It been about thirty minutes now. Don't you think it's about time the girls came out of the closet?" Seamus asked Harry. There was silence for about ten seconds before Harry, Ron, and Dean busted out laughing at Seamus's comment. They were currently sitting in Harry's living room cracking jokes and getting to know their host better. Ron was thoroughly enjoying the ice cold soda that Harry had given him. He damn near shot it out his nose at what was said.

"I so love the mental picture I'm getting right now," Dean said between laughing and trying to breath.

"Hey! That's my girlfriend and sister in there!" Ron bellowed at Dean.

"Yeah they're both smokin hot! Lav and Parvati are both damn good kissers too. What? Never underestimate an Irishman with mistletoe."

"That's cheating," Harry said.

"Don't care."

"Yeah he has to go with his strength,." Dean shot out, which brought another round of laughter. Once they regained some control over themselves, Ron looked over his shoulder to make sure the door was closed before asking Harry a question.

"There is one thing that I've been dying to know since last night Harry?"

"What's that Ron?"

"Just what things can a Succubus do with their tails?" Ron asked as he leaned forward to hear the answer. Seamus and Dean leaned forward as well.

"Holy Shite! Is that even legal?" Could be heard in the closet and all four of the girls recognized Seamus's strong Irish accent, even if it was muffled.

"What was that about?" Parvati asked. All of the girls were in different stages of undress, as they tried on different dresses. Lavender was the one least shy about her half naked body being seen by the boys. She marched over to the door leading to the living room.

"Lav what are you doing? You're only in your bra and knickers!" Hermione shrieked at her.

"Oh please, I've worn skimpier bathing suits," Lavender said over her shoulder as she swung the door open. "Honestly, can't we leave you alone for ten seconds before you start talking about sex?" She scolded them with one of her hands on her hip.

Everyone of them looked at her with shock at what she was, or not wearing. Each one of them reacted differently. Seamus quickly looked at his feet, but occasionally would sneak a quick peek at her. Ron knew better and kept his eyes anywhere but looking in her direction. Harry leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. He seemed completely unfazed by her state of undress. Though he was looking at her, his eyes showed no change in how he viewed her. She had to admit she was a little insulted by it. Dean however was looking her top to bottom, as if she was the last meal he would ever eat. Pig!

"Well, it's been more like thirty minutes," Harry told her in an amused voice.

"There are a lot of cloths to choose from," Lavender said in their defense. "We've got it narrowed down to at least ten outfits each."

"Perhaps you need a male's point of view?" Harry suggested with a raised brow.

"You gits just want to perv on us," She said as she matched his hoisted brow with one of her own.

"Right and you're not out here flaunting your natural assets? I would say it's a win/win situation. We get to bask in you ladies' alluring beauty, and you get to know what looks best on you."

Lavender mulled it over for a few seconds before answering him. "Pretty words but your still perving, but I'll go ask the girls what they think. Do us a favor and keep Thomas in a leash. He's starting to drool." She then whipped around and left the room with a sway in her hips.

"That was just cruel," Dean said as he admired her walk and the thong leaving the room.

"Do us a favor and adjust mate. No one needs to see that." Seamus said as he pointed at Dean's lap. That brought another round of laughter.

For the next twenty minutes the girls put on a fashion show. Hermione was a little hesitant at first, but after seeing her boyfriend's reaction to some of her choices she got in to it. She was shaking her arse and giving Ron a wink every time she left the room. Harry leaned back and enjoyed watching everybody laughing and enjoying themselves. For the moment they were just normal teenagers without a care in the world. At that moment the War and everything else didn't exist.

"This should be norm not the exception," Harry told Ginny as she sat down on his lap.

"I know luv, I know. Let's make it so the next generation never knows it."

After depositing five bruised and thoroughly humiliated Slytherins in the hospital wing, Sirius found himself walking down an all too familiar hallway. Thoughts of Daphne's mum kept invading his mind. He stopped and leaned against a wall as he remembered the night she caught him.

I was running down an empty hall as fast as I could, with Filch hot on my arse. We had just pulled off by far the best prank yet. James and I had been planning it all summer break. We were going to start our fifth year with a bang and boy did we.

We had just successfully fooled the enchantments on the stairs leading to the girl's dorm. Hell, we snuck into the Huffelpuff Tower, and let me tell you there was a fine crop of lovely young witches in that house. Of course James was still drooling over Evans, and as usual she shot him down in flames.

Dumbledore thought that making Remus a Prefect would keep us in check. Old bird is off his rocker. Marauders stand together always. Well, not at the moment. Bloody Peeves! We just had to run into him. We were almost back to our common room. We were forced to split up to get back.

Now I got Filch half way up my arse and let me tell you the old codger is a lot faster than he looks. If I can just make it to the next hall, there's an old tapestry that hides a secret passage. In thirty seconds I'll be home free. That's when I turned a corner, and my life as I knew it changed.

CRASH!

"Ow! Look where you going!" Said a pretty blond witch, she was a Slytherin I think. We both ended on the floor. And let me tell you the view was heavenly. That was when I saw the Prefect Badge and knew my goose was cooked. She grabbed a hand full of my hair and pulled my head back

"Enjoying the view you prat?" She snarled at me.

"Why yes I was." I answered her with a grin. I don't know how she did it, but in the blink of an eye she had me on my back, arms pinned, and her wand at my throat, and looking damn sexy in the process. Remus is right I need help.

"What do you want your epitaph to read Black?" She warned me through clenched teeth. I smiled even bigger and said. "He went with a smile." She rolled her eyes at that, but I saw the corners of her full lips curve upwards for a second. We were having a moment and I was thoroughly enjoying it, even if she was a Slytherin. Of course that was when we heard Filch coming in our direction. Dammit! I'm nicked for sure now.

"My my, someone's been a naughty boy hasn't he?" She asked with a predatorial smile, and why is it turning me on? Before I could answer she pulled me up off of the floor and shoved me into a broom closet. Talk about close, I heard Filch outside the closet.

"Girl! You see one of those damn Marauders come this way?"

"My name happens to be Gabriella Drake and I'm a Slytherin Prefect. Not…girl."

"I don't have time for this. Those unruly brats just broke into the Hufflepuff Tower and had a knicker raid! They'll be expelled for sure this time. Now, have you seen any of them pass this way of not?"

"You need some instruction in proper conversation etiquette squib. However, I was taught properly, so to answer your ruefully asked question, no."

"Are you lying to me girl?"

"Why would I protect a bunch of rule breaking Gryffindors, and if you call me girl one more time, I'll hex you myself."

"Baaa!" Filch grumbled out as he took off in another direction. After a few moments the door opened and the cute blond was giving me one of those looks that Evans always gives James. That was usually followed by a hex being thrown at him. That was when I realized that I must have dropped my wand in the fall. I started to look around for my wand.

"Searching for this," Gabriella asked as she twirled my wand on her free hand. "Or this?" She produced the pair of knickers I nicked earlier and spun it around the end of my wand.

"Hey those are mine," I said as I reached for them. She stepped back out of my reach and put her wand to my throat. Why does she keep doing that to me?

"Well, you're only getting one for now. You will get the other when you properly apologize to that poor girl you stole these from." With a wave of her wand the knickers went from the tip of, my wand, to my head, like it had a life of its own. My wand she dropped down the front of her shirt.

"You take those off and I scream," Gabriella warned me when I went to take it off my head. I really didn't want Filch and any of the professors descending on us. I held up my hands in surrender. So she wanted to take the mickey out of me, can't begrudge her that. It's not like I can't take them off later. I never saw her cast the sticking charm. She's good.

"That's a good boy," She teased in a voice like she was talking to a family pet. Oh, if you only knew. "Now, I'm gonna escort you back to your common room, just so you don't get into anymore trouble."

"Your letting me go?" I really need to learn to not look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Sure, why not," She said with a shrug, as we started down the hall. I reveled in my good fortune, as we continued in silence. That was until my curiosity got the better of me, plus I like the sound of her voice. Don't ask me why, because it beats the hell out of me.

"Why didn't you turn me over to Filch?"

"And let the first born of the House of Black, be caught by a squib. Oh, the indignity of it all." Sometimes it pays to be a Pureblood.

"Kind of cheeky for a Slytherin."

"How would you know? Your lot doesn't associate with us, we being evil and all."

"That goes both ways darlin. Your lot doesn't exactly bellow out welcome you know."

"Perhaps you just need to listen better." I stop and look at back at her. There was something in her voice that caught my attention.

"Maybe I will."

"Well, that just makes my day sunshine and lollypops," She said trying to make light of the direction the conversation was going. I'm not exactly known for having deep thoughts, but my gut told me to not let this go. I take step towards her and into her personal space. She had a lot of defenses up and I needed to keep her of balance if I wanted an honest answer.

"Why are you really helping me?" I ask her. She took a step towards me and closed the gap. There is intensity in her eyes. She's not backing down to my intrusion into her domain, letting me know she won't be unnerved by me. It would be really irritating if it wasn't for the fact that she smelled so damn good.

"It's kind of hard to be intimidated when you have a pair of knickers on your head," She said in an amused voice. I take a step closer and she holds her ground defiantly.

"You think I'm not dangerous?"

"Oh, I know your dangerous Black. Only a fool would believe you weren't, with all the stunts that you and your friends pull off. Though most of them are childish and idiotic in nature, like tonight, it doesn't change the fact that you invaded another house and fooled an enchantment that was cast by Rowena Ravenclaw herself. If you put that creative mind of yours to something more productive there is nothing you could not accomplish." She took one last step into me and I could feel the warmth of her breath on my cheek as she leans in and whispered in my ear. "But if you ever try to nick my knickers. This will never function properly again." I felt the tip of her wand on my boys. She raised her eye brows as a warning and a challenge. She really shouldn't give me goals. I am a Marauder after all.

Sirius didn't even realize that he was sitting on the floor. He reluctantly was pulled back into the present by a bright light from the end of the hallway. Slowly it got bigger and brighter, until he had to squint to look at it.

The silvery Patronus of a big Grim stood next to him and licked his cheek. A soft voice he hadn't heard in over seventeen years spoke in a loving whisper. "I've missed you Siri."

"I've missed you too Luv," Sirius said as he reached out to touch it, but it dissolved into nothing before he could.

Malfoy and Greyback were dragged into Voldemort's Throne Room and dropped at his feet. He looked down on them with disgust. They were once very promising Death Eaters, but now they had proven to be just another disappointment. It seemed that most of his truly gifted Death Eaters had died in the previous war, or had rotted away for so long in Azkaban that they lost what they once were.

The exception to that was Bellatrix Lestrange. If anything she had blossomed in the vile place. She held a special place that none have ever been able to or would ever fill. True last year she let the Weasley girl be rescued, but she was one of the few to survive the Shadow Fiend's attack. So many Death Eaters were slaughtered by the beast. That in itself was extraordinary. Her knowledge of Dark Rituals was only surpassed by his own. That alone made her invaluable to him. The wild unconventional sex they had was just a bonus. What would break a common witch's body and mind was mere foreplay to her. His sweet Bella was far from common. She was exceptionally exquisite. He would have to make time to revisit that particular aspect of her servitude very soon.

"Ah Lucius, You survived the pit yet again. Perhaps next time it will be 24 hours instead of just a measly 12." Voldemort taunted. Malfoy showed no reaction to what he said. He knew better than to beg for forgiveness. The Dark Lord was incapable of such a thing. He had failed his master and had been punished for it. To accept the punishment without lowering himself further was something that Voldemort would respect.

"Thank you My Lord for the instruction. I will not fail you again."

"We shall see Lucius, we shall see. And what of you Fenrir, have you also learned the price of failure?"

"Yes My Lord."

"As a whole it wasn't a complete failure. We reclaimed sixty-two percent of our gold. However! The mindless Witches and Wizards that blindly follow that old fool Dumbledore and the idiots at the Ministry should be hiding under their wives skirts in fear of my might. Should they not Bellatrix?" Voldemort added the last part as he saw her enter the room.

"Yes my Lord, they should indeed. You summoned me my Lord?" Bellatrix asked as she bowed to her Master and lover. Her jaw was clinched tight to keep from crying out from the pain of the act of devotion. Voldemort took notice and sighed slightly. He did so love watching how people handled pain.

"Yes Bella we will talk of it later, but first we will hear Lucius explain why I should let him live. Now, weren't my instructions simple enough? Take back what was ours. Kill Ragnok and as many Goblins as possible, leave Gringotts in shambles, take some children to ransom and experiment on. What part seemed difficult to you? You were given a troop of tolls, orcs, and gargoyles to achieve that goal, were you not? Now Rookwood and his team are dead, Potter still has my property, and the Goblins have made an alliance with the Ministry. Crucio!" Malfoy withered under the unforgivable for a full minute, before his master lifted it.

"I-It w-was within my grasp my Lord, but-"

"But he wanted to gain your favor by capturing the Weasley bitch!" Greyback yelled. He wanted to make sure that Malfoy went down for this instead of him. Lucius shot him a venomous glare.

"She was there and you let a sixteen year old witch slip through your fingers." Voldemort snarled at him.

"It was the Shadow Fiend my Lord. It came to her rescue again. It slaughtered the orcs like they were fledglings. We barely escaped with our lives My Lord."

"I find it odd that the beast would come to her rescue a second time," Bellatrix said in an uneasy voice. She had almost lost her life to the beast. If it wasn't for Greyback she would have, a fact he brings to her attention every chance he gets. "And still the supposed greatest werewolf of them all ran with his tail between his legs."

"It was broad daylight woman! In the light of a full moon, I would destroy it."

"That beast has been a thorn in our sides for too long. It must be eliminated," Lucius said.

"There is more to it than that. That little blood traitor reeked of it," Fenrir added.

"I thought it was linked to Bella's half-blooded niece?" Voldemort asked. "Whenever it attacked she was always present. You now say it came to her rescue twice. That is very interesting. It seems that little Ginny Weasley has a protector. Have our spies at Hogwarts keep a keen eye on her. I want her in my possession by the end of the year and with her virtue intact. Also have the dark creatures in the Forbidden Forest to keep a lookout for the beast. If she is linked to it, then it would probably be close by. Perhaps she will be the key to controlling it. Congratulations Lucius, you live yet again. I want a detailed report on what happened today. Bella come and walk with me. We have much too discuss, and I have a present for you."

"Yes my Lord," She said as she followed her master out of the room. They continued down the hall in silence. She knew better than to initiate a conversation with Voldemort. He was the Dark Lord. If he wanted to talk to you, it was for him to decide. She had learned her place long ago. Down a long narrowed stair case they descended into the bowels of the old castle.

"What you did yesterday was foolish Bella." Voldemort voice was calm and void of any emotion. She evoked that to be good sign.

"I let my anger rule my mind and my actions brought shame to myself and your noble cause. I humbly request forgiveness and eagerly await you punishment my Lord."

"Now, now, Bella. We both know standard punishment would only arouse you. Besides I know that it must be very painful for you to even walk. The curse your cousin hit you with was meant to rot away your organs from within. Very old and dark magic, Egyptian I believe. You must have wronged him terribly for him to curse you so venomously."

"It wasn't my cousin that cursed me. It was Potter."

"Now isn't that intriguing? It takes an immense amount of hate directed at the victim for the curse to work properly. It is not a curse one uses in battle, especially when outnumbered. It is a heavy drain on one's magic and leaves you venerable for a short while."

"Had I not recognized the curse, it would most surely had killed me. A few more minutes and I would have been beyond saving."

"He wanted you to die a slow and painful death to be sure. Plus the knowing that you were helpless against your fate, such cruelty suggests it was exceedingly personal. I must confess that I'm curious. Have you ever captured and tortured his mother?"

"No, for a Mudblood, Lily Potter was an exceptional duelist. Back then we were too evenly matched. We clashed a few times; regrettably I could never get the upper hand. Plus Potter was always close by. They were a very lethal duo."

"So where does this need for vengeance come from I wonder?"

"He most defiantly doesn't follow Dumbledore's code of conduct in battle that much is for sure."

"Ha, ha, ha, he is far more deadly than Longbottom could ever hope to be. Ah, old man I do believe that you bet on the wrong boy," Voldemort said more to himself, but Bellatrix heard every word. She was sure this had to do with the Prophecy. "I believe I've finally found a worthy adversary. He has positioned his players very well. We have lost our hold over the Mystery, our funds have been constricted and the public has found their backbone, and all in the span of a single day. The first battle unfortunately has gone to him, but we shall learn from what transpired today. When next our sides clash the outcome will be very differently my young opponent. For what you have taken, I shall reclaim, and what you cherish will be mine to destroy." He was so lost in thought that he had forgotten that his most loyal servant was beside him. His mind was a hundred places at once. He need time to rebuild his fallen troops, and this time he would be properly training them. Intel on Potter and Black would be the highest priority. He stopped at Lab 5 and released the wards that he had personally placed on the room. Bellatrix knew that whatever laid on the other side of the door was of the highest security. She took much pride in the fact that her master trusted her with such a thing. With a wave of his hand the door open on its own accord. What awaited her was not what she expected.

"Ah Wormtail, for a mediocre wizard at best, you have succeeded where my most promising followers have failed. You may choose from Rookwood's stock of cultivated harlots. Consider it a gift for faithful and competent service. Your Lord always rewards those that have not failed him. Also bring another for Bella, she shall need an assistant for the task I have for her."

"Yes my Lord, I live to serve your greatness," Peter said as he put down the book he was reading. He bowed his head to him, never daring to meet his gaze. Bellatrix looked at the pudgy man with disgust. His cloths were covered in dirt and mud. He was sporting some very nasty looking cuts and several bruises. He belonged in a sewer for he truly was a rat. Pettigrew smiled at her in a mocking tone and it took all of her self-control not to curse him. Voldemort paid no attention to them as he circled the table that housed a dead body under a ratty old sheet. Bellatrix noticed the gleam in his eyes as he did so. It was like a child on Christmas morning.

"Why would I need the services of a wanton whore if you wish me to make another Inferius My Lord?" Bellatrix asked him, but the man just shook his head.

"No, no, no, Bella, I have an army of those. What I have planned for him is much more creative than that, and her field of expertise will soon become very apparent. Let me introduce you to…well what we are about to embark on has yet to be given a name. If you are successful, I'll let you name it. For now, let me reintroduce you to Lord James Potter." Voldemort announced with a flair for the dramatic that would have made Gilderoy Lockhart proud. He pulled the sheet off the table to reveal the corpse of the said man.

A preserving charm must have been placed on him, for he was in good shape for a man that had been dead for sixteen years. If she would have to hazard a guess, she would put her gold on Remus Lupin. Werewolf he may be, it made him no less a gifted Wizard.

"What am I suppose to do with this dead Blood Traitor my Lord?" Lestrange asked as if she had the taste of something foul in her mouth.

"All in good time sweet Bella, all in good time. For now concentrate on regenerating his body. It is imperative that all his organs work properly. If nothing else that must come to pass." The tone of his voice made it clear that failure would not be tolerated. She noticed that he was twirling the ring they used to bring him back on his finger. With that he left Lestrange and Pettigrew with the dead Lord Potter. Bellatrix took a long breath to center herself. She had a feeling it would be a long time before she would see the light of day. She snapped her head at Pettigrew and snarled.

"Before you go off to soil that unfortunate strumpet, I have work for you to do. Fetch me some parchment and a quill you imbecile. You're going to get me everything on this list or I will make you little broom rot off." Bellatrix scorned Peter. He quickly returned with what she ordered. She quickly wrote down what she would need to start off with.

"Be gone worm!" She yelled at him, as she shoved the parchment into Peter's hands and the little vermin scurried from the room. Glad to be rid of him, the evil Witch started to circle around her new pet project.

"Well Jimmy, may I call you Jimmy? I guess it doesn't really matter now does it? Even rotting as you is, you're a sight better company that that traitorous little rat, wouldn't you say?" Bellatrix paused for a moment as if she had expected him to answer. She was met with deafening silence.

"Right you are Jimmy, right you are. We are going to get along famously. Just as long as you remember who the head-bitch-in-charge is. Now I know that you Potters like that exotic redhead type, but some traditions were made to be broken. I understand young men like to sow their oats, but to actually marry some low class Mudblood skank? I am somewhat disappointed in you." Again she was met with silence.

"Yes I'm sure she let you do many scandalous things to her. But a Mudblood will always pale in comparison to a Pureblood in the bedroom." *******

"Of course I forgive you. I am a very compassionate woman…" And so Bellatrix continued her one-sided conversation with a dead man deep into the night.

They all followed Harry into a large empty room. On the far side of the room was a large seven foot cabinet with about a hundred runes protruding from the doors. Around it was a white circle. A boundary of some sort Hermione theorized. Not too far off was a large pensieve.

"Don't cross the white line, it's warded," Harry warned as he walked up to the cabinet. He cut his thumb and started to rapidly touch some of the runes with it. Once his blood touched it the runes glowed and sunk into the door. A loud click sounded and acknowledged that the lock was disengaged. The huge doors opened up to revile hundreds of small vials. Harry pulled out of his pocket the elegant looking vial and put it with a large number of similar looking vials.

Ginny recognized it immediately as the one Sahsa had given to him earlier that day. She felt a twinge of annoyance but pushed it away. Like Lily had told her, everyone has a past. Passion and desire they had in abundance. Even after what he had said and done today, she knew that trust had to be cultivated slowly if it was to stand the test of time. It was a fragile thing, and could easily be shattered. Once gone, it a rarity to truly be reclaimed. He had never done anything for her to doubt his intentions. She may not have understood their relationship, but she had to respect it if they were going to make a go of this. Trust was a two-way street after all, and this was the first step in earning his as well. So for now she would let it go.

"Okay, I suppose we could tell you, but I think your own eyes should do that for us. This is a pensieve. Does anyone know what it does?" Harry asked them. Hermione's hand shot up in an instant. Harry fought back a hardy laugh. "We're not in class Hermione. Just shout them out if you know the answer."

"Trust me mate you don't want her shouting," Ron warned him. Hermione face turned red with embarrassment. Parvati came to her rescue and hit Ron in the back of his head.

"Ow! I didn't mean it like that."

"It was still bloody funny." Dean laughed out, with Seamus nodding his head in agreement. The girls were glaring at them. Harry guessed that she was the one they were talking about last night.

"Hermione, it's one of those stories that people tend to remember. You have to learn to laugh at yourself; or you'll end up in a straight-jacket. So let me be the first to say you have the nicest set of lungs in the school." There was total silence for ten very long seconds as they waited to see what Hermione would do. She narrowed her eyes at Harry.

"How do you get your hair to stand up like that, pee into a light socket?" Hermione asked in a fake sweet voice. Harry was the first to laugh.

"Good one. You rock girl." Harry beamed at her. She gave him a little curtsy, as the rest of them laughed.

"To answer your question, you put memories in it and can view it in a third person perspective." Ginny said. She wanted to get this over with.

"This one's slightly different. The runes that are carved into it are not human in origin. Let's just say it was a gift." Harry paused and looked back at the vial he had just placed in the cabinet. "From a very special and misunderstood species. This one projects it into this room so more than one person can view it, very useful in training."

"That would explain the runes on the walls," Lavender assessed.

"It also lets you see what was out of the person's line of sight. Don't ask me how. I was told not to, but just accept what is, as what is."

"So in theory, you could view the time we were trying on cloths to your heart's content you perv?" Ginny asked.

"In theory yes, in reality I was raised better than that," Harry said indignantly.

"Oh Harry, I was just kidding. I know you would never…YOU GIT!" Ginny saw the grin on his face and knew she had just been played.

"You're so cute when you're eating your new pumps." Harry laughed out then had to dodge a hex.

"Looks like the Tease can dish it out but can't take it," He taunted on the move narrowing avoiding another hex.

"Stand still and take your medicine Potter!" Ginny yelled as she shot three more at him. All of which never found their target.

"How did you learn to dodge like that mate?" Dean asked Harry.

"The hard way," Harry answered still on the move. Hermione went into full Head Girl mode and stepped between them.

"STOP! Honestly, it's like foreplay with you two! We're here for a reason if I recall." She scolded them.

"Sorry, your right. Okay, I think you should know the reason you risked your lives at the Ministry." Harry told them.

"You're talking about that prophecy?" Parvati asked. "We were never told what it said."

"Figures…These memories should tell you everything you need to know about me and why I hate that old man." Harry dropped the contents of one of the vials into the pensieve. They were instantly transported to what looked to be someone's living room. The front door busted open and a small boy dressed like Peter Pan ran into the room, followed closely by Professor Black dressed like Captain Hook.

"MOM! LOOK AT THE HAUL WE GOT THIS YEAR! MOM! MOM!" Harry yelled at a closed door. He looked to be six or seven. His smiling face quickly turned grim. He put his ear to the door. He could hear crying coming from the other side. He turned around and slid his back down the door until he was sitting. The tears that were running down his cheek and the anguish written across his face cut through all the girls' hearts. On the floor leaning against the door on the other side was a young Lily Potter. Photos were scattered around her and she was clinging to an old Gryffindor Quidditch jersey like her life depended on it. It had a Captains patch on it, and the name POTTER could be seen on the exposed back of the jersey.

"Why Padfoot? Why does she cry every Halloween?" Harry sobbed out. Sirius looked sadly at his Godson. He was hoping that she would have been done by the time they had gotten home. This day always hit her hard and he wanted to keep it from Harry as long as possible. By the look of it, that plan was just shot to hell. He slid down the door next to Harry.

"She's just missing your dad Pup. Just you watch she'll be right as rain by morning."

"I'm not stupid you know. Just tell me." Harry puffed out irritably. Sirius signed heavily. He knew this day would come sooner or later. He and Lily spent many long nights discussing this. They both agreed that when he asked they would tell him everything. They wouldn't do to him what Dumbledore did to them. Now the moment has arrived and all he wanted was for him to hold on to his childhood for a little bit longer. "This is about that bad man Voldy something, isn't it?"

On the other side of the door Lily stopped crying and looked over her shoulder. She quickly wiped the tears from her face that was sporting a determined look about it. She got on her knees and opened the door. Harry and Sirius fell through the door into their backs. Lily let out a small laugh before she snatched her son up and gave him a fierce hug. A lone tear traveled down her cheek. It was Sirius that wiped it away this time. She looked up at him and had a silent conversation with Sirius. After a long moment she gave a hesitant nod.

"Luv, I want you to listen very carefully to everything we say, and wait until were finished to ask any questions. Can you promise me that sweetheart?" Lily asked and Harry shook his head that he would. "That's my good little boy. First I want you to know that Padfoot and I love you very much and that none of this is your fault. The blame lies with two powerful old Wizards that think they're gods." Lily told him with a fire in her that Sirius hadn't seen in years. So they told him the sad tale of how his father saved their lives on this very night. They explained about the war and the prophecy, and how it pertained to him. All the while Lily held Harry tightly afraid to let him go. They talked about them going into hiding and lastly their betrayal by a friend.

Ginny wrapped her arms around the present Harry, as she watched his younger self's childhood evaporated. She tightened her grip on him until her's rivaled Lily's on the younger Harry.

"I'm so sorry Luv," She whispered into his neck. Harry held onto to her to show his appreciation, because he didn't trust his voice at the moment. They stayed that way until the memory played out and they were once again in an open room. Harry broke from her and quickly retrieved the memory and locked it in the cabinet.

Hermione went to say something, but Harry cut her off before the words left her mouth. He motioned for Ginny to come over to the pensieve. She took a heavy breath and then did so.

"I'm not sure I can do this Luv?"

"They need to know what the so called righteous have done and how far our enemy will go."

"I don't want you to see that. I wasn't as brave as you think I am. I…I begged her to kill me."

"It changes nothing, but my desire to gut that bitch for ever touching you," Harry told her with complete honesty. She latched on to him and found the strength she needed.

"All right, but I won't stay in here and relive it. I don't want you to either. You already know most of it anyway. I need you to stay close…please?"

"All right, but Ron needs to see what Lestrange did to you." She shook her head violently at what he just asked her. "You need to put your morality aside for a second and think about it. He needs to understand how bad it can get. That memory is the best example of that. I wish it wasn't, but we both know it is." Ginny buried her head into his chest and steadied herself. She didn't like it, but Ginny understood the logic in what he said.

"Okay, but just so you know he won't handle this well," Ginny warned him. She walked over to the pensieve and took a deep breath. Ginny focused on the memories that she wanted them to see and drew them out with her wand. She dropped the memories into the pensieve and bolted for the door, grabbing Harry's hand and taking him with her. Once the door shut behind them the room changed as her first memory started to play out. For the next forty minutes her friends and brother saw what she had to endure for the last couple of years. Her being controlled by the diary and her forced servitude based on a lie. All the times she had been given an attitude adjustment by the man they thought was a true pillar of light, her capture and Neville's cowardice. Then came the worst memory of them all.

Lestrange revealed why the leaders of both side wanted her. Ron attacked the image of his sister's torturer. He passed through her and was forced to accept he couldn't protect his little sister. They saw her rescue and then her recovery. They saw the panther protector that watched over her through it all.

Then the event of today played out. Dumbledore trying to control her, and her fighting back. Her meeting with Dilys, and what happened at Gringotts.

When they emerged from the room, their somber faces looked upon something they never expected to see. Ginny was sitting on the couch, with a panther partially across her. The steady purr of the beast was soothing her nerves as she ran her fingers through its black fur. The last piece of the puzzle was finally in place.

Upon seeing Ginny, Ron collapsed on the floor and screamed out in rage for what his sister had suffered, as an overpowering guilt consumed him. She was his responsibility, he was the older brother, and he failed her terribly. In an instant Harry changed back. Ginny was a blur of red as she flew across the room. Harry stepped between Ron and Hermione. He motioned for everyone to go into the kitchen. Hermione reluctantly complied. She knew that only Ginny could help him through this.

"M-my…fault…job…b-brother." Were the only words that Ginny could make out in between sobs. It broke her heart that he felt responsible for what had happened to her, and at the same time made her love him all the more.

"No Ron! Don't you dare put this on you. You were just a twelve year old boy when it happened. You had three older brothers that didn't see it happening either. It was beyond your control."

"I-I…should have…stayed with you…at the Ministry."

"Then he would have surrendered Hermione to save his worthless arse. They would have killed her, but not before they violated her in every way imaginable. You would never be able to live with yourself if that happened."

"Y-you're my…sister…my job…"

"Remember what Bill always says. What we endure makes us stronger. Learn from the bad and make it a good. I'm the person I am because of what has happened. I like who I am. Yeah it sucked getting here, but I'm here. You're not responsible for what happened. If you need to atone for something, then you stand with me…you fight with me." Ginny told him ferociously.

In the other room they sat in silence. They all felt about twenty years older. It was Hermione that broke the silence.

"You stayed with her through it all. And you saved her life. I can never thank you enough for that. She's like a sister to me." Hermione croaked out. She was barely keeping her emotions in check. Harry gave her a weak smile. The door quietly opened and Ginny helped her brother into the nearest chair. He held onto her hand like it was a lifeline. Ginny pulled a chair so she could sit with him. Ron looked up with a cold rage burning in his eyes. His eyes met Harry's and he understood immediately. It said only one thing. They're all going to die. Harry sent a silent that's a given back to him. An unspoken pack was made between them.

"So, what are we going to do about this?" Seamus asked. Then all eyes looked to Harry.

"The time of the DA is over. It is time for the Marauders to return to Hogwarts. Were not just going to seek justice and win this war. No, were going to change the Wizarding World so this shit never happens again. Now can I get a hell yeah?"

"HELL YEAH!"