Retrieval Failure

Chapter 2: Staircase

Summary:

James Potter and Lily Evans are young, in love and soon to be married. Life is, for want of a better word, peachy. But the profession of Aurors is a dangerous treacherous business as James finds out to his disadvantage when he witnesses a Dark Matter he really shouldn't have. Instead of killing him, Voldemort deals his enemy an even crueller blow … by erasing his memory. James has no recollection of his life long friends, his beautiful fiancé or, most importantly, what it was he witnessed. It really is a complete retrieval failure …

A/N: Hello faithful reviewers and other readers who are too lazy to review. I'm sorry there has been a slight delay in the updates but that is mainly because I've been on holiday in the States for 3 weeks! But now I'm back in shitty rainy England so here is another update. Please read and review because I have just failed my driving test and I need cheering up. L

Thanks, Rosie.

James stared up at the ceiling on the flat of his back in bed. Lily lay beside him, sleeping soundlessly, her red hair fluttering above her nose as she breathed. James was too exited to sleep; he was getting married! There was so much to think about; when they should have it, as soon as possible he would have thought, and who to invite; Sirius would be the best man obviously, where to have it and what food to order … James' head grew fuzzy as the enormity of the event built up in his mind. It was all worth it though, he decided. He loved her, and that was that. Simple.

Just as James' eyes began to close, he heard a small popping noise from downstairs. Instantly he sat up, alarmed, but then relaxed as his brain worked through what it was; clearly someone's head Apparating in the fireplace in the living room. James swung his legs out of bed, the colder air making him shiver slightly. Lily rolled over.

"Wassamatta?" she said groggily.

"Nothing, just a message," James replied.

"Good." Her voice became fainter as she drifted back to sleep and, obviously back to a previous dream, as James distinctively heard her mutter, "I have tadpoles to catch."

Downstairs was dark and lit only by the dying embers of the fire, which were just beginning to disappear. A red glow lingered for only a few seconds more as James crossed to the second fireplace under the windowsill, where he saw the last face he had wanted to see sitting in the hearth. Snape.

"Oh, bloody hell. What do you want?" James yawned.

"I don't want to be here, Potter, I did not beg for this errand," Snape spat icily. "I'm on a night shift which requires the employee to actually be awake," he added scathingly as James yawned again.

"What do you want?" James repeated folding his arms and staring at Snape with a mixture of dislike and mistrust.

"Dumbledore has asked me to deliver an urgent message."

James paused, waiting. When Snape didn't answer, he huffed, "Well go on then," his tone one of boredom. "Unless you want to continue staring around my living room."

Snape scowled. "Tempting, but still. You are to go to the East Ridge immediately. It seems that He Who Must Not Be Named and a few gatherers are discussing their next moves upon the ridge and there have been instances of disappearances. You are to leave at once and gather the appropriate information. You must not be seen."

"Wonderful. All I wanted was a glass of milk."

"I did appeal to Dumbledore not to send you, and then suggested you were accompanied by a more senior Auror, as you are fairly junior, aren't you?"

James didn't answer. Although he was a junior Auror, Dumbledore seemed to think that he could cope with fairly large things otherwise he wouldn't have called for him. Snape seemed to realise this as James spoke finally.

"So why are you here delivering me the message? Why is Dumbledore not sending you, eh, Snivelus?"

"Dumbledore needs me elsewhere!" said Snape, his voice raising. James smirked, happy that he was able to aggravate his old enemy so easily.

"I'm sure he does. Now sod off while I get dressed." James turned around and went into the kitchen, but was just able to hear Snape's last word.

"I needn't tell you, Potter, if you mess this up, you'll probably be demoted to a caretaker in the Headquarters." And with a nasty smirk, there was a faint pop, and Snape was gone. James grumbled and grabbed his trousers.

"What do you mean, you have to go now?" said Lily, now fully awake with the light on. "Why can't they send someone on a night shift? You haven't passed your Stealth Plus Training Programme yet!"

"I've done the basic training! I can handle it." James pulled on a grey t-shirt and scrambled across the floor, looking for his robes under the bed.

"James, I'm really not okay with this. Why would Dumbledore get Snape up, of all people, to come and send you somewhere like this in the middle of the night? It doesn't make sense!"

"Maybe they're really busy at the moment or something. I am qualified to go on these missions, you know. Did it cross your mind that maybe I'm being sent because I'm a good Auror?"

"Of course it did, and of course you are," she said, taking his hands and forcing him to sit down. "But there just seems something odd about all this. It could be dangerous."

James leaned over quickly and kissed his fiancé. "That's the job. I've got to go. Go back and catch your tadpoles. I'll be back before sunrise."

Lily glared at his retreating back, and shouted out as he went down the stairs, "You'd better be, Potter, else there'll be trouble!"

James felt a sharp pain in his chest as he inhaled the fresh morning air, cold against his lungs. Dawn was just beginning to break, and James began to jog as, to play safe, he had Apparated a mile from the East Ridge. A pinkish glow in the sky told James that the sun would be coming up just as he reached his destination. He quickened his pace as the thought that he might be too late to hear anything useful crossed his mind and his grip on his wand tightened in his pocket.

The ridge came into view sooner than James had expected. A ruin of an old house stood precariously balanced on the edge of the ridge; ironically, the West Ridge which was a good few miles away from Godric's Hollow was full of large and well furnished houses. The other side had apparently been forgotten. Previous Aurors had caught many a meeting here for Voldemort and the Death Eaters; common knowledge would be that had they once been discovered, it would not be used again. But Dumbledore knew the arrogance of the Dark Side and was obviously forewarned of a meeting.

The ruin drew nearer and as he could see no signs of life outside, James deduced that the enemy must, once again, be inside. He edged forwards, keeping low and near the wall which ran as a perimeter of the ridge, wand now out. He reached the wooden door off its hinges within seconds. James edged carefully around it so as not to make it creak. He soon found himself in a dark and dreary hallway where large chunks of broken glass littered the floor. The walls were burnt, possibly at least fifty years ago, and the place smelt damp, smoky and old.

James edged forwards and found a staircase past one of the stone walls. The steps looked precarious; wooden and blackened, they were bound to give way at any moment. However there were footsteps made quite recently on the wood, indicating someone was up there. No sooner had he thought this, James heard voices. Instinctively, he shrank back to the shadow of the wall. The voice soon identified itself as that of Rookwood; one of Voldemort's prime Death Eaters. James gripped his wand even tighter, the thought that he was not there to fight, only to listen pounding in his head. He must not be seen.

" … good idea, Rookwood," came a high cold voice, one James recognised with a jolt of sickness. Voldemort was here. It was unusual indeed, for him to attend these secret meetings; James must have hit gold.

"Thank you, my Lord," came the scathing reply.

The next part of the conversation was badly muffled, as there was the sound of moving chairs. James only caught the end of it. " … Albus Dumbledore out of the way. The old fool must not intercept this knowledge. Is that clear?"

"Yes, my Lord."

James strained his ears. He dared not move any closer; his foot was already on the first step in anticipation.

"Once the Longbottoms are out of the way, our path will be clear to the rest of the Order."

James swallowed hard. He took out his wand and muttered a Remembrance Spell. His wand flared blue and would now take in all the information heard.

Much more was lost due to various other sounds, but James caught the main bulk of the topic. "The school will have to be stormed before long. We cannot waste time skirting Dumbledore. Once the path to him is clear, we shall be at the height of our takeover."

"Are we decided on who the main problem is, my Lord?" came the voice of Malfoy.

"Besides Dumbledore, you mean? Oh, undoubtedly. The Potter boy and his girlfriend must go."

James couldn't help what happen next. At the mention of danger to Lily, he stepped on the next stair. The second it happened, he knew it was a terrible mistake. Wood splintered and a horrible creaking snap rent the whole building. The entire staircase collapsed, and James with it.

A/N: Oh look at that. Another cliffhanger. I love them. Please read and review!!!