Author's note: Well, I failed my exams and now I've got to retake them – ok, only 3 of them out of 5. But still. I only have time to drop by and post my 11th chapter… No cliffhanger this time, but some questions answered and even more asked; Lily plays Goldilocks, weird encounters happen in the back of the woods, Sirius's guitar makes another appearance, you'll learn all about the Lightening Vespertilio, The Hobbit, and Tom Thumb while the boys learn about hypothermia and Lily hears from Vega about a little shadowy moment of the Blacks' family story… And I'll stop here before I reveal everything that goes on in this chapter. Let's just say that … well, the night isn't over yet.

Oh, and for those who wondered about Mundungus's problems … This one's for you, m'dears :o)

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter and has created the emotion that makes us fanatics write about her fantastic universe. Michael Jackson owns the songs of the Beatles and certainly has got nothing to do with the emotion that goes along with those fantastic music. Just me being pointless and freaky. And the character of Bombastus is a personal tip of my non-existent hat to the French artists Ayrolles and Masbou, authors of the excellent "bande dessinée" (can't say 'comic') called De Cape et de Crocs. It's something brilliant :o)

Hogwarts Original Pranksters' Fantastic First Year

Chapter 11: The Long Night (2/2)

So… what do we do, then?

James had been wondering for a little while already as he cast a worried glance around him. The gleeful and excited feeling that went with their climbing up into the open air had quickly died down, leaving only discouragement and a shadow of fear. It was a little past midnight according to Sirius's wristwatch, and the Forbidden Forest looked much more black and menacing at night-time than it did at daytime, which was saying something. They could not make out much between the dark trunks, and to say the truth, James didn't really want to make out what may be lurking around them.

Didn't Remus once say that vampires used to live there at one point? he wondered with a shudder, thinking about the great hollow-eyed frame that had guarded them. For all in the world he didn't want to bump again in anything of the kind.

"Gee, it's dark around here," mumbled Sirius right next to James, almost in his ear – the three of them didn't go too far from one another. "Pitch-black, I'd say, no pun intended."

Remus shivered as he tightened his scarf around his neck – the cold was much more bitter outside than underground. Then he turned to his two friends, "Has one of you a clue about the direction we should go?" he asked in an unsure voice. The others stared at him in astonishment. Remus didn't know what to do?

"Don't look at me like that!" Remus exclaimed in a rather pitiful tone. "No, I don't know what we should do – I've never set a foot so far into the Forbidden Forest – I don't even have the slightest idea where we are exactly! How am I to know that anyway? I don't have second sight!"

James lowered his head. Seeing the calm and self-confidence with which his friend had handled things earlier, he had almost expected him to guide them without a hesitation to a safer place. He should have known better.

"Don't fret, Rem," said Sirius calmly as he looked up toward the dark sky that was barely lit up by a small, as if shy waning moon. "I don't think any of us has a precise idea as to how we're supposed to get out this mess, but I can tell you one thing. We've got up out together, we'll come back home together."

"If I might say so, Sirius, what you've just said is quite a bit cheesy," said Remus with an ironical smile, but thankfulness in his voice. "But the essential is there. Thanks."

Sirius only gave a shrug as an answer, then, "So we're off, then."

"Off to where?" asked James, still looking around worriedly at the bushes. "And in which direction? Like you've just said, we've got no clue as to the place we want to go to and the direction to take either!"

"How could I possibly know that?" said Sirius, rolling his eyes. "Anywhere but here! What are we to do if the others come waltzing up through that trapdoor?"

"Guys," said Remus calmly, "there's no use in fighting. All the contrary."

"D'you have some other Words of Wisdom like that, Grasshopper?" Sirius finally showed his nervousness through sarcasm. Remus frowned.

"Yes, if you carry on being stupid, Sirius."

"I'm not stupid."

"Whatever. We only have to chose a direction and stick to it – this forest doesn't stretch out infinitely, does it? We'll inevitably end up walking into a populated place or something of the kind."

"If something doesn't walk into us first," muttered James. He was thinking about the stories he'd heard among older Gryffindors, and even some first-years. That there were weird creatures in the Forbidden Forest, centaurs, werew– James felt himself go red in the face. Remus. Quit thinking about that, quit thinking about that …!

"James?"

"What?"

Sirius was eyeing him oddly.

"You're not scared, are you?"

James forced a smile. "Scared? Me? Not at all! Who d'you think I am, honestly?" he said in a voice he managed to keep steady with a slight effort. Remus shot him a sideways look, before taking his wand out of his belt.

"Lumos. We may need this, you know."

"Are you sure it's safe, lighting your wand like that?" said James, edging closer. "It could draw strange things …"

"But it could also indicate we're here," said Sirius, taking his own wand to copy Remus. "If someone bumps into us, they'll be able to help us."

Who could possibly bump into us in the middle of the woods, in the middle of the night? Who or … what? thought James, but he just lit up his mahogany wand as well. In the feeble light, he could see Sirius's cold-reddened nose and the small white haze that came out of his mouth each time he let out a breath, as well as Remus's slight shivers out of cold. Then he made up his mind.

"We could begin by going toward there," he said, taking the lead and walking to a sort of corridor made by a copse of trees squeezed together, as if to keep warm. Remus followed him; the glimmer of his wand added up to James's, producing a light that was a little steadier, gaining more strength when Sirius joined them. The three boys thus walked, very close to each other, almost curled up within this little light that was flickering but reassuring somehow. Nobody uttered one word for a while.

"I know!" cried Tim, snapping his fingers. "I bet it's 'wind'! That's it, isn't it, Lily?"

Lily nodded with a smile, and a vexed moan ran along the armchairs around hers. It was close to midnight, and a number of Gryffindors still were not sleeping. Sitting, slumped, or curled up into the comfy red armchairs of the Gryffindor common room, Lisa Dodger, Tim Thomas, and Fergus Finnigan, joined eventually by Mundungus Fletcher and Arnold Weasley to try and ease off the tension that had been building up for a few hours, were listening to Lily's reading aloud.

There were only three other students left in the room, all sitting at the same table: Nester Seedall bent over a book, running one hand through his blond hair and pushing his glasses up his nose with the other, looking more than half-asleep; the other two were none other than Aymeric Peppery and Heather Hawthorn, immersed in an animated, though low-voiced, conversation about Quidditch. She had her finger pointed on one page of a book, and he was seemingly defending his standpoint in some strategy.

Lily was still reading The Hobbit aloud, but quietly, not wanting Professor McGonagall to turn up and take thirty points or more from Gryffindor. She had reached the chapter Riddles In The Dark, and at each riddle asked by either Gollum or Bilbo, she would stop and let the others think, getting sometimes rather – strange answers.

" '…So this time he tried something a bit more difficult and more unpleasant:

It cannot be seen, cannot be felt,

Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt,

It lies behind stars and under hills,

And empty holes it fills.

It comes first and follows after,

Ends life, kills laughter."

Once more, Lily shut her book, a finger still on her page, and looked up around her to ask, "So, who's got an idea?"

There was a pause, troubled only by the sound of the pages Nester was slowly turning. Mundungus looked thoughtful. " 'Lies behind stairs' … 'fills empty holes' … Sounds like my great aunt Martha, that does."

There was a few muffled laughs among the occupants of the armchairs, then Fergus remarked, scratching the back of his head, "I've got a gnome or two living under my stairs, but can't really say that they kill laughter – they're so ridiculous."

"How come they don't live in your garden, these gnomes?" asked Arnold curiously.

Fergus grimaced, "We've got a jarvey in our garden, but as we can't seem to get rid of it, the few surviving gnomes have sought a shelter under our stairs. My cousin John Patrick laughs at us whenever he pays us a visit – he says that's not classy."

Tim hid a smile behind his hand.

"And they don't cause too much damage, your gnomes?" asked Lily interestedly.

Fergus shrugged. "We keep them from gnawing at the wood by giving them chicken bones, with curry. We must be the family with the biggest curry reserve in the whole neighbourhood."

This time, Tim choked back a laugh. But Lily was more and more interested.

"You know, my sister loves curry – we're never short of it at home."

Lisa stared at her, one eyebrow raised and the other frowning, not saying anything though.

"Couldn't you lend me one for the summer, Fergus? I'm sure Petunia would absolutely love it …"

"I – I don't think," Fergus stammered, "that your parents would appreciate – I mean, it's dirty, noisy when it nibbles at things, wakes you up in the middle of the night, you must always keep an eye on it – it's no joke having to take care of one!"

"Does it crawl to settle in your bed, too?" asked Lily with a smile that could be described as dangerous. Actually she was already delighted thinking about the shriek Petunia could let out as she discovered a gnome in the midst of her impeccable flower-patterned bed sheets.

"You've got yourself an idea," Mundungus snorted. "But don't get used to it. It's still forbidden bringing a magical creature in a house where everybody's Muggle. Not before having a fully-trained witch or wizard in the family anyway."

Lily looked so disappointed that Fergus leaned to whisper something in her ear; after that, a smile dawned on her face as Lisa's frown deepened. Then Mundungus said, as if to shift to a safer subject, "Could you repeat your question, Lily?"

Lily did, and silence came to settle again. It lasted, long enough for Lily to start thinking about the three boys who were probably somewhere outside, shaking with cold, or worse – imprisoned in some gloomy cell by those who had taken them, maybe hurt – she felt herself go pale again. She had had no bit of news since she had left the hospital wing in the afternoon, either about her friends or Snape, and she had been trying for few hours to stop thinking about what could or could have happened. Reading aloud was a good exercise to ease off her mind, but the worry was just too strong to remained ignored for long.

At least, it was useful: Lily was way too anxious to even think of sleeping. Seemed that she'd have no problem holding on through the night. After finishing her book, perhaps she could write to Peter – to explain things, let him know about the situation – she would have much liked having his innocence and droll optimism beside her to reassure her …

The silence lasted until Arnold said, " 'Cannot be seen, cannot be felt, cannot be heard, cannot be smelt' … 'empty holes it fills' … It's darkness, isn't it?"

"Right on target, Arnold," Lily told him with a somewhat nervous smile. "Darkness." Something tells me it's all around them right now …

"Never seen such a dark forest," whispered Sirius next to James, almost startling him. They seemed to be walking silently for hours – which must actually be the case. Despite several pauses of various lengths, the forest appeared to stretch on endlessly. It had been three and a half in the morning last time Sirius had checked his watch, but it seemed to long ago …

"Looks like everything's black here," he continued on – "the moss, the tree trunks, even the sky up there. I feel like a pebble forgotten by Tom Thumb."

"What's that story?" James asked curiously, trying to ignore the hungry growl in the pit of his stomach. Sirius looked scandalised.

"What?! You don't know Tom Thumb, the Ogre, the Boots of Seven Leagues, and all that?"

"Sorry, I don't," said James, feeling offended. "Another Muggle thing, is it?"

"Once upon a time," said Remus is a low voice before Sirius could answer, "there was this Muggle countryman and his wife who had seven sons, the seventh so small he was called Tom Thumb. The problem was, they were so poor they couldn't feed the whole lot of them – so one day, the parents decided to abandon the children in the nearby forest, in order not to see them starve to death."

"Merlin's beard!" James exclaimed. "Those Muggles are mad."

As Sirius looked about to protest, Remus continued on, "But Tom Thumb had heard his parents talk. So he got up and went outside to fill his pockets with little white pebbles. Thus, the next morning, as the parents took the children to the deepest of the forest, he would drop one every ten meters, to find his way back. As a result, after the parents left, the seven kids only had to follow the bright pebbles all the way back home."

"He must've really filled his pockets, your Tom," James quipped. Remus shook his head, careful not to trip against a root.

"Wait, it's not over. Of course, the parents were so glad to see their sons again that they didn't talk about the forest for a while. But since they were still starving, few days after that, they did it again. And Tom heard them talk once more and he meant to go outside to pick pebbles again; only this time, the door was locked, and he couldn't get out.

"The next morning he used little bits of the piece of bread the parents had given each, but when it was time to follow them to go back home, he realised the birds had eaten everything and –"

Remus was cut short by a weird noise, like a yelp, coming from the bushes. Three pairs of eyes turned slowly in that direction, but nothing moved, aside from a few, for the moment lone snowflakes that had started to fall. Heart pounding, the three boys held their breath.

"Maybe we should go this way," whispered Sirius hoarsely, pointing to the direction opposite to the noise. James and Remus nodded.

They walked in silence for a while, not daring to open their mouth. The trees were still as dark, and the faint light of their three joined wands allowed them only to not catch their feet in the thick ferns. And if there were just ferns … Strange plants that they didn't remember ever studying in Herbology class crawled around tree trunks that were sometimes three men large, and they sank ankle-deep into wet, dark moss. Snowflakes were growing more frequent.

"Wonder what kind of animals can actually live in here," muttered James as he rooted his foot out of the little hole of frozen mud where he'd accidentally walked.

"You sure you want to know?" said Sirius sarcastically, but still in a low voice. James thought for a second, then shook his head.

"Remus, the children end up lost forever in the forest, do they?"

"No, don't worry," said Remus with a small smile, albeit slightly nervous. "They wander in the forest for a few hours, escape a pack of wolves, then run into a house in the depths of the woods –"

"Shsh!" Sirius cut in a voice that sent shivers up James's neck. "D'you hear that?"

He had frozen, muscles stiff; the hand that held the wand was visibly shaking. James and Remus tried to not let out a breath, not move an inch by fear of breaking a twig. The falling snow seemed to deaden each sound under a white – or rather night blue – cover. After some seconds of silence and stillness that appeared endless, James walked a few feet apart, slowly, cautiously, to finally make out a figure moving, silent as a shadow, between trees.

"Looks human enough to me," James breathed to the other two who followed suit. "Wonder where they're going …" A crazy idea crossed his mind and he added on the same tone, "Why not follow him?"

Sirius started and an alarmed expression flickered in Remus's blue grey eyes, but next moment the two friends fell in step right behind him without more hesitation.

The creature – whatever it could be – seemed to have no difficulty whatsoever slipping through the darkness, dodging trees and thick roots; on the other hand, the three boys had to struggle against various branches and ferns that made them trip or whipped their faces. But James would not give up. Fine as it was, they did have a thread that could perhaps – perhaps – lead them to something which could resemble a populated area; and then curiosity was starting to take over fear.

James was walking slightly ahead of the others, and so was the first into a tiny sort of clearing. He wiped melted snow off his face and realised it was no longer falling; looking up, he saw a sort of shelter made of tightly intertwined tree branches, a few feet above his head. This shelter looked rudimentary, but some magical trick was enough to keep it in place and protected the small tree-free space.

It was still as cold, but at least the snow was not falling anymore.

"Wonder who can have cast such a spell," whispered Remus beside him. He was standing beside a tree with Sirius, and James joined them there. "Look: even the holes between the twigs have been filled in. The one who's done this must be a good wizard."

"I do feel like climbing up to see how this thing's fitted out," said Sirius, squinting up.

"It's certainly a trap, Sirius," said Remus reproachfully. "Surely the owner has not drawn us to here by chance?"

"Maybe he didn't spot us," Sirius retorted, eyes still raised. "Maybe he didn't even lingered here … I'd really like to go up there."

"Sirius, I'm warning you –" began Remus, raising his tone, but Sirius wasn't listening to him – he had already gone to a tree that looked nice, James on his heels. The two looked at each other, then gripped once their wand in their hand before slipping it in their belt at the same time.

Remus sighed disapprovingly, rolled his eyes, but eventually followed them.

Sirius was a good climber, and James and Remus were somewhat toiling behind him. James had almost never climbed to a tree before, and he cursed silently as he puffed and grazed his hands against the frozen bark. But then, he wasn't going to let Sirius go up there all alone, was he? Remus had just said that fighting would be no use whatsoever, parting would surely do no good either. In the books, it was always when heroes parted that a danger fell upon them without a warning. So …

James's argument was cut short. Something coming from the right hit him suddenly with such a strength and violence that, his breath taken, he let go of the little twig he grasped and fell backwards. He only had the time to see Sirius's panic-stricken face above him, to hear Remus's anguished cry, then an intense pain shot through his back, a red veil passed in front of his eyes and the world went black.

"Are you completely nutters or something? You could've killed him, you mad … public menace – Blast-Ended Skrewt – dragon's dang – bloody idiotic old –"

What Sirius added to the end of his diatribe would normally have set James's teeth on edge. But given the fact that the boy was still barely half-conscious, the only movement he was able to realise was to screw up his eyes already shut. Which didn't go unnoticed from everybody.

"James! Are you all right?"

James, opening his eyes with some difficulty, was starting to make out the blurred lines of Remus's face, which from initial concern changed rapidly to relief.

"How many fingers do you see?"

James didn't have his glasses on. "Red."

Remus patted his cheek with a sardonic smile, nodding, "You look fine to me."

James blinked, and sat up with Remus's help. He didn't seem to have broken any bone and was feeling less woozy already. "What happened?" he asked after a second, squinting around for his glasses.

Remus glanced around, "This guy bumped into you – actually, he leapt on you, and you fell on your back into the snow from something like four or five feet high. There, here're your glasses."

"Thanks."

One of James's glasses' lenses was cracked, but remembering a spell that his mum had used once to fix a crack in a window, he took his wand and said 'Reparo'. Soon there was no sign of breaking on his glasses, and he could clearly distinguish Sirius who was making large arm gestures and pouring forth insults, each one more inventive than the next, upon a strange man – a head shorter than Remus, clad in long, dirty, and torn robes of a dark blue or dubious-looking violet, he was wearing high stripped red and white socks and a pointy hat vaguely reminding of those worn at Hogwarts, but which was a colour mingled with old green and dark blue. His eyes were almost hidden behind huge thick-rimmed spectacles. Judging by his small, roughly trimmed pointy white beard he must be rather old, but for all that he did not act timidly or quietly – actually he was endlessly gibbering and waving, comically mirroring Sirius.

"Hey, easy down there! What's happening? Sirius, who's this guy?"

The strange character turned in one swift motion to James who had just gotten up and he frowned under heavy, bushy eyebrows, "Young man, I'll have you know that 'this guy' as you ever so politely put it should very much like to know as well why you are here and what you are doing at his place, in the middle of the night, without any invitation of sorts! For what the three of you were about to do has quite a simple name – 'forcible entry' – and I'd also like to hear your version of the facts, provided that it is sensible and believable! Are you aware that you are thus liable to a heavy penalty according to the Magical Law? Or perhaps you are not wizards – in which case I –"

"Whoa! Hang on!" cried James, drowned in the flood of words. "We can explain –"

"Are you Muggles, or not?"

"No, but –"

"Very well. In this case I'll refer to the Magical Law of 1956 which I consulted quite recently, article 1805, paragraph V, section 15 ½, which stipulates clearly that –"

"Well I'll refer to common sense which stipulates clearly that launching at someone and make him fall six feet high it's murder attempt!" bellowed Sirius, red with anger – he was almost fuming in the cool air.

"Wait a minute – 1956?" said Remus curiously. "Last time the Law was amended was more recent than that, though …"

"How long ago?" barked the little old man.

"Well, given that we're in December 1969, that'd be –"

"Thirteen years, four months," grumbled the little man, obviously thinking about something else entirely, "and fifteen days, if I have my calculations right. Gadzooks, how time flies …" He turned away from the three boys and ran a hand into his hair under his hat. "What is the best Quidditch broomstick mark today?" he asked in a lower voice.

"Nimbus thousand," answered James without a trace of hesitation. "It's two years old, but the best broom in the world."

"Have you used it before?" said the old man suspiciously.

The situation – three eleven-year-old boys discussing broomsticks with a little old man, while shivering with cold – was getting slightly surreal, but James kept his composure to answer, "No, my parents wait for me to play Quidditch at school … and as we're only first-years –"

"School?" cried the strange character. "Could it be that you are students at Hogwarts, by any chance?"

"Yes," Remus said, "the three of us are."

A huge smile unveiled three teeth planted in the lower jaw.

"My friends!" cried the small wizard. "My dear young friends – forgive my rudeness – I have, myself, studied at Hogwarts, a very long time ago … But allow me to introduce myself: Bombastus Maximilianus Freidrich Horatius Von Ulm, great great great great grandson of Bombastus Johannes Teophrastus Almagestus Wernher Von Ulm himself! I was thus named in tribute to my illustrious ancestor, who wrote the famous De Revolutionibus orbium caeslestium Libri VII and invented the Lightening Vespertilio!

"An inestimable Muggle in his contribution to the progresses of mankind."

The three friends looked at each other with puzzled, astonished expressions; they remained silent for a few seconds.

"Er … Very interesting, sir," said eventually Sirius, looking sceptic. "And what's that exactly, your Lying Vesper-thingy?"

"Lighte-ning Ves-per-ti-lio!" repeated Bombastus patiently. "I can understand the fact that children like you know naught of this revolutionary invention, but I'll simply let you know that it was opening a way to all the wildest dreams – for the Muggles, at any rate – the way into the skies! Indeed, long ago – three hundred and fifteen years, to be precise – my Muggle ancestor created a flying machine from the propulsion system 'Cui Vacui Fauces', thanks to which he could, for a brief but glorious moment, rise up into the airs!"

"And his system worked?" asked Remus, wide-eyed. James wondered for a second if Remus had actually understood what the wizard was talking about. He was informed when his friend turned a puzzled expression to him, one eyebrow raised, as if to say 'Do you understand anything?'

"Why yes! Do you realise – a mere Muggle, three hundred and fifteen years ago and without any sort of magical help, flew! But you see, I resumed his works and inserted rudiments of gravitational and levitational magic, in order to offset the lack of force of propulsion at take off and keep the sextant steady once up into the air."

"Uh … which means?" asked James, lost.

But Remus snapped his fingers; he had just understood something. "You used broomsticks to make your engine fly, did you?"

"Excellent, young man!" cried the little wizard with the delighted air of a teacher who, having asked a particularly tough question, heard his best student answer it properly. "That's precisely it. I've got here three magical brooms that I mixed with my machine – the help they bring for the steadiness and glide is extremely precious …

"Unfortunately, I still have a few small problems to sort out. Like the actual take off, for instance. But it will come, it will come!"

James had a vague impulse to go and see this machine in spite of him. It must be worth the look at, be it only because of the broomsticks! A glance shot at Remus told him that his friend looked like he wanted to give it a go, as well. But Sirius looked less and less patient.

"Eh, guys – not that I really want to interrupt your scholarly conversation, but I'm cold, it's night-time, and all I want to do right now is to go back to our common room and collapse near the fireplace. Don't you?"

"Sirius's right," whispered James to Remus. "We should try and see where we are exactly."

"Maybe he knows that," Remus whispered back, pointing discreetly at Bombastus. "We could ask him, don't you think?"

"Quite. But you ask."

"Why me?"

"Why not you?" said Sirius with a merciless grin. Remus sighed, then turned back to the small wizard.

"Excuse me, mister … Mr Bombastus?"

"Yes, dear boy?" said the scientist as he turned swiftly to face the threesome.

"It's not that we don't value your companionship, sir, on the contrary, but – we're a little cold and we'd very much like go back to Hogwarts. Do you have an idea about the direction we should take?"

Bombastus ran his right hand over his unshaved shin, looking thoughtful. "Why, of course!" he finally exclaimed. "I understand you – it is true that temperatures tend to fall significantly at night fall, these days. Besides …" He seemed to get out of his little world and stared at the three of them, each in turn, frowning slightly, "Besides it is truly inappropriate that Hogwarts students should wander about the forest at this hour in the night! Do you realise that it is four in the morning?"

"It's – it's a really long story, sir," James stammered. The situation was getting really absurd – suddenly he felt like being caught out by a teacher. "So, is the school that far? Could you go with us?"

A silence again; Bombastus squinted behind his thick glasses. "Take straight ahead up to the great dead stump, then to the left. When you reach the broom-shaped tree, you'll go straight again, then to the right at the next crossroads – there you'll find the edge of the Forbidden Forest, and the castle'll be right in front of you, with the lake far by your right. You'd better go right now, or else you'll walk in the snow.

"Well, I'm going back to my machine … I'm afraid I have way too much work to accompany you, and I regret it. Good luck to you, my young adventurers, and to our next meeting!"

And with a little popping noise he was gone, leaving the three boys unmoving and astonished for a while.

Silence reigned for a few seconds before they gave themselves a shake.

"The guy's barking mad," said Sirius, taken aback.

"Letting us down like that while we don't even know what may be lurking about – and, oh boy – do you remember his directions?" stuttered James, very worried all of a sudden.

"Don't panic," said Remus in a would-be reassuring sort of voice. I've got a good memory – straight ahead, great stump, left, a broomstick-shaped tree, straight again, the first on the right, and then the castle."

James let out a slight relieved sigh. Sirius frowned. "Well, since we've got nothing else to do … You sure, Rem?"

Remus nodded. "Quite sure. You can trust my sense of direction."

There was a short pause, long enough for him to tighten the fasteners of his cloak – which (James noticed it) were made of a material other than silver, though it was grey too. Of course, since he's a w … oh, stop it!

"We trust you, Remus," said James; then, realising there was a little too much emotion than he'd meant to express, he added airily, "We put our lives into your hands, pal."

Remus shot him a brief look, lit up by a smile that shone in the blue grey eyes. "Thanks, James."

The threesome lit up their wands and walked into the woods. The snow hadn't stopped – it was even thicker than it had been the moment they had entered the clearing, and each one drew his hood to cover his face. The cloaks, however, did not keep them from slowly getting soaked to the bone.

"Getting better all the time," muttered James, shivering. Sirius let out a snort.

"Couldn't get much worse, you mean."

James gave a chuckle, then, a few silent seconds later, "Remus," he whispered, "what happens next in your story?"

Remus rubbed his frozen hands together to warm them and asked, his teeth chattering slightly, "W– where had I s– stopped?"

"Little house in the woods," said Sirius. He, too, was shaking like a leaf.

"Ah … all right. So …Tom Thumb and his brothers run into this house lost in the deepest of the forest. They knock at the door, and a handsome, richly dressed woman half opens only to tell them to clear off. They beg, they insist, so much and so long that she finally feels pity for them and opens to give them something to eat. The problem is, she's married to an ogre …"

"An ogre?" James said with a tired smile.

"Yes, James, an ogre. And the meanest, most cruel, and hungry one of the country."

"Those poor Muggles … always have to have the wrong idea of magic, don't they?"

"Shut up, James! I'm listening here!"

"You shut up, Sirius. I was only trying to warm myself."

"Can I continue with the story now?" Remus shook his head, smiling. "Very well. So they must eat double quick before the ogre – who's gone out for food – comes back. But he returns earlier that day and the woman hides the children in the big chest in the kitchen …"

Remus went on relating as they slugged on through the night. As he listened to his friend's voice, Sirius muttered an occasional oath under his breath against the mad old wizard who'd let them wander through the Forbidden Forest without thinking for one second that something could happen to them, something like bumping into some weird beast – or freeze to death, he thought with a grim inner laugh.

As for James, the headache that came right after his fall from the tree had worsened and he could barely feel an ounce of warmth when he blew into his fingers to warm himself up. The only glove he had being the right, his left hand was red and painful; but then again, it may be better this way, as the danger was total numbness. He had heard adults talk of the dangers of cold, but currently cursed himself for not being able to recall a spell to keep him or the others warm.

"… And the ogre starts sniffing about, while his wife swears blind that there's no such thing in the room as the smell he's describing. The ogre tries to dig through his memory to put a name on that peculiar odour, that is oh, so delicious, rich, perfumed, fresh and peppery as a spring's morning … 'It smells,' he growls, 'it smells … it smells like …' "

Remus has a neat way of telling stories, thought James as he looked over at his friend's pale, tired, but smiling face; the chill was drawing red shapes on the thinness of his cheeks, but the blue grey eyes wore their usual light. James found himself waiting for the rest of the story with his guts slightly clenched.

" 'It smells … It smells like warm young flesh!' "

Sirius gave a start in spite of him as James stiffened. Remus glanced at them, and began to laugh softly. "I say, when you listen to a story you have a way of really getting into it."

"And you do have a way of telling it!" retorted James with a smile that failed to quite reach his dark eyes. He felt more and more numb with cold, and he had the unpleasant feeling that tiredness was slowly turning his feet into lead. Remus gave him a curious look as Sirius rubbed his nose that the cold reddened. Without a word, almost without so much as taking a glance at him, the latter had instinctively laid his arm on James's shoulders, as if it could be enough to keep the cold at bay.

"Hey Jamsie," he said detachedly, as they reached the 'broom-shaped tree' which they really couldn't miss, "want my left glove? Looks like you could use it."

Normally James wouldn't have thought for one second – it would have been a flat and instant no. But right now … James was proud, but he wasn't stupid. And he was indeed really cold.

"Ok, Sirius," he said, teeth chattering freely. "Thanks very much."

"Not at all, mate," said Sirius as he handed him the woollen glove. "Normal thing, yes? Eh, Remus – can you go on, please? I like your way of telling stories."

"Well, I have an amount of experience in the matter," muttered Remus with a small grin. "So, the ogre jerks the chest open and discovers the kids huddled together in there. Of course he goes mad and orders his wife to feed them, and to make them have some rest for their flesh to be tender and crunchy the morning after when he roasts them."

"Er, Rem … spare us the details, will you."

"Fine. The thing is, the ogre and his wife have seven daughters. Seven little ogresses, like their dad. And they all wear little crowns on their round heads. And the boys are made to sleep in the same room as them …"

James was only half listening now. He wasn't even hungry anymore. His glasses were covered with snow and he felt a throbbing, increasing pain in the back of his head. His soaked clothes – cloak, robes, and the jeans, jumper and shirt he wore underneath – weren't enough to keep the heat of his body and he shivered in the cool breeze. He was sometimes tripping almost unknowingly, and he'd have fallen already without Sirius's arm around his shoulders.

As he talked in a low voice, Remus remained watchful, stealing a concerned glance at his friends from time to time while struggling as well to keep his own heat inside. Something that he'd had to learn as a little child, that seemed natural to him. But what with the wetness and the still falling snow, he knew perfectly well that he didn't stand a bigger chance than the others if they didn't reach quickly a warm and dry place.

"Now in the dead of night, there goes the ogre, dead drunk, with the idea of cooking himself a little midnight bite. Tom Thumb isn't sleeping, unlike his brothers who've all eaten a lot at dinner. As he can't seem to be able to wake them up, he takes in ultimate panic his brothers' caps and trades them for the crowns of the sleeping little ogresses, hoping that – James!"

James had stumbled again – it was one time too many. This time, his weakened body relaxed suddenly, and he collapsed. Sirius only had time to tighten his grip to catch him before he hit the ground.

"Jamsie! Blimey, Jamsie – talk to me, say something!"

But this time, James didn't answer. His face paler than Remus's, his closed eyelids a bluish shade, the boy's breathing was so faint that the other two could barely see the little cloud of haze coming from his mouth. He was totally still.

"James!" cried Remus, tapping his cheeks. "Don't you sleep, you must stay awake! You have to stay awake, James!"

Sirius hauled him up against his shoulder, gripping his arm to keep him upright. "C'mon, Jamsie. That's no time for sleeping, mate. Get up now, you don't even have your stripped pyjs on! Where d'you think where are here, in bed? Wake up! James!"

Sirius's voice pitched upwards. He was scared – a deep, gut-twisting fear. A fear that was much greater than the one he had experienced underground, surrounded by the Voice and Belegaer. A fear that was almost greater than any he'd ever experienced before.

"James!" he screamed in a hoarse, terrified voice. "Come back!"

James's eyes moved slightly behind his bluish lids and he let out a faint moan. Remus and Sirius heaved an enormous sigh of relief.

"That's good, James, open your eyes now," encouraged Remus as he chafed vigorously his friend's arms and torso with his own hands numbed with cold. "We're here for you and we don't mean to go anywhere else without you. Focus on my voice. Can you hear me?"

James gave an imperceptible nod, his eyes still shut.

"You have to open your eyes, Jamsie," said Sirius, his voice sounding less panicked but still just as hoarse as it had been. "And to keep them open, too. Go on, I bet three Chocolate Frogs that you can do it. Ready?"

The two eyelids lifted slowly, heavily, unveiling a pair of dark green, almost black eyes that looked exhausted and totally lost.

"We have to speak to him constantly," said Remus to Sirius, who lifted him a little higher with a shaking hand. "He must not fall asleep. Or else …"

Sirius really didn't need Remus to draw him a picture. He nodded.

"Hey Jamsie, what d'you think we'll tell the teachers, eh? D'you think we should tell them all about the agate? And about the Old One, Belegaer, the Voice and all that?"

"We can't be much far from the castle now," said Remus reassuringly. "Here're the 'crossroads' Bombastus was talking about; after that we'll go to the right, then straight ahead to the edge of the forest."

"About time. Jamsie, m'boy, you ought to be put on a diet, I tell you. You're way too heavy for my opinion and – whoa!" Sirius stopped short when he felt James go limp again. "Oh no, no, no! No way, Jamsie. 'Specially now."

"Don't fall asleep, James," Remus implored. "Do stay awake. I swear we're not that far now."

"Hey, Rem … Remus?"

James had raised his head and half opened his eyes.

"Yes?" said Remus, huge relief in his voice.

"Can you … Could you continue, please? What … what happens … next?"

Remus smiled. "Well, as Tom had managed to swap the caps for the crowns, the ogre comes in completely canned, and he – he kills his own daughters instead of the boys."

Sirius winced disgustedly; James shuddered.

"Nice s … story."

"Quite so, James … like most of fairy tales. So shortly after that, Tom Thumb wakes up his brothers for good and they sneak out. Of course, when the ogre realises he's killed his children, he goes into a wild rage –"

"You bet."

"Sirius … And he puts on his Boots of Seven Leagues to find the boys. Those are magical boots that help you make three-miles steps."

"We c…could as well use … use them now, c… couldn't we Rem?"

"You said it, James. Well, he's eventually tired, and so he sits under a tree for a nap and instantly falls asleep. That's where the boys run into him by chance –"

Remus stopped once more. Head raised and eyes wary, his body still shivering, he stared around for a minute. Sirius, still supporting James, remained unmoving, observing the woods behind Remus. The two of them stood there in watchful silence, back against the other's back. James struggled hard to just about keep his eyes open; his head was heavy in the hollow of Sirius's shoulder, and the latter could barely feel his friend's raw breathing against his neck.

"I'm – here for you, g – guys. Not g – going 'nywhere without y – you."

Remus glanced swiftly behind him, his eyes intensely bright. Sirius tapped James's woollen-gloved hand with his wand hand, giving a nervous, but amused, moved laugh.

"Jamsie, you're really something else, y'know."

Suddenly Sirius pricked his ears to the left – a sound of shifting leaves and crackling snow had caught his attention. Still grasping James's wrist with his left hand, he took out his wand with the right, while Remus gripped his own wand in his trembling hand so tight that his knuckles went white.

The noise was creeping closer.

Sirius's breathing was getting quicker and quicker, more and more uneven. He was terrified. God knows what could go bursting through these bushes, he thought. And I'm ready to bet everything that it can't be good … Oddly enough, the only thing that saved him from total panic, that almost reassured him, was the soft sound of James's heart which he felt racing against his right shoulder. Faint, irregular beating, quick as a wounded bird's heart's – but meaning that James wasn't giving up just yet. He was still fighting, with all the might he had left. Sirius's grip tightened around his friend's wrist. Hold on, mate. I'm here for you too, and I'm not letting you go.

"It's coming toward us," breathed Remus in a hoarse whisper. "It's coming closer."

Any hope to see the shadow leave went up in smoke when the footsteps stopped suddenly, only to start again, straight in their direction.

It was only when it came a few feet away from the threesome that they recognised the huge figure.

" 'Of course!' said Gandalf. 'And why should not they prove true? Surely you don't disbelieve the prophecies, because you had a hand in bringing them about yourself? You don't really suppose, do you, that all your adventures and escapes were managed by mere luck, just for your sole benefit? You are a very fine person, Mr Baggins, and I am very fond of you; but you are only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all!'

'Thank goodness!' said Bilbo laughing, and handed him the tobacco-jar."

Lily shut her book and looked around her. There wasn't anybody left in the common room beside herself, Tim, Lisa, and Fergus; everyone else had gone up to bed. And even then – Lisa was fast asleep, curled up in her armchair, and Tim looked quite close to do just the same. Only Fergus was still somewhat awake.

"I like this ending," he said. "And that's true that everything that's happened to him wasn't just chance, in my opinion. It was too well organised."

"You think so, Fergus?" asked Lily in a low, tired voice, but a small smile on her lips.

"It's obvious. You see, I don't believe in fate or good luck. In this story, the Hobbits are sort of like us; and the teachers are wizards and elves, the ones who pull the strings and decide everything – classes, lessons, exams and all – and we have to get by along with the situation."

Lily smiled and stretched. It was four in the morning, and the windows were pitch-black. She could see absolutely nothing outside but the falling snow. The only lights in the room were the little torches that hung on either side of the fireplace; the fire had died down in the hearth, leaving only glowing embers from which rose up a thin grey smoke.

Total silence reigned in the room now that she had finished telling the story. Fergus kept his eyes on the book Lily was still holding, before getting on his feet and yawning his head off. "Sorry, Lily, but now I'm really, really sleepy. I'm bringing Tim back up in the dorm and getting to bed – I'm ready to drop down here."

"It's okay, Fergus," said Lily as she waved to him. "Sleep well. I'll be trying to get Lisa to our dorm too – and then I'll be right back down here. I promise you I'll try not to make a sound."

Fergus nodded and bent to shake Tim gently. The boy frowned and muttered something inaudible, his eyes still close. Fergus gave a silent chuckle and leaned to support him at least to the stairs. Lily heard their awkward, heavy footsteps up the staircase, then they found their dorm and there was silence again, troubled only by Lisa's deep and regular breathing.

Lily sat there motionless for a little while. Her eyes stung and her back ached by dint of staying in that position. A little voice whispered to her that it would be so nice to imitate Lisa and huddle up in that armchair that looked so comfortable … but she had made up her mind flatly against it. No sleep until the boys were found, she'd sworn that to herself, and she meant to keep her promise! There was no way Lily Evans would go to bed while her friends were in danger. All right, it was still plain obvious that there was absolutely nothing she could do to help it … But that thought didn't stop her from feeling a dreadful concern and bite furiously at her nails. All that while asking herself questions, such as:

Where are they right now?

What happened this afternoon?

What if they're hurt, or lost, unable to come back?

What if they're outside, in the snow, in the cold?

What if?…

"Ouch!"

Lily had bit the skin by dint of biting on her fingernails.

Lisa reacted to the muffled exclamation by shifting slightly in her armchair and letting out a "Mmhmmh … Whatzat …" in sleepy protest. Which brought Lily's attention back to her schoolmate. With a resigned sigh, she flung Lisa's bag over her shoulder, bent toward her sleeping schoolmate to took her arm and lay it on her shoulder.

"C'mon Lisa. I'm helping you back to the common room – you're not spending the rest of the night here, now, are you?"

The brown-haired girl allowed herself to be lifted back on her feet without a word, then she seemed to shake herself awake enough to mumble, "N … no … wanna stay …"

"But you're sleeping! You'd rather sleep in your bed, wouldn't you?"

"Mmh …"

"Well then, be still."

Supporting Lisa all the way up to their dormitory was far easier said than done, as Lily discovered quickly. She was heavy, and Lily hadn't much muscle. Besides, she was tired, more so than she was willing to admit, and trudging up the stairs was sheer torture. Once in their dorm, she unceremoniously dropped Lisa on her bed with all her clothes on, barely taking time to take her shoes off, before sitting on her own bed to get a little rest, dropping Lisa's bag next to her bed.

Her eyes slid shut before she realised it, and she shook herself once more. I must not sleep, I must not …

Feeling that if she stayed there on her bed she'd fall asleep for good, Lily jumped on her feet and tiptoed out of the dorm. Lisa was already sound asleep and snoring slightly, looking quite peaceful and happy.

Halfway down the staircase, Lily was surprised to see a brighter light gleaming on the walls of the common room – somebody seemed to have rekindled the fire in the hearth. She walked down the last steps to head for an armchair near the fireplace, and offered a tired smile to Mundungus Fletcher. "I thought you were sleeping, Mundungus."

"Let me tell you that it's what you should be doing at this hour in the night."

Lily shrugged and reported her gaze on the fire. "I can't get any sleep."

It was a downright lie; she was well aware that, as soon as she closed her eyes, sleep would easily overtake her. But Mundungus appeared to believe her. He nodded. "I know the feeling. Happens to me, at times."

Lily shifted her eyes from the fireplace to him. Mundungus had shadows under his eyes, and even if they were discreet, they were easy to spot. All the questions she'd pondered about him rushed back to her mind, along with the little chat she'd had with him earlier that day, before Vega's arrival and the beginning of the worry that was curling her guts right now.

"Mundungus …"

"Yeah?"

"You didn't tell me what was bugging you, this afternoon."

The dark-haired boy frowned slightly at her for a little while, then he nodded. "That's true, I didn't."

He looked just as uneasy as he had in the afternoon. Lily didn't take her eyes away from his.

"Do you promise to keep it secret, Lily? It's very, very important."

"I've already kept secrets, Mundungus."

"Sure you have, but that one …" Mundungus ran a hand in his untidy curls and sighed. "Right. Remember how I used to pull pranks so easily at the beginning of the year? How I managed to never – or almost – get caught?"

Lily nodded.

"Well, I had something to help me. Something very rare, very valuable, which had been mine for rather a long time."

Lily held her breath.

"I had an Invisibility Cloak."

Green eyes went wide and round. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out for a few seconds. "A – an Invisib –"

"Hm, hmm. You can't possibly know how handy it is. The number of things you can do with it – all the uses you can make of it. I used it as often as I could for four years, three of which at Hogwarts … I drove Adams and the teachers mad … and the Prefects, too … Used to wear it folded under my robes, to be able to use it whenever I wanted."

Mundungus' eyes remained fixed on the mantelpiece, which was decorated with tinsel garlands that seemed weird, in contrast with the intimist atmosphere of the room. The logs were cracking softly, sending up sparkles and making a quiet background sound, the only one in the room aside from the boy's voice.

"Only – d'you remember Hallowe'en?"

Lily nodded once more, still silent.

"Well, I don't recall anything – only opening the double doors to the grounds, and then … nothing 'til Sprout found me. But I remember clearly having my Cloak tucked under my robes before leaving the castle. When I came 'round at the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey had me put on a pyjama, and though I searched thoroughly through my clothes, I couldn't find anything."

"Your Cloak'd been stolen?"

"That's the only possible answer. I asked the matron if she hadn't found something in my clothes, but she hadn't. Nothing else was gone, my wand was in my belt, I even found my hat afterwards, a few feet away from my spot in the snow … But the Cloak was missing."

Questions raced in Lily's mind already clouded with sleep. For the moment she couldn't find any answer to any question. She shook her head.

"Mundungus … do you think they'll find James, Sirius, and Remus tomorrow morning sitting in the snow, like you back at Hallowe'en?"

"I dunno, Lily … but that I can tell you," he added with a smile at the messy-haired little girl curled up in the armchair next to his, "with three of them they've more possibilities than I had – so more chances of getting off unarmed. And I'll tell you one thing, too …"

His gaze returned to fix itself on the mantelpiece as Lily sank back a little deeper in her armchair.

"They're pretty lucky to have someone willing to give up a whole night of sleep out of concern. And friendship."

Lily blushed under her freckles. He wasn't stupid – he had indeed guessed that her body was craving for a little rest, and that what was keeping her doggedly awake wasn't a simple insomnia.

Then something occurred to her that made her blush even redder and look away. It was the first time ever she'd done something like that – staying awake all night for no logical or practical reason, only the will to be there, just in case … She wouldn't have done it for anybody, even for Mundungus – actually, she hadn't when he had vanished for twenty-four hours. There were only three persons at Hogwarts (maybe four) for whom she felt ready to do anything, to go anywhere, and they were none other than James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter. And she was proud of that – even if she didn't dare wonder if the reverse was actually possible.

Is anyone that friends with Mundungus? she wondered. If he were to go missing again, who would stay up and worry all night long? Try as she may, she couldn't find anybody. Not even herself.

Mundungus's dark eyes still stared aimlessly in front of him, and the mischievous grin usually lightening up his face was gone. Lily bit on her lower lip. Then, very hesitantly, she raised her hand to lay it on his, which was lying on the armrest of his armchair; doing so, she mentally called herself ever sort of stupid moron she knew. Mundungus looked at her curiously, and she almost withdrew her hand and apologised; but she left it there, her heart pounding with an almost frightened hesitation. What if he thinks it stupid, false, or weird? What am I to do now?

A moment passed, rather long; a strange, a little awkward sort of moment. Then, with his other hand, Mundungus tapped Lily's slightly shaking, small, plump one, and rose with a smile. "Thanks, Pretty Lily Flower. G'night."

Lily barely nodded at him in response, as if glued to her armchair. Mundungus headed up the staircase to his dorm. Lily was left alone staring blankly in front of her; then she shook her head, groaning. Stupid, mindless, idiotic me … Blimey …

She waited until she didn't hear anything from the boys' dormitories and pushed herself out of her armchair to walk up the stairs in the same direction. Only she didn't stop before the very last door – she didn't knock and pushed the door open.

Her friends' dormitory was exactly the way she had left it in the afternoon. Sirius's bed was still as messy, Remus's things were just as tidy. The curtains around Peter's bed had been drawn ever since he'd gone home for the holidays. It was on James's bed that Lily sat, or rather collapsed. She was dead on her feet.

She caught the pillow and put her arms around it, resting her chin on it. Some remains of its owner's smell lingered, but that didn't bother Lily. On the contrary, even – this scent calmed her down, offering a much needed peace, and the pillow's fabric felt soft against her cheek. She rocked herself slightly, slowly, for a few minutes. And she closed her eyes.

"Yer there!?"

Sirius blinked, hardly daring to believe it. Yet this booming, a little gruff but friendly voice was unmistakable. Next to him, Remus opened his mouth wide and goggled.

"Hagrid!"

"Hagrid, is that really you?"

The giant was wearing a huge moleskin overcoat and a balaclava covering – only partly – his shaggy black hair. He had perhaps three inches of snow amassed on his head and shoulders. "Ye gods!" he cried cheerfully. "Crikey, I'm awf'ly glad ter find the three o' yeh in one piece! Yer not 'urt, are ya?" he asked in a concerned voice, striding toward them.

"The two of us're fine," said Sirius, pale with relief. "But James's in a nasty state."

Hagrid bent to the soaked, tangled, dark-haired head and gingerly raised James's chin. Eyes closed, the boy let out a muffled, barely audible moan. He had drifted off again.

"Hm," muttered Hagrid. "Not good, that … no' good at all. 'E's frozen t'th'bone. Wait."

He took off his coat and wrapped James up in it, then lifted him in his arms as if he weighted nothing. Sirius almost shivered, all of a sudden. It was strange, no longer hearing the heartbeat he had so carefully listened to for this last hour, and no longer having James weight against his back and right shoulder.

Hagrid looked at them in concern. "And yeh're frozen too … Follow me, I'm takin' you home – me cabin's less far than the castle."

Spurred by the thought of the hot tea surely awaiting them at Hagrid's, Sirius and Remus hastened their pace to keep up with the gamekeeper. The latter was muttering furious-sounding bits of phrases under his breath which the boys didn't catch all of, but that didn't matter. They were rescued. Everything would be fine. In a short time they would be able to sit down, rest, get themselves all warmed up again, and the thought was enough to keep their feet moving.

"Hagrid, d'you know what time it is?" asked Sirius at one point, almost running to keep up the pace.

"Mus' be five or six," said Hagrid. "I don' have a watch. But it sure isn't a time to be in the forest."

"How did – how did you find us?" said Remus a little breathlessly.

"When I got back from me snares las' night, I found Dumbledore waitin' fer me in my hut. Told me you lot was gone, an' that you surely didn't mean to. 'Round me house, actually. So I sort of – fret, 'see? Said to meself, if they're sumwhere about there, in th'snow, they won't last long … An' that kept me up all night. So I did what Dumbledore had asked me to do – search the bushes, things like that – but a lil' earlier th'n requested. And then I ran into yeh, thank goodness."

His expression softened as he glanced at the two who trailed behind. "Y'must've had a pretty hard night, the three o' you."

Remus looked up at him, eyes bright; then he blinked and said, his voice very slightly choked, "I'm glad you came to look for us 'a little earlier than requested', Hagrid."

Small wrinkles appeared at the corners of the black eyes, speaking of a beaming smile on the part of the gamekeeper. "C'mon," he cheered on, giving himself a shake, "we're almost there."

"About time, too," whispered Sirius with a quick glance at James's white face, which seemed tiny, lost in the folds of Hagrid's coat.

The sky was still as dark once they got out of the Forest, but at least they could see it now. Coming out on the big, flat, empty grounds after so long in the midst of packed tree trunks was an immense relief to Remus and Sirius – especially the latter.

"Damn good to be in the open air again," he muttered to himself as he lowered his hood for a second to wipe his forehead, ignoring Remus's reproachful, yet curious look.

And then, there was the castle. Hogwarts stood in the middle of the grounds, tall, daunting, bristling with white-roofed towers barely distinguishable between the falling snowflakes. Very few lit up windows were visible, making small golden points, reassuring in the surrounding darkness. A smile crept slowly over Remus's lips.

"Here we are," whispered Sirius. "Pretty good, isn't it?"

Hagrid opened the cabin's door after clearing off the snow blocking the entrance and stepped in, followed by Remus and Sirius who looked at each other when they heard Curly's formidable barking.

"Usually I would've let you go in firs'," Hagrid apologised as he turned to them, just as Sirius pulled the door shut. But now we've an emergency." Without paying attention to the big yellow hound running all around him and trying to lick his hands – "Back, Curly, back" – he strode across the room to set James down on the bed, take off the thick coat for a second to strip him off his drenched cloak, and wrap him up again in the moleskin; then he went rummaging about in the cupboard to dig out a kettle and bustle about the fireplace.

"Yeh two," he called over his shoulder at Sirius and Remus who were taking off their own soaked cloaks, "hang yer coats o'er there and get three blankets out o' the chest drawers. Must warm you up while I fix tea."

There was an old black coat rack hanging above Curly's basket; Remus moved the basket to a safer place and hung up his dripping cloak, soon copied by Sirius who had trouble freeing himself from Curly's enormous yellowish paws – the dog had apparently decided to fawn each of them in turn.

After generously watering Remus in drool as well, Curly raised his muzzle in the air, looking puzzled. Sirius saw him sniff around and eventually stop at the foot of the bed; without a hesitation, he leaped onto it, and bumped into James, still pale and motionless in Hagrid's coat.

"Eh, get off, you!" cried Sirius when the dog began to welcome the third boy as he had the two others. "Hagrid, Curly's –"

"I know, I know," said Hagrid, his back turned, still busying around the fire. "Bin tryin' to get him quit that bad habit fer years – he always ends up breaking the bed laths, and now I mus' change 'em every winter … Ah, tea's ready."

He took out four chipped mugs and put them on the table, before filling them to the brim with surprising dexterity. "Drink, it'll do yeh good."

Sirius didn't dare drink at once – the cup was piping hot against his palm. But what a great sensation! He was still wet, but sat in a dry, warm room with a steaming tea in his hands. Something melted inside him when he swallowed the first sip, as the hot liquid slid slowly down to his stomach. He closed his eyes, ignoring the burning in his throat. A soft heat was creeping over him to the very fingertips, and his body was starting to tickle with pins and needles. Mmh … Wonder what Hagrid puts in his tea.

"Move over, now, big fella." Hagrid sat next to James, sitting the boy up and unceremoniously pushing Curly aside. The disappointed dog went to seek comfort toward Remus sitting on a chair; Remus started to scratch Curly gently behind the ears, holding his mug in his other hand. Curly closed his eyes and rested his great yellow head on the boy's lap, still profusely slobbering over his robes, wagging his tail.

Hagrid seemed to be trying to wake James up and make him swallow something. Having left his own tea on the table, he had put the cup meant for the boy on the windowsill and was currently chafing James's back and arms in a way that might appear gentle to him, but which looked quite energetic all the same.

"Wake up, lad. C'mon, open yer eyes … Hav'ta get a lil' warmth into you, now, don't I? After that yeh can sleep. Promise. Come on now, James, wake up –"

Sirius wandered where, in Hagrid's six-foot-tall and God-knows-how-large frame, could this low, gruff-like but warm and gentle voice come up from … There was also the both firm and gentle way – strange in such a giant – he had of taking care of James, as if he were nursing a wounded deer. Sirius realised that Hagrid, with all his time as a gamekeeper, must have mastered the art of looking after animals, sometimes small or fragile. Bet the guy could be a great Care of Magical Creatures teacher, he thought. Better than what Vega describes Kettleburn to be, anyway.

But soon he abruptly stopped his musings, for James blinked and his eyelids half lifted. Sirius stared at the wan face: the lips and lids were less blue already than they had been earlier, and a small amount of colour was slowly getting back up into the pale cheeks. Hagrid took the tea cup on the windowsill with a relieved sigh and made the boy swallow a mouthful. Sirius's fascinated gaze remained pinned on his friend: it was as if the ice that seemed to embed him was gradually melting away – it was like watching the mercury rise up a thermometer.

"James?" said Remus in a hesitant, slightly quivering voice. "Can you hear me?"

James blinked once or twice more, casting a vague, blurred look about him; then he stopped on Sirius and Remus sitting at the table, staring intently at him. There wasn't any other movement in the small room; even Curly had seemingly understood the seriousness of the situation and sat in watchful stillness. Or maybe he was just expecting extra ear-scratching.

"Well, maybe I'll –" James paused and frowned, trying to gather his memories from the previous hours. "Maybe I'll sound awfully cliché here, but – where are we and what happened?"

Remus gave a soft chuckle, and explained, "Hagrid found us and took us to his cabin. Pretty lucky that he did, actually, because it seems like we wouldn't have held on much longer …"

He tactfully didn't add, 'Especially you.' Sirius, still looking a little shaken, asked, "How d'you feel, mate?"

"I f – I'm fine, now," James said in a voice that he hoped would be firmer. Hagrid handed him his mug and rose to take a chair, to the delight of Curly, who immediately rushed back to him to lick his big hands.

"Well, you scared the living daylights out of us!" Sirius suddenly barked out, startling Curly. "Don't you ever do that to us again, will you? Merlin's beard, the fright you gav–"

There was a small choked laugh, and both James and Sirius turned their gaze to Remus who downed the last remnants of his tea to put the mug back on the table. Then he looked back at them, his eyes lingering then on James's. "What Sirius wants to say with his usual tact and subtlety, is that you had the two of us very, very worried."

Hagrid's broad grin shone in his small, warm black eyes as he gazed over at the three rescued adventurers.

"Mind, I don't want to sound disappointed in saying that," said James as he sat up on the bed, cautiously securing his mug in his hands, "but I really did think I was dead, at some point."

Sirius muttered something inaudible under his breath. Remus's blue grey eyes twinkled, and James felt a genuine grin make its way onto his face still slightly stinging from the cold.

"Lily?"

Someone spoke softly to her, and she felt a light hand lying on her shoulder.

"Mhmm …"

"Sorry, I hadn't seen you were sleeping," whispered the voice, but sleep was already fleeing Lily. She half opened her eyes and brushed the tangled locks out of her face; doing so, she discovered a pale figure with long black hair roughly tied in a braid behind her back, who was rising to head for the door.

"Wait, Vega," Lily called sleepily. "I'm awake."

Vega came back to her and crouched near the bed. Lily raised up her head and ran a hand on her warm cheek, where her hair and the folds of the pillow had left marks.

"What are you doing here?"

A tired smile lit up the pale face for a short while. "I could ask you the same, you know – even take points for your being in a dormitory you have nothing to do in. After all, I am a Prefect."

"So you'd have to take points from Gryffindor because of you as well," smiled Lily, rubbing her eyes. "What time is it?"

"Six, I guess – or maybe five and a half. Something close enough, anyway."

"Still no news?"

"Still nothing. The whole castle's asleep."

"Well, I'm not sleeping. Anyway, not now."

Vega shot her a fraction of her usual sharp look. "When did you finally fall asleep?"

"About – something around five, I think," said Lily, compelled to count on her fingers – her brain felt too foggy to do something as difficult as mental calculation.

Vega frowned. "You should've slept, tonight! What's gotten into you?"

"Don't speak too loudly, please … I just wanted to be here, in case they –" Lily trailed off, and stared at Vega. "And just what did you come in here for?"

Vega gave the shadow of an ironic smile, "A little peace. Olivia snores."

Lily swallowed back a snort of laughter. Then she sat up on the bed and put down James's pillow, which she was still hugging. Her back was aching from sleeping in that position, even so shortly.

There was a brief pause, during which Vega went to open the window to air the room, and sit on Sirius's bed, next to James's; and then Lily's gaze fell on the battered guitar case carefully set up against the wall next to the bed.

"Oy, Vega … Can you play it?" she asked, nodding toward the guitar. Vega shook her head.

"Never could – I never really learned. Never did try to, mind …" She rose, and slowly, gingerly, took the instrument out of its case. Lily knew well this guitar but little of its actual story – only that it had been blonde once, but that its owner had repainted it black. The result was fairly striking, the strings appearing much lighter, in contrast with the dark neck. When James had asked Sirius why he had repainted his guitar, Sirius had simply shrugged it off and never properly answered.

"Vega?"

"Hm?"

"Why is this guitar black?"

Vega glanced up, a slightly faraway look in her eyes. "There's a whole story behind that. And not short at all."

"Try me," said Lily softly. "Please do. I'll be quiet and listen."

"Alright." Vega lowered her gaze to her left hand and placed two awkward, hesitant fingers on the last two of the three bass strings.

"I was a present from our mother – for Sirius's eighth birthday. Dad thought he was too young for that, and so did I – you know, at that time, Sirius was … well, he wasn't very tidy, nor careful."

She stopped to look about her at the mess around her younger brother's bed with a chuckle. "Hasn't changed that much, actually."

Lily smiled. That sounded quite like the Sirius she knew.

"Anyway, she was very fond of Muggle music, and guitar was her favourite instrument. She couldn't play herself, but her library was always full of books such as Learn How To Play Guitar By Yourself and all that sort of things … and she passed her passion on to Sirius. Except that he learned how to play. He used to drive me completely crazy, always playing the same chord over and over again … always repeating the same angle of the wrist or the position of his fingers … But I was intrigued. Fairly proud, even. He worked hard on it, seriously, and it was the very first time that he seemed thoroughly interested in something."

Vega ran slowly her neatly-painted-nailed fingers on the strings, producing quiet dissonance.

"And then – and then, two years and a half ago, Ma … our mother died."

Lily's heart pitched down in her stomach as her hands tightened painfully into balled fists. She gulped. "If it's not too indiscreet of me to ask … How did she –?"

The gaze Vega raised in front of her was harsh and sharp, with naked despair and pain behind her blue eyes.

"Death Eaters – she was one of their very first victims. After that … Sirius didn't speak for two whole months. Not one word, absolutely nothing. And his guitar remained locked in his cupboard – he never touched it. His silence drove me and my dad on edge … Eventually, I cracked up – I don't remember what I told Sirius – or rather shouted and screamed at him – but I do recall staying in my room crying uncontrollably for two hours just after that. And then I heard something."

A very slight, very hesitant smile came trying its luck on the thin lips, but the blue eyes were blurred. Lily, her hands trembling in her lap, remained silent.

"I don't remember exactly what that song was … An old, soft, and tender one – one of the Beatles's again, I'd bet … Maybe A Taste Of Honey, or perhaps This Boy. He played so well … and yet Merlin knows how much this guitar was out of key, he hadn't touched it once in two months. Dad and I – we couldn't believe our ears. I went in Sirius's room, quietly, not to disturb him … but he heard me come. He raised those incredible eyes of his up to me – you know, when he's really moved, it's amazing how his eyes are light – and blurted out to me, just like that, 'See? I can play!' He sounded even more astonished than I was. I almost start crying once more, just hearing his voice again.

"The day after, he went out to buy himself new guitar strings, all alone; and then he locked himself in Da's 'painting room' – that's a little shed he built, a few feet apart from our house – and didn't come out once in the day. By the evening, his guitar was black, with brand new, light strings. And he never left it. He learned a totally different way of playing, out of both practice and intuition – took him long, and sometimes he tells me that he'll never quite be done with all the little faults and awkwardness … But sometimes, just you listen to him when he really plays – sounds like his very life depends on these strings."

Vega plucked one string a bit loudly, and Lily started. Vega winced down at the instrument, which gave Lily time to dry discreetly her slightly wet eyes. She almost wished she had never brought the subject of that guitar.

Suddenly, an unexpected sound caught Lily's attention – a bark, loud and cheerful, coming from the grounds below. Curly? He must be really close for us to hear him so well! she thought. Vega had heard him, too; she put the guitar back in its case, and walked to the window, still holding the case by the strap.

"Lily – oh, Lily! Come – come and see that!" she cried, her voice much higher than usual. Puzzled, Lily rose to join her. Her green eyes widened to a size she never would have imagined them to.

In the still thick darkness, she could see four figures plus Curly, who having left Hagrid's hut were now heading toward the castle, forty or fifty feet to the main entrance. One figure was Hagrid himself, no doubt was possible about that; but the sight of the three other shadows, much smaller, that trudged along behind him made her jump and squeak with joy.

"It's them! It's them, Vega! Bet it is!"

But she was speaking to the curtains. Vega had already vanished down the stairs, and Lily dashed behind her, her heart throbbing painfully. What if they were amnesiac like Mundungus had been? If they didn't remember anything of what happened, or worse – nothing at all – not even her? At least they seemed to walk normally and didn't look physically hurt or anything, but if …

She caught up with Vega at the entrance of the common room – the violently waken up Fat Lady made a squeaking noise of flabbergasted protest, but Lily was past caring. She had only time to notice that Vega was still clutching the guitar case. As the black-haired girl had some difficulties running with the large battered case in her hand, she flung it over her shoulder, grasped the strap, and resumed her wild running. This, however, allowed Lily to catch up with her, almost overtaking her.

But she let Vega take the lead – the girl knew shortcuts through corridors Lily had never set a foot in, and if the latter hadn't followed close on the young Prefect's heels, she would have found herself lost good and proper. After running for what seemed like hours, the two girls reached at last the hospital wing; the door was open, the light flooding into the corridor in a big, bright, yellow puddle.

James's legs were none too steady when he stepped through the double doors, but that didn't compare in the slightest to what he had felt back in the Forest just before passing out. This time, it had probably a great deal to do with the emotion – they had come through. They had escaped the Voice, Belegaer, the Old One, the underground maze, and eventually the snow and the cold – they were safe, thanks to the three of them and Hagrid. They were safe. It was endlessly trotting over his mind as he walked along the marble-floored corridors and stony walls that he had thought, at some points during the night, he'd never see again.

A glance at his two friends told him they were more or less in the same state as he was. Remus seemed to be dragging his feet, and his eyes, though smiling, were underlined with dark shadows like the day after a full moon; as for Sirius, he kept his head up, but his eyes closed by themselves and he moved like a wooden puppet. James shook his head and put a supportive arm around Sirius's shoulder. His friend's wolfish grin was weary, but warm as ever; as he laid his left arm on Sirius's shoulder, he motioned to Remus to do the same. James grinned. However ridiculous or corny the whole thing felt, he felt good. Proud. Proud of having them as his friends, and even a little proud of himself. He wasn't that cold now. Friendship warms your heart, he quoted with a chuckle. How good it felt, having true friends.

Hagrid went knocking on the door of the matron's office-apartments. Madam Pomfrey appeared a minute later, wearing a white dressing gown and a night-cap, a hand in front of her mouth to stifle a yawn; however, when she caught sight of the boys, the fantastic start she gave threatened to seriously destabilise the night-cap.

"Orion's howling hounds! You are here, thank goodness … How are you feeling?"

Sirius opened his mouth, but she didn't leave anybody a chance to answer; opening the door to the hospital wing, she pushed them inside and pointed three lined up beds. "Sit down!"

James glanced over at Hagrid, whose mere presence seemed to dwarf the doorway; the giant was fidgeting with his balaclava, looking slightly uneasy about the trail of mush the four of them had left behind. Not daring to cross the matron, James sat on the bed between Sirius and Remus, exchanging puzzled looks with his two friends.

The matron returned quickly with stripped pyjamas which she handed to the three boys; as they drew the curtains to have some privacy while they changed, she walked to the door.

"Hagrid, thank you – what you have –"

"That's nuthin'," Hagrid cut off, embarrassed. "I did what the Headmaster 'ad asked me to do, that's all."

Madam Pomfrey nodded, her eyes bright. "I know that, Hagrid, I know that – but …" She turned around to look behind her, but only Sirius had put on his pyjamas and slipped under his blankets. The boy's frowning gaze was directed in front of him, where only a jet-black mop could be seen on the pillow … Severus Snape was fast asleep.

The matron turned back to the gamekeeper who was still turning his balaclava over and over in his big hands. "Hagrid, I know you've already done more than your part, but –"

"I told you it was nothin', Ma'am."

"And I know that as well,, but … Well, if you would be so kind as to fetch Professor Dumbledore, I'd be very grateful. And perhaps also Professor McGonagall, as she is the head of these students' house …"

"Goin' straightaway, Ma'am."

"Thank you very much, Hagrid."

Hagrid walked out the doorway at the very moment James drew back the curtains to have a look around. He was almost disappointed – he would have liked Hagrid staying a while … But the doorway didn't remained empty for long. A sort of small, black and dark red flash dashed suddenly past the door and toppled out of sight as James heard the distinct thud of someone falling over, and a muffled moan of pain. It was closely followed by a taller figure, with long, black, tousled hair framing a face as white as a sheet …

"Sirius!"

Vega rushed over to her brother, who looked as though he had a sudden urge to dive under his bed and hide himself. She stopped at the foot of the bed, trying to assume a calmer expression, and put her hands on the bar between the bed posts. These hands were shaking, the knuckles very white.

"Sirius …" she said softly, almost hesitantly. "How're you feeling? Are you alright?"

The boy kept his eyes down to answer, "Don't fret, Vega, I'm fine."

"Don't fret?!" Vega's voice sounded furious now. "You're my brother, you stupid idiot! In case you didn't know – it's normal that I should worry about you!"

She walked round the bed and stopped right beside him, no longer trying to hide the distraught expression on her face. "I was so worried … about you, about your friends, but especially about you … I kept thinking, what if he never came back? What would I say to Da? What would I do then?"

Her voice shook and she took hold of one of his hands in hers, without him doing anything to free himself.

"What would I do without my brother?"

Obviously aware of James and Remus watching his closely while pretending not to, Sirius bit on his lip, his eyes still not meeting Vega's; then he squeezed briefly – ever so briefly – his sister's hand and looked up at her, smiling his own sarcastic, warm, slightly insolent grin.

"Why – bloody stupid things, of course."

A strange expression flicked on Vega' taut face, and Sirius looked hesitant for a few seconds, but it turned rapidly into a slightly nervous smile, and Vega stepped back, letting go of her brother's hand.

"James! Remus! Sirius!"

The earlier dark red flash came back as Lily, who winced whenever she put her left foot on the ground. A plaster adorned her round knee; Madam Pomfrey was shaking her head and rolling her eyes, "And they never listen when you tell them not to run in the corridors …"

Lily wasn't listening. She rushed to the beds where her three friends huddled together beneath the blankets.

"Oh my, oh dear, oh God! I haven't slept a wink, I was so concerned … What happened to you? James, you look dreadful …"

"Thanks, Lily, I'm glad to see you too," said James with a grin. He couldn't tell why, but it was nice to see Lily, her ruffled dark red hair, the freckles on her round face and nose, her bright green eyes … she was funny.

And she did look quite worried, too! Curious, that.

"Did you hurt yourself, Lily?" asked Remus, pointing at the plaster on her knee. Lily swiftly looked down then up.

"Oh, that! Nothing, I slipped in the corridor. How're you?"

Remus smiled in turn. Lily was obviously all jangle-nerved, but even so she seemed to give off such a warmth after the long, cold night that it was hard not to smile.

"We're fine, Lily, and glad to be home. It's been a long night, you know. You have no idea."

Lily sort of grimaced tensely. "Tell you what – I can imagine."

Weird answer, thought James. But he was too tired to think.

"Sirius? Are you alright? How's the night been?"

Sirius nodded and grinned. "My pyjs are kind of scratchy, but otherwise I'm fine, thanks. That's what matters, yes?"

"Oh, you," muttered Vega with half a smile. "You always have to complain on something, don't you?"

"Oy!" Sirius stared at Vega as if he'd just noticed something which had escaped him so far. "Isn't that my guitar you're carrying?"

Vega looked put off for a second, then her eyes fell down on the strap in her hands and she went pink. "Erm … yes, it is."

"Give it to me, will you?"

Vega handed the instrument to her brother, quickly as though it burned her fingers. Lily seemed to lose a little of her colour as he opened the case to take out his guitar.

"So then, Lil'," said Sirius as he settled it in his lap and against his chest, tuning the strings, "want to know how this night's been? Well, I'll tell you how it's 'been'."

James shook his head, smiling – Sirius was always ready to overdo everything. Remus, Lily, and Vega looked intrigued.

A funny, discordant chord tore out of the black resonance chamber and lasted two or three seconds; that was long enough for James, who had recognised the song, to lean back on his pillow and groan, "Oh, no! Not this one, please!" Sure enough, it was followed by Sirius's voice, singing – too loud, of course, "It's been – a hard day's night!"

"Oh, no you don't!" cried Madam Pomfrey as she snatched the guitar away from him. "You need rest, the three of you do, and I won't allow such a din in my hospital wing!"

Sirius squirmed back down in his bed, laughing, and reached out for James to highfive. Vega took the guitar to put it back into its case as Lily giggled – rather nervously, though – and Remus shook his head to hide a broad grin from the frowning Madam Pomfrey.

James put his head on the delightfully soft pillow, grinning from ear to ear. Vega sounded like she was reproaching Sirius for something, Sirius was as usual defending his pride, Lily was chatting with Remus – although she was still so tense that he could hardly get a word in. Above those four voices, the matron's came more and more often, but James didn't understand what she was saying – but that hardly did matter.

The long night was over.

James was asleep before he even realised it.

All right, people! Now you won't hear from me for another 6 months, I'm afraid… Just kidding, in fact like I previously stated, I've got exams to retake, and so… Well, let's just say you'll have to wait.

Harriet:

yeah, I've worked out this age problem – you see, I'm not familiar with British school policy, and I thought one would just have to be in their eleventh year to be accepted at Hogwarts. I'm awfully sorry about that, it was a big mistake, and one I can't take off – I see too much Sirius as being both the "youngest" and sort of the wildest of the four, don't ask me why… Maybe the Who's influence – Keith Moon is one of my favourite drummers of all the times, and he was both the youngest in the group and certainly the wildest. Anyway, thank you very much for your review – I absolutely love this thoughtful, intelligent kind of reviews.

Biohazard:

hope you've liked this one! :o)

Digintegrated:

thanks for the birthday card, Guillaume, it was very kind of you – I appreciate that.

Saphire:

whoa, that's courageous of you! But I'm afraid that I took so long to write this chapter that you'll have to reread the last parts… honestly, I'm sorry about that – if I could write quicker, I would.

Riddles in the Dark:

fan of Tolkien's too, aren't you? ;o) Hope you enjoyed the Hobbit references – I love this book. Each of your words widened the grin on my face as I read them – reviews like yours, even if they're short, are absolute delights. Thank you.

And, at last, Green Eyed Lady, aka Storm Witch RD, aka Jobey, am I right? :o) Rheanna, you're a treasure. And don't worry about lunacy – I've met some who were much, much bigger lunatics than you, dear! Anyway, yes, it was for the plot secrets' sake that Remus's interrogation wasn't heard. I can hear you asking yourself, "How can the boy still keep secrets from us?" Dun dum dun! Eh, you'll see. About Lily being cosy… hmm, dunno if I'd like to spend a sleepless night this way. She'll be crabby in the morning. But this sleepless night sure isn't gonna be useless! Vega's story and Mundungus's secret – and yes, he was abducted by the same "Little Lot of Evil Child Kidnappers" that caught three of the foursome and left ickle Snapey with a nice lump on his greasy head. As the reviewers didn't point it out, I have no idea if they guessed that as well… And about the escape and all – in fact it was only the turning point, that's why it seemed anti-climaxical. They still had quite a big part of the night to go through… before they saw the end of it! :D Thank you for your long review, as usual you made my day. Thanks a bunch.

To all the silent readers out there… hope you liked it, there's more to come!

Much of love to everybody, peace, love, and cucumber salad,

Belphegor~the Weird One!~ :o]