24 Hours Later...
Professor Dumbledore sighed deeply, stroking his attenuated silver beard lethargically. There was nothing more that could be done for Lily Evans in this world. Nothing. The drug that had been used on her had turned out to be Aramythillin. It was fatal to a muggle-born. Only for the strength of Lily's Sage abilities, she would now be long dead. Instead, she lay in a state of severe comatose, unable to be penetrated, even by Falkes.
However, all hope was not lost. There was nothing more that could be done for Lily in the physical world, but much could be done for her in the subconscious dimension. Albus smiled gently, the barest twinkle returning to his shimmering blue eyes. With James Potter, there just might be a way.
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James nodded determinedly, a grim set to his mouth. Lady Lasair briefly touched her pale hand to his forehead, smiling sadly. Lily was lying on a hospital wing gurney, her face blank, her eyes motionless black pools.
'' Albus...may I...speak alone with my pupil? For just a moment? ''
Dumbledore inclined his head, sighing heavily as his eyes alighted on Lily's paralysed form.
James frowned as Lady Lasair caught his hand and led him away from Lily, Dumbledore and the disapproving hospital matron, and out into the cool hall beyond.
'' James...promise me, that no matter what, you WILL NOT FAIL. This goes deeper than we can see...I sense inner torment and ferocious battle in Lily's subconscious. She is being attacked, internally, from unknown forces. ''
'' I don't understand...''
'' I am sensing more than just the effects of the poison from Lily's inner aura. Something else has entered her, James. Something strong. Something evil. This is a perilous mission for you...I don't even know if we should be permitting this...it goes against all the laws the Ministry have in place for the protection of unique, special magical beings such as Lily and yourself. James, I'm not so sure...if anything were to happen to you...I would not be able to forgive myself. Maybe it would be better if I...''
James shook his head in desperation.
'' No! You can't...you said yourself that only a fellow Sage has any chance of saving her. That only a fellow Sage has any chance at all at even penetrating her coma. It's got to be me. No one else can take my place. I'll be careful – don't worry. I'm not going down without a fight. And neither is Lily. I'll bring her back,''
Lady Lasair smiled sadly.
'' You are so courageous, mon eleve. Full of pride, strength, loyalty...the marked Gryffindor bravery in the face of evil. You will be a great man, James. You are a great man. May the lion be with you. ''
James nodded determinedly and stalked back into the hospital wing, brimming with ambition. He would get Lily back.
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'' Catch Lily's hand, James,'' Dumbledore instructed softly, his eyes boring into James'.
James did so, clasping Lily's cold, lifeless hand between his.
'' Poppy...Minerva...''
The hospital matron joined hands with Professor McGonagall, who then joined hands with Dumbledore himself. Lady Lasair caught Dumbledore's free hand with hers, her other reaching out to rest on James' shoulder.
'' James, when we begin the incantation, I need you to concentrate, with all your power, on delving into Lily's subconscious. Except, instead of just exploring her dreamworld, you must enter it yourself, as a solid entity. Can you do this? ''
Lady Lasair glanced questoningly at him, her features soft with love. He nodded grimly, steeling himself for what was to come.
'' I can,''
Lady Lasair looked to Dumbledore.
'' On the count of three then...''
James could feel the perspiration forming along his brow as each second fell away. One...two...three...
As one, the four professors commenced the ancient elvish spell. Almost immediately, James could feel his Sage powers awaken within his very blood and surge through his veins, gushing toward his fingertips and stealing along to Lily's hand...
Suddenly, Lily's body glowed white, a cloying halo of ice surrounding her for just a moment, before it dissolved and there was a blast of glaring red light. James felt like he was being flung through space and time. His body was plunged into a vortex of swirling colours and shapes melding together in a miasma of blurs....he was just falling through this strange place...having left the hospital wing and his professors behind...yet he could still hear their dizzying chants ringing through his head...
And, without warning, his feet hit solid ground. He had arrived in Lily's subconscious dimension.
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For several minutes after James Potter had disappeared into thin air, the four Hogwarts teachers continued their ritual, their voices rising and falling in varying crescendoes, the red light blinding them. As the spell finished, the light slowly fell away, the hospital wing gaining in visibilty by the second. Dumbledore was the first to open his eyes. And to realise that where Lily had been lying moments before in the hospital bed, now lay just a mound of blankets. She too had disappeared. To wherever James had gone.
'' Do you think they will ever come back? '' Minerva McGonagall asked quietly, her voice tinged with sadness and resigned despair.
'' Oh yes. James will bring her back. After all, any fool can see he is desperately in love with her. He won't let her die. ''
Lady Lasair's words warmed their hearts just a little, igniting new hope in the bare few. But the fate of the two magnificent students was indeed resting upon a knife-edge. Just as Lily's dream had prophesised.
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Okkkkkkkkk. I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry. I know I haven't updated in, like, AGES but I really did have soooooo much going on! I didn't have a minute to myself! And I know this is deadly short but to make up for it I'm starting on the next chapte5r straight away and I promise it will be reeeeaaallly long and will be posted up within a few days! Thanks so much and PLEEEEEAAAAAAASE review!
