A/n: Hello again :) I know this was originally going to be a one-shot, but I had this follow-up chapter in my head and it wouldn't go away! I can now leave this as a two-shot if you want, or I can continue to update this - let me know what you think! Reviews always appreciated :) Enjoy!


Chapter 2 – The Funeral

The date was 7th November. Exactly a week after it had happened. She was still in shock, still couldn't make herself accept the truth – that Frank and Alice Longbottom, a pair of the greatest Aurors she knew, were dead, along with their son. It was just impossible. How could two brave, courageous and smart Aurors be killed just like that? Surely their son at least would have survived?

But she knew how. For Lily Potter was not stupid. She knew that he had killed them, and she knew that it could very easily been her family that could have received the Longbottom's fate.

She was relieved, so intensely grateful that she and her family were still alive. But this just made her feel even worse. It made her disgusted that she could feel glad that they were alive. For she wished that they could be dead, and for the Longbottom's lives to be spared, so she wouldn't have to feel this pain that was so surreal to her.

James doesn't understand. He would never fully understand her pain. Of course he was in pain too, but he had managed (albeit only half-successfully) to block out the pain, to numb it for a while. So he couldn't fully grasp why she was so upset, while she still fell asleep with hot tears trickling down her face.

It was with these thoughts that Lily lay, wide awake in bed, waiting for morning to dawn.


When morning finally graced Godric's Hollow with it's presence, it was a reluctant and gloomy one.

"Great. Just what I need." Lily muttered to herself as the spilt coffee on her pyjama top turned into a dark murky stain, due to her distracting herself by looking out the window.

Taking off the now ruined top and covering herself with her dressing gown, Lily sat down at the table, buttered herself some toast, and reached for the newspaper. Good, the Prophet hasn't reported anything yet. Lily didn't think she could cope with the whole Wizarding World knowing – not just yet anyway. That would make it official, it would mean that she couldn't just pretend it was just a bad nightmare any longer.

The thuds coming from upstairs told her James was awake. Quickly replacing the Prophet back on the chair and switching on the washing machine so that her top would at least attempt to make itself presentable once more, Lily tried to make it appear that nothing was out of place and that everything was normal. Recently James was seeming to loose patience with her tears. He never showed it, but Lily could tell. He would mysteriously grow quiet when the tears came, mysteriously vanish for a few hours before returning with a vacant look and a meaningless shrug as a reply for her words of concern.

It could definitely be said that Lily was worried about it, but it was an odd sort of worry. Curiosity would probably deemed more appropriate. She wondered where he went and what he did, but she never panicked, as she knew that he loved her, and always would, and that he probably just needed some alone time – a break from it all.


When 2 o'clock chimed itself present, the Potters were all set to go. Lily had arranged for Bathilda to come and look after Harry for a couple of hours while they attended the funeral, and she had everything that she needed.

"James are you ready, love?" She called up the stairs.

"Yes, just a minute hold on!"

"Alright, Bathilda's coming in 5 minutes, so hurry up!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming." James grumbled, coming down the stairs. Lily grinned. He was wearing her favourite black suit, and he had attempted to flatten his hair. It was shocking how reminiscent he looked of his 17-year-old self: untidy black hair and a casual grin, complete with circular black glasses that framed his face – gorgeous.

Trying not to stare at James with a stupid grin on her face as they met Bathilda and waved as she closed their door, Lily tried to focus on the road ahead – well, the suffocating black darkness that was the unpleasant sensation of apparition ahead.


She was crying. Yet again. She knew it would happen – it was a funeral after all – and for once she didn't try to hide it. Her reason: James. He was by her side holding her hand, trying to appear in control of himself despite the soft tears which were gently falling around his face. Looking down at her, he gave her hand a soft little squeeze – and in that instant, Lily knew it was going to be ok. For whatever situation the world would throw at them next, she had James by her side, and their love would carry them through.


Once again, thank you for reading! I hope you liked it, and please leave me a review! It only takes a minute! Thanks, see you soon :) ~PhoenixFeather0198