Okay, here's the chapter.
Message 1: I'm abandoning the only post on Fridays thing, but I'll try and keep posting regularly.
Message 2: Fans of 'Curses' will be happy to know I have finally found some inspiration and I should be posting that up soon.
Message 3: Sorry it hasn't been posted up 'til today. 13 was an unlucky chapter!
Message 4: Anyone had a flame from Borg? The slimy git flamed me, my sister and SarahtheBardess. Anyone know who he is? Borg, if you're listening – get a life!
Message 5: Be glad I'm posting up now, I want to watch Children in Need! (That's tonight – 19th November!)
Message 6: Winter has come. It snowed yesterday. After sleeting when I walked home. After my umbrella packed in. Then it froze. This morning was treacherous. Someone tell the weather it's only November!
Anyway, there you go, and I hope you enjoy the chapter! Please review!
Chapter 13: Captives
Bright green eyes snapped open as Lily Evans awoke from a violence-induced stupor. Pain shot through her body, and her hands were bound tightly above her head. She moved from her limp position to stand properly, pain shooting through her feet.
She looked down at her outfit. She thought she'd just worn tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt. Why then, did she look like she was a warrior princess? Leather trousers covered her lower half, flared for heeled boots underneath. A white blouse in some light fabric, cotton probably, was on her top, under a leather top covering her torso and over her shoulders, a slit tied over her stomach by laces. More laces tied the blouse. Her hair was still loose. A belt at her waist revealed an empty dagger sheath – since when had she had a dagger? A matching wand holster was also empty.
She looked up, surveying the room to find James.
She saw him. He was wearing what his costume had changed into in the midst of battle. Something told her it was no normal costume. The sheaths on his belt were empty, his wand had disappeared with hers. His hair had shortened to its original length. She realised that without the mask, he wasn't wearing glasses either. How could they escape with him half-blind without them?
She held back a gasp as his head suddenly whipped up and he surveyed the room, taking his incarceration in his stride. His eyes were remarkably focused without the glasses...
He saw her. "Lily? Portkey, wasn't it?"
She nodded. "Why?"
"He's discovered the family secret. I don't know why he chose you. Presumably he saw you as a threat?"
She remembered Voldemort trying to get into her mind and pushing him away. "I thrust him from my mind. I'm a natural Occlumens. The professor's been teaching me to utilise it effectively."
James' eyes widened as he realised he was not the only one having lessons with Professor Potter. Then he noticed her clothes. "Where did you get that?"
"I don't know. I just shoved on a pair of tracksuit trousers and a shirt. Somehow... they became this. What happened to your tunic?"
"Magical properties. I'll have to ask Dad about it when we get out here."
"If. Don't you mean if we get out of here?"
"Don't be defeatist, Lils. Ol' Voldemort will come, threaten to kill us, probably chuck a few Cruciatuses around, get pissed off when we don't tell him anything and leave us without food or drink until tomorrow when he repeats the process. He'll also probably display the fact that he has our wands and weapons to take the piss. Nice chap, he is." James told her cheerfully.
Lily stared at him. "How do you know that?"
"It's what all Dark Lords do. Besides, I got caught last year in Diagon Alley. And Professor Potter had a few stories too. Voldemort loves to goad the fact that he has more power than you. However, he's not always right."
That phrase sounded odd. What did James mean? He had more power than Voldemort? Surely not!
James grinned at her puzzled expression. "Family secret, but we Potters always reach magical maturity strongly. Add to that that I 'matured' maybe a few hours ago and I've always had power surges on Hallowe'en... At least I hope its still Hallowe'en. We should be able to use tonight's magic to help. If it's turned midnight..."
"Doesn't Hallowe'en last until dawn? Magical Hallowe'en, I mean." Lily wondered.
James' eyes widened. Yes, that was probably true... His expression changed and he grinned.
"What?" She asked.
"You, my lady, are a genius as well as a goddess." He informed her, not quite meaning to say that. "I guess I'm going to get some more practise for being an Auror. You put any spells on your wand?"
"Linked to my blood. I discovered it in a book I got from Ollivander when I first got my wand. No one else can use it." She replied.
"Great. We need our wands and weapons. And getting out of here would be a good idea too. Why couldn't they use ropes?"
"Because we can escape from them more easily?"
"Probably. Now, Death Eaters, it stands to reason, will only guard against magical lock-picking, right?"
"Probably. They probably don't know there is a Muggle way to pick locks." Lily replied, suddenly seeing where he was going.
"So if we can get something the right shape into our hands..."
"We can pick the lock and escape!"
"Now all we need is –"
The door to the cell slammed open and a rush of icy air struck the teens cruelly. Three men entered, black robes forbidding, expressions gleeful and dark.
James felt sick as he saw what they held. A magical device, known as a Memorlive. It caused a person to relive their worst memories. Completely. Every hex thrown, every curse cast, every wound received, all would reappear. And if they used it on him... His last imprisonment had not been pleasant, no matter what he had told Lily.
"Hello, Potter. Becoming quite a regular visitor, aren't you?" A voice sneered.
James looked into the face of Rodolphus Lestrange. He felt some glee as he replied. "I guess, accommodations aren't good. Tell me, do you enjoy sharing your wife with your master? I heard that she actually finds him better in bed. But then, of course, Voldemort is a snake, and a snake would probably be preferable to a worm, huh, Rodolphus?"
Lily watched in horror as Lestrange stepped forwards and dealt James a harsh blow across the face. A cut appeared from his ring.
James gave a bitter laugh. "Best you can do, Lestrange? No wonder Bella's getting it from someone else."
SLAM! A punch into his stomach left James choking without breath.
"Need a bit more power? Guess Bella does that. Runs for the Blacks, y'know. Sirius, though, and Andy? The 'blood traitors'? Most powerful of all of them."
Lestrange caught him around the neck and snarled.
"Keep your smart comments to yourself, Potter. Maybe I'll send Bella in later. You can have a nice chat about her traitorous sister and cousin."
"Do that." James choked. "I'll ask her about what positions Voldemort uses."
Lestrange roared. A volley of punches, kicks and blows attacked the seventeen-year-old.
Lily screamed. "No!"
It was then they turned their attention to her.
"Don't want your boyfriend getting hurt, Mudblood?" A familiar voice sneered.
Her blood chilled. Lucius Malfoy. The one who tried to... She forced the memory away. If he brought that back, if he put that Memorlive upon her head...
He drew closer to her, a sickening smirk on his face.
"I would have had satisfaction a long time ago if it hadn't been for that filth." He spat in James' direction.
The teen was weak, bleeding and bruised, but he still showed defiance.
Lucius dragged an icy finger up the girl's cheek. Lily spat in his face.
A slap rang out across the room. Lily's head was turned, but she turned back slowly, emerald eyes burning in fury.
Lestrange recoiled as he saw James' head snap up, his eyes burning in fury.
"You have sunk to a new low in striking a lady, Lord Malfoy." James snarled.
"You have caused thy destruction. For one day you will harm a lady too many and she shall have her revenge on you." Lily promised.
Before he could respond, the manacles dissolved and the captives were thrust into a cage in the centre of a room.
Voldemort stood in front of a throne, sneering at them.
"It seems that our guests have a few lessons to learn. Potter, I'm disappointed. I would have thought you'd remember how to respect your host."
"Respect is earned, not given." James snarled, standing. His clothes were in perfect shape, yet blood stained his face.
Lily joined him, bruise forming. "I don't respect anyone unless they respect me. And I doubt your followers respect anyone. They just obey you from fear. Or they hope to take your place."
"Nice sentiments, Miss Evans, but wrong. They follow me because we have a purpose! To rid the world of Mudbloods like you!"
"How about you start with yourself then?" James asked. "Instead of waiting until last, you pathetic half-blood."
Voldemort looked at him, hard, and then began laughing. "A half-blood? I, in whose veins run the noble blood of Salazar Slytherin?"
"You're related to that old loony?" James looked at him surprised. "I guess that explains it. Inbreeding. Too much pure blood."
A hiss escaped Voldemort's lips. The cage suddenly filled with lightning. James launched himself at Lily, covering her with his body. She felt his body convulse as lightning struck him. The electric bolts stopped as suddenly as they started.
"Did you appreciate that, Potter? Are you and your family of blood traitors quite satisfied with your pain?"
"Nah, that kind of tickled."
Lily stared up at him. Was he insane? He was goading the Dark Lord! Then she blinked. In this light, without his glasses, he looked so much like Professor Potter that it was scary.
Suddenly, Lily's eyes clouded and she stood.
"Thrice-defied, he who flies from death shall destroy his adversaries..." The words fell from her lips. "But the line of Gryffindor will outlast his foe's..."
She dropped, James caught her.
"Lily... Lils, wake up..." James urged. "Please, don't go unconscious on me now. Not now."
Her eyes flickered. "Godric?"
His eyes widened. "Lily?"
She blinked and shook her head. "Sorry, I just – I zoned out is all."
"Okay. Well, we still the need to escape."
Suddenly, Lily looked up. "Hey, Mr Voldemort, what's the date?"
The Dark Lord started, probably not expecting to be called 'Mr Voldemort'. "Second of November."
Lily's eyes widened. "James, no power surges. Where is everyone? Aren't they going to help us?"
"I don't know. But let's give them all the help we can from the inside." James grinned at her.
"Yes. Lets."
They stood, heads up, proud, defiant, even arrogant.
"Hey Voldemort." James looked at him. "Guess what?"
"What?"
"My wand has a few spells on it." He flashed a grin. "Stag calls!"
Instantly, the wand, sword and daggers flew through the air to James' waiting hands. He slid them all into their appropriate sheathes and stood prepared.
"Lils, see if your wand responds to blood calls blood."
Lily nodded. She flung her head back, he eyes rolled into the back of her head. Moving her head forward, she held out a hand.
"Blood to blood, I summon thee!"
Her wand came to her hand. Strangely, so did the dagger. James' eyes widened as he recognised the dagger. It was a family heirloom, passed down to Potters'... wives. What could it mean? Did it mean something similar to the fact that going down to the Great Hall as Godric and Rhian had felt so real?
"You cannot cast spells within the cage anyway, you fools." Voldemort snarled.
"Don't need to." James pulled out his sword and slammed through the lock with little effort. "Mysteel. A steel strengthened with any number of other alloys and from ores of the most magical sites in the world. Family heirloom too. So, a silver cage? It's not going to stand up to it."
And thus began one of the most spectacular fights of the war. Because as James and Lily smashed through the door, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix crashed through the windows and doors of the room.
Of course, the preliminary result was panic, as several Death Eaters went down at once under Stunners and Body Binds.
Voldemort attacked James and Lily.
"Crucio!"
"Averto." James yelled, as well as dodging. The spell sent the Unforgivable bouncing into the sky harmlessly.
Voldemort sucked in a breath, annoyed.
"So Potter has a few tricks, does he?" He hissed.
"What, you expect the heir to the Potters to be helpless?" James demanded.
"You dabble only in light magics, you cannot hope to reach my power!"
Lily snorted. "Have you not heard of the Patronus Charm? It's incredibly powerful and light! Fuelled by happiness, not anger! You cannot feel good, true emotions. One day you will discover how much you have missed out on, ignoring the spells fuelled by love, hope and righteous grief and anger!"
Harry heard those words as he battled. He paused, before thumping a 'newbie' as he called the recent recruits. Was his mother a seer of sorts?
No, surely not. He had to grin though. Evidently, his parents weren't in as much danger as Remus anticipated.
It was then that a pair of Memorlives hit the heads of James and Lily, and they fell under an onslaught of their worst memories.
Under her clothes, Lily felt cold hands touching her, blows to the head and torso, a brutal slash of steel against her stomach. She felt his touch, his breath, she felt the pain as he forced his tongue inside her mouth, savaged her lips, bruised her neck with his fingers. She felt those hands tearing at her clothes, slamming her into a wall, she remembered him grabbing her, undoing his trousers... And it started again, and again, and again...
James was hit by half a dozen Cruciatus Curses, then they were removed as they turned his blood to acid for split seconds, tormenting his insides. Cutting curses hit him all over. And not one of the people outside could see him bleed, for his clothes remained untouched by the spell. White-hot needles punched through his nails. Whips cracked against his back. The laughter, the mocking. The mental torture, trapping him, seeing his family slaughtered, again and again, helpless, not knowing if it was truth or illusion...
The screams erupted and mingled.
Harry did not hear them. He was fighting off a dozen Cruciatuses, Imperios and a number of swords. He missed one, and he heard a shnicht as a ligament snapped. He groaned and ignored the pain, praying they would not bring out one of the things that could cause a Moonlight Vampire most pain.
It was a chilling, but temporary curse on most. But the Ice-Blood Curse on a Moonlight Vampire caused inexorable pain, for blood manipulation was difficult and therefore tore through more of his magical defences. If they used that, or a similar blood-affecting curse...
As if someone read his mind, he was hit.
"Aargh!" Harry bellowed in pain as his entire body froze.
He fell, but saw before blanking out, his parents throw off the Memorlives and send a joint hex at Voldemort.
James and Lily collapsed, energy spent, blood lost.
The Order declared victory, and the injured were taken to St Mungo's or the Infirmary.
And Ginny waited for knowledge of her lover's safety.
XXXXX
Enjoy?
By the way, thanks to everyone who read and reviewed my one-shot. I struggle with short stories, so your support was really appreciated. I'm going to watch Children in Need now.
Ciao!
Lol, Tanydwr