p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5e7c89aadb48eae836469bd6a88d4aa7"Lilah Darcy knew she had to move forwards somehow, even if she didn't know where she was going./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f5243ddf671cb1d818a5a6b0c8322b2d"Not ready to fully address the past, the years plagued with pain never being ready to let go, having to sideline her feelings to survive, for now. There was someone who guided her through this state before but she laughed at the idea of it today, as there was no one who she hated more bitterly but couldn't help thinking about constantly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f0d40637e17be16e33956072a58b2136""Oh my god" Alexander Vance was heard screaming into the corridor of his friends family home sending Lilah out of her thoughts and back into reality./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="fccaa9de1d5ec581e7b95de31af5f919""What the hell is going on-" Articus the beloved cousin asked rubbing his eyes with his child by his side, it was after all only 9am./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7511031d77a7c0a1f994e858c9dd39fe""This just arrived" Alexander groaned thrusting a newspaper into Articus's face, the Daily Prophet to be exact. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="900815d28cca655a291bd9fb80ab1188""FUGITIVES!" He screamed having a clear crisis an outward panic, highly unusual for the man who was the epitome of a calm optimist. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2e3ceff386123f06050568b8e9c9b18f""Woah... what's happening" Lilah finally emerged from the staircase hearing the commotion from above. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4de6d2686d85fc6cf9c71092602eabeb""We're fugitives!" Alexander said loudly running down the corridor towards his best friend, the newspaper in hand, a small section in the corner describing them all too realistically, with the woman described as being 'speculated' to be Lilah herself. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="bf816d708d960b29a73880eacedf2478"Lilah simply stopped at the bottom step groaning before bursting into the most inappropriately timed laughter. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9e4311b0439b51d7953ba3172b38381d""How is this funny?" He asked clearly confused and becoming more frustrated by his friends response by the second. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5c2b9d1b6694156338a280433ec9b105"Lilah simply shook her head saying "oh believe me it's not, I'm just not shocked by this anymore, not shocked by this ministry... this paper" looking simply disgusted./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="cb86c0d9143c893eda96e5d968cebf6f"Articus interjected suddenly, watching the situation carefully from the corridor this whole time "why don't we all go to the dining room and read this properly, I know Aliyah is making breakfast too and Lilah you know how amazing of a cook she is" Articus tried to ease the atmosphere. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="db386ac709aeea3d0cddbb0af78aee35"Alexander sighed knowing Articus was right, they had to dive into this fully before moving further, before creating a plan. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="dae990ae4cca49b5b28277d95ba107ed""thank you" Lilah whispered fo her cousin as he guided them down the hallway./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b8a660cfc81caf96f425dc31c1047d67""Oh Lilah" Alexander turned in the doorway putting a hand on her shoulder as she was about to enter the room, "you have a letter, I think it's from Harry? Judging on the owl that delivered it at least..." he said slowly and softly, sliding the letter into her hand as if he were hiding something. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="fec9efd3056a078b7f76ff18834138c1""Oh wow already, well I wonder what's happened, thanks Xander" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ec6f77452003a1cb17e525aa4d9b030f"He smiled ever so slightly "just cause we're a mess doesn't mean he is, maybe he just wants to get to know his godmother and practically his aunt better already" Alexander suggested "after all you said the Potter you knew always managed things in the end"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7bf48c309c8ef50024c27b0532148a03"Lilah snorting loudly as he said that last sentence "yes, but never alone" she stifled a laugh taking the letter finally from his outstretched hand. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6709b2816eef0679882eabd7e9ffae8b"Lilah carefully peeled the letter open, it appeared to have been a while since Harry had wrote it, Hogwarts perhaps almost 2 weeks into their term now, Lilah unsure of how much time had passed at Articus' or after the Hogwarts Snape encounter which led to this unfortunate fugitive situation. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8ccc331d7326063c434dc52edbca893e"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Dear Lilah,/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ad515cb735e4951ab94e455e8bcce976"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I apologise this letter is longer and has perhaps taken a while, you're someone Hedwig appears to be struggling to find. I've tried to combine my 3 original letters for you, I hope it makes sense. /em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="111e1058f1297259928d09a93a4752ed"Lilah laughed reading Harry's first paragraph, at least that meant her non verbal magic, protection charms and Alexander's too were as strong as ever, always a gift for both of them. But three letters? What on earth could have happened? /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="822a8b94eeed489be1ba8959713a8639"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"A lot has happened this year already, it has me wondering will I ever get to just relax at Hogwarts fully? I can only hope. /em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4857b63997674fe846e22a868de01c22"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"The first night back Dementors boarded the train, looking for Sirius Black however they stopped, right at my carriage and I could feel myself just drifting away, completely hopeless, I could hear them, I could hear my parents I could hear that entire evening as if I were there not as myself but as someone, something else. /em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d5715d290798125705451d20598201cb"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I fear they would have taken my soul, no one knew what to do, never experiencing one before until, our sleeping professor, he's new you see DADA, Professor Lupin awoke and stepped in, the most powerful intervention I've seen. I passed out but once I awoke he was there with Chocolate, he said it helps and I admit it did and then he slid away for the rest of the journey. This hasn't been the first time we have met though, I'll go into that soon, I'm trying to be chronological for now. /em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0ef883ec345e3845350e484c182ddbd0"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Upon arrival Dumbledore announced they were guarding the castle, no one will tell me why but everyone seems to know. I'm glad you gave me some information at least but it seems like there's more others know which maybe you don't. /em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b68bd0193a84afabd6eeed967a6d8eef"Lilah grimaced inside in guilt reading that part, knowing she hadn't told Harry the full truth. Not knowing how he'd react if he ever found out, to break the trust of a boy who's never had parental figures he could remember, a boy who embraced her so quickly, someone he'd just met but already put full trust in, she felt sick in her stomach. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="58d28d4c76a547cd805e5177abc0bc6e"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Our new professor, Professor Lupin, the one who saved my life, he seems so familiar to me but I can never figure out why, he offered to teach me how to generate a protonus charm after my dementor experience and I have now been taking lessons with him after class. He's a mysterious man, disappeared for a week for family illness, I hope everything is ok as he is undoubtedly the best DADA professor I've had at Hogwarts and my favourite professor for certain. For once I feel like I'm being helped not because I'm 'the boy who lived' but because someone genuinely has my best interests at heart. We're currently practicing the protonus charm on boggarts which unsurprisingly turn into well you know who, Voldemort for me./em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b77ea2ec74423b03b1d24283f99a3932"Lilah read over that section of the letter multiple times almost laughing to herself that Harry couldn't remember Remus but, of course he wouldn't of and her heart filling with love as Harry talked about him and his new role so positively, she missed her old best friend but had absolutely no idea how to re-appear in his life, only sending a letter which was weirdly ominous, a churning guilt every waking day./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="fefdea912d65cbdc96719e869aa7d262"Never forgetting how he stood at the funeral for the Potter's alone while she had to stood hidden in the corner alone attempting not to sob and draw attention to herself and end up in Azkaban side by side with mr Black himself./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f79865338d1941cf17040f7b64ee6088"The years and years she had left him alone believing all of his friends were dead for her own safety, for the rules of occultum she had often seen as stupid. She would never forgive herself even if she had had little choice and always told herself if she were Remus she would never forgive her either. She would hate herself from his perspective if she could, just as much as she hated herself for the past 12 years, and all the things she simply couldn't do. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="07424b055616288976a195417cf229f9"She hated her selfishness all for her safety but knew that it was the 'rational' thing to do, hating rationality at many points within her life, which had been plagued with loss and heartbreak but of which, she knew could not match Remus' and that broke her heart even further. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8727a3d88b4790ebad5e457007156517"Lilah also laughed internally about Remus' mystery family illness', hoping all the students were as oblivious as Harry because for once Remus got to live the normal life, the life he always wanted and the thought of that brought Lilah to tears with happiness but also sadness, for all the years Remus lost to a disease he couldn't control. He would always be her best friend in her heart, her perceived betrayal of him just as painful as the losses she had suffered. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0c7fb182b72b272b42fa5ac751fe8463"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"To end this letter, I want to say I hope you are well and I hope to hear from you or see you soon, if you have any advice it would be highly appreciated as you may have realised I don't really get much parental advice with the Dursley's. /em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5ee9e6813e812c1d24892d7e990ec41d"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"- Harry /em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d95da8cce32559843bf1876e7ef1c9ca"Lilah immediately stood up to grab a pen and began to write back to Harry before she realised there was something she had to do first, before she could ever move forwards, before she could begin to make a plan on what was next in her peruse of Sirius Black or give Harry meaningful advice. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="09c3d9af5bd1a13af2b2422fd1b39007"Lilah Darcy mumbled "uhh I have to go, now" scrabbling into the hallway outside the dining room, grabbing her set of keys for Articus' and Aliyah's house back from when she lived here, her wand placed in her boot and a winter hat to attempt to disguise herself with her large winter jacket accompanying it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ec686a29a0d206710f8c38c1feaba9ea""woah, woah, woah Lilah where are you going? We have to figure out what the hell we're going to do first" Alexander said putting down his breakfast for two seconds, realising Articus was right Aliyah was an amazing cook but more importantly, he couldn't let his best friend get arrested. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a25bd83c7049d67f2454a0316fc251cc"Lilah mumbled once more, unsure of what to say signalling to her family that this was impulsive but somehow important and should be trusted. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="220c96f1b909a7ee68da6362623466e8""I'll be back later, there's something I just have to do" she said practically running out of the door leaving her family in suspense and shock although this wasn't out of character for Lilah, she was a fugitive now, things were different and here was safe unlike the outside world. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0208cd5c445cdb72fa9d4fad1f92be08""I know what I have to do" Lilah mumbled to herself writing a simple, short letter before apperating to Hogsmeade./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a33680b634791cf59108a1d79696fb39"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Dear Fred George,/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f3cffc692c350db40985ccf17b67b752"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I need your help with something, meet me in Hogsmeade at 12? (I know you boys have found the secret exits somehow)/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="11f435019d62d153f2abe2cb60ae6c05"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Lilah/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f51023398c814a7ba03a4e5dcd0fb072"She had to see Remus, she had to try to make things right, close her era of self hatred and guilt before she could move forwards. Forgetting the rationality which led to the soul destroying guilt to begin with, risking herself for her friends as the Lilah from 12 years ago too commonly did, a woman she only vaguely remembered and felt scared but excited to see again. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="60d947422dced767b13ac7da312257f6""forget being rational, I need to see Remus, to make things right" she mumbled before leaving, to Hogsmeade with nerves she had never felt before. An ominous letter wasn't good enough./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f5243ddf671cb1d818a5a6b0c8322b2d"Not ready to fully address the past, the years plagued with pain never being ready to let go, having to sideline her feelings to survive, for now. There was someone who guided her through this state before but she laughed at the idea of it today, as there was no one who she hated more bitterly but couldn't help thinking about constantly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f0d40637e17be16e33956072a58b2136""Oh my god" Alexander Vance was heard screaming into the corridor of his friends family home sending Lilah out of her thoughts and back into reality./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="fccaa9de1d5ec581e7b95de31af5f919""What the hell is going on-" Articus the beloved cousin asked rubbing his eyes with his child by his side, it was after all only 9am./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7511031d77a7c0a1f994e858c9dd39fe""This just arrived" Alexander groaned thrusting a newspaper into Articus's face, the Daily Prophet to be exact. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="900815d28cca655a291bd9fb80ab1188""FUGITIVES!" He screamed having a clear crisis an outward panic, highly unusual for the man who was the epitome of a calm optimist. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2e3ceff386123f06050568b8e9c9b18f""Woah... what's happening" Lilah finally emerged from the staircase hearing the commotion from above. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4de6d2686d85fc6cf9c71092602eabeb""We're fugitives!" Alexander said loudly running down the corridor towards his best friend, the newspaper in hand, a small section in the corner describing them all too realistically, with the woman described as being 'speculated' to be Lilah herself. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="bf816d708d960b29a73880eacedf2478"Lilah simply stopped at the bottom step groaning before bursting into the most inappropriately timed laughter. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9e4311b0439b51d7953ba3172b38381d""How is this funny?" He asked clearly confused and becoming more frustrated by his friends response by the second. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5c2b9d1b6694156338a280433ec9b105"Lilah simply shook her head saying "oh believe me it's not, I'm just not shocked by this anymore, not shocked by this ministry... this paper" looking simply disgusted./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="cb86c0d9143c893eda96e5d968cebf6f"Articus interjected suddenly, watching the situation carefully from the corridor this whole time "why don't we all go to the dining room and read this properly, I know Aliyah is making breakfast too and Lilah you know how amazing of a cook she is" Articus tried to ease the atmosphere. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="db386ac709aeea3d0cddbb0af78aee35"Alexander sighed knowing Articus was right, they had to dive into this fully before moving further, before creating a plan. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="dae990ae4cca49b5b28277d95ba107ed""thank you" Lilah whispered fo her cousin as he guided them down the hallway./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b8a660cfc81caf96f425dc31c1047d67""Oh Lilah" Alexander turned in the doorway putting a hand on her shoulder as she was about to enter the room, "you have a letter, I think it's from Harry? Judging on the owl that delivered it at least..." he said slowly and softly, sliding the letter into her hand as if he were hiding something. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="fec9efd3056a078b7f76ff18834138c1""Oh wow already, well I wonder what's happened, thanks Xander" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ec6f77452003a1cb17e525aa4d9b030f"He smiled ever so slightly "just cause we're a mess doesn't mean he is, maybe he just wants to get to know his godmother and practically his aunt better already" Alexander suggested "after all you said the Potter you knew always managed things in the end"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7bf48c309c8ef50024c27b0532148a03"Lilah snorting loudly as he said that last sentence "yes, but never alone" she stifled a laugh taking the letter finally from his outstretched hand. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6709b2816eef0679882eabd7e9ffae8b"Lilah carefully peeled the letter open, it appeared to have been a while since Harry had wrote it, Hogwarts perhaps almost 2 weeks into their term now, Lilah unsure of how much time had passed at Articus' or after the Hogwarts Snape encounter which led to this unfortunate fugitive situation. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8ccc331d7326063c434dc52edbca893e"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Dear Lilah,/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ad515cb735e4951ab94e455e8bcce976"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I apologise this letter is longer and has perhaps taken a while, you're someone Hedwig appears to be struggling to find. I've tried to combine my 3 original letters for you, I hope it makes sense. /em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="111e1058f1297259928d09a93a4752ed"Lilah laughed reading Harry's first paragraph, at least that meant her non verbal magic, protection charms and Alexander's too were as strong as ever, always a gift for both of them. But three letters? What on earth could have happened? /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="822a8b94eeed489be1ba8959713a8639"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"A lot has happened this year already, it has me wondering will I ever get to just relax at Hogwarts fully? I can only hope. /em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4857b63997674fe846e22a868de01c22"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"The first night back Dementors boarded the train, looking for Sirius Black however they stopped, right at my carriage and I could feel myself just drifting away, completely hopeless, I could hear them, I could hear my parents I could hear that entire evening as if I were there not as myself but as someone, something else. /em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d5715d290798125705451d20598201cb"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I fear they would have taken my soul, no one knew what to do, never experiencing one before until, our sleeping professor, he's new you see DADA, Professor Lupin awoke and stepped in, the most powerful intervention I've seen. I passed out but once I awoke he was there with Chocolate, he said it helps and I admit it did and then he slid away for the rest of the journey. This hasn't been the first time we have met though, I'll go into that soon, I'm trying to be chronological for now. /em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0ef883ec345e3845350e484c182ddbd0"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Upon arrival Dumbledore announced they were guarding the castle, no one will tell me why but everyone seems to know. I'm glad you gave me some information at least but it seems like there's more others know which maybe you don't. /em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b68bd0193a84afabd6eeed967a6d8eef"Lilah grimaced inside in guilt reading that part, knowing she hadn't told Harry the full truth. Not knowing how he'd react if he ever found out, to break the trust of a boy who's never had parental figures he could remember, a boy who embraced her so quickly, someone he'd just met but already put full trust in, she felt sick in her stomach. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="58d28d4c76a547cd805e5177abc0bc6e"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Our new professor, Professor Lupin, the one who saved my life, he seems so familiar to me but I can never figure out why, he offered to teach me how to generate a protonus charm after my dementor experience and I have now been taking lessons with him after class. He's a mysterious man, disappeared for a week for family illness, I hope everything is ok as he is undoubtedly the best DADA professor I've had at Hogwarts and my favourite professor for certain. For once I feel like I'm being helped not because I'm 'the boy who lived' but because someone genuinely has my best interests at heart. We're currently practicing the protonus charm on boggarts which unsurprisingly turn into well you know who, Voldemort for me./em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b77ea2ec74423b03b1d24283f99a3932"Lilah read over that section of the letter multiple times almost laughing to herself that Harry couldn't remember Remus but, of course he wouldn't of and her heart filling with love as Harry talked about him and his new role so positively, she missed her old best friend but had absolutely no idea how to re-appear in his life, only sending a letter which was weirdly ominous, a churning guilt every waking day./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="fefdea912d65cbdc96719e869aa7d262"Never forgetting how he stood at the funeral for the Potter's alone while she had to stood hidden in the corner alone attempting not to sob and draw attention to herself and end up in Azkaban side by side with mr Black himself./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f79865338d1941cf17040f7b64ee6088"The years and years she had left him alone believing all of his friends were dead for her own safety, for the rules of occultum she had often seen as stupid. She would never forgive herself even if she had had little choice and always told herself if she were Remus she would never forgive her either. She would hate herself from his perspective if she could, just as much as she hated herself for the past 12 years, and all the things she simply couldn't do. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="07424b055616288976a195417cf229f9"She hated her selfishness all for her safety but knew that it was the 'rational' thing to do, hating rationality at many points within her life, which had been plagued with loss and heartbreak but of which, she knew could not match Remus' and that broke her heart even further. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8727a3d88b4790ebad5e457007156517"Lilah also laughed internally about Remus' mystery family illness', hoping all the students were as oblivious as Harry because for once Remus got to live the normal life, the life he always wanted and the thought of that brought Lilah to tears with happiness but also sadness, for all the years Remus lost to a disease he couldn't control. He would always be her best friend in her heart, her perceived betrayal of him just as painful as the losses she had suffered. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0c7fb182b72b272b42fa5ac751fe8463"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"To end this letter, I want to say I hope you are well and I hope to hear from you or see you soon, if you have any advice it would be highly appreciated as you may have realised I don't really get much parental advice with the Dursley's. /em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5ee9e6813e812c1d24892d7e990ec41d"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"- Harry /em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d95da8cce32559843bf1876e7ef1c9ca"Lilah immediately stood up to grab a pen and began to write back to Harry before she realised there was something she had to do first, before she could ever move forwards, before she could begin to make a plan on what was next in her peruse of Sirius Black or give Harry meaningful advice. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="09c3d9af5bd1a13af2b2422fd1b39007"Lilah Darcy mumbled "uhh I have to go, now" scrabbling into the hallway outside the dining room, grabbing her set of keys for Articus' and Aliyah's house back from when she lived here, her wand placed in her boot and a winter hat to attempt to disguise herself with her large winter jacket accompanying it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ec686a29a0d206710f8c38c1feaba9ea""woah, woah, woah Lilah where are you going? We have to figure out what the hell we're going to do first" Alexander said putting down his breakfast for two seconds, realising Articus was right Aliyah was an amazing cook but more importantly, he couldn't let his best friend get arrested. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a25bd83c7049d67f2454a0316fc251cc"Lilah mumbled once more, unsure of what to say signalling to her family that this was impulsive but somehow important and should be trusted. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="220c96f1b909a7ee68da6362623466e8""I'll be back later, there's something I just have to do" she said practically running out of the door leaving her family in suspense and shock although this wasn't out of character for Lilah, she was a fugitive now, things were different and here was safe unlike the outside world. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0208cd5c445cdb72fa9d4fad1f92be08""I know what I have to do" Lilah mumbled to herself writing a simple, short letter before apperating to Hogsmeade./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a33680b634791cf59108a1d79696fb39"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Dear Fred George,/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f3cffc692c350db40985ccf17b67b752"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I need your help with something, meet me in Hogsmeade at 12? (I know you boys have found the secret exits somehow)/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="11f435019d62d153f2abe2cb60ae6c05"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Lilah/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f51023398c814a7ba03a4e5dcd0fb072"She had to see Remus, she had to try to make things right, close her era of self hatred and guilt before she could move forwards. Forgetting the rationality which led to the soul destroying guilt to begin with, risking herself for her friends as the Lilah from 12 years ago too commonly did, a woman she only vaguely remembered and felt scared but excited to see again. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;" data-p-id="60d947422dced767b13ac7da312257f6""forget being rational, I need to see Remus, to make things right" she mumbled before leaving, to Hogsmeade with nerves she had never felt before. An ominous letter wasn't good enough./p