Squeaks, Moony and Padfoot

Chapter 11

Evie's POV

The sky was a beautiful array of orange and pinks when we had set out that evening. Now, it was almost pitch black with small glowing orbs in the sky.

The ground is hard beneath the cushion of soft grass. I can feel the sharp jab of a small stone crushing into my back as I lay on the ground, staring up at the stars. Panting heavily, I wonder if they are actually stars I can see or just hallucinations my exhausted mind has created.

"By all that is merciful, did you have to push me so hard today?" I huff, tilting my head up to stare at George.

He was hunched over with his hands braced against his knees a few feet away. Laughing, he said, "I wanted to see if you would push yourself to keep up with me."

I crinkle my brows together so he can see my fiend frustration.

He chuckles and comes to lean over me while I'm still sprawled on the grass. "I wasn't sure if you would be ready for it, but here you are," he smiled.

Leaning up on my elbows, I take a deep breath, "So how did I do?"

"You're ready to start your flying lessons," George grinned, a smile wider than a Cheshire cat.

My eyes widen, "Really?" A wave of panic sweeping over me. It's obviously what I have been training for but now that the moment is here, I falter.

"Of course, if you managed to keep up with me today, then you are definitely ready," he said. "We'll start in a few days, me and Freddie have a match against Ravenclaw first. We'll start your training after that," he stated.

My thoughts were running wild. At least I have a few days to prepare myself.

"Sounds great," I try and fail to sound excited as I get up to stand on my feet.

George stalks over, "You have nothing to worry about E," he says as he slings a sweaty arm around my shoulders to pull me in close. "We'll protect you! No getting hurt on our watch." He winks, releasing his hold on me slightly.

I push him back a little, so I'm free of his arms. "Ew, you're all sweaty," I pretend to gag, as if his vanilla and gunpowder scent weren't making my head spin.

He pulls tongue out at me, "You're all sweaty too, C'mon we better head back. We are too close to the Forbidden Forest."

It was getting late and he was right, we should go. A rustle in the leaves of the forest had my head snapping towards to trees.

Is that... No it can't be, he's at home.

George grabs my arm, pulling me from my thoughts and away from the edge of the forest, "C'mon, it's creepy out here."

We walk back to the castle in a comfortable silence. When we are back inside, George takes me back to the Hufflepuff common room before returning to his own.

Once inside, I quickly shower and head to my writing desk to find the last letter I received from Sirius. If I didn't know any better, I would have said that shadow I saw on the edge of the Forbidden Forest looked remarkably like a black dog.

After making a horrid mess of parchment on my desk, I finally find his last letter.

Squeaks,

Great to hear you have friends who will teach you to fly safely.

It is a well-known fact that beaters have the best broom control of all the players on a quidditch pitch. Now you have two team worthy beaters to show you the ropes. I am confident you are in safe hands.

Perhaps you will be Hufflepuff's new beater next year!

I did a fair bit of flying back in my day. Always helped your dad with his training.

Hope was talking my ear off, but I was enjoying it. It had been so nice to be around such loving people after spending so long alone.

Can't wait to hear all about how the lessons are going.

How are things with Uncle Moony?

Padfoot xo

Strange. His tone was strange.

He hadn't said anything about not being at home but his choice of words, "was" and "had been" implied he was no longer experiencing those things.

Perhaps I'm over thinking it. Why would Sirius have left home? Even if he had, why would he come here? The place is crawling with dementors. It would be far too dangerous for him to come here unless...

A new wave of fear coursed through my veins. What if something had happened to Hope and Lyall? The only reason Sirius would have left was if there was trouble.

I immediately find a spare piece of parchment and write a letter to Hope and Lyall. It had been a few days since I had heard from them, though this wasn't unusual. We don't write to each other every day. I kept my letter short and sweet, asking them how everything was going at home.

Once I was done, I called for Galahad and sent him away with the letter. Hopefully, I would hear from them in the morning.

I sat and contemplated whether to write Sirius a letter too, but what to say? No. I will wait to hear back from Gramps first.