Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ Breaking Silence ❯ Chapter Four ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter Four

Sophie woke up in a slightly uncomfortable hospital wing bed. The long hall was blissfully empty leaving her in peace to collect her thoughts. A thin wrapping of bandage was around her arm, reminding her of the damage done to it last night or technically this morning in all truth. Her growling stomach told her it was way passed breakfast and lunch and was very angry with her. A clock on the far wall announced it to be around three. She was deciding whether to get up and leave or wait for Madam Hull when Madam Hull herself walked into the room.

"Ah Sophia your up!" she greeted the girl cheerfully. "How are you feeling this evening?" she smiled warmly.

"Ah okay thank you. Madam Hull am I going to be able to leave tonight?" Sophie asked a little impatiently.

"After I redo your bandage you are free to go. Horrible way to spend you weekend, cooped up in here." She talked about this and that keeping up an endless flow of chatter while re-bandaging Sophie's arm. The gash's had mostly healed and wouldn't require bandages after one more night. She finished quickly and helped Sophie sit up and eventually stand. Sophie became so light headed on her first attempt she instantly fell back.

Finally steady on her feet Sophie turned to thank the older woman who always had been very motherly towards her. Before she could, Madam Hull said something that made Sophie freeze. "That young man who helped you here last night, Remus Lupin? He came to see you this morning; you hadn't woken up yet though so he stayed for a good half hour or so passing time by writing some letter. He left when he had finished it. Never said a word or anything just came in sat down and went to work. Feels guilty I suppose, he told me how he startled the owl. Well I'm all done here. You're free to go!" she said briskly and walked off not giving Sophie a chance to say anything.

Sophie pondered Remus's motives during her walk up to her dormitory. Her mind kept jumping to the thought that he might have recognized her as A Lady, it wasn't very likely, but at the same time Sophie couldn't help but think of the worst. Madam Hull's explanation was the most likely, that he felt remorse and wanted to make amends. She just sighed, wondering how her life could get anymore complicated.

Sophie had reached her room by this time. She put no effort into hurriedly changing her clothes, still slightly light headed. A tapping at her window brought her out of her revere Duchess was at the window, hooting and scratching on the glass demanding to be let in. Sophie chuckled a little before crossing the room to unlatch the window. Duchess slipped into the room as soon as there was room enough to do so. She hovered as best she could hooting and cooing. Sophie held out her good arm to the distressed owl. She immediately settled and started to preen threw Sophie's hair.

"Calm down Duchess dear, I'm fine and I'm not mad at you, it wasn't your fault." The distressed owl continued to fidget nervously without being still. "You know all this worry is not behavior befitting someone like you noble self?" Sophie tried to joke; she laughed as Duchess ceased her anxious motions and reverted to her regal self. "Much better my sweet." Sophie cooed stroking her corky friend lovingly.

Just then, there was yet another tap at the window a `great brown ball of an owl was also scratching at the window. Letting Duchess settle herself on the top of a bed post Sophie unlatched the window to let the second owl into to the room. After being let in, the owl promptly fell to the floor.

"Not the most coordinated of owls now are we?" Sophie asked with a chuckle. A hoot could be heard behind her and a none too dignified one. Laughing the girl turned to acknowledge Duchess. "Don't be offended my dear, while not the most graceful he is still one of your kind." Duchess just ruffled her feathers and looked insulted.

Smiling Sophie untied the letter from the owl's foot and helped it back out the window so it could go find its perch in the owlry hopefully close enough to the floor so it wouldn't damage its few remaining brain cells.

Sophie's attention switched then from the comical scene that had just played out to the letter clasped in her hand. Taking a deep breathe she unrolled it and began to read fearing the worst.

Dear Lady,

I truly wish we could do away with these games. There is much I wish to tell you that a letter I feel would just not suffice. As to your question, feel free to ease drop on me any day, more of a chance for me to finally figure out who you are. Things between Gwen and me are, strained to say the least. She is constantly trying to find some sort of horrible fault or event to pin on me. We didn't use to be like this, it used to seem like we did everything but fight now its like we do nothing but as clique and mellow dramatic as it sounds. I swear that there is nothing I am hiding from her save one thing that I truly can not tell her. I feel horrible for it, and I blame much of the state of things on myself. Part of the blame does go to her however. If she would just trust me and drop all of these pretenses... If EVERYONE would stop the deception things would be better.

Sophie flinched at the intense emotion in the sentence. She knew that she was a major part of the deception going on in Remus's life even if he doesn't. She was lying about who she was to him both in person and through a letter but she could think of no other way. She continued reading…

I apologize I am having a very rough day and I should not be taking it out on you. You have never lied to me (she flinched again.) and it is unfair to explode at you for it. I must be losing it… you're the second person in the last two days that I have taken advantage of for no reason and I am sorry. I must cut this letter short because I would like to mail this after breakfast...

Yours exhaustedly,

Remus Lupin

Sophie looked down at the letter with guilt flowing like ice through her veins. She hated lying to him when what he seemed to need the most right now was the truth. But-could the truth really be what he needed? She let out an aggravated cry and threw herself upon her bed.

"What do I do Duchess?" Sophie lamented. "Telling him the truth means that I won't have to lie to him anymore. But it's so much easier not to, so much safer. Nothing good comes from the truth. Mother telling me the truth about my parentage was a mistake." She told the creature, pausing to collect her scattered thoughts. "The only thing Mother has ever done for me was to not tell Father that I'm not his. I sincerely think that is the only thing keeping me in the house."

At this point she had forgotten she was speaking aloud, she was so absorbed in her crisis of conscious. So distracted was she that she missed the sound of the door cracking open when she had paused, nor did she hear it click back closed. Duchess was startled by the noise the second time and hooted in distress, flying to the window begging to be released; an absent minded Sophie obliged her before collapsing on her bed to fret out her worries.

The ease dropper on the other hand rushed down to the common room looking to share this newest juicy tidbit she had just heard. Scanning the common room, she located Joseph and rushed over to him.

"Oh Joseph you have no idea what I just over heard when you sent me to find Gwen for you!" the perky girl squealed kneeling next to the arm of the chair that Joseph had lazily arranged himself in, the aura of control oozing off of him. The complete sense of control he exuded was like a drug to someone like Natalie whose every thought needed to be directed; indeed, it worked like that for most people.

"What is that?" he inquired with disinterest. By this time he was completely used to Natalie, throwing herself at him and trying to get herself endeared to him by way of her 'useful information'.

"It's about that Sophie girl who no one talks to? Well apparently, she's illegitimate! Everyone thinks she comes from this high class pure-blooded family but she's not a Naldeg at all! Her mother cheated on her father and got pregnant from it! In fact, the only reason that her father even stands her is because he doesn't know! I did know I didn't bring you Gwen but I did good still with this didn't I?" she batted her muddy eyes and pushed herself closer to him. She had no idea as to how useful the information she had just divulged was.

Joseph's lips curled into a sickening facsimile of a smile and pulled her closer. "Yes my pet you did very well." He crushed her lips to his for a fleeting moment before pulling away. Natalie whined trying to reestablish the connection, one look form Joseph sent her pouting to a seat across the room. He had been worried about how he was going to threaten Sophie. All of his checking arounds had told him nothing she seemed to be the perfect angel.

He was still contemplating his next act when Sophie herself came hurriedly down the stair with a letter clutched in her palm Joseph got up quickly and followed.

Sophie was most defiantly in a hurry. She had made the decision to tell Remus and hope for the best, she was just going to send him a simple note saying who she was and face the results of it. Tucking some stray curls from around her face back behind her ears, she wished not for the first time that duchess had just waited for a few more minutes. Sophie was terrified that she would change her mind by the time she got to the owlery, and she was terrified she wouldn't

Opening the large door, she stated scanning for Duchess. She groaned loudly when she couldn't find her. "She must be out hunting or flying." She whispered softly. Looking around, she tried to find another school owl that could help her. She almost let out another groan when she saw the only school owl currently available was the same dim witted one that had delivered Remus's last letter. "I guess you'll have to do. Well come here you lazy lot." Sophie ordered. The buffoon just glared at her and stuck his head back under his wing. "Do owls even do that you insane creature?" she commented to it coming closer to attempt to attach her letter to its leg.

When she was close enough, it gazed up at her gave an outraged hoot and hopped to the floor. Sophie sighed and took a step closer to the asinine animal. The creature hearing her foot steps hopped farther away. "Oh no we are not going to play that game! You will deliver this letter before I back out!" with this impassioned cry she started to chase the owl around the owlry with him always one hop in front of her. This was how the man who next opened the owlry door found her.

"I hope this is not a normal behavior for you?" he commented causing Sophie to freeze in mid grab. "Some people may judge you to be crazy." Remus laughed at the indignant expression of outrage on Sophie's face. Turning to face him, she quickly stuffed her letter in the back pocket of her jeans.

"I am not going to dignify that with a response." She stated defiantly. He laughed out right causing Sophie to smile in return.

"I did say some people would find you crazy, I do not place myself in that particular category." Warmth shone form his green eyes causing Sophie to shiver ever so slightly. "Though I am beginning to wonder if you live here, considering the number of times I have seen you here." Mirth played through the tone of his voice.

"No I don't spend all of my time here; I do venture out to the library on occasion. Though I fear that anywhere else would be just too over whelming for me, plus I might meet people who would judge me for chasing after a difficult rat with wings." She threw a disdainful glance over her shoulder to the bird in question. She was ecstatic to hear the sound of his laughter in response to her self depreciating joke.

"How is our arm by the way? I came to see you in the hospital wing this morning but you were asleep." Concern winded its way through his voice. Sophie stepped towards him and held out her arm.

"It's all fine now." She pulled back her sleeve to show him the completely healed forearm. She smiled brightly at him just to make sure he knew she held no harsh feelings for the startled owl incident.

"Good I am so sorry about it and if there is any thing I.." he was cut off by the sound of the door opening forcefully. Joseph stepped through quickly sizing up the situation.

"Sophie here's where you've been hiding!" he exclaimed with all inclinations of being affectionate. "I have been looking everywhere for you? Why didn't you wait to send your letter to your family until I could come with you? I don't want you to get hurt again."

Walking without pausing he gathered Sophie into his arms. Sophie attempted to push him away only to be stopped by the quittich captain's arms. Leaning in close to her ear he whispered. "Play along or I tell daddy how your aren't his little girl and never was."

Sophie stopped struggling. Using one arm to keep her crushed against her him, his other hand went to her chin to tilt her face up to look at him and hold her head securely there. "You mean the world to me Sophie, don't you understand that?" he leaned in closer and Sophie could do nothing to stop him from crushing his lips to hers, nothing but pray for it to be over.

"Remus, give us some privacy would you?" Shock turned to horror as she realized that Remus was still there baring witness to all of this as well as what it must look to him. Getting the best look she could at him considering the fact that Joseph had her head trapped, she watched as he walked away. "Good man." He called after him. He didn't release his grip of her until he heard the audible click of the door that signaled Remus's exit. When he did, Sophie exploded from his arms.

"What the hell was that!" she screamed at him and spat to get the taste of him out of her mouth.

"Keep your voice down that was not a pleasures thing for me either so stop acting so offended." He hissed back.

"Why did you do it then!" she shrilled, once again trying to find an owl to use to send her letter. She decided to explain this unfortunate event after Remus knew who she was. Finding one, she took the letter out of her back pocket. Joseph quick as a flash grabbed the letter from her hand and scanned through it before shredding it.

"You forget yourself Sophie. I told you that Gwen and Remus need to stay together and that involve him not knowing who you are." Venom dripped from his every word.

"What does Remus knowing who I am have anything to do with anything!" she shot back.

"Any fool can see that their relationship is hanging on by threads, and I have seen the way he looks at you and read the letters he has written to you, well one of them. He would drop Gwen for you in a heart beat if he A) knew who you were or B) though you weren't other wise involved with someone, hence the necessity for the earlier display."

"Then why do you want them together! If you want to be with her and any fool can see that you do." She threw his own words back at him. "Then shouldn't you want them to break up?" she inquired.

"I want what Gwen can give me, and she can only do that if her parents think she is dating a nice respectable man such as Remus." With what little knowledge that Sophie possessed of this man it only made sense that it was something so selfish. "It is also in your best interest not to tell him."

"Why is that?" Sophie scoffed. "I am not afraid of any thing you can do to me."

"It's not what I can do it's what I can tell. I don't know who your real father is Sophie girl but I know who it isn't." her blood ran cold. "I see you forgot that little tidbit of information I told you earlier I had. If you don't want me to tell your father which by the way is from what I understand the only reason your still living at home then you will keep this a secret. Sophie knew she had lost the battle and just stood there numbly.

"Now, why don't you come walk back to the common room with me just incase Remus is anywhere close by." And somewhere not to far away Remus was sitting looking at an old piece of parchment hoping that Joseph would leave Sophie alone for long enough he could go talk to her and that something horrible had happened and they were not a couple. His worst fears were confirmed though as he watched them walk back to what was presumably the Ravensclaw common room before parting ways. Neither on of them would sleep well that night. Both lost in fretful dreams.