Chapter 19: I Try a Different Approach

(Hugo)

It was dark. I couldn't see and I was scared.

Do you ever get that feeling like… like you just know something's there, but you can't see it? Like you know you're not alone but you can't sense who… or what is there with you? That's sort of what it felt like, except the whos or the whats were in my head. I could feel them, like spiders crawling around in there. I clutched my head.

"GET OUT!" I screamed. "Get out!"

I felt arms encircle me. I would've pushed them away but I knew who's they were. I took comfort in her touch, in the feeling of her holding me. The spiders went away and I stopped sobbing. I hadn't even noticed I was crying but now I could feel the wetness on my cheek.

"Hugo, what's wrong?" asked my cousin, her brown eyes boring into mine.

I tried to say 'nothing' but the words died on my lips. Sometimes I felt like there were some lies so big that they words couldn't even get out of your mouth.

"Everything," I mumbled.

"What do you mean everything?"

"I mean my life is falling to pieces in front of my eyes!" I shrieked. "I can't focus in class, I can't sleep, I'm barely able to stay conscious, it's like I'm stuck in some continuous loop of realistic dreams! I'm not sleeping but I'm not awake."

Suddenly Lily let go of me. Her eyes lit up. Or should I say darkened. They turned black.

"Join me. Help me. Be with me. I can make your pain go away Hugo. I can make it all better."

I sprang away from… from that thing. That abomination of my cousin.

"You're not Lily!" I shouted. "You're Code!"

'Lily' cocked her head to the side. "Of course I'm not Lily. Lily can't help you. None of them can. It's over Hugo. You lost and I won. You either hand yourself over willingly or I destroy every part of your mind to get what I want."

"Why?" I asked, desperation colouring my tone. "Why?"

"The wand!" boomed the voice of Code from Lily's mouth. "I want THE WAND!"

Suddenly Lily's body wrenched. Black smoke came pouring out of her mouth. Her body crumbled to the floor, completely lifeless. The black smoke took shape of Code. A smoky, not real version of Code. But it was real enough.

The smoke charged at me. "GIVE ME THE WAND!"

I blacked out.

When I woke up I was in my bed at the Burrow. Albus and Louis were both standing over me.

"Hey, mate, are you all right?" asked Albus.

"Y-yeah," I stuttered. "I'm fine."

"Looked like you were having a real nasty dream," Louis explained.

"I'm fine," I said a little more forcefully than I meant to.

"Well, uh, Grandma Weasley made breakfast. Whenever you're ready."

"Oh, great," I said, faking a smile. "I'm starving."

Albus and Louis left the room.

I changed out of my pyjamas and went downstairs where the entire family, plus Alice and Frank were gathered ready to eat breakfast.

"Hugo, I saved you a seat," Lily said patting the empty chair next to you.

I sat down next to Lily and began wolfing down my breakfast. It tasted so good. But very… different. I was too hungry to care though.

"How's school going, James?" asked Grandma Weasley.

"Great," James replied despite his mouthful of pancakes. "I love Hogwarts. It's fantastic."

"You love breaking the rules," Ginny muttered.

"My little bro and my little cuz have already made names for themselves as a trouble-makers. We're now known as the Marauders," Teddy boasted, reaching over to high-five both James and Fred.

I frowned. James looked young. Way too young… and Teddy hadn't called himself a Marauder since he'd graduated.

"How's school going, Teddy?" asked Grandma Weasley.

School?

"Great. I think I'm gonna ace my OWLs next year. I wish I could take them now, I'm so prepared. Honestly it's like the teachers don't know that we take the test in fifth year, not fourth. My amount of homework has tripled."

"What are you talking about next year?" I asked. "You took your OWLs years ago."

Everyone turned to stare at me.

I stood up and slowly backed away. I heard rounds of "Hugo?" and "Are you okay?" But I ignored them. This was another dream and I had to wake up.

"It's not a dream, Hugo."

I turned to the source of the voice. Standing in the entrance way to the kitchen was Code.

"You," I growled pointing an accusatory finger.

"Hugo," Rose said slowly, "Who are you talking to?"

Everyone at the table was staring blankly at me except James. He had a confused look, but not like he didn't know what was happening, more like he knew exactly what was happening and just couldn't make sense of it.

"James?" I said desperately. I needed someone, anyone to help me. To be with me. I was scared- no, more than scared, I was terrified. My brain was being invaded and controlled by a psychotic boy set on destroying my family. My thoughts literally being torn apart and violated. I had no control. He had utter power.

Code glared at me and flicked his hand. James, who was about to stand up, suddenly flew and was pinned against the wall.

"Wait your turn," Code said with a slight frown. Then he turned back to me, a very fake, very scary smile creeping onto his face. "Sorry about that."

A stood petrified with fear. Every at the table were looking between me and James like we were crazy. I heard them speaking but I couldn't hear what they were saying.

"Did you notice anything interesting about that family breakfast Hugo?"

"Yeah, the fact that my entire family is young."

Code frowned, again. "I'm very disappointed in you, Hugo. I thought you'd be able to figure it out."

"Figure what out?" I demanded, my voice breaking a little. "I just want to get out of here."

For a split second I thought I saw something that could've been understanding in Code's cold sarcastic face, but less than a second later it was gone. I must've imagined it. "We don't always get what we want."

I woke up for the ninth time in my bed at the Burrow. It had taken me a while to realize what was going on. To remember what Code was doing to me. Making me relive the same morning over and over again until I figured out this "big thing" that I kept missing. I had kept my eyes peeled. Looking in every nook and corner, looking at every detail of everything but I couldn't seem to figure out what was going on.

"Hey, mate, are you all right?" asked Albus.

"Y-yeah," I stuttered. "I'm fine."

"Looked like you were having a real nasty dream," Louis explained.

"I'm fine," I said a little more forcefully than I meant to.

"Well, uh, Grandma Weasley made breakfast. Whenever you're ready."

"Oh, great," I said, faking a smile. "I'm starving."

Albus and Louis left the room.

I groaned, annoyed. Well, tried to groan. I couldn't actually make the noise because no matter how hard I tried I couldn't do change what I'd said or how I said it or what I did. My every movement was being controlled. The only time I could decide what I was going to say was when the family breakfast ended and Code began talking to me.

I changed out of my pyjamas and went downstairs where the entire family, plus Alice and Frank were gathered ready to eat breakfast.

The entire family.

Then it hit me. Sitting at the head of the table, where he belonged, where he always use to sit, was Grandpa Weasley.

I stopped dead in my tracks.

"Hugo, I saved you a seat," Lily said patting the empty chair next to her.

I didn't move.

"Hugo?" she said confused.

I couldn't move. Grandpa Weasley was sitting where he always sat. Right there. Where he belonged. James was sitting next to him, they were engrossed in a discussion about rubber ducks.

"No," I choked, tears forming in my eyes. "No!"

Everyone was looking at me now. James was frowning at me, frozen with his fork half way to his mouth. Lily looked incredibly worried. Albus and Louis shared confused glances.

My mom stood up. "Hugo, it's okay."

"N-No," I stuttered backing away.

She darted forward and grabbed my arm.

"Hugo, it's o-kay," she said sternly. There was a look in her eye, one you saw in Aunt Ginny's eye when she was mad- and I mean really mad- at James. My mom never had this look. It was almost like I could see the fire in her eyes.

"Let go of me," I cried, tugging my arm away from my mother- or whatever that thing was.

"Don't fight it, Hugo," Code said appearing in the doorway. Just go with it.

James smiled a little. "Just go with it, Hugh," he said, his tone a little dreamy, a little defeated. It was almost sad, but also so peaceful that it cancelled out bad feelings. "It's so much better when you go with it."

I looked from James, to the thing posing as my mother to Code. "What did you do? Why are you doing this?"

"Just go with it," he said firmly. He too had a faint smile on. Like he was waiting for the outcome of something he'd been waiting for a long time. So long he could hardly believe it was happening.

"Hugo, I'm okay," James said. "I did it and I'm okay. He's just going to show you something. Something you really need to see."

I don't know why I did it. Maybe because I couldn't fight it anymore. Maybe because I was so tired of giving it everything I had and getting nothing to show for it. Tired of throwing punch after punch only to get blind sighted by a kick. Maybe it was because I physically couldn't fight anymore. Because I didn't have the energy left in me to throw another punch and survive another kick. Or maybe it was for the same reason I knew James gave up. Curiosity. Sure, curiosity killed the cat. But when you were fresh out of options, when you had nothing else left to try, curiosity of the unknown, it took over. The threat of death, suddenly didn't seem so bad compared with the threat of… of giving up. And this, giving in, it wasn't the same. It wasn't the same at all. Yes, I was doing what Code wanted. Yes, I was done throwing punches, but that didn't mean I was done fighting. It was just time to try a different approach. Yeah, that was it. My body was too physically and emotionally strained to throw that next punch. But I was still me, and I wouldn't give up. So my body shut down. It did a stupid, stupid thing and shut down and left only my drive and my will to keep fighting control me. It was an idiotic reckless decision. But it was the only way. So my recklessness and my determination took over my exhausted, worn out body, and they took the step that I knew would kill me or save me.

"Okay," I said, trying not to let exhaustion or defeat leak into my tone. This wasn't giving up, I reminded myself, just a different approach. "I'll do it. I'll go with it."

Code smiled even wider. With snap of his fingers my day started over again. This time I didn't resist. I just went along with it. Things changed a little. Lily woke me up instead by jumping on me. Little nine-year old Lily. We chased each other around the house for a bit before Teddy came, scooped us up in his arms and carried us to the table. I sat next to James and Lily. The former showed no signs at all of being… awake… like me. He carried on as if he was just part of the memory. I did too.

I carried on a normal conversation with Grandpa Weasley about rubber ducks and movies. He promised later that day me him and James, just the three of us, would go watch a movie together. I'd forgotten how much I'd missed that. Hanging out with James and Grandpa Weasley. I'd really missed that…

After breakfast we played Quidditch. Grandpa Weasley joined in too. It was me, James, and Lucy as Chasers; Fred and Molly as Beaters; Grandpa Weasley as Keeper; and Lily as Seeker on one team. On the other team it was Rose, Dom, and Victorie as Chasers; Roxanne and Louis as Beaters; Teddy as Keeper; and Albus as Seeker.

We played best out of five out of nine. It had been tied four-four and Lily and Al were neck for neck in a race for the snitch. We were winning 150-60. We'd been ahead as Chasers in every match so far, the four times they won was just when Al caught the snitch first.

James scored another goal but it didn't matter because Albus' hands grasped the snitch the bludger aimed by Fred that smacked his hand was a little late. James seemed very mad about losing, especially since Al kept bragging, but I didn't mind at all.

After dinner the whole family participated in a game of charades, which was most entertaining. When that was done Grandpa Weasley took us upstairs to watch the muggle movie. We watched one James' favorites, Frozen. He claimed he only liked it because of the snowman and the reindeer but I knew my cousin was a sucker for musicals.

By the time the movie was ended both James and Grandpa Weasley were asleep. I was too, or at least I was supposed to be, I could feel it, but I guess you can't fall asleep inside your own mind.

It hadn't been so bad. It hadn't been so bad at all. I understand what James had meant now. It was… relieving. Back when things weren't so complicated. Even back before James went to Hogwarts. Although he'd never told me what I knew something had changed him in his second year. He'd never told me and I'd never asked, but I forgot how much I'd missed the old James. And I think James missed the old him even more than I did.

Code appeared in the doorway. "Were you happy?" he asked, seemingly innocently.

I stared for a moment, trying to figure out the trick. When I couldn't detect any deception in his tone or face I answered honestly but cautiously. "Yes."

"That could be your everyday life again, you know," Code said simply, examining his finger nails.

"What do you mean?" I snapped. "He's dead. You killed him."

Code cocked his head to the side. "I didn't kill anyone," he said. "No, I don't kill people for no reason."

"Doesn't change the fact that he's dead."

"My point is that I can get him back for you. I can make this-" he gestured around "-your life again."

"Yeah?" I intended my voice to sound suspicious and sarcastic but I could hear the hope and desperation in it.

"Hugo, I can make your life a fantasy."

"Why?" I asked. "Why would you do this for me?"

"Because I like you," Code said with a shrug. "I really do want the best for you. And besides you weren't the one who hurt me. That was your cousin. He's the one who's going to pay. And honestly I'd prefer you not to get caught in the crossfire."

"You want me to abandon my family?"

"No," Code said. His face looked sincere and concerned. Like he really cared about me. It was hard to remember this was the same guy who'd threatened to kill me and my family. "Not at all. I want you to abandon a war that was never yours to fight in the first place. I want to give you the chance to be the kid you want to be. I don't want to force you to grow up before you're ready. It happened to me and I don't want to inflict that pain on anyone else."

"Except James, right?"

Code's face darkened at the mention of James. His expression was distorted into one of pure hatred. "James Potter is a different story. James Potter doesn't deserve happiness." Code gave a bitter, bone chilling laugh. "He's the one who ruined everything. He did this to himself, to you, to Lily. Whatever happens with this war… whoever dies… it's his fault."

"No!" I shouted. "It's not! You can't turn everything around on him like that. You're attacking him! You're starting this war!"

Code's nostrils flared and he began to shout- a weird sight since Code was often so infuriatingly calm. "He did this! He killed my sister!" He sniffled and looked down. Code. Code sniffled.

It almost made me feel bad for him. He really did love his sister. More than anything in the world. His favorite person in the world was taken from him in a cruel accident. And the other person involved in the accident lived. Of course he'd want revenge. I really couldn't blame him.

"I… I know why you're doing what you're doing, but that doesn't make it right."

"I never said it was right," Code said. "I never said it was the good thing to do. But it's the only thing to do."

I nodded.

"Accept my offer, Hugo. Stay here. In this world. I'll wipe your memory for you, if you want even. You wouldn't remember that these are memories, it'd be like you haven't even lived these moments yet. You can live inside your mind."

"I… I…" It was tempting. I wanted to. I wanted to more than anything. But could I? Could I abandon James like that? Could I just leave my life behind to live a fantasy?

"All I'd need from you is one simple thing, Hugo," Code said moving towards me. I noticed now that we were no longer in Grandpa Weasley's room, we were in blackness. In one direction there was light, I couldn't see exactly what was there but it was light. And in the other direction… it was glowing. Like I was looking at the moon and the sun. Code was suddenly beside me, gently pulling me towards the glowing sun.

"I need to know where the Elder Wand is."

"I don't know," I told Code honestly. "I really don't know."

"It's somewhere in here though. I just need you to help me find it."

I looked around one more time. The sun and the moon stayed in place but around us floating shooting past us, like stars or meteors, were memories. I recognized a few. My fifth birthday party. The time James tried to sneak me and Lily to Hogwarts. My first day at Hogwarts. Meeting Jacob on the train.

"Where are we?" I asked in awe, still watching the memories float by.

"We're in oblivion. The world between reality and your mind. See over there-" he pointed to the sun "-is reality. And over there-" he pointed to the moon "-is your mind. And floating around us is your memories."

"So you're saying… you're saying I never have to go back to reality? I can just stay here?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying, Hugo. I'm just offering you what I wish could've been offered to me."

It was a good deal. I get to stay here, away from all the problems. Away from the world where all it seemed I could do was fail. Where we always lost no matter how hard we tried. Where things never worked out to my advantage. I was tired of that. Why, why would anyone want that? Why shouldn't I live here where everything could be controlled? Where nothing would go wrong? Where I didn't have to watch the ones I love die?

And then a memory floated by. Code torturing us at the Malfoy Manor. I had almost forgotten that… I had forgotten that. What… what was I thinking? Was I really sympathizing with the guy who almost killed Lily, Frank and Lucy? Was I about to make a deal with the devil? I was supposed to trust the guy who broke into my mind and invaded my memories?"

"No!" I shouted. "Get away from me. You're evil and I'll never forget that!"

I began running… or floating, I guess, because there's no ground, away towards the sun, towards reality.

"You'll regret this, Hugo! And don't say I didn't warn you!"

I sped up and crashed into the faint light of reality, wondering if Code was right. Would I regret it? Did I make the right choice? I suppose it's something I'll always wonder.

The second I got back to reality, I almost regretted my decision. Because I was standing in front of the Burrow, my childhood home, and it was up in flames.

(James)

When I stepped through the flames I was encased with blackness. It felt like I was trapped. I wanted out. I started to panic; my breathing became more of a panting, like I was gasping for air. Where was I? Had I not said 'the Burrow' clear enough when I flooed from Sirius' house? Is this what happened when you didn't use floo powder properly?

"No, James, you're inside your head."

"What do you want with me?" I demanded, still trying to control the pure terror I was feeling. "Why am I here?"

"I wanted to show you something."

Then the scene changed. I was taken back to the old days. Before I went to Hogwarts. When I hung out with Al and Hugo and Lily and Rose all day. When Fred, Alice and I were close as could be. When Grandpa Weasley would read us stories. When we played Quidditch all day long because there was nothing else to do. The days when I was still a kid.

At first, I tried to fight it. I tried to get out of the memories, to fight code using Occlumency, but it was no use. I saw, Hugo at one point. At first I was set on rescuing him. But Code had trapped me in my own memories, away from Hugo I suppose. Slowly as I went through my memories Hugo became less and less important. Eventually I gave up and just went with it. Fighting wasn't worth it. Why resist something I wanted so badly? Why not enjoy the moment, live here while I could? It wouldn't last forever… it'd be over so quickly. Enjoy it while you can. So I let myself fade into the memory. Slowly I forgot about reality. I forgot that I was in a memory inside my head. I forgot that my arch enemy was controlling this. I forgot my life sucked.

And then, when I was barely holding on, I was sucked back out to the blackness.

"Hey!" I shouted.

"Hey nothing," snapped Code. "You're here for one reason and one reason only."

"Yeah and what's that?"

He smiled this satisfied, proud smile that made me cringe. What did he know that I didn't? "Two things. I wanted to show you what you've done."

"What did I do?"

"You ruined your life, James."

"You ruined my life!" I shot back. "You ruined everything! You did this to me!"

"You did that to yourself, James. You killed my sister. You could've lived happily, enjoyed your teenage years and your life. But now? Now you won't have a life! I won't let you. No, I'll ruin you. I'll make you regret being born. I'll make you regret the day you drowned my sister. And when life just couldn't possibly get anymore hellish for you- I'll kill you and send you to the real place. You'll be right at home with Satan and all the other murderers."

"I didn't kill your sister! She drowned. It's not my fault!"

"Does denying it make you feel better? You just keep telling yourself that you did nothing wrong and you forget the terrible things you did? You disgust me, you know. I don't even know how your family can live around you. Good thing they won't have to anymore."

I was about to make some sort of retort when the last part of Code's sentence sunk in. "What do you mean they won't have to anymore?"

Code face twisted into a sadistic grin. "The second reason I visited was to control you, James. I used you. Wait until you get back and see the mess you made. Maybe it'll teach you a lesson."

"Let me out of here, Code," I growled, my voice low and dangerous.

"Hold on, I'll go see if Claire's done yet."

Code disappeared. I tried to follow but I couldn't move. It was like my limbs had been frozen by a petrifying curse.

I faintly heard Code's voice. "Are you done yet?"

"Take a look for yourself." It was the voice of a young girl. Claire Code.

"What did you do?" asked Code angrily.

"I set the house on fire-"

"Fiendfyre, Claire?! Really? I said regular fire. A match and some gasoline. Something to hurt them but not kill them!"

"Well, what's the point if your just gonna injure someone?" asked Claire confused and disappointed. "Why go through all the trouble if no one's even gonna die?"

"The point was to scare James! Make him fear for the lives of his family so he could know how it feels. I didn't want everyone to die, Claire! I didn't want anyone to die!

"What going on?" I shouted. "Who's dying?"

No response.

"I swear to God Code if you murdered my family, I'll kill you! I swear to God, I'll kill you!"

Had Claire set fire to the Burrow? Not just any fire either but Fiendfyre? If it was true, there was no way anyone would make it out alive. The Burrow would be destroyed and so would everyone in it.

What time was it? Surely hours had passed. My cousins and my brother and sister must've been home by now. And if they were they'd burn along with my aunts and uncles. And I'd be totally and utterly alone.

Tears began leaking from my eyes. "Stop being a coward and answer me Code!" I yelled. "Did you kill my family?"

"He didn't do anything, James. You hid their wands. You put locks on all the doors. You trapped them in there. You burned the house down. We didn't do anything."

"Shut up, Claire!" I heard Code yell. His voice sounded distraught. As if it was been his family that was burned or something. How dare he. "I… I'm sorry, James. I'm sorry."

And then suddenly I wasn't in the blackness anymore. I was falling. I landed on the soft grass. I looked around. I was next to the entrance that led to the backyard. And Claire was right, there were locks on the door. I heard banging on the other side. Fiddled with the lock on the door and when it opened my family burst out.

I saw Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione. Grandma Weasley. Aunt Audrey and Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur and… no one else.

It's like everything else didn't matter anymore. I had to find my parents. I could see inside a little. The flame had died down. Code must've cast the charm that extinguished the flames before he fled. I stepped inside. Everything was either ash or a pile of blackened pile of… of nothing. I saw what used to be the sitting room. The couches and chairs were now just black clumps of stuff.

And in the middle of the living room were two bodies. I collapsed when I saw them, my face completely wet with tears before I even knew I was crying. My sobs echoed through the house.

My parents were dead. And I had killed them.

A/N: New chapter! Hope you guys liked it.

1: Updated on time! Whoo! Points to me :) But I had planned on updating earlier. Too bad I failed. Oh well. Next time I'm aiming for June 1st-June 4th. Hopefully. Like always no promises but I have high hopes!

2: QotC: Do you think Code is right... or not right justified. Knowing that he truly did not intend to kill anybody, not even hurt anybody really, besides James in this war, do you think his actions are justified? Honestly, I totally understand where he's coming from, and I think his actions are justified, but not right. What do you guys think?

3: Code used Legilimency to get into both Hugo and James' head's. Using Legilimency he sort of made James unaware of what was going on. While Code did this, Claire was supposed to help control him by giving him matches and gasoline to start the fire. Instead she prompted him to use the Fiendfyre charm instead. Code hadn't realises this until it was too late. You'll find out more about what exactly happened in the next chapter.

4: I've been getting consisted reviews from Sir Manayaz and Colin Creevey so thanks to them. All reviews, reads, favorites and follows are appreciated :)

Will Code leave Hugo alone mentally? Why does he want the wand so badly? Will he ever find it? Would it have been better for Hugo to live in his head? What would he have don if that memory hadn't floated by? How much longer will James hold out before he totally cracks? if offered the same choice as Hugo, what would James have done? What will Code's next move be? Will James ever be okay again?

"Oh, no. It costs more than your life. To murder innocent people, it costs you everything you are," Peeta Mellark, The Hunger Games.

-Monkeywoman14