Chapter 12 A Promise for James and Harry
James was almost a rack of nerves by the time the four companions reached Dumbledore's office. Only Sirius' words of comfort kept James from rushing through the corridors calling for Lily. Harry, on the other hand, was extremely scared that his dream was real and that Lily was in the hands of Voldemort. He had a cold fear that it was the truth.
Ron was quiet. He knew what it was like to have someone you loved taken by an enemy. Ginny, his younger sister, had been possessed by the sixteen year old Tom Marvolo Riddle in her first year at Hogwarts. He could sympathise with James.
"What's the password?" Harry asked as he stopped in front of the statue that guarded the entrance to the headmasters office. He looked expectedly at James, but his father was preoccupied in muttering.
"Sweet-bottle," Sirius said casually.
The gargoyle began to move aside, revealing the winding stairs. Even before they had stopped moving Harry had bounded forward, launching himself up the stairs one by one. Reaching the door to the office, Harry knocked and then walked in.
Albus Dumbledore sat at his desk, arms folded, as if he expected them. His eyes were sad, but wisdom shone from him.
James ran forward. "Where's Lily?" he asked urgently.
Dumbledore bowed his head sadly. "She is gone."
"What?" James felt his heart rip in two.
"Voldemort's Death Eaters captured her earlier this evening. Professor Snape told me as he was the one who had to let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts. Voldemort bade him to and so I allowed him. I did not know that Lily was in the grounds, until he came to me telling me that they had caught her."
James banged his fist on the table and then sank to his knees. "No. I can't lose her. Not like this."
Harry stepped forward, his heart thumping. If his mother was killed then he'd cease to exist. "Professor, I had a dream..." he trailed off to sure whether to continue.
The headmaster urged him to continue. Harry revealed everything about the dream and how the burning agony had ripped through his body as he was ripped from time altogether. His words nearly faltered as he spoke of the dream.
Dumbledore looked Harry in the eye. "You must not go, Harry."
James looked up, his eyes tear-stained. "What? He can't go to help?"
"No, James, he cannot. If Harry goes to save her then Voldemort will kill her. He wants to see Harry die himself. As long as Harry doesn't go to confront Voldemort, Lily will not die."
"How can you be sure?" James asked.
"I know Tom Marvolo Riddle, James. I know what he is like. He will not kill Lily unless Harry is there," Dumbledore explained, "I want you, James, Harry, to promise me not to leave Hogwarts premises. Promise me that you'll remain here where it is safe."
Father and son exchanged glances. Both knew they could not refuse, but if they promised then it would mean they couldn't break it. Gryffindor's were brave. They were supposed to fight. But James also had a sense of loyalty to Dumbledore. He would keep the promise, for the sake of keeping Lily alive for a little while longer.
James nodded in agreement. "I promise I will remain here."
Harry did the same, earning both of them a respective nod from the headmaster.
"You may go now, back to your dormitories," Dumbledore said, "And James, Harry, the Order will do everything in their power to bring Lily back. I promise."
"Hey, can I speak to Ron for a quick moment?" Sirius asked as the four of them were about to split company.
Ron looked at Sirius, puzzled, but nodded. James headed on back towards the Room of Requirement and Harry to Gryffindor Tower. Both wanted to be alone. Once they were out of earshot Ron turned to Sirius and demanded, "What do you want?"
"We can go." The other replied.
The other looked taken back. "What do you mean 'we can go?'"
Sirius folded his arms in frustration. "We can go to rescue Lily. We were not obliged to a promise. Harry and Prongs were, we're not. We're free to do what we want."
"You're insane!" Ron muttered.
Sirius chose to ignore that comment. "Look, if we go we spend a good chance of getting her out. Voldemort won't expect us."
"He could use us to lure James and Harry!" Ron replied hotly.
"James isn't stupid to follow. He keeps promises."
Ron fell silent thinking. In the past Harry had rushed off to save people, it was the natural thing to do. However now he had promised to remain safe and Ron knew that Harry kept his promises. It was the moral thing to do. Biting his lip, Ron nodded slowly.
"All right, if you think we can do this, then I'll go with you."
"Excellent." He started to walk off in the other direction.
"Now?" Ron asked incredulously.
Sirius turned to him and said sarcastically, "Of course now, what better time when every one is asleep?"
Ron sighed. He was being manipulated and he didn't like it one bit. "Fine."
Quickly as possible the two companions rushed out of Hogwarts and into the grounds, heading towards the dark, dreary trees of the Forbidden Forest.
TBCNext chapter: Ron and Sirius search for Lily; James and Harry continue to get worried, and Fred and George get to meet Prongs!