A Marauders Riddle

Coming Home

A/N: Okay, things are about to get confusing. Poppy is back and she will be called Poppy by me, the professors and Tris. She will, however, be called Persephone by most of the students. If you're confused about any of it, you can just comment and I'll try to explain. Okay, enjoy!

With Poppy

Poppy was aware of everything. Tris, shaking with terror behind her. The Death Eaters, advancing on them in a wave of black robes and deadly expressions.
"Incendio!" Poppy cried, sweeping her wand in a circular motion. Fire attacked the Death Eaters mercilessly. Smoke rose into the air. Poppy grabbed Tris's hand and pulled her out of the room, slamming and locking the door behind them. The two ran through the hallways until they burst out of the front door.

The next morning

With Charlie

The Marauders and Charlie walked into the Great Hall, exhausted from waiting up all night for Tris. They were slightly shocked when they saw Tris sitting at the Gyriffindor table, talking to a girl with waist length honey blonde hair.
"Who's that?" Remus asked.
Charlie quickened her pace. She sat down beside Tris and tapped her on the shoulder. Both Tris and the blonde girl turned to her. Charlie gasped. The girl was Poppy.

With Poppy

The Marauders and Charlie (plus all the other Gyriffindors sitting at the table) were staring at Poppy like she was some sort of freak. Poppy squirmed in her seat, uncomfortable with all the hostile gazes on her. Charlie, with a deeply mistrustful glance at Poppy, handed a piece of parchment to Tris. Tris read it and nodded, handing it to Poppy.
"Don't read it aloud," Tris said.
Poppy nodded, mystified. The note read: What happened to you, Persephone? Whatever happened, you'll still be the same cold-hearted girl who tortured me. I can't talk anymore because of you. I hope that makes you happy.
Poppy finished reading and bit her lip. A wave of guilt crashed over her. Charlie couldn't talk? What had Persephone done? Poppy gave Tris a weak smile and got up from the Gyriffindors table, unable to cope with the hate-filled gazes trained on her.

With Tris

Tris sighed unhappily as she saw Poppy walking ahead of her in the corridor. Most of the students skirted round her, glaring. Tris wished she could tell them what happened at Voldemort's, how Poppy had saved her, but Poppy wouldn't let her. She said she wanted to get respect back from the students without Tris.

Tris hurried along to her Defence Against the Dark Arts class. She saw several of the students in her class way ahead of her in the corridors and she knew she was going to be late. Tris put on a burst of speed and almost ran through the classroom door. She saw Sirius sitting at a desk, an empty seat beside him. She crossed the room and flung herself down gratefully.

With Poppy

Poppy tuned out most of Professor Low's lecture on Patronuses.
"Well," the professor finished, "Groups of four, try to produce a Patronus."
There was a great screeching of chairs. Scarlett and Bellatrix headed towards Poppy.
"We're a-" Bellatrix began.
"Four," supplied a voice coming from behind Poppy. She turned to see Lucius Malfoy. Poppy smiled. The class was full of shouts of be incantation.
"Expecto Patronum," Poppy said, raising her wand.
A silvery Thestral burst out of the end of her wand. The class stared at it in surprise. The Thestral looked around the room. It started towards Charlie, who backed away slightly. The Thestral whinnied, as if to say stand still. It walked right up to Charlie, then crouched down, it's wings spreading out.
"She wants you to get on," Poppy said quietly.
Charlie hesitantly climbed on to Poppy's Thestral's back. It whinnied again and started prancing round the classroom. Silver sparks surrounded Charlie. The Thestral suddenly spread its wings and launched itself into the air. Silver obscured everyone's vision. When they could see again, Charlie was on the ground. Tears were streaming down her face. She ran towards Poppy and, to everyone's surprise, flung her arms round Poppy.
"I can talk!" Charlie cried.