Harry Potter 1. Prologue

A/N: I swear . . . you can cross anything with Lord of the Rings and it will make sense (much to the dismay of the Tolkien estate). There will be a serious dramatic plot as well as romance but I will do my darndest to make sure it does not become a Mary-sue.

Summary: In their first year, the Marauders took note of a shy silent girl who was sorted into Ravenclaw and befriended one, Lily Evans. What they didn't realize was that this girl possesses a big secret that very well could bring about the rise of another dark lord from a time that has since been long forgotten.

Rating: Pg-13

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it!

_**A Prophecy Long Forgotten**_

_Prologue:_

There was much rejoicing within the pale white city. For born unto them was the second child of the king, the first princess the city of Minas Tirith had seen in a great long while. There were, of course, the traditional celebrations within the streets: drinking to the newborn's health, flowers laid outside the palace, dancing and socializing well into the wee hours of the morning. The celebrations of the common folk were chaotic compared to the calm that had over taken the white tower.

The queen, Lady Arwen, was beaming with joy and without a doubt radiant. Her skin seemed to possess once more the milky, moon lit quality it had before she had chosen the mortal life with her lord and love, the King Elessar. She was resting in the large canopy bed of the master bedroom carefully nursing the child when her husband entered announcing that there were many guests who desired to see both her and the child.

Slowly they filed in, paying their respects to the queen, the nurse maid, and the half-awake babe. Slowly they each walked forward to get a closer look at the child. First were the Lords Legolas and Gimli. The latter proclaiming that the child had eyes wrought of the purest sapphires he had ever seen. Next, the steward and his wife approached, who were amazed at the calm disposition of the newborn babe. Their own child, Elboron, and the son of the king and queen, Eldarion, had been both very vocal in their first moments in the world. After the steward and his wife departed, those from The Shire approached. The Ring bearer was too weak to make the journey, but two of his kinsmen, his own cousins in fact, had journeyed to the far city for the birth of the second child of the king. Next to approach the bed was the king himself, bearing in his arms their two year old son.

"Look upon your new little sister, ionnin," he murmured softly to the boy who smiled at the child.

"I shall protect her always, ada," he said clutching her little hand and kissing it. This action caused the small being to giggle greatly, thus causing everyone else in the room to laugh.

Finally, the last to see the child were the four most powerful being in the room. First, was the Lord Elrond of Rivendell, Arwen's father. Next was the white wizard, Gandalf. Finally, it was the Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel's turn to look upon the child.

"What have you dubbed as her name?" Celeborn asked lightly.

"We have not decided yet," Arwen replied simply. Lady Galadriel stepped forward.

"May I hold her, my grandchild?" she asked extending her arms. Arwen, without hesitation, handed the child over. Galadriel looked lovingly upon the child, but then began to speak in a very distant tone.

"Much lay in store for your daughter," she began in a strangely haunting and hallow tone, "She will enter into another world, far different from ours yet strangely similar. She holds great power within her; surprisingly it is the same power that is fading from this world, the power of magic," Galadriel's voice became more disembodied, there was a strange glow about her, and the color of her eyes faded into a creamy glowing white, "In this other world she will have her heart stolen by a man, a man with two faces. One face is an intelligent, mild-mannered man. The other is a horrible beast with an unquenchable thirst for blood. She alone shall be able to tame the monster that is lurking beneath the surface."

"She will also see many trials. A prophecy long forgotten shall rise once more and be fulfilled; she alone shall possess the strength to stop it," Galadriel stopped suddenly and her natural demeanor returned. She once again looked lovingly at the small child in her arms who was cooing and giggling happily. Gandalf looked over her shoulder at the child.

"Sairina," he murmured gruffly looking up from the child to the king who nodded almost imperceptibly. Elessar walked over and took the child from her great-grandmother's arms.

"Since the gift of magic thrives within her, she shall be name thusly: Sairina," he said and looked to his wife, "Our little sorceress."

Many gifts were bestowed upon Sairina Telcontar, daughter of the king and queen. There were the typical things such as dolls, little dresses, and many other things of the like. She, however also received strange things as well.

From the great wizard, Gandalf, she received a staff made from the wood of a Mallorn tree. It was finely crafted, and long smooth shaft with small runes etched into it. The top was an intricate design that resembled the look of twisted roots. The Lord and Lady of the Golden Wood bestowed upon her a grand looking glass that also had Tengwar runes running along all the sides. Finally, her grandfather presented her with many, many books from the Rivendell library that possessed ancient Elvin texts as well as ancient spells from ages ago. Her parents were slightly confused by these gifts, but accepted them graciously nonetheless. They had heard the Lady's foretelling of their daughter's future, and they knew that whatever was in the fate for their daughter, these gifts would undoubtedly play a part.

For the next eleven years, these objects in particular always seemed to catch young Sairina's interest. Slowly but surely, over those years, she began to unlock their secrets . . .

_**Eleven Years Later**_

It was a warm mid-summer's day. The hazy heat of the sun caused almost all inhabitants of the city to be a bit lazier than usual. Shopkeepers yawned as they kept up shop, children walked as opposed to running through the streets, guards of the tower seemed to slouch a bit more than usual. There was one inhabitant, however, who was taking solace in the cool, musty confines of her personal library. The Princess Sairina was curled up on a lounge chair holding a large dusty tome and quickly but carefully reading though the contents.

While her many younger sisters quickly took up the habits of a usual princess (sewing, weaving, gossiping, shopping in the markets, drinking daily tea with the other ladies of the court, or many other things Sairina would describe as mundane), she found herself drawn to books. Her faceless grandfather, Elrond, had bestowed books upon her, and as she grew she read through them once, and then twice. She was in the process of making it three times when something unexpected happened.

Sairina was not so simple as to not realize that all the books her grandfather had left her were Elvin spell books. While they were a bit of a dry read, she read enjoyed them nonetheless, daydreaming about what she could do if these spells actually worked for her. She was often in the habit of trying the one word incantations out loud hoping for something to happen, just once.

"_Galale_," she had commanded of a sprig of ivy one day. To her astonishment, the ivy began to spread across the wall. While she was impressed with her ability to suddenly do this, she realized she didn't know how to stop it.

"_Daro, daro, daro!"_ she tried but it continued to spread, "_DARO!"_ This time she said it more forcefully and it stopped as suddenly as it had begun. It was at this time, Sairina realized that she possessed the power of magic.

This was why she was reading through the ancient books for a fourth time, this time she was trying to do the spells that those decaying pages held. She was concentrating so hard on a particularly hard incantation when her door opened and shut almost soundlessly.

"_Sulidad, nana_," Sairina said without looking up. Her mother sighed.

"Why do you spend all your time locked away in this study instead of outside with your other sisters and your brother?" Queen Arwen asked as she seated herself across from her daughter, "Tomorrow is your eleventh birthday, and I will not tolerate having you locked up and taking your supper in here like you normally do. We have a few guests coming, and it won't kill you to put down one of the old spell book my father left for you." Sairina lowered the book cautiously and looked at her mother. The worry was very evident in her ageless blue eyes.

"Why do you worry so, _nana_?" she asked filled with curiosity. Her mother sighed again.

"You are half-elvin by my blood, I am just afraid if you stay locked in this room forever, surrounded by books that you may fade to some degree and become a cold, heartless spinster who haunts her father's halls," she finished lightly so as not to bring upset to her daughter. Sairina smiled, a rare sight, and a glow returned to her face.

"Would you feel better, _nana_, if I were to read outside?" she suggested. Her mother laughed, it sounded like a thousand silver bells ringing.

"Yes, I suppose, but that's not quite what I had in mind," she replied through her mirth and kissed her daughter's brow, "but only if you spend all of tomorrow out and about the palace without a book." Sairina groaned slightly but nodded her head nonetheless.

_The next evening . . ._

Sairina slammed her door shut so hard that it cracked down the center of it. Never before in her life had she felt so furious, or so embarrassed. She growled and she ripped the soaked and ruined dress off of her and slipped into a dry cotton shift. She wrung her dark black locks as best as she could, but they were doused with a disgusting egg mixture that smelled atrocious.

Her day had been going well, as to be expected. It was her birthday, and she figured that nothing could go wrong. She had been sorely mistaken. Obeying her mother's request she spent the day socializing without a book in hand; this seemed to startle many of the court lords, because at first they had no recollection of who this young girl was. Things were quite well, Sairina welcomed the guest and her day was perfect, until _they_ showed up.

They were known throughout Minas Tirith, and almost the rest of Middle Earth, as The Trastahíl, or the troublesome heirs. They earned their name from King Elessar after they had played a series of pranks upon the lords and ladies of the court about two years ago. They were the sons of the men who held great seats of power.

The ringleader was Sairina's only brother, the Prince Eldarion (who, she guessed, would be lucky to live long enough to be crowned heir to the throne of Gondor, for his childish ways greatly angered their father).

Prince Elboron, the son of the Steward, was the most cunning of the group (from both natural intelligence and from the massive amounts of reading his father encouraged him to partake in), and normally the chief planner of mischief.

Then there was Prince Elfwine, the heir to the throne of Rohan. The young ladies of all the courts found him to be extremely handsome and charming, Sairina found him to be simply disgusting.

The finally there was Prince Alphros, the oldest of the four. He was the heir to the seat of prince hood in Dol Amroth, and he was also known as the 'supplies man' of the group. Dol Amroth being a port city and (Alphros being at the docks nearly every day) he was able to get his hands on some very volatile items, such as the egg-like substance Sairina was now covered in.

Sairina was furious; she couldn't understand why the four boys picked on her so much. All she ever really desired was to be left alone to her studies. She sat down in front of the large ornate mirror her great grandmother and great grandfather, also faceless entities, had given her and began to run a comb through her dark tangled locks. As she was brushing she hummed a wordless tune and let her eyes drift out of focus. While she was in this daze, she suddenly realized that the frame of her mirror was glowing softly.

"Ithildin," she murmured running a finger over the smooth script of Tengwar, _"Upon the eleventh year, your eyes will open. Speak of what you are, and the gate will open too."_ Sairina pondered the curious message around her mirror, "Speak of what I am? What am I?" She had of course heard of the moon letters and how solving their riddles would open their secrets, as the legendary Gandalf had done at the Gates of Moria,

"Ok, speak of what I am," Sairina reasoned, "_aranel_ (princess)." Nothing happened.

"_Iell_ (daughter)?" she guessed. Nothing.

"_Muinthel_ (sister)? _Gûl_ (student)? _Brennil_ (lady)?" she continued to guess, slowly growing more frustrated with every guess. This game seemed to continue on forever, each of her guesses being more outlandish than the last.

"_Curuni_ (witch)," she suggested half heartily on the verge of giving up, and was beyond belief when the silver glass of the mirror began to swirl and dissolve away. What stood before her now was a long passage way, lit by torches with many portraits hanging on the walls. Carefully poking her head through, she looked around. It seemed to be deserted.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," she murmured to herself, grabbed her staff, and stepped through the portal. After she had stepped through the now open doorway, she heard a soft crackling sound. Turning around she saw that the mirror had restored itself, but the same inscription was still glowing brightly.

Sairina carefully made her way down the hall, only the wooden clunk of her staff hitting the floor resounding through the halls. As she continued to make her way down the hall she noticed that the massive paintings on the wall were _moving_. Several of these paintings actually greeted her kindly. She had reached the end of the hall and heard voices to her right. She turned and looked; standing there was a tall man with silvery white hair and a long beard in blue robes. Two ice blue eyes twinkled behind half-moon glasses that sat one the end of his nose. Next to him was a younger woman in green robes with her dark hair pulled up into a tight bun.

"Miss Telcontar," the old man smiled, "I've been expecting you."


	2. A Fresh Start

_Chapter 1: A Fresh Start_

The past month and a half had been a whirlwind for Sairina. What she had discovered was a portal between her home in Minas Tirith to a school for young witches and wizards in another time and realm. The headmaster of the school, a man named Albus Dumbledore, had talked to her parents and convinced them into letting her attend at the start of the next term because she was of age. She had also received lessons in a language called English. While when it was spoken, it sounded greatly like the common tongue of Middle-Earth, the script for writing was completely new and different as well as the different names for months and the year that it was. While she could speak two forms of Elvish, the common tongue, and a bit of Rohirric, she tended to struggle at first with this new written script, but eventually grasped a decent hold on the language.

She stood now, next to her tutor, a Professor McGonagall, on the first day of term waiting for the other first years to arrive. She was wearing in her new school robes idly spinning her new wand with her fingers, remembering the strange happenings of the last two months. The trip to Diagon Alley stood out most prominent in her mind. There were so many things to see and experience. It was there that she and Dumbledore had bought her supplies. The events that happened when she bought her wand, however, stood out the most in her mind.

/0/0/

_The shop was small and dusty, and the old man, Ollivander, reminded her of her father's dear friend, Legolas, one of the last remaining elves in Middle-Earth. He was quiet, yet one could sense he had a great deal of power hidden beneath the surface. His movements were graceful, and his eyes would pierce the soul. He studied Sairina intently._

"_I have been waiting a long time for you to arrive," he said as she entered the shop, "Your wand has been ready for centuries." He pulled out a long thin box and set it one the counter. Sairina opened it gently and pulled out the silvery wand. She gasped at the beauty of it._

"_Sixteen inches, wood of a Mallorn tree, a very unusual core," he murmured, "While most of my other cores are dragon heartstrings, phoenix tail feathers, or hair of unicorns, this one was specially crafted just for you, my dear. This core is a braid of hair, not from one person, but three." Sairina looked at him intently, "They came to me in a dream years ago telling me that you were coming. When I awoke I had the wood to make the wand, and the braid to make the core. The braid is composed of the hair of Lady Galadriel, Lord Elrond, and the white wizard, Gandalf. Do they sound familiar to you? I thought they would. Well go on, give it a wave." He seemed more excited than Sairina about waving her wand; he seemed to be anticipating the great power that this strange and very unusual wand held. Sairina complied and silver and gold sparks shot from the end._

"_Good, just as I suspected; this wand will be excellent for charms," he murmured, "That will be 16 Galleons."_

/0/0/

She continued to stand, looking at the floor, and twirling her wand through her fingers idly, when the sounds of footsteps reached her ears. She looked up, about a hundred other eleven year olds were making their way to where she and McGonagall stood, and they were being led by the tallest man she had ever seen. Granted, he wasn't as tall as an ent (which she had seen once), but he was still tall enough to dwarf everyone by at least four feet.

"'Ere you are, 'fessor McGonagall," he said in a booming, yet gentle, strongly accented voice, "I'll be leavin' the firs' year with you." He turned and walked away with huge strides. Professor McGonagall then went on to explain that they were to wait until they were prepared in the Great Hall for them and left with the swish of her robes. Sairina prayed to the Valar that nobody would notice that she had been standing here early. Her prayers weren't answered.

"Hi," somebody said in a chipper voice to her right, "My name is Lily Evans, what's yours?" Sairina turned. Standing to her right was a girl with fiery red locks and dazzling emerald eyes. Lily, as she had introduced herself, had a warm smile on her face and an outstretched hand. Sairina took it and shook it carefully.

"Sairina Telcontar," she said proudly, not that anyone here would ever realize she was indeed a princess (which she was thankful for).

"I don't remember seeing you on the train," she said curiously and Sairina began to panic but somehow managed to keep her cool exterior.

"I missed it," she repeated the lie Professor Dumbledore had told her to use, "My family is new in this part of the world, and we don't quite know our way around yet. We got lost in our attempt to find King's Cross so the headmaster allowed me to floo here."

"Oh," she said and looked confused, "you'll have to excuse me but, I'm what they call muggle-born, so I don't know what floo is." Sairina smiled and relaxed a bit. So Lily was new to this whole school of magic thing too.

"I didn't know either until he showed me," Sairina said excitedly, "It's a way of travel through chimneys . . ."

"I dare say," someone interrupted, "it looks like we have got ourselves a couple of mudbloods here." The voice was sneering and cold and sent visible chills down Sairina's spine. Standing just a little ways off was a boy with greasy black hair and a long hooked nose.

"What do you mean by mudblood?" Sairina asked sharply thinking that this boy was insulting her heritage. The dark haired boy snickered.

"What he means is you are filthy, disgusting, low down, no good . . ." the boy continued on and Sairina began to lose her temper, which was normally of a calm disposition like her mother's. But nobody insulted the house of Telcontar and lived to tell the tale.

"_Lathron nin, istahain na . . ."_ she began chanting but her incantation was interrupted by another boy shouting.

"_Flippendo_," somebody roared and the two tormentors were thrown backwards. Both Lily and Sairina rounded to see who had done it. Sairina could not believe it; it just wasn't fair for them to exist in both worlds!

Standing just a little ways off was a group of four smug-looking boys, who strangely reminded Sairina of four other boys whom she was glad to be rid of. The boy in front had messy short black hair, circular glasses, burning hazel eyes and was twirling his wand triumphantly. To his right was another boy with dark locks which were much longer than the first boy's and had dazzling blue eyes. To the left of the first boy, was a lanky boy with shaggy sandy locks and pale weary blue eyes. To the left of him was a small round boy with watery weak looking blue eyes. Sairina couldn't believe it.

The Trastahíl were going to haunt her steps until the day she died.

"No need to thank us, my ladies," said the first boy making a sweeping mock bow while the other boys tried to hide their mirth, "I do what I can to help damsels in distress." Sairina may have been a damsel, but there was no way she was in distress.

"Good, because I wasn't intending on thanking you," she sail coolly crossing her arms, the look on the boys' faces dropping, "I had it all well under control for your information. I was about ready to finish an incantation that would have robbed these _thaur laes_ of their manhood." This of course was a lie, it really only would have caused them pain, but Sairina had a point to prove that she was not defenseless. All the boys within earshot gulped audibly.

"What's a 'tar lay'?" asked the round boy.

"No, Peter, she didn't say 'tar lay' she said _thaur laes,_" said the blonde boy, "Although I do admit that I am curious as to what it means." He looked at her intently. For the briefest moment Sairina and the boy made eye contact. Suddenly she could feel his weariness, his sorrow, and his pain. He was a tortured soul who didn't desire help.

Before Sairina could say anything, Professor McGonagall reentered. She motioned the massive group of students to follow her.

Sairina was awestruck as she looked about the hall. There were enchanted candles floting everywhere and the ceiling looked like the night sky which was cloudless and beautiful on this night. The banners of the four houses decorated the walls and there were ghosts floating everywhere. The group came to a halt in front of the staff table where a stool and a ratty old hat were sitting. To the surprise of many of the first years, a huge rip in the hat opened and the hat began to sing.

_Welcome to you! I'm glad you're here!  
__It is time to begin another wonderful year!  
__Ages ago when the school was new  
__The four founders knew what to do.  
__Godric Gryffindor looked for the brave at heart  
__In his mind courage is what set his students apart.  
__Rowena Ravenclaw admired the strength of the brain  
__To her, studies were the key domain.  
__Salthazar Slytherin desired students of cunning  
__To him this attribute was the most stunning.  
__Helga Hufflepuff sought for kindness and cheer  
__For her these two things were the most dear.  
__As time wore on they began to see  
__That they wouldn't be here for all eternity.  
__They need to find a way to sort the new  
__After their lives were completely through.  
__That was when Godric swept me off his brow,  
__And here I sit ready to sort you now!  
__Where will I put you, nobody knows  
__But a look inside and I will know where you will go.  
__For those that are wise  
__Ravenclaw is where you will rise.  
__Those that are true and pure of heart  
__Griffindor is where you will get start.  
__For those of loyalty and cunning  
__To Slytherin is where you will be sent running.  
__Finally to those who bring happiness to all  
__Hufflepuff is where you will fall.  
__One more thing before we start this year anew  
__I see in store many dangers for you.  
__Times grow dark, and yet darker still  
__A prophecy long forgotten will soon fulfill.  
__When it does you had best be prepared;  
__Another dark lord will rise, unable to be compared.  
__But there is one who can stop the second rise  
__If they would only open their eyes.  
__In times to darkness, foes must unite.  
__So if you take anything from me tonight  
__Remember these warnings and do not delay  
__For we must keep the darkness at bay._

The hat fell silent, and there were a fair amount of applause for it, but many people were confused by its message. They knew of he-who-must-not-be-named, but another dark lord rising? It was impossible. Sairina looked worriedly around. She knew of a dark lord, but he had been in her world, and he had been destroyed. There was no way he could come to power again.

"Please come up when I call your name," Professor McGonagall said clearly, "Apple, Christina." A small timid girl was quickly sorted into Hufflepuff. Sairina looked at Lily and could tell she was obviously nervous.

"Which house do you think you'll be in?" Sairina asked as Black, Sirius, the boy with the long black hair and blue eyes, was put into Gryffindor.

"I'd like to be in Gryffindor," Lily replied and Drooks, Robert was put into Slytherin. She looked as though she were going to ask Sairina the same question when Professor McGonagall called out:

"Evans, Lily." Lily took a deep breath and made her way confidently to the stool.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat cried after a few moments. The table that Sairina could only assume was the Gryffindor burst into applause. The sorting continued on in a monotonous manner. Sairina quickly discovered the names of the boys she dubbed The Trastahíl of this world.

Potter, James (who was put into Gryffindor) was the boy with glasses. Black, Sirius was the other boy with black hair. Lupin, Remus (also a Gryffindor) was the boy with blonde hair and tortured soul. And Pettigrew, Peter (a Gryffindor as well, suddenly she felt as though she didn't want to be a Gryffindor anymore) was the small round boy. She also discovered that the cruel the greasy haired boy was Severus Snape was put into Slytherin.

"Telcontar, Sairina," Professor McGonagall called. Sairina carefully made her way up to the stool and sat down. The professor set the hat on her head.

_Well, well, well what do we have in here? A princess! I dare say I haven't had one of your types before. _'Please," Sairina thought, 'don't judge me on that alone.' _Don't worry Sairina, I won't. Now let's see what's in your head. Interesting, very interesting. I dare say you could fit well into any of the houses._

_You are filled with kindness, which would make you perfect for Hufflepuff. You are fiercely loyal making you ideal for Slytherin. Deep down you have courage, beyond your imagination, which could place you in Gryffindor. Your intelligence, however, is what really impresses me. You possess wisdom that many wizards ten times your age long to possess, no doubt that comes from being the descendent of Lady Galadriel. Not to mention your gift of foresight this will be very powerful in the near future. You will achieve your true potential if you were in _RAVENCLAW! _Don't fret; your secret is safe with me!_

Sairina pulled the hat off her head and made her way to the table that was cheering her admittance. She looked around and saw Lily who had a big smile on her face and was winking at Sairina. A strange sense of happiness washed over the young princess for the first time. She had a friend, her first true friend.

The sorting ceremony finished with Zaire, Rebecca being sorted into Hufflepuff. Professor Dumbledore stood and called for attention.

"Just a few announcements before we begin the feast. As a note to first years and a reminder to the older students, the Forbidden Forest is still off limits at all times. Also a reminder that there is to be no magic used in the halls between classes, and our new caretaker, Mr. Filtch, has a list of prohibited items posted in his office if anyone would care to look. I also would like to warn you about a new tree we have on the grounds, it is the Whomping Willow on the south lawn. I advise you to not agitate it, because it will fight back. I do believe that is all for now so please feel free to tuck in!" With that food magically appeared.

Sairina looked around hesitantly; she didn't recognize any of the types of food on the table. She took small portions of this and that but thought about what the Sorting Hat had said to her. She knew for a fact she didn't have foresight. True her grandfather and great grandmother had it and even her mother to an extent, but her blood was slightly more diluted, and she probably couldn't conjure that powerful level of magic. She also wondered what the hat meant by in the near future.

That was when she heard it. It was a loud buzzing noise mixed with a high pitched squeal that accosted her ears. She cried out softly in pain and covered her ears with her hands. Looking around she saw that nobody else could hear it, and by this time the students around her began to take notice of her strange behavior. People were attempting to talk to her but the buzzing drowned them out.

Then the room went dark.

She could tell she was standing in the ruins of a great tower. The land around her was dark and rocky and in the distance the red orange glow of lava was burning to her eyes. Sairina realized that she was in the ruins of Barad dûr. She was in the dark land, Mordor. As she continued to survey the landscape, she saw a group of orcs digging through rubble frantically. One particularly nasty looking orc was shouting at the others, something that vaguely sounded like "faster, faster". Sairina heard one orc shout happily and hold up a black sphere. It was one of the seven seeing stones, the Palantíri.

Sairina's heart leapt to her throat. That stone should have been destroyed when the tower fell, there was no way possible for it to have been unscathed. Sairina got closer, seeing as how the orcs took no notice of her, for this undoubtedly was a vision from foresight. She peered into the dark stone, and from the blackest depths shone forth a scarlet circle, still blazing albeit weakly. The eye of Sauron was still thriving! Suddenly a booming voice filled her head with the disgusting black speech of the fallen lord.

**_Búrz goth fitgta! Bûrzum fitgta! Kaal lûmpta!_**

The eye began to burn brighter and Sairina felt pain prickle through her body like a million needles that were on fire. Then she felt as though the breath was squeezed out of her. Darkness swirled her vision and all was becoming blurry.

"_Restaanim_!" she cried just before her she lost consciousness.


	3. Interlude to Their Third Year

_Chapter 2: Interlude to their Third Year_

Sairina groaned groggily and her vision began to clear. Her eyes fluttered open and she saw a starry night sky. Rubbing the back of her sore, throbbing head, she realized that she had fallen on the floor. Someone was, however, propping her up, their arms quite protectively wrapped around her waist.

"Thank you, Mr. Lupin, for catching her," the familiar voice of Professor Dumbledore chuckled, "I must say those are some impressive reflexes." Suddenly the name clicked. Lupin. Remus.

"Trastahíl!" she said jumping up suddenly. She shook off the feeling that everyone was staring at her (which they were) and began to talk to Professor Dumbledore.

"_I need to speak with my father and mother now, professor,"_ she said in the flowing dialect of Sindarin, "_Something is happening that needs to be stopped."_

"_What is it?"_ he asked in textbook perfect Sindarin (he learned quickly from the many visits he made to the Telcontar palace) genuinely concerned.

"_One of the seven seeing stones, the one from Sauron's tower,"_ she struggled for the words, "_Orcs found it, and I think the dark lord is still thriving within it." _Sairina watched as his face darkened in concentration. Worry etched deep lines in his face.

"_I will tell your parents,"_ he said finally, _"But I want you to write down everything you saw and heard. Now do you need to visit the hospital wing, or are you feeling much better?"_

"I will be fine," she answered rubbing her temples, "I – I just need to sleep." Dumbledore nodded and motioned to a Ravenclaw prefect and instructed her to escort the weary girl to the Ravenclaw dormitories. Upon reaching her dorm, she quickly scrawled in Tengwar the sights she had seen in her vision and then proceeded to collapse upon her bed in exhaustion.

Before Sairina could realize it, it was time for what the other students called the Christmas Holiday. In the past months, several things happened to the young maturing princess.

First, she and Lily became the best of friends. And it was a true friendship that they built, not some niceties on Lily's part because Sairina was a princess (which still nobody knew). The two could often be found in the library studying and pouring over text books.

Second, both the girls realized that they were prodigies when it came to the class work in Charms. Each of the girls also found their weaker subjects. Lily struggled with Transfiguration, while Sairina had trouble with Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

Finally the duo learned to trust each other to no ends, and they were united against the same enemy.

This common enemy was The Marauders, the quartet of James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter. They were the new terrors of the school, smart and cunning and brave enough to stand up to anyone that challenged them. Well, almost anyone. The thing of it was the fearless Marauders didn't dare mess with either Lily or Sairina.

At least not until the day when the train would be leaving for King's Cross for the holidays.

"Be sure to write me everyday, _indil_," Sairina requested, "I'm going to be stuck here with the four gits, and I need something to occupy my time." Both she and Lily laughed.

"I've been meaning to ask you," Lily began curiously, "the language you speak sometimes, what is it? It sound more romantic than French and more beautiful than any type of music I have ever heard before." Sairina hesitated. She didn't even realize that she had been weaving the Elvish tongue in with her average speech.

"It is one of the many languages of my country," she replied vaguely, "It's called Sindarin." Lily sighed.

"Even the name of the language is beautiful," she swooned and they continued to meander towards the great hall, "So what does _indil_ mean?"

"It's your name," Sairina replied easily, "_indil_ means lily in the Sindarin tongue."

"What about _trastahíl_?" Sairina froze.

"It is the name of the group my brother is in," she tried to be as vague as she could, "he and his friends are very similar to the Marauders. Strangely similar . . ." her voice trailed off.

"Ah," Lily said nodding as they approached the doors to the Great Hall, "so no matter where you go you have an annoy group of pranksters to make you life a living . . ."

**S**

**P**

**L**

**A**

**S**

**H!**

The girls didn't know what had hit them at first. Then their bodies registered the bone-numbing cold of the water. They were soaked through and through.

To make matters worse, the Marauders were reveling in their victory in pranking the two smartest girls in first year along with everyone else in the great hall.

"Why those," Lily growled angrily and pulled out her wand. Sairina stayed her by holding out a hand.

"No," she murmured, "I know exactly how to deal with this." She stared the four boys down.

"So, you think this is funny, do you?" she said in and icy venomous voice that oozed with suppressed anger.

"It was bloody brilliant!" exclaimed Sirius who was on the floor laughing so hard tears were forming in his eyes. Apparently he, nor any of the others, could sense the dangerous power that building up inside of her.

"_Nin o Chithaeglir, lasto beth daer, Rimmo nin Bruinen dan in Ulair! Nin o Chithaeglir, lasto beth daer, Rimmo nin Bruinen dan in Ulair!_" Sairina felt the ancient words pour out of her as they had for her mother in a voice that was old and distant.

She could feel herself be drawn to the water and the water drawn to her, and every last bit of water that had been dumped on them (even the water in their robes) steadily began to form and orb in the air. With a quick movement of her hands the orb transformed into a fierce looking eagle who was calmly flapping its watery wings staring at the four trouble maker who, by this time, sobered up from their victory. A vindictive smirk formed on the princess's pure face.

"_Bedithach_," she commanded and the eagle flew towards its prey, sufficiently dousing the four boys just as much, if not more so than the girls had been soaked.

"How did you do that?" Lily asked shocked and amazed while many of the other people in the hall stared at Sairina in awe. She just shrugged. "I thought you said you were from a non-wizarding family." Again, Sairina could only shrug.

"There is a very complex situation," she said so only Lily could hear her, "One I would rather not explain right now while the whole student body is staring at me." But Lily wasn't the only one to hear her.

Remus Lupin, though several feet away and soaked to the bone heard her crystal clear because of his . . . abnormal . . . enhancements. _I wonder what _she_ has to hide._ He thought curiously.

The rest of their first year passed without too much excitement. Classes continued, friendships grew stronger, exams were given, and the year ended. Lily promised to write to Sai (as the princess had come to be called) and vice versa.

The summer before their second year flew by in the blink of an eye. Things were especially hectic for Sairina. After receiving word of her vision, her father and his steward set out with a small band of men for Mordor. There they did indeed find orcs digging through the rubble. The men managed to slaughter them, and returned the seeing stone to the white tower. Unlike her vision, however, there were no signs of the Dark Lord's presence within it. Nonetheless, the stone remained locked in a tower, guarded by two of the army's finest.

Much like the last half of their first year, the second year of Lily and Sairina flew by in the blink of an eye. Sairina still struggled with Defense Against the Dark Arts, while Lily was doing a bit better in Trnasfiguration. Sairina also earned a spot as a chaser on the Ravenclaw quidditch team, which took up even more of her time, making the days go by all the more faster.

The Marauders were still at large, wreaking havoc on anyone who crossed their path. Mainly the poor kid Severus Snape, who had rubbed them the wrong way since day one. They also took delight in tormenting the girls, but were wary of the extent of their tricks after seeing what Sairina could do.

Second year drew to a close, and the summer before third year began . . . it's also this time that the true troubles began for the young princess . . .


	4. Getting to Know You

_Chapter 3: Getting to Know You_

Sairina heard the familiar crackle as the mirror portal sealed up behind her. She let her trunk fall to the floor with an undignified _thunk_ and set her CleanSweep 350 (The latest in racing broom advancement) on top along side her owl cage which held her sooty owl, Luithaur. She then took the pins from her onyx locks letting them cascade down her shoulders and collapsed upon her bed, not even bothering to change out of her school robes. She was dead tired and there was nothing anyone could do to get her out of that bed.

At least that was what she thought until she heard a sword being unsheathed.

She sat up abruptly only to be pushed back down by a powerful grimy hand. A second hand then placed a sword at her throat. She examined the sword from her vantage point. It was wider at one end and tapered lightly as the length reached the hilt. While Sairina had little experience with swords, she had read countless books on them while she locked herself in her library. This, without any doubt in her mind, was the sword of a corsair. When she allowed her gaze to drift up to her attacker's face.If there had been any doubt in her mind that her attacker was a corsair, it was erased right then and there.

His face was tanned, like leather, full of lines, creases, and scars. His eyes were a dark hazel, rimmed with yellow, and the whites of his eyes were bloodshot. His dark hair was in disgustingly filthy dreadlocks (it looked as though it had never been washed). He was sneering at her, exposing the fact that he was missing several teeth, and his beard was scraggly and uneven. All in all, Sairina decided, the guy was pretty terrifying, and that now would be a good time to panic.

She clawed fiercely at his hand but it was to no avail. He just laughed harshly, pushing the blade closer to her throat.

"If I was you," he growled in a voice that sounded like sea salt being grinded, "I'd be stopping that right about now." Sairina complied unwillingly, "Good. Now yous are going to be getting me that there seeing stone, or else your throat and my blade wills be having a little accident, if you catch my drift . . ." Grabbing her now by her hair he yanked her from the bed and shoved her in the direction of the door. She stumbled and fell scraping her hand and knees on the stone. She could feel his gaze piercing through her.

"Perhaps I'll be having my way with you once you get me the . . ." He never got a chance to finish, for at that moment the king entered sword drawn. In one step he was between his daughter and the intruder. In one swing the intruder's head was separated from his body.

Sairina knew her father was a great fighter. She had heard the bards and read the tales of the one ring and the fellowship. She knew that during the whole journey he had to kill in order to survive. But reading about her father's valiant battles and seeing him take the head off a person were two entirely different things. Sairina couldn't handle the thought and emptied the contents of her stomach onto her bedroom floor.

The room smelled so foul that if Sairina had anything left in her stomach, it would have been quickly dispelled. The roomspinning fastand she couldn't see straight. She could feel her father's strong arms gently picking her up and whisking her away to another room. After navigating the halls for an eternity, her father stopped walking and entered a room. He laid her down upon the bed and Sairina could vaguely hear people scurrying about.

"Bring all of her belongings here," her father said commandingly, "she need not return to _that_ other room anymore." Then the world went completely black.

Sairina woke later to the smell of _athelas_ and several voices conversing.

"_Mellonnin_," said one airy voice, "I know she is a _curuni_, but she should be taught to fight with a weapon if her magic were to ever fail her. Even the lady of the Golden Wood knew how to wield a knife and bow." The world began to come into focus.

"It is not only that, Legolas," her father said, "This was only one of a hundred attempts to gain possession of the _palantir_. While she may know how to defend with a sword and bow, that won't stop the attacks from coming." She heard a sigh and felt her bed dip as someone sat on the right edge, "I do not want anymore of my children seeing what their father is capable of, like Sairina. I fear she has been scarred to deep for my abilities to heal." Sairina felt the bed dip again as another person sat upon it.

"We need to hide the _palantir_ somewhere," her mother said, "but I fear that the White Tower is the only place in all of Middle-Earth to hide it." Silence overtook the room.

"Hogwarts," Sairina croaked opening her eyes further, "You can hide the stone at Hogwarts." The four people in her room looked at her.

"Thank you for your idea," her father said kindly, "but they will still think it is kept in the tower."

"No," Gimli spoke up breaking his silence, "Not if they see the stone leaving the White City." A wide smirk broke out upon his face and upon the face of Legolas as well.

"A decoy," Legolas said, his smile growing wider, "Gimli and I will do it. We'll leave tonight." Her father jumped up and began adding to their plan making.

"Why have only one," he began, "when you could have several? Spread several of these decoys across the lands; try to avoid inhabited area if you can. We'll take the true stone to Hogwarts tonight." Preparations were made very quickly and before the night had grown too late, Gimli and Legolas rode from the city with rumors following them that they were bearing the _palantir_ of Barad dûr.

As they rode from the city, Elessar had gone up to the tower and retrieved the true stone. Upon returning to his daughter's room he found that she ad the portal already open and a familiar man standing and talking to his daughter. At first (as it had been when he first met the man) he believed it to be his old friend, Gandalf. Shaking his head, he knew his eyes were deceived, because the true Gandalf had sailed for the Undying Lands years ago on the last ship. Still, there was something familiar about the glimmer in his eyes . . .

"Is that the stone?" he asked pointing to the seemingly bundle of cloth the king held. Elessar snapped out of his reverie.

"Yes," he said following the wizard as he motioned to follow through the portal, "Sairina, my daughter, can you keep this open?" She nodded silently and the two left. The returned several moments later, the stone no longer with them. Her father thanked Dumbledore again and the portal closed.

"Now, my dear," he father said turning to her, "as to the matter of training you in weaponry . . ." Sairina had a sinking feeling it was going to be a very long summer.

/0/0/

Sairina collapsed upon her bed, exhausted. She had spent the entire day in training with her father and annoying older brother. She had been vigorously training for the past month and a half; with her skills improving only slightly, making her thankful that she had been born a girl and not a boy.

It was true to say that her skills with a bow were formidable, but nowhere near their "full potential" as Legolas kept saying. Her skills with twin daggers were dismal. Yes, she could swing them around, hoping to hit something, but she "was lacking control" as Legolas had said. Honestly, she wished he was still out riding through Middle-Earth hiding fake _palantir_ instead of harassing her fighting skills.

Sairina sat up and was rubbing her sore muscles when she heard a familiar tapping noise. She quickly jumped up (in the process of making her muscles sore even further) and raced to the ornate mirror and said the password while making a waving motion. The mirror dissolved away and in flew her owl, Luithaur, carrying two envelopes. Sairina picked up the familiar heavy parchment of her Hogwarts envelope and opened it, browsing through the list of supplies. Setting it down, she picked up the other lighter envelope and recognized the curly hand writing.

_Hey Sai!_

_Have you gotten your letter yet? I have. We finally get to go to Hogsmeade this year, and there is loads of stuff to buy! I was wondering if you wanted to meet up in Diagon Alley and go shopping. My parents are planning on taking me August 15th if you wanted to join us. Oh, and my parents said that it would be alright for you to stay with us the rest of the summer and that they would take you to King's Cross Station with me so you don't miss the train for a third year in a row. Ha, ha. Ask your parents and see what they say and then write back as soon as you can!_

_Sílo Anor bo men lín, _(May the sun shine on your road.)

_Lily_

Sairina smirked when she saw the farewell. Lily seemed to be picking up on Sindarin quickly. Many of the letters over the summer had been spent teaching Lily the basics of Sindarin and establishing her vocabulary. She was flourishing quite well, but in teaching Lily Sindarin, many questions were being asked.

_I tried looking for books on Sindarin at the library, but it seems like it is spoken nowhere . . . Looking at the words I tried to see if they were related to any Latin or Greek roots, but they are nothing alike . . . Sai, is there something you're not telling me . . ._

Sairina had heard it all, and she knew Lily was bound to figure something out. That's why she needed to go to Lily's house. She needed to tell Lily who she really is.

There were several reasons for Sairina's reasoning. First was that Lily would figure it out anyway. Second, Lily had been completely honest with her and she felt bad withholding the whole truth from her friend. Finally, she was thirteen now which was a big to-do in Gondor, especially since she was a princess.

It is Gondorian tradition for the children of the king and queen to be crowned and named official heirs when they turn fifteen and succession goes in the order of birth in case the eldest should for some reason die. At the age of thirteen, however, the daughters must name who is to be their lady-in-waiting. Sairina was thirteen, and had been for several weeks, but was avoiding the question of who was to be her lady. She wanted to visit Lily so she could ask her.

Sure, she could have explained it all in a letter, but this is one of those things you almost need to do in person.

"Ada? Nana?" she asked peeking into their master bedroom. The room was vast, but decorated simply with many potted plants.

"Yes, Sairina," her mother said looking up from her weaving. Sairina hesitated and then decided to get it over with.

"CanIgotoDiagonAlleywithLilyandthenspendtherestofthesummeratherhousewithherfamilyIpromisetobegoodandnotcauseanytroubleprettyplease?" she said in one breath and looked curiously at her parents. Her father's shoulders shook with silent laughter and her mother smiled kindly.

"Yes, you can," her mother said (her father muttered, "Oh dear, Legolas isn't going to like this . . ."), "but remember you are on your best behavior. By the way dear, have you named your lady-in-waiting yet?" Sairina cursed silently in Rohirric (she was pretty sure her mother didn't understand it, but her father did because he continued to shake with silent laughter).

"Well," she began, "I had one person in mind, but I'm not sure if you'll approve or if she'll accept." Sairina looked intently at her feet.

"Allow me to guess," Her father began lightly, "is it Lily?" She nodded without looking up. This caused both her mother and father to laugh.

"I don't see anything wrong with it. I would like to meet her first. She will be like kin once you name her, and all we have heard is your praise, so I believe it is only appropriate if we me her first," her father reasoned.

"How about you bring her to your brother's crowning ceremony," her mother suggested, "We can meet her and then announce the news in conjunction with your brother's crowning." Sairina thought for a moment.

"His crowning is during the Winter Solstice celebration is it not?" she asked and her mother gave an affirmative nod, "Then we should have no problem with classes, for it occurs during the Christmas Holidays." Her mother looked at her curiously.

"What is this 'Christmas'?" she asked. Sairina could only shrug.

/0/0/

"Sai!" Lily cried as she ran towards her friend and embraced her. The two girls laughed and began to talk animatedly about their summers. Actually, it was more Lily talking and Sairina listening. The two worked their way through the crowded street towards Flourish and Blotts, the bookstore. As they were entering, some one ran into Sairina, knocking her down.

"Watch it mudblood," a familiar sneering voice spat. Severus Snape was glaring down at her. Sairina picked herself up off the ground and dusted her clothing off, returning his glare the entire time.

"You know what?" she asked straightening her shirt, "You could do with a lesson in manners." With two quick steps she had Snape doubled-over begging to be let go. Apparently, Legolas' lessons had been getting through to her. She released Snape and he ran off into the crowd.

"How did you do that?" Lily asked amazed, "I almost didn't see you move!" Sairina grinned sheepishly.

"I'll explain later," she sighed, "let's go get our books." The two girls entered into the bookstore.

"Which extra classes did you sign up for?" Lily asked as they each grabbed a copy of the required Potions book.

"I'm taking Divination, Care of Magical Creatures, and Ancient Runes," Sairina said, "So ten subjects in all. How about you, which ones did you pick?"

"I chose Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, and Care of Magical Creatures," Lily responded, "So ten as well."

"You girls have gone completely daft if you are taking ten subjects this year!" an exasperated voice said from behind them. They turned and unsurprisingly found the Marauders standing behind them looking as cocky and arrogant as ever.

"What do the four of you want?" Lily demanded coolly. James sauntered over and wrapped his arm around Lily's waist.

"I was hoping you would go to Hogsmeade with me the first weekend," James said in the most seductive voice a thirteen year old can manage. Lily proceeded to laugh at him and shove him back towards his friends.

"If I had the choice between choosing you, and kissing the giant squid," Lily said her voice elevating, 'I would rather kiss the squid!" She turned and stormed down the aisle. Sairina laughed and turned to follow Lily.

/0/0/

Sairina wore that smirk for the rest of the day, even while riding in the terrifying automobile to Lily's house. When they arrived Sairina fell in love with the house. It wasn't a huge home, it paled in comparison to her family's palace in size, but the atmosphere was so quaint and perfect. The simplicity made it beautiful beyond compare, but after seeing her house, Sairina was worried even more about Lily's reaction.

Supper was the most delicious thing Sairina had ever had in this world. It was an interesting noodle dish called Spaghetti. While the dinner was excellent, the dinner conversation wasn't so. When Sairina entered the Evans' home, she came to the quick realization that Lily had an older sister, a cruel older sister. She also realized that supper would be eaten with this sister and her suitor, perhaps the widest man Sairina had ever seen.

Sairina also learned very quickly that these two wanted to have nothing to do with magic.

"Mother," Petunia, Lily's sister, said kindly, "can you please pass the bread?" Her mother looked at her strangely.

"Why don't you ask Lily?" her mother inquired, "It's right next to her." The pleasant look dropped off Petunia's face into a vile scowl.

"Because I don't like talking to _her_ type," Petunia said coldly, "They're just _so_ unnatural." Both Lily and Sairina stiffened visibly. The entire meal was punctuated with these remarks by both Petunia and her suitor.

"I can't believe you can stand living with her!" Sairina exclaimed after dinner when the girls sought for refuge in Lily's bedroom.

"I learned to deal with her remarks long ago," Lily said, "She just jealous because I can do something she can't. Do you have that problem with any of your siblings?" Sairina looked thoughtful for a moment as she helped Lily with the sleeping bag she was unrolling.

"Not really," Sairina said eventually, "my little sisters adore me, but my older brother annoys the bloody daylights out of me. Him and his friends . . ." She looked at Lily who was looking at her expectantly.

'Well,' Sairina thought, 'it's now or never.'

"Before I tell you anything more about my family, Lily," she began, "I have a confession to make . . ."

"I haven't been telling you the whole truth about myself. Yes, it is true that I come from another country, but it is not a country in this world. I come from a land called Gondor, it lies in the realm of Middle-Earth, which does not exist in anyway here. I get to Hogwarts through a mirror that my great-grandmother left me before she sailed to the Undying Lands.

"Middle-Earth once had massive amounts of magic in it. It was the Eldar, or elves, who possessed it, but their days of being the dominant power in the world faded and they all left, save for a few. My great-grandmother, my grandfather, and my mother are elves. My mother chose to stay with my father, a mortal man, instead of sailing with the rest of her family." She paused to register Lily's reaction thus far.

"I don't see why you had to keep all that hidden," Lily said shrugging her shoulders, "I think it's interesting, Sai."

"There's more," Sairina interrupted, "My grandfather wouldn't have let my mother stay with my father until he claimed what was rightfully his and fulfilled his destiny. My father is the king of Gondor." Lily's eyes bulged slightly.

"Well, then," she said, "I guess that would change things a bit. So since your father is a king that makes you a princess correct?" Sairina nodded. "What exactly was the reason for hiding this again?"

"My parents felt that I would be safer if people didn't know if I was royalty," Sairina explained, "but I have grown to know you and feel I could trust you with anything. Can you forgive me for hiding this?"

"Of course!" Lily exclaimed, "But you have got to tell me _everything_." The two girls laughed and Sairina began to tell Lily about Middle-Earth. The girls were awake well into the night as the princess told the tale of the ring bearer and the one ring. Lily listened with rapt attention and by the end had tears silently slipping down her face.

"That had to be the most beautiful and inspirational story I have ever heard," Lily sighed, "So what is everybody doing now?"

"Well," Sairina began, "Faramir and Eowyn got married shortly after my mother an father did, and they have one son, Elboron.Faramir was made Prince of Ithilen and carries out his Steward duties there. Eowyn has since given up her wild streak and has become a wonderful wife and mother. She often spends her time in the houses of healing in Ithilen aiding the healers there.

"Eomer wed as well. After becoming such close friends with Prince Imrahil, he was introduced to his only daughter, Princess Lothiriel. The two developed a relationship based on their friendly banter and eventually wed. They have one son, Elfwine, and another child on the way.

"Sadly, though, Prince Imrahil died this past winter. The city of Dol Amroth lost a great leader, but his position was replaced by his eldest son, Prince Elphir, who is equally strong as a leader. He and his wife have one son, Prince Alphros.

"The lords, Legolas and Gimli, continued to explore all corners of Middle-Earth for a fair number of years. Gimli, however, finally settled down in the Glittering Caves of Rohan, and Legolas tends to dwell in the gardens of Ithilien since most of his kindred have left for the Undying Lands. Legolas can sometimes be found as a silent shadow to either my father or my elder brother.

"As the tale tells, Frodo, the hobbit, did leave with the elves, but his kindred are still active. Sam, Pippin, and Merry all married hobbit women and have lots and lots of little hobbit children running all over The Shire.

"Finally there is my family. My mother and father happily married shortly after the defeat of Sauron and have been having children ever since. As of yet there has only been one boy, my older brother, Eldarion, and there have been seven girls born to my mother and she is yet with another child . . ."

"Wait," Lily interrupted, "You have nine children in your family?" Shock was painted boldly on her face.

"Well," Sairina began, "As of right now it is only eight, but it is soon to be nine. Like I was saying it goes Eldarion, myself, Faer, Elwen, Hallien, Brennil, and the twins Laereth and little Mirien."

"Wow," Lily murmured, "and there is another one on the way? Amazing. I think you've answered most of my questions, except one. What are trastahíl?" Sairina laughed.

"The question isn't what they are," Sairina explained, "It's who they are. Trastahíl is Sindarin for 'troublesome heirs'. The group is comprised of the four boys who are the heirs of the great seats of power in Middle-Earth."

"So it's Eldarion, Elfwine, Elboron, and Alphros?" Lily asked as Sairina nodded.

"They delight is playing pranks whenever they are together," Sairina continued to explain, "There was one particular summer when they were all together and they play over a hundred pranks on the lords and ladies of the court, thus earning them their nickname."

"They sound strangely familiar," Lily said as her eyes widened.

"Aye," Sairina said as realization dawned upon Lily, "You only have to deal with the Marauders for a few months; I've had to deal with them my entire life. Don't worry, though, you'll get to deal with them shortly." A sly smile spread across Sairina's face.

"What do you mean, Sai?" Lily inquired arching one eyebrow.

"Well," she began, "it is court etiquette that upon a princess's thirteenth birthday she chooses her lady in waiting. I have been thirteen for a little over a month and a half now, and I don't have a lady selected yet . . ." Lily caught on quickly.

"Of course I will, Sai!" she exclaimed and both girls began to laugh.

The final weeks of the summer raced by too fast for both of the teens, and before they knew it they were standing in front the portal for Platform9 ¾. Sairina, having never been there before, looked wryly at Lily.

"It looks pretty solid to me," she said readjusting the things on her cart, "Are you sure?"

"Positive," Lily said firmly, "Now, follow me." Lily walked straight up to the barrier and then . . . gone. Sairina couldn't believe it. She just vanished! Dispelling all her logic and common sense, Sairina shrugged and she too marched straight into the barrier. Everything faded to black for a split second, and then Sairina found herself in front of a large crimson train which bore bright gold letters declaring that this was the Hogwarts Express.

"Wow," was all Sairina could muster before she felt someone grabbing her sleeve and pulling her towards the train.

"Come on," Lily said excitedly, "Let's find and empty compartment." They had no trouble in this task, for they had arrived rather early. After selecting a compartment towards the back quarter of the train, the girls began to load their things.

"I meant to ask you," Lily said hoisting her trunk into the overhead space, "What is with the stick?" Sairina paused in stowing her broom and owl cage and looked at the "stick" in question.

"In the world I come from," she began to explain as she put away her broom, "wizards and elves are the only ones who can wield magic. Elves do it through the earth, so their powers are fairly limited. Wizards, on the other hand, have a wider variety of powers which they channel through a staff, much like in this world, wizards and witches need the aid of wands." Both the girls had finished loading their things and were now sitting, Sairina with her staff in hand.

"This was a gift to me from the white wizard, Gandalf," she explained letting her fingers lightly trace over the runes, "He crafted it from the wood of a Mallorn tree from the Golden Wood."

"What's that?" Lily asked pointing to a notch in the wood. Sairina smiled.

"Here's the amazing thing," she said as she pulled her wand from her sleeve. The wand slid perfectly into the small opening in the staff, "I believe that he and my great-grandmother and grandfather knew that I would come to this world for training. Not only is this perfect for my wand, but my wand itself is made from Mallorn wood, and its core is the hair of Gandalf, Galadriel, and Elrond." The girls continued to talk, uninterrupted for some time when they heard the train whistle blow and the train lurched forward.

"So how long is the crowing ceremony?" Lily asked sitting back.

"About an hour, I suppose," Sairina replied, "But we will stay for three days of the break. There are various other functions and competitions that will require our attendance, including the Solstice Feast. That reminds me, the first Saturday of the term, you and I must go to my home."

"Why?" Lily inquired excitedly.

"The seamstress needs to take your measurements so you will have something to wear during the festivities. I dare say that if you were to wear anything from this world, people would think strangely of you." The girls laughed lightly and Lily challenged Sairina to a game of Wizard Chess. Halfway through their match, the compartment door slid open and in strode the four Marauders.

"_Can't they find someone else to bother?"_ Sairina muttered in Sindarin. Lily laughed.

"What's so funny Evans?" Sirius demanded eyeing the girls warily. The girls proceeded to ignore them and continued on with their game. Undaunted by the fact that they were being ignored by the two girls, the boys pressed on. James sat down right next to Lily and put his arm around her shoulders. Lily stiffened visibly causing Sairina to laugh.

"I am such a generous person, Lils," James said pulling her close, "I am going to give you another chance. Come to Hogsmeade with me; I'll be sure to make it worth your while." Lily's face turned as red as her hair. Sairina bit her finger to keep from laughing out loud. Lily cast a knowing glance at her.

"_If you don't kill him, I will_," Lily spat in perfect Sindarin. Sairina couldn't help but laugh out right.

"See what I care," she said between fits of laughter, "That'll just mean Ravenclaw will have better odds of winning the Quidditch Cup." She continued to laugh while Lily fumed silently.

"J-j-james," Peter stuttered, "I think we'll be needing to leave now." James nodded solemnly and stood up. The boys then began to file out of the compartment. As they were leaving, Sairina made eye-contact with Remus. For the briefest moment she saw a full moon illuminating the night sky and heard a mighty howl. Then it was gone along with the Marauders.

_Odd_ Sairina thought to herself. This foresight thing was tricky to control.


	5. Welcome

_**A note to the anonymous person who reviewed this story, if you are still caring to read:** I do write my own fictions. The reason they are not on this site is because this is a sight for fan fiction. This means this site was **created** for stories like mine as well as the millions of others like it. It is an open public forum for writers with any idea to express it whether it be good, bad, or ugly. First Amendment, kiddo, the freedom of speech, I have it, you have it, everybody has the right to it. This is not a message to slam on you, or to rip what you said, but to merely point out the facts (As a side note: Yes, what you wrote **is** a flame when it came to commenting on my story, but I'll be the first to admit that it was the most complimentary flame I have ever received). If you would care to look at some of my original creations, please go to It is run by the same people who do but for original works of fiction. My pen name on there is Allison Norris, but my stories are fairly dated, and are definitely not my best pieces of writing. Rest assured, if anybody cares to read those, I have improved greatly since then._

_As for my character being a "Mary-sue" . . . I'll admit she has some admirable qualities, but she is by no means "perfect". She has weaknesses and strengths while many "Sues" only have strengths. In the last chapter these are evident: the fact that she cannot defend herself, that she is having trouble with Defense Against the Dark Arts, and that she is struggling with learning how to manage weapons. There shall be even more of these instances of weakness to come. I am doing my best to make sure she does not turn out perfect and become a "Mary-sue". Not to mention that if somebody crosses two stories together that does **not** instantly make their character a "Mary-Sue"; its all in how they portray the character that determines whether or not they fit the typical profile._

_Of course, if you had read more than the first chapter, you may have realized this. And you very well could have read more than one chapter, and left your comment on the first, but normally when a person leaves a review on the first chapter and doesn't care to comment on the others, that normally means that they only cared to read that one chapter. It's all relatively logical, don't you think so?_

_I know first chapters make a big first impression, but it's normally in the second chapter where many readers decide whether or not to continue reading a book or fan fiction. So, please, let's not jump to petty conclusions, shall we?_

_So, time to put away my soapbox and finish ranting for today. A page in word processor single spaced is more than enough to make my point clear, I think._

_Next, to the reviewer, randomish, yes, they did go into the west . . . **four years after the war of the ring**. Therefore, if Aragorn and Arwen had children within those four year, Galadriel and Elrond would be there for the birth. I know in the _Lord of the Rings_ books and movies it seems like they left right after the war and the wedding of Aragorn and Arwen, but they didn't. I'm not a _Lord of the Rings_ expert, but even in the movie, Frodo says, "It's been four years to the day since Weathertop," which proves that the elves dwelled in Middle-Earth for sometime after the war. As a side note, for future reference, people tend to take reviews more seriously when words are spelled correctly and "internet lingo" (such as "ppl" and "r") isn't used._

_Alexis Ravenlockes_

_0/0/0_

_Chapter 4: Welcome_

Their first week of classes had flown by in the blink of an eye, but with a great deal of weighty homework to load them down for their first weekend. And what a beautiful weekend it was going to be. Fall was still settling in and the air retained its summer warmth. The honey rays of the sun illuminated the land with a soft golden glow as it rose in the east. The students rose early on that first Saturday to enjoy it, for it may be the last bit of good weather for a while. This meant that the Great Hall was unusually full for how early it was in the morning. Sairina entered and looked for Lily, and after discovering her spot at the Gryffindor table sat down across from her.

"Don't forget your books, because we are going to be studying in the _library_ today," Sairina said pouring herself a glass of pumpkin juice. Lily giggled softly.

"What time are we going to be meeting at the _library _and what are the plans for the rest of the day?" Lily asked as she poured syrup on her pancakes.

"After your measuring," Sairina said in a low voice so only Lily could hear, "I was planning on giving you a tour of part of the tower and its gardens. Then we could do a little bit of homework until the seamstress finishes the template dress, which you would have to try on so she can make any alterations to it, and so you wouldn't have to come back every time she would need to see if a dress fits properly or not."

"Sounds like an interesting day," Lily smiled and began to eat her breakfast.

"What are you doing here?" a voice sneered from behind Sairina. She looked over her shoulder to see Sirius standing with the other Marauders with his hands on his hips and tapping his foot impatiently.

"What? You mean to tell me, Black, that I can't sit and talk to my friend on this lovely morning," Sairina asked with mock hurt. He rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to say something but someone cut him off.

"Just let her be, Sirius," Remus said in a smooth voice, "She's not hurting anyone. We can find somewhere else to sit; because I still personally believe that it is way too early for James to start flirting with Evans again." The boys sauntered off with James glaring at Remus and Sirius and Peter laughing at James. Lily and Sairina looked at each other.

"Boys," they muttered at the same time.

/0/0/

After breakfast, Lily ran up to Gryffindor tower, shoved her books into her bag, and left for the far end of the eighth floor corridor. When she arrived she saw Sairina already waiting patiently, leaning on her staff for support, with her bag of books as well. She smiled when she saw Lily turn the corner.

"Ready?" she asked and Lily nodded. Sairina turned back to the mirror waved her hand and muttered something in Sindarin. Lily gasped as the mirror melted away and created a doorway into another large room. She stepped through the portal behind Sairina and the mirror resealed itself.

"Welcome to the white city of Minas Tirith," Sairina said dropping her bag onto the floor. Lily gawked at the room. It was roughly the same size as the Gryffindor common room. The floor had soft woven rugs on it and there was a large canopy bed along one wall. There was a great fireplace and in front of it a table surrounded by four chairs. A warm breeze blew in through the open balcony doors. The balcony was long and seemed to connect to the next room. Lily also took notice of four doors.

"Where do those lead," she asked with childlike wonder. Sairina smiled and motioned Lily to follow. The first door, which was close to her bed, was the door to her personal study. Lily gaped in wonder at the book filled shelves that lined the walls. The next door, on the opposite wall from the bed and study was a grand bathroom which had another door on the far side of it.

"That door," Sairina said gesturing to the largest door, "leads out into the hall, and finally this door," she gestured to the other door on the same wall as the bathroom door, "leads to your room." Lily did a double take.

"My room?" she asked as she opened the door, "wow." Her room was about the same size as Sairina's and it, too, had a large canopy bed, fireplace, and an assortment of rugs and large inviting chairs.

"It doesn't have its own study," Sairina explained, "and we share the bathroom. But other than that it's all yours. What do you think?"

"I love it," Lily sighed which caused Sairina to laugh.

"Excellent," she said and vanished into her room for a moment. She returned with a simple mint green gown draped over her arm and a pair of matching slippers in her other hand, "Like I told you before, we dress quite differently here, so this should suffice until you get dresses of your own. I'm a bit taller than you, so it might be a bit too long." She handed Lily the dress and slippers.

The girls were wandering the halls a few minutes later. Lily listened with rapt attention as Sairina explained the significance of some of the tapestries and statues along their way to the royal seamstress.

That was when they heard it. Although what it was is still debatable.

It sounded like a cross between a loud crash and a sickening thud of a person falling hard on the floor. It also sounded to the girls like there was a loud splash and a sucking, squelching sound of something liquid. There was also a very loud roar of rage that sounded distinctly dwarvish. Then there was a pounding sound that sounded like several people running on marble floor. Well, it wasn't several, Sairina knew for a fact that only four people were running, and she was right. As she flung herself and Lily against the nearest wall four teenage boys rounded the corner going full tilt and laughing loudly.

"Shut up," the lead boy with dark hair growled, "Legolas will be able to track the sound." Sairina laughed and the four boys did a double take and stopped in front of the two girls. The boy who had just spoken looked brightly at her, "Little sister! Please tell those two that we were with you all day. Please, we will forever be in your and your lovely friend's debt."

"Oh, Eldarion, my dear brother, they would see through the lie from a mile away," She sighed patting her brother's shoulder, "I'm at school, remember?" Eldarion's face went pale, "Plus why would I miss the opportunity to see you renegades get a tongue lashing from Legolas and Gimli?" A sly smile spread upon her face and the boys paled even further before taking off again.

"Oh-no you don't," Lily taunted in a sing-song voice as the boys looked over their shoulders at her as they continued to run, "_Glacius_," she shouted as the floor beneath the boys turned to ice and they all fell with a collective thud. Sairina laughed so hard she couldn't stand.

"C'mon, Lily," she said between gasps for air, "let's go to the seamstress. We're running late."

The seamstress was slightly upset with the fact that the girls were late, but after hearing the reasons for their tardiness instantly forgave them.

"Those boys have it coming I swear," she muttered as she pulled out a marked bit of rope, "Please step up on the stool, dearie." Lily obliged willingly and the head seamstress quickly took several measurements and told an assistant to jot them down. Once she finished she told Lily she could step down.

"Such a strange hue of hair," she murmured entranced by Lily's hair, "Are you of Rohirric descent?" Lily shook her head.

"I'm Irish actually," she responded but only received a strange look from the seamstress, "Um . . . It's a lineage from the city of . . . of . . ." Lily struggled.

"Bree," Sairina said quickly covering for her lost friend. The seamstress nodded.

"It is a beautiful color," she said twirling one lock, "and your eyes look like pure emeralds . . . yes . . . I know the perfect fabrics to use. You may go." Lily curtsied and she rejoined Sairina at the door. As they exited they ran into a familiar, flushed face.

"Ada and Nana would like you two to join them for an early morning tea," Eldarion muttered glaring daggers at the girls.

"How much trouble did you get in?" Sairina asked cheekily. If looks could kill, Sairina would have dropped dead at Eldarion's glare.

"Pre-dawn training for all four of us, and we are Legolas' and Gimli's personal servants for the rest of their stay," he spat, "We would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for two bothersome _curuni_." Sairina shrugged as the three other boys sauntered up.

"Ah," Sairina said, "Allow me to properly introduce you to the Trastahíl, Lily." She gestured to her brother, "This is Prince Eldarion, my older brother," he nodded curtly, "This is Prince Elboron, the steward's son," a boy with chestnut brown hair did a mock salute, "That is Prince Elfwine, heir to the throne of Rohan," a boy with golden locks shook away a star-struck look and winked suggestively at Lily, "Finally that is Prince Alphros, heir to the princedom of Dol Amroth," the last boy with black locks nodded.

"Menaces to society," Sairina addressed the boys, "This is Lily Evans, my lady-in-waiting. Now we must be off." Sairina led Lily away from the four boys. Once they were out of earshot, Lily let out a great laugh.

"They are exact duplicates of the Marauders!" she exclaimed, "Your brother is James. Elfwine is Sirius. Elboron is Remus. And, well, Alphros is Peter by default." The girls looked at one another and a fresh wave of laughter struck them. It took them several minutes to regain their composure and continue their journey towards the king and queen's chambers.

Before Lily could say "Galloping Goblins" she was seated in front of the two most amazing and beautiful people she had ever seen. Queen Arwen was the divine picture of beauty. She had her long ebony lock cascaded over her shoulders like dark waterfalls and her blue eyes were gently but piercing. She had a petite frame, but Lily could tell that there was a great strength hidden beneath the soft exterior.

King Elessar had brown locks that fell to his shoulder and a full beard. Both his hair and beard were flecked with gray that gave him a very regal look. His eyes were a gentle gray and filled with laughter. He sat up straight and had a sturdy build conveying the strength he possessed. His hands were weathered and calloused with little scars decorating them, yet when he took Lily's hand, they were the gentlest hands she had even encountered.

After examining their characteristics, Lily decided that Sai looked very much like her mother, but with her father's laughing eyes.

Sairina chatted happily with her parents and told them of her lessons thus far. Lily would comment every now and again, but she was mainly content with listening and sipping her tea.

"What is that game you play?' her father asked, "Quidditch, have you started playing that again yet?" Sairina shook her head.

"Practices are starting up next week," Sairina explained, "I believe the first match is in a month, Ravenclaw versus Slytherin." Her mother shivered.

"I must profess," she said, "The name of that house reminds me to much of the black speech of Mordor. Evil lurks in that name; however, I do desire to see you play in a match," she turned to her husband, "Perhaps we can see this first match?" He nodded.

"There are several of the lords and ladies who have expressed a desire to see this game once you explained it to us last year," he said and turned to Lily, "Are you on your house's team?"

"No," Lily said setting down her tea cup, "I fear I am no good when it comes to ridding a broom." Sairina rolled her eyes.

"I keep telling you it's like riding a horse," Sairina said, "and you are quite good at that." This peaked her parents' attention.

"You like to ride?" the king asked stroking his beard. Lily nodded. "Then we'll just have to see to getting you a mount. I'm sure Eomer would have a horse for you, or would you prefer an elvish bred steed." Lily shrugged.

"I would think a horse that I could get along with," Lily said thoughtfully. The king nodded.

"Elvish bred then, I would say," he said as someone knocked upon the door, "Enter." In through the door stepped a tall man who had the same chestnut locks as Elboron. "Ah, Faramir, it is good to see you again my friend. What brings you to my chambers?"

"My lord," he said bowing slightly, "I did not realize that you were otherwise disposed. I was hoping to have a word concerning the state of the seeing stone." The king waved his hand.

"What news have you learned?" he asked lightly. Faramir pulled out a roll of parchment.

"Our spies in Harad have sent news," he said unfurling it, "They say that there is talk of an ancient prophecy made by Melkor himself concerning the rise of a dark lord of some sort. We do not know the details as of yet, but they are working restlessly to discover the prophecy the Lady Galadriel predicted." He then cast a worried glance to Sairina. Lily, in turn, then cast a sideways glance at Sairina which begged for an explanation of the whole situation.

"I see," the king said stroking his beard and turned to the two girls, "I fear we will have to cut this meeting short, my dears. Perhaps we can finish another time." With that he shooed the girls from the room. Lily turned to companion and opened her mouth to question her about what they were talking about, when a small slip of a girl came up to them saying that the seamstress was ready for Lily's final fitting. By the time they were finished it was mid afternoon and they decided it would be best to head back to Hogwarts before it got too late. Passing through the mirror doorway the girls began to weave their way towards the library.

"What is going on in your world?" Lily asked point blank. Sairina hesitated.

"As you know," she began, "My great-grandmother was a great elvin sorceress. When I was born, she made a prediction or had a vision, I'm not quite sure. But she basically said that a prophecy that was long forgotten would be remembered, bringing about the rise of a dark lord, probably _the_ dark lord, Sauron, and that I would be the key in preventing his third rise.

"Do you remember the night of our sorting, how I passed out?" Sairina asked and Lily nodded, "I had a vision of one of the seven seeing stones being found by a group of orcs. In its depths I saw a great burning eye; Sauron's essence was still alive within that dark sphere waiting to be released. It said something to be before I regained consciousness," she hesitated momentarily and said the next words with pain etched on her face, "'**_Búrz goth fitgta! Bûrzum fitgta! Kaal lûmpta!'_ **It was the dark lord's tongue, and it means 'the dark lord will rise, darkness will rise, and light will fail.' My father and the steward do not think that this is the actual prophecy, but they are trying to find any ancient prophecy that may fit the profile. As you could tell, they aren't having much luck."

"Where is the stone now?" Lily asked as they passed a large tapestry, "Maybe the key to the prophecy is in it." Sairina shrugged.

"It was in the white tower," Sairina began, "but there were many threats and attempts to get it, some of these attempts endangering my family, so it now dwells here in Hogwarts. Only my father and Dumbledore know where it is, and they know it will be safe here and that my family will be safe because there were many decoy stones spread out across the far regions of Middle-Earth.

"As for the prophecy being hidden in it, my father tried that, but he found nothing but a shadow of something lurking down in the depths unwilling to be exposed."

"Sauron?" Lily asked. Sairina nodded. "I guess that explains the Sorting Hat's song our first year." They walked the rest of the way to the library in companionable silence. From the shadows behind the tapestry which hid a secret passage four boys stepped out.

"This stone sounds pretty important," Peter said, stating the obvious. The other boys rolled their eyes.

"That's why we are going to find it," James said defiantly. The other boys looked skeptically at him.

"I don't know James it sounds dangerous," Remus said, "Maybe we should figure out where Middle-Earth is first. It doesn't sound like any place I have ever heard of."

"If it's dangerous, then I don't want Lily getting hurt," James said with passion burning in his eyes.

"You're not the only one concerned with the safety of a girl," Remus murmured to himself.

/0/0/

Sairina did not understand Defense Against the Dark Arts. That's all there was to it. It had be fifteen years since there were such creatures that inhabited Middle-Earth whose sole purpose was to be evil and to kill. Yes, there was still evil, but it was in the hearts of men, who were easily corrupted, but that was different from being purely evil.

She just couldn't understand.

She sighed as she walked into the DADA classroom. Her only saving grace was that she had this class with Gryffindor, which meant Lily was in her class. There was, however, something different about the classroom today.

All the desks and chairs had been pushed off to the side walls, leaving a majority of the floor open. At the far end of the room was a large cabinet which was shaking rather violently. Professor Ambrose was beaming at his students as they entered.

"Today, class," he began, "You will be learning about how to deal with a boggart. Now does anyone know where a boggart's power lies?" Remus Lupin raised his hand eagerly, "Yes, Mr. Lupin."

"The boggart draws from the mind of his prey their worst fear, and turns into what ever that is," he stated simply. Professor Ambrose beamed.

"That is exactly correct," he said, "Five points to Gryffindor. Now the key to breaking a boggart is laughter and the spell to repel against its power is _riddikulus_ . . . everyone please repeat." There was a murmur as the students practiced the spell. Once Professor Ambrose seemed satisfied, he called Peter to the front of the class. After a few moments of hushed conversation between two the professor turned to the rest of the class.

"Let us begin," with a wave of his wand the door to the cabinet flew open, and before Peter was a great snake.

"_Riddikulus_," he shouted and the snake transformed into a jack-in-the-box. Many of the students laughed along with Professor Ambrose.

"Lily!" he commanded and Lily stepped forward. The jack-in-the-box considered her carefully before there was a loud crack and it transformed into a huge spider.

"_Riddikulus_," she said and with a wave of her wand the spider began sprouting flowers all over it. The class roared with laughter.

"Excellent," Professor Ambrose said, "Mr. Watterson." Sam Watterson, one of the Ravenclaw boys, stepped forward taking Lily's place. The flower covered spider quickly transformed into the largest wasp anyone had ever seen.

"_Riddikulus_," he said and the wasp's wings fell off and it writhed around on the floor. The laughter continued.

"Sirius!" The dark haired boy stepped forward and the wasp transformed into two people, both bearing a great resemblance to Sirius.

"_Riddikulus_," he scoffed and their black robes were transformed into muggle clothing. The Marauders laughed the loudest out of anyone at this.

"Sairina!" She stepped forward. She didn't know what her greatest fear was, and so she didn't know what to imagine of turning it into. As she took Black's place, the woman of the pair smiled vindictively. There was a loud crack and a burning red eye appeared in the air. Sairina hesitated.

"_Ri . . . ri . . .riddik,_" she stammered but then a booming voice filled the room.

_**Ash nazg durbatuluk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatuluk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul.**_

By this time, Sairina was on her knees covering her ears and crying out in pain. The black speech seared her ears and spread throughout her body like a raging fire. Everyone in the room was seemingly spellbound by the eye. Sairina looked up as tears ran silently down her cheeks. The eye transformed then into a tall armored covered man, he towered over the class. His face was hidden beneath a wicked looking helm. In his hand he held a huge spike covered club, and on that same hand was a golden ring with bright red script on it burning brightly. The class had no clue who or what this was.

But Sairina knew, and that was all that mattered.

The class let out a collective gasp as the being lifted up the club and swung it downward with great force. Sairina had barely rolled out of the way as the club crashed into the floor tearing up the wooden boards. The thing pulled the club from the floor and prepared to bring it down again when someone jumped in front of Sairina.

_CRACK!_

The creature was gone and a bright orb was floating in the air.

"_RIDDIKULUS!_" Remus roared and the orb flew around the room like a deflating balloon before flying back into the closet. With a wave of his wand, Professor Ambrose shut the closet door. Silence settled over the classroom.

"Well, that is all for today," he said quickly, "you are all dismissed." The class quickly filed out of the room except for a few people. Sairina was on the floor shaking like a leaf with silent tears rolling down her face. Remus was kneeling beside her with one arm wrapped around her waist for support. Lily had made her way quickly to her other side and was murmuring something in a strange tongue. It seemed to have a calming effect. Professor Ambrose kneeled down in front of her.

"Was that _him_?" he asked. Being a teacher, he of course knew about Sairina's true identity, and in the previous year (during a tutoring session) she had told him about the tale of the ring. She nodded silently, still trembling. "Mr. Lupin, Miss Evans, could you please escort her to the hospital wing? I don't think she was injured, but Madame Pomfrey may have something to calm her nerves. After you drop her off there, I need to have a word with you Remus. Right now, I need to go speak with Professor Dumbledore." With that, Professor Ambrose swept out of the room. Remus glanced down at Sairina.

"Do you think you'll be able to walk?" he asked and she shrugged. He then gently took one of her arms, put it around his shoulders, and then wrapped his arm tightly around her waist. "Try to stand on three. One, two, three." Remus helped Sairina get to her feet and continued to hold her for support. Lily stepped out of the way and followed the two as they made their way slowly towards the hospital wing.

Arriving there, Remus gently lifted Sairina onto one of the beds while Lily ran to get Madame Pomfrey. Remus gazed upon Sairina who was still trembling with fright and had silent tears streaming down her face. He gently took the sleeve of his outer black robe and wiped the stains from her face.

"Don't cry," He murmured, "I'd never let anyone or anything hurt you." This second part was whispered so softly that Sairina at first doubted as to whether or not she actually heard it. Remus gently tucked a stray hair behind her ear and noticed that her ears came to a slight point. Granted it was so slight it could be easily missed, but as Remus ran his hand over it, the oddity was quite obvious.

"Thank you very much you two," Madame Pomfrey said shooing the two students from the room, "but you must go, this girl needs her rest." The infirmary door closed with a snap, and the two students slowly walked away. Remus glanced curiously at Lily who was walking with her head down, avoiding his eye.

"You and Sairina have been friends ever since you first met," he stated bluntly, "What was that thing the boggart turned into?" Lily wrung her hands nervously; she was so nervous Remus could smell it.

"I . . . I don't know," she stammered and quickly walked in the direction of Gryffindor tower leaving Remus standing by himself in the hall. Sighing, he gave up and quickly remembered that Professor Ambrose had wanted to speak with him. He turned on his heel and headed back to the classroom. When he arrived he noticed that the desks were back in their correct places and that Professor Ambrose was sitting at his desk pinching the bridge of his nose and looked as if he was attempting to block out the entire world.

"Professor, you said that you wanted to see me?" Remus asked as he approached the desk. Ambrose looked up and smiled weakly.

"That was a brave thing you did during class today," he said weakly, "I don't think you will ever truly realize how brave your actions were." He sighed heavily.

"What do you mean, Professor?" Remus asked intently, "What was that thing Sairina feared so much? Don't deny that you know it, because I heard you ask her if that was him." Remus stared as intimidating as possible at his professor, Ambrose chuckled softly.

"You were always the smartest of the Maraurders," he stated, "and I won't deny that I know what it was, but I fear that it is not my place to tell you who that was and what it means. Only Miss Telcontar has the right to share her past with whom she deems fit. So far that seems to be only one student." _Lily_ Remus thought instantly.

"But the reason I asked you to come back is concerning Sairina," he said interrupting Remus' thoughts, "After the display in class today, you know as well as I, that she is very weak in the area of Defense Against the Dark Arts. I am asking for you to tutor her," He could see Remus preparing to object, "Now before you say anything allow me to explain why I am asking you.

"Believe it or not Remus, in your year, out of all the houses, _you_ are the top student when it comes to defense," Remus looked quite surprised, "Ironic isn't it? Especially considering your condition, but I believe that because you are werewolf you have a better understanding of things of this nature. Where Sairina comes from, she has not had the experience of dealing with creatures of darkness, and it is very hard for her to see anything as being purely evil."

"Whatever that things was she fear seemed pretty damn evil to me," Remus scoffed.

"But she has never met him," Ambrose said, "She has only heard about him in tales and legends. She never actually had to come face to face with him until today," the professor waved his hand dismissively, "Will you tutor her?" Remus nodded silently. "Thank you Mr. Lupin, that is all." Remus left without another word and shut the door behind him. Sighing he leaned up against the closed door.

"How much of that did you guys actually hear?" he asked painfully while looking into the shadows to his right. The three other marauders stepped out into plain view.

"Enough," Sirius said crossing his arms over his chest, "but we already knew most of it anyway. We knew you were the top student in DADA . . ."

". . . And we figured Ambrose would want you to tutor Sairina . . ." Peter continued.

" . . . Oh yea, we also knew that you were a werewolf, too," James concluded. Remus looked at them aghast.

"You guys knew?" he asked incredulously, "but . . . how? And why are you guys still hanging around me? Don't you know that I'm a terrible beast who shouldn't be trifled with?" He said the last part bitterly. The other boys just looked at him.

"Well first off," Sirius began, "there are only so many times a grandmother can die, and you exceeded that limit. Same goes for how many times your mother could be deathly ill."

"Secondly," James continued, "You would be gone one night a month and the next day. It was Peter here who finally realized that you were gone the night of the full moon."

"And thirdly," Peter began, hesitated and looked to Sirius and James, "Wait was there a thirdly?" The other boys rolled their eyes.

"The point is," James said, is that you're our mate, a fellow Marauder in arms. We can't abandon you, especially when what happened wasn't your fault." The words struck home for Remus. His parents had been telling him for years that what happened wasn't his fault, but it wasn't until he heard those words coming from a true friend that they actually had meaning.

"C'mon, Moony," Sirius said, "We have transfiguration to finish."


	6. Of Tutors and Quidditch

_Chapter 5: Of Tutors and Quidditch_

Sairina was let out of the hospital wing the following morning and made her way alone to the Great Hall for breakfast. She looked completely miserable, like death warmed over. Her robes were wrinkled and disheveled, her normally smooth black locks were askew and straying from her braid, and her eyes were red and puffy like she had been crying nonstop since the incident. She collapsed down at the Ravenclaw table and weakly piled food onto her plate. She had zoned the world out, imaging the events of the previous day.

That's why she didn't realize someone had sat down next to her and was attempting to make conversation.

"Beg pardon?" she said finally snapping back to reality. She saw that it was William Clearwater, the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain, who was attempting to engage with her.

"Are you feeling alright, Sai?" he asked gently pushing some of the hair out of her face, "I don't want my star chaser getting sick on me as practices start."

"Sorry, Iam," she murmured, "I just had a bad day yesterday, that's all. I'm just still recovering." He nodded sympathetically.

"I heard," he said patting her on the shoulder, "If you ever need to talk, you know I'm here for you. So as I was saying, practice tomorrow night at 6:45." He patted her shoulder once more before getting up to talk to some of the other players. Sairina sighed and pushed her food around her plate.

"You realize you're supposed to eat it, not play with it."

Sairina turned and saw Remus standing with his arms crossed with a smirk on his face. Sairina groaned inwardly as he sat beside her. He stared at her intently.

"If you want me to bow at your feet and worship you, Marauder, because of yesterday," she said coldly turning to glare at him, "you have got another thing coming."

"I highly doubt that, Sai," he said, "Surprisingly I'm not here to gloat in glory, but to offer you help," she looked curiously at him, "After yesterday's DADA lesson, Professor Ambrose has asked me to tutor you in the subject." She chuckled bitterly.

"So you want to essentially tell me how bad I am and prove that you are better?" she asked harshly. Amazingly he shook his head.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts is important," he explained seriously, "especially in these times of growing turmoil and the presence of Lord Voldemort, and it is important for you to know how to defend yourself. I won't always be there to protect you," he added cheekily. Sairina slapped him harshly on the arm and rolled her eyes.

"Fine," she gave in, "I'll do it. When are these lessons going to be?" Remus smiled.

"The day of the week will vary depending on our different schedules, you with your quidditch and me with my con . . . yea . . . anyways how about tomorrow night," Remus could have kicked himself. He couldn't believe that he had almost said 'his condition'; there was just something about Sairina that made him drop his defenses.

"I can't," she said, "Quidditch tomorrow. How about tonight?" Remus thought for a moment.

"I believe that will work," he said scratching the back of his head, "How about seven 'o' clock, in the DADA room."

"Sounds fine to me," Sairina replied, "See you then, Remmy." He smiled. Normally he hated when most people called him that, but again, Sairina wasn't 'most people' to him.

"Until then, Sai," he said standing up and gave a little flourished bow which made Sairina laugh and went back to the Gryffindor table.

/0/0/

"Tell me what Remus was talking to you about this morning," Lily demanded. The friends were on their way to Ancient Runes. Sairina blushed slightly and glared at Lily.

"I think you're blowing the whole thing out of proportion," she said continuing to glare at her friend. Lily laughed lightly.

"Come on, I _know_ you fancy him," Lily teased and Sairina snorted indignantly.

"If that be the case, then you do as well," Sairina retorted. The girls had decided at the start of the term that Remus was the most tolerable of the four Marauders. They each delighted in teasing the other about liking him.

"Just tell me," Lily whined.

"Alright, alright," Sairina sighed, "Remus is going to be tutoring me in DADA after my pathetic display in class yesterday," she shivered and caught Lily's knowing gaze, "No; it wasn't by my choice or his. Professor Ambrose asked him to do it." The girls entered the Ancient Runes classroom and set their books down at their usual table and sat down.

"You know," Lily said haughtily, "you are going to savor every moment of that tutoring session." Sairina rolled her eyes and let out another unladylike snort.

"I'm sure," she replied sarcastically.

/0/0/

"Why were you talking to Telcontar this morning?" James demanded glaring at the mild mannered Marauder. Remus shrugged and Sirius snorted.

"Oh don't give us that innocent act, we know you're up to something," Sirius scoffed. The four boys were on their way to Divination as the interrogation went on.

"I'll bet he fancies her," Peter giggled in a nasally tone. Remus glared at him and his normally alabaster cheeks became tinted with pink.

"I don't believe it," James said wide-eyed while Sirius clapped Remus on the shoulder.

"Our little Lupin is growing up," Sirius exclaimed wiping an imaginary tear from his eye, "Just let me know if you need any tips, if you know what I mean."

"Oh lay off, will you?" Remus growled, "It's none of your business if I fancy her or not. If I did, and I'm not saying I do, I would certainly not ask for advice from any of you."

"What do you mean by that?" James asked, hurt by his friend's response.

"Look at you!" Remus exclaimed, "You _torment_ the girl you claim to love, and Sirius flirts with anything that walks on two legs and possesses the ability to talk! Peter can't even speak when there is a girl within ten feet of him! No, if I did like Sai, I would woo her in my own way without help from any of you!" Remus had worked himself up so much that he was gasping for air like he had just run a marathon. The others gave him dumbfounded looks.

"Wow, Remus," James said trailing off; there was true hurt in his voice. Remus sighed deeply and rubbed his temples.

"Look, mates," he said softly, "I'm sorry. It's just that . . ." he lowered his voice, "the full moon is coming up in a few days, and I just tend to get a little . . . irritable. I didn't mean it," his friends nodded sympathetically, "And the reason why I was talking to Sai this morning was because Professor Ambrose asked me to tutor her in DADA after her incident in class yesterday, remember? You know that she is really struggling with the basics." Again his friends nodded and they continued to amble slowly towards the silver ladder that would lead them up to the Divination classroom.

/0/0/

The day went too quickly for Sairina. Way too quickly. Before she knew it, it was six fifty-five and she was leaving the comfort of the Ravenclaw common room and making her way towards the defense classroom. Upon arriving she saw that she had beat Remus there and flopped down at a desk in a lazy manner. Letting out a tired sigh she swung her feet up onto the tabletop in front of the bench she was seated at.

"Comfortable, are we?" a familiar voice said from the doorway. Sairina turned and glared at the speaker.

"Ha, ha, ha, you're a riot Remmy," Sairina said lowering her feet to stand and face him. As she did so, she noticed that his normally neat appearance was slightly disheveled. He no longer wore the required knit vest, his white shirt was untucked with the top two buttons undone and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, his tie laid still around his neck but completely undone and hung like a limp noodle, and he had his outer black robed laid over his forearm. To sum it up, he looked ruggedly handsome to Sairina.

_I did **not** just think that,_ she thought and scolded herself, _He is your tutor and a Marauder to boot. Do not think of him as anything desirable._

/0/0/

When Remus had entered the room he was greeted with the sight of Sairina lounging at a desk with her feet up on the table top. Her slender, well-defined legs were exposed up to the point where her skirt fell and practically glowed in the soft candle light, her midnight hair which was normally tied up in a tight bun was free and flowed down her shoulders, her uniform wasn't as messy as his, but she wasn't wearing the usual vest, and her tie was loosened and hung down slightly from its usual position. All in all, she looked ravishingly beautiful to Remus.

Then he just had to ruin the moment.

"Comfortable, are we?" he asked smugly and she turned to face him

"Ha, ha, ha, you're a riot Remmy," she said standing up and facing him, "Shall we begin?" He nodded and motioned for Sairina to sit back down. She did and Remus pulled up another chair and sat across the table from her.

"Let's start by having you tell me what you are having trouble with," he said looking her dead square in the eyes.

"Everything DADA related," Sairina replied sarcastically. Remus rolled his eyes.

"You have to be willing to learn, Sai," he said seriously, "or I can't teach you." He started to stand to go, but Sairina caught his arm.

"I'm sorry," she said and Remus sat back down and waited for her answer. "It's just that . . . how to explain . . . you know I come from a non wizarding family right?" Remus nodded, "And that I'm originally not from these parts, right?" Again, Remus nodded, "Well, where I come from, the only evil can be found in the corrupted hearts of men. There are no creatures whose sole purpose is to cause turmoil and grief. I know you might think that living in a non wizarding community, there would be no such creatures lest the muggle world find out about magic, but where I come from is . . . different.

"At one point, there were creatures who sought to destroy the community that I live in now. They were evil beings through and through, but some how, the people beat their kind down and defeated them. This all happened before I was born, and the few creatures that were left went into hiding or have been hunted down. So really, what I'm trying to say is, I don't understand how something can be born evil. The only evil I know has been caused by corruption or greed or some other vice. I try to see the good in everything, and I can't imagine something being completely evil by nature." Remus seemed to let out a sigh of relief.

"Sai, there is nothing wrong with wanting to see the good in everything," Remus said smiling, "but you need to accept the idea that there are some things that are purely evil. I don't think I've ever heard of a battle like that in a muggle community with magical creatures . . . where did you say it was again?" He knew from the other day that the answer was Middle-Earth. Where or what it was, he didn't know. He was trying to catch Sairina in a lie.

"I didn't," Sairina said quickly covering her near slip of something of her true self, "and besides it's nothing of consequence. The battle is done and over. We're here to improve my defense skills." Remus nodded, unsure of why she was trying to hide who she is.

"Right, then," he said standing up and motioning for Sairina to follow, "how about we start with the simple knockback jinx. Now follow my movements." With a sharp sweeping motion Reums shouted, "_Flipendo!_" The chair he was aiming at was knocked back several feet. He looked at Sairina, "It's similar to the levitating spell in technique, but it helps if you think about throwing something across the room. You give it a try."

Sairina stepped forward and raised her wand. Taking a deep breath she copied Remus' movement and shouted, "_Flipendo!_" Not surprisingly to her, but apparently to Remus, the chair she was aiming for didn't budge. She let out a frustrated sigh and turned to him. He smiled weakly and urged her to try again. She did, and again the chair remained in its original spot.

"Try doing the movement like this," Remus said and demonstrated once more the proper wand movements, and Sairina copied, "Almost, but here, I see what you are doing wrong." He set his wand on a table and stood behind Sairina. Gently placing one hand on her waist and grasping the wrist of her wand arm with the other, he guided her through the movements.

"Your movements were far too angular," he murmured into her ear and continued to guide her arm, "They need to be sharp yet sweeping." He took a step back, "Now give it a try."

"_Flipendo!_" Sairina shouted and to her surprise the chair moved . . . about an inch. She smiled weakly, "Sadly, that is the most damage I have ever done with this spell . . . ever." This cause Remus to laugh heartily, and his laugh was rusty and deep, like fallen leaves being blown in an autumn breeze.

"Try putting a little more emotion behind it, Sai," Remus said, "Pretend that it's Sirius and he just made a major pass at you." A vindictive smile spread across her face as she raised her wand.

"_Flipendo!_" she roared and the chair went sailing across the room and crashed into the far wall shattering into hundreds of pieces. This caused Remus to laugh even harder.

"I'll have to remind him to never hit on you," he said between laughs. Once his laughter subsided he had Sairina continue to practice the spell, and she improved each time. Finally, he looked at his watch, "Amazing, it's eight already. I think that's enough for one night; when would you like for the next lesson to be?"

"I'll have to check with Iam about our practice schedule," Sairina said, "but I was thinking maybe the same time next week." Remus nodded as the two students walked towards the door, "I suppose I should thank you, Remmy, for doing this." She was thankful the light was dim because she could feel a blush rising to her cheeks, "Thanks."

"It's not a problem at all, really," he said and flashed a smile that could only be described as wolfish, "Would you like me to escort you back to your common room?" Sairina looked taken aback and floundered for an answer.

"Um . . . uh . . . thank you, but no," she said finally, "I believe that I can make it back on my own. Good night, Remus." She turned sharply and walked down the hall, her footsteps resounding in the silence. Remus sighed dreamily, and then cursed himself. She had called him 'Remus', not 'Remmy' like she had done moments before.

_One step forward, and two steps back, genius,_ he thought bitterly before going in the direction of the Gryffindor common room.

/0/0/

Time flew by quickly for the students of Hogwarts. Autumn got a frigid nip in the air, but the castle stayed warm and inviting. The air was also charged with excitement because it was a beautiful Saturday, and it was the day of the first Quidditch match, Ravenclaw versus Slytherin. Sairina sat at her house table with the rest of her team, her stomach was tied into knots. Not only was she going to be play the single most aggressive team in the school, her parents and several other high ranking lords and ladies would be coming to watch.

She had a feeling that if her parents had any say whatsoever, she wouldn't be playing Quidditch after today.

The support from the other houses was tremendous. Both Gryffindor and Hufflepuff abandoned their normal house colors for Ravenclaw's blue and white. It warmed Sairina's heart, but did little to ease the glares coming from the Slytherin table. During the past few weeks, there were several attempts to injure the players on the Ravenclaw team. No attempt was successful, and it only resulted in several detentions and about 250 points lost from Slytherin's total house points.

Sairina stared at her plate and pushed her food around aimlessly. She couldn't eat a thing because her stomach was so tight. She sighed and pushed her plate aside.

"What's wrong, Telcontar?" Iam asked worriedly in full Quidditch mode, "You need to eat so you'll have strength to play." He pushed her plate back towards her. She pushed it away again.

"I'll be fine," she assured him and stretched. She then felt someone tap her lightly on her shoulder.

"Miss Telcontar, we need to have a word," she turned and saw Professor Dumbledore behind her. She smiled, bid her teammates farewell, and left with the professor. They carefully made their way up to the eighth floor corridor and to the large mirror at the end of it; there Sairina said the password and the mirror opened up revealing a large number of people waiting in her room. Her father and mother were the first to step through, then the Trastahíl (to Sairina's great dismay), then Legolas and Gimli, and finally an assortment of nobles, lords, and ladies.

Sairina groaned inwardly when she saw that Lord Gange was among the number attending the match. Sairina and he had a mutual hate-hate relationship. He didn't like the fact that she was a witch and the thought that she hadn't fulfilled her "princessly" duties by marrying some lord's son and bearing him many heirs. He did not like the idea of a woman possessing knowledge to any extent. She though he was a stupid, old-fashioned git. So it surprised her greatly to see that he was there.

In all honesty, he scared her slightly. He always seemed to be brooding and his slightly tanned complexion was always clouded over with thought. Her dark eyes seemed to follow her every move, and he seemed to stick to the shadows when he walked about the tower. Shrugging the sinking feeling off she tuned in to what her father and Dumbledore were talking about.

"How is _it_?" her father asked lowly. Sairina knew what _it_ was. It was the _palantír,_ the seeing stone that was hidden here. She knew her father had been worrying about it as of late.

"It's safe and sound," Dumbledore reassured him with a pat on the shoulder. It was then that Sairina noticed a smile spread across Lord Gange's face. She knew he was up to something.

"You had best be going to get ready," Dumbledore said shattering Sairina's thoughts. She nodded quickly and bid her mother and father good-bye before heading out to the Quidditch pitch.

/0/0/

Sairina was sitting in the Ravenclaw locker room with the rest of her teammates. Iam had just finished his usual pep talk and last minute planning. The sat and listened to the hundreds of feet above them pounding as students filled the stands. Calm had settled over Sairina, she just wanted to play.

"Let's go," Iam said finally picking up his broom. The rest of the team followed his movements and filed out of the locker room. They made their way to the opening to the field and listened as the announcer did his introduction.

"Welcome, ladies, gentlemen, professors, and students," his voice roared over the crowd, "This is Samuel Jordan, and I'll be your announcer for a seventh and final year . . . we've had some good times haven't we Professor McGonagall?"

"Just announce the players already," she growled and Jordan laughed.

"Always straight to the point," he said, "Anyways . . . Today's exciting match is between Ravenclaw and Slytherin! Let's bring them out! For Slytherin playing today are Goyle, Crabbe, McDuff, Cobb, Malfoy, Hampton, and Flint!" The Slytherin team flew out to some cheer from their own house, but a loud boo from the rest of the school.

"And playing for Ravenclaw today are Baine, Dunham, Winterton, Telcontar, Flaherty, Rye, and Clearwater!" The crowd roared as the seven teens from Ravenclaw flew from their holding area and did a few laps around the field. The steady chant of 'Ravenclaw' echoed and pounded in Sairina's ears. She loved every moment of Quidditch.

After their brief warm-up laps both teams were on the ground in the middle of the pitch. Iam and Gregory Flint were standing by Madame Hooch. Iam stuck out his hand.

"I want a fair and clean game from both teams," she said harshly glaring at both of the boys, Flint still unwilling to shake Iam's hand.

"Oh, c'mon Flint," Sam Jordan wailed into the magic megaphone, "What are you afraid of?" They shook and everyone mounted their brooms. Madame Hooch blew her whistle and the teams kicked off as the balls were released, "Let the game begin!" Jordan shouted.

"Ravenclaw takes first possession of the quaffle in this game," Sam's commentary rattled on, "Baine to Dunham back to Baine. Excellent dodge from that bludger by Baine . . . stupid Slytherin beater . . . Baine to Telcontar . . . Telcontar to Dunham . . . SCORE!" The crowd burst into cheers as Rick Dunham scored the first goal. Iam swooped down from his seeker position and quickly shouted some instructions for defense and went back to looking for the snitch.

"And Slytherin is in possession . . . Cobb to Hampton . . . Hampton to . . . INTERCEPTION by the tantalizing Telcontar! She is tearing down to field with no one in her way. OH! That was a close dodge form that bludger she shoots . . . GOAL BY TELCONTAR! The score is twenty to zero with Ravenclaw setting up for a good lead."

Sairina began to move into position when she felt a harsh shove that sent her spinning.

"FOUL!" roared Madame Hooch and the crowd booed the Slytherin.

"A disgusting display on the part of Skyler Cobb, you stupid prat," Professor McGonagall made a grab for the megaphone, but Sam easily dodged, "Score! The score is now thirty to zero."

The game toiled on for a long time, and with the more time that passed it was apparent that the Slytherins were getting desperate. Their offense was nonexistent while Ravenclaw had an amazing defense backed up by an equally strong offense. Before Slytherin realized it the score quickly climbed to 90 to 0.

That was when the game really took a turn for the worse.

The fouls on the Ravenclaw chasers kept coming, many of them were aimed at the youngest and only female member of the team, Sairina. Little did the Slytherins realize, that by giving her the chance to shoot, they were only sealing their fate.

"Another penalty shot for the sweet Sairina," Sam said, "That's something like her tenth one today. I really think that some of the bastards need to just be thrown out of the game," he danced around Professor McGonagall's grasp, "Sorry Professor, it won't happen again I swear . . ."

"Sairina scores and the score is now 150 to 0 Ravenclaw beating the Slytherin team completely senseless. Slytherin has possession, and Cobb is flying down the field like a madman . . . Ouch . . . only to run head-on into a bludger. Stupid git . . . Ravenclaw is in possession Baine to Telcontar . . . LOOK OUT!" A familiar whoosh sound ripped though the air. Sairina turned just in time to see Rick Dunham and Adrian Baine get knocked off their brooms by the bludgers.

Iam was beginning to call for a time out when both he and Gregory Flint began to dive for the snitch, with Flint in the lead.

"This looks like trouble for Ravenclaw," Sam began rattling, "if Flint captures the snitch the score will be tied and in that case the team who catches the snitch will . . . what is she doing?" Everybody tore their eyes away from the chase for the snitch and saw Sairina streaking for the goals while Slytherin was distracted.

"GO SAIRINA GO!" Sam roared. Sairina tried to flatten herself against the broom as much as possible and she urged her broom to go faster.

"Amazing," Sam said astonished, "A barrel roll to dodge the bludgers, there is nothing in her way now!" There was a tense moment as Sairina faked left and shot right, "She shoots . . ." the crowd held its breath as they watched the red ball sail through the golden hoop.

"GOAL!" Sam shouted as Flint held up the snitch victoriously, "Flint's caught the snitch which gives Slytherin 150 points, but Telcontar's daring last minute goal makes Ravenclaw the victors! RAVENCLAW WINS 160 TO 150! That ladies and gentlemen is how you play the game!" The crowd was on its feet cheering, a particularly loud roar from the Ravenclaw section.

Adrian and Rick were on their feet cheering and were joined by the rest of the team. Sairina began to fly over towards their end of the field.

"Oh my God, LOOK OUT!" Sam yelled into the megaphone, but it was too late. One of the Slytherin beaters, by the surname Goyle, feeling that they were cheated had hit a bludger at Sairina. It knocked her square in the back, at about the point where the base of theneck meets the back. She fell forward like a limp doll and tumbled from her broom. Iam did a quick running kick off and caught his teammate in midair. She was out cold and taking shallow breaths.

"You bloody bastard . . ." Sam roared along with lines of more colorful obscenities. None of the teachers took notice because they were storming the field. Iam, with Sairina cradled carefully in his arms took off in the direction of the castle. The other Ravenclaw team members quickly kicked off and followed him.

Iam tore through the hallways on his broomstick and quickly made it to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey was at first outraged that he would fly into her domain, but saw Sairina and quickly changed her tune.

"Tell me what happened now," she demanded and motioned for Iam to put her on a bed. He laid her down carefully.

"Bludger to the base of the neck at a terrific speed," he ran his hand through his hair worriedly, "Is she going to be alright?" Madame Pomfrey was quickly muttering spells and aiming them all at Sairina's now bruised and swollen neck and at her head. Her breathing was becoming more normal, and she looked as if she were merely sleeping.

"Yes," she said shrewdly, "I think Miss Telcontar will be fine. You brought her to me quick enough so I don't think there will be any lasting damage." She began going though bottles in a cabinet and pulled out several, "Although she will have one terrible headache when she wakes up." It was at this point that the rest of the Ravenclaw team trouped in followed by several professors and a few adults no one had ever seen before.

A woman, who bore a striking resemblance to Sairina, but with a slightly swollen belly, let out a strangled sob and rushed over to the bed where she lay. At her side was a tall man whose dark hair was flecked with gray. The members of the Ravenclaw team quickly realized that these had to beSairina's parents. Iam was about to say something to them when he felt a firm grasp on his shoulder; it was Professor Dumbledore. He shook his head silently and motioned for the students to leave. Begrudgingly they obliged to his request.

When they stepped out into the hall, broomsticks slung over their shoulders, they saw a good number of students in the hall representing the houses of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Iam recognized the members of the houses Quidditch teams immediately plus the little red haired Gryffindor Sairina always hung out with. Ciaran Griffith, the seventh year captain of the Gryffindor team stepped forward.

"Will she be alright, Iam?" he asked tightly clasping a hand on Iam's shoulder. He nodded.

"Madame Pomfrey thinks she'll be fine and that there will be no permanent damage," he said wearily. Kiefer Roderick, the stocky Hufflepuff captain, stepped forward with his hand outstretched.

"That was rotten what that stupid Slytherin did," he said as he shook Iam's hand, "It was low down and deceitful, and he got his just deserts with his punishment." This caught the attention of the Ravenclaw teammates.

"What was his punishment?" Adrian inquired. A sly smirk spread across Kiefer's round face, lighting up his eyes.

"He's been banned from Quidditch for the rest of the year," Kiefer elaborated, "Plus three months worth of detentions. Apparently Telcontar's parents were in the crowd today, and from what I heard they're well-to-do and very influential people." There were murmurs of agreement from all the players.

"After you guys flew off," Ciaran continued, "The whole lot that just entered the room now stormed down from their seats and though you couldn't hear what her father was saying to Dumbledore, but it was apparent he was livid. He said something to Goyle before storming off with Dumbledore," he shrugged, "I think he might have threatened to kill him, but it might have justbeen a hallow threat."

"I can guarantee you, _hini_, that my father's threats are anything but hallow," a level voice said from the end of the hall. The three teams turned and looked to see four boys strutting down the hall with a tall dark haired boy of about fifteen leading the pack. He spoke again.

"I dare say that my father values the life of his children more than his own," the lead boy continued loftily as the pack passed the three teams, "He is willing to do_ anything_ to ensureour safety, especially the safety of his daughters." The other three boys entered the resting room where Sairina was and the dark haired boy paused and looked at the waiting group, "Good day to you all gentlemen," he looked squarely at Lily and nodded, "_Hiril nin._"

"_Hir nin_," she responded back with a slight nod. The boy vanished into the room and the door shut with a snap. Everyone in the hall looked at Lily curiously, and Iam opened his mouth to ask something, but once more the door to the infirmary opened and the various people who paraded in, now paraded out, including the four teenage boys. Dumbledore took note of the crowd instantly.

"It is good to see the houses concerned about one another," he said with an air of mirth, "You'll be glad to know that Miss Telcontar is awake and she will make a full recovery," he turned to Iam, "Your team may go in and see her, but keep the noise level down. Miss Evans, you may go in as well." The allowed students practically ran into the infirmary which caused Dumbledore to smirk before he led Sairina's family and other people away.

While many of the other students who were gathered made their ways back to their common rooms, James Potter was content to stare after the troupe. It seemed odd to him that they were all dressed as if they were living in the muggle Middle Ages, and that no one else had noticed.

/0/0/

_It was here. Where else could it have been? The king was indeed intelligent, pretending to have Legolas and Gimli hide it somewhere in Middle Earth but really hiding it in his daughter's school. The mirror her frightful witch of a great-grandmother gave her was really a portal that led to a place that only she and the headmaster of the school could open. It was simply genius._

_Where are you master? Guide me with your will, where have they hidden you?_

The servant waited for an answer, but nothing came. Giving up the servant followed the crowd in front of him mindlessly.

_**Room . . . of . . . Re . . . quir . . . ment**_

An evil smile spread across his face. His master was alive, and he knew now where his master was hidden.

With an uncharacteristic spring in his step Lord Gange passed through the mirror portal with the rest of the lords and ladies.


	7. Visions

_Chapter 6: Visions_

The young princess let out a loud groan. She had been imprisoned in the Hospital Wing for over a week and was beginning to go stir-crazy. She wanted to get up, walk around the room, go to class, and do anything that didn't require her to lie in a bed. Her only saving grace was that Lily would visit often and bring Sairina's missed homework to her. During this time the two girls would chat and visit with one another and discuss their least favorite people.

"The Marauders have been nothing but trouble since the match," Lily sighed tiredly, "They are constantly pranking the Slytherins, that beater in particular too, Goyle I think it is." Sairina laughed dryly.

"I know," she said, "He got sent here the other day and refused to even acknowledge my presence." Sairina closed her Transfiguration book and rolled up her essay, "Did you get my Divination work?" Lily smacked her forehead comically.

"I completely forgot," she gasped, "That's one class I didn't take and you did, so I never see the teacher, so I didn't get the assignments. Who teaches that class again, she's new right?" Sairina smirked as she added her transfiguration book to the pile on the bedside table.

"Professor Rumer," Sairina said, "She's a bit out there really." A laugh sounded from the infirmary door.

"That has got to be the understatement of the century," Remus said as he entered the room and made his way over to the two girls. He looked strangely tired, more so than usual, his eyes were slightly blood-shot and the blue of the iris was rimed with a faint amber color, and his skin was ghostly pale. He handed Sairina a roll of parchment.

"The daft woman asked me to bring this to you," he explained, "She was saying something about how our stars are crossed and that the spirits tell her that we are destined to be. I truly believe that the woman is mad if she is hearing 'spirits'." This got the two girls to laugh lightly.

"I swear that class is complete crackpot," Lily said and Sairina gave her a harsh glare.

"I don't think it is," she said defensively, "I'll admit that the professor is a bit . . . eccentric, but need I remind you Lillian that I come from a long line of seers and people who possess the gift of foresight." Lily nodded and mumbled and apology and Remus gave her an incredulous look.

"You do?" he asked crossing his arms. When she nodded Remus replied with, "That's interesting. Perhaps you can help me with my Divination homework sometime," He let out a brief sigh.

"Is something wrong?" Lily asked, "I would have guessed that any other Marauder would have just come in here, given Sai her homework and left." Remus shrugged and looked at the floor.

"I was actually wondering if Sairina would . . ." he began, but never got the chance to finish because Madame Pomfrey chose that moment to bustle in.

"You're early Mr. Lupin," she said curiously, "Are you not feeling well this time?" Remus once again shrugged and Madame Pomfrey stole him away from the two girls and he began to talk to her in hushed tones.

"I wonder what that is all about," Lily asked turning to her friend, "What do you think she meant by 'this time'?" Sairina stared after the two and watched as Remus begrudgingly clamored into a bed and Madame Pomfrey drew the curtain shut around his bed.

"I would love to tell you, if I only knew," she said in a somewhat dreamy whisper as Madame Pomfery came back to check on Sairina.

"One more night," she said after checking up on Sairina, "Then you may go. Head injuries are tricky my dear, I just want to make sure that there will be no relapse." Sairina nodded and Madame Pomfrey turned to go.

"Madame," she turned and looked at Sairina who lowered her voice, "What's wrong with Remus?" Madame Pomfrey not only looked taken aback but nervous as well.

"He has a weak immune system," she said quickly, "He's always getting sick." There was a low groan from behind his curtain. "I need to go check on him."

/0/0/

_She did not just say that. She did NOT just say THAT!_ Remus thought angrily, _Great! Now Sai is going to think that I'm weak!_ He let out a low groan of frustration and slammed a pillow over his head. His hopes of death by suffocation were dashed, however, when Madame Pomfrey snatched the pillow away. He would just have to deal with death by embarrassment.

/0/0/

The day wore on from mid-day to late afternoon. The sun was sinking into the west in hues of gold, orange, and red. Sairina was busily doing her Divination homework and singing a simple tune she had learned from one of the hobbits softly.

_What can you see_

_On the horizon?_

_Why do the white gulls call?_

_Across the sea_

_A pale moon rises._

_The ships have come_

_To carry you home . . ._

Her tune was interrupted when Madame Pomfrey and someone wrapped in a large black cloak raced out of the room. Curious, Sairina stood to follow, but got no further than the infirmary door. She was stopped by Professor Dumbledore.

"I do believe that Madame Pomfrey said one more night, Miss Telcontar," he said cocking an eyebrow at her (how he knew that, she had no clue). Sairina stared intently at the retreating backs of Madame Pomfrey and the mystery person. The headmaster's gaze followed hers and he sighed deeply.

"There are some things that you need not concern yourself with, my dear," He said and led her back to her bed, "There are many things that go 'bump' in the night . . ."

/0/0/

Sairina fought to keep her eyes open, but it was a losing battle. It wasn't even that late yet. The sun just set, leaving the twilight to reign in watery blues, soft violets, and inviting blacks. The beams of the full moon shone in through the infirmary window giving the room an ethereal glow.

Sairina always loved the full moon. She supposed it had something to do with her elf heritage. Her mother always said that the elves were the most in tune with the forces of the earth during the full moon. Ever since she was a child, Sairina had felt the pull and the need to be outside during this one night a month. But now, something else was taking over, her vision began to cloud and fade into blackness.

Sairina suddenly found herself in a rickety old house that seemed to bend with the wind like a tree. It looked as if it could tip over at any moment. She explored the small room she was in, but moved into the hall. She noted a window high up that was partially boarded up. In the small portion that was open all she could see were clouds, which slowly parted exposing the light of the full moon.

Pain suddenly wracked her body. She doubled over and fell to the floor and writhed on the ground. She could feel her body changing, the pain was intense as muscles shifted and lengthened, organs shifted as well, her face surged with pain as she developed a muzzle. Her spine cracked as it lengthened and her skin prickled as silvery fur sprouted over every inch of her.

During all of this she was crying and screaming. She screamed for all she was worth. The anguish of transforming, the desire to be normal, the maddening lust for blood, the pain of being alienated, and the torment of having to hide from the world all welled up and escaped through a shriek that changed into a wolfish howl. Suddenly Sairina could feel herself being thrown from the wolf's body. She looked at the creature from the outside perspective.

The wolf was enormous, covered in a silver-gray fur. His muscles were lean and taught, ready to pounce should the need arise for it to kill. Its amber eyes burned fiercely, and it growled fiercely baring its white teeth. Sairina wasn't sure if the beast could actually see her, but the way it licked it chops was unnerving.

But even as she stood outside and stared at its physical form, she could still feel the emotions from before. The pain, torment, anguish, lust, and desires coursed through Sairina's veins. The emotions were definitely human, and did not belong to this creature alone. The frustrated and confusing emotions came to a head, and both Sairina and the wolf let out a blood-curdling shriek.

Then the world went black once more.

She sat up with a jolt. Cold sweat covered every inch of her body, and she was still screaming out in pain and shock. She was back in the infirmary with Madame Ponfrey at her side.

_It was a vision,_ she kept telling herself, _Only a vision. That pain . . . it felt so real, so human. But how can a wolf feel like that._ Suddenly it dawned upon her. _The person in the cloak . . . there is a werewolf at Hogwarts._

/0/0/

Despite Madame Pomfrey's new protests, Sairina did leave the hospital wing the next day. As she entered the Great Hall for breakfast she was received with warm greetings and well wishes from most of the students. She smiled and to the students she seemed to handle everything with a diplomatic, and almost regal, composure.

After eating a light breakfast (she still felt somewhat nauseated from the vision she had last night) she made her way to defense class. Claiming her usual seat by Lily she waited for Professor Ambrose to begin.

"Today class we will be discussing about dealings with Red Caps," and thus Sairina toiled through the lesson doing fairly well considering her handicap in the subject. The class ended after what seemed to be an eternity and Sairina packed up her books. The sound of someone clearing their throat distracted her.

"By chance are you busy tonight?" Remus asked kindly and Sairina shook her head, "Then we can have another tutoring session if it's alright with you."

"Sure, Remus," she said smiling, "What are we going to be doing?" Remus thought for a moment.

"I was thinking about reviewing some of the previous things we have gone over both in our session and in class," Remus reasoned, "And then I was thinking about going over the stunning spell."

"Do I have to bring my own target?" Sairina quipped lightly and Remus laughed.

"Actually, no, I will be providing a target for you, that is if one of them will agree . . ." he drifted off and cast a wary glance at his fellow troublemakers causing Sairina to laugh. Agreeing to the same time and place as all their other lessons Sairina left with Lily who was headed towards the library and Remus joined his friends.

"So have you asked her to Hogsmeade yet?" Sirius quipped playfully. Remus rolled his eyes.

"I really wish you would stop living in denial, Moony," James said running a hand through his messy black hair, causing several groups of girls to sigh dreamily, "It is so obvious that you like the girl. If you need help all you have to do is ask." Remus stopped suddenly and a mischievous smile spread across his face.

"Actually," Remus began, "I could use some help with something." James could tell that his normally silent friend was crafting a devious plan behind his cool exterior; unfortunately the other two were completely oblivious.

"Anything so you can at least get a girl, mate," Sirius said. Again Remus smiled, almost evilly.

"Tonight, seven 'o' clock, in the defense room," Remus said before heading towards Gryffindor tower.

/0/0/

Once again, seven 'o' clock rolled around and Sairina found herself seated in the DADA room waiting for her tutor. Since their first meeting, Sairina had mastered many of the basic attack and defense spells. Only last week had she finally gotten the shielding spell right, and Remus seemed to think that she was progressing along nicely in attack and defense.

She had also accepted the fact that some things in the world were meant to be evil, and she had learned to deal with many weaker dark creatures. She was still, however, terrified of facing the boggart again, and thankfully for her, Remus wasn't pushing her into an uncomfortable situation. He had told her during their fifth session that when she felt that she was ready, she could try to face the boggart again.

The door opened and Sairina could tell that two people entered the room, and to be honest she was impressed. She didn't actually think that he could get one of his friends to play the part of target willingly . . .

"Hey there darling how are you tonight?" the slick voice of Sirius asked her flirtatiously and she rolled her eyes. This tutoring session was going to be interesting to say the least.

"Absolutely perfect," Sairina replied sarcastically causing Remus to chuckle softly.

"Right," said her tutor seriously, "Now Sirius has offered to help with tonight's lesson on the stunning spell." The dark haired boy's eyes went wide.

"Hold on there a moment Remus," he protested, "You never said anything about . . ."

"_Stupefy,_" Remus shouted. A red beam shot out of his wand, knocking Sirius square in the chest, and he fell to the floor. Remus turned to Sairina, "As you can see it is a sharp movement, very much like a thrust," he cast a look at her bemused expression, "I probably should have put pillows down." He looked at his stunned friend and chuckled softly.

"Nah," Sairina said, "he's a beater; he can handle falling on the floor." Remus smiled.

"Not to mention he has got the hardest head in the world," Remus laughed causing Sairina to laugh along, "Anyway, the spell to un-stun him uses a circular motion with a bit of a thrust," he pointed his wand at his friend, "Be sure to pronounce it correctly. _Ennervate!_" Sirius sat up with a jolt and glared at his friend

"YOU did NOT tell ME that you were teaching her the STUNNING SPELL!" he shouted exasperatedly and started to stand. Remus looked to Sairina.

"Give it a try," he said gently. Sairina lifted her silvery wand.

"_Stupefy,"_ she said copying Remus' movements perfectly.

"_Protego_," Sirius growled the shielding spell and the red beam from Sairina's wand bounced off harmlessly, "I am NOT going to be your test hinkypuff!" Remus sighed heavily.

"I was hoping you wouldn't do this the hard way, Sirius," Remus groaned and raised his wand again, "_Expelliarmus!_" Sirius' wand flew from his hand and Remus caught it easily, "Now try, Sai." Sirius gulped.

"_Stupefy_," she said and a red beam shot from the tip of her wand. Once again Sirius was on the floor out cold. Sairina turned to Remus, "I think I'm getting the hang of this defense stuff." Remus smiled, "I suppose I should undo the spell now." Sairina raised her wand, but Remus stopped her.

"There are a few things I . . . erm . . . wanted to talk about," Remus said shyly, "This weekend is the first Hogsmeade weekend, and I was wondering if you would . . . um . . . like to walk around together for a bit?" Once again a flush rose to Remus' cheeks and he silently cursed himself.

Sairina on the other hand was having an internal battle.

_He is practically asking to court you without your father's permission! What would the people at court say if they knew that the king's daughter, the last link to magic in their world was out gallivanting with boys without her father's permission! It would be a scandal in the courts of Minas Tirith!_

But I'm not in the courts of Minas Tirith now, am I . . . ?

The logic made sense. What her parents didn't know wouldn't hurt them. Plus she didn't see anything really wrong with Remus in the first place, other than the fact that he was a Marauder. Then again . . . he is considered to be the mild mannered Marauder, a gentleman at best . . .

"Perhaps for a little while," Sairina said finally, "Just so long as you don't bring any of them with you." She jerked her thumb towards Sirius causing her companion to chuckle.

"I'll do my best to keep them away," he said, "You can go ahead and wake him up now." Sairina did the spell several times before Sirius sat up. He promptly leapt up, grabbed his wand and stormed from the room leaving Sairina and Remus laughing in his wake.

The two students continued to review spells for the next hour until the school's bells chimed that it was eight thirty.

"You've made wonderful progress, Sai," Remus said proudly causing his companion to blush slightly.

"I've had a great tutor," she replied and they walked to the door, "Remmy, would you mind walking with me back to the Ravenclaw house? I'm a little wary of traveling the halls alone after the Quidditch match." Remus smiled brightly.

"Not a problem at all," he replied and the two teens ambled slowly down the hallways in the direction of the Ravenclaw common room. They talked quietly about insignificant things during their trip, and upon their arrival Sairina looked ready to burst out something.

"Is what Madame Pomfrey said true?" she blurted, "Do you really get sick that often?" Remus refused to make eye contact with her nodded, "Hold on for one second." She mumbled the password and the statue guarding the entrance leapt aside and Sairina vanished. She returned a few moments later holding a large handmade parchment envelope.

"This should help," she said handing the envelope to Remus. He turned it over and studied it. It was sealed with wax that had an emblem of a tree surrounded by seven stars.

"What is it?" he asked ready to break the seal, but Sairina quickly took his hands and stopped him.

"It is leaves from a plant of my native land," Sairina explained, "It is called Athelas. Where I come from, this leaf is used in the tending of wounds and other ills that can befall a person. When you are feeling ill, crush or bruise the leaves and the scent produced by that alone will help many ills, especially if it is just a cough or head ache.

"If that is not enough, take the bruised or crushed leaves and put them in boiling water. After letting them sit in the water for a few moments take a clean bit of cloth and soak it in the water. Use the cloth to wipe your face or lay it flat on your chest, and that helps also if you feel weak with sickness." Remus looked at her in amazement.

"I've never heard of any plant that had that much healing power," he murmured turning the parchment envelope over in his hand.

"It's a home remedy of my father's so to speak," _The hands of the king are the hands of a healer _she added to herself. Remus took a deep breath.

"Wow," her murmured sniffing the envelope, "it smells so fresh, like the earth after it rains. Thank you, Sai, this means a lot to me." He awkwardly gave her a hug and made his way down the hallway towards Gryffindor tower. Sairina smiled to herself before vanishing once more into the Ravenclaw common room.


	8. Hogsmeade

_Chapter 8: Hogsmeade_

The rest of the week dragged on miserably for the students of Hogwarts. The teachers assigned homework, on top of essays, on top of class projects. The students were looking for a break, and the third years in particular were anticipating their first trip to Hogsmeade. Sairina was beyond excited. Because of her status in her own home realm, she was only allowed to visit the upper circles of the city and the shops there, and that was only with a chaperone. Now she was getting to visit a place where her identity was unknown and she could walk freely as she saw fit. The only other time she had felt this excited sense of freedom was when she visited Diagon Alley.

Lily stood by Sairina's side as they waited in line for Filtch to take their permission slips. They chatted about what they would do and where they would go, just simple mundane things. Lily looked at the sky warily. Thick gray clouds covered the normally blue sky and they were threatening to open at any moment.

"Do you think it's going to rain?" Lily asked bored. Thunder rumbled dully in the distance. Sairina cast Lily a bemused look.

"Probably," she said and handed Filtch her paper and Lily did the same. They filed after the other students and found an empty carriage and climbed in. Lily wrapped her black cloak around her tighter. Both the girls were in muggle dress but wore their wizard cloaks. Lily wore the standard black cloak with silver fastening that all students wore when the weather turned cold; Sairina, on the other hand, opted for her deep midnight blue cloak which was trimmed with little silver stitched stars and silver fastenings. Her mother had given it to her for her last birthday.

The carriage moved forward with a lurch and the girls continued to talk.

"Where are you going to meet Remus?" Lily asked lightly, Sairina sighed.

"I had forgotten about that," she groaned, "I don't know what I was thinking when I said yes. This is probably some prank of theirs," she rubbed her temples, "All he said yesterday was that he would find me." Lily patted her friend on the shoulder.

"Remember," Lily reminded, "It's for today only, not a life time commitment. Plus you can always hex him into next week." The two girls laughed.

"I suppose you're right," Sairina gave in.

When the girls stepped out of the carriage they noticed a significant change in the wind. It had started to blow more, and was completely frigid. Lily and Sairina pulled their cloaks tighter around themselves and Lily nudged Sairina.

"Let's go to the Three Broomsticks," she said over the howl of the wind. Sairina could only nod and followed Lily's lead. Upon arriving the girls pushed their way through the black mass of students towards a small booth in the back close to the fire and far from the door. Sitting down the two girls threw back their hoods. Their cheeks were rosy with cold and Sairina's nose was running.

"Lovely," she said taking out a handkerchief and wiping away the offending ooze. A rail thin boy walked up to the table.

"Wot'll ya hav?" he asked pulling out a small pad of paper and a charcoal pencil.

"Two Butterbeers," Lily said confidently and the boy jotted it down on his pad and left as quickly as he had appeared. Lily turned back to Sairina.

"So are there any more details about your brother's coronation that I should know about?" Lily asked. The room was quite noisy, so they didn't have to worry about being overheard.

"You know how to dance properly, right?" Sairina asked and Lily shrugged.

"It depends on what you mean by 'properly'," Lily scoffed. Sairina snapped her fingers.

"Oh . . . what is it called here? I know I've heard some sixth year talking about it," Sairina struggled for the words, "is it hallrune dancing?" Lily giggled softly.

"Do you mean 'ballroom' dancing?" Lily asked and Sairina nodded enthusiastically, "I know the basic steps, but nothing too fancy."

"Don't worry about fancy," Sairina said smiling, "If you dance with any of the Trastahíl, or lords of the court, they will be sure to take the lead on the dance floor."

"Speaking of Trastahíl . . ." Lily gestured towards the entrance. The Marauders made their grand entrance. The two girls groaned as they were spotted and the four troublemakers made their way to the girls. Unlike the girls, who had to shove their way through the crowd, the boys had to merely smile and the mass of students parted like the Red Sea did for Moses.

Luckily for the girls, they only took the booth next to theirs and did not attempt to do anything drastic, like attempting to sit with them. Lily cocked and eyebrow and Sairina shrugged. The boys had to be up to something, they were simply being too well-behaved. The rail thin boy returned to their table with their drinks and vanished off again. The girls took a few sips before their conversation resumed, this time in Sindarin.

"_What else will we have to do?"_ Lily asked kindly, _"You said that we would have to stay for three days."_

"_There are a few contests during the Winter Solstice feast that I must attend to act the part as judge," _Sairina explained, _"The festivities last for about a week, but we will only be there for the last three days. The first day will be the coronation of my brother, the second is when I need to be a judge, and the third is the day of the feast."_ Lily nodded silently and looked up.

"Can I help you with something, Potter?" Lily asked coldly. Sairina turned and saw that James was turned around in the Marauder's booth peering over in to the girls'. Sirius was also in this same position.

"What the bloody hell kind of language was that?" he asked cocking an eyebrow and running his hand through his hair. Lily stiffened; she absolutely hated when he did that. She had this theory that the only reason James would ruffle his own messy hair would be to make the appearance that he had just gotten off a broomstick. She then somehow equated this to him being big headed, and Sairina didn't fully understand that part.

"That's for us to know," Lily huffed angrily, "and for you to never find out." She glared at James, and he glared right back.

"Just ignore them Lily," Sairina said, "They're only doing this to get a rise out of us." Sairina turned back to face Lily.

"_Are your brother and his friends **this** annoying?"_ Lily demanded in Sindarin. Sairina reflected for a moment.

"Well, my brother and his friends aren't annoying in a pest-type sense," Sairina said finally, "but their pranks are far worse than anything the Marauders could cook up." She heard a gasp from behind her. James and Sirius looked completely offended. Laughing the girls placed their money for drinks on the table and left.

"This," Sirius said ominously, "means war!" Remus snorted into hhis butterbeer and he received a glare from his companions.

"What's so funny, Moony?" James wanted to know. Remus sighed and shook his head. How could his friends be so thick?

"First off," he began, "You don't even know if Sai has a brother. Secondly, she could have been prompted by Lily when she spoke a moment before in whatever that language was. Thirdly, it was probably French that they were speaking. Have you ever noticed that Sai always refers to her 'native land' not to mention she has the slightest accent?" The other boys nodded seeming to understand Remus' logic.

"But what about that one day" Peter protested, "when we heard them from the passage? They were talking about Middle-Earth and that seeing stone." James rolled his eyes.

"Don't you get it, Peter?" James scoffed, "I live in Godric Hallow which is a wizarding community, that's probably what Middle-Earth is, some French wizarding community. I'll bet the name sounds more mysterious in French though."

"And the seeing stone?" Peter prodded.

"Come on Peter!" Sirius groaned, "Seeing stone, crystal ball, they're the same thing! You're taking Divination with us! You should know what a seeing stone is!" So the boys convinced themselves that they knew Sairina's big secret.

"What I don't understand is why she would hide this stuff," Remus confessed wearily standing up and throwing a couple coins on the table to pay for his butterbeer, "I'm going to go for a walk." His friends stared at his retreating back.

"You know," James began taking a swig of his butterbeer, "He would have a lot more fun if he wasn't swooning over Sairina." Sirius laughed darkly.

"You should have seen him last night during their tutoring session," Sirius scoffed, "I mean, I can be a gentleman whenever I want, but Moony takes it way to seriously." He flashed a grin at a couple of fifth years who were checking out the boys (or at least James and Sirius), "I don't see how he can harbor affections for only one girl when there are so many fish in the sea."

"I agree," James said and Sirius snorted, "Yea, I know what you're thinking, Lily. But she is more of a 'challenge' for me to win because she hates me. Anyways, I want the old Remus back, the Remus who would flirt and play pranks. This responsible Remus is a stick in the mud."

"I think I've got just the thing," Peter piped up and pulled a few orange sacks from his pocket, "These are brand new at Zonko's. They're called dungbombs." The boys' faces lit up with evil smirks.

/0/0/

"Hey, Lily, Sai, wait up!" The two girls turned and saw Remus making his way towards them, "Sorry about James and Sirius, they were just trying to annoy you." Lily and Sairina smiled.

"We could tell," Lily answered and turned to Sairina, "I'll catch up with you later; I want to go check out Honeydukes." With a flutter of her cloak, Lily was gone and Sairina was alone with Remus. He kindly offered his arm to her.

"Shall we?" he asked with a smirk and Sairina took his arm. The two walked around the main part of town for a while stopping at Honeydukes, the post office, and a small used book store. They talked of the weather, their classes, and people they knew.

"As much as she denies it," Sairina laughed, "I really think that Lily fancies James a bit." This got Remus laughing, "No, I'm serious! All she ever does is talk about 'big-headed Potter'."

"James is just as bad," Remus chuckled, "He moans about Lily in his sleep. He claims that she is just another challenge for him to conquer, but I think deep down he is head over heals for her."

"Could you imagine if they did get together?" Sairina exclaimed, "What would their poor children be like?"

"Witty and cunning with extremely short tempers and messy red hair," Remus replied instantly and garnered a laugh from Sarina, "It's a common topic in the boys' dorm." The two had walked to the edge of town and were now standing in front of a fence that blocked out a bit of land. In the center of the rough ground was a house that seemed to bend with the wind.

"What is that?" Sairina asked with a hint of excitement in her voice. _It's the house from my vision, I know it is!_

"That would be the Shrieking Shack," Remus replied, "Supposedly it's one of the most haunted houses in Britain." A shiver rose up Sairina's spine.

"Ghosts are the only thing in it," she murmured to herself. Remus not hearing her remark continued to talk.

"Sai, I have a question," Remus began softly, "Where are you from? I hear you keep mentioning this 'native land' of yours, and the strange language you always talk with Lily, and the athelas you gave me isn't in any herbology books, and I even asked Professor Sprout about it. She's never heard of it. I covered for you earlier, back in the Three Broomsticks. The other guys were going to do something, and I told them that you were from France and that you were speaking French." He held up a hand to stop her oncoming protest, "Don't try to tell me that is what it is, because I've been to France before and you, my dear, were not speaking French. I may be young, but I'm not stupid."

Sairina felt like she was back in the corner. She had underestimated how smart Remus was, and he had put the pieces together much faster than she expected. She wasn't ready to tell him the truth and have his entire attitude change towards her. Sure she had told Lily, but that was after over two years and the girls had developed a firm trust and relationship, where as she and Remus had only been friends for a few months.

Then there was the prophecy. Sairina had no clue what it would entail, and she didn't want anyone she cared about getting hurt. As it stood now, she was selfish and put Lily into a dangerous position by making her a lady in waiting. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if Lily got hurt, and she had put Lily in that position! She couldn't do the same to Remus . . . her heart wouldn't let her.

"What are you hiding and why?" Remus asked of her again, "I'll understand, you can trust me." All she could do was shake her head and look at the ground. Remus let out a frustrated grunt. This wasn't going at all how he had planned.

_Time to take a different approach . . ._ he thought.

"Middle-Earth," Remus said and Sairina's head jerked up, "You come from a place called Middle-Earth. I don't know what it is or where it is, but I know that is where you come from."

"How do you know that?" Sairina demanded, "No one is supposed to know . . ."

"But why?" Remus interrupted, "Why is no one supposed to know about where you come from? Are you in hiding? Are you a convict? What is going on Sai?" He was pleading for an answer, but she couldn't give him one. Not yet.

Sairina then did the only thing, and dumbest thing, she could think of doing. She started to back away. Remus gently grabbed her arm and took her hand. He wasn't going to just let her walk away just like that.

"Are you in danger?" he tried again his voice cracked, "Please tell me." He was getting desperate; Sairina could see it in his eyes. She could see his worry, his torment, his affection . . .

"Someday, Remmy," she whispered patting his hand gently, "but not today." Releasing his hand she steeled her determination and walked away. It was probably the hardest thing she had to do. But he couldn't know about who she really was, at least not yet. Pulling her cloak tighter about her, she began to walk faster, with her head down, and ran into something. Actually it was someone.

Lily was sanding there and pulled her friend into a tight embrace. She murmured words of comfort as Sairina cried into her shoulder. She let everything out in that one sob session. Her worries, her stress, her emotions were all released through her salty, bitter tears.

"How much of it did you hear?" Sairina asked pulling back. Lily smiled softly.

"Only the last little bit," she replied softly, "its fine though, Sai. You alone have the right to tell people when you're good and ready, not a moment sooner." There was a faint cracking noise, the sound of someone stepping on a branch. Both Sairina and Lily whirled around to see who made the noise, but they were alone. Lily grabbed Sairina's arm tightly.

"Isn't the Shrieking Shack . . ." Lily trailed off.

"One of the most haunted buildings in Britain?" Sairina finished for her, "Yes, it is. What's that smell?" That was when the girls screamed.

/0/0/

Remus kicked the fence post angrily. Why did he have to press her so? He just kept pushing and pushing; now he pushed Sairina completely away. He sunk to his knees on the cold ground and fell forward. He beat the ground with his fist and cursed himself silently letting bitter tears escape his eyes.

_One of the few people I truly care about . . . and I pushed her away,_ He thought bitterly. A little voice comforted him.

_She said, "Someday." She'll tell you when she's ready. Who knows, perhaps she is trying to help keep you out of whatever trouble she is in . . ._

A scream interrupted Remus' thoughts. It sounded distinctly feminine, and like there were multiple people doing the screaming.

"Sai," Remus breathed and was off and running. He didn't run very far before a putrid smell accosted his senses. Taking a few steps further a group of people came into view, and as he got closer he groaned at seeing what had happened.

His three "friends" were rolling on the ground laughing so hard they were crying. Standing just a little ways down were Sairina and Lily, and that was where the smell was coming from. While both girls were hit, and it appeared that Lily had gotten the brunt of the attack. Zonko's wonderful new invention of the dungbomb had been put use for the first time in the hands of the Marauders.

Lily was doing her best to wipe some of the disgusting filth off her clothes and cloak, Sarina's cloak seemed to be fine, but her clothes underneath had a decent amount of dung on them. James was the first to notice the arrival of Remus.

"Excellent job mate," he said standing up and slapping Remus on the back, "Way to trick her." Sairina's head shot up and she glared at Remus. Remus, in turn, glared at James.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" He rasped dangerously. Sirius now stood and smiled at his friend.

"Oh don't play stupid!" he exclaimed, "You did your part perfectly in luring Telcontar out here. I hope you got a good snog while you were out there." Remus' jaw dropped. _They are NOT doing this; they cannot be doing this to me!_ The thoughts raced through his head faster than a snitch. He looked back at Sairina and opened his mouth to explain.

He was struck silent by the look on her face. Her laughing gray eyes had darkened and tears were forming in them. Her pale skin was flushed with anger and embarrassment. Her mouth was set into a thin line. Her eyes were the worst feature, though. Not only were they brimming with tears, but there was betrayal and hurt in her eyes. Lily tugged on her arm and the two marched off.

"Did you see the look on her face," Sirius laughed, "Man was she pissed . . ." Remus grabbed his collar and slammed him up against the nearest tree. Thunder rumbled louder in the distance.

"What . . . the bloody hell . . . have you just done?" Remus demanded in a terrifyingly quiet voice. There was a big bold line a person had to cross to enrage the mild Marauder, but Sirius quickly put together that he had crossed it. In a BIG way.

"I . . . we . . ." Sirius tried to say, but Remus, in his anger, was beginning to cut ofSirius' ability to breathe.

"Remus," James said grabbing his shoulder, "Mate, it was just a prank. Lighten up." Remus let go of Sirius and he fell to the ground. Lightning struck in the distance followed by the booming of thunder.

"Lighten up?" Remus asked advancing on James, "Just a prank? Do you understand, James Harold Potter, that you have just pulled a prank on the one person who probably means the most to me? I am trying to _gain_ her trust, and all the work I have put towards that is gone in a flash because of your petty, childish games!"

"Petty, childish games?" growled James, "Up until the start of this year, you _loved _to take part in these games! But then you and little Miss Ravenclaw started making lovey-dovey eyes at each other, and now you are a stick in the mud!"

"You don't understand," Remus growled, "I love her."

"Love?" Sirius scoffed standing up, "Love! My God man, we're only thirteen; how do you know what love is? And you talk about getting her to trust you . . . have you told her _your _little secret yet? Have you told the love of your life that you're a werewolf? Face it Remus, the moment you tell her all that trust you worked so hard to build up, will be gone in the blink of an eye!" There was one more boom of thunder. The heavens opened up and the rain fell down in large, cold drops.

Remus was shocked silent. He clung to a tree for support. How would Sairina act when she found out? Once again pain and the fear of rejection and lonliness coursed through his veins. His passion, which had burned so brightly a few moments before, had been doused with icy water at Sirius' words. A hand gripped his shoulder helping to steady him.

"Look," Sirius said squeezing his shoulder, "We just don't want to see you get hurt by some girl because of what you are. We know what you are, we know how troublesome your life has been up to this point, and we know that right now you don't need a girl making your life more troublesome by trying to hide your secret."

"We're just trying to look out for you," James added and Peter nodded. Remus looked at his friends.

"While that is all well and good," he began, "I need to talk to her, and you need to apologize." With the whip of his cloak, Remus headed back towards town and the castle.

/0/0/

The tears were flowing freely now andwere mixed with the rainas Sairina entered the castle. On their way back, Lily and Sairina had run into Iam and a few other members of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. The girls were cleaned up instantly and the boys left to have a little "chat" with the Marauders. Sairina threw her hood back and motioned for Lily to follow her.

"What are you planning on doing?" Lily asked with a slight edge of fright to her voice. The girls were making their way towards the eighth floor corridor.

"Turnabout is fair play," Sairina said angrily, "and I'm calling in the experts." By now they had arrived at the mirror, and with a waver of her hand and a mumbled word, the portal opened. Without hesitation Sairina went through followed by Lily. The mirror resealed as Sairina flung her door open and shouted:

"Eldarion, come here _now_!"

Sairina stood waiting at the open door tapping her foot impatiently. Several minutes later, her brother appeared with his gang of misfits in tow.

"Whatever happened," he began, "I swear that it wasn't us." He and his friends looked somewhat frightened. They knew Sairina was powerful, and they didn't want to cross her.

"I didn't call you here to talk about something you did or didn't do," she said hastily, "I'm here to talk business." Her brother's entire demeanor changed instantly.

"Go on," he encouraged and motioned for Elfwine to shut the door.

"How would you four like to pull the biggest prank of your lives and not be blamed for it?" The four boys looked incredulously at each other and then back to the second eldest Telcontar.

"Elaborate," Alphros commanded. Sairina and Lily explained what the Marauders had done. Sairina also reluctantly added what happened between her and Remus. This part seemed to upset Eldarion the most.

"I'll gut the bastard," he growled but Sairina calmed him down. Eldarion, with his impending coronation, had sobered up greatly during the past few months.

The boys asked for more information on the Marauders, and after milking the girls for all the information they had they began the basics of a plan.

"This will take a few weeks to get everything worked out," Eldarion said, "In the mean time; you need to act like what they did is now water under the bridge. Don't worry, my little sister, we'll avenge you." The four boys left the room.

Sairina turned to Lily suddenly with worry one her face.

"Suddenly I'm starting to think that this may be a bit too drastic," she said suddenly and Lily patted her on the back comfortingly.

"Those boys have it coming," Lily said, "For the past two and a half years they have gotten away with being pranked without anyone pranking them back. Not to mention Remus completely deceived you," Lily noted that her friend seemed worried and she let out a sigh, "Look, if they do something to make it up to you, then you can call the plan off. It's not set in stone yet." Sairina nodded. Like always, Lily was right.

But it was going to have to be one hell of an apology before she forgave Remus.


	9. Apologies and the Mother of All Pranks

(The Real) Chapter 8: Apologies and the Mother of All Pranks

The girls did as Eldarion had said to doand pretended that the whole affair had never occurred. This, however, unnerved the Marauders even more than if the girls had reacted with outright anger. Anger they could deal with, but just letting the whole thing blow over without a word? Something was wrong, and the Marauders had a feeling that they would be paying greatly for what they did. Not wanting to suffer something dire at the hands of the two greatest third year witches, the Marauders made to apologize.

Which meant having to humble themselves, something that James, Sirius, and Peter were unwilling to do, Remus however was ready and willing to do anything to regain Sairina's trust.

The Monday morning after the 'incident', heinitiated his plan to get back into her good graces. It started with an owl (Sirius's owl to be precise because Remus didn't have one of his own) swooping down over the Ravenclaw table and stopping in front of Sairina. In its beak it had one of the most amazing flowers Sairina had ever seen. It had pale purple petals, three large ones splayed out and three smaller petals towards the center of it. The owl carefully dropped it into her open hand, and for the first time she noticed that there was a note attached.

It read:

_Sai,_

_I know that you think that I had something to do with the prank that the others played on you, but please hear my side of the argument out first. I had no clue they were going to be pulling a stunt like that, but I feel partly responsible because I pressed you into an uncomfortable situation which then allowed them the opportunity to play their cruel prank._

_Please believe me when I say that I would never do anything that would hurt you, and take this flower as a peace offering in hopes that we can return to being the friends that we were before. It is a Siberian Iris, and I placed an everlasting charm over it so that it can be a constant reminder to you of how sorry I am, and how terrible I feel about this whole thing._

_Friends still?_

_Remmy_

Sairina appreciated the gesture, but until she actually spoke to Remus, she couldn't tell if he was truly sorry or not. She carefully looped the stem into the strap of her messenger bag and hefted it over her shoulder. Lily caught her eye and the two girls both made their way to leave the hall. Their progress was impeded by three sorry looking fellows. It was James, Peter, and Sirius.

"Please move," Lily commanded venomously while Sairina glared at them, "We need to go to Ancient Runes." The girls pushed past the boys and began moving down the hall in the direction of their class. To their dismay, and disgust, the three boys trailed after them. Upon reaching their class, Lily and Sairina rounded on the boys.

"What do you want, Potter?" Sairina asked coldly glaring at him. Unfazed by her attitude towards him, he responded.

"We came to apologize," he answered with out the slightest hint of remorse, "Sorry." The other two murmured an apology as well. Sairina and Lily looked bewildered at them.

"That's it?" Sairina demanded, her royal attitude coming to the surface, "You think and mumbled apology will get us to forgive you. I highly think not." She turned to enter the classroom when someone harshly grabbed her arm.

"Look," Sirius growled pulling her back, "We aren't doing this because we want to. Your dear little Remmy wanted us to. Frankly I could care less about your hurt pride, but what we did hurt him as well. More than we realized it could. We didn't want to apologize, but we did. We're only doing this because we want our friend back. You had your fun with him, but we know you'll break his heart. Leave him alone or else."

"Are you threatening me?" Sairina asked with a defensive edge to her voice. Sirius smirked darkly.

"It's not a threat. It's a promise," Sirius let go of her and turned his back on the girls. He stalked off with the other two trailing behind him. Sairina continued to glare after him until they rounded the corner.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he became a murderer," Sairina said softly and Lily smirked.

"Personally," she began, "I think your brother should spare Remus and make Sirius' prank twice as worse." The girls laughed.

"You know what," Sairina thought aloud, "That's not such a bad idea."

/0/0/

Remus cautiously poked his head into the library and scanned what he could see. He let out a frustrated sigh. Sairina wasn't there. He had been searching for her ever sense the end of classes for the day, but she seemed to keep vanishing. Sighing he let the door to the library close with a dull thud. Maybe she didn't forgive him, and she never wanted to talk to him again.

"Looking for some one?" Remus turned on his heel suddenly. There was Sairina standing directly behind him, less that a foot from him, twirling the flower he had sent her playfully in her fingers.

"I see you got the flower I sent you," Remus stated obviously and Sairina nodded, "Did you read the note as well?" Again Sairina nodded. "But you don't believe that I'm truly sorry."

"Are you?" Sairina asked in a dangerously soft voice. Remus gulped.

"Yes," he stated firmly, "I had no clue what the others were planning, and if I had, I would have put an end to it immediately. I never, in my wildest dreams, would want to hurt you." Remus gently cupped her cheek with his hand.

_This is so wrong! _Sairina's mind screamed at her, but she ignored it. His hand felt comfortably warm against her cheek. She closed her eyes and savored the warmth momentarily.

"I will say this, however," she murmured with her eyes fluttering between open and shut, "Your friends are fiercely loyal." Remus's hand slowly pulled away.

"What makes you say that?" he asked while she gave him a knowing stare, "So they did apologize, didn't they?" Sairina scoffed.

"It was the strangest and rudest apology I've ever received," she retorted and Remus let out a tired sigh and swearing very softly under his breath. This made Sairina smile, "You can't force them to apologize for something they are not truly sorry for."

"You're right," Remus conceded, "but what they did still wasn't right, and then they tried to drag me into it . . ." Sairina laughed once more seeing Remus was becoming quite flustered with the idea. Remus smiled too, "You should laugh more often; it's a beautiful laugh." Sairina smiled and held out her hand.

"Friends once more?" She asked. Instead of shaking her hand, Remus took it and placed a light kiss on the top of her hand.

"Of course," he said charmingly, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go beat those three to a bloody pulp." Remus turned nonchalantly and made his way down the hall. Sairina shook her head and began to make her way back towards the Ravenclaw common room.

_He sure is something._ She thought mirthfully.

/0/0/

It had been two weeks to the day since the dung bomb incident in Hogsmeade, and Lily was impatiently pacing the eighth floor corridor in front of the ornate mirror at the end of the hall. Sairina had vanished into it more than and hour before and Lily was playing the part of look out.

Today was going to be the day of their revenge.

Lily let out a sigh and glanced at her watch for the hundredth time since Sairina had vanished. There were still several hours before dinner, but she didn't want to get caught in the act. It would ruin her perfect record. A familiar crackling noise made her jump and she turned to her friend.

"What took you so long?" she demanded as Sairina beckoned the other through. Sairina jerked her thumb at the four boys.

"_They_ were being stubborn," she explained, "They were confused about how to put on the school robes." Lily giggled.

"Shut up, Sai," Eldarion grumbled as he messed with his robes. He hefted a large carpet bag over his shoulder and the other boys followed suit with their respective bags, "Now, where is the Great Hall?"

/0/0/

Students streamed into the Great Hall with rumbling stomachs and lively chatter. Sairina looked up worriedly. Her brother and his friends insisted that they needed to be there to ensure that things went of smoothly, and the four of them were now hidden up in the rafters behind the enchantment placed on the ceiling. They were each wearing an extremely rare cloak that was made by Lady Galadriel ages ago, which helped hide them from prying eyes.

Sairina looked at Lily and let out a soft chuckle. Lily was beside herself with excitement. It was then that Sairina decided that Lily needed to break the rules more often. Lily caught Sairina's stare and smiled reassuringly. Then a commotion at the doors caused them to look away. The Marauders were making their entrance known with winks and smiles. Remus looked only at Sairina and smiled shyly, Sairina returned the smile. Some where above her, she swore she heard the sound of someone pretending to gag followed by snickers.

The Marauders took their seats, and the prank began.

First, what the four boys failed to realize, was that their usual seats were coated by a thin clear film what was actually one of the stickiest substances in Middle-Earth. Sairina had protested and saidthat nothing shouldbe done to Remus, but the Trastahíl would hear nothing of it. After much bickering, Eldarion finally put his foot down and said that he needed to be taught a lesson. What lesson that was, he wouldn't say, and only frustrated his sister.

Dinner progressed naturally enough. The hall was noisy and there were many things happening. Including things that people didn't care to take note of, like several drops of an orangey liquid falling from the ceiling into the cup of Peter.

Next, came the degrading remarks. It is a known fact that the Rohirrim are able to throw the sound of their voices across great distances. They need to be able to do this so that the scouts can communicate with those following and vice versa across the hilly plains. Elfwine had gone one step further and perfected this ability to the indoors and could sound like he was standing in any corner of a building.

"What is that disgusting thing sitting on your shoulders, Professor Adair?" his voice projected from the area of the Marauders, "Oh, never mind, it's only your head." The severe Potion's teacher visibly stiffened and glared at the four trouble makers.

"What did you day, Mr. Potter?" He asked cold glaring at the boy (for Elfwine's voice greatly mirrored that of James'). James looked flabbergasted.

"I . . ." He began, but Elfine's voice replaced his, ". . . said that you are the ugliest man I have ever seen." James clamped his hand over his mouth and everyone's eyes turned to the third year Gryffindor. People looked at him in shock, but Sirius shook with stifled laughter and reached to pat his friend on the shoulder.

Sairina held her breath as Peter reached for his cup and brought it to his lips. He took a swig and swallowed. The results were, needless to say, immediate.

Peter slammed his hand over his mouth and ducked his head under the table and, Sairina could only assume, emptied the contents of his stomach onto the floor. There were loud shouts and shrieks from surrounding Gryffindors, resulting in several students jumping up and moving away.

It was at this juncture that, in trying to get up, the boys found that they were stuck to their seats. Riotous laughter broke out as the demeaning comments towards Professor Adair, Peter's vomiting, and the boys' attempts to get up continued.

"SILENCE!" Professor Dumbledore ordered, and there wasn't a peep. Well, almost. There was a faint plucking sound, the sound of four taught strings being cut. The four boys slowly looked up simultaneously and saw their impending doom drop from the ceiling.

A thick, clear wave fell from the ceiling, showering the already stuck four boys and their general proximity. The substance was sticky and seemed to coat everything, every crevice, crease, and opening. Then a hail of white fluffy feathers began to rain down upon the four sticky boys sufficiently coating them.

Sairina looked up into the rafters along with everybody else. She let out a sigh of relief as she saw the last bit of a cloak disappear out the window the owls flew in every morning. Looking to Lily, who was shaking with silent laughter, Sairina made her way through the crowd and escaped into the eighth corridor. Despite their need for secrecy, the four troublemakers were howling with laughter.

"Did you see the looks on their faces as we dropped the glue?" Elboron wheezed.

"I know!" Elwine howled, "It was priceless. Don't you think so Sairina?" The boys turned to the princess. She couldn't take it any longer.

She laughed. She laughed long, loud, and hard.

"I am stillmad at you for doing it to Remus as well," she said finally after regaining her composure. Eldarion shrugged.

"It wouldn't have been right to leave him out," Alphros reasoned, "All for one and one for all, or so my father says." Sairina rolled her eyes.

"You four need to get back," she said simply opening the portal. The four boys vanished and it resealed. Sighing, Sairina began to weave her way back to civilization.

For some reason, unbeknownst to her, she paused momentarily next to a large space of open wall on the seventh floor corridor. She had the sinking feeling that right now, she was being watched. Shrugging off the feeling she walked the rest of the way back to the Ravenclaw common room laughing softly to herself.


	10. Winter Solstice

_Chapter 9: Winter Solstice_

None of the teachers were able to find the perpetrators of the by now legendary prank, and the Marauders weren't having much success either. Sirius, James, and Peter immediately pointed fingers at Lily and Sairina, but their accusations came to no results. The girls said that they were in the Library since the end of classes that day up until the time for dinner, and Madame Pince in the library confirmed this. The girls also said that they were friends with Remus and would never pull such and outrageous prank on him.

Dumbledore claimed to believe them, but the laughing glimmer in those blue eyes said otherwise . . .

The grounds were soon covered in thick blankets of white fluff, and the air was charged with excitement for the upcoming holidays. Lily in particular was very anticipatory. With each passing day, her normally subdued behavior became more and more flustered.

"Evans, you need to relax," James said lazily in the Gryffindor common room one day, "I've never seen anyone so excited about staying at the school over the break. Then again, you will be sharing the whole of the Gryffindor tower with the Marauders, which is an honor." Lily looked up momentarily from her essay to glare at James.

"I'll have you know," Lily said in a matter-of-factly tone," I intend of spending very little time in the common room. Sairina and I . . ."

"Here we go again," Sirius groaned, "You know what, Evans, did you ever think that you should have been put into Ravenclaw rather than Gryffindor?"

"Did you ever think that you should have been put into Slytherin instead of Gryffindor?" Lily taunted right back and laughed as James restrained his friend.

"Settle down now, children," Remus said not caring to lower his book to look at his squabbling friends, "and play nice." Sirius finally stopped fighting and slumped into a chair angrily.

"You're just jealous of us because we're popular and powerful," he sulked and crossed his arms in a pout.

"No, I'm not," Lily said, "Besides why should I care about your opinion of popular and powerful when I'm friends with a . . ." Lily suddenly slapped her hand over her mouth and let out a little yelp. The common room had for the most part cleared out for the night, so only the Marauders had heard her near slip.

"Friends with a . . . what?" Remus asked slowly lowering the book he was reading, his full attention was now on the redhead. Lily's hand stayed firmly clasped over her mouth as she closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Lily," James asked with and edge of worry and curiosity to his voice, "What . . ." He never got the chance to ask because Lily scooped up her things and ran up to the girls' dormitories.

"What on earth are they hiding?" Sirius asked looking at his friends. The other three just shrugged.

"I wish I knew, Sirius, I wish I knew," Remus murmured before going back to his book.

/0/0/

To the joy and excitement of all the students, the Christmas Holiday had finally arrived. Students who were returning home for the holidays had packed up and left; and the halls of Hogwarts were significantly subdued. Sairina and Lily took advantage of this tranquility and wandered aimlessly through the halls.

"When we graduate," Lily began innocently enough, "Where are you going to go? Are you going to stay here, or are you going to go back to Middle-Earth?" Sairina pondered this quandary for a moment.

"I hadn't really thought about it," She admitted, "I suppose that since I am the last link to magic in my world that I ought to go back, and possibly even go to the Gray Havens and then the Undying Lands, but . . . I don't know. Since this world is open to me, I may stay here, because there is certainly more promise for me here." The girls walked in silence for a few moments.

"How about you, Lily?" Sairina asked with a slight smirk, "What do you plan on doing once we graduate?" Lily laughed.

"I was actually thinking about becoming a Healer," Lily replied, "I know it means more school, but I just like helping people and making them feel better." Sairina nodded.

"It is an honorable trade to learn," Sairina stated, "My father and mother were both trained in the art of healing, and while they use their experience only in very extreme cases, it is a good thing to know how to do."

"Sai," Lily let out a frustrated sigh, "The other night I almost . . ." Sairina looked at her friend intently.

"You almost what?" Sairina asked playfully.

"I almost let your secret slip to the Marauders," Lily said quickly and Sai's eyes widened, "But I didn't. See, James was being all big-headed again, and I tried to ignore his remarks, really, I did. But he wouldn't shut up about how popular he is, and that's when I said, 'Besides why should I care about your opinion of popular and powerful when I'm friends with a . . .' and that was when I stopped myself."

"Its fine, Lily," Sairina said, "You didn't finish and that's what matters. Anyways, I'm sure they have their own little false guesses about what I am." The girls laughed and continued to walk.

/0/0/

"What if she's a princess?" Peter guessed absent-mindedly, and the other boys laughed. The Marauders were currently holed up in their room trying to figure out what Lily would have said had she not stopped herself.

"That's preposterous, Peter," Sirius guffawed biting the head off a Chocolate Frog, "Most royalty can't get around nowadays without being followed by crazed camera people, muggle or wizard."

"Besides," James said, "It's been, like, what, over two centuries since any royal family has had wizarding blood in it."

"They're right, Peter," Remus conceded. Peter screwed up his face.

"Just hear me out, alright," Peter said standing up on his bed like he was going to give some grand speech, "Fact number one is in the way she carries herself. She is very prim and proper and cultured, as if she were trained for high society situations."

"Or her family could be loaded," James countered, "Look at my family. We're 'high society' and I had some training in manners and etiquette."

"It apparently hasn't done you any good at all," Remus snorted. James pegged Remus in the head with a pillow.

"Fact number two," Peter continued, "She is hiding her past and her family." He looked directly at Remus, "Do you know anything about her family?" Remus shook his head and so did the others. "She may be hiding it so she can blend in with the rest of the students."

"What about that time when her family came for the Quidditch match?" Sirius asked, James jumped up and snapped his fingers. Turning to Sirius he shouted:

"Do you remember what Kiefer said to Iam outside of the Hospital Wing the day of that match?" Sirius looked skeptically at James.

"No," he replied flatly, "The only reason I was there was because Ciaran threatened to find a new beater if I didn't come." James let out a frustrated grunt.

"Well to refresh your memory," James said sarcastically, "Kiefer said that her parents were 'well-to-do and very influential people'."

"But that doesn't necessarily make her a princess," Remus protested, "Her parents could just be high up in the Ministry, she is from France . . ." His voice trailed off hoping his friends didn't see through his lie, because he knew from his conversation with her at the Shrieking Shack, she wasn't French.

"Nice try Moony," James said haughtily, "But after the 'dungbomb incident' I looked up the wizarding communities in France. There is no Middle-Earth."

"But that still doesn't make her a princess," Remus continued to protest because the idea was just too preposterous, "You don't have any proof!"

"I know where we can get it." Peter spoke up for the first time in five minutes, "Remember that one day when we overheard the girl's conversation on the eighth corridor?" The three other boys nodded, "If Middle-Earth isn't some wizarding community, then maybe the seeing stone they were talking about isn't your average crystal ball."

/0/0/

Lily absent-mindedly straightened out the folds in her gown. The days of winter break had passed quickly and she now found herself in Minas Tirith preparing for the crowning ceremony of her friend's brother. She played with the hem of her sleeve after straightening out the imaginary wrinkles.

Needless to say, it was the nicest dress she had ever owned. It was made from dark green velvet and clung to her form in all the right places. It was also thick enough to keep out the chill that seemed to be prevalent in the White Tower. Lily bounced her leg nervously as she waited in her chambers for Sairina to finish getting ready.

"Why on earth are you so nervous?" Sairina asked entering her friend's room while she finished tying the ribbon in her long dark hair. She laughed when she saw Lily jump with nervousness.

"It's just that I know I will somehow make a great git of myself," Lily stammered and continued to play nervously with the hem of her sleeve. Sairina only laughed and leaned on her staff for support.

"All we have to do is watch," Sairina explained for the tenth time, "Then we go to sup with my family, some of the lords and ladies, and the visitors to the palace."

"Yes," Lily sighed, "It's the dinner that terrifies me."

/0/0/

In the realm of Gondor, it is tradition for the heirs to the throne to be crowned upon his or her fifteenth year, but before he or she is so named, he or she must pass a series of tests to prove that, should the need arise, they are prepared to take charge. There are only three tests, but they are extremely trying on the mind, body, and heart. This first is a test of physical strength and endurance. This is easily tested by a duel between the heir and the best member of the tower guard. Eldarion, however, had to fight against his mentor and greatest adversary, Legolas.

The second is a test of intellect. The steward approaches the heir with a hypothetical problem pertaining to taxes, attacks on villages, or a brewing rebellion. The heir is given a few moments to think about the problem, but must promptly give their solution.

Finally is the test of emotions. While this is the hardest to gauge in terms of development and readiness, the heir must pledge and oath to remain loyal and true to the throne, and to think with not only the head, but the heart as well.

Sairina and Lily quickly took their seats to the right of the queen as the room began to fill with spectators. Lily looked around and spotted the three other Trastahíl, who were looking decidedly nervous for their friend and leader. The large white hall was brimming with anxious people, and once everyone was settled King Elessar motioned for the ceremony to begin.

Eldarion entered the hall in a simple white tunic, black trousers, and black boots. He cautiously made his way to where Legolas was standing. The two bowed briefly to each other and then drew their weapons; Legolas with his twin white daggers and Eldarion with his broadsword.

The two then began to circle each other, lashing out occasionally to identify weak spots in their opponent's defense. The tension between the two was overpowering and filled the room; it was so thick, it was palpable. After several minutes of testing each other, the elf lord finally launched an attack. He swung his twin blades with deadly accuracy, but Eldarion was always one step ahead, and prepared to counter Legolas's attacks.

The metallic clang of swords crashing together rang out over and over again. The sounds beat into and reverberated through the chests of those watching with enthralled eyes. The king and queen held their breaths, and Lily found that Sairina was on the edge of her seat in anticipation. Lily gently gave her a comforting pat on the arm, hoping to ease her friend, but Sairina only tensed more at her touch. The battle continued, and it was evident that the two warriors were tiring, Eldarion more so than Legolas, who had a millennia and more experience fighting battles.

Seeing that he was in dire straights, Eldarion tried to reserve his strength. The viewers could tell that he knew he couldn't outlast his opponent; he was waiting for the perfect opportunity . . .

In the blink of an eye, Legolas's blades went soaring across the room, and the elf was thrown to the floor with the stout blade of Eldarion resting on his Adam's apple. With a growl that was a mixture of pride, amusement, and anger, Legolas conceded to the young prince.

Sheathing his sword on his left hip, Eldarion approached towards where his father was seated. His approach was intercepted by the Steward, Lord Faramir. Eldarion gave a slight inclination of his head in acknowledgement and it was returned.

"My lord," Faramir began calmly, "There have been several reports of attacks on small harbor towns along the southern coast, towards the area of Dol Amroth. Several cities have already been burnt to the ground, and the threat of the Corsairs grows more and more every day. Prince Elphir greatly desires your council." Eldarion stood silent for a moment, seeming to delve into deep thought and contemplation about the situation.

"Tell Prince Elphir that Minas Tirith shall send their best seamen and vessels to his aid, in addition to two hundred troops to help patrol the harbors in his area. These soldiers will be at his complete beck and call. I will extend an invitation to and attempt to hold council with the Lord of the Corsairs; hopefully a reasonable truce can be made between our peoples . . ."

"In addition to the two hundred troops, send another hundred troops and the city's best stone masons and carpenters to help rebuild the destroyed cities. Also send aid in the form of clothing and food to the inhabitants of the destroyed cities.Finally, extend an invitation to those people who have lost their homes, they are welcome within the walls of Minas Tirith for as long as it takes them to recover."

Eldarion's tone was firm and had an air of finality to it. He had made his decision, and he was willing to stick by it and defend it to the death. A smile spread across the Steward's lined face.

"Very well, my lord, I shall see it is done," Faramir said and motioned for Eldarion to continue forwards toward where his father was currently seated. Taking a deep breath, Eldarion began walking forward again. At the same time his father stood from his chair and approached his son. When they met, a few paces away from the king's throne, Eldarion bent down onto one knee and crossed his right arm over his chest.

"My father and king," he began solemnly, "Here do I swear fealty and service to Gondor as its future king. Upon my life, I swear to uphold what is right and fair, and condemn the wicked and impure, but I shall never forget that within each living person there is a beating heart and that the light of life is easily extinguished by actions or words. I will hold to this oath in peace and war, in the warmth of life or at the brink of death, until my very last breath leaves my chest."

"I accept your oath my son," said King Elessar smiling and drawing his sword, "I am happy and honored to name you the heir to the throne of Gondor." As he said this, the king tapped Eldarion's shoulders and head with the blade, "Arise and turn for all to see. People of Gondor, I give you my son, Prince Eldarion, the heir to the throne!" There were cheers from the congregation and both father and son were beaming proudly.

/0/0/

In the private dining hall, the lords and ladies of importance seated themselves and prepared to dine. They were seated at a long rectangular table, with no body sitting at the ends. In the center of one side sat King Elessar and Queen Arwen, to the right of the latter sat Sairina and Lily. To their dismay, however, they were seated across from the cousin troublemakers, Elboron and Elfwine. The dinner started out pleasant enough, Lily and Sairina conversed quietly about school things.

"Can you believe Professor Binns assigned us a six foot essay about the goblin wars over the holiday?" Lily asked politely, smirking at her friend. Sairina groaned.

"I'm telling you, the man is completely oblivious to everything!" Sairina claimed, "He didn't even realize he was dead one day, and yet he still drones on about pointless wars and bloodshed, and that cursed Uric the Oddball." Lily giggled and the two boys seated across from the girls stared in amazement at them.

"Hold on a moment," Elfwine said shaking his finger, "One of your teachers is . . . dead? How can he still be teaching a class?" The girls looked to each other a burst out laughing.

"Professor Binns is a ghost," Lily answered, "and quite possibly the most boring ghost and teacher in the world." Again all the boys could do was gape at the girls, causing them to laugh even harder.

"What, pray tell, is so humorous, my young ladies?" asked the King Eomer who was seated across from Sairina's father.

"The looks of disbelief on your son's and nephew's faces," Sairina smirked, "We were just speaking to them about a teacher at our school." He nodded with a smirk.

"And how is that going for you?" he asked lifting his cup to take a drink, "No more attacks upon you, I hope." Sairina groaned inwardly. She had been hoping her father wouldn't speak to the other lords about the Quidditch incident.

"Nay," Sairina said, "Things have been very peaceful since then. Just attending classes and doing large sums of homework." King Eomer smiled, and turned back to his meal.

"Homework?" Elboron asked, "What homework could you have concerning magical arts? From what I have read about ancient magic, you could either do it, or not."

"There is plenty of work that we need to do," Lily said defensively, "Practicing spells over and over to ensure that we can do them properly, writing essays on theory of magic, and understanding why and how it works."

"But all you do is wave a little stick around," Elboron said lazily, "What can be so difficult about that?" The girls dropped their eating utensils in tandem with their jaws. Unbeknownst to the steward's heir, he just greatly insulted the two girls. Luckily, his cousin was a bit more perceptive.

"He speaks in jest, my ladies," Elfwine said smoothly, "You'll have to forgive his ignorance, but we all have had very little exposure to magic since the passing of the elves and it survives on only in myth." His recovery had worked and the girl's weren't quite as offended and dinner continued on in peace.

At the conclusion of dinner, Sairina and Lily made their way back to their chambers. Lily was still somewhat offended at Elboron's dinner conversation.

"Wave a little stick around!" She shrieked once the door almost closed behind her, "Who does he think he is? There is far more to magic than waving a stick! I ought to track him down and place a jelly-legs curse on him or transfigure him into a newt!" Lily huffed as she sat down into a chair by the fire; Sairina took a seat across from her.

"Despite his amount of tutoring and his wealth of knowledge," Sairina began to explain, "Elboron can be a slightly obtuse."

"Slightly?" Lily scoffed, "I'm sorry Sairina, but he is a bit more than slightly obtuse." There was a soft knocking on the partially opened door. Lily arched her eyebrow at Sairina who copied her movements.

"Who is it?" Sairina called out while tightening her grip on her staff. The door creaked open slowly and Elfwine slowly stuck his head through the opening.

"May I come in?" He asked politely, "I heard you from the hallway and felt the need to apologize once more for my cousin's words at dinner tonight." Sairina motioned for him to enter and he did so. After shutting the door behind him, he claimed a seat next to Lily.

"There is really no need for you to apologize on your cousin's behalf," Sairina said lazily waving her hand, "You are not responsible for his ignorance."

"Aye, I know that, Sairina," Elfwine said, "But upon hearing your lovely companion's ranting from the hall, I felt compelled to do something." Lily blushed slightly.

"I didn't realize that I was being so loud," she said sheepishly looking at the floor. Elfwine gently patted her hand and rested his on top of hers.

"You have every right to be upset," he said in a soothing tone, "because what he did say was quite rude and closed-minded indeed. I only wish that there was some way we could adequately apologize to the both of you." He pondered for a moment before snapping his fingers in revelation, "I've got it. Please allow my cousin and me to escort you ladies to the feast the day after marrow. We can discuss more about your world and the elements of studying magic." Lily and Sairina exchanged glances and Lily shrugged somewhat reluctantly.

"Very well, my lord," Sairina began softly, "We shall allow you to escort us to the feast. I must warn you; however, if this be some prank, you will sorely regret it." Elfwine held up hand in defense.

"I speak completely in earnest," Elfwine said softly, "Ever since you have returned from school with your stories and Lily, I, as well as the others, have been fascinated with the happenings of your lives." He stood abruptly, "I will leave you to retire now. Goodnight, my lady," He inclined his head toward Sairina, "Lily." He gently took her hand and planted a light kiss on her knuckle and vanished from the room.

The girls stared after him in amazement.

"I do believe," Sairina smirked at her bewildered friend and lady-in-waiting, "That the Rohirric prince is quite taken with you." Lily shot her friend a glare and threw a pillow at her.

/0/0/

The next day, the girls awoke early and quickly prepared for the judging that they would have to do today. The called for their breakfast to be brought up to them and they chatted lightly while they ate fresh fruit and toast. There was a light tapping on the door and Sairina beckoned whoever was knocking to enter. The door burst open and several small girls ran into the room.

"Muinthel! Muninthel!" The little girls shrieked before pouncing on Sairina, "We are so glad you are home sister!" The girls giggled and hugged their sister and she hugged them back.

"My dear little sisters," Sairina beamed, "It feels like I haven't seen you in ages! My, how all of you have grown!" Sinrina smiled at Lily, who returned the smile, "How rude of you to not greet my lady in waiting was well." The little girls turned at looked at Lily for a brief moment, and then they pounced upon her as well, showering her with little hugs.

"You all are quite friendly, aren't you?" she asked lightly as the girls released her. The little girls giggled.

"Lily, allow me to introduce my sisters," Sairina began, but a little girl with pin straight black hair interrupted.

"We can do it ourselves Rina," she said pouting which caused Sairina to laugh and motioned for her to continue, "I'm Faer, and I'm nine years old." Besides her straight hair, she had bright blue eyes and a porcelain complexion.

"I'm Elwen, and I'm eight," the next little girl said. She by far stuck out the most, because she had bright blonde curls where all her other sisters had brown or black hair. Her eyes were a stormy gray color.

"I'm Hallien," the next little girl said looking down at her feet, she continued shyly, "I'm six." She has deep brown locks, and when she looked up for the briefest moment, Lily could tell that she looked very much like the king and had his gray eyes as well.

"I'm Brennil," the next little girl said confidently looking Lily straight in the eye, "I'm five years old." She looked very much like Sairina with the same black hair and blue eyes which were filled with laughter and an air of cunning.

"Laereth," chirped one of the last little girls happily.

"Mirien," chirped an exact replica of the girl who had just spoken.

"They are three years old," Sairina finished for them with a smile. The little girls all curtsied before Lily, "Sisters, allow me to introduce my lady in waiting, Lily Evans." Lily in turn curtsied back.

"It's very nice to meet all of you," Lily said kindly smiling. Lily then noticed that Hallien was whispering to Brennil. Brennil smiled and nodded emphatically.

"Hallien thinks your hair is very pretty," she said speaking up for her quiet sister. Lily laughed softly.

"Why thank you," Lily said politely. She then kneeled down before the silent sister and tucked a stray hair behind her ear, "I think your hair is very pretty, too." The little girl blushed profusely and muttered some type of thanks and turned shyly away.

"I assume that the six of you have good reason for coming in here and tackling Lily and I," Sairina said smugly and the girls all began to speak at once, except Hallien.

"One at a time!" Sairina exclaimed and Faer spoke up.

"It is almost time for the first competition for you and Lady Lily to judge," she said excitedly and began tugging on her sister's arm, "Grab your cloak and let's go!" The girls, giggling, then rushed out of the room. Sairina and Lily smiled after them. Lily grabbed her thick green cloak as Sairina clasped her deep blue one.

"What is the first competition?" Lily asked as she picked up her wand and walked with Sairina to the door. Sairina leaned on her staff in thought.

"I believe that it is an archery contest," Sairina pondered aloud.

"Archery? In the middle of winter?" Lily asked skeptically. Sairina nodded.

"The guards believe it adds to the challenge," Sairina explained, "I believe that it is just plain stupid." The girls laughed as they made their way through the halls.

/0/0/

Elfwine glanced nervously around. They were late, maybe something had happened. He fidgeted constantly looking in every direction for which entrance they might enter through. This constant fidgeting annoyed those around him.

"What in the name of all things in Middle-Earth are you looking for?" Alphros asked in a very irritated tone. Being seventeen, the future prince of Dol Amroth was beginning to lose patience with his younger companions, which (in conjunction with the crowning of Eldarion) was another factor in the fewer amount of pranks the four boys played. The fourteen year old Elfwine glared at Alphros.

"That is none of your concern," Elfwine pouted (a pout, mind you, that would send women double his age into a swoon). This look was short lived, however, when two certain people entered the room.

Well, in all reality, the presence of one person brightened Elfwine's face. The young teenager smiled wistfully as Lily Evans walked onto the veranda with Sairina. She was chatting happily with the princess and laughing. She then tucked a stray bit of fire red hair behind her ear.

'Gods, what I would give to be that strand of hair,' Elfwine thought longingly, 'to be touched by her perfect hand.' His look of longing did not go unnoticed by his friends.

"I bet twenty pieces of silver that he is eying your sister, Eldarion," Alphros said smugly and received a swift kick to the shin form the newly crowned prince.

"If so, I'll be forced to gut him alive," Eldarion growled, "Forget about any friendly ties with Rohan." Elfwife swatted them both upside the head.

"It's not your sister you orc," he replied, "It's her lady, Lily." The boys stared in astonishment at their youngest friend.

"Lily?" Elboron asked, "Surely you jest cousin." Elfwine rolled his cornflower blue eyes.

"I do not jest," he replied seriously, "She is an amazing woman. Her beauty is beyond compare . . . her hair alone enraptures my soul. She is witty, strong willed, and smart. She does not seek to bear the title of some lord; she seeks her own distinction in life. She is nothing like the flimsy maids who throw themselves at me because of who I am and how I look. She is different, unique." His companions merely stared at him.

"Elfwine," Elboron said grasping his cousin's shoulder, "You've only seen her about four times, and actually talked to her once. How do you know all this about her?"

"It obvious," he replied, "It's all in the manner of how she carries herself, and how she interacts with other people. Take last night, for example. Could you, cousin, tell that you had upset her when you said, 'wave a stick around'?" Elboron shook his head in the negative. Elfwine smiled and said, "You did. It is the little things, like gestures and things mentioned in passing that are the keys to unlocking a woman's heart."

"Does anyone else feel like we should be taking notes?" Eldarion asked light-heartedly and earned a mighty roar of laughter from his friends.

/0/0/

"I wonder what they're laughing about," Sairina commented wryly as Faer led her along towards their parents.

"It's probably best that we don't know," Lily replied as she scooped Hallien into her arms causing the small princess to giggle softly. There was a faint fluttering sound and a quick movement, and Lily saw the retreating shadowy form of one of the lords. "Who's that?" She asked of no one in particular.

"That's Lord Gange," the soft voice of Hallien replied in her ear, "I don't like him very much; he has a mean spirit around him." Lily looked at the young girl in her arms.

"What do you mean?" she asked softly.

"I've seen him yelling at the servants and hitting them," Hallien replied, "I'm too scared to tell ada because he may try to hurt me, too." Lily looked at the girl with wide eyes.

"Has he ever hurt you?" The little girl shook her head.

"He caught me following him one day, and he said that if he ever caught me again, he'd hurt my sisters and make me watch. He's a bad man."

"How long has he been here?" Lily asked with an edge or worry to her gentle voice.

"A long time," Hallien replied, "He was one of the few advisors to the last steward, Lord Denethor, before ada came to the throne."

"Lady Lily, Hallien, hurry up the competition is about to start," Faer called from where the rest were seated and the conversation was cut short. Lily and Hallien quickly claimed their seats as the first arrow was shot.

/0/0/

It was late in the day before Lily and Sairina returned to their rooms. They were in good temperament. The judging had gone well, but had been extremely tiring, and the two girls were ready to sink into bed. Their good mood faded suddenly as they entered through Sairina's door.

"What are you doing in here?" Sairina demanded angrily. Lord Gange was in her room studying the large mirror intently and was startled by the entrance of the two girls.

"My Lady . . ." he began with a fake and sickly sweet tone, "Allow me to explain."

"You can give your explanation to my father," Sairina practically growled at the older lord, "Get out now." Her voice had a dangerous edge to it and the lord silently bowed out of the room. Sairina slammed the door shut behind him and turned the bolt on the door.

"What the bloody hell was he doing?" Lily asked as Sairina made her way over to the object of Lord Gange's interest. She surveyed the mirror before responding to Lily.

"The man is like a giant bat," She said after her inspection of the mirror, "Always hovering and causing trouble. He was looking at the portal. Ever since he discovered that I was a witch, he as taken an uncommon interest in my abilities and schooling. He's up to no good that much is for sure." Sairina collapsed onto her bed and Lily leaned up against on of the bed posts.

"We'll lock the doors tomorrow during the feast," Sairina said, "I'll give you the key to your room tomorrow morning, I am to tired right now to get up from this position." Lily laughed and shook her head.

"Goodnight, Sai," she said before disappearing into her own room.

/0/0/

The next day dawned bright and beautiful. There was an unmistakable excitement in the air of the palace and city. Servants were rushing around busily and making sure that everything was going according to plan. Lily and Sairina giggled as they made their way to the seamstress to pick-up their dresses for the evening feast.

"Are you excited?" Sairina asked as she draped her dress over her arm. Lily blushed to the point that her face matched her hair.

"Of course," Lily said, "I've never been to such a gala before . . ." She trailed off.

"And I bet it helps that one of the most sought after princes is escorting you," Sairina teased. Lily playfully swatted at her and laughed.

"Possibly," Lily admitted sheepishly, "but you must also take into consideration that he's older and far more mature than the boys in our year at Hogwarts."

"Lily, Lily, Lily," Sairina sighed, "He's only a year older than we are, and have you forgotten that the whole lot of Trastahil only matured recently? Up until now, they were just as bad, if not worse than the Marauders." Lily blushed a deep crimson.

"What about you? You're going with Elboron, are you not?" Lily said hoping to change the subject, "But just as a friend. Merlin, he's like a second older brother. There is definitely someone else I would much rather spend the night dancing the night away with . . ."

"Let me guess," Lily smiled vindictively, "Elboron's Hogwarts counterpart." Sairina blushed and giggled.

"Is it that obvious?" She sighed as she opened her bedroom door and motioned Lily to enter.

"Sai, you've got it bad," Lily laughed as the door snapped shut behind them.

The girls whittled away the remaining hours before the feast working on that monstrous essay for History of Magic. The girls worked in silence until the sun began to sink in the west and Sairina announce that they should be getting ready. They quickly changed into their dresses, Lily in a forest green and Sairina in a rich deep blue, and were fixing their hair when a knock came at Sairina's door.

"Coming," Sairina called as she tied some of Lily's hair up in a ribbon that matched her dress. The girls stood and walked to the door and opening it saw a very sharp looking pair of cousins.

"You ladies look spectacular," Elboron said offering his arm to Sairina, "But we must get going if we do not want to be late." Sairina took his offered arm and the two began walking down the hall. Lily smiled at Elfwine, who seemed to be struck speechless by Lily's appearance. Lily giggled softly, reached up, and shut Elfwine's slightly gaping mouth. He snapped out of his trance and offered Lily his arm.

"You look absolutely breath-taking, my lady," he murmured softly, "Nothing like the witch I first met four months ago. You very much look like a lady of Gondor's courts." Lily blushed at his remarks.

"Thank you, my lord," Lily replied softly, "You look quite handsome yourself. Nothing like the trouble-maker I met four months ago. And don't call me by 'my lady'. It's too formal, and I'm just a simple girl. Lily will do." Elfwine smiled roguishly.

"In that case," he said, "you need not address me by, 'my lord'. Feel free to my name as well. Formality, in my opinion, is highly overrated."

"I quite agree, Elfwine," Lily said as they entered the dinning hall.

The night was filled good music, good food, and good company. Sairina and Lily chatted merrily through out the night. The watched as her parents and other distinguished royalty from other lands glide across the dance floor. Sairina unwillingly left her friend when the young Alphros stole her away for a dance.

Elfwine smiled at his friend, who did a wonderful job of executing his plan.

It is considered bad etiquette to ask a princess's lady-in-waiting to dance before the princess has been asked to dance. Elfwine knew this, and had to beg (and eventually bribe) his friends to do this, so he would then be able to ask Lily for a dance. As soon as he saw Alphros and Sairina twirling about the other lords and ladies, he made his room.

"Lily, it is a shame to see you sitting all by yourself," Elfwine said with true concern, "Where did your companion vanish off to?" Lily smiled.

"She was stolen away by one of _your_ friends," she laughed, "And that leave me all by myself."

"Perhaps I can amend for my friend's wrong against you," Elfwine smiled and extended his hand, "Would you care for a dance?" Lily laughed softly and took the Rohirric prince's hand. The duo twirled about the dance floor laughing gaily and had a genuine good time. They danced for several songs before Elfwine noticed the flushed look on Lily's face.

"Let us go outside for a bit of fresh air," he said into her ear and she willingly obliged. Elfwine gave Lily his arm and the two walked out onto a balcony.

The cool night air felt good against Lily's flustered skin. She breathed in deep the scented air that floated up from the gardens below and leaned on the rail of the balcony. She stared out over the city and beyond. The view was astonishing and every time she saw she noticed something different that stood out in the distance.

Elfwine stood off about two paces behind Lily, and was completely enthralled with watching her. The night breeze played with her red locks, tousling them about, and her slim form stood out from the darkness that surrounded them. He noticed that she shivered slightly, and he gently draped his cloak about her shoulders.

"Thank you," she said softly as she looked over her shoulder at the young prince, "I probably should have brought my cloak with me."

"No worries," Elfwine said softly before he wrapped his arms around her slender waist.

Normally, she would have been offended if say someone, such as James Potter, had tried this stunt, but there was a difference between what James would do and what Elfwine was doing. James would have been hanging all over Lily, and clinging onto her as if his life depended on it. Elfwine was merely resting his hands on her waist and still allowing Lily to have personal space (and the ability to breathe).

"There is something I would like to ask you," her murmured softly into her ear. Lily turned around to face him, noting that he didn't drop his hands when she did so and they were now resting on the small of her back.

"Yes?" she inquired.

"I was wondering if you would allow me to write to you," Elfwine asked and Lily cocked her head in confusion. Elfwine elaborated: "It is normally not considered 'proper' for someone such as me, a prince, to be interested in someone such as you, a lady in waiting. But from what I can tell, you don't come from a 'normal' place." Lily laughed lightly at this. "You plague my mind night at day. Please, say that I can write to you."

"I don't see anything wrong with it," Lily replied, "Just send your letters to here, and I will get them somehow." Elfwine smiled and tenderly hugged Lily.

"You have no idea how glad you make my heart," he smiled a genuine smile as he tucked a strand of hair behind Lily's ear. Lily smiled back, but couldn't suppress and on coming yawn. Elfwine chortled. "Are you really that tired?" Lily nodded and Elfwine gently released her from their embrace. "Come, I'll escort you back to your room."

The two teens walked in silence back to Lily's room. Upon reaching her door Elfwine leaned forward and planted a small kiss on Lily's left temple and bade her goodnight. He vanished down the hall and Lily quietly entered her room, where she was promptly whacked upside the head with a down pillow.

"I want _all_ the details, now," Sairina commanded and Lily spilled everything. Sairina let out a girly sigh, "Aw that is so adorable, Lily. He is an amazing guy, when he isn't pulling pranks." The two girls laughed.

"Are we going back to the castle tonight?" Lily asked and Sairina shook her head.

"No we have to help see the guests off and then we'll return," Sairina replied before vanishing into her room with a yawned 'goodnight'.

/0/0/

The girls prepared bright and early the next morning and raced to the front stairs where most of the guests and Sairina's family had already gathered. King Elessar along with the Steward Faramir was saying goodbye to King Eomer and Prince Elphir. Queen Arwen and Lady Eowyn were bidding farewell to their wives. And the Trastahil were bidding each other farewell too. Elfwine seeing that Lily had arrived to see them off strode over to her confidently and handed her a parchment envelope.

"I hope to hear from you soon, Lily," he said and gently took her hand and kissed her knuckles softly. His father then called to him and he jogged over to his horse and mounted effortlessly. With the thunderous roar of hooves beating on stone, the envoys of Dol Amroth and Rohan vanished from the White Tower.

/0/0/

"Have you read it yet?" Sairina asked as she pulled on her muggle clothing and stuffed her school robes into her bag. Lily shook her head.

"I'll read it when I get back," she replied as she hoisted her bag over her shoulder and walked towards the mirror, "I've been meaning to ask you what the password for the mirror is."

"Curuni," Sairina replied, "It means 'witch' in Sindarin. There are runes around the mirror that are written in an ink that can only be seen in moonlight or starlight. These runes are a riddle, and the answer is curuni. As far as I know only Professor Dumbledore and I can open the portal."

"Could I try?" Lily asked and Sairina nodded and walked towards her friend, "Curuni," Lily said as she waved her hand. To her surprise and Sairina's the portal opened and they stepped through.

Unfortunately, they didn't notice the shadow standing on the balcony who had heard every word of their last conversation before they left. Making sure that the girls were gone, it climbed down the balcony and shimmied across the walls before finally dropping down onto another balcony.

"Do you have it?" Lord Gange asked impatiently.

"Yes, my lord," the servant replied, "the password is 'curuni'." Lord Gange grinned wickedly.

/0/0/

Lily hummed softly to herself as she made her way across the Gryffindor common room. The past three day had been amazing, and she was in the best mood ever. She clutched Elfwine's letter tightly and was almost to the staircase for the girls' dormitories when some one caught her writs. She turned sharply and glared at her captor.

"James Potter," she growled, "let me go." He laughed dryly.

"Only after you tell me where you have been for the past three days," he retorted. It was then that Lily felt a pang of pity as she noted the bags under his blood-shot eyes and his hair was far more messed up than usual. All in all, he looked much disheveled.

"My God, you look as though you haven't slept in days," Lily said pulling her wrist from his grasp.

"I've sat up, in the common room, for the past three days," James replied hoarsely, "You never came down or up those staircases those three days. Where, on God's green earth, have you been, Lily?" Any pity she had felt a moment before vanished instantly.

"You are not my keeper, James," she retorted harshly, "I can go wherever I please, whenever I please, without having to inform you. Now, if you will excuse me, I'm rather tired and would like to take a nap. Might I suggest that you do the same thing?" She quickly turned on her heel and vanished up the staircase. James turned back to the common room and his friends.

"What do you think, mates?" he asked rubbing his eyes and yawning. Sirius shrugged and Remus pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Wherever she was," Remus began, "She was there with Sairina, because she has been gone for the past three days as well."

"Is she still gone?" Sirius asked as the common room door flew open. Peter scurried in.

"I just saw Sairina enter the Ravenclaw dorms," he said panting for breath.

"That clenches it," Sirius said, "Wherever they were, they were there together."

"But where would they go after the train has left, in the middle of the holidays, unless it was an emergency?" James growled in frustration, "We need to get to the bottom of this."

"Don't worry mate," Sirius said lazily, "I'm sure it's nothing at all. I mean, it's not like she's suddenly dating a prince or anything."

* * *

A/N: Terribly sorry it took so long. There were a lot of things I needed to establish and set up in this chapter, such as the Elfwine/Lily romance. Don't worry, this story is AU but not that far gone. 


	11. Discovery

_Chapter 10: Discovery_

The next morning, Lily marched into the Great Hall and collapsed into the seat across from Sairina and let out the oh-so-familiar groan of her frustration before she slammed her head on the table, thus creating the sound of a coconut being cracked. Sairina shook her head in mirth and gave her friend a bemused smile.

"I'll bet that hurt," Sairina smirked and Lily grunted in ascent, "What's got you so down in the dumps this morning?" Lily's head sprung up and she pulled a wrinkled letter from her pocket.

"This," she said motioning animatedly to the envelope, "is not going to work."

"Why not?" Sairina demanded, "You two were getting on so well at the feast . . ."

"I can't read it," Lily interrupted flatly as she unfolded the letter.

"What?" Sairina asked with confusion and snatched the letter from Lily. She opened it and glanced through it before laughing out loud. The letter was written in the runes of the common speech. "I completely forgot about the different writing styles. Here, I'll translate it for you, and I'll start teaching you the script of the common tongue." Sairina produced a quill and roll of parchment from her bag and began to translate for Lily while showing her the different symbols.

When she finished, the letter read:

_My Dearest Lily,_

_I fear that I am losing my Rohirric nerve! I have only just left your company, but I feel as if we have been parted for years. Enough of my sentiments . . ._

_I hope that all is well for you at school. If this be not so, then I hope that things will improve. I know that my own schooling is a burden at times, so if you need a person to sympathize with you, feel free to vent your frustrations with myself._

_I was also pondering when your schooling ends for the year. Sairina often speaks of having a "summer break" and I assume you have this break as well. The reason for this train of thought is because I was wondering if you would like to visit Rohan this summer. It is a beautiful time to visit, except it can be quite hot with harsh southern winds, but other than that, the landscape is quite breath taking._

_I await your letter with anticipation._

_Regards,_

_Elfwine_

"That is so precious," Lily sighed when she finished reading the translated copy.

"He is a charmer," Sairina concurred, "that much is certain." Lily stood to go, but Sairina grabbed her arm, "Lily, be cautious of what you say. The boy may be young, but he has broken many hearts already." Lily nodded.

"I'm notgoing to be able to go any way," shereplied, "My sister is getting married this summer to that git, Vernon Dursley."With that she disappeared from the hall. Sairina sighed and went back to reading her book. A few moments later, she could tell that someone sat down in front of her, but she didn't feel the need to lower her book. Assuming it was Lily, she said:

"Did you forget something, Lily?"

"No, but I think you did," a hard voice retorted with a snort. Sairina cringed inwardly and timidly lowered her book. Three of the four Marauders were standing in front of her with James seated and staring intently at her.

"How may I help you gentlemen?" Sairina asked cheerfully. Sirius rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"Cut the act," he growled, "we're not idiots you know."

"Sure could have fooled me, Black," Sairina snapped back. Sirius looked ready to kill and started reaching for his wand, but Remus stayed his hand and anger.

"Sairina," James began with a startlingly soft and dangerous edge to his voice, "We know you and Lily went somewhere the past three days. Where did you go?" Sairina sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She had not been expecting an inquisition when they arrived back at the school.

"Family emergency," she lied after a few moments of silence, "There were extenuating circumstances, and Professor Dumbledore allowed Lily to accompany me." James glared at Sairina fiercely, attempting to stare her down. Sairina, however, held her ground.

"If that is all you want, Potter," Sairina said standing, "I'll be on my way now." Sairina turned on her heel and stormed out of the Great Hall.

_What is his problem? He acts like he owns Lily! _Sairina thought angrily as she made her way to the library. She was about to open the door when someone placed their hand on top of hers on the doorknob. Sairina was about ready to yell at whoever it was when a voice spoke softly into her ear.

"Don't let James get under your skin, he's just worried," a familiar voice explained. Sairina turned and saw Remus smiling weakly. Sairina gaped like a fish out of water, floundering for something to say; Remus just had that effect on her.

"Why is he worried?" Sairina asked coarsely, "It's not like they're courting." Remus cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Courting?" he asked, "I don't think I've ever heard a teenager use that term. Most teens tend to use the term 'dating'." Sairina blushed brightly.

_Careful now . . . Your princess is showing . . ._

"My family's very traditional," Sairina said in a solemn tone nodding her head. Remus laughed dryly.

"I suppose that's the way things go when you're a princess," Remus said lightly. Every last drop of color drained from Sairina's face in an instant.

"What . . . d-d-did you say?" Sairina stammered and clutched onto the wall for support. _How did he find out? How the bloody hell did he find out!_ Remus began laughing.

"Nothing . . .," he said dismissively, "A few nights ago, Lily hinted that you were something, and Peter is under the disillusionment that you are a princess." Remus laughed heartily while Sairina laughed weakly.

"That's . . . pretty funny," Sairina said as she continued to laugh weakly. _That was _WAY _to close for comfort, _Sairina thought harshly. Remus nervously played with the hem of his sleeve.

"So what happened?" Remus asked softly as he reached for Sairina's hand. She looked at him curiously.

"What do you mean?" she asked confused as she interlaced her fingers with his. Remus smirked.

"Your 'family emergency', what was it?" Remus asked softly as he tucked a stray hair behind Sairina's ear, and once again he felt the oddity, how her ear came to a slight point.

"My mother became suddenly ill," Sairina lied, and it killed her inside to do so, "We didn't know if she was going to make it." By now her voice was barely above a whisper as Remus closed the distance between them. He looked into her eyes intently.

"You're lying," he smirked, "I can see it in your eyes. What are you hiding from me?" Sairina broke eye-contact and looked at the floor. Remus swore inwardly. She still wasn't going to tell him. If only he could make her see how worried he was . . .

Impulsively he reached out and cupped her cheek and raised her eyes back up. He leaned in slowly and gently brushed his lips against hers. Sairina was stunned; she had no clue what to do. Should she pull away, scream, slap him? Her mind raced, but instinct took over.

She kissed him back.

Remus cautiously pulled away and looked her in the eyes. There was anticipation, nervousness, and confusion apparent in her eyes, and he smiled. He gently caressed the side of her face with his thumb.

"Tell me, soon, love," he requested softly before he kissed her brow and walked away. After he had vanished from sight, Sairina collapsed onto the floor. Her senses were on fire. The world was more defined, and everything seemed brighter. She experienced so many emotions at the same time: anger, confusion, fear, lust. Sairina really didn't know what to think, but one thought was prevalent.

She hadn't wanted him to pull away.

/0/0/

The Christmas Break ended, and classes resumed once more. The second half of the year always seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye for Sairina. With all of her classes, Quidditch, translating several letters for Lily, and approaching exams she had little time to think about what had happened during the previous break. Her schedule had been so packed, that she didn't even have time to talk to Remus about tutoring or what had happened.

Spring had come to the castle, and the rains along with it. It was yet another rainy Saturday, and Sairina was currently sitting at the Ravenclaw Table doing Divination homework, attempting to drown out those around her. She scratched on her star chart and was in deep concentration.

"Mercury is going to be in the third house, Mars in the fifth, and in conjunction with the full moon that means that a person born under Jupiter in the fourth house will have times of toil ahead and . . . wait that can't be right . . ." she muttered constantly to herself as she scratched some notes on her piece of scrap paper. She set her quill down for a moment and applied pressure to her temples.

For the past few days, she had been having head splitting headaches. Afraid to go to Madame Pomfrey (for fear the woman may try to confine her to a bed and say that the headaches were a result of the Quidditch injury), Sairina put up with the headaches, and they tended to go away. But now wasn't one of those times.

Her head was throbbing in pain, so much pain that her vision blackened. She grabbed the sides of her head and willed it to stop. She whimpered as the pain climaxed, it crescendoed in to a constant ringing in her ears and a persistent fire in her mind. Sairina didn't know how much more she could take, she could feel herself struggling to keep conscious and fighting to not let the pain subdue her. Suddenly it was gone, she meekly opened her eyes.

She was no longer sitting at the Ravenclaw table. She immediately recognized the seventh floor corridor, but wondered how she had gotten there. Whilst pondering this, Professor Dumbledore walked pass her, paying her no heed.

"A vision?" Sairina asked herself, "but why now?" Shrugging her shoulders, she followed Dumbledore. He walked down the corridor until he reached a spot of wall that was unadorned. Upon reaching it, he paced in front of it three times before stopping and turning to the wall. Sairina jumped when she saw that where there had been nothing before, there was now a door. Dumbledore turned the knob and entered, Sairina followed after him.

The room was nothing spectacular. There were a few pieces of furniture covered by large white sheets, a few dusty crates, and one window that had been boarded up. Dumbledore flicked his wrist and several candelabras lit magically and gave the room an eerie feeling, casting long shadows on the walls. As Sairina took in the room, she had failed to notice Dumbledore walking with direction for a table covered in a sheet on the far side of the room. When he swept off the sheet on a table, she turned to him and strangled a surprised shout.

The Palantir of Sauron was seated on a large cushion in the middle of a table.

Everything went dark once more.

When Sairina opened her eyes, she was back in the Great Hall staring down at her Divination homework. People were loud and talking, nobody had noticed that she had a vision. She deftly shoved her homework into her bag along with her quill and raced out of the hall.

She wove her way through the throngs of students in the halls nodding and waving to those who greeted her, but kept moving. The higher she climbed through the castle, the sparser the crowds became, until she reached the seventh floor corridor where there was not a soul. She made her way to the bit of blank wall and stared at it in puzzlement. Eventually, she felt along all the cracks for some type of hidden catch that might open the door, or at least cause it to appear. She had no such luck, so she began to pace.

_I don't know how he did it_, Sairina thought, _all he did was walk in front of it, and the room with the palantir appeared. No magic, no muttered passwords, just pacing._ By this time she stopped and looked at the wall. To her surprise, there was now a door where the blank wall had once been. With her quivering hand she reached out to the doorknob, and it turned easily. The door swung open, and she stepped into the room.

It was exactly as it had been in the vision. There were sheet covered furniture, dusty crates, and boarded up windows. With a flick of her wand, she lit up the candelabras just as she had seen Dumbledore do. With a steady step, she made her way to a sheet covered table on the far side of the room. She grabbed a corner of the white sheet and pulled it off the table slowly. There was the black orb in all its glory, and Sairina could feel its power vibrating through her body.

Impulsively, she reached her hand out towards it. Her hand shook in anticipation as her reason told her not to touch it. She argued with herself for a few moments. _IF_ the essence of Sauron was waiting in the palantir to be released, she could unwittingly cause it to be free. She knew there was some ancient prophecy concerning his resurrection and her magical powers. Then again, she may be able to defeat him now . . . or at least do some damage . . .

Taking a deep breath, she placed her hand on the cool, glassy surface of the palantir. She could feel a shiver rise up her arm, and she looked into the black depths of the seeing stone. For a few moments, there was nothing but the shivering sensation moving through her body, the power of the palantir, but nothing to the likes of what Sauron's power could be.

_Show yourself_, Sairina demanded silently of the orb, _I know you are in there. I demand that you show yourself!_

The orb's response was to send the sharp pain of fire through her arm, forcing her to close her eyes. In her mind's eye, she was in a black space, a type of limbo, and before her was Sauron's bright eye. She could feel him drawing her in, using his black speech to subdue her. She heard him with her ears and in her mind. He whispered false promises, and killed hopes. He tried to seduce her into the darkness.

Sairina stuck out her hand and a bright light issued forth, and knocked the eye away, breaking his hold on her. He caused her physical temple pain for her actions, but she stayed strong. He had seen into her mind, now it was her turn to see into his. She focused all of her power into seeing beyond the eye. She saw a thousand lifetimes pass before her eyes. She saw the first war of the Ring with the Last Alliance, and she saw the Battle before the Black Gate; she also saw everything in between, and beyond. Sauron's spirit forced her out with a bone crushing power. She writhed in pain, screaming, and tried to escape, but he was to powerful for her. She had used most of her magic stamina when she peered into his thoughts.

With one last push, she forced him away, and ripped her hand from the palantir. Her blurred vision could make out that the orb, it was still glowing a fierce orange color. The scream was still sounding from her mouth as she staggered about the room for a moment or two when and oppressive darkness overtook her vision, and she crumpled onto the floor and her scream died on her lips.

/0/0/

"Sweet Merlin, who was that?" James asked his friends as they sat in the library huddled over their books.

"I don't know," Sirius replied shaking his head gravely, "whoever it was, it sounded like they were in trouble." The boys stood like the rest of the students in the library, and ran towards the doors. When they stepped outside the library, they were greeted by the sight of teachers running every-which-way looking for the source of the unearthly scream. Remus looked around nervously, noticing the absence of a certain black haired Ravenclaw . . .

He let out a sigh of relief when he saw Lily a few steps away from him. He moved to her side soundlessly and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Where's Sai?" he asked suppressing his nerves which were driving him mad. Lily looked at him with worry and gapped for words like a fish out of water gapes for air.

"I thought she might have been with you," Lily replied finally, "She said she was having some trouble with the pixie essay, and she was going to try and find you." Lily ran her hand nervously through her red locks. "I hope nothing happened to . . ." A commotion at the end of the hall interrupted Lily in mid sentence.

Several teachers were rushing down the hall with a white stretcher floating in between them. Lily let out a cry when she saw who was on the stretcher. Sairina lay, seemingly unconscious, with several gashes on her face. The entire left sleeve of her robes had been burned away, and her arm was scarred and looked like it was burnt extremely badly, like she had stuck her arm into a fireplace. Lily rushed forward and demanded of Dumbledore what had happened.

"I can't tell exactly what happened," Dumbledore said gravely, "Only Sairina knows that, but I have an idea." The students outside the library watched as the stretcher, all the teachers, and Lily vanished down the hall. Remus cast a dark look at his friends before vanishing down the hall after those who just disappeared.

"What the bloody hell do you think is going on, James?" Sirius asked. James shrugged.

"I don't know," he murmured, "But I think Remus is going to need some support."

/0/0/

In the hospital wing, Remus was pacing impatiently with his arms crossed and brow furrowed. His friends watched him helplessly. They had tried to console him and assure him that everything was going to be fine. Lily was also outside the infirmary with the Marauders, but she had sunk down against a wall and was crying silently.

"Mate," Sirius sighed, "she'll be fine. Madame Pomfrey will heal her up fine." Remus stopped pacing and looked at his friends.

"I know she'll be fine," Remus said and turned his eyes to Lily, "I don't know what happened to her, and that's what is worrying me. Will it happen again?" This last question was pointed directly to Lily who raised her tear streaked face.

"I don't know," Lily replied honestly, and was overcome by a fresh wave of sobs. Remus let out a sigh and went back to pacing. This continued for several minutes when Professor Dumbledore opened the door and beckoned the five students to enter. They somberly made their way into the room and Dumbledore directed them on where to go.

"The last bed on the right," he said as they moved past him. Lily ran to her friend's side and began sobbing once more. The Marauders moved around the barrier cautiously. Sairina was resting peacefully, but something was different . . .

Her face, normally bright with cheer and laughter, was slightly ashen. She looked older, not in terms of years, but she seemed as though she had suddenly become wiser, and that the weight of this wisdom was affecting her physically. Dumbledore let out a sigh as Lily wiped her tears away.

"She'll be fine right?" Lily asked turning to Dumbledore. He nodded silently and motioned for Lily to turn back to Sairina.

"Yes, I'm too stubborn to die yet," Sairina croaked as she opened her eyes weakly. Lily hugged her friend.

"What happened, Sai?" Remus asked as he moved from Dumbledore's side to hers. Her face darkened even further. Pain flashed momentarily across her face before she opened her mouth to speak once more.

"I saw him, Professor," Sairina whispered, "I fought him and barely came out alive." Her voice started to crack. Dumbledore looked at her intently yet sympathetically.

"Did you discover anything?" He asked softly. Sairina looked at the blankets on her bed for a moment. Thousands of images that she had seen through Sauron flashed before her eyes, but one was far more important than the rest.

"I," she began softly, "know the prophecy." Dumbledore's eyes went wide as she looked up into his eyes with determination. "I need to speak with my father, now."


	12. Revelations

_Chapter 11: Revelations_

**The Lord has fallen, indeed he is no more  
****The Ring to rule them all has now faded in to lore.  
****But death never comes to those seeking revenge and war.**

**The fall of the Lord has restored a king to his throne,  
****Friendships betwixt kingdoms are almost written in stone.  
****But just as the Dark Lord fell, so too, can these seats be overthrown.**

**From these seats of powers, heirs are borne,  
****From these heirs, the Dark Lord will be reborn.**

**The tears of the Barbaric Horse Lord's son  
****Will make the Lord's bones, will make the Lord able to run.**

**Blood of the Heir of the Steward is needed to refresh.  
****It will serve the Dark Lord well, and give him flesh.**

**The best, however, is saved for the last,  
****For what the heir of Isildur's Heir contributes is most vast.**

**The soul of the one who can someday claim Gondor's throne  
****Will give life to the Dark Lord, his flesh and his bone.**

/0/0/

Sairina trembled as she read the lines over and over. They were written in her handwriting, but they had been said many eons ago. The message they bore struck fear into her young heart, but she could not pry her eyes away from the page. Things had gone downhill so quickly from when she had peered into the palantir.

True, her father and the others knew the prophecy and could do their best to protect Elfwine, Elboron, and Eldarion, but these security measures had the boys going stir crazy. In addition, Sairina really didn't see her part in the prophecy, other than the fact that she was the one to discover it. However, she, too, was also under the constant watch, that of Legolas, who was like a second shadow while she finished out the end of her third year. This was because Galadriel had said that she alone could stop the prophecy from taking place, and her father wanted to ensure her safety.

School stress was also amounting on Sairina. Lily did her best to help her friend cope with the stress that the prophecy placed on her shoulder, but she couldn't completely lift it off. Also Remus was becoming a bigger and bigger part of her daily activities.

He seemed to be always waiting for her with a sweet smile and tender words, but never prying into what had happened. He waited patiently like a loyal dog for when she was ready to tell him her dark secret. She didn't want to admit it, but she began to feel as if she were falling in love with him. She tried to never let him get to close, because Legolas was watching her like a hawk, but she began to realize that she was going to have to tell Remus about her.

The true Sairina.

Princess Sairina.

/0/0/

It was the after the last exam, the sun hung lazily in the sky as students lazed about on the castle grounds. Sairina had just finished her Ancient Runes exam and was walking about with Lily enjoying the cool breeze and friendly banter. They talked and sauntered for sometime before Sairina spotted him. Remus was with the other Marauders and they were laughing at some joke or story Sirius had just finished recounting dramatically.

"I'm going to tell him," Sairina stated flatly as Lily gawked at her in surprise.

"Are you sure you want to?" Lily asked as she shuffled her feet in the loose earth. Sairina nodded before she began walking towards the four boys.

She had almost made it to where they were seated when she heard a familiar sound. It was fairly distant, but rang in her ears like a death toll. She had heard it everyday over last summer beginning with that one day in her room. It was a metallic ring, the familiar _schnik_, and dread grew in the princess's stomach.

Somebody was drawing a sword.

Sairina tensed as she heard the sound again. It was two swords now. She could tell from the length of the ring that they were short blades, probably long daggers. From what she knew of the teachers, students, and other assorted people on Hogwarts' grounds she guessed that they were elvin daggers.

_Damn you, Legolas,_ Sairina thought bitterly as she turned on her heel and took off towards the castle. She swore out loud when she felt someone fall in behind and began running after her at full speed. Sairina smiled when she saw the front steps come into view. She fell down once her foot hit the bottom stair, and in one agile movement she drew her wand and rolled onto her back.

"_Petrificus Totalus!"_ Sairina bellowed as she shot the spell at the pursuing elf. He instantly seized up, dropping his blades and falling to the ground stiff as a board. Sairina stood wearily picking up one of his blades and rested it against his neck. She stared down at him vindictively pressing the blade closer to his exposed neck, completely ignoring the crowd that had started to gather around them.

"Explain yourself, now," Sairina commanded in a voice that wasn't her own. It was removed and cold, brimming with venom as she glared down at her father's friend. It wasn't the voice of a Hogwarts' student, but the voice of an angered princess.

"Mhhmn mrrhmn humrum," Legolas attempted, but the spell had locked his lips together. Sairina lazily waved her wand, and his body visibly loosened and relaxed.

"_Speak_," Sairina demanded with the same cold voice, but this time in Sindarin.

"_You have one year until your crowning,"_ Legolas spat back tersely eyeing the blade at his throat, "_Your father wants you to be prepared. So your physical training begins now._" In a movement quicker than a lightning strike, Legolas was on his feet behind Sairina pinning one arm behind her back and lifting her arm that held the sword so now it was at her throat. Sairina grunted in annoyance at being put in such a precarious position.

"_Yield now,"_ He commanded

"Fine," she growled, "I yield." He released her and sheathed his blade. He bent down and picked up his second fallen blade, and when he raised his eyes he saw a very angry young princess glaring back at him. Sighing he sheathed his blade and loosened a small dagger from his belt. He handed this dagger to Sairina.

"_Always be armed. It may not be much, but even the least amount of defense can save the lives of those you care the most about. Above all, you can't be afraid to use it. The fears of using a weapon will be your downfall, so when the time comes, use it. Use this dagger for all it is worth."_ Legolas departed silently, vanishing into the shadows of the castle leaving Sairina to ponder the depth of his words.

Several students rushed up to Sairina asking if she was alright and asking who that man was. Sairina didn't respond; she only clutched the hilt of the dagger tightly, so tight that her knuckles were turning white.

_Damn this prophecy_, She thought bitterly, _Damn Legolas. Damn my father. Why does everything have to fall onto my shoulders?_ Sairina closed her eyes tightly as they stung with hot tears. She just wanted it all to be done and over with. She felt a hand squeeze her shoulder, harshly bringing out of her pit of self-loathing. In anger, she spun drawing the blade and pushing it towards the person's throat.

Remus stared at Sairina in shock as the blade rested on his Adam's apple. Sairina retracted instantly with the same look of shock. Tears brimmed from her eyes as she turned and ran into the castle.

/0/0/

Aragorn had always taught his children to never run from their problems. He encouraged them to meet struggles head-on with diplomacy. However, after the display that Sairina had just done in front of the majority of the school populous, she never wanted to leave her dormitory again. She was appalled with her actions, and felt as though she would never be able to live them down.

She sobbed into her pillow and willed the image of Remus's shocked face to leave her mind. That image, however, was burned into her mind's eye.

_I could have killed him,_ Sairina thought dramatically, _I could have killed the one man who means the most to me._ This realization startled the young princess, and she knew right then and there that she had to get out of the castle. To get away from him, so she wouldn't run the risk of hurting him. Sairina looked at the clock on the wall, and noted that it was dinner time, so no students would be in the hall. If she was going to go home early, she had to do it now.

With the flick of her wand, her belongings neatly stacked themselves into her trunk and the lid closed and snapped its locks shut. Sairina hastily scribbled three notes: one to Dumbledore, one to Lily, and one to Remus. They were some where between apologies, notifications that she was leaving early, and explanations of what happened.

Once she handed these letters to her owl that flew out the window of her Ravenclaw dormitory, she left the dorm.

Sairina made it to the eighth floor corridor without running into any one. She stood before the mirror staring at her reflection. She looked tired, worn, almost like a corpse. She heaved a sigh before saying the password and vanishing through the portal. As the mirror sealed behind her, she had a sinking feeling that she was going to have a lot of explaining to do when the next school year came around.

She set her trunk at the foot of her bed, and made for the door to the hall. When she opened it she was surprised to see her brother standing before it. He had a sympathetic look in his eyes and hugged his younger sister.

"Legolas told ada and me the whole thing," he murmured softly as Sairina began to cry again, "It's only natural, you come from a long line of fighters. You didn't mean it . . ."

"But I could have killed him, Eldarion," Sairina sobbed, "I could have killed him." She continued to cry as he brother held her close.

"Don't worry, Sai," he cooed softly, "Ada is going to talk to your headmaster about it in the morning and work everything out." Eldarion took a step back and smiled at his little sister, hastily wiping the tears from her eyes with his thumbs.

"I think you have some pent up anger concerning a certain elf," he smirked and Sairina smiled weakly and nodded her head. "The sun is still up, dear sister, how about a spar?" Sairina smiled at her older brother and the siblings walked from the room towards the armory.

In this manner Sairina spent the summer before her fourth year.

/0/0/

It had seemed like only yesterday, he was riding home from his third year. Now Remus Lupin was seated in the Marauder's compartment on his way back to Hogwarts for his fourth year of schooling. He stared out the window longingly as he reminisced about the abrupt end to his third year.

Sairina had been chased by that man. There was a moment of conversation and he had handed her a dagger, and then she (he could only assume) accidentally tried to kill him. The incident had left him confused, and he had wanted answers, but Sairina had vanished the next day, leaving only a note that contained a hastily written apology. This only steeled Remus's determination.

He was going to find out what she was hiding, come hell or high water.

"Moony, are you still alive over there?" Sirius called gruffly pulling Remus out of his pensive state.

"Yes, mate," he replied half-heartedly, "What were you guys talking about?" His friends looked at him in surprise.

"You-know-who," Peter whispered and James and Sirius both nodded. Remus looked at the issue of the Daily Prophet that his friends were looking at. There had been yet another attack on muggles by the evil Lord Vold . . . I mean You-know-who. His name brought fear to the hearts of even the stoutest wizards and the attacks by his death eaters were becoming more and more frequent. Remus could only hope that Sairina had been safe all summer.

"We're getting near the castle," James announced, "We should probably change into our school robes."

/0/0/

When Remus walked into the Great Hall with the other Marauders, he immediately began scanning the Ravenclaw table. His friends noticed his preoccupied look and they exchanged worried glances.

"Don't worry Moony," James said patting his friend's shoulder, "She'll be here; she has to be here." Remus nodded and heaved a great sigh. The four teen boys sat down at their usual spot at the Gryffindor Table. The friends began talking again when a ringing laughter resounded through the hall. Remus turned his head and nearly jumped for joy. Sairina was walking into the hall with Lily, and she seemed . . . different.

She walked taller, with what could only be described as a regal air. She had been fit for the last two years because of her participation in Quidditch, but she seemed trimmer, and far more agile than she had been before. It was also quite obvious to Remus's libido that she was becoming a young woman because she was developing curves that were quite apparent, despite the uniform she was wearing. Her face still had lines of worry etched into it, the same as it had been at the end of the last year, and her dark blue eyes still held a note of worry in them.

Remus gulped audibly as she and Lily got closer. The closer she got, the more gorgeous she seemed to be. She started to pass by, and Remus couldn't help himself. With the agility that only a werewolf could possess, he had gently grabbed her arm, spun her once causing her to collapse into his lap. He smiled roguishly.

"Hey stranger," he smirked. Sairina laughed lightly and hugged Remus. As she hugged him, he could feel her shift her weight as she leaned towards his ear.

"I have something important I need to talk to you about," she whispered so only he could hear, "Also, I'm sorry about last year, after exams . . ." her voice trailed off as she pulled away. Remus looked into her eyes and could see that they were filled with remorse and guilt.

"Did you want to talk to me now?" Remus asked with a slight hint of worry in his husky voice.

"I was thinking about after classes tomorrow," she murmured as she played with the hem of her robe. She looked at him unsure, and he nodded his head. The smile that had once graced her face returned as she stood up and walked over to the Ravenclaw table. When Remus tuned back to his friends, they looked at him with shock.

"Remus, my boy!" James exclaimed slapping his friend on the back, "I didn't know you had it in you!" The four friends laughed and Remus turned a lovely shade of red.

"I'm going to have to try that sometime," Sirius said rubbing his chin. Remus shook his head as the first years marched into the Great Hall.

/0/0/

_Remmy,_

_Meet me in the Library tomorrow after classes finish. I'll be in the back part, by the Restricted Section._

_Sai_

Remus read the note over and over as he made his way to the Library. Classes had just finished for the day, and he was beside himself with anticipation with what Sairina might have to tell him. He was also excited because no matter what Sairina told him, he had decided to ask her if she wanted to be his girlfriend, of course that would be after he figured out what she was hiding.

Remus tried to steady his breathing as he walked into the library and made his way towards the Restricted Section. He smiled at his friends who took places at another table they gave him a thumbs up sign for good luck. Smiling and shaking his head, he made for the back section. Remus smiled when he saw Sairina sitting there, but frowned when he saw that she wasn't alone.

An older man was sitting with her, and he too had a sort of commanding air about him. His hair was dark and he had a defined profile. He was pointing at something in a book that was opened before Sairina and she seemed to be arguing with him. As Remus got closer, he began to pick up on bits of their conversation.

". . . I just don't think that it would be fair to let the Haradrim to suffer," Sairina said defensively, "It's true, my lord, they were enemies of ours during the war, but we have settled most of our differences, and it would further help to build relations if we were to aid them during this drought and famine they are suffering from." The elder man nodded as a smile spread across his face.

"Excellent response, Lady Sairina," the man said proudly, "Your insights are well thought through as are your opinions. You certainly have come a long way since the start of the summer on diplomatic policies. Your diplomatic skills are far superior to those of your brother." Sairina smiled.

"Alas," she sighed melodramatically, "his physical capabilities far surpass my meager attempts of attack and defense." The two laughed as the man stood.

"That will be all for today, My Lady," the man said bowing his head slightly, "I will see you in two weeks time, and by that time I will like you to have read up on the traditions and customs of the Dunlanders." Sairina nodded and the man walked off.

Remus waited patiently until the man left the library before approaching Sairina. The instant the door snapped shut he walked over to the table she was seated at. As he sat down she looked up from the book that was opened in front of her. She greeted him with a smile and opened her mouth to speak, but he beat her to it.

"Before you say anything," Remus began with wavering confidence, "listen to what I have to say, Sai." Her mouth closed slowly, "Ever since I laid eyes on you first year, I could tell that you were different. I didn't know what it was about you, but it haunted my mind relentlessly. Over the course of the last year, I began to realize what it was.

"I am hopelessly in love with you, Sairina; I want you to be my girl," Remus confessed whole heartedly, "and I'm worried about you. I would also like to know what the bloody hell you are hiding. I can help you with whatever you are being burdened with." Sairina looked down and her hand and wrung them in silence. Taking a deep breath, she began:

"I'm glad you told me that before I started, because if you had told me that after what I'm going to say, I probably wouldn't believe you." She looked up into Remus's eyes; there was fear and apprehension there. Remus laid his hands on top of her in a simple show of support. With a staggering breath she continued, "My secret, what I have been hiding for the past three years is that . . . I'm . . . I . . ." Sairina struggled with the words, "I'm not really from this world." Remus raised an eyebrow.

"You mean like one of those aliens muggles think exists?" Remus asked skeptically. Sairina shook her head.

"I'm from a world that . . ." once more she found that she was struggling words to explain her situation, "It's an older world, perhaps it's in the distant past of this world, I don't know how to explain it." Remus nodded.

"Is that it?" he asked gently squeezing her hand, "That you are from another world." Sairina took another steadying breath.

"No." Remus looked at her expectantly.

"You see," Sairina began, "in this other world, there is a king who rules the land where I live. He is my father." It was an abrupt way of putting it, and Sairina could only hope he got it. Sairina watched Remus silently as that bit of information sunk in. It took him a few moments, but then he began to laugh. Sairina felt slightly offended. "What is so funny?"

"Peter was right," he said between his guffaws, "Peter is never right!" He continued to laugh for a few moments while Sairina drummed her fingernails on the table top. "I'm sorry, Sai, but it's slightly unbelievable that you are a . . ." Sairina quickly placed her hand over his mouth.

"Shhh," she cautioned, "no one is supposed to know. You and Lily are the only students who know about my secret. Plus if it is proof you are looking for, I can give you plenty of proof, right now." Sairina stood and grabbed Remus's arm and led him out of the library.

Sairina led him up several sets of stairs, the entire time Remus demanded of her where they were going. Sairina however remained silent the whole time. Finally the two reached the eighth floor corridor and stood before the large ornate mirror at the end of the hall. Remus and Sairina stared at their reflections. Remus was about the question Sairina when she waved her hand and muttered some incantation and the mirror melted away.

"That's impossible," Remus murmured, "James, Sirius, Peter, and I know about every secret passage in this school." Sairina laughed quietly.

"It's not a secret passage," she explained as she turned to look at him, "It's a portal to my home." With that she stepped through the portal and Remus followed. Remus gawked at the room he had stepped into, but Sairina paid no heed to his amazement and walked to a set of double doors next to the mirror. She flung the doors open and beckoned Remus to look out. Remus couldn't believe the sight that lay before him: the tiered city, the expanse of land that lay out before it, the gardens, the other parts of the white stone castle, the white tower. It was all amazing.

"Welcome to the realm of Gondor," Sairina said softly as Remus gapped like a fish out of water, "This is my father's kingdom." There was a soft knock at the door and Sairina beckoned the person knocking to enter. The door creaked open and an older woman slid into the room.

Remus's jaw dropped. The woman looked like an older version of Sairina and was holding a small baby in her arms. She smiled warmly at the two teens; Sairina smiled back and approached her holding out her arms.

"Mother," Sairina greeted the woman, "how is Driel?" Sairina took the baby from her mother's arms and held it gently.

"She is well," the woman replied tickling the cooing infant, "What are you doing back so soon?" Sairina glanced at Remus, and her mother followed her gaze, "Who is this, my daughter?" Sairina handed the child back to her mother and motioned Remus to come over.

"Mother," Sairina began, "This is Remus Lupin, he is a boy I attend school with, and he has intentions of courting me." Her mother raised an eyebrow but smiled at Remus nonetheless. Sairina turned to Remus, "Remus, this is my mother, Queen Arwen." Arwen inclined her head towards the teenager, and he bowed clumsily which caused her to laugh.

"Will you be introducing him to your father?" Arwen asked and Sairina shuffled her feet nervously.

"I was going to give him a brief tour of the grounds before I did that," Sairina explained, "so he could adjust to this world a little bit before he meets Ada." The queen nodded.

"That is fine by my judgement," the queen said, "but I will be telling your father of your intention to meet with him later. Good day to you both." With that the queen left the room and Sairina turned to Remus.

"Well?" Sairina said unsure of Remus's thoughts.

"You were telling the truth," he murmured half dazed but snapped out of it, "What is this, though, that I have to meet with your father?" Sairina smiled slyly.

"Well you did say that you wanted me to 'be your girl'. So in order to date me, you mus get my father's approval first," Sairina explained as she led REmus to the door, "I'll explain everything as we tour the grounds."

"Everything?" Remus asked, "Even about what happened at the end of last year?" Sairina smiled weakly.

"Yes," she replied, "Everything. You need to realize what you are getting yourself into."


	13. A Father's Decision

_Chapter 12: A Father's Decision_

" . . . And I fought against him and eventually knocked him away long enough to let go of the palantir," Sairina paused to let out a sigh, and Remus gently pulled her into a tender embrace, "The next thing I remember was waking up in the hospital wing with Lily and you, and the other Marauders. Then I remembered the prophecy and knew I had to tell my father."

The two teens were seated on a bench in one of the many gardens of the palace, and Sairina spent the past hour and a half telling Remus her life story. The entire time he sat listening quietly and taking everything in. And Sairina told him everything. She told him about the prophecy, the tale of the ring, her family, everything that she could possibly think of that he should know. Remus had sat in silence the entire time, listening to her intently. Now he stood and walked towards a nearby tree and leaned on it for support.

"You're silence is maddening, you know," Sairina huffed from her seat on the bench as she wrung her hands. Remus looked at her from the corner of his eye.

"It's just all so unbelievable, Sai," he groaned rubbing his forehead, "It's a lot to take in all at once." He turned towards her, and noticed she had her eyes shut. He knew she was holding back tears. Sighing he returned to her side and gently stroked her cheek. She opened her eyes, and Remus could see the tears forming in those brilliant blue orbs. He leaned forward and kissed her gently on the forehead and held her in a gentle embrace.

"Despite all of it," he murmured into her ear, "I still feel the same way I felt before. I love you." Remus could feel her smile into his shoulder as she let out a light laugh. She pulled away from him, and he wiped the tears from her cheeks. Remus smiled as he leaned forward and gently brushed his lips against hers.

Before their kiss could deepen, the sound of someone clearing their throat caused the two teens to jump apart. Sairina turned sheepishly towards the direction of the intruder.

"Ada," she said meekly, "Remus and I were just talking . . ." her father held up a hand and Remus grimaced in his seat as the king strode forward towards where they sat. The king towered above them like an oncoming storm before he spoke.

"Sairina," he began tersely, "I must have a few words with your suitor then the both of you will return to Hogwarts." Sairina nodded and cast one last look of hopefulness at Remus before she vanished into the gardens. Remus tensed visibly as the king sat down next to him.

"My Lord," Remus began shakily, "I know that may have . . ." The king once again held up his hand calling for silence. Remus complied, but he was in an internal panic. He hadn't meant for the king, Sairina's father, to see them kissing.

"A daughter is very precious to her father," he began. While Remus had been looking at the king this whole time, the king stared out at some point in the horizon, "Would you not agree Remus Lupin?"

"Yes, sir," Remus replied humbly wringing his hands. The king let out a deep sigh and carried on.

"Has she told you about the prophecy?" The king demanded looking at Remus sharply from the corner of his eye. Remus nodded

"She told me how her great grandmother had predicted that she would be the one to stop it," Remus replied. The king turned suddenly to Remus and eyed him critically.

"Her great grandmother predicted far more than her involvement with this prophecy," the king said curtly, Remus meant to question him, but he continued on, "Lady Galadriel saw that she would be going to another world for schooling, and what lay in store for my daughter. 'In this other world, she will have her heart stolen by a man, a man with two faces. One face is an intelligent, mild-mannered man. The other is a horrible beast with an unquenchable thirst for blood.' What do you make of this, Remus?"

Remus gulped audibly. The king smiled and stood from the bench. Remus opened and closed his mouth trying to come up with a quick lie, but nothing was coming to him.

"So it be true then," the king said with a note of amusement in his voice, "You do not deny it. What is it you hide, child?" Remus was startled by the king's tone of this last question. He wasn't accusing Remus, his tone was gentle and understanding. Remus took a deep breath.

"I am a werewolf, sir," he said casting a dark look at the ground, "I was bitten when I was five years old." King Elessar turned and rested a hand on Remus's shoulder.

"Does my daughter know it yet?" he probed. Remus sighed.

"No, not yet," Remus sighed thinking darkly on what that conversation would entail, "but I intend to as soon as I have your permission to date . . . erm . . . court her." The king nodded.

"May I assume that your intentions are pure?" The king asked as Remus nodded, "Good, for if I hear otherwise, I will hunt you down and make you wish you had never met my daughter." Remus once again gulped audibly and the king chuckled, "You have my permission." With that the king silently stalked away. Remus ran his hands nervously through his shaggy blonde hair. He took a few deep breaths before standing and making his way back to the castle.

* * *

A/N: I know that this was short, but I'm pretty much going to gloss over their fourth year, because (unlike Harry's fourth year) nothing really starts happening until the summer after. 


	14. Coronation

_Chapter 13: Coronation_

The tension in the school had been mounting for two years, but only now could the students and staff begin to feel the effects of it. With the constant hushed whispers of you-know-who, and his use of dark magic, a divide began to form between the students that had been apparent in their parents for a few years now.

The leering looks were more than Sairina could stand. The Slytherins were making it know that they did not appreciate the "mudblood" populous of the school. It wasn't just leering looks; there were skirmishes in the halls where several Slytherins would gang up on one other student. Muggle born wizards were beginning to move in packs. Lily and Sairina, however, only kept each other's company.

Sairina was still in heavy training for her impending, approaching coronation ceremony. Her stress level was reaching an all time high, but her sparring practice with Legolas and her brother helped to relieve a majority of the tension. Legolas had been hinting that she should be prepared for any type of attack, at any time. Sairina was now in the habit of constantly having her twin daggers concealed beneath the outer black robes of her uniform. It was like Legolas had said; she always needed to be prepared.

"Sairina," Lily said snapping Sairina out of a trance, "Elfwine wants to know if I can visit this summer." Sairina smiled at her friend's interesting plight.

"Can you?" Sairina asked with a slight cocky air. Lily growled at her friend. It was a Saturday morning and the girls were seated enjoying a lovely breakfast. The days had begun to loose their summer's warmth as it got closer to Halloween, but the sun still shone casting an amber glow in the Great Hall.

"This is serious," Lily sighed and Sairina only laughed. Her laughter subsided when she felt some one place their hand on the small of her back, dangerously close to where the dagger Legolas had given her was concealed. Sairina smiled as Remus sat down next to her and placed a soft kiss on her temple.

"How are you ladies doing this morning?" Remus asked politely. Lily let out a half laugh.

"Frustrated beyond belief," Lily scoffed as she looked around, "Where are the rest of them?" She was of course referring to the other Marauders who were absent. Remus only smiled.

"They are sleeping in late because they were up well into the wee hours of the morning," Remus explained as he buttered some toast, "We were setting things up for the Slytherins for what they did to Marcus." Marcus was a third year Hufflepuff who had been the most recent victim in the Slytherin attacks.

"My knight in shining armor," Sairina sighed dramatically. Remus smirked darkly as he bit into his toast.

"Not quite," He replied after swallowing, "Sairina would you care to go for a walk this morning?" Sairina cast a look at Lily who smiled back and murmured something about having to do an essay and vanished from sight. Remus stood and offered Sairina a hand. "Come, there actually something I need to talk to you about."

The two teens walked out of the Great Hall hand in hand, however, only one of them noticed the shadow that stalked behind them. Sairina took a deep breath that alarmed Remus.

"Wh–" he began but Sairina cut him off.

"It's so beautiful how everything around the castle is so **_natural_**?" Sairina asked gently squeezing Remus's arm. Remus took the hint, and acted as if nothing was wrong. It was at this juncture that he noticed they were being followed as well. Trusting Sairina completely he began to follow her as she led him away from the more populated areas of the courtyard. Suddenly, her grip tensed, and she pushed Remus away and flung her outer black cloak off. She spun on her heel and drew out two short blades, just as a person concealed in a cloak and hood swung down hard with a broadsword.

The clang rang clear and loud in the crisp air, and everyone in the courtyard stared at the source. Sairina and her attacker were locked into battle stances with both participants lashing out with incredible agility. The two continued to duel and shift from attacking to defending; the students looked on, enthralled with the fight. Remus drew his wand and pointed it at the attacker, but a firm hand grabbed his wrist and lowered his wand.

"If you want to continue courting my sister," a voice said gruffly, "I would highly suggest _not_ doing that." Remus turned and glared at the speaker, but gasped when he saw who was speaking. The person looked no older than fifteen and had a dangerous glint in his eyes. Remus could have sworn that he was looking at a younger version of Sairina's father.

"Who are you?" Remus demanded. The other teen smiled cockily.

"Prince Eldarion," he replied haughtily, "Sairina's older brother." He spoke with great emphasis while giving Remus a cruel stare, "I can only assume that you are Remus Lupin."

"The one and only," Remus replied in the same tone. The two boys continued to glare at each other, paying no heed to the fight, until someone knocked into Remus and out of the staring contest.

"What the bloody hell is going on, mate?" someone asked before becoming totally enthralled with the fight. The students watched on as the two fighters parried, spun, blocked, and jabbed, Sairina with her two blades, the unknown attacker with his one. Sairina gained the upper hand, knocking the figure off balance. While he regained it, Sairina yanked off the cloak. She was ready to strike, but faltered when she saw who it was.

"Father?" she asked, dropping her guard momentarily. Her father took the opportunity to attack and knocked her blades far from her. She conceded, still bewildered at her father's presence. "Why, father?"

"You must be prepared for anything," he explained helping her retrieve her blades, "Always remember that." He handed her twin daggers back to her. Sairina took them, silently nodding her head. It was at this juncture that Dumbledore had entered the circle that surrounded the father and daughter pair. Aragorn apologized quietly, and Dumbledore merely smiled. He muttered and incantation and there was a bright flash of white light.

Sairina and Remus were seated by the shore of the lake, and Remus had no clue how they had gotten there.

"Weren't you and your . . ." he began confused as Sairina skipped a stone across the glassy surface of the lake, leaving a series of ripples in its wake.

"Yes," Sairina replied pitching another stone, "But Dumbledore did some sort of spell, or memory charm, and the only ones who remember what happened are the ones who know my secret." Remus nodded and stared out at the horizon.

Silence hung between the two teens comfortably. Remus draped and arm lazily around Sairina's shoulders. Sairina stared at him affectionately.

"I believe there was something you wanted to talk to me about?" Sairina asked playfully as she lightly traced her fingers over his chest, "That was the whole reason we came outside in the first place." Remus grimaced inwardly. He couldn't tell her, not yet. He knew he had made a promise to her father to tell her, but he wasn't emotionally ready to handle her reaction yet.

"I can't recall what it was now," Remus lied as Sairina rested her head on his shoulder. She sighed softly.

"I could really stay like this forever," she murmured, Remus held her tighter.

"Me too," he murmured back into her raven locks. The two young lovers jumped when they heard someone clearing their throat loudly behind them. They turned and Remus groaned as he noticed his friends standing just a ways off. Kissing Sairina gently on the temple he said he'd be right back and got up brushing the grass and leaves off of his pants.

Sairina sighed as she pulled her knees up to her chest. The wind whipped across the grounds with a definite winter bite. Sairina skipped one last stone across the lake; it sounded with a _splish, splish, splop._ Blankly Sairina stared out at the horizon; everything was so pure and perfect in a natural balance. Without fully realizing it, Sairina began to sing.

_Ai! laurië lantar lassi súrinen,  
yéni únótimë ve rámar aldaron!  
Yéni ve lintë yuldar avánier  
mi oromardi lissë-miruvóreva  
Andúnë pella, Vardo tellumar  
nu luini yassen tintilar i eleni  
ómaryo airetári-lírinen. _

Sí man i yulma nin enquantuva?

An sí Tintallë Varda Oiolossëo  
ve fanyar máryat Elentári ortanë,  
ar ilyë tier undulávë lumbulë;  
ar sindanóriello caita mornië  
i falmalinnar imbë met, ar hísië  
untúpa Calaciryo míri oialë.  
Sí vanwa ná, Rómello vanwa, Valimar!  
Namárië! Nai hiruvalyë Valimar!  
Nai elyë hiruva! Namárië!

The melody was somber and the tempo slow. Sairina's voice was filled with wavering bittersweet emotion. As Sairina sung her eyes glazed over as she stared out at the horizon; her voice rung clear as it bounced off the surface of the lake. Nature seemed to stop and listen to her soft voice and the gentle words that poured out of her mouth like water pours from a pitcher. It hung on every syllable with a bated breath, anticipating what would come next. When she concluded the song, the world seemed to move once more.

"That was astounding," she felt someone murmur into her ear. Sairina jumped at Remus's closeness and turned to face him.

"I didn't hear you sneak up on me," she said softly, flustered. Remus smiled.

"What were you singing about?" Remus asked softly, "It seemed so sad, and the world seemed to weep upon hearing you sing." Sairina smiled bitterly.

"It is a song my mother sings whenever my father has to leave Gondor," Sairina explained softly, "Namárië means farewell in one of the Elvin tongues. It was a lament sung by my great grandmother years ago. It tells of the fading of the autumn into winter, life into death, and light into darkness." Silence hung between the two teens for a moment.

"It was beautiful," Remus said after a few minutes, "no matter what it was about. Anything you say is music to me." Sairina smiled warmly as Remus held her close.

"What did the boys want?" she asked. She could feel Remus shake with silent laughter.

"They told me the outcome of our prank on the Slytherins," Remus explained, "It sounded quite amusing."

"I'm sorry you missed it," Sairina said apologetically. Remus squeezed her gently.

"Don't be," he murmured almost seductively, "I'd rather spend my time with you than playing pranks." Sairina shivered and Remus kissed the nape of her neck.

"Is that all they wanted?" she asked trying to maintain control of the storm of emotions that was raging within her. Sensing her purpose for a topic change, Remus gave her a bit of room to breath.

"Yes," he replied. The two savored that silence around them.

The year had passed far to quickly for her liking. It had seemed to be only yesterday that Sairina had been sitting on the shore of the lake with Remus savoring the silence that surrounded them. Her head remained in the clouds as she pulled her trunk up to the eighth corridor.

In all sincerity, Sairina's head was spinning. She had gone through her first year of preparation for the O.W.L. tests at the end of next year, plus all of her training for her coronation (which was now only a week away). The good from all of this was that Sairina actually felt prepared.

As she approached the mirror, she smiled to see two other people waiting for her. Remus and Lily turned as soon as they heard Sairina's footsteps echo down the corridor. Sairina smiled at her friend and boyfriend as she set her trunk down.

"You know you could have gone ahead without me," Sairina said honestly as she smiled between the two, "_curuni._" The portal opened up and the three teens stepped through. They were greeted by the trastahil who were lounging about Sairina's room. The four boys quickly pounced upon Remus and drug him away to his appointed chambers. Much to the dismay of Sairina, he would be shacking up with Elfwine and Elboron.

"You do have your wand right," she called down the hall as the boys bore him away. Sairina smiled as she saw Remus reach his arm over his head and wave his wand around. Sairina went back into her room. Sairina sighed and collapsed down onto her bed and closed her eyes. It was going to be an interesting week . . .

Luckily the week went by quite quickly with only little harassment towards Remus by the trastahil. For the most part, they accepted them as one of their own, but were shocked to discover that he had never fought with a sword before.

"How do you survive without a blade?" Alphros asked astonished. Remus merely smiled and drew his wand.

"This is how, mate," he replied. Eldarion scoffed.

"How can that save you if some one were to attack with an actual weapon?" he asked snidely. Remus stood from where he was seated and assumed a duel stance.

"Care to see, my lord," his voice was sharp and dripping with sarcasm. Eldarion stood and drew his own blade.

"Suits me fine," The two boys began to circle each other when Eldarion lashed out. Remus had trouble dodging the blows, but managed nonetheless. Remus's stamina was beginning to wear down when Eldarion began taunting him.

"What's the matter, wizard," he jeered, "Can't use your stick?" Remus glared at the older boy.

"_Expeliarmus!_" Remus yelled and Eldarion's sword went flying. From this point, Remus used and interesting combination of jinxes and hexes to batter his opponent before shouting: "_Petrificus totalis!" _Eldarion then froze and fell to the ground as stiff as a board. Remus casually sauntered over and stood over the prince.

"I can use my _wand_ just fine," Remus smirked before saying the counter spell. When the prince was able to move once more, Remus offered a hand to help him up. Eldarion took it readily.

"I suppose you'll do for my sister," he said giving Remus a once over, "You seem able to fight and protect her."

"Thanks," Remus said with a genuine smile. The boys then began to discuss other topics as boys are apt to do.

The day of the coronation finally arrived, and the whole city was abuzz with excitement. Sairina, however was just simply nervous. She was currently seated in her room wearing a plain, simple linen dress. She only had one of her long daggers strapped to her waist, and she idly sat bouncing her staff from one hand to the other. She just had to sit and wait until the guards retrieved her.

After an eternity of waiting, the door opened and the guard beckoned her forth. She walked in silence through the halls clutching her staff as though it were her only life line. Eventually she stood outside the large wooden doors that led to the main hall. She only had to wait for a moment before the doors opened before her. Sairina stepped confidently into the hall.

She smiled as she saw Denean, the captain of the guard standing in the hall awaiting her approach. The two had sparred several times, mainly with the soldier triumphing, but lately he had been getting a run for his money . . .

Sairina approached him, and, pausing momentarily, gave a slight bow with her head, and he returned the gesture while drawing his sword. Sairina, however, did not draw her blade immediately. Rather, she leaned heavily on her staff eyeing the elder man with an amused glimmer in her eyes.

Denean was the first to strike. He lashed out suddenly, but Sairina blocked him using her staff. The magic-enforced wood did not yield in the slightest to the blow. Denean continued to strike, and Sairina continued to block, but every once in a while she managed to plant a blow with her staff to his stomach or the back of his knees. This carried of for several minutes before Sairina drew her blade.

Denean could barely withstand the full frontal attack of her blade, for her skill was now deadly, but the insulting blows she placed with her staff were more than the skilled commander could handle. He yielded a few minutes later once Sairina had disarmed him.

Taking a deep breath, Sairina sheathed her blade and continued forward, leaning heavily on her staff. She was intercepted by Faramir.

"My lady," he said graciously, "I fear I need your opinion on a matter of state that is most important." Sairina nodded to acknowledge she was listening, "Lord Eomer had expressed growing concern with Rohan's current ties with Dunland. They had come to an agreement over land rights after Sauron fell, but now Dunlanders are steadily creeping back into Rohan. Eomer seeks you council." Sairina closed her eyes in concentration for a moment.

"Send word to Eomer that he should offer land to the Dunlanders," Sairina said eventually, "However it must come at a price. Advise Eomer to consider bargaining with those of Dunland, but attaching stipulations to various amounts of land he is to offer."

"Explain," Faramir inquired. Sairina opened her eyes.

"For every acre of land he offers," Sairina continued, "there should be some price attached to it, something that is not outrageous, but keeps them from being too greedy. Or perhaps some type of stipulation that comes with the land, such as giving the land with no cost, but giving up a portion of the harvest of the land for a period of several years to cover the debt." Faramir inclined his head.

"Very well said, my lady," he replied moving out of the princess's way. The young woman approached her father and bent down on one knee with her silvery staff towering above her.

"My father and king," she said softly bowing her head, "Here do I swear fealty and service to Gondor as its future queen. Upon my life, I swear to uphold what is right and fair, and condemn the wicked and impure, but I shall never forget that within each living person there is a beating heart and that the light of life is easily extinguished by actions or words. I will hold to this oath in peace and war, in the warmth of life or at the brink of death, until my very last breath leaves my chest."

Smiling, King Elessar drew his sword and gently tapped his daughter on each shoulder. The young woman raised her head and looked anxiously at her father.

"Arise," the king said extending a hand to aid her, "People of Gondor, I am proud to present to you my daughter, Princess Sairina, crowned as second in succession for this land's throne." Cheers arose from the people in the hall as father and daughter stood beaming on the steps before the throne.

Once the cheers died down, Sairina quickly went over to her friends who stood beaming in their formal attire. Seeing them in something other than the black Hogwarts robes caused Sairina to smile. Lily rushed forward to embrace her friend.

"You were brilliant!" she said hugging Sairina tightly, "And here you were, worried senseless." Sairina smiled sheepishly to her friend.

"It's just all very nerve wracking," she attempted to defend herself. Lily opened her mouth to berate her friend more, but Remus stepped in.

"Lily's right though," he said smiling at his girlfriend, "You were bloody brilliant," he stepped forward and wrapped his arms tightly around her slim waist, "I am so proud of you," her murmured in her ear. Sairina blushed accordingly and gave Remus and affectionate kiss on the cheek.

"Come along then," Sairina said pulling out of her embrace with Remus, "There is a feast waiting for us." The three teens followed the few people moving into the dining room for the feast laughing and talking. Sairina was definitely ready to celebrate putting this whole ordeal behind her.

There were other people celebrating her coronation as well, but in a very different manner.

Lord Gange sat quietly in his study sipping some of the finest wine in the kingdom. As he sat her turned the pages of a book idly, waiting fir his servant to arrive. The door slowly swung open.

"Well?" he demanded to the sickly looking man.

"She went through the ceremony," he mumbled, "She successfully accomplished all of her tasks."

"As if there were any doubt," Lord Gange scoffed snapping the book shut, "Very well. This is what I have been waiting for. The board is set and it is time to move the pieces."

"Sir?" the servant asked, confused as always. Lord Gange moved silently to the window and stared out harshly at the horizon.

Send word to out man in Rohan that he can carry out his part," Lord Gange commanded as he clenched his hands behind his back, "Send word to Amrhad and Gohlrop that they need to come to Gondor at once, and I will send word once they arrive to the city where we should meet." The servant nodded and bowed out of the room. A rare smile spread across the Lord's face.

_Soon, Sauron will rise and reign once more._


	15. The Attack

_Chapter 14: The Attack_

_Blood. I want it. I need it. I must bite. Claw. Tear. Rip. Shred. Flesh, give me human flesh. I can smell it. I can almost taste it. Give it to me. GIVE IT TO ME NOW!_ These thoughts were punctuated by a long angry howl.

Sairina sat up abruptly in her bed, covered in beads of cold sweat gasping for air.

She groped about in the dark for her wand and upon finding it flicked her wrist lighting a candle that always sat on her bedside table. It flickered to life and cast long shadows on the walls of her room. Sairina sat in her bed breathing deeply and rubbing her temples. Her visions had been occurring more and more over the summer, each one more vivid than the last. This last one in particular was extremely violent.

"_Accio robe_," Sairina breathed and her warm blue robe flew across the room and she snatched it out of the air. Wrapping it around her, she clamored out of her bed, grabbed the lit candle, and walked silently into her study. She sat down at her semi-organized desk and pulled out a large leather bound book. Flipping through many pages that had her neat scrawling, she came across her last entry. After noting the date and guessing at the time, Sairina began to record what she had seen and felt in her vision.

After several minutes of writing she concluded and began to look back over the other visions she had recorded to see if there were any similarities between this and other visions. Sairina frowned when she could only find one other entry. It was dated about a month ago, and was the same as she had written for this most recent vision. Sighing she cracked her knuckles and closed her eyes.

"What is the connection?" she asked herself, "There has to be some sort of connection." She closed her eyes and pondered this in silence. The thoughts were definitely not human; they seemed very primitive and beast like. For some odd reason, Sairina could not shake the mental image of a wolf from her mind. She didn't know for sure, but she had a hunch that these visions dealt with the one she had had in third year while she was in the hospital wing from her Quidditch injury.

She was almost positive that there was a werewolf at Hogwarts. But what didn't make any sense to Sairina was why she was having these visions. It wasn't like someone she knew was a werewolf. Right?

Shaking her head, she closed her vision journal and picked up one of the ancient spell books her grandfather had left her because she knew that she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep that night. Sairina had been having visions almost every night after her coronation, and every time, she could not will herself to go back to sleep. So, she had been going through the spell books of her grandfather and practicing their magic; in her opinion, she was becoming quite formidable in the art of light magic.

She was currently in the process of examining a conjuring spell, a complex one. It would allow Sairina to conjure anything she focused on. The incantation, however, was about two pages long, and she had been studying it for the last few times she had been awakened by a vision. Closing her eyes, she began muttering the incantation and focusing on the form of a book. Sairina furrowed her brow in concentration as she could feel magical energy pool in her hand. Sairina finished the incantation and slowly cracked one eye open.

There was nothing in her hand.

Sighing in frustration, she began to go over the spell again. Before she knew it, she had set her head down and fallen asleep on the spell book.

/0/0/

The breeze blew gently through the open balcony doors as Sairina sat and poured over her the spell book she had fallen asleep on a few nights before. She was determined to get this spell, come Morgoth or high water. A knock on her door interrupted her and she once again let out a frustrated sigh.

"Enter," she said and began looking over the spell for the millionth time. Eldarion entered the room wearing a large smile. Sairina peered at him over the top edge of her spell book, "What do you need brother?"

"I was merely curious if you would like to have a spar later in the afternoon?" he asked jovially. Sairina shrugged.

"I don't see why not," she said eventually and Eldarion gave her a half-hug before leaving the room. Sairina stared after him in confusion. He had been acting out of character as of late and Sairina was beginning to wonder about his mental state.

Sairina turned back to the spell book once more, but she didn't get very far before there was another nock. This time, it was the familiar tapping of an owl at the mirror. Jumping up from her chair she moved to the mirror; saying the incantation, the mirror opened and two owls flew in. She took the letters from them and instantly recognized the envelope from the school and a letter from Lily.

Noticing that the school envelope was heavier than usual, she opened it first. As she slid the letter out, a heavy metal badge fell out into her lap. She picked it up examining it curiously. She smiled as she realized that it was a prefect badge. Dumbledore had made her a prefect. She quickly looked over her other lists of things she needed and set the letter to the side and quickly opened Lily's letter.

It was at this juncture that her door opened once again. Looking up she smiled as she saw Hallien enter and walk towards her. The girl climbed onto her sister's lap.

"What are you reading?" she asked innocently looking at the letters. Sairina smiled at her sister.

"Well this is a letter from my lady in waiting, Lily," Sairina explained holding it up, "You remember her right?" Hallien nodded shyly.

"What does it say?" she asked squinting at the neat lettering of Lily's script.

"Well," Sairina said quickly reading through it, "She asks me how my summer has been, and that her summer has been fun. She also says that she has been made a school prefect, and she asks if I have been made one too."

"Were you?" Hallien interrupted. Sairina reached over to the badge and picked it up to show her sister.

"Yes, I was," Sairina said before setting the badge down once again before turning back to the letter, "She also asks if I want to meet up at Diagon Alley to do our school shopping, and she also extends an invitation to stay at her house the rest of the summer."

"Are you going to?" Hallien asked. Sairina shrugged.

"I know not," Sairina said simply, "I have to ask mother and father first."

"Can I come too?" Hallien asked causing Sairina to smile, "I like Lily a lot, especially when she stayed after your coronation. She was fun to play with."

"And I'm not?" Sairina said with mock anger. Hallien's eyes went wide with shock.

"No, no, no," she protested and Sairina laughed.

"Don't worry," Sairina said, "I was just joking. I do not think you will be able to come with me this time, maybe when you're older." Hallien nodded and picked up her sister's badge.

"Are you going to tell father and mother?" she asked looking to her sister. Sairina nodded and scooped her little sister up so that she was seated on her hip.

"Would you like to come with me?" Sairina asked and Hallien nodded with fervor. This sent Sairina into another peal of laughter. With that, Sairina carried Hallien off with her to go speak with her parents.

/0/0/

Sairina smiled as she strolled through the now familiar sights of Diagon Alley. She was supposed to meet Lily at Flourish & Blotts in thirty minutes, and decided to just walk around for the time being. As she walked, she leaned heavily on her staff. She could tell that she was getting strange looks from some of the other people in the alley, but she pointedly ignored them. She trusted the Elvish magic she had taught herself as much as the magic she had learned over the past four years.

"Hey Sai," Lily's familiar voice called. Sairina turned and smiled as she saw her flame-headed friend approach her.

"Hey Lils," Sairina replied, "You ready for some back to school shopping."

Lily opened her mouth to answer, but a loud explosion cut her off. The panic was instantaneous. People were fleeing, screaming, and sheltering their children. The explosion seemed to come from behind the Magical Menagerie. Lily and Sairina watched in horror as tall, black hooded figures swarmed the streets.

"Death Eaters," Lily breathed grabbing Sairina's hand, "We need to get out of sight, now!"

The two girls ran for a side street, but one of the Death Eaters saw them and gave chase. The girls realized this and began to run as fast as their legs could carry them. Sairina paused for a moment and turned to their predator.

"_Daro!_" she cried holding out her staff and the Death Eater froze in his tracks. Sairina turned back to Lily, "Where should we go?" Lily looked at a loss for words. A side door to one of the shops slamming open startled both of the girls. They turned to the source of the sound and let out a sigh of relief.

The two girls had never been so happy to see the Marauders.

Sairina rushed forward embracing Remus who held her tightly. Lily followed her friend almost hesitantly, but she figured dealing with James Potter was better than being killed by a Death Eater.

"Are you girls alright?" Sirius asked pressing a bit of torn robe to his forehead to absorb the blood from a cut he had received. The girls nodded silently. Sirius looked to James.

"We're going to the next street over to find a grate then we're flooing back to my house," James said steadily, "My father's an Auror and he's out there trying to get the situation under control along with some others. He told us to go back to the house." Sairina nodded while Lily looked timid about the whole thing.

"Follow me," Sirius said taking the lead. He was then followed by Remus and Sairina, then Peter and Lily, and James brought up the rear constantly looking over his shoulder to see if they were being followed. Sirius burst out of the side street and into another main alley thoroughfare. Lily and Sairina stared in wonder at all of the shops. There were shops wholly devoted to crystal balls, telescopes, and star charts.

"Where are we?" Sairina asked as the group made their way through the stands. The sounds of the fight in Diagon Alley were steadily growing louder.

"Celesti Alley," Remus replied as they followed Sirius into a shop for Tea Leaves, "It's the main centre for all things needed for divination, astronomy, and astrology." Sirius had by this time run up to the proprietor of the shop and was talking hurriedly to him. James had entered the shop and shut the door when Sirius came back to the group.

"He says he is connected to the floo network," he said slightly out of breath, "and that we can use his fireplace." The owner came over.

"I'll see you kids off before I go out and to see if I can help," the man said holding out a large tea cup that had floo powder in it. Every body took a pinch of it and walked back to the fire place.

"How do you use this?" Lily asked looking at the others. Some of the others looked at her but Sairina just smiled.

"Follow their lead," she said motioning to the boys, "Remember to speak loud and clear." James was the first one to step into the fireplace.

"Godric Hallow," he said loudly and clearly while dropping the powder into the small flame that was still burning. In a flash of green flame he had vanished. Lily looked at Sairina with worry etched into her face as Peter stepped forward.

"Godric Hallow," he said and he too vanished in a flash of green flames.

"Go next Lily," Sirius said as he looked worriedly at the door. The sounds of fighting kept growing louder, "It is more important for you and Sairina to get out of here next. I'm a pureblood and Remus is a half-blood, we'll be fine if they get in here." The girls looked at each other darkly as Lily stepped into the fire place.

"Godric Hallow," Lily said copying the procedure as she had seen the others do. She too vanished. Sairina stepped up next.

"Godric Hallow," she said and was instantly swept away in green fire. It hadn't been the first time she flooed, but it was always an exciting experience. She was surrounded in green flames as she soared past thousands of different grates before eventually landing in one and tumbling out of an unfamiliar fireplace.

"That just leaves Remus and Sirius," Sairina heard James's voice before she actually saw him. Standing up she tried to regain her bearings when she saw a fairly beautiful older lady and Lily rush forward to help her. As they helped Sairina out of the way, Remus was next to land in the grate.

"They had blown open the door when I flooed," he said shakily to James and Peter, who rushed forward to help him up, but somebody landed on top of him before he could stand. "Bloody hell, Sirius," Remus said groaning under the other teen's weight.

The woman and the other boys helped Remus and Sirius get to their feet. The woman then ushered the six teen into a sitting room to the right of the kitchen.

"You dears wait here," she said kindly, but worry still in her face, "I'll be back with some tea."

"Thanks, mum," James said taking off his glasses and wiping the soot off with the edge of his shirt. Lily's head popped up.

"This is your house?" Lily asked warily causing everybody else to smile. James put his glasses back on his face.

"Yes, Lily flower," he smirked, "it is." Lily started wringing her hands and looked at Sairina.

"I need to contact my parents," she said and Sairina could tell she was forcing back tears, "They'll be going back to Diagon Alley in about an hour to come get us, Sai. What if there is still fighting, they're muggles . . ." She let her voice trail off. James jumped out of his seat.

"Mum," he called jogging out of the room, "what's the quickest what to contact muggles?" There was silence for a few moments, and the others could tell that James and his mother were talking. James then came back into the room, "Lily, follow me. My mum has a way for you to contact your parents." Lily got up and followed James. The other teen boys smiled slyly at each other.

"This could be the year," Sirius said clapping and rubbing his hands together. Remus shook his head.

"I hope not," Peter groaned sinking down into his chair, "I had them pegged for sixth year." Once again, Remus shook his head.

"What are you boys talking about?" Sairina asked curiously. Sirius smiled, and Sairina could tell he was all to willing to explain.

"Since about second year," he began as he perched himself on a window sill, "Little Jamsie has been ogling over Lily and kept on about how one day she will be his. Well the rest of us made a little wager with one another about when they will actually start dating. I'm in for fifth year, Pete's in for sixth, and Remus is in for seventh."

"You boys need something more constructive to do with your time," Sairina said standing and stretching. She began to examine the room.

"Something wrong?" Remus asked moving to where Sairina was standing. Sairina closed her eyes and gently touched the wall with her finger tips.

"This house has so much history," she said distantly, "You can feel it in the . . ." she trailed off. Remus stepped forward worriedly.

"Sai?" he asked unsure. Sairina didn't hear him. Instead all she heard was screams.

"_Lily," the voice of James bellowed, "it's Voldermort. Take Harry and run. Get out of here; I'll try to hold him off. I can't believe he betrayed us, he was one of my best friends." These last words had been muttered, and were drowned out by the sound of a door being blown off its hinges._

"_Well, well, James Potter," a sinister, cold voice taunted, "You and that mudblood can't hide the boy from me anymore." Then there were sounds of a duel. They kept shouting curses at one another until there was the sound of someone falling to the floor._

_Someone began walking upstairs. There was once more the sound of a door being blown off its hinges._

"_You'll have to kill me first," Lily's voice said firmly._

"_My pleasure," the cold voice said once more, "AVADA KEDAVRA!" There was a scream and the sound of someone falling to the floor. "To think, that old fool Albus thought a baby could bring about my downfall. Avada Kedavra." There was a scream this time, but it was the cold voice that was screaming in pain. Once the scream faded, it was replaced by the cooing and giggling of a baby._

Sairina ripped her hand away from the wall and gasped for breath. She began slowly backing up What had that been? Sairina didn't know anything for sure, only that it had been one of the most terrifying things she had ever felt. She hadn't seen anything; she had only heard the sounds and voices. She had chills through out her body as she sunk down into a chair.

Lily, James, and James's mother reentered the room. Mrs. Potter was holding a tray that was loaded with tea cups and a teapot. A small withered creature with blonde hair falling to the level of her chin followed her in carrying a tray filled with different cakes and biscuits.

"House elf," Remus murmured in Sairina's ear. She nodded wordlessly and Remus looked in concern at her, "Are you alright?" He held onto her trembling hand. What had her so frightened was all Remus could wonder at. She stood abruptly.

"I . . . I . . . I need some air," she stammered and began towards the door. Remus and Lily exchanged worried glances.

"Of course dear," Mrs. Potter said after setting down the tray then seeing her out of the room. The five remaining teens could hear patio doors opening and closing. Mrs. Potter entered the room again and began serving tea while the house elf plated food.

"Mrs. Potter," Remus asked taking a cup from the older lady, "is Sairina alright?" Mrs. Potter smiled benignly.

"I think she will be, Remus," she replied, "She just seems shaken up about this whole attack. It's understandable." Once all the tea was served, there came the sound of someone entering by floo.

"Hannah?" a voice asked from the kitchen. Mrs. Potter quickly got up and left the room.

"Coming dear," she said as she vanished. The five teens sat in awkward silence for a moment sipping their tea. Lily cautiously turned her gaze to Remus.

"What happened to Sai?" she asked softly, "When I left she looked perfectly fine, but when I came back she looked like she had seen a ghost."

"It was the strangest thing," Sirius spoke up, "She was saying something about this house having history. Then she touched the wall and went all silent for like five minutes. It was like she was communicating with the house or something . . ." Lily jumped up from her seat and quickly walked out of the room.

"I wonder what's going on," Peter murmured aloud as Remus stood and followed Lily. The rest of the boys shrugged and followed suit.

Sairina leaned on her staff as she looked out over the gardens of Godric Hallow. They were in full bloom, and Sairina felt at home in the naturalness of it all. She took a staggering breath. Could she believe what she had seen when she touched the wall? Were James and Lily going to die protecting their son? Who would betray them? These thoughts raced around in her head.

"This is the last thing I need," she murmured to herself as she rubbed her temple with her free hand, "I already have a dark lord I need to thwart and another who is terrorizing this world without having to worry about the safety of my friends." She heard the doors behind her open and shut. Lily walked up and stood beside her friend.

"Are you alright?" she asked softly not daring to look at her friend, but stared into the horizon instead. Sairina nodded.

"I'll live," she said eventually, "I just wish I could control this foresight." Lily looked at her friend in curiosity.

"Foresight?" she asked, "As in being able to see the future? I thought you said it was just visions . . ." The doors opened once again and the four boys stepped out onto the patio.

"Sai, are you ok?" Remus asked worriedly. She responded with a weak nod.

"I've got enough to handle already, but the gods see it fit to make my life even more stressful than it already is," she responded cryptically. Remus took her hand in his and began rubbing it soothingly.

"Another vision?" he asked and again Sairina nodded, "Of what?" She opened her mouth to respond, but never got the chance. Her vision began to swirl and pain smashed into her brain. She fell to her knees; it was just too much. The others came to her, but she didn't see them.

When she opened her eyes, she was in a seedy bar. She recognized the clothing style and atmosphere of being that of her homeland of Gondor. This was possibly a pub on one of the lower levels.

"So whots this he needs us to do again?" a gruff voice asked. Sairina turned to watch a corsair down half a pint of ale. He was a gruff man with wild untamed hair and eyes to match. Next to him was a pale lanky man who had a Haradrim air about him. An assassin and a pirate, a deadly combination. The third member of this party was cloaked in shadow.

"We're sneaking into the princess's room, going through some portal, and retrieving the lost palantir," his comrade replied with a hiss showing his growing frustration.

"And we're getting paid big for this right," the assassin and the pirate turned to the shadow. He nodded his head almost imperceptibly.

"Right then," the pirate said, "We'll do it." Sairina's vision swam once more and she woke up this time in the strong arms of Remus Lupin.

"Sairina are you alright?" he asked with a great deal of worry. Sairina nodded her head and Lily stepped forward holding a glass of water.

"Were the two visions related?" she asked as Sairina took the glass from her. Sairina cocked an eyebrow.

"Two visions," she asked confused, "I only remember one . . ." Lily explained what had happened in the house, but Sairina couldn't remember if there had been a vision. Her head only swam with the information that this one had given her. Standing up, she saw the other three boys standing and looking on with crossed arms.

"Are we going to get any sort of explanation as to what is going on?" Sirius asked with a lofty tone. Sairina looked to Lily and Remus.

"I don't think so," she said eventually, "At least not yet."


	16. Welcome Back

**A/N: Thank you inusessy129. I don't know what I was thinking; I know Remus is a half-blood. I have corrected my error now.**

_Chapter 15: Welcome Back_

Lily and Sairina sighed as they collapsed onto the benches in their train compartment. Their summer had been intense to say the least. While they had been at Lily's house and away from the magical world, they could still tell that big things were happening because they had begun to filter into the muggle world.

Little bits on the news programs and in the newspaper had been catching the girls' eyes. Mysterious happenings, unexplainable accidents only caused the girls further worry. In the safety of the train now they could only feel relaxed and free from the toils of brewing war. Lily looked up and saw Sairina staring out of the window.

"Are you alright?" Lily asked softly. Sairina just sighed and looked dejectedly at her friend.

"No," she admitted, "I've been thinking about the attack on Diagon Alley. Lily this is war; it's not a game anymore. My father has told me stories of the War of the Ring, and it's not all glory and valor. There is death; people we know and love are going to die." Sairina's breath caught in her throat.

"I know," Lily said, "I keep thinking about it too." When the teens had come back into the house when they were at James's, his father told them that three Death Eaters had been caught, but two bystanders had been killed in the siege.

One of them had been a boy shopping for his supplies for his first year at Hogwarts.

Silence filled their compartment as they weighed heavily the reality of it all. The train lurched forward and Sairina pulled out her vision journal from her bag.

"Having any luck with connections at all?" Lily asked. The girls had been going over all of the visions Sairina had over the summer looking for any type of connection to anything.

"Still nothing," Sairina said flipping a page, "I said it before, but most of these visions are just mundane little things that occurred within a few days of my having the vision."

"What about the wolf visions?" Lily asked moving from the other side of the compartment to sit next to Sairina and look at the book. Sairina shrugged.

"I think they have something to do with that vision I had after my accident third year," Sairina said turning another page, "I really think that someone at Hogwarts is a werewolf. I think it might be someone I know, but I don't know for sure . . ."

"What about the phantom vision?" Lily asked. Sairina knew of course that Lily was referring to the vision she supposedly had when she had touched the wall of the sitting room at James's house.

"I haven't had any other visions concerning that," Sairina replied, "Nor do I remember anything about it. I think that fate stepped in and forced me to have the vision of the meeting in the inn."

"Why?" Lily asked not understanding at all, "Why would greater forces of nature allow you to see one vision and then decide to retract it and give you another one instead?" Sairina sighed and looked out the window.

"I think," Sairina began uneasily, "I saw something that I wasn't supposed to. Something that fate has planned for the future that can't be exposed yet. But I can only guess because I obviously don't remember the vision." Lily nodded and the compartment door slid open.

"Are you ladies ready to go to the prefects meeting?" Remus asked entering the room. Sairina snapped the book shut and put it away while Lily stood and grabbed her wand and Sairina grabbed her staff and slid her wand into its notch. They then followed Remus out of the room and towards the front of the train.

"Do you know who the other Ravenclaw Prefect is, Sai?" Lily asked looking at her friend as they passed loud, noisy compartments.

"No," she replied shaking her head as Remus reached back to lace his fingers with hers. She gave him a coy smile, "Feeling territorial, are we?" He looked back with a smile.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Remus asked with a knowing smile then continued more quietly, "I do happen to be dating the only princess at Hogwarts." Sairina just laughed at his response. Lily rolled her eyes as she slid open the compartment door. The three stood and gawked for a moment as the looked in.

The Prefects compartment was the side of two regular compartments. There was a long table down the middle with plenty of seating for every prefect as well as snacks, both healthy and not. At the time Sairina, Lily, and Remus arrived, the meeting hadn't started yet, so there were some people standing and talking whereas other people had settled in to chairs and were chatting. The three teens sauntered in and continued talking about classes and teachers when a tall lanky blonde boy joined their group.

"Hey Merric," Sairina smiled as she gave him a friendly hug, "Congratulations on getting Prefect." He beamed back at her.

"Right back at you," he said smoothly, "Although I had a feeling you'd be getting it." Sairina laughed.

"Remus, Lily," Sairina said as she gestured to Merric, "This is Merric Watershed; he's a friend of mine in Ravenclaw and the other fifth year prefect." He shook hands with the other two, "Merric, this is Lily Evans and Remus Lupin."

"So these two are the Gryffindors you always abandon us for," Merric said suspiciously. The teens shared a good laugh when the Head Boy and Head Girl entered and began the meeting. An hour later, the three friends walked out of the compartment.

"This is going to be a lot more work then I had originally thought," Lily sighed. Sairina shot a glare at Lily.

"Do not even start," Sairina groaned rolling her eyes, "Duties, Quidditch, classes, stopping the rise of an evil dark lord, an overbearing suitor . . ." The girls laughed long and hard as Remus began to protest this last statement. This only caused the girls to laugh louder.

They made it back to their compartment and settled in while Remus just stood at the door. Sairina quirked an eyebrow at him and motioned him to sit.

"C'mon," she teased, "I don't bite. I swear." Remus chuckled and sat down next to his girlfriend.

"You know the others will come looking for me," he laughed dryly, "I told them I'd only be gone for an hour." Sairina shrugged while Lily's eye twitched for a moment.

"We'll deal with that problem when it arises," Lily said tightening her grip on her wand. Sairina and Remus laughed before he lazily draped an arm around Sairina's shoulders. Sairina turned to Remus and looked at him seriously.

"Remus," she began, "You're the top student in Defense Against the Dark Arts right?" Remus only smiled at her.

"Yes, Sai," he said with a note of curiosity, "I am. Did you want to start up with lessons again? I don't think you need lessons anymore, honestly. You are very good at the subject now." Sairina blushed at the compliment.

"No," she said shaking her head, "I have a question pertaining to the subject." She cast a look at Lily, almost asking for permission to ask.

"What?" he asked his smile slowly fading away.

"What do you know about werewolves?" Sairina asked casually. The color drained from Remus's face.

"Wh-what?" he asked weakly. Lily leaned over and tapped Sairina's arm to get her attention.

"You should probably tell him about the visions," Lily suggested. Remus paled even further and gulped audibly. Sairina took his hand and looked into his eyes. _Fear, why is there so much fear in his eyes?_

"I . . . I've been having visions since my injury third year," Sairina began, "They aren't very common, but they are disturbing. I've seen, felt, heard what it is like to transform into a werewolf in these visions. The uncontrollable rage, the animal instincts, the thirst for . . ." Sairina took a deep breath, "you get the idea. It's the most horrible thing I've experienced, and my heart goes out to this person . . ." Remus did a double take.

"You know who it is?" he asked startled, but relaxed when Sairina shook her head.

"No," she said meekly, "but I think it someone at Hogwarts."

"How are you sure it's a werewolf?" Remus asked wringing his hands. He didn't want to be having this conversation right now with Sairina. Not with Lily sitting across from them, he didn't want her to find out this way.

"Sai and I looked up the lunar charts that corresponded with the nights she had the visions," Lily interjected, "They were all full moons." Remus was near a panic now and sweat was beginning to form on his brow. This didn't escape Sairina's keen eye.

"Remmy," she asked with a note of worry, "Are you alright?" He nodded vaguely.

"So what was it you wanted to know about werewolves again?" he asked weakly, "Anything specific?" Sairina opened her mouth to ask a question, but the compartment door slid open and the other Marauders sauntered in. Remus felt a wave of relief wash over him.

"Here you are Remus!" Sirius proclaimed grabbing his friend's hand and pulling him out of the compartment. James turned back to the two ladies.

"Sorry girls," he said giving them a light bow, "we need to borrow him for a few minutes. Important Marauders Business, you see." He left shutting the door behind him. The two girls looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

"That was . . . odd," Lily said slowly. Sairina only sighed.

"He said they would come looking for him," Sairina replied, "but I am getting the feeling that he's not telling me something . . ."

/0/0/

Remus collapsed into a seat in the Marauder's compartment with a sigh and a groan before burying his head in his hands. His friends looked at him with a great deal of concern. Sirius sat down next to him and rested a hand on his shoulder and gently squeezed.

"You alright, Moony?" he asked. Remus lifted his head and sighed.

"Sai's been having visions," Remus said flatly. The other boys looked at him.

"We kind of figured that much out after what happened at James's house," Peter said, "I have a question though. She said she has foresight, but isn't that a trait mainly found in pureblood families?" The other boys looked at him.

"Yea, so . . ." James drawled.

"Sairina isn't a pureblood," Peter noted astutely, "She said her parents were muggles back in first year." Sirius, James, and Peter looked to Remus. He sighed.

"It's not my place to explain," he sighed running a hand through his sandy blonde hair, "I have other things to worry about right now. It doesn't matter how Sai has foresight, only that she has been having visions of someone transforming into a werewolf and assumes there is a werewolf at Hogwarts."

"Well, Remus there is," Peter said with a blank look. James smacked him upside the head. Remus shook his head.

"Are you going to tell her?" Sirius asked. Remus nodded.

"I have to, her father already knows . . ."

"WHAT!" the other three demanded. Remus cowered slightly.

"Explain, now," James demanded. Remus sighed and thought for a moment. He didn't know how he was going to explain this without revealing Sairina's secret.

"I went over to her house for her birthday party," Remus began knowing that it was almost true (but not really, he had talked to her father far before her coronation), "and he cornered me and began the whole 'so you're dating my daughter' father routine. He just kept asking these probing questions, and I couldn't lie to him, it was like he had Legilimency or something." His friends stared at him with disbelieve looks.

"You're lying," James said with a note of hurt in his voice, "Legilimency tends to run in pureblood lines as well." Remus sighed again. This was too difficult without explaining what Sairina was.

"Look," Remus said starting to get frustrated with his prying friends, "I just can't explain everything right now. There are circumstances surrounding Sairina that only she has the right to share with other people. I would be betraying her trust if I told you. All you need to know is that I told her father that I am a werewolf, and he expects me, or thinks I already have, told Sai about this." Remus fought back against the hot tears that were welling in his eyes. He was just frustrated with the whole world right now.

"Don't worry, Moony," James said sitting down across from Remus, "we understand. Just forget about it for now. We know that you'll be ready to tell her when you're ready, and that she'll hopefully trust us enough someday to share what she has hidden with us." Remus nodded.

"Thanks guys," he said weakly. Sirius clapped his hands.

"On to more important business, which is why we dragged you away from them in the first place," Sirius proclaimed, "Now we need to decide what we're going to be doing on the first full moon." Remus's head shot up.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" he asked dazed by what his friend had said, "I'm going to be in the Shrieking Shack and you will be at the castle. End of story." The other three Marauders gave each other conspiratorial glances. Remus caught on quickly, "What did you three do?"

"Well," Sirius began with a wide smile, "when we found out you were a werewolf, we did the only thing we could think of before confronting you. Which we did a lot later than we actually had intended to do. . ." Remus raised and elegant eyebrow.

"No," he said, "I don't believe it."

"We did research," Peter said confirming his friend's doubts, "and lots of it. Found out some interesting facts, didn't we." The other two nodded.

"For instance," James said leaning forward and adjusting his round spectacles, "Did you know that werewolves only truly hunt humans?" Remus gave his friend a deadpan look that quite plainly said, 'Duh!' before rolling his pale blue eyes.

"Or did you know," Sirius said carrying on for James, "That animals are immune to werewolf bites? Well unless of course the werewolf rips them to shreds . . ."

"Where are you going with this?" Remus asked sitting back in his seat. The three other teens smiled wider.

"After discovering these facts," James said triumphantly, "we discovered a way to be with you on the night of the full moon. The solution was for us to become Animagi." Remus's eyes went as wide a dinner plates.

"You didn't," he breathed, "do you know how dangerous that is! Did you guys register with the Ministry? Do you know how _illegal_ this is! Do you know what Dumbledore will do to you if he finds out! You could be expelled!" Sirius patted his friend on the back.

"Relax, Moony," he said attempting to calm his friend, "I think Dumbledore would actually congratulate us on focusing on something other than trouble making. Anyways, we were very careful about it. We found this cool room on the seventh floor called the Room of Requirement. You walk in front of it three times thinking of a room that you need, and it appears magically."

"Each time we summoned it up," Peter babbled on, "I would be filled with books on the transfiguration theory behind Animagus transformations. We used the books to study becoming Animagi, because we would have been found out if we used the library."

"We've been studying the theory since second year," James explained further, "It wasn't until we had everything figured out that we actually started to practice. We started to get it towards the end of last year, but neither Sirius nor I could completely transform, we just cover ourselves with fur, and Peter has got some to spout but not a lot." Remus just stared at his friends in shock.

"We figure we just need a few more months of practice and we'll be able to be with you on the full moon," Peter said proudly. Remus's jaw just dropped.

"You are all nuts," he said disbelievingly, "When have you had time to do this . . . practice?" The other three looked at each other.

"Well," Sirius began, "Nights when there are full moons, we sneak out of the tower to go practice, and we sneak back in with the cloak." Remus gaped at his friends.

"I don't know what to say or think," he said rubbing his forehead and closing his eyes, "I have no clue whether to be mad at you, or to be thankful."

"Don't be thankful yet, Remus," James said shrugging his shoulder, "We haven't mastered it."

"You guys are amazing," Remus smiled proudly, "You're the best mates a guy could ask for. Just one thing."

"What, mate?" Peter asked.

"I want to be at your little sessions from now on," Remus said astutely, "I want to go over the theory you have to ensure that you are not going to get yourselves into trouble." The other three groaned.

"We've been fine this long," Sirius protested, but knew their studious friend wasn't going to budge an inch.

/0/0/

The train lurched to a stop in the Hogsmeade Station. Students began piling out of the cars and climbing into horseless carriages or, in the case of the first years, small boats that would take them across the lake to the castle. Lily and Sairina were still chatting as they climbed into a carriage.

"Then what did they do to him?" Lily asked completely enthralled with the anecdote Sairina was recounting one of the many exploits of the Trastahil.

"They put ink in his wine glass," Sairina laughed lightly, "His mouth was black for two weeks. Father and Eomer were furious. The boys had to scour pots and pans for a month."

"That's great," Lily laughed, but Sairina held up her hand.

"Wait it gets better," she said regaining her composure, "The day after their punishment was assigned they all returned to their respective cities. Therefore, they had to serve their cleaning sentences separately and alone." The girls were laughing uncontrollably. They only paused for a moment when Remus poked his head into their carriage.

"Have room for four more," He asked and the girls exchanged a glance.

"Yes," said Sairina while Lily said: "No." Sairina shot Lily a look. The redhead relented.

"Only if James promises to behanve . . ." she barely finished before the Marauders piled in. Attempting to fit three people on each side of the carriage was not working, and it was apparent to all of the teenagers.

"Sai," Remus said, "Why don't you sit on my legs?" Sairina nodded and did so, creating a bit more room and comfortable seating on one side of the carriage. Lily, Sirius, and James (who were seated opposite the other three) were still scrunched together. James looked to Lily and opened his mouth.

"Over my dead body, Potter," she growled before he could utter a syllable. A smile tugged at the corner of Sirius's mouth as he suddenly hoped onto James's lap.

"Oh Jamsie-poo," he sighed causing the others to laughed loudly. Once their laughter subdued sufficiently, Sairina looked out the window.

"Do any of you know what the creatures are that pull the carriages?" She asked absently.

"What do you mean?" Peter asked looking at her as if she had lost her marbles, "There is nothing there." Sairina blushed and muttered something.

"Actually Peter," James corrected, "There is something there pulling the carriage. They're called Thestrals. A wizard or witch can only see them if they have seen death."

"What do you mean 'seen death'?" Remus asked curiously. James let out a half sigh.

"A witch or wizard has to witness someone dying in order to see a Thestrals," James elaborated morosely, "I was with my grandmother at Saint Mungo's as she passed. What about you, Sai? Or would you rather not think about it?"

Sairina closed her eyes and thought back to that day after her second year. Being in her bed and ambushed by that corsair. Unconsciously she moved her hand to her throat where he had held the cool steel of the blade against her warm flesh. She remembered being pushed to the floor and then her father rushing in to aid her, and subsequently ending the pirate's life.

"I'd rather not discuss it," she said lowering her hand and looking at the floor of the carriage, "maybe another time." Silence reigned for a moment before Sirius brought up Quidditch and the boys were in a full blown argument over the World Cup finals that had occurred over the summer.

The carriage arrived at the front entrance to the castle a few moments later and the teens clamored out: James and Sirius were both arguing about Quidditch and Peter nodding his head in agreement with both of them, Lily walked just behind them rolling her emerald eyes, and Remus and Sairina brought up the rear with entwined hands. As they go to the Great Hall, Lily waved goodbye to Sairina and Remus placed a feather light kiss on her forehead before she went to the Ravenclaw table and began talking with her other acquaintances.

The first years trouped in as they did every year. The hat sang, they were sorted, and everybody was just anticipating the feast. Dumbledore sensing the hunger of the students decided to mercifully save his speech for after the meal. The steaming food appeared on the tables, and the students dug in.

Forty-five minutes later, after the last crumb of cake had vanished leaving the plates spotless once more; Dumbledore stood to give his speech.

"Welcome once again to Hogwarts," he said smiling at all the students, "I hope you enjoyed the meal, but before you lot go off to bed, I have just a few reminders for all students . . .

"The Forbidden Forest is precisely that: forbidden," he cast and amused glance at the Marauders, "It is off limits to all students. As with every year, Mr. Filtch has posted a list of forbidden items on his office door and there is to be no use of magic in the halls between classes.

"One final note before you all fall prey to the tender embrace of sleep: Despite the condition of the wizard world I want you all to remember that you are safe here at Hogwarts. Lord Voldermort," some gasped at the headmaster's use of the name, others merely flinched, "has decided to show his true colors, and I assure that each and every one of you is safe while you are within these walls from everything." He peered around the hall, and Sairina could feel his gaze linger on her, but she didn't understand why.

"I suggest you all head off to bed," he continued with a smile, "Classes start bright and early tomorrow morning." There were a few groans and the masses rose and began to wander off to their respective common rooms.

"First year Ravenclaws," Sairina and Merric shouted together while they heard the other fifth year prefects doing the same thing for their first years. The group of eleven first years gathered around them.

"I'm Merric Watershed," he said introducing himself, "And this is Sairina Telcontar. We are the fifth year Prefects for Ravenclaw."

"For the first few days," Sairina continued, "We'll be helping you navigate around the castle and get to all of your classes." The first years nodded silently, "Right now we are going to be taking you to the Ravenclaw common room, and from there you will be able to go to you dormitories." Merric led the group out of the hall walking backwards to continue talking to the group while Sairina brought up the rear.

"Tomorrow morning," Merric said brightly, "Sairina and I will be showing you how to get back to the Great Hall for breakfast. There you will receive your class schedules. For the most part they'll all be the same because you start off with just the basic courses."

"We'll be then showing you to your first class," Sairina smiled, "and instructing you as to the whereabouts of your other classes. If at any time you are lost or confused, you can always ask for help from someone wearing a Prefect badge, or you can ask you teacher how to get to your next class."

"There are three more prefects in the Ravenclaw House," Merric picked up, "a pair of sixth years and one seventh year. The other seventh year who was a prefect last year is actually Head Boy this year. If you are having any problems at all, homework or otherwise, feel free to approach any of us." Merric turned around and came to a halt in front of a suit of armor.

"Password?" the suit asked with a very metallic voice.

"Draconus," Merric said looking to the first years who (he was glad to see) were taking mental note of the password. The group filed into the common room. There were comfortable chairs all over the place covered in deep blue velvet, an array of tables, and twelve foot high bookcases laden with books. The first years stared in wonder and awe.

Merric guided the boys up to their dormitory while Sairina beckoned the girls to follow her up another staircase. After ensuring the girls were getting settled and comfortable, Sairina continued up the steps to her own dormitory. She readied for bed while bantering with her roommates when a shriek caused them all to jump. A first year came running up to the door.

"Th-th-there's something in our r-r-room," she stuttered and the girls ran down the steps and burst into the room. The other girls were all cowered in one corner staring at a bedside table drawer that was shaking ominously. The older girls smiled and drew their wands.

"Boggart," Eliza Smith smiled as she waved her wand and the drawer opened. Out popped a terrifying clown.

"_Riddikulus_," Eliza said and with a wave of her wand, the clown's face paint began to slide off his face leaving him faceless. This caused the girls to laugh and they carried on taking turns to shoot the spell at the boggart. Finally, Sairina was up to bat. The boggart transformed into that dreaded flaming eye.

"_Riddikulus_," she said with a smirk and it changed into a pizza. Some of the girls were rolling with laughter by this time. The boggart kept switching forms until there was a nasty pop and it had completely vanished. After double checking all the drawers, the first year girls were ready to go to bed, and the others went back to their dorm.

As Sairina snuggled into her bed she had an epiphany. Remus had been right.

Her skills in Defense Against the Dark Arts had improved greatly.


	17. Amazing Sights

**A/N: I realize that there are errors in pervious chapters that I have written concerning the cannon of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. A few things you must realize:**

**1. This is a crossover fiction. Meaning that it is _more_ than slightly AU. Meaning that if it is a small error (i.e. the color of Remus's hair Which upon looking it up, I do see that I was in error, and I use the correct color from now on. However, I consider myself to be a dark blonde whereas other people say I have light brown hair so it's a toss up really) I would hope that you, the reader, would be kind enough to gloss over it, accept it, or just not read my story at all.**

**2. Yes, there are glaring errors (not intentional mind you, insomnia and typing in the middle of the night makes one slightly incoherent), but as they are pointed out to me, I correct them. Concerning the ages of several of the characters (mainly Lucius Malfoy) I have already been notified and it _should_ have been updated by now. I posted that revision June 14th. I apologize for that, but I do have some difficulty in deciphering how old characters are in relation to one another, because Rowling isn't clear about it in her cannon. Students such as Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Draco, etc are easy to figure out, because they are still in school. Other characters such as Remus, Lucius, Snape, Sirius, etc are harder to place because they are no longer in school and different sources vary on their age relation. I can only do my best to interpret the cannon as best as I can.**

**3. As for the errors pertaining to LOTR cannon. I read the books at least once a year, and I am hard pressed (after going through my chapters with a fine tooth comb) to see the glaring errors. Aragorn and Arwen had only one son, Eldarion, and several unnamed daughters. Trust me I have done extensive research on this end to make sure this story was even slightly plausible. My sources for this include the amazing website called The Council of Elrond. This web site is truly amazing and more anally accurate than I am. They have an encyclopedia of people, places, and things in the Middle Earth universe along with one of the best Elvin to English dictionaries that I have _ever_ come across. If you are again referring to the whole issue of whether or not Galadriel and others would be present at the birth of Eldarion or Sairina, there are the dates straight from the appendix of The Return of the King:**

**Year 3019 of the Third Age; June Mid-year's Day: Wedding of Arwen and Aragorn**

**Year 3021 of the Third Age; September 29: Frodo and Bilbo depart over the sea with the three keepers.**

**I will be the first to admit that I'm cutting it close, but it is possible considering that I have placed Sairina's birthday in early June (possibly June third or fourth in my mind). This still allows Sairina and Eldarion to have roughly a two year age difference and Elrond, Celeborn, Galadriel, and Gandalf to be present for the birth.**

**You guys, I'm trying to write a decent bit if fan fiction, honestly. I know it's not always going to be perfect; I know Sairina is borderline Mary-Sue; I know that I'm not a perfect scholar when comes to either Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings because I don't remember every little detail. But I am doing everything within my power to make this story a believable escape from the traditional cannons. I encourage the readers to help me with my errors and flaws so that I can make this story even better. To be honest, I had no clue how Lucius was related age wise to the other characters, and I appreciate the fact that two of my reviewers pointed it out to me.**

**However, I find it insulting and upsetting to be told that this story is worthless and horribly written and that people question whether or not I have actually read any of the books this fiction is based on. It's called constructive criticism. Sure, you can tear somebody limb from limb in a review, but is it going to help them at all? It may do nothing more than discourage a writer, who is risking a great deal of their pride by publishing something that they dreamed up and composed based on their favorite story. When you give the once over on someone's work and point out flaws, say something else as well that might build them back up. "This and this was weak/wrong about the story, but I like the way it flowed and the structure."**

**I know better than to just curl up and die when I get a completely negative review, because all my life I have listened to my critics with a grain of salt, but there are some people out there who are looking for no more than an outlet for their creativity or are building up their writing capabilities until they can create their own original works of fiction. That's why I do this. I do it because I know people find this story entertaining, but I'm doing it to build up my chops as a writer because some day I want my stories to be categories on this website and people coming up with their own crazy, zany, and outlandish interpretations of what I have written. Sad goal as it may be, at least I have one.**

**Nobody's perfect, you guys. Me least of all. If any of you would care to beta-read and are competent in doing to, please e-mail me. You can help be keep this plot from tiring out (although I do have it outlined through the end and into the first chapter of the sequel), and you can help me from making any more "glaring errors" that I seem to be quite proficient at making.**

**By the way . . . what is the age difference between Bellatrix and Sirius? Is it a year or two or more? If anyone knows please leave it in a review . . .**

_Chapter 16: Amazing Sights_

Sairina crept out of the Ravenclaw dormitories just as dawn was beginning to break. Her message for her father was dire, and it could not wait another day. She could have sent an owl to Dumbledore, but after the attack on Diagon Alley, she wasn't sure what was safe to do any more. However, she had to be sure she was back in the common room by seven because she had to show the first years back to the Great Hall for breakfast.

So on the morning of her first day back at Hogwarts, Sairina was sprinting to the eighth floor corridor, to the mirror that would allow her to go home to warn her father and brother. Saying the pass word and entering the portal, Sairina realized that in Gondor the sun was just beginning to break as well. Sighing she grabbed a sheet of parchment and jotted down her vision. Using her wand, she sealed it with enchanted wax that would only allow her father to break it. She addressed it, and (using her letter opener) she affixed the letter to her chamber door.

Sairina reopened the portal and crossed over. Glancing at her watch, she swore silently. It was five minutes until seven. Sairina was honestly beginning to think that twenty four hours weren't sufficient for one day. She ran the entire way back to the common room and entered just ask the first years were making their way down the stairwells.

"Good morning," Sairina greeted and she tried to steady her breathing and slow her heart rate. She received many groggy hellos and good mornings in return. "Oh come now! Aren't you all excited for your first day of classes?" There were a few mumbles and Merric appeared on the stairwell.

"Good morning one and all," he said brightly, "Who's ready for breakfast?" With that the group trooped down to the Great Hall, and the first years truly took not on how to get back to the common room. Arriving in the Great Hall, the first years dug into their breakfasts. It was at this time that Professor Sinstra, their head of house and the Astronomy teacher, handed out their schedules. Merric and Sairina quickly went over the locations of the classrooms with the first years and then finally got a moment to relax (the first all morning).

"What do you have first off Sai?" Merric asked as he casually sipped his orange juice. Sairina glanced over her card and let out a quiet groan.

"Divination," she replied. Merric grimaced for her.

"Terrible class to start off with," he said half-heartedly attempting to console his fellow prefect. Sairina shrugged.

"I don't mind the subject matter," she said as she took a bite of bacon, "In fact that's what I like most about the class. It's just the teacher drives me mad." Merric laughed.

"Understandable," he conceded looking at her card, "At least you have that class with Gryffindor. Doesn't Remus take Divination?" A rare smile passed across her face.

"Yes," she murmured, "but so do his friends and they spend most of their time undermining the teacher and poking fun at the subject."

"Remus actually does that?" Merric asked astounded at the passive Remus's supposed behavior.

"Actually that tends to be more the behavior of the other three," Sairina corrected herself, "Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest if you will." Both Sairina and Merric laughed out loud.

"What about you?" Sairina asked, "What's first up for you?" Merric glanced at his card and let out a groan.

"Muggle Studies," he replied. Merric was ¾ wizard (his mother was a pureblood, but his father was only half).

"Ha," Sairina said haughtily, "and I thought I had it bad." She glanced at her watch, "I ought to go. I have to trudge back to my dorm for my things and then go to the completely opposite side of the castle for class. Merric nodded and waved her off and Sairina left the hall to gather her things.

After climbing up the familiar silver ladder, laden with her things for class, Sairina was surprised to find that the air of the Divination classroom wasn't as oppressive as it normally was. She assumed that because it was early morning, Professor Trelawny hadn't had the scented logs burning for a long period of time and the coolness of the morning was still prominent in the air.

Glancing around the room Sairina opted for an empty table to sit at because (despite having this class for two years and being in the same house with some of the people) she really wasn't quite well associated with many people. Lily and Remus had been the only people she allowed to get close enough to her to be deemed "friends" (although Remus had become more than that). She was still extremely wary of people discovering what she was and blowing it out of proportion.

She could almost imagine the Slytherins' mocking bows and sneers when she would walk past them if they knew.

"A knut for your thoughts?" Sairina jumped slightly as Remus snuck up behind her. He then dumped his bag beside the table and sat down.

"Eh," Sairina said shrugging it off, "Abandoning your friends for me today?" Sairina smiled as she glanced at the other Marauders who were shooting the princess murderous glanced.

"I figured I would have better luck with you than I would with them," Remus admitted quietly, "Considering you have foresight . . ." Sairina snorted.

"That doesn't work for a damn when I want it to," she scoffed, "And likes to give me mind numbing headaches and more troubles than a fifteen year old should have to worry about." Remus smiled coyly.

"A gift and a curse," he smirked.

"You don't know the half of it," Sairina replied as Rumer started class by predicting the death of a student.

"Class," she continued attempting to sound mystical and all knowing, "we will begin by reviewing some of the techniques of divination we have gone over the past two years. As you all know, this year you will be having your O.W.L tests. I foresee that only a few of you will earn acceptable markings while the rest of you will do abysmally." There was a snort of laughter from the Marauder's table and Rumer shot them an acid glare.

"You will begin today by reviewing the technique of using a crystal ball," she motioned, causing her many bracelets to jingle together, to the softly glowing mist filled orbs on the tables, "Remember to open your inner eye and stare deep into the swirling mists. Try to read your partner's future. You!" she said snapping at the three Marauders, "One of you will have to work with me since there is an odd number in this class." Both Sirius and James pointed to Peter, who begrudgingly left the table to join Professor Rumer.

"Why don't you give it a go first, Remus," Sairina said and Remus gave out a groan, but pulled the orb toward him. He stared into the orb for about five minutes before shoving it toward Sairina.

"I wanted to take Ancient Runes," he muttered, "But no, those three idiots talked me into taking Divination." Sairina smiled.

"I take it you didn't see anything?" she asked, but Remus only glared at her, "Fine, fine, I'll try now." Instead of looking into the orb immediately, Sairina closed her eyes for a moment. She took a deep breath and let her body relax. Any time she had ever had a vision she was either really stressed out, or extremely relaxed. Figuring the same held true for using a crystal ball, she opted for the second option. Opening her eyes, she stared into the misty depths of the orb.

"I see a bunch of mist," she muttered, "apparently for the rest of your life is going to be filled with overcast days." Remus did his best to hold in the laughs that were going to erupt, but they came out in a loud undignified snort. This had caught the attention of Rumer. Apparently having no luck with Peter, she glided over to their table.

"Something funny about your future, Mr. Lupin?" She asked looking at him with her narrow, heavily accented eyes which caused her Slavic heritage toseem very prominent. Remus shook his head and Rumer set her sights on Sairina. "What do you see Miss Telcontar?" Sairina looked back to the orb while Rumer kept babbling on, "Look beyond the mist. Open your inner eye . . ." Sairina tensed. Shapes were beginning to form in the orb.

"A wolf," she said shakily, "a rat, a . . . dog, and a . . . stag . . ." Sairina said as the shapes appeared one right after the other in the orb. Rumer made the noise one makes when pondering something interesting, an "hmmmm" if you will.

"Very interesting," she murmured, "Mr. Lupin, do you have any pets?" Remus looked between Sairina and the professor.

"Um . . . no," he said eventually, "but I do live near a forest. Could it have something to do with that?" Rumer appeared to be deep in thought.

"Perhaps," she murmured before gliding off to another table. Once she had left, Remus leaned towards Sairina.

"Did you really see anything?" he asked. Sairina nodded looking torn between confused and amazed.

"They were just shadowy forms, but I could tell what they were," she said sounding amazed, "It's the first time I've seen anything in a crystal ball. What do you think they mean? Can you think of anything they might have to do with your life?" Remus pondered this in silence.

The wolf was obviously pertaining to him and his condition, but he was certain Sairina didn't pick up on that (this only reminded the teenager that he was going to have to tell her). But a rat, a dog, and a stag? They meant nothing to him at all. The range of animals was just so odd; he couldn't see the connection to anything in his life.

"Remus?" Sairina asked knocking him from his reverie.

"Sorry," he murmured, "Just thinking. No, I don't see what any of them have to do with me." He knew part of it was a lie, but he wasn't going to confess to being a werewolf in the middle of Divination. Sairina nodded.

"Perhaps you'll have some sort of an accident with a wolf, a rat, a dog, and a stag." Sairina said with a weak smiled as Rumer dismissed the class while asking them to write a foot long essay about the properties of crystal balls for review.

"What do you have next?" Remus asked as they gathered their things. Sairina glanced at her schedule.

"History of Magic, with Slytherin," she groaned, "At least I'll have time to work on my crystal ball essay."

"If you don't fall asleep first," Remus supplied and the two shared a laugh.

"What about you?" Sairina asked and James, Sirius, and Peter joined them.

"Herbology with Hufflepuff," Sirius supplied as he clapped Reums on the back, "Shall we be off then?" Remus said good-bye to Sairina with a kiss on the cheek before his friends dragged him off to their next class. Sairina chuckled as she too left the Divination classroom. Her thoughts, however, were clouded as she decended the silver ladder. Once again, the image of a wolf had made itself prominent, this time around Remus. Sairina pondered this as she walked to History of Magic. Her thoughts dwelled on this for a moment, until she remembered the other animals that had appeared.

None of it made sense to her at all.

"Do you have to patrol tonight, Remus?" James half asked, half whined as he sat down next to his studious friend. Remus cocked an eyebrow, but continued on his Divination essay.

"No, why?" he asked as he scratched a few more notes down. Sirius and Peter had joined in by this time and were sharing maniacal grins, "If it's a prank, count me out."

"Nothing of the sort," Sirius said before lowering his voice, "We were going to practice _transfiguration_." Remus looked up and stared dumbly at his friend.

"Can't you practice that here in the common room?" he asked before the other three smacked their heads in unison.

"I wonder how you got that badge," Peter murmured as he gaped at his friend. Remus continued to stare at them blankly, thoroughly confused.

"What in blue blazes are you carrying on about?" Remus asked looking at his friends. Sirius began coughing and a cough came out that sounded suspiciously like 'animagi'. It suddenly dawned upon Remus.

"Oh," he murmured feeling stupid, "_That_ transfiguration. Right then, let's go." Remus gathered all his things up and carried them up to his dorm to dump them. James followed and retrieved his trusty invisibility cloak and an old piece of parchment. "James, why do we need those? It's still before curfew." James gave his friend a knowing look.

"But we're not coming back until _after_ curfew," James responded tapping his head, "I'm always thinking Moony." Remus groaned at the use of his nickname.

"Have I told you that I hate that name?" he asked as the two went back down to the common room.

"Only every time we use it," Sirius said from the bottom of the steps. Hearing Remus's complaint, Sirius knew he was referring to his nickname.

"Remind me," Remus said lowering his voice, "when you guys master your animagus transformations, I get to come up with ridiculous nicknames for you." The other three laughed as they left the Gryffindor common room and made their way to the seventh floor.

Once they were secure in the Room of Requirement, the other three began to show Remus their notes, and the research that they had done over the past few years. Remus was impressed to say the least; it was thorough and well organized.

"Wow," Remus murmured amazed, "when you guys apply yourselves, you really mean business." The other three smiled.

"Can we practice transforming now?" Sirius asked almost lazily. Remus gave one last glance over the notes.

"I suppose," he conceded warily, "but only one at a time. Who's up first?" James stepped into the center of the room.

"I'll go," he said striping off his outer black robe. He stood unmoving in the center of the room, eyes closed and breathing steady. To Remus, he seemed to pull into himself, willing his outer form to change. The others watched on as magic seemed to radiate off James. Remus gaped in amazement as tan fur spread and sprouted on James's skin. It was one thing to be told that his friends could sprout fur, but it was another thing to witness it.

Remus and the others continued to watch on as James's face seemed to elongate and he fell forward onto all fours. His finger seemed to meld together and become dark. Without warning, he suddenly snapped back into a regular looking James. He was panting and still on all fours as he tried to steady his breathing.

"Wow," Peter said gaping, "You almost started to change physically." James nodded and attempted to stand. Sirius and Peter rushed forward to help him.

"James," Remus said voice filled with concern, "are you alright?" He nodded.

"Yes," he panted, "it just takes a lot . . . out of you." James sat back in a chair and relaxed a bit to regain his composure. Sirius turned to Peter.

"Why don't you go next?" Sirius said, "Try covering yourself with fur this time." Peter nodded as he moved to the center of the room. Like James before him, Peter seemed to pull into himself and willed his outer form to change. Remus couldn't help but stare in amazement as his normally bumbling friend began to sprout gray fur on his body. Granted, it didn't come on as fast as James had, but it continued on until he had just about covered his entire body. Remus thought the light of the room was playing tricks on him when he saw that Peter was getting smaller.

However, just like James, Peter snapped back to his regular looking self after a few more moments. He to was panting and seemed even more exhausted than James had been.

"Excellent job, Pete!" James exclaimed truly proud of his friend, "You covered yourself with fur!" Peter smiled weakly as Remus and Sirius helped him up. Once he was seated, Sirius then moved to the center of the room.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Remus could once again see that Sirius was pulling into himself, to will his outer presence to transform. Something was different about him though. Remus could actually _feel_ that Sirius was enclosing his human nature and willing the animal to emerge. Remus watched on in amazement while shaggy black fur sprouted all over his handsome friend. Like James, he collapsed onto all fours and his face began to elongate. Remus heard James let out a yelp and the messy haired kid pointed to the transforming one.

"He has a tail," he said in astonishment. The others looked to see if it was true, and it was. Sirius has sprouted a tail out of his backside. However, that was all the further his transformation got before he too snapped back into his human self. Exhausted, like those who had gone before him, Sirius was content to simple collapse onto the floor. Remus looked at his friends with pride.

"Wow," Remus smiled, "you guys never cease to amaze me." The other three smiled weakly at their friend. Some where in the school, there was a chiming that signaled curfew.

"Sirius," James said looking to his nearly passed out friend, "do you think you can make it back now, or would you like to wait a few more minutes?" Sirius used his arms to prop himself up.

"I think I can make it now," he said slowly getting to his feet, "do you have the map and cloak?" James nodded. The cloak was obvious the invisibility cloak that has been mentioned earlier; the map, however is a very curious thing . . .

The Marauders liked to think that they knew the layout of the school better than anyone who had attended it before (save the four founders and possibly Dumbledore). This was undisputable, for they knew of every secret passage and its password and had timed and charted the directions of every stair for every day of the week (because they had a tendency to change direction depending on the day). The result of these findings was compiled onto a piece of parchment that James had brought with him. To the untrained eye, it was just a bit of old parchment. The boys knew different, however.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," James said tapping the parchment. Ink began to sprout up all across the parchment forming hallways, shaping class rooms, detailing every aspect of the castle. This little beauty was the Marauder's Map. Towards the beginning of fourth year, the boys knew the castle like the back of their hand, but even with the invisibility cloak, had far to many run-ins with Filch and Mrs. Norris.

It had been Remus's idea to make an enchanted map that could pinpoint the location of everybody within the castle.

It had taken them long hours of trying spells, drafting, drawing, redrafting, and redrawing the passages and classrooms before they got it to be what they wanted. It was about the fiftieth time of doing the map before it was to their overall liking. But each of the boys felt that it wasn't quite finished, that it needed a distinctive Marauder flare. They just didn't know what that was quite yet.

James surveyed the map with the utmost scrutiny, while his friends prepared to depart.

"Filch is on the second floor," he said eventually, "Mrs. Norris is outside. Dumbledore is in his office."

"Anybody else out at all?" Sirius asked James looked over the entire map and pulled out its many different sections.

"Um," he said going over it, "a Shelby Putt and Gregg McCain in the entrance hall . . ." The Marauders looked to Remus.

"Hufflepuff Prefects," he confirmed for his friends. James looked back to the map.

"Other than that we should be in the clear," he said folding up the map.

"Wait," said Peter suddenly, "what about Peeves?" James opened up the map once again, and flipped through it.

"It looks like he's in one of the dungeons doing whatever it is that he does best," James replied before tapping the map with his wand and saying, "Mischief managed." Sirius held up the cloak, and the four boys disappeared under it. After getting settled under it, the four boys slowly and carefully made their way back to the common room. Once outside their portrait, they pulled off the cloak and gave the Fat Lady the password. The door swung open and the boys entered.

Lucky for them the common room was _nearly_ empty.

"And just where have the four of you been?" demanded a cold voice from one of the armchairs by the fire. It had caused all the boys to jump, but they relaxed as they saw Lily stand up.

"Lily flower . . ." James said benignly but she just sent him a glare.

"If the four of you were setting up a prank . . . so help me . . ." she glowered staring each one of them down, "Remus, I expected more from a fellow prefect . . ."

"Lily, relax," Remus said smoothly, "We only went down to the kitchens for a post homework snack." Despite his good record, Remus knew how to lie and how to lie _well_, "Time simply got away from us, and the house elves wouldn't let us leave. On my honor, we did not set up any pranks." His performance was convincing enough for Lily and she nodded.

"Fine," she gave in, "but don't let it happen again or I'll be forced to deduct points . . ."

"You wouldn't do that to your own house," Sirius interrupted. Lily sent him a nasty glare.

"Watch it, Black," she warned, "I can and I will, should the need arise." She turned sharply on her heel and stormed up the girl's staircase. James stared after her longingly.

"You know," he murmured dreamily, "she is so adorable when she's angry." The other three laughed at their smitten friend.

"But you know she would never go for you, mate," Sirius said clapping him of the shoulder, "you're too much of an arrogant bighead for her." James glowered at his friend.

"One of these days, Sirius," James said shaking his finger, "Mark my words, Lily Evans will go out with me." The boys laughed as they climbed up their staircase that led to their dormitory.


	18. Unpleasant Realizations

**A/N: Thank you for all the lovely supportive reviews. Despite what any nay sayers might post in reviews, this story will continue on. It's my pride and joy. ;-)**

_Chapter 17: Unpleasant Realizations_

The weeks went by slowly that fall. The fifth years of Hogwarts could feel themselves being harassed by mountains of homework. The teachers all said it was to prepare them for their O.W.L.s in the spring, but the students thought the teachers were attempting to torture them. They were desperate for some type of break from the normal barrage of homework. Luckily for them, there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

It was only five days before the first Hogsmeade weekend, and the week after that was the first Quidditch match of the year, Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw. While many of the students were excited about these upcoming events, Sairina couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed and nervous about it all. Remus had asked her to go to Hogsmeade with him, she of course agreed readily, but she couldn't help but feel that she was driving a wedge between Remus and the other Marauders. He claimed that she wasn't, but she still felt guilty, not only about Remus and his friends, but she also felt like she was abandoning Lily.

"How about this," Remus said after she expressed her guilt and worry to him during lunch one day, "We can start out with our friends in the morning, meet for lunch and then spend the rest of the afternoon together." Sairina agreed feeling far less guilty than before. Once she had finished lunch, she gathered her bag and began making her way to the dungeons for her Potions lesson with Hufflepuff. Adrian Baine caught up with her however outside the Great Hall. It was his final year, and he was the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain.

"Practice tonight," he reminded her. She nodded in response.

"Five 'o'clock, right?" she asked.

"Yep," he said, "before dinner because _somebody_ has to do their prefect rounds tonight." He teasingly gave her a punch in the arm. She swatted him back.

"I can't help it if I'm smarter and more trustworthy than everybody else on the team," she said sticking out her tongue causing Adrian to roll with laughter.

"Oh, that's rich, Telcontar," he said before going into the Great Hall to look for the other members of his team. Laughing to herself, Sairina made her way to the potions dungeon.

/0/0/

"C'mon, Brody" Adrian yelled, "be aggressive with that bat!" The Ravenclaw team was flying hard and doing complex drills to help them prepare for their upcoming game. Adrian was more involved with watching the overall performance of the team while relinquishing chaser commands to Sairina.

"V pass," Sairina called out as the chasers formed a v and zoomed towards the goal posts. They rapidly exchanged the quaffle from one chaser to another until Marcus Wright, the newest chaser (a third year), took it and hurled it towards the hoop. The keeper, an outstanding second year by the name Samantha Whithers, knocked it off its path. Sairina, however, was quick to rebound the quaffle and slammed it through a hoop while Whithers was attempting to steady herself from that last block.

"Good job Telcontar!" Adrian shouted as Derrick Hunnington, their fourth year seeker, went into a dive for that snitch. The rest of the team, slightly distracted, attempted to do another play, but Hunnington raised his hand triumphantly holding the snitch in it.

"Ground, team," Adrian yelled as their seven brooms sunk to the ground. After about ten minutes of attempting to recapture the bludgers, the balls were safely placed back in their trunk and Adrian met the team in the center of the pitch.

"Good practice you guys," he said smiling at his young team. "I think we have a real shot this year at the House Cup. We just have to watch out for Gryffindor next week, they've won it for the past few years, but they're not unstoppable." He looked at their tired smiling faces. The team had changed so much over the years. When Sairina had joined the team, they were an old team, most of the players being in their sixth or seventh year. He and Sairina were the only ones left from the Ravenclaw dream team that had nearly captured the House Cup in his fifth year, Sai's third.

"Go on, you guys earned yourself a good meal," he said shooing them off towards the locker rooms.

"How about a nice, hot shower?" Samantha quipped back and she and Sairina shared a laugh.

"It is so great having another girl on the team, finally!" she exclaimed as they walked back to the Ravenclaw locker rooms to get changed. The rest of the boys just shook their heads.

"Women," Adrian muttered as the team filed in.

/0/0/

"Are you guys up for another practice again tonight?" James asked sitting down with his three friends. Remus shrugged as he propped his History of Magic book up against the water pitcher.

"Doesn't matter to me," he said, "I'm there more for moral support." James looked to Sirius and Peter.

"Sure," Sirius said piling food onto his plate. Peter nodded.

"We're getting so close," Peter said as he began to shovel mashed potatoes into his mouth.

It was true, after their last practice all three of the boys could almost completely transform, but they either couldn't hold the shapes or finish transforming. They had an idea of what animals they were to become, but Remus had held off on the dubbing of the nicknames until each boy had completely transformed and could hold the shape. He did, however, have a few nicknames he was considering at the moment . . .

"To bad we've missed the full moon for this month," Sirius sulked and looked sympathetically at his studying friend. Remus looked up and shrugged his shoulders. The full moon had been three days prior and Remus had vanished for his usual day and a half, his friends covering for him saying that he was visiting a sick relative.

"Next time I'll tell the moon to wait a few more weeks before it decides to become full so my friends have time to perfect becoming illegal animagi," he muttered dryly. The comment wasn't intended to hurt, but his friends knew he was always a little grumpy after the full moon.

"Who has rounds tonight, Remus?" Peter asked taking a break from filling his mouth with food. Remus pondered this for a moment.

"I believe Sairina and Merric make their rounds tonight," he said nonchalantly. His three friend exchanged looks, which did not go unnoticed by him.

"Perhaps we should follow them tonight instead of practicing," James said slyly, "Just to make sure Moony's girl is being true." Remus sighed and rolled his eyes.

"I have nothing to worry about," Remus said looking up from his book to glare at his three friends, "I've already had a nice chat with Merric about the consequences of any attempts he might make to woo Sairina."

"When did you have this 'chat'?" Sirius asked arching an eyebrow. Remus shrugged.

"After the last Prefects' meeting," he said blandly. His friends laughed.

"Wasn't it the night before the full moon?" James asked quietly, "So it was more of a string of threats rather than a nice chat." Remus looked up and a wicked grin spread across his face.

"Something like that . . ." he said lightly causing his friends to laugh all the louder. Their conversation drifted and they began talking about the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend.

"What are your plans, Moony?" Sirius asked his friend who had, by now, abandoned all hopes of studying during dinner.

"I'm going to start off in the morning with you guys," he explained before taking a bite of Shepherd's Pie, "Then Sairina and I will be meeting for lunch and then spending the rest of the afternoon together." The other boys nodded.

"Sounds like a good plan," James said smiling, "That means Lily will be on her own in the afternoon . . ."

"Good luck with that one, James," Remus said smirking. "She would have been free all day, but Sairina insisted that I spend time with you guys. For some odd reason she thinks that she's driving me apart from you." The other boys stared at him in disbelief before laughing.

"We're probably spending way to much time together," Sirius snorted into his plate, "What with classes, studying, pranks, and our latest little endeavor to help you out." Remus nodded.

"I know, I know," he agreed, "I just don't want to bring the wrath of a princess down on me." He suddenly froze. _I did not just say that. Please, if there is someone up there; tell me that I did NOT just say THAT!_

"What did you say?" Peter gaped at Remus along with James and Sirius. Remus dropped his fork with a clang.

"I-I-I . . . um . . . uh," he stammered attempting to think of a lie. His friends' eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. _Damn, damn, damn, double DAMN!_ His mind was reeling, how could he just let **that** slip?

"She's not really a . . . you know . . . is she?" James asked looking intently at his floundering friend. Remus could feel his face grow red hot with embarrassment and shame.

"Um," he murmured. His mind was still unable to come up with a line he could feed his friends and cover up his mess-up. His friends stood abruptly and dragged him from the table. Remus was in so much shock from betraying Sairina's secret that he didn't protest as the other Marauders dragged him up to the seventh floor to the Room of Requirement. Pacing three times the door appeared with the usual arrangement for their practices, but with a few more comfortable chairs.

"Spill it all, now," Sirius said pushing Remus down into one of the chairs. "Is she really a princess?" Remus sat trembling looking at the floor.

"You guys can't breathe a word of this to anyone," he said eventually looking up, "And I mean anyone." His friends looked at him in astonishment. They had never heard Remus sound so firm, not even when he was doing his prefect duties.

"She is then?" James said running a hand through his hair, "Sairina is really a princess? This is unbelievable! There hasn't been any magic in royal blood for over two centuries." Remus rolled his eyes.

"She's not from this time," he said. Sirius stopped his pacing, James stopped running his hand through his hair, and Peter appeared to stop breathing.

"WHAT?" they all demanded at once. Remus sighed as he buried his head in his hands.

"Just listen to me," Remus said before he launched into the information Sairina had told him at the beginning of their fourth year. The other three Marauders just stared at their friend in unabashed amazement. Sairina Telcontar, a princess, from another time? It was unbelievable.

"So, her family that came here for the match back in third year," James said once Remus had finished, "Were royalty. No wonder Goyle's punishment was so harsh . . ." Remus nodded to his friend.

"It all makes sense now," Sirius murmured, "the fact that she hardly ever rode the train . . . because her room is basically linked to Hogwarts."

"When she did ride the train," Remus elaborated, "was when she had stayed the last few weeks of summer with Lily." A look of dawning realization broke across James's face.

"Lily knows," he stated as opposed to asked. Remus nodded.

"She was the first student Sairina could trust with her secret," Remus confirmed, "I was the second. Although I've probably lost that trust now . . ." He looked glumly at the floor.

"Moony, you worry too much," Peter said. "We won't breathe a word of this to anyone." Remus looked at his friends in relief.

"You had better not," he warned. His friends laughed.

"We've been able to keep your condition secret since second year after finding out," Sirius laughed, "We won't spill about Sairina. I do have one question: Why did she want to keep it secret?"

"Her parents didn't want her to receive unnecessary attention and she didn't want any special treatment," Remus explained, "When she was born, her great grandmother made predictions concerning her future, they were predictions about her stopping the rise of Dark Lord, that had fallen years ago, with her magic. After Dumbledore explained the impending war with Voldemort to her parents, they thought it best that her royal blood be kept a secret. Lest Voldemort attempt to harness the more ancient magic she can use."

"This is just too crazy," Sirius muttered one last time before clapping his hand, "On to practice. Shall we, gentlemen?"

It was an interesting friendship that the boys had, the true depths of it finally sunk in for Remus as James took his spot in the center of the room. Any discovery that they shared, no matter how significant, dangerous, or life altering, they treated it as if it were an everyday occurrence. They had treated Remus's lycanthropy and Sairina's true royal background as if they were of no consequence. The logic behind their passiveness was maddening to dissect, so Remus pushed the issue out of his mind for the moment and concentrated on what his messy haired friend was doing.

"I'm going to try to go all the way," James announced before closing his eyes and pulling into himself. His body steadily began to change. He was completely covered with rich tan fur before he collapsed onto all fours. His hands melded together as his limbs lengthened. The other three couldn't necessarily hear his bones shifting and reforming, but they could see it happening. James's face elongated, developing a snout and large hazel eyes. Antlers began to sprout and quickly grew and divided forming an impressive rack.

Their friend, James, no longer stood in front of them, but a fully grown stag did.

"Wicked," said Sirius in awe before James rapidly transformed backing into his normal fifteen-year-old self. He seemed a little winded, but not as exhausted as he had been in the past.

"I couldn't hold it," he said weakly, "but I did it." He stood and walked over to his notes.

"What are you looking for?" Remus asked as Peter went to the center of the room, "Most of the notes are only on the transforming aspect."

"I know," James said, "But we took a few notes on maintaining the Animagus form. I need to start looking over them." Remus nodded as he turned back to Peter who had closed his eyes and was rapidly covering himself in fur.

He had begun to shrink and his face grew very pointy and he sprouted a tail. His stature continued to diminish before he suddenly shifted back into normal looking Peter. He was panting and seemed to be very much shaken.

"You alright there, Peter?" Sirius asked going to his friend. Peter nodded weakly and seemed greatly discouraged.

"Hey, that was far better than what you did last time," James said attempting to boost his friend's pride. Peter smiled weakly before sinking into a chair. Sirius strutted into the center of the room. The other three boys rolled their eyes.

Without a word, Sirius pulled into himself and began to rapidly transform. He was going double the speed that James had done his transformation. Before the other boys could say, "Galloping Goblins," a large bear like, shaggy haired dog stood playfully in front of them. He began barking and running around the room, before coming up and resting his head on Peter's lap. The other boys laughed and Sirius transformed back.

"Did you transform back on your own?" James asked and Sirius nodded.

"Yeah, but I could feel my stamina waver a bit," Sirius said scratching the back of his head, "I think it's all a matter of endurance now." James nodded and looked over the notes once more.

"That's what I can gather from the notes," James said looking up at Sirius before glancing at Peter, who was sulking in his chair, "Don't worry Pete; you'll get it before the next full moon." Peter shrugged nonchalantly, and his friend could tell he was rather upset.

"Hey Pete, don't stress about it," Sirius said sitting on the arm of his friend's chair, "We know transfiguration isn't your best subject, but you are doing great compared to your normal performance in that class." Peter looked sideways at his friend; he wasn't sure if he should take that as a compliment or insult.

"We should head back, gents," James announced organizing his notes. "It's nearly curfew, and we don't have the map or the cloak." The other three boys nodded and left the room practically sprinting back to Gryffindor tower. They climbed into the portrait hole just as the chimes struck.

"I don't know about you three," Sirius said yawning loudly, "but I'm tired." With that he waved goodnight to his friends and vanished up the staircase. The rest of the boys quickly followed suit.

/0/0/

The weekend didn't come fast enough as far as the students were concerned. Their last classes on Friday were sheer torture, because many of the students could see the beautiful fall sun shining on the rusty colored tree tops of the forbidden forest. The students could tell that this could be one of the last decent days left of fall and they'd rather be out enjoying it as opposed to stuck in their lessons. The final bell for the day rung, and the students ran from their classrooms before any teacher could cram one more fact into their already full heads.

Sairina was chatting with Merric as they walked out of Transfiguration together. They were discussing the lesson and how McGonagall was obsessing over perfection when Sairina felt an arm wrap around her waist.

"Hey," Remus's familiar voice filled her ear. Sairina smiled and Merric rolled his eyes at the two.

"C'mon, Sairina," Merric groaned, "You're flirting with the enemy. What would Adrian say if he saw this?" Sairina and Remus laughed.

"Oh yes," Remus said voice oozing with sarcasm, "The only reason I've been dating Sairina for the past year is because I'm part of a ploy to keep her distracted so Gryffindor can win the House Cup."

"See!" Merric exclaimed. "He admits it!" The three Prefects began laughing. Merric waved goodbye to them before heading in the direction of the Ravenclaw dormitory.

"What's up?" Sairina smiled at Remus as she laced her fingers with his. He shrugged.

"Nothing much," he replied, "Double potions with Slytherin, however, is the worst class to have on a Friday afternoon." Sairina laughed as the continued to amble through the hallway, "I also wanted to confirm our plans for tomorrow."

"With our friends until lunch," Sairina confirmed. "Then the rest of the afternoon together." Remus smiled.

"I can't wait," he said and planted a light kiss on her forehead. Sairina couldn't help but notice the worry in Remus's eyes.

"Something wrong, Remmy?" she asked kindly as she gently squeezed his hand. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"No," he said squeezing her hand back. She nodded and the two continued to walk on when the other three Marauders suddenly jumped out in front of the couple.

"C'mon Remus," James said with at mischievous glint in his eye, "We've come up with the perfect prank to get back Snape for what he did in potions." Sirius and James grabbed Remus and pried him off of Sairina and dragged him off. He shot a look back to Sairina that clearly said, "I'll stop them before they do anything." Sairina just shook her head and laughed.

Those boys were something else.

/0/0/

The day of the Hogsmeade visit dawned pleasant enough. The sky was filled with large fluffy white clouds that drifted lazily across the azure sky. The wind blew, but it was not biting and cold; just a gentle autumn breeze that carried the scents of autumn through the air: pumpkins, cinnamon, and apples.

Lily and Sairina strolled through the streets of the small wizarding community chatting and talking about nothing in general. They window-shopped, ducked into an old used book store (but left without buying anything), disappeared into Honeyduke's where Sairina bought several bars of the traditional Honeyduke's chocolate.

"I made the mistake of splitting my last bar with my little sisters," Sairina explained to Lily after she asked why Sairina had bought so much, "Instead of saying goodbye, they demanded that I supply them with more chocolate." Lily laughed long and hard at this, and the two friends casually made their way to the Three Broomsticks. Ducking inside the building, the two girls found a small booth by the door and quickly made themselves comfortable.

A waiter came up eventually and handed the girls two butterbeers. As he did so, the girls exchanged questioning glances.

"Excuse me, sir," Lily spoke up, "But my friend and I didn't order anything to drink yet." The young man smiled.

"Compliments of the four strapping young gentlemen at the bar," he said before walking away. Both the girls looked over to the bar and let out a peal of laughter. The four Marauders had smug looks on their faces and were waving brightly to the two girls.

"I should have known," Lily muttered, twisting the top off of her bottle, "Potter and his band of misfits."

"Excuse me," Sairina said giving her friend a playful glare, "I happen to be seeing one of those 'misfits.'" At this, both of the girls began laughing again. They were so distracted by their mirth that they didn't notice the four troublemakers saunter up to their table.

"What pray tell, my dear ladies," Sirius said with a regal flare, "seems to be so funny?" Sairina and Lily rolled their eyes.

"Nothing at all, Black," Lily said as she stood up and winked at Sairina, "I'll catch you later, Sai. I'm heading back to the castle." James stepped in extending a hand to Lily.

"Would you allow me to escort you?" James asked kindly. Lily looked at his hand and then back at his face before laughing and walking out of the crowded room. James looked slightly downtrodden.

"Don't worry, James," Sairina said sympathetically, "I'll try to work on her for you." James shook his head.

"No, no," he protested, "I'm going to win her on my own." Sairina shook her head.

"Yeah," Sirius muttered, "At this rate you'll finally woo her when you're both old and gray." Everyone began laughing except for James who glared at them darkly before leaving the pub. Still laughing, Sirius and Peter ran after him while waving good-bye to Remus. Remus stared after his friends for a moment shaking his head and turning back to Sairina.

"Would you like to grab a bite to eat?" he asked taking Lily's seat. Sairina pondered this for a moment feeling her stomach do flips. It always did that when she and Remus were together.

"Actually," she said, "I'm not all that hungry. What about you?" He shrugged.

"I'll be able to last until dinner," he replied, "How about we go for a walk?" Sairina nodded and stood with Remus and left the pub. Offering his arm to her, the two wandered aimlessly through the small, student filled streets.

They talked about their mornings and what they had done with their friends. Remus and the other Marauders had stocked up on supplies from Zonko's for some prank they were developing. Sairina admonished Remus lightly for even thinking of pulling a prank as a Prefect. Remus just laughed and said, "It's nothing serious or life threatening." This caused Sairina to laugh.

"Sai," Remus said after a few moments of walking in silence, "There are some things that I . . . I need to talk to you about." Remus guided their steps towards the location of the Shrieking Shack. As Remus moved to go beyond the fence, Sairina stopped.

"Isn't this place haunted?" she gulped. Remus smiled weakly.

"Supposed to be," he replied, "but it's not . . . at least not right now." This last part he said darkly and Sairina could see bitterness cross his normally benign face.

"Are you sure?" Sairina said warily, "Why do we have to talk here in the first place?" Remus smiled once again.

"I'm sure that it is fine," he said extending his hand. "You can trust me. As for why here . . . I don't want anyone to disturb us." Intrigued and somewhat frightened, Sairina decided to follow him. They approached the house and Remus used an unlocking spell on one of the doors and ushered Sairina in. Sairina looked warily around the building as Remus closed the door behind him.

It was just as she had remembered it from the vision she had back in third year. The house seemed to sway and bend with the wind because it was so structurally unsound. The furniture was all in taters and the building was in a state of disarray and disrepair. Sairina jumped slightly and Remus took her hand and guided her towards the rickety stairs. He motioned her to take a seat, and she complied while he paced like a nervous wreck.

"Remus," Sairina asked worried, "what wrong?" Remus stopped pacing and looked to the girl on the steps. She looked so frightened and worried. Remus knew she had to deal with so much, and now he was only going to add to her worries. Sighing, he tried to figure out the best way to begin.

"Sai," he breathed eventually, "I'm sorry." Sairina looked at him surprised and confused.

"Wh-what?" she stammered confused by his apology. He had done nothing wrong to her knowledge. Unless . . .

"I am so sorry, Sai," he said, she could tell he was angry with himself, "I don't know how it happened exactly, but I-I . . . I let it slip that you were a princess." Sairina took a staggering breath.

"To whom?" she asked wringing her hands, "Not like the entire Gryffindor house or something?"

"No," Remus said quickly, "no, not quite that bad." This allayed her fears somewhat, but she kept thinking who . . .

"Your friends?" she hazarded to guess. Remus could only nod and run a hand through his hair. Sairina smiled at him weakly.

"It's not that bad, Remus," she said trying to cheer him up, "I was planning on telling them eventually, probably before the end of the year. I was just waiting until I was a bit more comfortable around them . . ."

"But I betrayed your trust," Remus said completely baffled that she was not screaming and yelling at him. "Granted it was an accident, but I let it slip when I wasn't supposed to. I don't how you can be so calm." Sairina smiled and stood from the steps and walked over to where Remus was standing. Taking his hands she looked into his eyes.

"I come from a line of understanding and calm people," Sairina said lightly, "My father has always told me that lashing out in anger and being blinded by rage solves no problem any person could ever face." Sairina leaned in and kissed Remus gently on the lips, but he pulled away sharply.

"I don't deserve you," he said looking at the ground. Sairina sighed and wrapped her arms around his waist, but he moved away.

"Remus?" she asked, hurt.

"I really don't deserve to be with someone as wonderful as you," he said crossly though his back was to her, "You have been nothing but completely honest to me, and I've betrayed your trust and kept things from you . . ."

"Remus, you're being irrational . . ." Sairina began.

"How can you be so calm about this?" Remus asked turning to face her, "I was expecting anger or bitterness, not this. Not for you being so calm." Sairina shook her head in confusion.

"What do you want me to do, Remus?" She asked with hurt in her voice, "Do you want me to scream and yell at you? It will solve nothing, but if you want me to, I can get angry." Remus could definitely hear the anger edging into her voice, but he shook his head.

"I-I . . . just," Remus said running his hand over his face, "I want you to be honest about how you feel. Not put on a calm front." He turned and faced her, but she was looking at the floor.

"Honestly," she said wringing her hands, "I am a little hurt that you told them, but as you said it was an accident, and I believe you. I'm sure they probably pestered you for more information though," She looked at him as he nodded, "How much . . ."

"All of it," Remus sighed sinking to the floor. Sairina took a deep breath.

"Continuing with honesty," she said moving towards a boarded up window, "I'm worried about if they'll tell anyone."

"You don't have to worry about that," Remus said through his hand.

"How do you know?" Sairina snapped a little too quickly, but couldn't hold back any more, "How do you know that they won't hold this over my head? How do you know that James won't use this as a means to force Lily to go out with him? How do you . . ."

"I just know that they won't do any of that," Remus said interrupting angrily. "These are my friends you're talking about."

"Yes," Sairina said bitterly, "the same friends, who play pranks on unsuspecting victims, terrorize first years, torture and belittle other students . . ."

"ENOUGH," Remus growled standing up, "I know they won't betray your secret, because they haven't betrayed mine," Sairina looked at Remus in confusion, "They've known my secret since second year, and they haven't told a soul yet, so I don't think they'll tell anyone about you."

"Wh-wh-what are you talking about?" Sairina asked walking towards Remus and cupped his cheek with her hand and gently forced him to look at her. His mournful cornflower blue eyes pieced hers. There was fear, pain, and sorrow in his eyes.

"I . . . I," he said weakly attempting to look away from her, but she wouldn't allow it, "Sai, I'm a werewolf." Sairina gasped and took a step back.

"What?" she asked almost hoping that this wasn't real. Remus sighed heavily before looking at her again.

"I am a werewolf," he said gesturing with his hand, "Once a month, I come here and transform into an uncontrollable blood thirsty beast," his voice sounded so defeated, "I can understand if you never want to talk to me again; I won't be hurt if you were to run from this house right now." It was a lie; he would be beyond hurt, but he wouldn't let her know that. He looked away from her in shame.

To Remus's surprise, he did not hear her run and the door slam behind her. Instead he felt her arms wrap around his neck as she pulled his head down to hers and captured his lips in a searing kiss. Remus was reluctant at first and tried to pull away, but Sairina wouldn't let him and kept her grip firm. Remus slowly circled his arms around her waist and pulled her slim body close to his. Remus hadn't thought that anything could feel so right, so perfect. Before the kiss could develop further, Sairina pulled back slightly.

"Wow," Remus breathed looking into Sairina's sapphire blue eyes, "Sai, I . . ." Sairina cut him off by placing a finger on his lips.

"Remus," she cooed softly, "you don't need to say anything. If anything, I should be the one apologizing. Valar, Remus, the visions I've had of transforming, they are horrible. I'm so sorry you have to go through that. It's so painful, so many untamed emotions . . ." Sairina trailed off as she buried her face into his chest and let out a sob, "I can't stay mad at you knowing what you have to go through." Remus calmly rubbed her back as she continued to cry quietly wetting his shirt.

"Don't cry, Sai," Remus murmured, "It's not your fault. There is nothing you could have done to prevent it. I was young and stupid; you shouldn't feel any guilt at all because it's not your fault." Sairina pulled away and looked up at Remus with a weak smiled. He smiled back. "I supposed that if you can look past my lycanthropy and I can look past your royal blood, we can get past anything." Sairina let out a small laugh before Remus pulled her into another breathtaking kiss.


	19. Moonlight Sonata

_Chapter 18: Moonlight Sonata_

"They know!" Lily asked, completely shocked at what her best friend had just relayed to her, "How do they know?" Sairina sighed and rolled her eyes. The two girls were currently in the library attempting to do homework, but Sairina had told Lily that all the Marauders now knew she was a princess.

"Yes they know," Sairina said looking up from her transfiguration essay, "Remus slipped up and they pounced on him and got all the information out of him they could." She went back to her essay.

"So they know," Lily confirmed twirling her quill, "How much do they know?" Sairina sighed and set down her quill. She could tell this was going to go on for a while.

"They know as much as Remus knows," Sairina said.

"Does it not worry you that they know?" Lily asked cocking an eyebrow. Sairina rubbed her temples.

"No, I'm not worried that they know because Remus knows that even though they know they won't do anything with the information they know," Sairina said. She hated playing this game, but because they were in the library they had to keep things general so they wouldn't be overheard.

"How do you know this for sure?" Lily asked. She was concerned about her friend and feared that the simple lifestyle she had established here was in jeopardy because the Marauders knew her secret.

"I know because Remus told me so and he knows them better than anyone else in this school," Sairina said. Lily gasped suddenly.

"Do they know you know?" Lily asked. Sairina raised an eyebrow.

"Do they know that I know what?" Sairina asked quickly getting tired of this game.

"Do they know that you know that they know?" Lily asked. Sairina pondered this for a moment.

"I'm pretty sure they know that I know that they know," Sairina said, "Remus said that he had told them that he was going to tell me that they knew. So I'm pretty sure that they know that I know that they know. I'm pretty sure that they know that you know too."

"They know that I know?" Lily asked, "How?" Sairina groaned in irritation.

"It's obvious that you would know because you are my best friend," Sairina said through her teeth, "It would only be logical that you would be the first to know about it; therefore they can assume that you know whatever they know if not more so because we are closer and you know me better," Sairina was starting to get dizzy from all this talk, "To put it more simply: you, James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus are the only students who know what I am, to what degrees everybody knows me is questionable. But all of the people I just mentioned know." Lily nodded.

"Got it," she said smiling and turning back to her essay, but Sairina tapped her arm.

"Good," she said smiling sarcastically, "Now explain it to me." Lily rolled her eyes and went back to working on her essay. Little did the girls know, Remus was having this same conversation with the boys in their dormitory.

"So she knows?" James asked and Remus nodded.

"Does she know _everything?_" Sirius asked looking intently at his friend. Remus let out a sigh.

"I do _not_ want to play this game," Remus said snapping his book shut, "She knows I'm a werewolf; she knows that you lot knows she's a princess; she does not know that you are in the process of becoming illegal animagi." The other three boys nodded and the room fell into silence, but it was short lived.

"How did she react when she found out that we know," Peter asked looking up from his Charms textbook. Remus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"She was very calm," he said tiredly, "she actually said she was planning on telling you before the end of the year, but she was waiting until she was more comfortable around you." The other boys nodded and James looked at his watch.

"Sirius, we need to get going," James piped up, "We were supposed to be at the Quidditch Pitch . . ."

"How much time do we have before practice?" Sirius asked hopping up from his bed and stretching. James looked at his watch again.

"We were supposed to be there five minutes ago," James said, and both boys sprinted out of the small room uttering strings of swear words.

/0/0/

The Saturday of the Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw match dawned gloomy and rainy. This caused the entire school populace to groan, more so than the players. It wasn't just a light shower either. It was a full torrential downpour complete with high winds and rumbling thunder. Sairina sauntered down to the Great Hall and sat with the rest of her team when Adrian strode in and handed them their rain gear.

What startled his teammates was the maniacal smile on his face.

"Umm, Baine . . ." Dave Brody, one of the beaters, said uncertainly, "Are you alright? Perhaps you have something to share with the rest of the team?" Baine's smile, if it were possible, grew wider.

"I love rain," he said and everyone stared at him confused, "Gryffindor's seeker is your typical seeker, light, thin, agile . . . He won't stand a chance in this weather . . . whereas, our lovely Mr. Hunnington here has got a bit more meat on his bones with the same agility level." The rest of his team began laughing. After getting a quick bite, the team stood and left the hall. Cheers from Ravenclaw and Slytherin followed them out. The team rolled their eyes collectively when they saw the green clad students stand to give them an ovation.

The only reason they were cheering for the Ravenclaw team was because they didn't want Gryffindor to win.

The Ravenclaws went to their locker room in complete and utter silence, allowing the falling drops of water to be the only noise. Once they were dressed in their Quidditch robes, pads, and rain gear, they sat in silence as they listened to the stands fill and the rain fall. Finally turning to his team, Adrian began to speak.

"We can do this you guys, I know we can," Adrian said confidently, "Just a few things before we go out there. Telcontar and Whithers, you two are obviously on the lighter side of the weight spectrum, so be careful out there and keep a firm grip on the broom. You guys could feel how windy it was walking to the pitch; well it's only going to be worse once you're in the air.

"Brody and Keller, the bludgers are going to be wild with this wind," Adrian said carefully, "Do your best to keep them under control. Wright and Telcontar, it'll be hard, but keep focused on each other and me, we need to work together flawlessly because visibility is low. And Hunnington . . . catch that snitch as fast as you fucking can." The team laughed at this last remarked before putting their hands in.

"One, two, three," Adrian said calmly.

"RAVENCLAW," the team shouted as they grabbed their brooms and walked to the holding area. The players of both teams were quickly announced by Ludo Bagman (a seventh-year Hufflepuff beater), the newest commentator after a long line of failures since Sam Jordan graduated. While he did commentary for most of the games, people were going to have to be rotated in and out whenever Hufflepuff had to play.

After doing a quick warm-up lap (and getting thoroughly soaked) both teams met in the center of the field. James Potter and Adrian Baine stepped forward to meet.

"I want a clean game, boys," Madame Hooch said sternly, "Shake hands and wait for my whistle." The boys shook hands and rejoined their respective teams. "Mount your brooms." The teams did so and Madame Hooch looked around locking eyes with the seekers, "For God's sake, lads, catch this snitch quick. On my whistle: three, two . . ." A loud screech filled the air as the players kicked off and the balls were released. Sairina quickly darted forward (pushed mainly by the wind) and grabbed the quaffle and hurled it to Adrian. The game was on.

An hour and a half later, there was no sign of the storm letting up or the snitch being found. If anything, the storm was getting worse. As far as the players could tell from the distant muffled commentating, the score was 180-100, Gryffindor winning. Adrian looked to his teammates and could see that battling the wind and rain along with the Gryffindors were draining them of all their energy. He shot a look at James who, from the look in his eyes, could tell his team was beginning to feel the strain as well.

The captains locked eyes as both their hands locked on the quaffle at the same time.

"This is getting ridiculous," Adrian said and James nodded.

"Do you think if we both approached Hooch, she'd call it on weather?" James asked as they pretended to struggled for the quaffle. Adrian shook his head.

"She'd make one team forfeit," Adrian said, "Right now that would be us because I think we're behind, and I'm not ready to throw in the towel quite . . ." Suddenly there was a tumultuous roar as the seekers went shooting down the field, Hunnington in the lead because Michael Goings (the Gryffindor seeker) kept being blown off course, just as Adrian predicted. Adrian released the quaffle and James cringed at the look of triumph on Adrian's face.

Hunnington suddenly stopped and held the snitch up in his soaked hand. Ravenclaw won: 250-180.

The players all flew down to the field quickly as students began filing out of the stands to seek the shelter of the castle. Standing in the middle of the field, all the players (not caring about getting wet further because they were already soaked) shook hands and congratulated each other on the well played game despite the weather. Sairina went to shake Sirius Black's hand, but was startled when he gave her a small flourished bow instead.

"Milady," he said with a charming smile and his long wet black locks in his eyes before turning with the rest of his team and going back to the Gryffindor lockers. Sairina laughed to herself as she watched him go. Her teammates looked at her questioningly, but she just shook her head.

"What was that about?" Samantha asked as they went back to their lockers. Sairina smiled.

"Nothing," she said lightly, "It's just a little inside joke."

/0/0/

The days dragged on for the students in a monotonous manner. Day in and day out it was the routine all students worked themselves into around this time of the year. The weather grew worse and worse outside; and the subjects grew steadily more difficult. Remus had arrived at Transfiguration early and sunk into his seat with a great sigh.

"Is something wrong Mr. Lupin?" Professor McGonagall asked as she looked up from the essays she was grading. Remus yawned tiredly.

"Just to much stress," he replied slowly, "Preparing for the O.W.L.s, Prefect duties, keeping my friends in check, being in a steady relationship," he paused and looked around the empty room and back at the door before continuing, "Transforming into a terror once a month . . . It's just a lot to deal with." The professor gave one of her rare smiles to Remus.

"I'm sure you'll be able to handle it all," she said astutely, "'What does not kill us, only makes us stronger,' or so they say. Perhaps you could cut a few things out of your schedule." Remus let out a snort.

"You want the others to start again with their complex pranks instead of the little ones they have been doing?" Remus asked the professor who laughed.

"No, Mr. Lupin," she replied removing her glasses, "but who is this girl you're seeing? Perhaps you could take a break for a while." She went back to grading papers.

"It's Sairina Telcontar, Professor," Remus said smiling as the older witch started at the mention of the princess's name, "And don't worry, I know. She told me last year when we started dating. I had to get her father's permission." Professor McGonagall stared at him in amazement.

"That long," the Professor murmured half to herself, half to Remus, "I must be really out of the loop on student gossip . . ." Remus laughed, but the classroom suddenly began to fill with students, cutting their conversation short.

"Hey Remus," James greeted his friend as the rest of the Marauders approached his table, "Practice tonight?" Remus nodded. Over the weeks, both Sirius and James had mastered the Animagus transformation, and Peter was nearly there.

"I think I'll be able to do it tonight," Peter said excitedly as he claimed the chair next to Remus. Remus smiled at his friend.

"Good," he said with a broad, vindictive smile, "because I have your nicknames all picked out." His friends groaned; they had forgotten about the nicknames.

"Just remember," Sirius said shaking his finger at his friend, "_yours _isn't that bad." The four boys laughed as Professor McGonagall stood and started that day's lecture.

/0/0/

It was seven thirty and the boys were once again in the Room of Requirement. Remus, James, and Sirius were all perched on various chairs or tables comfortably. They were all cheering their smaller friend on.

"C'mon Peter," Sirius said as he kicked his legs up onto a nearby table, "We know you can do it."

Peter closed his eyes and pulled into himself. Almost at once, he began to sprout fur and shrink. His features changed and became more rodent-like. His limbs shrunk into his body and he sprouted a tail. Before the others knew it, Peter was gone and there was a large gray rat in his place. The boys let out a cheer.

"Wait," Remus said, "he has to hold it for five minutes and willingly change out of it. This is the part he had trouble with . . ." The boys continued encouraging their friend, and Sirius kept an eye on his pocket watch. After the longest five minutes in the world, a roguish smile spread across his face.

"Time," he said and all the boys turned to the rat who changed steadily back into their friend. All three boys rushed forward and began shaking their friend's hand and slapping him on the back. The air was filled with, "Good job, Peter," and "Brilliant mate." Remus cleared his throat loudly and the other boys looked at him with the slightest traces of worry on their faces and in their eyes.

"Now for the nicknames," Remus said as he paced before his friends, "I've been giving these a lot of thought at night before I go to bed. I think they're accurate and appropriate . . ." he turned to Peter first, "Wormtail." He looked at Sirius, "Padfoot." Finally he locked eyes with James, "Prongs." The boys all groaned somewhat, but then James smiled.

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs," James said aloud, "I like it." The other boys began to nod and gave murmurs of agreement. Suddenly Peter started forward and grabbed their map off the table. Turning to the others he smiled.

"We can give it that final Marauder flare," he said triumphantly. The other boys all smiled as they summoned up the map. They looked at the empty expanse above the map.

"Alright," James said pulling out a quill and dipping it in a bottle of green ink, "Misters Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs . . ."

"No, no," Sirius interrupted, "It needs to have more flair than that, 'Messieurs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs.' Oh, but abbreviate Messieurs, it'd be M-e-s-s-r-s period." James in very exquisite calligraphy wrote out the first line.

"Amazing, Prongs," Peter said brightly, "now we need some type of unofficial title."

"Yes," agreed James, "we intend to pass this on to future generations of pranksters, correct?" The other boys nodded.

"How about 'Providers of Help . . .'" Sirius began, but was quickly interrupted.

"'Purveyors of Aids,'" Remus said, "It sounds more classy." The other boys laughed.

"'Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers,'" Peter said and the other boys looked at him, "What?"

"Brilliant mate!" Sirius exclaimed as James wrote it down.

"Well it needed to have alliteration," Peter said astutely, "'Solemnly swear' and 'mischief managed' have alliteration, so it would make sense that our title would too." The three other boys stared at their friend, "What!" he demanded again.

"Who are you, and what have you done with the real Peter?" Sirius asked and was promptly smacked in the face by a pillow. James looked back to the map.

"'Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers . . .'" he read aloud getting the group back on track.

"Are proud to present," Remus said and James wrote it down.

"The Marauders' Map!" Sirius and Peter chimed in. James began writing but stopped.

"Should the apostrophe come before or after the s?" He asked his friends. They pondered this quandary for several minutes.

"Technically it is our map," Sirius said, "since we did create it an all . . . so I would say after the s. . ."

"But we establish that it's ours in the first lines," Remus countered, "Plus we don't know if there will be one or more troublemakers using it in the future. I say before the s, because it's for anyone wanting to cause trouble, not just us." The boys nodded. His argument made sense.

"Before the s it is then," James said as he finished writing. Using his wand he did the spell that they used for the rest of the map so that the ink would disappear and reappear when properly summoned. Sirius jumped up and snatched the map from James after he tested it to make sure the new spell worked properly.

"Mischief managed," he said tapping the map and grabbed another quill, "I've been waiting to do this part a long time."

"What, Sirius?" Remus asked curiously as he took the offered quill.

"Just write, 'Mister Moony,'" he commanded. Remus very carefully wrote what he was told, and Sirius went around the group, and each person did as they were told. When they had finished, the parchment now had Mister Moony, Mister Wormtail, Mister Padfoot, and Mister Prongs written on it each name in the distinctive handwriting of the nickname's owner.

"What is the purpose of this Sirius?" James asked, but Sirius just shushed him and muttered some charm, and the ink disappeared into the paper. Smiling he looked to his friends.

"Now watch this," he said grinning like a madman and tapping the map with his wand, "I, Sirius Black, of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black and Most Handsome and Sought After Student at Hogwarts, demand that you reveal your secrets!" Nothing happened for a moment, and then ink started to appear as if an invisible hand were writing on the page.

_Mr. Moony presents his salutations to Sirius Black, and asks that he ignore this parchment and go back to his harem._

**_Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony, and would like to add that Sirius Black's pureblood background is not all that it is cracked up to be, the stupid fanatic._**

**Mr. Padfoot would like to express his astonishment that someone as ugly as Sirius Black could even have a harem.**

_Mr. Wormtail bids Sirius Black good day, and suggests that he should crawl back to the egotistical pureblooded hell hole he came from, the git._

All the boys were rolling with laughter while Sirius did a few bows.

"That is brilliant," James said laughing hard, "Absolutely classic!"

"I figured one more security precaution couldn't hurt," Sirius said as his friends continued to laugh. Remus was actually laughing so hard he was crying. After five solid minutes of laughing, the boys finally settled themselves.

"You know what this means now," James said stretching and the other boys shook their heads, "We need to start planning what we're going to do on the next full moon."

"When is the next full moon?" Peter asked looking at Remus.

"One week," Remus said, "but we're not doing anything extravagant. We need to see how the real 'Moony' reacts to Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs." The other boys nodded.

"We could still make plans though," Sirius said hopefully after a moment, "if Moony takes to our Animagi forms."

"Fine," Remus gave in, "but nothing spectacular."

/0/0/

Sairina was restless. She didn't know the reason why, only that she was. She sighed as the clock in the common room chimed eleven-thirty. She was, of course, the only one up since ninety nine percent of Ravenclaws believed in the philosophy of getting their homework done early and turning in early.

Sairina shut her History of Magic book and stared blankly out the window. The rolling grounds were basked in the ethereal glow of the full moon, making them appear as if they were radiating their own soft, glowing light. While the grounds glowed, the still lake perfectly mirrored the starry night sky perfectly.

_Full moon_ thought Sairina as her mind and thoughts drifted, _Remus would have transformed by now._ She smiled sadly. Her poor, sweet, gentle Remus: damned to become an uncontrollable monster once a month. He had told her more about it before dinner which had been only a few hours earlier.

_Sairina had just stepped out of her Ancient Runes class and was talking lightly to Lily when she heard someone call her name. She turned and saw Remus jogging down the hallway. He looked tired and worn, but had the sweetest smile on his face as he approached his girlfriend._

"_Hey Sai," he breathed embracing her in a tight hug. She smiled warmly._

"_Hey Remmy," she said returning the hug, but noticed the preoccupied look on his face, "What's wrong?" They walked very slowly, side by side, for awhile, allowing the masses of students to run ahead so they were alone in the hall where they couldn't be overheard._

"_Nothing," he responded, "it's just that . . . the full moon is tonight."_

"_I know," Sairina said sadly, "Are you going to be alright?"_

"_Don't worry," Remus said smiling, "I've been doing it for about twelve years. Its painful everytime, but I'll survive. I always do." Sairina could see that he was trying to mask his sorrow, but decided not to comment._

"_When are you leaving?" She asked slipping her hand in his as they walked toward the Great Hall._

"_Right after dinner," he responded, "Madame Pomfrey makes sure I get to the tunnel under the Whomping Willow and the Shrieking Shack beyond that, and there I'll be for the rest of the night."_

"_After you transform back, what'll happen?" Sairina asked as they continued walking._

"_I'll be excused from classes tomorrow," Remus replied, "I'll be in the Hospital Wing recovering. After that I'll be good as new." Sairina smiled coyly._

"_I'll have to come visit you and keep you company during my free period," she said as they reached the Great Hall, where the tables were full of hungry students. Kissing her softly on the cheek, they separated their hands almost unwillingly and went to their respective tables._

Tomorrow, she would be able to visit him and be with him. But for right now, she was restless.

After sitting in silence for a few more moments, she darted back to her dormitory and returned shortly after with her blue cloak draped over her shoulders. Moving to the entrance of the common room, she exited silently.

She had decided to go for a walk in hopes of settling down.

/0/0/

The Marauders, on the other hand, were having a blast. James, Sirius, and Peter had used James's invisibility cloak to sneak down to the Whomping Willow. They had gotten to the Shrieking Shack before Remus began his monthly transformation and were able to be with him (in animal form) as he transformed.

At first, Moony didn't know how to respond to the dog, stag, and rat that were standing before him. He challenged the large bear-like dog, who just barked playfully at the wolf. After a small skirmish between the two, Moony decided that the dog was not a direct threat to him. Prongs, Padfoot, and Wormtail could see that the wolf was comfortable with their presence and decided to continue on with the plans for the night.

Wormtail climbed onto Prongs' back as the stag led the way out through the tunnel followed by the dog and the curious wolf. Once the four animals emerged from beneath the Whomping Willow, Prongs and Padfoot made a break for the forest with Moony happily running behind them.

Moony hadn't felt this much freedom since . . . ever. His recollections were always of small enclosed spaces, alone, and he was forced to find ways to entertain himself and satisfy his thirst for blood. Normally, his self-mutilation kept him occupied for the whole night, but now he was free. He could run and stretch his muscles, enjoy the cool night air, howl loudly at the moon, and be free from confinement.

The four animals ran through the forest, but not wandering too far in. There was running, jumping, barking, howling, and mock fights. This manner of rambunctious play carried on for a few hours, light and frivolous, until . . .

Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs were running through the forest by the lake when Moony suddenly froze. He stood completely still; sniffing the air with the hair on his back bristling and standing up on end. Padfoot sniffed as well, and let out a loud whimper and a worried bark. A low growl sounded from deep within Moony before he began running towards the lake. Padfoot was hot on his heels followed by confused Prongs with Wormtail clinging to his back.

Padfoot tackled Moony and knocked him off his feet and began growling at the large wolf. Prongs was still looking for the reason for Moony's sudden switch of behavior. Padfoot let out a bark and motioned with his head to further down the lake shore. He stared with his large brown eyes, and Prongs gave a startled jerk when he realized that there was somebody lying by the edge of the lake, completely oblivious to the danger they were in. Shooting a glance at Padfoot, who seemed to have Moony preoccupied for now, he galloped to the person.

Sairina hadn't realized that she had fallen asleep by the shore of the lake until someone or something was nudging her urgently. She remembered she had been staring out at the vast expanse of the lake singing to herself, and then nothing. Suddenly she was being rudely awoken. She was startled to find that a magnificent-looking stag was willing her to wake up. Groggily she opened her eyes and yawned and looked about her surrounding and she realized where she was.

_Oh, shit. Damn this is not good. Not good at all_, were the only thoughts running through Prongs' mind as he attempted to wake Sairina and get her out of trouble. He could hear the sounds of the fight between Sirius and Remus getting louder, which meant they were getting closer. Prongs was beginning to panic, knowing that there would be grave, dire consequences if Sairina were hurt. Praying to any deity that happened to be listening, Prongs hoped that Sairina would wake before it was too late.

Sairina stood slowly as the stag began to nudge her back towards the castle. Half asleep and confused by the creature's actions, Sairina took a good look around. She let out a strangled cry as she realized that there was a large dog and an even larger wolf fighting several yards from her. She could tell that the dog was attempting to keep the wolf at bay, and that suddenly struck a chord with Sairina.

"By the Valar; Remus," she murmured before hiking up her nightgown and cloak and began sprinting back towards the castle. She heard a dog like yelp and a feral growl before looking back. The wolf, Remus in his werewolf form, was gaining on her. Sairina was now completely awake and running for all she was worth. She began to feel the familiar burning sensation in her legs meaning that they were getting tired; Sairina was near tears. She felt a sudden tug on her cloak that nearly sent her tumbling backwards. Fighting through the fear and for her life, Sairina cast off the cloak and continued running.

She heard another yelp and cast a quick look back. The wolf had been knocked off course by the stag that had woken her up. Heaving a sigh of relief, she didn't stop running until she was safely back in the castle. Shakily she made her way back to the Ravenclaw dormitories where she pulled a book off of the bookshelves and attempted to read it and block the shocking memories of what had just happened.

Her walk hadn't helped in calming her down at all.


	20. The OWLs

_Chapter 19: The O.W.L.s_

The next morning found Sairina tired and jumpy. The events of the previous night were still fresh on her mind as she walked into the Great Hall. Almost immediately, she was pounced upon by three Gryffindor males, the other three quarters of the Marauders to be precise. Sairina let out a tired groan as they grabbed her and pulled her out of the hall and in the direction of the nearest empty classroom.

"Can't I at least grab something to drink?" she asked with a yawn, but was met by a stony silence. "Guess not."

"Are you alright?" James was the first to speak up, and Sairina, still being in a half asleep stupor just stared at the boy before answering.

"Yes," she said slowly, "I am slightly hungry, however, so if you'll excuse me." She walked towards the door and opened it, only to watch as an arm shot over her shoulder to slam it shut. She turned and glared at a very upset-looking Sirius.

"How can you treat last night like it never happened?" he demanded as his blue eyes bored into hers, "Aren't you upset at all?" She pushed him away harshly.

"Are you kidding?" she demanded, "Of course I am upset! I am way, _way_ beyond upset right now." She forced back the tears that were starting to form in her eyes.

"Sairina," James said softly before stepping forward and pulling Sirius away from her.

"He lied to me," she choked out, "He told me he was going to be in the Shrieking Shack all night. All I did was take a walk to calm my nerves. I was worried about him. What if he had gotten to me? What if it hadn't been me and it was another student? I thought he was more responsible than that." She fell to her knees and began to sob uncontrollably. The boys looked at each other, unsure of what to do. Peter eventually stepped forward and knelt beside Sairina and patted her on the back.

"It'll be alright," he said softly as her tears subsided, "I'm sure he didn't think that his lie would cause any harm. He didn't know you'd be out, just like you didn't know he'd be out." Sairina wiped her eyes and took several slow, ragged breaths. Suddenly a look of realization spread across her face.

"You knew," Sairina said looking at all of them, "You knew he was going to be loose. You were there, you had to be there! I haven't breathed a word to anyone about last night, but you, all of you, knew what had happened! But how . . ." Sairina's mind grasped for any connections between the three boys in front of her and what had happened last night.

Her memories were blurred and hazy because she had been so suddenly awoken. But there were a few things she knew for sure, but she couldn't connect them. The stag, the dog, and the wolf. Those were the only images that stood out from last night. She remembered fear and panic. She looked at the faces of the boys and saw the guilt there. Yes, they had been there last night, without a doubt.

"The dog and the stag," Sairina said bluntly, "they stopped Remus from attacking me. The stag woke me up while the dog held the wolf at bay," she was thinking out loud and the comments weren't directed at anyone in particular, "That is not normal behavior for a dog and a stag to work together, especially to defend and save a person. Their behavior was almost . . . human . . ." A look of shock spread across her face as she looked at the boys, "You . . ."

"Yes," James said hesitantly, "us. We were all out there. We stopped Remus from hurting you." Sairina slowly got to her feet.

"But how . . . why," Sairina ran a hand through her tangled locks. She was the perfect picture of confusion.

"We became Animagi," Sirius explained with a cocky air, "unregistered, but Animagi nonetheless."

"Do you have any idea how _illegal_ that is?" Sairina gaped looking at the boys with a mixture of shock and anger.

"Funny, didn't Remus say the same thing when we told him," Sirius said nonchalantly looking at James. The three boys shared a chuckle.

"This is _not_ funny," Sairina said, her anger finally taking over. She didn't care what her father said about anger not solving anything, she was furious, "Do the lot of you realize how incredibly dangerous and stupid it is to be running around a school as illegal Animagi with a werewolf! You could get hurt seriously, or someone else could get hurt! I can't believe you three! What are you thinking?" Sairina's voice had slowly escalated until she had shouted the last sentence at the boys. Sirius quickly clamped his hand over her mouth.

"You don't need to shout, _princess_," Sirius said in a very condescending way, "We don't need any students or teachers who happen to be walking by to know what we did and more importantly what Remus is. Just calm down." Sairina nodded mutely and Sirius pulled his hand away slowly and rejoined his friends.

"Sai, just listen to me for a moment," James said calmly, "We did it for Remus. None of us can even begin to imagine how painful it is for him to transform against his will, but we didn't always know what he was. First year, he would always come back from visiting his sick relatives beaten and bruised, weak and tired. It was killing us all to know that he was suffering and there wasn't a damn thing we could do about it."

"I know, James," Sairina said softly. Sirius suddenly lashed out and kicked a desk. Peter, able to sense what was coming from his friend, shot a silencing spell at the door.

"No, you don't," Sirius hollered, "He's been our friend for five years. We've seen him suffer for _five years_. Every one of those years was torture because, at first, we didn't know what the hell was going on with him, and it scared us. We were scared because we thought our friend was in trouble.

"Then we figured out what he is. You know what he told us to do when we told him, do you? He told us to leave him! He told us that we shouldn't be hanging out with a bloodthirsty monster. He thinks so lowly of himself because people have branded werewolves as evil, whether or not there is a full moon. Do you have any idea how painful it is to hear your friend, one of your best friends say that about himself? No! You don't!" Sirius was breathing heavily after his tirade and it unnerved the others to see Sairina staring at him so calmly.

"My great-grandmother was a powerful Seer –"

"What the bloody hell does that have to do with anything?" Sirius demanded angrily.

"SHUT UP AND LISTEN!" Sairina bellowed before becoming very calm again, "My great grandmother was a powerful Seer. She possessed the gift of foresight and that gift has come down through the generations from her, to my grandmother, to my mother, and to me. Since third year, Sirius, _third year_ I have been there, in the Shrieking Shack transforming with Remus."

"What?" the three boys said at once.

"I have had visions since third year of someone transforming into a werewolf," Sairina repeated, "I didn't just watch it, oh no, I lived it. In these visions, _I_ was the person transforming. I endured the pain of being forced to change against my will. I felt the most primal urges and emotions flood my body. I have felt the werewolf's need to tear, to rip, to kill, and to taste blood." The boys were now the ones staring in shock.

"Our first trip to Hogsmeade," Sairina coldly continued, "I figured out that the werewolf was in this school. The Shrieking Shack, the first time I saw it, I knew. I knew it was the place from my visions, and I knew it had to be a student. But for over a year, I had no clue who it was and I was forced to relive that damned transformation over, and over, and over again. It nearly drove me mad: not knowing who was suffering so much and not being able to comfort them or give them any support.

"Then," Sairina began to falter and tears slowly trailed down her cheeks, "then Remus told me that he was a werewolf. He was _the_ werewolf. I thought my heart was going to break. It wasn't fair; it isn't fair. How could someone so sweet so caring, so gentle become something terrible? Fate be damned; it's not fair. IT'S NOT FAIR!" Sairina broke down into another fit of sobs. James, Sirius, and Peter just stared at her in shocked silence.

"I – we . . . Sairina, we had no idea," Sirius said with an apologetic tone.

"Of course you didn't," Sairina snapped coldly, "How could you? You were so wrapped up in yourselves that you didn't care to notice other people were worried about Remus too," Sairina, feeling another wave of sobs coming, abruptly turned and walked to the door. She left the room without a word and slammed the door behind her.

"Should we talk to Remus before she does?" Peter asked looking at his friends. James nodded grimly.

"We need to at least warn him," James said and made for the door beckoning the other to follow him, "Let's go."

"What about class?" Peter asked as the boys made their way to the Hospital Wing.

"I think this is a bit more important than class," Sirius said darkly.

/0/0/

Remus sighed as he stared at the ceiling of the Hospital Wing. He was tired, sore, but surprisingly not as beaten as usual, at least, not yet. Somewhere on the grounds, the large clock in the tower struck three and Remus grimaced. Sairina's free period started now, but he wasn't sure if she would come.

He had been furious and fearful when James, Sirius, and Peter had come to talk to him that morning. Ever since he had woken up from his transformation, he had a feeling that something had happened. When those three told him, his heart sank. He had told Sairina that he would be in the Shrieking Shack all night, but he hadn't thought that Sairina would be wandering the grounds after curfew.

Once again, he had betrayed her trust and lied to her.

He closed his eyes and heard the door to the infirmary open and close. Hoping against hope that it was a student who had been injured in a fight he shut his eyes even tighter and held his breath. His heart plummeted to his stomach when he heard the curtains around his bed pull back and forth.

_Things can't get much worse, she won't yell at me because Madame Pomfrey is here,_ Remus thought hopefully.

"_Silencio_," a familiar voice said, and Remus knew things had suddenly gotten a lot worse.

"I know you are awake, Remus," Sairina said. Letting out the breath he had been holding he slowly opened his eyes and looked at Sairina. She stood next to her bed with her hands on her hips, looking extremely put off.

"Sai," he said weakly, "I didn't mean . . . I didn't know . . . I-I'm sorry." He looked at her for some sort of sign or reaction, but she just stood there with her hands on her hips radiating anger. Remus knew what this meant. "I understand. Go, I know you don't want to be with this monster any more." He closed his eyes and rolled over on the cot so that his back was to her.

He was genuinely surprised when she walked around the cot and sat down on the edge. He looked up at her, she was still radiating anger, but her eyes were filled with tears. She leaned down and hugged Remus tightly. Confused he awkwardly hugged her back. When she pulled away she looked him straight in the eyes.

"You and your friends are the biggest bunch of idiots I know," she said as she let out a half-sob half-laugh.

"I'm sorry, Sai," Remus said softly, "We'll never do it again." Sairina scoffed.

"That's a lie," Sairina said harshly, "I know you will do it again, because I'm sure it gives you some amount of comfort when you transform. Just promise me that you will be much more cautious next time. Just think: what if it had been another student and not me? Or what if you had actually attacked me? I just want you to be careful." Remus looked her in the eyes and promised that the four would be much more careful next time. With a soft kiss on the lips and a smile, Sairina left Remus to rest thinking that everything was settled between the two.

Sairina knew deep in her heart, that things could never be the same between them after what had happened. She just wasn't willing to admit it yet.

/0/0/

Time passed swiftly that year. Fall faded into a withering winter bringing not only cold winds to the castle grounds, but coldness between the students. The students of the house of green and silver had completely separated themselves from the rest of the school. They took on airs of smug superiority, and hexed anyone who thought otherwise.

There were attacks daily on the Muggle-born students. They had resorted to the old idiom of "strength in numbers" and did not go anywhere unless three of them were together. Dumbledore looked on sadly as he was almost powerless to stop his school from being ripped apart by the war that was raging outside the centuries-old walls.

Harsher punishments for offenders were passed out, but this only caused the animosity of the Slytherins to rise even further. They became more vindictive and cruel to those who weren't pureblooded, and even more so to the purebloods who stood to defend those of "weaker" bloodlines.

Winter succumbed to spring soon enough; the grounds of Hogwarts were awash with the color green as new life flourished and flowers bloomed. Unfortunately, for the fifth years springtime meant only one thing: the O.W.L.s were coming up very soon. The students weren't the only one to notice this either, the teachers were piling homework on the students at an impressive rate. Even James and Sirius, both notorious for never studying, were caught in the library from time to time. The stress was even causing the most level students to crack under the pressure.

"That's it," Sairina exclaimed slamming her Divination book shut, "I can't do this anymore. I refuse to study for another moment!" She then folded her arms and put her head down on the table she and Lily were studying at. Lily let out a tired sigh and looked around the massive library.

"Sai," Lily said tiredly, "you have to study. You don't want to fail all of your O.W.L.s . . ."

"They can't really be all that hard, can they?" Sairina asked muffled because she was not looking up from the table. Lily sighed again.

"But you want to be prepared, don't you?" Lily asked knowing that Sairina would give into her line of arguing. Grumbling about "stupid exams" and "betraying friends" Sairina reopened her Divination textbook and continued with her essay. From across the library they were being watched by four boys.

"You guys," Remus began again, "I am positive that Sairina won't mind if we asked her to help us study for the Divination O.W.L. It's obvious that if we don't do something we're all going to fail it."

"It's a useless class anyway," James huffed as he sat back in his chair, "Why did we take it again?"

"If you'll remember, **_I_** did not want to take it in the first place," Remus snapped. "It was you three who convinced me to give up Ancient Runes to take Divination."

"Why didn't you talk us out of it, Moony?" Sirius asked with a whine. Remus rolled his eyes.

"I did, or at least tried," Remus retorted, "but you three were so adamant about taking it. 'Come on, Remus. It'll be fun and easy.' Ha. Let's just go ask Sai for help." The other three nodded as they gathered up their books and parchment and trooped over to the table where Sairina and Lily were sitting.

Lily and Sairina were so wrapped up in their work that they were surprised when the four Marauders suddenly plopped down at their table. Sairina and Lily exchanged a look before Lily spoke.

"What do you four want?" she asked warily as the boys opened their books and pulled out their parchment.

"Just to be next to you, Lily dear," James said, batting his eyes. Lily made a retching sound as she turned back to her own work.

"Actually," Sirius cut in, "we have swallowed our pride and decided to ask Sairina for help with Divination." The girls' eyebrows both shot up.

"What?" they both asked in shock and amazement. The boys rolled their eyes.

"We're pretty much screwed in this subject," James elaborated, "We're just attempting to salvage decent grades."

"What don't you understand?" Sairina asked and the four boys all began talking about different things at once. Sairina sighed and hung her head.

"Have fun," Lily said vindictively as she patted her friend on the back.

Two short weeks later, it was time for the fifth year students to commence with the O.W.L. exams. Each student received a schedule that highlighted when their tests would be taken. There would only be one or two exams a day: in the morning (for the most part) would be the written portion of an exam and in the afternoon there would be a practical exam if the subject called for it. Sairina received her exam schedule card, along with all the other fifth years the Sunday before the exams were to start. She looked over it carefully.

**Ordinary Wizarding Level Exams**

_Each of the following exams will start promptly at 8:00 am for the morning sessions. All afternoon sessions of the exams will commence after lunch at 1:30 pm. All fifth year students are to report to the Great Hall for testing. Your attendance is mandatory for each exam you are taking a class for._

_Good Luck._

Astronomy – Monday morning (practical will be at 11 pm in the Astronomy Tower)

Divination – Monday afternoon

Charms – Tuesday

Arithmancy – Wednesday morning

Ancient Runes – Wednesday afternoon

Potions – Thursday

History – Friday morning

Herbology – Friday afternoon

Muggle Studies – Monday morning

Care of Magical Creatures – Monday afternoon

Defense against the Dark Arts – Tuesday

Transfiguration – Wednesday

Sairina looked over the schedule a second time before crossing out the subjects that she wouldn't be taking exams for. She was pleased to see that she would be getting a few mornings off, but other than that she had an exam every day. Lily joined her after breakfast.

"It shouldn't be too bad," she said to Sairina, "I get a Monday morning and afternoon off. How about you?"

"I get two mornings off," Sairina yawned, "Which means, I get to sleep in. Shall we go to the library?"

"Yes," Lily nodded, "I believe some last minute Astronomy studying is in order."

/0/0/

"Time," the Ministry proctor called, "Please put down your quills and roll up your parchment. This concludes the written portion of the Astronomy Exam." The wizard waved his wand and all the parchments flew towards him, "Please remember that the practical portion of this exam will be at eleven o' clock tonight in the Astronomy Tower. Once I have everyone's papers, you are dismissed. The next exam, Divination, will commence promptly at one-thirty." There was a rustle of paper and chairs as the fifth year students stood and made their way out of the hall.

"You have got to be kidding me," Sairina groaned as she met up with Lily, "that was more horrible than my training sessions with Legolas and Eldarion. Are all the tests going to be like this?" Lily nodded silently as she looked over some notes.

"I think I mixed up Venus and Jupiter," Lily said as she looked over her parchment, "Yes, I mixed up Venus and Jupiter. How could I do something so stupid? I'll have to go over my notes again before we take the practical part." Sairina just groaned.

"I have Divination this afternoon otherwise I'd join you," Sairina said as she looked through her bag, "I think Professor Rumer said that it would be practical only, no written portion."

"That figures," Lily shrugged, "I always figured that you could either do Divination or not."

At one thirty, Sairina found herself standing with Remus and the other Marauders in the Great Hall. Students were milling about and talking to one another waiting for the Divination exam to begin. There was a long table along one side of the great hall and ten proctors sat on one side of the table. Each proctor had a crystal ball, a tea pot, tea leaves, a cup, and a set of tarot cards. A wiry framed man with large glasses that made his eyes look huge stood in front of the group calling for silence.

"I am Mister Awena, and I am one of your proctors for the Divination exam today," he told the group in a silky, almost hypnotic voice, "There is obviously no written portion of this exam, but you do have several options when it comes to your exam.

"The first option is to use a crystal ball. The second is tea leaves. Your third option is palm reading. And your final option is the use of playing cards. You are allowed two attempts, each a different method. You either have the ability or not; it's as simple as that. Now let us begin." Mister Awena called out the first names in alphabetical order and Sirius trudged up to his proctor giving his friends and Sairina a pleading look. He was at the table for about five minutes before he came trudging back.

"I'm not going to be taking Divination next year," he said with a smug smile. The others rolled their eyes. One by one, each of the students were called up, in alphabetical order, so Sairina was forced to sit and enduring an annoyingly long wait.

"Telcontar, Sairina," Mister Awena called and motioned for her to come to his station. Sairina let out a sigh and walked over to the man, "How are you doing today?" Sairina could only shrug and the man smiled at her, "Which would you like to use first?"

"The crystal ball," she said instantly thinking back to when she had seen the images when she was working with Remus. He nodded and pulled it forward. Sairina took a deep breath and tried to relax, but all of her muscles were tense and taut. _Stressed or relaxed, _she through mirthlessly to herself, _it's the only way I see anything_.

She took another deep breath as she extended her hands toward the slightly glowing orb. She was about to place her hands on the glassy surface when her head exploded in pain. Pulling her hands back she grabbed the sides of her head and whimpered. Visions passed painfully in front of her eyes and her body began to tremble.

"Corsair, assassin," she choked out, "in the school. They're here to steal it. Can't let them take it. One will fall. So much blood. So much pain. He's getting away." Sairina held on tightly to her head as she whimpered willing the pain to go away. Her eyes were squeezed shut as the pain climaxed. She let out a startled cry for help, thinking that her head was going to burst when the pain suddenly vanished.

She slowly opened her eyes and looked around her. Everyone in the hall had their eyes on her; her cry had interrupted the other students' exams. When she looked back at him, Mister Awena was looking at her intently with some amount of amazement and concern in his eyes.

"Are you alright?" he asked placing a steady hand on her trembling one. Sairina shook her head. Looking at the bewildered and concerned faces of her fellow students and the proctors was too much for her to handle.

"No," she whispered, "I-I-I need some air." Without another word she stood and ran from the Great Hall. Instead of going outside she raced up the stairs to the seventh floor corridor and paced in front of the blank wall three times before the door appeared. She yanked the door open and ran in. There was nobody in the room, no corsair, no assassin. She pulled the sheet off the far table. She was relieved to find that the palantir was in its spot on the cushion. She replaced the sheet and ran from the room slamming the door shut behind her.

"Sai, Sairina, hey Sai!" she could hear familiar voices distantly calling, but she ignored them. She had more important things to worry about at the moment. She ran up another set of stairs vaguely aware that there were four sets of feet following her. She sprinted to the big mirror at the end of the hall and finally caught the reflection of the Marauders in it.

"_Curuni_," she said without a second thought and stepped through the portal with the Marauders right behind her.

"Bloody hell," Sirius said in awe at the room as the mirror sealed up behind them. Sairina ignored them and crossed the room to her door. She flung it open and was startled at seeing Denean and another guard standing at the door. They were equally startled to see Sairina suddenly burst from her room.

"My princess," Denean said as he and the other guard bowed slightly in her direction.

"Not to sound rude," Sairina addressed the guards as the Marauders came up behind her, "but why are you keeping guard outside my bedroom door?"

"Because your father has ordered it, princess," Denean explained, "After receiving the note of your vision of the corsair and assassin there have been guards keeping watch of your room at all times." Sairina nodded.

"Where is my father now?" Sairina asked.

"In his chambers, I would guess, my lady," the other guard spoke up, "If I'm not mistaken, he just finished drilling the tower guard with Prince Eldarion and Lord Legolas."

"Hannon le," Sairina said as she began to run down the hall, Remus followed behind her closely. The other Marauders looked at each other and shrugged before following their friend and his girlfriend down the hall.

"What do you think happened," Peter asked jogging and wheezing in an attempt to keep up with his more athletic friends. James shrugged.

"I don't know," he replied ruffling his hair, "but I have a sinking suspicion that it's not good." The Marauders finally caught up to Remus and Sairina who was pounding on a large wooden door.

"Ada," she said as she continued knocking, "are you in there?" The door was soon opened by an older man who Remus knew to be Sairina's father. Remus inclined his head respectfully and the king returned the gesture before looking back at his daughter. The other three Marauders looked dumbfounded.

"What is wrong, my daughter?" he asked with his voice and eyes filled with true concern. Sairina told him quickly what had happened during her Divination exam and the details of the vision that she could remember.

"Ada, they are going to succeed," Sairina said with her voice wavering with fear, "They are going to get the palantir." He shushed her and placed a soothing hand on her shoulder.

"Calm down, Sairina," her father said in a soothing tone and looked in her eyes, "I will take necessary steps to protect the portal and those who are mentioned in the prophecy. You have nothing to fear." Sairina nodded mutely and her father glanced over her shoulder at the other boys.

"I don't think I've met these three before," he said with a humorous air of curiosity hoping to get Sairina's mind off of her worries. Sairina looked at him confused before turning to see who he was talking about. She was relatively surprised to see the Marauders behind her. She finally realized that they had been following her since she races out of the Great Hall.

"Oh," she said regaining her composure, "Ada this is James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew," she motioned to each boy who nodded as she said their name, "they are Remus's friends. James, Sirius, Peter: this is my father, King Elessar." Her father inclined his head.

"Nice to finally meet you, your highness," James said with a slight hint of nervousness in his voice. The king smiled warmly.

"Likewise, James," he replied before addressing the group, "I do believe you should all be heading back to Hogwarts now. I'm sure Albus will be wondering where you wandered off to after running from your exam." All of the teens nodded as Sairina's father ushered them back to her room and the mirror before talking to Denean about new measures to guard the mirror.

After they had crossed back into Hogwarts, Remus pulled Sairina aside as the others went on ahead. He carefully wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked softly as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Sairina nodded.

"Yes, I'm sure," Sairina said eventually, "It's just the stress is starting to get to me, you know. With what's going on with the Slytherins and Lord Voldemort, classes and exams, and my visions it . . . it's just getting to be a lot to deal with." Remus planted a gentle kiss on her temple. Sairina sighed and leaned into him, letting him hold her tight.

"Ugh, isn't that disgusting," a sneering voice rang through the halls causing both Remus and Sairina to start. They turned and quickly identified the source of the remark. A group of Slytherins was making their way through the halls. Remus instinctively pushed Sairina behind him and drew his wand with the other.

"What do you lot want?" he asked with a slight growl to his voice. A particularly horrendous sixth year girl spoke up first.

"Nothing," she said with false innocence, "Just studying the habits of filthy mudbloods and traitorous half-bloods is all."

"So tell me, Lupin," another boy sneered, "is she a better snog or shag? And do you think I could borrow her for a night?" Remus clenched his wand tighter; Sairina placed a hand on his shoulder.

"They're not worth your anger," she whispered softly into his ear, "Let's go." He took her hand and began leading her away from the disrespectful group. The group continued jeering.

"Hey Telcontar, is it true you freaked out during the Divination exam?" one of them shouted after her, "What's the matter? Are you afraid of tea leaves?" Sairina and Remus continued down the hall ignoring the group's newest insults. Once they had traveled a few floors away, Remus entered an empty classroom and pulled Sairina in after him. With an angry cry he kicked a desk . . . hard.

"Where the hell do they get off talking like that?" Remus demanded of no one in particular. Sairina just sighed and sat down in a chair.

"You know by getting angry, you're letting them win," Sairina chastised, "Just ignore them. I told you once: they aren't worth your anger. They aren't worth anything at all. Just let them live in their own twisted little world." Remus sighed angrily before calming himself down. Sairina smiled as she put her hand in his, "Come on, I need to study for the Astronomy practical and Charms."

/0/0/

The next few days of exams went off without a hitch. Sairina didn't have anymore visions and was able to focus a bit more on the many tests she had to take. While these absorbed most of her attention, she was still wary of the vision she had. She knew that the corsair and assassin would be trying soon to steal the palantir, and that they would somehow get past her father's guards. So she decided to be prepared.

She had retrieved from her trunk the small dagger Legolas had given her two years ago. She had gotten out of the habit of having with her all the time, but now she carried it everywhere. It was a comforting weight on the small of her back. She was also in the habit of checking on the palantir after every exam. She felt some sort of comfort seeing that the black orb was always on its cushion.

The exams were quickly winding down. Sairina and Lily entered the Great Hall on the second Tuesday of the O.W.L.s, the end almost in sight. Sairina was in her seat talking to Lily when Professor Flitwick, the proctor, came in on the final toll of the bell signaling the eight 'o' clock hour.

"We will now begin the written portion of the Defense against the Dark Arts exam," Professor Flitwick droned on as rolls of parchment were handed out along with the anti-cheating quills. He explained the same procedure the students had been hearing for the past week. The magically sealed rolls of parchment with the questions were then handed out and the man finally said, "Begin." The hall was filled with the scratching of quills and the steady breathing of students.

"Five more minutes," Professor Flitwick called. Sairina was shocked. Had time really gone that fast? She looked over her answers one last time making sure that she was pleased with her responses. She smiled slyly as she looked at question ten: 'Give five signs that identify the werewolf.' She looked at Remus from the corner of her eye. He was looking very tired and kind of peaky. Which made since, the full moon was in five days.

"Quills down please," he squeaked. "That means you, too, Stebbins!" Sairina tuned him out as he collected the parchments. It was another minute or so before he dismissed the group of fifth years. Lily immediately made her way towards Sairina.

"Hey, I'm going outside," she said looking at the Great Hall ceiling revealing a beautiful day. "Want to come with me?" Sairina was about to say yes when her stomach suddenly felt like it had dropped to her feet. Something wrong was happening.

"Um," Sairina hesitated, "I'll be out in a little bit. I just want to go check on something." Sairina turned on her heel and ran up the nearest set of stairs. She quckly wove her way thorough the halls until she came to the seventh floor corridor. Pacing three times, she opened the door and entered.

Nothing.

Sairina sighed as she sank down into a sheet covered chair. She didn't understand it. She knew something was going to happen, and soon. It was driving her nuts, and she just wanted to get this whole thing over with. Adjusting her body in the chair she got comfortable and let out a tired sigh.

_I'm just going to rest my eyes for a few minutes._ With that she closed her eyes and let her body relax completely.

The next time she opened her eyes, she could hear the school's clock tower ringing. She glanced at the watch Lily had let her barrow and groaned. It was one fifteen. She had slept through lunch, and now she needed to get to the Great Hall for the practical part of her Defense exam.

Sairina stood and stretched lazily before attempting to smooth some of the wrinkles out of her robes. She grabbed her bag and her wand and started to head toward the door. She was about ready to grab the doorknob to leave when it started to rattle and turn. She watched in horror as the door began to open slowly. Thinking fast she hid behind the door as it continued to open.

Two men stepped into the room. One was tall and lanky who moved gracefully. He was dressed completely in black and had a face mask covering up the lower portion of his face. The other was short and stocky. He wore ragged clothing and moved with much less finesse than his partner. Sairina knew instantly that it was the corsair and the assassin. They were here to take the palantir.

Sairina raised her wand ready to cast the stunning spell when the assassin tensed up. In one fluid movement, he pulled a throwing dagger from his belt, turned, and hurled the blade at Sairina. Sairina lunged to one side, but she wasn't fast enough. The throwing knife caught her in her right arm leaving a deep cut. With a cry she dropped her wand and clutched the wound.

"Take the palantir and go," the corsair growled, "I'll take care of the princess." The assassin nodded mutely as he swiftly moved towards the table and grabbed the black orb. Wrapping it tightly in an old cloth, he put it into a satchel and fled from the room. Sairina wanted to go after him, but the corsair made sure she did know such thing.

The stocky man drew his blade and lunged at Sairina. Using swiftness she didn't even know she had, she pulled her own dagger and blocked the attack. The corsair smiled coldly. The duel was on.

The man started thrusting and swinging his blade around. Sairina did her best to block his attacks, but he had the upper hand. He wasn't afraid to play dirty, and his longer sword gave him a distinct advantage over Sairina's smaller blade. He swung for her head, and Sairina ducked, what she wasn't prepared for was for the man to bring his hilt back forcefully. It slammed into her head just above left her eye and dangerously close to her temple.

Sairina was disoriented from the headshot, and her vision was quickly being impaired by the blood that was trickling down her face from the wound. It was sticky and hot as Sairina tried to wipe it from her face. The man swung again, but Sairina was able to dodge it at a cost. The man's sword had collided with her dagger and sent it clattering across the ground.

Sairina dove for her blade careful of the corsair's next attack that only sliced her robe. She managed to get her dagger and stagger to her feet just in time to see the man's next attack. He swung his blade, aiming for her midsection. Sairina jumped back, but to her horror she wasn't fast enough.

She cried out as she felt the sword's tip slice the tender flesh of her stomach. She held her left arm over the wound in hopes of slowing the bleeding. She could tell that the cut wasn't deep, but it caused enough pain to force her onto her hands and knees. The vile man stood above her chuckling darkly.

"What's the matter," he taunted, "can't defend yourself without your daddy or brother around?" Sairina bit back the tears and pain that were trying to force themselves out, "Time to finish you off." The man raised his sword above his head, ready to bring it crashing down. Things were moving in slow motion for Sairina, as one of the primal urges that exist in every person came to surface in the young princess.

The need for survival.

Sairina knew that it was either him or her, and she knew for a fact that she didn't want it to be her. Going on pure instinct and adrenaline, Sairina rolled out of the way as the corsair's blade came crashing to the floor where she had been a moment before and stuck in the wood. Spinning to her feet, the dagger clutched firmly in her hand, she closed in on her attacker.

In one swift movement, Sairina was on her feet, and the dagger was imbedded up to the hilt, in the corsair's neck.

The man let out a disgusting gurgle as he sank to the floor. His eyes were wide as he stared up at Sairina who looked on impassively. He continued to gargle and writhe about for a minute more before he became very still and his eyes began to fog over. He was dead, and Sairina had killed him.

As the adrenaline faded from her system, reality began to sink back in. Her head was throbbing in pain, she couldn't feel her right arm, and she nearly doubled over from the pain in her abdomen. She looked at the dead man on the floor, and the realness of her actions began to sink in. She had just killed a man, she had taken his life.

The world began to spin around her as the looked at the body in disbelief. No, there was no way that she could have killed him; she would never do a thing like that. Her mind went into denial as she stared at the body. She was reeling, looking for some sort of normality in the situation. Suddenly she remembered: her Defense practical. She had to go finish her exam. With her mind still in denial about her actions she grabbed her wand and fled from the room and the corpse.

Sairina sprinted to the Great Hall, never chancing to look behind her. The dead man's lifeless eyes still haunted her, and she was afraid he was chasing her. Her right hand held her wand tightly, her right arm was across the wound on her stomach, and her left hand was pressed against the wound on her right arm. Her hair was matted with sweat and blood and hung in her face. She was attempting to stop the loss of blood; she just needed to do her practical and then she would go to Madame Pomfrey.

She slinked into the Great Hall just as the clock tower signaled that it was one thirty. She hid towards the back of the mass of students as Professor Flitwick explained how the practical part of the exam worked. Sairina leaned back against a wall, not listening to a word the tiny Professor said. Her mind kept going back to the Room of Requirement to where that body lay getting cold.

The body that she had taken the life from.

Her mind was having difficulty processing the fact that she had, indeed, just killed a person. It was attempting to rationalize why she had done it. _It was you or him. He was taking something that didn't belong to him and he was going to kill you. It was self-defense._ At the same time her mind was attempting to bring her back to a normal routine. _Focus, you need to focus. Do you remember how to do a disarming spell? What is the spell you use to ward off a doxy? Come on Sairina snap out of it. Come on Telcontar. Miss Telcontar . . . SAIRINA!_

Sairina snapped back to reality to hear Professor Flitwick calling her name. The students around her had parted giving the diminutive a direct line of sight to one of his favorite students. He looked at her in confusion. She was bent over, one arm across her stomach her other hand holding the upper part of her arm. Her black hair was hanging in her face so he couldn't see the expression on her face.

"Miss Telcontar," the small professor asked taking a step forward, "are you alright?" She seemed to tremble as she removed her left hand from her right arm. Several students gasped as they noticed that her hand was coated in blood and her arm was bleeding freely. She used her blood stained hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. Even Professor Flitwick could not hold back a gasp as he saw that she had a large cut on her forehead that had bled so much it covered half of her featured in the crimson liquid.

"What happened?" Professor Flitwick asked rushing towards the girl. She opened her mouth and looked like she was about to say something, but the blood loss had caught up with her. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she slumped down onto the floor.


	21. The Fallout

**To my reviewers:** I'm sorry about the long time between updates, but the writing is becoming trickier. I know what I want to happen for the rest of the story, but I'm trying to perfect it so you have the most enjoyable read possible. Quality over speed I say . . . but with school starting up (freshman year of College) I'm going to guess that I'll be a tad bit on the busy side. But no need for such graphic reviews coughRhythmiccough ;-D. They're just creepy . . .

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_Chapter 20: The Fallout_

"Oh my . . . Sairina!" Professor Flitwick squeaked as he ran to the girl in a heap on the floor. Students began crowding around the fallen girl, and the small professor had to fight his way to get to the girl. When he finally got to her, he wasn't surprised to see that Remus Lupin was propping her up and Lily Evans was using her robe to stop the bleeding coming from her friend's stomach. The other three Marauders were attempting to do crowd control and get their curious fellow fifth years to back up.

As the Charms professor began to cast several healing spells on his beaten and bloodied student, Dumbledore swept into the Great Hall with McGonagall right behind him as well as several other professors. He conjured up a stretched and began handing out instructions to the other professors.

"Minerva," he said in a commanding tone that none of the students had ever heard him use before, "get Miss Telcontar to the infirmary immediately," the head of Gryffindor House was gone with the stretcher in the blink of an eye, "Pomona, take over proctoring the exam for Filius. Filius and Horace, come with me." The teachers all began to disperse and Remus and Lily moved to follow them. Dumbledore quickly put a stop to that.

"But professor," Lily tried to argue, "She is our friend, we're worried about her." Dumbledore sighed heavily.

"I understand that, Miss Evans," Dumbledore said as his pale blue eyes met with her intense emerald ones, "but you must stay here and finish your exam, then you may go see to Miss Telcontar. She will be fine I assure you. You and I both know that she is made of stronger stuff than most." Dumbledore then gazed meaningfully at the Marauders telling them silently not them argue with his decision either. Without another word, he left the Great Hall with Professor Slughorn and Flitwick right behind him.

Dumbledore looked sadly at the sporadic trail of crimson that Sairina had left behind on the marble floors of the castle. With an uncanny speed, that many would not have thought the old headmaster to be capable of, Dumbledore ran down the hallways following the trail of blood to its starting place. At times, it seemed to the two men who were following him that Albus didn't even seem to be following the trail. Rather, he seemed to already know where the girl had received her wounds and was merely looking for the quickest route there.

The trail stopped suddenly in the seventh corridor where the blood seemed to come straight from a spot of unmarked wall. Dumbledore paced three times in front of it before a simple door appeared. Throwing it open, Albus stormed in wand drawn and at the ready. The other two professors followed in after him. If Albus had been surprised at what was in the room, he didn't show it. The other professors couldn't help but let out a slight gasp.

There were definite signs that a struggle had occurred. Blood was splattered all over the walls. Several of the white sheets that had covered various objects had been stained with blood and had large tears in them. There was a throwing knife imbedded in the wall just behind the door stained with the congealing red liquid. However, the most noticable and gruesome sign of a fight lay in the middle of the room.

There lay a man surrounded by a pool of dark scarlet liquid that had once been the life force that flowed through his veins. The blood seemed to originate from a wound in his neck where the hilt of a dagger was still protruding. His lifeless eyes stared at the ceiling as rigor mortis had set in causing his entire body to tense up. Albus let out a heavy sigh as he surveyed the gory scene.

"Albus," Filius said weakly, "the palantir." All of the staff had known about Sairina's origins, the prophecy, and the fact that the Room of Requirement had been storing the final essence of a terrible dark lord that belonged to another world and timeline. Albus stared tiredly at the cushion that it had once sat upon, and he knew it was long gone.

"What do you supposed happened?" Horace mused as he conjured a sheet to cover the dead man on the floor. Albus sighed wearily.

"There were two men, maybe three," Albus said looking around the room, "Sairina had been in this room waiting for them because of the vision she had during the Divination exam. She was probably preparing to leave when they entered, so she hid to surprise them. They probably saw her and attacked. One of the men took the Palantir and ran, maybe with another man as back up. The last one stayed and fought with Sairina."

"We can obviously see the outcome of that duel," Filius said darkly. Dumbledore sighed heavily as he conjured another stretcher under the dead man.

"Horace," Dumbledore said turning to the portly potions professor, "take the body down to the infirmary." Sludgemore nodded and began guided the floating stretcher with his wand. Dumbledore turned to Filius, "We must go speak to Elessar." The small professor nodded grimly.

"This is almost too much, Albus," he said as they left the room and walked up a flight of stairs to the eighth floor, "First you-know-who, and now this. In all honesty, I think we are getting to old to play the part of the hero."

"Curuni," Dumbledore said and the mirror melted away, "Sometimes, I think the same thing, Filius. But we must carry on until the heroes of the next generation step up to the plate." The two professors stepped through the portal an into Sairina's bedroom. They paused for a moment to check on and revive the two guards who had been bound, gagged, and knocked out. One they were sure that the men were alright, they left the room and began to move down the corridor's to Elessar's private study.

"Albus, I was wondering," Filius mused out loud as he jogged to keep up with the long strides of the headmaster, "Why did Sairina return to the Great Hall for exams instead of chasing down the man who had the palantir?"

"An excellent question," Dumbledore said as they rounded a corner, "While we can only guess until Sairina wakes up, I do have an idea. It is a great shock to a person's system to take the life of another, especially if the person is young, like Miss Telcontar. After she had done it, her mind probably had difficulty processing what she had just done because it was so out of character for her, and so it reverted back to something that was familiar."

"Which meant going back to exams," Filius continued for the headmaster, "the human mind is a fascinating thing. Do you think that she knows that the palantir is gone?"

"Yes," Dumbledore said sadly, "and I fear that she is going to blame herself for allowing whoever took it to get away . . . ah, here we are." Dumbledore knocked loudly on a large wooden door which swung open almost immediately. Elessar looked faintly startled at the two professors at his study door.

"What happened?" he asked slowly as fear edged into his voice.

"The palantir is gone," Dumbledore said morosely, "and Sairina was injured in an attempt to keep the thieves from taking it." There was a brief flash of fear on the king's face, but it was quickly replaced by a stony look.

"Tell me everything," Elessar said with an edge of curtness to his normally gentle voice.

/0/0/

Sairina woke with a throbbing headache in a blindingly white space. The sun's cruel rays were beating down on her fragile eyes. She let out a painful moan as she buried her face into her pillow. How did she get into the hospital wing this time? With her eyes shut tight she attempted to remember.

_Pain . . . red . . . fear . . . those lifeless eyes . . ._

It all came back to the girl is an overwhelming flood. The fight, the fact that she had taken another person's life, that she had failed to protect the palantir.

Groaning, she sat up in the uncomfortable hospital cot and began to check out where she had been hurt. The gash across her abdomen was wrapped in white gauze and bandages as was the deep cut on her arm. She raised her hand to her forehead and winced as she gently probed the wound there. She decided that she didn't have time to sit around; she needed to talk to her father. She shakily rose from her bed and donned the uniform that was placed there and pulled on her shoes. As she pulled her arms into the sleeves of the outer black robe as she left the infirmary.

She strode past the shut doors of the Great Hall and immediately made her way up to the eighth floor corridor to talk to her father. However she was intercepted by him as well as Professor Dumbledore and Professor Flitwick as they made their way to the infirmary to see her.

"My child," the king gasped rushing towards his child, "Thank the Valar you are still alive." He embraced Sairina in a tight hug causing her to whimper. He released her and looked at her in concern.

"Sorry," she murmured, "the wounds are still hurting." The elder man nodded knowingly having suffered many injuries himself.

"But are you alright, Sairina?" he asked and his daughter knew he wasn't talking about her physical well-being.

"I-I-I don't know, _ada_," she said quietly looking away, "I took a man's life, and I allowed the other to get away from the palantir. I feel as though I have failed you . . . I'm sorry if I disappointed you . . ." The king sighed tiredly.

"You have not disappointed me, Sairina," her father said kindly, "We will simply have to find other ways of keeping the prophecy from becoming reality." Dumbledore cleared his throat catching the attention of the father and daughter pair.

"I am afraid I must ask you to continue this conversation later, Elessar," Dumbledore said calmly, "Your daughter has only just been treated for her injuries and should not be up and about at this time." Elessar looked back to his daughter.

"He's right," he said narrowing his gaze, "You should be resting." Sairina grinned sheepishly.

"Sairina, Professor Flitwick will see you back to the infirmary," Dumbledore instructed and her small head of house took her hand.

"But professor," Sairina protested, "What about my exams?"

"Relax, Miss Telcontar," Dumbledore said calmly, "I will explain to the proctors your . . . situation . . . and you will probably be allowed to make up the Defense practical test at a later date. You may be well enough in the morning to take the Transfiguration exam. Now go and rest." Sairina nodded and allowed herself to be led off.

/0/0/

It was late evening when Lily finally managed to get some alone time to go visit Sairina in the Hospital Wing. The Defense exam had taken a lot out of her and she had taken a quick nap after the fact. She would have been down sooner, but her dorm mates reminded her that she said she would help them study for the Transfiguration exam since none of them were particularly good in the subject. By the time they had finished, it was dinner hour. Skipping out on it and the gossipmongers who dwelled there, Lily went straight for the Hospital Wing.

"Hey," Lily said softly approaching her friend's cot, "How are you doing?" Sairina let out a tired sigh.

"I've been better," she replied as tears welled up in her blue eyes, "Oh Lils, it's just horrible!" The normally strong and composed girl broke down into tears and Lily rushed to her and enveloped her in a hug and began comforting her friend.

"Shh," Lily murmured, "Tell me what's wrong." Sairina took a staggering breath and told Lily what had happened. Lily sat in stunned silence.

"And n-n-now the p-p-palantir is gone and it's all my f-f-fault," Sairina wailed, "On top of all that, I _killed_ someone and the Ministry isn't going to let me retake the practical part of the Defense exam."

"What?" Lily exclaimed outraged, "Why not?"

"Dumbledore gave them an edited version of the truth, saying that I had been harassed by fellow students and locked in a closet with some Doxies," Sairina explained, "But they said that it had been _my fault_ for wandering off on my own. They said, 'her ineptitude in the situation is enough to suffice that even if she had taken the exam, she would have failed.'"

"Those bloody toerags," Lily swore angrily as she patted Sairina on the back in a comforting gesture, "It'll be alright."

"I hope so," Sairina mumbled hastily wiping away her tears, "There is just so much I feel like I have to deal with right now . . ."

"Just know that you're not carrying the world on your shoulder," Lily cut in, "Sure, you have a lot to deal with, but I'm here to help you."

"Yeah," Sairina conceded, "I've got you and Remus," Lily's face darkened, "Oh no, what happened?"

"Right now I am not too thrilled with those . . . those . . . _marauders_," Lily spat the last word causing Sairina to grimace, "Especially _Black_ and _Potter_."

"What happened?" Sairina asked again dreading her friend's answer.

"They were harassing that Slytherin, Snape, again," Lily said crossing her arms, "And I demanded that they stop, and you know what they did? They made _jokes_ about it. I mean, the kid has it bad enough . . . anyway. So Potter and I start fighting and he tries to ask me out saying that he'll never bug Snape again if I do. I told him that I'd rather go out with the giant squid . . ."

"You've said that to him before," Sairina interrupted, "Remember in the book store."

"I know, but that's beside the point," Lily said waving it off, "So then Snape is going to get his wand in order to defend himself, and he fires a spell at Potter who then flips him upside down exposing his underpants." Both of the girls shuddered.

"Then what?" Sairina ventured to ask. Lily huffed angrily.

"Well three of the four idiots are laughing their asses off with everyone else," Lily explained, "And _your_ charming boyfriend is doing nothing to stop them. So I finally convince them to let him down and then threaten them by drawing my wand. Then Snape has the audacity, after I've helped him when I didn't have to, to call me a 'mudblood.'"

"I have a feeling Potter didn't like that . . ." Sairina winced.

"No he didn't," Lily scoffed and muttered something that sounded like 'hypocrite,' "He then tries to force Snape to apologize and I told Potter I didn't want him to force and apology and I told him he was just as bad as Snape. He came up with some lame defense and I just let him have it before I told him he made me sick and walked away." Sairina sighed and shook her head.

"I dare say James deserved your tongue lashing . . ." Sairina sighed. She was deeply disappointed with Remus's actions or lack thereof, but she knew his reasoning behind it, "Remus has tried in the past to get Sirius and James to stop if he thinks that they take something too far, but they never listen to him."

"But he's a prefect," Lily countered, "He should at least try!" Sairina sighed.

"Lily, they don't listen to authority at all," Sairina responded.

"Well that's because nobody tries to stop them," Lily shot back, "I'll bet you don't even try! God, why is it that I am the only one who sees those two for the egotistical brats that they are?" Without another word to Sairina, Lily stormed from the Hospital Wing. Sairina sighed tiredly. Having her best friend angry with her was the last thing she needed on top of everything else.

/0/0/

Sairina's fifth year ended on a more somber note than the years prior. She and Lily were still at odds, even though Sairina had tried to apologize and set things right. In turn, things were rough between her and Remus. After the attack and theft of the palantir, he felt the need to constantly hover and keep an eye on Sairina, which drove her nuts. This led to a shouting match between the two in an empty classroom and a rift between them that couldn't be repaired in the dwindling days of the school year.

When Sairina finally returned to her home through the mirror portal, she was fed up with school, relationships, and friendships. She had only one thing on her mind, and it was the driving force behind her for the entire duration of the summer months as she poured over the ancient spellbooks left to her by Elrond before eventually traveling to Rivendell in search of something more.

She needed to find a way to stop that prophecy . . .


	22. Darkness Prevails, but Hope Shines Yet

**A/N:** Hey guys! It took less than a month this time around!

Enjoy!

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_Chapter 21: Darkness Prevails, but Hope Shines Yet_

**Knock Knock Knock**

The Potter family paused in eating their dinner when they heard three loud knocks on their front door. Casting a look back at his son and wife, Robert Potter stood drawing his wand and moved towards the front door. The whole of the house was silent save for the sound of rain pattering down on the roof and the occasional distant rumble of thunder.

**Knock Knock Knock**

The knocks sounded again, a little more desperate this time and impatient. Robert padded silently to the door, a precaution from his training as an Auror. James had moved from the table to the door of the kitchen as he watched his father reach the large oak front door. He too, had his wand at the ready in case his father needed help.

**Knock Knock Knock**

It sounded now like the person at the door was beating with both hands, quite frustrated with the lack of response from inside the sprawling house. Robert stepped carefully to the door.

"Who is it?" He demanded with his wand raised.

"It's me, Mr. Potter!" a voice exclaimed, "Sirius." Mr. Potter looked back at his son.

"How do we know that for sure?" Mr. Potter asked warily.

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs!" Sirius shouted from the other side of the door and James rushed forward towards his father.

"It's him dad," James told his father, "Only Sirius, Remus, Peter, and me know about those nicknames." Mr. Potter opened the door slowly and a drenched Sirius stumbled in with a couple of trunks from the front porch.

"I can't take it anymore," Sirius cried out angrily as he wrung water from his clothing, "I'm so sick of their bigot attitudes, their constant harassment, and their sneering remarks. I had to get out!" Mr. Potter had closed the door and locked it, and Mrs. Potter had come into the hall during Sirius's rant and had used a spell to dry him off.

"Who are you talking about, Sirius?" Mr. Potter asked slightly confused.

"My entire family of nutters!" Sirius yelled, "The only sane people are Uncle Alphard and my cousin Andromeda! I can't stand being around them any more!" Sirius then got very subdued, "So . . . um . . . can I crash here for a while?" There was silence in the hall for a few moments. The James started to laugh at his friend. His father then chuckled slightly.

"Of course you can stay here, Sirius," Mrs. Potter said embracing the sixteen year old in a motherly hug, "you can say as long as you need or want." Sirius smiled genuinely.

"Thanks a lot," he said as he grabbed one trunk and James grabbed the other.

"Your usual room?" James asked with a laugh. Sirius smiled again.

"Yeah," he said before looking at his best friend's parents, "Thank you so much." He vanished up the stairs with James to move his stuff in. Mrs. Potter had to hold back the tears after hearing the sincerity in the young man's voice. Mr. Potter just smiled.

"Looks like we've got that second son James used to pester us for," he said with a chuckle.

The next morning . . .

James and Sirius strolled into the kitchen at around nine the next morning to find a note on the countertop from James's parents saying that they had to leave early for work because of an attack late last night. James let out a sigh as he fished through the cabinets looking for something the two of them to eat. The only thing not requiring magic (because they were still under-aged by a few months) was cold cereal.

"Cold cereal it is," James muttered as he grabbed two bowls as Sirius looked over the newspaper.

"Prongs," Sirius said sadly, "There have been so many attacks . . . Why is he doing this? It's so stupid." James nodded as he handed Sirius a bowl.

"He's closed-minded, and an idiot," James supplied, "to be obsessed with blood and heritage is utterly pointless. There aren't enough of the pureblood lines left, but there are some amazing muggle born witches and wizards–"

"Does this have to do with a certain red head, James?" Sirius asked trying to make the conversation a bit lighter. James smiled secretively.

"Maybe," James replied with a sigh, "but after what happen last year, I doubt anything is ever going to happen now. I think I've royally screwed things up . . ."

"Duh," Sirius said, "she was so mad that you were picking on Snivellus again . . ."

"It's not just that," James replied looking at his friend in disbelief, "but after that Lily and Sairina got into it because she thought Sai was being easy on us because she is dating Remus. Then Sai got into it with Moony . . ." he sighed, "To put it bluntly, Padfoot, I've fucked everything up."

"You could try to fix it," Sirius suggested weakly. James looked at him in disbelief.

"How?" James asked skeptically.

"Well," Sirius began, "Lily always complains that you act to immature, so start acting mature. It wouldn't hurt to try." James couldn't believe the words coming out of Sirius's mouth, but he knew that his best friend had a point. They finished their cereal in silence.

/0/0/

The masked man smacked Elfwine across the face again. He had been hit so many times now that he was spitting blood. With the force the strange man had been hitting him, the prince wasn't surprised that he wasn't spitting out any of his teeth yet. He glared up at his captors.

"No," he said hoarsely, "I won't do it." This obviously wasn't the answer the man had been looking for, because the prince was smacked again. The man was getting frustrated and just wanted the damned teen to cry so that he could collect the tears and leave. No amount of physical pain that they had inflicted on the boy had brought even near to tears and the masked man was at his wits end.

It had been hell to kidnap the boy without alerting the king, his queen, or any of the Rohirric guards. Thankfully the ringleader had been smart enough to know that physical pain might not break the boy, so they took another from the city. He gestured to one of his fellow cohorts who silently left the room to retrieve the other captive.

"Very well," the man said in a leering tone as he looked down on the beaten and battered boy. The door opened again, and Elfwine watched in horror as they brought in the limp form of a maiden about the same age as Elfwine. The young prince struggled against his bonds as they roughly let her fall to the floor.

"Hathawyn, no," he growled as he glared at the masked men, "let her go, now!" It had been over a year ago that both Lily and Elfwine had decided that they couldn't court properly and decided to remain friends. Shortly after, Elfwine had been introduced to Lord Deor and his daughter, Hathawyn.

Elfwine had rigged a bucket filled with water over her door that did indeed soak her. She retaliated by burning all of his clothes. The two had started courting about a week later.

The girl stirred and groaned as her eyes fluttered open. She seemed to register her surroundings and let out a startled cry as two men grabbed her and held onto her tightly. The head man laughed as she put up an impressive struggle.

"Let me go!" she gritted between her teeth as she elbowed one of her captors in the gut. Getting fed up with the girl the ringleader drew his blade and forced it to her throat. The color from her face drained instantly and she stopped fighting. The man forced the blade closer drawing a bit of blood from her throat.

"If you don't cry, _my lord_," the man sneered coldly, "I will not hesitate to slit her pretty throat." Elfwine locked eyes with Hathawyn who truly looked fearful for the first time in the year that he had courted her. Elfwine let out a faltering sigh.

Silence hung in the small shack for several moments. The man applied more pressure to the blade and then . . .

. . . a soft nearly inaudible sob . . .

/0/0/

Sairina was riding hard with her staff across her lap and her black locks streaked with gray flying behind her. She had left her company far behind her as she raced towards the small shack in the distance that was steadily growing larger. She had arrived at Meduseld earlier that day to discover that Elfwine had already been taken. She had feared that her vision had already come to pass as she raced out of the gates of Rohan's capital city with a company of shoulders.

She urged her steed to go faster as she neared the rundown building. Dismounting before her horse had even come to a complete stop; she ran to the door and tried it. It was locked. She could hear muffled cries from inside. Instinctively she pulled her wand from her staff and pointed it at the door.

"_Alohomora_," she cried and the door flung open. She quickly stepped inside sliding her wand back into her staff as the others were just reaching the building.

She saw two forms writhing on the floor and quickly went over to the girl first knowing that she had been too late. Sairina undid the girl's bonds and took the gag from her mouth careful of the open wound on her neck.

"Hold still," Sairina commanded as she lowered her staff and began chanting some Elvish softly. A soft white light surrounded Hathawyn's neck for a moment before vanishing. Her injury completely healed. Sairina sighed tiredly as she wiped the sweat from her brow. Using the ancient magic took a lot out of her. Éomer and several others had entered the building and were now helping the prince up. Hathawyn went over to help them. Sairina followed leaning heavily on her staff.

The group parted as she approached and she walked straight up to Elfwine who was now supported by his father and Hathawyn. Sairina raised her hand slowly as she brushed away the wet residue left by tears. The young prince looked at her remosefully.

"I'm sorry, Sairina," he said weakly. Sairina put a finger to his lips to silence him. She then began chanting in Elvish again and some of his wounds were surrounded by a soft light. When the light vanished they were healed, but he had been beaten so severely that she couldn't heal all of the wounds.

"It is not your fault," Sairina said softly cursing herself mentally. It was her fault that she had not gotten there sooner, "but know now that you are safe. They have from you what they need; you are of no more use to them." She turned and left the hut and mounted her horse once more. Setting her staff across her knees, she took off in the direction of home knowing that there was nothing more she could do in Rohan.

/0/0/

Two days later, it was early morning as Sairina rode tiredly into Minas Tirith. She vaguely registered the fact that people were bowing to her and acknowledging her presence as she rode up to the White Tower. She went to the stables and allowed one of the stable boys to take her horse as she tiredly walked toward her chambers. Her father and brother intercepted her along the way.

She regretfully explained to them that she had arrived too late and that the tears had been collected. With a tired air, the two took leave of her company and went to inform Faramir and Elboron of the recent news. Sairina continued to her room using her staff for support.

As the door swung open to her room she sighed tiredly as she looked at the state it was in. The ground was littered with spell books and note filled parchments. Stepping over the stacks of papers and books Sairina went to her bed and fell, face down, on the soft surface. She knew she should tidy up since she had dismissed her maids sometime earlier that summer because she wanted to make sure that everything stayed organized in a manner where she could find any notation on a spell she was attempting to learn.

Then her room had turned into a disaster zone.

A soft tap on her door signaled that her new 'assistant' was there for the day. Sairina waved her hand and the door opened slightly allowing Hallien to know that it was safe to enter the room.

"Rina," she spoke softly, "Are you alright?" The bed dipped a little bit and Sairina turned her head to look at her younger sister. She had gracefully aged three years and was now a lovely nine year old girl with a gentle smile. Sairina knew she was going to be a very beautiful woman someday and have many suitors clamoring for her hand that is if she didn't get too involved in her studies (as she tended to even at her young age).

"I'm fine Hallie," Sairina said with a hint of sadness in her voice, "but I was too late. They have the tears." Hallien nodded carefully allowing her sister to continue, "All summer I have been developing my abilities with ancient magic, and it's still not enough to stop this prophecy. I'm beginning to think that it's inevitable."

"But you are so powerful, Rina," Hallien protested, "Ada says that you may be even more powerful than Gandalf the White." This caused Sairina to smile weakly.

"Thank you, Hallie," Sairina said before finally getting up and moving towards her desk, "I should look over more of those defense spells . . ."

"You should rest," the nine year old girl protested as she took her older sister's hand and drug her back to her bed, "You are exhausted. Rest now." Sairina laughed softly as she slid between the sheets and her little sister tucked her in.

"Thanks, Hallie," she murmured. Hallien suddenly let out an exclaimed cry startling Sairina. The young girl reached into her dress pocket and pulled out several parchment envelopes before handing them to Sairina.

"These all came while you were away," Hallien explained as she sat on the edge of the bed and watched her sister open them one by one. The first was Sairina's list of things for Hogwarts along with a letter saying that she had been selected as the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain.

The second letter was the result of her O.W.L. Exams.

"What did you get?" Hallien asked excitedly as she looked over her sister's shoulder.

"I got an Outstanding in Divination," Sairina said slightly surprised, "Another O in Ancient Runes, Charms, and Herbology; Exceeds Expectations in Care of Magical Creatures, Transfiguration, Astronomy, and Potions; an Acceptable in History of Magic; and a Poor in Defense," Sairina pouted slightly, "It would have been better, but they wouldn't let me redo the practical part . . ."

"What classes are you going to take then," Hallien asked. Sairina had explained earlier in the summer that she would have to narrow down her classes for the next two years. Sairina furrowed her brow.

"Divination and Charms for sure, but not Ancient Runes or Herbology because I get enough of those here," Sairina reasoned thinking back over the summer to all of the reading, translating, and experimenting with plants she had done, "Not Care of Magical Creatures, but I will take Transfiguration, Astronomy, and Potions, but no History of Magic . . ."

"That's five classes," Hallien replied, "Half of what you had before." Sairina pouted again.

"I'm going to see if I can get Professor Flitwick to allow me to take Defense," Sairina pondered out loud, "That's probably the class I need the most . . ."

"Who are the other letters from?" Hallien asked looking at the last two envelopes. She instantly recognized the handwriting on each of them. One was from Lily, the other was from Remus. Sairina suddenly remembered the fall out that she had had between each of them at the end of the year before. She had been so wrapped up in learning Elvish magic, she hadn't written to either of them at all during the summer. She opened Lily's first. To her surprise it was an apology, and the other girl filled Sairina in on the happenings of her summer.

Apparently Lily's sister had married that overly wide man over the summer and Lily was forced to be a bridesmaid and wear the most disgusting dress imaginable.

Lily also said that more "weird" attacks were occurring in the muggle news meaning that Voldemort was growing in power and boldness. Lily also said that the number of muggle deaths was rising rapidly and dangerously.

Finally, Lily apologized again and told Sairina when she would be going to Diagon Alley and asked Sairina if she wanted to go shopping. Sairina looked at the date and did the quick calculation before groaning.

"That's tomorrow," Sairina sighed, "Where did my summer go?" She sat back in her bed and opened the letter from Remus. His wasn't as in depth as Lily's, in fact it really wasn't much of a letter:

_Sai,_

_I'm sorry about what happened between us at the end of last year. We need to talk about _us_. Can we meet at Diagon Alley maybe? I'm going for my things on the 25th. See you there?_

_Remus_

Sairina sighed when she saw the date; it was the same as when Lily was planning on going to Diagon Alley. Seeing her sister's distress Hallien took the letters and looked at them. Realizing she didn't recognize any of the characters she looked back at her sister.

"What's wrong, Rina?" Hallien asked cocking her head to one side. Sairina smiled at the look on her sister's face.

"Lily and Remus want to talk to me tomorrow at Diagon Alley," Sairina informed her sister. Hallien made a face.

"Didn't you have a fight with them?" Hallien asked and Sairina nodded her head.

"But they want to be friends again," Sairina explained.

"I bet Remus doesn't want to be just friends," Hallien teased. Sairina swatted playfully at her sister who giggled. Once she had settled down, Hallien looked at Sairina seriously, "Can I go with you this time? You said I could go with you when I was older. I'm older now, so can I please go, pretty please?" Sairina looked at the longing in her sister's eyes.

"We'll see what _ada_ and _ammie_ have to say about it," Sairina said sitting back. Hallien grabbed her arm and drug her out of bed excitedly.

"Let's go ask them now!" Hallien giggled excitedly.

/0/0/

"Where are we going first, Rina?" Hallien asked excitedly as they stepped out of the grate inside the Leaky Cauldron and tugged on Sairina's sleeve. Sairina laughed merrily at her little sister's excitement. The two girls were dressed inconspicuously; they were both wearing simple dresses (Hallien's a dark gray color and Sairina's a dark blue) and plain black cloaks over their shoulders. Sairina led her to the back room where she tapped on the brick to open Diagon Alley. Hallien let out an excited little gasp as the bricks folded out of the way reveal a bustling street.

While to Hallien it may have seemed busy, Sairina knew that it wasn't jammed packed like it had been in the past. People were wary and untrusting with the increased involvement of the war. Sairina noted the posters on general public safety and the shady figures lurking in the alleyways. She furrowed her brow in concern.

"Hallie," Sairina said cautiously moving closer to her sister, "I want you to put one hand on my staff and not let go of it." The girl, hearing the worry in her sister's voice, complied instantly.

"O-o-okay," the girl stuttered noticing the foreboding figures looking in the darkness. She reached her hand out and wrapped it around the warm wood. Sairina, still leaning on the staff for support began to move forward along with her sister.

"_Turmamé, varyamé_," Sairina chanted softly as she felt the ancient magic course through her body and around her and her little sister. Taking her sister's hand, she pulled it so the girl was walking in front of her and Sairina's left hand rested on Hallien's left shoulder as she guided her through the street. Her right hand still tightly gripped her staff as she leaned on it for extra support.

Sairina and Hallien entered Gringrotts and Sairina withdrew some money from her small account and in no time the two girls were back on the street. Sairina then guided Hallien to Flourish & Blotts. When they entered Hallien's mouth nearly fell to the floor in amazement.

"Wow, Rina," she exclaimed excitedly, "Look at all the books!" Sairina laughed lightly as she took her list out and examined it closely.

"Alright I need books for Divination, Charms, Transfiguration, Astronomy, Potions, and Defense . . ." Sairina mused as she moved through the aisles her staff making a soft _clunk_ as it hit the floor. Sairina grabbed the books she needed as she moved through the aisles and double checked her list. Hallien helped carry her books so Sairina was free to browse the shelves and locate them.

"And that's for Potions," Sairina murmured as she plucked a copy of _Advanced Potions-Making_ off of the shelf.

"That just leaves Defense right?" Hallien asked from behind the stack of books in her arms. Sairina laughed at her sister.

"Yes," she replied taking two books off of the top revealing her flushed sister's face, "and I'll take a few of those for you. Come on then." The two then made their way towards the Defense section where they could hear raised voices.

"I do not need your help, Potter," Lily's voice seethed. Sairina sighed. She had been hoping to finish her shopping before she had the confrontation with Lily and Remus.

"Please, Lily," James practically whined, "I'm just trying to be nice . . ."

"James, just lay off," Remus said tiredly and he shifted his weight. Sairina looked at her little sister. Taking the books out of her arms, Sairina handed her the list and lean towards her ear.

"Do you want to have some fun?" Sairina whispered and Hallien nodded excitedly, "Here's what I want you to do . . ."

/0/0/

Sirius Black watched on as James pathetically tried to be civil and nice to Lily, and Lily completely rebuffing him. He scoffed silently and shook his head before leaning back against the sturdy bookshelf behind him. He was startled when something began tugging on his robe sleeve. He looked down to see the most adorable nine-year-old girl with wavy brown locks and wide gray eyes.

"Can you help me?" she asked quietly. Sirius smiled and he sunk to his knees so he was at her eye level.

"For a pretty little girl like you, of course," he smiled kindly, "What do you need?" Hallien looked at the list in her hands and pointed to the title of a book. Sirius nodded before standing back up and taking the required book off the shelf and handing it to the girl. "There you are. Do you need anything else?" The girl shook her head.

"No," she smiled, "_Hannon le_, Sirius." She then turned and walked away from the aisle. Sirius stood there stunned for a few moments attempting to register what had just happened. How had that girl known her name? And what did _hannon le_ mean? The cogs in Sirius's head were turning slowly and then it finally clicked. Lily and James were still bickering and Remus was attempting to break it up. Rolling his eyes, Sirius let out a shrill whistle getting everyone's attention in that general area.

"What is it, Black?" Lily demanded glaring at him. Sirius just sighed tiredly.

"Sairina's here," he replied as he headed out of the aisle. The others quickly followed his lead, even Lily.

/0/0/

Sairina had just reached the register when Hallien bounced up beside her and put the book on the counter beside the others. She had a sly smile on her face. Sairina looked at her expectantly.

"They're coming," Hallien said cheekily. Sairina looked up to see the five coming out of the Defense section. Lily put a hand to her mouth when she saw her friend and even the boys couldn't stifle a slight gasp. She knew she must look completely different: the premature gray in her hair, the tired eyes, and the drawn features. The summer had been hard on her, robbing her of any innocence she had left after the fight for the palantir and she was feeling it completely now.

A cry from outside broke the connection between the teens and Sairina looked outside the window and into the street. She could see black cloaked figures moving in a pack towards one end of the street. She knew they were Death Eaters. Tightening her grip on her staff she moved deftly to the door. She had had enough with evil triumphing, and she was going to turn the tables, damning all consequences.

"Hallien, stay here," Sairina ordered as she moved outside and into the street. The Death Eaters were gathered at the far end of the street surrounding three people who were cowering against the wall.

As Sairina approached, she recognized the girl as a Hufflepuff third or fourth year, and she assumed the man and woman with her were her parents. She was muggle-born, and her parents were obviously muggle. The person in front was slowly stepping forward with his wand raised threateningly. Narrowing her eyes, Sairina raised a hand and focused completely on the wand in his hand.

"_Toloenni_," Sairina commanded and the wand was ripped from the person's hand and soared directly into hers. This drew the Death Eaters' attention away from the three against the wall and towards Sairina.

"Fool!" the man (it was obvious because of his voice) bellowed as he glared at Sairina, "Return my wand now and we won't have to kill you." The other Death Eaters snickered darkly. Sairina looked at him, cocked her head to one side, dropped the wand on the ground, and stepped on it. The crack resounded throughout the now silent Alley.

"No," Sairina said firmly bracing herself for the attacks she knew were coming. The man seemed to growl low in his throat.

"Kill . . ." was as far as he got because Sairina took two running steps forward as she raised her staff over her head. On the third step, she brought the staff down and slammed it into the ground while going down on one knee and shouting an Elvish incantation. A burst of light shot forth from the end of the staff and spread like a rippled across the ground and as it struck each of the Death Eaters, they fell to the ground writhing in pain. Sairina rose back to her feet as the people in black cloaks were still writhing on the ground.

"Go," she commanded the family and they ran for shelter in one of the shops. Sairina watched them to make sure they got their safely, but her back was to the fallen Death Eaters, so she didn't see one of them rising to his feet. Luckily someone else did. Hallien ran out of the book store knowing she had to warn her sister.

"Rina, look out!" she shrieked. Sairina spun on her heel while raising her staff into a defensive position.

"_Bedi_," she chanted causing the group of Death Eaters to be knocked back against the wall and hoisted into the air. She stood there still as a statue with her arm holding her staff raised, pinning the Death Eaters to the wall. Cocking her head to one side, she shouted at her sister.

"I thought I told you to stay put, Hallien," Sairina may have said the words harshly, but there was a thankful smile on her face as she stared at the pinned evildoers.

/0/0/

A group of Aurors, including James's father, came a few moments later and carted the Death Eaters away. Sairina had slunk away from the excitement with Hallien and returned to the bookstore to pay for her books. After convincing the shop owner that he shouldn't give her the books for free after what she had done, she paid and she and Hallien snuck quietly into Madame Malkin's robe shop.

Sairina was standing on a stool getting measured while Hallien sat off to the side with the bundle of books when the shop bell rang signaling that someone had entered. All three females turned to look. It was the Marauders and Lily. Taking a deep breath Sairina looked away. The Madame, sensing some tension quietly excused herself and vanished into the back room.

Silence reigned as Sairina stepped off the stool and her little sister handed her staff back.

"What the hell was that?" Sirius asked incredulously. Sairina groaned as she sat down next to her little sister. "What were you doing? Because that certainly wasn't any magic that I had ever seen before."

"Sirius, shut up," Remus said angrily to his babbling friend. There was a great deal of stress in his voice and posture that was evident to Sairina. But there was also relief there two as he looked at her. Sairina gave Sirius a pitying look.

"I've had a long summer," Sairina replied sitting back in her chair anxiously gripping her staff. She eyed strands of gray hair that had fallen into her face, "A very long, stressful summer. Lily seeing the dark look that stirred in her friend's eyes immediately moved to where she was sitting and knelt in front of her.

"Sai, what happened?" Lily asked gently. Sairina tucked the offending strands of hair behind her ear, but didn't say anything. She merely shook her head.

"P-part of the prophecy was fulfilled over the summer," Hallien spoke up as Lily turned to look from Sairina to the younger girl, "Prin-. . . uh Elfwine was captured and they got the tears from him." Lily's face whitened as the color drained from it. The boys simply stood speechless.

"O-oh," Lily said softly.

"I had foreseen it," Sairina said softly, "but it wasn't enough. I had arrived too late." Madame Malkin had returned from the back with three flat rectangular boxes. Sairina stood and paid for her school robes. She took the boxes and nestled them under her left arm as she held her staff with her right. She turned and looked at Lily before setting her gaze on Remus. "You wanted to talk?" she asked softly.

"Yes," Remus said softly as he nodded. Sairina nodded and turned to Hallien and knelt to her eye-level.

"_I want you to stay with Lily and the others_," Sairina told her in Sindarin, "_You will be safe with them. Once I am done talking to Remus, we can finish my shopping and then go back to Minas Tirith. Understand?"_

"Yes, Rina," Hallien replied as she moved towards Lily and took her hand. Sairina looked back at Remus.

"Lead on," she said and followed him out of the shop.

/0/0/

They had walked together in silence for a few minutes, neither knowing what to really say. The silence hung thick between them, but (to both of their surprises) it wasn't awkward, just contemplative. Remus snuck a glance at Sairina from the corner of his eye.

"Would you like me to carry those boxes?" he asked gentlemanly and startling Sairina from her reverie.

"What? Oh, um, sure, thank you," Sairina replied as he took the boxes and tucked them under his left arm. The continued walking and Sairina slid her free left hand into his free right. Remus looked ad Sairina questioningly, but she had lowered her eyes and was looking at her feet. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Remus asked, confused. He thought he was the one who should be apologizing . . .

"For yelling and fighting with you at the end of the year," Sairina replied still looking at her feet, "I was just under a lot of stress with all that had happened and I just snapped," she paused for a moment before laughing dryly, "Things have only gotten worse since then . . ." They fell into silence since again as they walked back towards Madame Malkin's.

"You know I still care deeply for you, right Sai?" Remus asked cautiously as he intertwined their fingers and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Sairina nodded.

"I know," she replied with a small smile before turning to look at him, "It's what kept me going over the summer." Sairina leaned forward and kissed Remus gently. Startled, Remus didn't get a chance to respond before she pulled away. "Thank you."

"I-I-I . . . um," Remus stammered as he looked into Sairina's deep blue eyes. He saw wisdom in there, but pain as well, "Sai, what happened to you over the summer?" She put a finger to his lips.

"Not here," she responded as James, Sirius, and Peter approached them from one direction and Lily and Hallien from the other, "I'll explain to you and Lily later." Hallien raced up and wrapped her arms around her sister's waist nearly tackling her.

"_All better?_" Hallien asked in Sindarin.

"_Right as the sun rising in the east_," Sairina responded back. Hallien giggled.

"_Am I going to be getting a brother-in-law soon?"_ Hallien teased. Sairina's jaw dropped at her sister's brashness.

"Hallien!" she exclaimed. The young girl giggled as her older sister swatted her playfully. "This is the thanks I get . . ." Lily glanced at her watch.

"I need to get going, my parents are going to be here soon," she said as she hugged Sairina, "I'll see you at the start of term, and I want a full account of what happened this summer." Lily had added the second part softly and Sairina nodded and smiled at her friend.

"Of course," Sairina replied as Lily fingered a chunk of Sairina's gray hair. Sairina laughed at the look of disbelief on her friends face. They hugged briefly and Lily said good-bye to Hallien before she left without acknowledging the other four standing there. James looked crestfallen causing his friends to laugh.

The Marauders and the princesses parted ways shortly afterwards. Sairina finished her school shopping with Hallien's help. The girls were back in Minas Tirith before the sun had set.

Sairina went to bed that night with a smile on her face. She had patched things up (for the most part) with Lily and Remus. Her world didn't seem as dark and foreboding as it had every other day of the summer. Sure, darkness had won the first round, but with the hope that her friends had given her, she knew she would be ready the second time around.

/0/0/

It was the middle of a still and silent night in the city of Minas Tirith, everyone _seemed_ to be asleep.

A dark shadow moved stealthily through the upper levels of the city until he came to the now familiar dwelling of Lord Gange. The angular building looked sharp and cold in the darkness, but this did not shake the path of the silent wraith. He knocked thrice on the door and it creaked open slowly. Upon entering, the late night visitor acknowledged the doorman with a curt nod before ascending the stone stairs.

He ventured down the long silent hallway before stopping at the last door. Knocking once more, he entered when a voice from within beckoned him. He opened the door just enough to allow him entry before entering and closing it behind him.

"Well?" Lord Gange demanded, "Where is it?" The cloaked man pulled a small crystal phial from the depths of his dressings and handed it to the advisor. A greedy grin spread across the man's face as he examined the clear liquid.

"And my payment?" the cloaked man asked. Gange grabbed a large sack from off his desk and tossed it to the man. It fell to the floor with a loud jangle and jingle signaling that it was filled with the gold required for the job. Asking no questions, the man scooped the bag off of the floor and left. He was done and eager to leave the company of the corrupted lord.

The instant the door had snapped shut behind his visitor, Gange strode over and locked and secured the door. Taking the phial he moved over to a locked cabinet. After undoing several complex locks he swung open the small square door revealing the orange glowing palantir. He carefully set the phial on the cushion next to the glowing orb and withdrew a second clear but empty phial.

"Now for the blood of the Steward's son . . ."


End file.

Harry Potter, Drama, Romance