Disclaimer: I don't own anything! Although the plot, oh the plot, yes the plot. It is mine.

Author's Note: Something was wrong with fanfiction.net when I tried to upload documents last night but whatever. So here it is…the story I intend to finish!

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Chapter 8: Winter for the Flower

James…

James never made it to breakfast that day; he didn't make it to his first class either. Thoughts raced through his head, thoughts of leaving right then to hunt Voldemort down before he could murder any more unsuspecting people, or killing himself so that Voldemort could not receive the ill pleasure. It is hard to imagine what life would be like, how hard it would be, to know your future. It's a wonder people go searching for anything relating to their lives past this moment.

He sat on his bed and gazed out the window, his knees brought into his chest. Every now and then he would throw a pillow against the wall, or pound his fist into the bed. Lily's words echoed in his mind over and over. "The snake would murder a stag, murder a stag."

He moped into the common room, realizing he needed to eat. Life had to continue; it will never cease to continue. Sirius, Remus, and Peter burst through the portrait hole panting.

"Where, what's, what is going on?" Remus asked in a jumble of confusion. James had no idea how to reply. He decided that telling them right now might not be best.

"Can, can I not talk about it right now?" James pleaded.

"Of course," Peter said with a comforting smile.

"Yea buddy, you just let us know when you are ready to spill ok?" Sirius reminded him. James knew he had to get out of there. The portrait door swung and James's foot could be seen beginning to run. He ran for the front of the school, and just kept running. He ran past most of teachers and classmates without removing his painful stare from what lie ahead of him. They only came as slurs of color, nothing to worry about how it thought of you. When he reached the tall doors that led on to the grounds he kept running.

Tears of anger cooled his cheek. He ran into the Dark Forest where no one would dare bother him intending to transform into the tall, strong stag that had no human emotions, or that pretended it to be that way. He stopped at a tree with which he covered his face from the anger of the world.

"James?" a small voice called from behind him. He whipped around angry and scared. There she was in all her beauty, the angel. Her auburn hair was tied into a messy bun, and tendrils spilled down from their restraint. Her deep green eyes showed worry.

"Go away, please just go away," James yelled at her, but she did not even shudder.

"I'm not going away, you could kill yourself out here," Lily assured him.

"You don't think I know that? Just leave me alone! I…I can't deal with this. Oh god!" James ranted.

"James you are hurt, but how can I help if I don't know what is wrong?" Lily asked.

"Maybe I don't want your help ok? Maybe you have helped enough already! Why can't you go pester somebody else? Stop trying to save my soul; I'm not your little project for the year. Just leave," he said harshly.

"I'm sorry," Lily said sincerely. "You are right. When I met you on the train, you remember that? I don't know I was just drawn to you. I thought it was because you seemed like the unhappiest person I had met in a while. I guess, I was wrong. I wanted to make you happy, as happy as how I felt because I thought you deserved that. I can't change you James, but you were happy once. You can be happy again."

"Leave," he whispered, "please."

"Goodbye James Potter," Lily said with a faint smile, and with that she walked away somehow enlightened by the one who she had tried to save, James Potter.

A feeling spread through James's body, making he compelled to run after her and apologize. James felt sorry, but right then he could not control his emotions; they were spilling out of him into everything that surrounded his bleeding soul. Running through the forest, even a stag could not be at peace with the guilt he felt.

Time began to pass unnoticed. James sat in a well, consumed by his emotions. He still withdrew the information from his friends, and hadn't spoken to Lily since the forest. James didn't realize it then, but when he let Lily in, he was happier. James had begun to smile on a daily basis. He had looked up at the sky, and down into the luscious earth. Often he would spend class periods just staring at her. What was it about Lily that was so addicting? She filled him with something, and his body yearned for this unknown substance.

James didn't talk much in this time, and when recollected he could not tell you how much time passed. A cold sheet of frost began to cover the fields instead of the friendly dew to which he had grown accustomed. Students chattered much about going home, but James paid them no attention. He was stuck in a daydream of his future, and his friends were getting worried.

One cold night they were alone in the common room, James was losing to Peter in wizard chess, and Remus was staring into the fire.

"Alright James, you've had long enough. It's been weeks. What is going on?" Remus asked.

"Nothing," James whispered.

"Bull! Tell me what is going on. I am your friend James, and I am worried about you," Remus yelled at him.

"Well maybe I don't want to tell you," James mumbled.

"Too bad James. You haven't spoken more than single words for weeks. Tell me what is bothering you," Remus yelled. It was so untypical of Remus to rant like this, but he was deathly worried.

"Remus is right James," Sirius said whispered sharply.

"Stay out of this," James yelled.

"No James, ok we are all fed up with you moping around. You haven't spoken to Lily in months. What happened," Sirius urged angrily.

"Okay, you really want to know? Well guess what, that wack-job, Professor Trelaway, she had a real prediction. Lord Voldemort, yea he is going to rise and terrorize the world. You know what else she said; the snake will murder a stag, a stag! Are you happy now?" James ranted.

"James, I'm…I don't know what to say," Remus whispered.

"Whatever, ok I should have told you a long time ago," James admitted.

"What else did she say? Anything about us?" Sirius asked worriedly.

"No, she said he would poison a flower, and one baby to save us all," James said in thought.

"Hey James, I didn't know you took Divination," Peter commented.

"I don't, Lily told me about it," James explained.

"That's weird, why would Professor Trelaway have this vision evoked by Lily," Remus asked.

"So wait he's going to poison what again?" Sirius asked contemplating the vision.

"A flower," James reminded him, "Oh no… you don't think. Lily!" James sat down; shock froze heavily upon his face. Remus and Peter sat on either side of him, and Sirius pulled up a chair n front of him. James so familiarly buried his head in his hands.

"It's ok James," Peter soothed.

"What am I going to do?" James asked, upset.

"I'll tell you. You are going to forget about what the future has in store. You are going to accept that Voldemort will rise, and that he will kill you. Know in your heart that a baby will some how save us from the malevolent power, and you will be sacrificed so this can happen. Most importantly, live," Sirius comforted him.

"I need to apologize to Lily," James concluded after a long pause. He yawned, and nodded that he would be upstairs sleeping.

The three friends sat in worry and confusion. Voldemort, they had all heard of him. It was certainly intimidating. Sirius's reaction was much like that of James; he sat in disbelief and anger. It certain that if the time came, then he would be right there with James. Remus was frightened that his werewolf half would be sought after by the dark side. He knew how dangerous he could be, and couldn't bare to murder for Lord Voldemort. Peter was just frightened. He was just as afraid of power as he needed guidance from it.

After a long pause between the three friends Remus looked up and gave a puzzled look at Sirius, and noted questionably, "Sirius, I didn't know you knew the meaning of the word malevolent." (Read conversation above!!)

"I am full of surprises Moony old pal," Sirius laughed. It was a good laugh, the kind that makes you forget something awful, even if only temporarily.

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Author's Note: I don't know how well all of these chapters fit together, so I am sorry if I totally screwed up somewhere along the line! Just to let our slower readers know, the snake is a symbol for Voldemort, the stag is a symbol for James, and the flower is a symbol for Lily. Anyways, I am sorry for bringing so much anger and sadness into this story. I tend to write how I am feeling, and I have exams coming up.

Chaotically Yours,

Lilducky18