Chapter Seventeen: Second Defiance

*When James finally reached Dumbledore's office, he found Lily was already snuggled down in one of the large armchairs that sat next to the fireplace. She was sipping tea, and Dumbledore was drinking a cup of his own and standing near by.

"James, why don't you have a seat?"

"You're early." He looked at Lily, knowing why she had come early. She had wanted to hear what Dumbledore had to say before he was there to interrupt and refuse her the opportunity to fight.

"Yes." She was short with her words. It was apparent she was deep in thought.

"Professor. Are you going to tell me exactly what you want us to do?"

"James. I was thinking, perhaps you should rest here at headquarters, and let someone else go. Sirius, or even Remus." Dumbledore finally suggested, after looking James over.

"Is Lily going?"

"She hasn't quite decided…"

"Yes." Lily automatically replied. "I'm going to do it. I want to." She looked up. "I took an oath, anything to help Professor, and I meant it. I'm going to take the assignment."

"Then I'm going too."

"James, you're already run down…" Dumbledore tried to convince him.

"Sir. I promised myself something, and I'm not about to go breaking that promise. Even if you send Sirius or Remus, I'm still going to follow them. There's no way I'm sending my Lily into hell without going myself."

"Are you sure James?" Dumbledore asked once more.

"Positive. Lily goes, I go."

"Lily, do you understand him?"

"I wouldn't, Professor, have it any other way. If I have to go with someone, then James is who I want to go with." James looked at her in disbelief.

"Lily?" He asked.

"We work well together James, and we've had experience." She told him. Then she dropped her head. "You understand me."

"Alright then. Why don't you have a seat James? I'll better explain what needs to be done." James looked around for a seat, but found none.

"Professor?" He asked. Dumbledore blinked.

"Oh, I am sorry. I've been cleaning this place out, and removed the majority of the furniture to do so."

"Here James." Lily stood, offering her seat. "Sit here."

"No, I'll stand."

"Sit." Lily implored him. "You'll need to be sitting to here this." James looked at her, a bit awed and somewhat worried, but nodded.

"Alright then." Taking the seat, Lily moved to stand behind the armchair.

"James. Within the large forest in Transylvania, at the far northern end, there is a small castle. Within the castle, there are five vampires. These five vampires are The Five, the leaders of the vampire clan. If you can eliminate those five coffins, well, the Dark Lord will lose any treaty he was about to sign."

"The Five?" James gulped. The Five, the most feared and brutal vampires in the world. And Dumbledore wanted them to destroy their coffins?

"I would like to send more of you, but I know that the less of you there are, the better. It will be easier for you to move, hide, and ultimately reach your goal. Well James? Will you still go?"

"Breath James." Lily prompted him, lightly rubbing the back of his neck. He leaned back into her touch and closed his eyes.

"I told you once Professor. If Lily goes, I go. Especially if it's after The Five."

"Very well James. You two can leave as soon as you're ready. I feel you should know, James, that though the Ministry knows where The Five have been living, and have known for quite some time, they are refusing to do anything about them. Even though the Dark Lord is using them to create an alliance between the vampires and himself, they are still unwilling to do anything, mostly because they fear the consequences."

"So we're doing it because the Ministry's too scared to send aurors out to do the job. Well, at least it'll get done. Those vampires have been problems for the Ministry for years now." James shook his head.

"James, Professor Dumbledore told me that if we leave soon, we might be able to get there before the vampires. Apparently they're in Canada at the moment."

"Perfect. We'll get in, get out, and move on. Lily, are you ready to leave now?"

"Let me go back to the apartment first. I think Ara should know—and I would like to get one or two things."

"Good idea. Padfoot, Wormtail, and Moony should know, and that invisibility cloak might be helpful. I'll meet you in, say, an hour?"

"Where?"

"Three Broomsticks. We'll drink to our mission before we leave, how's that sound?" James smiled a sad smile, hoping Lily would say yes. It would be their last time for peace if they were going to do this.

"Alright James. One hour, the Three Broomsticks. I'll see you then. Goodbye Professor." Lily nodded. Picking up the broom she had used to get to Hogwarts, she took off, flying off through one of the windows in Dumbledore's office. James watched her leave for a moment, then turned.

"If I'm going to meet her in time, I have to get going. I'll see you later Professor—If we make it through this, that is."

"Have faith James, have faith." Were the last words James heard from Dumbledore's mouth.

)(

"Nothing like butterbeer in the entire world." James contently sipped at his mug. "It does have a nice taste, doesn't it?" Lily smiled weakly.

"And to think you didn't want to even try it the first time we drug you into Hogsmead."

"You convinced me."

"And you liked it."

"I did." When Lily made no further comment, James lost his nerve to speak to her and, as quickly as he could, drowned the liquid. Lily sat watched as he drank swiftly, but instead of following his example, she placed her mug on the table. "We should probably consider taking muggle transportation—if we don't, it will be far too obvious what our intentions are."

"Good idea. You're good with muggle things, how do we go about that?"

"Two options, I suppose. One would be drive, or rather, take a train, and the other fly. Planes are a better choice though, because they're much faster."

"Fly? Inside of one of those airplanes?"

"Yes. Is there a problem with that?"

"No. Just surprised. Muggles come up with the best ideas sometimes. Still, I'd rather feel the wind in my hair and ride a broom any day."

"Come on James. If we don't leave now, we'll never catch any flights today.

"Lead the way."

Sooner rather than later Lily and James arrived in the airport in London and had bought their plane tickets. It had taken them a little longer than the usual time, mostly due to James' utter fascination with muggle 'toys' and systems. Still, they were finished boarding, and Lily was now trying to settle James, who wanted to see everything all at once.

"James, please sit down! The stewardess is coming back, you can ask her a million questions when she does!"

"But Lils, how does the plane fly? Doesn't it seem too heavy? How do they get enough speed?"

"She can tell you all about it later." Lily rolled her eyes. He was acting as if he were a child—she had never seen this side of him before. Not even when they had been at Hogwarts had he acted so flighty and absurd. "James, look out the window!" Lily suddenly hissed.

"Why?" He peered down, and saw nothing but trees and clouds.

"That's the forest we're going to be trekking through." James stopped, his inquisitive words halted in his throat, and then he whistled.

"Don't worry Lily. We're going to do just fine." He finally said, though it was really more for his benefit than hers. Lily, noticing this, smiled at him and placed her hand over his.

"Of course we'll do fine James. If we fail, Si and Ara will kill us."

"If we fail, we'll be too dead to kill." He whispered back, fear in his voice.

"Then we'll just have to haunt them, won't we?"

"Flight 97, now arriving in Transylvania." The pilot came over the loudspeaker. They were asked to sit, and out their seatbelts back on, which Lily and James did not need to be told.

Finally, as they walked outside into the freezing weather, they stopped to collect themselves. James adjusted the pack of equipment he had brought, shifting the weight from one shoulder to the other. Then he looked around, unsure of where they would be heading next. Lily had been in charge of directions. Taking a quick glance over at her, James narrowed his eyes in concern. Then, as quickly as he could, he dropped the pack he had been carrying and removed his large muggle coat.

"Lily, put this on, you must be freezing." Lily looked at the coat James was offering her. It would be two sizes too big, but the gesture meant more than anything. James hadn't been too focused on his assignment; he had been more worried about her! Smiling through her chattering teeth and blue lips, she took the coat.

"Thank you James." He grinned brightly when she thanked him, then picked up his pack again. It was a little chilly, but nothing he couldn't handle. Lily was more important.

"So which way Lils?" He asked.

"Well, the forest is to our right, about an hour's drive from here. We're almost in the middle of nowhere now, come to think of it. After we reach the forest, it should take us two days or so to get to the castle. It's straight through."

"Well then, it looks like we've got some walking to do. Driving is faster than walking, right?"

"Right. It'll take us a couple of house at least just to get to the forest, and we should try to stay out of sight and off the main roads."

"Alright then. To grandmother's house we go." James chuckled, and Lily bit her lip to keep from laughing. Off they set, away from the airport and towards the forest.

Two hours later the scenery around them began to change. The rocky, shrubby terrain they had been hiking through became more wooded, and the trees grew thicker with moss and leaves. They passed deer, and other wildlife that was not intimidated by their presence. Then the road began to slope, and finally, there came a fork in the concrete road.

At the fork, they paused, and as they shared a canteen of water, Lily felt something cool and wet land on the tip of her nose. Looking up, she was met with an astounding view of the heavens as the blackened clouds opened and dropped upon them tiny, delicate flakes of cool, frozen water.

"James." She breathed, afraid to move and break the stillness and perfection of the moment. "James, look, it's snowing."

James looked up, and found that the tiny white flakes were beginning to spill from a rip in the clouds. Then he looked back down at Lily, who was staring up in wonderment. Tiny white flecks were caught in her Indian red hair, and the smile on her face lit up her glowing jade eyes. Beautiful. If ever there was a woman who was perfect, it was his Lady Lily.

"Lily," He breathed. She looked down, and her breath was caught by the deep need in his husky voice. His coffee eyes seemed to hold an irresistible and alluring begging, and his thin lips were pressed together as he tried to contain a force from deep within. Then he cleared his throat, and stood. "We should get going." She stood as well, blinking. Thank goodness he had broken eye contact. If he hadn't…

"Right. We need to go straight into the forest from here, not take one of the roads." She told him. He nodded, and silently they began they ascent once more.

They reached a large clearing in the forest as night fell on the second day. Before them loomed a monstrous castle. Large tiers and turrets flew high into the snowy sky, and flying buttresses deterred unwanted visitors. Gargoyles and statues of screaming people littered the roof of the castle, and there were no lights shining anywhere from within.

"It isn't Hogwarts, that's for certain." James mumbled.

"I thought it was supposed to be a small castle." Lily joined him in whining. Then she became serious. "Alright. We need to get in, destroy the coffins, and get out as quickly as possible. I don't think any of The Five are here… but you never know, so be on guard."

"How about we take the invisibility cloak in? That should keep our presence hidden until we know exactly who and what is in there."

"Alright." Lily nodded. James pulled the cloak out from his pack and wrapped it around both himself and Lily. Silently they snuck through the clearing and made their way to the door, which was only held shut with a simple lock. "Alohomora!" Lily whispered. The door opened easily, and the two slunk in, shutting it behind themselves and hoping no one had noticed their entrance.

"If there are vampires here, they'll just be waking now, with the moon rising."

"Yes, but where would their coffins be? Surely not in bedrooms, like the living?"

"Dungeons I'm betting. Let's check there first." Lily nodded, and the two made their way towards the towering staircase that lead both up and down. The lavishly furnished castle included a most disgusting array of artifacts, and several times the pair had to stop for Lily's constitution.

"How can anyone skin a human being and then frame it on a wall, as if it's some sort of prize?" Lily cried. James could do nothing but hold her as they walked away from the portrait of skin.

Down they went, into the darkened caverns. When they found no coffins in the dungeons, they had worried. Until Lily pointed out that the steps that had stopped were not the only in the room. Another staircase that led down into catacombs took them into chamber after chamber of bone filled and flesh rotted tombs that had been carved out and used long before their time. Finally they reached a large, empty cavern with torches lit. James, who had enchanted his wand to give themselves light underneath the cloak, put it out quickly, and they looked around in silence and awe.

Five giant coffins lay inside a star that had been painted upon the floor of the cave. Each coffin was heavily inlaid with stunning rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and gold and silver carvings. They shone brightly, lighting up the room with a vast array of different colors as candle and torchlight bounced off of them.

"Master!" They heard a hiss come from the far corner of the room. Shocked, the couple instantly turned their heads from the gilded deathbeds and towards the hissing. A giant snake lay sitting in the corner, atop the body of a pale creature. The hissing continued, but neither Lily nor James knew what the snake spoke of as they stood there in trepidation.

"That snake," James whispered without moving his lips. "Belongs to Voldemort." Lily gulped. Suddenly there was a blinding flash, and before them stood the Dark Lord himself.

"There are two rats in this room, as I here it." The black man whispered. Raising his wand, he called out a loud curse, and a bluster of wind arose, knocking Lily and James to their feet, and blowing the invisibility cloak off in the process. "There they are!"

"Voldemort!" James growled.

"Potter, Evans! Haven't I seen enough of you? Isn't it enough to know that I will kill you one day? You have to come to me? Well, you make my job more enjoyable!"

"What are you doing here anyway?" Lily screamed. "What about the treaty with the Vampires?"

"Treaty?" Voldemort smiled. "I don't negotiate! Crucio!" He screamed at Lily, who writhed in pain as knives pinned her to the ground, immobile.

"Stop it!" James screamed. "Impedimenta!" Voldemort was forced back, and the snake slithered forward, hissing at James.

"Colloportus!" Lily screamed. The snake went flying against the wall and lay still.

"You like that curse, don't you?" James asked, slightly grinning. Then it faded. "You alright?"

"Fine, watch it!"

"Avada Kadavra!" Voldemort yelled out. James dove as far as he could, and the spell barely missed him. Feeling guilty he had gotten caught off guard; he took his anger out on the Dark Lord.

"Petrificus totalus!" But the spell missed, and Voldemort laughed.

"You can't get me, Potter! I'm going to take these coffins and hold The Four, previously The Five," he motioned to the dead vampire in the corner, "at ransom. They'll be forced to help me! You and that bitch mudblood will both be killed for defying me! No one defies the Dark Lord, no one!" He screamed, laughing insanely.

"Lacarnem inflamare totalus!" Lily screamed out, pointing her wand at one of the coffins. The jewel encrusted box burst into flame, and the intensity of heat pushed her and the Dark Lord back. "You can't ransom them if we destroy them!" She cried.

"Lacarnem inflamare totalus!" James screamed out, following Lily's example. He set another on fire, and the Dark Lord boomed.

"I will kill you for this! Avada Kadavra!" But he missed James again, and set his sights on Lily. James looked up just in time to wave his wand.

"Protego!" The curse Voldemort had sent at Lily was blocked, and James stood, furious. "How dare you attack her! I'm going to murder you!" Lily stood, and aimed at the final two coffins.

"Lacarnem inflamare totalus! Lacarnem inflamare totalus!" She yelled. They burst into flames, and then Voldemort was trapped within a ring of fire.

"No!" He cried, the evil voice stung Lily and James' ears. He grabbed the knocked out snake, and pointed at the two aurors. "I swear on my honor. I will kill you and your family for this, I swear it!" Then he was gone in an apparation burst. James quickly ran to Lily, who had sunk to her knees, wand limp in her hand.

"Lily? Are you alright?" Lily looked up, with a tired fear in her eyes.

"Is he gone? Is Voldemort gone?"

"He's gone." James assured her. "Come on, we have to get out of here, before the fire catches us too." Lily tiredly nodded. "Do you think you can apparate?"

"Yes. Where?"

"Go directly to your apartment, I'll meet you there."

"Okay." Lily nodded. Breathing in deeply, she gathered the strength needed to lift her wand. And then, with a tiny wave, she was gone. James felt like laughing. He and Lily had just escaped the Dark Lord for a second time, not to mention stopped a deadly alliance. As tried and worried as he was, James felt euphoric. How long would his luck hold out? Then he too, apparated. *