Hi there!!!! I'm back with a new story!

For those who are reading my other stories called « Along came Harry » (Harry Potter) and « Carbonite » (Star Wars), I am so sorry I had not posted any update, but this has just pop out of my head and I had to write it down.

I'm reading a lot of Lily/James fanfictions at the moment and I wanted to give it a try. Don't know if this is going to be a one shot or a short fanfiction though. It starts at the end of Lily and James's sixth year. Voldemort's already here.

Please read and review, I'll be thrilled!

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Gryffindor's prefect Lily Evans was making her way to the Great Hall to have dinner. She was smiling a little bit because she had begun to pack her things to go back to her parents at the end of the year. In just a couple of days, she'll be home with her parents. Right, she'll have to deal with her sister Petunia and her pig of a boyfriend. Those had been giving her a hard time during the previous summer.

Petunia had been dating Vernon Dursley for over a year now and this one had not taken the fact that his girlfriend's sister was a witch. But now, things were going to change. Having passed a good deal of "outstanding" in her OWLS during the previous year and having reached the age of 16, Lily was now of age to use magic whenever she needed it. Yeah, things would definitely change this summer.

She was glad her parents had been supportive of her when she had received the Hogwarts letter when she was around 11. They were proud of her even if they did not really understand what it really was to be a witch. Petunia on the other hand had been utterly devastated by the news. At first, Lily thought her sister's reaction to be simple jealousy. But soon, she realized it was just incomprehension and fear of something different, something Petunia could not understand, something she thought was abnormal.

And Petunia loved nothing more than normality. It had always got on Lily's nerves to see her sister acting just the way she was supposed to act. Nothing original, never. It seemed Petunia was following a path that would have been written somewhere and that the slightest step outside of it would mean the end of her. Lily thought her sister's live to be the most boring life ever. And no that she had found a boyfriend equally in loved with normality, Lily knew there was nothing to do to lighten her sister.

Lily expected Petunia to get engaged to this Vernon guy during about a year, then get married with him in the fluffiest ceremony ever, then having a single child that she'll raise as the ultimate spoiled brat. She was sure her sister's family will spend their life in a very normal house, as manicured and as normal as all the other similar houses in a very neat area of a very neat and normal city. That was so much like her sister's perfect dream of a life!

Thinking that most of her fellow sixth years and most of the other Hogwarts students were feeling she was just like that would have been funny if it wasn't hurting her so much; all of that due to the Marauders. How she hated them for that! Ever since she had made them stop making fun of Snape one day and kind of humiliate James Potter in front of the whole school by refusing to go out with him, she had been the target of their pranks and they had started to spread rumours about her. They had seen Petunia at the beginning of the year at King's Cross train station and they had immediately started to laugh at her, and Lily had defended her as any sister would do, regardless of what she felt for Petunia. They had immediately started to make fun of her. Considering her as a bookworm prefect whose ultimate goal in life was having good grades and withdrawing points from the houses whenever she caught a student doing something bad. Sirius Black had been the worst people of them all, trying to humiliate her whenever he had the chance as if avenging his best friend as much as he could. James did that too during the first months of the term but it was more joking around or things like that. But that Black guy was really hurting her. Very bad.

But Lily wasn't like that and even if she'll never admit it, all of that was hurting her deeply. She had cried a numerous amount of times secured in her four posters bed protected by a silencing charm. She hated James Potter for what he was doing to her. That is why she was happy to go back home for the first time in her Hogwarts years.

She arrived in the Great Hall and sat in an isolated spot of the Gryffindor's table to have dinner. She did not noticed the Marauder's were looking at her smiling, as if preparing one of their pranks or waiting for something to happen. As if feeling someone was looking at her, Lily looked up at them and noticed their smiles. She knew that was not good. She was suddenly feeling exhausted; tired of always having to beware of each of her steps in the old castle to avoid the Marauder's plans. She looked at James as if trying to make him understand what he was doing to her. Seeing nothing change in his attitude, she just left her dinner plates and left the Great Hall to cry herself once again to sleep.

"See James, we don't even have to make something," said a very proud Sirius.

"I can see that," said James absent-mindedly.

"We really should stop that, it's harassment now," said Remus. "Did you guys saw her look? She looked like she was exhausted; I think she's on the edge right now."

"It's way too much fun to stop, what do you think Prongs?" asked Sirius.

"I think she really looked terrible," answered James Potter, "Maybe we should give her a break." Truth be told, James was really feeling horrible about what he had done to Lily. She had deeply hurt him when she had refused to go out with him. Of course it wasn't the first time he had asked her out, but this time, he really meant it. It was definitely not the right time to ask her that though. He felt ashamed about the state he had put her into. The look she had given him haunted him, making him feeling ashamed and guilty. He knew he should have done something to stop Sirius from systematically making fun of her. He had done a good part of the mocking act towards her as well. Man how was he ashamed now.

"But, we need to find someone else then, how about our dear Snivellus? He had a break during nearly the whole year, how about he becomes our favourite target again?" proposed Sirius.

"That's ok with me," said Peter.

"That's a deal then!" said Sirius.

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On the day after, it was the last day of class. The students were all happily discussing their projects for the summer and were eating their breakfast. The Marauders were doing just the same. No one noticed that Lily wasn't there. The owls arrived for the morning post and gave the letters to the students. Just one owl was flying across the Great Hall looking for the person it was supposed to give the letter. The owl suddenly flew towards the big entrance of the Great Hall, passing all the students and leaving the letter to Lily Evans that had just been entering the huge hall to have breakfast.

The Great Hall had been silent. The entire student had recognized the letter. Some of them had received it. It was an official letter from the Ministry of magic. In those times, it was not good at all to get one. Lily slowly turned the letter as if checking if it really was what she dreaded it was. James looked at her feeling sick. He knew as the others what the letter meant. Why on earth was life so unfair on Lily Evans?

Lily finally decided to open the letter and read the words she knew she'll be finding inside. "Dear Mrs Evans, We regret to inform you that your parents ...."
She could not read the entire letter. She just let it fall on the floor and looked at it. She could not react. It was too much for her. She knew all of the students were looking at her. Maybe some of them were happy that perfect prefect Evans had to deal with her parent's death? She could not move. She did not even realize she was crying in front of the whole Hogwarts students and staff. Why her? Didn't she bear with enough trouble this year? Did they have to finish her like that? It was so unfair! What could she do now? Her perfect normal sister would have fainted the very moment she would have read the letter; it was like that in books and movies so she would have felt she had to react that way. But she was not Petunia! Lily suddenly felt someone taking her hand.

"Come with me, we're going to the hospital wing," said James Potter. Lily didn't even react and followed him. They were followed by Professor McGonagall and Headmaster Dumbledore. No one had taken the letter Lily had left on the floor and as soon as they had exited the Great Hall, most of the students looked at the letter to read it, not daring to actually pick it up from the floor as if it would be a bad sign.

James made Lily sat on one of the beds while the nurse was preparing a potion for aftermath shock. Lily was still crying. James was looking at her and felt as if someone was ripping his heart. He then took her against him trying to sooth her as best as he could. The nurse then made him let go of Lily and soon Lily fell asleep. James was urged out of the infirmary so Lily could rest.

He found the other Marauders outside of the infirmary, waiting for him. Sirius for once was having a serious look. Remus was worried about Lily and Peter, well, he was eating. Sirius looked at James very seriously, and that was not a sight people were accustomed to.

"Why didn't you tell me you loved her?" he asked very determined.

"I don't know," said a miserable James Potter.

"You do realize what hell I made her suffer during the whole year, right? And yet you did nothing to stop me? I thought you were over her and you just wanted to get revenge for Heaven's sake!" Sirius said using the muggle term he had heard during his muggle studies class.

"I was in denial, ok?" James answered. "Now she needs some help and I'll be there for her."

"Man, she might have not been able to realize it was you that brought her to the infirmary and I think she was too shocked to realize that, but as soon as she'll see you, she's just gonna kick you out of her life, that's sure," said Sirius.

"I think Padfoot has a point here," interrupted Remus.

"I know," answered James. "But I need to be here for her. I need to help her and make up all the bad moments I made her life through this year. I have to."

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On the morning after, Lily woke up in an infirmary bed not knowing what she was doing there. The potion she had taken had made her sleep all the day before and all night. She was quite disorientated and started to get out of the bed when she noticed a letter on the bed table close to her bed. Then she remembered. Her parents had been killed by Voldemort. Petunia surely was already aware of it all. She surely was already blaming her for it and Lily could not blame her for that. It was a natural reaction. It was magic that had killed her parents and she was the magical member of her family. Petunia had all the reasons to blame her. She was the reason why her parents were now dead. It was an awful thing to realize. She needed to talk to her sister right now. She needed to know what was planned for her parents' funerals she needed to take part in the arrangements as well. She asked the nurse if she was allowed to get out of the infirmary and when she was given the permission, she made her way to the headmaster's office, she needed to leave Hogwarts to help her sister.

As she arrived there, she realized she didn't know the password. She tried a couple of sweets names knowing the special taste Dumbledore had in them and sighed as she could not find the right one.

"Lemon drops," said someone behind her.

"Thanks," she said turning to the person that had helped her smiling. She quickly frowned when she realized it was James Potter.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I needed to talk to you and I went to the infirmary but you were already out so the nurse told me where I could find you." James explained.

"Look Potter, I don't know what you wanna tell me but it better be serious because I'm really not in the mood." said Lily.

"I know," started James. "Actually I wanted to apologize," he started. "For everything." He continued.

Lily looked at him with huge eyes. "You what?" she asked bewildered.

"I'm asking you your pardon about all that I did and said to you during this year." said a very honest James Potter.

"Oh I see," started Lily, "you read the letter and you pity me. Well let me tell you that I certainly do not need your pity." She snapped.

"No, I mean it. Come on Lily, you know how I feel about you. I'm so sorry about what's happening to you right now, I want to be here for you."

"Listen Potter, I don't know what kind of silly prank you're trying on me right now but it won't work, and let me tell you, you're disgusting to use such a moment to play one more sick prank of yours on me!" hissed Lily.

"But I'm not ..." started James before being interrupted by the headmaster.

"I believe Mister Potter is honest in his excuses," started Dumbledore. "He certainly was worried yesterday when he brought you to the infirmary".

"You did what?" asked Lily

"I'm the one who brought you to the infirmary and I stayed with you a little while." said James blushing a little.

Lily seemed to remember what had happened because she blushed as well. Then she looked at the headmaster. "Headmaster, I need to go to my sister to help her through the funerals arrangements and all." said Lily.

"I know Miss Evans," started the headmaster, he seemed a little confused and then continued in a very precautious way, "I've spoke to your sister and she told me that everything was arranged already, it seems your parents had left their will and that everything's arranged already. She told me to tell you that the funerals were to be held on the day after you'll be back from Hogwarts and that your help won't be needed." he said.

Lily seemed petrified at his words. She had understood what Petunia really meant even if Dumbledore had tried to make it sound as normal and gentle as possible. Her sister simply didn't want her to be around.

"I guess I'll go and pack then, and get ready for the Hogwarts Express," she said in a very little voice.

"I'll come and help," proposed James.

"Whatever." said a careless Lily.

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The ride back to King's Cross train station was uneventful. Lily had fond an empty compartment and she had stayed all alone for most of the trip. Some people had opened the door, happy to find some free places to sit but then, when they realized it was her, they either found stupid excuses to leave or have simply left the compartment without a word. That was fine with her; she really didn't need the pity.

She was wondering what was expecting her at the train station. Petunia was supposed to pick her up with her fiancé. The funerals were to be held the day after so she'll have to spend a whole night with them in the empty house. Of course, her family will be here, her father's brother and his wife and her cousin.

Then she started wondering about James' change of attitude towards her. It had been a total change in a couple of days. He seemed worried about her. She had accused him of pity but she wondered whether it was indeed pity or not something like unconditional love. During her fifth year she knew he had deep feelings for her. And she had started to feel attracted to him. That had made him over confident and that's why she had been so disappointed by him because of the 'Snape incident'. She knew she had deeply humiliated him that day. And she knew that was why he had been so harsh with her. She had though it was the end of a possible love story with him because he was so mean towards her. But now, did the death of her parents made him change his mind? Did he still love her? She then blushed realizing that she was thinking about a possible love story with James while her parents had just been murdered. She felt ashamed.

She decided to sleep for a little while. Maybe that would help her to sort her thoughts out. Her head had barely touched the leaver couch of the compartment when the door opened.

"Hi there Lily, I was looking for you," said James.

"I was trying to sleep," said Lily harshly.

"Oh I'm sorry, I'll leave you alone then," said James feeling hurt.

Lily was fighting inside of her between two options: either making him feel miserable or asking him to stay and talk with him.

"I'm sorry James, please stay," she said before he could shut the door.

He then sat across from her and looked at her not really knowing what to tell her.

"I'm sorry for yesterday," she started. "I really didn't realize you were the one guiding me to the infirmary."

"No problem." said James.

"And thank you for the support when we were in the infirmary. I did not remember that at the time. I guess the soothing potion was way too charged." She tried to joke.

That made James to smile.

"Can I ask you something?" she said.

"Sure." He answered happy that she was indeed both accepting him and talking to him.

"I don't know how to start," she admitted. "It's just; I don't understand what happened this year. You do realize how you made me feel right?" she asked.

He then looked at his feet as if they were the most interesting thing in the compartment, ashamed of his actions.

"I don't know what happened," he said, "The only thing I remember is the hurt I felt when you turned me down in front of the whole school."

"I'm sorry for that," she said, "but it's not like it was the first time, I mean you had asked me out a thousand times like that before and I've always turned you down!" she told him gently.

'But this time, I thought you would say yes." He said still not looking at her. "I mean, before I asked you out this last time, we were getting quite close and ... well I thought it was the right time to ask you out. I mean, to truthfully ask you out, with all my heart."

Lily leaned towards him and took his chin up for him to look at her.

"I'm truly sorry James, I thought it was one more time, I thought it was like a joke you know. I didn't know you were serious, besides you had me so angry at you because of what you were doing to Severus Snape."

"I know." He started, "But I miss your friendship you know." he said. Then he realized he might have said something bad when Lily came back straight to her side of the compartment.

"Well you sure had a wonderful way to show me you missed my friendship during the year." she snapped suddenly angry. "Now if you'll excuse me, I was going to take a nap." And then she lied on the couch.

James sighed and left her in the compartment.

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As soon as she arrived in the train station, Lily took her belongings with her and put them on a trolley. She was looking for her sister or that big guy that was going to become her brother in law. She saw the other students being greeted by their parents and that hurt her. She saw James being greeted by his parents too. He was lucky to still have them.

"Evans!" shouted a big man.

"Vernon, I'm glad you're here, but where is Petunia?" Lily asked confused. She really didn't feel like spending the hour it took from the train station to her parents' house alone with that man in a car.

"Petunia didn't want to see you so I'm here to give you her instruction. You are not to come ever again to your parents' house, Petunia sold it. She's moving with me as I have a real job, I could buy a house. We won't give you the address and even if you find it, we don't want you around! Understand? Now go away!"

"But the funerals! I need to know when the funerals are!" said Lily.

Vernon laughed at that.

"Stupid freaky girl! The funerals were yesterday!" he cruelly said.

Lily stayed there when he left her laughing. Once again she was unaware of the looks everyone was giving to her. Once again, everybody had seen what had happened to her; everybody was going to pity her again.

James and his parents had seen and heard everything that Vernon Dursley had told Lily. James quickly explained to them what was happening and he asked them if they could host Lily for a while. His parents quickly agreed and he made his way towards the girl he loved to tell her the good news.

Lily felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around to see James.

"Hey Lily, you can stay at my parents if you want." He told her.

"It's not pity that I need." she answered him.

"We can assure you it's not pity that we are offering," said Mrs Potter

Lily looked at her and finally agreed to go with them. It's not like she had any other choice actually ...

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To be continued???

Right I still don't know if this will be a one-shot or not. You tell me in your reviews if you want more!

Please read and review!