It's 4 o'clock now. Nine hours since my life changed irreversibly. I stand over them and watch as the shadows from the setting sun dance across their sleeping faces. Dudley and the cousin I thought he'd never meet.

She told me she was going into hiding. Promised that she'd be safe, that she would live long enough to see her boy grow up. She lied. She had always been the one to take risks, the one who went off the join that world, to live that life. She wouldn't even change to save him, to save her own son. Instead she shirked that responsibility, and it falls to me, falls to the sister that she left behind on her adventure through life. Well, it was an adventure all right, a brief exciting adventure with this world, before she was whisked off to the next.

"Petunia?"

I recognise Vernon's voice instantly, surprised that I had been so caught up in my thoughts that I hadn't even heard him come in.

With one last look at the sleeping boys, I hurry downstairs to get dinner ready.

"How's Dudley?"

This is the language of love now, gone are the questions about me, replaced with ones about the child that now runs my life.

"He's fine. He's sleeping."

"And the boy? Is he still here?"

Nodding, I studiously avoid my husband's gaze, knowing I will find only frustration there.

"Look, Petunia…"

"I know you've made your decision." I interrupt, knowing full well what my husband is about to say. "But we can't just throw him out- one of the neighbours might have seen him- how would we explain his absence?"

" We can." Responds Vernon heatedly, " We can, and we will. There's thousands of institutions set up for boys like him. Maybe he'll even be adopted by some unsuspecting couple."

"You mean an orphanage?" I ask, shocked by his insensitivity, " Put my nephew-whom I promised to take in- into an orphanage?"

"Your only nephew who've you've never met before." Reminds Vernon. "Surely he'd be better off with someone he knows, one of their friends perhaps, someone like him."

Suddenly as I sit here a memory strikes me. Something that my brother-in-law said when he asked me to take his son, should the worst happen.

"We've asked Sirius to take him. But if anything happens to him, we would really like you to take him."

So what had happened to Sirius Black? I remember him as if it were yesterday. Those laughing grey eyes, the dimple in his cheek even his confident smile. It's hard to imagine that he's probably gone, just like Lily and James.

Flashback 1

It was the spring of Lily's sixth year, I had just completed my secretarial course and was on a weekend break in the Lake District to celebrate with my parents.

"Petti dear?" called my mother's voice from the bedroom of our rented cottage, "I think we'll go out for dinner tonight. Any preference of where you'd like to go?"

"Anywhere is fine Mum." I responded absently, thinking of the boyfriend I'd left behind. Callum Haughton his name had been, and I'd known him all the way through school, though we'd only recently started seeing each other.

Tap.

Tap. Tap

Wrenched from my thoughts, I looked up and was surprised to notice an owl outside the window. The sound I had heard was it tapping its beak against the glass.

"Mum? Dad?" I called hesitantly, "There's an unfamiliar owl…"

"A letter from Lily?" asked my mother in surprise, "But she only wrote last week."

Hurrying into the living room, both my parents instantly went to the window. My father wrestled it open and accepted the letter before slamming it firmly shut against the pelting rain.

He tore open the letter and read it rapidly, a frown etching itself against his face as he did so.

"There's been some trouble at the school." He finally explained for my benefit as much as my mother's. " The headmaster wants us to go up there."

We arrived at a little pub in Edinburgh some hours later. By then it was almost ten O' clock, and the small pub was nearly bursting at the seams. Here we were met by Mrs Potter, who apparently had also been called, and she had been asked to help us reach the school.

Once she and my father had been introduced, complete with brief, terse smiles, she quickly got down to business.

"This is a portkey," she explained, holding out a small silver bracelet. "Just place one finger on it, and it will take us to a village a short distance from the school. We'll have to walk from there."

"Just place one finger on the bracelet." Continued Mrs Potter, seeing our blank faces, " That's all you have to do."

"5, 4, 3, 2…1"

The sensation of using a portkey was a strange one. I felt a sharp tug behind my navel, followed by a dizzying blur- against which I closed my eyes for fear of being sick- before my feet finally hit solid ground.

"Right then, this way."

Mutely my parents and I followed Mrs Potter to the base of a hill, on which a decrepit stone castle stood.

"There are a number of spells on the castle to prevent muggles from getting in." explained Mrs Potter, turning to us. " To overcome these, I'm going to use a shielding spell on all of us."

Waiting for our nods, she continued, " This might feel a little strange."

The trip up the hill to the castle gates was uneventful. Once at the gates, Mrs Potter extracted her wand, and tapped it against the gates muttering slightly as she did so. The gates immediately opened, and she ushered us all inside, before turning back to lock the gates.

Turning away from her, I looked up at the castle and gasped in shock.

For, where the old, broken-down castle had previously stood- surrounded by signs of "Do Not Enter", there now stood a tall majestic castle, complete with four turrets and a large flag with the Hogwarts emblem.

Mrs Potter however did not seem to notice our reactions, instead she led us straight through the towering oak doors and through the maze of corridors.

As we hurried through these corridors which were completely devoid of students given the lateness of the hour, I took the opportunity to gaze in awe at my surroundings. Large shining suits of armour stood dauntingly along the corridors, and it was only as I passed these that I noticed the whispering that seemed to come from within them.

Hurriedly averting my eyes, and moving away from them, I let my eyes wander to the paintings that adorned the walls, it was then that I received my biggest shock of the night yet.

The paintings, they were …moving.

My parents however seemed not to notice any of this. Maybe it was because they were so concerned about Lily, maybe it was because they just didn't notice, but if you ask me, it was because they couldn't accept it. Couldn't face the harsh reality that their youngest daughter now belonged to this world, a world of freakish things, and even freakier people.

Jerking myself from my thoughts, I noticed we had come to a stop in front of a large stair case flanked my two large gargoyles.

Mrs Potter hurried up the stairs first, followed by my father, then my mother and finally me.

Glancing back as I climbed them, I could swear I saw those gargoyles moving to block the stairs.

"Ahh, Mr and Mrs Evans I presume." Greeted a man with a long greying beard and thin rimmed glasses. "And this must be your oldest daughter, Petunia is it?"

Nodding slightly, I averted his searching blue eyes, choosing instead to glance around his office, only then noticing another man who was standing near the fireplace.

"I am Professor Dumbledore." Continued the man, "Please, have a seat."

Silently, both my parents did as requested. Mrs Potter on the other hand, turned to the tall man, with brown messy hair- littered with flecks of white.

"David! What time did you get here?" she asked, as he planted a kiss on her cheek.

"I haven't been here long," reassured the man before turning to us, " I'm David Potter by the way- Fiona's husband."

Standing up, my parents quickly introduced themselves and me, before they retook their seats, this time alongside the Potters.

" Fiona, David," Began the professor, " Given the events of the summer, I have chosen not to invite Mr Black's parents, and have asked you here not only as the parents of James, but also as Sirius's legal guardians- and should either of their actions merit suspension- I ask that you that should take place in your home and that you should punish as you see fit."

Both Mr and Mrs Potter nodded seriously at this information, but opted to stay silently seated.

The headmaster however remained standing, and the reason for this became clear, as the door once more swung open to reveal a tall black haired man followed by a slim women with thin rimmed glasses.

"What is the meaning of this Dumbledore?" Demanded the man, ignoring our presence in the room.

"I was just about to tell the Potters and the Evans' exactly that, Mr Snape." Responded Dumbledore calmly, " If you and your wife would like to have a seat, then we shall begin.

Silently the couple took up seats next to Mrs Potter, and finally the headmaster began his explanation.

"Tonight could have been one of the gravest nights in the school's history, it is certainly the gravest since I became headmaster and could have resulted in the loss of not one but three lives."

Here he paused, surveying all of us over his wire rimmed glasses, before continuing.

"I, myself have yet to hear the exact details of today's events. However given the seriousness of the situation I thought it wise to call in the parents, so that you too may understand what has transpired here this evening, without the need for the retelling of the tale."

"First let me just call out the students, who are- at this moment- inside the rooms adjacent to this one."

Extracting his wand, Dumbledore tapped lightly on a silver thimble that sat on his desk. Immediately it released a silver haze, and leaning into this, the headmaster spoke.

"Please enter my office."

Almost immediately three doors were flung open. Out of the first came a small, slim girl with vibrant red hair- my sister Lily, closely followed by a tall boy with messy hair and glasses that I immediately recognised as James Potter. Both of them cast quick looks at their parents before averting their eyes towards the next boy that entered the room.

With his black hair, deep grey eyes and all round good looks, Sirius Black was immediately recognisable. Even without the easy smile which he had worn when I had last met him.

Out of the third door emerged a fourth familiar face. The sallow face that still haunted my dreams occasionally, Severus Snape.

All four of them immediately sunk into the remaining chairs in front of the headmaster's desk, and it was only then that Dumbledore himself took up his seat behind it.

"As I'm sure will become clear as tonights' events are described, there is one key student who was involved that is missing from this room. Mr Lupin is currently in the medical room with Madam Pomfrey, and I doubt that he could add anything to this story that the students before us are unable to impart. His parents will be notified-should he wish to do so- at a later date."

"Lily, I would like you to first explain your version of events." Began the Headmaster, with a small smile at her, "I would like you to be as concise as possible, without omitting too much detail."

"Tonight's the full moon professor," began Lily after taking a deep breath, " So I knew that tonight Remus would be transforming. Not that he told me of course, but after a year and a half of switching any prefect duties that fell on those nights, it's a bit hard not to work it out."

"I was coming down from the astronomy tower after turning in some work to Professor Niamh, and I happened to glance out of the window. It was then that I noticed a figure hurrying out of the entrance hall and onto the lawns. I ran downstairs to stop them, but I wasn't fast enough and by the time I got there I was just in time to see the willow stop moving and Snape disappearing into it's branches."

"My first thoughts were to come and fetch you professor, and it was as I was doing this that I bumped into Potter. Knowing he was Lupin's friend, I quickly poured out the whole story to him and, before I knew it, he had dropped his things and was running down the corridor, shouting back at me to hurry and get a professor."

"I came straight to you, after that professor, and I haven't left your office since."

Here my sister stopped, looking relieved to have finished her story.

"Thank you Lily. Now you, James."

"I was on my way back from the kitchens when I bumped into Evans. Remus is always extra hungry after the full moon, so we try and make sure there's plenty of food available in the dorms."

"She told me the whole story, and I immediately realised the kind of danger Remus was in." Here, he was interrupted by a loud snort from Snape, who was immediately silenced by a look from the professor, "If he'd killed Snape, the ministry would have killed him professor, that's the penalty for a werewolf who murders a wizard."

At his words there was a sharp intake of breath. Even the Potter's looked absolutely shocked at this revelation. My brain however, was having trouble processing this new information.

Were- wolves. They actually exist. The expression of my parents faced mirrored mine, however it appears that the Potter and Snapes' concerned was slightly different from ours.

"Werewolves? At Hogwarts?" shouted Mr Snape, " Surely you wouldn't be foolish enough to admit one of those to the school."

Dumbledore's silence however, answered that particular question.

"But they're dangerous. A danger to every single student here." Continued Mr Snape. " I have a good mind to…"

"Now, see here." Interrupted Mr Potter, though he himself looked like he had serious doubts, "Remus is a perfectly decent boy, his…condition, is not fault of his and I see no reason why he should be punished for it."

"My thoughts exactly David." Interrupted Dumbledore, without giving Mr Snape an opportunity to respond, "Now, I think we should continue with the tale. I believe Mr Potter was telling us his version."

"The willow was already immobilised when I got there- and that's when I knew we were in real trouble. Someone knew- had been told how to get into the shack" He corrected, shooting a dark look at Sirius, " I hurried down the pathway and it was just at the doorway to the shack that I came across Snape. I tried to explain to him that we had to leave- but we got into something of any argument. In the end I had to use brute force to drag him down the tunnel, but even then it was too late- he'd already seen Remus and worked out the truth. He wanted to kill Remus, " Kill or be killed" I think was his exact phrase, and it was then that I stunned him before levitating him out of the willow, where I met you."

Having finished his story- and still looking rather depressed , James shot a quick look at his best friend and then his parents before continuing.

"He was just rash, Professor. He never truly meant to harm Snape, let alone get him seriously injured." He rambled, " He took responsibility straight away, Professor, and it's been a hard year for him, what with his…"

"Stop it, James." Ordered Sirius, before the room fell abruptly silent.

"Mr Snape. If you would tell your version please."

Of all the four- it was clear that it was Snape that was most eager to tell his version of events. The boy himself looked identical to how I remembered him from Lily's party- long greasy hair, self-satisfied smirk- complete with cold calculating eyes.

"I was on the way back from the potions dungeon, Professor, when I came across Black." He began, biting out the other's boy's name- as if it hurt him to even say it.

"He was, in what appeared to be a particular viscous temper, and so knowing his reputation for rather nasty and dangerous tricks on my housemates- I decided that it was my duty to find out what he was up to, loitering around the slytherin dungeons. After all, I am a prefect", he added- shooting a pointed look at the other two boys.

It was only then, that I really noticed Sirius Black that night. Sunk low into his chair, his eyes haunted and glazed- as if not really a part of this whole disaster. It was his expression that really caught my eye- and even now, as I remember that night, it strikes me. That angry, self-hating look somehow mixed with a helping of loss and guilt.

We never did hear Sirius' version of events, not that I'm really sure I would have wanted to. Somehow despite his boisterous demeanour the last time we'd met, that night I saw a different side of Sirius- one that I suspect holds many secrets.

People judge me, just like I'm sure they judge him. They assume I have a heart of stone- incapable of loving even my own sister. But that night my heart went out to Sirius, because as bad as I may have thought my life was, despite not really knowing him-that night I somehow knew that his was worse.

"Petunia? Petunia!"

Pulling my mind away from my memories, I raised my eyes to meet my husband's.

"Are you alright, dear?" He asked tiredly, even as my eyes began to fill with tears.

So many lives lost. Brutally cut short- because they chose to make a stand, and they always had- made a stand that is. Both James and Lily had always stood up for what they believed in, always really to help others in their time of need, and their fight against that dark wizard was no exception-except that in this battle others of their friends had stood and died alongside them- in particular one Sirius Black.

I'm soo sorry this has taken so long. It was a really difficult chapter to write, and I'll confess I'm still not entirely happy with it- but I realise that I really needed to get a chapter out- so I hope you like it!

Nxt chptr: Its 7th year, Lily's head girl and a certain messy haired boy is her male counterpart. How will animosity turn to friendship and then into something more?