Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.
Dangers in the past.
"Sirius, where are James and Lily?"
The black haired boy paled a bit and began to shift nervously under her glare. "Erm…, they are,… er, I mean, I'm not sure…"
Hermione narrowed her eyes, now nearly black in anger. In a deathly quiet voice she asked. "Please, Sirius, tell me they have not gone to Hogsmeade."
Had the situation been different, the rush of colours that showed on Sirius's face would have been amusing. He went from white to red and then became even paler than he had been to begin with. It was all the answer Hermione needed. Her own face grew red; none of the Marauders had ever seen her so angry. Peter, still on the ground, scooted closer to Remus's legs as Remus moved to stand behind Sirius. Unluckily for Sirius, Hermione was only looking at him. Finally the girl spoke, obviously trying yet failing, to control her temper. "Have they gone insane? The damn Dark Lord wants to kill them and they just decide to leave the protection of Hogwarts! And don't bother saying anything!" Hermione looked to Sirius who had been about to try and defend his friends. "I don't want to know why they're there. It doesn't matter. They shouldn't have left Hogwarts under any circumstances."
With a final glare to the black-haired boy, she turned to survey the room, where Ron, oblivious to her shouts, was still looking if something was missing. Hermione took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and in a quieter voice called her friend. "Ron, forget the room, it's only a distraction. James and Lily are in Hogsmeade."
The red head looked up sharply at her, as a small fire began to burn into his eyes. Without a word, the tall boy ran out of the room and began to walk down the stairs, through the crowd of students, followed closely by Hermione, Sirius and Remus. The four children tore past Dumbledore and McGonagall, who were just climbing up the stairs, and crossed the common room at a run. They nearly collided with Daniel, who was just coming through the portrait. They managed to stop just in time, slightly out of breath. Their teacher frowned at them. "What's wrong?"
Ron was the first to catch his breath and answer. "James and Lily have gone to Hogsmeade! We need to bring them back before something happens to them."
The older werewolf paled and turned a stern gaze to the two boys standing behind Ron and Hermione. Remus and Sirius flinched and looked down. They knew that their friends would be in danger if they went out, but they really hadn't any way to stop them. They wondered for a moment if they should go get them. Daniel's voice broke through their thoughts. "Stay here and do what Dumbledore says. Ron, Hermione, make sure these two stay put. We don't need more students putting themselves in danger. If Dumbledore asks, tell him where we have gone. Ryan and Ethan will be coming with me."
After the two teenagers nodded their consent, the man left, shutting the door after him.
Shortly after, Dumbledore and McGonagall came down, deep frowns mirrored on their faces. All the students who had been crowding the stairs came down with them. The headmaster turned to the four teenagers, while McGonagall started to lead the other students out of the common room to the Great Hall.
"Has anyone seen Daniel, Ryan or Ethan? I sent a student to go fetch them."
Hermione nodded. "Daniel came here, Sir, but we found out that James and Lily have left the castle grounds. Daniel and the others have gone to fetch them."
Dumbledore's frown deepened, a concerned look crossing his features. Slowly he nodded and motioned for the children to follow them. They were the last people to leave the tower. By the time they reached the Great Hall, the other students were already there, having been brought down by the heads of their houses. Dumbledore went to join the other teachers while Hermione and Ron dragged Sirius and Remus to the Gryffindor table. They were determined to not let the two out of their sight, knowing that if the boys were unsupervised, they would rush to Hogsmeade to try to warn their friends. It was what they would have done had Harry been in danger. Both Marauders were looking a little annoyed at the two other teenagers but didn't dare say anything. They were already in too much trouble.
Nearly three hours later, Ryan, Daniel and Ethan finally came back. Hermione knew something was wrong as soon as she saw their faces. The three of them were pale and looked exhausted. They walked up to Dumbledore and Ron saw Ryan give the Headmaster a slip of paper. The headmaster's features turned grim. The men talked some more, and, finally, the old man turned to the silent hall.
"I'm afraid I have bad news." The students looked at each other warily, obviously expecting the worst. "This evening, two of our students have been kidnapped by Death Eaters."
The hall broke down in whispers, the students wondered who had been kidnapped. Dumbledore tried to placate them, he had more things to say, but it didn't help, the students were too afraid and nervous to pay any attention. Finally, a sharp whistle made everyone shut up and look again to where the headmaster was standing. The older man was looking a little startled at Ryan, who was looking rather annoyed; fear for his friends and for the existence of his godson were draining his patience. Dumbledore, understanding some of what the other man was thinking, quickly started to speak again. "We know they are not dead yet. It seems that the death eaters are playing with us.A note was found at the site of the kidnapping. It says, James Potter and Lily Evans will die if we don't find them before sunset. That's in scarcely two hours. To supposedly help us, they have left a riddle that should tell us where to look for them. The staff and I have not been able to come up with an answer to said riddle, and since we really don't have the time to waste, we are asking for your help to try and figure it out." He paused for a moment. Most students were nodding or leaning forward to hear the riddle, willing to try and come up with an answer. "The riddle says as follows:
In the chamber of the greatest founder,
From the girl who cries forever
To the chamber where the king of snakes rests
The stag and the flower will finally meet their end.
To be continued…
A/N: Thanks for all reviews, and thanks to my beta readers: Tanya and Gates.
Dangers in the past.
"Sirius, where are James and Lily?"
The black haired boy paled a bit and began to shift nervously under her glare. "Erm…, they are,… er, I mean, I'm not sure…"
Hermione narrowed her eyes, now nearly black in anger. In a deathly quiet voice she asked. "Please, Sirius, tell me they have not gone to Hogsmeade."
Had the situation been different, the rush of colours that showed on Sirius's face would have been amusing. He went from white to red and then became even paler than he had been to begin with. It was all the answer Hermione needed. Her own face grew red; none of the Marauders had ever seen her so angry. Peter, still on the ground, scooted closer to Remus's legs as Remus moved to stand behind Sirius. Unluckily for Sirius, Hermione was only looking at him. Finally the girl spoke, obviously trying yet failing, to control her temper. "Have they gone insane? The damn Dark Lord wants to kill them and they just decide to leave the protection of Hogwarts! And don't bother saying anything!" Hermione looked to Sirius who had been about to try and defend his friends. "I don't want to know why they're there. It doesn't matter. They shouldn't have left Hogwarts under any circumstances."
With a final glare to the black-haired boy, she turned to survey the room, where Ron, oblivious to her shouts, was still looking if something was missing. Hermione took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and in a quieter voice called her friend. "Ron, forget the room, it's only a distraction. James and Lily are in Hogsmeade."
The red head looked up sharply at her, as a small fire began to burn into his eyes. Without a word, the tall boy ran out of the room and began to walk down the stairs, through the crowd of students, followed closely by Hermione, Sirius and Remus. The four children tore past Dumbledore and McGonagall, who were just climbing up the stairs, and crossed the common room at a run. They nearly collided with Daniel, who was just coming through the portrait. They managed to stop just in time, slightly out of breath. Their teacher frowned at them. "What's wrong?"
Ron was the first to catch his breath and answer. "James and Lily have gone to Hogsmeade! We need to bring them back before something happens to them."
The older werewolf paled and turned a stern gaze to the two boys standing behind Ron and Hermione. Remus and Sirius flinched and looked down. They knew that their friends would be in danger if they went out, but they really hadn't any way to stop them. They wondered for a moment if they should go get them. Daniel's voice broke through their thoughts. "Stay here and do what Dumbledore says. Ron, Hermione, make sure these two stay put. We don't need more students putting themselves in danger. If Dumbledore asks, tell him where we have gone. Ryan and Ethan will be coming with me."
After the two teenagers nodded their consent, the man left, shutting the door after him.
Shortly after, Dumbledore and McGonagall came down, deep frowns mirrored on their faces. All the students who had been crowding the stairs came down with them. The headmaster turned to the four teenagers, while McGonagall started to lead the other students out of the common room to the Great Hall.
"Has anyone seen Daniel, Ryan or Ethan? I sent a student to go fetch them."
Hermione nodded. "Daniel came here, Sir, but we found out that James and Lily have left the castle grounds. Daniel and the others have gone to fetch them."
Dumbledore's frown deepened, a concerned look crossing his features. Slowly he nodded and motioned for the children to follow them. They were the last people to leave the tower. By the time they reached the Great Hall, the other students were already there, having been brought down by the heads of their houses. Dumbledore went to join the other teachers while Hermione and Ron dragged Sirius and Remus to the Gryffindor table. They were determined to not let the two out of their sight, knowing that if the boys were unsupervised, they would rush to Hogsmeade to try to warn their friends. It was what they would have done had Harry been in danger. Both Marauders were looking a little annoyed at the two other teenagers but didn't dare say anything. They were already in too much trouble.
Nearly three hours later, Ryan, Daniel and Ethan finally came back. Hermione knew something was wrong as soon as she saw their faces. The three of them were pale and looked exhausted. They walked up to Dumbledore and Ron saw Ryan give the Headmaster a slip of paper. The headmaster's features turned grim. The men talked some more, and, finally, the old man turned to the silent hall.
"I'm afraid I have bad news." The students looked at each other warily, obviously expecting the worst. "This evening, two of our students have been kidnapped by Death Eaters."
The hall broke down in whispers, the students wondered who had been kidnapped. Dumbledore tried to placate them, he had more things to say, but it didn't help, the students were too afraid and nervous to pay any attention. Finally, a sharp whistle made everyone shut up and look again to where the headmaster was standing. The older man was looking a little startled at Ryan, who was looking rather annoyed; fear for his friends and for the existence of his godson were draining his patience. Dumbledore, understanding some of what the other man was thinking, quickly started to speak again. "We know they are not dead yet. It seems that the death eaters are playing with us.A note was found at the site of the kidnapping. It says, James Potter and Lily Evans will die if we don't find them before sunset. That's in scarcely two hours. To supposedly help us, they have left a riddle that should tell us where to look for them. The staff and I have not been able to come up with an answer to said riddle, and since we really don't have the time to waste, we are asking for your help to try and figure it out." He paused for a moment. Most students were nodding or leaning forward to hear the riddle, willing to try and come up with an answer. "The riddle says as follows:
In the chamber of the greatest founder,
From the girl who cries forever
To the chamber where the king of snakes rests
The stag and the flower will finally meet their end.
To be continued…
A/N: Thanks for all reviews, and thanks to my beta readers: Tanya and Gates.