Finding Her Parents: HP Fanfic

Chapter 11: Bad Situations Come In Threes

Audri felt a cold draft go through the room Monday morning. It was a spiteful beginning of her week compared to the warm weekend she had. Not that she wasn't cold during the weeked, but her heart was warm, which overcame the fact.

No, something was wrong. Everything was, but something in partiuclar, Audri knew it. The first strange thing was a Barn Owl incessantly tapping at the basement window. It must have hated the basement as much as Ione. Audri took the letter, handing the bird some owl chips, before sending it on its way. Dumb bird. The envelope was adressed to Indira, but she supposed the poor thing just wanted to be out of the cold. She dropped the letter on Indie's nightstand, though the curiousity was killing her. Nevertheless, she left the note alone since it wasn't her business. None at all.

Instead, Audri went to fird Peregrine, her poor creature of a Pygmy Puff. Even though the dawn was barely breaking, she knew Peregrine woke when she did. Yet, the Puff wasn't bouncing around its cage, waking Tessa up to tell her to shut it. Audri pulled the bronzed cage toward her from it's spot on a low hook, hanging from the ceiling. Oh dear.

"NO!" Audri screamed, louder than she'd expected. Peregrine was completely still, not a puff left in her. "No, no! NO!"

"What?! What's the fuss about?" Tess sat rodlike in her bed, eyes still closed in slumber.

"Peregrine," Audri replied sadly. She took it in her hands, carefully cupping it, hoping to revive it. During the night, Peregrine had shaken off the little blanket Luna knitted for her. She probably froze herself to death, an untimely demise, since Ginny suspected she had another good year in her compared to Arnold's long life.

"Take her to Hagrid," Tessa yawned, lying back down to snuggle her blankets.

"He won't be any help," Audri's voice cracked. She couldn't sit there with a dead Pygmy Puff in her hands any longer. The room felt very cold and very lonely all of a sudden. She swiped a blanket Luna knitted her and wrapped it around herself. Then, she left the dorm to sit by the fire. She wasn't sure how to bury Peregrine; was she even allowed to bury her? Pets died all the time at Hogwarts, maybe they just threw them out. But where would Peregrine go? Audri couldn't have her rotting in some Muggle dumpster like a rat. Peregrine was her first new family and friend. Peregrine was always there to cuddle or gaze by the fire or even at meal times to nibble at soup. This wasn't just another witch's rat from the shop. This was a beloved pet, a little sister.

"Hey," Teddy yawned, walking in a trance. "I heard a shout. Any chance you know what the fuss is about?"

"Peregrine," Audri's voice cracked so much she couldn't bear say another word. Ted rubbed his eyes and sat next to her on the floor by the fire. Peregrine lay still in a peice of her blanket, eyes closed.

"What happened?" Teddy asked, real concern in his tone. He took the puff in his long, slender fingers. "She's freezing."

"I know," Audri mustered to mumble. If she spoke much more she'd break down into tears, and she hated having break downs on Mondays. It was better if she cried at night any way, since hardly anyone noticed at night. The mornings people were fresh and ready to go. "I-I-I'm going to go get ready."

"Aud-"

"Let me do this, Ted." She may have not looked at him, but Teddy knew to withdrawal. This was her form of dealing. She'd wait until she had alone time to cry by herself, just as she'd done about her Muggle parents. Once in a while, she'd let Luna in for her guidance and mumly care. He slid Peregrine from his hand to hers and allowed her to go back, where she expected to ready herself in silence.

"I'm going home!" Indira ecstatically whispered from her bed. She was holding the note Audri let in earlier with a look of happiness.

"What?" Audri felt as if cold water was slapped on her heart to wake it back to reality. Indira despised her family for lowering her self esteem. Just the other day her more beautiful, smarter sister Sundara, in Ravenclaw, remarked of her sisters stupidity. It was a moment of shame for Indira, considering her mother's famed Ravenclaw years, not to mention the classic Hindu beauty Sundara was. Indira showed more of her English father with an olive tone and smaller eyes, still yet, she was one of the most beautiful in their class. She didn't know it.

"I know, it sounds horrible, but I won't have to come back to school!" Indira giggled. "I'm getting married to my old friend!"

"Married?!" Audri shouted, feeling light headed. Who would want to marry so young? There was nothing to rush herself, Indira could really be something!

"What?!" Tessa crankily woke, now with Eldrida. Cherie was always such a deep sleeper.

"I'm getting married!" Indira said gleefully. How could she be so happy? A death, a marriage, soon enough a baby! No, hopefully Audri was wrong about that. She didn't need any of her friends or herself to have to deal with such a huge responisibilty. She spontaneously she couldn't go to class. Luna always said a girl as wise as herself was allowed a break every once in a while and today was a perfect day to take that chance. She slipped into her bed, placing Peregrine back in her cage, and tried to shut her eyes.

"Is Peregrine sleeping already?" Eldrida asked, coming nearer to the cage, before gasping harshly. Audri squeezed her eyes and tugged the covers closer. She felt a pat on her hip. "I'm so sorry, dear."

"What now?" Tessa asked loudly.

"The poor creature has gone to Pygmy Heaven," Eldrida said sorrowfully. She always had a soft spot for creatures of all kinds. Audri heard Tessa give out a sad sigh. Well now there was enough news to occupy Hogwarts for a week. Pets may have died all the time, but it was well known how long they should live, and how attached wizards became to them. In a world dominated by Muggles, sometimes a magical creature was nice to have with you.

Audri listened to the other girls wake up fully and leave, even Cherie, and waited until the din of the Common Room went down. Then, she sat up and cried. How could two things be wrenched from her in one day? Was Karma getting her back for having too lovely a weekend? If so, surely she could have recieved payment in a less severe form. It was like she got a two for one deal, where she had to give one fun weekend for two dreary payments.

She felt as if this was the day. She was allowed to fall apart then, so she did. She wished for everything to go smoothly but it couldn't. Her best friend was leaving her to grow up and marry. Which meant she wasn't coming back; Indira would have her own life without telling her worries to her friends or even graduating with them. Then, Peregrine died. The last piece to the childhood Luna and Neville gave her was gone. She wanted to control it, yet it was all happening anyway. Audri would have no say in the natural events in life and that scared her.

Audri sniffled and shuffled to her nightstand for some writing materials.

'Dear Mum,

The most horrible of things has happened today! After my last letter from last night, my poor, dear, Peregrine had died. She was so cold from her fur to the bone, I believe she accidentally pushed off the covers you made for her. I wish I could say that was all, but I have more! Indira must go home soon, she hasn't said when. We may have had our rough times, but at once we were the best of friends. To top it off, her parents are marrying her to her best friend from childhood. I think he's the rich Hindu boy she always talks about, but I'm so meddled I can't even remember his name! Please, please can I come over today? I can't stand burying my lovely Peregrine's green coat in the Forbidden Forest or even by the lake. I'd prefer putting her next to the dirigible plums, so she can always feel safe. I love you, Mum. Please respond immediately.

Love, Audri.'