Chapter XXXVI - Return of Nuremberg

The cold December wind made her shiver as she hurried into the castle from her Herbology class. She stomped her feet on the castle floor to get the snow off and rubbed her hands together for warmth. She both loved and hated winter.

A warm arm draped over her shoulders and she grinned up at Sirius. "Do I look that frozen?"

He laughed and rubbed her arm in an attempt to warm her. "A bit like an abominable snow woman, nothing to be concerned about."

She laughed as he followed her up the stairs and into the Head's common room. "So why weren't the Marauders in Herbology class today?"

Sirius made himself comfortable on the chesterfield, putting his feet up on the table. "Remus is in a mood. Final night of the full moon."

She nodded. Lily knew that the full moon often affected Remus during the three days he changed as well. Emotionally it was very stressful. "Is he alright?"

"I think so. He just needed some friends around. We also convinced him not to break up with Violet so that's a good start."

"I like Violet," Lily told him, taking a seat next to him. "She's really sweet. I think she's very good for him."

"I happen to agree. I told him that if he got his act together though, they could be doing a lot better. During the full moon, Moony tends to have incredibly strong sexual urges … often has an erection for hours. That's one of the reasons why he skips classes, bit embarrassing to be walking around with that." Sirius told her, grinning. He slid his arm around her again, smiling when she cuddled into him. "You are seriously freezing."

Lily laughed, pulling the blanket down from the back of the chesterfield and snuggling herself into it. "We spent the entire class outside. I never warmed up!"

Sirius grinned. "Why didn't you use a warming charm?"

Lily shrugged. "Didn't think of it, I was focused on my project."

Sirius shook his head. "Silly girl. I'm doing good on that bet, by the way."

Lily smiled up at him. "I know. I'm very proud of you!"

"Hmm, well some of us haven't had the luxury of having sex twenty times a week."

She laughed, scratching her nose. "James and I do not actually have sex twenty times a week, Sirius."

"That's what you told me!"

"So you would go away."

"Rude. So … what is your magical number?"

Lily grinned up at him. "That really is none of your business. You're like a nosy old lady, do you know that?"

He merely grinned at her. "But you love me."

She smiled at him. "Yes, I do." She cuddled closer to him, wrapping her arms around him to hug him. "I've missed you."

"You see me every day."

"You know what I mean," she replied as he hugged her back. "When was the last time just the two of us hung out?"

Sirius shrugged. "I have no idea. I know what you mean, though. You and James have been stuck like glue."

Lily smiled at that, tugging her hand out from the blankets to stare happily at her ring. "I'm going to be Mrs. Lily Potter." She laughed. "I never thought in a million years that I would be thrilled to hear those words."

"Your wedding is going to be amazing."

"I think so. I can't wait for my father to walk me down the aisle. I can't wait to find the perfect dress. I can't wait to start my life with James."

Sirius grinned, getting up off the couch to throw some fire into the fireplace. He moved back to his spot, wrapping his arm around Lily again before he spoke. "All great things to come."

"Indeed, they are. So, why are you up here visiting me?"

"What? A friend can't come find you and want to hang out with you for no reason?" When she merely raised her eyebrow, he grinned. "Okay, so I actually did want to talk to you about something. I told James to stay away."

Lily, finally starting to warm up, sat up a little, crossed her legs and pulled the blanket up around her. "I'm all ears."

Sirius grinned, shifting so that he was sitting sideways and he could look at her. "Have you ever given James a blow job?"

"Sirius!"

He grinned widely. "Just wondering is all."

"That is none of your business, you prat!" She exclaimed, blushing furiously.

He laughed. "Alright, alright. I'm just going to say that blokes enjoy those from time to time and that you should always remember that."

"We are not having this conversation right now."

He grinned. "Okay … okay, anyway, I actually came up to talk to you about something. James told me what you said about Erica."

Lily squirmed uncomfortably at those words. "I don't really know her, Sirius."

"I agree with you."

"What?"

"There's something off about her, Lil. I mean, I love Pete, he's one of my best friends, but she is way the fuck out of his league! I mean she's beautiful!"

"You don't think Peter could get a woman like that?"

"Do you?" He asked.

Lily shook her head. "I think Peter's a little weird too, sometimes. I mean, don't get me wrong, he's always been nice to me but I would never really consider him a good friend the way I do you and Remus. I know I can depend on Peter if I ever needed help, but he wouldn't be my first choice."

"Exactly. Pete's a strange one. Erica is short. Great legs. Big tits. Short blonde curly bob of hair and big blue eyes. Her last serious boyfriend was Lucius Malfoy before he left the school." Lily paled slightly at the mentioning of Malfoy's name. "Sorry."

"It's okay. I just haven't dealt with what Malfoy did to me as readily as I have with Snape."

Sirius took her hand in his own and squeezed. "He won't hurt you, Lily. He's gone."

"To be a Death Eater. I don't know if that's better or not."

"But he's gone. That's a start." When she nodded, he continued. "What I mean though, is that compared to Peter, Malfoy is … girls liked him, Lily. He was blonde and tall and handsome and girls wanted him. He was popular. Erica moves from him to Peter … okay there were some blokes in between, but do you see what I'm saying?"

"That Malfoy dated a fourteen-year-old when he was seventeen?"

"Well, yeah that was weird, but you know where I'm going with this?"

She nodded. "I think so."

"Look, Bella told me Erica's two best friends are Death Eaters. She let it slip actually when she said something about Reggie."

"Your brother?"

"He's joined as well, as has ninety percent of Slytherin House. I don't know what Voldemort has said to them or how or why he wants so many young kids in his fold, but he's recruited them somehow."

"You think Erica is a Death Eater," Lily concluded.

Sirius nodded. "The thought has crossed my mind."

"Have you mentioned it to Peter?"

"There poses problem number one. I told him that I had heard lots of rumours about everyone in Slytherin House becoming Death Eaters and he told me that wasn't true. He said Erica was worried that some of her friends were making bad choices, but that he wasn't worried she would follow suit. Problem number two, Pete then realized I don't much like Erica and told me I was a jealous prat because he was shagging someone I hadn't ever been with. Problem number three, I punched him in the face and James had to pull the two of us apart."

"You and Peter fought?"

Sirius nodded. "There's something about her, Lily. I don't know what it is but I do know that I'm worried about Pete. He's completely in love with her and I think that because he's so smitten if he were forced to choose her over us, it wouldn't be us."

"He's not going to abandon his friends, Sirius."

"He would if she convinced him too."

"Do you think she's dangerous?" Lily asked, looking at Sirius in surprise. "I mean, she's always given off a strange vibe to me, but I would never consider her to be dangerous."

Sirius shook his head. "I don't know what I think. All I know is that I don't trust her. I thought you would like to know that you're not alone in that unease."

"I think that actually makes me more nervous," she admitted, standing up now and slipping her shoes back on. "Let's go down to dinner, my stomach is rumbling."

Sirius stood up too. "Lily, do you think I'm crazy?"

Lily shook her head. "No, I don't and that's what worries me. What do James and Remus think about this?"

"They partially agree with me, but neither one of them has seen Erica or spoken to her half as much as I have. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

"I think you're right. Come on; let's go get some dinner."

Sirius looped his arm through hers as they walked through the halls. "So you really won't share any sexual information with me about you and James?"

"Sirius."

He grinned. "I always share my sexual stories with you."

"That's because you over-share."

He laughed at that, grinning when James came around the corner. "Hey Prongs, Lily won't tell me if she ever gave you a blow job or not?"

James didn't smile or anything. "Come on, Lily, there's been an emergency meeting in the Great Hall."

"What happened?" Lily asked, taking James' hand.

James shook his head. "I don't know but Dumbledore looks … come on."

The three of them hurried into the hall for dinner and the whole hall was subdued. There were some whispers around but no one was speaking. They helped themselves to some food as a few more stragglers for dinner made their way into the hall and then Dumbledore spoke.

"Students, professors, I am afraid that I have some terrible news. Professor Elmer Yahna was murdered."

The whole hall gasped.

"The Divination teacher?" One student whispered.

Professor Dumbledore held up his hands to silence everyone. "Professor Yahna has been teaching Divination at Hogwarts for sixty years. Those of you that have been lucky enough to be in his class know that he was a true seer. He saw things and I think that it was something he saw that got him killed. You are all aware of the growing tension outside of Hogwarts. A man calling himself Lord Voldemort is making a name for himself and is making the world outside more dangerous."

"That's not true," a seventh year Slytherin declared. Lily recognized her as Bellatrix Black. "Lord Voldemort is making the world better! He's working to rid the world of the filth that people like you allow in this castle! Those who are not of a hundred percent magical blood will be flayed alive like cattle! And those who protect them will die screaming!"

Stone guards came into the Great Hall then. James tugged Lily to him, holding her as if to reassure himself that she was still there as the guards cleared the Slytherin table of not only Bella but fifteen other Slytherins who cheered her on.

"I will not have anyone in this school who supports what that mad man is doing. Is there anyone else who would like to leave?" Dumbledore declared. When no one answered, he continued. "Let Miss Black's alarming declaration serve as a warning. To all who do not have a hundred percent magical blood, there are those out there that wish you harm. Watch out for yourselves, for your families. It grows darker out there by the day and I wish to see none of you harmed." The hall stayed silent. "Now let us bow our heads and have a moment of silence for Professor Yahna."

Lily was in shock as she made her way back up to the Head's common room with James, Remus and Sirius. They all were well aware of the growing dangers outside of the castle but this had been a rude awakening.

"I can't believe that happened," Lily said, curling into the armchair next to James.

Remus nodded, scratching his chin. "It's really happening. The last year it's been building and now over the last few months … students here are Death Eaters."

"My cousin is a disgrace."

Lily reached over to touch Sirius' arm. "None of us think anything less of you because of your atrocious family, you know that right?"

Sirius nodded. "Doesn't make me feel any better."

James tugged Lily back towards him, wrapping his arms tightly around her and kissing her cheek. "I won't ever let anything happen to you."

"I know that," she kissed him back. "I can protect myself. But I like knowing that I have you guys around to keep me safe too."

The bell sounded at the portrait hole, telling you that someone was on the other side, and Sirius went to open it for Peter. "Hey Pete."

Peter sat down on couch next to Remus. "Did that really just happen?"

Lily nodded. "I never took Divination but I liked Yahna, he was always nice to me."

"I wonder what he saw," Peter whispered, looking around at his friends. "What could have been so bad that he was killed over it?"

"I don't know," Remus murmured. He stood up, "I … I have to go now, it's starting."

Lily nodded. She stood up and hugged Remus tightly. "Be safe tonight. All of you."

Remus, Peter, and Sirius hurried out of the portrait hole to head to the Shrieking Shack but James grabbed her hand, kissing it. "Promise me that you won't leave the dorm tonight?"

"I promise," she told him. He kissed her and then hurried out after his friends.

Lily pulled out her homework, but she couldn't focus on it. The words that had come out of Bellatrix Black's mouth had scared her. Lord Voldemort has he called himself was definitely getting stronger. Dumbledore was scared. The whole world was beginning to be scared.

She had just given up on her homework when the portrait hole opened and Professor McGonagall came in.

"Miss Evans, we need you and Mr. Potter's assistance immediately. The castle has been invaded. Get the students back into the dorms, we will do the rest."

Lily only nodded, grabbing her wand and hurrying out after McGonagall. When she got into the entrance hall, her eyes widened in surprise and fear. Death Eaters, many of them current Slytherin students, were attacking. The people before her wore long black robes and tall black pointed hats reminding her of her own history books and the Ku Klux Klan. She grabbed a young student and ushered them away, but even the words sounded hollow to her own ears. Hurry back to your dorm, you will be okay.

An arm wrapped around her windpipe and she felt herself being jerked back against someone. She gasped for air, barely managing to get the spell out as the one who grabbed her was sent back into the hall. Then a familiar voice spoke near her ear and she froze.

"The mudblood bitch … do you still think about our time together?"

She screamed as the hooded figure grabbed her and she kicked him in the groin. He went down and Snape stepped in front of her.

"Lily, go! Get the students out!"

She merely nodded, trying to locate the students and get them to safety. She had just seen the last few students hurrying out of the entrance hall and to their dorms when she heard James' voice. She turned and he ran towards her.

"We saw the flashes of light … are you alright?"

Lily nodded, using her wand to disarm one of the Death Eaters coming towards her. James tugged her behind him, but they soon ended up battling back to back.

The professors around then were equally busy with the intruders. It all seemed to be a blur to Lily. Flashes of magic flew around them, some people fell and others looked injured. She felt her body tense up once more when she recognized the cocky swagger of Lucius Malfoy come back towards her.

She didn't move her wand in time before he grabbed her, tossing her wand across the room. "I never got to finish what I started," he told her, grabbing her by the hair as she kicked out at him.

"You won't ever get a chance again!" She struggled in his grasp and watched in amazement as Snape tackled him to the ground in front of her.

James grabbed Lily around the waist and pulled her back, away from the fight. He handed her her wand back and sent a knee-reversing jinx at Malfoy just as he screamed. Snape stepped back, wiping his brow and simply nodded at James before hurrying off.

Malfoy screamed in pain and the pale eyes, seen through the tiny slits in his hooded mask glared daggers at the two of them. "This isn't over! If you think I'm going to let that mudblooded bitch live after all this, you've got something else coming."

James raised his wand but Dumbledore stepped in front of him. Before anyone could move, all of the Death Eaters in the entrance hall disappeared.

"Port keys," Dumbledore murmured, closing his eyes. He turned to look at James and Lily. "Are you two alright?"

James nodded, wrapping his arm around Lily's waist. "Yes."

"You were to get the students away from harms way. What were you thinking, joining the fight?" He demanded as McGonagall hurried towards them.

"Lily was attacked," McGonagall said, tucking her wand away. "I saw it, Albus."

Dumbledore nodded. "I'm relieved you're both safe. Please, go check all of the houses and make sure all of the students are safe and accounted for. Get the prefects to help you."

Lily nodded and quickly let James lead her away from the fray but she heard McGonagall tell Dumbledore that more students had been involved in this attack then the ones they had removed from the castle.

"Are you sure you're alright?" James demanded, stopping in the hallway to look at her.

Lily nodded. "I'm fine, James. Let's go do our duty."

It took them three hours to check all four houses. Everyone was accounted for and thankfully no one was injured. Slytherin was the problem. Another ten Slytherin students had disappeared from the castle, including Severus Snape. When they arrived at Dumbledore's office to fill him in they also learned that another Hogwarts Professor had been murdered. A muggleborn Care of Magical Creatures teacher Professor Anita Berrytree.

They had walked back to the Head's Dorm in silence.

James didn't speak as he pulled Lily into his arms, burying his face in her shoulder.

Lily held him closely, both of them silent.

Finally he pulled back and gave her a small smile. "You sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine, honestly."

"Good," he kissed her forehead and squeezed her hands. "I left Sirius and Wormtail with Moony in the Shack, I have to go back; make sure everything is okay … stay here … please."

Lily smiled and nodded at him, he kissed her cheek and hurried out of the portrait hole. Lily didn't sleep. She stayed curled up in the armchair by the fire wrapped in James' bathrobe, watching the flames in the hearth. When the sun came up, she turned towards the portrait hole and watched as all four of them came in.

She sprung up, throwing herself into James' arms and only then did she let the tears come. Remus, Peter, and Sirius didn't say anything as she cried and James only cradled her in his lap as he sat down in the armchair. When she finished, she smiled at them.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I don't know why I'm crying."

Sirius handed her a tissue and smiled kindly. "It's alright, Lily. James filled us in on what happened last night."

"Muggleborns are really coming under attack," Remus said, scratching his chin. "Obviously Voldemort and his followers are taking a stand and showing Dumbledore they mean business."

"Why attack here? Why kill a professor? Two professors at that?" Peter asked, leaning back in his seat. "It doesn't make sense."

"To prove that no one is safe," James said quietly. "If they can attack Hogwarts, the safest place in the world, then they can attack anywhere. That was the point."

The five of them were quiet.

Sirius pulled out the Daily Prophet from his back pocket. "Anybody look at the paper today?" No one answered so he continued. "I picked it up off of someone's front porch this morning. Some dog jobs just stick with me."

James smiled at that. "Mutt."

Sirius grinned. "The front page caught my attention." He opened it up and began to read aloud:

ATTACK OF MUGGLEBORN PROFESSOR AT HOGWARTS

Written By: Ingrid Little

Last night, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was attacked from within. Many students of Slytherin House were recruited into the cult going by the name of Death Eaters. Their leader Lord Voldemort sent other Death Eaters to assist them.

They came up through the front gate and ill-prepared for the attack, Hogwarts was vulnerable. After the murder of Divination Professor Elmer Yahna only the day before, the castle was in mourning. The attack was specifically on muggleborns and other non purebloods in the castle but the students were all put to safety in time. The only injury was the terrible death of the Care of Magical Creatures professor Anita Berrytree.

Aurors are telling the community to be careful. Stay indoors at night and warn any of your friends or neighbours to do the same.

"It's really starting," Peter said quietly. "The rumours of an upcoming war, it's beginning."

Remus, however had grabbed the paper from Sirius' grasp, eyes widening. "He wrote a fucking manifesto!"

"What?" James exclaimed, looking up at his friend.

"A manifesto! The paper published it. Listen to this!" He began to read aloud:

The Pure Blood Laws is a manifesto that the Daily Prophet received late last night. Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters have demands for the community to follow.

The Pure Blood Laws:

Section 1:

Marriages between Muggle and Pureblood citizens of the magical community or of kindred mudblood relations (including those that are diseased such as relations with vampires, werewolves, giants, trolls, or any other magical creature) are forbidden. Marriages concluded in defiance of this law are void, even if, for the purpose of evading this law, they were concluded abroad.

Proceedings for annulment may be initiated only by Lord Voldemort himself and only concluded by death of the impure party.

Section 2:

Extramarital sexual intercourse between Mudbloods and Purebloods or any other kindred relation of the Magical Community is forbidden.

Section 3:

Muggleborns or mudbloods will not be permitted to employ any citizen of the magical community as domestic workers.

Purebloods may not employ anyone who is not of one hundred percent magical blood unless they are a lowly creature such as a house elf.

Section 4:

Mudbloods or muggleborns are forbidden to carry wands or use magic.

They are permitted to return to the muggle world and live out their pathetic disgusting lives magic free.

All children of disgusting unions shall be forced to return their wands and live their lives as muggles or shall be put to death.

Section 5:

A person who acts contrary to the prohibition of Section 1 will be punished with life in Azkaban.

A person who acts contrary to the prohibition of Section 2 will be punished with death.

A person who acts contrary to the prohibitions of Section 3 or 4 will be tortured until they see the wrong of their ways. If success is not seen, they will be put to death.

Section 6:

Lord Voldemort will have sole control over the Ministry of Magic and all other issues required for the enforcement and supplementing of the above laws.

Section 7:

The above laws will be effective immediately or Lord Voldemort declares war on the United Kingdom.

The Ministry of Magic has not come forward with a statement about the above manifesto. They have until twelve o'clock noon today to make a decision or the country is officially at war.

Remus put the paper down, closing his eyes. "Well, Lily, looks like we might as well just kill ourselves now."

James kissed Lily cheek, shaking his head. "That is complete bullshit. There is no way that the Ministry is ever going to agree to such stupid laws."

"Nuremberg."

"What?" Sirius said, looking over at Lily.

"Nuremberg. They are the same laws implemented in Germany in the 1930s." Lily explained. Upon seeing the blank looks of her friends, she continued. "It's muggle history. In the 1930s, this man named Adolf Hitler was very charismatic and he wanted to help rebuild his country after the disasterous debt that they were stuck in after the First World War. People were happy that someone wanted to help and they looked towards him for assistance. He was so charismatic that many of them didn't quite realize his racist intentions until later on. He blamed all of Germany's problems on the Jewish people. The Jewish were a big community in Germany and many Jews had been on the government and signed the Treaty of Versailles when the war ended. Hitler claimed that Germany would have won the war if the Jews hadn't betrayed them. In hindsight, this would never would have happened. But he blamed them and when he took power he began to make laws against them. They were called the Nuremberg Laws and upon hearing what you just read, Remus, it sounds like Voldemort took those laws and rewrote them for himself about muggleborns instead of Jews."

"Did he succeed?" James asked.

Lily nodded. "He did. He did terrible things and he brainwashed a population into following him because those that didn't disappeared or were killed. People were terrified to disobey him. He murdered millions of Jewish people or they were murdered on his orders, but its the same thing. Voldemort is essentially attempting the same fate. To purify the magical race."

Sirius shook his head, standing up now to pace. "He's not going to succeed. First of all, there is no fucking way that the Ministry is ever going to agree to this manifesto! If witches and wizards hadn't started branching out to the muggle community, we would have died out. Everyone knows that!"

"It doesn't matter to everyone. Sometimes, what people know and what they believe are separate entities." James said, kissing Lily's forehead again. "But you are right, the Ministry will not yield to those terms. We're officially at war."

James's words had rung true. When the Evening Prophet was released that evening it stated that the Ministry of Magic and therefore the entire magical community of the United Kingdom had declared war on Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters.