Chapter Ten …

Chapter Ten ….( I think…)

Okay, your reviews are so so so great. I love you guys, okay, Phoenix sweetie, you need help….I'm going to call you Myrtle now. Lol. Jayce, you rock Sirius! Shel - Ahhahahahha! We might as well be related, cause I love ya hun! Okay, enough of that now. This is the next chapter and just so you all know, I'm done with this story, and theres an epilogue, and a sequel. The epilogue is done, and the sequel is what I'm working on right now. For all of you, who have asked me, yes, I'm a christian, and no I'm not ashamed, so whenever you read the epilogue theres a lot about God. I'm not trying to make you believe what I believe, and I'm not trying to offend anyone. I love you all so so so much! Thanks again and please, email me at Little_aly@juno.com if you want to talk! Oh and this is going to sound stupid but if you plan on reading the rest of this story add me to your favorites because I'm incredibly hard to find. Thanks again, I love you all!

Peace, love, and coffee!

Always

~Aly

Chapter Ten ~ Never Expected

Lily held tightly to Sirius and glanced up only to see a dark figure she recognized far too well diving at James. Lily pushed Sirius away from her and some how found the strength to race after the person. She dove on top of the ….girl?! Lily stared down, into violet eyes, and sparking black hair.

"Mystie?..What are you doing?" she said.

Mystica Sani looked up at Lily, who sat on her, and held her hands down.

Lily's shining red hair matted to her face, her green eyes full of fear, and she momentarily felt sorry for all she had done. For working with Peter and Voldemort all those months…but then she remembered. Lily stole James from her in the first place. She flipped Lily off of her and started hitting her already battered body. Lily felt anger burning within her. She hadn't done anything to anyone! Voldemort stole her parents…her life…her everything….but he wouldn't take James, or Sirius, and Lily wasn't about to let melodramatic Mystica kill her. She threw her off of her and held her down.

"Mystie, you were my bestfriend for years, and I don't know where the old you is, but you have to understand every word I'm about to say. Don't you touch James, or Sirius…or me. You can't hurt me anymore than what has…so if you are going to take out your aggressions on someone..YOU take it out on Voldemort…cause he's the only one in this room who deserves it!"

Mystica stared up at her. Her violet eyes full of a deadly rage she couldn't contain. Mystica fondly remembered those nights, sitting up till early hours with Voldemort and Peter, discussing the end of Lily and James. She liked the feeling of power she got whenever she watched people suffer. Whenever she watched James parents crying out for mercy and tears burning into their eyes. She loved winning for once. Her father beat her as a child, her mother ran away and left her there…after all the pain, all the suffering….she was on top. Now..here was Lily. The world was practically handed to her, but she wouldn't ruin it for her now! No! Mystica Sani…would win.

She threw Lily on the ground…kicking screaming.

"Master! I'm here! Master! I've got her…kill her now! Kill her now!" she shrieked. Lily's green eyes lit up as if a match had been tossed into them. No. She promised herself she would survive…and she would. Harry needed her. She wasn't sure who he was or why he needed her, but she knew that it was important.

Mystica's eyes stared right into Lily's violet……green…….violet…….green. They scratched, punched, kicked, and strangled. Lily was exhausted, all of her energy was draining from her body. The darkness that had engulfed Mystie was taking Lily over too. Voldemort and Peter had overtaken Sirius and James, they laid chained to a slimy wall. Both of them now earnestly watching Lily and Mystie attack one another. Peter stood anxiously in the background. Voldemort was now silently approaching Lily with excitement in his red eyes. Lily rolled over and slammed Mystica's head into the ground.

"Mystica! Get off me! Snap out of this! What is wrong with you?!" She screamed. Mystica answered by punching Lily in one of her many bleeding wounds. Lily gritted her teeth and stared at her. She felt torn. This used to be her bestfriend…..but now..she was nothing more than Voldemorts slave. Screw friendship, if Lily didn't get rid of Mystica then her REAL friends would be in more danger than they already were. Lily lunged forward and punched Mystica square in the jaw. Voldemort laughed.

"Bring her to me my servant" he said nodding at Peter. Peters watery ..now black eyes,…..anxiously glanced over at Sirius and James. Then proceeded to take a few careful steps towards Lily.

"WORMTAIL! Don't you touch her! Don't! Its us! Its your friends!"

Sirius

shouted.

"Peter! NO! OH! Voldemort you let me outta these chains so I can kill your servant! YOU COWARD! Let me free! Peter, make the right decision…don't touch her!" James cried fighting viciously with his chains.

Sirius leaned his head against the slimy wall and closed his eyes tightly. Not her…take me God, I'm not half as valuable as Lily. People down here really need her. He prayed.

Peter scooped Lilys frail body off of the ground, she was bleeding rather heavily now, and her face was a deadly pale. Yet, she still struggled against him. Peter carried her towards a sacrificing stone of some sort, an odd, slime covered cement slab. He laid her down very gently though, and when Voldemort had turned to reprimand Mystica on not fulfilling her task, he mouthed the words "im sorry" to her.

Mystica walked slowly over to Lily, swishing her 18 yr old curves and pushing her long silky black hair off her shoulders. She gave Lily a smirk and a deadly glance before reaching over to her. Mystica ran her long slender smooth fingers over Lily's forehead almost lovingly. Then she reached her fiery red hair and grasped it roughly. She jerked her head up and slammed it back down on the cement. Lily glared sharply pretending she couldn't feel all the blood around her. Mystica smirked at her.

"For once Lily Evans…you don't win. I do." The words were cold and stung.

Then Voldemort walked over to her and pointed his wand inches from her face, apparently he wanted her to suffer a great deal before her death, and he wanted her to be emotional broken first. he announced ; "Give up, you won't make it. You think James loves you? Since when has James Potter loved anyone? You have nothing left in this world. No Father, No Mother , your only family left disowns you, and who wouldn't? Since you killed your parents! What did they ever do to deserve that Lily?! Your selfishness killed them…not me." he grinned.

"Whats he doing?" Sirius whispered.

"Deceiving her. He knows all her weaknesses and one of her biggest is that she still feels responsible for her parents death. Therefore, he's going to tell her exactly what she hates to hear until she believes it."

James replied….struggling against his chains.

"LILY! I love you. I know I never really…truly said it to you…but I do.

I

love you with all my heart! I NEED YOU LIKE I NEED AIR! Don't you listen to him. Keep fighting! THINK OF HARRY!" James screamed….his voice sore and dry.

"SILENCE!" Voldemort screamed.

Sirius thought long and hard. He knew what he had to do. "Screw you Voldie! What? You can't take it?" Sirius yelled.

Lily quickly caught on. "No..he can't. He hates the fact that love is stronger than his pathetic hate! He's a coward too, thats why he's chained you two up and made it three against one. Bring it on! Kill me…comeon! YOU COWARD! KILL ME! Cause even after I die…you can't kill love!" She said, her body now trembling from loss of blood.

"Comeon Voldie…kill me first, cause we all know you have to kill the guy who could kill you with his bare hands first." Sirius yelled.

Voldemort turned on Sirius…giving Lily just enough time to leap up, reach her wand and point it at Sirius and James to free them, but it was no use. Mystica pounced her and threw her on the ground…the two girls were wrestling again.

"Master!" Mystica screamed in a futile attempt to redeem herself, "NOW!"

Voldemort spun around and pointed his wand at Lily. He yelled to Sirius and James first. "You'll both die too, but its only fair…ladies first. Besides, you'll both suffer more if you have to watch it."

They both screamed with choked back tears "NO!" But it was too late.

"Avada Kedavra!" He bellowed. The deep hollowness of his voice ringing in their ears. Then there was a bright white light exploding in the room.

A

body dropped onto the floor with a sickening thud. James stomach lurched forward. Sirius beat the wall to free him. But all hope was lost….the smoke cleared, Voldemorts shrill laughter ringing out in the dark room.

There she was…lifeless…..dead.

DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD

The words ran over and over in James mind. He forced his seemingly too heavy eyelids to look at her body. There it was…thin …slender…her shining black hair. BLACK!

Through the smoke there was Lily. Her red hair shining, her green eyes lit up. She had her wand pointed directly in front of her and in a powerful voice she screamed the countercurses to free James and Sirius. They fell onto the hard ground then ran to her.

"No! The smoke will clear in seconds…Throw every hex you possibly can at him and I'll take care of Peter." She whispered urgently.

There was a large explosion of light and smell, Lily somehow found her way to Peter and hexed him so that his legs and arms were buckled to his sides. She reached through the darkness to James and Sirius. Peter floating beside her.

"Run!" she screamed. They raced back up through the endless mazes of dark, slippery, rotting tunnels and sighed relief despite their aching legs. Then there he was Voldemort. His face sprouted t enacles and he could barely stand up. Yet he grasped Lily roughly and mumbled a curse. James dove on him, strangling him with his bare hands. He was just a second too late. Voldemort had given up on wands and magic, there were far too many wizards near him. It all happened in one slow motion…there was Lily, next the Sirius about to help James, when Voldemort reached over with a short blunt knife and stabbed her. She still refused to scream. The blood was gushing and her strength disappeared. Suddenly, all of her fighting and efforts to survive seemed useless. She knew it. She knew she would die in the end. Sirius and James dove on him…but it was too late. Voldemort was gone.

Lily sat…propped up against the wall, bleeding, crying , all the color drained from her. Her head pounded, her heart beat in an unsteady rhythm, and she closed her eyes as if to mumble a final good-bye.

James picked her up and ran. His heart dropped. He couldn't live without her. Without her laughter, with her smiles and terrible jokes, James Potter loved this girl, and he would rather be dead than live without her. He and Sirius ran until they felt their hearts would break through their lungs. They raced until the darkness was behind them. Until they were safe in the infirmary, until Dumbledore was finally there, standing over Lily, who was still bleeding…and allowing tears to fall from his eyes.

Sirius felt a disgusting taste of reliving another moment as he sat in the pitch black infirmary. Hadn't it been James laying there in that bed?

Hadn't he been squinting his eyes trying to look asleep? Oh..thats right.

That was in our 4th year..this is our last. He reached over and squeezed James shoulder. James stared right at Lily.

"Poor Guy." Felicia whispered, through her tears, as she leaned her head on Jenny's shoulder. Jenny wrapped an arm around her and felt herself crying too. This can't be happening. Not to Lily at least. They had waited…hours on end ……until McGonagall had released them from their rooms to go see Lily. They walked in…expecting to see the same smiling Lily, but they were only greeted by a solemn James, who was desperately stroking her hand.

Jenny had stared at Lily for a long time. Her long black lashes resting together. Her long flowing red hair, covered in slime and blood, still looked graceful. Her curvy body tucked away under a white blanket, leaving her blood stained arms out in solitude.

"She took it hard." Jenny whispered, looking to Sirius.

He nodded. "Fought till she had nothing left…nothing." He hung his head and stared at the tile of the floor, "Saved all our lives."

Jenny's tears poured off of her face onto Felicia, who had fallen fast asleep.

Mrs. Salem shuffled in, and looked over at Lily. She placed a pudgy hand lovingly on James and Sirius's shoulders. "She was such a beauty…inside and out. We were all lucky to know her." By now Felicia had curled up in the chair and drifted off to sleep. Jenny was staring at the back of James head. Sirius had scooted his chair next to James, and they both were talking to Lily. Jenny heard what Mrs. Salem said and stood up boldly.

"Don…d..d…don't say that!" she cried, "Don't make it sound like she's dead!" Her hands shook in anguish. Sirius scooted his chair back and walked over to her and pulled her into his strong arms. Jenny leaned on his shoulder and sobbed. "She's …Lil…sh..she isn't dead, Sirius!" she cried softly. Sirius smoothed her hair, but could not think of any words that would comfort him or Jenny.

James Potter knew Lily better than anyone, and he had studied her face long enough to know when she was scared. He stared and stared…hours must have passed. He thought once. Then he leaned forward, kissed her cheeks gently, and squeezed her hand. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him. Lily shot up from her laying down position and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"James…James…James… I'm alive! So are you! Where's Siri!? Is he okay? Wheres Peter?! Oh James…. I love you. I'll never let you go….ever again."

Then she winced. "Okay, maybe I'll let you go for one second…cause I feel the sudden need to lay back down.

Tears streamed down her face, James laughed and screamed, waking everyone up.

He leaned down to Lily and hugged her carefully. He stared right into

her alive green eyes and whispered " I love you"

Jenny leapt from her chair. Sirius screamed Felicia cried. Sirius was the first to get to her. He was just about to dive on her for a huge hug of relief whenever Mrs. Salem walked in the room. Her entire face lit up in sheer joy. Then she spotted Sirius.

"STOP!" she laughed. "Don't you touch her, or move her or anything. Let her rest there, you can talk quietly but please…the bleeding." She said.

Lily glanced up at Mrs. Salem's warm face. "Will I be okay? I know I was bleeding a lot…but…I will be okay right?"

Mrs. Salem smiled. "In a few hours we'll see if the potion I made for you is done. It should stop the bleeding and help you heal much faster."

Then she left and Dumbledore walked in.

"Ms. Evans!" he said, sincerely delighted. "Welcome back, and a job well done."

Sirius listened to their small chitchat and then asked the question that had been bothering him all night.

"Um…Headmaster? I have to ask, Why did you not go with us?"

"That was my doing Sirius." James said, still holding Lily's hand. "We talked about this several times, we both knew that he would eventually attack Lily, but who would have guessed he'd try here. I told Dumbledore that if this ever happened to stay here. I know Lily, and I knew that she'd rather die, then leave the entire school at risk without Dumbledore."

"But what no one knows, is that I didn't leave you all alone at all." Dumbledore smiled. He reached in his pocket and held out a small square stone in his hand. His blue eyes lit up as he said;

" Repearrimus!"

The stone projected exactly what had happened onto the white wall behind Lily. Everyone watched with terror. Jenny screamed at some points, Sirius and James winced the entire time, Felicia cried, but whenever they got to the part where Mystica died…there was silence.

"Mystie…is dead?" Felicia whispered.

"Yes." James nodded, "Voldemort killed her."

There was a deafening silence.

"I helped him…" Lily whispered with tears streaming from her eyes.

"When we were fighting I heard the curse and flipped Mystica on top of me. She took the full impact, and I just lost all my strength." She sobbed.

Dumbledore placed his hand on her trembling shoulders. "You had to, you knew about your future." He whispered.

"Future?" Jenny questioned.

"Harry." James mumbled looking down.

"What?!" Felicia asked.

"I had this vision…that baby…in Divinations…..you all should remember….i have to save this baby from something." Lily whispered.

"Headmaster Dumbledore? What is she talking about?" Felicia asked.

"Time is not only a healer, but a teacher." He answered. They all sat puzzled. He left them with wondering minds.

NEXT ONE

Lily sat up…staring at the blinding ray of sunshine falling in through the open tower windows of the infirmary. She yawned, but she felt herself growing restless. Graduation was so close! She would leave these laughter filled halls forever. She wanted nothing more than to get up out of this bed and walk to her next class, instead of meeting with her teachers to restudy her lessons. And everyone was tight with anxiety about foreboding tests the seventh years had to prepare for.

Her wonderful friends spent endless hours with her, especially James. James sat in that chair to the right of her bed with books in his lap, levitating in the air, and all over her bed. They studied together, sometimes having long meaningful conversations, and sometimes, when Lily fell asleep early and Mrs. Salem had checked in on her for the final time of the evening, James would gently crawl ontop her covers, and lay next to her, his head propped up with his hand. He'd stare at her sleeping, and run his fingers through her wild red hair until he'd slip on his invisibility cloak and sneak out.

"Lily is SO lucky." A jealous sixth year cried to her friend in the corner of the Gryfinndor common room. Her hair was straight, long, and blonde. Tears filled her violet eyes.

"I mean, James Potter is the cutest guy in this school! He's so…beautiful." She sighed and glanced up the stairs at the humble seventh year.

James Potter had matured nicely over the years. His wild hair was nowhere near tame, but it had become his trademark. The mass of shiny black hair still flew in every direction, but now, the girls envied Lily for getting to run her fingers through it. His brown eyes glittered with mischief, the marauders still playing pranks, yet, his eyes had softened somewhat. They possessed a sound understanding of responsibility, and one could inquire that the change was due to everything he had just gone through with Lily. His body was still slightly muscular, but Quidditch had fallen to the second position in his life.

"Look at him Sara, just look, he's so perfect. And! ME! I'm the cutest girl in the sixth year! How can he choose her over me!" The girls tears morphed into anger and frustration. Those violet eyes were on fire, full of rage, full of hatred for Lily Evans.

"Melissa! You need to chill." Her friend said. " Lily Evans is a sweetheart thats why James likes her, and if you couldn't tell this is the longest he's been with one girl, so they are going to last. Get over it!" she huffed and turned around to leave for lunch.

"Oh," she said, in second thought, "For your information, you are NOT the cutest girl in the sixth year." Sara laughed and bumped right into James. She failed to see Melissa's eyes burning with jealously.

"Sorry James." She said smiling.

"No prob, I'm on my way to see Lily, want to go?" he grinned.

"Really? I'd love too, and I have to thank her for helping me study

for that exam last term, I aced it thanks to her!" James and Sara walked out of the common room, and Melissa glared.

"Lily won't win this time."

"Comeon you! I have the best surprise for ya!" Sirius chuckled helping Lily into a wheelchair.

"I think I can manage to walk." She giggled, "if you'll let me lean on

you"

"Lean on me, when you're not strong, and I'll be your frrrrrrieeeeeeeennnnnnndddddd!" Sirius sang, now holding Lily as she pulled herself from the infirmary bed.

"Oh Siri! No singing!" she laughed, "Why are you so happy anyway!?"

"Comeon Lils!" He whispered mischievously, leading her to the window. It was dark outside but the Quidditch field was lit up and the stars shone out brightly. Lily smiled and grasped Sirius's hand for balance.

He pulled out his wand and mumbled a charm under his breath. Suddenly the window in the tower became like a large magnifying glass and Lily felt as if she was right there in the stands watching the game. James was flying beautifully. He was quite graceful on a broom, despite the fact that he was clumsy anywhere else. Lily and Sirius cheered loudly, until an angry Mrs. Salem came in, frustrated.

"Ms. Evans! What are you doing from your bed!" She yelled exasperated.

"Oh, Tabitha {lily and the nurse were friends now}We are just watching James' Quidditch match, I'll get back in bed soon." Lily smiled warmly.

The tired womans face full of creases turned into a smile. "Who's winning?" she said timidly.

"We are!" Sirius shouted, "GO PATRICK FINNIGAN!" {~cough cough Seamus's dad~ * Aly)

Mrs. Salem rushed over to the window and cheered with Lily and Sirius until the match had ended, and her voice was raw.

"I suppose Mr. Potter, will be up here directly." She grinned, winking at Lily.

"No." Lily said, looking melancholy, "That was the last game of the year, he'll be in the common room celebrating, but oh well." She sighed then looked up at Sirius grinning broadly. "SIRI! WE WON THE HOUSE CUP!" She screamed, jumping into his arms. "ITS OUR SENIOR YEAR AND WE WON!" She squealed.

Mrs. Salem looked over at her. "You may go to the common room, but Lily….be back in a few hours, don't let ANY professors see you, and please…please take it easy."

Lily giggled merrily, and hugged Mrs. Salem tightly.

"Oh, Go on now child, I'm sure you'll want to change your clothes.

Hurry." She smiled.

~~~~~~~'

The entire common room was alive with excitement and Lily was glad to be standing in the middle of it all with James. When he saw her, he almost doubled over with joy. She was wearing faded and well worn flared blue jeans with a long sleeved green shirt that hugged her nicely, without looking trashy. She hadn't exactly dressed up. Lily wasn't exactly the type of girl to go all out, and she was naturally beautiful anyway. She had pulled her hair halfway up and her eyes were sparkling with excitement of being in the common room again. James ran to her and scooped her into his arms, carefully. She laughed and hugged him tightly.

They had survived so much, and so much lay ahead for them in the future.

"LILS!" Jenny shrieked running down the stairs, her curly locks bouncing beside her, and her brown eyes alight with joy. She ran to Lily and hugged her as if she hadn't seen her in years.

"Hey hun! Nice jeans…you borrow 'em from me?" Lily said glanced at Jennys jeans that matched hers perfectly.

"What don't I borrow from you?" she sighed staring her in the eyes. " Lily, I'm so glad you are okay, You don't know…….I love you girl." She said tears brimming.

Lily grabbed her arm. "you look at me Jen. I'm fine and I'm not going anywhere." She smiled.

"Thats what you think." Melissa mumbled from across the room.

Sarah glared at her. "Missy. You seriously gotta cut this out! Its scary.

You …you're acting like Mystica."

Melissa stared at her with ice violet eyes. "Mystica Sani is dead." She stood up, flattened down her plaid short pink skirt, and adjusted her button up pink sweater. She strode over to James, Lily, and Jenny as if the entire world was watching.

"James!" she cried. "You played so well. I'm so impressed." She said enthused, completely ignoring Jenny and Lily's existence.

"Well, erm thanks. You know Lily, my girlfriend, and her bestfriend Jenny?"

"Oh! Sure! Lily and Jenny! How great to see you, I guess I just so impressed by James, I overlooked you, For shame! I'm so sorry.": she added, since Jenny was shooting knives through her eyes at her.

"Lily dear, how are you?"

Lily smiled warmly but reached down and held James hand tightly. "I'm great. I feel much better. Thanks for asking."

Melissa saw that she was getting nowhere. She straightened her shoulders to make sure James got a good look at how tight her sweater was. Jenny laughed.

"Shopping in little girls again are we?" Jenny smirked.

Melissa grinned. "No, I can afford older clothes." She took a direct hit at the income Lily and Jenny's parents were making.

Lily sighed. "Melissa, this is James big day, he won it for them, so we have to go mingle and celebrate. We'll see you around." She smiled and took Jenny by the arm and the three of them walked into the mass of people. Leaving Melissa behind them glaring.

"Remus! Felicia! Its so great to see you guys!" Lily yelled , hugging them both. Suddenly, it seemed as if nothing had changed…as if these six had always been this way, and would stay that way for years and years to come. Then her heart panged. Peter.

Patrick Finnigan and Logan Thomas (~sound familiar?~ *Aly) had created huge banners that were hanging on the high walls of the room. Blasting music and a never ending supply of sweets from the kitchens kept the party going till early hours of the morning. Lily and James danced in the mass of students. It was hard to believe that soon enough, she wouldn't be in this place anymore. Her heart lurched. No more Hogwarts. It was a scary realization. Sirius walked over to Lily around 2 am. She was leaning on James staring at the fire, enjoying the moment.

"Lils, sis? I'm really sorry to have to tell you this, but I've got to take you back now." Lily sighed and slowly got to her feet.

" You're right. Night Potter." She grinned as she took Sirius's arm and they walked slowly to the infirmary.

James smirked. He watched the two walk away. The two that meant more to him than anything in the world. Graduation was too close. He prayed that this moment would last forever, enough though he knew it couldn't. But something's…..never fade away.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

To accomplish great things,

one must not only act but,

DREAM....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~