It was a cold and grey morning in London, the clouds hung over the city in a dark and depressing manner. It's funny how during the darkest of times Mother Nature chooses to allow the plights of humans dictate how she acts. It was almost as if she couldn't bare to allow the sun to shine in a place of such evil.

It was early July, but you could see your breath. However, the chill in the air was from more than just the cold. It was desperation and it clung to the air like death. A young man with black hair stepped out of his one bedroom flat, and looked around with steel grey eyes. He pulled his long black coat closer to him trying to block out the cold. He began walking down the road taking no notice to those who passed him by. Walking with tall confident strides until he got to fork in the road. It was a cold and dirty bus stop, and the young man looked distinctly out of place standing beside it. He was tall, well built, with sharp aristocratic features. He was breathtakingly handsome, and this did not go unnoticed by the women waiting at the bus stop. His clothing was well made and obviously expensive, the young man obviously came from wealth. It wasn't just in his clothing or even his looks, it was the way the man held himself. Strong and confident he seemed to emit power.

He took a look at his wrist watch growing more, and more impatient. The bus was late. Why did Remus insist on using that damn muggle contraption anyway, he thought acidly. It was cold, wet and he was bored and impatient, and Sirius Black does not do bored and impatient. Well, he could always have a little fun, he thought with a mischievous smirk. However, before he could exercise said fun the bus pulled up and off it stepped the man he had been waiting for.

Remus Lupin was tall, lanky, and pale. A look that made him look distinctly ill almost all the time. He had soft amber eyes, and a kind face that was unfortunately marred by various cuts. "Looks like I got here just in the nick of time," he chucked. "Always the spoil sport eh Moony!" Sirius smirked as he threw his arm around his friends shoulder. " We should get going before they start to worry I've made us late enough as it is" sighed Remus. The two began to walk down the road till they arrived at a rather odd looking pub with a sign that said "the Leaky Cauldron." What was even stranger was that most people didn't even seem to notice to strange little pub.

The two men were greeted with somber faces as soon as the entered. There group of friends motioned the, to join them at there table. "About time you two showed up, we were beginning to worry," said a young woman with red hair and vibrant green eyes. " Take that up with Moony, Evans if he didn't insist on playing the muggle we would have been on time," said Sirius offering her a small smile as he sat down beside a blonde woman with vivid blue eyes. "Hows it going short stuff?" he asked the blonde mussing her hair. " Watch it Sirius, unless your looking to get hexed" she smiled good-naturedly.

Despite the the friendly welcoming there was a slight edge at the table, an unspoken boundary that needed to be crossed. Yet, no one seemed willing to cross it. Sirius looked across the table at his best mate, a tall man with with black messy hair and glasses. James raised his hazel eyes to meet the grey of Sirius'. The grey eyes bore into the hazel as if trying to ask some unspoken question, hazel gazed back intently until the grey twinkled in realization. As James and Sirius had there silent conversation the group had settled into an uneasy silence. Lily gazed around the bar, noticing for the first time how unusually empty it was. It was a marker of the time people feared venturing out into the public. A growing sense of doom hung over the city as news of more deaths and more disappearances came every day. Marlene just stared intently at her hands, while Remus glanced back and forth trying to grasp some gist of what James and Sirius were silently saying to each other.

Marlene fidgeted silently, she couldn't take it anymore. She grabbed the news paper that was lying in the center of the table. Hoping and praying that there would be no news about someone she knew. She had been lucky enough to have had very little personal contact with the events surrounding the community. However, few acquaintances had lost everything and she knew it would be only a matter of time before it hit her in the face. Taking a deep breath she slowly began to read, and then there it was the thing she had been dreading. She let out a sob, and the whole table turned to look at her. "Marnie Greengrass and her family were found dead in there homes this morning," she hiccoughed " We were friends till third year," she sobbed. Sirius pulled her closer as she cried into his shoulder. "It happened it finally happened" Lily chocked trying to blink the tears out of her eyes. "It had to happen sooner or later, someone we knew was bound to end up dead," muttered James trying to keep his composure. "We've been lucky so far, it was bound to catch up."

"But, Marnie who would want to kill Marnie she was so sweet and nice. Everybody liked her," cried Marlene. "Her father was a high standing Ministry Official, one of the first to actively speak out about what's happening. Voldemort and his lackeys probably killed him to scare off other Ministry members from doing the same," said Remus quietly. "Sirius, I hate to ask this of you but have you heard anything from your family lately. Any word of what's going on?" James asked not being able to bring himself to look into Sirius' eyes. He knew all well how involved Sirius' family was with the incidents. He hated reminding Sirius of that, but they needed information. Sirius' eyes grew dark as he spoke. " I haven't heard much just hints here and there, but it sounds like Voldemort has been going to all the old families asking for support. Trying to build-up his followers. I don't know for sure, but it ... it sounds like they want war.

"War, are you certain?

"Not certain no, but it seems likely"

"What about your family, what are they doing?" James asked fearing the answer but they needed to know.

"My family has aligned itself with Voldemort, I get letter after letter reminding me of my duty to do the same"