Author's Note: This chapter focuses more on Sarah.
Title: Role Reversal
Rating: PG
Spoilers: There aren't too many spoilers in chapters 1-12. The whole story has some spoilers, but how else do you write a fanfic? The chapter with major spoilers is "Old Friends".
Summary: James and Lily make a bet. Lily has to pull a bunch of pranks and James can't do any.
Disclaimer: I, of course, do not own Harry Potter or its characters. If you're reading this, you should already know whom it belongs to anyway.
Setting: This story is set in MWPP years. If you don't know what that means, you probably shouldn't be reading this fanfic.
!!! = setting change
= begin flashback
&&& = another flashback
= end flashback
[…] = time
italics = emphasis
italics = thoughts
-Effects-
Sirius was riding his flying motorcycle to Peter's hiding place. When he got there, he discovered that Peter wasn't there. Where could he be? He then headed to the Potters' hiding place.
!!!
Hagrid had just pulled Harry out of the debris. He noticed something coming toward him. It was Sirius, on his motorbike.
Sirius looked at the remains of the house and realized what had happened. Oh, God. Lily and James. Dead. Sirius turned white and started shaking. I did it. I killed them. I told them to switch to Peter, and he betrayed them. Harry. He doesn't have parents anymore. And he's only a year old. "Give Harry to me, Hagrid, I'm his godfather, I'll look after him."
"I can't let you have him. Dumbledore told me Harry's ter go ter his aunt and uncle's."
"But they didn't have anything to do with Lily and James! They won't care for him!"
"I have me orders."
Sirius sighed. "All right. Take my motorcycle. I won't need it anymore."
Hagrid left.
"Peter," Sirius growled.
!!!
"Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?"
Suddenly, the street was blown apart. Twelve Muggles were dead.
How could I? How could he? Sirius started laughing at the insaneness of it all. His best friends were dead, he was being framed for a crime he didn't commit, and all because he thought of using Peter as a bluff.
Twenty members of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad came to take him away.
!!!
Sarah came downstairs the next morning, yawning. She clumsily fixed herself breakfast, then sat down at the kitchen table. An owl flew into the room and dropped the Daily Prophet on the table next to Sarah.
She picked up the paper and looked at the headline. She gasped. Her cup fell to the floor, forgotten, then shattered. "No, it can't be." The headline said "Lily and James Potter Murdered—Baby Harry Survives." (AN: I couldn't think of a better title.)
The blonde woman quickly scanned the article. "Oh, my God." Dead? They're dead? This isn't possible. She quickly turned the page to see if there was anymore information about the Potters. She was shocked to see a picture of her fiancé on the next page underneath the words "Sirius Black Arrested."
"What? Arrested?" She read the article, then dropped the paper and started pacing. "No, no, no, no, no. Peter? And a dozen Muggles? No, Sirius couldn't have done that."
Sirius came into the bedroom, pulling on his gloves. "Sarah, I'm going to see how Lily and James are doing," he said.
Sarah looked up from the book she'd been reading. "Okay. You're not taking that motorcycle, are you?"
"Of course I am."
Sarah sighed. "Fine. Just be careful, okay?"
"Always."
"Uh-huh. Sure…"
"What? I'm careful."
"Oh, please. You don't even know what careful means."
"Yes, I do."
"Then what does it mean?" Sarah asked, one eyebrow raised in skepticism.
"Er… Can I pass on that question?"
"Just go before I'm forced to kill you."
Sirius grinned. "Bye. I love you."
There is no way he could have done this, Sarah thought. He couldn't hurt his friends. He couldn't.
"This is crazy. I'm going to find out for myself what's going on." She grabbed her cloak, then headed out the door.
!!!
"What's going on?" Sarah was at what was left of the Potters' hiding place. It was in ruins. She was asking a Ministry official about what had happened. "They say Harry's alive. Where is he?"
"He has been taken to his aunt and uncle's home, I believe."
Sarah was shocked. "What? The Dursleys? Petunia hated Lily. She's not going to like Harry."
"How do you know that?"
"I know it because I am… was Lily's best friend."
"I'm sorry for your loss."
"Do you know anything about the Sirius Black situation?"
"Not much. Why? Did you know him?"
"He's my fiancé."
"Today is not a good day for you, is it?"
"Sarah!"
Sarah turned around to see who had called her name. Veronica was fighting her way through the crowd. "Hey," she said when she finally reached her friend.
"Hi."
"Merlin, it looks even worse than it does in the pictures," she said, looking at the remains of the house.
"Yeah."
Veronica looked at her friend. "I heard about Sirius," she said. "Are you okay?"
"I don't know yet."
"We just lost four of our best friends."
"Sirius couldn't have killed Peter. He just couldn't have."
"I don't want to believe it either," Veronica said gently.
"I have to find out exactly what's going on. This is crazy. There are all these rumors flying around, and I have no idea what to believe," Sarah said helplessly.
Gabriel appeared next to Veronica. "Hey. This place looks really bad."
Sarah said, "I cannot believe that James and Lily are dead. How is this possible? They were such wonderful people. And great friends."
"How did Harry survive?" Veronica asked. "I knew he was special, but nobody has ever escaped from Voldemort. And he was just a baby. Only a year old."
"I'm not sure. It's a mystery. Maybe we'll never know. What matters right now is that Harry is alive. That is the only thing that is important."
Gabriel, gazing at the ruins, said, "Terrible, what happened to them. I'm sorry. I know you two were close to the Potters."
"Thanks."
He continued, "What about that Sirius Black, eh? Horrible person. Must have been insane and very skilled in the Dark Arts to kill all those people." (AN: Gabriel met Sirius, but he didn't know he was with Sarah.)
Sarah turned on Gabriel. Her normally warm brown eyes were now flashing with anger. "Don't judge people you don't know," she said coldly. She turned around and walked away.
"What? What did I say?" Gabriel asked, confused.
Veronica sighed and looked at her boyfriend in exasperation. "She and Sirius were engaged," she explained. She turned away from him and chased after her friend. "Sarah!"
"I am such an idiot," Gabriel said to himself, groaning at his own stupidity.
!!!
Sarah had reached the street where Sirius had allegedly killed all those people. She stood there for a minute, staring at the huge crater in the middle of the street. I need answers, and I think I know just where to find them.
Veronica, who had come up behind her, said, "Sarah, Gabriel didn't mean what he said."
"Didn't he?"
"He didn't know you two were engaged."
"Don't make excuses for him," Sarah replied. "What he said is what he really thinks of Sirius."
"He only knew Sirius for a few hours, and that was over a year ago," Veronica said, trying to calm her friend.
"Why are you still with him?"
"Because I love him."
Sarah turned around. "You do?"
"Yes."
"Remus still loves you, you know."
"I know. But that doesn't change anything. He made it clear that our relationship was over. He ended it. I am not going to sit around my whole life waiting for a man who refuses to be involved with me."
Sarah sighed. "I understand that. I'm sorry. I just… I was used to seeing you with Remus, that's all."
"Oh."
"Look, I have to go. I need to find out exactly what happened here. To see if there is any chance of saving Sirius."
"All right. Good luck," Veronica replied, hugging her. "I hope everything works out okay."
"So do I."
!!!
[A few days later]
Sarah had arrived at Hogwarts. She thought of her experiences at the school that she had left three years ago. (AN: That would make her 21.)
[4th year]
"You fancy Sirius Black?!"
"Say it louder, Lily, I don't think Slytherin heard you," Sarah replied.
"Sorry. But what, why, when, how?"
Veronica said, "I think Lily's trying to ask several questions at once again. Failing miserably, I might add."
"Oh, be quiet," Lily replied. "Okay, Sarah. Now, when did this happen?"
"Today."
"Today?"
"Yes. In Divination."
"Divination?"
"Lily, stop repeating what I say."
"Oh. Sorry about that. Go on, then."
"I don't know what happened. I was just sitting there, and completely ignoring Professor Trelawny, as usual, when… Well, I was looking around and then I saw Sirius, and…"
"Of all the people for you to fancy… Why'd it have to Potter's best friend?"
Veronica said, "Lily, James really isn't that bad, is he?"
"Yes, he is!" Lily exclaimed vehemently.
"How so?"
"Well, this Christmas, he gave me this furry thing that sprayed orange and blue ink everywhere."
"Oh, so that's why the room looks different," Sarah said.
&&&
[6th year]
"Hey, Sarah?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you wanna, er… go steady?"
"Sure."
Well, that was simple. "Okay," Sirius replied.
"You still look funny."
"You know what? Forget I asked you anything."
"No! I was just kidding."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"So was I. I think."
"You think? That's a first." Sarah giggled.
Indignant, Sirius said loudly, "Hey! I've thought before."
"I wouldn't have guessed."
"Some girlfriend you are," Sirius said, crossing his arms across his chest.
"Oh, you know you love me."
"Let's not get carried away here."
"Shut up and kiss me."
"I can do that."
She took a deep breath, then proceeded toward the castle.
!!!
Professor McGonagall was halfway through her lesson when she heard a knock on her door. "Come in," she said. She was surprised to see Sarah enter the room.
"Miss Johnson, what brings you here?"
"I need to speak with Professor Dumbledore, but I don't know the password for his office."
"Oh, yes. You'll be wanting to speak to him about the Potters."
"And Sirius Black."
"Follow me, Miss Johnson," she said, leading Sarah out of the room. She turned around and glared at her class of fifth years. "You will sit still and do your work quietly, or else," she threatened. Since the students really didn't want to find out what the "or else" meant, they turned their attention back to their books.
!!!
McGonagall led Sarah down a corridor. "Miss Johnson—"
"Sarah. Please, call me Sarah."
"Sarah," McGonagall corrected herself, "I know you were close to the Potters. I'm sorry."
"Thank you."
"What I cannot believe is the situation with Sirius Black. How could a boy like that grow up to be a man who could do something so horrible?"
"I really hope he didn't. We're engaged to be married, you know," Sarah replied, showing McGonagall the ring on her finger.
"Oh. No, I hadn't heard. You're probably the one having the hardest time with this, aren't you?"
"I guess so."
"Well, here we are," McGonagall said. "Chocolate Frogs." The stone gargoyle sprang to life. "I hope you find the answers you're looking for, Sarah."
"So do I."
!!!
"Professor Dumbledore?"
Dumbledore looked up from his desk. "Hello, Sarah. I assume you're here to discuss the recent events that have taken place."
"Yes. I need to know everything you know about Lily and James's deaths, and whatever you know about how Sirius is involved."
"Very well. Have a seat."
Sarah sat in the chair across from Dumbledore.
"The Potters knew Voldemort was after them. Are you familiar with the Fidelius Charm?"
"Yes. Isn't it that one about keeping secrets?"
"Sirius Black (AN: Does anyone else find it ironic that Sirius is the brightest star, and in the character's name it's put with the last name Black?) was the Potter's Secret-Keeper."
"The day it happened, he told me he was going to check on them."
"Ah."
Sarah bit her lip. "About Harry…"
"I think it is best that he remain with his aunt and uncle."
"But they're horrible people!"
"I'm afraid I can't tell you why, but Harry really should stay with his relatives. It's for his own safety."
Sarah sighed. "Well, if you think it's best, I can't argue. What about Peter?"
"The Muggle witnesses were questioned. What they said makes it appear that Sirius killed Peter and twelve Muggles."
"You don't believe he did it, do you?"
"I believe it is possible, but I hope it is not true."
Sarah smiled. "Thank you. That means a lot to me."
"However, what I believe does not affect what others believe. And what they believe is that Sirius Black is guilty."
"He wouldn't have betrayed Lily and James," Sarah said fiercely. "He couldn't have. Do you know what the last thing he said to me was? He said, 'I love you.' He wouldn't kill his best friends."
An owl flew into the room. Dumbledore removed the letter from its leg and sent it on its way.
"What is it?" Sarah asked.
Dumbledore read the letter. He looked at Sarah, his face solemn. His light blue eyes had lost their familiar twinkle. "Sirius has been sent to Azkaban."
"What?" No, no, it can't be. No. This isn't happening.
"I'm sorry, Miss Johnson."
Intense sadness creeping into her voice, Sarah whispered, "Two more months. The wedding was scheduled for two months from today."
!!!
[Meanwhile…]
Don't think about Sarah. Don't think about Sarah. If you do, you'll never get out of here. The dementors will destroy you. Think about something else. Think about the fact that you're innocent. Think about the fact that Peter framed you. Think about what he did to Lily and James, Sirius thought to himself. He was being taken to the wizard prison Azkaban.
As he was being taken in, he forced all thoughts of the best thing in his life out of his mind.
!!!
"I'm not getting married," Sarah realized. "He's gone."
Dumbledore remained silent.
"Why is this happening to me? What did I do to deserve this?" Sarah stood and started pacing back and forth, oblivious to everything around her. Her voice took on a frantic tone. "My best friends are dead. Their son is going to live with those wretched people. Peter is dead (AN: Supposedly…). The man I was going to marry is in prison. The only other friends I have left are… One's a werewolf who is… who-knows-where, and the other one is wrapped up in a man who is completely wrong for her!"
Dumbledore spoke up. "Sarah, please calm down."
"Calm down?! My whole world is gone, and you want me to calm down?"
"Yes."
Sarah stared at the old wizard for a minute. "I'm sorry, Professor. I just—"
He held up a hand. "It's perfectly all right, Miss Johnson. I understand your position. This tragedy will most definitely be hardest on you."
"Miss Johnson," Sarah said, looking at her hands, "In sixty days I would have been Mrs. Black." She remembered something and looked up. "Professor, about Sirius's motorcycle…"
"Hagrid has it at the moment, I believe."
"I'll go ask him for it then."
!!!
Rubeus Hagrid was in his hut, about to sit down to consume his midday meal when he heard a knock on his door.
He sighed and went to answer it. "Sarah Johnson!" he exclaimed, surprised to see the former student.
"Hello, Hagrid," Sarah said, trying to smile.
"What in blazes are you doing here?"
"Dumbledore told me you had Sirius's motorcycle. I… I'd like to have it back."
"It's 'round back." He led Sarah around to the back of his house. "There it is."
Sarah stared at the motorcycle, remembering how much Sirius had wanted it.
[20 years old]
"Sirius, you want to buy a what?"
"A motorcycle."
"Why?"
"Because. And a flying one, while I'm at it."
"Because why? And a flying one?"
"Yes, a flying one. Sarah, I really want this," Sirius whined.
"Sarah, just let him have it," James said.
"You stay out of this," she snapped. "Don't encourage him."
"Okay, okay." James held up his hands. "I surrender. Just don't hurt me."
Lily laughed. "Always the comedian."
"That's why you love me."
"How do you know?"
"What else is there?"
"Maybe I just married you for your looks."
"Well, that's still a pretty good reason."
"See? Right there. Being a clown again."
Sarah turned away from her friends' conversation and looked at her fiancé. "You really want this?"
"Yeah."
"But they're dangerous."
"I'll be careful. I promise. Besides, what am I going to run into, a flock of geese? Can I have it, please?"
"I don't know…"
"Please, please, please?" He got down on his knees, begging Sarah to let him have a motorcycle.
She sighed. "Fine."
Hagrid interrupted her thoughts. "I don't mean anything by it," he said, "but why would a nice girl like you be involved with a man who would betray his best friend?"
She looked up at the giant of a man and replied, "You have no idea how tired I am of hearing that."
Hagrid looked embarrassed. "Sorry."
Sarah started circling the bike. "He wasn't a bad man, you know." She spoke distractedly, circling the bike. "He was a good man. A wonderful man. The man who loved me. The man I loved. He was a clown. Never serious." She smiled weakly at the pun. "Sirius Black was my love, my world. And now he's gone." She looked away from the motorcycle. "We were going to get married. Just two more months. And now, that's not going to happen." She looked at Hagrid. "If he did do this," she said, "If he killed those people, then he wasn't the same man. Not the one I just described. I don't know exactly what happened that night, but I do know that whoever killed those people was not who I fell in love with."
!!!
[Meanwhile…]
Remus Lupin was alone in the room he had rented in an inn. He was sitting at the small table in the room, which was covered with photographs of his friends. There was a copy of the Daily Prophet on the bed. It was the one with the headline that Sarah had seen three days ago.
James, Lily, Peter. All dead. Because of Sirius. How could he have done this?
Maybe he didn't.
What?
Maybe he was framed.
Why am I having a conversation with myself? (AN: Hehe. It's Remus's turn to do the insane conversation with himself thing.)
Don't know. Don't care. The point is, Sirius was not a bad guy.
I can't know that for sure.
He was one of your best friends. One of your only friends. You can't just write him off as a killer. He did something illegal for you. That's how good a friend he was.
Exactly. Illegal. He did something illegal as a teenager, he could have done this. Besides, all the evidence points to his being the murderer.
He is innocent until proven guilty, not guilty until proven innocent.
But he has been proven guilty.
Not in your mind.
Your?
Our.
But it's one mind. There's only one person involved here.
Fine, my mind. This mind. Happy now?
No.
Look, just trust your feelings. Ignore the logic. Sirius didn't kill them. Why would he? He was the one pushing for them to get together. He was going to get married. He didn't need to be in league with Voldemort. He was certainly strong enough by himself. And with friends like Lily and James… Besides, why would he give up Sarah? He would never do that. He loves her. He loves her more than anything.
Even playing pranks?
Yes. He would not give up everything just because of some evil wizard. He would not do anything to endanger his godson.
How did Harry survive, anyway?
That's the mystery. Lily and James were very special people. Harry's famous now. I always knew the Potters were going to be great.
!!!
Hagrid stood, not saying anything. What could he say? That girl's gone mad, he thought. Not that I blame her. She just lost everything.
"I'll head home now," Sarah said. She got on the motorcycle. "Bye, Hagrid."
!!!
Sarah had never been on Sirius's motorbike before. He had tried to take her on a ride before, but she had flat-out refused.
[5 years old]
Sarah was in her front yard, playing with a ball. Her mother had been watching her, but was now having a chat with their neighbor.
The little blond girl was trying to dribble the ball. She wasn't doing a very good job of it, however. The ball got away from Sarah and rolled into the street. Not knowing any better, she went after it.
She had reached the ball when she heard a noise. A motorcycle was coming toward her. Sarah just stood there, frozen in fear. The man on the vehicle didn't notice the five-year-old.
Mrs. Johnson turned to check on her daughter. She screamed when she saw the motorcycle about to run over Sarah. "Wingardium Leviosa!" (AN: Is that right…? The right spell, I mean.).
Sarah was lifted into the air by an unseen force. Luckily, the motorcyclist didn't notice the spell. The Johnsons' neighbor was a witch, so there was no danger of exposure.
Being nearly killed by something did not make someone want to get on it. But Sarah had to face her fear, and she wanted to know how Sirius must have felt on his precious bike. When she was halfway home, she discovered something attached to the motorcycle. What's this? She got a closer look. It was a picture of herself and Sirius. They were standing in front of their house. Well, at the time, only Sirius was living in it. Sirius had just moved in when that picture had been taken.
[19 years old]
Click. Remus lowered the camera. "All right. I took your picture," he said, handing Sirius the camera.
"Thanks, Moony," Sirius replied.
"Are we still going to use those names? I mean, we're adults now," James said from behind Remus.
"Of course we are, mate. We wouldn't be the Marauders if we didn't."
Remus said, "Well, then, Padfoot, how do you like your new house?"
"Just fine, Moony."
Sarah said, "Do you have to keep calling him that silly nickname? We all know Remus is a werewolf, you know."
Peter said, "I told you we should have picked better nicknames."
"Shut up," Sirius answered.
Veronica spoke up, "The rest of you are Animagi, aren't you?"
"Okay, now how did you know that?"
"Oh, please. We saw the looks on your faces when McGonagall turned herself into a cat. The three of you always disappeared when Remus did. And since you couldn't be human when you were with him, you had to be animals. Or plants, but that's not the point."
Sarah said, "Let's see. Padfoot. A… dog or something. Wormtail. A… mouse? Rat? Prongs. Some kind of deer, I suppose."
"You girls are too smart for us."
"We already knew that," Lily said, grinning.
&&&
[20 years old]
Sarah had been living with Sirius for nearly a year and was starting to wonder if they would ever get married. One night, the couple was enjoying a rare night of leisure at home when Sarah decided to bring up the topic of marriage.
"So, my husband-to-be," Sarah said to Sirius, sitting next to him on the couch, "have you decided on a date yet?"
"Uh…"
She started tickling him. "Come on, when are we getting married?"
Sirius was laughing uncontrollably. "How—Hahaha!— about—Haha!—November… or December?"
"All right, fine."
"Can you—Hahahahaha!—stop that?"
"Hmm…" Sarah said, pretending to be thinking hard. "Nope, I don't think so!" she said, continuing to tickle her fiancé mercilessly.
God, I miss him.
!!!
Veronica was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Lily's dead. My best friend is dead. James and Peter are gone too. Why would Sirius do this?
He wouldn't. (AN: It's Veronica's turn now!)
Why would he give up the one he loves to kill his best friends? It makes no sense.
You know what would make sense? If he didn't do it.
But I can't know for sure. There's no evidence that says he didn't kill them.
But the evidence they do have is circumstantial and could be faked.
Are you saying that he might be innocent? That someone framed him?
Well, actually, I am thinking it, but that's not the point. Sirius may be innocent.
But who would want to frame him?
Nobody knows.
!!!
Sarah had gotten home. She left the motorcycle outside. She went inside and started pacing (AN: She seems to be doing a lot of that, doesn't she? I'm very repetitive. Ha! That way it gets stuck in your head, you see?). She decided that since she couldn't stay still, she might as well make some use of her extra energy.
She went upstairs to change into Muggle clothes so she could go jogging.
!!!
There was a small forest near the house. Sarah headed into it, her wavy hair in a ponytail. She started running and didn't stop.
They took him away from me. I know he's innocent. I can feel it. I knew him better than anyone else did, except maybe James. They were best friends, almost like brothers. Sirius would never betray James. He had no reason to be part of Voldemort's forces. With friends like us, like Lily and James, he would be even stronger than if he joined the Dark Lord. So what happened? What really happened that night?
Sarah stopped running to catch her breath. Why did they take him? Why did they take Sirius away from me? Why did this have to happen? Why? I miss him so much.
She looked at her engagement ring. "We were going to spend the rest of our lives together. Not anymore." Her voice got louder, and she started yelling at the sky. "Why? Why do I have to go through so much pain? I'm not a bad person. I don't deserve this!"
[19 years old]
"Sarah, we've known each other for a long time."
"Yes, we have," Sarah replied, smiling fondly.
"You know I love you, right?"
"Yeah…" Sarah said, unsure of where the conversation was going.
"I could spend the rest of my life with you."
"What are you trying to say, Sirius?"
"Look, what I'm trying to say is…" Sirius got down on one knee and produced a ring from his pocket. "Sarah Johnson, will you marry me?"
Sarah gasped. "You want me to marry you?"
"Yes."
"Oh… my… God…"
"Sarah, you have to give me an answer soon, because I'm kneeling on a rock, and I may be bleeding."
"Well, I guess the only answer I can give you is yes."
Tears were streaming down Sarah's face. It was the first time she had cried since she had found out about her friends' deaths. She started shrieking incoherently. She kicked and banged her fists on the trees around her (AN: If you've seen the beginning of the movie Labyrinth, you might know what I'm talking about. It's the scene right before Sarah—the one in the movie, not this Sarah—meets the worm.).
After a few minutes of that, she quieted down and leaned with her back against a tree. She slid down it, sobbing.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Author's Note: Wow, this chapter has a lot of thoughts and flashbacks in it. Look forward to at least three more chapters. Oh, and I hope Sarah doesn't seem too wimpy here… If she does, sorry about that.