He felt warm, and very comfortable, he was laying in some bed. How did he get here? He remembered as if in a dream the house, the woman, he thought Death Eaters were there? He couldn't remember. He felt stiff, why? Everything was blurry in his mind.
"I expect they will be waking up anytime now," James heard someone say. "That man, his back looks like it took a beating."
"Sirius." James thought. He tried to move, he had to get to him.
"James," James recognized that voice. He opened one eye slowly and then the other. He shut them quickly, everything was all white. He couldn't see more than the white. He tried to move again but he felt too sore and weak. He felt something being put on his face. He opened his eyes again and this time he was able to see. Someone had put on his glasses. "How are you feeling?" Dumbledore leaned over his and pushed the hair out of his face.
"Sore." James sighed.
Dumbledore chuckled, he had never known any Potter to give just a direct answer, "Would you like some water?" He asked.
James nodded moving his head up and down very slowly. Dumbledore nodded to the nurse behind him and she quickly filled a glass and helped James to drink.
"Where am I?" he asked.
"St. Mungo's," Dumbledore told him. "We spoke to Miss Brown for a while and we have an idea what happened. But I have a few questions for you. Miss Brown said that you three were under the Cruciatus Curse but then you and Sirius yelled stop."
"Yelled stop?" James repeated. "I don't remember doing that."
"Do you remember anything about it? How did you stop it?" asked Dumbledore.
James looked at him and then at Sirius who was in the bed next to him. His eyes settled on the ceiling and he thought. He remembered a voice while under the curse, and he had an idea whose voice it was, but it was stupid, it couldn't have been his. "I have to talk to Sirius about it, its all very confusing."
"Take your time," Dumbledore smiled knowing that James was keeping something from him. "I'll go now and I will be back later. If you are up to it, Lily is outside annoying every Healer in the whole hospital."
James smiled, "I'd like to see her."
"I'll give her that message," Dumbledore looked at Sirius and Remus and then said goodbye to James. He made for the door and opened it and walked through. Before he could shut it though Lily came in and ran to his side.
"Oh James, I was so worried," she kissed his cheek and he gripped her hand..
"I'm fine," he told her.
"They feared you might be insane," she started to cry. "They said you were under the Cruciatus Curse for so long."
"How long?" James asked his eyes growing wide. He looked at Remus and Sirius, "are they alright?"
"They said 20 minutes," Lily hugged him. "I was so scared."
"Are Remus and Sirius all right?" James asked again now worrying.
"They think so but they won't know for sure until they wake up."
James gulped, what if one of them was crazy? He looked at them again, he didn't think he would be able to bear it if they were.
"Sleep now," Lily put a hand on his face, "I'll be here."
**
When he woke again he could hear people talking. He opened his eyes and fumbled for his glasses. They were put on his head by Lily. He smiled at her and looked to his right, Sirius and Remus were awake and sitting up.
"All right there James?" James asked
"All right! You?" Sirius nodded.
"All right. Remus?" asked James.
"Never better," Remus told him.
"What happened to you two?" James asked them.
"Bruised back mostly," Sirius shrugged.
"Tiredness and the after effects of the curse," Remus reported.
James smiled to himself. His friends were all right. He sighed deeply and took Lily's hand, "No need to worry."
"James," Sirius called to him. "Can I ask something." He looked at Lily and then at James. Lily got the idea and excused herself. James smiled at her.
"What?" he asked when they were alone.
"Did you hear a voice while you were under the curse?" asked Sirius.
James turned to Sirius looked into his eyes. He nodded.
"Did... did you recognize it?" Sirius asked and James nodded again. "So did I," Sirius sighed. "But it couldn't have been him? Could it?"
"I don't know," James still didn't take his eyes off of Sirius.
"Who do you think it was?" Remus asked.
James nodded to Sirius and he nodded back. They were thinking the same person. James looked at Remus and answered, "Uncle Henry."
**
Dumbledore entered later that day and sat down between their beds. "Any more clues on breaking the Cruciatus Curse?"
James looked at Dumbledore and remembered something, "Sir, one of the Death Eaters said you could break it."
"Alas, a rumor I have tried to keep quiet," Dumbledore chuckled. "But back to you, what was it like?"
They looked at each other. James spoke, "We both heard a voice telling us to break it. I heard it tell me to be strong and think of those I loved. But we don't recognize it." Sirius nodded in agreement.
Dumbledore nodded.
"Sir, Lily said we were under the Cruciatus Curse for 20 minutes," James told him.
"Yes, that could be fatal for some people but you three are very strong," Dumbledore nodded. "I am very proud to know all three of you. On another note, the Healer will be in here later to give you three a last check up and if everything is fine you are free to go."
The attack on the village had been a victory for the Light. In the group of Death Eaters that the Marauders had dueled was Andrew Jacques, who was rumored to be Voldemort's second in command. He had been put into a Ministry prison and Aurors and Order members cheered and drank to the Marauder's names. The Daily Prophet wrote up a three page article on the Marauders celebrating their lives and successes. The Marauders blushed and stayed away from the Prophet, neither of them liked the fame or glory.
**
A few days after the Marauders had returned home, Lily was searching in the library for a book when she pulled out a large, black book. She opened it to find on the title page the words, "The Potter Family"
She opened it carefully and saw a family tree. The family tree stretched over a few pages and on the last one she found James' name. Next to it though was another name. Jonathon Potter. James didn't have a brother, at least, he never spoke of one.
"Did you find what you are looking for?" Remus came into the library.
"James had a brother?" Lily turned around still holding the book.
Remus raised an eyebrow at her, "Where did you find that one what?"
"He had a brother?" Lily repeated. "I found a book about the Potters."
"You have to ask James about Jonathon," Remus told her. "If he hasn't said anything about him, then maybe he doesn't want to."
"Why? What's wrong with his brother?" Lily was now highly confused. Remus shook his head and left the library.
That night while they were in bed, Lily turned to James, "You never told me you had a brother."
James turned his head to look at her, and he didn't seem surprised that she had mentioned him. He sighed, "My father and I never got along, and the reason was my brother." He stopped and seemed to be thinking as though picturing him in his mind, "I didn't like my brother. He was older than I, Prefect, Headboy, you name it was it. He never got a detention, and never lost a point for Gryffindor. He expressed his desire to be an Auror as soon as Voldemort rose, and before that he wanted to follow in my father's footsteps and go into the Ministry."
"You were Headboy though," Lily pointed out.
"That I was, but my father never forgave the fact that I played jokes, lost points and played Quidditch. I should have been my uncle's son, I was more like him." James shrugged at the last comment and continued, "My brother joined my father's group and a year into fighting he died at the hand of a Death Eater. He was an excellent dueler but his reflexes weren't the best. He knew every spell ever created. I would have made the better Auror and my father knew it. I had the better reflexes because of Quidditch. My father became a little insane after my brother died, he never settled for anything I did. He never thought I was doing my best, he always thought I didn't take school seriously enough."
"Did he love you?" asked Lily.
"He did I think. He never showed it but I think he loved me," James had to think a little bit before answering. "He wanted to be an Auror, he wanted me to follow in his steps and continue the tradition of having a son Head of the Aurors. It wasn't a happy day in my house when I told him, no I don't want to be involved."
"Were you glad when he died?" asked Lily.
"Well I felt free," James admitted, "but I also got a lot of responsibility when he died. I had to get involved then, and I had no choice. Where did you find out about my dear brother?"
"A book in the library," Lily told him.
James nodded, "Forget my brother or you will start having nightmares," James grinned. James put a hand in her hair, "Who cares about my brother when you have me?" He kissed her on the cheek. She put her head on his chest and closed her eyes.
James lay there thinking, his brother. He had not thought of him since his father died. He always worked so hard to impress their father. He was so perfect, just to impress their father. Didn't work, did he? He died foolishly trying to take on three Death Eaters. But then he thought of it more, he had never tried to take on three or more Death Eaters... never. He thought sarcatically.
"I expect they will be waking up anytime now," James heard someone say. "That man, his back looks like it took a beating."
"Sirius." James thought. He tried to move, he had to get to him.
"James," James recognized that voice. He opened one eye slowly and then the other. He shut them quickly, everything was all white. He couldn't see more than the white. He tried to move again but he felt too sore and weak. He felt something being put on his face. He opened his eyes again and this time he was able to see. Someone had put on his glasses. "How are you feeling?" Dumbledore leaned over his and pushed the hair out of his face.
"Sore." James sighed.
Dumbledore chuckled, he had never known any Potter to give just a direct answer, "Would you like some water?" He asked.
James nodded moving his head up and down very slowly. Dumbledore nodded to the nurse behind him and she quickly filled a glass and helped James to drink.
"Where am I?" he asked.
"St. Mungo's," Dumbledore told him. "We spoke to Miss Brown for a while and we have an idea what happened. But I have a few questions for you. Miss Brown said that you three were under the Cruciatus Curse but then you and Sirius yelled stop."
"Yelled stop?" James repeated. "I don't remember doing that."
"Do you remember anything about it? How did you stop it?" asked Dumbledore.
James looked at him and then at Sirius who was in the bed next to him. His eyes settled on the ceiling and he thought. He remembered a voice while under the curse, and he had an idea whose voice it was, but it was stupid, it couldn't have been his. "I have to talk to Sirius about it, its all very confusing."
"Take your time," Dumbledore smiled knowing that James was keeping something from him. "I'll go now and I will be back later. If you are up to it, Lily is outside annoying every Healer in the whole hospital."
James smiled, "I'd like to see her."
"I'll give her that message," Dumbledore looked at Sirius and Remus and then said goodbye to James. He made for the door and opened it and walked through. Before he could shut it though Lily came in and ran to his side.
"Oh James, I was so worried," she kissed his cheek and he gripped her hand..
"I'm fine," he told her.
"They feared you might be insane," she started to cry. "They said you were under the Cruciatus Curse for so long."
"How long?" James asked his eyes growing wide. He looked at Remus and Sirius, "are they alright?"
"They said 20 minutes," Lily hugged him. "I was so scared."
"Are Remus and Sirius all right?" James asked again now worrying.
"They think so but they won't know for sure until they wake up."
James gulped, what if one of them was crazy? He looked at them again, he didn't think he would be able to bear it if they were.
"Sleep now," Lily put a hand on his face, "I'll be here."
**
When he woke again he could hear people talking. He opened his eyes and fumbled for his glasses. They were put on his head by Lily. He smiled at her and looked to his right, Sirius and Remus were awake and sitting up.
"All right there James?" James asked
"All right! You?" Sirius nodded.
"All right. Remus?" asked James.
"Never better," Remus told him.
"What happened to you two?" James asked them.
"Bruised back mostly," Sirius shrugged.
"Tiredness and the after effects of the curse," Remus reported.
James smiled to himself. His friends were all right. He sighed deeply and took Lily's hand, "No need to worry."
"James," Sirius called to him. "Can I ask something." He looked at Lily and then at James. Lily got the idea and excused herself. James smiled at her.
"What?" he asked when they were alone.
"Did you hear a voice while you were under the curse?" asked Sirius.
James turned to Sirius looked into his eyes. He nodded.
"Did... did you recognize it?" Sirius asked and James nodded again. "So did I," Sirius sighed. "But it couldn't have been him? Could it?"
"I don't know," James still didn't take his eyes off of Sirius.
"Who do you think it was?" Remus asked.
James nodded to Sirius and he nodded back. They were thinking the same person. James looked at Remus and answered, "Uncle Henry."
**
Dumbledore entered later that day and sat down between their beds. "Any more clues on breaking the Cruciatus Curse?"
James looked at Dumbledore and remembered something, "Sir, one of the Death Eaters said you could break it."
"Alas, a rumor I have tried to keep quiet," Dumbledore chuckled. "But back to you, what was it like?"
They looked at each other. James spoke, "We both heard a voice telling us to break it. I heard it tell me to be strong and think of those I loved. But we don't recognize it." Sirius nodded in agreement.
Dumbledore nodded.
"Sir, Lily said we were under the Cruciatus Curse for 20 minutes," James told him.
"Yes, that could be fatal for some people but you three are very strong," Dumbledore nodded. "I am very proud to know all three of you. On another note, the Healer will be in here later to give you three a last check up and if everything is fine you are free to go."
The attack on the village had been a victory for the Light. In the group of Death Eaters that the Marauders had dueled was Andrew Jacques, who was rumored to be Voldemort's second in command. He had been put into a Ministry prison and Aurors and Order members cheered and drank to the Marauder's names. The Daily Prophet wrote up a three page article on the Marauders celebrating their lives and successes. The Marauders blushed and stayed away from the Prophet, neither of them liked the fame or glory.
**
A few days after the Marauders had returned home, Lily was searching in the library for a book when she pulled out a large, black book. She opened it to find on the title page the words, "The Potter Family"
She opened it carefully and saw a family tree. The family tree stretched over a few pages and on the last one she found James' name. Next to it though was another name. Jonathon Potter. James didn't have a brother, at least, he never spoke of one.
"Did you find what you are looking for?" Remus came into the library.
"James had a brother?" Lily turned around still holding the book.
Remus raised an eyebrow at her, "Where did you find that one what?"
"He had a brother?" Lily repeated. "I found a book about the Potters."
"You have to ask James about Jonathon," Remus told her. "If he hasn't said anything about him, then maybe he doesn't want to."
"Why? What's wrong with his brother?" Lily was now highly confused. Remus shook his head and left the library.
That night while they were in bed, Lily turned to James, "You never told me you had a brother."
James turned his head to look at her, and he didn't seem surprised that she had mentioned him. He sighed, "My father and I never got along, and the reason was my brother." He stopped and seemed to be thinking as though picturing him in his mind, "I didn't like my brother. He was older than I, Prefect, Headboy, you name it was it. He never got a detention, and never lost a point for Gryffindor. He expressed his desire to be an Auror as soon as Voldemort rose, and before that he wanted to follow in my father's footsteps and go into the Ministry."
"You were Headboy though," Lily pointed out.
"That I was, but my father never forgave the fact that I played jokes, lost points and played Quidditch. I should have been my uncle's son, I was more like him." James shrugged at the last comment and continued, "My brother joined my father's group and a year into fighting he died at the hand of a Death Eater. He was an excellent dueler but his reflexes weren't the best. He knew every spell ever created. I would have made the better Auror and my father knew it. I had the better reflexes because of Quidditch. My father became a little insane after my brother died, he never settled for anything I did. He never thought I was doing my best, he always thought I didn't take school seriously enough."
"Did he love you?" asked Lily.
"He did I think. He never showed it but I think he loved me," James had to think a little bit before answering. "He wanted to be an Auror, he wanted me to follow in his steps and continue the tradition of having a son Head of the Aurors. It wasn't a happy day in my house when I told him, no I don't want to be involved."
"Were you glad when he died?" asked Lily.
"Well I felt free," James admitted, "but I also got a lot of responsibility when he died. I had to get involved then, and I had no choice. Where did you find out about my dear brother?"
"A book in the library," Lily told him.
James nodded, "Forget my brother or you will start having nightmares," James grinned. James put a hand in her hair, "Who cares about my brother when you have me?" He kissed her on the cheek. She put her head on his chest and closed her eyes.
James lay there thinking, his brother. He had not thought of him since his father died. He always worked so hard to impress their father. He was so perfect, just to impress their father. Didn't work, did he? He died foolishly trying to take on three Death Eaters. But then he thought of it more, he had never tried to take on three or more Death Eaters... never. He thought sarcatically.
