Hi! So glad you decided to join me on this escapade. This is the sequel to my first Harry Potter story, Scars. Reading that one first is recommended, though not entirely necessary. I do hope you enjoy, and, as always, I welcome your feedback.

Prologue:

The Brightest Star

1 November 1981

It was a day like any other, the day that changed everything. The streets outside were busy. Halloween was done, the Christmas shopping season had officially begun, and Jonathan was getting into trouble his uncles would be proud of.

He discovered how to make a toy fly when he was only a year old. Now, at two years, he had about ten toys zipping around the small flat, knocking into books and sending pictures falling to the floor. I was racing around the small flat trying to soften the blow of the falling objects.

When the photo of all of us at Harry's party smashed, I decided I'd had enough. I pulled out my wand and said, a little breathlessly, "Finite Incantatem."

Instantly all the toys froze in mid-air before coming to a gentle rest on the floor. Jonathan merely looked at me before grinning like a baby Cheshire cat. All ten toys rose back into the air and continued their previous flight. My head dropped listlessly as I heaved a great sigh. Jonathan laughed hysterically; it was hard to remain angry when he laughed like that. Soon, I was laughing too. His squeals magnified as I began tickling him.

"I am never leaving you alone with your uncles again. They are no good for you!" I said with a laugh.

Just then the door to my flat burst open. The toys came crashing down and I whipped around, wand drawn, ready to blast away the intruder who dare threaten my son's safety. Fortunately it wasn't an intruder, merely an over eager uncle.

"Merlin, Sirius! I know it's been a while, but did you really forget how to knock?"

Sirius simply stood motionless in the doorway, pale-faced and wide-eyed.

"Sirius? Sirius, what is it? What's happened?"

He stumbled, still speechless, to the couch. I locked the door behind him before hurrying over. Jonathan began to cry.

"Damn it, Sirius, snap out of it." I snapped my fingers in front of his face for emphasis. "You're scaring Jonathan, and me!"

Finally he looked up as though seeing me for the first time. "They're…they're dead."

"What?"

"They're dead," he repeated a little louder. I took a step back.

"No…No. They can't be…"

I refused to believe what he was saying. Dead? It wasn't possible. Jonathan was still wailing. He waddled over to Sirius, who subconsciously put an arm around the little tyke as he leaned into his leg.

"They're dead," he said again.

"Stop saying that! How is that even possible? They were…"

"He betrayed them. He betrayed all of us."

I couldn't breathe; my world was crashing around me, and I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move. Sirius must have seen the panic in my eyes and it spurred him into action. He leapt from the couch and took my face in both of his hands.

"You have to leave; he's coming for you next."

"Leave? I can't…"

"You have to, Kate. He's killed them and he's coming for you. I'll be damned if I let him get to you."

"How much time do I have?" I asked, pushing back the tears for now.

"None. You have to leave now. Take only the necessities. You won't be able to come back."

"Jonathan…"

"I'll watch him while you pack." As if to prove a point, Sirius quickly swept Jonathan into his arms and cradled his teary eyes to his chest. "Now go!"

I needed no further commands. I turned and headed deeper into the small flat.

What exactly should one deem as necessity? Was it clothes? Gold? Books? Pictures? For me it was the latter two. Clothes could always be replaced, memories could not be. Fortunately many of my possessions were still in boxes, even after two years. With a wave of my wand I sent them someplace safe. Then I grabbed a bag and threw some clothes for me and Jonathan inside, along with the few pictures I did have up.

When I returned to the front room it was to find Sirius kneeling before Jonathan.

"You have to take care of your Mum now? Protect her. She's a stubborn cat, I know, and I know you like your mischief, but you have to manage it… for a bit." He kissed Jonathan's forehead before noticing my presence.

"Come with me," I said.

"Kate, I…"

"Come with me, Sirius, please." I dropped the bag and threw my arms around his neck. "Come away with me. We can be a family, the three of us. Please, Sirius."

"I can't let him get away with this. You know I can't. He killed James."

"Please, think about what you're about to do and then don't do it. For once in your life, just don't do it. And come away with me."

He pulled back and took my face in his hands. He kissed the top of my head like he had Jonathan's.

"You were always the brightest among us, you know. The brightest star." He laughed. "I love you."

It was my turn to laugh. "Is that the first time you've ever said that to a girl?"

"Yes. And I'll likely never say it again."

"Sirius…"

Suddenly a siren sounded and Sirius swore.

"The proximity alarm," he said. "He's here. You have to leave now, Kate."

I picked up my bag and grabbed a few last minute things, such as a few toys and the smashed photo. Then I grabbed Jonathan before turning back to Sirius again.

"I love you too."

"Go!"

I stepped, turned, and apparated away.

XXX

I apparated around the country a few times before arriving in a Muggle village several hundred kilometers away from where I'd started. I was in the north country where the air was colder. I paused for a moment to grab a coat from the bag for Jonathan and to ensure that my disguise was in place before I moved into the village square.

The first order of business was to find an inn with a vacancy and a hot meal. Thinking of food brought a grimace to my face as I recalled I'd left dinner cooking back home. For half a moment I thought of returning to turn it off, but I knew that would be unwise.

Walking down the high street, I found the Inn easily enough. I ducked inside the heavy oak door just as a gust of wind whipped my hair around.

"Looks like it's going to be a cold winter," the woman behind the desk said.

She had no idea how cold I really was.

"What can I get for you, Dearie?"

"A room for the two of us, if you have it, and a place where one can find a hot meal…and a hot chocolate."

"And how long will you be staying?" she asked with a kind smile.

"Oh, uhmm… I…well…"

"You know, I think we can do a daily rate for you."

I smiled. "Thank you."

She smiled again, and began searching through her rooms. On the counter behind her she had a Muggle picture box playing. The image that was showing was one that struck me with horror and I couldn't stop the small gasp that escaped my lips. The woman heard me and looked back at the box herself.

"Oh my…" She shuffled over to the counter and pushed a hidden button on the side. Suddenly there was sound coming from the box; an unseen woman was speaking.

"…result of a faulty gas line. There are seven confirmed dead so far, but officials expect these numbers to rise. There are still parts of Rockwell Lane they cannot get to. Several are severely injured; homes are lost. Again Rockwell Lane has been closed due to a gas-line explosion…"

"Oh! How awful," the woman said before turning back around. "Are you alright, Dearie? You look as though you've seen a ghost?"

Ghosts weren't nearly as frightening as Muggles seemed to think they were; at least, not the ones I'd met.

"I…I used to live there," I said.

"Oh! Well by the looks of it, you have yourself a guardian angel."

A guardian angel? He was more like a guard dog. God, Sirius, what have you done?

"Ah, here we go. Room fourteen is open for the next month, and it has a charming little nook for the young guy. Does that work for you?"

I nodded numbly.

"Great! And what name should I put it under, Dearie?"

"Ka…" I chocked on my words; tears I'd been holding back since Sirius' announcement threatened to spill forth. "Ka—Katherine Porter."