Free Falling

Two

The Dream

It was two months into my fifth year. I was sitting by myself in the common room, studying for a Potions exam that was coming up the next day. James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were sitting in a corner, talking in low voices and examining a piece of parchment.

My friends had been ignoring me lately. Well, not completely ignoring me, but close enough. I didn't get in on jokes and pranks anymore, they didn't invite me to do things with them in Hogsmeade anymore. Nothing. They were extremely secretive and always whispered things to each other in the hall.

Meanwhile, I took my mum's advice and started dating other guys. I met up a few of them in Hogsmeade and they bought me butterbeers and candy at Honeyduke's Sweet Shop. I swiftly got over James when I realized how much fun I was having.

I was busy writing down the twelve uses for dragon blood when I felt a tap on my shoulder and a soft hooting. I looked up and I saw Ruffles sitting on the back of my chair. He had a note bound to his leg.

"Hi, baby," I said to him. I picked him up and took the note off of his leg. As I was unrolling the parchment, Ruffles flew out the open window.

Dearest Lily,

How are you darling? I'm great. I was wondering if you would like to meet me in the Charms classroom. I'll wait all night if I have to.

All my love,

Howard

Howard Sedan was my current boyfriend. He was a Ravenclaw sixth year that I barely knew, but he was a lot of fun anyway. He was really sweet too. Like sometimes in the hallways, he'd conjure a bouquet of flowers for me. Every once in a while, he would send me an owl and invite me for a midnight snog session in the Charms classroom.

I looked up at the grandfather clock on the other side of the room. It read eleven-thirty. I looked over at where James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were sitting. They looked pretty occupied with whatever they were doing. I fought the urge to yell at them and demand they tell me what they'd been up to lately.

I quietly got out of my chair and started towards the portrait hole.

"Where are you going?" Sirius said. I whirled around to find that the four of them were staring at me.

"What does it matter to you?" I replied, with a bit of venom in my voice.

"It matters to me," Sirius said. "What are you up to?"

"Why don't you tell me what you've been up to lately?" I spat. "I have to tell you everything, and yet, when I ask you what you guys have been up to, you just brush it off like it's no matter. I'm tired of trailing after you four and not being included. I'm out of here!"

"Lily, wait!" I heard Sirius call as I walked through the portrait hole. I also heard Remus state, "Sirius, she's right. Let her go."

I quickly walked to the Charms classroom on the third floor. I checked my watch before entering and went inside the classroom. I found Howard sitting on top of Professor Flitwick's desk.

Glad you could make it," he said with a smile playing across his face. He was a tall sixteen-year-old with sandy blonde hair and green eyes. Of course, my green eyes put his to shame, but his were very exquisite to look into.

"I almost didn't think I could," I said.

"Why's that?"

"The guys were totally ignoring me again. I got your owl and as I was getting up to leave, Sirius asked me what I was up to. Well, I kind of bit back at him and asked him if he'd like to tell me what they'd been up to lately. Howard, I'm tired of them ignoring me. I understand that the four of them are best guy friends, but I am one of their best friends too. They've had things that they didn't want to share with me before, but this is totally out of control. They never talk to me anymore and I hate it."

Howard got off Professor Flitwick's desk and wrapped his arms around me.

"Shh," he said, wiping a tear off my cheek. "I know they're your best friends, but maybe they're going through an awkward stage."

"Howard, we're fifteen years old. Boys should be over the stage where they think girls have cooties."

"You know that's not what I meant. I meant that maybe they're letting hormones get in the way. Maybe they're looking at you as the beautiful woman you are instead of just the girl they used to hang out with. Maybe that makes them think that they're going to make you uncomfortable around them. Lily, don't get hacked off at them, they're-"

"Just being boys, I know, my mother says that all the time." I lifted my head up and kissed Howard on the cheek. "Thanks."

"No problem. Thanks for meeting me here."

"Any time. Why did you want to meet me here, anyway? The usual?"

"Well, at first it was, but now, I see you're distressed, so I think we should say goodnight." He kissed my lips and walked me out the door and to the end of the corridor where we would go different directions to our common rooms.

As I was walking up the stairs to the corridor that would lead me to the entrance to Gryffindor tower, I heard a muffled sneeze.

My heart skipped a beat and I whirled around, looking around the place. I couldn't find hide or hair of anyone. There were just the creepy suits of armor and a few portraits of witches and wizards snoozing lightly in their frames.

Then it hit me.

"Whoever you are under James Potter's Invisibility Cloak, show yourself right now," I spat. One of the boys must have thrown it on and followed me to see where I went. It was something they would do; they were so protective and possessive of me.

"I think it's better this way," said a disembodied voice that belonged to Sirius. "Now you can't hurl hexes at me."

"Sirius Kent Black," I said in my warning voice. "If you don't show yourself this instant, when I see you again, you'll either wish you were never born or you'll wish you could have children."

"Yow," Sirius said. He pulled the Invisibility Cloak off of himself.

"How far have you followed me?" Sirius looked skeptical of telling me the answer. "Don't lie to me, Sirius."

"I didn't see where you went off to. You were gone for half an hour, so ten minutes ago, I said I was going to find you. We crossed paths at the wooden staircase on the fifth floor."

"That's great," I said dryly. "Well, Mr. Black, I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself; you needn't have come after me."

"Lils, we were worried about you."

"Worried about me? How could you be worried about me when you've been avoiding me since the beginning of this year? I don't understand, Sirius. Not once have you or James invited me to a Quidditch practice, and you know I like to watch you guys play Quidditch. And yet, you invite Remus and Peter to every practice. Not one single time this year have you four let me in on a prank. Are we going in separate directions, or have I become a bitch? What? Because I'm really tired of being cast out by my friends. Best friends."

Sirius looked at me with pained eyes.

"Lily, you are our best friend too, but we can't tell you right now. As much as I'd like to, we've been sworn to silence."

"Sworn to silence? Why couldn't I get in on the deal? I can keep silent you know."

"Lils, it's very hard for me to explain right now. When we're ready to tell you, I promise we will."

"Fine," I said, and I started walking away.

"Lils, are you mad at me still?" Sirius said in a sweet tone.

"Mm," I mumbled, I wasn't really, I understood that sometimes guys wanted to do things with their guy buddies, but I wanted Sirius to think differently, and I'm a horrible liar.

Sirius ran up from behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I squealed.

"What was that? Was that a, 'Oh, heck no, Sirius, I think you're the hottest man alive and I want to go snog with you in the prefects bathroom'?" he said in a falsetto voice.

"Ha ha," I said sarcastically, but I had a genuine smile on my face. "I shouldn't forgive you, Sirius."

"But you are?" I sighed resignedly. "Great!" he exclaimed. He kissed me on the cheek and let go of my waist.

As we approached the Fat Lady, Sirius' lopsided grin played across his face. I didn't have much time to wonder what he was thinking of playing at, because as I was stepping through the portrait hole, he slapped me on the butt.

* * *

Austin Perry was at the Reed house having lunch with his Aunt Mattie, Uncle Phillip, and his two cousins, Hannah and Jeffrey. Austin was busy telling Mattie about his job at the Ministry of Magic as an Obliviator. Phillip was sipping tea and watching his ten-year-old son shovel cucumber sandwiches into his mouth.

"I've always wished that I wasn't born a Squib," Mattie said. She looked over at her Muggle husband with watery eyes. That was Mattie's biggest regret: Not being a witch when her three brothers and five sisters were born with magical powers.

"Auntie," Austin said. "It's not what you are, but who you are. Nobody cares that you're a Squib. We love you all the same. Besides, where else could I get amazing, slaved-over cooking? Nowhere else but here."

"I'm not sure that has to do with anything, Austin," Mattie said.

"Well, sure it does. What I mean is that you take the time to cook meals and put your love in them; while my mum just waves a wand," Austin said. "Phil, tell me about your job. I hear you're in a new position."

"Yes, yes," said Phillip, turning away from Jeffrey. "I've been moved up to CEO of the Department of Mysteries."

Phillip had worked as a Muggle police officer for twelve years. A few years back, he got a job doing detective work. And now, he was the boss of the branch. Of course the branch wasn't really called the Department of Mysteries, that's just what he liked to call it. Mattie, Austin, and many other relatives of theirs with magical blood had told him about the Ministry of Magic. He was fascinated that the same line of work he was in was plainly called the Detective Unit; while at the Ministry of Magic, it was called Department of Mysteries, almost as if it were an exotic job to have.

"Congratulations, Phil." Austin turned to the sixteen-year-old Hannah. "Do you like going to Eton? I hear it's a really great school."

"The school is likable," Hannah said, with a hint of bitterness in her tone. "I mean, we learn math, science, English - all that sodding load of tosh that can be taught at a Muggle school. Excuse me." Hannah slammed her teacup onto its saucer, got up from the table and left the dining room.

"Did I offend her?" Austin asked Mattie.

"No, no. You'll have to excuse her and her language too. You see, since I am a Squib, I have a slight chance of passing on genes for magic. Well, she didn't get any of those genes. It wouldn't have been quite such a problem, but, the thing is, Jeffery received the magical genes and will be going off to Hogwarts next year. She's very upset about that. She probably wishes more than I do to be a witch."

"I'm sorry I even brought that up," said Austin.

"Nonsense," said Phillip, waving his hand as if the matter were a fly. "You're our nephew and her cousin and she had better well get used to it, for all her cousins will be magical."

Austin took a sip of his tea and looked around the dining room. There were paintings of all sorts: Van Gough, Picasso, and even a painting from the famous wizard artist Laudermill, whose portrait of two swans on a lake of deep blue looked just like you were looking out a window to where the swans were gliding.

Austin's grandmother and grandfather, whom were very wealthy, were very sympathetic that one out of nine of their children was a Squib. They figured that since Mattie didn't get to attend Hogwarts, they'd buy her happiness. Mattie and Phillip's large house they lived in and everything inside of it was purchased by Austin's grandparents, although not a word escaped anyone's lips about it. They all just pretended like that was the sensible thing to do, even though Phillip's job paid him a considerable amount of money and had no need for them to be given anything more.

"Well," Austin began, but he was interrupt be a harsh knock at the door.

"I'll get it," Jeffrey said. He raced out of the dining room and into the entrance hall. Austin, Phillip, and Mattie followed.

Once in the entrance hall, Austin's eyes widened once they saw their visitor.

The man standing just inside the doorway was tall, muscular and looked rather friendly. The only unwelcoming look about him was his eyes, which were red and snakelike. He smiled a pleasant smile when he saw Austin, but Austin wasn't fooled, he knew who this unexpected visitor was. And, as pleasant as this visitor seemed, he was a very unwelcome visitor.

"Voldemort," Austin breathed with malice. Mattie, Phillip, and Jeffrey backed away slightly, for they had heard the name from their wizard relatives, but had never seen him.

"Austin Perry," Voldemort said quite cheerfully.

"I suggest you leave right this instant," Austin said. "You know I could inform the Ministry."

"And you know that I could kill you all right now. But I won't, for I came here on business."

"And what business is that?"

"I want you to serve me, Austin. I've seen you at work. You're powerful; my insiders at the Ministry tell me that you're very ambitious. Those are the things that I prize most."

"What are you saying?" Austin asked, trying to stop his voice from quivering.

"That if you don't, you die," Voldemort replied. "Let's see, there are three others here that you value the life of, I'll give you four chances. I could give you more power and free rein than you could ever desire. Join me?"

"I would never join you," Austin said, his voice shaking at the thought of what came next.

"Hmm, that's too bad. Maybe Auntie Mattie can help you change your mind." He pointed his wand at Mattie.

"Don't you dare!" spat Austin, drawing out his wand.

"Expelliarmus!" Voldemort said rather lazily, pointing the wand at Austin. Austin's wand shot out of his hand and Voldemort caught it deftly. "Now, let's try this again. Maybe Mattie could change your mind. Crucio!"

Mattie fell to the floor, shaking, screaming and shrieking in pain as Voldemort put the Cruciatus Curse on her. Jeffrey and Phillip watched, in shock.

Voldemort took the curse off of Mattie, who then fainted.

"I can give you anything you have ever wanted, Austin. Join me?" Voldemort said again.

"Never," Austin hissed.

"Maybe dear Uncle Phillip can change that." He pointed his wand at Phillip. "Crucio!"

Phillip doubled over, convulsing and screaming. Jeffrey, too, was screaming.

"Join me!" said Voldemort. He seemed like he was having fun. Like he was merely bored and this was entertainment.

"I won't!" cried Austin. Looking at Phillip's limp body on the floor.

"Ickle Jeffreykins might help you decide. Crucio!"

Jeffrey wailed and cried out for his mummy, but was now on the floor, out cold.

"Now your own life is at stake, Austin. Chose wisely, for it may be the last decision you ever make."

"So be it," Austin said, prepared for what was coming next.

"Pity, I could have done well with you."

Austin spat at Voldemort's nicely polished shoes.

"I'll see you in hell," Austin hissed.

"No, I'm afraid you won't, for I can't die. Goodbye, Austin. AVADA KEDAVRA!" Voldemort roared. He pointed his wand at Austin, a flash of green light issued from his wand, and Austin fell, spread eagle on the ground.

Voldemort looked around rather cheerfully, stepped back outside the door, and said, "MORSMORDRE!" and a huge, green skull and serpent sign, twinkling like stars, rose over the house. Voldemort walked away feeling pleased, but little did he know that Hannah witnessed the whole affair from behind a sculpture just off to the left of the entrance hall.

* * *

I woke with a start. I looked around in the darkness, seeing nothing, for I closed my hangings before I went to sleep.

I sat up and peeked out of my hangings to see what time it was. It was a about a quarter past midnight, two weeks before Christmas holiday. The room was illuminated with light brighter than usual from a full moon reflecting upon the snow covered ground feet below.

I laid back down and thought of what had jolted me awake. A dream. About Lord Voldemort. It was so real. I hardly ever have dreams, so this one was kind of freaking me out. Especially that someone died and people were tortured in my dream. And even more that the most evil wizard of this time was in it.

What did it mean?

I quickly got out of bed, put on a dressing gown and tiptoed out of my dormitory, deciding to go wake up James and Sirius, for they would know more about dreams and Voldemort and things like that.

I entered the boys' dormitory and walked over to Sirius' bed. I pulled back the hangings to find an empty bed.

No problem, I thought. Maybe he got up to go to the bathroom.

I walked over to James' bed and pulled back the hangings to find that his bed was also empty. Peter's bed was empty as well. What was going on? Remus was visiting his mother again, and James, Sirius, and Peter never went on mischievous night wanderings without him.

I was looking around their room, trying to see if they had left any kind of note, when I heard a low howl. I about jumped a mile into the air. Things were starting to creep me out now.

I walked over to the window and looked outside. The moon, silver and as large as a dinner plate, was hanging over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest.

I was getting lost looking at the wintry grounds. The silver frosted branches, the snow covered lawn, the breath rising in clouds of mist from the animals running wildly out of the forest.

The animals running wildly out of the forest?

I shook my head, rubbed my eyes and looked at the grounds. Sure enough, there was a black dog that looked, despite my being more than eight floors up, massive. There was a tan-colored stag with six-point antlers. And there was a gray wolf chasing after what I made out to be a fat, gray rat. The strangest thing about this sight was that the four animals seemed to be playing together.

That couldn't be right, could it? Wolves ate rats, especially ones the size of that rat. Dogs chased deer. And yet, they were taking turns playfully chasing after each other. The dog and the wolf simultaneously howled at the moon while the stag lowered his antlers and the rat climbed on.

I backed away swiftly. As I was doing so, I slipped on a piece of parchment and fell right on my backside.

I stood up abruptly and picked up the parchment.

On top of the piece of parchment was scrawled, "Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs are proud to present The Marauder's Map".

It certainly was a map. A map of the Hogwarts castle and grounds. Many of the passages were familiar, but there were a quite a few that looked unfamiliar. Also on the map were minuscule dots that had names by them.

There was "Albus Dumbledore" pacing his study. "Roger Flitwick" in the teacher's lounge sitting next to "Minerva McGonagall". I looked to where Gryffindor tower was. "Lily Evans" was labeled in the fifth year boys' dormitory. And on the Hogwarts grounds, was labeled "James Potter", "Sirius Black", "Peter Pettigrew", and "Remus Lupin".

I ran back over to the window and looked at the spot where the map had said that my friends were. All I saw was the stag, the dog, the wolf, and the rat. I looked back and forth from the map to out the window where the animals were.

"Who are Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs?" I questioned aloud. The map must be defective, I thought. They can't be down there, unless they're in Invisibility Cloaks. Trust James and Sirius to make something up like this.

Make something up like this? Was that what they had been doing? Had they been making an enchanted map of Hogwarts?

Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs? Where had I heard that before? I closed my eyes and thought back.

After Potions last Thursday, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were talking in low voices while James was snogging with Britannia.

"Hey, Prongs," Sirius said. "Planning to come up for air soon?" The four of them laughed at this and I had just quickly walked away.

That's it! Sirius had called James "Prongs."

Well, that didn't prove anything. Moony, Wormtail, and Padfoot were probably other names for Sirius, Remus and Peter.

But why those specific names? I thought.

I continued to look back and forth from the map to the four animals.

After five minutes, I clamped my hand over my mouth and let out a muffled scream.

* * *

Why had it taken me so long to figure it out? I kept mentally smacking myself as well as physically smacking my forehead. Was I a witch or not? Did I not already learn that all things that seem impossible have a logical explanation?

The only thing that seemed impossible was Remus' presence. He was away, visiting his sick mother, wasn't he?

I rolled the Marauder's Map up and stormed out of the boys' dormitories. I decided to go back in to my bed and confront James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus in the morning.

I tossed and turned all night, that night, and when I finally couldn't take it anymore, it was five-thirty am. I got up and dressed. I had decided that I would go read by the common room fire until breakfast, but I heard voices right when I stepped out of the dormitory door.

"Where the hell did it go?" I heard Sirius say. I crouched down to where I could see them. Sirius, James, and Peter were already sitting by the fire. Sirius looked angry, James had his head in his hands, and Peter looked like he would burst into tears at any moment.

"I don't know," Peter said.

"Guys," said James, lifting his head and looking at Sirius. "If somebody took the map we're dead. Dead, dead, dead."

"Do you think I don't know that? Peter had it last."

"And I told you I thought we didn't need it, so I left in the dorm," said Peter.

"Well that was a bloody brilliant idea, wasn't it?" raged Sirius. "What if McGonagall had come in and seen the map? Then she would have guessed everything."

I thought back to the map and what had caused my sleeplessness. I had hid the map under my mattress and I couldn't sleep because I kept saying to myself over and over again, "How could that be?"

"Just relax, Sirius," James said. "Nobody will figure out anything, you'd have to be bloody brilliant to do so. It's not Peter's fault, he said he left it in the dorm, and I believe him. Maybe somebody did take it. Maybe Peter was mistaken and placed it somewhere else. Whatever happened to it, we'll find it."

Sirius looked away, James put his head in his hands again, and Peter stared out the window. I stood up and started descending the staircase.

"Morning you three," I said cheerfully, despite my being thoroughly pissed at them. "You certainly are up early. Couldn't sleep either? Well, don't mind me, I'm just going to read for a bit."

"Lils, what are you doing down here?" Sirius said.

"I'm reading by the fire - it's freezing in our dorm," I replied, with sickening sweetness.

"Lily, it's five o'clock in the morning," James said. "Go back to bed."

"I'm fifteen years old and on my next birthday, I'll be three," I said acidly. "You guys are up, why can't I be?"

"You need your beauty rest, Lils," said Sirius.

"What, are you saying I'm ugly?" I replied.

Sirius launched into explanations.

"No, no, of course not. I was just merely stating that you need to get some rest..."

"Don't start with me Sirius. First you keep secrets from me. That's fine, because maybe they're the things that you boys think about in your spare time. But then you avoid me, don't let me in on things or talk to me anymore. Now you try telling me what to do. You can't boss me around. I'm not some animal in a cage. I don't have to do anything you say." I got up from the chair I was sitting in and stormed out of the portrait hole. I had no idea where I was going, as long as I was getting away from those three liars.

I walked down corridor after corridor, staircase after staircase, passed portrait after portrait until I didn't recognize where I was. I sat down by a suit of armor and put my head in my hands.

Why is it that they don't let me in on things anymore? I can't understand why they didn't tell me. Am I not one of their best friends anymore? Have I gone over the limit with my mood swings and they have decided that they didn't want me a part of their group anymore? No, Sirius wouldn't let that happen. He would tell me if I was being a bitch. But I don't understand why they didn't tell me this? I can keep secrets and I could have been helpful.

No, think about it, if they had told me what they were doing, I probably would have said, "That's highly advanced magic, illegal and dangerous."

Oh, no, I see now why the didn't tell me. Well, I can still keep secrets, even if I don't approve of what they had done. I should go apologize to them for being a total prat. I'm not going to tell them that I have the map, though. Not until they are ready to tell me about their secret.

I stood up and started ascending a staircase that I knew I had come down, when I felt something cover my mouth and I had the sensation of being lifted off my feet, like someone was carrying me, but there was no one there. My eyes widened and I let out a muffled scream.

I looked down and saw that I was floating along up the stairs and down a corridor. My arms were held be my side by an unseen force, but I was kicking my legs madly. There was still the force over my mouth that made it impossible to talk, but I screamed anyway.

I "floated" up another staircase, down a corridor and into a room that I had never been in before. I was then dropped right on my arse, which was already bruised from slipping on the map the night before.

I stood up abruptly and something pushed me back down, this time, I felt my legs bind together. I had the Leg Locker Curse on me.

"What the hell is going on?" I shrieked. I knew it was quite possible that I wouldn't get an answer back. "What the hell do you want from me?"

"The question is: What do you want from us?" I heard a voice say.

"Bloody hell, Sirius! Show yourself right this bleeding instant!" I screamed.

"No, I don't think I will."

"I am so hacked off at you right now, Sirius!"

"Yes, and that's the exact reason why I'm not taking the Invisibility Charm off of myself. Even though I've got your wand, you're pissed off enough to do wandless magic."

"Sirius!" I screamed again. "What the hell is wrong with you? You sneak up me invisibly and carry me away? You're lucky I didn't have a heart attack and died right there. Show yourself!"

"Mm, no," Sirius said. "Do you want answers or not?"

"Answers?" I said, looking around, although I knew I wouldn't see Sirius. My breathing coming in short gasps from anger and getting over the shock. "What kind of answers?"

"You said you wanted to know the truth. We're here to give you answers."

"We?" I said.

"James and Peter are under the Invisibility Cloak. I used the Invisibility Charm that you told me about last year. Now, Lily, ask us what you want to know."

"I don't want to know anything!" I spat, which of course was untrue, but I was going to let Sirius have the benefit of a doubt.

"Did you overhear us while we were talking in the common room?" Sirius asked.

"No," I said defiantly.

"Don't lie, Lils."

"Why are you doing this to me?" I whined.

"Because you said you wanted answers. We decided that since you are one of our best friends and part of our group, we should answer anything you want to know."

I bit my lip. I was bursting with questions, although I already knew the answer to their ignorance of me lately.

"Ask away," I heard Sirius say again.

"I won't do it. You think I know so little, Sirius, you're wrong!" My eyes widened and I bit my lip again, I had said more than I wanted to, but just enough to get up their suspicion.

"What do you know?" Sirius asked.

"If you don't know then I'm not going to tell you," I said.

"She doesn't know," I heard James' voice say.

"James Alan Potter, I know a lot more than you think I do."

"What do you know?" Sirius repeated.

I decided to take the annoying route.

"I know math and science and reading and writing and Charms and Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions," I said.

"That's not what I meant, Lily!" Sirius yelled. My eyes widened in shock. Sirius had never yelled at me before.

"Well, you have to ask specific questions to get specific answers," I said.

"Did you overhear James, Peter, and I talking in the common room earlier?"

"Yes," I said. "Interesting conversation you were having. All of you know as well as I do that in the past five years, McGonagall has only visited Gryffindor tower three times."

There was silence. I could imagine seeing Sirius' eyes widening.

"Do you know about the map we were talking about?"

"Oh, the charming Marauder's Map," I said with sarcasm. "Yes, yes, I bet it would be a more loyal friend than you three and Remus."

"Why do say that?"

"Because it told me more things in one night than you four have told me this whole year," I said.

"Wait," came James' voice. "How did you know about the map?"

"Hmm, I wonder if leaving it on the floor for someone to slip on it and fall on their ass was a good idea."

"Where'd you find it?" Peter said, almost hopingly as to prove that he didn't do anything with it.

"On the floor in your dormitory," I said.

"What were you doing in our dormitory?" James asked.

I looked over to the spot where I heard James' voice.

"I was in there looking for you, James, hoping I could have a midnight snog with you," I said, sarcasm so thick in my voice that you could cut it with a knife.

"Cut the sarcasm, Lily," Sirius said. "What were you doing in our dorm?"

I sighed heavily.

"I had a strange dream."

"Oh, did ickle Lilykins have a wittle nightmare?" James' voice issued from the corner.

"I'm not a baby, James, I can take care of myself."

"Then why were you going into our dorm?" Sirius asked.

"I figured that since you grew up in the magical realm, you could help me decipher if it meant anything."

"Would you like to tell us about this dream?" Sirius said.

"No, because you don't deserve to hear it yet. My former best friends have kidnapped me, and they've been playing Twenty Questions with me when they should be getting grilled. SHOW YOURSELVES TO ME!"

"Lily, what did you see on the map?" Sirius asked again, ignoring my demand.

"I saw a sodding lot that proved my theory that you three aren't what you seem to be."

"What is that supposed to mean?" James said.

"Hmm, would Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs like to explain something to me?"

"What did you see Lily?" Sirius yelled again. It hurt when he yelled at me, for he wasn't the type to yell.

"What didn't I see?" I replied. "Dumbledore in his study. Flitwick and McGonagall in the teacher's lounge. Myself in the fifth year boys' dormitory."

"And?" said Sirius, although he had put two and two together.

"James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew running around on the school grounds."

"And?" Sirius repeated.

"Why don't you tell me the rest, Sirius? I saw you four on the map, but that's not what I saw when I looked out the window," I said in a singsong voice. "Let me remind you that I am the one who should have my questions answered for. I already know, Sirius. I just want to hear it escape from your three's lips."

"Finite Incantatem," Sirius said. Instantly, the Invisibility Charm was taken off of himself and he appeared to the left of me. I saw James and Peter taking off the Invisibility Cloak in the corner.

"You want to hear everything?" Sirius said, with a serious expression on his face and a dour look in his eyes.

I nodded slowly, returning his gaze.