Book II: Age of the Phoenix

Chapter II: Secret Affairs

Music Theme: "I Want You to Want Me" - Cheap Trick

McKinnon Castle - August 31, 1970...

The McKinnon Family owned a historic castle which was the home of their druid ancestors just outside of Cork, Ireland. The castle walls were always full of family as the McKinnon Clan had many descendants, each generation bringing more and more members to the family. The rooms were filled usually with cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles, but by the time the 60's arrived, only Atticus McKinnon, his wife, three sons and daughter resided and their home which allowed each child to have their own room fit for a king. Despite the cold medieval stone walls though, the castle was always a place of warmth, but on one particular day Marlene McKinnon, 10 years old, stormed into her brother's room.

"I'm running away!" She shouted as she pushed through the door and stood in the center of the room. Her brother Angus ceased his packing his trunk for his 3rd year at Hogwarts, looked up and saw her standing in her boarding school uniform.

"What's the problem, kid sister?"

"I don't want to go to Hogwarts next year."

"Oh?" He looked surprised and walked around his bed and sat on the edge of it. "Why is that? Do you wish to stay in primary school forever?"

"No! I don't want to be with Wizards at all!." She crossed her arms. "I don't like Tuatha De Danann Academy. It's so boring to hear about all these old people that came before us and used magic, and herbs and roots and now they are all dead and didn't do much of anything to change the world. Meanwhile the Muggles did so much! Did you know in just six years, the American's will celebrate their bicentennial and they've been the cause of most of the muggle inventions in the world. Like the lightbulb! And they are only 200 years old! Mealwhile Wizards still use candles on a daily basis. And did you know the Pyramids were built by hand by muggles!?"

"Danann is a Magical Primary private school strictly for Purebloods. How did you learning all this about muggles?" He asked but with a grin as if he already knew the answer. His eye caught someone peeking in the door and he called, "Come in, Atticus Óg."

The eldest McKinnon son, 18-years-old and recently graduated, stepped into the room. "Did you give Marlene the book you gave me when I was her age? The Muggle World History textbook?"

"She took it from my room before I could give her 'the talk' I gave you 3 years ago," His older brother smiled and leaned against the door frame. "Maybe it's time you share the wisdom I shared with you."

"What wisdom? What talk?" Marlene stamped her foot

"Come on, wee-one." Said another voice and in walked Marvin McKinnon, the middle son, who had just finished packing his Hogwarts trunk and was eavesdropping. He scooped his sister up who squealed in protest but laughed as well and plopped her on the bed as all three of her brothers surrounded her.

"Mar," Atticus Óg said first, "When I was your age, the teachings at Danann were all I knew. I went on to Hogwarts and spent most of my time with Pure Blood friends. We all were of the same mind with the same teachings. But over time it grew into ignorance and some of my friends even became prejudice against the muggle-borns. Do you know that word - Prejudice?"

"Yes, we learned it at school."

"How ironic," Marvin muttered and Anugs elbowed him to shush.

"Anyway, Our parents' generation and the generations before them, have lived in a segregated world."

"What's that word?" Marlene asked.

"It means divided," Marvin chimed in.

Atticus Óg said," Which is exactly why it is so important for you to understand this lesson, Mar." He looked to Angus, "Go on little brother."

Angus looked beside him at Marlene. "See over time, folks tend to think that it's easier to just stay with the people that only agree with you. This isn't just Wizards and Muggles. It's everywhere in the world. People split apart and like to only talk to people with the same political views as them, same ways of living as them, same skin color as them..."

"But that's so silly..."

"It is. But they always miss something very important. The world may be big, but it's still one place we all must live in just like..." He looked around his room. "Well... this house. We can either stay hidden in our rooms with our individual comforts and or we can share our cultures and traditions with each other even though they may be different. Atticus Óg didn't give you that Muggle history book to make you jealous of the muggles. He wanted you to see that even people without magic can do amazing things too, as you clearly have realized."

"That's right wee-one," The eldest said.

"Now listen, if you don't want to go to Hogwarts and would rather stay here and go to Muggle school, you know your three big brothers will help you get your wish with Mum and Dad. But I promise you, Hogwarts will be much better than stuffy old Danann Academy. You'll finally get to use magic there. You'll have amazing classes and wonderful adventures-"

"I'll get to watch you play Quidditch!" She beamed.

"You'll make friends from all backgrounds, like Muggle-borns and half-blood. They will bring stories from all over the nation. With their help, you'll be able to convince more and more Purebloods who've had similar, sheltered upbringings like ours that muggles and muggle-borns are people just like us, just with some differences."

"And then we all will get along and agree with each other?" She asked with wide eyes.

"It isn't about everyone agreeing. It's about everyone understanding." Marlene seemed to understand and nodded. "So... still running away are ye?"

"I guess it could wait until later," She said. "I heard Mum say the cook is making my favorite dishes tonight."

They laughed and Atticus Óg was the first to scoop his sister into a hug before the other two brothers tackled him for a McKinnon pile up. They stopped when their mother entered the room.

"What's all this?" Mae McKinnon asked as she smiled at her children. "Where is your sister."

"I'm in here!" Marlene said through the brothers' arms.

"Well release her, you lot." Mrs. McKinnon said. "I've got to finish altering her uniform for school. Angus, Marvin finish packing your trucks so we can get them ready to be picked up in the morning so we can' make the Hogwarts Express on time. Marley-lass, hurry now." The boys let Marlene up who looked much more excited and ran out of the room with her mother behind her.

When the boys were alone, Marvin looks at his younger brother and asked. "Should we tell her that Wizards built the Pyramids?"

"Another day," Angus said with a smile.

January 1, 1980 - McKinnon Castle, Ireland...

Fabian and Gideon Prewett appeared by porttkey then approached the ruins of McKinnon Castle, the view of it in shambles would make anyone think it was uninhabitable, but as they got closer they passed the enchanted barrier that revealed the castle truly in better shape than it appeared, despite the fire that destroyed it two years prior. It still wasn't exactly a hiding place, and they knew the odds of being found there were very high, but the events of last week showed Marlene and Angus that they needed to be home to get some questions about their magic answered and they needed to find the rest of their family.

They walked through the arch that used to posses a front door and Fabian said, "Oi! Anybody live in this tiny little hovel?"

They heard someone clear their throat and looked over to the side of the great stone hall where the dining where the entire side of the castle had collapsed. Angus was sitting at the small round table they'd set there and said, "Why do you two come in through the door when there is literally a hole in the side of the building?

"Our sister always taught us never to enter the buildings through walls. It can be a bit rude," Gideon said sincerely.

Fabian walked over and sat at the chair across the table from Angus. "Any luck with the family?"

"Only Marvin. He won't come home," He motioned to a note, "He sent an owl saying he'd heard from Albus last year inviting him to the Order but he declined."

"Doesn't sound like him," Gideon said walking over to the fireplace so enormous that its fire was able to fill the room with heat despite the holes in the walls.

"It's not, but I know why he won't join. It's not that he doesn't believe in the cause, he does. It's that... there is someone on their side he can't stand against."

"An old friend?"

"Yea, I tried to warn him about that relationship when we were in school but he wouldn't listen. Right now he's just helping in the Muggle World, trying to find places for muggleborns to hide so their families will be safe."

"Well that sounds more like him," Gideon said and he heard the patter of steps coming from the stairwell behind them. Looking back they saw Marlene descending, distracted by a letter but still able to avoid every broken stone on the steps.

"What's the craic, McKinnon?"

"Lily is Pregnant!" She said looking up from the letter.

"Woah," Angus said, "I'm shocked she'd put that in writing. Seems dangerous."

"She didn't," Marlene smiled reading it. "Lily, Tabitha and I made a code when we were roommates at school. Just in case Filch found one of our journals.

"Clever," Gideon said walking over and reading the letter over her shoulder.

"I should go see her." She looked at the fireplace and frowned, "Who crowded the floo!?" She looked over at her brother.

"Um... Mar. I know. But see there is this enourmous hole in the castle and it is January so I figured we should maybe... I don't know... not freeze to death!"

"Careful," Fabian said. "Don't piss her off. She hasn't learned to control her powers yet. She might make that fire eat you."

"Don't tease, Fab," Gideon said, yet rested his hand on Marlene's shoulder. "But have you used your magic like that again? You said you were able to control elements in at the Ministry without a wand or verbal spells."

"Just this," she sighed then snapped her finger and a small flame appeared over her thumb, "But I've been able to do this since third year."

"And me without my cigarettes," Fabian sighed.

"We haven't managed to get anything more out of me," she said defeated. "It may have just been the Space chamber."

"Well don't worry. We will figure it out," Angus assured her.

"What are you two doing here anyway? Thought you were on a mission."

"We just came from spying in Knockturn Alley and managed to locate Maximus Forrestor's flat. We found this." Fabian pulled a notebook out of his pocket. "He and Greyback have consolidated their findings on some of the Pureblood families on the Order's side. We spotted your family name in there. We didn't get a chance to read it Just swiped it. Thought you may want to look at it before we turn it over to Dumbledore?" Fabian tossed the book in front of Angus on the table and added, "I doubt you want your secrets out there, but it may be the only thing that keeps your family safe."

"No. You're right though. If this talks about more than just our family then Dumbledore needs to see it," He rubbed the back of his neck and started to flip through the pages of the Notebook.

"Angus," Gideon said, "Can we talk somewhere? Fabian why don't you fill in Marlene on that Death Eater meeting we spotted, eh?"

"I'd like to hear about it to, Gid," Angus said looking up from the book.

"We won't be long. Just need to talk about our Fantasy Quidditch League and maybe get some coffee from your kitchen. Fabe and I have been up since midnight."

Angus nodded and stood, passing the notebook to his sister who began to search through it for any evidence of her brother's whereabouts.

The boys walked up the hall, evidence of the massive fire still present in every corner and many of the rooms sealed off for safety.

"Over here," Angus motioned to the old kitchen which still looked mideval. He allowed Gideon to enter first then shut the old door and turned to face the other, "What did you want to talk about that we can't discuss in front of everyone else? Or did you really need to come in here to talk about the Hollihead Harpies seeker?"

Gideon looked around the old kitchen and asked, "Is your Mum around here anywhere?"

"No. We convinced her to spend the holiday with our Aunt while we get the castle back to more livable conditions. She will be back soon though. Why?

"Just making sure we are alone back here."

"Alone? Why?"

Gideon spun around said, "I think you know."

Their serious stares softened and turned into grins. Angus lunged forward and ran his hand around Gideon's neck, planting a strong kiss on his lips. The two stumbled back as they wrapped each other into an embrace until Gideon was pressed against the kitchen wall.

Isle of Skye Safehouse...

Alice Longbottom departed the Isle of Skye Safehouse shortly after speaking with Peter, keeping her word not to share her discovery of the prophecy until this evening's meeting. The morning pressed on as the commotion of the pregnancy died down. Peter still hadn't left the room, sitting in the window seat of the loft and looking out at the coastline. He heard the chatter downstairs and grumbled to himself, "They don't even miss me." He glanced through the window and spotted Remus wandering by himself. Peter almost called to him when he spotted Tabitha following him out.

"Hey," she called.

"Hey," Remus replied gently.

"You let Black drink my coffee."

"Well he still thinks you and I decided to be friends. I couldn't exactly tell him it was yours. He could get suspicious."

"You ok?" She asked sincerely when she noticed his reluctance to look at her. "You got a bit quiet after breakfast." He didn't answer her as he looked out at the coast. "Rem?"

"Lily's pregnant..."

"Um, yes... we all were there," Tabitha chuckled. "We heard."

"She's pregnant in the midst of a war. It's dangerous with just that. I couldn't imagine if James was a werewolf... with his own personal criminal after him."

"Woah..." She stepped beside him and rested a hand on his arm. "Rem look at me." When he wouldn't she craned he neck to meet his gaze. "Are you worried you're going to get me pregnant?"

"Tabitha. It only takes one time. One time!" He began to panic. "You're going to have my wolf baby and it's going to kill you!"

"Rem," she grabbed both his hands, "You're moody because the moon is tomorrow, that's all. There isn't a reason to panic."

"No, Tabs... I mean it. We need to be more careful. Something is different this time. This moon feels... stronger. You saw Sirius last time. I injured him."

"Hey, don't you remember my family Prophecy? I'll be the last of my lineage. I'm not going to have kids."

"We can't be sure that's what the prophecy means, Tabs."

"And we can't be sure you'll get me pregnant with a wolf baby," she couldn't help but snicker at the visual. She took his hand and held it tightly, his bare fingers causing her to realize, "Oh your ring! It's still upstairs in my room."

"You mean my room. Now that James has seen me in it. Godric, I hate lying to him."

"It's not lying. It's just... keeping things private. I'll go get your ring and bring you some chocolate. That will make you feel better, ok?" Remus nodded and Tabitha reached up and stroked his cheek over his scar. "The potion will work tomorrow, Remus. I'm sure of it. You'll be able to control the wolf and won't have to fear about your future anymore. Ok?"

"Ok." He grinned then leaned down and gave her a kiss then snickered, "Still feels so wrong to do that."

"I know. We'll get used to it."

He didn't say it, but that's what Remus was afraid of. He feared codependence and rarely allowed anyone to get close to him, but Tabitha had the same track record. Maybe this was good for them. Her hands slipped from his and she walked into the house. Remus turned and looked out at the rocky coastline and took a deep breath of fresh sea air but couldn't help but notice the scent of cigarette smoke in it. He searched around to see from where it came when his eyes fell on the some of the abandoned ruins near the house. Standing beside them was Sirius, cigarette in hand, jaw wide open, who had seen it all.

"Fuck..." Remus mumbled.

Meanwhile at Malfoy Manor...

Narcissa Malfoy emerged from the bathroom after a terrible bout of morning sickness. She fixed herself in the hallway mirror before wandering down to the study where she found her husband at his desk, still in his clothing from the day before, pouring over an old diary, the one Lord Voldemort had given them.

"I thought you were at the meeting," she said and snapped at the house elf who was fussing over the morning tea. He quickly fixed her some and walked it over.

"I'm just familiarizing myself with this. The Dark Lord entrusted me with it," Lucious replied without breaking his gaze from the pages.

"Entrusted to me, you mean. Because I'm pregnant, he feels I know the value of true loyalty and sacrifice more than anyone else."

"Oh yes," He looked up from the book and stared at her. She took a step back as he met her in the eye. His had darkened to a, unrecognizable, sinister glare. "You mean the child you told everyone else about except for me? Tell me, Narcissa, will you at least tell me the gender before all of Voldemort's forces find out? Will I even get to hear when you go into labor, or will your sister have to find me and tell me on the kid's first birthday?"

"I didn't mean to keep it from you," she said calmly as she took the teacup from the house elf. "I just knew you've been burdened with trying to earn Voldemort's favor."

"Don't lie, Narcissa, it's unflattering. You're ashamed of me. Is it even my kid? Or have you gone and visited your old blood-traitor boyfriend from Hogwarts?"

"I do not lie to you, Lucious. I don't lie at all. You know that," she sipped the tea and grimaced, "What the devil is this?"

"I had the elf make you some herbal tea. I won't have you drinking anything too caffeinated and giving my child a birth defect. Or maybe since you're so ashamed of having my offspring, that's what you want. Well we have a grand staircase, darling. Why don't you go throw yourself down it and maybe you'll get lucky. Maybe you'll lose this one."

"Lucious!" She didn't recognize the voice coming from her husband then felt a dark presence in the room even though it was only them and their elf. She spotted the diary on the table and said, "Dobby!" The house elf jumped and waited for her command. "Remove that book at once. Take it up to my room."

"No!" Lucious barked and clutched it covetously. "Leave us, elf." Dobby looked between the two as if about to implode with panic, not sure which master to obey.

Narcissa impatiently shoved the teacup back in the elf's hands, spilling it and burning the creature who yelped in pain. She stormed to her husband and reached for the book, he grabbed her by the neck to stop her, but she kept her eyes locked on him. She ripped the book from his other hand and he loosened his grip on her, his eyes instantly softening. Narcissa moved back as he released her and they rested in the silence a moment as a bit of color returned to Lucious' eyes and cheeks. He looked at the elf and muttered, "Leave us," and Dobby was quick to obey.

"It was this wasn't it..." Narcissa asked holding the book. She felt a dark pull on her hand as she held it and quickly chucked it into the desk drawer, closed and locked it up.

"Are you..." Lucious sighed as he came back to his senses. "Alright?"

"I'm fine."

"What time is it?"

"About 10am."

"I've been sitting with it since last night. Pouring over the pages. It's got dark magic. I don't know what it is. It had a hold on me. I couldn't look away and when I did... when you came in... I just had this internal desire to protect it, even from you."

"I could tell." She allowed her anger to subside and rest her hand on her husband's cheek. "I'm fine." She assured him again, knowing he regretted his words. "I should have told you about our child. Please be assured though, I'm proud it will be yours... ours."

"Good," he stroked some hair from her face the leaned forward to kiss her softly.

They both looked at the desk drawer where she had locked away the diary.

"What was in that diary that was so intoxicating anyway?"

"That's just it..." he mumbled and looked back to her, "Nothing. The pages were blank."

Back at the Safehouse...

"Now, Sirius-" Remus started once he'd walked over to his friend.

"You and Delaney DID IT?!" Sirius blurted out before Remus could finish.

Remus sighed, "Yes... yes, but you can't tell anyone. I wasn't thinking. You now how I get before the moon."

"Of course I know, more than most," he smirked and Remus shoved him. "Ok ok. Not in the mood for me to be cheeky? Or did Delaney just suck all the fun out of you. Pun intended."

Remus grimaced and pinched Sirius' chest.

"Ow Ow! Ok!" Sirius held up his hands. "I know better than to push you." He just huffed, pursing his lips and setting his cigarette on it. "Delaney though mate? What happened? I thought you were going to be just friends."

"We finally kissed on Christmas and something sparked, mate. I just felt... safe. And I know with your promise about the wolf, she will be safe."

"Oh," Sirius' expression altered to a blank stare as he exhaled a steady stream of smoke. "Had to ruin the moment and bring that up, do you?"

"You promised that if the wolf takes over and gets too strong that you'll end it. You owe me, Sirius," Remus said in a sour tone.

"I don't see it that way, ok?! I don't see my prank 5th year being justification for me to owe you your murder should you loose control."

"But you wouldn't be killing me. You'd be destroying a monster."

"In turn, destroying you! But it doesn't matter because it will never come to that. Besides, you said Delaney made that potion for you?"

"Yea some potioneer invented it and she got the recipe from Slughorn. Hopefully it works. I'm going to try it tomorrow."

They stayed quiet a long time. Sirius continued to smoke and Remus stood there shuffling his feel embarrassed. Sirius finally chucked his cigarette away and spoke up, "Sooooo, how'd you do it?" Remus gave him a look. "Come on, I want to make sure I taught you proper."

"Well," Remus stepped close to Sirius. "It was right after we got here last night. We were just talking in her room and I had my hands here," He set his hands on Sirius hips and Sirius nodded in approval. "Then she kinda ran her hands down my arms-"

"Like this?" Sirius asked as he did it.

"Yep, and I kinda got this possessive feeling that I really only get during moon time and I used to be afraid of it but this time it kinda felt-"

"Sexy?"

"Yea," Remus replied bashfully. "So I took her arm," he grabbed Sirius by the wrist, "And kinda pinned it behind her a bit-"

"Eh. Not a bad tactic but I've done better-"

"Don't interrupt. I kinda shoved her into my chest like this to hold her close," he pulled Sirius in against him, his friend's arms pinned behind him.

"Ooo Moony, where did you learn that move?"

"Mum watches the soap operas."

"Right. Then?"

"Then I pressed her against the bedpost... gently though," he stepped forward and Sirius' back pressed against the stone ruin. Remus tilted his head and inched closer to his face. "Then, I kissed her and," he smiled, "And it was like we were the only two people in the world. We locked eyes and I lost my balance a bit and fell back on the bed. She landed there with me and... I forget what happened after that. We woke up in each others arms."

"Wow. My student has become the master," They both just nodded at each other and smiled silently before hearing someone clear their throat on the lawn.

Both of them turned, still locked in each other's arms, and saw James standing there. "Should I give you two a moment?"

"James!" Remus let go of Sirius and stepped back.

Sirius belted out laughing, "Don't act like it's nothing he hasn't seen before, Moony."

"I will demolish you, Padfoot-" Remus warned, not wanting intimate moments of their past to resurface.

"What is it, Potter? Your timing couldn't be worse. I was about to get lucky," Sirius joked.

"Demolish," Remus warned. "You. Total Ash. Sirius who?"

James just laughed, "Aw look at our bashful Moony." James flung his arm around Remus and pulled him close. "All grown up and still turning red when he flirts with Padfoot."

"What's up, Potter?" Sirius asked, knowing the teasing was getting to Remus.

"Well Lily's checking with Delaney to see about getting some supplies for their old place, seeing as we may be here a while. They're going to get something things from my flat and Kip is able to get some things from Diagon without drawing too much of a crowd."

"Well, we can help with that too, Prongs," Remus said.

"Actually. I had another mission for us. I just don't want Lils to know about it."

"Married less than 60 days and already keeping secrest form the wife? Doesn't bode well for you, Potter."

"It's just not safe, Padfoot. And with her being pregnant."

Sirius watched his friend's face drop and recognized that sad look all too well. He'd especially seen it frequently this last week following the Death of Mr. and Mrs. Potter. "You're going back to the house. Aren't you?"

James nodded, "Dumbledore said there may be something in Dad's Wizengamot files that he needs. I also figured it's our only chance to get some things from the place, keepsakes we may want. There is one specific thing I want to grab for my kid."

"James, it's risky. Don't you remember why we had to leave. The Death Eaters found out we were hiding there. For all we know they could have already gone to the house and cleaned it out," Sirius said.

"Risky?" James grinned. "Since when do we worry about anything being Risky? As I recall, we searched for mischief. We are the Messrs Moony, Prongs, Padfoot and... where the devil is Wormtail?" He just shook his head, "Anyway, we manage mischief and are always up to no good. What's a bit of risk?"

"Alright mate, Alright. You get my bike, I'll get Peter. Sirius said.

"Sure you don't want to stay here and keep feeling up Moony," James smirked.

"James!"

"It's ok, Rem. There is nothing at all wrong with two young men in the throws of passion," James teased then started to laugh with Sirius.

"I'm literally and island," Remus sighed and stormed back towards the house.

McKinnon Castle...

Meanwhile, two young men were in the throws of passion in Ireland. Gideon and Angus had been secretly involved with one another since their final year together at Hogwarts and this War complicated things, with this being the first real moment they'd had alone in over a year.

"Have you told her yet?" Gideon asked between each kiss.

"Don't ruin the moment, Prewett. For Godric's sake," Angus said as he breathed down the redhead's neck. They exchanged a few more tender moments, each one more heated than the next but when Gideon ran his hands through Angus' hair, the Irish Wizard pulled back. "Wait..."

"Still your weak spot huh?" Gideon laughed. "Too bad everyone is on the other side of that door. It wouldn't matter."

"Don't tease," Angus said. "It's not been easy being apart from you this long. Only seeing you at meetings and dueling practice."

"Well I was hoping to search the Ministry together and get lost in it with you, but crazy Bellatrix had other plans."

"Don't remind me," Angus said caressed the Prewett boy's neck. "I thought you were dead."

"Nah. You're the only one who knows how to properly incapacitate me."

Angus snickered with a bashful smile at that.

"So, Have you told her?" Gideon repeated his question and Angus' smile vanished.

"No..."

Gideon sighed and stepped backward in a huff.

"It's complicated."

"What's complicated? All you have to say is, 'Hey Marlene, Gideon wasn't on a secret mission for Dumbledore last Summer and I wasn't picketing in Dublin. We were living together.' The end."

"Ok, fine. Have you told your family?"

"Of course not. But it's different."

"How is it different? I couldn't tell anyone last year when I left. We had just lost our Dad. I couldn't risk anyone else."

"I know, Ang." Gideon said stepping forward and putting his hands on Angus' arms. "But I don't want to lose my family either. My brother is my best friend. Besides, both our sister's are saints. I think if we tell them first, they can work on the rest of the family."

"You sure about that? Doesn't Molly have five kids she has to keep up with?"

"Nearly six. She's pregnant."

"Merlin's beard, what is in the water these days?" Angus walked over to the kitchen table and pulled out a chair, sitting in it.

Gideon followed and leaned on the table in front of him. "I'll tell Fabian tonight, if you tell Marlene." When Angus didn't answer Gideon said, "unless you're ashamed of it?"

"What? No of course not!" He took Gideon by the hand and looked up at him. "But you know it's not very accepted in the Pure-Blood community."

"Well then it's a good thing we are fighting a war that will hopefully put an end to that prejudice." Angus looked back down and Gideon lifted his head up gently by the chin. "I mean it, Ang. When this is all over, it will just be you and me no matter what anyone else says... and Fabian can rent out our basement."

"Ha," Angus stood up and gave Gideon a smile. "Deal."

The Safe House...

Peter had made his way down to the kitchen and fixed himself a cup of tea by himself. He sat and pondered the prophecy again while he turned the old business card around in his hand. It was torn at the corners and flimsy from being handled so much over the years. Peter had held onto it ever since the executor of his step-father's estate handed it him nearly 12 years ago.

"Wormtail?" He heard Sirius call and quickly tucked the card in his shirt pocket as Sirius passed the doorway to the kitchen. "Ah, mate, get your coat. We are heading back to the Potter Estate before tonight's meeting. If you behave I'll let you ride in my sidecar."

"I.. can't come," he muttered anxiously.

"Can't come?" Sirius stepped further into the kitchen, "Why not?"

"I have an errand to run. A Mission I mean."

"A mission? By yourself? That's surprising."

"It's not a very dangerous one. I'll be ok."

"That's not what I meant," Sirius chuckled.

Peter realized his friend was taking a jab at his ability to complete a mission on his own and it made a dark feeling inside him grow. "At least I didn't get my ass caputred and turn into a damn murder puppet like you!"

"Oi! It was just a joke, Wormtail."

"Well it wasn't fucking funny!" Peter stood up and marched over to Sirius. "Why do you always have to pick on me like I'm a nobody? I have good ideas Padfoot!"

"Nobody said you didn't."

"You lot are the ones alway messing up, not me! James pushed Severus too hard and almost got us killed during our first battle. Remus exposed our hiding place and almost got Delaney killed. You almost killed Marlene-"

"Watch it-"

"And even in school. You lot were always the ones getting caught and I would have to bail you out. You acted like I was a nobody. A no-name. A nothing."

"That's not true-"

"Well I may not have much of a name for myself, Sirius, but don't bully me about it just because you resent your own damn name."

"Will you shut up?!" Sirius said grabbing the smaller boy by the shirt to toss him backward. Peter stumbled back and bumped the table, sending his teacup to the floor with a crash.

Sirius towered over him. "What the hell has gotten into you?"

"I don't know!" Peter yelled back suddenly and took a breath before repeating softly. "I don't know..."

"Well I hope you find out fast. Nobody like a bloody pity party."

"What did you say?" Peter's mind connected back to the words of the prophecy that the Guardian would 'prey on the pity of those he shall betray'.

"You heard me. A pity party. You're just fishing for reassurance and it's beneath you, Wormtail. Man up, get your shit together, and get your damn errand done before tonight's meeting." Sirius grabbed his jacket from the hook on the wall and mumbled under his breath, "fuckin bats." The truth is he was a bit shaken by his friend's emotional display. He'd not seen of that side of Peter ever before, and he wasn't sure he wished to see it ever again.

Peter was left alone, using his wand to clean the broken teacup. He pulled the business card from his pocket again, contemplating what to do. His initial resolve to go to Dumbledore with the Prophecy began to slip further and further away as he thought through the exchange of the last few minutes. His friends really did see him as a hinderance. He was really alone. Alone in this world as the prophecy said.

"If I ever needed someone on my side... it's now." He looked at the business card and read the name, "Offices of Mr. V. Crabbe, here I come."

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