When All the Lights Go Out

The Slytherin fire place burned bright green as Natalie sat down on the love seat, exhausted. The morning block had just ended and they get an hour of break. Fuck me, Natalie thought. Her leather messenger bag sat on her lap as she groped for a notebook only to find it not there. Natalie calmed herself before she made any rash decisions. Her last class was Apparition with Professor Twycross.

“Whats wrong?” Alex took a seat next to her.

“I can’t find my yellow notebook! It has all of my assignments in it,” Natalie groaned. “I had it for D.A.D.A and then…”

Alex looked through her bag, “What?”

“I left it in Lupin’s class! Ugh, great, this is just awesome!” Natalie stretched across the couch. Alex rubbed her ankle.

“Want me to come with you to get it?”

“Nah, I have detention at seven for being ‘late’” Natalie used air quotes and smirked.

“Aren’t- aren’t you head girl?” Alex pointed and laughed as Natalie nodded her head. In a few minutes they headed down to the Great Hall for lunch.

*

It was almost seven and Natalie stood in front of a gargoyle that led to Dumbledore’s office. Her foot was tapping rhythmically as she sang to a muggle band and waited for a professor or Dumbledore to call her up.

“Up up up and down
Turn turn turnaround
Round round roundabout
And over again
Gun gun son of a gun
You are the only one
Makes any difference what I say”

“The sun shines in the bedroom
When we play
The raining always starts
When you go away”

Natalie turned around when she heard clapping. She looked up at Lupin and made subtle face at him. She sighed loudly and turned back to the gargoyle.

“What was that you were singing?” Lupin smirked at her.

“Nirvana, Son of A Gun,” Natalie sighed, waiting for him to say the password.

“I’ve never heard of them.”

“You wouldn’t…they’re a- a muggle band.”

Natalie looked almost ashamed that she was listening to a band full of non-wizards. Remus shook his head and whispered the password. Not so Natalie doesn’t hear, but because he felt like the she just spoke a dark secret. And where she comes from she just did. The two stepped in the large spiraling staircase.

“Do you sing often?” Remus asked.

Natalie chuckled, “No, I’m a terrible singer.”

Remus looked at her funny, “You’re joking! You have a lovely voice.”

Natalie scoffed and walked up the last two steps, thankful they were at Dumbledores office. She took a seat in front of his large desk while Lupin stood next to Dumbledore his hands behind his back. “So why am I here? Shouldn’t I be at his classroom?” Natalie yawned and look up at the ceiling.

Dumbledores expression was calm. “Well, Natalie, this is the first day back and you already have detention. I’m quite surprised; you are head girl. Remus had brought this to my attention and to be honest, you aren’t setting a good example for being head girl.”

She rolled her eyes, “I was helping frigging first years. They were on the sixth floor and they needed to be at the Greenhouse.”

The three continued to talk; whether Natalie’s detention should be revoked or not.

“Do you want me to go find them? Jesus, they’re probably lost now,” Natalie was growing impatient and it was already seven-thirty.

“Yes you may,” Dumbledore sighed, taking of his half-moon glasses, “But you must go back to your common. You know how-,”

Natalie stood up already halfway out the door, “Yeah, dementors, blahblahblah. Who gives a damn?”

Remus took Natalie's chair once she was out the door. Dumbledore laughed, “What’s wrong, Remus? You look confused.”

“I guess I didn’t expect that to be the reason why she was late,” He answered. “She seems like every other Slytherin I know.”

“You’re basing that on your past experiences. Natalie is a good child, just lost that’s all. Her whole life has been based on hatred. She doesn’t know how else to act. Natalie knows respect, but she won’t give to others if she doesn’t like them. Yet, she helps first years. That’s why I chose her as head girl. She does these things subconsciously.”

“Remus, others may not realize this, but there is a war coming. Natalie could be a very powerful ally.”

Remus nodded, “Why doesn’t someone help her then?”

“That’s why I brought you here. Did you really think you needed to be here while I talked to Natalie about her detention?”

Remus looked down as his forehead creased with lines. “I-I mean…I guess not. But why me sir?”

“Just like you, Natalie has skeleton's in her closet, secrets she will take to the grave. That’s why.”

Numbly, Remus stood up and walked to the large wooden door. His hand turned the knob ready to go back to his office. Dumbledore stopped him, “Remus, I know this is a lot to ask of you, but if you…if Natalie doesn’t become an ally, she will be a powerful enemy.”

Dumbledore must know what he is doing, Remus thought. Getting closer to Natalie will only end disaster. In so many different ways.