Chapter 10- My Fallen Angel

"James?"

"Yes, Lily?"

"We need to go to class…"

James chuckled.

"Of course you would say that, Miss Head Girl," James looked down at me and smiled sadly.

"Well, Mr. Head Boy, you should care more about your schoolwork," I stood up from where I had been laying on my bed next to James and put my hand out to help him up.

James sighed.

"Fine, but I call you for Potions," He said, taking my hand. "Can we go to lunch first though?"

I looked at my watch. It was only 12:30.

"Sure," I shrugged.

We walked to the Great Hall.

"Lily!"

"James!"

"Prongsie!"

"Lillian!"

James and I chuckled at Hestia and Sirius' annoying nicknames as we were attacked by Alice, Remus, Sirius, and Hestia.

"Hey guys," James said gloomily.

"Where have you guys been?" Hestia asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"In my room," I replied.

Sirius wagged his eyebrows at us.

"Oh, really?" He said, his eyes travelling to his best mate.

James nodded.

"We've been talking, nothing more. Lils wouldn't have let me do anything else," James winked at me and I hit his arm jokingly.

"I wrote back to the Minister and he's organizing mum and dad's fu-funeral," James choked as we sat down.

I sat next to him and quietly laced my fingers through his under the table and squeezed his hand.

"When is it going to be?" Sirius asked quietly.

"I asked for it to be the 20th. That's the last day before break."

"My parent's is the 18th. Will you guys come with me?" I asked, looking at the Marauders, Alice, and Hestia. "Alice, Frank can come, too, if he'd like."

Alice nodded.

"Thanks, I'm sure he'll want to be there for you. He liked your parents very much," She said.

Hestia touched my arm softly from her seat next to me.

"You know I'll be there. Harold and Janice were like my second parents. Scratch that, they were my second parents." I nodded in appreciation.

"We'll be there," James said on behalf of himself and the other Marauders.

"Thanks, guys," I smiled.

James looked at us girls.

"You lot can come too, if you'd like. Then we can spend Christmas together at my house."

Hestia, Alice, and I all smiled at him.

"We'll be there," Alice said.

On the 18th, I woke up early and showered. After putting on make-up, I pulled on a strapless black dress that went down to the top of my knees, black flats, and a black sweater. I put on the diamond necklace that my father had given me for Christmas two years back. I pulled my hair up into a tight bun and put on matching diamond earrings. I then grabbed a black clutch purse and walked down to the the small living room.

As I approached the couch next to the fireplace, I saw a dark figure sitting with their head in their hands.

"James?" I whispered.

He stood up and looked at me.

"Lils," He whispered back with a light smile.

I hugged him tightly.

"I can't do this," I cried.

He pulled away and placed a finger under my chin to make my eyes meet his.

"Lily, I will be here all day next to you, I promise. You won't go through this without me, just like I know you won't leave me in two days," James said softly.

I hugged him again and he chuckled.

"You can't be glued to me all day, Lils."

"Sure I can," I said, burying my head in his chest.

"You know, for 6 years I've wanted you to get this close to me, but now, it's not so good…Well, it is but not under these circumstances."

I stepped away, taking his appearance in.

James was wearing black dress pants, black dress shoes, and a black button-up dress shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to reveal his deeply tanned arms. He ran a finger through his unruly hair as he watched my eyes scroll over him.

"You look…uh…nice?" He said, suddenly sounding nervous.

I smiled.

"Thanks, so do you. But you'd look a lot better if your hair would stay flat," I said cheekily. I stood on my toes to reach his hair and tried to flatten it. "Does it ever stay down?"

"Nope, my mum has tried for years, but it just won't," He grinned.

We both turned around to see Hestia, Alice, Sirius, and Remus walked through the portrait hole.

"Oh hello, I see the lovebirds have gotten up early," Sirius winked.

Hestia glared at him and slapped him.

"Not today, Black. Don't you dare bug Lily today or I will kill you!"

"Yeesh. Fine, sorry Lilykins."

"Shut up," I said, but laughing all the same.

We walked to the Headmaster's office to Floo to the church where my parent's funeral was taking place.

"Hello, Professor," I said as we entered to office.

Dumbledore stood up.

"Ah, hello, Miss Evans, Mr. Potter, Miss Jones, Mr. Black, Miss Prewett, and Mr. Lupin," He said smiling.

The door to the office opened and Frank rushed in.

"Hello, sir. Hey guys, sorry I'm late!"

Alice hugged her boyfriend tightly.

"Well, ready to go?" Dumbledore asked, grabbing a jar of Floo powder off a shelf.

I nodded, stepping forward. I grabbed a handful of powder and stepped into the large fireplace by the Headmaster's desk.

"East Catholic Church!" I yelled and the emerald flames shot me down the long tunnel. I popped out in an office in the church and stood up. I brushed myself off. James, Hestia, Frank, Alice, Sirius, and Remus followed.

"Ready to go?" I asked as my friends whipped off their black dress clothes.

They nodded sadly in reply.

"Wait, Lils!" Hestia cried as I started towards the door.

I turned around and she met me with her wand to my face.

"There, now your make-up won't run," She smiled.

"Thanks, Hest. Oh, that reminds me. Everyone but us here will be Muggles, so wands away and act natural," I ordered.

Sirius huffed.

"Since when do we not act natural?"

The rest of us gave Sirius a pointed look.

"Oh, fine, let's just gang up on Sirius...He doesn't mind…"

We laughed and walked out to join the groups of adults gathering in the hallway. Many of them hugged me and said how sorry they were for my loss, then asked if I had seen my sister. I told them that I had not, but I was sure that she would be coming shortly.

As we found a seat in the Sanctuary, Petunia tapped my shoulder from behind. I stood up.

"Petunia," I said shortly.

"Lily," My sister nodded. "I see you brought some of your freak friends with you."

"I see you brought your husband with you," I shot back.

Her jaw clenched.

"I looked at our parent's will, and they left you the house, property, furniture, and everything else that I left. I collected my things, so the rest is yours."

"Thank you."

Petunia nodded again.

"You will be speaking after me in the service," She looked around. "It's starting, I must go sit down….Nice seeing you, Lily."

I felt my features soften.

"You too, Petunia."

My big sister walked away to go sit with her obnoxiously large husband. I sat back down as the priest walked to the pulpit.

"Just remember, I'll be here with you through it all," I heard James whisper softly in my ear from my left.

He grabbed my hand and squeezed it softly. I looked over to my right where Hestia, Alice, and Frank were sitting. Hest saw me looking at her and smiled wearily. I couldn't smile back.

Near the end of the service, Petunia walked to the front of the room to speak.

"I was never as close to my parents as my sister, Lily, was. When I was younger, I never got along with my mum. We constantly argued. My father always tried to be understanding and see both sides. When both of my grandmothers died of cancer when I was eight, it tore me apart. Seeing as we did not have any aunts or uncles or cousins, I felt quite alone. Except for Lily. She was always there for me, to guide me. She always gave me advice," Petunia smiled at me. "But when Lily left for…boarding school, I felt more alone than ever. I started to get along with my mum more, but that went downhill when my grandfathers died, of old age, thank goodness. I guess what I'm trying to say is that no matter what happens in life, family will always be there for you, even if you cannot see them. I have found that out the last few days," Petunia whipped away tears that were falling and she looked skyward. "I love you mum and dad, and I'm happy to know that you're looking down on me, and I hope you're smiling."

Petunia left the pulpit and the priest returned.

"Thank you, Petunia. Next, the youngest daughter, Lily, will speak in conclusion. Afterwards, you may meet in the cemetery behind the church for the burial." He nodded towards me to welcome me forward. I stood up and walked to the front of the church.

I closed my eyes and sighed. I hated being in front of people. I glanced at James, who nodded in encouragement.

"Ever since I was little, I was always very close to both of my parents. I don't think I had a 'favourite', both of them were. They never left my side. When I met my childhood best friend, Severus Snape," I glanced at my friends to see all of their eyes darken, "my whole life changed. I left for a bigger and better school, which helped me figure out more and more about who I really am. Petunia and I…separated, I guess you could say," The crowd of crying family friends chuckled, knowing too well what I meant. I saw Severus Snape walk in the back door and meet my eyes. I continued, "I became less close to all of my family, not just Petunia, as I was only home for a few months in the summertime. Now, I regret not making more of an effort to be more of the family. I wish I had tried to be a better daughter and sister. My family deserves that much." I looked to the caskets holding my mother and father. "I love you guys. You are my fallen angels."