Serenity Silverwing & The Hogwarts Five

Chapter Three

All Good Times Must End

Last Seen: Dumbledore lost his cool with Snape (Who'd've thought they'd see the day...) and moved Serenity into Gryffindor for the remainder of the term. What will the reactions be like? Will she be accepted?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up with a start at the crack of dawn. It was just my luck that I had an easterly window.

"Ahhh... Come on girl! Close the curtains and gets some more shut eye!" one part of my mind screams. "No, get dressed and go down to the common room to read." yells another part of my mind.

I get dressed, grab my book and crutches, and go to the common room to read.

I set my crutches to one side of the chair I'd chosen, and then sank deep into the squishy chair.

I couldn´t let the Slytherins know I need crutches, so I decided to try a Shamanistic-healing spell on my ankle. I´d learned quite a few under my friend and teacher, Professor Fatespirit, due to my little escapades with the Slytherin Blood Gang. The green healing aura gathers in my left hand, which was hovering over the problematic ankle. I see the green cloud of energy get absorbed into the joint. With that, I attempt to stand.

Attempt was the operative word, I think as I fall back into the char. I sigh and start reading while waiting for the others to finally wake up.

When someone did come down to the common room it was Fred and George Weasley and Guinevere and Gavin Doaraion; mischief-makers extraordinaire.

"Good morning. Off to some early morning mischief?" I ask, not looking up from my book.

This gentle, yet correct, tease effectively froze the quartet mischief-makers in their footsteps. Slowly, they turned in unison to face the invader who dared to catch them at their pranks. In other words, me.

"I think I can safely assume that since you're not answering, I'm correct." I say seriously with a scowl on my face while putting down my book.

"Listen, if this has anything, I mean an-y-thing, to do with Slytherin," I start, making it sound like a threat that made the Weasley and Doaraion twins freeze up even more, "let me know if I can help." I finish lightly. "I don't think it occurred to them to change the password just yet. They won't be expecting payback so soon; after all, I only just got out of the hospital wing yesterday." I continue with a mischievous smile on my face.

They were nearly dancing with joy halfway through my spiel but stop when I catch their attention again, "Ahem! Before I give you a little information, would you kindly direct me to the Great Hall? I haven't been there from here yet and I'm getting hungry!"

*             *             *             *             *

That next week passed by in one happy blur with prank after prank I successfully pulled off; with, of course, the help of Fred, George, Gavin and Gwen.

Bluemoon was wreaking havoc on the other tables and more than once she'd land a spurt right on Draco's food or silver-blond hair. I think she may have gotten one or two very unlucky Ravenclaws or Hufflepuffs.

On Wednesday, Liz had taken me aside after breakfast.

"Serenity, I know that they deserve what they're getting, but your hawk is taking it a bit far," he had said.

"Bluemoon just brings my mail and talks with me. That's all I control." I said defensively.

"Yes but could you ask her to watch her aim? I can name quite a few very unhappy Ravenclaws." Liz reasoned.

"Alright. I'll talk with her but I won't guarantee anything. She is peeved at Slytherin." I answered reluctantly.

When Friday rolled around, Madam Pomfrey said that it would be okay for me to walk without my crutches, which turned out to be a good thing because I would have killed myself trying to get down to the Great Hall one more time.

And at dinner, while Fred, George, Gavin, Gwen, Liz and I were scheming of what to do next, Draco got enough nerve to throw an apple at the back of my head.

I somehow see this out of the corner of my eye. Luckily, I'd had spells in place, so with a flick of my wand, which, I might add, I had hidden in my lap, I could freeze the apple in midair. When I did this, the apple froze an inch from my head, then I grabbed the blasted thing and took a large bite out of it with out another thought given; although, it would seem the Gryffindor Quidditch captain, Oliver Wood, if I remembered right, gave it no less than eight.

I turn around and raise the apple in a mock toast and take another bite. I don't think that I've ever seen Draco and his 'bodyguards' turn quite that shade of magenta before.

"Boys?" I say to get the still-scheming pair of twins and immortal out of their grand plans for pranks on the Slytherins, "I just took care of our Malfoy pranks for a day or two." I finish and take another bite of the apple.

"What do you mean?" Fred asks excitedly.

"Hey! Where did you get that!?" George exclaims his question, barely letting Fred finish. He looks very confused because the apples are on the other end of the table.

"Oh... Draco was kind enough to throw it in my head's general direction. Speaking of which..."

Draco had thrown an orange at me again so I repeat my actions and display it in front of me, "Would any of you like an orange?"

"Er... No thanks." the pair of twins and Liz respond as I peel the ripe orange.

"Oh well. What a waste." I say and place the now peeled orange back where I'd frozen it and with another flick of my wand, it zoomed straight back at Draco's ever-reddening face.

I whirl around and mock surprise. "Oh dear! Did that hit Draco? Sorry Draco, but I just didn't feel like eating an orange." I say, my voice dripping with false concern and apology. I tried vainly to keep my straight face while I glanced over at Draco's pulp-splattered, and juice-dripping ghostly-white face.

"Yeah right! That hit the mark you aimed, or rather didn't aim, for!" Fred exclaims, George would have said the same thing except for the fact that he was laughing uncontrollably in his seat.

"Yep, and now, its time for me to sleep. G'night." I say with a yawn, got up, stretch, and went back to the Gryffindor dormitory.

*             *             *             *             *

I dreamt of my home back in the states.

My mere, pere and grandparents were right beside us until Aunt Lauren took us aside and said that we'd be going to Hogwarts once we turned eleven.

Out of the corner of my eye I see my parents and grandparents arguing and Diana goes to see what's going on.

A black fog crept up on my family and grabbed my parents and grandparents. It was reaching for Diana but Lauren snatched her back to us, then she muttered a few words and we were protected.

When the fog finally cleared, I saw my parents, and then my grandparents, lying on the pavement unusually still. Then they fade out only leaving a key, a locket, a ring and a very special feather that I had given to Grandpere. I could even hear a train whistle in the background.

I woke up, startled out of my mind and in a cold sweat. I quickly write the dream into my diary before I would forget it.

Was that a vision? No, I'm not on a vision quest, so what was that? I think confusedly. It was just a dream. My family isn´t in danger.

I discard the line of thought and fall back to sleep, hoping for something to make itself known to me.

*             *             *             *             *

That morning I wake up early, quickly got dressed, and snuck down to the oak tree. I figured that it was time to bring my hope chest inside.

I must have felt... I don't know how I felt but something or someone wanted me to put my mother's locket and matching earrings on. With that, I moved the last of my possessions into Gryffindor Tower.

After I'd locked my hope chest in my closet, I go down to the Great Hall, and wait for breakfast with nothing to do but wonder what that dream had meant, if it meant anything. It was a surge of power, I think, but what kind? Good or evil? Beneficial or destructive? If only Uncle Trad were here.

"Why were only the locket, ring, key and the starfeather the only things left by that mist?" I wonder aloud.

"What about a ring, key, locket, starfeather and mist?" someone asks, startling me from my thoughts.

When I look up, I see Harry Potter sitting across the table from me instead of Fred and George. "Oh, hello Harry. Nothing that would concern you; I just have a bad feeling about one of my dreams."

"Oh, yeah. I get those every year around now when I realize that I'm going back to the Dursleys' for the summer." Harry mentions as he grabs an apple from a bowl.

"Yeah well, don't feel like that's the only place you can stay. I stayed at the Leaky Cauldron just last winter break. Tom Blaize, a family friend, had to go to Canada for an emergency and told me that I had a room at the Leaky Cauldron." I say off-handedly, grabbing a hand-full of ripe strawberries.

"Yeah. I stayed there the last few weeks of the summer holidays last year. It´s really fun." Harry replies.

"Meh. It wasn´t anything spectacular. I prefer staying with Mr. Blaize. He has all sorts of people through there. It gets really interesting, considering there are a few regulars that like to play tricks." I respond, giving a sidelong glance at Gwen and Gavin, who´d just walked into the Hall.

*             *             *             *             *

When a flurry of wings could be heard throughout the Great Hall, Serenity looked to see if Bluemoon was going to cause mayhem or bring her a letter.

When Bluemoon was spotted finally, she held a thick white envelope in her talons, and dropped it squarely on to Serenity's empty plate.

It isn't from mere, pere or grandpere. It can't be Diana; it's too neat, too professional. Serenity thought worriedly. Who is it from?

Serenity tore open the envelope and a ring and a key fell from the package. Serenity recognized the ring as her mother's. Scared, Serenity read the letter:

Dear Miss Silverwing,

             It is my regrettable duty to inform you of the passing of your parents, Mr. Lunez and Mrs. Bloodmoon-Lunez, your grandfather, Mr. Starrefeather, and your grandmother, Mrs. Windlight-Starrefeather in a train derailment along with all aboard the train.

             My sources have informed me that you are currently residing at your live-in academy. I have also been told that you live in an apartment in London during your school breaks and that your sister, Miss Featheredmoon, will be attending your academy in September.

             Your sister will arrive at London Int'l Airport, Gate 72a, at five 'o' clock p.m. on July 14^th.

             I am sorry that you were unable to attend their services but your aunt wanted you to have this key and ring although the reason escapes me.

                                      Have a better summer.

                                                                           Regrettably Yours,

Andrew P. Parkinson

                                                                           Andrew P. Parkinson

                                                                           Chief of the Topeka Police Dept.

Serenity was shocked beyond words and to tears. I was wrong. My dream did mean they were in danger.

Then she noticed that there was a p.s. in a different handwriting.

P.S.

Serenity,

If you need anything at all, just send Bluemoon back with word.

                                                                           Sincerely, With Love,

                                                                           Lauren Blacksun

"No." Serenity whispers, disbelieving. But then the ring proved that her mother was dead; she'd have never taken it off, forced or willingly since Diana and herself had given it to her for her birthday.

The letter dropped to the table but Serenity continued to stare at the space between her hands, tears streaming down her face.

Suddenly, she snapped and ran from the table, leaving the ring and key on the plate where they'd fallen.

"But mum! She's a Slytherin!" Ron could be heard moaning from beside Harry. Curious, Harry leans over to see what Ron was complaining about.

"Hey. What's wrong?" Harry asks, trying to read the letter in Ron's hands.

"Ah man! Mum wants to have Silverwing stay the summer." Ron moans again, but the twins perk up from their previous scheming, "Serenity? Stay at our place? For the summer?"

When Ron nodded, they started sniggering incessantly. "Oy! Fred, George, it's not funny! She has a sister that's coming on the fourteenth. It's as if it's not bad enough that that stuck-up Slytherin, Silverwing, is coming but we have to put up with her sister too?"

"Sister?" the twins ask, then laughing even more, Fred and George huddle, occasional laughter rose from the scheming twins.

"Why would your mum want Serenity to stay the summer? She stays with someone already." Harry asks, thoroughly confused.

"Her parents and grandparents died. It was all over the Daily Prophet this morning. I suspect that's why she ran off." Ron answers, pointing at her Serenity's now vacant seat.

"Oh. Well, I'm done, I'll see you later." Harry said, and left the table.

Through the myriad pathways that lead to the Gryffindor tower, Harry wondered where Serenity could have gone. Sure, she was a pain, but he suspected that that was only because she'd been with the Slytherins so long that all she knew now was coldness.

Harry arrived at the Fat Lady's portrait and, after mentioning the password to her, he entered to find Serenity sobbing on the floor halfway to the door that lead to the Girls' dormitories. She almost looked as if she was sleeping but then you would see her shaking with sobs.

Quite suddenly, Serenity stopped shaking and the sounds of muffled crying subsided. Harry, stunned, hadn't moved from the entry and was startled when someone yelled at him to get out of the way. That someone turned out to be two some ones that turned out to be Fred and George.

"What happened to Serenity? She ran..." Fred started but trailed off when he saw Serenity lying on the floor.

"Uh oh. Looks like we'll need Gwen." George said once he saw the scene in front of the trio. "Harry, go get her."

Harry left, and Fred and George set to, what they thought of as, 'the impossible task' of getting the sleeping Serenity on to one of the couches.

Which would explain why they were amazed to find that Fred could lift her with no problem. "Wonder how many meals she missed at Slytherin?" George asks his twin jokingly.

"Probably all of 'em." Fred answers right after he laid Serenity's slight body on the soft couch.

"I wonder whose ring this was?" Fred wonders aloud, taking a small ring that had a single, diamond-shaped aquamarine with two small rubies on either side.

George takes the ring from his brother and looks at it carefully. "Probably her mum's. You know? One of those mothers' rings. Didn't she say her sister was born in July too? The aqua-colored one must be her mum's favorite stone."

The twins hear someone say the password to the Fat Lady outside. Fred snatches the ring back and quickly puts it back in his pocket with the key that Serenity had left on her plate along with the ring.

Harry comes in through the portrait hole, followed by Guinevere, and to the twins' shock, Liz as well.

"Gwen and I can handle this. Go on. Shoo!" Liz urges while picking Serenity up off the couch.

"Poor thing. First, Slytherin. Now this? As if it wasn´t bad enough." Liz mutters under her breath.

Guinevere looks up at the immortal, "Why? What happened?"

"Her grandparents and parents died last night at midnight our time along with a whole train full of magic folk. Rumors say that You-Know-Who regained enough strength to derail a train and kill everyone onboard."

Guinevere falls silent and trails behind Liz.

*             *             *             *             *

I woke up, startled to find myself lying in my bed. Then I remembered all the awful events of the morning.

The letter said that my parents and my grandparents died in a train derailment. That fits with the whistle in the background after the mist receded. Lauren had probably taken out Diana so that would fit. The locket I had so that had to be left behind. The key could have been found in Grandpere's pocket and the ring would have been taken off Maman for the interment. I was so blind to think that the dream wasn´t a sign.

But why? And how? Did it have to happen? Could it have been stopped? I stem the flow of unanswerable questions and open the green drapes surrounding my bed. I'm relieved to find some lunch and a copy of the Daily Prophet.

There was a note. 'Serenity, I should really be taking pictures of Snape's face since the Slytherin incident. Especially the morning after, he looked utterly sick! He's still not over the loss of the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, again. Of course, I'm not helping him much. Anyway, I found an article at The Three Broomsticks on what happened last night. I thought you might want to read it before it gets read to you. I'll see you as soon as I can. Liz'

"I wonder what really happened." I ask the air, knowing that it wasn´t just a normal train derailment, and pick up the paper.

Sure enough, right in the headline.

WIZARD TRAIN DERAILMENT IN AMERICA

At 6 PM, Central Standard Time, a train full of wizards and shamans derailed due to unknown, dark forces that killed all on-board. It is confirmed that roughly twenty people on the wrecked train were squibs.

While most reports remain unconfirmed, the most notable of the known deaths was that of shaman wizard Stephan Starrefeather, creator of the new Communicorbs, his wife, shamaness witch Andrea Windlight-Starrefeather and head of Jemz Ink unltd, his plant-mage daughter, Kira Bloodmoon-Lunez, and her metal-mage husband, Anthony Lunez.

(Cont. Page 8 TRAIN)

I set the paper down, not caring to read more. I´m a blind fool. I couldn´t have done anything. The train crash was at the same time as my dream.

I stopped my thoughts and ate greedily at the meal that'd been left.

A good half an hour later the door opening frightened me. I squeaked my surprise and nearly tipped my juice over.

In came Hermione, and Lavender, each carrying a pile of books, and Gwen with a deck of muggle playing cards. I grab the curtains and pull them shut. I didn´t want to talk.

"Serenity?" Gwen asks tentatively. I ignore her, turning to look out the window at the mostly clear June sky.

I´ll get who did this. I swear, by everything I hold holy, I´ll get who tore my family apart.

Clouds were gathering on the western horizon. An ever-so-faint roll of thunder reaches my sensitive ears. A storm is coming... And I´ll fight it with my last breath.