James was sitting at the table in his dining room with his head in his hands. Sirius was pacing in front of the fire, Remus was sitting silent in a chair, and Peter was sitting on the table. His most trusted friends . . . James had a feeling even they couldn't help him this time. He had just related everything to them, with Lily's account of her last conversation with Ellen. Dumbledore had taken Lily to find Edgar Bones and Emmeline Vance and talk with them.
"Let me get this straight," Sirius said, halting his pacing for a moment. "You remember going into the kitchen, then waking up in the snow next to Ellen Bones's body? That's all?"
"That's all."
"You don't remember talking to me after going into the kitchen?"
James looked up aptly. "I talked to you?"
"He did, didn't he?" Remus said slowly.
"Well, what did I say?" James pressed impatiently.
Sirius shifted guiltly. "I, er . . . I hate to say this, but . . . I don't recall."
"You don't remember?" James exclaimed. "Try harder! Padfoot, I've been accused of murder! What the hell did I say?"
"Prongs, man . . . there was alchohol and there was a dateless Emmie Vance talking to me . . ."
"Oh, fine time to indulge in your crush!"
"Arguing isn't going to solve any of this," Remus said sharply. "If Sirius can't remember, he can't remember. Peter, you didn't happen to hear anything that was said between them, did you?"
Peter shook his head. "I was talking to Arabella Figg."
"Hang on!" Sirius said suddenly. "You left afterwards! So you must have just told me you were leaving."
"Where was I going?" James asked.
"You didn't say."
"I didn't say -- or you just don't remember what I said?"
"James, really. I'm telling you everything I know, mate. I don't want you to go to Azkaban."
"But someone else does," Dumbledore interrupted as he stepped into the dining room with Lily in tow.
The four Marauders stood abruptly with all their attention on the Headmaster. He and Lily both looked extremely grave.
"Did you find Edgar and Emmeline?"
Lily went to James's side. "Edgar's dead."
James stared at Dumbledore. The room was silent.
"Edgar --" Remus muttered.
". . . dead?" Sirius finished.
James and Lily's eyes locked. There was no hiding her concern.
"I suppose I killed him, too," James said, deadpan.
"You did not kill anyone," Dumbledore said firmly. "There is no question of that. However, the Ministry is intent on believing you did. They know you're here and they're on their way."
"What?" James exlaimed. The four Marauders had stood again with shock.
"We've got to get him out of here, then!" Sirius said urgently. Dumbledore shook his head.
"What do you think it would look like if James continued to run? He must allow himself to be caught, and tell the truth about what happened."
"I've only got about half the truth, though!"
"James, piecing together what I've heard from you, Lily, and Emmeline, there doesn't seem to be enough evidence to convict you of anything you've been accused of. The only solution I can think of is that you allow yourself to be caught, go to trial, and tell the truth. We must not allow you to be taken out of control of this house; you all know why. If you keep eluding the Ministry, James, when they finally catch you, you'll go straight to Azkaban."
"No, they can't!" Lily protested. "They can't take him without a trial!"
"Lily, for weeks now murders like this have been happening -- without a shred of evidence to convict anyone on. You must understand that now they've got an actual suspect for this crime, they're going to do everything they can within the law to convict him."
"Then what hope do we have?" Sirius muttered. He was trying hard not to think of the Boneses, or Emmeline -- what must she be feeling right now? "The Ministry has absolute power of cases like this."
"The Ministry does not have absolute power," Dumbledore corrected. "Notice my words: they will do anything within the law." He looked around at the crestfallen faces; Sirius rubbing his temples, Remus looking despondent, Peter scraping the corner of the table with his fingernail thoughtfully, James with his head in his hands and Lily beside him, her green eyes dulled. "You can come through this, James, and with the help you have here, I would guess its very likely that you will."
James looked up with a glimmer of hope. "What do you propose I do?"
"Find someone to represent you in court. I myself would do it, but . . ." His eyes twinkled, "As you well know, I do not carry a positive reputation. I rather think you'll fare better with a friend of the Ministry."
"You know someone in particular?"
"I have some ideas."
James nodded, and Dumbledore exited the kitchen. A moment of silence was followed by the sound of swirling flames as Dumbledore took some Floo powder to the Ministry.
~*
Dumbledore had hardly been away three seconds when James changed his mind. He sat up suddenly, startling the other four. "Evans!" Lily looked at him inquiringly. "You can represent me!"
Lily shook her head fearfully. "I couldn't possibly."
"Yes, you can, and you're the only one."
"What about me?" Sirius put in, pained.
"I don't trust anybody who works for the Ministry --" James went on, ignoring him.
"Dumbledore does; that ought to be enough to know, Potter --"
"I know they can be trusted, but I don't personally trust them."
Lily sat down in a chair next to him, and argued pleadingly, "James, that doesn't make any sense. I haven't got the slightest knowledge of anything related to law --"
"Don't give me that, you've got a slight bit of knowledge about everything," James retorted. "And you've got a phenomenal reputation -- they'll listen to you."
"But what would I say?" Defeated, Lily collapsed in a chair next to him.
"What really happened." Sensing her anxiousness, James leaned closer to her and spoke consolingly. "The truth, Evans; how hard can it be?"
It was difficult to raise her eyes to him, but she did. "What if I do represent you . . . and you get sent to Azkaban?" she said with a trembling voice.
James shook his head and smiled slightly. "At least I'll know we did the best we could."
Sirius, still bitter, interjected, "If you two would be so kind as to let me know before you smooch so I have time to run, that'd be great."
James and Lily shrank back from each other slightly, as though they'd just realized they weren't alone together in the room. James glared at Sirius, and then picked up his cloak from the back of the chair. "I'll tell Dumbledore."