(12) Hallowed Reunion

"I can't believe I did that," Lily paced up & down in the living room while James, Ondar & Harry looked on. "I can NOT believe I just did that!"

"Calm down," James tried.

Lily glared at him. "Calm down? CALM DO—I just disarmed Dumbledore & now have a Phoenix after me! Calm down! James? I ought to personally hand-feed you to the blasted Dark Lord Voldemort!" She went back to pacing.

"Mistress!" Ondar gasped.

"Sharp!" Harry cried.

James glared at his son. "Yes, Harold! Thank you! Your mother is being quite sharp with me at the moment."

"Dumbledore knows it's me," Lily went on.

"You took the Cloak off?" James exclaimed.

"No, I mean, I don't know. I'm sure he saw me!" Lily fretted. "Oh, he'll wonder what's wrong with me!"

"Dumloor sharp?" Harry would have a long way to go to get that long name right.

"Harold!" James glared again. His son was so not helping him. "I think I can dispense with the running commentary for now, ok?"

Harry then pointed at his father. "Sharp?"

James went crossed-eyed. "Curse that moon mutt for teaching you that word!"

"Prongs!" Lily stared at him.

James shrugged. "Look, now that all three Hallows are yours, we're all going to be on edge until after tomorrow."

There was an explosion of fire in the air & Fawkes appeared, calling out a Song that sounded like wind in the reeds before he landed gracefully onto the floor.

"How'd he get in here?" James glared at the Firebird. "We have our shield up."

"Phoenixes don't exactly exist on our plane," Lily said. "They can go anywhere at any time." James stared at her. "What? I read it in a book once."

James scratched his head. He knew what that Phoenix was after. He discreetly nodded to Lily who made sure both her wands were well hidden under her robes. "We've got to get rid of him!"

"How? You can't exactly kill a Phoenix you know."

James glanced at Ondar who suddenly grinned nervously. He stepped up to the feathery bonfire standing in the center of his living room. Fawkes was actually hissing. His wings crackled with flames. "Fawkes, can I ask you something?" Fawkes struck out with his head, trying to peck. James knelt down. "I know you're here for your Master's wand. Can you wait one day? Just one! Lily will freely give it back on November first." Fawkes opened his beak & screamed. It was worse than an Eagle's call. James slowly removed his hands from his ears. "Please Fawkes. You don't understand. You can't. Take Ondar to Orion Black's home & keep him there until November the first. Then bring him back here & we'll give you that wand back. Please?" Fawkes chirped. Who did this Marauder think he is anyway? "Did Dumbledore tell you to return with the wand? Yes? Did he say exactly when? See? It's only one day." Phoenix & Stag Marauder stared each other down. "You can sense when one is loyal to Dumbledore, can you not?" James went on. He spread his hands. "Is there any Darkness in me worth betrayal?" Fawkes blinked, thinking hard. "Wait one day. This war will be over. It will end tomorrow but I must use that wand. Please?" Fawkes glared at the poor terrified house elf as if he was something to eat. "Yes. Yes! Take him to Orion Black. One day. That's all I ask. You'll save all our lives, including Dumbledore's."

Fawkes puffed up his chest & ruffled his feathers. Sparks flew in all directions. "Master?" Ondar asked timidly.

"Go to Orion for Halloween," James said as he stood. "Keep that," He pointed. "flaming pigeon occupied until November first." He ignored the insulted look from said 'pigeon' who puffed up indignantly, shaking off more sparks.

"Yes Master," Ondar gave up. He put a hand on the bird & the next moment, James, Lily & Harry were alone.

Harry was put down for the night. James & Lily lay awake in bed. When morning dawned, they slowly made their way downstairs, not having slept at all. Neither of them felt like breakfast. It was only Harry who had anything. They passed most of the day in silence.

As evening set in, James took Lily's hand into his own. "Now I call Sirius. You ready?" Lily nodded mutely. He turned away & went to one knee. He lifted his wand straight up over his head. Royal blue sparks shot out of its tip. James stayed like that for a minute.

Sirius suddenly appeared before them. "Hi Harry!" He patted the baby's head.

"Padfoot."

"What is it, Prongs?"

"Release us."

"Prongs!"

"Release us. Now," James stood firm. "Then go to America's home. Oh & avoid Fawkes. He's in a mood."

"Fawkes?" Sirius looked slightly confused.

"Ask Ondar," James said. "I've sent him over there as well. Out of the way."

"Prongs please think about what you're doing," Sirius tried again.

"What do you think I've been doing since Seventh Year when I opened those letters?" James declared. "Trust me. We'll be fine. Now release us & go!"

"At least let me take Harry with me."

"He'll be fine," James said. "He's the key to this whole thing. Voldemort dies tonight. Please Padfoot!" Sirius sighed. Hoping against hope James knew exactly what he was doing, he went outside, released the shield & apparated to Orion's.

Lily felt a cold shudder. She rubbed her arms. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. "James! How is Harry going to be safe?"

"You," James merely pointed at her before disappearing into the kitchen. He took out the little box from the fridge & pulled out the final vial. It was time. "Please Merlin. Watch over us all." He drank it down. Then he took out another potion, one he had secretly bought while under the influence of Felix the first time around.

"What do you mean, me?" Lily pressed.

James kept his back to her. "You once vowed you would die for me. Would you do the same for our son?"

"Of course," Lily said.

"As would I," James sighed, staring out the kitchen window.

"James, I'm the Commander of all three Hallows," Lily tried again. "I AM Death's Mistress, am I not?"

"You are," James said, turning around. "Don't worry. You'll be fine. You know what to do."

"I have to keep the Dark Lord from Harry at all ... at all cos ... James!"

"I asked you to trust me once, remember?" James said. "My Gryffindor lioness needs to be brave tonight. Don't worry. You will be very much alive in November. So will Harry."

"So will you," Lily didn't like how James omitted himself.

"That's right," James nodded.

There was no time for further discussion. A thud was heard out in the yard. "James! How did they find us?"

"Anonymous note," James shrugged. "He's here, Lily. Take Harry & go. Trust me!" He grabbed her hand & pulled her close for a kiss. "Go!"

Lily threw the Cloak over her shoulders, hiding her whole body but her head. She scooped up Harry in one arm & held the Elder Wand in her free hand. The Stone pendant hung from her neck. Lily fled upstairs as the main door burst open.

James turned to glare down the hall. "Alright Felix! Here goes nothing!" He transformed. Rack down, he bounded quite literally into the first Death Eater that entered, pinning the man to the wall. A moment later, Prongs was surrounded by ash. A vampire. Prongs reared up on his hind feet & driving both front hooves down, he collapsed the skull of the second Death Eater. A third figure moved in. The Dark Lord himself.

"Aveda Kedavra!"

Prongs went down hard on his belly, transforming into James as he rolled over, a large green glow on his chest.

Lily was already upstairs, holding Harry in her arms. She heard the death curse. Was Prongs dead? What the hell was James planning? The door burst opened. Lily all but dropped Harry into his crib & whirled around. "Not Harry. Please not Harry!"

"Stand aside you silly girl!"

"Please! Please not Harry! Have mercy!

"Stand aside!"

"No! Harry!"

"Aveda Kedavra!"

Lily threw herself in front of that curse & went down hard. Next moment, she was in a place of pure white. "Harry? Harry! Harry where are you? James!" Lily tried to run but felt like she was going nowhere. The white was all around. "Prongs!" James hadn't mentioned this. He never really said what the Hallows would do except ensure that she wouldn't stay dead. She was Death's Mistress. What was she doing here in the white light? Where was the Stag? Harry Potter?

Lily ran forward for several minutes, but nothing changed. She stopped & looked around. Even though she had nothing in her hands at the moment, she had to try something. "Accio Prongs!" She waited several minutes but no Stag came streaking across the white light to her. Probably a good thing. He was huge & most likely would have bowled her right over. "Accio Harry!" Good. Something much smaller. Easier to catch. Again she waited. But no baby came to her either. Where was she?

Lily went to her knees. Trust James. She wondered if she could ever trust that man again! He had ruined everything. She started crying. She was dead. The Hallows were a myth. Was James working for the Dark Lord? Hard as it was to believe, it was the only possible explanation left to her. If he wasn't already dead, Lily would have killed him herself for spinning his wild story of Time-travelling & Hallows.

So why did Sirius & Orion tell the same story? Don't tell Remus. Oh great. NOW she thinks of that little detail. Sweet Merlin! Had they all been Death Eaters, except Remus? Lily sat down on whatever she was in that the whiteness formed. She put her head to her knees & cried harder.

Suddenly, somewhere from far away, she could hear screaming. Someone was here with her. She stood up. She had to find whoever that was.