Dark Haze
James Potter stirred slightly. He felt something tight around his chest and his memory began to replay the last moments before the haze had fallen over his eyes. He saw the assassin standing before him and then nothing. James slowly opened his eyes only to have them assaulted by glaring light.
"James?" He heard Lily's wavering voice.
With effort, he focused on the pale face of his wife. "Where am I?"
Her fingers brushed aside a stray strand of his hair. "St. Mungo's, dear."
"What happened?"
Lily frowned her face taking on what James called her motherly look. "You don't need to worry now. Sirius will clear things up when your better."
James sighed, causing Lily to lean closer. A wan smile filled James's face. "I'm fine, Lils."
"You are not 'fine'." Tears began to fall down Lily's cheeks, and she hastily wiped them with the sleeve of her robes. "You would have died, if they hadn't gotten you here as soon as they did. If that dagger would have been further to right, it would have hit your heart."
"But I am fine now."
"Always such a child!"
"How long have I been here?"
"Two days now, it will probably be another three days before they let you out. And, perhaps, a few weeks before you are allowed to return to work."
"Are those Moody's orders, or yours?"
"Both." Lily said giving her husband a severe look. "I don't want another scare like this, James!"
"As long as Voldemort is alive, Lily, there will be scares and close calls." James paused to regain his breath. "We can't just hide Lily… hiding does not work. We discovered that with Harry."
Lily rested her head in her hands. "I know. I'm tired of the fear! I'm just tired of everything." Lily exclaimed even as the door to the ward opened, causing Lily to look up. Her face softened. "He's awake," she called to the newcomers.
James smiled when he saw Sirius. "Good someone who can tell me what the hell happened."
Lily glared at Sirius, causing his friend to blush. "Perhaps, later, Mate." Then, as Black moved closer to the bed, he whispered. "When Lily is not around."
"Sirius, James needs his rest!"
"How can he rest with the questions that are driving him insane?" The two were soon arguing as they always did.
Still hanging back, Dorian just watched his father. James smiled and nudged his head toward the bickering pair, causing his son to erupt with laughter.
"What's funny?" Sirius asked.
"Perhaps, you two should have married. You have the bickering couple down pat."
"I would never marry that man, even if he were the last in the world!"
"Same here… but about marrying Lily."
"Nice recovery," Dorian said, nudging his uncle in the ribs.
"He is getting as bad as his mother doing that." Sirius complained, rubbing his sore ribs.
James shook his head and returned his attention to his wife. "Please, Lils, I need to know what happened."
Lily just nodded her head and looked away.
Sirius pulled over a seat for himself, while Dorian sat at the foot of his father's bed. "Well, it wasn't one of the Order's better nights… that's for sure. Both Podmore and Pierce were killed, and four of us were injured. Overall, I would say, we got out lucky. Remus was hit with one of the curses, nothing serious. In fact, he was in and out. Bill was hit with a dagger along the side of his face at the beginning. He will have a scar there for the rest of his life."
"What about the assassin?"
"He escaped. I brought you directly here, so I wasn't involved in the search. But I heard that there was not a trace of where he disappeared to."
James pressed the back of his head into his pillow.
"We should leave him to get some rest." Lily stated firmly.
Not willing to argue with her the other rose and walked to the door. Sirius, however, paused in the doorway.
"Oh, Prongs, I will be expecting payment soon."
"Payment?"
"Remember our bet… Pierce did have some pretty good information."
James smiled haughtily. "You can't bleed a turnip now can you, Padfoot, old friend."
Sirius laughed. "I guess you can't." He said as he left the room.
Harry stumbled into his father's chamber, every step bringing him further pain. The two days he had spent in hiding had taken their toll on his body. His cheek burned where James Potter had hit him with the Sectumsempra curse. His messy black hair lay limply against his forehead, making it hard to see.
"Father?" He whispered hoarsely.
Voldemort turned in his seat and seeing his son in such a pathetic state- rose to help him into a soft armchair. He, then, removed his wand and began to heal his tattered son. "I am glad you found your way home." Voldemort stated simply. "I had sent out many Death Eaters, but they all proved incompetent."
Harry only nodded his head. The chair was so comfortable. He could almost fall asleep in it. "Pierce is dead father."
Voldemort smiled sincerely, as he embraced the exhausted young man. "You performed that task magnificently. You gave me so much more, then what I had asked for."
Harry returned his father's smile. "I am glad that I have pleased you."
Voldemort returned to his armchair. "I feared that you would never return."
"They had placed and anti-apparate charm on the warehouse and surrounding area. I choose instead to lay quiet for a few days before I even attempted to return to you side." Harry said simply, fighting the urge to close his eyes.
"That was very wise of you." Voldemort closed his eyes as he continued the conversation. "James Potter is alive."
Harry said nothing in reply.
"Why did you not kill him?" Voldemort's snake eyes closed in on Harry.
Harry remained silent. This line of thought deeply troubled him. It frightened him that he did not know whether he had just missed, or had chosen to do so. "I don't know. I was in a hurry, and I just threw."
Voldemort nodded his head. "I killed my muggle father and his parents. He deserved his death for making my life pure hell." The Dark Lord's eyes rested contently on Harry. "It is a fate I saved you from. Dumbledore and your 'parents' would have destroyed you, throwing you against me in a futile attempt to kill me."
"I know better then to except their lies."
"Yes," Voldemort smiled. "I do believe you do. They back up their lies with little bits of truth. You see, Harry, in every lie one can find little truths. One only has to look far enough."
Harry nodded. "Always the teacher."
A smirk fell on the Dark Lord's face. "I did try to become a Professor at Hogwarts once. Dumbledore, however, declined. Ironically, they have not been able to hold a single Defense against the Dark Arts teacher since."
"Did you hex it?"
"Yes," Voldemort said stretching in his seat. "You are tired and need rest."
Harry rose carefully from the chair and moved to the door. "Thank-you, father, for all you have done for me."
"You are my son."
"I love you, too." Harry whispered as he turned leaving to return to his own room.
Once there, Harry sank into his bed not even bothering to change into his pajamas. Hiding his face in the comforting pillows, he erased from his mind the questions his target had presented to him. With these thoughts out of mind, he allowed sleep to finally overtake him.