Disclaimer: Disclaimed.
A/N: Important notice to everyone: my computer died. For real. Like, it won't even turn on. I'm having to use my parents' computer right now, so it's a good thing I already had this chapter uploaded. Honestly, though, I'm not sure whether or not I'm going to be able to get a chapter up on time next week or the weeks after until all of my writing has been restored. Sorry!
Go ahead and put the Teddy bit of the prologue right now.
On with this chapter (already 10 chapters in, can you believe it?)!
James had mixed feelings about the red dot of light at the front of his cell.
In one sense, it gave him hope, which was something the boy had seriously been lacking in the two months he'd been held captive in the miniscule cage. If what the Death Eaters were saying was true and the malicious people had found a way to trick the camera into thinking there was no magic around it, then it meant that someone was watching.
If the same people's everyday taunts directed to the Aurors had any truth or meaning behind them, then his only conclusion (as much as he tried not to get his hopes up too high) was that, among others, his dad and Teddy were the ones watching him.
And if they were watching the Hell he was being put through every day, then they had to have even more motivation to find him and his little brother.
On the pessimistic end of the spectrum, the Death Eaters could only be trying to give him and Al false hope about the entire situation.
Though, even if they weren't lying, then that meant that his dad and Teddy had to watch his daily life become more detrimental by the hour.
He could only imagine the stress and anguish being put on their shoulders. And as much as ever fiber of his being yearned to be saved, to be free, he didn't want them to have to suffer secondhand.
It was bad enough that he had to experience the torture, had to hear Al and sometimes even see him go through the same… he didn't wish the exhibition on anyone else.
James knew easily that Al had it the worst out of the two. As ruthless as his own torture was, as truly, indescribably agonizing it was every time he was inflicted with the Cruciatus Curse, as many times as he was Cursed and threatened and spit on… Al's days were even more harrowing.
The Death Eaters didn't just stop at the Cruciatus Curse with Al. They employed quite a few methods of Muggle style torture on the already-frail boy, beating him with their fists and assorted blunt objects until he was bloody and bruised, cutting him with whatever sharp items they could find until the boy's flesh was nearly shredded…
As much as James was in constant pain from body aches and hunger, he didn't have any idea how bad the real, serious physical injuries his brother was put through had to be.
Sometimes, the seventeen-year-old would have to listen intently through the silence just to make sure that his little brother was still breathing.
Rather immaturely, James had always secretly envied Al for being a near-replica of Harry. It always got the younger brother the initial attention of everyone, in turn always made James have to introduce himself and say yes, he was also Harry Potter's son. Now, when that fact alone was causing the small boy so much misery, he felt an extreme pity for the other's appearance. Now, when he would picture the boy's face in his mind, he would unintentionally pick out the small bits of him that weren't like his father, in hopes that the Death Eaters would also notice those parts and leave his little brother alone.
While fighting the madness that came with being so confined, the hunger that literally crippled him, and, ultimately, the boredom the ever-restless man felt after two entire idle months, James often thought about his family, his home life.
A thousand questions rose from his mind.
Was Lily at school?
Was Teddy taking care of the flat?
How was his mom coping? His dad? Teddy? Lily?
How was Weasley's Wizard Wheezes doing? Uncle George?
Who all knew about what happened?
Was Scorpius helping the search, or was he back at school?
Were the Aurors searching for them?
What leads did they have?
How long would it take?
When would they be found?
Would Al still be alive when they were found?
James, above any selfish desire for to get out safely himself, wanted his little brother to be saved. The boy had his entire life ahead of him. He even finished with school, for Merlin's sake!
He'd contemplated escape more than a few times, but decided, over the optimism that somehow still ran through his veins in bursts, that it would be futile. He had no wand, no strength. He didn't even know where they were! There was always someone near the entrance keeping guard, and even if he did find a way to defeat the first guard, there were no doubt many more highly-skilled, better-equipped Death Eaters on the other side of the door.
It was too risky. A suicide mission. And probably homicide, too, if Al found a way to get himself involved.
Just thinking about seeing Al's lifeless form on the ground as a result of his own shoddy idea made James feel like he was literally being torn in half from the inside out.
He wasn't sure what time it was, but his body was beginning to tense up as the seconds continued to waste away, awaiting the moment when the Death Eaters would make a daily "visit" to his cell.
He wondered if he had time to give a message to the Aurors before they came in like he was suddenly craving to do.
Deciding that he was going to be tortured either way, he realized that he had basically nothing to lose (save for his life).
James stood with difficulty, his legs stiff from lack of use and his stomach muscles painfully clenching from hunger. He stooped uncomfortably to avoid hitting the low ceiling and walked to the high-backed chair in the front of the cell, just behind the bars. He sat down heavily.
Clearing his throat, he glanced quickly through the iron bars to the door. For once, there was no one standing guard.
"Hey dad, hey Teddy," He greeted in a soft voice that cracked from being so out of practice. He managed a weak smile as he imagined their faces looking back at him. "Listen, I know you're probably freaking out about now, and I'm not going to lie and say that everything is okay." Exhaling, he took a pause, "But if you're going to save anyone, then focus on Albus. Don't worry about me. Al needs to be your priority, and I'm not trying to be brave or heroic or anything like that. I don't have it half as bad as he does. So think about him first, all right? And tell everyone I—"
"Who is talking?" A voice yelled furiously from the entrance.
James felt like he swallowed a block of ice. He suddenly couldn't think, couldn't speak, couldn't move. He could only feel.
He could only feel the gut-wrenching fear as he heard heavy footsteps approaching, sure that he was about to get a taste of Al's usual violent torture for his act of courage.
A/N: Oh, poor Jamesie! :( WHY am I doing this to them?
And Al… I just love him. And Scorpius and Teddy and Harry all having to watch… I'm scaring myself. X(
Either way, please put on Story Alert and don't forget to Review! I love to hear everyone's feedback, even if it's a single word. For real. I love it.
See you next week (hopefully),
KitKat Pyrophobia