Disclaimer: I don't own anybody, apart from random teachers and students, and April's family.

AN: Argh… You have no idea how much I wanted to delete the last chapter, and bring April back… but it is all part of the Plot. The Plot! And yes, April's family makes a guest appearance in this chapter… and a dastardly fact is revealed… read on, readers! Oh yeah, the ball was NOT for Christmas!

Little Eagle

"Hey Lily!"

"Wake up, Lil, we're late!"

"You look great in that. Maybe if you tied your hair back?"

"Tell him Lily!"

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaargh! This homework is driving me INSANE!"

"Do you think they'd notice if I jumped out the window?"

"Lily…was that potions homework due today?"

"You really should read the Lord of the Rings, you know…"

"Let me do that."

"Lily…"

"Lily…"

"Lily!"

"Lily!"

"What?" Lily snapped out of her memories.

"Dumbledore wants to see us." James said softly, and held out a hand.

"Oh." Lily looked down for a moment, then took his hand and pulled herself up. She followed James out of the common room, and they walked quickly through the passageways of Hogwarts, taking numerous shortcuts along the way.

"Are you okay?" James asked, Lily had her head down and wasn't speaking.

"No." Lily said simply. "She was one of my best friends. She died because of me-"

"No!" James spun around and took Lily's face in his hands, "She didn't! She died because of Voldemort! Not you!"

"Precisely." Dumbledore was standing behind them, James flushed and dropped his hands. "Do not blame yourself, Lily."

Lily shrugged, and bowed her head again.

"April's family are waiting in my office, as are Remus, Sirius, Peter, and several of the teachers." Dumbledore said, and led Lily and James into his office.

What does he mean, April's family? Lily wondered, then realized, Oh! Her brother! And maybe an aunt or uncle or something…

"Hello, you are Lily Evans?" A tall, striking woman asked. She resembled April, apart from the eyes. April's had been purple, but this woman's were brown.

"Yes." Lily nodded, "Who are you?"

"April's mother, Daphne." The woman answered.

"You can't be April's mother!" Lily stepped backwards, "She's dead!"

"I can assure you, I am not." Daphne smiled.

"Please, Lily, James, have a seat." Dumbledore indicated two empty seats, and the two sat down, Lily staring at Daphne.

"Please professor, why are we here?" Remus asked.

"Because we need to know what happened, and why."

"And how." Daphne added.

"Yes." Dumbledore nodded. "Now, Lily and James witnessed the entire event, and Remus, Sirius, and Peter witnessed the last few moments, as did Minerva." There was a rumble of assent from the people present (Lily, James, Remus, Sirius, Peter, Daphne, April's brother, Madame Pomfrey, McGonnagall, and the DADA teacher - professor Liverwort.). "Lily, would you please tell us exactly what happened."

"Okay." Lily bowed her head, and described everything, leaving out only the animagus transformations.

"Oh god." Daphne choked, and she was holding her son like there was no tomorrow. "Oh god…"

"Ape…" Adrian (April's brother) was clutching his mother, and staring down at the floor.

"James, if you would…" Dumbledore smiled encouragingly at him.

"Yes sir," James nodded, and described what he had seen, but leaving out the animagus transformations.

"Thankyou." Dumbledore said gravely, and then Remus, Sirius, Peter, and McGonnagall went on to describe what they had seen, and Daphne dissolved into tears.

"Please, Mrs West-" Lily started.

"Call me Daphne," Daphne said, smiling weakly at Lily.

"Daphne," Lily amended, "where's Mr West?"

"I…I don't know." Daphne said shakily, "He was on a job - he's an auror - but he hasn't come back. The ministry have not seen fit to even contact me." Her mouth was pursed tightly with rage.

"It may be vital that we know what happened to Samuel." Dumbledore said, and reached for a piece of parchment and a quill. He scribbled a quick message, and handed it to Madame Promfrey. "Please take it to the owlery, and send it to the ministry." She nodded, and hurried out.

"Albus, why did April get a note from the ministry saying her parents were dead, when her mother is clearly standing -sitting- before us?" McGonnagall asked, phrasing the question on everyone's mind.

"Ah yes." Dumbledore sighed and picked the letter off his desk. "I retrieved this when Poppy and I put Lily too bed last night. It reads: Dear Miss West. We regret to inform you that, following a raid on the small village of Thisleton by Voldemort, your parents were killed in a fire lit by a Death Eater. They did not have their wands. During the holidays you will be staying with your Aunt Ameresa. Any inquiries should be sent to Gorven Finis. Or, you should speak to your headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. Sincerely, Vert Molod"

"But Samuel and I don't even live in Thisleton!" Daphne was shocked. "And Ameresa eloquently forbade us to contact her three years ago! Abril was April's named guardian, and still is Adrian's! How could she believe this?"

"There was a strong suggestion spell on the letter." Dumbledore said gravely, "and it is certainly a forgery. As you can see, the name of the sender is Voldemort's name jumbled up. He was ever found of that sort of thing…" He said distantly, as if thinking of something long past.

"So Voldemort tricked April, and tricked me." Lily said, looking around. "I think April realized…"

"Yeah." James nodded, recalling what April had said

"What? "You came looking for me, didn't you? I'm sorry."

"April's funeral will be in three days," Dumbledore said, "And until then, you are not expected to attend classes." He rose, and everyone else did too.

"Please, professor, I would like to speak to Lily alone," Daphne said, and Dumbledore nodded.

"You have my office," He said, with a bow of his head, and he escorted everyone else out.

"Lily," Daphne said, smiling at her, "You are the closest friend April ever had, and I'd like to thank you for that. A little while ago she asked me to get something for you from a muggle shop - a Christmas present, I think." She slipped a hand into her pocket, and pulled out a necklace. "Here." She handed it to Lily, and then sighed. "Could you ask Remus to come in?"

"Sure." Lily nodded, and hurried out. "Remus, Daphne wants to see you." She called, as she spotted him, James and Sirius waiting in the corridor. Peter had wandered off somewhere.

"Okay." Remus nodded, "Will you guys…"

"Wait?" James asked. "Sure."

"Thanks." Remus smiled gratefully, and went back into Dumbledore's office.

"What's that?" James asked, spotting the necklace dangling from Lily's hand.

"A necklace." Lily examined it, then smiled. It was a simple necklace, with a golden Lily hanging off it. On the back was engraved, For my best friend, keep on trying, love, April. Lily put it on, then looked up as Remus emerged from Dumbledore's office, looking sad.

"You okay?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah."

"What was it?" Lily asked, touching Remus's arm lightly. He smiled at her a pressed a note into her hand. It read simply:

I quite like Joven.

Well, that's the end of that chapter. I'm working on a VERY big fic at the moment (planning it out, that sort of thing), but this one is still top priority! I think it's my longest fic, so you should be proud! My big fic will end up about 35 chapters, the way I plan it, but it's LOTR, not Harry Potter… oh well. And I'm sorry about the Jorven bit - if anyone can think p a better name that starts with J and sort of fits with the rest of his name, TELL ME! And then it will probably get changed.

Fire Lizid