Chapter 2: Lily Evans Potter

Halloween, 1981

Lily Potter gasped as air rushed back into her lungs. She sat up gingerly holding her very sore head. She knew she would have a headache, but never dreamed it would be this bad. The spell she had been able to cast had worked, at least for her. It was quiet. A little too quiet. She turned quickly to check on Harry, but all she saw was destruction. The wall to the front of the house was gone, open to the predawn sky. The roof was half missing, half lying on the crushed crib where Harry should have been. No! Not Harry! Please, Merlin. Then she saw the blood that was no doubt from her little boy. What have I done?

Lily crumpled into a ball, unable to scream, as tears cascaded down her cheeks. Her next thought was of James. She needed her husband now more than ever. She slowly sat up, and moved to what was left of the door. She needed to know if James had survived, or if she was alone. As she neared the door, she heard rustling downstairs, and froze. Lily needed to know if they were friend or foe before she made her presence known.

"Merlin, this place is a mess. And I thought the Bones Estate was bad."

"Did you see the upper floor from outside? It's worse."

"Yeah, I saw. Oh, Merlin. You-Know-Who must really have been pissed! Looks like the only thing left of James is this blood spatter."

Merlin, no! Not James, too! Lily thought as the tears started down her cheeks again. Merlin, forgive me. What have I done?

"Merlin, I don't know what's worse, this or what they did to Frank and Alice?"

"Godric, what a tragic night. I hope we find something better upstairs."

The two voices fell silent and a third joined, but sounded slightly hollow. "All Aurors! Priority Alpha! Black has been sighted in town. Report to High Street immediately!"

"Merlin, it just gets worse!" The sound of running followed. Lily was alone. Totally alone. Her Auror training kicked in, she needed to leave. If Voldemort knew she had survived, he would hunt for her, just to finish her off. She took one last glance at the ruined crib; blowing it a silent, last teary kiss before heading for the master bedroom.

Lily waved her wand, packing a small bag of essentials. Moving to her wardrobe, she pulled her emergency box out. Lily grabbed a passport, Muggle money, and a work visa. She looked through it quickly, memorizing the information. Putting the last things in her bag, she sealed the room so no one would disturb it. Lily reached out with her magic, feeling for any wards. Feeling none disturbed her more than if there had been any in place.

Lily turned for one last look at the pictures of her ruined life. Tears fell down her already wet cheeks. I will always love you, Jamie! Mummy will always love you, Harry, she thought as she blew kisses to their pictures. Please, forgive me. Closing her eyes, and taking a deep breath, she disapparated.

Lily reappeared in the Magical section of Cardiff. Stepping into a darkened alley, she applied a few quick glamour charms before heading for the Muggle side. She quickly hailed a taxi. A short ride to the docks later, she waited impatiently for the ticket office to open.

"Good morning," said a young woman as she opened the door. "What can I do for you?"

"I need passage to the Americas today. This morning if possible," Lily said, trying to sound cheery.

"Just you?" she asked as she pulled two large books from behind her.

"Yes," Lily swallowed hard, fighting her emotions.

"You're in luck," she said with a smile after several minutes of searching. "I have a single cabin on a cruise ship leaving at nine." She wrote out a ticket, and handed it to Lily. "Exit here, and turn left. Follow the signs to Pier Twenty-nine Customs Office. Once you clear, you'll board the ship and across the Pond you go."

"Thank you."

"Have a pleasant voyage!"

The voyage and the journey were anything but pleasant for Lily. The ten day trip felt like an eternity. She had spent most of the time in her cabin crying into her pillow for her lost husband and son. The guilt she felt was overwhelming. What little she ate onboard the ship, she ate in her cabin. Once in a while she would walk the deck at night, or stand by the rail and look out over the ocean. Her memories of her former life swirled with the breezes over the water.

When she arrived in New York, she had felt so lost that she didn't know how or where to proceed. A customs agent, who was a wizard, recognized that she was a witch and took pity on her. He directed her to a small café, and joined her for coffee. Lily looked at him a little apprehensively when he sat down.

"I'm John Steven Pittshire," he had said handing her some tea.

"Hello."

"Relax, I'm married," he had smiled. "You remind me of my daughter. She was killed a few years ago. She was an Auror."

"I'm sorry," Lily said, her emotions threatening to explode again. "I recently lost my husband and son."

"I understand," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Now, what I think you need is a purpose to focus on. What was your best subject in school?"

"Potions, I guess. I was a really good student."

He helped her find the International Magical Commerce office, thinking they may be able to help. They did. She was able to take Muggle equivalent exams and receive a master's degree in both chemistry and teaching in the three weeks after her arrival. The office also helped her find a teaching placement. Lily asked her case manager for a secluded area for living and teaching. And thus Ms. Emily Jamison was "born".

Twelve years later she was still in Lewistown, Montana, teaching chemistry to high school students. Slowly she had made friends, but always kept her distance from them, never getting very personal with them or letting them know too much about her.

Lily had found a small house outside of town, away from prying eyes, so she could practice her magic. It was a house, but never felt like home even after all those years. The house was where she slept, relaxed, and lived away from school, but it was never home even with her small garden of magical herbs. Home was where her family was, but she had no family because she really didn't count Petunia as family. There was just too much bad blood between them.

It was the end of the last day of school and she was exhausted, physically and mentally. It had been a hard year. She had had a student that reminded her so much of James in her freshman class, that on the first day of school she had almost lost control of her emotions. She thought back to the first day of school that year and he had walked in. Lily thought she was seeing a ghost. It had been a little overwhelming. Just when she had thought that she was over the shock of his presence in her class, he pulled a prank on a fellow student that made her think more of James. Throughout the year he had made her think more than once about James and Harry.

Lily sat at her desk, finishing the last of her grades for another school year; sighing deeply as one of her closer coworkers entered her classroom. She knew what her friend was going to say, and Lily was really in no mood for it this year.

"Emily, when are you gonna come out of your shell and join the rest of us for drinks to celebrate another year done and over with?"

"Bev, we've been over this before. I am not a social person," Lily said closing her eyes fighting for control. Her thoughts kept returning to Harry and James for some reason. Maybe it was her student, or maybe it was another bout of guilt and grief returning. Either way, she was fighting to control her emotions.

"I just don't understand you sometimes. You do fine here. If it's a quiet little barbeque with just us teachers and spouses, you're okay. Maybe a little withdrawn, but okay. Why won't you come out with us other single girls?"

For some odd reason, the word "single" made Lily think of what she had lost all those years ago, and tears spilled from her eyes. "Because," she gulped.

"Hey, what is it?" Bev asked, concern lacing her voice as she rubbed Lily's back. "I've known you for ten years, and never have you just burst into tears. Whatever it is you can trust me with it."

"If I tell you, it stays between us. I don't want anyone's pity," Lily said. "Promise me, Bev?"

"Promise, Em."

"Twelve years ago I lost everything. I had a husband and a baby boy. A home, a family," Lily said through the tears.

" 'Lost'? Can't you find them again? I mean if the jerk ran off…"

"They're dead, Bev!" Lily shouted. She sagged at the shocked look on the other woman's face. "They're dead," she whispered.

"Oh, Emily," Bev gasped as tears sprang to her eyes. She pulled Lily into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry." Bev held Lily as her emotions overcome her for the first time in several years.

"Sorry, Bev," Lily said taking a long shuttering breath. "It's been a long year."

"No need for apologies," Bev smiled at her. "But what brought this on?"

"One of my freshmen reminded me so much of my husband, it was just…"

"I understand," Bev said. "Which one? If you don't mind me asking?"

"Michael Strong."

"The prankster nerd?" Lily nodded. Bev chuckled. "Wow! You are one brave woman!" They both laughed at that, Bev not realizing how true her words really were.

That night she had returned to her small house outside of town wanting nothing more than to relax. Lily had gone to her potions stock and found much to her dismay; she was out of Calming Draught. To make matters worse, she was out of three of the ingredients to make more that she couldn't grow in her garden. With a heavy sigh, she settled for Muggle tea. Lily decided it was time for another trip into Billings where a Magical Community was set into the city.

Two days later, Lily parked her car a short walk away from the entrance to Backwater Way, the Magical shopping area in Billings. She entered Two Moons Park, glancing around quickly, before stepping through the magical barrier that separated the two worlds. She sighed deeply. Lily missed going to Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade, and Hogwarts. She missed her old friends, her old life. With another sigh she walked to the apothecary.

"Well, this is a surprise," the older owner of the apothecary said as Lily entered.

"Hi, Paula," Lily smiled as she hug the closest thing to her late mother that she had, the wife of the Customs agent that had helped her all those years ago. "How's John?"

"Cranky in his retirement!" Paula scowled for a second then laughed. "He's alright. So what brings you in, Emily?"

"Calming Draught. Out of three ingredients, and finished both. Been a hard year at the school," Lily said as they walked toward the back counter.

"Oh, I have something for you," Paula said, rounding the counter. "You're from the UK, right?"

"Yes, but I left a long time ago."

"Still this might interest you. It's about something that happened twelve years ago," said Paula as she handed Lily the paper. Lily looked at the headline as her eyes widened and she gasped. She unfolded the paper quickly and froze.

The large picture of Sirius Black talking to reporters at the Ministry was enough to make her dizzy. In the background she saw Remus, smiling. Then her world stopped, and she sank to her knees, tears flowing down her face, as her hands shook uncontrollably holding the paper. In the picture next to Remus stood the man she had only seen in her dreams for the last twelve years. James. Her husband. He was alive! But then her breath left her completely as she saw a teenage boy standing next to James. He had James' face, his hair, but Lily could tell, the boy had her eyes. Harry was alive!

"Emily, are you okay?" Paula said as she rounded the counter to her. With a tear filled smile, Lily raised her head.

"Paula, I need to tell you something," she said after a deep breath, wiping her eyes quickly. "My name isn't Emily Jamison. It's Lily Potter."

"Oh, Merlin!" Paula exclaimed. "I know. We've always known," she smiled brightly.

"What?" Lily said in shock.

"When John helped you all those years ago, we did a little research. But we kept your secret. We knew why, or we thought we did, that you came here. But this changes everything. What do you want to do now that you know your family is alive? And how can we help?"

"I need to go home, back to England. Do you have an international floo connection?"

"Yes," Paula said, helping her up. "Right this way, Lily!"

They walked into the back, Lily still in a state of shock. She grabbed the floo powder and thought of the only person who would be willing to help her reconnect with her family quickly, her husband's godmother. "Minerva McGonagall!" she said into the green flames. Lily waited for what felt like hours.

"Yes. Who is it?"

"Hello, Aunt Minerva," Lily smiled.

Minerva froze. That voice. It was a voice she had not heard in twelve years. A voice she should not be hearing. A voice that turned her stomach to a knot of joy, pain, and hope. "Who are you?" she said sternly.

"Someone who knows what happened to your family in World War II."

"There are only three people that know that!" Minerva gasped. "Lily?" she asked quietly. Hope flared in her heart. One miracle in the last two weeks was enough to make her heart flutter. This would certainly make it explode.

"Yes, it's me."

"But…You died," the shock evident in her voice.

"I cast a spell that I was researching to protect us against Voldemort. It worked to protect me and Harry. When I woke up, I thought I was the only one to survive. I thought James and Harry had been vaporized. I was terrified so I ran and went into deep hiding."

"Where are you?" Minerva asked her voice shaky.

"I'm in Montana. Give me a couple days to close my life here, and I'll catch an international portkey," Lily said. "Oh, and if you see my husband and son, don't tell them, I want to surprise them."

"Shock them, more like," Minerva said with a chuckle.

Lily heard the humor in her voice. "Yes, well…" laughed Lily.

"You have my word on the name of Godric Gryffindor."

"I'll see you in a few days, Aunt Minerva. I'll call you as soon as I land," Lily promised.

"Safe journey, my dear sweet Flower."

Lily spent the next three days packing, writing her letter of resignation to the school, and making excuses to Bev as to why she was leaving. She had decided that the best excuse was that there was something wrong with her sister Petunia and needed to return to England. Bev had bought it, thankfully. No one could fault a family emergency. John and Paula arranged the portkey for her. The day she left, she thanked them for all of their help over the years, and promised them she would bring her family to visit when they could.

Lily landed gracefully in the magical section of Cardiff. It was quiet and the streets were almost empty. Lily walked quickly to the public floo to call Minerva. Only when she glanced about did she realize the early hour. She grimaced, but flooed Minerva, hoping she was awake.

"Hello, Flower. Come on through," Minerva said as soon as she answered. Lily grabbed her suitcases and stepped through. "Oh, Lily, it is so good to see you!" she said pulling Lily into a hug.

"It's good to see you, too," Lily gushed. She pulled away. "Now, where are my husband and son?"

"No more than a floo call away," Minerva smiled. She went to the fireplace, called, "Molly Weasley!"

"Minerva! Is there any word? Have you seen the paper this morning?"

"I have, and no, I have not received any word. But may I and a guest come through? She has a particular interest in everything," Minerva said calmly.

"Of course, I'll put more tea on."

A minute later, Lily emerged from the fireplace in a quaint little house facing a heavier set red-haired woman talking with Minerva. When the woman turned to her guest, her face went pale, eyes wide, dumbfounded.

"Molly Weasley, this is Lily Potter. Lily, Molly is Harry's best friend's mother."

"It's a pleasure, Molly," Lily said extending her hand with a slight curtsy. Molly ignored the formal handshake as she pulled Lily into a bone-crushing hug.

"Oh, my word!" she said clapping her hands in excitement. "Harry and James are going to be so happy!" Molly said, wiping tears from her eyes as she stepped back.

"Molly, maybe we ought to tell Lily what has happened last night," Minerva said, placing a hand on Molly's arm and motioning to the kitchen.

The three women made their way into the kitchen. They took seats around the battered table. Molly extended the paper to Lily. She looked at it in horror. The picture of the Dark Mark over the Quidditch World Cup sent a shiver down Lily's back.

"First time in almost thirteen years, that bloody thing appears in the sky and our families happen to be there," Molly said with a frantic tone.

Just then the ward bell sounded, singling the return of a family member. Molly looked at her clock and sighed in relief as all the hands moved to "Home", except Percy's who was at work at the Ministry. The next second she was up and running out the back door. Minerva followed a little slower.

Lily watched from the window as Molly hugged several other redheads, Sirius, Remus, and a brown haired girl. Then she saw them, James and Harry, standing in that sea of red, Harry with a redheaded girl on his back. She couldn't wait any longer, she ran out the door.

James was speaking with Molly. Harry was talking with the red-haired girl, who was still on his back. The girl looked up, her face went from laugh to shock in less than a split second.

"Harry," she breathed as she pointed to Lily. Harry turned with the rest to see her running toward them.

"Lily?" James cried, running to meet her.

James and Lily crashed into each other, but stood perfectly still. "Lils? Is it really you?" James whispered in her ear.

"It's me, Jamie!" she whispered back as she pulled him into a kiss.

"M…Mum?" Harry's tearful face came running at them.

"Oh, my little boy!" Lily said hugging Harry close.