Return Of The Father (Harry Potter fanfiction) **COMPLETED**

:: Chapter 37: Safe ::

"Where could he be? There are a dozen doors here!" rattled Sirius.

"Split up and try them all," said Remus gravely.

They didn't want to split up, but they each knew that they would cover more ground separated. With short nods, the three of them opened doors at random and went through. James slammed the door behind him and ran forward frantically, trying to spot the tuft of black unruly hair.

"Harry!" shouted James desperately. "WHERE ARE YOU?"

Harry had probably run after Bellatrix, and she was a loose cannon, mad and unpredictable, ruthless and sadistic. James vaguely remembered hearing the prophecy shatter, and his insides froze when he realised that that armor wasn't with his boy any more; Harry didn't have the crystal ball with him, and Bellatrix wouldn't hesitate to attack-

He was now out of the Department of Mysteries. James slammed his fist onto the button to call the lift. It banged as it arrived with the familiar jangles and bangs, and he got in, now hitting the buttons that would take him to the atrium.

If anything happened to Harry, he would not live with himself.

"Avada-"

James ducked immediately and rolled out of the way, spotting a Death Eater standing merely a few feet behind him. The man raised his arm again to repeat the spell-

"Stupefy!" yelled James immediately. With a swish of his wand, he conjured ropes and watched as they wrapped themselves around the stunned Death Eater. It would make the job for the Order easier in any case.

He had been hit by the killing curse once, and was in no hurry to go through that again.

Another spell shot from aimed from directly behind him sent James crashing to the floor.

Not now.

James was back on his feet before his attacker could strike again. More cloaked men in masks were appearing from the shadows.

In a strange sort of frenzy, James began attacking like a madman. These Death Eaters were just obstacles: they were shortening the time he had to reach Harry before anything happened, and with a huge rage, James sent spell after spell spiraling at them, blocking reiterating jets of light and in no time, had taken down at least four Death Eaters at once. James did not dwell, he did not even revel in his victory: his only aim was to find his absolute idiot of a son. Harry was too much like him.

As James bolted through the halls of the ministry keeping his eyes and ears alert, James couldn't find it in himself to keep calm. For the first time in a long time, he felt wild. Crazed. He had always had a reputation of being calm and a quick- thinker at the face of danger and tight situations, but right now, as he desperately tried to locate his son, his head was a complete mess, and he was physically incapable of rational thought. He was angry, he was beside himself with worry and he was pointblank terrified.

James came to a halt and processed his surroundings, heaving deep breaths. Having nowhere else to go except towards the telephone booth, James sped off.

But when he reached there, he was met with a sight he had not expected.

Dumbledore was brandishing his wand in fluid movements standing next to the pool, and the water from the pool was rising up, covering-

Voldemort.

"You," said James, his eyes widening in shock. He was just in time to see Voldemort shoot him a look of loathing before the water cocooned him-

The he was gone, and the water fell with a crash into the pool, drenching the polished floor.

"MASTER!" screamed Bellatrix, sobbing from her place under the statue that had her trapped.