Chapter 40 – The Invasion
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James was let out of the hospital wing the next day during classes. He wandered back up to Gryffindor Tower to wait for lunch to begin. Besides, he was sure his friends would stop back to the common room first.
He had barely sat down before the portrait hole flew open again and Maria burst in. "Jamie," she breathed.
He stood up. "Maria. I knew you'd come and find me."
She glared at him. "Why didn't you tell them yesterday, Jamie? Are you trying to get us all killed?"
James flinched. "Maria…"
"Did you at least tell Lily?"
"Yeah…"
"And what did she say?"
James closed his eyes….
-Flashback-
"James…you…you must have hit your head on the way down." Lily whispered. "You…that can't be."
James nodded earnestly. "It is, Lily. He's after us. The time is drawing near!" James knew he sounded hysterical, but he had to make his point. "Lily, we are the Wizarding World's last hope. I…"
Lily shook her head. "Are you sure? Maybe…" she trailed off.
"No, I'm sure. Lils, it all makes sense. The pendants. Our connections. Dumbledore told you guys the prophecy, didn't he? All we have to do is wait."
"James…this isn't fair."
"Life's not fair, Lily."
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Maria stared at him. "Well?"
"She…was scared."
"Well, of course. Hell, I'm scared. James…" she trailed off. "I'm really scared. How will we know when he's coming? Are we just going to be waiting in fear forever?"
"Now…Mia…we don't even know if he's really coming…"
Maria whirled on James furiously. "Come off it! You've seen the Daily Prophet! All the Death Eaters killing people! You know as well as I do that the time is close."
"…then all we can do is – " he cut himself off.
Maria stiffened. "…you…"
"…something…is going to happen…"
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"Remus," Sirius whispered. They were sitting in Charms, and Sirius was bored…as usual. He poked Remus again. "Hey…where'd Maria go?"
Remus sighed. "You know that she went to talk to James."
Sirius pouted. "Remus…"
"What, Sirius?"
"Are you scared?"
Remus looked taken aback. Sirius as staring at him expectantly. "…yeah. Yeah, I'm scared. You feel it too, right? Something's going to happen."
Sirius nodded and sat back.
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"Headmaster!" Minerva McGonagall ran into Dumbledore's office. "Headmaster…!"
Dumbledore turned around. "I know, Minerva." He closed the curtains on the window. "Send the children back to their common rooms. Round up the professors and the ghosts." He seemed unfinished.
"…Headmaster?"
"Bring me James Potter, Sirius Black, and Maria Ravenwood."
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"Death Eaters approaching! Death Eaters approaching! No man, woman, or ghost is safe!!"
"Shut up, Peeves!" the Head Boy, a seventh-year Ravenclaw named Evan Butler, yelled. "Prefects, take your students back to your common rooms and quickly! Hurry, now! We haven't any time to waste!"
"James! Maria!" Lily yelled.
"Mr. Potter, Miss Ravenwood! Where is Mr. Black!?" Professor McGonagall reached them first. James pointed wordlessly to where Remus, Lily, and Noel were running up, Sirius following close behind. "You three must come with me. The Headmaster wishes to see you. Lily, Remus, Noel, go with the rest of your House."
James gripped Lily's hand briefly. His eyes met Remus's. "Take care of them for me," they said before McGonagall swept him, Maria, and Sirius away.
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"Remus, where are they going!?" Noel shouted over the confusion as she spotted Lily and grabbed her hand.
"Headmaster!" Remus yelled back. "Go to the common room, I'll meet you there!"
Noel nodded, pulling Lily up the stairs with her.
The Grand Staircase was a massive pile up of students going to their separate common rooms. Lily and Noel fought their way to follow their prefect, Arthur Weasley, looking back every now and then for Remus, but he seemed to have disappeared in the mess.
"Don't worry!" Lily shouted. "We'll find him again!"
None of the students were quite sure what was going on. One second, they were sitting in class; the next, they were being herded back up to their common rooms. They gathered from what Peeves was shouting that there was a mass of Death Eaters on the way, trying to force entry into the castle. No one could figure out why exactly they wanted to get into Hogwarts, but then again, Voldemort never needed a reason to do anything.
Lily tripped on the stairs; Noel pulled her back up and they kept running.
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Remus never made it to the common room. There was a blockade of students and staff on the staircase, so he decided to wait. Then, when he heard banging on the doors to the grounds, he decided it wasn't safe anymore, and he ran to hide in one of the secret passages. The crowd had thinned out by then, and he made it to the third floor by the time the door flew open.
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Dumbledore faced Maria, James, and Sirius gravely.
"Sir, is this it?" James asked.
"It would seem so, Mr. Potter. But you three are so young…" he sighed.
"Sir, we're ready to fight!" Sirius insisted.
Dumbledore shook his head. "I cannot ask you three to do this. You are sixteen-years-old. You do not have to do this."
Sirius and James looked at Maria. This was her decision; she was the girl. They were there not only to vanquish the Dark Lord, but to protect her.
"Sir," Maria said quietly, "there comes a time when you have to choose between what is easy and what is right. I think we know what we're getting into."
Dumbledore nodded. "I'm glad to know you three have turned into such fine young adults. Very well, here is what we shall do…"
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a/n: OOOOH THE END IS NEAR. lol. Sorry. Just out of curiosity, how would you guys feel of someone died? I'm not saying I am or am not going to kill someone (obviously people have to die), but I'm just curious. Thank you for reviewing!