"We could use the map and your invisibility cloak about now," Sirius muttered.

They walked down the main street in Hogsmeade, trying hard not to look suspicious. It had been tempting to put their cloaks up and lower their heads, but rather than hiding them, James had suspected that would make them stand out. Instead, he and Sirius were counting on the cover of night to keep them disguised.

The last time James had been in Hogsmeade, he had been too hurt to pay much attention to his surroundings. Now, he looked around with great interest. In many ways, Hogsmeade was timeless. The structures themselves were familiar, most about the same as they would be in nearly two hundred and fifty years. However, when he looked closely, he could see small differences. The shops he expected to see through the windows were different, or not there at all. The store for robes featured clothing of a far different style, displayed in ghostly shadowed silhouettes. Zonko's Joke Shop, a particular favourite of James's, was gone. The Three Broomsticks was there, and still filled with patrons at this hour; James was quick to avert his gaze, in case he caught the eye of a curious witch or wizard.

They stopped outside of Honeydukes and knocked on the door. After a long minute, there came the sound of footsteps from the home above the shop, and a witch opened the door. Her eyes widened when she saw them.

"Come in, quickly…"

James and Sirius followed her inside, and she closed the door behind them.

"What are you two thinking, coming back here?" she hissed.

James recognized her now, although the memory was hazy.

"You helped save us before," he said. "Thank you."

"Hardly any point in helping to save you, if you're taking risks like coming back here. They've been passing around posters of you and your friends, Mr. Potter. What are you doing here?"

She moved to the window, looking anxiously out at the street as though she expected Severus Prince and his supporters to swoop down upon her any moment. James realized this wasn't such an unreasonable fear, given the circumstances.

"We just need to use your passageway," he said.

She turned back to them, her face white. "You're breaking into Hogwarts? Why?"

"Long story," Sirius drawled.

"Well, I can hardly let you back out to wander the streets," she said anxiously. "You're sure you want to do this?"

"Yes," James and Sirius said together.

She led them into the cellar, lighting candles with her wand as she went.

"We'll take whatever passage out that's closest," James told her. "It may be yours."

She looked as though she highly doubted that they would be taking any passage out, which didn't fill James with confidence.

"Good luck to you both," she said.

James lit his wand and led the way into the passage, Sirius closely on his heels. For a moment, it felt like old times, like when they were just kids sneaking out of school for fun. It was amazing… that had been only months ago, but it felt like lifetimes. He didn't feel much like a kid anymore.

Cait and Lily sat next to the lake and waited. At first, they tried to fill the silence with conversation, talking about everything and nothing. Soon, their words were replaced by a tense quiet. Lily petted the little owl who had delivered the letters, while Cait examined the letters, reading them over and over again.

"It's strange," she finally said. "My French isn't amazing, but…"

Lily felt a flicker of unease. "But?"

Cait frowned down at the pages in her lap. "I think this letter is filled with spelling and grammar mistakes."

"Some people aren't good at that, I suppose," Lily said.

Cait hesitated. "I'm just wondering whether this was really written by a French speaker… but Malfoy is a French name, so you're probably right…"

She didn't sound convinced, which only made Lily's unease grow.

Lily looked over her shoulder at the letter, which was written in a messy, spiked cursive. Lily had the sudden worry that it didn't look like a woman's writing at all, but she pushed aside that thought, because it was stupid to think that you could tell someone's gender from their handwriting.

Hogwarts was quiet, almost unnervingly so. The empty halls seemed to magnify their quiet footsteps. They didn't even see a ghost, and the one portrait that seemed to be awake to see them had turned up her nose at them and run off, muttering about people having no respect for people's sleeping hours.

It seemed to take forever to reach the rooms underneath the Astronomy tower. Thanks to his part in creating the Marauder's Map, James prided himself on knowing every corner of Hogwarts, and so they quickly found the living area at the base of the tower. James knocked rapidly, then took a step back.

Someone approached the door, and he felt a burst of hope fill his heart. Soon, he would find out about the stones, and then he'd be able to go home whenever he chose.

He was just marvelling about how the evening had gone so smoothly when the door opened, revealing Severus Prince.

It had gone too smoothly, James realized. It had been a trap.

They were outnumbered. He could see the multitude of wands pointed their way from inside the room. Before he could even attempt to fight back, he and Sirius had been disarmed.

Severus Prince had been smiling unpleasantly, but now, as he looked around, his smile faded.

"Where's the mudblood?" he demanded.

Neither James nor Sirius answered.

"You got two of them, sir," one of the wizards from the room said.

"It's Lily Potter I want," he snarled.

Then, as suddenly as his rage had appeared, it disappeared. He surveyed James thoughtfully, and James felt his heart sink.

"And I know just how to get her here," he said.

The sun rose, turning the lake a fiery red. With every minute that passed, Lily felt panic start to set in.

"They should have been back by now," she said.

Cait put an arm around Lily's shoulders. "I'm sorry, Lily."

Lily shrugged out of her friend's grip. "You don't have to be sorry. They could be lying low in Hogsmeade until tonight, or they could be…" A sob escaped, and she clapped a hand over her mouth.

"We'll wait until tonight, then," Cait agreed.

"You think they're dead."

"I didn't say that."

"But you do."

Cait bit her lip. "It's a possibility, Lily. If they aren't back by tonight, we'll search for news tomorrow."

"If they need to be rescued, hours could make a difference. I think we should try to find some news now."

Cait stared at something over Lily's shoulder. Lily whirled around to see an owl arriving, a vividly red envelope bound to its foot.

"Or news could find us," Cait said, a bit faintly.

It was a howler. Lily recognized it even before the owl gave it to her, even before it started smoking. Lily had never been so afraid to open a letter in her life. She pulled it open with shaking fingers and tensed as the cold baritone voice of Severus Prince filled the air.

"Lily Potter, I have your husband. The Ministry plans to execute him at midnight, but I may be persuaded to talk them out of it. If you turn yourself in before midnight, I may be merciful. Until I have you in a cell here, I will send a howler every hour to update you on James's condition. Crucio!"

Lily recoiled as James's screams of pain filled the air.

"Lily… you can't, please…"

"Crucio!"

Lily dropped the letter, but it did nothing to stop the sound of James being tortured.

"You have until midnight, Lily," Severus Prince hissed.

Abruptly, the sound ended, leaving a sickening silence.

Lily had been crying before; she wasn't now.

James was in the hands of a monster. It was almost worse to hear him being tortured without seeing it, because the things she was imagining were horrible. Once again, she could see James on the floor of that torture room, his white shirt stained red, his glasses shattered at her feet. She pictured the scars crisscrossing his back, scars that she knew well from tracing them over countless nights. What new scars would be inflicted because of her?

But James was alive, and that meant that she could save him.

She had made the mistake of letting Severus Prince live twice. She knew, with a dreadful certainty, that she may have to make a different choice this time.

"Lily, you can't be thinking of turning yourself in," Cait said.

Lily didn't answer.

"Lily!" Cait gripped her elbow. "James wouldn't want that."

"So you'd have me leave him to die?"

"Yes," Cait said. "There's no way that Severus Prince will let him go just because you turn yourself in. He's lying to get you there, Lily."

Lily nodded. "You're right. I'll just have to rescue him before midnight."

"No. They'll be expecting something like that. The dungeons will be swarming with guards."

"It doesn't matter," Lily said. "I'm going."

Cait didn't answer for a moment. "You can't go alone."

"You shouldn't come, Cait."

"I'm not talking about me."

When James was brought back to their cell, Sirius was waiting, pacing restlessly. The wizard bringing him to the cell was more supporting him than forcing him along, and he dumped him unceremoniously onto the stones of the cell before slamming the door shut with a clang. As the key turned in the lock, Sirius hurried to James's side.

He turned his friend over and propped him up against the bars. James leaned his head back, letting out a small groan.

Sirius looked James over from head to toe. There was no actual physical injury that Sirius could see, but he was clearly badly hurt.

"Cruciatus curse?" Sirius asked.

Even as he said it, he knew he was right. Sirius's stomach clenched; they must have used it on James excessively for him to be so out of it.

"Lily…" James said, sounding breathless. "Sirius, they're trying to lure Lily here… what if…"

"She won't come," Sirius couldn't resist saying.

"You really think so?" James asked, a note of hope in his voice.

"No."

To Sirius's surprise, James smiled a relieved smile. "I hope you're right."

"That doesn't bother you?" Sirius asked, outraged. "James, you deserve someone who would put their safety on the line for you, who would give you as much love as you give to them. We're going to die here because of Lily, while Lily lives. That should bother you!"

"It doesn't," James said, an uncharacteristic edge to his voice. "I don't care if you're right and Lily loves me less than I love her, okay? I hope she stays safe. That's what love is, Sirius; it's putting someone's safety and happiness over your own. I know you've never felt that way about anyone, but-"

"I feel that way about you. I love you."

Sirius wasn't sure why he said it. Maybe he was tired of keeping it in, or maybe he was just facing the reality that they would soon be dead, and it was time for any secrets to be told before the secrets died with them. Either way, he said the words, and he wasn't sure what he had expected. Had he hoped that James would confess that he felt the same way? What, exactly, had he hoped to achieve?

James was just staring at him, and not in an "I love you too" sort of way. He was more looking at Sirius as though Sirius had grown several more heads.

"I feel exactly that way about you," Sirius said, suddenly unable to meet James's eyes. "I would put my safety and happiness over yours anytime, for anything. And I have, even though I know you don't feel the same way. You may wonder if Lily loves you less than you love her, but at least you don't know it for sure. I do."

"Sirius…" James took a shaking breath. "Um… wow. I had no idea. How long have you felt like this?"

"For years."

"Oh," James said. He hesitated. "Sirius, I'm sorry. That must have been really hard, especially with the wedding, and-"

Sirius groaned. "Stop. I don't want that."

"What?"

"Your sympathy. That's not what I want."

James paused again, choosing his words carefully. "Sirius… I can't give you what you want. I'm sorry. I love you so much… but as a friend."

Sirius had known, deep down, that this would be James's response. It didn't make hearing it feel any less like having his heart carved out of his chest with a blunt, rusty fork.

"My best friend," James added, as if this somehow made it better.

"If Lily hadn't been around, do you think…?"

"It wouldn't have changed things," James said quietly. "I'm sorry."

The apologies were somehow making things even worse. Sirius's eyes were stinging, and he turned away, while James pretended not to notice.

"Can't we just stay friends?" James said.

He sounded exhausted, and Sirius realized how much of an ass he was being, throwing this emotional burden onto James when he was already carrying so many other burdens at the moment.

"Yes," Sirius said. "We'll aways be best friends."

He sat beside James, the bars of the cell pressing into his back. James had closed his eyes, leaving Sirius to ponder his mistake of making an unrequited love confession within a confined space.

Within minutes, Sirius thought James was asleep, so it surprised him to hear James speak.

"So we're okay?"

There was a note of vulnerability in James's voice.

Sirius swallowed hard. "Yeah. Yeah, we're okay."

But he thought they probably both knew it was a lie.