A/N: Okay, so I'm really sorry I haven't updated in forever, but I had school, two jobs, and one hell of a case of writer's block. So this chapter is shorter than the others, but it's been kicking my butt and I think I'm finally satisfied with the way things turned out. Sorry for the long wait. Enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-Six

Rain returned on the Hogwarts Express after New Year's along with her new owl, Night, her beloved second-hand broomstick, and many thoughts to occupy her mind.

During the holliday, she had begged her parents for a broomstick servicing kit as her Nimbus 1000 had a few bent twigs and was in need of new varnish and a polish. Tammy had looked at her blankly and asked where in the world she could purchase such a thing.

"In Diagon Alley, of course," she had replied.

"I'm sorry, Rain, we're much too busy for a trip to London right now."

"You could just give me the money and I can go down there, myself."

Tammy suddenly looked very worried. "No! I don't want you to be out in the magical world on your own."

"What? Why?" Rain was taken aback by her mother's forcefulness.

"I heard Arthur Weasley talking about 'Dark times' at the Christmas party at the Potters' and I asked what he was talking about. He mentioned an evil wizard that everyone calls 'You-Know-Who' on the loose killing Muggles and Muggleborns. I don't want you going out there on your own; it's not safe!"

Rain had let the matter drop as her mother seemed really unnerved by it all. Instead, she had decided to ask her friends about this Dark wizard at the first possible moment.

The compartment door slid open and four boys walked in.

"There you are, Talon," said James. "We've been looking for you all up the train."

"Hi, Prongs. Alright?" she returned.

"Alright," he said. "What about you?"

"You look troubled," Moony offered.

"Is it about Regulus?" Sirius asked.

"No," Rain replied. "I've just been worried about something my mum overheard Arthur Weasley talking about at Christmas."

"What did he say that's bothering you?" Remus asked.

"Mum said he mentioned something about Dark times and someone called 'You-Know-Who'."

Suddenly there was silence in the compartment and Rain knew she had touched on a subject they had all tried to put from their minds.

"Who is he?" she pressed.

"Well," James said carefully. "He's a Dark wizard…"

"Well, duh, I gathered that much. What I don't know is his name or why everyone's so afraid to say it."

"His name is Lord Voldemort," Sirius said darkly and Peter flinched. "Most people are scared to even say his name because of what he's done."

"What's he done?" Rain asked in a hushed voice.

"He's killed loads of people without a thought," Remus said softly. "He's got it in his head that purebloods are the better race and all Muggles and Muggleborns ought to be wiped out."

Rain shivered at that. She was Muggleborn; did that make her a target of this Voldemort person?

"I'm surprised you haven't heard about him already," James commented. "Being in Slytherin and all."

"Why would my being in Slytherin make any difference?"

"All of Voldemort's supporters have been in Slytherin," Sirius explained and Peter flinched again.

"And don't forget that Voldemort was a Slytherin, himself," James added.

"Would you please stop saying the name!" Peter squeaked, cringing.

"Oh get over it, Wormtail," James scoffed. "There's nothing wrong with saying the name."

"Dumbledore says that fear of the name increases fear of the thing itself," Remus quoted.

Rain found this to be quite sensible, but Peter didn't seem to agree.

"It makes me edgy," he said looking around as if Voldemort could suddenly appear in their compartment.

Rain rolled her eyes and asked "Why doesn't anyone do something to stop him?"

"That's the thing," Sirius said, "the Aurors are trying but it's starting to seem like no one can do it. He's just too powerful."

"And it's only going to get worse," said James. "The only truly safe place is Hogwarts."

"Why is that?" Rain asked eyes wide.

"They say that Dumbledore is the only person Voldemort was ever afraid of," Remus explained.

"Then why isn't Dumbledore doing something?"

"He is," said James. "Haven't you noticed that Dumbledore is hardly ever at meals?"

"Yeah," Sirius continued. "He's very busy organizing a secret Order to stop Voldemort."

"Stop saying the name!" Peter cried.

"Get a grip, Wormtail," Rain said, irritated. She felt on edge talking about this wizard, but she had to know more. "If this Order is so secret, how come you know about it?"

"Because Andy is in it," Sirius replied smugly.

"My parents, the Weasleys, and the Prewetts are a part of it too," said James. "Though my parents and the Weasleys aren't directly involved in the fighting. They just offer food and shelter to those who are fighting on our side. They don't want to get directly involved in the fighting in case William, Charlie, or I get involved by proxy."

"They just want to protect you," Rain said, noting the bitterness in James' voice.

"I know, but I want to fight, too," he said bitterly.

"Be reasonable, Prongs," said Remus. "You're only fourteen, what help could you be to the Order?"

James just shrugged.

"When I come of age, I'm going to join the Order and help fight Voldemort," said Sirius passionately. Peter cringed again but said nothing.

"Do you think the war is going to last that long?" Rain asked, worriedly.

"That seems to be the trend," Remus said sadly.

"How is it that I haven't heard about this in the four months I've been a part of the wizarding world?" Rain asked. "Surely I would have heard about these 'Dark times' at least once before now?"

"Well, we try not to think about it," Remus explained. "Hogwarts is a safe place and you've been studying quite a bit, so it's not hard to imagine that you missed anything regarding Voldemort. Easier to imagine that you missed it because most people call him 'You-Know-Who', you wouldn't have picked up on it having no idea who he was."

Rain's head spun trying to figure out Remus' train of thought and so stopped. "How is it, though," she asked, "that one man, no matter how powerful, is able to out duel a horde of Aurors and this secret Order?"

"Because it's not just one man," James said darkly. "He's got followers."

"Followers?" Rain exclaimed. "Who'd want to follow a man like that?"

"Death Eaters," Sirius growled.

"What?"

"That's what they call themselves," Remus explained. "They fight in his name, killing and torturing Muggles and Muggleborns."

"The problem is," James continued. "That the Ministry is having a hard time rounding them up, because they are hiding; doing things in secret. Nobody knows who to trust, because anyone could be a Death Eater pretending to be on our side."

"Or people we know we can trust could be bewitched," said Remus.

"Bewitched?"

"Yeah, under the Imperious Curse," said Sirius.

"What's that?"

"It's an Unforgivable Curse," Remus explained, "meaning the use of it is worth a life sentence in Azkaban wizard prison. The Imperious Curse takes control of your body and mind. It doesn't leave a trace and no one can tell that the person was ever under its control."

Rain shivered.

"That's why the war is so long," said James. "We don't know who or where our enemies are and Voldemort seems to be one step ahead of us all the time."

"But we can't fight, yet," said Peter quietly. "So we just go to Hogwarts and try to pretend the war isn't happening."

With that comment, everything became much more quiet and subdued. None of them spoke for quite some time until Rain finally broke the silence.

"I don't want to fight," she said quietly.

James looked up at this. "Why not? You're a part of the group Voldemort wants to wipe out."

"So?" said Rain defiantly. "I don't want to be a part of a war; I don't want to risk getting killed in a fight I didn't sign up for!"

"So you're just going to hide?" asked Sirius indignantly.

"Why not?" Rain countered. "If I fight, that puts my family at risk. I would do anything to keep my parents and brother safe and alive."

"That's such a Slytherin view," said Sirius, getting heated. "Run and hide, save yourself."

Rain stood up fuming at Sirius. "Well in case you hadn't noticed, Sirius," she raged. "I am a Slytherin! That never seemed to bother you before!"

With that, she turned and left the compartment in a towering temper, ignoring Remus' call for her to come back.

How dare he call me a coward! She silently fumed, walking up the corridor to find a different compartment. I would rather hide and see my family live through this war, than fight and get them killed! Gryffindors are so brave that they're reckless. Slytherins are cunning, we hide, yes, but we survive and the ones we care about survive.

"Rain?" came a familiar voice from behind her.

Rain turned to see Emily Snow peeking her head out of a compartment door.

"Oh, Emily, hi," Rain said, trying and failing to sound enthusiastic.

"Are you okay?" asked the Ravenclaw girl. "You seem upset"

"It's nothing, really," Rain said, shaking her head. "Just an argument with Sirius."

"Oh, well do you want to come sit with us?"

"Depends," said Rain, finally starting to smile. "Does 'us' include Randall Onager?"

Emily laughed. "No he's not here."

"Alright, then."

Rain stepped into the compartment to find that 'us' actually meant Christopher Whitman, the burly fifth year that tried out for the Slytherin Quidditch team when Rain did.

"Whitman?" Rain asked, confused.

"Hey, Bone, what's up?" he returned. "You seem surprised."

Rain sat down opposite him next to Emily. "I wasn't expecting you to be sitting with Emily," she replied.

"Why not? She's my cousin," he said with a grin.

Rain's mind was blown. She remembered that Whitman had a cousin in Ravenclaw, but she would have never guessed that it would be Emily Snow.

Emily burst out laughing and soon all three of them were clutching their sides and laughing together.

Rain spent the rest of the trip back to Hogwarts in the compartment with Emily and Whitman chatting about anything that came to mind. She tried not to think about what Sirius had said and was convinced that hiding was not a coward's move if it saved the ones you loved.

A/N: So we finally see some mention of Voldemort accompanied by a difference of opinion. How will Rain and Sirius make up? (cos you know they will) Did you see it coming that Emily Snow and Whitman were cousins? Do you agree with Rain or Sirius? These things I want to know! R&R!