Hello, sorry for the wait. Here is the next chapter, I hope you enjoy it. There is a cliffy, just warning you. Will be updating as soon as I can. I don't own Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling does! Please R/R!
**
Harry's first word had an impact on the whole house. The war was forgotten that night, Voldemort and his Death Eaters were brushed aside completely. Harry had spoken, he had looked at Sirius and spoke. James argued that Sirius had been practicing with Harry behind his back and that was why he said Pa and not Da. Of course he also said that Pa was another name for Dad and he had really spoken to him. But everyone in the household knew that when Harry spoke in had been to Sirius. They celebrated with a special dinner that night. Rosy made a special dessert for them and they all had a few drinks.
Peter came in during dinner. They immediately sat him down and told him the story. He joined them for some drinks and was just as excited as they were.
"Harry, speak again," James said to him as he held him on his lap. "Say it... Daddy, daddy. Come on Harry."
Harry just looked up at him. He stuck his thumb in his mouth and then looked around.
"Come on Harry, just say it," James encouraged him on. Everyone else was watching excitingly. "Come on... Daddy, daddy, da...ddy."
Harry though, didn't say a word.
**
"No... leave . . . no... don't... touch . . . don't...touch her."
Lily was woken up that night by a low muttering voice. She looked over at James to find him sweating and talking low in his sleep. She had never heard him before, but then she realized that nothing had affected him like this before. She pushed some hair out of his eyes and kissed his brow.
He woke up at that second with a small yell. Sweat was on his face and his hand shook as he pulled the cover further up.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Lily asked. James looked over and blushed, he had not realized that she was awake.
He gave a deep sigh in reply, "I'm sure Sirius told you what happened." Lily nodded. "I just . . . its so disturbing. The Death Eaters, they don't give a damn about human life. They put the Imperius on a 4-year-old girl. A 4-year-old girl who has no business in this way? What did she do to them? What if something like that was to happen to Harry?" He paused. "Why can't there just be peace? I just can't believe I reacted like that."
"We've all been fighting what seems years, and even the strongest break sometimes," Lily comforted him. "What makes someone strong are those who get back up after they fall. You aren't strong by not showing emotions, by not showing a reaction, but when you get back up. When you have a reaction like this, it proves you are still human, they you are still a man. Everyone needs that check once in awhile."
James closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, there was a tear in both of them. "I'm not sure I would be able to get back up if it wasn't for you and Harry." He lend over and kissed her, "You are everything to me."
**
The news came a week later. The Marauders had been sitting down to dinner when the portrait of Henry Potter the first came in screaming about an attack at the Ministry. The three Marauders and Lily looked at each other as if stunned and then the next second all four chairs were over turned and they were sprinting toward the door. Voldemort attacking the Ministry... how, why, was this it? Was this the battle he had been waiting for, was this his conquest over the wizarding world? Questions raced through their minds, this was not a good thing.
They apparated to the Ministry. James went off with Lily and Sirius took Remus. They nodded to each other as a sign of good luck, and they were too nervous to talk. James and Lily sprinted down the hall, there was not a moment to waste.
They turned a corner and came to a dead end. Five Death Eaters stood in the hallway speaking in low voices. They all looked up when they heard James and Lily approaching.
"STUPEFY!"
"EXPELLIARMUS!"
"BLINDARMS!"
"CRUCIO!"
"IMPERIO!"
James and Lily dodged, blocked and sent curses as fast as they could.
"Expelliarmus!"
James had been dodging the Cruciatus Curse when he found himself wandless.
"Accio wand!" Lily yelled and James jumped in the air and grabbed his wand.
"Stupefy!" James yelled at one of the Death Eaters.
"Stupefy!" Lily yelled. Two down, three more to go.
The Death Eaters were looking to capture them, James knew. When they got tired of duels they usually sent the Killing Curse but they were still using the Stunning Curse. The Death Eaters were getting annoyed that James and Lily were still up and fighting.
"Stupefy!" James pointed his wand at one and while he blocked that Lily sent the same curse at him. He fell over, three down, two more to go.
One of the remaining Death Eaters sent the Cruciatus Curse to James and he tumbled away from it, coming up and sending a curse at the Death Eater. While James tumbled all over the hallway, Lily remained on her feet using her deep knowledge of Charms and curses to shield herself from the curses.
Finally James and Lily lowered their wands and looked at the fallen Death Eaters in front of them. They had done it, and all 5 Death Eaters were stunned. Leaving them, they continued on, Voldemort would have brought all his Death Eaters with him if he planned to take over the Ministry.
"James other than wanting to take over the world, why would he attack the Ministry?" Lily asked him as they went along, looking into different offices, making sure no Death Eaters were in them. They could hear screams, things being dropped, and the sounds of feet stomping all around them.
"Maybe he wants to show people that he is powerful enough to take over, scare them a little more," James shrugged. "Or maybe the Ministry has something he wants . . . something he needs."
"Are prisoners held here?" Lily asked.
"Last week, that raid captured 5 Death Eaters," James slapped his forehead remembering.
They stopped walking. James looked around him and then started to run at full speed in the opposite direction. Lily followed him as fast as she could. James knew his way around the Ministry better than Lily did even though she had worked here for a while. James had spent a few years exploring the Ministry, his father used to bring him to work in hopes of James seeing how wonderful the Ministry was and following in his father's footsteps. In truth though, it just made him want to escape Ministry life even more.
Instead of going on the elevators, James took the stairs. He raced down them, thankful he was in good shape. Lily wasn't in the shape he was, and had a little more trouble. They had to go down four flights of stairs, prisoners were held in the lowest level.
They reached the bottom level, and James put his wand out in front of him. He waited for Lily and silently, and carefully they made their way into the hallway. It was quiet, and they couldn't hear any noise from the floors above them. James looked both ways and continued down the hallway toward the holding cells. Azkaban, the prison was now guarded by wizards and the lesser Death Eaters were sent there, but the ones who had been close to Voldemort, or believed to be close to him, were held here.
They reached the cells, the Death Eaters who had been captured were inside looking bored. They didn't seem to realize that Voldemort was in the building.
"He didn't want them then," James turned to Lily.
"What does he want then?" asked Lily.
To bind time, since he couldn't answer that question he looked around, "We should put up shields and stuff so if he does come down he'll have a hard time getting to the prisoners."
They worked for the next few minutes putting up defenses and wards to keep people away.
"James," Lily stopped and lowered her wand.
"What?" he asked.
"The Minister!"
James swore, "Wouldn't have someone already checked that out?" he thought out loud.
"Let's go, just incase!" She yelled, turned and ran. James ran after her and quickly took the lead. If any Death Eater had been on the floor, both James and Lily would have been dead, they were too concerned about the Minister's life to worry about their own.
The Minister's office was on the 4th floor, and they had to climb eight floors. James did so without a second thought, but Lily stopped and looked up at the stairs. She had to hurry now to catch up with James, who was now a flight ahead of her.
Up on the Minister's floor, James waited for Lily before preceding. She came up out of breath and with sweat running down her face. James helped her up the last step and they went ahead together. The hallway was filled with people. Aurors and Ministry workers were all around the door leading to the office where Lily use to work.
"What's going on?" James asked the closest person.
"We can't get in," the Ministry worker said. "The door is locked with so many spells and curses, we can't undo them."
James swore and looked around.
"What can we do?" Lily asked.
"We need to get in there," James kept looking around.
"How though? All these people can't," Lily pointed out.
"How long has the door been locked?" James asked.
"Since the attack started," someone else told him. "Some think that the Minister locked himself in there."
"I know," James turned and went back for the stairs. He looked back at Lily, "I know another way in!"
"More stairs," Lily groaned.
They only went down one flight of stairs though. James opened the door to the floor below the Minister's office to find a Death Eater with their back toward them. James helped Lily step over him after stunning him and they continued on their way.
"Where are we going?" she asked him.
"I did not waste the hours I spent here," James replied. "I know another way in."
"That doesn't surprise me," Lily shook her head.
"What? I'm a Marauder."
They stopped in front of the portrait of Patrick Potter, Minister of Magic from 1500-1599. At that moment Patrick Potter was fast asleep.
"He was Minister for a while," Lily observed.
"He lived to be 200 years old," James shrugged. "Excuse me Mr. Patrick Potter, this is James your great, great, great, great, add a few more greats grandson. I need to get into the hallway behind you."
"James you have grown!" the portrait exclaimed.
"Oh my wife Lily," James introduced as to not be rude.
"You better make sure the Potter name lives on, I heard your father only had two sons and one of them died? Unexpectable! I had 10 children, I did my share."
"I know Patrick, I believe I own you thanks for having 10 children, I might not be alive if you didn't," James bowed his head to the portrait. "Now if we could get through."
"Of course you may, my grandson! Good luck in your business, come out a Potter."
The portrait moved aside and James and Lily went in. He took Lily's hand and helped her through.
"Charming relative," she muttered to him. "What did he mean, come out a Potter."
"He meant, come out strong, and don't come out until your business is done, and no running away."
Lily nodded, "Does he always mention the part about carrying on the family name?"
"Yes he does. When I was five years old, he gave me the birds and the bees talk, thank Merlin things have changed since his time," James had to laugh remembering his younger self.
James motioned for them to be silent, "We are getting close." He whispered.
The hallway started to slope up. James held onto the sides and he put one foot in front of the other. Carefully he turned to find Lily copying his motions. They climbed up carefully and slowly.
"Could do with a few stairs now," she muttered softly.
James turned and smiled. He turned back around though, they were getting to the end. A few seconds later he stopped, and they had come to the end. He pressed his hands against the wall, and it moved a little.
"Ready?" He whispered.
"Yes."
"Lets go," James threw his weight against it. He fell through, Lily who had reached out to grab him fell with him. They fell to the floor in Lily's old office.
A wizard was on the other side of the room. He was bent over, looking at something. He now straightened up, and turned slowly. James looked at him and then into his black eyes, his sharp nose and snake like face. He was a tall wizard with rich black robes.
James and Lily got up off the floor. James put himself in front of Lily shielding her. His mouth was opened and he was staring at the wizard, hatred flowing through him.
"Well, well I have not seen you since you I killed your grandparents and your precious uncle," the wizard said slowly, each word made James hate the wizard even more.
"Voldemort," he said in a bitter tone.
**
Harry's first word had an impact on the whole house. The war was forgotten that night, Voldemort and his Death Eaters were brushed aside completely. Harry had spoken, he had looked at Sirius and spoke. James argued that Sirius had been practicing with Harry behind his back and that was why he said Pa and not Da. Of course he also said that Pa was another name for Dad and he had really spoken to him. But everyone in the household knew that when Harry spoke in had been to Sirius. They celebrated with a special dinner that night. Rosy made a special dessert for them and they all had a few drinks.
Peter came in during dinner. They immediately sat him down and told him the story. He joined them for some drinks and was just as excited as they were.
"Harry, speak again," James said to him as he held him on his lap. "Say it... Daddy, daddy. Come on Harry."
Harry just looked up at him. He stuck his thumb in his mouth and then looked around.
"Come on Harry, just say it," James encouraged him on. Everyone else was watching excitingly. "Come on... Daddy, daddy, da...ddy."
Harry though, didn't say a word.
**
"No... leave . . . no... don't... touch . . . don't...touch her."
Lily was woken up that night by a low muttering voice. She looked over at James to find him sweating and talking low in his sleep. She had never heard him before, but then she realized that nothing had affected him like this before. She pushed some hair out of his eyes and kissed his brow.
He woke up at that second with a small yell. Sweat was on his face and his hand shook as he pulled the cover further up.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Lily asked. James looked over and blushed, he had not realized that she was awake.
He gave a deep sigh in reply, "I'm sure Sirius told you what happened." Lily nodded. "I just . . . its so disturbing. The Death Eaters, they don't give a damn about human life. They put the Imperius on a 4-year-old girl. A 4-year-old girl who has no business in this way? What did she do to them? What if something like that was to happen to Harry?" He paused. "Why can't there just be peace? I just can't believe I reacted like that."
"We've all been fighting what seems years, and even the strongest break sometimes," Lily comforted him. "What makes someone strong are those who get back up after they fall. You aren't strong by not showing emotions, by not showing a reaction, but when you get back up. When you have a reaction like this, it proves you are still human, they you are still a man. Everyone needs that check once in awhile."
James closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, there was a tear in both of them. "I'm not sure I would be able to get back up if it wasn't for you and Harry." He lend over and kissed her, "You are everything to me."
**
The news came a week later. The Marauders had been sitting down to dinner when the portrait of Henry Potter the first came in screaming about an attack at the Ministry. The three Marauders and Lily looked at each other as if stunned and then the next second all four chairs were over turned and they were sprinting toward the door. Voldemort attacking the Ministry... how, why, was this it? Was this the battle he had been waiting for, was this his conquest over the wizarding world? Questions raced through their minds, this was not a good thing.
They apparated to the Ministry. James went off with Lily and Sirius took Remus. They nodded to each other as a sign of good luck, and they were too nervous to talk. James and Lily sprinted down the hall, there was not a moment to waste.
They turned a corner and came to a dead end. Five Death Eaters stood in the hallway speaking in low voices. They all looked up when they heard James and Lily approaching.
"STUPEFY!"
"EXPELLIARMUS!"
"BLINDARMS!"
"CRUCIO!"
"IMPERIO!"
James and Lily dodged, blocked and sent curses as fast as they could.
"Expelliarmus!"
James had been dodging the Cruciatus Curse when he found himself wandless.
"Accio wand!" Lily yelled and James jumped in the air and grabbed his wand.
"Stupefy!" James yelled at one of the Death Eaters.
"Stupefy!" Lily yelled. Two down, three more to go.
The Death Eaters were looking to capture them, James knew. When they got tired of duels they usually sent the Killing Curse but they were still using the Stunning Curse. The Death Eaters were getting annoyed that James and Lily were still up and fighting.
"Stupefy!" James pointed his wand at one and while he blocked that Lily sent the same curse at him. He fell over, three down, two more to go.
One of the remaining Death Eaters sent the Cruciatus Curse to James and he tumbled away from it, coming up and sending a curse at the Death Eater. While James tumbled all over the hallway, Lily remained on her feet using her deep knowledge of Charms and curses to shield herself from the curses.
Finally James and Lily lowered their wands and looked at the fallen Death Eaters in front of them. They had done it, and all 5 Death Eaters were stunned. Leaving them, they continued on, Voldemort would have brought all his Death Eaters with him if he planned to take over the Ministry.
"James other than wanting to take over the world, why would he attack the Ministry?" Lily asked him as they went along, looking into different offices, making sure no Death Eaters were in them. They could hear screams, things being dropped, and the sounds of feet stomping all around them.
"Maybe he wants to show people that he is powerful enough to take over, scare them a little more," James shrugged. "Or maybe the Ministry has something he wants . . . something he needs."
"Are prisoners held here?" Lily asked.
"Last week, that raid captured 5 Death Eaters," James slapped his forehead remembering.
They stopped walking. James looked around him and then started to run at full speed in the opposite direction. Lily followed him as fast as she could. James knew his way around the Ministry better than Lily did even though she had worked here for a while. James had spent a few years exploring the Ministry, his father used to bring him to work in hopes of James seeing how wonderful the Ministry was and following in his father's footsteps. In truth though, it just made him want to escape Ministry life even more.
Instead of going on the elevators, James took the stairs. He raced down them, thankful he was in good shape. Lily wasn't in the shape he was, and had a little more trouble. They had to go down four flights of stairs, prisoners were held in the lowest level.
They reached the bottom level, and James put his wand out in front of him. He waited for Lily and silently, and carefully they made their way into the hallway. It was quiet, and they couldn't hear any noise from the floors above them. James looked both ways and continued down the hallway toward the holding cells. Azkaban, the prison was now guarded by wizards and the lesser Death Eaters were sent there, but the ones who had been close to Voldemort, or believed to be close to him, were held here.
They reached the cells, the Death Eaters who had been captured were inside looking bored. They didn't seem to realize that Voldemort was in the building.
"He didn't want them then," James turned to Lily.
"What does he want then?" asked Lily.
To bind time, since he couldn't answer that question he looked around, "We should put up shields and stuff so if he does come down he'll have a hard time getting to the prisoners."
They worked for the next few minutes putting up defenses and wards to keep people away.
"James," Lily stopped and lowered her wand.
"What?" he asked.
"The Minister!"
James swore, "Wouldn't have someone already checked that out?" he thought out loud.
"Let's go, just incase!" She yelled, turned and ran. James ran after her and quickly took the lead. If any Death Eater had been on the floor, both James and Lily would have been dead, they were too concerned about the Minister's life to worry about their own.
The Minister's office was on the 4th floor, and they had to climb eight floors. James did so without a second thought, but Lily stopped and looked up at the stairs. She had to hurry now to catch up with James, who was now a flight ahead of her.
Up on the Minister's floor, James waited for Lily before preceding. She came up out of breath and with sweat running down her face. James helped her up the last step and they went ahead together. The hallway was filled with people. Aurors and Ministry workers were all around the door leading to the office where Lily use to work.
"What's going on?" James asked the closest person.
"We can't get in," the Ministry worker said. "The door is locked with so many spells and curses, we can't undo them."
James swore and looked around.
"What can we do?" Lily asked.
"We need to get in there," James kept looking around.
"How though? All these people can't," Lily pointed out.
"How long has the door been locked?" James asked.
"Since the attack started," someone else told him. "Some think that the Minister locked himself in there."
"I know," James turned and went back for the stairs. He looked back at Lily, "I know another way in!"
"More stairs," Lily groaned.
They only went down one flight of stairs though. James opened the door to the floor below the Minister's office to find a Death Eater with their back toward them. James helped Lily step over him after stunning him and they continued on their way.
"Where are we going?" she asked him.
"I did not waste the hours I spent here," James replied. "I know another way in."
"That doesn't surprise me," Lily shook her head.
"What? I'm a Marauder."
They stopped in front of the portrait of Patrick Potter, Minister of Magic from 1500-1599. At that moment Patrick Potter was fast asleep.
"He was Minister for a while," Lily observed.
"He lived to be 200 years old," James shrugged. "Excuse me Mr. Patrick Potter, this is James your great, great, great, great, add a few more greats grandson. I need to get into the hallway behind you."
"James you have grown!" the portrait exclaimed.
"Oh my wife Lily," James introduced as to not be rude.
"You better make sure the Potter name lives on, I heard your father only had two sons and one of them died? Unexpectable! I had 10 children, I did my share."
"I know Patrick, I believe I own you thanks for having 10 children, I might not be alive if you didn't," James bowed his head to the portrait. "Now if we could get through."
"Of course you may, my grandson! Good luck in your business, come out a Potter."
The portrait moved aside and James and Lily went in. He took Lily's hand and helped her through.
"Charming relative," she muttered to him. "What did he mean, come out a Potter."
"He meant, come out strong, and don't come out until your business is done, and no running away."
Lily nodded, "Does he always mention the part about carrying on the family name?"
"Yes he does. When I was five years old, he gave me the birds and the bees talk, thank Merlin things have changed since his time," James had to laugh remembering his younger self.
James motioned for them to be silent, "We are getting close." He whispered.
The hallway started to slope up. James held onto the sides and he put one foot in front of the other. Carefully he turned to find Lily copying his motions. They climbed up carefully and slowly.
"Could do with a few stairs now," she muttered softly.
James turned and smiled. He turned back around though, they were getting to the end. A few seconds later he stopped, and they had come to the end. He pressed his hands against the wall, and it moved a little.
"Ready?" He whispered.
"Yes."
"Lets go," James threw his weight against it. He fell through, Lily who had reached out to grab him fell with him. They fell to the floor in Lily's old office.
A wizard was on the other side of the room. He was bent over, looking at something. He now straightened up, and turned slowly. James looked at him and then into his black eyes, his sharp nose and snake like face. He was a tall wizard with rich black robes.
James and Lily got up off the floor. James put himself in front of Lily shielding her. His mouth was opened and he was staring at the wizard, hatred flowing through him.
"Well, well I have not seen you since you I killed your grandparents and your precious uncle," the wizard said slowly, each word made James hate the wizard even more.
"Voldemort," he said in a bitter tone.
