Silver Lining

Chapter 18

The elation after Gryffindor's Quidditch victory was yet to wear off for another week or so. Anyone wearing scarlet and gold would be seen throwing taunts at the Slytherins, and at any meal, there was no surprise that a few war cries were started during the meal. I was in no way an exclusion from the festivities. It seemed as though nothing could bring us down.

Until the incident with little Betty Everwood.

Only a couple of days after the Quidditch game, the Marauders and I were walking back to the Common Room after class (Lily had yet again stayed back to question Professor Binns on the homework). 

"No really," James continued, trying not to laugh, "if the Hufflepuffs are so close to the kitchens, surely they're chummy with the house elves?"

"Are you suggesting they have a choice in what we eat?" Sirius gasped, clutching his chest in horror.

"That would explain why we've had butterscotch pudding every night for the past week," Remus nodded, grinning widely.

"And the pistachio ice cream, too!" Peter jumped in, and I laughed.

"No, the pistachio ice cream is because last week, Moony was too busy complaining about the lack of it to even consider the fact that some of the elves might be listening." I shot Remus a pointed look.

James nodded. "You were awfully loud, Moony."

"I had a craving!"

Sirius snorted. "That's what the-"

He was cut off as a scream sounded from the other side of the Common Room, followed by unearthly wailing. I exchanged worried glances with the four boys and pushed through the crowd that was swiftly gathering around the source of the noise. A little auburn-haired girl was curled up in the arms of a sixth-year girl, sobbing uncontrollably. A letter was clutched in her pale fist, and the older girl was stroking her hair, speaking softly to her. A seventh-year boy who I knew to be on the Quidditch team turned to us. 

"Betty's parents were both muggleborn," he muttered. "Just got the news they've both been murdered." 

"Death Eaters?"James growled, and he nodded. 

"Who else?"

I stared blankly at the tiny, twelve-year-old girl sprawled in the arms of her friend, clutching her as though she was all that was keeping her alive. My feet began moving before I realised it and I was running; running out the door and into the corridor. I could hear people shouting my name behind me, but I didn't care. I couldn't think, I couldn't breathe. I took a sharp turn into the first courtyard I found, throwing myself down to the ground with my back against the wall so as not to be seen, and let the tears fall. I sat there for hours, it seemed, barely able to take a breath through my own sobs until a pair of warm, strong arms wrapped around me. Instinctively, I buried my face into his shoulder, letting him pull me close.

"It's going to be alright," Sirius kept muttering, but it wasn't. We both knew as well as anyone that things were not, and weren't going to be, alright. After a while, he ran his hand over my back gently and pulled away.

"You must be cold," he said, sitting back and shrugging off his leather jacket, draping it over my shoulders. I smiled slightly, sniffling. "Are you okay now?" I shook my head slowly, staring at the ground.

"I'm confused and upset. People are dying because some person doesn't think they're good enough to live because of their blood, and it makes me sick." I could feel tears threatening to fall again, and hurriedly wiped at my eyes. "It doesn't even matter that my family and I are in danger too. The worst thing is, there's nothing I can do about it."