The Silver Doe

Chapter 21

(This is a long chapter, but hasn't been spell checked :()

Chapter 21

~ Girls Bathroom ~

Lillian had worked so long and so hard at this! As she quietly tensed inside one of the cubicles in the girls bathroom - aware of Myrtle being near - she closed her eyes and held tightly at her grey Animagus book. She had now been practicing for months on end. She was yearning for it to work. After trying and failing miserably countless times, she wasn't too sure how much let down she could take. Please just work!

 Whispering the quotations from the back of Snape's book, she conentrated. Hard! She was concentrating so hard that she almost passed out. As time drove her along - with her slowly quivering sanity - she started to get tired. She frustratingly opened up her eyes and glared at the closed door which caged her. For God sake what was it now? What could she possibly be doing wrong?

She had mastered the spell, mastered the concentration and even the whole 'make yourself believe you're one yourself', so why is she STILL not an animagus?

Grunting, she unlocked the door and made her way out of the Bathroom, through a secret passageway; which proceeded on to a short corridor that led to a portrait. She moved the painting of the old man aside.

"What? What's the meaning of this! Can't you see I'm trying to sleep you lit -" Lillian rolled her eyes and lept forward, completely blanking the old, grumpy man.

~ The Forbidden Forest ~

She was outside now. She had to get some air, as she was too wound up inside the toilets. A strong gust of wind took Lillian's breath away for a few seconds. That felt good... refreshing.

Everywhere was dark, in fact, very dark. Outside it was quiet, lit by enchanted candles and lanterns that shimmered here and there.

Oh, and also, it was a full moon. Acting like the brave goat of the party, Lillian made her way forth to the secret passageway near the Whomping Willow, and before she knew it, she was led to an open man-made path which overlooked The Forbidden Forest.

As the familiar feeling of anxiety occured, it began to become overruled by a rush of adrenaline. Lillian was not walking through the woods, nor was she pacing cautiously, she was running as fast as she could through the broken trees. She could have sworn she ran alongside a Thestral, but she wasn't too sure. Where was the Professor? Usually he was in the forest - doing what, she still did not know. But it was intriguing to ponder. Hmmm. Snap. Lillian froze for a second, and held her heaving chest still. Looking up, the moon moved on it's last shift with her coronas extending prominently around it's prize.

What was running through Lillian's mind? What was going to attack her? Who or what was there? Was it a Center, a Thestral, Bowtruckle or Gwap? Oh god!

Hermione's voice running through Lillian's mind was not a soft one; it was a harsh, direct and almost angry one.

'What do you do in the forest at night, Lilly? You know The Forbidden Forest is off limits to students during the day, never mind at night! The teachers are frantic right now, especially with Black still being on the loose. If they found out what I know... you'd be expelled!"

She, out of everyone, was the only one who knew of Lillian's travels into The Forbidden Forest. Hermione knew Lillian's secret, and Lillian was beginning to unveil Professor Lupin's secret.

"Lumos!" Lillian whispered, and her wand began to glow. Not much was around her; only the usual death-clutching vines, creature-made dens and the smell of wood decay and, now that Lillian was searching, she could both hear and see something now. Something, or someone, was nearing to her radius. She could hear it's panting. Was it panting? Or was it just her overworked heart beat? What was happening?

Lillian turned 'round and 'round in circles, begining to panic now. She felt... strage. Different. Pant, pant. Her panting was becoming heavier. She felt like her eyes were going to burst out her head; like two spinning saucers. Then suddenly, everything stopped. Her heart quietened, her eyes closed, and presently she began to simmer. There's nothing there! There's nothing there! Lillian began to use a charm to cool herself down; she felt so hot. There's nothing there. Slowly, she began to make her way towards the passageway which she had set to glow throughout the night, (it made it easier to find) and heading back home, she asked herself: What the hell was all that about?

~ Hogwarts Castle ~

Confusing swept over her whislt she discreetly made her way up a small stair case, through an arch way, through that same portrait again, and when she had passed the last stair - getting ready to say the password to enter the common room - someone stopped her.

"Miss Snape, if you move an inch forward I will add two weeks onto your already escalating detention!"

Lilllian turned around. "Professor McGonogall..."

"Ooh, I am glad you've managed to get my name right, as you seem to have forgotten the times for your bed time. It is half past nine, which means you should be in bed! May I enquire where you were, before I take you to see the headmaster?"

There was a long silence.

"No? Very well then, Miss Snape, have it your way! It will only be harder for you, not me... Now, please follow me to the headmasters office. He's been waiting for your return." She turned around and began marching forward. "Along with your father, too."

When Lillian thought about her heart beat earlier - and she thought it couldn't get anymore vicious than it already was - she was wrong. It was going to explode with outright fear.