Imprisonment

Just before James and Colin separated and each went to their common room, James brought up one last thing. »Tell me, is there something going on between you and Katelyn?«

Colin, who suddenly looked down at the floor and cleared his throat wildly, turned red around the nose. »How should I put it? It's definitely not going to affect the Rebels,« he reassured James.

But the latter shook his head. »That's not what I mean. It's all good. Maxym and I are also together and we can handle it well with the Rebels. I don't see it so narrowly. But be good to her. She deserves to be happy.« James looked at him seriously.

Before his friend could say anything, Professor Longbottom approached them. James was already making up a suitable excuse why he and Colin were still up so late, but their Headmaster had other things on his mind.

»James, good to meet you here. There are unexpected twists and turns. Please, come aside for a moment.« With that he pulled James away and indicated Colin to go on. The latter looked scrutinisingly at James and when his friend nodded, he disappeared towards the Slytherin common room.

»James, I'm sorry to report that your parents have been arrested this evening.« Professor Longbottom immediately came clean.

»Mum and Dad are in Azkaban?« James was shocked. He had thought of everything but that. His mum, she's a star in Quidditch after all. No one would suspect her. And Dad. He's a hero after all.

»Unfortunately, it is beyond my knowledge whether they are already in Azkaban or still awaiting trial. However, I can assure you that I and the others are doing everything in our power to help them.«

James just nodded. He was too stunned to be angry. Too stunned to think of a plan to free them. Too stunned for any reaction. So he just nodded and was escorted by Professor Longbottom to the Gryffindor common room. On the way, James kept wondering how he could explain this to just Lily and Al.

At the painting of the fat lady, the headmaster said goodbye and left James alone. But before he could say the password, a flash of inspiration flashed through him. Immediately he turned around and went back. He had to talk to his grandparents. They would know what to do.

The next day, and without the knowledge of the arrest, Maxym and Katelyn went to class as usual. After the first lesson, they met Magenta.

»Do you also keep getting the feeling today that someone is watching you?« she asked the two friends.

They looked at each other in surprise and shook their heads. »No, not really. Do you have that feeling?« echoed Maxym.

»Yes, but whenever I turn around, there is no one there.«

»That doesn't sound good. Stay alert. We should ask the others if they feel it too,« suggested Maxym. The three separated and went to their lessons.

At noon they met in the great hall. Scorp, Al, Colin and Elizabeth joined them at the table.

»So you'll hear it from me. Last night my parents were arrested.« Al blurted out the news. Maxym looked at him in shock. The Potters? That couldn't be. Her father as well as Scorp's mother were obvisously. But the Potters were heroes. No one attacks them.

Maxym couldn't believe it. »Arrested? But how? On what charges? Are they on trial?« The others also had quite a few questions.

Scorp raised his hands. »Leave him alone. He doesn't know anything more than he told you either. Nobody knows anything. Professor Longbottom said he'd look into it. That's all we know.«

Max saw Al looking sadly at the tabletop. His gaze was blank and fixed. His eyes were bloodshot and his hands were shaking as he tried to take a sandwich from the platter.

After everyone had eaten their meal in silence, they got up again and walked to the classrooms. What else could they do? It was not as if they could take immediate action. But Maxym wanted to find James before class. She didn't want him to be alone.

Before she could get to that, Rose intercepted her. »Maxym, good to see you. Did you hear about Al's parents?« Maxym just nodded. More bad news? »My parents were arrested too. I guess they were afraid that Mum and Dad would oppose their old friend's arrest and made the arrests at the same time. Grandma informed us straight away this morning. James has called a meeting for tonight in the Room of Requirement. Our friends will attend it, too,« she whispered. They both wanted to be careful. »Let the other Slytherins know, please.« And before Max could ask her how she was, she disappeared between the students.

Not only the Potters, but the Weasleys were locked away as well. What else would come today? Maxym went to Defence Against the Dark Arts with her shoulders drooping. She didn't have time to look for James anymore. But she would see him tonight anyway. Knowing him, he would make it out with himself and not let anyone get to him. She respected that.

After dinner, Maxym, Katelyn and Colin went straight to the Room of Requirement. Magenta ran after them. »Hey, wait for me!« she called to them. The small group stopped and waited for the straggler to catch up.

»Where have you been? We thought you'd run ahead,« Katelyn asked as they started running again, this time four of them.

»Professor Flanagon stopped me. He wanted to remind me that my essay on Felix Felicis is still missing.« Magenta rolled her eyes.

»Yes, he's always persistent about that,« Colin agreed with her knowingly.

Just before the secret entrance, they met James and Ashwin. »Now we're meeting in front of it,« James quipped, but Max knew immediately that it was just his put-on facade. He didn't want to show anyone what was really going on inside him.

They ran down the stairs, but at the landing Magenta and Ashwin stopped.

»What's wrong with you two?« asked Colin, who was standing next to Katelyn behind them. Maxym and James were at the end.

Before the front two could answer, five dark figures materialised. Their black magic cloaks were closed and their hoods pulled down into their faces. The rest of it was covered by a silver skull mask.

Death Eaters.

The five apparated with wands drawn and threatened the youths. James reacted immediately, drawing his own wand and standing slightly in front of Maxym.

»Give us the marauders!« shouted one of the five, twirling his wand. But he cast no spell. Not yet.

»What, why do you think we know where they are?« James had immediately drawn attention to himself. That gave the others the opportunity to quickly draw their wands as well.

»Stop that. We want the marauders. Now!« roared another, sweeping a spell over their heads.

»Why do you want them? They're being hunted just as you are, aren't they? Have you nothing better to do? The inspectors are looking for you,« Maxym tried to distract them. Maybe they were being watched and someone was already fetching a teacher or warning the marauders.

»The inspectors?« The Death Eater on the far left started laughing. »They sent us, didn't they? They said if we turned the marauders over to them, then we and our families would be set free.«

James snorted. »You don't think I'm going to hand over my grandparents to you. You can't be trusted. You attack defenceless students. Who do you think you are?«

»Defenceless? Hardly,« spat the foremost Death Eater, firing a spell at James.

The latter was able to defend the attack effortlessly, disarming the right Death Eater in the process.

The fight broke out.

Ashwin muttered »Stupor«, and hurled the rearmost Death Eater against the wall. But his dark-clad friends did not let up and bombarded the students. Maxym and James had positioned themselves on the outside during the fight and got the upper hand due to their elevated position on the stairs. Magenta and Ashwin defended the others and did not let any spell through. Again and again they repelled everything and made new Protego shields.

But these were destroyed as quickly as they were put up. The Death Eater from the left and also the disarmed Death Eater on the right, who had been given a spare wand by one of his comrades, came closer and closer to them from the side. Katelyn and Colin were pushed to the back and Maxym as well as James had to support them.

When the rearmost Death Eater Apparated into their rear and Maxym had the presence of mind to defend the first blow, the Rebels were pushed back to back.

»Don't give up,« James motivated the others, throwing his spells at the Death Eaters.

His friends did the same. But their opponents, skilled in the art of magic and experienced in battle were gaining the upper hand.

»Where was everyone? Surely someone must hear? Someone must have noticed that we are fighting. Why is no one coming?« thought Maxym.

Her body was getting tired and aching in the few places where the spells had broken through her shields and hit her.

»How much longer can we take this?« she wondered.

James had gripped her waist and was supporting her. His gaze was focused and his movements quick and precise. A true Gryffindor.

Ashwin on the landing was not letting up either. This battle was not yet lost.

I am very happy if you leave me a comment. I welcome your wishes and suggestions for the third part. Maybe you would like to see a certain scene, a couple for a chapter in the focus or something else. Feel free to let me know.