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Flirting With the Enemy
By; Sierra Sitruc
Email: ChristmasAngel87@hotmail.com
Chapter 14 A Ceremony?
"What is it now?" Lily asked weakly, as she noticed James' panicked look. Even she could see it, darkness was everywhere and just a few rays of sunlight could be seen through the hundreds of trees surrounding them.
"Um… Didn't you hear the apparating sounds!? We're surrounded by about ten wizards; I'm not sure if they're Aurors or Death Eaters, and if I were you—" James thought about it a moment, "I think your out of luck, which ever they turn out to be, but I'm hoping for Aurors."
Lily fell silent, her eyes closing, as if it took all her energy to process the information he had just given her. "I feel like passing out," she told him finally. "I'll be no help if they're Death Eaters; just apparate home, James. If they are Death Eaters, they'll kill me—they want to kill me." Her voice surprisingly strong, considering how sick she was.
"Lily, you know I can't do that." James told her; he looked into her deep green eyes, to show her how much he meant it, not just because it was his duty, but because he wanted to.
Lily sighed, using all the strength she had left to think clearly. If she'd been in full health and rested up, she could have responded easily. "James…You know you are more important than I am--"
"Don't say that. It's not true-" James interrupted her, though she broke him off before he could finish.
"Yes, it is. Everyone will miss you if you die, your friends and family even the Ministry! You need to live. The only person I needed to live for was Isabella, and now I've almost killed her!" Lily persisted, her voice coming out hoarse. A second later, she had another coughing fit and bits of blood appeared on her pale hands.
"Lily," James started once again as the coughing stopped, "You shouldn't believe that—other people will miss you as well, people who love you!" James lectured her, hoping it was getting through. Not much did, it seemed.
"Who?" Lily asked simply. "I'm a Death Eater, remember? People hate me. They would love to see me dead. So who, exactly, do you think would love a Death Eater?"
"Well for one--" James paused, thinking. He was about to go on, but the Death Eaters were closing in on them, and even in the dark of the evening and the woods, he could see their black cloaks—ones that he'd seen Lily wearing when he'd first pounced on her…
The whispers of the Death Eaters grew louder and more frequent, and soon Lily and James were circled around, surrounded by black cloaks, a cold chill settled upon them. No faces could be picked out, all hidden in the darkness like a Dementor's, so the meeting would be no use to James, if he got out alive.
Lily gave James a pleading look, "Give up on me, James." She whispered softly; she could feel all the strength running out of her body, she was too exhausted to go on. She needed to rest, right then and there.
James was about to reply, when Lily collapsed on the ground, too weak to carry on. He couldn't leave her like that, never. She was helpless against these monsters, and he cared too much about her to leave her to them by herself; if they were going to die, they were going to die together—and he would die fighting.
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"So, you don't know where they are?" Sirius Black asked Isabella Patil, an edge to his voice.
"No, James told me to leave—so I did." Isabella shrugged weakly.
"Are you mad!? You don't just leave a man to go off to kill a Death Eater on his own!" Sirius shouted at her, making her flinch. They were sitting in a small sitting room at the Ministry Headquarters, and though very few people were there, Isabella felt a deep sense of disapproval at her friendship with Lily hanging in the air, but spoke in her friend's defense anyway.
"He's not going to kill Lily!" Isabella snapped angrily. Her temper was rising quickly, and between her and Sirius—with both of their best-friends off doing crazy missions, there could be quite a brawl.
"He'd better not get himself killed, I've been put through enough of his crazy—crazy hullabaloo, to last me a year! All week I've been worried about his life!" Sirius shouted, more to himself then Isabella.
"Oh, get a grip on yourself, you weren't the only one." Isabella said scornfully, crossing her arms. "Lily didn't even tell me she was a Death Eater, and no matter what she does, she's probably going to die. Your best friend isn't in a life or death situation!" She hissed at Sirius.
"Yes, he is." Sirius muttered darkly. "Believe me, he is."
"Oh… James is your best-friend?" Isabella asked.
"Yeah, since we were eleven."
"Same with me and Lily."
Suddenly, the two who had nothing in common found themselves with something in common. Both of their best friends had a knack for getting themselves in life or death situations.
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~Not Long Before~
Remus Lupin was getting ready to leave and go to the Ministry to speak to Sirius; he'd just gotten an Owl saying James had gone after Evans again. And, under the circumstances, things could get very ugly very quickly.
Being a werewolf, Remus wasn't allowed to have an apparating license. So he was always using Floo Powder. He'd always dealt with this handicap easily, but not for much longer.
He walked over to his fire place, and was about to leave when he sensed someone else's presence in the room.
Since the full moon was the next day, Remus' senses were a growing stronger, and he knew danger was near. Something terrible was going to happen, and he needed to get out of there soon, but at the same time he wanted to find out who was in his flat.
It was the late of the night, and only faint glimmers of moonlight and the flickering flames of the fire gave him what little source of light he could use- hardly enough to see clearly. What he managed to make out was a shadow in the doorway—a person.
Remus gulped, and reached for his wand. "Who ever you are, state your reason for being here," he said, his voice taking an authoritarian tone, reflecting none of his feelings.
"Why, Mr. Lupin, I'm surprised you don't know," the person said.
Remus frowned, why would he know? Surely no one he knew would come to his flat in the dead of night unannounced or announced.
As if hearing his thoughts, the shadowy figure spoke once more, voice soft and menacing.
"I've come for you."
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"Master, we have a problem with the ceremony." A hooded man said nervously as he entered the room where Voldemort sat quietly—deep in thought, no doubt creating more plans for power and immortality.
"Which part?" Voldemort hissed, angered at his train of thought being interrupted.
"The body—since Patil had been the one we were using, and now she's alive… we have none." The man told his master hurriedly.
"I gave you one job, boy, and you screw it all up. Since you failed to give me the body I wished for, I'll use you instead!" Voldemort said his lip curling.
"No, master please!" The man cried out. "I can get another, Patil is replaceable."
"True, true," Voldemort nodded. "Yet, I am in a bit of a hurry. Why waste time and trouble when I can just use you?"
"I can get you another just as quickl-"
"You amuse me, boy. The Dark Lord does not forgive mistakes, you should know. Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort said lazily, and the man fell lifeless to the floor with a sickening thump. "Problem solved."
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"So, Sirius, when is Remus getting here?" Peter asked, five minutes ago he had finally made it, and now they were waiting for Remus' arrival so they could wait for news on James, together.
Isabella was waiting there as well, she planned to see Lily. She thought she was the only one in the world who would be there for Lily. Her parents were dead after all, and everyone else wanted nothing to do with a Death Eater. She watched as Sirius and Peter talked, staying silent the whole time.
"He should have been here…" Sirius checked his watch, "Well, he told me he'd be here at 9:00 and now its 9:45… Normally you're the late one." Sirius' face went from fairly worried to extremely worried, the changes of feeling apparent on his face.
"You don't think…" Peter started to say nervously.
"No, not Remus--." Sirius said immediately, already knowing what he was talking about, because it had gone through his mind too.
"People like him are always going to the Dark Side…You never know." Peter told him.
"Yes, that's true—but Remus is a Marauder! He'd never do that." Sirius shook his head, trying to clear the thought from his head.
"He's been gone a long time… Maybe if he is with the Dark Side, he went to help Evans or is even going to kill James-" Peter began again, putting more horrible ideas in Sirius' head.
"NO! That's impossible!" Sirius said, shaking his head once more, but a little part of him began to wonder, if, indeed, Peter was right. "He's a Marauder," he repeated himself, trying to convince himself, rather than Peter.
"Look at Isabella, she never suspected Evans to be a Death Eater—now look." That one hit the mark.
"So, if even if there is a possibility, it doesn't mean that actually happened…but I do have a bad feeling about something…Maybe Remus got into trouble—or James!" Sirius looked completely lost.
"How about all three of us go check Remus' flat?" Isabella suggested, speaking up for the first time.
"Good idea, let's go." Sirius said his eyes looking surprisingly hopeful, he needed to prove to himself that Remus wasn't a Death Eater, and maybe he could find something at Remus' flat that would help them.
The three apparated, and found themselves in a living room, that looked like a storm had blown through.
"Holy Shit!" Sirius screeched.
Their eyes took in the damage.
The windows were broken and the glass had jagged pieces jutting up everywhere. From Sirius' trained Auror's experience, it looked like a curse had hit it after it had been dodged. The sofa had been tipped over, and a chair looked like a strong curse had hit it dead center making it explode.
The small coffee table looked like someone had fallen on top of it, and all the lamps in the room were broken.
"Remus! MOONY!" Sirius started yelling through the house, but no answer came.
Isabella appeared by his side as he stood in the kitchen—blood was everywhere, a knife on the floor seemed to be the apparent cause of the blood.
"Sirius," Isabella whispered, "You don't know if that's Remus' blood."
"What, are you saying Remus killed someone else?!" his voice taking a frantic, defensive, tone
"There's a possibility that no one's even dead… it could just be a bad wound. There's a spell to check whose blood it is…" Isabella thought for a moment. "Yes… It gives the initials of whose blood it is, I remember now!" Isabella looked triumphant. "Vealous Personus!"
The blood began to move and swish into two different blobs. One blob formed into R.L. the other F.W. (A/N Go back to chapter 10 and you'll figure it out! *wink* It's not a Weasley either!)
"Well, it could be worse. Its two peoples, and that means it's not as bad as we thought." Isabella said trying to help in feel better.
"But where's Remus? And this other guy! We can't tell who won the duel! Remus could be dead!" Sirius said, his emotions fighting to get free.
"Calm down Sirius… Let's evaluate the damage." Isabella tried to sooth him.
"Remus wouldn't go down without a fight; he'd go down kicking and screaming." Sirius mumbled, more to himself then Isabella.
"Hey, Sirius, Isabella! Look here!" Peter's voice called them back; the two left and went to where his voice was calling them. It led them to the front yard, Peter was gaping up above the house, and when Sirius and Isabella got there they stared in horror.
The Dark Mark.
"He can't be dead! No! Remus isn't dead!" Sirius yelled in fury and pain. Peter just stared, too shocked to say anything.
"Think Peter! Why would You-Know-Who want Remus?! Think, you know him best—there has to be something different about him that would make them want him." Isabella questioned Peter harshly.
Peter seemed to think for a moment and then spoke, "Well, he is a werewolf…" Peter seemed unsure if he should have shared it, but it was good that he did.
"That has to be why!" Sirius exclaimed, entering the conversation again. "They wouldn't kill him if they need him… maybe there's still hope…"
"What are we going to do?" Isabella asked him.
"We… Just go back and wait, we report it to the Ministry and hope for the best. Maybe they can send someone to save him." Sirius said, his voice troubled and worried, though he recovered. "With any luck, we'll be talking over coffee about the latest quidditch match this time tomorrow, with James, too."
The three apparated back to the office, and still found no Remus Lupin. "Where do we report these, um, findings?"
"I'll go, you two stay here." Sirius said with a nod.
"Alright," Isabella and Peter agreed, and went to sit down in the waiting room chairs.
Sirius walked down to the person he knew he would have to tell, Bartemius Crouch. He was head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and would be the one to know what was going on.
Sirius stepped into the man's office, not far down the hallway, and found 'Barty' talking to Albus Dumbledore in the fire place. Dumbledore looked rather stressed, which couldn't be good.
"…Look behind you Bartemius; Sirius Black just stepped into your office." Dumbledore said, nodding towards Sirius.
"Ah, Sirius what is it?" Crouch looked annoyed at Sirius' being there, but Sirius knew he'd better get it out. He took a deep breath and said it.
"Remus Lupin… has gone missing; it was a You-Know-Who attack."
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~A While Before~
Severus Snape sat in Albus Dumbledore's office, waiting for the Professor to get back so he could speak with him.
If anyone knew Severus well, they would have known he was frustrated—and maybe even a bit frightened, but very few people knew him well enough to tell, Dumbledore was one of the precious few who knew him well enough to pick up signs of stress.
When Dumbledore did enter, he noticed Severus' state quickly and sat down across from him, "What is it Severus?" The blue eyes weren't twinkling, but shining worriedly.
"They're… doing a Ceremony…" Severus' voice was choked and full of fear, nothing like his normal sneering voice he used so often with everyone, except maybe Lily and Dumbledore, but Dumbledore knew him never to talk this way, unless something terrible was going on.
"What Ceremony?" Dumbledore inquired, trying to get Severus out of his state of shock—he didn't seem to be in the room with him.
"I thought they were just rumors… He's really going to do it… if it works…we're all doomed," Severus babbled. Dumbledore started to feel alarmed.
"Severus, please, explain to me what you're talking about." Dumbledore urged him on.
Severus finally looked up; he took a deep breath and spoke. "You-Know-Who is doing a... a... Ceremony to become immortal… it's the most powerful yet; the others have just been spells and potions and whatnot." Severus took a shaky breath, "In this one, he's using people… He's using Lily Evans, Remus Lupin… I'm not sure who else—it's all very unclear; but I do know it's happening tomorrow night, and it will be complete at Midnight. I think it'll… give him a lot of power—even more then he does now, as unbelievable as it is."
Dumbledore looked very grave, "There's only one thing to do, then. We have to stop this."
"I don't think we can, Professor. He's letting very few people in on it. I myself wasn't told… I had to spy on two Death Eaters who did know about it," Severus told him. "He's going to have the highest security by his most trusted and loyal and highest ranking Death Eaters."
"Do you know the name of the Ceremony or at least how it works?" Dumbledore questioned.
Severus shook his head, "I'm not too sure on anything… They only refer to it as the Ceremony. But one thing I do know for sure is…Those used in its plot will surely die… slowly." Severus felt pain seize him, Lily would die… and she might not be as lucky as the times before.
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(A/N Of course I wouldn't leave you without knowing what exactly is going on with Lily and James!)
"Potter, if you go with us—we promise Evans will live to see the Sun tomorrow morning." A Death Eater told James in a sneering voice. "Very gracious of the Dark Lord to allow such compassion towards a traitor."
The word "traitor" stuck in James' mind. In their world, she was a traitor, forever shunned by the followers of Voldemort. In his own, she was a person of evil, a person who had joined the Dark Lord, worked for him of her own accord, shunned by society and Ministry. What sort of life was that? Would it be kinder to just let her die unconsciously? Stop that, Potter. A shunned life is still a life,his conscience scolded him.
Thinking about pros and cons, weighing them out— "Alright, I'll… cooperate." James almost choked on the words.
"Good, that makes this far more easier." The Death Eater conjured up magical roped that wrapped around his hands, and took up James' wand. James could just feel the Death Eater's menacing smile.
"Someone help out Evans, we have an appointment to get to," The Death Eater chirped, and James glared at him.
A Death Eater approached Lily and picked her up easily. "Don't hurt her!" James snapped, but a quick silencing charm kept him from saying anymore.
He wanted to do something…he had no idea what he'd gotten himself into, but whatever it wasn't good. He wasn't that stupid.
"Congratulations Potter, you are our newest participant in the Ceremony. The Master will be very pleased with you." James had little time to wonder about that sentence as he and Lily were swept off by a portkey. He promised himself to investigate more later.
Little did he know, the Death Eaters were thinking about "later" as well, and "later" didn't include him in it.
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Chapter 15--