Tears in Heaven

(Disclaimer: I own nothing.)

(Author's Note: You're going to be confused. I'm telling you this now. I know I said I'd make it less confusing, but this just has to be confusing. It'll get cleared up. Think about the future and what it all may mean. It's the beginning of the plots I've set up for the story. Please bear with me. Sorry!)

Tears In Heaven

Chapter Two - A Decision is Made

Sirius chanced a step forward - another - and then one more. Then he was there - at the door he knew was hers. Carefully, as to not make a sound, he opened the door and squeezed his way through. When inside he smiled, finding that nothing had changed.

He bit down on his lip when he caught sight of her, lying quietly, ever so peacefully...looking as if everything in her world was just fine...without him.

It wasn't as if he hadn't expected this, for he had...Yet still, his heart seemed to feel as if it was being speared with the fiery swords from the world below where those with hearts of stone dwelled. His eyes prickled with a blistering tickled sense and he blinked the feeling back.

When he felt that he had taken control of himself, he advanced around the other side of the bed where Hallie was facing. One arm was cushioning her head while the other was draped lightly over a pillow at her side. He smiled slightly and reached out an uncertain hand towards her, but quickly, he pulled it back.

He looked at his other hand, which was balled into a tight fist. For moments, he stared at it for a while before unfurling his fingers to reveal a golden engagement ring. A wistful sigh escaped his lips and he immediately looked at a reaction that Hallie might have. She just stirred slightly. He brushed away the ebony black strand of hair that caressed her cheek when she did so.

All thoughts that he had before were now gone as he fell into the swift moving current that he had fallen into when he was younger as well. Now, he was just getting pulled in deeper, though he had thought he had already fallen as far as he could possibly go. He was wrong. It pulled him along and he seemed unable to escape...not that he wished to. Again, he reached out a cautious hand and this time he didn't recoil. He touched her cheek gently and even went so far as to place a tender kiss upon her forehead. At this simple gesture, his heart seemed to explode with a brilliant eruption that sent his mind swirling with thoughts. They were thoughts he thought he had forgotten, but it was apparent that they had just been locked away, kept safe from those that would wish to deprive them from him.

He took the ring from his palm and looked at it for a moment before his gaze drifted to her. His eyes were bright, supposedly from the unnoticed tears that stung them, and his hands trembled slightly as he carefully reached out to take her hand in his. At his touch, she stirred again, slightly so, but did not wake. He exhaled a long breath slowly and placed the ring on her left ring finger. After replacing her hand upon its previous spot, he looked at her for a few more moments.

"I'll be seeing you soon," he whispered. And just before he left the room - and just as Hallie awoke - the words, "I love you" could be heard.

~*~

Ron stood on Harry's right while Hermione came along on the boy's left. It seemed, though they were right next to one another, that slowly, the tight rope that held their friendship so tightly together was slowly unknotting and they were growing farther apart. Ron couldn't understand what was making this happen, but he was determined to find out.

At the moment, they were having another one of those strange silences between them that they seemed to be having more frequently now. He turned to look at Harry whose glasses stood slightly askew upon the bridge of his nose. His untidy black hair lay more astray than usual and lines that should not be on such a young boy were engraved upon his face.

"You all right?" asked Harry, looking at him, the creases of age slowly dispersing from his face.

Ron grinned and pushed his thoughts from his mind. "Yeah, I'm fine." He paused. "Where are we going again?" He heard Hermione and Harry laugh and felt himself flush slightly, right down to the roots of his red hair.

They heard a yell from further down the hall and felt a 'swoosh' of wind pass them by as two figures came racing down opposite them. The trio turned around to see whom it was and saw two identical boys with black hair stop simultaneously to turn around.

Harry heard Ron laugh and turned to look down at the other end of the hallway at Draco who seemed to be trying to advance, but with no luck. "What'd you lot do?" asked Harry with a suppressed laugh.

They both grinned and Billy held up a jar of what looked like grape jelly. "Accidentally dropped the stuff," he replied.

Joey nodded. "Grape jelly - experiment of ours, see - makes things stick rather nicely."

"And we're off!" said Billy, turning to go when he saw that Draco had managed to free himself from the magical substance. Joey shot a last mischievous grin and saluted them before following.

They rushed to Transfiguration where the two boys quickly took their seats. Billy sighed and opened his book, quickly ducking his head into his arms to get some extra sleep. Joey gave him a disgusted look, but then opened up his own book after removing his glasses.

Professor McGonagall tapped her wand upon her desk. "Class has started," she announced. Joey rolled his eyes and glared at her atop his book with drowsy eyes. "If you can see me, Mr. Forester, then I can see you."

He grinned in spite of himself and saw Billy move unconsciously in the corner of his eye. "Yes, ma'am," he replied and followed in his brother's path.

~*~

"He's not coming back," Hallie told Remus as they sat in the kitchen. "I thought that that was obvious."

"How would you know? I just told you about the letter he left! He said he was going to be back!" Remus countered.

"So maybe he will. I-I don't care." He rolled his eyes. "Don't you roll your eyes at me! I've been all by myself for a long time now. I'm independent."

At this, Remus laughed. "Independent? Ha!" She swatted at him and in spite of herself, a grin spread across her face.

"All right, not alone. So what? You're acting like the moment I see him I'm going to run over and cry myself dry and hug him and all that mushy stuff. No, I won't. I'm-I'm over all of that. At one time, I might have done so, but not now, I'm over him, I'm over everything that's happened." She looked at him evenly, the smile gone from her face. "It's over."

He looked back with the same countenance, leaning over the table to look at her squarely. "Is it really?" he asked softly.

And he hit the soft spot. She sprang up and left the room, making her way to the front door. Grabbing a cloak off the rack, she didn't bother to look back at her friend but slammed the door on her way out.

Remus watched as she left and shook his head, a small smile making its way upon his face. "Then I was right, it isn't over just yet."

~*~

Draco sat back in his chair, arms folded across his chest, as he looked at the Potions master in the front of the classroom. Of course, he was paying attention, but his mind was wandering as well. His eyes roamed around, looking at each student in turn.

Crabbe and Goyle...pretending they understand the words spoken by Professor Snape...Potter, glaring at the bloke as usual, Weasley...who knows...Granger...His thoughts seemed to disapparate. She wasn't paying rapt attention to the teacher as usual, nor was her nose stuck in a book or was she writing notes. Her gaze had roamed to the back of the room...the entrance. Perhaps she had felt his eyes upon her, or maybe she was looking around to see if someone else had noticed, but for just that one moment, Draco's eyes had locked with hers.

He kept his usual blank expression, but could feel his restraint being tested. His eyes wandered to the doorway where someone had stepped in. There was a breeze of entrance that seemed to sweep through to everyone.

"Class has begun," said Professor Snape testily.

Out of the shadows came the newcomer and the older man's eyes widened slightly.

"Indeed, I see it has. Wonderful setting you have here, Severus, might I add." She smiled, revealing perfectly straight and white teeth. "Miranda, do you mind holding this?" wondered the girl, holding a purse out sideways. A hand reached out from behind her and took it gently.

"Not at all, miss."

The young woman looked around the classroom, the smile frozen upon her face. Her gaze locked with Draco's and he blinked. The smile seemed to widen on her lips. "Mind if I come in?" she wondered, speaking to the professor. However, her stare did not wander from Draco's.

"Miss Avery-," started Professor Snape.

"No, you must be mistaken," interrupted the girl. Her tone had taken on an edge of coldness and the smile seemed to fall from her face with a flash. She looked away from Draco to the professor. "Miss Crysteson, Severus, Miss Gayle Orali Crysteson," she corrected. No one missed the surprised expression on Professor Snape's face, but they let it slide as he slammed his hand upon his desk, his knuckles turning white with restrained anger.

"Take your seat, Miss Crysteson. You have already wasted many precious moments of my teaching time."

Instead of the primary smile, a smirk appeared, playing teasingly upon her lips. To Harry, it seemed oddly familiar as he chanced a glance over at the Slytherin end of the classroom. "Many pardons, Professor," she replied, and made her way to the back of the classroom, next to Draco.

At the end of class, Harry shared a look with Ron who shrugged in response. Harry was confused. She seemed so familiar, yet...so different. Her hair was bright auburn, almost as red as Ron's...though not quite. Her eyes were as blue as Harry's were green and the way she held herself seemed to show a sense of royalty that he could not place. Her stance was so familiar. Harry reprimanded himself inwardly at his inconvenient state of memory-loss.

Draco stood up quickly when class was dismissed and left the room, but as he knew it would be, she was right behind him. "Don't run, Draco," she said, a taunting tone in her voice, "I'll be right behind you, no doubt, like I always am."

He turned around and glared at her, that famous glare that seemed to be able to ward off many. "Just like always, Gayle, just one step behind," he said, his scowl deepening.

Her smirk did not wander and she advanced at a gradual pace, as if she didn't have a care in the world about time. "You remember," she told him, her voice as smooth as silk. "I knew you would."

Draco turned away and started walking, slow enough so that she could catch up, but fast enough so she'd have to work to do so.

A laugh responded his movement. "You always were a funny one, Draco Malfoy, uncannily so." He didn't respond but kept on walking.

"Miranda," called Gayle behind her. Draco hadn't noticed the shadow behind the familiar young woman, but knew that the other girl was there. "You wouldn't mind handing me my wand, would you, darling?"

In an instant, the wand was placed in her expectant clutch. "Draco, stop," she said, as he was about to turn a corner.

He didn't.

"Draco Malfoy, I order you to stop at once and face me," commanded Gayle, that sense of royalty springing into her stance and tone. When he didn't obey, his feet suddenly were stuck to the floor and the sight of grape jelly flashed through his mind. How humorous, he thought without a trace of amusement in him.

He heaved a great impatient sigh as she came around to face him. "Since when are you able to control me, Gayle Avery?" asked Draco in a deadly calm voice.

The smirk fell from her face as it had in Potions class and was replaced by a very demeaning glance. "Gayle Orali Crysteson. Remember it well," she said. She pocketed her wand in an inside pocket of her expensive looking velvet black cloak after releasing him from his bind. No, he wasn't going to turn away now that she had his full attention. Her dress was just as black as the loneliest midnight, but gave a hint of a crimson color. "You got my letter?"

He smirked his infuriating smirk. "Perhaps, but I would barely call those three sentences a 'letter'," he told her.

She glared at him. "I don't like your tone, Draco Malfoy."

His smirk widened and he crossed his arms about his chest. "Oh?"

"Don't cross me, Draco, you're forgetting who I am," she told him in a soft tone.

"No, you wouldn't let me forget," he said just as quietly.

To the three who had followed both Draco and Gayle, this conversation was extremely confusing and no doubt bewildering. They watched from a crook behind a particularly large statue.

"I didn't come for no reason," she said in an aggravating calm voice. "As I've told you," but now, noted Harry who watched in interest, her tone had taken a dip to sounding as if she were trying to control herself, "in my...note, they've killed Keilan."

Draco shrugged and leaned casually against the wall. "So? How is this my concern?" Harry knew that stance and tone very well, and it had provoked him many times before as it was doing to Gayle at the moment.

She glared at him and took a deep breath to calm herself. "You don't know what this is about? Don't tell me you don't that know your turn is coming," she said. Her tone had evolved to one amusement.

At this, Draco's composure failed and he turned pale. "What would you know about it?"

Gayle laughed at that moment. She laughed and laughed as if he had said the most humorous thing in the world. "I beg your pardon," she said once she was in a calmer state, "but I do think I heard you question me about the Ritual." Harry looked to Ron and Hermione who seemed just as confused about what they were speaking of as he was. Draco glared - his entire being positively ecstatic with furious energy. "No, don't you look at me that, you should have known better."

He suddenly lost control. "Do you think this is a game, Gayle?" he shouted. "Do you think the Ritual is something that can be laughed at and joked about?" She looked at him in surprise. He shook his head and a smile played upon his face for he was in such a state of incredulity. "Heaven knows what you've been up to these past six years but I've been counting off the days 'til it's my turn. Just wait until it's yours; you'll see what I'm talking about. I know what they make everyone go through during the Ritual."

She scowled. "Don't speak to me that way, Draco. I am no one to be reckoned with. They've killed Keilan! They've killed him! My brother! All because of this stupid Ritual! Because he didn't pass! And they didn't do it cleanly with the Killing Curse, as you would think; they just had to use torture before they put him out of his misery! Don't question that, Draco Malfoy, I was there, I saw it being done. They even asked me if I'd take part in it." She grabbed him by the collar of his robes. "They didn't stop after torturing him for a while. No, no, they went on with everything they had up their sleeves. You should have been there." There was a pause. "But no, not you, not Draco Malfoy, Lucius' precious baby boy." She suddenly laughed. "Dear old Dad wouldn't want his precious son to witness the bloody murder of petty Gayle's brother Keilan. Incompetent little Keilan, not even worth your company I'm guessing. Not to the precious boy who didn't have to go through what the rest of us did. Just because they chose you to take after your father. To take after that man who sold every part of himself to the Dark Side. You're lucky because you were chosen to be made into the creature of living Hell!"

As Harry watched and listened to the conversation in astonishment, he seriously thought that Draco would hit this sudden newcomer across the face. The other boy's fists were even clutched into tight balls at his sides for restraint.

"You know nothing about it. You know nothing about me," said Draco, looking as if each and every word took every effort to say. He pulled away from Gayle's grasp. "You know nothing about what I go through every day! Still!" His breathing had become heavy and his voice thick with emotion that had been held within him.

She took a step back and looked at him calmly. It seemed to Harry that this state was worse than her outbursts. "Oh? What you go through, Draco? Ha. They took you away from it all. It just began when you left us." She shook her head, her lips tight in a fine white line. "When you left, that's when it started. They had us do things that you can only have nightmares about. I couldn't even tell you about how many people I've killed. And now that He's back?" She shook her head again and laughed. "He'll be free to do all He pleases and in turn, make all us petty folk do the dirty work. You've been gone from it all, Draco, they made us puppets to kill all those they wanted gone."

"That's nothing, you little girl," Draco spat out. "That's nothing! I was there those years when we were bred to be what we will inevitably be. They made it worse for me as well! You think they took me away to paradise to forget all the training and all the torture and curses? Do you? Damn it, they gave it to me worse. I know they did. They said that it was nothing compared to what the rest of you all were going through, but I knew better, they were just saying that. Just ask them -it was just a game to them!" He smiled and shook his head, looking as if there was a dawning just suddenly residing in him. "It's useless, Gayle - this conversation - it's useless. Nothing will change. We will becoming the Hell Havoc Making generation we were bred to become from the start and nothing - nothing will change that."

But Gayle seemed to think otherwise. "You were the only one left, Draco," she whispered.

He shook his head. "It's inevitable. Leave it be."

She looked at him for a moment, perhaps for a moment too long for Draco gave her a last contemptuous look before turning on his heels and marching away.

Behind the statue, the three Gryffindors could see a smile spread across her lips. "You may think that, Draco Malfoy, but I've just arrived. We'll see what you think later. The test has just begun."

~*~

"Ritual...Ritual..." muttered Hermione, flipping through pages of her unusually large book with lightning speed.

Ron simply stared, his hand halfway through turning a single page. "Are you going for record time in turning pages?" he asked, but she just waved a hand at him absently.

Harry shared a grin with his best friend and went on looking through his own. Why he was so curious about the early conversation was beyond him, but to Hermione, it seemed like a worthwhile project to research upon the Ritual spoken about.

"Nope, it won't be here," said Hermione with not a little impatience. "It'll be in the restricted section," she murmured to herself thoughtfully. "Harry-," she began, looking up at him.

He ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. "I'll get it tonight," he replied.

The latter smiled. "Well, actually, I think I should do it, you wouldn't know which book to get."

Harry would have gotten the exact meanings of what was said to him if he hadn't been so caught up in his thoughts.

Ron's eyes widened in surprise. "Hermione? - Hermione Granger?" She looked at him with a raised brow and he continued. "You are going to do something against the rules?"

She stood up and shut the book loudly. "So?"

"But you - you never -," but Hermione shot him a venomous look and turned to Harry.

"Can I borrow your cloak tonight?" Harry nodded. "All right then, I'm going, I'll see you later." With that, she turned and walked away.

~*~

"But what -," started Lucius cautiously. He quickly cut himself off at his master's irritated glance.

Voldemort tapped his wand against the arm of his chair idly. Suddenly, his eyes sank out of focus and just as quickly had it done so; the man suddenly shot up. "Christmas," he said triumphantly.

Lucius - startled at the sudden burst - jumped back. "Christmas, master?" he repeated uncertainly.

The other smiled and one would almost expect fangs to spring from his gums. His pale complexion gave him a vampire-like look while his crimson red eyes looked unusually bright amid his extreme pallor. "Yes, Christmas. Lynette - bring her in," Voldemort said.

A slight wave of emotion passed over his servant's face but was quickly composed. "Yes, master." Lucius turned and left the room. Once he returned, a young woman was at his side.

Her wavy blonde hair was held back loosely and the free strands cast an angelic look about her. It was her eyes, however, that showed her true personality. They gazed around coldly and without mercy. "You summoned me, my lord?" she wondered, a slight sardonic smile upon her face.

Voldemort stood with an identical smile, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Indeed. That girl, the one you brought to me a while ago, do you not remember her?"

Lynette studied her nails casually. "Naturally," was the simple reply.

"Well, I need speak with her. I want you to bring her to me as soon as possible. I've plans in process."

At this statement, the woman looked up with excitement glowing on her face. "Plans? What kind of plans?"

The sardonic smile did not leave his face. "One's I believe you will like."

~*~

Rubbing his eyes in fatigue, he stepped through the portrait hole. "Hello, Draco," said a cheerful voice. He immediately looked up.

"Gayle?" he asked, his voice loud with alarm. He saw movement in the corner of his eye. Pansy, she stood up and in a huff, walked up to her dormitory.

The girl before him slowly smiled. "Doesn't like me much, that one. I wonder why?"

Draco glared. "Probably because you're extremely annoying, you're like a bloody stalker, you're incredibly insane -." He would have continued had not Gayle interrupted him.

"Thank you, Draco, but it was a rhetorical question. I know very well why the girl - er - dislikes me," said Gayle a bit coldly. Her voice, however, carried a slight tone of amusement.

"And why is that?"

A smile slowly unfurled upon the young woman's face. "Because of you of course," she replied as if it were the plainest fact on earth.

"Me?" asked Draco blandly.

She chuckled appreciatively. "You don't know?" wondered Gayle in incredulity. "Well, mild surprise there, I suppose. You were always rather slow..."

"I was not," said the latter in a bored tone. "You're probably forgetting all those times at the mansion that I-," but she cut him off.

"All right, don't remind me," she said with a slight suppressed shudder. Draco couldn't hide his triumphant grin. She glared. "Stop that, when you go through what you will, see who laughs then." This made the grin fall right off his face.

"Don't talk about the Ritual like that," he said softly.

"Oh? Why not? You yourself told me it was inevitable, so why are you so keen on trying to avoid it?" she questioned, standing slowly to look at him evenly. She wasn't much shorter than he was; she just about reached his eyes.

Draco looked at her coldly for one moment before brushing past her. "Draco," she started, but he didn't hear the rest of what she said for he rushed up the steps to his dormitory.

He flopped onto his bed rather ungracefully and put his pillow over his head - a bit uncharacteristic for Draco Malfoy. If he wasn't so ardent with keeping his dignity at such a high level, he would have stuffed his face in his pillow and shouted himself hoarse, maybe he would have even stuffed himself in a closet. But because he was extremely dignified, he decided that putting his head under a pillow was degrading enough.

He thought, Just stop thinking about it, it'll come whether you like it or not. You've learned that the more you think about it, the faster the days draw forward. Just stop - stop thinking about the damned Ritual.

Draco uncovered his head and heaved a great sigh. His mind swirled with thoughts and within his heart, he couldn't dislodge the sinking feeling as in dread, he counted down the days until his seventeenth birthday.

He unconsciously studied his hands - which trembled ever so slightly - and saw the slight sore he had upon his thumb. Roses, thought the boy. Yes, he remembered. The letter...Keilan. A lump formed in his throat and no matter how hard he tried to swallow it down, it wouldn't leave. Keilan Roald Avery. The name made thoughts swim sluggishly through his mind. Thoughts from long ago...memories really, though they seemed like thoughts. It was so long ago. Six years. Though it may not seem that long, what Draco Malfoy had been through since then made 'six years' quite a long time.

Keilan.

Keilan was only two years his senior, two years Gayle's senior. He was her older brother. The memories now flooded in. Forget the slow river of thoughts; the memories had broken through their dam and were gushing forth.

It was a tough life for the children of the Inner Circle. Draco remembered it well. He doubted that those memories would ever leave him. The Training - though one would hardly call it so - just got worse. Even if they had grown up with the mass murders, it still pierced feelings through their hearts that they weren't supposed to feel. Some of the kids would eventually lose those feelings, but some of them would never.

Draco knew he was one of these people.

"It's a weakness," echoed a voice. It rang through his mind mercilessly. He remembered the first - and last - beating he got for sharing how he felt about helping with the Acts. Though he hadn't stayed long enough to actually commit the Acts, just the feeling of being part of them sent chills up and down his spine.

Maybe she was right...said a voice in his head.

He shook his head and frowned at the ceiling. Maybe she was right about him. Lucius Malfoy's precious baby boy...Was he really? It didn't seem like it. When he was taken away from training, he thought his life would be a heaven compared to it all.

He was wrong.

But perhaps the life he had inherited in place of the Training was better than what the others went through...the others being Gayle, Keilan, Crabbe, Goyle...It ended when they reached the 'coming of age' - seventeen. He had been taken away when he was ten. Crabbe and Goyle, thick as they were, still seemed apprehensive of attending the Training every summer. They would never speak of it of course, and Draco - though he was deep in denial of this fact - honestly felt that they were ordered not to.

He sat up and slowly made his way to his window.

So what if they have it worse than I do? I don't care. It's their problem, not mine.

But he felt that he needed to help somehow. She had come to him for help - that idea was not idea any longer. He knew it for a fact. Her turn was coming up, and her brother had not passed. Of course she came to him. He was the only one left. The only one left out of whom? Though she hadn't said a thing about her feelings, he knew what was up. She was having doubts about becoming a Death Eater. That was his theory about Keilan as well. Keilan had been prosecuted for refusing to become what he was bred to be. Soon it would be Draco's turn to choose.

The only one left...

Draco shook his head. Was Gayle right? Was he truly the only one left? It seemed as if he would be making a bigger choice than he had thought.

~*~

Joey yawned and sat up and was surprised to find himself in his transfiguration classroom. He looked up and saw Professor McGonagall. She gazed at him sternly, her hands on her hips.

"Er - hello," said Joey with an angelic smile.

She looked at him thoughtfully. "That smile is very familiar."

His eyes shot up. "Huh?"

"Your mother, she used it all the time." He grinned and she sighed, shaking her head as she walked away.

A moment later, she dismissed the class and he looked over at his brother who had his head in his arms as he slept. Joey stood and walked over to him, prodding the boy slightly. A girl nearby giggled and he looked over. She blushed slightly and left with her friends. He watched after them with a bewildered countenance and poked his brother meanwhile.

"Ow!" exclaimed Billy, rubbing his forehead.

Joey looked down and laughed. "Oh, you're awake then, I see."

"Wonderful observation," muttered the other boy drowsily as he stood up. He gathered his things and followed Joey out the door.

"Understand me? I want it clean and quick, no mess ups," said a voice nearby. The two boys shared a mischievous look and quickly moved out of view. This conversation sounded secretive.

"Yes, miss," was the reply.

"You tell them to send me the plans by Burning Letter, take Dusk. I'm taking no risks."

"Yes, miss."

"Oh, and Miranda?" There was a short silence of question from the other girl. "Do not fail with my messages, once is more than enough."

"Yes, miss." And then footsteps sounded, telling the boys that the conversations had ended.

"Boring," said Joey rolling his eyes. Billy looked as if he thought otherwise. "What?"

"Nothing," Billy told him. "It just sounded a bit wrong, didn't it?"

Joey shrugged. "Maybe, no concern of ours. Come on, let's see if Mum can send us more stuff," he said with a bright grin. Billy disregarded whatever thoughts he had and ran along with is brother to their dormitory.

~*~

"You have a few letters," said Remus as she walked in. Hallie looked up and he noticed a red tinge about her eyes. He stood up. "Are you all right?"

She nodded and hung her cloak upon the coat rack. "Yes, of course." She took the letters handed to her and made her way up the steps. "I'm not really hungry, Remus, I hope you didn't cook anything," she said softly.

He gave her a small smile. "Actually, I was waiting for you to come back. I wanted to teach you how to use the oven properly," he replied.

This produced a small laugh. "Thanks, Remus. Goodnight." He watched as she disappeared down the second floor hall and took his seat on the couch again.

Upstairs, Hallie sat upon her bed and looked down at the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly as if it had never been taken off and gleamed brightly. She sighed and looked to the letters she received. One was from Joey.

Dear Mum,

Hope you're faring all right. (After this sentence was a smiley face.) Could you send me some more dungbombs and filibuster fireworks? Oh and those things with all the colors and smoke, could you send me some more of those too please? (Another smiley face.) Thanks! See you during Christmas Break!

Love,

Joey

P.S. Billy insisted that I write my own letter, I think he's weird. I just wanted to save the trees. Because I'm thinking for the better of the world, shouldn't I get more stuff than Billy? (Another smiley face.) Just kidding.

The next letter was from Billy.

Dear Mum,

Joey was insisting we share a letter, however, I thought better of it. You know him, I hate doing that because he always ends up burning something or poking a hole through my finger with his quill. Anyway, are you doing all right? I hope you are. Everything's fine here at school.

I heard something strange today. Joey was with me of course, but I doubt he truly understood what was going on. I think something's going to happen soon, but I'm not sure what. Don't worry though, it's probably nothing.

I'll see you over Christmas Break! Bye!

Love,

Billy

P.S. Do you think you could send me some more things from Zonko's? I'm all out. I also think Joey stole some of mine. Oh well. Thanks!

Hallie smiled and wrote a letter back.

Dear Joey and Billy,

I'm doing fine. I hope school's going all right for you so far. Are you two bugging the professors? Tell me some tales, will you? I need some laughs. I'll be sure to go to Hogsmead and get you both some more stuff. You've used it all up already? My friends and I never used them that fast! There is such a thing as saving them up you know. I'll see you soon! I love you both.

Love,

Mum

P.S. Billy, be sure to owl me back if anything else happens, all right? Bye!

She sealed the letter and sent it off with their family owl. After sending the creature off, she lied down to try and sleep, but it would be some time before the dark shadow would be placed upon her.

~*~

Harry couldn't sleep that night. Winter Holidays were drawing closer and he dreaded it. Ron wouldn't be staying at school, but would be going to Romania to visit his brother Charlie for the free week. Hermione's plans were much the same although she would be going Spain. Her family had started making summers and Winter Breaks traditional vacation times. It was probably because her parents had become extremely successful. In conclusion, he would be alone at school while his best friends were off on wonderful vacations.

He should be happy for them, though, shouldn't he?

"Well," he muttered to himself, turning over on his side, "at least I don't have to go back to the Dursleys'."

~*~

Sirius sat with his knees pulled up, looking over the wizarding city. A breath escaped his lips and he saw the hazy cloud of warmth soar amid the frigid air. He wrapped the cloak Remus had given him more tightly around him and shivered in spite of himself.

And then his eyes caught sight of two figures. One of them looked up and he could have sworn that their eyes locked. Sirius smiled.

"Would you look at that?" he muttered to himself. His voice trembled slightly for he was so cold. He stood up and transformed.

It wouldn't hurt...

~*~

Remus looked away and to Hallie. "What?" he asked.

She grinned. "Are you tired?" the woman repeated.

He shook his head. "No, just...thinking," he replied. She looked at him in contemplation for a short moment before shrugging. "To Zonko's?" At this, she smiled and nodded. They weaved their way through the crowd. The wizarding city of Hogsmead was filled with bustling parents, shopping for gifts for their children. The holidays were drawing closer and everyone was excited.

"They'd like this!" said Hallie with a bright smile.

Remus turned around and looked at the fountain of sparks coming from the trial fake wand. "Who?"

"Billy and Joey of course!" was the reply.

He grinned. "Oh, of course." She smiled and put the fake wand in his outstretched hand. Remus looked closely and read the gold and red flashing letters upon it: "Weasley Wizard Wheezes". A laugh escaped his lips.

Hallie turned to him from another object she had been inspecting. "Huh?"

He just shook his head. "Nothing. The makers of these fake wands were students I had that one year I tried teaching," he said with a grin. She smiled.

"Oh, right! Those twins! Arthur and Molly's twins! Right?" He nodded in response. After they bought the joke products for the twins, they left for the Three Broomsticks. Feeling watched, Hallie turned around and felt her eyes widen. "Hey, Remus, isn't that your dog?"

The man turned around and smiled in surprise. "Snuffles," he said and reached out a hand. The dog trotted forward. "Uh - Hal, you go on ahead and reserve a table for us, all right?"

She looked at him in question for a moment but then nodded. "All right, see you soon."

Once she was inside, he turned to Sirius who started to pad back to the secluded mountain platform. Remus followed. When they were in private, Sirius transformed back into himself.

"Why'd you leave?" asked Remus at once.

Sirius looked over the edge. "Just needed some fresh air."

"Fresh air?" asked the other in incredulity. Sirius shrugged. "She's not over you, Sirius."

The latter turned to him in surprise. "What?"

"She's not over you. You think she is, but she's not. If you had hung around just a bit longer -," but Sirius cut him off.

"I couldn't, Remus, please try to understand."

His friend nodded and sighed. "What're your plans?"

"Well, I was thinking of maybe stopping by for Christmas..." he said, half asking for permission.

Remus smiled. "Great! I'll expect you then. Good," he said, his smile widening some more. Sirius grinned. "I should go back. Any ideas for excuses?"

"Excuses for what?"

"For my dog Snuffle's absence?"

"Oh, say I needed to be free." Remus rolled his eyes. "Fine, then say I got run over by one of those large Muggle transportation contraptions. What do they call them? Curs." Sirius' friend laughed and waved farewell.

Sirius sat down on his platform and felt his stomach churn in excitement for the upcoming holiday.

~*~

Draco rubbed his eyes and went down the steps. He was paler than usual and he had a slight glow of black under his eyes.

Once downstairs, he saw Gayle stand up. He coldly brushed past her, but knew she would follow. "Good morning to you too."

He sighed and turned to face her. "You're the reason why I can't sleep, why can't you just leave me alone?"

She looked at him calmly. "Because you've been avoiding me. We need to talk."

His thoughts roamed to those he had the previous night. "All right. Do you want to do it now?"

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Now?"

He rolled his eyes heavenward. "Wake up, do you want to talk now?" She nodded and he led the way to the library. Not many people went there. He took a seat and leaned back against the backing of it. "What do we need to talk about?"

Now that she had the chance, she didn't know what to say. "Well, I-I need your help," she said after a short moment.

Draco closed his eyes and shook his head. "The Ritual? This is what you wanted to talk to me about this whole time? I thought we established the fact that it was inevitable."

He was rather shocked to find that she looked distressed. "I-I know it is, but not in the way you think. Keilan just - he went about it the wrong way."

"Oh?" said Draco, amused. "The wrong way?" The boy nodded. "Yes, I agree. The result was that he died. That's what you mean isn't it?"

Gayle pursed her lips. "Why are you joking about him? I thought you cared."

He smiled coldly. "Well you were wrong. I don't."

Once again, he was surprised at her reaction. She looked near tears. "Why is it so important that I help you?" he finally wondered in a defeated tone.

"Because you - you're the only other person who I know won't stand for being what they want you to be. You'll become what you want and not whatever someone else says you should be." She looked at him straight in the eyes. "I know you don't want to be a Death Eater, I know it."

He smirked infuriatingly. "Oh? And how do you know that?"

Gayle smiled. "When I last saw you, before your father took you away from Training, you looked so happy..."

"That doesn't mean anything. You obviously remember what we went through, you're still in it. It didn't mean anything."

"That's not what I meant," she replied softly. "I know why you were so happy to leave. It wasn't just to get away from the curses and all that, but because you thought you didn't have to Train anymore."

Draco shook his head. "You're assuming too much, Gayle. I could turn you in right now and they'd kill you for what you're thinking. They beat on us when we thought of it back then, but now? They'll do worse."

She looked at him with wide eyes. "You wouldn't turn me in," she whispered. "I know you wouldn't."

He stood up and looked down at her. "Wouldn't I?"

She too stood. "Draco, you're not like that, I know you aren't. You're different from the rest of them. You're like Keilan and me - I just know it. I could see it in you when you were ten years old and..." she looked at him closely, but then he looked away. Because he averted his gaze, he didn't see the smile that sprang onto her face, "and I see it now too," she ended in a whisper.

He looked up at her with a cold expression. "Don't come near me again, Gayle Avery, or I'm going to turn you in."

With that, he turned and walked away.

~*~

The Winter Holidays were drawing closer and everyone was excited to leave...all that is but Harry. He looked over at Hermione who was flipping through more books, trying to find out about the Ritual, but to no avail.

"Why is this so important?" he asked finally.

Ron looked up from his book. "Yeah, why am I stuck doing this?"

"Because I want you too. Besides, I'm helping you pass potions, remember?" was Hermione's reply. Ron's eyebrows shot up.

"Since when did you become Miss Attitude?" he muttered. Hermione hid a grin behind her hand and with her other, swatted at him.

"Stupid cat!" yelled a voice a short distance away. Harry looked over and saw a familiar boy tugging his cat along by the tail. "Joey, will you help me please? It was your idea."

The other boy put on his glasses and then grinned at what he saw. "And you wonder why Mr. Black keeps running away?" he wondered with a laugh. Hermione looked up from her book.

Billy looked up. "Mum told you not to call him that!"

Joey rolled his eyes. "It's not illegal. Jeez, Billy-boy, I really don't know why you and Mum are so afraid of the name! It's just that! A name!"

Billy shrugged. "I don't know, but if it distresses her so much, I was just thinking that you shouldn't say it."

Finally, his brother heaved a defeated sigh. "Fine, I won't say it in front of her. But she's not here now, so stop annoying me."

Mr. Black scratched him. "Ow! Dog!" yelled Billy.

Joey laughed. "Perfect name for him, 'Dog'."

Billy grinned. "Hurry and get the solution, will you?" The other boy searched through his bag and produced a small corked vial. It was the strangest color - it really didn't have just one color at all, really. First it was blue - then green...

Joey smiled and walked over to the black cat. Mr. Black greeted him with a front of claws. The boy shouted in surprise and stumbled backwards. "Billy!"

"Dog! It was Dog's fault, not mine!" came the reply.

"Tranquilize him!"

"What? With what!"

"You're a wizard, think!"

Harry looked at Hermione. "Sounds familiar, doesn't it?" She grinned back rather sheepishly for she, too, recounted the adventure in their first year where she was extremely stressed about how to burn a plant without matches.

"Oh - er, right," said Billy, producing his wand while desperately trying to keep hold of his cat's tail. After Dog/Mr. Black keeled over in a deep slumber, Joey sighed and advanced, though still rather cautiously.

He looked at Billy with wide eyes, and then to the vile. "Will it work?" he wondered.

The other boy stared at the vile. "Er - yeah...we followed the directions perfectly, didn't we?"

"Um - yes, but-but what if they - er - didn't give us the right directions?" Joey looked at his brother. "Would you mind it too much if Mr. Black - er - died?"

"What!"

"It was just a question." A pause. "I was just kidding, Billy," added Joey.

"I'm sure." He held out a hand and Joey gave him the vial. "Actually, you do it. Dog's not your pet."

Joey scrunched up his face and took back the vial and looked down at the cat. "Okay, three..."

"...Two..." He lifted slightly tilted the potion, but suddenly...

BANG

The vial slipped from his fingers and smashed onto the ground. Billy ran over and picked up his cat and stared at the spot where the potion continued to spread. Both he and Joey both backed away and stared as the floor started to change colors. The potion liquidized the portion of floor it was on. Then, it started to sizzle and all that was left in the end, was a tiny brown stone.

~*~

Draco sat in his common room, finishing up a Potions essay due the next day. Suddenly, someone stepped through the portrait hole. He quickly looked down at his homework again when he saw who it was.

"Draco," gasped Gayle. She was breathing heavily and looked as if she had run quite a distance. He ignored her. "Draco, I-I know you said not to talk to you or - or you'd," she swallowed, "but they're here!"

He looked up at this. "What? Who's here?"

"They are! The Inner Circle! And him! I don't know - I don't know how - but-but they - Draco they're going to -," but he stood up.

"Gayle, what're they doing here? Did you-"

"No! I didn't! I don't want to - remember?" She looked around. "Draco, we've got to run, we have to hide. They must be coming after me! I know it! We have to hide!"

He took hold of her shoulders. "Calm down," he said.

She closed her eyes and pulled away. "We have to get out of here," she whispered.

"I doubt they're going after you," he told her. There was an explosion a way away and she looked up.

"How would you know that?"

He smiled infuriatingly. "You've already forgotten all we've learned in Training?"

She pursed her lips. "If they're not coming after me, then who're they after?" she asked.

"My, my, you are the self-centered one..." replied Draco. "They're probably after Dumbledore and the Mudbloods. In any case, I think you'd better hide anyway." With that, he turned and left her there.

Draco wondered why he was going to do what he was, but somehow, he felt it was because he was starting to make a decision.

~*~

"Oh..." said the twins simultaneously.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron would have been amazed at what the potion did, but they were staring at the door.

There, Draco stood breathing somewhat heavily. He walked in and on the way, composed himself. Ron glared at him furiously. "What do you want, Malfoy," he asked in a malicious tone.

Draco looked at them without expression. "Better hide her," he said, gesturing to Hermione who looked surprised. "Hogwarts is under attack."

Billy and Joey looked up at him. "Attack?"

"Hogwarts is under attack?"

Draco turned to look at them. "That's what I said, wasn't it?" He turned to go, but then stopped in hesitation. He looked at Harry. The black-headed boy could tell that Draco had conflicting emotions by the shadows that passed over his face. "And Potter," he added, "you'd better hide too. I'm guessing they'll be looking for your oh so famous hide as well." And that was when he left.

They looked at each other in surprise.

"It's a trick," said Ron. "Hogwarts isn't under attack, he's just saying that to make a fool of us."

But Harry and Hermione caught the tone in his voice. It seemed as if Ron had believed their enemy as well as they. His words were just consolations for what they knew was true.

"Come on," said Harry. Hermione followed and Ron turned around.

"Come on, you two, we'd better get out of here," he told them.

Joey and Billy looked at one another and quickly followed. Joey put the subdued Mr. Black in his bag.

~*~

Draco was walking casually down the hallway when the screams started. He stopped for a moment and turned around and was just in time to see the group exiting the library. And then he saw it.

BANG

The flash of light erupted into blistering flames. He turned to run away, but something nagged inside him. Sighing in aggravation, he went back down the hallway but saw another figure get there before him. He went behind the one-eyed witch statue.

"Don't come any closer," said Gayle in a trembling voice.

The person lowered her hood. "Gayle, just what do you think your doing?" asked Lynnette in a bored tone. "Get out of my way."

"N-No."

"Do as I say, you foolish girl. For this you will be punished and if you do not move this instant, you will be in worse shape than you would be in."

Gayle looked behind her where the Potter boy and little friends stood. "I - Lynette, I can't."

The older woman brandished her wand and looked at the girl with an amused smile. "Am I hearing you right?"

"Yes, you-you are."

Lynette sighed. "I had such high hopes for you," she said, looking dramatically depressed. "Oh well, I suppose I can't get everything I want, can I?" She laughed and opened her mouth to speak but Draco was one step ahead of her.

"Stupify!" he yelled. Immediately, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Joey, and Billy had their wands out as well and did likewise. The Death Eaters and Lynnette were out cold just as Professor Tyson, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, arrived.

She took one look at the stunned Death Eaters and fainted clean away.

Gayle walked over to Draco. "You - you made your decision then," she whispered softly, her eyes glittering with tears. He saw a strange look in her eyes. It was as if she was sad that he had decided on something, afraid even...but then there was that sparkle of admiration there as well.

He looked down at her. "Yeah, I guess I did," he repeated in just as soft a voice. She hugged him tightly and felt the wetness of her tears through his robes. As he hugged her back, he had the feeling that he had made a larger decision than he had thought.