A.N. / Sorry this chapter has taken so long, been a bit busy with moving our new furniture into our lovely home…and trying to find a job! This chapter is in memory of a friend from back home that died on August 17th. Rest in Peace Joshua Busby! Don't hate me! Hope you enjoyed the last chapter. Of course it was a cliffhanger, you all know cliffhangers are my specialty! So enjoy!

Chapter 25

"Sarah, of course I know where Dumbledore's office is. This is my second year as a Prefect and when James and I left for my Grandma Rose's funeral we had to leave through Dumbledore's office."

"Okay I was just checking, because I have no clue."

"You mean you don't act up like James?"

Sarah shook her head, "Never had a detention yet. First in my class too."

"That's great!" Lily exclaimed.

"My mum and dad are proud about it, they said they wish James would take a leaf out of my book."

"I could agree with that, I wish he'd take his studies more seriously. He's barely behind Remus, he could have been Prefect…heck if he kept up with his studies he could be Head Boy."

"But we both know James, he'll never be Head Boy." Sarah pointed out, and Lily couldn't help but agree…James didn't apply himself like he should.

The rest of the way to Professor Dumbledore's office the girls walked quickly, but in silence. Sarah was too worried about what was going on with her family and Lily knew better than to talk to much. James had told Lily one night that when Sarah gets worried she get really quiet and the littlest thing can set off her waterfalls of tears.

"Lemon Drops!" Lily yelled as soon as Sarah and herself arrived at the Gargoyle that was in front of Dumbledore's office. Then Lily and Sarah ran up the stairs as quickly as possible, and when the girls barged into Dumbledore's office it was already occupied. Across from Dumbledore at his desk was James and his mother Grace Potter.

"Mrs. Potter?" Lily asked.

"Mum?" Sarah sounded on the verge of tears and her eyes showed that, and Sarah ran to her mother where Mrs. Potter began to cling to her daughter as her daughter did the same thing.

"Maybe I should leave you and the Potter family alone, it's obvious this has something to do with family and we all know I'm not family," Lily said with a nervous chuckle.

"Your close enough to it," James said jumping up and leading his girlfriend to where he was sitting. "I don't want to be alone right now, and you're the only one that can make me happy. Please don't leave."

"Is that alright Mrs. Potter?" Lily asked.

"Yes sweetheart, but please don't call me Mrs. Potter, call me Grace." She sniffled.

"Mum," Sarah looked at her mother and it looked as if her world was falling apart. "What's the matter…" Then Sarah looked around as if she wasn't understanding what was going on, "Where's dad?"

Grace began to sob and Sarah's eyes got huge and she began to sob with her mother. "P-professor, p-please don't tell me this is true….my d-d-daddy is gone?" Sarah stuttered.

"No, no." Grace repeated.

"I think you're mother is too upset at the moment for her to explain, do you care if I do Grace?" Dumbledore asked and Grace shook her head that she had no objections for Dumbledore to explain. "Voldemort sent a letter to Grace an hour and a half ago. She immediately owled myself and James. She asked James to get Sarah and bring her with him when he was to come meet Grace and me here…but James was so upset and worried about Harold that he forgot about Sarah. I had no clue that Grace had owled James until after I owled you Lily, and asked you to get Sarah."

Dumbledore paused but continued to speak after a few seconds, "Harold was on a mission for the Order, but he got caught and taken captive by Voldemort's followers the Death Eaters. They have not let us know if he is dead or alive." Sarah's cries were heard now and you could hear Grace's sobs everyone once in a while as she rocked herself and Sarah back and forth. Lily turned to look at James, there wasn't a tear falling…but tears were forming in his eyes and his face was as stiff as stone. "I'm afraid we won't be able to know for a few days. James, Sarah you'll of course be excused from school for a few days. I will let you know first off when we hear about your father." Dumbledore looked down at his watch, "I don't mean to be uncompassionate, but dinner starts in a few minutes and the three of you should go to dinner. Grace if you'd like to join us…"

Grace shook her head, "I'll be okay Albus. I'm going to stay at my sister's house for now."

"Victoria?"

Grace nodded, "Yes. She told me anytime I needed to…you know with the kids off at school and Harold always off working in case I got scared. I haven't contacted her yet, but I know she'll want me to stay with her." Grace turned to her children, "Will the two of you be alright?"

James nodded so did Sarah, but Sarah didn't look to sure of herself. "Are you sure?" Grace asked again.

"We'll be fine mum, and if Sarah starts to get upset she knows where my room is. She's got Sirius, Lily, and me for any support."

"Oh Sirius," Grace gasped. "I completely forgot to inform him, please ask him to accept my apologies."

"He'll be fine mum," James assured her.

"Talk to him will you? He is a part of our family."

James nodded, "Of course mum. You go to Aunt Victoria's house for now and as soon as you find out something…"

"I will notify you and Albus." Grace leaned in and kissed both of her children on the top of their foreheads and Flooed to her sisters house.

"Are the three of you ready to accompany me to dinner?" Professor Dumbledore asked the three children that were in his office.

They all nodded and Sarah sniffled a little, but they all followed Professor Dumbledore out of his office and headed to the Great Hall to have dinner.

December seventh approached and it was the big Gryffindor vs. Slytherin Quidditch match, and no matter what house you were in, everyone was ready for this Quidditch Match. All week had been horrible for teachers that had classes with both Slytherin and Gryffindor. Both Gryffindor and Slytherin Head of Households were furious with their students. Both Slytherin and Gryffindor house points had fallen dramatically.

The Marauder's had a prank ready to throw out and it was so 'Top Secret' the girls didn't even know about it. Of course Lily, Gabriella, and Cassidy knew that the boys were up to something…but they didn't know what.

But on December sixth, the girls found out…yes the day before the big Quidditch match…but it was obvious, to the Gryffindor's of course, that this was a prank all thanks to the Marauder's. No one actually knew who the Marauder's were…well of course except Gabriella, Cassidy, and Lily. The girls had taken a Witches' Honor, and even if they went through a horrible break up, they could never tell anyone except people that knew about the Marauder's…and if they tried their mouth would be slam shut for an entire week.

The prank happened in the Great Hall on the sixth at dinner. All the Gryffindor's had heard a rumor that something was going to happen to the Slytherin's tonight at dinner and they were awaiting for it to happen. James, Sirius, and Peter could barely contain themselves. Remus wasn't any where around because the cursed Full Moon was suppose to come up tonight and he was in the Shrieking Shack.

The guys could barely eat at dinner, which of course was very abnormal for the Marauder's because they always ate tons and tons of food! Then there was a big bang and every Slytherin at that table was turned into an instant cross dresser with pink, purple, or green hair. All guys were in the littlest dresses and the girls in guy tuxes? Then they were all turned into their worst nightmare and then last but not least turned into a dog.

Everyone in the Great Hall was rolling with laughter and of course The Marauder's laughed to, but now they finally began to laugh. After Professor McGonagall yelled her voice loud enough and demanded to know who had done this when the Slytherins turned into themselves.

Of course everyone knew that someone in Gryffindor house had been the culprit and Gryffindor had lost a good amount of points.

When Cassidy brought it up that night Sirius shrugged it off, "What's the big deal about? It's not like Jamie over here won't catch the snitch and win us the game and we'll gain the points back."

Cassidy rolled her eyes at Sirius, "You know one time you guys won't win."

"Impossible!" Peter hissed, "James is the best Seeker Hogwarts has seen in a good while! James always catches the snitch, and we always win!"

"Yeah, but sometimes things happen that you can't explain." Gabriella said not really backing up anyone's side.

James rolled his eyes, "Whatever you guys…we need to get some shut eye anyways…we have a game in the morning."

Sirius nodded and got all the team to head to bed for the next morning.

The next morning…

"Lily! Lily!" Cassidy yelled and began to shake her to wake up.

"What?!" Lily yelled up while she was still halfway asleep, "It's Saturday. I sleep as late as I can on Saturdays…heck we all do."

"Not since we started dating Quidditch players."

"Urgh…this gives me a reason to dump James then." Lily said grumpy while dragging her feet to the shower to get ready for James's bloody game.

Thing was Cassidy was wrong about something…only one boyfriend would be playing Quidditch, Sirius had gotten in major trouble last night. He was suspended from the Quidditch team, gotten the title Captain revoked, and wasn't aloud to go to the game today.

-The Night Before-

Sirius was laughing with James and Peter about the prank they'd played on the Slytherin's an hour ago.

"Potter, Black, and Pettigrew." Came a sneering voice.

Sirius turned around and looked at this piece of crap load of trash, "Snape. Slimy Snivellus, what the hell do you want with us? Not stuck up Lestrange or Malfoy's arse?"

"I know the three of you had something to do with this prank and that Lupin would have to if he hadn't just disappeared out of nowhere…as usual. You know I will prove one day that the four of you are the dudders that call themselves 'The Marauder's' and I'll make sure you do enough detentions to last you a life time."

"Us the Marauders?" James said looking impressed, "That would be an honor to be a Marauder! Really wish I was one…really wish I knew who they were, what about you guys?"

"Bloody hell yeah!" Sirius yelled.

"It'd be awesome," Peter squeaked.

"Anyways, I don't have time to waist on you Snivellus. My lovely Lily awaits to study for a Potions exam with me, and most likely a wonderful snog fest."

"I don't want to hear about you and that filthy Mudblood!" Snape said with disgust.

James reared up to Snape, "Don't you ever let me hear you call Lily that again or you'll meet death." James stormed off.

Snape rolled his eyes, "I've got better things to do then to spend my time with you dudders."

"Like sit in the library alone?" Sirius cackled and Snape stormed off, and Sirius turned to Peter. "We're going to get him back."

"How Padfoot?"

"Just leave it to me…tell James we're still going to visit Moony tonight, even though Prongs has to study with Lily, alright?" Peter nodded and walked off to leave Sirius alone to his plan on getting back at Snape.

Sirius went to check a book out in the library on the Ghoul Revolution of 1793 and 'accidentally' dropped a letter by Snape, which in fact he picked up and read…being the nosy arse he was.

Peter,

Meet Remus and me by the Whomping Willow. Remus and I found out a new hiding place and we can plan a prank on Snivellus. Just get a stick and poke the knot on the Willow it'll freeze it…then go down the tunnel…we'll be there.

-Sirius

Snape snickered to himself, they were sneaking out…huh? Finally he'd have dirt on them.

Later on that night while Lily and James were studying in James's dormitory, Lily had gotten tired of studying and glanced outside of the only window in the Sixth Year Boys' Dormitory. Lily frowned, for what she was seeing was too weird.

"What is Snape doing by the Whomping Willow? Doesn't he know he shouldn't be out right now, he's one of the biggest Prefects I know that really sticks by the rules of the school."

James had jumped up from his bed to where there were books scattered all over his bed, "What do you mean Snape is by the Whomping Willow?!"

"Look, he's right there." Lily said with a shrug, she didn't know this is where Remus was hiding.

"Oh Merlin! Lily go and get Professor Dumbledore, now! Tell him Snape is going towards the Whomping Willow and that it is a Full Moon tonight."

"And you?" She asked him as if she already know.

"I've got to save Snape!"

"James! You can't! Remus should be a fully grown Werewolf by now!"

"Lily I have to. Don't argue with me just go and get Dumbledore!"

James headed towards the Whomping Willow to save Snape and Lily went to Professor Dumbledore's office. "Professor!" Lily yelled as she barged in on his conversation with Professor McGonagall.

"Evans?" McGonagall asked surprised especially to see Gryffindor's Golden Girl out past curfew. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Yes." Lily turned to her Headmaster now, "Professor. James and I were studying in Gryffindor Common Room, we spotted Snape by the Whomping Willow and tonight is a Full Moon!"

"Oh dear!" McGonagall gasped.

"Minerva go inform Poppy that she will have some patients tonight. Miss Evans please come with me."

Meanwhile…

Snape was already in the tunnel and James was chasing after him, "Snape! Snape! Stop now, you don't want to go in there."

"Shut it Potter, I will find out what you four mongrels are always up to. Your idiotic friend Black dropped a note in the Library that was addressed to Pettigrew."

"Snape listen to me you don't," James jumped on Snape to try and stop him.

"Potter back up…"But that was all that was said as a door was ripped open in front of them and a fully grown werewolf was coming after them, as it smelled human blood. Snape began to scream and James shouted a spell to knock Snape out.

James then transformed into Prongs and began to charge Moony to protect Snape. Padfoot heard all of the commotion and then began to see…when he saw Prongs protecting Snape, he's puppy dog eyes bugged out. Padfoot understood and began to snap and bite to get the Werewolf back so Prongs could get Snape to safety.

After Prongs got Snape almost to the top of the tunnel, James knew that Dumbledore would be out there with Lily and most likely Madam Pomfrey, so James transformed himself back into his human form. Wormtail crawled out and froze the knot as James pulled Snape away from the Willow and Wormtail for Padfoot. He'd be around shortly and he'd also change back into himself before he approached the grounds.

"Mr. Potter, what has happened to Mr. Snape? Have either of you been bitten?"

"No," James shook his head. "Snape has a few scrapes and I have a few cuts and scrapes, but that's all."

"Amazing…I've never been able to see a Wizard take on a fully grown werewolf and not become one himself…and you protected not only yourself but Mr. Snape as well." Dumbledore flicked his wand and the unstable Snape was on a stretcher and Dumbledore was directing the stretcher to the Hospital Wing. Lily helped James as he was limping a bit.

"What really happened James?" Lily whispered to her boyfriend.

"No clue right now," James answered honestly. Although he knew that Sirius had something to do with this, and they would defiantly be talking about.

Madam Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore insisted that James and Snape stay over night, but Snape didn't fight like James did…that was because Snape was still knocked out. James's spell had worked very well.

Sometime during the night Dumbledore had entered the Hospital Wing to find James Potter fully awake. Dumbledore went to sit beside James's bed, "Mr. Potter…what's keeping you up this late? I figured you'd be sleeping so you'd be ready for tomorrow's bit match."

"I thought I would be too, but instead I'm in here…the Hospital Wing."

"James…Sirius came to my office just an hour ago and we've been talking with Professor McGonagall. Because of the stunt that Sirius has confessed into playing tonight on Mr. Snape, Sirius has been stripped of the name Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Effective as of tonight."

"But Professor! You can't do that we have a huge match tomorrow, and we need our Captain."

"Please James let me finish. Sirius also won't play in tomorrow's game and is on suspension from the Quidditch Team, probation, and when we return for the next term a month of detention with Professor McGonagall."

"But we need Sirius tomorrow! He's our Captain and our best Beater!"

"I'm sorry Mr. Potter, but this is his punishment. You are now Quidditch Captain for the Gryffindor team, and the Reserve Beater will take Sirius's place tomorrow. Congratulations Captain."

"But Professor…"

"No buts. Now that you are Captain, I suggest you get some sleep. You'll need to address your team tomorrow early. Madam Pomfrey knows that you are to leave as soon as you wake up.

-Ten Minutes before the match started-

"Sirius?" Cassidy asked looking oddly at her boyfriend, as the others were as confused as she was. "What are you doing here? You're suppose to play in like ten minutes! And you're not in your uniform! Are you crazy? James will kill you!"

"I lost the title Captain, it's James's now…and I've been suspended from the team…until at least February."

"What?!" Cassidy asked outraged, "But they can't do that!"

"Yeah they can…I played a really bad joke on Snivellus yesterday."

"What did you do?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

The announcer's voice was heard and everyone in the stadium began to cheer, "Hello! And Welcome to the match of the season! Gryffindor vs. Slytherin! And here……….they come! For Slytherin." Lots of booing came from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff…but you could hear a few cheers from the Slytherins, trying to get over the noise that the other house were making. "And it's Chaser Nott, Chaser Parkinson, Chaser Zambini, Keeper Flint, Beater Crabbe, Beater Goyle, and Captain and Seeker Malfoy! For Gryffindor it's….Chaser Wood, Chaser Martinez, Chaser Reed, Keeper Prewett, Beater Pettigrew, Reserve Beater Castle in for Black who is on suspension, and Seeker and new Captain Potter!" The crowd began to cheer, but you could hear a few boos from the Slytherins.

"I hope Gabriella does alright," Remus stuttered.

"Of course she will," Lily reassured him. "She's an awesome Chaser!"

"And…their off! Gryffindor in possession and Wood passes to Martinez who passes to Reed and back to Martinez and she's going….going…going…YES! Martinez scores! 10-0 Gryffindor! Gryffindor in possession Wood has the Quaffle again, but aww Nott gets it. Nott is racing towards the Gryffindor polls and passes to Zambini and Zambini…No! Prewett saves it! Gryffindor still in the lead. Gryffindor back in possession and Martinez is flying through the air and…is that the Snitch already? Potter and Malfoy are diving for the Snitch. Goyle and Crabbe each hit a bludger at Potter…and Pettigrew can't get to Potter he's on the other side of the field. Castle misses the bludger and it's heading for Potter. Potter has no clue that it's coming for him…will Potter grab the Snitch before the Bludger gets him. NO! Potter is falling…he's falling farther and father and none of his team members are anywhere around! Potter falls to the ground, where are his team mates?"

"NO!" Lily screamed and Lily almost fell out of the bleachers and Sirius had to clutch on to her.

Madam Pomfrey, Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall, Gryffindor Quidditch team, and soon Lily, Gabriella, Cassidy, Sirius, and Sarah were on the field too, to see if James was alright.

The voice overhead started to shake, "I can't believe it. Potter took a thirty feet fall and in all the commotion Malfoy caught the Snitch…Slytherin wins 150-20." Slytherin began to cheer, but everyone else was quiet. Everyone else was worried about how James was.

Lily threw herself on top of James and started sobbing and shaking him, "James! James wake up! James please get up!" Sirius pulled her back and she was fighting him she had to get to James.

Dumbledore made a stretcher come out of his wand and put James on to, then levitated James to the Hospital Wing.

"What's going to happen to James?" Sarah asked in tears looking up at Sirius as he was still holding Lily, except now she was sobbing into his shoulder.

"We need to go owl your mum and then we'll go to the Hospital Wing." Sirius said.

"I've got a Quill and some parchment," Cassidy offered as they walked through the castle towards the Owlery.

Peter and Gabriella didn't even change out of their Quidditch robes. Gabriella turned to Cassidy, as they were walking slower than anyone else. "I feel horrible for Lily, look how devastated she is."

Cassidy nodded, "I would be if that had been Sirius and you would have if that had been Remus and he played Quidditch."

Gabriella agreed with Cassidy, "Yes but…think how hard this is going to be on Mrs. Potter and Sarah. Mr. Potter is still missing, and now James has fallen off his broomstick, unconscious and have no clue what's going on with him."

"The Potters are having the worst year ever." Cassidy sighed.

"Lily too," Gabby sighed.