September 1st

Mary Potter

Over the last few days, Mary and Sirius learned more and more about each other. Mary told Sirius the short and innocent version of her first two years at Hogwarts and Sirius told her about all seven of his. Mary hadn't slept a wink, and Sirius had joined her in insomnia as he regaled her with tales of the Marauders and their accomplishments at school and after.

Ron and Hermione were both at the Burrow, and they barraged her with owls asking how she was, wanting details of what happened after Madame Bones dragged her away. Mary answered as best as she could, only withholding information that wasn't hers to disclose.

From Ron she learned that his parents had been appalled by the fact that Scabbers was Peter Pettigrew. Mrs. Weasley was on the warpath against Dumbledore, wanting the headmaster to find a way to stop Sirius from being her guardian and to let them adopt Mary. While Mary loved the Weasleys, she couldn't ever see herself feeling at home and fully accepted by their family. Especially now that she'd learned more about Sirius. He was her godfather, and in all rights, the closest to having her own father back as she could get.

From Hermione, she learned that her friend had bought herself a familiar. A photo was enclosed in her most recent letter, showing Hermione holding a bandy legged orange cat with a squashed face. Mary mentally dubbed the cat 'Crooky Parkinson', after the pug nosed arrogant look on the cat's face, even though Hermione had clearly said she named him Crookshanks.

For Mary though, she simply relished in spending time with Sirius, Dobby and Hedwig. It was the best summer she'd ever had.

Sirius and Mary didn't venture into the Alley again until the morning of September first.

It was a somber walk to the Leaky Cauldron at eight o'clock in the morning. Mary's trunk was shrunk and in one pocket, while her charmed bookbag – with her school uniform and robes - was in the other.

"Make plans for what you want for Christmas dinner" Sirius said quietly. "I'll pick you up from the station for break. And think about where you might want to go over the summer. Anywhere in the world, I don't mind."

Mary stopped in her tracks and looked up at him with sad eyes and a heavy heart. "I'm going to miss you."

Sirius pulled her into a tight hug. "I love you, kiddo. I'd keep you here if I could, but Hogwarts is a wonderful place to be. Spend time with your friends and pull a few pranks. I'll be there at any time if you need me."

"Promise?" Mary asked doubtfully.

"I promise." Sirius replied with a determined air. "Oh! I almost forgot."

He pulled a mirror out of his pocket and Mary's eyes widened at the sight of it. "This was your father's. I found it in my Gringotts vault the other day. We used to use it to talk to each other when we had detention in different parts of the school. Just say my name and we'll be able to talk whenever you want."

Mary hugged Sirius again and carefully took the mirror. "Thank you."

"Come on, kid." Sirius pulled her back onto the path. "The Weasleys are probably waiting for you."

The Weasleys were exiting the Floo as Mary and Sirius walked into the Leaky Cauldron. Mrs. Weasley looked at Sirius with a blazing glare that would have scared a basilisk, but Sirius seemed unfazed as he put his arm around Mary and led them toward Hermione and the red haired family.

"Mary!" Hermione and Ron both tackled her into a hug, followed by the twins and Ginny.

Mary pulled away and shook Percy's hand then hugged both Mr. and Mrs. Weasley before going back to stand beside her godfather.

"Everyone," Mary said loudly. "This is my godfather, Sirius Black. Sirius, this is the Weasley family and Hermione, of course."

"Mary speaks highly of all of you," Sirius said kindly, despite the elder Weasley's distrustful looks.

"Mr. Black." Hermione stepped forward and extended her hand.

"None of that." Sirius said playfully as he gently shook her hand. "I'm just Sirius."

"But never really serious." Mary shook her head as she finished the pun for her godfather. "Don't get him started, Hermione."

Hermione let out a small chuckle as she saw the happy look on Mary's face. "It's wonderful to meet you."

"I'm honored to meet the smartest witch of the age." Sirius bowed gracefully. "Hopefully you and Ron can keep my goddaughter from getting herself into any more dangerous situations."

"We're not that talented." Hermione joked as Mary growled at her playfully.

"Full time job, that." Ron rocked back on his heels and held out a hand to Sirius. "I'm Ron."

"Come along, children." Mrs. Weasley interrupted. "We have to get to the station. It will take us a while to find a car at this hour."

"I've hired a Muggle shuttle bus, Mrs. Weasley." Sirius told her as he moved to the door and opened it for them

Mary, Ron and Hermione walked together beside Sirius and followed the others out into Muggle London where a large black van waited for them. Sirius opened up the double doors and began shrinking trunks, and Percy's owl cage.

"Just tap them with your wand when you want them back to size." He instructed them.

Sirius sat up front with the driver, while they sat in the seat behind him. The Weasley parents, and Percy sat in the third row of seats, while the twins and Ginny sat in the very back.

"Why couldn't you have charmed a Muggle car of this kind?" Mary heard Mrs. Weasley whisper to Mr. Weasley. "We can all fit in this with room to spare, and it's only a normal Muggle car."

"I'll look into it, Molly dear," Mr. Weasley said as Sirius shut the doors.

"King's Cross, good sir." Sirius told the driver, handing him a small stack of cash. "Make it snappy."

The trip was far less dangerous than the Knight Bus, and no one was either sick or injured when they arrived at King's Cross Station some twenty minutes later. Sirius once again, held the doors open for them and let the driver go about his day, leaving them on their own. As it was half-past ten, the platform was filled to the brim with students and their parents.

"You best go find yourself a good seat." Sirius put his arm around Mary and kissed the top of her head. "I'll see you at Christmas."

Mary hugged him tightly and closed her eyes. "Take care of yourself. Look after Dobby for me."

"You know I will." Sirius chuckled and pulled away to grasp her shoulders and look into her eyes. "I'm proud of you, kiddo. Now go have some fun."

Mary let out a small chuckle and forced her burning eyes from crying. "Bye, Siri."

"Be good, kid." He wiped his face with his sleeve. "Got smoke in my eyes. Damn train."

Mary bit her lip and gave him one last hug before rejoining her friends. She took a deep breath and hooked her arms with Ron and Hermione as they walked through the train looking for a free compartment.

"Sirius seems like a cool bloke." Ron said as they walked from car to car. "Looks far better than he did in the papers."

"Well I assume he was hospitalized for a bit." Hermione replied in a whisper as they passed a group of giggling Hufflepuff girls. "I've read that Azkaban is well known for sending most of the prisoners mad before their sentence is over."

"This ones mostly free." Ron pulled open a door and Hermione followed him into the compartment. "Dad always looked a mess when he'd be sent out to Azkaban for work. Mum would spend hours trying to get him to snap out of it."

"It must be a horrible fate." Hermione sat down and carefully adjusted Crookshanks' basket on her lap.

Mary looked over to see what Ron had meant by 'mostly' and had to rub her tired eyes to make sure that she wasn't hallucinating. In the corner of the compartment, a man snored softly with his head resting on the window pane. His heavily patched robes and greyish brown hair was exactly like her dream and Mary made another mental note to document this the second she was alone.

Hermione looked over at the man and back at Mary with a regretful look that said that had he not been in the compartment she would have interrogated Mary into spilling every secret of her summer. Ron looked far more comfortable with the silence and took out his chess set to start a game for him and Mary.

Mary's eyes seemed to grow heavier and heavier with each passing hour and not long after the torrential rain started beating the roof of the train, Mary leaned her face against the window and closed her eyes. Sleep pulled her in and Mary was helpless to resist it.

What felt like moments later, Mary fell to the floor of the compartment as the train lurched to a sudden stop. She opened her, surrounded in inky darkness, getting shoved and pushed. Something heavy landed on her head and Mary had to restrain herself from cursing as she felt for the lump on her poor battered skull.

"Lumos." A quiet voice sounded across from her as the spell lit up the area, making Mary see the reddish glow of light through her closed eyelids. "Are you alright?"

Tired and worried amber eyes peered down at her, leaving Mary at a loss for words. She stared unabashed as the one and only Remus Lupin stood in front of her, looking younger than Mary remembered from her dream. Remus flinched sharply as though he had been struck and looked away with a pained expression.

"Just some minor brain damage, sir." She winced as she stupidly poked the sore spot again.

"Do not leave the cabin." Remus instructed, quietly opening the sliding door. "I'm just going to have a word with the conductor."

"'kay." Mary sighed, allowing Ron to help her back into her seat.

"Stay." Remus intoned with a heavy sigh as he backed away and disappeared into the darkness.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked from across the compartment, breaking the awkward silence.

Before anyone could reply an intense and unbearable cold began to creep in as the light faded out, shrouding them all in darkness once more. Mary could hear Hermione and Ron shivering even over the sound of her own teeth chattering. Hermione whimpered and grasped Mary's shoulder as a rattling sound that she hoped to never hear in real life crept closer to the compartment door. Crookshanks yowled and dug her claws into Hermione's thigh causing her to let out a small scream of pain as the cat tried to get away from the danger that it sensed.

The door swung open and a rush of icy air assaulted them. The creature moved with lightning speed as it swooped down in front of her. Its cold slimy hand gripped her by the throat and lifted her off her feet. Mary kicked out at it, not hindering it at all, as its putrid breath wafted towards her. The images that the thing pulled up began to fly by, shifting from one to another, starting with her own paltry upbringing, then moving to the horrors of the war that had yet to come to pass.

The other children laughed at her baggy clothes and scar on the first day of kindergarten.

Aunt Petunia screaming at her that she was a waste of space.

Dudley punching her in the ribs when his parents failed to relinquish his second bedroom.

Hermione's screams as the troll waved it's club over her head.

Ron falling from the back of Professor McGonagall's giant chess knight.

Voldemort's taunts as he stared at her from the back of Quirrell's head.

Hermione's petrified form lying in the hospital bed.

Ginny's still lifeless body lying alone in the Chamber of Secrets.

Then the images shifted from downright scary to boneshaking grief.

Cedric Diggory's dead eyes staring up at Harry accusingly.

Sirius's laughter stopping as shock took over and he fell backwards into the Veil of Death.

The gut wrenching guilt as Harry forced his mentor to drink the poison in the cave.

Dumbledore falling lifelessly from the Astronomy tower.

Hedwig launching herself into the path of a killing curse to save Harry.

Alastor Moody's Eye staring at Harry from Umbridge's office door.

Dobby, Lavender, Fred, Tonks, Remus, Colin, Snape.

Mary lost all sense of time and space, drowning in the onslaught of lifeless eyes, still bodies, bravery, blood, death and destruction. Never realizing that her mother's last screams were mixed with those of herself and her horrified friends.


Remus Lupin

For the first time in twelve years he felt a sense of purpose. But more so, feigning sleep in the small compartment across from his late friends' only child, were his feelings of fear and insecurity.

Remus knew from the moment Professor Dumbledore stepped into his shabby little flat, that he was only being offered the Defense teacher position because of his former friendship with the traitor Sirius Black. Still he was grateful for the opportunity. After all, he hadn't had a steady job in the Magical world in years, opting to spend his time in small shops and curios throughout Muggle London. And now here he was, getting the chance to teach young witches and wizards at one of the best schools in the world. It would have been a joyous occasion had he not just heard the news of Black's escape.

It'd taken Remus nearly three days of incoherent rage to finally dampen his desire to chase down and murder the bastard. And all he felt now was overwhelming guilt. Guilt because even he never questioned whether or not his former friend was the real traitor. Then the Prophet was covered in pictures of Sirius and Peter, the former had been cleared of all charges and found completely innocent. He had spent so long hating Sirius and blaming him for the death of his friends only to find that Peter – one of those he mourned for – was actually the one that was guilty.

He'd wanted nothing more than to find Sirius and apologize for believing the worst of him and leaving him to the horrible fate of Azkaban, but he didn't have the courage to face him after all of the years that separated them.

Tiredly rubbing his hand over his face, Remus sighed and did the only thing he could think of to curb his dark thoughts; he got back to the task at hand.

The Dementors had no right to stop the train. According to the Prophet they should have been back at Azkaban, not running around unleashing their power on innocent school children. So as he made his way to the conductor's platform - his Patronus lighting the way - he forced all thoughts of former and past friendships out of his mind.

His sensitive ears prickled at the sound of children screaming, making him turn and run back the way he came. His pace picked up and passed compartment after compartment where students poked their heads out of the doors and peered toward where the commotion was coming from. The gut wrenching feeling that something was terribly wrong threatened to overwhelm him as he set his sights on the last compartment.

Glass shattered and the screams stopped momentarily as Remus skidded to a halt outside of the last compartment that held his pseudo niece. He ran through the open doorway and skidded to a halt at the sight that met his eyes. Fear gripped him and he was powerless to move or speak as the horror played out before him.

It happened before he could even blink.

Mary was dragged out of the tiny window by one of the horrid creatures. It's skeletal hands clutched tightly around her tiny neck as it carelessly pulled her back, across the broken glass, and out of the train.

Remus could already smell the blood. It moved fast, flying effortlessly as though the girl weighed nothing, high into the dark cloudy sky. And then it stopped, hundreds of feet in the air, floating lazily, as swarms of the creatures circled around them and the one embracing Mary pulled back it's hood and leaned in closer to her face.

A small ball of light floated in front of the Dementor as the others screeched and backed away.

Hermione Granger - a bushy haired third year - screamed, breaking him from his frozen state. Remus rushed back out and into the hall, running as fast as his legs would take him, until he reached the end of the train car. He stood, leaning against the railing and holding his wand out, as he tried to focus on where Mary was. Even with his enhanced sight, by now he could barely tell the difference between the Dementor and the young girl it was holding. He closed his eyes and summoned all of his magical strength as he whispered the charm that he hoped would free her from the evil beast's clutches.

"ACCIO MARY POTTER!" he screamed out, his voice reverberating in the cold and still night.

Her body lurched away from the thing holding her and the Dementor was forced to let her go. She sped through the air as though she had been thrown at him. He braced himself for the impact and was rewarded by being knocked off his feet by the tiny child. Her body crushed into his and he tried to maneuver himself to shield her, but was unable to keep her from further injury. Mary's head slammed into the corner of the train car with a sickening crack.

"Mary!" He shouted in panic as he righted himself, cradling the girl to his chest. "Come on, wake up!"

She had no pulse. Her hands and face were covered in a thin layer of ice. Her blue lips were slightly parted, blooding trickling from the side of her mouth. Fear gripped his heart just thinking that someone else he loved was going to leave him through death. But he refused to let her go without a fight. She was the last link he had to his friends. The only living remainder of how good his life had once been.

He couldn't let her die.

He wouldn't fail her again.

"Ennervate!" he cast again, his wand to her chest.


Albus Dumbledore

Albus stared down at the sword on his desk. The rubies embedded in the hilt glinted, resembling a shimmering liquid, as the fire light reflected off the smooth surface of the stones. He traced his hand down the ancient blade and could feel the hum of Olde Magicke in it. How fitting that the sword of legends had ended up in the hands of such a young and remarkable child. And even more ironic that the young Gryffindor girl had wielded it to defeat the monster of Salazar Slytherin's lair.

Albus knew that he was many things in life, but overall, he tried not to be dishonest. After their home had been broken into, his old friend Nicholas Flamel had called in a favor and asked that Dumbledore guard the prized Philosopher's Stone. He had quickly agreed, fearing for the safety of his friends, and worried about what could happen if it fell into the wrong hands. It was a powerful substance, capable of bringing someone back from the brink of death, keeping them young and healthy for as long as they drank it. And so he had requested that Nicholas hide the stone in his Gringotts vault until he had a safer place arranged.

He knew on that fateful Halloween in 1981, that not all of Voldemort perished in that fight. He also knew that the self proclaimed dark lord would stop at nothing to regain his power. So Albus had done everything he could to prevent it, all the while knowing that it was inevitable.

It was true that in young Mary's first year, he knew that Quirinus had succumbed to the lures of the dark arts and had somehow come into contact with Voldemort. It had been there in the stuttering man's thoughts when he returned to that school from Albania to renew his contract as Defense professor. He expected the cowardly man would try and steal the Stone and take it to his master. He knew that there was a chance that Quirinus posed a threat to young Mary, but hoped that he could protect her. He had been overconfident in his own abilities and at great cost.

He ran his finger along the center of the ancient sword feeling the strength of the metal and the hum of the magic within it. It was the same magic embedded into the silver cuff that wrapped around young Mary Potter's arm. The cuff would absorb any magic that would make it stronger and nullify any magic within her hand and arm. It saved the girl from a painful death. But that wasn't the only thing it did. Young Mary's holly wand was the brother wand to Tom Riddle's yew wand. Her inability to use it against him would make her weaker. It wouldn't be able to protect her in the way it was meant to. And while he told himself that this was just a caveat of her ailment, he also knew that there was a very dire need for the girl to not come out of that fight. Revulsion coiled within him at the thought of what he'd done to secure that victory, at what he'd made her to be. Severus was right, he'd raised her to become the Savior of the Wizarding World and the girl had played her part beautifully as she went through every task he'd set before her and come out on top. Only he knew that when it came down to that fateful day, she wouldn't be the one to be victorious.

Opening the locked drawer of his desk, he once again pulled out Tom Riddle's diary, running his aged fingers over the cover and knowing that the same malevolent magic that flowed through it was gone, but another piece existed out there, biding its time until it brought about a second dark war. So as Albus sat behind his desk, feeling the weight of the past and the mistakes he'd made, he felt once again at a loss.

Fawkes trilled quietly from his perch, stretching his wings before resettling himself.

Albus breathed deeply as he felt the castle hum with anticipation of the new and returning students. Every year since he started teaching, he always looked forward to the students returning from the summer holidays. The castle felt empty and far too quiet while they were gone.

The paperweight on his desk chimed, signaling that there were visitors at the door. The names glowed on the enchanted scroll below it, showing that his Heads of House had arrived for the yearly start of term meeting.

With a wave of his hand the door opened and the four walked in, but just as they made their way to their usual seats, two high pitched whistles sounded throughout the room and then faded away.

"Headmaster-" McGonagall started as he swept past her to examine the small lion shaped device that sat on the shelf.

He turned to address his confused staff members, but before words could escape him, Fawkes trilled loudly and disappeared from his perch in a pillar of flames.

"The train is under attack. Minerva, Severus," he ordered, "make contact with the conductor and find out where they are. Filius, Pomona, please wait at the station, the students may need you when they arrive. I'll be there shortly."

Without further prompting, they left the office. Albus went to the fireplace and fire called Madam Pomfrey and quickly informed her to ready the infirmary for possible injured students.

With sure and quick steps he dashed from his office and to the doors where Severus was waiting.

"Headmaster," Severus' eyes blazed with a large amount of fear and trepidation. "Rogue Dementors boarded the train. A student may have been Kissed."

Minerva rounded the corner with a quill in her outstretched hand. "Grab hold, we have less than a minute before the Portkey activates."

Albus placed a finger on the feather at the same time as Severus. He met the worried eyes of both of his Professors and with a magical tug and a whirl of scenery they landed on the roof of the quickly moving train. Minerva lurched forward, caught off balance, and Severus grabbed hold of her arm to steady her. Albus could hear the screams of the children in the train cars below him as they carefully maneuvered themselves towards the ladders that would take them to where the students were.

"Come on!" A gravelly voice growled out. "Rennervate."

"Lupin!" Severus hissed as he looked over the edge of the last compartment.

Albus wasted no time and Apparated down to the tiny platform and immediately crouched to inspect the Dementor's victim. Sightless green eyes stared up at him, causing his heart to clench painfully. Remus didn't even seem to notice his presence as he cradled Mary in his arms and pointed his wand at her chest.

Albus' hand shot out as quick as lightning - despite his old age - and grasped Remus' hand before he could voice the spell. Remus looked up at him with shocked, tear filled eyes that glowed with the nearness of the full moon.

"Let me try, Remus," he said gently as he placed his hand on young Mary's neck.

The pulse was faint and weak, but it was there, even though it was rapidly fading away. "Minerva," he called out. "Stay here and see to the students. Severus, bring the Portkey, we need to get to the hospital wing."

Severus, Lupin and Dumbledore all grasped the quill as it activated once more, pulling them and a very out of sorts Mary Potter back to Hogwarts.


Severus Snape

It'd been a very long day. Severus had endured the stupidity of hundreds of children trying their damnedest to blow up his classroom, trying both his patience and his wards. He had modified a permanent cheering potion and inadvertently invented another mind restorative potion that could possibly negate the effects of Dementors. And now he was standing at the bedside of one Mary Potter; the spawn of his former best friend and his late arch enemy.

If he had any sense he would have claimed the girl a lost cause and let the wands fall where they may.

But he owed her far too much to let her child die in such a hellish fate. Lily deserved better. It wasn't her fault that the child looked just like her arrogant father. It wasn't Lily's fault that her daughter had all the self preservation of a flobberworm. Still, day after day, it made it difficult to see the child who was living proof of his own failures and mistakes. He hated the sight of her. He hated being in her presence. He despised seeing those bright green eyes watching and judging him. But for Lily's sake, he would keep his oath and make sure that she was safe.

So while he watched the school matron sniff, test, measure out and dose the young Potter with his latest concoction, he could not help but hope that maybe he would get some sort of redemption for his part in the girl's recovery.

If she recovered.

According to that damned wolf, the girl had been unresponsive for close to half an hour before they arrived and she had yet to show any signs of cognitive or brain function. That was a very large percentage that claimed that the girl would be a vegetable for the rest of her short life. It would certainly make his job easier. But he knew that he was never so fortunate in life to be given the easy way out.

Madam Pomfrey took a step back from the bed and brushed her hands over her skirts as though trying to erase the non existent wrinkles as she stared down at the still small child on the bed in front of her. Severus stood up, wand at the ready to run another set of tests. The spell was on the tip of his tongue, but an odd choked sound broke his concentration.

Madam Pomfrey rushed forward, conjuring a glass of water and pushing it into the girl's face as she tried to sit up. She pushed the matron's hand aside as she choked and coughed again, her face red and screwed up with an indefinable expression.

"I..infirmary," Potter rasped out with a wan smile.

"Miss Potter," Madam Pomfrey said softly as she handed her the glass of water. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been Avada'ed again." She choked out and rubbed a hand across her chest.

"This isn't a time for theatrics, Potter." Snape sneered down at her. "And speaking of such curses is both inappropriate and obscene. Madam Pomfrey is simply trying to gauge your mental faculties."

The girl's eyes widened in shock as she winced and looked up at the matron. "Is he a ghost now? Oh shit, he's here to haunt me!"

"Professor Snape has made the potion that has reversed the foul effects of the Dementors." Madam Pomfrey sent a look at him. "Do you remember the Dementors, Miss Potter?"

"Tuna breath." Potter grimaced and scraped her tongue with the edge of the bed sheet. "Can I get a toothbrush? My mouth feels nasty."


Mary Potter

Snape made an odd choking sound and Mary squinted at him to see the muscle in Snape's jaw twitching oddly. The thought of Mary getting the Kiss from one of those nasty grease rags was probably the best thing he'd heard all day.

For Mary, nothing was making much sense. She had that horrible nagging feeling that she was forgetting something really important, but for the life of her, she didn't really care to know what it was.

Mary's stomach growled loudly and she winced. "I'm starved. What day is it anyway?"

"Thursday the 2nd, Miss Potter." Madam Pomfrey sent her a shrewd and calculating look as she waved her wand over the girl once more. "What was the last thing you remember?"

Mary shut her eyes tightly and pinched the bridge of her nose as she tried to think.

She remembered Hermione pointing to a suitcase and identifying the sleeping man in her compartment. She remembered the man's, Remus, yes, Remus's joyful face and the pride in his eyes as he placed a small picture of a tiny blue haired baby in Mary's hand.

Green light, death, pain, fearful screams and crumbling walls. Red eyed monsters and blue haired babies. Snakes, silver hands and gold so hot that it burned.

It was all too much. Mary gasped and took in a heaving breath, trying to ache the quelling pain.

"The mind restorative seems to be taking effect." Snape drawled. "Although with such an addled brain, I doubt it will do much good."

Madam Pomfrey clucked reproachfully and Mary opened her eyes in time to see her giving Snape a scathing look. She poured another cupful of some unknown red potion into a short glass and handed it to Mary with a warm smile.

"Don't let the Professor's attitude fool you, Miss Potter," she said as she watched Mary grimace and chug the foul smelling medicine. "He's spent hours working to get you back to full health."

Mary chanced a glance at her most hated professor and winced as her head throbbed painfully.

Look at me. Blood, fangs, and black memories seeping into a bloody vial.

Mary shook violently under the assault of the images. Her head ached and pounded so forcefully that she could feel it in her ears and joints.

A pitcher and wash basin exploded on the other side of the room. There was a grinding sound and the floor shook beneath the bed. She heard the heavy oaken doors swing open and a soft gasp when more people entered the room. Rough hands carded through her hair as a firm grip grasped her shoulder and held her still.

"Deep breaths, Mary," Dumbledore said quietly.

"Breathe." A soft voice demanded. "You're safe now."

"The improved Laetitiam Elixir should take effect at any time," Snape said through clenched teeth.

The words had barely had time to register in Mary's already over taxed mind when she felt a comforting warmth flow through her veins. Her body relaxed, her breathing evened out, and she was finally able to shake the cold that had plagued her ever since the Dementors came near.

Snape's hand left her other shoulder as soon as Mary stilled, and Snape looked as though he wanted to soak the appendage in bleach. Madam Pomfrey handed Mary a small tumbler of water as she shot the three men a look that said that they were no longer needed. Mary's hands shook slightly as she grabbed the glass and had to double her grip to prevent the liquid from sloshing everywhere.

"I'm sorry to ask this of you now, my dear, but can you tell us what happened when the Dementor pulled you from the train." Professor Dumbledore inquired, placing a weathered hand on top of hers.

Her eyes remained closed and her face expressionless as she tried to think of a plausible story that would keep them from asking any other questions that might make her slip up. Any attempt Dumbledore made to look into her mind was not going to work without eye contact.

Snape, of course, would not let her prolonged silence go without lashing out. He snatched the corner of the covers and yanked them from her bed, ripping away the only security she had. The glass of water fell to the floor with a crash that sent water splashing over McGonagall's tartan robes. After a few minutes of outrage from several of the professors, he turned his cold dark eyes to her when she still hadn't moved. He made his way to the other side of the bed and knelt eye level with her.

"Miss Potter," he sneered, "as much amusement as you get from watching your elders trip over themselves to coddle you, you will not get that from me. Your injuries on the train were serious and we need to evaluate your health whether you like it or not."

He backed away a few steps without taking his eyes from her.

Mary's eyes snapped up to focus on him. As Mary expected, he gave no warning as he gently skimmed the surface of her thoughts, but before he could look away the scene engulfed him.

Voldemort walking up the stone steps, James yelling at Lily to run and take the child.

The dark lord's glee as the green light slammed into the man, his echoing cold laughter as he purposefully marched up the stairs.

A flash of light as a spell forced the blocked door open.

Lily pleading with the monster to spare her child.

Flashes of green and the red haired woman stopped screaming.

He quickly removed himself from her thoughts then swiftly turned his back on her as he clenched his fists.

"I watched Voldemort murder my parents," Mary whispered, her voice raspy and rough. "I don't remember much after that."

She knew that it was wrong for her to force those memories onto her professor, but there was no other way she could think of to keep him out of her head.

"I'm so sorry, child." Dumbledore patted her hand gently as he waved his wand and tucked the warm blankets around her. "Get some rest."

He ushered Lupin, Snape and McGonagall out of the room while Madam Pomfrey handed her another glass of water and helped her take a few sips before leaving her to sleep.

.·ˆ¯)...(¯ˆ·.

¸.·ˆˆˆ(ºvº)ˆˆˆ·.¸

m m