Into the Hands of Fate

Chapter Four

James felt a lump form in his throat at the site of the teachers. Beside him, Sirius stumbled and fell so he caught the other boy. Lily helped hold Sirius up. Professor Jenkins conjured a stretcher for Sirius and was asked by Professor Dumbledore to escort the unconscious boy to the hospital wing. The teacher obliged and with one last stern glance at the three remaining students, she strolled off.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Evans, and Miss Forester, please follow me," said the headmaster. He turned to stroll down the hall as they looked at each other warily; then they followed. Once at his office, Professor Dumbledore sat on his great armchair and smiled at them. Nearby, Fawkes, his phoenix, burst into flames.

Lily jumped up in surprise and looked to James and Hallie who were looking back at the headmaster. "Er - Professor Dumbledore, your - your bird burned up," she stuttered. Why wasn't anyone else as interested in the sudden incident as she was? Burning birds weren't normal to Muggles, but she should hope they weren't normal to the magical community as well. In that room, she was the only muggle born student.

The headmaster smiled. "Yes, Miss Evans, I am aware of that." She looked at him for a further explanation and his smile widened. "Phoenixes are magical creatures. When they die, they burst into flames and their lives are renewed. Just watch the ashes." She did as was told and watched as a baby bird came out of the ashes. Surprised as she was, she gaped openly and the headmaster laughed. "Wonderful, isn't it?" Lily nodded. "Miss Forester, what is it you are doing?" he asked with amusement in his voice. Lily looked at her best friend.

Hallie had picked up a medium sized snow globe. "Looking at this funny thing," she mumbled softly. He chuckled, which made her look up and when she did she blushed. "Er...Professor Dumbledore, what is this?"

He held out his hand and she handed it to him. "Hmm...I have never seen this before. I don't recall having it here ..." he looked at her. "When did you see it?"

She shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "I - I just sat down and when you were talking about the phoenix I - er, sorry Professor, but I wasn't particularly interested so I looked around...I saw that thing right here." She pointed at the arm of her chair.

The headmaster looked at all three of them and nodded at her. "I see." He placed the snow globe onto his desk. "Now, we have an incident I would like to be informed about. Mr. Potter, would you care to share the events of this past night?"

The boy looked up. Pale blue/gray eyes bore into bright sea blue ones. "I brought Lily with me to the platform next to the Shrieking Shack. Sirius and Hallie came looking for us and found us there. That was when the winds started coming. It was as if they were trying to hurt us or something because it blew Sirius into the wall of the shack and Hallie over the cliff."

Dumbledore put up a hand. "Winds you say? What sort of winds?" James looked to Lily and Hallie who looked back at him.

"Well, they were really strong. Hallie did a spell and then told us the winds were enchanted."

At this, the headmaster turned to Hallie who blushed a bit. "What spell did you use, Miss Forester?" he asked in a quiet but stern inquiring voice.

She looked at him and then to her lap. "I - I don't remember, sir."

Lily looked at her with shock. "Don't remember?" she asked incredulously. "How can you not remember?"

Hallie glared at her. "I just don't."

The professor was looking at all three of them searchingly. "All right, Mr. Potter, Miss Evans, do either of you remember the words used in her spell?"

Lily pondered this. James said, "Chantebra Lengorio." At once, when the words were spoken, winds slammed the doors open and swept around him, the girls, and Dumbledore. They were levitated into the air.

"Infinite Incatatem!" yelled the headmaster. Instantly, the winds disappeared and they were dropped into their seats except for the teacher who came down slowly. Hallie was trembling and Lily was looking around in wonder. Professor Dumbledore's breathing was a bit off normal but he looked calm. "That is a spell from long ago, a very powerful one at that." To Hallie he said, "And you say you don't remember the spell?" She shook her head. "Do you know how or when it came to you?"

"It came a little while after Sirius was thrown against the wall. Lily was telling James he couldn't go to him. It was too dangerous. I'm not sure how it came to me," she replied.

"Who told or taught you that spell, Miss Forester?" he asked in a very calm and quiet voice.

She looked at him levelly. "I'm not sure," there was a finality in her tone that Lily recognized well. It was the tone in which meant that the conversation was over and that no more information would be given by her.

His eyes twinkled and he just nodded. After James told the rest of the recent event, the headmaster looked at all three of them in interest. "It seems as though you all have had a very wondrous time last night. You have all been through a lot so I suggest you try to rest for the remains of the day. Class can be delayed. However, you all will get a week of detention starting the week after the next because I think Miss Forester is already busy this coming week." Hallie blushed again. "I'll leave Professor Jenkins to choose your punishments." They stood to leave when he said, "Here, Miss Forester, I believe that this belongs to you." He handed her the snow globe.

She looked at it, and then back at him. "Professor, it's yours, it was on your chair."

He shook his head. "You should take it." And he put it into her hand. She shrugged and followed Lily out with James trailing behind them but the headmaster's voice stopped them once again. "Mr. Potter, please stay for a moment." James stopped and slowly turned to look at him. There was an odd light in the boy's eyes, which made Lily take his hand and squeeze it comfortingly. He looked at her with a smile and then close the door behind them.

"We should go see how Sirius is doing," said Lily into the silence.

Hallie looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Why?"

The other girl rolled her eyes. "He's our friend, that's why; and he's hurt."

Hallie folded her arms across her chest defiantly. "Good for him."

Lily nudged her. "Don't be mean." And then she grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her to the hospital wing where Sirius lay looking up at the ceiling with an annoyed expression upon his face. When they stepped in, he turned and grinned at them. "Hey, Sirius, how are you feeling?"

"I'm all right. Madam Pomfrey fixed me up in a jiffy."

Lily laughed while Hallie took a seat next to the door and looked at her snow globe. It shimmered with fairy glass and inside it snowed with real ice. The four figures inside waved and walked around. The black haired girl threw a snowball at the redheaded one and ducked another one thrown back. The two boys seemed to be keen on dumping bunches of snow on each other.

"Accio round thing!" she heard someone yell. The snow globe flew out of her hands and into Sirius'.

"Hey!" she yelled indignantly. He just smirked and shook the ball making the snow fall and whirl around with the figures inside yelling silently up at him.

"Wow, what is this?"

Lily laughed. "It's a snow globe," she replied

"And it's mine, so give it to me!" yelled Hallie. She ran over and tried to grab it from him but he kept it away. She hit his stomach making him curl up and so she was able to take her globe back.

"Ow," was all Sirius said. Madam Pomfrey ran into the room and looked around.

"What is the meaning of all the yelling?" Hallie turned around and walked out leaving Lily with a hand over her mouth, trying not to laugh and Sirius clutching his stomach.

"N-Nothing, Madam Pomfrey," he croaked.

She looked at him, then to Lily, and then to the door in which Hallie had exited. "I don't believe you, but I'm going to pretend nothing happened in here and that I didn't hear anything," she said and walked out.

Lily laughed when the woman was gone. "It's funny how Poppy and her mother are so alike," she told Sirius who just nodded.

"What's our punishment?"

She looked at him strangely. "Punishment?"

"Yeah. For our little midnight trip."

She smiled. "A week of detention week after next."

His eyes widened. Incredulously he asked, "Really? That from Dumbledore? A single week? How am I supposed to reach the Hogwarts record of most detentions at this rate!"

~*~

Remus and Peter walked down the halls to the dormitory. "I'm sure they'll be all right," said Remus. Peter didn't look consoled in the least.

"Of - of course. There's just - just a feeling, and it's not right."

Remus looked at him strangely. "What sort of feeling?"

The other boy just shrugged. "Remus, can I ask you a question?" The boy nodded. Peter looked uncomfortable for a moment.

"It's fine, Peter, I don't mind you asking," said Remus reading his friend's thoughts. Peter just nodded.

"Er - when did you - er - get the, um - bite?" he stammered softly.

The other boy put a hand through his light brown hair. "I was seven. I was with my friends and it was getting late. Our parents were calling us in by that time but since we were young, we - of course - didn't listen. Somehow, I got separated from the group...that's when I got bitten." Remus paused and sighed. He was busy looking at the floor. "I - I was kind of afraid to go home for a few days. My parents got really worried and sent out a search part. I was only seven so...I wasn't too smart at that time." Peter chuckled which made Remus let a small smile escape his lips. "Dad found me up in our tree house. The rest is history really. I told them what happened, they tried to find a cure and a doctor who would help...so on."

Peter nodded. "I'm - I'm really sorry, Remus."

The other boy waved a hand to dismiss the apology. "Not your fault."

They had arrived at the common room. Peter suddenly jumped. "I'll be right back, I forgot my bag in the Great Hall."

Remus asked, "Do you want me to go with you?"

The other boy shook his head. "That's all right, I'll be fine." He strolled out of the portrait hole and down the corridor. When he rounded the corner, he was dismayed to find Lucius Malfoy, Severus Snape, and surprisingly, Gwen. When he tried to walk past them unnoticed, Lucius laughed and stopped him with an outstretched harm.

"Where would you be off to, Pettigrew?"

Gwen's eyes widened as she looked at Peter and then in disgust she turned to Lucius. "You leave him alone! How dare you pick on him!" Lucius looked at her strangely for a moment before understanding dawned on him.

"But Gwen -" Severus started but Lucius elbowed him in the stomach making the younger boy double up in pain.

"Come on, Peter, let's get away from these losers," said Gwen.

She led him down the hall and was about to turn the corner when Peter said, "I have to go to the Great Hall." It seemed as if she hadn't heard him or noticed that he had stopped in his tracks so he said again, "I have to go to the Great Hall," except more loudly this time.

At this, Gwen turned around. "Huh? Oh, right, well, I'll see you in the common room then, all right?" He opened his mouth to reply but she was already briskly walking away. Shrugging, he went to the Great Hall and got his bag. Then he returned to the common room where he saw Remus sitting with Lydia at a round table nearby. He walked to his friends and took a seat. Remus grinned at him and Lydia smiled.

Peter told him what had happened but then James, Lily, and Hallie came down from the dormitory steps. Remus, Peter, and Lydia jumped up. "Where have you been?" they questioned simultaneously. Then they looked to each other and broke into laughter. The other three came down and took seats at their table.

Remus looked at them and noticed someone was missing. "Where's Sirius?"

James looked to the two girls beside him. "He's in the hospital wing."

Lydia's eyes widened noticeably. "You are going to tell us the whole story."

And for several long moments, each of the three took turns telling parts of the story. About an hour after, they were sitting around doing nothing at all but enjoying themselves with the peacefulness of the empty common room when Sirius stumbled in. He climbed through the portrait hole and grinned when he saw them all there. "What're you all doing up?" he asked taking a seat next to Remus on the couch.

"Nothing at all."

He nodded and looked extremely bored. Then he smiled. "I know! Let's set off fireworks in the Slytherin common room!" he exclaimed. Then his face fell. "Oh yeah, I forgot. You took them and used them all," he said pointing at Hallie. She was looking into the fire and didn't seem to hear him. His face contorted. "Hello?" She didn't move so he nudged her with the end of his shoe. She suddenly jumped up and dropped the snow globe that was in her hands. It fell, but because fairies made it, it didn't shatter.

Picking it up, she turned to her friends. "What time is it?"

"Half past ten," replied Lily.

She nodded. "I'm going to bed now, goodnight guys."

Sirius watched after her and muttered something about maniac witches before he too went up to sleep.

~*~

"But I do love you!" she screamed at him as he loomed over her. Any time before he would have smiled at her and forgiven her, but now was not then, things had changed.

"Don't lie to me, I know all about you and him," he replied in a deathly calm voice. Anger coursed through his veins and he was making an effort to control himself.

She stood and looked at him. "Serpise, please, please listen to me. You don't understand!" Tears filled her eyes and fell down her cheeks.

How he wanted to brush them away, but it wasn't she wanted to hold her now, he thought. He hated the look in her eyes when she looked at him. Pity, fear, brotherly love...that wasn't the way he wanted to be seen. It used to be different. She used to love him. "You said you'd love me forever. That you wouldn't ever leave me."

"But I will love you forever! And I won't ever leave you! You just don't see the way it is! You don't understand!" she pleaded with him. If only Ric were there, he would know what to say, what to do.

"Foolish girl, how I despise you. Why do you lie to me? To my face?" he spat out viciously. His glare bore into her and made Rowe take a step back.

"Serpise, Serpise please!" she cried desperately as she reached out to him.

He turned away from her touch. "Don't call me that, I don't want to hear that name fall from your lips. You who I gave my heart to, you who I loved and gave everything to, you who would deceive me." He shook his head and backed away, looking at her in disgust. "I want nothing to do with you."

At that moment, the door opened and Elle walked in. She looked thoroughly concerned. "What's wrong?" Her eyes darted from Serpise to Rowe who was standing before him, sobbing into her hands. She strolled briskly to her friend. "Rowe? Rowe, dear, what is the matter?" She cried into Elle's deep green robes, which brightened the green of the redhead's eyes. "Serpise, what has happened?" He glared at her.

And before he stormed off out of the room, he whispered one word, "Betrayal."

~*~

James sat up and looked around wildly. His curtains were pulled back and light was pouring through the windows. His breathing was labored and he was sweating through his nightshirt. That was a dream different from all the others. He didn't know what to make of it.

Sirius walked over to his best friend. "Good, I was wondering when you were going to get up." James looked at him through dazed eyes. "You missed breakfast by the way, but I didn't want to wake you because you slept so late last night." Sirius suddenly noticed the 'out of it' gaze in James' eyes. "Er - James?" The other boy didn't move a muscle. "That's what I thought." He walked off.

James was lost in his thoughts. Every one of the three people in his dream seemed so familiar. Rowe, Elle, Serpise...the names were familiar as well. It was just so familiar. He was suddenly jolted away from his thoughts when a bucket of water was poured over him. Soaked to the bone, he blinked bewilderedly around and caught site of a wickedly grinning Sirius. "What?"

The other boy laughed. "Time for Care of Magical Creatures." James blinked at him for a few short moments before getting up slowly to get dressed. He, Sirius, Remus, and Peter walked out of the Gryffindor house and to their class. The four of them sat in a group and in the middle was a cage. Sirius was looking extremely bright today, more so than normally. "I've had a wonderful idea. It just suddenly came to me in this weird dream I had." The rest of his friends looked at him expectantly. He leaned into the middle of the table and motioned for the others to do so. "We should become Animagi."

"What?" exclaimed Remus skeptically. Sirius glared at him to be quieter so the other boy whispered fiercely, "That's insane!"

"Why would you want to become and Animagi?" asked Peter with wide and curious eyes.

Remus who now looked too shocked to speak mumbled, "Criminally insane..."

James, however, said, "I like it! When do we start?" Sirius grinned at all his friends.

"Let's talk about this later." Professor Kettleburn had called the attention of all the students to pay attention. A bird called an infer zephyr bird was clasping his arm with sharp steely talons. Its beak was elongated while the creature's body was the flaming colors of fire. The rest of that class was spent on taming the creatures and taking notes on their behavior.

Sirius groaned when he looked at his schedule. "Goody, we have Divination."

James laughed and nudged his friend. "Poor, Sirius, I was starting to think you liked all the times our dear Sibylline predicted you to die a horrible death because she saw the Grim in your cup." The other boy rolled his eyes and smacked James upside his head. "Just kidding!" the boy exclaimed in return. They strolled to their next class.

When everyone in the class was sitting with a partner, Professor Sibylline came in. Her many layers of the mystical dress she wore seemed to make her glide on the floor. "Class, today we will be looking into crystal balls." She motioned to the object between the partners. "Before you start to gaze into them, please read pages 107-108. You may begin."

James looked at the crystal ball, then to Sirius who was searching his bag for the book. "Er - James, do you have your book with you? I didn't bring mine."

The boy laughed and looked into his own bag. "Oh - er" he laughed "I forgot mine too." James tapped the back of the girl in front of him. "Lily, do you have your book?"

She rolled her eyes and gave the two boys a grin. "Yeah, but Hallie forgot hers too." Hallie turned around to look at them with a smirk.

"Forget your books, boys?" she asked with an angelic smile. Sirius glared at her.

James said, "You did too."

At this, she looked particularly pleased. "Yeah, but I don't ever have to bring mine, I'm partners with someone reliable." Then she turned back around.

Sirius sputtered indignantly as James laughed. "Hey!" Sirius exclaimed and pulled on her ponytail. She turned and tried to pull it out of his grasp but didn't seem to. Hallie jumped up so quickly her chair fell over, and Sirius, trying to hold onto her hair made his desk quake and make the crystal ball fall to the ground and shatter. This didn't seem to bother him in the least though.

Professor Sibylline briskly walked gracefully over. "Stop it this instant!" she yelled over the clamor of laughter and egging on. Sirius held her hair in a death grip as Hallie, in return, tried hitting every part of him her fists and feet could find. One punch found its way to his cheekbone making him let go of her hair with a last yank. She screeched in rage and hit him again in the stomach.

"My hair!" she screamed at him.

He was holding his cheekbone and was glaring at her as he reached for his wand. "You started it you - you witch!"

"Enough!" shouted the professor angrily. She seemed to glow with an orange aura of fury. "You both are ruining the psychic setting of this classroom and I must ask you now to leave." She pointed at the doorway. "Go." Glaring at each other, the two silently left. "Miss Evans, Mr. Potter, you are now partners." And the class went on.

Hallie and Sirius both strolled at opposite ends of the hallway not looking at each other. On their way to the Gryffindor house, they saw Snape walking down the hallway. Sirius smirked evilly. "Hey, Snape, buddy ol' pal," he hissed at the boy. Severus stopped in his tracks and turned to look at him. "My, your hair looks unusually greasy today. What kind of oil do you use in it?"

"Shut up," snapped Severus. Hallie, who had stopped to watch the conflict, could tell that the other boy was trying to control his temper. He was doing a very bad job.

"Did your mum send you any new treats this morning? An exploding red letter by any chance?" asked Sirius, his grin widening wickedly.

Snape glared in a rage. "You sent that howler, didn't you?" questioned the boy.

Sirius put on his fake innocent look. "Must you blame me with all the unfortunate events that befall you?" He paused. "But you're right, I did send it to you." Sirius turned to walk away when Severus jumped on him. The letter the boy was carrying lay forgotten on the floor behind. Sirius pushed the other boy off him and gave him a sock in the eye. Snape, small as he was, had a lot of strength when driven and punched Sirius on the cheekbone where James had hit him earlier, making the bruise gain color once again.

Reluctantly, Hallie thought about stopping them. Though she liked to see Snape and Sirius, two people she loathed, hitting each other, she didn't think it would suffice if a teacher saw them in the halls. She also took into mind that she might be blamed as well. "Stop it!" she yelled at them. They didn't seem to hear her. In aggravation, she pulled out her wand and muttered a separating curse used for nails in wood and such. It worked just as well. The two boys were parted and were thrown against the walls opposite each other. "Thank you." Sirius glared at her, as did Snape.

"Ah, the girl with the Mudblood mother," said Severus when he stood again. His eyes glowed evilly with mischief. All the color fell from her face as she gaped at him. Sirius ran to jump on the boy again but Hallie stopped the boy and made him fly against the wall again with the wave of her hand. She pinned Severus to the wall with a body bind.

"Take it back," she muttered softly.

Her eyes were shooting daggers at him. He looked at her out of a blackening eye with a smirk. "Make me," was his reply.

She kicked him in the shin and gave him a blow at the chin. Hallie still looked calm but there was an angry aura of power glowing around her. Here eyes glimmered with an intense rage turning the sapphire blue orbs almost black. "Take it back," she repeated.

He scowled. "If you weren't a girl, I'd beat you up so badly, you wouldn't be able to stand for a week."

She hit him in the stomach twice. "Take it back." Snape just smiled oily at her. She slapped him as hard as she could. The girl was about to do more but Sirius jumped up and pinned her down.

"Stop it," he muttered quietly in her ear. "You don't know what you're doing."

She struggled to free herself but to no avail. "Let me go!" He tightened his grip on her.

"Hallie, he didn't mean it," Sirius said gently. She was shaking.

"I did too mean it," replied Snape.

Sirius silenced him with a look and undid the binding curse on the boy. "Get out of here," he commanded. Somewhat reluctantly, the boy did as was told, picking up the letter on his way. Sirius asked softly, "Are you all right now?" Hallie stopped trying to escape now and was on the ground with her eyes shut tightly. He let her go. She sat up and wiped away stray tears as she turned away from him, hoping he didn't see. He saw them, but didn't mention it.

There was something strange about the way she had been acting lately which made his stomach turn. "Hallie, what's gotten into you?" he inquired in a low voice. She looked at him with large blue eyes but didn't answer. They sat there for a few short moments before they got up and walked to the Gryffindor common room where they separated to their dormitories.

~*~

James and Lily sat and watched after Sirius and Hallie walk out of the room. "Something's not right," Lily told James. He nodded. She put her book between them and after they read the pages, she looked to the crystal ball between them. "It says to clear our thoughts and look into the ball. If you see something, there's a chart here to decode it."

He nodded. "You go first."

She shrugged and agreed. Lily gazed at the ball trying to clear her thoughts completely. This was a bit hard as to the class talking in loud whispers. As she looked into the crystal ball, she felt James' eyes on her but ignored it. All she saw were swirling clouds of gray. She sighed. "Nothing, I don't see anything," she told him.

He grinned. "Good, I'd be worried if you did. This psychic stuff is a load of -"

"A load of what, Mr. Potter?" asked Professor Sibylline who was looming over him.

He grinned. "Er - nothing, Professor," he replied with a charming smile. She sighed and walked off.

"Your turn, James."

He grinned and looked into the crystal. All at once, he felt as if he was being pulled somewhere and lost all thoughts of where he was and who he was. He looked around in a daze. A figure was coming towards him. Who could it be? He tried to take a step forward to see who it was but found he was glued to his spot.

"Hello?" called a voice. It came from the figure. He now noticed the woman wore a deep ocean blue/green robe. She finally came into view and her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh!" she gasped. "You aren't he whom I seek. Where could he be? Perhaps you've seen him?" James looked around but there was no one there besides he and this woman. She peered at him closely. "Kind sir, who might you be?"

He opened his mouth to speak but found his voice was gone. James cleared his throat. "James, my name is James Potter."

She smiled. "It is right then, it is you whom I seek. Observe your surroundings, dear James, and protect those cherished in your heart, for soon, so soon, he will come and there will be disaster. Rise and fall will arrive, dear boy, it will come soon. Soon, so soon, dear James, it will come soon..." And everything fell out of focus with the woman's words of "...soon...soon..." echoing in his mind.

Suddenly, he was in a dim room. Red and gold was the room's main colors. Only candles illuminated it, and hazily, James saw a man looking at a painting above the fireplace. In the picture, two men, and two women were drawn, smiling with laughter happy in their eyes.

The man was dressed in velvet crimson robes, and his long untidy black hair tied at the nape of his neck with a golden ribbon. "It's been a while since we were all that happy. Do you remember?" He turned around and looked at James squarely. "Those many wonderful times, so blithe, yet so vain. All washed away as if it had never been. He is my enemy now." He turned away and looked into the fire. "Enemy...what a horrid word. I never imagined it, never did I imagine it." He paused. "Come, stand by me, son, see how wrong a world full of pure and trusting love can become with a turn of a single heart."

James stood and found he could move. Now standing on the hearth next to a man he didn't know, though, there was a familiarity between them both. Together, they stood in silence. The man with his hands behind his back and his legs two feet apart. He was extremely tall, about six feet and three inches with dazzling pale blue eyes.

In the fire, James saw a stag. The beautiful creature stood next to a large black dog. The boy shook his head to make sure he was seeing straight. He didn't notice that the man was looking at him intently. A wolf, a werewolf perchance, came up beside the two. It was only then that James noticed upon the stag's back was a rat with a lily in its mouth. It was the strangest thing he had ever seen.

"Troy, what do you see?" asked the man. James just gaped into the fire until the image disappeared when a large and firm hand came down on his shoulder gently. "Troy? Son, what is it you see within the fire?" The boy looked up. Pale/gray eyes bore into pale/gray eyes. "Yes, you are a Seer, now please, please tell me what you see?"

"I - I -" but then he was falling, falling once again in a swirl of crimson and gold. Then...everything fell into darkness.

James opened his eyes and found he was in his Divination classroom. He looked around to find that everyone was staring at him. The boy turned to Lily. "What? What is it?" he asked.

She was looking at him worriedly. "Are you all right?" she asked him softly. He blinked at him in bewilderment.

"Er - y-yeah, I'm fine. Um - are you all right?" At this, a relieved smile broke onto her face as she sighed.

Professor Sibylline was on his other side and cleared her throat. "Mr. Potter, what did you see?" she asked him curiously. Her face was one full of interest.

He looked at her evenly. "Nothing, Professor."

She snorted and narrowed her eyes. "Don't lie to me boy, I know you saw something. You had that look in your eyes that I sometimes get when I am in one of my trances."

His even gaze did not break. "You look at yourself when you're in a trance?" he questioned.

Her eyes narrowed. "Do not mock me boy, for I've just looked into a cup. There I saw you, and a -" he cut her off.

"Don't tell me, you saw a grim."

~*~

Soon after that, class ended and next they had History of Magic. That class passed very slowly as to it was amazingly boring. Later that day was lunch. "Our first Quidditch match is tomorrow!" exclaimed Sirius enthusiastically to James. The boy was just rearranging his food. "James? Aren't you excited?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, yeah, I am. I can't wait," he said dully. Sirius wanted to question the boy more but by the dazed look, he knew he'd get no sufficient reply.

Further down the table..."A fight?" asked Lydia in horror. "I do hope they didn't hurt each other!"

Lily laughed and Hallie rolled her eyes heavenward. "That's the point of a fight, Lydia, to hurt each other," Hallie told her friend. "Anyway, just look at him, both his cheekbones are black and blue...fits him well." The girls looked down the table at Sirius who had bruises on his cheeks, one from Hallie and the other from Snape and James. "Now look at Snape." They did as was told and looked to the boy at the Slytherin table who was looking as if he was in perfect health.

"He looks fine to me," said Gwen.

Hallie glared at the boy. "The git probably got someone to fix him up," she muttered. Lily laughed.

"That was a rather smart thing to do..." she told the other girl who shrugged.

"Doesn't matter."

Lydia turned to Gwen. "We haven't seen you lately, where have you been?"

The other girl averted her eyes. "Er - around." Lily looked at her, and then to Lydia who was about to say something more.

Lily shook her head, which made the other girl sigh. "All right."

~*~

That night, James went down to the common room where he sat on the hearth staring into the fire. Again, he saw the stag, the dog, the werewolf, and the rat with the lily. Was it supposed to tell him something? Was it supposed to mean something? And if it did, what did it mean? He saw Lily come down the steps in the corner of his eye. "I thought you'd come down soon," he told her in a quiet voice.

She took a seat beside him. "What is it you saw in the crystal ball?" she questioned in a low voice.

He broke his gaze from the fire to look at her. Her face was one of worry and curiosity. "I'm fine you know."

She chuckled. "I know."

"Ok then." He paused and took a deep breath. "I looked into the ball and everything seemed to disappear. I didn't know where or who I was...I had a sense of who I was of course, but...it seemed as if I was me...out of me. Wait, I'm not making any sense," but she nodded and told him to continue. "Well, I looked around me and all I saw were gray clouds and fog...until I heard a voice and saw a figure. It was a woman calling out for a 'Ric'. Then she saw me and asked for my name. I told her and she said that she indeed, it was I she was searching for. She said, 'Observe your surroundings, dear James, and protect those cherished in your heart, for soon, so soon, he will come and there will be disaster. Rise and fall will arrive, dear boy, it will come soon. Soon, so soon, dear James, it will come soon...'

"Then suddenly I was in a dim room with a man. He had long dark black hair with pale blue eyes. Everything around me was either gold and crimson or both. He called me - he called me Troy, I think that was his son's name. Then I looked into the fire. He said I was a Seer, and asked what I saw in the fire.

"Then I was back in the classroom, with everyone looking at me," he concluded with a smile. She gave a small smile back. "What did I see in the fire though, you ask. I saw a stag, standing beside a large black wolf. Then came a wolf, and I rather thought it was a werewolf. I noticed upon the stag's back though, a rat," he laughed at her alarmed expression, "yes, a rat. And in it's mouth was," James paused and looked at her, "a lily."

She looked at him for a moment before looking into the fire herself. Still, she saw nothing. "What do you think it means?" she asked him.

His eyes were full of puzzlement. "That's what I don't understand. Those things, they all seemed familiar. I just - I just can't place it right now. It's as if it's somewhere in my memory or something, but I forgot what it is. Do you know that feeling?"

She laughed. "Yes, I do. I get it all the time."

He laughed with her. They sat there for a few more minutes before they got up. James took her hand in his when she was about to walk up the steps to her dorm and hugged her. "Thanks for everything, Lily," he told her. Unexpectedly, she blushed. Then she turned and ran up the steps to her room. He watched after her for a moment, then when up to his own where someone was waiting for him.

"I was wondering how long you would take. What were you doing down there with her anyway?" asked Sirius. James swatted at him and the other boy ducked. "Just kidding."

"Sirius, why is it you want to become an Animagus?" James asked after a while.

At this, the other boy's laughing slowed to a stop and he looked serious for once. "Well, for - for Remus." James thought about this and Sirius explained, "Werewolf bites are only susceptible to humans, animals aren't affected by them."

"And you know this how?" asked James in surprise.

Sirius grinned at him. "I went to the library."

"No way!" James exclaimed.

The other boy swatted at him. "Yes way, I do go to the library. I went when I was...er, dismissed from class and looked it up. I know, you're wondering how I came up with it."

"Er - not really, I don't care to know how your ideas come to you -" but Sirius cut him off.

"I had a dream when I was sleeping in class the other day. I was in the quidditch stands watching a boy who looked like you play quidditch. The boy looked a lot like you, but he was seeker so...I don't know. Well, then for some reason, I looked at myself and found I was a dog. And it kind of hit me, I was an Animagus!" He sighed. "It's rather amazing how brilliant ideas come to brilliant people," he said afterwards. He and James broke into laughter.

After their laughs died down, James said, "I really like that idea. It was really good of you to think of this, you know."

Sirius smiled a genuine smile. When he smiled that way James noticed that he looked like a regular boy, not mischievous and sneaky, but innocent and sweet. The sight almost made him laughed. "I just felt bad...I mean, it isn't fair that he had to get bitten. Why wasn't it Snape or somebody like that? Remus is...well, he's Remus. He's too nice to be a werewolf. I saw it when we first me him, you know?"

James nodded at him. "He looked so lonely."

Sirius agreed. "It's just - it just isn't fair," he said quietly, mostly to himself. The two boys said goodnight to each other and got comfortable on their beds for sleep to come to them.

Remus, wide awake and listening from the bed across from Sirius', felt a lump form in his throat. His eyes burned with tears of disbelief. They didn't know he was not asleep and taking in every word they said, yet, they spoke so kindly of him. This was something entirely new to the boy; even his parents said things behind his back late at night when they thought he was asleep. His parents - the ones whom he had looked up to all his life called him a monster when they thought he wasn't listening to them...it was so hard to let it sink in. Sometimes, he would pretend they didn't say anything about him at all that they were speaking about someone else.

But his friends, his friends were different. They liked him for who he was and not for what he was. The relationship between them, Remus found out now, was what people called: true friendship. His heart burned with a fierce fire of happiness and wonder. How could anybody have better friends than he had? Remus doubted anyone in the world could. Tears leaked from the side of his eyes as he smiled. He was lucky.

~*~

James awoke the next day with someone jumping up and down on his bed. Groggily, he opened his eyes to see Sirius looming over him with a crooked smile. "Nervousness, I'm nervous, very, very nervous," said the boy. James kicked the boy's feet making him fall flat off the bed. "Ok, ouch. That hurt."

"It was supposed to, you nitwit," James replied drowsily. "Did you get any sleep last night?"

Sirius slowly stood and rubbed his eyes. Deep black and blue eye bags were beneath his eyes. Those startling black eyes that seemed so black they were almost blue. "Nope, no sleep, none, zip, zero sleep," was the reply.

"What were you doing jumping on my bed?"

"Er - you weren't awake...and - er - I, I don't know! Don't ask me those kind of questions!" Sirius told him. "I don't know how to answer them!" James laughed at the boy and put a pillow over his own head. Sirius walked over and peeked under the pillow just to get swatted by James. "Stop hitting me!" He paused. "I remember why I was jumping on your bed now."

"Really? Why?"

"Because we have a quidditch match in ten minutes." It was only then that James noticed Sirius had his quidditch robes on. The boy jumped up to go get dressed, but before that, he had a last retaliation. He threw his pillow at Sirius, then he ran off.

~*~

"Quidditch match! Quidditch match! Quidditch match!" chanted Hallie and Gwen over Lily.

She turned over and put a pillow over her head. With a wave of her hand she said, "Go away."

"Quidditch match! Quidditch match! Quidditch match!" they taunted.

Lydia came over and hit them both upon their heads with her pillow. "Don't bother her!"

Gwen grinned from ear to ear. "But there's going to be..." and then Hallie joined her. "A quidditch match! Quidditch match! Quidditch match!"

At this Lily jumped up. "What? Match? When?" she asked, firing question after question. The three girls laughed.

"Hmm...it only took you..." Hallie counted on her fingers, "nine times before you actually heard us." She gave her best friend an extra special smile. "I'm so proud." Lily ran off to get dressed but gave them each a blow with her pillow beforehand.

~*~

James sat on the bench and half-listened to what the other boy was saying. Leo's eyes radiated with a fierce glow of excitement and determination, James now saw why the boy was team captain. He was able to fire up an entire team to do their best.

"I don't care if we lose. Winning just comes along with the outcome of what your best can do. Your best is all that I want and all you can do, I don't want anything else." He looked around. "This is our first game and really...a bit of a warm up. I'm going to be watching how each of you play. I'll be looking for your strengths and weaknesses. The weaknesses I find won't be pounded back at you, I'm going to help you strengthen them." A whistle blew outside as Madam Hooch called for them to come out. "All right team, I chose you all for a reason, and that's because I see potential in you. This is just a sport and it's just for fun, so let's go!"

They all followed him onto the field where they were greeted by an eruption of applause. Gryffindor colors littered a whole side of the stadium and Slytherin on another. The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were mostly for Gryffindor, but some kept neutral. James looked beside him to where Sirius was jumping up and down, bouncing left and right and laughed. "Nervous, Sirius?" The other boy grinned and stopped. It seemed as though he couldn't stay still though, for he started moving around once again.

"Here's the Gryffindor team!" announced Tommy Jordan, a humorous sixth year boy. He was doing the commentary. "Garnet, Weasley, Stevens, Longbottom, Evans, Potter, and Black!" he yelled with fierce enthusiasm. "It seems to me that Leo Garnet has picked out young players this year, but as they say, the smallest are the fastest. Last year, Longbottom won every single game except one because of a filthy cheating b -"

"Mr. Jordan..." warned Professor Jenkins.

He grinned up at her. She glared at him and his grin faded a bit. "Er - right. Now here comes the Slytherin team." He paused as the players ran out. "Rosier, Malfoy, Snape, Almonte, Henson, Smith, and Franks," he announced in a less zealous tone. "Now, this match against rivalries should be a good one. But seriously, Gryffindor against Slytherin? I don't think so. Who do you think will win? Gryffindor of course! Just looked at the little buggers in green! Who could ever-," he cut himself off when he saw the look upon the professor's face. "Er - ok, never mind. Wait! Wait! Professor, did you see what Almonte did? F*** you Rick Almonte!" He was leaning away from Professor Jenkins who was trying to take the microphone from him. "F*** you! Professor! It's not my fault! He's the one who stuck up the finger!"

"Enough, Mr. Jordan."

He sighed. "Fine. But me oh my...such violent signs from Almonte makes me wish I had one of those beater clubs so I could - okay! All right! I'll stop! Professor just stop that - you'll get arthritis if you point that finger at me any longer." James grinned and mounted his broom. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the balls were let go.

"They're off and Henson for Slytherin has the quaffle. Pass to Smith - Snape and then back to Henson who drives to the goal - shoots - blocked by Weasley! Amazing block! Good job, Arthur! To Stevens who soars high and drops the quaffle to Evans who passes to Potter - watch out!" Rosier had flown straight at him almost knocking the boy from his broom. Madam Hooch blew her whistle. "And it's a penalty shot for Gryffindor. Come on Stevens - you can do it! And she scores! Ten - zip, Gryffindor lead! Oh wait! Almonte's diving! Longbottom follows in suit and their neck to neck. Frank!" exclaimed Tommy Jordan in horror. Almonte had pulled a stunt dive but fortunately, Frank pulled out of the dive just in time before he smashed to the ground. "Ha, ha, Almonte! You nitwitted blagard! Just kidding, Professor! You can't trick our Longbottom! He's too good for your old tricks!" Rick Almonte made a very rude sign with his hand towards Tommy who made it right back to him.

James laughed and caught the quaffle from Molly who pointed to Lily who was open and free. "Evans scores! Twenty - zero, Gryffindor lead!" The stands were roaring with applause. Snape had the quaffle. Sirius, grinning blithely, shot a bludger towards him. The boy twirled in the air to avoid it. "Great hit, Black! The quaffle dropped to Potter who goes all the way and...score! Another ten points to Gryffindor and the score is thirty - zero, Gryffindor lead! It seems to me that this game is pretty predictable from now on who's going to win! Great choice of players Garnet!

"Longbottom's diving! Watch that boy fly! He's diving and Almonte's now beside him...go Frank, go! Damn it, Almonte!" roared Tommy waving his fist threateningly into the air. Rick had flown at Frank making the boy fall from his broom. "The snitch has disappeared and a penalty shot for Gryffindor. Frank's getting up and he's waving! Atta boy, Frank!" Leo had flown down to see if the boy was all right. With a last encouraging grin, the team captain took off into the air once again with Frank following close behind.

The game ended up two hundred ten - seventy. Gryffindor won. That night, there was a huge celebration for their win in the common room.

"Come on, James!" yelled Sirius over the clamor to the boy sitting next to Lily. The two were talking so Sirius just left with Remus and Peter to go to the kitchens. They met the house elves there that happily obliged to give them as many treats as they could carry back. When the arrived there again, the three boys were greeted with deafening cheers. They threw the desserts into the crowd. That night was full of partying and having a great time. No one went to bed earlier than midnight that evening.

~*~

The next day was full of relaxation for everyone. They were allowed outside for a short time but that was it. The fourth years and up went to Hogsmead leaving only the first, second, and third years at school. Soon would be the Christmas Holidays in which everyone was hyped for. James, Remus, Sirius, and Peter took the day off to find as many books on Animagi that they could find so they would be able to make the potion soon. They were all excited as they read up on the subject. The only problem was how they would be able to get the ingredients.

"We'll just have to take it from Professor Rosier," said Sirius.

Remus gave him a look. "Oh really? And how are we supposed to do that?" he questioned.

Peter stated, "Maybe we can ask him if he'll give it to us?"

James laughed at this. "Yeah, and say, 'Professor Rosier, we need some of your restricted and deadly ingredients for a potion we're going to make. Why, do you ask? Because we're planning on becoming illegal Animagi."

"Then that settles it," said Sirius. "We're going to have to steal it all." That night, they made plans for the next day so they could take the ingredients that they would need.

~*~

Wake up, girl, whispered a voice. It was a low baritone voice. Wake up! it said louder. Hallie jumped up awake in alarm. She looked all around her in fright. It was Sunday night at around eleven thirty.

"Who's there?" she called out softly.

Laughter rang around her. There? Where's there? She closed her eyes as it said, I'm in your mind, girl. It laughed again.

"Who are you?" she asked.

She heard a grin in the man's voice. Call me 'Rogue' for the time being. Now, I need you to do me a favor.

Hallie glared up at the ceiling. "I asked you a question and if you want me to even think about doing a favor for a voice in my mind, you had better answer it. Now, who are you exactly and what are you doing in my head?"

The voice laughed wildly. Ah, dear child. Feisty are we? Rogue chuckled with something like amusement in his deep voice. I'll have so much fun controlling you.

Lily woke up that morning and sighed in content. She felt more rested than she had felt in a very long time. Everyone was gone already so she sat up and looked around. On her right, Hallie's curtains were close so she walked over with a grin. Slowly, she opened the curtains and saw that the girl's back was turned to her. "Oh, Hallie," she sang tauntingly. The girl didn't stir at all. Frowning slightly, Lily tapped her. "Hallie, wake up, Hal," sang Lily.

Hallie sat up abruptly. Lily jumped backwards and looked at her. She saw deep black eye-bags under the girl's eyes. Their sapphire blueness had lost the usual fire glowing brightly in them.

"Hallie, what's wrong?"

Hallie looked up and to Lily with large and frightened eyes. "Lily?" she asked softly.

The girl nodded and cautiously walked over to hug her around the shoulders. "Hallie, what's wrong?"

Hallie looked at her with eyes full of fear. "Bad dream," she whispered in a dazed sort of way. She stood and went to get dressed leaving Lily watching after her bewilderment.

~*~

Lydia waved Lily over. The girl sat down and looked at Lydia with concern in her dazzling green eyes. "I'm worried about Hallie." Gwen looked at her.

"Why? What's wrong with her?" asked Lydia with dread turning her stomach.

Lily sighed. "I - I don't know for sure. But she wasn't acting right this morning..."

Gwen grinned. "Does she ever? She's not really a morning person..."

Lily frowned. "I know, but - she's just not acting like herself."

Lydia looked worried. "Did something happen lately? Maybe she's upset about that," she told her friends.

Lily seemed to think this over. "Well, her mum - her mum's...gone." Lydia gasped and put her hand to her mouth.

Gwen's eyes widened. "Oh, dear."

Lily looked at her, "I know. She didn't tell anyone about it except a couple of days ago...maybe she's upset about that then?"

Lydia nodded. "Probably." As if on cue, Hallie came into the Great Hall. She took a seat in the empty chair next to Lily and put her head in her arms.

Lydia said, "Er - here, Hallie, have some toast."

The girl looked up tiredly and shook her head. "No thanks." Then she put her head in her arms once again. The boys came over to their side of the table. Sirius took a seat next to Hallie with a wicked grin and opened his mouth to speak but the other three girls were shaking their head and mouthing 'no' at him.

"What?" he asked them. "I was just going to say 'hi'."

Gwen rolled her eyes. "Right," she said slowly.

"So, hi," he said to Hallie with a fake oily nice voice. She looked up at him with her large blue eyes and stood up. His stomach did a double take at how disheveled and tired she looked. There was also a hint of fright upon her face.

"I have to go," she told them all and then she ran off as if afraid something might happen. Hallie ran and ran not knowing where she was going but still she raced away hoping that nothing she would regret would happen. Especially if it had to do with Sirius, she was afraid what Rogue would make her do. All last night was a demonstration to her of what he could make her do.

Very smart of you to run off, Hallie, dearest. Very, very smart of you, he said in amused admiration.

"Leave me alone!" she yelled at him in frustration. "What do you want with me? What is it?" Tears sprang to her eyes for she was so angry. Her veins burned with a fierce fire of rage. "Why don't you leave me alone!"

Dear, dear Hallie, I would leave you alone, but you have something my master wants. Something he needs, I'm only a servant you see, a servant to the most powerful lord that every lived. And you, my darling, are my servant.

"I am not! I'm not your servant!"

Rogue laughed. Ah, but you are. And my Lord has burdened me with the task of mastering you. You see, you have something he wants, and he'll do anything to get it back, for it once was his. Actually, you only have half of it, and I have the other half. And do you know what it is he wants?

Hallie sat in a corner of the dungeon she had found. No one, hopefully, would find her here. And if they somehow stumbled to her little hiding place, the light was so dim the most probably wouldn't see her anyway. "No, what is it?" she asked softly. It was no use anymore, Rogue controlled her, and she could do nothing. But he couldn't take her if she didn't want him to, right? She wouldn't let him, she'd make him go away, she wouldn't give into him. She just had to hold on somehow.

There was the grin in his voice again as he spoke. He wants the Alloy Child.