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 17

Emma ran and ran, for how long she wasn't sure. All she knew was that she could no longer feel her nose, her toes and barely her limbs. She had no idea where she as going and truthfully, she didn't care. Her main priority was getting them away from Gabby, she only hoped she had succeeded. Emma never saw the curse coming her way until it hit her and all she briefly saw was long blond hair and a black winter cloak. In a sudden turn of events it was lights out for Emma Evans. She never saw the second person covered head to toe in their own black cloak hidden in the shadows.

The second cloaked figure knelt beside her, wrapping their arms around Emma and lifted her into their arms.

"You know the plan," the first figure spoke, her voice stern and calculated as she watched the hooded figure nod once then disapparated.

Gabrielle had padded around the snow trying to look for Emma. Finding nothing, she shifted back, thankful that her clothes had stayed on her, minus her jacket and gloves. Gabrielle still had on her winter leggings and boots, her red winter sweater and white scarf to keep her somewhat warm. She had waited three hours but had fallen asleep for a short time accidentally. She wasn't sure what the time currently was.

All she cared about was finding her friend alive.

A sudden sound caught her attention from her right. But she couldn't quite see as good with the snow blowing in her face. She wanted to call out, but too afraid it could be an enemy she stayed quiet, knowing that if it was an enemy, she'd have wasted Emma's sacrifice. And she was not going to do that. The fear was overwhelming as she turned in circles, looking for any sign of someone, hoping for a friend instead of a foe.

A flash of light came out of nowhere, causing her to close her eyes and look away with a scream. But she felt no pain, Gabrielle was still breathing. She could still feel her chest moving as she breathed in and out the cold winter air she was heavily breathing into her burning lungs. This confused her, 'shouldn't I be dead?' Looking around still confused, her body froze with sheer horror as her eyes landed on a dead body laying just behind her. An exact replica of herself. Gabrielle's heart dropped, her eyes filling with tears as her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Her mouth opened to let loose a blood chilling scream. An arm wrapped around her shivering body, pulling her flush against a warm one.

Shocked from the sudden situation and the body that held her close to them she tried to scream and struggle as the hand clamped down on her mouth to keep her screams muffled from even an animal's ears as she struggled against the body.

"Gabrielle, it's me, it's me... Calm down, you're safe." A male's voice whispered against her hair covered ear.

The man's voice that graced her ears was one she feared she'd never hear again with good graces. With her heart racing, she was suddenly flooded with feelings. Gabrielle's body relaxed only because she knew that voice anywhere, a voice that had a way of calming her, or pissing her off when he crossed her. Looking over her shoulder, Gabrielle let her tears roll down her face when her eyes landed on the very person, she prayed it really was. She'd been desperate to see him for months. Turning on a dime in his arms she threw her arms around his neck and cried into him as he held her close, "Where have you been?"

"Busy, I've been trying to figure a way to keep you from getting killed... Hints the corps. I transfigured a dead animal to replicate your body, it'll hold for a few days. Come, we must leave, the Death Eaters aren't far behind." He informed her quickly. He was not going to let her out of his site for a while if he could help it.

Gabrielle's mind went back to Emma and she panicked, "But-" She never had the chance to finish, nor even begin. Severus had already disapparated with her in his arms. Apparating in his hiding tree, not far from the ruins of the Evans home.

Lily and Emma had only taken the valuables from said ruins and their own belongings, the house had been nearly destroyed in the attack then left untouched since, being labeled as haunted and unfortunately condemned. He had no time to explain where Emma was.

"Severus, Emma is still out there! We can't leave her back there on her own!"

"She's taken care of... Put those on." He said, nodding to a chair holding a long green skirt, white blouse, shoes and long black winter cloak.

'Whose clothes are those?' She thought with confusion. It seemed confusion was something that seemed to be happening a lot lately. Watching Severus run around the room from a table holding Potion mixtures and shelves containing herbs and other things as he tossed things into a cauldron left and right so fast Gabby could hardly keep up with him to name half of the ingredients. Severus was beginning to scare her. Why was he doing this? What made him think he had to choose between this Dark Wizard and her? Most importantly, did he choose? And if so, who?

"Sev? What's going on?" She asked, her voice quivering.

He'd ignored her and continued working on whatever it was he was concocting.

What was it?

She didn't know, though she had an assumption it was to change her appearance. Knowing he was going to ignore her until he had either finished what he was currently working on, or until she changed into the clothes that he was providing for her, Gabrielle decided to suck it up and change into the clothes.

They were old fashioned, but she knew they were the clothes of a rich pure-blooded family member, so the other question was, 'Where did he get those from? Did he steal them, buy them? Were they once one of his family members' belongings?' Or had someone offered them up to him to aid him in her escape? She wished she knew the answers.

After several minutes of her changing and in the middle of lacing up the boots Severus chose then to speak to her again.

"Once this potion is finished, you'll take it and I'll escort you back to Hogwarts. I have you registered under the name Mellena McClain. Gabrielle McKinnon is, as of tonight, officially deceased. Mellena McClain, is who you are now, a transfer student from home schooling-"

"Wait, you forged school and homeschooling documents? That's impossible to do, Severus. The Ministry isn't allowed to register anyone to any magical school without birth records, they'll know they're fakes!" Gabby said to him. Having enough of his delays and refusing to answer her questions, putting herself between him and the table and whatever he was working on.

Severus sighed in frustration and walked away from her and the table and began pacing in circles, running a shaking hand though his black hair as a thought hit her, "You forged birth records!? Severus-" Her attempt to scold him had been cut silent when he came full circle to her. His face mere inches from hers. And in that moment, Gabrielle saw him. The real Severus Snape. She saw a scared boy, who'd been brainwashed and stuck on revenge for years because of a rivalry he thought he could win against James Potter, for the love of the lovely Lily Evans even when he knew deep down that she was never his. But there was nothing wrong with hoping like he had against all odds. That was how he'd lived for years. Loving Lily against all odds, in hope she'd love him more than a best friend one day. A battle he had sadly lost terribly. This was also a young man who was caught between light and darkness.

"I can't lose you, Gabrielle! I will not lose you, Emma, or Lily. I don't care what they do to me, but I will not lose any of you... You three are all I have left of what was once good. Something I thought I lost forever when I lost Lily to Potter. Then all of a sudden you were there. A light in the dark that I never thought I'd ever find, because I didn't. You found me, a scared boy, cowering in the dark that was desperate for help but too frightened to do anything about it because I'm not only a fool, I'm not worth it and yet you still seem to find me worth something because all you've done since I've meet you, is shown me nothing but kindness until I've crossed a line and then you put me right back in check with life. That is why I found myself in love with you... I won't lie to you and tell you I've stopped loving Lily because I'll always love her, but she was never mine to have in life... I just got lucky when an Angel found me. And I almost lost her tonight. I almost lost you tonight... So please! Do as I ask, and I can keep you alive as long as I can." Severus's dark eyes rimmed with unshed tears. He hadn't let the thought sink in until now that he'd possibly be too late, that if he had been late, he would be delivering Lily the worst news imaginable of the deaths of the entire McKinnon family and that of her baby sister. The thought tore him to shreds as he thought about it. The images of Emma's and Gabrielle's dead bodies like the ones he'd walked through at the McKinnon home hoping, against all odds of fate, that he didn't find them there lifeless with the rest of the family. He'd almost crumbled to the snowy ground at seeing Marlene dead. She had done nothing to him, she'd always been sweet to him though he'd only had a few conversations with the girl.

Gabrielle nodded, grabbing a hold of his arms to help stead his trembling body as his tears fell. She had no words for what he was saying, truthfully, she didn't think she should say anything. He'd not only spilled out his heart to her, he'd laid out his whole life at her feet. Risking his life to save not only her life, but Emma's as well. She could only think of one thing to help comfort Severus. Wrapping her arms around him in a comforting embrace.

They stayed that way for nearly fifteen minutes to let him have time to register in his mind that this was not a dream or hallucination. He'd saved her, and she was real. She wasn't going to go on with a serious conversation until he calmed down and had all his panic out of his system.

"I'll do as you say, just promise me you'll worry about yourself once I'm back at Hogwarts... You focus on keeping yourself alive. Please?"

At his nod a thought came to her, "How long does it take for the potion to set?"

"Three hours, I'll make more for you, I just need you to take this one first, then I can make more... It'll last for three days, then you need to take another before 10 p.m."

A thought of Emma hit her once again, he'd said she was taken care of, but how did he know she was safe and not dead? She saw no sign shot up into the skies for any location. So, how'd he know? "Sev? Where's Emma?" She couldn't help it, she was terrified for her friend, and she hoped he had an answer.

"Regulus Black took her to St. Mungo's." He watched, felt, her body tense as he looked at her. She was mixed with fear and anger, "She's fine, Gabrielle, she's safe. I swear, please trust me... If you don't trust him, trust me. I would never have let him help me if I didn't trust him." He spoke clearly. Waiting patiently for her to relax and calm down before he continued. "The plan was to render her unconscious and take her to the hospital, he's covered by a cloak, no one will recognize him. He drops her off, they check her in, run her identity and call Lily or Dumbledore."

At this, Gabby almost began to hyperventilate with panic. "Severus, Lily and James are on a mission for the Order... They won't be able to reach them, Dumbledore won't be able to be reached either because he's not at the school until next week. No one knows where he's been. She's completely unprotected!" She shouted in panic.

"Gabrielle! Do you truly think Black or Lupin won't go to her? They may not be able to check her out, but they can guard her! Sirius Black will die before Emma is harmed! She's safe... Do you or do you not trust me?"

But she'd hesitated in her answer, and at her hesitation Severus's heart not only began to shatter, it nearly disintegrated into dust all because she'd hesitated.

"I trust you, I trust you with everything I have left, Severus Snape... Please, don't be lying to me, please don't trick me because if this is a trick just to get answers or anything useful for the Dark Wizard you serve, please just kill me now." She begged, her tears clouding her vision as she looked at him. She hated crying, hated showing weakness, especially to him when he needed someone to stand by him that was strong willed and prove to be unbreakable. But at this moment, Gabrielle couldn't help but cry.

Severus's heart was shattering. Pulling her back into his arms he held her close with as much strength as he had. He held her like she was his lifeline. Truthfully, she had eventually become his lifeline to what little life he had in the light. He knew he couldn't blame her for her words. He was in fact, a Death Eater, a servant to the Dark Lord. She may have full trust in him, but how much trust was she willing to place on him truthfully when it involved her best friend's life? Neither one probably knew the real answer, yet.

Potter Estate

Emma woke up a few days later in a large comfortable bed. She had no idea where she was. The last thing she could remember was the attack and then her and Gabby splitting up in attempts to save Gabrielle's life. As her memories finally sank in Emma shot up from the bed and looked around. She was confused at recognizing whose room she was in, "Why am I in Sirius's old room?" She was indeed in Sirius Black's old room at the Potter Estate. She had honestly thought she was alone, that was until the bedroom door flew open with Lily rushing in and throwing herself onto the bed, holding Emma in a bone crushing hug. Emma realized Lily had been crying previously, she must have gotten the news of the McKinnon's massacre. At the thought of the family Emma realized that Gabby may not be there. Panic set in, "Gabby... Lily, where's Gabs?" She begged for an answer.

Lily cried and held her tighter. This did not help Emma's panic. She loved her sister, but she needed answers. Pulling herself from Lily's arms, Emma looked at her mourning sister, her own tears threatening to spill over, "Lil? Where is Gabrielle?" she asked again.

Lily wanted to just stay there and cry with her sister, but she knew it was useless, Emma wouldn't stop and let it really sink in until she heard the words. Standing from the bed, Lily forced back the sobs and walked her sister downstairs where she found the Order members all gathered.

A heavy feeling sank deep in Emma's chest as she looked at all their fallen faces, every single one had been mourning someone's loss. Or was it a certain family Clan that had been murdered not a few days ago?

But it was Sirius Black who had walked up to Emma, his face so fallen she feared he may have been someone else. Looking down at the object in his hands, he held out the white knitted scarf Molly had made Gabrielle for Christmas that year, she'd given it to her early in case she had the wrong address. A sob choked Emma, tears rolling from her emerald green eyes, "No... No, that-that's imp-impossible...No, no, n-NO!" Sirius's arms wrapped around Emma quickly, catching her as her legs buckled under her. He held her closely as she screamed and wailed into his chest for the loss of her best friends. Gabrielle Marlene McKinnon, age fifteen, had been officially marked in their Ministry records as deceased. Murdered in cold blood in the dead of winter trying to run for her life at the hands of Death Eaters along with the entire McKinnon Clan.

They held the McKinnon's family mass funeral the next day, all closed coffins with photos in front of each one. No one was going to realize that Gabrielle's body had re-transfigured back into the animal carcass then buried hours later.

January 1979 Second Term

They'd buried the entire McKinnon family just days ago, Emma was returning to school without her best friend and second half in less than a week.

Lily had stayed in her room at the Potter Estate with her sister. Her and Alice had held Emma and one another the rest of break. James hadn't even been able to get through to the teenager. He'd walked into her room, tried conversing with her but she had simply looked at him in silence, her eyes void of anything that had once been there then would turn her attention back to a photo on the wall. A photo of her and Gabby laughing and dancing in the courtyard of Hogwarts smiling happily as Hagrid played a guitar and dancing around with them. He was a fun and cheerful soul, no doubt he was taking this news just as hard.

They were all glad when Molly Weasley had shown up to the Estate with her children and husband, via her brothers and James's request. "How is she, Lily?"

"She's not eating, Molly. Alice and I don't know what else to do, not even the guys can get to her... It's' been four days. Sirius is beside himself and I am scared."

Molly shushed the fearful sister as she hugged her tightly, "Mind if I try dear?" She asked.

Lily nodded her head and showed her up to Emma's room and watched the mother walk in and left her to it.

Molly sat at the edge of her bed next to the distraught girl, simply resting a hand on her arm as she continued watching the last picture of herself and her best friend. Tears began rolling down Emma's face, into her hair and pillow. Seeing her distress starting, Molly decided to speak, "Emma?" that seemed to have been all it needed to take for the girl to begin sobbing. Molly helped the crying girl sit up and hugged her in a motherly hug, rubbing her back lightly, knowing that the action would eventually get irritating and that was the last thing the poor girl needed to feel.

"I tried, Molly... I tried, but I failed... I failed my best friend and now she's dead."

Molly wanted to tell her she had done anything but fail. She had tried and that was what mattered. Molly knew Alice and Lily were going through the same thing with losing Mary, now Marlene, the latest loss had been tripled by Gabrielle's murder as well. 'Who was next?'

Molly had decided to stick with hugging Emma, because in the end sometimes silence was better. Molly held Emma for what felt like hours and Lily had yet to come in for a late Dinner. "Emma, you need to eat. You can't keep starving yourself. Gabby wouldn't want her best friend to do this to herself... She'd be in here right now scolding you for this. There's no point in starving yourself when you can make a difference for someone else in the future. Stand your ground, keep her memory alive by stopping this evil from continuing... We love you Emma but starving yourself because you feel like you've failed her will get you nowhere." Molly said looking deeply into Emma's eyes, her motherly air about her with a gentle smile on her face.

Lily walked in just in time to announce, "Dinner's ready." Her eyes glancing hopefully at her sister.

Molly smiled to the elder sister lovingly, "Thank you Lily, come on Emma. Out of bed. Now, Please." Lily's heart jumped with hope as she watched Emma move from the bed and out the door to go down for Dinner, "How did you do that?"

Molly smiled at her and wrapped a comforting arm around Lily, "The power of Motherhood dear, you'll learn as you go, when it comes to things like this you need to be understanding and sympathetic, but you sometimes also need to use some things against them, even if it puts them in more pain, you're at least calling them out on it. She needed to know that Gabby was not her fault, that Marlene was not her fault... Lily, you both lost something in that family, but Emma had been a part of that battle, and it left a bleeding wound that hasn't begun healing, and unfortunately, it'll never fully heal. Gabby and Marlene were two very special people to you girls, family, and they were ripped away from you both. She needs to open up to you and you need to open up to her. You are her sister, not her mother. Your mother did a very fine job raising you girls. You're both strong. That'll come in handy." Molly gently said to the tearing older sister and hugged her. "You're never alone my dear. Now come on, off for Dinner."

She was eating. Emma was finally eating. She'd sat between Sirius and Lily and held Lily's hand the whole time through dinner. Both squeezing one another's hand every now and then for comfort.

Molly had been right, at some point after losing their parents and Petunia, Lily had felt the need to try to fill their mothers' shoes, when really, she should have stayed in her own. Because even though she was still the big sister, Lily had always had a good part of motherly instincts in her and had always used them against Emma. It was like Emma had two mothers there as she grew, but knew who was mother and who was sister, and Lily loved being the sister. So, sister, she would remain gladly.

Hope you enjoyed the time between Gabby and Severus. He deserves some love after the things he's gone through and will eventually go through :) I'll be honest, I actually put Klay in here for Gabby, until I realized Severus was still alone and I actually didn't like that. Who better else to be a saving grace in his darkness that isn't Lily? Emma's for Sirius, so Gabby was the perfect answer :) I think they're cute really! Anyone else agree? I hope so :)

Anyways, thank you all again for reading and the wonderful reviews!

"It's almost coming to a close for this one story that started it all, but there's always more to one's life than an ending. It's the beginning of a new one starting for the finishing to come to a point." - quote by Nattie8516 :)