Romy and Sirius made it back to the castle in time for the last classes of their day commencing, they both had Defence Against the Dark Arts together. Romy walked in and sat in her normal seat for Alice to sit next to her while Sirius took his normal seat up the back and waited for James. The class was full and ready to start before the rest of the Marauders came in. Romy looked at the door, expecting Alice and Lily but there was no sign of them. Remus walked right by his normal table and spoke to the Professor before taking his seat.

"Ms. Wallace, I believe you should make your way to Professor Dumbledore's office - immediately."

Without a single word or inquiry, Romy collected her things and left. She caught a glimpse of James talking to Sirius quietly. Neither of the boys looked at her as she left. She only knew it had something to do with her two best friends and that terrified her.

When she walked in to Dumbledore's Office, the first thing she noticed was Lily and Frank standing on either side of the chair opposite Dumbledore's. This wasn't good, Romy thought to herself.

"Ah, Ms. Wallace," Dumbledore said as she got closer.

Lily turned to her, her eyes red from crying. When Romy looked at Alice, she was silently sobbing. She bent down and took her friends hand.

"Alice, what's going on?" she whispered.

"Mum and dad..." she choked out. "They're..."

"There was an attack where they worked," Frank said and he didn't have to say another word for Romy to know what had happened.

Alice's parents had been murdered.

"I know you are all here as support but I would like to talk to Alice alone for a moment," Dumbledore told the three standing around the chair. The two girls hesitated but left together, while it took Frank a little longer to leave.

As Lily and Romy left the office, the linked arms, silent tears rolling down their faces.

"What are we going to do Roms?" Lily asked. "She has no other family."

"We'll work something out," she replied. "Me, you and Frank will work something out."

"I just can't believe it. The attacks are getting worse day by day."

"I know."

Romy chewed the inside of her cheek to stop herself from crying even more. All she could think of was Alice and how it could be anyone else next.

X

Later that night, Romy sat in the Gryffindor Common Room, trying to lose her thoughts in her favourite book. She knew it was late because she was the only one in the common room and although she couldn't stop yawning, she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep.

Alice had appeared an hour after the two girls and Frank left Dumbledore's office and went straight to bed with instructions of not going to any classes until she was ready to. After Romy and Lily checking on her every hour for Frank and themselves, Lily decided to go to sleep as well but Romy knew the thoughts in her head would keep her awake another night.

"Hey, you alright?"

Romy looked up from her book to see Sirius walking over to her. She nodded in reply while he sat on the arm of her chair so she could lean in to him. Sirius started to stroke her hair.

"Everything will be okay," he said to her softly and kissed the top of her head. "I promise."

Romy closed her eyes as more tears spilled onto her face and let a sob out.

"I just never expected this, especially to Alice. She doesn't deserve it."

"No one deserves to lose their parents."

Romy considered this and looked at Sirius and compared Alice losing her parents to Sirius losing his. Alice never expected it and she loved her parents and they had loved her back. Sirius chose to leave and she couldn't imagine how hard that must have been for him to realise he was unwanted by the people who were meant to look after him. He deserved parents and people that loved him too. Everyone needs a person to love them in times like this, she thought.

"I love you, Sirius," Romy whispered and although he smiled softly back at her, Romy knew he wanted to grin right back.

"I love you too, Roms."

Short chapter, sorry.

Turn Right by Jonas Brothers