Hey! I can't remember the last time I updated two days in a row....well, school's coming up soon so I want to give you guys as much chapters as possible. Thanks to:
Kari-Potter12- hey! Course Sirius made it! I could never kill him off....J.K. Rowling did that instead. cries Anyways, I hope you like this chapter!
MissBlueAngel- Woo, that was a high rating lol. Kay, I'll update five times a week if you do too! I love your story!
SassyAshley- Yay, I got a ten. Thanks a bunch. I hope you like it! As long as the reviews keep coming than I'll keep on writing!
I am falling down,
Try and stop me,
It feels so good to hit the ground,
You can watch me,
Fall right on my face,
It's an uphill human race,
and I am falling down
-Avril Lavigne's "Falling down"
Chapter 20 Aftermath Part 1
"James! Come on, get up! Wake up!"
James groaned.
"Yeah, that's right. Open your eyes, James!"
'Why?' James thought. 'There's no point. Can't I just stay in my dreams? It's so much nicer...'
Someone was hitting his face....
'Your not even safe in your dreams!'
James sat up after hearing the voice that haunted him and his forehead collided with Sirius. They both fell to the ground, clutching their heads.
"Glad your awake, Prongs." Remus said, putting a hand on his friend's back.
"Yeah...." Sirius muttered, while holding his head.
"Sirius!" James yelled, then shot up to his friend. He seemed to startle Sirius.
"The dagger....but you got hit! I thought you got left behind for sure!" James exclaimed.
Sirius suddenly winced in pain.
"Padfoot, are you okay?"
James noticed Sirius holding his side. James put his hand on Sirius's and moved his hand out of the way, only to see a bloody gash.
"He got me." Sirius stated, quite lamely.
"He would have been left behind, but Lily grabbed him just in time." Emma explained.
James looked around.
"Where are we?" he asked.
"Dumbledore's office. It's about time for dinner. He should be back soon." Lily said at once.
"Sirius, are you sure your okay?" Peter asked, because Sirius seemed to be going more pale as the seconds passed.
"I'm fine." He grunted, falling to his knees, his hands pressed tightly on his wound. The others were by him in a flash.
"Your not okay, Sirius." Lily replied.
Quite abruptly, they heard voices outside the door. Out of reflex, the six raised their wands.
"Albus, they should have been back by now! Not only is Potter missing, but neither Miss Evans, Miss Jungher, Black, Lupin, or Pettigrew were at dinner!"
"Stay calm, Minerva. If anything has happened, I have given John a Portkey incase anything were to happen."
"Then where are they?!"
"We will find out soon."
The doors to the office opened, Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall walked in. McGonagall was looking very frantic, while Dumbledore seemed to be expecting them. However, when he looked across the group, his eyes flashed alarmingly.
"Where is John?" he asked urgently, startling the group.
James sprung up from where he sat.
"Professor Dumbledore, we need to go back and get him!"
"Is he still back at the house?" Dumbledore asked, urgently.
"Yes! Well, no! He's in a cave, the Death Eaters—there were so many! We need to go get him!" James said loudly.
"James, I need you to stay calm. Tell me exactly what happened." Dumbledore told him.
James gave and impatient sigh, turned around, and swore. Lily gave him a worried look than plunged right into the story. It took her a total of five minutes—a huge waste of time in James opinion—to explain the whole story.
'While they're here talking John could be gone!' James thought impatiently.
After the story, Dumbledore looked at the. "I see. Well, you six were awfully brave. I will ask the five of you to escort Mr. Black to the Hospital Wing—" Sirius vomited on the floor. He was looking very green at this moment— "Madam Pomfrey will look over all of you to see what damage was done."
Remus and Peter helped pick Sirius up and headed toward the door, with Lily and Emma at their heels. James just stood there. McGonagall gave him a warning look, telling him to go. James just ignored her.
"What about John?" he asked, keeping his voice even.
"We will send a group of Aurors to search the forest. I will be able to pinpoint his location. He should be with you and your friends shortly." Dumbledore answered.
"But Professor, I want to-"
"Potter! You will accompany your peers to the Hospital Wing!" McGonagall snapped. She was looked pale and quite shaken by the story. On a softer note, she added, "I know you have been through a lot, Potter. There's nothing more you can do."
Giving one last glare around the room, James followed his friends. When the others were out, James reached for the doorknob. Before closing it, he looked back on his two Professors.
"You should know, Sam joined the Dark Side. We fought him. He claimed to have killed me father. I suggest you look into that." James said coldly, then slammed the door.
He didn't mean to be so cold, nor did he believe his father was dead. He just felt so angry about everything that had happened. The six made their way down to the Hospital Wing. The corridors were mostly empty since it was dinnertime. However, halfway to the wing, they ran into a group of a Marauders fan club, who screamed at the sight of the four boys, and while glaring at the two girls.
'Do we look that horrible?' James thought. Looking down at his clothes, he noticed they were covered in dirt and dust, while a part of his sleeve was torn.
The girls screamed and ran up to them.
"Oh, Sirius, what happened?" one wailed.
"You looked so hurt! Are you okay?"
"James, your face is all bloody! What happened to you?"
"Was it those nasty girls, James? Evans and Jungher? We can take care of them, if you like!"
One girls actually made to draw out her wand, but James grabbed the girl's arm forcefully.
"You won't hurt them. You won't go near them. If anything, they saved our lives. So you can go spread word that Lily and Emma aren't the cause of this. They'll also be hanging around us more often, so don't try anything." James said in a warning voice.
The girls looked frightened. There was no way they could do something after James Potter ordered them not to. The girls scrambled off, while James turned to his friends.
"Hate to ruin the moment...but I'm not feeling well." Sirius muttered. He vomited once more. Peter and Remus held him upright, though stood a little ways off.
James nodded. They made their way toward the wing. They walked in and Sirius began yelling.
"MADAM POMFREY!! MADAM POMFREY!!"
Remus and James put their hands over their ears from the yelling. Madam Pomfrey appeared, looking quite harassed.
"Oh, is it you six again? What is it this time?" she asked briskly, walking over to them.
"Another attack." James muttered, making a way over to a bed and sitting on it.
Madam Pomfrey seemed to turn white at his statement.
"I see. Set Mr. Black here. I'll get some potions and bandages then I need to check what damage was done." Madam Pomfrey walked up to her office.
The six sat down on some beds, staring. No words were spoken, none of comfort, reassurance. Just silence. Which was more than James could stand.
"Weird...isn't it?" Sirius grunted, while holding his side and hanging onto Emma for support, "Just a week ago we were in here. I honestly think Madam Pomfrey should assign us permanent beds."
The group laughed nervously. No one's heart was really in it.
'Good old Padfoot. Trying to lighten the mood.' James thought.
Awhile later, Madam Pomfrey came in, holding a potion.
"Mr. Black, I need you to drink this."
Sirius did as he was told, but made a sour face after swallowing.
"Now, lift up your shirt so I can bandage it."
Smiling cheekily, Sirius did as he was told. After she was done, she stood up, while pouring a potion into six different goblets.
"I need to check all of you to see the damage that was done. Miss Evans, would you like to be first? Lie down here." Pomfrey instructed.
Lily made to stand up and go over, but the doors opened with a bang. Dumbledore, Professor Johnson, and McGonagall all walked in, each looking as shaken as the next. James quickly stood up, along with Remus.
"Did you find any news?" James asked quickly.
Dumbledore sighed, looking grave.
'This isn't good.' James thought, his heart falling.
"Mr. Potter, perhaps you should sit down." Dumbledore started.
"I'll stand, thanks." James replied, coldly.
Dumbledore studied him for a moment, wondering how much more this boy could take. "Well," Dumbledore continued, "it seems that our Aurors....were too late."
James held his breath.
"We found where John was being held, only when we got there, he was gone. However, a black jacket was found-"
"It's mine." Emma volunteered.
Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, along with the Dark Mark on top of the cave."
"Wait a moment, you mean that green skull that usually appears after You-Know-Who k-kills someone?" Lily asked, getting quietly on the last two words. Dumbledore nodded gravely.
"No!" James yelled, standing up. "He can't be dead! They would have left the him there or...or something! He can't be gone! Go tell your Aurors to check the whole area! He could just be laying there....maybe he escaped-"
"Mr. Potter, our Aurors have checked everywhere. I'm sorry, he was nowhere to be found. However, we don't believe he is dead." McGonagall said, while a pang of hope filled up James insides.
"Professor Dumbledore....Sam told me....he said he k-killed my father." James said shakily.
Dumbledore looked in James eyes. "Unless we have proof, Mr. Potter, I would believe nothing coming from the mouth of a Death Eater." He said quietly.
James looked up at Dumbledore. Maybe there was some hope....
"Mr. Potter, I suggest we check you first to see the damage that was done." Professor Johnson suggested, making everyone jump.
'Why is he here?' James wondered. He nodded, however, and sat down on the bed Madam Pomfrey instructed him to. She handed him a potion, which he drank, and felt himself fall into a deep sleep.....
'You can't hide from me, Potter.' was the last thing James heard before falling......
Lily sat there, looking at James sadly. 'James, you've been through so much. I wish I could help you somehow-'
"Headmaster!" Pomfrey shrieked, making the others jump.
"Yes, Poppey?"
"It says here that an Unforgivable was used on him twice!"
"Do you know which one?"
"Yes, Headmaster. The Cruciatus."
The room was still after that.
'James...' Lily thought mournfully. 'Please hold on. You can't leave us yet. I know your hiding something, we all know it. Why else would there be so many attacks on your family? I wish you would tell me what was going on....'
After swearing to find out James Potter's secret, Lily leaned her head on Remus's shoulder, exhausted from the day.
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Love always,
Amour-Lily