AN: Another chapter! :D Although the basic plot isn't all that different I decided to change a few things, I came up with an interesting idea that worked so much better than my previous one of the Death Eaters locking away the Muggleborns. The idea of a 'tagging system' came from what the Nazi's did to the Jews and those they put into their camps, I kind of liked the reflection of Wizarding and muggle worlds. I chose to use bracelets because it kind of reflects Wormtail's silver hand that he gets in GoF, and of course silver is one of Slytherin's two colours. Sirius gets a snake bracelet because of who he is, he is practically Wizarding Royalty but he isn't trustworthy so Voldemort wanted to distinguish him using a different type of bracelet to the others. I hope that gives a rough explanation, thank you to all my reviewers! I love your feedback. (any questions, please ask and I will PM replies)
Chapter Eight: Sanctuary Is Lost
James felt as if there was a gaping hole in his chest, the world around him moved in slow motion, he seemed unable to truly comprehend what he had just witnessed. He felt Lily's hand in his own, it was hot and sweaty but he was too afraid to let go, in case he lost himself utterly to despair. He fought with every ounce of his being but he knew he was losing, his opponents were too many, he was surrounded and his whole body ached. He felt Lily stumble but dragged her back up again, he lost his footing momentarily but Lily was there to keep him steady. Slowly the ring of Death Eaters began to close in, he gasped in a breath feeling a stitch stab him viciously in the side, he winced and grabbed his ribs. He doubled over, trying to breathe but it was difficult. Lily put a hand on his shoulder as he finally sagged to the floor, unable to keep fighting. He choked on a sob of desperation and opened his eyes, Lily was still fighting, her wand a blur of brown in the air before her as she sent spell after spell into the mass of enemies. James knew that she wouldn't be able to keep it up forever; he surged to his feet and swayed before lifting his wand once again.
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Sirius punched his opponent in the face, watching in grim satisfaction as the man's nose exploded and he fell back with a scream. He felt someone grab him from behind and lashed out viciously with his feet, he felt one boot connect with a shin and heard the man curse and release him. Yet more hands grabbed at him yet he fought on. Someone tore his wand from his fingers, leaving him even more defenceless, Sirius whipped his head back and felt an explosion of pain wash over him as it hit another person in the face. He fell to the floor, panting and gasping, his vision blurred dangerously again and he grabbed the nearest bit of rock, he turned and threw it at a masked Death Eater who shouted in pain as it hit him in the chest. Sweat, blood and tears stung his eyes and he wiped them furiously, he growled as another man grabbed hold of him, yanking him to his feet. Sirius struggled as much as he could, making the man's grip on him loosen enough for him to twist at an awkward angle, he half dropped to the floor again but felt pain lance up his arm, he felt something snap and screamed as he was released. He dropped and finally lay still, his eye sight going dark as his whole body trembled with fatigue and pain and fear. He saw a face appear in his line of vision, a smirking, familiar face that made dull rage wash through him, he snarled at her and she laughed as she raised her wand. "Good night, cousin." Sirius' vision went black and he knew no more.
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Remus saw Sirius go down, he was several feet away and was completely surrounded by grinning enemies. His arm shook as he backed away from them, his wand moving rapidly from one to another, he didn't know who to hit. He shivered as a scream rent the air once again and another explosion rocked the castle to its very foundations. Laughter filled the air, cold, terrible laughter and the strength leached from Remus' body, his wand fell to his side and a jet of searing red light hit him square in the face. He crumpled to the floor and lay still.
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Gentle hands were pushed deep into his hair, hot lips were pressed against his as an even hotter tongue plundered his mouth possessively. He groaned, unable to help himself as bright, exquisite pleasure rocked him to his very core. He couldn't understand why this was so right, he was kissing someone who he had once claimed to be his brother, he still was but now everything had changed. It had been so fast, so unexpected he hadn't really stood a chance. Sirius had always been like that, impulsive, exuding seduction in every tiny thing he did, James knew that his feelings for his friend had been confused for a very long time but now it was completely thrown out of whack. Those lips were insistent, deliciously demanding and he could taste the sweet sugary taste of peppermint imps on his sinfully wicked tongue. James groaned again, lifting both his hands and gripping Sirius' waist, he had kissed girls before, quite a few actually, but this was different. This wasn't the soft, tentative kisses of mere novices this was raw passion, he could feel the strength of Sirius' body against the palms of his hands and it sent surprisingly strong shockwaves through his nervous system, as if he had been electrocuted. It was madness. He shouldn't be kissing Sirius Black, but he was and he couldn't stop. Finally, after what seemed like ten beautiful hours, Sirius pulled away. James gazed at him, his eyes were sparkling, he had never seen him look so perfectly happy before. A soft pink blush had crept into his cheeks, residing high on the bone as doubt slipped into his expression. He stepped away, avoiding James' eyes in embarrassment. "I-I…I'm sorry…I don't know what came over me…It was…it was a mistake, forget it ever happened." Before he could turn away James grabbed his wrist, yanking him back into his embrace and landing a sloppily aimed kiss on his chin, he grinned.
"You're not going to turn me on like that and just run away are you?" James asked, still slightly out of breath from their intense kiss. When Sirius' eyes lit up with a familiar glitter James felt his heart skip a beat for the first time, their fingers entwined and he pulled Sirius closer, their lips met once again and he sighed. "You don't need to apologise, I like it."
Slowly James opened his eyes, he spent a moment trying to get his bearings as memory came flooding back. He remembered the battle, the screams and explosions and he had the sudden urge to be sick as the memory of Dumbledore's body returned with the force of a ten tonne truck. His eyes closed again and he lifted a hand and put it to his forehead, he could feel the beginning of a headache over his right eye and knew it was going to be a killer. Finally he forced himself upright and looked around at the blurry room, he recognised the Hospital Wing immediately. The beds were taken up by the injured, he spotted Lily in the bed beside him with her eyes closed and apparently sleeping peacefully. He searched the room in desperation but couldn't see well enough to recognise anyone else, finally he reached over and picked up his glasses from the bedside table, once they were on he pushed back the covers and slid out of bed. He seemed relatively unharmed except for the bandage covering his left forearm where the werewolf had bitten him, he didn't feel any different so he assumed that he wouldn't suffer any serious long-term effects from the bite. He felt a little dizzy and confused, especially after waking from such a vivid and pleasant dream, even now he could almost feel Sirius' mouth against his, his chest pressed close and his heartbeat against his own. The memory was pleasant and made him feel a little stronger as he began making his way down the aisle looking for people he knew. He saw a few seriously injured teachers, he recognised the Gryffindor Head Girl with a thick bandage around her head and with an awful jolt realised her right hand was missing from the wrist. He turned away, unable to look for too long. He walked down the aisle, searching for his best friends but they were nowhere to be seen, once he was satisfied that they weren't in the Hospital Wing he returned to his bed and climbed back in. He could only hope that this meant that his friends had escaped injury and were fine; the other option was too dreadful to even contemplate. He didn't know where the dead were, he was sure there had to be some, he could only lie back and stare up at the ceiling and hope that his friends weren't among them.
Time slipped past and James felt his eyes growing heavy once again, despite the sounds of sobbing and pain all around him. His eyes slipped shut and he slumped into the pillows as sleep took him in her gentle hands.
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Lily lay still, she didn't want to alert James to the fact that she was awake, she couldn't bear to be the bearer of bad news. James had lost consciousness before he had witnessed the last stand of his friends, but Lily had been fully aware of it. She had seen Sirius' arm break, heard him scream in agony before his cousin stunned him. She had watched Remus fall after finally being forced into submission and overwhelmed by enemies. She had watched as her best friend, Mary McDonald was grabbed by a giant hand and crushed, Lily stifled a sob as the memory threatened to break her. The blood that had exploded through the giants fingers and spattered the floor would haunt her for the rest of her life, her friends screams as she had been swept into the air, her wand flying from her desperately grasping fingers, it would all destroy her if she let it. She curled into a tight ball and covered her head with her arms in an attempt to prevent her mind from reliving the moment they had lost over and over, it was bad enough that she had been forced to watch the defence crumble, the people she had lived with for so long killed by flashes of green light, injured and beaten until finally the last wand had fallen to the rubble strewn floor. She had been forced into the Hospital Wing by a grinning Death Eater, Madam Pomfrey had been dutifully tending her charges, working tirelessly despite the fact that she was sobbing helplessly and had to continually wipe her eyes and nose on a handkerchief. The Matron had checked Lily over, healed her wounds and given her a vial of dreamless sleep. "It's my last batch, you deserve it, you fought well." She managed before stifling another sob and turning towards James. Lily had watched her tend James Potter, muttering to herself about werewolves in the school. She had yet to take the potion, she wasn't sure if she wanted to sleep, she wanted to sear the memories in her mind, nurturing the fury that came with them and allow it to turn her to steel, she would need that strength if she was ever going to have her revenge upon those who had destroyed her innocence.
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Sirius felt someone's eyes upon him, he was lying on something soft and he was reluctant to get up. Finally he forced his eyes open with a groan, he pushed his hair from his eyes and blinked up at a beautifully vaulted ceiling.
"S-Sirius?"
Sirius turned his head to find himself staring at a shadowy figure, the timid voice stirred his memories and the name rose to his lips. "Pete?" He groaned again as pain flashed through his head, his eyes closed again and he lifted a hand to his forehead where a thick bandage resided. "Wh-where 'm I?" He grunted as he tried to force himself into a sitting position, he realised, a little belatedly, that his arm was also heavily bandaged and a thick piece of wood held it firmly in place.
"You're in Slughorn's quarters; they put you in here after the battle."
He would have nodded but it hurt too much to move. "What about the others? Where's Jamie?"
"The Hospital Wing, they took most people there. I'm sure he's fine."
"Good." Sirius reopened his eyes and stared blearily around the opulent room, it could only have belonged to their potions master, he was a man with expensive tastes. The bed was made from heavy mahogany wood with drapes of silver and green fabric, the colour combination made Sirius grimace. There were several stuffy arm chairs and a roaring fire in the hearth, by the side of the bed was a box of half-eaten crystallised pineapple. "Have you heard from Remus?"
"Er…no. No one's seen him since he was knocked out in the battle, I've tried searching but so far no luck."
"Where were you?" Sirius finally looked at his friend, his eyes dark and haunted and Peter couldn't hold his gaze for long. "During the fight I never saw you, what happened?"
"I…I was there. I-I saw it all…I just…I'm sorry, I just couldn't face it. I couldn't fight." His lower lip trembled as he lifted his watery blue eyes to Sirius' grey ones.
Sirius sighed heavily and fell back against the feather cushions. "I understand, you don't need to apologise, mate. I can't really say that I blame you." His eyes darkened as memories closed in around him, Peter shifted uncomfortably as Sirius seemed to stare off into the recent past. After a long moment he passed his hand over his eyes and blinked, seeming to come back to himself long enough to give Peter a weak smile. "It doesn't matter now, nothing does. Hogwarts has fallen, we've lost and we're all going to have to live through hell now. We tried, Peter, we really did but they were just too fucking strong. I-I…I've f-failed." His hands clenched into fists and his face twisted in self-hatred. "They're going to destroy the only place I could ever call home, they've taken away everything! They're going t-to make me join them and I-I'll have no choice! They'll force me to be what my parents always wanted me to be; a mindless drone that does their bidding! I-I…I can't live like that! I can't." He drew his knees to his chest and covered his head with his arms, Peter looked away and felt a mixture of embarrassment and shame as Sirius shuddered with the force of his terror. He had never seen Sirius break down in such an extreme way, at school he was generally a joker, using laughter and cruelty to cover up just how fragile he truly was inside. He felt as if he were witnessing something wrong so he stared at his feet which barely touched the floor in the chair he was sat in.
Finally Sirius managed to pull himself under control; he lifted his head and ran his sleeve across his eyes. "So, what do we do now?" He asked in a cracked voice.
"They said they were keeping you here until you woke up, I think your cousin wants to talk to you. The doors locked from the outside and they took your wand, I got in as Wormtail under the door."
Sirius nodded. "I want you to go find James and tell him not to worry, I'm fine. Tell him to just do whatever they tell him to, remember that; Do not fight! The fight is over, we lost and I won't have them hurting anyone else! I will make sure I do everything in my power to protect you all."
Peter smiled and nodded, he hopped off of the chair and ran for the door, as he went he transformed and Sirius watched the rat disappear beneath the crack of the door.
XXX
The summons came that evening, demanding that all students and remaining teachers should congregate in the Great Hall, no matter what their condition. Pomfrey was furious about it, she tried to insist that too many of her charges were far too injured to be going to meetings but the Death Eater who had delivered the message told her that unless they were unconscious they had to come, Pomfrey was forced to concede when she was threatened at wand point.
James found himself sitting at the Gryffindor house table surrounded by bewildered looking kids, many of them sporting injuries. His eyes scanned the hall and he saw that the other houses were also looking scared, their eyes lingering on the Death Eater's who surrounded the hall or the remnants of the doors that had once stood open and welcoming. Hufflepuff's muttered in tight huddles, discussing the rumours, Ravenclaw's sat in silence, staring at the banner over what had once been the teachers table, Slytherin's sat straight and gloating as they waved to their various family members. The Gryffindor's were as bad as the others, beaten and mentally broken, they stared down at their hands with shadows beneath their eyes and wounds covering their skin. James sighed and scratched at his own wound beneath the clean bandage Pomfrey had put on it, he could almost feel it burning him, as if it were infected but Pomfrey had assured him that this was quite normal for cursed wounds, no matter how shallow they were. She had also told him that Werewolves never usually bit people when they were in human form and that she couldn't tell him what the effects would be, James had pushed that concern aside. He had far more important things to worry about. Sirius was nowhere to be seen, James had scanned the hall repeatedly in case he had missed him. Then a hush fell over the crowd, eyes turned in the direction of the staff table, landing upon a tall cloaked figure who stood surrounded by henchmen. James shivered uncontrollably.
"Welcome," Voldemort said in his high, cold voice. "My friends. Today is the beginning of a new era, a time where Wizarding kind may begin to retake what is rightfully ours, a time where we can once again stand supreme above those who are weaker. It is a time that we can finally avenge all of our kind that were once oppressed, murdered and burnt all for the supposed crime of being magical. I, Lord Voldemort, intend to undo the Statue of Secrecy, I will raise Wizarding Kind above the lowly muggles, putting them back in their place beneath us. We will rule as we did all those years ago, before Merlin forced us into hiding rather than fight for what is rightfully ours." The silence in the hall was oppressive, James felt fury lick his insides like a tongue of pure flame, he clenched his hands into fists and gritted his teeth tightly. "For now, however, we must re-order this school. Hogwarts was once a place that honed magical ability, that trained its students to aim high and become as strong as they were able. Under my reign I will return this great and noble school to what it once was, under me you shall prosper and grow. We shall begin by having all those who fought us today come forward, you will kneel before me and pledge allegiance to myself and your new Headmistress." He stepped back and allowed the tall, rather beautiful woman to come forward and bow.
James tensed as a burly Death Eater grabbed him by the scruff of his robes and dragged him roughly to the teachers table. He was dropped to his knees along with several others, James' eyes met the bright green ones of Lily Evans, she looked just as terrified as he felt. When he looked up he saw one of his class mates pulled forward and pushed to his knees before Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange, James' eyes widened as he recognised Sirius.
"Ah yes, I know you Sirius Black." Voldemort said softly, he gazed down at Sirius through his crimson eyes. "Will you pledge allegiance to me? I am always willing to forgive, especially someone of such pure blood as yours."
Sirius looked up, he was trembling from head to foot, his eyes as wide as a cornered rabbits he swallowed nervously and glanced briefly at James before looking away again. He looked directly at his cousin who smirked nastily and finally he took a shuddery breath. "I-I…I will." He whispered, his voice so low it took James a moment to wonder if he heard him correctly.
"Very good, your cousin has told me that you would join your family in Slytherin house, despite having been sorted into Gryffindor."
"Y-yes sir." Sirius muttered.
"Excellent, now lift your left arm."
Sirius did as he was instructed, his eyes closing tightly as if he expected pain. Voldemort grabbed his wrist and held him firmly as he pointed his wand at the vulnerable skin. "You do not deserve my mark, you are still untrustworthy, for now you shall all receive this little token as proof to everyone that you once fought against me. It will serve to act as a way to ensure your loyalty and to tell others of your previous treachery." As he finished speaking James saw a glistening line of silver liquid appear and wrap itself around Sirius' wrist like a snake. When it was done it froze solid, taking on the form of a serpent with its tail in its mouth. Sirius seemed to sag when Voldemort released him, Bellatrix took hold of his arm and pulled him out of the way for the next person. James watched as several people were treated to the same thing, except that everyone else received plain silver bracelets that resembled manacles rather than the elegant serpent that surrounded Sirius' wrist. James was brought before the Dark Lord, he stared up at him, his eyes filling with anger and hatred, when those cold fingers wrapped around his wrist he tried to yank himself free. "LET GO OF ME!" He shouted, finally releasing himself and falling back a step. He glared daggers at Lord Voldemort who studied him as if he were a rather fascinating magical object.
"Ah, someone with some fight still left in them. What is your name boy?"
James puffed himself out, his hands clenching at his sides and his eyes narrowing angrily. "My name is James Potter!" He declared loudly.
"A Potter, yes, very old family. If I recall your father is Charlus?" He didn't wait for James to answer. "You could do well if you were to renounce your hatred and work towards serving me, you could gain so much power."
James mustered the very last of his waning courage, he stood tall against those terrible crimson eyes and spat at Lord Voldemort's feet. He heard Sirius shout something and a loud slap that made him fall silent, James didn't dare look away. "I would rather die." He said in his coldest voice.
"Oh no, you are still far too valuable to me alive. You will not die but you can be punished for your insolence. Lestrange."
"My Lord?" A large man stepped forward and aimed his wand directly at James' face, James closed his eyes and took a breath.
"Punish him, show these others what happens to those who are disrespectful."
"Gladly."
"JAMIE! JAMIE NO!"
James opened his eyes and saw Sirius fighting a blond man who was struggling to keep him still, his face was white as a sheet and his eyes full of terror. He watched Sirius for as long as he could before crimson light hit him in the chest and he screamed.
