"What is it?" James asked helplessly, looking back and forth between Sirius Black and Arthur Weasley.
"A small thing, a trifle," the Gatekeeper said, reaching out to James and placing its hands on his shoulders. "A service to the world, really."
"I'm not going to kill anyone," James said, shaking his head, tears streaming down his face.
"Look," the Gatekeeper whispered gently, turning James around. "Look before you answer."
Behind James was another pool of light. One last figure stood inside it, seeming rather surprised to be there. Long white hair hung on either side of a haggard face, and the eyes were filled with hate. James could instantly see the family resemblance. It was Lucius Malfoy.
"What is the meaning of this…," Lucius breathed. He reached for his wand, but couldn't seem to find it in his robes. "Where is my wand?" he said, looking past James to the Gatekeeper. "I demand to know where you have taken me, you foul creature!"
"This is the man," the Gatekeeper whispered over James' shoulder. "On his hands is the blood of dozens. It was his plan that both you and your sister die in the Chamber of Secrets. He is responsible for the death of Petra Morganstern's parents, and it is by his will that she has been cursed with the demented soul of Lord Voldemort. Even now, this merciless wretch plots murder and death. His heart is a black box of hate. Kill him, James. Rid the world of this madman. Surely he deserves it. Kill him. Do it now." As it spoke, the Gatekeeper backed away, as if giving James room.
James had meant to refuse. It was on his tongue to say no, but suddenly, he couldn't bring himself to do it. The Gatekeeper was right. Lucius Malfoy did deserve to die. He was irredeemable. James felt the wand in his hand even before he realized he was reaching for it. It was Ralph's. It felt hot and huge in his palm. It felt deadly.
"What is this?" Lucius purred, narrowing his eyes. "You send a boy to finish me? I know this one. He is as weak as his father is stupid. He will not do it. He hasn't the strength."
"He taunts you," the Gatekeeper said silkily, eagerly, its voice coming again from the air all around. "Show him how wrong he is. Kill him."
James' hand trembled as he leveled Ralph's wand. It seemed to hum in his fist. It wanted to kill Lucius as much as he did. And then, when the deed was done and Lucius lay dead at James' feet, he'd have his grandfather back. And Sirius Black could be Dad's godfather again, just as he always should have been. James glanced back, and saw both Sirius and Arthur watching him. They were both frowning slightly, as if they couldn't quite see what was happening.
"James," Arthur said, his voice worried. "Be careful, son."
"'James'?" Sirius said to himself, glancing at Arthur. He looked back at James, realization dawning on his face. "We're dead," he said simply. "And somehow, some way, you're Harry's son, aren't you? Who is that beyond you… Lucius Malfoy! Beware, James Potter!"
James turned back, looking up into the smug face of his nemesis.
"Do it," the Gatekeeper hissed. "Kill him now!"
Lucius growled, "You cannot! You're weak!"
"I'm not!" James sobbed. He tightened his grip on the wand and pointed it directly at the taller man's heart. And then, with blissful suddenness, assurance washed over him. He wasn't weak. He could do exactly what he had to do. In his mind, he heard both Helga Hufflepuff and Merlin's voices: the right thing to do is always simple, but it is never easy.
"I am a warrior," James whispered to himself, gritting his teeth. "And the sign of a true warrior… is knowing when not to fight."
With that, James lowered the wand. He dropped it, and then turned his back on Lucius Malfoy. Slowly, he began to walk away.
"James Sirius Potter!" the Gatekeeper shouted. "You cannot turn aside! Kill him! You owe it to the world! You owe it to yourself and your father! You cannot deny the power I am offering you!"
James looked at his grandfather sadly, his heart breaking. Arthur smiled proudly and nodded at him.
"Strong, that boy is," Sirius said, his eyes black and sparkling. "Just like his father before him."
Slowly, the pools of light faded. Arthur and Sirius descended into darkness.
James kept walking. He was nearly at the edge of his own circle of light when he heard Lucius Malfoy's voice behind him.
"If you will not kill to become the host of the Gatekeeper," he said, his voice oozing hatred, "then I will!"
James knew that Lucius had picked up Ralph's wand. He felt it pointing at him. He stopped in his tracks, not turning around.
"Avada Kedavra!" Lucius hissed, spittle flying from his lips with the force of his rage. The bolt of green light sizzled through the air and struck James squarely in the back. James felt the force of it, and it pushed him forward slightly. Still, he did not turn. He stood precisely on the edge of light and shadow.
Lucius stared at the boy, his eyes narrowed and a grimace of hatred carved on his face. The boy should fall now; he was dead. Lucius waited, still holding the rough, green-tipped wand, still pointing it at the boy's back.
There was a faint ripping sound. A long, ragged tear suddenly separated along the fabric of the Darkbag on James' back, spreading from the point where the Killing Curse had struck it. James felt movement in the Darkbag. Something was awakening inside it. Many somethings, in fact, and they were hungry.
"What kind of trick is this?" Lucius drawled nervously, taking a step backwards. He eyed the rip in the Darkbag as a noise began to emanate from it. James steeled himself, curling his hands into fists. The noise increased, becoming a loud, busy thrum. And then, violently, the Darkbag erupted. Borleys poured from the hole where Lucius' Killing Curse had ruptured it. They'd tasted the raw magic of the curse, and they wanted more. They streamed through the air toward Lucius like a cloud of bats.
Lucius' eyes bulged at the sight of the advancing Borleys. Instinctively, he waved the wand at them, firing spells randomly. Jets of light blared from the wand, and the Borleys went into a feeding frenzy, ravenous and strengthened by the magic. They fell on Lucius in a cloud.
James finally turned, letting the shredded Darkbag slip from his shoulders. When he looked back, Lucius was completely engulfed in the Borleys. They swarmed over him, devouring him alive. He screamed as they feasted on him, sucking the magic from him, vampirelike. He seemed to be shrinking. He collapsed to his knees, unseen through the boiling, shadowy mass. It was horrible, and yet James couldn't bring himself to look away. Finally, Lucius' body seemed to completely come apart. He dissolved into a sort of crumbling ash and crumpled to the floor, his last scream rasping, echoing into nothing. Satisfied, the Borleys exploded away, screeching and vanishing wildly into the darkness. Within seconds, they were gone, lost in the Void.
James stepped forward. What was left of Lucius Malfoy poured out of his sleeves and the neck of his robe like ashen powder. James knelt and, very carefully, plucked two things from the crumbling dust of Lucius' hand. As he stood, he pocketed one of them: Ralph's wand. The other, he held in his hand, feeling the small, dark power of it.