AN: A special thanks to this next chapter goes out to shetlandlace who gave me some pretty good advice. I do hope I find some peace by the time I am ready to wrap this story up but for now, I feel like I have a long way to go before I get there. The flashback that takes place at the beginning of this story is similar to a real experience with my dad and me…RIP in daddy.

Don't own Harry and the gang, so do not sue I am poor.

Hope to Cope

Chapter Two: When Monday comes

It was Christmas break in her 3rd year when Lily sat hunched over at her work desk in her room. The desk's glossy mahogany surface was buried underneath scattered books and papers from her schoolwork. Lily never minded though, her unorganized work was an effective system; she knew where everything was. To organize it would cause chaos; Lily would have no idea where anything was. So in conclusion, Lily was a messy person, but that is how she liked it, and she functioned.

Lily's eyebrows furrowed as she poured all her concentration into the paper right in front of her. The white feather ink pen in her right hand was scribbling at a fast rate as sentences flowed onto her paper over the topic of how to make a sleeping potion, and for the reasons it was necessary. Five inches was needed and she was only a mere inch and a half away when her father crossed the threshold of her bedroom door. Lily looked up to see her father in a joyous state. His pudgy face was glowing with his rosy cheeks, and his wide grin.

"Lily?" Her father asked giddily with a hint of mischief in his voice.

"Yes…" Lily drawled out, waiting for him to continue.

"As you know your mom and Petunia already left to visit Aunt Marge for the next couple of days…How about we go to the grocery store?" He regarded Lily with a hesitant smile awaiting her answer. He was not sure if she would be thrilled with the idea like she used to be or disapprove.

It took Lily a minute to process his question, but once memory lane kicked in her once neutral face broke out into a full fledge grin. She enthusiastically shouted a yes as she grabbed her coat to leave with her Dad.

Later that night the two enjoyed one of the most precious treats they received when their other two family members were absent, a nice bowl of Reese's Pieces Cereal with chocolate milk in each other's company. Life could get no sweeter then that.

Lily's body lay crumpled on her bed due to her broken spirit, her broken heart, and her newfound meaningless existence. She latched onto the pillow from behind her head and buried her head in it as her pain consumed her. Her memories seemed so real, as if her father was there with her, right then. How could someone seem so real, be remembered to the very last detail, but be gone? He was supposed to be around until he was old, and Lily was married with kids. He was never supposed to leave her when she was 16. She was still a kid, still a kid who needed her father.

Lily's preoccupied mind took a faint hearing to the conversation buzzing around her.

"It's not healthy for her to still be like this, right Doctor? It has been seven days, and it as if she's been glued to the bed. This is not normal, right? Right?" Mrs. Evans asks the Doctor frantically.

The Doctor analyzed Lily's broken state, processed her condition in his mind, and made a rough sigh before breaking the news to Mrs. Evans. "Lily seems to be suffering a severe form of depression, which should seem normal considering the circumstances. But if this continues for…let's say around two more days, give me a call and will enter her in my psychiatric ward to help her with extensive counseling."

Mrs. Evans puckered her lips after hearing his diagnosis. Her hazel eyes revealed her conflicted nervousness as her pupils dilated under her glassy eyes, but her voice disguised them with an understanding expression on her face and her calm voice agreeing with him.

As Mrs. Evans worried about what the neighbors would think of Petunia if Lily were emitted to a ward as a crazy, she walked the Doctor out.

Lily's muddled mind took in every word spoken, but she could not recall a single word if you asked her to. Lily was lost to the darker part of her mind that Monday morning.

……………………

James let out a loud grunt as he sat in the blue foldable chair that was offered to all the new trainees. Only him of the three trainees seemed to be unenthusiastic to be there. James sat with his two fellow comrades in still silence as they watched the clock above the podium in front of them slowly tick away. They all waited for the big hand to come across the twelve as the little hand was nearly perfectly matched with the number nine. Finally, nine o'clock came, and a new person entered the room.

It was a meekly looking woman standing barely over 5'3. She was a plain looking character carrying three books. Quietly she made her way over to the boys and handed them each a book reading "Training Manuel." She next then headed to the podium and softly said, "Read these, and when you feel confident enough to give it a shot, the room next door to the right is where you will be working. Don't be afraid to answer a phone, granted the most calls we get around here seem to be five to six a day. I guess people are too afraid to speak up now, but there are some that do. I'd say the most time you would need to spend reading these will be about to… 9:45, but you're welcome to start earlier if you like. Your shift will last until three. If you have any questions I will be in the room to the left. Well…good luck, and remember, our goal is to give people the "hope to cope" with their losses." She flashed an uncertain smile before dodging the podium to her office.

The three boys looked at each other then shrugged before engaging in the books before them. James stifled a few laughs through out his reading session; some of the suggestions for helping those who called in seemed to him to be outlandishly ridiculous. A first year at Hogwarts could feed the same lines to someone dealing with the loss of a loved one that they offered in the manual. To him, this program seemed like a bogus operation, just to make the creators of it look caring and sympathetic.

About 20 minutes after nine James watched one of the guys scamper off to the workroom, or the "Healing room" as the referred it to in the manual. James shook his head as he continued to read the suggested advice to help a caller. Ten minutes later, James was the last one left in the room reading. He was attempting to use the 45 minutes he was given to the fullest before it was necessary for him to transition to the "Healing room." Page after page James grew more bored with the contents in the manual he was reading. He took a break to look up to the clock, it had five minutes remaining before he had to leave. Right as he was about to engage into his reading material once again, the workroom's door was forcefully flung open as the heavier of the new trainees heaved before pointing a finger at James.

"Are you James Potter?" The chubby boy questioned with a disapproving tone of voice.

"So what if I am?" James gave the boy a chilled look.

"Someone has requested to talk to you…her name is Stacy." James eyebrows knitted together in confusion. Why would someone call and ask for him when he hadn't even started? The only people who knew of his punishment were Peter, Remus, and…SIRIUS. James took his fists and beat his head. Why on earth did I tell Sirius, he thought to himself.

That Monday Hope to Cope received more calls in that single day, then they have had the previous month, 93 to be exact. All of the callers turned out to be girl's part of the "James Potter" fan club wishing to have the chance to talk to him. James was highly embarrassed and frustrated about all the attention he received, but in a way he slightly hoped it would get him out of his service. Unfortunately, James' father had other ideas.

…………………………

AN: Sorry for the late update. The past two weekends I was studying for my beastly AP U.S. history test, but now that is out of the way and I pretty much have 2 weeks of school left, I should be better on my updates. So this chapter is setting the scene up for the next chapter where…Lily will finally make the call. Dun-dun-dun!! Ha ha, well until then.

Gr33nJ3w3lRain