm and put away your wand."

"But...."

"Now please Kara. Jenna you will not speak until we get to my office, do you understand?"

Jenna glared at Dumbledore but nodded slowly as Kara lifted the silencing charm.

"We have much to discuss. Kara, Jenna, Harry, Remus, Severus will you accompany me to my office?"

They all nodded and started to follow Dumbledore except Jenna who stayed rooted to the spot.

"Jenna?"

Dumbledore questioned as to why she was not following with the others

"You want to discuss this then fine but Oliver comes along too, I owe him that much. He needs to know what I've been keeping from him."

"Very well."

"What about Ron and Hermione Professor? We might as well do this thing properly and once."

Kara quickly added. She knew Jenna wasn't likely to want to explain this more than once.

"Very well. Ron, would you fetch Hermione and meet us at my office?"

Ron nodded and headed off towards the library to where Hermione was more than likely studying. Oliver joined the group as they walked together to Dumbledore's office.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you. I didn't mean to, I'm so sorry."

Oliver put a comforting arm around Jenna.

"Don't worry about it, it's forgotten."