TOY SOLDIERS

CHAPTER EIGHT-FIRE!

Remus and I stopped dancing and looked around. Most of the other students didn't seem to sense there was anything wrong.

I saw a shape by the Great Halls double doors in the corridor before it disappeared.

About ten minutes later, thick, gray smoke began filling the Hall.

Students began screaming.

"Get to your common rooms!" Professor Dumbledore was yelling.

All the students began making a bee line to the second entrance into the Great Hall that led out into one of the corridors.

By that time, the flames spread into the Hall igniting everything in sight.

Remus grabbed me.

"Where's Lily, James and Sirius?" I cried panicked.

"I can't see them!" Remus cried. "The smoke is too thick!"

The flames ignited the streamers and they fluttered to the floor in flames.

Suddenly, someone was stumbling toward us.

"Sirius!" I cried relieved. "Where are Lily and James?"

Sirius was too busy coughing to answer.

Another shape came into focus. Lily.

"Where's James?" she demanded coughing.

"Maybe he's outside already!" Remus coughed.

A burning streamer landed on my arm and ignited my left arm. I screamed.

Remus pulled off his robe and wrapped it around my arm extinguishing the flames.

My arm hurt badly.

We managed to get out into the corridor where the other students were huddled together terrified.

I didn't see James. Panic began filling my chest.

"He's not here!" Lily shrieked.

She turned and went to rush back into the Hall. I grabbed her around her waist as there was a groan and one of the beams came crashing down in front of the doorway diagonally blocking a way in. But there was a small hole large enough for someone to crawl through under the beam.

"I said everyone to their common rooms!" Professor Dumbledore yelled.

The students hurried off.

Professor Dumbledore turned to us.

"Where is Potter?" he demanded.

"We don't know!" Lily shrieked.

"I think he's still inside," I said faintly.

"Remus its up to you or Sirius," Professor Dumbledore said meaningfully.

Remus and Sirius looked at each other. Professor Dumbledore knew that Remus, Sirius, James and Peter were Animagus and that Remus was a werewolf.

"I'll do it," Remus said.

"No," Sirius said gesturing to me. "I'll do it."

Sirius changed into the huge black dog and slinked through the opening.

Lily was clutching Professor Dumbledore.

I grabbed Remus' arm in fear and watched the entrance way.

"Please let James be okay," I whispered.

Remus leaned against me and lowered his head so we were eye level. He was a bit taller than I was.

"He'll be fine," he said gently.

It seemed to take ages before we saw a sign. The black dog was backing out of the entranceway dragging something. After a few more seconds, we saw clearly that he had clamped his jaws on James' robe and was pulling him out by the shoulder.

Once the dog and James were completely clear of the entrance way, the black dog released James and stood by me. The dog's fur was singed in several areas.

James robes were burned in several areas. I dropped to my knees in front of the black dog and took his snout in my hands. The dog's big brown eyes were locked on mine. His muzzle was singed slightly; bits of fur on his ribs, hindquarters and front paw were singed.

"You saved James," I said putting my face close to the dog's black nose.

The black dog wagged his tail slowly.

"HE'S NOT BREATHING!" Lily shrieked.

I let go of the dog's muzzle and spun around.

Lily was kneeling beside James.

Lily began doing Muggle CPR and Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on James.

"DON'T YOU DARE QUIT ON ME JAMES ALAN POTTER!" Lily was yelling angrily at James as she worked on him.

Professor Dumbledore watched on helplessly. I could see tears starting to form his blue eyes behind the half moon spectacles.

I swallowed nervously.

After a few moments, there was still no sign of life from James.

Professor Dumbledore put a gentle hand on Lily's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Miss Evans…he's gone," he said quietly.

"No!" Lily cried and tried to continue to work on James.

After two more tries, Lily broke down in hysterics. She pressed her face into James' chest and sobbed hysterically.

The black dog whined and lowered his head next to me. I felt tears forming too…and anger. Whoever set the fire was more likely to be the person after me. Maybe I was supposed to die in the fire.

"If I find out who's doing this to me, so help me God I will kill them," I choked out with rage as tears streamed down my cheeks. "WHERE ARE YOU?"

I yelled angrily down the corridor. I began walking hurriedly away.

"Get her Remus," Professor Dumbledore said.

I heard footsteps coming up behind me and Remus gently grabbed my elbow and spun me around to face him.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"To find whoever this creep is! I was supposed to die in that fire! Not James!" I yelled.

Remus looked shocked and he swallowed.

"We will find him," he said quietly. "But I'm not losing another person I care about. We just lost James. We're not losing you…I'm not losing you."

There were tears in his blue eyes.

"Suppose you or Lily, or Sirius is killed next? Then where would I be?" I argued.

Remus peered into my eyes.

"Sirius, Lily and I will be fine," he said. "It's you I'm worried about. Suppose that creep as you call him, succeeds in killing you? I don't know what I'd do with out you."

I just slumped forward into Remus' arms and pressed my left cheek against his chest. I burst into tears. Remus' arms encircled me pulling me tighter against him. He rested his chin on top of my forehead.

"I love you," he whispered. "I don't want to lose you. We'll fight this thing together okay?"

Remus' voice began breaking too. I heard him sob quietly into my hair.

I just continued to sob long and hard as well.

The Great Hall was magically extinguished and repaired. Everything was back to normal in that area.

But not in the Gryffindor common room. Lily was still sobbing into Sirius' arms. Sirius was having a hard time fighting down tears himself.

Remus and I were sitting on the couch next to each other. Remus had his arm around my shoulders. I was slumped against him.

The room was quiet. No one was speaking. Classes would be suspended for the following day.

Lily got up and left, heading into the girls' dorm. Sirius came over to me.

"You alright?" he asked looking like he'd cry at any moment.

"That fire was meant for me," I said quietly.

"How do you know?" Sirius asked.

"I just know,"

"We're not going to let anything happen to you," Sirius said putting a hand on my shoulder before he too, got up and headed to the boy's dorm leaving Remus and I alone.

The fire cracked softly giving off a warm glow over us.

"I'm afraid that Lily might blame me," I muttered getting up and sitting down in front of the fire.

"What? Why on earth would she blame you?" Remus asked following me.

"Because that fire was meant for me and instead James died," I swallowed.

"We don't know if it was," Remus said angrily. "It could've just been an accident."

"An accident…right," I snorted. "And what might I ask would cause the fire in a magical environment? There's no electricity here."

Remus put his face closer.

"Then what makes you think it was meant for you specifically?"

I hesitated. "I saw a dark shape at the entranceway,"

Remus' eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

I nodded. "Positive,"

Just then, Peter entered the common room. He froze when he saw us.

"Am I interrupting anything?" he asked looking guilty for some reason.

"James is dead," Remus said his voice cracking. "There was a fire in the Great Hall."

Peter's expression went pale.

"On no," he said looking upset.

Tears began forming in his eyes.

"Where were you? I thought you had stayed in the common room?" I demanded narrowing my eyes.

"I was. I went to the library for a while to do some reading," Peter said.

For some reason, I didn't believe him.

"Fine," I said.

"I'm going to bed now, see you all in the morning," Peter said his voice cracking as he hurried past Remus and I and entered the boy's dorm.

"I don't believe him," Remus said glaring after Peter.

"Neither do I," I said. "For some reason he didn't seem too shocked to hear about James."

"Exactly," Remus said.

We fell silent for a while just enjoying the warmth of the fireplace and each others company.

It was kind of romantic in front of the fire as well. Plus, the common room was so silent and comfy.

Would he kiss me again? Or maybe something a little more? I wondered.

Truthfully, I wondered what it would be like to sleep with him. I was extremely nervous though and I'm sure he was.

At the thought, my heart pounded slightly. I kept my eyes on the flames until I felt Remus gently tilt my face toward his.

"I promise I won't let anything happen to you," he said quietly.

I smiled. "I know,"

He moved his face close to mine and kissed me in the same gentle and loving way. I kissed him back the same way.

He pulled back.

No, I don't want this moment to end yet, I thought.

I gently took his face in my hands and kissed him more.

REMUS.

Hillary gently took my face in her hands and continued to kiss me.

I really want to sleep with her, but I was terrified to start. Seems like she decided to initiate it, I thought.

Then, she pulled back looking embarrassed.

"Oh. I'm sorry," she apologized quickly. "I'm not sure if you…"

I smiled. "It's fine,"

"Are you sure…?"

"Sure,"

She nodded and this time, it was me who started it.

I gently pushed her onto her back on the hearth rug in front of the fireplace. I hovered above her. Her hair was fluffed all around her making her look even more lovely. She smiled up at me. I smiled back.

Her eyes reflected the warm glow of the fire. I leaned down and kissed her. She kissed me back.

She began undoing the belt around my waist and unzipped my pants. I kicked them off and was now in my shorts. I pulled off her gray vest and tie leaving the white button-up shirt on. Then, she reached behind her and unzipped her skirt from the back. I pulled off the skirt and tossed it on top of my pants near the chair.

Then, I unbuttoned her shirt exposing a white bra underneath. Once we were completely naked, I gently pressed my hips against hers.

We began moving in rhythm.

HILLARY.

Remus was moving so gently and it was done lovingly.

After a few moments, I felt his body become tight and tense with excitement, which he released.

Directly after that, my own body responded and it slightly arched up against his body.

Once our bodies calmed down again, we began getting dressed.

I pulled on my tie and fastened it again. I was completely dressed again. Remus was too.

"That was wonderful," I said smiling at him.

He smiled back. "Same here,"

We were standing in front of each other. He gave me a kiss and then pulled back.

"Good-night, Hillary," he said.

"'Night,"

We separated and Remus went to the boy's dorm and I went to the girls'.

The next morning, we met Lily and Sirius in the Great Hall.

Lily was still very solemn. Sirius was talking to her in a soft tone.

"Hey," Sirius said looking up at us as we sat down.

I sat down beside Lily and put my arm around her. Remus sat across from us next to Sirius.

"You two look different," Sirius said scrutinizing Remus and I.

Then realization and a big grin formed on his face.

"You two slept with each other…didn't you?" he whispered leaning forward so no one could overhear him.

Remus and I nodded.

"You dog!" Sirius said playfully poking Remus. "I never thought you had it in you."

Remus blushed and began helping himself to some breakfast.

Suddenly, Lily angrily slapped the table causing the silverware to jump and rattle.

We looked at her shocked.

"I'm not going to sit here and listen to you congratulating Remus and Hillary for having sex when James is dead," she snarled as tears forming in her green eyes.

"I'm…" Sirius began but Lily just grabbed her things and flew out of the Great Hall without even looking back.

"Oh man," Sirius moaned. "I think that I was a bit out of line there."

"It's okay," I said putting a hand on his arm. "I think we're all just upset and terrified at the same time."

"Let me go talk to her," Remus offered. "She always listened to me."

Remus got up and gave me a wink before leaving the Hall.

There was hardly a trace of the fire left. The Hall was completely back to normal now. But the chatter among the students was subdued with the Gryffindor table. Everyone else seemed to be normal too.

Sirius leaned forward.

"So how was it?" he asked grinning.

"Amazing," I said. "But you're out of line again."

Sirius' grin faded and he nodded.

"Sorry. It's a habit,"

He fell silent again.

REMUS.

I hurried to catch up with Lily when as soon as I passed a closet, something big and heavy connected with the back of my head. I fell forward unconscious.