Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter Universe, it belongs to J. K. Rowling. No copyright was intended.
Title: The Third Battle.
Rating: T
Word Count (without A/N and Title): 850 words.
Summary: Lily rushes to aid James in an important mission for the Order, in a night that changes their lifes forever. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies..." OneShot.
A/N: This is my first time writing Drabble. Please, all reviews are more than welcome! I want to improve. This is for the Key Lime Forum. Thanks for inviting me!
Lily was pacing all around the living-room, nervously running her hand through her hair, chewing her lip.
"Could you stop it? He's going to be fine!" Said an exasperated Marlene.
Lily made a sound as she stopped her pacing to turn and absentmindedly look at her friend.
James had left in a mission for the Order, with only Sirius and Edgar Bones as backup. Lily had fervently opposed the idea.
"Lily, please understand. This could be really dangerous, we need to be extra careful. I don't want you in any unnecessary danger," pleaded James trying to keep a firm tone, no matter how much he also wanted Lily to come with him. He himself felt he was going crazy with worry if he couldn't keep Lily near. But Dumbledore had been very clear.
"At least tell me where you're going…"
James turned, reluctantly and with a pained expression, to look at Lily, her emerald eyes fierce with determination.
"You cannot tell anyone," said James, "but we're going to 63 Leinster Square, okay?"
"When are you getting back?"
"Before dinner."
And so, dinner had come and gone and James hadn't arrived to the safe house. She just couldn't shake the feeling that something had gone terribly wrong.
"They should be back already," repeated Lily.
Marlene said nothing. As the minutes passed she too grew worried; an hour had gone since they expected them.
Lily sat down, tapping her foot as she drank a tea that was probably cold. After a few more moments, she stood up again and made for the door.
"Where are you going?"
"Just going to the loo," said Lily, as casually as she could, and left the living-room.
Walking briskly towards the bathroom, well aware Marlene was going to carefully hear the direction she took, she entered the bathroom and locked the door behind her, looking desperately around. This specific bathroom had a window that allowed her to exit the house into a back alley.
She quickly walked towards the next street and soon disapparated, never more easily since the destination had been in her mind for the past half-hour.
She knew well before opening her eyes, that something was wrong, but still felt shaken to her core as the shinning green light in the sky illuminated the dark street where Lily found herself.
Her breath caught in her throat and, for a second that extended through eternity, she felt her knees shake and her sight blurred.
"Focus," a voice said inside her head. The mark could mean many things, James could be fine.
With that in her mind, Lily straightened herself and walked towards the house marked 63. She found the main door out of its hinges, trying not to think too hard about the meaning of it, and listened intently to any sound.
A loud bang from above startled Lily, then a scream.
James.
With her heart pounding furiously inside her chest, she quickly made her way to the stairs (when had she taken out her wand?) looking for the source of the sound. She crossed the hallway in a run and entered the room, where a horrible scene unfolded in front of her.
Amycus Carrow and Evan Rosier were fiercely fighting Sirius Black, who was single-handedly keeping both wizards at bay. Behind him was a body laying face down. In the middle of the room were two wizards fighting; James was facing Lily, but the other wizard had his back turned to her. Suddenly, several things happened. She saw James, whose eyes flickered to her and grew big with fear; simultaneously, the wizard lifted his wand and Lily, noticing this, flickered her wand towards James and he flew to his left with great force. The wizard turned and Lily realised who he was: Voldemort.
She couldn't find it in herself to find the moment to freeze in fear.
Without giving it a second thought, she casted a spell towards his way, who quickly deflected it. Soon, James joined and the two of them engaged in a brutal battle with Voldemort.
They were, however, interrupted by a bird song. Voldemort roared. With a flash of his wand, part of the ceiling collapsed and Lily saw James disappear.
"James!"
Carrow, Rosier and Voldemort were gone and Sirius was standing alone; Edgar and James had disappeared under the rubble.
Coughing, Lily incorporated and lighted her wand wordlessly. She called for James again, and heard a long moan.
"James," repeated Lily as she darted forward to the place where the sound originated. There, James lay on the floor with one of his legs trapped under debris.
"Talk to me," demanded a shaky Lily as she knelt next to James's head. Behind her, she heard a person approach and kneel too: Dumbledore.
"Don't you dare die on me, Potter. Don't you even think about it."
James eyes flickered opened, and he smiled.
"Alright there, Evans?"
Lily's eyes filled with tears.
"I cannot lose you."
"I'm here," whispered James, as Lily took his hand and placed it in her cheek.
It was October 31st of 1979.