Harry Potter and the Forest of Shadows

"Go check on Harry, and I'll be back soon," Rosemary instructed Remus and Sirius carefully, pulling on a cloak.

"What's wrong with him?" Sirius asked, getting to his feet.

"I'm not sure. Just. make sure he's alright. Okay?" The two men nodded as Rosemary drew her hood. "'Bye," she said, kissing them both lightly before disapparating to Privet Drive.

Sirius and Remus raced up the stairs from Percy's old room, where they were staying, and to into Ron's room. Remus tore back the sheets but the bed was empty. Bile rose in Sirius' throat as he stared at the evanescent imprint.

"Sirius. Remus!" Ginny had come in after them; her face was pale and her hands were shaking uncontrollably.

"Ginny, what is it? Where's Harry?"

"He's downstairs," she said quietly.

They pushed past her and ran down the stairs. Sirius' steps faltered as he caught sight of his godson.

Harry was gripping tightly to the blanked that had been laid over him. His face was white and he was murmuring for something to stop.

Regaining his composure, Sirius rushed over and kneeled next to Harry.

"Harry?" he said, pushing the hair from his forehead. "Wake up!" This time he shouted, in a state of panic.

The only response was the teenager flinching inwardly. Sirius decided to approach another way. "Come on kid, wake up," he said softly.

It seemed to do the trick for Harry's eyes flickered open; they were full of fear. On instinct he pulled from Sirius' cold touch. When he looked from under the sheets, Harry relaxed and allowed tears to spill down his pale cheeks, mingling in with sweat beads.

"They're torturing her; they're torturing her and she's so young," he muttered aimlessly.

Sirius felt his heart clench inside an icy grip at his godson's mutters of someone being tortured. "Do you know her name?"

"She saw me," he sobbed. "She looked right at me."

"What was her name?" Remus asked.

"Cassy."

Sirius froze.

Rosy walked through the dark house, willing the floor not to creak; it never did. She continued up the stairs where the smell of fear was the strongest. The first door she came upon, she closed quickly; it reeked up of blood and she had a horrible feeling that it used to belong to her nephew.

But the second door had exactly what she was looking for in it. Huddled in the corner of the nicer room was her sister and nephew.

"Petunia? It's me."

"Rosemary?"

"Lumos," she murmured, light flooding the room. Petunia looked fine except for a blueish-purple ring around her eye and her hand was cut open. Other than that they were fine; just shaken.

"He hit you, didn't he?" she asked with quiet ferocity. All Petunia managed was a small nod. "Let's get you out of here."

When she and Dudley had finished packing their few necessities, Rosy apparated all three of them to the Burrow.

*****

Albus Dumbledore sat in his office, writing a letter to the Wallers as the fire cracked. In two days they were coming back to Scotland to settle down in the area of their late friend's house.

He let out a low, soft whistle. A beautiful bird flew from its perch and settled on the shoulder of its master. Dumbledore stroked the gold and scarlet plumage briefly before holding out the folded letter allowing the phoenix to take it in its talons.

Fawkes spread his wings and with a graceful sweep flew out into the crisp night air.

The weary old man turned to stare into the fire consuming the blocks of wood but his train of thought was cut off as the door was thrown open.

He looked up unexpectedly calmly, smiling slightly and quirking an eyebrow at his disshevelled and out of breath potions master. "Severus?"

Dumbledore knew that Snape had been to a Death Eater meeting earlier that evening with a request for torture potions; this had made both of them wary.

"Who were the potions for?" he asked quietly, seeing the distressed look on his employee's face.

"An eight year old," he said in a barely audible whisper. "A freaking eight year old!"

"Do you know who it was?"

Snape raised his head slowly, a grim smile forming on his face. "Oh come on, Albus, who else but Ms. Cassandra Waller?"

Dumbledore's completely froze, his heart dropping to the very tips of his toes. They had Cassandra.

******

Kyle nervously paced his living room. It was a magnificent room with twenty foot high ceilings and about thirteen yards out from the very center. One wall was devoted to a collage of pictures either hung in elegant frames or thumbtacked up. Across from that wall was a beautifully handcarved antigue oak desk that took up at least a quarter of the wall. About twenty feet away from there were french doors that opened up into his office.

But by far, his favorite walls were the other two. On the wall to his left was another pair of french doors, but much wider and taller than the other set. Hanging above it was a beautiful muggle painting that took up half of the wall. On the simple sheet of paper were so many memories for him, that it was overwhelming for him to look at it.

It had been painted the summer after their fifth year- just before the accident and just after having two members added to their group. They were all sitting in the clearing in the woods behind Lily's house. James leaned against the gigantic oak moss, Lily's upper-half laying on his lap and her head cradled in the crook of his elbow.

Sirius was sitting on the old wooden swing, his arm wrapped around Daisy's shoulder as she leaned into his embrace. Remus had the vampire look about him(the full moon was had been that night) as he leaned against the tree trunk, his hair still wet from swimming in the creek as he wrapped his arms around a beautiful teenager girls' waist.

Lounging on the grass was Bella and Cassy, just their bikinis on in the suffering heat. Sitting in front of the swing was Peter, Sirius' feet rested on one of his shoulders with James had a free arm laying on the other. Finally Kyle was up on a tree branch, sitting with his legs outstreched and crossed at the ankles as he listened to Kammy who was sitting at the end of the branch, read poetry for him. They were all smiling in a carefree way. Long years had come since then.

On the other wall was a gigantic fireplace, six feet tall and a stone chimney going up from there. On the chimney part was another humongous picture. On this one was only four people. It was sitting on the beach, just outside their house. Kyle had his arm laid gently around Kammy's shoulders and her head tucked under his chin. Laying at a leisure pose was their oldest daughter, her head layed in Kammy's lap.

Finally there was their youngest. The house was dull and gloomy ever since her disappearance. Cassy was sitting back in her father's lap. Tears rolled down as he looked at her life-size picture. She was only eight.

A flame bursting up in his fireplace, caused Kyle to draw his attention from the picture. Rosy's face was floating in the fire. "Rose," he breathed. He hadn't seen her for two years.

"Kyle, we need to talk. I know where Cassy is."

******

Harry jerked awake. He was still on the Weasley's couch. For the third time that night, he had revisited that girl. For the third time that night she had looked right at him. For the the third time that night he had sat up, sweat drenching down his face from the sight of the mangled bodies.

As he sat up, sliding the glasses Sirius had layed by the couch for him, he saw that he was not alone in the room. There was Sirius who was sleeping sitting up with his back against the wall.

Ginny was sitting in a cushioned armchair, her feet tucked under her as she stared right at him, twirling a coin in her hand. When she saw him sit up, she flicked the coin at him, smiling. He looked down at the American muggle currency in his hand.

"Penny for your thoughts," she murmured.

He whispered something and tossed the coin to her.

"Dime for your dreams."

Her smile faltered as she caught the dime. He knew. "How did you know?" she asked softly.

"Why else would you be waking up so late? And I know that you have a connection with Voldemort." She didn't flinch.

Instead she got to her feet and held out her hand. He took it and allowed her to gently pull him to his feet. He was led through the backdoor and into the cold night air.

They walked hand-in-hand, their fingers intwined for a minute or two before coming to a river ending in a small lake. There was one tree around which had an indention in it that looked perfect for sitting in.

She sat down on the ground, motioning for Harry to follow her. For a few seconds they stared at the moon, before she turned to him.

"It's your birthday tomorrow."

He stared at her blankly. "It is?"

Ginny laughed, leaning her head onto his shoulder. "You totally forgot, didn't you?"

Harry nodded sheepishly, grinning. "Any surprises you can let me in on."

"You wish."

Yielding slightly, Harry placed an arm, joyed when Ginny leaned farther into the embrace. She looked up at him, smiling shyly. He leaned down and gently placed his lips to hers.

It was a soft, short kiss. When they pulled apart, Ginny leaned back against his chest, and for no apparent reason, both teenagers burst out laughing.

After a few minutes of laughter Ginny's voice came up muffled. "We should get back to the house. Can't have the Boy-Who-Lived missing now can we?"

With that she scrambled to her feet and started to run back towards the house.

"Why you little."

Harry chased after her, but she had suddenly disappeared. "Ginny? Gin?"

She popped from behind a tree right in front of him, holding a bundle of purple flowers. "Lavender," she said, holding them to his nose. The smell was intoxicating.

"Mmm. smells nice."

"Yes. Proverb about it."

"Really?"

She nodded in a matter-of-factly. "Clears the mind, relaxes the body, and cleanses the soul."

He was already getting a dazed look. "Go to sleep," she whispered, kissing him one more time and leading him back to the house dropping the flowers softly to the ground.