A/N: So guess what? I'm back again. *applause* I just reread the second MR book, then I reread Angel, and realized the huge, tragic difference. Crazy stuff. Anyways, got this chapter out as soon as I could, and I hope you all love it! It's a pretty long chapter, and it took me a few days to write.

Max's POV:

The next few weeks were some of the most surreal I've ever experienced… Aside from the whole 'everyone-knows-about-our-wings' thing, not much happened. Of course, that fact alone earned us a firm and tight spot on the 'who-to-whisper-about-first-list.' Yes, for several weeks "Those New Kids" were the talk of the school. Of course, you all know how much I just love attention. Of course I wasn't worried about consequences, and I didn't think at all about leaving Hogwarts. No, I was just so content to stay in my own little bubble of me, playing dolls and gossiping about gossip. (This paragraph is brought to you by Sarcasm, the language of the saints.) I was furious with myself for being so stupid. Most of me felt that I should have just let myself fall, and the rest of my knew that blowing our cover would be inevitable. As much as I wanted to get up and bolt, I stayed firm and planted. Waiting out the storm. This is how the next few weeks went: Fang was Fang. Iggy was Iggy. Nudge was Nudge. The Marauders were Marauders, and Lily was Lily. Dylan was odd. Max was… well… I'm pretty wacked up. That make you happy?

It was a colorful blur of awkward Hogsmeade weekends, drama, curious eyes, kick butt action (not really, just a second year fight between Nudge's exes,) and coming-of-age-paranormal-teen-literature-esque scenes. Fun! I'm not going to go to into detail, but this is the best recreation I can do for you:

Scene 1: Back in the Commons Room

Everyone Around Me: Oh Max! Can I touch them? They rock! How? Why? Where did they come from? Why didn't you tell us about them? Those are SO COOL!

Everyone Behind My Back: Is she some kind of freak? What's wrong with her? Why didn't she tell us? Do you think she's working with You-Know-Who? I hear all her other siblings are the same way. She's not some kind of monster, is she? She's definitely a Witch?

Scene 2: How I Imagine it Went with Fang

Fangs Uber-Perfect-Girlfriend: Oh Fangypoo! I love you so much, especially with your hot new wings! You're so mysterious and hot, like a sexy black panther! Did I just think that? Lets kiss and make evil plans together! Become a death eater with me! Blah blah blah blah I'm a Slytherin Princess WHEEE!

Fang: *Acts like a rock.*

So as you can see, I'm… well… I'm not sure what I'm feeling about the whole situation. Worried, relieved, terrified, excited, frickin awesome… Yeah. Those sum it up.

Of course, moving on to some happier scenes, Christmas time was almost upon us! Apparently, they don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Europe. Who knew? When the time came, I had a few flashback moments to that time at Anne's. How she was so worried about the Turkey popping, and then: Those Pies! My god, those pies were the tastiest things in the universe. As I soon found out, the only thing better than Thanksgiving feasts, are Christmas Feasts at Hogwarts. MAN they really go all out! Imagine every delicious food you've ever tasted in your life, then spread them all across a large table. Yep, that would be the Hogwarts Christmas Feast.

After the feast, I'd arranged for us to travel back to Arizona for the break to surprise my Mom, Angel and Gazzy, and Ella. As a flock, that was the one thing we really could agree on. I could hardly wait to wrap my arms around Angel again, I hadn't seen her since September. Who knew? Maybe Iggy and Gazzy would even start building bombs again. Just like old times.

I was just digging into my fifth serving of mashed potatoes with prime rib, when an owl dropped a note in front of me. What the-? I read the note. It was from Dumbledude. Summoning me and the rest of the flock to his office at 8:00 o'clock tonight. That's just dandy. It's about seven-ish right now, so that just meant another hour sitting here awkwardly. I'd lost my appetite, something that rarely happens, and all I could think about were the possibilities for why the Headmaster of a Magical School for Wizards would want to speak to a Hybrid Avian/Human Recumbinate DNA Life Form right before Winter Break…

Want to hear a fun fact? I was sitting alone. At a Christmas feast. What? Don't look surprised, I mean, you know me! I'm little miss independent! I'm a loner. Of course, as normal, a few girls from my house were sitting across from me whispering about, guess what? Me! "Mind if I cut in?" I whispered, leaning in to join them. They exchanged looks with each other, then continued eating like they didn't even know each other. Stupid third years.

I stabbed at the fruit cup in front of me, when a voice next to me said, "Hey. That's not nice! I mean, didn't you ever think about how the fruit feel? Just imagine it: Little fruit momma's getting stabbed in the heart, and the little fruit baby's having no one to turn to. They cry, and run to their dad's. Then! Out of the blue! Dad gets stabbed. It's all over for them." I turned around to see that it was Sirius next to me. Surprisingly enough, I was more surprised than I should have been. Surprise! I thought back at what he said about the fruit families, and couldn't help but laugh. It was kind of funny. He looked down at my foot. "You nervous?" For the first time I noticed that I had been tapping it. Stupid nervous habits. So much for the macho-don't-mess-with-me-personality. "What? Oh. No," I said, "Not nervous… I'm just… Well, I'm… listening to imaginary music in my head?"

"Like who?" He asked, and I gave a sigh of relief that he was playing along a bit. Last thing I needed was a Marauder getting into my private business. "How about, how about Green Day? Katy Perry? Bach? Some random whack job country singer? Mix up the genres a little bit." He looked at me confused, and I realized that of course he wouldn't be familiar with Muggle artists. Think Max, think. "How about Wicked Sisters?" A look of recognition dawned on his face. "Okay," He said, laughing a bit. "I guess if you're going to make up fake reasons for tapping your foot nervously, listening to Wicked Sisters in your head is definitely a very valid one." I laughed a bit back. Maybe I misjudged him? After all, he seems to be the only one talking to me tonight… not that I care. We talked for a bit more, but then silence kicked in a bit. I took the time to switch to some serious. Serious Sirius? What is this nonsense? "What's with you?" I asked, a little more accusation in my voice than I had planned. "What do you mean?" He asked back. I shrugged. "I mean, you're Marauder through and through, right? You hate my brother, you prank people for no reason, you're hysterically hyper and stupid one second, then the next you'll sit in quiet and meditate on meanings and such for hours. Don't think no one notices. And now, what? You're talking to me? You know I have wings, and that I'm sort of a freak around these parts, but you don't even care? It's not like I've been miss popularity the last few weeks."

Now it was his turn to shrug. "Your wings are pretty cool. I probably wouldn't hate Iggy if it weren't for the fact that I practically live with James, we've been best friends since I came to Hogwarts, and he stole James's true love. You're not a freak around these parts. Everyone's just a bit shocked, that's all, and you haven't exactly been warm and fuzzy."

"Thanks?"

"And I don't think I can even give an explanation about my personality. That's just something people need to learn to live with." He said it all with a smile in his voice, so I knew he was genuine, yet joking a bit at the same time. Unique, I guess. I mentally give myself a pat on the back. Look Max! You made another friend! He continued on. "Now you owe me some explanation." I braced myself a bit, mentally taking back the pat, before he said "What's with your personality? I mean, you're crazy one second, and sane the next. Angry one, happy the next. You hate your family one second, and get over protective of them the next. It would be comical if I wasn't under most of the scorn and anger." He finished, laughing a bit again. No wings. "What time is it?" I asked, not bothering to give him an explanation of Maximum Ride's signature personality. "Almost eight."

"Shoot, I have to go. Need to meet with Dumbledore for an emergency."

"Oh, wow. What for? Is everything okay?" I hesitated for a bit… almost thinking of telling him a little of what I've been worrying about. Angel still hasn't answered that letter and—No. Don't trust anyone. Never trust anyone. You're on your own Max, remember? "Yeah." I said, "Everything's fine." Then I got up, turned, and left the hall.

I walked noiselessly down the hall to Dumbledude's office. Unsurprisingly, things were uber quiet because of all the festivities happening in the Great Hall, but every once in awhile when I turned and walked down a corridor, I would see some of Hogwarts ghosts wishing each other a Merry Holiday. I turned another corner, and I was there. At the two gargoyles. I stood there awkwardly a second, before realizing that I didn't even know the password. I felt a chill, like, something completely cold. "Chocolate Frogs" Fang said, then he walked in, and I followed.

Iggy and Nudge were already inside, plus, brace yourself for this, my mother. "Mom?" I said, running into the office. "Ah," Began Dumbledore. "I see you've arrived. Maximum, your mother arrived just shortly before you did. It seems there's been an emergency."

"Max!" My mom said, running towards me to give me a large, stuffy hug. I just love hugs. "It's Ella! And Angel and Gazzy, they're—" She broke into sobs. I felt my heart jump a thousand miles into my feet. My babies. Dumbledore took my mothers sobs as a queue to finish talking himself. "They have gone missing. From what I could gather, no one has seen and heard from them for several weeks." My mom regained composure, and said "They went on a trip with Ella's school, and… they were only supposed to be gone for two weeks, but three weeks went by and they hadn't come back—" Her voice broke. "I waited for another couple weeks to come and tell you, I didn't want to worry you if it ended up being… I thought maybe they'd left again. Come to find you, something like that. But… The police, they haven't… they haven't found them yet." She sunk down into the chair behind her, her face a perfect picture of complete and utter sadness. My eyes darted towards the rest of the flock. They were completely still. I sunk down into the chair next to my mother, my face a black canvas of absolutely no emotion. A stark contrast. I could barely make myself feel anything, I couldn't feel anything. "One more thing." Dumbledore continued, "Dylan, the other boy like you, which I'm sure you've all gotten to know by now, has also gone missing this morning. He hasn't returned."

That's when everything went a bit black.

Dylan's POV:

"I need to see The Dark Lord."

"What business do you have with him? Why, you're just a boy! Fifteen at most. Come back when you've aged a few years, then we'll see what the Dark Lord will have to do with you."

"My business with The Dark Lord is exactly that- My business. It's strictly between me and him. Of course, if you would like to go in and tell him exactly why you won't let his faithful servant in to see him, then that's okay with me."

"I'll just… Come, follow me… My Lord! A young boy is here to see you."

"Dylan… Wonderful. Black, you may go."

"Yes, my Lord."

"My Lord! I've come with news. The plan is going wonderfully, and Felicia is prepared to deal with the children."

"Perfect! What news have you of Maximum Ride? I would like you to tell me everything."

"Yes, my Lord."

A/N: Bum bum buhhhhhhhh. *ominous music* Anywho, thanks for reading! It means a whole lot to me :) Hope you enjoyed it, and I hope to write another chapter again soon!

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