Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me.
by Auror5
Lily, aged fourteen, was lounging comfortably on her window seat reading Primitive Charms and Hexes of the Stone Age for her Charms assignment when she heard a tap at the window. She glanced up and saw a hawk owl outside. Quickly, she opened the window. The owl swooped in and landed on her bed. Snowball meowed at it.
"Well, hullo." She had never seen this one before. The owl stuck out its leg, and Lily removed the rolled parchment attached to it.
"Are you thirsty?" The owl hooted.
"All right. I'll be back."
Lily ran downstairs to the kitchen, and grabbed a bowl from the cupboard. She began filling it with water.
"Did you let another one of those foul creatures into our home?" snapped Petunia.
Lily glanced at her disdainfully, and mumbled, "Oh shut up, Petunia." Petunia had been grating on her nerves since she arrived home for the summer holidays.
"Why don't you make me, Miss Thinks She's So Special?"
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
Petunia ran from the room with a frightened look on her face.
Lily walked upstairs chuckling to herself.
"Here you go." She placed the bowl of water on her desk.
The owl flew over, and started drinking the water. When it was finished, it nipped her affectionately on the cheek, and then swooped out the window. Lily sat down on her bed, and unrolled the parchment.
Dear Lily,
How are you? My dad and I are fine, but we miss Mum terribly. I wish she were still here. Thank you for the card and everything else. I don't remember if I ever thanked you or not. Sirius said that you put the card together, and had everyone sign it. That was very kind of you. My dad and I both liked it.
When are you going shopping for your school things? Sirius, Remus, Peter, and I are going to meet in Diagon Alley on the 16th of August. Why don't you meet us there? Tell Fiona, too. Let me know if you can meet us.
Bye.
James
She looked up at her calendar, hanging just below the Pacifera Painting. The 16th of August was only a fortnight away. Lily walked to her desk, sat down, and grabbed some parchment and a quill.
Dear James,
Hello. I'm fine. Right now I'm working on my Charms assignment. Have you finished yours, yet? The chapter about how the charms backfired was funny! I'm glad that you and your father are well, and that you two liked my card.
Yes, I'm sure that Fiona and I can meet you four at Diagon Alley on the 16th. Will see you soon!
Lily
After she sealed it, she wrote a quick note to Fiona. Lily then picked up her wand, opened the window, and said, "Charta Aerius." About fifteen minutes later, an owl flew into her room. She attached the letter to the owl's leg, and placed seven Sickles in a pouch on its other leg.
"When you deliver that one, come back here, all right? I have another one for you."
The owl hooted, and swooped out the window.
Nearly five hours later, the owl returned, and Lily placed the note to Fiona on its leg.
***
On the 16th of August, Lily and her parents drove to Windermere. When they arrived, Liam, appearing vastly uncomfortable, told Wesley and Zinnia that it would be best for them to stay away from Diagon Alley.
"Why?" Wesley became irritated. "We've been going there since my daughter started Hogwarts!"
"Erm, I'm afraid that the climate has changed."
"What do you mean?" Zinnia said.
"It's no longer safe for you to visit," replied Kendra.
"What is that supposed to mean? Just spit out! Go on!" Wesley angrily stated.
"All right. To put it bluntly: it is no longer safe for Muggles to be seen in Diagon Alley," responded Liam.
"Why? Would someone try to harm us?" said Zinnia worriedly.
"Yes, I'm afraid. Unfortunately, far too many of our kind have become quite open in expressing their hostilities against Muggles."
"What about Lily? Will she be safe?" Wesley inquired, thinking of the incident that occurred last year with a wizard named Mulciber.
"She will be fine as long as she is with us."
Wesley and Zinnia briefly stared at one another.
"All right. We will leave, but please do me a favour and return our daughter to us alive and well." Wesley turned to Lily. "'Bye, love. Stay close to the McKinnons, understand?"
"I will. 'Bye, Dad." He and Zinnia kissed her on the forehead.
"'Bye, sweetums. Mind Liam and Kendra."
"I will. 'Bye, Mum."
Wesley and Zinnia hopped into the car and drove off with Lily waving at them. Then she went back indoors.
"All right, we want to be home before dark. Fiona, please tell Craig and Sasha that we are ready to go."
About a minute later, Craig and Sasha appeared in the room.
"Hi, Lily," they greeted her.
Kendra removed an elaborate vase from the fireplace mantle, reached in, and threw some powder into the flames. Lily was not exactly thrilled with the prospect of travelling by Floo powder again. It was definitely not her favourite way to travel. One by one, with Liam leading, they entered the flames and shouted, "Diagon Alley." Once they all arrived at Diagon Alley and dusted themselves off, Lily and Fiona began looking for James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter.
"Girls, don't stray too far. I want you both to remain within our sight," Liam sternly told them.
"Okay, Dad."
"Lily! Lily, over here!"
Lily and Fiona spotted James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter standing outside Quality Quidditch Supplies. They jogged over to join them with Liam, Kendra, Craig, and Sasha in tow.
"Hello!" Lily and Fiona greeted the boys.
"Hi!"
"Look what my dad just bought me." James opened a box, and pulled out a new broom.
"Wow! That's crackin'!" Lily admired the broom's workmanship.
"It's a Nimbus 1500, and they just came out. It's the top of the line as far as racing brooms go."
"Mum, Dad, please buy me one. Pleeeaaaase?" Fiona begged.
"Honey, I'm afraid that it is a little too expensive," responded Kendra.
Fiona's face turned scarlet. She whispered with teeth clenched together, "Mum, how could you embarrass me in front of my friends?"
"Oh, don't be silly, Fiona. There's nothing to be ashamed of. We simply can't afford it."
Fiona's mouth dropped open, and she stalked a little ways off. A moment later, they all heard her scream.
The boys snickered. Lily thought, That is so embarrassing. If my mum did that to me, I probably wouldn't speak to her for a week!
"Erm, Lily, would you like to give it a try?" James startled her from her thoughts.
"Hmm?"
"Would you like to give my broom a try?"
"Oh! Sure. Thanks!" She smiled at him, and took the broom.
Lily climbed on and kicked off. Immediately, she noticed a difference between the Nimbus 1500 and her Nimbus 1001. Its acceleration rate was faster and it had a smoother climb. Lily swooped back down to the group.
"It's really nice, James, and it flies so well!"
"Thanks!" He grinned.
"Now that you have a faster broom than Miss Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum, why don't you become the Seeker, too?" Sirius said with a devilish gleam in his eyes.
Fiona had returned just in time to catch Sirius' remark. She glared at him, and acidly said, "Stop calling me that."
Sirius arranged his face into an innocent expression. "Stop calling you what?"
"You know very well what I'm talking about, Sirius!"
"No, I don't."
"Yes, you do!"
"I'm afraid that I don't."
"Come on, quit it, you two," James ordered.
Fiona rolled her eyes at Sirius. As soon as she turned, he made a gruesome face behind her back. Remus and Peter laughed.
Fiona whipped around and said, "WHAT?"
"Nothing. No one said anything," replied Sirius.
"Come on. Cut it out," Lily said.
About five meters away, Lily watched the McKinnons talk to Mr. Potter and a couple she had not met before. Craig and Sasha were speaking with some of their friends.
"We better start getting our school things. Your parents want to return home before dark," Lily told Fiona.
"Okay, let me go get them." Fiona ran up to her parents to get their attention. Liam, Kendra, and Fiona went over to Lily.
"Why don't we start at Flourish and Blotts?" Kendra suggested.
"Craig! Sasha!"
"Yeah, Dad?" Craig replied.
"Let's go!"
"Erm, could you and Fiona meet us back here when you two are done?" James said to Lily.
"Sure. 'Bye!" She waved at James and the rest of the boys as she, the McKinnons, and Sasha started walking towards Flourish and Blotts.
Sasha smiled down at Lily, and placed an arm around her shoulders. She bent toward Lily, and whispered in her ear, "I think James really likes you."
Heat flooded Lily's face.
After they finished shopping for their school supplies and dress robes, they returned to Quality Quidditch Supplies where they met James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Mr. Potter, and the couple seen earlier. Upon closer inspection, Lily observed that the lady and Remus favoured one another.
"I don't think we have all met," Liam stated. "Craig, Fiona, Sasha, and Lily this is Edward Potter, and Bernard and Josefina Lupin."
They exchanged pleasantries.
"Lily and I had the pleasure of meeting each other last year, didn't we?" said Edward.
Lily shook her head.
"Why don't we all get a quick bite to eat at the Witches Brew Cafe in Strawbroom Alley?" suggested Josefina Lupin.
"Sounds like an excellent idea!" concurred Kendra.
The group slowly strolled in the direction of Strawbroom Alley.
"Erm, which lessons are you two taking this year? We're taking Divination again and Arithmancy," Peter said.
"We decided to drop Muggle Studies, and take Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. So, we'll be in Arithmancy together," Fiona replied.
"I'm glad that we have Duelling this year," added Remus.
"Aye, me, too. I hope we have lessons with the Slytherins. I would love take on those slimy gits: Snape, Rosier, Avery, and Wilkes, especially that bloody, greasy-headed Snape," Sirius said with a malicious glint in his eyes.
"I would like to see Snape writhing on the floor in pain, the ugly git. It would teach him not to sneak around trying to get us in trouble," agreed James.
"He tries to get you into trouble?" Lily said.
"Yes! All the time!" exclaimed Peter.
"Why?"
"Because he's Snape, a foul, big-nosed, greasy slimeball," Sirius answered.
"I think Snape likes Lily," mentioned Fiona.
"Fiona!" Lily rounded on her.
The boys stared at Lily with horror.
"You don't like him, do you?" James inquired with a mingled horrified and hopeful expression on his face.
"No!"
He appeared relieved. "Good. You don't want to be with someone like him."
They entered the cafe, and found a table large enough to seat their entire group. A witch wearing a large pointy hat with a stuffed dwarf owl atop it came by to take their orders. A few minutes later, she and another witch, dressed similarly, appeared with their food, and they began eating without conversation.
Edward broke the silence. "I see that the Ministry is having a very difficult time keeping things from Muggles."
Liam swallowed and wiped his mouth. "Yes, that's true. The way things have been going lately, it's difficult for certain activities not to escape Muggles. The Counter Muggle Intelligence Department is doing all that it can to cover things up by modifying memories and such, but it has been quite a challenge. Some incidents have been aired on those boxed gadgets Muggles use for their news source."
Fiona rolled her eyes. "Televisions, Dad."
"What was that, love?"
"They are called televisions, not boxed gadgets. We learned about them in Muggle Studies."
"Televisions, eh? Interesting."
Lily smiled to herself, and thought that Muggle Studies should be a requirement for all Hogwarts students.
About thirty minutes later, they rose from the table to depart for home. As the sun's top rim began sinking below the western horizon, they stepped outside the cafe and exchanged farewells. Without warning, fifty tall figures dressed in black cloaks and hoods that hid their faces materialized before them, and then encircled their group.
Lily fearfully wondered what was happening as an icy chill started to creep into her bones. A grey cloud began to obscure her vision at the same time she started shaking uncontrollably from the frost that invaded her. She felt someone grab and hold onto her hand. Blind, she could not see. Deathly cold, she wished for the sun's warmth. Rushing sounds filled her ears. A voice full of hate, "You are going to scream, you little Mudblood. I'll see to that." Lily moaned, "Noooo," as consciousness started to fade away. Falling. Distantly, "Expecto Patronum." A voice dripping with evil, "Crucio!" Then all was dark for a while.
***
Voices.
"Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum."
"Stop calling me that."
"Sirius, leave her alone. You're going to make her cry."
"I'm not going to cry."
"Do any of you know how we got here?"
"No."
Lily slowly opened her eyes. She blinked, and everything swam into focus. A clock was on the wall facing her with the hand three-quarters of the way between an image of a sleeping child and a child who was being given medicine. Lily turned her head slightly to her left and saw James staring at her from the bed next to hers.
"James, where are we? How did we get here?"
"We're in a hospital. I don't know how we got here. Perhaps our parents brought us."
"You two are awake. Finally!" Sirius exclaimed, a bit groggily.
Lily tried to sit up, but she felt so ill and weak that she sank back onto the bed.
"Lily, I was wondering when you would wake up," remarked Fiona in the bed to her right.
A short woman with a bunch of frizzy, bright red curls atop her head, and wearing a red and white robe, entered the room. "I see that you all are awake, now. Good. By the way, I'm Madam Medicina. I am in charge of this wing." She handed each of them a large chunk of chocolate.
"Now, you must eat all of this. It will make you feel better. Go ahead, and eat it up."
Lily began eating the chocolate, and very soon warmth started to spread throughout her limbs. She continued to eat the chocolate, and felt better.
"Good, lads and lasses! All done? Here have another piece." She broke off more huge chunks, and gave each of them one.
Lily nibbled on her chocolate.
"Come, lads and lasses, you must eat it all up. It will make you feel better."
Lily thought that she was probably going to feel worse if she ate any more chocolate.
Just then, Liam, Kendra, Craig, Sasha, Edward Potter, and the Lupins walked into the room.
Lily and the rest immediately bombarded them with questions.
"Hold on! One at a time," Liam ordered.
"Dad, how did we get here?" Fiona said.
"Edward, Bernard, and I brought you here. We each grabbed one of you and apparated here while your mother, Josefina, Craig, and Sasha waited with the three of you who remained behind. Then Edward, Bernard, and I returned to pick up the rest of you, and apparated back here along with your mother and Josefina. Craig and Sasha arrived here via Portkey."
"Where's here, Mr. McKinnon?" inquired Peter.
"You are in Ste. Ayla's, where the six of you will remain overnight."
"What exactly happened?" James said. "Everything seems a bit hazy."
"Several hundred dementors apparated in Diagon Alley," answered Edward.
"But, why? I thought they guarded Azkaban. What were they doing in Diagon Alley?" Lily said with a puzzled expression on her face.
The adults furtively glanced at each other while Craig and Sasha gazed at the floor.
Edward gently took James' hand and held it while appearing to think carefully. Quietly, he replied, "They were led there by Lord Voldemort. He was in Diagon Alley."
They all gasped, and Lily's heart sped up.
"He didn't, erm, kill anyone, did he?" Sirius said.
"Now, now they have all had enough excitement for one day! They need rest. I'm going to have to ask all of you to leave. Visiting hours is over." Madam Medicina commenced to bustle them out the door.
"We'll discuss this later," stated Edward as he was being rushed out the door.
"Lily, I sent an owl to your parents to let them know where you are and that you are fine," Kendra said as Madam Medicina pushed her out the door.
"Sirius and Peter, I contacted your parents, also," informed Josefina Lupin as Madam Medicina began shouting, "Out! Out!"
"We'll see you in the morning," Liam yelled.
"OUT!"
A few minutes later, Madam Medicina returned with an armload of clothing. "Here. Put these on." She handed each of them a pair a pyjamas, and then closed the curtains around each of their beds.
As Lily was changing into her pyjamas, she overheard James mutter, "He killed someone. I know he did. Just like my mum, the expletive. I hate him."
Lily turned aside her curtains, rose from the bed, and stood outside James' curtain enclosed bed. "James?" she whispered. "James, are you all right?" She stood there for a moment wrestling with indecision. Finally, she pulled back the curtains, and saw him sitting up and wiping his eyes.
"James?"
"I'm all right," he replied in a low hoarse voice.
"Okay. Goodnight," she said, sorrowfully.
"'Night, Lily," he whispered.
***
The next day, after breakfast, they left for home, with Lily returning to the McKinnons. Once they arrived at the McKinnons, Liam asked everyone to remain in the living room.
He gravely gazed at the small, assembled group. Lily and Fiona stared at him with a questioning expression on their faces. Craig and Sasha were seated close together, and holding hands.
Liam cleared his throat. "As Edward stated last night, several hundred dementors, led by You-Know-Who, apparated into Diagon Alley. From Diagon Alley, smaller groups of dementors broke off and apparated to various secondary alleys. One of the alleys happened to be the one we were in. When they surrounded us, they immediately began to have an overwhelming negative effect on each of us. While you, Fiona and Lily, and your friends were succumbing to them, the rest of us were summoning a Patronus Charm that acts to deflect and drive away the dementors. We succeeded, thank God! Then we immediately began dispatching the six of you to Ste. Ayla's."
He stopped for a moment. "What I am about to say next is difficult." He cleared his throat again. "While the dementors were in Diagon Alley, they were administering the Kiss."
Lily and Fiona gasped.
Liam sorrowfully continued. "I regret to say that six of those who received the Kiss were children, all students of Hogwarts."
Lily and Fiona stared at him with horror.
"But, Mr. McKinnon, what does that mean? Are they dead?" Lily said in a trembling voice.
An expression of mingled anger and disgust passed fleetingly across Liam's face.
"Honey, they aren't dead. Perhaps it would be better if they were. The dementors took their souls. Now, they are just empty beings," Kendra responded, sadly.
Tears welled up in Lily's eyes.
"They were taken to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries where they will remain forever until they pass," Liam gently added.
"Why, Dad? Why did he do it?" Fiona cried.
"Because he's an evil, vile expletive!" Craig answered, angrily.
"Who were the students?" inquired Sasha quietly.
"Oh dear, I don't have the list of names with me. Their ages ranged from eleven to seventeen years. Perhaps you know a few of them."
"But why is You-Know-Who killing people?" Fiona wiped her eyes.
"Dear, you can't ask your father to fathom the logic behind an abysmally evil wizard's behaviour." Kendra gently stroked Fiona's hair.
"Your mother is right. I do not know why he is doing these horrific things. What I want all four of you to know is that from now on you must be very careful. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is trying to gain as many followers as possible. We also know that he loathes Muggles. Lily, this is the reason your parents would be unsafe at Diagon Alley or any place in our world. They absolutely cannot visit our world until this passes.
"For your information, the supporters of You-Know-Who are known as Death Eaters. They are just as evil and cold as the one they serve. For the past three years, their numbers have been growing alarmingly. Don't be surprised to find a few in Hogwarts. Of course, they will not make it known who they are. Death Eaters are known to torture and kill Muggles, and anyone who opposes them and the one they serve. They are the ones responsible for the Dark Mark, always seen hovering above locations where there have been murders."
"What's a Dark Mark?" Lily inquired.
"It's a large, green image of a grinning skull with a snake in its mouth," answered Craig.
"That is correct. Most important, it is associated with You-Know-Who. It is one of his symbols, and only Death Eaters know how to summon it," Liam stated. He then glanced at his watch.
"Lily, I must take you home. I promised your parents I would get you there by 3 o'clock."
"Can I ask another question?" said Lily.
"Yes. What is it?"
"What does he, erm, You-Know-Who, look like?"
Liam and Kendra glanced at each other.
"He has very pale skin, red reptilian eyes, slits for his nose, and a lipless mouth. Come, we must leave now." Liam beckoned her to follow him.
His description sent shivers down Lily's spine for it sounded remarkably like the face that had tormented her in old nightmares!
***
On the Hogwarts Express, about two weeks later, Lily and Fiona found an empty compartment to sit in. Daisy and a boy and girl of about eleven years old entered their compartment.
"Hi!" Daisy exclaimed.
"Hello!" responded Lily and Fiona.
"Lily, Fiona, this is my brother, Elijah and sister, Thora. Thora, Elijah, this is Fiona and Lily."
They exchanged pleasantries. Elijah and Thora favoured Daisy in complexion, and hair and eye colour, although Thora's hair was straight instead of in ringlets like Daisy's. Elijah had a mop of curls and a dimple in his left cheek.
"Ivy and I are sharing a compartment in the back. Well, we better go. 'Bye." They left the compartment.
In a few minutes, the train would depart the station for Hogwarts. Lily and Fiona sat next to the windows, with Fiona sitting across from Lily. Lily thought that Fiona was becoming prettier every year. Fiona had her hair cut so that it was no longer waist length, but half way down her back. She also had a fringe that partially covered her forehead.
The compartment door slid open, and Severus Snape, Evan Rosier, and two unfamiliar boys, who appeared fifteen or sixteen years old, stepped in.
"Erm, this compartment is already taken," Fiona announced.
They ignored her, and proceeded to sit down. Rosier took the seat next to Fiona, and Severus sat next to Lily. Something about the other boys reminded Lily of Dolohov and Malfoy, and she started to feel uncomfortable.
"Erm, it's too crowded in here," stated Fiona.
The train began pulling away from the station, and to gather speed.
"You're free to go, McKinnon," Severus replied.
"Shut up, Snape," Fiona retorted acidly while glowering at him.
"You're going to let a witch talk to you like that, Severus? If it were me, I would have slapped her," the boy sitting next to Severus said.
Fiona glared at the boy.
"You better stop looking at me like that witch or I'll pluck those big, blue eyes right out of your head," he sneered.
"Just ignore her, Bailey," replied Severus.
"Oy! You, the quiet redhead, what's your name?" the boy sitting next to Rosier said in a slightly demanding tone.
"Her name is Lily," responded Severus.
"Lily, I'm Jules Nott, and over there is my best chum, Bailey Gothic."
"Hello," Lily muttered.
Rosier leaned back in his seat, yawned exaggeratedly, and in one swift movement threw his arms back with one coming to rest around Fiona's shoulders.
"GERROFF ME!" Fiona hit him in the stomach with her fist.
In a blink of an eye, Gothic leapt from his seat and placed his hand around Fiona's throat. Lily jumped up while whipping her wand out.
She pointed her wand at Gothic. "Let her go!"
"Bailey, leave her alone. She's not worth it," Severus lazily ordered.
Gothic let go of Fiona's neck. He glared at Lily, who returned it. "You can put away that wand of yours, witch," he snarled. Gothic then plopped down next to Severus.
Lily slowly sat down, and observed that Fiona appeared very angry.
"That's the problem with some of the witches around here. They don't know what's good for them," asserted Nott.
"Aye, and some of them should be honoured that they are getting attention," Rosier sneered while staring intently at Fiona. Fiona ignored him.
Lily thought that this was going to be one long ride, and stared out the window at the passing scenery.
A few hours later, with very little conversation having taken place between Lily and Fiona, Snowball began to meow.
"Oh dear, I'm so sorry! I forgot all about you," Lily crooned to Snowball as she leaned over to unsnap his carrier.
Severus gently tugged on the braid hanging down Lily's back. "What's your cat's name?"
Holding Snowball in her arms, Lily sat back up. "Snowball."
Severus reached out and stroked Snowball.
"Severus, how come you didn't join the club? Evan did," said Nott.
"You should have joined, Severus. Your talent would be very welcomed and needed. Our leader would make you a star," Gothic stated.
"I'm not ready," replied Severus still stroking Snowball.
Rosier snorted. "Not ready? You're more ready than Damien, Inga, Veleno, and Sax, and they joined."
"Maybe next summer."
"Why wait until then? Join during the Christmas holidays," Nott insisted.
"Are you worried about the initiation? It isn't too terrible, and it's over with quickly," said Rosier.
Lily and Fiona glanced at each other with a "what kind of club are they talking about?" expression on their faces.
"Think about it, Severus. Membership has its privileges. Don't wait too long to join or some will begin to wonder about you," replied Gothic with a slight warning tone in his voice.
A few hours later, in the deepening gloom, they arrived at Hogwarts.