Hey, alright, so once again I'm SORRY for not updating sooner. I couldn't get the last conversation right, I rewrote it so many times. And then my father was on the computer all weekend. And I'm getting headaches if I look at a computer for more than 5 minutes, but enough of my excuses. I will be updating very soon, I really want to get this story done before I go back to school and I go back next Monday. Most of it is typed, I have to type the next chapter and then a few odds and ends and then I'm done. So I'm thinking maybe 4 more chapters and an epilogue. I hope you like this chapter, please R/R, and thank you for all the kind reviews. I don't own Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does.
***
This had to be a bad dream… a nightmare he would wake up from. But as the wizard stopped walking and surveyed him up and down James knew it wasn't a nightmare. Warnings went off in his head; this was not a good thing. This was classified as a very bad situation, he thought.
"You have grown indeed," Voldemort said.
"I've heard it happens," James spat back with as much hatred in his voice as Voldemort had in his.
"Where's your side kick? Still afraid to show his face?" Voldemort asked. "I saw you behind the shelves that day."
"I really was disappointed we couldn't come out and say hello, but the shelves don't move," James shook his head in mock disappointment.
"Duel me Potter," Voldemort changed the subject. "I am curious if you live up to the Potter standard." He said in a taunting way. "No Potter has ever survived against me, did you know that?"
Lily looked around the room; there at the doorway leading to the Minister's office was a body. She recognized it as the Minister. She gasped and put a hand to her mouth. She looked at James. How could he go ahead and duel when Voldemort had already killed one today? Wasn't that a bad sign? Lily put a hand on his shoulder as a warning. He knew he shouldn't do this, it could lead to his death, but he couldn't help it. He had to, he had been challenged, and he couldn't back down. That was below Potter standards. He looked back at Lily and gave her a nod, and then he looked around, he spotted his escape, he would go for it… but not yet. They bowed to each other. James titled his head; he would not bow to the man who killed all his family. He didn't bow to murderers.
"Crucio!"
James dodged it. He sent a curse at Voldemort, but it was pushed aside. Lily watched as the curses got darker. Lily had never seen James duel so fast, so experienced. Their wands flashed like lightening, they were more like swords, swinging around, hitting each other, sending curses at each other. It was all so fast, she couldn't tell who was sending what.
It went on for almost 5 minutes neither was letting down. She had never seen anyone duel Voldemort for so long, but then she thought, no one would be brave enough to stand being in the same room as him. James though, it was one of his family traits, too brave to realize it was not a good situation to be in.
"Crucio!"
Somehow that got through, James fell back, there was so much power into the curse that he slide across the room. He stopped right near her feet. She shrank back into the corner of the room, of course she wanted to help her husband, she wanted to ease the pain, she wanted it to end, but he would kill her if she intervened with a duel. She stood by helplessly as James' screams filled the room.
Inside his head, he could hear Uncle Billy telling him to break it. It was just like last time, he told James to think about Lily, but now also his son. He had to break free; he had to be strong. But right before he broke it, Voldemort lifted the curse.
"Ready for more pain Potter?" He asked.
James found himself next to hidden passageway. He looked at Lily who stepped forward. He looked up at Voldemort. He pointed his wand at the floor and muttered a word. The floor opened next to him. He looked at the hole in the ground and then up at Voldemort. "This was fun… let's schedule this again in about 100 yeeeaaarss!" He jumped still holding Lily as he said the last word.
As they descended down, James swore he heard a door breaking open from up above them and a cry of, "Tom!"
They landed in front of the portrait of Patrick Potter. Lily got up and looked up at the ceiling, "Was that Dumbledore?"
"I think so," James looked up too. "Let's go find out."
"Are we going though the front door this time?" Lily joked.
"Ah, that takes all the fun out of it," James said sarcastically. "But if you insist we will."
They went to the stairs. The dozens of people who had been in the hallway were now lined up against the walls talking excitingly among themselves. James thought he had heard Dumbledore's name mentioned in a few of the conversations. He ignored them and continued to the next level. Sirius and Remus stood there, at the door obviously waiting for them.
"Where have you been?" Sirius asked when he saw them.
"Went to go get food," James said sarcastically.
"I see you got the door open," Lily nodded at the door.
"Well Dumbledore did," Remus told them. "In about 5 seconds."
They went in, James noticed at once that Voldemort was gone. Dumbledore was talking to something and they were pointing at the Minister's dead body. Dumbledore turned when they entered. "Ah, excuse me for a moment. James, Lily did you enjoy your fall?"
"It was more fun when I was 5 years old," James laughed.
"What is going on?" asked Sirius.
"Did James not tell you that he was just in here dueling Voldemort?" Dumbledore looked at James and then at Sirius.
"You did what?"
"It was on my list of things to do today," James shrugged.
"I can't stand these surprises anymore," Sirius put a hand to his heart. "It's killing me."
"Professor, what is going to happen now that the Minister is dead?" Lily asked.
"You should take it sir," Remus spoke.
"My place is Hogwarts," Dumbledore shook his head. "I'm sure in a day or two another wizard will be elected."
"Sir, we caught 5 Death Eaters trying to make their way into the Department of Mysteries," a man came in and spoke to Dumbledore.
"Thank you, did they get in?" asked Dumbledore.
"No sir."
"Good, take them to the holding cells," Dumbledore instructed. "Well it seems this attack is over." He turned back to the Marauders.
"What would Voldemort want in the Department of Mysteries?" James asked.
Dumbledore didn't answer right away. He seemed to be thinking of his answer, or wondering himself, "To that I have no idea." He responded finally. He looked at them, "Good job today." He left the room.
"Do we have anymore business here?" Lily looked around.
"I'd like to go home, dueling Voldemort takes a lot out of you," James sighed.
"Especially when you are under the Cruciatus," Lily went over to her husband. "I meant to ask you, are you fine?"
"I'll live," James responded. "I'm a Potter after all."
