Is it for fear to wet a widow's eye
That thou consumest thyself in single life?
Ah! If thou issueless shalt hap to die
The world will wail thee, like a makeless wife
The world will be thy widow and still weep
That thou no form of thee hast left behind
When every private widow well may keep
By children's eyes her husband's shape in mind
 -(From Sonnet #9
 William Shakespeare)

The rain tumbled down, seemingly in sheets, rather than droplets. There was a break for about a day, but only indecisively, then it started up again just as gradually as it stopped. For once, the muggles as well as the wizards agreed on one point. It didn't look like it would stop anytime soon. Life still went on as before, although, but with a certain air of gloom. News of Voldemort's evident rise had attained an almost permanent position on the Daily Prophet's front page.

"Lily," James whispered. Lily stirred beside him, and her eyes shone in the dark as she opened them fully.

"Yes," she pulled the sheets up around herself, feeling cold. The chill night air penetrated the small room. Her eyes wandered over to the window behind them, slightly open and clanging against its sill. "Geez, James, go close the window! I'm a bit under-dressed, don't you think?" she spat crankily.

James stretched his bare form and pulled in the window by its lock. As he was quite tall, he managed to lock the door without getting up. He continued, "Lily, you asleep?"

"No. What did you want to say?"

"Well I-" James hesitated.

"Is it about Voldemort?" Lily asked, as she herself had been thinking about that issue earlier that day.

"I wanted to tell you before you heard it from someone else," Lily looked panicked, "Myra McKinnon and her mother, they're--they're dead, Lily."

Lily felt the tears prickling at the back of her eyes, and she looked down at her hand, that was currently in James'. Somehow, though, she had the feeling that that wasn't the worst of it. For one, she hadn't known Myra that well anyway. "And?" she asked, almost fearfully. James sighed.

"They were killed because she was a seer. She foresaw something about Frank Longbottom, you know, the other boy in our year?" James seemed to be putting something off, and Lily had a pretty good idea of what it was.

"So what? Frank isn't d--"

"No. Myra left a message in her wand, so the Mysteries department has a pretty good idea about where Voldemort is right now, and what he's planning to do. It's pretty bad."

"What's he planning to do, then?" she goaded him, anxious for him to get to the point, and feeling more and more fearful as he talked.

"He's planning on attacking Hogsmeade, Hogwarts if all goes as planned, and he's hiding out in the Forest. Dumbledore reckons some of the centaurs are hiding him out there."

"The Centaurs?! But I thought they were...I mean, you've spoken to them, right? They would never..."

"Hagrid doesn't believe it, says Aragog would've caught him--"

"No, Aragog is afraid of snakes, and Voldemort is the Heir of Slytherin, right?" She interrupted, but James shook his head and put his hand up.

"The Department of Mysteries approved the idea--the one I told you about, the order in knighthood? Well, they want to appoint a committee to be in charge of that. They've authorized Dumbledore to present the honor, and the first one to be knighted, or rather to have been scheduled to be knighted was Frank."

"So you think Voldemort has found out about the Order? What does he care? I mean he should be glad, right?"

"He wants to destroy it. The Order. A lot of the people that Dumbledore is planning on knighting have already made the decision, and Myra said that Voldemort considers it some kind of petty hindrance."

Lily was silent. There was a flash of lightning outside, as if to give some kind of dramatic emphasis.

"Dumbledore wants me to investigate. He's sending me and a Ministry Auror that the Mysteries Department is insisting on. Lily..." James began, but he couldn't continue after looking at her face. "He thinks I know the forest best," James said after a bit.

"James," Lily began, "I'm not going to ask anything of you, I don't want any decision you make to be because of me," she stopped, choking on a tearless sob.

"Lily, please...if you don't want me to go, I wouldn't, you know that!"

"No! What is the Order about? Choosing the greater cause! It's about allegorical decisions James; putting the right thing before the selfish thing. What am I but your girlfriend? Does it sound right for a true and honorouble Gryffindor to choose a ephemeral passion before the welfare of the world?" Despite her efforts to convince James to go, the last part of her speech sounded bitterly sarcastic.

"No, Lillums, you know that's not true. We're all we have," he gestured wildly at her and himself. "An ephemeral passion? Is that what you think? For all I know, you are my greater cause."

"All the sweet words are good and well, but in the end, you still have to make a decision," Lily said grimly. "Me...or Dumbledore."

"You," James said stubbornly, as soon as she'd stopped.

"James, as much as I hate this, you have to go!" There was no reply.

"James! What about Frank? And Myra? Sirius, Snape, Remus, and all those people that Voldemort is targetting?!"

"I DON'T CARE!!" James barked. He angrily flung aside the covers. He slipped on his boxers and his T-shirt and paced across the room, his fists clenched tight.

"Prongs," Lily said warily, eyeing his glowing fingertips, "calm down."

"HOW?" James cried angrily, "I'm NOT going!"

"James," she said again, "come here. Sit on the bed and calm down." James stomped on the floor in frustration and unclenched his fists. In a flurry, the dresser beside the bed burst into flames and the wooden chair splintered down to a heap for no apparent reason.

"James," Lily said, fumbling for her wand on the futon and putting out the fire, which was just beginning to scorch at their unpacked underwear on the first shelf. Pulling her red robe around herself, she walked to his disheveled figure, his wand hand still glowing a dangerous red in the suffocating darkness. Her face was a grim mask. Putting her chilly hands on either side of the boy's face, she started "You have to get this under control. Where is this going James?"

He was silent. His eyes were closed, and hand still glowing.

"YOU WANT TO KILL ME?! SET ME ON FIRE?! HUH? ANSWER ME!!!" Her shrill voice cut through the tense silence. James hands glowed hot, turning whiter and brighter. They stood there poised for a few seconds, and soon, James's hand stopped glowing. Lily grasped it when she noticed, grimacing as it was still hot.

"Sorry, Lillums," he said quietly.

"Just don't do this on a regular basis, James," she grumbled, tying her robe, "It's bad for my vocal chords." He gave a shaky chuckle.

"What would I've done if you weren't here?" Lily smiled, sighing.

"Thank God I was."

He put his large, bearish hands on her face, "What will you do without me?" he whispered. What if he died out there in the forest? Lily bit her lip, trying not to think of the possibility. "You know Lily, this may be our last night together."

"And it's almost over," she added. "There's so much we haven't talked about!" she said.

"So..."

"I love you." she sputtered.

"Wha--"

"I love you."

"You know, that's the first time you've ever told me that."

"It's actually just the saying out loud part, I couldn't have let you leave without you knowing that for sure...I mean, you know that I love you," Lily rambled, having little experience on the subject. She did not ramble long however, as James caught her lips in a decidedly sweet kiss.

"Oh...er, phluch, ok stop." Lily put up her hands, hitting James' nose in the process. "Sorry," she said, "What I don't want to do tonight is that. I've had enough thanks." James blushed.

"How about I tell you a Marauder's tale? Of how Peter saved Davey Gudgeon from being murdered by the Whomping Willow?" James adjusted his pillow and pushed Lily on the bed. As she had relatively quick reflexes herself, she caught James around the middle with her legs and pulled him down with her.

"Sure," she replied.

***

"Hey! Potter!"

"Vicky! How's it goin'?" James replied, wondering why on Earth he was here.

"I'm comin' with you, mate!" Wait, had he heard that right? Lily gave him a quizzical look, then James. Ludo Bagman, Captain of the Quidditch team before James, and current Beater for the Wimbourne Wasps stood in front of them, broomstick in hand, giving a broad smile.

"Hey! When did this happen?" Ludo said, pointing to Lily. Lily gave an indignant look. When did this happen?

"Lily Evans, Head Girl, Dueling Club President, '75?" He held out his hand and Lily grudgingly accepted it.

"Quidditch captain '69 to '74, all around dumb-looker?" she retorted.

"Smart one, Jamie, I'd hang on to her," Ludo said and winked at James. He gave an appreciative chuckle, but Lily glared at him murderously, and he stopped.

"So, where's Dumbledore?"

"He's off on Hogwarts business, school's starting up tomorrow, remember?" Ludo nodded.

"I hear you were offered a chaser position for the Wasps?" Ludo said, as they walked toward a table. Lily's ears perked up.

"Yeah, turned 'em down. Had to sort out my priorities, you know." James put his arms around Lily indicatively. She suppressed a smile.

"So what are you doing here?" James asked.

"Didn't you know? I'm going with you." Lily and James looked at each other discreetly, as Ludo went back to staring at a darkly cloaked witch ordering drinks at the bar. About ten minutes later, they saw Dumbledore coming in through the door of the Leaky Cauldron.

"Hello," he greeted, and Lily summoned a chair, greeting him back.

"Sir, I want to talk to you about something," she began, and Ludo suddenly looked away from the witch and at her.

"Yes, Lily, in regards to James's assignment? I believe I've already made arrangements for it." Before Lily could question further on what those were, Dumbledore addressed James and Ludo.

"And James, I'm sure you're wondering why Ludo is accompanying you?"

"Yes sir, but I certainly don't mind," James replied, eyeing his old friend for his reaction.

"I assumed so. The Ministry Auror had requested Ludo's presence for the same reason as well, I thought it would only be a bonus to you to have a friend along on this mission." Dumbledore's eyes flickered over to Ludo once more with a trace of suspicion.

"So it's certain that the Ministry will have some part in this?" James said, closely studying Dumbledore's face.

"Yes, unfortunately," Dumbledore mused. He fingered his beard, and Lily noticed that Ludo looked just the smallest bit indignant.

"And Mr. Bagman, you have no concerns you wish to communicate?"

"No, sir, we're ready."

"Then I suggest we get going. You may go, Mr. Potter, Mr. Bagman, get your affairs in order."

"Ms. Evans," Dumbledore said, after they had departed. "I have arranged a position for you as Charms teacher at Hogwarts while Professor Flitwick takes a well deserved vacation." His eyes twinkled mischievously.

"Thank you," she said. Was this the old man's attempt to make her gain admiration for him or something? Regardless, she was thankful. Maybe it wouldn't be so dangerous if she were there at Hogwarts with him.

"Now go on, get packing." Lily smiled and stood up. Dumbledore was ok after all, then.