AN: I solemnly swear that I own nothing. The names and universe belongs to JK Rowling.

"You are no son of mine! I don't even recognize you. Get out of my house." His father had banished him from their home.

"Why did you do this, Jamie? Why did you break my heart?" His mother whispered, heartbroken.

James had looked at them furiously before leaving them. They died a few months later. The healers told him it was because of Dragon Pox but he knew better, they died of heartbreak and betrayal from their only son. James Potter glared at the children running near the river, laughing with absolute abandon. Sometimes, he hated Dumbledore for doing this to him. If James Potter was a feared Death Eater today, it was Albus Dumbledore's fault. He killed James' parents; he made James kill his parents.

He took a deep, rattling breath and looked at the lake again. He wasn't here to delve on things he can't change. He was here, in the heart of this unknown town called Cokeworth because he loved being here. The spot where he was sitting was his favourite place. Nobody ever walked over to his side of the river, which opened into a forest. His eyes softened as he watched the children run and play on the other side of the bank. He pulled at the grass wistfully, wishing he could go back to the carelessness of his youth. He smiled grimly when he realized that he didn't even remember what it felt like to be carefree and happy. He started his training to be a soldier instead of going to Hogwarts as soon as he had turned eleven; now eight years later he didn't even remember what his life was like before. If he closed his eyes and concentrated, he could smell his mother's perfume as she showered him with hugs and kisses. He could see the way his father's eyes crinkled up with laughter on his pranks, the way his calloused hands mussed his unruly hair indulgently.

Soft, almost silent footfalls made him aware of someone else's presence. His eyes snapped open, and he scanned the area sharply, wand ready for combat. A lone figure sat on his side of the river, some twenty feet away. He shifted a little, hiding himself better as he peered at this newcomer curiously. She looked like a muggle and it looked like she was talking to something on her palm. The girl was of average height, she was slim, wearing a white T-shirt and jeans and had thick, red hair. She had her back to him and James was unable to see her face. He looked on amused as the girl crouched down and a mouse shot out of her hand. She settled down and picked up a book from the ground, her feet tapping to some rhythm. He watched her with some fascination. She stayed there for hours, before getting up, and stretching her lithe form, she turned to leave and James breath hitched. She was easily the prettiest girl he had seen in a long time. He stared after her; she picked up a thin trail into the forest and vanished. He sighed as his left arm burned painfully, he frowned as he dusted his clothes, he had a duty to perform.

A week later

James apparated to his favourite place, he had to thank Severus Snape for this. He had come across this gorgeous place because he had to visit Snape's home. She was already there and was staring at him, eyes wide in terror. He cursed internally, he had to master not making any sound while apparating. He pulled on a friendly smile, "Hey there! Sorry for the scare, I stepped on a branch I guess." He said easily as he walked up to her. She looked straight ahead and shrugged, "It's alright. I just didn't realize that other people came on this side of the bank too."

James grinned, "May I sit with you?"

She shrugged and shifted, "Be my guest." She muttered, "But I am awful company, I generally come here to clear my mind."

"That's what I come here for too." He replied with a grin, "I am James by the way."

She turned to face him this time and James sucked in a breath, she had bright green eyes and they were a mirror to her soul.

"Lily." She replied softly.

"Are you from around here?"

Lily gave him a once over and raised an eyebrow. "Are you a serial killer?"

James laughed, "If I was one, would I tell you?"

She shrugged, "Had to check."

"I am not a serial killer." He said sincerely, "Nor am I a kidnapper, rapist or stalker."

"I did not even think of these other things!" She exclaimed.

"Well done Lily, you are a complete idiot." She muttered to herself. James watched her amusedly, this girl was something else.

"So, are you from around here?" He prompted her.

"Why should I tell you anything?" She asked.

"I answered your questions honestly."

"How do I know you were being honest?"

He stared at her completely baffled and before he knew it he was laughing helplessly.

"Stop laughing at me!" She snapped at him trying hard to fight a smile. Before she knew it, she was giggling herself.

"So, do you-"

"Yes, I grew up in this town but you don't look familiar. Are you new here?"

"Yes. Just moved here." He replied softly.

"Oh! Welcome to Cokeworth." She chirped. "Where do you live?"

"Spinner's End." He lied, automatically thinking of Snape's address.

She nodded thoughtfully before picking up her notebook and pencil and sketching the tiny, wild flower in front of them.

James watched her in silence. The silence between them wasn't awkward, it was comfortable. She would often look up from her work and smile at him, exchanging a few words here and there. He envied her freedom. He envied her openness and honesty; he envied her comfort with herself. She was a person who knew herself and had accepted herself. Confidence and self assurance rolled off her in abundance. He wanted to be as free as her, but he had his guard up. He had built a fortress around him, he had to, everyone around him lived in their own fortresses, Lily was a breath of fresh air to his imprisonment.

Lily Evans settled at the bank of the river and pulled her sketching pad out. She had not sketched in years. She sighed happily, humming a tune as she sketched the scene in front of her. Cokeworth was beautiful during the summer, she tried to block away the memories of her childhood. Three years later, her best friend's betrayal still hurt. She jumped at the loud crack behind her and saw a stranger. He was rather tall with messy black hair and glasses. He had a light tan and an easy smile. As Lily stared at him, some part of her mind registered that the man in front of her was rather good looking.

Lily felt a blush creep on her cheeks as he sat near her. She had to approve of his cologne and as she turned to look into his eyes, her heart stuttered. He had intense hazel eyes, with flecks of gold and green. His eyes did not swirl with any emotions, he was guarded, and she wondered what was hurting him. Lily kicked herself mentally as she made a fool of herself in front of this stranger. But he laughed at her and with her and something clicked. They sat together lost in their own worlds, exchanging a few words here and there. Lily sighed with contentment as she walked back home that evening.

She cursed as she saw the note on her coffee table. Lily Evans was a warrior. A witch of only nineteen, she had finished her magical education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Lily was a model student. Starting off as a Prefect for her house (Gryffindor), she moved on to become the Head Girl and was immediately accepted into the Healer program at St. Mungo's after her graduation. She was also a member of the Order of Phoenix, an underground group fighting against Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

Severus Snape was her childhood; he had told her that she was a witch. He had introduced her to the world of magic but as they grew up, they grew apart. The last straw to their friendship was the murder of Lily's parents along with twenty others at the hands of Death Eaters during her sixth year; she had turned to Severus for support and found the dark mark on his left arm. His betrayal had broken her heart but as Lily wiped her last tears for Severus Snape, she swore that she would not stop trusting people. She would meet everyone with an open mind. Severus' betrayal strengthened Lily's resolve to look at the good in the world; she refused to hide in a shell.

"Any news of him?" Lily muttered as she sat next to Marlene McKinnon, her sister in all but blood from Hogwarts.

Marlene shook her head. Lily exhaled in frustration before turning to listen to Dumbledore and Moody. She slipped on her red and gold phoenix mask as she stood up along with the others. These masks were an ingenious design by Dumbledore. They hid eye colours too, making them completely anonymous. However, it was Lily who pointed the fatal flaw. If someone copied these masks and infiltrated their ranks during a battle and killed the order members it would be a disaster.

Moody had loved this idea; he had been itching to get his hands on some Death Eater masks to execute this strategy. Dumbledore however, had charmed their masks to dissolve as soon as a member was captured or dropped their mask. Each member also had a compulsion charm placed on them. As soon as a member was captured, all their memories would be automatically obliviated. Lily prided in being a master strategist, her policy was simple and highly approved by Moody: If you have to capture a rat, you have to think like a rat.

It was this philosophy which helped her in capturing and eliminating Peter Pettigrew before he became a grim threat to the Order. Moody nearly always bemoaned the fact that someone as smart as her should have been an Auror. Lily's eyes glittered with a sense of purpose as she held Marlene's hand and apparated to a muggle neighbourhood in Tinsworth. Moody had insisted on fighting with a partner, it improved someone's chances of survival. Lily and Marlene landed in the middle of a battle and ducked a couple of hexes and jinxes before standing back to back and duelling with the nearest Death Eaters. Lily laughed as adrenaline pumped through her veins. She didn't believe in shouting hexes, and that's why she trusted Marlene as her partner. They had been duelling partners since the very start, she knew Lily's mind and style, just like Lily knew hers like the back of her mind. Marlene ducked as Lily fired blasted her opponent. The girls hi-fived, before stunning the muggles nearest to them and covering them in pigs' blood.

Lily and Marlene rushed ahead, looking for any surviving muggles they could protect, most homes were on fire and it angered Lily to no end. She rushed ahead with Marlene, firing jinxes at Death Eaters on her way. She twisted her ankle as Marlene grabbed her and pulled her down, pain shot through her body and Marlene already had a shield charm in front of them as Lily quickly, cast a healing spell, covering Marlene's back in the nick of time. The two girls stood up quickly back-to-back as two Death Eaters circled them.

"Well, well." One of them said in a mocking tone, "What have we got here?"

Lily and Marlene said nothing, watching the men carefully. Lily's eyes never left her opponent's eyes, she saw the curse in his eyes before he shot it at Marlene.

"DUCK!" Lily yelled, shoving Marlene down and casting a shield charm in front of her as Marlene shot a cutting hex at the castor.

James Potter was impressed with the two girls in front of him. The harder Sirius and James attacked, the harder they fought back. James marvelled this team. The Order had some very skilled witches and wizards on their side. These girls were not just defending; they were attacking just as hard. One of them laughed out of pure exhilaration as she skipped away from Sirius' Cruciatus curse. He exchanged an amused glance with Sirius, they had been fighting for a while and all four of them were bleeding, aching and tired. Try as they might, the girls refused to part with each other. James could sense from Sirius' aggression that he was getting angry at being evenly matched with two girls.

James saw Sirius' hand lower in slow motion and he knew what was about to happen, apparently, one of the girls knew too.

"DOE!" She yelled, grabbing her partner as the ground beneath them exploded, creating a huge crater in the middle of the road, James' body was flung to the sidewalk a few feet away from him. He had the good sense to put a cushioning charm on himself, he rolled and looked around. One of the girls was crouching over her partner who was out cold.

He gritted his teeth against the pain on his leg, some stray shrapnel were embedded in his leg. He walked to the girl and towered over her, he didn't see a wand on her.

She looked up to his wand trained between her chocolate brown eyes. She did not take her eyes off his face, she held her hand up in surrender. James stepped back a little and looked up for Sirius. He knew he would have killed her had she lunged for his wand, but he didn't expect her to use wandless magic. He saw something fly towards them from the corner of his eyes but before he could do anything, he felt a searing pain in his stomach and saw blood gushing out.

"PRONGS!" Sirius yelled, shooting a cruciatus curse towards the girl as she apparated away. Sirius grabbed him and apparated away. He brought James to their flat and got busy with healing him. Sirius Black's eyes burned as he watched his friend moan in pain. He would murder that damn bitch for almost killing his brother; the next battle would be fought for blood; with this last thought he apparated away for the meeting.

The raid was not as successful as the Death Eaters would have wanted. Three of them were captured and the Dark Lord chose Sirius and Dolohov to compromise them before the Auror department got through to them.

Lily gasped as she landed in her drawing room. She quickly re-enervated Marlene and clutched her bleeding side.

"What the hell!" Marlene exclaimed.

"Cruciatus as I apparated us. Lost concentration. Splinched." Lily gasped. Marlene immediately set to task, healing Lily and cleaning her wound with dittany. Lily managed to send a patronus to the order that they were fine and that Marlene would join the debriefing in 10 minutes. Marlene cleaned herself up after fixing Lily, she kept some food and drinks on the coffee table before leaving for the meeting.

The fight was a success. They had been able to save 20 of the fifty muggles living in the area. Fabian Prewett was at St. Mungo's after taking a nasty slicing curse on his arm, Mary MacDonald was dead but other than that they had captured three death eaters and sent them to the Ministry. Marlene was utterly exhausted as she reached home, the two girls talked quietly before passing out in the drawing room of the Evans residence.

AN: So, this is a new fic in an alternate universe. It's a Jily story through and through. I hope you liked it.

Please read and review.

Hoping to hear from you soon.

Love

The Fishes