The Last Enemy
Lily Evans could feel her blood boiling, she could tell her face was turning red, but she was too angry to stop yelling at James Potter. "You're as bad as Severus is, messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just gotten off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can – I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK."
She turned on her heel and hurried away.
"Evans!" James shouted after her, "Hey EVANS!"
But she didn't look back. She stormed up to the castle fighting tears the entire way, flew up the steps marble steps in the entrance way outside the Great Hall, and down the corridors to the Gryffindor common room.
"Mandragora" she mumbled to the portrait of the fat lady who swung open to let her through the hole into the common room. There were very few people inside; most of the Gryffindors were outside enjoying the weather. The handful sitting around the common room were all fifth years, frantically studying for their Transfiguration O.W.L. the next day.
Ignoring the calls of "Hey Lily!" from her fellow fifth years, she took the spiral steps two at a time up to her dormitory. As she had hoped, it was blissfully uninhabited. She yanked the red velvet curtains of the four poster bed close around her, threw herself down on the pillows and let the flood of tears release.
It had been a bad day; a horrible day in fact. There was the stress of the O.W.L.'s, but it wasn't just that, she felt like she had finally and irrevocably lost her best friend. In all actuality she had, after today things would never be the same between her and Severus.
And then there was James. Good looking, popular, stuck up, conceited, arrogant toerag James Potter. He had been asking her out all year. She couldn't understand what so many of the other girls saw in him. All James cared about was himself.
She rolled over onto her side, hot tears trickling down her cheek. Closing her eyes, she tried to shut out her day. Finally she drifted off to sleep.
It was almost a year later before that opinion of James Potter changed. It was late one night and Lily sat alone in the common room, finishing up her Transfiguration homework. The only sounds were the crackling of the fire, and the scratching of her quill against the parchment. When the portrait hole swung open, she looked up to see James clamber in. His robes were mud splattered, and his jet black hair was even more unruly than usual.
"Great," she thought to herself, "All hail the mighty Quidditch king." She braced herself for the usual snobbery.
"Evans," he said, nodding in her direction.
"Hello Potter," she replied, and then added looking back down at her Transfiguration notes, "Sirius was looking for you. Something about dungbombs, a filibuster firework and that suite of armor on the fifth floor."
Normally, the revelation that his best friend was looking for him would have sent James sprinting back out the portrait hole in search of a wild adventure.
"I'll find him later," he said slumping down at a table, "I have to finish Sluggy's Potions essay."
Despite of herself, Lily looked up in surprise, James Potter blowing off his friends to do homework? He had already hauled out his copy of Advanced Potion Making and dropped it onto the table with a loud thump.
Lily rolled her eyes and got back to work. It was difficult though, with James loudly flipping the pages of his textbook, and every so often giving a loud sigh.
Fifteen minutes later, she threw down her quill and looked up, thoroughly annoyed.
"How am I supposed to get any work done with you making all that noise?" she challenged him. She happened to notice that his parchment was completely blank.
"Oh, I'm sorry," he said with mock innocence, "was I bothering you?"
Lily glared at him than gathered up her books and parchment. She slid her chair back and started marching towards the stairs to the girls dormitories.
"Aw, common Evans," he yelled after her, "I wasn't trying to bother you. I just don't get this potions stuff. Maybe if you came over here and helped me, I wouldn't have to be so loud."
Lily whirled around, a retort all ready on her lips, but something stopped her from yelling it out. Maybe it was the earnest look on her face. Or the feeling that was starting to come over her whenever she saw him; a feeling that was far from hate.
"Well, alright," she said somewhat grudgingly. Walking over to the table where he sat, she pushed her dark, red hair behind her ear, sat down and pulled his copy of Advanced Potion Making towards her and started skimming over the page.
"It's Golpalott's laws," he said pointing at a particular passage. "I just don't get why they're relevant."
"They explain the different quantities of the components in a potion, and how they react together to get the desired effect. Which is especially important when making antidotes like where it says here…"
Her explanation trailed off as she looked up at James. He wasn't looking at the book. He was staring at her with a deep intensity in his eyes. She could feel a deep flush creep up her neck; with difficulty she ripped her eyes from the depths of his and looked back at the book, heart pounding in her chest.
"Um, like I was saying, if you look at the third law," she hurriedly continued.
By the time she had finished explaining, and James had finished his essay, it was very late. They gathered up their books and each went to their designated staircase.
"Thanks a lot, Lily," James said, pausing with one foot on the bottom stair.
She smiled at him, "You're welcome James." And they both headed up their staircases to bed.
The polite interchange of words carried them through the rest of their sixth year. Lily started spending more time with James and his friends. Though, she usually steered clear of any dungbomb incidents.
It was September the first, the first day of his last year at Hogwarts. James arrived early at platform nine and three-quarters, well before most of the other students arrived. His new head boy badge gleamed on the front of his robes, and for once he had gotten his black hair somewhat under control. After stowing his luggage, he headed up to the front of the train where he would meet with the head girl and then give the new prefects instructions.
His letter informing him that he would be head boy at Hogwarts also gave him the name of his fellow head girl. It was because of this reason that James nervously smoothed down his hair and quickly checked his reflection in the glass door of the neighboring compartment. He took a deep breath and pulled open the door to the prefect's compartment.
Lily Evans was already in there also wearing her robes and badge. She was huddled up on the far side of the compartment, staring out the window.
"Lily?" James said uncertainly. She looked up at him, her face swollen, and her eyes red. She had been crying. "Lily, what's wrong?" James asked gently, sitting next to her.
She sighed and looked back out the window.
"My sister's getting married," she said to him. "But she told me not to bother showing up. She doesn't want a freak at her wedding." She bit her lip, and turned to look back out the window, a single tear rolled down her cheek.
James scooted closer and slid his arm around her shoulders. For a second she tensed up, and he thought she was going to pull away from him. But instead she sighed and laid her head on her shoulder.
"I thought that maybe I could fit into both worlds," she said, "but the harder I try, the more I realize I don't belong in that world."
"This world wouldn't be half as beautiful without you in it Lily," said James with complete sincerity.
The train whistle was blowing, and the sounds of the students boarding was steadily getting louder. James and Lily sat alone in the compartment together, his arm still around her shoulder.
James took a deep breath, it was a question he had been asking for years, but somehow, this time, he was incredibly nervous.
"Lily?" he asked, "Will you be my girl?" She pulled out from under his arm so she could see him and looked deep into his eyes.
"Yes James," she replied, a hint of a smile creeping across her face, "I will be your girl."
He pulled her hand into his, and wrapped his fingers around hers in a protective sort of way.
"Common," he said, pulling her to her feet and planting a soft kiss on her forehead, "Let's go hunt down the midgets." Laughing, she followed him from the compartment.
The year continued on, and Lily and James' relationship grew. However, outside of Hogwarts, a threat was rising, and a shadow began to creep over the young lovers. People were missing, people were dying, and the Wizarding community lived in fear. And there were whispers, whispers that spoke of you know who.
"Sirius?" Lily came up to him one day looking concerned, "Have you seen James anywhere?"
Sirius looked up from his lunch at her worried face, "No, I haven't seen him since breakfast. I thought that he was with you."
"We were supposed to meet in the common room but he never showed up." It was a Saturday, and James and Lily had the day off from their head boy and head girl duties.
"If you give me a minute to finish this," Sirius said indicated his half eaten plate, "we can go check the map."
Lily sank onto the bench across from him, nervously twisting her hands in her lap till he finished eating, dropped his napkin on his plate and said, "Let's go."
Together they climbed the marble stairs in the entrance hall, and wound through the passages to the Gryffindor Common room. When they reached it and had climbed through the portrait hole, Sirius sprinted up the stairs to his dormitory. A few minutes later he came back down the stairs holding a piece of parchment. They huddled together in a corner, making sure they were out of view of anyone else in the room.
Sirius then pulled out his wand, set the tip on the parchment and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Suddenly, black lines began to spread across the parchment, weaving and intertwining into a perfect map of the school. Together they peered over the map.
After a few minutes, Lily said, "I don't see him anywhere, do you?"
"No," said Sirius, still intently gazing at the map he and his friends had so carefully crafted. "He's not on here," he said conclusively, looking up.
There was a minute of silence and then suddenly, "I know where he is," said Lily jumping up from her chair.
Without another word she dashed to the doorway and climbed out. For a second, Sirius considered following her. He watched the dot labeled, "Lily" hurtle through the corridors, then placed his wand tip on the map again, "mischief managed," he said.
Fortunately no one was around as Lily flew out the oak front doors and down the stone steps. It was still midday and students were allowed on the grounds, but she didn't want to broadcast where she was going. She ran past the greenhouses and down the grassy slope in front of the castle to a large, lone, Willow tree. Upon reaching it, she stopped just shy of the range of the branches. She quickly searched the ground and found a sturdy, long stick. With it she reached through the branches and poked a knot on the trunk of the tree.The branches of the tree stopped swaying ominously and froze completely still.
Heart thumping in her chest, Lily slipped between the immobile branches towards a gap in the tree roots. She crawled through the space, scraping her shoulder on a tree root as she went, and then slithered down a dirt covered incline which opened up into a squat tunnel. She couldn't stand up all the way; the top of the tunnel was too low. Holding a stitch in her side that was quickly forming, Lily ran bent over down the dark passageway.
After what seemed like forever, the passage turned upwards and she entered a room filled with broken and ripped furniture. Lily had never been in the small shack on the outskirts of Hogsmeade alone before, but James had taken her there once before.
Now Lily pulled out her wand and whispered, "lumos!" With the light of her wand, she examined the thin layer of dust on the floor. There were a set of footprints that led to a corner of the room. But there was no sign of James.
Slowly, she followed the footprints to the edge of the room, and then stretched out her fingers in front of her. Her fingertips touched something silky that felt almost like water. Grasping it, she pulled and James' head appeared as his invisibility cloak fell to the ground.
He had a piece of parchment clenched in his hand, and as she squatted down next to him, he wordlessly handed it to her. Holding her wand to the page so she could see she read;
Dear Mr. Potter,
We regret to inform you that on the 21st of March your parents were found dead inside their residence. The dark mark was seen over the house. Their death is believed to be the work of Death Eaters unknown. Please rest assured that the Ministry of Magic is doing everything in its power to investigate this tragedy.
Contents of the will of the deceased will be divulged at a later opportunity upon further examination.
Hoping you are well,
Cassandra Edra
Department of Magical Law Enforcement
Ministry of Magic
Lily gasped as she finished reading the letter. She had met Mr. and Mrs. Potter; it would be hard to find nicer people. She couldn't believe that they were gone. She found herself fighting back tears. James wasn't crying, but his face was hard and set, he seemed to be beyond tears.
"They won't get away with this," he said, his voice low and dangerous sounding, "Voldemort can't keep killing people and getting away with it. I swear that I'll do everything I can to stop him."
Lily didn't say anything. She didn't know what to say. But she reached out and hugged him. Through her hug she tried to say that she was sorry, that she cared deeply about him, and that she loved him. James must have understood because he pulled her tight and together they sat holding each other in the dark shack.
Almost two weeks went by. James sometimes fell into periods of silence, but there was a new determination about him. He worked harder in every class period that he ever had before, and in spare moments, he was seen brandishing his wand and practicing all the spells that he knew. He was going to be ready.
On that particular morning, Lily and James were eating breakfast with Sirius, Remus, and Peter. Hundreds of owls had just streamed into the great hall bringing the post. There were even more letters than usual. Worried families were checking on their children and vise versa. The usual cheerful, loud great hall had started becoming tense and more silent. A large, tawny owl circled over the five-some sitting at the table, and dropped a letter on James' plate. He ripped it open, pulled out the parchment and read over it quickly.
Suddenly, his eyes grew very wide and he choked on the piece of toast he had just taken a bite of. Sirius reached over and thumped him hard on the back.
"What's up mate?" He asked.
"It's from the ministry," answered James, looking astounded "They've released the contents of my parent's will. They left everything to me; over 10,000 galleons!"
At these words a bit of egg white fell out of Peter's mouth. "10,000 galleons?" he squeaked disbelievingly.
"Yeah, that's what it says. I mean, I knew that they had some gold saved up in Gringotts, but I never knew that it was this much," James said, still staring at the parchment with disbelief.
"It's a good thing," said Sirius bitterly, "Your parents never rubbed all their money in everyone else's face like mine did."
"Hey," he continued on slyly, "Does this mean that you can buy me a motorcycle now?" James punched him in the arm.
It was a beautiful day near the end of the term. The N.E.W.T.S were upon the seventh years, and they could all be found in the common room, or the library, frantically studying. A week before the tests commenced, James and Lily took a well needed break and walked down to the lake, hand in hand. They flopped down on the shore of the, and let the warm breeze carry away some of the stress of studying.
They were silent for a while, but after several minutes James spoke up, "Lily, what do you want to do once we graduate from Hogwarts?"
Lily, surprised by the question, sat up and looked at him. "You know that I want to work in Muggle-Wizard relations. And I thought that if you got all your N.E.W.T.S you wanted to start studying to be an Auror."
"I thought that I did," James replied, "But I've been thinking, Auror training takes three years, and I've heard that many times they'll send you to who knows where for months at a time. Voldemort is powerful right now; he's killing people right now. Why would I want to spend three more years in school when I could start fighting him right now? If no one stops him, he could destroy our whole world."
"Besides" he continued, "I don't think that I could stand leaving the people that I love." At these words he took her hand in his.
As he said it, Lily could feel her heart pounding, breathing suddenly became harder. She had never fully appreciated just how intoxicating his dark eyes were before.
"Lily," he said, tightly holding her hand in his own, "Lily, I love you. I can't go a minute without thinking about you. I want to be with you always. Lily Evans, will you marry me?"
She started nodding before he had even finished talking. A tear ran down her cheek, but at the same time she was laughing. "I love you so much James. Yes, I will marry you."
And then she was kissing him, and the beauty and fire made both of them melt into each other. He tangled his hands up in her dark red hair, and they shared a kiss that they hoped would never end.
They made it through their N.E.W.T.S. and except for finding out the results; they were essentially done with their Hogwarts education. Sirius, Remus, Peter, James and Lily were celebrating their accomplishment in the Gryffindor common room. Energy was high, as everyone else was enjoying the end of term festivities.
Sirius and James had somehow procured several bottles of butterbeer and the five friends were drinking and enjoying each other's company. After a while James looked around the common room to make sure that they were not being overheard, and then leaned in towards the other four.
"I've thought a long time about what I want to do after leaving Hogwarts. For the longest time I've wanted to be an Auror, but I don't want to wait to fight Voldemort and the death eaters, I'm ready to fight now. I've started hearing things, and I found out that Dumbledore founded a secret society several years ago dedicating to standing up against Voldemort. As soon as I get out of here, I'm joining."
"I'm joining too," said Lily grabbing onto James' hand and looking at him, "someone needs to stop the discrimination against the half bloods and the Muggle-borns."
"Well, someone needs to be around to get you two out of trouble and save your butts, I'm joining too," said Sirius, slapping James on the back.
Remus looked serious, "You guys have always been there for me, now it's my time to stand with you. I'm in as well."
Everyone turned to look at Peter who looked perfectly terrified at the thought of fighting Voldemort. "If you guys are all going to join, count me in as well," he added in his trademark squeaky voice.
James put his hand in the center of the table that they were sitting around. "Voldemort or us," he said.
"Here, here" chorused Sirius placing his hand on James'. Lily put her hand on Sirius' and Remus and Peter quickly followed suite.
"You guys are my family," said James seriously, "I'm with you all, together forever."
As they had said, as soon as Hogwarts let out for the summer, James, Lily, Sirius, Lupin and Peter all joined Dumbledore's secret society dedicated to fighting the rise of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. They were known as the Order of the Phoenix. In addition to the five young Hogwarts members there was Dumbledore, his brother Aberforth, and famous Auror Mad-Eye Moody. Plus Moody, there were two other Aurors, a married couple, Frank and Alice Longbottom. They had been at Hogwarts the same time as James and his gang, only four years ahead of them. Then there was Marlene McKinnon, Benjy Fenwick, Edgar Bones, a greatly respected wizard and member of the Wizengamot, Rubeus Hagrid, the gamekeeper at Hogwarts, Elphias Doge, who always wore a ridiculous looking hat, and Gideon Prewett and his brother Fabian.
The Order of the Pheonix held weekly meeting to discuss what they knew concerning he whereabouts and plans of Voldemort and the Death Eaters, and what they could do to stop it. It was at one of these such meetings that it was announced that two known Death Eaters had been caught and sent to Azkaban Prison. The atmosphere of the Order was merry and cheerful that night. Hagrid brought drinks and they were passed around. Sirius dug an old wizard camera out of somewhere to take a group picture. Lily and James stood on each side of Peter. Sirius set the camera, and ran to join the group. They all smiled and lifted their drinks, proud of each other and the fight they were fighting.
The cheerful spirit did not last though. Only two weeks later, Marlene Mckinnon was killed. They found her and her entire family dead in their homes. A month after that Caradoc Dearborn disappeared. They kept looking, but were unable to find any sign of him. The Order kept up hope, but in their hearts they feared the worst.
In late August, Lily and James were married. It was a small, simple ceremony. Since James' parents had been killed, and Lily's had gone abroad to America, it was just a celebration with their close friends.
James' breath caught in his throat as she walked towards him. She was wearing a simple, floaty, white dress and her deep red hair was curled in cascades that fell down her back. James started bouncing on his heels when he saw her, a combination of nerves and anticipation.
"Steady there mate," murmured Sirius, who was standing at his side as his best man. "She's not going to say no now."
James threw him a look and Sirius sent back one of his dashing smiles in return. Lily was almost to him now. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she reached him and he took both of her hands in his, a huge grin splitting his face. Underneath an arbor of gold and white flowers, James Potter and Lily Evans declared their everlasting love for each other.
"Than I declare you bonded for life," said the Officiant. He raised his wand over their heads and silver sparks shot out spiraling around the two lovers who were locked in a deep kiss. There were loud cat calls from Sirius and Remus, as they finally broke apart and walked back down the aisle together, both beaming. The sun shone on their happy day, and the impending shadow could not touch it.
After their wedding, James and Lily settled into a small house in the village of Godric's Hallow. It was a mixed Wizard – Muggle community. The newly wed Potter couple continued their work for the order. There were some close calls. Twice, the couple narrowly escaped disaster at the hands of the Death Eaters.
A little over a year later, the couple got a surprise; they were going to have a baby. When Lily told James the news, he swept her off her feet and twirled her around their kitchen. After becoming thoroughly breathless, he set her back down.
"What do you think it's going to be?" he said, a huge smile, lighting up his face, "Maybe a little girl who is just as beautiful as her mother."
Lily smiled back at him, "I wouldn't mind a boy, as handsome and brave as his Daddy."
"Whatever it is, we are going to have one beautiful baby," said James.
"Yes, yes we are," agreed Lily.
It was a hot July day and it was finally time. It had been a rough day on both Lily and James. Finally, after several long hours, the healer handed Lily a small bundle wrapped in a blue blanket.
"Congratulations," the healer said, "It's a boy."
The new parents gazed down at the tiny baby. He wasn't crying, and his eyes were wide open. He had a shock of black hair that stuck straight up, and bright green eyes.
"He looks just like you, James" whispered Lily.
"But he has your eyes," murmured James back, "Your beautiful eyes."
"What is his name?" Asked Lily.
James thought for a minute. Then said, "What do you think about Harry?"
They both looked down at their son. "Harry" whispered Lily. "Harry James," she continued, smiling up at her husband.
"Welcome to the world Harry Potter."
It was only two weeks later and there was a terrible summer storm. Lily had been spending most of her time at home with the new baby. That night there was an emergency notice from the Order of the Pheonix, and James had left. The wind was howling and screeching, and the branches of the trees were batting at their small house. Lily was pacing nervously across their living room, while Harry slept checking the clock every minute.
Finally, she heard the door open and slam shut again. She ran to the front room and flung herself at James. She could tell immediately that something was wrong.
"What is it?" She asked worriedly.
"It's Frank and Alice," he answered wearily.
"Oh no!" she gasped, "Are they…?"
"No, they're not dead. It was the Cruciatus Curse. They're both in really bad shape. Neither one remembers who they are. They've taken them to St. Mungo's, but they're not expected to ever recover."
Lily covered her face in her hands. When she brought them down there were tears in her bright green eyes. "What about their baby? What's going to happen to Neville.?" Alice had just had a baby herself, only a week before Harry was born.
"The Longbottom's have a lot of relatives, Frank's mom is going to take care of Neville." Both of them turned to look at the basket where their own tiny baby lay sleeping.
"Oh James," she said, the tears now flowing from her eyes. He held her tightly in his arms and gently rubbed her back.
"I know," he said heavily, "I know."
A year went by and little Harry Potter began to grow up. Every day he looked more and more like his father. But his eyes continued to sparkle bright green, just like his mother's. He started walking, and ridding around on the toy broom stick that his godfather had sent him.
It was a wet and windy night that Halloween. Lily had made a wonderful meal, reminiscent of the Halloween feast at Hogwarts. She had then changed Harry into a pair of blue pajamas, and sent him in to the sitting room to say good night to his father.
When he hadn't come back after several minutes, she went to investigate. James was blowing colored smoke rings from his wand, and a maniacally giggling Harry was chasing them around the sitting room trying to catch them in his little hands.
"James," said Lily reprovingly entering the room, "It's past Harry's bedtime." James threw down his wand on the couch, and threw her an innocent look. He picked up their son, carefully kissed him on the forehead and handed him to Lily.
She was halfway up the stairs when James heard the front door burst open. He ran down the hallway, heart thumping, no one should have known where they were. There in the middle of the hall was a cloaked black figure, with red eyes shining out from underneath the hood. When he saw who it was he immediately started yelling.
"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off." He had forgotten his wand and he knew it. James saw the him raise his wand in front of those red eyes, saw the lips form the words. There was nothing James could do.
"I love you Lily," whispered James. There was a flash of green and then he was no more.
When Lily heard James shout her feet remained panted on the middle step, she froze, not knowing what to do. But instinct took over; she clutched Harry to herself and ran up the stairs two at a time.
She caught the sight of the flash of green light from downstairs and she started screaming. "JAMES!! NOOO!!" She felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest. Then she heard footsteps coming up the stairs, getting closer and closer. Clutching Harry tighter to her chest, she flung the door closed and started shoving boxes and a chair in front of it to try and stop him. She was trapped.
The door bust open and he easily flung aside the objects she had placed in front of it. She stared at him for a moment, at his red eyes, and two slits for a nose. Then she quickly turned and placed Harry in the crib behind her, stood between them and flung out her arms wide, doing the only thing she knew to protect her son.
"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" She said hysterically.
"Stand aside you silly girl…stand aside now," he replied in a cold, cruel voice.
"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead."
"This is my last warning," his bitter voice was getting impatient.
"Not Harry! Please…have mercy…have mercy…Not Harry! Not Harry! Please – I'll do anything" she screamed, getting more and more desperate. The love of her life lay dead downstairs. This monster would not take her son too.
"Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!" He was getting tired of this. Lord Voldemort raised his wand, and green light flashed all over the room. Lily's last thought was of James, and then she too fell into nothingness.
Voldemort stepped over her body to the crib. The young boy was standing up peering at him through bright green eyes. Carefully, he pointed the wand at the child's face. He was excited, this was it, "Avada Kedavra!" he said.
16 Years Later
Harry Potter stood on his parent's grave. He looked down at the stone and the words engraved upon it.
JAMES POTTER LILY POTTER
BORN 27 MARCH 1960 BORN 30 JANUARY 1960
DIED 31 OCTOBER 1981 DIED 31 OCTOBER 1981
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death
Lily and James Potter did not know that their only son stood so near to them. But for one second, for one fleeting instant, they were a family once again.