Forbidden

Chapter one: It begins

Disclaimer: see the prologue

Please read: there will be some bloody scenes from time to time, but nothing too extreme. Also, this story is reviewer run. You review and you get an update, not too bad a deal if I say so myself. Sorry bout the wait, folks, real life has taken control over me and will continue to do so. Sorry! Thanx to all reviewers! I cannot reply, but rest assured I read and loved every one!

Bold James' thoughts Italics people in dream speaking and or thoughts. Underline Vision within dream.

"Lumos." A gentle light illuminated the circular room, is red and gold interior sparkling. Instruments of odd design and beautiful tapestries lined the walls, placed sporadically due to the many portraits hung along the walls. The artwork's occupants slept soundly, not even aware their was something important happening.

Am spacious mahogany desk sat at the far end, is shiny exterior bare except for a crumpled piece of yellowed parchment, spread across the workplace nearly end to end. It was old, over twenty years, but the black ink that shone on it with barely even a flicker of light, was as new looking as it had been when four teenage boys had created it.

Closer observation showed it to be a map, one that chronicled who so ever as took a step within Hogwarts walls. Very useful, for it never lied and never had been proved faulty. Sorrow-filled eyes watched as two tiny dots bearing the names Remus Lupin and Sirius Black left the castle and, out of range of their old map. The watcher's eyes closed in sadness, his heart thudding painfully. Extinguishing the light he touched his wand tip to the paper. "Mischief managed."

The paper immediately went blank, rolling itself up. Then it could have been any single piece of spare parchment instead of the one thing troublemakers all over the school searched for. Sweeping it off his desk and into a locked drawer, Albus Dumbledore collapsed back in his chair and stared off into the darkness in front of him.

What have I done? They never should have left here. Should I call them back? He let his head fall into his hands, Would they even listen to an old fool? Is it truly hopeless? Have we finally...lost? Dumbledore wasn't sure how long he sat there, certainly not long, but then again, it all felt the same anyway.

"Headmaster?" A new light blinked into existence near the door and Dumbledore turned to the new arrival. Black, greasy hair, beady eyes...

"Severus." He greeted, his voice listless.

"So they're gone." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. The headmaster blinked, something was wrong. As the potions teacher came further into the room, the light grew brighter until Dumbledore could see exactly what it was.

"SEVERUS!" He yelled, jumping from his seat.

"He told me to tell you," Snape looked down at his chest with a horrific fascination, "that he sends his greetings and those o-of-" With a small cry of pain, the ever resolute man collapsed to the floor, gasping. Dumbledore kneeled by his side, desperate to stop the bleeding that spurted forth from the gaping hole in the teacher's chest.

"Hang on, Severus. Do not speak." He snapped as the younger man tried to finish his sentence only to cough up blood. "Severus!" He cried, panicked. He had no way of closing this with magic!

"Of...H-Harry Potter..." He finished before losing consciousness even as his headmaster called for every teacher in the school.

However, only one thing revolved around Dumbledore's mind as he and the others frantically worked for Snape's life. He has Harry...he has Harry...HE HAS HARRY!

(())

"Lily! Quickly, up the stairs! Go! Get Harry!"

Harry stirred slightly in his sleep as his father turned toward Voldemort. What was going on? In his visions he always saw his mother die, and sometimes his father...But he couldn't remember if there was a time when he had actually heard what had went on in-between his father and the dark lord.

"So, Potter, prepared to submit to me yet?"

If I said yes, it might buy Lily and Harry some time... WHAT? Those weren't his thoughts...they were his, his father, James. So this was what he had thought as he stared down death. If I let him take me, no one else would get hurt. I could save them!

"I'm waiting, Potter."

Just do it, James. You can, you have the power to end this. Just submit and end this.

Harry bit back a sob. Those were his exact thoughts earlier, to give in, to let Voldemort take control. To end his miserable existence with a simple yes. Then, a flashback, one that was alien to Harry, made itself known.

" Prongs...Listen to me for once, all right?" There was Sirius, his younger face a mask of worry. "I want you to know, we will always be with you, right? That, whatever you're facing, we'd be there. We swore to never let anything happen to you, Moony and I. Come on, Prongs! We can't let him win, now can we?"

The boy who lived was crying softly by the time James was able to think clearly. No, we can't, can we, Padfoot? I swore to Lily that I would not let this snake get Harry. Or me. This one last thing I can do. For them.

"Choose." Came the hiss.

I have. "I would never bow to a snake like you, Voldemort!"

"Such a foolish decision, boy."

Harry Potter woke screaming, his head on fire.

(())

"Are you sure we are going the right way, Moony?" Sirius asked as they crouched down low outside a dilapidated building.

"Yes." Remus replied curtly, "That is where we need to go." His hand automatically snaked out and grabbed a hold of his friend and hauling him back down. "But first, we need to figure out what we are going to do."

"Get Harry!" Sirius was livid.

"Naturally." The werewolf muttered, "But maybe a course of action would be more appropriate then running in and dueling every deatheater in there-"

He was talking to air. Sirius was already gone, moving quickly toward the building. Swearing, Remus followed, wand gripped tightly. Apparently they were going with option B. Destroy everything and anything in their way. They were getting Harry out. Tonight.

(())

"Is he going to live?" McGonagall asked quietly as they stood by the hospital bed in which her fellow teacher lay. "Albus?"

Dumbledore sighed, rubbing at his eyes. "It is simply a matter of time, Minerva. There's no telling what Voldemort did to him." And to Harry...

"We have to rescue him."

"Doubtlessly Black and Lupin are already on it." He replied curtly, knowing exactly who it was she was referring to.

"Shouldn't be help them?" She whispered harshly, her eyes wide. "They cannot take on his stronghold alone!"

"Kingsley and Tonks as well as other members are already well on their way into creating a diversion to lure all the deatheaters away. After that, they plan to go help."

"Is this hopeless, Albus? Are we pursuing nothing but a fantasy?" Her voice was strained, lost, like a child. She had no idea what to think. None of them did.

The headmaster stayed silent as he watched the pale face of his spy twist in pain every minute or so. I honestly have no idea, Minerva. It is up to Harry, as it had always been.

Kay, the end. Now go and read something worth your time and make sure you report back in a review to tell me if you liked it or not! Get!