A/N: I'm gonna warn you one more time… major plot twist in this chapter!

Ch 18 the Potters mistake

The train pulled at Kings Cross and the students of Hogwarts started to unload their trunks. The four friends were getting their trunks down. Remus went a head because he had to meet parents at a certain part at a certain time. Peter had also got off the train with his trunk when James and Sirius were taking forever to get their things together.

"Sirius, can you wait a moment." James said. He was trying to pull one of his robes stuffed in his trunk.

"James I can't my mother is screaming my name out there." Sirius pointed out the window. James looked up and saw a women glaring at Sirius.

"I have to go," Sirius said hurrying out the compartment. "I'll write if I survive the ride home." He said hurriedly as he closed the compartment door.

Great, James thought to himself, I'm all alone. No one to help me get this stupid thing shut. James finally got his robes stuffed away. He had to sit on his trunk to close it though. He wasn't a very neat packer.

James hauled his trunk out of the train. He was one of the last to leave the train. When he got off he started to search for his mom. He knew his dad was busy at the Ministry. He had a meeting with the Minister about the ward he donates to at St. Mungo's. Yes, his father did donate a lot of money for the Ministry. Most of it goes towards the wizard hospital.

James wasn't paying attention as he walked that he walked right into a man in black robes.

"Sorry-," James said but looking up he stopped in his tracks. The man was wearing a mask. A mask he knew belonged to a death eater. James tried to back away but it was no use. He tripped over his trunk and fell.

"James Potter," the Death Eater said. James started at him horrified. How did he know his name? He thought to himself.

Suddenly he heard a scream. He looked back, his mother was rushing towards him. The death eater looked up saw Vallery and grabbed James. Before James could yell to his mother he felt a sensation as if being sucked through a tube. James tried to struggle but the death eater managed to stun him.

James woke up in a strange room. He raised his head and looked around. The last thing he remembered was getting off the train and being grabbed by a death eater. James sat bolt upright. He looked at the door. There standing there was a man he's seen before. He couldn't figure out who it was exactly but he knew the face.

The man had a pointed face and blonde hair. He tried to picture a similar face in his head. A prefect came to mind. Lusius Malfoy. Why would Lusius Malfoy want him?

"Ah, Potter, I see you've woken." Malfoy said.

"What do you want with me?" James asked.

"It's not me that wants you, it's the dark lord."

"What does he want with me" James asked terrified.

"Well, it seems your parents owe a debt to him. He doesn't like the work your father is doing to help get rid of him. He's decided to do something about it."

James sat there staring at Malfoy. He couldn't believe it. Thanks to his father and his damn work with the Ministry he's going to die.

"I'm sure the Dark lord will be with you soon enough." And Malfoy walked away.

"Wait!" James was able to call, he didn't know exactly what he wanted to say but it didn't matter. Malfoy didn't look back.

James tried to stand but couldn't. It seemed he was tied to the so called bed he was on. Some bed, the mattress is like stone. James thought irritably. A few minutes later another man walked in. This man he'd never seen before.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Potter, I'd respect me if I were you. My name is not important. All that matters is the Dark Lord see to it you are safe until time he tends to deal with you."

James was terrified. Was he going to be killed? Were they going to torture him? Most likely he was going to be tortured but to what extent?

The man stood there.

"Why are you staring at me?" James asked. He didn't like the look on his face. It was a nasty sneer and a cold look.

"Well Potter, I'm here to make sure you don't try any funny business." He said.

"Avery!" a voice sounded. James didn't like the voice. It sounded terrifying.

"My lord." The man named Avery bowed as another man walked in. James was even more scared. He knew who this man was. There was no mistaking those red eyes and pale face. This was the most evil, darkest wizard in the wizarding world.

"Potter," Voldemort smiled nastily. There was a slight hiss when he spoke.

"You parents have been very disloyal. I expect pure blood wizards to obey me." Voldemort stood at the door way until he decided to walk a little closer. James decided the best thing to do was to stay quiet.

"I had one of my faithful followers talk to your father and when he refused to join my cause I knew I had to tale action. Only one thing would get him to join me. By capturing his only child." James sat there looking at the ground. He was afraid of what would happen if he looked the wizard in the eye.

"Now, to get to business. I want you to write your father saying what happened. If you don't I will make a house call to him and I can assure you there will be no survivors." Voldemort glared at James a little while longer.

"Avery, bring me a piece of parchment and a quill."

"yes my lord." The man walked out of the room and was back with in a second. He handed the paper and quill to James.

"I will leave you for ten minutes. No security, you will be alone. There's o point in trying anything to escape, my magic is far beyond anything a first year could do and you'd be dead within a second. If you co-operate while you are here, you may very well live." Voldemort walked away and Avery closed the door behind him. James was alone.

James sat there and thought what he could write to his parents. He was terrified and all he wanted to do was talk to someone. He searched his pockets for his wand but it seems the death eater that captured him took it, but there was something else in his pocket. It was rectangular. James thought what it could be when he realized what it was. The mirror Sirius had given him at the beginning of the year.

James took the mirror out of his pocket and called Sirius's name. With in a second Sirius was looking at him.

"James!" Sirius said. Suddenly he heard shuffling and his mother and father were beside Sirius.

"James, Hunny, are you alright?" Vallery asked.

"I'm ok," James said.

"Where are you son?" asked Victor.

"I don't know. You-Know-Who has me though and I'm scared." James started to cry.

"Mate, what happened?" Sirius asked.

"I got off the train and bumped into a death eater and he took me and apparted. He stunned me and I woke up in the strange room.

"Lusius Malfoy is here along with a man named Avery and You-Know-Who him self has spoken to me. He says he'll kill you if I don't co-operate." James cried even more.

"James, please try to do as you're asked. We don't want anything to happen to you." Vallery said. James nodded his head.

"I only have a few minutes, I'm supposed to be writing a letter to you." James said.

"Write the letter, and when ever you have time alone I want you to contact us with the mirror. Keep it hidden and you'll be safe." Victor said. James nodded.

"It'll be fine sweetie." Vallery said.

"Hang in there James," Sirius said. James nodded once more before putting the mirror back in his pocket.

He was sure either the dark wizard or his death eaters were going to read whatever he wrote so he couldn't put anything obvious in his letter. James finally decided what he could write.

Dear Mom and Dad,

After I got off the train I was kidnapped. I'm very scared at the moment and my life has been threatened if I don't listen to everything I'm asked to do. Please, all I want is to be safe, so please so as You-Know-Who asks. Please. I just want to come home

Love James.

It was short and he didn't say much in it but he thought it would be enough for the so called 'dark lord'. James sat in his dungeon cell room for two minutes when Lusius Malfoy came in to collect the letter.

"You'll be lucky to get out of here alive."

"What's a fifteen year old doing here anyways?" James asked.

"Now that it's any of your business Potter I always come here during the summer. It's, you could say, my second home. And I'm sixteen" And he walked out. Another death eater in robes and a mask stood guard outside the door. James was more terrified then ever.

Obviously he knew the Malfoy family were pure blood dark wizards who believed in his ways, and he wouldn't put it past them to be death eaters. He just never imagined Lusius Malfoy would be fine with it at only sixteen. He obviously was more evil then he thought.

James sat in his prison for hours when he eventually fell asleep. When he awoke it was midmorning and someone was banging on his door.

"Potter, the dark lord will be in to speak to you." A rough voice said fiercely before waling away. James just stayed where he was, lying on his rock hard bed when he heard the door open.

"Ah Potter, you have received a reply from your father." Voldemort thrust a letter in James hand. James took it without looking up. He couldn't believe he was here just to give him the reply when he had Malfoy get the letter before.

James sat and read the letter, each line he wrote his face fell more and more. By the end of the letter he was more terrified then he was when he first put eyes on this dark wizard.

James,

You deserve to be held captive if you want us to give in to that monster. You have been a terrible son at school, causing all that trouble. If you want to come home you'll have to do it yourself. For all your mother and I care he can kill you.

Victor Potter

James still couldn't believe his eyes at the not his parents had sent. His dad would never say something like that to him. He was afraid to look up but felt he had to. He glanced at the evil man in front of him and saw a smirk on his face. It wasn't a friendly one either, it was cold.

"Well, it seems mum and dad don't want you back." He hissed.

"My lord," a voice from the door said. James looked towards the door, a blonde haired man stood there.

"What is it Abraxas?" he said with a slight annoyance in his voice.

"My lord, my son tells me there is a visitor that wished to see you. He wishes to join us."

"Well tell Lusius to tell this man I am busy and not to disturb me or he will feel my wrath." Voldemort snapped at this man, who seemed to be Lusius's father.

"Yes my lord." Abraxas said and bowed out of the room.

"Now Potter," Voldemort continued. He had a sneaky look to his face. There didn't seem to have any trace of murder on it. "I'm sure your parents have told you I am not a nice person, some may say evil." Voldemort spat the last word out as if he despised it.

James was uncomfortable. He didn't like being alone with this man. He scared him.

"I want you to look at me boy when I speak to you!" Voldemort screamed. James looked up with tears in his eyes. He hated being yelled at.

"very good, you know how to obey orders, that'll make your time here easier." Voldemort sated. "Now, you will write your parents back. Tell them I'm going to kill you if they don't come here and agree to join the cause. If they agree you may be released to them but,"and at this Voldemorts voice took on a deadly tone, " if they decide to join the muggle loving fool Dumbledore then they will feel my wrath."

James nodded and his hands shook as he took the quill and parchment from the wizard.

"Now, I'm only giving you five minutes this time. Write fast or you will be cursed." And he walked ou the room.

James quickly grabbed the mirror.

"MOM!" James said and his mother came running to the mirror.

"James, did you get the note?"

"Does dad hate me? Do you really think I'm a terrible son?" James cried.

"What?" Vallery was confused, "Our note said we'd do our best to help and to keep faith."

"But," James picked up the note. "this is what I was given."

Vallery quickly scanned the note.

"Hunny, your father did not write that. That monster must have changed it. I'm going to be here for you no matter what. Sirius is here and your father is too."

"Where is Sirius?" James asked,

"Sleeping, I've been waiting up for your father. He's gone to speak to Albus-."

"no, you can't join Dumbledore. He said if you do we'll all die." James started to cry harder.

"James, I want you to listen to me. You will be fine, we will save you. Now, what message does he have?"

"He wants me to write and say that he'll kill me if you don't come here and agree to join his side and if you join Dumbledore we'll all be killed."

"James, please just follow what is asked. We want you home soon."

"I have to go mom, I love you." James said.

Vallery broke down to tears as she replied, "I love you to." James put the mirror away and wrote the letter to his parents.

"Vallery, have we heard from James yet?" Victor asked as soon as he walked into the house followed by Albus Dumbledore.

"He just checked in with another message from Voldemort."

"What is it this time?"

"He said he was going to kill James if we didn't meet with him and join him and if we joined Dumbledore we'd all die."

Victor looked scared.

"But that's not all," she said. "James told me that the letter he received from us said we didn't care what happened and he was a terrible child. Obviously Voldemort changed it because James showed me the letter and it was in your writing."

"Vallery," Albus said, "If James contacts you again try to keep him on long enough until I can speak to him."

"He can only speak when he's asked to write us a letter."

"the sooner we write to him-."

"No Victor, he's writing to us first. Voldemort doesn't know about the mirror. We would be putting James in mortal danger by writing before James wrote us."

"Vallery is right Victor. Tom is a very strong and powerful wizard. I taught him transfiguration when he was in school."

"Whose Tom?"

"Tom Riddle is Voldemorts real name." Dumbledore said.

"Is James going to be alright Albus?" asked Vallery.

"My dear, James is a strong young man. But Tom is a very diluted man who will do anything to gain power. But I am sure James will be fine."

Vallery wasn't sure she believed what Albus was saying.

"Albus, if James is in trouble," she couldn't continue what she was thinking. "I just want my son back." And fresh tears fell down her face.

"Vallery," Albus said. But Victor cut in.

"Sweetie, why don't you make sure Sirius is alright while I talk to Albus." She agreed and walked up the stairs.

"Albus, all he wants from us is to join him. We could be spies. We could be useful."

"Victor, I must be honest with you, I believe his intentions are to get you to his hide out and kill you. I have no idea what his plans for James are but I believe he believes you to be a threat to him for some reason."

"Albus, what can we do."

"Follow his orders. All I can say is we have an advantage. We know he's changing you letters. We can charm the letters. If he tries to change what they say they will appear correctly when James touches the letter but only his eyes will be able to see what is written there."

"Are you sure you can pull it off Albus?"

"We'll have to wait and see." Albus said. "Right now we have to wait for his letter. I will think of a plan."

Vallery and Sirius entered the room.

"Professor," Sirius said a little sadly.

"Mr. Black, how are you holding up?" Dumbledore asked sympathetically.

"I just want my friend back and safe." Sirius said. Albus had never seen a look like that on Sirius's face. Sirius usually had a gleeful look to himself, even when he was in trouble.

"I'll do what I can Sirius. What did your mother say when you left?"

"She told me not to come home if I cared about a 'blood traitor' friend." Sirius said blood traitor with distaste, he didn't like to label wizards.

"Well, were you able to collect James trunk?"

"Yes, it's in his room. Sirius brought it up."

"Well, I need to know what exactly happened."

Sirius spoke up.

"Well, we were on the train and my mother was screaming for me so I left James alone in the compartment, Peter and Remus having to leave and find their parents. I watched as James walked out of the train with his trunk. He seemed deep in thought and I saw a man appear in black robes. I was watching James and I saw James bump into the man. James said something and then tripped over his trunk. The man grabbed James and disapparted. Mrs. Potter was screaming for James for ten minutes, I don't think anyone else saw what happened. I ran over to Mrs. Potter and then found Remus and peter. I told them what happened but they couldn't stay. They said they'd contact me when they could. But I haven't heard from them."

"Well, it's only been twelve hours. The owls that are being sent must be set in a different setting then the hide out. My guess is Voldemort is having his death eater's apparate to an owl not far from here and is sending it like that so it gets here quickly. He will torture the boy if you don't act."

"But Albus," Victor said, "What do you want us to do exactly?"

"I have a plan and I hope it'll work. You need to find out exactly where James is being kept and then we will have Alastor, myself and you, Victor, will go there. Vallery you will also be there. Victor and Vallery will enter the premises and talk to Voldemort and try to work things out. Play along with him, if he tries anything Alastor and myself will be under disillusionment charms. With hope Voldemort will not be able to detect ourselves, my charm is very powerful, if I do say so myself."

"That doesn't explain how we will get James." Vallery said,

"Well then listen closely, but I'm afraid Sirius can not be here. Take the mirror upstairs, if James signs back in then you may come down if he doesn't then I will come fetch you." Dumbledore said. Sirius picked up the mirror and went upstairs. He still feared for his friend's life.

"Potter, bow before me when I enter the room." Voldemort roared. When James refused Voldemort took out his wand and made James bow.

"Excellent boy, now, why didn't you obey me when I asked you too." Voldemort snapped.

"Please, sir, I'm weak. I don't get much food or drink." James cried.

Voldemort took out his wand. "You will be grateful for what I have given you these past two days. If you disobey another command I will be forced to cruciate you,"

James flinched. He knew of the Cruciatus curse but never had he seen it done or known anyone whose had it done before. James nodded his head towards Voldemort.

"yes sir," he said. James didn't know what else to call him. He wasn't a death eater so he wasn't going to call him 'his lord' and he didn't think calling him by his name would be a good idea and 'You-Know-Who' didn't seem like a good idea to, so he stuck with sir.

"Now, here's another letter from your worthless parents. They have agreed to see me and join my forces. I've decided that before they get here I will have a little fun with their living boy."

James looked scared at this. Voldemort handed him the letter and James read it. It seemed Voldemort was still changing things in the notes because any letters he's got have contained things about his parents thinking he's worthless and a waste of space.

"Now, you have the letter, so it's my turn to have some fun."

James knew what was coming. Even though he just said he wouldn't do it unless he disobeyed him, he knew he was going to feel his wrath.

"Crutio!" Voldemort said and James felt pain beyond anything he's ever felt before. Even his hair hurt. James flinched when Voldemort stopped the curse and just laid on the ground.

"I'll be back for some more fun later." Voldemort said as he walked out of the room.

James was left alone once again so he grabbed his mirror and sent a message to his parents. He found out that not only could he speak to them but if he traced things with his fingers on the glass then it would burn into a piece of parchment as long as it was lying by the reflection.

Mom, was just cruciated. Please don't join his forces, he's going to kill you. Scared at what'll happen next. James.

The note was simple but effective. Sirius stuck his head in the mirror.

"James, are you ok?" he asked.

"Would you be if you were cruciated?" asked James. Sirius looked at him.

"I'm sorry mate, but don't worry, they have a plan."

"As long as it doesn't get them killed." James said.

"Well, they're working on it right now. They'll want to hear from you, hold on." Sirius ran down with the mirror. "James is here." He said.

"James, is everything ok?"

"He was just cruciated," Sirius said.

"Was there a reason James?" asked Dumbledore.

"no, he said if I disobeyed him that he would and ten after telling me my parents were coming he did it."

"He wants to torture you so they'll join the cause."

"But Albus, you said he wasn't going to get hurt."

"Well, I have a feeling James may be cursed with more then one unforgivable curse."

"Your not talking about Avada Kedavra are you?"

"No, Vallery, the imperious curse. He uses it to get followers. If James was put under it then he could guarantee him to join forces and the dark side. The problem is only the caster can break the curse. There is a way to remove the curse but the counter curse can have very terrible consequences. If there was something to go wrong James's mind and soul could be damaged for ever."

"We trust you Albus. If James is put under the imperious curse we trust you to perform the counter. You are a skilled and powerful wizard."

"Thank you Vallery."

"Albus, isn't there any other way?" asked Victor.

"If the caster dies the curse is removed. But Voldemort won't be dying any time soon, I can assure you that." He said gravelly.

"I have to go." James said and the connection was disconnected.

"Boy, the dark lord wants a word with you out of this place." James had never been out of the prison he was being held in. He stood up, feeling very dizzy and magically the chains binding his legs to the bed disappeared. He was enjoying walking, which he hadn't been able to do since he got off the train until he stepped outside the door and his legs were chained once again so he couldn't run.

James nearly tripped when it first happened but continued to follow the death eater in front of him while another one, who he guessed was Avery, walked behind him. He was led into a room with a high fireplace and a high backed chair where Voldemort was sitting. James still couldn't understand why he was brought here when Voldemort was just in his room.

"Well, I know what you're thinking and I brought you here because this is my place of worship. Bow to me boy!" he demanded. James, not wanting to be cruciated again instantly got down and bowed. When he looked up Voldemort had a sick smile on his face, it seems he took pleasure in watching James obey everything he said.

"Now, when your parents arrive I do not want you to greet hem kindly." James looked horror struck. He was looking forwards to seeing his parents again. He couldn't understand why he wasn't able to be happy about it.

"But, sir, they are my parents and I haven't seen them in so long."

Voldemort got an ugly look on his face.

"What did I tell you about disobeying me!" Voldemort roared and with a flick of his wand and a "Crutio." James was wailing in pain. Then the pain stopped.

"Now, I see this isn't going to be as easy as I had hoped, very well. There are ways behind that." Voldemort stated. James knew what he was talking about. Dumbledore had just mentioned it not too long ago, he was going to be imperised.

"Imperio," Voldemort said and James had a blissful feeling of not having to think for himself. He knew what he was now, he was Voldemorts puppet.

A/N: A long chapter I know and a really big plot twist but I warned you last chapter and at the beginning of this one so don't blame me. I hope you liked it, it was a last minute addition but yea… anyways only like 2 chapter to go… kinda sad but I have been working on it and I'm excited to post the sequel (midnight howler!!!) so please leave a review and tell me if you liked the plot twist!