Night-Timing

The house was dark. Not one light on, no candles lit, not even the glow of a cigarette lighter. It was pitch black and totally silent except for the breathing of one man as he slept.

This small town was completely normal, eerily so. The streets were lined with elm and maple trees and sensible family cars were parked in the driveways of all the cookie-cutter homes.

The town was normal, but this man, this man was different. He was a magical man but you couldn't tell by looking at him. He'd seen things, done things, and was a thing that most people would have deemed impossible. But he was. He definitely was a magical man.

The man lay in his large bed wearing only his boxer and a sheet to cover him. The silence of the night was broken by his moans, and by his tossing and turning in bed.

He turned and tossed for a few minutes with an expression of pure pain on his sweat soaked face. Flailing his arms and legs he tried to escape from the images that haunted him in his sleep. He gave a sudden yelp and his eyes snapped open.

He lay there in the dark and heavy silence trying to calm his breathing. He stretched his hearing as far as he could and sniffed the air to make sure nothing was amiss.

Finally satisfied in his solitude he rolled onto his side and curled into a ball. He knew he couldn't stop the tears and as they fell down his cheeks he accepted that he was a coward.

"Now, now, we all know that you are nowhere near to being a coward, don't we."

He froze in mid-sob and listened, unsure whether he was hearing things or not. He heard only the rustle of clothes and he could smell nothing but his own tears. He looked up and gaped at the sight that met his eyes.

"Oh, don't look so stunned, I'm sure you've seen weirder, love," the voice said. He actually smiled at this, how could he not smile at her? Standing in his bedroom was a most magical entity. She was a young girl; he guessed she was no more than twenty years old, only a few years younger than him. Wearing a floor length cloak in crimson, she had a pretty face with dark eyes. Her hair was shoulder length and the darkest brown but she was still unlike any girl he'd ever seen. She was like a faded portrait brought to life, he knew she wasn't alive but knew she wasn't a ghost. Not as transparent as a ghost, you could still make out her colors and she didn't float like ghosts. She walked across his floor to sit next to him on his bed.

Smiling still she spoke again, "This may be surprising but I have my reasons for being here."

"Why are you here?" he finally stopped gaping and look her over again. He had a feeling she was a good guy and not out to do him in. Many others were, but she wasn't one of them.

Laughing at little at him she sighed. "I'm here because you need me. Don't you?"

Confused he asked, "I don't even know you, why would I need you?"

Frowning she stood and folded her arms. "Now isn't that a good question?" She paced for a minute looking thoughtful then turned to him.

"Well I can't honestly tell you the complete truth but I will tell you this," she sat again at his side, "You are going to go through some rough times, very rough," her eyes were wet as she continued, "It won't be easy but I'm here to help you out. As much as I can."

He sat up and pulled the sheet so it covered him. He suddenly felt very stupid because she'd seen him crying like a baby when he was a full-grown man.

"You're going to help me?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," she nodded, "and I want you to know that you have no reason to feel stupid."

Shocked he looked into her eyes. "Can you read my mind?" he asked with wide eyes. "That's the second time you've said something I was thinking."

"No, I cannot read your mind," he noted how quickly her emotions changed as she glared at him and continued, "but I can sense emotions. Guilt, anger and embarrassment are easily sensed. Also I was told a lot about you and I know you were feeling a coward about now."

The fury in her eyes shocked him. "Why are you angry with me?"

Waving her arms as if to wave off the question she replied, "I'm not angry with you, I just can't believe you'd think you're a coward. Its ridiculous really."

He blushed. "How do you know so much about me?"

"Don't worry," she giggled, the mood shifting again, "I haven't been sneaking through your underwear drawer or anything."

"That's a relief." He sighed.

"Anyways, back to business." The girl folded her hands. "Tell me about it."

"My nightmare?" The whisper was so quiet he just barely spoke it.

"The nightmare, or is it a memory tonight?" she asked just as quiet.

Shaking his head he looked into her eyes. "It was horrible. But why should I tell you? I don't even know your name."

"Fair enough." She smiled. "Just call me Leo."

"That's pretty, Leo, I'm-"

"I know, but I've never called you by your first name." She smiled shyly.

He laughed, "So what do you call me then? The Pompous Idiot like some of the girls I used to go to school with?"

"No!" Her eyes wide she shook her head. "I'd never call you that!"

"Obviously I don't know you from school then." He chuckled and leaned into the headboard.

"No - wait...you know me?" her face turned white.

Shaking his head he grinned, "I feel like I know you but I know we've never met. Just a gut feeling I'd guess."

"Oh." She visibly relaxed. "Anyways I prefer to call you by your old nickname."

"Which one?" he eyed her suspiciously.

Her cheeks had regained a rosy red as she spoke, "Padfoot. If you don't mind."

He smiled, "No I don't mind."

"That's good."

"So you know a Marauder wherever you're from." He had folded his arms over his chest. She nodded and smiled shyly again. "Won't tell me then?"

"Sorry, can't." She shrugged. He was silent so she figured he'd accepted this and asked him about his nightmare again.

"Fine. Here goes." He sighed and stared into space. "I was dreaming about Death Eaters. They had my family."

"The Blacks?"

He gave a humorless laugh. "No, my real family. James, Lily and Harry, they had Remus too. They had them tied to gravestones and Harry was crying." Leo reached out and touched his hand as the pain became all too real on his face. "I tried to help them but I couldn't get to them. They, the Death Eaters, told me it was my destiny to join them and kept pulling me under. Then I was in a black room and I heard the screams of people being tortured and I could smell them...I could smell the..." He stopped and Leo squeezed his hand.

"You could smell the death all around, couldn't you?" she asked quietly.

He nodded and doubled over leaning his head on his knees. "I wanted to help them, they are all I have, my true family."

"I know Padfoot, I know." Leo patted his head. "You are not a coward because you could not save them in your nightmare."

Her presence was helping ground him but he couldn't help but let a wave of hatred and resentment wash over him.

"What is it Padfoot? Tell me please." Leo felt his hatred and resentment as if it were her own and demanded through gritted teeth.

Padfoot looked up into her eyes, his own filled with shame. "I could feel myself drifting, drifting towards them." He growled more than spoke the words. "I felt myself consider those bastards proposition. I considered betraying my friends and family just so life would be easier. I considered it!"

His fury was so intense that Leo cringed as he growled the last bit. She breathed deep and pulled him closer so she could look him straight in the eyes. With both hands on his shoulders she shook him, as hard as she could. Her tone was unrelenting and her face severe.

"It was a nightmare Padfoot. No more real than the boogey man or the perfect life or the bloody tooth fairy for that matter. It was not real!" she was determined to make him see he was no coward. "Tell me one thing and I'll tell you whether you're a coward or not."

He considered her for a few moments then nodded.

"Would you under any circumstance give up one of your friends, even if you could obtain great amounts of power and recognition if you did so?" she questioned.

His eyes widened in shock and quickly turned to anger. "I would never give up my friends for power, especially to some bloody Death Eater."

Leo's expression turned into a beaming smile. "There you have it. You, Mr. Sirius Black are not a coward." She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "I personally think that you are a noble and great man Padfoot."

Suddenly she checked her watch and jumped up. "Oh boy!"

"What is it?" he asked looking at her watch, which was a large silver and red one with lots of tiny clock faces.

"I've only got about thirty seconds left here." Leo smiled sadly and shrugged. "Wish I had more time but I don't."

Padfoot jumped out of his bed pulling his sheet with him to make sure he was covered. "Will I see you again?"

"If you need me yes."

"Wait! Tell me something first?" he asked and she nodded. "How do you figure I'm a great man?"

She smiled and shook her finger at him. "All I'm going to say is this. I only know of a few adolescent boys who'd go through something as difficult as the Animagus process for a friend, especially because he was a werewolf and kept hurting himself. That's just a great thing to do and I'd like to thank you for it." Leo smiled and checked her watch. "Fifteen," she murmured.

"Who are the other boys you'd know to do that for a friend?" Padfoot asked with his head tipped to one side.

Leo smiled. "One of them you don't know yet, so I won't mention him, but the other you do know. Harry."

Padfoot's eyes widened, "You know Harry? How?"

But she never answered that question. He was starring into an empty room and Leo was no longer with him.

He sat on the edge of his bed and rubbed his eyes. Was she ever really here? Yes he knew she had been there. Would she come back? Now that was a question he couldn't answer.