Chapter 16: The Interrogation.
A whole sixty six days have passed since Sirius had received his howler back on the 27th October. Now it is the 22nd December also known as the day the Christmas Holiday officially starts and the Hogwarts Express was packed with students heading home for the holidays. I was one of them along with both my brother and James and my dorm mates who were sitting in a compartment down the hall. The other three of us were sitting in the same compartment we sat in on the trip to Hogwarts in silence. For the past six or seven hours, we have been mainly talking about Christmas and just anything in general but now we were in silence with me petting Lynx, Remus reading as I lied against his shoulder and James staring out of the window. It was obvious he was missing his best friend who decided to stay rather than go home to his parents who 'was so nice' to send him a howler. Sirius had thought it would be best to stay there over Christmas to let his mother cool off and Peter decided to stay with him this year. With no words said, James averted his gaze from the compartment window, stood up and headed for the door, not even glancing at myself or Remus. He slides open the door and as he is about to step out, Remus calls out to him. "Where are you going?" he looked up from his book looking at the boy."Just for a walk... and to find some entertainment.""We are not entertaining..." I joked in a sad voice resting my hand upon my heart. "That's one way to ruin my mood before Christmas..." James just rolls his eyes, a sly grin forming on his face."I'm just going to speak with Lily-Flower-""And ask her if she will go on a date with you again?" Remus cuts in with a smirk. "You heard what her answer has been for the past four months you have known her, just leave the poor girl alone. You already asked her this morning and halfway through the train ride, keep bugging her and she will never say yes." It was true, not only about the bugging her but about the past four months.It was no secret that James was obsessed with Lily ever since we arrived at Hogwarts. Every time he would see her, he would ask her out and for the past four months, the answer has stayed the same. To be honest, I don't think that they have actually had a conversation, well I say think but I KNOW they haven't. Although I may spend most of my time with the boys, I do know that Lily absolutely despises James with all her heart however that hasn't stopped James from trying and I don't believe he was going to give up soon either."Well you never know Remus, she might consider my offer over the Christmas Holiday" replied James breaking me out of my thoughts. His footsteps left the room and faded down the hall leaving just me and my brother in the compartment."So when we get home, are you going to be asking Mum and Dad about everything that we want to know?" Remus asked breaking the silence that had previously filled the room since James had left."Of course Rem... I want to find out everything..."
* * *
The platform outside was filled with witches and wizards once we arrived back in London an hour later. The train had finally came to a stop after the long journey and it was now time to say goodbye for a couple of weeks. Still laughing from the conversation we just had, we reached up and grabbed our luggage (well James grabbed mine because I was busy getting Lynx into her carrier) before walking onto the platform among the other students. James immediately sees his parents and our father wasn't far away either but before he heads over to them, he turns to me and Rem."Well I guess this is it. I'll see you in a few weeks and remember, if you ever need me I'm only an owl away" he smiles at us. His parents was now stood behind him but he ignores them and wraps Remus in a hug. He then turns and embraces me with a big smile and then disappears from view once his Dad grasps his arm. "Come on, we don't want to leave Dad waiting" Remus stated. He led us over towards the entrance to the platform where Lyall was indeed waiting who's face grew cheerful as he saw us approaching. He immediately wrapped us in a long, warm hug once we were within arms reach and he apparates us home.
* * *
"So how has school been?" Hope Lupin asks politely from one of the armchairs, a cup of hot chocolate nestled between her hands."It's been fine, we have made a few friends and were sorted into Gryffindor along with all of them, but one" Remus answered, muttering the last part under his breath which no one but myself heard."Oh that's good" Lyall grinned from his seat in the other armchair. "By the way I've been meaning to ask how many detentions have you been given for your pranks Meadow? It better not be too many".I rolled my eyes as Remus lightly chuckled beside me earning him a elbow to the ribs. "I haven't got any actually Dad so stop looking at me like that. Besides, it turns out that there are some other prankers in our house who doesn't try and hide it so my pranks would of been hidden until I made friends with them. However I guess they didn't cover up my first one on the first day-""The first day! Meadow are you crazy, what if the headmaster had expelled you for that" my Mum scolded. Remus and our Dad were trying to contain their laughter from where they sat but Lyall couldn't help but let it all out. "Lyall..." Hope began but Dad cut in."Sorry, but come on Hope, cut them some slack. They were just trying to have fun, lighten up". Mum rolled her eyes and started another conversation that didn't involve my pranks but this time I stayed silent during it all.The time was nearing for me to ask my questions and I could sense Remus feeling it too. But what if I didn't like the truth? What if the was bad? What if the truth ruins my future? As time went on, the less I spoke. My head was too full of questions right now for me even to acknowledge the conversation right now. I had a feeling that now my brother, was beginning to realize how I felt and he had noticed that I was no longer chiming in to the conversation. Something was wrong and he knew it, however he thankfully disguised his worry for me and continued the chat while occasionally glancing over in my direction. I just sat by the fire -despite it calling too me once more- and stared out of the window at the gentle snow that fell past the window onto the white lawn. Anyone would of thought that we wasn't in Britain or I was staring at a painting if Lynx wasn't speeding through the field chasing off birds or trying to catch snowflakes in her mouth. I can't help but smile through the clear glass as I watched the kneazle get covered in snow but it was now they realized."Are you okay Meadow? You've gone quiet" Lyall addressed making me jump. I wasn't expecting to be spoken to yet so I had let my guard down."I'm fine just thinking about somethings that has happened at school" I sigh turning to them. "Mum, Dad is it okay if you answer a few questions that I have truthfully?" They both nod and Remus sends me a small, strained smile that I return before pacing the room and letting it all out."Well the thing is over the past few months, multiple unexplained things have happened that neither me nor Remus could find any information about them in the Library. For example my Hufflepuff relative. On the day of the sorting, the Sorting hat was deciding where to put me and said 'or maybe Hufflepuff like your true family' but he never said who it was. And he also said something about a power I have but he refused to tell me. I don't know why but I think it's how I can see people in different places. Back in September, I was waiting for Remus to meet me in the Gryffindor Common Room so we could then head to the library to find information but he was busy and ended up running late. So as I was sat down, I was thinking about where he could be and a flash happened which allowed me to see what he was doing although no one else could see me. The thing is, I think that I was in the Common Room the whole time but yet I was looking at the grounds. I also saw you at work a few days later but while I was watching Rem, I also heard a voice calling me but I didn't hear it when I saw you. I couldn't see who it was but all I know is that it is from a male, and that wasn't my first time hearing him either. On the Hogwarts Express, I heard him too but when I looked down the train corridor no one was there . We also looked in the library about hearing the voice but once again nothing has turned up."I stop pacing to look at my parents who were looking at the ground, slightly pale. It was a lot to take in I suppose but I needed answers. Looking at them, I croaked out my final sentence."Please... Just tell me what you know..."Remus grabs my arm gently and pulls me down onto the couch beside him before I collapsed on the floor and wraps an arm around my shoulder. I bury myself into his side and watch Lyall and Hope in silence. All that could be heard was the gentle flap of Lynx's cat flap as she walked in and hopped onto my lap. I looked down at her and began to scratch her behind the ear before looking back at the two adults. Did they know something? Had this happened to someone before me? Did they have no clue about any of this and they were just thinking of what it could be? "Meadow... I'm afraid that neither of us knows what is going on or this Hufflepuff relative of yours. Your mother being a muggle an all doesn't help either unfortunately..." Lyall sighs running a hand through his hair. Both Remus and I sigh in disappointment looking down at Lynx that seemed to be purring sadly in my lap. She must of sensed that I was going to get up because she moved onto Remus' lap and sat down watching me with her big, amber eyes. I get up quietly and begin to head for the stairs but a voice in the living room stops me."Meadow... Meadow... Meadow...." a mystery voice began to call, snapping my head back in it's direction. "Meadow... Meadow..." The voice began to fade but I had to speak which drew my family's attention."Who's there? Show yourself". Hope, Remus and Lyall looked up at me in confusion but stay silent until I had realized that they were looking at me. "It was the voice, it called me again but they still haven't revealed who they are" I explained before muttering something about being in my room. "Meadow, although none of us knows what is going on we are still here for you. We will find out the answers one way or another but for now, just focus on your studies and enjoy the holidays. We will look into this later okay?" Dad wraps me up in a big hug which I return. "If it makes you feel better, I will do some digging around in the ministry and write to Dumbledore about it. For now let's just look at some pictures of magical creatures I brought back for you". I let out a small smile and sit beside my Dad looking at the photos he had brought back while Remus and our Mum were talking on the other couch. But one thing was sitting in my mind.Did my parents really know anything?