Reading Between The Lines ~ Remus Lupin ~ Book 1

chapter 59

Tuesday 17, January 1978

"Fuck, it's cold," Lena said as she, Maggie, and Ava walked from the Herbology greenhouse and back to the castle. Snow began to turn their hair white and fingers blue. "I am not built for this type of weather."

"No one is," Maggie said. Her teeth were chattering as she clutched herself tightly. "Also my nips are hard."

"Good thing you've got a jumper on over your blouse," Ava said with a laugh.

"Oh, shit!" Lena cried and began hopping on one foot. "I got snow in my shoe!" Ava and Maggie laughed. Lena put a hand on Maggie's shoulder to steady herself as she pulled off her shoe and shook the snow out of it. Lena frowned as she slipped her shoe back on. The inside of her shoe and her sock were soaked.

"Oh, have you guys read chapter twelve for DADA yet?" Ava asked as they walked into the castle and made their way to the Great Hall.

"No," Maggie groaned. "I tried, but it was so boring I fell asleep two pages in."

Lena laughed as they approached the Great Hall. "Neither have I."

Her laughter died as she, Maggie, and Ava walked into the Great Hall for lunch. It wasn't quiet by any means, but it was obvious enough to the trio of girls that something terrible had happened to cause a river of tears, looks of fear, and panicked conversations that were intended to be quiet but got increasingly louder.

"What's going on?" Ava said quietly, her eyes scanning the room before landing on Maggie and Ava.

"Something bad," Maggie said eerily.

"C'mon," Lena said quietly. "Let's go sit down and find out what's going on."

As they walked, Lena could see from the corner of her eye that most of the other students were reading letters and or listening to someone near them read out a letter. The words 'attack,' 'alley,' and 'dead,' floated throughout the air.

"So you heard the news?" Gwen said, suddenly appearing in front of them.

"No, we just got here," Ava said. "What happened?"

"There was a major Death Eater attack in Diagon Alley about two hours ago," Gwen said in a hushed tone. Lena wasn't sure why she was trying to be quiet. Everyone seemed to already know what had happened.

"A bunch of parents and siblings sent letters to let their kids know what's happening here," Gwen continued. "Problem is everyone's freaking out and no one knows what's true and what's not."

"Hey," Peter said, walking up next to Lena and giving her a hug. She hugged him back tightly. "You okay?" he asked. She hummed in response. "Are you?" she added. He simply nodded.

"Does anyone know how many people died?" Maggie asked quietly.

"No," Marlene answered. Their little circle had grown. Alice, Frank, Raj, Sirius, Mary, and Dorcas had joined them. In a matter of moments,

"Where's Remus?" Lena asked, peering around the room.

"McGonagall called him, Lily, James, and Sarah Preston out of Charms. And the Hufflepuff seventh-year prefects," Sirius said.

"She called Alex and the other sixth-year Gryffindor and Ravenclaw prefects from Potions," Raj added. It suddenly became clear to Lena that Erin O'Hara and Connor Murphy, the Hufflepuff prefects of her year, had been in DADA but not Herbology."

Lena scanned the room with her eyes. She saw Sasha Flourish sobbing in the corner, surrounded by her friends. Michael Malkin was sitting silently at the Ravenclaw table. He seemed almost numb to all the noise. He was in a trance. Sasha and Michael, along with all the other relatives of Diagon Alley shopkeepers and students, were worried. This could be the day when their life was no longer the same.

The hall was so loud and so chaotic that everyone continued talking as Dumbledore walked in. Normally crowds would fall silent when Dumbledore walked into a room.

Lena nudged Peter as Dumbledore walked to the podium. Most of the professors followed behind him. So did James and Lily. McGonagall, Sprout, Slughorn, and Flitwick went to their respective house tables. They were flanked by their prefects.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. The Great Hall fell silent. "Students, I kindly ask you to take your seats at your respective tables."

Everyone sat in their seats. All eyes were on Dumbledore. "I'm sure all of you have heard about the attack on Diagon Alley two hours ago. It was perpetrated by the group known as the Death Eaters. At the moment that is all we know for sure. Hopefully, I will learn more by the end of the day and will be able to share it with you through your heads of houses. For now, please follow your prefects to your respective houses. Classes will be canceled for the rest of the day and tomorrow."

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The Hufflepuff common was quiet as it became full of students when Professor Sprout called them to gather. The first years were huddled together with the sofas and chairs. The seventh years study behind them, prepared to protect them. The fourth and fifth years were sitting on the stairs. The second and third years stood in the corners of the room, trying to stay out of the way. The sixth years stood wherever they could. Siblings and cousins stayed huddled together. Lena, Maggie, and Ava stood together. Ava's brother, a second year called John, stood with them. He stood in front of his sister. Her arms were wrapped around his chest. Her left hand was on his right shoulder and her right hand was on his left shoulder. Lena was sure John couldn't breathe properly Ava was hugging him so tightly.

Sprout moved to the center of the room. The sadness in her eyes was notable to all. "The Ministry has released more information in regards to the Diagon Alley attack earlier today. Nearly all of the perpetrators have been captured. During the attack thirteen people were injured and seven were killed. In light of this, classes will be canceled for the rest of the week and will resume on Monday. Please talk to me, your other professors, your prefects, or your friends if you want or need to talk about this. Now, please go back to your rooms. I think we can all use some sleep."

The whole of the Hufflepuff house nodded unenthusiastically and approached their rooms sluggishly. Lena looked over her shoulder as she walked away with Maggie and Ava. The room was nearly empty, save for Sprout and a pair of siblings. Sprout had held them back. It didn't take a genius to know that two people's worlds were about to fall apart.