Part Five
It was later that week, and James was sound asleep in the Gryffindor common room, sitting at the table, his Care of Magical Creatures book open, and his head lying on top of it.
That's when James felt a hand on his shoulder. "James?"
James looked up. "The Flobberworm eats only lettuce, Professor Kettleburn…" He said groggily.
Narcissa couldn't help but smile, despite her obvious worry. "James, Lily's gone."
"What?" James said, rubbing his eyes with his hand, his glasses askew on his face.
"She's not in her bed. She's not in any of the dorms. I checked all the girls dorms and Sirius checked all the boys. She's not anywhere. I'm worried."
James nodded. "I'll find her. You go back to bed." He grabbed his wand and ran up to his dorm. He grabbed his invisibility cloak and his broomstick and ran back downstairs. "Don't worry. I'll find her." He told Narcissa, and ran out of the common room.
"Watch it, Potter." The Fat Lady said groggily as he woke her.
"Stuff it." He said under his breath. He mounted his broom, put on his cloak, and flew off down the corridor. It was faster, and with the invisibility cloak on, nobody could see him. He heard noises coming from down in the dungeons. He figured that Remus had just kidnapped Lily and tied her up down there as part of ingenious plan.
He got off his broomstick, and set at the top of the stairs. Despite his idea that it was just Remus' idea of a joke, he felt uneasy all the same. He grabbed his wand and edged along down the stairs, trying to stay as quiet as possible.
"This is it." He heard a familiar voice say. "Once we sacrifice her, I'll be able to have powers no wizard has ever had before."
He recognized the voice and the laugh that followed but he couldn't place them. These comments scared him horribly, though. He walked faster. In the dungeon, Lily was bound magically to a large table and a large man dressed in a black cloak was standing over her, as were two shorter wizards also in the black cloaks. Their faces were covered, and he couldn't recognize them. One of the shorter ones saw his foot. James swore at himself under his breath.
"Master!"
"Run!" The older one said, and the two younger wizards took off down a corridor. He wanted to follow them and find out who they were, but he had to stay. Lily was looking at him with her eyes screaming at him to save her. "Well, well, Potter." The voice said.
"Who are you?" James said, his wand pointed straight at him.
The man pulled off his mask.
James gasped. "Professor Riddle!"
"That's right." He said. "And now I shall come to power as the greatest wizard that ever lived!" He screamed and brought his arms down with a dagger in his hands to kill Lily.
James hit him with the stunning curse just in time.
"James! Lily!" Dumbledore's voice echoed down the stairwell, following the scream coming from Riddle as he was stunned.
"Professor!" James said.
Dumbledore grabbed his wand and released Lily from the binding curse.
"What happened?" Dumbledore said.
James pointed to Riddle, lying on the floor.
"He's knocked out." Dumbledore said. "James… watch him while I take Lily to the Hospital Wing. I want to hear what happened."
James nodded, and kept his wand pointed at the unconscious Riddle.
James looked down for just a moment, dropping his guard. Riddle grabbed his wand slowly, and hid it under his robes. James looked back up, but didn't keep his wand on Riddle.
"STUPIFY!" Riddle screamed and James fell backwards, hitting his head. He was out. Riddle grabbed James' broomstick on his way out and flew off into the darkness.