Thanks, Connie! I was sure excited too! So excited, that I got to working on Chapter 18, and finished it! YAY! I hope you all enjoy it.

Please note that the term Queer refers to "strange".
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Chapter 18: The Queer Query

The students at Hogwart’s were still excited about the Quidditch game the next week. Everywhere Clementine, Rose, and Albus walked, there was chatter about what had happened.

“I wish I didn’t miss it now,” said Clementine, after class on their way to the common room.

“It wasn’t as great as everyone is making it out to be,” said Rose, rolling her eyes as they went through the portrait hole.

“What are you talking about? The game was incredible! You should have seen James! That roll maneuver was spectacular. The girls were all over him—“ he started, but Clementine gave him a nasty look.

“Sorry,” he said, looking away.

They sat in their usual spot. James and Torr were in a corner nearby, surrounded by girls, and some boys, all keen to hear more about the match.

“When are they going to stop fawning over him?” Clementine asked, as she took out Hex, Jinx, and Curse to complete a Defense Against the Dark Arts essay due soon.

“Don’t worry about it. I doubt he’ll get with anyone after what happened with you,” said Rose, mimicking Clementine in taking out her homework.

Clementine said nothing. It was obvious Albus and Rose had no idea how much it pained Clementine to speak of James that way. She wrote her name on the top of the parchment with so much force that her quill went right through it. Rose and Albus did not notice as Clementine wadded up the ruined piece of parchment.

“Clementine,” someone said, startling her.

Clementine turned around and saw James. He had managed to break away from the girl squad, leaving them to fawn over Torr.

“Er, I was wondering if I could talk to you. In, er, private,” he said, looking at Albus and Rose as if they had better not interrupt.

“Oh, okay,” she said, also looking at Albus and Rose, but for encouragement. They merely looked away.

Clementine stood up and followed James out of the common room. They entered the empty corridor. As Clementine turned to face James, he caught her face into his hands and kissed her like he had never kissed her before. She retreated, clearly shocked by his action.

James looked embarrassed by his action. “I’m, er, sorry. I couldn’t control myself. I missed being with you so much.”

“I miss you too,” she admitted.

“Please be with me.”

“I can’t. Albus and Rose won’t talk to me.”

James pulled her into a hug. Her arms folded up onto his chest. He was looking down at her with penetrating eyes. She looked away, not wanting to cave her defiant position.

“Can’t you talk to them?” he asked.

Clementine looked back at him. His eyes were imploring, wanting her desperately.

“I will. But I can’t promise anything.”

“I’m sorry about your father. I couldn’t imagine such a beautiful person coming from someone so foul,” he said.

Clementine blushed.

“Don’t underestimate my power, James,” she said, and they both chuckled.

He unraveled one arm from around her, and brushed her hair from her face, revealing her eyes. He pulled her into one more alluring kiss.

He released her from his embrace. She staggered slightly, not noticing that she was on her tiptoes. James sunk to the ground, and sat against the wall next to the portrait to ponder what had just happened.

“Teenagers,” the Fat Lady puffed, rolling her eyes.

Clementine completely forgot about the Fat Lady’s presence.

“I’m really very sorry you had to see that,” said Clementine, blushing furiously.

“Oh like I haven’t seen it before. I’ve seen much worse. Trust me, my dear,” the Fat Lady replied in kind.

“I’ll see you around, James,” Clementine said, disappearing behind the Fat Lady.

Clementine made her way to the table in which she had originally sat.

“What did he want,” asked Albus, looking up at Clementine with great interest.

“Oh, it was nothing,” she said, not wanting to discuss the situation at the moment.

“Don’t lie to us. You aren’t fooling anyone. Every time you see each other, you get all awkward. James literally can’t take his eyes off of you, even with the fan girls crowding around him,” said Rose.

“Well, he wants to get back together. But we can’t,” said Clementine, visibly defeated.

“Why not?” asked Albus.

Clementine looked at him for a moment. Did she hear him correctly?

“I’m sorry, I must have misunderstood,” she said.

“I asked why you can’t you get back together with James? Rose and I have been wondering that for a while,” Albus said, as if this was obvious.

Clementine was stunned. “But, when I began dating him, you wouldn’t talk to me. At all. Why would you be any different the second time around?”

“Clem, we were only mad at you because you kept it from us. We felt untrustworthy because you couldn’t confide in us. We didn’t mind that you were dating him,” said Rose.

Clementine was flabbergasted. James had not yet entered the common room. She wondered what was going on with him.

“So, you don’t mind if we start dating again?” she asked, wanting to be absolutely positive.

“Of course not,” said Rose, continuing work on her essay.

“But don’t snog too much around us. I don’t feel much like vomiting,” said Albus. They all laughed.

“Don’t worry about that,” she said, “I’m not a fan of public display of affection. I’m going to tell him right now.”

Clementine stood, and made her way through the portrait hole, hoping James had not abandoned his position. To her delight, James was still in the same position she had left him in, except his face was in his arms. She looked at him apprehensively, and heard him sniff loudly.

“James,” she said softly, not wanting to startle him.

He cleared his throat loudly and looked up. His eyes were red and watery.

“Have you been crying?” she asked incredulously, and she took a seat next to him.

“No,” he croaked, wiping away another tear that fell from his face.

Clementine smiled, and slipped the cuff of her sweater over her hand to wipe away his tears.

“It’s okay, James. I talked to Rose and Albus. They don’t mind if we date,” she said, placing her sleeve back to its original position.

James looked at her; his eyes were wide.

“So, what I’m trying to ask is, will you be my boyfriend,” she said.

James laughed, and jumped up, pulling Clementine up with him.

“Of course,” he shouted.

He planted a very wet kiss on her lips before he dragged her down the corridor with him. She was confused.

“Where are you taking us?”

“You’ll see,” he said.

He swept her down the grand staircase, and into the Entrance Hall. They continued down a corridor that Clementine had never been down.

“Uncle George taught me this,” James said, jubilantly.

They were laughing together, hand in hand, continuing down the corridor. They stopped in front of a portrait of a giant fruit bowl. James reached out his right index finger and tickled the pear. It laughed, and the portrait swung open.

“Wow,” said Clementine, following James through the hole.

They entered the room, and Clementine’s mouth dropped.

“What is this place?”

“It’s the kitchen. Come on,” he said, taking her hand once again.

Several house elves made their way up to them.

“Good evening lady and gentlemen. How may we be of your service?” squeaked a small house elf, as he and his fellows bowed so low that their noses touched the ground.

“We’ll take a vat of pumpkin juice and butterbeer, and some sweets. Enough for a common room,” said James.

“What are you doing?” Clementine asked.

“Celebrating!”

“Do you need assistance up to the common room, sir?” squeaked another elf.

“That would be wonderful. Thank you very much, Chuey,” said James. The house elf bowed once more.

They made their way back up to the common room to wait for the house elves. By the time they returned, the house elves were already there, placing the food and drinks on tables by the wall.

“Oi, what’s this about?” said Torr, looking at James and his sister. His eyes lingered on their clasped hands. “You’re together again?”

“Yes. I told you I was going to ask her again,” said James, eyeing Torr severely.

Torr said nothing, but gave them a look that seemed disapproving.

“Not again,” groaned Clementine.

James turned to her.

“Don’t worry about him. He’ll come around.”

“Everything is ready, sir,” said Chuey, the house elf.

“Thank you again, I really appreciate it,” James said.

The house elf bowed out and snapped his fingers together. He disappeared on the spot. James walked over to the table and grabbed a chocolate éclair for himself and Clementine. She was about to take a bite when the portrait hole opened, and Professor McGonagall entered with Viktorya.

“Clementine and Torr Higter,” she called, searching the room.

Clementine looked up, her mouth still open awaiting the éclair. Torr looked at her, but she shook her head.

“Yes, Professor McGonagall?” Clementine called out.

McGonagall found them and made her way through the common room, which slowly became crowded due to the arrival of food.

“Good evening, Torr and Clementine,” she nodded to the other’s around them. “I am going to have to speak with you three in my office, if you will.”

“What for?” Clementine asked, brow furrowed. She looked at James, who looked just as shocked as Rose and Albus.

“That will have to wait until we are alone,” McGonagall said.

Viktorya shrugged her shoulders, noting that she didn’t know what was going on either.

“Okay, we’ll come,” said Clementine. She hugged James and waved bye to Albus and Rose. “I’ll tell you later,” she whispered to them, on her way out.

They walked silently with McGonagall. Clementine had a sense that they were all thinking the same thing. They entered McGonagall’s office. Kingsley Shacklebolt, who still held the Minister of Magic position; Arthur Weasley, who was head of the department of magical law enforcement; and Harry Potter, who was one of the most successful Auror’s the ministry has ever seen, were all standing behind McGonagall’s desk. McGonagall motioned the children to take a seat in front of it.

“Good evening, Higter children,” said Kingsley, in his slow, deep voice.

The children simply nodded.

“I’m not sure you’ve guessed why we’re here,” said Arthur, continuing off of Kingsley.

“Let’s just cut to the chase. They don’t want us to beat around the bush. They’ll understand,” said Harry.

Clementine felt grateful for this, and she could see in Viktorya and Torr’s facial expressions that they were grateful, too.

“Alright,” said Arthur. “It’s no secret that your father was involved in several incidents involving the torturing of Muggle’s, and werewolf activity.”

Clementine sighed. She thought it would be something like that. Torr and Viktorya were tense beside here. She knew they thought they’d be in trouble.

“We are here to ask you a few questions regarding him,” said Kingsley. “Harry, here, has said that you met your father for the first time since you were very little at your mother’s funeral. Is this correct?”

The children nodded.

“My condolences’,” he said, as though he was making up for being rash.

“What did he tell you when you met him?” Arthur asked.

Torr was the first to answer.

“He introduced himself, and said he’d been homeless. So, I gave him the keys to our home so that he could have a place to stay.”

“I see,” said Arthur, making note of every word that was said.

“He wrote to me,” Clementine spoke up.

Kingsley, Arthur, and Harry looked at her, intrigued by this information.

“When did you receive this letter?” Harry asked her. He seemed most disturbed by this information. Clementine guessed it was because he felt at fault for their meeting their father.

“It was the day before I read in the paper he was caught,” she said.

“What did the letter say?” Arthur asked.

“Well, he said that he wouldn’t be home when we returned from school. He mentioned running from the Muggle policemen for avoiding a ticket he received. That was really all,” she said.

“Of course,” said Arthur, as if something suddenly clicked in his mind.

“We didn’t know he was a wizard before that,” said Viktorya. “He introduced himself as a Muggle. We thought it was fishy he sent the letter with an owl, since he was supposedly a Muggle. We should have said something about our suspicions,” she said, clearly disgruntled with her lack of understanding.

“Now, now, don’t blame yourself,” said Kingsley. He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a picture. “Have you ever seen this man?”

He pushed the picture in front of the children. It was a picture of a man. He looked very angry. His face was contorted in a rage Clementine had never seen. He was balding, but his face was excessively hairy. The three of them shook their head.

“We’ve never seen this man in our life,” said Viktorya. “Who is he?”

“He is the werewolf who murdered your mother,” said Harry. “His name is Charles Banson. Your father has been in his league for years,” he said, but noting the children’s faces, he added, “Your father wasn’t a werewolf. He just associated with them.”

“Your mother knew of them, too. She tried to pay them off, not wanting to risk losing you kids. Did you know about that?” Arthur asked.

Clementine’s mouth was hanging open with shock. Torr was clenching his jaw, and Viktorya had tears welling in her eyes.

“I take it, by your expressions, you had no idea. I am so very sorry,” said Arthur.

“How long have you been investigating this?” asked Viktorya, her face furious and tears sliding down her face.

“Well, Harry alerted us to a suspicious character. We’ve been working on it ever since. We realized your father was the one connected to the tortures of Muggle’s we’ve been talking with. We captured Charles right after the attack. We had no idea about John Orion, because that is not his real name. His real name is Andrew Porter,” said Arthur.

“We’re working on additional charges for your father. At the moment, he is being held at Ludomamie. We aren’t sure whether to file him under insanity or competent to withstand trial, we’re trying to get as much information on him as possible,” said Kingsley, gathering his things.

“That will be all we have to ask of you today. Good luck on the rest of your term. I’m sure we’ll see each other sooner than expected,” said Arthur.

“Thank you, children, you may return to your common rooms,” said McGonagall, holding open the door.

They exited the office. They walked through the corridor in silence.
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I hope you all enjoyed! I'll be working on the next chapter shortly! Comments appreciated!