Tisonus Charm's and a Friendly Visit

Lily wandered through the house wand in hand, tidying everything up with a flick of her wand. A knock on the door interrupted her cleaning, Lily froze panic filling her, was it him? She ran to the bedroom, where Harry was sleeping and locked the door, wand aloft, listening desperately.

"Lily? Are you home?" A familiar woman's voice called. Lily relaxed, it was only Elizabeth, she was far too on edge lately.

"In here!" She called. She was being ridiculous, the Fidelus Charm would hold, it had never failed, and no one came in without the Secret Keepers say so.

"Lily, how are you?" James' sister said as she entered the bedroom. She was smiling widely but signs of strain were clear on her young face.

"Oh I'm alright, I've been a little bit worried, especially for Harry, did you get those books for me?"

"I did, and I know why you want them. Your studying ways to keep Harry alive if he, if he comes." Elizabeth gave Lily a measuring look that made her seem much older than nineteen.

"I might have found something for you." She opened one of the two books under her arm and gave it too Lily. Lily stared at the page's title, she knew the spell, and it was legendary, very old and very much illegal. The Tisonus Charm. Lily looked up at Elizabeth.

"The Tisonus Charm? Do you know how dangerous that is? Besides, it cannot be cast on a parent, you know that." Elizabeth nodded.

"I do, what I also know is that a blood connection increases the Charms chance of working, to about eighty per cent. James is worried Lily. I can read my brother as easy as you read a book. He doesn't say anything but he worries that he might not come home one day. Or what he might come home to".

Lily felt tears slide down her cheek. "Things haven't been the same since we left Hogwarts… Some things have been better" Lily looked down at her sleeping son and smiled. He was the image of perfection. Her smile faded as she thought of the threat that would surround him "but much is worse".

Elizabeth put her hand on Lily's shoulder. "Perhaps if we are lucky, things will turn out alright and everything will be okay…but be prepared for the worst. Lily, I am healthy and young, no one is hunting me as He is hunting you. You and James, you're my only family, you, James and Harry. I'll take the chance for him Lily. I'll do the Tisonus charm."

Lily shook her head she didn't want too do it to Elizabeth, she was too good and kind. But then she looked at Harry, what if she did die? What if both she and James died? Sirius, Elizabeth, Remus and Peter were in as much danger as they were. If she and James died, Peter would already be gone, likely Sirius and Remus as well. She sighed Elizabeth was the only choice for the charm. Harry might survive with a guardian.

"For Harry, I will cast the charm on you Elizabeth. I don't want too, but I- I, I have a bad feeling that James and I will die. I have made other plans, so that Harry, so that Harry will survive."

Elizabeth nodded, "I wouldn't do it for any other child Lily, and I doubt I will have my own." Lily looked up into Elizabeth's eyes and saw a world of pain inside of them, but then it was gone. So suddenly that Lily couldn't be sure it had ever been there at all.

Lily looked down at the book again. "We need to hold hands, and then I say,

Per eaque Terna tibi. Per me LEGO eaque vos. Ad te Harry Potter æternam tenetur. Accipere aut cogi Potter tu suscipe Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth looked down at the page and replied "Ego".

Lily took a deep breath "Numquid faciem eius accipitis et terminis conditionibus convenit, ulterius vident details documentation?"

"Ego, Accipio condicionem atque habitu". Lily looked down at the page and read aloud the words that would bind Elizabeth to Harry forever. "Fit autem et potestas et officium uestri".

Elizabeth fell too the floor as if pushed over by a much stronger person. Lily looked down at her and felt tears rise to the surface, it hadn't worked, Elizabeth was dying. As Lily watched Elizabeth struggled with the power then she went limp. Lily watched her fearfully, but within seconds Elizabeth's eyes flicked open and she began picking herself up.

"Well, I can see why thats illegal." She said weakly and Lily started laughing in relief, Elizabeth was alive and she was Harry's protector. Elizabeth couldnt help laughing along with her and soon the two of them had woken Harry up with their antics.

0000

A week later, Sirius watched James and Remus poring over maps, determined too find a Death Eater hideout. They were close; they knew there was a unit in the London Underground and that left only to figure out which part.

"YES!" Yelled Remus suddenly. Sirius knew he had found the hideout – or had he? Remus was the only logical person to be the spy; perhaps he was leading them into a trap.

"What is it Remus?" He asked his old friend guardedly.

Remus looked embarrassed "Oh, I uh, I think I found the hideout of Fenir Greyback…" He trailed off but James nodded at him, they all knew why Remus would want to find the hideout of Greyback.

"Hey! Sirius! You home?" Came a yell at his front door. He grinned in spite of himself she was the most annoying person on earth but in spite of that she never failed to make him smile. It could only be Elizabeth

"What do you want?" He yelled back to her, avoiding the odd look James was giving him and not even glancing at Remus, he could imagine the knowing look there.

Elizabeth walked into the room, grinning, "I made some butterscotch pudding-"

Sirius cut her off with a yell of delight "YESSSSSSSSSS" His yell was closely followed by James and Remus' "Score for Gryffindor!" Elizabeth laughed.

"Don't worry, I made plenty." Sirius couldn't help but give her a grin. Appreciative but not of her looks, he reminded himself. None of them ever came right out and said the words aloud but they all knew. Sirius and Elizabeth were a couple but they kept it neatly out of James' sight.

Elizabeth put the dish she had been carrying on the table, which James and Remus promptly attacked, Sirius smiled remembering happier days, in the Potter's living room.

Elizabeth fluttered her eyelashes at Sirius, "I slaved over a hot stove and your not even going to eat it?" Sirius realised he'd been staring at her.

"What? Of course I'm going to eat it but I cant get around THESE FRECKS!" James and Remus turned around and grinned at Sirius who pushed his way to the dish. There were already three spoons there; although how they had gotten from the kitchen he didn't know.

A loud thud made them all suddenly silent. Adrenaline pumped through Sirius, his wand in his hand. The four of them moved close together, backs protected by each other, facing in all different directions.

Other thuds echoed through the house, someone else was here. "Oh cousin Sirius!" came a chilling female voice.

Bellatrix, the damned things had found his hideout. A Fidelus Charm would be needed for his next hideaway – if he made it away from Bellatrix and whatever friends she had brought.

Bellatrix walked into the room holding her wand in front of her and grinning triumphantly, she was flanked by four other Death Eaters. Sirius didn't recognise them but it didn't matter, they all had wands and they all wanted to kill him.

A jet of red light shot forward from Elizabeth's wand hitting one of the Death Eaters Square in the chest, the idiot hadn't expected it and fell instantly. Bellatrix snarled at Elizabeth and screamed "You little bitch! CRUCIO!"

Sirius barely had time too see Elizabeth duck before the other Death Eaters joined in the fight. He was accosted by two Death Eaters at once and barely had time to slam up a shield charm before a third came to attack him.

It was a stupid move by that third Death Eater because it left Remus too attack from behind, the Death Eaters hadn't come prepared for all four of them. Remus sent a violet jet of light at one of them and the Death Eater crumpled, bleeding heavily.

Sirius barely registered that the Death Eater was halfway to dead, as he shoot a curse at one of the Death Eaters fighting him. "Protego!" he yelled blocking an hex. He sent a stunner at the Death Eater, Remus was now fighting the other Death Eater. Suddenly James was at his side.

"Go, Bellatrix is yours." Sirius got up and turned then saw Bellatrix duelling Elizabeth, his heart contracted painfully as panic flooded him. Sirius shot his deranged cousin with a stunning spell, which she easily deflected.

"Oh Cousin Sirius! How good to finally see you again. But you never were one for family, you pathetic Gryffindor!"

She sent a killing curse his way but he ducked. Jets of light flew back and forth. Each deflecting or ducking.

Finally Sirius saw an opening, he jumped up and kicked Bellatrix's arm, her wand flew out of her hand and clattered on the ground.

Sirius held his wand steady, trained on Bellatrix. He would finally get to rid the world of this piece of filth, but then he saw that one of the Death Eaters had Elizabeth, he didn't hesitate, he turned around "STUPEFY!" The Death Eater fell to the ground and Elizabeth scrambled to her feet, Sirius turned back around to fight Bellatrix, but she was gone.

All that was left too show she had ever been there were the bodies of three dead Death Eaters and an unconscious fourth. Elizabeth looked at him,

"You didn't need to give her up, I would have managed." Sirius stared at a dead Death Eater's mask.

"But I didn't know that did I?" He sat down heavily. "What should we do with the bodies?" He looked up at Remus and James. James was frowning in concentration and Remus was looking between Elizabeth and himself that damned knowing look plastered on his face.

"We should leave them and go. You can't come back here Sirius; it's not safe." Remus said seriously.

"You could stay with me if you like, after all it would only be returning the favour." Elizabeth said nodding agreement at Remus.

"Yeah, yeah that'd be great. Do you have anything with sugar at your place, I think -"

He was cut off my James' sudden exclamation.

"That explains everything! The pair of you are in love with each other!"

Remus grinned "True story".

Sirius looked at Elizabeth in shock. They didn't know? They'd been guessing?

"You're kidding right?" Sirius asked disbelieving.

"Sure, sure. You guys are always together and always look happy to see each other but quickly fake that you're annoyed. I get it; you didn't want me to know you can come in the open now. I'm cool with it."

Remus cleared his throat and gave James a look.

"What?"

Remus exhaled loudly "Sirius and Elizabeth aren't a couple, they're in love, but neither of them knew that the other was as well…"

James choked on a laugh. Took a deep breath to regain his composure and said

"I should go back and see Lily, you want to come over for dinner Remus?"

Remus nodded.

"I haven't seen Lily and Harry for nearly a week now. Lets go." The two of them apparated with a loud crack.

"We should get going. In case she comes back." Sirius nodded and Elizabeth gave him a concerned look.

"You alright?"

"I'm fine, I'll be fine. Let's get to your place." Sirius said staring at the dying Death Eater in his supposedly safe living room.

He felt her grip his arm, and she apparated them back to her house. After a moment of feeling like he was being pushed through a tube Sirius was standing in Elizabeth's warm parlour.

"That was close!" He said exhaling deeply.

"What was more frightening the idea of Bellatrix Lestrange and several Death Eater's attacking your home or the idea of James finding out about us?"

"Easily James finding out. He will kill me."

"Why? He said he was okay with it." Elizabeth asked frowning.

"Because I dated you while you were an untried sixth year and I was out of school, that's why."

"Oh."

0000

Lily lay on the couch, her head resting in James' lap. She wished that things could stay, as they were, that nothing would come to upset their little family. Lily smiled faintly remembering a time when she would have vomited at the thought of sitting with James like this, in their house, married to him.

James looked down at her with a small smile.

"What are you thinking about?"

Lily laughed, "I was thinking about how much I used to despise you, isn't it ironic?"

James smiled at her "Well I am very persuasive."

"Don't flatter yourself James, if I hadn't liked you it wouldn't have gone further than wishful thinking on your part".

James smirked "Yet somehow I won you over, from hatred to true love who would have guessed? - other than me. "

Lily rolled her eyes at him. James' smirk just grew.

"I would say if I hadn't listed how very much I love you, nothing would have happened."

Lily blushed. Every time James said 'I love you' she felt the same rush of excitement she had felt when she was a seventh year trying to ignore the fact that she was falling for him.

James grinned at her imprudently. "I've still got it."

Lily blushed again.

"You do."

James leaned down to kiss her, when a sudden knock on the door startled them.

Lily jumped to her feet holding her wand aloft. James mirrored her.

The door opened to admit Sirius and Elizabeth, holding hands.

James grinned, "I wondered where you two had been, it's been nearly three weeks! Now who's right?"

Elizabeth poked her tongue out at her brother.

"Remus."

James returned the gesture.

"No, I was right."

Sirius rolled his eyes at James.

"James you are never right, unless Lily is concerned."

Lily felt herself blush.

"So you two are a couple now?"

"No, we just felt like walking down the street holding hands, strictly as friends." Sirius said sarcastically.

Elizabeth laughed and Lily noticed that she looked better than she had seen her in a long time. Apparently the charm didn't affect her at all. The thought elated Lily.

Maybe they were all going to be okay.

James gave Sirius a stern look.

"You treat my little sister good, or I will bash your brains out. Deal?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"He has been treating me just how I want him too James. Let it lie."

"And I've been doing it for longer than you can imagine." Sirius added.

James went bright red.

"That's enough of that thanks, you're still my sister, regardless of what the pair of you do together. And don't you dare elaborate on what you do."

Sirius and Elizabeth exchanged and amused looks.

"We do plenty of stuff, but lets gloss that over shall we?"

Sirius said with an evil sort of laugh.

"If you two are going to be like that you might as well go back to Elizabeth's place and save James his peace of mind." Lily told them, laughingly.

"And why would we want to do that?" Demanded Elizabeth, who reached up and kissed Sirius. The pair locked their fingers in each other's hair, Sirius lifting Elizabeth entirely off her feet.

James turned away so he didn't have to watch and Lily finally turned around as well, embarrassed at the pair's enthusiasm.

"Shall we go upstairs?" James asked Lily.

"Lets." James held out his hand and Lily took it, leaving behind a stupidly grinning Sirius and Elizabeth laughing evilly.

Lily turned around when she and James reached the stairs; Sirius and Elizabeth weren't watching them anymore they were staring into each other's faces. It reminded Lily of her and James, if that was so they would be very happy.

If slightly evil minded.

Upstairs James flopped onto their bed.

"Well at least I know she's with someone decent."

Lily smiled "at least".

His lips quirked upwards slightly.

"You know I think they've been together longer then they've been letting on. They seem so right together." James said smiling happily.

"I've had suspicions about the pair of them for years now." Lily agreed.

"They kind of remind me of you and me. When we were first a couple." James said thoughtfully.

Lily shook her head.

"No, Sirius isn't nearly as romantic as you. Or, in my opinion, as handsome, sweet and I seriously doubt he is as good a kisser". Lily moved up to James' side as she said this.

"Stop trying to make me less irritated. It won't work, I'm too bloody disturbed".

"Give it up James, I can make you feel or do, whatever I want."

James grinned at her "I suppose you can, but I don't think I'm in the mood."

Lily kissed him playfully.

"Shame." She teasingly moved away.

James grabbed her arm.

"I think I might have changed my mind."

Lily grinned, "I thought you might."

0000

A month passed in uneventful happiness, the only person who didn't seem to share the group's general feeling was Peter who had been growing frequently more depressed.

"Peter cheer up, we're all still alive and we probably will be tomorrow." Remus attempted to cheer him up.

Sirius grinned at Elizabeth, "I know what would make him happier, a date with your friend – Emily."

Elizabeth laughed.

"Emily would be delighted, you for it Wormy?"

Peter shook his head.

"No, its not anything like that, I just, I can't help but feel something is going to go wrong."

Elizabeth felt herself frown.

"What could go wrong? Nothing I can think of, unless you know something?"

Elizabeth knew that Sirius and James both trusted Peter, but someone was the spy and she really doubted it was Remus.

"No, nothing. I just – it's probably nothing."

James shook his head at his friend.

"You always were paranoid Wormtail. We'll be okay and I for one think you should take the date with Emily, who's with me?"

Remus and Sirius piped up with their agreement to the date and in the end Peter caved. But Elizabeth still felt like something was off, what if Peter was the spy? That would leave the house open to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

But watching Peter with the rest of them, she shook of her doubts. It couldn't be Peter, it couldn't be any of them, and there was too much love between them all.

000

A week later Lily sat with Elizabeth talking quietly in her living room.

"How long have you been a couple?" Lily asked her sister-in-law curiously.

"The truth?" Elizabeth asked looking a little but embarrassed.

"Of course." Lily said in surprise.

"Three years." Elizabeth half mumbled not looking at Lily.

"Three years!" Lily exclaimed jumping out of her seat.

"Why didn't you tell us!"

Elizabeth smiled.

"We were scared of what James would say. I was a sixth year at the time."

Lily shook her head in amazement.

"Sirius Black, the man we imagined the greatest, undefeated player ever born has been in a steady relationship for three years."

Elizabeth's smile grew.

"I have a fair amount of talent but even I'll admit it – Sirius took work!" Elizabeth laughed. "We probably meant to tell you all earlier but – the Death Eaters made secrets untold, secrets safe. And well we enjoyed not telling you to a certain extent, it made some things absolutely hilarious. You must have thought we were insane."

"We didn't think you were insane." Lily disagreed.

"You didn't?" Elizabeth asked eyebrows raised.

"We knew you were insane."

Lily frowned something occurring too her.

"I knew you loved Sirius – that was how I explained the melancholy mood you've been in of late. If you're with Sirius that doesn't make sense. Why have you been sad Lizzie?"

Elizabeth sighed looking upset.

"It's nothing particularly important, just something a healer at St. Mungo's told me and I'm fairly sure is right."

Lily nodded, urging Elizabeth on.

"I think I'm barren is all. I mean its not that important – or I'd never thought about it until I was told – but it seems – unfair. I should at least get the choice."

Lily got up and wrapped her arms around Elizabeth.

"I'm sorry Lizzie."

"I guess it doesn't matter that much. It would have been nice thought. To raise a few kids with Sirius, it was sort of the aim in a hazy way. Survive until Voldemort's fall, marry Sirius and have kids. But its not that important."

But Lily knew it was important. It was something she had worried about herself for a while and that was without an expert's opinion.

"It's fine to be upset about it Elizabeth." Lily said, trying too comfort her. But Elizabeth didn't want sympathy.

"I'd better go back home. Sirius you know."

Lily nodded and walked Elizabeth out into the hall.

"Dinner next Thursday?" She asked her.

"Of course!" Said Elizabeth with her usual smile and if they weren't living in the middle of a war and Lily didn't know better she wouldn't have guessed there was anything wrong at all.

000