Chapter 3 - The Reaping

Albus woke up. He didn't realise that he had fallen asleep. Lily was awake, and dressed in a short, light yellow dress. James was putting on a blue shirt, looking out the window.

'Good morning,' James said to Albus. 'You might want to use the excuse for a bath we have through there.'

Albus sat up on his bed. He didn't recognise the yellow dress or the blue shirt. At first he thought that he was dreaming.

'Where did you get those?' Albus asked.

'The teachers have been making clothes for the Reaping since all we have is our uniforms and any other clothes in our suitcases. McGonagall's left you something.'

Albus walked over to the light blue shirt lying on James' bed. He examined it; it looked good for something that had been mass produced by magic the night before. He went into the back room, where a bathtub and a bucket of water awaited him. He gave himself the best wash that he'd had since Hogwarts arrived in District 7. He dried his hair, got dressed, and headed out into the other room in the Potter's hut like house. Albus sat down on the bed, next to Lily.

'Will mum and dad know where we are?' Lily asked him.

Albus didn't know what to say. He hadn't even thought about his parents. Would they know what was happening? What if one of the three children died? Hugo and Rose as well.

'I don't know, Lily, but I'm sure they'll find out somehow.'

James looked out the window. He could see people walking towards the Justice Building. The whistle sounded. It was time.

'OK, Lily, it's time to go now,' Albus said.

'Al, you're doing it again,' Lily replied.

'Doing what?'

'Talking to me like I'm five years old! I'm not stupid, Albus. I understand what's going to happen.'

Albus held her hand, and they walked out of the house. James followed, closing the door behind him. They melted into the crowd. Soon, after the identification process and the general panic, the boys and girls were separated. Hilaria Castleton swaggered onto the stage. She was wearing a purple suit and a green wig with a massive purple bow on. Her face was white, her lips red and the areas around her eyes black, giving her the appearance, once again, of a very scary clown.

'Welcome!' she screeched. 'Greetings, salutations, welcome! Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favour!'

The video started playing. The video about the Dark Days and the rebellion, nothing about Hogwarts. Messages of the Capitol's "kindness" towards the districts, yet nothing about dropping twelve year olds from the Reaping. No-one expected a personalised message from the Capitol, but they had learned to expect the unexpected. Soon enough, the bore was over and the Reaping begun.

'First, the young women!' Hilaria squealed. She walked over to the bowl and let her hand hover over the bowl like a charmed snake. Soon, she struck and picked a name from the depths of the glass bowl. She walked back over to her microphone, unfolding the tiny piece of paper. She clears her throat. 'Lily Potter!'

All that could be heard was Rose's gasp of horror. Lily took a large gulp. Albus and James searched for her in the crowd of girls. Hilaria just kept beckoning her to the stage as if she was a dog. Lily breathed in, and out, and started walking out of the crowd.

'Lily, no! Get out the way! Lily!'

A commotion formed on the boys' side. Someone was pushing through the crowds. As they came closer to the aisle in-between the crowds, it became clearer who they were; it was James.

'Get your hands off her!' James shouted to the Peacekeepers around Lily. They just kept marching, until James wrapped his arm around one of their throats. The rest of the Peacekeepers tried to grab him, but they couldn't get a grip. He elbowed one in the nose, then punched one in the face. He seemed to have lost all sense of what was right. Two Peacekeepers ran in and started dragging him away. He kept screaming, 'Run, Lily! Just run away! Now's your chance, go!' They dragged him away, around the side of the Justice Building. Lily just stood in shock. The unharmed Peacekeeper walked behind her and nudged her forward to the stage. Once she had climbed the steps, Hilaria pushed her to the centre of the stage. Hilaria cleared her throat again and strutted back to her microphone.

'And last, but not least, the boys!' she whispered, sinisterly. She made her way over to the other glass bowl. Her hand dived in to the sea of paper slips, and resurfaced with a slip between forefinger and thumb. She unfolded it, and hollered 'Scorpius Malfoy!' Scorpius started walking, when a new voice was heard.

'I volunteer!' the voice cried. The owner of the voice was soon clear. They walked out of the crowd, and stood next to Scorpius. It was Albus.

'It seems we have a volunteer,' Hilaria said, disappointedly. It seemed as though she wanted Scorpius to be picked. Albus made his way to the stage and ascended the stairs. He walked up to Lily, who was so confused that she looked as though she could cry. 'What's your name?' Hilaria asked.

'Albus Potter,' he replied.

'Was that your friend who got picked?' Hilaria asked him.

'No.'

'Ah, is there rivalry between you both?'

'No.'

Hilaria looked at Albus disapprovingly. 'I see. Well, shake hands you two. A round of applause for our tributes, Albus and Lily Potter!'

Hilaria clapped, no-one else did. She turned the two children around, and pushed them into the Justice Building. They were put into two different rooms, where people could say their goodbyes before the tributes were carted off to the Capitol. Lily's first visit came from McGonagall.

'Hello, Lily,' she said softly.

'Why did Albus do that, professor?' Lily asked.

'He did that because he cares. He cares about you.'

'Then why would he put us in a position where we have to kill each other?'

'He's not going to kill you, Lily. He's going to protect you.'

Lily thought for a while. 'Have you been in to see him?'

'No, someone was already talking to him, but I'm sure he has volunteered so he can protect you from the other tributes.'

'And then force us to kill each other. Who's talking to him?'

'I think it's Scorpius, Albus sounded angry.'

The thought of an angry brother reminded Lily of what had happened during the Reaping. 'How's James?'

'We haven't seen him. The Peacekeepers are holding him somewhere. I'm sure they'll just talk to him, then they'll let him out.'

'He'll go to prison or something, won't he?'

'I don't know, Lily, but I'll see that he is freed.'

'Thank you, professor. I wish you could come with us and be our mentor.'

'I wish I could, too. In fact, that's not a bad idea.'

A Peacekeeper burst into the room. 'Your time's up,' he said.

McGonagall got up, winked at Lily, and then left. The Peacekeeper stepped outside the room and closed the door. Lily heard voices from the other side of the door. The Peacekeeper opened it, letting Rose and Hugo in.

'Lily, are you OK?' Rose said.

'Hopefully I'll be fine, Rosie. I have Albus, and he has me.'

'Do you have a plan?' Hugo asked.

'No, we'll take it as it comes. Have you heard anything about James?'

'He's talking to Albus right now,' Rose replied. 'It seems he got out fine.'

'Wonder how, does he plan to visit me?'

'I'm not sure. But anyway, Lily, we know that you are able to win this thing. You'll be able to practise with muggle weapons before the games anyway. They're all pretty easy to use; you don't even need an incantation.'

'Thanks, guys. I appreciate you coming to see me. McGonagall told me Albus was getting angry at Scorpius, did you hear anything?'

'Scorpius went in saying "thanks for saving me",' said Hugo. 'Albus got annoyed at him for thinking that he volunteered to help him, when he really did it to help you. Scorpius spoke to us about it outside.'

The Peacekeeper came in, telling them that their time was up. They got up, hugged, and the Weasleys left. Lily sat down, and examined the small room. The door opened once more, and in walked James.

'James! Are you alright?'

'I'm fine.'

'Your face, it's red! What happened?'

'Nothing, I'm fine. Why didn't you run when I said?'

'The Peacekeepers have guns; I would have been shot on the spot! Are you sure that nothing happened?'

'They hit me in the face, once. That was all. But I'm not here to-'

'They hit you in the face? What with?'

'His hand. But that's-'

'He slapped you?'

'No, it was more of a punch, but-'

'He punched you in the face?'

'Lily! Please, I'm fine. I got off lightly and everyone knows it. They said that it'd be forgotten, as long as it never happened again.'

'I'm just glad you're OK. That was very brave.'

'It was very stupid, what was I thinking? I could have killed us all!'

'But you didn't, so it's all OK.'

'I wish I could come with you, just to stand by your side while you're shown off to the Capitol.'

'I wish you could, maybe you can.'

'I asked, I can't. Even if I could, I doubt they'd let me in now, with my violent history.'

'McGonagall seemed to think that she could get in with me somehow. The only people that can go in with me are my fellow tribute, our escort and our . . . mentor.'

The door opened. Their time was, once again, up. Lily flew out of her seat and wrapped her arms around James. 'Take care of the Weasleys,' she said. 'And if you ever see mum and dad, tell them . . . tell them I love them.'

James kissed her forehead, 'Good luck, I know you'll be fine. '

'What about Albus?'

'He'll be fine, too.'

They both knew that they couldn't all be fine, and at least one of them would be dead. James didn't plan to say this, so he left the room, and didn't turn back. Lily could tell that James hadn't got off the hook with the Peacekeepers; she dreaded to think of what would happen to him when Albus and herself were away. That was the last person, so she, Albus and Hilaria started making their way to the train. James kept walking slowly out of the justice building. He dipped his hand into the glass bowl of boy's names and pulled one out. He unfolded it and opened it up. Scorpius Malfoy. He just needed to prove to himself that he was right. He pulled out another, just to make sure. Scorpius Malfoy. He folded them up, put them back, and walked on. He saw Professor Longbottom, sitting on a wall, examining his wand. James sat beside him.

'I'm sorry about what's happened today, James,' Longbottom said to him.

'Don't be, it wasn't your fault.'

'I felt so helpless, like I had no power over anything. That's what the Capitol want; they want the people to have no power.'

'I know how you feel. I don't know why I did what I did today, I'm so stupid.'

'What you did was natural. She is your sister, and you care for her. By the way, I've prepared a pain-killing remedy from some herbs in my office for this afternoon. Sorry, would you not like me to talk about it?'

'Not talking about it won't stop it from happening, Professor. These "Peacekeepers" just want to serve justice, and it will stop them from hurting Lily or Albus. Did you tell Albus when you visited him?'

'Not a word, James. Everyone else kept their promises, too. Lily and Albus haven't a clue.'

'Good, that's how it should be. Thank you, sir, for helping me.'

'It's the least I can do, James. I owe you and your family a lot.'

'Will you be coming to see it?'

'I don't know, do you want me to?'

'It's your choice; I'll probably be closing my eyes anyway.'

'How many times will they do it?'

'Twenty.'

'In that case, I had better give you something before it. It may start to wear off at the fifteenth time.'

'That's OK, I'll survive five of them.'

'I hope so, but I'll be treating you straight after it, so don't worry. Just hang on in there. I'm sorry, easier said than done, I imagine.'

'I'll try, sir.'

'God, James, that kind of punishment is medieval. I'll try to get them to reconsider-'

'No, sir. If this doesn't happen, they will take it out on everybody, and I'm not going to make everyone pay for my mistake.'

Longbottom put his arm around James shoulders. 'Your parents must be very proud of you, James.'

'Oh, that reminds me, my mum sends her love.'