Companion to Fa A Bhialainn Ann

By Ebony Foxfire

Part III - (Read after Chapter 12 of "Fa A Bhialainn Ann")

"The Summer of the Irish Pub"

Sapphira followed Fiona out of the pub feeling put out. She tried to hold in a glower toward the beautiful Brenna, who gave the group a smirk as they left, and failed, pursing her lips and eyebrows in a scowl that could send children scampering to their mothers. No one has a right to be that perfect Sapphira thought, eyes flashing a stony grey as Peter scrambled after the group, the pub door hitting him hard in the rear. She glanced back to Sirius who was craning his neck toward the windows of the pub as he followed, a few steps behind all but Peter. He seemed to be trying to get one last glimpse of something, something, perhaps, thin as a stick, with big brown eyes and jet black ringlets. What's she have that I don't? Sapphira asked herself, mentally ticking off a sullen list. Ah, well, she took a few longer strides and caught up with Fiona, who looked about as brooding as she felt.

"Hey, Fi," she said in a slightly more depressed voice than usual. "Who was that girl? Brenna? You know her?"

Fi's lips tightened. "Aye, I know her. Brenna's the female version of Malfoy. She's been makin' me life miserable ever since I could walk an' talk. She was the one who tol' everyone bout the fae. I told the one girl I thought was my friend, an' she tol' Brenna, an', well, It went on from there." Fi's shoulders slumped as though a heavy weight had been dropped there. Sapphira could tell that she was reliving the whole ghastly experience and shuddered. She wouldn't like to ever see Fi that out of control.

"Yeah. She does seem like that kind of person," she agreed, putting a comforting arm around Fiona's shoulders. "Well, if you want, I'll be right at your side tonight if you want to hex her. I looked up some good ones over the summer . . ."

Fi laughed and let her friend trail off as she glanced back at the swooning Sirius. "Aye, that we'll do! I've learned a couple o' tricks from the leprechauns 'round 'ere, too!"

Soon both girls were laughing as they went into great detail describing the drastic effects that one curse mixed with another might have on the beautiful Brenna, confusing the lot behind them to no end.

"An - an then she'll 'ave feathers sprouting out o' her head 'stead o' hair!" Fi cackled wickedly.

"Yup! And don't forget the tentacles!" Added Sapphira, the old gleam back in her eyes. "With purple spots!"

"And daffodils growing out of her nose, I'm sure," stated Remus with a gentle smile as he caught up with the pair. "What're you two on about now? Can I hex something too? I've gotten quite bored with those two," he rolled his eyes as he pointed back at Lily and James, who were holding hands and whispering to each other with tender smiles. Occasionally James would lean over and kiss Lily on the cheek or neck. The pair of them were blushing crimson, and anyone could tell there was no room for Remus or anyone else in their little world at the moment.

"Aye Remus, you're welcome to jinx or charm anythin' ye like. But at the moment, we're plottin' against our dear waitress, Brenna!" Fi sniggered evilly, but there were twin spots of scarlet in her cheeks as she peered back at Lily and James while

Remus gently took her hand in his.

Sapphira blew out an aggravated sigh. "You two aren't going to start acting like them now, are you? I'll have to hook up with

Peter just to feel included!"

Fi and Remus had started to flush madly at the start of her comment, but then the two started laughing hysterically at the thought of Sapphira and Peter ever doing anything remotely like what James and Lily were at just then.

"He - he'd have to stand on a stool to reach you!" Remus gasped through his laughter.

"Aye, he's prob'ly fall over an - an you'd have to catch him! Imagine the two o' you dancin'!" Fiona panted through spurts of giggles.

Sapphira chuckled along with them. "God, he would have to stand on a stool to reach me! I'd probably trod on him if we ever did dance! Is he just short, or am I way to tall?"

"Oh, It's Peter - world's tallest midget! Isn't that right Peter?!" Remus called back to the petite figure bouncing along to keep up.

Peter look as though he had been jerked out of a trance (he has been watching the fascinating way the sun glinted off of Sapphira's long golden hair) and nodded fervently, trying to seem as though he had been in the loop the whole time. He was quite confused when Fi, Remus, and even Sapphira burst out in another round of hilarity.

"Wh-what'd I miss?" He gasped as he raced to catch them up. "C'mon guys, what happened?"

"Oh, nothing much Peter," Sapphira replied with a twinkle in her eye. "We were just discussing what a great couple you and I would make!" She started giggling again, but Peter was oblivious in his ecstasy! She recognized what he had seen all along! It was the best day of his life!

"C'mon guys," Remus said, shaking his head. "I'll race you all to Fi's house!" The group started galloping across the emerald plains, leaving Lily, James, and the daydreaming Sirius in the dust.

*****

The air seemed to crack with the whip of Apollo as he drove his blaze-footed steeds toward the silhouette of the horizon. The chariot wheels left tracks of pink and blue, purple, yellow, and occasionally green amongst the clouds as the god and his chargers galloped through the heavens, leaving a trail of beauty and sadness in their wake. At the sight, birds nestled into their nests and sang the song of evening to the foxes and the cats, who heeded well the warning of the coming of the night and tucked their own young safely in their havens. The cattle lowed lazily, and even the flies' bites lost their sting as the activities of the day were hushed by the coming of the night. Soon, all the world would be still.

Well, not really. It was only sunset.

The party would be starting in a few hours, and the McLellan house was humming with activity. The girls and the boys had separated into groups and were preening (though the boys would never call it that!) themselves for the party. In other words:

Sirius, Remus, James, and Peter all used a neaten-up spell and (maybe) ran a comb through their tangled tresses. Lily, Sapphira, and Fiona, however, were a different story.

"Oooh, blast! I've gotten rouge on my skirt," cried Lily. She started to scrub at the stain, but then smacked herself lightly on the forehead and pulled out her wand. "If I ever start acting too much like a muggle," she said to Fi and Sapphira as she zapped the spot with a quick spell, "feel free to hit me as hard as you like."

"God, I haven't made myself up like this since the Yule Ball!" giggled Sapphira, deftly applying a layer of blue to her eyelids. She pulled some of what Sirius would call, "black gunk" out of Fiona's drawer and started to brush it on her lashes lightly. When she was through she grabbed her wand and muttered, "Secerno secrevi secretum", and immediately any clumps or stuck-together lashes were removed, creating a perfect fan. She caught her friends' looks.

"Useful little spell, that," commented Fiona, applying a rare layer of makeup to her own pale face. "Can it be put to other use?"

"Oh yes," replied Sapphira. "It's also an excellent quickie hair brush!" She pointed her wand at her hair this time and muttered the same spell. Instantly, every hair was free from tangle and started to fly away, creating a look as though she had stuck her finger in an electric socket. Fi and Lily were laughing by the time Sapphira had reddened and muttered, "Ne evolo" which straightened out the mess.

"I think I'll be sticking to my brush, dear," giggled Lily behind her hand.

"No one said it worked all the time," grumbles Sapphira under her breath. "Bloody Irish climate . . ."

"Oh, cheer up!" Chirped Fiona. She had pronounced herself ready with only a thin coat of gloss to her lips and s smear of flesh-colored liquid here and there. She reached for her cloak, "C'mon you two, let's go meet the boys."

Lily and Sapphira exchanged glances. "Ye ain't goin' any which where, Fiona me darlin'. Not like that," Sapphira closed in on Fi with a wand in one hand and a container of blue powder in the other. Fiona started to giggle at Sapphira's attempt at an Irish accent, then noticed the gleam in her eye.

"Oh no," she began to protest as Lily circled around the other side like a vulture (only holding a tube of lipstick). "I'm never wearin' any o' that makeup, not ever! Ye, ye can't make me!" She added with growing desperation in her voice. She turned and tried to bolt for the door, but Lily caught her.

"Not so fast, darling," she cackled, smoothing back her thick red hair. "By the time we're done with you, Remus'll be falling at your feet!"

Fiona protested even more emphatically, blushing, crimson, but was abruptly silenced when Sapphira shoved a scarf in her mouth.

"Now," said Sapphira to Lily, looking justified. "Let's get to work!"

Fiona rolled her eyes, spat out the scarf and smiled. "Fallin' at my feet, did ye say?"

*****

"'Cor, how long have they been up there already! Two hours? Three hours?!"

"Sirius, it's only been ten minutes since we came down, and we were up there twenty minutes," Remus' words did not have the desired calming effect on the impatient Sirius.

"That's a bleeding half-hour!" He cried with passion. "How long does it take to brush your bloody hair!"

"Well, added Peter timidly, "Sapphira does have rather long hair..."

"Shut up, Peter," said Remus and Sirius in unison.

"Believe me, it's rather worth the wait," said James with a dreamy expression on his handsome face. He remembered how Lily had looked after her preparation for the Yule Ball... she'd positively glowed! Her hair and eyes had sparkled and her lips had been red as her beautifully thick hair... oh, he remembered how it felt to run his fingers through her hair...

"Ow!" He came out of his trance as Sirius smacked him over the head with his coat.

"Snap out of it, James." He said, rolling his eyes. "You're positively no fun at all when you're all dreamy-eyed like that!"

Peter suddenly stood up, and you could almost see his ears pricking forward. "Here they come!" He smoothed a wrinkle out of his pants and stood up to his full height, which was not much.

Sirius also bounded to his feet. "Finally!" He grabbed his coat and threw it over his shoulders. "We can go to the- to the- um... yeah."

Suddenly all four of the Marauders, as they were notoriously known throughout Hogwarts, found themselves wishing they had bothered to tie their shoes, neaten their hair, or iron their shirts.

Lily descended the staircase first in a simple white blouse green skirt outfit that matched her stunningly accented eyes. Living as a muggle all those years with Petunia as a makeup obsessed sister had had it's advantages, as she now know exactly how to pick and choose the correct shades for anyone, including herself. She now had "green goop" around her eyes, and her lips, again, were a bright cherry red. James ogled, to put it bluntly.

Sapphira came next. Her elegant ensemble consisted of a long, floaty blue skirt that made pleasant swishing noises as she walked. She, too, had on a simple white blouse, but hers was emphasized with a metal collar, silver with a blue stone in the center. She had sought Lily's help for her makeup and now her sea-blue eyes were rimmed with azure sparkles. She had a darker mauve shade of lip coloring, and deliberately fluttered her eyelashes at Sirius as she stepped of the staircase.

Following her was a rather put out looking Fiona, though even she could not entirely hide her grin at the sight of Remus with his mouth hanging open. Flute case in hand, she moved down the staircase only a little hesitantly. She now had a slightly darker shade of gloss on her lips, creating a rosy pink effect, and her eyelids were covered with a light blue powder that matched her eyes exactly. Sapphira had even managed to hold her down whilst Lily deftly applied a layer of mascara to her lashes. All in all, the trio looked quite lovely.

Five minutes later, the girls had been helped into their coats (Sapphira had found it funny, but it seemed especially funny when

Peter had struggled with her zipper to the point where an exasperated Sirius grabbed it away) and the seven friends were on

their way to Brenna's party.

"Should we have brought presents, I wonder," pondered Lily, as James put an arm around her shoulders.

"Nah, I'm the entertainment, an' you're with me," stated Fiona, clutching her flute case and trying to sort through her music with the other hand.

Remus had started to take the case from her when a loud voice from beside them stated nervously, "'S a lovely evenin', don't ye think?"

The entire group started and looked over, and then up at the tall stranger. Standing quite close to them was a tall lad of about their age. He couldn't quite be called fat, but he wasn't thin either, and he moved as though he wasn't quite sure where he should be. He had grey-blue eyes and delicate, almost feminine features, and his blond hair was cut fashionably, neither short nor long. He wore a shockingly orange sweatshirt and carried an armload of gifts wrapped in sparkly (A/N - not shiny, Veralidaine, sparkly) paper. His abrupt appearance had startled them all.

"Me name's Pilib," he said, giving Lily, Fiona, and Sapphira a wide grin and a wink. Sapphira was beginning to notice a distinct feminine quality to his voice that wasn't quite a lisp, but was rather distinguishing all the same. She was also beginning to notice that this strange boy was inching closer and closer to the group. She noticed he had been walking all alone and felt a bit of pity for the boy. Of course he could walk to the party with them, if he wanted too. . .

"Are ye all goin' to Brenna's party? I'm goin' too! P'raps we could walk a bit together, y'know, we could, ah, keep each other warm if it got cold," he added with a purposeful wink toward Fiona, and a lick of the lips toward Sapphira. He'd said all of this very rapidly and it had been punctuated with strange gasping noises. The flash of pity disappeared and was replaced by a sense of deepening dislike. The girls looked at each other as Fi edged closer to Remus and Sapphira started backing toward Sirius.

"Thanks, but we're all quite warm," said Peter gallantly stepping between Sapphira and Pilib.

Pilib decided this was the time to change the subject. "So, what're your names?" He chanced a glare at Peter, who backed up a step from the far from menacing stranger.

James smiled hesitantly at Pilib who responded with a wide grin. "'Lo Pilib. I'm James Potter. This here is Lily Evans," he put an arm possessively around her shoulders, "This's Peter, Remus and Sirius," The three boys nodded curtly, "and here're Sapphira and Fiona." The girls didn't even smile.

He gave the entire group a hopeful smile. "Would, er, would ye mind if I tagged along? I mean, ye seem to be lackin' o presents an' I've got more 'n enough for everybody! Please," he added pleadingly, "I'd like to come, really I would."

Everyone looked at each other. They didn't like this strange and presumptuous boy, but they weren't cruel either. Sapphira gave a deep sigh. "Yeah, you can come, Pilib." She thought venomously, but if you so much as touch me I'll hex you so fast you won't know what hit you. And punctuate that with a kick below the belt.

Pilib brightened considerably. "Oh, thanks!" He said grinning so hard they thought his face would crack. Little did he know that James, Lily, Sirius, Remus, little Peter, and especially Fiona and Sapphira were thinking I hope I won't regret this.

Ten minutes later the group arrived at Brenna's party, which took place in the very pub she worked at and was crowded with people. The atmosphere was rather smoky and smelled of alcohol and sweat. The large number of adults in the pub explained this, nearly all of who were dancing. No one seemed to notice the atmosphere, however, as they were all having too much of a good time. Everyone was laughing and talking, hugging their neighbor and drinking to each other. There were also a fair number of children and teenagers in the pub. The children raced around to the rhythm of the music shrieking and laughing wildly and the teenagers were either hanging back against the walls looking somber with a glass of punch, (A/N - teenage boy thing, yeah we know ^_^) or out in the very middle of the throng of people, dancing with one another and giggling with the rest. Brenna, who had been thoroughly enjoying herself and all of the compliments she had been getting stopped dancing to greet (if you could call it that) the new group of arrivals.

"Oh, good. Ye're here," she intoned, not sounding at all happy to see them. She gave all of them, especially Fiona and Pilib, a look that said that she couldn't enjoy them less if they were creating an unpleasant squishy sensation under her shoe.

"Presents go on the table t' yer left. Fiona, dear," she gave a tiny smile that never reached her eyes. "The help's over there. And you, Pilib, go home." Pilib's perpetual smile crumbled. "I told ye not t' come. As fer you six. Go an', an' drink some punch 'r somethin'."

Sapphira had fire in her eyes. "That's horrible of you!" She exploded. "You can't just tell people to go home when they come to your party, with presents even! Especially in that tone, like he was an insect or something. Then you treat us like dirt! We haven't done anything to upset you, and you've got some nerve-"

Brenna held up an elegantly manicured hand and gave a dignified sniff. "Yer all here at my invitation. I would advise ye not t' misbehave, American." She glanced over her slender shoulder at a group of young men with pleading expressions on their faces and smirked. "Now, go away 'n do somethin' or I'll have ye, all o' ye, kicked out. If ye'll excuse me, now, dear," she swept past Sapphira in one fluid movement, gave a toss of her beautifully arranged hair and started off in the direction of the boys, bedroom eyes at their most seductive.

"Ooh, that girl!" growled Sapphira. Her fingers were itching to pull her wand out of her coat and teach that wench a lesson. A full body bind ought to do it . . ."Oof!"

The massive Pilib suddenly swept up Sapphira in a huge hug. "Oh, thank ye e'er so much! No one's e'er stood up fer me like tha' before! Thank ye, thank ye!" He finished his expression of gratitude with a large sloppy kiss on the cheek. Sapphira writhed to get away.

Lily, Remus, James, Sirius, and especially Peter saw Sapphira's predicament and quickly yanked her free from Pilib's grip. Sapphira wiped her cheek hastily with a sleeve looking disgusted. "Pilib, don't do that every again!" she cried, outraged. "Jesus, I appreciate your gratitude, but, just, no!"

"Awright," he replied, grinning ear to ear.

Lily lent Sapphira a comforting arm around the shoulders as Remus called out excitedly, "Hey, look, there's Fi!"

All heads were turning to the stage where a new song was about to start. There was a group of six musicians, including Fi tuning up their instruments and warming up for the next set. There was Fi, obviously the flutist, a tall woman who looked to be a middle aged woman with an accordion, a thin reedy man with a long grey beard at the piano, and finally a portly man with a red face who proudly tuned his gleaming guitar. A short, skinny old man took the microphone.

"'Allo, there, ladies an' gentlemen!" He gave a huge smile showing only a few teeth in his mouth. "The nex' set 's a classic set o' Irish reels for ye! The Limerick Lassies Set!" Music behind him started, "Move yer feet all, an' a very 'appy day t' Brenna MacBradaigh!"

The lively reels set everyone's feet to dancing. Sapphira nearly forgot her annoyances (nearly) and started merrily clapping and dancing with her friends. Everyone was dancing with everyone else and trading partners, so no one could feel left out (though when Peter and Pilib wound up as partners it was just a tad awkward) and everyone was beginning to have a wonderful time.

When the set of reels ended, the entire pubful of people started clapping heartily for the band. Sapphira noticed the beads of sweat on Fiona's forehead, winked at her and gave her a thumbs up. Fiona smiled, wiped her forehead and returned the sign rolling her eyes. Sometimes her friend was so American it was ridiculous.

The little old man took the microphone again. "Amazin', simply amazin'! Next up's a bit of a slow song so ye all c'n rest yer feet.

This's featurin' young Fiona McLellan! Here's the beau'iful ballad, The Waves of Kilkee!" (A/N - it wasn't written then, but it's a beautiful song!) Sapphira looked at Fiona, thinking that a slow song would be good for her tired friend, but Fi was already starting to play.

The ballad seemed as magical as Hogwarts itself. It positively painted pictures in the air of deserted seashores, late at night with the starts shining above, a lone gull calling out a hoarse cry… Sapphira was so entranced by the music that when she heard a voice, she was startled.

"What? Who's talking?" she asked, turning around and coming face to face with Sirius.

"Me, twit," Sirius grinned as Sapphira stuck her tongue out at him. "You want to dance?" He offered her an arm and led her out to the middle of the dance floor.

Sapphira twined her arms around Sirius's neck and sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. Sirius grinned and wrapped his arms around her in a strong embrace as the two started to sway to the music. It's about bloody time she thought, and smiled.

The song was nearing its end when the two were interrupted. "If I may cut in, darlin'," a silky voice intoned, and Sapphira felt herself being pushed away from Sirius. She opened here eyes and found Sirius being led away by a certain tall, raven-haired waitress. Brenna looked over her shoulder at the flabbergasted Sapphira, and pursed her painted lips together in such a way that it was reminiscent of pity. Seeing the blonde girl's rage, she put her arm around Sirius' waist and led him off whispering sweetly into his ear, still smirking. Possibly what upset Sapphira most was that Sirius only looked back once, and that was merely a look of confusion.

"Hey, Sapphira, what's up . . . oh, no." Fiona had chosen that moment to take a break. She was sweaty and needed a drink of water; Waves of Kilkee was a very difficult piece. "Oh, no. "Phira, I'm so sorry. I swear t' God she's part veela, no one c'n resist her." Fiona looked at her crestfallen friend. "Y'know, she doesn't even like 'im cause o' who 'e is. Only 'cause 'es 'andsome."

Sapphira looked at her friend. She couldn't blame Sirius. After all, it was a well-known fact that the vast majority of seventeen-year-old boys hardly ever thought with their head, and Sirius was no exception to that rule. And Brenna was beautiful. She could, however, blame Brenna for deliberately stealing Sirius away the first tender moment they'd shared in months. Sapphira felt her forehead growing hot with rage. A burning smell filled the atmosphere around her, and Sapphira looked down in shock and saw her skirt was beginning to scorch.

Fi also noticed this, and her blue eyes widened with shock and fear. "Into the air we go," she said, quickly taking Sapphira's arm and leading her out into the cool Irish air. "Now is not the time for that, Sapphira," she said firmly once the livid American had stopped smoldering.

"Dunno why that happens, it just does." Sapphira had long since told her friends about her affinity with fire, and shrugged at their questions about how or why. "'Spose it's better I start to burn things out here than in there, though." She sighed. "That girl! She's got some nerve, doing a thing like that." She shook off her friend's caring hand. "I'm okay now, I've just got to go save Sirius from the little bitch."

"Don't do anythin' ye'll regret!" called Fiona to her friends rapidly disappearing back. She shook her head and followed. Time to go find Remus and protect 'im from the same bloody fate she thought grimly.

Sapphira reentered the pub, pushed her hair out of her face and shook her head, causing her flaxen locks to catch the light. If it's a war she wants it's a war she'll get. She put on a charming yet determined smile and set out to find Sirius when she heard a loud crash and James shouting. That'll be Sirius. She strode quickly off in that general direction, and suddenly stopped short, mouth hanging open.

Sirius was up on the tiled bar counter, shirt off, and dancing with a cup of amber coloured liquid in his hand. "Ex'lent Iced Tea!" he called in a loud, slurred voice. (A/N - do they even have Long Island Iced Tea in Ireland? I'm taking a gamble here) "Ya'll should try shome!"

A loud, fast jig was starting in the background. Sirius spotted Sapphira. "'Phira!" he called. "Come an' dance wi' me!" He grabbed her wrists and pulled her up on the bar counter with him.

"Sirius, you're loaded!" Sapphira cried, laughing as Sirius spun her around faster and faster as a growing group of spectators laughed and catcalled.

"'M not! 'S only iced, iced teeeeeeeeee!" Sirius started to lose his balance, bringing Sapphira down with him.

"Aaaa-oof!" Sapphira said, as the upraised arms and hands of the surrounding crowd suddenly broke her fall. Sirius was in the act of being pulled back up on the counter by the shirtless Sirius when she felt a tug on her hair.

Turning around she saw Lily, James, Remus, Fi, and the rest of the gang. Remus said clearly, "Time to go now, Sapphira, bring Sirius. Hurry!"

Sapphira looked at Sirius, who was completely dazed as of now. She sighed and put his arm around her shoulders, leading him off of the counter and through the crowd to the door. "Thanks for the party, Brenna dear!" she called back to Brenna, who did not look even remotely beautiful with a glower on her face that twisted all of her features. Sapphira laughed, and again stepped out into the fresh air to join her friends.

She noticed the absence of Pilib before she noticed anything else, and breathed a deep sigh of relief. Then she noticed Fiona kneeling beside the passed out Sirius with a tiny green bottle in her hand.

Fi looked up at Sapphira. "Thought it t' be 'bout time we got out o' there," She grinned. When Sapphira looked questioningly at the minute vial, Fi only smiled wider. "Told ye I'd been talkin' t' leipreacháns lately! They gave me this if I ever got into a bit of a scrape and needed a boost." She winked cheekily at the group. "Works fer hangovers too, they said!" She uncorked the bottle and tipped the emerald contents down Sirius' throat. A moment later, he coughed, sputtered, and sat up.

"Where, where am I?" He asked looking around, trying to focus on the blurry objects before him. He suddenly clutched his stomach and raced, er, well, stumbled to the nearest clump of bushes. The group turned away and heard retching noises. For a moment all was still then there was a rustling noise as Sirius emerged again, this time standing upright.

"Well, that's better now," he said with a shaky smile. Who'd a known iced tea'd make you pass out!"

The group started to giggle uncontrollably and filled Sirius I on exactly what he'd done back in the pub.

"What?!" Sirius cried in outrage. "She tricked me! That skinny wench tricked me! Why, I ought to-"

"Enough!" Sapphira said, raising her hands. Sirius looked at her quizzically. "We'll we're out of there, aren't we?" She smiled slyly. "And you make a very charming drunk!"

After a moment, everyone was in peals of laughter again as they started back to Fiona's house.

"Fiona, you were really great back there," Remus smiled quietly as he took Fi's hand once again. "You played beautifully!

Especially that Kilkee song, you were absolutely amazing."

Fiona blushed as everyone else, even the ever-joking Sirius agreed. "Aw, c'mon." she chided them gently, "Anyone could do it..."

"Can you really imagine me with a flute," James asked, holding up his hand as if he were trying to hold a flute.

"Other way, James, dearest," Fi laughed as she corrected his abominable posture.

"Hey," Sapphira stopped the group, nostrils flared. "Do you smell something?"

"Twasn't me!" Sirius called with a smirk.

"Not that, idiot," Sapphira jokingly gave Sirius a push. "I swear I smell," her brow furrowed with worry. "Fire..."

"What?" Fiona's eyes widened as she heard a distant scream. "Ma!" She started running as fast as she could toward her house as the others followed her example.

Legs pumping, breathing hard, Sapphira caught up with Fiona and the two stopped in their tracks as they reached the top of the hill that was just in front of the McLellan household.

"MA!!!" Fiona cried, a sob choking her throat.

Sapphira could only stare. The cheery house was a half-burned ruin, still blazing; Moreen McLellan was nowhere to be seen. And floating above the house giving off an eerie green light was an unmistakable sign: a skull with a snake slithering out of its mouth. The Dark Mark hovered, laughing, over the devastation of Fiona's house.

A/N - What'd you think? Sorry this took so long, but I share some teachers with Veralidaine, and she's quite right, they ARE form

the dark side!!! Anyone out there ever heard of a precis? It's a new way evil witches and wizards have found to torture honest

fanfic writers. Anyway, I'll stop babbling now so that you can R/R!!!