Disclaimer: I don't own the Marauders, but I sure wouldn't mind if I did. ;P They belong to J.K. Rowling. I do, however, own Leah Matthews and the other OCs. Don't steal, please!

Girl of His Dreams

Chapter Ten: Prelude to War

The death of her best friend- no, her sister- put many things into perspective for Leah, but she couldn't help the way the life seemed to seep out of her, leaving her a weak, hollow shell of the girl she was before. She'd eventually returned to her bedthat night, but three, five, seven days passed like an eternity, and she had yet to summon the strength to stand. She barely slept- her nightmares woke her immediately if she closed her eyes longer than a few minutes.

Heather's last letter was still sitting on Leah's bedside table, right next to the framed photograph that was now turned down, where Leah didn't have to see the kind, smiling girl that, thanks to those damned Hunters, would never smile again.

She'd never do anything again.

Leah, the letter said,

I'm so sorry. They've found us this time. They're already one their way, and there's nothing we can do. I regret nothing, Leah, because I had a wonderful friend and great parents, all of whom gave me everything I could hope for. I love you so much, my sister. I hope you understand one day that this isn't your fault, because I know you. You will take this burden, and you will bear it alone. That's just who you are.

Leah looked up at the top of her canopy bed, not really seeing anything, but looking anyway. She had memorized the note, word for word, and now it replayed over and over like a broken record in her mind.

Not many of my kind get last words, Leah. I have a chance to say something, knowing that I won't live long. So, with my last moments, I'm writing to you. Because I believe that you are strong enough to do what I want you to do. Are you asking yourself what it is that I want you to do? Well, figure it out. You're smart enough to at least solve that puzzle.

I've wanted to give up all my life. I hate fear, but that's what surrounds me every minute of every day. There are days when I've wanted to call the Hunters on myself, just to end all the stupid hiding. I didn't, though. Do you remember what you said to me when I told you I didn't want to live in fear? You said,

"Don't be stupid, Heather. How you live is up to you. You were unlucky enough to be given this curse, but if you want to be afraid of it, that's up to you. It's a part of you, whether you like it or not, so deal with it."

You've always been so strong. I know you'll get over this. I know you will. Because of you, I wasn't afraid... Can you believe I'm not afraid now, either?

I have to go, or the owl will be seen. Don't forget, under any circumstances, that you are my sister and I love you.

Your sister,

Heather

"Leah." Lily was back, for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, with a tray of food. "I know that you're sad, Leah, but starving yourself is pointless. Please, eat something. Anything, just put something in your stomach. It's been a week, and you look like a bloody dementor."

Leah said nothing. It was merely routine at this point. Lily knew full-well that Leah wouldn't touch it.

"Well, I'll leave it here, then," Lily sighed. "Sirius is worried sick, you know."

I just ran out on him, Leah reminded herself. I told him this whole year had been nothing- that here I was, wasting my time with him, when my sister had been in trouble. She frowned.

I remember the look in his eyes, she thought. When we kissed, he looked happy. As though he'd finally found something he'd been looking for. Leah wondered if she had been wearing that same look. Where was he now? Was he as worried as Lily made it seem? Or was he angry that Leah had taken her anger out on him?

"I owe him an apology," she whispered hoarsely.

"Wh-what?" Lily looked shocked that Leah had spoken. Her voice was coarse, like her throat was lined with sandpaper. Leah cleared her throat.

"Is he mad at me?"

"No, of course not!" Lily sat at the foot of Leah's bed, relieved to hear her friend talking again. "He's just worried, Leah- you never eat, you haven't slept. He hasn't seen you in a week. You're wasting away up here. He tried to get up here," she confided. "But you know the rules. The stairs tossed him back down."

"... I should go apologize."

"They're already in bed," Lily told her. "It's almost ten."

"Are girls allowed in the Boys' Dormitories?"

"Well, no... I mean, it'll let you up there, but it's after hours," Lily said, frowning. "That's against the rules." Leah nodded, and Lily stood up suddenly, her hands on her hips. "No, you know what? I don't care what the rules say! You need to go see Sirius! Get out of bed! Up, up, up!"

Leah smiled inwardly as she did what she was told. She still hurt when she moved- it seemed that every breath was harder than she remembered- but she needed to explain to Sirius that he wasn't a waste of time. That she never meant any of it.

"Heather... In her letter," Leah said, carefully rising to her feet and stepping into her slippers, "Heather said there was something she wanted me to do. That I was strong enough to do it. But she didn't say what it was."

"Well, that's a bit obvious, isn't it?" Lily gave her a bright smile. "She wanted you to stand up again."

"Come on, Leah. You've been sitting there for ages! Let's take a picture together..."

"...You will take this burden, and you will bear it alone. That's just who you are."

"Get up, Leah. This isn't your fault."

Leah scrubbed at her eyes with her shirt sleeve. "Yeah. I can do that."

Lily hugged her tightly. "She knew you could."

The Marauders were all roomates, turns out. Lily led Leah up the stairs and back through the hallway that led to the very last door. Light shone from under the crack in the door, and Lily stepped ahead to knock lightly.

"Potter, lights were supposed to be out ages ago."

"I don't know what you're talkin' about," James called. "Go back to bed, you loon. We're all asleep."

"Oi, how did you know our light was on if you weren't already up here, eh?" That was Sirius' voice, and Leah felt anxiety swell within her stomach. Before she could turn and quickly retreat back to the relative safety of her bed, the door swung open, and she found herself staring into the face of a very shirtless, very wet Sirius Black, with nothing but a fluffy white towel draped around his hips. His look of irritation jolted quickly into shock.

For a moment, no one said anything.

"I-I came to apologize," she murmured quietly. Lily smiled at them both.

"I'm going back to bed. You'll be okay, right?"

"Yeah." She could already feel a smile trying to claw its way onto her face. Sirius opened the door wider.

"C-Come in, I'll go, uh... you know, put some pants on."

She stepped into the room shyly, glancing around curiously. She'd always wondered what the boys' dormitories looked like. It wasn't much. Remus, James, and Peter were all sitting up in bed- James was toying with his famous golden snitch, while Remus and Peter both had books in their hands. She waved to them all.

"Hello, guys."

"Leah!" Remus tossed his book aside and climbed out of bed to greet her. She attempted a smile.

"Hello, Rem-" Her lungs were cut off as he swept her into a bone-crushing hug. She gasped for breath. "R-Remus... Can't b-breathe..."

"Sorry," he replied sheepishly, releasing her. "I heard about Heather, Leah, I'm so sorry."

Her name, instead of bringing the pain Leah expected it to, lifted some of the weight that crushed her heart. She shook her head.

"She's free now," she whispered. "She doesn't have to hide anymore. I think she likes that."

"Of course she does," Remus said, smiling sadly. "Forgive me, but you... well, you look rather like a dementor."

"So I've heard." She chuckled, her fingertips moving up to trace the bags beneath her eyes. "How long has it been, a week?"

"Just about." She glanced back up to Sirius, who had just stepped out of the bathroom and was walking toward her. He was still shirtless, but was now wearing a set of baggy black pajama pants. As he stopped right in front of her, her gaze traveled down to his chest, and the tattoos that trailed across his collarbone.

"I'm sorry," she started softly, embarrassed that this conversation had to take place in front of the others. "I didn't mean what I said after the Ball."

"I know." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. He seemed to be just as embarrassed about it as she was. "I was- I was just worried about you. Lily said you wouldn't eat, and I couldn't get up there to see you, so..."

He really did look concerned. Leah nodded, smiling. "I'm better now."

"Glad to hear it." He grinned, relieved. They stood there for a moment, neither sure what to say. Leah cleared her throat to bid him a goodnight, when James spoke up.

"Bloody hell, Padfoot, just kiss her already."

With the charming grin that Leah had missed so much, he did.

When she woke the next morning, she found herself wrapped in two blankets- one made of cotton and down, and the other made of flesh and bone. She giggled, blowing a strand of Sirius' hair out of her face. He slept peacefully beside her, his mouth hanging open slightly as he growled out tiny, barely-audible snores. Leah glanced at the steadily-growing spot of drool on his black satin pillowcase and smiled, placing a gentle kiss on his bare shoulder.

"Mmmm?" Sirius looked up groggily, his hand immediately coming up to wipe the drool off his cheek. "Oh. Good morning."

"Morning," she murmured back. She felt rested- like she'd never even spent that week in bed. Her stomach, however, begged to differ, and a loud growl erupted from her gut. She blushed as Sirius laughed. "If I hadn't woken you, that sure as hell would have..."

He rolled over onto his back, stretching, and Leah lay back down on his chest. He sighed contentedly and wrapped his arm around her. "I could get used to this."

"I feel great," Leah confessed, curling into him. "Thank you."

"Oi..." Sirius scratched his stomach absently, his eyes looking anywhere but at her. "Are we dating now, or what?"

"Like boyfriend and girlfriend?" She rolled onto her stomach, resting her chin in her hand. "We haven't been on a proper date."

"That's true." He grinned. "Where do you want to go?"

Feeling butterflies all over again, Leah grinned back. "Surprise me."

"I can't believe you spent the night in his bed," Lily hissed. "That's so- so inappropriate!"

"We didn't do anything," Leah assured her for the fifth time. "We just talked for a bit, and then I was so tired that I just blacked out in his bed. And yes, I was fully dressed when I woke up."

Lily blushed. "Well, I'm glad you finally got some rest, but really, can you imagine if McGonagall found out?"

Leah rolled her eyes. "No one knows but you. Let's keep it that way, hm?"

"Oh, all right." Lily set down her half-eaten jellied toast. "I'm glad you're back, Leah. You're lucky you snapped out of it when you did."

"Mm, why's that?"

"Quidditch tryouts are this afternoon," Lily reminded her. "You should get some flying practice in with Sirius and James today."

"I totally spaced," Leah gasped. "What time are the tryouts?"

"About four hours from now. Hey, where are you going?" She added, as Leah climbed to her feet and snatched up her messenger bag. Her pancakes lay forgotten on her plate.

"To practice!" She called, hurrying out of the Great Hall. "See ya, Lily!"

Leah hummed happily as she made her way back to the common room. She hadn't flown since a few weeks after Thanksgiving, when she and Dane, along with his group of friends, had all raced around the Quidditch field. She'd warned him that she was experienced, but he was cocky. So, she didn't bother holding back.

Needless to say, they ate her Star-Tail's dust.

"Look, it's the wolf-lover!" The grating voice quickly jolted Leah from her thoughts, and she turned to see Bellatrix standing by one of the corridor windows. Next to her stood Lucius Malfoy, a third year Slytherin. Leah sneered back at the witch.

"Where's your posse, Bellatrix? Did they finally get tired of you?"

"You're still awfully cranky," she shot back mockingly, "even after a week-long nap!"

"That's funny you should mention me being cranky," Leah replied. "I was perfectly fine until I ran into you."

"I don't know how you could be fine... not after what happened to your little wolf friend."

Leah's heart skipped a beat, her eyes widening. Before she could process Bella's actual words, she whipped out her wand. "What did you just say?"

"Everyone knows about it," Bellatrix sneered, slipping her own wand out of her sleeve. "That little monster got what she deserved, in my op-"

"Expelliarmus!" Once Bella's wand was safely out of reach, Leah jerked her wand over to Malfoy, disarming him, as well. She raised her wand again, the hex just barely leaving her lips, but Bellatrix wasted no time- she lunged for Leah, her hands outstretched like clawed talons.

Malfoy, seeing that Bella was successfully distracting Leah, retrieved his wand and pointed it at her. "Expelliarmus!"

Leah didn't even flinch. She didn't mind fighting without a wand- she preferred it. She reeled her fist back and met Bellatrix halfway, barely feeling the tugging sensation at her scalp as Bella grabbed a fistful of her hair. Leah's fist smashed into Bella's face with a sickening crunch, and as a piercing shriek erupted from the Slytherin witch's lips, Leah pulled back for a second hit.

Smack!

Leah could hear only her blood pounding in her ears, boiling from the rage that edged her vision in red. Her already torn and bloody knuckles connected a third time, and there was a flash of blue light headed straight for her. Leah noticed it too late- as though a branch of the Whomping Willow had whipped her, she was blown across the corridor and thrown sideways into the stone wall.

Snap! Excruciating pain shot up her arm, and into her neck, leaving her breathless and dizzy. She struggled to pick herself up and glanced up at Malfoy, who had his wand raised once more, standing almost protectively in front of Bellatrix, who was wiping the blood from her face.

"What are you waiting for, Lucius? Hex her!"

"Expelliarmus!" A familiar voice disarmed Lucius and Leah looked up to see Lily storming toward them, Sirius, James, and Remus in tow. "That's enough, all of you!"

"Oh," Bella mocked, laughing maniacally. Blood dripped from her nose and mouth, and her nose was twisted and crushed. Still, her eyes were alight with malice and a little bit of insanity, and it gave Leah the creeps. "Goodie two-shoes mudblood thinks she has authority over me, does she?"

"Leah!" Sirius crouched beside her, his fingertips gingerly poking at her injured arm. She hadn't bothered looking at it before, but one glance told her it was broken. She couldn't even think about moving her left arm without crippling pain, so she thought of other things- like the ragged breath that escaped her lips, or the way Lily was convincing James not retaliate for her sake.

"It's just a word," she was saying quietly. "I don't need you to cause trouble for me."

"What happened?" Sirius asked, his attention on her. Remus was looking between Leah and Bellatrix in shock.

"You... You completely rearranged her face," he said.

"That's exactly what happened," she replied with a smirk, gritting her teeth through the pain. "She said... that Heather got what she deserved."

"Come on," Sirius said quietly, helping her to her feet. "We're going to the infirmary."

"How long will you keep up this rebellion act against the family, blood traitor?" Bellatrix snickered, stopping them in their tracks as they started down the corridor. "The lot of you will get what is coming to you. You! Especially you, wolf-lover." She slumped against the wall, her black lips spread in a psychotic grin. "Don't you forget- I'll be the one who ends your life."

"Bella, Bella," Leah mocked, gripping Sirius' hand for support. Her left arm hung limply at her side, broken and useless, and the pain was beginning to make her nauseous. "You couldn't even stop me from punching your face in. I'm not scared of you."

Bella's creepy smile didn't budge. "It's not me you should be afraid of."

A/N: ( ~ 2900 words) Foreshadowing? Perhaps. Man, Bellatrix is crazy. I'd probably love her more if she didn't kill Sirius in Order of the Phoenix... [oops!spoiler] Thanks for reading! Please, if you have time, review! DO IT FUR TEH LULZ.