The Best and Worst Day of the Year
Halloween arrived which was never Beth’s favourite day of the year, twelve years ago her parents had died, two years ago there had been a troll in the dungeon, and last year, the Chamber of Secrets had been opened.
This year Halloween feel on a Sunday and it was a Hogsmeade day, so most of the students were going into the village.
“Are you sure you’re going to be ok Beth?” said Susan giving her a hug.
“I’ll be fine Sus,” said Beth tying Susan’s scarf up properly, “bring me back some chocolate from Honeydukes yeah?”
“Of course Beth,” beamed Susan giving Beth a long kiss before heading down to the village with the others.
Beth noticed that there was a group of first years congregating in the corner of the Common Room.
They seemed to be arguing about something.
“Is there something wrong Emily?” asked Beth walking over.
As Beth had walked over it seemed like Emily and Simon were having a full-on debate in front of the other first year Hufflepuffs, Ginny appeared to be sitting at the back enjoying herself immensely.
“Emily wants to accept some Slytherins into the club,” said Simon.
“Whereas Simon,” said Emily with hands on her hips, “is being prejudiced”
“So we are having a debate, and then the others are going to vote,” said Simon.
“It’s the fair thing to do, Ginny is moderating.”
Ginny waved from the back and looked like she was seconds away from bursting into hysterics.
“Firstly, it’s not fair if its only the Hufflepuffs who get to vote,” said Beth, “if you want the club to vote on something, all the members should be present.”
There were some mumblings of assent from the first years.
“And secondly, we are Hufflepuffs,” said Beth, “that’s something to be proud of, we are open and accepting. We shouldn’t be prejudiced of anyone, Slytherins, Gryffindor’s, muggle borns, muggles. Everyone should get a fair chance, if any Slytherins want to join let them, if they don’t at least they’ve been given the option.”
“Your leader has spoken,” pointed out Ginny.
The first years nodded, and Emily proudly added an addition onto the list on the wall.
“Don’t be prejudiced of anyone, everyone deserves a fair chance.”
“I’m going to go and see Remus, see you guys later.”
Beth picked up her bag which had her sketchbook, travel pencils, and her copy of Anne of Green Gables in it.
She skipped cheerfully down the corridors to Remus’ office.
Because she couldn’t go to Hogsmeade Remus had invited her to stay with him all day.
“Hi Remus,” beamed Beth as she skipped into the office.
“Hi sweetheart,” he said looking up from a stack of marking.
She put her bag down and rushed around his desk to give him a hug.
“I’ve missed you!”
“I saw you in class yesterday,” he chuckled.
“I know,” she shrugged, “but it’s not the same.”
“I know what you mean poppet,” he beamed, “do you want me to put on a pot of tea?”
“Oh don’t worry I’ll do that,” beamed Beth kneeling down by the fire and placing the kettle over the fire.
“Do you have any peppermint tea?”
“What is it with you and your fascination with peppermint?” he chuckled passing her a box of tea leaves.
“They’re Susan’s favourite sweets.”
“Ah yes of course they are,” he nodded making a note on the essay.
“How goes third year?” he asked as Beth got out her sketchbook and pencils whilst she waited for the kettle to boil.
“Excellent, Arithmancy’s one of my favourite subjects!”
“Ah Arithmancy,” he sighed, “I never took it, Lily did, she loved it.”
“Hmmm,” muttered Beth as she took the kettle off the fire.
“What were Mum and Dad’s favourite subjects?” asked Beth as she passed him a cup of peppermint tea.
“Well Lily always had an affinity for Charms, and James was excellent at Transfiguration, they were both good at every subject though.”
“Did they have any favourite sweets?”
“Of course you’ve asked that,” muttered Remus, “you and your sweet tooth!”
“Now then, James used to like Bertie Botts, Sirius and James used to dare each other to eat all the disgusting ones. Lily used to prefer muggle sweets like yourself, her favourites were blackcurrant and liquorice.”
“What?” asked Beth slightly confused as she blew on her tea.
“Blackcurrant and liquorice’s,” he chuckled, “they are boiled blackcurrant flavoured sweets but have a chewy liquorice centre.”
“Cool,” she said as she flicked through her copy of Anne of Green Gables.
“Why are you asking all these questions now?”
“It’s their anniversary,” shrugged Beth.
“Their anniversary is in March, I know I was there,” he chuckled.
Beth looked up at him curiously.
“Oh,” he muttered, “that anniversary, um fair enough.”
“Did they like music?” she wondered as she drew a picture of Anne.
“Yes, but they liked very different kinds, Sirius and James used to like Queen and sometimes the Beatles. Lily used to like Roy Orbison, Cliff Richard and ABBA.”
“The ABBA used to drive James mad,” he chuckled reminiscently.
“Did you know your father used to play the guitar?” asked Remus.
“He’d play you lullabies mostly The Beatles; your favourites were Here Comes the Sun and Hey Jude.”
“I think I remember that a little bit,” she said thinking back.
“I’m not surprised, he played the guitar for you a lot. He played the guitar a lot.”
“Can you tell me a story about them?”
“Hmm,” muttered Remus trying to think for a moment.
“There was one time, we’d been out of school a few months and Lily and James had been going out for nearly two years.”
“Lily and Neville’s mother Alice showed up for an order meeting and thought the place was empty. All the lights were off, and they couldn’t find anyone. Lily and Alice pulled out their wands nervously in case there were any deatheaters hiding.”
“Suddenly from out of the shadows of the house there was a light strumming of a guitar.”
“Oh God,” muttered Beth.
“Sirius, Peter and I started to sing the opening to All You Need is Love by the Beatles. We had been practising for months and we were his backup singers.”
“You used to sing?” Beth gasped.
“Not very well!” Remus exclaimed.
“And it was only because it was for Lily.”
“Frank turned on the lights and the whole Order was there, the Prewett twins Molly’s older brothers were playing guitar, even Dumbledore was playing a tambourine.”
“Dumbledore was playing a tambourine?” stammered Beth.
“You’d better believe it!” chuckled Remus.
“We even had a Flitwick on the trumpet!”
“You’re making this up,” said Beth shaking her head.
“I wish I was making it up, if you don’t believe me ask him yourself.”
“So James, obviously was lead guitar and vocals, halfway through the song he pulled a small box out of his jacket pocket.”
“No!” stammered Beth.
“Oh yeah,” nodded Remus, “he got down on one knee in front of the whole Order in the middle of the song and proposed to her.”
“Did she say yes?”
“How couldn’t she?” asked Remus.
“Lily could never resist James when he got his guitar out, James knew that which is why he proposed to her by singing.”
“That is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard,” giggled Beth.
“It’s all true, and it’s James through and through, he never did anything by halves.”
“Thanks Remus,” she beamed as she got on with her drawing, and Remus went back to his marking.
Late in the afternoon the rug by the fire was scattered with illustrations for her copy of Anne of Green Gables, including Anne and Diana holding hands over a babbling brook swearing to be best friends for life.
Professor Snape came into the office with a steaming goblet or wolfsbane.
“Lupin,” he nodded abruptly placing the goblet on Remus’ desk.
“Thanks Severus,” said Remus grimacing slightly as he picked up the goblet.
“Miss Potter,” he said noticing Beth lying on the rug sketching, “and why are you not in Hogsmeade with the rest of your cronies?”
“Dad and I thought it would be safer for Beth to stay at the school what with the situation.”
“Black?” asked Snape raising his eyebrows.
“Understandable,” he muttered, “Hogsmeade is not all that fascinating in the first place, you’re not missing much.”
“Sus is picking me up some chocolate from Honeydukes so I don’t mind,” shrugged Beth as she sketched, “I know it’s safer at the castle.”
“It’s good to see you have not inherited James’ recklessness,” said Snape shaking his head.
“Don’t forget to drink that straight away Lupin,” said Snape as he turned to leave.
Beth took a look at her watch as she finished another drawing.
“Susan should be back soon!” exclaimed Beth gathering up her drawings and putting them away carefully.
“Thank you for such a wonderful day,” she beamed giving him a huge hug.
“It was nothing really,” blushed Remus.
“I know that,” she shrugged, “but just spending time and talking to you, it was a nice break. Made me forget about school and things for a while.”
“That’s ok little one,” he said shaking his head, “now get on with you, the feast will be starting soon.”
Beth got back to the Dorm where Susan was halfway through pulling off her coat hat and scarf.
“Hey Sus!” said Beth giving her a quick kiss.
“Hey Beth,” she beamed, “I’ve got something for you.”
Susan pulled a bulging bag from behind her back.
Susan beamed as she tipped the bag onto Beth’s bed.
There were dozens of chocolate bars, packets of fudge and bags of everlasting gobstoppers.
“There aren’t any blood flavoured sweets in there are there?” Beth asked nervously.
“Why would I do that?” asked Susan.
“You are the best girlfriend in the world,” said Beth pulling Susan in for long deep kiss.
Beth and Susan carefully packed away all the sweets in the bag before heading down to the feast.
There was so many different kinds of sweets, it was definitely Beth’s favourite meal of the year.
There was chocolate chip cheesecake, pumpkin tart, hot apple pie, bowl upon bowls of sweets, salted caramel ice cream, chocolate dipped marshmallows.
“You know how I always wonder how you don’t disappear completely with the amount food that you eat?” asked Ernie.
Beth shrugged as she ate hot apple pie with salted caramel ice cream, because of her childhood with the Dursleys she had never had the biggest appetite.
“Then I remember your extra-large sweet tooth, you’re not going anywhere.”
After dinner the girls headed up to their dorm and got changed into their pyjamas.
“I don’t even want to look at all those chocolates after that meal,” groaned Beth putting the bag in her bedside cabinet.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Artie as she poured her sweets onto her bed and Ginny, Artie and Hannah attacked them.
“Can I do your hair please Beth?” asked Susan.
“Sure,” beamed Beth sitting down on the bed and letting Susan brush out her hair.
Guinevere settled onto Beth’s lap and Susan started to gently braid Beth’s hair.
Susan had only done one half of Beth’s hair when Penny came rushing into the dorm.
“What’s the matter Penny?” asked Hannah through a huge gobstopper.
“There’s been an attack,” said Penny breathlessly who had been running from one girl’s dorm to another.
“What?” asked Ginny as she stopped halfway through picking another sweet.
“Sirius Black,” stammered Penny, “he’s in the castle, you lot need to get to the Great Hall now!”
“Sirius Black!” screamed Hannah as Susan dropped her hairbrush and Artie’s mouth dropped open.
“Yeah, and you lot need to get to the Great Hall, now!”
Beth’s breathing quickened.
“Oh no,” she muttered, “oh no oh no!”
“Come on Beth,” said Susan passing Beth her dressing gown, “we need to get a move on!”
Beth was starting to hyperventilate as they left the dorm.
Sirius Black, mass murderer, the man who betrayed her parents, was in castle, and he was looking for her!
Guinevere followed the girls from the dorm trotting behind them and following them up to the Great Hall.
Nobody seemed to stop the kneazle. Guinevere knew it was her job to protect her mistress, and if she ever needed protecting it was now!
“It’s ok Beth,” said Susan putting her arm around her as they arrived in the great hall, “you’re safe now.”
Susan found two sleeping bags and set them up next to Ernie and Justin’s.
“Is she ok?” asked Justin as the two girls came over.
Beth had stopped hyperventilating but was now just staring into space as her head felt dizzy.
Ernie glared at Justin.
“Oh I don’t know Justin, maybe she’s worried because there’s a mass murderer in the castle.”
“Oh yeah,” muttered Justin.
Beth settled into a sleeping bag next to Susan’s and Susan pulled her in close.
Guinevere paced back and forth guarding her mistress and her friends, as they turned off the lights.
Beth tossed and turned in her sleeping bag, but she just couldn’t get to sleep.
At gone twelve o’clock in the morning she heard a whispered conversation between Remus and Professor Snape.
“What I’m confused about is why he went for the Gryffindor dorms,” sighed Remus.
“He probably thought Miss Potter would be a Gryffindor like her parents,” muttered Snape.
“Lupin, do you really have no idea how Black got into the castle?”
Remus snapped his head around and glared at Snape.
“Why do you think I would let Sirius anywhere near her?”
“Your relationship in the past,” pointed out Snape.
“Severus,” said Remus through gritted teeth, “that was in the past!”
“Beth is the most important thing in the world to me! I wouldn’t let anyone hurt, especially not Sirius!”
Snape took a steadying breath.
“I’m sorry Lupin,” muttered Snape, “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“It’s alright,” sighed Remus, “we’ve both had a long night.”
Snape nodded and headed off to go and double check the dungeons.
“Remus!” whispered Beth.
“What are you doing awake young lady?” chuckled Remus crouching down.
“I couldn’t sleep,” she muttered.
“I understand that, you worried about Sirius?”
Beth nodded slightly.
“Don’t worry little one,” said Remus brushing a stray lock of hair off of her face, “between me and your fluffy little bodyguard nobody’s going to hurt you.”
“Hmmm,” muttered Beth.
“Try and get some sleep sweetheart,” said Remus kissing her on the forehead before going to check on the rest of the students.
Beth must have eventually fallen asleep because she started having nightmares, but this time it was about Sirius who was laughing madly as he pointed a wand at Remus.