“If Shay is still somehow alive and she comes back, don’t think that I won’t fight for her. You had your chance with her and you messed that up. My time with her was cut short. The Shay I was with was damaged by you and I’ll be damned before I let you do that to her again.”

“I must say, I’ve been anxious to get you in my grasp. You’re a great witch, Shay Calhoun. I heard Dumbledore has been training you well."
Shay refused to acknowledge that he was even speaking.
“There is no need to worry. You’re not going to die today. I have big plans for you,” Voldemort said.

“You passed out. You were dehydrated, starving, and close to death. I just gave you a potion to bring you back,” Snape said.
“You should have just let me die,” Shay said with sincerity.
“That wouldn’t help any of us,” Courtlyn thought.

“I don’t know any of those people. I want to see people that I know,” Shay demanded.
“Who do you know? Whom would you like us to find?” Dumbledore asked.
“I don’t know,” Shay paused for a moment, “Where’s my family?” Shay asked.
“We are you family!” Sirius blurted and ran through the curtain.

“You love me Remus?” Shay asked with a small smile.
“More than you know.”

“You’re absolutely gorgeous,” Sirius said in a breathless tone.
Shay blushed a little.
“Those aren’t the words I was looking for but thanks for the compliment. You’re not so bad yourself,” Shay said.
“Shay, I’ve been wanting to do something since you got back,” Sirius said in a little more than a mumble.
“What do you want to do?”
Sirius answered her with a small kiss on the lips.

 “The only thing we can do is try. If we don’t, we’re always going to wonder ‘What if?’ and with this war now’s not the time to sit around and wonder. Now’s the time to act.”

They knew their son wasn’t going to be an ordinary kid. Why would the Dark Lord want him if he were just ordinary? Not that there’s anything wrong with being average, at least according to Lily.

“I can’t help that Gryffindor has always had a knack for trouble.”


“Severus, I could just strangle you some times. Leave the Gryffindors alone. This isn’t fair,” Shay said and crossed her arms in a huff.


“You’re just worried your house isn’t going to win the Cup,” Snape said and straightened his stance a little.


“I’m not even a Head of House! I’m officially nonpartisan.”

 "I think you're extravagant."

Sirius examined the flat more and noticed something startling. There was an empty frame sitting on Peter’s mantle. Sirius remembered that it was Peter’s favorite picture of Alana. Sirius’s stomach dropped. Peter wouldn’t have taken that photo unless he was going somewhere. Sirius couldn’t help but think of the Potters. Sirius couldn’t help but think the worst.

“But I digress. We have that favor to ask of you. Shay, I would be honored if you would join the Order of the Phoenix once again.” 

Shay wasn’t surprised by the offer but she was going to stand her ground.

“No, I’m sorry. I can’t do it this time,” Shay said apologetically.

“That’s the thing about metaphorical ice cream. It doesn’t have the capabilities of making you fat. Not that the metaphorical ice cream would care because the metaphorical ice cream likes who you are, no matter your robe size.”

“It’s been 14 years,” Shay added, feeling sorry for her closest friend.

“Merlin man. I haven’t had sex in 14 years but I was locked up in bloody Azkaban,” Sirius inserted and gave Remus a shake of his head.

“I have never been one for talking about my sex life and that certainly isn’t going to change now. Let’s drop it,” Remus insisted and crossed his arms over his chest in a huff.

“Mr. Malfoy just told me a disturbing tale,” Umbridge chirped.

“Did he? What was it about?” Jayme questioned and kept up her naive act.

“He was brutally attacked in the corridor just moments ago.”

Jayme looked back at Malfoy. He was feigning misery as well as he could.

“I’d call it an improvement,” Jayme commented with a grin.