Mischief Managed

5: Confessions and Conflict

To all: you're welcome for the most amazing gif that I have ever seen (it's impossible to watch without smiling)
God bless Ben Barnes

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Perhaps it isn't possible for a tragedy to strike instantly- perhaps it must have strings attached, steps and signs laid out far before its occurrence: warnings so easily missed they might as well not exist.

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Once Defense Against the Dark Arts had drawn to much-anticipated close, James and I rushed out the door with Sirius, Remus, and Peter trailing close behind. Thankfully, there were no surprise collisions this time, and the five us sat under our usually tree by the Black Lake. I leaned against the tree's thick trunk, closing my eyes for moment to try to stop the images flashing through my head. Remus and Peter sat on either side of me, while James and Sirius splayed out on a patch of grass in front of us.

James looked at me expectantly.

"So? Going to tell us what your meeting with Dumbledore was about?"

Sirius and Peter leaned towards me in interest. Remus just lifted his head a few centimeters.

"Erm," I stuttered, "He wasn't angry, I guess he knew it was an accident."

"And did he tell you the fate of Snivellus?" Sirius questioned, simultaneously combing back his long hair with his fingers.

"Yeah, he-" I paused for a second, choking on my own words. "H-He'll be fine. No thanks to me."

"Hold on," James held up a hand then said, "Why are you upset? Snivelly's going to be fine and you're not in any trouble."

I inhaled shakily, my breath rattling as I breathed it in. "But what if...he wasn't? What if I really hurt him? Every-Everyone knows that I'm capable of that now."

Sirius laughed. His eyes were bright and smile wide as if he had easily dismissed what I'd just said. "You're worried about people thinking that you, Brianna Convelo, are dangerous? That's rubbish! People worry about people like Snivelly himself being dangerous, not someone like you."

I shook my head. "It's not other people I'm worried about. I'm scared I could have hurt him."

"You didn't. You can't worry about something that's already done, and just the fact that you're so worried about hurting someone proves you're a good person," Remus said reassuringly.

"You should listen to your own advice sometime, Moony," James grumbled.

I stayed quiet, but inside felt much relieved- they all had to be right; I couldn't be a bad person at all.

"Anyway, James, what was it you said you had to tell me?" I piped up, easily changing the subject now that my mood was much lighter.

"Oh!" he said, brightening. Sirius puffed his chest in pride. I had a vague idea of what their news could be, but didn't say it.

"We think we've finally figured out how-"

"To become Animagi!" finished Sirius, a bit too loudly.

A few heads turned curiously in our direction. Remus gave Sirius and James such a vicious glare that I lifted myself a few centimeters closer to Peter.

"Sorry..."

"Whatever, but, besides Sirius and I think we can try in two weeks!" James continued eagerly. His hazel eyes bulged beneath his circular glasses, and he grinned at Remus, Peter, and I.

"Two weeks? What makes you think we'll be ready by then?" I asked incredulously.

"We found some stuff in the library last night, there was this one book in the Restricted Section-" babbled Sirius.