Hidden In These Walls

CHAPTER TWELVE

I gave my every thanks to Lupin. Just as I was already walking with Padfoot, visiting Madam Rosemerta I felt something shifting. When I came home I found a pile of food neatly stacked in the corner with a small note that just said, 'I hope this will suffice- R.J. Lupin'. I had smiled so brightly and began dancing a jig there in the middle of the cabin seeing so much food. I hadn't seen that much since my Hogwarts days.

Now, weeks later, Padfoot and I had energy to spare and we were making daily walks, making our rounds about the village. The older man that I had first seen at the candy shop now waved to me or gave me a small nod of acknowledgment (Which was an improvement, to say the least), the rude man that sat outside of Madam Rosemerta's, whom I found out his name was Robert– though he insisted I called him Rob or Bob– now greeted me with a better light about him. He would stop and ask me how my day was going and give Padfoot a few pats on the head, even sneaking a few treats which Padfoot greatly accepted with a gentle nibble each time.

Speaking of, we had just left the Tavern, and waved to Rob as the sun had started to set, "Have a pleasant night Rob!" Padfoot gave him a light bark, padding along beside me.

"You too! And oi, be safe gettin' back, it's quite dark out!" He gave a wave, sweeping up the few leaves that covered the entrance walkway.

"We will, don't worry!" I shouted back walking up the steep hill. Up we went and the cold of the night began to settle in, I could feel my bones shivering. Goodness, it's gotten quite chilly, though I'm surprised, it's only the end of September... We passed the trees and down the winding road before I heard Padfoot beginning to growl. I stopped and frowned, his body was hunched forward, his teeth baring at what was in front of us. Just a few feet away stood Moody, leaned against a tree with his staff in one hand.

"Took you long enough," He growled. I gulped, I never told him where I was staying, how did he find out?

"Moody!... Wonderful to see you... How's Hogwarts treated you?" I muttered, standing a bit closer to Padfoot.

"Horrid, those cheeky brats are full of shite and don't know when a good lesson has smacked 'em in the face!" He grumbled as he stepped forward, the leaves below crunching like someone had taken a package of toothpicks and broken them in half all at once. It was a horrible sound.

"Although..." Moody began to smile, he never smiled, "I do have wonderful news!" He licked the side of his mouth swiftly. I squinted my eyes, I had never seen him do that before, "What is it..?" I asked carefully.

"Potter has gotten past his first task. Though, it took some time for him. This next time I may need some help from you," His staff clonked against the dirt walkway, "Which is why I am here, to ask for your help."

"But you said I needed to lay low. Why now do you need my help?"

"Because if you do then it'll mean one step closer to achieving your dreams," He leaned against the long wooden pole, whispering to me as if it were a secret, "One step closer to becoming an Auror," One step? How many steps were there? He had never mentioned steps... I gulped and shook my head, "I don't know..."

He barked and stiffened up, his back straightened, "Fine, I'll let you think on it. Ungrateful twerp!" I watched in shock as he huffed down the hill, "Don't say I didn't warn you!"

Warn me about what? There didn't seem to be any warning about it. I shook my head, "What has gotten into him?" I sighed and took a moment to collect myself, "Come on Padfoot–" I turned to Padfoot who wasn't there by my side. I glanced around wide-eyed, "Padfoot?" I muttered. Where did he go? My breath quickened as I began to yell out for him, but he was nowhere to be found. Tears began to spring up in my eyes, maybe he was at home?

I began to rush forward toward the cabin I could see up at the very top. In my panicked state and a lapse in judgment, I didn't take into account my surroundings and didn't see the person approaching me from the tree line. I gasped in pain as I felt something hit my back, and my vision quickly darkened. The only thing I could see was a metal leg come into view. Then nothing.

I began to hear the beginnings of yelling. It was a whirlwind in my mind as I tried to sit upright. In front of me, I gaped at the scene. I was sitting in a graveyard, in front of me, the cold corpse of Cedric Diggory, wide-eyed, his mouth agape, and his skin as pale as snow. I gasped and yelped and pushed myself back until I thudded against a statue. Overhead, I glanced upward, seeing a grim reaper with his scythe standing frozen on his tomb, and the name "Tom Riddle" etched into the stone my back sat on. I frowned, where had I heard that name before?

"Don't you turn your back on me, Potter! I want you to look at me when I kill you!" I heard a slithery voice call out. I snapped my gaze to see in front of Cedric stood a tall pale figure, with no nose and sharp-slitted eyes, he looked erratic as he pointed his wand in my direction with a sickening grin. A figure walked passed me, he had shoulder-length, shabby dark hair, and on the back of his crimson shirt, in gold letters said 'Potter'.

"Have it your way then..." Harry no! I tried reaching out to him, but I was quickly knocked back from him, back into the statue when they both shot sparks at each other, their bright beams between not moving, and pushing against one another in a contest of strength to see who would be triumphant. Soon after a glowing field appeared around them, and as it did I felt myself being pushed further and further from Harry. I tried to reach out, to scream for him, but it didn't matter.

I shot up with a gasp, frantically looking around, "Harry! Harry!"

"Shh, it's okay, calm down!" I panicked and pushed myself against the bed frame, my back hit the cold railing, "P-professor?" I gaped at McGonagall, with warm tears streaking down my face. She sat beside me, and I knew where I was at as I glanced around at the large, elongated windows. The hard smell of medicinal herbs filled my senses, "I'm... in the infirmary?" I muttered.

She nodded and gave my hand a gentle pat, "You're safe my boy," she spoke gently. I smiled finally relieved of the nightmare I felt I had been in for forever, "Thank you..." I whispered.

"Don't thank me..." She smiled and peeked over my bedside. I peaked as well, seeing on the other side, Padfoot stood and wagged his tail happily.

"You saved me..." I smiled and patted my bed, beckoning him over, "Thank you, Padfoot," He nudged himself closer with his head resting on the edge of the bed, gazing up at me with big brown eyes. I couldn't help myself, I chuckled and scratched his head, "Such a good boy," He whined and licked the back of my hand, pushing his head out from my pets. It was a shock to hear McGonagall give a short chuckle, "He's quite fond of you!"

"And I am of him... He's so kind."

Her face darkens a bit as she looks down to her lap, "Some others however, I have found are not so kind..." I turn my attention to her once more, "I don't mean to speak out of line... But something is going on around here, something darker than usual. Something has happened to Moody."

My gut sank and I felt it churn, "I agree... He's been sending me letters demanding my presence and seeming much more aggressive and aggravated than usual."

"Her eyes lit up just a bit as she spoke, "If you don't mind, dear boy. No one will believe me about Moody, they keep saying that's just how he is. Would you be so kind as to stick around, maybe pop into a few of his classes as an assistant? We'll need quite a bit of help for the next trial coming up and the Yule Ball. I'm worried for our champions..."

I nodded firmly. There was no way I would allow myself to sit to the side and do nothing. I hated that above all else, "You don't need to ask twice Professor, I would be more than willing to stay and help, as long as Dumbledore is okay with it as well."

"Don't worry, I'll talk to the old bafoon myself and convince him that it will be best, you just leave that to me," She stood up with ease and rounded the bed, "For now, I must go to teach, I will come back to check in on you Mr. Emerson."

How I got so lucky, I'll never know, but I was thankful for McGonagall and for Padfoot. If not for them, who knows what would have happened to me...