Tension in the group mounted, apprehension shining on each worried face as they continued on down the pathway. As much as they anticipated the next test, a stampede was not expected. The path cracked in half, Alaura screamed and Sirius dove, missing Alaura by millimeters. A branch was what broke Alaura's fall as the girl grasped it tightly so as not to fall into the ever running stampede. Lily and Liandra screamed from the opposite side of the canyon where James and Remus were doing their best to keep their girlfriends from diving in after Alaura.
"Help!" Alaura called up. Sirius dropped to his stomach, reaching a hand down to grab Alaura's.
"Sirius, it's just an illusion," a familiar voice said from behind the black haired man. Looking over his shoulder, Sirius found Alaura.
But Alaura's stuck in the chasm, he told himself looking down into fearful lavender eyes.
"Sirius! What the hell are you waiting for? Help me up!" Sirius couldn't decide which was the right one, the real Alaura.
"Sirius what the hell! Alaura will fall any second!" Lily yelled, straining her neck to see if she could find the end of the stampede.
"Leave her Sirius," the Alaura behind him suggested.
"Even if she's not the real Alaura, I'm not just going to leave her down there," Sirius answered reaching a hand down into the canyon.
"You can't do that. If you touch her, I disappear and vice versa." That threw Sirius off. Alaura never ever said vice versa and how on earth would Alaura know about all of that?
"You're not Alaura," Sirius said quietly, renewing his efforts to get the real Alaura out of the canyon.
"My fingers are slipping!" Alaura screamed. At the last second, Sirius, remembering he was a wizard and that he had his wand, whipped out the useful piece of wood and with a few choice words had Alaura floating up and safely into his arms. Upon the first contact between the two, the imposter screamed and disappeared in a ball of flame. The stampede stopped as quickly as it had started and the canyon closed, changing from dusty brown rock back to the crystal of the path. The others quickly crossed the path and enveloped Sirius and Alaura in a large group hug.
"I thought you were a goner there for a minute," Lily gasped out through her terrified tears.
"I was wondering how much longer it would take Sirius to help Alaura!" James exclaimed but Alaura and Sirius weren't really listening.
"You're alright?" Sirius whispered. Alaura did not answer. Instead she pulled Sirius close.
"Alaura, are you okay?" Sirius asked again.
"Scared – terrified actually – confused, thankful, sore but in one piece," Alaura returned, her voice shaking for the first time.
"Terrified and thankful I can understand. Confused… not so much," Sirius said looking over her head.
"What took you so long? I could have…"
"But you didn't. You're here, alive, and as you said, in one piece," Sirius interrupted, wrapping his arms more protectively around Alaura. She had to give him credit, it was a good point.
"Damn you for being smart," she murmured as Sirius' lips descended onto hers.