Too Easy
"Ready for this?" James says.
"Yes," I say. I take his hand. "Just promise me you won't do anything too brave or reckless."
"No guarantees," he says, and we set off in the direction Dumbledore indicated.
It's funny, because this is almost the way I'd imagined we would be spending the day, strolling hand in hand on an outing, just the two of us. We're nearly at the edge of the park where Dumbledore had left us, but once we're out, the scenery changes from green grass and manicured gardens to cityscape, and the similarities to the anticipated Hogsmeade date end. The shops we pass are full of Muggle wares and we're both too tense to really get into good conversation.
We cross the street and I have to remind James to look for cars. ("Mad," he says, shaking his head as I pull him back just before a black Volkswagen can barrel over him, way more annoyed than alarmed). As Dumbledore instructed, we head uphill, and then we're there. Tall brick buildings with ivy climbing up the sides, large stone signs naming them all: The Hart, Ridley Annex, Herschel Student Center... We pass them all. Campus is quiet, presumably because it's a Saturday morning and most students are sleeping late, but a few people mill around, heading for the library or to a late breakfast. I've never been here, but it's not so different from where Petunia went to university in London, and I steer James down the sidewalk.
"How do you know where we're going?" he demands after a few minutes of this.
"I don't," I say. "Not exactly. But Bones said the construction site is at the back, so that's where we're headed."
"What I wouldn't give for a Marauders Map of this place," he says. "Hey, how do you think things are going back at Hogwarts?"
"Hopefully less interesting than they are here," I say. I touch my pocket where my pouch rests, cool and untouched. "Sev hasn't said anything, so that's good. I don't think I could take the excitement of an Order mission and a Slytherin scheme on the same day. Ahh, there we are."
As we come out from between two of the buildings, we're met with the green metal fence Bones described, stretching along the sidewalk in either direction. We can't see what the ground looks like beyond the wall, but the several partially constructed buildings stretch tall overhead, their rooms exposed to the outside air and metal scaffolding poking off the sides like daggers.
"There's the gate," James says quietly, nodding to the entrance right in front of us. There's a sign plastered right above the padlock in bold yellow and black: WARNING. KEEP OUT.
"We're still on the south side, though," I say. "Bones suggested we use the north one."
"But there's no one here," James says. "We haven't seen anyone for nearly ten minutes."
He's right. When we'd first stepped onto campus, there hadn't been a ton of people about, but enough to make the place feel alive. However, the closer we've gotten to the site, the quieter it's become. It's unnerving.
"Okay," I say. After all, part of the goal is to do this quickly. And the stillness is getting to me. It's like holding your breath, waiting for the explosion. "Cloak on?"
"Right," James mutters. He glances around one more time, but we're still alone. He fumbles with the latch on his bag and a second later throws the Invisibility Cloak over both our heads. I wait to feel any different, maybe even to see the illusion again for myself, but with both James and I under it, nothing looks different.
I exhale. "Okay. Let's go." I direct my wand at the lock. "Alohomora." It snaps open and drops to the dirt, and together, we push open the gate.
We both have our wands at the ready in case the broken lock alerts anyone on the other side of the wall, but to my surprise the lot on the other side is as deserted as the sidewalk outside is. James and I exchange looks, and I can tell he's equally on edge about the lack of people around. We carefully shut the gate once we're all the way through and still, no one shows. As Professor Dumbledore predicted, we've gone entirely unnoticed, entering as mundanely as we have.
"Are you sure we're invisible?" I whisper as we creep toward the building Bones indicated Brooks is in. I can only guess if no one is outside, that must mean all the Death Eaters will be crowded inside, and I would hate for us to sneak in only to immediately be discovered because we'd assumed no one could see us.
Despite it all, James gives a small huff of laughter. "Definitely. No one will be able to see us, I promise."
"Okay..." I say, only marginally reassured as we approach the partially constructed building. Metal scaffolding protrudes like bones from the main body. The main floor does have a door, though, and James reaches out to take the doorknob.
"Wait," I hiss, before he can grab it, and he hesitates. "Once we're inside, we do exactly like Dumbledore and Bones said to do, alright? We stay out of sight, we find Brooks as quick as we can, and we get out with as little fuss as possible, okay?"
"Of course," James says, but I'm not satisfied.
It's probably just the anxiety getting to me, the anticipation building to overwhelming levels at the lack of Death Eaters encountered so far, but I'm acutely aware how dangerous this might be. I think of him throwing himself at the werewolf for me, how quickly he'd jumped to my defense when Rosier had called me 'Mudblood'. The way he'd retaliated at Severus last term for belittling me, and how he'd answered my patronus call at the wedding, no questions asked. Even the way he'd rescued Severus from Remus last year... it's his natural instinct to put himself in harm's way, especially for someone else's sake.
I don't want to be the reason he goes down.
"I mean it," I say, clutching his arm. "No taking stupid risks."
"Lily," James says, turning as best as he can to raise an eyebrow at me. "We're going to be fine."
I study his face, hazel eyes bright behind his glasses, static from the cloak standing his hair on end, the anticipation of the task ahead illuminating his expression. "You better be," I say fiercely. I stretch up so I can kiss him once, hard. "Now be safe," I say before turning to open the door myself.
As soon as we cross the threshold, the illusion of the incomplete building falls away. Instead of a drafty, half finished interior with exposed framing, we find ourselves in a foyer sort of space with a wide staircase going up in front of us and hallways branching off on either side. It's dark, no lights flickering on the walls or overhead, and completely void of any indication of habitation: no furniture, décor, anything. It's also silent as a grave. We wait for a moment to see if the opening door has alerted anyone, but nothing stirs.
"Do you... do you think anyone's even here?" James asks. His quiet question feels as loud as lightning.
"Entia Revelio," I whisper. James intakes a breath when a moment later, light flares from overhead.
"There's just one..." I murmur, looking up. "Upstairs." We look at each other.
"Brooks?" James asks.
"Without guards?" I shake my head. "That doesn't make any sense."
"Only one way to find out," he says, and he darts towards the stairs, leaving the security of the Cloak behind.
"James!" I hiss, as loudly as I dare, hurrying after him. "Be careful!"
"There's one other person here," he says. "Even if it's not Brooks, we'll be fine."
"Be careful," I repeat. "You promised, remember?" I take the stairs behind him and catch up quickly, shedding the Cloak as I go. I'm not going to cower underneath it while he runs about recklessly. I ball it up and hand it to him. "This is too strange. There should be more people around."
"We'll be quick," he promises. He takes the Cloak from me and stows it back in his bag. "As long as we're quick, it'll all be good."
Quick sounds good to me.
We follow the light flare up several flights of stairs, barely bothering to keep our footsteps quiet anymore now that we know we're nearly alone in here. The light shines through the ceiling until we reach the top floor, where it glimmers at the end of the corridor, behind a closed door.
"There," I say, unnecessarily; James is already moving down the corridor, wand in hand.
He approaches the door, finally cautious, then glances back at me. "It's not even locked," he murmurs.
"Careful," I say, but he's already turned the handle, his wand brandished, and the door swings inward.
At first I think maybe my Presence-revealing Charm misfired and that the room is empty. It's as barren as the rest of the building, with one single window overlooking the dirt and gravel hills outside. But then there's a slight shuffling noise from the back corner, and James lights his wand so we can make out the figure there.
Then the light falls on him, and I cry out and rush to the stranger's side.
"Are you alright?" It's a stupid question; this man is definitely not alright. His face swells in a mask of purple and angry red, like he's taken several Stinging Hexes to the face. Or maybe even fists. One of his eyes is swollen shut.
"Who – who are you?" The man croaks. He's still sitting on the floor and I use my wand to reverse the swelling as best as I can. James stays alert in the doorway, scanning the room like he expects someone else to lunge out of the shadows. "I thought Dumbledore was coming..."
"Are you Brooks?" James asks him.
"Yes," he answers, his voice cracking. "I need Dumbledore..."
"He's right outside," I say. "I'm Lily, I'm a student of his. James and I are going to get you out to the Order. Can you walk?"
"Lily... Evans?"
My hands still and James turns from where he's been peering back into the hallway.
"Yes," I say slowly. Brooks's face looks considerably better now that I've fixed it up a bit. I'm no Healer, but at least both his eyes are visible, and he flicks them between James and me in a nervous kind of way.
"You – you're Lily Evans? And James Potter?" He shakes his head. "Merlin. I can't believe... they sent the two of you?"
"You know who we are?" I ask.
"Oh, this isn't good..." Brooks moans, burying his face in his hands.
I meet James's eyes over Brooks's hunched form. He looks as unsettled as I feel. Nothing so far about this mission has gone as expected. Where are the guards? The restraints? The whole situation makes me uneasy. Yes, we have found Brooks, but it's been far too easy
"Lily..." James says quietly. "Let's get him out of here. Now."
I nod. "Can you stand?" I ask Brooks again, ignoring my anxiously tripping heart. I can feel it in my throat, beating against the back of my tongue.
"No," Brooks says. He still sounds despairing.
"Let me help you, then," I say. James, with one final anxious glance down the deserted hallway, comes to help, and I'm glad. Brooks is much bigger than I am and I don't think I can hoist him to his feet on my own.
But to my surprise, Brooks resists both our efforts. "No, no," he says.
"What?" James says, a tinge of annoyance coloring his tone. "We have to get out of here. Who knows when any of the Death Eaters or, Merlin forbid, Voldemort, could come back? We need to leave now."
"But that's the problem," Brooks says. "Voldemort wanted me. He's not going to let me leave so easily."
"But that's why we're here," I stress. "To help you leave. Now's the time, no one's here. Let's go." I attempt to pull him to his feet again; as far as I can tell, beyond his swollen face, he isn't injured, and my uneasiness doubles. Why hadn't he tried to get himself out? The door unlocked, he's conscious and mobile and unguarded... It's all too weird, and I just want out.
"It's join or die if Voldemort wants you," Brooks mumbles, like he didn't even hear me, or notice my tugging. "And I'm not the only one he wants."
On Brooks's other side, James pauses his efforts to get him to stand. "Who else?"
Brooks rolls his head to look at James. "You," he whispers. Then he swings his attention to me. "And you."
For a moment we both just stare at him. "I seriously doubt that," I say finally. "I'm muggle-born."
"You've caught his attention," Brooks says.
"Well, he's not getting her," James says stubbornly. "Let's go, Lily. We can levitate him out of here if we have to, but we need to leave." There's a new urgency in his voice.
Brooks looks between the two of us, understanding creasing between his eyes. "This is dangerous, too," he says. "Loved ones make you vulnerable."
"I don't care," James says, giving Brooks one last futile tug.
"Look," I say. I'm getting more and more anxious the longer we deliberate here. I don't understand why Brooks won't let us rescue him, why he didn't just stroll out on his own in the first place. "Let's just leave, alright? The Order's right outside, you'll be safe as soon as we're out of here, we told you, we're here to help."
But when Brooks finally stands, he's shaking his head.
"I'm sorry," Brooks says. He seems weary, and rather than feeling relieved he's finally on his feet, something about his expression pushes my unease to dread. "This isn't what I want, not really. But at the end of the day, all I really want is to survive."
"What?" James asks but Brooks pulls his wand from his pocket and thrusts his hand out the window.
"I'm sorry," he whispers again, and then the sky explodes in a shower of venomous green stars and mist.
James grabs my arm, abandoning Brooks completely. "Lily. We have to get out! NOW." He drags me out the door and back into the corridor, looking around wildly and cursing the whole time. "That two-faced, cowardly..."
"What was that?" I ask, fear trembling my words. The corridor is still empty, and we run back towards the stairs. The exit seems impossibly far away.
"Dark Mark," James says grimly. "And, I'm sure, a signal."
"You'd be right," a voice sneers, and James and I skid to a halt as figures start appearing in front of us, blocking the way out.
I turn, but the way back clogs with more figures. There's something off about it, though, none of the black cloaks and masks I've come to expect from Death Eaters. They're all dressed in regular robes, their faces oddly blank.
But there's no time to puzzle about it more, because every single one of them has their wand drawn and are closing in on us.
"This way!" My eyes dart and land on a closed door next to us. I grab James and pull him towards it before he can start dueling all of our pursuers at once. As I'd hoped, it's as unlocked as Brooks's door was and – there's a window.
"Trust me?" I ask.
"You know I do," he says.
"Good," I say, and I throw us both out the window.
My charm catches us feet before we slap against the concrete foundation, and we touch down lightly.
"You're brilliant," James shouts as we sprint in the direction of the gate, dodging construction equipment and mounds of gravel and dirt. "And the Order should be right outside, I got a patronus out to them when we found Brooks."
"You're brilliant!" I shout back. Being outside and running clears my head, shakes the claustrophobic dread from inside. But then there's a flash of red light and I go sprawling.
"Lily!" James shoots a spell of his own past me, not pausing to see if it found its mark, and stoops to help me up.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," I pant, getting back to my feet. "Just a Tripping Jinx..." But we both glance back reflexively and it's not fine. Whatever magic keeps us and the Order from apparating in or out apparently does not affect our pursuers, because they are everywhere. Climbing over dirt piles and excavators, appearing in the doorway of the nearest building.
Surrounded.
Again.
"Get out of here if you can," James says grimly. "I'll cover you."
"Are you mad?" I say incredulously. "There's too many of them, I'm not leaving you."
"Look out!" James shouts, but I've already parried off the jet of purple light. I fire back a Stunning Spell, and one of our opponents falls.
"See?" I say. "I'm fine."
That's the last moment we have to talk, though, as a wave of spells descend.
For a heart-stopping minute, all we can do is deflect all the magic thrown at us. There's way too many to try and attack back. Our Shield Charms are strong, but the sheer number of blows they take break them down quickly. Sooner or later, one of the jinxes will find a crack and hit one of us, and I don't think the other will be able to defend long on their own.
But then someone shouts and, distracted, our attackers glance away to see the source of the interruption.
"Dumbledore!" someone yells, and I finally look away too to see the wave of witches and wizards engulfing the crowd, led by Dumbledore himself.
"The Order made it," James says, relief sagging his shoulders.
With the attention off of us, we can finally attack back. I hit a witch in the back with a Full-body Bind, and when she drops, the wizard next to her turns in surprise. My eyes widen in recognition. There's no mistaking the large, distinctive scar twisting his right eye to a scowl. He's with the Ministry, he was there the day Minister Minchum visited Hogwarts. "You!" I say.
He raises his wand and fires a spell at me, and just like that, I'm drawn back into battle.
I can feel James at my side, dueling his own opponents. I best Scarface, but another takes his place. All over the construction site, the Order fights to gain control, but we're just outnumbered enough it's a struggle. I find myself facing two opponents instead of one, and sweat pours down my face in effort to avoid the onslaught of spells thrown my way. The battle takes us to the edge of an open foundation, and I'm struck with inspiration. If I can get them over the edge...
I lunge, intending to explode the dirt pile next to my opponents and startle them into a fall, but a fleeing wizard slams into my side, knocking me off course, and one of my attackers seizes the opportunity.
"Sectumsempra!"
"NO!"
From out of nowhere, James crashes against me. The curse hits him square in the chest, and he slips sideways into the pit.
"JAMES!" I shriek, and a spell like a shock wave blasts out of my wand. Everyone within a ten foot radius drops, stunned, and I throw myself down the slope after James, sliding over the gravel and cold dirt.
But he's not alone at the bottom.
"I'll kill you," I say, my voice wavering as I advance on Brooks, my wand drawn.
He looks up from where he crouches over James, his face white. "Lily. Take James and get out of here."
"This is all your fault," I say, but I'm distracted by James. He's curled away from me, trying to push himself upright, but there's something odd about his efforts, like he can't muster the energy to get more than a couple inches off the ground.
"I know, I know," Brooks says. He rises, facing me with hands spread out. His wand is in hand, but he holds it loosely, non-threateningly, and when he turns to face me all the way, I see black veins twisting up his neck, under his skin. I watch in horrified fascination as they creep upwards to start engulfing his face. "I just wanted to live..."
"They got you," I say. "Because we got away." Typical Death Eaters. Dispose of someone as soon as they aren't helpful anymore.
"Listen," he says, stepping in closer, and I finally lower my wand. "The battle here is spreading. It's already on campus and will continue into the city. The Order won't leave, they have to protect the Muggles here, but you have to go."
"Why?" I say. I glance at James again. I still don't know what's wrong with him, and my relief at finding him alive gives way to concern that he's still crumpled on the ground.
"This was a diversion," Brooks says. He's talking quicker and quicker as the ropy black spreads across his cheeks, like he knows his time is limited. "Didn't you notice it's not Death Eaters here? It's Ministry employees, Imperiused ones. Voldemort wanted to draw Dumbledore and the Order away from Hogsmeade, that's where the real threat is."
"What?"
Brooks grips my hand. His look like they're made of ink. "Get both of you out here, get James help, warn everyone in Hogsmeade: Death Eaters are coming. I'll do what I can here, I can take down the anti-apparition wards. Just go now." His speech garbles at the end, and I see the black has taken over his mouth too. Only his eyes, blue and clear, remain unaffected.
Rocks clatter down the slope, and I look up to see several enemy witches and wizards peering in. When they see us, they raise their wands.
"GO!" Brooks roars.
I don't hesitate to obey. I throw myself around him, on top of James, and disapparate as Brooks turns the air to flames.
