"Tammy may I have a moment alone with Lily," A voice asked from the door. Tammy turned around and found James standing in the door way.
She smiled and stood up walking over to him. She placed her hand on his shoulder and said, "Of course James. I am going to go get some coffee."
James watched her leave, and, then he moved to Lily. He sat down by the edge of her bed and kissed her head. Looking at her hand he saw the beautiful engagement ring she wore. He kissed it and whispered, "Lils you have to wake up. I-I don't know if I can go on without you. I love you Lily. Please, baby, wake up…for me."
James lay down beside her and hugged her to him. He kissed her and simply held her. He silently closed his eyes and allowed the arms of sleep to envelope him in a hug.
When Tammy returned with a cup of coffee she found James and Lily sleeping there. She smiled at the two and walked right back out the door going to where Sirius was sitting on his bed.
Sirius was to be released tomorrow and he was starting right away in finding the books of the founders. Sirius smiled with Tammy approached and said, "Where's Prongs?"
"Sleeping with Lily in his arms, I thought that he could use some sleep and if he felt comfortable and content enough to fall asleep then why not," Tammy told him. Sirius nodded and Tammy continued, "Sirius I haven't really talked to you since you woke up. I want to apologize for that. I should have I mean you saved my daughter. Had you not been there I wander if she would have gotten out."
"She would have. I know Lily, she is strong. She will be fine, and don't worry about not talking to me lately. If it was my daughter in that bed I wouldn't leave her side." Sirius told her.
Tammy smiled and said, "You're a good kid, Sirius." She stood up and went to walk away, but turned back and said, "Even though since I came back to this place things have went wrong and I am not losing my daughter. I can't come to regret my choice to take my new job here. I am so happy I have met you and Remus and of course James. I love you all, Sirius."
Sirius smiled and Tammy walked out the door. When she was gone he laid back and whispered to himself, "Please wake up Lily. We need you."
Lily touched the wall but it was red hot. She growled and cried out in pain. Howler ran forward and licked the hand saying, "Lily don't do that! You won't be able to just walk through it!"
"Howler I have to get out of here! I have to get back to-" Lily stopped suddenly when a voice rang through the red walls.
"I love you Lily. Please, baby, wake up…for me."
Lily froze and looked at Howler. "That's James. Howler I have to get out of here. Help me!"
"Lily I don't know how. This is the only way out, but I have reached this part of your body. I didn't mean to, but I did. I don't know what to do." Howler said lowering her head and shaking it.
Lily fell to her knees and said, "We have to do something."
James slowly pulled himself through the fog and came back to consciousness. He opened his eyes and found Lily was still in his arms. She had moved at all. He felt his heart break all over again. He had dreamt that Lily and he were standing in front of everyone saying "I do."
He had leant in to kiss her and suddenly she had disappeared into nothing. Standing in his tux James had fallen to his knees crying. He felt heartbroken right now. He had lost her. James hugged Lily tightly and felt her shudder slightly. James froze and sat up rolling Lily on her back. James shook her lightly and said, "Lily? Baby are you awake."
He felt her go numb and he felt tears rush to his eyes. Not bothering to hold them in James let the tears fall from his eyes and streak down his cheeks. James felt his heart go to Lily and he whispered, "Please wake up, baby. Lily I will love you forever and ever if you will just come back to me."
James touched her belly and whispered, "Lily you're – no our – baby needs us. Please wake up darling."
Lily didn't move and James kissed her head. James stood up and walked out of the room. He exited the private room and into the rest of the hospital wing finding Sirius standing in jeans in a black t-shirt. James raised an eye brow and Sirius said, "Ready to go Prongs."
James nodded and said, "Soon as I get myself changed. I'm going to run upstairs and change and grab our equipment bag. You read the message again from Gryffindor again and then we will go."
Sirius nodded and followed James from the Hospital Wing. The two walked through the corridors toward the main hall when James said, "She moved."
Sirius looked at James and asked, "Who moved?"
"Lils," James said looking straight ahead never slowing down. "She shuddered, but never woke up almost like it was an unconscious thing."
"She's going to wake up Prongs. I know it." Sirius told him seriously (no pun intended). James nodded and the two entered the main hallway. Sirius stopped him and hugged his brother. Sirius let go and said, "Hurry up Prongs. I want to get searching."
James nodded and took off toward the Gryffindor common room. Sirius left the Entrance Hall and went down toward the Forbidden Forest. When he got to the edge of the forest he pulled out Gryffindor's journal and read the last few pages.
I have come to the end of my first chapter of the many chapters that are a part of my life. The find the other many chapters you will have to travel to the forest and save my books from the monsters within. Whoever you are that has found this book you are extremely privileged. Not many get to look this closely at my life.
You're first journey is to the deepest part of the forest. You will come to a wood nymph her name is Emerald. Show her the book and she will tell you you're next step. Be warned Emerald will only appear to you once and after that you will be on your own to find the next step. You will only have until sundown. Good luck and goodbye until we meet again.
Sirius closed the book as James walked up. Sirius nodded and the two started moving through the trees. The group had agreed on who would go with Sirius to find each set of books: James would go to find Gryffindor's journals, Remus and Belle would go with him to find Ravenclaw's Diaries, Tabby would go with him to find Hufflepuff's Diaries, and Lily would go to find Slytherin's.
James had tried to convince Sirius that Lily didn't need to be included in the planning as it was so unlikely she would ever wake up, but Sirius was that she would wake up.
"Does the book say how far to go or what direction?" James asked as they walked.
"No it doesn't. It just says the deepest part of the forest. Prongs and Padfoot have run this forest so many times, and yet I have no idea where that is." Sirius said. He ducked under a tree and James jumped a log as they moved. They were moving quite quickly, but they had no idea where they were going.
"Think Sirius did the book say anything else."
"No," Sirius snapped. Then he got this look on his face like the light switch in his head had just been flipped. He jumped over the log James had just done and said, "Wait! At the beginning of the book it said something about him meeting a girl named Emerald. Maybe it is the same person as the wood nymph."
"Well quick read it!" James said as he stopped flipping around. Sirius pulled out the book and opened it to almost the very beginning.
Sirius ran his finger down page after page until he finally said, "Here it is. I was walking through the forest today and I swear to Merlin I saw her again; the brown haired girl with pale skin. She was jumping from tree to tree. She had a green almost transparent dress on. She was lovely with her hair falling down her back and on her shoulders. She was the most beautiful girl I think I have ever seen. Tomorrow I will search and speak to her. Rowena is angry at me, as usual lately, because of this girl; but I must meet her. I just have to."
"Padfoot that entry doesn't tell us where to find Emerald simply what she looks like." James said shaking his head.
"Listen I wasn't done." Sirius told him before he started reading again. "Today is the day. I will find the forest girl and meet her. I feel as if I know her, but I have never met her. That doesn't make any sense does it? I apologize to you my friend I will try to make more sense of my thoughts before writing them down. There! I just saw her. That is the entry after the last one and here is the next one. I met her today, the forest girl. Her name is emerald because of her emerald eyes. She is the keeper of this forest. A nymph is her race. I am a wizard and the only one to ever catch her. She is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen, or at least I thought. But after returning to the castle and my quarters I have found the most beautiful girl in the world, my Rowena. She is the most beautiful. That's it. The next entry is about Rowena and him. In fact Emerald isn't mentioned again until the end."
James sighed and said, "That wasn't helpful. Is there anything else in that book that will help?"
"I don't think so. Wait that's it. She is the keeper of the forest, right?" Sirius told him. James nodded and Sirius said, "Where is the keeper at? We've met her except she didn't look like this is described. Come on we've got to hurry before it gets too late."
James nodded and the two quickly changed course. They started heading south instead of east and it wasn't long before they were standing in a clearing. Suddenly a girl jumped from a tree and landed in front of them as if it was the easiest thing ever done. She had long blonde hair and bright blue eyes.
She spoke in a sharp commanding voice, "Leave here immediately."
Sirius stood his ground and said, "I need to speak with Emerald."
The girl snarled at him and said, "She is not here. She died long ago. Now leave!"
Sirius looked at her and was about to speak when out of the trees walked a girl about their age. The girl wore a long green dress and had brown hair. She was tanned and her eyes were as brown as the dirt below their feet. She walked, barefoot, to the blonde haired girl and said, "Xylia move away from the intruders."
"Kesia they shouldn't be here. Not when she has gone. What would she say?" Xylia asked imploringly.
"She would say: why are we condemning the ignorant? Now move away from the intruders. We are a peaceful race and you will do well to remember that." Kesia told the girl. Xylia moved from Sirius and James and Kesia moved forward slightly. She smiled at the two boys and asked, "Why are you here?"
"We are looking for Emerald. A book sent us here, and we need her…wait don't I know you?" Sirius said.
"You do, my dear. You should know me by Claire, but here I go by my born name Kesia. I look after our forest while my mother is gone. You must be Sirius Black and James Potter. It has been a while has it not." Kesia said.
"It has been a while." Sirius told her as James nodded. The two bowed slightly to her and Kesia hugged them both before motioning them to follow her. Xylia growled and looked angry before silently following the group of three toward the trees.
As they walked Sirius asked calmly, "Where is Emerald?"
"How do you know of Emerald, Sirius?" Kesia asked.
"I have a book that speaks of her. I must talk to her she can help us. Please Kesia help us." Sirius asked her. When she didn't answer Sirius turned to her and took her hand placing it over his heart. He smiled as her and it was full of passion. "Please help me, Kesia. I beg of you."
"I wish I could Sirius – you know I would – but I can't. Emerald left long ago and has not returned. I miss her and wish she would come home my love." Kesia kissed Sirius and Sirius kissed her back.
After a few minutes Sirius pulled away and said, "It cannot be as it was before my darling. I have found another love. I told you when I left here I would." Kesia kissed him on the cheek and leaned against him for a few minutes before pulling away. Sirius smiled lovingly at the girl in his arms before she pulled away.
When she was gone she moved toward James and hugged him saying, "I missed you as well James."
"We have missed you to Kesia. You were lovely to be around, but our worlds were just too far apart to be one in the same." James told her before hugging her tightly. "Is Mary here?"
"She is and she speaks of you every day. She never moved past you like the rest of us could. She is most broken. I wish you would go to her and wrap her up again protect her with your wings of love, but I understand why you do not. Like you said our worlds could never be one in the same." Kesia said.
James nodded and wanting to the change the subject said, "Why did Emerald leave?"
"I do not know. She left her only daughter, me, in charge of being the keeper. She said she would return when her prince returned." Kesia said sorrowfully.
Sirius looked at Kesia and said, "Do you mind if we stay here for a few days to see if she will return?" Kesia nodded and said, "You can both stay with me. Sirius I understand that you have found love outside of these woods, but I ask that in these woods you always be mine."
"Kesia…" Sirius sighed. Kesia turned to him and put her finger to his lips before kissing him deeply. When she pulled away he said, "In these woods Kesia I will always be yours, but I cannot stay in these woods." Kesia nodded and pulled him to a tree. She pushed him against it and kissed him hard and rough.
Sirius smiled against her lips and they kissed until James cleared his throat. "Sirius you can't do this to Tabby. She loves you and you love her. Kesia cannot be a part of your life. After we leave here she will be another memory as it was before. That is why I am not going to Mary. It would just hurt her again."
Kesia turned to James and said, "She is broken without you. Mary would be happy to have the peace of mind that in these woods you belonged to her and she belonged to you. You should go to her and show her that she still holds a place in your heart."
"Kesia I love full heartily. I am in love with Lily. I will always be in love with Lily. When I met Mary I didn't know what loves was, now I do." James told her kindly, but sternly.
"You lie James Potter. I hear it in your voice." Kesia moved from Sirius and looked straight at James continuing, "When you first came into our home I told you that you would love two women. Then you met Mary, and you dismissed me. I am here to tell you right now that I was right. You do love to women. Tell me that you do not dream of the beautiful creature you left here? You cannot can you? You do still love her as you love Lily and as Sirius loves two women. Nymphs are taught that they are not connected to the world and we believe that. As you said our worlds could never be one in the same. So why not love Mary in this world and Lily in the other world."
James shook his head and Kesia sighed, "I will not force you to go to her James, but it would allow her to heal. Nymphs are created not born. She understands that you will never be with her fully, but at least allow the thought that here in the cover of these woods you are hers and she is yours."
With that Kesia led the two young men through the woods and into a small village. The houses were in small and simple except for a large house at the end of the road. Kesia led them to the largest house and inside they found a palace. The nymphs were peaceful and excepted James and Sirius as they had two years before.
Kesia smiled to the people and dipped her head happily as they walked the halls. They were showed to their rooms and Sirius lay down on his bed. James lay down thinking of Lily. He breathed out a sigh and said, "Do you think she will wake?"
Sirius sat up and looked at James saying, "She will James I know she will." James nodded and silence filled the air. The only sound was the light breathing of the two boys and the laughter that rang through the window. Suddenly Sirius sat up and said, "James go to her."
James sighed and said, "Sirius I can't. I don't want to hurt her."
"She is already hurting James. Go to her. It isn't betraying Lily at all. Do you believe I am betraying Tabby? I love Tabby, but James in these woods Tabby can never exist. Kesia won't allow it. You saw her eyes. Give Mary that same peace of mind."
James sighed but finally nodded. He got up and went to take a shower. He undressed and stepped in the tub washing up and when he got out he found his clothes were gone. He rolled his eyes and grabbed a towel. Wrapping it around his waist James walked out of the bathroom and said, "Sirius have you seen my clothes?"
"They took them to wash them and left you this to wear." Sirius told him giving him the clothes. He pulled on a pair of white silk boxers and forest green silk pants that fell to his knees. He then ran a hand through his hair and walked out the door. It was normal for male nymphs to not wear shirts or shoes and was almost an insult if one did.
James walked out of the castle and took the road until it split into two. He went right and walked until he found a small cottage home. Through the window James could see a girl with long white hair sitting there drawing on a canvas. She was pale as paper, and her face was scrunched up in concentration. James could see small red streaks on her face that shown she had been crying.
James took a breath and whistled low but loud enough she could hear him. She looked up from her canvas and froze at the sight of him. James smiled whistled again. The girl dropped her canvas and got up running from her house out toward him. James lifted her off her feet and spun her around.
When he placed her on the ground she kissed him and without thought James kissed her back. She pulled away and said, "It's really you…"
James smiled at her and said, "Ya, Mary, it's me." She hugged him tightly and kissed him again. James kissed her less passionately this time before pulling away. "Mary slow down."
"Why James, it's us? We are together again. It's like before…isn't it?" Mary asked.
James shook his head and said, "No Mary it isn't. I have come because Kesia said you haven't been well, but Mary it will not be as it was."
Mary pulled away and stepped back, "My name is Xia. I will go by Xia and you will leave here."
"Mary, please, don't do this." James pleaded with her. "Let me explain."
"You dare speak to a wood nymph that way! Get out! I will call upon Kesia!" Xia screamed.
Suddenly guards flew from the trees and Kesia appeared behind James. James turned and shook his head. "Xia why have you called upon me," Kesia asked.
Xia turned to Kesia and said, "He refused to call me by my proper name and he refuses to leave me alone."
Kesia sighed and said, "Xia what is wrong? This is James. You remember James don't you?"
"He has not come for me Kesia. He doesn't still love me." Xia said quietly as she fell to her knees in tears. Kesia turned to her guards and held up her hand. The guards nodded and moved from their positions back to their positions in the trees.
Kesia then dropped down and hugged Xia saying, "What is wrong my dear? Did you not let James explain?"
"He kissed me Kesia, and it was if nothing had happened. Then he tells me that it can't be like it was before. If not then why come back at all." Xia said sobbingly.
"Xia my darling, my woodling, let him explain. I'm sure he will explain what is in his head." Kesia told her gently.
Xia nodded sadly and James moved forward. He fell to his knees by Xia and said, "You are beautiful even now with these meaningless tears on your face and the dirt beneath your knees." He kissed her head. "When I first came here, Xia, Kesia told me that I would fall in love with two women. I dismissed her when I fell for you, but as time passed me and Sirius both realized that we had to go back. We realized that our worlds could never be one in the same, so Sirius and I left in the shadows of the night and didn't plan to come back. Now I fell in love with another. Her name is Lily and at this moment I love her with everything I have. She is dying and I have no idea if she will be alive when I return from this mission that I am on. Xia listen to me, what Kesia told me came true. I love two women. I love you Xia, but I also love Lily. Our worlds can never be one in the same, so I will move on and love Lily. I will marry her and she will bear my children. But you my darling will always hold my heart in these woods. And in these woods alone I will belong to only you and you will belong to only me."
Xia looked at James's eyes and found nothing but truth in his words. She kissed him and said, "wood nymphs are created not born. I understand James. Will you stay with me tonight?"
"Xia my love I wish I could, but we must be leaving soon. You see Lily needs me and I hope when I return she is awake and breathing. I hope she has moved from the brink of death. Xia know this, I will tell her of you and I will be bringing her to meet you. I hope you two women can get along otherwise everything I am working for will be for nothing." James told her and then kissed her.
Xia nodded and suddenly the wind roared to life and the guards came running from the trees. Kesia flipped and started screaming in a different language. James grasped Xia and rose to his feet pulling her up with him.
Kesia turned and said urgently, "Run! Run to my home. Find Sirius and get away from here! Hurry my dears! James take Xia with you! Run away!" With that Kesia ran from them and toward the trees. She jumped into the trees and disappeared from sight.
James took Xia's wrist and ran back toward the village. Xia was crying again and screaming for Kesia. She pulled against James, but James just kept moving. Xia's wrist started to bruise, but the woodland nymph continued to fight and pull away. James held tight and when the two reached the town they found it was covered in black smoke and fire roared and spread from the homes. Xia froze and gasped. She coughed a couple of times as the smoke entered her body.
James pulled twice and started to run toward the palace. They ran and ran, but the smoke quickly took its toll on them both. Soon Xia could barely breathe and James was carrying her, but James could barely breathe on his own and was struggling. The two collapsed at the bottom of the stairs and guards and servants came running from the palace screaming for them.
Sirius was right behind them and yelled at James to wake up. James coughed a couple of times and stood up shakily. Sirius lifted Xia and the three made their way from the village. They moved through the trees and suddenly they came to a small stream. James fell to the stream and dunked his whole head in trying to gulp down as much water as he could.
Sirius gently fed Xia some water and she sputtered and coughed. James hugged her and said, "Its ok Xia its ok."
Xia hugged him tightly and Sirius said, "Where are we you guys?"
"I have no idea. This doesn't look like the Forbidden forest anymore. I mean the forbidden forest doesn't have a stream that runs through it, does it?" James said.
"Yes it does, but we were nowhere near it," Xia said shakily.
"You my dears are safe here." A sweet voice said. Xia gasped and her eyes widened. She turned searching for the voice's owner, but couldn't find one. Suddenly out of nowhere a woman appeared.
She looked as beautiful as angels. She smiled at them and said, "Rest Xia rest. As I said you are safe here."
"Yes you are safe here." A strong deep voice said. A man appeared beside the woman and smiled at the three of them.
Sirius and James gasped at the sight of him and said, "Godric Gryffindor."
The man smiled and said, "Yes son yes. Now breathe and stop staring, it isn't polite." Sirius and James nodded and the two sat down across from them on the bank. The woman placed her bare feet in the water and said, "Ah perfect."
Godric smiled at her and laughed quietly. Xia followed the woman's movements and James and Sirius sat cross legged breathing deeply as James was still having trouble breathing and Sirius shaking all over from meeting his idol.
"My name is Emerald," The woman said sweetly. "And as I said you are safe here."
"You're Emerald?" Sirius asked slightly shocked. "You look a lot different then he describes in his book."
Godric laughed and said, "What did you expect Sirius? I wrote that when I was in my 20's and I am almost 40 now. It's been 10 years. She aged and she changed, but she is still my Emerald."
"What about Rowena? Do you not love her?" James asked.
"Of course I do. I love Rowena with all my heart, but just as you love two women so do I. Rowena is the love of my life, but because of something our daughter did I cannot get to her. I love my family, but I can't get to them. So I stay called Emerald here to me; to keep me company. She is my other love. I told her at any time she can leave, but she will not. She says she will only leave when I have returned to my family as she learned long ago that we could not be in love in one world."
It got quiet as everyone thought over what Godric said. Xia scooted close to James and held his hand. James kissed her head and pulled her closely. Xia laid her head on James's shoulder and said, "What about Kesia?"
At the sound of his woodland nymph Sirius raised his head and said, "What happened to her?"
It got quiet; no one said a single word. The only sound around was the wind and the breathing of the others.
Kesia was fighting. She didn't know what to do? She heard a cry of one of her guards and saw them fall from the corner of her eye. Kesia fought harder stabbing her enemy in the gut before spinning and running toward her fallen commander. The man smiled at her and said, "It has been an honor my keeper."
Kesia frowned and was about to cry when he closed his eyes. She touched his head and whispered, "Watch over him mother. Lead him to safety." She then lowered him to the ground and grabbed his knives stuffing them into her clothes. She grabbed his and her sword and took off running. She ran toward the village and found it in flames. She cried out and roared into the sky. She ran into the town and started running to the homes. She opened door after door yelling inside for people.
She found the homes empty and by the sixth house she was coughing and having trouble breathing. She coughed and yelled out, "HELP!" She fell to the ground and lay there. She couldn't get up and she couldn't breathe. She closed her eyes thinking, I'm sorry mother…I tried.
Flames and smoke rose from the trees shadowing the grounds of Hogwarts. The students closest to the Forbidden Forest screamed and ran to the school. Hagrid came from his home and ran into a small first year. The boy fell to the ground and Hagrid said, "What happened?"
"There's a fire in the Forbidden Forest." The boy panted.
Hagrid left the boy in his home and ran to the forest. He quickly called for the centaurs. The centaurs came running with water. They began to fight the fire and soon it was out. Hagrid then sent one of the centaurs to the school to inform the headmaster and to check on the boy in his home. Hagrid began searching the homes.
He had been through many houses when he came to a house with a girl lying on the floor. She had her eyes closed and long brown hair fell around her. Her clothes were dirty with soot. Hagrid lifted her into his arms and found she had a pulse. He gently wiped her face and a centaur ran forward.
"She is simply unconscious, but completely alive. It seems that the colony of wood nymphs got away except this one." The centaur said.
Hagrid nodded and said, "If she is alive then we can do nothing. Wood nymphs heal themselves and wizardry and centaur magic cannot help them." The centaur nodded and Hagrid placed the small girl back onto the floor.
Suddenly Dumbledore moved through the trees and said, "What has happened Hagrid? The wood nymphs are usually very careful."
"I'm not sure sir. This is the wood nymph I can find and she is alive." Hagrid told the man. Dumbledore nodded and said "we will return in three days to discover what has become of the girl." Hagrid nodded and the pair left.
Emerald stood from the water and walked away saying, "I will check on my daughter, but I have no doubt she is fine."
Godric nodded and kissed her hand allowing her to go. Sirius watched the whole thing and said, "Don't you ever fear she will leave you, like Rowena and like your parents did."
Godric smiled and said, "You really have read my journal haven't you." Sirius nodded and Godric continued, "Sirius I fear everyday she will leave me, but I know I cannot keep her trapped here. She is a wood nymph. She is a free spirit and I will let her live. When I called her here I did not mean for her to stay I meant for us to hold each other for a few hours and then her be gone from me, but alas she has stayed and left her people to her daughter Kesia."
Sirius froze at Kesia's name and Emerald suddenly returned. Sirius sat up and said, "Is she alright?"
Emerald wrapped her arms around Godric and said, "I must go my love. My daughter is in trouble. I can't leave her there to die."
Godric nodded and Emerald motioned the group of three to follow her. They stood in the pool of water and Emerald said, "Valeria scorch my heart and let me free."
The three nodded and repeated what she said. There was a swirl of beauty and they felt as if their heart was on fire burning. Xia screamed, but just as the pain came in left and they were standing in the Forbidden Forest again. Emerald moved through the trees at a racing speed. Xia followed her easily but the boys could as easily. Suddenly Sirius jumped in the air and changed into Padfoot racing to keep up. James kept running knowing that with the low branches Prongs would be no help when it came to speed.
They ran and soon they were entering the village. Emerald froze at the sight of the burnt little town. Leaving the three standing there in shock Emerald took off running. The group took a deep breath and followed her through the small town. They began checking every house searching for the stubborn wood nymph. They were each searching when they heard Emerald cry out, "Kesia!"
James turned and ran toward the house he knew Emerald to be in. He was the last to get there. Entering the home he found Emerald holding her daughter with Sirius and Xia standing around them. James went forward and touched Xia's shoulder, but the wood nymph didn't respond. James sighed and said, "Emerald is she okay?"
Emerald laid her daughter down and touched her head whispering, "Kesia, my daughter, speak to me."
Kesia shivered but never spoke. James and Sirius were confused but Xia simply moved forward and said, "Kesia, my keeper, speak to me."
Emerald smiled and pulled Sirius forward. Confused Emerald touched his hand to her body and nodded at him. "Just say what we said, but change the my daughter to something that she is to you."
Sirius looked down and whispered, "Kesia, my lovely, speak to me."
Kesia shivered and took a small breath. James moved forward and touched her whispering, "Kesia, my friend, speak to me." She gasped and carefully opened her eyes. James smiled and was the first to speak, "Kesia…thank Merlin you are okay."
Kesia looked around her and said, "I heard you all. You were calling for me." They all nodded and Kesia smiled, "You healed my wounds?"
"We did my daughter." Emerald told her. Kesia looked at her mother and held her tightly.
Lily took a deep breath and whispered, "I am getting out of here." She looked around and found a small hole in the red wall. She got down and tried to crawl through the hole with suddenly the red wall grew and Howler lay down and whimpered.
Lily turned to the large wolf and said, "Why Howler?"
"I don't know why. I don't understand why it won't allow you to leave…why I won't." The wolf whispered upset. Lily touched the wolf and kissed her head. She hugged her and motioned for her to follow. Lily turned and started walking away from the "exit" searching for a way out.
There just has to be a way out…there just has to be. Lily thought.
Emerald helped Kesia up and said, "Where have the wood nymphs gone my daughter?"
"I have no idea. By time I got here after fighting off the fire nymphs. I have no idea why they suddenly attacked but they did. I was fighting when I finally got away. They ran off suddenly and I came here everything was ablaze so I started searching the homes. But the smoke got to me. I-I passed out after searching the first six homes. How could I have done that? What if there were some that hadn't gotten away? I am the worst Keeper ever…" Kesia trailed off and looked at her hands.
Emerald kissed her daughter's head and whispered, "It's ok little one. But now is the time for you to fall in a sorrow. It is time for you to finish the search of the homes and then we must find the others. Xia is here and she will be helping us."
"You've returned?" Kesia asked.
"I have my young one. I shouldn't have asked you to watch over our sweet forest in the first place. I am sorry for that and I will make it better." Emerald told her. Emerald was going to walk off when she turned to Sirius and said, "I believe young man that these are yours." She handed him a collection of books.
He looked at the books and gasped. "These are the rest of the diaries."
"Yes, Sirius they are. Godric entrusted them to me and now I am entrusting them to you." Emerald smiled.
Sirius was about to say something when suddenly a centaur ran into the burnt village. He stopped at the sight of Emerald and bowed saying, "My keeper you have returned."
Emerald smiled at the centaur and said, "It is wonderful to see you Balvion." Emerald looked at his neck and found it was cut open. She moved forward and said, "Hold still Balvion."
The centaur dug his hooves into the ground and stood still. Emerald touched the gash and whispered, "Valesia." The cut healed quickly and Emerald smiled.
"There you are my dear." Emerald told him easily.
"Thank you my Keeper. I have come to tell you that you're wood nymphs are in our village. They fled to us when the fire began." Balvion told Emerald. Then he turned to James and Sirius and said, "Also dear foals someone at the castle is searching for you. You should go quickly."
James nodded and hugged Xia kissing her before changing to Prongs and moving through toward the tree line. He just came to it when he turned back to Sirius. His black haired friend kissed Kesia and then turned holding his collection of books close to this chest.
James lowered himself slightly and Sirius climbed on. James took off running as fast as he could. It was no time and they were breaking from the Forbidden Forest running across the grounds. James was almost to the castle when McGonagall came running from the castle.
"Mr. Potter come quickly its Miss Evans." Sirius jumped off Prongs and opened the great double doors of the school. Without changing James ran up the steps and through the school. He banged through the doors of the Hospital Wing and changed running down the wing.
He was almost to the door when Remus grabbed him. James tried to pull away when Remus held tighter and said, "James…I'm sorry. She didn't make it."
James froze and turned to Remus. Remus looked sorrowful and James found nothing but truth in his eyes. James shook his head and pulled away from Remus moving back down the hall the way his had come. He allowed his grief to wash over him and he allowed his tears to fall down his cheeks.
Sirius came running in and dropped his books at the sight of James. He ran forward and grabbed James. "Breathe James. Come on man breathe."
It was three days after Lily had quit breathing completely. They had no idea if the baby was alright as for some reason a wall of red had surrounded Lily. James sat as close to Lily as he could get whispering things to her dead body. He pleaded for her to somehow wake up and breathe again, but he knew deep down she was gone.
Suddenly one day there was a knock at the door and James stood opening the door. In walked a group of wood nymphs and leading them was Emerald. James looked at her and said, "Why have you come?"
"We heard there was a girl who needed the attention of us, so we came. Where is the girl?" Emerald asked.
It was as if nothing had happened. She spoke to James the way she would have spoken to any professor or anyone. James stood aside and allowed them to see Lily. The wood nymphs surrounded Lily and joined hands. They closed their eyes and soon the red wall dropped. James gasped and one of the nymphs moved forward and touched Lily whispering incoherent words under her breath.
"What's happening?" Lily asked. They were walking when suddenly it got really hot and the red walls began to close in around her and Howler. Scared Lily touched Howler and cried, "Howler help me."
Howler growled and roared. It was as if he was calling for the walls to stop, but they didn't. Terrified Lily sat down and Howler stepped over her protecting her. It was just about to touch them when suddenly the walls disappeared.
Howler stepped back and said, "Run Lily. Go back to the exit. Hurry!"
Lily did as she was told and took off. She ran through the door and gasped. She couldn't breathe. Underwater with the water filling her lungs Lily kicked to the surface. She broke through and gasped.
Lily suddenly gasped and James froze. The love of his life was awake. After all the time and fear and sorrow she was alive and awake. The nymphs stepped back and left the room. James ran forward and sat down on her bed.
Lily sat up and gasped, "James! Oh thank Merlin." Lily grabbed a hold of him and held him as tightly as she could.
James held her tightly and kissed her head whispering, "I love you Lily forever and always."
A/N: ok I was going to make this two chapter but the second chapter would have been really short so I decided to just make it one chapter. Tell me what you think, please!
Cassie_Heart