September First

Stepping Up

The first thing Daxia realised was happening was the gasp of shock leaving her lips as Sirius dove over her to protect her from the falling glass "What's going on?!" she exclaimed as he shoved her behind the curtain and into James and Lily's booth.

"Nothing!" Lily answered quickly "We were just-" another loud crash stopped her sentence as she jumped in her seat "What's going on?!"

"You need to take her back to the castle," Sirius said to James as he nodded towards an offended looking Lily "Daxia too, I think there are Death Eaters in the village."

"Wow good deducing Sherlock," Daxia answered with an eyeroll, glancing across to a subtly nodding Lily to make sure she had given the right example in her sarcastic snap "But if you think you're getting me back to the castle without you you're insane."

"We'll all go," James spoke up as yet another crash rumbled throughout the pub, glancing out of the booth for a few seconds he ruffled at his hair nervously "We just need to get to either Honeydukes or The Shrieking Shack."

Nodding reluctantly Sirius grasped hold of Daxia's hand, pulling her back out of the booth "Can't see your boyfriend anywhere," he mumbled to her, earning a scowl in return. It was definitely not the time for joking or bringing up their previous argument "Sorry," he coughed tugging her along with him as they crouched down beside the bar, James and Lily joining them barely a few seconds later.

They ducked as the pub rocked again, free arms arching over their heads as debris fell from the roof. Pulling their wands from their pockets the four of them flattened against the side of the bar as they noticed a group of masked figures staring in through the windows.

"What do we do?" Daxia whispered as Sirius's grip on her hand tightened. Glancing around helplessly she exchanged a scared look with Lily; it would be muggleborns the Death Eaters were after and she was definitely not putting her friend in danger easily.

"We could cause a distraction?" James said looking to Sirius, the glint of a Marauder causing mischief in his eye and the duo exchanged smirks. It was almost like they could read one another's minds "You two head out the back and run towards The Shrieking Shack, stay ready for attacks okay?" he continued as Sirius nodded along with the plan.

"The Shrieking Shack...really?" Daxia asked in a small voice, escaping from The Death Eaters avia the most violently haunted building in the United Kingdom seemed a little crazy.

Sirius rolled his eyes as the dark pub was lit up with a multitude of coloured curses flying outside "C'mon Vix, you know about Moony...where do you think he's taken to change on a full moon? It's not ghosts haunting that Shack it's our friendly dorm-wolf!"

Looking irritated by their lack of attention to his plan James continued as he shoved Sirius's shoulder to listen "So the girls go out the back and we'll head out the front-"

"What!"

"-Evans! Will you just listen!" he exclaimed ignoring the glare being sent his way "We won't go out there looking for trouble-" at this point he shared a small smile with a smirking Sirius "-we'll just be heading towards The Shack a different way to you."

As the girls narrowed their eyes in suspicion a curse hit the bar behind them, smashing the bottles lined up across the shelves "Fine," Lily huffed brushing both Firewhiskey and the glass it had been encased in off her shoulders and out of her hair "But I'm not happy with this."

"Are you ever happy with anything the Marauders do Evans?" Sirius asked, reaching over to nudge the redhead's leg "At least we're doing this now to save you."

Lily was chewing on her bottom lip as she moved her gaze from one boy to the other. Daxia knew she was feeling guilty, that she knew they were sending her off to keep her safe because she was a muggleborn; the type of witch or wizard the Death Eaters would be targeting "Promise me you'll be careful?" she asked in a small voice and the boys exchanged glances.