Advanced Wizardry

Chapter six Getting Lost

Humming awakened Nita and Dairine.

"Shut up," mumbled Dairine. She never was a morning person.

"Sorry," Lily apologised.

"Never mind her," stated Nita dismissively. "You're allowed to be in a good mood." She stretched and climbed out of her four-poster.

Lily smiled and continued humming, though much more quietly.

"Why are you so happy anyway?" Olivia asked Lily as she brushed her outrageous rainbow locks.

"I had a wonderful dream," she sang.

"It was about James," said Dairine without opening her eyes. It was not a question. It was a fact, and Dairine knew it.

The smile abruptly left Lily's lips and her jaw dropped open in surprise. "Sweet Merlin," she gasped. "I didn't even think about who was in the dream, only that I was enjoying myself with whomever it was, and now that I think of it...it was...him." After the shock sank in she let out a shrill scream. "I dreamt about Potter and I-I liked it! WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?!"

"You like him," replied Nita simply.

She shook her head vigourously. "No, no, no..."

"Talk to Sapphire," Olivia advised. "She has a perfect relationship, so she could probably help you." She picked up nail polish and painted not just each fingernail a different colour, but each actual finger as well.

"I do not need relationship help because I am not attracted to that arrogant son of a-"

"Where is Sapphire?" inquired Nita changing the subject, partly to prevent Lily from becoming anymore agitated, but mostly because she wanted to apologise to Sapphire and she was nowhere in sight.

Stella informed, "In the infirmary with Remus."

Lily commented, "Poor Remus. He gets sick or hurt so often."

She did not figure out Remus' secret? thought Dairine.

Nita heard her sister. It seems that way. Anyhow, we need to talk to Sapphire.

Yeah. Reluctantly, she slipped out from underneath the warmth of the crimson, velvet blanket.

They left Gryffindor Tower and wandered around before they realised that they did not know the way to the Hospital Wing.

"Great, we're lost," muttered Dairine.

"Really? That's interesting," said a smooth, cool voice.

Startled, the Callahan sisters jumped and turned around. A pale boy a few years their senior with sleek white-blond hair stood there flanked by two hefty boys that looked like bodyguards.

"I don't know about interesting. Irritating perhaps," Nita remarked. "Anyway, could you give us directions to the infirmary?"

He leaned casually against the wall, reminding Nita of Sirius' easy confidence, yet this particular person did not have Sirius' positive energy, which worried her slightly.

"I could tell you, but you need to tell me something first."

"What do you want to know?" questioned Dairine in an unusually cautious tone.

"Nothing much." He shrugged. "Just your names. As Head Boy I'm supposed to know everybody, but I don't think we've met."

I don't think we should tell him, Dairine told Nita instinctively.

We can't lie to him.

Fine, I'll handle it.

Dari, wait!

What?

I do not-

"Well?" prompted the boy impatiently.

"My name's Lauren and she's Patricia," replied Dairine without hesitation.

You lied! Nita did not want to know the consequences of her sister's reckless action.

Did not, she smugly answered.

What d'you mean?

I gave him our names. Our middle names.

Runt, you're a genius.

I know. Don't call me 'runt'. "Now, it's your turn," Dairine reminded the boy.

"Dear Lauren and Patricia, you girls might misunderstand my directions, so maybe I should just lead you there," he suggested smirking.

Dairine bristled at his silky manner. Something was not right. "If you aren't going to just tell us we'll find it on our own."

Sliding his hands into his robes and pulling out his wand he drawled, "No. I don't think so."

Both of the Callahans took a step toward the other in a protective way.

He chuckled to his companions, "I think they're going to fight us."

We could hold them off for a while, but we lose energy after we use a spell and the wizards here do not, reminded Nita with mild anxiety.

To herself, Dairine thought, That's true, and the magic here seems more powerful...Maybe if I learned it I could have as much power as I did when I just got my wizardry, or more!

"This won't hurt a bit," murmured the boy, pointing his wand at them.

In her head Nita was rapidly preparing a shield in the Speech, and only needed to utter the last syllable to put the spell into effect. She hoped a strong shield made by her sort of magic could repel a strong hex of the Hogwarts sort.

She need not have worried at all.

"Lucius, what are you doing?" asked a voice that caused the blonde's cool tone to seem warm and friendly by comparison.

"We were going to play a little game with them." He looked at his cronies for conformation. "Weren't we, boys?"

They sniggered.

The source of the voice emerged from the shadows. It was a boy Nita's age with greasy black hair and eyes so dark and cold they reminded the girls of tunnels. "You are actually going to remain within 100 feet of them? I thought Mudbloods weren't worth your time."

Lucius stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I suppose you're right, Severus. Come on." He ambled off followed by the muscular duo.

Nita said, "Severus, is it? Well, thank you."

Ignoring her appreciation, he demanded, "What are you Gryffindors doing down here?"

"Looking for the Hospital Wing," informed Dairine irritably. She was beginning to wonder if it was worth all this trouble.

Severus thought it was fascinating how the sharp gray eyes of this mysterious girl flared when she was annoyed. Still, she was a Mudblood Gryffindor. As bad as Evans or whatever her name was that Potter fancied, thus he addressed her with disdain, "If I tell you how to get there will you both get out of here?"

They nodded, wanting nothing more than to leave the damp and drafty dungeons.

"There's a staircase at the end of the corridor; walk up three flights and on that floor it's the fourth door on your right."

"Thanks," they chorused, and did as he instructed, leaving Severus to wonder about Dairine. He did not think anything in particular about her. He just thought about her.

Nita and Dairine tentatively poked their heads into the infirmary.

"Hello," greeted Remus faintly. He was lying in his bed and his face was as pale as the white sheets. Sapphire was perched on the edge of the bed with her back against the headboard, running her fingers through Remus' hair soothingly. She glanced at the girls and looked away swiftly.

"Remus, are you all right?" gasped Nita.

"I lost a lot of blood, but I'll live," he said as if it were an everyday issue and not a minour tragedy.

She sighed with relief and turned her attention to Sapphire. "We should've listened to you last night. You were only trying to keep us safe."

Sapphire opened her mouth, changed her mind, and shut it again, waiting for them to say more.

"I'm sorry," Nita offered. She nudged Dairine none-too-gently.

"I'm sorry too," she supplied, glaring at her sister.

"And so am I," added Kit, striding into the room with Peter, James, and Sirius.

Sapphire turned to face them at last. 'Well, you should be sorry," she serenely stated. "Since you are I have to forgive you. That's how nice I am." She grinned.

They returned her smile while Remus emitted a soft chuckle. "My beautiful jewel, that sounds like something Sirius or James would say. I fear you've been subjected to Marauder Corruption."

Everyone laughed.

A new voice said, "We mustn't allow Kit, Dairine, and Nita to be influenced by anymore Marauder Corruption than they have been already." All heads jerked unceremoniously to the door where Dumbledore stood with his blue eyes twinkling. "I have created a spell that will take you back to your own time and location."

Nita's face lit up. "That's wonderful!" Glancing around she admitted, "I'm going to miss you all, though."

"Well, naturally you are," responded James. "Who wouldn't miss us?"

As Nita hugged James she smacked the back of his head as punishment. Next, she gave Sirius a brotherly embrace. Hugging Remus whilst he was lying down was difficult, yet she tried her best. Before she could hug Sapphire herself Sapphire wrapped her arms around Nita tightly. It would have been impolite to give the others hugs and not Peter, thus she hugged him also.

Embraces were too awkward for Kit, so he settled for shaking everyone's hand. He would not miss James, Sirius, or Peter much.

And Dairine? Dairine was nowhere to be seen...

Epilogue Teach Me

Dairine tore down the corridors as rapidly as she was able when Dumbledore announced his discovery. She was not ready to go back, for she wanted to learn more magic first! So blindly was she running that she plowed into someone, causing them both to tumble to the floor.

"You," hissed the icy voice of the individual that had given her and Nita directions.

What was his name? Uh...Severus! "Sorry."

Severus stood up and needlessly dusted himself off. "What's wrong with you?"

Getting to her feet, she mumbled, "I don't know how to use this as much as I would like to." She gestured to the wand sticking out of her pocket.

"Oh? You seem smart enough to know how." By the evasive way he said she could not determine if it was intended as a compliment that she was intelligent or an insult that she only seemed intellectual.

"Well, I don't know." An idea struck her. "Would you teach me, Severus?"

He could not veil his shock. "Are you joking?"

"Do I look like I am?" Dairine demanded.

"No..." Severus actually smiled. "Fine, I'll teach you."

***

"Where did Dari go?" queried Nita, worried.

"Perhaps she did not want to leave her new friends," Kit suggested.

Dumbledore did not know Dairine well; therefore he assumed that speculation was as good as any. "Then we'll have to coax her home by her friends not being here."

"Wh-what do you mean, Sir?" Peter fearfully questioned.

"You'll all have to go with Nita and Kit, not permanently, just for a while. You don't mind, do you?"

James and Sirius grinned and gave each other a high five.

The headmaster smiled. "I didn't think so."

"But, Professor Dumbledore, we can't miss anything that might be on the O.W.L.s," pointed out Sapphire.

"Why did you have to say that, Saphy?" Sirius groaned. "Now we wont get to go."

"Don't be so sure," said Dumbledore. "I think you all might learn something by going, so you are going. When I come to get you I'll bring you back to today."

Remus looked at Nita and Kit. "How will your parents feel about having foreign teenagers from the past in their flats?"

Immediately, Nita replied, "My dad won't mind. We've had exchange students from other galaxies."

Everyone from Hogwarts, including Dumbledore, raised their eyebrows.

Nita shrugged.

"Well, off you go," said Dumbledore cheerfully.

Nita, Kit, James, Sirius, Sapphire, Remus, and Peter all stood holding hands in a line.

"Tempus itum!" Dumbledore uttered with a flick of his wand, and they disappeared.