I'm not a coward, just shy (Hogwarts fanfic)

ch 7- the black dog

I sat in the open window sill of the Hospital wing, Guitar in hand watching the shadows move over the grass. I have had a come down with some kind of vomiting Virus and had throw up a considerable amount of yellow ish green fluid, the night before. Once I had empty everything possible from my stomach I stopped being sick but even now I was feeling quite rotten. My guts twisted and cramped and I felt freezing and yet I was boiling to the touch. I hadn't had many visitors except from Luna and Remus who both kept their distance even though if they had caught the bug it was unlikely to be as harmful. Remus had been kind on finding out about my condition. I just in a way he knew exactly what i was going though. He knew which questions were ok to ask and didn't give me any of the crap I would normally get from people when they visited me. He just treated me normally, picking up my homework and catch up study supplies. In return, the night after a full mood if I wasn't already in the hospital wing myself I would visit him. He always seemed pleased to see me, no matter how tired or battered he appeared, he would sit and muse over memories of my family that would never be mine. He told me about the time that my father fall out of a three trying to impress my mother. How she had been the only girl had never showed any interest in my father. How she was sweet and Shy herself, and blushed easily, which when he point out I did the same, my cheeks grew a deep scarlet.

A lot else had happened at the school at the times where I was either sick or in the room of requirement. One morning when I had felt faint, so I had gone to the infirmary, just to get something for the pain. The next minute I know, Malfoy was rushed in making quite the scene. He had a gash in his arm but was acting as if it had been bitten off. He howled in pain like a toddler that scraped it's knee. Hagrid stood looking worried and it was obvious, something had gone wrong during his lesson.

Sirius Black had also been sighted and had slashed the fat lady's portent when he was refused entry. Filch had to search most of the school before they floor her. She was terrified and refused to go back to guarding the common room. Now they have a portent of some Knight, who either flirts or challenges anyone who passes. He also changes the password far too often, with little to no warning. This is all his fault. Part of me wished he had stayed to rot in the jail cell. I felt dirty, having his blood coursing through my veins. The blood of a murder.

I snapped out of my thoughts and sucked in a breath. I couldn't let my emotions run away with me or feel sorry for myself. How would I live the little life I had otherwise. I chuckled at my momentary stupidity and my fingers beginning to dance over the strings as I enjoyed there song. That's all life was. A song. Life was song and have the ability to bring people together. To make people feel the same. To bring emotions like love, lust, sadness, even anger to the surface. It is short and sometimes people remember the lyrics and sometimes they are forgotten. But they all must come an end. There is no replays in life. I smiled softly to myself. My song wasn't over just yet, so I should stop acting as if that was so. I am not dead just yet.

Light from the few lights still on inside the castle, reflected off a pair of black eyes. It was hard to make out it's outline because the animal was covered in pitch black fur. It padded silently towards me, attracted by the sound or at least it seemed that way. I turned so my feet dangled out of the window.

"You like music" I chuckled at was I could see now was a large black dog. Could this be the one for my visions? I asked myself. It cocked it's head as if to listen closer.

"My name is Taylor, Your name?" I asked the dog, fully aware I would never get an answer.

"You look like a Snuffles, I am going to call you Snuffles." I laughed and if a dog could look like it was saying 'Really, is that the best name you could of came up with', this dog did it.

"Don't look at me like that" I laughed, "It's so cliché that no one calls their dogs that I swear" The dog give a huffing bark which sounded almost like a laugh.

"So where you come from, I have seen you in my visions, so you must be important. Are you someone's pet, someone who lives in Hogsmeade maybe?" The dog stiffed at my leg.

"I am sorry I don't have any food, Snuffles. You should go back to your owner, I am sure their worried. Plus a wanted criminal has been seen about. You wouldn't want to bump into him. Like asking for trouble" I sighed, looking up at the stars that light up the sky like strings of fairy lights, the moon only half full.

"I am sure the stars will guide you home. Maybe one day, they will guide me home. I just haven't figured out their directions yet" I looked back at Snuffles who had rubbed his head up against my leg.

"I must be crazy" I stopped playing to scratch the dog behind the ear, "Talking to a dog, You probably don't even understand".

"I should be going before Madam Pomfrey catches me. Goodbye Snuffles" The dog seemed to nod about dashing into the darkness, Disappearing as if it was made of shadow.

I slipped into bed and that night I dreamed not of the future but though the eyes of that dog. I could run at speeds not possible in this body. Ear every sound of the forest, feel the wind through the fur I didn't have. I save a small rabbit and I chased it. At first it was too fast but I got a lucky break, as it slipped on the wet leaves and the taste of metal woke me. I had bitten my tongue in my sleep and the pain was what had waked me.

The Next day Madam allowed me to leave the hospital wing the next day which was good because it was Harry's first Quidditch match against Hufflepuff today. It was meant to be Slytherin but they wiggled their way out of it because seeker "still hadn't healed". It actuality the weather was so bad you couldn't see three feet in front of your face. The rain fell in sheets and plastered my hair to my scalp in seconds. The droplets on my glasses only making visible worse.

"Are you sure you should be out in such bad weather, You also just got out of the hospital" Luna asked the wistful, dreamy way she had, leaning in to be heard over the storm. I nodded, trying unsuccessful to keep control of the umbrella I Had.

"I will be fine, Madam Pomfrey said I was better" I had to also lean close to her ear. I squinted my eyes just able to make out the two teams fighting their way onto the pitch. "It's starting I shouted". Madam Hooch Words were taken by the wind and she started the game. They were off and I quickly lost all sense of what was going on in the match. Sometimes I would see a flash of red robes or a broom rush pasted and Lee Jordan's voice was almost unheard. I felt an all too familiar twist in my gut, it was uneasily and I felt more than knew something was going to go wrong. Then I saw the figure falling to the ground.

I acted on instinct, I whipped out my wand and shouted

"Arresto Memento!" My voice was lost to the wind but white blue light shot from my wand and hit the falling figure, who slowed the figure enough for them to hit the soft earth with only bruising. Everyone was beginning to notice the dementor flying high above. The soft white light of a patronuses were shot off by the teachers, the most noticeable a white owl. Albus Dumbledore. The Gryffindor team had noticed that one of their players was down and had landed. Rushing to get him off the pitch. I could tell by the raven black hair that it was Harry.

"Come on, Luna!" I shouted over the noise. "Let's get out the rain" I said and to my surprise she took my hand and lead me out of the stands.