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 24: The Battle

March forward my loyal friend

Watch out there's a step behind the bend

Through the trees, down a path

And in the bleakest time may you laugh.

But something's wrong,

I've forgotten the lyrics to the saviour song

I'm sorry but what's coming will come

No longer have you the choice to run

Step up beyond your fear

I tell you now, the end is near.

Sirius looked up with a steely resolve, his eyes glinting. "Well," he said, his voice sounding hollow. "I suppose we are going to fight now."

James laughed in the same, hollow tone. "Yeah...wow-I never-I mean...us...fighting, for Hogwarts..."

Lily turned, as if to get away from the thoughts, and beckoned the other seventh years over. "We'll be going now- Sirius put that thing away..."

Sirius shrugged, but didn't put the map into his pocket, holding it tight. The group walked through the halls, the sounds of their footfalls sounding like the beat of a large, loud drum, beating along with their hearts.

"I hope Peter's alright," James said when they reached the third floor.

"Yeah, Sirius said, and the group paused a moment as the castle shook. The tremors ended as abruptly as they started, and they moved on again. "Do you think they...they probably kidnapped him!" his voice shook, and he looked at James with panic. "This is my fault! I-I-"

"It's nobody's fault," Lily interrupted soothingly. "Nobody could have foreseen this...but we've got to hold strong. There isn't anything else."

Another student (Ravenclaw, if James could remember correctly) agreed with a nod of his head. "She's right. This was inevitable." They gave James and Sirius a sad shrug. "Peter's the short guy, isn't he?"

James nodded, his mind already reeling through ideas of what the Death Eaters may be doing to his friend. Torturing him. Questioning him. Hurting him.

Killing him.

James shook his head, growling. He would not think of that. Sirius had his nose buried in the map, no doubt watching the battle as it unfolded. They were on the second floor when the Ravenclaw boy threw out his arms, his eyes wide. The party came to an immediate halt and James followed his gaze. A cat sat in their path, eyes glittering and tail swishing.

"Mrrrroew!" Mrs Norris screeched, and James felt his heart drop into his stomach. Just what they needed! Surely nobody would have thought to tell Filch what was happening, or at least all he would know was that students were not to be out of their dorms in any circumstance.

James was right. Before any of them had the sense to run, Filch arrived, wheezing and cackling madly, a rather impressive feat. "Ha! I got you!"

The caretaker's eyes landed on Sirius, who was holding a now folded map, and James. With glee the man leapt forwards, snatching the map from Sirius's fingers. His eyes flickered to Mrs Norris, his beloved cat, and he looked back at the parchment, saying, "My lovely, I wonder what these wretched students have here? A dark item perhaps? Something illegal? Trying to smuggle it out, were we?"

Lily jumped to their defence at once. "No, sir, it's just some spare parchment, honestly it is-"

Filch's eyes narrowed. "I don't think so! Do I look stupid to you? What are you doing wondering the corridors when it's forbidden?"

Lily bit her lip, unsure. "We're going to help the Professors, Sir."

"A likely story. As if students would help Professors," Filch sneered, enjoying his power over the miserable group.

"Yeah, it's so likely it's true!" Sirius spoke up, and James noticed the warning signs that his friend was about to blow his top with anger... "So let us past you useless Squib!"

Lily gasped a little as Sirius bodily pushed Filch out of the way. "Sirius Black! That is no way-"

Sirius turned, snarling. "We don't have the bloody time to argue. Filch, I suggest you go and hide somewhere-guys, come on!" He stressed the last two words, and after a couple of apologetic looks in Filch's direction, the party chased the now jogging Sirius down into the Entrance Hall.

"The map-" James panted, but Sirius silenced his with a hand gesture, pointing at the doors. Loud booms could be heard through the thick wood. Sirius placed his hand on the doors, swearing softly.

"They've locked us in! Dammit!" A Hufflepuff kicked the door, and hobbled afterwards, scowling even deeper than Sirius was.

James looked at the door, then pivoted around and walked towards the marble staircase. "Fourth floor, people, now."

Lily scrunched up her nose in confusion. "What, the library? The bathroom?"

Sirius spoke up. "No, a secret passage. It opens up in the Quiddich changing rooms-that is what you're thinking, isn't it James?" James nodded, and soon the group arrived, winded and red in the face, in front of a mirror on the fourth floor.

"So this is it?" asked the Ravenclaw boy, eyeing his own reflection with apprehension. Sirius ignored him, bowed to the mirror and spoke, his tone, although out of breath, bored and monotonous.

"Mirror mirror on the wall, will you let us through at all?"

The mirror dissolved and James pushed the seventh years in, and in single file they proceeded onwards. The mirror faded back into view behind them, making it dark belong belief in the passage. Everyone lit their wands. The walls were a single shade of grey, and Lily was sure she saw a mouse blink at her in the sudden light before squeezing itself through a crack in the giant stone bricks. They moved on, silent except for the occasional "stairs coming up," or "jump the next bit, there's a hole in the floor," from Sirius, who was leading them.

"God," Lily groaned as she stood in the middle of the Quiddich changing rooms. "This place stinks. Don't you ever get a cleaner in, James?"

James shrugged. The ground was vibrating gently under his feet. "Right, we need to organise quickly, as I'm sure they need us-"

"You, organise?" Lily said with cynical voice and expression.

James rolled his eyes onto her. "Yes, me. Now- you, you and Alice-" he pointed to each person in turn, "Will keep close to the castle, and go down the pathway towards the gates. You three Hufflepuffs, through the pumpkin patch. Me, Sirius and Lily will go through the edge of the forest-the rest of you-" he pointed to the four students left over, "you go down the path from the castle too, but wait fifteen minutes. You'll be a surprise."

Much to Lily's shock, everyone nodded solemnly, and she was taken gently by the arm out. The three of them-James, Sirius and her- sprinted for the cover of trees the Forbidden Forest provided, and walked towards the gates behind the first row of trees. The sun was creeping higher in the sky, but opposite was a wall of black clouds, a phenomenon Lily had never seen before. It was if the clouds, with all their darkness, were marching over the sky to battle with the mighty, yet smaller, sun. Lily shivered, quickening her pace.

The ground shook almost soothingly beneath their feet, were it not for the fact that it alerted them to how much in danger they really were. James suddenly cut further into the trees, and they spent five minutes trudging forward, marching through the undergrowth, towards what could only be a battle.

"I think we go closer now," Sirius whispered, and they started to move again towards the edge of trees, darting from trunk to trunk as the sounds of the battle became clearer. Red, green, blue and other assorted lights was randomly head their way, flying through the trees. Lily knew they were not directed for them, but it unnerved her, as she jumped out of the way of a vicious looking spell which appeared much simular to a bludger, hurtling through the trees, if it were not for the fact it was glowing violet. The ball slammed itself into a young sapling, which instantly turned to dust.

They were darting from trunk to trunk now like rabbits, and then they saw the battle. They were surprizingly close, and Lily wondered why nobody could see them. She could distinguish her friend Alice in the throng, and a small pang of guilt sprung in her chest for bringing everyone into this, but she pushed it down quickly. She didn't have time for errant emotions.

James suddenly turned to Sirius, and the pair stared at each other. A moment later they were giving each other a firm hug, a manly pat on the back and some complex handshake that Lily supposed only their group of friends knew. They finished by spitting onto the tree- Lily gave a small exclamation of disgust- and said, "Right, let's get this over with."

"And kick some arse!" Sirius finished, bounding out of the trees before Lily could even point out to him that they actually had the advantage of cover. James, seeing her hesitation, held back as his friend initiated a fight with a very short dark robed figure.

"You ok?" he asked, with apathy. Lily nodded.

"We've got an advantage here. They didn't really notice where Sirius came from and they don't know we're here," Lily said logically. "I think I should wait a couple of minutes to see who's winning before I make it seem as if the trees are shooting spells at them."

"You know, it's ok to be scared," James said, completely misinterpreting her shaking voice. "If it makes you feel better, I really need to go to the toilet."

Lily couldn't believe it when she giggled. Giggled! "I'm not scared...not really, anyway. I'm just...worried. And guilty. I brought everyone into this. I could have ignored Dumbledore..."

"You wouldn't do that," James said with conviction. "I know you wouldn't. You're a very kind person Lily. You didn't do anything to be blamed for."

Lily gave him a smile, her eyes shiny with tears, "Thanks. You're...you're a good person too...for a bloke."

James shook his head, inspecting the tree for a moment. "I think that was a compliment." He took a deep breath in when Lily wrapped her arms around him, squeezing with all her might.

"I'm glad you're here," she mumbled into his chest, embarrassed by her actions. She pulled away quickly, saying. "We should start-" she stopped dead, eyes locked on the scene.

James peered over her shoulder. "What is it?"

Lily's bottom lip wobbled. Then she whispered, "I think I've found Peter Pettigrew, James."

James squinted, searching. "I don't see him, where is he, Lily-" He paused, seeing her pale face, "Lily?"

Her hand clutched onto his arm. "He's got Harry. Oh dear god, he's got Harry."

"Harry..." James tried to process this information, "Who's got Harry...wait, Harry's supposed to be with you!"

Lily bit her lip, "I left him in the Hospital Wing...but if he's got Harry then he must have...oh my..."

James frowned, "Please explain. I'm lost."

Lily pointed, and as she spoke James saw what she saw, and it didn't make his heart beat fast; it didn't make his stomach drop. His heart and stomach-along with everything else inside of him- seemed to have shrivelled up. "Peter's got Harry."

Peter sat next to the gate, the baby in his arms, wailing as loud as he could. Peter rocked back and forth in fear, eyes wide and locked on where Sirius jumped around to save his life.

"We have to save them!" James said, about to jump out from behind the tree, only to be held back by Lily.

"James! Stop and think for a moment will you? Nobody's even trying to hurt them. Don't you think..." she glanced at the ground, but then raised her eyes to meet his, "Don't you think that's a little bit odd?"

"Who cares-maybe he is hurt, and they've left him to die-we've got to go, now Lily!"

Lily didn't let go of him, "James, somehow I don't think so."

"How can you say that without checking first?!"

"James, I can just feel it. Something is wrong about him being there," Lily said, her voice low and frightened.

James looked back helplessly at Peter, slumped at the gates, and it was his turn to grip Lily's arm very tightly, so much she hissed in pain. Following his gaze however, she silenced, and a great urge to run and hide overtook her. Her legs shook with the effort of staying put. Lily watched as McGonagall lifted her head, and quickly everyone else stopped. Enemies stood yards from each other, but neither made a move to harm the other.

Because someone had arrived just outside the gates. The clouds which had only covered half the sky minutes ago now pressed down, the air expectant and freezing cold. The sun had been smothered, and a noticeable decrease in light bathed the scene.

The newcomer stepped through the gates and lowered their hood, surveying the still battle with an empty gaze. Their eyes seemed to linger a second longer than usual in Lily's direction, and she got the weird sense that he could see her. But that was ridiculous- she was behind a huge tree! A shadow seemed to pass over her soul at that moment, quelling all fear, but leaving her helpless.

A wand was pointed in Peter's direction. The boy was shaking so hard it was surprising that he could still hold onto Harry.

"Get up," the person commanded, indifferent.

Peter scrambled to his feet, and the shaking became more pronounced, his eyes popping from their sockets in fear.

Lord Voldemort's lip curled and he said softly, yet all could hear, "Give me the baby, I want to hold him when I kill him."

Peter gave a sob and passed Harry over, and the child screamed and kicked as if the world was coming to an end. Perhaps it was, for him.

A crack of thunder rumbled in the air as Lily bunched up her fists, feeling useless to the plight of her ward. She wanted to save him, because in the time she had cared for him, she had come to care deeply for the misplaced child. She thought she might even love him. Thunder rolled again, and Voldemort raised his wand to cast the curse.

A/N: Oh please please please let me update soon. I'm a very naughty writer. Very naughty. Who cares if my whole future lays within the scores of my yearly examinations? Who cares that my education will be forfeited? As long as I update quickly, what's there to worry about? (Of course, if you can't pick up the sarcasm, this will go completely over your head).

Next week is going to be very busy. I have a two hour workshop on Monday. Two hours of Tennis on Tuesday. A Design and Tech project which goes towards my yearly mark on Wednesday is going to be started. A Maths Exam and English Exam on Thursday. Don't even ask about Friday. If I look that far into the future I'll become depressed…if I'm not already. Oh, and my inner eye needs cleaning.

I'm teeming with ideas for the next chapter, so much that I want to explode, but if all of the above get in the way, I'll give you my sincere apologies. My lateness if becoming a bad habit- a bad habit not unlike the one where I'm buying a cake very afternoon. Tut tut tut. No wonder I look like an much older version of lil' pudgy Hawwy with blond hair.

We haven't got long to go, but so much for me to put in! You'll really like the next chapter. I promise. The answer to Peter, to Snape, and of course what will happen to Harry, will all be answered. Oh, and those things in the Shrieking Shack? Don't forget them either. Have fun making theories!

If you're bored, or not bored, go and see THE LAST CHAPTER of a story in my profile page called "My Tall Dark Stranger"; even though the story is being deleted, (please do not read the rest of the story, you admiration for me will decrease very much) there is a sneak preview of the story I will release after Sitting On The Baby is finished, and I'm quite proud of it. It's like… a teaser trailer. Not the start, not the end, but part of it. Oh, and on the subject of teaser trailers, Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix teaser comes out on 20th November. Aren't we excited?