A/N: Sorry it took so long to post again! School is crazy, and I just havent felt the urge to write………sorry guys! To my three reviewers-

Thanks so much, your support means everything! Again, still looking for betas! See "For You, The Reader" for more details!! And now, more of "Far From Home."

Figg, Bella Figg: Commando Knight

Lily sat locked in one of the many bathrooms located on the train, sobbing loudly into her hands. She was stressed, distraught, and hurt, she just couldn't stand to see him.

Oh my god, he looked so much like I thought he would. I've missed him. How could he do this to me?

She heard soft knocking on the door, and called out in a wavering voice, "This one's occupied!"

"Lillian Nicholetta Evans, you open this door right this minute! You hear me? Right this minute!" Bella's voice screeched through the heavy door, and Lily sighed heavily.

At least Bella can save me from this black hole.

"Hold on, Arabella Marie Figg, don't get your panties in a twist!"

"What miscreant told you such lies~ who says I'm wearing panties?!" the other girl called back, causing many thumps and howls up and down the hall. Lily giggled in spite of herself, listening to a muffled voice complain.

"Aw, Bella," a young male voice whined, "don't say stuff like that when I'm holding my Arithmancy book and my Transfiguration book at the same time!"

"Sorry Cody!" she called, and Lily heard her knock again. "Come on, please? I haven't seen you in five years!"

"You've seen pictures," Lily replied pertly.

"You know what I mean! How can you do this to your poor, lonesome buddy? Your best friend forever?" Puppy whines came from the closed door, and Lily chuckled louder.

"Okay, okay, wouldn't want you making a scene," she grumbled, glad her friend was there. She opened the door and found Bella on her knees, pouting and clutching her hands in silent prayer. "Who are you praying to? The prank god?"

"You were always better than me at 'em, and you know it, Great Nicca, goddess of pranks!"

"Get up, you're drawing looks."

"Of course I am! I'm a sexy chinchilla!"

"Oh yeah, sure." Lily rolled her eyes, relief flooding her. They just fell back into routine, albeit more mature, but easygoing and understanding and familiar. "How are you, Bella Marie?"

"Better, now that you're here. Much better. Oh, lord, I missed you!" Bella reached over and hugged Lily tightly, and Lily finally let herself go.

"I m-missed you s-so much!" Lily sobbed. "They were so c-cold in France, so freaking cold. I was trash, Belle, pure trash be-because I was English! I could s-speak p-perfect French. I was quiet and composed at all times. I almost never pulled pranks because the French are stuck-up, stuffy fruitcakes who d-don't approve of such 'childish antics.' I was exactly the opposite of the real me and I was still n-never accepted because I wasn't good enough. I ha-hated it there, I absolutely hated it! The only thing that kept me going was your letters." Bella listened, holding her best friend and rocking her protectively, comforting her.

"It's okay, sweetheart. It's all going to be okay, love. I'm here, I'm here, I won't let them hurt you," she whispered into Lily's hair, holding her closer.

They were more like family than anyone either girl was related to by blood. Bella was rich, and had cold, distant parents, who were always so busy with 'important business'. She had been brought up by her nanny Delilah, who was more of a mother than Pollyanna Figg ever would be. As for Lily, her father had never been an important part of her life. Someone who was never around when he was wanted, and was when he wasn't; then he died, and it didn't matter. Since his death six months ago, Lily's mum was too caught up in their debt and her pain to reach out to anyone in any way resembling loving. Her mother was deep in depression, and Petunia had always hated her and Ace for what they were, had always loathed them for their old closeness. Bella, Remus, and Ace had been her whole world, her whole family, and they had been ripped away from her. Not everyone, a malicious part of her said tauntingly. Ace chose to stay.

Lily, hiccupping now, trudged on despite them. "He didn't seem fazed, all these years, like it was nothing, like I was supposed to forgive him for five years of pain, five years of lonely existence. I wanted to die Bella," she said suddenly, a frightful calm coming over her. "I was so miserable I welcomed death. I beckoned it. I begged it. I ached for death; there was a bottomless hole in my soul I couldn't seem to fill, it hungered for my pain. A quick and painless trip to heaven or hell, it would have all been over. I would have been free of the hurt I feel."

"Oh Jesus, Lily, why didn't you tell me? Tell Remus?" Bella smoothed her friend's hair, suddenly aware of how lost she would have been without her.

"What? Write you from France to announce pre-death tidings?" Lily laughed harshly. "What would it have said? Dear Bella, I want to kill myself, I am so miserable I'm willing to end it all, look me up when you get here, wherever here is, love your suicidal friend Lily?"

"That's not funny!" Bella choked, tears rolling down her face.

"It wasn't supposed to be. What am I going to do with myself, Bella? I'm in a bad state………you think I belong in St. Mungo's, don't you?"

"Oh, no honey, not at all. Your life will be new here. I promise you."

"Are you so sure? I'm not. Sure, Drew Thompson was fairly nice to me, downright friendly in fact, but…

"What?" Bella gasped, wiping a few tears away. "Drew Thompson? THE ANDREW THOMPSON? The Gryffindor Quidditch Team Captain? The sexy Hogwarts God every girl wants? And you think you're off to a bad start here?"

Lily waved her hand impatiently. "But what about the people who really count?"

"If he doesn't count, then I don't know who does," Bella muttered distractedly.

"You know who I'm talking about! Remus and his friends. After his initial reaction, Remus didn't seem very happy to see me here. Not at all, actually. He just kind of stalked out of the compartment with a chivalrous kiss on the cheek and a little whisper of 'I'm so happy to see you, I love you, I have to go' kind of thing. But it was all stiff and unnatural, you know? In fact, it seemed kind of forced. And the other two boys didn't like me either. All except for the dark, shaggy-haired one: Sirius. He was sweet, and he was really friendly. He was practically dragged out by the other two boys. And then there's…there's Ace. So in that little group, maybe one was happy to see me for about five minutes, and another was friendly enough, and the rest disliked or hated me. What if everyone hates me, because they do? I know how important they are, how popular they are, how well-known in this school…and even if other people like me, if they don't, then it doesn't even matter that others do………"

"Now, Lily, I'm sure you're overreacting. Remus was probably just preoccupied…"

"With Chase," Lily growled resentfully. "I should have known, should have realized that even though the four of us had been the best of friends, that he would put Chase before me. Because they were best friends, and still are, probably. Are you close…with them? Will it be hard for you, trying to be my friend and theirs?" Will you desert me?

"Nah, Ace and Remus grew away from me, partially because of different sex, and partially because you were the glue that held us together. After you left, I wasn't much to them…"

"No, Bella! That can't be true."

"It is, and you know it. Ace didn't have girl best friends then, except you, but you were his twin so you didn't count. Now Remus, on the other hand, you three grew up together and he is as much your brother as Ace is, and I know this is going to be hardest on him. Will you make him choose?"

Lily gasped in shock. "Never! I couldn't do that to him! I wouldn't do that to him."

"But Ace would, you know how stubborn he is."

"I used to," Lily sighed, wiping her face. "Am I all red and puffy?" she asked Bella, all seriousness.

"No, not really. Nothing the Charm queen can't fix…how about me?" Lily just laughed at her friend's red face. Bella grumbled, "How is it fair that you can have a crying jag and still look decent, I spill a few tears and look like a big red splotchy………balloon!"

"Oh come on, you don't look that bad. I can fix it."

"I do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"All right, you win."

"I do?" Bella cried despairingly. Lily waved her wand nonchalantly.

"Now you don't. Are we ready to exit the bathroom? People may get ideas, especially you without your underwear." Lily glanced at her friend's jeans as they walked out into the hallway. "Isn't it kind of breezy? I mean, thongs are so much more comfortable, if I do say so myself."

"I need air… Wait! Lily Evans, in a thong? I'm shocked! Well, what color?"

"Today? Black…"

"You have more than one?" Bella asked, amused at this rather different side of her friend, as she would have thought Lily would have dubbed such things frivolous and sexist.

"It's all I wear!"

"What's all you wear?" a dirty-blonde boy with shining brown eyes called curiously from just outside his compartment.

"Thongs! I mean, were you listening to me at all?" Lily practically yelled, unaware that it wasn't Bella asking.

"Great Wizards." Cody's jaw dropped, and he stared at Lily like he was the happiest man alive. Lily turned slightly, and spotting him, blushed a pretty crimson.

"Er, hi there, I'm Lily Evans, the transfer from Beauxbatons."

"Likewise, Lily." Cody smirked slightly. "French, huh?" he purred at her.

"Yeah, sort of," Lily answered, somewhat uncomfortable. Bella, sensing this, spoke up.

"Oh please, Cody, not every girl from France is a French tart who lifts her skirt for any passersby, really."

Cody reddened at this, and he began to stammer. "Bella! That is not what I

meant. It's just, France is such a romantic country, and………"

"Get over it Romeo, she's out of your league."

"She looks about in second year, maybe third year like me. How is it that she's out of my league? I'm not that bad looking, am I?" he asked in horror.

Bella chuckled. "Modest much?"

"I was just asking!"

"She may look young…"

"Young?" Lily sputtered indignantly. "Have you seen this great of a rack on any third or fourth year? Have you seen these hips? Have you seen this soon to be sixteen year old face?"

"Chill out, Lily, just smooth those ruffled feathers back in place. I was only making a point." Cody, meanwhile, was checking out Lily's aforementioned rack in a somewhat impolite stare. "Cody! She has eyes, you dolt! What I was saying, before the 'Queen of Iraq' spoke up…she's a sixth year with me."

"I can tell," the boy muttered, even more embarrassed. "It's just the height, Lily, don't worry about it, once people actually look at you, and your…er…well, you know, they'll realize you're not so young as a less…uh-"

"Thanks, Cody, I really appreciate it." Lily glanced at Bella and both bit their lips, trying not to giggle at this poor third year. "Uh, so, Cody, what house are you in?"

"Gryffindor," the boy replied proudly. "What house do you want to be in?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," Lily replied. "I don't really know much about the houses."

"Well good luck, hope you're in Gryffindor," he called, going towards the food cart which had stopped at his compartment down the hall.

Again, thank you! Please review!

-Crys