a/n: Ok, someone brought to my attention that two things in my last chapter were a bit confusing:
Yes, you CAN disapparate from Hogsmeade, like James and Lily did. However, you CANNOT disapparate from Hogwarts' campus.
Lily is the brightest WITCH of her age, and James is the brightest WIZARD of his age. So, basically, they are each the brightest of their gender.
I hope that clears things up for everyone!
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Suddenly, Lily and James apparated into an old, shabby telephone booth.
James stared at Lily in confusion. "What are we doing here? You just randomly decided to go to a fellytone booth?"
Lily rolled her eyes. "Telephone booth, Potter. Now shut up!" She quickly dialed 6-2-4-4-2. Suddenly, a woman's voice filled the telephone booth.
"Hello, and welcome. Please state your name and business," chirped the woman in a false, cheery tone.
"James Potter and Lily Evans. We're visitors," said Lily quickly, getting very impatient. Two silver badges slipped out of the coin deposit. Lily quickly handed James his badge.
"Thank you, and welcome. Please go to the security desk to be searched. Please enjoy your visit!" said the woman again. The telephone booth quickly descended into a mahogany paneled entrance hall, with a highly polished, dark wood floor. On each side, there were dozens of fireplaces, connected to the Floo Network. In the middle of the Entrance Hall was a golden fountain of magical creatures. They were in the Ministry of Magic.
James stared at Lily in alarm. "How did you – where did you – what did you – How did you know how to get here?" he asked her, astonished.
"I was at Paige's house over the summer. Her dad works in the Department of Magical Transport, and he said we could visit him at work. So we did. Let's keep moving, alright, Potter? And don't do anything!" she snapped.
"But why are we here-"
"SHUT UP! THEY'LL HEAR US, YOU IDIOT!"
"Who will?"
"POTTER!"
They walked past the security desk, where the man behind it looked like he was sleeping. For some reason, Lily had the feeling he wasn't. They headed towards the elevator. The doors silently opened, and they stepped inside, James determinedly keeping his mouth shut.
"Department Two – Magical Law Enforcement," sang the telephone woman's voice as the elevator moved up progressively.
James glanced at Lily nervously. "So…er…you really should tell me where we're going so I can be prepared for whatever it is."
Lily's face remained determinedly straight. "You'll find out soon enough, Potter. Might want to keep your wand out, mind you."
James stared at her in alarm. Oh God. She IS taking us somewhere to be killed. And they say she's the smartest girl in our year! He quickly pulled out his wand and brandished it in front of him like a sword. Lily suppressed a laugh as she pulled out her own wand.
"Department Seven – Department of Magical Games and Sports," cooed the woman. James' eyes widened in interest, and he started walking out of the elevator, seemingly in a trance.
"Quidditch. Loads of quidditch in here," he said, amazed.
Lily laughed and pulled him back into the elevator. "That's not where we're going, you prat," she smiled wryly. James glared at her, angry he wasn't allowed to inspect the Department of Magical Games and Sports. Lily sighed, and frowned. "Listen, Potter. We're…er…in a lot of danger right now. So…so, if you see me getting hurt or something, drop your usual hero act, and save yourself, alright? You don't have to protect me all the time. I'm a big girl."
James narrowed his eyes. "No. Not going to happen. Whatever happens, we're both going home alive. We'll get through it together. Team?"
Lily sighed. "Fine. We're a team," she said, remembering Dumbledore's words earlier that day. James smiled at her, his wand still out in front of him. He was prepared for anything that came at him.
"Level Nine – Department of Mysteries," sang the voice again. Lily took a deep breath and exited the elevator, motioning James to follow.
James stared at her with alarm. "WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DOING IN THE DAMNED DEPARTMENT OF MYSTERIES?" he shouted at her.
She glared at him. "SHUT UP! THEY'LL HEAR US!"
"For the last time, WHO will hear us?"
"SHUT UP!" she shouted again. James glared at her, very confused. They walked down the long corridor in silence. Suddenly they stepped into a large, circular room, with a dozen doors set around the walls. It was so dark, Lily and James could hardly see where they were walking. The room was only lit with torches.
"lumos," they whispered in unison. Their wands provided them with enough light so that they could see a few feet ahead of them, but not much more.
"So where do we go now?" James asked Lily nervously.
Lily looked around the room helplessly. "I – I don't know," she muttered. "They've got to be here somewhere…"
James gazed at her curiously. "Well, which door should we try first?" he asked.
Lily quickly walked over to the door directly across from them. She tried to unlock the door. It wouldn't open. "Potter! Come here! It won't open!" James walked over, and cast a variety of spells at the door. It still would not budge.
"Well, I suppose we'll just mark this one off," Lily said, making a yellow slash over the door. She walked over to the next door, and miraculously, it opened. They walked inside together, their wands at the ready. Inside, brains were floating around a strange green liquid.
"Well, isn't this a happy place!" James exclaimed sarcastically, stepping closer to examine the brains.
"Don't get too close, Potter! We don't know what they could do to us!" Lily shouted nervously. She looked around the room. They seemed to be all alone. She sighed. "Come on, let's get out of here. This isn't the right room." They exited the room and closed the door quietly. Suddenly, the walls started spinning around.
Lily scowled. "Well, isn't this just wonderful? Now how are we going to figure out where they are?"
"Where who are?" James asked gently.
"Later, Potter. Let's just try to find them first." She walked over to another door, and opened it. Inside was shelf upon shelf of silvery clear orbs. The prophecy room. She frowned in disappointment. "It's not this room, either, Potter," she called out to James. She quickly marked off the door before the room started spinning once more.
James curiously opened the next door. Inside was a large black veil and archway, located on a raised platform. The black veil had a beautiful, elegant, fluttering sensation. James walked over to it curiously.
"POTTER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Lily grabbed his shoulder, stopping him before he completely entered the room.
James continued to look at the veil. "But…I just want to see what it does!" he looked at Lily eagerly. "Pleeeeeease?" he asked her.
Lily rolled her eyes. "Alright. I suppose its ok, as long as we stay a healthy distance away. No one is in here, anyway, so we're safe." They crept closer to the veil, careful to stay at a safe distance. Lily stopped in surprise. "Potter? Do you…do you hear…voices coming from in there?" she pointed at the veil.
James narrowed his eyes at her concernedly. "Erm…no. Are you okay, Evans?" he asked her, ruffling his hair nervously.
She sighed. She was certain she could hear voices from inside the veil. "Yeah, I'm alright. It's just…people are in there!" She stepped up on the dais and reached out a hand to the veil curiously, prepared to pull it back. Suddenly, James hoisted her off the dais and ran, still carrying her, to the other area of the room, hiding them in a dark shadow.
"POTTER! What did you do that for?" she asked him angrily.
He rolled his eyes at her. "First off, that veil looks extremely suspicious to me. Could've killed you, for all we know! The way it only talks to certain people, like it's calling out to them-" he shivered. "It's just not right. Second, we have visitors." He pointed to the other side of the room, where about five adults were entering. Four of them seemed to follow what must have been the leader. This man was very tall, with glistening red eyes that formed tiny slits. His nose was stunningly flat – it made him look almost snakelike in appearance. He had long, billowing robes, that nearly covered his bony, spindly fingers. The man was Tom Riddle, who was quickly becoming known as Lord Voldemort.
Lily gasped. "I think that's him," she breathed. "That's – that's you-know-who!"
James stared at her in alarm, then glared at her. "Oh. Great. Just wonderful. Let's all have a party! Then, as his personal gift to us, he can BLOW US TO SMITHEREENS!"
Lily narrowed her eyes at him. "Shut up. He's the one who's going to die tonight. He's finally here! I've been waiting ever since we got here-"
"EXPLAIN! NOW!" James interrupted her. "You knew he was going to be here? And – and – you took us here anyway? Are you bloody mad? HE'S A KILLER, EVANS, YOU IDIOT! Great job. Now we're most certainly going to die!"
Lily glared at him, then sniffed. "HE KILLED MY PARENTS, DAMN IT! AND YOU EXPECT ME TO JUST SIT AT HOGWARTS AND TAKE THAT? NO! I'M GOING TO KILL HIM, POTTER! HE DESERVES IT-" James quickly clamped his hand over Lily's mouth, staring across the room anxiously. Luckily, it was a large room, so they hadn't heard Lily.
"EVANS! Shut up. Right now. You can't kill him! You're no match for him! Plus, he's got a couple of his cronies! No way are we going to be able to fight them all! We've got to sneak gently through-"
Suddenly, Voldemort started talking to his Death Eaters. "Ah, my friends. Thank you for accompanying me on this important mission. You see this veil, here? It is an extraordinary weapon. It can kill mass numbers of people at one time. They simply have to fall through the veil-" James gave Lily a significant, "I told you so," look. She glared at him. "And they're dead!" Voldemort continued. "This will be a great and significant turn of events for us, my friends. We will yield even more power, and soon witches and wizards around the world will fear my name!" Suddenly he turned to one of his Death Eaters. "KARKAROFF! What do you mean this is a stupid idea? Yes, I am a Legilimens, you filth! Get those betraying thoughts out of your mind, Karkaroff! Perhaps I should give you a lesson," Voldemort grinned evilly. Suddenly, Karkaroff was hurled to the floor in pain, recoiling and twitching, letting out a bloodcurdling scream. As quickly as it had started, the pain stopped. Voldemort smiled nastily. "Yes, yes. That was painful, was it not? And to think, that was a mere few seconds of torture! Put one more toe out of line, Karkaroff, and you will get just what those mudblood Evans' received! Now, back to the reason we're here. We must figure out a way to get this veil out of the Ministry. If only there weren't so many spells placed upon it-" Suddenly, Voldemort silenced. He looked around the entire room for what seemed like hours to James and Lily. His eyes suddenly rested on them, and a twisted smile appeared on his face.
"Ah, I see we have visitors!" Voldemort exclaimed in evil excitement. "You two! Step forward! Yes, I am talking to you! COME TO ME! NOW!" he ordered shrilly. James and Lily took deep breaths, then stepped out of the shadows together.