Fred Weasley- Hogwarts
The day had been a dull one. Thankfully, Transfiguration had been cancelled. But that was the one highlight of the day. It didn't help, Fred thought moodily, that James had skipped all of his classes. Fred had already searched Hagrid's, the Lake and the Quidditch pitch. But he hadn't found his pesky cousin. He didn't mind him skipping, Merlin knows he skipped his fair amount of lessons; he just wished James had told him so he could have bunked as well.
"He'll be off snogging Higgs," Dan said cheerfully from beside him as they walked towards the great hall for tea. "He will probably in the Great Hall already."
"He's not supposed to be doing that anymore," Fred pointed out, "sneaking off without telling us."
"He's a grown bloke!" Dan laughed, "and he's worked bloody hard this year, he's, like, top of the class in everything."
"It's like he's a different person," Fred said with no heat. They were nearly at the Great Hall now.
"Look, Fred," Dan said sharply, grabbing his shoulder firmly to pull him to a stop. Their eyes met, Dan's were, not unkind, but sharp as he spoke in a low voice. "We are damn lucky he's speaking to us, luckier still that he's back to his old self-"
"I know," he said more harshly than he'd intended, he stopped, purposefully relaxing himself as he spoke, "I'm grateful, I am, I was really worried about him- but that doesn't mean he can go off on one again."
Dean started to reply but stopped when a voice echoed out over the hall.
"Weasley! Thomas!" Cried a voice, he swung around, it was Higgs, James' Higgs.
"Higgs," he greeted at the same time Dan said, "Alison."
"Have you- have you seen James?" She said desperately, looking around them as though they were hiding him beneath their robes . As she came closer Fred couldn't help but notice her torn robes and the bruise blossoming on her cheek.
"Jeez, Higgs, you alright?" He asked in horror, she looked like she'd been in a fight, and he felt a rush of anger raise up inside like a flame.
"No time for that! James?" she was brisk, seemingly unconcerned about the state of her robes and face.
"We haven't seen him since breakfast," Dan said kindly. Two more joined their group, Maddy and Aalaa had come down the stairs and were eager to join the conversation.
"James wasn't in class all day," Aalaa said, "he even wasn't in Charms- Flitwick was very surprised."
"So," Fred said in trepidation, "no one has seen him since he ran out of breakfast," he looked around them, they all shook their heads. He had an awful feeling.
Alison gulped, "My brother- my brother is part of that group," she gasped, tears welling in her eyes.
"I knew it!" Fred couldn't help but exclaim in anger.
"Now isn't the time, Fred," Maddy said angrily, putting her arm around Alison and glaring at him reproachfully, causing whatever speech Fred was about to make die in his throat. "Did he attack you?"
"He wouldn't let me leave- something bad is going to happen, I know it."
"And James," Fred said sickly, "they want James." They all gulped, "I don't normally say this, but we need to tell a teacher, we've got to tell someone- now."
"Come on, Professor Longbottom will be in the hall, he'll know what to do!" Dan said, pulling Aalaa with him as they ran into the Great Hall that was already packed with students. They scanned the teachers table, only Sinistra was there, staring into her plate.
"He'll be here soon," Aalaa said desperately. They all debated without words going to Sinistra, before shaking their heads.
"I've got an awful feeling," Alison said, looking towards the Slytherin table and the grinning face of Harper and her brother. "This is all wrong," she looked towards the Gryffindor table, to Albus sitting with Scorpius, and Lily, with Hugo. Merlin, if anything had happened to James, she would die before she let anything happen to them. She owed that much to James.
Oh Merlin, please let James be okay.
They remained standing in the centre of the hall, slowly drawing the eyes of every student. The doors clanked behind them, banging shut. The echoing finality of the bolt being thrown.
"Not good," Fred said in horror.
"Not good," Maddy agreed.
"Professor!" Dan cried running towards the Headmistress, "Professor, we are in danger, we are all in danger!" The hall stirred, an unease spreading across the room, rippling like a pebble thrown into a still pond.. Some people stood, shouting, a couple tried to force the great hall's doors. There were screams, sobs rising now. Fred could barely stand it, the despair filling the room as if a hundred dementors had swooped in and sucked out all the happiness in the world.
"SILENCE," a voice bellowed suddenly from the door at the left hand side of the hall. It was Professor Cleese, with a flick of her wand the voices dimmed, another flick had them all forced back down into their seats. Even those who had tried to force the doors crumbled to the floor. Fred, Maddy, Dan, Aalaa and Alison remained the only ones standing; alone and afraid.
"Professor, we are in danger! We've got to get the aurors!" Fred yelled out in desperation. He knew, somewhere in his head, that she would not help, known from the second she'd entered the hall with the sick smile upon her face.
Another flick rendered him mute. "Come on in, Lupin," she smiled, her lips curling back on her teeth. To the students' horror, James was dragged to the front of the hall by Ted Lupin. There were gasps, a moan of shock.
"Jim!" Lily called in desperation, half standing from her seat. Her small form trembled but whether it was with fear or anger Fred couldn't tell.
"No!" Albus yelled trying to stand, Scorpius forced him back down helped by Rose, his own face paler than milk.
"Evil bitch," Maddy murmured under her breath, a snarl rising on her lips.
"As you can see, there is no need for the aurors, we have one just here," and she traced Ted's cheek as he blankly stared at nothing.
But they couldn't pay attention to Ted, to Cleese or to anyone else. Everyone's eyes were drawn to James. He stood, supported only by Ted's fist in his robe, his head hung forward limply, but they could still see the blood that slowly splattered from his head onto the floor.
Fred's mouth worked furiously, but the silencing spell still held. "You won't get away with this," Alison said, stepping forward and drawing her wand from her torn sleeve.
"And how are you, a seventeen year old, going to stop me?"
"Harry Potter killed Voldemort when he was my age," Dan said in fury, "and there are a lot more of us than there are of you!"
James stirred in Ted's grip. James' eyes rose to meet his and he saw the steely determination there. Fred inclined his head slightly: he was ready.
Cleese didn't bother with replying, she instead looked towards her watch. The door banged open again and three more wizards stepped in. Fred felt rather than heard Alison's gasp. Then, three more people stood up from the Slytherin table and joined the others at the front.
"See, I am not alone."
"She'll kill him," Alison whispered into his ear, "she's going to kill him." Whatever worries he'd had about her were gone, her face was alight with fear and courage and Fred knew this was what James had seen in her all along. He felt the urge to apologise, even in these circumstances, he'd been so blinded by his own stupidity.
She twitched her wand at his throat lifting the silencing charm with ease.
"And as soon as she's killed him, she'll kill Albus, and Lily." There were tears in her eyes as she spoke and his own heart lurched at the sight of his terrified cousins.
"No she won't," Fred muttered. He felt in his pocket, moving slowly. They hadn't disarmed them yet, probably didn't see the point. But that wouldn't last. They had moments, moments until they would all be dead. Moments until James' frozen body would hit the ground.
"Ready, Dan?"
"Ready," came the grim reply. The group tensed, ready, waiting.
"Now," Fred whispered. He threw the decoy detonators from his pocket, they exploded with a deafening 'bang' spreading instant darkness powder along the front table. Dan lunged forwards, racing up to where James had disappeared and dodging spells with the reflexes of a seeker.
Dan disappeared for only a second, there was a thump and a cry, and he dragged James away, just as Maddy lit the leftover fireworks from the antechamber, sending them directly at the dark cloud and the people groping in it. James staggered into Alison and she and Aalaa caught him, bearing his weight as his knees gave way. The students were standing again.
Fred took his stance in front of James. He squared his shoulders, his wand drawn. He felt rather than heard Dan join him. Then Maddy. All around him people were moving, everyone drawing their wands. Some diving for cover under the tables. older students were pushing the younger ones back, becoming human shields for their younger classmates. The Slytherin Head Girl, Kelly Stevens, stood upon the table, wand aloft with fury in her eyes.
Louis Weasley was herding first and second years to the back of the hall like a drill sergeant, as if this was in the training manual. Albus and Scorpius and Rose and Alexis side-by-side. Lily and Hugo, ignoring their prefects and standing stock still, eyes trained on the front. Everyone held their breath. They knew the end was near.
They only had moments left, moments until the darkness cleared, and when it did, there would be no escaping. The doors remained shut. The students remained trapped. The second the ruckus ended, they'd all be dead.
Ministry of Magic- Head Auror Harry James Potter
He had barely reentered his office before Fletcher, Head of the Hit Wizards came barrelling in. Harry observed him steadily, taking in the red face, the sweat that dripped down the large man's face.
"Fletch," he said.
"We've lost contact with Hogwarts, the last check-in should have been four thirty, we waited half an hour and messaged them- no response."
Harry froze. The room closed in on itself, becoming dark and dank, he couldn't see anything but the darkness of fear as his stomach bottomed out.
"When was last check in?" He thought he'd managed to keep his voice even, but knew he had failed from Fletcher's expression.
"3pm, on schedule- nothing to report," he said breathlessly. A large pudgy hand wiped at his brow. "It gets worse, sir, I tried to firecall them- but the floo has been cut off."
Harry's stomach lurched far more violently. He knew, from the effort he himself had put into rebuilding Hogwarts and securing the defences, that only the Headmistress of Hogwarts could seal off the floo.
Which meant Sinistra was on their side.
"Hogwarts has fallen," he said dumbly. Hogwarts was in the enemy's hands; their children, all their children were in danger. He had to push it aside, focus, he couldn't think of his children, his nieces and nephews, he had to be an Auror, not a Father.
"Full alert. Now," he cried, rushing into the Auror office with a panting Fletcher directly behind him. "Hogwarts has fallen," he said, trying for calm but somewhat failing. The eyes of the aurors met his in shock, horror and disbelief. 'Not Hogwarts' their eyes screamed just as his own insides did. "Wright, Spinnet, Applebee, I need eyes on Hogwarts, we need a command centre set up in Hogesmede; Jordan, Jarvis, Turner and Tuxford, I need you to get me a way inside- anything. We need to raise them for hostage negotiations- where the fuck is Ron?" He said spinning on his heel, scanning the open office for a flash of red, before he could get an answer, however, he was interrupted.
A shot of light entered the room, pulsating under the artificial light. A few people shrieked, more drew their wands. The light expanded and then exploded, pixelating to form a picture.
Harry gasped.
The picture formed slowly, but he knew it was James from the first flash of black hair. His straight nose formed before their eyes and the rest of his son's achingly familiar face did so too. He could feel the stirring and muttering around him; they'd all recognised his son. It was a few seconds on loop, his son's eyes staring balefully at him, blood dripping from a gash on his face, his robes dirtied and torn.
Even in the six seconds, he could feel the anger, desperation and bravery rolling off his boy. He was not crying, nor fearful. He looked every inch of the man Harry had known he would one day become. Harry's throat was clogged with tears; he could not speak or cry if he wanted to.
"We have your son, Mr Potter. Reenact Law 26.31 by daybreak or you will be collecting your eldest bit by bit.
You have been warned."
"Mother-fucker," Ron swore loudly and vehemently. Seemingly appearing from nowhere. Harry did not react. There was nothing in him left to do so. "So that's the gameplan, is it?" Ron swore again furiously, the strong of words falling off his tongue with practised ease.
"Get Hermione on law 26.31, we need to know what the bastards want," Harry croaked. He didn't wait to see who jumped to obey his order.
"Freya," he yelled, pushing down the part of him that was screaming. The part of him that wanted to curl up in a corner and cry and scream. "I need the command centre in less than ten minutes. Fletcher, we need all available Hit Wizards. Get in position people, we've got cockroaches to stamp on."
James Potter II -Hogwarts Great Hall
Time is a tricky thing. James couldn't help but wonder how the seconds were seeming to drag from eternity to eternity as his blood slowly dripped from his face to the floor. He could hear the ruckus, the cries and disorder. But it seemed far,far away. All he could feel was a strong arm supporting him.
He felt drained beyond belief. The screams and shouts were still distant but they still bit at his ears. He wanted to hold his ears closed, shut his eyes, and pretend none of this was happening.
But it was happening.
He felt a rush around him as suddenly everything came into jarring focus. Aalaa and Alison were holding him. Everyone was panicked and screaming. They had only moments.
There were more of them. But they were just kids. No one was strong enough to take on such powerful wizards. And if they did, they'd surely die.
Hogwarts had fallen. Everyone would die or be held until they decided they could go. Every eleven year old child, no matter what house. Everyone in this room.
Hogwarts had fallen.
James let himself sag out of their arms, determined to get his feet under him and stand strong. He gathered himself, staring into the stone floor as he pushed past his confusion, anger, uncertainty and fear. He blocked everything out but the stone flag in front of him. It wasn't just any stone flag, though, it was engraved, James squinted at it, leaning forward on shaky knees. It was worn by the thousands of shuffling feet, eroded by the years of students. But James knew what it was- The Hogwarts Crest. Badger and Lion, Serpent and Raven. Together joined by their crest and motto. He couldn't help but touch it.
What was it his father had always said?
He squinted, ignoring Aalaa's hand that was desperately trying to pull him to his feet.
Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it.
Well, he was fucking asking. "Help ," he murmured quietly, but not quiet enough to not terrify Aalaa who was still pulling at him. He battered her away.
Maybe he was thinking too narrowly? His dad had been given the sword when his mother was in great danger. But he was in danger now.
"Help," he said again in desperation. The blackness was starting to fade. They'd have him soon. He couldn't even defend himself, he didn't have his wand.
Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who deserve it.
He planted his hand on the crest. "Help us," he begged, "your students are in danger; we are all going to die- help us!"
Nothing happened. His knees gave way, he collapsed onto the ground in fear. The smoke was clear, they were fighting their way towards him. He needed to get Albus, Lily and everyone else out…
He staggered to his feet, his fist raised. It was then the light exploded from the stone beneath them. It was bright, blinding but ever so warm and comforting. He gasped and he wasn't the only one. Everyone froze, Cleese and her gang of buffoons, Fred and his gang of fighters and the rest of the students. It spread out slowly enveloping the house tables in its comfort and safety, surrounding them and forming a wall. James knew, without knowing how, that the wall would be impervious to spells and curses. It would save them all. Hogwarts would save them all.
Cleese screamed in anger as the wall formed. The students stared in shock. James glanced at the floor and jumped back in surprise. The tile he had touched was wiggling its way out of its spot, jumping to the side, the tiles next to it started wiggling and jumping too making a staircase that disappeared beneath their feet.
Hogwarts was giving them a place of safety.
"This will not last forever, boy," a voice said suddenly from beside him. He jumped in shock at the ghost-like figure beside him. He was pale and translucent, but he held a wand in his hand. A twisting serpent formed an emblem on his chest.
"Slytherin?"
"Aye, who else would I be?" He muttered.
"Leave the boy alone, Salazar," a woman said reproachfully. He could tell her skin was darker than the man's even in her ghost-like state. She was firm looking and on her chest was a badger.
"Hufflepuff?" He said wonderingly.
"Look, we don't have forever- use the staircase to evacuate. You'll be safe there," a third voice- Gryffindor- said firmly. James shook his head, wondering, along with everyone else in the hall, if these were panic-caused mirages. When his head stopped wobbling, they were still there.
"We will fight them off," a second woman said, standing as tall as the men. "It is our duty to our school and students; now you must do yours." With that she, and the other three, swept forward, their ghost-like bodies absorbing curses as they stepped out of the enchanted barrier.
"What in Merlin's name was that?" Fred said in utter bewilderment.
"We have to get everyone out- Louis!" James cried, attracting the attention of the Head Boy who was comforting a crying first-year. Louis sprinted over, wand aloft. "We have to evacuate everyone into the basement- it should seal off and you'll be safe until the aurors arrive."
"We will have to be quick," Louis said grimly. "I can't see that barrier holding forever." They all glanced at the crackling barrier. "OI! Kelly! Stevens!" Louis yelled towards the Head Girl, who was still standing ready on the Slytherin table. "We need to evacuate."
So they, and the prefects, quickly organised the terrified students, leading them down the dark, dusty staircase into what was their only chance of safety. James pulled the others aside firmly, keeping his eyes on the founders, the barriers, and the terrorists.
"Even if we evacuate, we can't get out and the aurors can't get in. They've closed off the wards," he said shortly and urgently.
"So, we are trapped?" Alison said in horror. She glanced at the first years that were being herded into the staircase and the depths below.
"We are sitting ducks here," Maddy said, shaking her head.
"Even if we all escape, they can starve us out- those wards will last as long as they want them to," Dan said in fury.
"Exactly," James said, looking around to make sure no one was listening. "They've got Professor Longbottom in the dungeon, and Zabini. Longbottom could reverse the wards."
"You want to go and get them out," Aalaa said in horror.
"We will have to fight our way out of here," Fred said nodding around the room. James winced and nodded. He'd known as soon as he'd realised the solution that it would involve him, a seventeen year old wizard, fighting his way out of the Great Hall. Except, and not that he'd tell them, he didn't have his wand.
"James, it's too risky," Alison said. Her eyes were filled with tears, but she wouldn't let them fall. "This is real James. Not pretend. We could all die. You could die."
The rest all blanched, as if they were only just realising just how serious this all was.
"I know," James said without heat. "But if I don't, we all die."
"My wands in," said Fred in uncharacteristic seriousness. "My life too."
"I'm with you," Maddy said firmly, her eyes meeting James' in fiery determination. "Till the end of the line." Both their lips quirked at the reference despite the seriousness.
"For Merlin's sake," Dan said. "In."
"In," Aalaa nodded, gritting her teeth.
"I've lost my brother and father today," Alison said sadly. "I won't lose anyone else- of course I'm in."
"Once the barrier fails and everyone has evacuated we will have to get out of here, we can blast our way out if we need to," James said.
The others shared a look. "We can distract them, Jimmy, you focus on getting those wards down," Fred said while the others nodded their agreement. Horror pushed down on James. It was alright when he was the one offering to fight, but the thought of leaving them while he escaped to get help was awful.
"No," Alison said, cutting off any argument. "Don't think we haven't realised you haven't got your wand."
"Ted has it," James said sickly, not wanting to explain what had happened earlier. He looked at the front, the barrage of curses, but he couldn't see Ted.
"Jimmy!" A voice cried, a body slamming into his back. Lily.
"Lily-pie," James said thickly, pulling her into a loose hug. "You need to evacuate, now, we haven't got time-"
"Not without you," Albus said stonily, appearing out of nowhere at James' side.
"Yes without me. You need to look after them, Al, you're a prefect."
"Bullshit, James. Get your ass down that staircase. All of you."
"We can't," Alison said softly. "If we had a choice, we would. I'm sorry." Albus and Lily seemed to sag at her words trusting her to tell them the truth. They knew that Alison would not risk her life and the others' without cause.
"Be careful," Albus said thickly, gripping onto Lily.
"Always," James said quirking his lip. "But take this," he said, taking off the moleskin bag from around his neck. "Dad gave it me, there's a mirror inside, you can call Dad- tell him we are going to take down the wards. That you're safe." Albus took it and gripped it tightly before nodding and placing it around his neck. "Go," he said.
"Wait," said Lily with determination. "You don't have a wand." It wasn't a question and James did not want them to know that his only weapon, the only thing that could save his life was gone. He said nothing. Lily inclined her head slightly before drawing her wand. "Have mine," she said.
"You need it," James said.
"You need it more." She forced it into his hand and gave him a sad smile before grasping Albus' hand and leading them down the staircase. Only Louis and Kelly remained now. Kelly nodded at James and disappeared down the staircase.
"Come on, Jim," Louis said jerking his head. "The wards will break soon."
"We aren't coming. We've got a job to do," James said firmly, leaving no room for argument. Louis flinched but didn't try to change their minds.
"I'll help."
"No," Fred said forcefully. "The kids need you, they need you down there."
Louis nodded, accepting the truth in Fred's words. "Don't die."
He disappeared down the staircase, tapping the top as he went. The stones wriggled and jumped before falling back into their normal positions. Sealing the room below. It was then the wards shattered like glass, sprinkling the floor with the glitter as it collapsed with a loud shriek. They fanned out, bracing themselves.
"Aalaa, Alison- get those doors open," James barked. The two jumped in shock before sprinting to the doors, their wands already twirling as they ran. The others squared their shoulders.
They stood, side-by-side, ready to die to protect their school.
James' hand was slippery as he tightly gripped Lily's wand. It felt unfamiliar and strange in his hand, like it wasn't sure about him. To be fair, he wasn't too sure about it either.
"Potter!" Cleese snarled furiously. Ted had disappeared from the hall. As had two others. Only Cleese, Sinistra (who was staring through the window), Higgs and his two goons, were left.
Cleese strode forward and slashed her wand down towards James, James tensed, but, Fred stepped forward, twirling his wand as he shielded. The stillness broke. Spells exploded. Maddy levitated the house table as a battering ram against Cleese, Fred ducked a bench and flames shot by the ugliest goon. Higgs snarled and stepped towards James.
"You're going to die, Potty." James rolled his eyes and yelled:
"Stupefy," Higgs barely blinked. He blocked the curse.
"Really, Potter?" His own wand twitched and black smoke erupted out of it, swirling and twisting as it raced towards him. James dove to the floor, one hand over his mouth, the other sending a blast of air into the smoke, dispersing it. He rolled to his feet, sending another curse volleying back.
Meanwhile, Aalaa and Alison fruitlessly tried to open the door. Nothing would make it budge. "I don't know anything that could move it," Aalaa half sobbed, her hijab dust covered and unravelling.
Alison sent another charm at it. It didn't move.
"Hurry up!" Fred yelped.
"We can't move it!" Alison screamed.
"Blast the frigging wall down!" Maddy yelled.
They looked at each other dumbly. Then turned. They blasted the wall beside the door. The brick, the paintings exploded violently. They blasted it again, and again, until the hole was big enough for them to shove a centaur through.
"James! Now!" Alison yelled. James fell to the floor, ducking a green curse that blistered the ground. "Oh no you didn't," Alison screeched running forward towards her brother. "Go James!"
James span to his feet. He looked around the devastation. The hall in tatters. Fred blasted to the ground, Maddy screaming as she ran to defend him. Aalaa stunning a goon from behind. Dan bleeding from his arm as he stunned the other goon.
"James go! Else we will all be dead!" Alison yelled again. She was fighting her brother, James stepped forward again to help. "Go!"
This time, he did.
He sprinted through the hole in the wall and towards the dungeons. He passed no one on his way. The castle was silent and deserted. He needed to get to Longbottom.
Without warning, He was blown backwards, head over heel, into the ground. He landed heavily on his side. He coughed, tasting copper. He laid in confusion. His wand skittering across the stone floor.
"Not so fast, sunny," a man with yellow teeth said, stepping out of the shadows. He was tall, and bore a resemblance to Alison.
"Higgs".
"Well done, Potter, you aren't that stupid, after all."
"You were behind it all along?" James said, one hand holding his aching ribs.
"I was a part of it," he said bitterly. "Letting you get close to my daughter, however, was not my idea."
"Alison is ten times the person you could ever be," James said confidently, trying to feel for Lilly's wand- knowing that his time was running out..
"My daughter is a coward, and a traitor. But, I will deal with her later."
"She will never agree with any of this, she's not like you."
"Then she'll die."
James sucked in a breath, his hand had found his wand.
"What you thought I'd let her live after what she's done?"
"I don't think you'll have a choice," James said firmly.
"Wha-" but he couldn't finish, James blasted him back, sending him tumbling wildly down the steep steps to the dungeon. He landed at the base with a crunch and silence.
"Oh, Merlin," James breathed, he wiped at his face, his eyes, with the corner of his shaking robe. "Merlin," he gasped looking at the fallen body of his foe. Had he killed him? Bile rose up and he clutched his wand even tighter in his shaking hand.
He walked down the steps, his wand still aloft. 'Never assume your opponent is down, make sure they are," Ali would say.
He reached the bottom step and used his toe to edge the man over, so he could see his face. Blood pooled around his head, his eyes closed. James felt his own eyes squeeze close. His eyes burnt hotly. He hadn't had a choice… It had been self defence…
"You're going to die, sonny," the not-so-dead man cried, grabbing hold of James' foot, yanking him to the hard, cool ground. Higgs raised himself up onto his knees, dragging a kicking and squirming James nose to nose. The man's hand held him by the throat as James scrambled desperately. Higg's wild eyes were glazed and James felt him raise his wand.
"Stupefy," James gasped. The red light hit him in the chest sending him sprawling back to the ground. James gasped, falling back onto his bottom, "incarceus," he muttered, tying the man up. He pocketed the man's wand and moved on, determined not to look back.
Get to the dungeons. Find Longbottom. Take down the wards. Find his friends. Go home.
Hope everyone is still alive.
His breath kept catching in his throat, he was at the dungeons now. All he had to do was find Longbottom and hand over responsibility to him. Let him save everyone. Go home, climb into bed, pull up the duvet and pretend this day never happened.
His sweaty hand clenched around the trembling wand. The door to the dungeon loomed in front of him. With a shaking hand, he pushed the creaking door open and stepped inside.
He knew, from his frequent nighttime wanderings, the rooms which they used to hold people were just ahead. Just round the corner, and he'd done it. His friend's sacrifice wouldn't be in vain. He stepped forward.
A figure emerged from the gloom, hair a mousey brown colour, his face pinched and thin. James let out a breath. Ted. The man across from him looked like his god-brother, but he knew it wasn't Teddy at the wheel.
"Not so fast, Potter," he called hoarsely, James noticed that his entire body was trembling. His eyes were glassy andJames' stomach leapt up.
"Teddy, let me pass." Behind Teddy was the room that contained Zabini and Neville. He had to get them to stop Cleese. Teddy was in the way.
James stood no chance.
He couldn't run though. He couldn't escape and leave the school in the Non-Conformites hands. It was do or die, and Teddy could most definitely kill him.
James inched forward, and Ted's wand raised.
James halted, swaying on the spot in indecision. "Ted, please, we have to let out Neville so he can free the wards."
"I will kill you."
James steeled himself, but a faith rose up in him. Across from him was the brother that had nursed his wounds, taught him to fly, and protected him in his first year. Dad had always said love was more powerful than any magic. It was time the test that
Ted raised his wand and slashed it down before James could contemplate his next move. He rolled to the side, staggering back to his feet. "Ted, please." He begged, trying not to look at the cracked and smoking ground. "I know you can fight this, you've been fighting this for months."
James knew he could stop this. He knew that whatever pain, whatever agony Ted was in, he would always come through for him. Potters didn't give up on family. And James was most definitely a Potter.
James dropped his wand to the floor, it clattered and spun out of reach, his hand shook with useless energy. "I won't fight you." Everything in him screamed, he wanted to run, he was going to die here like a rat trapped in a cage. He shook his head furiously. He wouldn't die. Teddy wouldn't hurt him. He couldn't.
Ted slashed his wand again, it hit James square in the chest and he flew skittering backwards with a cry of pain.
His ribs were burning. Every breath seemed to sear his chest. The air seemed to escape him, never able to catch it with each stuttering breath. He had to stand up. He wouldn't die down on the floor. If he had to die, he would face it like a man, like his father had, upright and back straight.
He stood, one arm curled around his chest, the other out in front, surrendering.
"Ted," he gasped. "I'm hurt."
Ted fired off another curse that flew wide, soaring over James' shoulder, as Ted hand jerked violently.
Just as soon as the light re entered Ted's eyes, it left again, plummeting them both into darkness. Ted slashed again, and James' cheek ripped open, warm blood gushing down his face. "Ted, I know you won't kill me." His teeth were chattering, whether it was from the cold or the shock he wasn't sure. "You can fight this."
Ted stepped forward menacingly. His wand swung round to aim directly at James' heart.
"Ted you're my brother," he said fiercely, the tears pooling around his eyes.
Teddy fired another blasting curse that had James careering across the cool, damp ground and into the stone wall behind him. His chin knocked painfully into the floor, his lip burst open, he spluttered at the foul taste of his own blood.
James forced himself onto his knees, the tears now freely flowing. His lip was bloody, his wand arm cradled his broken ribs.
"Ted, I love you."
Ted's arm lurched to the side, his eyes clearing as he looked at the shaking, terrified and bloody boy.
"Jimmy?" James felt his entire body become limp in relief, Ted rushed forward, catching him easily before once again his chin and the floor became better acquainted. "I'm sorry, so sorry, sorry, oh James." James blinked heavily, while he was relieved, the pain he had been keeping at arm's length crashed down upon him. "Gosh, James. Episkey." The cuts on James knitted themselves together, the skin scabbing and healing in one moment. "I can't do anymore, you could have more internal damage, I'm not trained enough to… oh James." Teddy stopped his hold upon James had become more of a cradle, his arms supporting his brother as he crushed him towards himself.
"Teddy," was all James could breathe.
"I'm so sorry," Ted babbled, close to tears.
James blinked again, everything important seemed so very far away, he was so very tired. So fed up with this. He just wanted his bed, his friends and Allie. His eyes flew open. They needed him. "They've got the school, the aurors can't get in."
Ted nodded, and James wondered how he already seemed to know all of that. "I'll sort it Jimmy, I promise you, I will."
"I know," James said with a surety he hadn't felt for hours. Ted cupped James' cheek and patted it clumsily.
"Lily? Al?" He said with real dread.
"They are safe, I'm not sure where, but no one can get to them."
Ted's eyes shuttered closed in sheer relief. "Thank Merlin."
"We have to get Zabini and Neville."
"Together?"
"Together," James said, allowing Ted to yank him to his feet. The bad guys didn't know it yet, but the tides had most certainly changed.
A/N Thank you to those who have stuck with this. We are nearly there. I for one can't wait to finish posting this.
