Hi! Back again! So today I have a spare TWENTY minutes, so I thought I'd post up one more chapter… just because. AnimeAngel20! Sorry, I totally forgot about your Yu-Gi-Oh question: Believe it or not, I tried to watch it once, but I was totally lost. My little brother understood it faster than me! I felt so pathetic. LOL! The only thing I really could grasp was that Yu-Gi's granpa was kidnapped and gave Yu-Gi his card deck… and he kept switching places with his older self, or something. If you feel like explaining it in a review, please feel free, because I'm a loser who can't understand cartoons, when children younger than me can. ARG!

Those of you readers who have no idea what we're talking about, don't even worry—just keep reading! LOL!

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Chapter 10

Halloween

The rest of October slid past in a haze. The weather was getting steadily worse, and rain clouds could been seen on the horizon every single day- but did not let their rain fall until it was the week of Halloween. But when it did fall, it was in small showers. The wind, however, was growing colder and colder. Most people thought the clouds would emit snow instead of rain if it got any colder. 

Halloween was always something to look forward to at Hogwarts. The teachers and staff went out of their way to decorate and give everyone a fantastic time. So, when the long anticipated Saturday arrived, all the students were anxiously waited for the Halloween feast.

Lily spent most of her day in caution, for the year before she had spent Halloween with green hair, thanks to none other than the marauders. Although she wanted to get back at them, she knew that they were expecting it, so decided against it.

So, when it was time for the feast, Lily and her friends made their way to the Grand Hall with a slight spring in their steps. When they arrived, they were incredibly shocked.

Jack o' lanterns with grotesque faces floated in the air above the house tables, and real live bats were swooping around the clouded enchanted ceiling. There were even orange streamers swimming through the 'clouds' like water snakes. The sound of excited muttering and whispering filled the hall, which made the room feel cheerier than it looked.

 "Let's get a seat." James said. Madison quickly sat next to James, but was followed shortly by Peter. He looked at her longingly for a moment, but then shook himself and stared at his plate. Lily giggled softly.

Dumbledore gave a quick speech as he did every Halloween, then the golden plates filled with foods, and every person in the hall dug in. The food tasted exquisite, better than any other feast Lily had attended.

So, by the time everyone was stuffed with second or third helpings of dessert, the food on the plates vanished, leaving them as sparkling as they were when Lily arrived.

"I don't think I'll ever be able to eat again!" Sirius moaned, patting his stomach.

"Something tells me you will." Belle laughed, punching his 'sore' belly lightly.

"Stuff it, you!" Sirius said. "I was serious." He added, rubbing his tummy again, pouting.

Lily smiled, and looked to her other side, past Remus. Madison had abandoned trying to get James's attention by now, but Lily was surprised to see that Peter was engaging her in conversation. She seemed very interested in what he was whispering to her. Lily noticed that Madison quickly glanced at James, and then turned back to Peter. This gave Lily the impression that James was the topic of their discussion.

"What are you looking at?" Remus whispered in her ear.

"What? Oh, nothing." Lily said, shaking herself out of her trance. "Just spacing out, that's all."

"You weren't eavesdropping, now were you?" He scolded playfully.

"No! Who, me?" Lily said in an unconvincing tone. "Are you kidding? Lily Evans doesn't eavesdrop."

"Sure she doesn't…" Remus laughed. But, as his eyes fell upon the teachers' table he frowned. "What's that?"

"What's what?" Lily asked, turning. She scanned the teachers' faces, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary- unless you counted Professor Flitwick downing glass after glass of mulled mead. "I don't see anything, Remus."

"No- out the window." He said. Lily followed his gaze out of the large window behind the teachers.

"Oh my God…" Lily murmured. There, high up in the sky, was the skull and snake- just like on the Hogwarts Express. It was floating far too close for comfort. Lily's heart started to pound against her ribs violently. "DUMBLEDORE!" Lily shouted, her voice hoarse, and standing up from the Gryffindor table. The Hogwarts Grand Hall grew silent intstantly.

"Lily…" Remus whispered strictly. "Sit down…"

But Lily wasn't listening. James's safety could be at stake.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir. You might want to look out the window." She suggested, her voice suddenly much more timid with every student's eye upon her. The headmaster looked at her for a moment, but then his face softened in awareness. He turned around in his chair, and his eyes looked out the tall window. He didn't say anything at first, but rose from his chair and strode to the window. McGonagall turned, and gave a small but audible gasp.

Then, Dumbledore turned and addressed the school. "Everyone! Please follow the Prefects to your dormitories as quickly as possible. All will be explained, if you follow directions."

All the students hurried out of the Grand Hall, but Lily and the marauders stayed where they were. Lily still stood frozen and couldn't take her eyes off of the skull. It meant destruction, but where? And to whom?

"James, Lily, come here please. The rest of you must get to your common roomat once." Dumbledore said seriously. James, Peter, Madison, Belle, and Lily followed directions, but Sirius stayed seated.

"Mr. Black! To your common room!" Professor Walter bellowed.

"Please, Sirius. Go to the Gryffindor common room." Dumbledore said softly. Sirius mumbled something, but stood up and left the hall. "Lily and James, I must follow that sign in the sky to help. I have no doubts that whoever attacked, will be on their way here next." Lily's eyes were still in the sky, but she nodded.

"McGonagall, Walter, Hagrid- we'll go out. The rest of the staff- you all will stay here." He replied, glancing at his personnel along the table. Then he turned back to James and Lily. "You two are in charge. You will walk through the halls, and make sure no student is out of bed, and that things are calm. If there is a problem, send word with a ghost, and get a teacher there right away."

"Yes sir." James muttered. "We'll do our best."

Lily and James strolled cautiously throughout the corridors, with their wands held high. All candles were out, and frightening shadows crept through the windows thanks to the crescent moon. They didn't speak a word- they didn't feel like they should.

Occasionally, a silvery Hogwarts ghost would slide through a wall making the two friends jump. They would be given an update in whispers, then continue through the halls.

"You know, James," Lily said faintly. "I'm really sorry that Voldemort's after you. I mean, I know that you couldn't even help it, and it really isn't fair that this had to happen." He didn't answer. "I… I guess you were right. I'm sorry I tried to convince you that it was your destiny and all that. I just hope that everything turns out all right."

Again, James didn't respond. Instead, he looked out the window they were passing. The moonlight bathed the grounds in a fog of silver-white and the lake sparkled. But just over the horizon there was a small lining of red… what was that?

"I don't want your pity." James snapped suddenly. This statement surprised Lily. Had she ever said that she pitied him?

"I don't pity you." Lily replied honestly. James stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her. His normally calm eyes were glaring at her.

"It's obvious that you do- and I don't want it!" James said furiously. "You never apologized for what you believed in before now. You think being the heir is my destiny and an honor- well don't go back on that."

"I'm sorry." Lily said in astonishment.

"Don't be sorry!" James said heatedly. "I don't want you to be sorry for me!"

"Okay! I'm sorry… no! I'm not sorry… Oh God!" Lily said in confusion. She sighed. "What is your problem all of a sudden?"

"My problem? My problem?!" James repeated irritably. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. He sighed. "Never mind, okay? Never mind."

"Okay. Fine then." Lily said, walking a little faster.

"Oh come on now- don't get all pissed off at me!" James called after her apologetically.

"And why shouldn't I? You get mad at me for no reason at all, but…" Lily trailed off. "Forget it."

"Let's just forget about this whole, stupid conversation, all right?" James suggested.

"Fine." Lily nodded resentfully. Then the silence prevailed over the corridors again.

"Er- Think we should check on the Entrance Hall?" James asked uncomfortably.

"Sure. Whatever you say." Lily shrugged grudgingly. So the two of them turned and headed down staircase after staircase. When they could just see the marble staircase ahead of them, they heard a huge thunk!

"Oh God! What's that?" Lily asked quickly.

"I dunno…" James whispered. "But we'd better find out."

They both hurried down the steps and there was another thunk and the doors quivered. Immediately, Lily knew someone was trying to force his or her way into the school.

"What should we do?" Lily whispered. "Should we get a ghost? A teacher?"

"If they break in, we'll get him with the stunning curse, all right?" James said hesitantly. "You don't think he'll get in, do you?" He added, looking at Lily.

"James! You should go!" Lily realized.

"Go? What are you talking about?"

"What if it's Voldemort? He'll kill you James." Lily said, fear rising. She could feel her heart sliding slowly into her throat.

"I'm not leaving you alone- he'll kill you." James said. He gulped as the doors shook again with the smashing of wood on wood. "Maybe we should both go…"

"We can't do that James. What about the students?" Lily reminded him. "We'll just have to face him together, all right? We can do this- we're the best students in Hogwarts, right?"

"Right." James nodded, breathing deeply. "But if something happens, you get yourself out of here, all right?" He asked, as the crunch of splintering wood reached their ears. "Promise me, Lily." He said, almost desperately.

"All right." Lily choked. "I promise."

At that moment, the doors smashed off of their hinges, and wood splinters flew in all directions. A bright white light shone, and Lily and James shielded their eyes.

"Ready?!" James called. "1…2…3!"

Then, Lily and James both yelled "Stupefy!" At first, Lily couldn't see if they had hit anyone, but James screamed for Lily to fire the spell again. She obeyed.

The light died away quickly… Lily shivered and gasped for air, as the room grew dark once more. Soon the only things Lily could make out were five bodies lying on the ground.

"We got them." James whispered. "But they'll wake up soon."

"We should get help." Lily decided. Outside, Lily could still see the Dark Mark floating in the sky… or was that a new one?

"Yeah." James said. But then one of the men struggled to sit up. Lily was awestruck- had they missed him? She found it hard to breathe… what would he do?

"Ugh…" The man moaned. Lily and James exchanged looks. As frightened as James had seemed before, his eyes were now burning with something Lily did not recognize… was it pure fury?

"Who are you?!" James shouted to the man.

"I'll tell you my name, sir," He chuckled. The man rose to his feet. He was dressed in all black, and his hood was drawn, hiding his face. "If you tell me yours."

"You are in no position to be making bargains, buddy. You are breaking and entering and you're outnumbered." James replied strongly.

"I'm here for James Potter. Do you know the boy?" The man asked. Lily sensed a twinge of anxiety in his voice. "If you tell me where to find him, the Dark Lord Voldemort will reward you greatly. You will be honored more than in your wildest dreams."

"I don't know what you're talking about." James said, breathlessly.

"What about the Hidden Crystal of Hogwarts? Heard of that, boy?" The man asked crudely as he gained confidence. "I'm sure you know where I could find that. I know it's here… the Dark Lord knows."

"I don't know what you're talking about!" James repeated.

"Tell me where the Stone of Rialle and the boy are! NOW!" The man shouted. The hall echoed with his shout. "Or you will be punished!"

"James…" Lily whispered. "Don't aggravate him, please…we don't know what he's capable of."

"Your little friend is correct, James." The man said, adjusting his hood. "You may have frozen my friends- no brothers- but I will not allow that to happen to me. And there's no Dumbledore to protect you now… I'm not afraid to kill the both of you. If I do so, I will be honored above all other Death Eaters!" He shouted in a kind of mad glee.

Lily and James exchanged a fearful look. "Stupefy!" They shouted.

But they were too late. The man hand pulled out his wand and fired the Cutacious Curse at them. Lily and James ducked, but to no avail- James was hit.

Lily could do nothing but watch as James howled in pain. He collapsed to the cold, marble floor, writhing in pain.

"James!" Lily shouted, as she lowered herself to the ground next to him. She tried to comfort him, but James didn't seem to hear her. His face was screwed up in anguish- and he clutched his face, and rolled on the floor screaming as if he was on fire.

Amidst James's screams, Lily turned and saw the cloaked man conjure stretchers for his companions in less than a second, then sprinted away with the stretchers following him like a gruesome parade.

Finally, James stopped howling. He was panting for a mouthful of air. His face was wet with sweat and silent tears.

"They're gone, James… they're gone…" Lily murmured, tears tumbling down her own face. "They're gone…" She cried. She fell into James's arms and they hugged each other.

There was a sound of an explosion outside, and a loud shout that sounded like a spell. Lily immediately feared for her life- what was that man doing?

James broke away and left Lily sitting on the floor, wiping tears off her face and trying to pull herself together. She watched James approach the door, and look out into the sky.

"Dark Marks." James said quietly, his breathing heavy with effort. "There are tons of them…"

"Wh-what?" Lily asked faintly. She stood up, and followed James out of the door. But when she looked up into the sky, she was speechless. The sky was filled with at least 15 Dark Marks- all floating threateningly and they were all hovering over Hogsmeade. The horizon was lit in a red as deep as blood, and Lily didn't want to think of how it got to be like that.

"Look at them…" James said. "They're everywhere…"

"Do you think the teachers are all right?" Lily muttered.

"I don't know."

"What about Hogsmeade? Do you think the people there are okay?" Lily asked nervously. James shook his head, but didn't say anything. "This is real, isn't it?" Lily murmured in shock. "This whole thing… Voldemort really does want to destroy everything, doesn't he?"

James didn't answer right away, but instead looked out at the star covered sky. "Yes." He breathed. "Yes, he does."