Disclaimer : I own nothing.
A/N: Sorry for the delay. I don't really have that much time writing in my weekdays. Having eight hours school a day and stuff. Not to mention one hour trip each way to school. Took me two hours today, because of traffic…
Anyway, still needs help with finding a better title.
Sorry for all grammar mistakes.
I hope the length of the chapter makes up for the delay.
Chapter two
Laundry day
James Potter was doing laundry. He even had a little, cute, white apron on. It wasn't his, it belonged to Lily. It was ether this one or the pink one. He shuddered slightly from the thought. He wasn't wearing the apron voluntarily ether. Lily had bound and spelled it on him, so he couldn't take it off before he was done with his chores. James sighed. 'I have a houseelf for this… Why in Merlin`s beard do I have to do this!?' They did have a houseelf, her name was Giddy. A charming little fellow that adored James more than anything in the world. She wouldn't mind helping him. Heck! She`d do it gladly, and she`d already tried twice, until Lily had forbidden her anywhere near James for the day. He sighed. 'Why did I have to complain about the socks?' The reason Lily had given him laundry chores, was that she thought he was too spoiled and needed more responsibility. He should learn how it was to be a woman, and a houseelf! They weren't his personal slaves that made him dinner and washed his laundry. James sighed again. 'Why, Why on earth did I open my mouth this morning?' Earlier this morning he couldn't find two matching socks, and had joked about how useless woman were who couldn't even wash him enough socks. And here he was. Doing the exact thing he had been complaining about. He sighed again and folded a shirt. It only looked like a mess. Like everything else he had tried to fold. James looked painfully at the pile of clothes. "I'm pretty sure Merlin never folded his underwear in his life!" He muttered to himself.
"I heard that!" A voice came from another room. James swallowed nervously. "Heard what?! I didn't say anything. I just muttered how… ehm… How fun it is to fold clothes…!" He went quiet, and could hear Lily laugh from the other room. "Sure you did." He poked his tongue at the door. "Slave driving woman," he muttered under his breath, and tried, not successfully, to fold a tie.
Suddenly James could hear the doorbell ring. 'Please Please be for me. So I don't need to fold any more!" He begged silently. He could hear Giddy open the door downstairs, but he couldn't hear what that was said. He strained his ears for the sound of Giddy coming up the stair to announce that someone wanted to talk to him. But none came. He sighed in defeat. 'Not for me then.' He continued to try to fold the tie, still unsuccessful.
James could her Lily`s voice come from downstairs, but he couldn't hear the words. He strained his ears to try to hear what she was saying. He frowned slightly, was that a woman crying? He went alarmed to the door, but hesitated at the doorknob. He really didn't want anyone he knew to see him wearing a white apron. That would be to embarrassing, and he would never manage to live it down! James backed away from the door, and turned around to the laundry again. 'If Lily needs me, she`ll have to go up and get me. And get this bloody thing off!' He continued to fold the clothes.
James could hear the voices move, meaning that they went into the living room. He frowned slightly. 'I wonder who they are.' After a minute or two he could hear someone come running up the stairs. James turned around fast enough to able to see the person when it came through the door. The figure coming out was one of the most beautiful women James had ever seen. She had red long curly hair and eyes so green and beautiful, like an emerald. They sparkled in joy every time she was happy. But now those eyes were framed with worry.
James went to his wife, and took his arms around her. "What`s wrong?" He asked her, with a worried expression. 'Please don't let anyone else be dead.' He felt a shiver go down his spine from the thought. These days many people lost their lives. James had already lost so many friends. He felt a stabbing pain in his heart, remembering that he had lost his best friend to the dark side. The pain was still as strong as ever.
Lily shook her. "No, not yet." She looked worried at him. "Its Frank, he has been taken." James widened his eyes. Then the one crying… Had to be Frank`s wife, Alice. He bit his lips. James let go of his wife. "Can you take off my apron?" He looked serious at her. Lily shot him a confused look, then remembering the apron she had made him wear. She nodded and took her arms around his waist, and took of the apron.
James took his wife`s hand and started to walk out of the door and descend down the stairs. "Is she alright?" He looked at his wife with a worried glance.
Lily noted in respond. "Yes, but she is a mess." She sighed. "I hardly think I'd do anything better if you were taken." She gave him a worried and thoughtful glance. Making James wonder what she was thinking about. He smiled softly at her. "Don't worry, no one can take me! I'm too awesome for that." He gave the red haired woman a wry smile. She only rolled her eyes in return. "Whatever you say, James." And smiled, but she continued looking worried at him.
They came down the stair and walked quickly to the living room. There were four people in the room, five if you count the houseelf. Giddy was pouring the heartbroken woman on the couch some tea. But quickly iiiped when she saw James and started to scurry out of the living room. Lily called after the houseelf and told her it was okay. Giddy went cautiously back, bowed slightly, and continued to pour tea. She kept looking over her shoulder at Lily, expecting her to change her mind.
Meanwhile James looked at his friends' grim looking faces. On the couch Mrs. Longbottom sat, also known as Alice. She was a rather beautiful woman with long blond hair. But today her hair was messy, telling him that she hadn't bothered to brush it this morning. Her face was red with tears and her eyes bloodshot. Even her clothes looked like a mess. Little Neville Longbottom sat on the floor, clinging to his mother's feet, sniffing now and then. The shirt he was wearing was inside out and the socks had two different colours. And he had only one shoe on. 'She must be a mess,' James thought sadly.
A man was sitting beside Alice, trying to calm her down. He looked up and stood when he saw James. His eyes were sad, knowing that there was a big possibility that Frank wouldn't get out of this alive. The man was a rather tall, and had wispy, sandcoloured hair. Across his face a deep scar lay, decorated with small cuts spread out over the face. Some new, some old. His clothes was battered and rather old looking. But he would never take money from James, no mattered how much he insisted that it was okay.
"Remus," James said with a grim face, "How much do we know?"
Remus sighed and looked sad down at the blond woman on the couch. He looked up at James again. "Frank disappeared four days ago, we didn't really think much about it. Sometimes he does disappear for a couple of days, following a lead. But you already knew that," he gave his friend a small smile. "Yesterday we got word that Frank had been ratted out and taken by the Death Eaters." He sighed sadly. "Our sources told us that Frank is under lock and key in a mansion in northern Wales. More than that we don't know." He shook his head. Alice gave a low whimper and hid her face in her hands. Seeing his mother like this, Neville started to cry with a piercing sound. Lily took piety on the boy, Alice was in no shape looking after her son right now. She picked him up and started to walk out the door. Telling him with a soothing voice that mummy was okay, and that they were going to find Harry, so he could play with him.
James took a hand through his hair and sighed. "What can we do?" Remus only looked sadly at his friend. "There isn't much we can do, the place is a death trap." James growled in reply. "We can't just abandon him!"
Remus flinched slightly from James` growling. Giddy jumped in surprise, and successfully managed to pour an entire pot of tea on the lap of a man sitting in a chair. Peter Pettigrew yelp in pain, got out of the chair, and started to dance around. Moving like James had never seen, or thought possible, his friend move before. Alice looked at the man with scared eyes, and then started to sob silently. Remus sighed and put up his wand and pointed it at his friend`s crotch. He mumbled a charm that quickly cooled Peter`s crotch, making him fall backwards into the chair with a thankful sigh.
Remus looked at James again. "I'm not saying that we are going to abandon him, James. We just have to be careful. Not do anything rash." He gave his friend a stern look. James was known for doing things to rashly. One of these days it would come back and bite him in the ass for sure. Peter nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Prongs. Don't do anything rash." He shook his head slightly. And continued staring at James with awe in his eyes, and something else. At times it did disturb James, how much the grown man looked up to him. It was fun when they went to Hogwars. Having someone following after him like a lost puppy, telling him that he was so cool and awesome. James sighed and took his hand through his hair. "We got to do something, guys. The longer he is there, the worse it`ll get." He bit his lips.
Remus nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we have to go and talk to Dumbledore. He`ll know what to do. We were just heading there," he noted towards Peter. "We were just going to drop of Alice here, and then go to him. You can join if you want too." James nodded, thankfully. "Thanks, I'll just go and grab my coat first."
…
They were all standing in Dumbledore`s office. James Potter, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Mundungus Fletcher, Alastor Moody and a couple of others James recognized, but he couldn't really place their names. The office was located at mansion a couple of miles outside of London. The order used this place as a HQ right now, a nice old wizard had been so kind as to borrow it to them. They usually switched head quarters every couple of months or so, in fright that the death eaters would manage to locate them. Of course they knew that you-know-who had spies among them, but it couldn't harm moving around a bit. It lessened the chance of the death eaters deciding to storm an assault against them.
Dumbledore came through a door in the back, and looked at the assembled crowed. "I suppose you've all heard the news then." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. The Longbottoms were adored by many. They were kind and warm people, and many liked them. So it was depressing news for many that Frank Longbottom had been taken by the death eater. Furthermore, Frank had been discovering something important. Something that could be crucial for the war. No one had any clue what it could be. So it was an urgent importance that they could rescue Frank as soon as possible.
"I can do it," James Potter said, not bothering to jump around the bush. Frank was a good friend of him, and he had saved him from trouble before. Saving Frank now was the least he could do. He could almost hear Remus roll his eyes behind him. Peter let out a low whimper in distress.
"And how are you going to do that, Potter?" Shacklebolt raised an eyebrow at him. "They'll just take you as well." James only shook his head. "No I won't, I have means to get in and out of places undetected." He told him, thinking about the invisible cape. Remus shook his head and sighed. But not bothering to say anything. He knew his friend well. When the Potter decided something, no one could change his mind.
Albus Dumbeldore looked at him with a somber expression. "It's too dangerous, my boy. We can't take the chance of losing you too."
James banged his hand firmly down on the table. "I don't care! Frank saved my life once. I owe him this. I have to do this." He looked grimly and determined.
Alastor Moody rolled his good eye, while the other one drilled itself into the tousled haired man. "Don't be going to your death so easily, Potter." He grunted. "This is a trap, mark me words." He pointed a stern finger at them. Paranoid as always, Mad-eye was. Earlier morning he had blasted his toaster out of the window, believing that it had been reading his mind.
James only shook his head. He didn't care, he had already made up his mind. "It's not like I'm going in alone, right?" He looked at his two closest friends with a questionable look. Remus sighed, like if he couldn't believe James stupidity, and nodded. "Wouldn't miss the party, right?" He gave him a wry smile. Peter whimpered slightly and nodded silently. He looked down on his feet. James chuckled slightly and petted his friend on the back. "Don't worry, Peter. Remus and I will look after you."
Dumbledore looked at them, he nodded slightly. He already knew this was how things would go out, even before he went into the room. James protected his friends and would never let anyone hurt them- He sighed. "Alright, but be careful," He gave them a stern look, "No one is coming to save you if you get caught." But everyone knew the old man wasn't telling the truth. He would also protect everyone under his care.
…
The cave was dark. You could hear every step and whisper made. The cave was nature-made and rather big. The darkness only enlarged it. By the wall some torches had been put up. But they made hardly any light, like if the darkness was alive and keeping them at bay.
The walls had lots and lots of runes on it, and one could feel the dark magic in the air. Like an echo of something dark and powerful. The legends said that once upon a time a great demon once ruled these lands, and took this cave as its throne room. But now it had been hundreds of years since this great being had existed. The legend continued to tell that the greatest of all wizards, Merlin, had slain the demon living in this cave. And it was therefore Voldemort had found it fitting. The cave was the home of a demon and then slain by the mighty Merlin. Just like Voldemort; he would one day slay all the muggles in the world, freeing the wizards free from their evil powers.
In the end of the room a great throne lay. It had sculls and snakes engraved in it, like a warning to others. The snakes twined together, like a big mighty ouroboros.
On the throne a man sat. His hair was as black as the darkness. His eyes glowed red of madness and magic. On his feet a large snake coiled itself around the throne and the man sitting on it. Voldemort was wearing a black cape that fit his black clothes. It was all made up by the finest of silk.
On the ground a little away from the throne, a man lay kneeling on the ground. The entire man was hidden away by a dark hazel cape. The man quivered slightly, looking at the snake with big wary eyes. The snake, noticing the man's fright, hissed slightly, and stared back.
"What do you have for me, Wormtail?" The dark lord asked. Promptly stopping the other two's staring contest.
Wormtail looked up at the dark lord, and quickly evading his eyes, not daring to look the other man in the eyes.
"Y-yes m-mylord," Peter Pettigrew stammered. Voldemort flicked his tongue, but did not interrupt the other man.
"S-someone w-will try to rescue Frank L-longbottom in t-two days."
The dark lord scratched his cheek thoughtfully. 'This could work for my advantage. But how did they know how to find him?" He frowned slightly. Then he gritted his teeth. 'I have a spy in my ranks.' Voldemort immediately started to try to think about who this person could be. He already had some candidates.
Peter stared down at the floor and swallowed nervously. Not liking the silent one bit. 'Maybe the l-lord wants more information?' He eyed the snake nervously. Not wanting to be snake food, in case the lord was unhappy with him. Peter cleared his voice.
"J-James Potter will try to r-rescue him." He stammered, hoping that would make the lord less angry, making it a less possibility that he would end up like snake food. He didn't like the thought of ratting out his friends like this. But the dark lord would figure it out one way or another. And it would just serve Peter if he got on you-know-who's good side. Peter just wished that it wouldn't be James who would do it. He sighed. Of course it was James. It was always him.
The dark lord looked up, intrigued by this. He had for a long time wanted to posses him. The Potter's had been a thorn in his eye for a long time now. And now the chance came to get even with James Potter. Voldemort chuckled slightly in anticipation. All those things he could do to the younger man.
He just had to make sure Sirius Black didn't find out…
