Disclaimer: same as usual; not mine, jk rowling's. okay, go ahead reading.

Dedication: To the Tsunami victims. All those lost and all those left behind, espcially the children, may they get allthe helpthey need to rebuildtheir towns, homes, and lives. Keep them in your prayers.

a/n: I would just like to hope for better weather in 2005, because this past year mother nature hasn't been all that friendly to us.Plus, i'd like to say happy new year to everyone. 2005, baby!

XxXxX

"Now, you are to sit here and do your lines, silently, until I come back. Understand?" McGonagall instructed sending a very stringent stare at the three boys and Aly.

She left, pausing outside the door to put a spell on it which made it glow slightly.

"Pah-lease!" James stated to the closed door.

Sirius got up and crossed the room. He examined the door. "Simple sealant charm," he said looking very closely at the door. "Oh, well." He shrugged and added, "No problem." He crossed the room and pushed open the window. "Let's go."

James jumped up and strode the short length to the window. "You coming, Rem?"

Remus looked over at Aly, who was starting on her lines. She peeked at him from the corner of her eye and saw him looking rather perplexed. Instead of replying, he simply picked up his quill and started writing.

James jaw dropped and Sirius and him shared a quick glance. "Oh, come on!" James yelled. "Just because Frosty the Ice-Bitch is here doesn't mean you have to actually do this pathetic excuse of a punishment."

Where Aly's usual swell of anger started, there was a different feeling, much more painful than the anger. She knew what it was. It was hurt; deep, cutting hurt. She didn't say anything though. She didn't even know what to say. No one had ever said anything like that to her. Sure she had had remarks thrown at her, but they had always been things like what Sirius had said two days before, comments about her dad. No one had ever referred to her as something as horrible as 'Frosty the Ice-Bitch.' Least of all, she would have never guessed it was James who would call her that.

Her mind reeled at the thought of how to respond. She could easily come back with something as low and cutting as that. Her internal battle of conscience took only a minute second to end. She wouldn't say anything back to him she decided. It would be hypocritical to do the same thing to him that had upset her.

So the slight pause she had taken in her writing ended and she continued writing.

All three of the boys were watching her. James, who was halfway out the window, looked ready to fight back to any remark Aly had to say. Sirius looked indifferent about the whole thing having leaned back against the window frame and crossing his arms. Remus, however, was looking on pityingly. When Aly didn't look back up, James shrugged and disappeared out the window. Sirius followed, "You comin', Rem?" he asked, only his eyes and forehead showing over the sill.

Remus sighed, "Fine," and stood up grudgingly, flinging his book bag over his shoulder.

After Remus had gone out the window, Aly let the single tear that had harbored in the corner of her eye fall. She got up, crossed the room quickly, and slammed the window as hard as she could. She leaned against the cold window, she back against the glass. She took a few quick breaths and then went back to her lines.

'I will not cause trouble.'
'I will not cause trouble.'
'I will not cause trouble.'
'I will not cause trouble.'
'I will not cau

The window slid back open with a 'huff'. A cold draft filled the room and Aly looked to see James lodged in between the sill and the bottom of the window. He wiggled and finally managed to slide onto the floor in a heap, the window slamming shut above him. He stood and dusted himself off. Without looking at Aly or giving an explanation of what he was doing back, he turned and opened the window and shouted below, "The eagle has landed."

"None too gracefully," Sirius yelled back up.

"Just shut up," James yelled before turn to Aly finally. "You've got 30 seconds to pack up," he told her, "Starting . . . now." He looked at his watch and Aly looked at him like he was crazy. "Come now, you're down to 26, no, 25 seconds and counting."

Aly got up and put her things away, preparing herself for the worst. By the time she had finished, James had started counting down a loud.

"21, 20, 19" he saw that she was done and stated, "Ok, screw this. Let's go." He came over to her and stated simply, "Hang on," and with that, whipped her over his shoulder. She let out a screech and as he went back over to the window, she clung on to his back.

"Let me down!" she demanded.

"No can do. Just chill out alright."

"How the hell are you going to carry me down the side of the building like this? You'll have to let me down."

"Hmm," he stopped and moved at different angles. "You're right. I can't carry you like this."

He slid onto the sill, turned so he faced the outside with his feet dangling, and bent over slightly. With Aly's butt facing the ground he called, "Geronimo!" and dropped her.

Aly let out a screech as she fell 4 stories towards the hard, frozen, snow-covered ground, but she landed in something soft that bounced, much like Lily's trampoline. She let out a breathe of relief and looked over at Sirius, who was laughing, and Remus, who was behind her, who looked highly unamused.

"Move!" James yelled.

Aly slid her way towards Sirius and as she got off, whispered, "How much to make you 'accidentally' miss him?"

Sirius just smiled as James made his way down onto the odd sheet. Sirius dumped his end of the sheet and yanked the other end from Remus, making James fall into the snow.

"Alright?" he asked Aly folding the sheet up.

"Fine," she mumbled.

"And how was your fall, Jamesie?"

"Swell, thanks." He said pulling himself up with the help of Remus.

"So, let's go," Sirius said staring to move.

"Hang on," Aly put up her hand to stop him.

"Ahh, what?!" Sirius whined.

"I want to know about what just happened."

"Oh, man. I knew this was going to happen." Sirius whined and turned in a circle with his head on his forehead which was pointed to the sky.

"I'm serious," Aly stated putting her hands on her hips.

"So, am I," Sirius imitated.

Aly gave him a look and Remus spoke up. "We do have consciences, you know," he sent a rather hostile look at James, "And we didn't think it was fair to leave you up there to do the punishment if we weren't."

"Why'd Butthead have to be the one to come get me?"

"He felt sorry about calling you what he did," Remus said in a tone Aly had come to associate with her father when he was very angry at her. She was very sure James wasn't sorry and had a feeling he hadn't even wanted her to come along.

So she smiled sweetly at him and said in as sweet sing-song voice, "Aww, you guys are the best." She turned and asked Remus, "So, where are we going?"

"Well—"

"No," Sirius cut him off. "She'll just have to wait," he said grabbing her and pulling her so her back was close to his chest. She shifted uncomfortably. She never liked being this close to Sirius. James made a face and said simply, "It won't cover all of us." He looked like a defiant child arguing with his mother about not wanting to wear and old itchy sweater.

Sirius, who had been crouching slightly over Aly, stood up straight. Aly saw Remus behind Sirius and saw that he had been crouching too. "Of course it will. Stop being thick."

"No it won't. One of us will have to stay behind."

"Fine," Sirius said snatching what Aly saw was the Invisibility cloak she had given him away from James, "You can be the one to stay behind if you're going to sulk the whole time."

He flipped the cloak over the three of them, leaving James to watch very upset. Within a second, James had come over, yanked the cloak up, and settled in front of Aly. His back was very tense as he whispered to her, "Don't step on my feet."

Remus whispered to Sirius, "Tell her how to walk."

Sirius cleared his throat and announced, "I think I'll show you how to walk," as if it had been his idea. Aly rolled her eyes at him, although he couldn't see. He instructed her on which foot to move and how to line it up with the person in front of her. It seemed that the boys had the whole thing very in sync.

"Can we go?" James finally yelled.

"Fine, go!" Sirius yelled back.

Aly heard him mumble, "Buttmunch" at James under his breath.

They traveled across the vast lawns of the castle. Aly turned her head slightly and noticed that they were leaving tracks behind themselves. "Aren't you worried someone's going to see the footprints?"

"Nah, it's too dark," Sirius whispered.

They came to the edge of the forest a few yards away from Hagrid's hut. Aly could see the light shining from behind the drawn curtain.

James stopped and whispered, "There's no going back once we are in."

"Ok, we know. Go on."

"Before we go in, I just want to make something clear," James said insolently towards the trees, "No one, and I mean no one, better say anything about this to anyone. Understand?"

"Just go!" Sirius hissed.

James started up again and Aly let out a gulp as they were engulfed by total darkness. She wondered why no one lit their wands for light, but James seemed to know where he was going. He also let out remarks about tall roots and low branches so the 3 behind him wouldn't get caught. Sirius' hands also helped Aly. He kept her moving in the right direction.

Somewhere, out in the distance, there was a loud sound. It wouldn't have frightened Aly except for the reactions she got from the 3 boys. James stopped dead in his tracks. Sirius wrapped his arms protectively around Aly's waist and pulled her completely against him. Remus said sharply, "Stay calm."

Aly's breathe came in short gasps. Partly from nerves and partly from Sirius' tight hold on her.

"Let's go back," Remus said, it sounded almost like a plea to Aly.

"No," James insisted.

"They won't be happy with us. Neither will Dumbledore if we don't bring Aly back whole. Let's go back," Remus insisted.

"What do you mean 'whole'?!" Aly yelled out.

"No!"
"Shh!"

Sirius clapped his hand over her face. There was movement in the trees. It was a familiar sound. Almost like . . .

"I thought we told you not to come back here, boy." The voice was a high, squeaky voice not very frightening at all.

"Bane!" Aly yelled stepping out from under the cloak.

All the centaur's that had appeared jumped onto their hind legs.

"Alyson," Bane said, "You're back."

"Well I'll-be, that is you Bane. Last time you you were just a tiny foal."

The boys ripped off the cloak, "You know him?" James asked incredulously.

"Of course," Aly said casually. She turned to look at the boys, "Why are they scary?"

The centaurs glared menacing at the boy's over Aly's shoulder.

The boy's didn't answer, just quivered. Aly turned and saw Bane flexing his bow.

"Ohhh," Aly said quietly.

Bane put his bow down when he noticed Aly looking at him.

"You know them?" he asked.

Aly looked at the boys and considered it for a moment. "Depends. What would happen if I didn't?"

James let out a sound.

Bane smiled wickedly. Instead of saying anything, he pretended to shoot an arrow at them.

Aly looked at the boys again. "Well, Remus is with me. But I'm not sure if these two," she motioned at James and Sirius, "Would be seen with 'Frosty the Ice-Bitch'."

"What?!" Sirius gasped, "I never called you that!"

"Yeah, well, I'm might have to ask my daddy before I give my stance on this."

"Aww, come on!" he moaned. Bane plucked his bow and a twang shot through the forest and the two boys jumped. "I thought we were friends," Sirius whispered through clenched teeth as if to keep James from hearing him.

"You're friends with her?" James yelped.

"Fine, Sirius is with me too."

"Yes!" Sirius made a punching motion in the air and came over behind Aly where Remus stood.

James eyes bugged as Bane said, "Good, he's the worst of them all."

Remus looked over at James, "James, apologize to Aly about what you said."

"Never. I meant it and I still do," James said crossing his arms.

"Fine," Aly said crossing her arms too.

"Fine," Bane said and pulled out an arrow. "Victory is mine." He pulled it back and let it go. Luckily, James had his fast reflexes from Quidditch and hit the ground.

"Bane!' Aly gasped, but Sirius grabbed her and dragged her after him as they ran back towards the castle.

"Put the cloak on!" Aly shouted.

"They can see through it," James yelled as they ran.

They continued through the dark forest and Aly tripped and Sirius went down with her. "This is ridiculous!" Aly pulled herself and searched for her wand. "Damn! Sirius light your wand!"

He did as he was told and Aly saw that her wand had fallen out of her pocket. She picked it up just in time to blast a spell at an arrow heading straight at Sirius. It disintegrated instantly, inches from Sirius' chest.

"Than—"

"Later!" Aly yelled as she grabbed Sirius and continued after James and Remus.

They reached the edge of the forest and saw James and Remus searching the edge frantically.

"Thank God!"
"There you are!"

"Yeah," Sirius said gasping for air. "All thanks to Aly,"

Another arrow came out of the woods.

"Back to the classroom, I think." Remus said looking back at the castle.

"Yeah," James and Sirius agreed.

Remus led the way back with Aly pulling up the rear. As they reached the castle, Aly looked around and said, "How are we going to get back up?"

"No worries," James said pointing his wand and a ladder appeared up the side of the building.

They had all settled back into their desks before anyone noticed the gash on the side of James' head. It was Aly who noticed.

"Oh my!" she exclaimed.

"Dude!" Sirius yelped in excitement. "Does it hurt?" he went over and poked it.

"It does when you touch it," James snapped.

"We better take him to the nurse," Remus said.

"And tell her what? I fell over during detention." James barked touching his wound.

As the boys talked, Aly wondered around the office. She grabbed a bottle and came over to them. "Watch out," she took up part of her robe and rubbed the liquid on to it. She reached out for James' head, but he moved back.

"What is that?"

"Stuff."

He looked at her suspiciously. "Trust me," Aly insisted and reached out and grabbed him before he could move. She dabbed it on his cut. He moaned as the blood started to bubble.

"What the hell is that?" Sirius yelped.

"What's it doing?" James whimpered.

The red bubbles turned into one big one and then it popped.

"Yww!"
"Yuck!"
"Wicked!"

Where the bubble had been was smooth skin.

"Wow, it's gone!" Sirius said in awe.

The sound of distant foot steps could be heard.

"Oh, shit," Sirius said. "Put that stuff away," he told Aly. "You, be quiet," he told James. "Rem, you cast the charm."

It was Aly's turn to look in awe. She had never seen Sirius act so, well, serious. She just stood there looking at him. "Worship me later!" he said pushing her forward.

She moved quickly and sat back in her spot and noticed that her lines were done. She watched Remus point his wand at James' paper and saw the lines suddenly appeared.

Before she could say anything, the door opened and McGonagall came in looking extremely strict. She looked shocked to see them sitting there, done.

"Turn in your papers and then you may leave," she instructed.

They all got up and put their papers on her desk. Together they left and headed back to their common room.

"Later," Sirius said to Aly, yawning, as he went up to bed.

James just swept past, but she could've sworn she heard him mumble, "Thanks."

"Good night," Remus said with a smile and a nod.

"'Night," Aly said smiling back before heading up the steps to her bedroom.

Aly changed and laid back on her bed. As she started to pull the curtain back, Lily's flew open. "How was it?" she whispered.

Aly looked up at her canopy top and thought before speaking. "Alright, I guess."

"Really?"

"Really."