/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝

"I don't feel like dressing up this year," said Sirius, stretching out on his and Artemis's bed and looking out the window at the dark street outside.

Artemis collapsed next to him and buried her face in his chest. "Me either," she said. She was exhausted. "We should hand out candy, though. And bring some over to the Potters' for Harry, too."

"He won't get his first trick or treating experience," Sirius said sadly. "We'll stop at Honeydukes and make it up to him."

Artemis nodded. "Yeah," she said, forcing herself to get out of bed. "But do we have to dress up?"

Sirius thought about it for a moment. "No," he said at last. "No, just throw on a Puddlemere United shirt and say you're a quidditch player."

Artemis laughed and threw a pillow at him. "That's so lazy, Sirius!"

"I think it's genius!"

She laughed and went into the kitchen. "Do you want dinner first? I was thinking we could make that pasta sauce we-"

She didn't finish her sentence. There was a knock on the door, rapid and panicked. Sirius was in the room in seconds. "I got it," he said, and wrenched the door open.

Remus was standing outside, his eyes wild. He crossed the threshold and grabbed Sirius by both arms. "James and Lily. They've been compromised- Voldemort himself at their house- Sirius, I swear to motherfucking god if you betrayed them-"

"What?" Sirius sputtered. "Compromised?"

"Don't act like you didn't know!" Remus roared. "They've been attacked. They trusted you, Sirius!"

Remus had his wand out in an instant. Artemis, not thinking, stepped between him and Sirius. "Stop!" she screamed. "Remus, Sirius wasn't the secret keeper, I- It's a long story- They were attacked? Where are they? Where's Harry?"

"Not the secret keeper?" Remus repeated, his eyes widening even further. "What?"

But Sirius wasn't listening anymore. When Artemis turned to face him, he had a look in his eyes she'd only seen rarely. It was a crazed glint, full of burning hot anger. "Come on," he said, and grabbed Artemis's arm.

Before she had a chance to think or react, she was standing in Godric's Hollow. Smoke was billowing into the air. The Dark Mark hung low in the sky. Worst of all, the upper half of James and Lily's home, the home James had been so proud of buying, was burnt to a crisp, crushed in by an explosion.

She stared up at the house in shock. Sirius, on the other hand, was already tearing towards it. "No," he said. "No, no, no, no, no-"

She ran after him. They let themselves inside and ran up the stares. The Potter's belongings were charred and destroyed, the house turned upside down in the struggle. There was only sound Artemis was listening to. The wailing of a baby on the top floor. She took the stairs two at a time, picking her way through rubble, until finally, she made it to Harry's nursery. Sirius was there already.