30th August
"Of course," Sirius muttered. Sirius and James were crouching, along with the remnants auror task force bravo, behind a long wall, under heavy fire. Moody was busy fortifying the small barrier that stood between them and the imminent arrival of the Death eater inner circle.
It was fucking typical, thought Sirius moodily. One night before they were all due to go into hiding. One fucking night, and they were going to struggle to make it home. Unless….
They'd group apparated there, to the out of town shopping centre just seconds before, but it was only just outside the wards the Death Eaters had put up around the town. But they knew they'd follow them. It didn't take long to trace an apparition once you know how, and unfortunately, the Death Eaters… well, they really knew how. Luckily, a deserted muggle shopping centre had lots of debris that was useful.
Auror Moody and Auror Black were leading the mission with task force bravo, the most talented group of aurors the ministry had ever seen. The elite team of 6: Potter, Kingsley, Thomas, and Talbot, under the command of Moody, with Black as 2IC had been the scalp that the death eaters had wanted to claim for a while. Someone had set them up though. Talbot and Thomas were down injured back in the town, it was just Potter, Kingsley, Black and Moody left. Shit had hit the fan, and they had no time.
"What," James whispered back urgently.
"It's not Harry, James. It's me."
"This isn't really the time to be thinking about that Black," James whispered back angrily, "They'll be here any second."
"Come out to play little cousin," Bellatrix taunted her Cousin.
"Shit." Sirius muttered, "Of course she'd make it here first. She can follow my fucking trail. Fucking family. Right, James I need you to trust me on this ok."
"I'd trust you to the ends of the earth mate, but are you sure you're not loosing it?"
"Come out to play little siri, I'm bored."
"Boss" Black turned to Moody, "Potter and I will lead them away. You and Kingsley need to retrieve Talbot and Thomas. RV is Diagon Alley, 10 minutes, bring the whole department…. I'm going to wreak some havoc." A slightly crazed black smile washed over his face.
"Black's lost it Sir," James intervened. There's no way we can take them all on by ourselves."
Sirius looked at him. "You'll do as you're bloody well told soldier" he snapped. Then he breathed out. "This is shit or bust mate. Trust me, I've got a way we can still wield some serious damage, but you need to trust me. We're the biggest scalps here. They'll follow us, Voldemorts' wanted me by his side since I was 16, but I need you by my side for this to work"
Moody nodded. "I hope you know what you're doing Black."
"I'm going to apparate, James follow the clock pattern I make. Then I'll apparate to you and we'll take them on a trip. Moody, Kingsley, you go on my count too as close as you can get to the casualties. It might take a few attempts with the scramble effect of these wards."
Sirius nodded. Kingsley nodded. Moody nodded. Lastly, Potter nodded.
Three, Two, One Sirius counted down silently.
"Black!" Voldemort boomed. "It's time to play! You're already two down, give it up. And I will let them live. You cannot escape the power of your birth black" The wall began to lift up. But behind the wall, all was empty. Voldemort roared.
Suddenly, Sirius apparated. James managed to follow where he was going, and apparated opposite the Woolworths shop that Sirius had ended up outside of. He glanced back to where they were a second ago, and luckily, Moody and Kingsley were no longer there, because the remnants of the wall had been lifted up.
James looked up, barley fending off the "reducto" that came his way, ducking in front of the killing curse that was sent his way.
"If you want me Tom, you're going to have to come and get me."
Sirius apparated again. Landing outside Debenhams. James twigged where he was going. The clock dial was in front of them. Sirius had gone to 12, James to 6 first. Then Sirius had gone to 9, so James jumped in the air, narrowly avoiding another curse and jumped again firing back a huge reducto in this short time span.
James on 3, Sirius on 6, James on 12, it happened in the space of a second. Then Sirius apparated to 12 and grabbed James arm, pulling him down behind the flowerbed, deep grey eyes boring into deep blue,
"You're Sacred 28. He's not. You need to use your magic," was all he said. And they jumped. James began to feel the familiar effect of the wards scrambling long-distance apparition and just began to open up his magic when he felt them tumble through. They landed in a heap, and without a second thought Sirius was up and running behind a wall. James ran to follow him.
"Where are we?"
"The castle of Rhodolphus Lestrange II, built 1492." Sirius responded.
"What. They'll follow us here Siri? You're going to get us killed."
"Not quite, it's complicated,"
A bundle of Death eaters appeared quickly through the wards, led by Voldemort.
"Not a great place to run to Black… the home of one of my inner circle!" Voldemort said, approaching the place he sensed them.
"Same circle, backwards, you take me Longbottoms Town House," Sirius whispered then jumped out, firing curses as he went. "Oh I beg to differ Tom, I love a family reunion, now with my sister here, my cousin here, my cousins beloved… Oh, well…it's like Christmas." Sirius said, laughed maniacally, and then apparated to the south of the water feature in the garden.
It took less than a second this time. James grabbed Sirius' arm and took them.
They landed. Longbottom London Town House. One of five properties now on the Longbottom portfolio.
"This better be good, I know Frank and Alice are on duty and Neville and his grandmother are with my Parents. But if their home gets destroyed..."
"I'll reimburse them, I'm rich," Sirius responded.
"They're rich too! But that's not the point!" James muttered angrily.
"Same circle, start at 3, go first, I'll jump you this time." Sirius instructed quietly, just in time. Several death eaters tumbled through, looking worse for wear. Voldemort looked angrily at his followers.
"Weak" he muttered.
Sirius shouted from behind the wall.
"Some not make it here did they? Didn't think so."
"What?" Voldemort spun around angrily.
"Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. Blood feud in the 1500's will keep them at Lestrange castle unless they leave by muggle means… I wonder how long it will take to get that through their heads." Sirius apparated just in time to avoid a killing curse, but picked up a cut to his arm.
"Over here." James said. Apparating away just in time again.
"Which one do you want?" Sirius said, and apparated again. James and Sirius moved like a whirlwind.
Sirius grabbed James, and they apparated long distance again. There was less difficulty making it through this time. They landed on a beach, a huge castle in the distance. Sirius started running to a cave. James sprinted after.
"Welcome to the home of the late Maximillan Goyle, purchased from Jamieson Bulstrode, 1792, now used as a Summer abode by the Crabbe household, since the marriage of Felicity Crabbe and Benjamin Goyle in 1922, but never quite made it onto the deeds, for some reason."
"Why did we go to the Longbottoms though Siri?"
"Send a Patronus to your parents not to take him back. Frank and Alice will be in Diagon Alley, but your Parents and Grandma Longbottom are in danger"
"What?"
"Now James, no time."
First the few half-blood death eaters made it through, with Voldemort. Half a second later, a second wave of death eaters arrived, looking worse for wear.
"Did you ever go to Bathilda Bagshots old house, the one she lived in before her husband died…" Sirius asked urgently.
James nodded.
"Not Godric's Hollow?" Sirius checked, James nodded again.
"Jump twice, 12 and 2, then back here, then go. You'll need my magic to get you out of here, and I'll need yours to land."
James nodded.
"You can't run for ever little boy" Voldemort screamed
Sonorus Sirius muttered
"Well why-ever not," Sirius voice boomed out over the beach.
"Over here" James said. A curse shot his way almost immediately, and James thought he recognised the voice.
He had jumped again before it hit though, this time, directly over the sea, half hoping someone would be following his magic signature. Sure enough, he heard a splash before he jumped again back to the cave, grabbing Sirius before trying to jump. It was like hitting a brick wall.
"Use your magic!" Sirius screamed at him. James took a big breath and it felt as if he was ripping himself in two but before they knew it, they had landed.
"Catch your breath, we'll have a couple of seconds." Sirius said. James looked exhausted. Sirius was working on several enchantments.
"What was that?" James panted.
"Unfortunately, Benjamin Goyle had declared that Potters were blood traitors... But then Benjamin Goyles Sister Elizabeth, eloped and married Doreus Potter, so it was always going to be a bit hard for you to leave, especially as the Castle should really be a Crabbe castle now. But it was worth it. We lost Bella and Rhudolphus at the Longbottoms, and we'll lose both Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle there because there's unresolved issues at the property that their blood magic requires them to resolve before they leave… and I don't really think they're sensible enough, or have enough magic, to figure that out."
"How the fuck do you know all this?" James muttered.
"Dungeon has a secret door to the Library at Black Manor. I spent a lot of time in the Dungeon as a kid, so I got wise and found the secret door after my tutor mentioned its existence. Family history is interesting." Sirius reached into his pocket, pulled out a pepper up potion and handed it over. Happily, James uncorked it and necked it.
"Now listen. Next stop is Diagon Alley, there's no time to explain, but the prophecy is about me. You have to leave this to me." Sirius knelt down, his eyes manic, shaking James by the shoulders. "Promise me this James. I'm doing this so you can live. So you can grow old, and be a Dad to Harry. No matter how bad it gets, you have to do what I tell you your mission is. Promise me James."
"Mate, I'm not letting you go off on a suicide mission by yourself."
"No, that's why I'm giving you this." Sirius handed over a small metal object. It was a small handgun "Right now, you've got enough magic to get to Diagon Alley, and that's about it, and I'll help you get there. Leaving Goyle Castle and getting both of us here nearly killed you. I want you to get somewhere you can observe, and I want you to kill is the fucking snake. Promise me you'll kill nagini, or whatever the fuck he calls it. No rage, no distractions, ignore me, no second thoughts, kill the snake."
"Kill the snake. Got it. With this?" James asked, credulously.
"Safety catch here, point and shoot" Sirius said, giving a quick demonstration. "You've got the best aim of anyone I've ever met. Hold on tight, when we get there, hide, and kill the snake. Leave him to me. PROMISE ME."
James nodded.
The remaining death eaters and Voldemort tumbled through. Voldemort sent curses immediately, but they hit thin air and dissipated.
"There's Goblin magic here Tom," Sirius' voice roared across the plains. "Goblin magic… older magic than you could dare to dream of. You're not very good at reading your history books are you?" Sirius taunted, before side along apparating him and James to Diagon Alley.
Moody was there with 83 Aurors.
Sirius drew a huge circle within the town square and stepped into it. Immediately he warded himself into it.
Moody tried to come in. He couldn't. He drew his wand to try and work out what Black was doing
"In a few minutes, Voldemort will apparate inside this circle Moody," Moody continued to try and get in. "Moody stop!" Sirius shouted. "Listen to me, this is the end game. The big players from the inner circle have been taken out. Only the weak or the half-bloods will make it here. You outnumber them 4 to 1. Moody Listen! Leave him to me, whatever happens. Needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, I'm giving you a chance to arrest 20 Death eaters! Use it. Get the public safe and serve those fucking arrest warrants. James can tell you where to pick up the ones we took out." Sirius pulled out a potion from his pocket, and necked it. He noticed James run towards the boundary of the circle so threw a repelling charm at him, "Potter. Follow your fucking orders. Longbottom, Longbottom. Don't you fucking try either!" The circle caught fire.
Moody stepped back, tears rolling down his face, confusion on his face. He had already got 2 injured soldiers, and he was about to lose one of his best it seemed in the defence of the realm. He took one look at James, and could see him swaying on his feet with exhaustion as he ran to behind the wall, trying to fulfil his friends dying wish. He didn't understand the magic that was at work here, but evidently Frank and Alice did, because she stepped back and saluted Sirius. Not an auror salute, but an old salute. One he had only read about in the story books of history.
In the old days, the Sacred 28 protected the weak, the newly emergent magic class. They threw themselves into deadly situations to protect those being persecuted when their accidental, untrained magic reared their head.
Sometimes, they sacrificed themselves for the weak too. Sacrife, for the good of all magic kind. That was what this was.
With a tumble, Voldemort arrived straight in the centre of the circle. He stood up, almost immediately, but there was no hiding to the onlooker, that he hadn't landed flat on his feet. He was, well, unsettled. The remaining 20 or so death eaters tumbled through a second or two later, but landed no where near Voldemort.
Several caught on fire from the ward outer, but almost immediately, curses began firing. The firefight outside the circle was enormous. It was like lightening.
As soon as Voldemort landed, Sirius had a ball of fire in his hand. He wasn't even using his wand. He flung the ball of fire at Voldemort.
"You've been weak Tom," his voice had taken on an authoritative, commanding tone. "You've been arrogant. You've been weak" There was no charm, just pure, unbroken magic making it boom across the town square. "You're weak." The fireball was thrown back. It missed, went through the ward and caught fire.
"It's just you and me now Tom, for once, its you and me, in a fair fight. They can't make it through, you can't make it out"
"You can still come to the dark Sirius. You and me together, we could rule the world. I could sense it in you, you crave that power. Only I can give you that power."
"Why would I need power from a half blood Tom?" The curses were flying back and forth. It was impossible to follow. "Why would I need that power, when I already have it Tom. I could rule the world without you. My blood is old, my blood is purer than pure. True magic Tom. I have more magic and greater power than you could dream."
The curses continued to fly, Sirius' voice was getting louder and louder. His eyes glowed, then his fingertips.
"I have knowledge of the dark you could only dream of Sirius, you know that, you're drawn to me."
"And yet, arrogant, powerful, half- blood dark lord is begging for my help. Prophecy got you rattled has it?" Curses continued to fly wordlessly between them as they talked.
"I will defeat the Potter boy, and take over the world."
"In your desire for your problems to have an easy solution, you missed the one that's been in front of your face, the whole fucking time. You've always been arrogant Tom"
"What?" Voldemort bellowed, sending a particularly powerful curse Sirius' way. It missed, a wall exploded. Sirius rolled away. "Boy, stop trying to stall! Your parents have never defied me! They bowed to me!"
Around the square it was becoming quieter.
"Did they not?" The curses flew.
"You asked my Father for a job not once, but twice"
Sirius ducked behind a wall
"Before that, you asked my mother for her hand in marriage before she married your father, she refused, on account of your blood."
Curses continued to fly within the warded circle, faster than ever. Onlookers could barely see through the wind, the magical wind that Sirius was creating to knock curses wild.
"½ Gaunt wasn't good enough for her"
The wall lifted up. But Sirius stood up to face him, hands held out, all curses washing away, occasionally ducking around each killing curse.
"Yes, I know who you are Tom Marvolo Riddle. You're weak, you're half-blood and they are nothing when facing the sacred 28! Nothing!" Curses flew faster.
Sirius' voice seemed to be becoming more powerful. Longbottom and Longbottom were the only ones who could know, that Sirius was using his core to channel back the latent magic in the area. This was not the power of one wizard he was transmitting. Curses and Charms did not create energy, they merely transferred energy out of the wizard or witches core. They then usually dissipated into the ether, becoming natural forces, weather, cold spells.
To channel it back, especially in a historic magic settlement, with so much magic…that was hard. Hard, hard magic. Old, old magic, forgotten magic, save but by a few.
"You're nothing Tom! Your weak, you're impure. Your mother watered down her perfect blood when she married a muggle."
Voldemort roared, furious. "I am more powerful than you could dream."
"I was born to those who have thrice defied you," Sirius roared back, his left hand moving the earth up from the ground, moving nearby buildings, whipping them around, and throwing them at him, his right arm, his wand arm, conjuring fire after fire, setting fire to all within the circle and then rising above it, as if on steps, "I was born as the seventh month died and the first time you begged me to join you. You begged me Tom, a child of 16. Well then…" Sirius quietened down, his shirt disappearing from his back as the huge mark on his back became visible. "You marked me as your equal. Times up Tom. You've got no one here. It's just me, and you, and the prophecy ends here."
Voldemort rose out of the fire below.
The square went quiet. 22 Death eaters were now under arrest (one of them would be quite the shock when the glamour wore off), Longbottom and Longbottom started to run towards Sirius, knowing that only they and Potter could get through the wards, and Potter was too weak to do much good, and god knows where. The land dropped down to the ground, the fire died as both wizards poured everything into one curse each. Longbottom and Longbottom could do nothing as:
ADAVA KEDAVRA
REDUCTO
The flashes of light hit each other, and slowly Voldemort and Sirius began to rise as they poured more Power into the curse.
The white part of the light shifted initially towards Sirius but then back to Voldemort. Then stalled, in the middle.
It was then that the snake became visible, out of Voldemort's Sleeve.
Bang, a loud noise echoed around the square. Voldemort lost his concentration, looking down in horror at the blood and puff of black smoke.
It was too late. The curse drove into him, and he exploded.
Sirius fell from a height of around 10 feet, hard onto the ground, breaking both legs. He was barely conscious when Longbottom reached him.
"Frank, Alice… you need back up if you go back to your townhouse. You must tell Augusta. The Goyle manor that Should be Crabbes, the ruined Lestrange manner and Bathilda Bagshots old house. That's where the rest of them are. I'm sorry, it was the only thing I could do… If they trash your house I'll pay for it, but I'm sorry"
"Don't worry about anything now kiddo," Frank said soothingly.
"Where is James, is he safe? Tell me, tell me he's safe." Sirius was practically hyperventilating. "Where is he? Tell me he's ok! Please, please let him be ok."
No one noticed the large puff of black smoke, floating on the wind away. No one noticed the smaller amount floating up Sirius' feet and settling within him. They were too focused on comforting him.
Alice stroked his sweating head soothingly, tucking a stray piece of the shoulder length hair out of his face. She could see James running down from the building on the corner, the ice cream shop second story, pushing his way past the onlookers as fast as his obviously exhausted legs could carry him.
"SSssssh Sirius, Ssshh… You're ok. He's here. He's safe. He's coming now. You're safe." She smiled at him, "You saved him, you saved us all Sirius."
Sirius relaxed at this, and let unconsciousness wash over him. James ran as fast as his exhausted body would carry him, over to the circle where he had been forced to watch his friend nearly kill himself in the defence of his people.
He got there, and his heart split in two. He thought Sirius was dead. He was so sure of it. The way Frank and Alice had been talking to him, the way they were gathered around him. No one could survive that kind of magic use. All the awful things that could run through his head were racing faster than light. He didn't see the imperceptible rise of his chest. He was too tired to take notice of it. A heart wrenching wail came from within his body, as he collapsed onto his knees, took his brothers body into his arms and sobbed his heart out.
"James… James, its ok." Alice said after a minute had passed, as she and Frank tried to pry Sirius back off of him.
"Nothing will be ok without him" James snarled. "He was my brother."
"Is your brother James… IS. James Doreus Potter look at me," Alice snapped.
James barely looked up.
"As I live and breathe so does he. He's unconscious, probably from his legs, maybe a head injury, maybe just his magic." James didn't move, his eyes bored through Alice, and his grip tightened on Sirius. "James, love, look at his chest, its moving. His lips still have colour." She grabbed his hand. "Look, he has capillary refill. The healers are here love. You need to let him go, let the Healers help him. Let them help you too James. Come on love, you're tired. You're really tired aren't you sweetheart. We'll get Lily to meet us at the hospital. Come on now love, let the medics do their work"
James looked down, and almost dropped the body in shock. He'd been so tired, he hadn't registered. If I wasn't so stupid. James thought. He was vaguely aware of cameras flashing in the square, people asking him for a statement. He was aware of medics' apparating in, they were in his face, asking so many questions.
"How long has the casualty been unconscious for? Did you see the fall from height? Where did he fall from? How far did he fall? What kind of magic did he use. What first aid have you done on the casualty? SIR! You need to step back now sir!" Spells that James could barely keep track of. Spine immobilisation spell cast on Sirius. Body warming spell cast on Sirius. Blanket transfigured over him. A healer grabbing his arm and side along apparating him to the hospital. A wizard checking him out, trying to sit him down in a bed. Him stumbling out of the door, point me Sirius Black, not working. Too tired. Too drained. Stumbling into the floor. Being manhandled into a wheel chair. A potion forced down his neck. A blanket being put over him. Crying, begging to be told what was happening to Sirius. Tired. Too tired. Medical staff trying to get him to go to bed. Shouting back. A cup of tea being shoved into his hand. A chocolate bar he was too weak to open. He was so tired, he was so god dammed tired. Stumbling out the door again. Frank and Alice grabbing him. Frank and Alice steering him to a lift, down the chair. Telling him this was a close to Sirius as he could get for a while, but shouting at him to stay in the chair, every time he tried to get up. Tea being split on the ground. He was so tired. So fucking tired. Frank and Alice nowhere to be seen. He stood up. They can't have left him too. Then, all of a sudden, a wave of ginger hair in front of him.
"James, James," Lily tried. "James, what the hell? What happened? Frank and Alice told me you were in St Mungo's and to hurry, they said you were loosing it. James, James look at me for god's sake! Are you ok?" She shook James by the shoulder.
"Lily, is that you? Is it really you" He was confused. Brain working at half speed. Tired, trying to figure things out, touching her face. Drinking in the picture of his wife.
"It's me James. You first asked me to marry you in transfiguration in first year when we were supposed to turn washers into rings, and you turned yours into a wedding ring."
James almost collapsed into his wife with relief and tiredness, tears rushing down his face. Lilly guided them down to the floor.
"He's dead Lils…" Lilys heart melted. Only one person could have brought about this reaction. A friendship that transcended blood and family.
"Sirius?"
"Voldemort is dead. Siri killed him. Siri sacrificed himself for all of us. It wasn't about Harry, or Neville. It was about Sirius and we never even realised."
Lilly grabbed her husband's face, her eyes boring into his. Trying to make sure it was all true.
She was lost for words.
"Is Sirius Alive?"
"I don't know Lils, I don't know. They took him, and they won't tell me. I don't know how anyone can survive that kind of magic" James just burst into tears on his wife and sobbed in her lap, on the floor, in the middle of the waiting area for ICU in St Mungo's.
Tears were rolling down her face as she stroked her husband's hair. She mouthed thank you to Alice and Frank, as they helped her help him into a bed in the ward, and continued to stroke his head, tears rolling down her face herself now as he fell asleep with exhaustion, under the watchful eye of his wife.