Forgotten Girl

Petrified Pals and Starting Summer

Winna and Leo left for their common rooms (which they weren't supposed to leave), leaving Lilli with two giant bars of chocolate. She split the first one between the other unpetrified students, keeping the second one for herself. The five students spent the next half-hour being fussed over by Madam Pomfrey and were soon joined by a red-headed first year and her parents. One of the unpetrified girls hurried over to her.

"Alright, you can all go down to the feast," Madam Pomfrey said, looking over the children, "Come see me if you have any concerns."

The group left, except for the redhead and her parents. Lilli hesitated, then approached her. Quietly, she handed over half of her chocolate bar.

"Eat it, it will make you feel better," she said when the girl, who Lilli now saw was Ginny Weasley, looked at her. Mister and Missus Weasley looked on.

Ginny took it, a weary smile on her face, "Thank you."

Lilli nodded, hurrying away, down to the feast. The Great Hall was alive with sound, and for a moment she was too intimidated to enter. If what Madam Pomfrey had said was true, it was now April, and Lilli had been petrified for a month. 

"Lilli!" She turned, a smile breaking out on her face as Neville ran up to her, "You're awake!"

"As of half an hour ago, yeah," she looked back at the open doors.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, it's just... I haven't heard this much noise in a month." Neville smiled kindly, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"Come on, we'll face it together."

~

This feast was unlike any of the others Lilli had been to since she began Hogwarts. Everyone was in their pyjamas, and nobody really sat at their assigned table. Even the Slytherins were mixing houses. It lasted all night, although quite a few people drifted back to their common rooms and their nice soft beds. Lilli was considering doing the same when a Gryffindor girl, the same one who had comforted Ginny earlier, came up to her.

"You were one of the petrified students, right? Elliana Simmons?" Lilli nodded, "I'm Hermione Granger. I was petrified too."

"I know," Lilli motioned to the seat between her and Leo, "Did you want to sit down?"

Hermione did, "I was curious as to what your experience was when you were petrified. I've been asking the others too."

Lilli thought for a moment, "I was in a garden. Every time I plucked a flower, I would see a memory of mine. Depending on what flower I picked, my memory would have a different tone."

"Really? Could you give me an example?"

"Well, when I picked a lily of the valley, I saw my mother singing me to sleep, but when I picked a morning glory, I was at St Mungo's, volunteering." Hermione looked incredibly interested.

"Wow. I saw something similar, but it was a library. Each book was a different memory."

"Did the others see memories too?"

"Well, I haven't asked Penelope or Justin, but Colin saw snapshots of his life. It's fascinating, isn't it?" Hermione grinned, "Oh, there's Penelope. Bye, Elliana!"

Leo slid over so that he was beside Lilli.

"What other memories did you see?" He asked, curiosity shining in his blue eyes.

"When I picked an adonis, there was a memory of a day in school when I was eight. Some kids were having a down on me, don't remember why. And when I plucked a gladiolus, I was in St Mungo's with my aunt, talking with a boy who'd blown up his house." 

Leo looked up again, "Wait, blew up his house?"

Lilli nodded, taking a slice of cake, "Mmhmm, his mum had hit him for dropping a plate, and his magic exploded."

"It wasn't my mum," he said quietly, his fork drawing lines on his plate, "She was just a foster mother. Thought that if she had someone to boss around it'd make her feel better."

"It was you?" Lilli asked, her mind cycling back to that memory. The boy's name had been Leo. He hadn't actually called her his mother. It made sense.

Leo nodded, "I didn't realise it was you, the little red-headed girl. For a long time, I thought you were a figment of my imagination."

She laughed, "I'm very much not, I'm afraid. I didn't know you were in the foster system."

"Have been since I was born. Left on the doorstep of an orphanage in Otterton. Been fostered a few times, but they would get freaked out by my magic, or the idea that I now have to go to a 'special school'." He put quotations around the last two words, a mocking smile on his face.

"I'm sorry, Leo," Lilli gripped his shoulder.

He gave her a real grin, "Aw, you don't need to be. I mean, I found my home right here at Hogwarts with you guys."

~

The rest of the term flew by, and with the announcement that exams were cancelled, Lilli spent less time studying and more time with her friends. But soon enough, they were packing their things and boarding the Hogwarts Express.

The five of them—Winna, Leo, Lilli, Neville, and Winna's friend Belle—spent the train ride reading stories and making plans to visit each other throughout the summer.

"I'd only be able to do weekends," Lilli said, looking up from her copy of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, "I volunteer at St Mungo's during the week."

"Fair. Belle and I volunteer at the orphanage in Otterton three afternoons a week as well." Winna was plaiting her friend's hair.

"I can do any day that Winna can," Leo said, "Mrs Graves trusts her to babysit me for an afternoon." Winna cuffed his ear gently.

"It's not babysitting. You know she hates you calling it that. I merely keep you from winding up dead somewhere."

"So babysitting," Belle grinned. Winna scoffed, shaking her head. 

"I can't do Wednesdays or Sundays, but other than that, as long as my nan agrees, I'm fine." Neville was staring out the window, his fingers trailing over Trevor's bumpy skin, "We're coming up on the station."

It was true; they could feel the train slowing. Standing, they collected their things and said their goodbyes. It was better to say them now, because there would be no time later.

The train pulled to a stop and everyone disembarked. Lilli didn't spot her aunt and uncle immediately. Rather, her aunt's service dog, Cosette, appeared at her sleeve. She followed her through the crowd to Thia, who hugged her tightly.

"Remus is waiting at home." Thia said, leading her over to one of the fireplaces set up for people to floo from, "Quite anxious to hear about the trouble you've gotten into."

Lilli stepped through the fire, appearing in her grandfather's living room. She hugged Lyall and Remus, taking her trunk upstairs before returning to the living room.

"Now what's this I've heard about you getting petrified?"