Hey! Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. Ahh....my little brother's sick and my dad bought him some chicks to cheer him up....and they won't stop chirping!! I've literally tried everything to make them calm down but they won't and my head hurts. So I'm going to let you stop reading about my boring life and get on with the story. Enjoy! Oh, yeah, the song I put up is going to have to do with the chapter. Just a little something to read so you get a small idea of what the chapter's about.

You used to captivate me
By your resonating light
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind
Your face it haunts
My once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away
All the sanity in me
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase

-Evanescence "My Immortal"

Chapter 17 Not even safe in your dreams

Emma ran down the corridor, taking a glance at every corridor as she rushed by. She made her way down to the Oak doors, hoping her friend had decided to go out for a walk. She rushed out of the castle and looked around. She couldn't find her-

'Lily where are you?' Emma wondered. It was dawn and Lily never came back. Neither did Sirius, James, Remus, or Peter. Scared that her friends were in danger, Emma had rushed out of the Tower to look for them. She spotted three figures limping toward the school. She cursed under her breath-

It wasn't Lily, but they were just good. 'They can help me.' Emma thought. She ran down the steps toward her friends.

"Sirius! Remus! Peter!" Emma called, running to them. She stopped and began panting.

"Lily....never came back-I was so worried.....can you help- WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU THREE?!" Emma shrieked, looking at them in shock.

Sirius had an arm under Remus supporting him upright. The three didn't have school robes on, only the uniform polo and pants. Remus's shirt might as well have been a beater-the sleeves were completely torn and there was blood dripping from both his arms. There was a huge gash on his chest, too. He looked up at Emma and she realized there was a bruise on his cheek and his lip was bleeding quite badly. To make it worse, his face was also covered in blood. He didn't even look like he could walk.

"What...." Emma trailed off, looking at Sirius.

He wasn't as bad, but was still a mess. His once nice, tamed hair was a mess with dirt covering it. His pants were torn on the bottom so the looked like ragged shorts. There was blood on his arms and legs, but his face seemed unharmed. As for Peter, he alone seemed unhurt, he was just pale and sweaty.

"I'll....I'll help you." Emma said in a small voice. She walked over, grabbed Remus's other arm, and helped him stand upright.

"Let's take him to the Hospital Wing." Sirius ordered. Together, they made their slow way up the castle. In the back of her mind, Emma prayed Lily was okay.

James was sitting at the end of Lily's bed. Both were still soaking wet. It was dawn now, James expected Remus to be coming any moment. 'This was such a mess.' James thought. He buried his face in his hands.

"James! Lily!"

James started and looked up. Emma, Sirius, Remus, and Peter arrived. Emma had shouted his name, let go of Remus, and went to go hug James. Remus staggered for a bit but Peter came up and grabbed him.

"I'm so glad you and Lily are okay! I was worried about her all night....and then....Remus and Sirius....what happened to all of you?" Emma demanded, standing up and looking at them sternly.

James looked at his friends. "Er...."

Sirius came over and put Remus down on the bed next to Lily.

"Are you okay, Padfoot?" James asked.

Sirius nodded grimly.

"And Moony?"

Sirius looked at James in the eye and knew the answer. They all had a rough night.

"Don't change the subject! What happened to you? I was so scared....and Lily, James! Why are the two of you soaking wet?" Emma demanded.

James took a breath to answer, but Madam Pomfrey came in.

"Oh, dear! Lupin, is he okay? Oh, you lot stay here while I go get some potions. I suggest you all get some sleep. I'll take care of you when you wake up." Madam Pomfrey said. She then rushed over to her office, where she was getting some Potions ready.

James looked at his friends and yawned. "We'll talk about this later, Emma?" he asked.

Emma nodded. She grabbed a chair and sat down in between Remus and Lily's beds. Sirius sank down onto Remus's bed, Peter got a chair also, and James sat on Lily's bed still.

James eyelids felt like lead....he was awake all night. He felt himself stagger then fall. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow............

James eyes opened. He was in a Forest. The Forbidden forest possibly? 'What's going on?' James asked himself. The forest was covered in fog so he could barely see. It also had a misty air to it. He saw a dark figure, a hooded figure, standing in front of him.

He cautiously walked up to the person.

"Who are you?" he asked, putting a couple of feet between him and the stranger.

"Give me the pendant, Potter." The stranger hissed.

'Where have I heard that voice before?' James thought.

"Give it to me, Potter! Give me what I want!" the stranger demanded.

James knew the voice....from his dream, the voice that used the Cruciatus Curse on his dad.

"Give it to me!"

"No." James said simply, his hands holding the pendant protectively.

"If you will not give me what I want, I have no choice but to take something from you!" the stranger said harshly. It was then that the figure pulled off his hood. James gasped. Tall, thin, face white as a skull, with slit-pupiled eyes-the face that appeared so many times in the Daily Prophet after someone was murdered-

"Voldemort." James breathed, holding the pendant tighter.

"You dare speak my name?" he asked calmly.

James didn't speak. He found he couldn't move. Voldemort stared at him, fingering his wand which was now in his grasp.

"I see....well, if you will not give it to me willingly, perhaps I can persuade you." Voldemort said. With a flick of his wand, three figures appeared next to Voldemort.

"I already have your father, and your mother will be no hard task. Perhaps it's time to take those next in line who you care about." Voldemort said coldly.

"Who would that be?" James asked, fearing the answer.

"Ahh....your scared. Always a good sign." Voldemort said, his lips curling into a horrible smile. Voldemort levitated the figures off the ground and into James view. James thought he would vomit right there.

Remus, Sirius, and Peter stood gagged, and tied and the ankles and wrists.

"Let them go!" James shouted, and realized, with a hint of pride, his voice was strong and showed no fear.

"It's me you want! Leave them out of it!" James yelled.

"I will do no such thing." Voldemort hissed, "You will give me what I want or watch the people you care about most to die." On a softer, more calm note, he added, "I hear your mother is ill, is that correct? She should not be to hard to get...." Voldemort let out a cold laugh.

Panic began to fill James. "LEAVE HER ALONE!" he roared, "this is between you and me! It has nothing to do with my friends or family!"

"On the contrary, Potter. It has everything to do with your friends and family as much as it does you. If you do not wish to watch them disappear one by one, I suggest you give me the pendant." Voldemort said.

"You'll never have it!" James said coldly.

Voldemort's eyes flashed in anger. "I see. Well, Potter, do not say I didn't warn you."

To James horror, Voldemort pointed his wand at Remus.

"Shall the werewolf like to suffer first?" Voldemort whispered.

Remus's eyes widened in shock.

"-Or perhaps your dear friend Peter?" Voldemort's wand lingered in Peter who gave out a terrified squeal.

"Don't touch them!" James yelled. Voldemort smiled horribly again.

"I know." Voldemort said.

"Avada Kedavra."

James yelled out as a jet of green light shot towards Sirius-his best friend. He watched helplessly as his best friend fell to the ground, eyes blank-

"NOOO!!!" James screamed in horror.

He sat up quickly, drenched in cold sweat, panting heavily. His shout caused his friends to awake beside him. Everyone- even Remus and Lily- opened their eyes and sat up groggily.

"'S matter, Prongs?" Sirius asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Er....nothing." James muttered. Sirius, who was still half asleep and next to Remus, turned over and put an arm around Remus.

"I don't want to wake up...." He muttered.

"Padfoot, get off!" Remus said, shoving Sirius off in a playful way. Sirius tumbled off the bed and onto Emma, making both of them fall to the ground.

"Sirius!" Emma yelped in surprise, trying to push Sirius off from on top of her.

"Aw, Emma, any girl would love to be you right now." Sirius said, playing with a piece of her hair and grinning that a charming way.

Emma turned red and whacked his hand away. "Off, Black." She muttered. Faking a pout, Sirius stood up.

Lily laughed, making James look at her.

"Are you okay?" James asked. Lily nodded.

"I'm fine." She said. After taking a deep sigh, she said, "James, I really sorry for acting so sour to you, it's just-"

It's okay, Lily, I know." James interrupted, "Don't worry. No one's going to bug you about it again."

"Just hang out with us, Lily, and you'll be fine." Remus said, smiling.

"Remus, what happened?" Lily asked, indicating all his injuried.

"Exactly what I was wondering." Emma added.

Remus looked uncomfortable for a second. "Er....."

"We got into a fight with Snivellus and his gang." Sirius said quickly.

Lily groaned. "Again?"

Sirius shrugged. "He deserves it."

"Lily, what happened to you and James?" Remus asked.

Lily looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well," she said slowly, "last thing I remember, I was sitting out on the grounds. Something growled, I turned around and there was a-a monster of some sort. I think it was a werewolf, I've read about them. But I can't be sure. It looked like it wanted to bite me, but James came and shoved us both in the lake."

Lily let out a laugh. "I think I saw a dog. Or maybe I was losing it. Anyways, thanks James." She said smiling.

James smiled back, but was distracted by the look on Remus's face. He had turned white.

"Er....Lily, Emma, can you give us four some privacy to talk? Go ask Madam Pomfrey if you can help with the potions or something." James suggested.

Lily and Emma looked at each other, shrugged, and stood up.

"I'm feeling a lot better." Lily said, as she and Emma headed turned the office. When they shut the door, James looked at Remus.

"Are you okay, Moony?" Sirius asked in concern.

Remus appeared to have some trouble speaking. "L-Lily was out there when I....when I transformed?" he asked quietly.

James nodded grimly. "That's why you beat yourself up so much, punishing yourself for not getting her."

"D-does she know?" Remus asked.

Sirius shook his head. "No. As far as she's concerned, she was just at the wrong place at the wrong moment." Sirius said putting an arm around his friend.

"Did you hear what she said though? She said she saw a monster." Remus said in a hushed voice.

"Moony, she didn't mean it like that." James said consolingly.

"Then how did she mean it?" Remus snapped, causing his three friends to be taken aback.

He then sighed. "I'm sorry, James. It's just....I don't know. I caused all this trouble, you know?"

"Remus, you didn't do this. It's not your fault. You know that, I know that. Don't blame yourself for something you couldn't stop." James said, putting a hand on his friends shoulder.

Remus looked up at his friends and smiled. "Have I ever told you three that your some of the best friends anyone can have?"

Peter grinned. "Back in our fifth year when you found out we turned Animagus for you."

"Remus, we're always going to be here for you. No one's ever going to find out." James said, though the dream was still in his mind. 'Voldemort knows. He knows about Remus being a werewolf.' Panic began to take over James again.

The week was going by quickly for James. He found himself getting up the morning of Hogsmeade to meet John. James got up and looked in the mirror. He had another horrible dream of his dad being murdered.

James slammed his fist into the wall. "Dad, where are you?! I need you here! I can't fight on my own!" James choked, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.

Someone came up and put their hands on his shoulder.

"It's okay, James." Sirius whispered, "They'll find him."

"You don't get it." James choked out, trying to hold back the tears, "This past week has been horrible. I keep hearing his voice everywhere. Screaming for me to help."

Sirius looked at his friend in sympathy. He then slipped something into James pocket. When James looked at him in question, Sirius said, "Use it to contact me while your with John. Just in case you need help. Remus, Peter, and me are going to spend the day with Emma and Lily."

Giving his friend a thump on the back, he left. James made to leave to, when a voice stopped him.

"James! Save me, son!" his dad's voice rang through his ears.

"Dad?" James called.

Just then, he was gone from the room. He was next to a cell.

"Dad?" he whispered. He bent down to see his dad.

"James..." his dad whispered, then closed his eyes.

"Dad! No! Wake up! Wake up! I need you, Mom needs you! You can't leave me here by myself! You can't! Why won't you wake up? Don't leave me here!" James screamed.

"He won't come back. This is the price you pay, Potter, for being the Heir of Gryffindor." A voice snarled behind him.

"I didn't ask for it! I just want my Dad back." James whispered, his voice shaking.

"And you can have him back, if you give me the pendant." Voldemort hissed in his ear.

James was tempted. Anything to stop this nightmare, to make it all go away, he reached down to take the pendant off when-

"NO!" James sat up and realized it was himself that yelled out. He sighed and stood up. It happened a lot over the past week. Letting a few tears fall, he quickly rubbed his eyes and stepped out of the room.

Most of the castle was deserted, since most people were in Hogsmeade. On his way to Dumbledore office, he slipped his hand into his pocket and took out the object Sirius gave him. It was the two way mirror he and Sirius always used.

Making his way to the office, he gave the password. He knew it since McGonagall had stopped him in Transfiguration the other day, to tell him it.

"Lemon Drop." James muttered. The gargoyle moved aside, letting James in. He walked in and saw John and Dumbledore standing there.

"John!" he called out in relief. He walked over to him. John gave James a pat on the shoulder while smiling fondly at him.

"Where are we going?" James asked.

"You will be taking the Floo Network there. Just incase, I gave John a Portkey. It will be activated at six o'clock, giving you enough time to come down to dinner so no awkward questions are asked by your peers." Dumbledore explained.

James nodded. He stepped into the fireplace. "What do I say?" James asked, after taking some Floo Power.

"Fleura Forest Cabin." Dumbledore replied. (2)

"Fleura Forest Cabin!" James yelled, throwing down the Power. Before green flames blocked his vision, James could've sworn he heard someone running down the corridor, hearing someone yell out, a voice that sounded so familiar....

Without sparing another thought on it, James tumbled out of the fireplace. He looked up and realized what a nice cabin it was. It was nice a cozy, with a warm sofa and fire. James made his way to the kitchen, sat down at the table, waiting for John to arrive. He had his hand holding his wand tightly.

John walked in, looking a little grim than James would've expected.

"Are you okay?" John asked.

James shrugged. "I've been getting by," was his short reply.

"James, I know you want to ask me some things. There's no use holding back." John said.

James took a deep sigh. "How's my mum?" he asked, not looking at John so he settled at looking out the window.

"She's fine. She's getting out of St. Mungo's tomorrow." John answered.

"Any sign of my dad?" James asked, trying to force down the lump in his throat that was causing his voice to sound shaky.

John shook his head. "No sign of him yet."

"It's my fault." James whispered, trying with all his might not to cry, "It's my fault. John, I keep seeing my Dad in my dreams. It won't stop. Voldemort's in them, too. He says he'll kill all the people I care about if I don't give him the pendant....John, I'm scared I won't be able to hold on much longer-"

"You have to." John said sternly. James looked at him in surprise. John sighed and ran a hand through his hair. When he spoke, his voice was much more soft.

"James, I know this is hard. But your dad-"

"It's like he's haunting my dreams. He's still with me. Wherever I look I see him. When I looked at my robes, I think of him, because he bought them. When I play Quidditch, I see him, because he's the one who taught me. He's with me everywhere I go. It's a constant reminder of what I lost and the trouble I caused!" James said loudly, feeling his temper rise.

"James, that's a good thing that you can still feel him with you. Don't every let go of that. It's your strength, not your weakness." John told him.

James nodded. Looking at John for the first time, he asked, "What about the pendant?"

"Well, I don't think it's a good idea to make it known to the public. But your going to have to tell someone so you can get help through it. Dumbledore knows. Maybe you should tell Sirius and Remus, and those girls I saw you with over the holidays. They seemed trustworthy and I know you had your eye on the red head." John said, smiling.

James grinned. "Was I that obvious?"

John nodded.

"John, when can I join the search for my Dad?"

John looked at him in the eye. "James, you're the Heir of Gryffindor. We have to keep you safe. We can't risk losing you. Voldemort wants you dead and the power you hold-"

"What power?" James asked, laughing humorlessly, "I'm an ordinary sixteen year old wizard! I'm no more powerful than Sirius, no more clever than Remus-"

"As much as it hurts me to say this, you are not an ordinary boy, James. Not any more. The pendant holds the power Voldemort wants. He will stop at nothing to get it. He'll try to destroy your home, friends, family, make you all hate each other. But you can't let him, James. You have to stay strong and stick by your friends." John said.

James nodded. "Thanks, John. For everything."

John smiled. "Why don't I make us some hot chocolate and we can talk things over some more." John stood up in his seats, when suddenly, the window behind him shattered, causing glass to glass to fly everywhere.

James whipped out his wand, as did John.

Twenty or so Death Eaters burst into the house, through the back door, front door, and the windows.

"Impedimenta!"

A Death Eater sent a spell to John, who quickly deflected it.

"Stupefy!"

John managed to stop one, but there were still a lot more.

"Expelliarmus!"

"No!" James shouted in frustration as his wand was knocked out of his hand. Three Death Eaters charged toward him.

John quickly jumped in the middle of them and sent spells toward them.

"James, get out of here!" John shouted.

"I won't leave you!" James yelled back, looking for his wand.

"You have to if we're going to have a chance. Go! Raise the alarm!" John shouted.

"Crucio!"

The spell hit John before he could do anything. James old friend yelled out in pain, screaming himself hoarse. When the curse was off him, though sweating and pale, John stood up.

Still cursing himself for doing this, James stood up and made his way toward the fireplace.

'Please be okay, John.' James thought desperately. Before he could reach the fireplace, however, someone tackled him to the ground. He fell and the mirror slipped out of his pocket.

"Use it to contact me while your with John." Sirius's voice rang through his head.

Taking a deep breath, he shouted into the mirror, "SIRIUS BLACK!"

Whether or not it worked, James couldn't find out. He tried to get up, but someone grabbed the back of his robes, making him face the person. James felt fear grip his heart. A Death Eater was holding James by the neck of his robes, his wand at James neck.

The Death Eaters hood fell off, showing the person underneath. James gasped in relief. He knew this guy, a friend of his Dad's.

"I'm glad you're here! Go help John, he needs it." James said, point to John who was losing control of the duel.

The man just put his wand to James neck with more force.

James eyes widened. "What are you doing?" he asked, fear in his voice.

Suddenly, he understood. Glaring at the man, he snarled, "I thought you were on our side! You joined the Dark side?"

With a mad glint in his eye, the man pulled James up so their faces were inches a part. The man put his mouth to James ear.

"Tell me," he whispered menacingly, "how does it feel to captured by the same man that murdered your father?"

A/N. Whoa, longest chapter I've ever written! Sorry I made it so long, I just couldn't stop writing. Anyways, hope you enjoyed, don't forget to leave a long nice review! Lol.

1)I'm not sure what Voldemort looked like during the First war. So I just made him look like he does in the Harry Potter series.

2)Yes, I'm horrible at naming placed. You'll have to forgive me!

This chapter took really long to do, sorry for the delay!

Love always,

Amour-Lily