Alright, so I haven't actually finished the last fanfiction I started writing but this one just couldn't wait and I really wanted to start it. It is somewhat similar to the one I'm already in the process of writing in the way that it's been five years since Lily has last seen James but the actual plot is much, much different so bear with me. So here it is and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. This is the first chapter even though it's more of a prologue than an actual chapter. I know I'm mean to only put up this one part but I'll try and get the next part up as soon as I can. I just couldn't wait to get this one up. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognize from any of J.K. Rowling's work.

To Remember the Past

An Old Friend

"Damn…"

Lily Evans dropped to her knees to gather up the papers she'd just managed to scatter across her entire living room floor. Wondering for what seemed like the millionth time why God had granted her the "clumsy gene", she crawled around snatching up the student forms, one-by-one.

With the new school year just around the corner, Lily's days were becoming more and more hectic. With a countless number of lessons to plan and an infinite amount of supplies to buy, the time she had to focus on anything else was dwindling by the minute.

Which was why the dull thump on her door was a very unwelcome sound indeed. Disgruntled by the interruption and in no mood to socialize, Lily decided to ignore whoever it was. Maybe they would think she wasn't home. She continued to gather the papers, skillfully disregarding the pounding her door was receiving. It was only after an oh-so-familiar voice came drifting through the wood that she gave any notice to the visitor.

"Lily? Open up, I know you're in there!"

"That sounds like…"

She slowly stood up and padded across the soft carpet to her door. She cracked it open and peeked out only to find a very welcome but unsuspected guest standing in her doorway.

"SIRIUS!"

Lily flung the door open and immediately engulfed her old friend in a bear hug, flinging her arms around his neck. Sirius returned the embrace but with a little less enthusiasm than she had expected. She stepped back to examine his face with slight concern.

"What's the matter?" she asked. "Just because I haven't seen you in a year doesn't change the fact that I know you better than most people…"

Sirius smiled slightly and tweaked her nose.

"Well, that's certainly true," he said quietly. "Now…are you going to invite me in or are we going to wait out here for Dumbledore to get here?"

"What?" asked Lily, taken aback by this news. "Dumbledore's coming? Why? Yes, yes, come in."

"By the way," said Sirius as he stepped inside and hung his cloak on the coat rack, "the next time you want someone to believe you aren't home…you could at least turn the television down and dim the lights…."

"Shut up, why is Dumbledore coming?" Lily asked impatiently.

"So what do you have to drink around here? I must say, I'm quite parched—"

"Sirius!"

"What?" he asked innocently, turning to face her.

"Sirius, what's going on?" Lily asked tiredly. "Why is Dumbledore coming to my house and what are you hiding from me?"

Sirius simply stared at her for a moment, his eyes giving away only the slightest trace of pain. After a moment, he sighed and gestured for her to follow him into the living room. She did so obediently and sat down on the couch opposite him.

"Lily, you aren't going to believe what I'm about to tell you," he said bluntly and Lily's sense of unease increased dramatically. "And I'm not sure I know how to go about telling you so you'll have to bear with me here."

"Sirius, what are you—?"

"I'm not going to do you the indecency of beginning this conversation by asking 'Do you remember what happened at the end of seventh year?' because of course you remember," Sirius cut her off. "And of course you remember that you were the only that returned from that dungeon…."

"Sirius—"

"We knew, of course, what had happened to Jenna and Thomas because we found their bodies, but James—"

"Sirius, stop it!" Lily cut in, tears stinging her eyes. She stood up and walked around the couch, turning her back on him so he wouldn't see the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Lily, you have to understand—"

"I understand what happened five years ago, Sirius, I was there!" Lily said angrily, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

"I need to know exactly what happened after you got out of the dungeon," Sirius said softly. "Please, Lily, it's important."

"I've already t-told you what happened," Lily stuttered. "Don't ask me to do it again."

"Lily, please, you don't understand—"

"Stop saying that!" Lily snapped, whipping back around to face him. He, too, had stood up and was regarding her with pleading eyes. "What in God's name could I possibly 'not understand'?"

Sirius's nerve seemed to falter.

"It's…it's complicated."

"How is it complicated?"

"That's a ridiculous question, Lily. If it's hard to explain just because it is complicated, how easy do you think it would be to explain how it's complicated?"

"I don't know, you tell me!" Lily demanded angrily. "You know much more about it than I do, apparently. Is it really complicated? Or do you just not want to tell me?"

Sirius didn't answer for a moment and the silence hung between them like an invisible curtain, one neither of them could penetrate. Lily stood, waiting impatiently for his answer, her eyes boring into his. After a moment he looked away and resignedly sank back down onto the couch, putting his head in his hands. This worried Lily more than anything else that night had. She had rarely ever seen Sirius deteriorate like this.

"Sirius—"

"Sit down, Lily," he said quietly to the floor.

Lily's stomach tightened and she gripped the back of the couch so hard her knuckles were white.

"Sirius, you're scaring me," she said, her voice shaking. "What's going—?"

"Sit down," Sirius said more forcefully this time. He looked up at her, his expression hard and unreadable. "You don't want to be standing up for this."

A frightened Lily only stared at him for a moment before skirting back around the edges of the couch and sinking down onto it, her eyes never leaving Sirius's. He sighed wearily and ran a hand anxiously through his hair, unwillingly reminding Lily of James.

"Dumbledore will be here any minute and it's important that I get this out before he arrives so I suggest you don't interrupt me. Believe me; it's for your own sake, not mine."

He paused as if waiting for confirmation that she would heed what he'd said. Lily nodded to show she understood and Sirius continued.

"This isn't easy for me, Lily, but I wanted to be the one to tell you before it got out some other way. I wanted you to hear it from a friend, someone you trust. And I'm sorry for worrying you like this. From the look on your face I can tell you're positive that I'm about to tell you something dreadful, but actually…actually, the news is quite the opposite even if it is shocking to the point of disbelief."

He paused for a brief moment to take a deep breath; Lily found she couldn't keep her mouth shut for any longer.

"I know I promised I wouldn't interrupt, but Sirius just…please, what is it?" she asked desperately.

Sirius raised his dark eyes from the carpeted floor to meet her frantic gaze evenly.

"James is alive."