Sorry for the long wait! I've been down with bronchitis for almost two weeks. I'm going to be getting through the next few years at Hogwarts rather quickly (at least that's the plan) until 4th year.
"A Basilisk you say…and just how did the six of you come across such a creature. In Hogwarts no less." Dumbledor asked. Sirius and Severus glanced at each other.
"We were having an..argument in the hallway when we heard screaming in the girls bathroom. We went in and saw a giant snake trying to attack the girls. Severus threw a potion at it. It turned to us, but knocked the girls into the chamber. We went after them and the snake went after us. We fought it there and well," Sirius gestured to his friends laying in the beds surrounding them. "You know the rest from there."
"And how did you both happen upon the snake?" Dumbledor asked, turning to the girls who lay bandaged up on the crisp white sheets of the hospital wing.
"We just stopped in since the other bathroom was flooding. All of a sudden we heard hissing and turned around to see the snake. It was in front of the door so we couldn't run away."
"Well I believe that sums it up. Professor McGonagal please inform their parents and the school of the heroic acts of these young students. Professor Slughorn, I'm sure you'll find some uses for the snake. I'll leave it's..disposal to you." He waited until only they remained before smiling, "Don't worry I returned the rooster to Hagrid. Best not let him know it was you unless you want to hear an earful from him." With that he winked and strode out of the room.
Sirius let out a shaky laugh before collapsing in a chair between Remus and Vivian's beds. "He is full of surprises." His eyes couldn't help, but be drawn to James's frozen body as it lay on the bed. It was proof of just how close death had come. Remus looked even worse than he normally did. The cut above his right eyebrow might very well add to his collection of scars. Vivian offered him a half hearted smile that didn't make it to her eyes. If they hadn't run into Snape, if Snape hadn't run into the girls…Sirius forced that thought away violently. Everyone was safe and he was determined to keep it that way. As soon as he left Madam Pomfrey bustled into the room, her hands full of more supplies. She didn't bother setting the supplies down before issuing orders.
"You two, off to your dorms. Don't worry about the Potter boy," she added seeing Sirius's reluctance, "The potion is already taking effect. He will be right as rain by the morning." Sirius and Severus were about to protest when a loud snore from Remus filled the room. "You both need some good rest as well. I don't want to see either of you until after breakfast, you hear? Now go." She ushered them out the door before doing one last check of her patients.
The boys walked down the hallway quietly. When they reached the hall where they had to split up Severus hesitated. "I don't like you. Or James. You don't like me."
"Correct."
"However…" He hesitated again, "I believe a truce is in order to make sure what happened tonight never happens again. Between the three of us I think it's manageable to keep an eye on the both of them." Sirius narrowed his eyes. He didn't trust Severus, but the girls did. Inviting him tonight proved that. If something were to go down in the future it was possible they'd go to him. The only thing he did trust Severus with was Lily. As deranged as Severus's death eater like thinking was, it was obvious he cared strongly for Lily.
"Deal. On one condition: we must all promise to inform the others if we find anything suspicious."
Vivian stood in front of a white two story house. Through a window she could see a family playing together. A chill crept up her spine. She cast her eyes around the neighborhood to see a group of dark hooded figures approaching. The shortest one of the bunch stumbled causing his hood to fall down. Peter. He had lost a lot of hair and was pudgier, but it was no doubt him. Vivian frantically turned back to the house, her anxiety a rock in her stomach. The man she now knew to be James was swinging a baby boy around laughing. Lily watched smiling from the couch. Vivian shouted "run", but only the steps of the approaching men filled the air until a loud crack sounded as Voldemort blew the door open. Vivian ran past the men watching as Jame fell before he was able to grab his wand. She ran towards Lily who was clutching the baby to her chest as she sprinted upstairs. Tears streamed down her face as she watched Voldemort make his way down the hall towards the baby's room where Lily stood defiantly. Green filled her vision.
Vivian sat up panting. She had to blink several times before she remembered where she was. The white sheets of the Hospital Wing lay next to her on the floor. Looking over she saw Lily still asleep. Still alive. Lily had looked young in her dream. That gave her maybe seven or eight years to find the book and help destroy what some people said was the strongest wizard alive. A soft touch on her shoulder nearly had her falling out of bed.
"Sorry." Lily said softly. "Were you having a nightmare about the Basilisk?" She asked as she quietly crawled into the small bed to sit with Vivian. "I feel like I can still hear it hissing."
Vivian pulled her legs up to her chest wrapping her arms around them before burying her head in her arms. There was silence for a few moments before Lily whispered, "You mentioned an even bigger evil than a Basilisk before. Did you have a dream about it?" Her hand began to gently rub circles on Vivian's back. That whole Basilisk experience would likely leave them all with nightmares. The thought of something even worse…she couldn't even begin to imagine it. "What is it?"
"Not what. Who. The most vile wizard since Grindelwald."
"You can't mean that Voldemort guy right?" Lily grinned before stopping abruptly at Vivian's expression. "There's no way the ministry will let him get away with it." Vivian remained silent, her knuckles turning white from her grip on her arms. There was silence again for a few moments as Lily sat digesting the information. The ministry wasn't going to be able to stop the muggle hating dark wizard. The rumors of a war would come true. What did that mean for her parents? How was she supposed to keep them safe when she barely knew magic herself? "How does killing the Basilisk stop him?"
"It doesn't. The fangs can be used against him. I still don't understand it myself. Just that there's a book that when it was destroyed with the fang it hurt him."
"What book? In the library?"
"No, I think it's too important for him to leave it there. It's black and leather. Somehow an innocent student gets her hands on it, but that's all I know."
Lily stifled a yawn and laid down on the bed pulling gently on Vivian to have her do the same. The sun was up by the time either of them fell back asleep.