Chapter 36

The snow felt soft and yet solid under Amanda's bare skin. Her chest was rising and falling in quick motions and she tried to steady her breathing. It was next to impossible though. The adrenaline rush was like something out of a Quidditch game. She felt alive, more alive than she had in weeks. And yet she knew that someone else would never feel that way again. That more than anything brought her back to the present.

Slowly she rolled onto her back and closed her eyes. Her arm felt at a strange angle and that was when she realised she was still clutching James' foot. Gently she released her grip and brought both hands to her eyes.

It was dark in the village. There were no lights which wasn't that odd considering it must be around one in the morning. She knew the pub closed early on Christmas Eve because most people were at home with their families. The only source of light was the pale moon and the stars. They seemed so bright from where she laid and it was almost like being back in Astronomy lessons again.

A shiver ran through her body as the snow began to melt through her almost non-existent clothing. It didn't help that the air was still with a bitter chill. After what felt a lifetime she turned and looked to her left. James lying on top of his mother's body. Like her he was barely dressed and she could see the Goosebumps all along his back and onto his arms. Her brain was starting to function again and although the last thing she wanted to do was to get up and move, or try to move James she realised that they would freeze unless she did something.

She quietly muttered a warming charm around them, but it didn't give her much comfort. Maybe it was because it wasn't just the cold that was freezing them. Silently she watched as her friend who had always been so strong broke down. His sobs were rocking his body as he clutched to his mother. She wanted to help him, to hold him in her arms and give him some sort of comfort. Yet she couldn't bring herself to.

Instead she needed to be useful. She needed to get Dumbledore. She needed him to sort this out. To help her get James into Hogwarts, into the safety that only the school could bring anymore. But she couldn't leave him there. What if the Death Eaters thought to come here? He wouldn't be able to fight. It would be down to her. There was only one thing she could think to do.

She stood up and started to yell.

"HELP! PLEASE WE NEED HELP!"

She walked a little way from James and yelled some more. The people in the village surely would hear her; she had never been considered a quiet person. As her yells became more frantic lights went on around her. She watched as windows were opened and people looked out. She knew they could make her out stood in the snow and that they would see the boy on the floor sobbing.

Knowing that she had done everything she could Amanda felt the need to protect James from the stares. She knew that people would very quickly work out what had happened. Dropping once more onto the snow she gently placed her hand on James' back. He was freezing despite her charm.

She was unsure of what to do for the best which for her was a rare thing. So she ran her hand along James' back onto his shoulder. She wrapped her other hand under his stomach to form a sort of shielding hug. Then lowering her head onto his back she held him. She could feel his sobs and she gently spoke comforting words. She didn't know if he understood a word of what she said but it didn't matter. It was a comfort to herself.

She heard a door on their left open and footsteps in the snow.

"What's happened?"

It was Rosmerta's voice. She'd know it anywhere. She lost count of the number of times that voice had asked her what she would like to drink. The number of times that voice had laughed at a joke that they were telling or at a prank they were telling her about. It was a soothing voice. But now it held something that sounded foreign to it. Amanda heard the gasp as she rested her head on James' back trying to hold back any tears that were threatening. She needed to be strong, now wasn't the time to cry.

She felt like a small child being caught doing something naughty. She didn't think about being an adult and being strong. All she could think of was holding onto James. His body rocking sobs kept her mind from closing down. She needed to keep her head for James' sake. Yet she was so caught up in the two of them that she was ignorant to those around them. She knew that there were people there but she didn't know that Ambrosius Flume the owner of Honeydukes had called for someone to fetch Dumbledore. She didn't know that somebody was at that moment running up to Hogwarts.

She was only brought back to the present when someone's hands came around her body.

"Let me go!"

Her voice sounded odd to her. But the one that spoke back was soft and comforting.

"Come on dear let's go inside the pub. It's warmer in there."

Rosmerta wasn't going to take no for an answer. She gripped Amanda's arm and pulled her up off of James. She felt that she was leaving her friend exposed now. First to the cold and secondly to all those stood around. But she had no choice but to be guided into the pub by the older woman. However Amanda did turn to see James. The owner of the Hogs Head was trying to pull him off the body of Jacqueline. James didn't give up easily though and started to fight. As she was pulled inside the bar she saw the owner of Zonkos run over to help the old man pull James up from the ground. Then the door closed.

Rosmerta directed Amanda to a chair and she fell into it without much help. Now that she felt safe the exhaustion was starting to hit her. She had been tired before the attack; it had been her idea to go to bed in the first place. All she wanted to do was put her head down and sleep. But she knew that it would be many hours before she found rest. She wouldn't rest until James had.

It felt like hours before the door opened again and he was led in by the Hogs Head man. James looked very reluctant but the old man was steering him in with some purpose. Amanda noticed that James' eyes were red and puffy and felt her stomach jolt. She had never seen James this way before, it was like looking at a different person. Even after his fathers death he hadn't reacted this way, but then he hadn't witnessed that.

A thought suddenly hit Amanda making her feel sick. When Henry Potter had died Amanda had been dating James. She had been the one who had comforted him following the discovery. She had spoken soft words to him and spent weeks helping him overcome his grief. It was happening again. It was her and James alone and she was the one who would end up having to comfort him following his mother's death. The universe had a strange way of bringing them together. Amanda was beginning to feel like the mother of the group. And that was a very strange feeling.

She was jolted from her thoughts as she was pulled to her feet by James. She had been lost in her thoughts and hadn't noticed him run towards her. His hug was fierce and she was sure that she would be left with bruises. But she didn't care. She wrapped her arms around him again and held him as tightly as she could. His head dropped to her shoulder and she heard his sobs again.

They dropped to the floor at some point and Amanda just held him. She rubbed his back and spoke soft soothing words. The tears were sat in her own eyes and yet she wouldn't let them fall. She wanted to be strong for James. She wanted to help him and her own tears would only hinder that.

She didn't know how long they were sat like that. She didn't notice as the Hogs Head man and the Honeyduke and Zonko owners carried Jacqueline passed them up stairs to a private room. She was unaware that the pub was filling up with locals or that Rosmerta was handing out drinks to steady nerves. She didn't know that there were people crying around them at the sight of them comforting each other. She didn't even know that Dumbledore had arrived.

The man looked at them and walked up the stairs. Amanda was ignorant to this. But finally she looked up and her dark brown eyes connected with blues ones that usually twinkled. It was the stoic look in those that caused the first tear to brush against her lashes. James didn't look up at the man. His eyes had closed and his sobs had become silent but his body still shook with emotion. Amanda held him tightly as she looked at the man.

She watched as the man walked towards them. His movements were silent as she stroked James' hair. The Headmaster stopped and spoke to everyone who called to him as he crossed the room. They wanted to know what had happened. Wanted to know the identity. She was sure he was telling them that it was Jacqueline Potter and explaining James to them. But that was all.

In a silent movement Dumbledore lowered himself onto the floor next to them. It didn't feel at all strange for the man to be in flowing blue robes on the floor. If it had been anyone else maybe it would have been odd but not Dumbledore. When he spoke his words were very soft and Amanda knew nobody else would hear them.

"I need to know exactly what happened."

It was Amanda who found the strength to relate the truth. She didn't mind having to retell it. She needed to repeat what had happened to digest it. She found it easier to talk about it now. She knew that if she didn't she wouldn't have any rest. But she followed Dumbledore's example and spoke in such a soft voice that it didn't sound like hers.

"We'd just gone to bed when Jacqueline screamed. The four of us ran to the landing. There was one Death Eater on the stairs fighting Jacqueline and another five down in the lobby. I got mine and James' brooms and we flew drawing the attentions while Sirius and Alice fired spells. Then Jacqueline got hit. James was knocked off his broom and was holding her. I didn't think I hit the Death Eater with a numbing spell, caught his shoulder, and jumped at James. I brought him here."

When she stopped she noticed the look on Dumbledore's face. He looked slightly troubled and it was odd to see that on him. He usually had the answers and what he found out was something that just backed up a theory he already had. That didn't seem to be the case this time.

"What happened to Alice and Sirius?"

Amanda opened her mouth but nothing came out. Alice and Sirius. They had slipped her mind completely. She had left her friend and boyfriend to fight Death Eaters. She knew that James needed to be removed from there but she should have thought of them. The tears were falling from her eyes now for a moment.

"I don't know Sir. I just grabbed James and left. You don't think they're still there do you?"

Now she felt panicked. What if they'd been killed? She'd never forgive herself if they had. What if she would never see Sirius again? She hadn't even told him she loved him. No she couldn't lose him now. She couldn't. She loved him; she was planning to spend forever with him. But what if her actions had caused the Death Eaters to kill them.

Dumbledore's hand came to her shoulder and his words were soft still.

"I'm sure they are fine. They probably left just as you did."

Amanda wanted to believe Dumbledore and she would have if there hadn't been something in his voice that sounded worried. She watched as he stood up and headed back over to a few people. She watched him speak to Rosmerta and the Hogs Head man. They seemed to agree on something and then the two men left and Rosmerta came over to them.

"Albus has gone to the house to check if Alice and Sirius are there and his brother has gone to see the Aurors."

Her words were soft and comforting. James didn't react but Amanda's brain took one word in. Brother. Aberforth Dumbledore, of course, they had the same eyes. In other conditions she would have wondered over the fact that he was the owner of the Hogs Head. But now wasn't the time. Now she silently continued to hold tightly to James soothing him. All the while her stomach was knotted with worry over Sirius. Where was he?

The bar was beginning to fill up with villagers. They had heard commotion and had decided to come and discover what was happening for themselves. Amanda felt that they could have the decency not to stare at the two of them. But she knew they were the best entertainment and gossip for the village now. Rosmerta placed a bottle of firewhisky on the table next to them with two glasses. Amanda looked at them but left it unopened. Drinking wasn't a good idea yet.

***

The time seemed not to alter and yet in reality it was flying by. The attack took place around midnight and it was getting close to five o'clock. James had gone silent and Amanda wondered if he was sleeping. She didn't like to check though. She wouldn't be surprised if he were though because she felt he probably wore himself out with crying.

The pub had gotten quiet as most people had headed back to their homes. A small group though remained sat in the corner with Rosmerta. Maybe they thought that the Death Eaters might track the two of them and that it was security thing. Or possibly they were the noisy ones in the neighbourhood who were waiting for the Aurors.

Amanda had been wondering for hours about the Aurors. They must have been to the house now. Aberforth was likely there too along with Dumbledore. She worried that maybe Sirius and Alice had remained behind and their bodies were being viewed now. Or maybe they had gotten away and the two Dumbledore's would be searching for them. She liked that idea best.

She tried to work out where they would have gone. She had wondered if maybe they would have picked Hogsmeade too. But that hadn't been the choice. Maybe Sirius had taken Alice to his house. She had wondered about checking it out. But James was heavy and she didn't want to move him. Plus she felt certain Dumbledore had ordered Rosmerta to keep them there.

The sound of movement drew her attention and she watched as the door opened and closed. Her eyes did a double take as Frank came rushing into the pub. He was in a pair of striped pyjamas with a black cloak over it. His eyes were scanning the room and then they were on her. The grey sparkled with relief as he came running over.

"Amanda! James! Thank Merlin!"

He sounded as tired as she felt. It was strange hearing his voice. The pub had been silent for hours, at least towards her and James. The space between him and them shortened and then he was on the floor in front of them. His arms wrapped around the two of them and she felt his lips on her head.

"Have you been to the house?"

The two looked at James. It was the first thing he had said in hours. In fact it startled Amanda that he was still awake.

"Nothing there mate, well except the Dark Mark."

A silence loomed over them as the door opened again. Amanda saw Moody enter followed by the two Dumbledore's. But she turned back to Frank again.

"Any sign of Alice and Sirius at the house?"

He looked a little puzzled a second before giving a very brief and soft laugh that sounded odd to everyone in the pub.

"They turned up at my mum's house about half twelve. I went straight to Moody and got to the house. They're both fine. A little shocked and grieving. But not injured."

Amanda smiled for what felt the first time in years. Frank's attention was back on James.

"Listen mate I'm really sorry. If there's anything you need at all you let me know okay. We're all in this together remember."

James gave a little nod as Alastor Moody made his way over to them.

"Right you two I need you to tell me everything. Let's see why don't we go upstairs."

Amanda was about to protest when Albus Dumbledore leaned in and said something. She knew what he would be saying. Jacqueline's body was still upstairs. Moody gave a nod and looked in a corner.

"Okay then. Frank help them up and over into the corner. We'll talk there…"

***

It was hours that they spent in that corner talking. Amanda repeated things so many times that she felt they would be engraved on her brain. James too spoke. His words were raspy and barely audible. Yet Moody understood everything. It was close to eight when the questioning finished. Amanda felt drained. She wanted to sleep. Yet she was sure there was a lot more she would have to do before she would have that luxury.

"I think it might be best if I take them up to the school. Alastor do you agree?"

Moody was moving on to question the villagers about their arrival. He turned and looked at the Headmaster and gave a nod.

"Yes. That might be best. Longbottom you help get them up there."

Amanda smiled at Frank as she stood up. Her legs felt like jelly. Dumbledore took hold of James and helped him up. Frank's arms went around Amanda's shoulders and she rested her head against his chest. The four in silence walked up towards the castle. Her eyes kept closing and she knew that if Frank hadn't been supporting her she'd have fallen on her face.

They reached the gates before she realised. They opened and they were ushered inside. She heard the word hospital wing and an argument from James. Then they were outside the common room. The portrait opened and they were led inside. Dumbledore had left and she was sat on the armchair with Frank while James was laid out on the sofa.

She felt like she would sleep but then James brought her round.

"What if they targeted Lily? I need to get over there!"

"They haven't mate. I checked already."

"Is she okay?"

"I didn't go in. The house was silent and there was no mark. It's only your house that has been targeted."

"I need to see her."

Amanda rubbed her eyes looking at him.

"Okay. I'll take you to Lily."

"I can take myself."

"James."

She said it softly and he understood what she was hinting at. He wasn't in any shape to use magic. Frank though stroked her hair and said softly.

"You're practically sleeping Mand. You should sleep."

"No I'll go to Remus and Peter and tell them before they find out through the radio or a newspaper. And then I can go back and get James and bring him back here."

"What are you doing here?"

They all looked up to see Branwen on the stairs. The clock chimed nine and they jumped. Frank was up and talking to her quickly as Amanda moved over to James.

"Are you sure you want to go now. Maybe you should get some sleep."

"I need to see that she's okay Mand. They've taken one person I love from me; I want to make sure they haven't taken two."

Looking up at Frank she gave a little nod. Standing they headed to the portrait hole. Branwen was with them in seconds. She was holding James crying softly.

"I'm so sorry James."

"Thanks."

"Where are you going?"

"Lily's."

"But –"

Amanda broke in.

"We'll be back tonight. We can sort everything out then."

As they walked down the marble stairs Branwen turned into a side passage to head to her father. She would tell him that they had gone so he could inform Dumbledore. As they reached the gates Frank spoke up.

"You should come for lunch. Mum isn't going to let Alice or Sirius leave until she's fed them up."

James gave him a little head shake.

"I'm staying with Lily."

Amanda though smiled gently.

"Food. My stomach thinks my throats been cut. Dinner will be good."

Then with pops they were gone.