✓ | EPISKEY → remus lupin [ discontinued ]

Chapter Thirteen

After being surrounded by darkness and having nothing to do but sit in the middle of nowhere, Alanna was definitely surprised when she saw a bright light appear above her. She slowly stood up, craning her neck to see the light. She squinted her eyes in order to see better. She shielded her eyes, trying to see what was above.

Suddenly, with a massive jolt, Alanna was shaken into a small bedroom. She was utterly confused but had no time to explore the room as a young girl bounded in. The girl was only that of maybe six or seven. She looked to be in some sort of dance costume, a leotard of sorts. Alanna tilted her head curiously as the girl hummed a tune quietly. Just as the girl reached the chest of drawers, a small vibration was sent through the house. Alanna wobbled slightly on her feet but stayed upright. Glancing back to the girl, Alanna saw that she was checking behind her mirror as the girl hadn't seemed to have felt anything. The girl frowned in confusion before another jolt like the one before sent the girl flying into her drawers, knocking her chin harshly. Alanna was thrown forwards also, successfully faceplanting on the floor.

The girl jumped up in excitement and rubbed her chin before taking off out of the room.

"Hey!" Alanna called, finally trying to make herself known. She leapt up and followed the girl. She reached a staircase and was unsure of whether the girl had gone down the stairs or down the narrow hallway to her left. Alanna was son alerted that the girl had in fact trailed downstairs and was conversing with a woman who could only be referred to as her mother.

Before Alanna could comprehend what either female was saying, another jolt shook the house and Alanna was soaring upwards into a spiral of nausea ...

*

Remus had just finished his Charms class with Professor Flitwick and was heading to his next class when Tiffany suddenly made an appearance. Remus frowned as the girl bolted towards him. Honestly, he was quite frightened by the expression on her face. But as Tiffany got closer, Remus saw that it was an expression of delight. From afar, it seemed as though she wore a mask of depression, but it seemed that wasn't the case at all.

When Tiffany reached him, she only had to say two words to have him forgetting class.

"Alanna's awake."

*

Alanna groaned and stirred in her sleep. She could barely comprehend the voices around her.

"Go and get Remus!" a masculine voice hissed lowly. Running footsteps could be heard and then the slam of a door. Remembering what had just happened to her, Alanna's eyes shot open and she bolted upright.

"Whoa there," the voice of Madam Pomfrey said in concern. Alanna was pushed back down on the white-sheeted bed. Before she knew what was happening, she found herself hurling on the infirmary floor.

"That's just beautiful," the familiar voice of Luke echoed in her ears. After finishing off the contents of her stomach, Alanna lay on her back in the white bed again. She turned her head and smiled at Luke, who she also noticed had a firm grip on her hand.

"How do you feel?" Luke asked her, ignoring their linked hands for now. Alanna shrugged and opened her mouth to speak, but found herself unable to do so. Before she could gesture to anything, Luke seemed to know exactly what she needed.

"She needs water," he told Madam Pomfrey. The Healer quickly scurried off to get the girl a glass of water. Alanna tried to sit up in the bed. Luke got the hint and propped her pillows up behind her.

"Alanna?" came a worried yet relieved voice. "You're awake!"

Alanna smiled faintly and closed her eyes to fend off the dizziness threatening to overtake her.

"That's what I said, dingus," Tiffany muttered in irritation, making Alanna chuckle.

"Don't crowd the girl, she just woke up and vomited everywhere," Madam Pomfrey said as she bustled back. She pushed past Remus and handed Alanna the cup of water. Alanna took it dazedly and gulped it down within seconds. She sat the glass on her bedside table as Madam Pomfrey began taking her temperature and checking for anything else severe.

"How do you feel now?" Luke repeated his earlier question. Alanna licked her lips before frowning. She was debating whether or not to tell anyone of her strange dream. Deciding not to for now, she shrugged.

"I've been better," she whispered hoarsely. All three students sighed in relief to actually hear her voice, making Alanna smirk. "You all missed me, huh?"

"It's been driving me crazy not to have anyone to talk to," Tiffany admitted as she rested back in her chair. "Just ask Remus. All I've been doing is worrying about you for the past three weeks."

Alanna's eyes widened. "Three weeks? I've been out for three weeks?"

"Twenty-two days," Madam Pomfrey confirmed as she continued to frown in slight concern over Alanna's high temperature. "Have you experienced any dizziness or nausea since you woke up, dear?"

Alanna nodded. "That's why I threw up before."

Madam Pomfrey frowned in thought as she went over the high temperatures once more. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you have a fever. But ..." The woman shook her head again before walking back over to her office with a frown on her face. Alanna frowned in confusion.

"At least you're awake and you'll be better soon, right?" Remus asked hopefully.

Alanna shrugged. "Hopefully. I mean, Madam Pomfrey thinks there's something wrong with me ... I think there's something wrong with me," she muttered under her breath.

"Sorry?" Luke asked with a distant look on his face.

"Nothing," Alanna said quickly, making Tiffany narrow her eyes suspiciously.

"Totally nothing," Tiffany muttered. "What happened, Allie?"

"Nothing," Alanna said slower and more firmly. "Honestly, if something happened while I was asleep, I would definitely tell you guys."

Wrong.

"Would you really?" Tiffany asked with narrowed eyes. Remus and Luke also seemed somewhat suspicious of their friend's behaviour as well. Alanna nodded.

"Definitely."

Wrong again.