Where I Stood
Chapter 17: Just a Nightmare; A Terrible Nightmare
Back at school, rumors and questions were spread far and wide in the castle about the three men at the end of the Quidditch game before school ended a couple of days later. Of course, neither Sileni nor her brother said a word to anyone, letting the rumors and answers to the questions become outrages and ridicules. The teenager had also been on somewhat good terms with Remus; however their friendship is strained since the kiss on New Years. What also confused them was how Sirius was acting around Sileni since the night, too.
With the NEWTs coming closer, homework and practice exams were becoming more frequent. Sileni laid off the many hours at her jobs, but not the Order meetings. Voldemort has been issuing attacks on Ministry personnel, giving the Daily Prophet many, and bigger, headlines. Sileni had been getting into contact with Andi more, trying to help the personnel and Minister Rochelle in keeping them, and their families, safe. However, Andi's Seer powers would take a lot of power on her part and on the castle since they are strongly connected, and would weakened her tremendously.
It was February, the week of Valentine's Day to be precise. As the students went on with their daily activity, and gushing over who will get who what, Sileni was on the seventh floor, her tarot cards spread out on a fifteen card layout (or also known as The English Spread) with a notebook and pen on her lap. She was trying to find a form of helping those that are to be killed or captured in several weeks, writing down what the cards say after each question.
It was becoming dusk, but Sileni didn't seem to notice, too deep with her work. Lucky for her, it was a Saturday. Regulus gave a ghostly smile at the sight of the older woman bent over her Muggle notebook (which she told him what it was when he asked one day), writing furiously. He stood a few feet away from her, hands in his pockets and his feet wide spread. Since the day Sileni had spoken to him, so that he may help the good side, the two had become good friends.
"You know, with how you always have your nose in a book, some would think you're in Ravenclaw."
Sileni sharply looked up, only to sigh in relief. "Damn it, Regulus, you scared the hell out of me. Did anyone follow you?"
Regulus shook his head and sat across from her, looking tied and desperate. "No, at least not that I know of,"
Cracking her neck from side to side, Sileni nodded, leaning back against the tall window behind her, letting the cool glass seep through her clothes. Regulus smiled softly, taking a mental picture of how the older teenager looked. She had propped up her feet and draped her arms over her knees, the light from the setting sun making her look even prettier than Regulus thought. With a shake of his head, the boy leaned back on his hands, exhaling sharply.
"You-Know-Who is going crazy. When he heard about the one called Phoenix getting killed by Reid Morp, he was livid. He told the Death Eaters that were supposed to kill that one family who was suppose to have the blood of Rowena Ravenclaw that if Phoenix was there to capture her."
Sileni raised an eyebrow, never having thought about the crazy wizard wanting to kidnap her. Luckily, she never told Regulus that Phoenix was actually her–for his safety, of course. Thinking over what he has said, Sileni return to listening to the younger teen, biting her lower lip in thought.
"You-Know-Who is planning something. I don't know what it is yet, but he is. He and his most loyal followers keep talking in low voices, away from others. It must be big, though, if they're keeping it from the rest of us–but I can't help feel like they're keeping it mostly from me."
Sileni stared at Regulus intently, her mind jumbling the information together. "Tell Voldemort that Phoenix lives. Tell him that she's a student about to graduate Hogwarts, and the only reason you know is because you over heard her and Dumbledore talking about that night."
Regulus frowned, looking at Sileni strangely. "Do you know who this Phoenix person is?"
Sileni took a deep breath. "Yes I do, because I'm Phoenix."
Regulus' eyes widen in shock and surprise. When Sileni had asked for his help, she only mentioned Dumbledore and this order he had formed, nothing else. But he wondered how the older teen became so informed to weaken and angry Voldemort. Regulus made a noise, not really knowing what to say to this revealing information.
Before anything else could be said, footsteps echoing on either side of the corridors could be heard, both teens looking at either end. Not wanting to be caught with the items she had, Sileni quickly gathered all her tarot cards and notebook, shoving them into her bag.
"Regulus, you tell Voldemort to attack on graduation day. Tell him that with all the teachers preoccupied, the wards surrounding Hogwarts would be weakened just a bit for them to Apparate into the Great Hall."
Regulus nodded just as the footsteps came to an abrupt stop.
"You two know each other?"
Both teens looked over to see a frowning Sirius looking back and forth between the two. Sileni sighed with relief as Regulus rolled his eyes, leaning back once more on his hands.
"Damn it, Sirius, you scared the hell out of us!" Sileni scolded, leaning back on the window once more.
Sirius walked forward, continuing to look back and forth between the two. "I volunteered to come get you for dinner as I needed to meet someone up at one of the Astronomy Towers."
Sileni raised an eyebrow. "Okay, but I'm not hungry and I still have to get some answers. So why don't you just meet whoever you need to meet." Sirius went to answer when Sileni continued. "And yes, we do know each other, obviously. We met back in, what, November?"
Knowing the glint in his older brother's eyes, Regulus stood up and dusted his pants, nodding to Sileni once more. Without words, they spoke volume and an agreement of what they just spoke. Regulus bid them goodnight, quickly leaving the way he came from. He now knew that it was best to admire the older teen from afar as it seemed his older brother had a soft spot for Sileni.
Her bottom numbed, Sileni stood up and stretched, going on her tip toes to stretch, not just her arms, but her body as well. Sirius chuckled, grinning at the sight, liking what he saw before him. The girl sighed in content, leaning back against the window once more, suddenly feeling exhausted. Sirius tilted his head, staring intently at the girl.
"So what's up with you and that older guy?" Sirius suddenly asked.
Sileni frowned in thought, wondering who he was talking about, before laughing. "No, no. I think I was just overwhelmed with emotions because of Remus, and I know for a fact that he was just emotional after saving his and his brother's life."
Sirius nodded, not knowing how to react to this. "Well, how about I walk you back to Gryffindor Tower since you don't want to eat?"
"What about the person you're supposed to meet?" Sileni asked with a raised eyebrow, picking up her bag.
Sirius waved a hand before putting them in his pockets. "I can always meet them again later."
Sileni laughed, walking down the corridor. "I guess it was one of your fan clubs?"
Sirius scrunched up his face in disgust. "No, but I can assure you the person I was supposed to meet would understand."
Sileni shrugged, not really caring either way. The two teens walked on in silence, both deep in thought. They entered Gryffindor Tower and made their way over to the couch, a couple of fifth years quickly getting up from Sirius' raised eyebrow. Sileni tried not to laugh at this, flopping down on the couch, her legs hanging over the arm chair. Sirius jumped from the back of the couch, landing just a couple of inches from Sileni's head. She glared at him before closing her eyes, massaging her forehead and rubbing her eyes.
"What's going on, Sileni?" Sirius asked quietly, staring into the fire. "Why were speaking with my brother?"
Sileni sighed (something she noted she's been doing a lot that day). "That's something you need to ask Regulus, however I think you should wait a while. How long a while is, I don't know; but I can tell you right now, it won't be safe for him if you start asking questions."
Sileni felt rather than see Sirius tensing up next to her. She can only imagine what he was thinking as she might be thinking the same if someone was telling her about Luke. She can only hope that Sirius won't make trouble for his brother. Sileni had a feeling that Voldemort might have some of his follower's children looking on Regulus during the school to see who he might be talking to.
"Sirius, if you need to ask, write him a message that only the two of you know and understand. I hate to say this, but I think there might be some bad people watching your brother and who it is that he associates with."
Sileni looked up at Sirius to see him exhale sharply, relaxing somewhat and leaning back against the couch. Deep in thought, he seemed to understand her and the danger he might put his brother in if he starts to 'care' about Regulus once again. Sirius wasn't an idiot; he knew if both his brother and Sileni were speaking alone, it might have to do with the Order Dumbledore has going on. Once again Sirius tensed up, realization dawning on him.
"Sileni, please tell him that my brother isn't part of..." he trailed off, not knowing if he could finish that sentence or not.
Sileni sighs quietly, swinging her legs and sitting up. She turns to the older boy to see a distraught, almost defeated, look upon his face. The girl gives him a sympathetic look before hugging him tightly. She feels Sirius bury his face into the crock of her neck, his arms winding around her waist and holding just as tightly.
"I'm sorry, Sirius. But that's why we've been speaking alone since I've gone to him. He saw how dangerous and brutal Voldemort really is, and I'm here to help him escape that life–" 'More like his death,' Sileni thought."–in return he helps us destroy this monster." Sileni whispered quietly into his ear, not wanting to let anyone hear.
That was how the other Marauders' and Lily saw them, Remus tensing up in anger and confusion. However, when Sirius pulled away, they saw the distraught, and painful, look he tried to hide when he spotted them. They immediately went to him, quickly asking questions of what was wrong (Remus guilty of the thoughts and hatred he had for his brother). That's when it dawned on Sileni, making her tensed up with fear as she thought back to her conversation with the younger Black.
'It must be big, though, if they're keeping it from the rest of us–but I can't help feel like they're keeping it mostly from me.'
Sileni's eyes widen with fear. "Oh my God, he knows he's helping us!" She muttered before quickly standing on the couch and jumping over it.
She ignored the questions being thrown at her as she raced out of the portrait. She needed to reach the unused classroom to contact Kingsley. Sileni kicked herself for her stupidity and forgetfulness. Though she knew it wasn't that she forgot, it was she was too preoccupied in keeping herself hidden and preparing herself to be killed in several months. Sileni skidded to a stop and hid behind a suit-in-armor, scolding herself.
'Stupid, what can Kingsley do?'
With a shake of her head, Sileni transformed and raced back to Gryffindor Tower. Luckily some first year was entering, letting the older teen race right after her, and towards the group still sitting on the couches. Jumping on top of the couch then down in between Luke and James, Sileni hissed a growl, pawing James' jacket. Everyone frowned, the boys mostly wondering what it was Sileni wanted. With mental roll of her eyes, Sileni looked around before jumping on to the coffee table and scratching the blank parchment that was left there.
"Oh!" James cried, pulling out the map from inside his jacket.
Since Lily knew of the map already, the group only leaned forward to cover the map as James laid it flat on the coffee table before Sileni. Muttering the spell, Lily still looked in awe at what the boys have accomplished. Sileni quickly scanned the map, pawing at one page or another when she didn't find the one person she was looking for. She then hissed a growl, placing a paw on the right side of the map and moving to look at it closely.
"Peter Pettigrew?" Lily questioned confused.
Sirius leaned further in, frowning in confusion. "Wilkes and Avery?"
Giving an angry hiss/growl, Sileni jumped to the back of the couch and down, running out of the portrait that opened on its own (Sileni mentally thanked Andi). She quickly made her way towards the east Astronomy Towers, praying that she wouldn't be too late to modify their memories. Despite having Obliviated Peter's memory, he seems to still fall into the hands of evil–and possibly know that he can turn into the rat that he is.
Reaching the tower, Sileni returned to her body and slowly eased over to the door, listening carefully to the whispering voices inside. Drawing out her wand, Sileni carefully opened the door, trying to see where all three boys were standing.
"Good job, Pettigrew. We'll contact our dads." One of the boys said.
Eyes widening, Sileni looked around and hid over behind a tapestry (though she only needed to hide long enough to stun him). Watching Peter close the door behind him, Sileni stunned him quickly, sending another spell to mute the noise he would make by falling to the floor. Moving from behind the tapestry, Sileni rearranged the boy's memory before moving back over to the door, getting ready to stun the two other boys still inside the Astronomy Tower.
Taking a deep breath, Sileni slowly opens the door once again and looks around it. Biting her lower lip, she sees the two boy's backs to her and the door, speaking quietly and writing on a parchment that they had. Slinking inside, Sileni stuns one boy then the other before he realized what had happened. Exhaling softly, Sileni makes quick work in modifying their memories then changing the brief note on the parchment to the parents so the boys wouldn't remember what really happened.
Nodding, Sileni quickly rushed out of the tower and down the stairs, transforming. She can only pray that she wasn't too late; that the boy's had not sent another letter while she dealt with Peter. Just those few seconds were precious and wasted on the rat.
4545454545
The months were ticking by, the deadly silence of Voldemort's activity made everyone on edge. Sileni had become silent and withdrawn from everything and everyone, her friends and brother becoming worried every day. More and more she has been spending her time alone on the seventh floor, working out plans of attack and safety of others. Because she didn't know how and when Voldemort was to attack on graduation day, Sileni was stressed out on the plans.
To say the least Dumbledore was livid when Sileni had–not ordered and not questioned–told him to lower the protection wards around the Great Hall. Sileni had calmly explained the situation and what she had told her inside source. The Order had thought her mad, but Sileni did not waver. She told them a false plan, needing to keep secret of her suicide plan to herself.
The beginning of May had the Marauders, Lily, Sarah, Severus, and Sileni sitting in the middle of the grassy courtyard, talking to one another. Well, all except Sileni, who was dozing off, her head resting on Severus lap. Unconsciously he was running his hand through her hair, which was the reason she was falling asleep. Two of the boys glowered at this, but said nothing as it was the first time Sileni was actually hanging out with them. As she fell asleep, Severus leaned back on his hands, trying hard not to shift to get some feelings back into his legs.
That's when it came; the warning, and the wanting of what she will never have.
4545454545
Sileni opened her eyes, frowning in confusion at the bright, pure white corridor with its walls long in both width and length, the pillars running up and down on either side for miles. Suddenly the corridor started to move as fast as speed in one direction, making the teen dizzy–and a bit nausea. The corridor then stopped before disappearing into another scene, Sileni frowning at it before her.
Taking a step forward, she looked around the large backyard with one or two large trees giving lots of shade, but also lots of sun. There were three children from the ages of three and five, playing soccer with a shadowed man, the family laughing. Then a woman walked out from the house, picking up the three year old boy when he ran towards her. Because the woman had her back to Sileni, she couldn't see the face.
"Mommy, Emily keeps using magic to win and daddy doesn't say anything!"
"Oh really?" The woman questioned, raising an eyebrow at her husband, who smiled innocently. "Honey, care to explain?"
The twin girls giggled, looking between their parents. "Ooh, daddy's in trouble!" They chorused.
"Eni, sweetheart," he started, but the woman cut him off.
"Sirius Black, how many times have I told you not to call me by that damn name!"
Sileni was startled in surprise, the names registering to her. Then the white corridor appeared once again before it started to move, erasing what it was that she saw. However, the corridor came to a stop at a horrible nightmare; one that Sileni hope to not let it come true.
4545454545
The sixteen year old eyes widen in fear and shock. She was in the middle of the Great Hall, destruction all over. Different color of spells were flying everywhere, bouncing off walls or hitting one person or another. The windows were all shattered, the tables and benches all overturned, and the enchanted ceiling no longer there. She saw so many of those she came to love and care fall hurt or dead at the hands of evil.
"No," Sileni whispered, looking at the chaos all around her.
This was not how she wanted the attack to become, where the light side would be losing–dying. Then she felt Andi before seeing them walking towards her amongst the devastating chaos, a grim look upon their rainbow, faceless, face.
"He is coming and this will be the result. He wanted you to be stopped once and for all; so Death had changed the day you were to die once again." Andi sighed sadly. "After Mad-Eye had destroyed his beloved snake, Voldemort wanted revenge on you. So with informing Regulus of attacking on this day, this is what's to become."
Sileni blinked back the tears, looking around before staring at Andi. "Is there any way you can save everyone?"
The chaos disappeared and the east seventeenth floor corridor appeared in its place. Sileni was shaking with fury and fear, wrapping her arms to keep her safe.
"Yes, but—"
Sileni shook her head. "Do it, I got only a month. I'm to sacrifice myself to save the others, remember that."
Andi sighed. "As you wish,"
4545454545
Sileni gasped, sitting up. She placed a hand to her neck, not hearing the concern around her. How could one possibly little interference change the whole course of the future? And how could her plan fail, when she had the help of the Order working on these plans to make it work better, become stronger? Sileni gave a small scream when hands took her shoulders. She gave a sigh of relief, attaching herself to Sirius quickly, needing the comfort that he was willing to give her.
"I'm sorry you guys, it was just a nightmare." She sighed once more, "a terrible nightmare."
With her cheek on Sirius shoulder, Sileni couldn't help but feel something nagging at the back of her mind; as though Sirius holding her should remind her of something important–at least important to her. Inhaling deeply Sileni looks around the courtyard noting the suspicious, and the envy, stares from Sirius' fan club, taking everything in. Ever since coming to this world, Sileni had to grow up, become the adult. Unlike her brother, she wasn't able to enjoy her 'high school' years.
Tears of regret and sadness started to form, Sileni kicking herself for not letting herself enjoy the years she had here with her brother and friends. Why did she had to be so busy in trying to save Harry and the characters she had fallen in love with, both in the books and in real life? She could have done both, right? Have the time of her life as a teen and be the adult? Wasn't that what she was trying to do in the first place?
Needing to be alone, Sileni pulled away from Sirius and bid her goodbyes, walking quickly in one direction, not caring where she was going so long as she was alone. The group looked after her, Luke more distraught then the others. He can somewhat tell what his sister was going through, but her mood swings were becoming more and more frequent as the day she was suppose to die was nearing in just a month.
Luke has heard and read over the plans, having helped his sister when she came to him. There was no way that she was to die; he had already owled the Prewett twins, Mad-Eye, and Kingsley. Whatever plan the Order has decide to use, they were to protect his sister without her knowing, which is harder to do then being said. He can only pray that she will live through that day and nothing serious will happen to her or the others.
A/N: All right you guys, PLEASE review and give me your thoughts on the story thus far; thanks!