Authors Note- I do not have a beta. All spelling mistakes are my own- I do read and reread through the chapter before posting but sometimes things get missed. If you would like to beta read for me, I can promise sneak peeks at the next chapter! Updates should be every Thursday, however I make no promises about this.

I do apologize for some reason the chapter breaks wont stay when i upload the chapter so I have broken the chapter into two.

Please note that this story will be worthy of its M rating. Violence, swearing, sex and character death will be touched on in the coming chapters.

Thank you for reading, please review and let me know what you think.

Prologue

Part 2

October 31st 1981

Disclaimer- I am not J.K Rowling.

"This is not a good idea," Remus Lupin said for what felt like the hundredth time in an hour. He wiped sugar covered fingers in his trouser pants and pulled his cloak a little tighter against his frail body.

"You have said, mother," Sirius Black said coldly crinkling up his empty bag and tossing it towards the bin. He stared at his old friend from the corner of his eye as they walked along the streets of Hogsmeade.

His friend had changed a lot in the past four years, more so in the past year as the war grew worse. Small threads of grey ran throw his hair, there was a shallow look to his faces. Always skinny he looked half starved now, and there was a darkness that swept in his eyes. He did not seem to be able to settle on one thing to look at his eyes scanned everywhere searching for danger, or was he searching for his friends? The cold calculating part of his mind wondered if Lupin was the traitor. Had word of him being the secret keeper to their friend reached his ears? Was he simple protesting in order to make it easier to plead innocent later on.

A deep sigh rattled Remus chest as he shook his head rubbing a hand throw his hair which stood on end. "You are starting to look like James," Black commented noticing the shaggy mane his friend was sporting.

"I need a cut," Lupin admitted sheepishly letting his arm fall with a slight grimace.

"Lils will do it for you before dinner tomorrow," Black said eyes scanning the streets again. For the past two months time with Lupin had been sporadic. More often than not plans made were left broken as he was busy doing some mysterious for the order. Although Black would never admit it he hoped his friend would be there, before he had to vanish into keeping a low profile something he had never had to do before. He was not sure if he knew how to do this.

For what felt like the fiftieth time in less than an hour Remus sighed. When had everything become so strained? The friendships that he use to hold with his friends, the close knit bonds that had meant the world to him. He had not felt like in outside since second year- when James, Sirius and Peter had discovered his secret.

He glanced at Sirius who stood on the corner grey eyes flicking up and down the near empty street. He could smell the worry rolling from his friend. The constant feeling of fear, and worry that had become a second cologne not just for Sirius but for all those caught up in the foolish war. His friend had not changed much since the days of Hogwarts, at less not on the outside. His physical appearance remained much the same although he was given to frown more then smile now and his hair now brushed his shoulder blades. His eyes though held more emotion in them then someone at twenty one should hold. His shoulders would hunch at times as if he was physically trying to hold himself from coming apart at the seams.

No one was unscratched from this war, no shoulders were not bent in heart ache. Lupin watched as each day more friends fell, and the life in his best mates eyes slowly melted away. He wondered if they could see it in him. The all encompassing madness that he had fought for so many years to keep at bay slowly creeping into all thoughts of his mind. He was lost cast adrift in a mission he did not want struggling to make sense of a curse that others thought were a blessing. Never in his nightmares had he thought to meet so many other of his kind. To see their suffering, to watch them inflict their own pain upon others…

Loud pops broke the falling dusk air, men and woman wearing black robes, their faces hidden by masked stood in a half circle.

Sirius squeezed Lupins shoulder once, before all hell broke loose. Bystanders screamed and ran as spells flew, shop windows cracked and shattered, a wooden barrel which sat outside of the Zonko's job shop filled with fireworks burst. The falling night was broken up by hundreds of fancy colored displays blinding both sides.

A burst of pain spread across Remus left cheek bone. He cursed dropping down and shooting a spell at an advancing death eater.

"Crucio," a masked woman screamed. Remus grimace- he knew that voice- Bellatrix Lestrange, Sirius mad cousin. "Crucio!" She screamed again and this time Sirius groaned. She laughed high and cruel, "oooh poor Sirius don't like the pain…. stay still I can make it better," she sang out amusement and hatred lacing her tone.

"Expelliarmus!"

A death eaters wand went flying landing somewhere over Blacks left shoulder. Several load pops announced the arrival of more fighters, friend or foe neither Sirius nor Remus had time to find out. Remus dodges to the left, causing the spell to miss him by inches.

"Sectumsempra!" White got pain ran up the length of Remus leg with a gasped he dropped to his knees. Warmth washed over his arm, which he had wrapped around the throbbing side. Somehow his pain addled mind had kept hold of his wand.

"Stupid!" A new voice said, "stupefy." A loud thump accompanied the words as the curse hit home. "Are you able to stand?" A woman dropped down beside him her eyes lighted on him for a moment and then sweeping along the village.

Remus started for a moment words lost for a moment. In the back of his mind he wondered if he was dying, his heart thumped madly, his nostrils flared as he breathed in deeply the scent of this heart shaped faces woman. His eyes flickered up noting the vibrant colored hair, she rose tripping on the hem of her rob and yanking him up. "The building behind and to the left—-"

"SECTUMSEMPRA!"

A woman scream was cut off in a gurgling choking sound that had Lupin stomach rolling as his eyes half blinded by the still popping fireworks searched for the woman who had made such a noise.

"Give up Bella!" Sirius voice broke through above the din of spells and exploding fireworks. Bellatrix laughed grinning and showing off her straight white teeth as she did so. Sirius arm was bleeding heavily, a cut above his right eye made it hard to see. "Stupefy!" His curse went wide.

Bellatrix laughed spinning in a circle like a muggle ballerina, " AVEDA KEDVA" A blast of green burst from her wand, the light seemed to merge with the bursting fireworks- their last explosions hide the sounds of disapperating death eaters.

Remus lurched forward fighting to his feet and shoving the woman's attempt to help him stand. His eyes searched desperately around, he could smell it. A fresh kill. A life suddenly zapped out. The curse had hit home. Voice mingled together with the still popping fireworks- Remus strained his ears hard but could not distinguish one voice from another even with his wolf hearing.

Sirius rolled from his stomach to his back gasping. Pain raced throughout his whole body, his lungs struggled to catch his breath. He could feel warmth slowly sweeping away from whomever the curse had hit. His hands shook as he slowly gently moved them from him laying them gentle beneath the green glow of the Dark Mark that was slowly raising up.

Her eyes were shut- if it had not been for the absent rising and falling of her chest Sirius would thinking she was sleeping. A small trail of blood ran along the corner of her mouth. Gently he whipped the trail of blood away. A strangled sound caught his attention, his eyes slide from her face to meet the watery eyes of Frank Longbottom. his wand tumbled from his hands sparks flying from the top. "Ally?" His voice cracked he dropped to his knees reaching out and running a finger along the side of her face. "She's warm…" his hand slide slowly along his wife's face moving back and forth.

Sirius stares feeling like an interloper on a very private moment. Franks eyes slide from his wife's to Sirius, "she's...just… she's sleeping…"

Sirius stared at him, Franks hand kept moving along the side of his wife's face muttering softer and softer that she had to be sleeping. "She's gone Frank…." The words felt cold and empty to him.

"Your wrong...wrong she's just...just sleeping…" Frank denied his hand still moving gently along the side of his wifes face. He slide his arms under his wife's body lifting her gently into him, tucking her head under his chin. "Sleeping...sleeping"

"Frank…" Alastor Moody had walked up beside them. Sirius jumped slightly, if he had been a death eater he would have killed them both before either of them knew it. "Give her to me." Sirius could not remember ever hearing him sound so kind before.

He did not wait for an answer, gently he moved Frank away pressing him into Sirius who locked his arms around Franks immobil body. Moody bent down wrapping his arms under the legs and shoulders of Alice's body and stood up lifting her in his arms. His eyes flicked over Sirius body noting the bleeding cut and his shaking arms. He jerked his head towards the Hogsheads and Sirius nodded getting up onto his wobbly legs. He got an arm under Franks shoulder and yanking him to his feet. Franks voice was getting more quiet but the words stayed the same, "She is just sleeping" Sirius bit his bottom lip hard,he said nothing gripping Franks shoulders tighter.

Remus sat on the floor, his side throbbing. Beside him, her head in his lap Marlene McKenna lay her eyes shut. Madam Pomfrey sat in front of them her voice soft and mummering as she slowly healed the rest of the wound caused by the secrumspra spell. "It will scar I am afraid." Without opening her eyes Marlene shrugged.

The door to the bar swung open, Remus head jerked towards it his heart leaping into his throat and then settling back into his chest a second later. Sirius stumbled in, his arm supporting the weight of Frank Longbottom.

A moment later Moody limped in, the body of Alice Longbottom cradled in his hand. Marlene eyes had opened when the door had, her eyes taking in the odd paleness that was Alice's skin. Tears formed in Marlene's eyes, spilling over to run silently down her face. Gently Sirius sat Frank beside the fire before crossing over to where Remus and Marlene sat. Silently Remus squeezed his friends shoulder, as Marlene pressed her face into Blacks chest her tears warm on his T-shirt.

Marlene mind swam, her neck throbbed and body ached as she pressed her face into the hard chest of Sirius Black. She had fancied him since fifth year, had never thought she would ever end up in his arms. As of aware of her inner turmoil Sirius tightened his hold on her. Her body shuddered as the tears came faster, she blinked rapidly, the sobs that slipped from her silent in their force. The haunting image of Alice floated in her mind, her young friends eyes shut. Guilt plagued her, to be enjoying the warmth of comfort of Sirius Black's arms when her friend was in the cold grip of death. Alice has befriended her that very first day on the Hogwarts Express. She had never cared about Marlene ministry connected family, had been a constant stone as one by one her parents and sibling fell until only she was left.

"It was meant for me." Sirius voice was nearly above a whisper, jagged and broken filled with the pain of someone twice his age.

Remus said nothing, simply squeezed Blacks shoulders eyes blinking. Sirius wrapped in arm tighter around Marelen taking the other one to grip the hand Remus has placed on his shoulder.

Frank sat beside the body of his wife. A fire crackled a few inches away, he felt cold though as he had the year he jumped naked into the Great Lake in the middle of February on a dare. His hand still traced the outline of Alice faces as he had every night since they had married. Alice had always said it helped her fall asleep. He could almost pretend that she was sleeping, only the absent rise and fall of her chest and her cooling skin gave away that she was truest gone. A hand came down on his shoulder, Frank jumped but he did not stop the slow up and down of his finger on his wife's face. Something hard and cool was pressed into his hand. He tore his eyes away Alice face for a moment. Her wand. His fingers clenched tight around the smooth wood. It was cold, as cold as his wife's body. Some placed a hand on his shoulder, he ignored it leaning forward to press his face into Alice's shoulder. He swallowed hard, warm tears trickling down his faces as his shoulders shook. Just an hour ago he had been kissing her, his fingers gently tickling along her ribs while she giggled and laughed nestling her face into their sons head. Their son, he would never know his mother's touch, hear her laugh. His silent sobs turned loud, his shoulder shook his hand clenching hard against the wood of his wife's wand.

Those within the Hogshead sat silent, tears streaked down some faces, eyes shown overly bright. They were intruders, watching someone else's grief merging it into their own.