Prolouge
1962
"Quiet!" The harsh whisper came from the pitch black in front of the man and his wife.
"Do you have a home for her?" The woman trembled, her face covered by a shawl, her shaking arms clutching a small baby.
"Yes, everything has already been arranged."
The man placed an arm across his wife's shoulders and involuntarily stroked the baby's cheek for a moment before turning to the stranger still hidden from them. "Let her keep her name, at least." He begged hoarsely.
There was a paused as the stranger thought about it.
"Lilyth? Perhaps."
"You swear she will be safe?"
"You know the deal, women." The voice was harsh again, with an irritated edge. "Now, hand her to me, I must hurry."
The women held the baby out and all too quickly Lilyth was taken from her arms. She dissolved into tears and ran inside.
"No one else knows, not even the family?" The husband said desperately. "He will not find her?"
"The family will not know, not even Dumbledore will be told. I told you I work in complete secrecy."
"We will never see her again." His deep voice broke in the disappointment of realization.
"No, you will not. But she will be safe."
"As long as she is safe." The husband whispered, tears rolling down weather beaten cheeks as he watched the cloaked man turn away.
"Pro patria mori!" He whispered one last time for his beloved daughter, watching her disappear into the night.
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1972
Professor Trelawny stood on the revolving staircase. Absentmindedly she patted her hair, thinking of what she had seen in the orb that morning. Death, for the first time since beginning her job at Hogwarts, and she felt for sure it was important enough for the notice of the Headmaster, Professor Diggle.
"Good-morning, Sybill. You said you have new worthy of my notice." The benevolent headmaster said from behind his desk as she entered the office.
"Yes, indeed, news very important to every single member of the staff here at Hogwarts. I must stress the importance, the abnormality of such news. Oh, Professor, do not be too alarmed upon hearing it, though, indeed, extreme precaution and especially purveyance must be taken into account -"
"Professor! Do allay my alarm! What is this news you have?" The Headmaster sat forward, his hands gripping the desk; a worried looked on his face.
"The grim!" Professor Trelawnly squeaked.
The Headmaster sat back at once, his worry ebbing.
"And what exactly does that mean?"
"I saw it! In the orb!"
Those foggy things I could never make a head or a tail of? The Headmaster thought incredulously. He was saved from saying something slightly offensive to the profession of Divination with a knock at the door.
A tall, thin man, with a beard of brown with streaks of white entered and nodded good morning to his fellow Professors.
"Is something wrong, Albus?"
"Minerva and I were meeting with you, is that not correct?" Professor Dumbledore asked over half-moon glasses.
"Of course. One moment Sybill, I will be back after I fetch one of the house-elf.' Professor Diggle hurried past Dumbledore and out the door.
Dumbledore occupied himself by crossing to the window and watching the wind whip around the Hogwarts ground. Professor Trelawny watched him with some degree of suspicion, she trusted few. Her inner eye gave her insight to that which she'd rather not share.
"How are you enjoying Hogwarts?" Dumbledore said presently, turning to face Trelawny.
"Very well, thank-you. The students are very pleasant."
"I do not see you much in the Dining Hall or Staffroom?"
"Yes, I find the hustle and bustle clouds my inner mind." She replied slightly imperiously.
He nodded, his eyes twinkling, turning back to the window.
"Ten years before -"
Dumbledore turned, the twinkle now replaced with a very serious look. Trelawny had slumped into the chair, her face slack, her eyes rolling and her voice hoarse and unrecognisable.
"Professor?" Dumbledore asked quietly, though he had some idea of what was happening.
"A man and his wife gave up their child. The baby stood in the way of an evil greater then the one supposedly eradicated seventeen years before, simply because she was the reason the original evil had not been completely destroyed. Innocent will die again, but she will save the future. The husband, the wife and the messenger are the few that knew of the girl's importance. But they do not know that she will be the death and the rebirth of another evil to some. She comes to Hogwarts, she begins a passage through fate she cannot deny."
There was a moment of silence, in which Dumbledore's mind whirled with thought. Suddenly Trelawney straightened, she saw Dumbledore staring at her.
"Gracious? Did I nod off? My inner eye often responds badly to the stress. Do forgive me, Albus." She said her tone cheerful and innocent of her own prophecy.
"Indeed, there us nothing to forgive." Dumbledore said quietly, forcing himself to turn to the window, thoughts of all kind turning over and over in his mind.
There was a knock at the door and Professor McGonagall entered. She appeared only a little older then Trelawney, thought she could not have been more different in nature and appearance. Her hair in a tight bun, her posture straight, her chin up and her eyes fierce.
"I was told Diggle was fetching a house elf. Has he been long gone?"
"No, I shan't wait longer anyhow. My inner eye tells me he might be quite some time."
"Might be? Or will be?" McGonagall asked with a frown.
"Might. Probably will." Trelawney said snappishly. "Good-day, Professor Dumbledore, and mind you watch the wind, I think you are susceptible to colds this autumn."
McGonagall watched her leave with a harsh look on her face.
"Susceptible to colds? Who isn't this far north?" She muttered.
"Minerva, I did hear the strangest thing from Sybil. I must discuss it with you immediately." Dumbledore said suddenly, turning to face his fellow Professor.
"Indeed? We should discuss it over brunch in my office? I don't believe Diggle wanted us for long."
"Yes, that should do for now."
And they sat quietly to wait for the Headmaster, who appeared only a moment later.
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Chapter One - Fiery Red
Albus Dumbledore sat in his office sipping slowly on a cup of English Breakfast, thinking. Ten years ago . what had happened all those years ago? At some point, somewhere, in the dark of the night a young girl had been delivered into the arms of whom? He knew of the fifteen young girls who had started at Hogwarts only yesterday. He had watched them at the sorting and his mind had turned the options over and over again. Of the fifteen, he considered four to be a real possibility. Eleven of the girls came from firm magical backgrounds that he was able to check up on, but four did not. Two had gone to Slytherin, a Narcissa and a Morgan. He hoped deep inside, in the marrow of his bones, the girl in the prophecy was not from Slytherin, for that would complicate things.
One girl came from Ravenclaw, she was a timid little thing. Once again Dumbledore felt the frustration of having so little information for something so important.
With a sigh, he raised his wand to his temple. Closing his eyes he pulled the wand away and a silvery light came from it. He flicked the web like light into a large silver bowl in front of him and gave the strange content of the bowl a quick stir. Leaning forward, he looked down as an image appeared before him.
A young petite girl, with coppery red hair and deep brown eyes walked slowly to the sorting hat. Taking a seat, she slipped it over her head. A moment later it placed her in Gryffindor house.
Lily Evans, of Gryffindor house, eleven years old with one sister, was the fourth possibility.
Albus sat back and thought about Lily Evans. He had found out her parents had adopted her when she was only nine months. That she had no idea Mr and Mrs Evans were not her real parents, and that her real birth certificate simply did not exist. He remember he part of the prophecy that had chilled him most. '. simply because she was the reason the original evil had not been completely destroyed.' Sure enough, Dumbledore was finding another trip to Europe with his friend Mudungus Fletcher was more than likely. Grindelweld, or something, was stirring trouble in southern Germany, when he should have been dead.
How is it the girl, who hadn't even been born, had been the reason Grindelweld was not rotting in the dark depths of hell like he should have been?
Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall were the guardian angels Lily, Zanthia - the girl from Ravenclaw - and Morgan and Narcissa never realised existed. But slowly the esteemed Professors were aware of something that had made them look at Lily twice every time they passed her in the hall. Not only could they sincerely not find her birth parents, but she was a very extraordinary young girl. Top of her class in all subjects, excepting Transfiguration and Flying from her first year, she was hardworking, intelligent and shrewd. She was close friends with her fellow Gryffindor sixth years and with her petite frame and stunning hair, made something of a striking picture. She had lived a quiet existence as a child, in wizarding terms, and it wasn't until her sixth year that her world rocked out of the normality she had always known.
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Lily and her sister had always been aware of their father's weak heart. As children they had learnt to sit studiously and play very quietly around him, for fear of making a disturbance. They watched as their mother, Jane Evans pottered about the house following his every whim, they learnt to fear the sparking of his temper, the 'Evans' temper, as there was always his weak heart to consider.
When he asked for a glass of water, it paid to get it right away. The paper had always to be waiting for him at the kitchen table in the morning. Whenever Lily had brought up the reason for her fathers weak heart, her mother would say very sadly, 'It was the war, dear, your poor father could never get over the weeks he spent in Northern Africa and Italy.'
Strange, Lily thought, sitting in front of her mirror combing her hair, he had always been your father. However, theirs was not a normal family, but one in which the mother and through her, the whole household was dominated by the fathers weak heart. Jane Evans is a slave to my father, Lily thought, her whole life revolves around keeping him happy and that's they way it's been since he came back from the war.
She stared hard at herself in the mirror as always thinking, thinking. Thank goodness I have Hogwarts, or my father's weak heart might have consumed me like it did my mother, she thought last of all. Then with a heavy heart, she headed downstairs for her last breakfast of the summer holidays.
She entered the kitchen and took a seat at the small square table opposite her sister. 'Good morning mother, father, Petunia.'
He father sat to her right, his shock of red hair in messy tufts on his head, his horn rimmed glasses held together with masking tape, the family never had money to spare, especially as Lily had been sent to boarding school. On Lily's left, her mother gave her daughter a warm smile, looking every bit her fifty-four years. There was no doubting Lily was their favourite. She was the elder, the more intelligent, the more beautiful and the most distinguished at school. Like all other mornings of the summer, Petunia just nodded and inwardly seethed.
'Looking forward to school, dear?' Her mother said in her soft kind voice, pouring Lily a glass of apple juice.
'Yes, summer was relaxing, but I'm looking forward to this year.' She began buttering a piece of toast. 'Though, it'll be busy, of course.'
'Make sure you show those wizarding families what a muggle can come up with.' Her father grunted from behind the morning paper.
Lily looked over at her mother and they shared a smile. Lily knew she would miss Jane Evans, who was a constant source of comfort and wisdom and had adjusted to Lily's magical abilities wonderfully.
She finished her breakfast quietly, listening to the rustle as her father read the paper and the soft sighs as her mother sipped her cup of tea. She had no idea they were not her real parents and as she looked one last time around the table, she wondered where she really fit into this awkward, quiet family.
Judging by looks, she was very different. Her father and Petunia shared their thin blonde hair and above average height, though where Mr Evans was a large man, Petunia was very lean. Mrs Evans, a small woman, shared that skinniness, as well as Petunia's blue eyes. Lily on the other hand, had long coppery red hair and bright green eyes, with a bang on average height and was merely slim. When it came to personality, Lily only shared her mother's hardworking deportment and the 'Evans temper' with her father. Compared to Lily's passionate, fiery nature, Petunia appeared dull.
There was a ringing from the hallway, the telephone interrupting Lily's revere. Mrs Evans answered it.
'Hello, Jane Evans speaking.'
There was a pause, by now they rest of the family were listening, they rarely had phone calls during breakfast, if at all.
'Oh, I'm very sorry to hear that.'
Another pause.
'Of course, no, no, I understand perfectly.'
Lily glanced at her watch, and noting that it was time to catch the bus into Kings cross, started to clear her dishes away.
'She usually takes the bus, but I could -'
Her voiced muffled as the kitchen door swung closed. Lily was intrigued. She placed her plate in the dishwasher and went out into the hall to fetch her suitcase, just in time to hear the end of the conversation.
'We shouldn't be more then ten minutes, I'm so sorry to hear about this, I hope she can help.'
There was a pause as Jane listened to the reply, then after a polite goodbye, hung up.
Lily stood at the bottom of the stairs watching her mother, an expression of bafflement on her face.
'Are you packed, Lily? Good - I'm to take you to Kingscross myself, immediately. Just give me a moment, I'll tell your father.'
And she ducked into the kitchen before Lily could ask questions. She sighed and began dragging her suitcase outside were the age old Lada sat under the carport. The family rarely used the car, preferring to take buses or walk, with the intention of saving money for more important things.
Driving to the station, Lily considered waiting for her mother to tell her the reason for the strange circumstances. She had deduced that she was wanted early at Platform 9 ¾, usually the bus would have taken a good half hour and thought that maybe something had gone wrong. Her mother drove silently though, and after five minutes Lily had to ask -
'What's happened?'
Jane glanced over at her daughter, trying to hide the worry she felt.
'Nothing much, dear, just as small accident.'
'What kind of accident.'
There was a long pause.
'Lily, I don't take much to this strange magical world. I will support you whatever you do or are, but I had no idea of how amazing . and quite frankly worrying the wizard's world is. Unfortunately, you appear to be a very talented witch, we were so proud when you were made prefect.' She glanced over and smiled at Lily. 'So it appears you won't be living a quiet life as a muggle with a few hidden secrets.'
'Who's knows what could happen -'
Jane shook her head, cutting Lily off.
'I know Lily, what happens, happens, but my point is whatever does happen out there, you take care.'
'Of course, mother.' Lily said softly, chilled by what her mother was saying.
'There was some kind of attack, a wizard against two other wizards.'
What her mother had been saying suddenly made sense to Lily. Jane was worried about her daughter living in a whole other world in which wizards attacked each other. An attack? At Platform 9 ¾? Were there students involved?
Jane could see the turmoil on her daughters mind.
'That's all he told me, dear. Someone will meet you at the station entrance.' The car stopped.
'Lily.' Lily looked up at her mother, her expression almost of panic. 'Lily, calm down now. You must be responsible and mature but most of all careful.'
Lily nodded, the words slowly sinking in.
'Have a good year, Lily.' Jane said softly, reaching over to kiss her daughters cheek.
'You too, mother, see you next summer.'
She got out of the car and walked round to lift her suitcase out of the back. Someone had beaten her too it. A handsome young man with unruly black hair and dark brown eyes straightened up and looked at Lily.
'Hello, Lily, I was told to meet you.'
He cautiously placed a feather weight spell on the bag and handed it to her. 'Thank-you, James. Can you explain what exactly is going on?' She appeared calm, but her heart was beating quickly, unsure of what was ahead.
The two walked towards the wall between Platform 9 and 10 and on their way James quietly explained the situation.
The victims, a Mr Knaggy and Miss Upshaw, employees of the Ministry of Magical, had been called to check a last minute concern over Platform 9 ¾ and had arrived to find the brick wall, which one had to walk through to get to the magical platform, blocked. It was simple to unblock, but once they got through to the platform, they appear to have been met by a number of strange men dressed in dark hoods and black robes.
Cause of death, a mix of two of the death curses. Hearing this Lily's perfect complexion on her pretty pale face went slightly green.
'I know, I thought all that was over, especially after they caught the last murder in the act. However, I now know Dumbledore thought that to deal with this group of - of Death Eaters, as people are now calling them you have to get the root of the problem.'
'So, why do they want us here?'
'There's the Heady Boy and Girl, the four seventh year prefects and seven sixth year prefects they've asked to hurry here this morning. They want us to make sure there isn't a panic when people, students, get here.'
'Why should there be a -'
She was cut off as they simultaneously walked through the brick wall and onto Platform 9 ¾. Her mouth dropped open, about seventy people, all in sombre black or dark robes milled around peering at the ground, the walls or the ceilings. Some performs little spells in corners, some talked furiously and in the middle of it were a circle of twenty about wizards and witches, crowded in a circle, peering at the -
'Bodies? The bodies are still here?' Lily said furiously to James.
He looked at her, his face expressionless.
Lily saw Albus Dumbledore, Professor of Defence Against Dark Arts at Hogwarts to one side, standing amongst a group of other Hogwarts students, prefects and the Head Boy and Girl. They were watching the scene about them.
Walking up to the group, Lily smiled and said hello to those she knew and then stood next to Dumbledore.
'Excuse me, Professor, but why are the bodies still here?' She tried not to sound like she thought the scene about her was ridiculous, but his benign look indicated he saw through her tensely controlled tone.
'The will not take them away until the scene has been properly examined.'
Lily took a deep breath and gritted her teeth. She was furious, angrier then she'd ever been at Petunia.
'It's taken them eight hours to do that?'
She saw the rest of the students watching her queerly and noticed the teacher of transfiguration, Professor McGonagall appear at Dumbledore's side.
'Well, that's the way the Ministry does it, Lily.' James Potter said.
Lily was quiet for a moment, thinking about James' words. She hadn't missed the look on his face that said, I know, it's stupid, but there's nothing we can do. She turned back to Dumbledore, calm now, like she should have always been.
'What about when students start arriving.'
'That's why the prefects and Head Boy and Girl have been called in, to deal with the students.' Professor McGonagall answered curtly. It appeared the Professors also considered the scene about them impudent.
Lily sighed, a small frown now denting her forehead.
'They will turn up in droves, in about fifteen minutes and how do they -' she nodded sharply over to the group around the bodies. 'Think the students will react too, first of all, two murder victim's right in front of them, and second of all, a bunch of wizards and witches mucking about looking for stuff that that isn't there after eight hours?'
'We were just working out what we were going to do about it.' The Head Girl, a pretty and genuinely nice girl in Hufflepuff, said.
Lily looked around her, and her eyes rested on Dumbledore and McGonagall, looking for an answer.
'They won't do that yet, Lily, they've got another hour to go at least.' Dumbledore said quietly, reading her mind.
'We were going to get the students to get straight onto the train and have them stay there.' The Head Boy, an intelligent, though arrogant, boy from Ravenclaw said.
The rest of the group nodded.
'There'll be a lot of them at once.' Lily said doubtfully. 'Why don't you have someone at the brick wall, making sure only a couple go through every minute?' James and Professor McGonagall started nodding, but before anybody could say anything, a Slytherin seventh year spoke up.
'Silly idea, Evans.' Immediately Lily's jaw set, she hated that nickname. The Slytherin, Lucius Malfoy, continued. 'There'll be crowds of them out there, in front of muggles, which will look abnormal.'
'Ask them to disperse, make themselves scarce. That'd be less of a problem then one of them getting a sight of that.' She jerked her head towards the bodies.
'I think it would be worse if the muggles did something.' The Head Boy said. 'Look, a couple have already arrived. Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, could you make sure the parents and family don't come any further?' They nodded assent. 'Seventh year prefects, you can help them, and sixth years, make sure the students go straight onto the Express.' He and the Head Girl walked off to deal with the group of ten or so students staring in shock at the tumult about them. The Professors were a moment behind them, talking quietly together.
'Don't worry Lily, I agreed with your idea. Too many will come at once.' A quiet boy, a friend of Lily and James, with sandy hair and sombre grey eyes spoke now. 'Thanks, Remus.' Lily said quietly.
'You're both wrong. Who knows what muggles will do, they can be unpredictable.' The Slytherin prefect, Severus Snape, said smarmily.
'Since when did my idea turn into the questioning of muggle sensibilities?' Lily snapped, already in a sour mood and not prepared to stand any trouble from a Slytherin, and a greasy haired one at that.
'Everything comes down to the stupidity of muggles, my half-wit half-muggle friend.' He said with a seedy smile.
Lily whipped out her wand, ready to do serious damage, but Remus stepped in front of her.
'I think we'd better help the others, more and more students are arriving.' A Ravenclaw said shakily. He and two Hufflepuff prefects were wondering if they were going to witness an informal duel and none wanted to get in the way of a stray curse. They walked off with a glance or two behind them.
'You'd better go, Snape, but take note; I'd be careful what you say. It might come back and bite you in the arse.' James said perfectly coolly. It always annoyed Lily how well he could keep his temper.
Snape left with a sneer, noting that all three had their wands out and he wasn't going to risk provoking Lily's temper anymore, he was aware of the fact she knew some nasty charms. Without another word, the three Gryffindorians settled into their job of maintaining the peace.
1962
"Quiet!" The harsh whisper came from the pitch black in front of the man and his wife.
"Do you have a home for her?" The woman trembled, her face covered by a shawl, her shaking arms clutching a small baby.
"Yes, everything has already been arranged."
The man placed an arm across his wife's shoulders and involuntarily stroked the baby's cheek for a moment before turning to the stranger still hidden from them. "Let her keep her name, at least." He begged hoarsely.
There was a paused as the stranger thought about it.
"Lilyth? Perhaps."
"You swear she will be safe?"
"You know the deal, women." The voice was harsh again, with an irritated edge. "Now, hand her to me, I must hurry."
The women held the baby out and all too quickly Lilyth was taken from her arms. She dissolved into tears and ran inside.
"No one else knows, not even the family?" The husband said desperately. "He will not find her?"
"The family will not know, not even Dumbledore will be told. I told you I work in complete secrecy."
"We will never see her again." His deep voice broke in the disappointment of realization.
"No, you will not. But she will be safe."
"As long as she is safe." The husband whispered, tears rolling down weather beaten cheeks as he watched the cloaked man turn away.
"Pro patria mori!" He whispered one last time for his beloved daughter, watching her disappear into the night.
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1972
Professor Trelawny stood on the revolving staircase. Absentmindedly she patted her hair, thinking of what she had seen in the orb that morning. Death, for the first time since beginning her job at Hogwarts, and she felt for sure it was important enough for the notice of the Headmaster, Professor Diggle.
"Good-morning, Sybill. You said you have new worthy of my notice." The benevolent headmaster said from behind his desk as she entered the office.
"Yes, indeed, news very important to every single member of the staff here at Hogwarts. I must stress the importance, the abnormality of such news. Oh, Professor, do not be too alarmed upon hearing it, though, indeed, extreme precaution and especially purveyance must be taken into account -"
"Professor! Do allay my alarm! What is this news you have?" The Headmaster sat forward, his hands gripping the desk; a worried looked on his face.
"The grim!" Professor Trelawnly squeaked.
The Headmaster sat back at once, his worry ebbing.
"And what exactly does that mean?"
"I saw it! In the orb!"
Those foggy things I could never make a head or a tail of? The Headmaster thought incredulously. He was saved from saying something slightly offensive to the profession of Divination with a knock at the door.
A tall, thin man, with a beard of brown with streaks of white entered and nodded good morning to his fellow Professors.
"Is something wrong, Albus?"
"Minerva and I were meeting with you, is that not correct?" Professor Dumbledore asked over half-moon glasses.
"Of course. One moment Sybill, I will be back after I fetch one of the house-elf.' Professor Diggle hurried past Dumbledore and out the door.
Dumbledore occupied himself by crossing to the window and watching the wind whip around the Hogwarts ground. Professor Trelawny watched him with some degree of suspicion, she trusted few. Her inner eye gave her insight to that which she'd rather not share.
"How are you enjoying Hogwarts?" Dumbledore said presently, turning to face Trelawny.
"Very well, thank-you. The students are very pleasant."
"I do not see you much in the Dining Hall or Staffroom?"
"Yes, I find the hustle and bustle clouds my inner mind." She replied slightly imperiously.
He nodded, his eyes twinkling, turning back to the window.
"Ten years before -"
Dumbledore turned, the twinkle now replaced with a very serious look. Trelawny had slumped into the chair, her face slack, her eyes rolling and her voice hoarse and unrecognisable.
"Professor?" Dumbledore asked quietly, though he had some idea of what was happening.
"A man and his wife gave up their child. The baby stood in the way of an evil greater then the one supposedly eradicated seventeen years before, simply because she was the reason the original evil had not been completely destroyed. Innocent will die again, but she will save the future. The husband, the wife and the messenger are the few that knew of the girl's importance. But they do not know that she will be the death and the rebirth of another evil to some. She comes to Hogwarts, she begins a passage through fate she cannot deny."
There was a moment of silence, in which Dumbledore's mind whirled with thought. Suddenly Trelawney straightened, she saw Dumbledore staring at her.
"Gracious? Did I nod off? My inner eye often responds badly to the stress. Do forgive me, Albus." She said her tone cheerful and innocent of her own prophecy.
"Indeed, there us nothing to forgive." Dumbledore said quietly, forcing himself to turn to the window, thoughts of all kind turning over and over in his mind.
There was a knock at the door and Professor McGonagall entered. She appeared only a little older then Trelawney, thought she could not have been more different in nature and appearance. Her hair in a tight bun, her posture straight, her chin up and her eyes fierce.
"I was told Diggle was fetching a house elf. Has he been long gone?"
"No, I shan't wait longer anyhow. My inner eye tells me he might be quite some time."
"Might be? Or will be?" McGonagall asked with a frown.
"Might. Probably will." Trelawney said snappishly. "Good-day, Professor Dumbledore, and mind you watch the wind, I think you are susceptible to colds this autumn."
McGonagall watched her leave with a harsh look on her face.
"Susceptible to colds? Who isn't this far north?" She muttered.
"Minerva, I did hear the strangest thing from Sybil. I must discuss it with you immediately." Dumbledore said suddenly, turning to face his fellow Professor.
"Indeed? We should discuss it over brunch in my office? I don't believe Diggle wanted us for long."
"Yes, that should do for now."
And they sat quietly to wait for the Headmaster, who appeared only a moment later.
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Chapter One - Fiery Red
Albus Dumbledore sat in his office sipping slowly on a cup of English Breakfast, thinking. Ten years ago . what had happened all those years ago? At some point, somewhere, in the dark of the night a young girl had been delivered into the arms of whom? He knew of the fifteen young girls who had started at Hogwarts only yesterday. He had watched them at the sorting and his mind had turned the options over and over again. Of the fifteen, he considered four to be a real possibility. Eleven of the girls came from firm magical backgrounds that he was able to check up on, but four did not. Two had gone to Slytherin, a Narcissa and a Morgan. He hoped deep inside, in the marrow of his bones, the girl in the prophecy was not from Slytherin, for that would complicate things.
One girl came from Ravenclaw, she was a timid little thing. Once again Dumbledore felt the frustration of having so little information for something so important.
With a sigh, he raised his wand to his temple. Closing his eyes he pulled the wand away and a silvery light came from it. He flicked the web like light into a large silver bowl in front of him and gave the strange content of the bowl a quick stir. Leaning forward, he looked down as an image appeared before him.
A young petite girl, with coppery red hair and deep brown eyes walked slowly to the sorting hat. Taking a seat, she slipped it over her head. A moment later it placed her in Gryffindor house.
Lily Evans, of Gryffindor house, eleven years old with one sister, was the fourth possibility.
Albus sat back and thought about Lily Evans. He had found out her parents had adopted her when she was only nine months. That she had no idea Mr and Mrs Evans were not her real parents, and that her real birth certificate simply did not exist. He remember he part of the prophecy that had chilled him most. '. simply because she was the reason the original evil had not been completely destroyed.' Sure enough, Dumbledore was finding another trip to Europe with his friend Mudungus Fletcher was more than likely. Grindelweld, or something, was stirring trouble in southern Germany, when he should have been dead.
How is it the girl, who hadn't even been born, had been the reason Grindelweld was not rotting in the dark depths of hell like he should have been?
Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall were the guardian angels Lily, Zanthia - the girl from Ravenclaw - and Morgan and Narcissa never realised existed. But slowly the esteemed Professors were aware of something that had made them look at Lily twice every time they passed her in the hall. Not only could they sincerely not find her birth parents, but she was a very extraordinary young girl. Top of her class in all subjects, excepting Transfiguration and Flying from her first year, she was hardworking, intelligent and shrewd. She was close friends with her fellow Gryffindor sixth years and with her petite frame and stunning hair, made something of a striking picture. She had lived a quiet existence as a child, in wizarding terms, and it wasn't until her sixth year that her world rocked out of the normality she had always known.
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Lily and her sister had always been aware of their father's weak heart. As children they had learnt to sit studiously and play very quietly around him, for fear of making a disturbance. They watched as their mother, Jane Evans pottered about the house following his every whim, they learnt to fear the sparking of his temper, the 'Evans' temper, as there was always his weak heart to consider.
When he asked for a glass of water, it paid to get it right away. The paper had always to be waiting for him at the kitchen table in the morning. Whenever Lily had brought up the reason for her fathers weak heart, her mother would say very sadly, 'It was the war, dear, your poor father could never get over the weeks he spent in Northern Africa and Italy.'
Strange, Lily thought, sitting in front of her mirror combing her hair, he had always been your father. However, theirs was not a normal family, but one in which the mother and through her, the whole household was dominated by the fathers weak heart. Jane Evans is a slave to my father, Lily thought, her whole life revolves around keeping him happy and that's they way it's been since he came back from the war.
She stared hard at herself in the mirror as always thinking, thinking. Thank goodness I have Hogwarts, or my father's weak heart might have consumed me like it did my mother, she thought last of all. Then with a heavy heart, she headed downstairs for her last breakfast of the summer holidays.
She entered the kitchen and took a seat at the small square table opposite her sister. 'Good morning mother, father, Petunia.'
He father sat to her right, his shock of red hair in messy tufts on his head, his horn rimmed glasses held together with masking tape, the family never had money to spare, especially as Lily had been sent to boarding school. On Lily's left, her mother gave her daughter a warm smile, looking every bit her fifty-four years. There was no doubting Lily was their favourite. She was the elder, the more intelligent, the more beautiful and the most distinguished at school. Like all other mornings of the summer, Petunia just nodded and inwardly seethed.
'Looking forward to school, dear?' Her mother said in her soft kind voice, pouring Lily a glass of apple juice.
'Yes, summer was relaxing, but I'm looking forward to this year.' She began buttering a piece of toast. 'Though, it'll be busy, of course.'
'Make sure you show those wizarding families what a muggle can come up with.' Her father grunted from behind the morning paper.
Lily looked over at her mother and they shared a smile. Lily knew she would miss Jane Evans, who was a constant source of comfort and wisdom and had adjusted to Lily's magical abilities wonderfully.
She finished her breakfast quietly, listening to the rustle as her father read the paper and the soft sighs as her mother sipped her cup of tea. She had no idea they were not her real parents and as she looked one last time around the table, she wondered where she really fit into this awkward, quiet family.
Judging by looks, she was very different. Her father and Petunia shared their thin blonde hair and above average height, though where Mr Evans was a large man, Petunia was very lean. Mrs Evans, a small woman, shared that skinniness, as well as Petunia's blue eyes. Lily on the other hand, had long coppery red hair and bright green eyes, with a bang on average height and was merely slim. When it came to personality, Lily only shared her mother's hardworking deportment and the 'Evans temper' with her father. Compared to Lily's passionate, fiery nature, Petunia appeared dull.
There was a ringing from the hallway, the telephone interrupting Lily's revere. Mrs Evans answered it.
'Hello, Jane Evans speaking.'
There was a pause, by now they rest of the family were listening, they rarely had phone calls during breakfast, if at all.
'Oh, I'm very sorry to hear that.'
Another pause.
'Of course, no, no, I understand perfectly.'
Lily glanced at her watch, and noting that it was time to catch the bus into Kings cross, started to clear her dishes away.
'She usually takes the bus, but I could -'
Her voiced muffled as the kitchen door swung closed. Lily was intrigued. She placed her plate in the dishwasher and went out into the hall to fetch her suitcase, just in time to hear the end of the conversation.
'We shouldn't be more then ten minutes, I'm so sorry to hear about this, I hope she can help.'
There was a pause as Jane listened to the reply, then after a polite goodbye, hung up.
Lily stood at the bottom of the stairs watching her mother, an expression of bafflement on her face.
'Are you packed, Lily? Good - I'm to take you to Kingscross myself, immediately. Just give me a moment, I'll tell your father.'
And she ducked into the kitchen before Lily could ask questions. She sighed and began dragging her suitcase outside were the age old Lada sat under the carport. The family rarely used the car, preferring to take buses or walk, with the intention of saving money for more important things.
Driving to the station, Lily considered waiting for her mother to tell her the reason for the strange circumstances. She had deduced that she was wanted early at Platform 9 ¾, usually the bus would have taken a good half hour and thought that maybe something had gone wrong. Her mother drove silently though, and after five minutes Lily had to ask -
'What's happened?'
Jane glanced over at her daughter, trying to hide the worry she felt.
'Nothing much, dear, just as small accident.'
'What kind of accident.'
There was a long pause.
'Lily, I don't take much to this strange magical world. I will support you whatever you do or are, but I had no idea of how amazing . and quite frankly worrying the wizard's world is. Unfortunately, you appear to be a very talented witch, we were so proud when you were made prefect.' She glanced over and smiled at Lily. 'So it appears you won't be living a quiet life as a muggle with a few hidden secrets.'
'Who's knows what could happen -'
Jane shook her head, cutting Lily off.
'I know Lily, what happens, happens, but my point is whatever does happen out there, you take care.'
'Of course, mother.' Lily said softly, chilled by what her mother was saying.
'There was some kind of attack, a wizard against two other wizards.'
What her mother had been saying suddenly made sense to Lily. Jane was worried about her daughter living in a whole other world in which wizards attacked each other. An attack? At Platform 9 ¾? Were there students involved?
Jane could see the turmoil on her daughters mind.
'That's all he told me, dear. Someone will meet you at the station entrance.' The car stopped.
'Lily.' Lily looked up at her mother, her expression almost of panic. 'Lily, calm down now. You must be responsible and mature but most of all careful.'
Lily nodded, the words slowly sinking in.
'Have a good year, Lily.' Jane said softly, reaching over to kiss her daughters cheek.
'You too, mother, see you next summer.'
She got out of the car and walked round to lift her suitcase out of the back. Someone had beaten her too it. A handsome young man with unruly black hair and dark brown eyes straightened up and looked at Lily.
'Hello, Lily, I was told to meet you.'
He cautiously placed a feather weight spell on the bag and handed it to her. 'Thank-you, James. Can you explain what exactly is going on?' She appeared calm, but her heart was beating quickly, unsure of what was ahead.
The two walked towards the wall between Platform 9 and 10 and on their way James quietly explained the situation.
The victims, a Mr Knaggy and Miss Upshaw, employees of the Ministry of Magical, had been called to check a last minute concern over Platform 9 ¾ and had arrived to find the brick wall, which one had to walk through to get to the magical platform, blocked. It was simple to unblock, but once they got through to the platform, they appear to have been met by a number of strange men dressed in dark hoods and black robes.
Cause of death, a mix of two of the death curses. Hearing this Lily's perfect complexion on her pretty pale face went slightly green.
'I know, I thought all that was over, especially after they caught the last murder in the act. However, I now know Dumbledore thought that to deal with this group of - of Death Eaters, as people are now calling them you have to get the root of the problem.'
'So, why do they want us here?'
'There's the Heady Boy and Girl, the four seventh year prefects and seven sixth year prefects they've asked to hurry here this morning. They want us to make sure there isn't a panic when people, students, get here.'
'Why should there be a -'
She was cut off as they simultaneously walked through the brick wall and onto Platform 9 ¾. Her mouth dropped open, about seventy people, all in sombre black or dark robes milled around peering at the ground, the walls or the ceilings. Some performs little spells in corners, some talked furiously and in the middle of it were a circle of twenty about wizards and witches, crowded in a circle, peering at the -
'Bodies? The bodies are still here?' Lily said furiously to James.
He looked at her, his face expressionless.
Lily saw Albus Dumbledore, Professor of Defence Against Dark Arts at Hogwarts to one side, standing amongst a group of other Hogwarts students, prefects and the Head Boy and Girl. They were watching the scene about them.
Walking up to the group, Lily smiled and said hello to those she knew and then stood next to Dumbledore.
'Excuse me, Professor, but why are the bodies still here?' She tried not to sound like she thought the scene about her was ridiculous, but his benign look indicated he saw through her tensely controlled tone.
'The will not take them away until the scene has been properly examined.'
Lily took a deep breath and gritted her teeth. She was furious, angrier then she'd ever been at Petunia.
'It's taken them eight hours to do that?'
She saw the rest of the students watching her queerly and noticed the teacher of transfiguration, Professor McGonagall appear at Dumbledore's side.
'Well, that's the way the Ministry does it, Lily.' James Potter said.
Lily was quiet for a moment, thinking about James' words. She hadn't missed the look on his face that said, I know, it's stupid, but there's nothing we can do. She turned back to Dumbledore, calm now, like she should have always been.
'What about when students start arriving.'
'That's why the prefects and Head Boy and Girl have been called in, to deal with the students.' Professor McGonagall answered curtly. It appeared the Professors also considered the scene about them impudent.
Lily sighed, a small frown now denting her forehead.
'They will turn up in droves, in about fifteen minutes and how do they -' she nodded sharply over to the group around the bodies. 'Think the students will react too, first of all, two murder victim's right in front of them, and second of all, a bunch of wizards and witches mucking about looking for stuff that that isn't there after eight hours?'
'We were just working out what we were going to do about it.' The Head Girl, a pretty and genuinely nice girl in Hufflepuff, said.
Lily looked around her, and her eyes rested on Dumbledore and McGonagall, looking for an answer.
'They won't do that yet, Lily, they've got another hour to go at least.' Dumbledore said quietly, reading her mind.
'We were going to get the students to get straight onto the train and have them stay there.' The Head Boy, an intelligent, though arrogant, boy from Ravenclaw said.
The rest of the group nodded.
'There'll be a lot of them at once.' Lily said doubtfully. 'Why don't you have someone at the brick wall, making sure only a couple go through every minute?' James and Professor McGonagall started nodding, but before anybody could say anything, a Slytherin seventh year spoke up.
'Silly idea, Evans.' Immediately Lily's jaw set, she hated that nickname. The Slytherin, Lucius Malfoy, continued. 'There'll be crowds of them out there, in front of muggles, which will look abnormal.'
'Ask them to disperse, make themselves scarce. That'd be less of a problem then one of them getting a sight of that.' She jerked her head towards the bodies.
'I think it would be worse if the muggles did something.' The Head Boy said. 'Look, a couple have already arrived. Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, could you make sure the parents and family don't come any further?' They nodded assent. 'Seventh year prefects, you can help them, and sixth years, make sure the students go straight onto the Express.' He and the Head Girl walked off to deal with the group of ten or so students staring in shock at the tumult about them. The Professors were a moment behind them, talking quietly together.
'Don't worry Lily, I agreed with your idea. Too many will come at once.' A quiet boy, a friend of Lily and James, with sandy hair and sombre grey eyes spoke now. 'Thanks, Remus.' Lily said quietly.
'You're both wrong. Who knows what muggles will do, they can be unpredictable.' The Slytherin prefect, Severus Snape, said smarmily.
'Since when did my idea turn into the questioning of muggle sensibilities?' Lily snapped, already in a sour mood and not prepared to stand any trouble from a Slytherin, and a greasy haired one at that.
'Everything comes down to the stupidity of muggles, my half-wit half-muggle friend.' He said with a seedy smile.
Lily whipped out her wand, ready to do serious damage, but Remus stepped in front of her.
'I think we'd better help the others, more and more students are arriving.' A Ravenclaw said shakily. He and two Hufflepuff prefects were wondering if they were going to witness an informal duel and none wanted to get in the way of a stray curse. They walked off with a glance or two behind them.
'You'd better go, Snape, but take note; I'd be careful what you say. It might come back and bite you in the arse.' James said perfectly coolly. It always annoyed Lily how well he could keep his temper.
Snape left with a sneer, noting that all three had their wands out and he wasn't going to risk provoking Lily's temper anymore, he was aware of the fact she knew some nasty charms. Without another word, the three Gryffindorians settled into their job of maintaining the peace.