Some of you are really going to hate me now...I don't want to give anything away before you read this chapter, but be forewarned. This chapter and the next are major tear jerkers!!! Have your Kleenex ready. When I first wrote this story I wasn't sure if I'd be able to write this chapter from my outline. It took a lot out of me, because I had to write about probably my biggest fear. I hope you guys enjoy it.

Thank-you to my readers again....I'm overwhelmed, truly I am...

Read and Review...

Nothing is my own

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Chapter nine: One of Our Numbers

Lily sighed deeply as she attempted to tie her shoe.

"Problems dear?" James said lightly.

"This pregnancy things is total overrated," Lily said straining. She finally gave up and gave a James a frustrated look, "I've still got three months of this left."

James let out a light laugh, "so where are you going exactly today?"

Lily gave an exhausted grunt, "will you help me for crying out loud."

"But this is so entertaining," James joked.

Lily gave James an evil glare, and he obediently knelt to tie his wife's shoe.

"So, I'll ask again. Where are you going today?" James repeated.

Lily shrugged, "December just wants me to get out of this house. I'm meeting her at her place."

James was grateful that Lily was getting out of the house, he hoped it would lift her spirits.

"I'm not going to stay out too late," Lily informed him.

He kissed her forehead, "have a good time." She gave a deep sigh, "I'll try."

She wasn't comfortable apparating right now, she had this terrible fear that she'd leave her baby behind.

"I forgot how much I hated flooing," Lily muttered.

James smiled, "I've got to get to work." He apparated.

"He has always been such a show-off," Lily thought to herself.

She grabbed a hand full of powder from the small flower pot off the mantel,

"DECEMBER O'RILEY'S HOUSE."

She stepped into the swirling green flames and felt a familiar dizzy sensation swimming in her head.

She almost missed her exit, as she appeared at December and Beth's she collapsed onto the floor.

"Damn," she swore.

It took her several minuets to finally collect herself. She lifted her head, and wondered why nobody had come to welcome her. Three people lived in this small three bedroom house, yet she had been laying on the floor nearly ten minuets, and hadn't seen anybody.

She slowly pulled herself off the floor, "HELLO?"

She walked into the kitchen, "DECEMBER?"

She opened the back door, "REMUS?"

She took a few steps away from the house and began to scan the landscape. She could see the waking village of Hogmeade in the distance, and a small speck of the Hogwart's castle.

She took in a deep breath of cool morning air, then she turned around. She felt the blood drain out of her face, her heart went limp. She closed her eyes and shook her head, she prayed she had imagined it. Just the overactive imagination of a pregnant woman. She opened her eyes slowly, and there it was burning as clear as a star in the night sky.

Lily who was normally so collective, didn't think. She dashed back into the house,

"DECEMBER!!! BETH!!!" she screamed.

She didn't have time to cry, she didn't have time to act on her emotions.

Lily flung December's bedroom door open, "DECEMBER!! REMUS!!!" Fear screaming thought her mind he tore open the closet door, nothing.

She torn out of December's room and down the hall, "REMUS!!"

She flung open the spare bedroom door, "HELLO???"

Ignoring the closet, she just keep down the hall.

Suddenly she stopped, she could her a muffled sob. She felt what little blood she had left drain out of her. She quietly opened the last bedroom door and closed her eyes. Her heart told her she didn't want to see what was behind this door.

December O'Riley looked insane. Her eyes were wide and she was rocking a lifeless body.

"December," Lily said quietly. She finally caught sight of who December was holding and she fell to her knees.

"Beth," Lily cried, "she's not dead!"

Lily tried to pry Beth's lifeless body out of December hold, "December give her to me, we can save her."

December shook her head, tears making her face unfamiliar.

"DECEMBER!" Lily smacked her across the face.

"SHE'S DEAD!!" December shrilled.

She lowered her voice, "don't you think I've tried."

Lily was unaware of the tears now streaming down her face.

The three once inseparable friends were together again for the last time. Lily wrapped her arms around December and together they held their fallen sister.

How much time passed will never be known, it was a kind voice of Frank Longbottom that finally brought them back to reality. Lily was helped up first and he pulled her into a hug, "it's okay."

He passed her on to another auror who was working with him, and she lead Lily back into the living room. She could hear December struggling to hold on to Beth's body as they lead her away.

"Are you okay?" the auror asked.

Lily didn't have the strength to answer. It took several minuets before December finally made her appearance. Alastor Moody carried an hysterical December over to the couch next to Lily.

"So ladies, can either of you tell me what happened?" Moody tried.

Lily again couldn't find her words, the image of Beth's lifeless corpse dancing in her mind. December was shaking uncontrollable, and looked like she was on the verge of passing out.

"DECEMBER!" Remus said breathlessly as he pushed his way through the ministry officials.

Alastor Moody held up his hands to let the other workers know it was okay to let Remus through.

"Beth is dead," December chocked out as she caught sight of Remus.

Remus stopped, and he looked as if the full moon had just caught him. The young auror who was working with Frank Longbottom helped Remus over to the chair near the group.

"What happened?" Remus said, tears building behind his misty eyes.

Lily shook her head in response.

"She's dead," December cried silently.

Alastor left the grieving friends, and headed to consult his fellow colleagues.

Remus Lupin had his head held in his arms, "What happened?" Remus repeated, more to himself than Lily or December.

"I saw the dark mark," Lily muttered, still not fully accepting the situation as reality.

December finally lifted her head, "I stayed the night at Sirius's last night," she confessed.

Lily expected to see Remus cringe, but he didn't move.

"It was a full moon last night," Remus said quickly, "I went to hide at my mother's old place."

December nodded, "Beth was suppose to stay at Peter's last night to allow you to go through your transformation."

Lily look over at their werewolf friend, the full moon explained why Remus looked so weak.

"That's why you stayed at Sirius's?" Remus asked.

December nodded, "I apparated straight inside, so I didn't see the dark mark. I went though my daily morning routine."

She dropped her hands and took a deep breath, "I went to go wake Beth. You know how she's terrible at getting herself up." December looked at Lily.

Lily pulled December into a warm hug, trying to calm her tears. No more needed to be said. The three of them felt like time had frozen, they all were drowning in an ocean of tears.

James shuffled though the papers on his desk, "Sirius, did you take my copy of the Quibber?"

Sirius gave James a sly smile, "please tell you don't read that garbage."

James threw a paper wade and hit Sirius in the head.

SLAM

"There must have been another dead eaterattack last night," James said watching the activity in the next office.

"I wonder where?" Sirius asked. He gave James a sly wink and left his desk.

"Always meddling," James said to himself.

James stared at the picture of Lily on his desk, she was waving happily at him. James couldn't help but wonder how her day was going. She was probably in the streets of Hogmeade, shopping.

He could picture Beth giggling face. He could hear December complaining about Sirius.

"James," Sirius motioned.

James felt puzzlement cross his mind, Sirius looked like someone had just broken his favorite broom.

"Everything okay?" James asked.

"I can't get any details, but the attack was near December's and Beth's," Sirius informed him.

"Near?" James asked.

Sirius nodded, "I think Remus was alone there last night."

James felt the pit of his stomach drop. That would make sense, the death eaters hears some strange noise coming from the house and stumbles across a werewolf.

"I'm going to try to pry away a few more details," Sirius continued.

James nodded, he had an idea of where to get answers himself. The Daily Profit kept a very up to date list of all attacks, it normal gave the precise location. James snatched a copy off a desk as he passed and as he read the list his heart stopped.

"SIRIUS!!" he yelled loudly across the room.

Sirius was flirting with a young witch in the magical enforcement office, he jerked his head up when James yelled.

"What?" he asked as he ran over to James.

James threw the paper at Sirius, and it only took a moment to realize what had happened. Sirius fell into the desk next to him, "where is Peter?"

James was breathing heavily, "I don't know."

"Do you think he knows?" Sirius asked concerned.

James shrugged as his face turned pale.

"Calm down Prongs. It doesn't say she's dead." Sirius said rescanning the article.

"I'm going to ask Mr. Hobbs for the rest of the day off, Lily's over there." James muttered.

"Good idea," Sirius agreed.

The two boys went into Mr. Hobbs office together, "Mr. Hobbs, how are you this morning?" Sirius asked.

Hobbs flashed them a disgusted look, "what do you two want?"

"Our friend was attacked by death eaters last night, and we'd like to go make sure she's okay," James said confidently.

"I'm sorry," Mr. Hobbs lowered his head.

"Can we be excused from our duties today?" James continued.

"She was a close friend of yours?" Mr. Hobbs asked.

Sirius and James both gave an affirming nod.

"She's dead," Mr. Hobbs said bluntly.

"What?" Sirius bellowed.

"They killed my sister too you know," Mr. Hobbs continued.

James caught himself on the edge of Mr. Hobbs's desk.

"She's dead?" Sirius asked, pretending he might have misheard Mr. Hobbs.

"I'm sorry," Mr. Hobbs repeated. "You two may have today and tomorrow off."

Sirius grabbed James and stormed out of the office, "miserable old git. How the hell does he know Beth's dead!"

James had a look of utter disbelief on his face. Sirius kicked the desk hard, "DAMN." James couldn't think, he didn't know where he should go.

Sirius had a look of complete fury on his face, that was how he dealt with pain.

"Let's go to the Order, they can tell us what happened there," James finally said. Sirius nodded and the two left.

The aurors were clearing the crime scene, and the three grieving friend were going to be taken to the ministry for questioning. Lily was being escorted over to a portkey when she saw the distressed face of Peter Pettigrew running up the drive, "what the hell in going on?"

"Peter," Lily cried out.

She stepped away from her escorts and flung her arms around his neck, "I'm so sorry."

Peter pulled her back, "sorry for what?"

"Beth is dead," she felt the warm tears falling down her face again.

"What?" Peter chocked out.

"I'm so sorry," Lily repeated.

Peter fell to the ground and Lily knelt next to him. He wiped his watery eyes, "we had a fight last night."

"It's okay, it wasn't your fault," Lily tried.

"I told her I didn't want her to stay the night with me, so she left," Peter whimpered.

"Was it Remus?" Peter asked with fear.

"No, he wasn't here last night," Lily assured him.

Peter was now breathing heavy, "what? I don't understand."

"It was a death eater attack," Lily pointed to the dark mark fading in the sky.

"Death eater?" Peter asked confused. "Why would death eaters attack Beth?"

"I don't know," Lily cried

The auror who had been with Lily nudged her off the ground, "we need to get you to the ministry Mrs. Potter."

Lily nodded and gave Peter a quick kiss on his cheek, "it's going to be okay." Peter smiled, and Lily thought that was odd.

Peter Pettigrew looked up at the dark mark, a warm feeling burned in his very soul.

"My first victim," he said in a voice only he could hear. He let a few fake tears trickle down his face.