Note from Nikki
I'd like to thank everyone for reviewing! I'm afraid I don't have time to reviewer notes. You guys know that I love you though! Thanks so much! There will be two chapters following this. Almost done! Thanks!
---
Dorcas woke the next morning feeling very nervous and tense. Today was the day when Lily, James, and Harry would go into hiding. It couldn't fail, she told herself. It won't fail. But that didn't get rid of her strong sense of foreboding.
She stretched and rolled off her bed, carefully putting on some robes and reaching for her wand. "Okay," she said to herself. "Everything is going to be okay."
She quickly left her house and dashed next door to Lily and James. She didn't knock, simply entered and found James, Lily, Harry, Sirius, Peter, and Remus all sitting comfortably on the living room couches.
"How are you?" Dorcas asked as she sat down next to Remus.
"We're alright," Lily answered, though Dorcas noticed that she was looking rather pale. Lily must have seen the skeptical look on Dorcas' face because she smiled reassuringly and went on, "Really, we are. The only person we are worried about is Sirius."
Sirius snorted. "Don't worry, I'll be fine!"
Dorcas found this highly suspicious. Wasn't he saying just last night how frightened he was about Voldemort finding him and forcing him to betray his best friends? Sirius didn't appear frightened at all right now. Dorcas reminded herself that Sirius had come up with an idea and so she let it go without another thought. She trusted that Sirius did the right thing, whatever it was that he did.
"Well," James said, taking a deep breath. "I guess we can't hold it off for much longer. We certainly can't sit on the couch and mourn all day."
Remus nodded and he stood up first. He reached over and gave James a brotherly hug. "We'll see you in awhile, eh?" he asked.
James nodded and smiled. "I don't plan on hiding out here forever. Do me a favor, will you? Kill Voldemort soon so we can leave this house."
Remus grinned. "I'll do my best."
Next he moved to Lily and hugged her tightly. "Thank you Lily," he whispered.
"For what?"
"For accepting me for the man I was when no one else would."
Lily raised her watery green eyes. "Don't say your thank you's now."
Remus shrugged. "It could be a long time while you are in here. Who knows what will happen to me in that time?"
Lily hit him on the shoulder. "Shut up, Remus!"
Remus smiled and scooped up baby Harry. He gazed up at him with those bright green eyes and giggled happily. "I'll see you, Harry," he said, smiling. He set him down again and then, with a final nod, left the house.
Dorcas took a deep breath and decided to go next. She went to Lily first.
"I'll see you in a little while, alright?"
Lily grinned. "You bet you will. I love you Dorcas, stay safe."
Dorcas nodded and wiped a tear from her face impatiently before giving Lily one of the biggest hugs she had ever given anyone. "Don't forget about me."
Next Dorcas turned to James and leaped into his strong arms. James laughed and hugged her tightly. "Be careful out there, will you?" he said, kissing her lightly on the forehead.
"You know me," Dorcas replied, smiling. "You just keep Lily and Harry safe, alright?"
"Sounds good," he agreed. He raised his eyebrows and looked to Sirius. "Stay away from this rogue, will you? He's no good."
"Hey!" Sirius choked.
Dorcas only laughed and then picked Harry up. "You're looking a little like your daddy more everyday," she said. She gave him a quick kiss and finished, "Except for those eyes. Those belong to your mother."
Dorcas' heart felt very sore as she walked out the door. "Don't let Harry change too much before I see you again, alright?"
"We won't," Lily smiled.
Dorcas nodded and left, heading for her house. Once there she let the tears slide down her face, wishing that Voldemort was dead so that she didn't have to be separated from all of her friends.
--
"Alright," Sirius said, "she's gone."
Lily, James, and Peter all stood up. They were looking a bit pale and Sirius grinned. "You guys look like ghosts."
"Thanks," Lily said lightly pushing back some of her bright red hair.
"Peter, you remember all that I taught you, right?"
Peter nodded confidently. "Yes, I understand. I can do it, I'm sure of it."
"Well," Sirius said, "we'll know soon enough."
With a deep breath Sirius turned to Lily and gave her a loving hug. "This is really for the best Lily," he said seriously, noticing her look of fear.
"I know," she said. "It's you that I'm worried about."
Sirius shrugged. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. You just make sure that you control this husband of yours."
Lily suddenly burst unexpectedly into sobs and flung herself into an astounded Sirius' arms. "Be-careful," she choked.
"I will," Sirius said, patting her back awkwardly. "Really, I promise."
Lily wiped her eyes and looked up at him. "It's just that, if anything were to happen to James and I, we want you to be the one to raise Harry. You would be such a great father. . ."
"What is this rubbish?" Sirius asked. "Nothing will happen to you, that's the whole purpose of this Charm!"
"I know," Lily sobbed. "I just wanted you to know."
Sirius nodded and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Don't worry so much Lily. Everything will work out alright."
Sirius turned to Harry and lifted him up. "You take care of your parents, alright? You're probably more sane than either of them."
Harry giggled and wrapped his little arms around Sirius neck. "I love you, little guy," he said, messing up his hair. "I'll see you again."
Finally Sirius turned to James. "I'll walk you to the door," James said quickly.
He walked Sirius to the back door and then stopped him. "I-I don't think I've ever really told you how much I love you," James began awkwardly.
Sirius grinned. "I knew you did. Don't worry James. Everything is going to be okay. Our plan won't go wrong."
James nodded. "I know."
They gave each other a strong hug and thumped one another's back. "You're truly a bother to me James," Sirius said seriously as he pulled away. "You're my brother and the best friend that I have ever had."
James nodded and shoved him out the door. "I've never cried and I don't intend to do it now. Get out of here and be careful, alright?"
Sirius smiled. "Don't worry, I will."
With a final goodbye Sirius transformed into a dog and walked into the forest a ways. After about a half an hour a small rat appeared and the two of them quickly changed back into their human forms.
"How'd it go?" Sirius asked quickly.
Peter smiled. "It was perfect. No one will know where they are."
Sirius racked his memory and found that he was right. He couldn't remember where James and Lily's house had been only moments before. "Good job," he said, feeling a little uncomfortable. He didn't like the fact that he had no idea where his best friends were, even though he had just said goodbye to them.
The two of them walked back to Godrics's hollow without saying a word. When they got there, Sirius didn't have a clue where his best friends were. He wasn't even sure if they had ever been in Godric's Hollow to begin with.
"You will stay here, Peter," Sirius said. "There is no need for you to run. Voldemort will never know that you are the Secret-Keeper."
"Where are you going to go?" Peter asked.
Sirius shrugged. "Not sure yet."
"Well," Peter began. "Good luck, Sirius."
"You too," Sirius replied. He shook his hand before turning to Dorcas' house, ready to say goodbye. He knocked and she quickly opened it.
"You did it?"
"Yes, it's been done," Sirius answered.
"I thought so," Dorcas said. "I can't remember where they used to live."
Sirius nodded. "It's time for me to leave," he said sadly.
Dorcas' face fell and she walked slowly forward and put her arms around him. "I know."
"I'll be back. And we can still contact each other."
Dorcas smiled. "Yes, we definitely can."
Sirius gave her a quick kiss and stepped back. "I'm sorry that I ever tried to be more than friends with you," he said. "Because I know you love Gideon and I know you always will. And I found that I'm okay with that. I like just being your friend."
Dorcas' eyes filled with tears. "I love you Sirius. Be careful."
"I will," he said smiling.
With a final hug he retreated backward without taking his eyes off her. He mounted his motorbike, gave her a roughish grin, and sped away to the clouds.
I'd like to thank everyone for reviewing! I'm afraid I don't have time to reviewer notes. You guys know that I love you though! Thanks so much! There will be two chapters following this. Almost done! Thanks!
---
Dorcas woke the next morning feeling very nervous and tense. Today was the day when Lily, James, and Harry would go into hiding. It couldn't fail, she told herself. It won't fail. But that didn't get rid of her strong sense of foreboding.
She stretched and rolled off her bed, carefully putting on some robes and reaching for her wand. "Okay," she said to herself. "Everything is going to be okay."
She quickly left her house and dashed next door to Lily and James. She didn't knock, simply entered and found James, Lily, Harry, Sirius, Peter, and Remus all sitting comfortably on the living room couches.
"How are you?" Dorcas asked as she sat down next to Remus.
"We're alright," Lily answered, though Dorcas noticed that she was looking rather pale. Lily must have seen the skeptical look on Dorcas' face because she smiled reassuringly and went on, "Really, we are. The only person we are worried about is Sirius."
Sirius snorted. "Don't worry, I'll be fine!"
Dorcas found this highly suspicious. Wasn't he saying just last night how frightened he was about Voldemort finding him and forcing him to betray his best friends? Sirius didn't appear frightened at all right now. Dorcas reminded herself that Sirius had come up with an idea and so she let it go without another thought. She trusted that Sirius did the right thing, whatever it was that he did.
"Well," James said, taking a deep breath. "I guess we can't hold it off for much longer. We certainly can't sit on the couch and mourn all day."
Remus nodded and he stood up first. He reached over and gave James a brotherly hug. "We'll see you in awhile, eh?" he asked.
James nodded and smiled. "I don't plan on hiding out here forever. Do me a favor, will you? Kill Voldemort soon so we can leave this house."
Remus grinned. "I'll do my best."
Next he moved to Lily and hugged her tightly. "Thank you Lily," he whispered.
"For what?"
"For accepting me for the man I was when no one else would."
Lily raised her watery green eyes. "Don't say your thank you's now."
Remus shrugged. "It could be a long time while you are in here. Who knows what will happen to me in that time?"
Lily hit him on the shoulder. "Shut up, Remus!"
Remus smiled and scooped up baby Harry. He gazed up at him with those bright green eyes and giggled happily. "I'll see you, Harry," he said, smiling. He set him down again and then, with a final nod, left the house.
Dorcas took a deep breath and decided to go next. She went to Lily first.
"I'll see you in a little while, alright?"
Lily grinned. "You bet you will. I love you Dorcas, stay safe."
Dorcas nodded and wiped a tear from her face impatiently before giving Lily one of the biggest hugs she had ever given anyone. "Don't forget about me."
Next Dorcas turned to James and leaped into his strong arms. James laughed and hugged her tightly. "Be careful out there, will you?" he said, kissing her lightly on the forehead.
"You know me," Dorcas replied, smiling. "You just keep Lily and Harry safe, alright?"
"Sounds good," he agreed. He raised his eyebrows and looked to Sirius. "Stay away from this rogue, will you? He's no good."
"Hey!" Sirius choked.
Dorcas only laughed and then picked Harry up. "You're looking a little like your daddy more everyday," she said. She gave him a quick kiss and finished, "Except for those eyes. Those belong to your mother."
Dorcas' heart felt very sore as she walked out the door. "Don't let Harry change too much before I see you again, alright?"
"We won't," Lily smiled.
Dorcas nodded and left, heading for her house. Once there she let the tears slide down her face, wishing that Voldemort was dead so that she didn't have to be separated from all of her friends.
--
"Alright," Sirius said, "she's gone."
Lily, James, and Peter all stood up. They were looking a bit pale and Sirius grinned. "You guys look like ghosts."
"Thanks," Lily said lightly pushing back some of her bright red hair.
"Peter, you remember all that I taught you, right?"
Peter nodded confidently. "Yes, I understand. I can do it, I'm sure of it."
"Well," Sirius said, "we'll know soon enough."
With a deep breath Sirius turned to Lily and gave her a loving hug. "This is really for the best Lily," he said seriously, noticing her look of fear.
"I know," she said. "It's you that I'm worried about."
Sirius shrugged. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. You just make sure that you control this husband of yours."
Lily suddenly burst unexpectedly into sobs and flung herself into an astounded Sirius' arms. "Be-careful," she choked.
"I will," Sirius said, patting her back awkwardly. "Really, I promise."
Lily wiped her eyes and looked up at him. "It's just that, if anything were to happen to James and I, we want you to be the one to raise Harry. You would be such a great father. . ."
"What is this rubbish?" Sirius asked. "Nothing will happen to you, that's the whole purpose of this Charm!"
"I know," Lily sobbed. "I just wanted you to know."
Sirius nodded and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Don't worry so much Lily. Everything will work out alright."
Sirius turned to Harry and lifted him up. "You take care of your parents, alright? You're probably more sane than either of them."
Harry giggled and wrapped his little arms around Sirius neck. "I love you, little guy," he said, messing up his hair. "I'll see you again."
Finally Sirius turned to James. "I'll walk you to the door," James said quickly.
He walked Sirius to the back door and then stopped him. "I-I don't think I've ever really told you how much I love you," James began awkwardly.
Sirius grinned. "I knew you did. Don't worry James. Everything is going to be okay. Our plan won't go wrong."
James nodded. "I know."
They gave each other a strong hug and thumped one another's back. "You're truly a bother to me James," Sirius said seriously as he pulled away. "You're my brother and the best friend that I have ever had."
James nodded and shoved him out the door. "I've never cried and I don't intend to do it now. Get out of here and be careful, alright?"
Sirius smiled. "Don't worry, I will."
With a final goodbye Sirius transformed into a dog and walked into the forest a ways. After about a half an hour a small rat appeared and the two of them quickly changed back into their human forms.
"How'd it go?" Sirius asked quickly.
Peter smiled. "It was perfect. No one will know where they are."
Sirius racked his memory and found that he was right. He couldn't remember where James and Lily's house had been only moments before. "Good job," he said, feeling a little uncomfortable. He didn't like the fact that he had no idea where his best friends were, even though he had just said goodbye to them.
The two of them walked back to Godrics's hollow without saying a word. When they got there, Sirius didn't have a clue where his best friends were. He wasn't even sure if they had ever been in Godric's Hollow to begin with.
"You will stay here, Peter," Sirius said. "There is no need for you to run. Voldemort will never know that you are the Secret-Keeper."
"Where are you going to go?" Peter asked.
Sirius shrugged. "Not sure yet."
"Well," Peter began. "Good luck, Sirius."
"You too," Sirius replied. He shook his hand before turning to Dorcas' house, ready to say goodbye. He knocked and she quickly opened it.
"You did it?"
"Yes, it's been done," Sirius answered.
"I thought so," Dorcas said. "I can't remember where they used to live."
Sirius nodded. "It's time for me to leave," he said sadly.
Dorcas' face fell and she walked slowly forward and put her arms around him. "I know."
"I'll be back. And we can still contact each other."
Dorcas smiled. "Yes, we definitely can."
Sirius gave her a quick kiss and stepped back. "I'm sorry that I ever tried to be more than friends with you," he said. "Because I know you love Gideon and I know you always will. And I found that I'm okay with that. I like just being your friend."
Dorcas' eyes filled with tears. "I love you Sirius. Be careful."
"I will," he said smiling.
With a final hug he retreated backward without taking his eyes off her. He mounted his motorbike, gave her a roughish grin, and sped away to the clouds.