There were around twenty students gathered in the hall, just under half of them carrying owls. The doors near the teachers table opened, and along with Dumbledore, in stepped Madam Pomfrey and Hagrid. Dumbledore glanced around at them, eyeing the students carefully holding the owls. Some held them gently in their arms, others had used jackets as make-shift mini-stretchers.

Hagrid and Pomfrey darted forward, before the door near the table opened once more and Professor Kettleburn, the Care of Magical Creatures teacher, entered. He took a deep breath, before moving between the students along with the other two, casting quick spells over the owls before issuing orders to Pomfrey and Hagrid. Carefully, they peeled the letters off the legs of the owls.

Hagrid took the letters to the headmaster, as Kettleburn instructed the students to carefully place the owls on the table. Once he had checked them all over, he turned to Dumbledore and gave a quick nod. Dumbledore waved his wand in the air and, suddenly, around the table with the owls on, the house elves appeared.

"Take them to the Owlery," Kettleburn instructed, and as quickly as they appeared, the elves – and the owls – were gone. Dumbledore glanced over the students.

"Ten points each," he muttered, sighing as he glanced at the letters in his hands. "For rescuing the owls and helping with them. Thank you."

With that, he and the other three left, once more through the door near the teacher's table.

James glanced at Remus.

"What do you think..."

"I don't know," Remus whispered. "But whatever it is, it can't be good."

X X X

That evening, at the meal, the majority of the teachers were absent. Remus stared at the table, a thoughtful look on his face as the others picked at their food. Around them, people chatted happily, the main topic of conversation the same as it had been for the last couple of days; the summer holidays.

Those who had witnessed the owls falling, those who had saved them, were more subdued than their peers. James stared at his food, picking at it as Peter filled his face.

"How can you eat so much?" Sirius asked, shaking his head as Peter stuffed another bite of pork chop into his mouth.

"Comfort eating," Peter mumbled, swallowing and letting out a deep breath. "It's how I cope."

Sirius nodded, as he glanced at Remus. "What's on your mind, Remus?"

"Something's happening," Remus whispered, turning to face Sirius. "Can't you feel it? Everything's changing."

Sirius frowned, glancing down at his food. "You sure about that, Remus? I wouldn't say everything was changing."

"No, he's right," James whispered, shaking his head. "He's right. It is. It's like you can feel it in the air, you can just tell. And all the crazy stuff that's been happening recently, it's not all coincidental. It's all tied in, somehow, and...and it's like, there has to be more to come. And worse."

Remus nodded, before their conversation was interrupted by a large amount of owls flying into the room. The owls split up, heading to different tables as students watched them, whispering and wondering why there was post being delivered so late.

Suddenly, Remus hand trembled. His eyes locked onto one owl that flew above them, and he recognised it instantly. It was the owl his parents had brought earlier in the year, the one they had used to send him letters and packages.

"Remus?" Peter whispered. "Remus? Are you okay?"

The owl swooped down, landing just in front of Remus and pecking at his hand. Remus grabbed a piece of meat from his plate and threw it to the owl. It was snatched from the air, as Remus slowly took the letter from his leg. The owl flew off, and Remus knew it would wait in the Owlery for a few days.

Another owl landed in front of Sirius. Seconds later, James' parents' owl crashed to the floor behind him, and the owl belonging to Peter's family elegantly landed in front of him. The boys looked at each other before gazing around the hall.

Only a handful of students did not have post.

"I've never seen this many letters," James muttered, opening his. The boys fell silent as they read their individual parchments. Sirius' face paled.

"It must be bad," he whimpered, lifting his head as he looked around at them. "Mum's asking if I'm okay...I think she's worried. There's a letter here from Reg, too, but it doesn't say much..."

"There's no new information here," James replied, shaking his head. "But...yeah, Mum and Dad seem really worried. They said to reply ASAP."

Remus and Peter both nodded. "Dad said Mum is really freaking out," Peter sighed. "She's...he said she's been acting weird since 'all of this started happening'. But what is 'all of this'?"

"I guess we'll find out when we get home," Sirius sighed.

Remus put the letter down, before resting his head in his hands. "I thought something had happened to them..."

Suddenly, loud crying burst through the hall. A girl at the Hufflepuff table leapt to her feet and ran from the hall, her friends' following. A boy from the Gryffindor table, a Second Year, stood and followed.

"That's his sister," one of the other Second Years explained, seeing everyone gazing at the now empty spot. "They have a Muggle-born mother..."

Lily stared openly at the spot. There was no owl in front of her, no post from her parents. Her eyes darted around the hall as people began to leave, moving quickly to the doors. Everyone moved in packs, in groups, gathered tightly together as they left.

Alice glanced up from the letter, spotting Lily's gaze. "Lily, look – none of the other Muggle-borns have post, either."

"Maybe it's a wizard thing," Sirius muttered, jamming his fork into his piece of pork. "Maybe, whatever has happened, it hasn't reached the muggle-world yet."

"Maybe," Lily replied, glancing at Alice. "Come to the Owlery with me?"

"Sure. I want to write back to my parents, anyway."

They left, and the boys glanced at each other.

"Do you think you were right?" James asked. "That it hasn't reached the Muggles yet?"

He nodded. "Lily worries too much. Her family will be fine."

James nodded, although his eyes still followed Lily as she left the hall.

X X X

Everyone was rushing around. With only a day to go until the last day of the year, people were busy finding items to pack, tracking down friends from other houses who they had leant books or quills to. It had been a few days since the owls, and so far, nothing else had happened.

The teachers seemed, again, subdued, and wondered the castles almost at a loss. With the exams outside of OWLs and NEWTs cancelled, they had very little to do. McGonagall and Flitwick patrolled the halls, and were often seen deep in discussion with each other. Professor York seemed more shaken than any of the others. Most of the time, the students saw him on the Quidditch Pitch, flying through the air, lost in his own thoughts.

In the afternoon, James once more headed to the pitch, eager to get in just a bit more practice, before the area he could fly in was restricted at home. He stood outside the changing room, lifting his gaze to the air to see York, as usual, flying through the air.

After a few minutes, the Gryffindor Head of House spotted James and flew towards him.

"Potter, something I can help you with?"

York lowered himself to the ground, surveying James carefully. The boy shifted in his spot, before taking a deep breath.

"I was just hoping to fly a bit, sir. I want to try for the house team next year."

A small smile crept across York's face. For the first time, James noticed the change that had come over the man. His skin was paler, the area around his eyes dark. York nodded.

"Of course. Would you like some help?"

James' face brightened, and he nodded.

Professor York gestured to the broom clutched in James' hand, and James climbed on. Seconds later, Professor and boy were flying up into the air. York turned to face him.

"Lighten the grip on the handle, boy. You need a light touch – if you hold too tightly, it will resist your turns."

James followed his instructions, as York took his wand from inside his jacket and pointed it towards the box sitting in the middle of the pitch. He muttered a spell, the box opened, and the quaffle inside shot up into the air. York grabbed it.

"I assume you are going for chaser, or keeper?"

James, again, nodded.

"Good. We have a good pair of beaters, and an excellent seeker. Second years usually do not make good beaters, and as for seekers...well, it's a difficult position. I would say you are more of a chaser, anyway. Which one are you going for?"

"Chaser, sir."

"Excellent." York flew upwards. "Then catch this." He threw the ball away from James. Immediately, James turned his broom around and bent low against it, feeling the wind against his skin, feeling it whipping through his hair. The quaffle began to fall, and James pointed the end of the broom down. He swooped down, just by a few inches, and managed to catch the large red ball.

When he glanced behind, it was to see York smiling.

"Good. Throw it back to me."

James threw it, watching as York swerved to the right and caught it. York turned, throwing it away from both of them and, without a word, James flew towards it. He dived, eyes locked on the ball, before turning his broom upwards and meeting the quaffle as it started to fall. Turning, he hurled it towards York. Together, the pair moved the ball towards the end of the pitch. Once they were in range of the goals, York flew towards them, turning and taking the position of Keeper.

James grinned, and went for a shot.

York easily caught the ball and threw it back. "Try again, Potter."

He did. Again and again and again he tried to get the ball past the professor, only to have York catch it every time. Finally, James decided to try something else. He threw the quaffle up, turned his broom and kicked it, hard. It sailed past York's outstretched hand and in through one of the hoops. James grinned, his face flushed as he looked at York.

"Good," York chuckled, turning his broom and flying to catch the quaffle. "Good, Potter. I expect, with just a little training over the summer, you'll easily get into the team."

"Thanks, sir."

Together, they flew back to the ground, climbing off their brooms. York held his hand out, and James passed over the school broom he had been using.

"Sir?"

"Yes, Potter?"

"The owls..."

York sighed, shaking his head. "Don't worry about it, James. Just enjoy your summer."

With that, Professor York headed off to the store cupboard, leaving James wondered why he had called him by his first rather than his last name.

X X X

The Common Room was busy with activity.

It was early evening, before the Leaving Feast. Most students were spending their last few hours in the castle with their friends, gathered together before they would be separated for the summer. Lily and Alice sat in the corner, Lily's knees pressed tightly to her chest as she spoke to Alice. Both girls seemed subdued, Lily more than Alice.

Sirius and Remus were having a game of Chess, while James and Peter played Exploding Snap. Other students were wasting their time in similar ways, simply trying to fill the hour before the feast. Finally, eventually, group by group they began to leave, heading down to the hall. Lily and Alice were among the first to go, and the boys waited a while before following a group of Sixth Years down to the Great Hall.

Although there was a buzz in the air, an excitement about the prospect of going home and having six weeks without work or worry, there was still a feeling in the air that all was not as right as it should have been. When they arrived at the Hall, it was to see the banners decorated in the Ravenclaw colours, with the eagle splashed everywhere. A few banners, mainly around the teacher's table, were black.

The students gathered at their tables, chatting among themselves as the teachers slowly filtered in. Eventually, Dumbledore arrived and stood at the front of the Great Hall. Silence fell over them.

"I am glad to see you all here, safe and sound. Many of you, I know, have been touched by losses this year, and together, we remember Professor Gawain Caedmon, a great man and a wonderful friend, who fell earlier this year. As well as this, remember your fellow students who have suffered the loss of friends and family." His eyes wondered around the hall, falling on the faces of those who had lost parents over the last few months.

They remained still, as the other students glanced towards them. Their faces did not move, although it was clear to see the tears in their eyes.

"All of our thoughts are with you. We send strength towards you, to cope in the next few months at home. Help will be found at this school for all those who need it, always. There are many who would not like me saying this, but you are about to enter a world more dangerous than how you left it. With that in mind, I pray you stay safe over the summer. Thank you."

He sat, and food appeared on the tables. They began to eat, no one unable to miss the silence that filled the hall.

X X X

On the Hogwarts Express, students ran up and down, once more eager to see all their friends before they went home for the holidays. James, Remus, Peter and Sirius had their own carriage, and the four lounged across their seats, eyeing the door as people rushed past.

James shook his head, turning away from the door and looking at the others. "Write to each other, yeah?"

The other three nodded.

"I'm scared," Peter whimpered. "With everything that's been going on..."

"We still don't know what's happening," Sirius muttered, running a hand through his hair. "We still don't have a clue. How come Dumbledore say all that crap without telling us why we need to stay safe?"

Remus shrugged. "Maybe they don't know..."

"Of course they know," James muttered. "Dumbledore must know. He's the most powerful wizard in the world, right? He knows. They just don't think we're strong enough to know."

There was a knock on the door, and the boys turned to see Andromeda Black standing on the other side of the door. She waved, before opening it and stepping it.

"Hey – Sirius, Mum sent an owl for us. Your mum can't meet you at the station, so we're taking you home."

Sirius groaned, rolling his eyes. "Seriously? I get to go with Narcissa and Bella? Oh, joy."

Andromeda chuckled. "At least you have me. And Reg is coming to the station to meet us, too."

Sirius' face brightened. "Well, at least that's something. 'Meda...do you have any idea what Dumbledore was on about?"

Andromeda sighed, backing out of the carriage and shaking her head. "Don't worry about it, Sirius. None of you worry about it, just enjoy your holidays." With that, she was gone, leaving the four boys staring at each other, wondering what was waiting for them in the outside world once they reached King's Cross.

To Be Continued...

A/N: So, that's it, the end of the first year for POTU. As always, feedback is more than welcome; what do you think? Like? Dislike? Why? Favourite moment? Least favourite moment? Anything you really, really want to see in the second? And, if you want a say in what I actually write next, please, please check out the poll on my profile page. Thanks, and, of course, Merry Christmas!