Into the Hands of Fate

Chapter Three

"You leave me and my wife alone!" yelled Jon Potter. He forced his wife Helen behind him. The man before them laughed with no mirth and took a step closer, his wand still pointed at his adversary as was the other's wand at him.

"It seems as though your friend wasn't as trustworthy as you thought." Jon glared at Voldemort, one of many rising dark lords. For three years, Jonathan and Helen Potter had been kept a secret under the Fidelius Charm with William Pettigrew, his best friend, as their secret keeper. Their son was being protected within the walls of Hogwarts by Albus Dumbledore.

"You're a liar," he spat at the Dark Lord who chuckled but his gaze never wavered from him. "Will would never betray me!"

Voldemort's grimace of a smile deepened. "William, come, step forward and help me perform the task at hand." William Pettigrew came forward as commanded, holding his wand outright at his best friend with a look of guilt upon his face.

"Will?" asked Jon weakly and in disbelief.

"I'm sorry," the other man whispered back.

Servant and master chanted the words "Avada Kedavra!" And then...

James sat up sweating "Damn these premonitions," he whispered into the night. He got up and walked down to the common room to think. Would his dreams become reality once again?

~*~

That night, Lily lay awake in bed not able to fall asleep when she heard Gwen's voice say, "Hallie, are you still awake?" There was a rustle on the bed on Lily's right.

"Ugh, I am now, what do you want at this ungodly hour?" Hallie murmured in a groggy voice. Lily grinned and turned over listening to them.

"Well, you forgot to go to detention for Jenkins again," Gwen replied.

"Who says I forgot?" asked the other girl, and Lily could hear a smile in the girl's voice.

Gwen laughed. "Right, er - goodnight."

Hallie yawned and then said, "'Night."

About an hour later, Lily gave up on sleep and walked down into the common room but was alarmed to see some one else there, sitting on the hearth rug. James looked away from the fire and at the girl standing in the doorway. He forced a smile.

"What're you doing on the floor?" questioned Lily smiling back as she took a seat next to him.

The boy smiled genuinely at this and responded with, "I would be sitting in the armchair I always sit in except a certain girl and her friends just happened to destroy it earlier today." Lily laughed at this. She looked at his face in the fierce glow of the raging fire.

He looked deeply troubled and worried with lines that should not be present on such a young boy streaked his face. The expressions of fear, anxiousness, and frustration were displayed. "James, what's wrong?" The boy stared heavily into the fire and then shut his eyes as he put his knees to his chest. Lily hugged him around the shoulders. She could feel him shaking slightly and he opened his eyes to blink rapidly. He was trying very hard to blink back tears. "You can tell me anything, you know that right?"

He nodded but kept silent. Then he stood. "I have to do something, I'll talk to you later, alright, Lily?" Concerned about him, she wanted to speak with him more, but just nodded. And then he strolled out of the room. She sat by the fire a while long before she decided to go back up to the dormitory and try to sleep once again.

~*~

James crept down the corridor of Hogwarts in the middle of the night not caring to brush away the tears the fell from his pale blue eyes. Why did he have to be the one with the premonitions? He had one once before of Lily's parents perishing before the rising Dark Lord's hand and another of Hallie's mother at the doomed concert that was raided by Voldemort's Death Eaters. Now he had had a dream about his parents falling to their deaths by the same man who was bringing ruin about everywhere he went.

He arrived at the owlery some time later during his thoughts and looked through the owls. James chose a barn owl and got a piece of parchment and a quill nearby. With trembling hands, he wrote a letter to his parents.

Dear Mum and Dad,

Everything's all right here at school. I made it onto the Gryffindor house quidditch team though! Sirius is a beater! It was great. We had a party after the list was posted up. And don't worry, nothing too bad happened. Except...one of the armchairs got blown to bits because of Sirius' filibuster fireworks. (And if you'll believe it, Sirius didn't even do it!)

I had a dream tonight and woke up not able to fall back to sleep. It's really important to me that you change our secret keeper. Please listen to me. Lately I've been having these premonitions in the form of my dreams. Already I've had two that became reality and this next one is not pleasing like the rest weren't. Dad, if you're too stubborn to change Mr. Pettigrew as our secret keeper, please run away into hiding. I know both of your schedules are very hectic but this is important to me.

I miss you both.

Love,

James

He tied the letter to the owl's leg and sent it off with a soft prayer of safekeeping for his parents. With tears still spilling from his eyes, he made his way back to the dormitory.

"Our window is too small, too bad Hallie took my fireworks." James looked next to the window where he saw Sirius under the crescent moon's light. He ignored the other boy's comment and went to his bed. "James, what did you dream this time?" said Sirius. James had never heard him speak so seriously and in such a non-Sirius-like manner.

"My parents," James whispered. "It was them this time."

Sirius walked over to him and sat on his own bed, which was on the right of James'. "You owled them?" he asked.

The other boy nodded with his head bent as he sniffled. "Look, I'm really sorry about blowing up on you this morning about the book, it was really stupid of me," said Sirius quietly.

James shook his head. "Nah, I shouldn't have told Lily," he admitted. There was a short silence.

"What did you dream?"

Another pause and then, "My dad made my mom stand behind him. Voldemort called on Mr. Pettigrew to come forward telling my parents that they couldn't really trust their friend. My dad thought he was lying but Mr. Pettigrew did come forward and then he and Voldemort," James swallowed, "they killed them."

Sirius' eyes widened in the dark. "It might not come true," he murmured.

James shrugged. "I'm really tired, goodnight."

"'Night." James lay awake in bed still not able to fall asleep for the bright flashes of green light brought a strange ache to his forehead, which he rubbed in vain. And later that night, he was aware, just before he fell asleep, that he wasn't the only one awake for he didn't hear Peter's snores in the background.

~*~

"She won't be that mad, will she?" asked Hallie. Lily looked at her with a 'what do you think' look and then shrugged. "Er - well, she didn't remind me or anything...so it isn't my fault."

Gwen told her; "You said yourself you didn't forget..."

Hallie glared at her. "Who asked you?"

Lydia laughed and hugged her around the shoulders. "So what's a couple more days of detention?"

"Lydia, dear friend, how comforting your words are," said Hallie dryly.

Lily laughed and nudged them both. "You'll see how she takes it when we get there." They walked into the Transfiguration room. The four girls, laughing and giggling walked over to their desks trying not to be conspicuous.

"Ah, Miss Forester, you finally decided to show up." Hallie, who was cowering in her seat, looked up at Professor Jenkins with an angelic smile. "Don't give me that, I can see right through it." The smile fell.

"Er - of course you can, Professor, because you're so...so tall, and - er -"

"Be sure to see me after class," said Professor Jenkins, ignoring the student's comment, and then she walked off. When everyone was seated, she stood before them at the front of the class. "As you all know, our first quidditch match will be held this Saturday, which is in two days." There were cheers, hoots, and hollers. "Yes, yes. Also, I will be retiring at the end of this year." Cheers, hoots, and hollers erupted, but then ended in sounds of disappointment. Professor Jenkins actually laughed.

"Professor, was it my fault? Because I'll act especially good if you don't leave," said Sirius with the most innocent look he could muster at that moment. Most of the students broke out into giggles while the professor rolled her eyes heavenward.

"No, Mr. Black, it wasn't your fault."

"Good, so that means I don't have to act especially good then," he told her with a smile. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Just kidding, Professor, just kidding!"

After class, they left the room but Lily, Lydia, and Gwen stayed after to wait for Hallie who later came out muttering under her breath with a backwards glare at the classroom. "What'd she say?" asked Lydia.

Gwen was snickering and when Hallie's glare turned to her she stood behind Lily and said, "How many days did you get?"

"All next week." With the three girls laughing at her, they went to lunch.

~*~

James sat at the table during lunch with Sirius, Peter, and Remus when he then looked to Sirius and Peter who nodded back. The all faced Remus who looked back at them questioningly. Peter looked at him squarely. "Remus, we know your secret."

Sirius nodded. "We found that you disappear once every month during the full moon," he said.

James in turn stated, "In conclusion, we know you're a werewolf."

Remus looked at his friends and knew that they had previously planned this conversation. I guess I should be glad that they found that out so late...but then why does it make me feel so bad? He thought to himself solemnly. His eyes were full of sorrow as he looked up at all three of them. "I understand if - if you all don't want to - er - speak to me or anything anymore." Sirius laughed and James rolled his eyes while Peter smiled.

"Who ever said we wanted to act as if you aren't alive?" asked the plump boy.

Sirius, who messed up the Remus' hair said, "Yeah, you're our best friend!"

"Think of this, Remus, we've been best friends since first year, why would we desert you now just because you're a bit different?" James wondered.

"Er - but I'm a -" he started but was cut off.

"Who cares?" asked Sirius. It seemed as if he were trying to vent out all his tenseness by messing up Remus' hair. James laughed at him while Peter just shook his head with a grin upon his face.

Remus looked at all three of them with a beaming smile. Even after they knew his deepest and darkest secret, they still wanted to be his friend? It was as if the sun had come up into the darkness of the night heaving the great weight from his shoulders away. These were the kinds of friends he'd always dreamed of. The kinds of friends who wouldn't care if he were an ogre...well...who wouldn't care that he was a werewolf. They didn't mind at all. Never had he imagined that anyone would take his difference so well. He had the best friends everyone wished they had.

"Well, if you're still my friends...Sirius, please lay off my hair."

~*~

The four boys were busy talking with one of them especially happy when Professor Greggors tapped James' shoulder. "Mr. Potter, would you please follow me to the headmaster's office?" James looked at his three best friends warily then did as was asked. He noticed the solemn expression on the professor's face and felt his insides freeze. It was as if he suddenly was drenched in a bucket of ice-cold water. "Mr. Potter, would you please follow me?" asked Professor Greggors.

James suddenly noticed he had stopped in his tracks. "Oh - er - sorry." And then he was led into Professor Dumbledore's office. There he saw an assortment of wonderful and strange objects but took no notice of them for he was filled with dread.

Professor Dumbledore looked unusually grave. His brilliant blue eyes didn't have the normal twinkle in them and seemed to shine with sadness. "Mr. Potter, a letter was returned to the school today by one of the barn owls of our owlery." The headmaster handed James a letter from a cabinet in the desk. With trembling hands, the boy accepted it and saw that the scrawled on the envelope was 'Mum and Dad'. A lump formed in his throat and he put in back onto the desk looking to Dumbledore for an explanation that he didn't need for he knew what had happened. "I'm truly very sorry, Mr. Potter. Last night, your parents were attacked by Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters," said the headmaster quietly. The rest of what the older man was saying wasn't heard by the boy who had frozen in place and it seemed to him that time itself had frozen.

His parents were attacked, and no one who got attacked by the Dark Lord never survived. The premonition came too late and now...there was nothing he could do to change the fact that his parents were gone forever. Worse than that was he knew what was about to happen to his parents and he couldn't inform then in time.

"...Ministry arrived, but it was too late; the Death Eaters were just taking flight. I'm very sorry," were the last words that were said by Professor Dumbledore that James heard before he left the office. He was allowed to miss the afternoon classes if he wished to and the boy nodded. James went into the common room and up to his dormitory where he got out his photo album. There was one picture of his parents and him in front of their home. All three looked extremely happy together.

Tears came down his cheeks and he angrily brushed them away. It wasn't fair. Stupid Voldemort. Stupid Death Eaters. Why did they go around ruining lives for twelve-year-old boys, making them orphans? Did they know how bad off life would be for him now? Damn Voldemort and his stupid Death Eaters, thought James in a rage.

He stayed in the dormitory all that afternoon with 'what-ifs' running through his mind.

~*~

Lily walked into her Defense Against Dark Arts class with her three best friends at her sides. When she took her seat, Sirius asked her, "Where's James?" She looked at him with a look. "Well, I thought he might be with you 'cause you're...well, together a lot when he's not with us," he said motioning to Remus and Peter.

"We're not together a lot!" she exclaimed.

Hallie told her, "Of course you aren't, dear, but what do you call your little midnight talks with prince charming?" Lily glared at her. "Just kidding!"

"Midnight talks? Are you sure they're just talks?" asked Sirius with a grin.

Lily lifted her hand to slap him but he moved out of the way. "Shut up!" she told him with a glare.

"What she means is," said Lydia with a smile, "we don't know where James is. Wasn't he just with you at lunch?"

Remus said, "He was, but Professor Greggors came and told him to follow him to Professor Dumbledore's office."

Lily looked at him gravely. "Oh, dear."

Sirius looked at her and Hallie's dismal expressions. "Why? What is it?"

"Er - nothing," said Hallie looking at Lily with a meaningful look.

"Um, right. Everything's probably all right," said Lily. And with a shrug, Sirius, for once, turned his attention to where it was supposed to be, on the teacher.

~*~

Sirius left dinner early and went to the dormitory where he saw James lying on his bed while facing the ceiling. "Hey, James. What're you doing?" The other boy didn't make a move to acknowledge he had heard anything. "Er - James?" Sirius became worried, what could possibly make James so unhappy...so unlike himself? And then a thought hit him. James' premonitions that always came true. What was the last thing the other boy had dreamt? Oh, no... "Talk to me, James, tell me what happened."

At this the other boy sat up slowly and looked at him. "My letter was returned. Mum and Dad are dead. Voldemort and his damned Death Eaters...maybe if I was there...maybe - maybe they'd still be here, right? I mean, I've been having these premonitions lately, and - and if I was there, I could have warned them faster...my message would have gotten through. What if -"

"Stop with the 'what-ifs', James. You know you couldn't have done anything about it!"

James glared at him. "I was safe and snug here at good ol' Hogwarts with the only wizard Voldemort is said to be afraid of while my parents are hidden by the Fidelius Charm at home! And their secret keeper is a traitor! If I was there, I could have warned them, Sirius. I could have stopped anything from happening to them!"

Sirius went over to his best friend and shook him gently. "There wasn't anything you could have done. I'm telling you the truth! Think about this! You're top of every class, but you can't put this through your mind?"

James punched him. Sirius fell onto his own bed in shock holding his cheek where a bruise was starting to glow. "You don't know what you're talking about," said James in a deathly calm voice.

"Fine then, you don't want me to help, fine." And then Sirius Black, for the first time in all their years as best friends, walked out on James Potter.

~*~

Sirius turned and walked off angrily, not looking back but feeling the eyes of James watching him go. When he was in the common room, he started beating up the replacement of the flamed armchair by the fire. Everyone in the room watched in amusement. "What are you doing, Sirius?" wondered Lydia in concern. After a last punch that broke the skin on his knuckles, he turned to look at the three girls that were looking at him. Gwen was presently talking with Andrea about something or other.

"Nothing," he mumbled, then he sat in the armchair, glaring at the fireplace. "Nothing's wrong, nothing at all."

Hallie was grinning by now. "Oh, wow. You have a nice bruise on your cheekbone."

He glared and pointed a finger at her. "You just shut your mouth." Gingerly, he touched his cheek. "He punched me. Can you believe it? He punched me! Just gave me a sock right here!"

Lily asked, "Who, James?"

"Yes, James!" replied Sirius. Lily sighed and walked up to the dormitory leaving Lydia and Hallie staring at Sirius with strange looks.

"Er - Sirius, you aren't about to do anything - er - drastic, are you?" asked Hallie looking at him carefully. Lydia looked from her to him.

He smirked. "Only you would think I'd do something like that."

She rolled her eyes. "Because you're a nitwit! You're one of those people who does things without thinking! You just do them! And they're stupid things! I mean, really stupid things. Even when you know you're going to get caught, or -"

"You're not helping, Hallie."

She looked up at him from her shoes, which she seemed to be speaking to. "Oh, er -" she laughed, "right."

"I'm awfully tired, Hal, I'm going up to the dorm."

The other girl looked to Lydia who had an unknown twinkle in her eyes. "What? It's only eight thirty! How the heck can you be tired?" Lydia shrugged and left. Hallie looked to Sirius who was still looking at the fire. "Are you going to talk at all? I'm bored."

He turned to her. "You want me to talk?"

"Only if you have something intelligent to say. And nothing perverted please."

"Ha, ha."

 

~*~

Lily stepped quietly into the boys' dormitory to find James sitting at the window. "James?" He turned to look at her. His cheeks were tear-stained and his eyes were red and puffy. She walked briskly to him. "What is it? What's the matter?"

"My parents," he said softly. She nodded and gave him a comforting hug. "I dreamt it and it happened again. It always comes true." Lily didn't understand a word of his ramblings but nodded and whispered soft words into his ear like her mother used to do for her when she woke in the middle of the night because of a bad dream.

"It's all right, James, it's going to be all right." For a few moments, they sat at the window together in a warm embrace and the sight was a sweet one.

Then James stood up. "I need to get away from here for a little while." He picked up his broom and opened the window with his wand, and then he pocketed it. Mounting, he turned to look at her. "You can come if you'd like." She smiled and nodded in assent. Lily climbed onto the broom behind him and put her arms around his waist. They took off into the night with only the moon as their guide.

Together on the broom, Lily and James were in flight, soaring above the clouds, feeling the breeze brush through their robes and hair. It was a feeling of great content and their other thoughts were swept away in this short moment of bliss. Lily had never in her life seen such a sight. Everything below seemed to shrink in size as they climbed higher in the air. She smiled and leaned in closer to James for her thin robes were nothing against the chill air of the late autumn. Lily felt him stiffen a bit against her but then relax as he did several loops and dives. She laughed and smiled blithely when he in turn did as well. Everything would be all right. She wanted to comfort him like he always comforted her in her times of need.

James felt her hug him tightly and felt a tad uncomfortable so he did a few tricks on his broom making him feel more relaxed. He felt as if things would turn out right soon. Lily seemed to have that impact on him. She made him feel relaxed and as if everything else were just an unimportant blur. He sighed and a soft smile appeared on his lips as he turned to look at her. Her flaming red hair seemed to be alight and on fire in the silver of the moon while her emerald green eyes shone brilliantly as if the switch had turned to on. He noticed how pretty she looked.

Lily turned to see James looking at her with a new look in his eyes. She just smiled back. He looked so cute with his hair messed and untidy as it always was, but now it was blowing in the wind giving it an extra bit of cuteness. His pale blue eyes seemed paler, but were gaining that glowing life that was always present in them. James soared high into the sky once more before diving onto a platform next to the Shrieking Shack. It was on a mountain with a soft clearing. They dismounted the broom and sat overlooking Hogsmead.

Lily looked at the Shrieking Shack and involuntarily shivered. "James, is it really haunted?"

He was quiet for a moment, but then turned to look at her. "Huh?"

She grinned, "Never mind." Lily bit down on her lip and hugged her knees because of the cold. It seemed chillier than normally today but she pushed that thought away from her mind. James looked over at her with a soft smile and put an arm around her shoulder to warm her up. She smiled back appreciatively.

~*~

 

Sirius nodded and clapped his hands together at the awkward silence. "So..."

Hallie, who was looking at the ashes of the fire, turned her gaze up to him. "Apologize," she told him.

His expression changed to one of bewilderment. "What? To whom?"

But her stare was back to fire so he waved a hand in front of her face, which she slapped away. "To James, you idiot."

He stared at her. "Apologize - to - to James? Are you kidding me?" he asked incredulously.

She shook her head. "No, you don't know what he's been through," was her simple reply.

"What, and you do?" His response was silence. "You know what? You're different than how I thought you were."

She turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "How so? Weirder?"

He grinned. "Took the words right from my mouth."

"You mean word, I took the word right from your mouth."

He glared at her. "Of course, Miss Know-It-All." He stood and started towards the boys' dormitory.

"Where're you going?" Hallie asked him.

Sirius looked at her. "Going to apologize of course," he said.

She grinned as he left.

~*~

 

Sirius went up the steps to the boys' dormitory. When he got there, he looked around the room to find no one there. "James?" he called into the emptiness. He saw that the window was open. There was no reply and he wasn't really expecting one. He made his way back downstairs. When he got there, Andrea and Gwen were going back to the dormitory, as were others for it was getting late.

Hallie was helping Frank Longbottom find his frog Trevor. "I'm sure he's around here somewhere," she told him reassuringly. He just shook his head and grinned. "Oh! I know! I don't know why it didn't come to me before! Accio Trevor!" She chanted with her wand into the air.

"That isn't a very good idea," said Frank in a singsong voice.

She just smiled angelically at him and patted his shoulder. "Yes it is, we just have to wait a while." And then something big flew from the other side of the room towards her. Hallie pushed him off her and sat up. The boy shook his head and blinked at her. "Your name's Trevor, isn't it?" The first year nodded. She smiled apologetically. "So sorry, I was trying to help him" she gestured to Frank "find his frog. Coincidentally, you and his frog both have the same name." She stood and offered the small boy a hand and he gladly took it. "Sorry!" And then he walked back to his place with his friends and told them what had happened. They broke out into laughter.

Frank opened his mouth to speak. "I -"

But Hallie cut him off saying; "Don't you say 'I told you so'."

Frank laughed. "I wasn't, I was going to say, 'I think someone wants to talk to you'." He pointed to Sirius who was watching with an expression of amusement upon his face.

She put her hands on her hips. "What're you smirking at? Stop it or I'll hit you."

He rolled his eyes. "Dear Hallie, must you speak so violently?"

Frank laughed at them both. "I'll leave you now. G'night guys."

Sirius nodded and Hallie waved. "Tell me if James comes back will you?" asked Sirius. Frank nodded and with a last salute, he escaped up the steps.

Hallie looked at Sirius. "You scared him away." The boy just put a hand through his hair. "What did you mean when you said, 'tell me if James comes back'?"

"Just what I said. James wasn't in the dormitory."

"But Lily was with him. Maybe they went to the girls' dorms," suggested Hallie. He shrugged. She walked up to the dormitory and he followed. "Hey, girls, is Lily or James in here?" she asked into the room.

Gwen looked up from her magazine. "Lily's not here, but why would James be?"

Andrea wrapped her blankets around herself. "He isn't in here is he?" she asked suspiciously. Sirius, who was behind Hallie and unseen, stifled a laugh. "Hey, who's behind you?"

"Er - no one, thanks guys, bye!" Then she closed the door and punched Sirius' shoulder.

"Hey! What's that for?" She just shrugged. "Okay then. 'He isn't in here is he?'" said Sirius, mimicking Andrea. The two burst out laughing.

"It does sound like something he would do, or you." He just shook his head and walked to the boys' dorms. "Where're you going?"

"I'm going to find James, and Lily," he replied.

"Oh. Let me come!" she said.

"Whatever."

"Thanks for the welcome."

"No problem." She punched his shoulder. "Hey! Why do you keep hitting me?" he exclaimed.

She smiled sweetly. "You're just so hittable..."

"That isn't a word."

"It is now."

Sirius smirked. "I think you meant, irresistible."

"Fat chance."

They walked up to the boys' dormitories where Frank was reading his book. He looked up when they walked in. "Hey!" he cried. "Hallie, you're a girl!"

She gave him a look. "Wonderful observation."

The boy rolled his eyes. Frank was tall for his age and had a kind and cute face. He looked as if he was always ready for a smile. "No - I mean, you can't be in here." She shrugged. Sirius dropped on all fours to look under his bed where he rummaged through his things. After a short while, he went to his trunk where he rummaged through it as well.

Finally, he pulled out his broom. Hallie looked at it with her eyes widening. "What's that for?"

He looked at her fearful expression and grinned. "For riding. I'm going to look for them in the air."

"Oh - er - can't we walk - or - or something like that?" she stammered still looking at the broom.

Sirius shook his head and smirked evilly. "No. Why?"

"You know why."

"Enlighten me on this piece of information."

"Because."

"Because...?"

"Because I'm afraid of heights! You of all people should know that!" He just smiled as he mounted. "And we can't go that way," Hallie said stubbornly.

"Why?"

"Because."

"Will you stop with the one word answers?" Sirius asked with a sigh.

"Fine."

He rolled his eyes and Frank watched the dispute in amusement. "Why can't we look for them this way?"

"Because I don't have a broom with me."

He sighed. "Then we have to double."

"No."

"No what?"

"I'm not doubling with you! And I'm not touching you! You're dirty! Who knows where you've been! And - and I don't trust you. You'll drop me over the lake or something."

Sirius looked impatient. "I'm not dirty. And I won't drop you over the lake, though it seems like a very tempting idea. And you don't have to double with me on one condition." She looked at him expectantly. Frank, meanwhile, was trying to cover his laughter by putting his face into his pillow. "You don't come."

She made an aggravated noise. "I'm going."

"Then hop on." She looked at the broom, then to him. "Don't you trust me?" he asked holding out a hand out to her. Hallie, taking a deep breath, took it and mounted the broom behind him. "Hold on."

"Don't worry about that part." And then she put her hands around his waist and held on tightly while shutting her eyes.

"Not - too hard - Hallie," Sirius gasped out. She lightened her grip but not by much. Grinning wickedly, Sirius turned to Frank. "Just let it out, buddy, holding it in just makes it grow." Frank burst into loud laughter.

Hallie opened her eyes to look at the boy. "What're you laughing at, Frank?" she asked softly with her voice ending in a squeak. Frank's laughter died, and then erupted again. She opened her mouth to speak but Sirius took flight into the night flying high. The last thing Frank heard were Hallie's scream of "I hate you, Sirius Black!"

~*~

"It'll work out, you know that right, James?" Lily told him.

He sighed and leaned against her with his head on her shoulder. "I just - I don't know what to do now. They were - they -" he sighed in frustration. "They just meant so much to me. What am I supposed to do now?" James looked at her with renewed tears.

She hugged him and told him, "I know how you feel."

He pushed her away. "No you don't! You don't know!" She looked at him in alarm. He put his knees to his chest and cried into his arms. His body shook with his sobs.

"Tell me what you mean," she told him softly. She rubbed his back gently making his sobs slow.

"I can't, Dumbledore, he said - I - Lily, I can't."

She looked at him for a moment. "Did you tell, Sirius?" He looked up at her with a shadow of guilt upon his face. "That's what I thought. Then you can tell me."

"I should have told you before too...it's just, oh I don't know!" He looked at the scene before him without really seeing anything at all. He sighed. "I have these dreams...and...I see things in them. It's so vivid, as if I'm really there. And...last night, I had a dream...in it, my parents were" he swallowed "were killed by Voldemort." Lily's eyes widened and she put a hand to her mouth in horror. "I know, and they're always haunting me - the dreams I mean. Whatever he does, a little before he does it, I have a dream of the incident. Before your parents were killed, I had a dream about it. And before, I had a dream of Mrs. Forester at her concert when she died. They're like premonitions that are never wrong and I hate them! They just won't go away!" His voice cracked and he ran a hand through his hair as he brushed his tears away angrily. "Dumbledore said it was some sort of gift. Damned gift if it is one."

Lily said, "Premonitions? In your dreams?"

He nodded and wiped away more tears. "Dumbledore put a special charm on me when I came here, so that Voldemort wouldn't be able to find me even if he was standing in front of me, kind of like the Fidelius Charm. He says Voldemort was after my mum and dad...and he went rambling about something or other of why they're so important, then why the Dark Lord want's me dead too. I wasn't listening though...and now...now my parents are dead. They're dead." He fell into Lily's embrace. James put his head into her shoulder and cried while she rubbed his back.

The wetness of his tears bled through her robes and chilled her when a breeze swept by but she didn't mind. She kissed his forehead gently. "I'll be here for you, James, always. Just know that, ok?"

He looked up and kissed her cheek. "Thanks, Lily, for everything."

~*~

Hallie's grip on Sirius tightened when he did a loop making them go upside down. Her insides dropped and twirled inside her making Hallie shut her eyes and hang onto Sirius as if there were no tomorrow. Her breathing became labored and her head whirled wildly. She seriously thought as though pictures of her life would come flashing in her sight at any moment.

Finally, Sirius pulled out of his dive with a grin. "And Black has won the game!" he called out into the chilly night air. Laughing, he turned to look at Hallie who had her head buried in his shoulder blade. "Hallie?" A muffled reply came but he couldn't make out the words. "What was that?"

She detached her face from his robes. "You're so mean. I hate you."

"Anything new?"

She turned to look away from him. "Bring me back. I want to go back."

"What? Why?" he asked in puzzlement.

"Because I want to! I want to go back now!"

He sighed and slowed the broom. "I thought you wanted to help look for James and Lily," he said.

She still didn't look at him. "I do - did, but I don't want to go with you. I knew I couldn't trust you. You're just - you're so mean. I should have known I shouldn't have gone with you. I hate you."

Sirius dived slowly and felt Hallie squeeze his waist tightly. Then they landed on a clearing next to the Shrieking Shack. It was so dark that one wouldn't be able to see their hand if they put it straight out. She dismounted and stumbled over to a tree, which she sat next to, still not facing him.

He sighed. "I was just kidding around, Hallie." At this she jumped up to look at him with her eyes glowing in the darkness. The sapphire gaze was brighter than usual, he noted.

She glared at him steadily. Her voice was trembling when she spoke. "I told you I was afraid of heights! I told you! And yet you still have to do those little circle things and dives! Then you say you were just kidding around! What's the matter with you?" she shrieked at him. "I know you're a bit thick in the head but I didn't know you were this thick!" She turned and walked slowly to the edge of the clearing. Hallie cursed under her breath and took a seat once again.

"It was just a joke, you of all people should know what those are. I was joking," he told her softly. She ignored him completely. From the other side of the clearing he heard a rustle.

"Sirius? Is that you?" asked a voice.

Sirius' face brightened. "James!" He ran over to where the voice was and almost tripped over them. "Lily! You're here too! Lumos!" he chanted. The two smiled up at him.

"What're you doing here?" asked James in confusion.

"Looking for you, you stupid ol' bloke!" was Sirius' reply.

Lily smiled at the two. "Was that Hallie I heard too?" He nodded pointing at the edge of the precipice to where the other girl sat. Lily grinned and stood. "You two teamed up?"

Sirius nodded and rolled his eyes. "We had to double in my broom. And all that just to look for you lovers." James kicked his shins from the ground making the other boy fall backwards.

"Broom? Hallie rode a broom?" asked Lily whose smile faltered. "I thought she was afraid of heights."

"I am!" yelled a voice from the other end of the clearing.

Lily walked over to her. "You rode with Sirius?"

Hallie glared at her through the darkness. "Stupid - stupid, stupid, stupid idea," was the reply. "He did stupid circle things and those stupid dives I saw you do at the tryouts. Then he said he was joking." She paused. Then, "I hate you, Sirius Black!" was what she yelled to the other side of the clearing.

James grinned and then looked to Sirius who was still on the ground. "What'd you do?" he questioned accusingly.

The other boy looked offended. "What did I do? Why am I always blamed for everything?" He put on his most innocent solemn face at which James laughed at. Looking wounded, Sirius put his hands on his hips and pretended to blink back tears. "It isn't my fault, think what I had to go through - riding a broom with a witch afraid of heights. She kept screaming in my ear every time I did a loop or a dive."

James chuckled and shook his head. "She's afraid of heights."

"Yeah, so? I'm afraid of maniac witches. We have to deal with everything some time. I don't go around screaming whenever I see Hallie walk by me."

~*~

The four students of Hogwarts sat admiring the view until the wind seemed to sweep past them more viciously. James looked up at the sky to see that the light of the moon was being overshadowed by the driving lucid wisps of the clouds. Lily looked over at him with confusion bright in her emerald eyes. "What's happening?" He stood and offered her a hand and they looked around. The trees were swaying to and from wildly by the wind while their robes were being blown. Sirius and Hallie pulled Lily and James over to one large oak to sit behind.

"Something's not right!" yelled Sirius over the noise of the howling wind. There was a loud whistle as a ferocious gust swept through forcing them away from the tree. He grabbed onto a root in the ground. Hallie sat as close to the tree as she could get and put her hands over her ears to save them from the horrible noise the winds made.

Another gust flew past forcing Lily blowing her from the group. James grabbed onto her hand and pulled her back. Her hair was flying freely behind her as she shut her eyes tightly. Finally, she was next to him once again.

Sirius lost his grip on the root and was compelled towards the Shrieking Shack, which he crashed against. The boy fell to the ground, limp and seemingly lifeless. "Sirius!" yelled James despairingly. He stood about to run to his best friend, but Lily pulled him back down.

"No, James!" she screeched. Hallie looked to the quarreling Lily and James to Sirius' inactive form. She brandished her wand into the air.

"Chantebra Lengorio!" she cried. A tingling feeling ran up her spine and all through her when she was suddenly chilled as if she had falling into an ice pond. Horror filled, she stood and held onto the tree. "It's enchanted!" she yelled to Lily and James. They didn't seem to hear her. The two were too caught up in arguing so she hit them both with her wand. As they looked up at her in shock she shouted, "The wind's enchanted! Someone else is here!" Lily had a look of pure terror upon her face while James looked around.

"Lift me up!" he demanded.

Hallie looked at him with a look. "No!"

"Do it, Hallie, now!"

She shook her head stubbornly. "It's too dangerous!" Now the wind was howling harder and faster. They could almost see the silver tinge of magic in the air. Lily struggled to stay seated on the ground near the tree by holding on to the trunk.

"Do it now, Hallie Amelia Forester, or I'll curse you with the worst spell I can think of!"

She glared at him. "Wingardium Leviosa!" She fought to hold him steady as he rose. He looked around and then there was an abnormal blast of wind forcing him above a grove of trees some several feet away. She forced James back to the ground and when he was safely holding on to the tree, she lapsed onto the ground, half-conscious. Lily grabbed her arm and made sure she didn't fly off.

"How do we make it stop?" shouted Lily to James.

A thoughtful look was upon his face as he looked around. Still holding onto the trunk of the tree he stood and pointed his wand into the air due northeast. "Cessation Altezreo!" he bellowed. The winds seemed to slow and then fought to reek havoc once again. "Cessation Altezreo!" James roared once more. He fought the spell of winds with all his strength, driving it back and was doing a grand job of it as well, but the maker of the winds wanted his last two bits. A blast of wind rushed by. Lily reached to keep a firm grip on Hallie's hand but the other girl slipped and was risen into the air. She dropped near the edge of the precipice. James was chanting with all his might ceased when Lily stood to run to Hallie. He jumped to hold her back and his loss of concentration was deathly.

Hallie rolled onto her back and looked up at the sky groggily. She tried to sit up but felt exhausted. It was as if all the strength had seeped out of her body. Then she felt as though a hand pushed her and she was rolling to the edge of the cliff.

Lily saw her fall and screamed while trying to reach her best friend but James held her down. "No, Lily! You can't!" She felt tears come to her eyes as she looked where Hallie had been. The winds were gone now, and all was calm and serene. At the edge of Hogsmead, James, holding Lily who was crying into his shoulder, watched as the sun started to rise. Wonderful colors sprang to the sky as he felt tears sting his eyes. This was too much for one night.

He looked to where Sirius lay, still unmoving when he heard a voice yell, "Help!" James squinted to where Sirius was. "I'm at the cliff! Lily! James! Help! Sirius even! Help me!" James and Lily looked to each other in shock, then they ran to the cliff where Hallie was hanging.

"Hallie?" asked Lily in a disbelieving voice.

The girl looked up with relief flooding through her face. "Lily?" The other girl looked down at her with a beaming smile. "Stop smiling and help me up."

"Oh! Right, James, help me." Both James and Lily pulled Hallie up. They went to where Sirius lay next to the Shrieking Shack. Hallie poked him. He didn't move so she poked him again.

"Stop that, Hallie," said Lily with a shiver.

The other girl looked at her. "What's wrong with him?"

James said, "Enervate!" Then Sirius moaned and blinked. His body ached horribly as he tried to turn from his side to onto his back. James helped him. Hallie broke into sobs and punched Sirius' shoulder.

Lily enveloped her into a hug. "What's the matter, Hal?"

When the girl's crying slowed, she looked at her best friend and sniffed. "Everything - every stupid thing. The stupid winds, the stupid magic making the winds, me falling over the stupid cliff, the stupid winds for making me fall off the cliff, and stupid Sirius Black for not being dead!" And then she broke into sobs again.

Sirius looked at her for a moment, and then he turned to James who was looking at him with a look Sirius misinterpreted as an accusing one. "What, are you going to blame me for living now?"

 

~*~

"We should go back," Lily told her friends softly.

Hallie rubbed her eyes tiredly and stood. "How are we going to go back?"

Sirius grinned at her wickedly. "Brooms of course."

She glared at him. "I'm not doubling with you."

"Good 'cause I don't want to double with you either."

James rolled his eyes at them both. "We can't go that way, the brooms are gone."

Sirius' eyes bulged in their sockets. "What?" he exclaimed. "My - my broom? No - oh no..." He jumped up and started to bustle around the clearing, looking for his broom. "My broom, it was new - and - oh, no - no, no, no!"

"Er - Sirius," said Lily hesitantly. He looked at her with solemn eyes. "I - I saw them go over the cliff..."

Defeated, he fell onto the ground and landed on his rump with a soft 'thump'. "My broom..." he moaned pathetically.

Hallie looked at him, and then to James and Lily. "Can we leave? I don't like it up here." She looked at the cliff, then back to them with a shiver. "Ugh."

James walked over to the edge and peered down. Then he looked at them all and with an apologetic look at Hallie, he said, "We'll have to climb down."

She looked at him and folded her arms across her chest resignedly. "No."

He gave her a look. "Hallie..."

"No!"

"We have to! It's the only way down!"

She just shook her head and pointed to Sirius who was still on the ground. "You're forgetting the nitwit who runs into walls. He can't climb down, just look at him!"

Sirius looked at her indignantly. "I'm not a nitwit! And besides, I was blown into the stupid thing!" He sat up painfully. "And I can climb down, I'm not afraid of heights." Sirius tried to get up and James helped him stand. "See? Ha." He tried to walk around but grabbed a stitch on his side. When he took his hand away, there was liquid crimson upon it.

Lily gasped. "You're hurt!"

He looked at her and shook his head. "It isn't bad."

James slapped a hand to his head. "I know! We can levitate each other down!"

Lily jumped up and hugged him. "Brilliant! It's perfect! Bring me down first." He chanted the spell and lowered her down. James turned to Sirius and Hallie.

The girl turned to the black-headed boy. "You go next." He shrugged and was levitated down. James then turned to her. "You go next," she told him. He grinned and shook his head.

"Nope," he said, "you go next." He chanted and she was lifted into the air.

"James! I hate you for this!" she screamed down at him. He just smirked and lowered her down. She put her hands over her eyes. When she was on the ground he heard Lily chant and he was raised into the air. Then they were all grounded they looked around. The village of Hogsmead was still asleep but would soon wake.

All four were groggy with sleep and somehow, they finally arrived at the great doors of Hogwarts. As they stood before it, the doors opened, and standing there was Professor Dumbledore with Professor Jenkins at his side.