Chapter 17: I Assault an Innocent Door

(Albus)

It was four weeks after our first Occlumency lesson with Flitwick. Two weeks ago I had learned to stay conscious while he entered my mind, and just today I had managed to keep him out. James still hadn't succeeded in staying conscious.

"This is impossible," he muttered as we walked to the Great hall after our lesson.

"It's not James," Alice insisted appearing out of nowhere. "I know you can do it."

"All I've managed to do is embarrass myself," he groaned. "And reveal two of the Marauders top secret plans to Flitwick! He gave me detention and we didn't even get to do the prank yet."

"You have to focus, James," I told him. "You have to think about nothing, find Flitwick, and get him out of your head."

"That's not possible," James said angrily. "I don't understand why Al can do it and I can't."

I frowned. "Excuse me," I said, a little annoyed, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you're obviously not as capable as me magic wise, so it makes no sense that you can do this stupid Occlumency thing and I can't."

"I'll be glad to remind you that the last duel we had, I won," I snapped. "Thank you very much."

I hated when James became this cocky jerk that couldn't make mistakes, and did all right. He hadn't done it lately since we talked about mending our relationship and he hadn't done it at all since the winter break, probably because getting arrested humbled him, but he was doing it now. And I was done sitting there and taking it.

James snorted. "Cause you were cheating. And I was going easy on you." James laughed again. "Seriously, Al, there's nothing you can beat me at if we're playing even."

"Really, James, really?" I demanded shocked at my brother's behaviour. "Okay, fine then. You keep thinking that. I'm going to go see my girlfriend. You know the one who rejected you for me. Yeah."

I watched the glass in James' hand shatter as I walked away. Sure it was a low blow but there were times when James needed to be put in his place.

I sat down next to Cassidy at the Ravenclaw table.

"Hey, Al," she said pecking me on the cheek. From across the table I saw Melissa/Mystie- because I was now ninety percent sure she was Mystie- glaring at us.

"Hey, Cassy. What's up?"

"Nothing much. Me and Samuel were just talking. Homework and stuff. What about you?"

"Ugh, fighting with James," I replied with an eye roll.

"Why does that not surprise me," muttered Scone from the other side of Cassidy.

Cassidy slapped Scone's arm. "Don't be mean, Sam."

"Whatever," he said shoving another bite of chicken in his mouth.

"I thought you were getting along with James," Cassidy pointed out.

"Yeah, well, he's being a prick," I shrugged stealing a carrot off Cassidy's plate.

"Why does that not surprise me," mumbled Scone.

Cassidy slapped his arm again.

"Anyway, want to hang out?" I asked. "Maybe go for a walk?"

Cassidy looked at Scone who nodded slightly. "Yeah, sure. Let's go."

I frowned a little but decided to ignore whatever I just saw.

(James)

"What the hell was that?"

"It was me standing up for myself, Brianna," I replied edgily. It wasn't my fault Albus escalated everything.

She grabbed my shoulder and pushed me against a wall. For whatever reason I didn't fight back. "That's what most people call being an ass. You should be familiar with the term, James. You were the dictionary definition of it after all."

Of course her comments got to me. Anything anyone said these days got to me. But I ignored it and focused on something else. "Why do you care anyway? Why are you so concerned about me being an ass? Why all the sudden?"

I expected that question would catch her off guard that her reaction to the question would give away something but her face stayed blank. "You need to get off your damn throne and join the rest of us here on Earth, James, before someone else comes along and kicks you right out of here." She pushed me a little into the wall and walked off.

"What the hell is her problem?" I muttered to myself. Who did she think she was to go around telling me what to do and why to do it and blah, blah, blah? And why did this girl who I'd known for six years and said all of ten words to, suddenly have so much interest in me now? What had changed? What was so special? I intended to find out, whether it was from her or not.

Later that night I sat in my room staring at the letter.

James,

You need to master Occlumency. I understand it can be difficult but it needs to be done. You brother can do it, you're sister can even do it to a certain extent, and you have to be able to do it. I know you can James.

In other news I need your help. I think Code might come after me because I know some things from the time when he drugged me. There's a few things your mom and I have pieced together and I need you to try and figure out- without leaving Hogwarts or putting yourself in danger- where Code is hiding. If you can do that we can do the rest. And protect Lily and Al.

Dad

The first letter I'd gotten from him in like two years and there was no 'hey, how you doing, son' no 'how are classes' or 'are you have any girl trouble.' No normal questions. Just requests, demands and insults. And the friendly reminder that I fail whatever I do.

Why did he have to send me all the demands? Why couldn't he ask one of his friends, or one of my aunts or uncles? My Dad had told me right before I went to school that Hogwarts was the place to be to solve mysteries. Is that why he wanted me to do it? Because he thought the answers he was looking for were in Hogwarts?

And what things were he and Mum piecing together? How could they expect me to help them on their stupid quest if they didn't even give me all the details? And stay out of trouble, don't do anything dangerous? It was like he wanted me to do his dirty work, and make sure I have no fun on the process?

I sighed and slammed the letter on my bedside table. At that moment Fred came in, with Lyndsay.

"She's a Hufflepuff," I said to my cousin coldly, "She can't be here."

"And what? You're going to tell on us?" Fred snarled.

I shrugged. "Maybe," I said leaving the room.

Fred shouted a not so nice insult at me as I turned to leave. Whatever. I didn't care about him anymore. If he wanted to ruin his life dating that stupid Lyndsay girl then he could go ahead and do that. It was none of my business.

When I entered the Common Room I found Josh. "Make up an excuse from me if I'm not in class tomorrow. Okay?"

He looked at me for a minute. Seemingly studying my expression. "No problem, mate," he finally said and I silently thanked him for not asking questions.

"Thanks you. And if I'm not back by this time tomorrow tell… tell Alice and Albus that I wrote a letter saying where I was going. Ally will know where to find it."

Josh looked slightly suspicious. As I turned to leave he grabbed my shoulder. "I don't know where you're going and I'm not going to ask. But there are people who need you James. Your brother and sister. And Alice. And the Resistance. They all need you. So please for the love of Merlin don't get yourself killed."

I smiled. "Thank you for your concern, Josh. But me dying isn't in my plans." Josh nodded a little relieved. "But death in general," I whispered quietly to myself, "No promises."

About two hours later I flew through the night sky on my broom. It felt good. Even the way the wind cut through my robe and jeans felt good.

It took me quite a long while to reach my destination. When I did get there I had no idea what I was looking for.

I had never been to his house. I had never met him, not really. But if what I heard from Lily and Albus was true then he was my best bet at getting information on Code.

I held my wand tight and blew the door down. It occurred to me later that I could've just used Alohomora or went through the window. Would've been much more subtle, but I hadn't thought of that. I was sort of just letting my rage take over.

When I entered the house there was a twelve year old kid pointing a pistol at my face.

"Like you would shoot that-" I cringed as the loud bang went off and stared at the newly made hole in the floor.

"Don't test me," he said warningly. He lowered the gun but still held it in case needed. "I'm assuming your Lily's other brother?"

"And you're the dickwad who sent my siblings and cousins to their death."

"Hmm, I don't recall that," he replied. "And since you're in my house. And you broke down my door, I suggest you don't go throwing accusations around at me."

"During winter break," I said ignoring the threat and the gun in Marlo's hand, "They came here before your little girlfriend and Code almost killed them at the Malfoy Manor."

Marlo had a look on his face like he was thinking hard. Like he sent people to their death so often that he couldn't remember this incident from six weeks ago.

"I didn't tell them to go to the Manor," he finally said. "They just wanted to know where Jacob was."

"Don't deny that you knew what they were after," I snapped.

"Of course I knew," he snorted. "If you were in my position, and Alice was at the Manor and I came asking you a random question, relating nothing to Alice, would you risk her life to tell me she was there?"

"That's completely different."

Marlo shook his head. He sat down on the couch. His ease with this situation bothered me. I wanted him to get worked up, I wanted him to be scared or angry or something. But he was just utterly calm and it was infuriating.

"How is it different, James?" asked Marlo twirling the gun around in his hand, as if it were a pencil and not a lethal weapon.

"Alice isn't evil! And she wasn't trying to kill anyone."

Marlo nodded slowly. "I had this conversation with your sister a year ago. Whether there really is such thing as good and evil."

"Of course there is!" I snapped. "And you are on the evil side."

"Am I though? Am I really? Define evil then, James."

Marlo stared at me, waiting. I didn't like being out on the spot like that and I struggled for the best definition I could think of, trying not to hesitate. "A person who does bad things for bad reasons."

Marlo nodded again. "So a person who does bad things for good reasons? Are they good or evil?"

I frowned. "Evil, I guess. Or good, or… I don't know it depends!"

"That's why I don't like the terms good and evil. Too broad and untrustworthy. Too many ulterior meanings. I prefer to speak of intentions."

"Well, however you want to say it, evil or bad intentions or whatever Code is not a good person. And Alice is."

Marlo shook his head. "That's the thing though. He doesn't have bad intentions. His intention is to avenge his sister's death and serve justice. What's bad about that?"

I frowned. I really didn't like this kid. "The fact that he's hurting innocent people in the process."

"So we're back to our original question does that make him good or evil? Is he really doing something wrong?"

"Yes!" I shouted.

Marlo narrowed his eyes and looked straight into mine. It felt like he was reading me, reading me like a book. "Don't try to tell me you wouldn't do the exact same thing."

"I wouldn't hurt innocent people!"

"If Lily died you would burn the Earth down to catch the person who did it," Marlo pointed out, a little anger or maybe determination seeping into his voice. He asked the next part slowly, "Does that make you evil, James?"

"No," I said hesitantly.

Marlo's eyes unnarrowed and he went back to his original, calm position on the couch, his expression slightly amused. "Then don't insult Ryan and pretend you're such a good citizen."

"Fine," I said, annoyed. I was really tired of this. "Maybe I'm not a good person. Hell, considering the things I want to do to Code maybe they should just lock me up in Azkaban right now… But Lily and Al? They're not bad people. And I came here for them."

"And what is it you want?"

"Tell me where Code is."

"No," Marlo said simply.

"Why not?"

Marlo looked at me like I was a complete idiot. "I know you don't get along. And although I don't agreed on the terms good and I evil I know you and Ryan are on opposite sides. Now I don't know what could have possibly lead me to this conclusion- oh, yeah, maybe the fact that you just admitted you deserve to go to Azkaban for the things you want to do to him. But me, if I'm on anyone's side, and I'm not really, it would be Ryan's, so no I am not going to help you kill him."

"I never said I wanted to kill him."

"You implied you wanted to hurt him. In illegal ways."

"Yes, but I never said I would use this information to do that."

"Tell me then, James, why do you want this information?"

"Because I want to protect my family."

"And Ryan is trying to do the same thing."

"Why are you on his side?"

"I'm not."

"Fine, then. Why do you not want to help me?"

"Several reasons. I don't want to uneven the playing field, I have no intentions of being responsible for Ryan's death, and frankly I don't like you very much."

"Yeah, well, the feeling's mutual. I would rather not be here but I am doing it to try and save my family. I know you can't understand that because you don't have any-"

Marlo stood up abruptly, his hand tightening around the gun. "Just because my father is a dick who was chucked in prison doesn't mean I don't have family. Family doesn't have to be blood."

"If you have family then why do you live alone in an abandoned house?"

He looked at me for a long time before responding, "I don't have to answer that."

I raised my wand. "No you don't have to, but I'd recommend it."

Marlo gave me that are you an idiot look again. "It takes longer to form words than it does to squeeze a trigger. And a bullet travels faster than a spell."

"If you shot me it would leave blood," I countered, not wanting to show fear, "I could make it look like an accident with a spell. And no one would come miss you."

I was expecting Marlo to get angry but he stayed calm. "Kill me and you would face the rage of a sadistic sociopathic psychopath who's already lost too much."

"Code?" I inquired.

Marlo just shook his head. "But speaking of Code, think from his perspective for a second. He's lost too much, been through too much at such a young age. He has no one to guide him and all he wants is something, anything to make the pain go anyway. And he figures the easiest to do that is to find the person responsible and make him pay."

"If Code was as close with his sister as he claims, then he'd know how I feel right now. That I can't rest while he's putting my family in danger."

"I didn't say he was right. Because no one is ever totally right when it comes to justice, but I'm just saying he's not wrong."

"While I'm not either. I'm not wrong."

"No, you're not."

"Then why won't you help me?"

"Because you're driven by a responsibility to protect your family. You're driven by love. You can say what you want about not hurting Code, but love is dangerous, James. And you're impulsive. You have motive and reason to do the wrong thing. Giving you Code's location would be handing you the proper tools to do something that you can't help yourself from doing."

"So what if I can help myself?" I demanded.

"I don't want to take the risk. I don't want unnecessary blood on my hands that I won't be able to wash off."

I groaned getting frustrated. I came here for answers with a plan to stay until I got them. Even hex the kid if I had to. But I didn't anticipate he'd have a gun. And I knew he would not be afraid to use it.

"It won't be on your hands, it would be on mine!" I shouted. "And it'd be a murderer's blood anyway."

"James, you of all people know that's now true. Much like you, if anything happens that is even remotely my fault, it's on me. And for the record Ryan hasn't even killed anyone."

"He killed my Grandfather!" I snapped.

"Do you want to know what really happened to your Grandfather?" Marlo asked. I shrugged like I didn't really care but the truth is I was unnaturally eager. "He was killed by Lucius. Ryan didn't want him dead, just wanted information, but Lucius went a little overboard and killed him."

"Did he suffer?" I asked quietly, imagining my poor grandfather being tortured.

"Lucius used a spell that make it feel like you're having a heart attack. Animum Quiesce. So I suppose he suffered a little bit." He shrugged as if that hardly mattered.

I glared at Marlo. How could he be so heartless? How could he not care about a person's death? Because it wasn't his fault? Was he that selfish?

Marlo seemed to be able to read my thoughts. "I'm not heartless. I do care, a little anyway. I'm not sociopathic but I also can't waste my time crying over the deaths of people I didn't even know."

"So why do you care if Code dies than?" I inquired.

I thought Marlo would've hesitated, been nervous. I thought I had caught him, but he replied calmly and quickly. "Because I do know Ryan."

Suddenly I flashed back to the time in fourth year where I had seen him escape from the forest with the help of Jacob and Lily. "You were trapped by your Dad in the forest with Claire Code. You guys are a thing now aren't you?"

"Yes," Marlo said sounding annoyed now. "And?"

"And I thought you were better than that."

"Better than what exactly James?" he asked raising an eyebrow. "Better than dating a killer? Is that what you're thinking? Because I'll have you know neither of them has killed anybody yet. Not Ryan or Claire."

I shook my head. "You just don't get it do you? They may not have slit anyone's throat but killed lives. They ruined lives, ruined them so bad they might as well have killed them. The blood's on their hands."

I didn't know what else to do except walk out. I was hoping to make a statement, a point. Maybe if I did Marlo would realize what he's doing wrong. Maybe.

I glared at the young boy and turned away stomping away with purpose and determination behind each step.

"And just remember, when your girlfriend and her psychotic brother murder my entire family, that you could have stopped it." I shook my head slowly. "The blood's on your hands. And there won't be anything you can do to wash it off."

(Hugo)

His screams echoed through the small room. It was no use though. It was too late for anyone to save him. He already knew that. His only hope was that his sacrifice had bought Erica enough time to escape. It's not that he was at peace with dying, exactly. It was more like… more like he was at peace with moving on. His work here, his flawed and failed work, was over. It was time to try again.

So he did not back up, he did not try to run or hide. He stood his ground and waited. And as the demon pushed the knife, ever so slowly into his heart, he didn't scream, but uttered the one sentence that he needed to say. The one that could set him free, even if no one was around to hear it, "I'm sorry."

"I don't know why you're bothering to read those," Lily said from beside me as I shut the book. "I mean I'm all for reading but they're not helping."

I turned the book over in my hand. It was a muggle book called Demons. About a boy who travelled through different dimensions to try and find the key that closed the dimensions and stopped the evil demons and spirits from entering his dimension.

"It helped a little," I argued. "I mean in the book he was trying to find the key, right? He searched everywhere but it was nowhere to be found? Because it was in his mind. What if Code is trying to do the same thing? Find this all powerful wand and he searched everywhere but he can't find it because it's in someone's mind."

Lily stopped to think about it for a minute. "It makes sense," Lucy said, not looking up from her book about Hypnosis. "I mean, they say sometimes that there's no such thing as a fictional story."

"It doesn't make sense," Frank argued. "None of this makes sense!"

Lucy looked up from her book and snuggled against Frank. "Nothing makes sense, Frank. It might not ever make sense. But we'll figure it out." She squeezed his hand and he visibly relaxed.

"I'm going for a walk," I said.

I was so tired of reading all those stupid books about hypnosis, and mind control it was started to make me sick. I wasn't sure how much more of it I could take.

I was pretty sure I was going insane. I tried my best to mask it from Lily and Jacob- which was easy because she was busy obsessing over him, and he wouldn't leave the dormitory after his secret came out. And from Lucy and Frank- which was also quite easy because they were so in love they were only focused on each other- but the truth was I dying on the inside.

It felt like my mind was divided up into different pieces. Like… like I could feel everything going on in my head at once which made it want to explode. I could literally feel my emotions. Not like when you feel angry, nothing like that. For me it was like I could feel anger in my head controlling what I say, jumping around and making my head pound. And I could feel Peace arguing with it, begging it to calm down.

And I could feel my thoughts. I could feel my brain send messages to other parts of my body telling it to move. It was like knowing your every move before it happens and not being able to do anything about it. It was creepy it was weird and it made me want to jump off the Gryffindor tower.

The only peace I ever got was sleep, which didn't occur often. Ever since the incident though I'd had a little trouble telling the difference between reality and dreaming. It was like I was awake during most of my dreams, and just like when I was awake I knew everything that was going to happen but I couldn't control it. I'd been sleepwalking thinking I was running from a monster when I was really making my way through the castle to the kitchens. This resulted in no rest, which led to no peace, which led to constant anger and annoyance.

It seemed my last resort was to try and find out more about mind-walking, because I'd tried everything else- potions, medicine you name it. And so every day and night I'd sit there reading countless books hoping to find either a cure for my problem- which I was beginning to doubt even existed- or information on the mysterious wand Code was looking for. If I found the wand- which we assumed had to be the Elder Wand- then we could find Code. And if we found Code I could rip him apart for doing this to me.

"Hey, Hugo!" called a voice to my right.

I turned to see Lysander running towards me with a newspaper in his hand. "I got my mom to publish another article. I think some people are finally starting to believe it."

"That's good, Lysander," I said. "People really need to start believing this. I don't know what else we can do."

"Don't you want to read it?" he asked, sounding just a little disappointed.

"I do," I assured him. "Just not right now. I have some other important things I have to attend to."

"Okay," Lysander said with a shrug. "Do you need any help?"

At first I was about to say no but then I realised it was worth a shot. "Do you know anything about Legilimency?"

"Yeah, I know tons about it."

"What about mind-walking?"

"Its real name is Mens-Destruens. It means Mind-Destroying in Latin. It's a really dangerous concept. It can destroy a person, drive them completely insane." Lysander paused for a second and cocked his head. "Why do you want to know about it?"

"For a project," I answered. "I was trying to find books in the library about it but I couldn't find any…"

"Probably because you were looking for anything relating to Mind-Walking? That's the slang term, you'd never fine any real information on it. You have to search for Mens-Destruens if you want any truth. Problem is it was banned in Europe many years ago. The only versions you'd be able to find- if you could find them here- would be the old Latin ones."

"Why-why was it banned?"

Lysander shrugged. "Too many people attempted it and went insane. Then they either killed themselves or their brains literally just exploded from overuse. I heard you can feel everything after you come out of your head. If you come out. Better just to die before you get out. Go peacefully."

I gave Lysander a shaky, nervous smile. There goes any sleep I was going to get tonight.

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry I'm two days late :( been real busy. But hoped you like that chapter.

1: Next update should be around May 12th. Which I will most likely be able to do because my school play (which has taken up six and a half hours of my day) will be over.

2: Just want to make something clear: James was being a jerk because although he's trying to change he's still James and will snap back to his unpleasant self when he's frustrated. He's not off the track of 'become less of a complete ass" plan.

3: QotC: What's your opinion on good and evil? What's your definition of them both? Or do you not believe in it like Marlo?

4: If you have any questions or comments or just want to make my day leave a review ;) :)

Why can't James do Occlumency? What's going on between Scone and Cassidy? Why does Brianna suddenly care so much about James? What information are Ginny and Harry piecing together? Where is Code hiding? Does Marlo know or not? Why does he live alone in an abandoned house? Who's side is he on? What is Code hiding? Is he trying to find the Elder Wand? Will Hugo be okay?

"Nothing is easier than denouncing an evil doing, nothing is more difficult than understanding him," Dostoyevsky.

-Monkeywoman14