No goodnight, part three. | Helene skipped along the path to the Gryffindor entrance where she was meeting Remus. She passed Sir Cadogan who called out to her to stop and talk, but Helene ignored him. She knew all too well what Cadogan was on about and didn't really want to be chatted up by a painting so she quickened her pace. Daydreaming as she turned a corner, Helene walked right into Remus. Confused, she tried to rub the stars from her eyes. "Huh?" Helene said. "What are you doing here?" "I was going to get you." Replied Remus. "You were late... I thought something might have happened to you." Helene snapped to attention."What? You know where the Slytherin entrance is?" "Yeah..." Remus put his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "Sort of..." "What do you mean... sort of?" Helene was puzzled. "Well... I... noted which direction you took after leaving the Gryffindor entrance, and Sirius gave me an idea of the general area Slytherin is in." Helene clenched her fists. "He... gave... you... what?..." She said through gritted teeth. "I... swore him to secrecy." Remus held out his arms in front of him to protect himself, Helene's tempers were well known, but Helene only laughed. "Am I that terrifying?" She chuckled. "Let me let you in on a little secret." Helene beckoned for Remus to come closer. "RRRar!" Helene growled, and Remus jumped. Helene laughed,and pulled Remus close. "The tempers are all show..." She whispered. "I've never actually hurt anyone. Never would." "So that's why you're in Slytherin." Exclaimed Remus. "Your cunning and wit..." He raised an eyebrow, one of Helene's trademark gestures. "Hey It's not everyone who would think to pretend to have a bad temper so people don't bug them... It's ingenius." "Great." Remus rolled his eyes. "We've got another evil genius on our hands." Helene changed the subject. "It looks like it'll rain." She said, Looking up at the clouds. "I don't wanna get wet." "Don't worry... It won't rain." Said Remus. "I'd know." "How?" Asked Helene as they walked. "Weather magic isn't until next year." "I've always had a gift." Remus replied. "I can't control the weather yet... but I'm never wrong when it comes to predicting the weather." "That must be useful." Said Helene. "You'd never get stuck in a snowstorm." "I'ts not just rain and that though, Lenie." Continued Remus. "I don't mean to brag but I can tell if theres going to be an earthquake, or if a volacano's going to erupt... Tsunami's are easy but asteroids took a bit of practice." Helene gaped. "Your powers stretch that far?" "No, Actually I was just kidding." Said Remus. "See, Gryffindors can lie too... but I can tell earthquakes, tsunami's and volcano's if they're nearby." "Now THAT'S safety." Said Helene. Remus continued. "Speaking of safety... I could tell you if you were safe to practice quidditch on a rainy day..." "You heard?" Helene squealed. "But how? Tiffany just told me." "The walls have ears... and mouths." Replied Remus. "Maybe you should ask the fat lady." "Maybe we should get going."Helene said and they headed toward the Hogwarts exit. "It's no big deal, anyway." "No big deal? Helene, You'll be playing against my house, kicking their butts even. That's a big deal." Remus laughed softly. "I just can't allow it." "So what will you do?" "Why, call up a thunderstorm of course." "Ha ha, you jerk." Helene gave Remus a playful shove. "You watch it or I'll be hittin' bludgers towards you." "You would too, you know." Said Remus and they walked in silence for about thirty seconds. "No, actually, I don't think I would." Said Helene. "I'm a chaser." "You're probably right." "Do you think I could give you a concussion with the quaffle?" "No, you wouldn't. You're too nice." "So... Up for some chocolate frogs?" Asked Helene as they passed through the Hogwarts gates. "Uhh... no." Said Remus. "I think I'd rather spend all my money on butterbeer." "Hmm... I wonder who you could be impersonating." Said Helene. "It's not Peter, I'm sure." "I rather think i'm impersonationg your brother." "Then you should substitute 'joke magic' for 'butterbeer'." "Yep, That's Sirius... and James. I wonder what they'll get for Severus this time." "Nothing I hope." Replied Helene, quickly thinking up a story to explain her antagonism towards the jokes Sirius and James played on Severus. "Try being in the Slytherin common room when they've played yet another joke on him. It's all outrage, complaints and alot of studying hexes." "I could try being in the Slytherin common room. Why don't you give me the password?" "Because that would... uhh... because I don't wanna." "You have the password to Gryffindor." "But Gryffindor's don't try to kill a Slytherin when they enter their house." "Ah, Good comeback." Said Remus. "Embarrased of your house then?" "What non-evil Slytherin wouldn't be." "One point, Lene." Said Remus. "The only non-evil Slytherin is you." "No, that's not true." Replied Helene. "Alot of my Slytherin friends aren't evil." "Name one." "Tiffany." "The one who poisons peoples drinks for laughs?" "Ok, So she has her faults but you really shouldn't judge a Slytherin until you know them. Most of us are just really really really ambitious. Really really really ambitious." "So if you're just ambitious..." Started Remus. "Then you could give me the Slytherin password." "Why don't I give them the Gryffindor password." Said Helene. "Think of all the fun." "No don't, they'd kill us." Said Remus. "All Slytherins are eeeevil." "Well of course they'd try to kill you. You're a Gryffindor. Our houses are bent against each other. But that doesn't make them evil." "Well that does make sense." Said Remus. "I mean... most of us Gryffindor's aren't big jocky guys like Godric Gryffindor." "There, I told ya so." Remus and Helene stopped talking as they realized they were in the middle of Hogsmeade. "Sh-whoops." Exclaimed Helene. "Note to self; pay more attention before ending up halfway across the world." "Where were we going first again?" "The tavern... heh heh heh... Time to bug a butterbeer fan." "I thought I was the one wanting to taunt Peter, and you were the one restraining me." "Can't we both annoy him?" "Okay." Helene and Remus wandered over to the tavern and were not very suprised to see a familiar figure sitting at a table by himself with a butterbeer. "You know, Peter." Helene said, as they sauntered over. "Human companionship can almost be compared to the warm feeling butterbeer gives you." "It may even give you spiritual fulfillment." Added Remus. "Yeah, whatever." Said Peter. "Can I buy you one? They've put a limit per customer." "Sure." Said Remus at the same time as Helene said, "No thanks." "We'll share one." They concluded in unison, and then cracked up laughing for no particular reason other than the fact that they were having a really good time together. "So... Limit per customer, huh?" Helene said. "What would that be? 1000 glasses, tops? That must be a real drag." "Three glasses." Said Peter. "Three glasses, can you believe?" "So do something else." Said Helene. "There's plenty to do in Hogmeade." "I should go get some choclolate." Said Peter. "They better not have put a limit on that." Everyone laughed. After a short and lively chat with Peter, Helene and Remus left. The day went quickly, buying lollies, playing tricks, cracking jokes... Pretty soon, it was time to visit the Shrieking shack. That was uneventful. "Har Har, well Har." Cried Robert, when he saw them. "Izzat the emu and his hen I spy? By gosh, it is." "Well, cull my kangaroos." Said Remus, mocking the Australian boy. "If it isn't... you." "Yeah, I know." Said Robert. "Me. I seen you avoiding this place all day, but I guess yore not soo much of a coward." "This place isn't scary." Said Remus. "It's boring. That's why I didn't want to come here." "Are you scared of ghosts?" Asked Robert. "Why would I be scared of ghosts? The castles full of them." Said Remus. "There aren't any in that old shack, anyways." "Good point." Said Robert. "So I suppose you're fine with just running up and touching the door. I reckon your girlfriend would like it." Helene hid her face in shame as Robert lingered over the world girlfriend. Australians could make a two syllable word last an hour. "Okay, He'll do it." Said Helene. "Fifty knuts. Cash." "What? You want payment?" Asked Robert. "I want incentive." Said Helene. "Lene, It's really nothing..." Said Remus. "I don't need..." "That worm can pay up." Helene cut him off. "If you're going to do it, at least profit." "Your girlfriend handle your accounts, does she?" Asked Robert. "Well, okay. Fifty knuts for going up to the door and ringing the doorbell. And you have to walk back. Slowly." "Done." Said Remus, and they shook hands. Remus gave Helene a look that said it all, and "I'm doing this for you." look, and he started walking. Ding-ding-dinga-dong, went the bell. Magical as it was, it needed more than a simple ding-dong. Remus turnedto walk back, but stopped. He sat down on the porch, lay back, and looked at the sky. "Just a stupid house." He called. "Oooh, scary." They waited, Remus didn't move. "You're point is made, Remus." Called Robert. "You can come back now." "What do you say?" "Okay, you're not a chicken... or a plucked emu." Called Robert, finishing with a mutter. "Damn, I have got to stop perpetuating this stupid stereotype." (To all non-Australians. Yes, It's a stereotype. But you wouldn't believe how fun it is, pretending you actually wrestle crocodiles in your backyard, and having others believe you. When an Australian goes overseas, there's a horrible urge to say the words "G'day, mate.", even though we would never say them at home. Go figure.) Remus wandered back, slowly, exaggerating his instructions. Robert paid up, with a burnt look on his face, and they left. Suprise suprise, Remus spent the fifty knuts on jokes, most likely to be played on Slytherins. Helene helped him pick. It was definitely more light-hearted than a day with ever-so-serious Slytherins could have been. Helene sighed, almost in a daze. Remus was trying to walk her back to the Slytherin dormitories. She did hope he didn't know the entire way, so she stopped. "Well, I'll see you later, Remus." Helene said, simply. "It's been a good day." "Yes." Said Remus. They stood, looking at each other for a while. Worlds were always lost at moment like this. Remus leaned closer to Helene. She tiled her face up and closed her eyes... An image of three people, much older excapt for one. One with dark hair, one in patched robes, and one in the black and white of a summoning spell. Flash. Another image, a baby. Flash. A much older Helene, picking up an eleven year old boy and hugging him. Flash. An image of puppies. Flash. A green light. ... Helene ducked out of the way, just as Remus was going to kiss her. "I.... have to go." She said, heart pounding with fear. She didn't understand what she had seen, but she was scared. "Bye!" That was it. Helene darted around a corner and ran away into the darkness.
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