A/N: Okay, well this chapter has a lot of depressing news in it, so, yet again, here's a reminder to pull out some tissues. Unfortunately, I have to start winding down this story, so this chapter is kind-of quick and has a LOT of information in it. Read carefully, and definitely read the article. It explains a lot of unfortunate events and it is very important for the end of this story in general. Anyhow, I'm just warning you ahead of time, there are only a few more chapters left so I'll try to update sooner!
Disclaimer: Everyone you don't recognize belongs to me. All others belong to the lovely J.K. Rowling!
MEMORIES
CHAPTER 34: The Effects
Written by ByeByeBirdie
Beep, beep, beep, beep, the alarm clock kept ringing.
Lily groaned and turned over in bed. "Don't make me go to work," she grumbled.
James turned towards Lily and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Honey, it's your big day at the Daily Prophet. Your article is finally being published," James explained. He was talking about the bombings held in Diagon Alley at Gringotts Bank that Lily got to write about.
Lily groaned. "It's too early."
James laughed. "If you don't get up, I'm going to have to start tickling you," he teased.
"Oh, no," she groaned. "AGH! James, stop! That tickles—hahaha—stop, stop!" Lily cried, jumping out of bed. "Okay, I'm up, I'm up!!!"
James laughed. "Okay, you get ready and I'll make breakfast."
"Honey, the last time you made breakfast for me you gave me a bag of Doritos, a Diet Cola, and two oatmeal cookies."
"Yeah, but didn't it taste good?!"
"Not at six in the morning," Lily complained.
James laughed. "Okay, come on. Let's go, Missy!"
Lily laughed and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "You are so cute."
"I know…it's in the genes."
They both laughed as Lily headed towards the bathroom and James sauntered downstairs to try and make breakfast.
"Oh and, HONEY!?" Lily called downstairs.
"Yeah??" he shouted up.
"Remember that we're going over to Remus' later tonight for an early dinner with Peter, Allie, Josh, and Sirius!"
James sighed, and walked out of the kitchen, staring up the stairs. "It just doesn't seem the same," he said.
Lily poked her head down the stairs and slowly took a seat at the top. "I know. Without Kaitlynne or Savannah, we'll never be the same again."
James swallowed hard. "I-I…know," he said, choked up.
Lily gave him a sympathetic smile. "But that's why we've got to stick together. Tonight isn't supposed to be a crying fest; it's supposed to be a bunch of friends trying to stick together in a time of need."
"I know but…well, everything's so…so…changed. We'll never be the Marauders and the Honorary Marauders again and we'll never go into Hogsmeade and play pranks or go to Diagon Alley and chill out or just plan a fun day trip to anywhere we feel like."
Lily sighed. "I miss her so much," Lily choked up as a bunch of hot tears lay at the bottom of her eyelids not willing to escape yet.
James slowly walked up the stairs and put his arm around her and kiss her cheek. "I know," he whispered.
"She was my best friend, James," Lily whispered. "I just…I just feel like a part of me is missing. I loved her so much and I didn't realize it until she was gone. I-I…I'm going to miss her so much, James…"
James kissed away her tears and stroked her back gently. "I know, sweetheart," James whispered. "But we have to stay optimistic. We can't let Sirius see us like this."
Lily sighed. "You're right. It's just…hard."
James just nodded because he couldn't talk due to the lump forming in the back of his throat. He bit the inside of his lip and looked over at Lily. He couldn't help but think that maybe she was going to be gone as well. He tried not to think about it, but it was hard not to. Voldemort was after them and James couldn't follow Lily everywhere. He couldn't protect her from everything. He just wished there was someway to help him, Lily, and Harry. He just wasn't sure how…
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"Is Sirius here?" Lily asked immediately, momentarily after she entered Remus' home.
Remus nodded solemnly. "He's in the back and he doesn't look so well."
James sighed. "I'll go talk to him."
Remus sighed. "I just wish there was some way to help him. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way that these things just take time and patience. They just don't disappear even as much as we wish these problems would."
Lily nodded and gave him a sympathetic smile. "But it seems that you've been holding up just fine lately."
Remus smiled weakly. "If that's the way you want to put it. I've just been stronger, thinking of Sirius and how much he needs us right now."
Lily nodded again and smiled up at him. "But at least he has friends who care about him deeply."
"And that's all that matters right now."
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"Sirius?" James barely whispered when he spotted him by the creek behind Remus' house.
Sirius half-turned around. "Hi."
"How are you holding up?"
"As much as I can, after my wife and my little girl just died," Sirius whispered
James patted him on the shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Sirius. That's all I can really say right now because there's not much I can say. I don't know how it feels or anything so I can't sympathize with you but I am sympathizing for you, Padfoot."
A lump formed in Sirius' throat as tears lay silently and secretly in his eyelids. "It's just not fair," he repeated for the thousandth time over the past two days.
"I know. Nothing's fair anymore, Sirius. I-I'm sorry for everything you've been through, but I'm always here for you. Just remember that."
Sirius actually smiled. "Thanks, James. And thanks for being the best friend a guy could ask for."
James couldn't help but think how sentimental the moment got, but he wasn't uncomfortable with it at all. He knew that Sirius needed a best friend and here he was. "Sirius, I-" James started.
"James! Sirius!" Lily cried shakily, with obvious fear in her eyes.
James immediately stood up. "Lily? What's wrong? Are you okay?"
Lily started trembling. "I-I am, but…"
"But what?" Sirius dared to ask.
"It's Allie and Josh," Lily whispered. "And Cole and Jenna," she added softly.
"What's wrong? What happened?" Sirius said forcefully.
Lily gave them a pleading look. "Vol-Voldemort," she whispered.
Sirius gasped and James brought his hands to his mouth.
"Oh, God. No, it can't be," James muttered.
"Are you saying that he…" Sirius trailed off. But they all knew that he meant.
Lily brought her hands to her cheeks where the tears already began to spill over. "Yes," she whispered, barely audible. "He's killed them, too..."
James couldn't even say anything. There was obvious anger and frustration in his eyes as he shared an antagonizing look with Lily.
"Wh-where?" Sirius dared to ask as he started trembling.
"Outside their house," she whispered, as she started breaking down and sobbing into the palms of her hands. James slowly wandered over to her and wrapped his arms around her.
Unlike James and Lily, who got upset and somber, Sirius became angry and frustrated. He clenched his fists together and flamed seethed out of his ears as he narrowed his eyes and his nose flared. It wasn't fair. First his mother…then Savannah and Leigh…and now Allie, Josh, Cole, and Jenna. Voldemort wasn't going to get away with this. Sirius refused to let it happen again. He vowed to seek revenge in one way or another. He wasn't sure how or when or where…but it was going to happen in the near future.
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"They never even saw it coming," he smirked. "Nice work once again, Wormtail."
"Thank you Massssster."
"Next stop…Caroline Potter."
"Yesss, sssssir."
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~Daily Prophet~
August 19
Voldemort Strikes Again
Written by Miranda Hale
England seems to be the center of focus for Lord Voldemort as he has struck again…and again. In the few recent days that have gone by, Lord Voldemort struck first in the center of wizardry in Diagon Alley. Nine bombs were found underground of Gringotts Bank, which is still set up under construction and hopefully will be active by the end of the summer, situated by Lord Voldemort himself. Five-hundred and twenty-six deaths were counted, including two-hundred and nineteen goblins, and thousands more people with injuries. Luckily, all of the accounts were fire-proof with steel and metal doors, so all of the money, down to the last knut, has been saved, and is being held until further notice. The goblins are sorry for any inconveniences this may cause and they are doing their best to reopen Gringotts Bank as soon as possible.
Three days later, on August 14, Joshua Timothy Matthews, Allison Gina Matthews, née Reiner, and their two children, Cole Marcus Matthews and Jenna Cassandra Matthews were found dead on their doorstep by the unfortunate Avada Kedavra curse plagued from Lord Voldemort.
Three days later, on August 17, Michaela Henrietta Kaub, Arabella Freida Figg, Gilderoy Holton Lockhart, Alastor Wilbur Moody, and Jenkins Vinnie Toddings were found disappeared from their own homes and have yet to be found.
Later that evening, Voldemort was spotted fleeing towards northern Scandinavia and only four hours later, a dual between Lord Voldemort and Lord Strandness in the streets of a small, icy, overcrowded village in Norway, called Mirquese Hollow, occurred with the ending verdict of Lord Strandness' death and a few spectators and the escape of Lord Voldemort. His whereabouts have not been discovered yet, but there have been few predictions.
Very early yesterday morning, on the disturbing day of August 18, the following deaths were recorded: Caroline Diana Potter, née Roberts, Charlotte Veronica Lupin, and Silas Xavier Black and Shannon Theresa Black cursed by the powerful and almighty Lord Voldemort using the Avada Kedavra curse. This unfortunate event sent worries and murmurs all through northern England and not too soon after, Steven Jasper Suaven and Daniella Penelope Suaven, née Bocchino, plus there three children, Kailynn Mya Suaven, Devon Frederick Suaven, and their oldest daughter Isabella Loren Suaven, all ready to go back to Hogwarts on September 1, were found dead in their home with the same verdict as the others: Voldemort and the Avada Kedavra curse…
On the Black family tree, only twenty-eight-year-old Sirius Devon Black and three-year-old Elizabeth Leigh Black are the only two Blacks left alive. Sirius' wife and daughter, twenty-eight-year-old Savannah Lydia Black and three-week-old, Leigh Michaela Black, were two unfortunate victims in the collapse and the bombings at Gringotts Bank in Diagon Alley. After digging out information about Silas Black, we have concluded that all of the Black property, over four million acres, has been inherited to Sirius Black by demand of Silas Black. In Silas' will, he wishes for everything that he has ever owned to be given to both his children, however a sidenote states that if one of them were to be found dead, the other would receive all of the inheritance. Therefore, Sirius Black was given everything that belonged to his parents, including eighteen million galleons left in Silas and his ex-wife's bank account at Gringott's Bank that was to be officially Sirius Black's when he turns thirty. Sirius refused to follow up on that, but did remind us, and everyone else, that his father was a criminal and a death-eater at one point in his life and Sirius had disowned him many years before. Sirius wishes to make it known that he plans on destroying every little thing that has any importance to the relation of his father. "I plan on burning all of the money I'm supposed to receive and abandoning my father's house and land. I don't want any reminders of my father or Voldemort…My father was by Voldemort's side when Voldemort killed my mother. You just don't forget that..." were the final words of Sirius Black. We were reminded of Francesca Tanya Black, née Cortese, and Sirius just wishes to make it known that she will forever remain in her heart.
The deaths on August 16 had no witnesses, so we can't be sure what had consequently happened, but a flash of green blinded the neighborhood before these corpses were all found hours afterwards. We can't be sure whether or not these deaths, the dual, the bombs, and the disappearances are related to each other in any way or if it was simply a spontaneous anticipation of judgement on Lord Voldemort's part. There is a rumor that he has retreated up to northern Ireland after Aurors had met up with him in the popular town of Hogsmeade. He barely escaped, although two of his death-eaters, Timothy Yargen and Philip Jared were caught and sent to Azkaban. Whether Lord Voldemort retreated to northern Ireland or not, only he and his followers and death-eaters will ever know.
James sighed and placed down the Daily Prophet on the kitchen table. When he picked up the newspaper on the way home from work to read Lily's article, he was not expecting the front page news to be so bold and bitter. The front page article was all about him and his friends and it just scared him to know that somehow Voldemort knew his every move.
He rubbed his eyes stressfully and placed his elbows on the table. He knew how it was all related but he didn't want to admit it. And although it seemed like Voldemort was after Sirius and his family, James knew the truth. He knew that there had to be someone who was giving Voldemort information, but James didn't want to believe it was someone close to them.
James reread the article, but stopped when he reached his mother's name. He just stared at her name feeling hopeless. Deep down inside, James knew it was his fault, but he tried not to believe it. But guilt filled his mind and his aching heart. A tear slowly rolled down his cheek in response to his mother's deaths.
"James?" Lily said, walking into the kitchen with a bewildered look on her face.
James sighed, wiped away the tears, and looked up at his wife. "Oh, Lily," he said.
Lily sniffled and came to sit on his lap. "I'm so sorry."
James just nodded.
"Everything is so…different," Lily continued. "Things are changing to quickly…terrible things. I'm scared."
James nodded and took a deep breath in. "So am I," he whispered. "When I got that phone call yesterday from the Ministry, I knew it was going to be bad news…I just didn't think it would be my mother."
Lily sniffled. "No one did. It was very unexpected. It's just not fair."
"I know," James murmured.
"Why is he after us?" Lily whispered. "Too many people related to us are dying and it's the worst feeling ever. I'm afraid to answer the phone or read my mail or read the newspaper or even go into work just because it could be even more bad news."
James nodded with agreement. "I just wish there was something we could do."
"James…do you know if Dumbledore would be able to help us?"
James snapped his head up towards her. "You know, it wouldn't hurt to try."
"I think we could use all the help we could get."
"Come on, let's go," James said, as Lily immediately stood up and James jumped up.
"I'll go get Harry," Lily said, taking the stairs two at a time.
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Sirius wished he never talked to Miranda Hale. He didn't realize what the article was for. He didn't realize that his neighbors had died or James' mother had died or his father and his sister had died. When Miranda Hale came to the door she said she wanted to ask him questions about his father, Sirius was not expecting to be in an article related to Voldemort and his killing spree.
Sirius sighed and reread the article, once again…and then again. And then he read the paragraph about him and Elizabeth, and yet again…and once more. He shook his head in disbelief. The paragraph made it seem that Sirius was the bad guy. But if only the world knew…if only they knew.
Sirius sighed, and threw the paper on to his kitchen table. He ran upstairs to where Elizabeth was playing with her stuffed animals and smiled down at her before saying, "C'mon, Lizzie. We need to go to James and Lily's house for a little while."
"Aunt Yilly?" she muttered.
Sirius nodded, and smiled at his daughter. "Important business, sweetheart."
"Okay," she said with a giggle.
Sirius couldn't help but laugh at his unbearably cute daughter. "Awww…I love you, Elizabeth."
"I wuv you, too, Daddy," she responded, standing up and walking into Sirius' arms to give him a big hug.
As Sirius hugged Elizabeth back, he couldn't help but think of Savannah and Leigh…wherever they were…whatever they were doing. He tried hard not to think about them, but everything around him reminded him of Savannah, and there was nothing he could do.
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"Professor?" McGonnagal said, sticking her head into his office.
Dumbledore sighed, immediately placing the Daily Prophet down on his desk, after just reading the article about Voldemort. "Oh, hello, Minerva. I was actually just about to come see you. I need to go take care of a little piece of business at the moment and I'm not sure how long I'm going to be gone, so could you take over for a bit?"
"I'd be happy to, but there's someone here to see you at the moment."
Dumbledore stood up with a bewildered look on his face. "And who would that be?"
"The Potters."
Dumbledore gasped a little and sank down into his chair. "Please, send them in immediately," he responded with much eagerness.
She nodded solemnly and left without another word.
A/N: Wahhh…..people just keep on dying. But will Dumbledore be able to help them? How will all of this madness stop??? Keep reading and I'll keep updating! How about you review while you're at it…
