Tears in Heaven

Tears In Heaven

Chapter Five

Hallie did her best at bringing Billy over to the couch. "Sirius!" she screamed. He raced out and caught sight of the boy on the couch. His heart started pounding.

Billy, he thought. The boy was deathly pale and his coal black hair fell in wisps around his face. His breathing was shallow and labored. His robes, earlier so new and refined, were now mud caked and torn to rags. Where there were slashes in his clothes, bruises and scratches could be seen.

Instead of just Sirius coming, Harry, Joey, and Remus came as well. Joey's eyes widened when he saw his brother. "Billy!" he pushed past the other two in his haste to get to his twin. "Billy!" He turned to Hallie, his eyes glimmering with worry. "Mum," he started. She hugged him tightly before fetching her wand from nearby table.

"Enervate," she muttered and in moments, Billy was blinking his eyes open. The first thing he saw was his mother. Tears came to his eyes.

"Mum," he started and coughed. She kissed his forehead and his cheeks and he saw that tears were streaming down her own. "Mum - they wanted - they wanted-," but she hugged him to her gently yet tightly.

"Shh, honey, it's okay, it's okay now. You're home."

* * * * *

Draco slowed his running to a stop and bent over, his hands on his knees. He stood like that for quite a time, trying to catch his breath and think about what it was he just did.

Did he really help Billy Forester? The Gryffindor?

He shook his head as if trying to clear his thoughts, though he was really trying to shake his conscience. The conscience he had wasn't the type that everyone else had. Mostly everyone had the kind inside that when wrongdoing was done, their conscience would nag at them - telling them that they shouldn't have done it.

Draco's conscience, however, was the opposite.

After growing up with learning to destruct and demolish, his heart had supposedly frozen over - and it should have been. But now, it seemed as if it was slowly warming over...and he didn't know why.

His conscience was nagging at him, not because he did something wrong, but because he did something good...something very uncharacteristic for Draco Malfoy - he never felt bad for doing something wrong, but now that he did something good...well, he was feeling worse for wear. His father had set that code within him - Draco was supposed to be pure evil, like the 'master'. As he had said before to Gayle, he was born to become another Death Eater - a model Death Eater.

He shivered unexpectedly and suddenly snapped back into reality. It wasn't even cold outside, but the thought of what his father would do to him when he got home made a cold sweat break out upon his forehead. He ran a hand through his silver/blond hair and walked home slowly, dreading what was waiting for him.

As he trudged along, he was amazed at how far he ran with Billy. It was quite a distance from his manor to the Forester mansion. When his home came into view, he wondered now how he could have ever considered it so. 'Home'...that was such a comfortable word, yet the one he associated with the residence before him was more like 'forbidden castle.'

Before he even set one foot upon the grounds of the manor, the door slammed open and there stood Lucius Malfoy, his expression unreadable and uncannily calm. Draco knew from experience what that seemingly serene expression meant - his father was livid with rage.

Without a thought or moment of hesitation, Draco turned on his heel and bolted away, racing for his life - and it was exactly so. He didn't look back but felt the eyes of Lucius boring through him and soon, he was far away. He passed the Forester mansion and sighed, absently wondering if the kid was all right.

He walked on and pulled his cloak tighter around himself and walked on without half a clue of where he was headed.

* * * * *

Severus Snape sat in the living room, looking around tentatively. He heard footsteps and looked towards the staircase where he saw the Avery girl advancing towards him. She stopped a few yards away from him.

He stood up and looked at her coldly. "You did extremely well with your last assignment," he said, his eyes narrowed towards her. Inside, he felt a pang of compassion for the young Malfoy who had failed the first part of his Ritual.

Severus had expected the girl to smirk with arrogance, but was surprised when she bowed her head down in shame. "I know," she whispered. When she looked up again, her eyes were brimmed with tears. "Is he back yet?"

He knew whom she meant. As if on cue, the front door slammed and a bright stream of curses became louder as Lucius came in. "He ran," growled the man. "He just turned and fled."

Severus held his tongue but was surprised when Gayle voiced what he refrained from saying. "Did you expect him to return?" she wondered softly, a sarcastic undertone in her voice. Lucius rounded on her with an intense glare that she met with one of her own. "You and the rest - you're all the same so I know I'm speaking with truth. After all you've done to him, did you really expect Draco to come back home and face you? He's had enough experience with your wrath to know what would happen if he did. Can you truthfully say you didn't expect him to run?"

Lucius hand snapped out and he hit her across the face. "I don't know why the Master even tries with you, you ungrateful whelp. You're a complete disgrace."

She wiped the blood that dripped down her chin from a cut on her lip. Slowly she stood to smirk at him sardonically. "Just telling it how it is," she replied coolly and Severus' brows almost disappeared on his forehead.

The man looked at her expressionlessly. "Come your Ritual, I'm going to fail you - that's telling it how it is," sneered the man. Severus noticed her turn white as a sheet and her smirk fall from her face. "Now, as for your assignment..."

* * * * *

Billy lay in his bed upstairs and Joey never left his side. All the time they had been apart, it was as if a part of him had been taken away as well. The pain was intense and though it was somewhat bearable, Joey would not let himself be struck in such a way again.

He held his brother's hand lightly and watched the boy sleep. The thought of losing his twin forever had not even occurred to him, but he knew the chance was there, and it was high. Now that Billy was home, however, Joey knew they'd be safe. Nothing would harm them ever again - Hallie and Remus would never let it happen.

He felt a presence and said, "Hi," in a soft tone. Hallie came forward and he looked up at her.

She smiled lightly and he noticed that it had lost its brilliant light. Only the night before had her smile lit the room, yet now, it seemed to dim it a bit because of her sadness. Joey wondered how she could look so calm and whether she was hiding something again. He was used to her doing it.

Hallie took a seat next to him and he studied her expression. She noticed and touched his cheek gently. "I'm fine, Joey," she said quietly. He hugged her affectionately. She laughed. "Isn't it supposed to be me who's comforting you?"

He just grinned. "No, you're getting too old." She made a strangled sound and looked at him, her jaw hanging loosely. He laughed and hugged her around the shoulders. "Just kidding, Mum."

"Dear," she said looking at him with narrowed eyes, "it'll be you who gets it worse when I hit my midlife crisis."

"You're not old, Mum," said a voice, and it wasn't Joey's. Hallie and Joey both turned to look at Billy, but he looked asleep. Slowly, however, he blinked his eyes open and turned to look at them, amusement twinkling in his sapphire orbs. "Joey's a prat."

Joey looked at Hallie to see if she noticed the certain wall behind Billy's eyes, but she was smiling with such happiness that he somehow knew didn't see it - or didn't want to. He wanted to know why there seemed to be a cold front emanating from Billy, but pushed the thought to the back of his mind.

Joey opened his mouth with a frown, but thought the better of it. "Billy, I won't reply to that because you're a helpless gimp at the moment," he said loftily. This was responded by warm laughter. Joey squeezed his brother's hand in which he still held. "It's good to have you back."

Billy closed his eyes and smiled. "It's good to be back."

* * * * *

Sirius felt a smile tug at the edge of his lips as he watched the little family reunion in Billy's room. Those were his sons in there, and he - ex? - fiancée. He saw a smile light her face and was suddenly lost in memories.

Flashback:

"I command that you kill him! Now do as I say!"

"NO!" She started to tremble with her effort to control herself. "I won't! Leave me alone!" As if on instinct, Sirius marched over and pulled her into an embrace. She shook violently. "I won't!"

All at once, the fire cackled again and turned to the color of midnight. Rogue shrieked wildly as if being tortured and was pulled towards the fire. "No! NO!" he screamed. His voice was sharp as knives. And then he was in the fire. It seemed to devour him and smoke rose into the chimney. The flames flickered and turned back to their normal array of oranges, reds, and yellows.

Sirius rubbed Hallie's back like his mother did to him when he was younger. "It's alright now, it's all over," he whispered. "It's over now." He felt her tears drain into his robes and felt a soft wind swirl by. Soon after, her sobs slowed and she looked up at him.

"Is he gone?" He smiled comfortingly and nodded.

"He's gone." Many expressions passed on her face. Confusion, relief, happiness, fright, and most of all, drowsiness. She sighed and buried her head into his shoulder. He helped her back to the girls' dormitory. She lay down on her bed and put her head onto her periwinkle pillow. The girl closed her eyes and he stood up to leave.

"You saved my life," Hallie whispered. He turned back around and sat at the edge of her bed. He smiled genuinely down at her.

"That's what friends are for." She smiled back at him. He kissed her forehead gently. "Sleep well, Hallie." He stood and walked out of the room. She pulled her pillow to her.

"Goodnight, Sirius, and thank you."

End of Flashback

He remembered that day very well. It was the first time in all his years knowing Hallie that he had really begun to care about her - or had found out he did. That night when Rogue, the demon called upon Salazar Slytherin to find Hallie's half of the Alloy Child, was vanquished, he saw such helplessness in her that she had always tried to lock away. This small part of her seemed to show him that she, though she used to try and hide it, really was in need of someone. Now that he thought about it, Sirius never knew how Rogue was truly defeated. He shook his head and tried to keep in mind to ask Hallie about it.

Sirius also remembered when he and Hallie were kidnapped and taken to Slytherin Castle.

Flashback:

"As I've told your worthless good fer naught servant, I do not have any part of the Alloy Child," she told him sternly. Salazar laughed. It was like silver bells ringing angelically.

"All right, child, I believe you. You may go." She looked at him with raised brows.

"Just like that?" He grinned.

"Just like that." She still looked at him suspiciously.

"You're not going to do anything to stop me?"

"Nothing at all." She shrugged.

"Wow. Ok then, good bye." She took hold of Sirius' arm. As calm as she sounded, he could tell she was trembling with fear at how tightly she gripped his hand. The man stopped them with his arm.

"But the boy stays."

Hallie did a double take. "I - I beg your pardon?" she stammered. "But - he - he can't stay."

At this, the master smiled. It showed all his pearly teeth. "Yes, he can, and until I have the silver half of the Alloy Child in my possession, he stays in this dungeon."

"But - but, sir, you don't understand -"

He interrupted her. "I never said I needed to understand a thing. But he stays. Now go before I change my mind." He stood and watched her.

She turned to look at Sirius with wide eyes. "I - I can't believe what I'm going to do," she said breathlessly. "I hate myself for this."

He looked at her with a glint in his black eyes. "Go on, Hallie, I'll be fine."

She put her hands over her face and turned to the master and servant. She mumbled something incoherently. "What was that, child? All right, go on, the door is open for you." She looked up with bright sapphire eyes.

"You didn't hear what I said. I'm not going without Sirius."

End of Flashback

This was when he knew she cared for him as well. He had really thought that he knew Hallie through in through that year at Hogwarts - he thought that she would leave, but in the end, she stayed with him. Sirius smiled at the thought.

Flashback:

"Go ahead, ask him," said Hallie to her best friend.

Lily looked at her and her face broke in a grin. "This again? This is why you pulled me away from my work?" she asked.

"Yes, now ask."

With a sigh Lily said, "James, where's Sirius?" James, who was now very shy when Lily was around blushed and pointed to where the other boy sat, crouched.

Sirius jumped up and looked at Hallie with a look. "That's cheating!" he proclaimed. The other girl smiled and ran to tackle him

.

"Where'd you put it?" she demanded. He just smiled secretively. She squirmed on him to pull out her wand. "Tell me or I'll turn you into a periwinkle pillow."

Sirius' eyebrows shot up. "A periwinkle pillow?" he asked incredulously. And then he laughed as he said "You can't turn me into a-," but she had. He was now a periwinkle pillow. Lily gasped and James fell off his bed from laughing so hard.

"Hallie, you change him back right now!" yelled Lily with wide eyes. Hallie looked at her and then to the pillow that was Sirius.

"I like him that way," she said. Picking it up, she laughed. "He's so soft as a pillow!" This made James laugh all the more. He was laughing so hard that he was gasping for breath. Hallie hugged the pillow and Lily glared at her.

"Change him back now!" repeated Lily.

With a sigh, Hallie did as was told. Sirius became Sirius again and stood before her blinking dazedly. She patted his shoulder and then scrunched her face up. "I liked him so much more when he was a pillow." At this, he seemed to wake up.

"Pillow? You actually turned me into a pillow?" he shouted.

"You were very soft," she told him with a sweet smile. His eyes widened and with a stunned expression upon his face, he turned and left the room. She laughed and turned to James who was sitting on his bed now and clutching a cramp on his side but he was still laughing.

End of Flashback

Sirius almost blushed at the memory. He had realized his crush on her that year and her turning him into a periwinkle pillow and her proclamation of him being soft didn't help. He couldn't sleep that night.

The remembrance of Lily and James brought the tickling sensation at the back of his eyes. A small lump arose in his throat as he thought of them.

There were so many memories that had been locked away that were now surging back in his mind. Whenever one came back to him, he saw the scene play back and a feeling of warmth would wash through his body.

He sighed and felt contentment at just watching Hallie, Billy, and Joey talk quietly. He saw her say something quite serious to Joey, and the boy laughed and hugged her. Something in him was wistful and regretful.

What would life have been like if he hadn't gone to Azkaban? Though he hated to ask this question, he still couldn't help but wonder all the same. Would he have married Hallie? Would he have been there to raise Billy and Joey?

Billy and Joey...his sons.

How long had Hallie been pregnant before he went to Azkaban? And why hadn't she told him? He watched her for a while before deciding that he would ask her later on.

A hand came down on his shoulder and he jumped slightly, turning around to see whom it was. Remus was there smiling at him. There seemed to be an understanding between them, as their eyes met and held for the shortest moment. Sirius smiled back and turned to look into the room again but saw Hallie in the doorway, looking up at him.

"Sirius?" she said. He smiled at her softly and she smiled back. She touched his arm gently. "What're you doing out here?"

"Oh - I - I was just looking to see if Billy was all right," he replied. He saw Hallie's face brighten in a grin he had seen so many times in their years at school and a little afterwards. She took his hand in hers and tried to pull him into the room. Sirius' eyes widened and he shook his head. "Hallie, really - you don't have to -," but she touched his cheek tenderly.

"Sirius, what are you afraid of?" she whispered. He swallowed and took a careful glance into the room to see the twins conversing. She looked at him in silent contemplation and then pulled him into the room.

"Hallie," he said in a low voice.

Both Joey and Billy looked to see their mother hauling in Sirius. Billy's eyes widen and Joey felt him tense by the frigid movement in his hand. The boy took a deep intake of breath and Joey looked at him. "Calm down, Billy-boy," said Joey reassuringly.

Hallie stopped at the foot of his bed with Sirius' hand in hers. She swallowed noticeably. "Billy," she started but he closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Not now," he whispered. He shook his head. "Mum, not now!" He fought off Joey's grip on his hand and glared at Hallie with such ferocity that she took a step back, dropping Sirius' hand. "Just go away! Leave me alone!" he yelled.

Her eyes were clouded over with concern and she went towards him. "Billy-"

He glared at her all the more. "Get away from me! Go away! I hate you! I hate you!" he screamed at her. Her eyes widened. When she just stood there staring at him, Billy sat up in his bed. "Leave me alone! Go away! Go away!"

By this time, Remus came in and looked from Sirius, to Hallie, and then to Billy who sat, tears streaming down his face and eyes burning with a sudden fever. It seemed as if the room was slowly filling with a dark shadow and even the sun outside seemed to dim.

Joey tried to grab Billy's hand saying, "Billy - Billy, calm down," but his brother just pushed him away.

"Get out!" yelled Billy with desperation and rage dripping in his voice. Hallie looked at him once and then ran out past Remus. Joey watched her with wide eyes and then looked to Billy who pulled his knees to his chest and was sobbing into his arms. Sirius looked at the boys, then to Remus, and then he ran out of the room trailing Hallie. She sat on the steps in much the same position as Billy was.

Sirius took a seat beside her and she looked up at him. Tears brimmed in her eyes but did not fall. He pulled her into a comforting embrace and she silently wrapped her arms around his neck. Gently, he rubbed her back and muttered sweet words of comfort into her ear, holding her tenderly. She buried her head into his chest and he kissed her hair.

He didn't know what had just happened, and he didn't know what to say. The mood had suddenly changed and he felt a deep pained feeling of guilt flow into his heart. He knew he was the cause of Billy's outburst, but he wondered why. No, he knew.

It was because he was Sirius Black.

* * * * *

Remus met Joey's eyes and nodded. He slowly left the room.

Once he did, Joey looked at his brother and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder to find that Billy was shaking. "Billy," whispered Joey. "Billy, what did they do to you?"

The other boy shook his head. "Don't, Joey, don't." Joey sighed. He looked up and met his brother's eyes to see grim determination and extreme bewilderment in their depths.

"You've never acted like this before. Never," was the reply. There was a soft 'meow' nearby, and Mr. Black/Dog leapt onto the bed and into Billy's arms. "And especially not to Mum, it's always me who blows up at her." Billy's eyes filled and he looked away. "Look at me, Bill, it's me - Joey. We're twins. You can tell me anything, you know that."

The other boy shook his head and seemed extremely interested in petting his black cat. "You wouldn't understand," said Billy softly. When he looked up again, his eyes had that wall up blocking his brother from reading anything within them. "You should leave."

Joey's eyes widened slightly and Billy saw a glimmer of hurt arise in them. "Billy-," he started.

"Just go."

With a scowl, Joey stood up, looking at Billy in anger. It was easier to get mad rather than get hurt. "Fine," he snapped and walked out.

He saw Hallie sitting at the top of the staircase with Sirius and when he slammed the door of Billy's room shut, they both jumped up to look at him. Hallie's eyes seemed to be pleading with him and he walked over to hug her. She seemed a bit shocked at first, as if it was the aftermath of what had just happened, but soon, her arms encircled him.

"I don't know what's wrong with him, Mum. He won't talk to me, and he always does, no matter what. He always tells me everything," he muttered.

She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed his forehead. "Don't worry, honey, we'll find out what's wrong," she said.

He looked up at her and by the flittering shadows of sadness and grim determination that flashed by her face, he knew she spoke the truth.

* * * * *

Harry sat up slowly rubbing his eyes. The sun was shining brightly, even through the curtains and he knew he had overslept. He hadn't slept so soundly before quickly got dressed. He then left his room and went downstairs. It seemed pretty much empty but then he saw Joey sitting on the couch with his Transfiguration book in hand.

Joey looked up and grinned when he walked into the living room. "Hey," said the young boy. "'Morning."

Harry smiled back. "I didn't know it was so late," he replied. "Where's Sirius and everybody else?"

"Mum and Sirius are in the kitchen," replied Joey. "Uncle Remus is out on 'business'." Harry laughed and started towards the kitchen. "Oh, I wouldn't go in there just yet," said Joey with a glint of mischief in his eyes.

Harry raised a brow. "Why?"

The other boy shrugged. "No reason. Go on in if you like," he said in a forced casual voice. Harry noted the laughing undertone, but went in anyway.

Joey watched him stop abruptly and turn back around. He laughed outright at his friend's surprised expression. "Oh," said Harry.

"That's what I said," he replied with a bright grin.

* * * * *

Sirius stepped into the kitchen after showering and saw Hallie frying something over the stove. A slight stream of smoke hovered at the roof of the kitchen. He smiled. "So you finally learned how to cook?" he wondered in a teasing tone.

She looked over and rolled her eyes towards him. "Does it look like it?" she asked in a sarcastic tone. He peeked over her shoulder and the remnants of something that looked like bacon. His laughter was cut short when she swatted at him with the spatula.

Clearing his throat, he looked at her with an apologetic and innocent expression. "Do forgive me, Hal," he said sweetly. She just grinned and tossed the bacon into the trashcan. The pan, she dropped into the sink and let the water run onto it. "I guess that was a no, then, wasn't it?" She didn't answer but kept on washing the pan. "Did Remus teach you?"

She nodded. "No, but he did try."

"And none of it stuck?"

"Nope, not a one," she replied and he could hear the smile in her voice. She paused. "But maybe I was waiting for someone else to teach me."

He bit back a smile and enveloped her in a big bear hug. "That's nice - we never did finish lessons." She leaned her head back on his chest and closed her eyes. Sirius turned off the sink and kissed her forehead. "There was something I've been meaning to ask you," he told her quietly. As if she noticed the serious tone in his voice, she opened her eyes and turned around in his arms to look at him clearly.

"What is it?"

He didn't say anything for quite some time, but studied her face in contemplation. Hallie thought he wasn't going to reply, but soon he said, "It's about Joey and Billy." A rosy tinge arose on her cheeks, but she held his gaze. "Why didn't you tell me?" he whispered. At the intensity of his look towards her, she couldn't help but look away and step back. He touched her cheek and she shivered as if remembering something long ago. "Didn't I have a right to know?"

"Of course you did, Sirius," she said quietly. "But it was rough then." She looked up at him, her eyes pleading for understanding. "I was a spoiled eighteen year old girl whose pregnancy tests were showing up positive. I was afraid, Sirius, and I wasn't even married yet! Just out of school...and - and everything falling apart with Voldemort gaining power...it couldn't have been a worse time! I tried to tell you - heaven knows I've come close many times. I was going to tell you, I swear I was. At - at the ball, I was going to...but then you had to leave."

His eyebrows rose and he looked away. "I'm sorry about that, Hallie," he said.

She swallowed and shook her head. "No - no don't be. I understand and, and you had a good basis for leaving. I was just...kind of in denial I guess. I was afraid. And then when - when you got sent off to - to Azkaban," she swallowed once more, "I didn't know what to do. I wanted to tell you then most of all; I didn't want you to leave. I would have stayed with you, Sirius, I wanted to, I didn't care where we were." He saw her eyes brighten with tears and held her in his arms gently, running his fingers through her hair. She put her arms around his neck and closed her eyes letting the blistering drops fall. "I couldn't stand to tell you when - when you might not ever - ever get out of there...They wouldn't let me see you after that day. Remus - he helped me, he tried to make them let me see you, but they didn't understand and wouldn't allow it." Hallie looked up at him.

"He knew - Remus did - he knew something was wrong with me. I got sick, really sick. It was morning sickness and he took me to the hospital even though I told him I was fine. He - he took care of me. It was only us left, you know, and - and we had to stick together. It was so scary, Sirius, it was. I didn't know much about babies except what Lily and James taught me. Remus understood and he moved in. He was a great friend; I don't know what I'd do without him. The twins were born and...Remus helped me raise them. He was so great about everything. It was okay after that. We kind of - kind of got used to the idea of being alone. People thought - they thought Remus and I were - well, that we were together." She looked at Sirius with something like guilt. "I - we - we didn't correct them."

He nodded in understanding. "It would have been easier if they didn't know. I understand."

She shook her head. "But, Sirius - Sirius I still loved you, you know that right?" Her tone was pleading and desperate that he was surprised. Did she think he didn't know? He thought about her even as the dementors' powers were having their slow effect on him. "I loved you still and I waited, and Remus - he even helped me try and get the Azkaban officials to let me see you, but no matter what we did - or said, they wouldn't let me."

He held her close and kissed her forehead like he used to. She smiled up at him though a thoughtful frown appeared on her face. "But Remus...you know, I don't think I'll ever understand him. He's done so much for me and - and Joey and Billy...we've never done anything for him. And plus his - I know you know," she said with a lopsided grin, "with his condition every month, he still wouldn't let anything bring him down. He had it worse than any of us I think - losing his friends and everything that has happened to him over the years...it was hard for him to get a job too, no one wanted a werewolf working with them." She shook her head. "I hated all the people that turned him down. I hated them. Remus is the most wonderful person in the world and they always turned him down just because of what he was..." He saw her smile ruefully at him. "I can't believe I never found out until he moved in."

"You should have seen how everything was here, Sirius, you would have loved it. Total chaos." He laughed softly which made her smile brighten. "He didn't want me to find out, you know. He tried to hide it - didn't want me to end up being like everyone else he had met that knew about him...except you and James and P - you were the only ones who understood him. Well, anyway, that's what happened after - after you - er - left."

Sirius looked down at her quizzically and she saw his eyes dancing. Hallie had thought that her childhood feeling of weak knees and stomachs filled of butterflies were over, but when Sirius looked at her the way he did then...she was a young woman again. He knees gave out and he caught her with a dazzling smile. Her arms were still wrapped around his neck and when he touched her cheek, she felt something flutter inside her.

He cocked his head side ways to look into her eyes and felt himself drowning within the sapphire depths - just as he used to. The smile never left his face as he bent his head towards her and their lips met in a kiss. He held her to him tightly in a warm embrace and felt her arms about him.

Sirius felt as if his smile would never leave his face and that the serene feeling within him would last forever. The sorrow that had built inside him and locked away all the happiness he had gained in life slowly started to fade. He knew that things would be righted soon.

* * * * *

Gayle closed her eyes for a brief moment before slipping on her cloak and slinging her rucksack on her shoulder. With a deep breath, she leapt out of the window and landed gracefully onto the ground. After glancing around her for any sign of Death Eaters, she raced down the street. Later, after about thirty minutes of running, she slowed to a stop and brandished her wand into the air. "Descriesha Desiate," she muttered and her wand shot a flash of silver sparks towards the northwest.

She shook her head with a sad smile. "Draco, Draco, Draco...where do you think you're going?" she whispered into the night. She raced on without seeming to exert herself and soon, she found herself in Diagon Alley after numerous times of repeated the direction spell. With one last incantation, she stepped into the Leaky Cauldron. She saw Draco seated at one of the tables with his head in his hands. Her insides turned with guilt and she walked towards him without a sound.

As she pulled up a chair he said, "I hope you don't planning on staying here long."

"Why?" she asked back, looking at him carefully.

He stood up and looked at her with an intense glare. "Because I'm leaving." Then he turned on his heel and marched away.

Though he dreaded it, as he expected she was by his side in a moment. "Draco - Draco please listen to me," she said, trying to keep a calm tone but he heard the tremble in it.

"Why should I?" he wondered, continuing up the steps.

"I - I was wrong, even for Owen, I shouldn't have betrayed you. You're my friend," she told him. She knew the vulnerability she was letting herself fall into, but she had to make him understand. It was a matter of life or death - and not her own.

Draco stopped suddenly and laughed. She nearly walked headlong into him, but stopped in time. "Friend? You're my friend?" He shook his head and looked at her with amusement dancing in his eyes. "Gayle, I thought you were smarter than that." She lowered her gaze. "We were all forced to like one another." His legendary smirk was upon his face. "And to tell you the truth? I didn't like you from the start. You walked and talked as if you owned the world - yeah, I probably acted the same, but Iwas acting. You? You were just being yourself. I hate you." He put his finger under her chin and lifted so that he was looking down into her eyes. "Now, go run along home to Lucius and Voldemort."

Gayle watched him turn abruptly and stroll down the hall and into his room with a strange feeling in her heart. She had never felt it before, but now that it was there she thought she would never get rid of it. It even hurt to breath and keeping tears back was now near impossible.

She turned around and went to sit down at a table. Her thoughts were jumbled and she tried desperately to sort them out. For a long time she sat there, and after a while - she didn't know how long - she stood up with a new expression of grim determination. As it was, it wasn't only her life on the line.

At the counter sat Tom - the innkeeper - and she greeted him with a bright smile that had been perfected after many years of practice. "I'd like a room please."

* * * * *

Remus came down the steps and saw Harry and Joey talking about quidditch. "Hello, boys," he said with a smile. They looked up at him. "Where's Hallie? I need to talk to her." The two students looked at one another with repressed grins. Remus' eyes narrowed. "What?"

Joey cleared his throat and pointed to the kitchen. "They're in there." Remus looked at him suspiciously but went in anyway. Harry gave him another look and the boy shrugged with a big grin. "He's an oldie, nothing he hasn't seen before right?"

"Oh!" was the proclamation heard. Their attention went over to Remus who had stopped in the doorway. He was backing out slowly with his hands raised in defense.

"Oh, Remus, must you always interrupt?" asked Sirius with a tone of amusement in his voice.

Remus' hands fell to his sides. "Well excuse me," he retorted. Then he grinned. "Actually, Joey and Harry saw you first, I was just the first one to make a sound."

Hallie blushed and buried her head into Sirius shoulder making Remus laugh. Sirius patted her head. "Are you all that embarrassed to be seen with me, Hal?" She looked at him with a raised brow. "There were times when -"

SLAP

"Sirius!"

"Ok, ow."

Remus looked curious. "There were times when...?" Hallie glowered at him and he sighed. "Fine, don't tell me."

"So sorry, Moony, you know how girls are," said Sirius with his Marauder grin. Remus felt his heart lift at seeing it and the solemn feeling that had grown within him was slowly dissipating. Sirius' comment earned him a punch on the arm that he laughed at. "Hallie, you're a weakling," he told her affectionately. She glared at him all the more and he smiled sweetly at her. Hallie returned his smile and brandished her wand. He raised his brow at her. "What, are you going to curse me?"

Her smile brightened and she shook her head. "No." She paused. "Actually, yeah. Peridone Shaminkle!"