Hey, here is another chapter reformatted. Hope you can read it better this time around! I don't own Harry Potter, J. K.Rowling does! Please R/R.

**

The brothers fell to the ground at the same time.

James and Remus ran forward at once. James reached Sirius first. Sirius was laying face down and James turned him around calling his name, "Sirius! Padfoot!" Remus left Sirius with James and jogged over to where Simon lay. With his wand out he turned him over. He sighed, put him back down and went back to Sirius.

Sirius opened his eyes briefly. He looked at James and then his eyes closed again. James took Sirius' hand in his and gripped it tightly.

"Remus will you take care of the woman," James motioned to Remus and not worrying about splinching him or Sirius, James disapparated. James pointed his wand at Sirius and said, "Mobilicorpus." He walked up to the Potter Mansion with Sirius floating next to him and Remus on his other side.

In the house James put Sirius onto his bed and removed his robes, shoes and shirt. He put him into bed and then called for Rosy. After directing her to retrieve a few potions he sat down next to him. He pushed the hair out of his sweaty face. He noticed that Sirius still was shaking slightly.

Remus came up 10 minutes later with Rosy who had her hands filled with potions.

"Good thing you keep a good supply," Remus told James as he sat down next to him. They sat in silence for a few minutes as Rosy took care of Sirius. When she was gone Remus turned to James, "We left Simon."

"Did Sirius kill him?" James asked.

"Yes," Remus nodded. "I made sure he did. If he didn't, I would have killed him myself."

James smiled and turned to his friend. Remus was usually quiet and peaceful but hearing him say that about Simon Black, he couldn't help but smile. There was a lot of brotherly love between the Marauders and it was times like this that it came out more than ever.

There was a knock on the door and Peter came in looking tired.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Simon Black." James told him.

Peter came in and sat down. He looked at Sirius for a moment and then turned to James, "Where did they meet?"

"Down a dark alley," James looked at Sirius. "Voldemort attacked a Muggle town today and Sirius found Simon torturing a woman."

"Who won?" asked Peter.

"Sirius," Remus turned his glaze from Sirius to Peter.

James sat back a little in his chair. They were going to sit here and wait for Sirius to wake up. Even if it took hours.

**

The next morning James left Sirius' side to call Dumbledore. In his office he sat in his chair and firecalled Dumbledore and told him that Simon Black was now dead. Dumbledore nodded and said that Arabella Figg had seen Sirius go down the alley and had watched the duel.

"How is Sirius?" Dumbledore asked.

"He is still resting. He got hit with the Cruciatus for awhile and then of course using the Killing Curse took a lot out of him," James explained.

"Did they say the curse at the same time?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes, Sirius fell due to exhaustion and dizziness so the curse missed him," James told him. "The curse hit a building across the street, I'm not sure if anyone was hurt."

"Thank you James," Dumbledore nodded. "I'll let you go and get back to Sirius. I'm sure you have been at his side since you got him home."

"You know me too well sir," James said goodbye and he got up and left the room.

He did go back to Sirius' room after checking his room where Lily was still sleeping. He kissed her forehead and went to sit with Sirius. Sirius woke an hour later. James and Remus had fallen asleep, Peter had left to go get breakfast. Sirius reached out and put a hand on James' knee to wake him up.

"Sirius," James said sleepily and leaned forward.

Sirius opened his mouth, "Hey."

"How do you feel?" asked James.

"Tired. Didn't know that curse took so much... out of you," Sirius tried to grin. He looked at James and spoke again, "Is he... is he dead?"

"Yes." James nodded.

"I'm glad," Sirius looked James in the eye. "Is that wrong?"

James sighed deeply, "I don't think so."

Sirius nodded.

"Get some more rest Sirius. Everything is fine now," James patted him on the shoulder.

James left the room and went to go get breakfast. He woke Remus and he decided to go down to his room and get some more sleep. Down in the dining hall Rosy brought him breakfast and he sat and thought. Simon Black was dead, and it was all over. Sirius had always been overshadowed by his family and their reputation. Everyone thought they knew Sirius, people thought he would turn out just like his parents but James knew better. He knew the real Sirius, he hated his parents and brother. He had seen the hatred in his eyes when he saw them, and he had seen the fear in his eyes when they were young in the Potter Mansion. He knew that Sirius would have died before joining his parents, and he knew that they were safe with Sirius. He was powerful and could be a good addition to Voldemort but his brother was too loyal to James and Dumbledore.

**

Two days after Simon died Sirius finally left his room. He had been sitting by the fire for most of the time thinking. Yes he had told James that he was glad Simon was dead, but he wasn't sure now. He was free of Simon, he was the last Black left but the way Simon had just died, just like that. Why did he have to use the Killing Curse, he had never killed before and now he felt so empty. The life that had been in Simon was gone, so quickly, it was so unnerving. He didn't understand how people could kill other people without a second thought. He wondered if James or Remus had ever killed and what about the other Order members?

They were late getting to the Order meeting. They were sure as they said the password that Dumbledore had already begun the meeting. They knocked and hearing Dumbledore's pause and then "Enter" they did.

There was an erupting noise as they entered and the other Members realized it was them. The other Order members were on their feet and clapping. James looked at Sirius and Remus, and then all three of them turned to Dumbledore who was smiling.

He walked over to them, "You did not realize the victory for the Light now that Simon Black is dead?" He asked them.

Sirius bit his lip and looked down.

Dumbledore lifted one of his long hands and pushed up Sirius' chin carefully, "You are feeling hurt aren't you Sirius?"

"I've never killed sir," Sirius said quietly.

Dumbledore nodded understandingly, "Be comforted that now people can be a little safer now that Simon is dead. He was valuable to Voldemort for his ruthless behavior. He enjoyed killing and torturing more than any Death Eater I have ever heard about."

Sirius nodded, "Then I will be comforted for the good of everyone. But for myself I never want to kill again."

"And that is what makes you very different from Simon," Dumbledore shook his hand, "or your parents."

They went to take their seats. As they passed everyone, hands reached out to shake all their heads. It was a good meeting, moral was up and some even dared to see this as a sign for better times.

**

It was about noon and James and Lily, who were usually up and around at this time were just waking up. Downstairs, Sirius, Remus and Peter were reading the paper and having lunch. The Daily Prophet had arrived late today and all three Marauders who reading the headlines.

"Sick." Remus summed it up in one word.

"Disturbed," Sirius sighed.

"150 Muggles dead?" Peter read the headline again.'

"At once," Sirius slammed the paper down on the table.

"What happened?" James entered the dining room with an arm around Lily.

"Aw... good morn- afternoon Mr. Potter," Sirius forgot about the headline for a moment to tease his friends, "and to you Mrs. Potter."

"What happened?" James looked at Remus and Peter completing ignoring Sirius.

"Giants," Remus said.

James frown and took the paper offered to him by Remus. He swore as he scanned it

Gaint Attack

Last night, 20 giants, who are in alliance with You-Know-Who attacked two Muggle villages last night. They destroyed whole houses, streets and torn apart families. The giants who pledged their alliance to You-Know-Who two years ago have been responsible for the worst Muggle killings of You-Know-Who's reign of terror.

"The Ministry should have approached them when it all began," James shook his head.

"Who knew it was going to be this long or this terrible though," asked Remus.

"Dumbledore knew," James sighed. "The meetings he had with Dad and Henry, they use to sit in the library for hours, talking, planning, remembering the last time. Dumbledore knew, and I bet he warned the Ministry. He started preparing the day he first heard Voldemort's name, you mark my word."

**

There was an attack later in the week and leaving Lily behind they ventured into the dark cold night. It was a Muggle town and when they arrived the screams reached their ears and they were alert and ready. They ran forward to go and help, when Lily came with them they split into two groups but not wanting one person to be on their own they stayed together.

Death Eaters were in their glory as they listened to the screams and saw the green light hit innocent victims. They walked around torturing civilian and gloating their power. The trio dueled a few Death Eaters and taking their wands they left them or brought them to the safe house where they were dumped in a corner or spare room until the Ministry came to collect them.

They walked past a house and it looked untouched and quiet. But hearing a woman's scream from inside they knew it was not. They double backed, ran into the hours and followed the screams to the master bedroom.

Outside the room they stood for a moment wishing they knew how many Death Eaters were inside.

"1...2...3," James whispered and they entered blasting the door apart. They took a quick glance around the room, surveying the scene before them. James threw himself behind a tall mirror, Remus positioned himself behind a dresser and Sirius stood by the door.

"Stupefy!" Sirius yelled and pointed his wand at one of the Death Eaters.

The scene to James' eyes was a Muggle woman on the bed in her night clothes with her husband on the ground beside the bed unconscious or dead. Four Death Eaters were around the bed, one half dressed, kneeling on the bed and he was quickly getting back into position to fight. It looked like the Death Eaters around the bed had been positioned to make sure the woman did not run away and to cheer their companion on. It was a disgusting sight to James' eyes.

"Stupefy!" James joined the fight and pointed his wand at one of the Death Eaters. It was blocked.

One of the Death Eaters pointed his wand at Sirius and whispered a few words. Sirius, not knowing what was coming put up a Shield but the curse went right through it and shattered it. The curse hit Sirius right in the chest and he was picked up and thrown against the far wall. He flew past James who tried to grab him but he couldn't. With a sickening crunch Sirius hit the wall. James and Remus stunned looked at their friend not believing what just happened. The Death Eaters taking advantage of this yelled, "Crucio" Sirius' yells filled the room.

Unable to take it any longer James left his place behind the dresser and fired curses at all the Death Eaters. "Stupefy! Stupefy! Expelliarmus! Stupefy!"

Remus came out from behind the dresser and together they fired curses on the Death Eaters trying to break the Cruciatus Curse on Sirius.

"Crucio!" two more Death Eaters yelled and Remus got hit with it but James dodged it. Remus' cries filled the room more than Sirius' whose voice was getting tired of screaming.

James looked around him, 8 on 1. He tried to disarm a few of them and stun the others but it wasn't long until his screams were heard along with the other Marauders. The Death Eaters gleefully watched the three Order members and their screams filled their hearts. The woman on the bed was forgotten as the Death Eaters had found a bigger prize. They didn't think about taking the curse off any of them, and they knew they would be honored above all Death Eaters for breaking three of the best Order members.

As the Death Eaters listened to the screaming James twitched, yelled and moved uncontrollable on the floor. He could feel the pain, he knew he was under the curse but he didn't want to scream. He didn't want to show that he was in pain but he couldn't help it. Every part of him hurt, he wanted the pain to end, it was all just too much.

But a thought was trying to enter his mind. It was trying to take the pain away. It was a thought and an image of Lily.

"Lily... just think of her. Lily... you love her. Lily," a voice was saying in his mind. "Your brother Sirius, you must be strong for him. You need to protect Sirius and Remus. You need to be strong."

"STOP!" James yelled. He was laying on the floor face down. He hurt all over, he couldn't tell if the curse had been lifted. But then he didn't think he had imagined himself yelling Stop.

"STOP!" he heard Sirius' voice. It was weak, and very scratchy.

"Well, well it looks like two members of the dream team can break the Cruciatus Curse. Only Dumbledore is rumored to be able to do that," one Death Eater said not able to believe it.

"Well since that isn't going to be work," another said. "Imperio!" He pointed his wand at Sirius.

Sirius got up off the floor showing more strength that he should for a man who had been under the Cruciatus Curse for the time he was. He advanced towards James and picked him up off the floor. He wrapped his hand around James' throat as to choke him.

"Break it Sirius," he whispered not being able to talk with Sirius' hand around him. "Come on."

But the grip lessened and Sirius winked at him. "Now." he mouthed and they turned around and stunned all the Death Eaters who had been watching gleefully.

In a matter of minutes the had all the Death Eaters down. They both dropped to the ground tired.

"We... have to get... out of here," Sirius whispered and James nodded. Everyone was spinning, his head hit the wall behind him. He knew Sirius was in front of him but he couldn't see him... everything was going black.