The Forgotten House

Halloween

My Pov

I was finally able to go back to classes, just in time to partake in Halloween-themed lessons. However, Halloween wasn't something I was particularly into. Because it was the day my parents died. But, I tried not to let it get me down and remained positive. I had noticed that Hermione wasn't present at the feast. Neville had told me that she had been on the bathroom all day crying. I suspected Ron had poked fun at her again and decided to check on her after the feast. I bit into a pumpkin spice bun, enjoying myself, when the Great Hall doors flew open. Professor Quirrell came running in, yelling at the top of his lungs.

"TROLL! IN THE DUNGEON! There's a troll in the dungeon!" he yelled. The whole hall went silence. "I thought you'd like to know." He then fainted. All younger students, myself included, started screaming and panicking.

"SILENCE!" Dumbledore exclaimed. Everyone almost froze in place. "Everyone will please not panic! Now, Prefects will lead their house back to the dormitories. Teachers will follow me to the dungeons." Everyone began filing out of the Great Hall and following the Prefects. The Gryffindor Prefects were Percy, Will and Rowan. The Hufflepuff Prefects were Penny and two other Hufflepuff students. The Ravenclaw Prefects were Andre, Penelope Clearwater and another Ravenclaw student. The Slytherin Prefects were three Slytherin students. I followed the Gryffindor students. Harry suddenly grabbed me.

"What?" I asked.

"Hermione! She doesn't know!" Harry exclaimed. We quickly ran back and hurried to the girls bathroom. We almost made it there, but saw that the troll beat us.

"Looks like the troll's not in the dungeon anymore." Ron said. The troll slowly makes it way into the bathroom.

"We need to hurry." I said. Just as we entered the bath, we heard Hermione screaming and the sound of wood being smashed. We saw hiding under one of the smashed stall.

"Hermione, move!"! Harry yelled. She scrambled from the stalls and crawled under one of the sink. The troll swung its club and shattered the one next to her.

"Help!" Hermione cried. We picked up pieces of rubble and hurled it at the troll. That's when it turns to us. We each drew our wands, ready to defend ourselves. Harry had managed to jump on the troll, but it grabbed him and tried to hit him with its club.

"Do something!" Harry yelled.

"What?" Ron asked.

"Anything! Hurry up!" Harry exclaimed.

"Ron! The levitation charm!" I said. We pointed our wands toward the troll's club.

"Swish and flick!" Hermione said.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" we said. The club floated out of the troll's hand and then smacked it on the head. It dropped Harry and fell to the ground. I sighed in relief. I heard hurried footsteps come toward the bathroom. We turned to see McGonagall, Snape and Quirrell.

"Oh my! E-Explain yourselves, the three of you!" McGonagall sputtered. Harry, Ron and I stammered before Hermione said she had gone looking for the troll. McGonagall took five points from Gryffindor. She then awarded the three of us five points for, what she described as, "sheer dumb luck". We all quickly went back to our respective common rooms. As I reached my common room, I hear a bark. I turned around and saw a big black dog. It cocked its head at me.

"Lily?" it barked. Lily? Did it mean my Mum? How would this dog know my Mum?

"How do you know my Mum? I asked. It seemed shocked that I answered it.

"Can you understand me?" it barked.

"Yes. I can." I answered. It looked up and down the hallway before looking at me again.

"May I... come closer to you?" it barked, almost sounding nervous. I thought for a minute. How did this dog get in here? How did it know my Mum? I looked at the dogs eyes. They didn't look like normal eyes for a dog but almost like... human eyes. I shook my head. That's crazy. I knelt down and held my hand out. Its tail wagged as it walked up to me and nuzzled my hand.

"I guess... you can sleep in my common room, but it's probably best you sleep on the sofa." I said. It barked happily. I said the phrase and we went inside. The dog, who I figured from his voice was a male, jumped on the sofa and curled up. I started going up to my room when he stopped me.

"Why is it best I sleep down here?" he asked.

"Well... today is the anniversary of my parents murder. The thing is... I constantly have a nightmare of their deaths every year on this day. I end up tossing and turning and sobbing." I said. He jumped off the sofa and pushed his nose against my hand. I patted his nose. I went to my room, changed into my nightdress and climbed into bed. The dog curled up on the carpet just below my bed. Just before I dozed off, I asked the dog a question. "What do you want me to call you?"

"Just call me... Padfoot." the dog said.

"Okay. Good night Padfoot." I said. I drifted off, but at one point during the night, the nightmare came. Except this time, the nightmare was more clear and vivid.

I could hear my Dad's voice telling Mum to take me and Harry and run. Mum picked me up and ran up the stairs. Then a bright green flash. I saw Dad fall and look almost frozen. Mum slammed the door to mine and Harry's room and hugged us both close to us. The door fell open with a loud bang. I could hear Mum plead for our lives, but a cold voice just laughed. I heard Mum's last words:
"Harry, Holly... Mummy loves you. Dada loves you. We will always be with you." Then, another green flash appear behind Mum and her screams echoed through the room.

I felt tears prick my eyes as I tossed and turned throughout night. It may have been a dream, but I felt a gentle hand wipe away my tears. I then felt a calming feeling come over me.

"Don't worry little Prongsette. These nightmares won't plague you tonight." a voice said. That's strange. It almost sounded like Padfoot's voice. I just assumed I was dreaming and fell right back to sleep.