Tenth chapter! Wohoo! Sixth years almost after, do you feel a dramatic twist coming?I've went through all the chapters fixing my spelling mistakes, thank you so much to everyone for your help and I hope you like this one, P x

Chapter Ten

Bad Feelings

"I love you so much honey," my mum said once more before clutching onto me so tightly I thought my lungs were almost definitely going to explode.

Christmas had been amazing as per always. I had eaten so much I literally couldn't move for three days after. I'd sent out some presents to the boys as well: a broom servicing kit for Jamesy and a sweetie bundle for Remus and some socks (you can never go wrong with a good pair of socks) and a few bits and pieces for Sirius. It was a white Christmas which I think are the best kind. Once I was home mum and I had this massive cry as we discussed my dad and everything that had happened and her letter. After we'd recovered I'd told her almost everything about Hogwarts and she was beaming with joy at the fact I'd made friends. I was a little insulted that she was so relieved, I wasn't that unapproachable. When I told her about Sirius, she asked when she would be meeting "this young man" to which I replied "never". Of course I was joking. Kind of.

"I love you to mum but you're crushing me," I said and she loosened her grip.

"Okay, okay you better be off. I am so proud of you Paige; you've grown up into someone so much better than me. You're so beautiful and caring, I couldn't have asked for anything more," she said.

I sniffed. Why did she start being incredibly sweet and soppy just as I was about to leave. I gave her one last hug and said I love you one more time before heading off back to Hogwarts. My mind would have been filled with excited thoughts of seeing everyone again but I was unbelievably tired so I just let my eyes flutter shut and my brain have a break until I actually arrived back at school.

I had just trudged up to the gates when a pair of hand flung themselves around my eyes.

"Guess who?" she chirped.

"Shouldn't you really try to disguise your voice a little more when you do things like this Skye?" I asked.

"Spoil sport," she laughed as I turned around to give her a massive hug.

"It's great to see you," I smiled.

"You too, the separation was dire," she giggled.

"Ah, I can't believe you're seventeen soonish. You'll have officially grown up," I gushed.

"Hmm, yes it's very exciting lovely but really it just means I'm a little step closer to having to live in the real world," she fretted. I gave her a smile.

"School isn't over yet sweet-cheeks," I laughed, "Beside you'll get to apparate all over the place."

"True but knowing me I'll leave a leg or two behind," she mused.

"No, no limbs will be left behind!" I grinned.

"Paige! Skye!" someone shouted and we both spun around to see Lily trudging up the path. I sent her a grin as she made it over.

"How was Christmas?" she asked.

"Brilliant," we both chimed, "Talk more when we're out of the cold?" I added.

"Definitely, I hope our dorm's been heated," Lily said thoughtfully.

"It better have," I grumbled as we headed into the castle. I'd been a Hogwartee for months now but I still took a minute to take it all in. It was completely unbelievable sometimes, still.

"Hola chicas," Carrie grinned as we came through the common room. After a massive group hug and a few girly squeals I turned to Carrie and smiled.

"You miss, are like the only girl I know who can pull of leather trousers," I said pointing to her get up.

"You never know until you try them, might let you borrow them some time if you're lucky," she winked.

"They're her lucky leather trousers," Lily smirked.

"They are the reason Phoenix is in all our lives," Skye laughed before we all headed upstairs to our ever familiar dormitory.

"It's so warm!" I shouted to heavens.

"Easy," Lily laughed. We shed our outdoor clothing, got reacquainted with our room and headed back down to the common room. I smiled as I saw the boys clustered around the fire laughing and joking with each other. The cuties. I walked over and cleared my throat in that way people do when they're being hilarious.

"Gryffindor!" James grinned pulling me down onto his lap and giving me a hug. I slid off and sat beside him laughing.

"Hey el Capitan!" I smiled back. Remus had already gotten up to say hello to his almost-girlfriend Skye Rose and Lily took a seat beside me.

"Potter," she said.

"Evans," he said and then they both broke out into a ridiculous amount of smiling. It just wasn't natural. Then I caught his incredibly gorgeous eyes. How
long had it been since I'd looked into those shiny grey whirlpools? Far too long.

"Hey," he said in a low voice.

"Hey yourself," I smiled back.

"Later," he mouthed and I stifled a giggle.

Before long everyone was gathered around the fire chatting and laughing about nothing, Carrie had made an appearance and was talking animatedly to a very interested Peter Pettigrew. Then again she was a very interesting lady. I felt a tapping at my shin and when I looked over I saw it was Sirius nudging me with his foot. He shot me a cocky grin and gestured towards the boy's dorms. I gestured towards the group who were still sitting around us. He shrugged and then pouted.

"Come on, I dare you," he said under his breath. I raised my eyebrow at him as he winked and pushed himself up quietly. I rolled my eyes; I'd "accidentally" moved so Lily was beside James so I hopped over the side of the couch and looked back, no one had batted an eyelid. Sirius grabbed my hand and led me towards the stairs. I laughed as he pulled me up the stairs and into his room.

"Did you miss me?" he purred pulling me close to him and placing his lips into the side of my neck. I whimpered a little as he smiled into my skin.

"Not really, who are you again?" I joked as he pulled me around and onto his bed and on his lap. He pressed his lips against mine and my head started to go all fuzzy.

"Maybe I missed you a little," I said continuing to kiss him.

"Maybe I missed you a little too," he smiled making small circles on the bottom of my back with his thumbs.

"Yeah you did," I smiled before I became too engrossed in his loveliness. Oh happy days.

The nightmares started as exam time came up. They weren't so bad at first but soon I was screaming and I was losing control of my power when I woke up. Once Lily woke me up and I got lost inside her before I forced myself to pull it together. I didn't know what the hell was happening to me. At first I dreamed of blackness and the cold. Then snakes, red eyes...and then death. Then there was the torture and pain, the cold, senseless pain and I could feel it all. I wasn't sure I could take much more off it. I was hardly sleeping anymore; I woke up shaking and sometimes crying. Everything just felt so real. My whole body was completely engulfed by this bad feeling, the feeling that something was coming, something wrong and evil. Eventually Lily put her foot down and told me I had to go see Professor Dumbledore.

"Paige he knows about what you can do and all this, it's hurting you! You need help," she said pleadingly.

"Lily, I don't want to bother the Headmaster over a few nightmares," I said weakly.

"Wait, what do you mean they're hurting her?" Sirius cut in, oh boy.

"She feels what the people she dreams about feel; she's woken up screaming so many times, it's horrible. Paigey please, I hate seeing you like that," she said looking imploringly into my eyes. I blew out a breath.

"What? You have to go see him! Lily's right, I can't believe it's hurting you and you never said anything to me!" Sirius stressed.

"I didn't want to make a big deal," I mumbled.

"Please, for me," he whispered. Sneaky git. I chewed on my lip as they both looked at me waiting for an answer.

"Okay," I said eventually.

"Thank god! Okay, we'll go after dinner?" Lily said triumphantly.

"Right," I nodded. Sirius gave my hand a squeeze and I smiled a tiny little bit. Lily rolled her eyes and smiled, over the past couple of months she'd slowly thawed to the idea of Sirius. Albeit that we weren't officially going out- we just weren't seeing other people but weren't calling each other anything-friend. On that note, Skye and Remus were officially a thang. Yes, Remy had finally grabbed the bull by the...well you know, he'd finally asked her out and she'd said yes without hesitation. I just hoped he didn't let his were-wolf worries ruin their relationship because she was so unbelievably happy.

"Wolfy!" James shouted jogging up to up to us, "You mind if I chat with Paige for a minute?" he asked Lily and Sirius who nodded and walked ahead.

"What's up?" I asked.

"I never got to thank you for the Christmas dance, for Lily I mean," he smiled.

"That was all you baby, how was your dance anyway?" I asked. No, Lils and James were not together but they were definitely making progress.

"I kissed her," he said. Okay! So maybe they're making a lot of progress.

"You what?" I said with wide eyes.

"She didn't tell you?" he said looking a little defeated.

"No but she's probably still wrapping her head around things," I smiled, "But wow, well done."

"Thanks," he grinned widely.

"She didn't slap you this time?" I joked. He rolled his eyes.
"Sorry, bad joke," I added quickly as he nudged me with a smile.

We joined the others in the Great Hall and dug into a lavish dinner. Soon enough it was over and I was being dragged to the Headmaster's office by Lily.

"Don't you need a password," I said absent mindedly before the gargoyle sprung from the wall revealing the stairs.

"Do you want me to come with you?" she asked.

"I'll be okay unless he has me sanctioned for being crazy," I tried to laugh.

"I just want you to be able to sleep, you look terrible," she smiled.

"Thanks babe," I laughed before ascending the stone steps. This was so embarrassing and unnecessary. They were just nightmares. Even as I thought that I knew it was a lie and that is when I knocked the old fashioned door.

"Come in Miss. Hayle," Professor Dumbledore said from behind. How he did it I didn't ask. I pushed open the door and smiled sheepishly. He smiled at me with his kind eyes and pointed towards a seat across from him at his desk. I sat on it gingerly and he looked at me expectantly.

"Right, okay this is going to sound crazy...," I started.

"Believe me when I say, nothing you will say will shock me," he smiled.

"Right," I said taking a breath, "I've been having these nightmares but the thing is I don't think they're just dreams. I think they're real. I have the worst feeling that something bad is happening. Something evil. In my dreams I see people being tortured- killed, but it's like I am them and I feel it. I feel everything- the fear, the desperation, the pain. It's like their minds are being burned from the inside out. I feel it, the fire... It's so hard to take. I can't keep myself in control anymore. I know it's someone doing these things but I never see a face just these eyes, red eyes and sometimes I dream about snakes. I-I need help," I explained and my voice faltered near the end as I watched Professor Dumbledore's rising eyebrows.

"Now, that I was not expecting but you are not as you say, crazy. These things are indeed happening and you're right about something bad coming. A war to be exact. A very powerful, very influential wizard is coming to power. You won't hear about the murders so much yet, the Ministry will want to try avoiding the panic until it's too late. He is doing and will do terrible things. I believe you are connecting with the victims in a way that is out of your hands. Their emotion is so strong it's projecting itself when your mind is most at rest and that's why you can see them," he explained with a grave expression. I hesitated,

"Voldemort," I said. His eyebrows raised even higher.

"Yes, that is the name he so chooses to go by," he nodded.

"I heard it once in my dreams. There's talk, whispers kind of going around as well. My gran was talking about it with my mum, I don't think my mum wanted to believe it though," I said chewing my lip.

"Many won't. Dark times are ahead, panic and confusion because no one will know what's in store, no one will know what to do but there are those who'll fight," he smiled.

"I'll fight," I said suddenly surprising myself.

"Perhaps when the time comes but for now you should focus on your study. Hogwarts is a safe place for everyone. I will however give you some remedies to help with restless sleep and you should try to close your mind before you go to sleep so that unwanted feelings don't make their way into it," he told me.

"Thank you Professor," I said nodding.

"Miss. Hayle, even in the darkest of times there are lights, even though they may be small, they are still there. For now, just go and be with the people you love and enjoy your time here at Hogwarts," he said before I got up to leave.

I gave him a smile before exiting the office. Wow. That was intense. I knew something was coming. A cold chill was in the air, sometimes it was barely noticeable but it was still there. I blew out a sigh. Dumbledore was right, I was sixteen and I needed to go and enjoy myself before everything got too serious. At least now I'd be able to sleep. You have no idea how stressful it is revising for Transfiguration when your eyelids keep falling down and making every black.

"He told me he loved me," Skye breathed.

"Oh. My. Gosh," I said mouth agape. She just looked up at me with wide blue eyes and an incredibly wide smile.

"A-hum-ah," she gurgled looking nice and dopey.

"What did you say? I mean, you said it back right? You didn't drool over him did you?" I asked playfully she snapped out of her daze and shot me a dirty look before going back to grinning.

"Yes, of course I did! It was perfect. He made a fire and we watched the stars and then he just turned to me and said it," she gushed.

"Aw baby, that's so good! I'm so happy for you and Remy, at last," I smiled at her adorableness. She deserved him.

"Thank you, wow. Remus Lupin loves me," she said slowly taking in her own words.

"Gees it's not like we haven't been telling you that for a million years," I said with an affectionate eye roll.

"Could things be any more perfect minus the exams?" she asked ignoring my comment.

"Probably not," I laughed. She propped herself up on her elbows and looked at me.

"What about Sirius?" she asked.

"What about Sirius?" I asked not sure where she was going with this.

"Well you've been all flirty with each other, you're not seeing anyone else, neither is he believe it or not so what is happening with you two? Has he said the L word yet?" she explained. I almost choked.

"No he hasn't," I said after coughing.

"Well you love him don't you?" she smiled. I made a mumbled noise.

"So why don't you just tell him? When is the time going to be more right? Our exams finish in a couple of weeks and then we're away for the summer, it's now or never!" she said enthusiastically. Oh boy. Why did she have to bring this up? I was trying to think about all those fiddly little details.

"I don't know, it's kind of a big deal," I said thoughtfully.

"Are you scared?" she asked. I thought about it.

"A little I guess," I said.

"But it's not like he doesn't love you too!" she exclaimed.

"Love is a strong word," I said reasonably.

"Oh just admit it! Sirius Black L.O.V.E.S you!" she giggled.

"No! Look I'll just see what happens y'know, if he wants to say anything to me then he will," I said.

"For all you tell me to man up maybe you should try it yourself," she grinned matter of factly.

"Do as I say, not as I do," I smirked.

"Scaredy cat," she teased, "What's the worst that could happen?" Oh I don't know, my head falls off or something.

"I don't know Skye, I...," I drifted off. She put her hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry about it just take your moment. Just go right up to him and tell him you love him because believe me it's the greatest feeling in the entire world," she said softly. I couldn't help smiling.

"Okay," I said before thinking about it.

"Okay?" she asked excitedly.

"I...Yes, I'm going to tell him I love him," I said firmly. Then my head went all fuzzy and I felt a overwhelmed. I was going to tell Sirius Black I loved him. I wanted to be with him. Just him. Why does no one teach you how to do things like this?

Today was the day. The day. The last exam was that morning and then afterwards we were going to have a big celebration, another Bonfire extravaganza. It would be kind of perfect telling Sirius I loved him there because the last time there was a Bonfire I was with the wrong guy and now I was with the right one. I still couldn't figure him out. He was incredibly sweet to be and hadn't been with anyone else- not that certain ladies hadn't tried but did that mean that he wouldn't run a mile when I actually said it out loud? Maybe we were tip-toeing around each other but it was only because I didn't want to risk what we had, the way he made me feel.
It was also a full moon that night so the boys couldn't stay for too long but promised to spend the morning with us and then have a little something really late in their dorm to celebrate the start of summer. And, to top of the perfectness of the day it was Skye's birthday! Yes, our little girl was finally all grown up. The day started off with a hearty chorus of happy birthday from me, Lily and Carrie then Skye opened her presents. Between us girls she got a ridiculous amount of sweeties and chocolate, a book of useful beauty spells, some framed photos, pearl earrings and cake for breakfast. What more could you want? Once we'd come down for real-breakfast the Marauders gave out a rather messy chorus of Happy Birthday and James and Sirius gave her a generous helping of Zonko's merchandise. Before Skye and I left for our Herbology exam, Remus gave her a lovely silver heart-shaped necklace encrusted with pink gems then he kissed her. She came skipping beside me with a rosy colour about her cheeks.

"Look, he gave you his heart," I joked.

"Finally," she laughed. Then we headed into the exam hall for a hellish hour and a half of another nose to the parchment moment. Luckily it wasn't that bad and we were out quicker than I thought we would be and that meant that even though poor Remy was looking on the almost-wolf side, he was still there waiting for Skye- his girlfriend. The girl he loved.

"Hey, ready to party?" Sirius grinned as he pulled me over to him.

"All night?" I smirked.

"The whole night," he said mimicking my smirk. Sirius, I love you. Sirius, I have something to tell you, I love you. Okay that sounds so stupid. I was not prepared for this.

"Come on," he said taking my hand and we all headed out side into the ludicrously warm grounds. We were all spilled across the grass taking the sun in and basking in the freedom of no more exams. I was going to miss this.

"Hey, what's up?" Sirius asked quietly.

"Hmm, nothing," I said looking over to him.

"You're being really quiet like you seem really out of it," he went on. I chewed my lip. Did I do it now? Someone help!

"It's nothing," I smiled, "I'm going to miss you all though."

"Aw Paigey," James cooed putting his arm around me and then wiping away a fake tear.

"It's been some year," Sirius grinned.

"The best," Skye chirped with her fingers laced with Remus'.

"Moony got some balls," James grinned.

"Prongs managed to have a conversation with Lily without losing any more of his manhood," Sirius laughed.

"Carrie and Phoenix cut the crap," Lily mused.

"And most of all," Sirius started before looking into my eyes in that way that made me literally melt, "Paige came into our lives."

"Here, here!" they all shouted as I got all embarrassed-like.

"Thank you, thank you, I'd like to thank the academy and my mum," I joked before outstretching my arms, "I love you guys." Then in an incredibly cheesy moment everyone jumped on me in a very sweet but very uncomfortable group hug.

"We better go and get ready," Lily said.

"Yeah what is it you girls need, five-six hours?" James grinned.

"Give or take," I giggled. We all managed to get up and make our way back to the castle. Sirius caught my hand and pulled me into him and kissed me softly on the lips. I smiled at him.

"Be careful tonight," I whispered.

"When am I not?" he grinned. I looked into his eyes, "I'll be careful."

"Good," I said giving him another kiss before catching up with the girls. Once we were in our rooms there were clothes being flung everywhere as we looked for something to wear.

"I'm so fricking happy the exams are over!" I screamed with joy.

"Me too!" Skye chirped, "I think I might have scraped a good grade for Charms and everything."

"All thanks to Romeo," Lily smirked.

"Yes, Romeo," I said raising my eyebrow at Lily because of the kiss she was yet to tell me about.

"Catch!" Carrie shouted and I was hit with her leather trousers. I eyed them.

"No," I said.

"Yes," she grinned.

"I can't," I said.

"But you will!" she said back. I breathed in and wriggled into the infamous trouser.

"Wit-woo!" Skye said. I eyed myself in the mirror. Well, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

"Lucky Sirius," Carrie winked and I laughed. Whoa. Then my head started pounding, literally pounding. I didn't feel so... Then everything went black.

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