"Wormtail? Wormtail!? I would never have guessed it!" Sirius shook his head in bewilderment.
"I still can't believe you managed to get them both unconscious while you were cornered" James mused.
"What? You don't believe I can handle myself?" Lily asked, amused.
"Not that…" James shook his head. He was thoroughly confused. Lily had said that Avery had snuck up on her and that she had been cornered by Avery. He had the element of surprise and yet here Lily stood, both men still unconscious. He wasn't saying he wasn't glad she was alright he just felt there was something she wasn't telling them.
"Just accept it Prongs. She's alright isn't she?" Remus replied to his bemused expression. James looked to see Dumbledore, he thought he saw a look of suspicion in the old man's face but it was gone in a flash. Dumbledore seemed to totally accept Lily's story. If Dumbledore was happy, James would learn to be happy as well.
"Shall we go inside?" asked Lily. "I really want to see Harry."
Sirius clapped a hand to his forehead. "The kids! I left them inside!"
"What! Alone!?" screeched Lily.
All the adults dashed inside to see both the boys covered in fluff. Lily groaned and Sirius howled with laughter. James looked over their heads and stifled a laugh. It seemed Harry and Neville, with the help of the cat, had demolished the couches in the living room.
"Look mamma! Snow!" shouted Harry in delight. Neville giggled. James roared with laughter and scooped up his son. Remus picked up Neville and Lily quickly fixed the couches. As soon as the 'snow' disappeared the boys began to bawl.
"It's ok! Look more snow!" James hastily conjured some white fluff from his wand and made it rain down on Harry, who promptly giggled. Remus did the same for Neville. With both boys happy James turned his attention to Lily, however it was Dumbledore who spoke.
"What shall we do with the men?"
"We could imperius them?" suggested Sirius.
Dumbledore shook his head. "No. Voldemort would free them in an instant. He would know we had done it and would become more alert. An alert Voldemort is dangerous."
"Then what do we do? I wouldn't mind killing them! The things they have done! Avery has killed so many of our members. And Peter!" Sirius spat "We trusted the vermin. I guess it goes to show. Don't trust rats!"
"We will not kill them" said Dumbledore calmly.
"I knew you would say that" said Sirius, smiling grimly.
"Well we can modify their memory" James said
"No Voldemort will see through that too" Dumbledore shook his head.
"Then there is nothing else to except let them go!" said Sirius in exasperation.
"Unless we didn't let them go" said Remus quietly.
James whirled around in surprise. "What send them to Azkaban? The dementors side with Voldemort. They would be out in a week."
Dumbledore shook his head. "Not if we kept them. James do you have a basement?"
"Yes…" said James slowly.
"We can confine them there, under special magical protection."
"That's brilliant!" said Sirius
"Okay" said James, slowly enthusing to the idea. "Yeah, okay. And I'll bring them food twice a day."
"No! I'll do that!" said Lily sharply.
"What?" said James startled.
"Well… you can't cook James" said Lily sweetly. Sirius roared with laughter and Remus cracked a grin. James seemed to be the only one perturbed by Lily's tone. However he cracked a grin. Avery and Wormtail were carted down into the basement, where Dumbledore placed magical enchantments around. Then he left. Soon after Alice came to pick up Neville. Both the boys had fallen asleep.
"Oh my Gosh!" said Alice after hearing Lily's story. "I knew you weren't visiting a friend!"
Many hours later, after everyone had left, James turned to Lily and smiled.
"Glad your home Lils." Lily smiled at James.
"Hey I have to go out for five minutes. Go up to bed without me."
James looked at her. "Where are you going at one o'clock at night?"
"I just need some fresh air."
"Do you want me to come?"
"No I want to do it alone."
James watched her walk down the street and then disappear from view. He sighed and went to bed.
Lily walked to the end of the street and looked around the street to see if anyone was watching. Then she quickly apparated to a big, dark manor. She entered and followed a long winding corridor. She opened a door and entered a room. It was empty of all furniture and no one was in it except a man in a dark cloak.
"It is done master" she whispered.
And the Dark Lord turned to face Avery and laughed his high, cold laugh.
"No Harry! Not down there!" James hurriedly scooped Harry up. That was the seventh time, that week, that Harry had tried going down to the basement. James didn't understand. Harry had never like Wormtail. Why was he trying to get down there? James sighed. He wasn't usually this careful of Harry. Lily was the one who watched Harry like a hawk, James let him have some freedom. But lately anytime Lily had come close to Harry, he had started struggling, trying to get away from her. Lily just laughed and said it was what most baby boys did. They preferred their dad. That wasn't true. James had always been a mamma's boy. He shrugged. Everyone was different though. Dumbledore hadn't called anymore order meetings since Lily got back with Wormtail. This seemed to really annoy Lily. James noticed that she spent more time alone than with him or Harry. The war seemed to be hardening her. Sirius and Remus both felt Lily's change in attitude as well. Sirius with a 'everyone changes' air and Remus with a more disconcerted air. James himself was worried for her. Maybe Avery had done something to her. When he had called a private meeting with Dumbledore, though, Dumbledore had said everything was fine. Yet Alice hadn't been over once that week, and she was always over. Harry's birthday was drawing closer and she hadn't been preparing, yet last month she had already been planning what she would do. The only people who visited were Sirius and Remus and they only came to play with Harry or talk with James. Lily never seemed to be around much. James sighed again.
"What's up?"
He whirled around to find Lily standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips.
"Nothing" he grinned at her. She didn't grin back.
"Have you seen Harry?" she asked dully.
"Yes he is right….." James turned around. The door to the basement stood ajar. Lily snarled and went in. Before James could step a foot inside, Lily came out holding a writhing Harry.
"And stay out!" she yelled, shoving him into James arms.
"Lily!" said James reproachfully. But she had already left the house her red hair flicking around the corner.
"Master, the child knows!" Avery whispered.
"Nonsense! Children don't' know anything! You look like Lily don't you? That should fool the child."
Avery shook his head. "The child is drawn to its mother. It constantly is trying to get to her."
"Well then watch it closely, lest you are discovered."
"Yes master"
"When is the next meeting?"
Avery shuddered. "There isn't one"
"Avery, you said that you had fooled even Albus Dumbledore. Yet he doesn't do any more Order meetings. Does he suspect you?"
"No! No of course not My Lord! He was totally fooled."
"Then why hasn't he had a meeting yet? My patience is waning Avery."
"Yes My Lord"
James looked around. Lily had gone to find Dumbledore, muttering something about a meeting. He grinned to himself. Lily had been pestering for and Order meeting all week and James doubted today would be the day Dumbledore would grant her wish. Ever since yesterday, when Harry had crawled into the basement and Lily had been extremely mad, James had wondered what was down there. He knew it was dangerous for Harry to go down into the basement where to Death Eaters where being held but Lily hadn't even let him go inside. He noticed that she also only bought food for one person- not two. Maybe someone had died? It was strange that she hadn't told anyone about it though. He thought he would just have a peek and see what was going on inside. Lily wouldn't be home for another ten minutes. He would only take five. James checked to see that Harry was safe in his cot and then he quietly made his way to the basement door. He opened the door, wincing at the creaking it made. Then he descended the steps into the cool dark room of the basement. One, weak yellow light flickered in the middle of the room. James saw Wormtail shivering in a corner. He squeaked when he saw James. James looked at him with open disgust. Looking around he realised Avery wasn't in the room. There was a small, black door at the end of the room. James tried the golden handle. It was locked. Pulling out his wand he whispered- "Alohomora." There was a hiss and a click. James blinked. He hadn't expected it to be so easy. He hesitated before he turned the handle. What would he find in there? He heard Wormtail shift behind him. James imagined Avery's rotting corpse behind the door. He took a deep breath and steeled himself. He began turning the knob.
BANG!
James whirled around to find Lily standing behind him, her red hair flying out behind her. She looked angry. As enraged as when he had called Severus, Snivellus for the first time. No worse than that.
"Sorry I was just curious. Is Avery behind that door?" his voice shook
"Yes" her voice was deadly calm.
"Al-alive?"
She blinked at that. "Of course he is alive. What do you think I am? A murderer?"
"You only bring food for one person to eat" he said, gaining some confidence as her anger ebbed.
"Oh. Well Avery refuses to eat."
James nodded. "Is there going to be an Order Meeting?"
She smiled. "Yes. Yes there is" In that moment, she looked truly terrifying.
"I would like to let you all know that our spy has been caught!" called Dumbledore. Immediately everyone began whispering. James, Sirius and Remus all grinned at Lily. While Dumbledore explained the events that had occurred, James noticed Lily look around the room. It was like she had never been to headquarters before. "And now we must decide what to do next." People began shouting ideas. Dumbledore raised his hand and there was instant silence. "You are all eager. That is good. There will be a meeting at the Ministry this Wednesday that I would like some of you to attend. The Death Eater Rudolphus will be attending with Malfoy. This could be our chance to expose them. Prewett, Longbottom. You both can attend. I would also like some of you to come with me. I believe I have found the headquarters of Lord Voldemort," James heard the shudder go through the room as his name was said. He noticed that Lily also winced at the name. She never had before. "There is something there that could be invaluable to us." Shouts went up. Everyone wanted to know what it was. "This is a secret mission. Only the people involved will know what it is. Who volunteers?" Lily's hand went up straight up, as did Sirius'. James raised his hand and Remus slowly followed. "Lovely" Dumbledore clapped his hands together. James felt uneasy. For some reason he felt that Lily shouldn't come on this mission. The meeting was disclosed and the foursome got up and followed Dumbledore into a circular room. "Now I'm sure you're all dying to know what invaluable item Lord Voldemort possesses? Well, as far as I know, he possesses nothing at all."
James and Sirius shared puzzled looks. Lily flicked her hair in annoyance.
"But there is something you can do. Go to the Dark Lord as Avery and Wormtail and pretend you have escaped. You will be the spies for the order. The other two can come under James' invisibility cloak and search the manor while the other two distract Voldemort. I think Voldemort is hiding something. Something that is making him extremely powerful."
Lily grinned in excitement. Something stirred in James' gut. Lily's eyes looked brown in the light.