(Note from the author: These are not my characters, my world, or my situations. They all belong to J. K. Rowling, and are protected by copyrights.)
(French Translations (Blooper alert): Because of my stupidity, I have not been translating "I Will Not Die" correctly. I apologize, and thank "Twilight's Dawn" for correcting me. It will be correct in upcoming chapters. Also, there was a typo while writing out Toujours Pur. And the poem, "Les Soldats Dormant," has been rechecked by my old French teacher, and it seems to be fine. Thanks, Twilight, for pointing out the translations to me. Much appreciated!)
(Note for readers under 13: This is definitely a rated PG-13 chappie. Do not continue if you don't like violence. Thank you.)
Lily gave out another scream, and James gripped his wand tighter.
"I saw you that Christmas night," Voldemort continued on, as if he could not hear Lily. His entire world was focused on this skinny boy in front of him, holding his wand out to him, "I saw how you turned and protected that boy. I saw your eyes. I read your mind. And that is why I spared you. That is why I let you live."
"You killed them," James spat, "You killed my family. You killed June. You killed . . ."
"I killed them all," Voldemort said, his lip curling into a smile. His pale skin was illuminated by the moonlight. He seemed to be proud of that fact, "But I didn't kill you."
James didn't answer.
"You've wondered why," Voldemort hissed, "You lay awake at night, trying to second guess me. Trying to find the one reason why I would spare you."
"Shut up," James snarled.
Lily had stopped shaking, and now she lay on the ground, panting and gasping for air. Voldemort raised his wand to Lily again, and the convulsions continued. She let out another howl, and James stepped closer to Voldemort.
"And you want to know why," the man continued on, "And I shall tell you."
"Let her go," James ordered, "She has nothing to do with this. Let her go."
"She is a recruit," Voldemort snarled, "And I shall kill her. And you will lose another person close to you."
Lily screamed.
"Unless," he continued, "You leave with me."
James narrowed his eyes. What was he talking about?
Voldemort gave out another cold laugh, and then flicked his wand at Lily almost effortlessly. She rose high in the air, struggling with her invisible binds, and was slammed against a tree. Her head ricocheted against the trunk, and she fell to the ground, motionless. James gave out a cry, and turned from Voldemort.
He ran to her side, but as soon as he had gotten to his knees, he felt an excruciating pain from his back explode and run through his veins. It made him stand again, and face the Dark Lord, who was sneering again.
"I will kill her," Voldemort said, "You love her. I know. I can read your mind like a book."
The seering pain came again, and James gave out a wail. He clawed at his head, as the memory of the Astronomy Tower came to him. He could see the fireflies dancing in front of their eyes.
"STOP!" he screamed, and Voldemort laughed.
The fireflies were then replaced by a door knob. One that had a carving above it. Blood traitor.
The Dark Mark . . .
The clouds . . .
"STOP IT!" James cried, "STOP IT! STOP IT!"
And then he saw the woods again. Voldemort stood over him now, pointing his wand down at him, smiling still. The treetops were above him, and the stars above.
Oh God, it was still so peaceful all the way up there. It was still a free world . . .
"Join me," he hissed, "Join me, devote your life to a truthful cause, and I will spare both her and Lupin. Otherwise, you shall suffer the consequences. And so will they."
Another searing pain ran through his head. An image that he had never seen before. An image that he never wanted to see . . .
Lily's pale, dead face . . . laying on the ground . . . her green eyes no longer sparkling . . . her mouth open in that vacant expression . . .
Remus, clawed to death . . . laying next to her . . .
"NO!" James screamed, and Voldemort let the spell subside.
"And you know that I am quite capable of it," he snarled, "Join me."
"NEVER!" he said, struggling to his feet.
"Do you defy me." Voldemort hissed. It was not a question. More of a threat. The pain in his back came again, and James fell to the ground in a heap. He was still, moaning feverishly.
"DO YOU DEFY ME!" he demanded.
A whirring sound came from behind them, and then the sky went alight with red. Voldemort looked over James's limp body, and narrowed his eyes.
Lily was standing now, her hair blowing in the wind, and her jaw set. Her eyes were flaming, and her hands were clenched. She was still shaking from the spells as she raised her wand, sending red sparks sky high.
"I do," she snarled, with a bravery that no one would have thought she was capable of.
"You little brat . . ." Voldemort said, but then stopped. He turned his head to look into the woods, and then growled, "They're coming."
And sure enough, out of the shadows of the trees came Frank Longbottom, his wand out and pointing in every direction. From their right, Moody and Sirius were sprinting through the brush towards them. And then, in front of them, came Marlene, Peter, and Remus.
They circled Lily and James, but it was too late. Voldemort had already vanished. Frank looked from Lily, who was still convulsing slightly, to the limp figure of James on the ground.
"My God," he said, and rushed over to him. He turned him over on his back, and hit his cheeck, "Come on, James. Wake up. Talk to us. What happened?"
"It was Voldemort," Lily said bravely, "He . . ."
"Voldemort?" Moody cut in, "Voldemort was here? But what was he doing killing off a few Muggles?"
"I don't know," Frank said, as James gave out a cough, and then blinked.
"Lily . . ." he cried deliriously, and Lily started to walk towards him, but Moody stopped her. He grabbed her arm, and she spun around to look at him.
"Tell us what happened, Miss Evans," he said.
Lily looked to him, her left eye twitching, "Let go of me."
Moody gave her a discerning look, but let his hand drop from her arm. She rushed forward, and collapsed next to Frank, taking James's hand in hers.
"Is he . . . is he gone?" he murmered.
"Yes," Lily answered, "Yes, he's gone."
It was only a few minutes later that the dark figures of seven Aurors emerged from the forest, all in a straight line, their faces very set. Crouch turned to look at them as they walked up the grass covered field, and back to the fence. The barn had burned down moments before, and now officials were racing to the rubble to try to find the screaming voice that had been in the higher loft.
James was supported between Sirius and Lily, and he stumbled along with the rest of the recruits. His head still ached with pain, and the images of Lily and Remus laying there . . . dead . . . still was playing over and over again in his mind.
He could hardly see the officials rushing to him to help him over the fence, and into a Ministry car. Moody and the five recruits stalked after him, but Crouch barred him from entering the car.
"He is going to St. Mungo's tonight," Crouch said, "Unless you are family, you will not be aloud to enter."
"We're his family," Sirius said, stepping forward, "Now let us in with him."
Crouch sneered at Sirius, and then in a wry tone, said as he slammed the door to the car, "Not today, Mr. Black."
Lily watched as James was wrapped in a blanket inside the car, and another official climbed inside next to him in the back seat. He was handed a cup of something to drink, but he didn't look like he could hold the steaming hot liquid by himself. His aid helped him take a drink, and then the cup vanished.
James leaned his head on the official's shoulder, and his eyes squinted with pain. Lily felt herself running forward, and coming face to face with Crouch.
"I'm his fiance," Lily spoke up.
Sirius blinked from behind her, and Moody gave her a look.
Crouch snorted, "A little young, don't you think? Nice try. Get back."
"It's true," Sirius said, his eyes glancing back to Lily, and then to James in the car, "She is his fiance."
Crouch looked at him, and then back to Moody. Moody shrugged. Sighing, he stepped out of the way, and wagged a finger at the rest of them.
"No one else, though," he said, "Only family."
Lily opened the door to the black Ministry car, and took her place in the front seat. She turned to the back seat, and took James's hand.
"I'm here," she said, "Don't worry. I'm here."
James nodded, between painful attacks, and then squeezed her hand.
"You're alive," he whispered.
"We're all alive," she said, "That's what matters. Now stay with me. All right? They're taking us to St. Mungo's."
James nodded again, and then gave a wince and a small cry. Another official then climbed into the driver's seat, and turned the keys.
Sirius watched them as they sped away. He was in a state of shock. They weren't going to get married . . . They . . . James would have told him, wouldn't he?
It must have just been a bluff. James wouldn't get married to Lily. He . . .
"Don't worry," Remus said, coming up from behind him as the group turned around to return to the abandoned chalkboard in the field, "I know Lily. She was probably just trying to get past that Crouch character."
"Yeah," Sirius said, watching the car turn a corner into the village a few miles away, "Yeah, of course. I'm not worried."
"Grab a hold of the chalkboard," Moody said, as the five recruits circled around the fallen Portkey. Frank had gone to talking to Marlene and another official by the fence, "We're returning home."
It was odd to call Moody's house home. Sirius wasn't very amused by the thought. Since he related the word "Moody's house" with "torture cell," he would have rather gone with James. But it wasn't too easy for him to say that he related to the Potters. Of course, he was the evil Black spawn that would be the end of all before him.
That made him laugh out loud, and Remus looked at him.
"What?" he asked.
"Nothing," Sirius said.
"Mr. Black likes to laugh at the least humorous times," Moody explained to Remus, as if Remus had never met Sirius, and then tapped the chalkboard, "Hold on."
(French Translations (Blooper alert): Because of my stupidity, I have not been translating "I Will Not Die" correctly. I apologize, and thank "Twilight's Dawn" for correcting me. It will be correct in upcoming chapters. Also, there was a typo while writing out Toujours Pur. And the poem, "Les Soldats Dormant," has been rechecked by my old French teacher, and it seems to be fine. Thanks, Twilight, for pointing out the translations to me. Much appreciated!)
(Note for readers under 13: This is definitely a rated PG-13 chappie. Do not continue if you don't like violence. Thank you.)
Lily gave out another scream, and James gripped his wand tighter.
"I saw you that Christmas night," Voldemort continued on, as if he could not hear Lily. His entire world was focused on this skinny boy in front of him, holding his wand out to him, "I saw how you turned and protected that boy. I saw your eyes. I read your mind. And that is why I spared you. That is why I let you live."
"You killed them," James spat, "You killed my family. You killed June. You killed . . ."
"I killed them all," Voldemort said, his lip curling into a smile. His pale skin was illuminated by the moonlight. He seemed to be proud of that fact, "But I didn't kill you."
James didn't answer.
"You've wondered why," Voldemort hissed, "You lay awake at night, trying to second guess me. Trying to find the one reason why I would spare you."
"Shut up," James snarled.
Lily had stopped shaking, and now she lay on the ground, panting and gasping for air. Voldemort raised his wand to Lily again, and the convulsions continued. She let out another howl, and James stepped closer to Voldemort.
"And you want to know why," the man continued on, "And I shall tell you."
"Let her go," James ordered, "She has nothing to do with this. Let her go."
"She is a recruit," Voldemort snarled, "And I shall kill her. And you will lose another person close to you."
Lily screamed.
"Unless," he continued, "You leave with me."
James narrowed his eyes. What was he talking about?
Voldemort gave out another cold laugh, and then flicked his wand at Lily almost effortlessly. She rose high in the air, struggling with her invisible binds, and was slammed against a tree. Her head ricocheted against the trunk, and she fell to the ground, motionless. James gave out a cry, and turned from Voldemort.
He ran to her side, but as soon as he had gotten to his knees, he felt an excruciating pain from his back explode and run through his veins. It made him stand again, and face the Dark Lord, who was sneering again.
"I will kill her," Voldemort said, "You love her. I know. I can read your mind like a book."
The seering pain came again, and James gave out a wail. He clawed at his head, as the memory of the Astronomy Tower came to him. He could see the fireflies dancing in front of their eyes.
"STOP!" he screamed, and Voldemort laughed.
The fireflies were then replaced by a door knob. One that had a carving above it. Blood traitor.
The Dark Mark . . .
The clouds . . .
"STOP IT!" James cried, "STOP IT! STOP IT!"
And then he saw the woods again. Voldemort stood over him now, pointing his wand down at him, smiling still. The treetops were above him, and the stars above.
Oh God, it was still so peaceful all the way up there. It was still a free world . . .
"Join me," he hissed, "Join me, devote your life to a truthful cause, and I will spare both her and Lupin. Otherwise, you shall suffer the consequences. And so will they."
Another searing pain ran through his head. An image that he had never seen before. An image that he never wanted to see . . .
Lily's pale, dead face . . . laying on the ground . . . her green eyes no longer sparkling . . . her mouth open in that vacant expression . . .
Remus, clawed to death . . . laying next to her . . .
"NO!" James screamed, and Voldemort let the spell subside.
"And you know that I am quite capable of it," he snarled, "Join me."
"NEVER!" he said, struggling to his feet.
"Do you defy me." Voldemort hissed. It was not a question. More of a threat. The pain in his back came again, and James fell to the ground in a heap. He was still, moaning feverishly.
"DO YOU DEFY ME!" he demanded.
A whirring sound came from behind them, and then the sky went alight with red. Voldemort looked over James's limp body, and narrowed his eyes.
Lily was standing now, her hair blowing in the wind, and her jaw set. Her eyes were flaming, and her hands were clenched. She was still shaking from the spells as she raised her wand, sending red sparks sky high.
"I do," she snarled, with a bravery that no one would have thought she was capable of.
"You little brat . . ." Voldemort said, but then stopped. He turned his head to look into the woods, and then growled, "They're coming."
And sure enough, out of the shadows of the trees came Frank Longbottom, his wand out and pointing in every direction. From their right, Moody and Sirius were sprinting through the brush towards them. And then, in front of them, came Marlene, Peter, and Remus.
They circled Lily and James, but it was too late. Voldemort had already vanished. Frank looked from Lily, who was still convulsing slightly, to the limp figure of James on the ground.
"My God," he said, and rushed over to him. He turned him over on his back, and hit his cheeck, "Come on, James. Wake up. Talk to us. What happened?"
"It was Voldemort," Lily said bravely, "He . . ."
"Voldemort?" Moody cut in, "Voldemort was here? But what was he doing killing off a few Muggles?"
"I don't know," Frank said, as James gave out a cough, and then blinked.
"Lily . . ." he cried deliriously, and Lily started to walk towards him, but Moody stopped her. He grabbed her arm, and she spun around to look at him.
"Tell us what happened, Miss Evans," he said.
Lily looked to him, her left eye twitching, "Let go of me."
Moody gave her a discerning look, but let his hand drop from her arm. She rushed forward, and collapsed next to Frank, taking James's hand in hers.
"Is he . . . is he gone?" he murmered.
"Yes," Lily answered, "Yes, he's gone."
It was only a few minutes later that the dark figures of seven Aurors emerged from the forest, all in a straight line, their faces very set. Crouch turned to look at them as they walked up the grass covered field, and back to the fence. The barn had burned down moments before, and now officials were racing to the rubble to try to find the screaming voice that had been in the higher loft.
James was supported between Sirius and Lily, and he stumbled along with the rest of the recruits. His head still ached with pain, and the images of Lily and Remus laying there . . . dead . . . still was playing over and over again in his mind.
He could hardly see the officials rushing to him to help him over the fence, and into a Ministry car. Moody and the five recruits stalked after him, but Crouch barred him from entering the car.
"He is going to St. Mungo's tonight," Crouch said, "Unless you are family, you will not be aloud to enter."
"We're his family," Sirius said, stepping forward, "Now let us in with him."
Crouch sneered at Sirius, and then in a wry tone, said as he slammed the door to the car, "Not today, Mr. Black."
Lily watched as James was wrapped in a blanket inside the car, and another official climbed inside next to him in the back seat. He was handed a cup of something to drink, but he didn't look like he could hold the steaming hot liquid by himself. His aid helped him take a drink, and then the cup vanished.
James leaned his head on the official's shoulder, and his eyes squinted with pain. Lily felt herself running forward, and coming face to face with Crouch.
"I'm his fiance," Lily spoke up.
Sirius blinked from behind her, and Moody gave her a look.
Crouch snorted, "A little young, don't you think? Nice try. Get back."
"It's true," Sirius said, his eyes glancing back to Lily, and then to James in the car, "She is his fiance."
Crouch looked at him, and then back to Moody. Moody shrugged. Sighing, he stepped out of the way, and wagged a finger at the rest of them.
"No one else, though," he said, "Only family."
Lily opened the door to the black Ministry car, and took her place in the front seat. She turned to the back seat, and took James's hand.
"I'm here," she said, "Don't worry. I'm here."
James nodded, between painful attacks, and then squeezed her hand.
"You're alive," he whispered.
"We're all alive," she said, "That's what matters. Now stay with me. All right? They're taking us to St. Mungo's."
James nodded again, and then gave a wince and a small cry. Another official then climbed into the driver's seat, and turned the keys.
Sirius watched them as they sped away. He was in a state of shock. They weren't going to get married . . . They . . . James would have told him, wouldn't he?
It must have just been a bluff. James wouldn't get married to Lily. He . . .
"Don't worry," Remus said, coming up from behind him as the group turned around to return to the abandoned chalkboard in the field, "I know Lily. She was probably just trying to get past that Crouch character."
"Yeah," Sirius said, watching the car turn a corner into the village a few miles away, "Yeah, of course. I'm not worried."
"Grab a hold of the chalkboard," Moody said, as the five recruits circled around the fallen Portkey. Frank had gone to talking to Marlene and another official by the fence, "We're returning home."
It was odd to call Moody's house home. Sirius wasn't very amused by the thought. Since he related the word "Moody's house" with "torture cell," he would have rather gone with James. But it wasn't too easy for him to say that he related to the Potters. Of course, he was the evil Black spawn that would be the end of all before him.
That made him laugh out loud, and Remus looked at him.
"What?" he asked.
"Nothing," Sirius said.
"Mr. Black likes to laugh at the least humorous times," Moody explained to Remus, as if Remus had never met Sirius, and then tapped the chalkboard, "Hold on."