Chapter Four: Battle of Diagon Alley

'And they say that a hero can save us. Im not gonna' stand here and wait.
I'll hold onto the wings of the eagles. Watch as we all fly away.'

'Hero' by Nickelback

-x-

When the Order arrived, chaos had already set in. Quickly Lily surveyed the scene.

Children and adults alike were running, screaming, and watching those around them fall to the ground. Masked Death Eaters were swarming the screaming crowds, and cornering those unfortunate few who could not get away. Aurors in blue robes were flinging their way about, trying to settle the chaos as soon as possible. Lily even spotted a few medi-witches and wizards among them, tending to the wounded.

All in all, coupled with the thundering sky and mounting blood, it was not a pretty sight.

"Protego!" She screamed, just as a jet of blue light came her way.

James jumped to her side, as the others began scattering about. The Death Eaters quickly caught on that this mysterious group had appeared, and seemingly doubled their efforts. James stunned and bound a younger Death Eater to his left, before turning to help Lily fight off three more of them.

"Flower! Take the first two, and I'll secure the second. Stupefy!"

The rain thundered around them, making for troubled dueling. The thick storm did nothing for their vision and stance, which was slippery and tricky to duel on. As well as for the thunder, which often blinded them with flashes of bright light. Both sides seemed to be having troubles.

Up ahead of them, Lily saw Albus Dumbledore, concealed within his red robes, was seen to be holding off about five of them at once, so the shoppers could escape behind him, through the entrance to the Alley. She briefly thought she saw Sirius join him, before another stunner was sent her way, quickly followed by a flash of unmistakable green light that she ducked.

An hour later, and the fights were nowhere near stopping. In fact, the Death Eaters appeared to have gotten the upper hand, with more then one Order Member and Auror down. The stats were about two to one, with the Light side being the one.

Lily had just struck down another black robbed figure, when the call came.

"Retreat! RETREAT!"

The Auror leaders voice echoed through the chaos, catching everyone's immediate attention. Lily scanned the crowd, desperately looking for her husband, throwing a few stunners here and there to block her at the same time. By the looks of things, the Order was staying put. She stunned another robbed figure.

"Prongs!" Lily yelled, using his code name. "Prongs, where are you!"

She frantically searched the crowds, ducking beneath a ledge that had fallen off the top of the bookshop for shelter.

"PRONGS!"

Suddenly a hand came down on her mouth, dragging her back into the shadows of the fight. She struggled, trying to remember all she could about her combat training. 'Bite, kick, block, bite, repeat.'

A voice broke her thoughts.

"Struggle and your little friend here dies."

Instantly she froze.

She had heard him only once before, all those years ago. But she knew who it was.

You didn't need a personal experience to recognize Lord Voldemort's, cold, cruel voice.

And below his pointing finger was a bound, clearly conscious, Rose Potter. Lily's eyes went wide, her struggles immediately seizing. Rose!

Instantly a burning hatred grew within her, one she had only felt once before. This was the bastard that had killed her son, and gotten away with it. This was the fucker who had torn her life apart in a single moment in time. This was the man who now had her only daughter under his grasp, with her useless to do anything once again.

His hold on her never relinquished. In fact, it just got tighter to the point that she could hardly breathe. The cold tip of his wand was pointed straight at her temple, freezing all attempts at escape. Not to mention the fact that her daughter would suffer if she did try. So Lily held still, hoping that death was not painfully slow but quick and painless.

"Now you are going to cooperate, and do everything I say, or the little one dies." He growled in her ear. "Is that understood, Mrs. Potter?"

Lily could do nothing but nod slowly as her world whirled before her eyes. This was it; this was the end.

"Good. Now move." He hissed, shoving her forward. "And do not even think to try anything."

With her stomach churning, Lily obeyed.

-x-

As the Aurors retreated, Dumbledore took a brief second to survey the damage.

Several buildings were alit with fire; bodies lay crumpled on the ground, though weather alive he could not tell. Flashes of light flew this way and that as his army fought their way through the mass of black robes. Overhead, the storm raged with such ferocity that he was certain they could be blown off their feet.

Another strange thing…He glanced around, stunning a few more of the younger Death Eaters, before binding them…was the absence of Lord Voldemort.

The Dark Lord was a talented and extremely powerful wizard, he admitted, even if he was also darkly treacherous and barely human. The Headmaster knew Tom Riddle to be an arrogant, but cautious man. Dumbledore also knew without a doubt, that Tom were to be involved in a fight it would this one; big, bloody and worthy of conquering. Tom didn't involve himself in minor chaos.

So it was puzzlement to why he wasn't present.

"Avada Kedavara!"

A jet of light whizzed by Dumbledore's ear, barely missing. He took a moment to bind and gag yet another young Death Eater, all the while thinking what a shame it was.

Young ones like these…they should never have to be involved in something so tragic as war. No one ever escaped with his or her innocence in tact, from either side.

All around him, he heard shouting.

"Retreat! RETREAT!"

"Prongs! Where are you -,"

"Stupefy!"

"Get back here you little -,"

"I got you now, blood traitor!"

Sirius was locked in an intense battle with Bellatrix Lestrange. Her long filthy hair flying in the wind as they battled, both eyes intense with hatred held for only one another. Bellatrix flung a dirty curse Dumbledore had never heard before. "Juxtacut!"

The Marauder ducked just as the curse hit a spot behind him and shattered the wall.

Suddenly Albus' eyes zoned in on something behind them.

Sirius, seeing it too, froze; long enough for Bella to strike him down.

"Stupefy!" She shrieked.

As Sirius fell in a crumpled heap on the floor, it was then that she noticed it too. Surprisingly, she stopped firing, though never leaving her fighting stance. Women and children stopped running, their mouths gaping open in horror. The Dark and Light were stopping, side-by-side to stare at the atrocity beyond them.

Lord Voldemort stood, in all his powerful glory…holding a little girl by the scruff of her collar. Beside him at wand point, stood a stricken Lily Potter.

"Shoot, and the girl dies." He hissed, red eyes gleaming. Nobody dared speak. His eyes narrowed.

"Dumbledore!" He spat. "Come out and nobody gets hurt."

You didn't need to be a legilimens to know he ws lying; the hunger in his eyes spoke volumes.

Dumbledore glowered, but stepped up, drawing to his full height. With Lily caught, there was no use in hiding himself any longer. His chest constricted at the sight of her in Voldemort's clutches. No matter how professional they had to keep their relationship, she was like a daughter to him, just like Harry was -

He opened his mouth to speak…when another voice beat him too it.

"Let her go, Tom."


To Be Continued…