A Marauder's Guide to Falling Forever

Chapter Forty Six

"Hear what?" James asked, perplexed.

Sirius didn't want their conversation being overheard. He didn't answer James and instead raised his voice to call into the kitchen. "Lily, were you calling me?" Lily had left them alone after Marlene had departed, but he could hear her scuttling around in the kitchen and knew she hadn't yet gone to bed.

"Sorry Sirius, what did you say?" Lily's soft footsteps padded into the living room, and her curious eyes connected with his.

"I asked if you were calling my name," he repeated, then watched as Lily's expression became even more puzzled and she shook her head.

"No, sorry," she said.

Something about her answer unsettled him. "Did Marlene leave already?" he asked, his eyes travelling the room towards the very visibly empty front entry area. As he filled his lungs, he felt a sharp, tightening sensation in his chest. Suddenly, and very unexplainably, it felt harder to breathe.

"Yes," she said, settling into the sofa in the spot beside James. "She left right away, about fifteen minutes ago. I watched her disapparate."

Sirius let a breath that he hadn't known he was holding go. It did nothing to ease the knot of tension that had developed. "Maybe she came back," he mused to himself. He pulled himself up from the chair, crossed the room to the foyer and pulled open the front door. The front porch and pathway leading to the house was completely empty. Nothing but the darkness and deafening silence to greet him.

"It was probably just the wind, Padfoot," James laughed from the room behind him.

Sirius didn't immediately answer. His eyes roamed the silent street outside and took careful note to the fact that the evening breeze was practically non-existent. He didn't know why, but his feelings of unease were rapidly increasing.

After another quick assessment he closed the door. "I definitely heard someone calling my name," he said with assuredness. "But only Marlene and I know you are here. It's magically impossible for anyone other than us to be here right now."

He didn't want to think of any other possibility. He hadn't given away the Potter's location, let alone that he knew the Potter's were hiding by use of the fidelius charm. Apart from Marlene and Dumbledore that is, and there was no way Marlene would have shared that information either. He was certain of that.

As he moved back to the living room James shook his head and chuckled, "Sirius. Neither one of us heard someone calling your name. Lily said Marlene left a while ago, and you saw for yourself that nobody is outside. You really are starting to go crazy. First Remus, and now you've begun to hear voices."

"I'm not going crazy," he huffed, shooting James a glare. "If anything you're a crazy prat for not taking my concerns about Remus seriously. I definitely heard someone calling my name." His attention reverted back to Lily. "You're absolutely certain that she left?"

"Yes Sirius." Lily's brows dipped into a frown. "I'm absolutely certain."

"Then maybe you're just tired," James suggested. "Perhaps we should call it a night. Go home to Marlene and get a good sleep. We can finish talking tomorrow."

"No that's not it," he said while moving slowly back into the room and reclaiming the chair. James was talking about something again but Sirius's mind had wandered and he was lost in his thoughts. He felt troubled. It bothered him that he had very distinctly heard someone calling out his name, and was certain that it hadn't been merely a figment of his imagination. The fact that neither James nor Lily had heard it made him all that more frustrated.

But then again, he had been having an awful lot of sleepless nights over the previous few weeks. The added stress of keeping the Potters safely hidden had started to take its toll. Maybe James was right. Maybe Sirius was just tired and should go home to bed.

The sound of the kettle blowing steam from the kitchen startled him from his thoughts. James was watching him carefully and at some point Lily had removed herself from the spot beside him and exited the room.

"So this time I really am calling your name, Sirius." Lily's voice was laced with good natured humor. "Did you want some tea?"

"Ha ha," Sirius said dryly, and Lily's laughter floated into the room. "No thank you Lily."

"I can get you something – "

A sharp, ear piercing scream from somewhere in the house cut her short. The sound of Lily dropping a teacup and it shattering on the ground below quickly followed. Sirius's body stiffened, and both he and James quickly stood up from their seats.

"James?" Lily called out, her voice shaky and fearful. "James, I don't think that was Harry –"

She came running into the room, and right on cue the distinct wailing of Sirius's one year old godson filled the air from the second story above them.

"That scream came from somewhere else in the house," James snapped, his gaze locking in on Sirius with concern.

Harry's cries continued and Lily dashed from James's side towards the staircase. She ignored James's shouts that she had left her wand on the side table, and he quickly chased after her with his wand drawn out defensively.

"Lily, just wait a minute!" he yelled, his thunderous footsteps climbing the stairs after her.

The Potters cottage was not very large. It was apparent to Sirius that the source of the sound had not come from the upper level. He darted back towards the front entry and once again pulled open the door. The front lawn looked just as quiet and undisturbed as it had been only  moments before.

To be safe he cast a temporary protective charm over the house, hoping that if an intruder was still outside they would not be able to gain access while he and James searched through the house. He avoided the kitchen knowing that Lily had been there when it had happened, and took to the main floor powder room. He flicked on the lights to reveal the very blue and boring sink and toilet.

He was pulling out of the bathroom when the next scream pierced the air. It was close by. Just down the hall.

"Lily, lock the door! Coming down mate," James' voice echoed from upstairs. Then the sound of his footsteps descending the staircase at impressive speed followed his statement.

Sirius was already in the study where it was dark, quiet, and very much empty. His heart was still racing, mind still reeling with confusion. "Someone must be here," he hissed, spinning around to face James in the doorway. "We didn't just all imagine that."

"I don't – "

Then, a softer whisper. "Sirius."

Sirius's skin prickled and he felt a sudden coldness. Some sick, perturbing knot began to twist his insides, and his eyes traveled around the room in a desperate search for the source. "That's Marlene," he choked, recognizing with definitive recognition. "Her voice. It's coming from in here."

"I think I know why," James said, his voice now holding a hint of alarm. He pushed past Sirius with vigor, shoving his best friend out of the way. His hand grabbed hold of the desk drawer and the intrusive sound of groaning wood accompanied the next scream.

"SIRIUS!"

James' hand was pulling something out of the drawer, and Sirius only caught the flash of a green light bouncing off the reflective surface of the silver mirror before he was bolting from the small study and out into the foyer. He ignored James's cries of protest that trailed behind him as he tore through the front door without second thought.

Blind panic fueled Sirius as he disapparated into the darkness.

***

A/N: It's almost October 31st....