The Forgotten One

Snogging In A Broom Closet

-chapter 12-

I was nine. It was the summer and my family decided to visit the beach house we rent out sometimes. My little brother, Robert, and I were playing by the water. I had the worry feeling, like I do now. I felt like something bad would happen.

Robert was only six. We were told to stay on the beach and make sand castles. But Robert was curious. He ventured out into the water to play. I told him to come back. He didn't. Ever.

Robert drowned in the lake that day.

I tell this all to Sirius, who, surprising, stays silent for a little while. He sits there, not saying anything.

I place my hand on his shoulder and he jumps a bit.

"Hello?" I say. "Astrid to Sirius. Come in, Sirius. Are you there?" I tease.

He looks at me. "You're a Seer."

"What?" I ask. "A Seer? What's that?"

"You can predict the future," he says.

"What?"

"You can predict-"

I cut him off. "I heard you the first time. But what does that mean?"

"It means that you have a special ability that not a lot of people have."

I sit there, not knowing what to say. I'm not sure if I believe Sirius.

I stand up and grab Sirius's hand.

"Let's go." I say.

"Where are we going?"

"Dumbledore."

"Why?" I start to drag him out of the Common Room.

"Why?" He repeats.

I stop, spinning to face him, and drop his hand. "You don't think it's a problem if I'm potentially a Seer, and I feel like something bad's going to happen?" He stares at me. "No? Then you don't have to go with. See you later."

I turn around and start walking. Sirius grabs my shoulder and spins me around, both of his hands on my shoulder. "You don't know where Dumbledore's office is."

"And?" I say, shrugging his hands off my shoulders. "I'd find it eventually."

"But eventually isn't soon enough," he says. "Come on."

Sirius leads me left and right through the castle. We find reach Dumbledore's office. There's a tall animal guarding the door.

"Miss Coffey, Mr. Black," I hear behind me. I turn around and see Professor McGonagall standing behind me. "Shouldn't you be at the feast?"

"We need to talk to Professor Dumbledore, now." I say.

"About what?"

"Sorry, but that's classified information." I say.

"Watch your mouth, Miss Coffey." She warns.

She turns to face Sirius. "You may leave."

"No." Sirius says.

"It involves both of us." I say.

"Very well," she says to us. "Chocolate frogs." She says to the statue. The statue moves, revealing a stair case. "Up you go." McGonagall says.

I walk up the stair case and knock on the door at the top. I grab Sirius's hand. He looks at me, surprised. I smile weakly at him.

The door opens and Sirius and I walk in.

I see Dumbledore sitting behind a desk. His hands are folded in front of him.

"Hello, Astrid," he says to me. "Sirius."

"Hello." I say.

"Please, take a seat." He gestures to two chairs in front of his desk. I walk over to one of the chairs and sit down. I drop Sirius's hand when he sits down next to me. "Now. What's been troubling you?"

I think, not sure how to start. "I, uh, I have a feeling," I say. "Like something bad is going to happen. I've had this feeling before, and something bad did happen." I think that's safe enough.

"May I ask what happened?" Dumbledore asks softly.

I tell him the same thing I told Sirius.

"Interesting." Dumbledore says.

I wait. I risk a glance over at Sirius. He's staring down at his feet. He looks over at me and catches my eye.

Hey. Sirius says. Except his mouth never moved.

Sirius? I think.

Yup. I know a spell that allows me into anyone's mind. He explains.

"Best be careful with that spell, Mr. Black." Dumbledore says. I look at Dumbledore. His baby blue eyes are sparkling, like they always are.

"So, Astrid," he says. "I don't think you're a Seer, like Mr. Black told you. I think you just... How do I put this? I think you should try to be careful from now until this feeling disappears."

"Be careful?" I question.

"Yes," he says. "Be careful in dangerous situations, be careful with whom you chose to be around, stuff like that."

"Okay." I say.

"Best be off to the feast. It is Halloween."

At that I look over at Sirius. His eyes are wide. We totally forgot. The prank! Shit! We gotta get going.

I stand up and thank Dumbledore. I grab Sirius's hand and rush out the office. Sirius and I sprint to the meeting place James had set up.

We round the final corner and see James standing there, probably waiting for us. He sees us coming.

We stop in front of him. "Where have you been?" He demands.

I look at Sirius. He shakes his head slightly.

Don't tell him anything. I hear in my head.

"We were in the library." I lie.

James scoffs. "The library? Sirius doesn't go to the library. Try again."

I look at Sirius. "She got me out of trouble with Flitch. He caught me running through the corridors and she came to my rescue."

"I don't believe that either. Where were you? Snogging in some broom closet?"

"No!" I shriek.

James raises his eyebrows and looks at mine and Sirius's hands. I immediately let go of Sirius's hand.

"Whatever. I don't care where you were," he says. "We've got a prank to pull off."