#bedson

[yourninjasareajoke]

first weeks of freedom

wonky start to summer but im not about to gaf

[icc133]

Laura Bedson – 2023 Northern California Pro

[shannibal--lecter]

Top Tips to Picking Extravagance Beds

On the off chance that you're looking for the ideal extravagance bed there a number learn more clues and tips you can follow to guarantee you find the ideal sleeping spot to address your issues and your spending plan.

1. Consider the stylistic layout of your bedroom to make specific the bed you select will suit your plan style. On the off chance that you have a contemporary bedroom, consider beds with a leather finish, or a blend of wood and leather low to the ground in a moderate style.

2. Then again a more conventional styled bedroom ought to have a bed which mirrors this style, for example, divan beds which are higher off the ground with either wooden, leather or metal frames which will oblige a wide assortment of bedding styles and praise different pieces of bedroom furniture like closets and dressing tables. The actual divan is covered with top notch fabrics in nonpartisan, plain varieties empowering you to pick bedspreads in your preferred shade.

3. On the off chance that you're looking for an extravagant spot to sleep there are different choices which incorporate bed frames produced using leather or sled beds. The leather decisions are wide and shifted, and that implies you can pick extravagance leather whatever your style of stylistic layout. To finish the lavish look pick bed tosses in extravagance fabrics, for example, velvet, the blend of two extravagance materials offer a stupendous and exquisite look.

4. Choose king size or super king size in the event that you're looking for a definitive extravagance bed as these will give you more room to fan out and move about while you're sleeping.

5. You ought to likewise take a gander at various models to see the construction of the foundation of the bed frame. Some have slatted bases which offer extra help, while others have capacity draws giving additional extra room to keep your bedroom without any trace of messiness.

6. You ought to likewise give thought to the sleeping cushion. Most beds, including leather sled beds are sold without a bedding. This offers you the chance to choose a sleeping pad to suit both your financial plan and your own necessities. Various bedding choices are widely accessible, including hypo-allergenic for those inclined to sensitivities or asthma and others incorporate extra springs to further upgrade support. Many beddings have been explicitly planned and created with input from muscular specialists and researchers so that the present innovation is incorporated and pointed toward giving you full help as well as a decent evenings sleep with extravagance sleeping cushions which have body molding or air pockets styled springs.

7. Leather sled beds are an incredible decision on the off chance that you have a sufficiently huge bedroom to oblige them. You'll have to think about the size of your bedroom with respect to the size of your bed. Standard twofold beds will fit most modern bedrooms, while the bigger king and super king size can be picked assuming they leave adequate walking space down the sides. There's little point in choosing a bed which takes up the entire of the room and leaves you attempting to get into every evening. In this way, in spite of the fact that you might need extravagance super king size leather sled beds assuming they're excessively huge for the size of your room it definitely should settle on the following size down.

[whisp-blur]

With the outbreak claiming its first victim, a day later Prof Bedson went out into his shed at his home in the Birmingham suburb of Harborne and killed himself.

He left a note, which read: "I am sorry to have misplaced the trust which so many of my friends and colleagues have placed in me and my work."

Five days later, at 03:50 on 11 September, Mrs Parker died.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"GETS PROMOTION," Weekly Free Press & Weekly Farmer. March 12, 1913. Page 1. ---- COL. IRVINE Warden of Stony Mountain Penitentiary, Transferred to Kingston.

"PROMOTION FOR WESTERN OFFICIAL," Weekly Free Press & Weekly Farmer. March 12, 1913. Page 1. --- Col. Irvine, Warden Stonewall Penitentiary, Transferred to Kingston-May Not Accept. ---- Kingston, Ont., March 8. - Major W. S. Hughes, accountant of the penitentiary here, will leave for Ottawa next week, having received word of his appointment as inspector of penitentiaries. His salary will be $4,000 per year. Inspector G. W. Dawson has been transferred to the public works department, and Major Hughes will take his place. Lieut.-Col. Irvine, of Stony Mountain, will assume the position of warden of the penitentiary here in a few days.

DISTINGUISHED CAREER. Colonel A. J. Irvine was born in the city of Quebec on December 7, 1837. His father was a distinguished British soldier and while stationed at the ancient capital, acted as aide-de-camp for several governors-general, and was one of the gentlemen appointed to at- tend the Prince of Wales (the late King Edward VII) on the occasion of his visit to Canada In 1860. Col. Irvine was educated in Quebec high school and by private tutors. His education completed, he took up the profession of civil engineering and was employed on the construction of the Victoria bridge, under the builder, Alexander MacKenzie Ross, he being the only Canadian on a staff of one hundred men. He subsequently engaged in the timber business on the Gatineau river and attended the Kingston military school, where he won a prize as a cavalry swordsman.

When there was a call for volunteers in eastern Canada, to join a military expedition to the Red river to suppress the first Metis uprising. Col. Irvine immediately enlisted and having had military training and experience, was given the post of major. When the rebellion was suppressed, Col. Irvine wintered (1870-71) at Lower Fort Garry with a portion of the troops and in the following spring he was given the command of Fort Osborne. Here he remained until 1874 when the force was disbanded, and he was given an appointment with the R.N.W.M.P. as inspector under Commissioner McLeod. When Commissioner McLeod became a judge, he succeeded to the commissionership and continued to hold that important office until after the North West rebellion in 1885, meeting the responsibilities and performing the arduous duties of the office in a manner which has stamped him as an astute diplomat and a brave soldier.

His courage, his unfailing integrity and his kindness won the respect of the better disposed Indians and doubt helped to keep the unruly ones in subjection and to prevent bloodshed. Col. Irvine took an active part in suppressing the uprising under Louis Riel in 1885 and of all those who served in this rebellion, he was the only one who received the imperial service medal.

On retiring from the commissionership of the Mounted Police in 1885, Col. Irvine became Indian agent on the Blood reserve in southern Alberta. He held this post until 1892, when he was appointed warden of Stony Mountain penitentiary, succeeding the late Col. Bedson, a position in which his outstanding characteristic as a public officer, a fine conscientiousness in the performance of duty, was again manifested in every detail of the work devolving upon him.

Col. Irvine had two brothers and two sisters. Of the brothers one was a lawyer, who was at one time a business partner of Sir Wilfrid Laurier. The other was a soldier who served with honor the British army in India and Africa. Col. Irvine is a staunch Episcopalian more loyal and devoted member the Church of England never had.

Coming to Manitoba St. Thomas, Ont., March 8. - Capt. John C. Ponsford, of this city, has been appointed by the Dominion government warden of Stony Mountain penitentiary, successor to Col. Irvine, who has been transferred to the wardenship of the Kingston penitentiary.

Captain John C. Ponsford was born in St. Thomas in 1863, and after leaving school he was with Ponsford Bros., contractors, from 1894 to 1906. Captain Ponsford was tax collector for St. Thomas, resigning to go into business in El Paso, Texas, where he remained for a few years. He has been identified with the 25th regiment for many years. He also has always taken a great interest in sports. Capt. Ponsford will leave in about a week take up his new duties at Stony Mountain.

[sunnytime54]

DSMP owl house AU with Dream as the Golden Guard to Emperor XD. Wilbur as Eda. Tommy as Luz. Willow and Gus as Tubbo and Ranboo. Fundy as Hootie because… reasons. Techno as Lilith. Phil spends most of his year flying around in search of a cure for Wilbur and Techno. Technoblade is being controlled by XD for his fighting skills and war strategies. Wilbur, Phil, and now Tommy are desperately trying hard to break him free. It’s only when Techno splits the curse he put on Will is he freed from XD’s mind control. Techno was so happy on the day of his coven initiation he did even realize it at first when the brainwashing happened. he never questioned how he could recite every decree XD made when sorting out wild magic and declaring “peace” across the boiling isles and yet he couldn’t recall the names of his family or even when’s the last time he talked to them

[physiologicdeadspace]

Wax model of smallpox lesions on the face of 15 year old boy, made by William Gottheil, 1917. 

The worldwide death toll from smallpox has been estimated to be between 300 to 500 million. The last death from smallpox occurred in 1978, when medical photographer Janet Parker contracted smallpox in the building where she worked. She worked for Birmingham University Medical School, one floor above the medical microbiology department of where research into smallpox was ongoing. It was found that a phone booth she had used to order photography equipment shared a ventilation system with the laboratory where smallpox was being stored, and this was how she contracted the infection. 

Parker’s 71-year old father died of a heart attack on the 7th of September after he visited his daughter, who would have been in an advanced stage of the illness and covered in horrific sores and scars. Parker herself died only a few days later on the 11th of September, 1978.

The head of the medical microbiology department, Henry Bedson, died by suicide on the 6th of September, as a result of the guilt he felt over Parker’s illness. He had also been the person to conduct the diagnostic tests on the fluid taken from Parker’s skin lesions, confirming the pox diagnosis. His suicide note read:

I am sorry to have misplaced the trust which so many of my friends and colleagues have placed in me and my work.

[lepromatosis]

1818221, acrylic on canvas, December 2018

Images of Henry Bedson and Janet Parker. Parker was the last person to contract smallpox and the poor safety practices of Bedson’s smallpox lab were responsible for her catching the disease. Bedson committed suicide shortly before Janet died.

Original Source Post

[spengs]

Yo I just wanted to say that I love following your blog and that I hope you have a good day dude!!

Thanks so much friend! You too!

[rethinker]

I am sorry to have misplaced the trust which so many of my friends and colleagues have placed in me and my work and above all to have dragged into disrepute my wife and beloved children. I realise this act is the last sensible thing I have done but it may allow them to get some peace.

Henry Bedson. (His suicide note, Sep 1978)

[yourninjasareajoke]

its the weekend and im out of my mind

new cg album sooooo yummyyyyy mmmmmm

[bernardstonmeditationsclass]

Set Up For Successful Meditation

What is the current status of your meditation practice? Is it in the idea stage, waiting to be implemented at the right time? Maybe you know it's something that would be good for you, but haven't yet clicked into doing it as a daily routine?

Or maybe, you've done it at times, but either been frustrated by the results or lost interest? Or perhaps, you love to meditate and would like to gain some insights about how to go even deeper or make it even more effective?

In this article, we explore 4 Steps to Setup a Successful Meditation Session.

1. Set Up a Meditative Space

Whether it's a spare room, a closet, or a part of your bedroom, define a space that you dedicate to meditation. You can mark this space with a rug, a meditation bench, chair, or cushion.

By meditating in the same space consistently it comes to represent "meditation" to you, and thereby becomes a space that supports you moving into a meditative state. After a period of time, just sitting in this space will relax you.

Another way to enhance the atmosphere of your meditation space is to set up an "altar" that represents what is important to you in your practice and your life.

If the idea of having an altar inspires you, it can take any form that is pleasing and motivating to you. It can include photos, symbols, candles, flowers, offering bowls, statues, quotes, and so on. The basic idea is to put significant items there-ones that put you in the right mindset for meditating and remind you WHY you are taking time to practice.

If you use meditation to support a religious faith, place images or items that represent your faith on your altar. Personally, I have symbols of several different spiritual traditions in my space to represent the Universal Spirituality underlying all faiths and traditions. I also have family pictures and quotes that remind me of my higher intentions. The most important quality of your altar is that it represents what is important to you.

Once you've meditated in your sacred space for a while and used it to grow your inner skills, you'll be able to take your meditation on the road and do it virtually anytime, anywhere-no matter what is going on around you. This is when your meditation becomes truly powerful. Yet, even then, you'll probably really appreciate and value those times when you get to meditate in your sacred space.

2. Create a Ritual Around Your Practice

Set a regular time for meditation and create a consistent routine that moves you into your practice.

One way to support regular practice is to make meditation a part of an established routine that you already do. For most people, the best way is to integrate meditation into their morning routine. This encourages you to start your day from a relaxed, present, intentional perspective-and it insures that you meditate before other events in the day get in the way.

Once you've decided on the time you will meditate, plan your day accordingly. If you are meditating first thing, make sure you go to bed early enough that you can comfortably wake up early enough to practice without rushing. Set your alarm to wake you up with plenty of time.

Once you get up, have a routine to move you into your practice. For example, I first massage around my eyes and back of my head while still lying in bed. I then massage the bottoms of my feet with some tennis balls that are at the foot of my bed when I sit up. I use the toilet, then splash water on my face and massage my scalp. Then, I do some stretches to limber up before I stand in my standing meditation posture. All of this awakens and loosens me up and prepares me for a good practice session.

After standing meditation, I do a seated meditation, then I shake out my whole body, and finish with prayers for my family and the whole planet at my altar.

Having a routine that includes how I wake up, makes the movement into my practice seamless and reliable. Over the years, I have adapted and grown my routine as needs, insights, and new learning have guided me. Yet, the basic idea of having a ritual sequence has made waking up something that I look forward to and moving into my practice easy and natural.

3. Adjust Your Posture

If you search for photos of people meditating, nine times out of ten you'll find them seated in a cross-legged position. Unfortunately, this gives many people the impression that this is THE WAY to meditate. I heartily disagree.

In fact, unless you've grown up in a culture in which that is the way you normally sit, I encourage you to sit on a chair, bench, or bed that puts the soles of your feet flat on the floor and parallel with each other, with your hips level with or slightly above your knees.

Having the soles of your feet flat on the floor and parallel to each other puts you in a "grounded" position that also bio-mechanically aligns your feet, knees, and hips. This position is easy on your joints.

There are many acceptable hand positions for meditation-each with their own purpose. A basic starting position is to place your hands palms-down on your legs. This position is relaxing, while it also supports upright posture and alert attention. Finer points are "softening" your hands and lowering your shoulders to release tension and having a slight space under your armpits to encourage an open, expansive, spacious feeling in your body.

Next, imagine a string attached to the top of your head, drawing your spine into an upright position. Tuck your chin slightly to lengthen the back of your neck and put a subtle smile on your lips to encourage a calm, accepting, positive attitude.

Lightly close your eyes to support you in focusing inwardly. Unless you are using a technique that focuses on energy above your head, direct your gaze slightly downward. After practicing a while, you may notice that your eyes naturally open just slightly, with a soft focus to the outer environment.

Finally, sit forward on the front edge of your seat. Sit far enough forward so you feel some weight in your feet, which encourages a grounded, present feeling in your body. Sitting without back support also aligns and strengthens your spine, which has an empowering affect.

As you align and strengthen your spine, you are more likely to stay aligned with your higher intentions and feel strong in following them, rather than getting distracted and swayed by less important desires. You develop a strong "backbone."

Now, many people email me saying that this posture is just too hard and painful to maintain.

The reason for that is tension along the spine, weakness, and misalignment. Meditation practice is actually a powerful way to overcome these issues. First it reveals those issues, then it heals those issues.

During your meditation, you become aware of spinal tension, weakness, and misalignment. And, yes, that doesn't feel so good, initially. Yet, if you can accept it and observe it without judgment, without fighting it, over time, you'll notice that the tensions release, the spine adjusts, you come into alignment, and get stronger.

A well-known meditation teacher, Dr. Meares, says that some discomfort when starting to meditate is actually a good thing, because it teaches you to be able to observe discomfort without reacting, judging, or running away from it. As you calmly sit with discomfort, over time, it resolves and changes for the better. This is a powerful lesson to take with you into any uncomfortable situation in life. Be calmly present, relax and observe things non-judgmentally, then notice resolutions as they arise.

All that being said in favor of sitting upright without back support, you might approach this incrementally. Start by sitting forward for just a minute or two, calmly observe any discomfort until it is just too distracting, then sit back against support for the remainder of your practice. Gradually increase the amount of time that you sit in an unsupported upright position. After practicing for a period of time, this will actually become a comfortable, relaxed, and empowered way for you to sit.

One caveat is that some people cannot sit this way due to severe physical impairments. If that is the case, you can use back support or even lie down to meditate. If you do that, simply try to keep your spine as straight as possible by imagining that string extending your spine, tuck your chin slightly, adopt a subtle smile, soften your hands, and lightly close your eyes.

4. Adopt the Three Noble Principles-Good in the Beginning, Good in the Middle, Good at the End

In their book, "Meditation: An In-Depth Guide," Ian Gawler and Paul Bedson share these three principles for meditation practice.

"Good in the Beginning" means that when you start a meditation session call to mind your intention, your motivation for practicing. You might want to "relax, to be calm, to let go of stress, to be well, to heal. But what is suggested here is that the more we can expand our motivation, the more encompassing our motivation, the more meaningful our meditation becomes, the more we will value it, the more likely we are to do it, and the more benefit it will bring." (p.69, Meditation: An In-Depth Guide)

Consider how your meditation practice will have a positive impact on your day, on your interactions with others, and even on the collective consciousness of "all of us together." What if your practice is making a positive contribution not only to your life, but also to the lives of others, and to all life on Earth?

In the Buddhist tradition, the goal of meditation practice is enlightenment, so that we can use our enlightenment to bring enlightenment to all beings. In the Christian contemplative tradition, meditation leads us into deeper communion with God, so that we bring Divine Love and Light into the world. In a mind-body view of meditation, we come into a relaxed, expanded, focused state so that we heal our wounds, grow our inner skills, be more effective in anything we do, and more caring and compassionate with others.

What motivates you to meditate?

"Good in the Middle" has to do with your attitude during meditation. The attitude to practice is calm, present, non-judgmental awareness of whatever happens. Recognize whatever comes up, accept it, release it, and return to your focal cues.

"Good in the End" has to do with how you finish your practice. Rather than rushing off into your day, it's important to end intentionally and even to dedicate your practice to someone or something beyond yourself. From a meditative state you can more easily visualize positive outcomes for yourself, others, and the planet. You are also in a powerful state from which to pray. You can use your meditation to connect to a greater mission in life, such as being a vessel for Spirit to be more present in the world.

As you end your meditation think of how the skills you developed and the state of being you entered can have a greater impact in the larger whole.

When you Set Up a Meditative Space, Create a Ritual Around Your Practice, Sit with Good Posture, and Adopt the Three Noble Principles, your meditation practice will become much easier and more enjoyable, significant, and successful.

[irockirockirock]

Smallpox’s Last Victim(s)

In 1978, at the University of Birmingham in England, a medical photographer named Janet Parker went home from work early one afternoon in late summer complaining of a blinding headache. Soon she was very ill indeed - fevered, delirious, and covered in pustules. She had contracted smallpox via an air duct from a lab one floor below her office. There, a virologist named Henry Bedson had been studying one of the last smallpox samples on Earth still allowed for research. He was frantically working against a deadline before his own stocks were to be destroyed and evidently grew careless in keeping them safe. Poor Janet Parker died about two weeks after being exposed and in so doing became the last person on Earth to be killed by smallpox. She had actually been vaccinated against the disease twelve years earlier, but smallpox vaccine doesn’t last. When Bedson learned that smallpox had escaped from his lab and killed an innocent person, he went out to his garden shed and committed suicide, so in a sense he was smallpox’s last victim. The hospital ward on which Parker was treated was sealed off for five years. 

[nokris]

Happy birthday my dude!! 🎉

Thank you!! 👉👉

[amarauder]

chapter twenty-nine ❥ original

it’s a hate-love thing original version.

james potter x reader.

"Wasn't it so romantic?" asked Arabella dreamily. "I loved it! The wedding...and then the reception...everything!"

"It was all right for the most part, but I didn't like Frank and Alice snogging for about five minutes when they had to kiss," said Sirius grumpily.

James snorted. "Well, what did you expect, Padfoot? We'd probably see a whole movie of you and Arabella snogging when your wedding comes."

"Yeah, I still don't get why you and Y/n are planning to get married so early. I mean, you guys are pretty young, and next April's going to come by pretty fast. Bella and I are waiting longer before we tie the knot."

Y/n smiled and clutched James' hand, squeezing it tightly. "We want to get together before it's too late, Sirius. I mean, with Voldemort and everything—"

"Oh, don't remind me, n/n. I know all about the stupid git, believe me. I also think that Regulus is a Death Eater."

"You've been saying that for practically forever, Sirius, dear," objurgated Arabella, sighing.

"Well, it's true, isn't it? I only speak the truth, Bella."

Remus snorted, and turned it into a hacking cough, grinning at Sirius. "You wish."

"Excuse me?" Sirius pretended to look extremely offended.

James wrapped an arm around Y/n's waist and held her carefully, as if afraid that she'd break any minute. Just the feeling of touching her created shivers down his spine and he smiled dreamily. Even with a madman after him and his fiancée, he still wanted to be married to Y/n before it all ended. Before their lives ended.

"Hey, James?"

He blinked and stared around. "Who said my name?"

"Are you all right?" inquired Sirius anxiously. "You look all green, mate. D'you feel sick?"

James groaned and rubbed his forehead. "Now that you mention it, I do."

"I think you were affected by Frank and Alice's snog, too," agreed Sirius mournfully.

"Padfoot, shut up. It wasn't the snog...I guess I'm just not feeling well. Maybe it's because of the Order and stuff."

"Oh, the Order." Sirius rolled his eyes. "That's nothing to worry about. I think we can handle Death Eaters, four against one."

"Or not," added Arabella, frowning.

"Don't worry about it," reassured Y/n, smiling. "There's nothing to fret about, Bella. In the meantime, I think we have to go on with the wedding plans."

"Oh! Of course!"

"Now?" questioned James incredulously. "Y/n, the wedding is next year! We have plenty of time to plan all that stuff. We have a meeting with the Order this evening, though."

"It was so nice of you two to let the Order use your home as headquarters," said Jennifer approvingly. "I mean, you'll never get any peace at all. We all have to basically live there, anyway, since those are the Order's rules."

"Yes, it is rather stupid," agreed Y/n, flushing, "I mean, how we all have to practically live together, being in the Order. But I'm not complaining. In fact, I'm rather honored that Dumbledore hand-picked us to be in the Order."

"Why wouldn't he?" said Sirius pompously. "We are intelligent and respectable people, after all."

"Can you believe we're out of Hogwarts already?" commented Violet. "I mean, it seemed like yesterday we were all little first-years, ready to be sorted into our Houses."

"Yeah, time flies by so quickly."

"You know that Ellyn Bedson woman from the Ministry?" interrupted Violet, looking upset.

"Yes, the one who worked in the Department of Mysteries," affirmed Jennifer. "She's all right since she's helping me get started along with Bode, but she's a bit too condescending, so to speak."

"I don't like her," confirmed Violet. "She keeps flirting with Jackson at our breaks."

"Well, you keep flirting with Amos Diggory," said Arabella stiffly.

"I do not! He always hovers around me like a bee...it isn't my fault."

"True," admitted the former.

"Well, you can't stop that," added Y/n. "Just ignore Diggory, and maybe he'll leave you alone. Merlin knows he bothered Bella long enough before you."

"Hell, yeah," muttered Arabella under her breath.

"Why does he have to follow me around anyway?" ranted Violet furiously. "I mean, I'm no pageant queen, and I definitely don't have the kind of personality that Amos looks for in girls. So why me?"

"Maybe it was because of that comeback you made to him at Hogwarts," said James thoughtfully. "After all, one can never forget something so brilliant and embarrassing as that."

Violet blushed. "Oh, C'mon, it wasn't that great."

"It was too! Merlin, I wish I could've taken a picture of Diggory's face when you said that to him. It was bloody amazing! You should be like that more often, Vi."

"Hear, hear," intoned Jennifer enthusiastically. She was always one to call for a change of character in Violet.

"So, n/n, you've already got some of your wedding planned, right?" asked Arabella.

"Well...no," admitted Y/n, flushing. "We haven't had the time to think about it, actually, ever since the proposal."

"Oh, the proposal." She looked at Sirius dreamily. "It was so romantic. How did you and James manage to pull it off?"

James and Sirius both grinned, and winked at each other, and then at their respective fiancées.

"Simple, girls," said Sirius roguishly. "Well, at least, it was simple for me, but for others"—he looked at James meaningfully—"it took some practice."

Y/n laughed. "Don't tell me you were scared, James."

"Like hell," agreed James shamelessly. "Is it that surprising?"

"The almighty James Potter, scared? Merlin, the world may end any moment now. C'mon, you've bullied people nearly all your years at Hogwarts, and you were scared of asking one simple question?" She shook her head at him.

"Aww...give a guy a break here, Y/n. It isn't my fault that I get nervous doing these kinds of things."

"Which brings me to my next point. You never get nervous, James."

"I'm still human," retorted James indignantly. "Why do you make me sound like I'm some sort of god?"

"You are," Y/n pointed out. "Or, at least you were to the girls at Hogwarts. Were they upset when you proposed!"

"Furious," added Sirius, laughing. "They looked like they were about to kill you, Y/n. They were upset enough that James fell in love with you, and eventually got you, but to have your love official by marriage? Their worst nightmare, I say."

"You're not too off either, Padfoot," said Remus thoughtfully. "After all, the girls were always after you whenever you had some fight with Arabella, and didn't makeup soon enough."

"True, that I am a lady's man."

"What an egotist," mumbled Arabella, rolling her eyes. "I'm about to marry a man who only thinks for himself. At least your man deflated his head when you gave him a tough time, Y/n."

"You think he's deflated enough, Bells? I don't think so."

"You girls always undermine us fellows," said James, pouting. "We're good to you guys; why complain? At least we don't strut like Diggory or Mackenzie."

Sirius involuntarily shuddered at the latter name.

Y/n giggled and snuggled closer to her fiancé. They had reached the headquarters of the Order and now entered it. Marlene McKinnon, who had a whole family of kids at the Order, but was looking to get a place of her own, greeted them. Alice and Frank were playing chess near the fireplace, and Mad-Eye Moody was glaring at them suspiciously through his eyes. James had always thought that there was something creepy about them, though they were normal ones like any other human possessed.

"Potter, L/n, Dean, Black, Walker, Lupin," greeted Mad-Eye gruffly one by one, as he inclined his head slightly toward them.

"Hello, Mr. Moody," said Y/n softly. She both feared and admired the famous Auror.

"Alastor, girl, call me by my name. There shouldn't be any formalities in the Order. We're all a family."

Sirius grinned. "Well, that's good, because you guys can all be my surrogate one."

"Always the saucy one, aren't you, Black?" growled Moody. "Well, you're going to find a better family in the Order than your own, so feel right at home. However, you do know that the Order is very dangerous and that you're giving your life to this organization."

"Certainly, sir," said James loudly. "We want to help you fight Voldemort any way we can."

Moody twitched at the name. "Potter, will you stop using his name, damn it!"

James looked rather alarmed. "But the fear of his name—"

"—increases your fear of himself. Yes, I know, Dumbledore has told me that plenty of times. Seems as though you admire Dumbledore so much, Potter, that you have decided to start quoting him to your elders, eh?"

"I meant no disrespect, sir."

"Yeah, sure you didn't. L/n, you got the papers ready?"

"Right here, sir." Y/n produced a thick wad of paper from the paper folder that she was carrying. "Got the plans to his hideout and everything."

"Excellent, L/n. You've proved useful to us. Are you sure this is his real hideout, and not a bluff to throw us off? After all, You-Know-Who has spies on his side as well."

"I'm not sure of the true veracity of these blueprints, but I'm pretty sure they're partially real."

"You trust the spies who got this?"

"With all my heart."

"Good, good. I shall present this to Dumbledore himself, since this is very important information, and highly top secret. Where has Pettigrew and Bradley gone to?"

"Jackson's still at work," piped up Violet. "He hasn't enough time to do anything these days. And Peter's at a job interview."

"Pettigrew is absolutely useless," growled Moody. "The boy can hardly write his own name properly. Don't know what Dumbledore was thinking, having him in the Order. Bradley, though, he's very valuable to us. Don't want to lose him."

"Of course not," she affirmed readily.

"You wouldn't," Arabella pointed out, "because he's your boyfriend."

Violet turned red and rolled her eyes.

"Sir, is there any news of the latest attacks?" queried James worriedly. "Voldemort hasn't made a single attack for nearly a month. That's usually not like him. He causes chaos wherever he goes."

"Shrewd thinking, Potter. I was pondering on it myself. I think that You-Know-Who has something planned that's very large and will cost lives. If only we can infiltrate his lines and know what it is."

"You make it sound like this is a war," commented Sirius, laughing.

"This is no joking matter, Black. We are at war, boy, and would you stop laughing? This is serious, Black, and I don't find anything funny about it. People are getting killed, and you're laughing? Live up to your name, boy!"

"My n—oh!" Sirius laughed harder. "Ha, ha, be serious...live up to your name...ha, ha!"

"Padfoot, shut it," snapped James, rubbing his forehead ferociously. "Can't you be serious for once and stop making a joke out of everything? We are at war, like Mr.—Alastor said, and we need everyone's cooperation."

"Sorry." The dark-haired boy looked down at his feet. "I didn't mean it."

"Where's Longbottom at? Longbottom!" barked Moody.

"Yes?" came the voices of Frank and Alice.

The Auror groaned. "This is why I never like to have married couples mingle with us elders. They always have to share the same last name. Ah, I'll just call Alice 'Hart' instead, to make things easier. Longbottom, Frank!"

"Yes, Alastor?"

"Done with that paperwork?"

Frank closed his eyes and sighed. "Nearly finished. Just got a few more sentences, and it'll be ready."

"We've got these recruits for the Order," said Moody gruffly. "Kingsley Shacklebolt...he's going to be a sixth year this September...Emmeline Vance..."

"Emmeline?" interrupted Y/n, her eyes widening. "The fifth year, soon-to-be-sixth-year, Emmeline?"

"Correct, L/n."

"But she's—" She struggled for the words. "A bit ditzy, so to speak."

"Is she? Well, she is from a very respectable family, and from what I've heard, she's one of the top choices for Head Girl. Also, the teachers have all praised her well for her abilities, except for Hurst, the idiot."

James snorted loudly at the last comment, and Y/n sent him a glare, causing him to cough and snigger more quietly.

"Can you consider my cousin?" asked Sirius eagerly.

"Who's your cousin, Black?"

"Nymphadora Tonks, sir. She's only about four years old, but she's a Metamorphmagus."

"Is that so? Well, then, I'll have to mention that to Dumbledore next time. Metamorphmagi are extremely rare, and they would certainly be useful to the Order. Good thinking, Black."

Sirius grinned and gave a mock salute. "Thank you, Alastor."

"Lupin! Full moon coming up?"

Remus looked rather alarmed at being spoken to. "Er—in a couple of weeks, sir."

"I'm assuming you will not hurt any of our members?"

"No promises sir, but I will try."

"Good." And so the dull afternoon continued, with Moody questioning and deprecating them about Order business.

Jennifer sobbed wildly, wiping her eyes. Remus had just broken up with her. It wouldn't have mattered to her as much if he had given her a substantial reason, but he hadn't said anything coherent that answered her question about why he broke up with her. Y/n, Arabella, and Violet were trying to comfort her.

"Look, Jen, I think the boys might know something about this. Let's go ask them."

And so they went to the room that James and Sirius shared, and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" came Sirius' voice.

"It's us, you stupid prat," called Arabella impatiently. "Let us in!"

"Gee, no need to yell, Bellsies."

Sirius opened the door, and ushered them inside.

"Do you know why Remus broke up with Jennifer?"

"He's scared," said James quietly. "He's afraid that if they stay together, and get married, Jennifer won't be happy because of his—condition."

"You mean you knew, and never told us?" demanded Y/n furiously. "James Potter, I would have expected better of you!"

"Remus told me not to tell!" exclaimed James wildly. "It wasn't my fault...and I wasn't sure if he was actually going to do it or not. Trust me, he still loves Jennifer, but thinks it's the best for her."

"The best for me?" Jennifer sniffed again. "Why the hell would he think that? He knows I love him, and that I would never leave him. We didn't have to get married, but why did he have to break up with me?"

"I never knew Remus was such an idiot," mumbled Arabella. "How could he do such a thing?"

"Now what?" muttered Sirius to his best friend.

James shrugged. "Jen, Remus wanted me to tell you that you should move on. You know, find another guy who would always be there for you."

"You mean Remus would never be there for me?"

"It's because of his transformations. He thinks that it would be a burden for you to have him disappear every month and get all cranky when the full moon approaches. He wants you to have a guy who can always be there for you, and will always treat you right."

"I love him," said Jennifer firmly, "and I'll never move on and find a new guy, because he'll always be in my heart, no matter what."

James shook his head. "Moony made a bad choice, Padfoot."

Sirius snorted. "You think? Our dear friend needs to sort out his priorities. Maybe he should ask Jennifer out again, and they should start all over."

"What seems to be the problem here?"

The six of them all turned around, alarmed, to see Professor Albus Dumbledore himself standing there before them, his blue eyes twinkling as usual.

"Professor!" James nearly shouted, and grinned innocently. "We were—er—"

"Laughing at Sirius' joke," continued Violet hastily. "We hope we didn't miss any Order meetings, sir."

"Not at all, Ms. Walker. In fact, I was going to find you all and tell you to enjoy yourselves. Don't get too caught up in the Order business here. You, young people, need to enjoy yourselves while you can before it's too late. Mr. Potter, you are not even twenty yet, and you're working harder than Alastor these days."

"I am?" James looked at his old headmaster in astonishment. "I don't think I'm working too hard; I mean, we're just looking over Voldemort's possible hideouts and his Death Eaters. Of course, there's always the wedding, but we can put that aside for now if it helps."

"No, no, James, I want you to go on with your wedding plans," said Dumbledore earnestly. "You and Y/n shall be married, and I will not be the one to stop you two from being in love."

"Of course we shall," agreed Y/n, a bit startled at the headmaster using her given name instead of her surname.

"Excellent." Dumbledore clapped his hands together. "Now, I must be off to assist Alastor in his findings—I will see you at our meeting tonight."

"Yes, Professor."

"Do call me Albus. After all, I'm not your headmaster any longer." He winked and Disapparated from the spot.

"That was certainly interesting," commented Sirius.

Jennifer laughed, and for one second, she had forgotten all about her break-up with Remus and chatted along with the rest of the group. After all, there were other things that would break her heart even more, and the Order needed her. She didn't have time to wallow in self-pity because her long-time boyfriend broke up with her for a trivial reason.

Y/n smiled at her friend. She was angry at Remus for breaking off his relationship with Jennifer but seeing her laugh again made her anger lessen slightly. Laughter was something that Y/n had a feeling wouldn't exist for very long in their world.

James sighed, and looked up at the ceiling. It was a brand-new house, newly built and freshly painted. The paint was snow-white, and it gave the Order headquarters a sort of elegance to it. His stomach tightened when he thought of the Order of the Phoenix. Shortly after their graduation, Dumbledore had come up to them and asked them to be a part of a group that he had created to defeat Voldemort. They, of course, had agreed at once and signed their oaths to the group. However, James felt a foreboding feeling inside of him that perhaps it was the wrong decision. After all, being in the Order was a dangerous risk. He would be putting his whole family in danger since his parents weren't part of the Order—they were too busy with their full-time Auror lives.

He suddenly grabbed Y/n's hand by impulse and squeezed it tightly. His thoughtful hazel eyes locked with her brilliant, almond-shaped e/c ones, and he nodded slowly. Y/n was one of the main reasons why he even bothered joining the Order. She was his life, and he had wanted her for so long now. James needed to protect her, and the children that they would have together later on.

"What's wrong, James?" whispered Y/n, her eyes widening with surprise.

"I don't want you to get hurt," he said gently and brushed his hand against her cheek. He felt small shivers escape her body.

"What are you talking about?"

"The Order. I'm putting so many of you in danger by joining, especially since Voldemort wants me to join him."

"He's given up on trying to make you do that, James. We're too close to Albus for him to try anything on us again."

"You never know what Voldemort might do, Y/n. Even though I hate him with all my heart, he is a genius. You know what Albus told us about his younger days. He used to be a prefect and Head Boy, and his name was Tom Riddle. Albus said he was one of the most brilliant students Hogwarts has ever seen. However, he had sunk too deeply into the Dark Arts, and now look who he has become."

"There has to be a reason for Voldemort to want to kill so many of us besides the fact that he wants control of the world."

"There is none besides that. He wants to get rid of any magical people who aren't purebloods, and then have the purebloods take over the world with him. If we don't stop him, Y/n, this world is going to be a dark world."

"We'll stop him, James," said Y/n firmly and resolutely, squeezing her fiancé's hand tighter. "We'll stop him, no matter how much it takes."

"Hey, you two lovebirds coming?" Sirius grinned at his best friends. "Arabella and I are going to Hogsmeade for a bit. You coming?"

"What about Jennifer and Violet?"

"We're not going," said Jennifer quickly. "Vi wants to spend the day at Jackson's house, and I want some time alone."

Y/n nodded, understanding. "Sure, Sirius, we'll go."

"Great! Let's go, then."

The two couples Apparated right in front of Honeydukes, where crowds of students were busily chatting or shopping. It felt good to feel some of Hogwarts again through the students, and they were about to go to the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer, since it was a chilly day in November, when someone called their name.

"Y/N!"

Y/n turned around to see Emmeline waving energetically, in her little group of friends, the younger girl extremely excited.

"Oh, hello, Emmeline," she greeted cordially.

"Ooh, Hogwarts is so lonely without you guys!" she gushed effusively. "It's so dull without the Marauders spicing it up with some of their pranks."

"So we have made our mark, have we?" Sirius looked very pleased.

"Definitely. The Head Boy's really dull this year, and the Head Girl is even worse. I wish you guys were the Heads again...that was the best year!"

"How's your sixth year?"

"Busy. I'm still a prefect again, but I don't have as many responsibilities as last year. When's your wedding going to be, Y/n?"

Before Y/n could have time to reply, a tall and very good-looking girl who looked to be either a sixth or seventh year gasped and giggled along with her friends, pointing at James and Sirius.

"Look, it's two of the ringleaders of the Marauders!" exclaimed one of them, laughing. "James Potter and Sirius Black!"

"James! Sirius!" The tall girl waved and smiled seductively, walking over to them.

"Er—hello. Do we know you?" James furrowed his brow.

"Oh, I'm Alex Opalisk," she said off-handedly.

James suddenly recognized her as one of the lovesick fan girls who always followed him around at Hogwarts. She was a seventh year Gryffindor, though Merlin only knew how she got into it instead of Hufflepuff.

"Oh, I remember you," he said absent-mindedly. "Er—nice to see you again, Alex."

She gasped, her eyes dancing. "Oh, you remember me, James Potter? How splendid! But you already have a girlfriend." She looked disdainfully over at Y/n.

"My fiancée," he elaborated, nodding. "We're getting married next April."

Alex's face fell, and her hand flew conspicuously to her hair, which was done in a fashionable twist, making it look elegant. "Oh, that's wonderful!" she said in an affected voice.

"Yes, isn't it?" said Y/n, gritting her teeth. "Now, if you excuse us—"

"Don't be rude to the Head Girl, L/n," said Alex coolly.

"You're Head Girl?" said Arabella, who had been quiet most of the time, incredulously. "Who would pick you?"

Sirius coughed, hiding a grin.

"Dumbledore, certainly," said Alex, tossing her head in a huffy manner. "I do think I deserve the position, Figg."

"Oh, I'm honored you know my name, Randall. However, I would watch your mouth. We are respected people, and very close to Dumbledore. So if you step out of line, we will be sure to let Albus know at once."

"I don't think you have that sort of authority over us," said Yvonne Lorencia, one of Alex's friends. "After all, we are technically legal adults, since we have our Apparition licenses and everything."

"Agreed," intoned Alex, nodding virtuously.

"True, but these are dark times, and Albus trusts us with his heart," said Sirius. "He will dismiss any student unworthy of his or her positions as prefect or Head Boy and Girl."

"I don't think you should talk to them that way," put in Emmeline, while her friends agreed readily. "After all, James and Y/n are Aurors-in-training, and Arabella and Sirius work for the Ministry. They are very close to Professor Dumbledore, and you should respect them. They are, after all, more adults than you, Alex."

"Don't talk to me like that, you stupid Mudblood," snapped Alex loftily.

"I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore of your crude language, Ms. Randall," said Y/n, raising an eyebrow.

"It's just 'Mudblood'; I don't see the big deal."

"Certainly you might not, but it is using bad language."

"You're just saying that 'cause you're a Mudblood, too."

James flew up in rage. "Did you call my girl a—a—you-know-what, Randall?" he roared, causing several of the student body to stare.

"What, the great James Potter not able to say a word like 'Mudblood'?"

Regulus and his friends, who happened to be standing nearby, laughed when hearing this. "Go, Alex!" Regulus cried, clapping. "Go out with me?"

Alex smiled, revealing little gleaming white teeth. "Oh, but Regulus darling, I'm a Gryffindor and you're a Slytherin. We don't mix well at all."

"Who cares about that. You with me?"

"Of course." She grinned, dreaming of the handsome Black.

Sirius groaned conspicuously. He had hoped everyone would hate Regulus and that he would end up single forever, but for some unknown reason, many of the girls chased after him like fox and hound.

"What's the matter, big brother?" Regulus smirked. "Jealous that I have a date with a pretty girl, and you have a less-prettier fiancée?"

"Ha! Yeah, right, Reg. Actually, I was wondering how you could even get a girl to agree to be your date to Hogsmeade. Amazing, really, how someone like you can attract girls at all."

James bit his lip to keep himself from laughing. He always did enjoy the bickers between his best friend and the little brother of the latter; they were always quite amusing and entertaining to watch.

Regulus rolled his eyes. "Nice comeback, Sirius, really. However, I really would not be talking. You have some dirt for a girlfriend there yourself."

"That's it! I've had more than enough patience for you than you really deserve, Regulus, but you've gone way too far this time. Arabella is not dirt, and she is certainly better than the girls that you go out with. So I'd watch your tongue next time, Regulus, or there will be trouble. C'mon guys, let's get out of here and get a butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks. You come too, Emmeline, and bring your friends along as well."

"Oh, sorry, Sirius, I can't," apologized Emmeline, looking disappointed. "I have to get back to Hogwarts soon and start on my homework. We have so much this year!"

"That's too bad," said Y/n sympathetically, as she and Arabella took turns hugging the young girl. "Hopefully we'll see you again."

"Yes, hopefully. You will visit, won't you?" Emmeline looked eagerly at the adults.

"Of course," piped up Arabella, smiling.

"Hey, girls, we know good-byes are painful, but I really am cold," said James through chattering teeth.

"Yes, yes. Well, bye, Emmeline!"

They entered the Three Broomsticks and sat at the nearest empty table. Madam Rosmerta gasped when she saw the foursome and clasped her hands eagerly.

"Why, if it isn't the infamous James Potter and Sirius Black!" She smiled. "And who are you lovely young ladies?"

"You remember Y/n L/n and Arabella Figg, don't you, Madam Rosmerta?" James gave a casual wave to the girls. "They're our fiancées."

"Fiancées?" Madam Rosmerta raised an eyebrow. "You've actually settled down with girls? I don't believe it! I think that you are fooling me here, boys and that these poor girls are mere flings."

Arabella laughed. "Oh, no, Madam Rosmerta, we're their girlfriends, unfortunately, of course. But we, Y/n and I, fell for their charm like every other girl at Hogwarts eventually, though they did have a tough time getting to us." She winked at Sirius.

"Stop it, Bella." Sirius nodded in assent to his girlfriend's statement.

"Why, if that doesn't beat it all—James Potter and Sirius Black coming back to my shop with girls and a steady relationship. Things sure have changed."

"Surely we weren't that bad, my dear Rosmerta," said James smoothly. "After all, Sirius has been with Arabella since first year, miraculously. Of course, they've had their good and bad moments—"

"A complete understatement," interrupted Y/n, rolling her eyes.

"—but they still make a good couple anyway," he finished, raising an eyebrow at his fiancée questioningly. Y/n stuck out her tongue in response.

"How did you manage to pull off a proposal without ruining it?" Madam Rosmerta looked truly amazed at the changes James and Sirius had gone through.

"Oh, it took some time, at least for James, but we pulled it off eventually," replied Sirius.

"You two have changed so much since I last saw you here."

"Well, with us being adults and Voldemort on the rise, we needed to grow up, I suppose."

The pub had gone completely silent after Sirius' remark. Whispers were exchanged among the magic folk, and they looked fearfully at Sirius, and then around the pub as if waiting for Voldemort to appear all of a sudden into the shop. Madam Rosmerta had dropped the large glass of butterbeer that she was about to hand over to a tottering old woman, and the liquid spilled over her lavish magenta robes.

"You said You-Know-Who's name!" exclaimed one young wizard, not much older than them, in barely a whisper.

"Yeah, Voldemort," said Sirius casually, shrugging. The wizard gave another shudder. "So what? It's just a name."

"Yes, but he might hear you and come any second."

"Don't give me that crap, Mr.—what's your name?"

"Jason Wood...hey! I know you from somewhere."

"Wood?" Sirius looked at James, and then back at the wizard in surprise. "Jason Wood, ex-captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team?"

"Yes, that's me, and you're—by golly! Cassia, look." He nudged the petite, pretty little woman next to him. "It's Potter and Black, our old teammates."

The small brunette looked startled and then began to smile, her creamy face lighting up with delight.

"James Potter and Sirius Black. Well, well, we haven't seen you for quite a while yet. And what's this? Finally snagged Y/n L/n, now, have you, Potter?"

James nodded and brought Y/n closer to him. "You bet, Wood. You and Cassia married?"

"Nah. I've yet to propose to her, eh? No, we're still boyfriend and girlfriend, though."

"It's great," said Cassia in a bit of a strained voice. "We don't need to be married...staying like this is good enough for me."

Y/n nodded politely. "We're engaged. So are Sirius and Arabella."

Wood set down his butterbeer with a clink. "Well, how about that? I would have never expected Potter and Black to be almost-married men. Congratulations."

James, Sirius, and Wood then started to discuss Quidditch, while the three girls discussed their wedding plans.

"You must come to mine, Cassia," said Y/n eagerly. "I'll have you as one of my bridesmaids."

"I couldn't," said Cassia, shaking her head, laughing. "I'm not worthy of such a thing, Y/n. Please, don't invite me. I'll only burst into a pathetic flood of tears anyway when the actual wedding takes place."

"What does that matter? Bella will probably cry, too."

"I second to that," intoned Arabella emphatically.

"Y/n, don't you understand? I can't!"

"Why not?"

"I think"—she cast a furtive glance to the men—"that we should discuss this in the bathroom. Guys, we have to—er—fix our make-up in the bathroom. We'll be back in a jiffy, all right?"

"Yeah, sure." Wood waved an impatient arm around, too absorbed in James' rich-detailed account of the last Quidditch game between England and Czechoslovakia.

Cassia dragged the other two younger women to the bathroom, shut the door, and burst into tears. Y/n and Arabella exchanged looks of perplexity but did not say anything at first.

"Oh, Y/n, Bella! I can't stand this any longer. I want to marry Jason, but he just won't propose. He's too in love with Quidditch to care about marriage with me and says that he's perfectly content with just having a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship instead of an intimate marriage. I really want us to get married and have children, and raise them to be respectable and clever. But how can I?"

"How do you know that Jason doesn't want marriage?" asked Y/n.

"Isn't it obvious? He says it all the time."

"Perhaps he says it all the time, but it may not be true, Cass. Men are unpredictable and whimsical like that; they say things they don't mean. I know it's really stupid, but that's how they've always been, and you should know that by now. Maybe Jason thinks that you don't want marriage either, so he's just saying that he doesn't want it to please you and make you happy."

"That's ridiculous. How can he think that? He knows I love him, and couples in love always go the next level by getting married."

"Yeah, but your Quidditch-obsessed boyfriend is different, like James and Sirius. They care too much about us that they're hurting us instead of benefiting us."

"How do you know all this?" Cassia looked at Y/n in awe. "You haven't been in a relationship nearly as long as I, and you know more about this than I do."

Y/n shrugged. "It's probably because I've known James practically all my life, and I've sort of studied and understood him, like a book. It's not that hard once you get used to it. After all, James is the perfect example of an unconventional man, and I understand how his brain works. That's why I know what I'm talking about because Jason is out of the ordinary as well."

Cassia looked thoughtful for a moment and then crushed Y/n in a tight hug. "Thanks, Y/n. You're the greatest. But what should I do now?"

"Talk to him, of course," put in Arabella sensibly. "That's the only way you'll get things out of men...you got to be the first ones to bring up the subject. Don't think they'll be the first ones to bring it, because they definitely won't be. They're slow that way."

"And I'm guessing you know this because of Sirius."

"'Course. With Sirius as a fiancé, well, life gets a little more interesting than usual, huh?"

Cassia laughed and dried her remaining tears. "Thanks, the both of you. You two have really helped. I'll talk to Jay tonight."

"You'd better, and tell us what he says about it."

"Definitely."

When the three girls came out, the guys were already waiting for them by the entrance, still discussing Quidditch.

"You guys still at that stupid game?" Cassia rolled her eyes.

"You were the Beater at Hogwarts with me, and now you don't care about Quidditch?" Sirius asked in mock-horror. "Dear Merlin, what's happened?"

"Maybe it's the whole being an adult thing that's changed me." She shrugged. "Ready, Jay? Oh, and when we get back to our flat, I have to talk to you about something."

"Sure." Wood shrugged and they both Disapparated.

"You girls ready?" James looked questioningly at them.

"Yeah. Just give us a second."

Arabella turned to her best friend and smiled. "Think we have enough experience about life, n/n?"

"Perhaps not all of it, but we sure got enough to brighten hearts around us. Merlin knows we need more happy souls around here these days. There are barely any of them at all."

And what Y/n said was absolutely true, especially since their world would soon turn colder.

"There's been a Hogsmeade attack."

Those words kept ringing in everyone's minds as they prepared to Apparate to Hogsmeade, where many students were attacked. There were many casualties and a few deaths.

Y/n clutched James' hand all the way there, and even when they arrived at the scene of the crime. Her heart turned cold when she thought of all her younger friends, especially Emmeline, and the chances of them being either injured or dead.

"James, I'm so scared," she whispered, hugging his arm.

"I know, Y/n." James kissed her passionately. "Don't worry. I'm sure it's going to be fine."

"It won't be," said Y/n quietly, so that even he couldn't hear. "Nothing's been fine for a long time."

When they arrived at the scene, Y/n involuntarily shivered. It was terrible. Shops and places were all in ruin, broken into and destroyed by Death Eaters no doubt, and it was completely chaotic, with Healers and teachers scurrying about in a disorderly fashion. There were screams and groans coming from everywhere, and upon the ground, there were dead corpses. The worst of it was, they weren't all completely discomposed to broken bones and flagged skin. No, instead they were just dead bodies of students, still quite healthy-looking, and each student lying eagle-spread on the ground had an expression of terror and astonishment upon their faces. It was sickening, and the eight of them cringed at the sight.

"That's perfectly horrible," whispered Peter, wiping his eyes from the stinging cold.

"Awful," acceded Sirius, his arm tightening around Arabella.

"C'mon, no use standing here," said Moody gruffly, as he tottered near to where Professor Dumbledore was, talking gravely to Professors McGonagall and Flitwick. "May as well be of some use, hey?"

"You're right, Alastor," said Jennifer firmly. "Let's see what Albus and Minerva have to say about all this."

They approached the two professors, who looked over at the eight adults and nodded in greeting.

"Hello, Misses L/n, Figg, Dean, and Walker. Messrs. Potter, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew, hello to you, too."

"Professor, is it bad?" inquired Y/n anxiously.

"It may not be as bad as you imagined, Ms. L/n, but yes, it is considered bad. Not as bad as some of the attacks, but I think you may want to see some of the victims."

Professor McGonagall led Y/n and the others to where the injured or dead were, and Y/n gasped. There were many students that she didn't recognize, who were probably much younger than she, but there were two that she knew within a second. One, who lay groaning, was Kenneth Hughes, who had been Emmeline's boyfriend. Another was Laura Smith, but instead of groaning, she lay still. Too still. To add to it, she didn't move or budge at all.

"Professor," gasped Violet from Y/n's left side. "Laura isn't—she isn't—"

"I'm afraid so, Ms. Walker. Ms. Smith is indeed dead."

"That can't be," said Y/n dully. "No...Laura, she can't be dead!"

Suddenly, the truth of the statement struck her. Sweet Laura, who had been so shy at first, but then opened up to Y/n, was dead, and never to come back to life again. The Dark Side had killed her: the Death Eaters and Voldemort. Y/n had promised to visit Laura, but she hadn't seen her since graduation. She wouldn't know if Laura had passed her O.W.L.s, or if she had gotten a boyfriend! No, she would never know these things, because Laura was dead. She had been killed in the attack.

"Y/n?" James whispered. "Are you all right?"

Y/n nodded slowly, burying her head in his shoulder. "Oh, James, it's horrible! Laura dead and Kenneth hurt, as well as many other children who are so small. Look at that little girl over there. She looks to be about a first or second year, and she's dead. James, will our world ever be the same?"

"I don't think so, Y/n, but we'll try our best to pull together, and live through this. If we don't, then we know that the future generations will destroy Voldemort forever, and destroy all evil, if that's ever possible. For now, let's just concentrate on our present, instead of the future. I don't know when this will ever end, but whatever happens, I'll stick with you forever and never leave you. I love you, Y/n."

Tears sprang to her eyes, as she hugged him. "I love you, too."

James' eyes went over to the outcome of the attack, and suddenly his hand brushed against his eyes. No, he would stay strong like a man, and not cry. He had gotten the conception that only girls cried, and he would stick with that thought in mind. No, he would never cry, but somehow, the tears came out, and he wasn't ashamed of them. The mere feeling of Y/n's small body upon his gave him pleasure and hope for the future.

He understood why Y/n felt so passionate about the attack. He knew and liked Laura very well, and of course, he and Kenneth were good friends. He started at the thought of his young friend dying from his injuries. No, James wouldn't think of these things. It wouldn't happen...at least, that's what he hoped.

The world was turning upside down, to put it eloquently, and James knew it. However, he meant what he said to Y/n, and that he would always love her and stick with her. After all, he couldn't just leave her after two years of chasing after the h/c, now, could he?

Y/n looked over at her fiancé and saw him deep in thought. She smiled inwardly at having been part of the reason James was so mature and serious now and kissed him lightly. He was so handsome, standing there with his long arms around her small waist. His naturally untidy black hair was ruffled as usual, and his hazel eyes were mixed with a look of concentration and gravity. Y/n loved his eyes more than anything else about him did. Those eyes resembled everything that Y/n loved about him. He always had a look to them as well. Usually, it was a mischievous glint in those light brown eyes, but his eyes always matched the mood of the situation. Now, his hazel eyes had an appropriate seriousness to it.

James noticed Y/n looking at him, and grinned. It was the largest and first grin that he did in days, and it considerably brightened the situation slightly, since everyone else smiled slightly, seeing him do the same. Perhaps they would have a better future where there was no Voldemort, but for now, they were in the present and would have to deal with it, no matter what. However, James was optimistic, and knew, one day, Voldemort and evil itself would be defeated.

tags; @theredheadedwinchester

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