A/N Sorry for the lack of updates. I've been rather off lately. Dealing with some stupid crap and working a bunch this week. Should be more coming soon. Hopefully, if I can start writing more than three lines a night.
Thanks for reading and thanks for all your reviews.
Dementorchic- thanks for reading. Good to have a loyal fan.
Lolua- you are perceptive and I appreciate that. In the chapter after this there is much to question and I hope you catch all the little bits of stuff. As for Draco's love for his son…that only works if you die for the person, I think. I love Draco. He is interesting and fun to write. As for bribing me, I am broke as well so I understand. You'll get to read the note. And you have seen The Princess Bride. Mostly Dead. That made me laugh. Ron's love for Harry has also become an interesting thing to me. Friendship that runs that deep is rare and special. Thank you so much for your reviews.
Kitten530- Sorry it took so long. Work. Bah. Anyway, Draco is grand. I love him. Even when he's evil. Thanks for reading.
Keep reviewing.
(Angelina)
The safe haven was little more than a three room cabin surrounded by a low stone wall. It consisted of a bedroom, a bathroom and a larger room with a wood burning stove. Lupin apologized for the simplicity of it and went about conjuring furniture. I left him to it and meandered my way to the tiny, grass filled area around it. The children had acclimated themselves to it nicely and were playing a game of their own invention.
I watched them for a moment and turned to go the other way. Lily and Bane were playing apart from the others. Their friendship had surprised me at first. The children of two near mortal enemies were playing contentedly together. The other children didn't care for Draco's child much. They shunned him, but Lily went out of her way to make friends. She looked up at me and smiled before going back to the game. Bane said something, she gave him a disgusted look and he laughed.
I continued on my walk, looking at the trees which grew very near the wall and hung over the cabin in a complicated maze of branches. The sun shone through dimly lighting the leaves into jewels. I wished that Fred had come with me. Lupin cursed loudly from within the cabin and I hurried to help him.
"No. no. You stay back. I'll deal with the nonsense." He said waving me back.
A horklump had made itself at home in the bathroom and he was trying to remove it. I giggled and watched for a bit as he struggled.
"Angelina?" One of the children called.
I turned and found Mab standing there looking perplexed.
"Yes."
"How long are we staying here? Ivy said we would be here a long time." She seemed near tears.
"MAB!" Meshach called from the doorway.
She ignored him and looked at me, waiting.
"Mab. I told you not to bother Angelina. She's having a baby. She needs you to leave her alone." The older Weasley admonished, grabbing his sister's hand and attempting to drag her out of the house.
"No. I want to know how long we are going to be here." Mab insisted and jerked away from him.
"It's okay Meshach, asking me questions won't hurt the baby." I assured him with a laugh.
"My father told us to be very nice to you. Mab is being rude." He informed me.
"You can ask me questions."
"See." Mab said and stuck out her tongue.
"Fine." Meshach growled and rolled his eyes.
"How long are we going to be here?" Mab repeated for the third time.
"I don't know. Hopefully not long." I replied.
A cry outside caught my attention.
"It's just Mia. She's not getting her way again." Meshach said and grabbed his sister's hand again.
She allowed him to lead her outside.
"Got it." Lupin said triumphantly.
I looked at the now horklump-free bathroom and nodded proudly.
"Looks like it. Are you making dinner?"
"I can. I brought a big bag of food. Go through it and pick something out. I'll make it, you can relax." He answered as he cautiously checked within the toilet for any other magical creatures.
After dinner I put the children to bed in their cots. I tried to get Bane and Meshach to share a cot, but they simply refused and glared at each other until I let them pick their own. Mab and Meshach shared without hesitation and Bane chose to share with Lily. I frowned, glad that Harry wasn't there.The twins were curled next to each other asleep long before the rest.
"I'm sleeping out here. Keep watch." Lupin told me as he shut the bedroom door.
I nodded and lifted a tired Mia into the bed with me. Soft voices reached me and I wondered which of the children was still awake. I fell asleep long before I figured it out.
(Meshach)
The cabin creaked in the night as shadows crept slowly up the walls. The soft breathing of my cousins did nothing to calm my nerves as I lay in the dark. Mab was breathing softly next to me, her thumb in her mouth as usual when she was scared. The others seemed to be sleeping too, though I thought I heard Ivy humming to herself. Very quietly I slipped from the cot and tiptoed over to where she lay with her sister. As I suspected a pair of glittering blue eyes stared back at me.
"It's late." She said and smiled.
"Yeah, can't sleep." I answered.
Our voices were little more than breathing.
"Were you having a nightmare?" She asked and joined me to sit on the wooden floor.
"Not tonight. Haven't slept."
"You should. You need to get some sleep. Like everyone else." She waved a finger at me.
I laughed.
"What about you? You're up."
"I'm keeping watch. Like Lupin, only I keep watch in here." She explained.
There was no arguing the point, so I nodded.
"We should both go to sleep." I said and stood up.
"Would you like me to sing to you?" She asked, wide eyes twinkling.
"Not tonight."
I climbed back beside my sister and tried to sleep.
Dreams slipped over me like water, each melting into the next. Silly things like dancing grapefruit or my sister dancing with a horklump became serious as Lily wept over the body of Bane, he bled from his nose and mouth. Eventually they all drifted away and found myself walking in the forest late at night.
Something was coming, I could hear it's footsteps. Crouching behind a tree trunk I saw the hooded man pass by. Fear flooded me and I had to force myself to move. Silently I followed him until we reached a small clearing. A man lay in the middle, dried blood covering his face and torso. I edged closer so I coud see the face and my stomach churned.
Uncle Harry lay dead, his eyes wide open, staring. I reached to touch him, but stopped and saw the hooded man continuing on. Nervously I left my uncle and followed the man. It seemed hours before I realized where he was going. The low stone wall stood ahead of us and through the gloom I could just make out the cabin that housed my cousins.
The man entered it soundlessly, I followed. Lupin lay ahead of us, sprawled on his cot, arm tucked neatly behind his head. Green light flashed and he was dead. I screamed, but couldn't wake up. Leaving the dead body, I ran past the figure and into the bedroom, trying to block the door. He was strong and pushed past. I watched as he killed every one of them. I could not control my voice and scaremed as loud as I could, hopeing someone, anyone would hear me.
"Meshach? Wake up." I opened my eyes and found Angelina kneeling beside me.
I panted as I sat up and let her hold me.
"We had some nightmare." She whispered rocking me back and forth.
"He's coming." I whispered.
"What?"
"He's coming. He's going to kill us." I couldn't catch my breath.
"Who is?" She asked sounding a little nervous.
Suddenly I remembered and shoved away from to run into the main room. Lupin lay as he had in the dream, one arm tucked behind his head. I ran to him and climbed up over the side of the cot to make sure he was breathing.
"Oh? What?" He mumbled rubbing his eyes.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"Meshach." Angelina called coming into the room.
"He's here." Lupin said frowning at me.
"Meshach, lets go back to bed." She reached for me but I didn't want to go.
If the man with the hood was coming I wanted to be ready. I wanted us to be prepared.
"He's coming and he's going to kill you. He killed you and he killed Uncle Harry." I tried explaining.
"You had a nightmare." Angelina said and again reached for me I held on to Lupin's shirt tightly.
"Wait a minute." Lupin said and sat up.
"He's coming." I cried again.
"Who is coming? What did you see?" The older man asked me gently.
"He was coming through the forest, he killed Uncle Harry, he came here and he killed all of you. Everyone but me." I was getting close to tears.
Normally I would never have told an adult about my nightmares, but this was different. Something was coming and they needed to know.
"What did he look like?"
"I don't know, he wore a cloak."
"Angelina lock the door and stay in the bedroom, it might be nothing, but I want you as safe as possible. Be ready. Meshach, go with Angelina." I obeyed and followed her back to bed.
As the door shut I saw him pull out his wand and stand beside the door.
(Lily)
We all heard Meshach talking to the adults. Something was coming. Something was going to kill us all. I expected them to send him back to bed, but they didn't. Instead Lupin let him tell his story, then sent Angelina to lock the bedroom door. I turned back to Bane who lay frowning beside me.
"They believed him." I whispered.
"Something must be coming then. I thought this place was safe?"
I shrugged.
"What if it does come?" I asked feeling suddenly afraid.
"I don't know."
"Do you think the adults can fight it off? What about what Meshach said about my father?" I wanted to go home.
"Your dad can't be dead." He stated bluntly.
"Why not?"
"He just can't be."
I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling for a while. The shadows danced gracefully across and I thought I head Ivy humming again. Her tune was slow and a little sad, but comforting nonetheless. I heard Lotus say something to her, and the humming ceased.
"I promise everything will be fine." Bane whispered.
"You can't promise something like that."
"I can try."
He was being honest and I didn't know what to do.
"What are you going to do then?" I asked being practical.
"I haven't decided yet, but I'm not going to let anything hurt you."
Sighing I rolled away from him and watched Angelina sitting awake by the door, her wand held up, ready. I was scared. For my father, for myself, for my new found friend. I just wanted to go home.
Thanks for reading and thanks for all your reviews.
Dementorchic- thanks for reading. Good to have a loyal fan.
Lolua- you are perceptive and I appreciate that. In the chapter after this there is much to question and I hope you catch all the little bits of stuff. As for Draco's love for his son…that only works if you die for the person, I think. I love Draco. He is interesting and fun to write. As for bribing me, I am broke as well so I understand. You'll get to read the note. And you have seen The Princess Bride. Mostly Dead. That made me laugh. Ron's love for Harry has also become an interesting thing to me. Friendship that runs that deep is rare and special. Thank you so much for your reviews.
Kitten530- Sorry it took so long. Work. Bah. Anyway, Draco is grand. I love him. Even when he's evil. Thanks for reading.
Keep reviewing.
(Angelina)
The safe haven was little more than a three room cabin surrounded by a low stone wall. It consisted of a bedroom, a bathroom and a larger room with a wood burning stove. Lupin apologized for the simplicity of it and went about conjuring furniture. I left him to it and meandered my way to the tiny, grass filled area around it. The children had acclimated themselves to it nicely and were playing a game of their own invention.
I watched them for a moment and turned to go the other way. Lily and Bane were playing apart from the others. Their friendship had surprised me at first. The children of two near mortal enemies were playing contentedly together. The other children didn't care for Draco's child much. They shunned him, but Lily went out of her way to make friends. She looked up at me and smiled before going back to the game. Bane said something, she gave him a disgusted look and he laughed.
I continued on my walk, looking at the trees which grew very near the wall and hung over the cabin in a complicated maze of branches. The sun shone through dimly lighting the leaves into jewels. I wished that Fred had come with me. Lupin cursed loudly from within the cabin and I hurried to help him.
"No. no. You stay back. I'll deal with the nonsense." He said waving me back.
A horklump had made itself at home in the bathroom and he was trying to remove it. I giggled and watched for a bit as he struggled.
"Angelina?" One of the children called.
I turned and found Mab standing there looking perplexed.
"Yes."
"How long are we staying here? Ivy said we would be here a long time." She seemed near tears.
"MAB!" Meshach called from the doorway.
She ignored him and looked at me, waiting.
"Mab. I told you not to bother Angelina. She's having a baby. She needs you to leave her alone." The older Weasley admonished, grabbing his sister's hand and attempting to drag her out of the house.
"No. I want to know how long we are going to be here." Mab insisted and jerked away from him.
"It's okay Meshach, asking me questions won't hurt the baby." I assured him with a laugh.
"My father told us to be very nice to you. Mab is being rude." He informed me.
"You can ask me questions."
"See." Mab said and stuck out her tongue.
"Fine." Meshach growled and rolled his eyes.
"How long are we going to be here?" Mab repeated for the third time.
"I don't know. Hopefully not long." I replied.
A cry outside caught my attention.
"It's just Mia. She's not getting her way again." Meshach said and grabbed his sister's hand again.
She allowed him to lead her outside.
"Got it." Lupin said triumphantly.
I looked at the now horklump-free bathroom and nodded proudly.
"Looks like it. Are you making dinner?"
"I can. I brought a big bag of food. Go through it and pick something out. I'll make it, you can relax." He answered as he cautiously checked within the toilet for any other magical creatures.
After dinner I put the children to bed in their cots. I tried to get Bane and Meshach to share a cot, but they simply refused and glared at each other until I let them pick their own. Mab and Meshach shared without hesitation and Bane chose to share with Lily. I frowned, glad that Harry wasn't there.The twins were curled next to each other asleep long before the rest.
"I'm sleeping out here. Keep watch." Lupin told me as he shut the bedroom door.
I nodded and lifted a tired Mia into the bed with me. Soft voices reached me and I wondered which of the children was still awake. I fell asleep long before I figured it out.
(Meshach)
The cabin creaked in the night as shadows crept slowly up the walls. The soft breathing of my cousins did nothing to calm my nerves as I lay in the dark. Mab was breathing softly next to me, her thumb in her mouth as usual when she was scared. The others seemed to be sleeping too, though I thought I heard Ivy humming to herself. Very quietly I slipped from the cot and tiptoed over to where she lay with her sister. As I suspected a pair of glittering blue eyes stared back at me.
"It's late." She said and smiled.
"Yeah, can't sleep." I answered.
Our voices were little more than breathing.
"Were you having a nightmare?" She asked and joined me to sit on the wooden floor.
"Not tonight. Haven't slept."
"You should. You need to get some sleep. Like everyone else." She waved a finger at me.
I laughed.
"What about you? You're up."
"I'm keeping watch. Like Lupin, only I keep watch in here." She explained.
There was no arguing the point, so I nodded.
"We should both go to sleep." I said and stood up.
"Would you like me to sing to you?" She asked, wide eyes twinkling.
"Not tonight."
I climbed back beside my sister and tried to sleep.
Dreams slipped over me like water, each melting into the next. Silly things like dancing grapefruit or my sister dancing with a horklump became serious as Lily wept over the body of Bane, he bled from his nose and mouth. Eventually they all drifted away and found myself walking in the forest late at night.
Something was coming, I could hear it's footsteps. Crouching behind a tree trunk I saw the hooded man pass by. Fear flooded me and I had to force myself to move. Silently I followed him until we reached a small clearing. A man lay in the middle, dried blood covering his face and torso. I edged closer so I coud see the face and my stomach churned.
Uncle Harry lay dead, his eyes wide open, staring. I reached to touch him, but stopped and saw the hooded man continuing on. Nervously I left my uncle and followed the man. It seemed hours before I realized where he was going. The low stone wall stood ahead of us and through the gloom I could just make out the cabin that housed my cousins.
The man entered it soundlessly, I followed. Lupin lay ahead of us, sprawled on his cot, arm tucked neatly behind his head. Green light flashed and he was dead. I screamed, but couldn't wake up. Leaving the dead body, I ran past the figure and into the bedroom, trying to block the door. He was strong and pushed past. I watched as he killed every one of them. I could not control my voice and scaremed as loud as I could, hopeing someone, anyone would hear me.
"Meshach? Wake up." I opened my eyes and found Angelina kneeling beside me.
I panted as I sat up and let her hold me.
"We had some nightmare." She whispered rocking me back and forth.
"He's coming." I whispered.
"What?"
"He's coming. He's going to kill us." I couldn't catch my breath.
"Who is?" She asked sounding a little nervous.
Suddenly I remembered and shoved away from to run into the main room. Lupin lay as he had in the dream, one arm tucked behind his head. I ran to him and climbed up over the side of the cot to make sure he was breathing.
"Oh? What?" He mumbled rubbing his eyes.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"Meshach." Angelina called coming into the room.
"He's here." Lupin said frowning at me.
"Meshach, lets go back to bed." She reached for me but I didn't want to go.
If the man with the hood was coming I wanted to be ready. I wanted us to be prepared.
"He's coming and he's going to kill you. He killed you and he killed Uncle Harry." I tried explaining.
"You had a nightmare." Angelina said and again reached for me I held on to Lupin's shirt tightly.
"Wait a minute." Lupin said and sat up.
"He's coming." I cried again.
"Who is coming? What did you see?" The older man asked me gently.
"He was coming through the forest, he killed Uncle Harry, he came here and he killed all of you. Everyone but me." I was getting close to tears.
Normally I would never have told an adult about my nightmares, but this was different. Something was coming and they needed to know.
"What did he look like?"
"I don't know, he wore a cloak."
"Angelina lock the door and stay in the bedroom, it might be nothing, but I want you as safe as possible. Be ready. Meshach, go with Angelina." I obeyed and followed her back to bed.
As the door shut I saw him pull out his wand and stand beside the door.
(Lily)
We all heard Meshach talking to the adults. Something was coming. Something was going to kill us all. I expected them to send him back to bed, but they didn't. Instead Lupin let him tell his story, then sent Angelina to lock the bedroom door. I turned back to Bane who lay frowning beside me.
"They believed him." I whispered.
"Something must be coming then. I thought this place was safe?"
I shrugged.
"What if it does come?" I asked feeling suddenly afraid.
"I don't know."
"Do you think the adults can fight it off? What about what Meshach said about my father?" I wanted to go home.
"Your dad can't be dead." He stated bluntly.
"Why not?"
"He just can't be."
I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling for a while. The shadows danced gracefully across and I thought I head Ivy humming again. Her tune was slow and a little sad, but comforting nonetheless. I heard Lotus say something to her, and the humming ceased.
"I promise everything will be fine." Bane whispered.
"You can't promise something like that."
"I can try."
He was being honest and I didn't know what to do.
"What are you going to do then?" I asked being practical.
"I haven't decided yet, but I'm not going to let anything hurt you."
Sighing I rolled away from him and watched Angelina sitting awake by the door, her wand held up, ready. I was scared. For my father, for myself, for my new found friend. I just wanted to go home.