Chapter thirty three: Just why?

"Well look here, Ern! It's the misses!" Stan beamed at Lucy whom growled at him 

"Stan!" Lucy said sweetly, "what did I tell you about calling me misses?" 

"I don't know! I can't remember!" Stan chortled, "so where do you want to go?" 

"Hogwarts, preferably" Fred shrugged 

"Well come on then!" Stan ushured them all into the bus, they stepped in took a seat and before they knew it the bus was off and they were on their way to Hogwarts 

"So you run away from your daddy again?" Stan asked Lucy while the others listened in silence 

"Er no, not at all..." Lucy muttered 

Stan shook his head and got out the newspaper, Lucy glanced at the front of the newspaper and saw the headline about Sirius Black, she did feel sorry for him. The bus continued to speed along the highway, weaving in and out of the cars, yet the muggles didn't pay any attention. 

The bus finally pulled up outside Hogsmeade and the kids hopped off along with Stan. 

"How much do we owe you?" Hermione asked, pulling out her purse 

"Two galleons and three sickles, please" Stan said holding out his dirty hand 

Hermione put the money in his hand with disgust, then they all watched as Stan got back on the bus and it whizzed away from Hogwarts and went to it's next destination. 

"I really dislike Stan" Ginny frowned 

"Oh yes, don't we all..." Lucy sighed 

Suddenly the air turned colder and it seemed to get darker too. Lucy looked around frantically to see if there were any dementors and she wondered whether she would have to cast her very weak patronus which wouldn't protect four people. Lucy panicked slightly but stepped forward slowly to see what was going on. 

There was still people walking about but the crowd was slowly thinning. Then suddenly without warning a woman screamed, Lucy turned around sharply as well as her group of friends. Lucy gasped as she saw a hooded figure sweeping along the path, it lifted up it's head slightly. They all stepped back as it approached. 

"Nice to see you here" the figure said, it revealed it's face for only a moment but then covered it and continued to venture into Hogsmeade. Lucy thought she knew who that hooded figure was but wasn't one hundred percent certain about it.  

Lucy opened her bag and pulled out her wand then ordered the others to do so and they obeyed. They all crept forward, down the path, trying to avoid attention.

"Oi, Lucy, what are we doing?" Fred asked but she didn't listen because she had already broke into a run and was heading towards the castle.

Fred, Ginny and Hermione followed Lucy, yet they were all very confused at her actions but decided to play along with it. When she reached the castle, Lucy's heart sunk because the gates were closed and all of them were in great danger.

"Let us in!" Lucy yelled

"Mental..." Fred shook his head at the girl who was frantically trying to climb up the gate and jump over but the enchantments were blocking her way

"Don't call me mental!" Lucy snapped at Fred who stepped back and left her to continue her madness, "there's got to be another way in!"

"Of course there's another way in!"

Lucy turned around to face Fred. He smiled but even in this cold weather he seemed to be warm.

"Where? Tell me! Now!"

"Alright! Alright!, Follow me and I'll show you"

Fred, Hermione and Ginny walked towards Honeydukes with Lucy following on behind with curiosity. Fred opened the door to Honeydukes and allowed the others in, he led them downstairs into the cellar and opened a door which led to the underground.

"Ta - da!" Fred beamed at all of them

"You have got to be kidding me" Hermione sneered but Ginny simply climbed down and Hermione had no choice but to climb down too. 

"You going down there?" Fred asked Lucy 

"Er - " 

"It's quite a jump down there, I'll help you get down if you want?" 

Fred jumped down and Lucy stood at the edge of the door, frightened because of what she might find down there. Ever since Lucy had encountered Kingston she was scared that he could be lurking anywhere, even at Hogwarts the safest place she knew. 

Lucy gingerly put one foot down but slipped, if it wasn't for Fred she would of fallen on her face and most probably of broken her nose. She thanked Fred then they both ventured down the alley way until they found themselves inside Hogwarts behind a statue. They saw Ginny and Hermione and stood next to them.

"Took you long enough!" Ginny said shaking her head  

Before anyone else could speak another word Lucy was off again, running down the corridor and off to Dumbledore's office, but on her way she was stopped by George Weasley. 

"Lucy! You're here!" George gaped at her 

"Yeah, I'm here and you made it here to then I see?" Lucy was itching to get to Dumbledore's office fast and had to keep small talk with George. 

"Just about - " 

"Hate to cut you short but i've really got to go!" Lucy apoligised but had to get going 

When she made it to outside of Dumbledore's office she had to rack her brain for some sort of password. She thought of any sweet that she could and shouted it at the gargoyle.

"Pumpkin pasties!" Lucy said before she was just about to give up, finally the gargoyle sprang aside and Lucy raced up the steps, she entered the door without knocking and saw Dumbledore sitting at his desk as though he didn't have a care in the world.

"Professor!" Lucy shrieked and ran over to his desk 

"Good afternoon, Lucy, how are you doing?" 

"Er fine but, have you seen my father? Or maybe Shona?" 

"I haven't seen Miss McGuire or Severus, forgive my lack of attention, I almost slipped into a deep sleep before you came along" 

"I apoligise, Professor" Lucy shook her head in shame 

"It doesn't matter, now you were saying about you're father?" 

"Yes!" Lucy sobbed just as the man himself walked in dragging Shona 

"Well there's you're answer, Lucy" Dumbledore smiled but Lucy had already stalked off and had stood in front of Snape to give hima piece of her mind 

"Why did you leave me in the middle of no where!" Lucy raged at her father 

"For your safety as well as the others!" 

"And you expected us to just sit there! Anxious about everyone's lives!? Oh and you just come back here to Hogwarts without even coming back to me! IF I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE KNIGHT BUS I'D BE DEAD!" 

There was silence. The only sounds which could be heard were Lucy's heavy breathing but finally Snape spoke, his voice calm as apposed to Lucy's. 

"I came for McGuire" 

"AND YOU STILLL RETURN TO HOGWARTS WITHOUT ME! AS WELL AS FRED, HERMIONE AND GINNY! I BET YOU'RE NOT IN MR AND MRS WEASLEY'S GOOD BOOK!"

"And I'm probably not in yours either"

"YOU'VE GOT THAT RIGHT! HOW DARE YOU JUST LEAVE ME! HOW DARE YOU! WITH KINGSTON AT LOOSE AND - " Lucy stopped in mid sentence, she just realised what she was going to say and couldn't dare mention it in front of Shona or Dumbledore

"And what?" Snape asked

"Nothing..." Lucy said avoiding Snape's eyes but Snape wouldn't take 'nothing' as an answer, he pulled Lucy outside then closed the door 

"And what?" He repeated 

"Nothing!" 

"Tell me, Lucy" Snape demanded grasping her shoulders 

"My parents..." Lucy muttered 

"Is that what all the shouting was about?" 

"Yes, if you knew those horrible people you'd be scared too" 

"But what exactly did they do to you?" 

Lucy took a deep breath and began. 

"They tortured me, physically, if I didn't do what I was told I would be beaten and I don't mean simply hit once I mean until bruises covered my body and my father wouldn't stop there...He'd do anything until I was in unbearable pain." Lucy paused at Snape's horrified look, "lets just say that it was like having the cruciatis curse put on you everyday" 

"You're joking..." 

"Would I joke about something as serious as this? I'm not Shona!" 

"I know that but who would do that?" 

"A sad man and woman with no life, that's why I was so grateful when you found me by that old guitar shop it was probably the best day of my life and from what I've learnt from this school you aren't particulary fond of kids, right?" 

"Correct" 

"Then why did you take me in?" 

Snape thought for a moment. Why did he take Lucy in? He just simply saw her all alone and he couldn't help but feel sorry for her even though he didn't know her.

"Moment of madness?" He shrugged

"Oh you wouldn't take me in because of a moment of madness! Tell me the truth!" 

"No reason" Snape shook his head, "and why are you questioning me? Aren't you happy?" 

"Of course I'm happy! Well I was until you just left me in the middle of no where" 

"Please forgive my mistake..." 

"Like so many others?" 

"Look, we're both, still, learning how to understand each other and we are going to make mistakes and like you're perfect, Lucy!"

"I suppose, I'll forgive you" Lucy shrugged and the two walked back into Dumbledore's office

"Have the two Snape's stop cat fighting?" Shona asked  

"Yes, Shona" Lucy sighed 

"Well I have a bit of news to deliver" Dumbledore perked up, everyone looked at him, "There have been some attacks and they haven't been caused by a basilisk"