Disclaimer: In short, I don't own anything except any original characters, such as Kat and Nick. So don't sue me.

AN: thanx for the reviews i got. This is just a short piece of the beginning of chapter 3 coz i know it's been ages since i last posted. Thanx for sticking wiv me! Hopefully the rest of the chapter won't be too far way. i will have replies to any of your reviews on my livejournal (see my profile for the address), i've been procrastinating recently, so i'm sorry for the wait. Keep the reviews comin.

By the way, i'm in need of a beta coz my past betas have been rather lax and no longer reply to my emails. Plz email me or contact me on livejournal if your interested.

Now the story

Lives Repaired

By ravus85

Last time

After Emily had died, Canada no longer seemed like home, so Evan decided it was time to return to what he had always considered home. The idea of having a new identity gave him the chance to live in a place he had always felt safe, while living the normal life he had never before had at Hogwarts.

As Evan entered the forest his shape shifted and he found himself walking of four paws as his sleek black fur faded into the dark forest. Still questioning how he felt about Ginny's sudden reappearance in his life, Evan didn't notice the twinkling blue eyes that watched a familiar black panther slink into the Forbidden Forest as the moon slowly rose in the sky.

Flying

As Evan returned from his evening musings he was startled to hear the shuffling of feet coming from his rooms. Cautiously he unlocked the door with a whispered and wandless spell, before gently easing the door open on its hinges.

The room was almost dark, only the light from the glowing fire flickered throughout the room, leaving an eerily haunting feeling in the air. Seeing no direct danger, Evan opened the door further and quietly stepped through before closing the door gently behind him. The soft shuffling sound came again, but this time Evan discerned that it was coming from Nick's room.

Thinking an intruder had entered his son's room, Evan hurried silently across the rug-covered floor, drawing his wand as he went. He came to a stop outside his son's room and lay his ear against the door, hoping to discern what was going on behind the closed door. The strange shuffling came again, but this time it was followed by what sounded like a sniffle.

Hearing what seemed like only one person behind the wooden barrier, Evan concluded that Nick was still asleep while the intruder moved about him. It was instinct alone that led Evan to shove his shoulder hard against the door, breaking the barrier between him and his son, before barreling into the room with his wand at the ready.

Evan came to a shocked standstill when he came across Nick's lone figure standing at the foot of his bed, clad in pajamas and wearing fluffy slippers, looking at Evan in curiosity. Still wary, Evan slowly turned in a circle before looking down at his son once more.

Nick was sucking his thumb, something Evan knew he only did when he was especially scared, but then he shifted slightly, still watching Evan closely. As Nick's feet shifted beneath him Evan heard the same shuffling sound.

Looking down at his son's slippered feet, he shook his head slightly at his own paranoia and knelt down in front of Nick.

"What are you doing out of bed at this time Nicky?" he asked, using the nickname he always did when his son looked scared.

Nick looked down at his feet, hesitating before he spoke, his answer somewhat muffled by the thumb in his mouth. "I had a nightmare Daddy, but then you weren't here when..."

Evan interrupted Nick as he moved forwards to wrap his arms tightly around his son. "Shhh, it's okay Nicky. I'm here now."

Evan felt Nick nod against his chest, before the boy extracted his thumb from his mouth and wrapped his small arms around Evan's neck.

Knowing that his son wouldn't want to sleep all alone in his bed tonight he asked Nick tentatively, "How would you like to sleep in my bed tonight, kiddo. And I promise I won't go anywhere else tonight."

There was another small nod, before Evan hoisted Nick up and carried his son through to his own room and gently deposited him on one side of the bed. He tried to extract himself from Nick's arms in order to get changed out of his robes, but Nick protested with a small shake of his head and tugged his father down to his eye level.

"Don't leave me please Daddy," he said as he nibbled his lip slightly.

"Shh," Evan replied, brushing a stray blonde hair out of his son's eyes. "I'm not going anywhere if you don't want me too. Now shove over a bit."

Nick slid into the middle of the bed, still refusing to let go of Evan's hand before burrowing under the blankets. Smiling at his son, Evan gently maneuvered himself into bed behind Nick and pulled the covers up to their chins.

"You okay Nick?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around his scared little boy once more.

There was a hesitant nod, before Nick answered. "Can you stay awake until I'm asleep?"

Evan nodded in return and watched as his son's eyes slowly drifted shut, the heavy breathing of sleep following soon after. "Goodnight Nick," he whispered softly before kissing his son's forehead and then settling down to sleep still fully dressed, the broken door to his son's room completely forgotten.

HPHPHPHPHP

to be continued...

Authors note – all the my review responses for the past for chapters are at my livejournal (see my user page for the address). Thanx for all the support guys, please continue to r&r. Hopefully the rest of this chapter won't take too long to get out. Thanx for sticking wiv me :D