Hey... I'm soo sorry I didn't get this chapter out sooner. I've had millions of problems with my computer... I wasn't online for about a week and hockey and school have prevented me from typing. I will get another chapter out this week since I have school vacation. Sorry again for the wait, please R/R. I own none of the characters expect if you don't recognize them from the books then they might be my made up ones. J.K Rowling owns Harry Potter

The next morning they were up early and off. James held on to the letter to the Minister tightly. All three were dressed in dress robes and Sirius kept yawning loudly. They apparated to the Ministry and were directed to the Minister's office. In a large room with several chairs and sofas they were told to sit and wait.

A woman came in when they had been there for about 10 minutes. She had long red hair and was tall. She looked at them when she entered.

"Lily!"

"James! Sirius! Remus!"

They all exclaimed at once. They all laughed.

James smiled, "You work here?"

"James!" Lily rushed over to him leaving her papers behind. She hugged him. When she let him go she exclaimed, "Yes I do. I've been working here since for a few months now! Why are you here?"

"Just playing delivery boy for Dumbledore," James looked at the door she had come in from. "Is the Minister in?"

"He's busy," she shrugged.

"Well I got this letter and I was told not to leave it with anyone or leave until I watch him open it."

Lily considered him and then smiled, "I'll see what I can do!"

She left and James looked at Remus and Sirius, "That went well."

"Ah the Potter charm works again," Sirius clapped mockingly.

Lily was gone for about 10 minutes. James was sure she hadn't been able to get them in but when she came back she was grinning triumphantly. "The Minister will see you now."

"You are too good to us," James kissed her cheek as he passed and they went in.

Inside at a large desk sat the Minister of Magic. A small man Richard Wolfson was a good Minister who most people respected. He had come to power two years before Voldemort rose. The strain of so many years fighting terror was clear on the Minister's face. He and Dumbledore worked closely together and both trusted each other.

"Good morning Minister," James made their presence known.

"James Potter," the Minister sat back wearily. "I thought I would be seeing you in the air for England not on business for that old man."

"So did I sir but with my father passing away things changed," James nodded.

"Ms. Evans said you had a letter for me?" he inquired.

"From Dumbledore," James handed it over. "He told us we weren't to give it to anyone else but you and we were to wait until you at least open it."

"Then it must be very important," the Minister looked at it. He opened it and took out the parchment. "Thank you very much."

"Have a good day Minister," James left with Sirius and Remus behind him. They walked back into the reception room where Lily sat at a desk. "Goodbye Lily."

They went towards the door, "Lily, I was wondering... are you busy on Friday?"

She looked up and smiled, "Not after I get out of work."

"Is 7pm okay?"

"I'll be waiting," she told him.

**

After that they went to Diagon Alley to start tracking down Arnold Waters. With no idea how to begin they decided to go to the Leaky Cauldron and ask the young bartender Tom.

"Him?" he scratched his head as he looked at the paper. "Don't know him by that name but heard talk that he goes by Ernie. He passes through here everyday, never stops for anything though."

"Thanks Tom," James nodded and they went into Diagon Alley.

"James, how long do you think this is all going to take?" Sirius asked as they walked along the streets.

"I don't know," James shrugged.

"Full moon in two weeks," Remus reminded them.

"I know."

They walked along looking around. Around Gringotts James stopped and looked at his two friends. "Lets separate. Sirius take this side of the street, I'll take the other, um Remus do you mind venturing into Knockturn Alley?"

"No, you two can't, you will be noticed. I'll be fine though," Remus paled a little at the thought of the alley.

"Meet back here in an hour," James told them.

Remus took a deep breathe and walked to Knockturn Alley. This place gave him the creeps. He looked sideways at everyone but kept his head down hoping they wouldn't notice him. He kept his hand on his wand which was in his pocket. He went into the nearest store.

There was a few people in there. Remus looked interested in what was on the shelves as someone walked by him. When the person had passed he went up to the counter.

"I'm looking for someone called Arnold Waters or Ernie."

"I don't know," snapped the storekeeper.

"Look at the picture," Remus told him.

"Unless you are buying get out."

Remus went out. He bit his lip and went over to the wall of a store. He leaned against it and watched. These people stuck together, they wouldn't tell on each other. He looked down at the picture and up again watching people walk passed him. He didn't have that much he thought as he looked at his watch. He decided to walk around and see if he could find anything. After walking around for about 20 minutes he headed back up to Diagon Alley. He breathed freely again when he got to Gringotts. James and Sirius were waiting for them looking disappointed. Nothing.

"We can do this again," James shrugged, "for a longer period of time."

They headed home tired from their day.

Back at the Mansion James sat down wearily in front of the fire in the library.

"What do we know about this man?"

"He goes by the name Ernie," Remus sat down in the chair next to him.

"That and he goes to Diagon Alley everyday," James closed his eyes.

"Why are we looking for him?" asked Remus.

"Just because he was revealed as a Death Eater," James yawned.

"No one knows who the other Death Eaters. I don't think they really know everyone in the Circle. Only Voldemort knows everyone," Sirius sighed. "They go on raids but most of the time they don't know each other and they don't ask. Sometimes a name will be said and if a spy is around they get hunted."

"People know about your parents though," Remus stated.

"Too scared to go after them," Sirius shrugged, "and I guess they are good. No one can get near them. Too many people protecting them. Just like the Malfoys. Everyone knows Lucius was made a Death Eater as soon as he graduated."

"True, I'd like to go after Malfoy," James bit his lip.

"Who wouldn't?"

**

That Friday at 7pm James apparated in front of Lily's house. He checked the piece of paper that had her address on it and made sure he had the right house. Nervously he tried to flatten his hair and went up to the door and knocked.

Mr. Evans answered. He was a tall stern looking man. He had glasses perched on the top of his head and a newspaper in his hand.

"Good evening Mr. Evans," James said as cheerfully as possible. "Is Lily ready?"

"Hello James. Let me go see if she is," Mr. Evans shook his hand. "Come in."

James stepped inside and when Mr. Evans went upstairs James looked around. He was in the living room and lined along the walls were pictures. It looked like a time line of pictures starting with two small girls and the last picture closest to James was of Lily in her Hogwarts robes with her Head girl badge on proudly. James smiled and remembered the day that picture was taken. He looked at Lily's sister in a picture next to hers, he wondered how they could be sisters. While Lily had long red hair and a beauitful face her sister looked almost horse like.

"James?"

His thought was interrupted by Lily's voice. He went back to the door and saw at the top of the stairs Lily. She was dressed in simple dress robes and her hair was put up.

"Good evening," he greeted her. "You look wonderful."

She came down the stairs slowly. Though Lily felt more like a sister to him or a mother as she used to scold him for his pranks his stomach was in his throat as she walked down the stairs. She looked beautiful.

"I didn't know exactly how to dress but I figured we would be going into the wizarding world," she admitted.

"I just figured we would," James shrugged. "I don't know any good restaurants in the Muggle world."

"That's what I thought," she smiled at him. She then looked back at her parents who had been standing nearby. "I'll be home in a few hours."

"Be careful dear," her mother warned.

"Of course," Lily smiled at James. "I have a member of the Order of the Phoenix escorting me, I'll be safe."

"Nice to see you again Mr and Mrs. Evans," James said and they left.

Outside Lily looked around, "Where are we going and how are we getting there?"

"Well I was thinking about getting some food at the Leaky Cauldron and taking the Knight Bus there." James said seriously.

Lily raised an eyebrow at him.

"Or for Plan B I could take your hand and apparate us to a special restaurant," James quickly said.

"I like Plan B but I can apparate myself," Lily told him.

"But that would ruin the surprise on where we are going," Lily extended his arm ready to take hers.

She agreed and gave her hand to him. He quickly disapparated both of them. They apparated in front of two large wooden doors. Lily looked around, "Where are we?"

"A little restaurant called The Owls."

"I've never heard of it," she admitted.

"I've never been inside," James laughed. "My parents went here often when they were dating."

They went in and James was spotted at once. A woman came up to them and took them outside to the porch where fireflies were flying around providing light. It was beautiful out here, little tables were two were set up all overlooking the river that was next to the restaurant. James pulled out a chair for Lily and then sat down himself. Statues of white owls were all around the place and they flapped their wings when you walked by them. It was a nice restaurant and their waiter came up and told them that when they were ready just to say what they wanted and it would appear. They had large menus making it hard for them to choose.

They didn't talk much as they decided on dinner.The talk turned towards what was happening in the world right then and what their classmates were doing since graduating. They both agreed that Severus Snape, a Slytherin in their year who the Marauders picked on constantly was most likely a Death Eater along with other members of the Slytherin house.

They then talked about their families and James shared a few childhood stories about living in the wizarding world and about when he found out what wands did and blew up the kitchen using his father's wand. He described his uncle who had been a mischief maker at Hogwarts in his day and had shown him the finer points of pulling pranks to the dismay of his parents.

It was a pleasant evening and by desert James had Lily laughing at the numerous times James and Sirius had caused havoc around the Potter Mansion. Secretly she had always loved their jokes when it didn't involve hurting anyone and all his pranks at the Mansion had been harmless.

They went for a stroll outside the restaurant before James brought Lily home. On his doorstep she was about to go in when James asked, "May I ask you out again? We could go and relive the old times when we stuck out of the school and got butterbeers in Hogsmeade?"

Lily smiled, "if you want a repeat performance of what we did tonight yes you may ask me out again but lets leave Hogsmeade to the Hogwarts students."

James smiled, "Then I will find another little restaurant and I will call on you."

"I will be waiting," Lily smiled. "I had a wonderful time tonight."

"I did too," James said. She gave him a hug and went inside.