The One
He should have known something had gone wrong. Ever since the earlier morning, when Peter claimed that he was too tired to have breakfast and wanted to stay in bed a little longer. Peter never missed an occasion to eat. But he had been a little odd lately, so James couldn't have known. But still, he should have suspected something when he arrived in the Great Hall with the rest of the Marauders and swept the Gryffindor table with his eyes, and didn't find Lily. He should have suspected something when three fours of the Slytherins, including Snape, Avery and Mulciber, were missing in potion class; and when the quarter of them that was left was behaving too well for it to be right. He should have known that if neither Lily nor Peter showed up during the whole day, something was going wrong.
But James remained thoughtful. The last weeks he had just lived had been magical, for Lily finally seemed to like him; and that was because he changed his behavior. James didn't dare threaten one of the Slytherins left in class to find out what was going on, in case coincidence was all that. Peter would be sick, Lily would be on a Head Girl duty and the Slytherins would have finally learned to show some respect; Lily would never speak to him again.
But still, where would have the rest of the Slytherins go? Nothing made sense… Lily would have told James if she had something important to do, besides she would never miss potions… and there was no way in Hell the Slytherins would ever learn to shut up when the Gryffindors were around. What was going on?
James huffed as he played with the little Snitch Dumbledore gave him when he became Head Boy. He was lying down on the couch in the Gryffindor Common Room, letting go of the Snitch and catching it every time the slightest explanation crossed his mind. But none of what came in his mind seemed to make sense, and as the sky began darkening and Lily still hadn't shown up. Despite all the laughter and the exciting voices speaking about Christmas coming soon, James couldn't be part of the fun. His heartbeat was speeding up, and he was starting to feel dizzy with all the thinking. Remus and Sirius had gone to check for Peter in the dormitories, but they never came back. As horny as rabbits in spring… James thought, and a ghost of a smile appeared on his troubled face. They didn't seem to worry as much as him. He didn't blame them though, they had just (finally) gotten together and they were too busy living their own love story to remember about the end of their last year at Hogwarts coming in a couple of months or to notice the bitter smell of the war in the air…
That's when he heard the portrait hole swing open. His heart jumped in his chest and on the next second he was on his feet. Lily stood there in the entrance, rolling down the left sleeve of her shirt. James could have been relieved if it hadn't been for the dried tears on Lily's cheeks still stained with dripping mascara, her always straight and neat hair that were now shaggy and dirty and the stain of fresh blood that was starting to appear from under the left sleeve she had just rolled down. The silence crashed in the Common Room despite the few gasping noises, and James' heart stopped.
"Merlin, Lily…" He croaked as he stormed towards her and cupped her face with his hands. "What happened –Where were you I've been looking for you all day!" He swallowed hard and took her left arm in his hand, but before he could pull up her blood soaked sleeve, Lily stopped him.
"Its fine, I got into a little fight." Lily said firmly, looking up into his eyes insistently. When James gave her a skeptical look, Lily glanced at the Gryffindors that were watching them.
He followed her gaze and immediately understood. "Come upstairs with me, I'll take care of you."
James took Lily's hand and hurried to the boy's dormitories with her, cringing at the whistles and the exaggerated kissing noises that came from the occupant of the common room. He knew they would have to face the rumors on the next day, but at least it had distracted them from what was going on. The less they knew the better. They reached the top of the stairs, but as James was about to push the handle, he froze.
"You two better have clothes on 'cause I have to come in!" He shouted through the door. Lily muttered a 'what the hell…' but James didn't explain. "Hurry the fuck up guys I'm not joking!"
"Alright, alright! Jeez, come in!" Sirius' muffled voice came from behind the door.
James burst the door open just in time to see the bathroom's door close behind the two teenage boys. He shook his head and closed the door behind Lily before casting a silencing charm and turning to face her.
"What happened to you? Where's Peter, where are the Slytherins?" He asked hurriedly, unable to look away from her blood soaked arm.
"They're in the Room of Requirement." Lily said weakly, pressing her palm against the wound and holding back a whimper.
"Where's Peter then?" James' jaw clenched.
Lily's eyes filled with tears as she looked up at him. She opened her mouth once, but nothing came out. When James looked up at her and repeated his question harshly, she closed her eyes and the tears began dripping down her mascara stained cheeks.
"In the Room of Requirement." She whispered.
"NO!" James shouted.
"James, James, please, we're losing time…" She sobbed.
"The bastard! I knew it! I fucking knew it!" He began pacing in the room, running his fists in his hair.
"He had no choice! They threatened him!"
"We all have the choice, Lily!" He spun around to face her and pointed down at the wound. "Tell me he didn't do that to you. Tell me I don't have to kill the bloke who was my best friend a few seconds ago."
"No, No!" Lily shook her head frantically, "It's not him, it's… Please James, don't do anything you'll regret…"
"Lily, who is it?" He asked in a way too quiet tone.
Lily swallowed back the bulge she had in her throat and, after hesitating a moment, she slowly rolled up her left sleeve to reveal bloody letters carved deep in the skin of her forearm: m…u…d…b…l…o…o…d.
James' blood started boiling in his veins and his fists clenched.
He said, his voice shaking with anger. "Who else was there?"
"All of them… please, James, there's no more time to lose, they're up to something down there…"
"Holy Hell, Evans! We've been looking for you all day where- whoa, what happened to you?"
James and Lily both glanced at Sirius, who was holding Remus' hand and staring at Lily as though she was a monster.
"Oh, Lily…" Remus said in a tight voice, his eyes fixed on her wound.
Unable to contain them anymore, Lily burst into tears. James remained frozen by anger for a moment, but after a moment he took a step forward and took Lily in his arms, dropping a kiss on her forehead.
"What happened?" Remus asked, unable to look away from Lily's forearm.
"Bellatrix Black's signature, Remus." Sirius spat. He hardly ever called Remus by his first name. "I thought I had no more business to do with my beloved cousin. Seems like I was wrong."
"What did they say, Lily? How did you end up with them?" Remus asked calmly.
Lily pulled back from James, who was using all his strength not to blow up everything or everyone in sight. She wiped her tears away, still sobbing a little.
"I…" Her voice was hoarse; she cleared her throat before continuing. "I woke up early this morning to check on the House Elves, I thought maybe they needed some help with Christmas coming soon… the torches weren't lit so I used my wand, but it wasn't enough, everything was dark… I thought I heard noises but I suspected the House Elves, so I didn't pay attention to it… And then nothing… I think I got knocked out, because I woke up this afternoon in the dungeons, circled by the Death Eaters… my head was pounding, and they kept asking me questions about Dumbledore… I didn't say anything…"
"But then how did you escape?"
"Severus helped me." Lily said tightly, glancing at James.
"Did he? Did he now?" James scoffed, "And so that makes him a goodie, right?"
"He saved me from Voldemort!" Lily protested.
"Bullshit! I bet its all part of their plan!" Sirius barked.
"Lily, if Snape was amongst the Death Eaters… Don't you think he is part of them?" Remus asked.
"No, he's not! He can't be…"
"That's what we kept telling ourselves about Peter… Turns out he is one." James said darkly.
For a moment, no one spoke. Lily stared down at the floor, distant childhood memories running through her mind, filling her eyes with tears. Remus was still staring at her arm, while James and Sirius stared at each other, as though they were hearing each other's thoughts.
"We need to kill Bellatrix and Snape. And Peter fucking Wormtail." Sirius said at last.
"Agreed."
Both Lily and Remus glanced at James and Sirius in horror.
"You can't do that!" Lily cried.
"My cousin hurt my best friend's future wife, she can't live any longer." Sirius said casually.
"Sirius, not now." James warned, but he felt joy rising in the pit of his heart when he saw Lily's cheeks reddening. "But he's right, Lily… and Peter betrayed us, Snape watched them hurt you..."
"What are you going to do?" She said, her voice quavering.
"We're going to the dungeons, we'll see then." James said, fetching his wand.
"James, she's losing a lot of blood… and we can't leave her alone…"
James froze, and he glanced at Lily. He couldn't bear seeing her wounded… but he carved for vengeance. He had warned Snape not to go near Lily after the O.W.L incident, and now he needed to pay for what he did. Anger was burning in him. Bellatrix Black had signed her death warrant by hurting Lily.
"We can't take her to Pomfrey, she'll suspect something. Remus, you're quite good at charms, can you manage a healing spell?"
Remus nodded gravely. James nodded back gratefully.
"Don't hurt Severus. Please, James, Sirius…" Lily begged.
"Can't promise tha-" Sirius started, but he was cut off by James.
"We won't hurt him if he doesn't stand in our way."
It was Lily's turn to be grateful. Then, to James' everyone's surprise, she went to stand on her tip toes and kiss James on the cheek. He remained still, but his heart was beating madly.
"Don't do anything foolish. Stay safe." She murmured.
James blinked a few times and nodded, his jaw slightly falling. Before he could do anything foolish indeed –like grabbing her by her shoulders and kissing her on the lips- He spun around and walked out, the corners of his lips shuddering despite himself. Sirius turned to face Remus, and they exchanged meaningful looks. Sirius took Remus' hand and squeezed it gently, before letting it go and walking over to Lily.
"I'm sorry." He told her sincerely, which made Lily's heart sink. Sirius never apologized.
Before she could have given him any answer, he turned around to leave. But as he reached the door that led to the stairs down to the common room, Remus called his name. Sirius froze and spun around, only to catch his boyfriend in his arms. Remus hugged him tightly.
"I'll see you later." He said firmly, as though he needed to convince himself.
Sirius pulled back and captured his lips, putting all his love into the kiss. On the next second, he was gone, leaving a worried sick Remus facing the door by which he left; as if he would stand there to make sure Sirius would return. Lily watched him without questioning him about his relationship with Sirius, for she had seen it coming a long time ago. Her wound barely hurt comparing to the pain in her heart for the young couple, and for her James.
As James and Sirius rushed towards the dungeons, James was looking through the map.
"They're in a classroom. Snape, Bellatrix, Malfoy, Avery, Mulciber… the lot of them." He told Sirius.
"How smart of them. It's not even past curfew, anyone could catch them. Even Dumbledore, he's been quite often at the dungeons lately, wonder what that man's up to…" Sirius said darkly.
"It's probably what they want. A confrontation with Dumbledore. Otherwise they wouldn't have taken the risk to hurt the Head Girl." James said through gritted teeth.
They both remained silent as they turned into a long, dark classrooms corridor.
"How far?" Sirius asked, glancing left and right at each classroom door.
"The last one at the end of the corridor. Don't do anything stupid, Padfoot. We're not playing anymore." James warned.
"What, are we merely going to disarm them?" Sirius scoffed. "Where's the fun?"
James didn't respond. There was no fun at all. When they reached the end of the corridor, they didn't lose a second: Sirius kicked the door –He liked to make an entrance- and they both burst in.
"Expelliarmus!" They shouted in one voice as they made their way into the classroom.
But nothing. It was dark, the only light came from a little chandelier near the door, and from James' and Sirius' wands. They glanced at each other, their arms still straight and their wands aimed at the darkness. Then, a high-pitched voice shouted:
"Expelliarmus!"
But it was expected, and the two young men shouted back, "Protego!"
Bellatrix Black blocked the counter spell as she stepped out of the shadows into the weak light, her cold, blood-freezing laugh echoing in the classroom.
"Well, Well, Well, what do we have here…" Bellatrix spoke silkily, her eyelids heavy upon her piercing eyes.
"How come you're not peacefully asleep at this late hour, baby cousin? Tut tut tut… Auntie Druella wouldn't approve this behavior." Sirius smirked, aiming his wand at her.
"Sirius…" James warned calmly, his eyes and his wand fixed into the darkness.
"Now, now, Siri, have you forgotten your own manners? Years you haven't spoken to your family, and now you are trying to teach a lady how she should behave? What would your mother think, my dear cousin?"
"I have no mother." Sirius spat. "and you are most certainly not a lady…" He said disdainfully, looking her up and down.
"Right." She smiled widely. Too widely. "But… oh well lookie what we have here! Another blood traitor!" She spat at James' feet.
James glanced down at the greyish liquid just before his feet, but he didn't bow his head and his arm remained firmly pointed at a certain spot in the dark. He looked back up without showing any kind of emotion, without letting himself getting distracted by such childishness.
"Although it seems like this one has a tiny bit more intelligence than you do, my beloved cousin." She studied James with her wide grin, tilting her head to the side.
"Oh Bella, you do amuse me." James said, his face straight. He didn't look away from the spot he was aiming at. "Your last joke was a… very agile move, if I may say. Spilling out the blood of the Gryffindor Head Girl… you've got some nerve." James said casually.
"Enough of playing."
The deep, slightly tightened voice of Severus Snape echoed instantly in the darkness, and it was his turn to step out of the shadows, only to stand just before James' wand, which was a couple of inches from his chest. James was staring at him.
"And the snake comes out of its hole…" James smiled ironically. "Feeling dirty enough, Snape?"
"You weren't supposed to move out of your place!" Bellatrix hissed.
"Aye, all part of the plan, wasn't it?" James continued, a frozen, tight smile on his face. "We had thought of Dumbledore, but of course… It was us you were expecting for dinner."
"Yes Potter, once more your supernatural intelligence didn't fail." Snape said calmly, but his eyes were full of hatred as he didn't break their eye contact.
"But it seems like the beast is missing… where is it? Trying to find some fresh meat?" Bellatrix teased, smirking at Sirius.
"You disgust me." He growled, his hand tightening around his wand.
"And I mean to. But… hang on a minute… that's only three Marauders…" She gasped, smacking her hand on her mouth like a little girl. "Where's Petey? Have you seen him lately?"
"Have you?" James asked, his tone calm but the muscles of his jaw tightened.
"Mh… I might have seen him… just before you two arrived, actually… He was heading towards the Gryffindor Common Room, I think." She smiled sweetly.
James' heart skipped a beat. Lily, Remus… He thought. He glanced at Sirius, who didn't seem to be startled at all.
"He's probably off counting his chocolate frog cards, he has more of them than actual friends." Sirius said casually.
"Expelliarmus!"
James' wand flew out of his hand; Snape had disarmed him. James stood there, wandless, but his traits didn't betray any kind of fear; even when Snape pressed the tip of his wand on his chest.
"How clever of you, Snape; taking advantage of a single moment of distraction to act. A move worthy of a coward."
Snape dug the tip of his wand harder into James' chest, and despite the burning feeling, James remained straight, a defiant look in his eyes.
"Back off, Snivellus." Sirius threatened, aiming his wand at Snape.
Instantly, Bellatrix took out her silver knife and pressed it between his ribs. Sirius stiffened.
"Sirius." James warned again, telling him with his eyes to keep cool.
"Drop. Your. Wand." Bellatrix sang each word.
James and Sirius made eye contact, and after a short moment, Sirius spoke.
"Drop your knife first, or I'll kill him."
Bellatrix laughed loudly.
"Oh, Sirius dearest, is that what you came for? Killing us for hurting the mudblood princess?"
"Not to kill you, Bella, you're not worth a trip to Azkaban." James said, his eyes back on Snape.
"Well Potter, I'm offended!" Bellatrix said silkily, showing off her rotten teeth. "It ruins my life to know that filth like you thinks I'm not worth it… Especially when he's in love with an ickle mudblood who doesn't even belong in this world…"
"Don't say that in front of Snape, Bella. He might get jealous." James smirked.
Snape lifted his wand and poked James' throat so hard that he split in half, choking.
"Crucio!" Sirius shouted, but Snape blocked the spell immediately and Bellatrix scratched his ribs with her knife so deeply that the blood spilled instantly. Sirius roared and panted, pressing his arm on the long cut across his side. James was still coughing and breathing loudly.
"I'll destroy you, Bellatrix!" Sirius hissed.
"Siri dearest, you wouldn't want to hurt your favourite cousin now would you?" She taunted him sweetly. "As blood is thicker than water after all."
James, who was straightening up, laughed bitterly. A trickle of blood striped his chin.
"That you say, Bella… yet look at what you're doing." He spat out his own blood. "You don't even realize it, do you?" He said between several coughs.
"Now, now, Potter… it's all fun and games, isn't it?" She laughed childishly.
"Right you are, Bella… how brilliant it must be to inflict on others what you have been inflicted on… Tell me… have you seen Father dearest lately? Has he been good to you as always?" James smiled bitterly.
"Take that back, blood traitor!" Bellatrix hissed, pointing her reddened silver knife at him.
James smirked, enjoying his joke.
"Hmm… No. No I don't think I will." He said simply.
Bellatrix took a threatening step forward, but she froze immediately. After a short moment, she started laughing. Slowly at first, and then loudly. James shivered despite himself.
"You foolish little boys…" She taunted, a smile stretching on her face. "No wonder why your dear friend Peter chose another path to follow… you two were too arrogant and pompous to notice, weren't you? Too busy managing your reputation at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to care… But he did change his way… The Dark Lord offered him what he desired most, and now he's accomplishing his mission in return…"
Sirius, who was panting, tried to stand up despite his wound.
"Remus…" He whimpered.
"Yes… Yes, dearest cousin… I wonder whether Peter has already killed them, or if he is still enjoying himself with the beast and the mudblood… torturing them." She hissed the last words like a snake.
"No!" Sirius roared as he rushed towards Bellatrix, his hand still on his wound and his other hand clenched around his wand. He pressed it on her cheek and pushed her violently against the wall. She merely laughed.
"Sirius!" James shouted, trying to get him to not let them know they were getting to him. He knew Peter would never do such things, he'd rather let someone else to it at his place. Besides Lily and Remus were badasses, everyone knew that. But what if Peter had actually done that… what if the reason why the other Death Eaters didn't appear yet was that they were actually heading to the Gryffindor tower? What if they had fallen into a trap?
"Why are you even angry?" Bellatrix giggled. "I did nothing you hurt you in the long run…"
"The best for the last, innit baby cousin? You'll make sure to hurt everyone else before hurting me won't you?"
Sirius was going mad, and Lily and Remus were in danger. James needed to react.
"So, Snape, how's the plan going? Are you going to just stand there and let them hurt Lily?" He asked carefully.
"You swine…" Snape said through his gritted teeth. "Wasn't it enough to ruin my life and soil my honor? No, of course not… You had to take her away from me as well… Take her for yourself…"
"I wouldn't call it stealing, Snape." James smirked. "She was very willing. In fact did I tell you she kissed me? Just before I left to kill you, she stepped towards me and…" He bit his lower lip, moaning.
Snape's face remained straight, but James could see in his eyes that he was imagining the scene. He took the opportunity to punch him and, his moment of weakness, he took his wand from him.
"Accio wand!" James shouted, and his own wand flew to his hand.
"Stand up you filthy Half Blood! Stand up and fight back!" Bellatrix shouted, as Sirius held her throat and pressed her against the wall, his wand sinking into her thin cheek.
James stared down at Snape, who didn't seem to want to fight back. He remained bent, holding his jaw but no sound came out of his mouth… the only thing hearable were the deep breaths he was taking, as though he was trying to contain something inside of him. James stared down at him… realizing how he didn't hate him anymore, he merely felt a strong feeling of disgust for being such a coward; even when it came to Lily. Although he had already decided that he wouldn't injure Snape, for Lily's sake of course, James wanted to hurt him emotionally. He wanted him to pay for taking the risk of hurting Lily Evans. It was ironic, really; wanting to hurt Snape because he hurt Lily, when James knew that she hated when he did that. But having Snape standing so low in front of him… the temptation was too strong for James to resist.
"She's a great kisser by the way, in case you were wondering." He added, even though he knew that he had never tasted her lips, that she had merely brushed them against his cheek.
But Severus Snape was clever enough not to make any mistake and to choose carefully his words, even when James pronounced words that he couldn't bear hearing.
"I know." He said quietly, looking up at James defiantly, his lips crooking to the side ever so slightly.
James took a sharp intake of breath, and Bellatrix' amused and loud laughter echoed in the background, even when Sirius tightened his grip around her throat.
"What was that?" James growled suspiciously.
Snape smirked as he straightened up, but his mouth was twisted by the pain, or by something else more painful, something like anger.
"Thought so… She didn't tell you, did she Potter?" Snape said smoothly. "All the fun we had, back in the time where she hated you and she loved me… when it was just Lily and I…" James was breathing in and out roughly like an angry bull. Snape's smirk widened bitterly, which made him look even more frightening. "Tell me Potter, haven't you ever wondered why your broom was never on the same spot where you left it in the broom closet?"
At this James got angry. He forgot about his promise, and punched Snape even harder, and when he bent forward, he kicked him on the stomach and shoved him down on the ground.
"I'd watch what you say, Snape."
"So how's Cygnus the Third?" Sirius smirked, his wand still digging in Bellatrix's face.
"Oh deary that's just pathetic…" Bellatrix sighed dramatically. "But since you're throwing the subject, how's Mommy Walburga? I heard she's sick… Sad, isn't it Siri? Why won't you go back home and take care of her?"
"She won't notice whether I'm here or beside her. Don't forget I'm her favourite." He said, sarcasm dripping from his tone.
Bellatrix giggled. "We all know Regulus was better than you will ever be…" She said tauntingly.
"He was, until you poisoned his soul with your twisted minds." Sirius spat.
"Miss him much?" She whispered. Sirius said nothing.
James threw Snape's wand on the floor and nodded in its direction.
"Go get your wand and fight." He said calmly, aiming his wand at him. "We'll see then who's worth Lily's heart."
Snape looked up at him, coughing and panting, his arms clenched around his stomach.
"We both already know you are the one she wants, Potter…" Snape sneered. "But will it change anything to the fact that she was mine long before she became yours?"
" ." James was fuming.
"Don't you believe me?" Snape said as he stood up with difficulty. "How about you ask her? If only you ever get to walk out of this classroom alive…" He said as he grabbed his wand from the floor and stood up straight, satisfied with himself.
James stiffened, his wand held tightly and his free hand clenched into a fist. "The reason why you are still alive…" He said slowly, "Is because Lily made me swear not to kill you. But if you're not careful, Snape, my wand might slip."
Sirius felt something sharp and cold in his abdomen. He looked down carefully, only to find Bellatrix's knife between them.
"Sirius, we could restart all over again… come by my side, offer your left arm to the Dark Lord… We'll be a family again, all reunited… You don't want to spend your whole life without ever seeing your little brother again, do you?" Bellatrix murmured like a mermaid.
Sirius hesitated for a second. A single second. His last memory of Regulus crossed his mind, and his broken voice calling him desperately behind his bedroom door the night he escaped for 12 Grimmauld Place. For a second, and he loathed himself for it, he was ready to sell his soul to Voldemort, just so that he could hold his little brother in his arms again. But it only lasted a single second, for on the next one, he had given his confident answer.
"Never."
"Lily told you not to kill me?" Snape said in an even tone, but he lowered his wand a little.
"Only because she's a thousand times the person you'll ever be." James spat. "You stood there and watched her get the insult that separated you two carved into her arm. You just stood there, just as you're standing here now, while she is probably being tortured at the moment." His voice broke as he pronounced the last words.
Snape swallowed, but he didn't look away from James. He knew he was right, he had understood it the day Lily ended their friendship. But he couldn't let James Potter destroy what was left of his pride once more, so he remained quiet. Then, unexpectedly, he lowered his wand.
"Stop it!" James said angrily. "Fight, you coward!"
Snape remained still, but his eyes were challenging. James lowered his wand as well, looking back at him with pure disgust.
"You never deserved her. You don't deserve to even speak her name." he said bitterly. "She is the most amazing person I have ever met, and you are just a filthy Death Eater, a bastard and a coward."
"Kill me, then." Snape said blankly.
"What?" James blinked.
"Kill me. It's the only way for me not to hurt her anymore."
Anger rushed like poison in James' veins, his face distorted by disgust as he glared at Snape.
"Determined to destroy me, are you?" He spat. "Oh, temptation is burning inside me… but that's exactly what you want, don't you? You'd sacrifice your own life just to destroy the esteem Lily has for me? How little of you, Snape…" His voice was shaking with anger. Snape remained quiet, but he didn't look away from James' strafing eyes. "No, I won't kill you. I won't ruin what I have at last succeeded to build with Lily just to have the pleasure of never seeing you again. I'd rather spend the rest of my life with Lily than in Azkaban for a murder. But I'm warning you…" He stepped forward threateningly, "Stay away from her. I love her and I will protect her against the lot of you, and against Voldemort, until the end of time."
"You foolish blood traitors!" Bellatrix shouted in rage, and she cut Sirius once more, which made him let go of her. He clenched his arms around his stomach for a second, but even though he immediately raised his wand to cast a spell, it was too late; she had thrown her knife across the room, and it hit James on the shoulder.
"AVADA-!"
"Stupefy!"
Both Sirius and Bellatrix were thrown at each corners of the classroom; Sirius cut halfway through the killing spell he was casting at Bellatrix. They both looked up to find Lily Evans standing at the doorway, her wand pointed at them. Her eyes were wide and teary; they were on James. He had fallen down on his knees, clenching painfully the sharp knife that had thrust deep into his shoulder. Snape stared at her, his mouth wide open.
"James!" She cried. She hastily cast a spell to tie up Bellatrix, and ran to kneel down in front of James, supporting him with her hands.
James looked up at her, moaning in pain, his whole body shaking.
"Lily… What are you doing here…" He said tightly, out of breath.
"Sh… you're alright, James… Everything is gonna be alright…"
Tears dripped down Lily's eyes as she grabbed the knife and tried to pull it out clumsily, which made James let out a loud groan of pain. Bellatrix laughed coldly.
"Why, hello again, Lily darling!" She said sweetly, not bothered by the fact that she was tied up like a sausage, wandless and that she had lost her knife. "How did you manage to escape twice, I wonder… I'm starting to believe that the rumors were right, you truly are a brilliant witch…" She batted her eyelashes. "Where's our little friend Peter?"
"Probably by Voldemort's side where he belongs!" Lily spat, glaring at her with reddened eyes.
Bellatrix's childish, radiant face switched into a dark expression.
"You dare speak His name… YOU FILTHY MUDBLOOD!"
Sirius jumped to his feet and raised his wand, opening his mouth to pronounce the killing curse.
"SIRIUS, DON'T!" Lily cried. He stopped and started laughing bitterly.
"Why not, huh? Give me one reason not to." He hissed, glancing at James.
"Don't give her the satisfaction of becoming one of them." She answered immediately, trying to keep her voice even. "Don't be a murderer, Sirius."
Sirius stared at her, his mind working fast. Then James looked up at him, his face sweating and his breaths uneven. He shook his head ever so slightly, mouthing a little "don't". Sirius lowered his wand. Bellatrix scoffed.
"Pathetic…" She sighed. "No wonder why you have no fam-"
Bellatrix never got to finish her cruel sentence, for Sirius had raised his wand again and cast a spell to knock her out.
"It's not the blood that makes a family." He whispered, his eyes back on James and Lily.
Lily smiled up at Sirius sadly, and then she put a head on James' pale cheek.
"We're going to get it out, alright? It's going to hurt a little…" Lily said softly as she grabbed the knife. "Ready?" She took it out in a split second, and James bit hard on his fist, a low moan escaping his lips. She cast a healing spell, her hands shaking, and James' wound partly disappeared. "Goodboy…" She smiled despite the tears rolling down her cheeks. James chuckled breathlessly.
"Thank you…" He whispered, looking into her eyes.
"Lily, I…"Snape croaked from where he stood, after remaining silent for a long moment.
Lily bowed her head, her smile disappearing from her face, and James glared up at him.
"Leave her alone." He warned.
"James." She said firmly, looking up at him. James didn't meet her eyes, but he didn't add anything else. Lily stood up, and finally look into Snape's eyes. She hadn't faced him since the O. .
"Good evening, Severus." She said blankly.
Snape stared at her, unable to pronounce a word. Having her deep green eyes upon him was so fulfilling, if only she had shown the very least of contentment… But he knew deep down that he didn't deserve any kind of affection from her after what he did.
"I'm sorry." He said simply.
Lily's throat tightened and she nodded, her lips tightly pressed together so that she wouldn't cry in front of him.
"Sorry?" Sirius shouted.
"Sirius…" Lily begged."
"Don't you dare judge me, Sirius Black! Not after the little joke you did to me in third year! I see we've forgotten, haven't we?"
"You deserved it!" Sirius spat. "I would have been one less Death Eater in this godforsaken world!"
"Don't ignore me, Sirius!" Lily demanded, a lot more powerful than the first time.
Sirius glared at Snape, but he didn't protest. James had stood up, and he was eyeing Snape closely.
"I know I hurt you, Lily. I didn't mean to. I swear I didn't." Snape said, his face betraying no emotion. "I'd go back in time and fix our relationship. But I can't. I can't bear the idea of having to change the past to have you back. What's done is done. All I want…" His face softened slightly. "All I want is for you to trust me."
"Trust you?!" Sirius laughed madly, and James' fists clenched by his sides.
"Enough… Enough, go back to Voldemort before I crucio you." He said too calmly.
"You wouldn't do it. You proved it to me a moment ago when you could have killed me."
"Don't you know me at all, Snape?" James grabbed his wand.
"STOP IT!" Lily shouted. Both James and Snape glared at each other, Lily between them. "You two have to call a truce. Right now." She said firmly, before turning to Snape. "Severus, I haven't forgotten all the good memories. I haven't forgotten you, and I never will. But I don't know if I can trust you."
"I understand." Snape said coldly. "So it's him you've chosen?" he said disdainfully, nodding at James.
"Watch your m-"
"It has always been him." James was muted by Lily, his jaw falling open.
Snape nodded slowly, and Lily's heart wrenched, for she could read all the pain in his dark eyes.
"Very well." He said, standing back. "I shall send you my best wishes."
James and Sirius raised their wands immediately, but it was too late; Snape had vanished with Bellatrix's knocked out body.
"Shit!" James shouted, running his fists through his hair.
"James… it's the full moon…" Lily said, her voice shaky.
"The full moon!" Sirius clapped his hand to his forehead.
"I helped Remus to the Shack right after you guys left… I didn't want to leave him alone, but he told me to go and get you guys…"
"Let's go then, he must have already transformed…" James winced.
"Hang on a minute… If you went straight to the Shack, where's Peter then?" Sirius said suspiciously.
"You've found him?" Lily said hopefully.
"He was on his way to kill you when we arrived." Sirius said casually.
"He's probably dissaparated like cowards would do…" James sneered, referring to Snape. "Some Gryffindor." He shook his head.
"Prongs, we have to get going!" Sirius said impatiently.
"Lily, go to the hospital wing." James said quickly.
"But-"
"I'll see you in the morning." He said, holding her at arm's length.
She hesitated before nodding slowly. She bit her lip nervously and stood on her tiptoes to peck James on the lips. He turned red, and opened his mouth to speak, but Lily lifted a hand to his lips.
"Go. We'll have plenty of time to talk later." She smiled slightly and pulled back.
James nodded slowly and left, his cheeks burning. Sirius smacked him on the back with a smirk, which earned him a punch on the shoulder. Lily laughed.
"How do you feel, Moony?" Sirius asked softly.
Remus blinked, dazzled by the daylight; he was in the hospital wing. Sirius was sitting next to his bed, holding his hand, Lily was sitting at the other side of the bed, holding his other hand, and James sat at his feet.
"What happened? Where's Peter?" Remus sat up quickly, too quickly; his head started pounding, and he fell backwards on his pillow, wincing.
"Relax…" Lily whispered, squeezing his hand.
"Peter dissaparated. He's Voldemort's now. He doesn't exist anymore." James said darkly.
Remus sighed, sinking into his pillow.
"No… he arrived at the Shack while the wolf was coming out… I might have scratched him before he left."
"Well, serves him right, eh?" James chuckled.
"Don't say that, James!" Remus said indignantly, but James could see he was holding back a smile, which made him laugh harder.
"Everything alright, Red?" Sirius asked unexpectedly, frowning as a tear ran down Lily's cheek.
Lily's head snapped up and she laughed tightly, wiping her tears away.
"Yes, yeah; I'm sorry." She sighed.
"Not sure if I should believe you, funny enough." He raised an eyebrow.
She stood up and went to hug him tightly. Sirius' eyes widened, and he patted her back clumsily.
"I'm fine," She said, pulling back and smiling slightly. "I… I just can't stop thinking about Severus…"
"He got what he deserved. He's not who you though he was, Lily." James said honestly, withing any kind of hateful tone.
"I know…" She sighed, before looking up at him. "James… may I have a moment? Just… you and I?" She asked, twisting her fingers nervously.
James swallowed and nodded. He glanced at his two friends, who were too busy laughing to notice them, before following Lily out.
"James, I wanted to thank you."
"For not hurting Snape? Anytime." He smiled crookedly.
"For saving me…" Lily said softly, looking up into his eyes.
James' smile vanished, and he started blinking fast.
"Oh, it's… I…" He stuttered, unable to stop glancing down at her parted lips.
Lily smiled and stood on her tippy toes to press her lips against his. James forgot about at the pain, all the fears, all the betrayers and the war… All he could think about was how much he loved her, how much he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Lily Evans. It has always been him, she said. James kissed her back, burying his hands in her silky hair. He had found her. He had found the one.