The Story of Sheila Riddle (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Chapter 7

It was official now. Sheila and Severus were a couple. Severus admitted his discomfort at such things as walking down the halls while holding hands in plain view of everyone, but Sheila had insisted that their relationship not remain a secret. Not to mention, after the dance on the night of Valentine's Day, it would be extremely difficult to keep it under wraps.

Sheila was enjoying a free period on the grounds, waiting for Severus to show up. He was currently taking his Defense Against the Dark Arts OWL. She knew for sure he would get top grades; it was his favorite class. 

She was walking along the shore of the Black Lake when the sound of shouting drew her attention. She looked up to see a gang of fellow students grouped under a towering beech tree. Those nearby were watching them with intense interest. She recognized two other fifth years, Sirius Black and James Potter. James was dangling someone upside down in the air. The onlookers were jeering and yelling. Potter seemed to be having an argument with a little redhead. Sheila recognized her; it was Lily Evans. The person being dangled in the air dropped suddenly and Lily walked away, after which James immediately suspended his victim in the air by his ankle again. Sheila was straining to see who it was.

Cold rage suddenly swept over her. 

It was Severus.

Her hands balled into fists seemingly of their own accord. She wanted to scream but she couldn't. For a moment, she felt as if she was no longer in control of her own body.

Then something happened. James suddenly stiffened; Sheila found herself moving ever closer toward him as if she was being drawn onward. Potter seemed to be having trouble breathing. He pitched forward and Severus dropped back to the ground, staring at his tormentor with surprise and shock on his face. James was writhing on the ground, gasping for breath, while the students around him screamed in horror and confusion. James had gone deathly pale, and his eyes were rolling back into his head. Sheila was only a few feet away from him...

Suddenly she felt a death grip on her arm. Tom's voice was hissing urgently in her ear.

"Let him go!"

She had half a mind to reply that she wasn't doing anything, that she wasn't in control and, frankly, didn't care. Tom's fingernails were digging into her skin; Sheila stifled a gasp of pain. She felt an odd jolt and looked around her quickly. Her eyes settled on James; he was sitting up, shaking himself and looking dazed. 

"Wh-what?" Sheila stammered.

She looked down at her arm, which Tom had finally released. Angry red marks appeared where his nails had dug into the skin. He was looking at her coldly.

"What's wrong with you?" he snapped.

"I-I didn't do anything!" she defended herself.

"Oh, really? What happened to Potter then?"

Without giving her a chance to reply, he swept away, leaving her alone and shocked. 

Had she really been doing nothing?

An odd doubt was nagging her, telling her that her own words could not be trusted. She shook her head to clear these thoughts. It was ridiculous! Of course, she hadn't attacked James! But as she pictured Severus being tormented, that same cold feeling of rage reared its ugly head. She suppressed it quickly with a cover of fear. It didn't even feeling like her own emotion. It was like something foreign, a monster inside her trying to gain sway over her.

But no. She wouldn't let it. She couldn't.