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"Hey Dani?"

"Yeah?"

"What was that about the other day?"

"What was what about the other day?"

"You know. When we were at my…house."

"What about it?"

"When you were yelling at Petunia, you mentioned about how she has no idea what she has, what you would kill to have again."

"I said that?"

"Yeah. What was it about?"

Lily and Dani were sitting in the middle of Dani's bedroom floor, flipping through magazines. It had been four days since going to Lily's house and since then Lily had begun talking again, interacting with Dani and her parents, and even set aside her differences with Petunia for a short time to have their parents cremated. The girls and the Marauders had decided to forego going back to Hogwarts, and were spending the Christmas holidays at home. Dani flipped through the magazine before shrugging her shoulders and answering.

"I don't know. I guess I just got a little over excited and worked up. Didn't mean it." Lily nodded and looked towards the wall at the four doors.

"What's in your storage?" Dani looked up from her Witch Weekly at her best friend.

"What?"

"Your storage." Lily repeated pointing towards one of the doors behind Mike's cage. "What's in it?"

"Different things. Suitcases, old clothes, but mostly I keep things for Mike in there. Bedding, his cage cleaner and his food." Lily furrowed her eyebrows.

"Well if that's all that's in it, then why is it locked?" Dani crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow.

"How do you know it's locked?"

"I was in here earlier and I couldn't remember which door led to the bathroom. It wouldn't open." Dani stood up and wiped her hands on her pants.

"I keep it locked because my mother, like you, is squeamish. If she sees a live mouse, she'd probably have a conniption. This way they don't get out, and when I'm at school, my dad feeds him. You sure are asking a lot of questions. Why?" Lily shrugged with one shoulder.

"I don't know. Just thinking." Dani stared at Lily on the floor for a second before offering her a hand to pull her up.

"You know what you need?" Dani asked. Lily shook her head, no. "A day out in London. And a boyfriend." Lily laughed at her best friend's remark.

"While I'm not so sure about the second one, but I could definitely use a day in London." She said as she moved to put the magazines back on the shelf.

"Are we calling the guys, or do you want this to be a girl's day out kind of thing?" Dani asked. Lily shrugged as she straightened the items on the shelf.

"As much as I like to say that I dislike them, they do have a tendency to make everything entertaining. Call 'em if you want." Dani nodded and walked over to her fireplace. From the mantle, she pulled a small bag and opened it. Pulling out some of the dust, she tossed it into the blaze. Dani then proceeded to kneel on the floor, take a deep breath, and stick her head in.

"James!" At the sound of his name being called, James jerked out of bed, and fell on the floor.

"Wha?" He muttered as he frantically tried to untangle himself from his blankets. When he could finally remove himself from his sheets, he looked around his room, trying to find the source of the voice.

"Put on your glasses stupid." James narrowed his eyes.

"Dani?"

"No. The Easter Bunny. Would you like your eggs now or later?" James rolled his eyes before standing and picking his glasses off of his bedside table. He scanned his room till his eyes fell on the fireplace, and Dani's smirking face. James playfully rolled his eyes before walking over and kneeling in front of his fireplace.

"Good morning Dani. Not that I don't love seeing you, but why are you trying to give me a concussion this early?" Dani arched an eyebrow and James could visualize her crossing her arms.

"Early? Potter it's after three. Are you gonna sleep all vacation?" James arched his own eyebrow.

"Isn't that what vacation's for?" He retorted. Dani smiled but didn't answer.

"Thank you for proving my point! Now what do you want?" Dani put on a face of mock hurt.

"And makes you think I want something? I can't just call my boyfriend to talk to him? I have to be up to something? James-ow! I'm hurrying up Lily! You don't have to kick me!" James furrowed his eyebrows.

"What's-"

"Don't worry about it. Anyway, Lily and I are going into London and we were wondering if you and the guys wanted to come." Just as James opened his mouth to answer his room was opened and Remus walked in.

"We'll be ready in 15. We'll meet you guys in Diagon Alley, by The Leaky Caldron." Remus answered. James looked towards his door to see Peter and Sirius nodding their heads. He turned back to face Dani.

"See you in 15." Dani nodded and within a few seconds, her face was gone. James stood and turned towards his mates. Sirius walked in and plopped himself down on James' bed, before answering his unasked question.

"We came when we heard you fall and decided to stay for the rest of the conversation." James nodded and sighed.

"Alright. Well will you all leave so I can change?" Sirius groaned.

"But Prongs," He started as he stretched out on his back. "I'm so comfortable right here. Besides we've been sharing a dorm and a locker room since we were 11. It's not like you've got anything we haven't seen before." James threw a shirt at him.

"Yes and you've taken every possible opportunity since we were 11 to make those moments as awkward as possible. I'm still scarred from two years ago when you thought it would be "so cool" to sneak that first year and her friends into the locker room." Sirius shrugged.

"How was I supposed to know you had just gotten out of the shower and weren't wearing a towel?" Remus rolled his eyes before walking over to Sirius and pulling him off of James' bed.

"Come on, Padfoot. Leave him alone to dress in peace." Peter said as Remus dragged the black-haired boy towards the door. "We'll be downstairs. Be ready in 10." James nodded and the door closed behind his three friends, leaving him alone.

James shook the soot from his hair and began walking towards the front of Madam Malkin's robe shop when muffled stomping and muttered curses stopped him in his tracks. He knew it was the one and only Madam Malkin coming to chew out whomever it was flooing into her place of establishment. The shop's owner was notoriously known for her dislike of wizards using her fireplace to enter Diagon Alley, but she, like most, had a sweet spot for James and the rest of the Marauders. As soon as she saw it was him, her face softened and her snarl turned into a smile.

"Why if it isn't Mr. James Potter. And I see you've gotten taller still." James smirked and bowed.

"The one and only. Madam Malkin. Your husband is a very lucky man." The witch smirked.

"Oh really? And why is that?"

"Because you, are like a fine wine. You only get better with age. In fact if it weren't a felony, I'd take you for myself." James said as she stepped forward and kissed her hand. The entrepreneur blushed and giggled girly, which dusting soot from James' clothes and straightening them as well.

"Hmm. Won't be a felony for much longer." She muttered to herself, but loud enough for the teen to hear. James smirked and straightened his robes, before looking to the older woman for approval. Madam Malkin opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by her name being called from the front of the store. She rolled her eyes in clear frustration and James had to hold in his chuckle.

"Well, I don't think I have to show you the way out." Madam Malkin regrettably said, stepping aside to let James by. When they were both in the front of the store, James turned to her.

"Well, I guess I'll be seeing you." He turned to leave, but was pulled back.

"Be sure to come see me again before you return to Hogwarts. You've probably already outgrown your school robes and I'd be happy to get you fitted with new ones." Madam Malkin spoke, smiling the whole time. James glanced behind her to see a heavyset woman, tapping her foot and glaring. James smiled.

"Yes, Madam Malkin. I will." The woman let go of his clothes, and James waved as he exited her store. When he stepped outside, he shivered at the sudden chill and looked around. The street was full of witches and wizards doing last minute Christmas shopping and hurrying to get out of the cold. He squinted through his still soot covered glasses, trying to find a familiar face, when there was a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Dani and Lily, both grinning.

"Are you aware of the time?" Dani asked. James squinted at her and slowly shook his head.

"It is now…three forty-six. I spoke with you at three thirty and you guys said you would meet us in fifteen minutes which was at three forty five. It is three forty-six, which means you lied and you now owe me lunch." James rolled his eyes.

"Good to see you too, Dani." He replied sarcastically. Dani arched an eyebrow and Lily chuckled.

"It's amazing you can see anything through all that soot." She said, reaching up and removing the frames from his place and proceeding to clean them on his shirt. James made a face.

"Why don't you clean them with your shirt?"

"One because my shirt is white, and two, aren't they your glasses?" Dani retorted to his snarky remark. When they were finally clean, Dani placed them back on his face. When he could once again see, and clearly this time, James' eyes lifted from his girlfriend's face to look at her red-headed companion.

"Afternoon, Lily." Lily's grin melted into a smile.

"Hey. Where's the rest of the Marauders?" James shrugged, pulling his jacket tighter around him.

"Probably in the Leaky Caldron." Dani looped one of her arms with his, and the other with Lily's.

"Well, then let's go!"

"Okay, now just lie down and try not to move. Does it really hurt? Well that was a dumb question, of course it hurts, you got punched repeatedly." Dani said as she led Sirius who was holding a bag of ice to his face. While in Diagon Alley the group ran into a few 7th Year Slytherins and they would've fought had it not been for all the spectators surrounding them. A while later, they once again met up with the Slytherins and harsh words had been exchanged, most of them coming from Sirius, who they threatened would be sorry. And a couple of minutes later, while on his way into a Qudditch supplies store, he was. The five upperclassmen jumped the 6th Year, pulling him into an alley and proceeding to kick and punch him. Sirius did pretty well for himself considering his odds, and while he was injured, he was able to hold his own against his attackers until the others could find him.

Dani lead Sirius over to her bed and had him lay down on it, the ice completely covering his battered and bruised face. The rest of the Marauders and Lily had scattered themselves all around her room. James went and stood beside Sirius.

"How you holding up there, mate?" He asked. Sirius muttered something unable to be heart because of the ice. James squinted and leaned closer. "What?" Sirius moved the ice from his face.

"I said," he started in a very monotone voice. "I can't feel my face. It's gone numb." Remus chuckled and went over to stand beside the two.

"Well on the bright side, most of the swelling has gone down." Sirius looked at him.

"Really?" The blonde nodded and Lily and Peter went over to him as well.

"Yeah, but now you can see the cuts." Peter stated pointing to the now visible splits on Sirius' arms and face. Lily gently ran her fingers over one of the cuts by his eyebrow, causing the boy to flinch.

"How did they cut you?" Sirius shrugged.

"I don't really remember it happening, the bitches. Come January, they are gonna pay…" Dani rolled her eyes at Sirius' attempt at a malicious voice.

"Whatever, Black. I'm gonna go get the first aid kit. Lily, will you come help me? I don't know where you put it after you used it…" Dani said while leaving and heading down the stairs, Lily just a few steps behind her. Sirius glared at her retreating form while sitting up and getting out of the bed. He then walked over to the Dani's adjoining bathroom and pulled on the door. Nothing happened.

"What the…" Sirius said puzzled. He tried again, but still it didn't open. "What's the matter with the bathroom? Why won't it open?" Remus shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe it's because you're using the wrong one? The bathroom is the one to the right of it." Remus answered. Sirius looked back at the door.

"Then what is this one for?"

"That one is her storage. Why?" Peter replied. Sirius pulled on the door again trying to open it.

"Have any of you guys ever been in it?" James smirked.

"No, because it's her storage? Why would we go in there?"

"Well I wanna see what's in it." Sirius said as he pulled out his wand and pointed it at the door.

"Sirius, we aren't supposed to do magic-" Remus started.

"Alohomora!"

"Outside of school." Remus said in vain. Sirius once again reached for the door knob and pulled. The door still didn't budge. Sirius glared at the wood. "Alright then. If that's how you want it." He closed the bedroom door and silenced the room before once again taking his stance in front of the inoperable door.

"Sirius, you can't blow up Dani's door! And you're still doing magic." Peter said in hopes he would stop. It didn't work.

"She'll live. Besides, her dad can fix it and considering just how many times since first year I've used magic outside of Hogwarts, I should be in Azkaban by now. One more spell is not gonna kill me." James crossed his arms.

"Yeah, but my girlfriend will. And I won't stop her." Sirius shrugged and aimed his wand at the door. His friends tried once more to convince him.

"Black-"

"Sirius-"

"Padfoot-"

"Reducto!" The door blew apart and the boys shielded their eyes. When the dust cleared, they were greeted not by the porcelain white and obnoxiously clean bathroom, but with another bedroom, around the same size as the one they were currently standing in. They stepped through the blown apart door and looked around. The walls were painted blue and black, as was the carpet. Clothes had been carelessly thrown everywhere, the bed was unmade and next to it stood a table wide enough to hold Mike's cage. The four boys would have assumed someone had just been there had it not been for the layer of dust covering everything. The four boys looked at each other, before resuming the scan of the room.

"Have any of you guys ever been in here before?" Remus muttered. The room's other occupants shook their heads.

"She always said this was her storage." James said.

"Well what was she storing? A person?" Sirius asked wiping a layer of dust off of the mantle.

"James?" Peter said. The boy in question turned at the sound of his name.

"What?"

"Who's Daniel?"

"Danielle is Dani's full name. duh."

"No. Not Danielle, Daniel." James furrowed his eyebrows.

"I don't know a Daniel."

"Well then why are you in a picture with him and Dani?" When Peter spoke this, all three boys rushed over to see the picture and saw Peter had been telling the truth. In the frame he was holding, was a picture of a younger James standing in between a younger Dani and another boy who looked just like her. Painted on the white frame were the names Danielle, James, Daniel repeating all the way around. This was not the only picture either. The dresser was covered in pictures of the three of them. There were even some of just James and the boy. The three were on a playground in one, at a party in another, and wearing Halloween costumes in about three, the caption under one being Best Friends Forever.

"James, who is he?" Sirius asked. James shrugged as he stared at the pictures in shock.

"I-I don't know. I can't remember any of these being taken at all." All four boys took that moment to look up. The wall behind the dresser was covered in even more pictures of Dani and the dark-skinned boy. Some with them and Dani's parents, some with just him, and tons of him and Dani. Him and Dani at the store, him and Dani reading, him and Dani sleeping and the list went on and on. There was even a baby picture of the two. Sirius was about to speak, when footsteps were heard.

"James? Sirius?"

"Peter? Remus?"

"Where the hell are you-" Dani stopped midsentence as she and Lily entered her bedroom and slowly walked over to where the door once stood. They entered and Lily, like the boys, looked around in shock, while Dani looked around in fear.

"What, how, why?" Dani spoke in barely above a whisper. James glared at the girl and walked over holding one of the pictures of the three of them in his hand.

"Danielle Michelle Carlson," He whispered in a voice that sent chills up and down the girl's spine. Dani winced at the use of her full name. "Who is this and why the hell can't I remember him?" Dani squeezed her eyes tight and shook her head. James grabbed her arms. "Answer me, Dani. Why am I in at least 30 pictures with some guy I don't know?" Dani continued to shake her head and not answer. "Look at me. Look at me." He said shaking her till her eyes opened. Her eyes were filled with tears. His face softened and his grip on her arms loosened, but his words were still just as firm.

"Dani, who is he?" Dani remained silent. "Dani, who is this boy?" Dani looked down and muttered her answer. "What?" Another mumbled response. "Dani, speak up! Who is-"

"He's my twin!" Dani yelled tears falling down her face. James released her and slowly back up till his back was against the bedpost. Without James holding her up, Dani fell in an ungraceful heap on the ground. Five voices asked the same question.

"What?" Dani sighed and hugged her legs before looking up at the five shocked and confused faces staring at her name.

"His name was Daniel Michael Carlson, he was my twin, and he was murdered when we were ten. James, he was our best friend."

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