When Severus Prince came for James the fourth time, James could sense that something had changed. The last two times, Severus Prince had sent people to bring James to him. This time, Severus Prince came himself. Wordlessly, he pulled James to his feet and hauled him out of the cell, ignoring Sirius's protests.

James stumbled along in a daze. He had slept for only minutes at a time, and his whole body still ached from the cruciatus curse. He wondered vaguely why Severus Prince had come for him personally, especially because Severus Prince didn't say a single word to him as they walked.

Severus Prince brought him to a new room in the dungeons, this one resembling an office more than a torture chamber. He dropped him unceremoniously in a chair, then sat across from him, resting his chin upon steepled fingers.

"A chair? That's strangely kind," James couldn't resist saying.

He meant for it to sound defiant. Instead, with his voice hoarse from screaming, it came out as just sounding tired.

"I'm trying to figure you out, Mr. Potter," Severus Prince said.

He stood, and James flinched, but Severus Prince was only moving to a cabinet. He produced a bottle of something and filled a goblet with the drink. He didn't offer James any, which James guessed was another form of torture, since James had been given nothing to drink since his capture. James throat ached from thirst, and from screaming. As if sensing James's thoughts, Severus Prince smirked from behind the goblet.

"I've been looking into you, James Potter, if that is, in fact, your name."

His expression was serious once again as he sat across from James.

"Of course it's my name," James said.

He swallowed hard, trying to get some moisture onto his throat.

"Thirsty?" Severus Prince asked.

James didn't answer.

"I do have some sympathy for such things, you know. I recently went for several days without water, thanks to your bitch of a wife."

Severus Prince tilted his goblet and poured a small splash of his drink onto the desk.

"You can have it, if you lick it up like a dog."

James lifted his chin slightly, deliberately moving his gaze away from the drink. He hated to admit it, but he was sorely tempted by Severus Prince's offer.

"No?"

Severus Prince lifted his wand.

"Wait," James croaked out.

His face burning, he lowered his face to the table and drank the few drops.

A hand patted his head. "Good."

James recoiled. "Don't touch me."

Severus Prince let out a low laugh. "I can do whatever I want with you."

James watched him nervously as he ran a finger over the rim of the goblet.

"I've been doing some research into you," he said. "You're certainly a perplexing man. The Potters swear they have no relation named James, and yet you took veritaserum, so when you told us your identity some weeks ago, you couldn't have lied. And then there is that very mysterious letter for Cait that Anne received-"

James felt himself stiffen, and Severus Prince laughed again.

"Oh, you didn't guess? She's the reason you're here. She was quite appalled by what your mudblood wife did to me. It took very little to convince her that people like Lily are the reason mudbloods need to be pushed out of respectable society. She saw that letter from that Malfoy witch and saw an opportunity to capture you… and speaking to Pascale Malfoy must be important for you to risk coming here."

He leaned across the desk, his voice very quiet now. "So I'd like to know why you wanted to see Pascale Malfoy."

"She was never at Hogwarts," James whispered.

"No. She invited you to France to discuss your secret matter. It's a shame that you won't have the chance to go. I hear Paris is rather beautiful, although I've never been there myself."

James shook his head. "Surely Anne wouldn't… why would she…"

There was a small knock on the door, and Severus Prince stood up straight, smoothing his already smooth hair with an anxious palm.

"Come in."

James turned his head to see Anne walk into the room, looking rather pale.

"Anne," Severus Prince said, moving to kiss her hand.

Anne smiled down at him, a bit hesitantly, and then her eyes met James's.

"I don't suppose you'd give us a moment alone, Severus?" she asked.

His eyes narrowed. "I won't leave you alone with a dangerous criminal."

She laughed lightly. "He has no wand. I do. Besides, I can take care of myself."

"No doubt about that."

They shared a small smile, and James felt a bit like he might be sick.

"But I won't take such a risk," Severus Prince said. "Not with you."

Anne blushed. "Fine."

Severus Prince pulled back the chair across from James, and Anne sat daintily in it. She folded her hands and looked down at them. Severus Prince moved to lurk in the corner, his dark eyes fixed on James in a silent threat.

There were some seconds of silence.

"You have nothing to say to me," Anne said.

James didn't answer, and she sighed.

"You're looking quite well," she said.

This time, James looked at her, filled with disbelief. He wasn't sure what he looked like, but after a morning filled with the cruciatus curse, he suspected he was not looking "quite well."

"Or well enough," she amended. "Much better than when you first arrived at our castle. Do you remember that? I visited Cait in the infirmary, and you looked like you were halfway to the grave."

"My men were a bit enthusiastic," Severus cut in smoothly.

James scowled. "You were, actually."

"I asked Severus to keep you somewhat intact. You see, I've always been rather fond of you, James Potter," Anne said.

From behind her, Severus Prince's expression became murderous.

"Yes," James said. "I seem to recall you kissing me quite enthusiastically at one point."

He said it, even knowing that he would pay for it later. Severus Prince's hand was clenched around his wand, as if it took all of his strength to keep from pointing it at James.

"When I offered you friendship, James, I meant it."

"And yet, somehow, we're here."

"You think I'm evil," Anne said.

"Well, it does seem that way. Mostly, I'm confused. Why would you help someone who's doing something so wrong?"

Anne considered. "I used to think that both sides of this conflict were filled with people who were too passionate about what they believed in to listen to one another."

"Why would you listen to someone whose entire cause is an attempt to oppress a group of people?" James demanded.

Anne continued as if she hadn't heard. "I suppose I helped my father's side because it was what I was taught to believe in. But I think I suspected our side wasn't so much better than Severus's. My parents gave up everything to help muggleborns, including our safety. I was a rather neglected child, you know."

"That's your excuse?'" James interrupted. "You know who else had a bad childhood? Cait did. Sirius did. Somehow, they still seemed to be able to figure out what's right."

"And then I found Severus under your bed," Anne said, shuddering. "I'd heard that Severus's side committed atrocities, that muggleborns were innocent victims. Not so innocent, if they would condemn a man to such a horrific death. Severus is right; muggles are more cruel, more barbaric. Muggleborns have their tendencies, and so they should be thrown out into their society."

James's jaw had dropped. He wasn't sure if it was the torture, the sleep deprivation, or the conversation itself, but he felt a bit as though he had entered some sort of bizarre dream.

"This is all from a misunderstanding," James said. "Lily was trying to save him; she only wanted to hide him long enough for us to get away. You know Lily. She wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Well, she did worse than that. She hurt a person."

"And Severus Prince has hurt—and killed—countless people!"

James realized he was shouting, and Anne was now looking at him with narrowed eyes.

"James, I've made my choice. But I'm still your friend. Severus has promised to let you go if we catch Lily; we don't want to harm misguided purebloods unnecessarily."

James laughed hollowly. "Anne, you must be very stupid if you think I'm ever leaving here alive."

"You married a heartless woman," Anne said. "She doesn't seem willing to turn herself in for you. To save yourself, you have to tell us where she is."

She leaned across the desk to grip his hand, but he pulled it out of her reach.

"No. Never."

"Please, James. I don't want you to die," Anne said.

James had finally lost patience. "Go fuck yourself."

"Enough," Severus Prince snapped. "Anne, the corrupting influence of the mudblood is too strong for even an angel like you to break through."

"James, please…" Anne said one last time.

A clock in the room chimed the hour, and James felt his skin crawl, especially when Severus Prince turned a small smile in his direction.

"I'm afraid James and I need to send another message to Lily."

"No," James said, his voice breaking.

Anne turned away from him, pressing her lips together.

"I'm afraid I may need to go further to get Lily to respond," Severus told Anne carefully. "You shouldn't be here for it."

Anne hesitated. "To get her, I think you should go as far as you need to."

James's heart sank. He had realized that the only reason the torture had been kept to the cruciatus curse was as a show for Anne. That was why he had been brought to this office, instead of to the torture room. Now that he had lost her protection, things were about to get much worse.

"Anne… please…" he said.

Anne left, and Severus pulled James to his feet again.

"Back to our usual spot. I have great plans for you."

The owl arrived on schedule. By now, the sun was rising to its height in the sky, and Lily had paced this side of the lake too many times to count.

She opened the envelope, and once again, James's voice filled the air. This time, he was sobbing.

"No… no, stop… please…"

"Shall I make you scream for Lily?" Severus Prince was saying, laughter in his voice.

"Lily… Lily, please…"

His words became unintelligible through his sobs.

"Don't come!" he finally shouted. "Please… don't…"

As the howler turned to silence, Lily screamed. After the sound had disappeared, she turned to Cait.

"I'm not waiting any longer… I don't care if I have to go alone-"

"He'll be here," Cait said, although she didn't sound convinced. "Maybe he had to fly. It's been a while since he's been here, so it may be hard for him to remember it well enough to apparate safely…"

There was a loud crack, and Lily and Cait both turned their wands towards the wizard who had appeared by the lake.

Brian lowered his hood, then held up his hands. "It's me."

Cait ran to him and hugged him. "Thank you for coming."

"Of course," Brian said.

He was holding a bundle of robes, and he tossed them to Lily.

"Sorry I took a while. I was tracking down some of these."

Lily recognized them as Hogwarts robes. Although they were different from her own time, they still bore the Hogwarts insignia. Brian was wearing Slytherin robes; the robes he had passed to Lily were Hufflepuff robes.

"They're Cait's old robes," he said. "I thought you two looked like you're about the same size. We'll blend in better this way."

"That's your plan?" Cait said faintly. "You're going to play dress up to break into the castle?"

"It's a Hogsmeade weekend for the students. No one in Hogsmeade will give us a second glance if we're dressed like this."

"They're going to be looking for Lily," Cait said. "Especially once you get into the castle. I don't think different clothes are going to help much."

"Do you have a better plan?" Brian asked, clearly annoyed. "It's not like I could brew polyjuice potion in a morning."

Cait was silent.

"I think it's a good plan," Lily said finally. "We'll hide in plain sight."

Cait let out a small noise of disbelief.

"It was always going to be dangerous," Lily told her. "At least this gives us a chance."

Lily left Cait and Brian as she went to change. When she came back, they were standing in exactly the same place, saying nothing to each other.

"Be careful," Cait said.

Lily wanted to tell her that she'd see her soon, but it felt too much like a lie. Instead, Lily hugged her tightly; Cait held on until Lily pulled away.

"To Hogsmeade?" Brian asked.

Lily nodded, taking his arm. As they disapparated, Lily's last glimpse was of Cait, her friend's eyes brimming with unshed tears.