A/N: Here's the next chapter.  Not much else to say here.  Review.

Disclaimer: You know how this goes.  Everything and everyone you don't recognize belongs to me.  Everything else belongs to the ever-so-great J.K. Rowling

MEMORIES

CHAPTER 20: It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Trouble

Written by ByeByeBirdie 

            "Oh, no," James muttered.

            "What is it?" Remus asked.

            "Dark Mark…Voldemort's sign."

            Remus and Sirius gasped.  "What!?  Voldemort is here!?"

            "No, most likely a bunch of his death-eaters, crowding together to perform the task asked by Voldemort.  I've studied up on this, and usually it means that Voldemort is ready to strike again...usually with a certain plan in mind.  He's out there and he wants everyone to know he's fighting back society with crime…and death, of course."

            Remus and Sirius looked at James horrified.  "C'mon, let's get out of here," Sirius finally said.

            "Wait, where's Peter?" Remus asked, moments later.

            They all stopped abruptly.  "Oh, no.  We lost him!"

            "We can't go back, though.  It's too dangerous.  He'll get himself out.  We'll check up on him at his house in about an hour, making sure he made it home safely," James explained.  "If we go back, we'll be prime suspects of the death-eaters."

            "How'd you become so smart?" Sirius muttered.

            "When I became an Auror," James mumbled under his breath.

            "Right, right," Sirius teased.

            "Come on, let's go the other way.  We'll never be able to get out this way," Remus grumbled.

            "No, take that path down there," James said, before Remus could turn around with a few others to follow another longer route.  "It will lead us to the farther side of the hills and I'm sure no one is going to be there."

            "Yes, sir!" Sirius said jokingly.

            "Oh, and remind me to call Sir Sephilia when we get to a safer place.  He needs to be informed."

            "Yes, sir!!" Sirius repeated with a wink.

            "And remind me to hurt you later when I'm not so tied up with Auror work," James teased.

            "Yes, sir!"

            James sighed, running his hands through his hair nervously.  "This is bad…"

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

            "Perfect, Wormtail…"

            "Thanksssss massssster.  The otherssssss are on the outsssside of the pitch away from everyone and everything.  They caught a few sssstragglers."

            "Perfect.  Now we wait."

            "For what, sssssir?"

            Voldemort grinned evilly down at the plump, ignorant man.  "Sir Sephilia…and the rest of those damn Aurors to try and beat me.  But they won't succeed!!  I won't let them!!!!" he cackled.  "You better make sure those incompetent investigators don't get past me and everyone else out there working for me, Wormtail."

            "Yesss, ssssir," he squeaked.

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

            "Sir Sephilia?" James said in a coarse, deep voice into the pay phone.

            "Yes, this is he.  I heard this was urgent, Mr. Potter.  What's going on that you must tear me away from the assembly line dowstairs?"

            "It's the Dark Mark," James responded.

            There was no answer on the other line.

            "Sir?"

            "Where are you?"

            "The Bucknell Quidditch pitch."

            "I'll be right there with a group of our strongest Aurors.  As of right now, look around for clues as towards who did it and any signs of death-eaters.  And make sure you don't get caught!"

            "Yes, sir."

            "You've done well, Mr. Potter," Sir Sephilia complimented.  "I knew that you'd be worth keeping."  And with those words, James heard a click from the other end and sighed again, hanging up the phone in its the cradle.

            "So?  What's happening?" Sirius asked.

            "Sir Sephilia and the advanced Aurors are coming as quickly as they can.  But we need to start investigating now.  They might be long gone by the time they all get here."

            "We'll help," Remus interjected and Sirius nodded in agreement.

            "There's not much we can do except sneak in through the forest passageway and get to the source of the problem."

            "You sound so professional," Sirius muttered.

            "I have to be.  This is serious business we're talking about," James pointed out.

            Sirius nodded.  "Okay, let's go, then."

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

            "C'mon, James…answer your phone," Lily muttered for the umpteenth time that afternoon.  She was scanning through the news on the television when she saw the headlines about the Dark Mark at the Quidditch Pitch covered on thirty-two stations.  She knew that James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were there, but she hadn't been able to get a hold of any of them since she found out what had happened at the match.  "James, please, be there!!!"

            Unfortunately, it was useless, and Lily went back to worrying.  She tried Remus, Sirius, and Peter again, but, just as she had figured, they weren't home either.

            She sighed and sat back down at the television flipping through the channels to see if there was any new information or any better coverage of what had happened.  Oh, God.  Please let them all be all right…..  

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

            "You guys, go home now," James said eight hours now.  "Everyone's settled in and we've got all the people on the job that we need.  You two are probably freezing your asses off and are starving out of your minds and are exhausted.  Go home, eat, and sleep."

            "No way are we leaving you here," Sirius said firmly.

            "I'll be fine, Si.  This is just like a regular mission."

            "Except that this time you'll be up against God-knows-what.  You don't even know your mission!" Remus argued.  "This is just a course of spontaneous action that's being headed by you and Sir Sephilia at the moment.  Usually you get called up and you're told what's going on.  Right now, it's a mix of mass confusion and a lot of running around to do mixed in with a few scandalous orders…oh, yeah and I forgot to mention—a little bit of danger!!"

            "I'm going to be fine.  Stop worrying."

            "How can we not worry?" Sirius asked.  "We never know if you're okay on these missions!  It's a little nerve-wracking."

            "Oh, yes and being involved with Voldemort and danger sounds like a thrill-ride to me as well," James said sarcastically.  "But this is my job!  This is what I do!  And as apprehensive and unpredictable as these missions are, I love it all.  I love the feeling of doing something right for the country.  The feeling of winning…of triumph.  The feeling of determination and confidence.  Of self-righteousness and fearlessness.  Of overcoming my fears and my turmoil.  I love the rush of excitement after doing something right.  After catching a death-eater.  It may be dangerous, but I got myself into this knowing that it would be heartstopping.  I love my job even with all the danger it commits to."

            "Okay, you aren't standing in front of a podium, James," Sirius joked.  "You can stop with the speech."

            James cracked a smile.

            Remus sighed.  "I know that I couldn't do it.  I'd be up against a death-eater and I'd freeze completely.  Blank out.  Black out.  Whatever you want to call it.  I'd hyperventilate."

            Sirius and James laughed.

            "Yeah, well Sirius would probably go against a death-eater and tell knock-knock jokes until the death-eaters die of boredom," James responded.

            "HEY!!"

            They all laughed.

            "Okay, now this is when I leave," Sirius said.

            "Yes, please do," James urged on.

            "Fine, fine.  But you better call us the moment you get home.  I don't care if it's three in the morning or if it's three in the afternoon.  Call us immediately!" Remus warned.

            James nodded.  "I will."

            "James Potter!" a voice said from behind.

            "Sir Sephilia's calling me, guys.  I'll call you later and stop worrying," James said, running off towards Sir Sephilia.

            "Still worried?" Sirius muttered.

            "Oh, totally," Remus said.

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

            "SIRIUS BLACK, WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN AND WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU CALL ME IMMEDIATELY!" Lily screamed into the phone around eight o'clock that night.

            "Lily, calm down!" he said.

            "HOW CAN I CALM DOWN!?  YOU ALL HAVE MADE ME GONE COMPLETELY CRAZY!"

            "Lils, we're sorry.  Everything was just so…so hectic.  There wasn't any time to stop for anything."

            "Not even me!?"

            "To tell you the truth, I forgot about you and everything else.  When I saw that Dark Mark, I knew we were troubled.  I knew we needed to start investigating immediately."

            Lily sighed.  "I understand, I just…I was just scared and worried about all of you.  How are Remus, Peter, and James?"

            "Remus is home safely, but we couldn't find Peter anywhere.  And James is still there with the other Aurors."

            There was no reply.

            "Uh…Lily?"

            "You left James alone?"

            "Yes.  He insisted on us leaving."

            "Alone…with the death-eaters…and the Dark Mark in the sky…and Voldemort lurking around somewhere?"

            "Uh…yes, but you don't sound too thrilled about that, do you?"

            "Are you absolutely nuts!?"

            "Lily, he's going to be fine!"

            "He better, or else I'm blaming it all on you, Sirius Devon Black."

            "Oh, thanks, Lils.  I feel so much better," Sirius said sarcastically.

            "You're not supposed to feel better."

            "I know."

            Lily sighed.  "I hope he'll be okay."

            "Lily, he's been doing this for a while now.  He loves his job even with the danger it commits to."

            "That sounds like something James would say…"

            Sirius laughed.  "He did.  I'm just repeating it to you."

            Lily sighed.  "Okay, then I guess I'll call you tomorrow, Si."

            "Bye, Lils.  Luv ya, hon."

            "Talk to you later, Si. Luv ya, too.  And I'm sorry I was so harsh.  I'm just…aggravated."

            "I know you are.  But calm down and stop worrying.  And make sure you get some sleep tonight because we might have to be up and around all day," Sirius explained.

            "Yes, mother."

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

            At six o'clock the next morning, there was a knock on Lily's front door.  Lily wasn't sleeping at all, going against Sirius' wishes, but she wasn't expecting anyone either.

            Lily sighed and crawled out of bed.  When she looked out the window, she noticed it was snowing pretty hard.  And if it were any other day she'd be happy for the first snowfall, but it wasn't any other day.  It was another day full of anxiety and worry.

            The person knocked again, and Lily trudged over to the door and opened it.

            "Lily," the voice said breathlessly.

            "JAMES!" Lily cried throwing her cold arms over his neck and giving him a huge hug.

             He squeezed her tighter and held on longer.

            "Are you okay, James?"

            He sighed and didn't answer.

            "James?"

            "I-I don't know."

            "What's going on?"

            "Did Sirius or Remus tell you about last night?"

            "Yeah and that was a good thing of you staying until you were able to leave."

            "I know.  Actually, I stayed after I could have left.  I helped the Ministry of Dark Arts Magic clean up the Quidditch pitch and everything around it."

            "Meaning…?"

            "Dead bodies," he sighed.  "Bombs, smoke, trash, broken wands, broken brooms, everything."

            "Oh, no!  Why'd you stay?  Wasn't that awful?"

            "Yeah, but I felt like I owed it to them."

            "Why?"

            "I-I don't know."

            "Did you call Sirius or Remus yet to tell them you're back?"

            He shook his head.  "No…I-I needed to talk to someone, and somehow it didn't feel right talking to them."

            "Why?  What's wrong?  Are you okay?"

            "While helping clean up the catastrophe I…I met up with my dad."

            "Yeah?" Lily asked, wondering what James was getting to.  "Your dad went to the game?"

            "No, not exactly.  He showed up as an Auror, but…"

            "But what?"

            "I meant…well, I meant that I saw my dad…on the ground…unmoving…untouchable…not doing anything.  He just sat there, white as a ghost.  And I knew…I knew immediately he had been killed," James choked up.

            Lily gasped.  "Oh, no," she emphasized, giving him a tight reassuring hug.  "Are…are you sure?"

            He nodded solemnly.

            "I-I don't know what to say," Lily said breathlessly, not sure how to express her sorrow in this case.  "I'm so sorry, James…"

            "When I saw him lying there motionless, I couldn't move…I couldn't speak…I couldn't walk…I couldn't breathe.  I never thought it could affect my life…but it did.  And now…now I don't what to think or believe.  He was one of the best damn Aurors alive and…and he died trying to save someone else's life.  That could have been me, Lils.  I could be the one dead."

            "James Potter, do not think that!  He was brave.  He stood up against what he believed in.  He stood up for you and for everyone else in the damn Auror business.  If you back out now, you'll never know what you can achieve…who you can be.  Don't punish yourself for your father's actions.  He was a great Auror.  That can be you…that will be you.  Don't think of the danger.  Think of the people.  Every single witch or wizard will count on you.  They'll look up to you.  You'll be a role model…and idol.  Don't you want that?"

            James nodded solemnly.  "Yeah.  I'm just…I'm just scared.  I never thought how dangerous being an Auror could be until I realized that death could be a result."

            "Yes, but there's another result that's even more important to remember—so much more worth everything.  Death isn't something you have to dwell on, James.  You can't quit, even though I know that's what you're thinking of doing."

            "I-I don't want to quit," he said quietly.  "I just…I just want some time off."

            "So ask Sir Sephilia.  He'd be happy to give you a few weeks off—especially in the events of what had happened to you."

            James nodded slowly, knowing she was probably right.  "So, then what's the other result, Lily? Other than death…"

            Lily paused and glanced down at his weary eyes, filled with an emptiness that no one could ever fill.

            "Heroism…"

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

            "You idiot!!!  We wanted the other Potter!!"

            "I'm sssssorry," Wormtail stuttered.  "He jussssst got in our way and Lucifer Malfoy took action and killed him.  We couldn't find James Potter, sssssir.  He was hidden in the foresssst behind everyone and everything."

            "Fine, but next time make sure we kill that blasted James Potter!!  He keeps standing in our way!!"

            "Yesss, massssster.  Right away."

            "Don't let it happen again, Wormtail.  I'm warning you!!  One false move, and I'll wring your neck like I did Vladimir Nott."

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

            "Scott Potter.  What can I say? He was a great friend, an excellent Auror, and a perfect father," James said at the funeral four days later.  "He helped me realize what I want in life.  He helped me realize that I can reach my goals if I work hard enough.  He taught me everything I'll ever need to know as I descend down the path of life.  He taught me the ways of loving; he taught me about overcoming fear; he taught me about being strong and powerful; he taught me how to be happy," James continued, as unshed tears built up inside his eyelids.  "But most importantly…he taught me about life itself.  He always noticed the little things.  He always pointed them out.  He told me, once, that everything was important from a tiny, useless blade of grass to the shining sun in the sky.  He said that everything was connected in the circle of life.  In the circle of happiness…the circle of inner-peace.  Everything meant something and you could never overlook anything, because overlooking is a sign of weakness.  A sign of unfortunate greatness.  Of incompetent superiority.  And nothing in this world is superior to anything else.  Everything and everyone is equal.  And I remember thinking that my father was crazy…but I realize now that he's right.  Underestimation is every man or woman's weakness…and weaknesses show signs of effortlessness…which goes to show that no one is perfect.  Everyone has flaws…but I like to think of my father as flawless.  Because without him…I would never have realized that even though I have my weaknesses…so does everyone else.  I love you, Dad, and I always will," James finished, as the tears slowly crept down his cheeks as he walked down towards a pew where Sirius, Lily, Remus, Kaitlynne, Peter, Allie, and Josh were all sitting.

            James chose not to sit with his mother, his grandmother, his aunts, his uncles, and his cousins.  He'd rather be with his friends at a time like this.  They were the most important people in life and they made him realize that he mattered.  That he belonged…and at the time, that's all he needed. 

            He took a seat, and Lily squeezed his hand and handed him a tissue.

            James gave her a half-smile and sniffled.  "Thanks," he whispered.

            "Anytime," she replied.  "We're always here for you…always."

            And his friends always knew exactly what to say.

A/N: Yes, I know that was a little surprising (and a bit difficult to write), but I figured that there had to be some more dark-art situations going on behind the scenes.  Voldemort couldn't just have been some guy on the streets who suddenly, out-of-the-blue decides he's going to kill off these people with the last name of Potter.  As you can see, he's a complicated guy.  Anyway, keep on reading and reviewing!