The sun had already set by the time I had apparated to Hogwarts. The grounds seemed very quiet as I walked toward the front doors. They opened wide as I stepped up to them, revealing Albus Dumbledore. He smiled pleasantly as he let me in.

"Ah, Ms. Evans. What can I do for you at this pleasant hour? I am guessing this isn't a social visit." Dumbledore asked mildly as we walked through the corridors.

"Sorry, no. I need some help and I know you are probably the only one who can help me."

Dumbledore smiled at me and turned toward the gargoyle that led to his office. After giving the password (Acid Pops), he led me into his office and pulled up a chair for me.

"What can I so that would help an Auror such as yourself, Ms. Evans." He said cheerfully.

"Well, I was hoping you could give me some information on James Potter."

Dumbledore obviously wasn't expecting this. He looked at me shocked for a moment, and then his expression softened. "Yes," he said tiredly, "I have been wondering when someone was going to ask me about James." He sighed. "It is quite a sad story. I want you to understand though Ms. Evans, that James's story is not like all the other Death Eater's stories that you have heard. I don't think I even have the full story."

I looked at him expectantly and with a little bit of excitement. Obviously, this Death Eater's past is more interesting then the generic Death Eater's past.

Dumbledore looked out the window as he started. "The first time I met James, it was almost ten years ago, on his first day at Hogwarts. He was as excited as the rest of the first years, especially when he was sorted into Gryffindor, the same as his parents."

I hadn't seen that coming. I gaped at Dumbledore but he held up a hand and I let him continue reluctantly.

"James's first years at Hogwarts were blissful, and he had three good friends to enjoy it with. Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettegrew. The Marauders. James connected with Sirius the most though. You didn't see one without the other, and they were always pulling pranks where ever they went. Oh, not malicious pranks," seeing the look on my face, "Just good-natured pranks, though they did seem to center around the Slytherin house. He was very intelligent and I knew that he was going to go far. He had hopes of becoming an Auror like his father, and was about to take the next step to achieve that goal when it all fell apart."

Dumbledore shook his head sadly as he looked at me. His voice turned into a murmur as he continued. "It was the Christmas of James's sixth year when it happened. Apparently, Lord Voldemort came to Potter Manor during Christmas Eve. He killed James's parents in front of him. James came back a wreck. He didn't do anything except eat, go to class, and sleep. He completely forgot about his friends and lost the motive to do anything. He disappeared the day he turned seventeen. March 27." Dumbledore sighed sadly and turned back to look out the window. "I remember Sirius Black running into my office. He said he woke up that morning. James didn't show up for breakfast or class. When Sirius went to check the dormitory, he found a note on James bed saying that he was running away and that no one should try to find him. It seemed like he disappeared off the planet. His friends never recovered from his disappearance. The rest of the story is a little bit sketchy at best, but a few days after the rest of the Marauders graduated, Death Eaters attacked Hogsmeade, and James was one of them. He killed two people. I was there when it happened."

Dumbledore shuddered with the memory. I shuddered too. It's not everyday that you here about a model student, a Gryffindor, join the people that killed his parents and then kill people himself.

"I didn't believe it when I saw it," Dumbledore looked at me as he said, "I thought him and his parents and then, he just changes, becoming the type of person his parents swore never to be. I haven't personally seen him after that day, but there are a lot of rumors of him appearing at a lot of Death Eater raids. If you wish to hunt him down, I advise you use extreme caution. I don't think I can help you anymore, but if you need extra assistance, I'm sure Mr. Black will help you."

He stood up and gestured for me to follow him. We walked back to the front doors in silence, both of us deep in thought. He put a hand on my shoulder as I was about to walk out into the darkness. He gave me a fatherly look and said kindly, "I wish you luck Lily. I have a felling you're going to need it."

I smiled at my old headmaster and headed into the darkness, contemplating my next move.