I only got three reviews for my last chapter, and I think (or I hope) that's because the link sent out in the Story Alert wasn't right. When I received it in my inbox, it took me to an inactive link… so I hope that was the case. Anyways, thank you TheScarlettSecret, Dongwoo (), and Biabe Tendou for reviewing. And cookies to my lovely beta, Kate (TheScarlettSecret).

And, now on with the story!

Chapter 14: Hidden Secrets and Dancing Dreams

The fire crackled and shadows danced on the walls like uninvited ghosts. The woman sat on the duvet, hunched over, her head in her hands… long, dark locks spilling over her hands. On the floor lay a small bundle of cloth, with the unmistakable form of a human.

It was a baby.

The cloths were stained dark, and the smell of blood permeated the room.

Was it possible to smell in dreams?

The woman raised her head and howled to the ceiling. Portraits covered the walls, and the flames briefly illuminated one of a handsome dark haired man, a roughish smile on his face, his arm around a person obscured by the shadows.

The woman's sobs split through the air, ripping it, shredding it… the door opened and shut and the woman raised her head, her bright eyes dull and subdued through her veil of tears. Screaming, she threw herself at the newcomer, whose bright red, snake-like eyes merely laughed as his wand cut through the air. The hysterical woman landed next to the baby, screaming all the while…

"Lily! LILY! WAKE UP!" Gasping, Lily sat bolt upright, hitting heads with Olivia. Moaning, she sank back onto her pillows, noting the tears streaming down her face and her sweat soaked pajamas.

"Oh God…" she muttered, putting her hand on her forehead and closing her eyes, "my head… my aching head!"

"Here, drink some water," Alice said, grabbing the pitcher and filling a glass for both her and Olivia, who was holding her head in her hands while sitting on the edge of her four poster.

"I'm sorry, Olivia," Lily said between sips of water.

"It's alright," she said, gingerly patting her head. "Are you alright?" Sighing, Lily placed the now emptied glass on her bedside table.

"Yeah… just a bad dream." A really bad one… she added silently to herself.

"Are you sure you're alright? You were screaming something awful." Alice looked down at Lily, her large blue eyes filled with concern. "It sounded like someone was dying."

"Yea… because they were," Lily replied.

"Who?" Olivia asked. Alice stared breathtakingly at her.

"It was…" Lily thought for a moment. Who had died? Who was that woman? She blinked as recognition dawned in her already hurting head, making it ache dreadfully.

"Yes?" Olivia prodded, for Lily had fallen silent as she'd come to a horrible realization.

"It was me," Lily whispered. The word "me" echoed eerily around the room and Lily felt her heart grow cold.

"Wait… what?" Olivia asked, frowning. "You died?

"How?" Alice squeaked, wringing her hands.

"Well, I don't know if I actually died… but I was screaming…"

"Yes, you most definitely were," her best friend agreed.

"No, no, in my dream! Voldemort was there and there was a picture of James on the wall… and a dead baby on the floor…" Lily's voice trailed off as she realized what she was saying, the horror of it all. Gasping she closed her eyes and cried.

"Lily, what's wrong?" Olivia cried, flinging herself onto Lily's bed.

"It was so horrible…" she whispered. "It was horrible…" With a sympathetic hum, Olivia wrapped her arms around Lily and let her cry into her shoulder.

"Shhh… shhh…" she whispered. "It'll be alright, Lily, it'll be alright." After awhile, Lily calmed down and laid back down on her pillow.

"You feeling better?" Alice asked softly, rubbing at her eyes where light shadows had begun to form.

"Yes, yes… better… thank you," Lily murmured, half delirious. She closed her eyes and immediately reopened them as the image of Voldemort flashed across her eyes. Whimpering, she buried her head into her pillow, trying her very best to erase the dream from her mind.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

"So, Moony, you ready for the full moon?" Sirius asked, spooning some eggs into his mouth. "Tonight's the night!"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Remus replied, sighing. He didn't feel like eating breakfast today; the time was near.

"Er… guys?" Peter squeaked. "Ummm… I can't make it tonight."
"What?" Sirius asked incredulously.

"I said I can't make it tonight."

"I know what you said," Sirius snapped, "but why can't you?"

"Umm…" Peter shifted in his chair, his beady eyes darting around the Great Hall. "I-I have to study… yeah, study."

"Psh, study my ass-"

"Sirius…" Remus warned.

"I'm really sorry!" Peter implored. "Truly… but I can't go."

"Not like you ever do anything anyways," Sirius replied coldly, draining his Pumpkin Juice.

"Sirius!" Remus reprimanded sharply. He turned to Peter. "That's alright, Wormtail, I understand."

"Oh thank you, Moony… thank you," Peter said before scooping up his books and scampering out of the Great Hall.

"You shouldn't be so hard on him," Remus admonished, turning back to Sirius.

"And why not? It's not like he ever really does help you… James and I mainly do all the work."

"You and James are a lot stronger than Peter… physically and mentally. Keep your comments to yourself if you have nothing good to say. He doesn't need all this shit you're giving him. He has enough on his plate already." Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Whatever you say, Mum." Remus glared at his friend.

"You'd do well to listen to my advice, Sirius. That tongue of yours going to get you in lots of trouble one day."

"Whatever, Moony… it's just, I don't trust Peter anymore."

"Why not?" Sirius sighed.

"He's been acting really strange lately, always going off to the library, supposedly."

"Why don't you think he's telling the truth? It's not like going to the library is such a terrible thing." Remus had never really though of Peter as being capable of lying. He'd always been so small and innocent; always the one needing to be protected.

"Since when does Peter actually study on his own?" Sirius demanded.

"Maybe he's maturing," Remus offered, earning a snort from his friend.

"Yea… right, that'll be the day." Remus glared at him. "Anyways, I think Peter might be seeking friends elsewhere… like from others who don't see the light like we do."

"What?" Remus asked, his fork falling from his mouth, his head tilting to the side, and his face contorting in a way that typically meant "What on Earth is going on inside that loony-bin of a peanut-sized brain of yours!".

"Okayokayokay," Sirius said, molding the words into one as he put his hands up a bit in defense. "Lemme say it this way: I think Peter is hanging out with Voldemort supporters…" He glanced around and lowered his voice. "Like Slytherins…" Remus' eyes narrowed.

"He's always so shifty around us, and always going off to the "library". And I've checked the Marauders Map a few times and, get this, he's never there. He's always hanging out with Snape and… Bellatrix." Sirius spat his cousin's name like it was poisonous.

"Well, what can we do about that? We can't force him to NOT support Voldemort. It's his choice." Sirius glared around the Great Hall, deep in thought.

"I just… I just don't want him to go over and become like them."

"You actually care about Peter?" It was Sirius' turn to glare at his friend.

"Yes, enough that I don't want him to support Voldemort." Remus sighed.

"No one wants their friends to, Sirius, no one does. But, I think if we brought it up with him, he'd probably pee his pants thinking you'd kill him or something." Sirius laughed dryly.

"Yea, he probably would. But still… I feel bad. I think he's doing it to get power; to show us that he can do something without our help."

"Well, we can't prove that he actually supports Voldemort just that he hangs out with those who do," Remus pointed out.

"He will in no time." Sirius stood up from the table. "I'm going to talk to him tonight."

"No, Sirius," Remus replied, standing up as well. "I don't think you should."

"Why not?"

"Let Peter figure out his consequences… he needs to grow up and make his own decisions."

"But…" Sirius's face was screwed up into an emotion that Remus couldn't read.

"What, Sirius?"

"I'm worried," he whispered.

&&&&&&&&&&&

That night, Lily couldn't sleep. She'd told no one else about the dream and it'd haunted her all day. She'd been tempted to tell James, but decided against it, seeing as it would probably only worry him. And he needn't worry about her… no; Lily Evans could take care of herself.

The wind moaned outside and tree branches scraped against the windows. Shivering Lily pulled her covers closer about her, trying to erase the face of the Dark Lord from her head. But every time she closed her eyes, she could see his bright red eyes, his sneering mouth… his dark, sinister laugh…

Lily couldn't take it anymore. Swinging her feet out of bed, she donned her slippers and bathrobe, and softly treaded out of the dormitory. The Common Room was empty, just as she'd suspected, and she made her way past the dying embers of the fire and up the stairs to the boy's dormitory. She pushed open the door, and as her eyes adjusted to the darkness once again, she was surprised to find that three of the beds were empty.

Peering into the occupied beds, Lily realized that James, Sirius, and Remus were all missing… why? She laid her hand on Peter's shoulder and gently shook him awake.

"Whuuut?" he murmured groggily.

"Shhhhh, Peter, it's me, Lily."

"Lily? What're you doing here?" Peter murmured, sitting up and pulling his sheets self consciously around him.

"I need to speak to James," Lily whispered urgently, kneeling down on the hard floor. "Where is he?"

"He's out with Sirius and Remus… at the Shrieking Shack."

"What!" Lily sat back on her heels. The Shrieking Shack? What the heck were they doing there? Peter gasped and swore quietly.

"Lily, you have to promise me you won't tell them I told you! Promise!"

"What's the big deal?" Lily asked, slightly unnerved to see Peter so shaken up.

"Swear to me Lily!" he whispered hoarsely, his breath coming in labored gasps, his eyes wide with fear. "They'll kill me if they found out I told you!"

"James wouldn't kill anyone!" Lily admonished.

"Sirius would! Oh please, Lily… please! Don't tell!" Peter grasped her hand and his eyes pleaded silently with her.

"Alright, I won't tell…" she whispered. "But why are they at the Shrieking Shack?" Peter shook his head.

"Can't tell, good night," Peter said quickly, turning over in his bed and tucking the sheet tightly around himself. He wouldn't even make a single noise, no matter how many questions Lily asked. And, of course, this only made her more curious. Sighing, she got up and made her way over to one of the three empty beds. On the bedside table stood a gold picture frame, illuminated by the bright moon that had moved in front of one of the windows. Lily picked it up and her heart melted as she saw it was a moving photograph of her and James at Hogsmeade. He had both his arms around her and they were both smiling and laughing. Then he picked her up, spun her around, and kissed her. Snow fell gently from the top of the picture and little third years raced around in the background.

"Mmmmm…" Lily smiled and placed the picture back on the bedside table. She felt much better now… although still bit troubled at why James was at the Shrieking Shack at this hour. But no matter… she knew James would never do anything too dangerous.

----Thanks for reading… now please please PLEASE hit the button down there that says GO and submit a review!---

-Elise Bentwin-