A/N: And finally, here's chapter 21! I have many excuses for putting this chapter up so late but I won't bore you with midterms, play rehearsal, and personal issues. This chapter is a bit short but essential to the story and I hope you enjoy it!

Miss Radcliffe

Chapter 21: The Results of War

A man draped in black, billowing robes crept through the darkness of the night. Around him were others in similar attire looking through the slits in their masks identical to his own. The boy could hardly believe what he was about to do. The first attack had been horrible, but each one had gotten easier after that. Still, he hadn't known any of those victims. That was the difference in this attack.

As Severus Snape approached a two-story house surrounded by a thicket of trees, he couldn't help but tremble.

Lily and Remus sat playing chess in the Gryffindor common room. Sirius and Alexis had disappeared hours ago and James was sitting on a sofa near the fire.

"Bishop to B8," commanded Remus. His bishop glided across the board and violently smashed Lily's last rook into pieces.

"Checkmate," grinned Remus. "You did almost have me there with the knight and the queen," he said while helping her to put the rest of the chess set away.

"Mark my words, Mr. Lupin," Lily winked playfully, "I'll beat you one of these days."

"Well I'm knackered," Remus announced as he stood and helped Lily up. "Good game, Lily. 'Night, Prongs."

"Good night, Moony," replied James. Lily watched Remus' retreating back vanish up the stairs before joining James on the sofa. His eyes seemed very far away as she watched them stare into the fire. Though James was rapidly returning to his old, playful self, there was a new determination and seriousness that was becoming more apparent as the days went by.

"James, what are you thinking about?" Lily asked, curiosity suddenly getting the better of her. James turned to look into her eyes with his warm hazel ones.

"You."

Lily was taken aback and remained in slight shock until he turned his full body towards her and took one of her hands in his.

"Lily, without you I'm not sure if I could have gotten through this," he explained, his thumb stroking her hand lightly. "Spending this time with you has been like the perfect dream. When I wake up every morning, I'm surprised to realize this is reality. You've been the only bright spot in the time I needed someone most." James cleared his throat.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is thank you," he finished, slightly embarrassed. Lily's astonishment had only grown and her green eyes sparkled.

"You can always come to me," she breathed.

"That wasn't so before. Glad to see you've changed your mind," James joked, and Lily laughed, remembering the night he locked her in the hidden chamber.

"I wanted to ask you something," James said, his tone serious again. "Lily...would you be my girlfriend?"

Lily's initial reflex was the word "no." After all, that had been her response to this question for the past seven years. But then she thought of the newer James - the one that had caught her off guard this year. She thought of the way she had to stop herself from laughing at his jokes, his talent for anything magical, and his undying need to please her. The answer was clear and simple.

"Yes."

A smile lit up James' face and he looked the happiest she'd seen him since his parents' death. A warm, happy feeling filled Lily's stomach with the knowledge that she caused that smile. Before she knew it, James' arms were around her and she instinctively hugged him back. When they pulled apart, James started to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" inquired Lily.

He replied, "I was just wondering how many hours it will take for all of Hogwarts to know that Lily Evans said yes to James Potter."

It was breakfast the following morning that Alexis first realized that something odd was going on with her best friend. Alexis had returned from her "walk" with Sirius to find Lily sleeping in their dormitory. Now in the Great Hall, Alexis noticed a glow about Lily she hadn't seen before. James kept whispering things in her ear that made her giggle and blush. James and Lily had grown close to inseparable after James' parents died. But this…this was new.

As she pondered these activities, Alexis observed Lily sliding closer to James as both of them slid their hands under the table.

"What's going on?" asked Remus, eyeing James and Lily suspiciously and seeming to read Alexis' thoughts.

James and Lily grinned simultaneously.

"Lily has finally come to her senses." James continued to smile stupidly.

"Huh?" Sirius eyed his friends.

"She's decided I'm no longer a prat," clarified James.

"Oh, no, you're still a prat," Lily smirked.

"Fine," James said, a mischievous glint in his eyes that no one had seen for a long time.

"But I'm i your /i prat."

It seemed everyone caught on at that same moment.

"Congr-!"

"Never thought I'd see the-!"

"Can't believe-!"

"Finally-!"

Alexis rushed over to Lily and gave her a quick squeeze before sitting back down beside Sirius.

"How long do you think it'll take the entire school to find out the Head Boy and Girl are finally together?" Sirius smirked.

"I'd give it two hours," Remus said. "Four at the most."

"That is, once everyone gets back," Lily added, glancing around the room. Only a few students from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw had stayed at the school over the break. Even some of the teachers had gone home to visit family. James looked over at the staff table. Professor Slughorn had left for his aunt's house the night before. Sinistra had been gone for two days at her sister's home. The next vacant seat James saw was Dumbledore's and-

James did a double take. Why would Dumbledore's seat be empty? Surely the Headmaster hadn't left too? James glanced down the rest of the staff table. McGonagall was also absent.

"Hey, guys," James said, "where do you reckon Dumbledore and McGonagall are?"

"Maybe sneaking off for a little private time," Sirius suggested, mischief written all over his face. Alexis giggled but stopped abruptly when McGonagall entered the Great Hall and started heading over to the Gryffindor table. She stopped in front of James.

"You five, please come with me to my office," she commanded, her lips pressed into a very thin line and her expression agitated with a hint of worry.

As he followed McGonagall up to the office he knew only too well, James sidled up to Sirius.

"You didn't pull anything without letting me in on it, did you?" he whispered.

"Haven't had the time," Sirius shrugged.

"Moony?" James asked, knowing Remus had overheard his question. He shook his head.

Puzzled and not knowing what else to do, James slowed his strides to walk beside Lily. He gently slipped his hand into hers, a new gesture that he found quite pleasurable. When they arrived at McGonagall's office, the Professor ushered them in silently before following and taking a seat behind her wooden desk.

"Professor Dumbledore wished for me to inform you…to inform you about an attack," she began hesitantly, her tone of voice becoming less harsh. Instantly the mood of the room changed from one of curiosity to fear and foreboding. Lily's grip on James' hand tightened considerably as she thought of the safety of her family.

"Who, Professor?" Alexis trembled.

"I'm afraid it's Miss Joanne Connely," McGonagall replied, her expression changing to a rare sympathetic one. Remus took ahold of the arm of the chair he was standing beside and swayed on his feet. Sirius vacated his seat and Remus collapsed into it.

"She is in the Hospital Wing recovering from a severe cutting curse and blood loss," answered McGonagall.

"And her parents?" James asked while putting his arm around Lily's shaking shoulders.

"Mr. and Mrs. Connely were not home at the time of the attack. They're with Joanne right now," McGonagall said.

"Can we see her?" Alexis asked. McGonagall nodded in response. The students stood and exited McGonagall's office in a rush, Remus in the lead.

A/N: Thanks to my talented beta songbook99 for getting this back to me so quickly! So our favorite couple is finally a couple! I hope you liked this chapter and aren't too mad at me for the cliffhanger. Either way, drop a review to let me know. Also, instructions on joining my myspace devoted to my stories will be on my author's page shortly.

Miss Radcliffe