Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

~Lily~ Almost

Sirius had come in the night for her. He always had been athletic, but she never really appreciated his agility until then. He had snuck through the window, stories up from the ground. It was the only way in or out of her room for anyone but Lily or James now that James changed the passwords. She was coming to realize that she should invest in a window lock.

"Lily, it's time," he had said. She was up and ready in seconds. He was perched on her window sill, his hair blowing in the wind, his hand stretched out to her. Lily grabbed it, trusting blindly in him as promised. And whether they jumped or fell was debatable, but she knew that she had to swallow her screams. They had their wands out and cushioned their blows. She stumbled, but got to her feet quickly. They passed the entrance to the school and walked in the shadows. Sirius pulled two brooms he had stashed from behind a bush out and handed one to Lily.

"I presume you still know how to fly one of these?" Sirius asked.

"Not like James does, but I won't slow you down," Lily said. She swung a leg over the broom and readied for takeoff.

"Not yet," he said. "We have to walk for awhile. We need to talk."

"So what is the plan?" Normally Lily would want to be very involved in the making of this sort of plan, but she was hopelessly out of her depths here. She was a Muggleborn and her Hogwarts education would never ready her for this. She hated to say it, but only someone who was raised pureblood would be able to figure this mess out.

"The note said they were coming to collect us, but it didn't say when or where they were bringing us. But thanks to my extensive inbred family, there are a few who aren't complete morons. And one in particular who had some contacts on the inside and she passed the info onto me. They were coming for us tonight. My brother and Snape were going to take us. It was going to be their test of loyalty as well as getting the job done," Sirius told her. She breathed in harder than she would've liked at the sound of Severus's name.

"Bellatrix said they were going to test them. I just didn't think they knew about Sev and I," Lily said.

"They know it all, Lily. And they won't hesitate for a second to use that against you... or him."

"I know that, alright, I was just taken aback. Just go on about the info you received."

"There's a village up near the mountains. Not too far from here, but far enough via broom. If you head east and follow a dirt path you'll find a house. That's where they were going to take us. Voldemort himself will be there at half past the hour. We need to be in and out before he arrives," Sirius explained.

"What are we still doing here then?"

"We can't arrive before Regulus and Snape are supposed to arrive."

"Oh."

"Yeah, so we have a short time frame, but it's doable. Get in, knock-out guards, burn the list, burn the goddamn world down, and make sure dear Reggy and Snivellus aren't conscious when we leave," Sirius explained with a grin.

"Sirius," she said slowly, "No burning the world down tonight, okay?" He started laughing.

"Fine. Next time maybe..."

"Only if you're good," she joked.

"I have a feeling that your definition of good is not the same as mine." A warm feeling erupted in her chest as he grinned at her. Sirius had a fair few different types of smiles, but this one was rare. It was genuine and reserved for typically only James.

Behind him she saw the two boys they were waiting for. Each were levitating a life size replica of the Gryffindors. They were very life-like, creepily so, but it was good to know that Regulus and Severus fell for it.

"They are here," Lily said, inching closer to the tree. Sirius huddled beside her and fingered his wand. Sirius moved to step out from the darkness, but Lily held him back.

"What are you doing?" Sirius hissed.

"Let them go. They think they're winning, so let them go."

"Is Snape really still your weakness? After everything he's done?" Even in hushed whispers his words stung. That warm feeling he had created withered inside of her.

"As if Regulus isn't yours?" she shot back. "Let them go. You gave them the decoys. The guards'll know something is up if they don't arrive on time. They might jump the gun and kill them both for failing their task. I don't know about you but I'm not letting that happen." He scowled at her.

"Fine, but mount your broom. We'll trail behind them."

The two Gryffindors jumped on their brooms and waited for the boys to take off into the night. Lily's heart raced as they stood there. She was torn when she saw Regulus. She knew his inner struggle raged on. He had already done so much for her and all he asked for was her silence. Yet she found herself wanting to tell Sirius. Wanting to ease the pain he felt for failing his little brother.

"Hurry Black, it'll be our heads if we're late," Severus warned. Regulus fastened the bodies to the magic carpet. Lily prayed that the transfigured socks would stay looking like Lily and Sirius. If not, she didn't know what would happen, but it wouldn't be good.

"Don't you think I know that?" Regulus said bitterly, "And watch your mouth, because you and I both know I'm the only reason you're even getting this chance, Snape."

"Let's just go," he said, "It's later than I would've liked to leave."

"Stay below the treeline," Sirius said as he took off. She followed him, hoping he knew what he was doing.


Lily smelled their destination before she saw it. She smelled smoke. Wood smoke, to be exact. It was tough flying just below the treeline, because of all the trees in the way, but they managed. The night was clear and cool and very, very quiet. It was well into the early morning, so she wasn't expecting to smell a fire in the middle of no where. But the pair of them flew onward and saw it. A cabin. The source of the smoke, she presumed, and the location of their potential downfall. They hovered at the edge of the clearing, not daring to say a word. They watched the magic carpet touchdown and a woman exit the cabin to meet them.

The cabin was a poster child for the location of murders in horror movies, complete with witches and wizards. Lily was not looking forward to entering, because no matter how stealthy they were, they would be forced into confrontation. The cabin was just too small for anything else to happen. Hopefully that meant there would not be too many people, but still.

"When?" Lily risked a whisper. Severus and Regulus had been ushered into the cabin and she knew they didn't have much time. If the Death Eaters found out Severus and Regulus had brought transfigured socks father then the two Gryffindors then they would pay the price. Lily owed that much to Regulus to not let that happen.

"Now," he said. Jumping off their brooms, they started sprinting across the lawn. No alarms or spells of any sort seemed to be triggered, so that much was good at least. Lily pressed her back against the wooden cabin and inched her way over towards the door, avoiding the windows. Lily pulled James' invisibility cloak from her robes and threw it over Sirius and herself. He gave her a look that she took to mean 'good thinking'. She didn't want to rely on Disillusionment Charms again. Too risky.

They stood up to peak into the windows of the cabin. There only seemed to be two rooms. A bedroom and presumably a living area. The bedroom was empty, except for a stack of papers and a few snapped wands strewn on the bed. When they reached the window that looked into living area, watching the two Slytherins and the woman standing around a steaming cauldron. A short, stout wizard stood by the door, acting as some sort of a guard. Something seemed familiar about him, but Lily couldn't place it. Perhaps it was Avery? She didn't know, nor particularly care.

"We can't go through the front door," Sirius said, "And I don't see a back entrance."

"What about the storm door?" He gave her a weird look, but she grabbed his hand and pulled him to follow. As predicted the cabin had a storm door that should lead to the basement.

"Alohamora," Lily whispered. She didn't know what was in the basement, but at least it got them inside. Due to Lily's silencing charms they were able to enter without raising suspicion. They pulled the next door open to the cement floored basement and her heart dropped. She was about to cry out, but Sirius put his hand over her mouth and the other he slipped into her hand.

Her parents. Her parents were here. Bloody and bound to the wall. Her breaths were erratic as she tried to figure out what this meant. Her parents. God, her parents were here! They were kidnapped and who knows what they did to them. Lily moved across the floor to go attempt to help them, but the door to the basement creaked open.

"Go grab the prisoner and bring them down, would you?" the woman asked. She had a sickly sweet voice and it made Lily lurch. The woman's steps got louder and Sirius' grip on her hand got tighter.

"Rose, Frederick," she greeted. Lily watched her father's eyes blearily stare daggers at this woman, but her mother was still out cold. "I've got a surprise for you, y'know. You're daughter is here. Lily." Her father's eyes grew enraged.

"Let her go," he demanded. "I don't know what do you want with us? I'll give it to you, just let Lily and Rose go. Please."

"Frederick, it's a shame you're just a muggle. You seem like you could've been an intelligent bloke, but yet what I want you cannot give me. Your daughter, on the other hand, can. You are just insurance. As for your wife, I don't think we'll be needing her for much longer. She seems like she's at the end of her road, don't you?"

"Don't touch her!" her dad yelled. He strained against the chains that bound him.

"Oh I don't think I need to. That potion I gave you should do the trick." Lily wanted to rush over and do something. Save her parents. Her dear mother and father. They were innocent. She needed to save them.

Regulus and Severus were carrying the bodies down the stairs and I was too busy staring at my parents to notice Severus. He was squinting at the imitation of Lily he carried. He knew something was off.

"You," Lily's father hissed. Severus' head shot up. For a second, a very brief second, guilt flickered in his eyes. Her father's eyes only held fury. And Lily was equally mad. It wasn't fair.

"Do you know him, Snape," the woman asked, amused.

"He is the father of Lily Evans," Severus grunted. Lily felt Sirius tug on her sleeve. She turned to him under the cloak and he showed her his watch. They didn't have very much time left before Voldemort arrived. They needed to make a move now. Sirius slipped a finger to his lips and nodded. His wand slipping out of the cloak with a careful deliberation.

Lily recognized the spell. Stupefy. It was a shame that Regulus did too. The burst of green light was hard to ignore. A Shield Charm was sent out faster than the spell could hit. And soon enough spells were flying everywhere. Sirius and Lily moved as a unit. It felt like they were veteran fighters or something the way they moved. And for a second it even seemed like they were winning. That is until the woman ripped the cloak from above their heads.

"Look who it is," she said. That smile was unnerving, but Lily didn't let it show. The woman, with one silent spell, bound their wrists. Their wands clattered to the floor, Lily's hope falling with them.

"Snape!" the woman hissed, "Collect the wands!"

"Lily?" her dad cried. He looked at the two Lily's in tragic confusion.

"An invisibility cloak, huh? I've never quite seen one like this. I think," she mused, "that the Dark Lord will be ever so interested." The woman's words overlapped each other in her smooth sultry tone.

Sirius glanced at his watch than back to Lily and shook his head. Lily turned to her father. The man who kept her sane at times where sanity didn't seem like an option.

"I love you, Dad," she said, "Mum too. And I'm sorry." Somehow, Mr. Evans found the strength within him to smile.

"How sweet," the woman said to Lily, but Lily only offered her a glare. She felt Regulus and Severus staring at her, trying to catch her eye. She knew that if no one was watching then Regulus and Severus wouldn't hesitate in helping them escape. It was too bad this woman was here. She was interrupting Sirius' backup plan.

"You never did tell us your name," Lily said. "I'm Lily Evans, but you already knew that."

"Lily Evans, yes of course. Me, however, I am not someone anyone ever noticed. I'm the one that history forgets. The one who no one ever cared about. Who would remember a measly Hufflepuff anyway, especially not one that shared typical pureblood values," the woman went on. She didn't seem very old. Not particularly young, but not old.

"Well you seem quite memorable to me," Lily told her. It was a truth and lie. Truthfully, how could one forget the woman who was holding her wand to your face and kidnapping your innocent parents. But she just had a forgettable face. She had a look about her that just allowed her to fade into the background. Nothing that stuck out. Even her voice would've been drab except for the venomous tone.

"I wished I cared enough what a mudblood like you thought, but my master cares. My master notices," the woman said. Lily knew the woman must've went through some sort of hardship, some sort of pain to seek attention at such lengths.

"Can you grant me your name, at the very least?" Lily asked. She had to keep talking. She needed to be a distraction. That's what Sirius told her. Keep the woman talking no matter what.

"Willow Selwyn," she said, "Yes that's right: I'm a Selwyn. One of the last of the line except for my dreadful cousin and idiot brother. Neither of them matched my intellect. Dolores was all about her silver tongue and Anders was all brawn. Neither of them could've bested me in a duel, nor on an exam. Yet my parents always favored Anders. Said he was going places yet ickle me would be lucky to get a husband."

"That's terrible."

"I know. And he was always the rule breaker. Still is. I've had to vouch for him to the Dark Lord one too many times. If he breaks another rule, I won't say a word," Willow sneered. That was when her wand clattered to the floor. Everyone stopped in shock.

"You're right, Willow." Sirius said, standing up. He left his chains in a pile on the floor and scooped up her wand, "breaking rules is a shame. Rule 12: always carry an extra wand." He bound Willow Selwyn just as she had bound us. He broke Lily's chains as well as her parent's.

"Duel him, you prats!" Willow shrieked. In the span of a few seconds Sirius shouted a spell she couldn't hear and the room was lit up green for a moment or so. All she knew was that Willow Selwyn now looked unnaturally still and unnaturally pale. Severus looked furious and went to flick his wrist to fire at Sirius, but Lily jumped in front.

"Don't do it, Severus," Lily warned. Severus' wand shook, but he didn't lower it. "Please, Sev. Voldemort is coming and my parents- my parents are hurt. Just let us go."

"He's coming?" Severus asked. His voice trembled and his wand lowered, "You need to get out, Lily! Now!"

Lily and Sirius rushed to grab their wands and James' cloak and levitate her parents out of the storm shelter door. They had finally gotten onto the grass when Lily had a sinking feeling. She turned to Sirius.

"The list!" she said frantic, "We forgot to burn the list!" Sirius looked like he wanted to kick something, but he stayed silent.

"Take your parents, Lily, and run," he said to her. He turned to go back inside, but Lily grabbed his arm

"You can't. Severus won't help you like he helped me. I might even get him to burn the paper for me, but get my parents to the woods," Lily pleaded. Sirius gave her a blazing look and nodded. He started lifting the Evan's to the safety of the woods as they both heard a loud popping noise. Someone just apparated and they both knew who, but Lily was already back in the basement. They almost escaped.

~James~ The Semantics of Bravery

"There's Sirius," James nearly shouted. They had been waiting so long James was ready to just go bursting through the doors. And seeing Sirius said two things: Sirius was here, and where the hell was Lily? James was swooping down in the air the second he saw Sirius dash across the lawn and Jonathan was right behind him. The closer he got the more his heart dropped. Sirius was levitating something, someone. A woman. He thought it was Lily, and it did look like her, but it wasn't. It was Lily's mom and he felt horrible about the relief he felt.

"Padfoot," James said. So many emotions were mixed in his voice.

"She's inside, Prongs, I'm sorry. I tried. I tried, but it was the only way. She had to-" Sirius rambled. The only time James saw him this scared was curled in the library walls in Diagon Alley after being chained and tortured by his own parents. That's when James realized how bad this was.

"She's inside the house!? Can she get out?" James demanded.

"He's here, James," Sirius said with wide eyes.

"Let's go then. Let's go save her!" James wasn't sure who he was, but it didn't sound good and he wasn't wasting time to ask.

"Her dad. I promised her."

"Jonathan'll get him," James said, "I need you with me." Jonathan and Sirius both nodded.

"The door's out front," James told Sirius.

"No, Lily found another entrance. This way," Sirius said, pulling him around back. Sirius lifted two doors from the ground and lowered himself inside. They held their ears to the next door.

"-stupid girl. Such a Gryffindor in that way. They never seem to grasp that the line between bravery and stupidity is nonexistent. It is all in the eyes of the beholder. You didn't save your parents and you didn't save Sirius Black. My people will find them and they will kill them. Your parents are good as dead anyways. The cauldron upstairs, it holds a poison, a poison dear Severus concocted from the depths of his mind. They'll be dead by dusk." The voice was shrill and thin. It sounded the way flinching felt. Sudden. Scary. It made James blink and want to keep his eyes closed.

"I know," Lily said. "And I want to broker a deal."

The voice laughed then. It rose a octave or so in their surprise. "A deal!? No one makes deals with Lord Voldemort, they only beg. Beg for their life, for my mercy, for their silly gods to save them. They don't understand that I don't have mercy. I am a God in my own right and Gods don't have mercy."

"Voldemort?" James mouthed in... fear, shock, pure disbelief. Sirius' nod was almost imperceptible.

"I had heard rumors," Lily said," that you were stronger than all other. Where others failed, you succeeded. You fought death and won." James wasn't sure what she was talking about. She sounded so calm. So undisturbed by the presence of a man who hated her blood. A man worse than a murderer, because he wasn't a man at all. He was a monster committing genocide.

"Did you truly?" Voldemort said pleased. "Well let's hear your 'deal' then. What could a common girl like you have to offer someone who achieved immortality, as you pointed out?"

"Forgive me if I'm wrong, but you had me kidnapped for a reason. I must hold some sort of appeal to someone like you. I was more than just a test for Severus. You went through the trouble of collecting my parents. You could've killed them, you could've killed me. Yet here I stand. So tell me, my Lord, tell me what can I do for you and all I ask is that you spare my family," Lily asked. James' heart felt all twisted. How could she speak so civilly. How could she do anything, but stand there and shout and fight the shell of a man.

"You intrigue me, Lily Evans. A girl so young, so inconsequential it would seem. Yet you captured the heart of who will soon be my most treasured Potion Master. He came to me, you see, begging me to spare your life. I don't spare lives, I don't do mercy. Mercy gives hope. But the boy convinced me of your use. You hold the ear of Dumbledore. You are Head Girl. Top of your class. You befriended the likes of Blacks and Potters. Slughorn pines for you to join his collection as well."

"And that makes you want me? A mudblood like myself?" He hated the way she sounded so at ease saying that word.

"I don't want. I don't hope or wish or desire. I have and I do. And you, Lily Evans, you are mine."

"Yours," she repeated slowly, not disagreeing.

"No outbursts? No complaints or defiant pleas or hopeless feats of Gryffindorian stupidity?"

"You call it stupid, but I disagree," she said calmly.

"You dare-"

"I am not stupid. When I was sorted the Hat wanted to place me in Slytherin. He said that was where I fit. That is where I should've gone, yet my blood made me stand out. I never would've been accepted. It told me not to forget my cunning side nor my ambition. It said I would be needing it. So the semantics of bravery do not apply. For me it boils down to acts of personal loyalty. That is why I had Sirius take my parents. That is why I ask you to spare them."

"You will make a fine spy, Lily Evans. But remember our 'deal' can be backed out of should you break it and remember my policy on mercy when you weigh your loyalties in the end," he said grinning.

"Nothing needs to be weighed, my lord. You know where I stand." And that was when James' resolve broke. The last time that happened he was kissing Lily, now he could not be further from it.

He burst through the door and fired spell after spell. All he wanted was to cause as much damage as he could. Sirius was right behind him and they fought like devils. Blow after blow, but it seemed almost pointless as Voldemort laughed. The snake of a man had the audacity to laugh. Him with his silver tongue flicking, venomous words dripping, manipulating his pure Lily's heart.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" James screamed. It was desperate. He knew he sounded desperate. He just wanted to help. To fix. To save. To rescue. He wanted to scoop Lily up in his arms and wrap a Time Turner around their necks and fix this mess before it even happened. How come he couldn't just help people? Why wouldn't people just let him?

"James Potter, a shameful excuse for a pureblood," Voldemort said. He smiled with too much teeth, like he was baring them rather then expressing joy. Everything about him just set James' brain on alert.

"Leave. Her. Alone."

"I have no use for mudbloods regardless. Information is valuable, yet the witch couldn't even manage to give me that. Had you not come sooner my wand might have just... slipped," Voldemort said, but he was lying. James raised his wand.

"Why aren't you killing us?"

"I'm not evil as you think, Potter. I won't spill good blood for no reason. Take your witch and go. And don't try defying me again. Next time I won't be so... lenient." James snatched Lily and Sirius' hands and apparated as far away as possible. Potter Manor.

Lily ripped her hand from James' and ran from the inside of the house to outside. She knew from her time there that only Potters could apparate inside. She needed to get out of the house to leave.

"LILY!" he shouted. What was going on with her? Was she drugged? Or... was this her true self? The part she was always hiding from him. He ran after her grabbing her arm. Was she really going to leave him after he just saved her? Was she really returning to You-Know-Who? Tears streamed down her face.

"Stop it," she cried. She struggled to free herself from him.

"Then stay!"

"Let me go James," she begged. His grip was iron tight on her. "Please!"

"So you can run back to your precious lord?" James sneered viciously. She flinched away from him.

He felt like a string that was pulled back too far, snapping would be be inevitable and painful and humiliating. He had been pushed too far and taken advantage of for too long. So snap, he did.

"I need to save my parents, you arsehole!" she said. She ripped her arm away from him in his shock.

"We're done, Evans. We're over!" He shouted as she apparated as he reached to grab her again. He could smell her stupid vanilla shampoo in the spot she had just vacated.

"Dammit!" he said to no one in particular. It wasn't aimed at Lily or himself, but perhaps whatever cruel fate was out there. Whatever higher being that made things the way they were because James was so done.

AN: Oops. Breakup Pt. 2. Things'll work out in the end... I think. I haven't written much further than this, but the end approaches.