Chapter 1:
Lily sighed. It had been seven years after she got her letter from Hogwarts, her father's death and her promise to her sister. Lily hadn't let anyone know of her promise but she intended to keep it. It was for this reason she had sent a letter to Professor Dumbledore a few weeks ago. She sighed again as she looked at a copy of the letter she had sent to Dumbledore and almost started crying. She wished it wasn't this way but it was this or break her promise. Breaking her promise was the one thing Lily knew she would never do. She looked at the letter once again and felt the tears welling up in her eyes as she thought about what she had given up.
Dear Professor Dumbledore
I regret to inform you that I will not be returning to Hogwarts for my final year. I have decided to stay at home to look after my mother who has recently been confined to a wheel chair. She is in need of my help and magic and I intend to let her have it. I apologise but I do not see how I can look after my mother at Hogwarts. I also ask that you do not let anyone know why I am not returning and that you say it is for personal reasons. I wish it was possible to come back to school this year but like I have already said I do not think it would work.
Yours sincerely
Lily Evans
She jumped as she thought she had heard her mum in pain, she ran to check but saw that it was just because she had moved in her sleep. With her mum still asleep she went back downstairs. She was starting to get annoyed with her mum now as she refused to take Lily's old bedroom, which was downstairs, instead of the master bedroom, which was upstairs. Lily would help her mum up and down the stairs with use of magic. She would help her get anything from the cupboards that she could not reach and talk to her when she was silent. Lily knew her mother did not approve of her letter to Dumbledore saying she should not give up her studies for her but, there was nothing she could say to change Lily's mind. Lily would just reply.
"If I go you would have to move house"
Lily knew this was the one thing her mother would never do. She was still mourning her husband and it was for this reason that she had stayed in the master bedroom. Lily hated sinking to the level of reminding her mother of her father but if that was the only way to make her see sense then that would be what she would do.
She sat down in the lounge with her charms book. Even if she was not going back to Hogwarts she still intended to learn new spells this year. She had already ordered new books from Flourish and Blotts. Advanced Charms and Charms for the housework. She had thought these would come in useful and wanted to make sure she could help her mum out as much as possible.
She heard the doorbell, sighed and put her book down as she walked towards the door. It must be the postman with that muggle package I ordered. But standing on her doorstep was Professor Dumbledore . She let him in with a confused look on her face
"Hello Lily," He spoke first.
"Good Morning sir, but…" She was about to continue when she heard her mother cry in pain. She turned and ran upstairs, pushing Dumbledore out of the way so she could get there
quicker. She would not forgive herself if something happened while she was talking with her headmaster. Her mother was the most important person in the world; she no longer cared about fighting Voldemort. She had a new battle now; fighting for her mother.
"Lily. Where are you? Lily!" Screamed her mother as she thrashed around on the floor.
Lily gently calmed her mother and placed her back on the bed.
"I'm here Mum, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."
"Don't go, Lily, don't go."
"I'm not going anywhere Mum, not even back to school. I'm going to stay here, remember I told you I wrote to my headmaster and told him I would not be coming this year. Remember I told you." Lily gasped as she remembered Dumbledore turning up on the door step.
"Oh no"
"What? Lily what?
"Dumbledore's down stairs. I pushed him out of the way when I heard you scream. I'm so dead." Lily began to worry. As she wasn't going to go back to school could he still punish her?
"Let's go downstairs Lily. I'll talk to him. I didn't agree with you quitting school to begin with but when I thought you weren't here I realised how much I have come to rely on you"
"Are you sure Mum? I don't want you to tire yourself out. I can talk to him, you stay here and go back to sleep. You don't look like you slept well."
"I'll be fine. Stop worrying. Take me downstairs Lily. Please."
"You can go downstairs. But I'll do the talking," Lily compromised
Once her mother had agreed, Lily muttered the spell to pick people up and carry them around. Lily was proud of this spell as she had invented it herself from working on the spell that Potter had used on Sev- but she refused to think about that anymore. She would not let that her thoughts think about either Potter, the big headed prat, or Sev, the greasy haired slime ball.
Before Lily left the room she picked up her mother's chair and went downstairs, her mother in the air ahead of her. Lily was worried that her Headmaster was going to tell her that if she left Hogwarts she would never be able to do magic again. Could he do that? Without that magic there was no way her mother could keep living here; she shuddered and hoped that that was not the reason Dumbledore was here.
When Lily got her mother downstairs she realised that Dumbledore had sat himself down in the lounge and was enjoying a lemon sherbet. That's good; he didn't see me carrying Mum downstairs. She sighed with relief and pushed her mother into the lounge to join her teacher.
"I'm sorry professor, but I had to check on my mother. I didn't mean to push you over."
"You have to look after your mother; it's quite understandable."
"Sir, can I ask you a question?"
"You already have but you may ask another."
"Why are you here, sir? Didn't you get my letter? I am sorry but I have decided to stay at home. I have to look after my mother and I can't do that at Hogwarts."
"I am here for two reasons, Lily. The first is indeed about your mother. You see I have been talking to all the teachers and we all understand your reasons for not returning. However we think that we have a way of you coming to school and being able to look after your mother. And the second is if you are going to return to Hogwarts you will be head girl"
"Well I am really sorry sir, but like I said in my letter; I don't see how I can be at Hogwarts and look after my mother. So I can't be head girl, can I?"
"If you were head girl you would have your own dorm. This then is how the plan with your mother works. If we give you a fireplace then you can floo home every evening and morning to look after your mother. I have asked teachers to be lenient with you when it comes to homework. One of the reasons is you are a smart girl and I cannot believe you will let yourself get behind and secondly you have your N.E.W.Ts this year and so you would not get much homework any way. At your age we trust you to set your own revision levels."
"What if something happens to my mother during the day sir? While I'm in lessons?"
"We can cast a spell on your mother, if she agrees of course, to let you know if something is wrong. It would let you and myself know. This would mean that if needed you could run out of lessons and go home. Do you agree?"
"I think that would be amazing sir."
"I give my permission to have this spell placed on me" Lily's mother spoke up.
Dumbledore nodded and quickly cast the spell
"There now when your mother needs help you will feel your watch go hot and a picture of your mother will appear instead of the clock face so you can see where she is."
Lily smiled Dumbledore had thought of everything.
"What will I tell my friends when they ask where I am going, sir?"
"Don't have to tell them but I think they would understand and help you if you told them the truth. I think it would work and Hogwarts would hate to lose you as a student"
Lily thought hard. She wanted to go back to school and finish learning about magic but she also wanted to look after her mother. Could she do both? She hadn't thought of that possibility before. Before it was one or the other. She looked towards her mother, and thought. If she could do both that would be amazing. She wanted to get on with work but what of her promise to her sister?
"Lily going to school wouldn't be breaking your promise" Her mum said. Lily jumped, she had not realised that her mother knew of that promise. She looked at her mother and smiled
"It looks like you're going to have to put up with me at Hogwarts sir." She spoke to both her teacher and her mother.
"Thank you Lily. That's all I ask. I'll go now. See you on the 1st September"
"Sir, if needed can I come into school late? If something happens, please sir. And what do I say to get into my new bedroom?"
"Lily of course you can come late, just owl me and let me know. And I have a special floo powder for you." As he said this Dumbledore handed Lily two small bags one had a pink powder and the other an orange one.
"The pink one is to get into Hogwarts and the orange one is to get here. You don't have to say anything just place it into the fire and to get in your bedroom I believe you can choose your password. You know were the head girls room is I suppose?"
"Yes sir."
"Good well I believe that that is all. Unless you can think of anything else?"
"No, thank you sir, for everything."
"Goodbye Lily. I'll see myself out; you look after your mother"
"Goodbye sir and thank you"
She saw that her mother looked happy about what was going to happen as well. Lily was glad if her mother had disapproved she would not have gone but after everything that happened she did not think that would be the case. Dumbledore walked back in.
"Oh and Lily"
"Yes sir."
"I believe I should warn you in advance in case you do come back late. The head boy this year is James Potter"
"Oh. Thank you for telling me sir."
"Good bye Lily."
"Good bye sir"
"James Potter" her mother said "Isn't he the one you said was an arrogant prat?" she asked.
"Yep that's the one. What's Dumbledore doing making him Head boy?"
"I have no idea Lily. But I'm rather hungry I think I shall make breakfast"
"Oh no your not I will and I will also make some food for you to have while I am out today."
"You going out?" Her mother was confused
"Yes I am. Today is the 22nd August. If I am to go to school it starts in a week and do not have any of my school stuff so I shall have to go to Diagon Ally. But don't worry Dumbledore has cast that spell now so I'll know if you are ok. But I really need to get my stuff. Are you going to be ok on your own?"
"You worry too much Lily."
"I would drop you round at Petunia's new house but she says she doesn't want to be part of the family of freaks anymore…" She stopped talking when she realised she was thinking out loud. She did not want to remind her mother about the elder sister. She silently cursed for mentioning her sister and reminded herself of just how stupid it was. Her mother didn't seem to have heard so that was ok.
"I do not worry too much." Lily teased playfully. Glad that her mother had not heard. The last time she had mentioned her sister; her mother had broken down into tears and wept until Lily had been forced to make her stop as Lily knew how much pain her mother was in every time she cried.
Linda Evans smiled. Her daughter could look after her and still be with her friends she knew how much it had been tearing her up in side to leave all her friends a year early. She was glad her daughter was going, she would have time to try and stop being so reliant on her but still have her there to help. She knew however that she was always going to need her daughter help her with the easiest tasks and that trying to live without it would be suicide.
After doing her shopping Lily walked into the Leaky Cauldron and sank into a chair. She asked Tom the barmen for some water and thought about how her last year at Hogwarts was going to work. It would be hectic but if Dumbledore thought she could do it then she would. But one thing was certain she would not ask for any help, let anyone know what was happening and she would not show any weakness. Especially in front of the person she dreaded seeing the most. James Potter. She did not know that when she thought of him she sat up higher in her chair all she knew was that when she thought about him she became determined that she would not let him help her. She would go to Hogwarts and she would let no one close enough to her to find out what was happening.
She would stay friends with her best friend, Alex, but as she no longer had to share a dorm with her she did not think it would be that hard.
With all her bags shrunk and in her pocket she apperated back to her house ready for the new school year.
James sighed as he looked at his best friend. As he had been seventeen when his parents died he was considered old enough to look after him self and to keep him company Sirius stayed living with him. His parents had died at the beginning of his sixth year at Hogwarts and he knew that he could tell his best friend anything. Mr and Mrs Potter and been as good as Sirius' parents. His real parents had disowned him three years ago and since them he had joined the Potter family.
It had been hard at first, but he had got through it with the help of his friends and with the thought of Lily Evans. He smiled, Lily. How he loved that name. He looked around the room almost everywhere there were vases full of lilies. He liked it, he needed it. He needed something to remind him of the one person who kept him going even if they didn't know it.
At 11:30 James and Sirius had decided on fish and chips for lunch. James had gone to get them and had come back to find Sirius trying to pass a pleasant conversation with Professor Dumbledore. He walked in confused to see his headmaster seemingly comfortable in his living room.
"Ah James. I've come to speak to you. I doubt there is any point in me asking Sirius to leave you would tell him everything anyway, good friend as you are."
"Er… Yes sir." James sat him self into his favourite chair and looked at Albus Dumbledore. He was not sure if he had just been paid a compliment or not.
"Well I am sure you know that this year I have had to pick a new head boy and girl. I am happy to tell you that I have picked you to be the new Hogwarts head boy."
Sirius burst into laughter.
"Professor that has to be the best prank ever. I wish I had thought of that. James head boy…" He had to stop speaking because he was laughing so much. Dumbledore had a twinkle in his eye but he spoke to Sirius
"Mr Black, do you suspect me foolish enough to prank one of the marauders?" Dumbledore asked his eyes twinkling
"Well no sir. But James as head boy?"
"I understand that it will have come as a shock but I think it will do you good. I also want to tell you the head girl is Lily Evans. I want you to help her as much as you can Mr. Potter. Don't press her about anything and when she wants to talk, let her talk but not before then. It took a great deal of persuading to get her to come at all this year and I tell you this in confidence. You are not to tell anyone not even Remus or Peter. Do you understand?"
Both boys nodded their heads
"Good, well I believe that is all. I shall see you in one weeks time. Good day to you"
"Good bye professor" Both boys replied as the headmaster walked out of their house.
"Wow, shock to the system, your head boy James" Sirius said
James didn't seem to hear him as he looked deep in thought
"What did he mean when he said I've got to help Lily, and why did he have to persuade her to come back? I mean it's our N.E.W.T year, Lily wouldn't normally want to miss that."
"Mate I have no idea but you will be sharing a tower with Lily Evans don't complain"
"Yer I suppose. But… never mind. Do you think I could get her to go out with me this year? I'm going to be spending so much time with her. Do you think I have a chance?"
"Mate no way."
In this way James and Sirius spent the rest of the holiday joking and teasing but James never forgot what Dumbledore had said and when he was alone he would think on what would possibly make Lily miss her last year at Hogwarts.
It was the 1st September and Lily was starting to think it was a bad idea going back to school, how could it work? She pondered on what she was going to try and do. When Lily went to go get her mother out of bed the smile on her mother's face made her forget her worries. Her mum thought she could do it and Lily Evans was not going to let her mother down.
"Mum I've placed anything you may need while I am at school in my old room. I've set up the bed as well so you can have an afternoon sleep though I'll probably come back here in all my spare lessons to do my homework and look after you."
"Lily just go. I'll be fine and I will do my best to make sure you spend as long as possible at that school of yours. But I admit it would be nice to see you during the day. So yes please come back in your spare lessons but only if you promise to spend time on your work as well as looking after me"
"Yes mum, well love you. And see you this evening. If you need me I'll apperate here but I can not go back to the train, so I'll take the fireplace to my new dorm and join people at Hogsmeade. I love you mum. DON'T try to hard to look after yourself. I don't want you getting hurt and are you sure that you don't want me to stay a bit longer?"
"Lilly I am quite sure thank you now hurry up or you'll miss the train. I love you too" Her mother relied with a tone in her voice which said don't argue. With one last hug Lily apperated to platform 9and 3/4. She knew she worried too much but she could not help it. She would keep her promise or die trying.
James had woken up late. It happened often enough but today he was especially annoyed about it. They were going back to Hogwarts today and he wanted to catch Lily before they had to do their Head duties.
However it was now 10:55 and still no Lily, he was getting worried but after hearing a slight 'pop' he looked up to see she had just apperated onto the station and was placing her stuff in the Heads compartment.
"Where have you been?" James asked her, annoyed that he had had to do her jobs as well.
"Get stuffed Potter. I was busy." She replied with a snarl and a look of ferocity in her eyes that he had never seen before.
He backed off remembering what Dumbledore had said
"OK I was just wondering. Can you check that everyone is ready to get on the train please?" he asked in the politest voice he could muster. She smiled that look of wildness in her eyes that had gone and if he had not seen it he would not of thought she had been angry at all.
"Of course, I'll go do it now."
Was this what Dumbledore meant, had she become a werewolf? He shook his head, no tonight was the full moon and for that reason Remus was already at school, if she was a werewolf she would be with Moony. That thought was pathetic and stupid, very much like his best friend Padfoot.
He would just do his best and let her tell him in her own time. He would not call her names, pester her to go out with him. He knew that he loved her and if she wanted him to back off and just be a friend then that would be what he would do. It might break his heart but it would make her happy and that would make his broken heart worth it. At this point in his life James Potter became an adult, he would still at younger and mess about with his friends but not so frequently. He became the man that he was always meant to be in short he became the rightful Head Boy at Hogwarts. It was for this reason Dumbledore had given him the position of Head Boy.
"Maybe, maybe Dumbledore isn't such a batty old man as I thought" James thought out loud. He jumped on to the train and sat down ready for his meeting with Lily hoping he would not anger her like he did earlier.
Lily was still not sure whether she had made the right decision but did not allow herself to think on what could have happened. She would live for her promise, which had been the centre of her life for the past seven years. Everyone was shocked at how well Lily was at magic but the truth was Lily did not allow her self to fail at anything, because that one spell could help her keep her promise. That one spell could help her protect her family. This year she was going to learn more than ever. She was going to go to Professor Dumbledore and ask if she could have extra lessons in spells and charms that would help her look after her mother at home. Yes that would be what she would do. She sat back into a more comfortable position and fell fast asleep almost instantly with nothing to do hanging over her head at that moment in time. For the first time in ages Lily had a peaceful nights sleep and dreamt about all the extra things she could learn. She could really make a difference.
"I'll protect them, I promise." She muttered this mantra even in her sleep.
James looked at her and though about what Dumbledore had said. He thought he heard Lily say something, maybe she had woken up. No she was talking in her sleep. Aww how cute. What was it she was saying?
"I'll protect them, I promise" Who is she supposed to protect, is this what Dumbledore meant? He thought as he left the new Head girl to go talk to his three best friends. He knew that with his friends he would not forget Lily but he would not have the time to think about the current mystery.
