015PL
Chapter Fifteen

Partners In Love

"Do you remember Lily's favorite story, Remus?" York asked, sipping tea whilst leaning back in a ragged recliner.

"If your story was true, that you are Lily, then your favorite story was always, Altantis." Remus said, kinda of holding back information. He wasn't sure yet if it could trust this fifteen year old, red haired, rather familiar-looking person.

"Yes, Altantis," she said, pointing at him. She cleared her throat and began to sing lightly, "With light white wings, so high I soar, one day my love, I'll be there. With dancing swans and golden bees, there I will stay."

Remus remember the song and started singing with her, "....Fate links thee to me for ever and a day," they both stopped and smiled at each other.

"You are Lily," he said standing up. He stepped closer to her and then took the chair next to her. She smiled and took another sip of tea. Sirius was sleeping on the couch with was (like the rest of the furniture) moth eaten and shaggy.

York nodded, and touched the back of her neck. She aged quickly and turned into Lily as she would be if she were alive. Her eyes were just as bright, but wrinkles were engraved in the corners. Several strands of gray hair were flecked among the the dark red. She let out a dramatic sigh and stood up. Remus followed, and they gave each other a friendly hug.

"Do you remember that letter I got in my sixth year from my mother?" Lily asked, letting go of Remus slowly.

"It was on blue parchment; your favorite colour. You read it in the morning, and it was around April," it was strange that he suddenly remembered, remarkably in detail, everything that happened that day.

It had been a normal April day, the sun was low on the great hall ceiling, the owls came in, and one particular black owl had dropped a letter next to Lily's plate. It was their sixth year in Hogwarts. She smiled and nudged her head against James' shoulder. Tearing open the envelope she unfolded a piece of blue parchment, and briefly read it still smiling and beaming with enthusiasm. Her eyes gave the sadness away first, she dropped and letter and started crying. She ran from the table. Her sobs were quiet, but since Remus had stronger ears since he was bitten by the werewolf, he heard every aching gasp for breath as she ran from the great hall with incredible speed.

James watched her as she left, and grabbed the letter forcefully off her plate. He read it quickly. His jaw dropped and his chair crashed onto the floor as he stood up. His friends looked up at him, shocked, as he darted off the way Lily left.

"He ran after you, taking the letter with him, so we didn't even know until almost a week later..." Remus finished telling his story. Lily was again sitting in a chair. She sipped some more tea and a tear slipped down her cheek like a frozen crack in an icicle.

"Sirius found you two first, then woke up Peter and me and brought us to the Owlery. At first we never would have guessed it, but there you two were," Remus said taking his seat again also, "He told you about his Animagus ability and walked around the lake with you every night didn't he?"

Lily nodded her head, "It was my only comfort those nightly rides... just like the little girl Altantis' worries washed away when Pegasus let her ride on his back. And, just like Altantis, my father was far to important to me too. And he was killed. I slide into my shell for a long time. I didn't cry a lot, but my thoughts consumed all of my life and I hide in darkness. It took James two hours to find me that day. I was hidden too well, up in the dormitory under the floor boards." she explained, wiping a tear from her eye. Then her eyes flared an angry red, being an Maelstrom, it was much easier to change thoughts at rapid speeds, "You guys left me out of everything."

"What are you talking about?" Remus asked, concerned. Then she turned away, sadder then ever.

"You did, you know. I could have helped you," she said with a sob (also being a Maelstrom tends to make you act the way you wouldn't have when you died, despite the age you would have been), "With Animagi, with the Marauder's Map. Why did you never include me?"

Remus didn't answer. He tucked some sandy hair behind his ear, and got to his feet. Lily followed and glared at him like he was guilty of some crime. He paused for a moment, before walking over to Sirius and shaking him awake.

"What!?" Sirius snapped, weakly blinking several times.

"Lily wants to know why we didn't ask for her help, in making the Marauder's Map, and turning into Animagi." Remus explained, squeezing Sirius' shoulders. His jaw dropped, and he gulped weakly. Lily turned to him like a snake waiting to swallow a mouse.

"I'm waiting," she said sternly crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Well..." Sirius began weakly, trying to think of a good excuse, "James said that he didn't want to include you in the Animagi in case something went wrong and you'd be stuck like an animal for ever," Sirius spat out quickly, Lily caught every word but still continued glaring down at him.

"Really? Is that what happened Sirius? What about the Marauder's Map?" She asked, leering down at him, while she walked back and forth.

"You were a prefect at the time. We couldn't ask you... You would have turned us in," Remus answered for Sirius. He sat down next to his rather sleepy friend, and prayed inside his head that Lily would believe him.

"Do you think I would turn in my best friends?" Lily asked, walking over to the couch. Sirius winced, thinking that he was going to be hit in the head, but when Lily sat down next to him, he relaxed. Remus' ears perked up. A quiet sob. He turned to look at Lily, and she held her face in her hands.

"I have to go and talk to James," she sniffed, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. She took a vial out of her pocket covered with golden thread and jewels, "Sirius, drink this, and bring Harry's," - sniff- "stuff to the train tomorrow." Before they could ask any questions, Lily disappeared right in front of them.

@---@@@---@

"Name?" a stern male voice asked, high above the sky.

"Potter, Lily," she responded quickly.

"Mission status?" he asked firmly.

"Incomplete," it was like someone turned her into a robot.

"Reason of return?" the man asked.

"Must contact Potter, James," she responded.

"Proceed." It was like an invisible barrier was lifted from her head. She forced seven foot long silver and white wings out of her back, and flew across towards the RJ cloud.

"James!" she shouted, "James! I have to talk to you."

A shaded figure stepped forward. Lily stepped back, seeing that he was obviously angry with her. His brown eyes were now flared red and she didn't know how to approach him.

But his mood instantly changed, "Lily! You're back!" he trotted forward and kissed her quickly. She returned his kiss and smiled.

"I'm glad you see you're in a better mood," she said happily, "But we still haven't decided about Harry."

James' eyes flashed red quickly as he turned and sat down on a cloud.

"What is there to discuss?" he asked, stretching wearily.

"Well, there aren't a lot of options," Lily said slowly. She hated making James angry, and she knew that the next thing out of her lips was liable to make him do something rash. Lily took a deep breath and spoke faster then she had ever in a long time, "wereallyhavetothinkabouthissafetyweshouldletSiriusadopthim."

"What?" James asked, he hadn't caught any of the words, and Lily slumped down onto the soft ground.

"James..." she paused, "We really should let Sirius adopt Harry."

That just about caused a massive thunderstorm over England. James would never hit Lily, but at that moment, he really wanted to.

"No!" he shouted at her. She got up quickly and looked down at him.

"Why?!" she shouted back. She was given the ability of powerful voice, but James didn't back down like most would have.

"I don't want to see our little boy on the run from the Ministry!" he shouted back, "Sirius can't give him a good home!"

"It never was Sirius' fault!" Lily shouted, "Peter is the one that turned us in!"

"Sirius convinced us to switch to Peter, because he was to much of a giveaway! Sirius should have seen something coming, he was smart, and so was I! Why didn't I see that coming?" James yelled, hitting himself in the head.

"You aren't to blame," Lily said gently, trying to change the subject, "It's all my fault too. If we have anyone to blame, we should blame each other."

Their argument stopped. They both looked at each other for a moment, and then hugged, "It's even more my fault," Lily said into James' ear, "It's my fault we were even attacked and had to go into hiding... I'm so sorry. I'd kill myself if we weren't already dead. Then you and Harry would be happy, and I could watch over you, like we watch over him now. I'm sorry." She started sobbing and refused to let James go.

"Don't talk like that," James said, patting her back, "You couldn't have known, you couldn't have known what would happen, no one blames you. No one ever will blame you."

Lily looked at him with tear-stained eyes, then she raised her hand and looked at her ring, so that a good memory could fill her head. Her ring sparkled back at her, and she smiled when she saw it. Then, as if a light bulb had turned on, Lily got an idea. James sensed something happen when Lily's bright green eyes flashed with happiness.

She pulled the rather large ring off her finger and lifted it to her eyes level. It was her wedding ring, and a very beautiful one at that. Her eyes turned light blue and the ring split in half. James looked, nearly horrified at this, and was about to speak when Lily lifted his hand and pulled off his wedding ring.

"I have an idea," she whispered, holding the three objects in her hand. Again her eyes turned bright blue and before James could stop her, his ring broke. No words could ever escape someone's lips after the one they cherished did that to such a powerful bond.

Lily closed her hand, and opened it again to reveal two new rings, each half of the other, different in size but still wearable. Lily slipped the ring on James' finger and then handed him the other one to do the same to her.

"We will now both return, our son needs both of us," she whispered, kissing him again. What appeared to be a spirit of a police officer began walking towards them with hurried steps. They broke from their kiss and looked at him strangely.

"Yes sir?" James asked, tucking his hand in his pocket to hide the ring. They knew what they'd just done had been illegal. It takes a long time for even one Maelstrom to racting with another, and this would surely cause havoc in the skies!

"Mrs. Potter," he began, "You have to come with me."

Lily stood shocked, and then stepped towards him, "By what means, sir?"

"If you don't come with me now, then you won't be allowed back on the earth, with or without your mission being completed," he explained, gesturing for her to follow as he turned to leave.

Lily pretended to follow but then turned to James, "Come now, we don't have any more time," she hissed, she held up her hand to reveal the ring, James mimicked the motion and, with a little bit on concentration, Lily transported him into her ring. The little gem held James protectively. She looked down to see that he was instantly put into sleep. Kissing the ring, she ran after the officer and passed through the gates undetected.