Summary: L/J love/hate. James discovers some secrets in his seventh year that turn his life upside-down and haunt him years afterward. Will these secrets affect his friendship with his fellow Marauders or his never-thought-possible relationship with Lily Evans?
Author's Notes: *cries with joy* ONE OF MY FICS FINALLY MADE IT TO 100 REVIEWS! *sobs uncontrollably* I can't believe it finally happened! THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WONDERFUL REVIEWS! *continues to cry with happiness* OMG! I finally made it to the 100th review! Just for that, I think I should post this chapter now! *continues to sob*
*stops for a moment* Oh, and I just have to say that I CAN get this thing to not be totally AU...It's AWESOME that I can do it. Hehe. Too bad the sequal's ruined *shrugs* Oh, well...
Dedicated to: BEAUTY FULL for getting the 100th review! *cries* Thank you so much!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything!
Of Hidden Truths
(Explosive Exit)
Surprisingly, Father Time chose to make the next few months speed by with little major events, save for the coming and going of the N.E.W.T.S. for the Seventh Year students and the surprisingly more frequent conversations with one, Lily Evans. As each month died and started anew, it seemed as though the two former rivals were becoming what appeared to be friends, though one would always insist to his friends that it was merely a friendship that had somehow appeared amongst the rivalry between them. While none of them argued the point, they continued to tease him relentlessly.
"But you two are so cute together!" one would exclaim as he became red and attempted to bring his friend harm.
"I'm afraid I'd have to agree," another would say with much amusement, ceasing his attempts to beat the idea out of the first one's head.
"I thought you were on my side, Moony!" he would shout, helpless, not knowing what to do with their jokes and offhanded comments.
None of them, however, were worse than a certain greasy Slytherin that sneered at him whenever he'd pass by. They might not have ever been on good terms with one another, but somehow finding private information and exploiting it the way he did was not a polite way to go about his anger. After five months of this, however, James seemed to get the hang of finding various ways of embarrassing and humiliating the aforementioned Slytherin, making sure that Lily was nowhere near the scene as she hated it when he 'picked on the poor guy.'
The N.E.W.T.S., needless to say, were the one thing that seemed to be a real challenge. It took almost a full week of studying--sometimes at the insistence of Remus, sometimes unknowingly by Lily--to leave James confident that he must have gotten at least an E in his harder subjects and an O in his favorites. Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts were, by far, the easiest as he had more experience in those areas, since he had an extent knowledge of them, thanks to Remus' lycanthropy.
It soon, however, came closer to the end of the term, and with the coming of their last year at Hogwarts, many were not sure how to take it.
Sirius, however, seemed to not have this problem.
"Free at last! Free at last!" he shouted as he raced out of the building and toward the lake, leaving James and Remus at the doorway, amused at their friend's actions.
Continuing down the steps at a normal pace, they watched as Sirius went up to various people and hugged them, laughing the whole time as he did so. Remus then decided to bring their friend back to them by shouting, "Everyone, run for your lives! Sirius Black will be free to roam the streets of Britain within the week!"
James snickered at the shout. "That's right," he agreed loudly, though he could already see that Sirius was on his way back to them, a mock anger look on his face. "He;ll roam the streets because he won't know how to Apparate!"
"Oh, you're asking for it, Potter," said Sirius, a cool smirk on his face though his eye twitched with the reminder that he hadn't been able to get his Apparating License that summer, unlike two of his three friends. Werewolves weren't allowed to get one. "I'll have my License. Just you watch."
James merely rose his eyebrows in amusement. "Care to make a wager?"
Sirius smirk turned into a grin. "Twenty galleons?"
"You're on." The two shook hands firmly while Remus shook his head at the display.
"Oh dear." He sighed a parent would have. "A bet over whether or not Sirius learns to Apparate." He shook his head again at the absurdity of it all.
"Aw, come on, Remus," said James, nudging his friend a bit. "It's all in good fun."
"Really," said Sirius with an air of indignanty--something that he was very good at doing. "I mean, what else am I going to do with my savings?"
Remus cocked an eyebrow. "Save more?" he suggested lightly.
Sirius waved an arm impatiently. "That's not fun." He then perked up as he saw something behind his friends. "Hey, Peter!" He waved the fourth member of their group over before lowering his voice some and asking, "Where've you been, Wormtail?"
Peter gave him an unsure look. "I was trying to get everything together for the Ceremony."
"Splendid!"
James and Remus stared at the one who had shouted before the darker-haired boy turned to the other without his eyes leaving the sight. "...he didn't just say..."
"I'm afraid he did," was the reply.
"All right!" exclaimed Sirius, who seemed to have calmed himself after that outburst. "So how is everything going along?" he asked of Peter, who continued to watch his taller friend uncertainly.
"Perfectly, I think--"
"Good, good," said Sirius distractedly as his eyes practically glittered with the thought of what he had planned. He then snapped his fingers and slapped his knee, grinning widely. "Oh, I do love a good prank!"
"Sirius?" asked James, catching his friend's attention. "Stop the giddiness...please?"
Sirius frowned at him, crossing his arms and looking pouty. "Oh all right."
Remus patted James on the shoulder and said, "He's just excited." He paused. "Overly excited."
"I know," said James, watching as Sirius then ignored his request and began cackling wickedly as Peter told him details of what he had done. "That';s why he's scaring me." James looked over to Remus. "I fear for those exposed to the Prank."
It was then that Sirius rubbed his hands together eagerly, chuckling lowly, having ended his cackling a moment ago. "Everything's going according to plan."
The two boys that watched him exchanged glances. "...I'm beginning to agree with you, James," said Remus, watching as Sirius continued to eagerly congradulate himself.
"He does remember," said James after a moment, a puzzled look on his face, "that you and I helped with this, too, right?"
"I'd doubt it," answered Remus before turning his head slightly to the left as he spotted something else. "Hallo, Lily," he greeted as the red-head came over, alerting James to her coming.
"Lily?" he asked, slightly surprised.
"Hello, Remus," she said politely as she approached. "James." She then took noticed of Sirius' actions and her brow knitted together. "What's wrong with him?"
James smirked a bit and looked back at his friend. "He's going for the crazy scientist look," he said before cupping his hands around his mouth and shouting to Sirius, "Hey, Padfoot! Knock it off!"
The excited boy looked over to his friend and shouted back in the same manner, "Oy, Prongs! I don't feel like it!" before continuing his self-congradulating and talking with Peter.
Remus cocked an eyebrow. "I'm surprised no one's taken him to an asylum," he commented in good humor.
"He'd just go even more nuts," replied James as he lowered his hands and sighed, shaking his head. "Just ignore him. So," he turned to Lily with a curious look, "what are you up to, Lily?"
She smiled a bit and brush stray strands of her hair off of her shoulder. "Wandering around the school," she answered, scanning the grounds and watching various students enjoying themselves under the June sun. "I'm going to be doing this a lot in the next two days."
"Same here," said Remus sincerely, also watching the other students. "A lot of the time, I forget that I'm about to leave Hogwarts." He shuddered as a thought came to mind. "It's...different, I suppose."
James nodded empathetically. "Kind of hard to want to look ahead," he agreed with Remus' unspoken statement. "A lot has happened in the past--" His eyes flicked unconsciously over to Lily. "--some of which is good to remember."
Lily nodded also. "That's exactly how I feel," she said but then frowned, turning toward the two boys. "Although...a bit differently, I admit." She looked at the ground, as if embarrassed. "I'm almost afraid of leaving, I think."
"Afraid?" said Remus with a bit of a dry laugh, catching their attention. "I'm terrified!"
"No reason to be really, old Moony," James spoke up cheerfully, patting his friend on the back. "Sirius, Peter, and I will not abandon you. In fact...how would you feel to being roommates?"
"Again?" questioned Remus with a bit of a smirk. "I don't know if I can survive any more with roommates like you."
James sniffed indignantly. "That was mightily rude."
"And I see you're not denying it," said Lily with smirk that mirror Remus'.
James frowned at her. "Sirius is worse than I am." Lily shook her head in disbelief. "Honest!"
"Depends, really," admitted Remus, who looked thoughtfully back at Sirius, who seemed to have forgetten about them as he schemed with Peter listening to his every word, "on what part of the day it is."
"Funny," commented James dryly, knowing not to take offense. He then turned to the red-headed girl with curiosity, "So what's scaring you about leaving?"
Lily shifted slightly, something that caught James' notice since he knew that she wasn't the fidgetty type, something he had learned with the many conversations he had been having with her. "I guess I'm scared about what will happen when I leave," she answered. "I mean...the possibilities are endless."
"It is a bit overwhelming," agreed James. Remus chose not to reply to this and shifted his footing a bit as he intently studied his shoes.
"You seem to be taking it rather well," said Lily with a teasing air.
James laughed. "Is someone lying to you?" he questioned, shaking his head. "I'm petrifiedabout what could happen!"
"I think you deserve to be more scared than me," spoke up Remus quietly as a fourth person chose to approach them. James gave the werewolf a meaningful look and put his arm around his shoulders for a moment.
"Only in certain areas," he told his friend before looking up and seeing Sirius' nose wrinkle as he had heard some of their conversation.
"Such worry-worts!" he exclaimed with exasperation as though he knew this would happen. "Come on, you two! Look alive!" He strolled up behind the two of them and slung an arm around each other them, bringing them all closer together with a big grin. "We're getting out of here in two days!"
"Joy," commented James, deadpan.
Sirius frowned. "That was rather bland."
"Hoo-rah..."
"Close enough." Sirius then looked to Remus and shook the smaller boy's shoulder a bit. "Remus, you need to be more positive, Buddy."
"I think you're handling that just fine," said Remus, barely hiding a grin.
"Bunch of sourpusses," said Sirius, frowning since he didn't see the grin. He released his two friends and looked over to the red-head who watched this all with much amusement. "What about you, Lily?"
"Cheerful and anticipating, Sirius--" she began to said brightly.
"Good!"
"--seeing you trip in your ropes," she finished with a overly sweet tone.
"Hey now!" objected Sirius indignantly.
"Too true!" exclaimed James with a laugh with Remus snickering beside him.
"Where--where'd Peter run off to?" asked the werewolf with cruriosity when he managed to stifle his laughter thoroughly. This question brightened Sirius somewhat, making him bounce a little in what appeared to be anticipation and excitement.
"Going to see McGonagall," he answered proudly, before gaining a thoughtful look. "Which reminds me..." he looked over to James with a grin, "got your parchment, James?"
"Why?" asked James cautiously, suspiciously.
Sirius grinned wider and taced circles upward in the air with his index finger. "Tally time coming soon."
"Oh, that's right." James pulled out an old piece of parchment and handed it over to Remus. Sirius did the same, the grin never leaving and causing James to also grin widely. "Be ready to fork over the Galleons," he said confidently.
Sirius snorted. "Yeah, right. You wish, O' Mighty James," he said with a smirk.
"Stop that!" James instantly shouted in annoyance.
"Stop what?" questioned Sirius innocently. Remus, having collected both of the parchments, tucked them into his pocket and watched the two with amusement.
"Argh," said James half-heartedly with a laugh. "Annoying prat."
"I'm wounded," retorted Sirius with a bit of a pout.
"And here, I say my very enthusiastic 'Hooray!'"
Sirius snorted a bit before saying, "And you say you don't act snooty."
"When?" asked James curiously. "I'm pretty sure I've never said that."
"Sure, play dumb--"
"Oh, knock it off, you two," said Remus, interrupting the bickering with a laugh. "You're both prats," he told them when they looked to him in curiosity.
"I'll agree to that," put in Lily with a light and amused tone.
James leaned over to Sirius and whispered, "They're ganging up on us, Padfoot."
Sirius nodded in agreement before grinning and taking out his wand. "Never fear, Prongs," he whispered back, eyeing the two that were now against them with an eager, hungry look that would come whenever he had an evil idea in mind. "They'll get theirs."
Remus then leaned over to Lily and said in a stage whisper, "Fear for your skin," before Sirius and James attacked, making the other pair run away from them with laughter escaping them as they ran.
***
The next day and a half passed by peacefully with many laughs for the small group of Gryffindor Seventh Years. Sirius and James took it upon themselves to make sure that everyone was enjoying their last few days at Hogwarts and tended to cause more damage than laughs, though they somehow managed not to catch the attention of McGonagall, Bullstrode, or any of the other professors. Perhaps it was because it was, after all, the last time they were to ever get to cause such mayhem.
The night before the Ceremony and their last day, all the laughter seemed to be pushed aside as, surprisingly, Sirius chose to speak of their coming last day.
"Only hours until we leave this place for the last time," he said, looking around the dormitory room, which had been picked up a bit at Remus' insistence. There still was evidence, however, of where things had once been. A patch of the wall between James and Sirius' beds was lighter than the rest, showing that there had once been a poster there. On Remus' nightstand, there was a black mark where a book had lain and had rubbed its dark color onto the lighter wood.
Sirius then spoke up again, having surveyed the room for the hundredth time, "Makes me get a bit teary-eyed."
"Don't start the waterworks, Sirius," pleaded Remus as he sat on his bed, hair still wet from the shower he had just taken. He rubbed the towel he still had against his head before pausing and sighing. "I'm really tired."
"Full moon's coming in a few days, right?" asked James from his position on his bed. He was staring up at the canopy of his bed with a feeling of nostalga as he thought of the past seven years.
Remus sighed, tossing the towel onto his trunk which now sat beside his bed instead of in front of it. "Two days after tomorrow," he said in answer.
Sirius put on a large smile. "Don't worry, Moony," he said cheerfully from his perch on his bed. "We'll be there with you." He then cocked his head to the side and eyed his werewolf friend suspiciously. "You are staying with me this summer, right?"
"I suppose so," said Remus, monotone, "since my parents basically disowned me this year."
James frowned at the canopy. "It'll be all right, Moony," he assured his friend, looking over to him, his arms pillowing his head.
Remus, however, rubbed his brow with a strained and worried expression. "I really am afraid of leaving Hogwarts," he said softly, barely heard. "It's...be the only place that's accepted me." His voice shook a bit as he spoke, causing the other boys to get up from their spots and go over to their third friend.
"Well, don't be, Remus," said Sirius, determined not to let his friend get upset as he put a hand on his shoulder. He then shot a look at James, who sat on the other side of Remus. "And don't you be, either, James. We'll stick together through thick and thin, right?"
James snorted. "Do we have a choice?"
Remus chuckled a bit shakily. "Doesn't seem like it."
Sirius frowned at the two of them. "I was serious, guys."
Remus sighed once more. "We know," he said. "We were just lightening the mood. Thank you, Sirius."
"Ah, it's nothing," said Sirius, waving off the thanks with a mock-bashful expression as he stood and went over to his bed again, getting himself ready for some sleep.
James, however, watched Remus for a moment longer before patting his friend on the back and saying, "Best get some sleep. Exciting day tomorrow."
***
"James. James! Get your sorry butt awake!" shouted Sirius the next morning as James awoke to the sensation of being shaken mercilessly by his friend. He blinked as Sirius had chosen to stop and squinted up at the longer-haired boy for a moment.
"Wha...?" he asked dazedly before groaning and turning over, muttering, "Sirius..."
"Oh, no you don't," said Sirius sharply, grabbing his shoulder and turning him back onto his back, knowing he couldn't sleep on his back. "Don't you go back to sleep. You're gonna be late for lunch and the Ceremony--"
"Ceremony?" asked James with confusion.
"Remember?" questioned Sirius with a bit of humor creeping into his voice. "Today we say 'goodbye' to Hogwarts--"
James jumped awake with the reminder. "Bloody hell, Sirius!" he shouted, tossing off his covers and jumping out of bed, leaving his friend covered with the blankets as he raced to get his day-clothes on. "Why didn't you wake me sooner?"
Sirius pulled the blankets off of him and frowned. "Hey, I slept in, too," he said with some annoyance as he studied the blankets for a moment before tossing them away while James rushed to get his shoes on before he had on his socks. Sirius shook his head at the sight and hit his friend with a pillow, stopping him from putting his socks over his shoes. "Come on, get dressed. I'm gonna go eat."
James, having noticed what he had been doing because of the whack of the pillow, worked on getting his shoes off. "See you at the Ceremony then," he said distractedly as he tried to locate his clothes. As he put on his shirt, however, he saw something flutter to the ground. Curious, he stooped over and picked it up.
Prongs.
Meet me at the edge of the Forest. Got some extra ideas for the Prank.
Padfoot.
James shook his head at he letter as it was something Sirius would really do and hurried to get dressed, not wanting to keep his friend waiting.
***
"Sirius!" called James, becoming annoyed that he had been waiting in the usual meeting place far from any suspicious eyes. He had gone down there as soon as he was finished dressing and had been waiting there for over half an hour. Perhaps it was because Sirius thought it funny to make him stand there like an idiot. This thought didn't help James' already low mood.
"Sirius, come out already!" he shouted, glaring at the bushes near him before looking up at the trees. Then he heard something rustle behind him. He spun around and pulled out his wand, thinking of the perfect curse to get his hiding friend with. He approached the bush that had rustled, speaking in a tone that hide his obvious eagerness to catch his friend, "Now's not the time to play games--"
He froze as he felt something poke him in the back, realizing that he had been the one to get caught. He was about to make a comment, but froze as an unfamiliar voice spoke, "Well, hallo, Potter. It's really nice to finally meet you."
James carefully remained still, not knowing who this person was or what they wanted. "Who are you?" he demanded. "Where's Sirius?"
The person whose wand was digging into the small of James' back shifted a bit. "Getting ready for the Ceremony, I'd expect."
Realization hit him like a ton of bricks. "...the note...he--?"
"Well, you wouldn't have come if you didn't think it was important," the person said boredly, his voice drawling in a way that annoyingly reminded James of Malfoy, "and we know how important your friends are to you."
James gripped his wand as anger surged through him as he listened to the sneering tone in the other person's voice. Before he could test the hex he had planned to use on Sirius with this person, another wand appeared and placed itself onto his right temple. Out of the corner of his eyes, James saw black robes but nothing else.
"Lower your wand," commanded the new person, his voice flat and indifferent but vaguely familiar, muffled as if the he were wearing a mask of some sort. James, however, ignored the command and clenched his fingers around his wand in a better grip.
The wand at his back digged in harder. "Wouldn't try anything if I were you. Your completely surrounded by more of us," the first person said with his sneering voice. Not that much of a fool to ignore a threat that would be carried out, James lowered his wand arm to his side and loosened his grip on the wood before it was immediately taken away by the person at his side.
"How'd you get onto the grounds?" James' voice was hoarse as he felt dread creep down his spine.
The first person chuckled, his wand still not moving. "Use your intelligence, Potter," he said pressing the wand into his back more. "Even your precious Hogwarts is not completely protected from the Dark Lord."
James forced himself not to shake from the fear that began to grip his heart, making him sweat and causing his breath to come out shorter and shallower. The person next to him then spoke, "Our master has been awaiting your arrival, Gryffindor."
Fists clenched to keep their trembling hidden, James swallowed the lump that had appeared in his throat and tried to speak, "You--"
"Bind him and blindfold him," ordered the person behind him before he could manage another word. The person next to him made a quick gesture and another figure appeared on his left. "We cannot allow him to see where he will be taken, now can we?"
***
The trek didn't take very long, though James became quickly disorientated when one of the people leading him decided it would be fun to knock him around while he was tied up and blinded. He knew, at least at that moment, that he was in the Forbidden Forest since he was slammed up against a tree before he fell onto the ground. Laughter came from the group of people that were watching. He couldn't tell how many there were, so he couldn't do anything as one of them hauled him to his feet and pushed him on.
It wasn't long until the group stopped, and after a group discussion in whispers, someone grabbed him and James felt the familiar tug behind his navel that told him that they had used a portkey. How far were they taking him? How far from Hogwarts was Voldemort?
When they landed, James nearly lost his footing but was quickly stablized by a hand on his shoulder. The hand, however, quickly retracted itself as a voice spoke, bringing chills down the blinded Gryffindor's spine, "Very good. Very good. You have proven yourselves to be loyal and strong, my newest Death Eaters."
Death Eaters. The name of the servants of Voldemort.
"We were honored," said a person, the one with the sneering voice, on James' left, "to be a part of this task, my Lord."
A small pause followed the statement, making James uncomfortable as he was already terrified of what he was about to face, if he should be released.
As if reading his thoughts, there was a low chuckle from in front of him before the voice spoke, "You may release him. Return him his wand as well."
Waiting with anticipation, James kept his eyes shut even as the blindfold came off and his binds were removed. He didn't even open his eyes as he felt the wand pressed into his hand. He acted immediately, aiming in front of him, in the direction of the voice, shouting the first spell to come to mind, "Expel--!"
Before he could finish, however, something knocked into him, causing him to fall over backwards onto the ground, much to the amusement of the Death Eaters surrounding him. "Do not even try, James," said the voice above the laughter and jeers, bringing his servants to silence. James still did not open his eyes, too scared to see that this wasn't a dream or a nightmare, too scared to face the man before him as he sat up. "Your magic is far too weak--untrained--to counter mine. At the moment, I have a shield around me and my servants that will prevent us from being cursed."
Standing to his feet, James risked a look and opened his eyes slightly, only to look into dark shadows. "C-come out of the shadows!" His voice was louder than he had anticipated it to be, fear making him stutter slightly as he held his wand out toward the shadows, ignoring what the voice had said.
The voice, however, merely chuckled. "Are you trembling?" it asked. "Dear boy, are you frightened of me?"
Laughter errupted from the Death Eaters once more, and James clenched his teeth, shaking terribly. "More like madder than bloody hell!" he retorted, bringing silence from his shout. "Come out, you bloody coward!"
"Ah," said the voice, amused, "so I am the coward now, am I?"
"Only a coward kills for pleasure, Voldemort," said James lowly, angrily, spitting out the Dark Lord's name like venom.
The low chuckle came again, this time accompanied by the sound of movement. "You would think that, wouldn't you?" said the voice before the face appeared out of the shadows. Pale, eyes narrowed, mouth quirked into a cruel smirk, Lord Voldemort emerged from the shadows. "After all...you are a Gryffindor, are you not?"
Again, the Death Eaters found amusement in this statement, for it had been spoken as though he was taunting the young man before him. James, however, found no humor in this at all. "Your sense of humor is awfully twisted," he said angrily, his knuckles white around his wand.
"Is it?" question Voldemort, the smirk never fading as he continued to move forward. "Or perhaps I am not jesting..."
James resisted the urge to retreat a few steps and shouted, "I am a Gryffindor!" as he kept his wand aimed at him. "You proved it to me last year, remember?"
The Dark Lord lowered his head in a thoughtful manner before looking up, watching the young man with a curious, considering gaze. "I suppose so...of course," he chuckled slightly, "it would only be partially so..."
James forced himself to keep his wand hand from shaking. "Now who is the one babbling?" he asked scathingly.
"Such rudeness," commented Voldemort offhandedly as he stopped a few feet from James. "Typical, really. You must have taken such an attitude from your mother, though I am bewildered as to where your mischievous actions are from."
Unnerved how the Dark Lord was speaking, James' controll over his shaking hand failed and his wand nearly fell from his suddenly slick grip. "My father, of couse," he gritted out.
"Indeed?"
James quickly regained controll of his shaking for a moment and demanded, "What is it that you want? To torment me before you do away with me? Just kill me and be done with it!" He had the urge to hurl his wand at the elder wizard's face, but resisted it, firmly keeping it trained on his dark, foreboding figure.
Voldemort spread his hands, showing that he was unarmed, and replied with some amusement, "I merely wish to speak with you, little Heir." James shuddered at the title, at how it had been used. "I will let you return to your Ceremony in due time."
"Well, I don't want to talk with you," said James defiantly. "You killed my mum, you bastard!"
The Dark Lord inhaled sharply, his eyes flashing a bright reddish color that almost made James drop his wand in surprise but it was gone just as quickly as it came. "She was the one who had done wrong." The Dark wizard's voice was cold and quiet, yet it carried far more than any shout would. "She was a two-faced creature, and it should have been realized the moment I first met her."
Now James staggered backward as if struck with a physical blow, the Death Eaters backing away as he came closer as though he was some disease that should not be touched. Of course, anyone who had brought the wrath of Lord Voldemort was one to be avoided.
"What are you talking about?" whispered James, too shocked to speak any louder, his wand now barely in his grip.
Voldemort then smirked, seeing that he had dealt a blow. "You are surprised, no doubt," he said slowly before pacing just as slowly before the young Gryffindor. "Your mother and I, dear boy, met one another back in the year 1946 after I had left Hogwarts myself. Do not give that look. I, too, was young, just as you are now. She was merely eleven at the time and had been taken in by a family of wizards since her own family had died in both the magic and Muggle war that had began to end . It was only one meeting, at that time, before I left, becoming the most powerful wizard there was."
All James could do for a moment was stare at the man before him. Then, he regained his composure and gritted out, "I should be glad she saw you but once--"
"I did not say such a thing," hissed Lord Voldemort in annoyance for being interrupted. "We met again, four years later, and I admit that I was attracted to her in the oddest way. Yes, you would be disgusted, wouldn't you? I decided to live near her, secretly building my strength, and then began to court her. She denied me many times, but then, almost ten years later...she agreed to wed me."
James' stomach clenched and he suddenly felt the urge to retch. "You--"
"I was once a very handsome man," said the Dark Lord with a nostalgic tone, "but many years of practicing Dark Magic along with the aging of years has caused me to eventually become what you see before you." He ran a hand across his chest before looking back over to James, his mouth twisting in distaste and amusement. "I was once a wizard named Tom Riddle, and it is that wizard your mother wedded. We were only together for but a year, but that was long enough for her to decide to betray me and abandon our marriage as I went to study abroad. I thought she had died, consumed by flames that had taken our home."
He paused, his eyes catching James'. "Yes, she was certainly clever to hide her secret from me."
Now the trembling was uncontrollable and, though the wand was still in his grasp, James felt as though he could not even summon the energy to use a simple levitation spell. "Secret?" he asked hoarsely, his mouth feeling dry like cotton. "What secret would that be? That she was a Gryffindor?"
"That and so much more," was the quiet response before the Dark Lord continued his speech. "You remember I said I was once young, just as you are? Perhaps I should give you a description of my younger self." Again his eyes met James'. "I was tall and slim, just as I am now, with dark, neat hair--much the same shade as yours. My eyes...they weren't always this reddish color that has taken the original color. No. They once were a gray-ish color--much the same as yours..."
"What are you--?" James barely managed to say, only to cut himself off as Lord Voldemort approached him.
"I had not noticed when we first met," he said with the cruel smirk on his pale, white face, "just how alike we are. Though...I am sure Edward Potter installed your mischievous actions. An outlet to express your cunning and quick mind. A mind...very worthy to be a Slytherin."
James backed up a few steps as the Dark Lord came closer, his wand still pointed at the dark man. "I'm not a Slytherin."
"Aren't you?" questioned the Dark Lord softly. "Haven't you begun to understand why you are still alive now? Why I've decided not to kill you? I need a strong-minded person that can aid me in my quest of power. Who better to choose than my only heir?"
That was when James hit the wall of Death Eaters. They were now forming a wall, cutting him off from escape, from turning away from their master. James barely registered this, however, as the last question rang in his mind. The Dark Lord's only heir...
He begin to shake his head, slowly at first, then more furiously as no one said anything. "You...you're lying!" he shouted, trying to turn and run, only be pushed away into another Death Eater who held him steady, an odd act of kindness.
"You say that now. Ask your beloved headmaster if it is the truth. I have no doubt you will believe me then..."
Again James felt his stomach clench, and vaguely, he realized he had dropped his wand somewhere. "You're a liar!" he found himself shouting, anger and disbelief the main emotions he felt as he tried to tear away from the Death Eater's grasp. "Stop lying! My father i--!"
Voldemort's pale face still didn't not lose the smirk. "Edward Potter is of no blood relation to you, boy. Learn that and learn it well." Again he stepped closer, his voice somehow causing James to cease his attempts to get away. "Shocking, isn't it, to discover your heritage? Believe me, I know too well the feeling. I did not know my own heritage until my later years at Hogwarts. The Heir of Slytherin--" He stopped himself, staring down at the now-restrained boy, whose heavy breathing could be heard from any side of the room. "But that is of no importance."
The Dark Lord spun away from him and walked a few paces before facing him once more. "While I am one of the heirs, you are the newest heir. Both to Slytherin and Gryffindor. Who would have known that two of the most powerful bloodlines in the history of Wizardry would be mixed within a person?"
James could only stare at him in disbelief. "You're...not serious..."
"Aren't I? Would I be as lenient as I am now if you were not, indeed, my heir?" His lips twisted slightly. "Believe me, I have no reason to keep the Heir of Gryffindor alive...were he merely that. No, instead, I want you to join with me."
James couldn't even manage to shake his head. It was too much to take in at once. It was just like last year, only more horrible now that he knew why his mother had been killed and how he had managed to escape the Dark Lord's grasp. He had been allowed to leave. He hadn't been targetted...or had he? How long had Voldemort known this? How long...how long had this been kept a secret? Since he had been born? Before that?
He looked up at the Dark Lord, his mouth even more dry, making it impossible to swallow the lump that seemed intent to choke him. He managed, however, to ask one question, "If I don't?"
The Dark Lord's expression darkened. "Are you willing to risk your friends' lives?" he asked quietly. "That quiet werewolf friend of yours? Or that clumsy, yet caring boy? Perhaps the rambuncious one, who has a witty remark for every-other response? Maybe even that lovely Mudblood you've recently become attached to? Deny me and only you are to blame if they come to an...untimely end."
James was horrified at what he was told. Join Voldemort...or risk his friends' lives? Remus, Peter, Sirius...Lily? Could he risk them? No, he couldn't, he knew that...but he couldn't join Voldemort! He couldn't join this...this monster...this cold-blooded murderer!
He shook his head, looking away. "No...I won't--I can't!"
Silence entered the room at this answer. Then Lord Voldemort spoke, his tone giving away his displeasure, "Perhaps you need more time to think on this...offer." He turned away and several Death Eaters approached James and began to bind and blind him once more.
"Next we meet," he heard the low voice say when he could no longer see, "if you do not have the answer I seek..."
The threat hung dangerously. "Take him back to Hogwarts."
***
The next thing James knew, he was back at the edge of the forest, unbinded and unblindfolded, back at the place he had been caught, leaning against a tree, standing and staring yet not taking anything in. His legs felt ready to give out, but he couldn't just fall down onto the ground. He was too afraid. Afraid that if he showed any weakness then, that Voldemort would come and capture him once again, forcing him to join him.
He couldn't. He couldn't show that he was weak.
"James!" someone was calling from nearby. It almost sounded like Remus but it could have just been the ringing in his ears, the resonance of the question that had been asked.
'Are you willing to risk your friends' lives? That quiet werewolf friend of yours?'
No, he couldn't, and Voldemort knew that. He also knew that he couldn't join and yet he continued to threaten him, continued to try to make him join his side, continued to torment him with the thought that he may kill one of them...just to get him...
"James! James, come on! Where are you?" called another voice from the same direction the other had come from. Was it Sirius, or was it still the question Lord Voldemort had asked?
'Perhaps the rambuncious one, who has a witty remark for every-other response?'
Could he...could he betray Sirius--his best friend, his brother--to save him? Would Sirius want that? What would Sirius want him to do? What could he do?
His legs collapsed from underneath him as the two voices continued to speak with agitation, frustration, and worry.
"We've searched everywhere..."
"I told him to get out of bed and get dressed, and we know he's not there, so where could he be then?"
"At the Ceremony?"
"Yeah, right."
"Maybe we should--James!" Remus quickly ran over to his friend's side, worry and concern etched into his features. "Sirius! I've found him!" He looked over James for a moment before asking, "Are you all right? Where were you?"
James could only stare at him, feeling slightly like his stag persona when caught in a trap.
Footsteps sounded from their right and Sirius emerged from the bushes with a relieved look on his face as he grinned at Remus. "Good job, Moony," he said before he also crouched down next to James. "James? Hey, James?" James looked to him, bewildered and frightened at the thought of Death Eaters being still about. "You all right? You look like you ran into a Dementor."
"I..." He trailed off, licking his lips and swallowing to moisten his dry tongue and throat. "I'll be fine." His voice was shaky at best, but was audible. "...just--"
Remus reached up a hand and brushed at his friend's unruly hair, frowning at the sight of the pale skin glistening with cold sweat. "Obviously you're not fine. What happened?"
He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing seemed to want to come out. He was saved from answering, however, by the sound of Sirius standing.
"I would love an explanation, too," he said, looking over to Hogwarts for a moment, "but the Ceremony's just started. Come on, James." He turned back to his friend and, with the help of Remus, hauled him to his feet. "Up you get." He then gave James a worried frown and asked, "You'll be all right?"
"Fine," said James, though he had to hide his shaking hands. "Just fine..."
***
"It greatly saddens me that such gifted young pupils will be leaving this castle, no longer as students, but as fully-trained witches and wizards of whom we can all be proud of..."
"My feet are hurting," complained Sirius as Dumbledore continued on with his speech. There wasn't much to speak to as the Ceremony was small and only had the students who were leaving, their parents, the faculty, and a few friends.
"It's only been five minutes," said Remus with some exasperation as he knew that once Sirius began his complaints, they would never cease. James, however, said nothing to the two of them and continued to stand amongst his Gryffindor peers silently, unfocused on what was happening.
"Snape's glaring at us again," said Peter, who stood in front of Remus and Sirius.
"I've noticed," Remus chose to mutter dryly, ignoring Sirius who let out a small, "Ow..."
"...proud of them this day. Now...I will begin to recite the names of those you see before you. From Gryffindor: Ms. Anna Aeron..."
"Knock it off, Padfoot," scolded Remus when he was jostled by Sirius' shifting.
"I can't help it," Sirius nearly whined.
"Ms. Arabella Figg..."
"Missed Lily's name," whispered Remus.
"Oops," was Sirius' replied. James' knees shook as he remembered what Voldemort had said about Lily. Sirius seemed to notice and leaned forward to look over to him. "Hey, Prongs? You all right?"
Remus also looked to him, but all he would say was, "...please don't ask, Sirius...just don't."
Sirius' expression immediately fell into one of concern. "James..."
"Mr. Remus Lupin--" Dumbledore's voice cut off. "Oh, dear me. I've missed someone! Mr. Sirius Black!"
Sirius straightened and played his part of looking indignant. "Aw, Dumbledore!" he shouted as a large group of the audience chuckled and laughed.
"Forgive me, Mr. Black!" said Dumbledore with good humor before continuing.
"Huh..." said Remus thoughtfully, catching Sirius' attention. "I didn't notice either."
Sirius rolled his eyes. "I can just feel the love."
"Mr. Peter Pettigrew...Mr. James Potter..."
Sirius seemed to remember James' problem just as Dumbledore began to list the names of those in Ravenclaw. "James?" James looked over to him and he frowned. "Hey, you look pale."
"I'm fine," muttered James dully, looking away.
Sirius growled lowly. "Liar," he hissed, making James look up again, the hurt in his eyes silencing any other comments Sirius had to make.
"Please, Sirius...don't," he pleaded, feeling awful for not telling him but feeling even worse about what would happen if he did tell.
"What's wrong?" asked Remus, noticing Sirius' serious look.
"He won't tell me," said Sirius as James looked away again.
"Just wait until after the Ceremony," advised Remus calmly.
***
After the Ceremony, the guests, faculty members, and students mingled with one another, the Slytherins being the ones that stayed mostly to themselves. Dumbledore also walked amongst the small crowd, talking with the students that were now no longer students, but full-fledged witches and wizards prepared for the world. Or at least some of them were.
"It was a pleasure to know you, Mr. Black," said the old wizard with a smile and his eyes twinkling merrily behind his glasses.
Sirius shooked hands with him, also smiling, but not nearly as politely nor as serenely. "Always glad to lighten the atmosphere, Professor," he said mischievously.
Dumbledore chuckled. "Please, I am no longer your professor. Call me Albus, if you will?"
Sirius' face brightened as though Christmas had come again so soon. "Thanks, Professor!" he exclaimed before running off to talk with Peter about the Prank.
Dumbledore watched him go with an amused look on his face. "He will grow used to it, I should think," he said before turning back and greeting Remus with a handshake. "Ah, Mr. Lupin. So sorry you will be leaving Hogwarts. I must say that you've certainly made the years interesting."
Remus nodded politely with a smile. "Thank you, Professor."
"I'll give you the same offer I gave Mr. Black," said Dumbledore with good humor. "Just Albus."
Remus' smile widened some. "Of course," he merely said before walking over to where Sirius and Peter were.
Dumbledore watched him go as well before turning to the last of the group of four that had been the most mischievous boys Hogwarts had ever had. When he took in James, however, he frowned in concerned as James still had not gotten the color to return to his face, nor had he gotten rid of the tremors that shook his slight frame.
"Are you all right, Mr. Potter?" asked Dumbledore kindly, worry evident in his voice.
James, who had not looked up at his former headmaster, raised his eyes to meet Dumbledore's blue eyes. "Professor...I--" He stoppd himself, noticing that something was missing. Something had changed about the headmaster.
"Mr. Potter?" questioned Dumbledore, and then James saw.
For the first time since the boy had known the old man, the twinkle in his blue eyes was absent.
'Ask your beloved headmaster if it is the truth. I have no doubt you will believe me then...'
"I.." He looked away and clenched his fists. "I have nothing...to say," he managed to say before rushing passed the old wizard, who watched him go without a word.
James didn't run toward his friends, however. Instead, he ran in the direction of where the students' luggage would be, near the school. He was stopped, though, by someone calling his name.
"James?" asked Lily asked as she approached him, unaware of how upset he was. He turned to go before she could, only to have her grab his arm and stop him again. "What are you doing?"
"I'm leaving," he said shortly, jerking his arm away, carefully keeping his eyes away from hers.
"Leaving?" she demanded, grabbing his arm again before he could move again.
James gritted his teeth slightly, trying to jerk his arm away from her grasp. "Let go of me!"
She shook her head firmly, clinging to his arms as if that was the surest way to keep him where he was. "Why are you leaving?" she demanded, knowing that he wouldn't leave Hogwarts without his friends. "Please, James! Be reasonable--!"
"Reasonable!" he shouted back, managing to free his arm as he did. "You don't even know what you're talking about!"
"James--" she began to say as though she was going to give an explanation, but he didn't listen. He managed to distance himself from her quickly, not wanting to get her involved with his troubles anymore. Not wanting to get any of them involved.
***
So it was that as he, James Potter, retreated from the Ceremony, yells and screams came from the crowd as the Marauders' plan exploded--quite literally. James didn't notice how the day got brighter or how there was a large amount of moise--pops, crackles, and splurts--following the bright light. Instead, he continued toward where the house-elves had placed their luggage. He grabbed his trunk, hauled it out, opened it, and retrived his broom. only then did he stop, shutting his eyes.
There wasn't any choice. If Voldemort couldn't find him, then he could hurt his friends.
'We'll stick together through thick or thin, right?'
If it were only that simple.
A few moments passed before he opened his eyes again. Angrily, he shut his trunk before standing and searching his pockets for his wand. Luckily, one of the Death Eaters had decided to be nice and placed his wand in his left pocket. He pulled it out and with a quick spell, the large trunk shrank to palm-size and James stooped to pick it up. After placing it in his picket, he then got onto his broom and flew off of the ground.
As he soared highed, he stripped himself from the cloak that showed that he was from Gryffindor House. Letting it flutter to the ground, he planned to leave the Wizarding World...possibly forever.
Author's Notes: *sniffles* I'm still in complete shock that I gotten passed the 99th review! But anyway! I wanted you all to know something about this fic, that I've just now actually realized. This fic is separated into three different parts (or arcs as some people would call them). The first part is The Beginning (or The Secret Arc) and is basically Chapters One through Nine. The next part is The Middle (or The Running Arc) and it begins with the Chapter you have just read (Explosive Exit) and continues until Chapter Fourteen. Five long Chapters in this part. The final part is The End (or The Return/Final Arc). This part will start on Chapter Fifteen and continue until the end in Chapter Twenty-one. ^.^ I'm giving you this explanation because it helps explain why I'm going to skip so much time between Chapter Ten and Eleven. ^.^"
Okay, how many of you have read Ootp? *raises hand* Uh huh. Now how many of you cried because of the death? *raises other hand and sniffles* I know. I know. I really miss the one that died (dunno if I should spoil it). Makes me also feel kind of bad that a certain character isn't in this chapter that much. He won't be in the next one either *sniffles* Please don't be mad. He'll be in Chapter Twelve! I promise! *rubs eyes* Gah...I'm still not getting over it. *sniffles*
Hey! What about the fanart challenge I issued? Does ANYONE do fanart? *puppy-dog eyes* Please! Just ONE fanart! I will love you forever if you submit it to me at Rogue8935@aol.com. ONEGAI? *puppy-dog eyes*
Anyways...time for the responses!
slamin'witch86: ^.^" Updated and don't you just love the length of this chapter *admires her work* ^.^"
Beauty Full: Faves? Wow...I'm beginning to see that a lot of people like this fic ^.^" Glad they do, even though it's been out for over a YEAR *hangs head in shame* Ano...^.^" I'm glad you like Sirius and James' relationship and don't worry about Lily and James. It gets a whole lot better, though this chapter seems to have killed it. -.-' ^.^" No, I couldn't believe that the freakin' book finally came! But it was really sad...made me cry from Chapter Thirty-five until the end. *sniffles in remembrance* Thanks for the 100th review and keep reading ^.~!
Alqualyne: ANOTHER person to put me on their faves. Wow. *blinku* This is really surprising ^.^" Thank you on the compliments. I try to keep the humor interesting and lively, same with the drama. Glad it worked out so well ^.^" Thanks for the review!
LilyFlower: When? Lemme check *consults Chapter Chart* Hm...Chapter...Sixteen is when they are really "together" ^.^" Sorry that you'll have to wait, but as another reviewer has said to me, James needs to work out his problems first. ^.^"
NightSpear:Yes! I know! I finally updated! In one week! Love me! ^.^" From what I saw in the dictionary, the name Sirius is indeed the name for the Dog Star in Ursa Minor and it IS pronounce SIR-i-us where the "Sir" is like "Sur". Lol. I know what you mean though, I about hit my sister in the head when she told me to look it up and started pronouncing it like that. That's how I got that entire scene. It satisfies my need to rub in my sister's face that Sirius like that really bad pun better than the correct pronounciation. Lol. Don't worry about confusing sentences, I thrive on them ^.~!
Y.Kuang: Aw compy problems? ^.^" Eh *listens to music* I played that in the Spring Concert *shrugs* Oh, well. ^.^" I'm glad you liked the last chapter. I'm kind of afraid, though that I put a lot of drama in this one and not enough Lily and James...or Sirius for that matter...*sniffles at Sirius' name* ^.^" Gah...I hate math. I'm good at it...but I hate it. Someone just shoot the blasted thing. Trig? You're kidding! Oi! *falls over* How is that supposed to make anyone giddy? *rolls eyes at teachers' definition of "fun"* Gah. Thanks for the review, Y! ^.~!
Reluxi: Yes, I bet you were excited when you saw that it was updated YET AGAIN! MWAHAHAHA! Ah...sorry about that whole thing. I know. I was really mean to trick you thinking it was another chapter when it was just replies to the readers *hangs head* Gomen nasai...^.^" Glad you liked the last chapter and YES! I AM delaying the L/J part of the story. James is being a little terd and he keeps running away before I can get them together! :P Yes! Ootp! How'd you like it, BTW? I had to wait three days after my sister and I got it before I could read it and then on the day she was finished, she tormented me for half an hour with it. She wouldn't give it! *pouts* It really was a great book. It didn't mess up this fic totally, but my sequal is almost in the ruins...unless *evil gleam in her eye* Yes, that would work...^.^" Okay, the sequal is still alive! Just need to adjust some details ^.~ Piece of cake! Thanks for the review! ^.~!
Author's Notes: *cries with joy* ONE OF MY FICS FINALLY MADE IT TO 100 REVIEWS! *sobs uncontrollably* I can't believe it finally happened! THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WONDERFUL REVIEWS! *continues to cry with happiness* OMG! I finally made it to the 100th review! Just for that, I think I should post this chapter now! *continues to sob*
*stops for a moment* Oh, and I just have to say that I CAN get this thing to not be totally AU...It's AWESOME that I can do it. Hehe. Too bad the sequal's ruined *shrugs* Oh, well...
Dedicated to: BEAUTY FULL for getting the 100th review! *cries* Thank you so much!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything!
(Explosive Exit)
Surprisingly, Father Time chose to make the next few months speed by with little major events, save for the coming and going of the N.E.W.T.S. for the Seventh Year students and the surprisingly more frequent conversations with one, Lily Evans. As each month died and started anew, it seemed as though the two former rivals were becoming what appeared to be friends, though one would always insist to his friends that it was merely a friendship that had somehow appeared amongst the rivalry between them. While none of them argued the point, they continued to tease him relentlessly.
"But you two are so cute together!" one would exclaim as he became red and attempted to bring his friend harm.
"I'm afraid I'd have to agree," another would say with much amusement, ceasing his attempts to beat the idea out of the first one's head.
"I thought you were on my side, Moony!" he would shout, helpless, not knowing what to do with their jokes and offhanded comments.
None of them, however, were worse than a certain greasy Slytherin that sneered at him whenever he'd pass by. They might not have ever been on good terms with one another, but somehow finding private information and exploiting it the way he did was not a polite way to go about his anger. After five months of this, however, James seemed to get the hang of finding various ways of embarrassing and humiliating the aforementioned Slytherin, making sure that Lily was nowhere near the scene as she hated it when he 'picked on the poor guy.'
The N.E.W.T.S., needless to say, were the one thing that seemed to be a real challenge. It took almost a full week of studying--sometimes at the insistence of Remus, sometimes unknowingly by Lily--to leave James confident that he must have gotten at least an E in his harder subjects and an O in his favorites. Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts were, by far, the easiest as he had more experience in those areas, since he had an extent knowledge of them, thanks to Remus' lycanthropy.
It soon, however, came closer to the end of the term, and with the coming of their last year at Hogwarts, many were not sure how to take it.
Sirius, however, seemed to not have this problem.
"Free at last! Free at last!" he shouted as he raced out of the building and toward the lake, leaving James and Remus at the doorway, amused at their friend's actions.
Continuing down the steps at a normal pace, they watched as Sirius went up to various people and hugged them, laughing the whole time as he did so. Remus then decided to bring their friend back to them by shouting, "Everyone, run for your lives! Sirius Black will be free to roam the streets of Britain within the week!"
James snickered at the shout. "That's right," he agreed loudly, though he could already see that Sirius was on his way back to them, a mock anger look on his face. "He;ll roam the streets because he won't know how to Apparate!"
"Oh, you're asking for it, Potter," said Sirius, a cool smirk on his face though his eye twitched with the reminder that he hadn't been able to get his Apparating License that summer, unlike two of his three friends. Werewolves weren't allowed to get one. "I'll have my License. Just you watch."
James merely rose his eyebrows in amusement. "Care to make a wager?"
Sirius smirk turned into a grin. "Twenty galleons?"
"You're on." The two shook hands firmly while Remus shook his head at the display.
"Oh dear." He sighed a parent would have. "A bet over whether or not Sirius learns to Apparate." He shook his head again at the absurdity of it all.
"Aw, come on, Remus," said James, nudging his friend a bit. "It's all in good fun."
"Really," said Sirius with an air of indignanty--something that he was very good at doing. "I mean, what else am I going to do with my savings?"
Remus cocked an eyebrow. "Save more?" he suggested lightly.
Sirius waved an arm impatiently. "That's not fun." He then perked up as he saw something behind his friends. "Hey, Peter!" He waved the fourth member of their group over before lowering his voice some and asking, "Where've you been, Wormtail?"
Peter gave him an unsure look. "I was trying to get everything together for the Ceremony."
"Splendid!"
James and Remus stared at the one who had shouted before the darker-haired boy turned to the other without his eyes leaving the sight. "...he didn't just say..."
"I'm afraid he did," was the reply.
"All right!" exclaimed Sirius, who seemed to have calmed himself after that outburst. "So how is everything going along?" he asked of Peter, who continued to watch his taller friend uncertainly.
"Perfectly, I think--"
"Good, good," said Sirius distractedly as his eyes practically glittered with the thought of what he had planned. He then snapped his fingers and slapped his knee, grinning widely. "Oh, I do love a good prank!"
"Sirius?" asked James, catching his friend's attention. "Stop the giddiness...please?"
Sirius frowned at him, crossing his arms and looking pouty. "Oh all right."
Remus patted James on the shoulder and said, "He's just excited." He paused. "Overly excited."
"I know," said James, watching as Sirius then ignored his request and began cackling wickedly as Peter told him details of what he had done. "That';s why he's scaring me." James looked over to Remus. "I fear for those exposed to the Prank."
It was then that Sirius rubbed his hands together eagerly, chuckling lowly, having ended his cackling a moment ago. "Everything's going according to plan."
The two boys that watched him exchanged glances. "...I'm beginning to agree with you, James," said Remus, watching as Sirius continued to eagerly congradulate himself.
"He does remember," said James after a moment, a puzzled look on his face, "that you and I helped with this, too, right?"
"I'd doubt it," answered Remus before turning his head slightly to the left as he spotted something else. "Hallo, Lily," he greeted as the red-head came over, alerting James to her coming.
"Lily?" he asked, slightly surprised.
"Hello, Remus," she said politely as she approached. "James." She then took noticed of Sirius' actions and her brow knitted together. "What's wrong with him?"
James smirked a bit and looked back at his friend. "He's going for the crazy scientist look," he said before cupping his hands around his mouth and shouting to Sirius, "Hey, Padfoot! Knock it off!"
The excited boy looked over to his friend and shouted back in the same manner, "Oy, Prongs! I don't feel like it!" before continuing his self-congradulating and talking with Peter.
Remus cocked an eyebrow. "I'm surprised no one's taken him to an asylum," he commented in good humor.
"He'd just go even more nuts," replied James as he lowered his hands and sighed, shaking his head. "Just ignore him. So," he turned to Lily with a curious look, "what are you up to, Lily?"
She smiled a bit and brush stray strands of her hair off of her shoulder. "Wandering around the school," she answered, scanning the grounds and watching various students enjoying themselves under the June sun. "I'm going to be doing this a lot in the next two days."
"Same here," said Remus sincerely, also watching the other students. "A lot of the time, I forget that I'm about to leave Hogwarts." He shuddered as a thought came to mind. "It's...different, I suppose."
James nodded empathetically. "Kind of hard to want to look ahead," he agreed with Remus' unspoken statement. "A lot has happened in the past--" His eyes flicked unconsciously over to Lily. "--some of which is good to remember."
Lily nodded also. "That's exactly how I feel," she said but then frowned, turning toward the two boys. "Although...a bit differently, I admit." She looked at the ground, as if embarrassed. "I'm almost afraid of leaving, I think."
"Afraid?" said Remus with a bit of a dry laugh, catching their attention. "I'm terrified!"
"No reason to be really, old Moony," James spoke up cheerfully, patting his friend on the back. "Sirius, Peter, and I will not abandon you. In fact...how would you feel to being roommates?"
"Again?" questioned Remus with a bit of a smirk. "I don't know if I can survive any more with roommates like you."
James sniffed indignantly. "That was mightily rude."
"And I see you're not denying it," said Lily with smirk that mirror Remus'.
James frowned at her. "Sirius is worse than I am." Lily shook her head in disbelief. "Honest!"
"Depends, really," admitted Remus, who looked thoughtfully back at Sirius, who seemed to have forgetten about them as he schemed with Peter listening to his every word, "on what part of the day it is."
"Funny," commented James dryly, knowing not to take offense. He then turned to the red-headed girl with curiosity, "So what's scaring you about leaving?"
Lily shifted slightly, something that caught James' notice since he knew that she wasn't the fidgetty type, something he had learned with the many conversations he had been having with her. "I guess I'm scared about what will happen when I leave," she answered. "I mean...the possibilities are endless."
"It is a bit overwhelming," agreed James. Remus chose not to reply to this and shifted his footing a bit as he intently studied his shoes.
"You seem to be taking it rather well," said Lily with a teasing air.
James laughed. "Is someone lying to you?" he questioned, shaking his head. "I'm petrifiedabout what could happen!"
"I think you deserve to be more scared than me," spoke up Remus quietly as a fourth person chose to approach them. James gave the werewolf a meaningful look and put his arm around his shoulders for a moment.
"Only in certain areas," he told his friend before looking up and seeing Sirius' nose wrinkle as he had heard some of their conversation.
"Such worry-worts!" he exclaimed with exasperation as though he knew this would happen. "Come on, you two! Look alive!" He strolled up behind the two of them and slung an arm around each other them, bringing them all closer together with a big grin. "We're getting out of here in two days!"
"Joy," commented James, deadpan.
Sirius frowned. "That was rather bland."
"Hoo-rah..."
"Close enough." Sirius then looked to Remus and shook the smaller boy's shoulder a bit. "Remus, you need to be more positive, Buddy."
"I think you're handling that just fine," said Remus, barely hiding a grin.
"Bunch of sourpusses," said Sirius, frowning since he didn't see the grin. He released his two friends and looked over to the red-head who watched this all with much amusement. "What about you, Lily?"
"Cheerful and anticipating, Sirius--" she began to said brightly.
"Good!"
"--seeing you trip in your ropes," she finished with a overly sweet tone.
"Hey now!" objected Sirius indignantly.
"Too true!" exclaimed James with a laugh with Remus snickering beside him.
"Where--where'd Peter run off to?" asked the werewolf with cruriosity when he managed to stifle his laughter thoroughly. This question brightened Sirius somewhat, making him bounce a little in what appeared to be anticipation and excitement.
"Going to see McGonagall," he answered proudly, before gaining a thoughtful look. "Which reminds me..." he looked over to James with a grin, "got your parchment, James?"
"Why?" asked James cautiously, suspiciously.
Sirius grinned wider and taced circles upward in the air with his index finger. "Tally time coming soon."
"Oh, that's right." James pulled out an old piece of parchment and handed it over to Remus. Sirius did the same, the grin never leaving and causing James to also grin widely. "Be ready to fork over the Galleons," he said confidently.
Sirius snorted. "Yeah, right. You wish, O' Mighty James," he said with a smirk.
"Stop that!" James instantly shouted in annoyance.
"Stop what?" questioned Sirius innocently. Remus, having collected both of the parchments, tucked them into his pocket and watched the two with amusement.
"Argh," said James half-heartedly with a laugh. "Annoying prat."
"I'm wounded," retorted Sirius with a bit of a pout.
"And here, I say my very enthusiastic 'Hooray!'"
Sirius snorted a bit before saying, "And you say you don't act snooty."
"When?" asked James curiously. "I'm pretty sure I've never said that."
"Sure, play dumb--"
"Oh, knock it off, you two," said Remus, interrupting the bickering with a laugh. "You're both prats," he told them when they looked to him in curiosity.
"I'll agree to that," put in Lily with a light and amused tone.
James leaned over to Sirius and whispered, "They're ganging up on us, Padfoot."
Sirius nodded in agreement before grinning and taking out his wand. "Never fear, Prongs," he whispered back, eyeing the two that were now against them with an eager, hungry look that would come whenever he had an evil idea in mind. "They'll get theirs."
Remus then leaned over to Lily and said in a stage whisper, "Fear for your skin," before Sirius and James attacked, making the other pair run away from them with laughter escaping them as they ran.
The next day and a half passed by peacefully with many laughs for the small group of Gryffindor Seventh Years. Sirius and James took it upon themselves to make sure that everyone was enjoying their last few days at Hogwarts and tended to cause more damage than laughs, though they somehow managed not to catch the attention of McGonagall, Bullstrode, or any of the other professors. Perhaps it was because it was, after all, the last time they were to ever get to cause such mayhem.
The night before the Ceremony and their last day, all the laughter seemed to be pushed aside as, surprisingly, Sirius chose to speak of their coming last day.
"Only hours until we leave this place for the last time," he said, looking around the dormitory room, which had been picked up a bit at Remus' insistence. There still was evidence, however, of where things had once been. A patch of the wall between James and Sirius' beds was lighter than the rest, showing that there had once been a poster there. On Remus' nightstand, there was a black mark where a book had lain and had rubbed its dark color onto the lighter wood.
Sirius then spoke up again, having surveyed the room for the hundredth time, "Makes me get a bit teary-eyed."
"Don't start the waterworks, Sirius," pleaded Remus as he sat on his bed, hair still wet from the shower he had just taken. He rubbed the towel he still had against his head before pausing and sighing. "I'm really tired."
"Full moon's coming in a few days, right?" asked James from his position on his bed. He was staring up at the canopy of his bed with a feeling of nostalga as he thought of the past seven years.
Remus sighed, tossing the towel onto his trunk which now sat beside his bed instead of in front of it. "Two days after tomorrow," he said in answer.
Sirius put on a large smile. "Don't worry, Moony," he said cheerfully from his perch on his bed. "We'll be there with you." He then cocked his head to the side and eyed his werewolf friend suspiciously. "You are staying with me this summer, right?"
"I suppose so," said Remus, monotone, "since my parents basically disowned me this year."
James frowned at the canopy. "It'll be all right, Moony," he assured his friend, looking over to him, his arms pillowing his head.
Remus, however, rubbed his brow with a strained and worried expression. "I really am afraid of leaving Hogwarts," he said softly, barely heard. "It's...be the only place that's accepted me." His voice shook a bit as he spoke, causing the other boys to get up from their spots and go over to their third friend.
"Well, don't be, Remus," said Sirius, determined not to let his friend get upset as he put a hand on his shoulder. He then shot a look at James, who sat on the other side of Remus. "And don't you be, either, James. We'll stick together through thick and thin, right?"
James snorted. "Do we have a choice?"
Remus chuckled a bit shakily. "Doesn't seem like it."
Sirius frowned at the two of them. "I was serious, guys."
Remus sighed once more. "We know," he said. "We were just lightening the mood. Thank you, Sirius."
"Ah, it's nothing," said Sirius, waving off the thanks with a mock-bashful expression as he stood and went over to his bed again, getting himself ready for some sleep.
James, however, watched Remus for a moment longer before patting his friend on the back and saying, "Best get some sleep. Exciting day tomorrow."
"James. James! Get your sorry butt awake!" shouted Sirius the next morning as James awoke to the sensation of being shaken mercilessly by his friend. He blinked as Sirius had chosen to stop and squinted up at the longer-haired boy for a moment.
"Wha...?" he asked dazedly before groaning and turning over, muttering, "Sirius..."
"Oh, no you don't," said Sirius sharply, grabbing his shoulder and turning him back onto his back, knowing he couldn't sleep on his back. "Don't you go back to sleep. You're gonna be late for lunch and the Ceremony--"
"Ceremony?" asked James with confusion.
"Remember?" questioned Sirius with a bit of humor creeping into his voice. "Today we say 'goodbye' to Hogwarts--"
James jumped awake with the reminder. "Bloody hell, Sirius!" he shouted, tossing off his covers and jumping out of bed, leaving his friend covered with the blankets as he raced to get his day-clothes on. "Why didn't you wake me sooner?"
Sirius pulled the blankets off of him and frowned. "Hey, I slept in, too," he said with some annoyance as he studied the blankets for a moment before tossing them away while James rushed to get his shoes on before he had on his socks. Sirius shook his head at the sight and hit his friend with a pillow, stopping him from putting his socks over his shoes. "Come on, get dressed. I'm gonna go eat."
James, having noticed what he had been doing because of the whack of the pillow, worked on getting his shoes off. "See you at the Ceremony then," he said distractedly as he tried to locate his clothes. As he put on his shirt, however, he saw something flutter to the ground. Curious, he stooped over and picked it up.
Meet me at the edge of the Forest. Got some extra ideas for the Prank.
Padfoot.
James shook his head at he letter as it was something Sirius would really do and hurried to get dressed, not wanting to keep his friend waiting.
"Sirius!" called James, becoming annoyed that he had been waiting in the usual meeting place far from any suspicious eyes. He had gone down there as soon as he was finished dressing and had been waiting there for over half an hour. Perhaps it was because Sirius thought it funny to make him stand there like an idiot. This thought didn't help James' already low mood.
"Sirius, come out already!" he shouted, glaring at the bushes near him before looking up at the trees. Then he heard something rustle behind him. He spun around and pulled out his wand, thinking of the perfect curse to get his hiding friend with. He approached the bush that had rustled, speaking in a tone that hide his obvious eagerness to catch his friend, "Now's not the time to play games--"
He froze as he felt something poke him in the back, realizing that he had been the one to get caught. He was about to make a comment, but froze as an unfamiliar voice spoke, "Well, hallo, Potter. It's really nice to finally meet you."
James carefully remained still, not knowing who this person was or what they wanted. "Who are you?" he demanded. "Where's Sirius?"
The person whose wand was digging into the small of James' back shifted a bit. "Getting ready for the Ceremony, I'd expect."
Realization hit him like a ton of bricks. "...the note...he--?"
"Well, you wouldn't have come if you didn't think it was important," the person said boredly, his voice drawling in a way that annoyingly reminded James of Malfoy, "and we know how important your friends are to you."
James gripped his wand as anger surged through him as he listened to the sneering tone in the other person's voice. Before he could test the hex he had planned to use on Sirius with this person, another wand appeared and placed itself onto his right temple. Out of the corner of his eyes, James saw black robes but nothing else.
"Lower your wand," commanded the new person, his voice flat and indifferent but vaguely familiar, muffled as if the he were wearing a mask of some sort. James, however, ignored the command and clenched his fingers around his wand in a better grip.
The wand at his back digged in harder. "Wouldn't try anything if I were you. Your completely surrounded by more of us," the first person said with his sneering voice. Not that much of a fool to ignore a threat that would be carried out, James lowered his wand arm to his side and loosened his grip on the wood before it was immediately taken away by the person at his side.
"How'd you get onto the grounds?" James' voice was hoarse as he felt dread creep down his spine.
The first person chuckled, his wand still not moving. "Use your intelligence, Potter," he said pressing the wand into his back more. "Even your precious Hogwarts is not completely protected from the Dark Lord."
James forced himself not to shake from the fear that began to grip his heart, making him sweat and causing his breath to come out shorter and shallower. The person next to him then spoke, "Our master has been awaiting your arrival, Gryffindor."
Fists clenched to keep their trembling hidden, James swallowed the lump that had appeared in his throat and tried to speak, "You--"
"Bind him and blindfold him," ordered the person behind him before he could manage another word. The person next to him made a quick gesture and another figure appeared on his left. "We cannot allow him to see where he will be taken, now can we?"
The trek didn't take very long, though James became quickly disorientated when one of the people leading him decided it would be fun to knock him around while he was tied up and blinded. He knew, at least at that moment, that he was in the Forbidden Forest since he was slammed up against a tree before he fell onto the ground. Laughter came from the group of people that were watching. He couldn't tell how many there were, so he couldn't do anything as one of them hauled him to his feet and pushed him on.
It wasn't long until the group stopped, and after a group discussion in whispers, someone grabbed him and James felt the familiar tug behind his navel that told him that they had used a portkey. How far were they taking him? How far from Hogwarts was Voldemort?
When they landed, James nearly lost his footing but was quickly stablized by a hand on his shoulder. The hand, however, quickly retracted itself as a voice spoke, bringing chills down the blinded Gryffindor's spine, "Very good. Very good. You have proven yourselves to be loyal and strong, my newest Death Eaters."
Death Eaters. The name of the servants of Voldemort.
"We were honored," said a person, the one with the sneering voice, on James' left, "to be a part of this task, my Lord."
A small pause followed the statement, making James uncomfortable as he was already terrified of what he was about to face, if he should be released.
As if reading his thoughts, there was a low chuckle from in front of him before the voice spoke, "You may release him. Return him his wand as well."
Waiting with anticipation, James kept his eyes shut even as the blindfold came off and his binds were removed. He didn't even open his eyes as he felt the wand pressed into his hand. He acted immediately, aiming in front of him, in the direction of the voice, shouting the first spell to come to mind, "Expel--!"
Before he could finish, however, something knocked into him, causing him to fall over backwards onto the ground, much to the amusement of the Death Eaters surrounding him. "Do not even try, James," said the voice above the laughter and jeers, bringing his servants to silence. James still did not open his eyes, too scared to see that this wasn't a dream or a nightmare, too scared to face the man before him as he sat up. "Your magic is far too weak--untrained--to counter mine. At the moment, I have a shield around me and my servants that will prevent us from being cursed."
Standing to his feet, James risked a look and opened his eyes slightly, only to look into dark shadows. "C-come out of the shadows!" His voice was louder than he had anticipated it to be, fear making him stutter slightly as he held his wand out toward the shadows, ignoring what the voice had said.
The voice, however, merely chuckled. "Are you trembling?" it asked. "Dear boy, are you frightened of me?"
Laughter errupted from the Death Eaters once more, and James clenched his teeth, shaking terribly. "More like madder than bloody hell!" he retorted, bringing silence from his shout. "Come out, you bloody coward!"
"Ah," said the voice, amused, "so I am the coward now, am I?"
"Only a coward kills for pleasure, Voldemort," said James lowly, angrily, spitting out the Dark Lord's name like venom.
The low chuckle came again, this time accompanied by the sound of movement. "You would think that, wouldn't you?" said the voice before the face appeared out of the shadows. Pale, eyes narrowed, mouth quirked into a cruel smirk, Lord Voldemort emerged from the shadows. "After all...you are a Gryffindor, are you not?"
Again, the Death Eaters found amusement in this statement, for it had been spoken as though he was taunting the young man before him. James, however, found no humor in this at all. "Your sense of humor is awfully twisted," he said angrily, his knuckles white around his wand.
"Is it?" question Voldemort, the smirk never fading as he continued to move forward. "Or perhaps I am not jesting..."
James resisted the urge to retreat a few steps and shouted, "I am a Gryffindor!" as he kept his wand aimed at him. "You proved it to me last year, remember?"
The Dark Lord lowered his head in a thoughtful manner before looking up, watching the young man with a curious, considering gaze. "I suppose so...of course," he chuckled slightly, "it would only be partially so..."
James forced himself to keep his wand hand from shaking. "Now who is the one babbling?" he asked scathingly.
"Such rudeness," commented Voldemort offhandedly as he stopped a few feet from James. "Typical, really. You must have taken such an attitude from your mother, though I am bewildered as to where your mischievous actions are from."
Unnerved how the Dark Lord was speaking, James' controll over his shaking hand failed and his wand nearly fell from his suddenly slick grip. "My father, of couse," he gritted out.
"Indeed?"
James quickly regained controll of his shaking for a moment and demanded, "What is it that you want? To torment me before you do away with me? Just kill me and be done with it!" He had the urge to hurl his wand at the elder wizard's face, but resisted it, firmly keeping it trained on his dark, foreboding figure.
Voldemort spread his hands, showing that he was unarmed, and replied with some amusement, "I merely wish to speak with you, little Heir." James shuddered at the title, at how it had been used. "I will let you return to your Ceremony in due time."
"Well, I don't want to talk with you," said James defiantly. "You killed my mum, you bastard!"
The Dark Lord inhaled sharply, his eyes flashing a bright reddish color that almost made James drop his wand in surprise but it was gone just as quickly as it came. "She was the one who had done wrong." The Dark wizard's voice was cold and quiet, yet it carried far more than any shout would. "She was a two-faced creature, and it should have been realized the moment I first met her."
Now James staggered backward as if struck with a physical blow, the Death Eaters backing away as he came closer as though he was some disease that should not be touched. Of course, anyone who had brought the wrath of Lord Voldemort was one to be avoided.
"What are you talking about?" whispered James, too shocked to speak any louder, his wand now barely in his grip.
Voldemort then smirked, seeing that he had dealt a blow. "You are surprised, no doubt," he said slowly before pacing just as slowly before the young Gryffindor. "Your mother and I, dear boy, met one another back in the year 1946 after I had left Hogwarts myself. Do not give that look. I, too, was young, just as you are now. She was merely eleven at the time and had been taken in by a family of wizards since her own family had died in both the magic and Muggle war that had began to end . It was only one meeting, at that time, before I left, becoming the most powerful wizard there was."
All James could do for a moment was stare at the man before him. Then, he regained his composure and gritted out, "I should be glad she saw you but once--"
"I did not say such a thing," hissed Lord Voldemort in annoyance for being interrupted. "We met again, four years later, and I admit that I was attracted to her in the oddest way. Yes, you would be disgusted, wouldn't you? I decided to live near her, secretly building my strength, and then began to court her. She denied me many times, but then, almost ten years later...she agreed to wed me."
James' stomach clenched and he suddenly felt the urge to retch. "You--"
"I was once a very handsome man," said the Dark Lord with a nostalgic tone, "but many years of practicing Dark Magic along with the aging of years has caused me to eventually become what you see before you." He ran a hand across his chest before looking back over to James, his mouth twisting in distaste and amusement. "I was once a wizard named Tom Riddle, and it is that wizard your mother wedded. We were only together for but a year, but that was long enough for her to decide to betray me and abandon our marriage as I went to study abroad. I thought she had died, consumed by flames that had taken our home."
He paused, his eyes catching James'. "Yes, she was certainly clever to hide her secret from me."
Now the trembling was uncontrollable and, though the wand was still in his grasp, James felt as though he could not even summon the energy to use a simple levitation spell. "Secret?" he asked hoarsely, his mouth feeling dry like cotton. "What secret would that be? That she was a Gryffindor?"
"That and so much more," was the quiet response before the Dark Lord continued his speech. "You remember I said I was once young, just as you are? Perhaps I should give you a description of my younger self." Again his eyes met James'. "I was tall and slim, just as I am now, with dark, neat hair--much the same shade as yours. My eyes...they weren't always this reddish color that has taken the original color. No. They once were a gray-ish color--much the same as yours..."
"What are you--?" James barely managed to say, only to cut himself off as Lord Voldemort approached him.
"I had not noticed when we first met," he said with the cruel smirk on his pale, white face, "just how alike we are. Though...I am sure Edward Potter installed your mischievous actions. An outlet to express your cunning and quick mind. A mind...very worthy to be a Slytherin."
James backed up a few steps as the Dark Lord came closer, his wand still pointed at the dark man. "I'm not a Slytherin."
"Aren't you?" questioned the Dark Lord softly. "Haven't you begun to understand why you are still alive now? Why I've decided not to kill you? I need a strong-minded person that can aid me in my quest of power. Who better to choose than my only heir?"
That was when James hit the wall of Death Eaters. They were now forming a wall, cutting him off from escape, from turning away from their master. James barely registered this, however, as the last question rang in his mind. The Dark Lord's only heir...
He begin to shake his head, slowly at first, then more furiously as no one said anything. "You...you're lying!" he shouted, trying to turn and run, only be pushed away into another Death Eater who held him steady, an odd act of kindness.
"You say that now. Ask your beloved headmaster if it is the truth. I have no doubt you will believe me then..."
Again James felt his stomach clench, and vaguely, he realized he had dropped his wand somewhere. "You're a liar!" he found himself shouting, anger and disbelief the main emotions he felt as he tried to tear away from the Death Eater's grasp. "Stop lying! My father i--!"
Voldemort's pale face still didn't not lose the smirk. "Edward Potter is of no blood relation to you, boy. Learn that and learn it well." Again he stepped closer, his voice somehow causing James to cease his attempts to get away. "Shocking, isn't it, to discover your heritage? Believe me, I know too well the feeling. I did not know my own heritage until my later years at Hogwarts. The Heir of Slytherin--" He stopped himself, staring down at the now-restrained boy, whose heavy breathing could be heard from any side of the room. "But that is of no importance."
The Dark Lord spun away from him and walked a few paces before facing him once more. "While I am one of the heirs, you are the newest heir. Both to Slytherin and Gryffindor. Who would have known that two of the most powerful bloodlines in the history of Wizardry would be mixed within a person?"
James could only stare at him in disbelief. "You're...not serious..."
"Aren't I? Would I be as lenient as I am now if you were not, indeed, my heir?" His lips twisted slightly. "Believe me, I have no reason to keep the Heir of Gryffindor alive...were he merely that. No, instead, I want you to join with me."
James couldn't even manage to shake his head. It was too much to take in at once. It was just like last year, only more horrible now that he knew why his mother had been killed and how he had managed to escape the Dark Lord's grasp. He had been allowed to leave. He hadn't been targetted...or had he? How long had Voldemort known this? How long...how long had this been kept a secret? Since he had been born? Before that?
He looked up at the Dark Lord, his mouth even more dry, making it impossible to swallow the lump that seemed intent to choke him. He managed, however, to ask one question, "If I don't?"
The Dark Lord's expression darkened. "Are you willing to risk your friends' lives?" he asked quietly. "That quiet werewolf friend of yours? Or that clumsy, yet caring boy? Perhaps the rambuncious one, who has a witty remark for every-other response? Maybe even that lovely Mudblood you've recently become attached to? Deny me and only you are to blame if they come to an...untimely end."
James was horrified at what he was told. Join Voldemort...or risk his friends' lives? Remus, Peter, Sirius...Lily? Could he risk them? No, he couldn't, he knew that...but he couldn't join Voldemort! He couldn't join this...this monster...this cold-blooded murderer!
He shook his head, looking away. "No...I won't--I can't!"
Silence entered the room at this answer. Then Lord Voldemort spoke, his tone giving away his displeasure, "Perhaps you need more time to think on this...offer." He turned away and several Death Eaters approached James and began to bind and blind him once more.
"Next we meet," he heard the low voice say when he could no longer see, "if you do not have the answer I seek..."
The threat hung dangerously. "Take him back to Hogwarts."
The next thing James knew, he was back at the edge of the forest, unbinded and unblindfolded, back at the place he had been caught, leaning against a tree, standing and staring yet not taking anything in. His legs felt ready to give out, but he couldn't just fall down onto the ground. He was too afraid. Afraid that if he showed any weakness then, that Voldemort would come and capture him once again, forcing him to join him.
He couldn't. He couldn't show that he was weak.
"James!" someone was calling from nearby. It almost sounded like Remus but it could have just been the ringing in his ears, the resonance of the question that had been asked.
'Are you willing to risk your friends' lives? That quiet werewolf friend of yours?'
No, he couldn't, and Voldemort knew that. He also knew that he couldn't join and yet he continued to threaten him, continued to try to make him join his side, continued to torment him with the thought that he may kill one of them...just to get him...
"James! James, come on! Where are you?" called another voice from the same direction the other had come from. Was it Sirius, or was it still the question Lord Voldemort had asked?
'Perhaps the rambuncious one, who has a witty remark for every-other response?'
Could he...could he betray Sirius--his best friend, his brother--to save him? Would Sirius want that? What would Sirius want him to do? What could he do?
His legs collapsed from underneath him as the two voices continued to speak with agitation, frustration, and worry.
"We've searched everywhere..."
"I told him to get out of bed and get dressed, and we know he's not there, so where could he be then?"
"At the Ceremony?"
"Yeah, right."
"Maybe we should--James!" Remus quickly ran over to his friend's side, worry and concern etched into his features. "Sirius! I've found him!" He looked over James for a moment before asking, "Are you all right? Where were you?"
James could only stare at him, feeling slightly like his stag persona when caught in a trap.
Footsteps sounded from their right and Sirius emerged from the bushes with a relieved look on his face as he grinned at Remus. "Good job, Moony," he said before he also crouched down next to James. "James? Hey, James?" James looked to him, bewildered and frightened at the thought of Death Eaters being still about. "You all right? You look like you ran into a Dementor."
"I..." He trailed off, licking his lips and swallowing to moisten his dry tongue and throat. "I'll be fine." His voice was shaky at best, but was audible. "...just--"
Remus reached up a hand and brushed at his friend's unruly hair, frowning at the sight of the pale skin glistening with cold sweat. "Obviously you're not fine. What happened?"
He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing seemed to want to come out. He was saved from answering, however, by the sound of Sirius standing.
"I would love an explanation, too," he said, looking over to Hogwarts for a moment, "but the Ceremony's just started. Come on, James." He turned back to his friend and, with the help of Remus, hauled him to his feet. "Up you get." He then gave James a worried frown and asked, "You'll be all right?"
"Fine," said James, though he had to hide his shaking hands. "Just fine..."
"It greatly saddens me that such gifted young pupils will be leaving this castle, no longer as students, but as fully-trained witches and wizards of whom we can all be proud of..."
"My feet are hurting," complained Sirius as Dumbledore continued on with his speech. There wasn't much to speak to as the Ceremony was small and only had the students who were leaving, their parents, the faculty, and a few friends.
"It's only been five minutes," said Remus with some exasperation as he knew that once Sirius began his complaints, they would never cease. James, however, said nothing to the two of them and continued to stand amongst his Gryffindor peers silently, unfocused on what was happening.
"Snape's glaring at us again," said Peter, who stood in front of Remus and Sirius.
"I've noticed," Remus chose to mutter dryly, ignoring Sirius who let out a small, "Ow..."
"...proud of them this day. Now...I will begin to recite the names of those you see before you. From Gryffindor: Ms. Anna Aeron..."
"Knock it off, Padfoot," scolded Remus when he was jostled by Sirius' shifting.
"I can't help it," Sirius nearly whined.
"Ms. Arabella Figg..."
"Missed Lily's name," whispered Remus.
"Oops," was Sirius' replied. James' knees shook as he remembered what Voldemort had said about Lily. Sirius seemed to notice and leaned forward to look over to him. "Hey, Prongs? You all right?"
Remus also looked to him, but all he would say was, "...please don't ask, Sirius...just don't."
Sirius' expression immediately fell into one of concern. "James..."
"Mr. Remus Lupin--" Dumbledore's voice cut off. "Oh, dear me. I've missed someone! Mr. Sirius Black!"
Sirius straightened and played his part of looking indignant. "Aw, Dumbledore!" he shouted as a large group of the audience chuckled and laughed.
"Forgive me, Mr. Black!" said Dumbledore with good humor before continuing.
"Huh..." said Remus thoughtfully, catching Sirius' attention. "I didn't notice either."
Sirius rolled his eyes. "I can just feel the love."
"Mr. Peter Pettigrew...Mr. James Potter..."
Sirius seemed to remember James' problem just as Dumbledore began to list the names of those in Ravenclaw. "James?" James looked over to him and he frowned. "Hey, you look pale."
"I'm fine," muttered James dully, looking away.
Sirius growled lowly. "Liar," he hissed, making James look up again, the hurt in his eyes silencing any other comments Sirius had to make.
"Please, Sirius...don't," he pleaded, feeling awful for not telling him but feeling even worse about what would happen if he did tell.
"What's wrong?" asked Remus, noticing Sirius' serious look.
"He won't tell me," said Sirius as James looked away again.
"Just wait until after the Ceremony," advised Remus calmly.
After the Ceremony, the guests, faculty members, and students mingled with one another, the Slytherins being the ones that stayed mostly to themselves. Dumbledore also walked amongst the small crowd, talking with the students that were now no longer students, but full-fledged witches and wizards prepared for the world. Or at least some of them were.
"It was a pleasure to know you, Mr. Black," said the old wizard with a smile and his eyes twinkling merrily behind his glasses.
Sirius shooked hands with him, also smiling, but not nearly as politely nor as serenely. "Always glad to lighten the atmosphere, Professor," he said mischievously.
Dumbledore chuckled. "Please, I am no longer your professor. Call me Albus, if you will?"
Sirius' face brightened as though Christmas had come again so soon. "Thanks, Professor!" he exclaimed before running off to talk with Peter about the Prank.
Dumbledore watched him go with an amused look on his face. "He will grow used to it, I should think," he said before turning back and greeting Remus with a handshake. "Ah, Mr. Lupin. So sorry you will be leaving Hogwarts. I must say that you've certainly made the years interesting."
Remus nodded politely with a smile. "Thank you, Professor."
"I'll give you the same offer I gave Mr. Black," said Dumbledore with good humor. "Just Albus."
Remus' smile widened some. "Of course," he merely said before walking over to where Sirius and Peter were.
Dumbledore watched him go as well before turning to the last of the group of four that had been the most mischievous boys Hogwarts had ever had. When he took in James, however, he frowned in concerned as James still had not gotten the color to return to his face, nor had he gotten rid of the tremors that shook his slight frame.
"Are you all right, Mr. Potter?" asked Dumbledore kindly, worry evident in his voice.
James, who had not looked up at his former headmaster, raised his eyes to meet Dumbledore's blue eyes. "Professor...I--" He stoppd himself, noticing that something was missing. Something had changed about the headmaster.
"Mr. Potter?" questioned Dumbledore, and then James saw.
For the first time since the boy had known the old man, the twinkle in his blue eyes was absent.
'Ask your beloved headmaster if it is the truth. I have no doubt you will believe me then...'
"I.." He looked away and clenched his fists. "I have nothing...to say," he managed to say before rushing passed the old wizard, who watched him go without a word.
James didn't run toward his friends, however. Instead, he ran in the direction of where the students' luggage would be, near the school. He was stopped, though, by someone calling his name.
"James?" asked Lily asked as she approached him, unaware of how upset he was. He turned to go before she could, only to have her grab his arm and stop him again. "What are you doing?"
"I'm leaving," he said shortly, jerking his arm away, carefully keeping his eyes away from hers.
"Leaving?" she demanded, grabbing his arm again before he could move again.
James gritted his teeth slightly, trying to jerk his arm away from her grasp. "Let go of me!"
She shook her head firmly, clinging to his arms as if that was the surest way to keep him where he was. "Why are you leaving?" she demanded, knowing that he wouldn't leave Hogwarts without his friends. "Please, James! Be reasonable--!"
"Reasonable!" he shouted back, managing to free his arm as he did. "You don't even know what you're talking about!"
"James--" she began to say as though she was going to give an explanation, but he didn't listen. He managed to distance himself from her quickly, not wanting to get her involved with his troubles anymore. Not wanting to get any of them involved.
So it was that as he, James Potter, retreated from the Ceremony, yells and screams came from the crowd as the Marauders' plan exploded--quite literally. James didn't notice how the day got brighter or how there was a large amount of moise--pops, crackles, and splurts--following the bright light. Instead, he continued toward where the house-elves had placed their luggage. He grabbed his trunk, hauled it out, opened it, and retrived his broom. only then did he stop, shutting his eyes.
There wasn't any choice. If Voldemort couldn't find him, then he could hurt his friends.
'We'll stick together through thick or thin, right?'
If it were only that simple.
A few moments passed before he opened his eyes again. Angrily, he shut his trunk before standing and searching his pockets for his wand. Luckily, one of the Death Eaters had decided to be nice and placed his wand in his left pocket. He pulled it out and with a quick spell, the large trunk shrank to palm-size and James stooped to pick it up. After placing it in his picket, he then got onto his broom and flew off of the ground.
As he soared highed, he stripped himself from the cloak that showed that he was from Gryffindor House. Letting it flutter to the ground, he planned to leave the Wizarding World...possibly forever.
Author's Notes: *sniffles* I'm still in complete shock that I gotten passed the 99th review! But anyway! I wanted you all to know something about this fic, that I've just now actually realized. This fic is separated into three different parts (or arcs as some people would call them). The first part is The Beginning (or The Secret Arc) and is basically Chapters One through Nine. The next part is The Middle (or The Running Arc) and it begins with the Chapter you have just read (Explosive Exit) and continues until Chapter Fourteen. Five long Chapters in this part. The final part is The End (or The Return/Final Arc). This part will start on Chapter Fifteen and continue until the end in Chapter Twenty-one. ^.^ I'm giving you this explanation because it helps explain why I'm going to skip so much time between Chapter Ten and Eleven. ^.^"
Okay, how many of you have read Ootp? *raises hand* Uh huh. Now how many of you cried because of the death? *raises other hand and sniffles* I know. I know. I really miss the one that died (dunno if I should spoil it). Makes me also feel kind of bad that a certain character isn't in this chapter that much. He won't be in the next one either *sniffles* Please don't be mad. He'll be in Chapter Twelve! I promise! *rubs eyes* Gah...I'm still not getting over it. *sniffles*
Hey! What about the fanart challenge I issued? Does ANYONE do fanart? *puppy-dog eyes* Please! Just ONE fanart! I will love you forever if you submit it to me at Rogue8935@aol.com. ONEGAI? *puppy-dog eyes*
Anyways...time for the responses!
slamin'witch86: ^.^" Updated and don't you just love the length of this chapter *admires her work* ^.^"
Beauty Full: Faves? Wow...I'm beginning to see that a lot of people like this fic ^.^" Glad they do, even though it's been out for over a YEAR *hangs head in shame* Ano...^.^" I'm glad you like Sirius and James' relationship and don't worry about Lily and James. It gets a whole lot better, though this chapter seems to have killed it. -.-' ^.^" No, I couldn't believe that the freakin' book finally came! But it was really sad...made me cry from Chapter Thirty-five until the end. *sniffles in remembrance* Thanks for the 100th review and keep reading ^.~!
Alqualyne: ANOTHER person to put me on their faves. Wow. *blinku* This is really surprising ^.^" Thank you on the compliments. I try to keep the humor interesting and lively, same with the drama. Glad it worked out so well ^.^" Thanks for the review!
LilyFlower: When? Lemme check *consults Chapter Chart* Hm...Chapter...Sixteen is when they are really "together" ^.^" Sorry that you'll have to wait, but as another reviewer has said to me, James needs to work out his problems first. ^.^"
NightSpear:Yes! I know! I finally updated! In one week! Love me! ^.^" From what I saw in the dictionary, the name Sirius is indeed the name for the Dog Star in Ursa Minor and it IS pronounce SIR-i-us where the "Sir" is like "Sur". Lol. I know what you mean though, I about hit my sister in the head when she told me to look it up and started pronouncing it like that. That's how I got that entire scene. It satisfies my need to rub in my sister's face that Sirius like that really bad pun better than the correct pronounciation. Lol. Don't worry about confusing sentences, I thrive on them ^.~!
Y.Kuang: Aw compy problems? ^.^" Eh *listens to music* I played that in the Spring Concert *shrugs* Oh, well. ^.^" I'm glad you liked the last chapter. I'm kind of afraid, though that I put a lot of drama in this one and not enough Lily and James...or Sirius for that matter...*sniffles at Sirius' name* ^.^" Gah...I hate math. I'm good at it...but I hate it. Someone just shoot the blasted thing. Trig? You're kidding! Oi! *falls over* How is that supposed to make anyone giddy? *rolls eyes at teachers' definition of "fun"* Gah. Thanks for the review, Y! ^.~!
Reluxi: Yes, I bet you were excited when you saw that it was updated YET AGAIN! MWAHAHAHA! Ah...sorry about that whole thing. I know. I was really mean to trick you thinking it was another chapter when it was just replies to the readers *hangs head* Gomen nasai...^.^" Glad you liked the last chapter and YES! I AM delaying the L/J part of the story. James is being a little terd and he keeps running away before I can get them together! :P Yes! Ootp! How'd you like it, BTW? I had to wait three days after my sister and I got it before I could read it and then on the day she was finished, she tormented me for half an hour with it. She wouldn't give it! *pouts* It really was a great book. It didn't mess up this fic totally, but my sequal is almost in the ruins...unless *evil gleam in her eye* Yes, that would work...^.^" Okay, the sequal is still alive! Just need to adjust some details ^.~ Piece of cake! Thanks for the review! ^.~!