Disclaimer - I'm not J.K Rowling ….

A/N: I'm sorry it has taken me a while to update. Been busy with college and other stuff. Thanks to those who reviewed the first chapter :D

Here's the second instalment, Enjoy.

Chapter Two - The Battle

Death eaters were aboard the train. Screams could be heard from the back of the train where their compartment was situated.

"What are we going to do?" Lily whispered to the group.

She looked around at them all. Madison was crying into Louise' shoulder and whispering "I don't want to die" over and over again. Louise looked just as scared as Madison but hadn't begun crying yet, Lily expected out of shock.

Ellie, however, looked scared but had a look in her eyes that told Lily that she was going to give as good as she got.

The boys all mirrored the same expression, apart from peter who looked liked he had just peed his seat.

All had failed to answer Lily's question though. What were they going to do? She would be damned if the death eaters thought she was going to just sit and let them kill her.

she looked around again

"well?" she whispered. Aimed at the boys.

"I don't know" Ellie answered.

"Lock the door" James said to Lily.

"Oh yes James I'm sure the death eaters haven't yet mastered alohomora" she snapped at him.

"No you idiot, there are charms that can't be reversed unless by the same person who cast it and since you are the best at charms ..." he trailed off as though the rest were self explanatory.

"Oh yes, sorry" she said a light flush raising in here cheeks, why hadn't she thought of that first.

"But I'm not wanting to sit in here and let others get hurt, we have to do something!" she stated looking serious.

"Just lock the door in case, Okay? do you know the charm?" James asked her as he raised from his seat.

"Yes" Lily got up from her own and cast the spell quickly.

James looked around at them all and addressed them with authority,

"We need to inform Dumbledore about this -"

Louise interjected "We can't send an owl. They would intercept it and we'll die!"

"I know that Louise, but good thinking. We need someone to apparate into Hogsmeade and go to the school as quickly as possible. I can't since I'm not legal until March so I haven't taken my test and neither can Lily since she is January." he stated in his still serious voice.

Lily had never seen or heard him this serious, he didn't seem like the mischievous marauder that she hated, he seemed like a mature young man.

"As far that I'm aware Ellie is legal but failed her exam and Louise and Madison haven't taken their exam as both of you turned seventeen over the holidays, am I correct?" he asked the three girls.

Ellie nodded "Yes that's right"

"Pete you didn't pass did you mate?" Peter shook his head.

"Okay then, that leaves you two. So, which one will it be? You will have to take the quickest route to the castle, I would say the one in honeydukes."

Sirius stood up "I'll go into Hogsmeade, I suggest Moony comes with me just in case there are some Death eaters patrolling. We'll take the Honeydukes passage and go straight to Dumbledore."

James nodded "Good plan, We will try and hold them off. We will all go to the end of both carriages and cast protection charms, okay?"

Madison looked up her face was stained with tear marks, "I'm not leaving, I might die"

Lily snapped at her friend "You're a Gryffindor for a reason Madison! Would you rather stay in here and die as a coward or go down fighting to save other people?"

Anger was shining in her emerald green eyes. Madison wiped away a tear "You know it's the later Lily but I'm too -"

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Someone was hammering at the compartment door ,

"Alohomora" they hear a male voice whisper. The door made a loud clanging noise, but didn't budge.

"Lily are you in there? It's William?" he whispered again but this time with urgency in his voice.

Lily pushed past James to be in front of the door.

"William Davis?" James called out.

"Yes. Lily are you in there?" he repeated again.

She went to answer but James covered her mouth,

"what house are you in?" James said through the door.

"Ravenclaw, Lily are you there?" he said the last word in a stage whisper.

Lily was struggling to escape James grasp but it was no use. Ellie understood what James was doing though and asked him something only the girls in this compartment would know and maybe some of his friends.

"What did you ask Lily today?" she whispered through the door.

"To go out with me." he said.

"And what did she say" but it wasn't Ellie that asked, it was James.

"She said no but suggested we get to know each other. We're going on a date. Now let me in." You could hear the annoyance in his voice.

James had let Lily go and had taken a step back. He looked heart broken. Rejection he could cope with but if she had a boyfriend ...

Lily cast the counter jinx and opened the door. The tall blonde William Davis stepped into the compartment and closed the door behind him. Lily cast the spell again.

"What was that about?" he asked James.

James looked at him with hatred,

"In case you were a death eater." he spat.

"Oh okay." he turned to Lily, "are you alright?" he asked her.

"Yeah I'm fine, you?"

she tried to smile but found that she couldn't. She had just caught a glimpse of James behind William and he looked hurt. She had done that too him, it looked like he would never be happy again as he sat down and ran a hand through his already messy hair.

"I'm good. Just ran up for three carriages down, they haven't reached there yet but they are close. A fifth year from one of the front compartments made it back into ours, Left arm is a mess. I came here as fast as I could, I know you aren't seventeen yet so I thought that you might need assistance apparating out of here." he said to Lily.

"apparating out of here?" she looked appalled by the thought.

"Yes, out of here." he stated looking slightly annoyed, obviously wanting to depart.

"And leave all theses people to get tortured? You have got to be kidding?" Lily looked up at him.

He moved his weight from side to side "well now you put it like that, no I suppose it wouldn't be nice to leave everyone."

Lily looked even more shocked, "of course it wouldn't be NICE! so you're going to help us!"

He looked taken back "wh-what do you mean help you? Help you do what?"

"Save people! But now that you've told us you can apparate you can go with Remus and Sirius to Hogsmeade and alert Dumbledore." Lily said sternly, emerald eyes blazing.

"Wh-What?" he scratched his neck looking uncomfortable.

"Look Lil-"

Sirius grabbed him by his robes from behind

"Come on prince charming, lets not wait for the grass to grow. We have to go tell old Dumbledore"

Sirius and Remus apparated on the spot and William who was still looking apprehensive let out a long sigh and disappeared.

"He had better have gone with them otherwise I will kick his ass!" she informed the rest of the compartment.

Ellie laughed "You aren't going to go on date with him are you? Imagine if you got attacked and he just left you?"

"Of course I'm not! Didn't you hear him? "I suppose it wouldn't be nice?" No it bloody well isn't you know what else won't be nice?"

Ellie laughed at her best friend "You when he asks you about the date?"

"Flippin' right I won't! I hope the arse asks me near the lake for some entertainment!" she half laughed.

She then realised that she was still in the presence of James Potter and begin to turn a light shade of red.

"Sorry" she said shyly.

"No it's okay Evans. It was nice to hear you complain about someone else for a change" James laughed and got up.

"oh you just consider yourself lucky that you will be avoiding a nice swim in the lake" she told him.

"I will no doubt say something to annoy you soon enough" he said half joking.

She looked up at him, unsure of what to say, she gazed into his eyes. She had never realised how brown they were.

BANG!

The train shook, reminding them of the situation they were in,

"Right plan of action" James said

"We exit the compartment. Lily and I will go to the left towards the death eaters, if that's okay?"

Lily nodded "Yeah" .

"Good. Ellie and Madison to the right. Peter and Louise stay her - central. Once we get out go along until you can see the death eaters then start to cast a protection charm. If you bump into any prefects, ask for their help. The more people to cast it the stronger it will be. Can either of you cast the locking spell lily has put on our door?" he asked Ellie and Madison.

Madison Shook her head, Ellie nodded.

"Awesome. Ellie on your way down try and keep people in compartments. Cast that spell on as many as you can. Lily and I will do the same thing down our end. If they penetrate the charm ... fight! Give as good as you get, okay. It's kill or be killed. Although I would necessarily aim to kill them, just do anything to hold them off. Expelliarmus, a body binder, jelly legs .. don't go too fancy use what they won't expect."

All of them were looking nervous except Lily, he noticed that she already had her wand out and looked ready to go.

"Ready to rumble?" he asked them all

with a chorus of yes James nodded his head,

"Okay. Lets do this" He flashed them a smile which he hoped looked reassuring.

"Would you?" he said to lily whilst indicating to the door.

"certainly" she took a deep breath and unlocked the door.

Sirius and Remus arrived at the back of a dark and dingy alleyway beside Honeydukes. It was where the stock got delivered. There was a soft pop and a third joined their party.

Sirius had his wand raised and pointed over the boys chest. But withdrew when he realised who it was.

"Ah just you Davis. It was nice of you to turn up." Sirius said to the blonde.

"Yes well, I don't want to blow my chances with Lily." he said looking around him, the wonder in his eyes told Sirius that he wasn't quite sure why they were in an alleyway.

Remus scoffed at his comment.

"What? don't think I have a chance?" his eyes were slits.

"Not a hope in hell more like" Sirius said from a door way that lead into the shop.

"I have a better hope than Potter." he said crossing over to get a better look at what Sirius was up to.

"No I think our Jamsie has a better chance after what you said on the train, but never mine Davis, plenty more fish in the sea and all that." Sirius lifted his wand and tapped the handle.

The door opened quietly he stood up to his full height and grinned at the other two boys. "Righty, well that was easy, let's go"

"Where are we?" William asked them.

"Honeydukes" Remus answered.

"I thought we were going to get Dumbledore? Lily was scolding me for not wanting to come but here are you two, people's lives in danger and you break into a shop for some snacks - pfft."

Sirius rounded on him "We aren't getting food you idiot! We - unlike you - care whether other people get hurt or not. So shut the fuck up and follow us"

William sneered at him and followed on.

Once they were in the tunnel that lead to Hogwarts they were free to talk.

"I wonder why they attacked the Hogwarts express?" Remus asked Sirius who was leading them through the passage.

"I suppose it's because there are so many helpless kid's on board, no one there to defend them, hardly any of age so they can't apparate." Sirius said in a low growl, you could hear the raw anger in his voice.

"yes it could be that. But the fifth year boy was babbling something about Potter and the death eaters." William Davis had been quite since Sirius had told him to shut up and that was ten minutes ago.

Sirius and Remus stopped dead, William walked into Remus' back.

"What? is something wrong?" William enquired.

"What do you mean that the fifth year was babbling about Potter? What did he say?" Remus had him by his collar and looked ready to kill.

"He was saying something about looking for him to warn him. They had thought the boy was him - he had black hair. They used the cruciatus on him, then moved on to the next compartment on his orders - I wasn't listening to be honest. I was to worried about -"

Remus had now forced him against the wall, Sirius had his wand pointed in between his eyes.

"Saving your own neck, you dirty coward." Sirius bellowed.

"Now that's not fair" William cried out. Remus pushed him harder against the wall. William was turning a slight shade of purple now.

"Why didn't you tell us in the compartment, eh?" Sirius asked him, his grey eyes were no longer soft but as harsh as the wind.

"I wasn't think -"

"Reducto" Sirius shouted at him.

His head hit the wall behind him and he was knocked unconscious.

"Dirty bastard" Sirius spat.

"Are we going to leave him here?" Remus asked Sirius.

"Yes. We'll get him after everything is sorted out. Let's go." he turned and began to run, now more determined to reach Dumbledore.

It was complete pandemonium on the train.

Lily, James and two prefects they had picked up along the way were now in the middle of a duel with four large death eaters.

Behind a protection shield were two other seventh years who were keeping that half of the train safe on Lily and James' command.

They had gone over to the other coach to distract the death eaters from trying to break the shield.

Lily's pretty face had a slash down it and one of her eyes was bruised. James looked unharmed but had received a pretty bad curse in the stomach which was causing a sharp burning sensation.

"Expelliarmus" Lily yelled at a death eater twice the size of her.

The wand flew out of his hand and into lily's, he flew for her, arms outstretched.

"Petrificus Totalus!" she cried.

His body went rigid, he swayed and then fell over. Lily approached him and gave him a hearty kick in the stomach.

"That's for being an idiot" she shouted at him.

"Lily look out" James call out, she snapped her head around just in time to see a death eater charging towards her. She jumped into the compartment next to her, the death eater ran past.

James appeared at the door and helped Lily to her feet,

"Though bunch, this lot." he flashed her a smile.

His glasses were askew, his hair messier than usual and he had a few small scratches on his handsome face. But Lily's heart gave a soft flutter.

"Crucio" a rough deep voice shouted.

James was knocked off his feet. A scream escaped him as he wriggled in pain.

"Stupefy" Lily sent her stunner straight at the death eater.

"Protego!" he shouted quickly.

Lily ducked as her own spell was sent back. James laying unconscious on the ground.

"Tarantallegra!" Lily shouted, the death eater began to tap dance and lost his balance.

"Pertificus Totalus!" she shouted at him his legs stopped jiggling about and snapped together.

A loud bang came from behind her. She whipped around in time to see her fellow prefect Alice get thrown along the corridor.

"Expelliarmus!" Lily shouted and her disarming spell caused the death eaters wand to fly towards lily.

"Petificus totalus!" Again the death eater went rigid and fell to the ground.

She pocketed the wand and bent over and scooped up the other which had caused James so much pain.

She ran to James' side, he was still unconscious.

"James" she softly said as she moved his head into her lap.

He didn't stir, another bang came from up the corridor. She looked up and saw Andrew Carter still duelling with his death eater.

"James wake up! I can't do this alone" she softly shook him, a tear was rolling down her cheek.

Still nothing. She let out a soft sob.

"oh please don't be hurt .." She stopped herself.

A smile had appeared on his "Unconscious" face.

"Get up now Potter!" she stood up which caused his head to slip off her knees and onto the ground with a soft thud.

"Ow! Like the death eater didn't case me enough pain!" he said as he stood, rubbing his head.

"Yes. Well. serves you right. We had better head up the train in case there are more. Can't only be four, there was a woman at our window."

Andrew Carter came out of a compartment limping slightly, "Lily. James. I've bound him. What did you do with the others?"

"They are taken care of, no thanks to Potter here." she said snidely.

"Oi it wasn't my fault I got hit with the cruciatus!" he said looking at her in disbelief.

Lily paid no attention to him and knelt beside Alice who was beginning to stir.

"Alice are you okay?" Lily asked her gently.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Just give me a few seconds and I'll be on top form." she smiled and sat up.

"Good stuff." Lily smiled down at her.

"Right, we are going to head down the train. Are you guy's coming?"

Alice smiled at her "Of course I am."

Andrew looked a little hesitant but let out a soft sight "Let's go"

"Bertie bott's Every flavour beans" Sirius huffed out. He was bent over with his hand's on his knees looking at a statue that knew lead to the headmasters office. They were, however, having some trouble getting the password.

"Cauldron cakes" Remus said breathlessly.

Nothing.

"For fuck sake! Just let us In!" he kicked the statue.

A pain shot up his leg.

"Stupid thin -"

"Perhaps If you didn't treat the school property like that, Mr. Black. It might just do that." a soft voice said from behind them.

They turned to face the grey haired headmaster, half moon spectacles rested on the tip of his nose and a look of amusement twinkled in his blue eyes.

"Sorry Professor" Sirius stood up to his full height.

"That's quite alright Mr. Black. The password is peanuts. For the time being that is." he smiled as the statue jumped aside.

"I wasn't aware that the students were back yet." he said over his shoulder as he made to go up to his office.

"We aren't sir. That's why we're here." Remus said quickly

Dumbledore stopped and turned to face them.

"Oh?"

"The train was attacked, you see. We got here as soon as we could. A few students went to hold them off while we came to warn you." Sirius said.

"Death eaters I presume?" he enquire as he began to make his way along the corridor swiftly.

"Yeah" Sirius noticed that they were heading to Mcgonagalls office.

"Is anyone hurt?" he sounded worried but yet calm.

"We aren't sure for certain. William Davis told us a boy came into his compartment and was hurt but we don't know how badly or if people are .." Remus couldn't finish the sentence. He didn't want to think if people were dead or not.

"I understand Mr. Lupin." Dumbledore was nodding his head.

"They are after James. Davis told us on our way here that the boy who came into his compartment was looking for James to warn him that they were looking for him." Sirius stated stiffly.

Dumbledore stopped and turned to face the two seventeen year olds. His expression was emotionless.

"On your way here? Where is Mr. Davis? It is important to know what the boy said!" Dumbledore said urgently.

"We sort of knocked him out sir." Remus said "But that was all the boy said "that he had to find James because the death eater were looking for him." He told Davis that they had thought he was James."

"I see. Well then, no time to lose." Dumbledore set off again.

He came to a sharp halt in front of Mcgonagalls door and knocked loudly. The door opened slowly to reveal a stern looking woman with black hair streaked with grey, which was tied up in a bun.

"Hello Albus" she smiled up at him.

"Hello Minerva, we have a situation." she said calmly.

She had caught sight of the two marauders and sighed,

"What have they done now? It's not even the start of the year and they are causing havoc."

Dumbledore let out a soft chuckle,

"No, No Minerva. Mr. Black and Mr. Lupin have not done anything yet. Death eaters have attacked the express, looking for Mr. potter supposedly. I need you to alert all the teachers immediately. Get Poppy to prepare the ward, I expect there will be casualties."

Mcgonnogals mouth was open with shock, "They attacked the express. Are the students alright?"

"I don't know yet, I must go. You will alert them?"

"Immediately."

"Goodbye." He turned and faced the two boys.

"I'm afraid I cannot let you two return to the train."

Sirius and Remus let out cries of protest, Dumbledore held up his hand to silence them,

"It is to dangerous. Please retrieve Mr. Davis from wherever you left him and take him to the hospital wing. I would then like you both to wait for me in my office. Farewell." he turned and began down the corridor.

"LILY" James shouted as he watched her get hit straight in the chest with a red curse. She fell, lifeless to the ground.

The witch that had sent the curse at Lily began to laugh,

"Stupid little mudblood, thinking she could take me. HA" she raised her wand a look of madness in her eyes.

"Cruc-"

James lunged at her, knocking her to the ground and her wand from her hand.

His fist made contact with her face "Bitch, you just made a big mistake"

He punched her again then pointed his wand at her,

"cruc -" his wand flew out of his hand,

"Now, now Potter. You wouldn't want to go and upset the dark lord, would you now?"

James turned to face four large death eaters. The woman under him began to laugh,

"This is Potter, why would the dark lord want a useless mudblood lover like him for" she laughed again.

James raised his hand to punch her again but it didn't make contact. He doubled over in pain,

"Tut Tut, didn't we just tell you not to upset the dark lord."

The woman stood up and kicked him.

"Stand up" one of them shouted at him. He did so.

The woman grabbed him by the throat and forced him against the window.

"Now are you or are you not James Potter?" she sneered.

"Depends" he croaked.

she slammed his head against the window,

"Wrong answer. Are you or aren't you?"

"I could be but then again I might not be, why don't you take me to Voldemort and I'll discuss it with him, eh?"

The woman kneed him in the groin,

"Don't you dare use the dark lords name you filthy blood traitor. Now answer me or your pretty little mudblood friend will die."

Fear filled his chocolate brown eyes, but over one of the death eaters shoulders James caught sight of Andrew Carter with his wand raised. James nodded his head slightly,

"REDUCTO!" Andrew cried out. One of the death eaters was flung back towards James and the woman death eater.

James pushed the woman and made a dive for his wand. She grabbed the back of his hair,

"I don't think so potter"

"AVADA KEDAVRA" a rough voice shouted. James heard a thud and he knew instantly that Andrew was dead.

"Enough of this nonsense" the tallest man shouted.

"We will soon find out if he is or isn't the boy, we're taking him to the dark lord. Knott, Grab the red head. Selene the boy. Let's Go"

Knott Grabbed a handful of Lily's auburn hair and dragged her to her feet.

"He will punish us if it's not the boy and why take the girl, just kill her" Selene screeched.

James looked at Lily in horror, they were not going to kill Lily, not when he was still alive.

He tried to fight the woman's grasp around his throat but it was no use.

"He will punish us if we don't bring back anyone. If this is potter we can torture his mudblood friend to get him to speak. If we stay here any longer Dumbledore will suspect something when the train doesn't arrive. Now let's go!"

He turned and took a step into the hall.

There is no way I'm letting them take Lily or me. James thought.

He tilted his head forwards and back so quickly the woman didn't have time to react.

The back of his head collided with her face.

He heard a loud crunch and knew he had broken her nose. He grabbed the wand from her hand,

"Impedimenta" He shouted, all four men were knocked backwards.

He pick up Lily and placed her over his shoulder and began to run up the corridor as fast as he could.

All different colours went flying past Lily and him. He could see the golden glint of the protection charm in the distance. If only he could make it there, he would have back-up.

"Crucio" He heard the woman shriek.

He crumbled to the flood, Lily on top of him. He was done for, he knew it. Lily was going to get tortured and killed because if him.

There was loud Crack - James knew it was the sound of apparation. He only hoped it was Sirius and Remus not Voldemort. James looked up slowly.

Albus Dumbledore looked furious. His wand was drawn and his long silver hair was tied at the nape of his neck, out of the way.

He made a sharp movement with his wand hand which caused the four death eaters to collapse.

"Dumbledore" James heard the woman shriek.

Dumbledore stepped over Jame and advanced on the death eaters.

"Hello Selene, nice to see you. Though I must say I am not too pleased that you have chosen to attack the Hogwarts express."

One of the men sent a cruciatus curse towards Dumbledore, with a slight wave of his wand he deflected it.

"Now that won't do." he said lightly. Raising his wand.

Ropes flew out of the end but before they could reach the death eaters they had disapparated.

Dumbledore turned to James who was sitting up right,

"Are you and Miss Evans alright?"

"I'm okay but Lily got hit by a few nasty curses." He took Dumbledores out stretched hand and stood up.

""Are there anymore death eaters?"

"Yes, there are four more that we bound, the should be in a compartment just up ahead."

"Ah, excellent. Well lets get this mess sorted out. Would you please place miss Evans in this compartment here please. Poppy will attend to her when we reach the school."

James scooped up lily and carried her into the compartment. He placed her down softly on one of the long seats. She looked so peaceful, he thought, he hoped she was going to be okay. He moved a few strand of her red hair off her face, stood and left the compartment.

Dumbledore was down the corridor standing over the body of Andrew, a look of sadness in his eyes.

"What happened Mr. Potter?" he enquired softly.

"He was trying to help me, they wanted to take Lily and me to Voldemort. One of them hit him - Avada kedavra. Alice Martin was helping us, I don't know what happened to her... "He trailed of as he looked around.

"She is okay, Unconscious, I found her a few compartments down." he flicked his wand and Andrew's body rose gently. He hovered him into the nearest compartment and placed him down.

He shut the door behind him and locked it.

"Sad business this war... Well Mr. Potter I noticed that there was a protection charm being cast further up. I think we should let the other pupils know what has happened."

With another wave of his wand, the train lights flickered back to life.

A/N: What a long chapter, eh? Thanks for reading. Now please, please, please review :D