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CHAPTER SIX - 🍂 ୧ the gryffindor's are . . .
   acting strange ও🦌

OVER THE ENSUING MONTHS, leading up to the OWL's and after a comprehensive cycle of pranks had been executed, the trio was taken aback by the sudden halt in the ongoing prank war between the two friend groups.

Having grown accustomed to taking turns in carrying out their pranks, they had anticipated the Gryffindors to launch their next move, adhering to their typical pattern of engaging in humorous antics.

As the two girls took the lead and ventured into the mystery, Elliot decided to tag along but kept a sense of caution about him.

He was mildly surprised to find them at his dormitory, though he eventually decided not to ponder too much about how they had found their way there.

He also advised caution in dealing with the numerous pureblood supremacists within the Slytherin House, warning them that they would likely become targets and would not hesitate to act hostile.

The girls exchanged a knowing look between them, having just glanced into the Great Hall. As they did so, Elliot, still behind them and not yet seeing what they had, moved forward and curiously inquired about the object of their attention.

He questioned the girls about their findings, but instead of a verbal response, he was met with an answer through their facial expressions.

Within the Great Hall, the boys from the Gryffindor House were separated, grouping themselves into pairs and spread across the expansive space.

James was noted to be with Remus, their companions Sirius and Peter positioned far away from them. The two pairs appeared to be immersed in a heated verbal exchange, seemingly indicative of a disagreement.

Elliot was utterly stunned by the unfolding scene.

As he observed the unexpected fallout between the once-united Golden Boys of Gryffindor, Elliot was left speechless. He was dumbfounded by the situation that was playing out before him, struggling to make sense of how the boys, who had once been so close, could be so blatantly at odds with one another.

Following a brief explanation from the girls, Elliot chimed in, remarking, "Bloody hell, it looks like a heck of a big deal."

As Autumn paused momentarily to gather her thoughts, the four males immediately perked up, awaiting her next words.

After a moment's contemplation, Autumn spoke up, her voice thoughtful. "Perhaps... it could be... just that...."

Raven and Elliot turned towards Autumn, anticipating further explanation.

Elliot sought clarity by questioning what she meant, asking, "Might be what?"

Raven, also intrigued by what her friend would say next, followed suit, placing her thumb on her lower lip as she waited patiently for the response.

Autumn seemed deeply absorbed in her musings, losing sight of the details she had meant to share with the trio.

She crossed her arms and said, "It could definitely have to do with that... but the true question is what led to it being that way..."

She then fell silent, seemingly unaware that she had yet to reveal to her companions what exactly she was thinking about.

As they observed Autumn mentally drifting away without realizing she was talking to herself, Raven and Elliot exchanged an amused glance.

They were well aware of their friend's propensity to engross herself in deep contemplation, which they found rather entertaining, especially considering that they could not divine her thoughts.

As Autumn continued to mull over her thoughts, Elliot effortlessly scooped her up, hoisting her over his shoulder, and Raven followed them to a more isolated spot for further discussion.

Raven then added an amusing remark about Autumn's behavior, jesting, "Honestly, when Autumn gets lost in her thoughts, she's a perfect candidate to be abducted."

Elliot nodded in agreement and chuckled, saying, "I'm surprised nobody's snatched her up yet."

Raven continued to speculate, suggesting, "She probably got kidnapped, but talked her way into being released."

Elliot and Raven found this idea quite amusing and laughed while contemplating further possibilities.

The duo continued to speculate, with Elliot offering additional insight as he mentioned, "She either pointed out their errors in their abduction methods or-"

Raven, also interested in exploring various possibilities, took over from where he had left off, adding, "Lectured them for a good while on how it was wrong."

They were mulling over the possible actions that Autumn might take if she ever got abducted.

After staying quiet for a while, Autumn eventually joined the conversation, saying, "Actually, I would do both," still being carried over Elliot's shoulder.

She agreed with the previous statements of the duo but did not attempt to free herself yet. Instead, she returned to her thoughts, disregarding the discussion, once more demonstrating her habit of getting lost in her musings.

After a short walk, the three arrived on the seventh floor and made their way towards a particular spot.

Raven, who was in front, confidently strode forward to a blank wall on the left side of the corridor and declared, "I need a place to study."

Elliot, who was still firmly holding Autumn, waited in anticipation as the enchanted door to their destination slowly materialized in front of them.

Raven diligently surveyed their surroundings with a quick glance, assessing the area for any potential threats.

She then continued to usher the pair through the appearing entrance, ensuring Elliot had a secure hold on Autumn.

Once they stepped into the chamber, the door vanished from sight, providing the trio with a covert, secluded space, hidden from the prying eyes of the outside world.

Elliott took the opportunity to settle in, gently placing Autumn on the armchair and discarding his robe and bag, dropping them to the ground before taking a seat on the couch across from the armchair.

Raven, meanwhile, walked over to a corner and grabbed a watering can to tend to the many plants by the window. As she did so, she turned to Autumn and asked, "So, Autumn, mind telling us what's going on?"

Elliot took a pillow from the couch in his hand and hurled it towards Autumn, watching as it connected with her head and fell to the floor.

Autumn, momentarily stunned by the unexpected action, took a moment before responding. She bent down, picked up the fallen pillow, and promptly hurled it back at Elliot.

As she hurled the pillow back at Elliot, Autumn replied, "Yeah, just trying to recollect what happened when I was with Lils and Sev in the library."

Raven listened intently, nodding in acknowledgement of Autumn's earlier presence at the library. She then asked further, seeking clarification on the connection between the occurrence and the Golden Boys' dispute.

She inquired, "Yeah, I arrived a bit after you. Did they mention something that made you consider a potential link to the boys?"

As Elliot continued his playful antics, juggling the pillow between catching and tossing, he adeptly caught it once more before tossing it back at Autumn.

Autumn continued to elaborate on the subject, mentioning the interaction between Lily and Severus and their apparent knowledge and involvement in the current debacle.

Autumn noted, "Yeah, Sev was on edge, restlessly tapping his foot, driving Lily nuts until she slammed her book down and snapped, 'You went sneaking down that tunnel under the Whomping Willow and James Potter saved you from whatever's down there.' Then she went off on him."

Raven reacted with alarm, letting her watering can drop at the unexpected news. Her astonishment was evident as she exclaimed, "Hold on, what!? Sev did what?!"

As the pillow Elliot had been juggling failed to land in his grasp and instead hit him in the face, he quickly pushed it away and inquired further, "How the bloody hell did he make it out fine? Wait, Potter saved him?"

Knowing the Golden Boys for some time now, a combination of Autumn's curiosity and the trio's determination to uncover all of Dumbledore's castle's hidden corners had led to their prior knowledge of the group.

...

In their second year, Raven and Elliot routinely sought out and followed Autumn whenever she set out to investigate concealed spots in the castle. Their objective was to unveil as many hidden locations as possible.

They usually explored the concealed areas within Hogwarts during the late hours of the night. With fewer people around and the cover of night, they found it optimal to conduct their investigation undisturbed.

During their quest to uncover the castle's secret locations, the trio encountered a shocking scene; they unwittingly stumbled upon the Matron guiding a dreadfully pale Remus Lupin towards the spot hidden under the Whomping Willow.

They watched in amazement as the pair navigated a concealed path below the ancient tree.

Typically, when the trio delved into the hidden parts of Hogwarts, it was Autumn who took the lead, driven by her insatiable curiosity, guiding them in their search to uncover these secret locales.

Nevertheless, in this instance, Elliot decided to venture forward, taking the path on his own. This took his companions by surprise, but they followed anyway, uncertain if it was a wise decision.

Soon they discovered Madam Pomfrey, who reacted with disbelief at their presence. The trio was swiftly ushered out of the path by the Matron, but not before hearing a soft howl echoing from the distance.

The Matron was aware of the trio's unique attributes, having encountered them previously. She took a stab at crafting a story to pacify them, though soon acknowledged that it would likely be pointless.

With that, she determined to take them directly to Dumbledore's office, opting to have him handle the situation, believing that fabricating tales would only be time wasted.

Madam Pomfrey, the Matron, exhaled in exhaustion as she spoke, "You three are never up to any good."

Once they were in Dumbledore's office, the elderly headmaster displayed no surprise at their presence, as he was well acquainted with their previous visits to his domain. With a gentle wave of his hand, he dismissed Madam Pomfrey, saying, "Madam Pomfrey, you may retire for the night."

Dumbledore then turned to look at the trio of preteens with a thoughtful expression etched on his face.

It was clear that the headmaster had established a familiarity with the trio, given their numerous interactions throughout their educational journey at Hogwarts.

Remaining composed and collected, he posed a question to the trio, "So, what did you three uncover?"

The trio presented their collective answer, declaring, "Lupin is a werewolf."

A soft chuckle escaped Dumbledore's lips upon receiving affirmation of his previous assumptions. He responded with a calm tone, "Well, that's quite a serious matter."

Despite the sensitive subject matter under discussion, the elderly wizard maintained a genial attitude towards the young trio.

The Headmaster redirected his attention towards the trio and posed a question of his own regarding their personal feelings towards the information they had just heard.

He inquired gently, "And how do you feel about it?"

Autumn, among the trio, was the first to respond, her voice calm as she said, "Shocked, I must admit, but not entirely surprised. It does explain why he's absent once a month."

Raven, shifting on her feet, shared her viewpoint on the matter, adding, "Lupin is a decent person, and his monthly transformation doesn't define him."

Elliot, seated, adopted a more detached demeanor and expressed his thoughts, asserting, "He assists me greatly in my studies. Sure, he has a monthly predicament, but that's fine by me."

Dumbledore glanced at the trio, laughter escaping his lips for a brief moment.

Having acquired a profound understanding and awareness of the young trio's behaviors and pursuits, the elderly wizard was conscious that their discoveries would not lead to major issues.

He was also mindful that they selected their revelations with care, which was a principal reason why he decided to allow their exploratory activities.

...

Autumn affirmed Elliot's question, offering an affirmative response, saying, "Yes, Lily mentioned that Potter was bragging about rescuing Sev."

With a sigh, Raven shifted her focus to the current topic at hand and inquired, "Okay, so Potter saved Sev. What led to the separation of the group?"

Elliot appeared lost in thought for a moment before suddenly snapping his fingers, as if struck by a moment of clarity.

He shared aloud, "Wait, when I saw the lads in the Great Hall, they weren't fighting each other. Potter and Pettigrew were exchanging glances, signaling something to each other. Black, on the other hand, looked dazed, and his guilt was written all over his face, as if he had done something awful."

He went on to say, "So it seems like the disagreement may be between Lupin and Black."

Raven offered her thoughts on the elusive source of the conflict, stating, "If that's the case, then it was probably Black who did something wrong."

Autumn then let out a discouraged sigh and lamented, "Not sure, but if that's the case, things will likely be awfully silent for a while."

Elliot sank into a relaxed position on the couch, offering a dejected observation, "Wish we could do something, but none of them know we're aware of Lupin's secret."

Raven offered a potential solution with an upraised finger, seeking the attention of her companions, declaring, "Well, we could always share our knowledge of Lupin's secret with him, right?"

Autumn seemed at a loss for words when confronted with Raven's proposition, prompting her to stand and state her own stance.

She questioned, "So, what do you suggest we should do?"

Following this, she initiated a hypothetical illustration of the interaction by asserting, "Should we approach Lupin when he's alone and proclaim, 'Lupin, we are aware that you're a werewolf because we've known since our second year'?"

...

Lupin quietly navigated through a deserted corridor, craving some alone time to ease his anger towards the treacherous plan his friend, Sirius, had devised.

However, his moment of solitude was disrupted, and he found himself encircled by the three friends who were privy to his secret.

Surprise was evident on his face, probably because the trio was in the know of his "furry little problem."

His thoughts were consumed with the recent events involving Sirius, who orchestrated a malevolent prank that involved Severus navigating the route beneath the willow tree on the night of the full moon.

He was aware that James had halted Severus from proceeding further into the passage during that specific occurrence, but if it weren't for his intervention, Snape could have been severely injured.

Lupin's expression of shock morphed into fear at the unveiling of his secret. Instinctively, he took a step back, apprehensive over the revelation.

Raven took the lead, reaching out to take his hand, her demeanor compassionate and reassuring.

She offered a message of kindness, speaking softly, "It's alright. We're not here to cast you aside. We just wish to have a chat."

Elliot complemented Raven's reassuring gesture with an aloof stance, arms behind his head and crossed. He leaned his head against his hand, speaking, "Yeah, besides, we've been your friends for ages, and we know what you go through every full moon."

As Autumn joined Raven in grasping his hand, she smiled, her words filled with care, "We care about you, and your secret has no influence on how we feel about you."

In an attempt to alleviate the strained atmosphere, Elliot adopted a lighthearted approach, employing some banter, though it only ended up increasing the tension as his friends retaliated with their own playful antics.

He joked, "If you want, I can reveal some secrets about Raven and Autumn."

This joke prompted the girls to react by forcefully striking his foot, expressing their annoyance and disapproval of his attempt at humor.

Lupin's emotional state was palpable, as he unleashed a light-hearted chuckle, indicating the fact that he had been incapable of laughter for an extensive period of time.

His mood was characterized by fear over his actions during his wolfish episodes, as the implications of the situation weighed heavily on his mind.

There was a nagging desire within him to leave the school, given the circumstances, as his fear and anxiety had become the dominant emotion, overshadowing his anger towards Sirius.