September 1st, 1995
Number 12 Grimmauld Place

It was cold when she awoke, an icy chill nipping at her toes. Slowly, as she came back to herself, she looked around. It was barely light; only the first streaks of the sun were beginning to appear on the horizon. Her body quivered, and her stomach was sinking still from the dream. Her feet barely touching the ground, she glided across the room, shrugged her thin night robe over her shoulders, and slipped out into the hallway. A welcome warmth greeted her. For the briefest of moments, she closed her eyes, embracing the sensation. Then, her mind overtaking her, she continued down the hall, pausing to quietly creak open the door to her fifteen-year-old son's bedroom. A sigh of relief left her lips when she found him soundly asleep, his wand on the bedside table next to him, and his snowy owl sitting contentedly in her favourite perch.

After a few seconds, she turned on her heel and started back down the hall. She was not tired, however, and instead walked past her room and slowly began to descend down the stairs, only apparating to avoid the screeching portrait in one of the halls. The smell of vanilla and toast filled the air nearly the second she appeared shortly in front of the kitchen doors. A small smile on her lips, she stepped into the kitchen. Inside, as she expected, were the lively sounds of humming, cooking, and magic. She walked just as lightly as before, not wanting to startle her friend. Almost as if she had known, the frizzy, red-headed witch turned around and smiled, giving a few waves of her wand to command the dishes to continue the cooking process themselves so that she could embrace her. It was more than welcome. The dream was always the same, and, today of all days, she missed her husband more than ever.

"Is everything alright, Lily?"

She hesitated. "Much of the same, Molly," She finally admitted. "I took a peak in on Harry upon waking up and couldn't go back to sleep. Can't hurt to come down here, can it?"

"Arthur does much of the same, sometimes," Molly chuckled softly. "I'm only awake at the moment because I saw him off to the Ministry. He's been especially jittery lately, what with the twins starting their final year."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "And he's not concerned about Lexenly encouraging them?"

Molly considered that. "Between the Minister's three children, I would say that Cat has the worst influence on them. Even Ron has said as much."

Lily managed to laugh. "I should be glad that my own daughter isn't quite as….difficult to handle."

"I tend to agree," Molly winked. "Ginny is, thankfully, the tamest of her siblings. Percy….well, he can be a bit difficult in the sense that -"

"In the sense that he has been noted as arguing frequently with Delia Fudge?" Lily suggested. Molly nodded, leaning back against the counter. "She's American. Frankly, it seems to me that she enjoys a good fight, a trait she seems to have passed on to her younger daughter."

"I will give her credit for her position in MACUSA," Molly said, stretching out her arms. "And her skill as an auror. But I am still annoyed that she and Cornelius are not providing more support to the Order. They know as well as anyone that things are dire and have said as much. I don't see why he isn't freeing up more of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to help the Order, and I certainly can't explain why she hasn't received support from her own country. You-Know-Who is as much of a threat to America as he is Britain, and she apparently doesn't understand that."

Lily flinched. "Believe me," She said quietly. "I'm going to have more than a few words with Delia tomorrow since she returns from whatever the hell she has been doing with her children in Spain today. She has to, at least, since all three of them are Hogwarts students."

Molly gently set a hand to her shoulder, offering a sympathetic look.

"You're thinking about James again," Molly quietly surmised. "Aren't you?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah," She said, her voice shaking a little. "I had hoped this wouldn't return. We've lost enough….he didn't even get to meet his daughter."

"I know," Molly kindly embraced her. "I'm sure Delia will listen. She's been a friend of yours for years."

Lily sighed. "Let's hope you're right."

September 1st, 1995
Hogwarts Express

"Eddie, you're such a pussy."

Ron nearly choked on his sweets upon Cat Fudge shoving her brother into the compartment with him, Harry, Eleanor, Hermione, Ginny, and Lexenly. Her sister laughed, very much used to this, and Hermione whispered something to Ginny and Eleanor that made the two girls burst out laughing. Eddie let out an angry squeal when his sister shoved him into a seat between the door and their sister, crossing his arms, and sending her a mutinous look. Lexenly looked up from her writing, pushed up her glasses, and poked him with her wand before handing him a box of Every Flavour Beans. Cat leaned against the wind, her own glasses pressing into her face, before she sat down herself, looking rather smug. Harry eyed her, vaguely concerned.

"She punched Draco Malfoy!" Eddie finally said, shrugging when his sister gave him a dark look. "What? You also cursed him out and told him if he touched your walkman again that you'd break his nose! Why'd you bring that thing with you anyways? It's not like -"

"Hey!" Cat protested, her soft, high voice and southern accent a bit squeaky in indignance. "I put Alanis Morisette's album on there and want to learn it by heart before Christmas! Don't be a dick just because you don't know anything about music!"

Lexenly smirked, playfully punching their brother in the arm. "You're not going to be able to argue with that."

Eddie sulked, giving Eleanor and Ginny a slightly pleading look.

"You can't have a rational argument with her," Eleanor Potter informed him, barely looking up from her book.

"Who's Alanis Morisette?" Ginny asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Muggle singer," Hermione and Lexenly told her at the same time, uncomfortably glancing between each other immediately after.

"As a prefect," Ron said, clearing his throat. "I'm going to give Cat the lead."

Hermione scowled. "That's not how we're supposed to handle being prefects, Ron!"

Ron shrugged. "Lexenly is Slytherin's head girl and she doesn't give two fucks about anything."

"That's not true," Lexenly replied, shocking him with her wand. "I just don't get along with a few other people in my house. Me, my sister, and brother have our own group, anyways, though. So Draco and his cultists can suck it."

"I wonder how offended all of the purebloods in Slytherin would be if I managed to play Baby Got Back throughout the common room…." Cat mused with a devious smile.

"Please," Hermione said, half-joking. "That would be the highlight of the year."

"The year?" Eleanor snorted. "That'd be the highlight of my life."

Harry glanced warily to his sister. "Should I be worried about you too?"

Eleanor shrugged. "Nah," She said, waving her hand dismissively. "As long as I'm not committing arson during Hogsmeade weekends, there's nothing to worry about."

"Just be glad we're not going to have a questionable Defense Against the Dark Arts professor this year," Lexenly told them, not looking up while she continued writing. "Finally, we're getting a real auror to teach."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Who is it?" She pressed. "You obviously know."

"It's Nymphadora Tonks," Lexenly replied. "My mum…..talked her into it after getting Dumbledore on her side. Supposedly she's being paid more than any other professor we've ever had in that position. Apart from Gilderoy Lockhart, that is….but, well -"

"He was crazy," Cat said, viscerally disgusted. "I get that I'm gay and wasn't going to be charmed by him, but come the fuck on. He was clearly a mess."

Harry laughed. "Let's be honest, though," He said, shrugging. "Lupin and Tonks are probably going to be the only sane professors we'll have for that class if the record holds."

Ron considered that. "Sounds about right to me. But, come on. Who cares about that? We have quidditch to think about!"

September 2nd
British Ministry of Magic

"Delia -" Lily quickened her pace as the petite woman stepped out of the lift ahead of her. "This -"

"I already gave you my answer, Lillian," Delia said, pausing only to tie her dark hair up in a high bun. "I spoke to President Vance and she said it is not in the interest of the Magical Congress of the United States to engage in this. How many times am I going to have to repeat that?"

Lily sidestepped her. "Just the other day Cornelius publicly stated that he is concerned that the Ministry doesn't have the resources to address Voldemort, and -"

"Must you say his name," Delia hissed, grabbing Lily by the shoulders and pulling her aside, offering an apologetic smile to all of the people in the hall who had flinched. Finally, once she had dragged her into her office, she spoke again:

"Being the head of MACUSA's Investigative Crimes and Department of Magical Law Enforcement does not mean that I can make such major, unilateral decisions without the ultimate support of the legislature and President Vance," Delia set down the leather filer she had been carrying on her desk with a sigh. "I would also remind you that many in America do not view some of the people in the Order as particularly reliable or worthy of trust."

Lily frowned. "Delia -"

"You and I both know that neither Remus nor Sirius have been portrayed favourably in the media," She reminded her. "And, while that is not entirely by any fault of their own, it is still problematic in garnering support outside of the UK. People here are far more willing to disregard some of the less….popular - for lack of a better word - members of the Order because they understand the abject, immediate threat that You-Know-Who poses. That is not the case in America and, honestly, I concur with President Vance's decision to not limit our own departments to aid Britain's. Canada and Australia are more likely to be able to provide assistance, a fact I have already made more than clear to Director Shacklebolt."

Lily bristled. "Kingsley told me about that," She coldly replied. "I hope you know that he is less than thrilled by the decision."

"I'm more than aware," Delia replied, crossing her arms and leaning a bit against her desk. "But that changes nothing. I understand where you're coming from, Lily, I really do, and I feel horrible that I can't do more but this is the situation and you're going to have to accept that. Also, and I only say this because you've done things this reckless before, do not go looking for You-Know-Who. You have more reason than anyone to want him dead, but your son and daughter need you alive. Consider that before you do anything potentially rash."

Lily glanced away, anxiously reaching into her purse, pulling out a cigarette, and lighting it, taking a long draw, ignoring the vaguely irritated look Delia had been giving her since the day she had started smoking shortly after Eleanor's birth.

"I don't know what to do," Lily finally said. "But I am not going to be idle like you. Delia, listen, if there is even something you can do -"

"I've already done what I can," Delia cut across her. "Do you honestly think that I would lie to you about that? After everything I've done for you over the years, after -"

"I know, I know," Lily hesitated, taking another draw. "I'm sorry, Delia, I just…."

"You're in pain," Delia finished, her voice softening considerably. "But what is breaking your back just to claim you're alright going to do?"

Lily took another draw, her hands shaking. "I…."

"Lily," Delia said, letting out a light sigh. "I think you need to take a few steps back. How about, after work, I take you out for some drinks and tapas? You seem to need it more than ever."

Lily was silent for a few seconds but then nodded. "Alright," She quietly agreed. "Perhaps you're right…..it could very well help."

Delia offered her a small smile. "At the very least, it won't hurt."