Alec looked out over his garden with a cold beer in his hand with his leg up. He would be inside on of his garages but Katherine had taken away his wand and was also watching him from the kitchen to make sure he didn't do anything. He placed his bottle down and heard soft footsteps coming from his right.

"Auror training tells me that you're here for something other than seeing how I'm doing." Said Alec. The soft footsteps became quicker and Alec turned his head to see his Tim Potter standing before him. Still in that same suit and umbrella leaning on his leg. He smiled smugly down at Alec.

"Not going for a run are we?"

"What do you want?" asked Alec picking his beer up.

"I just wanted to check how my little brother is-"

"Cut the crap." Said Alec in a fed up tone. "You only ever come to see me to scold me or to ask me to do something. So, which is it?" Tim frowned slightly.

"Both." He said summoning a chair. He dusted it with his hand and sat down.

"Taking your son to look at a classified dead body is high on the agenda." Said Tim. "What did you learn from it?" Alec chuckled.

"What makes you think I learned anything from it?" asked Alec. Tim laughed lightly and adjusted his waistcoat.

"World's greatest detective." Said Tim.

"I didn't give myself that name." said Alec.

"But still." Said Tim. "What did you learn about our Jane Doe?" Alec finished his beer. "About how she died?"

"She was suffocated." Said Alec.

"I know that bit." Said Tim. "But what relation did she have with this Thompson character?"

"They were lovers." Said Alec turning towards the patio door. "Accio beer!" The beer bottle came swishing through and caught it swiftly.

"Jesus Alec, you could have just asked of one." said Katherine coming to the patio door. She stopped dead and saw Tim sitting there. "Oh, hi Tim." She said. "I didn't hear you out here."

"Hello Katherine dear." Said Tim. "Just making sure my brothers alright." Katherine frowned slightly with a slight smirk and looked to Alec who nodded.

"I'll leave you boys to it." she said. "Be sure and tell James his dinner is in the oven when he comes back."

"Will do." Said Alec. Katherine closed the door.

"I might as well ask, how is my nephew doing? Didn't scare him with the dead body did you."

"James is fine." Said Alec opening his beer. "Not that you really care anyway." He finished taking a drink.

"Quite." Said Tim. "Now, you were saying."

"Who wants to know this?" asked Alec cutting across the Tim who tried to hide his frustration. "Because it doesn't really sound that important."

"A mutual party has inquired-"

"Is it because I've taken a look that everyone wants to know what I've found." Said Alec. "You always were the higher powers messenger boy."

"The Ministry."

"Or The Institute." Alec cutted in again.

"Listen!" Said Tim threw gritted teeth. "I've come here because I want you to do something." Alec put his beer down.

"I don't have to you know." Said Alec. "I'm suspended, remember. Why don't you ask your not so secret service for help?"

"They cannot be trusted." Said Tim. Alec raised his eyebrow.

"You don't trust your own secret service?"

"Naturally not." Said Tim, "They spy on people for money."

"And I don't." said Alec.

"You have all this and more stashed away." said Tim. "You were retired for five years and still could have lived for five hundred. Which tells me that you still, after all these years, do it for the thrill rather than the payment."

"And because of that I can be trusted." Said Alec.

"My superiors seem too think that our blood runs thicker than water." Said Tim in a way that implied that nothing was further from the truth.

"What a mistake." Said Alec still drinking.

"Indeed." Said Tim. "I need you to interview this Robert Thompson for me." Alec laughed and placed his beer down.

"So, after being told not to break into Azkaban you're now ordering me to." Said Alec. "Just so where clear." Tim nodded.

"How the hell am I supposed to do that with this." He said pointing at his knee.

"At least it wasn't the anterior, dear brother." Said Tim smiling smugly. "I will of course expect a full report from you in time."

"I'll try my best." Alec said sarcastically. "You can stay for dinner if you want."

"I don't think so." Said Tim getting to his feet. "I have a more interesting place to hang my hat." He said holding it out.

An arrow shot across the patio and hit Tim's hat. Tim took a step back while Alec watched the arrow smack into a flower bed wall with the hat still around it. They both looked back to see James on his haunches on the high wall at the opposite side of the patio. He lowered his bow and lowered the hood.

"Interesting enough?" he said walking towards them. Tim regained his composure.

"Hello nephew." He said nodding curtly. "Good to see you are well."

"You to uncle Timmy." Said James smirking. "Sorry about the hat but I guess you have a million like it in all different shades." Tim almost bit his lip to stop him from saying something he might regret.

"Quite right." He said. "You may keep it as a trophy of your…" he turned and looked at the hat. "Archery prowess."

"Thanks I think I will." Said James.

"I wouldn't be too smug, boy." Said Tim. "I have eyes everywhere, and I know of your little excursion at San Andreas." If he wanted James too looked fearful it didn't have the desired effect.

"I already know about that." Said Alec. "Which is funny, I thought fighting was never your thing." Tim frowned at the two of them before smiling.

"It's what the punters seem to like." He said. You should congratulate him, he was on the cusp of victory, clearly some of you juvenile talent has rubbed off on him.

"I hear it's a Potter trait." Said James.

Tim didn't reply, he straightened his jacket and picked up his umbrella and walked away.

"Oh, and one last thing little brother." He said turning back to Alec and James.

"Prior to your little incidents you were spending a lot of time at the Hill Street Orphanage." Said Tim. Alec turned his head towards him frowning at him. "Particularly room 134. Is there…anything I should know about?"

"No." said Alec dangerously. Tim smirked.

"Of course." He said. "I would tip my hat to you but…" he looked over at James. "Good day." With a flash of blue light he was gone.

"He's a prick." Said James walking over and picking up the arrow from the hat.

"Can't argue with you there." Said Alec.

"What is at room 134?" asked James.

"Nothing that concerns you." said Alec his eyes looking at the point where Tim had gone. Why would he want him to break into Azkaban to speak to Thompson, clearly his men couldn't break him. Maybe, in his own warped way it was saying to Alec that he believed in his abilities…took him long enough.

"Dad?"

"Yeah?" asked Alec looking round at James.

"What you thinking about?"

"Nothing." Said Alec getting to his feet. "Come on, mum says there's dinner in the oven for you."

"What did Tim want?" Katherine was lying in bed and watching Alec in the ensuite looking at his stitched wound in the mirror.

"He wanted a favour." Said Alec, his attention focused on something else entirely. Katherine could sense it.

"What favour was that?" she asked. Alec turned round and walked into the bed room.

"He wanted me to break into Azkaban." Said Alec. Katherine looked back surprised, she wasn't expecting that.

"Break into Azkaban." She said. Alec nodded. "Why?" Alec moved round towards his side of the bed.

"I think he wants me to have a word with that Thompson." Said Alec pulling back the duvet and sitting down. Katherine turned over and let her nails graze down his back.

"You are not going anyway." Said Katherine. "The doctor said total rest. And I intend you to have it."

"A little chat wouldn't hurt." Said Alec.

SLAP

"Awwww! What was that for?"

"For even thinking about something like that." Said Katherine. Alec got into bed and turned over to see her.

"I want you home now." she said. "When you get the all clear, then go. Ok."

"Ok, good night." He kissed her on the fore head.

"Good night. Love you."

"I love you to."

"In other news, the Government has announced today that it is sending more aid to Romania over the growing concerns of the tuberculosis crisis, despite the fact that the country is refusing to use it. The prime minister has reiterated that the people of Romania will be well looked after by the united kingdom. Other countries to pledge money are France and Holland. Humanitarian charities working out in the Romanian mountains, the worst hit areas, say the money is helpful, but more has to be done to let them get to the regions more affected. Jane Tessop has more. Jane."

The T.V cut to picture of people walking down steep mountains.

"A miracle hike some are calling it. Others are calling it a walk through the seven circles of hell. These refugees are fleeing from the mountains where food and water are nowhere, and typhoid is ripe. These are the lucky ones. Others, dead on the mountain side.

We tried to get interviews with the people but as you can see…"

The T.V turned to a crying woman who was with two small children. They tried to interview her but the emotion seemed too much.

"It's a tale of sorrow and woe that can only be considered a nightmare and too painful to talk about."

It then cut to a tent.

"These are where the diseased are brought, we aren't allowed in but there can be a lot of wailing heard as this terrible disease takes hold. But for all the efforts of the aid workers, they almost seen to be pushed back by the authorities who have now declared all routes up the mountains closed. Anyone up there they feel is already infected.

Jane Tessop, BBC news."

It cut back to the Anchor.

"Well, we can join Jane who's in the capital city Bucharest, Jane can you tell us what's going on there please."

"Well it's hard to fathom really." she said. "Soldiers are patrolling the mountain roads, not letting anyone up, not even aid workers. The rumour is that the leader has declared the mountains a no-go zone for anyone."

"So let me get this straight, no one is allowed up there to help these people."

"That's right, the leader has almost decreed that anyone left up there now is to die of Tuberculosis and not have excess to the millions of pounds of equipment that is just here wasting away almost."

"Has there been any international pressure at all to abandon this stance?"

"Not yet. All the major players are waiting and seeing, this outbreak seems to be spreading very quickly, I'm pretty sure they're going to let it become a crisis before they ask for international help."

"It's amazing really. Thank you Jane. We can now speak to Pat Beaucannon the spokesman of the main charity co-ordinating the relief effort save the children.

"Thanks Tom." A good looking man in his fifties said.

"So Pat, what is the Leader thinking behind almost leaving his countrymen to die?"

"To be honest we really don't know." He said. "One expert we consulted suggested that maybe there trying to isolate an area which can be called what we call a 'red zone' which will have all the infected in one space rather than spread out over a much larger area."

"But it won't stop the Tuberculosis?"

"No, but that seems to the plan there going for at the moment, it would work better if they let some aid workers up into the mountain to try and contain the virus but they seem to be hell bent on making the problem going away naturally."

"DO you think our government could do more to help these people?"

"Most definitely, we know the regime in Romania has been brutally murdering anyone who has been opposing the ruling government. Local Government reports are saying that this crisis is god's way of telling them to stay in line."

"Seems pretty medieval to me."

"That's because it is. I mean, just a few years ago they were saying that Dracula was coming to get them." Both men started laughing.

Lily though couldn't see how they could jest so lightly in a time of crisis. Those were people who were dying and there they were laughing it up. Lily frowned and continued eating her bacon sandwich. She shouldn't stay angry, she was going back to Hogwarts, she would be back in her dorm, in her four poster bed with her friends and learning to do more magic. She smiled more now and ignored the T.V and the sounds of her dad heaving her trunk in the car.

"Did she pack a mini library in that case?" John asked to Lavender.

"No, she kept a separate one for that."

"Really."

"No of course not." Said Lavender laughing. "She did cram a lot of things in their though."

"Best go and get her if we want to get to London on time." said John. Lily heard the sound of her mum come into the house and the living room.

"Come on trouble. Time to go."

"Ok, just let me say goodbye to my room."

"Ok."

Lily went back upstairs, she heard a shuffling from Petunia's room. Lily looked at the door for a second before heading back to her room. IN truth she had said goodbye earlier, she just wanted to look at that photo one last time. She took the offending photo off the dressing table mirror. After a short look she placed it back and then went to go back downstairs and she saw Petunia's door and another shuffle.

She should at least try and say goodbye. Lily opened the door and saw Petunia looking at her, as soon as she realised she turned over.

"I'm leaving Tuney." Said Lily. Still nothing. "I'm going to miss you." Still nothing. "Goodbye." Lily closed the door behind her and walked down to the car where her parents were waiting for her. Lily must have looked down because her mum came over and hugged her.

"You're a good girl for saying goodbye." She said rubbing her back soothingly. Lily returned it fleetingly, just wanting to get to Hogwarts now. Lavender climbed into car and they set off towards London.

"The Ministry is pledging over two million Galleons to the victims of the new wave of Vampire attacks who has been on a murderous rampage over the few weeks with as they violate the terms of his agreement with The Ministry of Magic. At the moment The Ministry has put the number of conversations as only hundreds while deaths are up in the hundreds of thousands, bordering nearly a million."

"The muggle authorities are putting it down to a tuberculosis outbreak that the Romanian Government are too weak to control. However the Ministry has quarantined the mountain region to try and contain the vampires that are now running amok up there. Minister Rufus Henley has had this to say."

"We are trying to open dialogue with Dracula to try and quell this threat. But as of yet he hasn't responded to our hails, as such, we have sent more enforcers to Romania to assist local Vampire hunters in trying to keep them under control while we try to solve this dispute diplomatically."

"His strategy though has come under threat by some high ranking individuals in recent days though. Head of magical aid and author of the best-selling book 'A History of Magic' Bathilda Bagshot resigned and sited this as the main reason, here's what she had to say."

"Sending the Enforcers to Romania is not enough, they are not effectively trained to deal with Vampires. We need to send our big guns over and settle this dispute quickly. I for one think that our Auror's would be better suited to the job as they are more trained to deal with high pressure scenarios and crises. Surely Alec Potter's apprehension of Robert Thompson proves that Auror's are the most versatile and best trained men and women on the planet to capture Dracula, or, maybe, the time has come for us to look into ending him, permanently."

"However head of Magical Law Enforcement Internal affairs Jane Umbridge has defended the use of Enforcers and even went as far as saying that Auror's where not needed to deal with the situation."

"It is of my Opinion, and the ministers. That the Enforcement officers that we are sending are trained enough to deal with this imminent crisis. We hope that this is a small misunderstanding and that we can resume our peaceful pact with the vampires."

"Madam Umbridge, people are crying out for someone like Allister Moody or Alec Potter to go out there and sort it, why is The Ministry resisting?"

There was a sweet cough that was hiding annoyance.

"The Ministry of Magic does not deal with individuals."

"Ok, why aren't the Auror's out there, this is what we expect them to do?"

Another cough.

"The Auror's I Believe are a dying breed. They show complete disregard for the rules, and use fear and intimidation to achieve results. Look at the Robert Thompson case as a perfect example. If we had caught him through the proper means and procedure he might be more willing to tell us about the people he works for. But, because of Ale- I mean one Auror's total disregard for due process, we have a man who is uncooperative and refuses to deal with us. Even though this Auror was duly suspended he took the law into his own hands to deal with this problem when he should of let the relevant authorities deal with it."

"I'd say it was a bloody good job Alec Potter was there to catch him or he might never have been caught. And he was the one who caught Robert Murdoch and put him away, I'd say he was the perfect person to lead this new assault."

"We do not, comment, on Individuals!"

"But who's going to lead the charge on this new threat, some newbie who doesn't know what he's doing? That's just asking for trouble."

"Funnily enough, the interview ended there. But it does raise a good point. Who will lead us in this new threat? Dracula is one of the most dangerous beings in the world, him trying expand his lands is trouble for everyone, whoever they appoint, Auror or not will have a huge task on his hands."

The radio went off.

"Hey." James looked up at his dad who had turned off the radio. "I was listening to that."

"If you want to go to school then I suggest that you stop and get ready." Said Alec. James muttered something and then pushed his stool out and went to get his stuff from upstairs. Alec was looking at the radio, he couldn't stand having it on. Most of the broadcasts were about Dracula and then about having him sort them out.

"Somethings bothering you." Katherine wrapped her arms around him and leaned on his back.

"No. Nothing is." Said Alec.

"You can't lie to me." Said Katherine. "James was listening to the radio."

"And…"

"And you heard what everyone's been saying about Dracula." Said Katherine. "And you." Alec didn't say anything. Katherine sighed and kissed his back.

"Is that what's been bothering you?" she asked.

"No." said Alec. "But…it is preying on my mind."

"You know that were all here." Said Katherine.

"My dad told me when I went down this path to never abandon the world to fate." Said Alec. "It almost feels like I am." Katherine didn't say anything, but the scraping of James hauling his trunk snapped her out of her train of thought.

"Have you packed everything?" she asked.

"I think so." Said James. "But you can send Dante with anything I missed."

"So your son." said Katherine as she followed James outside into the drive. Alec looked back at the radio and then went to walk outside, pausing to pick up Dante's cage as he went past.

"I think you forgot something." said Alec handing James he cage.

"Oh, thanks dad." said James. "Dante!" He let out a low whistle. After a moment the black owl came swooping out of the woods and flapped his wings impressively.

"Come on you show off." Said James smiling at the aerial display. Dante flew into cage. "I'll let you out on the train."

"Ready?"

"Ready. And you'll definitely send my broom."

"Yes, James." Said Katherine rolling her eyes. With a flash of blue light, they were gone.

They reappeared in an alley and made their way towards the station. They got inside, Alec was hating this walking stick, he wanted to hurl it under the train. He felt Katherine touch his arm and smile at him sympathetically.

They got to the platform nine and ten and passed through to the other side. James smirked and

"Alright mate." James hugged Sirius and they patted each other on the back. "Good summer?"

"Yeah it was alright." Said James. "Seen Remus or Pete around?" Sirius shook his head. "No, I've been stuck with that sorry sack of shit." He pointed over his shoulder to a boy who looked like Sirius.

"Oh yeah, little favourite son is coming this year isn't he." Said James.

"That bitch is making me look after him." said Sirius. "I've told him to go off with his friends and leave me alone."

"Guess he didn't back you up being a Gryffindor." Said James as they walked towards the train with their trunks and Dante.

"Like hell he did." Said Sirius. "He agrees with whatever mums thinks."

"Bastard son of the wizarding world's most influential family?"

"Something like that." Said Sirius as they boarded the train. "It gets better as well." He pointed over to a girl with black hair with a slightly manic look on her face. James sighed.

"Oh boy."

"Yeah, they kicked her out of Beauxbatons." Said Sirius as they walked away from her.

"What for?"

"She cursed a muggleborn quite badly." Said Sirius. "Not surprising really."

"Is she still bat-shit insane?"

"Oh yeah." Said Sirius, a small smile appeared on his lips. "Still likes you to."

"Please don't say that." Said James shaking his head as they moved down the carriage. I don't want leaving some sort of satanic sacrifice to try and lure me out.

"I was thinking she would use a love potion on you personally." Said Sirius. "But then again I wouldn't but past her to use chloroform either."

"Shame I don't like her." James said shaking his head.

"But dear Bellatrix does though Jamesy." He said. "You don't want to push her over the edge by rejecting her to do you?" He let out a bark like laughter. "Be a man and take one for the team."

"Shut up."

"Apparently there's another girl from Beauxbatons as well."

"What do we know about her?" asked James.

"Blonde, blue eyes, drop dead gorgeous, half and half. Goes by the name Julia." Sirius said with a grin. "If there's any justice in the world then she ends up with us." James shook his head. If Sirius had done his homework on her then she must have something about her.

"So when will you meet her?" James asked.

"Probably right after Bellatrix kidnaps you."

"Ha, ha." James dead panned.

"Nah, besides, blondes aren't my type." he said.

James looked up.

"Now there's someone we know." Said James opening the door to one compartment.

"Ah, Remus, Remus Lupin." Said James as he walked in. "Good to see you again."

"Hi guys." Said Remus looking up from his book. "Have you seen Peter?"

"Nah, probably running late, as usual." Said Sirius and he and James hauled their trunks underneath the seat. James placed Dante up on the shelf above the seat and he squawked.

"When the train moves alright." He said throwing him a treat which he gobbled up. "I need to get my present from Mum and Dad." James left the two of them and went back to where his mum and dad where waiting.

"Right, peace and quiet for you two now." said James.

"Aww I'm gonna miss you." said Katherine enveloping James in a hug. James returned it.

"I will to mum." He said. He then turned to his dad.

"We have a little surprise for you to." Alec said.

"Cool, what is it?"

"Well, since you were really close to the Quidditch team last year, I said to your mum that you would need a new broom." Said Alec.

"But I said that your old one was fine." Said Katherine.

"I didn't listen to her and so." Alec pulled a broomstick from behind him and handed it to James whose mouth was agape.

It was a Nimbus Wronski. Its golden handle gleaming and all the immaculately trimmed twigs. James took hold of it.

"And this is for me?" he said looking up at his parents who were smiling at him.

"All yours." Said Katherine. "Make sure you get on the team and put it to good use. It wasn't easy to get hold off."

"This is limited edition." Said James, his eyes scanning over the broom. "I saw one In America, I didn't think I'd actually own one

"This one's been made by old man Nimbus himself." Said Alec.

"Really?" said James.

"He owes me a favour." Said Alec. "So it has a few toys on it that you'll only find on F1 brooms. Extra speed charms. A calculus brake charm and." He took it from James and balanced it on his finger.

"Lighter that a feather but stronger than oak." He said handing it back to James. "Also." He handed James a package.

"New Quidditch armour. Based on my own Auror armour. I had to guys in the armoury make it up for you." Alec opened it up. Inside was an armoured chest plate along with shoulder guards, fore arm guards and boots.

"It's a new thing we've been testing, carbon fibre armour. This sucker." He said patting it. "Would stop a knife, a bludger won't be much trouble."

"You're the best dad." said James hugging him tightly.

"…I try to be." He said. "Now go on. The train's going to leave soon." James hugged his mum one last time before running back to train.

"He liked the presents." Said Katherine.

"I knew he would." Said Alec as he watched James run off. "I just hope he actually uses them for Quidditch."

"What else would he do with them?" Katherine asked.

"You keep telling me he's my son, so I can think of a hundred and one things he shouldn't do with it but will."

It had been a nice couple of days for Lily. It was nice to spend some time with her parents as they went round London together. They took her to the Theatre to see a show and then dinner in china town before staying the night in a nice hotel.

Her dad then went off somewhere while her and her mum went to Diagon Alley, where her mum told her that she could buy some more books to take away with her. At half ten they made their way to kings cross with her dad saying that he would meet them there.

"Are you looking forward to going back?" asked Lavender. Lily was looking out on the grey day with an unreadable expression on her face. "Lily?" She turned to face her mum.

"Sorry mum, miles away." she said putting some hair behind her ear. "I guess that answers your question."

They arrived outside the station and went inside. They hauled her trunk through the crowd of people to the platform which they now passed through easily to the station. Lavender smiled at the grin on her daughters face. It was almost…almost like she was home.

"Go get a compartment and then come back." Your dad should be here then.

"Ok." Lily took her trunk and satchel and went off the find her friends. About a minute later John was at her side with a cat carrier.

"Did you get Him?" asked Lavender excitedly. She peered inside and saw the ginger kitten meow.

"Aww, Lily will love him." said Lavender. "It's perfect!"

"Puns where never your thing." Said John smiling, Lavender shot him an unamused glare which made John laugh more.

"Hey dad!" Lily slammed into her dad and hugged him fiercely.

"Hey you, could of given me some warning."

"Where's the fun in that?"

"Now, Lily." John said as Lily disembraced. "Your mother and I have been talking about your situation." Lily looked up with a questioning gaze.

"My situation? I thought we decided that I didn't have a situation." Said Lily.

"No, not about that." Said Lavender, "I've thought that you've been lonely when you've come back home. So, when we were looking over your letter last year, it said that you could take a pet with you." Lily's eyes started to get wider.

"So" John then turned round and pulled out a pet carrier.

"This is for you Sweetpea." Said Lavender, John handed it over to Lily who opened the door frantically. Curled up inside was a kitten. It turned and looked at Lily with big bright blue eyes. Lily breathed in deeply, the small cat meowed and began to crawl towards her.

"Awwww!" Lily picked the kitten out and placed the carrier on the floor. "Oh my god you're so cute!" she said holding the cat to her chest. The kitten was covered in ginger fur with a white belly. Lily turned to her mum and dad.

"This is brilliant, is he mine?"

"All yours." Said John.

"Does he have a name?" asked Lily.

"No, we thought you could come up with one." Said Lavender. "He really seems to like you."

The kitten was happily clinging to Lily while she stroked its fur. Lily was far too enthralled in her new kitten to pay her parents any attention. Lavender looked at John and smirked.

"Well, best you get going." Said Lavender hugging Lily, "I hope you have the best year ever."

"I will mum." Said Lily hugging her back. "I'll write." She turned to her dad.

"Goodbye Lily." He said hugging her tightly. "Try and not get captured by another terrorist."

"I'll try my best." Said Lily as she and her kitten walked onto the train, Lily saying to the cat how cute it looked.

"She likes the cat." Said Lavender.

"Ok, you were right." Said John.

"I'm always right." Said Lavender as the train began to pull away from the station.

Lily and the new kitten made their way into her compartment. The girls were too busy to notice the cat in her arms.

"Look at this Lily." Said Dorcas, "I just don't believe that something this could happen." Dorcas turned to Lily and saw the kitten.

"Awwww!" Lily turned to Dorcas.

"I know right!" she said. "He's just so cute!" The kitten purred lightly as Lily stroked him behind his ears.

"Oh my god Lily who is he?" asked Marlene.

"My new Kitten." Said Lily. "Mum and dad just gave him to me."

"What's his name?" asked Mary.

"He doesn't have one. Yet." Said Lily. "Maybe we should think up of one for him." The kitten meowed curled up in Lily's lap.

"How about…Henry?" said Sarah. "He looks like a henry."

"No I don't like Henry." Said Lily stroking underneath his chin.

"How about…fluffy?"

"No, sounds to clichéd." Said Lily. The kitten curled up in Lily's lap and closed its eyes. Almost like it was sleeping.

"Dexter." Said Dorcas. "Dexter the cat sounds good." Lily shook her head. She only had one chance to name this cat properly and didn't want to screw it up.

"I don't have to decide right now." She said. "I'm sure I'll think of one between now and the train ride."

The kitten snoozed happily on Lily's lap as the train thundered through the countryside. Lily was leaning against the window, her eyes slowly dropping, she wasn't the only one, she could see Dorcas and Mary already asleep while Marlene and Sarah like her were almost there. Before Lily actually could close her book, she was gone to.

The kitten woke up and looked up at his new master, he meowed and licked her hand. She didn't stir. The kitten uncurled itself from her lap and jumped down on the floor, it moved over towards the door and out into the hallway of the train. It looked both ways before walking down the right hand side. The kitten walked past a couple of closed doors before he found an open one, with lots of laughter and noise coming from it. Curious, it walked round the corner to see four boys laughing in the compartment.

One of the boys stopped laughing and looked down at him. He ruffled his jet black hair in confusion.

"Now where have you wondered from?" James picked the kitten up and it purred in his hands.

"It doesn't look familiar." Said Remus. "Maybe it's another houses cat."

"Whoever's it is it's a friendly cat." Said James stroking it behind its ears. "Brand new I would of thought."

"You have Dante, you don't need another pet." Said Sirius.

"I know, and I wouldn't give him up for the world." Said James. "But this cat is safer with us than having it prowling round the place by itself."

"Not very manly having a cat in the apartment." Said Peter.

"The only pussy in here is you." said Sirius. He leaned over and looked at the cat.

"Might be a first year that's lost it." he said. He looked up at James who was smiling while stroking the kitten.

"Maybe I was wrong, maybe there are three pussy's in here after all."

"Shut up."

Lily woke up and stretched, it was nearly dark outside. Lily got to her feet and got her robes out of her bag. The rest of her friends were asleep, as Lily looked around she saw the pet carrier on by her seat. Lily screwed up her face, she didn't have a pet. Lily's eyes suddenly darted back to the pet carrier, her cat. Lily looked round frantically, her cat wasn't here.

"Wake up!" shouted Lily, "Everyone wake up!"

"Jesus Lily." Said Dorcas rubbing her eyes, "What's with you?"

"My cats gone!"

Lily looked out of the open door she ran towards the last compartment on her left. Her cat wasn't in there. The occupants were laughing merrily but no sign of the cat. Lily walked back up the carriage, peering inside the doors to see no sign of the cat.

The next one she peered in held the boys from her year all laughing and joking at each other. She was about to pass on when she noticed something curled up on Potters lap. Something very ginger and now familiar. Lily felt a searing anger at the cat already making itself comfortable with the one person in the world that she couldn't stand. Lily yanked the door open and huffed. The five occupants all turned their heads towards her.

"Evans?"

"Give me my cat back!" said Lily, a little louder than she wanted to.

"This is your cat?" asked Potter, having the cheek and audacity to lightly scratch him behind his ears that elicited a purr from her cat.

"Of course it's my cat!" said Lily walking into the compartment. "Can't you tell?"

"Well it hasn't been moody or up itself so no, I couldn't." replied Potter easily. Sirius was laughing in the corner while Potter wore that stupid smirk on his face.

"Give him here." Said Lily. The cat came willingly, affording one last look at Potter before trotting over the legs and into Lily's arms.

"Now why where you here with these reprobates?" she asked turning firmly on her heel and walking out.

"Bye Horatio." Lily turned back and stared down Potter who was holding his hand up.

"What did you call him?"

"Horatio." Said Potter, "It was the only name he responded to." Lily huffed and turned back out of the door and looked down at the cat. Horatio. Lily seethed, it was perfect.

"Come on…Horatio." The car purred and curled up again close to her. "I am so going to regret choosing that name." she said pulling the door to her compartment open.

"Oh, you found him." Said Dorcas, "Where was he?"

"He was curled up next to Potter." Said Lily, "Weren't you Horatio."

"Horatio?"

"Yeah, that's his name." said Lily quickly.

"I thought you couldn't come up with a name." said Dorcas with a slight smirk.

"Well I have now." Said Lily kissing the top of Horatio's head and placing him in the cat carrier. "And it's a very nice name." said Lily hoping that they'd never find out that Potter named him.

"It almost dark, we'll be there soon." Said Marlene turning round.

BOOM!

All the girls turned to the sound of the muffled explosion. "Probably James." Said Dorcas as she began to change into her robes.

"So, we just leave our stuff here?" said Lily.

"Yeah, they'll bring it up later." Said Dorcas. She turned to face Lily who still had that thoughtful look on her face.

"Don't worry they'll look after Horatio." She said reassuringly.

"It's not that." Said Lily, "What actually pulls the carts?"

"What do you mean?" Asked Dorcas as they got inside.

"I mean, I can't see anything that'll pull them? Look at Potter." She pointed to Potter who was seemingly staring into space. "It looks like he's watching something. But there's nothing there." Lily frowned.

"Or, is it one of those more than meets the eye things." She pondered. Dorcas looked at James and then back Lily.

"The latter." She said patting Lily's hand. The carriage groaned into life and then pulled away towards the castle.

"I kinda wish we could of gone on the boats again." said Sarah. "Now that was magical."

"Yeah." Said Lily. She poked her head out the window, the cool breeze swept through her hair and she saw the castle. The looked up at the tower where Gryffindor common room was.

She smiled. In a weird way, it almost felt like home. The carriage pulled up and they climbed aboard.

The Marauders Proudly Present James Potter & Lily Evans In: The Marauders Year Two

Chapter Ten

Horatio

Written By Chambers10