Ok, so a few of you pointed out that I'd made an error with the ages... oops! Didn't even see that. lol. Thanks.

Chapter 22:

Cold Hearted

Regulus found his new stalker incredibly frustrating over the next couple of weeks. Everywhere he went she seemed to be. When he went to the library, she was there. When he went to the toilet, she was waiting outside for him. When he went to the owlery, there she was. It was making his task for the Dark Lord ridiculously difficult. Rebecca was on a mission; she was going to work out what he was up to and stop him. She couldn't understand why it was so difficult to find out what he was doing. She followed him everywhere but so far he hadn't done anything he shouldn't.

Regulus sat at the Slytherin breakfast table in the Great Hall. He looked over the room towards the Gryffindor table. "Why the hell won't she leave me alone?" Regulus complained to the other fifth years around him.

"Who?" a spotty Slytherin asked, "oh… your little friend."

"Oh piss off," Regulus replied before filling his mouth with fried eggs.

"Oh don't get in a huff," the Slytherin replied. "Why don't you use her to your benefit?"

"How?" Regulus turned his attention to the other Slytherin.

"See if you can get the information you need from her."

"She'll never help me," Regulus shook his head.

"No duh Reg! But who said she had to know what she is doing?"

Regulus frowned, "do you think that'll work?"

"Don't know unless you try it," the Slytherin grinned.

Regulus left the Great Hall and made his way towards the library. He glanced behind him to see if she was following him. He grinned when he saw her coming out of the hall. He pulled her into an empty classroom, "why the hell are you following me?"

Regulus held her against the wall of the empty classroom, "I- I was… I was going back to my common room."

"Quit lying," Regulus laughed bitterly.

"Fine… I'm trying to work out what Voldemort wants you to do."

"I'm not going to tell you, you know."

"I don't expect you to," Rebecca told him, "but I will work it out and until I do, you're stuck with me."

"Fine; come on then, we're going to the library," he held out his hand for her to take. She looked at it uncertainly but decided to take it.

He held her hand all the way to the library. When they arrived, Regulus smiled, "you might as well sit with me too. If you're stalking me, you might as well entertain me too."

Two weeks into their apparition lessons, nothing much had happened. A few people had accidentally splinched themselves but other than that, it had become a bit boring. James was particularly frustrated. He'd been looking forward to apparating ever since he was a little boy but he hadn't expected it to be so difficult. James had started messing around with Sirius during their lessons much to Lily's irritation, "James, shut up. I can't hear the teacher."

"Sorry Lilykins," James winked.

"How many times do I have to tell you…?" there was something of their old banter back in their friendship except it lacked the contempt that had once been dripping from every word.

"I know Lilykins but I really love calling you it… or I could call you Lilycat if you want… or Lilypoo?"

"No… No, its fine. I'll cope with Lilykins."

"If it helps, it's an endearment," James whispered into her ear as the teacher shushed them.

With their Saturday mornings being taken over by apparition the sixth years were having to make the most of their free time to study. James was getting sick and tired of working in the library. Fortunately the weather was awful outside otherwise he'd be wishing to fly. He'd stepped Quidditch Practice up a gear. Their next match against Ravenclaw was in a couple of weeks. Ravenclaw had lost to Slytherin at the very end of last term; 290 to 10. James had been hoping that Hufflepuff would beat Slytherin in their match in January but it hadn't happened. In fact the match had given Slytherin a three hundred and ten point lead. Gryffindor was going to have to work hard to beat them.

James had yet to hear back from his parents; they were still away on order business. He was beginning to get a little worried about them; especially because it was almost March and they had been away for several months. On the third Saturday in February, horrible news was received at breakfast before the sixth years went to their apparition lesson.

The Daily Prophet was delivered as usual to the awaiting students. The headline read; MUGGLE-BORN FAMILY KILLED BY DEATH EATERS NEAR HOGWARTS!

James leant over Lily's shoulder to read her copy, A young family was killed in the Scottish Highlands last night, thought to be the work of death eaters. The father had just been accepted for a job at the ministry when he and his family were brutally murdered. Michael Lestin (35) and Kaitlyn Lestin (33) were the parents of three children; Lewis (11), Catherine (9) and Lucas (5). Yesterday being Lewis Lestin's 11th birthday, the family had been celebrating the fact that he had received his Hogwarts letter when there was a knock at the door. The family were tortured, if the neighbours statements are to be believed. The neighbours contacted the hitwizards immediately upon hearing the screams coming from next door. However, the hitwizards arrived seconds too late…

Lily frowned, "they were only kids." She looked at the Slytherin table where she saw no reaction to the news. They were joking and laughing just like before the post owls had arrived, "how can they be so cold?"

"I don't know Lily," James said as he put an arm around her.

Please review... this broke my heart a little... :(