Chapter 10: Was it an accident?

A/N: Sorry about the delay I have been away for just over a week or something like that and haven't had any access to my computer to write. Anyway as usual thank you so much too all especially those who favourite follow and review, you're the best. Love you guys. Keep reading and all the rest!

October 5th- Sunday

It had been just over a month since everyone returned to Hogwarts for the beginning school year. The air was starting to have a bite to it and the wind chilled those who exposed any skin to the outside world.

The seventh years were already feeling the effects of the NEWT year as the professors piled on endless amounts of essays and other bits and bobs of homework to be completed.

Claire strolled through the main street of Hogsmeade with her arm linked with the fellow seventh year beside her. She smiled to herself at the comfortableness of the days events, sure it was only 11:00 and the day was still young. Looking up at her date, she noticed the slight cherry pinkness in his cheeks from the cold.

His voice woke her from the thoughts in her head and snapped her back to reality "Would you like to go to inside?" Ross asked her as they came up to the Three Broomsticks, which seemed packed as usual whenever there was a Hogwarts weekend at Hogsmeade.

Claire smiled sweetly with her entrancing smile "Sure"

The warm air and merry bell welcomed the couple as they pushed their way through the crowd towards the bar

"I'll get the drinks, do you want to go find us a seat?" Ross asked politely

Claire nodded and struggle her way past groups of people crowding the place, she frowned when she realised there wasn't any free tables.

Someone called out her name and her head whipped round, it was Lily and Hestia in their own booth which could seat 8.

Claire smiled and made her way over to the fellow Gryffindor's.

"So, how's it going?" Hestia said slyly with a mischievous look in her eyes.

Claire raised her eyebrows then grinned "Really good, he's such a gentleman, polite and chivalrous"

Hestia awww'd whilst Lily turned towards her looking amused, Hestia casually shrugged.

"Sit with us" Lily, asked Claire. She looked around and laughed "don't see any better offers" She remarked cheekily.

Claire slid into the seat next to Hestia just as the bell on the door chimed again and four boys entered.

Lily groaned when she noticed who it was, even though James's little note thing which she had taken from him and secretly read without his knowing, had warmed her heart towards him. She still was unsure about how she wanted things to be between them.

She generally liked James and she couldn't help but deep down admit that, he was witty, incredibly loyal to his friends, brave, intelligent and although she hated to admit it, devilishly handsome.

Though with all this James of course had his flaws, he could be a prat, self-centred, annoying and at some times a foolish idiot.

Lily though thought about this, the last set of personality traits had begun to wear off as their time at Hogwarts got shorter, James was maturing and with it he become more bearable and better to be around.

James, Sirius and Remus walked through the dense crowd with Peter scurrying to keep up in tow, as they searched for a place to settle. The group eyed the three girls in the far corner and a mischievous grin spread across Sirius's face and they noticeably went into a debate, James and Remus quite obviously against sitting with the three fellow Gryffindor's whilst Sirius was adamant on it.

"Girls" Sirius acknowledged them "don't mind do you?" he asked, gesturing to the spare seats.

"Mildly" Hestia stated boredly with her head squished against one hand.

Sirius smiled "Great" and slid into the booth next to Claire. She squirmed before saying, "Actually, do you mind if we swap Sirius? Only I would like to sit next to my date if you don't mind." Hestia groaned at Claire's suggestion and her head thumped against the table.

Sirius looked at Claire blankly before it clicked, "Oh right, I'm Sirius"

Everyone within earshot turned to look at him to wonder if he was joking, but alas he was not. He smiled sheepishly as he got up to let Claire out so they could change their positions.

Remus, James and Peter stood with bewildered looks on their faces before Remus chuckled and offered to get everyone another round of drinks and ones for himself and the other Marauders. Peter muttered something about helping him out while James remained standing there like a rabbit in the headlights.

"Are you going to sit down Jamsie or just stand there catching flies?" Sirius inquired with a smirk.

James snapped back to reality and closed his mouth instantly blushing slightly.

He looked at the situation, there was a seat next to Claire but her date was going to be sitting there, the other spare seat was on the opposite side next to Lily, who at the moment had been ignoring James since the wand incident. Although James had forgotten about it, Lily had not. But there was something else Lily was constantly reminded about, that little note that James had left her without knowing it himself. Whenever she saw him it made her think of that note, the way it pulled her heart in as she read it, how she could practically see how it pained James.

James looked at Lily, she could see him looking out the corner of her eye, but couldn't bring herself to return the eye contact, it confused her.

Lily didn't know why she felt like this around James now, before, even though they fought and bickered like no other, she had still been comfortable enough around him. Comfortable enough to speak to him directly, even just to look at him properly and not sneaky glances like she was presently only able to do.

James shrugged and slid into a seat next to Lily who flinched ever so slightly, unnoticeable to everyone. Everyone that is except from Hestia.

Ross came over with two drinks and took a seat next to Claire after saying his hello's to everyone.

The group was then completed when Remus and Peter joined them carrying drinks. Remus sat directly across from Claire and Peter took the last remaining seat at the end. Due to this awkward arrangement of seating, the atmosphere was tense. People fell back on enjoying their refreshment in exchange for conversation.

The conversations were broken when Hestia announced her need for the bathroom, which caused a shuffle in the seating. Hestia walked off into the crowd, throwing a suspicious look back over her shoulder which only one person noticed.

The air was getting nippy; she was beginning to lose patience. It had already been 5 minutes since Hestia had left the table in the bar and she could bet people where starting to get a bit suspicious.

The back door of the Three Broomsticks, which lead to the secluded alleyway behind it, opened with a metallic clang.

"Took your time" She said cautiously in case it wasn't who she expected.

Sirius came from the shadows and stepped into the light provided by the singular lamppost.

"Well I didn't exactly want to bring attention upon us in circumstances such as the present, did I?"

She walked forward, placing her left hand on his shoulder and swallowed the lump in her throat, she was nervous.

Sirius took her face in both his palms and slowly stroked her cheek.

Her breathing faltered and heart skipped a beat, Sirius's ghostly grey eyes looked deeply back into her own, his gaze averted to her lips momentarily then back at her eyes. He tucked a stray lock of Hestia's slightly curly chocolate brown luscious hair. She was completely in a trance and there was nothing she could do now, she was helpless.

Sirius leaned in and captured her beautiful luscious lips with a soft but meaningful kiss filled with passion and intensity. Hestia moaned into the kiss as Sirius met her every need.

Sirius slowly parted his lips from hers and slid his right arm down her arm.

Hestia blushed slightly and kicked herself mentally for it; Sirius had been a very close friend for about five years before their 'incident'. There was no need to blush because of him and why was she so nervous!? The butterflies in her stomach, which had previously been persistently interfering, had become quaffles.

Hestia had a rush of blood and she pressed her lips hungrily against his, resting her hands on his muscular chest. Hestia silently thanked quidditch for Sirius's muscular and toned body.

Sirius walked Hestia back and pushed her up against the alleyway door, his lips pressed tightly against hers as he did so. He moved to caressing and kissing her neck as Hestia moaned in pure pleasure.

Sirius had to break away from her and gasp oxygen into his lungs. Hestia looked at him longingly, and even though it was the last thing she wanted, Hestia knew they had to get back before someone got suspicious about their whereabouts.

"Sirius we need to get back. The sky is darkening, it's getting late."

Sirius looked up at the sky and then back at Hestia and nodded "Sure thing" then he took her breath away with a surprise last kiss and walked through the door.

Hestia waited for a bit, giving time between hers and Sirius's entrance. It wasn't needed though. The Three Broomsticks was empty.

James

I watched as Sirius left the table to go to the bathroom, a sneaked a look to my left, at Lily. She was in a deep conversation with Claire on a subject, which he didn't care about. He only cared about her, Lily. What was he supposed to do when she wouldn't even speak to him or acknowledge him?

I sighed to myself and took a drink from my steadily emptying butterbeer. Gryffindor was facing Ravenclaw in two weeks, as Captain I picked the house team, although everyone on the team I captained from last year was still at Hogwarts I still had to hold trials for the house team but needn't have bothered. Everyone who took part in the trial excluding the actual team was painful to watch.

So now with the same team, I started to think of strategies and different plays we could use in the match. Ravenclaw was a good team. Intelligent and brilliant in decision-making, but what Gryffindor lacked there was more than made up for in courage and pure talent. The current trio of chasers (including myself, Dirk Cresswell, a friendly 5th year and Gwenog Jones, Hestia's cousin and a fourth year who was outstanding) was of the best that Hogwarts had ever seen (not to ride my own broomstick).

I peered out of the bar at the darkening sky, it looked amazing, a mixture of colours and contrasts layered upon each other. I looked at the watch on my wrist.

It's only 4:15, but its getting dark. The temperature as dropped dramatically and I can feel myself shivering.

A loud crashing sound comes from outside and a blazing orange light illuminates the window we are sitting next to. I start to worry, aurors instinct, I get it from my father, who is head of the auror office. My mum, head healer. Both of my parents are always busy, that's probably why I'm an only child. That of course was until Aimee moved in with us…

It was around three years ago, my fourth year at Hogwarts, I got the letter in the night from the family owl, and it's unusual to receive owls after the morning mail drop-off. I knew straight away that something was wrong, I could feel it in the pit of my stomach. I opened the letter with caution, I read through it and it no effects whatsoever. So I read it again, and that was when it hit me. My Auntie and Uncle had been killed in a death eater attack. They had a daughter; her name is Aimee she was only 7 when Voldermort killed her parents personally. We have to keep her at home all the time, not hiding her, but protecting her. If any death eater finds out she survived they would do anything in their power to kill her.

Aimee is the sweetest, most adorable human being ever. She is now my sister, which's what I regard her as now. When Sirius moved in a year after the attack, Potter Manor felt more homely than ever, the Potters felt like a big family again.

Now I'm here, in Hogsmeade 3 years after I got that letter and having the exact same feeling. Something is not right.

Everyone inside piles out, itching to see what is happening and to soothe the pain that such large curiosity upholds.

Lily looked worried, so I decided trying leading our group to safety I looked around, Ross and Claire had gone, Sirius and Hestia still weren't back from wherever they were had gone. I realised then what they were doing, but it would have to wait for when everyone was back inside Hogwarts, safe.

I looked to Remus, he seemed worried about something, and he was staring at the main road, which led to school. He was worried about Claire, there was obviously something there, and another person I needed to talk to.

"Guys, we need to move now," I said to the remaining people of our group, Lily, Remus, Peter and myself.

"Where to" Peter asked

"Anywhere but here Pete" Remus answered then turning round to face us.

I noticed Lily looking pale, even more than she usually did. She was shivering too, a lot. I didn't like it when she was uncomfortable; the cold was making her uncomfortable. I took off my outer most jacket and offered it too her soundlessly. She looked at it warily; "It's not going to

bite Evans, just take it your freezing" Lily sighed before taking it reluctantly.

"Okay well seeing as Lily and Myself are the heads we better try getting everyone back to the castle safely, you guys can stick around and help if you like."

Peter turned around and started to head off towards the general direction of Hogwarts when Remus stopped him and pulled him back. "We'll stay and help you" Remus confirmed.

We swept the village of Hogsmeade looking down streets and shops for students and keeping an eye out for trouble. The village was a ghost town. I flinched at the sound of whispering from behind the building to my right. I cautiously approached the corner and drew my wand, I felt Lily creep behind me. I took a breath then whipped round the corner and shouted "expelliarmus" I watched as my spell hit Sirius and knocked him off his feet, his wand flew through the air and landed at my feet with a clatter on the tarmac. I tried holding in my laughter but couldn't contain it when I saw Sirius's bewildered look. "Where did you two go?" Lily asked. Hestia looked nervous and her eyes flittered to Sirius quickly before looking back, "Well I um got back from the bathroom and only Sirius was there-"

"Well isn't this a nice little gathering" A voice said from behind us.

I turned to see the group, Bellatrix and her younger sister Narcissa, Rodophlous and Rabastan Lestrange, Avery, Macnir and Snape.

I decided to act first, I stepped to the right without a sound and whispered "On three, stun them, ill take the Lestranges and you take the Blacks, make sure you get Bellatrix first. We'll get the rest between us, ok"

I heard her agreement ever so slightly. "1, 2, NOW!" I yelled "Stupefy!" I watched as my stun knocked Rodophlous to the ground unconscious and Bellatrix go with him. I watched Snape, whip out his wand. "Stupefy" I yelled again, bringing down the other Lestrange, by now Lily had stunned Narcissa and Avery. Remus had caught on and done them same to Macnir. Snape thrusted his wand and muttered an incarnation unfamiliar to me, I was unprepared, I watched as his wand lit up at the tip and a flash erupted out of it. There was nothing I could do, I shut my eyes and hoped for the best… Nothing happened, a thud sounded and I opened my eyes feeling foolish, Lily was on the ground, blood pouring from every orifice..

Lily

My stupefy hit the mark and another opponent fell unconscious, I turned to see Snape with his wand out, eyes murderous, pointing his weapon directly at James Potter who was unaware.

The note, the acts of kindness, that lopsided smile, those eyes.. I couldn't help what I was about to do, as even I didn't know what my next actions where to be.

A flash from Severus wand told me it was that spell, id seen it before. He created a spell in fourth year, when we were still friends. It was horrible, inhumane and disgusting on more than 1 level. In that moment, I realised that James was a far better person than Severus ever had been. I took a running step and flung myself in front of him, taking the powerful hex full force in the stomach, then there was nothing but darkness. Was it an accident? The dark magic, the name-calling, his actions. Where they an accident? A mishap? Never.

A/N: I'm sorry about the weird lay-out nearing the end, about three quarters through. I was typing normally and then it all of sudden went to double line spacing. Weird? I know I apologise for that.

Secondly if I have got incorrect information please inform me it would be much appreciated. Please review! I will love you 5ever.