The Black Star

Chapter 5

*1995*

“No,” he replied quietly. “No, we aren't.”

Harry nodded, not knowing what to say or think. Should he be happy or unhappy about it ? He had no idea. He looked up to Sirius who smiled at him comfortingly. However, the smile didn't reach his eyes that were dark with unhappiness.

“I know, I should've told you about Stella before but somehow, there has never been the right occasion ...” Sirius trailed off.

Harry shook his head.

“It's okay, I understand that. Just tell me, is she maybe my godmother?” he asked.

Sirius looked a bit surprised.

“Well no, but almost.” Seeing Harry's inquiring glance, he added, “Charles Tharen, one of her best friends, had asked her to be the godmother of his daughter Jade who was born a few months before you, first. Stella couldn't very well say no.”

“I see,” Harry said, but he still looked as if something bothered him.

“Is there something else you would want to know?” asked Sirius gently.

He had a feeling that this conversation wasn't going to be short. But that was good. They had never had a chance to talk properly before and letters just weren't the same.

“Tell me something more about Stella,” Harry said. He didn't want to ask Sirius about Lily and James right now because that would certainly remind him of the night they had died and of the years in Azkaban. Harry hoped that talking about Stella would awake some happy memories Sirius had.

***

Stella Decartier sat down on the sofa in her office in the Black Star Headquarters with a heavy sigh and massaged her temples.

“You back, Silver?” came a voice from above her head, speaking through the Vocatus-net that could reach any room in the Headquarters. It was Sean Wraith, one of the Black Star Prime Generals and also one of her best friends for more than 20 years. He didn't wait for the answer and teleported himself into her office. It was impossible to Apparate into or out of the Headquarters, but Teleporting within the building was manageable. Teleporting was highly advanced Apparating, so most of the Black Star employees didn't use it anyway and went around on their own feet in the Headquarters.

However, being second-in-command made Sean an exception. He used Teleporting all the time and drove everybody crazy with his habit of popping into rooms all of a sudden.

Now he was looking at Stella disapprovingly.

“You look exhausted. I told you it wasn't a good idea to go there,” he said sternly.

“And since when do I listen to anything you say?” Stella replied, smiling weakly.

“Sadly, that's true,” he agreed. “But you really should. Look at you! A faint breeze would blow you off your feet. Did you at least find out something useful?”

Stella hesitated.

“Well, most of them weren't able to tell me much...”

“Naturally. Every prisoner of Azkaban goes mad after some time. No point in asking them questions about Voldemort,” Sean said and sat down on the sofa next to Stella who was looking at him with a blank expression on her face.

“Not every prisoner,” she muttered quietly, as if talking to herself.

Sean shook his head. He knew of course whom she was talking about.

“You can't be sure. He probably isn't... but who am I kidding? Of course he is! He's always been insane and we all know that,” he said, trying to sound cheerful. “But back to the main topic of discussion. Any useful information?”

Stella told him that some of the prisoners, former Death Eaters, had talked about Voldemort's habits and some of them even knew a few steps he had taken to achieve immortality.

“So the time I spent there wasn't entirely wasted after all. I didn't dare to hope that they would tell me anything... we might even go so far as to call this action a success. If you can call listening to the barely understandable voices of prisoners, getting nearly mad by being surrounded by all those dementors and therefore getting utterly exhausted a success, that is,” she said wearily and leaned back in the sofa.

“You know,” she continued. “That was my first visit of Azkaban.”

Sean was surprised.

“I didn't know that. I thought it's been part of the Auror training you've had.”

“It would have been, in ordinary circumstances. But back in those days when Voldemort's activities escalated, they wouldn't let people visit Azkaban because of the danger that they could've helped the prisoners out. And well, after Sirius' arrest I was forbidden to go there because they feared I would free him in some way,” she said in a tone that betrayed no emotion.

Sean shot her a sharp glance out of his clear gray eyes. He knew that whatever she might be feeling towards Sirius Black, she was doing a good job in hiding it. Not that Sean didn't know what she felt, but most people had no idea. He also knew that it was no use in trying to persuade her to go looking for him. Sean sighed.

“Stubborn, that's what she is,” he thought.

“What about our new employee? How is he doing?” He changed the subject.

Stella's eyes came to life and sparkled.

“I have to state that he's doing better than I thought. A natural spy, he is. The training is going on very well. However, what bothers me is that he could be discovered easily and that would be his end,” she explained with a sudden sorrow in her eyes that were now nearly as gray as Sean's.

He looked thoughtful.

“Say, did you hire him because we actually need him or just because you pity him?” he asked.

Stella shifted in her seat.

“Well, I guess it was 50:50,” she admitted. “But with the appropriate training he's going to be a very valuable agent, trust me.”

Sean got up and smiled. “You know I do.”

With that, he disappeared, using the Teleport to get back into his office.

A few seconds after his departure, Stella's office door opened and Draco Malfoy entered the room.

*1971*



The hardest competition was between Stella, Lily, James and Sirius. They seemed as if they simply couldn't get along, whatever might happen. Soon their rivalry became sort of legendary and not only among Gryffindors. Whether or not that was a good thing, remained, however, unsolved...



Christmas and New Year passed and everybody returned to Hogwarts full of energy. Lily focused on the schoolwork and became once again top of every class except for Transfiguration. It seemed like that wasn't really her genre.

“Stella, I don't know what to do. There's nothing I study harder for than Transfiguration and I'm still only average. I don't understand it. Potter does nothing and yet he excels,” she complained.

Stella patted her shoulder sympathetically. She knew exactly how it felt when your archenemy beat you in something. She herself didn't mind Potter so much as Black but Lily seemed to have developed an intense dislike of James.

“The way he looks around! The way he moves! 'Oh, look at me, I'm the best! Nobody is more clever than I am! I am the King of Mischief!' Strutting around and boasting, that's what he does!” Lily had obviously reached the point when she didn't want to control her temper anymore.

Stella just nodded along, although she privately thought that all of the above could be applied on Black even better.

“Hey, Lil', calm down. He's by no means perfect. Just think about how he's doing in Charms. You're the clear winner there,” she said soothingly and her words caused Lily to grin triumphantly.

Stella was right. Lily was a Charms genius, whereas James wasn't really good at it. That had always been an immense satisfaction to Lily.

James and Sirius weren't concerned about school success as much as they were worrying about their reputation as practical jokers.

True, they were getting better from one day to another but still, they were often getting caught and most of the pranks they pulled weren't really that special.

Whereas every time Stella and Lily were in the mood of playing a trick, it was something the whole school would be talking about afterwards. In addition to that, they got almost never caught.

On that February evening, James and Sirius were sitting in a corner of the common room musing over a new scheme that would allow them to pull pranks that were really 'bombastic', like James had expressed his dream of success. Normally, Remus would be sitting with them and contribute with his ideas, but that time he had decided to read a book instead. The moon cycle was in its first phase and so he didn't feel particularly mischievous and daring like he would feel in the last phase.

Suddenly, Remus noticed that someone had taken the seat next to him. He looked up and saw Stella who gave him one of her brightest (and rarest) smiles and said, “Hey, Remus! What's that you're reading?”

“'Fighting the Dark Side' by Rowena Ravenclaw,” he replied and felt himself smiling back at her. Stella had something that made it for him remarkably easy to be around her.

“Although I'm sure Sirius wouldn't agree with me at all,” Remus said to himself, amused by that thought.

“I didn't know that Rowena Ravenclaw was that much of a fighter,” wondered Stella.

Remus focused his attention on her again.

“Well, she wasn't really. This book contains mostly theories... but it's fascinating to read all the same,” he explained.

“You're simply a DaDA freak, aren't you?” Stella stated, laughing.

“My fave subject,” he replied, sounding modest. Remus was a generally good student, but sometimes he impressed even Prof. Sheridan with his knowledge about Dark Creatures and other Dada stuff.

Suddenly Stella's expression went serious and she looked directly into Remus' eyes. He noticed that they were now having the color of dark malachite. One couldn't really define the color of Stella's eyes. It changed from amber to warm brown, to all shades of green and sometimes her eyes were even gray like Remus'. For everybody who knew Stella, it was fascinating.

“Remus, I would like to talk to you,” she announced solemnly.

He nodded, casting her an inquiring glance.

“Here?”

“No, let's talk somewhere else,” said Stella and beckoned him to follow her. They climbed through the portrait hole and then went to a deserted classroom. Remus began to feel uncomfortable. What on earth could be so deadly serious that she didn't want to tell him in the common room? He felt a nagging fear creeping upon his chest and making his throat tighten. Did she find out about his secret? Was she going to hate him like everyone did as soon as they had found out?

“Er, listen Remus,” she began a little hesitantly and then went on with more confidence. “I couldn't but notice your monthly absences and... well, they troubled me. Either you were ill, or your mother or some other family member of yours was. That wouldn't be so unusual, but I noticed some other things, too. You were always nowhere to be seen when it was full moon and once, Mary-Ann touched you with her silver bracelet and you backed away as if it was burning hot...”

“She knows,” Remus thought desperately and looked up, expecting to see disgust and hate in her eyes. Instead, he saw just concern and -- could it be? Sympathy. This gave him courage.

“Yes, I am a werewolf. You've figured it out,” he said, his voice wavering slightly.

“This is indeed... very interesting,” she muttered, looking thoughtful. “How did it happen?”

And Remus told her his story: How he had been bitten when he had been nine years old, how everyone had been scared of him and had hated him ever since then and how glad, but also afraid he had been when he had learned that he would be allowed to attend Hogwarts.

“Nobody here except for the staff knows about it and if the students knew, I doubt their reactions would be positive,” he finished, sounding unhappy.

Stella shook her head.

“I don't think so,” she said firmly. “I for instance am neither afraid of you nor have I started to hate you.”

Remus smiled uncertainly. “Thanks.”

Suddenly, a slow grin crept over Stella's face.

“Say, where do you go on full moon nights?” she asked, having clearly one of her famous ideas in the back of her mind.

Remus explained the system of the Whomping Willow and the Shrieking Shack to her. Stella seemed to like what she was hearing.

“So they take you there before sunset and come for you after the next sunrise, right?”

Remus nodded.

Stella's eyes got a very mischievous glint.

“Listen, Remus,” she began. “There's one thing you should know about me. I'm a Switcher. Do you know what that is?”

He knew. “Yeah. My grandfather is a Switcher, too. He's the only one of my family who isn't afraid of me,” he sobered.

“Naturally, for you cannot harm him,” Stella replied.

Remus cast her a puzzled glance.

“What do you mean?”

“You see, when you're in your wolf shape, you can harm only humans. Humans in human form,” she explained.

Dawning comprehension placed itself on Remus' face.

“So I'm no danger to Switchers in their animal form,” he repeated as if he wanted to assure himself.

“Or Animagi, for that matter.” Stella added, nodding.

Remus didn't know what to say. He was positively surprised.

“That's ...cool, really. I mean, it's very comforting indeed,” he muttered.

An idea struck him. Maybe he could persuade his parents to let him live with his grandfather. They didn't like the old man very much because they were a bit afraid of his ability to communicate with animals and to transform into any of them at will. But Remus supposed that they would be only too eager to get rid of a werewolf.

Stella's voice broke his train of thought.

“I was thinking that maybe you could use some ...well, company on full moon nights. I mean, there's not much to do for a werewolf in a house, is there?” she said.

Remus' eyes lit up.

“You mean, you would stay there with me in your animal form?” he asked hopefully.

Stella nodded. “Yeah, why not? But we mustn't tell anyone, okay? The teachers wouldn't allow that,” she warned.

For once, the first-phase-Remus absolutely didn't care that they would be breaking about a dozen rules. He was just happy that somebody had accepted him like he was.

“I've never looked forward to the full moon,” he said with a grin. “But now I do.”

Stella gave him another warm smile. A 'smile no.1', as he had begun to call them.

Now that he didn't need to be anxious anymore, Remus' curiosity took over.

“Tell me more about being a Switcher. Is it hereditary?” he asked eagerly.

“Yes, it can run in families. Both of my parents are from families where Switchers are quite common, so I was very likely to become one, too. It's a bit like the wizard-or-muggle business, you know. Any family could theoretically have a member who's a Switcher as well as Muggle parents can have a magical child.” Stella explained.

Remus nodded. “I see. How do you notice that you're a Switcher?”

“Well, you understand the language of any animal no matter if you've had training or not. For being able to speak all those languages, you need practice of course, but generally, people learn fast. It's also necessary to receive some instructions and training before you can transform properly. But this learning phase isn't that long because it's natural to us, so to speak,” she told him.

This subject definitely interested Remus. Knowing now two Switchers in person, he wanted to learn more.

“How many Switchers do exist?” he asked and took place at one of the tables. Stella sat down as well, expecting it to become a rather long talk.

“How many... well, there are not so many of them who actually know about their ability. People have forgotten how to listen to animals properly. When they hear i.e. a dog yelping, they hear the yelp and it's not intelligible for them. If they really concentrated, they would understand. Some people make an effort and discover what they are, but there are fewer and fewer who do that. I guess that many people don't even know anymore what Switchers are. But do you know that there are Muggle Switchers?”

Remus looked at her incredulously. Muggle Switchers? How should that be possible? But so it was.

“Yeah.” Stella continued. “There are some. But most of them think that they're having hallucinations when they accidentally overhear an animal conversation. They tell themselves they were imagining things and ignore the animal talk from then on. But it's the exception that confirms a rule. Do you know who Francisco of Assisi was?”

The name sounded familiar to Remus, but he couldn't quite place it. He shook his head.

“He was the founder of the Franciscan Order, a community of Muggle monks. And, he was rumored to be able to speak with animals.”

“So he might've been a Switcher,” Remus mused.

Stella nodded. That was what she'd been thinking. They lapsed into silence. After a few moments, something occurred to Remus and he asked Stella, “How come you are so completely at ease with me being a werewolf? Is it just because of you being a Switcher or have you met werewolves before?”

Yes, Stella had. She told Remus about her parents having werewolf friends and about the Salem Institute, the wizarding school she should have been originally attending.

“You know, they accept werewolves, Veelas and sometimes even vampires there. My friends who were older than me went to Salem and when they had their... well, non-human friends staying over the summer, I got to know them too...” she trailed off and smiled, obviously remembering the good time she'd had back in Canada.

Some time had passed since the beginning of their discussion and Remus and Stella realized it was time for dinner. They got up and headed for the Great Hall where they found Sirius and Lily glaring at each other.

“What?! Now I'm not even allowed to defend myself??” Lily hissed, her eyes flashing.

“He used a simple Furunculus Charm on you, Evans! No need to nearly take his head off!” Sirius replied angrily.

“Oh, so you finally gave Potter what he was asking for all the time, Lils?” Stella cut in. “Good on you!”

Sirius shot her a death look, but didn't dare to cast a spell because McGonagall was looking into their direction from the staff table.

“Where is James, by the way?” Remus inquired.

“In the Infirmary.” Sirius explained, sounding furious. “Our dear Ms. Evans almost blasted his head off when she reflected the spell with triple force. Trust me, you don't want to see James right now.”

Sirius turned around and went to the Gryffindor Table. Remus followed him with an expression of suppressed amusement on his face. Even though James was a good friend of his, he couldn't help but grin at the thought of someone being hit by a Furunculus Charm reflected with triple force.

“Poor James,” he told Sirius. “His good looks will be gone for some time.”

Sirius nodded.

“Yeah. But considering the situation, he's been quite lucky. For example, his hair couldn't get possibly worse than it had been,” he said and both of them grinned.

Meanwhile, Stella was pondering whether she should go to the hospital wing to take a look at James' face, but then she resolved not to. She wasn't in the mood of encountering a livid James Potter.

“Say, how did you manage to reflect that spell and increase the damage it would do?” she asked her friend.

Lily laughed. “You know what? I've got absolutely no idea.” She replied cheerfully and went over to the Table with her friend following her.

Stella was grinning.

“1:0 for Lily this time,” she thought. “Potter will have to think of something. Trust him and Black to do something very annoying.”

But Lily and her would be on the alert. They always were. Well... nearly always.

~to be continued~