James and Lily wandered through the cloister, supposedly making sure that
all the Gryffindors were in their tower. A shadow moved to their right.
Instantly they turned to face it, wands at the ready. Dumbledore stepped
out, his usually merry face drawn and old looking.
'I surrender,' he said spreading his hands. 'James, Lily, I need to speak with you both. Come with me, please.'
Bewildered, they followed. Dumbledore was never normally so serious. Something dreadful must have happened. They were ushered into his office, where they sat before him, fearful of what he had to say. The old wizard sighed heavily, and passed a piece of parchment to Lily. She read it, wordlessly passing it to James. Her hands shook. James read,
Dumbledore. Urgent. V. has struck again. Harold and Josephine Evans, Muggles, dead. Ellen and Henry Potter, wizards, dead. Believed to be the start of a campaign against Lily and James. Extend our condolences. Fudge.
The parchment dropped from his fingers. His parents . . . Lily's parents . . . all dead. Voldemort was furious with them, obviously. He was aware of Lily's arm about his shoulders, of her pale drawn face beside his. His eyes lifted to meet those of Dumbledore. The Headmaster shook his head sadly, not knowing what to say.
'I am so very, very sorry,' he began, stopping when he realised they were not listening.
Tears were pouring down James' cheeks. His parents, his only family, gone. His hand sought Lily's, squeezing tight. She laid her chin on his shoulder, cheek to cheek with him, her tears mingling with his. Dumbledore quietly left, locking the door to afford them some privacy.
He met Professor McGonagall in the corridor. She looked concerned.
'How are they?'
'As well as can be expected,' he said, running a hand across his eyes. 'They need each other now, more than ever. They're all they've got left.'
The two professors walked away from the door. From a tiny hole nearby, eyes that were too intelligent to be rodent watched them go.
*
The infirmary was full to bursting, with casualties from the exams. Defence Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration had a lot to answer for in Madame Pomfrey's view. Lily sat on Frank's bed, regaling him with the tale of her own exam. He had been caught with a particularly nasty hex during the Defence exam that had flattened him - literally. Across the room, James and Remus were cheering up Sirius, who had predicted terrible happenings in Divination and wondered why they'd all come true.
Katie limped in, white as a sheet, with a large Mandrake wrapped about her left leg. Madame Pomfrey tutted and went over, poking the huge plant.
'Exam?' she demanded.
'Herbology,' Katie groaned, 'and I've got Care of Magical Creatures to come.'
She was whisked away to a bed, throwing an envious look over shoulder at Lily, who'd finished her exams with nothing other than bruises. Lily shook her head in pity. She really didn't know how lucky she was.
'I surrender,' he said spreading his hands. 'James, Lily, I need to speak with you both. Come with me, please.'
Bewildered, they followed. Dumbledore was never normally so serious. Something dreadful must have happened. They were ushered into his office, where they sat before him, fearful of what he had to say. The old wizard sighed heavily, and passed a piece of parchment to Lily. She read it, wordlessly passing it to James. Her hands shook. James read,
Dumbledore. Urgent. V. has struck again. Harold and Josephine Evans, Muggles, dead. Ellen and Henry Potter, wizards, dead. Believed to be the start of a campaign against Lily and James. Extend our condolences. Fudge.
The parchment dropped from his fingers. His parents . . . Lily's parents . . . all dead. Voldemort was furious with them, obviously. He was aware of Lily's arm about his shoulders, of her pale drawn face beside his. His eyes lifted to meet those of Dumbledore. The Headmaster shook his head sadly, not knowing what to say.
'I am so very, very sorry,' he began, stopping when he realised they were not listening.
Tears were pouring down James' cheeks. His parents, his only family, gone. His hand sought Lily's, squeezing tight. She laid her chin on his shoulder, cheek to cheek with him, her tears mingling with his. Dumbledore quietly left, locking the door to afford them some privacy.
He met Professor McGonagall in the corridor. She looked concerned.
'How are they?'
'As well as can be expected,' he said, running a hand across his eyes. 'They need each other now, more than ever. They're all they've got left.'
The two professors walked away from the door. From a tiny hole nearby, eyes that were too intelligent to be rodent watched them go.
*
The infirmary was full to bursting, with casualties from the exams. Defence Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration had a lot to answer for in Madame Pomfrey's view. Lily sat on Frank's bed, regaling him with the tale of her own exam. He had been caught with a particularly nasty hex during the Defence exam that had flattened him - literally. Across the room, James and Remus were cheering up Sirius, who had predicted terrible happenings in Divination and wondered why they'd all come true.
Katie limped in, white as a sheet, with a large Mandrake wrapped about her left leg. Madame Pomfrey tutted and went over, poking the huge plant.
'Exam?' she demanded.
'Herbology,' Katie groaned, 'and I've got Care of Magical Creatures to come.'
She was whisked away to a bed, throwing an envious look over shoulder at Lily, who'd finished her exams with nothing other than bruises. Lily shook her head in pity. She really didn't know how lucky she was.