To Land

Darien

I landed outside the proud grey manor and I stood staring at the gates where Alex had been just seconds before. I saw him, so clearly, watching realisation flicker, watching as his world collapsed. I saw him standing there clinging to the quaint little gate, unable to hold himself up. I saw him crack, crumble and collapse inside his eyes. I felt it all, saw it all.

Lips latched onto mine again and I resisted the urge to groan. His hands moved up to cradle my face and the kiss became soft, so soft and so perfect it melted my heart. It was almost too good, this last kiss, if it had just been him forcing his lust onto me I could pretend to myself that this was all just a game really. He stroked my jaw tenderly, another hand reaching down to brush through my dark hair. This here wasn't lust though and I wanted to weep feeling his love, feeling my love, infecting me.

My ears were listening out keening for the sound I knew would come. Lips drew away briefly to trace a line to my neck, latching onto that place that only he knew made me shiver.

"Dari..."

Then I heard it, so quietly in the very far reaches of my ears. It forced me to emit a strangled cry as my hands, unwilling, so Merlin damned unwillingly, moved to press against his shoulders. He didn't seem to notice and the hypnotising way he littered my skin with kisses broke into my chest.

The door swung open, suddenly and brutally, wand light rushing into the small space and Ally froze. I plastered my smug grin onto my face while my heart broke. I pushed him away and he stumbled away, back hitting the closet walls and feet tripping over a bucket. He looked up at me and something in his face stuttered as he saw mine.

"See. Didn't I tell you he was ponce?" I said, turning to sneer arrogantly at the caretaker and Eloisa Vager "now excuse me I have to go pack my things"

I moved to walk out of the closet, sending a charmed wink at Eloisa who giggled disgustingly, but then I paused, turning to look back at where Alex still crouched on the floor. His face was in shock and confusion, denial clear, and Merlin did it hurt to see.

"See you around Alex sweetie" I said, blowing a kiss.

One last blow.

Then it happened and it was my eyes he stared into as the heart inside his chest shattered and hope and love tumbled into a ditch. It was my eyes that watched it all happen, knowing it was my entire fault. I felt it, saw it all.

Regulus

I stood outside the heavy door that had just closed in my face. The doors that she had just disappeared behind. I stood still, so still it seemed even my heart had stopped drumming, like my lungs had given up and the blood in my veins had solidified. I didn't know what I was to do, what I was to say. It occurred to me that anybody, any Death Eater, could walk by and see me standing here, with even my gaze frozen.

Abruptly, I felt in my heart something come alive, something that had been asleep for a long time stirred like a beast blearily opening its eyes to look around. It became aware and I became aware. I realised and the thoughts that crashed into me pushed me away stumbling. It all came to me in one fell swoop and the world as I knew it seemed to crumble around me. My back hit a wall and my mouth fell open, agape in a silent cry.

What have I done? What did I do?

Sirius

The fire roared green and a figure materialized in a swirl of fabric, the boy tumbling out gracelessly onto the rug of Andy's spotless home. Ash puddle around his feet and smears had found them self covering his face. Remus' eyes darted around the room, frenzied and wide, before landing on me and Al.

I didn't move, not that I could if I wanted to. Al's head of silver hair lay in my lap, facing my stomach and the rest of him was curled up next to me on the sofa. He had finally fallen asleep and the quivering in his limbs had all but subsided. Remus' face crumpled and he was silent as he collapsed into the arm chair and pulled his knees up to his chest, arms wrapping them tightly. Nothing had to be said.

I had owled him an hour ago, just before Alex had fallen asleep and it was now about nine in the morning. Lara had disappeared last night, we hadn't slept since. We had watched the sun rise into the air from the kitchen window, holding cups of non-drunk tea to our chests. Andromeda had left some hour before dawn, saying nothing but pulling her cousins into tight, back breaking hugs.

I found myself thinking of Lara – well, obviously – thinking of the last time we had talked, just between us, in the hospital wing. Her words then seemed so fateful now and mine so naive. It was like she had known that she wasn't going to be around much longer – not that she was dead, I told myself firmly. She had felt it, that something was going to happen, she had known as she stood there looking at her brother's unconscious form that something not right was going on, something that was targeted at her.

It seemed so obvious now, blinding Alex of the world around him, blinding him of Lara. Alex would normally always know if there was something wrong with his sister so if you wanted to get her, you had to get him.

And only someone who knew of the intense connection between the two would know that. Three guesses who.

But Lara, Lara, that's who I'd been thinking about. She had near as told me something was going to happen.

"Sirius?" she whispered and I squeezed her hand "If I ever... if I die, you should know that Alex won't be the same – not just emotionally – but literally, personality wise. If that were to happen-"

"-Which it won't" I cut in and she glanced at me sadly.

"Shush, let me finish." She took in a deep in breath "If that were to happen you have to promise me to help him re-build himself and not to... abandon him, if he seems different. Promise me that"

Her words had been playing through my head all night. It made me shudder; it made me want to curl up, the words twisting around me and the image of her desperate face filled my vision.

"Help him re-build himself".

I looked down at Alex, my fiancé, my love, soon to be husband, his soft hair disarrayed around his head and his eyes gently closed. Even in his sleep his face was tight with tension and a frown marred his lips. His eyes held the burden of heavy dark purple bags on which his lashes rested on, silver and light. Red cheeks, red from tears and anger, that looked so soft, so untarnished. His hand on my leg clenched and loosened, long musician's fingers that were tainted red on the tips from where blood had split as he clenched them into his palm.

I bit into my lips.

"If I ever... if I die"

James

I looked up from the letter in my hand up to the house and back again. I was nervous, no point denying it. I looked up at the house again and frowned. It was so... normal, so boring, this whole place was. I looked up and down the street again, taking in the identical houses and the tidy lawns and carefully clipped hedges. Lights bloomed in the (courteously curtained) windows all down the street and it was completely still.

It was a whole twenty-four hours since Lara had vanished.

I took a deep in breath and walked up the pathway to the door. I raised my knuckles to knock on the wooden surface but paused seeing the little button next to the door. I looked back down at the letter and read the little scribbled note at the end.

Oh – when you get here ring the bell. They have a thing about people knocking.

I studied the word bell and looked back at the small blue button. Weird. I shrugged and pressed my finger to the little thing which, to my satisfaction, made the sound of a bell ring out inside the house. I tried not to look smug that I figured out the weird muggle contraption.

Noises sounded inside, a gruff male voice and the sound of running feet, and I saw a shadow appear through the window of the door. I gulped and placed a small smile on my face.

The door opened and a large man stood there staring at me with narrowed eyed. I blinked in shock. The man was large, with a small neck and too many chins, his hair was a pale blond and he sported a weird little moustache. Beady eyes looked me up and down and a sneer started to grow on his lips, especially after studying my Potter hair.

"So you're one of her friends are you?" he said with a scowl, crossing beefy arms over his cheat "another freak?"

Did he just call me a freak? I thought to myself as I was ushered into a plain and – oh guess what – boring hall way.

"James!" someone called and a streak of red met my eyes before I was stumbling with the weight of someone in my arms, I laughed slightly and nervously. I stroked the back gentle, feeling the muscles tremble. I could hardly believe this was actually happening.

"Hey there Lils, you nearly ready to go?" I asked and she clung tighter.

"Yes! Definitely, oh I am so glad you offered, I don't think I could – I just can't – oh James!" She shuddered in my arms and I her unleash a sob into my chest.

I looked over her head and saw a woman, a few years older than us, standing in the doorway to a living room, watching us. She had brown hair, pulled back sharply from her head, and her eyes were brown. The only thing that showed she was Lily's sister was a slight hint in the bones of her face and the fair skin. Her arms were crossed over an apron and her eyes were hard and her lips pursed. She glared as my eyes met hers and I had never seen so much hate laced into a complete stranger towards me.

"So you're Potter?" she said harshly, face twisting into disgust.

I nodded sharply once then turned to Lily who had stiffened as her sister had spoken.

"Where's your stuff Lils?" I asked - my thoughts focused on getting out of this house as fast as possible.

"At the top of the stairs, wi- with Tomi" she said, pulling back "I couldn't- couldn't – carry it"

I frowned.

"Why didn't you-" use magic. I silenced seeing her fearful look in those bright green eyes and glanced over to where Petunia still stood angrily.

"I'll go get it" I said slowly, pulling out of Lily's arms.

I made my way to the stairs and heardVernonshout something just as I was a few steps up.

"Don't touch anything boy!"

I bit back a growl. Boy, how dare he? How on earth could my Lily have such atrocious relatives, boy?

Getting to the top of the stairs I found the trunk waiting as she had said. There was also the basket which held her ever moody brown cat, Thomasina, who glared at me reproachfully through wicker case. I glanced down the stairs and, seeing that I was out of view of the moody couple, drew my wand. Quickly casting a weightless charm over the bulbous trunk, and, grasping it and the (resentfully hissing) cat basket, began to drag it down the stairs.

Waiting for me the small family stood in tense silence, Lily looking down and fiddling with the hem of her muggle blouse. Petunia andVernonstood in the entrance to the living room, both with arms crossed and glares. I glanced away from them and cleared my voice.

"All ready?"

She nodded stiffly, reaching out to take Thomasina from me, and turned to look at her sister, opening her mouth but pausing, unsure perhaps what to say.

"You can stay away for the rest of the summer" Petunia said before she could speak, throwing her nose into the air and sniffing.

I saw Lily's mouth shut tight with a click, teeth moving to bite her lip, and her emerald eyes glistened, something inside me snapped. I glared at the other woman, striding forward to grip Lily flower's hand possessively.

"Lily is welcome to stay as long as she wishes" I said coldly.

"Good"Vernonsaid stiffly and I turned to glare at him instead, my eyes burning in their sockets.

There was stillness in that small corridor then, the space between us clearly marking the differences between us. I found myself growing to hate them with the way they treated Lily who just stood there taking it all. She wasn't the normal fiery Lily Evens here, ready to take anything; she was tired and lonely, unsure and hurt, I could see it and it kicked something inside my soul to see.

"Seems there nothing left to say" I muttered "let's go Lily"

I pulled her away and they watched silently, I reached out and opened the door. Cold air touched our faces and we paused. I felt Lily glance again behind her but there were no more words, hateful or otherwise to be said. Together we walked out of the house into the suburban street and we left the door to swing close with a defiant bang. We kept walking, saying nothing and looking straight ahead and not pausing once. I led her to the alley I had apparated into to get here and with a gentle squeeze in warning span away, my home in mind.

We landed and the world was quiet.

And then Lily, my fair, strong Lily, broke down. I heard the sound of Tomi's cage falling to the ground, hissing, and the trunk I held hit the earth with a thud. Lily's arms wrapped around my neck and she sobbed unrestrained into my chest. I enveloped her in my arms, pulling her small frame closer to me, breathing deeply the honey smell that was all Lily. I felt my own tears roll down my face and I wondered at them as they trickled down my face unasked. The dark around us was still.

Slowly her tears subsided and almost hesitantly she pulled away and looked up at me through the shadows, green eyes meeting my own. I raised my hands to frame her face, to brush the salty tears away, to hold her. I paused, just stared, just holing her and in my chest my heart felt full and nothing else seemed to matter much but the sharp gaze of those green eyes. I felt her sigh and her eyes fell shut as I leant in, so slowly and oh Merlin so perfectly, to press my lips against her soft ones.

Severus

I landed and the world appeared in a swirl of smoke, fog clinging to the buildings around me. I checked my watch, six-fifty-seven. Three minutes. It was real, I knew it – really I should have known for a while – but it was only hitting me now. It was happening, I was here and I had no choice. None. It didn't matter how much I still loved Lily, how much my friendship with Lara had affected me, I was here and to turn back now was death.

I forced my feet to move and I strode quickly to the well known pub, knowing as I did so that my memory of this place would forever be tainted. I wondered if they did that on purpose but shook my head at the pointless thoughts.

Walking into the pub, I kept my eyes alert. I didn't know who it was I was looking for. I didn't know where they would take me. I didn't know anything but what that jarring note had said. The pub was warm and pleasant, a mockery, and the bar man was busy speaking with the patrons as he went about his business. The sound of his daughter Rosmerta flirting with the men could clearly be heard over the din. I moved to an empty table, weaving through the others, my cloak flowing around me. Sitting I decided the best thing would be to wait for them to come for me.

"Severus!" a voice said coming towards me and I looked up surprised as my classmate fell into the seat opposite me "It is good to see you"

"Oh. Yes, good to see you" I said uneasily, peering around my shoulder uneasily.

Of all the times I could be recognised and accosted by somebody it just had to me now didn't it? I hoped desperately that the person coming to get me wouldn't blame me but I had low hopes, keep hidden, my heart sank in my chest.

"How have you been?" he asked and I turned back to him, surprised at the civil question.

"Well" I said stiffly "Look I don't mean to be ru-"

A sly smirk settled onto his face, interrupting me, and I heard a chuckle from deep in his chest.

"Ah, Snape. How you do amuse me" the other boy said and I shifted as his eyes became sly.

I paused.

"…Excuse me?" I said, wary of insulting him, who was undoubtedly one of my superiors.

Dark eyes met mine knowingly and that smirk grew. Darien Irvine, the Slytherin prince, leant in closer to me, a beckoning finger drawing me in too.

"You, Snape are here to be escorted" he drew away as my eyes rounded "and I am here to do so."

Lara and Alex

Night came to two worlds, two people fell into slumber and we danced through the land of dreams till the light we headed to, followed from the thread leading from our very essences, appeared before us each. We, together in both instances, saw the other and we clashed.

We dreamt and the world expanded from our feet, spiralling up and converging to create a corridor. There was carpet under our feet and the walls were rich and paintings whispered unseeing of our figures. We looked at each other and the faces we saw were blurred and indistinct. We were one yet we were not as we had been before. We were separate, our souls pulled from one another. The one that was Alex had a new thread leading from his soul and it disappeared at a far off vanishing point. The one that was Lara was shying away from the other who was me, who was you.

There was an I.

We felt it, two separates, one me and one you and not us within two bodies.

It was different, for these dreams.

The one that was Alex cried out emotionally at feeling the presence of the other – you – no - me. And the one that was Lara reached out a hand across the barrier that neither could see. We were too far apart, though in this dream world we were within touching distance. Whisper distance.

The corridor continued to form, slowly, like syrup dripping through a filter and my eyes – your eyes – drifted away to examine the place we were in. It was recognisable, after a time and we blinked at the unexpected place.

Then, only as the door itself became to be, a hinge squeaked and a woman strode out of the door. She was our mother but she looked crazed and skeletal though she walked with the usual dignity and energy. She didn't look behind her at the two boys that followed close but strode towards us, her eyes passing through our forms. Both boys were those who we knew too.

The tallest had long dark hair, straight and loose, with dark hair and tanned skin. He looked tired, weaker than usual and his jaw was clenched.

The other also had dark hair, this time black and greasy, with ashen skin. He looked confused and amazed at the same time.

The three passed through us and we turned to watch them.

They stopped outside a different door, several minutes walk away and our mother turned to the boys.

"You know what to do" she said and her voice was muffled "I have exactly ten hours, make sure he finds me before then"

"I will" the solemn one said "And I'll go to her tomorrow. Severus will do the rest"

The bewildered one nodded.

"I guess I will" He said.

Our mother nodded and walked into the other room, we knew it, the room.

The world started to fade and melt and the one that was Alex gasped and turned to the other. Hands reached out as if they could pull this reality back together.

No! Lara. Where are you? I called frantically.

Not here. I replied sorrowfully.