JAMES POTTER and the heir of the defeated

THE MAN IN RAGS

"How can it be possible?" muttered James to himself for the hundredth time since the last two days. The weather of December was showing its full blast on the people in Hogwarts. Hagrid can be seen in the frozen ground defrosting the school broomsticks. Students are wearing sweaters everywhere. The fire in the common room and Madam Pomfrey's Peppurup potion for cold weren't helping. Aditya was trying to get a lead on his mountainous pile of homework. Veronica was sitting next to James.

James and Aditya hadn't recounted what had happened on Saturday's night to anyone. But, they had been checking the Marauder's map till past midnight, but hadn't found anything about Snape or Araxas yet.

"Will you at least tell me what's bothering you James?" asked Veronica. James shook his head as Aditya dropped his quill and rolled his Potion's foot-long essay.

"James!" cried Veronica exasperatedly. She was losing her patience. Aditya quietly packed his books and homework and stretched himself comfortably in his cushioned chair. He could see Angel working seriously, trying to finish her homework. Aditya had to fight down the urge to go there and help her.

Veronica got up and sighed unhappily. James didn't notice this. He was completely immersed in his own thoughts about Severus Snape.

"Take care of him, Aditya." said Veronica. Aditya quickly looked at her and nodded reassuringly.

"Goodnight," he wished her as she left.
The Gryffindor common room was slowly emptying. The Weasley cousins had all wished them goodnight and went to bed. The only persons left were James, Aditya and Angel who was working at a distance.

Making sure the coast was clear, James took out the Marauder's map. Angel packed her bag and wished them goodnight and left for her dormitory.

James picked up his wand and touched it's tip to the centre folding of the map.
"I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good." he muttered. The map of Hogwarts displayed before them. Aditya stole a quick glance making sure they were alone.

They both bent their heads close to the map as they searched every corner of it. Still there was no sign of Snape. James's eyes darted to every single room but couldn't locate him anywhere. They could only see Araxas heading to his dormitory. James let out an exhausted sigh.

"Jeez, it's late man, come let's go." said Aditya. He was seriously worried about James now.

James nodded and said, "Mischief managed."

*

James twisted and turned in his bed. He couldn't sleep. He could hear an owl hooting at a distance. He could make Aditya's slow breathing as he slept and John's wheezy breath as he was an asthma patient. The owl hooted again. James had a sudden idea. Surely his father would know about the school. He could even ask if there was any place in Hogwarts, the map didn't show. Slowly his eyelids drooped and his body relaxed.

*

He woke up suddenly to find himself in a musty smelled room. He got up quickly and tried to move, but he was in chains. There was a cracking sound under his feet. He looked down to find many skeletons of rats and other creatures he couldn't identify. There was a skeleton of a man at a corner. It's face was strangely snake like. James heard a man's grunt at a distance. He turned in that direction and sucked his breath. There, through the soft moon light from an opening above, he could see a man with whom he had been obsessed with since the last seventy-two hours.

Severus Snape was at the other corner of the cage, also in chains like him. His clothes were in rags, and his once greasy hair was matted. There were cuts across his body and the blood was flowing out of him slowly.

He saw James through drooping eyes and his eyes focussed on him sharply.

"Find it!" he said barely whispering.
"He...c-comes...back!..." he tried to get up, but was in vain. James looked at him, without moving as though someone had placed a body binding curse on him.

Suddenly, there was Araxas standing in front of him laughing. He flicked his wand and James's shackles broke.
"I'll have my revenge now Potter!" he said. James felt suddenly weak, as he saw Araxas changing in front of him.

His face stretched back, becoming snake like. His long, blonde hair fell. He shot up in height and his clothes changed from Hogwarts robes to long black ones. His pale skin turned paler, and one could could count the masses of green nerves under his skin. Slowly Araxas turned into everyone's worst nightmare. He turned to the man whose name was feared to be spoken out aloud. He turned to the man whom his father had defeated twenty-two years ago. James was standing there helpless and horrified as Araxas turned into Lord Voldemort.

He checked his body and breathed satisfactorily. A snake rose from his behind and rested on his shoulder. The Horcrux Nagini licked its master and Voldemort laughed. James's knees turned to jelly and wobbled under him.

"He's back!" screamed Snape who trying to get cover from him.

Voldemort looked at James and smiled at him. A cold smile that sent jitters down his spine.

"Ah it's been so long! Right Nagini?" he said in a strange hissing voice. James understood through the terrible numbness that Voldemort was speaking in Parseltongue, and James was able to understand! He was shocked with himself.

"He looks so much like his father," he hissed again. The snake curled it's powerful body into a more comfortable position. Snape was still trying to get far away from them.

"I'll be back James Sirius Potter! And perhaps I'll have my revenge on this world by killing you," he said and took out his wand. James was paralyzed with shock and fear.

"Crucio," yelled Lord Voldemort, and the curse hit James. All his bones were on fire. James was screaming his heads off. It was the most terrible pain he ever faced. Voldemort moved away leisurely and looked at his snake.

"Kill Nagini!" he said. The snake lunged forward and bit Severus Snape and drank his blood. It moved away from him and joined it's master as they vanished. James got up and scrambled forward towards Snape as he bled. He placed his hand on the wound and compressed it to reduce the blood flow. Snape caught his robes tightly and muttered,

"Find...it!...last... Voldemort...b-back" he tried to say as more blood spouted out. James wanted to scream at him to be quiet but his voice didn't work.

"Des- destroy...last...Horcrux!" wheezed Snape as his breath left him.

***