Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Hogwarts, or anything that has ever been mentioned in the Harry Potter books does not belong to me. I would like to own them, and make billions of dollars every year, but the only thing in this story that is mine is my plot, if you can call it one. I am simply one of those very sad people who obsess over something that isn't real. So please, don't sue me, all I have that is of any value is a cello and a computer. Thank you for your time.

Chapter Eight

James knew that there wasn't much that could be done, that there wasn't much hope anymore, but he couldn't give up, not like that. In his years as an auror, he had seen people, ordinary everyday people, who had been captured by Voldemort and come out with their throats slashed or something equally pleasant.

In fact, he had never heard of anyone coming out of an encounter with him without being tortured in some way. Even those without physical marks or scars on them looked as though they had been to hell and back, and never wanted to leave home again. But the worst part was their eyes, for in their eyes you could see the haunting, the horror, the pain and the terror. And he didn't want anything like that to happen to his Lily.

When he had read the letter, he had just had to leave the house, leave the world behind, and he had apparated so quickly that he now had no idea where he was. However, that strangely comforted him, since there was no one around who knew who he was, so he could try to sort out his feelings without being interrupted.

"Strange night for a pleasure walk isn't it?" a voice asked, startling James out of his thoughts. A young woman, who looked to be about his age, was leaning on a wall near him, staring at him. And yet, strangely, this stare didn't make him uncomfortable. Actually, unlikely as it may seem, it comforted it, made him think that everything would turn out to be okay.

He answered, "Well, strange times warrant strange tings, don't you think."

She laughed, a melodious sound that filled James's very bones. "Spoken like a true warrior, James Potter. But are you sure you know what you are fighting for?"

James stared at her, flabbergasted. "How do you know who I am?" He finally asked.

She laughed again, but not in a mocking manner. "I know much about you, and about everything. So, what are you going to do about the matter of Lily Evans?"

"I do not know. Many times I have been told that much depends on me, but I cannot just stay here and watch her suffer. I love her too much to do that. And yet, if all fails because I tried to rescue her, and Voldemort wins, then neither of us will forgive ourselves. I just don't know."

She looked at him like she was peering into his soul, and asked, "What does your heart tell you, could you live without her?"

He gulped, and said, "No, I don't think I could."

She laughed as though he had just passed an important test, and she was proud of him. "Then you have your answer. For things have happened that will change the fate of the world. This is the time at which the world rests on mortals shoulders, and there are thousands of paths which could be forged at your decision. But I must warn you, much stands between you. A jealous man has been promised her by the dark lord, and he will not give up easily. Good luck James Potter, and goodbye."

She laughed one last time, and disappeared. James stood staring at the spot where she had stood, then glanced to the sky. "You have finally gone to far, Tom Riddle. You can have power, you can have the world, but I swear on Godric Gryffindor's grave, you can't have Lily."

Lily awoke slowly, frowning slightly as she stretched, feeling something fastening her wrists together, something that felt an awful lot like chains. Suddenly, a door creaked open, and she started, reaching blindly for her wand.

When she couldn't feel it, she started panicking, and then suddenly remembered what happened. Actually, that set off her panic even worse. Slowly, she looked up, expecting the worst. And she found it.

David stood staring down at her, grinning like a predator would at the thought of its first meal in months. For minutes they stood there standing like that, David grinning down at Lily, who was recoiling in fear at the sight of him, determined not to show her terror.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" David said cockily, as thought Lily was some rare artifact that he had just uncovered. "It looks like the one person who I have been looking for since I was rejected, more than three years. So, how does it feel to be at the mercy of the dark lord?"

Lily looked up, and smirked, "Frankly, it doesn't feel any different from being at the mercy of a cruel older sister, so…" As she spoke, the death-eater's face grew hard, and he grabbed her wrists and held them high above her head.

"You will not speak ill of the Dark Lord. If you do, he will spare you no mercy."

Lily snapped back, "I don't want his mercy. I want nothing to do with him, besides anything that denies him of what he wants."

David's eyes grew lighter at that. "The time for what you want is over. You belong to the Dark Lord now, and as soon as he finishes with you, you are mine. Your wishes no longer mean anything to anyone.

"You see, the Dark Lord works in various ways to ensure that he is obeyed. And he always has something to reward those who are faithful. As an auror, you should have been killed immediately after capture, but you were promised to me, and that fact guarantees your safety, at least as long as you cooperate with the Dark Lord. Which I'm sure you will, if you do not wish to die."

Lily's eyes widened during David's speech, slowly realizing that this man had lost his sanity. "And what if I do wish to die rather than submit myself to the rule of a demon like your master?" she asked haughtily, with all the strength she could muster.

"Then perhaps we can arrange your wish," the same cold voice from the night before broke in from the doorway. Lord Voldemort stood there, with several death-eaters flanking him. He stepped over the chains that bound Lily to the wall, and stood close enough for her to smell his rank breath.

"Startled you, did I?" He asked with a cold laugh. "Well, any advantage that works I will undoubtedly try to use. To begin the questioning, where is James Potter?"

Lily felt her resolve start to weaken, but refused to let herself give in. "I don't know, and if I did, I wouldn't tell you."

The cold laughter sounded in the dungeons again. "Brave words from one so afraid."

"There is a difference between fear and cowardliness, Riddle. You might want to think of it before you mock others for the fear that you have within yourself."

Voldemort raised his wand, and pointed it at her. "Tell me what I wish to know, or I shall kill you." He said ominously.

Lily laughed scornfully. "If you were to kill me, what would be your bait to capture James Potter?"

It seemed that Voldemort could not take any more of this insolence, and raised his wand even higher, so it was even with her head. "Crucio," he cried out, and then the pain began.

It felt as though a thousand knives were cutting into her at once. It was like being frozen and burned to a crisp at the same time. It was hatred, pure and simple, unmasked, and Lily, strong as she was, could only stand it for a few minutes until she slipped into a web of unconsciousness.

James apparated resolutely to the Ministry, where he was met by Mad Eye Moody, the notorious head of the Aurors.

"Potter," Moody growled, "What are you doing here? If you're thinking about going after that Evans girl, forget about it. She's bait, and they would stoop to using her to kill you."

James stood his ground while Moody lectured him. "I can't just let her die out there, even if it costs me my life."

Moody laughed. "Don't be stupid, boy. We need you. Evans is talented as an auror, and is efficient and useful, but right now you are the only one who can stop Voldemort, as you very well know. Don't waste all our lives for one girl, no matter how important she is to you. If you go after her, I will have to suspend you, perhaps indefinitely. Don't waste your life on something that cannot be fixed."

Moody walked away, and James stared after him, stunned. He couldn't believe that anyone would threaten to suspend one of their best aurors for going after a partner.

"Well, we do know that that man doesn't know Prongs at all." A familiar voice cut in behind James. Sirius and Remus were standing there, wands at the ready, like troops preparing for battle.

James cocked an eyebrow, and asked, "So, has it come to this? Are my last lines of defense a healer and a beater? Good lord, this is terrible."

"Don't make jokes at a time like now," Sirius said seriously. "If you're going to rescue Lily-flower, then do it right, because I sure as hell ain't going to risk my life on a mission failed from the start."

James sighed. "First of all, we don't know where she is. Second, when we get there, if we ever do, there could be hundreds or thousands of death eaters waiting for us. Moody's right. We don't stand a chance."

Remus hit James over the head. "James, listen to me. I know that if you don't go, and Lily dies, you will regret it, and hate yourself for the rest of your life. You're my friend, and I don't want you condemned to that. You're going, no matter what arguments you might have about it.

"And by the way, they're keeping her at a warehouse somewhere in western Scotland. Someone brought in a death eater, and the guy, who was clearly insane, kept mumbling about a plan of ultimate destruction. So, James, are you coming with us willingly, or are we going to have to drag you in a sack."

James knew, at that moment, that despite whatever dumb stunts they might have pulled, he was truly blessed to have such friends, and that they would, no matter what happens, be able to save Lily.

"I'm in."

Now we shall have funness with a mad rescue campaign. Oh joy.

I feel even more evil, if that is possible. Maybe. I don't know. I think I'm at evilness to the third power platinum edition.

Now, go review. If you've gotten this far, you must have read all the other author's notes about reviewing, so I won't write them here. If you must refresh your memory, go right ahead. There are multiple chapters before this one.

Well, what did you think? I know it got a bit confusing at the beginning, but let's just say I've read Tamora Pierce's books to many times. If you've read either Lioness Rampant or Trickster's Choice, you'll find that the whole fate of the world thing is loosely related.

Now, to answer my reviewers,

le manchot du destin- Somebody liked my poem. I FEEL LOVED!

Prongsie-Jamesie- Shhh, it's only imaginary to the uneducated among us who don't know that this is all real. But we're suppose to keep that fact hush-hush, remember?

Stella Blu- She thinks its Remus, because who would suspect it of Cute, perfect, sensitive Remus?

EmeraldEyedEvans- When we graduate from our last school. GIGO!

LostConscience- He should.

SweetSouthernGal- Thank you.

someone-out-there-in-the-world- Because no one notices Peter. We all hate him. And yes, I enjoy being evil. Doesn't everybody?

PinkyTheSnowman- He's not dumb, he's just thick. It's not his fault.

This is my author's note with narration,

Sally