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Chapter 19: Gunshot

James was leaning out the apartment¡¦s balcony, looking up at the stars. You remember! Lily Evans¡¦s voice resounded in his head. We were schoolmates, James. At Hogwarts, a wizarding school. Can you remember, James? Hogwarts? James shook his head, trying to clear it. A wizarding school? He was no wizard. Could she have been pulling his leg? Perhaps Elsa put her up to it.

But she looked so desperate, he thought. Her face had been so hopeful, and her sadness and disappointment when he had left her behind had plagued him with guilt. Could any girl be so good an actress?

We were schoolmates, James. Can you remember, James? She had called him James. Was that his real name?

¡§Hey, stranger,¡¨ came Elsa¡¦s soft voice as she opened the door to the balcony. ¡§What are you doing out here?¡¨

James didn¡¦t budge. ¡§Brooding.¡¨

Elsa moved to stand beside him. ¡§You haven¡¦t done that in a long time. What¡¦s up?¡¨

James opened his mouth to speak, but somehow the words wouldn¡¦t come. ¡§Maybe another time, Elsa,¡¨ he said instead.

They stood there in peace for a while, gazing at the stars. Then someone knocked. Elsa went to get it. When she opened the door, there stood a tall man with blond hair and a pale, pointed face. He smiled, cold and calculating.

¡§Hello, Muggle.¡¨

In a flash, he whipped out a shiny wooden stick and pointed it at her. ¡§Expelliarmus!¡¨

Elsa was hurled across the room. She hit the wall with a sickening thud. James ran at the guy in an attempt to tackle him, but the guy was faster. He turned the stick on him, and James slumped to the floor beside Elsa, blackness claiming him.

Lucius Malfoy leaned over the still bodies of Potter and his Muggle. ¡§Get in,¡¨ he called to his two cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, who had stood outside while he had gone to, ahem, incapacitate the two. With ease, the two gorillas lifted the bodies on the shoulders. Lucius smiled, a smile so cold it could¡¦ve turned the entire apartment to ice. His master would be very pleased with this bounty.

¡§Ugh,¡¨ James groaned as he opened his eyes. His back hurt. Bad. And his head was throbbing. He sat up and tried to move, but his hands were bound, so he looked around. Tombstones and graves surrounded them. He turned his head to his side. Elsa lay on the damp ground as well.

She shifted and moaned. ¡§Evan?¡¨ James helped her sit up slowly. ¡§Where are we?¡¨

¡§Some kind of cemetery,¡¨ James whispered. His entire body was tensed. ¡§Keep your guard up. I have a bad feeling.¡¨

Elsa nodded. A deep, evil chuckle startled them. ¡§Mr.Potter.¡¨ James whirled to see a horrid-looking man. His eyes were like a snake¡¦s, small slits glowing red in their evil. ¡§So very pleasing to meet you at last.¡¨

Lily had been sitting on the steps with Sirius when the pain hit. She gasped suddenly. Sirius wrapped an arm around her to support her. ¡§Lily, what¡¦s wrong?¡¨

Her breathing was short and rapid. ¡§James,¡¨ she whispered. ¡§Get Remus. James is in trouble.¡¨

¡§She¡¦s a witch,¡¨ the snake-eyed man murmured.

Elsa narrowed her eyes as he peered at her.

The man turned to their captor. ¡§Well done, Lucius. Two birds with one stone.¡¨

The blond man¡XLucius¡Xstared at Elsa in surprise, but he quickly mastered himself. ¡§Thank you, master.¡¨

She glared as the Snake Eyes leaned closer. ¡§Get away,¡¨ she spat.

He simply laughed. ¡§Insolent, are you?¡¨

He pulled out a stick and sent a jet of red light at her. ¡§Crucio!¡¨

Elsa screamed. The pain was intense, pouring into every cell of her body. She was blinded by it. Let me die, she thought. Just let me escape this¡K

James watched in horror as Elsa¡¦s face contorted with pain.

After a moment, the man withdrew his weapon, a sort of wand. ¡§Lord Voldemort never abides insolence.¡¨

James dropped down to Elsa¡¦s side. ¡¥What do you want?¡¨ he shouted at Voldemort (he refused to acknowledge the Lord part).

Voldemort smiled, seemingly enjoying the moment. ¡§Your allegiance, James Potter.¡¨

¡§Why should I join you?¡¨ James snapped.

¡§You¡¦re a brilliant wizard, Mr. Potter. Or don¡¦t you remember? You could do great things. You could rule the world with that kind of talent.¡¨ Voldemort circled him. ¡§Use those brains right now. Think about the power that will be in your hands if you join me.¡¨

James narrowed his eyes. ¡§I think I can do great things as well, thanks, by not serving a snake like you!¡¨

The red in Voldemort¡¦s eyes flared. He pointed with his wand, and the red light streamed out again. James rolled to the side, barely escaping. This incensed Voldemort even more, and this time, he fired the red light at Elsa. Her scream pierced the quiet of the night. James felt sickened as Elsa doubled over, gasping.

¡§Hi, are we late for the party?¡¨ A brown-haired guy stepped into sight, a wand in his outstretched hand.

¡§What¡¦d we miss?¡¨ quipped a handsome boy with black hair, wand also out.

James stared in surprise as Lily Evans stepped out next. Her wand was pointed straight at Voldemort. Her green eyes flared with anger.

¡§Nice to see you,¡¨ she said icily.

Voldemort looked taken by surprise. With a swirl of the long cloak he wore, he suddenly disappeared. Lucius and two other cloaked figures followed, leaving the cemetery empty aside from them.

The brown-haired boy pocketed his wand and grabbed James by the shoulders. ¡§Prongs, it¡¦s really you!¡¨

¡§Compadre, we missed you,¡¨ the black-haired one said.

James was surprised. These two were treating him like an old buddy. And he felt...completely at ease. Things felt so familiar somehow, like it had been with¡K

¡§Hate to break up this reunion, but we need to get her to St. Mungo¡¦s,¡¨ Lily called. She was kneeling by Elsa¡¦s unconscious body.

James instantly moved to pick Elsa up. ¡§I don¡¦t know a lot of things right now, but¡Klead the way.¡¨