A Moment in Time
James saw the horizon darken, not just from the setting sun, but from the despair the Dementors brought. He looked around. Great odds, he thought. 11 aurors against close to 100 dementors are real good odds.
Cornelius Fudge cowered under the presence of such an imposing wizard, and stumbled over to his fireplace to immediately fire-call his aurors, asking them to go over to the funeral now, but Dumbledore feared it would be too late, as the wards prevented the aurors from apparating too close to the battle field.
Sirius was among the first to throw a perfect Patronus at the advancing creatures, but at that distance, even a corporeal Patronus had no effect against the foul mascot of darkness, merely holding the Dementors back. The defenders realized that aurors would take a long time to reach their glade, as the wards would force them to apparate miles away from there. What had previously protected them was now trapping them in. The was no way out but to fight to the bitter end…
Lily impatiently tapped her foot while waiting for the other aurors in her team to arrive. She had pressured Fudge into letting her come with the aurors, threatening him with Dumbledore's name and a trial for negligence. Fudge relented. Dumbledore was the last to arrive, and he gave a small smile when he saw Lily, which was promptly returned.
James suddenly saw his son's face in the blank space in front him, the battle around him slowing down, and for that split second he saw that anguish in his son's eye's as if he had lost James, his father, and what James saw strengthened his resolve, and in the next second he wheeled around and blasted three more Dementors to oblivion with yet another Patronus charm. He could feel every charm he casted draining him, every Dementor coming closer to him making him feel the inevitable despair, his sub-conscious screaming at him to give up…
Dumbledore did a headcount as they were nearing the glade, the fear in their eyes evident. And he wouldn't blame them, if James and company were still up and fighting in that glade. He threw a powerful Patronus at the Dementors, draining the life from the agents of evil, energizing all of the fighters around, illuminating the darkened glade, and the Dementors cowered, but attacked again with renewed vigor. Lily was at James' side, tears flowing down her face as she fought, tears for her fallen friends. It was a depressing scene, yet with every Dementor chased away, the chances of escaping with their lives became greater, and with every successful Patronus casted by the Ministry, hopes were raised just a bit higher.
Then came the breakthrough, when the Dementors decided they were not going to win this battle and retreated back to the darkest recesses of the world, awaiting their master's next orders.
"Yeah that's it you filthy buggers, f off! You think you could win us, huh?" A jubilant Sirius whooped for joy, and was cut off by Remus.
"Sirius. Sirius! Shut the bloody f up!" Remus shouted into Sirius' ear, and the relieved wizards and witches cheered for joy. Except James and Lily, of course. They were snogging in one corner of this quiet clearing in the forest, and all was well, at least for that moment in time.
AN: My internet was down so I couldn't post for the last few days…so sorry, but I give you 2 ultra long chapters in return!
