INT: The living room and kitchen of the Burrow. Rain lashes at the window; there is a fire burning cheerfully in the fireplace. HARRY and RON are playing wizard's chess in the kitchen, while CHARLIE watches. In the living room, JAMES and ARTHUR are reading the paper. MOLLY, GINNY, and HERMIONE are knitting.

There is a sharp knock on the kitchen door. RON gets up from the table and answers the door. A thunderclap and lightning flash illuminate the silhouette of a tall, thin figure wearing black, with black hair. RON jumps back and screams. HARRY instinctively goes for his pocket, looking for his wand. CHARLIE jumps to his feet, knocking over his chair. JAMES runs into the kitchen and skids to a halt, gun drawn.

JAMES
(yelling)
Freeze!

The figure steps fully into the kitchen; RON scrambles backwards as he recognised the man, who turns his eyes desperately on JAMES. It is SEVERUS.

SEVERUS
(Raspily)
You've got to come. He's going to kill her!

JAMES
Who--
(Stops and jams his gun into his pocket, then throws on the overcoat)
I'm coming.

JAMES and SEVERUS run into the rain. Music plays in the background ("Dark Isle") as they run down darkened streets. Finally they reach the Hall residence and try the door. It is locked. JAMES kicks the door in and leaps into the room, drawing his gun.

JAMES
Freeze! And I mean it this time!

JAMES grits his teeth at the scene before him. CAROLINE is curled in a ball in the corner, shaking and whimpering. The man standing in the centre of the room has a tight hold on BECCA's arm. He is swinging a bottle high over her head and clearly means to bring it down on her head. It is SIMON PETER. BECCA's hair has fallen partially over her face, but it can clearly be seen that her eyes are tightly shut. Blood trickles from some point near her hairline. She sobs and tries to wrench her arm away from SIMON PETER, who only grabs her tighter.

SIMON PETER
(Swinging the bottle higher)
Shut up, cunt!

JAMES
I said freeze! Drop the bottle, Simon Peter, I've got a gun and I don't miss.

SIMON PETER
(Turns to JAMES and sneers)
You! You're that detective!

JAMES
(More calmly)
Let her go, Simon Peter.

SIMON PETER
The bitch deserves it.

JAMES
No, she doesn't, just let her go. Come on, man, you don't want to do this...just let her go...

SIMON PETER
You're going to arrest me if I do!

JAMES
No, mate, I'm going to arrest you if you don't. I'm not after you. Just drop the bottle.

SIMON PETER, seemingly convinced, throws the bottle aside. It shatters against the fireplace. BECCA flinches; CAROLINE curls into an even tighter ball. With frightening suddenness, SIMON PETER draws his wand, drags BECCA upright, and presses his wand to her temple, his arm around her neck.

SIMON PETER
No! I know what you're up to, you're in league with those Aurors...

JAMES
(Maintaining a voice of calm)
No, mate, just listen to me, okay? I'm from the NYPD, I'm here on a case of my own. You're not even involved.

SIMON PETER
Then why were you here talking to my wife? I know all about that, I came home just as you were leaving...

JAMES
We thought she might know where someone we were looking for was. Come on, Simon Peter, just let her go...

SIMON PETER tightens his grip on BECCA's neck; she gasps slightly, then lets out a strangled cry as he presses his wand tip deeper into her temple. JAMES flinches. "Scotland the Brave" begins to play softly in the background.

SEVERUS
Let her go, Hall.

SIMON PETER
(Turns to SEVERUS in surprise)
You! You're...what are you doing here?

SEVERUS
(With deadly calm)
Let my sister go. Please.

SIMON PETER
(Grins, a shark that's spotted a bare behind)
Lousy deserter. Your life is forfeit, you know that? Everyone knows why you did it--it wasn’t for the Cause at all...I bet there’s someone who would be very pleased to see you...

SEVERUS
(Straightens)
Let Becca and Caroline go, and you can have me.

JAMES
(Sharply)
Snape--

SEVERUS
Keep out of it. Let her go, Simon Peter. As soon as she and Caroline are safely out of the way, you can have me.

SIMON PETER
(Sneers)
You should have been a Gryffindor, you know. Heroic tendencies, sappy concern for your fellow man, and rampant stupidity. All right, you've got yourself a deal.
(Starts to release BECCA, then stops, glaring at JAMES)
Uh-uh, I see where this is going. Tell Bobby over there to put the peashooter away. I'm not gonna get killed the minute I let her go.

SEVERUS
(To JAMES, almost pleadingly)
Just do it. Please.

Slowly, JAMES lowers his arm, lets the gun dangle loosely by his side. SIMON PETER pulls his wand away from BECCA's temple and lets her go. She staggers, then runs to SEVERUS. He holds her for a moment, then lets her go.

SEVERUS
Take care of Carrie.

BECCA stares at him, then runs to her daughter, picking CAROLINE up and hugging her tightly. SEVERUS nods and begins moving slowly towards SIMON PETER.

SEVERUS
All right. I'm ready.

SIMON PETER
(Smirks)
Knew you'd see things my way. This will be such a feather in my cap...

JAMES, with a resigned air, begins putting his gun back in his pocket. SIMON PETER notices the movement and assumes JAMES is getting ready to shoot him. He whips out his wand again and points it at JAMES.

SIMON PETER
(Semi-hysterically)
Expelliarmus! Concerpsicorpus!

JAMES ducks, rolls, and gets back to his feet as the spell buries itself in the wall where his head was moments before. SIMON PETER raises his wand again. SEVERUS starts looking frantically through his pocket. JAMES looks around desperately, then raises his gun, puts his finger through the trigger guard, and fires once.