Chapter Five – Claire

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I sigh as the sound of Kate shrieking reaches my ears again. This time she’s not singing - though the same verb could be used in both cases - but is instead imitating a Red Indian and running away from Peggy, who is apparently the cowboy but is making no move to chase after her. Distracted by the colours that are flashing in the corner of my eye as I try to focus on my papers and Kate unintentionally does her best to distract me, I look up and take in the scene, not able to keep a grin off my face as I view and assess my friends one by one.

Kate, as I said, is running around and shouting at the top of her voice doing the most offensive and inaccurate Red Indian impression I have seen – though she stops a second later to scale a tree like a monkey and stand on one of the branches to look down upon the world as if she were an Empress. Peggy and her other friend, Lauretta, or Laura, are stood looking up at her; Laura looking shy and slightly unsure of how to react to Kate’s queenly act and Peggy looking bemused and opening her mouth to discuss Kate’s immoral imitations.

Moving my gaze away from the tree I find Saoirse looking out across the lake (we’re at our favourite hangout spot again), eyes misted and dark auburn hair blowing in the wind as it escapes the plait it was formerly held back in. Next to her is Alex, a friend of Lena’s from Ravenclaw who I get along with pretty well and is quite a witty individual. He seems to be trying to get Saoirse to talk, though the wind is causing him trouble as it keeps blowing his own wild hair about and making him think he needs to talk as loud as possible so Saoirse will pay attention to him.

Lena’s joining us now, her pale, serious face splitting into a humorous grin as she sees Kate swinging from the tree (she’s upside down now) and as a flash of Red comes past her in the form of Sisa, one of Saoirse’s friends from Gryffindor, I know our ‘gang’ is complete. They’re beginning to regroup now as I watch them, Kate leaving the tree that is apparently her ‘noble ancestor’ (don’t ask my why she is under the impression she is a descendant of a family of trees – maybe her medication has affected her again) and coming over to meet Lena and Sisa with Peggy and Laura. Alex still seems intent on getting Saoirse to participate in a proper conversation, but when Lena interrupts Saoirse turns to move away, snapping out of a daydream and joining the group with a smile, Alex following suit.

It’s lovely to watch, but I don’t join them. I’m not in the mood to talk and besides, I don’t want to stop my flow of motivation to do this research, so I leave them be and turn back to my papers.

I’m researching a different branch of my family tree today, trying to connect my great great uncle to a ghost I discovered in a Muggle book the other day. The ghost, named ‘The Witch in the Well’ by a Muggle storyteller, turned out to actually be a real spirit of a witch (discovered after a long night in the library) and I may be able to connect her to a relative of mine. Turning back to my papers, I cast the charm again to move up a branch of my family tree on the certificate the ministry managed to find for me and look for links to an ‘Adriana Dashwood’. However, concentrating is very difficult when there’s a loud conversation going on a few metres away.

“Hey guys can you cast patronuses yet?”

It’s Kate, her voice teasing as she enquires with a grin.

“Of course. We learnt them in fifth year.”

Laura says in a dangerously sensible voice that isn’t advisable to use when talking to Kate – unless you’re me.

“Well I can cast one – everyone here should be able to.” Alex comments. “But the Ministry are making it so you learn them in seventh year.”

“How’d you know that?” Questions Peggy.

“My Mother works in the education department at the Ministry. She told me that’s what they were planning to do this summer.” Alex answers.

“Well I’m certainly glad I learnt how to produce a corporeal one last year.” Lena says.

“You can produce corporeal patronus?” Asks Sisa, her Spanish accent very apparent when surrounded by British voices.

“Yes.” Lena replies, her voice unassuming. “I think everyone here can – or rather by everyone I mean Alex, Kate and Laura. And Claire, of course.” I sniff in amusement at the fact Lena basically forgot I was here. Not that I mind, it’s just funny. I feel like a spy.

“Can you guys cast a corporeal patronus?” Lena goes on, presumably asking Sisa, Peggy and Saoirse.

“Yes – though I only learnt how to do it properly this month. Mine’s a unicorn.” Peggy is of course the first to answer with both pride and eagerness.

“That’s such a great patronus.” It’s Laura, laughing smoothly. “I love finding out what your Patronus is.”

“What about you Sisa? What’s yours?” Lena enquires.

“Una libélula,” Sisa answers in Spanish. “A Dragonfly.”

“And you, Saoirse?” Alex desperately tries to get Saoirse’s attention once but from what I can hear, she stays silent. Lena’s speaking before I can hear anything from the Irish girl, anyway.

“I tell you what – let’s all cast our corporeal Patronuses now – then we can see everyone’s.” Lena’s voice is eager and energetic. “What d’you say, Kate?”

“I’d never turn down an opportunity to say Hello to Bilbo. Let’s do it.” Is Kate’s amusing answer as I hear her stand. At the same time I turn my gaze off my papers. Now this I have to see – though I’m not going to join in. Otherwise I’d never get back to my research.

“Bilbo?” Peggy questions Alex in a low voice.

“She named her patronus.” Explains Alex before he turns back to look at Saoirse, who has stood up but seems to be heading off in the opposite direction. I frown – both at the way Alex seems to continuously badgering Saoirse and the fact that the latter is trying to escape the activity.

“Saoirse? Where are you going?” I hear him ask, though it’s muffled as Lena calls to me.

“Claire are you gonna join in?” She asks, cracking a friendly grin.

“Yeah, come on Groot. Leave the research alone for a few and have some fun.” Kate follows up. “You have to say hi to Bilbo.”

I shake my head, though it takes a lot of self-discipline.  “I can’t. I’ve got to keep at this.”

“Oh come on. It’ll be fun.” Peggy joins in the persuasion, though it actually turns me against saying yes. Her voice seems to imply that I’m a dull individual that needs to relax and ‘chill’, as she’d say. Feeling my more Slytherin traits rise to it, I answer coolly.

“Sorry guys, I need to keep working. You should be too.”

“It’s a weekend! Why on earth would we would we want to work on a weekend?” Peggy says with a derisive laugh.

That really gets to me. “You tell me, as you’re a hardworking Hufflepuff supposedly ‘unafraid of toil’.” I retort.

Peggy opens her mouth but Laura intercepts before it can go any further. “We’ll leave you to your papers, Claire.” She says reasonably. “Come and join us soon though, won’t you?”

“Pleeeeease?” Says Kate, making her honey brown eyes as big as possible.

I laugh, set at ease again. “It’s more fun to watch you guys. But yeah, I’ll be there soon.”

Lena grins. “Well okay, let’s get to it.” She turns and then suddenly everyone notices Saoirse is gone.

“Where on earth did Tortoise go?” Questions Kate, returning to the stretch of grass further down from where I’m seated.

“She said something about having to go somewhere.” Alex puts in. “I didn’t know whether to go after her.”

“Idiot Claw – you should have followed. We can’t have Tortoise not showing us her patronus.” Kate says with patronisation. “Have no fear, however – I shall find her with my amazing powers of detection and incredible speed.” Kate springs into action and begins to run towards the path that goes through the wooded part of the lake shore. It’s as she disappears into the trees that Saoirse comes out on the other side, heading for the castle and striding with intention. Alex opens his mouth to yell but Lena shakes her head.

“Wait.” She nods to the retreating Saoirse and eyes turn back on her. Sure enough, ten seconds later a streaking figure in red appears out of the copse and heads for the Irish girl, Kate rugby tackling Saoirse and bringing her to the ground. A ripple of laughter then runs throughout the group, the image quite a comical one, and Sisa starts to run towards the pair, closely followed by Lena and Alex. Peggy and Laura are last to leave but they soon reach Sisa at the head of the group. I can hear the panting and laughter from where I am and grin, standing up. Good old Kate. Despite being the eldest among us she never fails to make us act immature and leave behind the mature responsibilities. It even works on me and, grabbing my papers and book, I begin to run toward Kate and Saoirse as well. It’s a glorious feeling as the wind rushes through my short hair that is usually neat but is now wild. I love the sense of freedom when you run, the sense that you’re never going to stop. Sometimes I find it hard to be free; hard to not think about my future and what my plans are and what N.E.W.T.s I’m going to take. But Kate always makes me forget that and my collection of new friends seem to be helping her.

I reach them quickly, my long legs carrying me at a high speed, but already they’re discussing patronuses.

“Ok so mine is a-“

“Quiet Eel, let the others find out.” Kate interrupts Lena comically and grins as she holds her wand aloft.

“Claire!” Peggy sees me and grins, halting Kate in the middle of the wand movement. “You can show us yours!”

“Yes Groot come over here.” Kate says as I laugh and do as she says and come over, turning to Saoirse as she brushes down her long skirt.

“Recovered from Kate’s attack?” I enquire with a grin.

She smiles. “Hopefully.” There’s only a hint of humour in her voice, though. A heavy look has come to her eyes and there’s worry there as well. I crease my brow as I turn back to Kate, wondering what’s up with her. Saoirse is a nice person and has a softer side to her Peggy seems to trigger but she constantly has her a guard up and it feels like the real Saoirse is hidden from view. She’s constantly staring into space with a lost look in her eyes and doesn’t speak much – she isn’t one for conversation. I’ve only known her two days, I know, but it’s an accurate description. There’s a different person hiding under her skin but she won’t let it out.

There’s a ‘whoosh’ and Peggy gasps in delight a few paces away from me as a large silver dragonfly flies past her. I turn to see Sisa smiling as her patronus weaves it’s way through the group.

“It’s beautiful.” Lena says, smiling at the animal.

“Go on, Lena, cast yours.” Alex says in encouragement.

Lena grins and holds her wand out, performing the wand movement quickly and creasing her brow as she concentrates. A silver wisp escapes the end of her wand and grows to form a bird that caws and swoops to circle her. Lena’s patronus is a Raven and very fitting for her. From my Divination I know that this indicates both creation and destruction. Ravens belong to introverts who are creative but don’t always do the right thing.

Kate’s next, performing the wand movement quickly and skilfully producing hers, a bouncing raccoon that scampers excitedly around, carefully avoiding Peggy’s rearing unicorn, jumping as Alex’s rooster crows loudly and greeting Laura’s rabbit. I watch as Alex, wand still raised, turns to Saoirse with a grin.

“Go on Saoirse. We need to see yours.”

“And yours, Claire.” Says Sisa, her accent rolling as she smiles at her dragonfly.

But I’m focusing on Saoirse. There’s a hint of panic in her eyes and she’s shaking her head.

“I…I…”

“Don’t worry if yours is a zombie – we’ll accept that.” Puts in Kate, making Lena snort with laughter.

I add my voice to the others. “I tell you what, I’ll show mine if you  cast yours.”

“Groot we’d make you cast it anyway.” Kate slips in.

“I can realise my unicorn with yours again.” Says Peggy, apparently a little too proud of hers. She moves over to Saoirse and touches her arm. “Come on! What’s wrong with-“

“I can’t.” Saoirse jerks her arm away from Peggy, looking at all of us with wild eyes that match her even wilder accent. “I can’t cast a Patronus. I can barely cast any of the spells on my course…All of you – you’re so clever, you already know how to do everything whereas I – I…” Her outburst ends as she puts her guard up.

“I can’t do anything.” Her voice is lower now and her last words are a whisper and I think I’m the only one to hear them. “I can’t tell you anything…”

“That’s not-“ Peggy starts, everyone except her slightly stunned and confused by Saoirse’s passionate statement. I open my mouth at the same time as Peggy begins to talk but all of a sudden I’m ambushed by Kate, who randomly throws herself at me. I yelp as she takes me down and people’s attention is taken off Saoirse as patronuses disappear and Kate stands up and says:

 “I have no idea why I did that” No one’s looking at Saoirse anymore and the strange girl takes off whilst I’m still struggling with Kate sat on top of me, red hair flying behind her as she makes for the castle with extraordinary speed. No one goes after her this time – Kate has succeeded in taking their attention off her.

I struggle to get off, Kate finally moving, readying myself to go after her. But that’s when I spot them – my papers, having slipped from my grasp when Kate leapt at me, are squashed into the mud a few feet away and the book I was looking through, an old diary that supposedly belonged to my grandfather, has been thrown even further. Looking at them with horror, I race towards the papers and Kate notices what’s happened as I pluck them form the mud.

“Oh…oops.”

I turn on her, eyes blazing. “Oops? I’ve been working on these for years!”

“Well I…”

I go through them in horror, attempting to wipe mud away. “Kat, they’re ruined. Thanks very much.”

“I – er…” Kate stutters, knowing that she can’t make light of this situation. ‘Sorry’ is not often found in her vocabulary and she doesn’t quite know what to do, but Lena comes to her rescue. “Claire don’t worry – they can easily be cleaned.”

I calm down, realising I should have thought of that - I seem loose my practicality on the rare occasion that I get angry. There’s still bite in my tone when I question Kate, though. “What did you rugby tackle me for, anyway?”

“I was helping Tortoise. Could you imagine how awkward it would have been after that?” She says with unusual wisdom. “The others needed to be distracted.”

‘The Others’ are now talking again, though Sisa seems to have disappeared and Alex is just standing there as Peggy babbles away to Laura. He looks up as he sees my eyes on him and comes over as Lena answers Kate’s explantion for me.

“Ok, well…thanks, Kate.”

“Why on earth would you need to say thanks?” Says Kate with a bemused grin. “It should be Tortoise. Not that she needs to – I love rugby tackling people when they aren’t expecting it.”

Alex approaches us three and raises an eyebrow. “What happened?”

“My papers fell in the mud when Kat lunged at me.” I explain before looking around. “My book went somewhere as well.”

Alex spots it with his sharp grey eyes and goes to fetch it, handing it to me upon returning. It doesn’t seem to have been too damaged – there’s no mud on it – but the spine seems to have broken. I fiddle with it as he brings up the subject of Saoirse, as expected.

“Why d’you think Saoirse said those things?”

Kate scoffs at him. “She was embarrassed, Idiot Claw. Obviously she’s ashamed of not being able to cast the Patronus Charm when all of us can.”

“Well it is hard…” Alex begins, though Kate cuts across him as she does frequently.

“We could help her, I suppose.”

“Guys, for her sake, let’s just leave it alone.” Says Lena sensibly. “Otherwise it’ll be really awkward. If she wants our help, she’ll ask.”

“She won’t.” I put in, still trying to bend the spine of the diary back into place. “Saoirse is closed up. She won’t let anyone see who she really is.”

“Well maybe someone should make an effort to get her to open up. It’ll help her.” Alex says, creasing his brow.

Kate sniffs with scorn. “And that would be you, I suppose?”

“Well-“

I can’t help laughing, but Kate then goes even further.

“You have a thing for her, don’t you?”

“So what if I do?” Alex retaliates.

Kate laughs. “You won’t get close to her. She’s not-“

Kate’s cut off by the sound of the cover of the dairy coming off in my hands, my fiddling seeming to have destroyed it. The other three stare at it, Lena offering sympathy. “Oh god...Claire, that’s-“

But I’m not dwelling on that matter – I’m bending down to pick up the envelope that’s fallen out of the spine and Lena stops as she sees it.

“What on earth is that?” She questions.

“A letter of some sort.” I answer, carefully turning it over to read the words on the front, written in spidery handwriting. “I think it was wedged in the spine.”

Forgetting the discussions on Saoirse, Alex, Kate and Lena crowd around me as I open the envelope and unfold the crumbling parchment nestled within.

Claire…my father had a sister. A sister who could have had children, a sister who could have cousins that are still alive.

“Victoria…I take it that’d be Australia?” Kate says, still staring at the letter.

“Yes.” I close the parchment quickly and hug my papers to my chest, turning to move away.

“Wait – Claire, where are you going?” Lena asks with confusion.

“I need to go to the library. This is an amazing discovery.”

“Yeah, it’s amazing but how on earth would the library help with that?” Kate questions in a strangely sensible tone. “You’re not going to find this unknown Aunt in the library.”

"Besides, we need to see your Patronus." Adds Alex.

“It's a Lion - please don't say it's ironic. And yes I can. There’s an index of pureblood wizarding families and even if she’s a bastard, she’ll still be listed.” I say, clasping the letter to my chest. “Besides, I can research there without people rugby tackling me and my papers landing in the mud.” I add teasingly before returning to my serious and determined mood. “See you.”

And, leaving my friends, I head off to find my family.