THE BEGINNING
In a dark and gloomy forest, yet underneath the gloom there is a light. The light gives hope to all, but Voldemort's side. This light is the Jem of the Darkness, the legendary slayer and fighter of good. None know if this person is real, but all pray that this one person is as real as they hope. The Hogworts castle was once the greatest School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in all of Europe. It is now headquarters of the infamous Death-Eaters. But deep in the forest a young woman with black hair and blue eyes, was crouching in front of one of the ponds within the dark and dreary forest . . .
Chapter 1 (Jem's prov.)
I stared into the deep pond that seemed so much like my beloved lake. When I was young, I always was the first to swim in the lake, no matter how cold it was. I had then moved to forest when I graduated from Hogworts. My mother was a seer, one of the unknown ones. The Ministry never knew that my mother, of all people could see what would happen in the next day or even the next month. She had even foreseen her own death. That is one thing I wish with all my heart she hadn't foreseen. The time came for me to realise that I myself had a future that I had to live. I was the Jem in the Darkness that people spoke of in hushed voices. I was the light that kept people going no matter what the cost. I had my own visions when I was near my pond. It was the one thing that keeps me connected to my mother I stood and collected my pack which lay beside me.
"May the tree's guild me and may the forest protect me from unwanted eyes and may I protect all for this small favour that they have given me," I said out loud the saying that my time alone had given me.
I climbed the nearby tree and swung from a branch to the next tree. This was my way of travel. I finally stopped at the edge of the forest. I stared at the castle that had once been the second home (and sometimes even the first) to many. I remember when students would let off dung bombs in the middle of class and the many studies in the Library before a test. The exploding potions that would make Snape madder then a steaming pot. But most of all I remembered the Professors that taught us to be the people some of us are today. I still remember McGonagle saying that Lily had better take the offer James had given her and hope she learns how to properly transfigure an object. Flitwick had given James similar advice.
I myself had been told in potions to get help from Serveus and after that we were partnered together during Potions. But now only torture was taught to the prisoners that were kept inside the dungeons to be slaves.
I am a spy, a thief and a demon all at the same time. I am known as a demon to my enemies who have never seen me and fear me to the sad extent of death. I work for the Order and take the papers that are needed to outwit the Death-Eaters. I am like fog, you can see it but never catch it and know its true face. The missing papers and documents that disappear are blamed on the Death-Eaters who guard the files. They have never seen nor heard of me, but there are times that come to a close call.
I sighed and turned away from the place that Death-Eaters now held their meetings, it was a quiet night, no meeting to attend without welcome, Order meetings were over already, no emergency ones either, so I was in luck. A pleasant evening with my forest that I had declared my home.
I also shared it with the most amazing creatures alive. Uni-horses are what keep my place free of spiders, that and snakes. Now and then I am told that a snake is here and I say, "what snake?" Turns out, it's my Shift, a snake that changes into whatever snake he wants to be. Ninety-eight percent of the time he is a harmless Garden Snake. The stable, my Uni-horses thrive in at my place is the old stable of Ambika, the goddess of Destruction. The barn is as black as the night on the darkest hour. It just so happens to be my favourite hour too.
A twig snapped in the path that lay twisting trough the trees. Brush and weeds had overgrown the path. The small branches had fallen off many trees and still lay on the path. I positioned myself so that I could leap and tackle the trespasser. I spotted black hair among the small shrubs that also dotted the path. As it came closer, I smelled the air and detected Men's cologne. I wrinkled my nose in the air, I hated cologne because in a way it could reek! I pulled my sword and made sure my wand was in my back pocket.
The stranger screamed as I landed on him and pinned him carefully to the ground making sure that he could see the sword that was pointing toward his back. He was about five or six. Even then he was large for his age. But different all the same.
"Who in the bloody hell are you?" He said trying to keep an eye on the sword.
"Name?" I hate to say it, but I was curt, not revealing who I was or even why I was doing this.
He refused to answer so I prodded him with my sword. Not hard enough to hurt him though, just enough to remind him that I had the power of sword and voice to match his words.
"Potter, is my last name!" Boy! He practically screamed that!
"Full name, please?" I said brightly as though this is what I did every day.
"All right, but please don't poke me with the sword?" He said weakly.
"Good!" I hopped off and said, "don't move or I might have to stick you!"
"Huh?" He said with his face almost in the dirt.
"Stab you?" I said, raising my eyebrows at him.
"I get the point, thanks!"He said unsure as I pulled him to his feet.
"Relatives?" I asked making sure that he was unarmed as I deprived him of his wand.
"A sister," he said it in such a lame voice that it made me look at him with pity.
"And my name's James," he said looking at the dirt.
"Cool," I said slowly not sure of what to say. I used to have a brother named James. He was cool, and he married my good friend Lily Evans. But now he was dead. This boy seemed to remind me of my dear brother.
"You live here?" He asked gesturing to the woods.
To answer his question all I said was, "The dark is my sight, the forest is my playground and the creatures are my friends,"
"So. . . Would that be a yes?" He said question showed in his face.
"Your choice!" I said climbing into the tree I had perched on very recently.
As I got ready to swing into a tree, he yelled, "May I please come?"
The look in his eyes was hard to resist. I nodded. He attempted to climb the tree, but he failed. I ended up catching the boy in midair.
I glanced down at him and smiled and said, "Will, you let me carry you, James?"
All he could do was a series of nods to me, so I swung to the next tree and taught him about the trees that had let their roots grow deep and I got him to point out creatures that he did not know. I told him their names and what sort of habitat they would live in. I laughed when he asked what history was. I glanced down again and saw a chestnut Uni-horse galloping beneath us.
Since we were deep in the forest, I yelled, "Look up Ranger! Or are you going blind? " I laughed, because this was a joke we had when we met another in the forest.
The horse looked up and I recognised it to be Sky, one of the five-year-old colts that cantered endlessly around the forest. Due to them I had a few unfriendly talks with the spiders and half horses around here so they would not be harmed. His eyes connected with mine and the simple message 'jump on!' Came to my head. I leaped and landed rather softly on his back. I made sure James was right in front of me as I urged Sky forward. Soon we entered my realm, horses stepped out of the way and snorted at Sky. We came to a stop and I leaped of landing on my feet. James was still on Sky and I carefully lifted him off as Sky cantered off to the stable and found himself his old stall.
"Thanks for the ride!" James said smiling and waving at Sky happily.
"Come on, lets go see if we can fix you up a room for tonight and tomorrow we'll find the one you want!" I said laughing as we both entered the house.
I lead him to my brother's childhood room. The green walls welcomed us as James stood there awed by the room he got to stay in for the night.
"Do you like?" I asked as he surveyed the room with curious eyes. I made sure that he was brushing his teeth as I put spells on his room to stop him from leaving in the night. As much as I hated to do this I didn't need a 5-year-old wandering the halls or reporting to Death-Eaters. That's all I would need at the moment. I then turned to the door that the washroom was connected to. I walked in and saw him staring out of the window at the sun that was starting to peak out over the snow topped mountains.
"I think you need a cup of hot coca and a story, then you can go off to bed. Hmm?" I suggested, unsure if that was a good thing for him.
"Thanks for all you have done for me," his voice was soft and quiet.
"Well, I just wish I could do more for you!" I said looking at him with sympathy.
"You do?" He asked with bright green eyes shining.
"Yes, why do you have one more request?" I asked smiling cheerfully.
"I want my sister to grow up with you and live here!" The firmness in his voice made me think about it.
"What if you family knows that you are missing?" I was interested to know this fact.
"I was taken from them," He said fingering the cloth that the curtains were made of.
"Were they murdered?" I was soft about it. I didn't want him to remember the bad things in life.
"I Dunno if they were, but I want my sister with me!" There goes that firm voice again.
"What is her name?" I wanted to make sure if I found this sister of his that it was the right one.
"Jennifer 'Mione Potter," his eyes did not lie.
I smiled and said nothing other than, "I'll think on it," and put him to bed.
I closed the door behind me and stared out the window that was across from the door. Sunlight streamed in on my face as I thought it over. I raced out of my house and chose my fasted Uni-horse, Lightening. We galloped full speed out of there and to the edge of the forest I leaped off and crept to the side of the castle. I heard some of the drunks talking in loud voices through the small window that I had decided to perch on.
'They must have had a bash last night!' I said as more drunks stumbled by the small window.
"Look at the toddler!" I glanced through the window to see a young toddler with soft auburn hair and eyes that seemed to be full of fire.
The next thing I heard from the drunks was, "Lets play football with the kid!"
I slammed through the glass and rolled, pulling my sword from its sheath. I grabbed the kid and swished my sword through the air and the dolts stumbled over each other to get out of my way. I placed the child on the ground and pulled my wand out and placed a fake memory charm on them and removed this memory from their simple minds.
"Shush," I said holding on to the child that clung to me and started to cry softly.
I leaped out of the window, after sheathing my sword and putting my wand in my pocket. I landed on my feet beside Speed. My senses told me that I would be in trouble if word of this came to Dumbuldore or the Order.
I mounted Speed and we were off. The forest loomed before us and then the trees let us pass. Speed ignored the path that had been made to confuse trespassers.
"Hush now," I said, my voice was soft in the air that rushed pass us like a speeding train.
Almost instantly the young girl stoped crying and watched me out of unnatural brown eyes that were warm and innocent, but seemed to know the world. They also reminded me of Ginny Weasly.
"You're not a toddler, are you?" I asked with a sudden suspicion.
"No, I'm not! But I am also not a traitor," the eyes we unnerving me even as the girl said it.
The house was approaching fast. I knew Speed never stopped. I grabbed the supposed toddler and jumped the best I could in the air. Speed just kept on going without a backward glance. I shook my head and placed the kid on the ground where she stood and watched me. Slowly before my eyes she seemed to grow into a young woman. She still had those unnerving eyes and shiny auburn hair.
"My name's Jennifer," she said rather brightly.
"Do you have a brother?" I was asking because I was suspicious of this 13-year-old.
"Ya, I do, his name's James! Why?" Great! Now she is suspicious of me!
"Good, because he's here,"
"Where? I must see him!" Her eyes were frantic with worry.
"What is your last name?" I was going to make sure this is Jennifer Potter.
"Well, my full name is Jennifer 'Mione Potter. The 'Mione stands for Hermione," she also had truth in her eyes.
I was silent at this because Hermione had been a good friend in the Order, understanding what I was going through. She was younger then I and I respected her with all the respect I had for the world. I respected few, preferring to keep to myself. Hermione got me in the Order, she knew my history and did not pity me like others did. I hated people pitying me. The story I told her made her open herself up and tell me about her love for a boy in Slytherin. My own story was full of pranks and the forest. Very little love was in it.
I opened the door for the girl and James run into Jennifer's open arms.
I smiled at them and said, "I'll be in the stable!"
I wanted to give them time to "chat things' over". I walked into the barn, remembering my own reunion with my brother and Lily, my good friend. I still remember standing in the doorway of their house seeing their dying bodies.
FLASHBACK
"James, don't die on me. Please don't die," I whispered as tears blurred my vision.
"Jem, don't lose hope in the darkness, because it is your home," He said hoarsely.
"I'm sorry I never told you what house I was in at Hogworts, James!" I was accepting the fact my brother was going to be dead soon.
"Go to Lily! And I forgive you," James said with his last breath.
I stood up and backed away slowly before turning and racing up the stairs to the second floor. I found Lily lying over the windowsill dead. I walked toward her, in her hand were two things:
A diary
A box
I had grabbed those two things and raced out the house and onto the street. I heard a motorbike and I looked up into the dark sky. I knew the figure on the motorbike. A crowd was gathering now as a strong hand grabbed my own, and lead me out to the trees that were planted nearby.
"Suris, they're gone!" I wept onto his shoulder as he gave me a hug.
I knew he was attempting to comfort me any way he could. I slipped the diary into his pocket and told him, "Give it to Dumbuldore,"
"Give what to him?" Suris asked confused, watching me
"Lil's diary," I was curt. I climbed the tree and I waved goodbye for what might be the last time.
When I had gotten home to my forest, I opened the box and stared. In the box, was the lyric's of Lily's favourite song, that I had given her when we had left Hogworts. I softly sung MY HEART WILL GO ON(love theme from the 'Titanic' by Celine Dion.) As I got to the middle, I was no longer softly singing.
Every night in my dreams
I see you, I feel you,
That is how I know you go on
Far across the distance
And spaces between us
You have come to show you go on
Near, far, wherever you are
I believe that the heart does go on,
Once more you open the door
And you're here in my heart
And my heart will go on and on
Love can touch us one time
And last for a lifetime
And never let go till we're one
Love was when I loved you
One true time I hold you
In my life we'll always go on
Near, far, wherever you are
I believe that the heart does go on
Once more you open the door
And you're here in my heart
And my heart will go on and on
There is some love that will not go away
You're here, there's nothing I fear,
And I know that my heart will go on
We'll stay forever this way
You are safe in my heart
And my heart will go on and on
END OF FLASHBACK
I blared my music on loud and my favourite song came on, I sang along even though I thought I sounded bad.
Treat her like a Lady.
All the girl could want was a
little attention
From a man who's strong and not
to mention
Kiss and Caressing her all night long
But all that boy wants is to hit and
run off
He and his friends-they sit and
they laugh
Going around talking 'bout the girls
they used in the past
You're gonna get what's coming
to you
For all the bad bad things you do
to your
Lady, treat her like a Lady
U'll make a good girl crazy
If you don't treat her like a Lady
She stopped going to church,
she don't wanna go to school
She left with anger when he took her for a fool
Even though her friends tell her to just
keep cool
Didn't tell her from the start just what
he had planned
Right in her face with another woman
now she's in jail for attacking her man
You're gonna get what's coming to you
For all the bad bad things you do to your
Lady, treat her like a lady
U'll make a good girl go crazy
If you don't treat her like a lady
Lady, treat her like a lady
U'll make a good girl go crazy
If you don't treat her like a lady
Tell it to her straight,
She can take the truth
Don't lead her on and leave her confused
Anyone would rather be alone then be used.
Don't sit and think you'll hurt her feelings
She only wants to know know just what the deal is
Next time beware of whose heart you're breaking (or stealing)
You're gonna get what's coming to you
For all the bad bad things you do to your
Lady, treat her like a lady
U'll make a good girl go crazy
If you don't treat her like a lady
by Celine Dion
As the music faded away I was suddenly aware that I had a audience. Jennifer and James stood in the doorway of the barn and Jennifer smiled and said, "I didn't know you could sing like that!"
She was impressed, I could tell.
"Na, I don't have any talent," I said modestly, not wanting to draw attention to the fact that I had a little amount of talent.
"Whatever, I still say you've got talent," she said as she sat down on one of the tack boxes.
They were more like trunks. I used them because they worked well for hauling tack and brushes from point A to point B.
"Who are your parents?" I asked trying to change the subject.
"Harry Potter and Ginny Potter," Jennifer voice was soft as she remembered her parents.
I couldn't believe this. The Harry Potter? I should have figured it out sooner because Potter isn't a common name.
"Really? Do you know someone called Hermione Granger?" I was interested to know if Hermione still had her maiden name.
"No, but we know someone called Hermione Malfoy," Jennifer said, watching my face for signs of recognition.
My face was expressionless. I had learned from the best that you never show emoticon. Serveus had taught me that. At Hogworts we had gotten along well, which was a good thing because later we had a arranged marriage. Wizarding law said that the first born must be married to a pureblood if your family was pureblood. That is how we ended up married. He was a Potions Master at Hogworts and I'm the guard of the forest. But now he is the Potions Master for the Death-Eaters since he himself is one. I do not mind because I knew he was a supporter of the Order.
Note from the author: I hope you like it!
Note: The songs are from the CD called, Let's Talk About Love by Celine Dion