Chapter 4

Spinners End

Severus arrived back to his cottage after a shaky conversation with his headmaster, his head throbs painfully, and he felt his throat dry. He opens the fridge, slices the lemon, and attempts to squeeze it on his throat. he winced from the taste until he brews pepper-up potion which later he heard a loud knock. groaning, he ignored it to have an eye-level on the cauldron. The knock continues for several minutes. Severus already finished the potion but groans loudly that he mutters. 'coming'. he opens the door and saw Marlene or what's left of her. She collapsed onto Severus' arm. His eyes grew alarmed on who knocked on the door until he heard the sound "Don't hurt me, I am unharmed" The familiar sound of Peter Pettigrew said. Severus motions the rat to go inside and attempted to lock the door.

He sets the unconscious woman on the bed upstairs while staring over the shivering man. He looked on the window and the rain was going thicker. He sees Pettigrew comfortably sitting on the chair, and staring at the clock as if it amused him. Severus decides to ignore it and offers the rat some tea which he nods. He settles the kettle boiling and kept on staring at the fidgeting man. The kettle screamed, which he set the heat off and brought two small teacups, pouring the tea. He handed over to Peter which he courtesies. "Thank you" and then he sat.

It was awkward midnight for the two gentlemen, more so awkward for Severus, They barely spoke, neither have eye contact. It wasn't until it went half past 2 and Peter starts screaming at the top of the lungs. "I HAVE DID IT SEVERUS, I HAVE INJURED MARLENE, THE DARK LORD MADE ME DO IT, THE DARK LORD PUSHED ME TO DO IT. NOW, WHAT SHOULD I DO. MY COVER WILL BE BLOWN, AND SIRIUS WILL HAVE MY THROAT!" Peter whines. Severus continues to listen while taking a couple of sips, luckily the rat has a poor mind so it would be fun to prod inside, and that's what Severus did. Severus smirks and then waited until Peter calms down which he did. "I think you know what you are doing Wormtail," Severus said, and that caught the hysterical man's attention. 'W...WHAT?" Peter stutters. "What? cat got your tongue? I said, you are changing part of your story, now tell me. How does a squirming rat, with zero knowledge on dark spells whatsoever, knows the ancient Latin curse which I clearly don't know, neither the Dark Lord keens to know hmm? I mean that must have been one heck of a curse. using it to make me the one who actually cast it in front of Miss McKinnon in order to set the Marauders a trap? That was an ingenious yet intelligent plan coming from you" Severus said. "Don't play games with me Snivellis, I had no choice" Peter calms down and took a sip. "I believe you have the choice, and you were so keen to do it. No, I will not help your little friend there. I am not gonna be part of this game you are devising." Severus. In a matter of seconds, Severus sees Peter begging to him under his robes, pleading for some help to make her awake. "And why should I do that? The Dark Lord must have sent a message by now. Are you afraid that she would remember you? Oh. I see you erased her memories. You want to bring her in Saint Mungos, planning to be a hero in Sirius's eyes, and waiting for her to wake up in order she has no memories so you can walk freely, pretending to be shocked that she was badly hurt. Such a sneaky thought from a man who is chivalrous and brave as Gryffindor" Severus smirks. "I AM NOT ASKING YOU SNIVELLIS. I AM TELLING YOU!" Peter half shout, half shivers. Severus dropped the cup on the table and glare to the cowering man. If looks could be real, Peter would've been dead by now. "My answer is no" Severus exclaims. "Please Snivellis, I will owe you, I will owe you anything, please. They have my mum, they would kill her in any second, please!" Peter begged. Severus seems to think for a moment, and then he grinned. "For now on, you listen to both The Dark Lord and me, if I find you rat onto anyone, especially pompous Lucius, The Dark Lord is the least of your worries. Not your precious James Potter would protect you when I tell him everything. Fine, I will help, but this war you have made, has already begun, Now listen to what I would say...

27th March 1980

Potter Manor

Today is the day! it is James, 20th Birthday! Lily couldn't control her excitement, not only that, they have just discovered hours ago that the baby would be a boy! Oh, Lily would spoil the baby, and embarrass him when he grows up. She had help from Alice, and she hadn't heard a thing from Marlene, not even a letter. They were setting up the candles of the manor. James left the manor for his Auror duties weeks ago, the Ministry somehow gave him a formal apology, he, Sirius, and Remus resumed their position. Since then, James barely comes home for working two shifts, Auror duties, and the Order.

This time he had a day off, but he is outside with Sirius, Remus, and Frank for a celebration after hearing good news about James' baby. Lily smiles at the decoration and Alice smiles back for their hard work. "Look at us, two pregnant women. Standing up to help a grown man celebrating birthday party" Alice jokes. Lily laughs loudly and nods to Alice. Somehow Alice senses the tension on Lily's lips and she consoled her hand and quickly said, "She will be fine Lils. Marlene is as tough as nails, you know that" Alice said with a sad smile. "I know, it is just, don't you think it is a coincidence, that they are targetting two of Sirius's love-lives? as if drawing him to actually kill someone?" Lily said. "I do believe the coincidence because Sirius bears the name Black, let's not forget they want James too. James is much more powerful than Sirius in terms of aura." Alice said. "I know, I am powerful too, maybe not as powerful as James, but my aura is off the charts. I just hope she is safe and well, I wouldn't bare losing them" Lily said while touching her gigantic belly. "Don't worry Lily Flower, James loves you, including Sirius, They will never denounce their ways, they have rejected You-Know-Who twice, the third time would not work," Alice said. Lily nods and hopes.

Lily and Alice has set the decorations, the fireplace fired green, revealing, Ted, Andromeda first, Kingsley Shacklebot, Amelia and her brother Edgar Bones came minutes later, Amos Diggory, his wife, his three-year-old son Cedric came after the Bones, Marsha (James ex) came after 5 minutes, Augusta Longbottom, Madame Figg, Bathilda Bagshot, Rubeus Hagrid, Fillius Flitwick, Horace Slughorn, and Minerva McGonagall at the same time. It was bunch of people, most of them are teachers whom the girls knew. They brought their presents, including baby presents for Lily's child, and they bid a happy birthday for James. Lily sets the presents on the corner and motions them to sit comfortably and wait for the birthday man

It was exactly 5 PM, and the lights were off, Lily couldn't wait to see the look on his face for the huge crowd. She heard the laughter between James and Sirius and then as soon as they turn on the lights. A huge "SURPRISE!" alludes James. His eyes widened in shock to see the large amount and he blushed. "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to James. Happy Birthday to you." All of them said. Lily came close and grabbed his hand to rub on the belly and then she kissed him deeply, and passionately. "Happy Birthday my love," Lily said with a grin. "Merlin Lils, that was the best birthday surprise I have ever had. Got to think of this, thank you my love" James said, turning to the crowd he cleared his throat. "I am deeply infatuated to see you all there, bothering your time to be in this hour, attending, and celebrating my birthday, and I am honored. All I have to say is thank you all, I wish you all blessed with happiness in these dark times. Let's celebrate."

The birthday party went well for the past 4 hours, some enchanted snitches to bother Lily, some miniature broomsticks that were charmed to act as fireworks (Lily knows the term), and some drinking contest which Lily gladly lost and the reigning champion is James despite Remus was a couple of shots ahead due to his incredible wolf stamina. Some had stayed, some had left for their day jobs of tomorrow, Only the school friends remained except one that slowly took over their minds before anyone would ask, Lily heard a loud knock. Who must be? at 11 PM? She peeped through the peephole, and her eyes widened to see Peter holding a body. She opened the door, and she gasped. "Lily, thank merlin, I need your help, bring the gang to Saint Mungo's now" Peter's lips quivered. "What happen Peter?" Lily mustered the courage to ask. "Can't answer now, she is unconscious, we have to head Saint Mungos, tell the Marauders" Peter said. Before Lily asked who was the woman, he had disappeared with apparation. Her face was deathly pale, and she turned to the curious friends. "What did Wormtail want Lils?" Sirius of all of them asks. Lily felt her mouth being glued as if she cannot open it, as if Sirius read her mind, he brought his coat, and head to the place Peter heads to, not for long James, Remus, and Frank followed. James stayed behind and nods to Frank for sending the message to Alice "Stay here Lily, you and Alice are too tired and too excited for the party, We will go what Wormtail leads to and we will be back for some information, we promise" James said. "No, I sense something familiar with the woman, Alice and I will go" Lily refuses stubbornly. "But Lils" James tried. "Don't Lils to me," Lily said. James sighs loudly, and so he mutters a charm to ease their bellies while transporting from the Manor to the place Peter goes.

Lily did not feel the sweat from the charm, It is as if apparating but without the nagging sensation. She told them the destination and so they headed inside the hospital, there they find a pacing Peter. James and Sirius were the first to calm Peter. Peter's eyes widened, and it gave Lily an uncomfortable feeling about Peter, something is wrong on the guy. "Oh James, Sirius, promise me not to lose your shits," Peter said. Lily could see the hesitation between the two gentlemen at first but they nodded. "It is Marlene, I...I was walking in Thames River in Muggle London, and I happen to see her at the river, I panicked and tried to resuscitate her but her pulse was weak. I couldn't find anyone to tell so the first place I know is your house, James." Peter said. Lily came close and touched James from the back, James sensed the warm hands and he rejoined the touch by putting his hand. He silently cursed himself for a moment but halted by seeing Sirius choking Peter or trying to suffocate him. "You found her dying, and you did not even send her to Dumbledore! Tell me Rat! tell me that you TRIED!" Sirius shouted and it alerted the busy people. "Padfoot, let Wormtail go," James said, trying to calm Sirius, but Sirius did not hear him and applied a bit of pressure where the suffocating boy turned blue. "Let him go, you are lucky he found her, not one of those Death Eaters, We will know by tomorrow, so leave him," James said. Sirius saw the genuine concern on James hazel eyes, and he let him go. Peter gasp for breath and then glared onto Sirius. "What was that for? You should thank that it was me" Peter said while holding his bruised neck. "Get out of my sight Wormtail before I lose my shit. GET OUT!" Sirius screams. Remus came close and hugged the shivering man, leading him to go outside. Lily then proceeds to hug Sirius and so they waited for the healer to say. The healer left the surgery room for 15 minutes and he sighs that sounds relief in Lily's ears. "The surgery is still running, but it was a successful start, we will begin the full surgery shortly. I want to know who will be responsible for Miss McKinnon?" The healer asks. "That would be me," Both James and Sirius said. "I mean any parental figure, I understand she has both friends who worry about her but does she have any parental figure in order to sign the inquiry?" Lily sees the puzzling expression on the two men, so she spoke on their behalf. "Her father, Lord Alphard McKinnon. He lives in Kent, I will floo to his cottage." Lily said. The Healer nods, and ushers them to come back at the morning, James and Sirius decide to remain at the hospital, much to Lily's protest, so she stood with them while Alice, Frank, Remus, and Peter left the hospital.

The next day, Lily slept uncomfortably. considering She was craning her neck onto James' shoulder, so the neck pain was hissing in her body. She did not find Sirius, James told her that Sirius was outside, taking some fresh air, she nods, and she kept on staring at the clock, hoping for some miracle that Marlene is ok. It was about 15 minutes, and her father rushed toward the surgery room, worry on his frail face, and he glanced over James, hoping that he would get good news. "Oh goodness gracious, I found you two." Lord Alphard said. Lily instantly stood up where Lord McKinnon helped her to balance. She hugged him with tears on her eyes, the man nods with sympathy. She returned to sit on the chair and glanced over James, nodding.

The healer left the surgery with a grim on his face, that looked not good into Lily's eyes, she saw Lord Alphard, approaching through the grey-haired healer, and then she saw Lord Alphard collapsing, crying. The healer summoned two junior healers to let the poor man rest where he approaches over the couple. "I am afraid, Miss McKinnon will be no longer with us. She has been tortured with a very dark and old curse. It is in Latin, and I am afraid I don't know the name. I will conduct my research and inform you of my results" the healer said. Lily gasped and let her hands on her eyes, and then she looked into James with a rage she has never seen from him. To make things worse, Sirius shows up right at the moment of the healer revealing the devastating news. Sirius burst his aura magic accidentally but luckily it did not kill or maim anyone, the healer injected a calming draught onto Sirius' neck and he collapsed into sleep. Lily felt hot tears, leaking through her pale skin, and she saw Lord Aphard blanch out, it was truly the worst birthday week.

12 Grimmauld Place.

James and his wife Lily arrived back safely due to the Patronus of Frank, telling that Albus must have summoned an emergency meeting. James looked onto the sleeping form of Sirius, but the healer ushered them that Sirius is fine, he just has a panic attack, James nods and then he sets a portkey.

The sensation of the place is worse than ever, worse than the last meeting of Olivia's disappearance. James felt and looked shit, his wife felt the same, his stubble that he did not shave two weeks ago, felt itchier, and he has no time to even grab a razor, He flinched when he felt hands on his shoulder, it was Remus with his sad look. "I am sorry Jamie," Remus said. James nods to Remus and then he proceeds to hug his old friend. it wasn't until Albus shows up with Alastor Moody right beside him, that did not look good. "I am afraid our worst nightmare became true, Lord Voldemort has breached the Ministry, slaughtering everyone inside, two hours ago Minister Jenkins was brutally murdered," Albus said. The members gasped, and James felt his blood, boiling. He approaches close to his former headmaster, speaking. "I say we hit them, we hit them hard," James said. "That's a good plan James, what if we get there, and they decide to ambush us, killing us one by one" Alastor stared onto James, who is blushing hard. "I know she means everything to you, but we have to be decisive, they are doing this to bring you and Sirius into their trap, We will hit them, but with strategy," Alastor said. "I say, the ministry has an abandoned underground that stretches a mile deep. We can breach there, and stop them leaving the ministry phone booth" Alice said. "That's... a great plan, I have never seen the underground before, I thought it was a myth. Tell me what was your job again Miss Longbottom?" Alastor asked. "Frank told me, and he works for Department of Magical Transportation," Alice said, blushing for her husband's promotion. "If we have ambushed them, and secure, sending them back to Azkaban, I will give Order of Merlin to Auror Frank Longbottom," Alastor said. "I say we concur with our plan," Albus said. "Who will be our acting minister Albus?" Professor McGonagall asked from behind. She must have come late since she wasn't present at the beginning of the meeting. James could've sworn that he saw Albus sighing. "That would be Cornelius Fudge Minerva," Albus said. "That baldy lanky, I remember him paranoid over you being the potential minister. He is young" Professor McGonagal almost shout. James felt his mouth grin wider for the tone she was doing, and she looked into his eyes with a death glare. "I know he is in his late 30s, but he is our best choice, for now, he will not be for long. I have talked with Lord Francis Bones to take the post, but Lord Francis is busy with his niece's delivery soon. Once we deal with the Death Eaters, we will bring Lord Francis shortly, so we have to deal with Cornelius by now. I say the meeting has been dismissed" Albus said. James felt warm hands, entwining through his hands, and he managed to bring a weak smile over Lily, She kissed his cheek and whispers to him 'be careful'. James nods, and he cannot wait to find who is responsible for Marlene's condition.

The Ministry of Magic

James and the order members had arrived at the Muggle London which Alice briefed, she was indeed right about it, there was an abandoned underground, buried under the tunnel. Alastor muttered Lumos, and so they went all the way to the wooden door. Alastor cast alohomora. "The underground has been abandoned, and the previous ministers did not even manage to cast a strong charm for the door which anyone can open with a basic spell" Alastor laughs on his own joke. James ignored the awful joke, his mind was set to find the man who did that, he will have his own peace of mind. It wasn't until they were at the department of mysteries. They opened the door, and they heard Lord Voldemort sort of lecturing them. James felt his blood going cold by hearing The Dark Lord's deathly calm voice. Alastor motions James to stand at the east while Frank on the west. "Both of you wait for my mark and fire Stupefy," Alastor said. James and Frank nodded. After the Dark Lord concluded his speech, James saw the signal, and he fired Stupefy on couple Death Eaters, he managed to dodge a curse from a beefy Death Eaters, and he disarmed a lanky death eater. He saw Frank struggling with the only female Death Eater who laughs maniacally, and he muttered levi corpus which threw the female Death Eater away. He saw Frank shouting 'thanks' and James smiled. He was stopped by a couple of Death Eaters which they throw bone saw curse which made him howl in pain. James' rage was so evident, that he single-handedly disarmed, and stunned nearly half of the Death Eaters. Then he came face to face to an awfully familiar Death Eater, wearing a silver mask, and his robes were dark, kind of reminding him that feud he had back in school. The man was quick and resilient, he shot a couple of jinxes, and James dodged, James managed to lift a statue wandlesly and threw it on the man which the man evaded the statue with diffindo which James felt a pang of familiarness. They were throwing jinxes and the man throws some curses, James had enough and let his raw magic burst, which threw the man unconsciously. James saw him, lying there with a pose which reminds him of a greasy git by the name of Snivelis. Blind with rage, he approaches over the unconscious man and ripped through the mask, eyes widening over the blood, leaking through Snivelis' nose. He punched through Severus' chest hard. "THIS IS FOR MARLENE YOU BASTARD!" A punch on his ribs. "WHAT DID SHE DO WITH YOU!" A hard punch on the face. "WHAT WOULD LILY DO WHEN SHE SEES YOU LIKE THIS!" James couldn't control his rage, and when he hears the spine-tingling laugh. "Good James, good. Now for you to take on his place, kill him, and to do that, you must let the hate flow with you" Lord Voldemort said. James suddenly felt his handshake and he sees Severus disfigured face, due to his frequent punches. He stared onto the ruby beam of the Dark Lord, and with an instinct, he aimed his wand which the Dark Lord disarmed with no effort. "Such a weak heart, you do remind me of my worthless professor, he is blinded with lies they have told you, such a pity that you decide to throw that on some muggle. Lily, I've heard? I will spare you, but I will hunt her, and slit her throat before she even says 'goodbye life'" The Dark Lord smirked. "YOU BASTARD!" James' raw magic burst again and his eyes widened to see a flick of blood on the Dark Lord's porcelain skin. "Normally I would be so proud of your rage if you work for me, but I cannot allow you to live. crucio!" The Dark Lord cast the pain curse, and James felt pain like he never felt before, it felt like hot, white needles, poking through his skin. It was unbearable and the Dark Lord lifted the curse. "Goodbye James Potter. cr..." Before the Dark Lord mutters the curse, a wave of blue flames engulfed him. James saw his former headmaster dueling over the Dark Lord, and then he saw Alastor lending a hand. James accepted the hand but it felt cold, it felt numb. before he knows it, he has collapsed into darkness.

Author's note: This is the last chapter of James 'third' encounter with Voldemort, the next few chapters will be about the boy who lived but with twists and turns, I want your feedback.