A/N: I think it is time for some long overdue thanks to my readers.
Roarke: Am I that obvious? I was watching the Matrix when I decided to integrate that into my story. I'm glad that you like it though.
Harry's Lost Sis: Thanks for the encouragement. It really means a lot.
Arthurs Merlin: It's painfully obvious that I know nothing about Merlin and his times. Morganna was just the first famous witch that I could think of, so, I used her.
Dodger and Amelia: I'm sorry that you hate cliffhangers, I'm rather partial to writing them. I guess it makes me feel powerful to have a reader at my mercy.
To everyone else: Here's the next part like you asked for, hope that you like it! And once again, THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH!!!!!
Disclaimer: You know all about it, so I'm not even going to say it.
Chapter 11
The massive, white stag stared at Lily unblinkingly. *Does she remember me? She's looking at me as though she does. God, she loks wonderful. Would she freak out if I transformed myself right now and kissed her?* Prongs chuckled at himself. *I wonder how he's touched her. I'm going to kill him. When I get my hands on him, I won't need a curse to kill him. I'll tear him apart with my bare hands, and there won't be a hit wizard in the galaxy who will be able to stop me!*
"Prongs?" Lily said. "Don't transform now. Just get me out of here." The stag nodded his great, antlered head and knelt down on all fours. Lily climbed upon his back and they raced up the mountain trail.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Voldemort apperated in Andrew's living room. "Stevenson!" He bellowed. Andrew swept into the room with an air of grace and dignity until he saw who beckoned him. It was his Master.
"Master!" Andrew tripped over the footstool in his haste to reach the dark lord. "How are you this evening? We were just sitting down to dinner. Would you like to join us? What can I do for you?"
Voldemort grinned at Andrew's ramblings. "I'm just here for some answers. I have reason to believe that the memory charm that I placed on her is beginning to wear off. I need to know what else I can do." Voldemort waited as Andrew walked over to a bookshelf and studied it for a moment before selecting the book of spells that he wanted. *He's really in his element with these books of his.* Voldemort thought wryly.
"Well, my lord, the only thing that you could do is remove the charm completely and perform a new one. The removal charm is very difficult. N-n-not that you couldn't accomplish that, my lord," Andrew stuttered over the mistake he almost made. "It's just that an unpracticed wizard could really damage the mind. And you said that you didn't want to do that. One has to be very careful."
"Thank you, Andrew. I will take that under advisement." Voldemort turned to leave. He was an important man, after all, and had business elsewhere. He turned on an afterthought. "Oh, Andrew, I require a best man for my wedding, I suppose. It's on the 23rd of next month. I believe that Violet has chosen green. Be there at noon." Voldemort turned and disapperated.
Andrew Stevenson gaped at where his master had stood in awe. "Best man?" He gasped to himself. He'd never had believed it. He promptly passed out.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Within moments, Lily and Prongs found themselves not far from the Marauder's camp. Prongs stopped and Lily clambered off his back. James transformed, and they were in each other's arms in an instant. James ran his hands over her body both caressing and checking for injuries at the same time. Lily lost her hands in James's messy black hair. Their lips met. They held each other, kissing passionately, tearing at each other's bodies as though they could not get close enough to each other. They stayed that way for several minutes.
"Lily," James said. "Oh, god, Lily, I was so worried. I'm so glad that you are back with us."
"James," Lily cried. "I'm so sorry. So very, very, sorry."
"For what, Lils?" James breathed. "You didn't know what you were doing. You have nothing to be sorry for. It was all him. From the beginning."
"I didn't, James. I honestly didn't." Lily searched his eyes for understanding, and found it. "I need you to know that if I could've, I would've left that place and returned to you in an instant. I swear that to you. I had no idea what I was doing." The words rushed out of Lily's mouth like a train out of a tunnel.
"I do, Lils, I do. I don't blame you for any of this. I love you, Lily. I would give my life for you. Do you understand that? I would lay down and die for you." James punctuated that last sentence with another passionate kiss. "Let's go home."
James and Lily entered the Marauder's camp, where she was immediately embraced by Remus and Sirius. "Snuffles, eh?" Sirius laughed. They began their decent down the other side of the mountain where the boys had secreted away four broomsticks. They then began their journey back to Hogwarts.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Voldemort was sitting in the room he had rented at an inn, eating his dinner in front of a fireplace when Mary's head appeared in the fire. "What is it now, Mary?" Voldemort boomed. "Has Violet decided on teal instead of green for the wedding? I told you to tell her whatever she wanted was fine with me."
"No, sir, it's just that, well," Mary began. "Miss Violet's gone missing, and I've become a little worried."
"Missing?" Voldemort came out of his chair so suddenly, that he knocked over the table containing his dinner. "Missing where? What do you mean that she's missing? How could you let this happen?? "
Mary's eyes darted nervously about. "Well, sir, she went out for a walk after breakfast, and she never returned. Funny thing is, sir, Snuffles is missing too. I don't know where he could be either! You don't suppose that something dreadful's happened to them, do you?
"Who's Snuffles? Why didn't you contact me sooner? Why did you wait so long? Dammit!!" Voldemort cursed himself for leaving her there when he knew that the memory charm might be wearing off.
"Well, Snuffles is this dog," Mary searched her brain fervently. "He showed up a few days ago at the kitchen door. He was so well behaved, and he had no tags, so I thought that I would bring him in to keep the young Miss company while you weren't about. I thought that he would be a good companion for her…"
Mary was cut off by Voldemort. "An animagus. That's what it has to be. But who? Dumbledore doesn't have that power, I would have known about that." To Mary he said, "Describe the dog exactly. Don't leave out any markings that may seem unimportant to your small brain. Everything must be exact."
As Mary was giving him a complete description of the dog she had found, Voldemort apperated in the kitchen behind her. He noted that she had tearstains drying on her cheeks. It was apparent that she had nothing to do with the girl's escape. He took a fistful of glittering powder from a pouch on the fireplace's mantle and threw it into the fire. "Stevenson, I need you! NOW!" A large shape had appeared in it, revolving very fast. Seconds later, Andrew stepped out of it, brushing ash and soot off of his robes.
"Yes, Master," Andrew was perplexed. "How may I be of service to you?"
"Hold out your arm, Stevenson," Voldemort sneered. He would not let Lily escape him. He pressed his long white forefinger to the brand on Andrew's proffered arm, summoning his Death Eaters.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Across the sky, the four friends raced towards Hogwarts. One of the group, was falling very far behind. James stopped and flew back to Lily. "I'm sorry, James, I'm just so very tired. Can we please rest a while?" James nodded his assent, and called to Sirius and Remus. They all began a slow decent to the ground.
"We'll stay the night here," Remus said. "But we'll have to leave at first light. Your disappearance won't go unnoticed by Voldemort for long. And, I need to get to a confined space soon. The moon will be full in a few days." Remus remembered regretfully the last time he transformed and he wasn't alone. They all nodded, and James held Lily to his chest as she soon fell asleep and again, began to dream.
Lily was in the fog again, and Christina was there. Christina didn't look as happy as Lily had expected her to be. "Christina, what is it? I've escaped Voldemort, and we are on our way back to Hogwarts! I thought that you'd be happy!"
"Oh, Lily," Christina's voice reeked of sadness. "You will never escape Voldemort until you are married. You must get up and leave for Hogwarts now! His Death Eaters are coming. They are close now. I know that you are tired, but you don't have much time! You must leave, now!" Then Christina smiled. "Tell Remus that if he continues to feel bad about what happened, I'll haunt him. I have to go. WAKE UP!!"
Lily awoke with a start. All around her, the boys were sleeping. She woke them up quickly, and told them that they had to leave now. They were in incredible danger here.
Roarke: Am I that obvious? I was watching the Matrix when I decided to integrate that into my story. I'm glad that you like it though.
Harry's Lost Sis: Thanks for the encouragement. It really means a lot.
Arthurs Merlin: It's painfully obvious that I know nothing about Merlin and his times. Morganna was just the first famous witch that I could think of, so, I used her.
Dodger and Amelia: I'm sorry that you hate cliffhangers, I'm rather partial to writing them. I guess it makes me feel powerful to have a reader at my mercy.
To everyone else: Here's the next part like you asked for, hope that you like it! And once again, THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH!!!!!
Disclaimer: You know all about it, so I'm not even going to say it.
Chapter 11
The massive, white stag stared at Lily unblinkingly. *Does she remember me? She's looking at me as though she does. God, she loks wonderful. Would she freak out if I transformed myself right now and kissed her?* Prongs chuckled at himself. *I wonder how he's touched her. I'm going to kill him. When I get my hands on him, I won't need a curse to kill him. I'll tear him apart with my bare hands, and there won't be a hit wizard in the galaxy who will be able to stop me!*
"Prongs?" Lily said. "Don't transform now. Just get me out of here." The stag nodded his great, antlered head and knelt down on all fours. Lily climbed upon his back and they raced up the mountain trail.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Voldemort apperated in Andrew's living room. "Stevenson!" He bellowed. Andrew swept into the room with an air of grace and dignity until he saw who beckoned him. It was his Master.
"Master!" Andrew tripped over the footstool in his haste to reach the dark lord. "How are you this evening? We were just sitting down to dinner. Would you like to join us? What can I do for you?"
Voldemort grinned at Andrew's ramblings. "I'm just here for some answers. I have reason to believe that the memory charm that I placed on her is beginning to wear off. I need to know what else I can do." Voldemort waited as Andrew walked over to a bookshelf and studied it for a moment before selecting the book of spells that he wanted. *He's really in his element with these books of his.* Voldemort thought wryly.
"Well, my lord, the only thing that you could do is remove the charm completely and perform a new one. The removal charm is very difficult. N-n-not that you couldn't accomplish that, my lord," Andrew stuttered over the mistake he almost made. "It's just that an unpracticed wizard could really damage the mind. And you said that you didn't want to do that. One has to be very careful."
"Thank you, Andrew. I will take that under advisement." Voldemort turned to leave. He was an important man, after all, and had business elsewhere. He turned on an afterthought. "Oh, Andrew, I require a best man for my wedding, I suppose. It's on the 23rd of next month. I believe that Violet has chosen green. Be there at noon." Voldemort turned and disapperated.
Andrew Stevenson gaped at where his master had stood in awe. "Best man?" He gasped to himself. He'd never had believed it. He promptly passed out.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Within moments, Lily and Prongs found themselves not far from the Marauder's camp. Prongs stopped and Lily clambered off his back. James transformed, and they were in each other's arms in an instant. James ran his hands over her body both caressing and checking for injuries at the same time. Lily lost her hands in James's messy black hair. Their lips met. They held each other, kissing passionately, tearing at each other's bodies as though they could not get close enough to each other. They stayed that way for several minutes.
"Lily," James said. "Oh, god, Lily, I was so worried. I'm so glad that you are back with us."
"James," Lily cried. "I'm so sorry. So very, very, sorry."
"For what, Lils?" James breathed. "You didn't know what you were doing. You have nothing to be sorry for. It was all him. From the beginning."
"I didn't, James. I honestly didn't." Lily searched his eyes for understanding, and found it. "I need you to know that if I could've, I would've left that place and returned to you in an instant. I swear that to you. I had no idea what I was doing." The words rushed out of Lily's mouth like a train out of a tunnel.
"I do, Lils, I do. I don't blame you for any of this. I love you, Lily. I would give my life for you. Do you understand that? I would lay down and die for you." James punctuated that last sentence with another passionate kiss. "Let's go home."
James and Lily entered the Marauder's camp, where she was immediately embraced by Remus and Sirius. "Snuffles, eh?" Sirius laughed. They began their decent down the other side of the mountain where the boys had secreted away four broomsticks. They then began their journey back to Hogwarts.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Voldemort was sitting in the room he had rented at an inn, eating his dinner in front of a fireplace when Mary's head appeared in the fire. "What is it now, Mary?" Voldemort boomed. "Has Violet decided on teal instead of green for the wedding? I told you to tell her whatever she wanted was fine with me."
"No, sir, it's just that, well," Mary began. "Miss Violet's gone missing, and I've become a little worried."
"Missing?" Voldemort came out of his chair so suddenly, that he knocked over the table containing his dinner. "Missing where? What do you mean that she's missing? How could you let this happen?? "
Mary's eyes darted nervously about. "Well, sir, she went out for a walk after breakfast, and she never returned. Funny thing is, sir, Snuffles is missing too. I don't know where he could be either! You don't suppose that something dreadful's happened to them, do you?
"Who's Snuffles? Why didn't you contact me sooner? Why did you wait so long? Dammit!!" Voldemort cursed himself for leaving her there when he knew that the memory charm might be wearing off.
"Well, Snuffles is this dog," Mary searched her brain fervently. "He showed up a few days ago at the kitchen door. He was so well behaved, and he had no tags, so I thought that I would bring him in to keep the young Miss company while you weren't about. I thought that he would be a good companion for her…"
Mary was cut off by Voldemort. "An animagus. That's what it has to be. But who? Dumbledore doesn't have that power, I would have known about that." To Mary he said, "Describe the dog exactly. Don't leave out any markings that may seem unimportant to your small brain. Everything must be exact."
As Mary was giving him a complete description of the dog she had found, Voldemort apperated in the kitchen behind her. He noted that she had tearstains drying on her cheeks. It was apparent that she had nothing to do with the girl's escape. He took a fistful of glittering powder from a pouch on the fireplace's mantle and threw it into the fire. "Stevenson, I need you! NOW!" A large shape had appeared in it, revolving very fast. Seconds later, Andrew stepped out of it, brushing ash and soot off of his robes.
"Yes, Master," Andrew was perplexed. "How may I be of service to you?"
"Hold out your arm, Stevenson," Voldemort sneered. He would not let Lily escape him. He pressed his long white forefinger to the brand on Andrew's proffered arm, summoning his Death Eaters.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Across the sky, the four friends raced towards Hogwarts. One of the group, was falling very far behind. James stopped and flew back to Lily. "I'm sorry, James, I'm just so very tired. Can we please rest a while?" James nodded his assent, and called to Sirius and Remus. They all began a slow decent to the ground.
"We'll stay the night here," Remus said. "But we'll have to leave at first light. Your disappearance won't go unnoticed by Voldemort for long. And, I need to get to a confined space soon. The moon will be full in a few days." Remus remembered regretfully the last time he transformed and he wasn't alone. They all nodded, and James held Lily to his chest as she soon fell asleep and again, began to dream.
Lily was in the fog again, and Christina was there. Christina didn't look as happy as Lily had expected her to be. "Christina, what is it? I've escaped Voldemort, and we are on our way back to Hogwarts! I thought that you'd be happy!"
"Oh, Lily," Christina's voice reeked of sadness. "You will never escape Voldemort until you are married. You must get up and leave for Hogwarts now! His Death Eaters are coming. They are close now. I know that you are tired, but you don't have much time! You must leave, now!" Then Christina smiled. "Tell Remus that if he continues to feel bad about what happened, I'll haunt him. I have to go. WAKE UP!!"
Lily awoke with a start. All around her, the boys were sleeping. She woke them up quickly, and told them that they had to leave now. They were in incredible danger here.