Main Characters: Marauders
Prompt: A Chase Scene
Setting: London, shortly after the Marauders finished Hogwarts

A Chase Scene

"COME ON, WORMTAIL! PICK UP THE PACE!" James Potter roared, digging his fingernails into the wiry brush-end of the broomstick he was dangling from.

"I—I'm trying! I'm not as good at flying as you are, though," Peter Pettigrew squeaked as he clutched the handle and attempted to steer it.

"They're gaining on us!" James cried, warily glancing over his shoulder. The approaching Death Eaters were only a few metres behind them. They were nearly so close that James could see the intricate markings on their masks. "I don't want to alarm you, but if you don't get us away from here, we're both going to die," he warned, almost casually.

The broomstick shifted to the side sharply, causing James' hand to slip and swing helplessly by his side. He took a sharp breath in, urging himself to remain calm. His hand was sweating—he could feel it slipping. He glanced down towards the busy London streets, miles below. Thousands of twinkling lights shone below them in the darkness. The thought of what the Muggles would think if they had any idea of what was going on above their heads in the dark night sky right then very nearly made James chuckle.

There was another problem, though. James' weight was causing the broomstick to tilt back dangerously. If the Death Eaters didn't reach them first then they were both going to plummet to their death.

"Sorry!" Peter yelped. "It would be so much better if you were steering!"

James scowled. "Yeah, well I'm a little preoccupied right now. I'm not really in the right position to be steering!" he snapped, referring to Peter's earlier movement, which had thrown him from the broom in the first place.

"PRONGS!" a voice bellowed from below them.

James stared down into the inky blackness. There were figures moving below him, but he couldn't see who.

"PRONGS—LET GO!"

Let go? What if it was a clever trick from the Death Eaters? What if James let go, only to fall straight into his enemies' arms?

"PRONGS," the voice bellowed again.

Only a few people ever called him Prongs, though, and James instantly recognised the voice. It was a voice he would trust with his life. And that's exactly what he was doing.

"Get as far away from them as you can, Wormtail," James commanded. And before Peter could respond or even process what he'd said, James released his grip on the broom and fell through the darkness.

All too suddenly, James made contact with what was waiting below. A hand was thrust towards him, grabbing his forearm and pulling him onto the broomstick.

"Moony!" James breathed in excitement, recognising his friend.

"We weren't sure if you'd heard Sirius or not," Remus Lupin replied.

"Bit of a squeeze isn't it, eh, Prongs?" Sirius Black laughed from his prime position at the front of the broom.

Three young men all on one small broomstick was not a good combination. The weight of the three Marauders was causing the broom to sink lower and lower; they nearly brushed the top of the London apartments.

"Was I right to abandon Peter?" James asked cautiously, using his real name for a change.

"Course you were," Sirius said reassuringly. "You saved his life—the Death Eaters are after us now."

James twisted his head to look behind him. Sure enough, the Death Eaters who had been chasing him had abandoned Peter and followed James instead. Was Peter dead, then? Or were they far more interested in killing the three other Marauders?

James felt guilty about leaving Peter. It was true that he was now safe from the Death Eaters, but he wasn't safe from himself. There was a reason Peter had never made the Quidditch team at Hogwarts...

Without James to help him steer, Peter didn't stand much chance of getting to safety. All James could do now, though, was hope. He felt much safer with Sirius flying, but they were still sinking lower and lower. They would surely crash soon.

"Moony, stun them with me," James ordered. "On three: One... two... three!"

"STUPEFY," the two roared at the same time. The force of both Stunning Spells sent one of the Death Eaters spiralling to the ground below. Several others emerged from the shadows. "AGAIN!"

Another one went down.

"AGAIN!"

This time, the impact knocked one into another behind them. Now, only one remained. James shot a Stunning Spell at him, but the remaining Death Eater swerved quickly. Together, he and Remus took aim, but the Death Eater dodged again. He aimed his own curse towards them, but it whistled past their heads. With one final cry of anguish, James hit the Death Eater, momentarily freezing before falling into the city with the others.

James let out a whoop of excitement, pounding his fist in the air. "Get us to safety, Padfoot!"