A/N New chapter R&R plz!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter characters.
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Remus was frozen in place. He stared at the men, realizing with a shock that his life was actually in danger. As if in slow motion, he saw two of the men began to draw breath, and he and James dove to the ground, pulling Peter with them.
"Stupefy!" The blast of red light flew over their head and hit the wall of the store next to them. A large hole appeared, and again, Remus and James acted instantly. James hoisted the still-unconscious Sirius over his shoulder as Remus snatched up the girl, and they were through the hole in the blink of an eye, shouting for Peter to hurry up. Peter clambered through the hole just as his friends were exiting through the door. After standing for a moment in dumb amazement, the five men began yelling and trying to climb in the hole all at once. Finally, the leader shouted, "They're already out the door! Go this way!"
The boys ran faster than they ever had in their lives. Pure instinct and luck told them when to duck to avoid being hit by the various spells that were thrown at them. Panting, they dodged inside Honeydukes. Each nodding to the storekeeper as they passed, they jumped down the steps to the storage room. The storekeeper stared after them. He knew that there was a secret passageway, and he had seen several Hogwarts students sneak into the basement. However, the unconscious boy drew his attention. He started to go down the stairs to find out about it, but the door burst open again. Five burly men ran in, shouting. Three stayed above and began tearing apart the store, while two more went below.
James entered the passageway last, dumping Sirius onto the floor and closing the trapdoor just as he heard the door above them slam open. The boys stayed where they were, too exhausted to move and afraid of making noise. They could only pray that the men didn't know about the trapdoor. As they sat on the dusty ground, they could hear boxes and jars being thrown. Remus felt sorry for the storekeeper, and he hoped that he wouldn't be hurt.
"Where are they?" Remus jumped at the sudden shout, then listened hard for the storekeeper's reply.
"I-I d-d-don't know," the man stuttered, and Remus felt slightly relieved. Looking at James, he saw that his friend still looked tense and worried. Peter looked plain, straight-out terrified. Remus felt sorry for him. He knew that Peter was easily scared. A loud crack drew Remus' attention away from his friends, and he heard the storekeeper cry out.
"They came in here!" the leader growled. "We saw them! Where are they?!"
"I don't know, I swear!" the storekeeper cried. There was another crack and a thud. Obviously, these men preferred physical contact to magical pain.
"Why don't we just leave them?" asked one voice, and Remus began to feel a little bit of hope.
"We can't!" the leader shouted, and Remus' spirits sank again. "If they blab, we'll be in huge trouble with the Lord Voldemort!"
"They won't tell! They don't even know who we are!" another man yelled. "I'll stay for ten more minutes, then I'm leaving!"
There was an instant chorus of agreement, drowned out by the leader, shouting again. "Fine! Fine! But you stay for fifteen more minutes, and if they talk, you're the one explaining it to the boss!"
It was the longest fifteen minutes of Remus' life. When they finally heard loud footsteps leaving and the door slamming shut, the boys moved down the passageway silently, afraid that the men were bluffing. At the end of the passageway, James once again dropped Sirius to the ground.
"We can't take him in like this," he explained, sitting on the ground again. "They must've hit him pretty hard, he's been out for more than a half-hour."
Just as James said this, Sirius stirred. The boy sat up groggily, rubbing the back of his head. "What happened?" he muttered.
James shook his head. "You missed out on the action. After you got knocked out, we ran for our lives and saved your unconscious butt."
"What about her?" Peter asked, pointing to the small girl in Remus' arms. Remus set her down on the ground.
"How old are you?" he asked her softly. Looking at her hand, she carefully put up three fingers, then showed them to the boys. "Three? What happened? Why were you all alone?"
"Got lost," the little girl replied.
"What's your name?" wondered Sirius.
"Becky," answered the girl. "You help me?"
"Yes, we'll help you," Remus assured her. "What's your last name, Becky?"
"Evans," Becky told him. James stared at her.
"Evans! You mean, as in Lily Evans?"
"Sister!" Becky looked all around. "Where sister?"
"She's not here, but we know where she is," Sirius responded. "We'll take you to her." Becky nodded, then held her arms out to Remus again.
"Carry," she ordered. Grinning, Remus picked her up again, and she wrapped her small arms around his neck.
They walked to Gryffindor slowly, each of them tired and dirty. Becky fell asleep while they were walking. When they got to the portrait door, they stopped. Staring at each other, they wondered what exactly they were going to say to Lily.
"Well, let's just get it over with," James said, shrugging. They entered the common room, feeling extremely conspicuous. Lily and her friends weren't there.
"Go check the dorms," Sirius suggested. James started up the steps. When he was about halfway up, a loud screeching noise made them all jump. The stairs melted away, and James slipped and slid down the newly-formed slide, landing on his head at the bottom. His three friends laughed as he got up.
"Well, I guess we just wait for them to come," James said, grinning sheepishly. Remus hoped that they would come soon – his arm was starting to cramp up. None of the noise had woken Becky up. Carefully, he set her down in an armchair by the fire.
"Looks like you got a girlfriend," Sirius teased Remus. "You have more luck with girls than Potter here has."
"Well, that's the truth," said a girl with light brown hair, coming down the slide.
"What's the truth, Erin?" Lily came down the slide next. When she came to a stop at the bottom, she rolled her eyes. "You again? What do you need now, Potter?"
James opened his mouth and closed it again, not sure of what to say. He didn't need to say anything, however; Lily saw the small girl on the armchair.
"Becky!" she gasped, then rounded on the boys. "Why is she here? What did you do to her?"
"We didn't do anything!" James protested.
"Sister!" Becky, finally awake, was running to Lily. Lily picked her up. "Sister! Sister!"
"Hi Becky!" Lily replied cheerfully.
"They save me," Becky told her. Lily looked at her in confusion.
"Who saved you?"
Becky pointed to the boys. Lily's mouth opened slightly. "Them? Those boys saved you?" Becky nodded. "What happened, Becky?" The girl shook her head and buried her face in Lily's shoulder. Lily now turned back to the boys. "What happened?" she repeated.
James quickly began to explain everything to her. When he was through, she looked close to tears.
"So you guys just grabbed her and ran?" she asked in disbelief. James nodded. Lily sank onto the armchair, looking overwhelmed. After an awkward silence, she said, "Thank you."
"You're welcome," James replied confidently. Now that the whole thing was almost over, he was regaining his cocky attitude. Becky squirmed, and Lily set her on the ground. The small girl ran to Remus and hugged his knees. Remus was caught by surprise, then he blushed. Several of the girls behind Lily smiled at him.
The next day, Mrs. Evans came by to pick up Becky. She gave each of the boys a hug and a large piece of chocolate from Honeydukes, thanking them for helping her little girl. James sneaked a look at Lily and saw that she was looking at him. He smiled, thinking that he might have a chance with her after all.
* * *
A/N Any good? I was kind of struggling for ideas, so this is a little off- track, but still – ok so review and tell me what you think!
TheDudeLordOfFantasy: Expect the unexpected! Ok so thanx for the review, and please keep reviewing!
Jennyangel: Really? That sounds like something me and my friends would have done! Either that or just go sit out in the middle of the street at night- we did that once. But I'm losing focus here. Ok so thanx for all your reviews!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter characters.
* * *
Remus was frozen in place. He stared at the men, realizing with a shock that his life was actually in danger. As if in slow motion, he saw two of the men began to draw breath, and he and James dove to the ground, pulling Peter with them.
"Stupefy!" The blast of red light flew over their head and hit the wall of the store next to them. A large hole appeared, and again, Remus and James acted instantly. James hoisted the still-unconscious Sirius over his shoulder as Remus snatched up the girl, and they were through the hole in the blink of an eye, shouting for Peter to hurry up. Peter clambered through the hole just as his friends were exiting through the door. After standing for a moment in dumb amazement, the five men began yelling and trying to climb in the hole all at once. Finally, the leader shouted, "They're already out the door! Go this way!"
The boys ran faster than they ever had in their lives. Pure instinct and luck told them when to duck to avoid being hit by the various spells that were thrown at them. Panting, they dodged inside Honeydukes. Each nodding to the storekeeper as they passed, they jumped down the steps to the storage room. The storekeeper stared after them. He knew that there was a secret passageway, and he had seen several Hogwarts students sneak into the basement. However, the unconscious boy drew his attention. He started to go down the stairs to find out about it, but the door burst open again. Five burly men ran in, shouting. Three stayed above and began tearing apart the store, while two more went below.
James entered the passageway last, dumping Sirius onto the floor and closing the trapdoor just as he heard the door above them slam open. The boys stayed where they were, too exhausted to move and afraid of making noise. They could only pray that the men didn't know about the trapdoor. As they sat on the dusty ground, they could hear boxes and jars being thrown. Remus felt sorry for the storekeeper, and he hoped that he wouldn't be hurt.
"Where are they?" Remus jumped at the sudden shout, then listened hard for the storekeeper's reply.
"I-I d-d-don't know," the man stuttered, and Remus felt slightly relieved. Looking at James, he saw that his friend still looked tense and worried. Peter looked plain, straight-out terrified. Remus felt sorry for him. He knew that Peter was easily scared. A loud crack drew Remus' attention away from his friends, and he heard the storekeeper cry out.
"They came in here!" the leader growled. "We saw them! Where are they?!"
"I don't know, I swear!" the storekeeper cried. There was another crack and a thud. Obviously, these men preferred physical contact to magical pain.
"Why don't we just leave them?" asked one voice, and Remus began to feel a little bit of hope.
"We can't!" the leader shouted, and Remus' spirits sank again. "If they blab, we'll be in huge trouble with the Lord Voldemort!"
"They won't tell! They don't even know who we are!" another man yelled. "I'll stay for ten more minutes, then I'm leaving!"
There was an instant chorus of agreement, drowned out by the leader, shouting again. "Fine! Fine! But you stay for fifteen more minutes, and if they talk, you're the one explaining it to the boss!"
It was the longest fifteen minutes of Remus' life. When they finally heard loud footsteps leaving and the door slamming shut, the boys moved down the passageway silently, afraid that the men were bluffing. At the end of the passageway, James once again dropped Sirius to the ground.
"We can't take him in like this," he explained, sitting on the ground again. "They must've hit him pretty hard, he's been out for more than a half-hour."
Just as James said this, Sirius stirred. The boy sat up groggily, rubbing the back of his head. "What happened?" he muttered.
James shook his head. "You missed out on the action. After you got knocked out, we ran for our lives and saved your unconscious butt."
"What about her?" Peter asked, pointing to the small girl in Remus' arms. Remus set her down on the ground.
"How old are you?" he asked her softly. Looking at her hand, she carefully put up three fingers, then showed them to the boys. "Three? What happened? Why were you all alone?"
"Got lost," the little girl replied.
"What's your name?" wondered Sirius.
"Becky," answered the girl. "You help me?"
"Yes, we'll help you," Remus assured her. "What's your last name, Becky?"
"Evans," Becky told him. James stared at her.
"Evans! You mean, as in Lily Evans?"
"Sister!" Becky looked all around. "Where sister?"
"She's not here, but we know where she is," Sirius responded. "We'll take you to her." Becky nodded, then held her arms out to Remus again.
"Carry," she ordered. Grinning, Remus picked her up again, and she wrapped her small arms around his neck.
They walked to Gryffindor slowly, each of them tired and dirty. Becky fell asleep while they were walking. When they got to the portrait door, they stopped. Staring at each other, they wondered what exactly they were going to say to Lily.
"Well, let's just get it over with," James said, shrugging. They entered the common room, feeling extremely conspicuous. Lily and her friends weren't there.
"Go check the dorms," Sirius suggested. James started up the steps. When he was about halfway up, a loud screeching noise made them all jump. The stairs melted away, and James slipped and slid down the newly-formed slide, landing on his head at the bottom. His three friends laughed as he got up.
"Well, I guess we just wait for them to come," James said, grinning sheepishly. Remus hoped that they would come soon – his arm was starting to cramp up. None of the noise had woken Becky up. Carefully, he set her down in an armchair by the fire.
"Looks like you got a girlfriend," Sirius teased Remus. "You have more luck with girls than Potter here has."
"Well, that's the truth," said a girl with light brown hair, coming down the slide.
"What's the truth, Erin?" Lily came down the slide next. When she came to a stop at the bottom, she rolled her eyes. "You again? What do you need now, Potter?"
James opened his mouth and closed it again, not sure of what to say. He didn't need to say anything, however; Lily saw the small girl on the armchair.
"Becky!" she gasped, then rounded on the boys. "Why is she here? What did you do to her?"
"We didn't do anything!" James protested.
"Sister!" Becky, finally awake, was running to Lily. Lily picked her up. "Sister! Sister!"
"Hi Becky!" Lily replied cheerfully.
"They save me," Becky told her. Lily looked at her in confusion.
"Who saved you?"
Becky pointed to the boys. Lily's mouth opened slightly. "Them? Those boys saved you?" Becky nodded. "What happened, Becky?" The girl shook her head and buried her face in Lily's shoulder. Lily now turned back to the boys. "What happened?" she repeated.
James quickly began to explain everything to her. When he was through, she looked close to tears.
"So you guys just grabbed her and ran?" she asked in disbelief. James nodded. Lily sank onto the armchair, looking overwhelmed. After an awkward silence, she said, "Thank you."
"You're welcome," James replied confidently. Now that the whole thing was almost over, he was regaining his cocky attitude. Becky squirmed, and Lily set her on the ground. The small girl ran to Remus and hugged his knees. Remus was caught by surprise, then he blushed. Several of the girls behind Lily smiled at him.
The next day, Mrs. Evans came by to pick up Becky. She gave each of the boys a hug and a large piece of chocolate from Honeydukes, thanking them for helping her little girl. James sneaked a look at Lily and saw that she was looking at him. He smiled, thinking that he might have a chance with her after all.
* * *
A/N Any good? I was kind of struggling for ideas, so this is a little off- track, but still – ok so review and tell me what you think!
TheDudeLordOfFantasy: Expect the unexpected! Ok so thanx for the review, and please keep reviewing!
Jennyangel: Really? That sounds like something me and my friends would have done! Either that or just go sit out in the middle of the street at night- we did that once. But I'm losing focus here. Ok so thanx for all your reviews!