Splinters

Chapter 8

Penelope clutched the Daily Prophet newspaper tightly. "There was another attack," Remus deducted by her tense positioning. 

     "On a small Muggle town in Louth, Lincolnshire. Six were confirmed dead, nearly ten injured, and five Muggles are missing. By the time Aurors arrived, there wasn't much they could do besides create a fire to cover-up the attack," Penelope was quiet as she spoke. 

     Remus stood up from his seat by the fire and joined her on the window seat she occupied. "You can't do anything about it." He rubbed her shoulder.

     Abruptly, Penelope arose from the cushions before throwing the Daily Prophet  into the fireplace. The flames glowed a brilliant and Penelope willed herself not to scream in frustration. 

     "How can wizards and witches, who bleed that same color as Muggles, think that they're so entitled?" she spoke harshly. 

     "Penny, sometimes things aren't as simple as we think they are," Sirius's voice was tight as he walked down the boys' dormitory staircase. 

     The three Gryffindors thought back to their most recent History of Magic class. Professor Binns had be droning on about a subject no one seemed to be listening to besides Lily Potter. Another Gryffindor boy named Frank Longbottom had asked about the Death Eaters and You-Know-Who. 

     Because it was more related to Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Binns ignored the question until the entire class had been yelling. He was so startled, that he spit out the fact that the dark forces rising recruited strong, powerful wizards and witches. 

     It wasn't news to Penelope, but to hear a professor she trusted speak about the unknown side had shaken her to the core. Muggles and the wizarding community alike were being attacked. You-Know-Who had decided that if you weren't with him, then you were against him. 

     Penelope had heard that before, and she racked her brain to think about where it had come for. "Let's go for a walk," Sirius suggested. 

     Silence filled the near-empty common room as Penelope nodded. Remus wrapped his arm around the now quiet girl. 

     She shrugged it off and walked ahead of the two boys. "Do something," Sirius hissed. It was very unlike Penelope to act like this, unless her mother came up in conversation. But that was now rare as those who asked came under the fire of the Remus, Peter, James, and Sirius. 

     Remus shoved Sirius forward towards Penelope. "Penny," he coughed awkwardly. She slowly turned around. 

     "Sirius." She produced a weak smile. It took all he had not to gather her in his arms and shield her from the trouble that plagued her mind. 

     "How about we try to find the unicorns in the Forbidden Forest? Or we could go for a run. I can't guarantee that I'll keep up-" Penelope threw herself towards the black-haired boy. He barely had time to remove his hands from his robes before she was barreling into his chest. 

     "There's so much death," her voice wobbled as she was on the verge of tears. 

     A shaky hand moved to the top of Penelope's hair; whether to steady her, or himself, Sirius didn't know. "There's always death, Penny. Just sometimes there's more than we think is necessary."

     Remus sat in a open window, far enough to where he wouldn't intrude, but close to where he still interact with the two. How does Penny not see how he feels?  Remus asked himself. 

     "Penny?" Her name came down from the end of the hall. It was faint, but Sirius and Remus heard it. They looked to find James and Peter moving quickly down the hallway.