Hey guys - so I'm off to bed now... but I promise to write more tomorrow. It's like 2am and I've got to be up early in the morning. :(

Chapter 73:

"Potter – fancy seeing you here," Malfoy called. "Oh wait – I can't see you can I… because you're invisible… but I know you're here. Heard you talking about that mud-blood Evans."

James tried not to breathe. "Came to rescue the mud-blood. How sweet!" Narcissa laughed.

Sirius looked out the window, bloody hell. He poked James in the side, before pointing towards the window. James looked; bloody hell. There were at least seven people coming towards the castle on broomsticks. James thought he heard a cackle – Bellatrix. The death eaters jumped off their brooms at the top of the tower. Bellatrix rushed over to her sister, cackling as she ran, "Come out, come out wherever you are… Come on Potter…"

James removed his cloak, "Black."

"No, no, no Potter – its Lestrange now – didn't you hear I'm married."

"Oh I'm sorry Mrs Lestrange," James laughed.

"Severus – what are we doing here?"

"I'm keeping you safe," Severus replied.

"What do you mean? What's going on?" Lily asked.

"You – they – you," Snape faultered.

"James was right – they want to hurt me," Lily answered her own question.

"No – you were never the target…"

"What?"

"You were merely the bait," Severus replied.

"The bait?" Lily shouted.

"Don't shout; you'll wake the whole castle."

"The bait? He's right about you, isn't he? Their all right? I thought you were good… I thought I could trust you but you're the same as the rest of them… you're a Slytherin."

"I just want to protect you," Snape replied. "I love you – you're my best friend."

"But what about Potter?" she whispered.

"I don't care about what happens to him. Lily he's an arrogant prat. The world will be a better place without him."

"Perhaps but it's not your right to make that sort of decision. They want to kill him don't they?"

"Well – yes but he had it coming… attacking all the Slytherins… just because he caught them exherting their rights as pure-bloods. It's just a fact… pure-bloods are better than us. Us half-bloods and muggle-borns, we don't matter."

"Severus, I can't believe you mean that," Lily almost cried.

"Seriously Lily, why would I support muggle rights when my father is such a jerk," Snape asked angrily, "he's a muggle – that's what they're like. They hate us because we're different. We're freaks remember – that's what your sister calls us. Freaks. When in actual fact we're merely further up the evolutionary ladder than those muggles; their like animals."

Lily slapped him across the mouth, "that's absolute crap and you know it."

"Where's Evans?" James asked.

"Didn't you hear Potter? She's dead…" Bellatrix laughed.

"Don't mess with the boy Bella," Lestrange said to his new wife, "didn't your mother ever tell you not to mess with your food?"

"We're going to give you boys one chance – join us or die," Malfoy said calmly.

"Never," James answered simply.

Sirius however felt the need to elaborate, "join you? What the hell do you think we are? Murderers? Pure-blood fanatics? Crazy people? I don't think so…"

"Ah cousin – family ties break you know… snip snip…" Bellatrix laughed.

"Good," Sirius smiled menacingly, "I never wanted to be a part of the Black family – take my name off the family tapestry. See if I care."

"Where's Evans?" James asked.

"Ah… Snape was right… he is a bit of a sap isn't he? You love her Potter?" Narcissa smiled cruelly.

"She's fine – she'll live to see another day – she was just the bait to get you here without your protection!" Malfoy laughed, "How is Holly Kilmont? Quite pretty isn't she?"

The Gryffindor girls tip-toed up to Lily and Snape. The pair were arguing about James. It was a trap apparently. Marlene raised her wand, "Expelliarmus!"

Severus' wand went flying as Alice shouted "Stupefy!" Sirius fell back unconscious.

Kate looked at Lily, "come on. Let's go."

"We can't just leave him here!" Lily complained.

"Fine!" Alice replied angrily, "we want to save James' life and you're worried about Severus BLOODY Snape…"

Mary cast a hover charm on the unconscious boy, "quit arguing and let's go!"

"What are we going to do?" Kate asked, "We need a plan!"

Alice frowned, "I don't know."

Marlene smiled, "Mary – take him to Dumbledore and tell the headmaster what is going on. Kate go find Kilmont – I'm guessing she's in her room. Me, Alice and Lily are going to go find ourselves some Slytherins."

"Couldn't we just ask him?" Mary offered.

"Ah… I didn't think of that," Marlene laughed, "rennervate."

"Right – talk fast… where are they?" Alice asked the half awake Slytherin who was hovering in front of her.

"Why would I tell you?"

"Because I'm asking you to," Lily said, stepping into his line of vision.

"Lily – don't go… they'll hurt you…"

"Answer the question, Snape," Lily said between her teeth. Her eyes were cold with anger.

"Astronomy tower," Snape said his eyes on Lily.

Lily turned her wand on her friend, "stupefy! Let's go."

Remus and Peter were running up the stairs to the astronomy tower. "Looks like your little friends have come to help, Potter," Malfoy smiled. "And to think we haven't even begun…"

"Come in… come in… you haven't missed a thing… it's all just starting to get interesting," Bellatrix giggled.

"Did you know Potter – we've learnt a new spell since we left Hogwarts," Lestrange smiled cruelly.

"Oh yes love… show him…" Bellatrix clapped her hands eagerly.

"Not yet – why kill him when we can torture him?" Lestrange smiled.

"But love…" She pouted.

"I know… All in good time," Lestrange smiled. "Crucio."

Several of the other death eaters had cast the same spell. All four Gryffindors were on the floor screaming. Bellatrix laughed at the pain in her cousin's eyes.

"Do you want it to stop, ickle babies?" Bellatrix asked.

"Eat dirt Bella," Sirius spat in her face.

"Crucio!" Bellatrix shouted, pointing her wand at her cousin.

James cast non-verbal stunning spells at several of the Slytherins in the back whilst everyone else was distracted by Bellatrix and Sirius. She let up her spell and Sirius lay panting on the ground, "You're a bitch Bella!"

Please review... I'm hoping to have this story finished either tomorrow or the day after so keep your eye out for it...

Next Chapter...

1. A Duel...

2. The world will all be put to right without anyone dying and Gryffindor will win the House Point Competition... oh hang on... dang that's not true... not yet anyway ;)

Love you guys and as ever; thanks for reading and thanks for reviewing! love IB