Author's note: Please be aware that I own ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, everything, except my character(s) I place in here, belongs to the wonderful Lady J.K. Rowling. This is a Sirius Black/OC Fanfiction, or at least it will get to that point. I do have terrible spelling sometimes, but I do my best. However, if I misspell something that I have not caught I do appreciate having a correction mentioned. But I love reading Fanfiction's from here, and I hope I can bring others the same joys they have brought me, I figured it was time I give it a shot.

This WAS, my FIRST Fanfiction that I had the courage enough to put up for all to read. I started small and did my best to update as soon, and as much, as I could. I know tend to forget things so try to have some patience, even though I sometimes fail at having some myself. *cough, cough*Please Enjoy the story, for the pages have yet to turn for new, or returning, readers of journeys untold. Also, please be aware that this story is 100% mine. This is a work of mine that I did under a different account of fanfiction under the username Nattie8516 and now shares the same username under this Fanfiction site as well. So rest assured, I am the same person and same owner of this work and other's I shall be posting on this new site as well.

Chapter 12

Severus shouted for the two girls to run, he knew they were in danger and he knew what was coming, who was coming. He had to get them out of there.

Gabby pulled Emma back towards the thick woods where the brush was thickest, the trees were tall enough to help them hide.

In a panic of leaving Severus standing there alone Emma began to struggle against Gabrielle's hold, "We can't leave him Gabby."

Fearful Emma would run back to her friend who was trying to save them, Gabrielle grabbed Emma by her arms harshly and pulled her around the tree's cover and brush, their breaths gasping heavily with fear and panic. With their adrenaline in full survivor mode, "Yes, we can, and we will, Emma! He is one of them. If we stay, he's dead then so are we. We help him by running away, for now. Come on," Gabby scolded, pulling them behind a few thick trees and brush. It was far enough away they couldn't be seen, but still close enough for them to witness whatever was about to happen.

Smoking clouds rolled around one another in a kind of formation as they landed at Severus's tree.

The girls stared wide eyed in shock at who they saw emerge from the darkness; Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa Black and her sister Bellatrix, Avery, another young blond man, Evan Rosier, and to the girls full on horror, Regulus Black; Sirius's little brother, with a few others they couldn't recognize. They all stood behind a man, his dark robes falling over him like a smoky waterfall. He honestly didn't look over his mid-twenties or early thirties.

"My Lord, I was unaware we had a meeting today." Severus finally spoke up, "But what do I owe the honor of this visit?" Severus asked, he was polite and respectful. Almost like this was his King.

"Severus, I seem to have found myself in need of someone... With your expertise in something." He spoke calmly as he walked up to Severus and around him in slow circles. Like a cat pacing a scared mouse.

"How may I be of use, my Lord?" Severus was scared, the girls could see it, and if they could see it, so could the Death Eaters. That stirred the fear in the girl's stomachs even more, this wasn't good.

"Emma, you need to run now." Gabby had realized that even if she was caught, she was technically safe, safer than Emma and Lily would have been. But Emma needed to get out of here, fast.

A stick snapped suddenly somewhere off in the distance from them, drawing the two girls' attention as they glanced around for the source, "Fox, I think you need to shift… Now, don't argue just do it." Gabby was overjoyed when Emma had done what she had asked with absolutely no arguments.

Barely fifteen seconds later, a tall beast like man walked out from the tree's shadows, a wide and sadistic grin across his hairy face, sharpened teeth and dark eyes, "Little witch, come to play?" his voice was rough and a bit scratchy, yet it succeeded in sending shivers up their spines.

Gabby had been so afraid she had backed herself up against the tree behind her, eyes wide with fear, "Run, Foxy." Her voice was held back with lost breath. She thought Emma hadn't heard her, but Gabby was thankful he thought nothing of Emma's Fox form, otherwise she was sure he'd have chased after her before his attention was directed at Gabby.

Gabrielle hadn't seen Emma hide or run like she had told her too. Gabby had taken off herself, running in the only known direction she could think of, to the closest person she knew could keep her safe, only that had led her right into the snake's nest, the beast man's laughter rang out close behind her like he was playing with her. He fed on fear before he struck. And Gabrielle's fear was far overwhelming that she screamed for the only person she thought could possibly help her, "Severus!"

Severus paled, his heart dropped from its thrumming place in his chest when she had screamed his name from across the grassy plains, his blood ran ice cold, nearly panicking when he only found Gabrielle rushing after him, 'Where is Emma!' "Gabrielle? What are you-"

"Aw, Severus, you were hiding someone from us, or was it from me?" The man spoke accusingly, they watched the beast-man that had chased her walk up from behind her, grinning as Gabrielle threw herself at Severus. Hoping that if they saw them as a couple, they wouldn't think much of it. She was, after all, in a dark green velvet robe tightly belted closed with nothing underneath.

Severus had thankfully caught on to what she was up too, and instinctively wrapped his arms around her holding her closely, "No, we didn't know what to do when you began to arrive, she was just scared... We were afraid of what would happen." He explained

"Severus," the man 'tsked' with a wicked grin, "You have such little faith in me." He began, clearly feeling offended.

The Dark Lord's thoughts had begun to form around a few things, 'If he was capable of hiding a young woman from us, what else could he possibly be hiding?'

"She is friends with that mud-blooded redhead and Sirius Black, my Lord." Lucius spoke up, a sneer on his face as he looked Gabby up and down and rolled his eyes. No one had noticed Regulus tensing up uncomfortably upon Lucius clarifying this, nor the nasty glare he'd sent Malfoy Heir out of the corner of his eyes.

'Lucius Malfoy, I'll have your tongue if you continue speaking, you vile snake!'

The Dark Wizard grinned wide and began laughing, "A Death Eater involved with a student of Gryffindor. How interesting…"

Gabby shivered into Severus upon hearing the man's laughter. Lucius's sneer hadn't exactly helped her either, 'Why did I think this was a bright idea again?' No matter how safe she shockingly felt in Severus's arms, the grinning smile and laugh that was on the 'Lord's' face terrified her. He terrified her.

Grinning with a calculating pleasantness, Voldemort sighed with content, "You have my blessing. However, if she is close friends with a Mud-blood and the defaulted eldest son from the house of Black she could be of great use. Keep her close Severus." He said, turning a playful grin into a calculating glare as he studied Gabrielle closely.

"My Lord, if I may, the needed help you came about? May I ask what it is you require of me?" Severus shuffled Gabby slightly behind him, he barely knew her and now they had to pull off this star-crossed lover thing!

Grinning, Voldemort nodded his head with a wave of his hand, dismissing the conversation, "I'll send Bellatrix with Fenrir and Rodolphus, you two may go back too… Whatever, you were doing. Gabrielle, you said her name was?" He asked, walking up to them, his hands took her own from where she was gripping onto Severus's shirt.

Gabrielle reluctantly allowed him to take her small hand in his, "I'll look forward to the wedding then, Gabrielle." At this she blushed, she made it look as if they were a small couple! Shivering in Severus arm's, 'How the bloody hell does he get the sense of an engagement!'

But Severus continued along with letting the Dark Wizard believe this, so she followed his lead, "We will inform you when we decide, she is still in school for a few more years. We want to be cautious, my Lord." Severus felt the tension in her body, they were both scared, but having her there made it easier for him to lie to the Dark Lord. He hadn't even realized he was rubbing a hand up and down her back for comfort until the Dark Lord had released her hand and replaced herself flush against him clutching a hold of his shirt.

She felt safe there, even when with the Death Eaters surrounding them, Gabby felt safe, simply because of Severus.

"We will be going. Severus, Gabrielle. Good day... We're leaving, Bellatrix, Fenrir, Rodolphus. You will be doing this assignment instead. I will give the next one to Severus. You may do as you please, I need more followers, but purge the Wizarding world while you are out. Less disgraces to deal with later down the road." Voldemort said with a disgusted sneer at the thought of his precious future Kingdome plagued by those that could water down the Wizarding worlds power. Power and control that he wanted all to himself.

The three grinned and vanished up in a cloud of smoke, "It was wonderful to meet you my dear." They both watched his eyes linger, and that made them both uncomfortable.

Severus wrapped both his arms protectively around her, holding her as close to him as humanly possible. He didn't like the way the Dark Lord was eyeing her, nor the way he saw the spark in his eyes, a dream-like look while he trailed his dark brown eyes up and down Gabby's robe covered body. Severus made a vow right then and there, no one, not even Voldemort, would do a thing to harm Gabrielle Marlene McKinnon. The only thing he had to ask himself, was if he could truly protect her like that? Would he fail her? Lose her? Or worse, hurt her himself?

The two released their breaths after Voldemort rose a hand in the air, his followers vanishing up into the clouds of smoke, the Dark Lord leaving last, but not before he spoke, "It's a shame you belong to Severus, Gabrielle. I've really wanted to see how a Gryffindor behaves behind closed doors." He laughed as the two paled in fright and disgust. Then he too, was gone.

Severus allowed them some time to recollect themselves from the scene before he turned on her, half angry, half relieved they had made it out of that alive, "What were you thinking! Where's Emma!" However, Gabby was still recovering when he had begun his verbal attacks, "She-she's still hiding in the woods." Gabrielle choked out. Unfortunately, it hadn't helped any.

"Gabrielle, what were you thinking running up here like that!"

"I-I was scared, I didn't know what else to do. He found us. Emma was able transform before he saw her, I didn't have time to- I'm sorry, Severus... But I didn't know what else to do, I ran to the best safe zone-"

"SAFE ZONE!? ARE YOU JOKING! Gabrielle, there was no 'safe zone' about being here with them surrounding us!" He shouted with fury and fear. His dark eyes burned into her bright blue, stopping her in her tracks of speaking. He wasn't in the right mind at that moment to see the fear bubbling up in her as he shouted, "RIGHT INTO THE SNAKES DEN! Gabrielle, that was Lord Voldemort you just encountered! I couldn't have kept you remotely safe! If he wanted to kill you, he'd have killed you and then probably me!" He hadn't realized he was screaming at her all he knew was that he could feel the burning anger in him rising. He was angry she had run back to him, angry she could have gotten them both killed, most importantly, angry because the feelings stirring within him that he wanted to have felt towards Lily was towards someone he'd used to look right through.

Gabby stepped back away from him, her tears finally rolling down her cheeks as her body trembled with fear. Not fear of what had just happened, of course it was still nerve rattling, but her fear was now directed at Severus. For the first time in her time of knowing him, Gabrielle was fearful of Severus Snape.

For once in Severus's life he felt like he'd been hit through the chest. He hated admitting it, but the fearful look Gabrielle had on her face, the shaky steps she was taking away from him, hurt worse than when he had lost Lily, "Gabrielle-" He's words were silenced by her when she held up a trembling hand. Severus knew he'd made one of the worst mistakes of his life.

"I-I'll inform Emma you're safe. Sorry Severus, um, I won't bother you." She managed to whisper out with her failing voice, then she ran.

Her heart felt heavy and painful, as if someone had taken a dull knife and cut into her chest and attempted to carve out her beating heart. The thought made her feel sick.

Severus tried to chase after her, but she was faster than he'd expected, even though he had long legs himself he couldn't keep up with her. "Gabrielle!" his shouts had ripped a painful cry from her, one he heard which had stopped him dead, his heart clinching terribly leaving the boy panting as he watched her run farther from him. She was scared of him, and she was hurt emotionally from his shouting. She'd felt foolish and frightened that he was right, they could have killed her and he likely wouldn't have stopped them, or maybe they'd have killed them both. The last thing she ever wanted was to be the cause of someone's death.

"Gabrielle!" he knew she wouldn't answer him, knew she wouldn't stop and come back to him, he knew she would continue to run, and likely right into the arms of another Marauder to his darkest fears. Fears he never knew he had until she was out of his reach.

'Why does this hurt so much?' Both could only think, they didn't know the answer, they were still young and knew little of serious feelings.

Gabby knew that if she compared this pain to when she and Klay broke up this was ten times worse. The two had agreed to stay friends because neither were interested in being together anymore, not after how their relationship had changed so drastically when they were together those last few months. But this hurt, and she had no idea why really. She knew Severus would never care for her so there was no reason she should feel this pain. But she did.

Emma sat under a tree just behind her house hiding, she had been so panicked and frightened she couldn't move once she sat herself down and re-transfigured. She was still draped in the red velvet robe that Severus had handed her wrapped tightly around her and was truthfully surprised the robe had stayed on her when she had morphed back into her natural body. Emma knew if she ran back to find Gabby she may get unlucky and get them all killed. She'd just have to wait for Gabrielle to come back, and if she didn't, Emma would go looking for them in the next hour. Her relief came in the form of Gabby running towards her, dirty blond, curly, hair flying and bouncing behind her and the dark green robe fastened tightly to her body, the fabric flying behind her like her hair. However, tears streaming down Gabby's face got Emma's attention the most. Shooting up to her feet she rushed towards her friend, meeting Gabby halfway. The force of Gabby slamming into Emma's arms nearly sent them back onto the grass, "Gabby? what happened?"

"Nothing! Just let me cry!" Gabby wailed into Emma's shoulder.

Completely confused, Emma just nodded, seeing it was probably better to just let the girl cry, "Oh, okay. Do you want to go in-"

Gabby swiftly shook her head, she didn't want to go inside and have everyone see her like this, "Stay… ou-out here..."

"Oh, well alright... Come on, let's sit under the trees." The two sat outside for hours, until the sun went down, the stars and moon were up high in the sky shining brightly.

"So, he plays along with the couple thing, then gets angry because you ran back to him? But he was right in some way Gabby. He couldn't have protected you had they wanted to kill you, they'd have killed him either way after they killed you, simply for defending you and defying them. But I don't understand why he shouted, well, besides being scared and then the fear and adrenaline still hitting him... Let him cool down for a bit, if he wants to talk to you then he will. Okay?" Emma bit her bottom lip to keep her smile away from her friend, that was not the time to be teasing, joking or smiling, but she had to ask just one thing, "Now, my last question, Gabrielle McKinnon, is why does this bother you so much?"

Her breath hitched in her chest as Emma asked this, "I don't know, but the way he shouted at me, the look on his face, it was just frightening to me and it bothered me that it bothered him, and I feel terrible because I know that he'd had fought for Lily, but he'd toss me to the wolves." Gabby admitted as she wiped the stray tears from her face, her head was pounding from all the crying and her stomach began to feel nauseous.

Sighing softly Emma's shoulders slumped, "So, you're jealous of the connection my sister has/had with Sev?" It was quiet for a while, they said nothing to one another while Gabby continued to wipe away the stray tears from her face that continued to fall.

"I guess, yeah. I mean, I did have a slight crush on him when I first met Severus our first year, but I knew it was useless and set my sights elsewhere. So, when Klay started giving me all the attention it was amazing. Until the fire started to die out when you and I had that thing going on… I kind of grew a small thing for Remus the last few months actually, he's just so nice. I was never uncomfortable around the two of them. The only problem is that Severus still sees right through me and Remus treats me like his best friend's other friend, kind of annoying after a , you know what? I'm actually thankful Klay broke our relationship off, because if he hadn't I wouldn't have my best friend back. I mean, I was jealous of you for a while too, you and the four Marauders. Like I said, I'm just the other friend. I'm not you to them, I'm not special, only to you, Lily, Mars and Alice. It's nice having guy friends, and I don't really have Klay much anymore either because we dated and according to him, "It's awkward now,"." Gabby rambled on. She couldn't believe she was actually telling Emma this.

Emma's heart shattered at how blind she had been for three years, 'My best friend was jealous of me and Lily because of the close connection we have with the boys?'

Completely baffled and feeling horrible she never realized this, Emma sighed sadly and hugged her friend. "Gabby, there's no need to be jealous, the boys adore you, Remus adores you, unfortunately it's more like a sister, otherwise I'd be all for trying to set him up with you. All though, I am a bit shocked you had a small thing for Sev. I feel like a terrible friend, I wish I'd have noticed it, otherwise I'd have helped you with him or Remus. How about this, it's our fourth year, no matter what we will try to change Remus's idea of you in his mind to a non-sisterly way and if that doesn't work, we can work on Sev?"

Gabby giggled a little, still saddened but a bit cheerier than she had been. Emma was attempting to cheer her up and Gabby loved her for it, "How about we not do that? I like the small amount of friendship I have with Remus, and Severus looks at me and sees air, so, let's just not." she sighed sadly, resting her head on her friend's shoulder for comfort.

Emma smiled sadly with a nod of understanding, she made a promise to herself in that moment that this year, and every year after, that Gabby would not feel left out, she would help her feel like she was one of the boy's fox's.

Severus stayed out all night looking up at the night sky thinking. He hated it, hated the feeling that stirred his stomach as he remembered her trembling because of him, her tears, then her fleeing from him as fast as she could. 'Why did it hurt, why does it still hurt? The look on her face,' the fear, the tears, the trembling, 'all because she was afraid of me... Why did she have to be afraid of me? Why did I have to frighten her so much? You're a fool Severus Snape, a bloody fool. A pretty girl rushing to you to protect her and you have to frighten her so much she may never speak to you again.'

"Because you're a fool, and what makes you think she's pretty! She's a fourth year, you crazy bloke!"

'So, and she is pretty, not Lily pretty, but pretty in her own way.'

"Not to mention you did feel a bit too cozy with her in your arms," the voice said, poking fun at him with dry sarcasm.

'Shut up, why am I even talking to you?'

"Because deep down you're crazy and you're telling yourself to shut it..."

'I'm not even going to waste my time with you... whatever you are.'

"I'm you, you dumb git, now go apologize to her!"

'I'll do it on the train next week, she's scared enough as it is.'

"Whatever you say, I'll stop talking about it, but if she runs away from you on the train, just know that I'll be laughing at you."

Sighing with self-annoyance, Severus rubbing his face of exhaustion, "Great, not only am I scolding myself mentally, I'm telling myself to shut it… I'm going crazy."

1977-1978 Year Four

Emma and Gabby walked through the platform giggling and laughing, "Foxy! Gabs!" The girls heard a male's voice call out for them, turning they found the four Marauder boys as they all rushed up to them. James had made it to the two girls laughing and lifted both girls in his arms, spinning them both around and tossed Emma into Peter's arms and Gabby into Remus's. They all laughed together as they spun the girls around and the boys took their turns to hug them both.

"How were the transformations this time Remus?" Gabby asked him, in a lightly hushed tone.

"It's always painful, but Emma tells us that you too have also become the same as her? Your form is a fox too then?" Remus smiled taking notice that the two young girls had grown over the two months of summer, Gabby had gotten very beautiful, even with the friendly feelings still present, Remus saw how lovely and grown she was getting and could see his friendship opinion possibly shift if it was given the chance, but Remus being himself, knew he wouldn't act on anything unless he was given a push, even if anything began to change. "You're looking very beautiful Gabby. I keep forgetting you're not little anymore."

She couldn't help the blush that lit her cheeks, but the blush left seconds later when her pale blue eyes landed on a figure behind Remus, "Oh, Severus... Uh, h-hi." Her heart began to thud heavily in her chest with nervousness and excitement.

Severus was nervous, he'd heard Remus complement Gabby, and it stung, like he was reliving Lily and James all over again, "Uh, hi Gabrielle. Um, cou-could I, um. Can I speak with you, for a moment?" Severus asked nervously.

Slightly stunned at his behavior, Gabby glanced around and took a nodding breath, "Uh, yeah sure. Emma I'll see you on the train then?"

Nodding with a happy and anxious smile, "Yeah, yeah definitely. I'll be with the boys, as usual. Go on, Lily and I will save you a seat with us in the different compartments for whichever one you go to. Come on boys." She said with a smile as she started walking away, linking her arms through James's and Sirius's arms and pulled them off with her before they started something, "No... Lay off." Emma scolded gently.

"What does he have with Blue anyways?" James said with a slight sneer, he didn't like not having his girls in his line of sight.

Emma had to bite back her giggles, he sounded like an overprotective big brother. Which, there was nothing wrong with that, but Emma was not going to let them start something with Sev this time around and upset Gabby more than she already was about what had happened.

"Their business is their business. Lay off. If she wants to tell her big brothers then she will- wait? Did you just call her Blue?" At James' confused nod, Emma couldn't contain her soft laughter, "You nicknamed Gabby, Blue?"

Grinning with shrugs at her reaction, the boys blushed a bit. "Yes, when you wrote us telling us about her form, we knew we couldn't just call her Gabby or Gabs, everyone knows her by those. So, we came up with Lady and Blue, because her eyes are blue, and she's our little Blue-eyed Lady. You're our Foxy because we didn't know how to go about you, and it was probably a good thing considering one of us- OUCH!" James tried making his humorous points but had come across a painful accident by 'walking' into a beam of the platform. The boys all nodded in agreement, ignoring James silent glares not wanting to finish James's sentence. They knew nicknaming Gabby the way they had seemed a bit funny, but they felt the desire and need to give her a special name for them.

They knew something had happened over the year and summer that had Gabby a bit distant from them, more than she had been before, and they'd felt horrible upon realizing that they had never really incorporated Gabby into their 'family' like they had Emma with such ease. The girl had seemed sad the previous year, and they feared it was because they hadn't brought her along with Emma, her only real friend at Hogwarts, and possibly away from school as well. So, to help her feel less left out and more cared for, they'd decided to give the cute blond a nickname for them alone. It wasn't just because she'd become an Animagus, they'd wanted her to feel a part of them. They adored Gabby as much as they adored Emma, they'd just never truly given the girl a chance or shown it as they should have.

Emma, even as curious as she was, just shrugged it off with a happy smile, "I think those are nice, but I'd stick with those two if I were you." She teased playfully as they walked onto the train to find their compartment.

"Severus, are you alright?" Gabby asked him, he was acting a little strange, but she was curious, and a bit concerned.

Nodding, Severus looked around a bit, hoping no one gave them much notice. "Yeah, I just... I'm sorry I scared you that day Gabrielle. I wasn't meaning to, really, I'd never want to scare you, Emma or Lily. And if-... It bothered me that you ran because of me... I'm sorry I scared you-"

Gabby hugged him, simply because she was too short to reach up to kiss his cheek, "Sev, I forgave you the next morning, you were frightened, so was I. I just made everything more complicated and it frightened you. Severus, you love Lily, I understand that, I had no idea what to do once I ran for you, I just went with the first thought that came to me and I'm sorry I made things worse." An attempt to push her away so he wouldn't feel remorse if he betrayed the few people he held most dear to his heart Severus hadn't realized she had pretty much spoken his mind, but hearing her say it and understanding it hurt deeply for reasons he didn't know of, 'Why does this still feel like I just cursed myself?' But Severus being Severus Snape, he wasn't going to say any more than he already had, this was what he'd meant to say to her all along with an apology, right? And he had done so. So, then why did this hurt almost as much as her running away from him that day.

"Because you're a fool, Severus Snape!" His subconscious screamed at him.

Walking their separate ways, the two boarded the train, Gabby going to Emma's compartment with the boys and Severus to his lonely isolation far in the back of the Hogwarts express.

Severus knew that he'd find himself in the same situation at some point with Gabby that he had found himself in with Lily. One he knew he wasn't meant to be with, but was the other Fate throwing her at him and laughing, or was it trying to help him?

Thank you all for taking the time for reading, I hope you've all enjoyed so far! Have a wonderful night/day!