Lily Evans: A History

Chapter 40 - The ties that bond
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"What do you mean? Why would you say that?" The sound of a man's voice, thick with confusion, came to Lily's ears as she waited in the small room outside the Headmaster's office. The large oak door was ajar, just enough so that a small patch of light lit up the floor at Lily's feet; but otherwise it was dark. Lily concentrated. The man's voice sounded so familiar, but yet strange at the same time. And as hard as she tried, she couldn't place it.

There was a sound of someone sighing deeply, then Professor Dumbledore's voice replied; "You know why. This shouldn't be such a big surprise. You knew the risks involved when you--"

The first man who had spoken cut the Headmaster off, his voice now angry. "This isn't a matter of Lily and me. I couldn't help falling in love with her no more than you can help being the most powerful wizard in our time."

"Now, really, I don't think..." began Dumbledore in a pleading voice. "You must see this is the saf--"

"It doesn't matter what you say. With all due respect, Albus, I think that is the craziest thing I've heard yet. I will pretend you didn't just suggest to me what you did." There was a sound of chair legs scraping against the stone floor. "I will keep my family safe. And if that means my death; so be it."

Lily jumped backwards, stumbled over her own feet and fell onto her bottom. Quickly she got up and spun around just as the door to Dumbledore's office was opening. Any second the person who had been speaking would come out, and she would finally know the identity of the man in her dreams. The door opened quickly, she caught a glimpse of a large male hand and an arm clothed in black robes. Lily felt her heart flutter. Any second...

"WAKE UP YOU LAZY GIRL! WAKE UP YOU LAZY GIRL! WAKE UP YOU LAZY GIRL!"

Lily Evans jerked awake, sitting up so fast that Bast went flying off her chest and onto the floor. The grey and white cat hissed, arched her back and took off under Kathleen's bed like a streak of grey light. Lily jerked the wizarding alarm clock off her bedside table and threw it on the floor. The dying sound of "Wake up you lazzzzy guuurllll...." only half finished before going quiet. In the bed across from Lily's, the curtains parted and Kassie stuck her head out. "Thanks. I've been wanting to do that all year."

Lily didn't reply. She buried her face in her hands, trying to recapture the images that were fading so quickly from her now. But they were gone, like so many nights before. Frustrated, Lily kicked her blankets off and got up. Around the room several of the girls in her year were moving around to get ready for another day.

By the time the red-headed witch had showered and dressed, the memory of the man's voice was completely gone. But his words were forever etched in Lily's mind: "I couldn't help falling in love with Lily...."

Was she dreaming about the future? Or was this simply no more than what it seemed: a dream? Lily had nothing more than a gut feeling that the man she had heard talking in her dream? Vision? was the same black-haired man from so many dreams and/or visions before. But that gut feeling made her more determined to find out. She sighed, thinking. Was there anyone in the castle, besides Professor Trelawney, that might be able to help her?

"You're very quiet this morning," complained Kassie, yawning loudly as the two made their way to the Great Hall. Apparently the novelty of Sirius waiting for Kassie in the common room had worn off. Kassie slept late more often than not, and when Sirius was awake, he was hungry. They had taken to meeting in the Great Hall, instead.

"Sorry," Lily replied, putting her bag down and taking a seat beside Peter. James muttered something that might have sounded like "Good morning" had his face not been buried in his arms. Lily grabbed a piece of toast. "What's wrong with him?"

"Same thing that's wrong with Sirius," Peter replied, jerking his head towards Sirius, who also had his head on his arms. Kassie was trying to make him eat, but he wouldn't wake up. "Emily has been running them into the ground to get ready for this week’s match against Hufflepuff. It seems they have a new seeker, someone called Carling Roderick. Apparently she's very small and very good."

"Oh," Lily replied and fell silent. She had noticed that Emily had been calling team meetings at all hours of the day and night, and announcements had been on the House boards about Quidditch practices. But with so much on her plate already with school work and odd dreams; Lily hadn't paid much attention to the wear and tear of the Gryffindor team. "Maybe they should just skip lessons this morning and sleep?"

"Ha!" James snorted, rising up and reaching for his pumpkin juice. "And let McGonagall find out? I'd rather not. She'd retire us from the team. Besides," he added, finishing his drink and half heartedly picking up a slice of toast and smearing it with marmalade, "we have that test on vanishing charms today."

Kassie finally gave up trying to make Sirius eat and filled a plate for herself. Kathleen and Gabrielle took seats across from them. "Have you seen Alexis?" Gabrielle asked.

"She was already up before your alarm went off," Kathleen added.

Lily glanced down the table and noticed Remus was gone, as well. "Maybe she had to do something before lessons started," Lily suggested lightly, trying and failing to catch Kassie's eye. Next to her Peter covered his mouth on a yawn.

"Remus isn't here, either. They are probably off together somewhere." Madison took her seat and began to fill her plate with breakfast, looking up and down the table at the rest of the fifth year Gryffindors. "Full moons must make everyone sleepy," she commented. "The boys look like they're half dead."

"It's because of Quidditch practice," Kassie said. "Emily is running them into the ground."

But Lily knew that there hadn't been a practice held last night. In fact, she was almost positive she had seen the rest of the team in the common room. And if there had been a Quidditch practice, why did Peter look as dead on his feet as the other two? And was it just a coincidence that all of it happened on the night of the full moon?

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Remus showed up for the second half of their Double Charms lesson; just in time to take his test on vanishing charms. He looked peaky and exhausted, but wore a smile as he came in the room and handed Professor Flitwick a note. As he came to his seat Alexis traded places with Gabrielle so she was just behind him. Sirius and James, who had both been trying to do the same thing, crossed their arms and glared at the back of Alexis' brown head. Kassie, who was in line to have her test next, sniggered at them before jabbing her wand at a bowl of dirt. "Evanesco!"

"Very good Miss Phillips!" Professor Flitwick squeaked, clapping his hands. "There's a little left, but no matter. Full marks."

Kassie grinned across the room at Sirius, who puckered his lips in response. Kassie rolled her eyes and stayed behind to watch as Lily performed the same charm. Not only did her dirt vanish, though, but the entire bowl did, as well. Professor Flitwick looked beside himself. "Oh, very good Miss Evans! Very good! Full marks and five house points. You and Miss Phillips may go on and start on the review of banishing and summoning charms."

The girls went to get cushions from a cupboard as Professor Flitwick called up the next row of students. When they returned to their seats they found Alexis and Remus in a heated discussion. Well, Alexis was in a heated discussion. Remus was either ignoring her or had chosen to let her get it all out before speaking. "I can't believe Madam Pomfrey let you go. You could have done this test this afternoon, Professor Flitwick wouldn't have cared."

Remus silently rearranged the books in his bag, placed his bag on the floor and turned to Alexis. "Can we talk about this later? I want to practice this charm before he calls us up."

Alexis' jaw snapped shut but if she said anything else, Lily and Kassie didn't catch it. At that moment Sirius appeared beside Kassie, a huge pout on his lips. "You didn't watch!"

Kassie looked up, noticing that several of the students were laughing. She narrowed her eyes. "What did you do?"

"The vanishing charm," Sirius replied, undaunted.

James walked up behind Sirius, chuckling to himself. "Yup. Professor Flitwick's entire desk was gone. Ah," he sighed, wiping his eyes and grinning, "that was brilliant, mate. Brilliant."

"Next row, please!" Professor Flitwick called, after having successfully un-vanished his desk. Alexis reluctantly went to the front of the room, leaving Remus open to James and Sirius. Both of them bombarded him with questions about why he wasn't still in the infirmary.

Remus listened until both of them ran out of things to say before he sighed deeply. "I'm fine. And I don't want to talk about it right now." Sirius and James, for their part, didn't say anything else. But Lily was fairly sure that sometime in Remus' near future he would get a telling off. And she didn't need her Seer abilities to know it.

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"I like that name."

The Marauders was walking back to the Gryffindor Common room, having left the witches in the library. They weren't up for long study sessions like the girls seemed to be, so as soon as their homework was done, they were gone. Sirius yawned, dropping his bag to his side. "I think I'll use that."

"Use what?" Peter asked curiously.

Sirius raised an eyebrow and looked down at Peter. "What have we been talking about, Wormtail?" he snapped irritably.

James and Remus said nothing, only shook their heads. After having declared that Peter's animagus tail looked like a worm, Sirius had stuck him with that nickname. The shorter boy didn't seem to mind, though. Sirius rolled his eyes and frowned. "Padfoot, I mean. That Grim looking thing we're studying in History of Magic? You know, the homework we just finished?"

Peter's eyes grew wide and he nodded. "Oh! You mean, use that as your nickname? I like it."

Sirius' frown disappeared and he grinned. "Good. What do you two think?"

Remus shrugged. "If you like it," replied James. "It fits, a little. You do look like a Grim at times."

"Hornbeam," announced Remus and the portrait opened. "Is there a Quidditch practice tonight?"

"Of course," replied James. "We play Hufflepuff on Saturday. Emily has us out there every night the rest of this week." He looked out the window. "It's still raining. I think we are about to get very wet."

Sirius grunted his reply and went upstairs to dump his and James' bags off. When he returned, James was waiting for him and the Gryffindor girls were back from the library. Kassie had her cloak on and was snapping closed the collar when he approached her. "Where do you think you are going?"

"To watch you," Kassie replied without missing a beat. She smiled up at him.

"It's raining," pointed out Sirius, jerking his head towards the window.

"Yes, I noticed that on the way in from Herbology." Kassie pulled her cloak hood up. "Are you ready, then?"

"There's no point in trying to talk you out of this, is there?" asked Sirius hopefully. Kassie shook her head and he sighed. "Then, yes, I'm ready. Are you coming too, Lily?"

Lily spread her books out on a table near the window and sat down. "No, I've still got to finish my potions essay."

"That isn't due until Friday," Kassie told her.

"I don't like waiting until the last minute," she replied and opened her book. "Just go on without me." Kassie shrugged and followed James and Sirius out of the common room. Lily gave them a few minutes to get away from the tower before she packed up her books and put them back in her bag. Alexis and Remus looked up at her strangely. "I'm going back to the library," she explained and hurried out of the room before one of them could join her.

In reality Lily was heading off to see Hagrid. She had been thinking about it all day and she was hoping he could help her with her visions. Or, lead her to someone she thought could help. Either way she didn't want anyone knowing where she was going. So she waited until she was at the side door of the castle before pulling her cloak out of her bag, putting it on, and stowing her bag in a broom closet.

It was easy to see the Gryffindor players on their broomsticks from where she was. Every now and then a shrill whistle would break through the sound of the rain and Emily could be heard shouting something. Lily kept her hood pulled around her head tightly and hurried down to Hagrid's hut. She knocked quickly.

"Who's there?" Hagrid called, his heavy footfalls sounding like thunder as he came towards the door.

"It's Lily!"

The large door swung open and Hagrid motioned her inside. Once the door had been closed, he turned, beaming. "Hello Lily! I hadn't seen yeh in a long time. How are yeh? Do yeh want some tea?"

"Yes, thank you," said Lily, sitting down in an oversized chair and accepting a cup. Hagrid set to work making his own cup as Lily sipped hers nervously. "Hagrid, I actually needed to ask you something."

"Wha' about?" asked Hagrid curiously, sitting across from Lily and offering her a rock cake.

Lily shook her head. "Actually, I'd like to speak with the centaur that helped me last year in the forest."

Hagrid nearly spat his tea out in surprise. He swallowed roughly and sat the cup down a little harder than was necessary. "Why'd yeh want ta do tha'?"

Lily swallowed, her nervousness growing. She set her cup down and folded her hands in her lap. "I-I really can't say. But I really would like to speak to him..."

"Lily, there's somethin' yeh gotta understand 'bout centaurs. They don' like humans messin' with their business or comin' in their forest. Yeh happened across a nicer one las' year an' fer that yeh was lucky."

Lily picked her tea cup up again and took another sip, thinking. It was obvious from the sound of it that Hagrid wasn't going to help her. She would simply have to find another way, or another person, to ask. But as not to be rude, she nodded. "Well, thanks anyway. I just thought I'd ask."

Hagrid nodded, finishing off his cup and pouring another. Then, as if just remembering, he looked around. "Where's tha' friend o' yours? Kassie?"

Lily explained how Kassie was going out with Sirius (which Hagrid found extremely amusing) and that they were up at the Quidditch pitch. After discussing their thoughts on the Hufflepuff versus Gryffindor game, and a few of the magical creatures Lily was studying in Care of Magical Creatures, Lily excused herself and left for the school again. She had only just retrieved her bag from the broom closet and put her cloak in it when she heard footsteps. Trying desperately to appear normal, Lily walked down the corridor and nearly straight into Professor Dumbledore.

"Good evening, Miss Evans," the Headmaster said politely, peering at her over the rim of his half moon glasses. "How are you this lovely evening?"

Lily couldn't help but think of the downpour of rain she had just walked through and wondered exactly what was so "lovely" about it. Instead she opted to not point this out. "I'm ok, Professor. You?"

"I couldn't be better," he replied. He looked at Lily and moment and Lily felt as if he was looking through her, rather than at her. Suddenly he smiled. "I think I'd like a stroll around. Would you care to join me?"

Lily had the tiniest feeling that if she refused, he might insist. So instead of trying that route, Lily nodded and soon found herself walking alongside the Headmaster. For several long minutes they walked in silence, making a round of the main corridors on the first level of the castle, and then moving up the marble staircase to the second. "If there is anything of interest you'd wish to discuss, Lily, feel free to do so."

Lily noticed, at times like these when it was just her and the Headmaster, that he called her by her first name. Feeling a little more at ease because of this, Lily thought over all that had been bothering her pretty much since school started. But a glance up at the older wizard convinced her he didn't want to hear it. "Nothing," said Lily, evading his gaze. "Just the normal pressures of preparing for O.W.L.s."

"Ah, yes, fifth year, as I'm sure you know, is very important. But I daresay on more than one level. It is usually times such as these that most young wizards and witches find their places in life. They find what they are comfortable with." They turned a corner, passing a couple of Hufflepuffs. As soon as the other students had vanished around the corner, Dumbledore picked up like they hadn't been interrupted. "And whom they are comfortable with. I see that your friend Miss Phillips has found herself in the company of Mr. Black."

Lily smiled a little. "She has. It makes me wonder where I belong..." Lily hadn't meant to say the last part out loud, but it seemed it was bursting to get out of her. She found herself playing idly with a strand of her hair and spilling out all of her frustrations with life to the last person on Earth she thought she would be telling them to. "Kassie seems so happy with Sirius and that means I'm around James more, but I don't know what to think of him. Sometimes I'm so sure that he likes me, and other times I think he doesn't. And sometimes when he's not paying attention, he reminds me of someone. Someone in a dream...."

"Professor McGonagall told me you had asked to drop Divination," said Dumbledore suddenly, peering down at Lily. "There is a lot to be learned from the class, even when it seems there is not. Perhaps you should look more closely at not only your visions, but at every aspect of your life. And sometimes, Lily, it is who we least expect that can help us the most."

Lily noticed they had arrived at the gargoyle that guarded the entrance to Dumbledore's office. It moved aside to admit the Headmaster. "If you should ever need to talk, Lily, about anything, don't hesitate to come to me. I hope we can speak again in the near future."

Lily bade Dumbledore goodnight and started back up to Gryffindor tower, her mind buzzing with the conversation she had just had. If it wasn't for the fact that Dumbledore was very wise, and therefore a lot more knowledgeable about things than Lily was, she would swear he was barking mad. She had poured her heart out to him, and his reply was so cryptic she felt a headache coming on from trying to understand it all.

Lily climbed back in the portrait hole and into the common room. For the most part it was empty; save for a pair of first years playing chess, and Kassie on the sofa. Lily went over to Kassie and plopped down in an oversized chair before realising that Kassie wasn't alone. Sirius had his head in her lap, asleep. Kassie was slowly running her fingers through his hair with one hand, and holding a book open with the other. She looked up as Lily sat. "Hi."

"Hi," Lily replied, unsure what to say. She instead opted to stare into the flames crackling in the fireplace.

Lily heard Kassie turn the page in her book and then close it. Using both hands she picked up Sirius' head, readjusted her legs and then laid him back down. He slept on, oblivious. "Where did you go earlier?" Kassie asked quietly.

Lily sighed, curling her legs up under her and looking quickly to Kassie. "To see Hagrid." She wanted to leave it there; but Kassie was a persistent person, if nothing else. She stared at Lily until the redhead continued. "I've been having dreams about that man again."

"And the baby?" asked Kassie, her face screwed up in disbelief. "I thought those had stopped."

"They did for a while, but now they're back." Lily quickly explained the dream she had last night, leaving out the exact phrase that had been haunting her all day. "I spoke shortly with Dumbledore about it. But you can imagine how much help he was." Lily snorted. "It is who we least expect that can help us most. Like I needed another mystery to figure out."

"Well, that's easy," replied Kassie as if it was the simplest thing in the world. "Your Mum would be the last person you would ask."

Lily nodded, unconvinced. "True, but I don't know about asking her. She really doesn't understand much about anything in my life anymore."

Kassie said nothing, just started running her hand through Sirius' hair again. Lily raised an eyebrow in question. Kassie shrugged. "He fell asleep and I haven't the heart to wake him. He's been so worn down lately; with Quidditch practice, homework and the like. I can't wait until next year when we can rest a bit. Only, I don't want to think about preparing for N.E.W.T.s." Kassie picked her wand up off the table and pointed it at the fireplace, causing the flames to jump back to life. "Lily, what would you get Sirius for his birthday?"

"Nothing," replied Lily at once, grinning. "Of course, I'm not going out with him. I expect you'll want to get him something."

Kassie glared at Lily, then rolled her eyes. "Fat load of help you are."

"When's his birthday?"

"Sixth of December." Sirius turned over on his back, kicked his feet for a moment, then settled back down. Kassie raised an eyebrow at him. "Perhaps we should discuss this later." She poked him in the face. Sleepily he swatted at her hand, but didn't seem to wake up. "My legs are asleep."

"Make him get up," said Lily indifferently.

Kassie smiled down at Sirius' sleeping form, but didn't do as Lily said. "You'll understand it all one day," she said wisely. Lily rolled her eyes, yawning. "I don't think your relationship - or lack there of - with Tim counts as anything worth while."

"That makes me feel so much better." Lily stood up and stretched. "I'm going to bed. Good night."

"Night," Kassie replied.

"G'night," muttered Sirius. Kassie slapped him on the arm. "Owwww... bloody hell, woman..."

Lily laughed and went upstairs, hopefully to get some sleep. Between homework and worrying about what her dreams meant, Lily was sure that her sleepless nights couldn't have come at a worse time.

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Saturday afternoon brought about the Quidditch match that Emily had been training her team for. But Lily wondered if it had all been for naught. After all, the game lasted all of twenty minutes, James scored five times and Patrick caught the snitch right out from underneath the new seeker's nose. Mundungus complained loudly that he hadn't even got started yet; but Gryffindor house members couldn't have cared less. It was a wonderful start to the Quidditch season.

December came and brought with it a huge amount of snow. Sirius had found out that he could ride his broom up the staircase to the fifth year girl's rooms and celebrated this find by bombarding them with snow balls. Only seconds after getting off his broom, though, the castle seemed to have realised he was there. The six fifth year girls watched in amazement as the room seem to spit Sirius out so that he landed hard on the steps outside, then the stairs disappeared. He screamed all the way down the slide and barrelled into a pair of second years coming through the common room, knocking them both down. Kassie fell back on her bed, giggling as she heard him cursing from the common room.

It just so happened that Sirius' birthday fell on a Saturday and that day also happened to be a Hogsmeade day. So despite the fact that he had started the day so roughly, Sirius was in a grand mood by the time they made it to Hogsmeade, even though James was constantly ribbing him about his trip to Kassie's room.

All the fifth year Gryffindors had lunch at the Three Broomsticks to celebrate Sirius' sixteenth birthday. And the day was going extremely well. After much debate, Kassie had decided to get Sirius a gift set from Zonko's Joke Shop. With the powder, potions and other things in the kit Sirius would be able to add a drop of one or more to any kind of sweet and cause the person eating it to do anything from turn green to speak German for up to ten hours; or both. Kassie had a funny feeling she would regret this when after drinking his butter beer, Peter suddenly began singing opera every time he opened his mouth.

Cold, but in very good moods, several hours later the Gryffindors headed back up to the castle for dinner. Sirius was doing a spirited imitation of Peter when Madam Rosmerta had bent over him to pick something up off the floor when suddenly a black raven glided across the common room and landed on his shoulder.

Everyone went deathly quiet, even the students from other years that were in the room. Sirius blinked, mentally trying to think of who from his family could be dead that he would even care to know about. Most of his family had disowned him; surely they wouldn't make the effort to contact him if something had happened. Kassie was watching him, an odd expression on her face. Eyebrows knitted in confusion, Sirius took the letter from the bird just as a first year let an owl in the window. The owl, a smart looking grey bird with an official air about him, landed on Sirius's other shoulder and stuck its leg out importantly. While Sirius opened the first letter, Kassie relieved the owl of its burden and both it and the raven flew off.

Sirius' blue eyes scanned over the parchment twice before he swallowed deeply and looked up at the expectant faces before him. "My Uncle Alphard is dead," he said solemnly. Most there had no idea who this was; James wrinkled his eyebrows and frowned. Silently Sirius took the letter Kassie had, flopped back in an armchair and ripped it open. He read it twice, then shook his head. "Bloody hell."

"What is it?" Remus asked quietly, since it looked like no one else was going to say anything. The werewolf put his arm around Alexis, who looked as if she wasn't sure what to do or say. Kathleen, Gabrielle, Madison and Lily were hovering behind the sofa that James, Peter, Remus and Alexis were sitting on. Kassie was sitting on the arm of the chair Sirius was in.

Sirius shook his head. "I don't believe it. He left it all to me. All of it..."

"All of--"

"Wait! I remember!" said James suddenly, looking very triumphant. "Alphard is your Dad's youngest brother. Crikey, you haven't heard from him in--"

"About eight years," Sirius finished for him, looking dumbstruck. "After Uncle Malcolm kicked my Dad out of the family, Uncle Alphard said that he didn't want to be a part of what they were getting into and left. But he always swore I was his favourite." Sirius snorted. "Granted, look who he had to choose from. Well, Andromeda got his house, it says. But he left all of his gold to me." Suddenly Sirius laughed. "I'd love to see the look on Bella's face when she finds out!"

Sirius handed Kassie the second letter to read and her eyes grew huge when she reached the end. "Wow..."

"Your boyfriend is fairly rich now," Sirius boasted, grinning at her. "Oooh! Now I can buy that motorbike!"

There were several groans and Kassie looked very confused. "What?"

James shook his head and Remus sniggered. "Several weeks ago we were studying muggle transportation in Muggle Studies and Sirius saw a motorbike and said he'd like to charm one to fly."

"I thought you were joking," Kassie told him, raising an eyebrow.

"Joking? About that? No way!" Kassie shook her head and buried her face in her hands.

"When is the funeral?" asked Peter.

Sirius scanned the first letter over again. "Er- looks like it's on Monday. But I doubt I'll go." Kassie opened her mouth to ask why, but Sirius cut her off. "Believe me, my uncle would understand. Besides, I can just see Bella, Narcissa, Uncle Malcolm and Aunt Samilla all fighting over how they are going to contest the will. I'm sure they are furious. Not that the Blacks are paupers, by any means. But the more the merrier where that greedy bunch is concerned."

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The following day, owls were pretty much waiting for Sirius everywhere he went. Olivia offered to come straight to the school to do anything she could, barristers was contacting Sirius about the release of the gold and arranging his own Gringott's account, and of course this all couldn't be handled without some ill will from the other blood ties. After sending back two letters from Samilla Black (Bellatrix's mother) without opening them; a red howler showed up for dinner. Sirius groaned when it landed on his plate. "Merlin, doesn't she give up?"

"Apparently not," Kassie replied, already sticking her fingers in her ears. James pointed his wand at the howler and it exploded without releasing its message.

"Thanks, mate," replied Sirius, getting his wand out. "Evanesco!"

Sirius began eating, but before long he was interrupted by the last person he wanted to see. Kassie groaned and reached for her wand, ready to jinx Bellatrix Black before she even got started, but Sirius put his hand over hers and shook his head. "What do you want Bella?"

"Why won't you answer Mum? I can't believe you would ignore her."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. Honestly, if he didn't know better, he'd swear Bellatrix was trying to be civil. Well, no use in letting her continue. He had food to eat. "You and I both know what your Mum means to me. So drop the act, it doesn't suit you. She can go to hell, and take you and my dear Uncle Malcolm with her. Now, if you don't mind, I'm eating."

Lily watched in fascination as Bellatrix's face turned several shades of red; each one darker than the last. Her hand was gripping her wand so tightly her knuckles turned white. Lily felt herself reaching for her wand; beside her James and Remus was doing the same. Professors or not; Bellatrix looked ready to hurt someone. Sirius looked like he was bored with the entire situation. Blue eyes stared into hazel in a silent challenge. Finally Bellatrix seem to fall back on something more familiar to her: attacking Kassie. "What? Did your stupid mudblood girlfriend teach you that? Merlin, I can't believe you'd have so little respect for our bloodline by tainting it for tha--"

Sirius jumped to his feet so suddenly, and pulled his wand so quickly that no one had time to react; least of all Bellatrix. Though she hadn't been known to be slow with her wand, Sirius had caught her by surprise. His mouth was open with whatever curse was coming to mind when suddenly a voice suddenly cried: "Expelliarmus!"

Nearly every head at the Gryffindor table turned to see Severus Snape standing behind Bellatrix, holding not only Sirius' wand, but Bellatrix's. He came closer to Bellatrix, looking like he was swelling with anger. "Bellatrix, if there is a trace of intelligence anywhere in that brain of yours, you will go back to your seat now." His face was so close to hers that Bellatrix could see that he needed to shave. She snorted, but he wasn't done. "There is a time and place for everything. I assure you this is not it."

Looking sulky, Bellatrix grabbed her wand from Snape and headed back to her table. Snape whipped around to the Gryffindor table where Sirius was looking very angry. James stood up, reached over and took Sirius' wand from Snape. "I'll take that. Now sod off."

"You'll do good to keep a civil tongue in your head, Potter," Snape hissed. "And this incident has just cost Gryffindor twenty points."

Remus and Lily both jumped up. "Twenty-five from Slytherin, since she came over here and started this," Lily snapped, glaring at Snape as if daring him to say something. She was spared anything more by Professor McGonagall coming towards them. Snape spun around and stalked off and Lily and Remus took their seats again.

"Is everything all right here?" McGonagall asked in a tone that suggested she knew better.

"It's under control," Remus assured her, going back to his food with the air of someone who hadn't been interrupted.

McGonagall looked at the fifth years for a long uneasy moment, but none of them said or did anything besides pick at their food. Finally her posture relaxed. "Mr. Black, will you be attending your uncle's funeral tomorrow?"

"No," Sirius replied without looking up.

McGonagall looked as if she wanted to press the issue, but decided against it. "Very well," she muttered. She lingered a moment more, but deciding that all that was going to be said had been said, she walked off.

Sirius stared at his full plate for a moment, then pushed it aside. "And I couldn't even if I wanted to. If I did, I'd probably end up in Azkaban."

--End Chapter 40.