Chapter 14: Escaping
Darkness shrouded her. Lily kept her eyes closed, determined to keep herself away from the memory of what she had been forced to witness. Seeing her death had frightened her, but even when she dwelled on it, she could not deny that she had sacrificed everything for Harry to live. It made her think that at least a part of her still lived in the world this day, even though she herself held no physical form. Tears fell from her eyes once again, splattering on the floor beside her. Lily felt nothing save for the pain of the memory that she had been forced to witness.
She let herself go, sobbing continuously.
Fred brushed the black hair out of his eyes and looked at Hermione. He found it odd to be looking like Harry, and having to act like him and respond to the name. Hermione was taking him to the Gryffindor Common Room, where Fred would settle down into the role of Harry.
"This hair is so annoying!" Fred exclaimed, brushing it out of his eyes for the third time that evening.
Hermione chuckled earning a dirty look from Fred. "Sorry," she mumbled, "It's just that Harry is used to it. It's always like that. Just act like Harry."
Fred growled. "It's impossible. I can't see with the hair in my face."
Faintly, Hermione giggled. "You'll get used to it."
"I'd better."
"You're really the Marauders?" George asked.
Remus traded glances with Peter. "Yes. I'm Moony and this is Wormtail. James is Prongs and Sirius is Padfoot."
George had couldn't believe that he was play-acting as 'Prongs'. Rather it was weird to be Harry's father even though he wasn't really. "So, shouldn't we be doing something fun?"
"No," Remus replied, "We can't. No one must know we are here. Harry only knows because it was his only chance to know his parents. It's special for him."
"Oh, I didn't know," George said, "What do I do?"
Peter grinned. "Well, James usually dreams about Lily, or he's coming up with some sort of prank that he can get Sirius to play."
George made a face. "I'm definitely not day-dreaming about Harry's mother!"
"Then you won't be the 'perfect' James." Accused Remus, teasingly.
"Uh, Sirius, where are we?" Ron asked, as he stopped running. There was no more sounds of pursuit behind them. "I think we've lost them."
Sirius scowled. "Don't be so sure. The Death-Eaters could be hiding anywhere." He raised his wand. Listening carefully.
In the distance, the sounds of voices could be heard.
"We can't keep running forever." Ron said, "How about climbing up a tree?"
Frowning Sirius looked around him. "All right. Go on, up that tree." He pointed ahead, and Ron shifted himself onto a low branch, pulling himself high into the tree until he was completely hidden by the leaves. Sirius followed, settling himself on the branch beside Ron.
Below them, five Death Eaters converged.
"Where did they go?" came the drawling voice of Lucius Malfoy. Lucius Malfoy had been in Azkaban but had escaped a few days before the Marauders had turned up in 1996.
"They're here somewhere," Crabbe replied.
"It's not Potter, we're chasing. Just their idiot friends."
That voice made Sirius' blood boil. It was Bellatrix's. He was tempted to challenge her to a dual, but Ron stopped him, hissing: "Don't be a fool!"
I'll get her another time, Sirius promised himself.
It seemed like an eternity before the Death Eaters left. Ron was about to go back to the ground when Sirius stopped him.
"They could be waiting for us to emerge. Let's wait for a while."
Ron shrugged. He had a good point.
The door to her cell creaked open. Lily raised her head and squinted into the darkness.
"Lumos!" a male voice whispered.
"Peter!" Lily gasped. She stared in amazement at the man that would betray her to her death. He was small, sort of skinny and fat, and a bald patch at the top of his head. A watery nose was the only thing she could truly identify him as Peter Pettigrew. He was so different from the seventeen-year old boy that she knew.
"I'm so sorry, Lily, for everything. I want to help you," he said, "I'm going to get you out of here."
She stared at Peter for a long time and then she nodded. If he wanted to help her, then she would accept him as her guide.
Nimbly she got to her feet, and Peter led her out of the dark cell and into the halls of Voldemort's fortress.
TBC
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Next Chapter: The twins cause trouble, Lily and Wormtail try to escape from Voldemort, Remus and Peter (the young one) make an appearance, James and Harry continue their journey, while Ron and Sirius deal with some Death Eaters.