Sitting On The Baby By HPOD sufferer

Date: Sunday, 23rd September, 3:10PM

Rating: K+ (Scary and Supernatural themes may scare young children), sexual implications (very minor)

Summary: Sirius bounded into the compartment, making to sink into the seat next to Lily. The seat in which a sleeping baby...well, slept. Eyes popping, James grabbed his friend's wrists, stopping him from sitting. Sirius Black was frozen in a strange, half-sitting, half-standing position. Lily grabbed the baby quickly, and James released his friend. "You know," said Lily " Baby sitting doesn't usually consist of actually sitting on the baby."

A baby has appeared. Where from? Why? Who does the baby belong to? Harry travels to Marauder Era. AS A BABY! Something went seriously wrong on that Halloween night.

Chapter 23: The Chosen One

Searching for a reason, a friend and a code

While a friend sits beside a lonely road

And the answer just calls in the dark

like the welcome noise of a dog's bark

Fight not with comrades but with evil's spawn

Here comes a battle day with the end of dawn

And he you do not expect will save the day

Or at least that's what I shall pray.

Sirius fell back onto his bed with a thump, the backs of his hands pressed to his forehead. The hot, seething anger at James was slowly ebbing away, leaving Sirius devastated in it's wake. He'd just lost his best friend, someone that, until today, he'd considered a sort of brother. Was it relief he felt? Or was it regret?

Something was sticking into his back. Sirius frowned, shifting. With a groan he rolled over, looking over his shoulder at where he'd being lying moments before. Nothing was there, but something was still sticking into him. Groaning again, Sirius pulled the Marauder's map from his pocket, not stopping to wonder why it was there. Sirius glared at the map.

He and James, along with Peter and Remus, had worked hard on this map. It was a sign of how hard they worked for each other.

Sirius wondered where James was right now. Probably kissing the new love of his life. Sirius glared at the map harder. Was a girl more important than him? Was a feeling of lust a better replacement for six years of friendship?

Sirius glanced around, even though he knew nobody else was around. He didn't know why, but he wanted to open the map. He pulled his wand out, and tapped the map smartly. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

A phrase that usually made him smile, made him grimace. The map appeared, dots moving about as students got dressed for the day. Sirius didn't want to spend precious moments looking for his friend, and wrote on the map, using his wand as if it were a quill.

Mr Padfoot wishes to search for Mr Prongs.

But when the map answered, it was not by homing in on the figure of James as expected. Writing started to appear on the map, causing Sirius to almost fall off his bed.

The Chosen One regrets to tell Mr Padfoot that Mr Prongs will never be found.

Sirius scrambled back onto the bed, staring dumbfounded at the words. The map should not be doing this...but yet it was. Nervously, he started to write with his wand again.

Mr Padfoot would like to enquire as to why this is so. And while Mr Padfoot is at it, he would like to demand WHO ON EARTH ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THE MARAUDER'S MAP?

The writer, or The Chosen One, as they had called themselves, took a while to answer.

The Chosen One is the possessor of the Marauder's map at the present time, and has been using it for watching people. The Chosen One was very surprised when Mr Padfoot wrote on the Map. The Chosen One would like to ask Mr Padfoot if it is really him… and how old he is.

Mr Padfoot is not satisfied with The Chosen One's answer, but will answer the Chosen One's questions. It is indeed Mr Padfoot, and Mr Padfoot is, of course, seventeen years old.

The Chosen One is very astounded. The Chosen One shall calm Mr Padfoot's heart by telling Mr Padfoot one thing. The Chosen One is in the future, and is the future possessor of the Marauders Map. The Chosen One did not know that the map possessed such abilities as letting different possessors of the map talk to each other, even more so, through time. The Chosen One has missed Mr Padfoot dearly.

Mr Padfoot knows The Chosen One in The Chosen One's time?

The Chosen One verifies this. Sadly, the Chosen One must go now. Goodbye Mr Padfoot, and may you rest in peace.

All of the words on the map dissolved, leaving Sirius with a restless feeling in his stomach. That had been unsettling-way too unsettling. It did not pass his attention that The Chosen One had used the phrase usually used on gravestones. May you rest in peace. It seemed innocent enough. Sirius shook his head, and began to manually look for James Potter.

The Headmaster looked gravely at all of those gathered in his office. "An hour," he said. "By then I expect all of my students, except some willing seventh years, to be locked in their House Common rooms, or somewhere equally safe. You shall be outside of the castle, ready to fight. Only retreat if you see the sign."

The assembled members of the Order of the Phoenix nodded, filing out.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward. "Why are you smiling?" she demanded. For indeed, the Headmaster was smiling softly.

He shook his head. "A house elf just alerted me about their actions towards the wards, as they are obligated to do what is best for the castle because of their bindings. It pleases me, that is all," he answered, still smiling.

Minerva McGonagall looked confused, but walked out. "If it pleases you, hopefully that means it is good news."

Lily ran down the corridor towards the Fat Lady, at the same moment as James appeared. "Oh, James!" Lily gasped, pausing to clutch her side. "James!"

James stopped in front of the Fat Lady, looking at her with a curious expression on his face. "Yes Lily?" he asked, a slight snap to his tone. The Fat Lady watched, keeping silent. Lily hobbled over to him, still clutching the sting in her side.

"The wards are falling," she gasped, looking up at him. "Death Eaters are coming into Hogwarts. Will you fight?"

James looked down at her, and she forced herself to stand tall. James stared at her for a moment.

"Fight?" he echoed at last, his eyebrows knitting in confusion.

Lily nodded. "Yes, fight. For Hogwarts."

James continued to stare at her, and while Lily's annoyance grew, James was thinking. He was thinking back to when McGonagall had invited him to join the Order of the Phoenix after he left school. Was Lily part of it too? Was the reason he was being asked to fight was because he was going to be a member? How did Dumbledore even know he was going to be a member?

"Fine," he bit out. Then he smirked, an old habit. "Did you race across the school just to find me?"

Lily glared, her eyes blazing. "No, Dumbledore told me to get people to safety." She gave the Fat Lady the password.

"Aren't they safe in their common rooms?" James asked with interest, following her through the hole.

As soon as they entered the common room, students of all ages stood up, clamouring for attention, demanding an explanation as to why the portrait had been sealed, and the castle shaking. Lily shook her hands the air to get their attention, her temper flaring when nobody quietened. "SHUT UP!" she screamed, and the crowd grew silent, staring at the normally well-mannered head girl in shock. "Now, once you have quite finished impersonating a bunch of headless chickens-"

James covered up a snicker.

Lily scowled at him and turned to the crowd. "Hogwarts is in danger, and in less than three hours, Death Eaters will be able to roam the grounds. My duty as head girl is to make sure you are protected as best possible." She eyed every student. "You will be safe in this common room-for about an hour. Which isn't good enough. So I'd like all of you to follow me-if you know of anyone who is still in their dormitory, get them now."

A few students darted up the stairs, arriving back seconds later with yawning friends. Lily turned and headed out the portrait hole, a bemused James hot on her heels. "Will you please tell me where the hell we're going?" he panted as they practically raced up a flight of stairs, the whole of Gryffindor house following.

"Go to the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff dorms, get the prefects to take all the students to the seventh floor corridor-I'll meet you there," Lily said shortly. James crinkled his nose at her shortness, but turned, heading for the Ravenclaw rooms.

House-elves swarmed the Great Hall, taking their places around the walls, placing their hands on the aged stone, when another house elf burst into the hall, crying out.

"You must not, you must not!" it squeaked, frenzied. The house elves all turned, perplexed. the house elf continued. "The time-the time!"

The house elf closest to the door pulled its hands from the walls. "The time- it -it has come?"

"Doot can feels it! And I saw it, in the Come and Go Room!" replied the newcomer.

"But she screams," another house elf whimpered, clutching its rags. "Doot can't feel it, but she screams, and we can feel it Doot."

Doot the house elf nodded. "Doot knows that he can't feel it," he said in a gentler tone. "Doot is not bound to Hogwarts. Don't listen to her scream. She is only having a nightmare. She has had them before."

One of the house elves on the far side of the Hall came storming up, and poked Doot in the chest with a long, thin finger. Doot reeled back from the impact, but managed to get his footing. The angry house elf spoke, it's high-pitched voice shaking. "Hogwarts isn't dreaming anymore. Her nightmare is coming true, Doot! We have to stop it!"

Doot stamped his foot in frustration. "No."

House elves had taken their hands from the walls, crowding around the commotion, and Doot continued. "We must let it happen, we must!"

The house elf who'd just poked him seemed to waver. "How can Doot be sure? Doot says it himself, he cannot feel her scream. How can Doot claim to know what's best for her?"

"Doot just said why. The time has come!"

The house elf cringed, clutching it's chest, obviously in pain. A few others put their hands over their ears as if they could hear some tremendous noise that hurt them. "But how?" The house elf repeated, shaking from the effort of disobeying the castle.

"The baby isn't on the map anymore," Doot answered quietly. "The nightmare will soon end."

Bellatrix nudged her husband, her eyes narrowing. The castle was far off, but even from her place at the gates Bellatrix could see something...some movement...

"Shit!" swore the Death Eater who was kneeling, playing with the wards. "They've noticed us."

Rabastan Lestrange kicked the Death Eater, growling. "It doesn't matter. They can't stop us." The Death Eater whimpered, clutching his stomach, looking up at Rabastan. Rabastan gave him one last kick and he turned, wincing, back to the gates.

Bellatrix nodded, moving closer to the bars and pressing her face against them. Something like a breeze seemed to push her back, but it wasn't strong. She smirked, and commanded the Gryffindor slumped on the lawn on the side of the path leading up to the castle. "Pettigrew." The Gryffindor ignored her, and she raised her voice. "PETTIGREW. Get over here!"

Pettigrew raised his head, using one hand to rub the dark circles under his eyes. Then, clutching Harry close to himself, he staggered to his feet and moved over, shaking. He stopped three yards from the gates, eyeing Bellatrix warily. Then, something passed through his eyes and he stuck out his tongue in a weak effort to anger her. Bellatrix's nostrils flared and she shrieked. Peter soon gave up his mockery, and quietly stood. Harry pressed his face into Peter, trembling along with his carer.

Meanwhile, McGonagall and about fifty Order of the Phoenix members strode purposefully towards the gates, forming a line, and holding out their wands. Bellatrix laughed, and called up to them. "I'm going to enjoy this!"

McGonagall, held a hand up to her comrades. "It's not worth it yet. She's just trying to break your focus," she warned, shooting a look along the lines. A few members took a step back, averting their eyes in shame. Bellatrix cackled madly at them, amused greatly by how they fought, even before battle.

In her place in line, McGonagall wondered what the Headmaster was doing, but it was surely save the day, no doubt. She just hoped he'd do it soon.

James and Lily called for attention. Nearly all of the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaw students were assembled on the seventh floor corridor, along with a few Slytherins (none above fifth year), and all were nervously chatting. Lily yelled above the din, and soon everyone was quiet. "Right," she said. "As you are probably aware, we are all in danger. Before I get you to safety, I have a request. Any able bodied seventh years who would like to fight for Hogwarts, please stay in the corridor. Think on this properly-there is a very good chance you could get hurt...or worse. Don't do it because your friends are doing it. Don't do it because it's what expected of you. Any of you who stay behind will have equal responsibility-to look after the students." She took a breath. "Bless you all."

Lily saw, out of the corner of her eye, James raising an eyebrow. She looked at everyone, trying to catch their eyes to convey the urgency of the situation. "Please close your eyes."

There was much murmuring at this, but after some shouting, everyone closed their eyes, although some were rather reluctant. Lily nudged James, who closed his eyes uncertainly. Slowly, Lily closed her own and opened her mouth to speak.

"Listen to my voice," she said soothingly. "Listen to nothing but my voice unless I tell you otherwise."

A calm quiet came over the crowd, and Lily continued. "You are in danger. You need to hide. I want you to think of nothing but a perfect place for you to hide. A place that's safe, where no one will find you. Keep thinking of this place."

Lily opened her eyes and looked up at the crowd. Some people had scrunched up their faces, while others looked to be in bliss. Lily turned her head, and stifled a gasp. Where a blank wall had been, was a huge painting. In the painting was many shadows, but if she looked carefully, she could see a figure hiding in the shadows. As she watched, the figure stepped into the light. They wore a long pair of robes that seemed to be a shadow itself, and wore a mask. The figure- neither man nor woman, bowed to Lily, and spoke in a whisper.

"You seek a place beyond my doors,

That none have ever known before

My students have requested a place to hide

Somewhere safe in a place none will find

And I comply.

But to enter this place that isn't here,

You must think beyond your fear.

Give me the pass code and I'll let you through,

Get it wrong- and none will survive but few

Think and it will come to you."

Lily gaped, trying to think, when someone touched her arm. She turned to see James. "You opened your eyes," she hissed angrily, and he shrugged apologetically.

"Do you know the pass code?" he asked, glancing at the figure. The figure bowed to him. Lily shook her head.

"I have no idea-it says to think and it'll come to you." Lily glanced over at the crowd, which had started to move uneasily, but still had their eyes closed.

James squeezed his eyes shut, and let out a growl. "Wish Sirius was here-he's good at stuff like this-getting past passwords and stuff." James looked hopelessly up at the portrait.

"Looking for me?" a voice called, and Lily and James- along with the whole crowd- turned to see Sirius at the end of the corridor, pushing his way to get to James. He held a grin on his face and the Marauder's map in his hand, and turned to the portrait. He looked down at the map, then back to the portrait.

"The Chosen One," he said, a hint of apprehension in his voice. The figure stood still for a moment, then bowed one last time, and the portrait swung open. Lily waved people in, and students flowed into the hiding place. Ten seventh years stood outside, resolve on their faces. James turned to his friend.

"How did you know?" James asked. "The password- who on earth could have thought that up?"

Sirius shrugged, showing James the map. Some ink seemed to be smudged in the top corner...but upon closer inspection, James saw it was some words.

The Chosen One.

The portrait swung shut with a bang, and James looked to the figure, frowning in confusion- how did it know about the Marauder's map?

"Think and it will come to you," it said simply, walking backwards, merging into the shadows.

James looked at Sirius. "I thought of you-and you turned up..."

Sirius let out a barking laugh. "Aw, how sweet!" he winked at Lily.

"Aren't you angry-with James-and me?" she asked, averting her eyes. He had seemed awefully enraged when they'd last met-and a lot of it had been caused by her. Sirius brushed a lock of hair out of his face.

"Only for a little while-" Sirius looked at the map. "I think we'd be best needed at the gates-" his face turned pale. "James, I think you should look at this…"

James and Lily crowded closer to the map- the other seventh years glanced at each other in bewilderment.

And there, on the map, just next to the gates, was Peter Pettigrew. And on the other side were the Death Eaters.

And as the three watched, the gate faded off the map, and all hell broke loose.

a/n: F i n a l l y. Well, as the procrastinating person that I am, I shall give my excuse for the lateness of this chapter before anything else: well, it's more than one reason. First, I was enjoying the last week of my holiday, and secondly, as soon as I got around to finishing this chapter off (it sat there for about four days three-quarters done) my internet died because of my father installing a fan...it's thirty-eight degrees Celsius at the moment, so you can't blame me for feeling a bit woozy. WHAT HAPPENED TO SPRING? GLOBAL WARMING, THAT'S WHAT! So people, for the sake of keeping me alive to write in future, please be nice to the environment.

Finally is summing up my mood at the moment. Finally I finished this chapter. Finally the holidays are over (it's boring, believe it or not). Finally I get to write the next chapter, where there will dead bodies (or not, I wouldn't be able to kill anyone-not because of me being squeamish-but because of canon) and lots of fighting.

I told you Sirius could save the day. I just didn't say it was going to be very dramatic. I want to hug Doot at the moment (kill me because I entered a character so late in the story, I don't care), he's so cute and smart. The Chosen One was a stroke of late inspiration and I'm a bit worried since I've lost track of Snape.

Reviews, comments, begging and hate mail are all gladly accepted.