Marauders - Always - Part One

The Battle in the Minister's Office

Harry Underhill drew his wand and moved quickly down the corridor, which flashed with bright alarm lamps as he kept his back to the wall, headed for the secret lift to the Minister's outer office. He had been a part of the planning committee that had set the rules and magical protection for the lift's security measures. He had been the one to propose the lift be operable only by a selected list - Annalee and Sean, himself, Moody, and the Minister himself. This, he supposed, was the only thing keeping the Minister's attackers from descending by the Lift.

With the sirens sounding, the entire Department of Magical Law Enforcement would be on the way to the Minister's office, but all of them would be going "the front way". He, however, had perfect, quick access to this - a back way in. He was approaching the lift then, pushing open the doors. Blood stained the walls of the corridor and the interior of the lift itself. It was everywhere.

"Sir."

He looked back over his shoulder and saw James Potter coming up behind him, wand in his hand, pulling on a Ministry-issued leather glove, which held the wand to the palm to hinder an expelliarmus from disarming the aurors. He handed one to Underhill as he strapped his own into place.

"Go back to the office and help your friends."

"Remus has the office secured," James replied.

"Then go get Annalee's official testimony."

"Already extracted it sir."

Underhill scowled, "Then just go back and await a command."

"You can't go upstairs without a second, sir," James said. "It says so in the Training Manual I'm meant to be following," he added pointedly.

Underhill growled, but it was true and not much to be argued about it, as he has been the one that had laid down the law that James Potter wasn't to vary from policy. "You've a little one on the way," he tried for his last bid to make James turn back.

"And you're a single father."

They locked eyes.

"I'll protect you for Marjorie and you protect me for Harry or Ottalie."

Underhill stepped into the lift, and James followed. The lift door closed, both of them jostled into position - Underhill in front with James at his back, both armed. They stood in formation, breathless as the lift jostled its way through the floors of the Ministry.

"Harry or Ottalie?" Underhill asked.

"Yeah," James answered.

"After your Aunt?"

"Yup."

Underhill nodded. "Good. Good, excellent."

James said, "Harry after my - uh - my -"

"Your parents told me about the baby they lost," he said.

"They did?"

Underhill's eyes didn't move from the dial showing the floor they were on. "I was to be the godfather."

James looked at Underhill. "You were?"

Underhill nodded.

James had a thousand questions but before he could put the words together to ask any of them, Underhill motioned for silence, and pointed at the dial. They were arriving to the Minister's Office. "We asked Sirius to be ours," James murmured before falling silent and he saw Underhill's lips curve into a smile for just a moment before his face stoned and the lift jolted to a halt.

They were still for a long moment. Poised. Ready.

The lift doors opened and Matija Blagojevic lunged toward them.