A/N) Hi all! Sorry for the delay in between chapters... I've had various personal issues going on which has prevented me from writing. And when I do feel like writing I'm not always wanting to write this one... I've also had a bit of a block for a while now on what should happen next but I think I have finally cracked it so hopefully chapters will be a bit more frequent! Thank you for all the support so far!

WARNING: Swearing in this chapter. Sirius (and James) gave a bit of a potty mouth!

Twisting Time

Chapter 38

Sirius stared at Leanne's limp body in his arms. He pulled a bit of her hair out of the way of her eyes. They were still wide open, glassy and no life reflected within them. Her body was cooling in his arms. His heart beat faster in his chest. He thought he had saved her but Voldemort… He couldn't think… He was vulnerable.

"You fucking bastard!" James hissed. He raised his wand.

Sirius slowly looked at his friend. "Prongs… don't."

"What? Why not?" James whirled to face him. "He just killed…"

"I know…"

"It is a shame Black had to learn this lesson but it is necessary in order to break him," smiled Voldemort. He pointed his wand straight at James. "I'm not here to kill either of you. I was here to cleanse the world of dirty blood… A goal I have now partly achieved." Voldemort began to step back. "This will not be the last time we meet."

"I'm not letting you leave!" snarled James angrily.

"Your friend doesn't care. He just wants to mourn," retorted Voldemort. "If you insist on attacking me, Potter, Lucius will kill Black. And… I think, right at this moment, Black does not care if he dies or not."

"You just killed the woman he loved! Of course he doesn't care!" James knew Sirius far too well. Though the fact that Sirius had gone into shock was surprising… He knew Sirius' history in his previous time-line. He knew how Sirius had reacted when he had found his best friends murdered, betrayed by the friend that had promised to protect them. But Sirius had changed since that time. He knew the anger would come later but now Sirius had lost too much but gained much as well, that the shock of losing one of the people he had unexpectedly gained was overriding all other actions he may have taken. Sirius wasn't even defending himself. He just continued to hold Leanne's limp body in his arms.

"I don't want to kill Black just yet," smiled Voldemort. "I want him to suffer. I could kill you but where would the fun in that be when I can let you live just a little longer?" The red eyes glinted. "Your time in this world is ticking down, Potter. Make the most of it."

And then Voldemort was gone, Disapparating, along with Lucius and Quirrell.

James breathed slowly. He couldn't be angry, not right now, not when his best friend needed him. He knelt down beside Sirius and gently laid a hand on his shoulder but Sirius jerked away.

"Don't. I don't need your sympathy," said Sirius harshly.

"Padfoot…" James sighed. He couldn't say what he wanted to now since Sirius had already said he didn't want it.

"James…" Sirius didn't look at him but he sounded broken. "Please just leave…"

"But…" James started to protest.

"I need to be alone." Sirius was holding Leanne's limp body to his chest. "Don't argue. Just go."

James knew that voice, knew the tone it represented. Sirius really did want to be alone, though leaving him was the last thing James wanted to do. He shouldn't be on his own. "If you need anything –"

"I won't."

James walked out the room, realising he had to stop trying. Sirius simply did not want to know.

He left the house, closing the Muggle door behind him.

As he Disapparated, he heard the most anguished cry from inside the house and he knew Sirius had broken down. It shattered James' heart.

"James?" Remus looked up from the book he was studying, surprise crossing his features as he saw his friend's angered face. "What's wrong?"

"Voldemort," he spat. "He's a bastard, Remus. He needs to just die!"

Remus had a bad feeling. What had he missed? "What has he done?" The answer he got wasn't one he had been expecting.

James ran a hand down his face, sighing, his shoulders slumping. "He killed Leanne. Less than ten minutes ago."

"He did what?" Remus jumped up from his chair. "Does Sirius know? Where is he?"

"Sirius is still there. He doesn't want to see anyone…" James started to pace. He rubbed his eyes. "I was at work… Sirius came, asked for my help… Leanne hadn't been in touch with him despite arranging to do so… He got worried. Asked me to come with him so I did. We went to her parent's house… Voldemort was there…as were Quirrell and Malfoy. Holding all of them hostage. They'd found out years ago that Leanne knew Sirius and ordered her to pass on information about him. They threatened her parents to get her to co-operate but she never knew anything of use. They never really checked on her until they found out she and Sirius were dating. They've been waiting for Sirius to arrive for a few days, keeping them a prisoner inside their own home. Voldemort wanted Sirius to see her die… He killed her parents and then…. "

"And?" Remus pushed. He could see James was sliding into shock over the events he had witnessed.

"Sirius managed to get Leanne away from Voldemort, shield her with his own body… but…" James sighed. He held his head in his hands. "God. It's so messed up. He Disapparated and…"

Remus paled. "He appeared behind Sirius and killed her instantly…" It was the only explanation as to what had happened.

James barely nodded. "Yes."

"We should be there for Sirius," said Remus instantly. "We don't know what he will do."

James frowned. "He doesn't want anyone there, Moony. I think we need to stay away. Let him come to us."

"Prongs, the woman he loved was just murdered in front of him! There is no way he will be coming to us!" explained Remus. "What if he decides to publicly call Voldemort to him? And he responds? Sirius will die!"

"Voldemort won't respond," replied James carefully. "He made that clear already."

Remus groaned, realisation settling in. "He's coming after the rest of us, isn't he?"

"Yeah… I think I'm next," answered James. "He wants Sirius to suffer… He will kill anyone he can just to break Sirius… Voldemort… He's… Well… nuts."

Remus shook his head, amused slightly by his friend's comment. "Prongs, we knew Voldemort was nuts anyway."

"Yeah well…." James sighed. "I'm not sure what to do… I think Sirius needs to be alone… But I'm afraid of what he will do."

"Me too," muttered Remus, resting a hand on James' shoulder, "however he is a changed man. I don't think he is as rash as he once was. He's lived two lives and he's learned not to repeat the same mistakes. Going after Pettigrew landed him in prison, prevented him from raising your son as he should have…"

"I know." James hung his head. "What we need is a breakthrough. A breakthrough with these Horcruxes. We know about the snake but how can we get close to it? And the other Horcrux? What is it? Where is it? We're at a dead end. How can we defeat Voldemort if we are unable to destroy the rest?"

"I've been thinking about this a lot," answered Remus. "I've been going through the Black library, looking for anything to do with the Founders. It seems Voldemort is using objects that are of historic influence. His personal diary is the only one that has not had any significant reasoning behind it being one. The rest are more noteworthy. The ring is an heirloom as is the locket, both of the Slytherin line. Both now destroyed. The cup that once belonged to Helga Hufflepuff… Voldemort does not have anything of Godric Gryffindor, that we can be sure of. Which leaves something of Rowena Ravenclaw."

"But the only thing it could be is the Diadem and that's been lost for years, Rem," stated James.

"I think there is still someone out there who knows where it is, other than Voldemort," smiled Remus.

James looked at him then, surprise reflecting in his features. "What do you know?"

Remus smirked, walked around the table and pushed the book he had been reading towards James. It was a very old book and full of dark magic but there was a passage within it that Remus had been attempting to correlate with other history books. He waited as James read the passage and then passed the book back to him. "Well?" He folded his arms across his chest.

"I didn't even know that…"

"I don't think many do," smiled Remus. The passage itself contained a brief detail that was not regularly known in Wizarding circles and it was a surprise it had appeared here but it was quite an ancient book, one that looked like it had been handed down from the Middle Ages. It was falling apart and filled with dust and the pages had to be handled delicately. "The ghost of Ravenclaw house came to the school around the same time the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw was killed. There are paintings of the Founders and there is one of Helena Ravenclaw, her daughter. I went to see it a few days ago. I've been working on a theory since then. I think the ghost of Ravenclaw has always been Helena. And if she is… she may be able to help us. May be able to tell us what happened to the Diadem."

"But that doesn't mean we will find it." James pointed out the obvious.

"I know. But it's a start. Something we didn't have before. I recommend bringing Lily in on this." Remus closed the book, and the reduced the light in the lamps on the table.

"I was going to ask her to keep an eye on Sirius… Lily has experience of this…" James hesitated slight, biting his bottom lip. "He may let her help him…"

"He might," agreed Remus, "but he might not."

Sirius didn't know how long he sat on the floor of the house with Leanne's body in his arms, hugging her tightly to his chest. He had long since shed all the tears he could. He had lost the one person he had loved. If he was truthful to himself he had loved her for years after meeting her and beginning a friendship. But his worry for her safety had been the one thing that had prevented him from asking her out.

And now he had been proved correct.

Leanne was dead.

Because of him.

Because Voldemort wanted to hurt him.

Her parents were dead too… Muggles who shouldn't have been caught in the battle that warred between himself and Voldemort. They were just innocent people who had birthed a daughter who had been magical enough to enter their world.

Sirius laid Leanne on the carpet, wiping his eyes and drying the tears away. He glanced over at the crumpled bodies of her parents. He didn't know what to do next. Who could he summon? This event had been handled quietly. No one knew Voldemort had returned. But Leanne had a job and a life in the Wizarding and Muggle world.

"Sirius…"

Sirius turned, standing quickly and came face to face with Albus Dumbledore who stood in the doorway of the living room. "Why are you here? Did James tell you what happened?" he spat angrily.

The Headmaster shook his head. "No, he did not. It seems James' colleague did not keep quiet about what you two were up to. She sent me an urgent Owl and urged me to check on you both. I Apparated to your apartment and then to Leanne's, both of which were empty. Then I travelled here. And I knew what had happened as soon as I sensed the dark magic around the house."

Sirius snarled. He wanted to be left alone. "Leave. Me. Alone."

"Sirius… you shouldn't…"

"DON'T TELL ME WHAT I SHOULD BE DOING!" he spat. "FUCK OFF!"

"Sirius, please, there is no need for that kind of…"

Sirius' eyes narrowed dangerously. "Do. Not. Tell. Me. How. I. Should. Be. Talking. You are not my parents." He raised his wand now, pointing it directly at his former Headmaster. "If you do not leave this instant then I will curse you." He wasn't kidding. He could feel the magic roaring within him, willing to be let loose. In fact he was very tempted to curse him anyway.

"Sirius…" Dumbledore tried again.

And Sirius let the magic loose.

Lily Apparated to the Muggle neighbourhood, appearing in the same alleyway that her husband had earlier. Having heard from James and Remus about their idea of the Horcrux and their desire to get a move on, Lily had convinced them to put it on hold. At least until they had dealt with Sirius. He was more important at the moment, having lost someone close to him and he needed the support. She argued that the Horcrux could wait and that Voldemort wanted to pick them off one at a time in order to maximise Sirius' suffering before finally killing him.

She walked briskly towards the Muggle house. A sense of danger flickered against her and she felt suddenly uneasy. She grasped her wand in her pocket, holding it tightly in her hand as she entered the house. What she saw was something she hadn't expected.

"ALBUS!" she screeched, holding her wand up and summoned a shield to prevent the Headmaster from cursing Sirius, who was kneeling on the floor, clearly out of breath. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"I was trying to help," the old man stated.

Sirius spat blood. "I told you to fuck off. You didn't listen!"

"You shouldn't be al-!"

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY IT!" Sirius yelled again. His eyes were wild with anger and unleashed magical power.

Lily could sense the magic roaring through him. Then she stepped in front of Sirius, turning to face the Headmaster. "Albus. Leave. You are not helping him. When you lose someone you love, you should know how to deal with them. If they don't want you there, then go. Don't try to convince them otherwise. You of all people should know this." She stood her ground. "If you value Sirius as a person you will leave."

Dumbledore remained silent.

Lily could feel Sirius' anger magically building again. He was unleashing copious amount of magic. No doubt he would magically exhaust himself if he continued like this. She tried to ignore the three bodies on the floor of the living room. This situation was far more serious and needed to be dealt with first before she could turn her attention to the loss Sirius had suffered.

The Headmaster sighed and finally lowered his wand, acquiescing defeat. "I will leave… for now."

"Thank you." Lily watched him Disapparate and then turned immediately to Sirius who had slumped to the floor, back against the wall, and his head resting in the crook of his arms. His wand lay beside him and she gently knelt down next to him. "Sirius?" she asked gently.

He didn't respond. She took it as a sign he didn't mind her being here.

Lily moved closer and then, very slowly, reached for the wand he had abandoned. She pulled it away from him.

His hand twitched but Sirius didn't move to stop her.

Gently she pocketed it.

"Lils…"

Sirius never called her that.

"Yes?" she asked hesitantly.

"How do you deal with something like this?" he asked quietly, his voice sounding almost broken.

Lily glanced around and focused on the three bodies that remained on the floor. She was reminded of what had happened to her parent's. Hers had been murdered to, something which her sister had never been able to forgive her for. They had been murdered because Lily was a Muggle-born and actively participated in the war effort against Voldemort. He had killed them to get to her… It had been one of the worst days of her life.

Moving up against Sirius, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him towards her. He didn't stop her instead letting her pull him close until his head was resting against her shoulder.

"You grieve for those that were lost and then you move on because that is what they would have wanted you to do," she said quietly, remembering those horrible days she'd had in following her parent's murder.

"I've lost too much…"

"But you've gained much as well…" she added gently. Sirius needed this. He was talking to her because he knew she understood.

"I've lost it…" he sniffed.

"No." Lily shook her head. "You have me. James. Remus. And Harry. We are all here for you. If you need us, Sirius, we can help you. Just… let us…"

"I'm not sure… I…"

But Sirius couldn't finish.

He burst into tears, letting them fall down his cheeks and pool on Lily's shirt.

She didn't mind it. Sirius needed this. He had to let go.

But most importantly he had to accept.

And Lily would help him through it.

To be continued...

Please let me know what you think!

So... Voldemort is now on a mission to kill all the people Sirius cares for most. Still, at least, they may be making some progress with the Horcruxes again... There has been no explanation as to how Lily's parents died either so I've decided to go for the idea they were murdered too and I think Lily would be able to help Sirius process his grief... Sirius yelling at Dumbledore I think is realistic considering what has happened.

The next chapter I hope will be posted before New Year but if not it will be in the first week of January 2017.

Merry Christmas everyone!

the-writer1988