✓ | EPISKEY → remus lupin [ discontinued ]

Chapter Twenty Six

Alanna took a shaky breath as she waited with Tiffany outside the Hospital Wing for Luke and Leonard to show up. Tiffany glanced at her shaky friend and sighed.

"Calm down, Allie, it's just--"

"If you say it's just a disease, I will shoot you," Alanna growled. Tiffany raised her hands in defense.

"I'm just saying, at least we'll have an explanation now. If you want it, that is."

"I don't think I have a choice," Alanna muttered. "Luke pretty much forced me to come here and talk to Madam Pomfrey."

Tiffany glanced sideways at her friend. "He just wants what's best for you. Even if that means forcing you to get a check up."

"It's not a check up," Alanna said in irritation. "We're just asking a few questions. That's it."

"Why are you so worked up over this?" Tiffany asked in concern. "Like you said, it's just asking a few questions."

"Yeah, well try being the one who wants the answers," Alanna shot back. "If this is true--if I have KLS--what the hell am I supposed to do? I could fall asleep at any random moment and miss out on so much. What if I have kids in the future and suddenly can't take care of them because I just fall asleep? How not-serious is it gonna be then, huh? Oh my god, I'm gonna cry. I have so many issues. What is wrong with me?" Alanna gripped her head and looked like she was in pain. Tiffany yanked her Alanna's hands from her head and sighed.

"Everybody has issues, Allie. Something's wrong with everyone. Take me, for example. Firstly, I have eight siblings; not such a good start. Secondly, my friends are all obsessed with one singular guy. Um, let's see ... oh! I'm shorter than the average height for my age. That's also not very good." Alanna giggled. "Ha! I knew I could get you to smile." Alanna smiled at Tiffany trying so hard to cheer her up. "See? Everyone's got issues. I could list mine forever if it made you feel better about yourself."

Alanna smiled softly. "Did the Sorting Hat ever consider Hufflepuff for you?" she asked.

Tiffany made a face. "No, actually, it went straight to Ravenclaw. Why?"

Alanna shrugged. "I dunno. You just seem very Hufflepuff-y."

The girls giggled before they were interrupted by a throat clearing. Alanna and Tiffany glanced up and found Luke and Leonard watching them. Leonard had an amused smile on his face while Luke had his eyebrows raised.

"Are we interrupting something, ladies?" Luke asked.

"Nope," Tiffany said quickly. "Nothing. Are we going in or what?"

Alanna glanced between Luke and Tiffany in confusion, wondering what was up between the two. Tiffany hardly ever acted nervous or quiet around someone, especially not Luke. The two had been feuding since they met. Alanna shook her head, dismissing the thought.

"Alright, let's just get this over with, shall we?" She took a deep breath and faced the Hospital Wing again. She felt someone come up beside her.

"It's going to be okay, Allie," Leonard's voice muttered beside her. "Even if we are right and you do have KLS, we'll be here for you."

Alanna glanced up and smiled softly. She'd never really talked to Leonard much; he was just Luke's twin brother. But to hear him offer words of comfort like that made her feel better instantly.

"Thanks, Leonard. I appreciate it."

Leonard nodded and gave her an encouraging smile. Alanna faced forward again and entered the infirmary. She spotted Madam Pomfrey almost immediately, helping a boy who had bright blue hair. It looked to be the evidence of a prank by a few boys she knew more about than she cared to admit. The Healer glanced up when she heard the four enter and frowned.

"Please tell me those boys aren't up to something again," she pleaded. Alanna heard Luke chuckle behind her and gave a small smile.

"Um, no, Madam Pomfrey. We just have a few questions to ask about ..." Leonard trailed off glancing down at Alanna. "... about the incident that happened to Alanna before Christmas."

Madam Pomfrey caught on easily and frowned. "Some questions, you say?" she repeated.

"A theory," Luke corrected, "we have a theory that explains why ... that happened."

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips before she responded. "I'll be with you in a moment. Just take a seat on that bed there while I deal with this."

Alanna rushed over to the hospital bed and sat down on the edge. Her stomach was doing nervous flip-flops. Tiffany sat next to her while the twins used the chairs beside the bed. Luke sighed and rubbed his face.

"No sleep last night, brother?" Leonard asked with a teasing smirk. "I can only imagine."

Immediately, Luke glanced at Tiffany and she glared at him. Alanna hardly noticed the silent conversation between the two as she was too busy being lost in her own thoughts. Leonard frowned as he saw Alanna's worried expression.

"What are you thinking about right now, Allie?" he asked her quietly. All attention was on Alanna then as she stared at the floor with a frown.

"What if it's not KLS? What if it was just a one time thing that has no explanation? What if it is KLS? What do I do? I could just randomly fall asleep and be asleep for days, or weeks, or even months! What if--"

"Allie," Tiffany sighed, "we've been over this. Everyone has issues. If you want the examples again, I'll give them to you."

"I don't need examples of problems, Tiff, I need answers!"

"And we'll get them," Luke said reassuringly, "as soon as Madam Pomfrey's done with that kid we can ask her about it and she can either confirm or deny it."

Alanna continued to stare at the floor and swing her legs under the bed. "I'm probably just worrying over nothing, right?" She gave a short and nervous laugh. Leonard leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees. He hesitated before speaking.

"When we were six, we heard our parents arguing. We were worried that they were going to get a divorce. When we asked our parents about it, they sat us both down and told us that they weren't going to get a divorce, that it was natural for couples to get into fights like they did. But we were still worried about the possibilities. That's what you're worried about too. Possibilities. They're endless, which means you could have something else that's not KLS. But we won't know until we ask."

Alanna made a weird inhuman noise, which made the other three stare at her. Alanna glanced up.

"I'm sorry, it's a thing I do when I'm nervous."

"You don't say?" Tiffany muttered.