Before the Boy Who Lived

A/N: Hey guys. Sorry for the long wait…things have been kind of chaotic around here. See, I was really busy anyway, because May was the busiest month of the year for my family. There's my mom and my brother's birthday, Mother's Day, my Spring Concert, CCD Finals, my Confirmation, my friend's Confirmation/Confirmation party, this last minute science project my science teacher decided to spring on her favorite class, the 8th grade Washington D.C. Trip on the 12th (Which, ironically enough, just HAD to fall on my brother's birthday…), the Honors assembly, and a lot more junk I must have forgotten by now. But on top of all that, one of my friends committed suicide. Yeah…So, I've been kinda stressed out for a while, you know? Sorry if the chapter's not quite up to your expectations this week, guys. I did my best.

Dedications: This chapter is completely dedicated to my friend, Theresa Martin. Rest in peace Theresa; we'll all miss you!

Theresa M. Martin

July 27, 1992—May 6, 2006

WARNING: You guys started reading this with full knowledge that it was rated M. At the end of this chapter (right after Lily talks to her family on Christmas Eve) there is a mature situation which some of you would not like to read. It gets kind of intense,honestly, I shocked myself when I wrote it, so if you're at all squeamish, or a younger reader, I wouldn't read it. Though since it is important to the story, I'll make sure you'll be able to piece together what happened at the start of the next chapter. You've been warned.

Disclaimer: It's not mine.

Chapter 14: Make Damn Sure

"A long night spent with your most obvious weakness

You start shaking at the thought

You are everything I want

Because you are everything I'm not

We lay, we lay together

But not too close, too close

How close is close enough?

I just wanna break you down so badly

I trip over everything you said

I just wanna break you down so badly

In the worst way

My inarticulate, store bought

Hangover hobby kit talks

It says you…oh you are so cool

Scissor shaped across the bed

You are red (Violent red)

You hollow out my hungry eyes

I bite my tongue, I take my time

I just wanna break you down so badly

I trip over everything you said

I just wanna break you down so badly

In the worst way

And…

I'm gonna make damn sure

That you can't ever leave

You won't ever get too far from me."

(MakeDamnSure, Taking Back Sunday)

After that nightmare of a party, days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, and before I knew it, it was December. The entire castle was coming to life with the Christmas spirit around us. Quite literally in some cases. (Professor Flitwick had attempted to charm the winged boars in front of the castle to sing Christmas carols to every visitor that walked by. Let's just say it didn't go well…)

Something that amazed me the most was the fact that people still faithfully stared and gossiped whenever Adara and I walked past them in classes, in the corridors, and of course, in the Great Hall. We both kind of figured that everyone would be pretty bored of us by now. Guess we were wrong. That's why when we walked into the Great Hall that morning and were greeted by a collective buzzing drone, I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

As we started down the aisle toward the Gryffindor table, I leaned over to Adara and muttered, "Look at that. They're shaking in their robes!"

Adara smirked as she replied, "Well, it's no wonder. I mean, a vampire and a very powerful very loose cannon just walking around the school! They must be terrified!"

"Oh, head for the hills," I commented dryly. The two of us sat down at the table and the buzzing morphed back into the ordinary chatter of the Hogwarts population.

"Do you think that they'll ever get tired of this?" I asked.

Loading French toast and sausage onto her plate, Adara answered, "Nah, they'll just hap on about it for years, virtually turning us into social lepers, and then, when we apply for jobs, everyone will be too scared to hire us, so we'll have to live at home at the mercy of our families for the rest of our years. Why do you ask?"

I glared at her. "Not helping, Dara."

She grinned. "I know."

Before I could retort, the loud flapping of hundreds of wings announced the arrival of the post owls. To my surprise, Artemis landed in front of me, narrowly missing my goblet of orange juice. I looked at her curiously and untied the letter that was neatly attached to her leg. "Hey girl, what're you doing here, huh? I don't know who could possibly—"

Wait a second. I know that handwriting. Was it really from…

"DAD!"

Adara, along with most of the Gryffindor table, was looking at me like I was nutters. I must have had he goofiest grin on my face, even then. In reply to Adara's bewildered look, I let out another high pitched squeal of glee, startling Artemis enough to fly off back to the Owlery.

"What the—"

I grabbed her hand and yanked her up from the table. "C'mon!"

"But I'm hungry!"

The two of us darted out of the Great Hall and out the front door. Unceremoniously, I plopped down on the stairs, eagerly waiting for Adara, who had fell behind, the letter held tightly in my hands. Adara, huffing and puffing, threw herself down on the stairs next to me and asked as indignantly as she could muster, "Why exactly did you just suddenly decide to drag me out into the freezing cold, just to read a bloody letter!"

I grinned. "It's not just any letter. It's a letter from my dad!" She fixed me with a blank stare, unable to understand why that was important enough for me to tear her away from her hot breakfast.

"Never mind," I muttered a slight flush in my cheeks, "let's just read it, okay?" I tore open the envelope, pulled out the crumpled piece of paper, and read:

Dear Lily,

Hello Flower! How's my girl? I hope you're well. Everyone here is right as rain. Laney sends her love; you know how much she misses you. That brings me to why I'm writing. I managed to get some time off for the holidays, so I want you to come home for a good old family Christmas! It'll be perfect, just like I promised. Don't forget to take the train home! We can't wait to see you again. You'll have to show us a spot of magic sometime. I'll be sure to pick you up at King's Cross when your train gets in. Can't wait to see you Flower. 'Till then.

Love,

Dad

I couldn't believe it. Dad was actually going to be home for Christmas, just like he promised! And he was going to pick me up from the train station. I would get to see him and Laney and Liza again, and we would have a great Christmas together, I just knew it. It was going to be perfect.

No more than a week later, the first snow came to Hogwarts. All day people were distracted in classes, dreaming of snowball fights and ice skating. Transfiguration was more unbearable than ever.

"That's it for today, everyone," McGonagall announced unusually early, after we had finished copying notes from the board. "The rest of the class will be your free time, but I suggest that you use it to start your homework!"

Murmuring excitedly, everyone started packing away their things and drifting toward their friends in different parts of the room. McGonagall must have hit her head. She never gave us free time!

"Finally!" Adara exclaimed, slamming her book shut and stuffing it into her bag, not bothering to close it all the way, "I knew McGonagall would come around sometime!"

"Sure you did Dara; sure you did," I replied with a smile, "D'you want to—"

"Why Adara!" a falsely sweet voice interrupted, "Is that you?"

To my displeasure, Becky traipsed up to us and linked her arm through Adara's, Demi, Hannah and an uneasy Camilla following behind her. She flashed a congenial smile at Adara and completely turned her back on me. Don't I feel loved.

"Fancy seeing you here! How surprising!" she simpered.

Adara blinked. "Oh yeah, a total shocker. I've only been in the same Transfiguration class as you for…what, four months?"

Becky's smile faltered for a nanosecond and Camilla bit back a laugh. "Yes, well," she continued, just a bit colder, "the girls and I were just wandering if you would like to come join us for a while."

Adara and I shared a knowing look and se replied, "I think I'll pass."

Becky pouted. "Please, Adara? We're simply dying to know more about you! And besides, our dear Lily doesn't mind, do you Lily?"

I hadn't even opened my mouth when she exclaimed, "Wonderful! See, I told you she wouldn't mind! Come along then." As Becky dragged her away by the arm, Adara mouthed "Sorry" over her shoulder. I grinned and rolled my eyes. I felt worse for her than I did for myself.

With nothing better to do for the rest of class, I decided to start that essay McGonagall set us for homework; it would probably take a while. AS I pulled my books back out, I saw McGonagall smile approvingly. It was all going well until about fifteen minutes later; a loud shriek was heard from the other side of the room.

"My ring!" Becky screamed, "What have you done with my ring? Where is it? Tell me this instant!"

Adara put up her hands. "You're nutters! I never touched your gaudy old ring!"

I stared over at the group, eyes wide with worry. The ring in question was a dazzling sapphire set in silver that Becky's father had sent her as an early Christmas present. She had been flaunting it around school whenever she got the chance. This was not going to end well.

"Oh I'm so sure!" Becky accused hatefully, "I invite you over here, and this is how you repay me? By stealing my ring and then lying about it? I should have expected this behavior from someone like you."

Just when I thought that Adara was going to tackle Becky and punch all of her perfect teeth out, McGonagall intervened. "What, may I ask, is going on here ladies?"

"Oh, Professor!" Demi exclaimed with doe eyes, "Adara has stolen Becky's new sapphire ring, and she won't give it back!"

Becky shoved her ringless hand toward McGonagall as proof. "I had it earlier and noticed that it was gone just after she came over."

Oh please. That act couldn't convince a blind and deaf man. But, given Adara's background…I was waiting for McGonagall to fall for it and give Adara a lifetime of detentions of cleaning out the bathrooms with a toothbrush.

"All right then, let's have a look around on the floor. Perhaps it fell somewhere. Come on everyone, let's help Miss Havilland look for her ring," McGonagall ordered, letting me breath a sigh of relief. A few people looked around halfheartedly before Hannah declared triumphantly, "It's not here!"

McGonagall sighed and rubbed her temples for a moment. "Miss Sadaat, did you take the ring? If you admit it, the penalty will be less severe."

"Of course not, Professor!" she declared passionately, "You know that I would never—"

"That's just what happens when you let her sort into a school like Hogwarts, I'm afraid," Becky interrupted, "We'll all be the victims of her jealousy."

"Shut up you spoiled little—"

"Girls!" McGonagall admonished, "That will be quite enough from both of you!" she turned to Adara and held out her hand. "I'm sorry Miss Sadaat, but I'm afraid you'll have to let me have a look inside your bag."

"Fine," Adara stated confidently, handing it over right away, "I don't have anything to hide."

Just then, Becky and Demi shared a vicious look and I knew what was going to happen next. McGonagall pulled a bight blue stone from the bottom of Adara's bag, confirming my worst fear. They had this whole thing planned out, the pair of them. There's no way Adara could get out of this, and they knew it.

Disappointment shone in McGonagall's eyes as she studied the gaping Adara. "Well, Miss Sadaat, what have you got to say for yourself?"

"B-but, I didn't! I swear I didn't! I don't know how—I could never…" she whispered already defeated.

I jumped up and rushed to her aid. "Professor, it's true! You know Adara isn't a thief. Despite her background, she's a good person. Why would she do such a horrible thing?"

Becky just sniffed superiorly. "Don't listen to her Professor. You've seen how those two are. Thick as thieves. I bet that Lily was in on it too."

McGonagall gently grabbed Adara by the hand. "We'd best go see Professor Dumbledore."

"Adara, darling," a charming voice I didn't recognize interjected, "Don't be so modest. Tell Professor McGonagall the truth." It took both of us a moment to realize that it was Camilla who had spoken up for her. All of us looked shocked that she had spoken, herself included.

"The truth?" Adara whispered uncertainly.

"Yes," she continued, "The truth—that Becky had lost her ring this morning. You found it and put it in your bag for safekeeping."

"Why didn't she return it right away then?" Demi challenged glaring at Camilla and me.

That's when I jumped in. "She didn't want to embarrass Becky, of course! How would she feel if Adara suddenly announced in the middle of the Great Hall that she had been careless enough to loose something so valuable? She was waiting for a private moment. You know how sweet Adara is."

Becky scowled unattractively and McGonagall smiled slightly. "Is this true, Miss Sadaat?"

Adara's acting skills kicked in as she bowed her head modestly. "Yes, Professor. I'm sorry to have caused such a problem."

"Well then," McGonagall continued cheerfully, handing a sour faced Becky her ring back, "I'm glad that's been settled. And, Miss Havilland? Do learn to be more careful with your things. Class dismissed."

We all managed to keep up a calm, cheerful façade until we were out of McGonagall's earshot. Then Becky spun around, looking capable of murder. I guess she thought that Camilla, Adara and I would cower and beg for her forgiveness. On the contrary, the three of us were grinning with satisfaction.

"I don't know who you two think you are," she growled to Adara and I. "but you better learn your place. It's not wise to think yourself above your station," then she turned to Camilla, "And you! Helping scum like them! We're through Hamilton. Stay away from us!"

Becky, Demi, and Hannah started to stalk away and Camilla waved happily at their retreating backs. "Gladly!"

"Excuse me, Camilla, what did you just do?" a cultured, haughty voice asked from behind us. Camilla cringed and we all turned around to find three girls glaring down at us. One was a fifth year, though short for her age, was strikingly beautiful, with long dark brown hair and crystal blue eyes. The other two had to be twins. They were third years, with honey blonde hair, hazel eyes, and an expression like they permanently smelled something foul.

"What is your problem?" the brunette asked forcefully, "Are you trying to ruin everything? Can't you do something right for a change?"

"Yeah, one of the twins added, twirling her hair around her finger, "you're not supposed to associate yourself with people like them. You know that. Mother's told you a thousand times!"

"We tried so hard to set you up with more respectable girls, and you couldn't even do that right," the other twin sighed, "I guess you just don't want our help."

Camilla rolled her eyes. "Are you quite finished?"

The brunette's eyes blazed angrily as she hissed, "You do not speak to us that way Camilla! You—"

"AS I was saying," she continued, louder, addressing the brunette again, "Sabrina, get a life. I don't care what you think my problem is, and I'm never going to be like you. Can't you just give it up for a change?"

Sabrina scowled and opened her mouth to reply when Camilla turned her attention to the twins. "Gabriella, Gemma, I could care less what Mother says and I wouldn't want your help if my life depended on it. You should know that, I've told you a thousand times."

Sabrina looked furious. "Don't you dare walk away from me Camilla Michelle Hamilton! You cannot just be friends with a gypsy and a…an abomination! I won't allow it!"

Camilla grinned and linked her arms through ours like we were old friends. "Watch me."

We walked past them, heads held high with huge grins on our faces. Adara through her arms around Camilla and hugged her tightly, exclaiming with a laugh, "I love you! You saved my life back there!"

"No problem," she laughed, "It was the least I could do. I was sick of being their little puppet."

"Is there anything we could do to repay you?" I asked brightly.

"Well, actually," she began, looking between us with a grin, "there is. First, you can be my friends."

"Already done!" Adara exclaimed, "Anything else?"

"Yeah…just call me Cami."

It was the night before Christmas Eve, the day we were set to take the train home for the holidays, and the three of us were up in the dorm, attempting to do some last minute packing. We had become almost like sisters over the last three weeks. I was so happy to have them around. We talked about everything, with only one exception: our families. Cami and I were both hesitant to share much of any information about our families. Adara didn't pry, but I know she was curious.

"Has anybody seen my other sock?" Adara asked from under her bed as she searched for said sock, her voice muffled.

"Check your Potions book, which is in the cabinet under the sink in the bathroom. Why you left it there, only Merlin knows," Cami suggested offhandedly, muttering the last part in a stage whisper. Whacking Cami with a pillow on the way, Adara went to go check the bathroom for her missing sock. She returned to the dorm a second later, her sock in one hand, her Potions book in the other, and a shocked look on her face.

"Cami, how in Merlin's name did you know that my stuff was jammed in there?"

She shrugged. "Lucky guess?"

"Hey Cami," I asked as I sat on my overflowing trunk, trying to get it to close, "can I ask you a question?"

"You just did, but you can ask me another one if you want," she grinned.

I looked over at Cami. "Who were those three girls? The ones who didn't want you to hang around with us? Remember?"

Her face darkened considerably and she slammed her trunk neatly shut. "How could I forget?" she muttered.

For a few awkward minutes, she didn't say anything. Then she sighed deeply and ran her hand through her platinum blonde hair. "They were my sisters," she complied, adding fiercely, "Total snobs; I know…I hate my family."

The normally happy and strong Cami broke down, shoulders slumping with her head in her hands. It was heart breaking to watch such a fighter just…give up. I put a comforting hand on her back.

"Well," Adara said quietly, not exactly knowing what to say, "They can't be all that bad."

"You're right," she replied, standing up, "they're worse." With that, she stood up and strode out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her. And if I'm not mistaken, there were tears running down her pale cheeks.

O.o In the Hogwarts Library O.o

Something highly unusual was going on in the Hogwarts library at the same time. If you were to light a candle and travel far enough through the maze of bookshelves and desks, studying students and the odd couple snogging in a shadowy corner, you would found four boys crouched over a book from the restricted section. Without permission, of course. The Marauders.

Two boys in particular were vehemently searching through the book as if their lives depended on it. "She is so going to pay for that stunt," Sirius growled, "If it's the last thing I do, I'm going to pull the biggest prank in Hogwarts history on that little witch! Nobody messes with Sirius Black and gets away with it!"

Remus sat back, half lost in shadow, his face pale and drawn due to the approaching full moon. "Guys, are you sure about this? I mean, isn't this just a little…extreme?"

"AHA!" Sirius cried triumphantly, "I found it! Just what we need to get back at Evans." He cackled manically, Peter doing a bad imitation not far away.

James turned to look at Remus with a smirk. "Don't worry, Rem. Evans is only getting what she deserves, trust me. Besides, what's the worst that could happen?"

"Bye!"

"I'll miss you!"

"Call me!"

Everyone was gathering on Platform 9 ¾, and shouts like that were ringing out all over the place. It was Christmas Eve. Adara, Cami, and I stood in a tight cluster near the front of the train, none of us wanting to have to leave just yet.

"Adarwa!"

Laughing, Adara spun around just in time to catch a beautiful little girl in a tattered gray jacket and matching hat jammed over her curly dark hair in her arms. "Hey Kora! I missed you so much!" Adara exclaimed, kissing her on the cheek. Two more girls identical to the first down to the last fleck of gold in their smoky gray eyes ran up behind her, giggling, and started hugging Adara's legs. They must be the triplets.

Following not too far behind them was a short, willowy woman with a strange, dark beauty. A baby lay nestled in her arms and another little girl, younger than the triplets held tightly to the back of her long coat, shyly hiding behind her mother.

"You must be Lily and Camilla!" Mrs. Sadaat exclaimed with a toothy smile, "Adara has told me so much about you in her letters!" It was so hard to believe that this woman was a vampire. You probably wouldn't be able to tell just by looking at her if you saw her on the street. The only thing that could give her away was her dreadfully pale, almost snow white skin.

"It's nice to meet you Mrs. Sadaat," Cami answered with a little curtsy.

After Adara introduced us to everyone, Mrs. Sadaat began, "I'm sorry to cut this short girls, but we really have to head home," she looked at Adara, "Dukker's managed to scrounge up a Christmas goose for us!"

As she walked away after her mum with Kora riding on her back, Adara waved over her shoulder. "See you guys later! I'll meet you on the train, okay?"

"Camilla!" a shrill voice called at the same time. Cami and I turned and saw a tall, thin, blonde, elegant witch and a handsome wizard with dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes standing with Cami's sisters, Sabrina, Gabriella, and Gemma. A scowl crawled over Cami's pretty face.

"See you later Lily," she muttered regretfully, stalking off towards her family.

"Bye!" I called hopefully, "Happy Christmas!"

I knew that there was no way that Dad would find the platform, so I decided to pass through to the Muggle side and wait for him there. That plan was ruined almost the moment I stepped through the wall. The entire station was so packed with travelers headed home for the holidays, that I almost got pushed back through the wall onto Platform 9 ¾. I'd never find him among all these people. I figured that my only chance was to sit on a bench outside near the front entrance and hope that I saw Dad before he walked inside.

Dragging my ridiculously heavy trunk behind me, I stepped outside into the crisp winter air. The streets were bustling with last minute Christmas shoppers and a few feathery snowflakes were just beginning to fall. With a smile, I wrapped my scarf tighter around my neck and took a seat right next to the door.

There I waited. And I waited. And waited. But he never came. Tears started to trickle down my cheeks and nearly froze there from the cold. I realized that he wasn't going to come. How could he do this? A few people shot me sympathetic looks, but no one stopped to say a word. How was I going to get home? I didn't know what to do. I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe. All I could seem to do was sit and cry, and wait for someone who obviously wasn't going to come.

It's hard to say how long I was sitting on that bench. All I know that it was dark, and a fine layer of snow had accumulated on my clothes when someone finally stopped to talk to me.

"Miss…?" a hesitant voice asked.

I turned to see an anxious looking security guard who couldn't have been more than twenty standing next to me.

"It's awfully late Miss. We're locking up for the night. I hate to see a sweet girl like you out here all alone, and on Christmas Eve too. You must be freezing. Would you like me to call somebody?" he offered.

I shook my head and replied in a raspy voice, "No. He's coming. He promised he would. He promised!"

"Alright…if you're sure then."

After locking the doors and shutting the lights off, the security guard left to patrol the parking lot. With a deep sigh, I stood up, grabbing my trunk, and started trudging down the street in the direction of my house.

I must have been walking for at least two hours. It was pitch dark now, my feet were sore, my teeth were chattering, my fingers were numb, and I still wasn't even halfway home. This was hopeless. How could he forget about me?

Suddenly, I took a step and slipped on a patch of ice, my right arm flying out toward the street to try and break my fall. There was a loud bang and I had to scramble out of the street to avoid being hit by a violently purple triple decker bus that had just skidded to a stop in front of me.

A man in his late forties with thick, graying hair and a fatherly appearance stepped off the bus and into the cold. "Welcome to the Knight Bus," he began, "an emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Shawn Shunpike, and I will be your conductor for this evening. Aren't you a pretty little thing? Whatever are you doing out here all alone, at this time of night?"

I blushed and looked down, fiddling with my wet jacket. "I was walking home. I just got home from Hogwarts, and with all the excitement of the holidays, I guess my family…forgot to pick me up."

Mr. Shunpike's busy eyebrows disappeared into his hair and he replied with a fatherly tone, "Well we can't have that! Your family should be ashamed of themselves, leaving you out here on Christmas Eve!" he wrapped a warm arm around my shoulders and grabbed my trunk, "Come along sweetheart, let's get you on board."

The inside of the bus was heavenly. It was big and spacious with chandeliers hanging form the ceiling, with cozy beds lining the walls instead of chairs, and it was warm! As soon as I stepped inside, I let out a content sigh. Mr. Shunpike smiled. He led me down the rows of beds, past snoring wizards and witches to a huge, soft bed right next to the heater.

"That'll be eleven Sickles, love," Mr. Shunpike said softly, so as not to wake the others sleeping.

"Of course!" I replied, reaching into my purse. There was nothing there, except for a hole at the bottom. Impossible. I searched through the whole bag, but it was no use. All my money was gone.

"Oh no!" I moaned, holding back tears as I tore through my bag, "It's not here! Oh, I can't go back out there! What'll I do?"

Mr. Shunpike sat me down on the bed and kneeled in front of me, putting his hands on my shoulders. "Don't worry, love. Old Shawn will take care of everything. What you need right now is some hot chocolate and some sleep."

"Thank you so much Mr. Shunpike!" I cried thankfully.

He smiled. "You're welcome sweetheart."

"Lily? Wake up, love. It's your stop."

Slowly, I sat up, not wanting to leave the comforting warmth of my bed just yet. I looked around, blinking in the bright light. Mr. Shunpike stood in front of me with my trunk, and I realized that I was home.

"Nice place you've got there," Shunpike mentioned as I stood up and slipped on my still soaking wet jacket, grabbing my trunk.

Then I looked out the frosty window at the house, covered in fresh snow, candles in the windows with the moon shining down on it. It looked like a Christmas card. "Yeah, it's all right, I suppose," I sighed, thinking of what I was really coming home to. Then I turned to Mr. Shunpike and continued, "Thank you for everything, Mr. Shunpike."

"Anytime Lily, anytime," he replied with a smile, "You remind me so much of my Annie when she was your age. Have a Happy Christmas!"

"You too, Mr. Shunpike," I responded as I stepped off the bus. With another bang, the Knight Bus had vanished, and I was standing in front of my house.

"Here goes nothing," I whispered, starting forward.

The door was, thankfully, unlocked, and I let myself inside. Leaving my trunk by the door, I made my way toward the living room. I regretted it as soon as I walked in on a scene that broke my heart. Kerri, Dad, Jake, and Petunia were happily decorating the tree and hanging stockings, laughing and without a care in the world. None of them had even noticed that I was gone.

I cleared my throat and everyone turned around in surprise. Kerri's face contorted in disgust and Petunia whispered something spiteful to Jake that made him smirk. Dad just looked on at me in shock.

"Lily Flower!" he exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"

"Yes," Kerri began angrily, "What are you doing here?"

"I walked home," I replied in a strained voice, "when you didn't show up at King's Cross this afternoon."

His eyes grew wide with remembrance and shock. Jake and Petunia smirked as they took in my cold, wet, shaking form. "Oh, Lily! I'm sorry, I completely forgot about it!"

Unable to take it, I let out a dry sob and turned my back to them. I wouldn't give any of them the satisfaction of seeing me cry. Dad came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my shaking shoulders.

"Lily Flower, what's wrong?"

I yanked myself out of his arms and spun around, looking at him as if her were nutters. Without another word, I sped off down the stairs in search of the only two people who cared.

"Liza," I called when I burst into her room and found it empty, "Laney! Where are you?"

"Looking for someone?"

I turned to see Jake leaning in the doorway, a malicious smirk on his handsome face.

"What do you want?" I spat angrily. I was in no mood to deal with him.

"Why, only to help you, dear sister," he replied innocently, strolling into the room.

"I will never be your sister, you shallow, spoiled pig!" I snapped.

He grinned, resembling a cat that had just cornered a mouse. "Then I suppose you don't wish to know what has become of our good friend Liza."

Suddenly afraid for my friend, I whispered, "What have you done?"

"I have done nothing. But my mother has fired her."

I simply gaped at him in shock. "What? Why?"

Because she was an impertinent wench that thought she was above her station," his eyes glinted, "We know she helped you. So, under the pretense that she was a thief, so as not to get your father suspicious, Mother banished her from this household."

"No…" I whispered, the tears coming again as I backed into the wall.

"Oh yes," he continued in a strange tone, coming unsettlingly close to me, "your little helper is gone, and now, you have no one to protect you."

Taking advantage of my state of shock, Jake placed one of his hands on my hip and got even closer, tracing my jaw with one of his fingers. "But I could help you," he muttered, "We could help each other…"

His breath on my cheek broke me out of my reverie and with a sudden burst of strength, I shoved him off me. "Don't touch me!" I shouted.

"Or what?"

I glared at him, unable to come up with an answer. He grinned again, and I fled the room intent on finding Laney.

O.o See Warning at the Top Before Continuing! O.o

Christmas and Boxing Day came and went. I hardly noticed. In fact, I spent most of the holidays up in my room with Laney, trying to comfort her. When I found her on Christmas Eve, she was sprawled out on my bed, crying her eyes out. When I asked her what was wrong, she moaned something about Jake doing something horrible. I assumed she meant Liza, but when I asked her what he had done, she wouldn't tell me. Someone made her promise not to tell.

By now, it was New Years Eve. My only resolution this year was to get through another year alive.

"Lily!"

I kissed the sleeping Laney's forehead and ran from the room, toward Dad's voice. I sat on the top of the stairs, unsurprised to see Dad in a fine black suit and tie, and Kerri clinging onto him in an expensive new gown. They must have been going out. Again.

"Lily dear, Kerri and I are headed to the Worthington's for their smashing New Year's Eve party. I just wanted to let you know that we were leaving, and that as oldest, Jake is in charge. You're to do as he says."

Great. Thanks for letting me know. So go on then, leave and forget about me again. It's not as if I care. I stared blankly at the pair of them.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" he asked. More staring.

"You know Lily," he began testily, snapping on his cloak, "you can't keep this up forever. Grow up." The door slammed shut behind them.

"Grow up," I sneered; glaring at the door, "I'm not the one that has to do some growing up Daddy."

I was about to start back to my room when a loud commotion started outside the front door. Now what? Jake rocketed out of his room, knocked me out of the way, and opened the front door to reveal a group of his guy friends from school. There had to be at least fifteen or twenty of them.

"Hey guys!" he greeted, "Come on in! I've got some beer upstairs—"

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked before I could stop myself.

"Well who's this?" One of Jake's friends asked, "Surely not the Little Freak? Back from boarding school are you? Well, you're certainly not all that little anymore." The other guys crowed in laughter as he stared hungrily at my chest. Realizing that all I had on was a spaghetti string tank top and pajama pants, I crossed my arms over my chest.

"You can't do this, Jacob," I pointed out, getting daring and using his full name, which he hated.

"Oh, but you're mistaken, Lily Marie," he countered, "Dad said that I was in charge. So, quite frankly, I can do whatever I bloody well want."

Shaking my head at him and his idiot friends, I returned to my room. I knew better than to pick a fight with all of them.

The noise from the next room had woken Laney up almost right away. The New Year came at midnight, and at the moment, we were watching Cats Don't Dance, another of Laney's favorite movies. Darla Dimple was just plotting the animal's downfall when we were interrupted by a drunken yell from Jake's room. "Lily!" he slurred, "Get in here now! And bring Laney with you!"

Laney's eyes went wide and I rubbed her back and gave her a kiss. "Come on, Soldier. It's all right. We'll both be brave, right?"

"Right."

So, taking her cold little hand in mine, we walked over into Jake's room. The whole room was pitch black, and the moment we stepped fully into the room, someone slammed the door shut.

"Jake, what—"

Laney screamed as someone ripped her away from me. "Laney!" I screamed as someone else grabbed me around the waist and slammed me into the wall. Then, somebody flicked the lights on, and I found myself staring into Jake's eyes, his face not even an inch away from mine.

My heart was pounding. Laney and I wouldn't stand a chance against all these fifteen and sixteen year old boys. My gaze wandered for just a moment to see a boy throw Laney into Jake's closet and lock her there. Oh, God.

"What the hell do you think you're doing you sicko?" I whispered, my voice shaking.

"You see Lils," he began with a sick smile, his beer stained breath in my face, "there's a problem my friends and I all seem to have tonight. Something…you can help us with…"

Not loosening his grip on me in the slightest, one of his hands reached down and traced my breast. My eyes widened in shock and fear as I realized what they had in mind. "No way you pervert! Let go of me!"

He laughed silkily. "Scream all you want Lily, no one will hear you. Besides, would you rather have us ask Laney to help us?"

"No! Please," I cried desperately, "I'll do anything you want, just don't…don't hurt Laney!"

Laney started screaming and scratching at the door after I said that. She knew what was going on. "No! Jake, you promised! You promised you wouldn't do the Bad Thing to Lily too!"

Clucking his tongue, he used one finger to turn my face back toward his. "I swear that if you cooperate with us, no one here will touch Laney. Do we have a deal?"

I swallowed hard and turned to look desperately at the closet door, and then I whispered, "Yes."

"NO!" Laney screamed, attacking the door more furiously. Tears ran down my cheeks in torrents. Jake grinned like a Cheshire Cat. "Good."

He dropped me to the floor and I looked up at him, completely terrified. Tow of his bigger friends were guarding the door, two for the window, and one stood in front of the closet Laney was locked in. There was no way we could get away.

"Go sit on the bed," he started, and I did as I was told with an aching heart, "Now, take off your clothes."

Shaking, I slowly pulled my tank top over my head, shivering as the cold air hit my bare skin. The boys hooted and screamed, crowding closer to grope my breasts. I cried out in pain that they mistook for pleasure, and they grinned maniacally, shouting out the most obscene things.

"Oh, Lils," Jake called in a sing song voice, "all of your clothes."

I looked at him with tearful, pleading eyes. Up until that moment, I believed that somewhere, deep down, everyone was good. Even Jake. Jake dragged his eyes up and down my half naked body, then cocked his head at the closet and shrugged. He was a monster!

The boys around me backed up, eyes wide and gleaming with anticipation as I grabbed the waistband of my pajama pants and pulled them down over my hips and off my body, my knickers going with them. The room filled with an inhuman moaning as some of the more impatient boys shoved their hands into their pants. I stared hopelessly at the ceiling as the other boys came back and continued groping me and pushing their fingers into me as sobs racked my body and tears ran down my face.

Suddenly, the boys parted like the Red Sea, and I prayed that it was all over. I looked up to see Jake approaching me in only his boxers. A look of animalistic lust was in his eyes, and it scared me.

He stood in front of me and whispered for me to lie back on his bed. Fearing for Laney's safety, I did it. Jake got onto the bed, kneeling over me.

"Take off my boxers," he ordered huskily. Disgusted, I did as I was told. He was the first man I had ever seen naked. I hated him for it.

"Open your mouth. Wide."

At this point, it was my obliviousness that scared me. Being a naive eleven year old, I had no idea what exactly he was going to do to me, soI had no way to brace myself. To tell you the truth, that made it worse when he shoved himself into my mouth.

Out of reflex, I swallowed and he moaned, bucking his hips and pushing in further, until I gagged. Jake kept rocking his hips against my mouth until he fell forward on top of me. I had hoped that he was going to let me go now that he had done It with me, that he and his friends would just let me take Laney and leave so I could try and convince myself that it never happened. God was I wrong. He stood up and loomed over me, his eyes roaming my small form. To my horror, his moaning got louder and his head lolled on his shoulders as he ran his hand over my thigh. "Fuck," he moaned loudly, getting the other guys excited.

"Hey, man give someone else a chance!" the boy who had stared at my chest earlier cried out, looking impatient. I whimpered. Jake grinned.

"Relax man," he replied as he climbed back on top of me, "You'll get your turn."

Jakepushed a hand between mythighs and seperated my legs,positioning himself above my entrance, pinning me down to his bed. He leaned down and sucked hard on one of my breasts, and I whispered tearfully, "Jake please…don't."

It seemed to do the opposite of what I had hoped for. He lowered his face to my ear and sucked on it, muttering, "Now Lils remember our deal…"

Just then, he thrust himself into me and I screamed. The pain was horrible. He was laughing. Even as he moaned and pumped in and out of me, he was laughing. He knew he was hurting me, and he liked it. When he finished again, I thought I was going to pass out from shock. I welcomed it, but it didn't come.

I watched through blurry eyes as he got off of me and turned his back to me. He found his pajamas and got dressed as if nothing had ever happened. Once he was dressed, he smirked, sat down, snapped his fingers, and watched.

The boys started tearing their clothes off in a race to get to me first. I was almost suffocated when the boy from before jumped on top of me and leaned down to my face, whispering, "Remember me, Freak?"

They fell upon me like hungry wolves, having their way with me and then letting someone else have a go. My brain shut off. I couldn't breathe. I wasn't even crying anymore.

Just as I thought I would die from this sheer torture, I heard a car come up the gravel drive way and park. The front door opened and closed, and heels accompanied by dress shoes clicked on the marble floor. They were home.

"HELP!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. My life depended on it.

A/N: Wow, 24 pages in Word. I had no idea it was that long. I'll try to update soon. Graduation's the week after next, so I'll have more time to update pretty soon. Hate it? Love it? Review if you have time, okay guys? And before any of you ask, NO I was never raped/abused. It's justwith the world as it is today, Iprobably know more than I should. Plus, I have a pretty vivid imagination. I gotta go. Later guys.

Shannon