(Soundtrack for the Chapter (difficult to find fitting songs for this one, but if I had to pick): Radiohead – High and Dry, and The Bravery – Honest Mistake (fast version))

(January 3rd – Year 2 (same night))

Twelve - The Escape

Lily's heart stopped. Their friends had all Disapparated. The Death Eaters had circled James just after he froze and hid her. More had appeared, and now one man was approaching James from outside the circle of Death Eaters like an animal approaches his prey. He was pale and dark at the same time, bringing with him a feel of gray and red and… evil.

Underneath this cloak, Lily was unable to do anything about it.

She thought back to December, shortly after she and James had been married…

"Lily," He had approached her after she got home from work one evening. "I have a few secrets I need to share with you..."

Lupin, a werewolf... Unregistered Animagi... It had seemed unreal. It should have been easy to believe; it all made so much sense. They had always broken the rules, hadn't they? At first, she had been angry as to why he had kept it all from her so long.

"I just didn't want to burden you with knowing it all… But I realized that we are together, now. You have the right to know everything I know. I talked to Remus and the others, and they cleared it. It wasn't just my secret to tell, you know?" He had explained. He had then showed her the Invisibility Cloak.

"This, however, is all mine. I haven't used it since we've left school, but I found it again and… well," He had paused. "Our jobs aren't going to be very simple soon, are they? I mean, fighting the bad guys, and all. I needed to show you this so you can use it- so we can use it- to our advantage."

She was using it now, but it certainly was not to her advantage, nor was it by choice. When she had refused to leave him behind, he had frozen her and hid her underneath the Invisibility cloak. She was helpless to do anything until the spell wore off in a few moments. Hopefully only a few moments.

She was able speak, she had realized, but speaking would do nothing but lead the Death Eaters to her, and she would be unable to fight unless she could move her arms and legs first.

Meanwhile, the man had reached James, who was bound defiantly to the chair. Lily needn't guess who the man was. Her heart already knew.

His voice was a sinister hiss, but she could hear his words as he spoke to James. "Well, well… I should have guessed that Dumbledore would have sent his little do-gooders tonight. Tell me, where's your great leader now?"

James's face remained a glaring stone. Fear filled Lily's bones like ice. Please don't do anything stupid, James. Please don't make him angry, she urged through her mind, even though she knew he couldn't hear her.

Lord Voldemort simply let out a high, cruel laugh. "He has you all trained well, hasn't he? Speaking of which, I'd like to get some information out of you. You're too young and possibly too smart to be a part of the Ministry, and this isn't the first time Dumbledore has sent people to work against us. I know he's got a little following, but what exactly is all of this about?"

James refused to speak.

"Who are you?" Voldemort pressed.

Nothing from her husband.

Lily could feel the air grow a little colder, a little less patient. This was less of a cat and mouse game now, and more of a deadly hunt. Voldemort wanted information, and James wasn't budging at all. She had to do something.

Voldemort spoke again. "Are you sure that's your answer? If I have to hurt you to get information, I hardly need announce that I will."

One of the Death Eaters spoke out. "He's James Potter, my Lord."

"I wasn't asking you, young Avery. But for that, you can go help Goyle, Jugson, and Nott escape from those very friendly top hats on the second floor." Voldemort snapped. Avery cowered, and slinked away to do as told. Lily's mind raced. Avery… he had been a Slytherin in their year.

Voldemort faced his followers once more, an evil gleam upon his face. "Dolohov- see if you can get anything out of him without the help of schoolmates."

"Pleasure, my Lord," Cackled another, presumably Dolohov. "Crucio!"

Lily just barely caught herself from yelling out, "No!" Her husband's screams drowned out the laughs of the Death Eaters. He was writhing in pain, bending over the chair he was bound to in such a way that she thought his back and bones would snap any moment.

I have to help him; I have to move. I have to help him; I have to move... Lily's mind was racing, begging the spell to wear off. Her husband's cries of pain fueled a piercing need in her. It filled her every bone, until she thought she could stand it no longer. And all of a sudden, just like that, she could move once more.

"Enough." Voldemort commanded. James ceased screaming, and had gone limp. "Are you ready to speak yet, James Potter?"

Talk, James, talk, she urged in her mind, once more. If she wanted to cast spells without being heard, it needed to be not-so-quiet.

"I'll talk," James spat. "But if you think I'm about to reveal anything, then you're in for a treat."

As he spoke, Lily whispered a shield charm around herself, and silently crept up behind the Death Eaters.

Voldemort was getting angry. "Such defiance. Should we teach you another lesson? Severus, perhaps you'd like a try this time."

Lily's pulse quickened. Severus Snape was here. After all of the times she had stood up for him, after all the empathy she had shown him, he had, too, joined the evil force. Worst of all, he loathed James with a fervor greater than any hatred Lily had ever perceived before.

She knew that Snape wouldn't think twice about hurting James.

Thankfully, he also wasn't above gloating in his moment of glory.

Snape gave a smirk as James glared. Lily silently readied her wand, picking out her first targets.

"It would be a reward greater than you know, my Lord." Snape chuckled. "I ran into your old pals before, James Potter. Sirius couldn't even convince Lupin to help kill me. You and that Lupin… think you're so high and mighty trying to save me. You'll be wishing the two of you had the guts to kill now… Cruc."

He was unable to finish the curse. Snape was unable to talk. He looked around, surprised, mouthing but unable to make noise. At the same moment, several Death Eaters were suffering the effects of various charms. Some were confunded, waves of confusion hitting them as they stood. A few were sent flying out of the circle, one by one, banished to the opposite ends of the room. Others, like Snape, had been silenced, angrily mouthing out for help.

Voldemort was barking frantic orders. "They must be back! They must be surrounding us! Find them all and kill them! Go, go, go!"

The Death Eaters had broken rank, and were scurrying about the room in a frenzy.

"Not over here!" One cried. Another motioned with his hands, signaling no one found.

"What are you talking about?" exclaimed the one called Dolohov, cunfunded.

Lily was relieved that she had always been good with charm work. However, a loose spell hit Lily's shield, causing her Invisibility Cloak to fall askance. But she was beside James now, and she had severed his bindings the Chair.

She could afford to be loud now, as the Invisibility Cloak slipped off.

"ACCIO JAMES'S WAND!" She yelled, and whipping towards her it came. James caught it. Snape's eyes had grown wide. He was yelling and pointing, but no one heard him.

Lily Evans, Snape plainly mouthed, his face contorted with a shocked rage.

James gave a triumphant gleam, and taunted, "She's Lily Potter, now, Snivellus. Bye-bye."

Voldemort himself had finally looked back to them. He was furiously striding towards them. "One girl! This was the work of one girl and an Invisibility Cloak?! GET THEM!"

But it was too late. James and Lily were already Disapparating. James gave a coy wave, scooped up the cloak, and they were gone with a pop.

They landed in the Order headquarters.

"James!" Lily exclaimed, embracing him in the tightest hug possible. She was still shaking. "I thought they were going to kill you, James."

James held her like he would never let her go. "I was so scared they were going to find you, Lily. You should have Disapparated when they first caught me."

"I wasn't going to leave you in a million years, James." She assured him. "You should know that."

"Thank you, Lily," James whispered, letting out a shuddery sigh.

Lily noticed suddenly that they weren't alone in the room. Dumbledore was standing in the doorway. James noticed, too, and they pulled away, their hands still entwined.

"Your friends have departed for the Hospital. There was a huge debate as to whether they should go back for you or not, but they contacted me instead to wait for you here." Dumbledore had walked over, and now placed a hand on each of their shoulders. "I feel personally responsible for your capture. I should have been present, or I should have had more Order Members located there. Can you ever forgive me?"

James shook his head. "It's not your fault at, Professor. We would have been outnumbered, anyways. It was my fault I got caught; we were retreating. I tried to tell her to leave, but-"

"I wasn't going to leave him behind," Lily stated with decisiveness. "But he hid me…"

"And then she saved me." James finished. "We got out of there alive- I got out of there alive- thanks to her."

Dumbledore seemed to soak it all in. Dumbledore's presence seemed to calm Lily. His sparkling blue eyes held a worried twinkle, but just having him there seemed to relax any of her own remaining concerns.

"That was both exceptionally foolish and exceptionally brave of both of you." He smiled at last. "Those two traits combined are almost a sure recipe for success. But, tell me, did Voldemort himself arrive?"

The couple nodded. Dumbledore inhaled deeply, and gave them both a look of strong capacity. Lily couldn't place the feeling that was emanating from him, but it made her feel… worthy.

Dumbledore spoke once more. "You two have managed to escape first-hand from the greatest danger of these times. I am grateful beyond all possible belief that you have survived. My folly with this situation has led me to rethink the manner of which I hope to accomplish future objectives. Regardless, I am highly impressed with the two of you. Great things were expected from you both, and I am proud to say that you have already exceeded those expectations. Now, I suggest you join your friends at St. Mungo's and proceed to tell them and myself just exactly how you managed such a magnificent feat. And then, might I recommend, despite my inferior holding of Healer knowledge, some rest."

Lily smiled. Proud. Dumbledore was proud of them. It still wasn't quite registering in her mind what exactly they had attained. She was simply still recovering from the whole incident. She felt relieved to be out of there, grateful for their escape, and honored to be contracting Dumbledore's merit. But above all, she was just glad to have James still standing beside her. She could almost let out a huge sigh of relief.

They had escaped…