A Different Game
Good, I can use different titles now. I was running out of chess things! And here it is, the piece that will answer all the questions you have. Not. No way it will answer most of them, and it should raise even more. But it will answer some questions. Oh, and this part features the debut of a brand new OC! Read and find out.
Jenny paced up and down the cell. She knew Remus was somewhere, probably nearby, but she couldn't see more than a few feet away through the window of the cell.
It's not Azkaban. You'll be fine. Dumbledore will come and set them all straight. She told herself such things over and over. Of course, if he didn't come, she would be sent to Azkaban, she was sure of it.
She'd seen Snape once, just after arriving at the Ministry holding cells. He was wearing a gloating smile. He must have enjoyed seeing me arrested, Jenny thought. Jenny tried not to worry about James and Lily; they'd been brought along, but surely the Ministry wouldn't think they were traitors?
"This is so unfair," she said aloud. "I just got them back!"
A scrape alerted her that the door was being unlocked. A moment later, Albus Dumbledore came in.
"Professor!" she said, relieved. "Can you get me out of here?"
"I'm afraid not," he said. "Jenny, I need you to tell me exactly what happened since I last saw you." Jenny began her tale. When she finished, Dumbledore looked at her gravely.
"The Ministry had succeeded in locating Pettigrew's headquarters -although they thought the castle was where Sirius was hiding. They didn't manage to capture anyone, but they found documents proving that Pettigrew is alive."
"That's good," Jenny said, wondering why he looked so gloomy. "That means that we can prove Sirius is innocent."
"They also found the letter," Dumbledore said quietly. "The one you and Sirius and Remus wrote. That's enough to convince them that all three of you are working together, and for Voldemort. Snape thinks the letter was written just after Sirius escaped Azkaban, that that is the reason why he was at Hogwarts. He's convinced Fudge, too."
"Can't you talk sense into them?" Jenny pleaded.
"I've tried, Jenny. Snape won't listen, and Fudge is listening only to Snape these days. I believe they think I'm going senile." Dumbledore smiled a little. "They could be right, you know."
"They're not," Jenny said firmly, crossing the cell and sitting down. "So what are we going to do?"
"You and Remus, and Sirius if they catch him, will stand trial in a few weeks," Dumbledore said quietly. "All I can do is get you a good lawyer, and make sure that you get as fair a trial as possible."
"What about my children?" Jenny asked. "Who will look after them?"
"Term begins at Hogwarts in two days," Dumbledore said. "Their names are in the book, you know."
"They could go there?" Jenny looked at him in surprise.
"It will be hard on them," Dumbledore admitted. "Being known as children of accused Dark wizards. But I think they will be all right."
"Yes," Jenny said, nodding, "They can go there. They'll need money for supplies."
"I'll arrange everything at Gringotts," Dumbledore assured her.
"You'll have to take it out of Sirius' account," Jenny said wearily, her head cradled in her hands. "I never touched his, but my money is almost gone."
"I will handle everything," Dumbledore assured her.
"Can I see them before they go?" Jenny pleaded, looking at him with tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, but the Minister said no."
"Well, tell them -tell them I love them." Jenny wiped a tear off her cheek. "And if you hear from that husband of mine," she said fiercely, "tell him not even to think about trying some stupid rescue plan. I'll be fine."
"I will, Jenny." Dumbledore turned to leave. Jenny looked down at her feet. When she looked up, he was gone.
I was really quite tired of being hauled around by adults by now. First Pettigrew and his men treated my brother and me like potatoes or luggage or something, then the Ministry people hauled us out of our house in the night and accused our mother of treason. They assigned a young woman at the Ministry to look after us. She seemed rather afraid of us, to tell the truth, which would have been funny if I wasn't so upset. James and I dozed on couches for a while. Then the door opened and Albus Dumbledore came in.
I'd never met Professor Dumbledore before, but of course I recognized him. He has one of the most well known faces in the wizarding world, after all. He smiled kindly at James and me.
"Where's our mother?" James asked.
"I'm afraid that she won't be released right now," he said sadly.
"What's going to happen to us?" I asked, my lip trembling. I was not feeling twelve years old at all; more like seven. I just wanted to sit down and cry.
"You two will be coming to Hogwarts," he said, a kind light shining in his blue eyes.
"Hogwarts?" James stared at him.
"But we're too old!" I exclaimed.
"Well, you'll go into the second year. After all, I'm sure your mother taught you what the first years learn anyway." He smiled at us. "I'm going to arrange for someone to come and take you shopping tomorrow, and then to look after you until it's time to go to Hogwarts."
"Can we see Mum?" I asked.
"No," he said, the twinkle in his eyes dimming for a moment. "But I will ask the Minister to let you write to her, and you can tell her about Hogwarts. I'm sure she'd want you two to have as good a time there as she did."
"Yes, sir," James said. I didn't say anything, just clenched my hands and tried not to cry.
After Dumbledore left, I turned to my brother.
"Maybe it won't be too bad," I said hopefully. "Mum and Dad seem to have had fun at Hogwarts...."
"Yeah, but their parents weren't accused of working for Voldemort," James said gloomily. "They'll probably put us in Slytherin."
"Can we be optimistic?" I asked.
"Optimists should be killed with their own wands and buried under a pig pen," James said, sitting down.
"Maybe we should try to sleep." I suggested, lying down and closing my eyes. James didn't answer, but soon I heard his snores. I followed him shortly afterwards.
Next morning, the Ministry girl brought us breakfast early. We ate silently, and then we asked the girl who was going to help us get our school stuff.
"Someone who works for the Ministry." She waved vaguely. "He's got some kids himself and promised not to hold your-" she broke off. I knew what she had been about to say; not to hold your parents' crimes against you. I didn't try to speak to her again.
About an hour later, the door opened and a balding man with bright red hair came in. He wore glasses and looked slightly nervous. But he smiled kindly at us.
"Hello, there. I'm Arthur Weasley. You two must be James and Lily Anderson?"
"Black," James said firmly. "James and Lily Black." The man looked a little awkward, but nodded.
"Er, my wife and I are going to look after you until tomorrow - Professor Dumbledore did talk to you?"
"Yes," I said.
"Good. Come with me, Molly's waiting." We followed Mr. Weasley out of the room, down stairs, and outside. His wife was waiting, and so were four children; three boys and a girl, all older than we were.
"This is my wife, Molly, and my children, Fred, George, Ron and Ginny," he said, introducing us. The twins eyed us with interest. Ron looked as if he wanted to ask us something, and Ginny seemed to be trying to make up her mind about us.
"Poor dears," Mrs. Weasley muttered. I don't think she knew we heard her. "Poor things." Mr. Weasley led us off up the street. Ron fell back with us.
"Are -are you really Sirius' kids?" he asked uncertainly. We nodded. "I met your dad a few months back," he said quietly. "And he definitely wasn't working for You-Know-Who. Your mum isn't either, is she?"
"No," I said. "Do your parents know?"
"Nah. They wouldn't believe me if I told them, I'm sure. But Harry and Hermione know -my friends, Harry Potter, you know who he is, - and I told Fred and George. They believe me, and they think your dad was pretty cool." He grinned. "Fred and George are mischief makers too." We stopped talking because we'd arrived at Gringotts. I had hoped that we'd get to go in one of the carts again, but Mr. Weasley just walked up to the counter, showed a letter, and the goblin handed him a bag of coins.
"Dumbledore took care of everything," he said cheerfully. "Let's see, Molly, you have a list of what these two need?"
"Yes, dear," she said. "I suppose you two have wands?" she asked.
"Yes," I said, holding up mine. That had been the first thing I'd picked up when we got home last night.
"Good. Well, we'll get everything else." So she headed off, all her children and James and me following her like ducklings.
The next day, the Weasleys took us to King's Cross, and we followed the boys through the barrier. Fred and George helped us load our trunks on, then ran off to look for trouble.
"Hey! Harry!" Ron yelled, waving at someone. Harry came over, and I tried not to stare.
Harry was about two years older than I was. His black hair stuck up everywhere, and his green eyes looked out from behind glasses. I could see the famous lightning scar, too.
"Who's this?" he asked Ron.
"James and Lily Black," Ron said quietly. Harry looked at us. I couldn't quite tell what he was thinking. Suddenly I remembered that James and Lily were his parents' names.
"Black?" he asked.
"Sirius is our father," James said. Harry stared at us.
"I didn't know Sirius had kids," he said.
"Hermione found out and wrote to me, but we couldn't get an owl to you," Ron said hurriedly.
"Where is your father?" Harry asked. "I heard from him once...."
"Hiding, I hope," I said. "I hope they didn't find him."
"You two look a little older than most first years," Harry said, changing the subject.
"Oh, we're second years." James said. "We just didn't go last year... Mum was teaching us at home..."
"I see," Harry said, though he looked confused. "So, why are you here now?"
"You sure haven't been around recently," Ron said. "It's been all over the papers. Sirius' wife and Lupin were arrested for conspiring to help You-Know-Who."
"Lupin's been arrested?" Harry asked sharply. "I'll bet it had something to do with Snape."
"I don't know," Ron said. "They said they found a letter or something, incriminating him."
"Uncle Remus isn't working for Voldemort any more than Mum is," I said. Ron cringed.
"Great. Another person who won't say You-Know-Who like everyone else."
"We decided not to when we were in Pettigrew's dungeons," James declared.
"Dungeons? Cool." Fred -or maybe George - had wandered up and caught the rest. "By the way, Hermione's down at the other end. She's got a compartment for you."
"Thanks, George," Ron said. He looked at us. "Do you two want to come along?"
"I guess," James said. I thought it was a good idea. No telling if anyone else on the train would be nice to us, if they knew who we were.
The boys entered a compartment with a single girl in. Hermione looked up, smiling.
"There you are," she said. "Oh, are you the Black twins?"
"Yes," I said. "How did you know?"
"You look like your mum," she said. "I met her this summer. I'm glad she found you..." Her face clouded. "But I saw the papers yesterday. Is Professor Lupin all right?
"I think so," James said. "I hope my mum and dad are."
"Will someone please explain everything that's going on?" Harry asked. "I'm getting bits and pieces here, but I want the whole picture, okay?"
"Well, it's a long story," I said.
"Go ahead. It's a long trip." So James and I began to explain everything that had happened in the past few months.
"Wow," Ron said when we were done. "That's -incredible."
"So who was that woman with Pettigrew?" Harry asked.
"I don't know. I think her name was Elaida," I said. "She was horrible."
"Her description reminds me of someone," Hermione said thoughtfully. "But I'm not sure who."
Just then, the door slid open and three boys came in. Two were thickset gorillas, but it was the middle boy who made my palms sweat. He had white blond hair, cruel eyes, and looked exactly like a short, male version of the green woman. I let out a little gasp. His eyes flickered toward my brother and me.
"True to form," he drawled, looking at Harry. "First the Weasleys, Hagrid, and Mudbloods, now criminals."
"We're not criminals!" James yelled, balling up his hands into fists.
"Really? Well, your parents are, so what's the difference?"
"My parents are not criminals," I said. Ron, meanwhile, had stood up.
"Get out, Malfoy," he said. His face had gone very red.
"Are you going to make me?" Malfoy sneered.
"Yes," Ron said. "We will." Malfoy glanced around, seemed to note that there were five of us, and sneered.
"Well, I'm sure you will get along fine with your criminal friends, Potter. See you at Hogwarts." He left.
"Do you think it was his mum?" James asked me.
"Maybe," I said. "Or an aunt or something."
"What?" Hermione asked.
"He looks exactly like the woman in green who was working with Pettigrew," I said. "Probably not his mum. She didn't have any rings on her fingers."
"Dad always said that Lucius Malfoy was working for You-Know-Who," Ron commented. "He might have a sister, I could find out, I guess..."
"She was one of the most evil people I ever met," I said slowly. "Not like Pettigrew; he's pathetic, you know. She was just cruel and hard. Cold, heartless, like a beautiful serpent." I shivered at the thought of her.
As it grew dark, the train began to slow. Finally we stopped at a tiny platform. All the passengers piled out. A giant of a man was calling for first years, who pushed their way over to him.
A woman came over to us. She wore tartan robes and her hair was pulled into a severe bun.
"Professor McGonagall!" Harry said in surprise. She frowned at him.
"Hello," she said. "You two must be James and Lily?" We nodded. "You're to come with me." She led us to a waiting carriage, which bumped along toward the school. I tried to see out, but it was too dark.
"Dumbledore wants to see the two of you before the feast," she explained as we got out and she led us up the steps, down corridors, and through a passage behind a gargoyle. We emerged in what was obviously Dumbledore's office. A phoenix was snoozing in a corner, and I stared at it. Dumbledore smiled at us. Another professor was there already; I thought that I'd seen him before, the night when my mother was arrested. He was scowling.
"Wait, Minerva," Dumbledore said as she turned to go. "You might as well stay." He produced an old hat from behind his desk. "This is the Sorting Hat," he explained. "New students try it on, but as you two are older than the first years, we thought it would be less confusing just to have you try it on here." He smiled at us. "Don't worry, it doesn't hurt." He held it out to James, who took it uncertainly.
"What do I do?" he asked.
"Put it on, of course," the other professor said coldly.
"Now, Severus, how could he be expected to guess what to do?" Dumbledore asked pleasantly, his eyes twinkling. James put it on his head. For a moment, nothing happened, then it yelled 'Gryffindor!'. Dumbledore's smile got a bit wider, if possible. James handed me the hat. I put it on nervously. What if it puts me in a different House? I thought as it slipped over my head.
"Now then, don't worry," the Hat soothed. "You've been through a lot recently, haven't you? Well, don't worry, I'll put you in the right place. Certainly not Slytherin! And not Hufflepuff. You're brave, loyal, intelligent.... Just like your parents, actually, and your brother. Well, I'd say Gryffindor." I took the hat off and handed it back to the Headmaster. James grinned at me.
"Now, Minerva, if you'll take them down to join the rest of their House," Dumbledore said mildly. "I think that you'd best take the Hat, Severus. The Ceremony should start soon." We followed McGonagall through a maze of corridors into the Great Hall. Nothing I'd heard about it prepared me for the awesome sight. The ceiling shone with stars, reflecting the night glory outside. I stared at it as we headed for the Gryffindor table. The Weasleys waved merrily to us and Harry pointed us to a few empty seats near him and his friends.
"Put you in Gryffindor, eh?" George - I think it was George -said. "Well, good for you. Best House there is, always has been." Then the Sorting Ceremony began and we watched as other students were put into Houses. I was glad that I hadn't had to sit up there in front of the whole school.
"Who's that?" I asked Ron at one point, pointing to the dark-haired teacher who'd been in Dumbledore's office.
"Snape," Ron muttered. "Watch out for him. He hates all Gryffindors, but Harry more than most -and he's sure to hate you if he knows you're Sirius' kids."
"He doesn't look very happy," I commented.
"Never does. He teaches Potions."
"Great. Mum wasn't so good at those, so we didn't learn as much as we might have," James muttered.
"Just try to avoid him," Harry advised us. "It's not that easy, but you might manage."
It was a very good thing that Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys were our friends, because over the next few days, it became obvious that most of the students there were not going to make life easy for us. Whispers followed us in the halls, people stared at us at dinner, and not a few children refused to acknowledge our existence. James and I spent every evening doing our homework and then writing to Mum. We didn't know if she was getting our letters, and we certainly didn't get any from her, but we wrote page after page each night, heads together, leaning over a desk.
About three weeks into term, we were outside, because it was a pleasant evening, writing our daily missive. A group of Hufflepuffs came by. They were all sixth and seventh year boys. They stopped by us.
"So, writing to your jailbird mother? Or are you spying for You-Know-Who too?" the leader sneered. James glared at him but didn't say anything. "I'm amazed Dumbledore let you come here. You'd think they'd want to keep Dark wizards out."
"We aren't Dark wizards," James said quietly, putting down the quill.
"And neither's your mum or dad," another boy sneered.
"No, they aren't!" I yelled. "They aren't Dark wizards."
"Kid, your dad was convicted years ago, everyone knows that. He went crazy! People saw him blow up a whole street." Yet a third boy was talking now. "So don't try telling us that he's innocent."
"Leave my sister alone!" James yelled, jumping to his feet.
"Or what? You'll curse us?" The boys laughed at their own joke.
"No, we will," a voice said from behind us. We turned to see Fred and George Weasley standing there, wands in hand. "Leave these kids alone." The Hufflepuffs outnumbered us, but they were cowards and wouldn't pick a fight when they might get hurt. So they slunk off, tails between their legs.
"Let us know if anyone tries that again," George said.
"Yes, we'll play a few tricks on them," Fred added.
"Thank you," I said gratefully. Fred laughed and whacked George on the shoulder.
"Oh, we owe your dad and his friends! Without them, we'd never have been the successes we are today."
"Anyway, I'm glad you believe us," James said.
"Course we do. It's got to be better for you than it was for Harry a few years back, though, when everyone thought he was the Heir of Slytherin." George grinned. "Remember that?"
"Yup, sure do," his twin agreed. "We could always try that kind of thing again... Make way for the Heir of Slytherin! Seriously evil wizard coming through!"
"Honestly, some people here can be idiots," George said, sitting down on the grass. "You'd think they could see you two are no more Dark wizards than Albus Dumbledore is, but no..."
"Do you two have any idea how your dad and his friends managed to become Animagi?" Fred asked.
"No," I said. "Why?"
"Well, ole George and I were just thinking about the possibilities...."
"I'm sure Dumbledore would find out," James said. "One time, it might get past him, but not twice."
"You're probably right," Fred admitted. "Anyway, if you ever need help -ever -come to us. No matter what it is."
"If you need the Slytherin common room blown up-"
"- Dungbombs for Filch-"
"-Need to find a secret corridor-"
"-We're the ones."
"Thanks," James said. "We'll remember that."
"Good." The twins spoke together. They grinned at us and walked off.
"If you'd be willing to give us evidence and information, we could make sure that you get a light sentence," the Ministry representative offered. Jenny sat upright in a chair.
"You really don't listen, do you? I can't give you information, because I don't have any. I never worked for Voldemort."
"What about this letter?" he asked, holding up a copy.
"I told you before. That was part of a ruse to get us into the castle where my children were being held. We got in, took the children, and got out."
"You were with Sirius Black."
"Yes, I was. He's my husband, and he's innocent too." She folded her arms and stared coldly at the man. He sighed.
"I really wish you'd be more cooperative, Mrs. Black."
"I'm being as cooperative as I bloody can be!" she yelled. "What part of 'I'm not working for Voldemort' do you not get? You know Pettigrew's alive, which matches our story; if you took the time, you could figure out that the rest is true too. Or do you just want to put people in Azkaban? Do you get a commission on it? A bonus for every conviction?" She scowled at him.
"I'm sure you know your words are ridiculous. Now, if your husband is innocent, as you claim, why didn't you speak out thirteen years ago?"
"Because I didn't know he was innocent until this spring." She spoke slowly, as she might speak to a mentally retarded child. "I've told you this twice. I've told others here at least a dozen times. Why don't you do something else?"
The agent sighed and stood up.
"I'm sorry this session hasn't been more productive," he said, motioning her to stand. "You might want to think things over..." A knock came on the door. The man went over and spoke to whoever was outside. Jenny couldn't make out any of the words, but the agent drew aside and let a woman into the room.
She was a rather attractive woman, although plainly dressed, and she seemed to be about Jenny's age.
"Alone," she said to the agent, who nodded and left. The woman looked at Jenny. Jenny looked at the woman.
"Well, Mrs. Black, I suppose you're wondering who I am," she said finally. "That's to be expected. "I'm Gillian Prewett." Jenny recognized the last name; the Prewetts had been some of Voldemort's first victims when he began his rise to power all those years ago.
"If you don't mind me asking, exactly why are you here?" Jenny was curious. Gillian smiled.
"Albus Dumbledore contacted me and asked me to help you out."
"Are you a lawyer?"
"Not precisely, although I do have legal training and am qualified to act as a lawyer in court. No, I'm more of - of a last resort." She smiled again, cheerfully, and set her briefcase on the one desk. "It's my job to do the impossible and prove people who seem guilty beyond a shadow of doubt innocent."
"An interesting job," Jenny commented. "Much success?"
"Frankly, not as much as I'd like. But there's one thing I never do, and that's take on a client who I think is guilty. I've studied your case since Dumbledore talked to me, and I think that you and your husband and friend are innocent." She smiled. "Now we have to convince the Ministry."
"That will be difficult," Jenny said, but a spark of hope had been lit in her breast.
"Difficult's my job, and impossible's my hobby," Gillian said cheerfully. "But impossible I charge more for." Jenny laughed for the first time in - what? Days? Weeks? She couldn't remember.
"Well, if you're convinced, I don't think the task is impossible," Jenny said.
"Ah, smart woman, bargaining for savings already." Gillian grinned and opened her briefcase.
'Trust me, if you can get my husband - and Remus and me - off, you'd be welcome to whatever you charge," Jenny said fervently. "I don't think anything would be too much to pay to have Sirius free."
"You really love him, then?" Gillian asked. A wistful note was in her voice.
"I do," Jenny said, staring into space. "And my children need their father."
"And their mother, no doubt," Gillian said. "So let's get started." She pulled out a letter and handed it to Jenny. "My credentials, just in case you got paranoid and wondered whether I might be working for the Ministry." It was a letter from Albus Dumbledore, telling Jenny that Gillian was who she claimed to be.
"I believed you, anyway," Jenny said, handing back the note. "I can often tell when someone's lying, and I think you are trustworthy."
"Why, thank you," Gillian said. "Now, I'll need to interview you and Lupin - but it's full moon now and I can't talk to him."
"I'd lost track of time," Jenny commented. "Not much happens here."
"The first thing we're going to do is try to get you out of jail," Gillian said. "I don't suppose you know where your husband is?"
"No," Jenny said.
"It might make my job easier if I could talk to him, but no matter."
"I'm just glad he hasn't been caught yet," Jenny said. " He's got that sentence over his head... they could very well give him the Dementor's Kiss..."
"That's the second thing we're going to work on," Gillian said. "I'm not sure that they have the legal position they think they have. The Kiss is a very serious punishment and it hasn't actually been used in over a century."
"Not legally," Jenny said, her face going very white and her voice breaking.
"No," Gillian said, looking vaguely puzzled. "Anyway, I think we can get that lifted... or at least petition for a different form of punishment."
"Anything else," Jenny said. "Sirius would prefer death to the Kiss, just as I would." She bit her lip.
"Then we're going to find evidence and prove that you three are innocent," Gillian concluded. "As I see it, proving that you and Remus aren't guilty will be the easiest part. Even if we prove that Sirius isn't working for Voldemort, there's still no evidence that he didn't kill those Muggles." Jenny stared at Gillian, who had just said 'Voldemort' without flinching. The woman went up several notches in her appreciation.
"I'm not sure I follow your logic," she admitted.
"Well, it would be possible to make out a case that Sirius was attempting to take revenge on Pettigrew for the Potters' deaths, and that he went a little overboard," Gillian said carefully. "Unless his past behavior showed that such a thing was highly unlikely, it might be difficult to prove he didn't do it. Without Pettigrew, that is."
"His past record wouldn't do much for him," Jenny admitted, thinking how Sirius had nearly been responsible for Snape's death at the age of 16.
"So we'll burn that bridge when we get there," Gillian said cheerfully. "Have you been able to talk to your children or any friends?"
"No," Jenny said. "I don't have any other friends than Remus, and Fudge won't even let me write to James and Lily. I get their letters, though."
"Well, I'll see what I can do.... It's illegal to keep you incommunicado like that."
"I hope they're not to worried about me," Jenny said softly, thinking about the last time she'd seen her children.
"It could take a few days to get Fudge to see light," Gillian said, "so if you like, I can write to them for you."
"Would you?" Jenny looked into the other woman's face. "You don't know how much it would mean to me."
"What should I say?"
"Tell them I love them, and that I've gotten all their letters, and that I'm very proud of them. Let them know that we're going to find a way out of this mess, and that I'm sure their father will be proud when he hears they're both in Gryffindor. And tell them to be good but have fun." Jenny smiled. "And promise them that I'll see them soon."
"You will," Gillian promised, taking Jenny's hand. "I'll see to that."
"Thank you," Jenny said, looking right into the other woman's green eyes. Green eyes, she thought, distracted. Green like Lily's. But she has short brown hair, not long red hair, and she's pretty, but not gorgeous. She shook herself out of her musings. "Thank you for everything."
"That's my job," Gillian said, but she smiled. " And it's nice to help people like you."
"There wouldn't be so many problems with life if more people were like you and fewer like Pettigrew, or Voldemort," Jenny remarked.
"I know." Gillian's face went blank for a moment. "I was very young, only twelve, when he killed my family." There was no need for Jenny to ask who he was.
"I was sixteen, myself," Jenny said quietly. "If it hadn't been for my friends, I'd have just let myself die. If it hadn't been for Sirius, I'd have died with my parents."
"Do you ever wish you had?" Gillian asked, not looking at Jenny.
"I did, often," she said. "But after I married Sirius... and then, when he was gone, I had the twins. They made life worth living."
"You have to fill the space somehow," Gillian remarked. "I dedicated my life to helping people."
"Do you ever do anything for yourself?" Jenny asked. Gillian didn't answer, but closed her briefcase slowly.
"I'd best get started on those things we talked about," she said. "Don't talk to anyone without me with you, all right?"
"Okay," Jenny agreed.
"I'll come back tomorrow," Gillian promised, and left. A Hit Wizard came in and led Jenny back to her cell. Somehow it didn't seem quite as constricting now.
Warning: I'm not too sure when the next part will be out, because of semester break.... Not too long, I hope, though. And then we'll be getting near the end - I hope, although I had originally planned that the last piece would be the end.... Unfortunately, things just didn't work that way. Also, the Magical Mischief Makers series has to be worked on, to answer the questions that have hopefully been raised in your minds. If it makes you feel better, I'm not really sure what's going to happen with this story, either. There's about ten possible endings right now - Jenny has told me I may not kill her, or Sirius, or Remus, or the children, and I'll probably listen to her - but I'm not sure how happy an ending I'll write. It depends on my mood...if I feel sappy or sadistic, you know. Of course, if you have a suggestion, I'd be glad to hear it!
I've looked at my schedule and I think I can guarantee you a part by 18 May. It'll probably be Magical Mischief Makers, as I plan to work on that and the transitional story over my break. The transitional story is tentatively titled 'Only in Darkness the Light' and will be at least three chapters long. The title is a quote, by the way, from a poem, but all will be explained at the proper time.
If you think you can't make it through my vacation, you need professional help. But siriusly, I'd recommend catching up on some of the other authors here, if you've missed them. Shameless plug follows: Blaise, CLS, and Moon write incredible stories about MWPP. Peeves is Peeved has a long but good story about Harry's seventh year - worth reading just for the author's notes! Morrigan writes great stories that freak me out on occasion. Spamwarrior and Elizabeth Notrab and ChinChilla all have immensely funny stuff - check out the Insanity of Hogwarts, the Mountain Dew stories - I can't remember their right names - and the Gringotts Cash Machine saga. Also, check out all the Alternity stuff! And there are lots of others who I can't mention because this note is too long as it is, but who are definitely worth reading. And if you get really desperate, how about a nice book?
Ingredients: J. K. Rowling, Bloomsbury and Scholastic characters and settings, some original characters (James and Lily Black, Elaida Malfoy, Gillian Prewett, Jenny Black), original plot (may contain trace elements of various stories the author has read), chocolate, caffeine, sleepless nights, an insane authoress tormented by an alter ego named Jenny Black and a muse named Sadistica the Muse of Pain, and a pinch of beta-reader. (*gryn*)
Best if read by July 8, 2000. Not guaranteed edible after that date. (Actually, not guaranteed edible at all.)
All comments and complaints can go in the little box below. That's what it's for.
This is the longest author's note I've ever written. Can you tell?