(Note from the author: These are not my characters, my world, and my
situations. They all belong to J. K. Rowling, and are protected by
copyrights.)
(Note from the author: I am very proud of this chapter. It's one of my favorites. I don't know why, but it appeals to me. It's very funny, because I wrote this a few minutes before checking my replies. And there was one from Feronia, asking why Snape always got caught. I laughed, and decided it was a good thing I wrote this chapter. Here's for all you Snape fans out there. Payback.)
It had happened two days before Christmas break. The day had started off normally, with breakfast and then the morning classes. James had walked Lily to her Charms room, and then had headed off with Sirius and Remus for N.E.W.T. Potions. Peter had gone to Herbology, and all was still in the corridors. A few of the teacher's voices could be heard echoing off of the walls, but it was relatively peaceful.
It wasn't until the bell rang, and all of the students filed into the courtyard, did they see the sight that made them all stop and stare.
High in the sky, above Hogwarts, was a floating symbol. A skull, with a snake protruding from its mouth.
The students screamed, and then ran back into the castle doors, shutting them behind them. The teachers, who were patrolling the halls, pulled the prefects out of line, as the others scattered for their common rooms.
"What's going on?" Professor Flitwick asked a first year named Charlie Weasley.
"HE'S HERE!" he screamed, "HE'S HERE!"
"Get out of the way, get out of the way," Professor McGonagall, who had just left her classroom, pushed through the rioting sea of students, and opened the doors. Some of the first years cried out in horror as she stepped into the sunlight. Her gaze flew up to the sky, and her skin became white.
"Get the Headmaster, Professor Flitwick," she croaked, as she walked back inside and bolted the doors behind her, "Immediately."
Then she turned to the students as Professor Flitwick scampered down the corridor to Dumbledore's office, and said, "Everyone! Simmer down! Do not panic!"
This didn't help the younger students, and it was only the sixth and seventh years that obeyed her.
Davey rushed forward, his wand in hand, "Let me out, Professor. I can take them."
"Don't be idiotic, Mr. Gudgeon," Professor McGonagall said, and then continued, "Head Boy and Head Girl, follow me. Prefects, take your fellow students back to your House. Lock the entrances. Do not open them for anyone unless it is your respectable Head of House. Bar all of the windows. Stay in the common room, together. No matter what you hear happening outside of your dormitories, do not leave. And this includes even the seventh years," she shot a look to kill at Sirius, Remus, and Peter.
"Now, Mr. Potter and Miss Evans, follow me," she then pushed her way out of the crowd, Lily and James appearing out of the students and following her to Dumbledore's office.
When they arrived, all of the teachers were gathered together around the Headmaster's desk. Teachers that James had never even seen before stood, arms crossed or feet tapping the floor. Dumbledore had a look in his eye. One that James had only seen one other time, when he had announced the death of Professor Snorks.
He felt someone touch his hand. He jumped, and looked to his left. There, Lily was standing, looking at their two hands that were clamped together.
He gulped, and felt a new sort of fear rise up in his heart. She was holding his hand.
"Albus, we haven't taken the proper precautions to keep Hogwarts out of harm's way," Professor Hall was arguing. She had lost all sweetness in her voice, and she seemed to be a totally different person. No one would have ever guessed, by looking at her now, that she had spent the past two years teaching her classes the different breedings of Kneazles.
"Edna, do not jump to conclusions," Dumbledore warned her, "We are assuming that it was Voldemort (everyone in the room shuddered at the name). It could have easily been a staff member, or a student, or possibly even one of the ghosts or house elves. There are over a thousand souls present here in Hogwarts. It could have been anyone."
"Are you inferring that it may have been one of us?" Professor Juniper declared.
"Yes, I am," Dumbledore said, "Even though I believe it is highly unlikely. What do you think, Mr. Potter?"
James looked up from Lily's hand, wide eyed at the Headmaster. He let go of Lily, and folded his hands behind his back.
"Well, maybe one of the Slytherins thought it would be funny to . . ."
"That is propostorous!" Hall shouted, "The Dark Mark could not have been conjured by a student. It is a very complex and difficult spell . . ."
"That must be taught to someone," Dumbledore continued, "I agree with Mr. Potter. I believe it may have been one of the students. Not necessarily from Slytherin, but possibly one of the students."
"You mean as a prank, right, Albus?" Professor McGonagall said, "Not as a true threat . . . "
"In these times, Minerva, I cannot be sure of anything," Dumbledore rubbed his tired eyes, and then looked back at Lily, "What do you think, Miss Evans?"
"I don't think it was You-Know-Who," she said quietly, "He's afraid of you. Everyone knows that."
Dumbledore smiled, and then warmly said, "In my office, we use the names that things are given. Please address him as Voldemort. (another shudder)."
"Yes, sir," Lily said.
"We shouldn't be pointing fingers," Sprout said, "We should be out there protecting the children . . . "
"She is right," Dumbledore said, "Heads of House, please report to your dormitory and stay with your students. As for the rest of you, we stay here until we arrive at a conclusion about what happened, and do what is needing to be done. This includes you, Mr. Potter and Miss Evans," James and Lily, who had started to follow Professor McGonagall out, turned around in surprise, "It's as much your school as it is ours."
Some of the teachers looked increduously at Dumbledore, but didn't argue. Flitwick, Hall, Sprout, and Professor McGonagall made their way down the stairs, and out of sight.
"Now, if it had been one of the students," Dumbledore continued on, "It must have been someone who was out of class. I need a list of all tardies and absences from this morning."
Professor Sinistra disappeared in a rush out of the office, and Dumbledore turned to Juniper, "Ninny, I need you to send an owl to the Ministry right away. I want the entire Order down here in an hour."
James looked quickly to Juniper as she took her leave.
"Now, we know that Klien spoke to a few of our students before he left. We know that he was trying to recruit them at a young age. Who do we know that talked to him?" Dumbledore eyed James, but a teacher that he had never seen before spoke up.
"There were only two first years," he said, "Mr. Lucius Malfoy, and Mr. Gregory Goyle."
"There was another one," James interrupted. The teacher's heads turned to look at him.
"Really, Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore said, "Could you tell us who?"
"Severus Snape," he said.
"And how do you know this?" the unknown teacher asked.
"That isn't of any importance," Dumbledore said, brushing the question aside, "I will take his word on the matter."
Professor Sinistra returned, holding a scroll and gasping for breath.
Dumbledore took it from her, and then scanned the list, "Both Malfoy and Goyle were in class on time, and left late. But Mr. Snape was absent for his N.E.W.T. Potions class."
There was a silence that crossed the entire room, and Dumbledore continued, "There was another person that was tardy for his Divination class. Mr. Darryl Avery."
"We should bring them in, now," the unknown teacher said, "And interrogate them both."
"This is not a prison," Dumbledore argued, "We must remember, both of these boys are innocent until proven otherwise," he then turned to James and Lily, and said, "Mr. Potter, please bring Mr. Snape from his Slytherin common room. Tell Professor Hall that I wish to speak to him. Miss Evans, please bring Mr. Avery from the Gryffindor common room."
James and Lily silently nodded, and then exited the office. They split up in the corridors outside, and James felt himself feeling very uneasy as he walked into the dungeons to retrieve Snape.
He finally came to the opening of the House, and said through the wall, "Professor Hall, it's James Potter. Headmaster Dumbledore wants to speak to Severus Snape."
The wall magically opened, and he said for the first time, the inside of the Slytherin common room. All of the Slytherin students were huddled together, behind Hall. But instead of being frightened, they had looks of enjoyment and entertainment on their faces.
Snape stepped forward, out of the crowd, and he grew rigid when he saw James. His eyes narrowed, and he balled his hands into fists.
Hall ushered him out without a word, and then shut the door again.
"What does he want," Snape hissed as they walked out of the Dungeon and onto the main level again.
"He'll tell you," James said, "Pretty nice trick you did. Bet your friends thought it was the funniest thing they'd ever seen."
Snape looked at him, confused, and then came to a realization, "What? You think that I made the Dark Mark outside in the courtyard?"
"I don't think anything," James said, "I'm just doing what Dumbledore told me to do. To get you and take you to his office. Nothing else."
When they entered the office, he saw Darryl standing in the midst of teachers, all of them breathing down his neck. Snape joined him as James went to stand next to Lily again.
"Mr. Snape, Mr. Avery," Dumbledore said very sternly, "Do you know why I called you here?"
"No," Snape said, glaring at the Headmaster.
"You both were found to be either tardy or absent from your class at the time of the spell that caused the Dark Mark that is now floating over Hogwarts," he said, "Now, we are not accusing you of any wrongdoings until we have further proof, but I believe that I speak for all of the teachers when I say that your punishment will be less severe if you speak up now with a confession."
"I didn't do it," Snape said at once.
Dumbledore stared into Snape's eyes, seeming to be in concentration. Yet a few seconds later, he blinked in surprise, and looked away. He rubbed his temple, and said quietly so only Snape could hear, "So, you have learned Occlumency, have you?"
Snape narrowed his eyes.
"You shouldn't have anything to hide," Dumbledore said, "Do you, Mr. Snape? Have anything to hide?"
"I have a right to my thoughts," he said simply.
"We do not teach Occlumency here at Hogwarts," Dumbledore leaned back in his seat, "Would you like to tell us something, Mr. Snape?"
"No, I would not like to," he spat back. Professor Sinistra stared at him, as if she couldn't believe what disrespect he was showing towards Dumbledore.
Dumbledore didn't seem moved by it, though, and turned to look in Darryl's eyes. Darryl looked away, and Dumbledore sighed.
"Mr. Snape, are you sure that you would not like to tell us what happened?" he said.
"I'm sure," he replied, "I was with Lucius Malfoy all this morning. At breakfast, I felt sick. So I went back to my dormitory to lay down."
"Did anyone see you in your dormitory?" Dumbledore interrogated.
"No," Snape said, "They were all at class."
"Can Mr. Malfoy back your story up?" Professor Sinistra asked.
Snape nodded, "Yes, he will. He saw me enter the dormitory. And then he saw me come down the stairs from my room and into the common room when everyone starting filing in. I don't know what really happened."
"Do you have your wands handy?" Professor Sinistra asked. Both boys took their wands out of their pockets, and handed them to her.
"That doesn't look like yours, Mr. Snape," she said as she examined them.
"I got a new one this summer," he said defensively.
"Deletrius," Sinistra said as her own wand touched the boys'. From Snape's wand came a wispy smoke of a floating matchbox, and from Darryl's came a silvery light.
"Wingardium Leviosa and Lumos, Headmaster," she said, giving them their wands back, "They are both innocent."
"I still would like to speak with Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore objected, "Please send for him."
Snape glared at the Headmaster, as if he was about to wring his neck.
It was a few minutes later that Lucius Malfoy was standing in the entranceway, following Sinistra to Dumbledore's desk. James watched him as he quickly made eye contact with Snape. Snape seemed very focused, and the white haired boy nodded at him. Snape nodded back, and turned to look at Dumbledore again.
"Mr. Malfoy, did you accompany Mr. Snape back to his dormitory this morning before class?" Dumbledore asked him.
"Yes," Lucius said in his drawling voice, "I did."
"And yet you still managed to arrive at your next class on time," he said suspiciously.
"Yes, I did," Lucius said.
"And was Mr. Snape in the dormitory when you returned with the rest of the Slytherins?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, he was," Lucius said.
"There's all the proof you need, Headmaster," a teacher from his right said, "We have a witness, we've seen their last spells. No seventh year could conjure that Mark."
Dumbledore sighed, and rubbed his eyes again, "Very well. We are sorry for the disturbance. Mr. Avery, Mr. Snape, Mr. Malfoy, you may return to your common rooms. James, Miss Evans, please escort them back."
The four students left, and climbed down the staircase. Lily and Darryl headed for the Gryffindor common room, while James, Malfoy, and Snivellus walked back towards the dungeons.
"You know," James said as they reached the wall that disguised the Slytherin House, "It's funny that you knew that the Dark Mark was floating over the courtyard if you weren't sure of what happened."
"Shut up, Potter," Snape said, "It's all anyone was talking about in the common room. I overheard them."
"Thank you for being our liason back," Malfoy sneered, "Now go back up to your little Mudblood friends and leave us alone."
The two of them laughed as James turned his back and headed for the staircase. But at the last minute, he looked back. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling in his stomach like something wasn't right.
And his intuition wasn't wrong. There was Lucius, holding Snape's old wand. He handed it back to Snape, and Snape handed the wand he had shown Sinistra to Lucius.
"Felt sick, hey?" Malfoy said as they turned towards the door, "Better excuse than what I would have come up with."
"That old crackpot doesn't deserve to be Headmaster," Snape laughed, and then they said the password, and Hall's face appeared again.
James stared at them as they closed the door with a bang. He had no proof. Even if he did tell Dumbledore, there would be no evidence. Just his word against Snape's, and Snape had already proven his case innocent.
And if he did tell on him, what would he do? If he could make that Mark in the sky, and then get away with it, what else could he do? Was he already working for Voldemort? Was he already more powerful than him or Sirius or Remus?
James climbed the stairs. He decided to keep it to himself. What if the Death Eaters found out who had ratted on him? What if it hadn't been a prank? What if it was a real warning? What would happen to his family? What would happen to him?
All of a sudden he felt a disgust for himself. He never thought that he would be scared of Snivellus Snape.
It was on his way back to Gryffindor Tower that he spotted a large group of wizards and witches entering through the oak doors. Juniper was leading the lot of them up the marble staircase. The man from the funeral was ahead of the others, and behind a group of people he didn't know was a face from a Chocolate Frog card. Frank Longbottom. And his wife, Alice. Behind them came the four seventh years that had been called down to the office the year before. And bringing up the rear was Sturgis Podmore, and . . .
"Dad?" James choked as he saw the familiar face step onto the first stair.
Mr. Potter swiveled around, and then stared at James as if he hadn't ever seen him before, "James? What are you doing out here?"
"I knew it!" he shouted, and the mysterious man from the funeral turned around to face him. Mr. Potter sighed, and waved his hand at him.
"It's all right, Alastor," he said, "It's my son."
"You ARE one of them!" James cried. He had known it from the beginning. It had been obvious. But he had never had actual proof. No proof that he couldn't deny, anyway.
He had tried to deny it. Yes, he had been strong. Yes, Sirius and him had talked long into the night about Mr. Potter's escapades. Yes, he had heard Professor June and Dumbledore name his father years ago, he had heard June's groaning in their living room, he had heard his father speaking to that stranger, he had seen so many things. And it would have been stupid to try to deny it. But it had seemed like a dream. Seeing his father, mixed in with the doomed souls of the Order, had made it reality. He was going to die. They were all going to die.
All for his father's pride.
"James -"
"Why didn't you just tell me?" he said. Fear was welling up in his heart. Half of the members of Dumbledore's Order had been killed. Their families killed. Wendy was dead. And they truly were next.
His father had written their epitaphs and had dug their graves.
"James, we need to talk about this later," Mr. Potter said.
"I didn't want to believe it," he said, "But I knew. It wasn't them who killed Wendy. It was you. You killed her by fighting them! You provoked them! You knew that someone was going to get hurt! I heard you talking to Mum, and at the funeral!"
"James, please," Mr. Potter said, "I don't have time for this. Please, can we talk about this later?"
"I thought that you were there to protect us!" he cried, "But you sold us out! You . . . "
"James!" he shouted, and his voice echoed through the halls. His son stared at him, breathing heavily. All of his anger had come out with this sight. His father patrolling the world with people he had never known. And it would cost them their lives. He knew it would. He had known that he was part of the Order. They had all known. There was no more denying it. They would die.
"You're too young to understand," he said, exasperated, "There are things worth fighting for."
"I'm seventeen, Dad," James said, "When do I get old enough to understand?"
His father adjusted his glasses, and then said very sternly, "Not today, obviously."
"Whatever happened to our family?" he shouted.
But Mr. Potter didn't answer. He turned on his heels, and scaled the rest of the staircase, after Juniper and the rest of the Order.
James made an oath that day. Never would he put his family in danger. Everything that he had believed before . . . every heroic deed that had entered his mind . . . was erased in seconds. He would never make the mistake that his father had made. He would not let his daughter and son and wife die, just for a stupid moral. He would never put anyone else in danger for his own selfish beliefs.
As he walked back to the Tower, feeling very angry, hundreds of memories of him in his bed at night, swearing that he would do something to stop Voldemort. But Sirius had been right all along. There was nothing that he could do that wouldn't end up hurting the people he cared about. He had to protect what was left of the people he loved.
He entered the common room, and announced that no one had been found guilty yet. Professor McGonagall was trying to calm a group of first years, and the upperclassmen were helping her with the younger children. He felt hatred in his heart towards Snivellus. He wanted to tell someone. Anyone.
But he knew that he couldn't.
He never could.
The teachers arrived at the conclusion that it was a bad prank from a student that wanted to stir up trouble. The Order had checked the perimeters twice. Ministry of Magic officials had arrived later in the afternoon. No sign of any Death Eaters or illegal activity was found. And with every passing hour that the Gryffindors were locked in their tower, James's heart pounded faster. But he never said a word.
(Note from the author: I am very proud of this chapter. It's one of my favorites. I don't know why, but it appeals to me. It's very funny, because I wrote this a few minutes before checking my replies. And there was one from Feronia, asking why Snape always got caught. I laughed, and decided it was a good thing I wrote this chapter. Here's for all you Snape fans out there. Payback.)
It had happened two days before Christmas break. The day had started off normally, with breakfast and then the morning classes. James had walked Lily to her Charms room, and then had headed off with Sirius and Remus for N.E.W.T. Potions. Peter had gone to Herbology, and all was still in the corridors. A few of the teacher's voices could be heard echoing off of the walls, but it was relatively peaceful.
It wasn't until the bell rang, and all of the students filed into the courtyard, did they see the sight that made them all stop and stare.
High in the sky, above Hogwarts, was a floating symbol. A skull, with a snake protruding from its mouth.
The students screamed, and then ran back into the castle doors, shutting them behind them. The teachers, who were patrolling the halls, pulled the prefects out of line, as the others scattered for their common rooms.
"What's going on?" Professor Flitwick asked a first year named Charlie Weasley.
"HE'S HERE!" he screamed, "HE'S HERE!"
"Get out of the way, get out of the way," Professor McGonagall, who had just left her classroom, pushed through the rioting sea of students, and opened the doors. Some of the first years cried out in horror as she stepped into the sunlight. Her gaze flew up to the sky, and her skin became white.
"Get the Headmaster, Professor Flitwick," she croaked, as she walked back inside and bolted the doors behind her, "Immediately."
Then she turned to the students as Professor Flitwick scampered down the corridor to Dumbledore's office, and said, "Everyone! Simmer down! Do not panic!"
This didn't help the younger students, and it was only the sixth and seventh years that obeyed her.
Davey rushed forward, his wand in hand, "Let me out, Professor. I can take them."
"Don't be idiotic, Mr. Gudgeon," Professor McGonagall said, and then continued, "Head Boy and Head Girl, follow me. Prefects, take your fellow students back to your House. Lock the entrances. Do not open them for anyone unless it is your respectable Head of House. Bar all of the windows. Stay in the common room, together. No matter what you hear happening outside of your dormitories, do not leave. And this includes even the seventh years," she shot a look to kill at Sirius, Remus, and Peter.
"Now, Mr. Potter and Miss Evans, follow me," she then pushed her way out of the crowd, Lily and James appearing out of the students and following her to Dumbledore's office.
When they arrived, all of the teachers were gathered together around the Headmaster's desk. Teachers that James had never even seen before stood, arms crossed or feet tapping the floor. Dumbledore had a look in his eye. One that James had only seen one other time, when he had announced the death of Professor Snorks.
He felt someone touch his hand. He jumped, and looked to his left. There, Lily was standing, looking at their two hands that were clamped together.
He gulped, and felt a new sort of fear rise up in his heart. She was holding his hand.
"Albus, we haven't taken the proper precautions to keep Hogwarts out of harm's way," Professor Hall was arguing. She had lost all sweetness in her voice, and she seemed to be a totally different person. No one would have ever guessed, by looking at her now, that she had spent the past two years teaching her classes the different breedings of Kneazles.
"Edna, do not jump to conclusions," Dumbledore warned her, "We are assuming that it was Voldemort (everyone in the room shuddered at the name). It could have easily been a staff member, or a student, or possibly even one of the ghosts or house elves. There are over a thousand souls present here in Hogwarts. It could have been anyone."
"Are you inferring that it may have been one of us?" Professor Juniper declared.
"Yes, I am," Dumbledore said, "Even though I believe it is highly unlikely. What do you think, Mr. Potter?"
James looked up from Lily's hand, wide eyed at the Headmaster. He let go of Lily, and folded his hands behind his back.
"Well, maybe one of the Slytherins thought it would be funny to . . ."
"That is propostorous!" Hall shouted, "The Dark Mark could not have been conjured by a student. It is a very complex and difficult spell . . ."
"That must be taught to someone," Dumbledore continued, "I agree with Mr. Potter. I believe it may have been one of the students. Not necessarily from Slytherin, but possibly one of the students."
"You mean as a prank, right, Albus?" Professor McGonagall said, "Not as a true threat . . . "
"In these times, Minerva, I cannot be sure of anything," Dumbledore rubbed his tired eyes, and then looked back at Lily, "What do you think, Miss Evans?"
"I don't think it was You-Know-Who," she said quietly, "He's afraid of you. Everyone knows that."
Dumbledore smiled, and then warmly said, "In my office, we use the names that things are given. Please address him as Voldemort. (another shudder)."
"Yes, sir," Lily said.
"We shouldn't be pointing fingers," Sprout said, "We should be out there protecting the children . . . "
"She is right," Dumbledore said, "Heads of House, please report to your dormitory and stay with your students. As for the rest of you, we stay here until we arrive at a conclusion about what happened, and do what is needing to be done. This includes you, Mr. Potter and Miss Evans," James and Lily, who had started to follow Professor McGonagall out, turned around in surprise, "It's as much your school as it is ours."
Some of the teachers looked increduously at Dumbledore, but didn't argue. Flitwick, Hall, Sprout, and Professor McGonagall made their way down the stairs, and out of sight.
"Now, if it had been one of the students," Dumbledore continued on, "It must have been someone who was out of class. I need a list of all tardies and absences from this morning."
Professor Sinistra disappeared in a rush out of the office, and Dumbledore turned to Juniper, "Ninny, I need you to send an owl to the Ministry right away. I want the entire Order down here in an hour."
James looked quickly to Juniper as she took her leave.
"Now, we know that Klien spoke to a few of our students before he left. We know that he was trying to recruit them at a young age. Who do we know that talked to him?" Dumbledore eyed James, but a teacher that he had never seen before spoke up.
"There were only two first years," he said, "Mr. Lucius Malfoy, and Mr. Gregory Goyle."
"There was another one," James interrupted. The teacher's heads turned to look at him.
"Really, Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore said, "Could you tell us who?"
"Severus Snape," he said.
"And how do you know this?" the unknown teacher asked.
"That isn't of any importance," Dumbledore said, brushing the question aside, "I will take his word on the matter."
Professor Sinistra returned, holding a scroll and gasping for breath.
Dumbledore took it from her, and then scanned the list, "Both Malfoy and Goyle were in class on time, and left late. But Mr. Snape was absent for his N.E.W.T. Potions class."
There was a silence that crossed the entire room, and Dumbledore continued, "There was another person that was tardy for his Divination class. Mr. Darryl Avery."
"We should bring them in, now," the unknown teacher said, "And interrogate them both."
"This is not a prison," Dumbledore argued, "We must remember, both of these boys are innocent until proven otherwise," he then turned to James and Lily, and said, "Mr. Potter, please bring Mr. Snape from his Slytherin common room. Tell Professor Hall that I wish to speak to him. Miss Evans, please bring Mr. Avery from the Gryffindor common room."
James and Lily silently nodded, and then exited the office. They split up in the corridors outside, and James felt himself feeling very uneasy as he walked into the dungeons to retrieve Snape.
He finally came to the opening of the House, and said through the wall, "Professor Hall, it's James Potter. Headmaster Dumbledore wants to speak to Severus Snape."
The wall magically opened, and he said for the first time, the inside of the Slytherin common room. All of the Slytherin students were huddled together, behind Hall. But instead of being frightened, they had looks of enjoyment and entertainment on their faces.
Snape stepped forward, out of the crowd, and he grew rigid when he saw James. His eyes narrowed, and he balled his hands into fists.
Hall ushered him out without a word, and then shut the door again.
"What does he want," Snape hissed as they walked out of the Dungeon and onto the main level again.
"He'll tell you," James said, "Pretty nice trick you did. Bet your friends thought it was the funniest thing they'd ever seen."
Snape looked at him, confused, and then came to a realization, "What? You think that I made the Dark Mark outside in the courtyard?"
"I don't think anything," James said, "I'm just doing what Dumbledore told me to do. To get you and take you to his office. Nothing else."
When they entered the office, he saw Darryl standing in the midst of teachers, all of them breathing down his neck. Snape joined him as James went to stand next to Lily again.
"Mr. Snape, Mr. Avery," Dumbledore said very sternly, "Do you know why I called you here?"
"No," Snape said, glaring at the Headmaster.
"You both were found to be either tardy or absent from your class at the time of the spell that caused the Dark Mark that is now floating over Hogwarts," he said, "Now, we are not accusing you of any wrongdoings until we have further proof, but I believe that I speak for all of the teachers when I say that your punishment will be less severe if you speak up now with a confession."
"I didn't do it," Snape said at once.
Dumbledore stared into Snape's eyes, seeming to be in concentration. Yet a few seconds later, he blinked in surprise, and looked away. He rubbed his temple, and said quietly so only Snape could hear, "So, you have learned Occlumency, have you?"
Snape narrowed his eyes.
"You shouldn't have anything to hide," Dumbledore said, "Do you, Mr. Snape? Have anything to hide?"
"I have a right to my thoughts," he said simply.
"We do not teach Occlumency here at Hogwarts," Dumbledore leaned back in his seat, "Would you like to tell us something, Mr. Snape?"
"No, I would not like to," he spat back. Professor Sinistra stared at him, as if she couldn't believe what disrespect he was showing towards Dumbledore.
Dumbledore didn't seem moved by it, though, and turned to look in Darryl's eyes. Darryl looked away, and Dumbledore sighed.
"Mr. Snape, are you sure that you would not like to tell us what happened?" he said.
"I'm sure," he replied, "I was with Lucius Malfoy all this morning. At breakfast, I felt sick. So I went back to my dormitory to lay down."
"Did anyone see you in your dormitory?" Dumbledore interrogated.
"No," Snape said, "They were all at class."
"Can Mr. Malfoy back your story up?" Professor Sinistra asked.
Snape nodded, "Yes, he will. He saw me enter the dormitory. And then he saw me come down the stairs from my room and into the common room when everyone starting filing in. I don't know what really happened."
"Do you have your wands handy?" Professor Sinistra asked. Both boys took their wands out of their pockets, and handed them to her.
"That doesn't look like yours, Mr. Snape," she said as she examined them.
"I got a new one this summer," he said defensively.
"Deletrius," Sinistra said as her own wand touched the boys'. From Snape's wand came a wispy smoke of a floating matchbox, and from Darryl's came a silvery light.
"Wingardium Leviosa and Lumos, Headmaster," she said, giving them their wands back, "They are both innocent."
"I still would like to speak with Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore objected, "Please send for him."
Snape glared at the Headmaster, as if he was about to wring his neck.
It was a few minutes later that Lucius Malfoy was standing in the entranceway, following Sinistra to Dumbledore's desk. James watched him as he quickly made eye contact with Snape. Snape seemed very focused, and the white haired boy nodded at him. Snape nodded back, and turned to look at Dumbledore again.
"Mr. Malfoy, did you accompany Mr. Snape back to his dormitory this morning before class?" Dumbledore asked him.
"Yes," Lucius said in his drawling voice, "I did."
"And yet you still managed to arrive at your next class on time," he said suspiciously.
"Yes, I did," Lucius said.
"And was Mr. Snape in the dormitory when you returned with the rest of the Slytherins?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, he was," Lucius said.
"There's all the proof you need, Headmaster," a teacher from his right said, "We have a witness, we've seen their last spells. No seventh year could conjure that Mark."
Dumbledore sighed, and rubbed his eyes again, "Very well. We are sorry for the disturbance. Mr. Avery, Mr. Snape, Mr. Malfoy, you may return to your common rooms. James, Miss Evans, please escort them back."
The four students left, and climbed down the staircase. Lily and Darryl headed for the Gryffindor common room, while James, Malfoy, and Snivellus walked back towards the dungeons.
"You know," James said as they reached the wall that disguised the Slytherin House, "It's funny that you knew that the Dark Mark was floating over the courtyard if you weren't sure of what happened."
"Shut up, Potter," Snape said, "It's all anyone was talking about in the common room. I overheard them."
"Thank you for being our liason back," Malfoy sneered, "Now go back up to your little Mudblood friends and leave us alone."
The two of them laughed as James turned his back and headed for the staircase. But at the last minute, he looked back. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling in his stomach like something wasn't right.
And his intuition wasn't wrong. There was Lucius, holding Snape's old wand. He handed it back to Snape, and Snape handed the wand he had shown Sinistra to Lucius.
"Felt sick, hey?" Malfoy said as they turned towards the door, "Better excuse than what I would have come up with."
"That old crackpot doesn't deserve to be Headmaster," Snape laughed, and then they said the password, and Hall's face appeared again.
James stared at them as they closed the door with a bang. He had no proof. Even if he did tell Dumbledore, there would be no evidence. Just his word against Snape's, and Snape had already proven his case innocent.
And if he did tell on him, what would he do? If he could make that Mark in the sky, and then get away with it, what else could he do? Was he already working for Voldemort? Was he already more powerful than him or Sirius or Remus?
James climbed the stairs. He decided to keep it to himself. What if the Death Eaters found out who had ratted on him? What if it hadn't been a prank? What if it was a real warning? What would happen to his family? What would happen to him?
All of a sudden he felt a disgust for himself. He never thought that he would be scared of Snivellus Snape.
It was on his way back to Gryffindor Tower that he spotted a large group of wizards and witches entering through the oak doors. Juniper was leading the lot of them up the marble staircase. The man from the funeral was ahead of the others, and behind a group of people he didn't know was a face from a Chocolate Frog card. Frank Longbottom. And his wife, Alice. Behind them came the four seventh years that had been called down to the office the year before. And bringing up the rear was Sturgis Podmore, and . . .
"Dad?" James choked as he saw the familiar face step onto the first stair.
Mr. Potter swiveled around, and then stared at James as if he hadn't ever seen him before, "James? What are you doing out here?"
"I knew it!" he shouted, and the mysterious man from the funeral turned around to face him. Mr. Potter sighed, and waved his hand at him.
"It's all right, Alastor," he said, "It's my son."
"You ARE one of them!" James cried. He had known it from the beginning. It had been obvious. But he had never had actual proof. No proof that he couldn't deny, anyway.
He had tried to deny it. Yes, he had been strong. Yes, Sirius and him had talked long into the night about Mr. Potter's escapades. Yes, he had heard Professor June and Dumbledore name his father years ago, he had heard June's groaning in their living room, he had heard his father speaking to that stranger, he had seen so many things. And it would have been stupid to try to deny it. But it had seemed like a dream. Seeing his father, mixed in with the doomed souls of the Order, had made it reality. He was going to die. They were all going to die.
All for his father's pride.
"James -"
"Why didn't you just tell me?" he said. Fear was welling up in his heart. Half of the members of Dumbledore's Order had been killed. Their families killed. Wendy was dead. And they truly were next.
His father had written their epitaphs and had dug their graves.
"James, we need to talk about this later," Mr. Potter said.
"I didn't want to believe it," he said, "But I knew. It wasn't them who killed Wendy. It was you. You killed her by fighting them! You provoked them! You knew that someone was going to get hurt! I heard you talking to Mum, and at the funeral!"
"James, please," Mr. Potter said, "I don't have time for this. Please, can we talk about this later?"
"I thought that you were there to protect us!" he cried, "But you sold us out! You . . . "
"James!" he shouted, and his voice echoed through the halls. His son stared at him, breathing heavily. All of his anger had come out with this sight. His father patrolling the world with people he had never known. And it would cost them their lives. He knew it would. He had known that he was part of the Order. They had all known. There was no more denying it. They would die.
"You're too young to understand," he said, exasperated, "There are things worth fighting for."
"I'm seventeen, Dad," James said, "When do I get old enough to understand?"
His father adjusted his glasses, and then said very sternly, "Not today, obviously."
"Whatever happened to our family?" he shouted.
But Mr. Potter didn't answer. He turned on his heels, and scaled the rest of the staircase, after Juniper and the rest of the Order.
James made an oath that day. Never would he put his family in danger. Everything that he had believed before . . . every heroic deed that had entered his mind . . . was erased in seconds. He would never make the mistake that his father had made. He would not let his daughter and son and wife die, just for a stupid moral. He would never put anyone else in danger for his own selfish beliefs.
As he walked back to the Tower, feeling very angry, hundreds of memories of him in his bed at night, swearing that he would do something to stop Voldemort. But Sirius had been right all along. There was nothing that he could do that wouldn't end up hurting the people he cared about. He had to protect what was left of the people he loved.
He entered the common room, and announced that no one had been found guilty yet. Professor McGonagall was trying to calm a group of first years, and the upperclassmen were helping her with the younger children. He felt hatred in his heart towards Snivellus. He wanted to tell someone. Anyone.
But he knew that he couldn't.
He never could.
The teachers arrived at the conclusion that it was a bad prank from a student that wanted to stir up trouble. The Order had checked the perimeters twice. Ministry of Magic officials had arrived later in the afternoon. No sign of any Death Eaters or illegal activity was found. And with every passing hour that the Gryffindors were locked in their tower, James's heart pounded faster. But he never said a word.