Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, J.K Rowling does. Hell, if I did, I would be one of the most well known authors ever. Boy would I love that…

~*~

This was one summer Lily would never forget. This was when things really started to change.

Summer before third year. Lily and Karina were becoming teenagers, and hating it. Petunia still kept her attitude with Lily the whole summer, and Karina's dad came home drunk almost every night. But, even with these dark things, there were darker ones. Voldemort was coming more out into the open. His Death Eaters weren't hiding in the shadows so much, and more and more Muggles were being killed each week.

Sam, Karina's sister had moved out, and was living with her newly wed husband, Jake. Sam was pregnant, and happier than she has ever been, now not being under her father's hating eye.

Petunia had graduated that year, and was spending as much time away from home as possible. She still couldn't stand being within twenty feet of Karina or Lily, and made it known.

Now, things didn't start to become serious until one night…

"Lils, I can't wait to go back. Dad gets worse everyday." Karina said softly.

They were sitting on the old rusted swings. It was just getting dark, and there was a light breeze blowing about.

"I can't wait either. Petunia is driving me out of my bloody mind!"

There was a yell of rage coming form across the park. Karina recognized the hunched figure as her drunken father and grabbed Lily's hand.

"RUN!" Karina screamed and pulled Lily along.

They ran down the road, but even in his drunken state, Mr. Karr caught up with them. He flung Lily from Karina and started to slap her. She stood her ground.

Lily was afraid. She quietly made her way around to her house and grabbed the phone. She called the police, and they were there in minutes. Karina was covered in cuts, scrapes, and bruises were beginning to form. But she wasn't crying. No emotion was on her face at all. As soon as the police grabbed her father, she walked into her house, up the stair and into her room.

"Kari, honey, are you alright?" Mrs. Karr asked, trying to still Karina, who was pacing in her room.

"I'm fine. I stopped him from hurting you. That's all that matters." she started mumbling to herself.

"Honey, what are we going to do? They're going to put him in jail."

"And if they do? He deserves it. As long as your safe."

"What about money for Hogwarts?" her mother asked timidly.

"We get all his money. I read up on this. We have every right to his money. First, we have to send some to Sam, for the baby. I get some, and you get the rest. They witnessed him, so we could get money from the government. He won't see me for a long time." Karina finished her sentence with a look of satisfaction on her face.

"I'll get some money from the bank tomorrow, then I'm off."

"What? Honey, don't leave me!" her mother cried.

"I can't stay here. Don't you understand? At least not for the rest of the summer. Sam might come back now that he isn't here, but I have to go. I belong there, in the Wizarding world." Karina tried desperately to explain.

Her mother just nodded and walked out. Karina sighed and walked back out of the house. She slowly went down the street absently heading to the swings where she had so often ran before.

"Kari? Are you okay?" Lily's voice came from behind her.

~Lily~

Lily had watched Karina get beaten before, but that was nothing to this. As soon as she called the police, and they had left, she sat on her front porch.

**~Flashback~**

"C'mon Kari! Let's go!" a small Lily said, pulling her friend back down the street.

"I dunno, daddy looked real mad when we saw him, and I don't wanna get hit." an even tinier Karina said, looking scared. It was true, Karina had always been three inches shorter than Lily her whole life.

"Well, you can come with me!" Lily declared, as though it were obvious.

"I can't! I have to protect Sam and mommy. I had a bad dream the other night that something real bad was going to happen to them!"

"Dreams aren't real!"

"Mine are. Don't you remember, I said I had a dream that you would break your arm on the bars, and you did!"

"But Kari, I don't want you to get hurt."

"But I can't let them get hurt for me."

**~End Flashback~**

Lily saw her friend of forever emerge from her house, so she followed.

'Kari was always so grown up for her age. It wasn't fair.' she reminisced.

"Kari? Are you okay?" she called.

"I'm leaving for Diagon Alley tomorrow. I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron for the rest of break. I can't stay here. It makes me think too much."

"I'll come too."

"You don't have too…"

"Yeah, I do. You're my best friend. It's my job."

Kari finally turned around and smiled. "Thanks."

Lily caught up with her and linked arms.

"We'll be going home in five days."

"Five days…" Kari repeated.

The next day, Lily and Karina took the Underground to London, and from there, a bus to the corner by the Leaky Cauldron.

They walked in and greeted Tom.

"How are you, Tom?" Karina asked.

"Delightful. And yourself?"

"Just peachy. Say, can we get a room. For the both of us. Till September first of course."

"Not going back home?"

"Not for a while." Karina smiled.

After unloading all their things in their rooms, they walked out to Diagon Alley itself.

"KARINA! LILY!"

They turned around, and saw no one other than Liz and Sarah pushing through the crowds toward them. Big group hugs were given and they made their way down the alley.

"I like the new look." Sarah said, looking at Karina's new attire.

She had gone from jeans and T-shirts, to black bondage pants, and a black spaghetti strap. She was no longer the same person, so she felt no need to dress like her. And she said so.

"So all your wardrobe is as dreary as this?" Liz asked smiling.

"Just as morbid."

"How wonderful."

Lily laughed.

After getting all their school supplies, they headed back to the Leaky Cauldron, when they ran head on into no other than Severus Snape.

"Out of my way Mudbloods." he spat at the ground in front of him.

"Hey, watch what your saying to ladies, Snivellus." a voice said behind the girls. It was the Mauraders.

"We don't need your help." Lily said dully.

"Why fair Lilith, of course you do." James said giving a cocky smile.

"Look who's gone and gotten more mature." Karina said sarcastically.

"What's with the new look Karr?"

"I was looking for a change Black, got a problem?"

"Would you please not start fighting?" Remus said from behind everyone.

James and Sirius started mumbling, while the girls walked away, yelling bye back to Remus.

"Remus is so adorable." Liz said as they sat down in the Leaky Cauldron.

"You like him?" Karina asked curiously.

"Kinda, I mean, he's the only decent Marauder, and I think he happens to be quite cute."

"That's better than liking Black or Potter." Lily said darkly.

"Hey, they sure have gotten better to look at over the summer." Sarah added in, rather shyly.

"What?? Black and Potter? They are such prats." Karina said sharply.

"You know now that they are growing up, half the female population will be going after them." Lily predicted.

"I have no doubt in my mind. Society always finds the thing worse for them, and goes for it." Karina agreed.

"Such a negative view on society." Liz grinned.

"Negativity is the essence of life." Karina supplied.

~Back with the Mauraders~

"James, you git! What was that for!" Remus said, exasperation in his voice.

"Hey, I was only trying out the new charm my parents said I have."

"Apparently it isn't charm because the girls walked off mate." Sirius grinned.

"It worked at the beach." James said sulkily.

"Well that's Lily and Karina for you, they aren't some girls at the beach." Remus tried to explain.

"What do you think of her new look?" Sirius asked.

"I don't know. Its different from anything I've ever seen." James shrugged.

"Hey guys!" a little dirty blonde haired boy said, catching his breath.

"Hey Peter. Have you seen Karina and Lily?"

Peter winced. "Yeah. They didn't seem thrilled to see me either."

"What did you do?" James sighed.

~A few minutes earlier~

"I think Potter likes Lily." Sarah said randomly.

"WHAT!"

Sarah, Karina, and Liz laughed.

"That's NOT funny. Don't ever suggest such a horrid thing again."

They kept laughing. Lily just looked so funny.

"Hey guys. Have you seen James, Sirius, and Remus?" a voice said.

All four girls looked up and frowned. Peter Pettigrew was standing at their table.

Karina shifted uneasily in her chair, she wasn't fond of Peter at all.

"We last saw them in the Alley." Lily said coolly.

"Okay. Thanks." he had said, and then, he tripped, fell, knocked over everyone's drinks, and stained Liz's clothes. Now, there is one important thing you should know about Liz. She is obsessed with her appearance. Imagine a girl like that covered in Butterbeer, not just covered, but also dripping in it.

Peter let out a laugh, which turned into a squeak of terror as he ran from Liz.

~The present~

All three other boys were laughing their heads off.

"It's not funny!" he protested squeakily, "They're coming now!" With that he took off running faster than any of them had ever seen him run before.

The four girls caught up with the Mauraders and stopped.

Liz was the only one not dripping in Butterbeer, Karina was too. The boys noticed something different about her appearance.

"I AM GOING TO KILL HIM!" Liz was screaming at the top of her lungs, making people stare.

"Calm down Liz, you might break a vein." Sarah said so seriously that everyone started laughing.

Liz finally did calm down, and Peter came out.

"It was an accident! Please believe me!" he called out, still form a distance.

"Alright. You're forgiven." Liz called out.

Peter came closer and Karina shivered.

"Lily, let's go." she whispered.

"Uh, guys, we have some things to do, so if you would excuse us." Lily said, and then backed away from the group. That's when Remus noticed. It wasn't until later that he got to speak with the guys about it though.

"Did you notice anything different about Karina?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Kind of. But I don't know what it was." Sirius said, smiling at a bunch of girls walking by. They all started giggling.

"Did you notice her arms were all bruised, cut, and scraped up?"

"Hey, they were. What do you think happened?" James asked, running his hand through his already messed up hair, giving another group of girls a massive attack of squeals.

"It was probably just when I knocked that table on them." Peter said looking around.

"No, the cuts looked a little healed, but fairly new." Remus said thoughtfully.

"Just ask her next time you see her."

"Oh yeah, how do you think that conversation will turn out, Sirius?" Remus said sarcastically.

Sirius reached up and touched his face. "Probably a smack across my beautiful face."

"Keep saying that to yourself." James laughed.

"Don't deny my good looks." Sirius said with a straight face.

"Stop arguing. Let's go back to the Leaky Cauldron. We should get our rooms before there aren't any left." the always sensible Remus said.

"Fine. I guess we always have a week to look for a new broomstick." James said shrugging, and walking off with Remus.

The four boys walked to the Leaky Cauldron and waved to Tom.

"Hey boys. How can I help you?" Tom asked.

"We'd like two rooms…"

"Till September first." Tom interrupted.

"Yup." Remus smiled.

"Well, the only rooms I have left are on either side of those young ladies rooms." Tom said, pointing to Lily, Karina, Liz, and Sarah.

"Alright." Remus said taking the keys. James and Sirius were on their way to talk to the girls.

"I sense trouble." Peter mumbled.

~The girls~

"Next time I see that Peter Pettigrew, I'm going to murder him!" Liz said, still trying to ring the butterbeer out of her wet shirt.

"Do any of you get a bad feeling around Pettigrew?" Karina asked uneasily.

"He's just a little worm that wiggled his way into that group." Sarah said bitterly, feeling her sticky hair.

"I just get this awful feeling when around him." Karina shivered, even though it was quite warm.

"No, I don't get a feeling like that." Sarah said absently.

"Maybe it's your Sight." Lily whispered.

"I think it is. But what is he going to do? I can't figure it out." Karina whispered clutching her fist angrily.

"How are you ladies?"

"Leave Potter." Lily said calmly.

"Oh, but we're staying for the rest of the week!" Sirius said brightly.

"WHAT!" four female voices screeched.

"Don't sound so disappointed." James grumbled, sitting next to Lily.

Sirius plopped down next to Karina, when Remus and Peter came up.

"Here's you guy's key." Remus said, handing it to James. "You have room six and we have room three."

"Ah man!" Lily and Karina groaned.

"What!" James and Sirius exclaimed.

"Nothing…" they mumbled.

"According to Tom, we are on either side of their rooms. The only one's left."

"YES! We are next to their rooms!" James yelled. Him and Sirius high-fived.

"That means that we're next to your room." Remus said smiling at Liz and Sarah. Liz started squirming, then smiled back.

Lily and Karina groaned.

~Later that Night~

"Stop banging on the wall!" Karina yelled.

"At least we're insomniacs." Lily said reasonably.

"True. Bullshit." Karina said.

"Crap." Sarah said, picking up all the cards.

They were playing bullshit, a muggle card game.

"We're at the door." Sirius called from the hall.

"Well stop banging on the door then." Karina yelled.

"Let us in!" James said.

"NO!" Lily yelled.

"You leave us no choice then." Sirius sighed. There was a clicking noise, then a "TA DA!" and the Mauraders were in their room.

"Get out!" Karina threw a pillow at them.

"No."

"Fine then. Please leave."

"Let me think about it…no."

"UGH!" Karina screamed, then buried her face in a pillow.

The rest of the week pretty much went like that, till it was finally time to leave.

"YES! Back to Hogwarts! Finally!" Lily screamed, dragging her trunk out to the bus stop.

"We can get away from them there!" Sarah yelled, jumping into the air.

They were all standing at the bus stop waiting for the bus. Passer byers were gawking at them, because of their owls, but they were ecstatic.

~Ten minutes later~

"The train! Am I dreaming?" Karina said, with a spacey look on her face.

"No! And neither am I!" Liz squealed.

A group of first years looked at them.

"I think we're scaring the first years." Lily laughed.

"Good. They know not to mess with us!" Sarah grinned, and walked down the aisle.

They found and empty compartment and sat in it.

"Guess what I have!" Karina exclaimed suddenly.

"WHAT!"

"A radio!"

"That's all?" Liz asked.

"What do you mean! Music!" Karina switched it on to her muggle music station.

"What's that?" asked Sarah, who was a half blood living in a wizard music world.

"Muggle music." Karina said absently setting up for another game of bullshit.

"Well, I'm taking muggle studies this year, so, maybe this will come in handy, all the muggle things I'm learning." Liz smiled.

"Your taking muggle studies too!" Sarah exclaimed.

"Yep!"

"So are we!" Lily said happily.

"That means we'll have a class together. All of us!" Liz said smiling.

The girls were tired of playing bullshit, so Karina pulled out a deck of Uno cards. They were well into their second game, when two very unwelcome people showed up in their compartment.

"Well. Look at the mudbloods and muggle lovers playing a stupid muggle game." a female voice sneered.

"And what's it to you?" Karina said, without even looking up, "Uno!"

"What is with you and doing that!" Sarah sighed, and drew seven cards.

"Oh, it nothing to us, because you are nothing." a male voice said.

"Go away Snape." Lily said, "UNO!"

"Damn. I was too slow." Karina frowned.

Liz looked up. "If there's something you want, spit it out. If not, your ruining my concentration, slime balls."

The woman smirked. "We want you dead, but that will wait, and what a sweet day it will be."

"Well, until that day, leave." Karina stood up and went to shut the compartment, when her head started to hurt.

The same woman was sitting in a chair, all grimy, but looking proud.

"…we will be rewarded, we alone tried to find him…"

She heard screams, and felt pain, her eyes rolled up into her head, and all she could hear were people pleading and screaming.

~Lily~

"KARINA!"

She ran forward and grabbed her.

"Go send an owl ahead!" Lily ordered to Sarah. She nodded and headed out.

"Liz, get them out of here!"

Liz held out her wand and told them to leave.

"No." Snape said.

"Snivellus! Just who I was looking for!" James voice traveled up the aisle.

"Bellatrix, what are you doing?" Sirius asked, looking in the compartment. "What did you do!"

"I did nothing. The mudblood just fainted." she sneered.

"Get away from here." he growled.

"Yes little cousin."

Bellatrix and Snape walked away.
"What happened?" Remus asked.

"Get out. Nothing I can't handle. All the people will make it worse." Lily snapped.

"I sent the owl." Sarah came back flushed.

"Good." Lily propped Karina up on the bench.

"Will she be okay?" Sirius asked, walking up.

"Yes, this happened before, go!" Lily pushed them out, and was about to close the compartment door, when she pulled out her wand. "If you tell anyone I will make it so your own mother's won't recognize you." she growled threateningly, and closed the door.

"Is she alright?" Sarah asked. Karina was twitching, and beginning to sweat.

"She'll better when we get to the school. We'll be there in about twenty minutes." Lily said looking at her watch.

"We should change."

"Yeah, we should. Thanks Liz."

They all changed watching Karina to make sure she'd be okay.

~Twenty minutes later~

"How are we going to get her off?" Liz asked Lily.

"I don't know."

The compartment door opened, and Professor Dumbledore was standing there with Professor McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey.

"Oh dear, she saw something again didn't she?"

"It must be Poppy." Dumbledore magicked a stretcher and lifted her onto it.

"Come with me ladies. She'll want friends around, and I must talk to you about it."

"Yes Professor." three girls said softly.

They all trooped of the train. An open carriage came up and they climbed into it.

Up at the castle, they walked swiftly past all the students and up to the hospital wing.

"Minerva, would you please go down to the feast, you have the Sorting to attend too. I have to talk to these students."

"Yes Albus." and she left.

Karina was set on a bed, and Dumbledore did something with his wand and she woke up.

"Where am I?"

"In the hospital wing." Dumbledore said softly.

"What happened?"

"I was hoping you would tell us that."

"Well, Snape, and Bellatrix Black were standing in our compartment, and I got up to shut the door, when I saw her older, saying they would be rewarded, that they were the only ones that tried to find him. And then I heard screams, and felt their pain, and then I was here."

"She must be one of Voldemort's future Death Eaters." Liz and Sarah flinched. "Don't be afraid to say his name. That only increases your fear."

"Yes sir." they whispered.

"I must go down to the feast now. I'll send some house elves up with some food for you." then, Dumbledore left.

"Karina…are you going to tell us." Liz asked, sitting at the foot of her bed.

Karina looked up. "I'm a Seer."

"Wow. You must be one of the only muggle born Seers ever." Sarah breathed in.

"Its awful."

"I'm sorry." Liz whispered.

"WHY IS EVERYONE SORRY! I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE SORRY!"

"She doesn't know. Calm down Kari." Lily put her arm on Kari.

"Why is 'sorry' pop into everyone's mind first! Why not, 'I'll be there for you!'"

"Cause since we're friends, we think that's implied!" Sarah said, her voice rising.

Karina took a deep breath. "I'm just tired of people saying that. I don't like pity. I don't need it."

"I'll take that as an apology. I accept." Sarah said.

Karina made a small smile. "Liz…"

"I guess I accept, just don't ever yell at me that way again if you value your head!" Liz smiled.

"Excuse us misses, but your food is here!" a tiny voice squeaked from beside the bed.

"Thank you." Karina smiled warmly.

"Your welcome miss!" the three little house elves said, and they walked away.

"Food! I'm starving!"

They all ate the food, but no matter how much they ate, more was always there.

They all left the hospital wing later on that night going to their own common rooms.