"You idiot! Thick headed, dim-witted, idiot!"

Connor cowered back at the rampage, the man in front of him more intimidating than Connor had ever seen him. Despite his being sorted into Gryffindor, his family had been long-standing friends with the Malfoys, Blacks and Lestranges, he and Rodolphus as close as brothers.

Rodolphus didn't look like a brother anymore.

"I didn't get much of a choice," Connor managed to speak up, his voice shaking in fear. "She was this close to being mine."

"But she isn't!" Rodolphus roared. "You do not know how much of our entire mission relies on that mudblooded whore."

Connor cowered again, shrinking as far back against the chair he sat in.

"They will be more protective! If she goes to Dumbledore-"

"She won't!"

Rodolphus glared at being interrupted. "If anyone goes to Dumbledore, this is the end of us. And I don't mean in this organization."

Connor sneered. "What does she have?"

"None of your business," Rodolphus snapped. "You were to keep her close to you and so, close to us. You're lucky My Lord hasn't killed you on sight!"

Connor shivered. He didn't want to die. "What can I do?"

Those were the words Rodolphus was looking for as a slow, devious smile crept over his face. "I have an idea."


James brushed Lily's hair back from her face the next morning, slightly surprised that neither of them had moved during the night. In fact, Lily's hand was wrapped tightly in his shirt where it rested on her shoulder. The soft smile, turned into a grimace when his head caught up with the memories. As many times as he'd dreamed of waking up beside Lily, the circumstances he hoped for were never like this.

"Lily?" he called softly, trying to wake her up. "Tink?"

Lily looked up blearily grimacing slightly from the twinge of injuries. The grimace faded. "Morning," she whispered. To her surprise, her bones just about melted from the grin he flashed her. She managed a small smile in response.

"Morning, Tink," he answered. "How are you?"

"Physically, fine."

"Emotionally?"

"I'll pull through."

"Lily." His arms were gentle around her, the light touch of his lips on her hair enough to break down the last of her fragile barriers. She began to cry in earnest the first time she'd allowed the sobs to wrack her small frame since it had happened. He did the only thing he could think of and pulled her tight, rubbing her back gently as she cried.

"Why me? What did I do?" she asked when she had calmed down enough to talk.

James kissed her hair again. "You didn't do anything, Love. What happened to you isn't in anyway your fault," he tried to assure her. "Nothing like this could be your fault."

Lily snuggled closer, tears still trailing down her face. After a few minutes of silence, allowing Lily the chance to get herself back under control, James' stomach let out a growl. The redhead looked up, a smile playing at her lips. He returned a smile with a sheepishly apologetic one of his own.

"Sorry," he said. "Can I go get something from the kitchens? Or the Great Hall?"

He fully expected her to shake her head or yell and scream at him for being insensitive. Much to his surprise, her face was determined.

"Great Hall," she said. "I'll come with you."

"Are you sure?" Skeptical was an understatement to describe the tone of his voice.

"You're going to be there right? And Remus and Sirius? What have I got to fear with you three around?" She cracked him a small smile.

"Of course." Something in the back of his head reminded him of the oddity of the situation. Three months ago, she would have preferred to be as far away from the Marauders as possible and now she wanted them close. It was too bad that it was because she felt threatened around anyone else.

He cupped her face in his hands, making sure his eyes locked on hers. "I want you to know you're protected. Remus, Sirius and I won't let anything hurt you again," he said confidently. Then he flashed her a smile. "Now, to breakfast, fair Tinkerbell."

Lily let out a sound akin to a giggle as she allowed him to help her up. "In our pyjamas?"

James looked down at himself, then at her. "We should probably change," he agreed. Much to his surprise Lily burst into tears.

"How can you want to be seen with me? I'm a whore."

James almost gasped at Lily's words and was beside her in seconds pulling her close to his body. When the tears subsided he held her head, fingers threading through her hair. "Don't ever say that Lily, ever. To me, you're still beautiful. You were always beautiful." Lily tried to look away, but he wouldn't let her.

"If you won't believe that at least believe it wasn't your fault. Believe you were the victim," he begged her, his eyes shining with the plea.

"Why? You heard him, I'm a whore." She forced his hands to let go of her head, turning away.

"I heard him, love, but I don't believe him," he told her with so much conviction in his voice that her eyes snapped back to his. "I believe what I see right in front of me and that's a beautiful, intelligent strong woman who decided to face the entire school instead of ordering breakfast up here the night after she was assaulted. Lil, Sarah didn't want to leave the guest room when she stayed with us and you're willing to face hundreds of students you're not sure you trust anymore."

"I shouldn't. They'll all probably think I'm a dirty slut."

"It's not written on your forehead, Tink. By doing this you are showing everyone that you can't be beaten. I'm so proud of your determination and your, your… strength."

Lily shuddered.

James settled his hands on her shoulders. "We will be there with you the entire time. Me, Sirius, Remus… we'll all be beside you the whole time." Merlin, the vulnerability in those green eyes would make him her eternal slave. "I promise."

Lily took a deep breath. She could do this. She'd been down to the Great Hall many, many times and since… well, everything started. And the logical part of her brain knew James was right. There wasn't a sign on her head that said she was a whore.

She looked up at him. "Let's go."

The corner of James' mouth curled up in a smile. He knew better than to ask with that tone of voice. "In our pyjamas?" he asked, throwing her words back at her.

She looked down at herself and grimaced. "No, not in our pyjamas. Five minutes?"

James hugged her briefly. "Five minutes."

She flashed him a smile and headed off for her room.

James sighed, running a hand through his hair as her door clicked closed. "You were always beautiful to me," he whispered to the now empty room. "I just wish you could have seen it before." With another sigh and another glance at her closed door, James went to change out of his own pyjamas.


So I ended up getting a second because I have read way too much about organized crime in the last 48 hours. So I decided for some sexual assault instead! Man, I am such a law student.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it and I'm going on record that it's 2 weeks earlier than I'd planned! That's exciting.

Thanks for the reviews. I love them all to death.