Sorry it took a while, school just started and there was a lot I wanted to put in this chapter - I didn't even get it all in to be honest :) Well hope you enjoy, a thanks again to all my fabulous reviewers - You all give me such a boost to write!

To Tell

Remus

I had forgotten it was snowing.

Everywhere the blanket stretched apart from the few trenches where people had walked, even the lake was white, frozen. I was cold in my thin jumper and my hands, gloveless and shoved in my pockets, felt as if they'd fall away no matter how much I rubbed them. White fell all around me landing on my eyelashes and making me blink.

At least my shoes weren't wet.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't notice it. They say that in times of grief or anger you notice nothing but the pain in your chest and the fire in your thoughts. Metaphorical rubbish of course. I was standing out here freezing cold to the core with nothing but my fuming thoughts to keep me company.

Or at least I did until James came.

He didn't say anything but he seemed to know what to do. He handed me a coat, some gloves and a hat wordlessly and stood by my side in front of frozen lake.

The images twisting in my thoughts like snakes. I didn't want to imagine, to think, about the things the twins must have been through. All the same, the flashes seemed to leak into my brain and they wormed themselves into me. I felt trapped and useless; I didn't know what I should do!

I felt as if I should have stopped it from happening. I felt like it was my fault, that if I'd only tried hard to argue my case they wouldn't have gone. Her poor face. My Lara, my girl, I should have found a way to stop that. What had he done to them? That- that sick minded, sadistic, cruel, heartless, pitiless, ungrateful little bastard! Words poured from my head and I growled, kicking the snow brutally. A cloud of ice sprang into the air.

I wonder if I were to cry, would my tears freeze on my face?

I turned around and stared at the castle. It looked so inviting up there, the tall towers shining with warm yellow lights and the sound of laughter and talk drifting down. The sky around it was a pale grey, several shades lighter than her eyes. I suppose I should go back up. If not for the fact I was beginning to lose feeling in various parts of my body or that James probably wanted to go then to make sure I was at her side when she woke up.

I was calmer now; the world had slapped me out of my internal debate (rudely if I may add).

"It will be alright you know" Prongs said next to me and I nodded.

I will be alright. The twins were both back and they were alive. Sure they had been through a lot but they would recover and this time they were surrounded by friends. I would be here all the way. There was no way I'd let her leave my side again. I loved her to much to risk... these last few days had been hell, I didn't want a reprise. I didn't want to live without her.

"Come on then. Before both of us become infertile" I said and James laughed.

It would be okay, right?

Lily

It was a strange thing to be sitting in a hospital room waiting for people to wake up. We all sat there, each in our own worlds, each in our own spaces. Sirius sat on a chair at Alex's side with his back to the wall just sitting there staring into nothing. Peter was on the floor at the foot of the beds catching up on homework, I found the gentle sound of the quill scratching soothing. I sat reading on a chair facing the two beds and James at in a chair opposite me between them. He was sketching something I couldn't see and every now and then he and Sirius would speak quietly across Alex. Lastly was Remus, who sat on another chair next to Lara with his head resting on her pillow and his hand wrapped around hers.

Occasionally Madam Pomfrey would march in, side step Peter, nearly walking into me and wave James furiously away so she could check her patients. At one point she even made all the boys leave so that she could check Lara over. I stayed to help.

I nearly started crying again when I saw her. The cut across her face trailed all the way down her body and ended at her hip. It was bandaged up and Pomfrey explained that it would not heal magically. She also had bruising around her arms where she'd... where she'd been tied up.

And then there was the really sick thing. On both the twins their surname had been... ugh... had been cut into their arms. GREY. It was such a possessive thing to see and I was glad the boys hadn't seen them. I could only imagine... Remus probably wouldn't be the only one to walk out in anger. It reminded me of the dark marks on the arms of Death Eaters.

Once that was done everyone came back in and went right back to where they'd been before. Remus didn't ask about the cut but I could see he wanted to.

James moved and sat next to me. I didn't bother to complain. He'd been so different in these last few hours. Naturally, he would be when we were in the company of our gravely injured and tormented friends but still, it made a nice change. The smirk had completely disappeared and he would just sit and frown, deep in thought. I had never seen him so genuine, it was like he'd pulled off the mask and was just James Potter. He hadn't asked me out once, just stared at me with those wide hazel eyes that were so sad and fearful. He stared at me as if I were the one who had just been tortured and it was sort of unnerving. Nevertheless when our eyes met I couldn't gather up the will power to move them away so we would just sit there looking at each other.

I wondered what he was thinking.

Lara

Waking up was no fun.

I ached all over, my head was pounding and I was really, really itchy. What was with that?

Next to me, somewhere to my left I felt Alex stir. I could also feel other minds around me but to be honest I really couldn't be bother to deal with other people. Flashes of last night (last night?) crashed down on me and I clenched my hands. I wasn't really awake but my memories still attacked me. Again and again I saw the room, I remember Alex's screams, the pain, the ropes, I remember him breaking into Alex's mind, I remember shouting at him then a sudden bang and then no more. It was at this point that I must have been knocked out. I bit my lip and an old cut from the gag opened.

"Ow, dammit!" I said as I felt blood fill my mouth, I raised a hand to try and stem the bleeding cringing at the pain that movement made. I hadn't realise I'd opened my eyes until I became conscious of five wide eyes focused on me "Oh, hi guys. When did we get here? Oh wait... no I remember now..." I remembered our escape from the house and mother... my face fell.

"Lara!"

"How do you feel?"

"Lara! You're awake!" Someone practically shouted next to me and I turned my head to see Remus with a very relieve and very tired face.

"It seems so" My voice was sore so I stopped speaking and just stared at my boyfriend who was now stroking my forehead carefully. I let myself stare into the beautiful blue gold eyes and smiled as the piece of blond hair feel over his face, again. I pushed it back behind his ear.

"It so good to see you awake, we were so worried" I heard Lily say and I nodded vaguely.

I could feel that next to her sat James and I smiled slightly to feel them next to each other. Seemed I'd missed something in that section. In front of them was Peter and Sirius was next to Alex, he was very worried at the moment.

"Don't worry Sirius, Alex will be awake in approximately... ten seconds" I said quietly but I knew he heard.

Sure enough in about that amount of time Alex groaned but he didn't get to do much more than opened his eyes before Sirius attacked him with a kiss. I chuckled and heard Lily do the same. I looked up to see James and Peter staring wide eyed at the couple in shock. Sirius drew away with a smile and Alex blinked several time.

"Oh. well. Good to see you too" he said absently, still a little bamboozled at being snogged three seconds after he'd woken up from a very deep sleep.

At this moment Poppy marched into the room, nearly tripped over Peter who was on the floor and walking right into James who sat next to Lily. She grunted in frustration but really it was her fault for walking so fast.

"Ah good, you're awake. The headmaster would like to see you and you five need to go as well" She said sternly and shooed the other out of the room. There was a lot of grumbling but eventually they all left after Remus gave me and quick kiss and Sirius squeezed Alex hand. They all waved and promised to come later. I felt my heart soar at being surrounded by all these incredible people.

And now came the difficult part. We had anticipated it, dreaded it, and now we would have to actually do it.

Alex

Professor Dumbledore.

All my life I had heard about this man, from my parents, friends, teachers and the media. Everyone had a different opinion. Fath- He considered him to be a barmy old idiot who stuck his nose into everyone's business. Our teachers were a mix of indifference, irritation and plain old simply hero-worshiping (or a variation between them). They told that he was powerful, wise and a tad eccentric but it was the whispers that really caught our attention.

People in my school were scared to speak against dark lords as a rule. We were the pure bloods, the superiors who believed almost always in the views of the extremists. We, who paid for the best and held our back straight and thought only of ourselves, as expected, should not be caught doing anything else. But we still heard the whispers.

Dumbledore: the one the Dark Lord fears, the one who rallies against him, who stood up in opposition to him. Dumbledore and the word 'resistance' were often heard together.

And here he was. Just as eccentric as they said and I thought the description of 'barmy' might not be so far off. He was wearing a bright purple cloak with ruby red robes underneath. It was all quite lavishly embroidered and the fabric looked heavy and finely made. It had to be the most out of fashion thing I had ever seen but this headmaster pulled it off very well. Tucked into his belt was his long silver beard which was pretty undistinguishable from his silver hair. Perched on the end of his lone nose a pair half moon spectacles sat but they were so far from his eyes and so tiny that I wondered if he even needed them to see. He seemed to look over them most of the time anyway...

Nevertheless I could see the power in this man. The very air seemed to thrum with magic and I knew that he was anything but stupid. He eyes, clear blue, sparkled and brimmed with intelligence. Of course I heard nothing of his thoughts and I stayed far away from them but I could feel the constant ticking and analysing in his thoughts. It was... unnerving.

I was instantly uncomfortable.

I didn't look into his eyes more than once because I could feel them pierce my soul. I could feel him look deep inside me and I'd certainly had enough of that to last a lifetime.

Lara was quite the opposite. She always was, though people often mistook us to being exactly the same. She instantly relaxed as he strolled into out cubicle and she sent him a small smile. She was, to be blunt, curious (not to mention excited) to meet this powerful, well known person. She probably observed him as much as he was observing us as he walked into the room. She didn't approach his mind which without a doubt would be barred completely shut but she did marvel at the aura around him. When he looked into her eyes she didn't remove her gaze once.

If he was unnerved by it he didn't mention it and I didn't sense it.

"Alexander, Larissa Grey, it's a pleasure to meet you. I do not believe we haven't been formally introduced yet: I am Professor Dumbledore, though I expect you already knew that" He chuckled "I hate to interrupt your rest but... well, I think you understand. Bean?" He held out a box of Bertie Bott's every flavoured beans box and while I shook my head Lara took a pinkish one which turned out to be Turkish delight. I was a little miffed at why he was offering us candy...

"I've found myself rather addicted to them of late but shh – don't tell Poppy" he winked at us. He's mad. To use a Sirius phrase – completely off his rocket.

He popped a purple sweet into his mouth and chewed it slowly while looking at us. Looked at us long and hard, suddenly serious, and I shifted in my bed. This man really knew how to change his mood...

"Now... I understand that this may be difficult but I must ask you to explain what led you to be in this room." He said gravely.

I exchanged looks with Lara.

Do you want me...? I asked uncertainly.

No... I will. But should we explain about last time?

I don't think it's that necessary, not unless he asks...

True, shall I say about the DE situation and the plans to attack Muggle born families?

Yeah, we did plan on telling him anyway.

Okay, but you will have to fill in the blank from when I became unconscious. She replied and I nodded.

I'll pick it up if you stop. She nodded back and turned to Dumbledore who was eying us curiously, though he was quick to hide it. I quickly sent my mind out and didn't find anyone close enough to hear what we were saying.

Then Lara began talking. She didn't emit anything though she didn't go into the dark details, for obvious reasons. Dumbledore didn't interrupt once but throughout our story his face became grimmer and grimmer and even the sparkle in his eye had dimmed... She gave him an overview of our family's view and pure-blood status and Death Eater involvement. She spoke about, our fear of father since being put in Gryffindor, and the party where we overheard Malfoy and about the arranged marriage between her and Regulus Black. She told him about the spy, me being gay (after asking me) and our father's views on things like that. She talked about him knowing Remus was a werewolf (how did he know?). Then she went on to talk about him breaking into my mind at which point she stuttered.

"Alex tried to stop him, tried to push him away and it worked. He stopped... I remember... I shouted at him... but..."

"You shouted at him to stop but he got angry and I guess he must have just acted on instinct because he flew that curse – the one that did that to your face – and you lost consciousness. I... I thought you were dead..."

I pushed back the memories. I didn't want to feel that feeling again, that loneliness, guilt and emptiness that had swallowed me.

"After that he attacked my mind again but I couldn't hold him off and he heard about our plans to tell you about what we overheard, among other things – like how we wanted to work against the Dark Lord" I looked at him now, showing him the sincerity in my eyes "I lost consciousness and when I awoke it must have been a few hours later and our mother was looking after us. She smuggled us and all of our stuff out of the manor and side-long appirated us to Hogsmeade where she sent a message to you. And well... that's it. If you do try and do something then let it be saving our mother... she went back and we... we don't know what he's going to do to her. Though it may be too late I suppose..." I trailed off thinking of that woman. I hadn't known her and she'd never tried to rectify that but... I knew she'd cared, been too scared perhaps for our sake, and for her own wellbeing. There was no crime in being scared for yourself... She'd saved us in the end. She was our mother and she'd loved us, she'd proven that, and we loved her. She'd opened and for once I'd seen beyond the mask.

Dumbledore looked at us gravely over his spectacles and then he seemed to sigh.

Lara

I was standing in the dormitory bathroom before the floor to ceiling mirror. It was four o'clock in the morning and I'd woken with nightmares this morning. Everyone was fast asleep: Lily looking peaceful and fair in the pale moon light with her flaming red hair around her, Alice was hidden by her maroon curtains but dreaming inside, Tabby would smiled gently in her sleep and Amy who was curled into a tight ball with her quilt in a tangled mess around her and her pillows on the floor.

I'd stared at them all for a while, just relishing in my new friends who were always so animated and excepting. I'd closed the door gentle as I slipped into the bathroom, I didn't bother to lock the door.

We had stayed in the hospital wing for five days, finally being let out on Christmas Eve. Our friends had visited us every day; Remus and Sirius were an almost constant presence in our 'room'. We were both slowly gathering strength but it was slower than last times we'd been tortured. It most likely had something to do with the curse that he'd thrown at me and the way he'd broke into Alex's thoughts. It had drained the both of us.

Lily had visited every day as well and I'd sent her many pointed looks in the subject of James. I'd been rewarded with many blushes, though I could tell she still thought of him as annoying and immature.

The Marauders would come in and tell me all about the various pranks they'd pulled. James and Peter had gotten used to the idea that their best friend was dating my brother though James looked like he'd already suspected it beforehand.

We hadn't really breached the subject of what happened to us – just a quick explanation into the whys. The boys had taken this news to mean it was their fault it had all happened, though they'd not said it out loud. We'd been quick to shout that down; I couldn't stand the feeling of misplaced guilt.

When we were finally released (several days later than I would have medically thought necessary – but hey) we were confronted with an entire schools worth of attention and stared. My scar didn't help. Everywhere I went heads turned to face me, their large eyes zeroing on the mark. Remus would draw me closer and glare at the people in question while I just gritted my teeth and walked past. I didn't try and hide it, that would get me nowhere but I did find myself keeping my hair over at least some of it.

The floor felt cold on my bare white feet as I padded to the shower and the lights that had danced on were too bright for my eyes. Now comes the tricky operation of removing the bandages still wrapped around me.

I started with the ones on my arms. First the right arm where I just had a few around the marks from the ropes. I wouldn't have to wear this one anymore, because even though the skin was a little bruised still the cuts had gone. Next came the left arm. I was still shocked at what he'd done here after all I'd had no idea, being dead unconscious, until Poppy had uncovered them. The four letters were large and capitalised on the inside of my forearm. They had healed now into pink lines but there were purple bruises surrounding them. The G started about an inch and a half away from the crease at my elbow and the Y ended and inch from my wrist, each letter was about the size of galleon. It was a garish sight which was identical to the one on Alex's arm.

The next bandages to be removed were the ones that ran down the cut... this was even more difficult and depressing.

Finally they were all gone and I stared at my reflection.

The pink raised line cut through my white skin and I felt tears burn behind my eyes. It was so ugly, so demanding and unnatural. It didn't belong on my body! It was this alien thing that curled over my form. This body wasn't just me anymore. How could anybody ever... ever want this? I was so broken. Violated. I could do nothing about it! This mark, this thing would forever be on me, people would look at me and they would see it. They would form opinions based on it, it had attached itself to me.

And him. His words, his curses and the fire he forces through my veins, they had never changed me – not really. I had always been proud that I had come out of those encounters with my head still high, sure it would come crashing back and my mentality may have altered. However this, this was different. It was his mark, shouting at me, forever reminding me. I could feel it in the ache of my heart, in the physical pain of moving and my shame. My shame.

I could hardly look at myself.

I was disgusted by my own body.

I tried to push my emotions back, just to look, observe. The cut started at my temple, everyone could see that, it swept over my cheek bone and then down the soft shin of my cheek and over the jaw bone, leaving a notch there. Then it went down my neck, thankfully shallower here, and crossed over to the opposite collarbone. It then curved around the outside of my breast and over the side of my stomach and ended on the hard bone of my hip. It was particularly painful at my side, where my clothes rubbed and I wore a soft padding there where my trousers would pinch.

I tore my eyes away. I'd had enough of my own scrutiny. I stepped into the shower, my body stiff, and put the water on a medium heat that would be uncomfortable on my sensitive skin.

I let the falling water disguise my tears.

Sirius

I woke.

The room was still dark around me so I figured it was the early hours of the morning. I looked to my right and saw the curtains around Al's bed were open and he was missing. Everyone else was fast asleep. I got out of bed uncertainly and bit my lip. It just didn't feel right. He'd just come back and… I didn't want to be away from him now, not now. I felt a quietly growing panic in my chest when he wasn't within my sight. I padded out of the dorm and into stairway. The bathroom was just a few stairs below and I could see a line of lights flickered beneath the door. I sighed with guilty relief. I quietly walked to the door, shuddering at the cold stone steps. I pushed the wooden door open and peeked into the bathroom.

Alex stood there with his back to me dressed in some loose jeans. I smiled seeing his pale muscled back bare, and tip-toed in. I knew that he knew I was there, it was impossible to sneak up of a Legilimen like Al, but that didn't mean I couldn't pretend. He didn't turn as I shut the door and went up behind him. I saw that he was looking into the long mirror and gentle covered his eyes with my hands, stepping up close to him.

"Guess who" I whispered into his ear and he chuckled quietly.

He was slightly taller than me and his shoulder came up to my nose so I let my lips and teeth trail over the firm muscle between his neck and shoulder. He turned in my arms and his large grey eyes met mine. They were sad and tired but they still seemed to smile at me, I could look into those eyes for hours just letting them fill my sight. I rested my head in his shoulder, wrapping my arms around his waist and I felt him do the same. He was here. This was all I needed, just to feel him right here, not going anywhere.

We stood there for a long time, just standing there together.

"You're up early" I muttered once and felt him nod by my head.

"Yes - dreams. Lara woke first then she didn't go back to sleep so I couldn't either" he said and I shivered as his breath rustled my hair.

I pulled back to look at him. I hadn't realised he had bad dreams, though I couldn't see why I should be surprised. Even without knowing the details I knew they'd been through a lot but it still made a lump in my throat. I forcefully pushed away the thoughts of… that time. I couldn't think about that, if I did then there was no knowing what I would do.

I saw his eyes dart to my hands that were clasping his arms and I realise that I had gripped them tightly during my annoyed thoughts. I sent him an apologetic look and released them. He smiled sadly at me and pressed a kiss to my lips.

The kiss was soft and seemed to sooth my heart but I didn't want that. I wanted to feel that he really was here, that he was alive. I needed that. Perhaps he sensed it in my thoughts or maybe he felt the same because before I knew it the kiss diverged into a desperate battle. His hands were in my hair pulling me closer and his tongue traced over my lips which I gladly opened. My own hands scrapped over his chest and he moaned slightly as my tails brushed his abs. The sound sent sparks down my body and I jerked in response. We were backing up, him pushing, me pulling, my back pressing against the door meaning our lips pressed so close that our teeth clicked against each other. His body pressed into every part of me and I had to abandon the roaming of my hands on his chest and moved to his back.

We kissed like this till we were both panting.

He lent his forehead against mine and I sighed blissfully. Yes, this was everything that I needed.