Priori Incantatem [HARRY POTTER FANFICTION]

Chapter 29: The Siege

Chapter 29: The Siege

The Death Eaters swarmed into the party, and the screams from their first victims sounded throughout the room as the attacks began. Lily gradually became aware that someone was tugging at her arm and snapped out of her stupor.

"Lily, come on!" James was near frantic. "Quick!" he added as Lily began to move with him. Hand in hand, they began to battle the panicked crowd, heading for the corner where they had left their friends. But most of the candles had been extinguished again, and it was slow going in the near-darkness, fighting the throng.

James had never felt worse in his life; he was terrified for himself, his parents, his friends, and for Lily, maybe for her most of all. But he was basically powerless to do anything about any of it, and that was almost as frightening as the bloodcurdling screams coming from the other end of the room.

Glancing frantically round for any sign of his parents, James wasn't watching where he was going very carefully. Suddenly he collided head on with something in front of him, the impact knocking him to the floor and wrenching his hand from Lily's as she fell too. Jumping to his feet, James drew his wand as quickly as he could, adrenaline and fear coursing through him.

"James?" A familiar voice asked disbelievingly. James peered through the gloom at the figure still standing in front of him.

"Sirius?" he finally exclaimed, incredulous. "Thank Merlin! Have you seen my parents? Where're Peter and Remus and everyone?"

"I left Peter and Remus back there with the others," Sirius informed James. "I came to look for you."

"My parents?" James repeated, relieved that his friends were all right for the moment. "Have you seen them?"

"No," Sirius admitted. "But they're used to taking care of themselves. They'll be all right, mate," he added comfortingly, giving James' shoulder a brief squeeze. "Where's Lily?" Sirius asked then, looking round.

James felt his blood run cold in his veins. "She - she was just here," he managed weakly, looking frantically round him. "Lily? LILY!" he called, his voice rising sharply in panic.

"Prongs." James felt two steadying hands on his shoulders and looked wildly at his best mate. "We'll find her," Sirius said levelly, "the important thing is Not. To. Panic," he emphasized.

Taking a deep breath, James willed himself into some semblance of calm. He didn't have time to panic when his girlfriend was missing in the midst of a Death Eater attack.

*** 

Lily had lost her hold on James' hand when they both fell to the floor. Unharmed, she had rolled out of James' way only to be stepped on by a panicked guest, which had knocked the breath out of her. The next thing she had known, she was flying across the room, slamming into a wall.

Dazed and reeling from the searing pain of first her fall then her unexpected flight, Lily looked up to see a black-robed, masked Death Eater standing over her, grinning like a jack o' lantern in the flickering light.

Hold on, Lily thought in surprise, feeling a flash of déjà vu. She knew that catlike grin, had seen those psychotic eyes before with just that expression.

It was Bellatrix Black.

*** 

James and Sirius made their way through the crowds once more, wands drawn. The Death Eaters had gained ground; the screams were much closer now. James and Sirius were barely on the outskirts of the fighting anymore; soon the Death Eaters would reach them.

Out of the corner of his eye, James saw a fleeing woman tumble to the floor, a hooded figure closing in on her. "Stupefy!" he bellowed without thinking and watched the figure fall.