IF THEY LIVED (Harry Potter)

20|OVERPOWERED

"Dumbledore!" Remus shouted, as he and Lily barged into the Great Hall, while all the students were eating lunch. Everybody's heads turned around to look at them, as they urgently approached the professors. Dumbledore stood up calmly, looking at them from above his glasses. McGonagall also stood up, but Dumbledore raised his arm, gesturing her to sit back down.

"Lets go outside and talk," he said calmly. He then proceeded to slowly walk out of the Great Hall, with a deeply concerned, worried mother and an extremely frustrated werewolf following him.

"Dumbledore, with all the respect sir, but this really is not a very calm-like situation," Remus said, as they entered the Entrance Hall. Dumbledore ordered the door to close itself.

"Explain," he said even more calmly, which made Remus even more angry at him. He rushed to explain what had happened after Dumbledore took Wormtail: how the Potters decided to spend the night with Sirius, that Lily and Harry were gone upon waking up, that Snape gave them the exact instructions how to save her, how they got into the manor, how they got Lily out and how James and Sirius were left behind.

Dumbledore listened to all Remus had to say, but after he had finished his story, he remained silent. 

"Dumbledore say something," Lily begged him after about 5 seconds of silence, "Voldemort was informed of all that was going on, for all we know, he might have already-!"

She couldn't finish her sentence, as she felt her voice breaking and all the tears, that she was gathering up, rushing down her cheeks. She let out a heartbreaking sound, tightening her grip around Harry, who started crying as well. 

"Lily calm down I will try to save them," Dumbledore told her reassuringly. 

Remus on the other hand wasn't holding back tears. For the first time in his life, he felt raw anger develop inside his chest, as he watched the most talented and brave wizard alive react so calmly, so placidly, as though James and Sirius were worthless, completely unimportant. 

"Then do something!" Remus cried, his face was red from anger. "No, forget it I'll go back and-"

"You will do no such thing," Dumbledore cut in and summoned his wand. "You are in no state to go fighting Voldemort."

"Well no shit Merlin, you took my wand away!" Remus snapped, probably reaching the height of rudeness he was capable of.

"I shall contact Moody and tell him to gather up some aurors and go to Goyle's manor," Dumbledore answered him politely and turned away.

"Is it too much to ask..." Lily started speaking and Dumbledore turned back around, "Could you go too?"

"Of course Lily," he said, "and in return I have to ask the both of you to stay at Hogwarts and wait for my return. The combination of fear and love can lead one to make the most deadly decisions."

He then turned around and disapparated. Remus felt Lily collapse on the floor besides him and hear her silent sobs. He knelt down and hugged her. He felt the anger in his body settle and being replaced with fear. He released himself from the hug and checked his pockets.

"I cannot believe it," he said and Lily looked up at him, "he took my wand away."

***

"Take them back inside," Bellatrix ordered her fellow death eaters. Malfoy immediately walked up to Sirius and tried to get hold of his arm.

"I think we're forgetting that neither of us is disarmed. So, to be completely honest, you haven't won yet," Sirius said. "You have to play by the rules Bella."