United We Stand
Chapter One: Where did you go?
By HoboGiraffe
Five people, oblivious to their headmaster watching the quietly, stood in a room. The room was normal enough, except for one thing. The five had never seen it before. That was saying something; the four guys were the Marauders and the girl, Lily Evans. They altogether knew the school like the back of their hands, or so they thought. It was a normal sized room. Pretty boring really. It was off white and would have bright if it had been day. But these children were not there during the day. It was about two in the morning, June 14. The day before they were to leave Hogwarts for two months until their seventh and last year. So of course the Five needed to set up a prank.
It would seem odd to see Lily Evans and James Potter being friends, but since the 'Fifth year Snapey-poo underoos' (as Sirius indubitably named it) they were close, very close. Sirius and James looked somewhat alike. They both had black hair and dark eyes. James' were hazel and his hair very messy, Sirius, black eyes and more calm black hair, and they had two other best friends Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew.
Remus was the calm one besides Lily, blond hair and grey eyes, the teachers hoped half heartedly that he would calm his friends.
Peter Pettigrew was the shortest of the guys and if he wasn't friends with the others he would always be picked on.
Lily was the girl of the group, starting to be one of the main targets of the boys and the first person that became friends with Remus. At the beginning, Lily and he were main targets for pranks of the other three, thus, forcing the fiery red head and level headed blond into fighting back. The boys, impressed with the pranks that were being put of them, called a truce with them and created a light friendship. Lily helped the boys as they helped her. They made her less focused on schoolwork and she helped them with the, how to say it, not so brilliant ideas by giving them other options. Short, brilliant emerald eyes, red hair and a temper to mach it, she was the smart one and the one that got them out of trouble, being (in the teachers eyes) the innocent Lily that everyone trusted and having the world's best puppy dog eyes.
The quiet was broken when Peter pointed something out. "Guys? What is there a mirror in here for?"
The attention was turned to him and the said mirror. Lily, being the curious little thing that she was, walked over to it and examined the markings. "There is some language thingy on it. Wonder what it says. Um anyone know what this means, 'Lo specchio di wonder, dando nè la verità nè bugia, ma il vostro desiderio più allineare dei cuori, ma l'utente si guarda da, questo non è uno specchio di verità, mostra soltanto che cosa desiderate; niente sarà determinato, non ha speranza falsa per qualcosa che non possa venire passare. Ciò è uno specchio dei sogni, lo specchio di Erised.'"
Sirius looked up, "Can you repeat that? Slower please."
Lily looked at him with a strange look, "Okay." She repeated it and Sirius looked thoughtful; unaware of the sparkling headmaster's eyes on his back.
Sirius's face lit up and he said excitedly, "'The mirror of wonder, giving neither truth nor lie, but your hearts truest desire, But user beware, this is not a truth mirror, it shows only what you want; nothing will be certain, do not have false hope for something that may not come to pass. This is a mirror of dreams, The Mirror of Erised.' That's what it means! It's in Italian!"
The twinkling eyes glowed with happiness at his student's brilliance with the language. However every other person looked at the black hair boy in wonder.
James looked at his friend strangely, "Sirius, where did you learn Italian?"
Sirius' happy look dropped suddenly, causing his friends, except Peter, to know where he learned it. "Serenity taught me."
They all looked at their friend sadly, completely oblivious to the headmasters twinkling eyes,
'Wait until he learns my surprise for next year!' With that the twinkly eyed Dumbledore vanished from the room, leaving no trace of his presence.
Lily looked at her friend sadly. He didn't know it but she knew Serenity too. "Let's look in the mirror!" She said trying to lighten the mood.
Sirius immediately brightened. "Okay!"
Peter, feeling left out, volunteered to go first. He stepped up until he was right in front of the mirror. "Does this thing tell the future?"
Sirius sighed in exasperation. "No Pete. It shows you hearts truest desire."
Peter's happiness deflated slightly, but he still looked really happy. "Oh well!"
Remus lightly pushed Peter out of the way and was shocked to what he saw. "Well, I should have guessed that was my truest desire. Your turn James."
Said boy stepped up and when he saw his mouth dropped open and he blushed furiously. "Wow, my heart is very strange."
Lily, laughing at her friend stepped in front of him to see the mirror, had the exact same reaction as James. Both stepped away from each other a bit and their redness came back whenever they looked at each other. Remus smiled guessing what his friends' desires were.
Sirius, looking at the different reactions from his friends, was excited to see what he would see. He bounced up to the mirror and paled immediately. In the mirror was a picture of a girl. Not just any girl, his twin that he hadn't seen in six years. Serenity. The image showed them standing together, her long blond hair in its original style that only she looked good in. Twin odangos on the top of her head, the streamers of hair reached her ankles, a silver-gold colour, like it always was. They were the same age and she was a bit shorter then him, about the height of Lily.
He was standing so still that everyone was starting to worry. Lily could guess what he saw. She knew the connection between Serenity and Sirius. She had never told him that she knew Serenity, it would only bring back buried and painful memories that he didn't want to think about, but she knew that he still thought of her. She was his twin.
"Sirius? Are you okay?" She asked tenderly.
Sirius ignored her and stepped closer to the mirror. He reached out his hand, hoping, longing, yearning to just be able to jump through the mirror and see her again. His younger twin, his best friend. She knew him better then anyone and always would. James could never be as close to him as she was. She was his twin, his second half, his partner in crime. But she wasn't there, she was gone.
James and Remus now knowing what he saw took cautious steps towards him and placed calming hands on his shoulders. "Sirius?" They voiced.
Sirius, snapping out of his daze, tore his eyes away from the mirror and walked quickly out of the room. Leaving his friends watching him worriedly.
A lone girl stood in the middle of a world, a dead and ugly world. A world that was once filled with love, life, happiness... now bare, murky, gloomy, filled with no thing but darkness. The girl, twin odangos on top of her head, silver hair, a curious eight pointed star on her forehead and a sailor uniform on, tall white staff in her hands, bodies of other uniformed girls around her. "Chaos, this is not what a world should be. You destroyed the chance of happiness and love for this place. It could have been filled with affection and friendship, but you destroyed its chance of everything. You filled it with bitterness, animosity and hate. This cannot go rewarded. You will be punished for your heinous acts of evil towards this planet and me. Prepare to die."
With a final swish, the graceful, majestic girl destroyed the monster. Falling upon her knees, sob racked her body. "I'm so sorry. My friends, I'm so sorry. I have failed you."
Mist formed in front of her. Dividing into nine different forms, they advanced on the girl. "Hime."
The heartbroken girl looked up shocked. "Minna?"
The transparent people nodded. She girl excitedly stood. She launched herself at the people, but was horrified when she went straight through them. "What?"
A tall, boyish looking sandy blond walked over to the girl and kneeled in front of her. "Koneko, we are here to say good-bye. We cannot be reborn. Chaos crushed our star-seeds and it is fated that you finish the last part on your own."
The tall, graceful aqua haired girl shook her head. "Uranus, stop being such a drama queen. Serenity, Hime, you will not be alone. Pluto must guard the gates, she will be brought back. As will Hotaru. There cannot be light without darkness. All of us will never really disappear. We will be in your heart forever more. We cannot protect you physically, but whenever you need aide, we will be there. We transferred our powers to you, thus causing us to be with you evermore. Still, we will miss you. Good-bye Hime." For a brief moment Neptune became solid and gave Serenity a love filled hug.
Serenity burst into new sobs. "I'll miss you Michiru. Good-bye."
Michiru started to disappear. "Good-bye my Hime. Be brave. I will see you again."
Haruka, Gave the girl a strong hug. "Good-bye Koneko. I will always be there. If anyone hurts you... they will face my wrath!"
Silver eyes met the shimmering Senshi of the wind. "Good-bye Ruka-chan!"
Blond met blond with a fierce hug. "My cousin, we'll see you!"
Flashing a 'V for victory!' Minako of Love shimmered.
"Odango."
Turning Serenity saw Mamoru and Rei in an embrace. "Odango, we were not meant to be in the time. We both knew that and pushed Rei and myself together. For that I will be forever grateful. I love you like I would a sister and that will always be. Good-bye Odango."
Mamoru gave her a hug and shimmered with the other Senshi.
"Usagi."
Serenity knew only one would call her that at a time like the present.
"Usagi-chan, you were and always will be my closest friend. I didn't want to leave you, but then I figured out that I never will. You will always be in my heart and I in yours. I know that now. We will always be friends." Wiping a tear from her eyes, Rei gave her a long sad hug. "Hang in there Odango. We'll be rooting for you!"
She stepped back in line, Makoto, Thunder Senshi stepped forward.
"Serenity-chan, you were my first friend. You showed me that the world was not against me and that I was capable of love and friendship. You broke through my walls that were containing my emotions and showed how it was to be loved and how it felt to love back. You are my sister Sere-chan. You always will be." She hugged the crying princess and let Amy step forward.
"Serenity-Hime, you showed me that there was more to life then studying. I learned how to have fun and how it felt be have friends. Before you, I was so caught up in my studies that I wasn't allowing anyone to become close to me. You changed my life Serenity. And for that I will be forever grateful. Thank-you."
"Sere-mama."
Hearing the youngest of them all addressing her like that brought another wave of sorrow over the small girl.
"Sere-mama. You saved me multiple times, and then included me in your life like no other could. I might be young, but I don't think that anything could feel better then that did. You were my rock when I was ready to fall; you brought me up like a mother would her daughter. That is how I think of you Sere-mama. You are my mother. The one I love most in life. I'll never forget that. I love you mama! Good-bye, I'll see you soon!"
Touched so deeply by the strong words of all her senshi, she fought to keep her tears in. "Good-bye my friends! I'll never forget you! I love you all! Calm Michiru, Protective Haruka, Loving Minako, Loyal Mamoru, Fiery Rei, Strong Makoto, Intelligent Amy, Courageous little Firefly, Hotaru. Watch out for yourselves. I'll miss you! Good-bye! Good-bye."
They all glowed their colours and disappeared, leaving Serenity and Setsuna behind.
"I'll miss you."
"Sirius, are you okay?" Later that morning Lily found Sirius in the boys' dormitory, lying on his stomach, staring at a muggle photo of Sirius and Serenity at the age of eleven. Just before she disappeared.
Sirius heard her and looked up at the girl that was kneeling before him. "No Lily and I don't think that I ever will be. She was the thing that kept me together. Losing a twin is the hardest thing that anyone could ever do."
His eyes filled with tears and Lily saw this. She sat on the bed and pulled him into a strong embrace. "Sirius, I don't know if this is the right time to tell you, but, I knew Serenity. She was like the sister that Petunia could never be."
Sirius looked at her surprised. "How did you know Sere? I didn't know you."
Lily smiled sadly. "I know. Sere ran away one time, when you were six. You had torn her teddy-bears arm off I think, anyways, she ran right into me. I was running the other way. Petunia had called me a freak again and I had accidentally turned her hair orange. We ran into each other and instantly became friends. We spent the day at the park and then I took her to my place and my mom fixed her teddy. She spent the night and then we promised to see each other again.
"Every Wednesday we played at the park and Saturday she stayed at my place. It was a routine. She saw me doing magic once and told me all about it. Then together we wrote down every spell in one of you books and she stole you mother's wand one day and we did them until they were perfected. Your mom was really mad at her but I don't think that Serenity cared.
"We were really close and when you were in Diagon Ally looking for your stuff, we saw each other. Again she ran off and we bought everything together. The last thing we did before she disappeared was bought this." Lily reached under her shirt and pulled out a necklace. It was a crescent moon with the word 'BEST' written on it. "She had the other half. I never saw her again after that. Then when I saw you on the train the first time when I was with Remus, I knew that you were the twin she was talking about. I think I knew everything you did about yourself. She told me all about you, and James. She was and always will be my best friend."
She gave him one last squeeze, dried her eyes and stood up. "I just wanted you to know, Sirius, even though she is not here, she will always be in our hearts. Nothing can stop it. Remember that."
Sirius looked after her as she walked down the stairs that led back to the common room. Standing up and placing the picture on his side table carefully, he ran down the stairs just as she was going to sit down. He threw himself onto her and hugged her with all his might. It was a good thing it was to early for anyone to be up because they would have found the picture quite strange.
He felt her turn around and hug him back and all he could do to stop crying was choke out a very small, "Thank-you."
He felt her nod. "You're welcome Sirius."
Serenity looked at the Time Keeper. "Setsuna? What do I do now?"
Setsuna looked at her charge happily. "Serenity, do you remember, before I took you away, do you remember your old life?"
Serenity nodded. Her eyes glazing. "Yes, Sirius and Lily and James, they were the best friends and brother I could ever have. Sammy was my brother, but not in the same way. Sirius and myself, we knew the other more then we knew ourselves. Lily was the same way. I really miss them." Her eyes lit up. "Do... do I get to... to go... back?" Her voice was so full of suppressed happiness that Setsuna could only smile.
"Yes Hime. You're going back to your dimension your brother and your best friend."
Serenity squealed in happiness.
Setsuna chuckled and opened a portal to the time gates. 'Won't they be surprised?' She thought in amusement.
Serenity fell through the portal and landed with a thump and an "Ouch!" on the other side.
Setsuna cracked a smile, 'It's good to know that some things never change.'
Stepping through, she led the girl to the proper door, thinking about the letter she had sent a Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. 'They sure will be surprised.'
There is chapter one! I know that I already have two stories out, but I couldn't help but write this when I thought of the idea. If someone else has something like it I wouldn't know because I haven't seen anything like it so, ENJOY AND REVIEW!
Huggies,
HG