I don't own it, hope you like it, and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review!

Chapter 9

A quiet knock at the door woke Lily. She didn't know how long she had been asleep, but someone had come in and covered her with a blanket, and placed a pillow under her head. The letter had been taken from her hand and laid on the top of her trunk, folded so she didn't have to see the terrible words it contained.

James' voice came softly through the door, "Lily? Can I come in?"

"Yes," Lily answered as she stood. "Come in."

"I, uh, came in to check on you earlier, but you where asleep." James said as he entered the room. "I, I saw that the letter said the funeral was today, and found out what time it was. It starts in an hour." His eyes were filled with worry, knowing he had to remind her of her parents, but not wanting to cause her more pain.

"Thanks." Lily said, "For everything. I'll be ready in a few minutes. Have you figured out how to get us into the funeral without Petunia knowing?"

"Yeah, I have. You just go ahead and get ready, and meet me at the bottom of the stairs, alright?"

"Alright."

James smiled as he stroked her hair, "It's going to be ok, Lily, I promise." He kissed her forehead before he walked out the door.

Lily took a deep breath, and then opened her trunk to find something to wear. She knew no one would see her, and that it didn't really matter what she wore, but she wanted to look nice for her parents. She didn't have a black dress here among her Hogwarts clothes, but she found one of navy blue, and cast a simple spell to rid it of wrinkles, as it had been crumpled up at the bottom of the trunk for quite a while. She pulled on the dress and found some shoes that matched, and then brushed her long hair till it was smooth and silky.

As much as she wanted to look nice for her mother and father, she couldn't bring herself to put on any make-up. That was something she always did when she was happy, and was getting dressed up to go somewhere. Also, she couldn't help but remember the times when she was younger and her mum would help her play dress-up, dabbing a bit of gloss on her lips, and rubbing her cheeks with blush. No, she wouldn't paint her face and cover up her pain. This is how she would go, letting her feelings be known to all who looked at her, unmasked by blush and eyeliner.

She glanced in the mirror, seeing her own familiar face, with the unfamiliar grief filling her green eyes. She turned away and walked quickly out of the room, blinking furiously as she made her way down the stair. She felt a wave of comfort, seeing James at the bottom of the step, waiting there for her. He looked handsome in a pair of black dress pants, a crisp white shirt, and a scarlet tie. He looked up anxiously when he heard her coming.

"Are you alright?" he asked her when she reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Yes," she said, and noticed the invisibility cloak folded on the floor next to him. "Is that how we're going to go?" she asked.

"Oh, yes." He said, gathering it up. "I put a charm on it, so no one outside of this can hear anything we say. That way, if you need to say anything or, anything, well, no one will be able to hear you."

Lily knew he meant that if she started crying, no one would be able to hear her. "Thanks." She said. "Are you ready to go?"

"Whenever you are." James replied.

She nodded her head to show that she was ready, and they walked outside. They held each other's hands on the front porch, and with a loud crack, they were about a quarter of a mile from a small church. Floods of memories filled Lily's mind, memories of Easter Sundays, sitting in the pew with her parents and sister, and of Christmas morning. And the most special memory, two summers ago when her parents had renewed their vows in this church. She blinked back the tears from her eyes when she remembered thinking that there could be no two people more in love. Now, their love had been cut short because of someone else's hate. Cold anger replaced the tears and the knot in her stomach tightened.

"You alright?" James whispered.

"Yes, I'm ok. Let's get going, it'll be starting soon." Lily's voice was thick, but she kept a stoic face and began walking slowly towards the church, so the cloak wouldn't slip and give them away.

They waited outside the crowded church until everyone had gone in, so they wouldn't bump someone and cause a disturbance. Finally, they were able to go in. they found an unoccupied corner and waited for the service to begin.

"There're a lot of people here," James remarked. "Seems like your parents were cared about by a lot of people.

"Everyone loved my mom and dad," Lily replied, a sad smile on her lips. "They were the sweetest people, and were friends with everybody."

"That must be where you got it from then," James said as he turned to look at her. "I know they must've been very proud of you."

Lily's throat was closed too tightly to reply. She took a shaky breath as an organ began to play slow mournful music, and the minister stood to give the eulogy.

"We are gathered here in remembrance of…"

Lily couldn't listen to the rest; she buried her face in James' warm shoulder and wept inconsolably for the remainder of the eulogy. Silently, she thanked James for the charm he had placed on the cloak, for though her sobs weren't very loud, she was sure Petunia would have found her and forced her to leave. James stroked her back and whispered calming words, giving her what comfort he could.

After the service was over, after the caskets had been taken to the cemetery, and after the last mourner had left, James and Lily still sat huddled in the corner.

"Lily," James whispered. "Lily, they're all gone. Do you want to go to the burial?"

Lily looked up, "No, no I'll go there sometime by myself; when I can be alone with them." She pulled off the cloak and looked up to the front of the church where the caskets had been. "You know," she said, her eyes unfocused and her voice in another place entirely. "They played my mum's favorite song. It was the one when they carried them out. They didn't play Daddy's song though. Do you want to know why?"

James knew she wanted to tell him, so he asked, "Why?"

"Because it was his and mine together. We used to sing it together all the time. I know that's why Petunia didn't have it played. My dad and I were so close, we talked about everything. I, I don't know what I'm going to do with him gone." She bit her lip to keep from losing control again, but one tear managed to break through, and slip silently down her cheek. James reached out with his thumb and wiped it away.

"Oh, Lily. I'm so sorry. You will get your sister back, ok? And if it takes a while, it takes a while. But please, don't make the mistake of thinking you're alone until then. As far as I'm concerned, you won't ever have to be alone again; I'll always be here for you."

Lily nodded her head, knowing the truth he spoke. How could she have ever thought of him in any other way than sincere and caring? "Thank you James. Thank you." She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face again, her grief, anger, gratitude, and every other emotion that filled her breaking the dam of tears. They sat there like that for what seemed like forever before she pulled back her head and stood.