Unofficial Portkey Archive

Chapter 25-So Cold

Crowded streets all cleared away
One by One
Hollow heroes separate
As they run

You're so cold, but you feel alive
Lay your hands on me one last time

Lily rubbed her eyes and sat up. She felt a warm body lying next to her. She opened her eyes and saw that they were still on the beach. They must have fallen asleep there after their long day.

She looked over at James. He looked so innocent when he slept. He didn't seem like one who would tangle Lily's heart to pieces. Yet, he was the cause of all her confusion.

Seemingly, these past few months had changed Lily's opinion of him over six years. It was so odd to see how quickly you can judge someone and then be completely wrong. Lily knew that her judgments against James were unfair. She should have tried to understand him.

It had to be early in the morning as the sun was not up yet. All she could hear was the tumbling of waves onto the shore and the sift chirps of crickets in the distance.

.X.

"Servant, where is he? We know that you know!" a voice said. The voice was not in the room but it still made the boy that it was projected to quiver in his robes.

"I told you, I don't know!" the boy's voice answered back.

"Stop lying, boy. You're his friend. You have to know," another voice said. This voice was Lucius Malfoy's smooth, wispy, conniving whisper.

"I can't tell you. He's my friend. It's not right. You'll kill him, I know you will!" the boy said.

"You stupid fool. Of course we'll kill him. But think of it this way. We kill him either way and we kill you when you fail to provide information. What can be gained from that?" the voice said.

The voice was cunning. It sent chills down the spine of all enemies. It was one that haunted the dreams of soon-to-be victims. Yes, it was Lord Voldemort.

"Kill Me? Why would you want to kill me?" Peter Pettigrew asked.

How did little Peter Pettigrew get in this situation? It all starts with temptation and a little thirst for respect. Something he felt he had never been given the chance to have.

"You see, I won't have to kill you because you are going to tell me. You wouldn't be here otherwise," Voldemort said.

"I wouldn't?" Peter asked, feeling a lump grow in his throat.

"Oh, no. Not you Peter. You came because you want power. We can give you power. Now, it's either Potter or power? Make your choice," Voldemort said. Peter could practically hear him smiling. He had won. There was no choice. He had to join his ranks or die. Surely, his friends could understand that. They would do the same, wouldn't they?

"He's in America. Miami, Florida with Sirius," Peter said.

"Now that's a good boy. You finally understand Peter. You're the link between the good and bad. You were meant to join one side or the other. You have finally chose the winning side. You are now one of my most important accomplices to this thwart over the Order of the Phoenix," Voldemort said, laughing to himself. A laugh that made Peter flinch.

"Order of the what?" Peter asked.

"It's unimportant now. I must send someone to go take care of the boy for now. Until I get there. Lucius, make troops. Tell them they're going to Miami, Florida as fast as possible. Now!" Voldemort said, screaming in sheer delight.

Peter was afraid. His new master was delusional. What did that make him?

.X.

Lily had fallen back asleep. She started dreaming, something that hadn't been easy lately.

She saw black cloaks, long black cloaks dancing in the moonlight. She heard laughter and then she saw a pale white rat. It was odd. Then, finally, she saw James. His face was determined and afraid at the same time. She felt something brush across her leg and she awoke with a startle. James was no longer beside her. What was beside her was definitely not James.

It was a slithering figure, creeping towards her.

"Oh my god," she screamed. She kicked the figure in the face and looked up. James was there. Oh yes. He was still there. Yet, he was not alone.

Death Eaters.

The two of them were surrounded and unprepared. How had they found him?

He was dueling with all his ability, having to duck quickly from all the spells being thrown at him. The slithering figure took out a long slender knife from inside his cloak and started to get up.

"Rise and shine, Princess," it said.

She pulled out her wand quickly and saw the shimmering reflection of herself in the knife. The other Death Eaters seemed unaware that she had awoken.

"Stupefy!" she said to the Death Eater. He fell into the sand and she saw his knife escape from the grip of her hand. She picked it up. They were not going to kill James, not if she could help it.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" a voice screamed to James. He barely missed it. James saw Lily out of the corner of his eye and she saw panic rise in their hazel chambers. He eyes the knife and nodded averting his eyes back to the Death Eater.

"Is that all you've got, Malfoy? Yes, I know it's you under there," James said. His wand was extended and he was pointing at a different Death Eater.

"Don't think I won't," James said. The wand was pointed at his chest.

Malfoy just chuckled.

"James Potter, the son of two of the finest Aurors around, great-great-grandson of the third previous Headmaster of Hogwarts, thinks he is going to kill someone? You wouldn't hurt a fly, Potter," Malfoy said.

"Ever heard of a bad seed?" James asked. Lily took that moment to stab Malfoy in the arm and turn around and stun the Death Eater to her right.

James had turned and started cursing the Death Eaters behind him. Where had they come from and why did they want James so badly?

Then, Lily felt someone clutch her throat. The air was escaping from her lungs and she felt something clod touch her neck.

James turned to face them, his eyes wide in fear.

"Is Potter afraid that I'll kill his wittle girlfwiend?" a woman's voice asked in mimic.

"Bella, put her down. Kill me Bella. Your master wants me. He doesn't want her. Take me," James said.

"I don't know. I love watching you squirm," she said, laughing.

"What has she done to you?" he asked, pleading.

"It's her mere existence that puts a dent into my heart," Bellatrix said.

"You don't have a heart, bitch," James said.

"No heart? Oh, I have a heart. Yet, my heart belongs to Lord Voldemort and his cause. It belongs to killing you and your precious girlfriend," Bella said.

"Bella, just kill the girl and take him. Stop procrastinating," Malfoy said, from the ground where he was bleeding. Lily saw him start to rise. He grabbed his wand and mended the cut quickly.

James had an idea. He knew that Bellatrix was Sirius's cousin and she couldn't resist a fight. He loved that quality about her, it made her weak.

"Bella, he's inside," James said.

"What are you talking about, Potter?" Bella asked.

"Stop listening to him and grab him Bella," Malfoy said.

"Sirius. He's inside. Don't you want to go visit him?" James asked.

"Come on Lucius, we haven't done anything in so long. I want to battle. Is that so much to ask?" Bellatrix begged.

"No!" he said. "That's how the Longbottoms got away. We can't let it happen again."

"He's sleeping. Just think Bella, you'd get the satisfaction of surprising him," James said. Lily was looking at him in disbelief. He was selling out his friend. What kind of man was he?

James caught her eye and reassured her with a look.

This seemed to convince Bella. She dropped Lily and took the knife and started running. Lily picked up her wand and stunned three of the Death Eaters restraining James. He ran quickly. He was taller than Bella and began running after her.

"Get him!" Lucius yelled.

Several Death Eaters ran after James. James had caught up with Bella. He tackled her and she fell to her feet.

Lily had began running. She heard several people running after her. She knew they were men and they were faster than her. She pushed harder. She needed to get James and herself in that house and make a Port key to get everyone out. She ran up, feeling the sand slip beneath her feet. She was running up the hill to which the house was. She saw James struggling with Bellatrix. She saw four Death Eaters approach them.

"STUPEFY! IMPEDIMENTA! STUPEFY! STUPEFY!" she screamed, falling to the ground.

She saw the Death Eaters fall to the ground. Her luck was that the Impedimenta curse had hit Malfoy and he would get up in a few moments. She felt someone tugging at her feet. She kicked.

James looked up at her. He mouthed something she would never forget and she knew he meant it.

"Sorry."