Chapter 2

What is Going On?

James groaned and tried to open his eyes. What had happened? Where was he? Then, he heard a voice speak. Wait a minute! He thought. He knew that voice!

"Lily?" he asked.

"James! You're alright!" Lily leaned down and kissed him, delighted to see the love of her life living and well.

"Prongs, we were a bit scared you wouldn't wake up," Sirius smiled as James opened his eyes.

"Well, I'm up," he said as he stood. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Lily said. James looked around. He saw they were exactly where they had been the night before. The only thing different was it looked like last night hadn't happened at all. The trees were in perfect condition; the tree Remus had hit wasn't damaged at all. There wasn't any indication that a battle had taken place the night before. And he knew their friends wouldn't have left them there to die. They would have taken them up to the castle. Where was everyone?

"We had better get up to the castle and talk to Professor Dumbledore now and find out what happened," Lily said.

"I agree," James said. "I want to know why we're still out here. It looks like it's almost dinner time."

The three walked back up to the school and came through the Entrance Hall. They saw Professor McGonagall, the Transfiguration teacher, walking down the stairs and James ran up to her.

"Professor McGonagall, we need to see Professor Dumbledore," James said.

The professor's face suddenly turned into a mixture of shock and anger towards James at this request. "Mr. Potter! How dare you do such a thing! Especially since it was you who proclaimed to everyone Professor Dumbledore is dead! How could you say such a thing!"

"What!" James exclaimed. "When did this happen? Who did it?"

"I am appalled at you! Look Potter, ignoring it is not going to do anything to help us get over it. Now, please go to the Great Hall and join Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger. And get some rest please. You don't look well, and you also don't sound too well," the professor said addressing the fact that he had ignored Dumbledore's death.

James stared at the professor as she walked into the Great Hall.

"I don't look well, because I was just in a battle against Voldemort!" he said to himself.

Just then, Lily and Sirius walked up to James and Sirius said, "Prongs, who're Weasley and Granger?"

"Sirius! How could that be the first thing out of your mouth? We just found out Dumbledore died last night in the fight with Voldemort!" Lily exclaimed.

"Look, McGonagall said I told everyone he died. I know for a fact I would never pretend he was dead and I know I didn't tell anyone that anyway. So it couldn't have been me."

"Who else then?" Lily asked.

"I don't know. C'mon. Let's go look for Moony and Wormtail. I want to see if they're alright."

"They're probably in the Hospital Wing, don't you think?" Lily said.

"Remus would. Last night was a full moon."

Lily gasped. "And he was in the battle! Did Voldemort see?"

"He saw a werewolf, but I'm not sure if he knows who it is."

They walked toward the Hospital Wing and discovered it was empty.

"That's odd," James said.

"Maybe they're in the Great Hall?" Sirius suggested.

The three walked into the Great Hall, expecting people to be on edge from the previous night's events and upset over Dumbledore's death, but found it not to be.

"Why is everyone being so calm?" Sirius asked.

"I don't know," James said. "Oh, you guys go ahead. I've got to go check on something in my room. I'll be right back."

"Alright. We'll see you in a minute," Lily said. Sirius and Lily walked to the Gryffindor table and looked around.

"Do you see Remus or Peter?" Sirius asked.

"No. I don't see Julie or Cassie either. Maybe they're in the common room."

"Well, I'm not going to look anymore. I'm going to eat first!" Sirius said.

They sat down together and served themselves some food. Sirius started his usual ritual to see how much chicken he could shove in his mouth at the same time and in the process making so much noise, he called the whole Gryffindor table's attention to himself. They all watched in silent awe as Sirius crammed more chicken into his mouth.

"What?" he asked. "I've eaten like this for seven years! Why the sudden interest now?" he asked still with his mouth full, so no one understood him. Suddenly, they heard a boy give out a small yelp followed by a crash. Everyone in the Great Hall turned their heads from Sirius to the boy who had fallen over as if all the students made up one person.

"Harry, are you alright?" a red headed girl asked. "What happened?"

"I thought I was over it….I thought I could handle….he's not….he's dead…."

"Harry, are you sure your okay?" a girl with bushy brown hair asked.

"You thought you could handle what?" a boy with hair as red as the girl's asked, trying to find some answers.

"Nothing. I…I just think I need to go and rest." Harry said and headed out of the Great Hall, followed by three people. Sirius tried to get a good look at the boy but couldn't; there were too many people in the way.

When everything had calmed down, Sirius turned towards Lily and asked, "Do you know who that was?"

"No, I don't. Are you done yet?"

"I guess I could be…."

"Then come on!" Lily said, pulling Sirius behind her.