James couldn't see. Everywhere was sheltered in a thick, heavy darkness. He retrieved his trusty and faithful wand from his back robe pocket and muttered ' Lumos,' a little apprehensive as to what would greet his eyes afterward.

It was a forest. Tall, beautifully slender, limber grey bark trees ranged all around him, planted haphazardly in a beckoning pattern, almost appearing to dance gracefully with the gentle swaying and rustling of the bare branches. The sky was a deep royal blue, hued with the glaring red stars of the netherworld. A cold breeze nipped at his skin, stinging his face, as snowflakes began to fall slowly from the open sky above.

James walked forward warily, his feet crunching in the growing mantle of snow that had begun to layer the wild, ravaged ground. A well worn path snaked in and out among the trees; symbolising the routes Lily had taken and the choices that she had made in her life. James stuck to this path, walking slowly, his eyes darting sideways so he wouldn't be taken unaware by anything…unsavoury…that might be lurking in Lily's past.

Experimentally, he tried to call on his Sage powers to lead the way for him, but lacked surprise when he failed. His powers had fled his body when he entered Lily's subconscious dimension – just as Lady Lasair had warned. He still retained his mere wizarding abilities but his Sage powers were just too potent. They canceled out with the atmospheric world around him, made up by Lily's inner Sage.

As he walked on, little headstones marked certain points in the path; milestones in Lily's life. 'First Holy Communion' was engraved on the first rock, a rambling growth of red roses entwined around it. James had read about it in muggle books. It was a sacred Catholic Christian ceremony in the roman church and James knew that Lily was a devout, practicing Catholic and took her faith and beliefs very seriously, so this would obviously be very special to her. 'Confirmation' was the second milestone. Another religious liturgy. 'Hogwarts' was embellished in swirling letters on the third milestone. As James trudged onward and each subsequent mile fell away, his curiosity grew. What else did Lily treasure as significant, defining moments in her life?

He passed through the first few years in Hogwarts with relative ease, with only a few stones dotted here and there. It was when he came to her sixth year that James realised the milestones were clustering together in alarming numbers. Obviously, a lot of things that had happened to Lily this year, she deemed as important. James stooped down, studying the first one. But it was the third that really caught his attention. James' heart sped up, uncomfortably thumping against his chest as he read the inscription. ' First Kiss With James '. Which meant that, even if Lily's conscious self didn't realise, her unconscious saw James as special. James smiled.

'' James….James….help me. Come to me. I need you…James….please….''

James straightened immediately, his eyes alert, his movements wary.

'' Who's there? Lily? ''

He had to be careful and exercise caution. This world was unknown to him and, potentially, dangerous. He looked up, his eyes straining in the darkness. His wand was a poor source of light in the growing gloom. Just up ahead, he thoght he glimpsed a flash of red hair and a white cloak, before the image disappeared. He shook his head, stealing forward along the path which was now overcanopied with luscious redwoods. Maybe it was just a trick of the imagination…but no! There it was again. A woman was standing ahead at the cusp of the twisting path. A woman with dark red hair and beautiful almond shaped green eyes. Lily.

James broke into a run as the woman continued to stare at him, a lost, empty expression on her face.

' Help me,' she mouthed slowly before turning and walking away, her small form dwindling into the darkness. James called out to her, running desperately to try and catch up. It seemed he played this game for hours as the night drew on. Every so often he would see Lily ahead, beckoning for him to follow her, calling out to him for help and just as he caught up, as he was about to reach out and touch her, she disappeared.

Then night fell away and, still, James was in the same forest, on the same path, still following the ghostly Lily. Dawn broke on the horizon, splattering the sky with dashes of reds, yellows, pinks and oranges, all mingling with the usual expanse of blue. And still the game was played. He felt like a pawn in some masterplan, a puppet on strings being prodded and controlled by some outward force.

Just as James felt he would collapse from exhaustion, the spirit of Lily turned and smiled at him. As James looked on, confused, pausing to catch his breath, runnels of sweat sliding down his damp skin, the smile became sinister and James blanched, a little afraid of this evil looking Lily. Then her hair darkened and flashed a glossy black, her nose elongated, her lips thinned and her eyes grew hooded and changed to a dark grey, almost black. Bellatrix Black was standing where Lily's form had been. Only she appeared solid.

'' Well, well, well. '' she cackled, stalking toward him like an eagle hunts her prey, a greedy grin consuming her twisted yet strangely beautiful face. James scrambled for his wand wildly. It had all been a trick. He didn't understand how or why but Death Eaters were involved. And as Bellatrix watched him amusedly, twirling her own wand idly between her long, pale fingers, James realised. Richelle, stupid stupid Richelle, had been paid to drug Lily. By the Slytherins. The ones who were in league with Voldemort. Who knew Lily and James were Sages and would want them out of the way for his upcoming war with mankind. As well as his revenge. And Bellatrix was only too happy to carry it all out. Dark Magic was being used. Belltrix had found her way into Lily's subconscious and was eating away at her lifeforce, sucking her of her powers. And now she had drawn James upon her. This must have been the evil Lady Lasair had sensed within Lily.

All of these thoughts flashed through James' mind in mere seconds.

'' We've been waiting for you, Potter. We knew you would come eventually. Couldn't turn down a chance to play heroics for your dear mudblood bitch,'' Bellatrix spat viciously.

James' hackles raised automatically.

'' Don't ever speak of her like that! '' he shouted hotly, tired and angry, frustrated and confused.

Bellatrix laughed coldly.

'' And what are you going to do about it, Potty? Surely you can't take on all of us, mad as you are to try? ''

She chuckled again with mirth as James looked around slowly and realised that hidden among the copse of trees stood several hooded Death Eaters, wands raised and pointed directly at him. He had walked right into a lair of evil.

XXXXX

Lily tried to move. And failed. She was bound and gagged. Several iron link chains that cut into her wrists held her to a damp stone wall, overgrown with moss and lichen. A dirty rag had been stuffed into her mouth and tied tightly behind her head. Her legs were all that was free. This, however, served no purpose as they were so badly beaten and bruised that she could barely shuffle them without intense pain shooting through her very bones.

She couldn't remember much. She could recall dancing close to James in the club…ah, James….Lily tried to smile as her mind alighted upon an image of him, then winced as the rag's fumes clouded her senses. James. Lily had to admit, now that she had nothing else to do but ponder the last few months, that he really had shown her that he was different to what she had previously thought. She would have said he had changed but, somehow, she knew instinctively that he hadn't and that he had always been brave and daring and funny and helpful and that she had been so blinded by her hatred of him that she just couldn't see it. Yes, he was arrogant and sometimes irrational and impulsive but when it came down to it James Potter was a good person.

Yes, she had been dancing with him in the club…and they had been kissing…and it was one of those amazing kisses that left her breathless and heady and lustful and confused…and Richelle had ' accidentally ' bumped into them and then…then…Lily wracked her brains, ignoring the bad headache pulsing through her skull. Yes…then she had bought them drinks…next, Lily had woken up here and Bellatrix Black and Rodolphus Lestrange had been standing over her, laughing.

Bellatrix, high on power, had relayed some of the facts to Lily. She gleefully informed her that Lily's mortal form was trapped within her unconscious mind and that only her Sage powers and the mercy of the ' Dark Lord ' kept her alive. And that James would come for her. And when he did they would kill him slowly before her very eyes.

A single tear slid down Lily's cheek as a nerve-jangling sob engulfed her and she coughed throatily through the rag.She didn't really believe they could kill him. He was, after all, James Potter. But, deep within her, she was afraid. Terrified. And she realised sadly that within the last few weeks she had come to care for him deeply. And she missed him. She could only hope he never came for her. But, being James, she knew he would. And they would be waiting. With the Dark Lord's revenge.

XXXXX

'' What do you want? '' James hissed angrily, not caring how riled up he got, not caring that they were amused by him and his temper. They knew where Lily was and that was all he cared about.

Bellatrix laughed again, tossing her black hair over her shoulders.

'' Vengeance, Potter. The Dark Lord is not pleased by your antics. You angered him. And he wants me to carry out his just wrath. Little boys should not play with fire. It burns, Potter. And little boys get hurt. ''

James shook his head.

'' Where's Lily? '' his voice was low, dangerous, chilling.

A tall Death Eater stepped from the shadow of the trees at a nod from Bellatrix and slowly withdrew his hood, revealing the glittering silver eyes of Lucius Malfoy.

'' This…Lily, is it? She's…how do you say…all tied up at the moment. '' his silken voice made James shudder involuntarily.

'' Aw…ickle Jamesie wants to see his little mudblood. Aw…well, you shall, don't worry. In fact, you'll be joining her, Potter,'' Bellatrix commented, grinning spitefully.

James raised his wand, but before he could utter a word, Malfoy's spell had him disarmed.

'' Imobilius Courruptus Sageus Inunidaiam! ''

Malfoy grinned.

'' Potter, couldn't have you outwit us now, could we? '' he said smoothly, cuffing him on the head with a large, wooden staff, the head of which bore a striking resemblance to a serpent of Slytherin.

'' You just won't be needing that where you're going, dearie,'' Bellatrix remarked conversationally, as if they were merely discussing the weather.

James stood stiffly as Bellatrix began chanting and the other Death Eaters joined her hysterical chants. As time spun out and their surroundings dissolved, James sighed and closed his eyes in despair. What had he gotten himself into?

XXXXX

Lily looked up and tentatively opened her cut eye, sucking in a startled breath, which, in turn, caused her to once again fully inhale the fumes from the rag, resulting in a bout of fitful coughing. When it had passed and she looked up, her eyes were met with the sight of James being physically restrained by two Death Eaters as he tried to rush to her. Bellatrix was lounging against the opposite wall of the room, looking quite bored.

'' J…J…James…'' she managed to choke out, coughing violently once again. His eyes widened and he struggled wildly against his two assailants, but to no avail. Bellatrix only yawned.

'' Are you done yet with your miserable, pathetic acts of heroism, sweetie? '' she asked pleasantly, her voice saturated with heavily veiled sarcasm. James groaned as Lucius Malfoy swaggered out of the shadows and flicked his wand and, as though an invisible fist had been conjured out of thin air, he was socked heavily in the stomach and bent over, winded.

Lily strained against her bonds, rattling the chains angrily.

'' Silence, mudblood! '' screamed Bellatrix distastefully, looking her frail and battered form up and down snidely.

'' It's…ok…Lil…don't…hurt…your…self…'' James panted, still vainly trying to fight off his attackers, who were wrenching him across the room next to Lily and clamping his arms to similar steel links manacled to the decaying wall.

'' It's ok Lil don't hurt yourself! '' shrieked Bellatrix in a feminine, falsetto voice, batting her eyelashes, her eyes mocking. '' I'll protect you…against the big, mean baddies! ''

She snorted with laughter. Lily mumbled through the rag. Bellatrix paused, curious.

'' Remove the cloth. Let's hear what the stupid bitch has to say,'' she ordered. One of the hooded men who had restrained James shuffled idiotically forward, shoulders slouching, and roughly grasped the dirty rag and pulled it out of her mouth, only to have Lily spit into his face.

He raised a meaty hand and hit her across the face. Lily merely smiled as James unashamedly cursed.

'' Enough, Crabbe. Leave us. '' demanded Bellatrix, nodding imperiously at Crabbe and his partner, Goyle. The two oafs tramped out of the room through a moss covered door set into the furthest wall.

'' Well? ''

'' Dumbledore will figure this out, Black,'' Lily spat, raising her eyebrows as Bellatrix cringed ever so slightly.

'' Do not mention that old fool's name here! '' she shouted crossly, her eyes sparking with malice.

'' What, afraid of him? '' hissed Lily in reply. '' He'll figure this out. It's not like you're actually competent enough to do this without messing up, Black, and you know it. You – ''

Before she could finish Bellatrix had raised her wand and muttered ' Crucio ', mumbling all the while about insolent, ignorant mudbloods. Lily felt like every single bone in her body was cracking one by one. She knew she was screaming and pleading and crying in desperation and she could even hear James bellowing beside her. Her blood was on fire, her heart in flames, her mind being stabbed viciously, licked by evil magic.

And then the spell fled her body and Bellatrix was smiling and laughing banefully, her eyes feral with a wild, unsatisfied hunger.

'' I'm going to kill you, Evans. You and Potter here. And the Dark Lord will reward his ever faithful and devoted servant with power beyond what you can only imagine! I will be honoured among all as a true servant of the just and worthy cause my master seeks. I, Bellatrix Black! '' she screamed, her expression crazy, her eyes mad.

''Just you wait and see! '' she roared, laughing maniacally.

'' You're crazy! '' James shouted, trying to burst free from his constraints. She merely laughed. Lucius smiled, lifting his left arm.

'' Bella…'' he seethed. '' The Lord calls…''

His pale, spidery fingers caressed the glowing red mark on his left forearm; the mark of Lord Voldemort. A skull with a serpent protruding from the mouth. Bellatrix grinned slowly, raising her wand. And with a swish of their cloaks, they disappeared, to answer the call of their master.