Lily Evans was having a bad day.

It might have been because she had woken up in a dark disgustingly filthy alleyway in the middle of Merlin knows where.

Or because she had woken up in said place beside the last 2 people she had ever had the misfortune of knowing.

Or maybe it was because she had woken up in said place with said people with a huge headache and a suspiciously large bump on the back of her head.

In either case Lily Evans was having a bad day.

As she waited for the world to stop spinning her companion to her left turned to face her, his brows furrowed deceptively giving off a concerned look.

"You alright Lily?" he asked.

At the sound of her name Lily snapped her head to look at the source. Unfortunately that brought back her slowly residing headache in full force, she realized with a gasp. Deciding that it was all his fault she gave him a withering glare. "As if you care Potter!" she spat.

James brow furrowed some more as he chose his next words carefully, " why would I ask, if I didn't care?"he asked. "I simply want to know what's wrong."

For some reason, his calm reassuring tone only served to increase Lily's foul mood. "Well when one feels as if a heard of raging hippogriffs are stampeding through one's head...what are you DOING!"

James had taken out his wand and was pointing it at Lily's head. "Hold still," he scolded.

"Not unless you tell me what your planning to do with..ohhh" as the pounding in her head stopped suddenly, a warm feeling rushed through Lily's body and she closed her eyes to enjoy the sensation. When she finally opened her eyes she found James staring at her with un-hidden humor etched all over his features.

"Better?" he asked with his famous lopsided grin.

Before Lily could respond with a scathing comment to wipe the triumphant look of his face they heard a loud groan and turned to face they're 3rd companion.

"Alright Padfoot?" James asked and Lily found herself wondering for perhaps the 100th time where they found such stupid nicknames.

"I wont be if I have to watch the two of you make googly eyes at each other all day." Sirius responded with a grin. Then proceeded to duck as James threw an object at his head. " Oi no need to pulverize me with rocks Prongs!"

"Pul-ver-rize?" Lily said slowly thankful that the light of the street lamp wasn't bright enough to show her blushing. "Why has ickyl Seri weari learned a big word?" She mocked in baby talk knowing that frustrated him to no end.

Sirius muttered various obscenity's as he grumpily stood up and waited for his supposed 'best mate' to stop laughing.

Lily ignoring James's outstretched hand lifted herself off the floor. And looked at her surroundings once more.

"Where are we?" James muttered behind her and Lily stiffened as she felt his breath against her neck. Thankfully James didn't seem to notice as him and Sirius seemed to be talking.

"Well currently were standing in a small, dark hole in the wall. To your right we ha.."

"I know that you Padfoot," James said irritated, "I'm not that thick..."

"Where in Knockturn Alley" Came Lily's self-assured voice in front of them. James shared a glance with Sirius then turned to gaze at her in wonder.

"How do you know that? How does she know everything?" James asked turning to Sirius.

"It's on that sign James!" she replied in a huff as Sirius tried but failed to conceal his grin.

His smile suddenly dropped as the full meaning of Lily's words seemed to sink in. " Knockturn...We need to get out of here Now!" he shouted taking off down the corner.

"Wait..Why!" Lilly huffed as she was dragged (literally) by James.

"It's not safe here," explained James rushing after Sirius as they wove through corner after corner. "Knockturn Alley (pant) specializes in (pant) the dark arts! It's especially not safe (pant) for people like us, (pant) if you know what I mean."

Lily knew exactly what he meant, she could see how blood traitors and muggle borns would not be welcome in a place like this. She decided to keep quiet as James pulled her down corner after corner, and street after street. Desperately trying to ignore the effects that holding James's Quidditch calloused hands were having on her.

She was focusing so hard that when they came to an abrupt stop, she smashed right into James.

'Oh crap' Lily thought squeezing her eyes shut and waiting for the current of vulgar witty comments that he would probably make about her not being able to keep her hands off him or something along those lines.

Moments passed and nothing happened and Lily decided it was safe to open her eyes. Only to see James looking down at her, worry reflected in his hazel eyes. His arms still holding onto her shoulder's.

"You OK?" he asked.

"That's it?" Lily gaped in surprised confusement.

"What's I.."

"Oi Lovebirds! Are you quite done yet?" Sirius interrupted, and Lily saw James flush before letting go of her shoulders and turning to face his friend.

For a moment Lily simply stood there, in shock not trusting her eye-sight. What just happened? She asked herself. Did the great James Potter Blush?

"...did you even hear a word I just said Evans!"

Lily shook herself out of her daze at the sound of her name, to find Sirius looking at her as if she was one of those dumb love-sick girls he had to deal with everyday. "I'm sorry what?"

"I said.." Sirius repeated exasperated, "We've reached Diagon Alley, but something's not right."

Lily looked around and was shocked to see Sirius was putting it mildly. Ahead of them, Gringott's Wizarding Bank had a huge fence surrounding it, the stores surrounding it like 'Madam Malkin's' and 'Magical Menargerie' had been boarded up and closed. Florean Fortescue, her favorite Ice-cream parlor had been destroyed. 'Olivander's Wand Shop' deserted, and the 'Apothecary' looked more dirty and dusty than ever before. As if it hadn't been used in months.

"...and there's no-one around." Sirius was saying. " the whole place just looks...dead Prongs."

"Oh my goodness." Lily breathed. Never in her entire 7 years of shopping here, had Diagon Alley looked as it did now.

"Couldn't have agreed more with you both," sighed James suddenly sounding exhausted. "What do you think happened here?"

" Dunno Prongs," answered Sirius pointing at the only shop that looked to be open. "How bout we find out?"

The three made they're way down the street towards the shop with the sign 'The Leaky Cauldron' hanging on by one hinge on it's corner, it swung back and forth in rhythm with the broken street lamp hanging under it. Making the already eery shadows much more frightening.

Lily heard a yelp and jumped slightly as an owl flew out of a window.

"Never knew you were afraid of owls Lily." said James trying to hide a smile. It was then that Lily realized two things. The first was that the previous yelp had come from her. The second was that she had unconsciously grabbed James's hand as the owl flew out. She dropped it immediately with a gasp and shoved her hands under her arms. Not trusting them not to grab at James again.

"She's not afraid of anything Prongs, she's just wanted and excuse to hold your haaaaannnddd!" Sirius cooed.

Lily was about to respond when a sudden gust of wind caused a wad of paper to hit Sirius in the face. Causing Lily and James to erupt in a fit of laughter.

"Ha-bloody- ha h..." Lily looked up to see Sirius staring at the paper in his hand, his face had turned to a look of concentration.

"Padfoot... what is it?" asked James noticing the sudden change in his freinds demeanor.

Wordlessly, Sirius handed the paper to James and Lily noticed a slight tremor in his hand. She gaped at Sirius in amazement. Never in all the six years that she had known him had Lily ever seen Sirius-have no care in the world-Black afraid.

But if Sirius's reaction scared her, then James's terrified her. He clutched the newspaper so tightly, Lily feared that his nails would be digging into his skin, and his knuckles were turning white. His eyes seemed to grow wider as he read down the paper.

Finally Lily had enough. Easing the paper out from under James's death grip she quickly recognized it as a copy of 'The Daily Prophet'. But what made her gasp out loud was the tittle.

SIRIUS BLACK RECEIVE'S ORDER OF MERLIN FIRST CLASS

Reading further along only served to confuse Lily even more. Department of Ministries? Auror Battle? DEAD! She dimly registered Sirius and James still talking. "I'm sure this was some kind of sick joke Prongs.." he was saying. But as Lily's eyes reached the bottom of the page she nearly felt her heart stop.

"Bloody Hell!" somebody had swore and Lily barely realized it was her. Apparently James and Sirius had because they paled even further."Lily, what do you think this mea..."

"Look!" interrupted Lily shoving the paper in front of James's face. " The DATE!" she practically screamed, "Read it!"

"July 18, 1996," he read slowly, comprehension finally dawning on him. "If this is what I think it means, then..."

"Yes!" Lily interrupted once more, looking at the unusually quiet Sirius. "We've traveled 20 years into the Future!"