Sirius glanced over at his new cellmate and rolled his eyes when he shifted for the umpteenth time.

"Comfy yet?" He asked sarcastically. Charles threw him a glare and sneered.

"Yes, thank you." he rolled his eyes and stood, stretching his back. "So what happened after Dumbledore told Melody that she was the 'chosen one.'" He said the words like they were venom. Sirius glared up at him for a moment before tapping his chin.

"After that, I guess we got on the train." Sirius said thoughtfully, working through his memory for a moment before finding a suitable place to begin again.


It was just us three sitting in a back compartment on the very last car of the train. Not a one person was back here. We had the entire car to ourselves. It was rather peaceful, compared to all of the other train rides home. Of course the other time's I'd been sitting with James, Remus, and Peter.

It had taken quite a while for Melody to calm down, but finally after what seemed forever, her tears quieted and she was curled up on the seat, her breathing even in a deep sleep. Lily brushed her hair methodically with her fingers, making Melody look like an oversized cat. But a very cute oversized cat. Lily sighed softly and looked up at me with worry filled green eyes.

"What exactly is going on Sirius?" she asked in a subdued whisper. "I get that James is upset about some prophesy, but what exactly is it? Why is he so worried?" she looked down at the girl and pressed her lips into a thin line. I chewed on the inside of my cheek and watched melody sleep for a long moment before leaning forward.

"I suppose coming from a muggle family you don't get much news of what goes on during the summer…"

"I get the Daily Prophet." Lily rolled her eyes.

"Then you know that You-know-who is getting stronger?" I asked. Lily nodded and looked back down to Melody.

"Yes, but I don't get that news from the paper." she admitted. "Melody tells me every day, about terrible nightmares, and then later, when we get the paper, the story is right there on the front page." she shook her head slowly. "I've never told her. She doesn't read the Daily Prophet anyway." I closed my eyes and drew in a deep breath.

"Keep quiet, and I promise I'll tell you." Lily nodded and touched her lips with a finger, letting me know she'd keep silent. "When Dumbledore called Melody into his office he told her about a 'Chosen One.' The person who is… I guess prophesized to defeat You-Know-Who from what I've heard from everyone. Melody is the one in the Prophecy." Lily's hand froze in its spot just behind Melody's ear. She looked up at me and I nodded slowly. She closed her eyes and shook her head in horror.

"Is that why James was freaking out?" Lily asked me, opening her eyes and resuming to brush Melody's hair. I grimaced.

"Still can't believe he did that." I growled. Lily gestured for me to come over to her seat. "What?"

"I'm going to go have a talk with Mr. Potter," She spat the name as though it tasted bad. "and Melody honestly does need the rest. Tonks said she was up half the night staring out her window." Lily lifted Melody's head just enough to slip out of the seat. She kept Melody's head up until I resumed her spot, then she placed Melody's temple on my knee. "I'll be right back." Lily promised and turned out the compartment door, shutting it with a near silent click. I began brushing my fingers through Melody's hair the way Lily had, and it seemed she hadn't been disturbed in the exchange. I leaned my head against the wall and tilted it so I could gaze out the window at the rapidly passing country side. I allowed my mind to wander, mulling over everything that had come to pass in the past day. It seemed like just the morning had lasted for day's. I suddenly found tears staining my cheeks as I thought about Melody. I wiped them away before Lily could come back and tried to calm down my erratic breathing. My racing thoughts slowed, and allowed me to calm down enough to glance at Melody's face. Even in sleep she looked troubled.

A cute little 'v' was formed between her eyebrows, bringing them into a curved arch over her almond shaped eyes. The corners of her mouth were turned down and her fingers were constantly twitching, as though a nightmare plagued her. Her blue eyes flashed open and she thrashed for a moment before I cradled her face between my hands.

"Melody." I whispered, and she froze, looking up at me. "Mel, it's just me." I promised. She tried to keep back the tears, but she buried her face in my chest, sobbing quietly. I rocked her back and forth, trying to calm her. Finally she calmed enough to fall back into sleep, and I knew the nightmare's were gone. It gave me a little satisfaction to know I could expel the bad dreams from her mind for her.

It took quite some time for Lily to return, and already I knew we were nearing London when she entered quietly and flopped down on the seat across from me, her face was that of utter confusion.

"How'd it go?" I asked. She looked up, a blush coloring her cheeks.

"What?" She asked, her eyes glancing at the window, then anywhere else as if she refused to meet my gaze.

"Yelling at James?" I asked.

"Oh. Yeah." She muttered something under her breath, but didn't continue. I sighed and glanced down at Melody. "I suppose you should wake her now." Lily whispered, her face softening. I shook my head slowly, unsure whether she would freak out again.

"Sleep right now is her only escape." I said quietly, not fully believing it. "Let her escape for a while longer…" But then the tunnel that led to Platform 9¾ tossed us into lantern lit dimness.

"Longer is over." Lily breathed a laugh. I grinned and shook my head. "Melody." I shook her shoulder. "Come on Melody, you gotta wake up." I said a little louder. Her eyes fluttered open and she wrenched up in her seat, looking at me as though I were some form of new creature. She blinked, and smiled.

"How long was I asleep?" She yawned. I grabbed our stuff from the over head baskets and handed the girls their bags.

"Almost the entire ride." I said. Melody pulled her bag strap over her head and swayed a little as the train came to a stop. It didn't look as though she'd fully waken up, so I took her arm and guided her carefully through the hallway. We stepped off the train and Melody caught sight of her parents.

"Daddy!" She screeched, throwing her arms around Henry's neck. He grinned and hugged her back. Charlotte smiled and me and mussed my hair.

"How are you Sirius?" She asked softly, "Excited to be done with school?"

"Hardly." I muttered. She laughed and hugged me, more of a mother to me than my mother ever was. I caught sight of my brother getting off the very front of the train, and running straight into Mommie's arms. I rolled my eyes and smiled as Charlotte let go and began searching for her son. Melody was moving towards the luggage that was already piling up near the storage compartments in the back of the train. Sitting back there had it's advantages. Namely, you were the first to get out of the crowded platform. I moved to join her in the search for our trunks and we found ours at the same time. As we reached towards the handles I quickly whispered to her,

"When are you going to tell them?" Melody glanced at me and grabbed her trunk.

"I'm not sure." She said quietly, glancing down at her feet. I chuckled and patted her shoulder.

"No worries. I'm sure Dumbledore will tell them at the next Meeting." I shrugged.

"Oh yeah. That's right. Your old enough to be inducted. Congrats." She grinned at me, but her eyes were far from sincere. I admired her courage, and ability to hide something as big as what she was hiding. We saw James get off the train and make his way over to us.

"Mel?" He asked sheepishly. "Can you forgive me?" He asked.

"There's nothing to forgive. I was just waiting for you to be a bigger person. A little pie never hurt anyone. Especially the Justice kind." She hugged his neck with one arm, then headed towards her parents. James grabbed his trunk and looked at me.

"She's scared out of her mind isn't she?" he asked quietly.

"Oh, no doubt of it." I agreed, and we followed Melody towards Henry and Charlotte.

"Sirius, do you want to go say hello to your family. Or are you just coming straight home with us?" Henry asked, taking James' trunk.

"I'd rather not go over there just now." I murmured, glancing at the happy little reunion between mother and Regulus.

"Alright." he smiled. Melody waited for me to catch up, and I smiled down at her.

"I want you to be there when I tell them." she whispered, looking down at her feet again. I took her hand softly in my own.

"Of course Mel." I kissed her hair.

"I think you can help me explain better than anyone else."

"Alright you two." Charlotte called to us suddenly, and we both jumped. "Why didn't you tell me you were a couple?" she stared us down, and Melody looked up at me sharply.

"No, Charlotte. I just…" I looked down at our linked hands and then into Melody's eyes.

"James told me you had something important to say. But some things don't need words." Charlotte smiled sweetly. "And James and Lily as well. Both my babies getting hitched on the same day."

"James did what?" Melody asked, raising an eyebrow at her mother. We looked over at James, who was embracing Lily lovingly.

"Who would have thought?" I whispered, and Melody audibly closed her mouth.

"That is… just so wrong." she winced, and we walked forward.

"You know Mel." I smiled. "I rather like that your mom think's we're together."

"I kind of like it too." she smiled, squeezing my hand softly. "And I think it will lessen the blow of what I have to tell them."

"I'll be there." I promised. I would always be there for her, and I knew that now.