Kidnapping

James wasn't so sure this was a good idea. He had gone along with it in the beginning because he felt angry at what had happened to them. But the more he thought about it, the less he wanted to do it. If they were caught, they would be in so much trouble. He hated the woman that put them through this, of course he did! But she was in prison and would not get out of it for a very long time, if ever. Wasn't that punishment enough? Scorpius didn't seem to feel that way. James thought that it was better if he came along, to prevent Scorpius from doing something too horrible. 

Surprisingly, they were able to enter the prison just as easily as Scorpius had foreseen. He simply put on a disguise to make him look like Albus. James was under his Invisibility cloak. Scorpius knew the exact words that would get him inside. He claimed to have a need for yet another small conversation with another prisoner inside and signed Albus' name in the visitor's log. No one stopped to question him further about anything. James wasn't sure he would be able to pull off sounding like his brother so well or copy his handwriting. It showed which of them actually knew Albus best. 

As soon as they were inside, Scorpius hastened towards the cell Vane would be in. However, he stopped for a brief time in front of another, empty cell. His knuckles whitened, then he moved on. 

"What was that about? Whose cell was that?" James whispered.

"It was mine." was all Scorpius said. 

James' heart sank. His cell? This was the same prison that he had been in, when he had been arrested all those years ago? And he now felt angry just looking at it? He had thought Scorpius was over that, but maybe not. This was not a good idea. Not anymore. James considered alerting Albus right that moment, but he hesitated. Being caught breaking into a prison would not be good for either of them. He would rather wait until they were out of here, with or without their target. 

They found the cell without too much trouble. Vane looked up at them hopeful, probably expecting Harry. Seeing what appeared to be Albus instead, her eyes instead turned hateful. 

"I have nothing to say to you."

"I don't have anything to say to you either. I am here to take you somewhere else."

"Again? You've only just taken me here."

Scorpius didn't say anything else, just opened her cell, tied her up with several coils of rope, like they had been and dragged her out of the cell. He also gagged her. When she tried to say something, whether a protest or a question, he made the gag uncomfortably tight. A flicker of understanding, then fear showed in her face. Clearly, this was something she had done to Scorpius specifically. 

"Uhm, how are we getting her out of here, tied up like that?" James whispered. Vane looked around for the source of the voice, but Scorpius didn't let her move her head too far. 

"Don't worry. Let me just… Like that." James looked at where Scorpius was pointing and was shocked to see a lifelike replica of Vane sitting in the corner. 

"Where did you get that?"

"I made it yesterday. It won't hold up under much scrutiny and can't talk, but it should do for a day or two. They will think she is just sulking and refusing to talk to them or eat."

James was alarmed. A day or two? What on earth was Scorpius planning to do?

"Now come over here. I need you to keep her secure over here as I check out and then come back for you. She's already tied up, so you don't need to worry about her escaping. Just walk along this pipeline here until you hit a barred gate. I will come there to get you." James didn't like this part of this plan, but he just nodded. It was too late to back out now, and he didn't know the correct things to say for them to switch roles. He tucked his Invisibility cloak away safely, jumped down into the sewer pipe Scorpius had found and took over the invisible cords for Vane's ropes. 

"Don't worry," Scorpius said. "It won't be more than 15 minutes. Half an hour, at the most." That was not the main thing James worried about, but he nodded gratefully and started walking. Vane tried to protest again, but it seemed the spell that tightened the gag was present even if Scorpius wasn't there. 

"If you don't want to get caught trying to sneak out of prison, I would recommend not saying anything," James said in what he hoped was a casual voice. "And if you prefer to be alive, I recommend cooperating." He didn't stop to see if the death threat had any effect, but she did stop trying to speak. He didn't have much trouble navigating the two of them through the narrow, but surprisingly tall, drainpipe. How had Scorpius known about this? It wasn't like he had any plans on escaping the last time he was here. 

He saw the thick bars in front of him after a few minutes of walking. There would be no getting out of here without help from the outside. His feet were getting cold, he hoped he wouldn't have to wait for Scorpius long. He checked Vane's bonds and was satisfied to see that she desperately tried to remove them, though she knew as well as he did that without a wand, that was pretty much impossible. She was scared. Good. She should be. He pretended to ignore her completely as he waited for Scorpius to come. He hoped nothing had gone wrong, or he would really be stuck here. He supposed he could always go back, put Vane back in her cell and try to sneak out under the Cloak, but he would wait for a long time before doing that. He may not agree with the extreme measures Scorpius had gone through, but he did agree with the overall idea to make Vane feel a sliver of the fear they had felt. He just hoped Scorpius wouldn't take it too far. He wouldn't have even thought to worry about that a few weeks ago, but now he wasn't so sure anymore. But who should he go to, if he failed to hold him back on his own? Albus, or Rose?

It didn't take very long at all before James heard footsteps. A man he hadn't seen before came walking casually around a bend in the pipe. James reached for his wand, but then Scorpius' voice came from the man. 

"Relax. It's me."

"Scorpius! Why on earth are you dressed like that? You scared me half to death!"

"Sorry. I can't get us to the next place either as myself or as Lehrer. This is another alter ego I've only had to use a few times. For now, call me Amerson." 

There was something familiar about that name, but James didn't have time to think about that right now.

"And who is Amerson?"

"A man that can access places the Ministry doesn't even know exist. That is the main reason I don't want the Ministry knowing where I am at all times."

James really didn't like this. He refrained from pointing out that he had a Tracker. He might need that yet. Scorpius somehow melted the bars to let them pass, then put them back up without raising any alarms. James was relieved when he could give Vane's ropes back to Scorpius. Vane tried to say something again, but the gag was even tighter than it had been before.

"No need for any talking from you," was all Scorpius said. Then he grabbed James' arm and the three of them Disapparated.