I'd never been in such an odd group (and I'd gone as the Powerpuff girls for Halloween one year with a few of my friends). Crookshanks led the way, with the three-legged race following behind; Gennie holding onto her father as Snape followed behind, floating like a weird puppet.

My brother and I walked with Sirius, who kept glancing at us anxiously. "I'll be free if we can turn him in."

"That'll be nice for you," I said.

"But I'm also — I don't know if anyone ever told either of you — I'm godfather to the both of you."

"Don't they usually have couples, though?" Gennie teased, nudging her dad. "Is there something you're forgetting to tell me?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "No, I just.... I was in a bad place after your mother died. And Lily and James thought it would be best for Sirius to be godfather in case... something happened to me."

"And well, if the two of you wanted a new home, I'm allowed custody." Sirius said, clearing his throat awkwardly. "I mean, I get it you're both happy in the homes you're in.... It's just an option."

"Are you serious?" I gasped.

"That's my name."

Igoring the pun, I felt my mind racing. While I did still love Jenna and Hollie, things were strained with both Mark and Lacey. Mark clearly had a problem with me leaving, and Lacey was sure to make things difficult for me in the summer....

And living with Harry at long last..... Waking up under the same roof as him, arguing over cereal and who could use the bathroom..... And Sirius is there with us, making jokes and puns as he burnt breakfast.....It sounded like a beautiful dream.

"What — live with you?" Harry said quickly, accidentally cracking his head on a bit of rock protruding from the ceiling. "Leave the Dursleys?"

"Of course, I thought you both wouldn't want to," said Sirius quickly. "I understand, I just thought I'd —"

"Are you insane?" said Harry, his voice easily as croaky as Sirius's. "Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"

"I'd love to, as long as the Oswin's didn't mind," I said happily. "I mean, I've always wanted to live with my brother, and you.... You seem awesome now I know you're not a mass-murderer."

"You want to?" he said, mouth agape. "You mean it?"

"Yeah, I mean it!" said Harry.

"Just don't be joking," I said sternly.

A bright smile broke out on his thin face, his eyes shining with new light, a new skip in his step as we made our way through the tunnel.

The grounds were very dark now; the only light came from the distant windows of the castle. Without a word, we set off. Pettigrew was still wheezing and occasionally whimpering. My mind was buzzing. I was going to live with my brother.

We were going to live with our godfather.... And as much as I loved Remus, his responsibility lied with Gennie rather than us..... I thought of the horrified look on Lacey's face when I told her I was living with the murderer we saw on BBC 1.....

"One wrong move, Peter," said Remus threateningly His wand was still pointed sideways at Pettigrew's chest.

Silently we tramped through the grounds, the castle lights growing slowly larger. Snape was still drifting weirdly ahead of Black, his chin bumping on his chest. And then -

A cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in moonlight. Glancing ahead, I saw Remus started to shake.

"NO!" Gennie cried, her face a mask of horror. "He—he didn't take his potion!" she turned to everybody. "Run. Run now."

Gasping as my full weight fell onto my ankle, Cole began running forward, as Ron was still pressed against Remus with the rope.

"We'll deal with it!" Sirius bellowed.

I still, unsure what to do. "RUN AURORA!" Gennie screamed. "I've dealt with this since I was seven years old! If you ever listen to me once, LISTEN NOW! RUN!"

There was a terrible snarling noise. Remus was transforming, his thin hands curling into claws, hair sprouting on his face and hands, lurching forward as he screamed in pain.

"It's going to be okay," Gennie said, and I wasn't sure if it was to us, or to herself. With a faint pop, a large bear-like dog and the sandy wolf were side-by-side. Sirius grabbed Remus by the neck, pulling him away from Ron and Pettgiew.

Gennie bounded towards her father and Sirius, scratching and howling as she tried to keep her father away from us. I could see the pain in her eyes, and she looked traumatised beyond belief.

Now I understood why she didn't change into her wolf form often. She didn't want to see the wolf that controlled her father.

I was transfixed by the fight, but Hermione's scream made me flip around.

Pettigrew had dived for Remus' dropped wand. Ron, unsteady on his bandaged leg, fell. There was a bang, a burst of light — and Ron lay motionless on the ground

"DON'T YOU GO ANYWHERE, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" Cole shouted, and dived at Pettigrew, but it was too late. He'd transformed, and scurried out from underneath Cole's arm.

Gennie howled, and careered after the rat that disappeared into the dark forest. Her Dad--who seemed slightly aware of who she was--followed with a deep growl. Sirius, still in dog form, curled up on the floor.

"He's gone, Sirius he escaped." I said in a dead voice. "But Gennie will get him, I promise."

At my words he scrambled up again, and in an instant, the sound of his paws faded to silence as he pounded away across the grounds.

We ran over to Ron, who was out-cold, looking at us like he didn't know her.

"What did he do to him?" Hermione whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"He's alright, I'm pretty sure my brother used that spell on me before...." Cole said, his voice faint. The darkness was back in his eyes. "I will gut and kill that rat myself if I get my hands on him—"

"Cole," I said, putting a hand on his shoulder as he began to shake. "Gennie is going to get that thing between her teeth."

"She shouldn't be doing this—what if her dad hurts her without realising?" Cole said, looking anxious and angry at the same time.

"She's been doing this half her life, she'll be okay." I said, though Cole still looked troubled.

"We'd better get them up to the castle and tell someone," said Harry, pushing his hair out of his eyes, seeming to try to think straight. "Come —"

But then there was a high-pitched yelp, a dog in pain. Sirius....

I set off at a run, and I glanced behind me to see Harry and Hermione chasing me. Cole was shouting from beside Ron at how stupid we were, but I ignored him, following the sound of the yelping.

As I reached the lake-side, the yelping stopped. I tensed up when I saw Sirius crouched on the floor, hands over his head, rocking back and forth.

"Nooo," he moaned. "Nooo... please..."

And then I saw them. Dementors, at least a hundred of them, were gliding in a black cloud of doom around us. Fog was blurring my vision, and I felt like there was nothing I could do.

liding in a black mass around the lake toward them. I spun around, the familiar, icy cold penetrating my insides, fog starting to obscure my vision; more were appearing out of the darkness on every side; they were encircling them...

"Hermione, Rory, both think of something happy!" Harry yelled, raising his wand.

Blinking through the fog, I couldn't concentrate. My mother was screaming in my head, and I could hear somebody else, screaming that they hated me, that they wanted to see me pay for what I'd done...

Covering my ears with one hand, I tried to think of happy thoughts. I was going to live with Sirius and Harry..... Thinking of the cluttered kitchen with the burnt toast and Harry and Sirius laughing, I raised my wand.

"Expecto Patronum!" I chanted like a mantra. "Expecto Patronum!"

He's going to be fine. We'll live with him. We'll be happy. Nobody will hurt anymore.

"Expecto patronum! Hermione, help us! Expecto patronum!" Harry yelled.

"Expecto —" Hermione whispered, "expecto — expecto —"

But she couldn't do it. Neither could we. The Dementors were closing in, a dark cloud of death and destruction closing in, taking all hope and happiness from my head.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" I yelled, trying to blot the screaming from my ears. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A dementor came close to me, swiping his hand over my pitiful patronus. It was getting close to Sirius, drawing back the cloak, a mouth less face....

"No — no —" I gasped. "He's innocent..."

"Expecto expecto patronum —" Harry continued dully.

Falling backwards, I gasped as a dementor floated inches away from my face, drawing back its hood. There were no eyes, skin stretched over empty sockets.... An open gaping black hole of a mouth was coming towards me....

I was going to receive the dementor's kiss. It looked as if my first kiss would also be my last.

Fog was covering my senses, and I felt almost at peace. Maybe it was best to give up....I'd been fighting for so long, and for what? My friends would be fine without me, the Oswin's didn't care.... I'd see my parents again....

A silvery gentle light filled the corners of my vision, and I fell forward onto the grass, shaking as the dementor released me, and I lay, paralysed, and covered in sweat and vomit.

The grass was silver, everything was silver and soft, and gentle, the screaming had ceased, the air was warming. If this is what death was like, I would gladly welcome it.

With every last ounce of strength I had in my weak body, I lifted my head to see Harry one last time.... But there, across the lake were two large silver animals..... Two people were behind them, blurry shadows.....

No.... It couldn't be.

Reaching out for Harry one last time, I let my exhaustion take over.

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