August
Everett Family Beach House
When Lily woke the next morning, she thought that James's visit had been a dream. Until she went into her bathroom and froze at the sight of the bruises on her hips and bite-marks on her breasts.
She swayed, catching herself on the counter edge of her sink and cursing. After taking a long shower, she came out of the bathroom to find Jason sitting on the surface of her desk. Lily eyed him with frustration.
"Are you going to let me out today?" she demanded.
"Dad's back tonight," he answered. "We're having a family dinner."
"Did you know James came here last night?" she interrupted. Jason looked at her with no emotion and she tried provoking him again. "He said you're seeing Emmeline."
Jason rose from the desk, turning to leave and she stormed to him, moving in front of him and waving her hands.
"Can you bloody answer me?" she demanded.
"Word of advice," he said in a low voice. "If you want dad to take pity on you and let you out, might not want to mention anything to do with the past few months— especially our mother."
That night, Tippy brought her from her room to her parents' room and Lily froze in the doorway at the sight of her mother.
"Maman?" she said in shock. Her mother was sitting in bed and looked awful. She was pale with gaunt, tight that stretched over her face. Her lips were cracked as she looked up at her.
"Lovely," her mother greeted, smiling at her.
"What are you doing here?"
Her mother suddenly coughed, the sound strangled and warped. Lily watched in horror as she heaved over, clutching a tissue to her mouth.
Blood malediction.
Marie had been sick sporadically during her fourth year. She'd nearly died during Lily's fifth year. It was a curse kept on the family generations ago with no known cure. It was rare enough that no one researched it, the only other family to have one on them were the Greengrasses, exhibited by Darren's amputated leg.
Lily watched as her father came out of the bathroom, coming to her mother's side and forcing her to drink water. Her mind began to spin as her father rubbed her mother's back.
"Lily go outside," he ordered. "We'll talk downstairs."
Lily was unable to move and felt someone tugging her out, she looked to see Jason guiding her from the room.
"It's back," she said in shock.
"Dad got a notice from the hospital in Greece," Jason explained. "Right before you were captured. Turns out Maman collapsed and he's her emergency contact—"
"Jules was with her," Lily said.
"He left her at the hospital," Jason said coldly. "Abandoned our sick mother and didn't bother to write to any of us. If they hadn't reached out to dad…"
Lily felt sick.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Lily asked, looking at her brother.
"I didn't know until they'd flooed in," Jason replied, looked at her in a strained way. "Dad wants it kept quiet."
Lily felt even sicker as Jason led her downstairs to the dining room. She took a seat with him, and their father entered after a few minutes. There were four empty seats at the table and none of them addressed the absences. Her father swirled his wine in his glass, gesturing to the food laid out.
"Eat."
Lily watched him serve himself, beginning to cut into his fish and she coughed.
"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" she demanded. "She's our mother!"
He dropped his fork and knife to the plate and looked her in the eye, a shiver going down Lily's back.
"Your mother didn't want you to know," he snapped. "She wanted to stay in Greece and wait for it to pass but… but it-"
"It's not going to pass," Jason finished.
"What?" Lily gasped.
"It's worse than it's ever been before," her father said in a weak, dreadful tone. Lily's eyes pricked painfully.
"I was trapped in my room for eight days," she muttered. "I could have gone with you and helped."
Lily jumped as he slammed his fist on the table.
"No," he snapped. "I had to spend the past week negotiating with the Mulcibers that they didn't need to exact justice on you."
Lily swallowed, looking at him anxiously and he sighed, reaching for his glass. "You've caused quite a bit of trouble Lily."
"I'm of age," she protested. "You can't keep me locked up in the house like this. How do you think the press would react if they knew what their opposition for minister was doing?"
"Which brings me to another pressing matter," he said, ignoring her statement. "You'll be coming to campaign events starting next week."
"Why would I do that?" Lily scoffed.
"Because if you leave you're out for good," Jason interrupted, giving her a callous look. "No more seeing Maman."
Lily's face went cold and her father sighed.
"Is that why Jules isn't here?" she asked in a low voice. "Are you keeping him from our mother?"
Her father didn't answer and she glared at him.
"Maman wouldn't approve of this," she countered.
"Your mother is dying," he snapped. "She needs rest and stability… Not the bloody circus in the Order of the Phoenix."
She stared at her brother and father in frustration, watching as her father finished eating and reached into his pocket.
"I want to see her now," Lily said, rising.
"Before you do you'll have to wear this," he said, extending a locket onto the table.
"Those are for children," Lily exclaimed, staring at the necklace. Each of the Everett children, like many children in magical households, had worn some type of object that operated as a tracking device. Her parents had asked her to wear it until her twelfth birthday, removing it before she went to school. Most parents did so.
"You're behaving like a child," her father replied. Lily sputtered, trying to find words to match his. "This is just a precaution. You won't be allowed a wand… Not until we know you're not going to run off."
Lily's gaze narrowed on him.
"No wonder Maman didn't want to tell you about her sickness," she spat. "You're awful."
She rose, trying to leave the room only for the door to the dining room to close in her face.
"Put the necklace on Lily," her father ordered. Her hands balled into fists and Lily jerkily moved to the table, grabbing the locket and sliding it on. He nodded at her, flicking his wand at the door and letting her go.
She stormed upstairs, trying to calm herself before she opened the door to her parents' room. Lily paused in the doorway, seeing that her mother was asleep. She could feel tears sliding down her cheeks and quietly approached her mother's side of the bed.
She looked so much different than the vivacious person Lily had seen throughout June at Order meetings. At that moment Lily needed that other person to tell her to leave, to ignore her father's conditions, and return to the Order.
But she couldn't.
Days later Lily was standing in the Black family's ancestral home for a fundraising event. Her father and Orion Black stood near the front of the room, speaking to the gathered crowd. She was boredly looking over the crowd, scoffing at their passionate reactions to her father's declarations of a reformed society.
Only a few knew about her mother's condition. Lily had caught Sirius Black's pitying stare and averted it. As her father spoke, her jaw tensed watching his circus unfold.
Lily's attention paused as she saw a familiar head of tangled black locks. Her gaze narrowed when she recalled how James had treated her the other night. She watched as James broke away from the crowd, slipping towards one of the doors to the hall. Lily looked around, noticing that both Jason and her father were still preoccupied before following James out.
Lily's pace quickened as she followed him from a distance, watching as James entered a bathroom. The door swung shut behind him and Lily waited in front of it, arms crossed. After a few minutes, it swung open, revealing James.
He was devastatingly handsome, having shaved the scruff from his face, and was dressed in perfectly tailored robes. His face remained expressionless as he looked down at her.
"Mind moving?"
Lily ignored his request, balling her fists, and debating whether to punch him.
"You're a cad," she spat. He didn't respond and she narrowed her eyes at him. "An unbelievably selfish and narcissistic prat."
James's lips quirked up in amusement.
"Is Lovely Lily all hot and bothered?" he taunted.
"I'm serious," she snapped. "You left before… before I-"
"Want me to take care of that?" James asked, his eyes trailing down her body. Lily scoffed and he looked at her knowingly. "Why else would you be eye-fucking me all night and follow me out."
"You're incorrigible," she snapped, turning and striding down the hall. But James caught up to her, reaching for Lily and turning her. She inhaled sharply as he caught her lips in his own, kissing her harshly.
"Cygnus's study is right here," he said, gesturing to the door at their side. "Come on Lily."
Lily flushed heavily and James opened the door, looking behind her and gesturing for her to enter. She bit her lower lip, debating whether this was worth it before sighing and entering the study.
James locked the door, taking his wand out and muttering a silencing spell before turning to her. Lily stepped back as he prowled closer to her.
"Does shagging in old men's studies really get you off?" she asked, trying to lighten the mood. But James didn't indulge her, pushing forth until Lily's back was against Cygnus's desk.
"Take your dress off," he ordered.
"You first," Lily countered, trying to regain some sense of control in this situation. James looked at her wolfishly.
"That's cute," he said dryly.
She flushed under the intensity of his gaze, bringing her hand to the ribbons holding her dress up. James's mouth came down to her neck, pressing hard nips and kisses to the skin as she worked at her dress.
Lily pulled it down and he moved quickly down her body, lifting her to the desk. Lily gasped as she slid onto the cold wood, feeling James tear her underwear off. Her eyes fluttered shut as he forced her legs open, licking her length and inserting two fingers into her.
"Yes," she moaned, arching into him. James gripped her thighs wide, continuing his motions before pulling up to her breasts, roughly trailing his mouth over the soft skin as he worked at his belt. Lily reached for his shirt, eager to run her hands over James's muscled body. But he caught her wrists suddenly, wrenching them behind her back with one hand and tearing his belt off.
"Take your shirt off," she begged, arching up into his touch. James ignored her, yanking his boxers and pants off and positioning himself at her entrance. Lily eagerly wriggled towards him but he held her in place again, not letting her move.
"Why did you follow me?" James asked roughly. Lily stared at him in desperation as he brought a hand to her clit, running his finger over her.
"Please," she gasped. James tsked at her, pulling away and she squirmed forward, trying to move towards him. "Please James."
"I want you to say it," he growled, his lips moving to hover over her breasts. "Say you wanted me to fuck you."
Lily swallowed at his rough tone but nodded shakily.
"I wanted you to fuck me," she repeated. James fed himself into her slowly. She moaned, her head rolling back as he filled her whole.
"Harder," she begged. James ignored her, teasing her slowly as he worked himself into her over and over. Lily gasped, her head spinning as her legs shook around his hips.
She was powerless in this position, James still gripping her wrists behind her back. Lily yelped as he forced her to arch more, changing the angle deliciously. His eyes were set on her face as he watched her, desire dark in James's irises.
"I want to touch you," she said wantonly. James ignored her again, looking down to their bodies connecting. Lily watched as he bit his lower lip in concentration. "James."
He let out a growl, pulling out of her suddenly. Lily let out a noise of protest and James lifted her, roughly turning her so she was leaning over the desk. He gripped her wrists, pinning them to the wood above her head, and entered her again, sending Lily forward into the surface.
She cried out as James worked furiously behind her, head swinging down. Lily felt James grip her hair forcefully.
"Yes," she moaned. "Merlin just like that."
Lily's eyes rolled back as his left hand squeezed at her breasts, his right moving down to her clit. She came moments after he touched her, overcome with desire and the sensation of James filling her. As she rode out her orgasm, he continued to pound into her, coming minutes after her and pulling out. Lily struggled to hold herself up, gasping for air. She stood up shakily.
James moved behind her, reaching for the whiskey by the desk and pouring himself a glass. Lily watched him, marveling at his marble beauty.
"You should get dressed," he said, ignoring her while he fixed his robes. She blinked, nodding, and reaching down for her dress. Lily saw that his wand had fallen to the ground and reached for it, rising with it in one hand. James caught the motion, reaching out and gripping her hand so his fingers restrained hers. "What are you doing?"
Lily flushed under the intensity of his gaze and looked down at the stickiness between her legs.
"Cleaning this," she said. His eyes lightened and he took the wand, waving it at her and vanishing the mess.
"You're not allowed to have a wand," he noted, pocketing it and glancing at the necklace she was wearing. "You look like a child."
"I know," Lily replied, pulling her dress on. She glanced at the window, seeing her reflection with a wince as she noticed the messy state of her hair and the bruises on her neck. "You need to fix this."
"What?"
"My hair and neck," she snapped, recalling his coldness the other night. "Wouldn't want anyone knowing we were together."
James nodded, quickly fixing her hair and flicking a concealment charm at her neck. Lily looked around for her underwear and frowned as James found it and pocketed the lace material.
"Give that to me," she ordered. He tossed her an amused look before shaking his head.
"I don't think so," James replied, opening the door and leaving her in the study.
Everett Beach House
August
"She seems better," Lily noted, seeing that Jason had joined her to watch their mother in the garden. Tippy was doing most of the work and her mother was sitting on a bench, but her cheeks were flushed with color for the first time in the two weeks since she'd come back home.
Those weeks blurred by, Lily spending most of her time by her mother's side or dragged out to campaign events to show that their family was perfect and happy. When asked about her mother, her father would redirect the question, saying that Marie did not like the spotlight.
Lily could barely tolerate the campaign events, with James being her only point of solace. He was at most of them and she would find him, the pair hooking up wherever they could find a moment of privacy. At a Rosier family charity gala, she'd discreetly told him to meet her in the hedge garden and let him take her against one of the brambled walls. At a charity Quidditch Match, they'd gone at it in the broom shed of the Malfoy family pitch.
She'd even hooked up with him on the beach a few miles from her home, one night when her father was doing an interview in their living room.
He was her only reprieve, the only person who treated her as though she wouldn't run off or break into pieces every moment.
His coldness excited her.
His sudden controlling nature was like a drug and Lily came back every time for more.
"She's dying," Jason replied after a moment. Lily swallowed, glancing at him.
"The healers had good reports," Lily tried to counter. Jason didn't acknowledge her and she sighed. Lily traipsed back to the house, frowning as she heard a knock and opened the front door.
"Emmeline," she greeted warily. Her old friend had been around before but perfected the art of avoiding Lily.
"Lily," she returned. "I'm meeting your brother."
"When did that start?" Lily mused letting her in and taking advantage of the one moment alone she'd gotten with her old friend. "While you were friends with all of us or after your family took up with the death eaters."
"Let's not have this conversation," Emmeline sighed.
"Why not?" Lily snapped.
"Because it's a bit hypocritical," Emmeline chided, looking at Lily with a stern expression. "You're decked on newspapers supporting your dad's campaign."
Lily's face went icy.
"They'll kick me out and keep me from my mother if I don't," she answered. "I didn't have a choice. But you did."
"They told Rick and my dad it was this or death for all of us," Emmeline answered. "You don't know everything Lily."
Lily crossed her arms and Emmeline nodded.
"I'll go find Jason myself," she said. "And a word of advice— you and James Potter aren't nearly as discreet as you think you're being."
Days later, Lily was in Diagon Alley shuffling through the depressing act of school shopping for the last time. Her father agreed to let her go back, finally returning Lily's wand to her, but reminded her that she would still be watched there for any slip-ups.
The street was emptier than usual and she froze when she saw a familiar flash of black hair.
"Marlene!"
Her friend turned, gaping at Lily as Lily went up to her and threw her arms around her.
"Thank Merlin you're here," she exclaimed, clutching her old friend. Lily noticed that Marlene was not embracing her back. "Marlene?"
Marlene pulled back, giving Lily a wary look.
"Lily," she said evenly.
"What's wrong?" Lily asked, noticing Marlene's strange behavior.
"No one's heard from you in weeks," Marlene answered, looking around the street. "When you were taken we assumed the worst… Michael was wracked with guilt for a week. But then everybody saw that article of you at one of your dad's fundraisers and we assumed…"
"That I switched sides," Lily finished weakly, mentally cursing when she realized what all of this looked like. "I haven't. My mother's sick— she's dying. Dad won't let me see her unless I publicly support him and his cause."
Marlene's lips were thin.
"I can still help," Lily insisted. "They've got people watching me but I can help spy or make potions or-"
"You could have written," Marlene snapped. "We were worried Lily… and now most people think you've taken up with them."
Lily nodded.
"I haven't," she insisted. But Marlene didn't look like she believed her.
"I've got to run," Marlene said. "I'll see you at school I suppose."
"Sirius asks about you," Lily blurted, watching Marlene tense. "You've got to be careful."
"I always am," Marlene answered, leaving her.
That night, Lily had let James tug her out of a large dinner being held at the Nott's townhouse. She was tipsy as James guided her down Grimmauld Place, a street that held many of the pureblood families' London townhouses.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"My family's London residence," he replied, stopping before the neighboring street and glancing around to ensure the street was empty. Lily watched as a white-stone townhouse sprung from two others and followed him up the stairs to the front door. Before she could get an eye inside the home, James turned, carrying her into the parlor and taking her against the floor.
When they were done, she was lying back on the carpet in front of the fireplace, watching as James poured himself a glass of whiskey.
"I'm going back to school," she said suddenly. "In a few days."
James shrugged, sitting on the couch and looking down at her. "It's been fun while this has lasted."
She nodded faintly watching as he flicked his wand at the fireplace. She didn't want it to end. While what they were doing was emotionally so hard for her, it was the only point of stability in her life.
"James," she said, reaching for her dress and holding it over herself. "How do you feel about me?"
She knew the answer already.
"Don't ask that," he said coldly.
"Why not?" she demanded. "Because you find me pathetic."
James laughed, the sound bitter in his throat.
"I was calling myself pathetic," he said, watching her face twist with confusion. "Last year I pined after you. Every bloody day I wanted you."
He rose, leaning down so he was eye-level with her.
"I wanted you so badly," James repeated. "That Sirius used to call me pathetic."
"James," she said in a low voice. He shook his head.
"But the tables turned Lovely," he sneered. "You're the one pining aren't you?"
Her cheeks heated up and he nodded knowingly.
"You couldn't even say it," he continued. "And you'll never be able to."
"Stop," she exclaimed. James brought his hand into her hair, tugging her face up and leaning down, kissing her rawly.
"I feel nothing," he said. "Absolutely nothing for you."
He let go of her and Lily fell back, gaping up at him.
"But if you want to shag again," he drawled, looking at her with cold desire. "The door's open."
"You're disgusting," she snapped, forcing her dress on and rising.
"Head's dorm is connected to the floo network," he continued. She scoffed, of course, he'd know that she'd been appointed. "I requested a direct line be kept in from the fireplace there to here."
She didn't respond and reached for her wand, stomping out of the room. James followed her, catching her and turning her.
"I give it a week," he said confidently. "Before you crawl back."
She looked at him uneasily and James nodded, leaning down and bringing his lips close enough to touch hers. Before he could kiss her, James pulled back smirking at her as she gaped at him.
Fury twisted in Lily's gut when he opened the door and gestured for her to go.
AN: Ah! So many reviews! Thankful for all the encouragement with these upcoming chapters. We'll see Lily returning to school in the next one...
R&R