Memories

-----Big Secrets-----

Ciara sat in the nearest compartment she could find in which no one was occupying. It was September first and she was off to her first year at Hogwarts finally. She had arrived with her brother Andy, but he had immediately gone to sit with his school friends, not wanting to be seen with his baby sister. She was a little depressed, seeing that none of her friends were there.

* * * * *

A frightening creature laughed coldly and shrilly. A woman held a small baby and ran up a flight of stairs in terror.

“I want the child, girl. Give me the child!” the monster said.

“No! Please take me instead!” the girl said as she shielded her baby from the monster slowly approaching.

“Stand aside silly girl! I don’t want you. Give me the child!”

“Never!”

”Have it your way. Crucio!!!!!!”

* * * * *

Ciara woke up with a start. Severus had taken a seat next to her and held her forearm.

”Your nightmares again?” he asked softly. Having spent the night at her house for many years, he was aware of her many terrifying visions.

Ciara nodded. “Another torture. Do you think they’ll ever stop?” she asked.

“I don’t know. I hope so. Nobody in your house gets a decent night’s sleep.” Ciara laughed.

“True, true. Mum’s getting tired of waking up at three every morning.”

“So that’s why she looked so tired.” Lily said as she opened the compartment door. Ciara nodded.

“I’ve been having nightmares a lot recently.”

“Sorry. Where’s everyone else? I thought we were going to meet here?”

“I don’t know. The other three boys spent the night at Remus’s house, so they’ll be late. I don’t know where Bella and Fi are. They should have been here an hour ago.”

“Cici? You here?” Peter’s voice carried throughout the hallway.

“Over here, Pete, old chap,” Ciara shouted as she stuck her head out the door. When it snaked back in, Peter followed, holding a small package. Lily smiled at him, causing him to blush.

”Peter, this is Lily Evans, another hopeful Gryffindor, unless I am very much mistaken ” Ciara trailed off, looking significantly at Lily, who just looked confused.

“Don’t you know about school houses?” Severus asked.

“Not a thing.” Lily said with a grin.

“What’d we miss?” James said as he sidled in.

“Just the norm. Nightmares and houses.” Severus said carelessly.

“Ah, I’m gonna be a Gryffindor. I can feel it in my bones.” James’ hands shook around his head as if to mean ‘I’m-getting-vibes’.

“Riiiiiiiiiight. Sit down before you hurt the minds of those who know what they're doing,” Ciara hit her cousin on the hip and grinned.

As the others arrived, the conversation turned to Quidditch and the league playoffs last year. Remus, Peter, Severus and Fi vehemently defended the Chudley Cannons while James, Ciara, Sirius, and Arabella took the Wimbourne Wasp’s side. Lily sat between them, marvelling at how talkative her new friends were.

Soon the lady with the food cart passed by. “Would you like anything off the cart, dearies?”

Ciara looked significantly at Sirius and nodded slowly, a feral grin lighting up her face. “We’ll take the lot,” she said. An hour and eight stomachaches later, Sirius and Ciara were curled up on the floor sleeping while James and Remus snored away leaning on each other. Lily and Fi were discussing the latest Muggle fashions as Severus, Arabella and Peter played with Muggle playing cards that Arabella had brought along.

“Severus! You’re cheating!” Arabella cried as Severus won his fifth hand in a row.

Severus gave her a cheeky grin. “It’s not my fault you aren’t lucky.”

Arabella huffed but continued to shuffle and deal. Ciara began to toss and turn in her sleep as another nightmare haunted her. Lily paused mid-sentence as Ciara gave a muted scream. “Ri, RI! Nuopu zu onire!” she yelled, flinging her arms to protect her face from an unknown assailant.

Severus and Fi immediately began to shake Ciara awake, fear on their faces.

”Ciara, Ciara, wake up!” Fi said. Ciara’s eyes snapped open.

“W-what happened?” she asked, her eyes wide in terror and confusion. Severus only leaned over and whispered something in her ear. Ciara nodded grimly.

“Um, what am I missing?” Lily asked innocently.

Ciara whirled her head to face the confused girl. She seemed to gaze intently at her for a minute, and then turned to face her sleeping cousin. She slapped him a little on the knee and waited for him to jerk back to reality.

“Jimbo, j’ai une petit question ” she said softly. “Jimbo, lève-toi ” ((Jimbo, I’ve got a small question Jimbo, wake up .))

“Qu’EST-CE qui s’EST passé?” he said groggily. ((What’s going on?))

“Puis-je confier en Lily? Tu es le juge du caractère, n’EST-CE pas ?” ((Can I trust Lily? You are the judge of character, am I right?))

James sat up a little and pushed his glasses up. “I don’t know. Are you worthy of this type of trust, Miss Lily?”

“What are you talking about?” Lily asked, her face no mask to her confusion.

Ciara made sure the compartment door was shut before settling on the ground. “What I’m about to tell you is in the strictest of confidence. If you tell anyone, I will personally see to your death.”

Lily tried hard to find a bit of humour in her face, but only found grave seriousness. “You have my word.”

Ciara chuckled. “Famous last words,” she muttered. Looking one last time at her friends, she silently mulled on how to put her worry into words. Lily was confused at her friend’s distress. She looked as if it were taking everything in her to tell this one thing.

“Not all magical people are human per se.” Ciara finally said. “Some are of a very closely related subspecies called Terrans. Most Terrans have married into human families, but some tried to remain pure. My father’s family was like that until my father married my mum.”

“Meaning ?”

“I I’m not fully human.”

A pregnant silence filled the compartment. 6 waited in hope, one in shock, and 2 in slumbering stupors. Lily finally burst out laughing. “That’s a good one Ciara!” she said between guffaws. No one else laughed with her. “Come on, guys, I know it’s a joke! There are no such things as Terrans!”

Ciara’s eyes misted over as Lily continued to laugh. “I I need to talk to Andy real fast ” she muttered as tears began to fall down her cheeks. Without looking back, she hurried from the compartment and ran towards the prefect’s compartment. James roughly grabbed Lily’s arm, shaking her out of her laughter. “So you think it’s funny to make fun of her like that? To laugh when she tells you something she’s been forbidden to tell anyone but her closest friends?”

Lily stared at him. “She she was serious? That’s impossible. ‘Terrans’ don’t exist. Wouldn’t everyone know?”

“Maybe they don’t want to be found out. Thought about that yet?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I haven’t had time to think at all. Thought about that yet?”

“That’s right. You didn’t think, so you did what everyone else does when they see a Terran. They laugh their sorry little arses off.”

“Guys? Want to keep it down a bit?” Fi ventured carefully.

“Shut up Fi!” both combatants yelled before returning to their argument.

“What’s this? Dissension among the ranks?” a slimy voice said from the door.

“Go away Malfoy,” Arabella said. Lily and James stopped arguing and stood up to face their new enemy.

“What happens in here is no concern of yours, Malfoy. You should know that by now,” James said in tightly controlled anger.

“My my my. The great James Potter, standing up for his new girlfriend, I see. Such an honourable gentleman.”

“Get lost Malfoy, or will Daddy Death Eater have to come drag you away from us Aurors?” Arabella growled.

Malfoy was about to retort when his eyes rolled up into his head and he collapsed into the compartment across the hall.

“Serves you right, slime ball.” Ciara said as she looked at the fallen Malfoy. Behind her was Andy, chuckling quietly into his hand.

“Hope he wasn’t a problem, mum,” she said as she tipped an imaginary cowboy hat at Lily.

“Nope, I think you handled it real nicely.”

Ciara gave a halfhearted smile, and then stared at her shoes. James slightly nudged Lily from the back. “Um Ciara I’m sorry for laughing when you said that. I guess I got caught off guard.” Lily muttered.

“Do you pledge your word never to tell?” Andy said. On his face was a look of protectiveness for his baby sister’s well being.

Lily nodded.

Ciara stuck her hand out. “Welcome to the Marauders, Miss Evans.”

---------------------------------------

-----Of Lions and Snakes-----

Loud chattering filled the halls as the new first years swarmed in from the cool evening. The group of Marauders had split up on the boats, the girls going by themselves while the boys stuck together. But despite the conversations being held, Ciara said nothing. Thousands of emotions played over her face as the scene on the train played itself in her mind.

"Hey Ciara, pay attention!" Lily snapped as a witch with a black bun and emerald green robes approached the children.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said. "I am Professor McGonagall. The start-of-term banquet will begin soon, but before you eat, you must be sorted. This is very important, for while you are here, your house will be your family. Your successes will bring points and glory to your house, while any disobedience and rule breaking will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded the House Cup."

Ciara's first thought was that she wanted to be in a different house than James and Sirius. She wanted to *win*.

"The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each has a noble history and has produced noble wizards and witches. The ceremony will begin in a moment, so I suggest you smarten yourselves up. I shall return for you in a few moments," and with that, she left.

Ciara looked around at the other first years and smiled. 'So many people to torture, so little time,' she thought to herself.

"Penny for your thoughts." Lily whispered.

"Nothing much, just wondering how I'm going to torture all these people will the small amount of time I've been allotted," Ciara whispered back.

Lily grinned and poked James on the back of the neck. When he didn't respond, she poked him again. He turned around.

"What?!" he asked angrily.

"You're an idiot." Lily replied calmly.

"Tell me something I don't know, please," he retorted before turning back to his conversation with Severus.

Lily raised an eyebrow and kept her mouth shut as Professor McGonagall approached the group again and beckoned them to follow her. She quickly walked across the large entrance hall and through two large doors. In the large Great Hall, 4 long tables were set up. The students lining all four tables looked up as the first years entered. Ciara bit down on her lower lip as she glanced around nervously. What if she did get put into Slytherin? The humiliation would be unbearable. Everyone in her family had been either a Gryffindor or a Ravenclaw, never Slytherin.

Her thoughts were cut off as Professor McGonagall stepped up on the front dais. She carried a worn looking hat that was patched so much that Ciara doubted that any of the original material remained. As the professor placed the hat on a stool, the brim opened and the hat began to sing.

Nervousness wove its way back up Ciara's spine as the song continued. This was supposedly a big day in her life; at least that's what Mamie, her mother's mother, had always told her:

"Ah, ma cherie, ne t'en fais pas. Ton premier jour d'école celui sera de l'une la plus importante dans ta vie. Souris et te souvient de, n'importe CE que tu fais, je toujours t'aimerai." ((Ah, my dear, don't worry. Your first day of school will be one of the most important ones in your life. Smile and remember, no matter what you do, I will always love you.))

Applause signalled the end of the hat's song. Ciara jerked herself back to reality as Professor McGonagall unrolled a piece of parchment.

"When I call your name, please come, put the hat on your head, and sit on the stool to be sorted."

"Adams, Narcissa!"

A small, pretty girl nervously moved to sit on the stool. The hat sat for a moment, and then yelled, "SLYTHERIN!"

The table farthest from the fireplace cheered. Narcissa took off the hat, handed it to Professor McGonagall, and scurried to sit with her housemates.

"Black, Sirius!"

Sirius winked at Ciara and stepped up to the dais. He quickly pulled the hat over his head and plopped on the stool. The hat took a moment to deliberate, but finally yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The 2nd table closest to the fire cheered as Sirius victoriously strutted to the table.

"Bryant, Ciara!" Professor McGonagall said. Ciara's stomach dropped out. Timidly, she moved to the front. She took the hat and pulled it over her head as she sat down on the stool.

"Ah, another Bryant. You're the last one, I see." a small voice said in her head. "Well, you're going to be much more difficult than your brothers. A strong sense of loyalty, a quick mind not to mention a desire to be better than everyone else. Certainly a Terran trait, isn't it?"

'If you don't mind, could you put me in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw?' Ciara thought to the hat. "

Gryffindor or Ravenclaw?"

'Yes, please.'

"Well, if you desire. Your bravery certainly outweighs your mind, so I'll put you in GRYFFINDOR!" The last word was shouted to the hall. Ciara could hear the cheers of her brother and his friends from all the others. She pulled the hat off and hurried to sit next to Sirius.

"What took so long?" Sirius asked as she sat down.

"I think I confused it," she said as "Daniels, Anwar!" became a Slytherin.

They watched and applauded as "Daniels, Lana!" became a Ravenclaw.

"Evans, Lily!" Professor McGonagall called. Ciara closed her eyes and waited with bated breath. After a minute, the hat yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Ciara's cheers were the loudest heard. Lily hurried to sit next to Ciara. They giggled a little bit to release their tension and clasped hands in joy. Next up was "Figg, Arabella!"

Soon, she, "Gamin, Nina!" and "Longbottom, Frank!" were Gryffindors. Sirius was nearly dancing with worry until his best friends were sorted. The hat wasted no time in putting Lucius Malfoy in Slytherin, causing a strange relief to fill Ciara. Finally, Peter, Remus, and James were sorted as Gryffindors and it was Severus' turn.

The hat debated with itself for nearly 5 minutes until finally calling, "SLYTHERIN!"

The Gryffindor Marauders' faces showed utter despair. Severus looked shocked, and as he walked to the Slytherin table, he waved forlornly to his friends.

"Well, this just stinks," Ciara huffed. "What are we possibly going to do with out Sevvy around?"

"Ah, we'll think of something, petite." James said unconvincingly. At last, "Wnenynd, Zane!" was sorted into Hufflepuff and Professor Dumbledore, the new headmaster, stood.

"Welcome to another year! Of course, I must start off with a few announcements. As always, the Forbidden Forest is just that. Forbidden. There is also a new hazard on the grounds, a Whomping Willow. If you enjoy use of all your limbs, then you'll do kindly to stay away. I am also to remind students that magic is not allowed in the halls and certain items are not to be used. For the full list, please see Mr. Filch, our caretaker. With that being said, feast away!"

Instantly, the tables filled with every kind of food imaginable. Ciara grinned at her friends and began to fill her plate. For nearly half-an-hour, the Marauders stuffed their faces with as much food as they could. Finally, Andy stood and said, "All Gryffindor first-years, if you would follow me."

The Marauders all stood and seemed to drag along after Andy. As they were leaving, Ciara waved good-bye to Severus and blew a kiss. Severus waved back.

"You'll all have to pay attention because I won't be here everyday to lead you around." Andy said.

"Cela EST CE que tu pense, mon cher frère!" Ciara said mockingly. ((That's what you think, my dear brother!))

"Au moins j'ai appris à garder ma bouche a fermé, ma chere petite soeur." Andy retorted. ((At least I've learned to keep my mouth shut, my dear little sister.))

Andy turned around and stuck his tongue out at her as James and Ciara laughed. Lily tugged on Fi's sleeve, but Fi only shrugged. She leaned over and whispered, "They do that a lot. You just get used to it."

* * * * *

In the circular dorm room the four female Marauders and Nina shared, Lily and Ciara were talking softly while the others slept peacefully.

"James did that? I wouldn't have thought " Lily said while trying to stifle her laughter.

"And then he fell asleep! That's the best part!" Ciara laughed a bit, but it died quickly. She looked to her hands, then jerked her head up.

"Lily, can I tell you something? Something I've never even told James." Lily sensed her friend's nervousness and put her hand on Ciara's clasped ones.

"You can tell me anything."

Ciara nodded and closed her eyes. "Being a Terran sometimes grants special abilities that scare people. I've got one that terrifies even my grandmother." She paused.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Lily said calmly.

"No, I have to tell someone. You you remember those nightmares I've been having?" Lily nodded. "They're predictions of the future. No, they're more like visions. And I've always had this ability, that when I touch something, I can see exactly what's happened to it. My grandmother told me that I I'm a clairvoyant, which I know sounds ridiculous to worry about, but it's not like human clairvoyance. I I can actually invade a person's mind if I try hard enough."

Lily licked her lips nervously and nodded. "Why are you telling me this? I haven't known you nearly as long as the others."

Ciara gave a half-smile. "With the clairvoyance comes the ability to tell if you can trust someone. I feel like I can trust you. That's all."

Lily gave a small sigh of relief and grinned. "Can you read my mind right now?"

Ciara grinned back. "Give me a sec." She stretched her wrists a bit and placed her fingers to Lily's temples. Her breathing slowed and power rushed through her fingertips to Lily's mind.

At first came the normal things. Playing with Petunia, going to grade school, even the day she received her letter. Then things began rushing to the future. Her wedding day, which she was amused to find James at the other end of the aisle waiting, the birth of her first child, then terror. Images flashed: a strange laugh, the same from her dreams, and fear. Lots of fear. Finally, she saw the creature point it's wand and say, "Avada Kedavra!" and then nothing.

Ciara came out of her trance suddenly. Her hair had gone black and white and her eyes had changed purple. She leaned back against the pillows and tried to stop the sobs of fear coming from her heart.

"Ciara, Ciara, oh my God, Ciara " Lily pulled Ciara to her and rocked her gently.

"He's there he's there, in your future " Ciara said between sobs.

"Who's there?" Lily asked gently.

"The creature. The one from my nightmares. He's going to kill you " she whispered into Lily's shoulders.

"I'm going to be fine, Ciara. Forget about it."

Ciara nodded a bit and swallowed her fear. She took a few steadying breaths, then sat up on her own power.

"Sorry, it's just that that thing's scary. It's the main reason I wake up so much at night," she whispered.

"Um, Cici, your face it's gone weird."

"What?"

"Your um hair. And your eyes. They're different."

"Crap. I must have changed. Gimme a sec," and with that, she leaned over her bed to grab some kind of purple stone. She closed her eyes and concentrated hard. Her hair grew blonder, starting at the roots and spreading to the ends. When she opened her eyes, they had gone back to her normal shocking blue. She released the breath she had been holding and turned to face a shocked Lily.

"That, my friend, is the price of being half-human. Let's go to bed."