She thought her life was over – but fate gave her another chance, in a world of magic. Now, running around Hogwarts with James Potter and his friends, she's about to make choices that will change the future in ways she never thought possible…

Marauder's Phase

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Regulus

No One's P.O.V:

Remus felt guilty about it, but he secretly felt that he should be thrilled when Sirius came back to the common room with a blood nose, and told them quietly that Emma had hit him. He knew it was horrible, and that Emma must've been ever more upset then he was, if that were possible, but in truth he felt like the world was ending. Emma had been so upset about what had happened, and her feelings were affecting Remus in a way he couldn't quite fathom. It was like her pain was his own. He didn't know why, or what it meant, so he went to the library to do some research.

Because he could remember reading about it in a book last year…or something very similar to this, at least…

**

Emma didn't show up that evening, and by seven o'clock all of the Marauders – plus Lily – were worried. They searched everywhere in the castle for her, but to no avail.

They met up in the Entrance Hall at quarter past nine, huddled together in the light of a lantern.

"Where is she?" Sirius asked desperately, clenching and unclenching his hands compulsively.

"If anything's happened to her, then it will be your fault, Sirius Black!" Lily scolded him, in perfect tones of Emma. She didn't know exactly what was going on – not about Remus being a werewolf or the others being illegal Animagi – but she enough to know that Emma had been upset with Sirius for some reason, because of something that he'd done. Emma had been staggering when she'd come up to the common room at four in the morning, bleeding from her arms and refusing to talk to anyone as she'd collapsed into her bed with her clothes still on. Lily hadn't been able to get much out of her, just muttered words like 'Sirius', 'ruined' and 'kill' that Lily somehow managed to string together as only Lily could. She'd been waiting all evening to have a go at Sirius for it but, now, looking at the boy's distraught face, the words died in her mouth and she thought better of it.

"I know," Sirius said, and his voice cracked. "If anything happens to her, it'll be my…"

"You may already be too late," Came a voice from the shadows, and Sirius' younger brother Regulus stepped into the light, to be greeted rather coolly by the rest of them. None of them had ever had much time for Regulus, least of all his own brother. "I saw Emma about twelve hours ago, running toward the Forbidden Forest."

Sirius' face became a mask of horror, and Lily clapped a hand over her mouth in shock. Remus' eyes glazed over.

Regulus shrugged. "Just thought you oughta know." He said, and turned and walked quickly toward a door without looking back. Once on the other side of the door, however, he stopped, and leaned against the heavy wooden door.

Thoughts were flashing through his mind, so fast he felt as if he were playing a game of Quidditch, and each thought was another playing zooming by him as he stayed in one place, transfixed, staring at the glowing yellow of eyes of Emma Pax. He had seen her run off into the forest, knew how dangerous it could be in there. Alone, someone didn't stand a chance.

But Regulus knew that his brother, Sirius, had gotten out of tougher situations before, and that he had his friends on his side as well. So, Regulus had told him where to find Emma.

'Well, there you go mother,' Regulus thought, almost bitterly. 'I did my part for the Greater Cause…'.

***

I stopped and transformed, leaning against a tree. For someone who had spent the first three days of her life on this planet running around in the Forbidden Forest, I was sure I was lost.

The forest was so huge…not to mention dark. I was reminded of the scene in the first movie, and my insides froze. Now that I had stopped being so angry, and I'd paused to look around me…

I was terrified.

I needed light.

I reached into my robes, and drew out my wand.

"Lumos." I muttered, and held up my glowing wand.

I nearly screamed when the light beam fell on three faces.