Anxiously I waited by the window, contemplating whether or not I should run after him. Something was wrong. I could feel it. And yet I knew it. But I didn't want to know or speak of the truth. It just couldn't be true. The crystal glass clock in the corner ticked away. Oh, how I hated the thing. Every hour it chimed, the noise vibrating off the walls. It made me nervous. I would have to remember to remind Sirius to get rid of it. Please, please, please let them be okay. Let him be okay. I wanted to see them all; safe.
Half an hour later, there still wasn't any sign of Sirius. No news of Lily or James. I couldn't wait anymore. Hastily, I grabbed my wand off the front counter, rushing out the door. Turning on the spot, I felt the wind underneath my feet, yanking me from the earth, pulling me until my feet hit solid ground. My eyes seemed to never adjust to the darkness.
Slowly I walked up the dark lonely street, pumpkins still faintly glowing in windows from the night before. It was about two am, children haven been escorted into their houses by tired parents after a long night of trick-or-treating. Peculiar it was how the whole world seemed to be sleep, when I was so awake and alert, pausing at every little sound. Only continuing, when I was sure it was just the fluttering of an owl's wing up ahead, retiring from a night of hunting. Finally I turned onto Lily and James' street.
As soon as I saw it, my heart stopped. Skipped several beats. No, no, no. I was running. Running faster than I ever had in my whole entire life. Running toward the ruins of a house that I knew without hesitation was my friends'. No, no, no. It wasn't their house; it couldn't be. As I got closer, I noticed that a crowd had already gathered here. Wizarding families from nearby and some from afar. Dumbledore, his face grave, stood closest to the ruins, talking to the minister. Protective guards from the Ministry of Magic blocked the crowd from getting any closer to the houses. A witch with long black hair, held Harry, standing just a few inches behind Dumbledore, softly crying. And then I heard it. A loud moan, a soul-chilling cry. I pushed past the guard nearest me, rushing to the steps leading to the house.
"Hey! Hey! You can't go in there. Someone! Stop her!" he shouted. I kept moving even though I could feel the gaze of the crowd on my back. Kingsley blocked my path, an arm outstretched. He looked tired, sad even.
"What's going on? Where are they?" Kingsley shook his head. "Kingsley, please. Where are they?" He looked down. Frantically, I tried to move around him.
"Rachel." I turned around to face Dumbledore.
"Where are they? Are they okay? What's going on?" Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes revealed sadness. And I knew. Knew they weren't okay. Knew what had happened. "Howww?" I asked. How could he have found them? How could this have happened? How many precautions had we taken to prevent this? Constantly drinking polyjuice. Only coming out of our houses when absolutely necessary. Switching locations every three days.
"I will explain. But first you need to get out of here. I will arrange for Harry to stay with his aunt and uncle. You and Sirius need to meet me in my office in an hour".
"No!" I exclaimed. "He should stay with us. Lily and James made me and Sirius his godparents. She hates him…Petunia hates him. She won't let him live with her. Please, he can't."
Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "You and Sirius are easy targets for Death eaters. We must discuss the matter in private."
"Where's Sirius". As if on cue, that same loud outcry came from the house again. This time I managed to push past Kingsley, running up the steps, into the hall, and up the stairs. Sirius sat in a pathetic heap, his hands blocking his face. I rushed to his side. "Sirius! Sirius?" It killed me to see him like this. And that's when I lost it. The last ounce of hope I had was gone. Lily and James were really gone. Gone forever.
Guards led us out the house. The crowd had grown even bigger. Children held on to their mothers head. Everyone wore the same solemn expression. They, too, were waiting for news. Waiting to hear what had happened. Rita stood with her green quill poised over a piece of parchment, waiting for a statement from the minister. When she saw us, her face lit up like a child's on Christmas. She tried to make her way to us, but a guard gave her a particularly ugly look. She retreated back into the crowd, looking rather cross.
Sirius walked slowly, his hand entwined in mine. I glanced at his face through my red eyes. His eyes too, were red, dark circles beginning to form from a sleepless night. His hair was scattered messily, locks falling maniacally into his face, creating a dark shadow. The crowd watched us, but I didn't turn around. The witch with the long black hair was gone, probably with Dumbledore who had also disappeared.
I clutched Sirius's hand, felt the feet separating from the earth. Felt the wind pulling us. I held his hand tighter. Held on to the only other person I had left. Had on to the only other person I still trusted. Held on to the person who felt everything I felt.