Harry Potter 1. Chapter 1 Death of a Muggle

**==========Chapter 1: Death of a Muggle==========**

Amie stood stationary in the Owlery. Time passed but she did not care if it stopped or sped on by because life felt downright pointless now. She had only felt like this once but in some ways, this was worse than the last incident by a long shot.

Grief shot through her body.

Grief like she'd never felt before.

It pulsated in her head and heart like drums. It set her innards on fire. Her fingers felt like lead and so did her eyelids. Every muscle in her body ached as if she had aged a thousand years just standing there. Her legs trembled but she took no notice. If someone appeared from behind and stabbed her from behind, she would not be surprised or feel any pain because this was excruciating enough.

The letter in her hand fell limply to the owl dropping littered ground but Amie did not notice. It got picked up by the wind and floated around her and she didn't glance at it. It dropped a few feet away from her and she made no move to pick it up.

Tears welled up in her eyes and her body temperature immediately descended. The room blurred around her. She shivered in the windowless room but Amie didn't make to leave. Even the screeching of the hundreds of owls that were perched on the windowsills and sleeping on the ground did not bother her. Her fists were clenched and shaking as one name ran repeated in her head: Sylvester Avery.

Distant voices reached her but she did not give away her location. Merlin knew how long she had stood there, feeling and looking rigid. The messenger owls had gone, delivered their care packages and letters and had been back for over an hour. She had been here since six in the morning before her owl had returned with her letter. Now, she hoped the letter never reached her. She was better off not knowing. Why couldn't she stay oblivious to what was happening in her other life?

The vague voices became sharper and clearer. Amie shut her eyes, sniffling. This was her price for neglecting Zimma (her aunt) and the others back home. She hadn't written once to let them know how she was doing and now, everything was backfiring on her. Why did karma have to such a b-

The door burst open and a wheezing Sirius emerged, followed by an equally out of breath James Potter. Holding their sides, they stumbled towards Amie, who was rooted on the spot, her dark hair covering her face. As James watched from afar, he saw a drop of water fall from Amie's face to the floor.

"Merlin's ears, woman!" yelled Sirius, still breathing heavily. "Didn't you hear me calling you for the billionth time?"

Amie gave no indication that she had heard her mate. This made him angrier, but a swell of concern also filled him. It wasn't like Amie to ignore him especially when his voice was thick with emotion.

"Oy! Can't you hear me?" he said, rather harshly but again, Amie gave no answer. He pulled her towards him and she obliged limply, her dark hair still obscuring her thin face. He shook her over and over again.

James moved in from behind, putting a hand on Sirius's shoulder, pointing out that he was being too ruthless and Sirius slackened his death grip on Amie's shoulders. She fell back lifelessly like a rag doll and Sirius constricted his hold again, dread taking over his heart.

He pushed her hair away from her face and felt her wet cheek. Placing a hand under her chin, he raised her face, catching a glimpse of her miserable face, her teary eyes and her cherry colored nose. As his eyes met hers, he saw that they held no emotion. He saw that they were oddly blank, holding none of the shine that they usually possessed. Black specks roamed her orbs but they were vague because of the tears that kept dropping and dropping. Sirius saw no end to them. Sirius searched the depths of Amie's soul for an explanation but he could only decipher that something horrid had happened; he feared that she was dead on the inside. Only the side effects of a Dementor's kiss could do that to a person.

Sirius had only to wrap his hands around Amie for her to fall to pieces. She sobbed in to his shoulder as he embraced her protectively, bending his neck slightly to kiss her head in reassurance. She was trembling and her face was as pale as it could get.

James tried to blend back into the background, and moved towards the owls. One of them had an injured leg and it was holding today's Daily Prophet. James nicked it, rather effortlessly and scanned through it. The front page headline said: _'Death Eaters rampage through Muggle Residence'._

A sob got his attention. Amie was desperately trying to tell Sirius what was depressing her so much and James had caught a few words.

"…Avery … Chloe … dead!"

Trepidation filled James's gut as he scanned the newspaper article. Three moving pictures got his attention. Adjusting his glasses, he pored over the newspaper.

A sneering man with outrageously large side burns and tiny glinting blue eyes walked out of the picture. James looked at the caption and gasped at what the words said.

'_Sylvester Avery, along with two comrades raided a small dwelling in the heart of London, England yesterday. Only one death was reported, of a Muggle child, Chloe Stoner who had been playing on her front lawn when the three potential Death Eaters and supporters of He-who-must-not-be-Named made their entrance. Further investigation by The Magical Law Enforcement Squad show that the five year old girl was exposed to a Cruciatus spell and then killed by the FiendFyre curse. Luckily, the curse was lifted fast, leaving only burnt grass and the Muggle child's charred body. Nobby Leach, Minister of Magic, has not been available for interrogation, though sources have claimed that he is going head on into the search for the murderers…'_ he read, his voice trailing off as he reached the end. His hazel eyes met Sirius's grey-blue ones. Amie had quit sobbing, and was now just whimpering quietly.

"Chloe was that little girl…" said Sirius finally comprehending Amie's frantic babbling. Chloe Stoner had been with Amie when she was nine and Sirius first laid eyes on her. Stoner had been a mere baby!

Amie nodded shakily into his shoulder. Sirius stroked her hair, but his eyes were steely.

"His bloody son is in our Herbology class right now, James." he said softly. James nodded, looking resolute.

This comment brought Amie to her senses instantaneously. She pushed away from Sirius and dashed out, slamming the door so the two boys were a little delayed in following her. Adrenaline pumped through her arteries like blood, giving her an immense energy boost.

She was out on the grounds before Sirius and James had half heartedly reached the front doors. The class was outside, examining Hagrid's plants.

Avery Jr. was as different from his father as anything based on looks. His orbs were large and he was a built boy, while his father was stringy and thin. His hair was sleazy (an unstylish brown comb over) and his personality likewise.

"She's in the hurting mood, James!" Sirius exclaimed, running now. His long legs took him there in a few moments, grabbing Amie when she lunged for Avery Junior, her fingers raised like claws.

Lily Evans looked scandalized but worried all the same. She had the sense, however, to not cry out loud as Amie pushed her away roughly for Professor Sprout was talking to Hagrid a little way off. She didn't see Amie try to attack a student, nails bared like claws.

James ran over to the teacher, blocking his view of the Slytherins and Gryffindors, by waving his arms about and jumping up and down. Sirius grabbed Amie by the waist and pulled her away from Avery before the latter suffered any unnecessary damage.

"Professor Sprout! Peeves broke into your office and selling your belongings to the ghosts and other students. They're all going to auction them off in two minutes!" James was saying with conviction, his voice high and frantic.

This got the teacher's attention. Immediately, she rolled her sleeves and took out her wand.

"Miss. Evans! You're in charge while I go settle a score with a pest!" said Sprout scathingly and stomped away, in the direction of the castle. James urged Hagrid to follow, saying that Peeves had also lit Fang's tail on fire.

As soon as Hagrid thundered away, yelling loud threats to Peeves in the air, Amie opened her mouth.

"Read the news today, Wardell?" bellowed Amie seething, still struggling against Sirius's grasp on her waist. "Are you proud that your murderer of a father killed off an innocent girl?"

Avery smirked, but there were bags under his eyes. He hadn't gotten a wink of sleep because other students had been giving him a hard time since the news came out yesterday. He hadn't caught a break, especially since the git acted like it was a good thing the Muggle girl was dead. As he did now.

"I say it's a good that there's one less Mudblood in this world!" he said loud and clear, ducking as Amie threw a punch his way. It came up a bit short.

Anger boiled inside Sirius as he remembered the baby that was with Amie when he first saw her. The little girl who had just began to talk and walk. She was now dead, her body incinerated due to the accursed FiendFyre. Sirius let go of Amie and she leapt onto Avery, not even bothering to pull out her wand. Her fists had a score to settle.

Blow after blow hit Avery before the Slytherins reacted. James said _'Protego'_ and an invisible force field between the Slytherins and the Gryffindors. Avery's goon Mulciber repeatedly banged against the shield, as if to break it but he had no luck. Everyone ogled at Amie, who seemed to have some inhumanly strength bestowed deep inside her. It now erupted like a maddened monster. Avery and his burly body seemed like no match.

Lily was shrieking remarks, desperately trying to recover peace, without much hope for any success. She was stomping on the ground, shrieking incomprehensible demands, until James felt fed up and put her under a Silencing Charm. Sirius finally came back to his senses. He dragged a struggling Amie back by the middle. She resisted, digging her heels into the earth, retracting grass and dirt.

"Yeah, Black! Get that slag away from here!" jeered Avery, rubbing his cheek, which was turning a shade of purple. Scratches were plastered on his neck and arms. Long, jagged, bleeding scratched caused by almost stubby (bitten) nails.

That comment was the cue for Sirius, James and Remus to rush to Avery, fists raised and each punch feeding their rage. Remus did not attack manually. He was the only sane one to reach for his wand and say a spell that made Avery's skin sprout in painful looking pustules.

Lily rushed over, followed by Fabian and they dragged James and Remus away, but Sirius continued pounding on Avery. Blood poured out of Avery's nose but Sirius did not stop. He punched a walnut sized wart on Avery's nose, causing the latter to shriek in agonizing pain.

Amie screamed as she saw Avery double over in agony and rushed to pull at Sirius's bloody hand. He resisted but she finally yanked him away from the now disrupted class.

The last thing she wanted was for Sirius to turn like Chloe's killer.

"Filthy blood traitor!" wept Avery, tears pouring out of his eyes. Amie gave him one slap on the face and he was on the ground, sobbing, while the Slytherins protested in anger. They were helpless to aid Avery because James's shield was doing a good job of keeping the distance.

"Tell you're dad that's for Chloe!" called Amie, blood pounding in her head as she walked away, her fingers still digging into Sirius's arm.

James and Remus did not have to hold the Slytherins back because Professor Sprout had returned with Hagrid treading behind him. They only had eyes for James, ready to contradict him on the lie that he had told to lure them away.

The two passed Amie and Sirius without another thought so Amie felt a hint of gratefulness on their escape. However, rage and grief still rushed through her veins as she led Sirius into an empty classroom.

"You didn't have to try to kill him, you berk!" she said in an irritated whisper, trying to restrain her seething rage which was directed at the light of previous events.

"You didn't have to help me!" Sirius said, trying to add a little humor but Amie pursed her lips and mustering the last of her strength, she struck him.

His head whipped to the side, as her hand made contact with his face.

"You have his ruddy blood on your hand!" she shouted scathingly. "How does that make you any better than Avery's father?"

Sirius looked at her in indignance as he caressed his scarlet cheek. It felt oddly soft.

"Alright! The next time someone calls you a slag, don't expect me to defend you!" he roared before realizing that Amie was just trying to let her bottled up emotions out.

He bit his lip, waiting for another blow. Nothing came. Instead, Amie got a stony look and a shadow passed over her eyes.

"I'm going to the hospital wing to get something for this shock from Madam Pomfrey." she said dully.

"I- I didn't mean that, mate." Sirius said tentatively, but Amie ignored him. He approached her and blocked her way as she tried to open the door. She appeared not to have heard him.

The room was spinning. Her head felt like it had been hit by a Bludger and her vision was clouding over. Moments later, everything went black and all the pain went away. Amie crumpled to the ground, her skull hitting the ground soundly. The last thing she saw was Sirius's concerned blue-grey eyes wincing as her head slammed on the floor with a thud.


	2. Chapter 2 A Familiar Dream

**==========Chapter 2: A Familiar Dream==========**

Tears prickled beneath Amie's closed eyes. She refused to open them in fear that all of this would rush back to her. She was afraid that history would repeat itself.

It was the same dream. For years she had the same dream, over and over again, almost once every week. The dream about Chloe Stoner having died so brutally. It played in her head all the time. Chloe, the little girl who had devoted her life to trying to be just like Amie. Chloe, who had always stuck up for her idol, when her brother Jeremy was a nuisance. Chloe, who copied everything Amie did and looked up to her like a big sister. That Chloe was long dead. That Chloe would never come back because there was no force in the world that was able to do that.

Like they say, evil never rests. There is always evil to fight in the world. It might lay low for a while, calculating and looking for the time when you let your guard down. It waits and waits, finding a hole in your armor. Then, it attacks on your strength and challenges you to fight back. It feeds on a person's pain and anguish; lives off it, in fact!

Evil seemed to follow Amie like a shadow. She herself was dead set against having anything to do with Death Eaters and You-Know-Who ever since Stoner's death but that was different from evil being attracted to _her_. It was enticed by her, figuring that her angst was tastier than someone else's.

Its favourite play was toying with death. More than one death had occurred before and after Chloe's passing away. And they had been even more traumatizing because they had been family deaths. So why was she so moved by this? Easy. Since a wizard had killed her, Amie felt that it was partly her fault.

She felt guilty for being so selfishly gloomy. Jeremy was the one that felt the most pain. Jeremy and the Stoners, who had been like a perfect family to Amie. Never would she have guessed that something so horrid could happen to such happy folks. But it had and the loss of little baby Chloe had an impact on Jeremy the most. He was no longer that annoying bloke that pulled Amie's hair and blew raspberries in her face. He was more silent and aloof, which fit his appearance. Recently, he had started to hold a soft spot for her in his heart. As handsome as he was, with his light brown hair and grey eyes, Amie didn't feel the same way about him. However, that didn't stop him from falling head over heels in love with her.

Just like she had been head over heels in love with Gabriel Villa. Tall, dark and handsome. Dark brown tousled hair, light brown eyes, light brown skin, and moreover, a brainic. Amie had asked him why he wasn't in Ravenclaw and he had simple answered: "I'd rather be known as a smart Hufflepuff than a mere Ravenclaw." Gabe was a bloke to fancy in Amie's books. Amie and Villa had a lot in common. Both were Chasers for their House team and both weren't comfortable with making new friends. They had connected when Amie had asked Gabe to help her pass in Astronomy. He, being the shy, lone guy, had been surprised but insecure at what her intentions were. He reminded her a little of Remus because Gabe also gave himself less credit than he was worth. But, in the end, Amie gained his trust and they became the closest of friends.

However, there was a minor setback. Amie didn't want to be 'just friends'. She felt attracted to Gabriel but felt too ashamed to tell him. Thinking that everything good takes time, Amie had done nothing about it and by fourth year, everything went wrong.

Gabe had asked Amie's best friend on a date and Mary, thinking that Amie didn't like Gabe in that way anymore, had accepted. Feeling betrayed and friendless, Amie had confided into Remus Lupin who turned out to be the most understanding bloke in the history of understanding blokes. He let her know that a schoolgirl crush was nothing compared to a lifetime of friendship. That basically meant that Amie had to forgive Gabe (for what he didn't exactly do) and stop being angry at Mary.

Quite accidentally, Amie had let Gabe know about her infatuation towards him and he looked genuinely remorseful, according to Remus. However, three months into his relationship with Mary, Gabriel did absolutely nothing so Amie assumed that they were just meant to be friends. Now every time he came to have a word with her, he would ask her (quite jokingly) if she was over him yet. Every time, she shook her head, knowing in her heart that it was true. Gabriel might take it as a joke but she was serious. Correction; she _had_ been serious. The summer when she was sixteen had changed her life forever. It made her realize that Gabriel was better off with Mary MacDonald.

Mary had that typical blond hair and blue eyes, making her the apple of some blokes' eyes. She was friends with everyone, but enjoyed the friendship of Amie. Then there came a time when Gabriel began to fancy Mary and everything changed. One trip to Madam Puddifoot's and Mary was under his charm. Like Amie, she felt the intangible warmth that surrounded him and his good looks didn't hurt. What she didn't know was that her mate Amie cared for Villa, though she would never admit it. When Mary and Gabriel were out doing Merlin-knew-what, Amie was left to sulk in the common room. The only person who seemed to notice her foul mood and was willing to approach her in this dangerous state was sweet, patient Remus Lupin.

He was the only one willing to listen to her drone about Gabriel and Mary and how they had so heartlessly betrayed her. He good-naturedly explained to her that Gabriel wasn't her love. It was as if he knew the perfect guy for her. Such good advice helped for the pain of course and in time, Amie, Mary and Gabe's friendship was back on track. From then on, Remus always had time to have long hearty talks with Amie when possible. It was all very calming to Amie's soul, especially when all she wanted to do was throttle Sirius Black.

Things were bumpy between those two. There was once a time when they had been best mates. When they were nine, Sirius had nigh on saved the lives of Amie, Chloe and Jeremy from becoming road kill. He was great company then but something had changed between them when they came to Hogwarts. It took a whole year for Amie to figure it out, but Sirius was just not her type. Yes they were both scheming, mischievous, and had a love for pranks; Sirius was more carefree and clueless. Reckless and restless. He didn't know or care when he hurt people and that frazzled Amie. Also, he always wanted his way. When, heavens forbid, things didn't go as planned, the bloke would use his sharp tongue to lower the self esteem of others (The Marauders didn't fall under that category). He was always ready to blame others for his doings though in a humorous, blasé way. What Amie hated most was his charm and that infamous half grin. He could avoid the harshest of punishments with just a flash of that adorable dimple and Amie detested him for it. Whenever she stepped out of line, it was two hours of detention or fifteen points off Gryffindor. Though Sirius would get the same punishment, his antics were far riskier!

But, the thing was, she had _pretended_ to detest him. Deep down, he was still a good mate and he had been trying hard to be on her good side since the summer of their fifth year and their relationship had become rather confusing.

All these thoughts weaved in and out of her dreams. Previous memories of the good ole days retuned and the grief about Chloe's death ebbed away. The tears that had taken refugee behind her closed eyelids now dropped freely, but they were tears of joy. Living old memories calmed her down in her sleep. The tragedies hadn't started since the end of first year, when Chloe had died.

Sometimes she felt that this would never stop. Grief wouldn't stop tailing her and she would be pushed over her limit. She sometimes felt that the Death Eaters had it in for her. But that time would have to wait because Amie vowed not to let them get to her. She promised to bring down as many Death Eaters as she could so the next generation wouldn't have to look at Lord Voldemort's horrid face. The question was how? The answer was in front of her but she didn't know how to grab it.

In the meantime, she would use her sleeping head as a broken record. She would play back on the happiest memories and see where everything went so horribly wrong. And she knew exactly which memory she wanted to play. The summer of her fifth year, where she had learned that she had been too judgmental about a few people. When one person was supposed to be an arrogant buffoon, he turned out to be rather smart and caring. When she had thought one bloke was innocent and nothing less than angelic, he turned out to have the biggest and scariest secret.


End file.

Harry Potter, Drama, Romance