Sirius Black:

One second she was there, and then she was gone.

Sirius blinked mentally, unable to physically do so. For the who-knows-what-time, he marveled at her magical capacity.

As he stared at the spot that she formally occupied, Bellatrix shook her head angrily.

"Really, Sirius. You could have caught her."

With unreasonably radical movements she stepped forward, raising her wand arm. Sirius watched silently as she waved it around, twirling it ungracefully as she searched for traces of Aly's magic, clues as to where she had gone.

Where would she have gone? Sirius wondered. Not home, that's certain. Wouldn't have put anyone she loved in danger. The ministry? Not someone who's captain in the TWH. They were set against around eighty three percent of all ministry regulations… Diagon Alley was full of innocent people standing around idly. Morla would never lead a death eater to them…

She went to Hogwarts, of course. Where Dumbledore was, and all the other Professors- people Aly valued more then anyone. And Evans, to back her up. They were like the girl marauders, those two with… rules… and studying in mind.

Ok. Very un-marauder-ish, if you exclude Remus…

I'm making sarcastic comments, Sirius thought, half disgusted, half amused. I am making sarcastic comments in my head when Aly is running for her life.

I am making… I am making sarcastic comments in my head!!

His head jerked up with the realization. Jerked up- as in, I can move it! Bellatrix is so busy with the tracing… her magic is preoccupied… I'm…

Free…!

Sirius bit his lip, not daring to move. He couldn't let her know. If she didn't realize…. But of course she will. It was only a matter of time until she figured out where Morla was, and focused back on him. Realize the imperious had worn off.

And re-enforced it.

He could try to run. But Bella would just chase after Aly… he could fight her, but she had two wands, plus way more experience. Element of surprise or not, she had the upper hand. He really needs to study more fighting techniques. He could just… stay. Maybe- maybe not attack her, or maybe…

He felt a surge of adrenaline, forcing his face not to show victory. Bella's back faced him, as she sighed with frustration, her wand webbing shadowy black lines through the air.

Sirius leaned forward. Only a few meters away… he stepped toward her silently, keeping his weight steady, his step level. There was only one chance… if she noticed him before he could…

She turned around, her mouth open in a tight scowl, about to say something. Her eyes widened in surprise as Sirius jumped at her, fighting to catch her unprepared hands. In a second he had her wand in his grasp, fighting her for it. In another, Sirius was pinned to the wall by a powerful curse from another wand- Aly's wand- steady in the gasping Bellatrix's hand.

Bella cursed under her breath, raising her own wand to eye level. It was broken, an uneven, incomplete cut in the very middle. The upper half dangled by loss strands of wood, draped pathetically.

Sirius grinned. Bella threw the wand to the floor, raising Aly's in front of him.

"Don't you smirk at me, you wretched blood traitor! " she called angrily. "I can still… you are still under my control! Imperio!"

She nodded in satisfaction, whispering some instructions in his mind. Sirius felt himself bend down to his knees, and edge closer to her. He was… bowing, his head almost- actually- touching the ground.

This is what made her feel better. Him bowing like a slave.

And they say I'm crazy, He thought, raising and touching the port key she just created out of a stone on the floor.

"Off to Hogwarts, coz," she smiled.

From Alyson Morla's Record of School Hilarities:

I reappeared in the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

It was dark. The sun had set moments before, and the sky would have been a marvelous, striking mix of colors, was it not completely hidden by the tall, dark trees of the forbidden forest. The woods were silent around me, tall and threatening. I had apparated- of course- to the nearest area of Hogwarts I could think of. Hogsmeade was a fair running distant away, and by then it would be too late. The forest had more hiding spots. It was secluded from any civilization. It would be easy to get lost here… or lose your pray.

Pray. I was her prey, that… she was haunting me. Actually haunting me! Muggle born and muggles were nothing but… prey for her!!

How messed up is that?

I looked around systematically, searching for something familiar. I had to get to Dumbledore. I had to warn him. I had to get a wand, and I had to get her away from Sirius long enough for the spell to wear off. I had to not die. I had to do a hell lot of things.

The moon was already visible in the distant. It was full today. How ironic. First stars sparkled across the clear sky, coming in and out of visibility as the light shifted from the disappearing sun.

Where would I go? Which way was the castle? God, I hate apparating! I didn't even have a wand to point me… I looked down at my cloths, searching for pockets with surprises in them. Had I brought… anything useful? At all? How stupid can you get?!!!

Well, standing out in the open like that, was probably the worst thing I could do. I hurried off to hide behind some trees, petting my body, still searching. Meanwhile I scanned the area. Maybe something here could help. Some brunch. Maybe I could hit her hard enough or something.

Ha.

I closed my eyes, a fruitless attempt to relax. Wait, I take that back. I was actually sort of clear-headed. My thoughts weren't clouded by panic or hysteria, or fear or something equally as pathetic. But I was racking my brain so hard it actually hurt. I felt like my brow would become permanently creased, I was frowning so hard. My lips stung where I was biting them, my fingers almost numb from all the pulling and rubbing I was doing to them, trying to contain my anxiety. What was I suppose to do?

Sirius Black used to be my best friend. Then he was sort of half my boyfriend. Then we weren't talking, and then we were enemies. It progressed to almost friendly banter and teasing in the last few months, and now he was my co-captain, my friend, and he kissed me.

And I wanted him to do it plenty more times.

But now he was… I don't even know what to call it. Foe? Fellow wizard in trouble? He had a wand, and I didn't, and he had every reason in the world to be mad at me, and he was under a powerful spell putting him under the control of a Death Eater, a maniac, the most evil of all evil witches. Bellatrix Black.

Excuse me for being stumped.

All this thinking was pointless. I wasn't even concentrating. I had to figure out where Hogwarts was and-

The sounds of feet crouching the dry leaves drifted my way from the small, treeless area behind the tree by which I was hiding. Bellatrix's high voice rose, annoyed and irritated. They were looking for me.

My heart pounded in my chest. I was hiding behind a bloody tree. Wandless. Helpless. Lost.

That is what thinking things through does, Ms. Coral. That is why I've been telling you for years that instinct overrules thinking any time!!

"Morla!" I heard Bellatrix singsong far to my right. I closed my eyes. Instinct. Right. Instinct.

…

Where's my instinct?!

Someone was shuffling loudly on my other side. I didn't dare turn around. Pressing my back to the trunk, clutching the wood for all I was worth, I forced myself to breath. This has never happened to me before. I've never been so scared in my life.

I've never been scared in my life, period.

There was a small gasp. I turned around, and there he was- Sirius Black, with all his might and glory. My mind started functioning again. I could think.

I didn't realize I even knew so many curse words.

He didn't move. I stared at him like a petrified little girl, gripping the tree like I was. My knees were shaking so bad I didn't trust myself to stand, leaning back on the trunk for dear life. I felt my eyes grow big and begging. Me, begging. Me begging Black.

"Morla!" Bellatrix yelled, coming closer.

I closed my eyes again, breathing heavily. And silently. Somehow. A small noised from Sirius made my jump and glare at him with what dignity I had left.

Yeah. Not much of a glare.

His eyed were wide beyond a stone like face. Emotionless and cold. It felt like… like he wasn't even there.

Memories of third year spilled over the terror binding my entire body. After my parents left… I didn't want to think about them. Or anything. So I just… didn't think. Or feel. I was just there, living a sort of half-life by myself. Even at Hogwarts, back with my friends- always detached, guarded, alone. Never really there.

Had my face been set in stone all this time? Was my body so rigid I seemed like a walking statue?

No wonder no boy stayed around…

The mistimed apprehension brought my blood gashing back to my head. I was back. And Sirius was standing before me, unmoving, his eyes telling me a world of advise.

Run.

I did.

Sirius Black:

"There you are!" Bella said gleefully, turning toward Aly. Aly's wand was held lightly in her hand as she raised it, a curse already at her lips. Sirius tried to move and block it, but of course he couldn't. The invisible, twisted, cruel web of his cousin's sick spell tied him down, stronger then they ever were before. Bella wasn't stupid. She learned form past mistakes.

Unlike some people. He had done it second year, destroying a perfectly good friendship that could have turned into… more, once they were both ready. And now he did it again. What good was kissing, if the very next thing is a slap?

What a great time to think about this, he thought, feeling like slapping himself. Bloody short attention span.

Aly was running, keeping low between the many trees. Get her, Bella whispered in his mind. Sirius let his legs flex and stretch in a steady sprint after her. He tried positioning his wand hand in the way of as many trees and bushes as he possibly could.

Far in the distance, the soft glow of firelight glittered in the darkness. The castle was close- it had to be. Maybe Aly would make it to Dumbledore. Maybe he won't have to hurt her.

Faster! Bella screeched. She was running behind them, trying to catch up. Sirius felt the wind whip past his face forcefully, the small branches stinging at his skin. The distance between him and Aly was getting smaller, but she was almost out of the forest, almost…

From Lily Evan's Record of Past Events:

She came hurling out of the forest, her hair full of twigs and leaves, sprinting quickly toward the castle. I've never seen Aly so petrified before- yet so determined. What was going on?

I called to her, and she must have seen me, since she changed her course toward me, and started yelling something about Blacks and Imperius. I frowned at her with confusion. "What?"

"DEATH EATERS!!!" she screamed, finally reaching me, but never stopping her mad sprint. She grabbed my hand, pulling me after her. I stumbled into a run, annoyed at how incredibly out of shape I was.

Yeah. I was thinking of that at the time.

I looked back, and there he was- Sirius Black. He looked… frightening, to say the least, with his wand out before him, running after us in long dark robes. Behind him was someone else… Bellatrix Black. She was grinning happily.

"He's under the Imperius," Aly hissed at me, too out of breath to talk normally. "She's making him… haunt… muggles! Like a bloody… death eater!!!" She seemed furious.

She should be.

It suddenly dawned at me just how stupid I was. How irresponsible and… a danger to society. Sirius Black was now forced into his greatest fear by his own cousin. He was being forced into darkness, to kill and hurt people he has no problem with. Black wasn't scared of the dark, he was scared of becoming dark!

Shit.

I looked back at the running cousins with alarm. They were gaining on us, but Bellatrix was getting restless. I saw her squinting at Sirius, who was still dashing toward us with that unnatural, hard expression set on his face. She must have given him some new instructions, since the next thing we knew, both Aly and I were screaming, ducking out the way of some bright jets of light.

I stumbled with my own incredibly long robes, but Aly pulled me up. Behind us Black was yelling all sort of curses I never even heard of, and some I had but never dreamed to use. He was amazing, accurate and powerful. I wasn't the only one to notice; Bellatrix was giggling and squealing in delight, far off in the distance. Aly, too, seemed impressed- only not in the: Damn-he's-so-good-we're-gonna-die sort of way. As we were pushed forward, almost falling from a magical burst of wind coming from behind, Aly looked back. She almost fell, not looking where she was going, but when she turned back- she was blushing.

Aly. Blushing.

I didn't have long to ponder that. Sirius was a better athlete then both of us, even Aly, who's the most athletic girl I know. It was a few more seconds before he was in line with us, passing us swiftly. The grounds were too big… Aly gave me a look, mouthing words I didn't understand. I nodded anyway; counting on my self to realize what her plan was once it's started.

Bad idea, obviously. Just as Sirius started to turn, to block our way, Aly stopped. I was caught off guard and kept going, only figuring it out when it was too late. I was sprinting full speed toward our chaser, my wand tacked safely in an inner pocket of my robe.

I'm just so smart sometimes.

I was ready to face him, but Sirius didn't even glance at me. I mean, he did glance at me, but he didn't stop- just kept running after Aly, who was now rushing in the opposite direction. I stopped, lost balance, fell. I'm kind of ashamed to admit this, but I was actually annoyed for a second that he didn't chase me.

I mean- what? Am I not good enough?

Of course, he must have been following Bellatrix's orders still. Get Aly. I was just along for the ride.

Then way was I running, anyway?

The answer came quickly and quietly. I never even saw her coming- but I surely felt it. A yelp of pain escaped my lips as a red surge of light cut through the front side of my robes, creating a sharp, deep cut across my chest. As blood came gashing out I looked around, seeing Bellatrix running toward me, Aly's wand held high in front of her.

Oh, yeah. Her.

I jumped up, gasping at the cutting pain. (Get it? Cutting. Ha. Unbelievable that that's what you think about when you run for your life.) I forced myself to run- I had to get Dumbledore; Aly was off course, speeding off toward Hagrid's cabin, and we had to get some help. We couldn't run forever. I patted around my ripped robe, finding my wand. Where was my head today?

I imagine that if Bellatrix had her own wand, I would have been dead, tortured, or captured within seconds. I was a very easy target, slow and awkward. Note to self: must start exercising.

I was lucky, though. Bellatrix was far away still, and most of all of her curses fell a bit short of me. A few actually hit- I stumbled and fell more then once. And she was gaining on me. The spells came at a quicker rate the closer we got to the school, and they were more well aimed- I was running out of air, out of space, out of time. I wasn't going to reach the castle. Time to do something I was actually- usually- good at. Think up a solution.

I couldn't reach Dumbledore by running. Or apparating. A port key could work, but leaning down and reaching for something to use was too risky. I could Accio it, but it will take forever to get here- plus, Bellatrix would see it and know what I'm up to.

Every spell I tried would be noticed. And my only remaining option was magic. What spell couldn't be tempered with, once cast?

Then I remembered that during my research for the worse fear potion I had to read quite a lot about… what else but… Dementors. The potion was based off them, of course. The living masters of fear, and the theorized source of the birth of terror.

And how do you get rid of Dementors? Of fear? The very opposite- a Patronus. A reflection of the caster's deepest self, much like their Animagus form. I've read how to cast a Patronus. You had to think up the happiest memory you could, focus all your attention on it, and say the magic words.

Could I pass a message to the Headmaster with a Patronus? Could I even produce one? It would be a part of my soul; won't it be sort of like a volunteered Legilimency?

Sort of?

I didn't have much other options. If it worked, then we could be saved. If it didn't, well…

"Expecto Patronum!" I yelled, moving my wand in a wide sphere. I was thinking of my mother, tears stinging my eyes as I brought a clear picture of her face in my mind. Smiling, joyful and carefree. This is how I always want to remember her. Not like someone I created a potentially fatal potion over.

Took me long enough to figure that out.

A flash of silver escaped from the tip of my wand, first a hued mist, but then solidifying into… a doe.

A beautiful, hoary doe. Her huge eyes gazed at me calmly as she run- strolled- beside me, full of grace and glow. How I conjured her so easily was anyone's guess, but I figure it had something to do with the pounding adrenaline pumping magic levels in my blood. There was a pause at the spells coming from behind me- Bellatrix was lost to what exactly I was trying to do. Excellent. I didn't waste time looking back, but looked at the doe intently.

"Go get Dumbledore," I said, quietly, knowing, somehow, that she'll hear, and understand. "Tell him there are Death Eaters on the grounds. Tell him we need help."

The doe- my inner self- nodded, or I thought she did, and then sped away, fast as lightening and pretty damn similar. A boulder exploded to my right. Bellatrix was back on truck.

There was no need to go get Dumbledore. I wouldn't get to him in time, anyway. And putting all the students in danger wasn't very smart. There was no need for me to keep running.

I didn't hesitate, as to not give my chaser a clue of my plan. I stopped, turn around, and sent a curse back.

Bellatrix was caught off guard. Her legs were pushed back and she fell face down, her hair coming up to cover it. I think that would be my next happy thought for a Patronus.

While she was getting up, I jumped to hide behind some bushes. I had to protect myself until Dumbledore got there…

Bellatrix stood up, humiliated and furious. She looked around, searching for me. I sent another curse at her, which she unfortunately dodged. She raised her wand again, opening her mouth with something that was bound to be terribly painful, but something made her stop at her tracks.

It was a loud scream. Neither Bellatrix nor me dared to move. We glared at each other hatefully. Even one look- one second of not being completely focused and ready- could cost both of us a life. Or at least a lot of injuries.

"No, Sirius, don't!"

It was Aly. Sirius had caught her. She was in trouble. And I was stuck here… with Bellatrix Black…

"You don't wanna do this. You don't have to do this. Please…"

I gritted my teeth. Bellatrix grinned at my expression, her eyes flashing as she listened.

Aly screamed again. What was going on there?!! If he was hurting her… I didn't even care if he was bewitched, if he as much as lay a hand at her…

I heard Aly say something, but it was too low to hear. Bellatrix looked at me victoriously.

"Finish her," she said aloud.

Sirius Black:

"Finish her," Bella said in his mind.

Sirius stood above Aly. The sun has now set, and the moon was rising. Aly was sprawled on the ground at his feet, the lake spread out behind her. The reflections of the stars on the smooth, dark water seemed to jump off it and onto her, flickering brilliantly to her hair, her hands, face. She was so beautiful. The black curls were motionless, surrounding her face, wet with sweat and tears. He had never seen her cry, but she was crying- her light brown eyes gazing up at him pleadingly. She was begging him. He had done… he didn't want to think what he had done. What Bellatrix made him do. No- what he had done. He hurt her. He used… the most… ghastly… spell he could have possibly used on the girl he loved. And he did love her. It didn't matter that Bellatrix had him under her command, didn't matter that she was there, even then, whispering in his mind. He had done it. He had used the Crucio… on Aly- on his friend, his enemy, his love.

Sirius felt tears straining to escape. They couldn't, of course- he couldn't do anything. But he did. He did. He saw her scream under his wand, saw her eyes roll back in agony, her body revolt even after the wand was lifted, shook and painful. The memory will haunt him forever- haunt her forever. If she lived.

Finish her…

"Sirius," Aly whispered. Sirius run his eyes through her body, seeing the ripped cloths from the run through the forest, the blood oozing out, the cuts he had caused. How could she suffer so much and still not hate him? Still look at him with complete trust, complete… faith, and confidence? How could she even look at him? How could she not-

"I know you won't kill me," she said. Sirius wanted to close his eyes- to block the… he didn't want to see this! Didn't want to see the light leave her eyes, the trust turn to horror, terror, blame… didn't want to have to live with this picture, with her falling onto her wet face and her tears running down her cheeks, sitting there under the moon…

"Kill her!" Bellatrix screeched in his head. Sirius felt his blood boil angrily, his heart pound with hate.

He raised his wand.

"Don't you dare!" he heard Evans yelling from far off, by his cousin. Bellatrix laughed shrilly.

"Never knew Sirius Black to give in," Aly half smiled, wincing slightly. "Never saw you as a quitter, Black…"

Sirius gazed at her longingly. He didn't want to do this. He didn't have a choice. But maybe if he just didn't… he didn't have a choice!

"You have a choice," Aly whispered, gazing into his eyes, her tears reflecting the castle's light.

Sirius closed his eyes.