A big thanks for the reviews I received on my last Chapter you guys J

TrueHomiePiP: thanks so much I hope the characters develop a bit more in this chapter.

Beyondthesea16: It does indeed mean more battles, I hope this chapter gives you a taste of that. Thanks so much for the review.

This chapter is for you guys

Chapter 4

"You brought me up two flights of stairs at midnight to look at a wardrobe?" Lily asked in disbelief.

"Cabinet," Harry corrected automatically.

"Oh well that makes all the difference," Lily amended sarcastically placing one hand on her hip. Harry smiled completely unaffected by her criticism. The room would have been pitch black if it wasn't for the dim light of the crescent moon shining through the small window. It was weird to Lily that such a massive room would only have a wardrobe as furniture, granted it was a beautiful one of the deepest mahogany.

"This is a Vanishing Cabinet," Harry explained opening the heavy door to show its empty contents. "Its sister is in the Hogwarts Room of Requirement," Harry continued closing the door gently, it clicked into place harmlessly but a shudder ran up Lily's back.

"Vanishing?" she queried quietly as she slowly circled the object of their attention.

"They were made in times of war as a secret hiding space, you hop into one and arrive where ever the other one is placed," Harry explained his green eyes, so like her own, staring at the cabinet mistrustfully.

"You've managed to find a way into Hogwarts," Lily asked hesitantly.

"Not quite, the one in Hogwarts is a little broken. That's where you come in," he said easily, gesturing to her with his wand arm.

"I wouldn't even know where to begin to fix something this advanced," Lily responded still a little awed by such an impressive piece of magic.

"Don't worry we can teach you, it's easy when we know exactly what's wrong with it," he countered reassuringly.

"Why do you even want to get into Hogwarts so bad?" Lily asked a little hesitant to give anyone an open key to her precious school.

"We expect a lot of you Lily, but slaying Slytherin's beast alone isn't one of them," Harry said gently, finally meeting her eyes.

"You mean to open the Chamber?" Lily asked aghast.

"We need that venom and plus I really don't like the idea of a basilisk roaming around a school full of children," Harry reasoned easily.

"So that's all you need of me, to fix the cabinet?" Lily asked, not able to hide the disappointment in her voice.

"That and to infiltrate the Order of the Phoenix, find the Diadem of Ravenclaw, steal the Marauder's Map along with Peverell's cloak and of course keep all of our secrets in the process," Harry declared with a small smile at her reticence.

"What? I barely understood a word of that," Lily asked.

"Then we better get started," Harry stated opening the door out of the room.

"I guess so," Lily replied shocked that she was beginning to feel excited of all things.

...

The days were long at the Headquarters for Lily, they usually started with an impatient Draco knocking at her door irately at about six o'clock in the morning for a few hours of training, which usually ended with Lily injured in some way or another. Then Ron usually duelled her in an attempt to extend her knowledge and adjust her technique until she thought she wouldn't be able to stand any longer. Then just when she thought she'd be able to get some rest Hermione and Harry would go over and over the plans she had to enact in Hogwarts.

By the time the first week was over she thought she'd just about pass out with the amount of strain she was putting her body under. When Draco knocked on her door that cloudy Saturday morning she was just about ready to strangle the infuriatingly energetic blond.

"I've got news Red," Draco said through the door to tempt her from her bed.

"Unless that news is you're suddenly not a sadist I'm not interested," Lily called from underneath a pillow she had placed strategically over her face to block out the sun's demanding rays which poured through the crack in her curtains.

"Well I would have thought that removing the trace would merit me at least a few minutes of your attention," Draco muttered nonchalantly. There was a thud from behind the door as Lily dropped from her bed tangled in covers to fling open the door.

"The trace?" She asked with her hair tied up messily in a bun at the top of her head drooping into her eyes.

"Couldn't have you coming out with us on runs with those pesky howlers from the ministry now," Draco said with a wink in her direction. They always had a little flirtatious banter between them that amused Lily but at that very minute frustrated her to no end.

"I'm serious Draco how'd you do it? I'm more than two months off seventeen and I know how strict they are on that," Lily pestered.

"Lily the one thing you need to learn about the Ministry is how utterly incompetent they all are," Draco said as he turned away from her intent on heading down to the training room whether the irate red head was following him or not. She followed his long strides at a slow jog still dressed in her pyjamas.

"Draco," she said sternly using her prefect voice on him, all he did was raise one eyebrow at her attitude. "Please," she added genuinely. His pace slowed at her expression and he let out a sigh of resignation.

"I sort of made you an emancipated minor in a way, it's a tricky move. Lots of paper work and all that rubbish," Draco said slowly meeting her confused eyes with his steely grey ones.

"Surely wouldn't all muggleborns do the same?" She questioned hesitantly.

"They might if the option was available to them," he conceded easily. "But not many people can bend the laws as freely as I do," he continued. Lily's eyes automatically flew to his left forearm. "Not that way," he said sharply noticing the direction of her gaze sounding a little offended.

"Sorry," Lily mumbled, though she didn't know what for.

"No," he sighed and moved both his hands to the back of his neck before letting out a sigh of frustration. "Forget about it," he finished. "It's pretty easy to fool the documentation into thinking you're a few months older seeing as you're muggleborn and put onto the system later than everyone else. All I had to do after that was turn off the automated alert on your file whenever you happen to cast a spell. Most death eater kids get that privilege," he explained clearly.

"I really am sorry Draco, I know you have more uses than that one tattoo," Lily said, correctly reading the source of his irritation. He just let out a throaty laugh at her words lifting an eyebrow in her direction and stalking off down the hallway.

"That's not what I meant you dirty old bastard," Lily called after him though she couldn't manage to keep the smile off of her face. She turned back to change out of her Disney pyjamas shutting the door behind her magically waiting a moment to see if a Ministry owl swopped down out of nowhere but none came. She sighed in relief glad to feel the freedom of magic flowing through her veins once more.

...

"So let me get this straight," Lily began slowly. "You want me to convince Dumbledore to let me join the Order of the Phoenix to sneak you information as well as get access to the sorting hat to literally pull the long lost Sword of Gryffindor from it?" Lily asked sceptically.

"Pretty much," Hermione said with a smile.

"Cool I was just checking," Lily said quickly, trying for comic nonchalance.

"I know we could just use something of the basilisks but I like the idea of leaving a weapon behind that will be able to rid the world of any other mad man that might think a horcrux is a splendid idea," Harry reasoned with a pained expression at the thought of anyone else that would do just that.

"Well if you like the idea," Lily said with a genuine smile that showed the couple she was just joking with them. They'd been sitting in the living room pouring over their plans for the past hour and Lily was just about sure she could fix the vanishing cabinet.

"I can't believe the Marauders could make anything as genius as this," she said touching the beautiful map that was sprawled over an artistic drawing of the cabinet.

"They are quite the intellectuals," Hermione said with a smile at Lily's awed expression.

"Oh I knew they were smart, I just didn't know they were this constructive about it," she said with a grin in the couple's direction. "Still though becoming animagus like that for Remus is pretty cool I suppose," she added in an attempt at fairness.

"Don't worry Lily you'll always be my favourite parent," Harry said. If Lily had been drinking something that would have been the exact moment she'd have spewed the contents of her mouth all over the table she was kneeling over. She looked at Harry with a frazzled expression. Before she could come up with an appropriate response Hermione had burst into screechy peals of laughter.

"You're face," Hermione managed to say through her limited breath pointing to Lily. Harry too had begun to chuckle uncontrollably.

"Very funny you guys," Lily said still not fully recovered from Harry's words. "Laugh it up you monsters," she added though she couldn't help the small upturn of her lips. It was so rare to see Harry actually smiling and behaving his age.

It was moments like this that showed her just how much the war had changed so much of the time travellers' personalities. They had once been like her, young and free spirited, but that had been robbed from them. It was enough to make Lily bitter on their behalves.

...

"So when do I get to go out with you guys?" Lily asked Ron as one of their training sessions came to an end. She'd been training with them for three weeks now and she felt as if she was growing stronger as each day passed.

"When you can beat me," he replied with a ghost of a smile.

"Well you should have said. I wouldn't have held back so much the last few weeks," Lily joked shoving Ron as they made their way into the living room where the other three time travellers were sitting and chatting about the benefits of installing a Quidditch pitch on the extensive grounds that the Headquarters boasted.

"Agility," Draco said.

"Dexterity," Harry supported.

"Distraction," Hermione supplied, sounding more like the mother of the two boys.

"Fitness," Ron added as he entered the room to the similar conversation that reared its head every few days.

"Boys and their Quidditch," Lily muttered much to the consternation of the men. Just as Ron was about to dispute her sentiments a white smoke filled the room before the shape of a squirrel formed.

"31 Thimble Avenue," a disembodied voice announced before the smoke and squirrel disappeared as if they had been some hazy religious apparition. All four of the time travels hopped up from where they were sitting grabbing there cloaks which were thrown all over the room.

"Portus," Lily heard Hermione enchant from across the room at an old quill.

"What the hell is going on?" Lily demanded grabbing Draco's wrist.

"It's a run Lily," Draco responded pulling free from Lily's loose grip and turning to stand next to the other three that were now gathering around the quill that was so used it's nib was stained a permanent black. "Stay here," he added pushing her back into the entrance hall.

"Five, four, three..," Hermione called. Before Lily was even conscious of what she was doing she was running as fast she could towards her four new friends.

"Lily no!" she heard Draco exclaim as she reached the quill and grabbed hold for dear life. The following ten seconds were the most unpleasant of her life as she was thrown violently from side to side in what seemed like a giant vacuum. When she finally did land flat on her back on the grassy ground she had no inhale sharply to relieve the pressure on her lungs.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Draco whispered furiously. Of course the four well versed travellers landed smoothly on their feet. Lily could hear the screams of panic from across the street from where they were hidden behind a few trees. She flew to her feet so fast her vision blurred in front of her.

"That's Grace's address," Lily said as she slowly took in the flames that were dancing around the familiar house. Her only comfort was the absence of the dark mark in the sky.

"Fuck," she heard Ron curse from behind her.

"Lily-" Hermione attempted.

"No! I've been a pretty good sport up until now but you know as well as I do that you can't hide me from this war and in that house is someone I love," Lily said defiantly pointing towards the house, her emerald eyes almost glowing in the darkness that surrounded them. Draco grabbed hold of her from behind.

"No," she said struggling and she tried to run across the road.

"Quiet Red, I'm not trying to stop you just throw this on," Draco said into her ear causing her to shiver as he threw a cloak he transfigured from the broken quill around her tense shoulders and cast a sticking charm as well as a notice-me-not on the hood so her identity would be protected. He looked at his other three friends but they just nodded in agreement at the new addition to their group, perhaps recognising themselves how awful it is to be left out of matters concerning loved ones.

"Hermione and I'll take the front, Draco and Lily you go to the back," Harry said and for the first time Lily caught a glimpse of why the others followed him so diligently. He was a leader born and bred. "Ron stay out and give us a heads up when the Aurors show up and catch whatever flees the house," he added speaking to his lifelong friend directly.

"Let's go Red," Draco said as he pulled her along by the waist. They both kept their wands held high as they headed towards the burning house separating from the others. The night was bitterly cold but Lily didn't shiver as they passed out concerned muggle neighbours who didn't even look their way as they edged closer to the house. Lily fleetingly thanked Merlin for muggle repulsion charms. They hugged the building as they rounded the corner to the back of the deceptively quiet house. The only sound that could be heard was that of the roaring flames and Lily's loud breath.

"You ready?" Draco asked pausing outside the back door.

"Do it," Lily confirmed.

Draco pushed the door open which seemed to cancel whatever silencing charm had been placed on the building for a piercing female scream left the house and carried on the cold night air. Lily shuddered but rushed forward covering Draco's back. They passed through the pristine kitchen and into the hallway where a body littered the ground in an abnormal position. Lily rushed forward passed Draco before he could stop her and reached down to move the matted long hair of the victim so she could make out who it was. Grace's mother looked as pretty in death as she did in life. Her face was without one blemish if only her legs weren't so horribly broken Lily might even think she was alive. Stepping back in revulsion Lily gasped at the horrible sight.

"Red," Draco said, sharply calling her back to reality. Hermione and Harry entered though the front door at the end of the hall only now having fought their way through the muggles. Harry took in the mother's body and made a gesture that they'd take downstairs and Lily and Draco should go up all in one motion. Lily couldn't understand how he could dismiss such a grotesque scene so quickly. She hurried after Draco as he climbed the stairs trying to fight through the debris that littered the floor. All the photo frames had been shattered and flames licked the banister.

Another shrill scream filled the house pushing icy fear in Lily's heart. She felt something fall on her arm which was rigidly holding her wand in front of her and jumped. Looking down she saw that a tear had fallen from her face. She hadn't even realised she had been crying. They crept down the hall to the room Lily had spent so much of her childhood playing in.

"Do it," she heard a male voice shout over the flames which seemed to be stemming from upstairs somewhere. The door to Grace's room was only open slightly but the voice was still clear and defined.

"I will," a familiar voice called back shakily.

"You have to mean it," a female voice spat.

Draco froze in front of Lily and looked back at her with terror in his eyes. 'Harry' he mouthed attempting to make her back up towards the stairs. The frightened expression that painted his face almost made her comply until a gurgling sound came from the room. Lily gasped in recognition, Grace was in there. Draco shook his head furiously and tried to push her towards the stairs but he was too late she was already moving forward.

"Crucio," the familiar voice shouted again and another shrill scream left the room. Before Lily was even conscious of her actions she was flinging the door open with her wand raised. A cutting curse left her wand without even thinking the incantation. A woman that Lily vaguely recognised as Bellatrix Lestrange, who had been a few years ahead of her, flew back against the wall blood spewing from her middle.

"What the fuck?" A tall blond man shouted over the roar of the flames. Lily didn't hear him though she was too busy firing curse after curse at the masked man who'd been torturing her friend. She felt Draco enter the room as fast as she had to deal with the blond and the other masked man. The heat of the room was growing unbearable on Lily's face but she didn't let up as they continued their fierce fight. He was skilled she'd admit and if it hadn't been for Ron's training she'd have died the second she opened the door. His silver mask hid his face but not his eyes which had a haunting familiarity that Lily didn't let herself focus on. So distracted was she that she didn't notice Bellatrix rise from the ground and weakly point her wand at the motionless girl.

"Avada Kedavra," she whispered and green light filled the room. Everyone froze as if to check if they'd been the ones that were hit.

"Grace!" Lily shrieked manically as the fighting began once more but her masked opponent didn't resume his assault. She saw the shock in his black eyes seize up his body at the sound of her voice and she finally allowed herself to recognise him.

Severus Snape.

"You bastard!" She shouted throwing darker and nastier curses his way even though he hadn't been the murderer. They were here because of him. He did this. She could feel Harry run into the room to deal with Bellatrix but she didn't care. All she could feel was hatred pulsing through her veins. She didn't know if Snape was only countering her curses because it was her or because he was still in a state of shock but it made her angry.

"Fight me you coward," Lily screamed over the carnage of the other duels going on in the small room which was quickly being devoured by flames. He looked at her pleadingly as he deflected her curses one by one. Bellatrix's cackle cut through her soul as she apparated off with little other than amusement in her mind. Her disappearance was like a signal for her friends who one by one disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. Snape was the last to leave throwing her one last distressed look.

Lily hurried across the room to take her friend in her arms one last time. Blood was dripping from her open listless eyes like tears. Lily let out an uncontrollable screech of grief at the sight of her usually bubbly friend reduced to this. Someone was shaking her shoulders but she couldn't drag her eyes away from Grace.

"Lily," Ron's voice penetrated her sobs of anguish. He'd been calling her for some time now. "Does anyone else live here?" he shouted over the sound of the flames. She shook her head in response when he's words finally made sense in her head.

"You have to leave her," Draco said into her ear as he dragged her from her friend's body but she wouldn't let go. She held onto Grace like she always had throughout her years at Hogwarts. Whenever people were mean or she didn't fit in there was always Grace her key into the muggle world.

"No," Lily whispered.

"Red," Draco whispered circling her from behind and forcefully unclenching her small hands from Grace's matted hair with his big ones. He pulled her hands into her chest so that his arms surrounding her firmly and stood. She leaned on him heavily as sobs shook her uncontrollably.

"Breath," he whispered as they apparated away from the heart wrenching scene that would plague Lily all of her life.

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