Part Six
"…I still can't believe Riddle was going to kill Lily…"
"Me neither. James probably thinks we staged the whole thing."
Familiar voices met James as he awoke. "…Lily…" He choked out. He coughed and struggled to open his eyes. "Where's Lily?"
"I'm right here, James." Lily said, giving him a soft smile and taking his hand. "Do you remember what happened?"
James nodded and looked around the room. He was in the Hospital Wing. Sirius, Peter, Remus, Narcissa, and Dumbledore were all either standing or sitting around his bed and Lily sat right next to him, holding his hand. "Professor… was… was that Riddle?"
Dumbledore nodded. "I'm afraid so, James. I always knew he was power hungry and a little too smart for his own good, but I never thought that this would happen. Unfortunately, he cannot be stopped right now. He knocked you out and stole your broomstick. He's long gone by now."
Lily shook her head slowly. "I don't know what happened. One second, I was-"
"JAMES! I JUS' HEARD WHAT HAPPENED!" Hagrid's voice boomed and the floor shook as he ran into the Hospital Wing. "I CAN'T BELIEVE RIDDLE WOULD'A DONE SOMETHIN' LIKE THAT! Professor, has he been caught yet?"
"I'm afraid not, Hagrid." Dumbledore said, looking at Hagrid through his half-moon spectacles.
"Yeh got to be kidding me!" Hagrid boomed. "If I get my hands on him, I'll rip 'im from Limb… from… Limb…" He slowed down at the end of the sentence and James thought he looked capable of killing something with his bare hands.
"Hagrid, you will do no such thing." Dumbledore said. "Riddle is a fully trained, extremely talented wizard. You would be no match for him. He'll be armed and you don't even have a wand anymore. You will let the Ministry handle it."
"Have you contacted Minister Bones yet?" James asked.
Dumbledore nodded. "I sent an owl to his office first thing after you were brought here. His Junior Minister, Cornelius Fudge sent one back. Told me he was on vacation, so I sent another owl to him. He arrived here first thing yesterday morning."
"Hey… Narcissa… One question…" James said. "What the heck were you doing in the Gryffindor common room?"
Sirius went red. "She… she was helping me with some homework. I let her in, James." He said and glared at his friend so he'd get the point. James smirked.
"Yeah, right…"
Dumbledore smirked and looked down at the floor. "What?! You think that's funny?" Sirius said, glaring at the headmaster.
"No… no… of course not Sirius…" Dumbledore said, trying not to laugh.
Narcissa covered her face with her hands and shook her head slowly. "I hate my life…"