Disclaimer: If I said I owned everything, no one would believe me anyway.

A/N If anybody else asks--Sydney is the capital of Australia in the Wizarding World...Heh...Sorry 'bout that folks! Sierra's blonde roots were showing there! *Blushes*...*shrugs*...This happens to frequently to me to start caring now! Sorry for all those who...were offended...

NOTE: On the location of Azkaban, I actually believe that it is more South to England, but I've heard otherwise, so I just picked North, because I like that direction best.

And thanks to: Stef! You are so nice! She read through a part of it early--before the chapter was even finished and helped me out quite a bit. She keeps me in check with what's typical and what's not.

Questions:

Question by Many, many people:

Why/How did you send Lily to Azkaban?

Answer: Because I can and it's going to be a very, very different ending. Does this satisfy everyone?

Question by jandl

Could you please make you next few chapters longer?

Answer: I'm trying to do that! This chapter is longer then the last two, and I'm *hoping* the next few will be longer too.

Question by MerlinHalliwell

when did Lilly recover from being poisoned (by the knife)?

Answer: She didn't, and it gets mentioned in this chapter--so read closely all lines said by James. This was a very good question, I was sure people had forgotten about it...

About this point, I got tired of looking for questions and stopped so I could post this chapter! I think this is the quickest update I've had in MONTHS! *cheers* Enjoy yourselves you wonderful readers!

~*~

Flirting With the Enemy

By

Sierra Sitruc

Chapter 27 Plague of Demons

It was cold, James thought as he leaned over the edge of the boat, staring at the dark murky waters below. They slapped against the sides of the fishing boat. Its paint was chipped in places where erosion and strain had beaten it from one trip too many to Azkaban Island, as it was unofficially named.

His cheeks and nose were reddened from the icy wind that tore through his cloak. Despite of the warm season, up North where the Prison of Azkaban lay, it was always cold. Some people said the cause of the cold was from the tormented spirits that roamed the region of their last and final home, unable to stray too far, even in death.

He would have apparated to the designated area where visitors of the Prison were allowed, but his Promotion to Unspeakable in the Ministry had prohibited him from apparating any where from now on. So, he'd hitched a ride with the Dead Man's Boat, as it was dubbed. For it was the boat that went to Azkaban once or twice a week to retrieve the mangled bodies of the recently departed of the great confinement building and even lesser it would bring new inmates there. Strangely, James found himself thinking of Charon, and the passage through to Hades.

Imagining that Lily had been on this exact same boat made his stomach churn.

Before his first job as an Unspeakable James had decided to go on this last visit to tie up loose ends of his last job. Besides, there was one thing Lily had never told him that he needed to ask.

Captain Ahab, a ghost, was the only creature who would dare stomach going to Azkaban more then everyone but the Dementors. He was a quiet ghost, and reminded James of the Bloody Baron back at Hogwarts. Ahab was famous in his dreadful duty, and a rumor was about that he had once been a prisoner of Azkaban himself and thought that by driving the boat down to the island every day, that he might eventually free his tortured soul.

But everyone knows that no ghosts come out of Azkaban.

James assumed that old Ahab was just a bored and lifeless fisherman with nothing to do but carry dead bodies to and fro.

Besides Ahab and James, there were two others on the boat; a tough looking man with a scar across his face and an even meaner looking man with more scars then Remus, which was quite an accomplishment, Ahab's crew no doubt. Probably hired to help contain any vicious new prisoners.

Thinking of Remus, James recalled their short reunion. It had been unpleasant, to say the least, and harsh words had been exchanged--though neither were aimed at the other.

The both of them were infuriated at the world for sending Lily to Azkaban and Remus had been even angrier that his being a werewolf disallowed him from joining James on the trip to Azkaban, since no werewolf could enter the premises under the law, free.

There had been a moment when James became upset at Remus for not telling James about what happened to him and Lily in the desert... And that had been the deciding factor in James' indecision to talk to Lily this final time.

The boat began swaying fiercely, as the rocky island came into view. Rocks. It was the rocks- great, looming boulders and small, jagged rocks- that had forged the walls of the castle as well, packed with sweat, blood, death, and dread. It was, in fact, built like a cave, a giant hollow rock with a few barred windows here and there, and a great arch opening as the entry way. There were no guards but the Dementors, and that was all that was needed. No one would be sane enough to find their way out after a day in this place.

Besides, the only way off the island without a wand was this very boat. For the prisoners, this boat was a sign that life still carried on from outside of the castle walls, that time had not trapped them in a never-ending purgatory. That it took life in and took old life out, and that was as much significance as it had.

A bit later the boat pulled up to the side of a jagged rock where a wooden dock had been built onto it. It looked like it had been there for centuries. It seemed to be a miracle it was still intact--magic must be at work here. Looking off into the distance, James imagined what the island had once been, full of life and hope. The castle had been a majestic one, and the people there had lived in a magical country for centuries in peace. Now, though, there was nothing left but this barren wasteland, the original castle torn down and another erected in its place.

The windows of it never shed a thread of light within, but, rather, were kept open daily for an escape of the stench of death that seemed to surround the island. It was the one consideration the architects had for the prisoners of Azkaban. Looking into the water, James noticed that a thick, wispy, fog rested eternally upon the waters surrounding the island, nature's own addition to the lifeless Azkaban. Cold waves sloshed heavily against the island as they all unloaded themselves and began the quick journey along the narrow path that led them to the main entrance of the fortress.

They were all hit by an on-slough of noises. James' three guides seemed immune to it, but James himself nearly bellowed in fright at the sound.

Torment. That was the only word to come close to what surrounded them. No mortal name or mind could describe this plague of demons appropriately. James thought, as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. The only light was a tiny candle, melted down to the stub that floated in mid-air above a their heads, lighting up these words painted in what James presumed to be blood: Ignorantia juris neminem excusat. Ignorance of the law excuses no one. James didn't even have time to contemplate the meaning as his ears caught up to his eyes.

Screams upon screams echoed on the stone walls, and the Dementors basked in the delightful sound. One Dementor stood out from the rest, and James assumed it to be the leader, of sorts, for the evil creatures.

The hairs on the back of James' neck stood on end, and his heart pounded heavily in his chest. For a moment he thought he was screaming as well.

It was a deafening sound, but as the Chief Dementor came closer to the group of new arrivals, all the shrieks and bawling stopped. A skeletal, decaying, hand crept out from the cloak and pointed at Captain Ahab, and then at James who gulped involuntarily.

"No, not him--we're just visiting today," Ahab spoke to the Dementor as if they were old buddies who met up for coffee every day. "He's here to see someone, a newbie." The tall Dementor nodded, its towering presence making James feel sick- at the stench of rotting decay, which grew stronger the closer they were to the castle, he almost retched.

Without a word, the man with the scar across his face pulled out a list and studied it a moment. "Number 122587, I believe. Take him to them," he said gruffly.

Lily's prisoner number. So that was what has become of her identity. She was just another number, seemingly as worthless as any other being in the tiny cells.

The Dementor gave another nod before gesturing for them to follow him...it, making the tiny candle move with him as he went through the darkened tunnel. "We'll wait outside for you," Captain Ahab sneered, before floating off with his scarred henchmen behind him.

James forced himself to not look any of the inmates in the eye, and just focused on the tips of the Dementor's robes. It seemed like they'd walked for hours, when it had only been a few moments that the Dementor halted and raised his arm to point at a cell.

Hung on one of the bars was a faded piece of drift wood with the numbers '122587' scratched roughly on it, the deep gouges sharp, as if hurriedly done.

James's eyes glided slowly to the red haired woman in the cell. The red curls drooped and splayed about the cot around her head, with the shine of something that had once had a brilliant luster. She still had on the ratted robes from a week ago at the desert. She lay face down, a blanket covered in blood - whether hers, another prisoner's, or a sick combination of both, he did not know- and heaving stains on it rested at the end of the bed, kicked off in an uneasy sleep. Obviously, the Dementors weren't ones for cleanliness.

He dared not let his eyes stray anywhere else in the cell, as the Dementor pulled the heavy door open with ease--no lock had been used.

"Lily." James breathed softly, surprised that he'd even spoken.

The Dementor distanced itself from the cell and James walked in and sat on the end of the bed. James hesitantly reached out to stroke her hair, dirty it was, but he couldn't find it in his heart to care. She looked so fragile to him, as if she would break at any moment- yet in reality he knew that she was anything but. Was this really what Azkaban could do to someone so strong and full of life? Drain them of every emotion but dread and depression, driving them on the brink of insanity- leaving them just sane enough to realize their torturous surroundings? Letting a finger trail down from her hair, tucking her hair securely behind her ear. James exhaled a sharp breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, chancing another look at Lily.

Somehow, even within these dreary walls, her beauty still astonished him. Tracing her lower lip, which was mouthing silent words with slight, still, breaths, he slumped wearily against the walls, as if simply being there had already taken his strength. But then, this was what she had to face everyday now.

"God, Lily. What'd you do to deserve this? To die here in this hell," he whispered, as he watched her soft breathing. "I hate this, I hate watching you lie here vulnerable to these monsters, weak and sick. I can almost feel the poison seeping through your veins. Mulciber's poisonous knife wound will kill you first if the Dementor's don't," James said bitterly.

"It's not fair, I remember when I first met you...You were like a fallen angel. You had unique humor unlike anything I'd ever seen. I'd never felt so at ease with anyone." James had no idea where the words came from, they just spilled from his lips unbidden, and they were the truth...Thoughts he'd wanted to speak for so long, but hadn't found the time to.

"If things hadn't been this way, I genuinely believe you and I could have had something no fairy-tale could ever top. There is something about you...That fiery spirit you had that very first night we fell into this mess when I tackled you in that forest. I love that about you. You're so strong, you don't see it--but very few people in this world could survive what you have." James's throat began to ache with suppressed tears.

"You're amazing Lily Evans, you're beautiful and smart. You kick ass, and are more powerful and courageous then I could ever hope to be." James blinked a few times and swallowed hard before continuing. "It scares the shit out of me sometimes, too. I don't know what to think about how I feel for you."

"At first it was fun, like a game, flirting with the enemy, hitting on the enemy, making jokes with the enemy...Then the real world smacked us in the face. This is a war and we were on different sides. Then I found out you weren't so much of an enemy as I thought and I couldn't keep my feelings down as much. I became protective of you, concerned...I got involved."

He took in a harsh breath, "Hell, you're sitting in a cell in Azkaban and I'm about to become an Unspeakable and I take a fishing boat (full of lunatics) just to visit you... I'm afraid of what I'd do for you; to save you...I risked my life for you. If I hadn't been unconscious during the trial, I would have done something stupid."

"I hate what the bastards did to you." James spat, "Voldemort, the Ministry, these Dementors...You have no place to belong in our society, but I want you to know, you'll always have a place to belong with me. If you were awake, I'm sure you'd be lecturing me about how horrible you are, but you're wrong. You're perfect, if you could only see what I see--you wouldn't have let them drag you down."

James rubbed her hand with his chilled ones, "I wish I could take this pain from you." He angrily whispered, as his eyes flashed to the Dementor across from her cell, watching them.

He was silent for a moment, and the dulled screams reached his ears. So he continued talking, "Remus won't tell me what happened in the Ceremony. Why everyone was dead but you and him. I wanted to ask you, but I don't have the heart to wake you now. He said he needed to talk to Dumbledore first, but I've already been assigned a mission and I couldn't stick around to see what our old Professor had to say."

James suddenly felt very tired, and he crawled in the tiny cot beside Lily, "If this isn't familiar." James mumbled to himself as he wrapped his arms around her. "You know that binding spell? I hope you know that I had ulterior motives about that, though I'm sure you guessed it already. Glad you didn't complain though."

Perhaps an hour passed and James had nodded off once or twice, when Lily finally stirred. She stared at James trying to recognize him, but she seemed to stare right through him.

"There was no other way to escape, and I had to do it! I'm sorry Professor! I'm so sorry! If only I'd gotten here quicker! None of this would have happened!" She began muttering, while tugging at her hair.

"Lily? Lily!" James said, snapping his fingers in front of her face. "What are you talking about?! Snap out of it!" James stared into her green eyes that darted around the room wildly, like a deer in the headlights, "It's me, James! Don't you know who I am?" James cried helplessly, shaking her shoulders as she sat up.

She pushed him away, "Go away! Please! Leave me alone! Leave me alone!" She yelled at him, sobbing hysterically. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Go away! Leave me! Leave me! Leave me alone!"

James felt his heart freeze and then crack into a thousand pieces. She was already gone.

His mind began searching for ways to help her, maybe to help prevent her from going insane. That's when he remembered, his wand was in his pocket.

His hand dove in and pulled out the wand, thinking of a good spell to cast, but before he could even open his mouth, a raging Dementor was in the cell pulling him up by his collar.

It pulled down his hood, and James immediately knew his mistake...he shouldn't have pulled out his wand. This was the end, he thought as he stared at the gruesome lips in front of him.

His whole life flashed before his eyes, his childhood, his family, friends, the Marauders, and Lily...a lot of memories of Lily. It was just then that he finally knew he'd loved her, that he would die for her without a second thought, and that life with out Lily Evans in it would be no life at all.

The fear left him completely as the lips began to descend upon him.

A loud shriek broke James from the trance he was about to enter, and he found himself being pushed aside and falling on the ground. Disoriented, James looked up just in time to see the Dementor grab a hold of Lily and bestow upon her the Dementor's Kiss.

Her body crumpled to the ground in that instant and James' body stopped working, all he could do was gawk at Lily.

~*~

A/N Is it just me...or did that Dementor scene seem like a make-out scene? *shrugs* I don't know what you are going to do to me after this chapter, but hey, look on the bright side, there's still another chapter...I think. Though I sure as hell wouldn't mind leaving it off here...

I have to give her credit--because I'm afraid it was terribly obvious how much better a writer she is than I. She has a lot more knowledge of history then I in literature (she very smart, that Y. Kuang!) because my school has stupid losers who don't let us get to the good stuff! *sigh* Better education would be nice.

It was Y. Kuang's doing in some of the very highly descriptive parts, she's my beta-reader. She helped make this chapter a LOT better then it was before.

The Latin saying, "Ignorantia juris neminem excusat" (Ignorance of the law excuses no one), was found here ; a very good website to check out! I don't know if the saying really fit, but I liked it well enough...

I have a new short story as well! And of all people for it to be about--Harry is the main star! I've never done a fic like this before, and I'm real worried about what people think about it. Don't be afraid of the beginning, it has a real twister at the end of it. My friend Stef said it should be listed under the genre 'psychological' while she helped me decide what genre and rating and such and such to use. I ran it through her AND my beta-reader. Beta-reader first, then Stef after I made some changes to it. I wrote it months ago (December to be exact) and am now just posting it. PLEASE review it if your bored or feel like being nice to me or something...:-)

It's called Once Upon a Memory

Reviews of any sort are welcome! I'm off to go get ready for a b-day party thing for my friend, be happy I found time to post this before going! I feel so busy I could cry! I work 9-4 both Saturday and Sundays. The max hours us fifteen year-olds can get! Later--

*Sierra*