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Remembering James, Remembering Love: Chapter 12: It's Back; It's Dangerous

Lily left the three in the entrance hall and ran up to Dumbledore's office. She walked up the the statue said 'muggle candy' and walked in. She walked into Dumbledore's office and sat in a big comfy chair. She looked around the room even though she knew it well. She saw Fawkes, Dumbledore's beautiful phoenix in his cage. She saw the memory pool peeking out of the large cabinet. She looked around and saw many things she didn't notice before. She was startled when she heard the swish of a cloak behind her. She turned to see Dumbledore's smiling, yet the twinkle from his eyes was gone.

Dumbledore sat down in his chair, across the desk from Lily.
"Lily, It's about that ring of yours."

"Yes Professor"

"Well you see, that was not your ring."

"Whatever do you mean, sir?"

"I mean, Lily, that your ring has already been stolen."

Lily looked confused, "So it was an imitation?"

"Yes, and it was cursed to explain why you were temporarily unconcious."

"Well, Dumbledore, sir, what can we do?"

"Nothing, Lillian, dear, nothing at all. All there is to do is be brave and stand up for ourselves. Other than that there is not much we can do, except to fight the now extremely powerful and deadly wrath of Lord Voldemort."

"B-bu--"

"I suggest you go back to your quarters, Lily."

"Y-ye-yes Professor."

She stood up and turned, walking towards the door. With a swish of her cloak she was out the door.

"Ahh...what a pity, the accident was...what a pity. She could have been so much stronger." Dumbledore sighed, once he was left to himself.

About a week later around 2:30 AM, Lily sat up in bed suddenly. She had woken up from a horrid dream of which she couldn't remember. She reached over to the nightstand searching for the light. But before she could find the light her hand touched a cold ring of metal. She clenched her fist around it and felt like ice had replaced the blood in her veins, making her feel a bit sick. With her other hand she reached back towards the light. Filling the room with light, she opened her hand that was clenching the ring and looked down on the cold metal lying in the palm of her hand. She was confused. This was the ring that Dumbledore had. Or did he? She was starting to worry. Was this another imitation? Or worse, was the original imitation and someone had gotten past Dumbledore and put it in Lily's room? Lily didn't even want to think about what could of happened to Dumbledore. So she started to think if it could have appeared by its--her thoughts we cut short by a voice inside her head.

"Put it on, Girl."

"But I don't want to. I remember what happened."

"What was so bad about it? It was only a dream."

"How do I know it was only a dream?"

"Because I told you that it was, silly Girl!"

The voice inside her head had started to scream and without thinking, Lily opened the window and chucked the ring out as hard as she could. She was breathing heavily and she didn't want to be alone. She couldn't go all the way to her friends' or James's house but as she sat in the padded windowsill staring out, she noticed Hagrid's hut and knew what she had to do.

Lily ran to her wardrobe and pulled out a heavy navy coat. She put on the coat, not bothering to change out of her pajamas. She slipped on some shoes, already having socks on, and ran out the door. She burst out into the corridors and ran down the stair cases timing them all so she would get on one that wasn't going to move and make it down to the hut quicker. In her rush, she miscalculated and stood, tapping her foot waiting for the staircase to come to a halt. Finally it stopped and she ran down the rest of it. At the bottom she looked around, trying to figure out the fastest way to get down to the grounds. She knew she was ridiculous to be in such a hurry but she suddenly didn't feel safe. Like someone was watching her. Finally she reached the entrance hall and ran out the large doors and to the large man's hut.

Hagrid quickly pulled Lily inside and shut the door.

"You know I'm not a student anymore, I can be out after dark."

"Oh...um...ya...righ'...I knew tha'..jus' pullin' yeh in anyway."

Lily knew that Hagrid was making up an excuse but went along with it anyway, "Oh, okay."

Lily sat down and looked around for the millionth time as Hagrid went to make some tea. Hagrid came back in a few minutes and handed Lily her cup and with his cup he sat down himself.

"So...Lily, what'd yeh come to see me for?"

"Oh...um...well..."

" 'S all right, yeh can tell me."

"Well you see Hagrid...you heard about that ring of mine didn't you?"

"Yep."

"Well, you know how it's already been stolen and there was a fake?"

"Yep."

"And the whole story with what happened and Dumbledore took it away?"

"Yep, don't tell me yeh wan' it back, do yeh?"

"Oh no, complete opposite. The problem is it is back."

Hagrid, of course, looked confused so Lily explained everything that happened earlier that night. Down to every last detail.

"Yeh really shoulda saw Dumbledore, Lily, yeh really shoulda. Why don' yeh go do that now?"

Lily just nodded and thanked Hagrid for everything and pushed her way out the door and into the howling wind.

Lily pulled her coat tight around her and pushed through the wind. When she finally made it to the castle she swung the doors open and ran inside, into the warmth. Brushing her long, auburn hair out of her face she walked up the many staircases until she reached the gargoyle that held the entrance to Dumbledore's office. She spoke the password (dippity pippity) and stepped onto the spiral staircase. When she reached Dumbledore's office she was surprised to see James, Remus, Sirius and of course Dumbledore already there. Dumbledore smiled, but there was no twinkle in his eyes and made a motion to sit down in a chair between Remus and James. After sitting down, she took off her coat, forgetting that she was still only wearing pajamas underneath. Everyone smiled at her appearance. Lily looked down and blushed. But the small wave of happiness in the room was soon to be over.

Dumbledore finally broke the awkward silence, "Even though, I do wish we could stay on this happy note, there are important matters that need to be discussed as soon as possible."

Everyone nodded silently hoping they wouldn't be the one to do most of the talking and hoping Dumbledore would do that for them. Dumbledore looked at the four sad faces and seemed to know exactly what was going on, "Yes, one of you must speak. I cannot speak for everyone, you know"

Once again everyone nodded but this time Lily broke the silence, "Um, why are you three here?"

Remus looked at his friends and saw that they weren't very excited to have to speak, so being the good friend that he was, he did it for them, "Well Lily, there is more than one reason. First of all we were going to come here soon anyway to discuss some…err…situations with…well…you know…the other thing is that James had owled us telling me and Sirius, here, that he had woken up from a dream with…well let's just say not the best of feelings. He was worried about you and he owled us to back him up incase, well incase he couldn't handle it, and he wasn't going to risk losing you, you know how much he loves you."

James looked up at Lily at this but thought better of glaring at Remus since Lily already knew what Remus said and it wasn't like it wasn't true. Sirius on the other hand stared at his feet, which had begun to interest him when Remus began his little speech, and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Sirius took the chance at glancing towards James but realized that James was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to notice anything. 

Once again Remus broke the silence, "James, Sirius, I believe we should tell her, Lily, you know more about our other reason for being here." Remus spoke as if Lily and Dumbledore weren't even present in the room. The three friends took turns looking at each other searching for an answer in each other's faces. Sirius and James saw in the way Remus looked at them that he refused to keep talking just because they were wimps. James and Remus both saw the incredible about of nervousness trapped inside of Sirius. The two friends (James and Remus) glanced back at each other and then back at Sirius. There was a silent understanding that it would have to be James.

James looked nervous but he spoke up anyway, "Lily, well…um…you see…err…well…"

Lily was starting to get annoyed, "YES, James?? Would you care to talk in real words?"

"Hey! Lily and well are both and the dictionary! As well as you and see!"

James got and kind but stern look from Dumbledore, telling not to wander off of the subject, no matter how much he wanted to. James nodded and before Lily could finish a word he cut her off, "All right, Lily. We are wanted. Highly. All of us."

Lily considered telling James to talk in full sentences but thought better of it. This was too serious of a matter, "Oh James! Why would Voldemort want us? We are nothing better than any other witch or wizard!" Remus and Sirius didn't necessarily like that Lily spoke his name but didn't really mind either.

James didn't know how to answer her and looked to Dumbledore for assistance. Luckily he helped James out, "Well, Miss Evans his reasoning is not completely clear at the time. Yet we all know that of course, he doesn't have any true reasons for his actions. I can tell you some things, fortunately. Mr. Lupin is wanted for his condition. Voldemort has gotten many werewolves turned over to the dark side and fortunately we have Remus still. It is not clear why Mr. Black is wanted except that he has very close access to the two of you, meaning you and Mr. Potter, Lily. That is not very easy to understand at all because of the fact that it is still unsure why you two are very near the top of his list. I suggest you four always stick together as much as you can, and James, Lily, you both should research on the reasons he might want the two of you. Oh yes and speaking of sticking together, I highly recommend that Remus and Sirius can room together just like old times back as a student, and I believe that James should be the one to stay with Lily because of their…err…relationship. I hope some things are explained to you and I suggest you get off and get a bit of sleep before breakfast, being that it is already morning."

The four of them got up and headed for their rooms just as Lily and James were shutting the door behind them, the professor called out, " And mind you there are separate beds for everyone. Remus and Sirius should of course already know that, but I am reminding the two of you, just in case Mr. Potter, ahem…forgets." James smiled back at the professor glad to see the twinkle in his eyes once again. Nodding goodbye to Dumbledore, James finally shut the door behind him and noticing that Lily and his friends had left without him, went to catch up with them.

(A/N: Hello my lovelies! How are you all? Sorry for my slowness… hope this is okay for now… I have one more chapter I can give you and then I have to start writing on this again! I'm so writer blocked! Well thank you all of you who reviewed! I love getting reviews! Don't we all? Well enjoy! – Jessie)