Sorry for the wait. Here's the next chapter. Thanks for all the reviews as always!

Also, I must warn you, there's a big jump in time from January 1981 to July 1981. Most of this chapter happens in July. I'll explain the jump in time at the bottom.


Part II: To 1981

For the first time since she left Hogwarts, time flew by exceedingly quickly for Lily. She watched her sons grow before her eyes, looking more and more alike, and more and more like James each day. Lily stayed at home to care for the two growing boys while James went out with the Order. He and Sirius would come home telling stories of fighting Death Eaters and how dark their world had become.

This made Lily happy living in the small village of Godric's Hollow. Here, there was no storm cloud overhead every day. Surrounded by oblivious Muggles who cooed over and coddled her two boys, Lily felt safe. She felt that she could watch her children grow up and not be afraid for their wellbeing every moment of the day.

But, the Daily Prophet, as well as James, brought the horrid details into Lily's world. September brought the capture of Death Eater Antonin Dolohov, who was sent off to Azkaban by the Ministry of Magic. In October, Aurors killed Death Eaters Rosier and Wilkes. It was in these times that Lily, who knew Aurors and not just Death Eaters were being killed, wondered how long it would be before people she knew had their face in the obituaries, until a member of the Order took his or her last breath.

And, as in times of strife, there were also wondrous moments as well. Millicent Bagnold took over as Minister of Magic in November, which the Order found pleasing. The Marauders were able to celebrate the New Year together and Lily remembered standing in the doorway with Michelle watching the four men laughing and sharing stories over Firewhiskey as Logan, Jamie, and Kaida slept peacefully upstairs. It was the first time the four had been in the same room together, all four, in a long time.

When January hit that night, at midnight like every other year, Lily felt a cool breeze enter the open window that Peter had opened just moments before. She walked over and closed it, knowing the window shouldn't be open in January. She thought back on the war and thought that perhaps 1981 would be the end. But, she didn't know, as she had thought the same thing last year.

...........................................................

"As any fool can see, the Death Eaters have the upper hand!" Alastor Moody yelled, hitting his fist to the table at the Hog's Head in mid-July, 1981. "Twenty to one! That's the ratio now, twenty to one!"

"Yes," Albus Dumbledore replied calmly, leaning back in his chair. "Yes, unfortunately you are correct, Alastor."

Silence swept over the room and Lily looked up. The Order of the Phoenix appeared to be at a standstill. No one knew what to do anymore, not with Voldemort collecting the vast numbers he was. They would continue to fight, that was for sure, but their chances…their chances were not good, especially if Dumbledore's suspicion of horcruxes was true. She turned to the corner attempting to get away from the horror of the group and smiled. Sirius had brought along his cousin's daughter, Nymphadora Tonks, to watch the children in a small playpen while the Order meeting was in session.

The eight year old Metamorphmagus was keeping the kids entertained by changing her hair color and the shape of her nose. Logan, who was now two, and Frank and Alice Longbottom's son Neville seemed the most interested in it. Logan would laugh and point, telling her, "Do dog!" or "Do cat!" or "Purple hair!" and Neville, who wasn't quite a year old, would clap. Across the small play area, Jamie had a toy dragon that roared when he stopped playing with it to watch Kaida. The eleven month old girl sat by herself, independently playing with a small stuffed dog that moved and looked similar to Padfoot.

Lily heard chairs shuffling and she looked away from the children. The Order members had been dismissed, the meeting finished. Peter hurried out of the room, first to leave, followed by Moody, who was complaining to Hagrid about not being able to trust anyone.

Sirius walked over to the playpen and gently lifted Kaida out, kissing her forehead. "Daddy," she said happily.

"Come on, Nymphie, got to get you back to Andromeda before she kills me," he said to his cousin's daughter.

The girl stood her ground, her hair a bright shade of red. "For the last time, Sirius," she hissed. "I am going by Tonks! I hate my name!"

Sirius rolled his eyes and took the girl's shoulder in his free hand. "Oh, boo hoo," he said, leading her out. "I hated my name, too. Do you know how many jokes you can come up with having the name Sirius? After a while, it all got very annoying."

"I know, Siriusly," James joked, passing Sirius to get to Jamie and Logan. He received an eyebrow raise and a stuffed dog to the head in response. Kaida looked up at her father angrily. She didn't like having her dog snatched away from her and thrown at her godfather.

As the group walked out, James and Sirius were talking about informing Remus on the events of the meeting, as he was recovering from the full moon two nights before. Lily walked with Michelle, but spotted a cloaked figure outside of the Hog's Head, as if he were waiting for someone.

"Three Broomsticks, anyone?" James asked.

Suddenly, Jamie began to squirm in her arms and pressed his face into her shoulder. She told the group she would meet them there and walked back into the Hog's Head, so she could check and see if Jamie needed to be changed. Entering the bathroom, she closed the door and frowned when she noticed Jamie was perfectly fine.

"Merlin, he looks just like Potter," came a hiss from behind her.

Lily spun around, clutching Jamie to her chest. Upon seeing who it was, she glared. "Severus!" she hissed back. "You scared me."

"Sorry," he muttered, walking forward and looking down at the toddler. "He has your eyes."

"I know," she told him. "What are you doing here?"

He shuffled his feet and leaned against a wall. He looked up at her, his eyes calculating, as if he was trying to figure out what to say, or if he was going to say anything. Finally, he nodded to himself, and sighed. "He thinks the prophecy may mean you."

"What?" Lily asked, shaking her head. "What prophecy?"

Snape snorted and shook his head. "Dumbledore hasn't spoken of it yet? He's keeping you all even more in the dark than I originally thought."

"Severus," she demanded. "What prophecy?"

Taking another breath, he turned around and looked out the door, which was still opened a crack. He closed it and turned to look at Lily with black eyes. "There was a prophecy made about a year and a half ago speaking of the child that would have the power to destroy the Dark Lord."

Lily closed her eyes, not willing herself to accept what Snape was saying. When she opened her eyes again, ready to ask how it could possibly be her, Snape continued. "It was cryptic and we thought it meant the child would be born at the end of July to parents who had defied him three times."

"Jamie was born in May," Lily told him matter-of-factly.

"The prophecy said that the child would be born as the seventh month died," Snape drawled, not giving her a chance to think. "You're son was born early, almost eight months along but not quite, am I right?"

Lily was about to argue when she felt her stomach drop. They hadn't told anyone the specifics of Jamie's birth. In the darkness of the times they were in, Lily and James had agreed to not tell anyone, not even Dumbledore, how early the baby was. They had barely told anyone the due date, so it wasn't that big of a deal. The only people who had been told were the people who knew everything – Sirius, Michelle, Remus, and Peter.

"How did Voldemort find out?" she asked, but she didn't need him to answer. She already knew what this meant. The spy, the spy within the Order, was one of those four people. "But, more importantly, why are you telling me this?"

Snape looked up, a frown on his features. "I went to Dumbledore. I told him the Dark Lord's theories, but he still believes this powerful child is the Longbottom brat. He thinks that Dark Lord is missing part of the prophecy, the part about the seventh month." He shook his head. "And the Dark Lord is content thinking he'll be able to wipe the Potters, especially that child, off the face of the earth right under Dumbledore's nose."

Lily shook her head. It was too much to take in. "Do you know who…?" she asked, but the words died on her lips.

"No," Snape said. "I don't know who the spy is, or I swear, Lily, I would tell you."

"I know, Severus," Lily replied, looking down at her son. She couldn't believe Voldemort could want to kill such an innocent child. Jamie looked up at her with his bright green eyes and she turned away, unable to look at him.

Snape stepped closer to them and stared into her eyes with fear. "You have to protect yourself. This is why I told you." Then, he turned his back and Lily thought she heard him say, "I can't lose you twice."

Opening the door, Snape slipped out quietly, leaving Lily and Jamie to themselves. She walked to the door and looked out, but Severus was gone. She bit her lip and continued out of the bathroom. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Frank and Alice leaving, looking distraught, with Dumbledore behind them.

"Ah, Lily!"

She turned and smiled at her old potions professor, Horace Slughorn. He was walking toward her, jovial as always when he saw one of his pupils. "Professor?" she asked. "It's summer holidays; what are you doing here?"

He smiled. "Just meeting with a few friends, is all," he told her before looking down at the one year old in her arms. "My, he does look like James, doesn't he," he stated. Jamie shyly hid his face in Lily's shoulder, not the social butterfly like his older brother. "Lucky boy, though. He's got your eyes."

"Yes, he does," Lily replied. "Perhaps you'll be able to teach him, if you're still there in ten years."

"Unfortunately, I'm already gone," Slughorn said, patting the boy gently on the head. "I am officially retired from the post of Potions Master. In fact, Severus Snape has taken the job. I actually put your name in, but Albus said you wouldn't want it, and I very much agree after thinking. You can't be tied to Hogwarts, too special, too talented. Besides, Snape will do."

Lily smiled, now knowing where she could find Severus if she ever needed him. "I'm sure he will."

"Boy's already up to Hogwarts," Slughorn continued. "Don't have the foggiest why! School doesn't begin for another month and a half but he says he wants to get ready – for what, I don't know."

"I'm sure he's just nervous," Lily said, although she did wonder, much like Slughorn. She had always liked Horace Slughorn; he was, after all, her favorite teacher, as well as the professor of her favorite subject. "I should be getting back to James, Sirius, and Michelle before they worry. It was good seeing you, Professor."

Slughorn nodded, and Lily couldn't help notice he looked a little pained by her impending departure. "Yes, and you," he stated, his voice wavering, as if he'd never see her again. "Tell them I said hello," he added. "James and Sirius were always clever boys, although I do wish Sirius had been in my house – I would have liked the set, you know. Terrible pity what happened to Regulus, so talented."

Lily smiled and turned, knowing if she didn't leave Slughorn would never let her.

"Oh and, Lily?"

She turned to find Slughorn still standing where he had been. He grinned. "I still have Francis."

Smiling broader, she walked out into the summer heat and looked down at Jamie, her stomach clenching. She needed to find James. She needed to tell him what Severus had told her.


Slughorn has become my favorite character to write, he's just so consumed with his collection. I loved him in the books, and in the movie he was brilliant. Also, I know Francis wasn't in the books, but I couldn't resist putting it in. So, if you haven't seen the movie, I highly suggest you do – that part was one of my favorites.

There was some pretty heavy foreshadowing to the fact that Pettigrew's the traitor (just in case you've all been stuck under a rock and haven't noticed the scum that he is in the books or the movies).

Also, I know it is a pretty big jump between the beginning and the end of this chapter, but I have this timeline I've made out and nothing really happened in 1981 that really concerned us until the middle of July. This is where all the action starts and I hope it came out alright.

Review!