(I do not own any of the characters (Owned by J.K Rowling) , I am borrowing them for fun. )

Chapter 11: Attack at Hogsmeade

It was Friday, and James was flying high on his broomstick at the Quidditch pitch. The wind rustling through his messy hair, his eyes focusing on the little golden ball that was being thrown at him. He turned a sharp turn, holding his hand out and catching the snitch. Throwing it back down to the ground, he waited for that little gold speck again.

"How fast was that?" James yelled.

"Blink of an eye, mate." Sirius said, yelling from below.

James lowered his broom, touching his feet to the ground and dismounting. His hair drenched in sweat, his cheeks a rosy colour.

"Now, it's bloody freezing out here; snow is starting to fall. Can we go back inside?" Sirius said, digging his hands into his pockets.

"Right, I've got to shower anyways." James said, picking up his broom.

Sirius watched James' back as he began to walk towards the castle. He dug his red, numbing hands into the white fluffy snow, running for James and quickly rubbing his hair with it.

"That'll cool ya down Prongs."

James frantically swayed his arms, pushing Sirius away and running his fingers through his hair hastily to get the snow off.

"You're such a prat sometimes."

They entered the front oak doors of the castle, brushing off the snow from their clothes and stomping off their feet. Sirius huffed into his hands, rubbing them together for warmth, his face equally as red from the cold.

"You know Marlene?" Sirius asked, as the two ascended the stone steps.

"McKinnon?" James said, rubbing his glasses on his shirt.

"The one. What do you think of her?" Sirius asked, unsure of himself as they turned the corner.

"She's good at Divination. I've also seen her patronus charm almost grow shape."

"Do you think she's cute?" Sirius grinned.

"I suppose, but I think she's with that Carter kid."

"When has that ever stopped me?" Sirius said, laughing.

"Remind me why I'm friends with you?" James laughed.

"Ahem – boys. Black. I believe it is time for your detention."

The two boys turned the corner towards the revolving staircases when suddenly Professor McGonagall bumped into them. Looking slightly startled, yet almost expectantly, she gestured Sirius to follow her.

"I don't have to go for another fifteen minutes!" Sirius complained.

"Good, fifteen extra minutes my cabinets will get with you. They're getting quite dirty." She said, looking at Sirius then nodding at James. "Potter."

"Professor." James said, nodding her away. "Bye, Padfoot."

Sirius lumped over, following Professor McGonagall slow on his feet.

After James' shower, he slipped on a pair of jeans and a dark blue sweater. He rubbed his damp wavy hair with his Gryffindor towel, and walked into the common room.

"Hello!"

James quickly, startled, looked up; his hands still on the towel rubbing against his hair.

"Oh, hey Ana." James replied, finishing his hair off and throwing the towel on the couch. "What are you up to?"

Ana was looking into the common room mirror, tugging her hat closely by her ears, and buttoning her jacket. She looked at him through the reflection, a dazed smile.

"Going to Hogsmeade, they're having a sale at Gladrags Wizardwear. Would you like to join me?" Ana turned around, holding her hands to her chest delicately and smiling.

"Sure, why not." James wasn't sure why he agreed; He supposed it was because he wanted to get out and do something. His best friend was in detention all night, and his other, Remus, was studying in the library for O.W.L.'s. At least this gave him something to do.

James put on his coat, grabbed his scarf from Lily's bedroom, and hurried out the castle with Ana.

The two walked down the snowy path of Hogsmeade. Fresh snow was falling beyond them, sticking itself to the icy paths, making it easier to walk in. Windows of the shops were frosted with bright blue fog and ice. Icicles began to form under the hanging signs of the pub's and candy shops. Most places were closed due to the incoming blizzard, which James could feel approaching; the winds were picking up, forcing the snow to fall faster and heavier on his body, his hands bright red and numb, his ears lost feeling and his hair grew stiff. Why had he ever agreed to coming? He was too cold and uncomfortable now.

"Just over here!" Ana said in a calm voice, pointing her pink finger across the way.

The two hurried over to the large grey stoned shop, covered in pink windows with tall steps leading to the door. James pulled on the dark wooden door, the bell ringing loudly as it swung open, allowing Ana in before stepping in himself.

They brushed their feet against the small rugged area, their hands deep in their pockets, looking around the empty shop. James ran his fingers through his hair, walking over to the abandoned counter.

"Ah, there it is." Ana said, walking over to the next room of displays. James watched her move out of sight. He leaned over the counter, that reached just above his waist, peering around behind it. There was nothing interesting on the counter that showed anybody was here. He went for the bell, ringing it twice. A small chime released itself from the small metal object, a sound James wished he hadn't made because it broke the serene silence throughout the shop. Now his ears were ringing with the same tune.

"Ana?" James hollered, as he walked around the counter. Behind the counter were shelves stocked with display jewelry and other winter essentials like gloves and hats. Next to the display shelves was another wooden door, creaked open a bit so the light from inside the shop crept inside the dark room beyond the opening. James reached one hand behind him, lifting up his dark blue sweater and holding the handle of his wand. His other arm reached for the door, leaning against it slightly, creaking It open.

The light from the shop began to illuminate slowly inside the dark room, washing out the dark wooden floors and gray walls. James slowly walked forward, looking in utter blindness, till he hit something oddly wobbly with his foot. Looking down it was blurred, and rolled slightly. He took out his wand, "Lumos." Pointing the wand down slowly at his foot, his heart jumped, slamming into his chest and raging like a caged animal. A hand laid cold by his shoe, up right with its fingers tightened slightly towards its palm. He followed the hand to its arm, slowly, reluctantly, unsure of who he might find, he raised his wand higher and found the body that owned the hand. It was an older woman, grey hair, her eyes open as it displayed hazel eyes. Beside the old woman's head was a foot. James couldn't think now, his airs standing on end, goosebumps and prickling needles running down his spine and arms. His hand sweaty, clutching his wand, and his lips trembling. He found a young woman, light brown hair, leaning against the gray toned wall. Her eyes were shut, lips purple, and her face pale with a sign on her forehead written in blood 'Mudblood'. James' noticed her wrists bleeding out onto the floor, his foot releasing from the small puddle, leaving a sticky residue under his shoe.

Backing away slowly, the light still beaming at the young woman's cold, lifeless face, he exited the room.

"Ana!?" James said rather loudly, walking backward till he reached around the counter. James didn't hear a sound; he walked slowly, his wand pointed out; cautiously approaching the corner of the opening that entered the next room. His heart gave another leap when Ana appeared in front of him, walking around the corner just the same.

"Oh thank Merli-"

Quickly James wrapped his hand around her mouth, pulling her down beneath a counter by the window. She struggled slightly, till James lifted a finger to his mouth, indicating for her to be quiet. He released her mouth, and the two peered above the counter, looking out the frosty window of the front of the shop. The blizzard was becoming strong, James could barely see anything more than 15 feet away, the snow was circling fast, falling hard, the wind slamming against the creaky door, startling the two deathly. Suddenly a black cloaked figure walked by the window, too close for comfort. Quickly the two hurried across the window, ducking out of sight.

"There is a back door around there." Ana said, whispering and pointing around the corner in the back of the room.

James nodded, "Wands out." He ordered her. She reached for her wand in her shirt.

The two walked slowly, backwards staring out the large window of the shop. Suddenly footsteps began to sound from near the front entrance and the back entrance. The door at the front of the shop shuffled, and James' felt a lump in his throat.

"Bloody hell…" James said quietly. He yanked on the back of Ana's coat, dragging her quickly in a small standalone closet. The two were cramped in the small space, their knees and elbows touching, their breath creating heat in the small compact area.

"Avery…"

"Where do you think your actions lie?"

"I… I just thought- I just…"

"Save it. The Dark Lord will not be too thrilled to know you've finished off the only person who has any idea of Beckett's whereabouts."

"She was giving me a hard time… I assumed because…"

"Assumed? You assumed what the Dark Lord's task for you was at hand? Sloppy work, Mulciber."

"She wouldn't have said anything sir, I used the curse to get it out of her-"

"So you let the Dark Lord finish her off instead!"

"Please… Not again…" The man whimpered.

"Oh yes… The Dark Lord will know, Mulciber. Wand."

There were a few moments of silence, then a short whimper was sounded along with a loud cry of pain. Ana quickly rushed her hands to her ears, James wrapping his arm around her as she buried her head into his chest. James closed his eyes, turning his head towards Ana, who was letting out a hushed sobbing sound that mixed with the loud cried from outside their wardrobe.

Suddenly the loud screams silenced, and all that was left was small whimpering and a loud bang on the wooden floor.

"There's your wand – Pick it up. Now, pull down your shirt – The mark will be shown to the Dark Lord when we return. As for the body, we shall leave it here; It will be found and hopefully Beckett will receive the news. Let's go."

"Ye-ye-yes… Avery… Sir" Suddenly the footsteps exited the shop, the door slamming shut and a gust of wind traveling through the rooms and through the crack of the wardrobe.

Ana lifted her head, her hands slowly un-cupping her ears. "…I-is it o-over?" Ana asked, her bottom lip trembling.

"I… I think so…" James held his arm out, opening the door and stepping out. The shop was abandoned once again, besides for the two Hogwarts students, and the two bodies in the backroom. Ana slowly stepped out behind him, her hands up to her face shaking.

"We've got to go find Dumbledore…" James said, grabbing Ana's arm and trailing her through the backdoor.

Quickly James lead Ana across the fresh snowy hills from the back of the shop, reaching Honeydukes and carefully opening the backdoor, letting inside a gust of wind and snow. Abandoned once again, James rushed towards the cellar, opening the floor door and showing Ana through the tunnel.

"Wha-what's th-this?" Ana said, shaking her knees.

"Trust me. Hop down, I'll trail after you." James said, holding his arm out for Ana, and helping her down the cellar.

Their wands held high, beaming in a bright white light the two walked for nearly an hour through the damp darkened tunnel, till they finally reached the one-eyed witch. Moving it slightly, the two hurried from behind it, rushing up the corridor and ascending a flight of stairs till they faced a gargoyle in its small den.

"Treacle Fudge." James said, and the gargoyle spun its large, stone like body upwards, bringing along with it a spiral staircase. The two rushed themselves to Dumbledore's office, banging wildly on the door.

"Professor! Professor! Please! It's urgent! Professor!" James yelled between each echoing knock.

Slowly the door opened, and beyond James was now an older, taller man, with a long thick white beard and purple and blue robes, wearing half-moon spectacles.

"Professor." James said, ceasing his hand from knocking on Dumbledore instead.

"My dear boy, what is it?" Dumbledore said, holding up a hand to James.

"It's urgent Professor, we need to talk to you now."

Dumbledore smiled, moving aside and letting the two in his office.

James sat down on a cushioned chair facing Dumbledore's desk, Ana sitting on the identical chair beside James.

James was shaking he leg, his feet bouncing up and down on the smooth white stone. His fingers fiddling with his scarf, till he tore it off from around his neck, feeling hot and tempered, yet mostly confused.

He looked over at Ana, who was sitting up straight, her hands clapped on her lap and her eyes barely blinking staring at the empty chair Dumbledore would take place in in just moments.

"James, what can I do you for? Relax dear boy, it's alright." Dumbledore said, as he made his way for his tall, thin gold and blue throne placed behind his desk.

"Professor… we- we…" James took a deep breath, collecting himself. His eyes were closed behind his circular lensed glasses, his hand ran through his stiff, cold hair. He collected all the information of what happened in his head; walking to Hogsmeade, going to the shop, seeing the two bodies… then… then two… death eaters perhaps? Arguing? Who was Beckett? Who were the two women? Voldemort.

"We were visiting Hogsmeade, Gladrags, as we walked inside I noticed nobody was there. I sort of, looked beyond where I should and I noticed…" James said, holding his thought a little longer till it became true. "Two women."

Dumbledore lifted his back from the chair, moving closer to James. "Two women?" He said.

"Right, they were both dead sir. One had "Mudblood" written on her, sir."

Ana gave James a quick look; she didn't know this piece of information. Her eyes widened, and her hands quickly reached her mouth, gasping in surprise.

"Ana was in the other room, so I went to grab her and we heard two people approach the shop, sir. We hid, and they entered; they spoke." James continued. "I think they were death eaters."

Dumbledore got up from his chair, looking at James with a smile that made James feel a bit uncomfortable given the circumstances. He strode towards a painting of an old witch who appeared to be listening quite attentively. "Would you mind reporting back to Minchum for me?" Dumbledore said, bowing to the old witch.

"Certainly, sir. What should I say?" The witch in the painting responded, lifting out of her chair and walking towards Dumbledore.

"Tell him… what Mr. Potter had just reported to me; As well as a meeting arrangement for tonight."

"Right away, Sir." The witch hastily walked towards the end of her painting, vanishing as if she was never painted in the first place.

Dumbledore turned to James, "Would you mind telling me the conversation between the two?"

James looked at Ana, then back at Dumbledore. "They named each other, Avery and Mulciber, sir. Mulciber seemed to be in dismay of Avery's distraught; about the two women. Something Voldemort wouldn't be too pleased about…"

"And Beckett." Ana interrupted quickly, her eyes glossing over, her hands on her lap once more.

"Beckett?" Dumbledore asked.

"They said… without the women… the whereabouts of Beckett would remain unknown." Ana said.

Dumbledore walked back over to his chair, sitting down and smiling at the two. "You two were very brave, and I ask you not to worry. The Ministry will be notified, and the situation will be handled. Thank you for letting me know, I will act upon it right away. As for you two, I suggest going back to the common room and getting some rest would do you both some good." Dumbledore said, nodding the two off.

James and Ana left Dumbledore's office, Ana quite shaken up from the entire day.

"Are you okay?" James said, looking up at Ana as they both walked towards the revolving staircases.

"I'll be fine. It was just… it all happened fast… and suddenly." She said, regaining a normal tone in her voice. "The torturing was just… too real for me."

"What do you mean, if I may ask?" James said, opening a large door for Ana as they entered another part of the building.

"My parents were killed by one of Voldemort's Death Eaters."

"Is that why you live with your Aunt?"

"Yes. I was present at the time of their deaths; an Auror rescued me. He died as well."

"I'm so sorry." James said, and thoroughly meaning it.

"Don't worry. I've made peace with it- it was just… well you know, it reminded me of it."

"If there is anything I can do…" James asked, as the two walked up the revolving staircase to the portrait door.

"Yes; Don't worry about me. That's the best you can do." Ana said, looking at James with strong, round eyes, her expression determined.

The corner of James' lips turned up, nodding in agreement. They entered the common room and split ways for their dormitories. James longed to rest his eyes, and clear his head from everything that happened today. He jumped on his bed, spreading out his legs and arms over his comforter; his pillow never felt so stiff.

James' eye's ripped apart suddenly as the common room door barged open. Sirius entered the room, looking exhausted, his hands covered in dark residue and his face had black marks wiped across his cheeks.

"Sirius?" James said, lifting his head up.

"Oh, James. Sorry I woke up mate." Sirius said, wiping the black smudge from his cheek on the sleeve of his robes.

"What's that on your face?"

"Ah, I knew it was still there. McGonagall had me clean the oil lanterns around Hogwarts. Look at this!" Sirius said, flipping his hands over so James could see they were covered in black residue on his palms. "This will never come off! I've been soaking them in water, it just smudges."

"Magic?" James said, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh… right." Sirius lifted his wand and pointed it to his hands; the black residue disappeared within moments. "I guess I was too stressed out to think about it… I was arranging a bookshelf for the woman and Peeve knocked it over twice. TWICE. I was so tempted to use my wand, but I remembered she took it away."

"She took it away?"

"To make sure I wasn't using magic to make my chores easier. If only the books I threw at the git didn't go right through him." Sirius huffed, taking a seat on his bed. "What'd you do all day?"

James just remembered his day with Ana at Hogsmeade. He rested his head back on his pillow, the day replaying in his heads then shutting off. He didn't want to say anything about it just now, he just wanted to drift back to sleep.

"Divination, and slept."

"Sounds like you, Prongs." Sirius laid himself on the bed, looking over at Remus who sounded off a loud snore, then drifted back into quietness. "Moony's girlfriend will love this. 'I'm a werewolf and I snore when I sleep.'" Sirius said mockingly/

"What! You snore?" James said, exaggerating a girl's voice.

The two laughed it off, and drifted into their own sleep as well.