Harry Potter or any other characters associated with the book are the sole property of J. K. Rowling. Any original character created solely for this story belongs to me, Little C.

Reviews, comments and even flames are welcome. A big thank you to my beta reader Dorothy.

The Things We Never Did or Said, Chapter Nine

Lindsey was setting the table for dinner when her cousin, Sydney, entered with two letters in her hand. She held them out and Lindsey accepted them with a surprised look at her cousin.

"Owl post," Sydney said, "I believe that is the phrase you used."

"Yes," she said and accepted the letters. "Can you finish setting the table? The steak will be ready in a few minutes so just take it out when the timer goes off."

Sydney nodded and Lindsey walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs to her room and sat down on her bed before she took a look at the letters.

She recognised who the first letter was from immediately; Lily. There was no mistaking that elegant handwriting or the emerald green ink she had used ever since their first year at Hogwarts. The second letter was either hastily written or whomever wrote it was really not used to writing letters.

She opened Lily's first, her heart beating fast. She hadn't heard anything from Lily in nearly a year. It contained two pictures as well as a letter. She looked at the pictures, the first one she recognised from the day they had all arrived at King's Cross. Lily's father - thesubjects didn't move - had taken a picture of herself, Lily, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter before they had all parted ways. James was hugging Lily and she had allowed Sirius to hug her as well though she really hadn't felt that comfortable with that level of public displays of affection. She looked at the picture trying to recall what she felt that day. It seemed nearly a lifetime ago though it was just three years,and they had been so young. Lindsey didn't know why but she liked Muggle photos better than the moving Wizard kind. She liked the fact that you could capture a moment, and no matter how much time passed, the scene would never change.

She took a look at the other picture and in this one the people did move. It was James and Lily and Lily was holding a little baby in her arms, they both looked very much like the proud parents.

Lindsey noticed that the sleeping baby had black hair. The strange vision she had had on they day of their N.E.W.T.s came to her mind. It was quite obvious it was their child. She turned the photo over and found that there were names written there:

James, Lily and Harry

Then again she could be totally wrong. She put down the pictures and started on Lily's letter:

Dear Lindsey

I'm sorry I haven't been able to stay in touch with you lately Things suddenly
got hectic and are just now finally starting to slow down and make sense.

I knew I told you that James and I were expecting our first child, as you
can see on the picture it's a boy. I really missed you at Harry's christening,
but we all thought it would be best to keep it simple and just the
family - although you are more of a sister to me than my real one.

Sirius was chosen as Harry's godfather, I'm not sure if that was such a wise
choice but at least he can be trusted. I wanted to make you his godmother
but I guess you'll just have to wait for the next kid - that is if I ever let James touch
me again.

I must hurry and finish this letter, even though we are pretty safe right now
we can't really afford to drop our guard. I want you to take care as well; even
the Muggle world isn't that safe so I urge to keep - as Mad-Eye Moody
would say - constant vigilance.

Don't answer this letter; it seems like we have a double agent in our midst, we don't
know who so we really can't afford to trust anyone. I'll contact you again as soon as I can.

Sincerely yours,

Lily Potter

Lindsey folded the letter and got up from her bed and walked over to the window. It was just past sunset so some light still lingered at the horizon. She leaned her forehead against the cool windowpane. Somewhere out there her friends were fighting for their lives to keep the rest of them safe. She wished she could be with them, but she was neither heroic nor powerful.

She watched as the last light faded and the lights of the night flickered to life. A cold sense of dread filled her and she half expected to see the Dark Mark appear in the sky. Maybe she just felt a bit jumpy because Lily had mentioned a double agent. Who would be stupid enough to try and spy on the Order of the Phoenix, right under Dumbledore's nose?

She turned and saw the other letter lying on the bed. With a sigh she picked it up and opened it:

Dear Lindsey

I'm so sorry, darling, things really took a turn for the worse lately but we hope
that things will calm down now, although with Voldemort still on the loose
I doubt it will ever be. We suspect we have a traitor in our midst. Lily and
James have gone into hiding and I'm planning to do so as well, so this might
be my last chance to speak to you for a long time.

In the envelope, there is something I want you to have. I wanted to give it
to you on the day of James and Lily's wedding, but couldn't find the proper moment.
As it is now, the chances seem to be growing fewer by the minute. It's a Claddagh ring.
I hope you know what it means. I have one, too. This ring is my promise
to you that as long as we each wear them, we will be connected, no matter how far apart
life takes us.

Until we meet again, my sweet.

Yours forever,

Sirius Black

Lindsey picked up the envelope and noticed that there was indeed a ring in it. She placed it the palm of her hand, examining it. The light shone on the crowned heart held securely by the two hands.

She felt warm all over, secure in the notion that this was the proof she needed from him. With trembling fingers she put the ring on her left hand ring finger with the crown outward, it fit perfectly.

There was a sudden knock on the door.

"Yes!" she called.

The door opened and Sydney poked her head inside.

"The steak is finished," she said, "are you coming down or should we start without you?"

"You go ahead," Lindsey said, "I'll be down in a minute."

Sydney nodded and closed the door behind her. Lindsey put the letters back into the envelopes and placed them on her dresser. As she was about to leave the room she was hit by a dizzy spell and leaned against the doorframe for support.

Superimposed in the hallway was an unfamiliar room. Unfortunately, the people in the room were not...

"Lily, take Harry and go! Go! Run! I'll hold him off -"

Lily stumbled out of the room as James drew his wand. The front door burst open and there stood something barely recognizable as human, but more probable than not, Voldemort. The Dark Lord laughed - a high-pitched cackle - and a green light rushed out of his wand. The green light hit him and James sagged to the floor as he suddenly lost all his strength.

At first Lindsey didn't understand what she was seeing but as she stared at James, lying on the floor, his glasses broken and askew, hazel eyes staring out at nothing it dawned on her … James was dead.

The scene changed as Voldemort moved into the house and a door opened revealing Lily standing in front of a crib. Fear was evident in her eyes but she was standing firmly in the way of the Dark Lord, protecting her baby with her very life.

"Not Harry, not Harry, please – I'll do anything -"

"Stand aside - stand aside, girl -"

"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"

"Stand aside, you silly girl … stand aside, now …"

"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead -"

Voldemort advanced menacingly.

"Not Harry! Please … have mercy … have mercy …"

A high-pitched laughter, a rush of green light and Lily fell lifeless to the floor, her green eyes opened wide. Voldemort pointed his wand at the one year old toddler sitting in the crib looking up at the monster that had just killed both his parents in cold blood. This time the green light filled the room…

Lindsey was back in her room sitting on the floor. Far away she could hear someone screaming in terror. It took a while for her to realise it was she who was screaming.

Her Uncle Ben burst into the room with a fire poker in his hand looking wildly around for an attacker. Realising there were none he sat down beside her.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"Lily…James," she got out through sobs, "they're…dead…"

"How do you know that?" he asked staggered.

"I saw it," she whimpered.

"You what?" he asked.

"I SAW IT!" she screamed and buried her face in her uncle's chest and cried – cried so hard she thought her heart would break.

Lindsey looked into the teacup her uncle had placed before her on the table. She had recovered from the initial shock of seeing two of her best friends being killed and was now feeling miserable and somewhat frustrated for not being able to prevent it.

"You sure you feeling better, love?" he asked.

"I've stopped crying haven't I?" she retorted.

"That's not what I meant," he said placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It feels like a part of me has been torn away," she said. "Like a big gaping hole of pain in my soul."

"I know," her uncle admitted.

"How do you go on living like this?" she asked.

"You just do," he said, "you can't stop living because they do. You have to be strong and remember that you have things to live for. And one day you find out that the pain is less and you can remember without wanting to cry."

She looked up at him and saw the shadow of an old sorrow in his eyes.

"Who?"

"My partner for over ten years," he said, his voice a bit thick, "he was shot during what started out as a routine patrol. I was with him in the ambulance to the hospital; he died there on the gurney before we got there. It was hard. Seeing someone you hold dear die."

"You should go home," she said.

"I'm staying," he said. "You need me more than they do."

"I hope Sydney wasn't hurt when the glass mirror exploded," she said.

"I think she was more frightened than actually hurt," he said reassuringly. "As was Polly and Neil."

"Go home," she said again. "I need to be alone."

"You sure?" he asked.

"I have nothing to fear," she said, "the Dark Lord has been vanquished. That was news not even the Muggles missed."

"Shooting stars and owls in the middle of the day," he said, "your friends really know how to party."

"I think some just got a bit over-excited," she said and managed a weak smile. The Potters may have died but the greatest threat to our world was defeated."

She got up from her chair and followed him out into the hall.

"Take care, love," he said and kissed her on the cheek.

"I will," she said.

She stood in the doorway long after he had driven off. She thought the world looked a bit different, even though it really hadn't changed. The edges looked sharper, the colours more glaring than ever before.

'Is this the way the world looks when you are grieving?' she wondered silently and walked inside.

Feeling dizzy she leaned against the door for support and once again the near future superimposed itself over the present...

On a rain soaked street in the middle of a crowd stood two robed men. One short and portly the other tall and slim. She knew them. Peter and Sirius.

From the looks of it, it seemed as though Peter had Sirius cornered.

"Lily and James, Sirius! How could you!"

Before Lindsey had time to react to what Peter had said a big blast erupted and Lindsey had to cover her eyes - though it was pointless in her case. As the light disappeared she saw only devastation, everywhere people were screaming. The blast had created a big crater in the street, right down to the sewer and Sirius...Sirius was laughing as though all of it had been a joke...

The world returned to normal and Lindsey sank down to her knees on the floor her mind blank.

Ben looked around the scene of the accident. He didn't believe for a second that this was done by a gas explosion, especially not with some very shady characters he had never seen before going around asking people questions and leaving them with blank looks

"Miss, you can't come through here!"

He turned around and saw two officers trying to detain a young female that looked as though she had been to hell and back. Her long blond hair was dishevelled and her grey eyes were opened wide and were red. Shockedhe realised that it was Lindsey and he hurried over to her. She made no show of recognizing him as he approached and he noticed that she was dressed in the same clothes as she had on when he left her and her face was bloody.

"What's the matter, love?" he asked.

"He couldn't have done this!" she said in a faint voice.

"Done what?" he asked. He saw traces of tears on her cheeks and wondered what on earth had happened to her after he had left.

"I refuse to believe," she screamed as she fell to her knees slamming her fists against the ground. "I can't believe it."

"Lindsey," he said trying to get through to her, "you shouldn't be here."

People were turning to look at them but he didn't care. His niece was obviously upset about what had happened here which confirmed his suspicions about it not being an ordinary accident.

"Love, you can't stay here," he said and she looked up at him.

"It's a mistake," she said. "They spoke of a traitor."

"Lindsey," he said and grabbed hold of her shaking her lightly. "What is it?"

"Excuse me, officer," a hoarse voice said. Ben looked up and saw a young man with light-brown hair standing there, though he really couldn't say why the man looked somewhat familiar.

"Yes" he said.

"I'll take care of her," he said.

"And you are?" he asked suspiciously.

"A friend," the man said, "we went to school together. My name is Remus."

Ben nodded and Remus helped Lindsey to her feet and then picked her up into his arms and carried her away from the crowd.

"Officer Bloodsworth!" his superior shouted.

"Coming," he called and went back about his job.

Warmth seemed to ease into his frozen limbs and the light that shown in from outside seemed brighter. Sirius turned his head and looked at the door and saw that the Dementors had moved away, he knew they would be back though. They had been very exited this morning so he suspected that someone had died or was dying.

He really didn't care which the case was, most of the people in here were going to die sooner or later and considering this place they all wished it would be sooner.

Slowly he got up from the stony floor and went over to the little window in the wall. Outside it was just water, miles and miles of sea. The warmth of the sun felt good against his face. Warmth was rare in a place like this.

He jumped as there was a plinking sound and something golden rolled away from him and stopped in the middle of the cell as it hit an indentation in the floor.

Surprised he picked up the golden object and noticed that it was a ring - a ring depicting two hands holding a crowned heart. He remembered that he had given someone a ring that looked exactly like this one, but he couldn't remember who. He shook his head. Whoever it was, they must be part of a wonderful memory, because in this place, those memories were the first to go. He looked down at the ring.

"I can't remember you," he said to the ring, "but considering what this design stands for I must love you very much."

A ray of sunshine hit the ring and made it sparkle as though confirming his words. He put the ring back onto his finger and realized that it was way too loose. Dismayed, he saw that all his fingers were too thin. No wonder the ring had fallen off.

He tore of a strip of cloth from his robes and threaded the ring onto it, tying it around his neck so he could wear it as a necklace. He put his hand over the ring as he looked out over the calm ocean,imaging that someone somewhere was doing the same thing.

Dialogue lifted from pages 134, 154 as well as 177 and 178 from 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'. Parts of the description in the vision were also from the book.

To Be Continued...