"Well, my dear friends," said Dumbledore somberly, "I believe this meeting should be called to a closed. Lily, James," he nodded in the direction of the couple. James had his arm around his wife, holding her closely. Lily had placed her hand on her wide stomach, almost reassuringly. She was looking down at her future baby boy, tears clouding her vision. James just sat there, staring in one direction with a careful mask hiding his true feelings. "Our thoughts are with you."
The Order members slowly got to their feet, murmuring their assent. Some threw pitying glances toward the young couple, while others walked up to them to mutter their muted condolences. But one couple strode quietly out of the office, not able to sympathize with the Potters. Lily watched morosely as the Longbottoms left their company. They were some of her closest friends; she was upset that they were not there with her, comforting her. But at the same time, Lily understood completely. She would've done the exact same thing if the situation had been reversed.
Lily turned her gaze back to her rounded stomach, her baby boy. Why him? Why her? What did she do to deserve this disaster? The tears swelled in her eyes once more, this time a few spilled over the edges, sliding down her pale cheeks. Why had Voldemort chosen the half-blood? It made no sense, but Dumbledore said he had received the information from a trustworthy source. She had to trust him, but only because there was no one left to trust anymore. Not even her friends …
And suddenly, Lily was angry, inexplicably angry. She tore away from James abruptly and stormed out of the overcrowded room. He stared after his vivacious wife, making no move to follow her. Lily needed her time, and James was willing to give it to her. He turned to Remus instead, the thought of Lily still in the back of his mind, never leaving. It never had.
Lily stalked through the stone walls of Hogwarts, her heavy steps lost in the clatter of the passing students. Many of these students stared openly at the weeping woman, her angry tears now pouring down her cheeks. How could one of their friends betray her and James? Lily knew someone was; Dumbledore had confirmed their suspicions that very night. Why would someone do this to her? Sometimes she just couldn't, wouldn't believe it. It just wasn't possible; she thought her friends loved her, cared for her! No, it wasn't possible, not in her mind … and yet it was. Because it was the truth, and it was irrevocable.
Lily strode past the Great Hall, the students filing in noisily, their incessant chatter buzzing in her ears. The fierce wind whipped her flaming red hair around her face as she slammed the heavy entrance doors open. Her long stride flowed gracefully into a slow jog, the pouring rain mixing seamlessly with her salty tears. A sob ripped through Lily's chest as she tripped over a stray branch blown from the forest by the storm. She started running, her surroundings a mere blur as the pelting rain started stinging her bare skin, her tears stinging her breaking heart.
Lily dashed her way through the fog, the thunder accenting her nimble footsteps and deep sobs. She finally reached her destination: her favorite bench by the lake.
Lily stared broodingly at the dark, thrashing waves before dropping heavily onto the slightly splintered wood. She curled into a ball, her arms wrapped tightly around her swelled abdomen. Lily's vicious sobs quieted somewhat, but came no less frequently.
Lily sat there, her water-darkened hair limp on her shoulders, her rain mixed tears dripping off of her thin nose onto her round stomach. She cried for James, she cried for herself, but most of all, she cried for her unborn son. He was condemned; Lily knew there was no hope for him. The Order couldn't stall Voldemort for long, nobody could. He was just too powerful. He would never give up, just as the rain and tears would never cease pouring.
Lily didn't know how long she had been sitting there for. It could have been minutes, it may have been hours. She couldn't tell the difference, the rain still flowed from the darkly iridescent sky. All she knew was that she was pulled from her stupor by a sloppy, wet kiss.
"Sirius," Lily chuckled hoarsely. She turned to her friend, a fond smile flitting across her face. A tall, shaggy black dog stared back, his long, red tongue lolling out of his mouth, which was pulled back in what Lily supposed was a grin. Water dripped off of his dark, matted fur. He was soaked through, just like Lily. Sirius barked loudly before licking the side of her face once more.
"Gross!" Lily exclaimed, wiping her drool streaked cheek clean. "Why'd you do that?"
Sirius chuckled in his own doggy way before morphing into his human form. "'Cause I love you oh so much, Mrs. Potter," he said, grinning at his friend as he sat next to her, wrapping an arm around her shivering shoulders. "In a completely platonic way, of course. Ol' Prongsie would kill me if I stole his woman." Sirius said jokingly, squeezing her shoulder gently, but Lily knew his sentiment was genuine. He loved her like a sister, and she returned the feelings. Lily scowled at Sirius, frustrated. That made it so much harder.
"Sirius, why'd you say that?"
Lily's question troubled Sirius, but only because of its unmistakable sincerity. Shouldn't she already know? He loved her, just like he loved James, but her husband never questioned the affection. Neither had Lily, until now.
"Because it's true, Lily," said Sirius. Lily picked up on his complete mood shift. His words seeped with honesty, shocking Lily. All walls were broken down now. "You should know that by now. I thought you did."
"I did," Lily answered passionately, pushing a strand of her dripping hair forcefully behind her ear. "But if something happens, won't it be harder? To have them know -"
"Of course it will be," Sirius interrupted, pulling his hand back from her shoulder, turning so his whole body faced her. "But it would be even harder if you didn't know. To have all of those emotions pent up inside of you, to never let them out, to never let that person know – it would be torture, don't you think? And I'll be damned if I don't get everything out in the open before the end comes. I can tell you know it's coming, Lily, for you and James. I know it, too." Sirius blinked rapidly a few times before turning away from Lily to face the pitch black water. "So I want to let you know that I love you so much, and I love James. I definitely love my little godson in there," He whispered affectionately, tilting his head significantly towards Lily's stomach. She could barely hear her obviously tortured friend above the wailing winds.
"Know the end is coming Lily – because it's true – but don't fear it. Know I love your family, because those very well may be the truest words I'll ever speak. Never forget that, not even in death."
Lily's tears had returned full force, pouring down her face even more swiftly than they had been before. She turned away from Sirius to face the lake, but leaned her soaked head on his shoulder, closing her eyes and just letting the tears fall, dampening his shirt even more. Sirius swiveled his head slightly to gaze at Lily. A fond smile graced his lips as he thought of Lily and the Potter family. It was true; he loved them - both in life and death.
Minutes had passed before Sirius looked up, his sensitive ears picking up the faint sound of padding footsteps and the quiet splash of a disturbed puddle behind him. James approached the solitary bench, nodding thankfully at Sirius. Lily had fallen asleep on his shoulder, the slowing rain washing away the streaks of old tears as she slept on.
James walked to the front of the bench and made to pick his wife up, ready to carry her up to the castle to floo home. He grunted in effort as he heaved Lily into his arms, waking her. She blinked sleepily and smiled adoringly at her raven haired husband. She turned her head to gaze at Sirius, giving a small wave in parting. He strode up to the woman and bent down, kissing her wet cheek one last time.
"Goodnight, Lily," Sirius said, "I love you."
"'Night, Sirius. Love you, too," she murmured sleepily, her eyes fluttering shut. Sirius grinned affectionately and slapped James on the back. He watched as the small family trudged up the incline. Husband, wife, and child: one being. Because it's true - love really does protect you from harm.