Author: Laurahonest

Chapter 11: Alarms

Post Date: 9-20-2007

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any thing related to Harry Potter, that honor belongs to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me.

Author's Note: Thank Bluejello for editing this, without her you would have to put up with my horrible grammar. Sorry that this has taken so long, I am getting busier with my baby, he is 10 months old now and very busy. I'll try to get the next chapter up sooner, but don't hold your breath.

The Saturday after Valentine's Day was a gorgeous day that made a person think of spring. The sun was shining brightly and the snow was dripping off of the trees as it melted. It was a wonderful day for a walk.

James and Lily were on their way to Hogsmead. They were walking along hand in hand, just enjoying the nice day and the time alone. They arrived in the village and wandered from shop to shop for awhile. They purchased everything that they needed and a few things that they didn't, especially in Zonko's Joke Shop. After a while they met up with some of their friends and decided to go find some lunch.

Early in the afternoon, while most of the students were still in the village, the sky started to cloud up and it got very dark rather quickly. James and Lily were sitting in the Three Broomsticks with Frank and Alice when they noticed the dark. They looked at each other and got up to go check it out. Madam Rosemerta hustled about the pub, lighting lamps and candles. They couldn't see anything from the door so they stepped outside into the gloom. There was a loud popping noise and suddenly a darkly robed figure stood in front of them. He had his back to them and didn't notice them right away. Lily got over her shock at almost being apparated on and looked around. A masked figure in dark robes stood in front of every shop and blocking every alley, they were all looking towards the bell tower. The students and other shoppers were trapped. As one, the four of them silently moved around the corner and out of sight. A second wave of Death Eaters apparated in with their backs to the first ones; now no one could get out of the buildings. James leaned in and whispered in Lily's ear. She nodded to show that she understood his plan and waited for him to fill in the others. When everyone was ready, they moved.

James and Frank sprang forward and attacked the robed figures in front of them. Lily ran towards the closest warning bell. James and one of the Death Eaters wrestled on the ground while Frank attacked the other one. Alice ducked back around the corner and into the pub to warn the people inside. Lily was almost to the bell when another figure appeared in front of her. She knew this person. It was the same evil man who had tried to kill her and her friends over Christmas break. The Death Eater that Frank was fighting apparated away when Frank tried to remove his mask. Frank turned to face Voldemort with Lily. James knocked his Death Eater's mask off and immobilized him. He vaguely recognized him, but he didn't pause to verify his identity. James ran to Lily's side. Together the three of them stood and faced Lord Voldemort.

"Hello, Tom," James greeted their enemy.

"Why, if it isn't Mr. Potter," Voldemort replied. "I was hoping that you would be here," he said. "It saves me the trouble of tracking you down later. You see, dear James, I am going to eliminate you today. I am going to destroy the Potter family. You are first." Voldemort flicked his wand and James lay on the ground bound and gagged.

Lily performed a silent charm and loosened his robes so that he could wriggle free.

Voldemort turned to her and started talking. "My dear mudblood, I would have let you alone if only you had stayed away from Hogwarts, but since you have decided that you are worthy to study magic like a pureblood, I have no choice but to destroy you as well." Voldemort tried to bind her as well but she evaded his spell. "You really are a clever girl aren't you" he praised her, "but it won't help you in the end." With those words he sent a Crucio spell towards her.

Lily dodged, but not fast enough; the tail of the spell hit her and she fell in pain. Frank tried to help her but Voldemort flicked his wand again and Frank was unable to move. Voldemort stood over Lily and laughed as he watched her suffer. With his focus on Lily he didn't notice that James and gotten loose and was ready to attack.

James leapt up out of his ropes and jumped on Voldemort's back. This took the dark wizard completely by surprise. They were wizards after all. They were supposed to use magic to solve their problems, not physical violence like those muggle animals. Once he got over the shock of a physical attack, he fought back. It felt good! The blood was pumping through his veins and the adrenaline was surging. Voldemort almost felt human again.

Lily fought off the effects of the curse enough to perform the counter-curse and free herself of the pain. She tried to stand up, but the curse had left her legs too weak to support her. Lily ran through the spells that she knew, trying to think of one that she could use from where she lay to ring the bell. She decided on the Wingardium Leviosa charm to try and make the clapper float and swing it back and forth into the sides of the bell. Lily knew that she only had one chance to make it work, if anyone figured out what she was trying to do, well, she didn't want think about that. She calmed her thoughts, checked to see that James was still causing a stir, and readied herself for the attempt. Lily silently performed the spell. It worked; she had control of the clapper. She started swinging it from side to side. When Lily had it moving really well, she flicked her wand a little bit harder and was rewarded by a loud, rich peal from the bell. She released the spell and the bell kept ringing as she collapsed back into the snow.

Voldemort didn't seem to hear the bell at first. He continued his struggle with James as if he was just another schoolboy and they were scuffing after classes.

James, however, heard the bell and knew that he had help coming. He tried to keep Voldemort busy. James knew that if he could keep him preoccupied, there was a better chance of capturing him.

Within seconds of the bell's first peal people had apparated in from other parts of the village and the surrounding countryside. A few seconds after that, Dumbledore had arrived from Hogwarts, along with most of his staff and the trained students.

Voldemort finally heard the bell as Dumbledore arrived. As soon as he heard the ringing, Voldemort knew that it was over. He continued to struggle with James. Voldemort was trying desperately to keep them off balance long enough to apparate away from the village all other thought was gone from his mind. He knew that he had failed when he felt his limbs freeze. Dumbledore had cast the charm over both of the fighters. He should have known that Dumbledore would not hesitate to immobilize a student if necessary. Voldemort himself had been immobilized by the old man while a student at Hogwarts. Yes, the old man preferred talking things out, but he was not afraid of action when necessary.

Dumbledore released James from the spell. Madame Pomfrey rushed to his side and started tending to his bruises. James tried to push her away to go check on Lily.

"Lily is fine, James," Professor Dumbledore reassured him before he could ask. "You hold still or Madame Pomfrey will immobilize you again." James fell quietly back into the snow.

Ministry officials apparated to Hogsmead within minutes to see why the alarms had gone off. The Aurors had been ordered down, but no one knew who the order had originated from. As soon as the officials knew what they were dealing with, the Auror's were called in to take custody of the prisoners. Voldemort and all of the captured Death Eaters were taken to Azkaban prison and put under the guard of the Dementors.

By the end of the next week, every student had heard how James had wrestled He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to the ground with his bare hands. James was an even bigger hero to the students.

Friday morning, James and Lily were eating breakfast when the mail arrived. Lily paid the owl that delivered her newspaper and unfolded it. The first page headlines made her gasp.

"What is it?" James asked.

Lily moved the paper so that he could read it too. Neither of them spoke as they read the whole article.

Last night the majority of the Aurors were called away from Azkaban prison due to reports of Dark Mark sightings all over the country. These calls continued to come in until only one auror was left to guard the prison with the dementors. Many people, including Albus Dumbledore, have questioned the wisdom of allowing creatures of such questionable repute to be placed as guards over our nation's most wanted wizards. It appears that they were correct in their doubts. The dementors have abandoned their posts and joined the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters. The lone auror was kissed by the dementors and all of the prisoners were released by them. This is the beginning of the end for the Magical World.

James and Lily looked at each other. Without speaking a word, they both looked towards the head table. Dumbledore was there, but he looked very concerned. James and Lily picked at their food and waited for the meal to be over. They wanted to speak with Professor Dumbledore about the paper.

When everyone had finished eating, Professor Dumbledore stood up and addressed the students. "I would like to see the Head Boy and Girl and all of the Prefects in my office in ten minutes time. All other students are to return to their common rooms and stay there until your head of house comes to see you."

James and Lily looked at each other and their concern grew. They ran up to their dorms to get ready for the day and then went straight to Professor Dumbledore's office with the Gryffindor prefects. As soon as the prefects from the other houses arrived, Professor Dumbledore began the meeting.

"Some of you," he began as looked each of them in the eye, "may be aware of what I am about to tell you and to others this may come as a complete shock. Sometime last night the Dementors defected and they released Voldemort and his Death Eaters. We have lost control of our prisons and the dementors are roaming the countryside. Several new rules are now in effect and it is up to you to help the teachers enforce them. No student is to be alone outside of the common room and dormitories. Quidditch practices will be overseen by Madame Hooch. Professors will escort students to and from classes. No students will be allowed out of their dormitories after dinner is over. You prefects will do your rounds with another prefect of your year. Anything out of the ordinary will be reported to a professor immediately. All student disagreements and altercations will be sent to their head of house. Any student out after curfew will be reported to their head of house immediately. Do you all understand these new rules?"

One of the Hufflepuff prefects asked, "Are we allowed out of the dormitories to perform rounds after dinner?"

"You are allowed out to perform your duties" he answered her. "These rules are only temporary. I have made Voldemort very angry and I am enforcing these rules to protect students from becoming his pawns in an effort to get to me." No one else raised any questions. "If that is all, you may leave. James, Lily please remain a moment longer." The prefects got up and left the office. James and Lily held hands and looked at him. "I believe that he is also very upset with you two right now. You foiled his plans and got him captured. I want you two to stay together or with another person at all times. You are very capable and I am sure that you will be fine, you have held your own against him twice now, but please don't take any foolish chances."

"We will be careful, sir," Lily assured him. "I personally have seen enough of him to last me a while. We won't go looking for trouble."

"Yes, sir, we will behave," James agreed with Lily. "No trouble seeking for us!"

"Good, I am glad to hear it," Dumbledore smiled at them. "Now you two get going, classes will be starting soon, and please pass this message on to Frank and Alice. I believe they are also in danger from Mister Riddle."

"Sir?" James began with a questioning look.

"You are wondering why I do not tell them myself?" Dumbledore asked. At James' nod, he continued. "I will speak to them personally, but at the moment they are in doing a special project for Professor McGonagall. It seems they were in the Astronomy tower doing 'homework' past midnight last night. So if you will pass them the message and these notes inviting them here to discuss the matter further, then you may leave."

"Thank you, sir," Lily replied as she picked up one of the notes. "Good-bye."

"Good-bye," echoed James, as he too reached for a note and turned to go.

"Good-bye," replied Dumbledore.

After James closed the door behind them he turned to Lily and started to discuss what they had just been told. "Do you really think Voldemort will come after us?" he asked Lily.

Lily looked a little whiter than normal when she replied. "Yes, I believe he will. We have gotten in his way twice now and that is sure to make him angry. He seems to want you dead even more than me, though. Remember what he said about your family? Now, I have stood by you and fought him too, that is bound to have made him really angry."

"What about Frank and Alice? Surely he isn't mad at them too?" James asked, seeming to grasp at straws.

"You know Frank's mom is standing with your parents on this one. She refused to join him too," Lily replied with a worried look.

"Oh God, you're right Lily. Frank and Alice should be down with their project now, let's go find them and give them Dumbledore's message right now!" James said in a worried tone.

Lily didn't argue, so they ran off to find Frank and Alice as quickly as possible. Half an hour later, they still had not found them. They passed a set of lavatories on the second floor and James suggested checking inside them. James ran into the boys and Lily checked the girls. When they came out of the empty rooms, James said "We haven't checked the Great Hall, maybe they're eating a late breakfast." So they headed off to the Great Hall and when they got there Frank and Alice were sitting alone at the Gryffindor table, hurriedly eating breakfast. Sighing in relief, James and Lily walked over and handed them their notes and told them what Dumbledore had said.

"Well, it's a good thing that we're all taking the same classes," said Alice, "we can stick together in between them."

"Yes," said Lily, "that way we are never alone, even in the dormitories and lavatories."

"We should go, here comes Professor Kettleburn and you know how he is about late students, even though it isn't his class we will be late for," James urged. The four of them got up and headed down to the dungeons for Potions.