A/N: Yeah I know. Two chapters in 20 minutes and everyone is just going `woohoo!' I just felt like giving everyone a bit more than usual. Mostly because the beginning is all over and now we're getting to the good stuff. Please remember: the more feedback I get, the better! Thanks everyone!
Chapter 19: Sara Brown
Lily opened her eyes and stretched her arms over her head. Way to sleep the day away, Lily-girl. She looked
over and saw the sleeping James lying next to her. Lily smiled and agreed with herself. This was definitely a good way
to spend the day.
Lily looked out the window and saw a cloud of birds emerge from the midst of the Forbidden Forest. There's so
many. . . Something nagged at the back of her mind and she sat up, intending to walk over to the window for a
better look. Bad idea. The second she sat up, her bruised ribs hollered at her and she hissed in pain, grabbing her
side.
James must have psychic abilities she decided, for he was awake in an instant.
"What is it? What's wrong?" he asked very quickly. Lily smiled and took his arm as he helped her sit
back against the headboard.
"Nothing. I just sat up to fast, that's all," she said while trying very hard not to wince. She looked
out the window again. Birds were circling everywhere.
"James, do you see..." She gestured out the window. James gave the birds an unconcerned glance and turned
back to her.
"They're just birds, Lil." The use of her nickname made her smile. James gave a small sigh of
relief.
"That's my girl," he said happily. Their smiles faltered momentarily as a chill swept the room, but it
was gone in seconds.
"I still can't believe you're here," Lily said shyly. Her hands fiddled with a loose thread on the
coverlet. "I thought that after everything that happened before, you'd never----I mean, you wouldn't
want---" Lily stopped, unsure how to finish.
James cupped her chin and tilted her face towards his. "I love you."
Lily felt she would burst from the happiness. "I love you too." She leaned into him and tasted his lips.
James felt dizzy. It was that wonderful kind of dizzy, the sort where as a child you would put your arms out and spin
and spin and spin until you fell over laughing. The difference was that with Lily, he knew he would never fall.
*******************************
Sirius ran and ran, not knowing or caring where he was going. All he saw in front of his eyes was that horrible vision
on the dais. . .
He burst through a line of trees and there it was! Hogwarts! The castle had never seemed more beautiful than it did
right this second. Sirius swore he heard strains of the Hallelujah Chorus drifting down from the heavens and very
nearly started singing along.
He bolted for Dumbledore's office. He knew the way there by heart. How many times had he and James been sent up
there before detention? Sirius knew Dumbledore could fix anything. He just didn't know if Dumbledore could fix
this.
He reached the stone gargoyle that led to Dumbledore's office. He then realized he didn't know the stinking
password! He gave it a couple of halfhearted shoves but it naturally didn't do anything.
"I don't suppose if I just said please, you'd budge over, would you?" he asked. The gargoyle sprang
up and jumped to the side, revealing the spiral staircase. Sirius blinked in complete surprise.
"Bitchin'." He made to go up the staircase but Dumbledore appeared in the entryway before he could.
"Cool. Delivery service," Sirius said hysterically. Dumbledore took in his ragged appearance and grabbed
Sirius' arm.
"Where is she," the headmaster asked in a cool voice. Sirius looked up into the wizened old face and felt a
sense of relief wash over him. He knew.
"I-in the forest," Sirius blurted. "There was a clearing, with stones. . . S-Sara. . ." Sirius was
unable to finish.
Dumbledore gave Sirius a sharp glance. "Who else was there besides Miss Brown?"
"No one." Sirius looked at Dumbledore in surprise.
"Could you tell what happened?"
"No," Sirius said. "There was too much blood. . ." Too his surprise, he found tears stinging his
eyes.
"So Sara Brown is dead then." It wasn't a question. Sirius nodded anyway and felt his throat choke up.
How on earth was he going to tell Lily?
"Wait for me in my office, Sirius," Dumbledore said quietly. He guided Sirius toward the moving spiral
staircase. They heard a shuffle and both heads whipped around to see a scrawny figure scurrying away from them.
"Who-" Sirius started to ask but Dumbledore cut him off sharply.
"Upstairs Sirius. Now.'' Dumbledore swept off in the direction the figure had gone, apparently following
the damp trail of water said figure had left behind.
Sirius gazed at the retreating Headmaster's back for a long moment, then wearily stepped onto the stone steps and
let the staircase take him slowly upward.
***********
The raven watched as Dumbledore walked slowly into the clearing, staring at the circle of stones that was once again
covered in birds. He waved his hand and instantly the other birds flew back and rested in the trees, watching. The
raven's eyes followed him, calculating, and waiting. He walked slowly toward the ring of stones, and the dais where
Sara Brown lay.
Sirius had been right, there was blood everywhere. Much of it had come from the birds pecking at Sara's body, but
she had been dead long before their arrival. The bits of skin he could see were pale with tints of blue to match her
cold lips. Her eyes were open, glazed over and seeing nothing. The look on her face brought tears to Dumbledore's
eyes.
The raven watched as Dumbledore removed his cloak and wrapped it around the girl's naked corpse. The thin old man
had surprising strength; he actually lifted the body and left the clearing, carrying her.
The raven spread his wings and flew quickly overhead. He swept into an open window -the hospital wing- and landed high
in the rafters, unnoticed. He observed the scene below him, the couple kissing. How sweet. But look closer. . . the
girl was the redhead his master coveted so. The raven's dark eyes glittered. He knew Dumbledore was bringing the
other girl here. Now was not the time for his master to approach the girl. Tonight, maybe, when the world would sleep.
Yes, night was always better for such things. Meanwhile, the raven would wait. . . and watch. . . . .
*******
Lily broke off the kiss and buried her face in James' shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and gently
tangled his fingers in her hair.
"This is the nicest part of fighting," James murmured.
"What are you talking about?" Lily asked.
"Make-up sex," he grinned.
"Oh you!" Lily gave him a half-hearted swat on his arms, which James milked to the extreme by clutching his
arm and collapsing on the bed. Lily rolled her eyes and bit her cheeks to keep from laughing. James rolled around on
mock pain for a few moments, the opened one eyes to sneak a peak at Lily.
"Nothin, huh?"
"Oh, you poor baby," Lily monotoned. "Here, let me help you. I'll sit here, you make a fool of
yourself, life marches on."
"Isn't it great to have a routine?"
"You're such a half-wit!"
"And you're just now realizing this?! Lil' I thought you were smarter than that!"
*WHACK* James commenced rolling around again, this time clutching his other arm.
"Ow! My eye!" he cried. Lily burst out in fits of giggles.
"Git!" Lily laughed. James sat up next to her and gave her the sexiest grin she'd ever seen.
"And you love me for it, right babe?" he smirked. Lily pointed a serious finger in his face.
"Never. Call. Me. Babe." James eyed the finger warily for a moment, then tried to bite it. Lily jerked her
finger back just in time.
"Hey!" Both of them laughing, James pulled her into a bear hug. Lily nestled her head under his chin as they
settled back against the headboard. After a few moments of comfortable silence, Lily stirred.
"Much as I hate to break the mood--"
"Uh-oh", James muttered.
"This is serious." Lily pulled away and straightened up, looking James determinedly in the eye. He realized
she had something to talk about and gave her his full attention.
"Go ahead," he encouraged.
Lily took a deep breath and plunged. "Sirius." James' jaw clenched slightly, but he merely nodded his
head. He didn't say anything, so Lily ventured further.
"If you can forgive me, don't you think you should at least try to forgive him?" Lily spoke softly, not
sure if James would explode or not. James heaved a great sigh.
"Is it that important to you?" he asked.
"It should be important to you," Lily emphasized. "I thought he was practically your brother."
James felt his anger swell again.
"He-"
"Let his emotions get the better of him," Lily finished. "Something that happens to everyone. That
doesn't change his loyalty to you."
James let her words sink in for a moment. Lily saw his face soften and leaned in until her forehead rested against
his. She ran a hand through his hair and rested it on the side of his face.
"Talk to him," she whispered. James brought his hands up and cupped her face. She knew by his eyes that he
would try talking to Sirius. Lily felt the last weight life off her soul.
"Oh, Lil'," he whispered. Before their lips could meet, the doors of the hospital wing creaked open. The
both turned to the horrible sight in the doorway.
"Sara!" Lily cried. She tried to stand but the pain returned full strength and she collapsed back into
James' arms.
Albus Dumbledore stood in the doorway, Sara in his arms. She was wrapped in a cloak, but one of her hands had fallen
and was bleeding, the blood sprinkling the stone floor below.
"Oh my God," James whispered. Madame Pomfrey had come to the door of her office and stood with one hand on
the door frame to steady herself. The other covered her mouth in horror.
Dumbledore walked to the nearest bed and slowly laid Sara upon it. He took a blanket from the foot of the bed and
draped it across Sara, covering her face. He pulled the curtains around the bed, shutting Sara from their view.
"No, no, nonononono," Lily sobbed. James pulled her into his arms and she cried her tears into his shoulder.
Dumbledore crossed to them and gently put a hand on Lily's shoulder. She turned her tear-stained face to the
Headmaster's own mournful one.
"I'm so sorry, Miss Evans," he said softly. "I know she was your great friend."
"I-I don't understand," Lily cried. "Sara was such a good person! Who in their right mind would
do-"
"Ah, well, there you have it," Dumbledore said. "I highly hope that this person, or persons, were not
in their right mind. For if they were then I have been sadly neglect in my duties as Headmaster."
"You don't actually think a student did this?" James was aghast at the very thought. How could one
of their own- The notion made James shudder.
"I wish I could say," Dumbledore said. "Unfortunately, there are other pressing matters I must attend
to. If you will excuse me, Mr. Black is waiting for me in my office. I must return to him for now." Dumbledore
stood to go.
"Sirius?!" James said sharply. "What's he got to do with any of this?"
Dumbledore gave James a very grave look. "He's the one who found Miss Brown."
James stared open mouth at the Headmaster for a moment, then leapt to his feet. "I'm going with you."
Dumbledore gave James an appraising look, then nodded. He turned to Madame Pomfrey and spoke in a whisper. "She
will need to be. . . examined." Madame Pomfrey looked ill, but nodded.
Most unfortunately, Lily heard him and whimpered. She knew what examined meant. James turned to her with a horrified
look on his face.
"Lily-girl. . . " Lily swallowed and looked him bravely in the eye.
"Go," she said firmly. James looked at her a moment, then kissed her. She clung to him; she didn't want
him to go but Sirius needed him now. She pulled away.
"Go," she said again. She pushed him lightly to get him going, otherwise she would make sure he never left
her side again. James lingered, grasping her hand. She gave him a wink and nodded toward the door where Dumbledore now
waited. James smiled, kissed her hand briefly, then turned and strode over to Dumbledore. They left together, closing
the doors behind them.
Madame Pomfrey pulled back the curtains surrounding Sara. She magiked wheels onto the legs of the bed.
"If you need anything," she said shakily, "I'll be in the room at the end of the hall. . ."
she couldn't finish the sentence. Lily nodded, fresh tears running down her face. Madame Pomfrey wheeled the bed
down to a small door and disappeared behind it. Lily heard the small lock click into place. She was alone in the
hospital wing now.
Sara! Lily buried her face into her pillow and let the sorrow wash over her.
*******
The raven watched and timed it perfectly. She was alone now. Master could claim his wish. He flew from his perch in
the rafters and soared out the window. He didn't have to go far. . .