Lucy Snape and the Tale of the Knights (Book One)

19: Is it real?

Chapter 19: Is it real?

"Why me..." Lucy whispered to herself, later that night as she walked through Hogwarts after everyone was supposed to be in bed. She was absolutely freezing because she only wore her school uniform and had bare feet so when she walked in the corridor it was as though it was made of ice. 

Lucy had decided that she really couldn't sleep that night, or she refused to because of what she had found written on that piece of paper because it had really freaked her out. How did whoever wrote that letter know who she was? 

When she arrived in the main courtyard she sat up on one of the walls and hugged her knees to her chest, hoping that she could keep herself warm and also hoped that Snape wouldn't notice her absence. 

"You cold?" 

Lucy whipped around and saw no one, her eyes darted left then right, she would have sworn she heard someone talking...but was it to her? She doubted that, no one knew she was out here. 

"Is someone there?" Lucy whispered into the darkness and then a figure emerged from behind a pillar, it timidly stepped towards where she was sitting and Lucy saw Fred Weasley looking at her and handing her a jumper. 

"Me," Fred smiled timidly as Lucy took the jumper with thanks and slipped it over her head and he sat next to her on the wall. "I saw you walking here and couldn't help but feel sorry for you, after all, there's not much of you, is there?" He said playfully, lightly pinching her arm. 

"There never has been," she laughed slightly and shivered. "But shoudln't you be in bed?" 

"I could be asking you the same thing."

"I have an excuse." 

"You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine." 

"The medieval islands are real, Fred, Shona's right although I hate to admit it. I just wanted to think about what could happen if they are actually real." 

"But they aren't real," Fred frowned, staring into her green eyes that seemed to fill up with sadness. "Are they?" 

"They are, they just are." Lucy sighed then stared at the moon longingly. "Now what's your excuse?"

"The moon looks nice doesn't it?" Fred blurted out, following Lucy's gaze. 

"Fred!" Lucy grinned. "We had a deal!" 

"Oh OK..." Fred looked around as though hoping someone would save him from this moment. "I...I followed you because...I wanted to see you, OK?" 

Lucy looked a little taken aback at the words but didn't say anything and looked away from Fred who looked pretty guilty at his actions. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap but the truth is I really do like you, Lucy." 

"I like you too, Fred, you're a great friend," Lucy smiled and although Fred's heart dropped he returned the smile just to keep her happy. 

"Well, I suppose I better head off, I don't want dad to find out I've gone — " Lucy began to take off the jumper Fred had given her. 

"No, please keep the jumper," Fred interrupted. 

"Are you sure? I mean it is yours after all."

"Keep it," he said firmly.

"Thanks, Fred."

"Don't mention it."

And with that Lucy dashed off back to the dungeons while Fred ambled back to the Gryffindor common room and wished that Lucy knew how he really felt about her...

*     *     * 

The days passed pretty quickly after that, the only thing people seemed interested in was packing their trunks ready for the summer holidays. But seeing as Lucy didn't have much to pack she found it more interesting to watch Snape dart around his quarters, looking a little frantic. 

"Are you sure you don't want my help?" Lucy asked again, she really hated seeing Snape in a rush. 

"I'm sure, I'm sure — please, just keep out of the way," he murmured while he rushed around leaving Lucy to think of anything she could do to occupy her time. 

"Can I go to the library?" Lucy blurted out suddenly causing Snape to straighten up and stop his packing. 

"Well, of course, you still have your note don't you?" 

"Right here — " Lucy pulled out a crumpled note from her bag so it was visible to Snape, he nodded slowly before gesturing to the door. 

"I expect you back by at least six o'clock." His voice was firm and something you couldn't possible argue with. 

"I will be," she replied even though she wasn't sure of what time she'd be back. 

Lucy left Snape's quarters and headed up to the Gryffindor common room but before she could even say the password to the fat lady Shona walked out carrying her bag, she stifled a yawn and then looked at Lucy with a raised eyebrow. 

"What are you doing here?" Shona asked as though she was an intruder, passing on her territory. 

"I am a Gryffindor, Shona, I have the liberty of going up here if I wish." Lucy sighed. "Or is that a problem?"

"No, right, sorry..." 

"Now, I have admitted defeat and I know that you are right; the medevial islands are real and if you're so interested in them I suggest we do a little research." 

"In the library?" Shona quizzed. 

"Where else?" 

"Do we need to go into the restricted section?" 

"Of course we do, I have a note so we can share it but only one of us goes in at a time, bringing out findings back to the other one."

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Shona winked and the two girls raced down the stairs and down to the library. 

No one seemed to be about at this time so it was a perfect opportunity that couldn't be missed to go into the library and do a little more research on the medieval islands that were still supposed to be fake. 

"But what if they are fake Shona?" Lucy whispered as they entered the library, Madam Pince watching them as they made their way up to the restricted section. 

"We'll find out the truth sooner rather than later..." Shona whispered back as they stood at the restricted sections gates. "You go first." 

"Why me?" 

"Don't miss the oppurtunity when I'm being nice, I only stay that way for a little while..." Shona said darkly, Lucy nodded then hurried into the restricted section. 

*     *     * 

A while later, both girls had a selection of books to look through and all contained little information of the medieval islands, the only book that seemed to tell them anything was the tale of the knights which frustrated Lucy and Shona. 

"You were right, Lucy, there is no medevial islands," Shona threw up her hands suddenly causing Lucy to stop reading herself. 

"Don't think like that, I'm sure there is. Just because there isn't much information on it, that doesn't mean that it doesn't exist." Lucy replied, stacking the useless books up into a pile. 

"But isn't it best that there isn't a medieval islands?" 

"Of course it is, but who knows what's round the corner, Shona." 

"Nobody knows, we'll never know but the thing is...what will we do if there are a medieval islands?" 

"That is a question I dare not think to ask..." Lucy whispered then bowed her head, suddenly filled with worry.