Chapter 25 – A not so Bright Future.

Sirius was in pieces. Half an hour his love had been bewitched to try and kill him but had been stopped by a lightening bolt. He would never complain about storms ever again!

After the sudden death of the man known as the Avenging Angel, the opening in the forest was flooded with people, calling and shouting, running checking that him self, Raine and Zelda was well or at least alive. He wouldn't let Raine go and therefore carried her all the way up to the Hospital Wing.

After much persuasion, Sirius was finally convinced that Raine was fine and that all she needed was a good night sleep. He sat beside her throughout the evening, occasionally squeezing her hand and kissing her brow. The Marauders and Lily stayed with him and relayed to him the news of Zelda's well being.

In fact, there wasn't much they could tell. Zelda was taken to another part of the wing and blocked off from view and even Madame Pomprey wouldn't answer their queries. It wasn't until the others left for the last dinner in the Great Hall, did Sirius venture away from Raine to find out about Zel.

Seeing no one around, Sirius slipped through the barricade and found Zelda pale, stiff and cold. He first thought was that she was dead but her chest indicated that she was breathing soundly. He was forever in debt to her.

She had saved them all. He had been a fool and put her in direct danger. This could have all been avoided if he had kept his petty difference with Snape to himself.

"Thank you", he murmured to Zelda and lightly kissed her cheek and tucked her further into the covers before leaving her.

It was then he noticed that Raine's eyes was following his movement back to her side.

"Sirius?" she whispered. "I'm so sorry. I…I tried to stop…but…but."

"Shhh", he said soothingly, "It wasn't you but your brother. Thank goodness for Zel. If she hadn't stuck him with the lightening bolt, you and I would be dead."

"Is…is he…dead", asked Raine softly.

"Yes."

The silence filled the gap until Raine broke down in tears and threw her arms around Sirius pulling him down to her bed. "I'm so glad that you are with me. I couldn't having you not here and him… him alive. Is it wrong to be grateful that my brother is dead?"

"No, love", replied Sirius sympathise as he stroked and kissed her hair. "It's natural."

At her urgency to feel Sirius's warmth, Raine dragged the tall, muscular Marauder to her side and hugged him for dear life as well as kissing him fervently. Sirius, of course, took this all in his stride and complied with Raine's wishes.

The first indication that Zel was indeed not dead was when she glanced around the hospital wing and noted that it remarkable looked actually like Hogwarts. As her eyes began to focus in the darkness of the wing, she was certain that she survived her last night…she wouldn't believe that Heaven was constructed off of Hogwarts.

Her sight brought her upon two dishevelled figures which reinforced the horrors of the night. It took all of Zelda's will power not to scream out loud in anguish.

She had killed a man.

The person that she hated in the whole world was dead but she still had murdered him in cold blood. Of course, she knew all her friends won't see it that way. She could almost picture trying to comfort her with 'he didn't deserve to live', 'you had to or Sirius would have died' and the worst of them all, 'there was nothing you could have done'.

She should have believed in Severus and none of the torture would have happened. The more time passed Zelda spent awake the more her mind began to register the pain her body had been subjected too.

And all of this happened because of me. I can't see my friends getting hurt again! It was a close call. If I hadn't been so angry then I could have never called up the storm and produced lightening.

Again her eyes wander back to the pair she had spotted early. If it hadn't been for Zelda's lack of faith in Severus, Raine and Sirius would have enjoyed their last night together as a couple should have - romantically. Raine looked sickly pale in her sheets which had been securely tighten around her while Sirius' head was lolling back against the seat which he had fallen asleep in, all his clothes crumbled, still grasping Raine's hand. Tears started to roll down her cheek as Zel realised she could never look into Raine's eyes again.

She had killed Raine's brother.

The action of the lightening bolt striking Theo came into Zelda's thoughts vividly which started Zelda having panic attacks about her control. Taking deep breathes to insure that she did not waking the others, Zelda came to the conclusion that she would have to leave. Leave the school, leave her friends, leave anyone who knew her and start somewhere when nobody had any chance of getting harmed because of what she was.

I can't stand and see another person I love getting hurt.

With her mind made up, Zelda decided to leave right now as it would avoid people asking questions in the morning and her friends trying to comfort her but most of all from someone giving her a good enough reason to stop her from disappearing. Just moving to sit removed all the energy from Zel's limbs yet she was determined to pack a few precious things and slip out of the school without any witnesses.

It had taken Zelda a whole hour to reach the Ravenclaw tower and was extremely thankful that no one was about to question why she was out of bed and had the worst kind of nightie on.

Now quietly stumbling down the moving staircases, Zelda had packed light with three changes of clothes, all her money and a few tokens that were important to her.

Zelda knew that her time was running short as the sun's rays were lightening up the corridors through the windows. Finally reaching the end of a gruelling staircase, Zelda hobbled across the empty hallway to the school doors.

"Zelda!" said the exclaimed voice behind her, "What's Pomprey thinking letting you out so soon!"

Zelda hoped that is was her imagination that was playing tricks on her so she ignored the voice and headed towards the door. However the sound of someone striding behind her to catch up with her and then stopping her escape by holding onto her arm, proved her wish was wrong.

"Why are you going outside?" asked a very worried looking Remus.

"Early morning walk", replied Zelda unconvincingly, "getting some fresh air."

Remus raised his eyebrows in disbelief, as both knew that Zel can not lie to save herself. Zel kept her eyes low so that there might of be a slime chance that he would be convinced and leave her to her plan.

"What are you doing out of bed?" he requested quite sternly.

"Nothing special," said Zelda, "decided it would be better to run away, instead of waiting around and seeing my entire friend getting hurt because big, bad Voldie wants me for his dominating world plans for pure-bloods. I mean, I have already lost my whole family, why would he consider stopping at friends. And to top it all off, I don't like the visions I keep on seeing you guys in. How do you expect me to converse, eat and be happy when all I see in my dreams are death and destruction which has a high percentage of coming true?"

In one sense, Zelda was quite embarrassed about her ranting but on the other side she was pleased that she had finally voice all her worries to the only man she had ever had a serious crush on for the last three years. It was still amusing in all these circumstances to see Lupin slightly stunned at such an outburst.

Seeing her chance for disappearing, Zelda again made her way to the door but was again by Remus' applying pressure on her arm.

"What do you see?" enquired a now composed Moony. "Do you think we wouldn't want to be friends with you? Is that it?"

"No." stated Zel. "I can't be friends with any of yous. I nearly got Sirius killed; I murdered Raine's brother…"

"No one thinks that way," interrupted Remus softly.

"But I do," say Zel firmly, "and I see terrible things. Raine is going to risk everything to become a spy for ….for the good guys, Sirius will eventually die saving the ones he loves, James and Lily will chose to live a short life because of their love and you…you will be alone for the greater part of your early life due your condition."

Tears were running down Zelda's face.

Remus felt his stomach drop, "What condition?"

"Werewolf", whispered Zel as she stared into Remus' eyes to make him understand. "I can't do it. I'm not a Gryffindor – I'm not courageous."

"But Zel..." Remus trailed off. "Do you need any help with luggage?"

"No I'll just Apparate outside", she declared, "didn't want to do it inside. Makes such a loud noise."

Remus gently squeezed her shoulder and said, "You can't Apparate in the Hogwarts ground. It states that in A History of Hogwarts."

"Look under the plastic cover at the end of the book and in very small print it clearly says and I quote that "pure-blood heirs to the houses can do the bloody hell they like." She said with a small smile. "See, you didn't read the whole book."

And with that she nudged the heavy door open with Remus' reluctant help and they stood out side for two minutes in complete silence.

"Don't tell them that we met," begged Zelda, "they will be angry at me not saying goodbye and pissed off that you would not stop me and that includes hexing!"

"Don't go", said Remus truly sad at Zel's departure.

"I wouldn't be able to live with myself if…" She closed her eyes as the dreams she had at night filtered through. "Maybe in a couple of days or years I'll come to my senses. But if any of yous are in any danger or…or… then owl me? Promise?"

Remus couldn't speak and swept her into a tight hug before letting her go by smile slightly and Apparating out of their lives forever.

Snape sat brooding in the morning by himself which fitted his angry thoughts perfectly.

How dare MacGregor let Raine get into a situation like that! Raine could have died or worse, been bullied into joining the Dark Lord. What an idiot Black is! He is a bad influence and will get his closet friends killed! Didn't he prove that with the stunt with the werewolf? I will have to have words with MacGregor. I'm under suspicion from Malfoy and the others because of my 'chat' with Professor Dumbledore last night. Luckily I had the sense to get him out to the Forbidden Forest in time. Marauders…what fools!

Severus was broken out of his reverie when there was a disturbance from the Teacher's table and the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables. As he watched he noticed that Madame Pomprey looked pale with anxiety and the Marauders were dumbfounded. However he could see that Remus Lupin was being exceptionally calm in all the commotion. Severus grinned at seeing discomfort from that lot until the name of Zelda filled the air.

At that precise moment, a letter was dropped by the early Owl Post. Snape never received any mail, even from his family. He ripped it open and all his anger to MacGregor evaporated.

I'm truly sorry. Forgive?

This message left Snape thinking all the way on the train ride home.

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Well, under great pressure from the reviewers, I have written the final chapter of this story. I do not want to give it an epilogue yet because I am thinking about an older Zelda and Remus story. I do apologise for the people who loved Snape and MacGregor together but it was only flirting because you never take the bad boy home to the parents! If you are still confused on anything, go me an email and I will explain.

However I am going to take a small break and I will appear with One-Shots from several other fab authors! Enjoy the summer and if you want me to review your story or anything please email me and I will do so!

Thank you for all your review they have helped to shape this story!