Silvia and the Rising Moon [EDITING]

The Maiden of Omnipotence

The first night of the cycle was always the worst.
Now a third year, Remus Lupin sat alone in the shrieking shack. He waited, as he had every month since he was five, for the moon to rise alongside the monster within. The shack was musty, decrepit, not to mention partially destroyed at the hands- or claws- of a thirteen-year-old werewolf. Suddenly, Remus heard a noise from down the hall.
Someone else had entered the shack.
Heart pounding, Remus hid under an old, dusty bed. The footsteps grew closer. A softer noise was heard as well, crying. A girl sniffed, rubbing her eyes and covering her face with her hands. Remus peaked out from under the bed to look at her Gryffindor pendant.
"Lydia," Remus said, sliding out from under the bed. "You have to leave. You're in danger."
"My whole family's in danger," Lydia argued. "I just got a letter. Romulus, your owl, delivered it." She spoke with conviction. "It was from my father. My brother, Roger, is dead."
Remus gasped. "I'm sorry, Lydia."
"A dark wizard killed him, along with three others."
He swallowed hard. "Lydia, I know you're sad, but, you can't be here. How did you get here in the first place?"
"I watched you," she squeaked. "I'm sorry. I'll go."
Remus felt the moon'a appearance. It's light coursed through his veins. "Run Lydia! Run!"
Off she ran.

It wasn't until the next morning that Silvia arrived to collect her brother. He was curled up in a corner asleep when she found him. She wrapped a blanket around him. "Merlin's beard, Remus. It's hardly October, and it's too cold out here for you." She helped him to his feet. "Everything go alright last night?" She asked.
Remus rubbed sleep from his eyes. "Lydia followed me," he explained. "I told her to go. I hope she didn't see anything."
"I saw her asleep in her bed, Remus. She's fine. Now let's get you back to the common room. There's a warm fire calling your name."
The only person in the room was Marlene McKinnon, who was studying early.
"Hello, Marlene," Silvia greeted as she helped Remus toward the fire.
"Hello," Marlene replied, looking up from her book. "What's wrong, Remus?"
Remus groaned.
"Stomachache," Silvia explained. "Just got back from Madam Pomfrey's."
"I woke up this morning with a bit of a stomachache myself," Marlene said. "Must've eaten too much pudding last night."
"Yeah," Remus moaned, "too much pudding."
Silvia put her head on his shoulder. "How's that stomachache?" She asked.
"I need rest," he replied.
Silvia pulled out a bar of chocolate. "Eat this, it'll help."
Remus took a piece and placed it on his tongue. "How do you know?"
"Well, I read somewhere that chocolate makes you feel better after having your happiness drained by a dementor. I suppose your condition is very happiness-draining. Why shouldn't chocolate help?"
He chewed. "Y'know, I do think this is helping," he nodded. "You're smart, Silvia. Not quite as smart as I am, however."
She laughed and let Remus lay down on the couch. The armchair next to her was open. She hopped over to sit down and opened up her potions text book, revealing a chapter on limb regrowth potions. It was far too advanced for her age, however, she enjoyed reading and trying to understand the concepts presented. Often, reading about something new allowed Silvia to dissociate from the troubles surrounding her brother. She read for what seemed like hours, rereading the same information over and over again.
"Remus, there you are. Wake up, mate. We're going pranking." Silvia jumped at the sudden noise. Out of the corner of her eye, a body fell upon the couch where Remus slept. She stood up immediately in alarm, allowing the potions book to fall to the floor.
"Oi, get off me, Sirius. I'm up! I'm up!"
Silvia sighed with relief as she watched Remus and Sirius wrestle. She rolled her eyes. Boys.
James helped Remus to his feet. "Is that the same outfit you wore yesterday?" He asked, motioning toward the yellow argyle sweater and orange corduroys.
"No, of course not," Remus argued.
"Guys, c'mon," Peter squealed. "Let's go to the lake."
After taking another moment to inspect Remus's ragged appearance, James bolted out of the common room, followed by the other boys. Silvia sighed, picking up her potions textbook once again.
"James Potter sure is a git," Marlene commented.
Alice and Lily appeared from their dorms. "Marlene," Lily called, laughing. "You can't be up all night studying, you know."
"Yes, I know, Lils," Marlene replied. There was a hint of annoyance in her tone. "Potter and his friends went pranking at the lake. Maybe we should check on them and see if they aren't causing any trouble."
Lily's eyes flashed with fear. "I just hope Sev isn't there."
Silvia stood up. "Mind if I come with you?" I'm worried about my brother."
"Poor Remus," Alice commented. "It's a shame he got mixed up in the wrong crowd."
     Silvia followed the other girls through Hogwarts. The walks were always long and winding. They stood waiting for a staircase to the bottom floor for two minutes and hurried toward the doors. Students of all houses were scattered around the courtyard. The girls knew that plenty more would be waiting for them at the lake. It was a popular hangout for Hogwarts students.
     And the perfect place to perform pranks on certain students.
     Often, James and Sirius would be spotted tormenting a first year, Peter egging them on, Remus keeping his distance by reading a book or doing homework.
     The lake, usually crowded with students, now appeared awkwardly bare.
     "Excuse me," Lily asked Charlie O'Hara and Hermina Kenra, who sat alone in the grass. "Where exactly is everybody?"
     Hermina looked up and scoffed. "They all went down that way," she pointed to her left. "Potter and his friends are messing with some poor kid again. Everyone went to watch."
     "Except us," Charlie added. "We have respect for ourselves and others." She rolled her eyes so hard it was almost audible.
     "Thanks," Lily said. "C'mon, girls. Let's go."
     The girls hurried down the beach until they saw it: a decently sized group of students surrounded the shore were James Potter stood holding his wand. They all cheered and laughed while pointing out onto the water.
     "What are they looking at?" Alice asked, trying to peer through the crowd.
     "Sev!" Lily cried, pushing through the crowd.
     Silvia looked out to where the students pointed to see Severus Snape, dangling from his robe, just inches above the water. She pushed through the wall of students. "Remus," she said, pushing the only boy sitting in the sand, crouched over a book. "Why can't you stop him?" She demanded.
     Remus looked up at her and held up a hand to block the sun from his eyes. "There's no stopping James, Silvia. Once he has an idea in his head, nothing can stop him from following through." He looked back down to his book.
     "Potter!" Lily cried. "You put him down this instant."
     "Aw, Snivellus," James taunted the boy hovering above the lake. "If it isn't your little friend, Miss Evans." He then turned to Sirius. "Notice how I said 'friend' and not 'girlfriend'. There's no way a girl as beautiful as Lily Evans would ever be that greasy git's girlfriend. She needs someone a little more devilishly handsome, like me."
     "Don't make me laugh, Potter. I wouldn't even date you if you gave me a love potion. That's exactly how much I loathe you." She pointed her wand at him. "Now you bring my friend back to shore, safely, and I won't hex you."
     Sirius whistled. "Was that a threat?" He laughed. "You better bring Slimy Snape back to shore, James."
     James turned to Lily. "Date me."
     "I'd rather die."
     He laughed before putting his wand in his pocket, releasing Severus from his spell. People turned, amazed, as he splashed into the lake.
     "Why you little-"
     "Lily, no!" Marlene and Alice held her back. "It's not worth it."
     "C'mon boys," James barked as he backed away, smirking. "Remus, put that bloody book down, let's go."
     "No, actually, I think I'll just stay. This chapter about the various types of grasses planted on Hogwarts grounds seems very interesting." Silvia sensed his sarcasm, but James, Sirius, and Peter merely shrugged and continued on their way. The crowd dispersed, eventually leaving Remus and Silvia alone.
     "Why didn't you go with them?" She asked.
     He sighed. "Honestly, I don't enjoy what James does sometimes. His definition of pranking is obviously much different than mine." He closed the book and stood up. "If I can be frank, Silvia, sometimes I'm afraid to stand up to him because I never want to be the target of his torment. Lily Evans is much braver than I am." He smiled sadly as they began to walk back to the castle.
     The Unknown Soldier had been waiting for them inside the castle. He greeted them as they entered.
     "Hello," Silvia smiled. "What's new with you?" She asked. They had barely spoken to each other since she had found his leg. It was nice to catch up.
     The Unknown Soldier's voice dropped to a whisper. "Well, to be honest with you two, I have news."
     "What is it?" Silvia asked, suddenly interested.
     He smiled with youthful excitement. "I don't know if you've heard, but dark wizards, the same ones who took my leg, have been trying to find the Maiden of Omnipotence for information about Dumbledore."
     Remus gasped. "The Maiden of Omnipotence? I've heard of her." He turned to Silvia to explain. "She's an immortal being who knows everything about everyone. Dark secrets, hidden powers, she knows it all. But, she likes to stay hidden. It's the Ministry's job to hide her where people who want to abuse her powers can't find her. Often, they burry her in remote cemeteries with an unmarked grave."
     "That's correct," the Soldier beamed. "What you don't know is this: she's been moved. The Ministry has chosen the Forbidden Forest as her new hiding place."
     Silvia and Remus exchanged a glance. "That's amazing," Silvia said.
     The Unknown Soldier shifted uncomfortable and ran a hand through his feathery hair. "I was thinking it would be amazing if the Maiden would um..." He fidgeted with his fingers. "Well, it would be amazing to know who I am, who I was, before my memories were modified."
     "You want to know your name?" Silvia asked in awe.
     "More than anything," the Soldier explained. "The headmaster has informed me that the Maiden doesn't enjoy to be bothered. I just hope one day she can sacrifice her rest for my sake."
     "We truly hope you learn your name," Remus said, nodding.
     The Soldier smiled. "It would be a dream come true." He laughed. "Where are you two off to?"
     "No where," Silvia explained. "There are no classes today. Maybe we should go to breakfast."
     "I'll come with you," the Soldier declared, holding his sword up. "Right this way, soldiers, march!"