Tears in Heaven

Tears In Heaven

Chapter Twelve - Contemporary Dreams

"Oh, Ron, please. Malfoy? Honestly!" said Hermione as she quickly ate her dinner. He watched her in consternation. "You know how Seamus and Dean are. They love winding you up." She put her fork down with a clang and stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Anyway, tell Harry when he gets here that I'm in the library, all right?"

He frowned at her. "At the -," but she cut him off with a curt nod.

"Yes - the library," she said then turned on her heels and left.

Ron was left watching after her with a slight scowl. When he turned back to his dinner, it was piled high with sprouts. He turned to glare at Seamus who was grinning and Dean who was puckering his lips.

"Don't be sour, Ron," said Seamus with an innocent smile.

"Stop that," Ron said and swatted at the both of them. They laughed. "Look, Malfoy's right over there and he's..." but he trailed off. The blond-headed boy was standing up and making his way out.

"Snog session with Malfoy about to take place!" exclaimed Seamus with a laugh. Ron's ears turned pink as he watched the other boy go.

~*~

Draco got up and walked out into the hall. There, he saw Emery Blake waiting. The other boy looked around to make sure no one else was near. "Well?" asked Draco.

"I'm leaving," said Emery softly. He met the older boy's eyes, then averted his gaze once more.

"No one can touch you here, Emery. You know Dumbledore," said Draco.

Emery shook his head. "No, I - I can't stay. He'll come after me. I spoke to Gayle a few days ago and she says she'll help me." Draco frowned at him. "She's not with them either anymore, Draco. She's been helping me all along."

"She has?" asked Draco, his expressionless façade slipped because of his surprise. The other boy nodded. Draco ran a hand through his hair. "I'm still not sure running away is your best choice, Emery. They'll chase after you and sooner or later he's going to catch up with you."

Emery nodded. "I - I know," he whispered. "I just - I just can't stay here. He's coming, I can feel it - and I just can't stay here. Just waiting for him to come after me is bad enough, but when he gets here..."

"It's the same thing if you leave. You'll be on the run your whole life. There must be some way to face him," said Draco, his face expressionless once again. Emery looked up at him, his light hazel eyes had dark eye-bags beneath them and his light brown hair streaked with blond was a mess. He seemed to look at the older boy with a sense of admiration as one would a mentor.

"If there is, I haven't thought of it yet," replied Emery softly.

Draco sighed. "Just wait for a day or two, all right? I'll look into some things and talk to some people. I don't like the idea of you going off on your own so soon."

Emery looked up at him, his eyes strangely bright. "You haven't acted like this in a long time, Draco," he said in a quiet voice.

The blond headed boy rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I know, and I should stop. You know how they get."

The other boy nodded. "I'd better go, Malfoy," he said, then left with a last grin of gratitude. Then, Emery went back into the Great Hall and Malfoy to the Slytherin common room.

Emery went back to his table. Tye grinned at him. "You seem better - did Mrs. Pomfrey fix you up?"

The other boy nodded. "Yeah, it was just some symptoms of the flu. I'm a cured man," he said with a smile. He noticed Joey's gaze on him. His friend's eyes seemed strangely frigid towards him. He looked away. Did Joey suspect him? Did the other boy know his secret? It was hard to tell. "So, what's our first class?"

~*~

Harry walked in and sat down next to Ron. The redheaded boy looked at him, a half disbelieving and a half-angry expression upon his face. "What?" Harry wondered.

Seamus said, "Hermione and Malfoy are snogging."

Harry made a face and threw a fried potato piece at him. "That's sick," he said. "Besides, there's Malfoy now." He nodded towards the blond boy walking in.

Ron swatted the heads of both Dean and Seamus, a grin upon his face. "Ha - me thinks thou art a revolting pair," he sniffed, a mock dignified air around him. Harry grinned and shook his head.

Dean suddenly hit Seamus' shoulder and pointed. The other boy broke out into laughter. "Ah, Ronnikins, look who just followed Malfoy in!" Ron wheeled around in his chair to see Hermione coming forward. His mouth hung open in surprise and his eyes bore the look of a kicked puppy.

Harry patted his shoulder. "Don't assume things, Ron," he warned.

Hermione came over and leaned in to say something into Harry's ear. Harry shot a look at Ron, then stood up. "Uh, gotta go for a minute, guys," he said and left with her.

"Score for Harry Potter!" said Dean with a laugh. Ron shot him the look of death and he shut him mouth with a snap.

~*~

Sirius bolted to the door, but Nor, who was surprisingly fast, cut him off. "I think it would be better if I answered the door because of your - er - fame," he said gently. The other man looked worriedly to the door, then, with a faint 'pop', transformed into his dog form. Nor turned and opened the door.

Remus stepped in hurriedly with a thankful nod to Nor. He then laid Hallie down carefully upon the couch. Nor closed the door and Sirius transformed back. He rushed to Hallie's side and hugged her limp form. "Oh, God," he whispered. He closed his eyes and exhaled the breath he had been unconsciously holding.

It seemed like Sirius had held her for only a few seconds before Remus was saying his name. His friend's voice seemed to come from a distance and when he looked up, both Nor and Remus were looking at him worriedly. Sirius pulled away from Hallie and let her lie gently upon the couch. He brushed her hair away from her face and saw her cheeks were rosy. He felt her head and felt slight warmth. His heart skipped a beat and fluttered with hope. Warm was a great deal better than ice cold.

"Sirius," Remus repeated again. He ventured a step forward and saw Sirius' head shoot up. "I think - I think maybe you should eat something," he said. Sirius blinked at him blankly. "Do you want me to cook something for you?" Remus' eyes clouded over in concern when Sirius didn't respond.

The raven-haired man blinked rapidly and shook his head as if he was in his canine form and shaking off water from his fur. "What?" said Sirius. He ran a hand through his hair and gazed at Remus questioningly.

Remus forced a smile. "I'm going to cook you something," he told his friend. Sirius opened his mouth to speak but Remus went on. "And don't tell me you aren't hungry. You're weak with malnutrition and I won't take no for an answer. So tell me what you want to eat."

Sirius sighed. "Remus, I..." but he trailed off when he looked up at the other man whose face bore the expression of determination. "Anything - I - I'll eat anything," he finished softly. Remus nodded and walked off to the kitchen.

Nor looked at Sirius who was shifted his position so he could lie down next to Hallie and said, "I'll be in the guestroom." Sirius nodded absently and Nor quickly ascended the staircase to his room. There, he prepared the fire.

...

"I'm finding my way back to sanity again

Though I don't really know what I'm gonna do when I get there

I take a breath and hold on tight

Spin around one more time

And gracefully fall back to the arms of grace.

Cause I am hanging on every word you're saying

Even if you don't wanna speak tonight

That's all right, all right with me

Cause I want nothing more than to sit outside heaven's door

And listen to you breathing

It's where I wanna be, yeah

Where I wanna be."

Sirius leaned his head against Hallie's feeling her soft hair brush his cheek. He kissed her temple and closed his eyes with another sigh. He hummed to her softly and ran his fingers through her hair.

"I'm looking past the shadows in my mind into the truth

And I'm trying to identify the voices in my head

God wish won't you

Let me feel one more time what if feels like to feel

And break these calluses off me one more time.

Cause I am hanging on every word you're saying

Even if you don't wanna speak tonight

That's all right, all right with me

Cause I want nothing more than to sit outside of your door

And listen to you breathing

It's where I wanna be, yeah."

He pulled her closer and kissed her cheek. He sang softly to her, willing her to come back to him. She was warm against him and he could feel her breathing. He could feel her heart beat against his chest and felt tears sting his eyes.

"Oh I don't want a thing from you

Bet you're tired of me waiting for

The scraps to fall off of your table to the ground

La da da da...

Cause I just wanna be here now

Cause I am hanging on every word you're saying

Even if you don't wanna speak tonight

That's all right, all right with me

Cause I want nothing more than to sit outside heaven's door

And listen to you breathing

It's where I wanna be, yeah

Where I wanna be."

Sirius felt her stir slightly his eyes widened. "Hallie?" he whispered, his voice filled wretchedly with hope. She stirred again and her eyes fluttered open. He gently set her in a sitting position against him.

She tilted her head back to look at him and her eyes were glazed with sleep. He brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. Her vision seemed to clear and the obtruding haze left her gaze letting him easily see the sapphire blue eyes he dreamed about and loved. "Sirius," she whispered. He kissed her cheek and saw a single drop fall from the side of her eye. She gasped suddenly and twisted in his grasp.

"Hallie," he said again, his voice dripping with the fear that ate at his heart. She pushed against him as if trying to free herself from his grasp and he held her tighter. "Hallie, it's me, it's me Sirius." Her eyes glazed over and rolled to the back of her head. She fell limp again. "Hallie," Sirius whispered once more. She made no response. He kissed her cheek and buried his face in her hair. "I love you."

"Cause I am hanging on every word you're saying

Even if you don't wanna speak tonight

That's all right, all right with me

Cause I want nothing more than to sit outside heaven's door

And listen to you breathing

It's where I wanna be, yeah

Where I wanna be."

Courtesy to Lifehouse for "Breathing"

~*~

Gayle gulped. "Hi, Joey. Can I talk to you for a moment?" she wondered, trying to gain her composure.

He looked at her with a strange expression, then turned to Bella. "I'll - um, I'll see you in the common room, okay?" he said. She nodded and after looking at Gayle once more, she went on her way. Joey followed Gayle down the hall. When they got to an empty corridor a distance away from the Great Hall, he stopped. "What is it you needed to talk to me about?"

Gayle sighed. "I need you to give me that stone - the one you entrapped Lynette in," she told him.

Joey ran a hand through his hair and Gayle noticed in slight amusement that it seemed permanently fixated in the position that his hands left it in. "So you're the one who knew about that," he said, fixing his sapphire blue eyes upon her. His gaze was so open and innocent that she had to look away. There seemed to be a restrained ember of anger in his sapphire blue orbs.

"Maybe," she said softly. When she looked up at him again, he was still looking at her intently. "It's important that I get her back."

He looked at her for a moment more before sighing. "Come on." The forth year boy led her around Hogwarts. She had never known the school was so huge - it was like walking in a maze. Every so often, she'd turn around to make sure they weren't being followed for it seemed like she was walking in the mythical underground labyrinth.

Joey stopped suddenly in the middle of a hallway. There, it was dim - like the corridors of the dungeons. The walls were covered with paintings as if this place was to store extra works of art. They were clearly underground, but far from the dungeons.

"Can I ask you something?" he wondered. When she nodded for him to go on, he said, "Why are you here? I mean, you're not here to go to school at all - that much is obvious."

Gayle's eyebrows shot up. "Obvious?" He shrugged. "Well I..." but she trailed off. What was there to say? How could she answer this question? - And Joey Forester was asking her this? "I really can't answer that, Joey," she replied after a moment.

He frowned. "I have another question for you. Do you know and Emery Blake?" he asked.

She felt her eyes widen slightly. "Blake? Is that what he's calling himself n-," but she cut herself off and shut her eyes tightly. "Blast," she muttered and stomped her foot upon the ground in frustration. All that accomplished was that the heel of her shoe broke off. She cursed again and brandished her wand. "Reparo," she chanted and soon her shoe was good as new. When she looked up, she saw the other boy looking at her with a deeper frown than before. "What?"

"You mean that's not his real name?" he inquired.

"When did he move here?" she countered.

"Well, just this year actually," he replied. She nodded. "Why?"

She looked at him carefully. "Why were you asking?"

He ran his hand through his coal black hair. "Emery's one of my best friends you see and...well, something - something happened to him a while ago. I'm not sure what it was, but one night he was - crying about something. His blankets slipped from him and there were bruises and such all over him."

Gayle said, "Perhaps he was abused," but her voice held an undertone of guarding.

Joey shook his head. "That's not the important part." She looked at him expectantly. "Well, see, there was a black serpent on his chest - it looked burnt on him."

"Joey..." she said impatiently.

"I was wondering if you knew why he was branded." She looked at him sharply and he looked calmly back. "I want to know who's hurting him and why. I want to know what part he has with your group."

She felt her cheeks flush. "My group?"

He nodded and raised his chin defiantly. "Yes, your group. You know the one I'm talking about."

To her humiliation, she felt tears burn in her eyes. "You might as well accuse me of being a Death Eater outright, Joey Forester," she said in a carefully controlled voice despite her tears. "None of you know a bloody thing and you shouldn't jump to conclusions. You think all Slytherins are Death Eaters here. It's as plain as that. All of you wizards in this place are so damned biased about everything."

Joey glared at her. "Don't we have a right to be? I'd bet that it was someone close to you that branded Emery like that! And those placed in the Slytherin house were justly done so - the Sorting Hat never makes mistakes. Almost every Slytherin has turned out to be on the Dark Side - doesn't that give the rest of us reason to suspect?"

"Sure, I never said you didn't have the right to suspect - I meant you don't have the right to do it so openly. There were many Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs who turned out on the Dark side - hell, even some Gryffindors, the brave and loyal ones! But that doesn't mean a thing, does it?"

"Name some Death Eaters from other houses, then," he said, his eyes glittering coldly.

She saw the look in his eyes and took a step back, turning her gaze away from his. "You tricked me," she said softly. His eyes widened a bit. "I - I thought you were better than that." She looked back at him and her emerald colored eyes burned with a fire inside. He took a step back from her as if afraid she might curse him. "Maybe the Slytherins have a right to detest all of the other houses - doesn't seem like the Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, or Gryffindors even try to hide their suspicions. If, let's say, Draco Malfoy was to be a Gryffindor, you would 'know' that he's all right just as you 'knew' that he was bad when you found he was a Slytherin."

Joey scowled. "You're accusing me of being prejudiced against Slytherins."

She looked just as coldly back. "If the shoe fits..."

"Well, introduce me to a Slytherin who's even the least bit nice then! If you can't back up your accusations, then I suggest -," but she cut him off.

"I can back up my accusations," she snapped. "Why haven't you been speaking with Emery lately? You connected his brand with the Death Eaters and completely abandoned him. You saw him just walking in with Draco this morning and thought - 'uh oh, talking with the bad guy - he must be no good!' I bet you didn't even consider what his life must be like! Yes, all right, his father is in that league but did you ever think that maybe - offspring of these 'monsters of Voldemort's' may not want the life their parents lead? Some people - some people don't have a choice." She looked up and met his gaze squarely. "Opinionated, biased, narrow-minded - call it whatever you like, it's prejudice."

Joey positively shook with fury. "Who do you think you are, marching right into our school like you own the place? You started the whole mess here. You're the one who told the Dark Lord about that Death Eater hag Lynette. Just look at what happened to Billy! Did you see what became of him? It was all your fault! Luckily whatever bloody got him that way wore off - he's fine now, but no thanks to you!" Gayle was looking at him strangely now. Billy was better? Since when? Joey turned away from her and to a painting nearby.

"Joey," started the knight in the painting, but the boy flipped it around and reached inside the hole behind it. He fumbled his hand inside it and soon pulled out a stone.

He pushed it at Gayle with a scowl. "There, take her back - I don't want to have anything to do with you or her or any of your kind again!" he yelled and marched away.

She watched after him with conflicting feelings, then looked at the hunter green rock in her hand. After a moment, she sighed and made her way back to the Slytherin common room.

~*~

"So...Ron," said Dean cautiously after a moment. The other boy slowly turned a questioning gaze to him. Dean looked at Seamus.

"Umm...when's your birthday again?" wondered Seamus, a bright smile plastered upon his face.

Ron's expression darkened. "Two days."

Dean patted his shoulder. "Oh - ah - you sound excited," he said with a slight smile.

"Oh blast!" exclaimed a voice nearby. The three boys turned to look at Neville who sat beside Seamus.

"What is it?" asked Dean, looking past his friend at the round faced boy.

Neville stared remorsefully at his remembrall in which red clouds swirled. "I've forgotten something again." He glared at it and held his hand back but Seamus pulled the item from his hand. "Hey!"

"I've never seen you angry before," retorted the other boy.

The plump boy shrugged and stared down at his plate. "Well, I've never had so many detentions in my life."

Ron tried to restrain a grin. "Was it Snape?"

When Neville nodded, Dean said, "Because you melted your fifth cauldron?"

"Yes, but you're forgetting that the potion exploded all over him and three other students. They'll have boils for a few days," replied Neville gravely.

Seamus grinned. "You didn't seem to get hit with the boils though," he said.

Neville shook his head. "Well, when you're used to things blowing up in your face, you know when to run."

~*~

Joey trudged up to the Gryffindor common room and sat down upon the couch. It was only a few minutes later when Tye, Billy, and Emery walked in. "Where'd you go?' asked Tye, plopping down beside him.

"Just walked around the halls," he said nonchalantly with a shrug. "Billy, can I talk to you in our dorm for a minute?"

His brother looked at him carefully for a moment before nodding. They went upstairs where they sat on their adjacent beds. "What's up?" asked Billy.

Joey took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I'm going home."

Billy's brows shot up. "Dumbledore gave you permission?" he wondered incredulously.

The other boy shook his head. "No."

"Then how..."

"I've got a broom," was the curt response.

Billy blinked at him. "A broom."

"Do you not understand English?"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you going? You'll get expelled."

Joey's expression turned into a slight scowl. "They can't expel me for going home to my sick mother can they?" he asked bitterly.

"Uncle Remus -," but he got cut off.

"thinks we're children," Joey finished. "You know how he is - he'll never tell us anything straight!"

Billy shook his head. "Joey, I don't know about this. I think you should just owl Uncle." Joey shook his head stubbornly and opened his mouth to speak, but Billy went on. "He can tell you how Mum is. If she's better already, then there'll be no use for you to go home. Besides, Easter Holidays are coming up soon. We'll be able to go home."

The latter looked away thoughtfully. Finally, he stood up. "I'm going to owl him right now," he said, and left the room. Billy sighed and followed him downstairs.

Joey waved a quick farewell to the other boys then went to the owlery. There, he pulled a piece of parchment from his bag along with a quill and a bottle of ink.

Dear Uncle Remus,

How's everything at home? Is Mum okay? Please owl back right away, I want to go home.

Love,

Joey

He tied the note to one of the barn owl's legs and sent it off with a slight shove. The owl snapped at him in indignation then flew out the window. He turned and went back to his dormitory feeling as if some of the weight had been taken from his shoulders.

~*~

Lucius shed his black cloak and threw it at Wormtail. "This is your fault!" he yelled. "How could you let her get away!"

Peter drew backwards but his scowl was steady. "I wasn't in charge of this mission, if you remember correctly. It was you. Besides, I was only on the outer party. Snape and Rosier were the ones who were supposed to make sure no one would take her away."

The blond headed man stood before Wormtail breathing heavily and silently counting to ten in his head. Finally, he straightened his robes and turned away. He approached the lounge of Slytherin Castle and pushed the double doors open with a bang. He pointed his wand at Evan Rosier. "Mr. Ian McLowe," he said sarcastically.

The latter stood up with an air of indifference. Evan's hair was a light brown with a touch of blond highlights and his eyes were a tranquil blue. His last assignment was to make sure that Hallie Forester's visitor was captured. He had failed. Taken by surprise, he had been stunned. It had been Severus who had recovered and brought the both of them back to Slytherin Castle. "It's Evan Rosier," he said with a spark of anger lighting up in his eyes. He held himself in check however, for no one ever crossed Lucius without a fee.

Lucius motioned him to come forward with a cool smirk. "You might as well stay Ian McLowe - your failure was a complete catastrophe! Not only did we not get our victim, but let the girl slip right through our fingers. Who is the one at fault?" Evan held his tongue. "You! But who is the one who has to deal with the Dark Lord? Me!" He muttered under his breath and Evan fell jerking and twisting to the floor screaming with pain.

An owl flew through the open door and pecked at Lucius' robes. He swatted at it with one hand but missed. It went for his hair and he broke of the Torture Curse. He pulled the small package from its leg and sent it off.

Lucius ~

Here's your precious stone. Don't ever contact me again.

Gayle

A cruel smile lit Lucius' face. He opened the package and saw the hunter green stone in the depths of the foam. "Snape," he said. Severus stood up. Lucius handed the stone to him. "Make sure you find a way to fix Lynette within the next 24 hours." He next turned to Evan who lay on the floor gasping. "Rosier, you had better think up a better way to lure in the victim within half an hour. I'll be back." Lucius then turned and left the room amid the stares of the other Death Eaters.

~*~

Remus came out with a bowl of soup and saw Sirius holding Hallie's unconscious form close to him. The man's hand was draped lightly over his eyes and the other around his ex-fiancée. Remus placed the bowl on the table and quietly made his way to the steps, intending to go to his room and leave Sirius to sleep, when suddenly, his friend said, "I've been thinking."

Remus turned back around to look at him. Sirius dropped his hand from his face and looked up at Remus with bloodshot eyes. "What have you been thinking?"

"I think you're right."

"About what?"

Sirius sighed. "Maybe they are after me. I've no idea why they would be, but the put the curse on her when I left, didn't they?"

Remus didn't say a word, wondering where this was leading. He saw Sirius' eyes fill with more tears but the other man blinked them away. The outcome was that the fell down his cheeks in blistering trails.

"She was right - I shouldn't have left. If - if I hadn't, then maybe - maybe she -," but he got cut off.

"Sirius, don't start."

The raven-haired man looked at him indignantly. The brightness of his eyes seemed more pronounced than ever. "Don't start what?"

Remus just shook his head with a sigh. "I'm going to get some rest. I suggest you get some too, all right, Padfoot?" he said gently. Sirius nodded but didn't move from his spot.

~*~

Nor stared deeply into the fire. His thoughts were out of order. "Surprise me," he muttered to the fire, his pale blue eyes glazing over into the haze of a trance.

...

Troy reached over and picked up the sword. Its tip was crimson with blood - his blood, and when he looked up, he saw Marianna staring at him with a mixed expression of relief and horror. "Troy," she whispered, half questioningly.

He stood up slowly; he looked at the sword again and touched its tip. The slightest prick took him from his amazed state and back to realty as a bead of blood swelled on his fingertip. "Yes, it's me," he said. His voice was soft and he saw that the sword was trembling - no, he was. As if burned, he dropped it and stepped away. His movement seemed to spark Marianna to life for she suddenly ran into his awaiting embrace. He held her tightly, as if holding her so would take away some of the shock bestowed when the sword fell from his pierced chest. "The - the legends are true then," breathed Troy, his eyes alight with wonder.

Mari mumbled incoherently into his robes and he felt the wetness of her tears touch his skin through the material he wore. He kissed her forehead and rubbed her back. They stood that way for a short while before she pulled back. "Troy - oh, Troy - what happened?"

He smiled and tenderly brushed a few locks of her curly brown hair away from her face. "I willed myself to live - to live for Serpise, my mother...for you - and look at me now." His smile broadened and he gathered his fiancée in his arms and swung her around. "We're unstoppable now, Mari - you and I! Uncle will be free in no time at all, Mum will be as well and you and I can be together with no obstacle at all!"

Marianna found it hard not to share his jovial feelings and extreme enthusiasm. She soon found herself smiling despite the recent occurrence. He pulled her to him again and laughed. "We'll be together forever, won't we, Troy?" she said, raising her eyes to his.

Troy smiled down at her and with the tone of impregnable boyish confidence said, "Always and forever." He brought his lips down on hers and felt a shiver of shock run through him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he felt his heart flutter when he felt a smile on her lips. Once they parted, he smiled again and held onto her hand. "What do you say about heading to Slytherin Castle?" he asked.

She smiled. "I say it sounds marvellous."

...

Draco stood up with a start and rubbed his eyes. He blinked rapidly, still staring at the fire, but the vision of a young man who resembled Harry Potter and the young woman he was with was gone. He shook his head and decided to go back up to his dormitory for extra sleep. I'm losing it, he thought absently as he made his way up the steps.

~*~

The next morning, Joey awoke early and decided to finish the homework he had procrastinated the previous night. He threw back the curtains of his four-poster bed and saw Emery's across from it. The other boy's curtains too were pulled back and on the bed rested a half-packed trunk. With a frown, Joey left the dormitory and went down the steps to see his friend sitting in the armchair before the fire.

Emery looked up and smiled at his friend. "Hi, Joey - what're you doing up so early?"

Joey smiled though it felt a bit strained. "I should ask you the same thing," he said. "I actually couldn't fall asleep anymore so I came down here to finish that Herbology essay due after lunch." Emery grinned and nodded, holding up his own piece of parchment. Joey laughed. "I was just wondering, why is your trunk half-packed?"

Emery knocked over his inkbottle and cursed. He fixed it within a moment and looked up at Joey, rather flushed. "Oh, I'm - I'm just head start packing for Holiday Easter," he said quickly. He immediately slapped a hand to his forehead and muttered another curse under his breath as Joey looked at him in amusement. "I'm just getting a head start in packing for the Easter Hols," he mumbled after a moment.

"Oh...k," said Joey.

Emery avoided his gaze and began to busy himself with gathering up his things. "Uh, as much as I should like to finish up this Herbology essay now, Joey, I think I'll just head upstairs. I - um, I'm feeling a bit tired suddenly."

Joey nodded and Emery hurriedly made his way to the steps. "You could always come home with me and Billy if you're afraid of your father," said Joey.

Emery dropped his things and whipped around to stare at Joey. "What? What did you say?"

Joey shrugged nonchalantly. "I said you could always come home with Billy and me - if you're afraid of your father."

The other boy had paled noticeably and Joey noticed that his friend's hands were shaking. "I - I - why would you say something like that?" asked Emery with a slight tremor in his voice.

"Say something like what?" asked Joey with a confused frown. "It's the truth isn't it?" Emery took a step back and stumbled on the steps. He landed on his rump. Joey walked towards him a few steps. "Hey, are you okay?" he wondered, the picture of perfect innocence.

"Joey - who - who did you -," but he got cut off.

"Emery, what was that run-in your father had with Draco Malfoy's father?" Joey inquired. Emery's eyes widened. His mouth opened and closed as if he was trying to speak, but no sounds would come out. "Emery, Emery, I know I've been a cold shoulder to you recently, and I'm sorry. You're one of my best friends and just because I had a little nasty suspicion is no reason to throw away a perfectly good friendship. You can tell me anything, you know."

"I - I -," but Emery shut his mouth with a snap. His face was still pale and the tremble was still in his voice. His curly blond hair seemed rather more like a mess upon his head than was usual.

Joey sighed and a small smile escaped him. "Emery, I'm sorry for startling you."

"No, no, it's not that - I - well, yes, you did actually startle me," said Emery with a nervous laugh. Joey held out a hand and the other boy took it with slight hesitation. Joey noticed that the hand he held shook ever so slightly.

"I think we need to talk," said Joey softly.

Emery, who had been avoiding his eye, shot a quick glance up at him, then nodded. He reclaimed his position on the armchair before the fire while Joey pulled up a chair to sit close by. Emery ran a hand through his curly blond hair and rubbed his green eyes. "Where did you want to start?" he asked, exhaling a relieved sort of sigh.

Joey smiled at his friend. He saw the lines of despair upon the boy's forehead and wondered if they were after all very his close - yet apparently not so close - friend had been through. He berated himself about not noticing the worried glances that Emery seemed to do every so often as if afraid someone was lurking about - just waiting for a chance to jump at him. Perhaps it was just at Emery's moment of nervousness that kept him so tense, but Joey couldn't be sure. "Emery, I - I had a rather strange conversation with someone and...what exactly is going on? I really hadn't noticed before, but you really are a nervous sort of person. First that black serpent that brands you -" and here, Emery unconsciously put a defensive hand to his chest, where under the robes, the brand lay - "and then I saw you talking with Malfoy." Joey pronounced the name with an undertone of disgust and saw Emery's eyes light up suddenly with an ember of anger. He paused and looked at his friend in contemplation. "You really aren't against him at all - are you?"

Emery lowered his gaze for a moment, then looked up again. "Well, I suppose since we're doing confessions, I'll say no - I'm not. You don't even know him, Joey," said Emery in quiet tone.

"He hasn't really given me, let alone anyone else, a chance though, has he?"

"We have our reasons." Emery's voice was now dipping to an almost inaudible tone.

"We?" asked Joey with a bewildered frown.

Emery raised his gaze to his friends and steadied it defiantly. "Well, you don't really know me either, do you, Joey?" Joey opened his mouth to reply but found that he had no objection to the accusation. Emery dropped his intent gaze and ran a hand through the mass of untidy curls atop his head. "It's isn't you, Joe, or the others - I made sure you didn't. Don't blame yourself." And, coincidentally, Joey had been doing that exact thing.

"What's with Malfoy then?" wondered Joey after a short moment.

"He's been helping me out a bit is all. It's - it's just a pretense that he keeps up."

"It's very convincing," muttered Joey under his breath, and Emery laughed. Joey sighed. "He's helping you with your father then?"

Emery lowered his gaze. "Yeah - uh, I was actually thinking of - of not going home over the Easter Hols."

"But your trunk...?"

"Um - I was planning on - on leaving all together actually," said Emery in a soft voice.

Joey looked at him carefully. "You mean you planning on running away?"

When Emery looked up at last, his cheeks held a rosy tinge. "Yes, I suppose."

"Oh, Emery! You can't run away! If you're dreading seeing him for the Holidays, it'll be the same thing if you're running from him! You'll just be dreading him the rest of your life if you down own up!" exclaimed Joey.

Emery's blush deepened but he smiled a small smile. "That's what Draco said." Joey paled. "Funny, isn't it?" he asked with a soft laugh.

"No, I actually find that frightening," replied Joey. Emery laughed again. "So - so he's trying to help you with your father...you - you're friends with him then?"

"Yes," said Emery quietly but in quite a firm way.

"What was that black serpent on your chest that we saw that one night?" a voice called into the room. Both Joey and Emery shot up in their seats and turned to see Billy nudge Tye in the ribs with his elbow. The other boy doubled over. "Ow," he said, shooting a glare at the raven-haired boy.

"How - how long have you been there?" asked Emery with a suddenly very nervous voice once again.

"Not long," said Billy reassuringly.

"Most of the time," said Tye simultaneously with a slight shrug. Billy scowled at him and hit him in the ribs again. "Billy!" exclaimed Tye as he hit him on the back of the head.

Billy fell forward with a laugh. He rolled over on his stomach to look up at his friend. "That wasn't very nice," he said with a mock pout.

Tye's scowl didn't abate. "You hit me first." He paused. "And second," he added. After another moment, he sighed as he rolled his eyes heavenward and held out a hand to Billy who took it with a good-natured grin. They turned to the other two boys.

"So what about that serpent?" wondered Billy after a long moment of silence.

"I - I actually don't know about that," said Emery softly. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment and humiliation for now others knew about him.

"It just showed up suddenly?" asked Joey.

Emery shrugged and the rest took it as assent. "I know it sure hurt as hell though," he said, his voice only above a whisper.

His friends broke into laughter and despite his down feelings, a smile lit his face. Joey's grin was bright and jovial as he patted his friend on the back. This was more like the Emery he knew. "Come on, you lot - to breakfast. I'm famished!" he exclaimed.

"You guys are great friends, you know," said Emery, his cheeks flushing again because of his heart felt remark. Tye nudged him with his own shoulder and laughed.

Billy shook his heads. "No, we're best friends," he said matter-of-factly. "See, friends bail you out of jail."

Joey nodded his head in agreement. "But we're best friends, see, and best friends are the ones sitting beside you saying, 'Damn, that was fun!'"

Their laughter rang in the corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - another generation of Marauders was born.