Title: The Princess and the Scoundrel

Author: AGirlNamedFuzz

Rating: PG-13

Summary: "You know, sometimes, two people shouldn't fall in love..." "Why do you say that?" "Because when they do, the whole world falls apart." "And what if it doesn't? Wouldn't you at least want to find out?" A Marauder-era James Potter/Lily Evans fic.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter universe, or characters or anything. JK Rowling is Queen and has all the rights.


Author's Note:

Woohoo for Marauder-era stories! Recently I've fallen in love with the time period and decided to go for it and write my own fic. So here it goes! I will be trying to keep it as close to book canon as possible, but please, this is fanfiction. If I want to take some artistic license I will do so. But mostly I like book canon, so I'll stay close to that. Be nice and pester me and hopefully I'll actually finish this story! I want to, but I need people who want me to finish it.

I hope you all enjoy!

-Fuzz


Prologue
Spring 1979

Reality.

Clear lucid reality sweet as spring rain.

My back ached with pain. I lay on the ground, panting, trying to catch my breath. My extremities tingled and my nerves ached as my body painfully pulled itself back together. Thoughts raced through my head as sanity returned to me – one thought in particular: why am I alone? Why am I alone? Why am I-

Crucio.

Isn't it fascinating how one single word can cause so much pain? That realization is the only thought I can think as my body again spasms against my will. Thoughts are the only thing I can focus on. Images flashing through my mind are the only things that bring clarity to my situation.

My name is Lily Evans.

I am captured.

And I'm being tortured.

Simple enough logic.


Time passes by in a blink of an eye when one is in the hold of the Cruciatus Curse. It seems as if an eternity and a half can go by without a breath of air, and then suddenly time is thrown into reality with a gasp of life giving air. I now know why some call the Curse the Embrace of Pain. Eventually the pain drifts away and all you can feel is your nerves burning – a warm embrace, as if from a lover.

Lover.

Love.

My love.

"James…"

"Seems she's coming back to reality, eh?" I was still panting on the floor, not moving save for air moving in and out of my lungs. From the voices that surround me, I can make out three individuals. Maybe more if some aren't talking. Or perhaps there are less… It's hard to tell when your body is numb.

"You ready to talk now, sweetheart?" There were definitely two of them. And one of them – the one who just spoke - smells like fish. Rotten fish. Fish Breath came and crouched beside me, stroking a dirty finger across my cheek before turning my face to look at him. His touch burned. "You hear me, beautiful?"

It's all I could do to keep from gathering my remaining strength and spitting in his face or passing out. Neither would have helped my cause. Instead I simply stared at him. A smile spread across Fish Breath's face as he stood back up and moved back to his partner. I closed my eyes and tried to burn the sensation of his fingers touching my hair out of my memory.

"Shall we give 'er the curse again, boss?" There were definitely three men. One of them took a few steps in my direction. Fish Breath shook his head.

"Nah. We'll give the lady the night to pull herself back together. Too much time in the Embrace and she'll end up a raving loony." He looked back at me. "No more mistakes this time. Her mind is to be undamaged."

"Yes sir."

The two men came over and picked me up, Fish Breath watching closely. They carried me to another room, still dark, dank, and without a window. Unceremoniously I was dumped onto the floor and chained to a grate in the floor.

"Too lazy for a body bind curse, boys?" Somehow the words came out of my mouth before I was able to stop them. Apparently my pained body didn't realize that taunting my captors wasn't in my best interest.

One of them simply looked at me and smiled. But not a gentle smile. One of those chills-your-blood-and-you-run-screaming-for-your-life type smiles. "We're supposed to leave your mind undamaged, sweetheart. No one said nothin' about your body." And with a flick of his wand, the chains tightened into my flesh.

I believe I asked for it.


The Dark Arts and their Defenses. Americus Brindle
Chapter Nine - Unforgivable Curses
Section One - The Cruciatus Curse
Sub Section Five - Side Effects
Pg. 386
Memory Drifting

One of the side effects of repeated exposure to the Cruciatus Curse is memory drifting. Memory drifting occurs when the consciousness of the individual manages to relive past memories stored in the brain. One could think of it as a personal Pensieve. However, the individual cannot control the memories that they relive. It has been observed that individuals can memory drift through events in correct chronological order, but what determines this to occur is unknown.

What exactly causes memory drifting is unknown, but current theory hypothesizes that the consciousness (while or after under the effects of the Cruciatus Curse) retreats to a place where it can escape the pain. Rarely does it happen while the Curse is being administered, but mostly it is seen within the hours following repeated exposure to the Curse.

It should be noted that while memory drifting, the individual does not look on upon events as an outsider. They relive them. Memory drifting, like dreaming, can be a continuous state in which elaborate and long memories are relived in a short period of time. The cause is unknown.

CAUTION: Due to the dangerous nature of the Cruciatus Curse and possibility of permanent insanity if under the curse for too long (see below), it is not recommended that one submit themselves to the curse in order to experience memory drifting. A simple Pensieve Potion can replicate the experiences of memory drifting, as well as a Pensieve.


A/N: I know none of this makes sense now, but it will! I promise! Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up by Friday, if not sooner. Reviews are like cookies and make me write faster!