"James Charlus Potter, you give that back this instant!" demanded Lily.
James had just snuck up behind Lily and whipped her warm winter hat off of her head, thus causing Lily to whip round to face shining hazel eyes and a cheeky grin.
"Never mind grinning at me like that, you huge goof ball - give me back my hat!"
"Make me," said James in a teasing tone.
Lily walked up to James and tried to grab the hat out of his hand, but James lifted the hat high above his head, meaning that Lily couldn't reach, being that she was only five foot four to James' six foot.
What James didn't expect was Lily to pull her wand and put a Jelly-Legs Jinx on him.
"Lils, that's cheating," pouted James.
"Aw, poor Jamesy," cooed Lily.
Lily stuffed the woolly hat back on her head and instantly felt warmer. The Seventh years were in Hogsmeade and James and Lily had been walking around the village. They'd been discussing plans for when they left Hogwarts later that year, what jobs they might like to do, where they would like to live.
"Lils, any chance you could lift this now please," begged James as he wobbled around her.
"Hm, I don't know…" teased Lily.
James looked at her. He once again fell into laughing emerald green eyes. James pouted and tried to bat his eyelashes, this cause Lily much mirth. But she lifted the spell and James stopped wobbling around. Once he'd gained proper use of his legs again the first words out of his mouth was 'run'.
Lily ran, and James gave chase. This was one of their favourite things to do. Lily was a sprinter, but it didn't take James long to catch up with his long legs. Once he caught her, he led her in a waltz around the village square.
"Oh give over you two," came Sirius' voice.
"Hey Padfoot," said James. "Where's Oceania?"
"Make use of the amenities."
"You alright Siri?" asked Lily.
She frowned. Sirius didn't seem to be in the best of moods.
"I'm fine Lily," said Sirius shortly.
"Liar," said Lily quietly.
Just then the door to the Three Broomsticks opened and out stepped Sixth year Oceania Fellowes. She had dark olive skin, long shining black hair, and deep brown eyes. She had a full pout, rather large breasts and a tiny waist. She was also a Pure-Blood, so when she spotted Lily she sneered, but said nothing. Lily gave her a dirty look back, but also said nothing.
"Sirius, walk me back to the Castle would you?" Oceania asked sweetly.
She slipped her hand around Sirius' arm and led him away from James and Lily.
"What in the name of Merlin does he see in her?" asked Lily crossly.
"You know what Lils, I have no idea," said James quietly.
Lily watched her boyfriend, watch his best mate trudge his way back to Hogwarts. He was frowning and looked none too impressed. The Fellowes family were an old family too, not as old as the Black family, they'd maybe been around one hundred and fifty years or so. But like the Black's the Fellowes also believe all this Pure-Blood supremacy stuff. James hadn't missed the sneer Oceania had given Lily.
"Penny for 'em?" said Lily trying to distract James.
"I think I might have to have a word with Padfoot and find out what he's playing at, dating someone like that! How in the name of Circe did she ever end up a Ravenclaw? She should have been a Slytherin for certain," said James crossly.
"Hey, Prongs calm down," said Lily in alarm.
At the use of his Marauder and Animagus name, James turned back to look at Lily.
"I like it when you call me Prongs," said James and pulled Lily in for a kiss.
"Put her down," came the voice of Remus, a slight amount of mirth evident.
"Oh, hey Moony," said James.
"Hey Remy," said Lily happily.
Remus smiled at Lily's use of his affectionate nickname she'd given him in Fifth year when they'd both been prefects.
"Where have you two been all day?" asked Remus.
"Oh strolling around the village, talking and making plans for the future," said Lily happily.
"Have you guys seen Sirius or Peter?" asked Remus.
James' face darkened at the mention of Sirius' name, something that didn't go unmissed by Remus.
"James?" questioned Remus.
"Yeah, I've seen him and that bloody Oceania too."
Remus' puzzled look gave way to an understanding one. Remus didn't like her either; he thought she was a snob and a prissy bitch. He wondered himself what Sirius saw in her.
"To answer your question, no - we haven't seen Pete since breakfast," said Lily cuddling closer to James for warmth.
The temperature in the village seemed to have suddenly dropped a fair few degrees and James, Lily and Remus shivered.
Out of the shadows came a group of Dementors. James, Lily and Remus all pulled their wands out and started sending Patronuses to repel the Dementors. Suddenly as they appeared they'd disappeared. Towards the end of the village, a house blew up. The shockwave was massive, the very ground itself shook. The three Gryffindors ran towards the billowing smoke and found themselves facing a group of Death Eaters.
"Well, look what we have here," sneered a cold hard voice. "It's the werewolf Lupin, the blood traitor and his whore."
Lily, James and Remus all had their wands raised and were poised in case any on the Death Eaters got ideas of starting to throw hexes around.
"Lily is not a whore," said James through gritted teeth.
James sent a silent tickling hex at the Death Eater that had called Lily a whore. He instantly regretted his actions, for he know knew a fight was about to ensue.
"That was foolish boy," wheezed a voice from the back of the group.
It was then all hell broke loose. The three Gryffindors, were equally as matched as the Death Eaters, the only problem was they were outnumbered. The bangs and flashes of light had attracted other students most of whom were third and fourth years. James yelled for them to get back, they were, after all too young and too inexperienced to get involved in such a fight. One of the fourth years had taken the initiative to run to the pub and yell for extra help.
Out poured Frank and Alice, Marlene and Benjy and Hestia. The numbers were finally evenly matched. The duels were fierce and Lily was the quickest out of them all. More Death Eaters appeared and the village was truly starting to look like a war zone. There were broken tiles and glass and brick from deflected spells, there were a few Death Eaters and students on the ground. Finally Professors, McGonagall, Flitwick and Banks all appeared. Flitwick dealt with the students that had got caught up in the fighting and led them away whilst McGonagall and Banks came to the help of the Seventh year fighters.
James managed to grab Lily and pull her down a side alley for the moment. They were both panting with exertion.
"You...Okay...Lils?" panted James.
"I'm...Fine...James," said Lily clutching her side.
"You're...clutching...your...side," puffed James moments later.
"Just...a...stitch," said Lily breathlessly.
James moved her hand away and saw blood.
"Lils, you're bleeding!" exclaimed James.
Lily looked down at her hand and then at the wound on her side.
"Oh, I didn't even notice," said Lily.
"Get that coat off and let me look at that wound Lils, please," asked James.
Suddenly they had to duck as a spell whizzed down the alley at them. The spell made contact with a metal sign over head, and blew it clean off its hinges.
"Come out, come out, where ever you are," taunted a female voice.
This voice James recognised. That was the voice of Bellatrix Lestrange. James silently swore. He knew of Bellatrix by reputation these days, and he knew that she was one of Voldemort's most faithful Death Eaters.
"Come on Lils, we need to get out of here," said James quietly.
James looked at Lily and realised she was whiter than normal. The bleeding was heavier too. James pulled the Invisibility cloak out of his pocket (He was thankful he'd accidentally left it in his pocket after returning from their monthly full moon outing). He flung it over the pair of them, one hand held the cloak closed the other was around Lily's waist trying to staunch the blood flow.
Slowly they eased up the alley towards Bellatrix. She was stood watching, waiting for any sign of movement.
"Come on Potter, you blood traitor, out you come," screeched Bellatrix.
Lily moved her arm a fraction so only the merest tip of her wand was between the folds of the cloak. She aimed a well-placed body binding curse at Bellatrix and it hit her square in the chest, causing her scream of rage to be a silent one as she toppled over backwards. James gently pulled Lily sideways to quietly inch past the fallen Bellatrix and back out on to the village square, where there were a few Death Eaters still in an upright position duelling with McGonagall, Banks, Frank and Alice. The rest were either out cold or tied up.
"James we have to help them," said Lily through gritted teeth, the pain unbearable.
"No Lils, I need to get you safely back to the Castle to see the Matron."
"James we can do more good than just leaving them, we're invisible which means we have the advantage," said Lily faintly.
James took a moment to think about what Lily had said. She was right, but she was also bleeding and needed medical attention.
"James?" questioned Lily.
"Okay Lils, but we're going to have to be quick about it, I need to get you back to Hogwarts," said James in a resigned tone.
They crept forward invisibly and together they silently pulled off four 'Stupefy' curses and watched as the Death Eaters collapsed to the ground. Everyone looked around in confusion, with the exception of Remus. He knew that James and Lily must have the cloak on.
"Who's there? Show yourself," commanded Professor McGonagall.
James whipped the cloak off himself and Lily.
"Mr Potter, Miss Evans, where did you get such a cloak?"
"It's mine Professor, my dad gave it to me years ago," James explained quickly.
McGonagall looked shocked. It was then that Lily gave way and went limp.
"Merlin! Lily!" shouted James.
He knelt on the ground next to Lily, her pallor completely white. He just about managed to detect a faint pulse.
"Professor, help! Lily was injured, there's a pulse but it's faint we need to get her back to the Castle," said James almost hysterically.
Professors McGonagall and Banks shook themselves and rushed forwards. McGonagall conjured up a stretcher and Banks levitated Lily on to it.
Out of the smoke came Lord Voldemort. Everyone froze in fear.
"You have done well today."
"Yes they have Tom," came Dumbledore's voice from somewhere behind Voldemort.
Voldemort swung round to fancy the man he feared most, not that he would show it.
"Dumbledore, we meet again," sneered Voldemort.
"Yes Tom, we do," said Dumbledore calmly.
James watched Dumbledore in awe. He couldn't believe how calm and serene he looked. He knew if he was Dumbledore, he'd have been furious.
"What do you want Tom?" asked Dumbledore.
Voldemort laughed a humourless laugh.
"Why nothing more than to see which of these students would fight the most valiantly."
With that being said, Voldemort shot a stunning spell off at Dumbledore, but Dumbledore was quicker and was able to parry it away. For a while all hell broke loose as the fight between Dumbledore and Voldemort became more aggressive. But this was a diversionary tactic, for those Death Eaters who had merely been knocked out but not tied up had now come too, grabbed their comrades and Apparated away. Nobody had noticed, till James broke eye contact with the duel and looked around and saw the last couple of Death Eaters Apparate away.
"Professors, they're getting away!" James cried.
But it was too late. Voldemort deflected one last spell and disappeared.
James looked down at Lily and realised that her lips had the smallest touch of blue to them. James bent his head down to listen for signs of breathing. He detected she was barely breathing, and gave another shout.
Lily woke up in St Mungo's a week later. Her kidney had sustained some damage, but the Healers had seen to it quickly and efficiently and it was now sufficiently healed. She'd also lost a lot of blood, so they'd given her several blood replenishing potions too.
Remus was in the hospital wing with a concussion. Marlene had suffered a fractured shoulder after a brick from a house that had exploded behind her hit her. Hestia sustained a blow to the head after being stunned. Frank and Alice had both sustained a few gashes and cuts, and Benjy had broken his arm. James later realised that he'd sustained some slightly deep cuts to his knees and legs after Lily had collapsed. The Professors had walked away relatively unscathed, with the exception of Professor Banks, who had a cut above his eyebrow from a flying piece of debris.
The entire school had been shocked and appalled by the attack on the village. Sirius on hearing the news went absolutely spare, especially as Lily had landed up in St Mungo's.
But all in all, Dumbledore was proud of his students. They'd fought and they'd lived, they were ready to see another day and fight another fight, and that was all he could ever ask of them.