Author's Note: Bloody Hell. I was so nervous writing that last chapter. And then my computer short circuited due to a thunder storm. I was going crazy. Insane. Mental. I wanted to read my reviews so bad. And then my lovely cousin Panda( She also helped me with the names of the Quidditch teams...) called me. I got her to read me my email. I felt better. :grins: I'm glad you all liked it! The quidditch game was so much fun. I loved writing it! And then the fluff. It was a very fun chapter.
Iris2489: Yes indeed. I was a busy bee. Not like I have anything better to be doing... :coughcough: Summer Reading :coughcough: but that can wait, right?
Johnnyisdead; :laughs: I did it for you, I did it for you. Well, sort of.
Daisfunk: I read that one! Switched? Or something like that? Oh, I thought it was great! Interesting twists... but good none the less!
Michelle: Sadly, I don't want them to die either... but one of my goals in writing this fiction, was to try and stay true to the books that J.K has written... so, Lily and James must die. I'm going to cry when I write it. I know it.
My lovely cousin Amanda: You're lucky you're my favorite cousin... I'd have to kill you for all your comments and drug references... but, I love you! So you're safe to comment and criticize... but remember... I know what you did last summer... hell, I know what you did THIS summer!
As for everyone else; I love you guys! You're reviews make me feel so special! And... does anyone know what the hell a C2 is? Apparently I have 2 and I don't know what they are... care to fill me in?
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Chapter Twenty Eight: Sorrow
December's beginning brought with it the first snowstorm. The leaves hadn't even completely fallen and yet, on the second of December, the snow storm hit. All outdoor classes, Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures, were stationed inside. The corridors that were already chilly in November, were freezing. The chill of the winds whipping against the castle walls, wailing at the windows was enough to make the students, and teachers, bundle up before leaving a class room.
Some students, like Lily, had conjured a fire to warm them. They held it in their hands, or put it in jars and passed it between them and their friends.
"This is what I like about muggle buildings...they're heated." She added at the confused look on her friend's faces.
"Heated buildings?" Madison asked, cupping a flame of her own.
"Yep. And in the summer, when it's hot, air conditioned, its like heated, only... cold..." She explained, knowing that she wasn't making much sense.
They entered the dungeons, which, by far were the coldest place of all. Professor Slughorn, a vastly rotund, balding man with a bushy moustache, was standing in the front of the classroom, sporting moleskin gloves, and a hat to match. "Come in, come in, I've got a fire going, should be warmer in here than it is out there..." Horace Slughorn was known to like his comfort.
In truth, the classroom was a tad bit warmer than the halls, but not by much. Lily, Madison, Remus and Sirius kept their portable fires lit, warming themselves further. "Today we will be creating Amortentia. If I find anyone smuggling it out of this class..." he chuckled, "Let's just say they won't have any free time for a while... Now... Who can tell me what Amortentia is?" Lily's hand shot into the air. "Ah, yes, Lily."
"Amortentia is the world's more powerful love potion... it smells different to every person, what appeals to them." She answered promptly.
"Yes. Very good. Five points to Gryffindor." He smiled at his favorite student. "Amortentia is a love potion, but very complex. Consider it practice for your upcoming N.E.W.T exams." He flicked his wand, instructions appeared on the board. "You may begin. You can also find the instructions on page four hundred and thirty seven of Advanced Potion Making."
The class passed rather quickly. Sirius kept making jokes about James slipping some of the potion into Lily's juice every night. Lily smiled at him, and he grinned. "Well at least it worked." He said winking at her. Toward the end, Lily's potion had come along rather well. When Slughorn made his rounds, he asked her what she smelled from the ivory colored concoction.
As the whole class turned to look at her, for she was the only one who had gotten it completely right, she blushed crimson. "Uh, well... I smell... a summer rain storm... cookies baking...snicker doodles, if I'm not mistaken... they're my favorite type of cookie...my mum makes them the best...and..." She mumbled the last part, cashing her eyes at the stone floor.
"What was that? Lily, you must speak up." Slughorn prodded her with his words.
She kept her eyes on the floor, but spoke up, just a little, only so Slughorn could hear her. "I smell James..."
"Aha, James Potter... Of course you would." He smiled at her, seeming to be unaware that he just announced the final scent aloud to the class. Hushed giggled ensued. "Ah. Well... please put a sample of your potion in a vial, label it, and place it in the rack on my desk... Remember! I find out that anyone has taken any and used it, their punishment will be severe..."
Lily cleaned up, and was the first to hand in her potion, before retreating to the door, escaping into the hall without waiting.
James caught up with her as she ascended the stairs back to the main level of the castle, gasping for breath. "Why'd you take off so fast, love?" He asked, although he had a feeling he already knew.
Lily ignored the question. "Ah. Well, this is my free period... I'm off to the library..."
"Lily, come back here..." When she didn't turn, he ran after her. "Lily, love... are you embarrassed?"
"No, you think?" She retorted, and immediately regretted it. "Oh, James...I'm sorry...it's just... I..."
"I smelled you too, you know."
"You did?"
He nodded. "Yeah... my potion wasn't the best, but when I walked by yours to hand in my vial, I smelled you, the quidditch pitch in the morning, and something I don't really recognize... a flowery sort of smell... I think it's a perfume my mother used when I was little... You know you smell like vanilla and sugar? Like a cookie?"
Lily smiled. "I never knew... want to come to the library with me?" Suddenly, she felt a lot better about the situation...
"I'd love to."
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They had been in the library 'studying' for a good twenty minutes before a fourth year Gryffindor came running in breathless. "Lily? Lily Evans?" He asked when he saw her. She nodded, prying herself from James' arms. "Professor Dumbledore... he asked me to give this to you..." He handed her an envelope, much like the ones that the students received over the summer.
She took it, and the boy departed, leaving her alone with James. She looked at him, then at the letter. "Should I open it?"
"Well, why not? What's the worst that could happen? It's not like it's a howler."
She tore the letter open, read it, and gasped. Without a word, she tore from the library, leaving the note, and a very confused James behind.
The paper fluttered to the ground, and James leaned forward, picking it up. He read the note once, stared at it wide-eyed for a moment before reading it again.
Miss Evans,
I request your presence in my office immediately. There is something I wish to inform you of. It concerns your parents, and your sister, Petunia. The password is Ice Mice.
Professor Albus Dumbledore.
Her parents? What could concern her parents? They were– James' jaw dropped. They were muggles.
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James had reached the headmaster's office, he could hear Lily sobbing. Without thinking, he burst into the room, looking to comfort her. "Ah. Mr. Potter. I knew it would only be a matter of time before you followed Miss Evans." Lily was crouched on the ground, sobbing into her hands. Professor Dumbledore had abandoned his position as a teacher and a headmaster, and was kneeling next to her, being a friend.
"How can they be dead! They can't! Daddy has to see me get married! He has to walk me down the aisle! Mum has to meet my children! They didn't even know James and I are dating!"
James was down on the floor next to her in an instant of hearing her words. "Lily, love..." She melted into his arms, crying helplessly as he rocked her back and forth. "It'll be alright... Shhhh... it's going to be alright..."
"I think I'll leave you two alone for a bit. I'll return when you are ready." Dumbledore stood, nodding at James, and left them alone in his office.
The silence was only broken by Lily's crying, and James' occasional words meant to soothe her. "Petunia blames me..." She mumbled into his chest.
James wasn't exactly keen on the Lily-Petunia situation, but he knew for a fact that it wasn't her fault. "Lily... it's not your fault... how could she even say something like that?"
He wasn't expecting an answer, but he got one. "She hates me. She's always hated me... ever since my first letter... that same morning we were playing in the yard... she hated the fact that I was different... I think it killed her more that Mum and Daddy were proud of me..." She tried to take a breath, but ended up hiccuping instead. James rubbed her back, "It was my fault. The dark mark was over my house... V– Voldemort killed them..." She broke into sobs again.
The room fell silent once again as she hiccuped and wept. Voldemort was tearing families all over the wizarding world apart. This wasn't the first attack this year. Five Hogwarts students were orphaned, and twelve had lost mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, or other family members. James had lost his father, and now Lily had lost both of her parents.
A mournful, yet beautiful sound filled the room, and Lily lifted her head from James' chest to see what produced the melodic sound. Her tear filled green eyes met that of the phoenix, Fawks, which was peering at her from his perch as he sang his anguished melody. Lily sniffed, and wiped her eyes on the back of her hand.
"She doesn't even want me at their funeral." Lily said as she forced herself to her feet and walked over to Fawks, stroking his crimson-gold plumage. "I don't blame her... I'm pretty much the reason they're dead..." She could feel the sobs at the back of her throat.
James stood and walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "You're not the reason they're dead. Lily... your parents love you, even in death, they wouldn't want you to blame yourself, they would want you to be happy, live a full life, not be sad, or down trodden..."
Lily leaned into him, trying not to cry again. James was right, her parents were proud of her. They loved... no... they love her. Petunia was just being herself. Something bad happens, and Lily's to blame, even if she wasn't there, just because she's a witch.
Silent tears fell down her cheeks as she stood there, listening to the phoenix song. Lily felt lucky, as ironic as it may sound, to have someone who cares about her, to have someone there for her at her time of need. Now that her parents are gone, and Petunia still hates her, James is the only thing she has left besides her friends. James became her everything.
How much time had passed, neither knew, but Dumbledore showed up, just as he said he would, when they were ready. "Miss Evans, I do not expect you to be in any condition to carry on your work, at the present time. Therefore, I grant you leave until after the funeral. If you wish, Mr. Potter, is allowed to accompany you to the event."
Lily looked at James and nodded. "If he wants to, I would very much like to have his company." She said with as much courage as she could muster.
"Of course I want to, love. I wouldn't leave you to face this alone."
"Very well then. James, I will write to your mother, explaining what has happened. You both may go, and pack your things. When you are ready, you may come back here, I will be here, and you can floo to the Lily's house." Dumbledore said calmly, taking the seat behind his desk.
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Lily and James returned to his office within the hour, luggage in tow, courtesy of James. "Sir... I don't think my house is connected to the floo network..." Lily wasn't keen on going back to her house, but she was almost positive that she couldn't get back through the fire.
"I have my connections, and for the day, I have set up a brief period of time where you can floo to your home. I will owl you with the next time, so you can return. Now, you best be off, Petunia will be there to greet you, I have made sure of this. Lily, your family will be arriving tomorrow afternoon...Yes, I believe it is time." He nodded as she stepped up to the fire, and took a fist full of floo powder. "The phrase is 'Evans Estate'."
Lily nodded, stepped into the fireplace, and called out "Evans Estate!" As she threw the powder into the fire. Green flames errupted around her, and she was sent spiraling. She caught brief glimpses of other wizarding homes, and wanted to take a look around them, but before she knew it, she skidded into her home.
The first thing she noticed when her head stopped spinning was that there was a foot next to her face, and it was tapping impatiently. Lily lifted her ash and soot covered face, and saw her sister, arms folded across her chest, looking very irritated.
But irritated didn't even begin to cover Petunia's emotions as James skidded out of the fire place behind her with two over night bags. "One heck of a trip, eh Lily?" He said as he got to his feet and helped Lily up as well.
"Uh... Petunia, this is my boyfriend, James Potter...James, this is my sister, Petunia..." Lily introduced them, and was glad that Petunia hadn't bitten her head off yet. So far, so good. "Petunia, James is going to be staying... for... emotional support."
Petunia looked furious. "After the funeral, I don't care where you go, freak, but you aren't staying here. This is my house now. And after this, I want nothing to do with you." She eyed James. "Or you." She turned on heel, and stalked into the kitchen.
James' eyes followed her, then looked to Lily. "What crawled up her arse and died?"
"Surprisingly, nothing, that I know of. And this is her on a good day." Lily said with a shrug. "C'mon, I'll show you upstairs."
"What's good about it?" James mumbled, apparently angry at Petunia for treating Lily that way.
