Thanks to Harrylee94, Flame55, TheAngelofIego and IonicAmagam for the reviews for Chapter One.

Broken Wings

Chapter Two: Summer

Lily watched the landscape roll by outside of the train window. Her attention was pulled away from the rolling hills outside when the door opened to her cabin.

"Hey, Lily." James said with a smile.

She gave him a smile back. He came into the cabin and sat beside her.

"How are you?"

"Great."

Mary and another girl in the cabin got up, giggling.

"We will leave you two alone." Mary said.

Lily glared at them half-heartedly. She watched them leave.

"Your trip going okay?" James asked.

"Fine. As always. Yours?" Her tongue felt dry. She did not know why she liked him so much now. She did not like much before. In fact, she used to think he was jerk. Something had changed though. He was becoming nicer and had not been hexing random students anymore. He was showing more admirable qualities to her and well, she felt herself feeling drawn to him more and more.

"Great."

Lily was not sure what to say.

"I know you don't really like me much and so, I've been trying to leave you alone, but-"

"Who said I didn't like you?"

James smiled. "I was wondering if, well, if you and I could maybe, hang out sometime, alone."

Lily felt her heart flutter in her chest. "You mean, like a date?"

"Or as friends, if you want. I won't pressure you into dating me anymore."

"I'll think about it and give you an answer this summer. I need to talk to my mum first, if it's a date, that is."

"Okay." He smiled very softly, but Lily could see his eyes gleaming with happiness. " Write to me with an answer this summer?"

"I will." She paused. "Honest. After I get settled in and talk to my mum."

James touched her shoulder and she smiled. He let go and got up. "Well, I will see you later, Lily."

She watched him leave. Mary and the other girl came back in. "So, what did he say?"

"He asked me out."

She squealed in excitement. "And?"

"I said I would have to talk to my mum first. I promised I would tell her before I gave an answer."

The other girl spoke up. "So you and James Potter are a couple. It's about bloody time!"

Lily couldn't help but grin. It was great. She had her first real boyfriend, almost. Maybe now she would get her first kiss and all that stuff. She was ready to have a boyfriend, ready to get her life moving in that direction. With a war going on and all that, the more protection she had, the better. Everyone wanted them together anyway so why not go for it. Everyone said they were perfect for each other. Maybe they were right. She would find out soon.

0o0o0o

A week later

Lily flipped a page of the book she was reading, letting her mind drift into thoughts about James Potter. He had been much nicer to her lately and so far, he was the only boy interested in her. Well, some others were interested, but they were only attracted to her and were not interested in dating, only one thing. James was certainly the most blunt about his attraction to her. He asked her out in a nicer way before she came home. Normally, he just begged her for a date. She had said she would think about it and she had. She was thinking about telling him yes and was considering writing to him. Her mum said it was fine so all she had to do was give him the okay and she would have her first boyfriend.

She sighed as she thought about having a boyfriend. James was one of more popular boys at school. She used to not like him and in some ways she still hated the way he used to treat others. This unfortunately brought her mind to Severus. She was still mad at him. Not for calling her a mudblood, though she still could not believe he called her that, but for not listening to her about the Death Eaters. She was mad he chose that path. It was upsetting to think one of her former friends could become a part of something like that, something that wanted her dead. They were not friends anymore and as long as he chose the Death Eater way, she was not going to be friends with him again. The friendship had ended more than a year ago and neither had tried to make amends since their fight after he called her a mudblood. Civil, cordial in classes if they had to speak to each other, but that was it. His decision to be one of them was dangerous and stupid, especially since she knew he was a very intelligent person and could be something better than a Death Eater, but he chose that way and there was nothing she could do about it. She didn't want to think about Severus though so she tried to push her thoughts away from him.

A loud rumble of thunder shook the window and stopped her ponderings. Lily closed her bookd and got off her bed. She walked over to the window and looked out at the dark clouds. It was about to pour the rain. Lightning lit up the sky and a clap of thunder rang out so loud, her window shook. Raindrops began to fall outside. Just then, she heard a shriek. It was Petunia. Lily ran out of her room to her sister's bedroom across the hall. "What's the matter?"

"I wasn't talking to you!" She snapped.

Lily ignored her sister's attitude. "I heard you scream. What's wrong?"

"Nothing except that its raining! I am supposed to pick up my wedding dress in an hour!"

The raindrops were growing thicker outside and splashed heavily against the windowpane. "They will put a plastic bag over it so it won't get wet."

"Why don't you in your freakish ways make the storm stop?" Petunia mocked.

Lily narrowed her eyes and huffed in aggravation. "I can't control the weather, Petunia."

"Figures." Petunia turned to her younger sister and folded her arms. "The only reason you are in this wedding or even allowed to come is because Mum is making me."

"I know, you've made me well aware of that every day for the past week since I've been home. The feeling is mutual considering how awful you've been to me for the past six years."

Petunia glared at Lily. Lily glared back. "You should have never gone to that freak school!"

"You are just jealous and I wish you would get over it. I can't change what I am and I can't change the fact that you are not a witch too. It would have been great, but I can't do anything about it. It is what it is and I wish you would stop it."

"Get out of my room."

"Fine." She started to leave. The silence between them was only broken by the pounding of rain overhead on their roof and slamming into the windows.

"One more week and I will be a married woman. I will be Mrs. Petunia Dursley and I will be living in my apartment with my husband. You will be back at your freak school in seven weeks and probably marry another freak eventually."

"What do I care? I don't like Vernon. I think he is an arrogant jerk."

"He is a normal person unlike your friends. He has a good job too. What sorts of jobs can you get with your stupid education at that freak school?"

"I would like to be an auror."

"A what?"

"Auror. Like a police officer or bounty hunter. They find criminals who are wizards and witches."

"Sounds like a worthless job to me."

"It takes three years of training after you graduate and you have to have high marks to get in."

Petunia scoffed. "I could care less what you end up doing to waste your life. I am getting the better end of the deal. I will get to live a happy, ordinary life that you never will have because you have a worthless education."

Lily glowered at her sister and folded her arms across her chest. "You know, I would be happy for you if you would ever show some happiness for me."

They heard a car horn beep outside. "That's my maid-of-honor. We are going out for ice cream and getting my gown. Mum already knows what I am doing."

Petunia purposely ran into Lily, knocked her crossed arms and caused her stumble a little. Lily looked daggers at her sister as Petunia gave an irate glare at Lily.

"Stay out of my room, freak." Petunia shut the door and headed down the stairs. Lily heard the front door open and close. The car rolled out of the driveway. Lily sighed. She was alone in the house. The lights flickered once and went off, leaving her in the dark hallway. She went back to her room, choking back the tears that threatened to fall. She hated her sister's behaviour. Why did she act like this?

Lily sat on her bed. The room was dark despite the fact that it was only three in the afternoon. She laid down. James Potter came to her thoughts. Marrying a pure blooded wizard would mean that their children would be half-bloods. That would be a plus. Not that she would end up marrying James, but if she did, and they had any children, her children would have it better than her. No mudblood crap. Regardless of marriage, she could not think of one negative reason to go out with James. There were no cons, really. Her mum seemed fine with it, with her being with a wizard, but had a long talk with her about the birds and the bees again to her dismay. She had made her decision. She got up and found some parchment and her quill. Lily snatched a book from the nightstand to write on and flopped on her stomach on her bed and began to pen a note to James Potter.

James,

You asked me to write you over the summer. I have thought about your question and I spoke to my mum. My answer is ~

She smudged her paper at the sound of pounding on the front door. She set her quill down. Maybe her mum needed help. She jumped up and headed to the stairs. The pounding grew heavier as she approached the steps. She stopped near the landing. The beating was continuous, almost nervous as if they needed to get in the house.

Was it a robber? No, they wouldn't beat like that. Then who? She wondered. The pounding sounded too heavy to be Petunia or her mother. She wondered if she should hide. Maybe it was a Death Eater who found out a muggleborn lived here? Something told her to open it though. She listened to that voice and mustered up all her courage with her wand in her hand, ready to strike as she slowly twisted the doorknob. Lily thrust the door open with her wand out.

Lily gasped in horror at the sight before her. "Severus? What-" She choked, trying to think of something to say at the sight of her former friend. "What happened to you?"