Chapter Four - O

By: HoMeSlIcE4LiFe

A/N Thank you guys for the reviews! You all rock my sweet socks! Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!!

Eight Years Later…

"Billy, dear, hurry up or you'll be late," chided Bianca Oran, now twenty-seven, through the closed door of the little boy's room.

"I'm coming!" he said.

Bianca shook her head, as if shaking away the memories. That boy was too much like his father.

The door burst open and out jumped a little boy of almost eight years, with wavy black hair and stormy grey eyes. He looked nothing like her. Only him. Him.

"I'm ready, Momma," said Billy, smiling contagiously.

"Alright, honey. I'll walk you over."

Bianca grabbed Billy's hand and walked out the back door of their quaint house on South L Street. Passing over the lawn, they reached the gate on the fence in between their house, and the next. Opening the gate, Bianca led Billy to the back door of that house.

"Cynthia!" yelled Bianca upon entering the house.

"In the kitchen."

They walked through the cluttered house and into the kitchen where a woman of about thirty-five sat with her eight-year-old son, John.

"Hello Bianca. How are you this morning?" asked Cynthia.

"Fine, Cyndi. Thanks. How are you?"

"Ready for lessons. I got an education-packed day planned," she said.

Bianca smiled. "Great. You doing okay, John?"

"Yes, Ms. Oran, thank you," squeaked the little boy.

Kissing the forehead of Billy, she said, "I'll see you for lunch."

Billy smiled, and then ran off with John.

"Thanks, Cyndi," she said.

"No problem, hon."

Bianca left the way she came. Returning to her house, an owl of reddish-brown stood, waiting for her. It hooted once. Twice.

Slowly, she walked over to the owl and grabbed the letter it held onto. She flipped it over and saw the Hogwarts crest.

She held it, shocked. She had no idea what to expect from it. Another death? A job? Or just a plain letter? With trembling hands, she opened the letter.

Dear Ms. Oran,

It has been ten years since you left Hogwarts. Now, you

are requested to return for the tenth reunion for your year.

You and your family are welcome to spend two weeks here,

beginning the seventh of July. Come and renew old acquaintances.

Please send your response with haste.

Professor Minevra McGonagall

P.S. Don't let fear keep you from happiness, Ms. Oran. –Albus

Bianca was shaking. No. No. She couldn't go. She'd see him. She couldn't. She wouldn't. But, on top of this, an unrecognizable force told her she should say yes.

Don't let fear keep you from happiness.

What did Dumbledore mean? She wouldn't find happiness. She would have to face old mistakes. That was all. Plus, she wasn't afraid…or was she?

She didn't want to see him again. It was as simple as that. She had finally healed, for the most part. She didn't know what would happen, what they would say, what he would say. Was that fear? Or just…something else.

She knew she was lying to herself. She was afraid. She knew it. But that doesn't mean she would admit it.

She grabbed a bit of bare parchment and wrote only a one-worded response. Her reply:

Yes.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Rosie, what do you think?" asked the man sitting at the bar.

Rosie looked at him. She remembered when he was in Hogwarts. He was young, lively, happy. He used to have one of those contagious smiles, one that never dulled or faltered. Now, he seemed broken. He was worse eight years ago, always drinking and moping. Two years later he had stopped drinking as much, went out a bit, and even smiled.

But it was never the same smile. Never as happy as he was. Rosmerta looked at the man and saw sadness. That was all that was left of him, really. It took him over and his young twenty-seven years looked and seemed like fifty.

"I think you should go. It'll do you some good," suggested Rosmerta.

He sighed deeply. "But what if she comes?"

Ever since he had received his invitation, he acted more and more like he had eight years ago.

Rosmerta looked him over. It was because of this girl he was like this. Rosie knew he wouldn't ever heal unless he saw her again, confronted her.

"I haven't seen her since Marissa Kitt's funeral," he continued. "And even then, we didn't even get within five feet of each other."

She knew he would just keep coming up with excuses unless she did something about it. "Go, Sirius, or I'm never letting you into my pub again," she said firmly.

Sirius Black sighed, put a few Knuts on the bar, and stood up. "Thanks Rosie," he said before leaving. He had to go for a walk. He had a lot to think about.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Lily, James, Remus, and Peter were out at lunch. It was a meeting, though, really. They had all gotten their letters this morning, and knew it was time to do something, to plan.

"There's got to be a way," said Lily positively.

Remus sighed. "If they just both go, they'll be together soon. That's how it's always been. They think that the other's presence, alone, is intoxicating."

"No," said James. "It'll definitely take more than that. Both of them are really hurt. We'll need to give them the extra push."

"Guys," squeaked Peter, "What if they don't love each other anymore? What if this doesn't work?"

"It has to," stated Lily firmly. "We're bringing this family back together. We all know that this has to happen. Especially after Marissa. We made a pact that final day in seventh year to stick together. We broke it once, now we're going to fix it," she said, her voice shaking.

James put an arm around her as she sobbed into his chest. "We'll fix this, Lily. We will."

Remus spoke. "'Us Seven solemnly swear to stick together, through thick and thin, until we're old and gray. We promise to make it through this war together, and let nothing separate us. Together forever and ever. 'Til death do us part. Amen.'"

James chuckled. "Such perfect wording," he said.

"It's not the word that matter," said Peter. "It's the meaning behind them that count."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Dumbledore held two responses in his hand. So, they would both be here. He thought neither would come. Deep down, though, he knew all along they would. They couldn't resist. Couldn't resist Hogwarts. Couldn't resist the magic here. Couldn't resist the chance to see the teachers and their fellow classmates. Couldn't resist the food, the Forbidden Forest, the Whomping Willow, or the lake. But most of all, he knew they couldn't resist seeing each other again. He knew they needed this, wanted this. Even if neither would admit it.

"Hogwarts has always managed to perform the greatest magic of all," whispered Dumbledore to his companion, Fawkes. Fawkes nodded in acknowledgement. "The only question left now, Fawkes, is how strong is it? Truly."

Dumbledore sighed deeply to himself and retired for the night, knowing that in one short week, Hogwarts would begin its magic.

A/N So?? The Ball's just started to roll!! Please, please, please, be kind and review. I so dearly love them. Update probably won't be 'til Thursday though. Sorry. I got a huge essay to do Wed. so, I'll be extremely busy, but I will try. Tell me what you thought!!

Love,

HoMeSlIcE4LiFe